Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 61
February 3, 2024
February 3, 2024: The Crime Binge continues!
Power (2014 – 2020) Season 1
James “Ghost” St. Patrick, a wealthy New York nightclub owner who has it all; dreaming big, catering to the city’s elite, and living a double life as a drug kingpin.
My thoughts: Not bad, but really leans into the soap elements to its detriment. It’s also littered with logic flaws and suspect character decisions.
3/5
El Chapo (2017 – 2018) Season 1
A look at the life of notorious drug kingpin, El Chapo, from his early days in the 1980s working for the Guadalajara Cartel, to his rise to power during the ’90s as the head of the Sinaloa Cartel and his ultimate downfall in 2016.
My thoughts: More low-budget telenovela than serious crime drama.
2.5/5
Ozark (2017 – 2022)
A financial advisor drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder money to appease a drug boss.
My thoughts: Gets off to a rough start but quickly finds its footing, establishing itself as one of the better shows I’ve watched on this Crime Binge.
4/5
Broen/The Bridge (2011 – 2018) Season 1
When a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden, right on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer.
My thoughts: Terrific. The character work is above and beyond most crime shows. Sofia Helin as Saga is absolutely wonderful.
4.5/5
Barracuda Queens (2023)
A group of disaffected teenage girls become involved in an escalating campaign of house burglaries targeting their naïve rich neighbours as they try to find meaning in the teenage lives.
My thoughts: A solid cast and, while the show is fun, the girls make a lot of dumb decisions only to be bailed out by dumb luck in the end.
3.5/5
The post February 3, 2024: The Crime Binge continues! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
February 2, 2024
February 2, 2024: Please answer the following questions…
You’re going to shoot a rocket into the sun but there’s only room onboard for every late night host minus one. Which one are you reluctantly saving?
— Joseph Mallozzi
(@BaronDestructo) January 31, 2024
Someone you can't stand has asked you for some movie suggestions for a weekend getaway with friends you also hate. What three movies are you recommending them?
— Joseph Mallozzi
You have landed a summer job as the curator of Hell's sentencing division while the regular guy is on vacation. Your first day, you must banish your mortal enemy to spend eternity suffering through the comedy stylings and company of a comedian of your choosing. Who do you pick?
— Joseph Mallozzi
That annoying coworker who is always wasting your time asks you to recommend them a t.v. series. As payback, what's a show you'd recommend that starts off strong but completely comes off the rails, crashing and burning in its astoundingly disappointing finale/final season?
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post February 2, 2024: Please answer the following questions… appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
February 1, 2024
February 1, 2024: Recent Yes/No’s – Best and Worst!
Rice Cake Frappuccino? Yes/No
Does Starbucks Japan’s new rice cake Frappuccino live up to the hype? https://t.co/a0uwkiPihg via @RocketNews24En
— Joseph Mallozzi
Sakechi Pork Roll
? Yes/No https://t.co/v8KWMlIonA
— Joseph Mallozzi
Caramel Mochi Crackers? Yes/No https://t.co/9Ag7ZzGpUD
— Joseph Mallozzi
Cottage Cheese Ice Cream? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/GzwsFpvlBf pic.twitter.com/tVd8alnlPH
— Joseph Mallozzi
Peanut Butter Bacon Cheeseburger? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/wGpSSO9nOX
— Joseph Mallozzi
Pandan Pancakes? Yes/No https://t.co/wsuEiTqFi8
— Joseph Mallozzi
Butterscotch Pie? Yes/No
McDonald’s adds a questionable Butterscotch Pie to its menu in Japan https://t.co/QyjZ3jM9nn via @RocketNews24En
— Joseph Mallozzi
Coke Salad? Yes/No
Coke salad is the Southern 'salad' your potluck spread might be missing https://t.co/0H7SSb2971
— Joseph Mallozzi
Slugburger? Yes/No
The story of the slugburger, Mississippi’s underrated gem https://t.co/WxvCeNIpaS
— Joseph Mallozzi
Reese's Bundt Cake? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/emTtztgNye
— Joseph Mallozzi
Best: Caramel Mochi Crakcers
Worst: Coke Salad
And you?
The post February 1, 2024: Recent Yes/No’s – Best and Worst! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
January 31, 2024
January 31, 2024: Amazing Covers!
A few that caught my eye this week…
Avengers Inc. #5 – cover art by Todd Nauck
Avengers: Twilight #2 – cover art by Alex Ross
Miguel O’Hara: Spider-Man 2099 #5 – cover art by Clayton Crain
Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #4 – cover art by Juan Ferreyra
Justice Society of America #9 – cover art by Tony Harris
Power Girl Uncovered #1 – cover art by Ramon Villalobos
Power Girl Uncovered #1 – cover art by Dan Mora
Titans: Beast World #6 – cover art by Mike Deodato Jr.
So, which were YOUR favorites?
The post January 31, 2024: Amazing Covers! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
January 30, 2024
January 30, 2024: The Crime Binge continues!
Tabula Rasa (2017)
A woman who has lost her memories plays an important role in a disappearance case. To prove her innocence, she must remember everything.
My thoughts: Some great turns in this creepy thriller that saves its best twist for last.
4/5
BMF (2021 – ) Season 1
Two brothers who rose from the decaying streets of southwest Detroit in the late 1980s and gave birth to one of the most influential crime families in the country.
My thoughts: Interesting but the lack of a strong antagonist makes it an ultimately unremarkable watch.
3/5
Big Little Lies (2017 – 2019)
The apparently-perfect lives of upper-class mothers of students at a prestigious elementary school unravel to the point of murder when a single mother moves to their quaint California beach town.
My thoughts: Gets bogged down in its soap operatics. The final twist hinges on a coincidence and feels contrived.
2.5/5
Glacé/Thaw (2016 – )
A grisly find atop a mountain in the French Pyrenees leads investigator Martin Servaz into a twisted dance with a serial killer in this icy thriller.
My thoughts: Dumb luck trumps incompetent police work in this Silence of the Lambs clone.
2.5/5
Black Spot/Zone Blanche (2017)
A police chief and an eccentric new prosecutor investigate a string of grisly crimes and eerie phenomena in an isolated town at the edge of a forest.
My thoughts: Twin Peaks lite.
3/5
Todays’ blog entry is dedicated to Ponytail.
The post January 30, 2024: The Crime Binge continues! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
January 29, 2024
January 29, 2024: The Monday post!
Every once in a while, Akemi will be like: “Growing up, did you ever take a school field trip to a rice paddy field?” or “When your mom used to send you to the tofu shop as a kid, did you always bring your own bowl from home?”
And then, whenever I inevitably tell her no, her reaction is always a shocked: “Whaaaat?!!”
One of my favorite moments from Iron Chef America –
Akemi and I fell behind on Top Chef so we’re currently playing catch up. We finished up Season 18 (Top Chef Portland) last week and started season 19 (Top Chef Houston) the other day. Any Top Chef fans here? Have you dined at any of their restaurants? If so, which ones would you recommend?
Welp, looks like the SuperBowl is going to be a SuperBore. This will be the second time in my life I have zero interest in the big game. I’ll skip it and forge ahead with my Crime Binge. 156 shows in. And another update coming tomorrow!
Today’s Yes/No…
Oleato? Yes/No
The Starbucks drink that makes people poop themselves is coming to Canada https://t.co/J5CnKhdng6
— Joseph Mallozzi
Finally, check the comments for a comment from a long-time member of our extended blog family. Ponytail heads into surgery tomorrow. I’m sure I speak for everyone here when I say we’re all pulling for you and hope to have you back sooner than later, happy and healthy.
The post January 29, 2024: The Monday post! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
January 28, 2024
January 28, 2024: Sharky Sunday!
When Sharky went in for this much-needed dental on Thursday, we were expecting him to lose a few of his teeth. We did not expect he’d be losing ALL of them, but that was the initial prognosis. His mouth was in a bad way. But, when all was said and done, he only ended up losing seven (!). He still has maybe 5-6 teeth left and he should be back to chewing his kibble in no time. Poor little guy.
Meanwhile, his training continues…
Putting his socks and boots on before his walk…
The Nap King…
And snuggling with mom…
The post January 28, 2024: Sharky Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
January 27, 2024
January 27, 2024: The Crime Binge continues! Five shows to avoid!
Inventing Anna (2022)
A journalist with a lot to prove investigates the case of Anna Delvey, the Instagram-legendary German heiress who stole the hearts of New York’s social scene – and stole their money as well.
My thoughts: This one felt like a light-weight 90’s network drama. Meh.
3/5
Mirzapur (2018 – ) Season 1
A shocking incident at a wedding procession ignites a series of events entangling the lives of two families in the lawless city of Mirzapur.
My thoughts: While interesting from a cultural perspective, I found it too corny to take seriously.
3/5
Kaleidoscope (2023)
Centered around the largest heist ever attempted, the vengeance and betrayals that surround it.
My thoughts: It’s tough to bring something new to the heist genre – as this series woefully demonstrates. So it tries to liven things up by delivering the episodes out of sequence. Alas, it doesn’t make it any better.
2.5/5
Hit and Run (2021)
A happily-married man’s life is turned upside-down when his wife is killed in a mysterious hit-and-run accident in Tel Aviv.
My thoughts: Our protagonist’s single emotion throughout is angry. Following a promising opening episode, the show rapidly loses steam as the action heads to New York and the annoyingly labyrinthian plot unravels.
3/5
The Tourist (2022 – 2024) Season 1
When a man wakes up in the Australian outback with no memory, he must use the few clues he has to discover his identity before his past catches up with him.
My thoughts: From the opening big rig chase to a guy falling headfirst down a well and surviving, the implausibilities stack up while the show’s humor fights its darker clash. I might have to retroactively block whoever recommended this stinker.
2/5
0 for 5. Guess it was one of those weeks!
The post January 27, 2024: The Crime Binge continues! Five shows to avoid! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
January 26, 2024
Anatomy of a Pitch
I was just informed on today’s zoom that I’ll be pitching my action-adventure series in March. I have mixed feelings. I’ve often said that in this business, writers can be good at three things: pitching, generating ideas, and actual writing. A lot of really great writers I know are much better on the page whereas a lot of bad writers I know are really good at selling themselves. And this is why so many terrible movies and t.v. shows get produced. Execs buy the sizzle by people who salespeople who can’t deliver the steak.
I’m fine at pitching, but my strength lies in my writing. That’s why I prefer to go out with an actual finished script and series overview that would logically circumvent the need for a pitch since the proof, as they say, is in the pilot pudding. But, apparently, people still prefer to be pitched prior to reading. And so, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be preparing my pitch.
There is no standard pitch method. People have their preferences. In my case, I use a combination of the old Warner Bros format, what has worked for me in the past, and what I hear executives are looking to hear. Structurally, it breaks down as follows.
The Intro – Hi, I’m Joe. My credits include approximately 400 hours of produced television, over a hundred as a writer and a showrunner.
The Pilot – This is the meat of the pitch, a broadstroke overview of your first episode that includes all the major beats, twists, turns, and memorable funny parts.
The World and its Characters – Once I”ve finished summarizing the pilot in delightfully entertaining fashion, I talk a little about the world of this prospective series and its characters, their arcs and interactions.
Season 1 – This segues into a discussion about the show, its narrative engine, its episodic and/or serialized structure, the overall arc and the big season finale turn that will propel us into…
Season 2 and beyond – No need to get overly-detailed, but the buyers do want to know that you have enough of a story here for multiple seasons.
Tone and Theme – I’ll touch on both earlier but here I’ll be more explicit. Executives love to know about a show’s theme. Audiences don’t really care as, for them, it’s all about the characters.
Why Me and Why Now? – Why am I the one to tell his story? What makes this show special? Why is now the time to make this show?
Nuts and Bolts – From creative, I move to what I call the nuts and bolts section, focusing on my philosophy as a producer and how I approach showrunning. How I realize efficiencies through proper planning. How, once production starts, I prefer a very hands-on approach to prep, post, and script revisions.
The Rest of the Team – And from there, I hand off to the rest of my team and let them have their say.
Approximate runtime: 30-40 minutes. I know, I know. Some will tell you to try to keep it under 20 but, realistically, you’re not going to get it done that quickly.
The post Anatomy of a Pitch appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
January 25, 2024
January 25, 2024: Mid-week Sharky update!
A mid-week Sharky update! Our boy went in for a much-needed dental this morning to address his few remaining loose and broken teeth. The vet called with an update, letting us know that they would all have to come out. Our boy will not only be eyeless, but toothless as well! Nevertheless, he will apparently be much more comfortable as his teeth were not in very good shape. So looks like it’s going to be soft food and treats for him. Also, rather than throw the remaining kibble away, I’m trying to convince Akemi to pre-chew it for him.
Roughly 140 shows into this Crime Binge and I’ve decided to start alternating between shows I can watch in the original languages (English, French, Italian – which I understand) and show I have to watch subtitled (everything else). 140 seems like a lot and, I guess it is. On the one hand, there are a number that I dropped after the pilot. On the other hand, there are a number I liked enough to watch through their multi-season run. At present, I can honesty say I enjoyed 40 of them, roughly 1 out of every 3. I have another 100 or so shows on my watch list (not including any new seasons of the shows I’ve enjoyed), but always happy to check out your recommendations. Please, no network or cross-genre or anything pre-2000!
Today’s Yes/No…
Yubari King Melon? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/eg8FPiM2Ef
— Joseph Mallozzi
The post January 25, 2024: Mid-week Sharky update! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.
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