the laanba blog

Retro

I decided to order up some Scarecrow and Mrs. King on my Netflix DVD account and I am having such a blast.  I loved this show and watched a lot of it while it was on.  I absolutely love the theme and spent many a day waving my hands in the air conducting my invisble orchestra.  I know every note of this and love the way her light and dance like theme contrasts with his full orchestra sound.  I've been having fun firing up the DVD player and going back to a simpler time in television.  And let's admit it.  Lee Stetson is dreamy. 

Happy Birthday Jim

Today would have been the 75th birthday of Jim Henson.  I am glad that I live in a world that was forever changed by the presence of Jim Henson.  Who didn't watch Sesame Street growing up?  Or the Muppet Show?  Of course the fantasy lover in me is a fan of the Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.  

But Fraggle Rock will always hold a special place in my heart.  Fraggle Rock is on Netflix streaming and I watched the first episode last night.  I don't remember it being filled with so much music, but that probably explains why I love it so much.  The theme songs is one of my favorite things on earth.  I can't embed the video but don't let that stop you from clicking the link and induling in one minute of pure happiness.

Fraggle Rock Intro

Buffy

I just wrapped up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  What a fantastic show.  I am still mystified that I missed it the first time around.  

The reason I started watching it now is funny.  At least in that funny, I'm kinda crazy, way.  I heard that they are making a Buffy movie that does not involve the cast or the creator Joss Whedon.  I was outraged, OUTRAGED, I tell you.  Well miffed.  Mostly miffed on Whedon's behalf since I am a fan of some of the other things that he has done and the whole story stinks.  I figured if I wanted to be truly on the side of outrage then I should watch some shows and it just so happened that I had a shiny, brand new Apple TV that needed breaking in.  So it began and has continued the last four months.  Buffy has dominated my TV watching.

I'm not sure where to rate Buffy in my all time favorites list.  I have come at this in almost a completely different way than most of my television watching.  Something that took people seven years to experience was condensed into four months for me.  I did sort of the same thing with Battlestar Galactica but this was even more heightened with the instant on demand nature of Netflix Instant.   I could watch two, three, four episodes at a time and I didn't have to wait for discs to be mailed to me.  It was like reading a compelling page turner.  And the Apple TV and Netflix Instant is going to be my main way to watch television programs from here on out.  It is going to be a whole new and interesting world.

But now I don't know what to do with myself.  I have a strong feeling that nothing will grab me quite like Buffy did.  What a fantastic show (I said that already, right?)

TV King

So iTunes put another copy of an episode of the West Wing that I apparently bought at some point in my download queue today.  I'm currently watching it on my TV.  It is being streamed to my TV from my computer through the Apple TV.  I just have to take a minute to say how much I love this!  That and watching Netflix Instant.  I love the Apple TV.  

In fact the only thing I watch on regular TV is the news with an occasional episode of other TV here or there.  My TV either stays off or I'm watching Netflix.  Well except for Dancing with the Stars on Monday.  I admit to watching that. It's a little strange to have my TV viewing habits change so drastically.  I'm not sure how I will find new programming, but I think I will.  I've been catching up with Buffy the Vampire Slayer that for some reason I missed the first time around.  I think that as long as interesting shows are on Netflix Instant I will have plenty to watch.

But this got me to thinking.  What is my favorite TV show of all time?  I'm a big TV watcher (or I was... or I still am.... I'm kinda confused on this point).  Right away I was going to say The West Wing and I think that is a big contender.  I watched every single episode from start to finish and I even blogged about it.   I would love to have the whole series on DVD, but it is $200 and that isn't money I have floating around right now.  I'd also love to see it on Netflix Instant, but it isn't there.  I think it is a top contender, but there a few other shows that are up there namely Nero Wolfe and Star Trek: The Next Generation.  I own the Nero Wolfe series, but not ST:TNG. Nero Wolfe probably wouldn't win as my favorite although I certainly watch those DVDs a lot.  If it was between West Wing and ST:TNG I don't know who would win.  That's tough.

How about you out there in reader land. Do you have an all time favorite TV show?

TV Again

I  had a very productive and restful weekend.  I feel like I maximized my free time and I have to admit that one of the big reasons is because the TV mostly stayed off.  I slept like the dead Friday night and didn't get up until very late Saturday morning.  After that I decided to scan some film and clean the apartment.  In between cleaning bouts I did watch some TV but without the computer in front of me I focused on the show and got up and did something else when it was over.  After I cleaned and scanned I went out to do some errands and then rode my bike and cooked dinner.  I finished the night watching some more shows.

Now I'll stop right here to say the difference is that the TV was only on when I was specifically watching one of my DVR recordings versus its regular routine of being on all the time as background noise.  I know that the computer being tied up in scanning also had something to do with being more productive, but I think the TV is the biggest culprit.

I woke up Sunday morning and went on to the patio to read for a while.  Then I went to get a haircut, went to the movies and back here to watch the Texans game.  Once that was over the TV went back off and I made a grocery list, called my mom and went grocery shopping.  Now I am writing this blog post.  Again TV on for specific purposes.

This has been on my mind a lot as I contemplate the necessity of cable.  I'm pretty sure I don't need it, but what configuration do I set up instead.  As I mentioned in the last post I will have to make sure that I can get over the air reception before I do anything radical.  Then after that there are so many choices.  Do I get a TiVO and DVR the broadcast shows?  This would mean my life would be a lot like it is now, but would be about $50 cheaper.  I do have to take into account the $12 TiVo subscription.  Do I get something like a Roku box that would allow me to stream Netflix, subscribe to Hulu Plus, etc?  Do I just give it all up and only watch live TV?  I think that last one is the most dangerous because I think the TV would be on all the time so I wouldn't miss something.  I am a fan of television, even more than movies so it is hard for me to think of giving it up completely.  How could I relate to anyone if I don't know anything about what is on television?  That is a utopian pipe dream I believe.  I think the option that makes the most sense is the TiVo option.  Too bad Apple TV doesn't have a DVR.  

So much to think about.  But I enjoyed my weekend so I am going to try to bring the no TV except focused TV experience into this next week.  I will still watch the news in the morning because it is part of a morning routine, but I am going to see if I can really alter my evening TV watching.  

We'll see.  

The Fabulous Miss Julia

I must take this moment to mark the passing of Dixie Carter.  Designing Women was one of my very favorite shows when it first hit the airways in 1986.  I watched it for about 5 of the 7 years it was on.  What a wonderful show.  I loved all the women and their highly scripted, witty, sarcastic conversation.  They each had such a wonderful quality, but of course my favorite was Julia Sugarbaker.  Charlene was a little too sweet, Mary Jo was a little too flaky and Suzanne was just a little too crazy.  

I loved the way Julia dressed.  I loved that Julia was intelligent and fiercely independent.  And Julia was classy.  How do you define class?  I think it is a hard to define quality, but you know it when you see it. I would love to be thought of as a classy woman.  I don't feel particularly classy in my frumpville clothes and my frumpville apartment and I know I don't always act in a classy way, but it is something I aspire to.  I think there are worse things in the world than to aspire to be like Julia Sugarbaker.

Julia was known for making her famous, blistering speeches.  After a few years the formula of the show was obvious with Julia putting someone in their place, but I could overlook the lack of originality because the dialogue was sharp (for those first 5ish years) and the speeches were fabulous.  What a show and what a lady.  Thank you Dixie Carter.  Thank you Julia Sugarbaker.

Why I love Craig

Emmy Thoughts

I'm watching the Emmy's because it has been a long standing tradition and I can not resist Neil Patrick Harris as a host. It's interesting to look back on my TV watching and see how it has changed. I'm resistant to change or to admit that I have changed, but I think it is time for me to be honest with myself.

I have always been more interested in TV shows than movies. I've talked about it here before. I like getting to know characters and seeing them in different situations. That is also the reason I tend to prefer books that are part of a series. I've been an obsessive TV watcher for a long time. I remember when I was young I would make a watching schedule for Saturday morning cartoons. Each new season I would map out my old favorites and work in the new ones that I wanted to watch. I took cartoon watching very seriously! I transferred this behavior to prime time television and I would eagerly wait for the Fall TV preview from TV Guide. I'd read about all the new shows and map out my TV watching. This was well before the VCR or DVR so I had to be organized. This was serious business.

My TV habits have changed a lot. I'm not filling up hours each night with TV shows although it sure feels like it. The TV is always on although it tends to be in the background. I usually just find a show on TV that I've seen a lot of times like Law & Order and leave the channel there. There are some shows that I have on my DVR. The DVR has changed things a lot. If I find a show I like I add it to my DVR and then I don't have to think about it again. With the DVR I don't happen onto new shows anymore. There are no accidental discoveries. Every once in a while I'll find a new show to watch, like I found Bones over the summer, but it is rare. I have become settled in my favorites and my time is limited so new stuff just doesn't make it across my radar much anymore. I looked over the new TV schedule and only one show is making it onto the DVR and it will stay only if it is good.  

I probably will not have watched a lot of the winners tonight because of how closed off I have become about new shows. It's funny that I have become that way since I enjoy TV shows so much more than movies. Of course I can always catch up with Netflix. So here are some lists that I'm sure will get me yelled at by some people.

Nominees Tonight That I Already Watch
Pushing Daisies
The Closer (my current favorite!)
Law & Order SVU
Dancing with the Stars
Ugly Betty
Legend of the Seeker 

Nominees Tonight That I Don't Watch But Plan To Catch Up With On Netflix
How I Met Your Mother
The Big Bang Theory
Flight of the Conchords
Dexter
Bones (I need to catch up from the beginning)

Nominees Tonight That I'm Kind Of Meh About And People Will Probably Yell Real Loud In The Comments. I Reserve The Right To Change My Mind At A Future Date
The Office
30 Rock
Mad Men
True Blood

Nominees That I Won't Watch No Matter How Loud You Yell
House
Lost
Weeds
Sarah Silverman (I find nothing about her funny)
Desperate Housewives

Firefly

Ok, so I'm six years behind, but curse Fox for canceling this show. For not giving it a chance in the first place by playing the shows out of order and preempting at the drop of a hat. Can you believe this? The order the shows were aired in the US were 2-3, 6; 7-8, 4-5, 9; 10, 14, 1; with 11-13 unaired. (!)

And even though I love television (I think even more than movies) curse the television viewing public in general that keeps stupid, mindless shows on the air while letting smart, good television slip away (I'm still upset about Journeyman). The world in this show is rich with detail, the characters have depth and the stories are funny and touching. The only silver lining is that I started watching the series knowing that it was short lived. I didn't realize how short lived, however, until I was watching the latest Netflix arrival today and discovered that I had come to the end. I look forward to catching up with the movie and glad I can now join the Browncoats.

Sap

Those writers on Ugly Betty have my number. They know how to make me fall in love with one character and then fall in love with another. They know how to make my sentimental heart beat faster. Gio telling Betty that he wants to be THE guy... makes me get this goofy smile on my face. (see it here... start at the 7:15 mark). I know that I'm being manipulated, but I don't care. I absolutely love it.

I'm such a sap. I'm trying really hard to do the whole "live life for myself and never mind the complete lack of a love life thing" but sometimes after the giddiness and goofiness of a romantic moment like this wears off, I'm back to looking at my cold lonely reality.

*shake it off* *shake it off*

I think I'm a Gio man now. Sorry Henry.