Saturday, June 16, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Mad Men... "The Other Woman."
Finally. The return of Mad Men!
It seems like I was the only one to find the writing uneven this season.
Weird humour. Strange "act outs".
But "The Other Woman" a return to the great writing of earlier Seasons... or at least a return to the pleasure I felt at watching the first couple of seasons. The interconnectedness -- yes! "interconnectedness"!-- of the episode's theme was beautiful and felt organic and truthful. It wasn't just interesting observations, or great moments, or terrific lines, or terrific performances-- it was everything.
And the truth is, there are so many chances for things to go wrong it's a miracle when something great happens. That was some truly great TV.
Game of Thrones on the other hand...
Friday, May 11, 2012
Saturday, March 03, 2012
What do writers wear!
Wow.
That's the question that drives people to this blog. More than any other single question.
I suppose it makes sense.
I'm imagining some creative writing majors in university-- or a lonesome high school kid scratching out poems and wondering-- "Man, I bet Tolstoy didn't walk around the house in his underpants all the time."
But he did. Or whatever the pre-revolutionary Russian version of a tracksuit was.
And if he didn't-- I do. I do all my best (which I'll admit may not be good enough) writing while dressed in a very relaxed fashion. And I recommend you do the same... Unless you're Tom Wolfe.
That's the question I'd like answered-- preferably with a little picture-- what does Mr. Wolfe wear as he sits himself down to work? I'm imagining a lot of neutral-toned cotton and leather slippers.
Hmmm. Isn't there a special edition of the Paris Review where all this has been shared?
That's the question that drives people to this blog. More than any other single question.
I suppose it makes sense.
I'm imagining some creative writing majors in university-- or a lonesome high school kid scratching out poems and wondering-- "Man, I bet Tolstoy didn't walk around the house in his underpants all the time."
But he did. Or whatever the pre-revolutionary Russian version of a tracksuit was.
And if he didn't-- I do. I do all my best (which I'll admit may not be good enough) writing while dressed in a very relaxed fashion. And I recommend you do the same... Unless you're Tom Wolfe.
That's the question I'd like answered-- preferably with a little picture-- what does Mr. Wolfe wear as he sits himself down to work? I'm imagining a lot of neutral-toned cotton and leather slippers.
Hmmm. Isn't there a special edition of the Paris Review where all this has been shared?
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Apologies to Prime Suspect (2011) fans
I'd like to take this opportunity to say how very sorry I am that the very promising new series, Prime Suspect, was cancelled.
It's my fault entirely.
I made the mistake of mentioning to someone that it was the only new series I bothered to program into my PVR.
As long time readers will know, that is the kiss of death for any new series.
Again, Mea Culpa.
It's my fault entirely.
I made the mistake of mentioning to someone that it was the only new series I bothered to program into my PVR.
As long time readers will know, that is the kiss of death for any new series.
Again, Mea Culpa.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
For all you broken-hearted TV writers out there...
Because I was feeling a little blue about the state of Canadian Television this afternoon:
I re-read this post from our pal Denis... just to perk myself up.
Mistake.
I re-read this post from our pal Denis... just to perk myself up.
Mistake.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Hey-- My Hiccups is Gone!
Every show I work on, I am constantly amazed with how much I learn and how many crazily talented-- and occasionally dysfunctional-- people there are in this industry.
The sad, but long anticipated news that Hiccups was cancelled arrived today... it was fantastic experience in all ways.
Thanks to Brent, Nancy, Laura, Arvi and David and all the cast and crew and folks in the office... and especially to Andrew Carr and Dylan Wertz who made me piss myself on a regular basis.
Good times.
The sad, but long anticipated news that Hiccups was cancelled arrived today... it was fantastic experience in all ways.
Thanks to Brent, Nancy, Laura, Arvi and David and all the cast and crew and folks in the office... and especially to Andrew Carr and Dylan Wertz who made me piss myself on a regular basis.
Good times.
The problem of Entourage
So Entourage is over.
Thank God.
The problem with the show is that despite the fact that it is so laughably, horribly written-- I kept tuning in every season. Why?!
The badness was part of it for sure. There was a pleasure I got from yelling at the television and joining the dialogue, turning to Turtle and saying: "Wow, good thing Vince didn't really sell those stocks after you told him to and he said he did or you'd be pretty screwed huh."
Or telling Sloan: "I'm with Vince on this, Eric loves you, Sloan, really he does. And I agree the fact that he slept with your step-mom doesn't matter... I mean, if he did. Which I'm sure he didn't."
Or asking Drama: "Man do you ever wonder what would happen if money didn't just swoop down out of no where and save our asses?"
But darned if I didn't actually like these guys and hope they'd make it. And it pisses me off that I don't know what happened to all the stories lines that I had been following... what about "Goin' Bananas" and the TV movie, the the restaurant?
Wow! It's Doug Ellin... just a sec.
Okay I'm back. That was so crazy. He's a super nice guy and was just reading my blog and he filled me in on all the details about what happened to everybody. It was great to hear and made me feel really good...
PS. Mark Canton's jet is at YVR and did I want to come down to Hollywood and work on his new series!
Hell's yeah... but wait-- what about my pregnant wife and kid-- they can come too?! Huzzah!
So... yeah, I can stop yelling at my television... but I will miss it.
Thank God.
The problem with the show is that despite the fact that it is so laughably, horribly written-- I kept tuning in every season. Why?!
The badness was part of it for sure. There was a pleasure I got from yelling at the television and joining the dialogue, turning to Turtle and saying: "Wow, good thing Vince didn't really sell those stocks after you told him to and he said he did or you'd be pretty screwed huh."
Or telling Sloan: "I'm with Vince on this, Eric loves you, Sloan, really he does. And I agree the fact that he slept with your step-mom doesn't matter... I mean, if he did. Which I'm sure he didn't."
Or asking Drama: "Man do you ever wonder what would happen if money didn't just swoop down out of no where and save our asses?"
But darned if I didn't actually like these guys and hope they'd make it. And it pisses me off that I don't know what happened to all the stories lines that I had been following... what about "Goin' Bananas" and the TV movie, the the restaurant?
Okay I'm back. That was so crazy. He's a super nice guy and was just reading my blog and he filled me in on all the details about what happened to everybody. It was great to hear and made me feel really good...
PS. Mark Canton's jet is at YVR and did I want to come down to Hollywood and work on his new series!
Hell's yeah... but wait-- what about my pregnant wife and kid-- they can come too?! Huzzah!
So... yeah, I can stop yelling at my television... but I will miss it.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Friday, September 09, 2011
Thursday, September 08, 2011
Did you hear...
... all the buzz about this years Gemini Award winners that were announced last night?!!?
Yeah, me neither.
I like international co-productions. I love stories about other countries and cultures. I love those stories when they're well-told by Canadians... or anybody else!
It's not that I think shows like The Tudors or The Borgias are bad... I think they're great. They give lots of Canadian Film Service Providers lots of work.
I just don't think they should be eligible for a Gemini Award for best Canadian program.
Yeah, me neither.
I like international co-productions. I love stories about other countries and cultures. I love those stories when they're well-told by Canadians... or anybody else!
It's not that I think shows like The Tudors or The Borgias are bad... I think they're great. They give lots of Canadian Film Service Providers lots of work.
I just don't think they should be eligible for a Gemini Award for best Canadian program.
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