Can we retroactively give Enrico Colantoni multiple Emmys? I don’t care which show it’s for I don’t care whether it’s for comedy or drama. And an Oscar, but that one should definitely be for Galaxy Quest.
You know the story about his Galaxy Quest audition, right? He did one reading, then right as he was about to leave, asked if he could try something else, and he did the exact performance he gave in the movie. The producers saw that and decided that's how all the aliens should move and talk.
When a show finally returns these days, it’s become my habit to go back and watch at least the previous season finale before beginning the new season just to reconnect with the characters and where the story left off.
Not the best having to assign myself homework just to be able to watch new episodes, but feels necessary.
I believe that Clooney’s exit episode spent playing basketball with Dr. Greene illustrated Ross’s callousness toward Carol (Marguiles). Fitting.
Only Murders seems to have put Martin Short’s failed musical theater producer/director in charge of casting this season. Grandiose and flailing. Surely it will tighten up soon.
It is an odd show always. Slow as molasses. Enjoyable when the mood strikes or everything else is football. 😁
Chumming the waters for your own work isn’t easy. I bought The Revolution was Televised as ebook as soon as available. Laura Lippman does an admirable job with her books, and the adaptation of Lady in the Lake. She doesn’t manage as many irons in quite as many fires as you do.
Alan, I actually think Only Murders in the Building is one of those shows that can handle having so many special guest stars, partly due to its meta nature, but also because its three leads are the kinds of actors who would be called upon to be Special Guest Stars in others shows (and in fact have been for many years before this show premiered). Given how famous Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez have been for a long time, having all these guest stars almost feels like they're inviting all their friends to the sandbox they've created to play in (and given all three of them are producers and Steve Martin co-created the show, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case). Or maybe guest stars are just something I'm not generally bothered by, because I love watching great actors do their thing.
I'm only on the first season but it does seem strange to me that in the first season Sting plays himself and that's the whole joke but in later seasons they have super famous people like Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep et al playing characters
This was/is my big problem with this season in particular — even though we’re only a couple of episodes deep so far — but kind-of in reverse. Sting’s cameo as himself was enough of an isolated bit and, frankly, Meryl Streep was so good last season, that her playing a would-be nobody worked for me. (Paul Rudd was too schticky.) I found it much more jarring in this season’s premiere for her to share time in the same setting as the actors playing themselves as the main characters’ film counterparts, especially with more recognizable names/faces/mannerisms thrown in the mix back at the building. Although I’d usually find it refreshing for Levy, Galifianakis, and Longoria to be playing “themselves” with a wink I’m just all the more taken out of the story by the clash of levels of fictionalization, especially since Levy’s c.v. has plenty of Steve Martin and Martin Short on it.
Re: The big gap, how much do you think the strikes exacerbated this versus the other factors thr NYT piece went into? Obviously shows like HoD or Rings of Power have huge scales that take time. But something like Severance season 3 probably wouldn't actually need three years after the upcoming season. (Not that the strikes were the only reason for that show's delay.)
The strikes have made it worse at the moment, but it's been this way for quite a while now. If Game of Thrones debuted today, I can't imagine it sticking on an annual schedule for the bulk of its run, yet it was able to do that in the 2010s.
Jumping the starting gun, but the best of episodes column is fantastic. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of ‘what about’ comments, but I’ll simply say thanks for triggering so many memories and emotions.
Hi Alan, I wondered if Pachinko fit your too long off air paradigm, but it was such a tight series, I still remember everyone (and I've only part read the book!). But will you be reviewing season 2?
If you think the end of George Clooney's time on ER was weird, wait until Anthony Edwards leaves. It's one of the most famous goodbye episodes in history, but I was shocked that its not the season finale. There's a whole other random episode after.
Even better: we find out he dies in the episode *before* the one where he dies. Which I think was actually brilliant, because no one expected it, and the episode where the ER finds out is substantially more interesting than the one in Hawaii.
Severance has been gone so long that until I saw the cast photo I had forgotten who half the cast members were. It has been gone so long that Zach Cherry costarred in another high-concept sci-fi series (Fallout) that shot its entire first season and aired already, then he did a feature film, all while appearing on and then cohosting two entire seasons of The Great American Baking Show, which have already aired.
Re: Clooney’s ER departure, when a character is that big/co-lead, I think you have to either kill them off (like Bobby Simeone & Mark Greene) or move them far away (like Diane) so no false expectation of a potential visit anytime if the character stays locally. This is what happened on the original Frasier run but has been of the many sore sports on the revival (“just visit the old place already!?!).
Although the real-life departures were handled differently, Doug Ross’ exit reminds of how David Caruso’s Jon Kelly left under similar cloudy circumstances with strongly implication of little/no chance to return.
You turned me into a complete ER obsessive and I'm always rewatching it when I can't find something interesting to watch. I've been putting unrealistic hopes on 'The Pitt' I hope the suit doesn't cause a delay or worse means it can't continue for a second season. I'm really fed up with the long gap. I was utterly enthralled by Severance but I think I'm going to have to rewatch the first season over the Christmas break so that I can jump back into S2 but it's annoying that I need to. On Only Murders, I agree the show has a fixation on guest stars but the central trio are the draw for me. The scene with the three negotiating their fee with Charles almost on the table to get his 'four' to them really made me laugh. Also, I've yet to dig into Homicide which I'm hoping will fill the ER void for me.
"This is a show that can’t find a way to say no to anything or anyone anymore, it seems"
Deeper issue than that, I think. The series has a moldy old-school show biz smugness to it, ripe with the assumption we all just *love* the beloved people on screen absorbing our love. Our adoration (and willingness to overlook immoderation) is presupposed.
The smug, alas, always slather thickly. It's what they do in this mad, mad, mad, mad world of ours.
I felt the same thing watching the latest season of The Bear. It feels like the actual narrative has started to get eclipsed by the show showing off how many celebrities, chefs, and celebrity chefs wanted to work with them.
MASH was the originator of the creatively ruinous selfconscious sense of HOW COOL WE ARE. Most really good showrunners actively eschew the impulse. But self-celebration can be a bit of a showbiz black hole….
Can we retroactively give Enrico Colantoni multiple Emmys? I don’t care which show it’s for I don’t care whether it’s for comedy or drama. And an Oscar, but that one should definitely be for Galaxy Quest.
You know the story about his Galaxy Quest audition, right? He did one reading, then right as he was about to leave, asked if he could try something else, and he did the exact performance he gave in the movie. The producers saw that and decided that's how all the aliens should move and talk.
When a show finally returns these days, it’s become my habit to go back and watch at least the previous season finale before beginning the new season just to reconnect with the characters and where the story left off.
Not the best having to assign myself homework just to be able to watch new episodes, but feels necessary.
I believe that Clooney’s exit episode spent playing basketball with Dr. Greene illustrated Ross’s callousness toward Carol (Marguiles). Fitting.
Only Murders seems to have put Martin Short’s failed musical theater producer/director in charge of casting this season. Grandiose and flailing. Surely it will tighten up soon.
It is an odd show always. Slow as molasses. Enjoyable when the mood strikes or everything else is football. 😁
Chumming the waters for your own work isn’t easy. I bought The Revolution was Televised as ebook as soon as available. Laura Lippman does an admirable job with her books, and the adaptation of Lady in the Lake. She doesn’t manage as many irons in quite as many fires as you do.
Carry on. Readers find good stuff. 👏👏🎉🎉
Alan, I actually think Only Murders in the Building is one of those shows that can handle having so many special guest stars, partly due to its meta nature, but also because its three leads are the kinds of actors who would be called upon to be Special Guest Stars in others shows (and in fact have been for many years before this show premiered). Given how famous Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez have been for a long time, having all these guest stars almost feels like they're inviting all their friends to the sandbox they've created to play in (and given all three of them are producers and Steve Martin co-created the show, I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case). Or maybe guest stars are just something I'm not generally bothered by, because I love watching great actors do their thing.
I'm only on the first season but it does seem strange to me that in the first season Sting plays himself and that's the whole joke but in later seasons they have super famous people like Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep et al playing characters
This was/is my big problem with this season in particular — even though we’re only a couple of episodes deep so far — but kind-of in reverse. Sting’s cameo as himself was enough of an isolated bit and, frankly, Meryl Streep was so good last season, that her playing a would-be nobody worked for me. (Paul Rudd was too schticky.) I found it much more jarring in this season’s premiere for her to share time in the same setting as the actors playing themselves as the main characters’ film counterparts, especially with more recognizable names/faces/mannerisms thrown in the mix back at the building. Although I’d usually find it refreshing for Levy, Galifianakis, and Longoria to be playing “themselves” with a wink I’m just all the more taken out of the story by the clash of levels of fictionalization, especially since Levy’s c.v. has plenty of Steve Martin and Martin Short on it.
Re: The big gap, how much do you think the strikes exacerbated this versus the other factors thr NYT piece went into? Obviously shows like HoD or Rings of Power have huge scales that take time. But something like Severance season 3 probably wouldn't actually need three years after the upcoming season. (Not that the strikes were the only reason for that show's delay.)
The strikes have made it worse at the moment, but it's been this way for quite a while now. If Game of Thrones debuted today, I can't imagine it sticking on an annual schedule for the bulk of its run, yet it was able to do that in the 2010s.
OMITB: The scene of stereotypical New York was outstanding.
Jumping the starting gun, but the best of episodes column is fantastic. I’m sure you’ll get plenty of ‘what about’ comments, but I’ll simply say thanks for triggering so many memories and emotions.
Now, what about Quantum Leap?😁
It may or may not come up in the next newsletter!
Hi Alan, I wondered if Pachinko fit your too long off air paradigm, but it was such a tight series, I still remember everyone (and I've only part read the book!). But will you be reviewing season 2?
I mentioned last week that I still need to finish the screeners of this season. Hopefully I'll get to it eventually.
If you think the end of George Clooney's time on ER was weird, wait until Anthony Edwards leaves. It's one of the most famous goodbye episodes in history, but I was shocked that its not the season finale. There's a whole other random episode after.
Even better: we find out he dies in the episode *before* the one where he dies. Which I think was actually brilliant, because no one expected it, and the episode where the ER finds out is substantially more interesting than the one in Hawaii.
Severance has been gone so long that until I saw the cast photo I had forgotten who half the cast members were. It has been gone so long that Zach Cherry costarred in another high-concept sci-fi series (Fallout) that shot its entire first season and aired already, then he did a feature film, all while appearing on and then cohosting two entire seasons of The Great American Baking Show, which have already aired.
Re: Clooney’s ER departure, when a character is that big/co-lead, I think you have to either kill them off (like Bobby Simeone & Mark Greene) or move them far away (like Diane) so no false expectation of a potential visit anytime if the character stays locally. This is what happened on the original Frasier run but has been of the many sore sports on the revival (“just visit the old place already!?!).
Although the real-life departures were handled differently, Doug Ross’ exit reminds of how David Caruso’s Jon Kelly left under similar cloudy circumstances with strongly implication of little/no chance to return.
Alan: will there be a post-Sunny finale interview explaining what happened?
I wasn't planning on it. At a certain point, I just stopped waiting for the plot to make any sense whatsoever.
Good advice.
You turned me into a complete ER obsessive and I'm always rewatching it when I can't find something interesting to watch. I've been putting unrealistic hopes on 'The Pitt' I hope the suit doesn't cause a delay or worse means it can't continue for a second season. I'm really fed up with the long gap. I was utterly enthralled by Severance but I think I'm going to have to rewatch the first season over the Christmas break so that I can jump back into S2 but it's annoying that I need to. On Only Murders, I agree the show has a fixation on guest stars but the central trio are the draw for me. The scene with the three negotiating their fee with Charles almost on the table to get his 'four' to them really made me laugh. Also, I've yet to dig into Homicide which I'm hoping will fill the ER void for me.
"This is a show that can’t find a way to say no to anything or anyone anymore, it seems"
Deeper issue than that, I think. The series has a moldy old-school show biz smugness to it, ripe with the assumption we all just *love* the beloved people on screen absorbing our love. Our adoration (and willingness to overlook immoderation) is presupposed.
The smug, alas, always slather thickly. It's what they do in this mad, mad, mad, mad world of ours.
I felt the same thing watching the latest season of The Bear. It feels like the actual narrative has started to get eclipsed by the show showing off how many celebrities, chefs, and celebrity chefs wanted to work with them.
MASH was the originator of the creatively ruinous selfconscious sense of HOW COOL WE ARE. Most really good showrunners actively eschew the impulse. But self-celebration can be a bit of a showbiz black hole….