(via Andrew Sullivan)
Tag Archives: TV
Charles Ramsey: hero
Charles Ramsey helped rescue the three kidnapped women in Cleveland earlier this week. He is a real American character, and Jimmy Kimmel captured his ability to tell a story.
Happy birthday iTunes
Apple’s iTunes Store will be 10 years old this Sunday. The Verge has a comprehensive history of the store’s development.
Downton Abbey: a preview of Season 4, Episode 1
Not only a preview, but a musical preview:
Accidental Racist
Dogs love catching a ball
Peter Griffin drops his phone in the toilet
I love this show.
SNL five-timer’s club
Pretty funny. But especially for those born in the 1950′s. I laughed out loud and then realized that that SNL began in 1975-76, about 38 years ago. But the boomers still drive a lot of media, which to me is bizarre in the extreme. When I was in college I could not have imagined that a TV show 38 years later would be hyping comedians that were current when I was a young adult.
The Americans
The Americans is a new TV show on FX. It is set during the Reagan presidency and focuses on the cold war tension between the US and the USSR. The show reveals a number of Soviet sleeper cells within the US and it has something of the feeling of Homeland. It is very good.
Here is a preview:
You can watch the already aired episodes on the FX website, or purchase the series via iTunes.
The sequester
Downton Abbey, Season 4: Episode 1
Check out this working draft of next season’s first episode.
Excerpt:
Mister Bates dresses Lord Grantham for dinner. After a time…
LORD GRANTHAM
You’re awfully quiet tonight, Bates.
BATES
Forgive me, my Lord. I’ve no right to be. I shall turn in my resignation now if I’ve displeased you.
LORD GRANTHAM
What seems to be the matter, old chap?
BATES
It’s Anna, m’Lord.
LORD GRANTHAM
Nothing serious, I hope.
BATES
She’s dead, m’Lord.
LORD GRANTHAM
It can’t be.
BATES
I’m afraid it’s true. Hit by a lorry in the village this morning. Dragged a great distance. I’d asked her to post a letter from me to her.
LORD GRANTHAM
My dear, dear man. A senseless tragedy. And a seemingly senseless errand.
BATES
Indeed, my Lord. Today is the anniversary of the day we met, seven years ago. Also, her birthday. Also, she was pregnant. But not with my child.
LORD GRANTHAM
Well, I hope this won’t spoil Badger Counting Day for you tomorrow.
BATES
Of course not m’Lord.
LORD GRANTHAM
Good man.
(via kottke.org)
6 days to air
A documentary about South Park, called 6 Days to Air, is fascinating (and funny) in its documentation of the production of one of the episodes. Available streaming on Netflix. Here is the trailer:
Tech quote of the day
As I feel more and more alone, my phone confidently connects with everyone. As I feel more and more lost, my phone calmly knows how to get anywhere. As I struggle to remember mundane things like the name of that movie with the boat and the guy with the lip, my phone smugly recalls literally everything. As I increasingly lose the nouns, verbs and adjectives that once stood ready to articulate my thoughts, my phone taunts me with its instant access to all the words there have ever been. There is only one possible conclusion. Slowly, without realizing it, I seem to have outsourced my mind to my phone. And to make matters worse, the damn thing knows it… and it’s starting to screw with me. Several times during the day I feel it buzz in my pocket, alerting me that some vital information has just arrived. Then, when I look, there’s nothing there. No email. No text. Nothing. Was the buzz in my mind? I don’t think so. I think it’s purposeful. I think my phone is mocking me. And it’s not just my phone. It’s all of them. They are working together, systematically robbing us of our intelligence, our humanity. And then, when we are made stupid and helpless, they will take over. It’s just a matter of time before the next generation of iPhone is equipped with an opposable thumb. Oh yeah, they’re smart alright. Evil, world domination smart.
I have to call people and tell them… Oh, great, now I have no bars! Dear God, what is happening?!
– the Chuck Lorre Vanity Card at the end of The Big Bang Theory broadcast on February 7, 2013
The best of the Dowager Countess
(via All Things D)
A very bad way to lose a race
(via Digg)