Sally Ember's Blog, page 59

“The Friday TV Report” 4 from Sally Ember, Ed.D., and her mom

“The Friday TV Report” 4 from Sally Ember, Ed.D., and her mom

Once a week through mid-November, I (Sally) plan to update this with our opinions. Check on Fridays! This is the fourth post, week four, ending 10/16/15.

BACKGROUND

My mom, 83, and I (61) are probably not the “target demographic” for almost any show on television or any movie being produced currently. We live in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, USA (Midwest, for those of you unfamiliar: think of that huge “Gateway Arch”? That’s here). I grew up here but then didn’t live here for 42 years; I’ve been back for about one year, now. We were both raised Jewish, but I have been a meditator since 1972 and a practicing Buddhist since 1996. We are both Caucasian women-born-women. We are considered “middle class” although we have almost zero dollars of “disposable income.” My mom is hetero; I am bisexual. We are both partly disabled. I am highly educated (doctoral degree plus other training); my mom has extensive work-experience, with a high school diploma.

My mom has been a TV watcher for over 60 years. I watched a lot as a kid, but from about 1972 – 2002, I didn’t have a TV and hardly watched it elsewhere, either. I usually didn’t have a TV between 2005 – 2014 as well, but I watched some shows online (Hulu, usually) or Netflix.

We think we should be part of a group that at least some producers are aiming to please, because we (especially Mom) now watch a lot of television. We also get movies regularly from DVD borrowing through our local library. We even occasionally go to a theatre to see a movie. We eagerly await the “new season” of television every one of the four times it seems to occur every year: “Fall Sweeps” happen, but so do Mid-season Sweeps, Mid-year New Seasons, and channels with an entirely different set of “seasons.”

However, we are consistently disappointed that many shows we do like are cancelled and some shows we despise seem to go on forever.

Yet, here we are once again (“hope springs eternal”), beginning with the so-called “Fall Sweeps” for the major network channels and a few others, with new episodes (and sometimes characters, sets, directors, producers, plot lines, actors) for those shows that survived last year’s axes and the ever-present Pilots for new shows, bright and shiny with all their best bells and whistles.

image from http://www.tophdgallery.com

We don’t watch: most “sit-coms,” any zombies or vampires, reality shows (except one on BBC), extremely violent shows, premium channels (HBO, Showtime, Starz), “teen” shows.

We often like shows on TNT and USA cable channels, but this is not the start of their “season.” We liked Hindsight on VH1, but it was cancelled after one season. We watch Chasing Life on ABC Family, but that’s the only show we watch from that channel. We both loved The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and my mom plans to give Trevor Noah a try (I might), but we don’t watch other Comedy Central shows. My mom watches several news shows, including Rachel Maddow, Hardball with Chris Matthews, and others, but I do not.

Fall TV, 2015

Our planned evening viewing line-up for 2015 Fall is as follows, in calendar order.

[NOTE: Our viewing “schedule” includes a lot of recording-and-watching-later, due to simultaneous broadcasts and, most importantly, BASEBALL! My mom is a huge St. Louis Cardinals’ fan and they are headed for another World Series at this point!]

**usually only Mom watches

*usually only I watch

NEW SHOWS

Week ending 10/16/15

*Code Black

This show was so bad I had to fast-forward through most of it. Whose idea is it to have such detailed procedural medical dramas with almost no cast/character information and almost no dialogue except for “pass the scalpel” type announcements? I guess if I had known what “Code Black” meant before watching it, I could have saved myself the trouble (BTW: it means that the ER is overloaded and always in crisis mode).

There was literally no one I could care about in this entire episode.

Even Marcia Gay Harden can’t save this bomb. Too bad Kevin Dunn also had almost nothing to say or do, either.

I also spent the entire show thinking that Bonnie Sommerville was Kellie Martin. LOL

OFF MY LIST

*Grandfathered

This was so horrible I could only watch about 15 minutes.

OFF MY LIST

*Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Not sure about this.

Love that it’s a musical-comedy/magical realism. The “This is the Sexy Getting-Ready Song” was hilarious and on-the-mark.

Very talented, feminist-oriented writers and cast, but the original premise (Rebecca Bunch [how is this a “Jewish” family name?], a mid-twenties attorney, played by Rachel Bloom, is so personally unhappy that she has a kind of mental breakdown, leaving her lucrative junior partnership offer to “follow” her summer camp boyfriend,Josh, played by Vincent Rodriguez III—the one who unceremoniously dumped her as they’re leaving camp to go home—to California after running into him for five minutes in NYC) is very dicey and not appealing to me.

“West Covina” song’s opening bars rip off “Dulcinea” from Man of La Mancha, BTW.

Can imagine this obsessive-stalkerish girlfriend story (ironically sexist, since if the genders were reversed, not sure anyone would find it “funny”) is quite appealing to a younger crowd.

Best surprise is Paula, played by Donna Lynn Champlin: great voice and excellent acting, almost succeeding in making a completely silly character believable.

Worst is Darryl (Rebecca’s new boss, played horribly by Pete Gardner and written even worse). Guest what, writers? Anti-Semitic ignorance isn’t funny.

Santino Fontana is wasted as the bartender who immediately gets exploited by Rebecca to aid in her stalking Josh. At least the writers don’t make him a total ass; he doesn’t take sexual advantage of her.

It’s kind of fun, but it’s also completely unrealistic and inane, plot- and topic-wise, and more than vaguely insulting to Jews, Chinese, women, the mentally ill and many other groups, and that’s just Episode 1.

This isn’t Glee, not by a long shot. But, could be better if the writing improves.

Probably keep watching.

Chicago Med

*Supergirl

Wicked City

RETURNING SHOWS (tried and liked, up until now… Won’t comment on them all, but a few are worth mentioning.)

**Chicago Fire

Mom continues to love this. One of my CHANGES conversations between authors‘ guests, poet performer, James Gordon, has recurring minor roles on this and Chicago PD!)

Stays on Mom’s list

Elementary

BBC

*Downton Abbey

*Call the Midwife

New Tricks

*Sherlock

“Mid-Season” Returners

Galavant

Marvel’s Agent Carter

Person of Interest

The Librarians

From Previous Weeks’ Reports

The Great British Bake Off

It’s on again with new contestants and it’s excellent! This is only reality show we watch because the baking concoctions and watching the bakers create them are fascinating, always unusual and new to us, informationally. Many funny moments, but not at any baker’s expense, usually, which we like.

Plus, none of the competitors is actually a professional baker: a student; one makes satellites; a retired teacher; one also paints. So interesting that these individuals chose to compete in this way.

RECOMMENDED HIGHLY. Wish we could taste the entries!

**The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

I am not a fan of this format, regardless of who is doing the hosting. I was a huge fan of The Colbert Report, so I gave his new show a try…several tries.

I do not like this show and won’t watch most episodes.

Mom is becoming a faithful viewer. She likes The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon as well.

image from http://www.greenvilleonline.com

Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris

We didn’t really know what this show was about, but we both adore Neil Patrick Harris from his awards-shows’ hosting (but neither of us watched How I Met Your Mother). We couldn’t even get through the intros because we thought this show’s premise and tone were so bad.

Removed this from our recording list. DO NOT LIKE.

*Life in Pieces

I appreciated the cast (especially Colin Hanks, James Brolin, Dianne Weist) and a few of the jokes, but if the pilot episode is supposedly the best of the best and it’s all downhill from here, this show won’t last 4 Episodes. I probably won’t watch again. It just was not that interesting.

Side note: more than a few many sexual references and anatomically correct labels were applied to genitalia (and not applied) in fewer than 23 minutes. How necessary was that?

Removed this from our recording list.NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Blindspot

Very unnecessary gratuitious violence and nudity in the opening scenes: trigger warnings for sexual and child-abuse violence as well. I say “unnecessary” because the opening scene for getting a message to the FBI Agent could have happened ANYWHERE. He didn’t even have to be on duty to get a message, right? So, right away, my mom and I are not liking this show’s choices.

Second, it’s unnecessarily confusing, which seems to be what passes for art and mystery these days in both TV and film scripts. Guess what, writers and directors: making the scene so dark the audience can’t see what’s going on, making the audio so muddy no one can understand what’s being said or overlaying the music so loudly the dialogue gets lost is not “cinema verite.” It’s “cinema awful.”

Third: how about dispensing all together with the growing popularity of conveying important information to the audience by attempting to put a text message to a character on screen? Between the terribly small text sizes, poor resolution on the cell phones’ screens and bad camera angles, WE CAN’T READ THE MESSAGES! Duh!

Fourth, the story for this pilot was also extremely cliched and not very interesting, except for the sub-plot (which should have been the main plot, given the hype for this show) regarding the identity of this amnesiac protagonist. We find her interesting. The crimes she’s supposed to help solve: not so much.

We may keep watching, but we bet we won’t like it much and we also bet it’s cancelled soon.

Minority Report

We both saw the original film that this TV series’ story is supposedly continuing, but if you haven’t, go read about it. Otherwise, you will be hopelessly confused.

The storyline of this show is suspiciously like The Listener, The Mentalist, Forever, and so many other crime dramas in which the crime-solvers get to collaborate (inadvertently and/or reluctantly, to start) with a non-law-enforcement character who has special “powers” or access to information, like in The Blacklist. Blindspot is actually in this “plot family” as well. We usually like those types of shows, but now that there have been so many, what new twists can there actually be?

Complaint: why, in this fascinating look into a not-so-distant future, are the tech aspects all new-ish but the crimes are not? Why is advertising so annoying and pervasive? Can’t ayone envision anything about a future that isn’t awful?

We’ll probably keep watching, but we also bet this one is cancelled.

Rosewood

Refreshingly NOT CAUCASIAN, not all heterosexual (but not “camp,” either), not too serious version of “non-cop with special abilities working with police” dramedy.

Strange casting for Anthony Michael Hall as grumpy detective, great to see him, again. Liked Lorraine Toussaint in her somewhat minor but obviously recurring role. Liked the main character and his sister’s banter a lot.

Definitely keeping this one.

The Player

There is not one likable character still alive after the Pilot show ends. Spoiler: that character dies in the first 10 minutes, anyway. The premise is awful, the characters are worse. If you’re into high-tech and rich-people conspiracy fantasies along with a lot of violence, chases and meaningless macho posturing, you’ll love this show.

We liked seeing Wesley Snipes, until we saw what he was being/doing.

HATED IT. Off our list.

Quantico

My mom and I liked Quantico for the first half or so. Then, it devolved, as so many do, into chases and violence and not much (else?) to commend it.

The premise was supposed to be that this is a show about a new cohort of recruits at the FBI federal training academy (Quantico) in the USA. Why didn’t they stick with that? Why did they think they needed a terrorist bombing/ “moles”/ multiple deceptions-based plot?

We know it’s an FBI show and we did expect some of the above. But, really, when more than a few minutes of every show is devoted to pursuit chases and macho posturing/inappropriate blame and shaming, we look at each other and say: “Not enough plot, eh?”

We’ll probably watch one or two more episodes, but we bet it’s cancelled.

*Heroes Reborn

Dear Mr. Kring:

What happened to you? Heroes was somewhat vile and bloody (who can forget what a despicable character Zachary Quinto portrayed? So glad he redeemed himself by playing a young Spock in Star Trek films right after that), but at least it had interesting characters, a set of authentic storylines and more than a few minutes in each episode free of violence.

You are a very disturbed person. From the last few shows I’ve watched that you produced and created, I conclude that you unfortunately seem to enjoy a lot of violence, perhaps because you endured bullying yourself, and generally appear to view humans from a dark and deadly perspective. This newest show is the worst (or best) example of your dysfunctions to date.

I thought I could stomach it because I like the “Evos” premise; people with special powers are an interest of mine. But, I cannot.

I watched the entire two-hour blood-fest with increasing boredom mixed with disgust. Is it really necessary to kill people every five minutes or so for an entire two hours in order to generate “excitement”?

Try having a comprehensible story line that doesn’t include putting humans into video games. That segment is a 1980’s snoozefest. Ever heard of Tron?

I feel very sorry for you and everyone close to you. Get some therapy.

OFF MY LIST. WILL NOT WATCH.

Blood and Oil

We couldn’t even finish watching the pilot episode of this, it was that bad. Boring, predictable, with stock characters and situations, too much violence and not enough of anyone or anything we could possibly care about, except the great scenery.

Huge waste of Chace Crawford, Don Johnson, and Scott Michael Foster (these are the ones we recognized) and all the other cast and crew. In fact, why is Scott Michael Foster playing almost exactly the same role he already played (and was killed off in, apparently to take this role) in Chasing Life? At least in that plot his character had a somewhat legitimate excuse for acting like a spoiled, selfish, drunken lout of an heir to the fortune and political status of his father: brain tumor.

What is this character’s excuse on Blood & Oil? Terminal boredom?

We can relate to that. I actually went back to finish the episode on my own: totally not worthwhile.

Off our list for good.

**The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

We turned this on with great trepidation, having both been big fans of Jon Stewart‘s show and of him and having already been disappointed at Stephen Colbert‘s new show, but we were very pleasantly surprised by the opener. The same great writing, an endearing host in Trevor, and the same tropes, music, and stories we have come to like and appreciate from The Daily Show were all there.

Neither of us is a fan of Kevin Hart and we couldn’t understand how he rated the honor of being the first guest, but otherwise, good show and we’re hooked.

Plan to keep this one.

*The Grinder

Kind of sweet, very silly and improbable. Good cast, acceptable writing.

May continue watching just for seeing Rob Lowe’s and Fred Savage’s characters as unlikely siblings (who supposedly wear the same size suits???), sons of William DeVane’s character.

My mom doesn’t usually watch sit coms, but she is going to watch the pilot to see if she can stand it.

Not sure about this one.

**The Muppets

My mom watched a few minutes of the first show and said: “NOPE.”

Off her list. Never on mine.

RETURNING SHOWS

*Modern Family

Glad to see them all back and the kids keep growing up, don’t they? Still caught in a lot of stereotypes and quick characterizations, but how not to do that in 23 minutes of mostly one-liners? When Modern Family first aired, the “normalization” of the gay couple’s life and family interactions were ground-breaking. Now, with many shows’ having copied MF and the legalization of marriage equality in the USA and many other countries, where does this show go to be edgy?

It’s not sure.

Enjoying and keeping, but very much not a priority to watch.

Scorpion

Could be that this show, like so many, is becoming a bit too formulaic, a caricature of itself. This season’s opener had a few too many “Oh, one of the bizarre genius’ amazing ideas, number four, didn’t work, so we’re going to die” moments. It was good to see the lead from Forever (Alana De La Garza) showing up as a recurring character in this show, since Forever was unfortunately cancelled and she was great in that.

However, like Mysteries of Laura, why do writers believe that they have to introduce a class-A horrible person as a new character to create tension or conflict? Can there really be no other way to bring in a new collaborator or boss than to have that character be a grouchy idiot or plain stupid or both?

Please, also, tell us: why does Katherine McPhee almost never sing in this show? She has a spectacular voice. What a waste.

Probably keep watching, but not as excited about this show as we were last year.

Mysteries of Laura

Writing is tighter, which we appreciate (less silliness, more story). Not all the first year’s characters are “back,” but most are. There is a new addition who has so far been given a very trite role, but we liked Callie Thorne a lot in Necessary Roughness, so we’ll see how it goes.

Someone should tell Debra Messing’s hair stylist to tone down her dye job. Number one: what police detective could afford to keep that up? Number two: it looks awful on her.

What happened to the chef/love interest for Messing’s character? It is not credible and is a slap to feminists everywhere that the writers would be reuniting her romantically with her cheating ex just because he got shot. We really hope that is not where this season’s plot is heading.

Keeping this one on our watch list, but skeptical.

New Orleans

Good start to the new season. Like the new character (female, African-American, kind of snarky and good at her job).

Shalita Grant, on her own Instagram account.

Plot was so forgettable, though, that it’s hard to remember it even one day later. Not a good sign.

Speaking of not a good sign: since when does anyone go undercover into a very tight-knit, paranoid network with less than one day’s preparation and no experienced handler? Ridiculous.

Also, why do so many of these law enforcement shows involve one or more characters who come into some money and then use some of it to purchase a bar/restaurant? Why do they all drink so much alcohol?

Prediction: drinking is going to go the way of smoking in media. Remember: EVERYONE used to smoke, good guys, bad guys, women, kids; since about 1985, only bad guys or historical figures smoke on screen and very few public places allow it anymore, either, because IT KILLS PEOPLE. So does alcohol. Drinking will disappear from all but the most ritualistic, celebratory or heinous occasions and characters’ habits, and no one who drinks will drive, unless the storyline dictates that they die or kill others. Life will soon follow.

My mom plans to keep watching. I probably won’t.

Nashville

C’mon, Nashville: Need to have more singing, less soap opera.

My mom only watches for the music and fast-forwards through the stories because they’re so tedious and boring. I’m fast approaching her point of view. Most of these characters and their lives are horribly dysfunctional.

The coming-out storyline, though, is important. I’m glad they’re not showing it all to be too easy or comfortable for anyone.

Could do more in the future with the former mayor/father of the girls being in prison and the impact that has on his daughters, especially the younger one.

Cheesy not to show right away the outcome of last season’s cliff-hanger surgery, for example, and deliberately misleading the audience for the first 10 minutes or so was largely a waste of time.

Missed the boat on informing people more significantly about post-partum depression, which is too bad because the characters’ alcohol and drug abuse continue unabated and mostly undiscussed.

Glad we can record it and skip a lot of the sturm-und-drang.

**Grey’s Anatomy

I am a long-time fan of this show, especially, Ellen Pompeo, so glad this opener featured a lot of her. Like her shorter hair, also. Good to have a strong story featuring Miranda Bailey’s character; she’s creator/producer Shonda Rhimes’ counterpart, for sure.

Loved the anti-homophobia storyline and the actions/discussions this inspired, especially for parents of LGBT kids and for everyone about bullying. Excellent PSAs built right into the show.

Not sure where they’re going with the marriage of Jackson and April or why they’re making Arizona such a ditz. Need to fix all that.

Do not miss Patrick Dempsey at all.

Glad Grey’s is back.

Scandal

Glad this opener was a lot less violent than many of the Episodes last year. Hated those. Had to fast-forward through much of those B6-13-ish scenes. Since Olivia’s father’s character is absent and the actor playing him took a new job (as medical chief on Proof), who will the new villain be?

While it is fun to see the Prez finally get with Olivia right in the West Wing, her character is correct when she says that they can’t just waltz into a new relationship as if everything is fine when the President takes a mistress while still not divorced.

Please explain to us, though, why the obviously psychotic and possibly amnesiac ex-Vice-President, Sally, gets to mouth off as if she is occupying some moral high ground when she murdered her own husband? Did everyone else forget that, too?

The Princess Diana storyline seemed oddly placed and very out-of-synch with everything else. Why have that?

The writers may have painted themselves into quite a few corners at this point, it seems.

Plan to keep watching, but where is this going?

How to Get Away with Murder

Glad Viola Davis won the Emmy. She deserved it. Good acting by her and many on this show is not enough to save it, though.

The writers of this show are a weird bunch, for sure.

Not liking the incestuous undertones and physicalization between her character and Wes’ (Alfred Enoch; yes, from Harry Potter films!).

Not liking the very late-in-the-storyline and oddly placed introduction to her character’s being bisexual, although we don’t mind that she is at all.

The writers seem to enjoy making almost every character psychotic and murderous. How many are they planning to kill or frame?

May not keep watching. Getting too dark without much to redeem it at this point.

Blue Bloods

My mom LOVES this show and watches re-runs for fun, mostly because she loves Tom Selleck as the family patriarch and Chief of Police. So, with great anticipation, we started watching the season opener.

What a disappointment. Why, oh writers, do you think Blue Bloods and your fictional NYC should continually deal with Islamic terrorists and terrorist threats? Not only does it fan the flames of anti-Islam sentiment in this country (the last thing we need), but it’s BORING, predictable and flat.

This episode made Danny’s character (played somewhat woodenly by Donnie Wahlberg this week) even more of a jerk than usual. Then, it had the hilariously unlikely premise that somehow, out of thousands of police detectives and officers, only the Reagan family’s detective, Danny, and his brother, Jamie (Will Estes), on patrol could possibly be involved in the same terrorist plot.

Once again, Erin (Bridget Moynahan) was put in a terrible position regarding a conflict between her job and her dad’s job’s wishes. BTW: Whatever would they do without Erin in the DA’s office? Whom else could her male police relatives trust and manipulate?

The writers then gave Grandpa, Danny’s family, Erin’s daughter and the supporting cast members almost nothing to do. They succeeded in making what can be and often is a great ensemble show with intricate, non-overlapping but thematically-linked storylines into nothing more than a bombing plot/chase fiasco.

My mom is very pissed and comments almost very week, that she doesn’t understand why Jamie Reagan hasn’t been promoted to detective.They made him into an excellent patrol officer and show that he is interested in being a detective, but he apparently has never applied, sat for the exam, or been promoted in five years.

That is unlikely and bizarre, but I just shrug and say: “The writers only want one Reagan in each job.”

VERY BAD CHOICES for this opener. I may not keep watching, but my mom is faithful.

Castle

Watched Part I Sunday night, in preparation for Monday’s Part II. Have to say: we were both disappointed and underwhelmed by the storyline and characters depicted in Part I.

Beckett gets promoted to Captain and immediately disappears. What is the point of that? Then, every time she reappears, she explains NOTHING to Castle. Unacceptable and completely out of character, especially after all she went through last year when Castle disappeared.

Good to see Alexis Castle all grown up (and Molly C. Quinn!) and given more to do. However, none of the others did much more than bicker and chase people around while dodging kicking feet or bullets.

We both love Castle and will undoubtedly keep watching, but the opener was bad and we both hate 2-parters, anyway.

NCIS

Watched the season opener a week late so we could also watch Part II right away, but we don’t understand how there can be a “Part II” to this episode. Aside from that, good to see everyone back and glad that Gibbs is better than okay after seemingly dead and dying several times at the end of last season and in this episode.

Way too much of the medical parts, though, so we fast-forwarded through them all. Using the operating table and its vagaries to provide flashbacks and “back story” is such a overused convention that we were not clear on the reasons for it in this episode, unless it’s to pave the way for Gibbs’ having some kind of retirement crisis.

Tony’s character is developing some complexity, which we like. But, they’ve given very little to the others to do and we miss Ziva.

Keeping this one.

Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Why did they choose not to do a “re-cap,” and then have a few characters “catch us up” by talking about what we all “missed,” which turns out to be way more than where we last left off.

Also, why is Ming-Na Wen gone (plays Melinda May, or May AWOL)? She’s one of our favorite characters.

News Flash: having a bum knee doesn’t turn an agent into a scientist, even if it sidelines her. Since Gemma is “gone,” why not introduce a new character instead of not credibly repurposing Bobbi, since the show is a few short, now, anyway?

The whole “Fitz is trying to find/save Gemma” storyline is leading to…what, exactly?

Also not liking the new can’t-stop-it/him villain/monster.

The “spread” of powers is interesting, but these writers must be talking to Heroes, Reborn‘s writers, or be the same people, because now they have a similar storyline and why is that?

My mom and I both kind of like this show and Agent Carter, but the “inhuman” characters go beyond our interest scope (for us) when they don’t even look human.

Glad to see Rosalind Price in this show, and wondering where her character is going to take things. We really like Skye/Daisy’s character and glad that Lincoln and she may team up, again.

Not sure we’ll keep watching, but giving it another few episodes.

Bones

Season opener did a good job of catching us up on last year’s drop-off points, but we weren’t happy with the plot at all. Very gruesome (ALERT); even more than usual.

Note to TV writers: Why does almost every returning show believe it has to introduce a new boss or investigator as a horrible, somewhat stupid and irrationally mean-spirited person with some hidden agenda or ax to grind (Scorpion, Mysteries of Laura, Nashville, Scandal), particularly when they’re female? We are so tired of this trope.

Second note: Why do you writers think it’s “interesting” to have one of the main characters disappear or seem to be dead within minutes of the opening credits (Castle, Nashville, Heroes Reborn)? We don’t agree. That does not create “tension”; it generates frustration for your returning viewers. We come back to see these characters! Don’t remove one right off! STUPID MOVE.

Probably keep watching but not pleased, yet.

The Blacklist

Not sure where this show can go after the way it left off last season, and the opener seems to have painted it even more into the proverbial corner. How can there be a “Blacklist” story if Reddington doesn’t work with/for his FBI contact any longer because she’s been framed and they’re on the run together?

The whole “she is secretly a Russian spy because her mother was” is so dumb we barely gave it a glance last spring, but now the writers have put some of the loyal to Elizabeth into hysteria. Whatever could be the point of this?

Not liking it much, but probably keep watching if only to find out how they get out of the way they ended the episode: very weird choices.

Keeping, for now.

Madam Secretary

So far, this wins, hands DOWN, for the best returning show premier! Exciting, unexpected twists and turns and some of the best nonverbal but highly emotional scene and acting I’ve seen on TV in a long time. Kudos to Barbara Hall (writer/producer), to Morgan Freeman (who had a cameo role and directed!), and most especially to both Téa Leoni and Tim Daly. Amazing conveyances of mixed and intense emotions with body language, facial expressions and tightly coiled energies.

Liking the subplots, except for the President’s son-Secretary’s daughter’s romance and his being a junkie. Snooze.

Glad to see Jill Hennesey back on TV. Hope she keeps coming around.

Elizabeth’s interactions with her husbands, kids and colleagues, especially the President’s Chief of Staff, played villainously by Željko Ivanek, were on point every time.

LOVED the musical number at the end! Especially enjoyed Bebe Neuwirth’s new tenor voice, backed up by Patina Miller and Erich Bergen, both excellent as well, with a more-than-passable demo by Geoffrey Arend.

Definite keeper.

The Good Wife

Strong season opener for one of our favorite series. Liked seeing returning cast members and enjoyed the new ones, especially Cush Jumbo (who reminds us strongly of Archie Panjabi: MISS YOU, Archie!), Margo Martindale (know her from The Americans before that horrible sit-com we won’t mention), and a guest appearances by the wonderful Jane Curtin (yes, the Coneheads, 3rd Rock and The Librarian(s)) and Bridget Regan, with very long, curly hair (from another of our faves, Agent Carter).

Glad to see Alicia “growing up” and becoming more assertive. Ditto for the maturation (overnight, it seems) of her on-screen daughter, played admirably by MacKenzie Vega.

Fun fact: I accompanied (played the piano) for Eurhythmy (Waldorf/Rudolph Steiner education dance/movement classes) at the Monadnock Waldorf School in Keene, New Hampshire, USA, in 1986-87, for Julianna Margulies’ mother, who taught the classes!

Can’t wait to see what Cary Agos (played with excellent angst by Matt Czuchry) stirs up since he’s obviously bored and angry in the new configuration of his law firm. Need: more of Diane (Christine Baranski), please; less of Chris Noth’s obnoxiously narcissistic Peter Florrick; more of Alan Cumming, especially as evil Eli Gold!

Another definite keeper.

CSI: Cyber

We were already getting somewhat dissatisfied with this show last year, but we kept watching because we like Patricia Arquette and the premise of it. However, the directing was awful, the dialogue was wooden and obvious, and the situations were repetitive.

They seemed to have improved only one aspect: the dialogue is slightly less wooden and obvious, some of the time. Otherwise, all the same problems plague it and we were BORED.

Even bringing in Ted Danson and some cool gadgets made us look at each other and say: “Not enough plot, huh?” Want to know why Peter McNichol left…? HE WAS BORED, too.

Probably not keep watching.

**Hawaii 5-0

Mom is keeping this on her list for sure.

**Chicago P.D.

Mom is keeping this on her list for sure.

**NCIS Los Angeles

Mom is keeping this on her list for sure.

**Law and Order—SVU

Mom is keeping this on her list for sure.

**Criminal Minds

Mom is keeping this on her list for sure.

Filed under: TV and online Series Reviews, Writing Tagged: demographics, fall 2015, network TV, opinions, reviews, Television, Television shows

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Published on October 16, 2015 10:00

This Changes Everything, Volume I, The Spanners Series, sci-fi/ romance/ utopian space opera, is featured on eReader Obsession today and is FREE!

This Changes Everything, Volume I, The Spanners Series, sci-fi/ romance/ utopian space opera, is featured on eReader Obsession today and is FREE!

Just in time for you to get started on The Spanners Series and be ready for 11/1/15 pre-orders for Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, which is 50% off through 12/7/15, @$1.99, then $3.99 for release on 12/8/15.

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, is $3.99. All ebooks on Amazon, Smashwords, iTunes, nook and Kobo.

http://www.ereaderobsession.com

Filed under: The Spanners, This Changes Everything, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Volume I of The Spanners, Volume II of The Spanners, Volume III Tagged: ebooks, free, pre-orders, The Spanners Series, This Changes Everything, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change

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Published on October 16, 2015 00:00

Free!

Dystopian, disease-ridden #scifi: not my cup of tea. HOWEVER, if you like these, this is great deal (Volume I is free tomorrow, 10/15/15) and a new release! Good luck, James Garner!

Reblogged on WordPress.com

Source: Free!

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Published on October 14, 2015 14:56

How did he know all this about ME? LOL

It sometimes seems that so much of the Buddhist path is simply learning how to get out of one’s own way.

http://www.existentialbuddhist.com/2015/10/getting-out-of-our-own-way

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Published on October 12, 2015 14:08

#Author #Interview on “Authors Interviews” with Fiona McVie 10-11-15

Check out my interview on Fiona McVie’s site, Authors Interviews, yesterday!

Thanks, Fiona!

https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2015/10/11/here-is-my-interview-with-sally-ember/

Filed under: All Volumes, Interviews with Sally as Author, The Spanners, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change Tagged: Author Interview, Authors Interviews, Fiona McVie, Sally Ember, Sally Ember Ed.D Author, The Spanners Series, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Volume III

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Published on October 12, 2015 00:03

How to Prepare your Manuscript for Paperback Publication through CreateSpace

There are also great guides in addition to this one, for #formatting #ebooks into #print or vice versa or MS Word into either form, PLUS free #promotional lists of sites (for free or paid promotions if your book is free) from Annie Douglass Lima

#bookmarketing #authors #writers #indiepub #selfpublishing

Source: How to Prepare your Manuscript for Paperback Publication through CreateSpace

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Published on October 11, 2015 14:46

The global publishing market is now worth $100 billion, and other global snippets for indie internationalist authors.

Source: The global publishing market is now worth $100 billion, and other global snippets for indie internationalist authors.

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Published on October 07, 2015 12:45

I am pretty sure Republicans would be fine with abortion if a gun were involved

Sally Ember, Ed.D.:

Too many guns. Not enough good and accessible mental health care. Too many Republicans. Not enough respect for all human life.

Originally posted on Margaret and Helen:

HELEN:

Margaret, within minutes of the President saying that he would be accused of politicizing this latest shooting, right on schedule Fox News accused him of politicizing it. I swear the yahoos over at that network could start an argument all alone in an empty room.

How many times does our a President have to go on television to ask for our prayers and our thoughts before our elected officials decide to pass sensible gun laws? Why in the world do we think it should be easier and less expensive to get guns than it is to get mental health treatment?

Crazy people fire guns at will these days and politicians have nothing to say except our thoughts and prayers are with the victims. But a women makes the private decision to end an unwanted or unhealthy pregnancy and those same politicians cry murder and pass laws faster than a…

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Published on October 02, 2015 09:23

“The Friday TV Report” 2 from Sally Ember, Ed.D., and her mom

“The Friday TV Report” 2 from Sally Ember, Ed.D., and her mom

Once a week through mid-November, I (Sally) plan to update this with our opinions. Check on Fridays! This is the second post, week three, ending 10/2/15.

BACKGROUND

My mom, 83, and I (61) are probably not the “target demographic” for almost any show on television or any movie being produced currently. We live in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, USA (Midwest, for those of you unfamiliar: think of that huge “Gateway Arch”? That’s here). I grew up here but then didn’t live here for 42 years; I’ve been back for about one year, now. We were both raised Jewish, but I have been a meditator since 1972 and a practicing Buddhist since 1996. We are both Caucasian women-born-women. We are considered “middle class” although we have almost zero dollars of “disposable income.” My mom is hetero; I am bisexual. We are both partly disabled. I am highly educated (doctoral degree plus other training); my mom has extensive work-experience, with a high school diploma.

My mom has been a TV watcher for over 60 years. I watched a lot as a kid, but from about 1972 – 2002, I didn’t have a TV and hardly watched it elsewhere, either. I usually didn’t have a TV between 2005 – 2014 as well, but I watched some shows online (Hulu, usually) or Netflix.

We think we should be part of a group that at least some producers are aiming to please, because we (especially Mom) now watch a lot of television. We also get movies regularly from DVD borrowing through our local library. We even occasionally go to a theatre to see a movie. We eagerly await the “new season” of television every one of the four times it seems to occur every year: “Fall Sweeps” happen, but so do Mid-season Sweeps, Mid-year New Seasons, and channels with an entirely different set of “seasons.”

However, we are consistently disappointed that many shows we do like are cancelled and some shows we despise seem to go on forever.

Yet, here we are once again (“hope springs eternal”), beginning with the so-called “Fall Sweeps” for the major network channels and a few others, with new episodes (and sometimes characters, sets, directors, producers, plot lines, actors) for those shows that survived last year’s axes and the ever-present Pilots for new shows, bright and shiny with all their best bells and whistles. This month is THE month for premiers of the new season to air, which seems oddly fitting, since it’s the start of the Jewish calendar year (September 13).

image from http://www.tophdgallery.com

We don’t watch: most “sit-coms,” any zombies or vampires, reality shows (except one on BBC), extremely violent shows, premium channels (HBO, Showtime, Starz), “teen” shows.

We often like shows on TNT and USA cable channels, but this is not the start of their “season.” We liked Hindsight on VH1, but it was cancelled after one season. We watch Chasing Life on ABC Family, but that’s the only show we watch from that channel. We both loved The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and my mom plans to give Trevor Noah a try (I might), but we don’t watch other Comedy Central shows. My mom watches several news shows, including Rachel Maddow, Hardball with Chris Matthews, and others, but I do not.

Fall TV, 2015

Our planned evening viewing line-up for 2015 Fall is as follows, in calendar order.

[NOTE: Our viewing “schedule” includes a lot of recording-and-watching-later, due to simultaneous broadcasts and, most importantly, BASEBALL! My mom is a huge St. Louis Cardinals’ fan and they are headed for another World Series at this point!]

**usually only Mom watches

*usually only I watch

NEW SHOWS

Week ending 10/2/15

The Player

There is not one likable character still alive after the Pilot show ends. Spoiler: that character dies in the first 10 minutes, anyway. The premise is awful, the characters are worse. If you’re into high-tech and rich-people conspiracy fantasies along with a lot of violence, chases and meaningless macho posturing, you’ll love this show.

We liked seeing Wesley Snipes, until we saw what he was being/doing.

HATED IT. Off our list.

Quantico

My mom and I liked Quantico for the first half or so. Then, it devolved, as so many do, into chases and violence and not much (else?) to commend it.

The premise was supposed to be that this is a show about a new cohort of recruits at the FBI federal training academy (Quantico) in the USA. Why didn’t they stick with that? Why did they think they needed a terrorist bombing/ “moles”/ multiple deceptions-based plot?

We know it’s an FBI show and we did expect some of the above. But, really, when more than a few minutes of every show is devoted to pursuit chases and macho posturing/inappropriate blame and shaming, we look at each other and say: “Not enough plot, eh?”

We’ll probably watch one or two more episodes, but we bet it’s cancelled.

*Heroes Reborn

Dear Mr. Kring:

What happened to you? Heroes was somewhat vile and bloody (who can forget what a despicable character Zachary Quinto portrayed? So glad he redeemed himself by playing a young Spock in Star Trek films right after that), but at least it had interesting characters, a set of authentic storylines and more than a few minutes in each episode free of violence.

You are a very disturbed person. From the last few shows I’ve watched that you produced and created, I conclude that you unfortunately seem to enjoy a lot of violence, perhaps because you endured bullying yourself, and generally appear to view humans from a dark and deadly perspective. This newest show is the worst (or best) example of your dysfunctions to date.

I thought I could stomach it because I like the “Evos” premise; people with special powers are an interest of mine. But, I cannot.

I watched the entire two-hour blood-fest with increasing boredom mixed with disgust. Is it really necessary to kill people every five minutes or so for an entire two hours in order to generate “excitement”?

Try having a comprehensible story line that doesn’t include putting humans into video games. That segment is a 1980’s snoozefest. Ever heard of Tron?

I feel very sorry for you and everyone close to you. Get some therapy.

OFF MY LIST. WILL NOT WATCH.

Blood and Oil

We couldn’t even finish watching the pilot episode of this, it was that bad. Boring, predictable, with stock characters and situations, too much violence and not enough of anyone or anything we could possibly care about, except the great scenery.

Huge waste of Chace Crawford, Don Johnson, and Scott Michael Foster (these are the ones we recognized) and all the other cast and crew. In fact, why is Scott Michael Foster playing almost exactly the same role he already played (and was killed off in, apparently to take this role) in Chasing Life? At least in that plot his character had a somewhat legitimate excuse for acting like a spoiled, selfish, drunken lout of an heir to the fortune and political status of his father: brain tumor.

What is this character’s excuse on Blood & Oil? Terminal boredom?

We can relate to that. I actually went back to finish the episode on my own: totally not worthwhile.

Off our list for good.

**The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

We turned this on with great trepidation, having both been big fans of Jon Stewart‘s show and of him and having already been disappointed at Stephen Colbert‘s new show, but we were very pleasantly surprised by the opener. The same great writing, an endearing host in Trevor, and the same tropes, music, and stories we have come to like and appreciate from The Daily Show were all there.

Neither of us is a fan of Kevin Hart and we couldn’t understand how he rated the honor of being the first guest, but otherwise, good show and we’re hooked.

Plan to keep this one.

**The Muppets

*Grandfathered

The Grinder

*Code Black

Chicago Med

*Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

*Supergirl

Wicked City

RETURNING SHOWS (tried and liked, up until now… Won’t comment on them all, but a few are worth mentioning.)