I occasionally write remembrances of famed individuals after they die, if the performer or writer of figure of some other note held a certain significance for me. Anthony Bourdain qualifies, mightily, and yet I’ve struggled with the idea of alchemizing … Continue reading From the Archive — My Writers: Anthony Bourdain
Sometimes in pop culture there are clear end points, and — effective or not — they can provide insights to a whole series, oeuvre, or discography. In a beautiful convergence of historical fact and playful narrative irony, the FX series … Continue reading Last Call — The Americans
Plenty of television series have hung on longer than they should have, the dictates of commerce outweighing storytelling considerations at nearly every turn in the business of doing a show. But I don’t know if any long-running program so thoroughly … Continue reading That Championship Season — How I Met Your Mother, Season Two
Sometimes comedy illuminates hard truths with a pointed urgency that other means can’t quite achieve. Sometimes comedy is just funny. This series of posts is mostly about the former instances, but the latter is valuable, too. In the past several … Continue reading Laughing Matters — Muppets Tonight, “Sid Knishes and His Mosh-Pit-atoes”
These posts celebrate the movie trailers, movie posters, commercials, print ads, and other promotional material that stand as their own works of art. By now, we are well past the point that television programming is a sad, forlorn cousin of … Continue reading The Art of the Sell — “You and Me and ABC”
These posts celebrate the movie trailers, movie posters, commercials, print ads, and other promotional material that stand as their own works of art. In the most recent College Countdown entry, I became reacquainted with the Dead Kennedys, including some of … Continue reading The Art of the Sell — Mojo Nixon for MTV
This coming weekend, I’ll participate in The World’s Largest Trivia ContestTM. As per tradition, this week is filled with idle reminiscing about memorable answers in past years. This time around, I’m focusing answers on the supplemental “Unplugged” version of the … Continue reading Trivia Answer of the Day — The Breakdown
These posts celebrate the movie trailers, movie posters, commercials, print ads, and other promotional material that stand as their own works of art. This commercial includes a remarkably accurate depiction of how I eat pizza. I mean it sincerely when … Continue reading The Art of the Sell — Tabasco “Mosquito” commercial
Sometimes comedy illuminates hard truths with a pointed urgency that other means can’t quite achieve. Sometimes comedy is just funny. This series of posts is mostly about the former instances, but the latter is valuable, too. My weariness overtook me … Continue reading Laughing Matters — Mr. Show, “Druggachusettes”
The premiere episode of Treme begins with white words on a black screen. First, they establish that the series takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana. Then comes the critical information about timing: “Three Months After.” The event that took place … Continue reading That Championship Season — Treme, Season One
Coffee for Two 