The Vast Wasteland

No Power

2006-12-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

We have no power at home, and probably won't until this weekend or later.
So....
To all of you, a very happy holiday season, and I'll catch you in the new year!

VM Mini-Finale

2006-11-29T11:16:00.000-08:00

So what did you think of the Veronica Mars "mini-finale" last night? I was pretty satisfied, but (MINOR SPOILER ALERT):

I thought the confession/soliloquy the rapist gave in the dorm room was kind of cheesy.

Other than that, well acted as usual, Mac's STD shirt was hilarious, Logan in the jail cell was tense, and it looks like we have our new mystery for the next storyline.

Also, good news from the CW: VM ratings were great! Whoo! Press release below:

November 29, 2006 (Burbank, CA) – “Veronica Mars” delivered its best ratings ever in adults 18-34 (2.0/6) and adults 18-49 (1.6/4-tie), and “Gilmore Girls” climbed to new season highs in adults 18-34 (2.5/8) and adults 18-49 (2.2/6), according to preliminary live plus same day Nielsen ratings for Tuesday, Nov. 28.

The CW posted its best Tuesday to date in all categories, including adults 18-34 (2.3/7), women 18-34 (3.2/8), adults 18-49 (1.9/5), women 18-49 (2.6/6) and viewers (4.2mil).

In addition to its series highs, “Veronica Mars” also delivered its second largest audience ever (3.5mil) and second highest ratings in women 18-34 (2.6/7-tie) and women 18-49 (2.0/5-tie). “Veronica” hit season highs in all categories.

“Gilmore Girls” also ranked second in the time period among women 18-34 (3.7/10).

With both “Gilmore Girls” and “Veronica Mars” on the rise, The CW scored week-to-week increases of 43% in adults 18-34, 27% in adults 18-49, 28% in women 18-34, 18% in women 18-49 and 21% in viewers.

Veronica Mars, Finally

2006-11-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

I've been lax lately about discussing my favorite show.

I'm definitely liking season 3 so far.

And I love (as in love-to-hate) Vinnie VanLowe soooo much. He's such a perfect mix of cheese, sleeze, and cleverness. So well acted, too. He was a fabulous fake-drunk last night.

So, what are your thoughts on who the rapist is? Creepy T.A.? Creepy R.A.? The criminology professor?

The Lost Bashing Continues!

2006-11-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

There's a great article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about Lost. It pretty much sums up my feelings at the moment. Link here; article pasted below.
--

Hey, "Lost," got a minute? We know you're busy packing for that 13-week hiatus that kicks off after tonight.

That's what we want to discuss with you. Have a seat.

Before we get to the core of the matter, thank you for two exciting seasons. The first really got us. Outsiders blamed our fierce loyalty back then on the head-over-heels rush of endorphins all of us experience at the beginning of a saucy new relationship. Make no mistake, that's what we have -- a relationship. An intricate serialized drama like you requires total commitment. That was crystal from the get-go.

Week after week you teased us with puzzles, filling our brains with questions.

Problem was, you didn't give us enough answers. Then you'd leave us frequently and without explanation during season two, making us wade through repeats and clip shows. Not cool, "Lost." Not cool.

Even through that, we preached patience. Hell, when most viewers wanted to truss up Michelle Rodriguez, coat her head to toe in bacon grease and leave her at the mercy of the island's polar bear, we hung tough.

Now, standing on the edge of season three's winter break, something's amiss and you know it. Oh, sure, you remain one of ABC's most successful series. Last week you snagged about 16.1 million viewers. As advertiser bait goes, you're still tops.

Our issue is that you don't take us places anymore. You've gotten rid of almost everything we liked about you. No more Eko. No more alarming discoveries or profound mysteries. Not enough Hurley.

Don't look at us like that -- look at yourself! Where you once brought us Dharma Initiative weirdness, tasty power struggles and sinister island dwellers, now we have dirty Sawyer, mud-slicked Kate and sweaty Jack sitting around in cages.

Hurley, Charlie and the rest of the survivors are wandering the beach doing next to nothing. Locke has turned into Mr. Rogers with a Bowie knife.

Seriously, would it kill you to actually do something for once?

Killing the only Tailie that we liked doesn't count. Quite the contrary. When that cloud of smoke beat Mr. Eko to death, some of us hit our limit. Not only did you off your best-loved character, you did so with an entity nobody has even come close to understanding.

To be fair, you have an acceptable defense for showing Eko his final exit. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje wanted to return to London to work on a film he plans to direct. Honestly, though -- death by raging pollutant? It's been three seasons. We've put in our time. You owe us some inkling of what the deal is with Ol' Smokey.

Heaping insult on top of that, you replaced Eko and the other wasted Tailies with Nikki (Kiele Sanchez) and Paulo (Rodrigo Santoro), a couple ripped straight out of the JCPenney catalog underwear section. Dull and duller! Nathan Fillion shows up on tonight's episode, and we can't wait to see what he'll do. That's because we loved him in "Firefly." Oh, you thought our anticipation had something to do with you? Sorry.

Your executive producers, J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, claim to have a plan, so we've heard. Some of us are starting to have serious doubts about that, but OK.

Even if everything's mapped out, the numbers don't lie. Viewers are leaving you every week for "Criminal Minds" on CBS. That procedural that doesn't come close to matching your intelligence and complexity, yet it's putting its boot to your backside in the ratings department.

You know what "Criminal Minds" has that you don't, besides almost 1 million more viewers as of last week? Plots that move.

Tune into "Criminal Minds" and a viewer is guaranteed a solid and electrifying start, a taut center and a firm ending. With you, we get Sawyer gnawing on fish biscuits and taking beatings.

"Lost," you still won among 18- to 49-year-olds by a 32 percent margin, so the news isn't all clouds and misery. Given the sand trap where you've stuck the plot, however, you can't blame us for turning to CBS for a little "wham-bam-thank-you, ma'am" fun with serial killers.

A number of us believe this relationship is worth salvaging. First, you're going to have to change a few things. Start with this: We want action. The bedrock of every relationship. The problem with this season is fairly basic -- nothing interesting or amazing has been happening on the island that you've led us to believe is both of those things and more. That needs to change, and pronto.

In order to jump-start the motor, you'll have to use your get-out-of-jail-free card. Spring Jack, Sawyer and Kate, and get on with the rest of the season. Nobody likes seeing central characters brought to heel for weeks on end. Look at Sci Fi Channel's "Battlestar Galactica," which reached a fork in the plot similar to yours. The series' human protagonists were under Cylon occupation and the producers wanted to show things from the enemy's point of view. That lasted for three episodes, then BOOM! The humans are back on their ships and merrily zipping through space. Balance, as the series presents it, was restored in short order. As long as the island's group is split apart and aimless, nothing exciting can happen. Break 'em out tonight. Then you'll have a cliffhanger working for you.

Also, how about you ditch the focus on The Others? Scale it back, at least. We've tried to embrace the whole exploration of what their goal is, but the more time we spend among The Others, the more it occurs to us that Ben, Juliet and their neighbors are pretty much just suburbanites with rusty moral compasses, lab equipment and too much time on their hands. "Lost," you hinted at Dr. Moreau-style madness, only to pull back the curtain and reveal an evil cul-de-sac that could have been set in Monroe, Wash.

After all that is rectified, you'd better start answering some questions. We still haven't forgotten about the statue with the four toes. Nobody gets why that polar bear is there and, after Eko's death, the secret behind the smoke demon had better melt our brains.

Shape up, "Lost," because you're not the only unusual option out there. We have our eyes on a new guy, NBC's "Heroes," on Monday nights. "Heroes" might not be as smart as you, but it's always a good time. We could easily redirect our passion over to NBC and abandon you completely.

Fortunately, you have until your Feb. 7 return to fix what's broken. Take this time to think about our relationship, then start doing better by us ... or else.

I'm So Lost

2006-11-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

Anyone know what the heck is going on on Lost?
Remember when the others wandered around the island with dirty feet and homespun clothes, dragging teddy bears behind them?
And why why why do we need newbies?

On Vacation

2006-10-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

Just a note that I'll be on vacation until October 27.
Happy viewing until then, my kittens!

Who's Your Favorite Top Model Contender?

2006-10-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

Right now, mine is AJ (always love the gothy girls)...followed by Caridee or either of the twins. Good season so far--I liked the circus freaks photo shoot.

And the Winner Is....

2006-10-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

The only new show of the season to remain on my DVR's recording list after the pilot episode:

The Nine

Didn't think it was fabulous, but it held my interest, was nicely paced, and has potential.

The Lost Season 3 Premier

2006-10-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

Creepy, eh? A nice summary and commentary by Mo Ryan can be found here.

Veronica Mars Season 3 Premier!

2006-10-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

Well, what did you think? I liked it. I see what Rob meant about slowing down the pacing--it was like watching a normal show rather than VM (which always moves so fast I have to rewind often and rewatch the next day). It was definitely a good introduction to the show and characters for newcomers. A few more detailed comments (keep in mind that I've only watched it once--though it's saved on my DVR for future viewings) are below.

Nice to see VM in high def
MAC! VINNIE! Love the series returnees
Also, love the girl interactions with Mac and Veronica. So good to see her with a female friend.
Wow, who knew Ryan Hansen can do tortured as well as glib? Poor Dick. I wonder what "bad thing" he did? (Bet it was awful.) Huh--can't believe I just said "poor Dick" either! I loved to hate him last season.
The new credits are very nice--sophisticated and dark. (Though I do miss the more manic credits, which usually caused me to sing along and dance around...)
Piz seems cute. And of course he'd be major crushing on Veronica--who wouldn't? (Loved the scenes with him and Wallace "being gross," as Veronica put it. Sooo funny and real.)
I'm a bit unclear about the whole Fitzpatrick/Kendall subplot. What do you think was going on? (It'll be clearer when I rewatch, I'm sure.)
I can't believe Keith didn't catch Vinnie putting something in his bag. For shame, Keith. Your daughter would never have fallen for that!

Open Letters to TV Shows, Part V

2006-09-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Cold Case: Your season premier episode was the single most violent and upsetting thing I've seen on TV in recent memory. Seriously, watching a high school girl almost get gang raped, and then seeing her classmates go on a shooting rampage in a mall (shown in great detail, I might add) is not my idea of a good time. Well acted all around (Kyle Gallner is one creepy little Beaver...er, kid), but still very upsetting, and way too graphic for 8:00 p.m. You owe me a nice, happy episode about kittens. And not murdered kittens either--happy, fluffy kittens.

Dear Bones: You were starting to get good at the end of last season--not as self-consciously cutesy and more at ease. So why did you have to ruin things by introducing a new character? The show wasn't stagnant yet. (Oh, and show more scenes of Angel in jeans and a t-shirt, OK?)

Dear Six Degrees: I tried to watch you, but found your characters cliched and unlikable, and your storylines dull. Meh. Deleted from my recording list.

Rob Thomas Phone Interview

2006-09-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I couldn't "attend" the phone interview, but some of my fellow bloggers have the full scoop for you!

Info about Veronica Mars season three can be found here and here, with the full transcript here. Enjoy!

(One more week! Squeee!)

Squeeeee!

2006-09-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

Check out this gorgeous photo from the upcoming season 3 of Veronica Mars! Two more weeks, people! *bounce bounce bounce*

Battlestar Tidbits

2006-09-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

Mo Ryan has an article about the upcoming season of Battlestar Galactica. It sounds horrifying yet gripping--I'll probably watch with a pillow over my head. Just in case. Time to renew my Starbuck infatuation!

My Upcoming TV Schedule

2006-09-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

A reminder to myself about when my shows start. Wahoo!

Bones Wed., 8PM ET Fox Aug. 30
House Tue., 8PM ET Fox Sept. 5
The Simpsons Sun., 8PM ET Fox Sept. 10
America's Next Top Model Wed., 8PM ET CW Sept. 20
Grey's Anatomy Thu., 9PM ET ABC Sept. 21
Six Degrees Thu., 10PM ET ABC Sept. 21
Cold Case Sun., 9PM ET CBS Sept. 24
Without a Trace Sun., 10PM ET CBS Sept. 24
Gilmore Girls Tue., 8PM ET CW Sept. 26
Supernatural Thu., 9PM ET CW Sept. 28
Everybody Hates Chris Sun., 7PM ET CW Oct. 1
Lost Wed., 9PM ET ABC Oct. 4
Veronica Mars Tue., 9PM ET CW Oct. 3
The Nine Wed., 10PM ET ABC Oct. 4

Open Letters to TV Shows, Part IV

2006-09-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

Dear 4400: We broke up. It's official, you've been dumped from my DVR. I have no idea what's going on with you lately--you've been so muddled, and you've angered me. Please stop calling--I won't take you back. OK, you may get one more chance next season--but promise you'll be kinder to me, OK?

Dear Janice Dickinson and Desperate Housewives: You've been dumped too. Buh-bye.

Dear House: Oh, it's on, baby. See you tonight. *kiss kiss*

Carry On Or Check?

2006-08-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

Do you want to take your snake on a plane? Here's how!

Two Veronica Mars Tidbits

2006-08-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

1. Got season 2 on DVD. Yay! The extras, though short, are cute and worth watching. There's a great studio tour, and an adorable gag reel.

2. Vote for Kristen Bell at the Village Voice!

(Two More) Summer TV Show Reviews

2006-08-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

Two I forgot last week!

Hex (CONTAINS SPOILERS): I love this show for the overdramatic gothic plot. However, I'm a bit muddled over Azazeal's motivation, and Thelma's abilities (she's the strangest ghost ever!), and, oh...is Cassie really dead? I assumed she'd come back for the last episode or two! Seems strange to kill off the two main characters in a show (even though one gets to stick around as a ghost). Still, enjoyed it, and will watch next season on the BBC if it comes back.

Meerkat Manor: Baby meerkats are adorable. The best thing about this show? Shakespeare the meerkat lived through his snake bite! Hooray!

Summer TV Show Reviews

2006-08-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hullo, loyal viewers! I hope you're having a nice summer. Thought I'd prepare for the upcoming TV season by posting some reviews from my summer viewing. Let me know your thoughts.

Psych: I've only seen the pilot, but I have the other episodes DVR'd. I enjoyed it--it was funny and a great companion to Monk. The two main characters were engaging, and the dialogue was fast paced. Can't wait to see more.

The 4400: I'm a bit muddled this season. Frankly, I think the show is a bit mired down in its complex conspiracy plots. I miss the "freak of the week" episodes from the first two seasons. The acting of some of the characters still bothers me, too. (And isn't Jordan Collier alive? Thanks for leaving that plot dangling, writers!)

The Janet Dickinson Modeling Agency: Janet is brash, irrational, and grating. But I still watch, so...yeah.

Caught in the Moment: This is a nature show on Animal Planet, made by two gen-x hippies. It's great, and very self-consciously politically correct.

Monk: The episode where he calls Alice Cooper "a hippie, and not the good kind"? I was howling with laughter. That episode was on some serious drugs. Very enjoyable season so far. (And major props to Alice for being such a good sport.)

Eureka: Anyone seen this show on the SciFi Channel? It's DVR'd, but we haven't watched it yet. Is it any good? (Will review later.)

I'm also almost done with season 5 of Gilmore Girls (Sebastian Bach is another rocker who's a good sport). I don't like Logan yet, but will admit that the actor's range is much greater than Dean's (sigh) or Jess's (shudder). I'm pleased with the season so far--as usual, great acting and hysterical dialogue. Emily is actually becoming one of my favorite characters.

My cats are buying me season 2 of Veronica Mars on DVD for my birthday. Awww. Aren't they good kitties?

Veronica Mars Season 3 Scoop

2006-07-18T11:18:00.000-07:00

*Yawn* Blink blink
Yes, it takes a spoiler-rific article about Veronica Mars season 3 to pull me out of my summer slumber. Spoilers--and exciting news--ahoy! Article copied below; linky here.
---

Kristen Bell, Rob Thomas hope The CW switch solves the mystery of why "Veronica Mars" hasn't caught on.

The "Veronica Mars" panel began with Kristen Bell's signature photo dominating the screens in front of us. Fans know the one – she's leaning forward, hand on her knee, face locked in a "take no guff" expression, a white tank showing off her sinewy biceps as her hair blows back. One would say she's looking Free to Deliver a Beat Down, but the still has been around since season one – much to Bell's dismay.

Sitting beside series creator Rob Thomas, she immediately started to protest when she saw the picture.

"Oh, honestly. I am so over it." She shook her head. "Can we get new pictures?"

Bell is a Serious Actress, understand. Though "Veronica" has made her famous, and she loves the character, she's ready to move beyond the teen idol gig. By the time you read this she'll have turned 26, officially taking her closer to her 30s than her teens.

Fortunately, Bell's an actress who looks perpetually 19 – fortunate, because Veronica is going to be a freshman at Hearst College in the fall.

College life isn't the biggest change "Veronica Mars" has to deal with. This season will have three big mysteries solved at different points in the season as opposed to one spread over 22 episodes. The first will be solved in the season's initial nine episodes, with no pre-emptions and no repeats. The second is spaced over seven episodes – again, no pre-emptions, no repeats.

And the last whodunit happens over the final six episodes of the season.

Thomas realized by talking to network head Dawn Ostroff and reading Television Without Pity that viewers got too confused by his original model. This new format allows virgin viewers to jump in at any point in the season.

"That's spoken with the confidence of a man who thinks he's going to 22 episodes," Thomas said.

Yeah, about that...

Unfortunately, the criminally low-rated "Veronica" only got a 13-episode pick-up this season, a wait-and-see move on The CW's part. The hope is that pairing it with "Gilmore Girls" on Tuesday will expand "Veronica's" audience, since they're no longer competing for the same viewers.

But "Veronica's" fans are such a loyal crew that they rented a plane to fly a "save our show" message by The CW's offices. Stephen King recently joined Joss Whedon and Kevin Smith in professing his great love for the series, although he wasn't available to do a cameo.

"If you say you like 'Veronica Mars,' there's a good chance you'll be asked to be on it," Thomas said.

As for the cast changes Wallace (Percy Daggs III), Logan (Jason Dohring) and even dumbbell Dick Casablancas (Ryan Hansen) are joining Veronica at Hearst. Daggs told us earlier that Wallace will be involved in one of the season's big mysteries.

We'll meet two new series regulars as well: A character named Stosh Piznarski will become Wallace's roommate. And Mac (Tina Majorino), often called the Willow to Veronica's Buffy, will get a roommate that Thomas says is "everything Mac is not."

"She will be bubbly and effervescent and listen to a lot of Nellie Furtado in the room," Thomas said. "And they won't hit it off right away, but she'll have a heart of gold.

And as anyone who saw Duncan Kane orchestrate a hit from a beach in Mexico probably guessed, Teddy Dunn, the actor who played Veronica's first love, is done with the series.

What I'm Watching This Weekend

2006-07-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

1. New season of Monk starts. Hooray!
2. Psych, a new show on USA, has gotten good reviews from TV gurus that I trust, so I'm gonna give it a shot.
3. New Reno 911 on Comedy Central.
4. Dave Chappelle "Lost Episodes" on Comedy Central.

More About Twilight

2006-06-29T14:08:00.001-07:00

You may remember a book review I did on Twilight, a teen vampire/romance novel. It turns out that this book is developing quite a following. Interesting article here.

VM at Comic-Con

2006-06-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

Going through TV withdrawls? Yeah, me too. Luckily I've been keeping occupied with Warcraft (death to murlocs!). I do, however, have some actual Veronica Mars news to report! Got this today from their PR department:

We're planning on doing a "Veronica Mars" Q&A panel at Comic-Con on Saturday, July 22 in San Diego with creator Rob Thomas, Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni, Francis Capra, Ryan Hansen, and Michael Muhney all confirmed to participate. The panel will be moderated by Daniel Manu from TVGuide.com and will go from 4:30pm to 5:30pm with an autograph signing to follow.

So, if you're going to Comic-Con, make sure you stop by for me. *sniff*

Tater Tot 2006 Awards!

2006-06-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

A complet list of the results can be found here.

Connie Chung--Seriously?

2006-06-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Oh man, oh man. How embarrassing. Is she on crack? The full scoop--including a link to the YouTube video--can be found here.

Looking for a Good Book?

2006-06-20T13:11:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, start your summer reading! This is (selected) text from an article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Full text here.

By John Marshall
P-I BOOK CRITIC

Life has changed and so has summer reading.

The hectic demands of daily life in the 21st century mean that finding sufficient time to read books has become increasingly difficult. So summer, which promises at least some respite from work and school commitments, has become a far more crucial time for serious reading, perhaps the only such time left in the year.

Of course, many people still equate summer reading with a beach chair and the latest seasonal page-turner from Janet Evanovich ("Twelve Sharp"), Nora Roberts ("Angels Fall") or Patricia Cornwell ("At Risk"). But others will use their summer reading to savor an unfamiliar author, an unexplored subject, an intriguing debut.

The summer of 2006 seems particularly well-suited to such discovery, since no single new book has emerged as a dominant must-read in early reviews. The Manhattan publishing world may still wind down during July and August, with half-day Fridays the house rule, but publishing has already provided many worthy titles for whiling away summer hours. No longer is this the lowly season of throwaway fluff.

DEBUT NOVELS

"Instant Love" by Jami Attenberg (Shaye Areheart Books, 267 pages, $21).

Three very different women who are caught in the web of desires and disappointments that often characterize the search for love are the foundation for this delightful debut. What differentiates Attenberg's novel from so many other tales of searching singletons is how she adroitly orchestrates her disparate characters through many settings and cities, including San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Portland and Seattle (where the author once lived). "Instant Love" is far from froth, despite its considerable humor; this novel is filled with hard-won truths about the costs and compromises of the matching game.

"Across a Hundred Mountains" by Reyna Grande (Atria Books, 255 pages, $23).

The issue of Mexican immigration into the United States is all over the news these days, but the human stories of those affected are sometimes lost in the onslaught of angry rhetoric. This quiet-spoken, yet eloquent little novel offers a powerful portrait of the lives of three women along the border, including a 14-year-old Mexican intent on finding her missing father in the States, a young American runaway prostitute who befriends her and a Los Angeles social worker returning to Mexico in search of her own father. Author Grande, who emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. at the age of 8 with her parents, has been honored as an Emerging Voices Fellow by PEN, the noted writers organization.

"The Birthdays" by Heidi Pitlor (W.W. Norton, 355 pages, $23.95).

Summer is the time for family reunions and one of those signal events is the setting for this empathetic examination of the intense dynamics between loved ones. The Millers are gathering to celebrate the 75th birthday of the patriarch in a summer home off the coast of Maine, with all three siblings facing the arrival of their first child. Then tragedy intrudes, a seismic shift. Pitlor demonstrates a remarkable understanding of family relationships and transitions in this uncertain age.

NORTHWEST

"Song of the Crow" by Layne Maheu (Unbridled Books, 244 pages, $23.95).

No need to spend a long time pondering which book is this summer's most inventive; hands-down champ is this knockout debut by a Seattle carpenter. Maheu has crafted a remarkable retelling of the Noah saga from the perspective of, believe it or not, a crow who witnesses the unfolding drama. This is far more than a lit gimmick; this richly imagined novel delivers an important parable for today from a startlingly fresh perspective.

Layne Maheu appears on June 28 at the Ballard branch of Seattle Public Library; July 6 at Queen Anne Books; July 18 at Third Place Books; July 22 at SoulFood Books in Redmond.

"Seven Loves" by Valerie Trueblood (Little, Brown, 232 pages, $23.95).

Not all debut novels mark the emergence of twentysomething authors, nor should they. Trueblood, a 61-year-old Seattle writer, has crafted a quietly dazzling examination of the various great loves of a woman at maturity, loves that include her husband, her children and the man whose love imperiled her placid life during a passionate extramarital affair. Trueblood demonstrates mastery of psychological insight and creative language.

"The Cottagers" by Marshall N. Klimasewiski (W.W. Norton, 317 pages, $24.95).

A Vancouver Island small town outside Victoria is the setting for this tense debut novel that focuses on the subcurrents that often rule personal relationships. A 19-year-old townie, bored by his life and seeking new thrills, becomes fixated on two vacationing American couples who are hoping to rekindle their former relationship. The disappearance of one of the vacationers rachets up this fine novel's drama along many fault lines. It is a sophisticated reader's brand of thriller.

BEACH BAG BOOKS

"Lost Hearts in Italy" by Andrea Lee (Random House, 243 pages, $23.95).

Two happily married Americans with a new life in a foreign land, the romantic allures of Rome and other capitals of Europe, a passionate affair with an Italian billionaire -- all the perfect ingredients for a dry martini of a summer read. Lee brings far better literary credentials to this undertaking than the usual, dissecting what takes place through the alternating reflections of the three participants. But the Italian-based American writer, with her first novel in two decades, certainly does not stint on the sizzle and the atmospherics.

"But Enough About Me" by Jancee Dunn (HarperCollins, 274 pages, $24.95).

Celebrity cravings can turn acute during summer, when vacationing stars hide from the prying eyes of their tabloid shadows, but Dunn's raucous memoir can sate any such hunger. Madonna? Bono? Aguilera? Brad? Dolly? The naked breast of the nursing Lisa Bonet? Dunn, a vet reporter for Rolling Stone, has got them all in these madcap pages that document "a Jersey girl's unlikely adventures among the absurdly famous." A scrumptious raspberry trifle topped with whipped cream and Cointreau. Yum, yum.

"Strangers' Gate" by Tom Casey (Tor/Forge, 254 pages, $24.95).

A sexually enflamed couple on the frenzied lam pursued by thuggish psychos, and the life-and-death chase taking place across lush settings of the Caribbean -- can you, boys and girls, spell surefire summer thriller? Add in, for good measure, drugs, Wall Street connections, airborne derring-do, porn, jealousy, revenge, murder ... plus a deadpan narrator who intones, "Loving Margo had always been difficult, like learning to write with your left hand for no sensible reason." This second book by an international jet jockey turned novelist is a feverish noir trip.

LITERARY FICTION

"After" by Marita Golden (Doubleday, 237 pages, $23.95).

A sudden act of violence -- one that forever alters two lives -- is the central concern of the first novel in eight years by a celebrated writer and African American literary activist. Golden opens her long-awaited novel with a simple traffic stop by a black cop that goes horribly wrong, as happens only too often in our edgy, gun-crazed society. Then she tracks the cop's inexorable descent from an enviable life in this powerful meditation on how tragedy can change everything in an instant.

"Triangle" by Katharine Weber (Farrar, Straus, 242 pages, $23).

The horrendous 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory trapped and killed almost 150 young women toilers in the sweatshop and became a watershed event in the slow march toward workers' rights in the 20th century. Weber, whose grandmother worked at Triangle for a time before the fire, has fashioned a fascinating novel from this tragedy, one that ingeniously focuses on the memories of the final survivor of the fire and a doubting feminist scholar whose interviews with the survivor cause her to question the veracity of her witness. "Triangle" provides important reflection on the power of stories, the shaping of history.

"The Seducer" by Jan Kjaerstad (Overlook Press, 606 pages, $27.95).

His wife's murder sets off a picaresque journey of mystery, discovery and remembrance for a famed European TV documentary producer, a celeb noted for his unerring success with women. This creative and enthralling mega-novel won Scandinavia's highest honor and is the first American translation of a work by one of Norway's (and Europe's) reigning masters of fiction. Kjaerstad is mentioned in Euro reviews in the exalted company of such Continental lit stalwarts as Martin Amis and Milan Kundera.

On Vacation

2006-06-15T15:30:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note that I'm on vacation this wknd (It's my 7th wedding anniversary...awww!). I'll be back blogging mid next week. Take care, my kittens.

Four Comments About The 4400

2006-06-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to watching the season premier of The 4400. Maia is looking very grown up, and my favorite character Marco is as adorable as ever (please, writers, don't make him evil/petty this season, I beg you). Overall I liked the episode, but the show is much darker and conspiracy-based this season. Four comments:

1. Uh...4400, you know you're totally going into X-Men territory, right? The whole mutants vs. humans thing, the humans hating and fearing the 4400, the government trying to contain their powers...yeah.

2. So Lily's dead? Huh. I guess I'm sad (?). I'm not sure how to feel. She was always kind of useless to the plot except as Isabelle's mom, but really...rapid aging and then death seems like a pretty convenient way of losing a character. (All the poop is here, if you're interested in the sordid details.)

3. Speaking of Isabelle, I hope her acting improves over the season. (Her scenes with Shawn were especially clunky--the two of them don't bring out the best in each other, I guess.)

4. Seriously...X-Men much?

Four Comments About Hex

2006-06-13T08:43:00.000-07:00

I really liked the first episode--but keep in mind, I adore gothic novels. The kind with the woman on the cover in her nightgown running from a dark and brooding house? Yeah, those. The creaky doors, the candelabras--I'm so there. I adore the cheese, even. My four comments:

1. That is the craziest school ever. It looks formal and gorgeous, but the students have no supervision and are totally sassy. (I always imagined British public school students as wearing uniforms and standing when their teachers entered the room.)

2. OMG, the CGI! It's awful! And funny!

3. Azazeal? Totally hot.

4. Did anyone else want to grab Roxanne's bangs and pull them out of her face? Lose the '80s fringe, darling.

Book Review: Mystic and Rider

2006-06-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

Contains minor spoilers

Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn is the first of a proposed four books in the Twelve Houses series. Despite an episodic plot that read a bit like playing an "epic quest" video game (hehehe, Warcraft), I enjoyed the book. It contained a very satisfying mix of romance and fantasy, which is Shinn's specialty.

Some of the main themes in the book are potential civil war (the 12 houses of the kingdom are starting to choose sides); a mysterious queen, missing princess, and potentially senile king; a moon-goddess cult that is gaining power and helping divide the 12 houses (and also persecuting those with magic, or mystics); and very different personalites, who start off not trusting each other, bonding through their adventures.

ETA: And if you like romantic fantasy, Shinn is the author of two of my favorites: The Shape-Changer's Wife and Summers at Castle Auburn. (The latter is the more light-hearted, but they're both wonderful.)

Monday Round Up

2006-06-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

I know I've been slacking on updating lately--sorry about that. It's summer, there's not much on TV, and all my time has been spent playing World of Warcrack or reading. However, I do have a couple of TV thoughts to share.

The Without a Trace rerun episode they ran last Thursday (A Day in the Life) was one of the best episodes ever. Watching the mysterious and frightening movements of the FBI officers through the eyes of the parents was refreshing. As usual, even though a lot of the characters annoy me, the twists and turns of this show rise above the usual procedural.

I watched the first hour of Hex, and so far I really like it. It has all the melodrama of a gothic novel--one of my favorite genres. Can't wait to see more!

I've been watching season 4 of Gilmore Girls on DVD, and the past couple of episodes have had me howling with laughter. Some highlights: Kirk walking the dogs. Emily getting drunk and smoking in her bathrobe.

The Janice Dickinson show was kind of annoying. I think Janice is best in small, snarky doses--not as the full-on main subject of an entire half hour. I'll give it one more chance before I stop DVRing it, though.

My cats adore watching Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet. The chittering noises and rapid, jerky movements have them entranced. I like it too, but warning: some of the meerkats don't make it. *sniff sniff*

Need More Janice in Your Life?

2006-06-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

Below is a review of a new show, The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, written by The Watcher. I might tune in--I find Janice annoying but amusing, which makes for the best reality TV (as opposed to just annoying, like Jade on the last cycle of ANTM). The show premiers tonight at 9:00 on Oxygen.

---

Let’s face it, “Top Model” has been missing something since Dickinson took her ’tude away from the catwalk chronicle. In “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency,” in which she is setting up -- wait for it - a modeling agency, her full-on ranting-diva mode is proudly displayed, and, truth be told, is fairly entertaining if you’re into this sort of silly reality spectacle.

At least Dickinson isn’t above poking fun at herself; she’s shown getting horrifying-looking Botox injections and jokes about hiring three assistants, “one for each mood swing.”

Would any of the potential models she picks in the show’s first episode ever make it in the real world as catwalk strutters or as the faces in glossy magazine ads? It looks like a pretty remote possibility, but then “Top Model” has never been about crowning a supermodel -- it’s about cultivating a fantasy, a dream.

Working for Dickinson is probably more of a nightmare than a dream, but then, that probably makes for pretty darned enjoyable, if cheesy and loopy, reality TV.

Michael is Gone from Lost!

2006-06-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

Oooh. I'm assuming this means Walt's gone too? (At least this way they won't have to address the aging child issue). Article below, from the Seattle P-I.
---

'Lost' character sailed into the sunset, possibly forever

Actor Harold Perrineau tells Scripps Howard News Service he won't be back on ABC's "Lost" when it returns in the fall.

"As of so far, I am not back next season," says the actor whose character, Michael, sailed off with his son, Walt, in the season finale May 24.

Perrineau, who was central to the "Lost" story line in recent weeks, says he is free to pursue other work and is no longer under contract with "Lost."

He says producers told him weeks ago he was being written off the show, but he also knew of a story line in which Michael, once he got home, attempts to get back to the island. Apparently that story line is not planned for next season, he says.

"I have no idea what is going on now," he says. Join the club, Harold.

Battlestar Galactica--Season 3 Scoop

2006-06-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

The following makes me smile. It's part of Michael Ausiello's interview with Battlestar Galactica producer David Eick. The entire article--which has some mild spoilers about season 3 (whoo!)--can be found here.

---

Ausiello: I didn't run the entire interview. I saved a portion of it for this week's Ask Ausiello because I didn't want it to get lost amidst all the other Galactica prattle Eick was dispensing. Here's the portion I saved. Gilmore Girls fans, prepare to piddle uncontrollably.

Ausiello: Are you surprised that the word "frak" has invaded popular culture as it has? It was on Gilmore Girls this season.
David Eick: Was it? No way!

Ausiello: Yes. Lorelai said it.
Eick: Is she the younger girl?

Ausiello: No, she's the mom.
Eick: Oh my god. I have a thing for her. I want to meet her. If somehow Lauren Graham's use of the word frak translates into my getting to meet Lauren Graham, I'll do whatever I can. I'll have every character say it every other word from now on.

Ausiello: How about bringing her on as a special guest star?
Eick: She can be the new lead if she wants. Just kidding! Adama will kill me!

Ausiello: She could seriously kick some Cylon ass.
Eick: That's for sure.

Catch Up with The 4400

2006-05-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

Never seen the show--but want to start watching? Or, like me, have you forgotten what happend last summer? Get caught up with the important characters and events of The 4400 by watching "The 4400 Special: Unlocking the Secrets." The special airs Sunday, June 4 on USA.

The (two-hour) season three premiere is Sunday, June 11.

Summer TV Shows

2006-05-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

I'm glad there's not too much to watch this summer since my new addiction, World of Warcrack...er, craft, is going to take a lot of time! However, there are two shows that I'm looking forward to:

Season 3 of The 4400. I've watched every episode, and enjoyed them. This is perfect viewing for the summer: not too complicated and usually fast-paced.
Hex on BBC America. This show is advertised as a darker Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Can't wait to see the first episode, which starts June 8.

I am having Veronica withdrawl pangs, though. Come back soon, tiny blonde one!

World of Warcraft

2006-05-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is totally not TV related.

So...who here plays WoW? I'm going to do a trial subscription when we get our new 'puter (don't know when this will be...prolly sooner than later, since I doubt we can resist the allure of the Apple store). What server/character are you? What tips do you have for a noob?

I'm thinking of being a human warlock. My friend that plays is on a PvP server, so I'm going to try it there even though the thought scares me!

Edit to add:
Whoo! I'm a total Warcraft addict. If you play, say hi! (As long as you're Alliance. Die Horde scum! hehe.)
Name: Unseelie (human warlock, level 9 so far)
Server: Malorne

Season Finale Round-Up

2006-05-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

I said I wasn't going to update this week...but here I am! Updating, and telling you about my responses to the season finales I haven't written about yet.

1. Medium. I loved the grandma, hated Allison's dream husband more than I hate her "real" husband, and liked the cleverness of the hired twin-sister witness.

2. Cold Case. Seriously, Joseph didn't die? I soooo thought he was gonna die. Lilly can't be happy, can she?! It'll be interesting to see what they do with this relationship next season. Gotta love a guy with cats, though.

3. Without a Trace. Zzzzzz. Jack's girlfriend lived? Don't care. Jack got shot? Really don't care. (Unless he died. Then I'd be mildly happy because I wouldn't have to look at his LIPLESS FACE anymore.)

4. Desperate Housewives. I'm very close to quitting this show, except for one thing: Kyle MacLachlan. I'm interested in seeing how his character develops. (Though, a crazy guy running over someone then flirting with Bree? Haven't we already had that character?) Things that made me grind my teeth about the finale: Bree locked in a psych hospital (seriously, people, this isn't the 19th century). Tom's crazy baby-momma. Carlos having an affair. The whole stoopid Applewhite plot. To be fair, though, there were things I liked about the finale (seeing all previous characters, and learning more about their pasts).

5. House. OMG a guy's nuts exploded!!! Or, rather, one nut. My husband described this as an episode of The Prisoner set in a hospital, and yeah--that's what it was like. Didn't really work for me, but it was funny to see House eating tacos in his robe.

6. Supernatural. Good cliffhanger!

Let's count the number of major-character shootings I've seen in finales this season:
Veronica Mars--Harry Hamlin
House--House
Without a Trace--Jack
Grey's Anatomy--Burke
(Who am I forgetting?)

No wonder other countries think America is gun happy!

MIA This Week

2006-05-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry, guys--I won't be updating this week since I have some personal stuff going on.

See ya next week!

Fall 2006 TV Schedule, Part II

2006-05-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

I don't think I'll watch any of the new shows on the CW or Fox next fall.

I do think, though, that it's very funny that there are 3 shows next season that are almost the same. Missing people, conspiracies, the FBI, it's all here:

Runaway (CW): Sex and the City creator Darren Star executive-produces this drama about a family on the run from the law because their father has been framed for murdering his coworker. Donnie Wahlberg and Leslie Hope are joined by a cast of newcomers.
Vanished (Fox): Two FBI agents (Gale Harold and Ming-Na) and a reporter (Rebecca Gayheart) investigate the disappearance of a prominent senator’s wife and uncover clues to a larger conspiracy.
Kidnapped (NBC): When the teenage son of a wealthy New York family is kidnapped, the police, the FBI and the family’s private negotiating team must play an elaborate game to find him. Jeremy Sisto, Delroy Lindo, Dana Delany, Timothy Hutton, Mykelti Williamson, Linus Roache, Carmen Ejogo, Will Denton and Boris McGiver star.

Shows I'm glad are coming back next season (and God bless my dvr):

Sunday: Without a Trace, Cold Case, The Simpsons, Everybody Hates Chris, Desperate Housewives...well, not really glad about this last one since it's kind of a stinker. But it can't be worse than this season, right?
Monday: Medium
Tuesday: House, Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls (I may be caught up on previous seasons of GG by next fall, so I can watch it live. I really love this show.)
Wednesday: Lost, ANTM, Bones (which has gotten so much better as the season's progressed--all the awkwardness of the first few episodes is gone.)
Thursday: Grey's Anatomy, Supernatural
Friday: BSG, Monk

Last Night's Shows--Two Moments of Joy

2006-05-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

Moment of Joy Number One: ANTM. Jade went home. That's right--the bitch is gone! I did a happy dance and squealed so loud that my cats left the room.

Moment of Joy Number Two: Lost. When Vincent brought Charlie the statue, I almost peed from laughing so hard. You've gotta be kidding me, indeed. I will forgive that show many things because of this one funny moment. Vincent is EVIL, people. Let's not forget.

Fall 2006 TV Schedule

2006-05-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

Looks like there are a lot of paranoid, conspiracy-based shows coming out this fall. (Thank you, Prison Break and 24.) There are a lot of Lost wannabes, too, though not as Sci-Fi based as last year (alas). There's a great (but still incomplete) chart of next season's line-up here. Below are my thoughts on some of the new shows I'll be watching.

Title: Heroes
Network: NBC (Mondays at 9:00)
Description: Milo Ventimiglia, Hayden Panattiere, Ali Larter, and Greg Grunberg star as ordinary people who discover they have superpowers and are tasked with saving the world.
My comments: Even though this could cross into 4400 territory, and even though Jess is in it, I like superheroes, so I'll give it a shot. (I call this as an early cancellation, though. But maybe it'll surprise us all and be good!)

Title: Jericho
Network: CBS (Wednesdays at 8:00)
Description: Chaos ensues when the residents of a small, peaceful Kansas town see a nuclear mushroom cloud on the horizon. With no power or lines of communication to the outside world, isolation brings out the worst in some and forces others to become local heroes.
My comments: This sounds just like Invasion or Lost--but with a nuke instead of a hurricane or island. Still, I'll give it a chance. Plus, it's cute and funny when CBS does non-forensic/crime shows. It makes me want to ruffle the network's hair. (Aww! So cute!)

Title: Day Break
Network: ABC (Midseason, Wednesdays at 9:00)
Description: In a nightmarish twist on Groundhog Day, Detective Brett Harper (Taye Diggs) is forced to relive the same day over and over until he can discover who has framed him for the murder of ADA Alberto Garza.
My comments: The best thing about this show? Adam Baldwin's in it. I adore Groundhog Day, and for Adam's sake I hope this is good.

Title: The Nine
Network: ABC (Wednesdays at 10:00)
Description: After having been held hostage for 52 hours during a botched bank robbery, nine people discover their lives have changed forever. Each episode will begin with a 10-minute flashback to the hostage crisis, revealing how the experience has linked the characters to each other in the present. The cast includes Chi McBride, Tim Daly, Kim Raver, and Scott Wolf.
My comments: Huh, this show wants to be Lost. This could be good, or it could be a 24/Lost rip-off. This also seems similar to another ABC show (Six Degrees, below).

Title: Six Degrees
Network: ABC (Thursdays at 10:00)
Description: J.J. Abrams’ newest drama examines the theory that all strangers are connected to each other by at most six degrees of separation. Jay Hernandez, Bridget Moynahan, Hope Davis, Campbell Scott, Dorian Missick, and Erika Christensen star as six New Yorkers who discover their lives are intertwined.
My comments: Another show that reallllly wants to be Lost--brought to us by the creator of Lost, no less! But I like the concept, so I'll give it a shot.

More to come as the other networks announce their schedules.

Veronica Mars Season 3!

2006-05-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

It's a done deal, as Clarence Weidman would say.

Grey's Matter Season 2 Finale

2006-05-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Well, that was exciting! My response:

Hooray for the cast of Veronica Mars! Vinnie! Jackie! Miss Dent! (And the red-headed girl from Flight 29 Down!)
Dear McDreamy (or McDouche, as I guess we're now calling you now): CHOOSE. Choose Meredith or your hot wife. I don't care which one you choose, but, dude--you gotta make that call. You're being very uncool.
I was hoping Alex would be leaving, but it looks like we're losing Izzy. Sigh.
Speaking of Izzy, I thought her manic emotional scenes were very well acted. She's definitely not surgeon material--but what a grand exit. (If that's what it is.)

Evil Beaver

2006-05-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

Two thoughts on Cassidy Casablancas/Evil Beaver:

1. After reading TWOP yesterday, many people mentioned that, in "A Trip to the Dentist" from season one, after Veronica confronts Cassidy about raping her, he gives her retreating back a sinister look. I rewatched last night, and he does indeed give her a look. (Kyle Gallner is very good at evil looks! *shudder*) Is this proof that the writers, like they said, had Evil Beaver planned all along? (By the way, I was always disappointed with the resolution of the rape from last year, and I remember a lot of other people were too. I wonder, if the writers really had known that Cassidy was the rapist, if Rob had to really bite his tongue all year when he heard this criticism?)

2. Come to think of it, if evil looks are clues, we've been given one every week all year. In the opening credits there are two shots of Cassidy: one of him looking shy and sweet, and one of Evil Beaver. A hint? (If so, it's pretty blatant, and pretty funny that it was there. all. along.)

The Vast Wasteland

2006-05-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

I got this email yesterday:
I got a big kick out of the title of your blog, which
comes from a speech my dad gave 45 years ago today to the
National Association of Broadcasters.  You can read the
entire text here.
To the author and her family, congratulations and best wishes!
And thanks for sharing the speech.

Leave It To Beaver--Again

2006-05-10T09:27:00.000-07:00