Paul Levinson's Blog: Levinson at Large, page 393
June 13, 2011
The Killing 1.12: Is Orpheus the Killer?
And now, with just one episode left of The Killing, the finger is finally pointing at least in the specific direction of Rosie's killer.
We get there by dispensing with one last incorrect suspect - whom I never thought was really suspect, in any case. Rosie's aunt is a call-girl, and she did get Rosie involved in the trade, but she apparently did not kill Rosie.
Who did? A john, a melancholy man, who talked to his next-to-last girl about what it felt like to drown? This made her nervous, and she warned the other girls, but not Rosie - or, if Rosie was warned, she didn't take it seriously. He's known to the girls as "Orpheus".
Who is he really? In a great parallel sequence, Holder finds his picture in a phone booth, as Linden first sends emails to his account, and then finds the computer on which he has received those emails in the apartment of the man she has come over to talk to ....
Richmond!
Well, I've been saying from the beginning that the most important clue to Rosie's murder was the car in which she was found - a car from the Richmond campaign. But he is really Rosie's killer?
I'm still betting on Gwen, as I have from the outset. She knew about Richmond and Rosie - she said to him in the first episode, "I know where you were last night" - and she killed Rosie to punish Richmond (her motive: jealousy), implicate him, and ruin his campaign and his life. In other words, I'm thinking that Richmond-Orpheus is not the killer.
This logic could also apply to Jamie, with something other than jealousy being the motive. But, for some reason, I'm still thinking Gwen.
We'll see for sure next week ...
See also The Killing on AMC and The Killing 1.3: Early Suspects ... The Killing 1.5: Memorable Moments ... The Killing 1.6: The Teacher ... The Killing 1.8: The Teacher, Again ... The Killing 1.9: The Teacher as Victim, Again ... The Killing 1.10: Running Out of Suspects ... The Killing 1.11: Rosie's Missing - from the Story
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic, Mozy
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
We get there by dispensing with one last incorrect suspect - whom I never thought was really suspect, in any case. Rosie's aunt is a call-girl, and she did get Rosie involved in the trade, but she apparently did not kill Rosie.
Who did? A john, a melancholy man, who talked to his next-to-last girl about what it felt like to drown? This made her nervous, and she warned the other girls, but not Rosie - or, if Rosie was warned, she didn't take it seriously. He's known to the girls as "Orpheus".
Who is he really? In a great parallel sequence, Holder finds his picture in a phone booth, as Linden first sends emails to his account, and then finds the computer on which he has received those emails in the apartment of the man she has come over to talk to ....
Richmond!
Well, I've been saying from the beginning that the most important clue to Rosie's murder was the car in which she was found - a car from the Richmond campaign. But he is really Rosie's killer?
I'm still betting on Gwen, as I have from the outset. She knew about Richmond and Rosie - she said to him in the first episode, "I know where you were last night" - and she killed Rosie to punish Richmond (her motive: jealousy), implicate him, and ruin his campaign and his life. In other words, I'm thinking that Richmond-Orpheus is not the killer.
This logic could also apply to Jamie, with something other than jealousy being the motive. But, for some reason, I'm still thinking Gwen.
We'll see for sure next week ...
See also The Killing on AMC and The Killing 1.3: Early Suspects ... The Killing 1.5: Memorable Moments ... The Killing 1.6: The Teacher ... The Killing 1.8: The Teacher, Again ... The Killing 1.9: The Teacher as Victim, Again ... The Killing 1.10: Running Out of Suspects ... The Killing 1.11: Rosie's Missing - from the Story
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic, Mozy
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
Game of Thrones 1.9: Is Ned Really Dead?
Well, we got the apparent shock of the series on Game of Thrones 1.9 last night - after following the advice of the eunuch and others to confess to save his daughters' and his own life, Ned Stark gets the axe, literally, anyway, as young King Joffrey declares he cannot be weak and follow the advice of women (which would be his betrothed and his mother).
But is Ned really dead?
Here are some points, all pretty weak, but points nonetheless, against Ned being really beheaded:
We didn't see a head roll - at least, not last night. And in television land, unless you see a head literally chopped or blown off, or to bits, the head (and character it's attached to) could still be alive. Consider, as just one of many examples, what happened with Tony on 24.There are direwolves in this story. It's easy to imagine one of them leaping onto the executioner's arm, and diverting his axe at the crucial moment.There was all kinds of time to plot some kind of elaborate faked death, between the moment the eunuch left Ned's cell, and the moment the axe fell.However, none of these are decisive or overwhelming, and we might well see apparently conclusive evidence that Ned is dead next week. Which, however and of course, could be overturned any time in the future ...
Meanwhile, Ned is not the only leader near or put to death last night. The Khal is gravely infected by the wound he received last week, and only the witchy woman can save him with a horse blood spell. But Daenerys has gone into labor, which requires the witch's ministrations, too - how much can one witch do, in the juggling of deaths and lives?
This is probably the single greatest strength of Game of Thrones - the unexpectedness of death to major characters, which keeps us ever on our seat for game of thrones changers.
See also A Game of Thrones: My 1996 Review of the First Novel ... Game of Thrones Begins Greatly on HBO ... Game of Thrones 1.2: Prince, Wolf, Bastard, Dwarf ... Games of Thrones 1.3: Genuine Demons ... Game of Thrones 1.4: Broken Things ... Game of Thrones 1.5: Ned Under Seige ... Game of Thrones 1.6: Molten Ever After ... Games of Thrones 1.7: Swiveling Pieces ... Game of Thrones 1.9: Star Wars of the Realms
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
But is Ned really dead?
Here are some points, all pretty weak, but points nonetheless, against Ned being really beheaded:
We didn't see a head roll - at least, not last night. And in television land, unless you see a head literally chopped or blown off, or to bits, the head (and character it's attached to) could still be alive. Consider, as just one of many examples, what happened with Tony on 24.There are direwolves in this story. It's easy to imagine one of them leaping onto the executioner's arm, and diverting his axe at the crucial moment.There was all kinds of time to plot some kind of elaborate faked death, between the moment the eunuch left Ned's cell, and the moment the axe fell.However, none of these are decisive or overwhelming, and we might well see apparently conclusive evidence that Ned is dead next week. Which, however and of course, could be overturned any time in the future ...
Meanwhile, Ned is not the only leader near or put to death last night. The Khal is gravely infected by the wound he received last week, and only the witchy woman can save him with a horse blood spell. But Daenerys has gone into labor, which requires the witch's ministrations, too - how much can one witch do, in the juggling of deaths and lives?
This is probably the single greatest strength of Game of Thrones - the unexpectedness of death to major characters, which keeps us ever on our seat for game of thrones changers.
See also A Game of Thrones: My 1996 Review of the First Novel ... Game of Thrones Begins Greatly on HBO ... Game of Thrones 1.2: Prince, Wolf, Bastard, Dwarf ... Games of Thrones 1.3: Genuine Demons ... Game of Thrones 1.4: Broken Things ... Game of Thrones 1.5: Ned Under Seige ... Game of Thrones 1.6: Molten Ever After ... Games of Thrones 1.7: Swiveling Pieces ... Game of Thrones 1.9: Star Wars of the Realms
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
June 11, 2011
Looking Forward to Olbermann's Return to Countdown on Al Gore's Current TV
Great interview with Keith Olbermann posted in Rolling Stone a few days ago.
As I've written here often over the years, I was no constant fan of Olbermann on MSNBC. I often found him abrasive, over the top, even trivial (for example, in his critique of 24 as Bush-driven, and in his incessant lampooning of Bill O'Reilly). But I also found him refreshing, surprising, original, and, at his best, a most needed passionate voice for the progressive point of view. As he says in the Rolling Stone interview, Olbermann was responsible for putting MSNBC on the map as the progressive counterpoint to Fox's conservativism.
I was therefore not happy when Olbermann was suddenly shown the door at MSNBC earlier this year, by the same or equivalent tone-deaf corporate execs he had dragged kicking and screaming into relevance and eloquence. And I'm therefore eagerly awaiting Olbermann's return to Countdown on Al Gore's Current TV on June 20.
As Olbermann makes clear in the interview, he does not see Countdown on Current as a graceful swan song - even though Current TV now has at best no more than 10% of any cable all-news audience - but rather as a no holds-barred challenge to Fox, CNN, and MSNBC. Olbermann's new Countdown will be on at the same time as the old one - 8pm Eastern - which means he'll not only be competing against Bill O'Reilly on Fox, and but against his incisive, keenly rational replacement on MSNBC, Lawrence O'Donnell.
In many ways, I like O'Donnell more than Olbermann, in particular O'Donnell's targeted logic and real political experience, in place of Olbermann's passionate showmanship. But if only to punish slow-witted MSNBC for its treatment of Olbermann, and, more, because I think the progressive view can be well served by another powerful voice on another station (Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly still outnumber the progressives on the air), I will be watching and rooting for Olbermann to shake up television, once again, as hold forth from the station run by the man who at very least won the popular vote for President in 2000, and has himself carved out a unique place for himself in our history. Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
As I've written here often over the years, I was no constant fan of Olbermann on MSNBC. I often found him abrasive, over the top, even trivial (for example, in his critique of 24 as Bush-driven, and in his incessant lampooning of Bill O'Reilly). But I also found him refreshing, surprising, original, and, at his best, a most needed passionate voice for the progressive point of view. As he says in the Rolling Stone interview, Olbermann was responsible for putting MSNBC on the map as the progressive counterpoint to Fox's conservativism.
I was therefore not happy when Olbermann was suddenly shown the door at MSNBC earlier this year, by the same or equivalent tone-deaf corporate execs he had dragged kicking and screaming into relevance and eloquence. And I'm therefore eagerly awaiting Olbermann's return to Countdown on Al Gore's Current TV on June 20.
As Olbermann makes clear in the interview, he does not see Countdown on Current as a graceful swan song - even though Current TV now has at best no more than 10% of any cable all-news audience - but rather as a no holds-barred challenge to Fox, CNN, and MSNBC. Olbermann's new Countdown will be on at the same time as the old one - 8pm Eastern - which means he'll not only be competing against Bill O'Reilly on Fox, and but against his incisive, keenly rational replacement on MSNBC, Lawrence O'Donnell.
In many ways, I like O'Donnell more than Olbermann, in particular O'Donnell's targeted logic and real political experience, in place of Olbermann's passionate showmanship. But if only to punish slow-witted MSNBC for its treatment of Olbermann, and, more, because I think the progressive view can be well served by another powerful voice on another station (Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly still outnumber the progressives on the air), I will be watching and rooting for Olbermann to shake up television, once again, as hold forth from the station run by the man who at very least won the popular vote for President in 2000, and has himself carved out a unique place for himself in our history. Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
June 8, 2011
The Killing 1.11: Rosie Missing - from the Story
Leave it to The Killing, with only three episodes left, to devote episode 1.11 almost entirely not to Rosie's murder. Instead, we get an almost standalone episode about another missing member of a family - Sarah Linden's son Jack. Against all odds and expectations - I remain eager to learn more about what happened to Rosie - I liked this episode a lot.
The toll that Rosie's murder has taken on her family, and the toll of that the investigation of Rosie's murder has taken on Sarah, has already been well established. Sarah's wedding seems shot, as does her relationship with her almost husband. Jack has been acting out, and his going missing at this point is well motivated.
My really favorite part of this episode was getting to see Linden and Holder work together - on another case - and Holder's loyal commitment to helping Linden find her son. We also learn a little more about Holder's private life, which has been mostly kept in the dark until now.
But the best part of this episode is that it has a very happy ending. Jack is found, alive and well. Rosie, as we know, had no such saving grace, and the contrast between Jack and Rosie's fates sets the debut season of The Killing up nicely for some kind of resolution of Rosie's murder in the last two episodes.
See also The Killing on AMC and The Killing 1.3: Early Suspects ... The Killing 1.5: Memorable Moments ... The Killing 1.6: The Teacher ... The Killing 1.8: The Teacher, Again ... The Killing 1.9: The Teacher as Victim, Again ... The Killing 1.10: Running Out of Suspects
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic, Mozy
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
The toll that Rosie's murder has taken on her family, and the toll of that the investigation of Rosie's murder has taken on Sarah, has already been well established. Sarah's wedding seems shot, as does her relationship with her almost husband. Jack has been acting out, and his going missing at this point is well motivated.
My really favorite part of this episode was getting to see Linden and Holder work together - on another case - and Holder's loyal commitment to helping Linden find her son. We also learn a little more about Holder's private life, which has been mostly kept in the dark until now.
But the best part of this episode is that it has a very happy ending. Jack is found, alive and well. Rosie, as we know, had no such saving grace, and the contrast between Jack and Rosie's fates sets the debut season of The Killing up nicely for some kind of resolution of Rosie's murder in the last two episodes.
See also The Killing on AMC and The Killing 1.3: Early Suspects ... The Killing 1.5: Memorable Moments ... The Killing 1.6: The Teacher ... The Killing 1.8: The Teacher, Again ... The Killing 1.9: The Teacher as Victim, Again ... The Killing 1.10: Running Out of Suspects
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic, Mozy
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
June 6, 2011
Treme 2.7: "One-Murder Mardis Gras"
Lt. Colson's tireless efforts to reduce the surging crime in New Orleans are at least bearing some fruit on Mardi Gras day in Treme 2.7, which bore just one murder - off-camera, at that - and led Colson to characterize the happy day as a "one-murder mardis gras".
It was certainly one of the happiest episodes we've seen so far. The colorfully adorned various bands of revelers reminded me of "We Sing in Sillyville, which I used to watch with my kids years ago, and, come to think of it, may be derived from the Mardi Gras celebrations. Nelson gets a good kiss and a phone number. Albert's dancing - a little more subdued than last year, I thought - with his New Orleans Indians. And Sonny gets a second chance in Antoine's band.
But, as is always the case in Treme and in all of David Simon's productions, all's never as well as it seems to be. LaDonna can't bring herself to Mardis Gras at all. And Sofia passes out drunk - fortunately with Davis already taking her home to safety. So far, this season has been quieter but no less riveting than last season, and it may (or may not) be heading for an all-the-more explosive ending.
The music was customarily diverse and excellent, but my favorite was seen not heard - that is, the name of the performer was seen, but he didn't perform, because he died in July 2001. Ernie K-Doe's "Mother-in-Law" was a #1 hit in the 1961, and has always been much beloved by me. He held forth in his lounge in later years, and after his death, his wife Antoinette kept the place going, replete with a life-sized replica of Mr. K-Doe. She herself would die on Mardi Gras day in 2009, or a few years after we see her in the Mother-In-Law Lounge in this episode.
And here are a few bars of Ernie K-Doe's' Mother-In-Law ...
See also Treme Is Back! ... Treme 2.2: Bounce and Jazz ... Treme 2.3: Crime and Music ... Treme 2.4: Angry Albert ... Treme 2.5: "Today I'm Gonna Write a Song" ... Treme 2.6: "Phil Ochs Said"
And also Treme! ... Treme 1.2: "If you ain't been to heaven" ... Treme 1.3: Fine Sweet and Sour ... Treme 1.4: New Orleans, New York, Nashville ... Treme 1.5: Delicious! ... Treme 1.8: Passions and Dreams ... Treme 1.9: Creighton ... Treme Season One Finale: Happy Sad Life
And: My Favorite Moment in Treme (Season One)
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
It was certainly one of the happiest episodes we've seen so far. The colorfully adorned various bands of revelers reminded me of "We Sing in Sillyville, which I used to watch with my kids years ago, and, come to think of it, may be derived from the Mardi Gras celebrations. Nelson gets a good kiss and a phone number. Albert's dancing - a little more subdued than last year, I thought - with his New Orleans Indians. And Sonny gets a second chance in Antoine's band.
But, as is always the case in Treme and in all of David Simon's productions, all's never as well as it seems to be. LaDonna can't bring herself to Mardis Gras at all. And Sofia passes out drunk - fortunately with Davis already taking her home to safety. So far, this season has been quieter but no less riveting than last season, and it may (or may not) be heading for an all-the-more explosive ending.
The music was customarily diverse and excellent, but my favorite was seen not heard - that is, the name of the performer was seen, but he didn't perform, because he died in July 2001. Ernie K-Doe's "Mother-in-Law" was a #1 hit in the 1961, and has always been much beloved by me. He held forth in his lounge in later years, and after his death, his wife Antoinette kept the place going, replete with a life-sized replica of Mr. K-Doe. She herself would die on Mardi Gras day in 2009, or a few years after we see her in the Mother-In-Law Lounge in this episode.
And here are a few bars of Ernie K-Doe's' Mother-In-Law ...
See also Treme Is Back! ... Treme 2.2: Bounce and Jazz ... Treme 2.3: Crime and Music ... Treme 2.4: Angry Albert ... Treme 2.5: "Today I'm Gonna Write a Song" ... Treme 2.6: "Phil Ochs Said"
And also Treme! ... Treme 1.2: "If you ain't been to heaven" ... Treme 1.3: Fine Sweet and Sour ... Treme 1.4: New Orleans, New York, Nashville ... Treme 1.5: Delicious! ... Treme 1.8: Passions and Dreams ... Treme 1.9: Creighton ... Treme Season One Finale: Happy Sad Life
And: My Favorite Moment in Treme (Season One)
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
June 5, 2011
Game of Thrones 1.8: Star Wars of the Realms
The creatures of the north - or, at least, one creature - are stirring more menacingly in Game of Thrones 1.8, but the best action is still in King's Landing to the south. In a fine scene which for some reason made me think of Star Wars, Ayra's sword instructor moves Jedi-like and fells almost all of the armed men who come to seize her, and stands ready to sacrifice his life to save her from the leader of this dark Lannister guard.
They're there, of course, on the Queen's orders. She's bent on ridding the realm of the Starks, so her son Joffrey can rule with no interference, safely under her manipulation. Little Finger and the Eunuch still hold the balance of power, though, so no one's power is really safe and secure in this realm.
Meanwhile, Robb Stark's marshaling his father's old allies to fight the Lannisters, in another move reminiscent of Star Wars and the rebels' fight against the overwhelming forces of the Empire. In many ways, Game of Thrones can be considered a science fiction of the past, or fantasy playing by the rules of science fiction, with realms instead of planets.
And though the center-stage is now occupied by the Starks and the Lannisters, who have at last moved from intrigue into open conflict and looming battle, the greatest dangers to our heroes still reside in the awakening north and the horsemen beyond the sea. Good games within games within larger games.
See also A Game of Thrones: My 1996 Review of the First Novel ... Game of Thrones Begins Greatly on HBO ... Game of Thrones 1.2: Prince, Wolf, Bastard, Dwarf ... Games of Thrones 1.3: Genuine Demons ... Game of Thrones 1.4: Broken Things ... Game of Thrones 1.5: Ned Under Seige ... Game of Thrones 1.6: Molten Ever After ... Games of Thrones 1.7: Swiveling Pieces
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
They're there, of course, on the Queen's orders. She's bent on ridding the realm of the Starks, so her son Joffrey can rule with no interference, safely under her manipulation. Little Finger and the Eunuch still hold the balance of power, though, so no one's power is really safe and secure in this realm.
Meanwhile, Robb Stark's marshaling his father's old allies to fight the Lannisters, in another move reminiscent of Star Wars and the rebels' fight against the overwhelming forces of the Empire. In many ways, Game of Thrones can be considered a science fiction of the past, or fantasy playing by the rules of science fiction, with realms instead of planets.
And though the center-stage is now occupied by the Starks and the Lannisters, who have at last moved from intrigue into open conflict and looming battle, the greatest dangers to our heroes still reside in the awakening north and the horsemen beyond the sea. Good games within games within larger games.
See also A Game of Thrones: My 1996 Review of the First Novel ... Game of Thrones Begins Greatly on HBO ... Game of Thrones 1.2: Prince, Wolf, Bastard, Dwarf ... Games of Thrones 1.3: Genuine Demons ... Game of Thrones 1.4: Broken Things ... Game of Thrones 1.5: Ned Under Seige ... Game of Thrones 1.6: Molten Ever After ... Games of Thrones 1.7: Swiveling Pieces
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
June 2, 2011
Treme 2.6: "Phil Ochs Said"
The depth of the musical acumen in Treme - in history as well as performance - continues to amaze and delight. Davis is saying why he wants Lil Calliope (Altonio Jackson) as front man in his political music band. "Phil Ochs said 'If there's any hope for a revolution in America, it lies in getting Elvis Presley to become Che Guevara,'" Davis explains. "Who's Phil Ochs?" Annie asks - a question that most people, including musicians, might well have, if they were anywhere near Annie's age.
But the people who make Treme know who Phil Ochs was - maybe were reminded by the superb There But Fortune documentary released early this year - and get big points for bringing Ochs and his keen analysis into this part of the Treme story.
As I've been saying about every episode of Treme I review, the music is sheer tour-de-force. In addition to the Davis band, Treme 2.6 has a high-school band playing the Four Tops' "Reach Out, I'll Be There," The Soul Apostles doing "C. C. Rider," John Hiatt performing "Feels Like Rain," Annie with Tom McDermott and Evan Christopher playing Scott Joplin, and much more. Just about every scene blares forth with fine sound. Treme has become required viewing and listening for any American music appreciation course.
Other good elements in last Sunday's story include Janette back in New Orleans to help her jailed sous-chef (I really like that guy), John Goodman making a brief return appearance as Creighton Bernette in Toni's dream, and Toni and Colson together in the Second Line (with Colson groovin'), and the colorful Original Pigeon Town Steppers struttin' their fabulous feathery stuff.
If there ever was a television show that feeds the soul, it would be Treme.
Here's a taste of one of my favorite Phil Ochs' songs ... Love Me, I'm a Liberal
Review of There But for Fortune movie ...
See also Treme Is Back! ... Treme 2.2: Bounce and Jazz ... Treme 2.3: Crime and Music ... Treme 2.4: Angry Albert ... Treme 2.5: "Today I'm Gonna Write a Song"
And also Treme! ... Treme 1.2: "If you ain't been to heaven" ... Treme 1.3: Fine Sweet and Sour ... Treme 1.4: New Orleans, New York, Nashville ... Treme 1.5: Delicious! ... Treme 1.8: Passions and Dreams ... Treme 1.9: Creighton ... Treme Season One Finale: Happy Sad Life
And: My Favorite Moment in Treme (Season One)
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
But the people who make Treme know who Phil Ochs was - maybe were reminded by the superb There But Fortune documentary released early this year - and get big points for bringing Ochs and his keen analysis into this part of the Treme story.
As I've been saying about every episode of Treme I review, the music is sheer tour-de-force. In addition to the Davis band, Treme 2.6 has a high-school band playing the Four Tops' "Reach Out, I'll Be There," The Soul Apostles doing "C. C. Rider," John Hiatt performing "Feels Like Rain," Annie with Tom McDermott and Evan Christopher playing Scott Joplin, and much more. Just about every scene blares forth with fine sound. Treme has become required viewing and listening for any American music appreciation course.
Other good elements in last Sunday's story include Janette back in New Orleans to help her jailed sous-chef (I really like that guy), John Goodman making a brief return appearance as Creighton Bernette in Toni's dream, and Toni and Colson together in the Second Line (with Colson groovin'), and the colorful Original Pigeon Town Steppers struttin' their fabulous feathery stuff.
If there ever was a television show that feeds the soul, it would be Treme.
Here's a taste of one of my favorite Phil Ochs' songs ... Love Me, I'm a Liberal
Review of There But for Fortune movie ...
See also Treme Is Back! ... Treme 2.2: Bounce and Jazz ... Treme 2.3: Crime and Music ... Treme 2.4: Angry Albert ... Treme 2.5: "Today I'm Gonna Write a Song"
And also Treme! ... Treme 1.2: "If you ain't been to heaven" ... Treme 1.3: Fine Sweet and Sour ... Treme 1.4: New Orleans, New York, Nashville ... Treme 1.5: Delicious! ... Treme 1.8: Passions and Dreams ... Treme 1.9: Creighton ... Treme Season One Finale: Happy Sad Life
And: My Favorite Moment in Treme (Season One)
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The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
May 30, 2011
The Borgias Season One Concludes
I haven't had a chance to review as many episodes of The Borgias as I would've wanted, but I've watched and greatly enjoyed every single one. As I said in my first review of the series, The Borgias is not quite as good as The Tudors, which was almost as good as Rome, one of the transcendent masterpieces of television. But that leaves The Borgias pretty good and entertaining indeed.
The last two episodes show why. Not in command of any military to speak of, relying on his wit and devotedly loyal and brilliant family, Rodrigo Borgia - the Pope - manages to fend off and in effect defeat the awesome military might of King Charles of France. Charles and his cannon have brought Milan to its knees, and ripped the front line of Juan's (Rodrigo's son's) army to shreds. Rodrigo and Rome are defenseless. His cardinals flee like rats from a sinking ship.
But beautiful Lucrezia, with a mind like her father's - sharp as a whip - turns being taken prisioner into a Borgia victory. She charms Charles into sparing Rome and having a meeting with her father. Charles is putty in Rodrigo's hands. By the time the episode is over, Charles takes claim not of Rome but Naples - a city decimated by plague.
As Charles lays claim to a city of corpses, Rodrigo celebrates the birth of his grandchild, Lucrezia's son by her stablehand lover, not her boorish husband. Rodrigo has managed to finesse that as well, manipulating the boor - who also deserted Rodrigo in his military time of need - into accepting an annulment. As the Borgia family gathers, we see them at the height of their power, influence, and happiness. They love no one as much as themselves, and that is their great attraction and key to their power.
History tells us there will be severe trials ahead. I'm looking forward to the second season, and its scintillating mix of story, passion, skin, and spot-on technological accuracy.
See also The Borgias Sneak Preview Review ... The Borgias 1.5: Machiavellian Politics and Marriage ... The Borgias 1.6: Beds, Leg, Cannon
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The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
The last two episodes show why. Not in command of any military to speak of, relying on his wit and devotedly loyal and brilliant family, Rodrigo Borgia - the Pope - manages to fend off and in effect defeat the awesome military might of King Charles of France. Charles and his cannon have brought Milan to its knees, and ripped the front line of Juan's (Rodrigo's son's) army to shreds. Rodrigo and Rome are defenseless. His cardinals flee like rats from a sinking ship.
But beautiful Lucrezia, with a mind like her father's - sharp as a whip - turns being taken prisioner into a Borgia victory. She charms Charles into sparing Rome and having a meeting with her father. Charles is putty in Rodrigo's hands. By the time the episode is over, Charles takes claim not of Rome but Naples - a city decimated by plague.
As Charles lays claim to a city of corpses, Rodrigo celebrates the birth of his grandchild, Lucrezia's son by her stablehand lover, not her boorish husband. Rodrigo has managed to finesse that as well, manipulating the boor - who also deserted Rodrigo in his military time of need - into accepting an annulment. As the Borgia family gathers, we see them at the height of their power, influence, and happiness. They love no one as much as themselves, and that is their great attraction and key to their power.
History tells us there will be severe trials ahead. I'm looking forward to the second season, and its scintillating mix of story, passion, skin, and spot-on technological accuracy.
See also The Borgias Sneak Preview Review ... The Borgias 1.5: Machiavellian Politics and Marriage ... The Borgias 1.6: Beds, Leg, Cannon
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic, Mozy
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
Game of Thrones 1.7: Swiveling Pieces
Well, the stakes are significantly raised in Game of Thrones 1.7, in which King Robert succumbs to a boar that he drunkenly goes after in his hunt. So drunk, indeed, that Ned suspects that Robert may have been victim to poison - provided by his Queen.
She has every reason to want to get rid of Robert, since Ned has told her that he knows that young Joffrey is not Robert's son. And she makes a move to have Joffrey immediately become King, right after Robert dies.
Ned is ready for this. He has the King's dying instruction in hand - appointing Ned the realm's protector, until the "rightful" heir takes the throne. The "rightful" is actually Ned's word, which he gets by the dying King, who wanted Joffrey's name in his last proclamation. Ned is not above deceit, either, if it's for a just cause (or, a cause that he deems just).
But Ned is not ready for the double-cross of Little Finger, who turns his men on Ned, right after Ned turns the tables on the Queen. One of the best things about this Game of Thrones is how just about any piece on the board can suddenly swivel around and attack a presumed ally.
Meanwhile, although Ned did manage to countermand the King's order to kill Daenerys, it's not in time to stop the assassin, who tries and fails to poison Daenerys, thanks to Mormont's sharp intervention. But the attempt enrages Drogo, who now vows to the cross the "poison" sea and claim the "iron chair" for Daenerys.
When you add word from the north that the strange creatures were not gone, only sleeping, now awake, and Daenerys's increasing interest in dragons, we have some good moves and fierce battles ahead in Game of Thrones.
See also A Game of Thrones: My 1996 Review of the First Novel ... Game of Thrones Begins Greatly on HBO ... Game of Thrones 1.2: Prince, Wolf, Bastard, Dwarf ... Games of Thrones 1.3: Genuine Demons ... Game of Thrones 1.4: Broken Things ... Game of Thrones 1.5: Ned Under Seige ... Game of Thrones 1.6: Molten Ever After
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The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
She has every reason to want to get rid of Robert, since Ned has told her that he knows that young Joffrey is not Robert's son. And she makes a move to have Joffrey immediately become King, right after Robert dies.
Ned is ready for this. He has the King's dying instruction in hand - appointing Ned the realm's protector, until the "rightful" heir takes the throne. The "rightful" is actually Ned's word, which he gets by the dying King, who wanted Joffrey's name in his last proclamation. Ned is not above deceit, either, if it's for a just cause (or, a cause that he deems just).
But Ned is not ready for the double-cross of Little Finger, who turns his men on Ned, right after Ned turns the tables on the Queen. One of the best things about this Game of Thrones is how just about any piece on the board can suddenly swivel around and attack a presumed ally.
Meanwhile, although Ned did manage to countermand the King's order to kill Daenerys, it's not in time to stop the assassin, who tries and fails to poison Daenerys, thanks to Mormont's sharp intervention. But the attempt enrages Drogo, who now vows to the cross the "poison" sea and claim the "iron chair" for Daenerys.
When you add word from the north that the strange creatures were not gone, only sleeping, now awake, and Daenerys's increasing interest in dragons, we have some good moves and fierce battles ahead in Game of Thrones.
See also A Game of Thrones: My 1996 Review of the First Novel ... Game of Thrones Begins Greatly on HBO ... Game of Thrones 1.2: Prince, Wolf, Bastard, Dwarf ... Games of Thrones 1.3: Genuine Demons ... Game of Thrones 1.4: Broken Things ... Game of Thrones 1.5: Ned Under Seige ... Game of Thrones 1.6: Molten Ever After
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
The Killing 1.10: Running out of Suspects
The Killing 1.10 was Belko's night - and Stan's sidekick, though he's not the best balanced person in the world, and indeed may have a taste for the perverted, is not Rosie's killer. In a great scene with Belko questioned by good-cop Linden and bad-cop Holder, Belko's innocence at least in this matter becomes clear.
So who, then, are we left with as possibles for Rosie's killer? Not Bennet, who was exonerated last week (but not before Stan beat him to a pulp - Stan confessed to that and is now in jail). Presumably not any of the other students, who were looked at early in the series, and crossed off the suspect list. Perhaps one of them deserves a second look, but at present, the only viable suspect is ...
Someone in Richmond's campaign, as I've been saying all along. And last night we and Gwen and Jamie see a picture - discovered by a campaign worker - of Richmond greeting Rosie, much like Bill Clinton greeting Monica Lewinsky in that famous photo we've all seen a thousand times. This is no proof, of course, that Richmond and Rosie were having an affair, but it certainly suggests that question, and puts Rosie being found in a Richmond campaign car in a different, potentially darker light. And, in the last scene, we see Gwen looking again at that photo.
On the other hand, it's still a little hard to believe that Richmond, Gwen, or Jamie actually killed Rosie, even if Richmond was sleeping with her. Further, the MO of The Killing has been to paint or suggest someone as a suspect one week, only to clear him the next week.
Only three episodes left for this season of The Killing. I'll be raptly watching each of them.
See also The Killing on AMC and The Killing 1.3: Early Suspects ... The Killing 1.5: Memorable Moments ... The Killing 1.6: The Teacher ... The Killing 1.8: The Teacher, Again ... The Killing 1.9: The Teacher as Victim, Again
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic, Mozy
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
So who, then, are we left with as possibles for Rosie's killer? Not Bennet, who was exonerated last week (but not before Stan beat him to a pulp - Stan confessed to that and is now in jail). Presumably not any of the other students, who were looked at early in the series, and crossed off the suspect list. Perhaps one of them deserves a second look, but at present, the only viable suspect is ...
Someone in Richmond's campaign, as I've been saying all along. And last night we and Gwen and Jamie see a picture - discovered by a campaign worker - of Richmond greeting Rosie, much like Bill Clinton greeting Monica Lewinsky in that famous photo we've all seen a thousand times. This is no proof, of course, that Richmond and Rosie were having an affair, but it certainly suggests that question, and puts Rosie being found in a Richmond campaign car in a different, potentially darker light. And, in the last scene, we see Gwen looking again at that photo.
On the other hand, it's still a little hard to believe that Richmond, Gwen, or Jamie actually killed Rosie, even if Richmond was sleeping with her. Further, the MO of The Killing has been to paint or suggest someone as a suspect one week, only to clear him the next week.
Only three episodes left for this season of The Killing. I'll be raptly watching each of them.
See also The Killing on AMC and The Killing 1.3: Early Suspects ... The Killing 1.5: Memorable Moments ... The Killing 1.6: The Teacher ... The Killing 1.8: The Teacher, Again ... The Killing 1.9: The Teacher as Victim, Again
Special Discount Coupons for Angie's List, Avis, Budget Car, Garden.com, eMusic, Mozy
The Plot to Save Socrates
"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
Enjoy listening to audio books? Get a free audio book copy of The Plot to Save Socrates - or any one of 85,000 other titles - with a 14-day trial membership at Audible.com ... Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
Levinson at Large
At present, I'll be automatically porting over blog posts from my main blog, Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress. These consist of literate (I hope) reviews of mostly television, with some reviews of mov
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