…woke up to the sound of Carol Burnett’s voice on NPR this morning, which caused an instant and very pleasant flashback to our 70’s-era family/dining/TV room. Her variety show was always a favorite in our family, and even now I can remember many loud belly laughs caused by their particular brand of tongue-in-cheek sketch humor. We got hysterical most weeks watching that show; laughing helplessly at the famous “Went With The Wind” dress, but also at Tim Conway trying to close a door by sitting on its unusually large doorknb. Most of all, there was poor Harvey Korman, trying not…
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@NPR ‘s Linda Holmes watcthed the Super Bowl so I didn’t have to, and snarks bettter than I ever could. Notable and Dubious Achievements From Super Bowl XLIV – Monkey See Blog : NPR. It’s all over, and the New Orleans Saints — a team whose bags-over-the-head years I am not too old to remember — are the Super Bowl champions. Now that the big trophy has been handed out, let’s distribute some of the smaller ones.
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The Man with the Golden Torc (Secret Histories, Book 1), by Simon Green I’m about midway through this book, and although I’m enjoying it, it’s an exhausting read. I got on to it because of a review I ran across on NPR.org recently, which compared it favorably to the The Dresden Files) books by Jim Butcher. Both series feature male protagonists who walk between the mundane and magic worlds, but Green’s anti-ish hero, Eddie Drood, is British, somewhat of a Bond fan, and fully human and not really a magic user, although he has magic golden armor. Butcher’s guy, Harry…
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I’d like a mystery heroine to be less of a Mary Sue and more like Harriet Vane. Not like the protagonists in the first two “Aunt Dimity” novels. #fb Amazon.com: Aunt Dimity’s Death (Aunt Dimity Mystery) (9780140178401): Nancy Atherton: Books From Publishers Weekly Despite its buoyant tone, this blend of fairy tale, ghost story, romance and mystery proves a disappointment. First novelist Atherton creates a potentially appealing heroine in bewitched and bewildered Lori Shepherd, but never places her in danger, thus sacrificing suspense. Recently divorced and newly bereaved by her beloved mother’s death, Lori is scraping by as an office…
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Enjoyed Friday’s episode of #SGU, not just because I’m a fangirl. Plenty of nuance, a lot of trudging across White Sands, but they’re in survival mode, people! And what about that shuttle? Syfy continues ratings roll: Stargate Universe averages 2.35 million in premiere – TV Ratings, Nielsen Ratings, Television Show Ratings | TVbytheNumbers.com Edgier and younger in tone, SGU takes the franchise in a dynamic new direction, appealing to longtime Stargate fans and first-time viewers alike. The two-part premiere of Universe was directed by Andy Mikita (Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1) and lensed by Rohn Schmidt (The Shield, The Mist). The…
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Bring on the rampant pantslessness, #SGU, and also the gritty, dark, but beautiful effects. @moryan has her take on the premiere, and I have mine on my blog. The Watcher: Desperate survivors get lost in ‘Stargate Universe’ I’ve now seen five hours of the show and still don’t feel all that invested in the the fate of 1st Lt. Matthew Scott (Brian J. Smith). Theoretically, I should — he’s one of the show’s lead characters. Two characters do stand out (more on that below), but the rest of “Universe” feels like an awkward mishmash of genres and tones. Though I…
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We’ve really, really been riveted by Torchwood’s 5 part miniseries this week. Today’s the day when the creepiness ramps up even more. Meanwhile, our surviving heroes have to start from scratch, because their cool underground lair got blowed up on Monday. Torchwood: Children of Earth – BBC America The Captain Jack Harkness character is immortal, and one thing I’d wondered about was what would happen if he was blown to smithereens. We found out on Day Two – this was one of those nagging questions that always bothered Highlander fans, too. Jack faces some of the same issues as a…
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TV roundup: Every sci-fi and fantasy show to watch this summer | SCI FI Wire Warehouse 13, Syfy. Premieres July 7 at 9 p.m. This new dramedy from the reinvented Syfy follows the adventures of two Secret Service agents, Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka (Joanne Kelly), who end up tracking down mysterious artifacts for the super-secret government facility known as Warehouse 13. Saul Rubinek plays the Warehouse’s quirky caretaker, Artie. The premiere kicks off with a two-hour pilot and is from executive producers Jack Kenny and David Simkins. Thirteen episodes have been ordered. Poor Saul Rubinek. He seems to be…
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@moryan celebrates the awesome news from this weekend that #Chuck was renewed. Everybody take a bow who helped #savechuck Awesome news: ‘Chuck’ to return for a third season | The Watcher But as you’ve seen as you read all the stories above, there’s a catch to the “Chuck” renewal. To ensure another season, “Chuck” will have to cut its budget (as is apparently the case with “Dollhouse,” which is also coming back). The show will have to let go a couple of writers, and some actors who were series regulars in Season 2 may only be recurring guest stars in…
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Some great Twitter-friendly icons fromThree Creams, Four Sugars – More Chuck Icons