Paul Levinson's Blog: Levinson at Large, page 64
April 10, 2022
Slow Horses 1.3: The Fine Art of Bumbling
Bumbling played the major role in the third episode of Slow Horses on Apple TV+ -- only appropriate, given the sarcastic subtext and headline of the new series.
[Spoilers ahead ... ]
First, Min and Louisa can't seem to find a place to make some decent love. This in turn culminates with Moody suffering death via falling down stairs, with Min more horrified than happy that he triumphed in their tussle.
Hobden doesn't do too well, either, getting punched in the face when he comes to make his case with the nationalist politician. In Slow Horses, the bad guys as well as most of the good guys are slow, and it's not even completely clear which side Hobden is on.
Meanwhile, Hassan bungles his attempt to escape, nearly killing himself in the process. And all of the kidnappers, if I have this right, have names taken from the original Three Stooges (Moe, Curly, Larry).
And I've been saving the worst for last: it looks as if Lamb's flatulence is becoming a staple of every episode. At least this time it happens outdoors. What does this have to do with bumbling? Well, there's a linguistic connection, isn't there, given the meaning of bum in Britspeak.
But I've said more than enough. I'll be back here next week with my review of the next episode of Slow Horses, grateful that I'm watching this on a screen at home rather than live on stage in a small theater.
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April 9, 2022
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey 6: The End
[Spoilers ahead ... ]
At least Ptolemy didn't take his own life, as suggested by the opening of the first episode. But he died, with barely if any at all of the enormous improvements in his mentality brought about by Dr. Rubin aka Satin's medical treatment. And I wanted Ptolemy, with his exceptional intelligence, to come up with a way of making it last. But years ago, when I started out as a writer, I once heard another writer retort, when his work was faulted by a critic, hey, if you think that's such a good idea, why don't you write your own story? And Walter Mosley could certainly say that to me in response to what I would have liked the ending his Ptolemy Grey story to be.
And there were many enduringly beautiful and profound elements to this TV series (I haven't read the book). Robyn's development was wonderful to see. The baddest guy got just what he deserved. The interplay of Ptolemy's memories with the complex reality that swirled around him was handled memorably. Indeed, it's not clever to say that the whole story about the loss of human memory was handled memorably. It's true.
Getting old is a hell of a thing. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is eminently worth seeing, even if it doesn't have the happy ending my stubborn heart desired.
See also The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey 1-3: In Flowers for Algernon Territory ... The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey 4: Ptolemy's Fate ... The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey 5: Slippage
a little time travel story -- free
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April 8, 2022
Podcast Review of Severance 1.9
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 276, in which I review Severance episode 1.9 on Apple TV+.
written blog post review of Severance 1.9
podcast reviews of Severance: 1.1-1.2... 1.3... 1.4... 1.5 ...1.6... 1.7... 1.8
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Severance Season One Finale: Stunning Revelations
We could see from almost the beginning of the stunning Season One finale of Severance on Apple TV+ that we were going to be in for some utterly game-changing revelations.
[Spoilers ahead ... ]
Let's start with two that are significant, indeed, but hardly the most powerful that roll out before episode is over. There seemed to be, I don't know, maybe rockets or spaceships in Irving's outie black guck paintings. Chances are he didn't come from another planet. But is his outie a retired astronaut? The other early revelation worthy of note is Dylan has to continue to keep his hands on those levers, in order for the innies to continue in their outie bodies. With his arms spread widely apart to keep his hands on the levers, this is no easy job, and Dylan almost looks like he's in a state of crucifixion as he gives life to his innie friends in the outside world.
And then things get really interesting. Helly's outie is an Eagan -- that is, a member of the family of the Eagans who run Lumon -- and daughter of the Eagan who invented the severing chip. No wonder Lumon took her attempted suicide so seriously.
And even more incredible: Mark's innie learns that his outie decided to go for the severance procedure because his outie couldn't deal with the death of his beloved wife (we knew that already). But in a shocker to top all shockers, Mark's innie discovers that she's not dead at all, and in fact she's the shrink or social worker or whatever the title is of the woman who talks to the innies and asks them questions (that seem inane to us outies) in an effort to help them better adjust. No wonder we saw some sexual energy between them.
Irving has a far less momentous conclusion -- or so it seems -- to his innie's brief inhabiting of his outie's life: he's furiously knocking on the door Burt's outie, who Irving has seen living happily with another man.
But before we find out what happens with Irving -- and with Helly and with Mark -- their innies are severed from their outer bodies. Milchick, contacted by Harmony (turns out she's still loyal to Lumon, after all), breaks in on Dylan, and ends his literal leveraging of his innie colleagues ...
We'll need to find out what happens next year in the next season, when I'll be back for sure with a review, unless Lumon somehow gets to me, too.
See also Severance 1.1-1.2: Erving Goffman Meets The Prisoner ... Severance 1.3: The History and the Neighbor ... Severance 1.4: Deadly Ambiguity ... Severance 1.5: Second Lives ... Severance 1.6: Lumon on the Outside ... Severance 1.7: Overtime Contingency ... Severance 1.8: Fired, Kissed, Almost Fired
Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's musicApril 7, 2022
Podcast Review of Star Trek: Picard 2.6
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 275, in which I review Star Trek: Picard 2.6 on Paramount+
written blog post review of Star Trek: Picard 2.6
podcast review of Star Trek: Picard 2.5
podcast review of Star Trek: Picard 2.4
podcast review of Star Trek: Picard 2.3
podcast review of Star Trek: Picard 2.2
podcast review of Star Trek: Picard 2.1
podcast review of Star Trek: Picard season 1
a little time travel story -- free
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Star Trek: Picard 2.6: Borg and Soong
Once again, at least three crucially important things in the excellent episode 2.6 of Star Trek: Picard.
[Of course, spoilers ahead ... ]
1. Let's start with the most important, and it's the very last scene of the episode: Agnes, completely under the Borg Queen's control, walking into her and our future down the fabled streets of 2024 Los Angeles. I told you a few episodes ago that I thought Picard gave in too quickly to Agnes's urging that she merge with the Borg Queen, just temporarily, so she could get our crew out of their fix. Because as we know all too well, and he, Picard, should have known even better, there is no such thing as temporary when it comes to the merging with the Borg. At the very least, a part of them is always with you. And what's happening to Agnes is far more than the very least. We saw some enjoyable expressions of that episode in 2.6 -- Agnes kissing Rios, Agnes singing a torch song, all of that was great to see. What comes next will no doubt be far indeed from enjoyable.
2. Picard getting run down by Dr. Soong almost seems small potatoes in comparison. Of course he's not going to die. Of course the team agreed to let Laris's lookalike go inside Picard's mind to help him come out. And, of course she'll succeed. The really interesting question is what she'll find there, and in what way that will help Picard better offer his love to the real Laris. (By the way, I'm thinking Picard's Laris might be a Watcher, too -- and they all look alike.)
3. But speaking of Soong, what exactly has he been doing all these years? Creating genetic replicas of his daughter? I assume they and his current daughter are human not android. But making genetic copies is a logical start to his descendant making android copies of himself. I'm thinking it would be fun to see a series in which the Soongs and their creations were the central characters.
See you back here next week.
See also Picard 2.5: Don't Walk Away Renee ... Picard 2.4: 2024 LA ... Picard 2.3: Agnes, Borg, Badge ... Picard 2.2: Q and Borg ... Star Trek: Picard 2.1: Cameos and Time Travel ... Star Trek: Picard (Season One): Non-Pareil
a little time travel story -- free
April 4, 2022
Antlers: Neo-Retro Horror
I figured, with Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons in the lead roles, and for that matter, Graham Greene in a supporting role, how could you go wrong with a horror movie like Antlers on HBO Max? And I discovered: you can't.
But let me also tell you, this neo-horror movie (I'm not really sure what neo means, and indeed Antlers also has retro elements, going back to the silent-movie era), is not for the faint-hearted and weak-stomached. It has a scene or two with cannibalism, and other scenes will outrightly shock the bejesus out of you.
The basic story -- based on the short story ("The Quiet Boy") by Nick Antosca, who also helped write the movie -- is about a malevolent spirit in Oregon that craves human flesh and invades humans and turns them into horrendous deers with big antlers who continue eating humans and ripping them apart. Russell is a grade school teacher. The father and younger brother of one of her students have had first-hand experience with the antlers. Plemons is the town sheriff. Greene is the retired sheriff who knows all too well about the creatures with antlers.
As I said, the movie both feels like it was made in the 1920s, and has a hipness, especially regarding the power of women. As a supernatural horror movie it has zero elements of science fiction, and indeed is drenched with dark fantasy. So, if wanting a rational explanation is your thing, Antlers will most decidedly not be your cup of tea, or any civilized fluid.
But Scott Cooper (who also co-wrote for the screen) did a good job directing, the plot is tight, and not completely predictable (and, hey, I don't think I've spilled any spoilers), and if you're a secret or public buff of horror, I'd give antlers a shot.
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April 3, 2022
Podcast Review of Slow Horses 1.1-2
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 274, in which I review the first two episodes of Slow Horses on Apple TV+
Written blog post review of these first two episodes of Slow Horses
Listen to "Looking for Sunsets (In the Early Morning" (lyrics by Paul Levinson, music by Ed Fox)
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Slow Horses 1.1-2: Fast Moving Spy Thriller
Hey, I caught the first two episodes of Slow Horses on Apple TV+, attracted to it by its name. I recall Arthur Shelby cautioning his brother Thomas about "fast women and slow horses" in Peaky Blinders, and my old song-writing partner Ed Fox (he wrote the music to my Looking for Sunsets in the Early Morning) writing a song called "Fast Women and Slow Horses" in the early 1970s.
Meanwhile, Slow Horses is a fast-moving no-holds-barred British spy thriller with a fresh outlook. River Cartwright (played by Jack Lowden) plays a gung-ho young spy who is assigned to Slough House (aka the Slow Horse division) after he flubs a training exercise in a major way. Except, that might not have been his fault. Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, who heads the division, and drinks, smokes, and suffers from flatulence. Olivia Cooke plays Sid, who--
[Ok, time for a spoilers warning ... ]
Well, Sid in the second episode tells River that she was put in Slough House to keep an eye on him. Shortly before she's shot in the head (I told you Slow Horses was fast moving). She is unconscious, but I'm really hoping she was grazed not actually shot in the head, because she's an appealing character.
The case at hand is a kidnapping by white supremacists of a young man that they think just got off the boat from Pakistan, even though he was born in England. Yes, the Brits have the same racist predators that plague us here in America, and I'm hoping River figures out a way to save this guy.
The dialogue is sharp, the London scenes suitably rainy, and I'll be along for the ride with reviews here every week.
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Podcast Review of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey 5
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 273, in which I review The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, episode 5, on Apple TV+
Written blog post review of this episode
Paul Levinson's books ... Paul Levinson's music
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