Congrats. That is exciting news about the Serling biography. Twilight Zone is one of the most important TV shows ever and Serling is a fascinating character. Can’t wait to read it.
Serling is so well deserving of a winning biography by an accomplished and solid writer such as yourself. Good luck with the work. Look forward to reading it.
Alan, I just want to say two things. Congrats on Sterling. Awesome.
Second, I have been following you since the old Mad Men days when, you were not yet “everywhere” and I am so happy for your success! Rolling Stone etc etc. Your weekly synopsis and analysis of MM was something that really made me appreciate chatting with strangers in a meaningful way. I still think it’s the greatest TV show ever made.
Congrats on the Rod Serling biography! He's definitely on the Mt. Rushmore of tv figures for me. His work helped. influence so many which led to the all-time sci-fi classics (The X-Files, Twin Peaks, LOST among them). and I think even some of Steven Spielberg's filmography.
If there was any anti-smoking laws in his time, it'd been fun to see what would've been Serling's 2nd/3rd phases of his career after having accomplished so much by just age 50.
Your reviews and interviews have a consistently humanistic perspective (including holding one of your hero's feet to the fire for employing a sex pest) which is a great basis for engaging with Serling's socially activist work and philosophy.
Plus, the man made some amazing TV, and you're pretty good about writing about that!
Alan, that is amazing news! You are going to write something great that serves the subject and is completely your own, I’m sure. I can’t wait to pre-order it!
I’ve heard of this! I’m definitely gonna be studying various drafts of the movie script, and maybe I’ll pick up a copy of that. There’s a lot of books to purchase for this, and not just the ones he wrote.
Congrats on the new book and congrats on the other new book! Going to need an entire bookcase just for Alan Sepinwall at some point down the road.
I'm glad you enjoyed the finale of House of Style-ish Dragons. I honestly found the last two eps of S2 a little weak in their writing and execution and preferred the middle four episodes overall. I also liked Cole realizing he's but dust in the wind, I've enjoyed Emma D'Arcy all season, and I've enjoyed a number of the supporting performances (Ser Simon Strong's side eye and Grover Tully doing yet another tough-as-nails Northern teenager stood out). But things felt a bit perfunctory to me in those last two eps, especially Daemond's sudden turn to righteousness (I just didn't buy his motivation by Weirwood vision). Much of those last two eps didn't really land for me even when the spectacle of it all was incredible. I don't think this writers room is as talented as the ones they had for peak Thrones but I do blame some of this on Warner Discovery's penny pinching of late.
That said, I'm enthused for season 3. This show has shown it is more than the sum of time jumps and ritually recasting the same roles over and over again, even if Rhaela randomly wandering the countryside was really not good TV, at least it didn't go on for more episodes.
I've been one of those HOTD watchers who feels this season was a notable improvement over last season - I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I just think that the scene pairings and conversations (usually between two people at a time) have provided so much more depth into the characters. The character development was great this season - all the major characters changed in significant ways. And I wasn't bothered by Daemon spending most of the season being haunted because he had a lot of atoning to do! I've loved all of the Larys scenes - the one with Aegon in episode 7 really stood out to me - and I too ended the season hating Criston a little less. Basically, Condal and the writers succeeded in building empathy for almost every character IMO.
I really love House of the Dragon. It made me want to read the book to know what's coming. I, too, made the complaint that it felt like a penultimate episode, and was then told it was actually because of the strike. They had no chance to film the last one. Do we know if it's true?
Also the announcement that it'll end after season 4 made me happy because it gives us two more seasons and at the same time means the creators won't try to stretch this forever.
It's much more because of avowed enemy of art David Zaslav. They wrote a 10 episode season, then heard from Discovery that it was being cut to 8 episodes only a few weeks before the scripts had to be locked in by the writer's strike. So there was no time for staff to actually rewrite the season into something more compressed, forcing them to awkwardly cut it off 2 episodes before the finale.
Is there something to back that up? When GRRM commented on this, he made it sound like the writers knew it would be 8 episodes and wrote to that, and the decision to move the Battle of Gullet to season 3 had had been made prior to breaking the season. He offered no indication sacrifices had been made late in the process.. Granted, Zaslav's penny-pinching is to blame either way.
The episode order cut is known to have come shortly before the strike (iirc, less than two months) due some comments from the show runners, which isn't really enough time to break the whole season again, especially if you want to keep solidarity with a strike that was starting to look inevitable, and don't have the budget to shoot the intended climax of the season anyway.
EP and writer Sara Hess, who unlike Martin directly worked on season 2 of the show, explicitly said that the episode cut was out of their hands and happened after they'd broke the season. With the strike looming, there wasn't time to rewrite the the whole thing for 8 episodes.
HBO decided to cut production from 10 to 8 episodes. Whether that was due to the strike directly, or just to save money I don't know if we know. But that seems like the biggest reason the season ended like it did.
Congrats. That is exciting news about the Serling biography. Twilight Zone is one of the most important TV shows ever and Serling is a fascinating character. Can’t wait to read it.
Also, I’ve enjoyed House of the Dragon, even if Matt Smith’s character wasn’t given a whole lot to do this season.
Serling is so well deserving of a winning biography by an accomplished and solid writer such as yourself. Good luck with the work. Look forward to reading it.
Alan, I just want to say two things. Congrats on Sterling. Awesome.
Second, I have been following you since the old Mad Men days when, you were not yet “everywhere” and I am so happy for your success! Rolling Stone etc etc. Your weekly synopsis and analysis of MM was something that really made me appreciate chatting with strangers in a meaningful way. I still think it’s the greatest TV show ever made.
Congrats on the Rod Serling biography! He's definitely on the Mt. Rushmore of tv figures for me. His work helped. influence so many which led to the all-time sci-fi classics (The X-Files, Twin Peaks, LOST among them). and I think even some of Steven Spielberg's filmography.
If there was any anti-smoking laws in his time, it'd been fun to see what would've been Serling's 2nd/3rd phases of his career after having accomplished so much by just age 50.
Congrats on the Serling book. Labor of love is nevertheless labor. My guy’s much older cousin worked for him in Cincinnati. Very early days.
"Labor of love is nevertheless labor."
I hear that.
Sounds like the perfect project for you, Alan.
Your reviews and interviews have a consistently humanistic perspective (including holding one of your hero's feet to the fire for employing a sex pest) which is a great basis for engaging with Serling's socially activist work and philosophy.
Plus, the man made some amazing TV, and you're pretty good about writing about that!
Alan, that is amazing news! You are going to write something great that serves the subject and is completely your own, I’m sure. I can’t wait to pre-order it!
Probably on your radar already, but just in case: Dana Gould did a graphic novel adaptation of Serling's original Planet of the Apes script.
https://www.amazon.com/Planet-Apes-Visionaries-Rod-Serling/dp/1608869806
I’ve heard of this! I’m definitely gonna be studying various drafts of the movie script, and maybe I’ll pick up a copy of that. There’s a lot of books to purchase for this, and not just the ones he wrote.
Awesome news!!
Count me in on the Serling book.
Excited about the Serling book. I hope you include Carol for Another Christmas. It’s one of my favorites of his
Looking forward to reading this surely to be excellent book.
Night Gallery is available on Blu-ray as well as DVD. https://www.blu-ray.com/Night-Gallery/96902/#Releases
I know. But for older material, I tend not to bother. (Similarly, I have a DVD set of Serling's one-season Western "The Loner" on the way.)
Congrats on the new book and congrats on the other new book! Going to need an entire bookcase just for Alan Sepinwall at some point down the road.
I'm glad you enjoyed the finale of House of Style-ish Dragons. I honestly found the last two eps of S2 a little weak in their writing and execution and preferred the middle four episodes overall. I also liked Cole realizing he's but dust in the wind, I've enjoyed Emma D'Arcy all season, and I've enjoyed a number of the supporting performances (Ser Simon Strong's side eye and Grover Tully doing yet another tough-as-nails Northern teenager stood out). But things felt a bit perfunctory to me in those last two eps, especially Daemond's sudden turn to righteousness (I just didn't buy his motivation by Weirwood vision). Much of those last two eps didn't really land for me even when the spectacle of it all was incredible. I don't think this writers room is as talented as the ones they had for peak Thrones but I do blame some of this on Warner Discovery's penny pinching of late.
That said, I'm enthused for season 3. This show has shown it is more than the sum of time jumps and ritually recasting the same roles over and over again, even if Rhaela randomly wandering the countryside was really not good TV, at least it didn't go on for more episodes.
Tullys aren't northerners.
I've been one of those HOTD watchers who feels this season was a notable improvement over last season - I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I just think that the scene pairings and conversations (usually between two people at a time) have provided so much more depth into the characters. The character development was great this season - all the major characters changed in significant ways. And I wasn't bothered by Daemon spending most of the season being haunted because he had a lot of atoning to do! I've loved all of the Larys scenes - the one with Aegon in episode 7 really stood out to me - and I too ended the season hating Criston a little less. Basically, Condal and the writers succeeded in building empathy for almost every character IMO.
Do you have any thoughts on “Our Lady Jane” (Prime)? I found it for my wife and we both enjoyed it very much.
I watched the first episode. I appreciate what it's doing, and understand why there's so much enthusiasm for it, but it's not really my jam.
It has been a highlight for me this year, too! Just plain fun that doesn’t take itself seriously.
I really love House of the Dragon. It made me want to read the book to know what's coming. I, too, made the complaint that it felt like a penultimate episode, and was then told it was actually because of the strike. They had no chance to film the last one. Do we know if it's true?
Also the announcement that it'll end after season 4 made me happy because it gives us two more seasons and at the same time means the creators won't try to stretch this forever.
It's much more because of avowed enemy of art David Zaslav. They wrote a 10 episode season, then heard from Discovery that it was being cut to 8 episodes only a few weeks before the scripts had to be locked in by the writer's strike. So there was no time for staff to actually rewrite the season into something more compressed, forcing them to awkwardly cut it off 2 episodes before the finale.
Is there something to back that up? When GRRM commented on this, he made it sound like the writers knew it would be 8 episodes and wrote to that, and the decision to move the Battle of Gullet to season 3 had had been made prior to breaking the season. He offered no indication sacrifices had been made late in the process.. Granted, Zaslav's penny-pinching is to blame either way.
The episode order cut is known to have come shortly before the strike (iirc, less than two months) due some comments from the show runners, which isn't really enough time to break the whole season again, especially if you want to keep solidarity with a strike that was starting to look inevitable, and don't have the budget to shoot the intended climax of the season anyway.
I'm going to go off what Martin wrote on his blog because its the only detailed first-person info I've seen on this subject.
EP and writer Sara Hess, who unlike Martin directly worked on season 2 of the show, explicitly said that the episode cut was out of their hands and happened after they'd broke the season. With the strike looming, there wasn't time to rewrite the the whole thing for 8 episodes.
HBO decided to cut production from 10 to 8 episodes. Whether that was due to the strike directly, or just to save money I don't know if we know. But that seems like the biggest reason the season ended like it did.