Boo!

Storm Patrol - Usually a treat reserved for snow days, winter came early this year with an unusual chilly hurricane justifying watching long hours of local news and excessive amounts of nail-biting weather updates and random people on the street. Hunkered down for an extended weekend,  I feel lucky that the extra days off involved a dodged bullet that allowed me to watch copious amounts of T.V.
Climate of Doubt (Frontline) - As the storm and election moved closer, it felt like a good time to stop and watch why we seem to be backpedaling on climate change, despite near-scientific consensus. despite islands sinking, miners getting trapped underground in the name of maximizing, and catastrophic storms becoming commonplace.
The Choice (Frontline) - As always, an insightful and refreshing biography of two candidates for public office that cuts through the excessive ads and spin.
Presidential and Vice-Presidential Debates - As someone with a love-hate relationship with politics, and aside from a couple chuckles about clever memes, let's all agree it's been a tense, uncomfortable political season.
Big Sky, Big Money (Frontline) - After watching way too many political ads in Florida and a bunch of local ads funded by out-of-state groups, I thoroughly enjoyed nerding out to some Trevor Potter and the twists and turns of tax-exempt funding of political ads. I thought they got a little too excited about the meth house lead in, and it's too bad they couldn't get more people to talk, but I guess that's how anonymous political donors are. The whole shell-corporation game's a fascinating, albeit disturbing, trend.
Race 2012 - A refreshing reminder of the role race plays in politics (well, unless you occasionally listen to Smiley & West on the radio, in which case you probably knew about this already...)
30 Rock - Oh, Tina Fey. You knew we would miss your Sarah Palin impression this presidential race and so you treated us to political humor on 30 Rock! Hooray!
Good Wife - This season's kind of "eh" so far. I think they need to introduce some new plot lines or something. I am getting tired of the same old characters doing the same things.
Parks & Recreation - Smooth sailing in Pawnee - nothing super exciting so far.
The Black Power Mix Tape (1967-1975) - Another storm watch, I missed this on PBS and was happy to see it added to Netflix Instant. I enjoyed the really great footage from Swedish television about aspects of the civil rights movement rarely addressed in American television, interspersed with rappers talking about its relevancy today.
Mindy Project - At someone's urging, I regretfully watched another episode of this show. Double ugh. I stand by my original review.
Call the Midwife - Ok, this is quite a bit darker than I expected. Who knew that they called the midwife when a baby gets taken from a carriage or when a man in an incestuous relationship is dying of cancer? Yeah, me neither.
The Baby Wait - A while before TeenMom2, how about hanging out with some dude dads who do not totally disappoint? Good idea! I think they must have made this 30 day wait law with a TV show in mind, because aside from a lot of drama, I am not sure what good it does!
Project Runway - Totally forgettable finale. Who won again? Who cares?
The House I Live In - A really damning documentary indicting the drug war, I caught a special free screening at local movie theatre, The Charles, but I believe it's coming to Independent Lens later this season.
Love Free or Die - I missed this at the Maryland Film Festival a year ago (but I did see the Pruitt-Igoe Myth there -- go watch it on Netflix instant! It's good!), so I am glad they had it on Independent Lens this year.
Simpsons and Bob's Burgers - Both shows make me excited for the fall season, but get interrupted by baseball so much, it's hard to remember they even premiered yet.
Wilfred - It's on Netflix now, too, so you have no excuses.
Dexter (Season 6) - Yeah, I devoured another season of it, even though it's super predictable.
I read Swamplandia on a recent trip to Florida, and really enjoyed it - as zany as the State in which it's set. The Infinite Wait is the newest release from Fart Party author Julia Wertz. I do not know if it's just because we're about the same age or what, but it's one of those books where you feel like you have a lot in common with the author, even when you don't, really.

Fall Frenzy

I'm in the midst of another hectic fall, so viewing time's been compromised. I am excited about the fall season starting on Sunday, and some things finally scheduled to come out on DVD (Mad Men!!). To keep things fresh, I'm also adding new color coding (a la Charm City Cineaste)!
Netflix
Hulu
Internet
Rabbit Ears
Book
*Party Down (Seasons 1 and 2) - Sitting on the queue for quite a while, this finally came up and I am not sure why I didn't watch it sooner (and why it never got renewed for another season). A really funny look at the folks working in the catering business in Hollywood, without falling into the trope of naval-gazing.
*Project Runway (Season 10) - Bon Voyage, Ven! I am glad he got cut before he could criticize babies for being fat. Also, I am not sure I approve of baby fashion. I guess they have to wear clothes (sort of), but how come they didn't have any dads with their kids? Are babies just some kind of fashion accessory for women?
*Misfits (Season 1) - The premise to this show seems totally silly and the plot does feel a bit thin at times, but it's actually a pretty good Hulu show. Just like with Skins, the Brits sure are good at juvenile delinquency.
*Frontline - Dropout Nation - This felt way too long and a bit indulgent. The principal and teachers featured on the show thought they had found some answer to this difficult problem but obviously hadn't. Even though it's a documentary, it feels fake to focus so much on a schools that's had a huge influx of private funds to so some intensive intervention work. That's not the reality in most of the country, and I would like to hear from those people in a year or two when the funds run out, they all get laid off, and another round of kids get left behind. It's an incredibly important national conversation and I wish Frontline had done a better job providing some context to the conversation.
*Wilfred (Season 2) - This show is hilarious and totally zany! I wish more people were watching it.
*Parks & Recreation (Season 5) - It's nice to have the bunch back early in the fall. So far, so good.
*The Mindy Project -Terrible! Is this cancelled yet? I'll hold out hope that PBS' Call the Midwife fulfills my female physician viewing this fall. Hopefully they'll be quite a bit tougher than Mindy. Ugh.
*16 & Pregnant - How did I miss this back in the spring? Another season of dashed dreams and disappointing dudes.

I completed and thoroughly enjoyed 1Q84, the new Murakami book. I loved disappearing into the world of two moons, an air chrysalis, little people, religious cults, and an assassin. A strange mix that only Murakami could narrate. I also just finished Gone Girl for my book club. I am not usually one for mysteries, but it's pretty well written. It's the first book I've read on a tablet and I have mixed feelings about the experience. I probably won't switch over entirely - a few features like the glare and not being able to flip through easily were annoying, but it is really nice when you're reading just before bed to have the page light up.

Look at that Leap!

*Olympics - It's the sports event for non-sports fans! Too bad those announcers take things so seriously. I don't want to understand what's happening in the event, I just want to marvel at it. It is nice that through the summer lull, there's always some random event on to watch. I could do without the sappy stories about triumph over adversity, too. Just get to the sparkly costumes already!

*Treme (Season 2) - Trudging through the second season sadness was tough. The show's tremendous, just so, so dark.

*Louie (Season 2) - The new season drags a bit in the middle, especially his tour with the troops. But the nuggets of comic genius had me laughing so hard I cried. Hilarious!

*The Hour (Season 1) - Hello, McNulty! Welcome back to my life. I only caught an episode of this on demand while on vacation, but I'm intrigued enough to add it to the Netflix queue.

*Wilfred (Season 2) - Another one I managed to see on demand, and am waiting patiently for new episodes on Hulu.

*Project Runway (Season 10) - As much as I enjoyed revisiting favorite designers in the All Stars last time around, it's nice to have the dynamic duo, Heidi and Tim, back. I don't usually pick someone to root for this early, but after last week, I'm rooting for Sojia. I wasn't crazy about her the first week.

*Good Wife (Season 2) - I got the first couple discs from Netflix, and am trying to block out time for a marathon session today to finish it (and hopefully this skirt I'm knitting).

*Frontline, Alaska Gold - More than you ever wanted to know about salmon in Alaska and the threat of a mineral mine. A good reminder that our paperless revolution may save our trees, but also increases mineral mining demands that destroy other natural habitats.

*Independent Lens, Strong! - This is one where the preview was more exciting than the documentary about an Olympic weightlifter whose heft puts her at an advantage in her sport. I think they needed a little more substance in for it to last that long. All in all, though, it was way better than the sappy Olympic spots. With the U.S. women winning so many gold medals, it was certainly a timely screening.

Beach Bunny

Summer's time for swimming, so between strokes I managed to catch a few shows.

*Between the Folds - A nerd-tastical documentary about origami art and science, including everyone from French anarchist origami artists, an Israeli minimalist, to an MIT genuis. Surprisingly beautiful; glad I caught it before it expired on Netflix Instant.

*Wilfred - Season 2 Sneak Peak - After the cliff hanger of last season, I was not sure how they would pull things back together, but somehow they did! I can't wait to see what's in store.

*The Newsroom - I love, love, love the news, and I hate, hate, hate this show. It's so sappy and overacted; it's really unfortunate because I know there's a lot of interesting stuff that goes on in the newsroom. If they left out the "personal" stories it might be a good show.

*Endgame: AIDS in Black America - A seriously heavy, intimate and intricate look at why AIDS continues to increase in the African American community - from the Southern abstinence-only curriculum to evangelical anti-homosexual preaching. Well worth watching.

*NOVA: The Higgs Particle - The real explosion on July 4th was this revelation. How freaky is physics these days?

*The City Dark - Normally, I roll my eyes at stargazers, but after seeing the real night sky out West this summer, I became a bit more humble about it all. I love city life, but I also miss seeing the stars some nights. It's nice to know I'm not alone in that feeling. It was really surprising to learn the melatonin depletion connection between night shift work and breast cancer rates. There's still something pretty mysterious about the night.

*Treme (Season 2) - After feeling stabbed in the heart by the end of the last season, I was slow to start the new season. It's very well done, but Simon sure knows how to twist a knife in your heart just when you think it can't get worse.

Video Vacay

So there's not a lot on the t.v. right now, and I sprang free for some spring trips away from the tube (aside from the joys of hotel cable!!). I was also working hard to avoid Mad Men spoilers, since I am awaiting the DVD option.

*Game of Thrones - Finished up the first season, and now I can't wait to see the next one.

*Hung - The latest season involves setting up shop -- somewhat unbelievable, but still a good chuckle. They've managed to keep a thin premise going for a surprising amount of time.

*Entourage - A guilty indulgence of my secret inner man-child. How is this show still on the air?

*Enlightened - A new series I caught an unlikable main character whose corporate gig lets her go on a life-altering retreat after a mental breakdown. I really couldn't get into it.

*Girls - I love this chart on the likability of the boys on "Girls." I also discovered that a fair number of people do not like watching things that are uncomfortable to watch. I like it, but it's clearly not for everyone. It is a pretty specific story that doesn't speak to everyone. The boys on the show do some things that strike a lot of people as unforgivable, but I like that it's a challenging show because sometimes people do stuff like that in real life, and people still forgive them. And I do think some stuff that happens is pretty ridiculous, but that's what makes it funny.

I did read some books on these trips: Sense of an Ending (sort of boring British read about an old man looking back on a relationship), Under the Banner of Heaven (fascinating non-fiction about fundamentalist Mormons), and I started IQ84 (very much like other Murakami so far).

One-Eared Rabbit

My dream has come true...my t.v. is now hooked up with a wireless card to stream anything online, complete with a remote keyboard mouse. I may never leave the couch again.

*Good Wife - Thanks to a generous gift, I gorged myself on the first season recently while finishing out the latest season. I may have overdosed a bit in the process, but after a break I'm sure I'll be back for more.

*Game of Thrones - No need to wait for the summer Renaissance season to nerd out in fantasy land. This one requires some close attention to keep track of all the back stories about each family, but with this genre, it's better enjoying it on the big screen than reading a hundred pages of back story.

*Frontline - Did you know there's little to no science behind CSI, including the idea that fingerprints are unique? Another example of excellent, eye-opening reporting that you really can't find elsewhere these days. I'm in the midst now of their 4-part series on Wall Street greed. Familiar territory, but very well made.

*Mildred Pierce - Beautifully shot and acted, this period piece is about a woman and her complex, strained relationship with her daughter. The mini-series gets under your skin about a time somewhat parallel to our own.

*30 Rock - While I was not crazy about the repeat attempt at "Queen of Jordan," the second attempt at a live show worked well.

*Parks & Recreation - This season seems to be dragging a bit, but still funny.

*Bob's Burger - The food truck episode was hysterical. Gene's been golden! My favorite recent line of his -- Louise: We could buy an island! Gene: And a smaller island...For farting.

*Girls - I loved Tiny Furniture, and this show does not disappoint. So good she writes her own review, really: "I could be the voice of my generation. Or a voice. Of a generation."

*Colbert Report - With the Republican primary over, there's a little less material to work with. Colbert can still find a way to kill it, though - prime example was this recent spot about Kermit the Frog's German troubles. His spots on gun control and health care have both been great lately, too.

Hoppin' Around

It's a busy time for bunnies - Easter's around the corner, and somehow people expect bunnies to hide eggs everywhere. What is up with that? Anyway, apologies for the belated post.

*Boardwalk Empire (Season 1) - One of those shows that made me pine for cable when it was on, this show did not disappoint. The actor who played Omar in the Wire returns as the leader of the black community. The addition of movie stars and directors doesn't hurt, either. And then, basing the story on the appalling corruption during prohibition times, gives the plot an amazing depth.

*30 Rock - I am enjoying the comedian playing the new page, who I recognize from the Daily Show, Bob's Burgers, and Flight of the Conchords. The Grandmentor episode was especially funny.

*Project Runway All Stars - The finale was as anticlimactic as the rest of the season. Meh.

*Colbert Report - It's interesting when the Supreme Court has a case like the one this week where people really pay attention to the oddity that is court proceedings (a hypothetical involving broccoli comes to mind). Really, easy targets for comedians. His recent coverage of the conservative response to the Trayvon Martin murder, while funny, also showed me some Fox News coverage that I might have been happier not knowing about. But I also loved "The Word" that he did on gun control was especially great.

*Bob's Burgers - I love how wacky this show is! With the Simpsons in reruns, it's nice to have an animated series to enjoy.

*Better off Ted (Seasons 1-2) - I read somewhere that this was a good show to check out on Netflix Instant. It was worth a couple chuckles, but mostly fell pretty flat. Maybe the idea of corporations as evil was a more novel idea when this came out.

*Brothers & Sisters (Season 5) - The only thing I can say in my defense is, after hearing an interview with Rachel Griffith on the radio, I wanted more after watching "Muriel's Wedding" one Saturday night. That and I finished a lot of knitting between this and Better off Ted.

I did not get to much reading this month outside of nearly finishing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I guess I am just not a mystery reader, but I really did not enjoy it and do not understand its appeal. I was going to watch the movie, but now I am not sure I even want to see that. It's certainly no Hunger Games!