I wake up, in what amounts to some kind of haze. I’ve never been much of a morning person, so usually it takes an hour or so to just get back to cogent thought. If I have nothing urgent to do (work, or commuting to work, or the sporadic brunch appointment), I’ll shuffle downstairs, plop onto the couch, and throw on the television. What do I watch? Who cares. It doesn’t matter. So I fire up Hulu with Live TV, the modern equivalent of cable, and see what is airing live. Turns out, these days, it’s nothing....
Continue reading...Television
Best (Recent) Sitcom Christmas Epsiodes
I’m actually surprised that Netflix doesn’t have a Christmas episode playlist by this point. So, I had to do some research, by which I mean I had to watch a bunch of sitcom Christmas episodes on the various streaming services, so I could report to you the best of the bunch. The only rule is only one episode per show; a number of the shows listed below have multiple great Christmas/holiday-themed episodes, but it didn’t seem fair to just have a list of eight Simpsons episodes, so. I thought about ranking them, but too many of these...
Continue reading...Your Official 2014 V+V Guide to Who Should Win the Emmys
It’s that time of year again: The awards for people who make stuff on the TV. Here’s who we think should and definitely will win tonight live on NBC®: Outstanding Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series Meh. Outstanding Comedy Series...
Continue reading...Mad Men, "The Good News"
Stephanie: “Nobody knows what’s wrong with themselves, but everybody else can see it right away.” Despite finding themselves in a precarious financial position as New Year’s approaches, 1964 was a good year for Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. It has not been a great year for most of our characters’ personal lives, however. The episode focuses mainly on Don, Joan, and Lane — each of them dealing with the loss or potential loss of someone they love. Don discovers that his best friend, Anna Draper, the one person who knows absolutely everything about Don and still loves him,...
Continue reading...Mad Men, "Christmas Comes But Once a Year"
Don: “I don’t hate Christmas. I hate this Christmas.” I hope everyone was excited about the return of Glen, or Creepy Glen, as I like to call him. As the Draper-Francis family picks out a Christmas tree, Glen emerges from the shadows to talk to Sally. His mother got re-married, he explains, and he heard about what happened with Sally’s parents. Bobby Draper seems to be adjusting well to their new life, he and Henry putting their arms around each other as they walk away. Sally is the one who truly feels the loss of Don, especially...
Continue reading...Mad Men, "Public Relations"
“Who is Don Draper?” With the season finale of Doctor Who conveniently falling on the same weekend as the premiere of Mad Men season 4, I’ve been recruited to add it to the Arts & Culture rotation. First, here’s a link to a quick recap of seasons 1-3 courtesy of Gawker TV. It’s November 1964 and almost a year has passed since the events of the season 3 finale. “Public Relations” begins with an interview, but Don is typically reluctant to talk about himself. In his old life, he could get away with this; he was mysterious...
Continue reading...Doctor Who, "The Big Bang"
Doctor: “We’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?” “The Big Bang” opens not where we left off last week, but rather on a scene repeated from the season’s first episode: Amelia Pond praying for someone to come and close the crack in her bedroom wall. This time, however, there is no Doctor. In a therapy session, Amelia paints a picture of the night sky, the moon surrounded by stars — her own version of van Gogh’s The Starry Night. When asked what she’s drawn, Amelia calmly explains that they’re stars. “Oh,...
Continue reading...Doctor Who, "The Lodger" and "The Pandorica Opens"
Craig: “Has anyone ever told you you’re a bit weird?” Doctor: “They never really stop.” So. I’m a little behind on these Doctor Who posts, and I apologize. It’s been a bit of a week for the Viola household. The season is finishing on a strong note, however, as we’ve had three great episodes in a row if we include “Vincent and the Doctor” from a few weeks ago. Let’s start with “The Lodger,” shall we? I adored this episode — it’s probably my favorite of the season so far. The episode that airs in this slot...
Continue reading...Doctor Who, "Cold Blood"
Doctor, to Ambrose: “You are so much less than the best of humanity!” While I enjoyed “Cold Blood” much more than part one, “The Hungry Earth,” I don’t have much to say about it save for the final scene. After Ambrose kills Alaya, negotiations between the Silurians and the humans fall apart. The Doctor forces the Silurians to go back into hibernation for another 1,000 years and hopes that when they wake, the humans will be ready to make peace. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory rush back to the surface to escape in the TARDIS, but when...
Continue reading...Doctor Who, "Amy's Choice"
Doctor: “This is going to be a tricky one.” Doctor Who returned this weekend after a short break with a strong episode that I’m late reviewing because my laptop was in the laptop hospital for most of the weekend. “Amy’s Choice” was an exploration of one of the major ongoing conflicts this season: will Amy choose a life of adventure with the Doctor or settle down for a quiet country life with Rory?
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