TV TALK (PART TWO) (ongoing thread)

[Jackie]

That's too bad that I can't read your amazing stories, Nina. The other side of The Wall and the baby must have been terrifying.

I'd forgotten about Sarah's Key, I'll have to watch it soon.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

HBO will be airing "Game Change" on Sat. March 10 at 9:00 PM. It's adapted from the book, Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime by John Heilemann.
IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1848902/
It's interesting that Julianne Moore will be playing Sarah Palin (and is made to look very much like her!). Ed Harris is playing John McCain. I don't have HBO but look forward to seeing it on Netflix, if and when the movie is available.

[Jim]

We do get HBO, but will be watching something else - anything else!
;-)

[Jackie]

Yeah, I'm not remotely interested in this farce.
Game of Thrones on April 1 is of far more interest to me.

[Nina]

I am currently watching "Heartland," series on Netflix. I like it. I am wondering if you, Jim, have seen it and does it seem somewhat authentic? It is about rescuing abused horses. Not a downer, however. Good feelings.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "I am currently watching "Heartland," series on Netflix. I like it. I am wondering if you, Jim, have seen it and does it seem somewhat authentic? It is about rescuing abused horses. Not a downer, ho..."

For reference:
"Heartland (II)" (TV Series 2007–2008)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1094229/
http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/Heart...
"In this family series based on Lauren Brooke's best-selling novels, spunky teenager Amy is reeling from the sudden death of her beloved mother when she and her grandfather, Jack, are threatened with the loss of their Canadian horse ranch."

I've put it in my Netflix Instant queue.

At the same time, I found the following which I also added to my Netflix Instant queue:
"The Long Shot: (TV 2004)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385638/
http://movies.netflix.com/Movie/The_L...
"A woman moves with her husband and seven-year-old daughter from Colorado to California and then her husband abandons them. While trying to rebuild her life, she finds solace while working at a horse farm and decides to enter her beloved horse in a high-stakes riding competition."
Genres: Dramas, Movies for ages 8 to 10, Movies for ages 11 to 12, Sports Dramas, Tearjerkers, Sports Movies
Cast: Julie Benz, Marsha Mason, Paul Le Mat, Gage Golightly, David Alexander, Christopher Cousins, John Livingston, Robert Pine, Laura Johnson, Juliette Goglia
This movie is: Inspiring, Sentimental

All of a sudden, I'm interested in horses! I wonder why! :)

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "We do get HBO, but will be watching something else - anything else! ;-)"

Jackie wrote: "Yeah, I'm not remotely interested in this farce. ..."

Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm sick of her too. But I'm curious to see what Julianne Moore does with the part of SP.

PS- My impression from the comments on TV is that the movie is kind to John McCain, sort of explaining how he came to choose SP.

[Nina]

Long Shot sounds interesting.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "Long Shot sounds interesting."

Yes, even though it's a kids movie, it may be fun to watch.

[Jim]

Joy, I think you misunderstand. I don't mind Palin any more than the rest. I really mind turning supposed public servants into stars. They should be picked for their ability, but instead they're all just public puppets for the back room power brokers. This is just one more part of the dog & pony show, a way to spread misinformation.

[Jackie]

Same here, and why I called it a farce. The whole political machine is a farce.
I also agree with misinformation. Whatever one side says about any given issue, the other side has a different story, bottom line is they're all telling half-truth and outright lies. People pick the story that fits with their views and that's the side they believe. It's a psychological fact that people seek out news stories that bolster their views and rarely search out the ones that don't fit in with their personal views.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "Joy, I think you misunderstand. I don't mind Palin any more than the rest. I really mind turning supposed public servants into stars. They should be picked for their ability, but instead they're..."

Well, she gets on my nerves, especially when she tries to be folksy. As for the power brokers, I find the situation disturbing but it's all part of human nature, I'm afraid. It's survival of the fittest, i.e., dog eat dog (another strange expression [ http://www.smh.com.au/news/big-questi... ]. :)

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie wrote: "... It's a psychological fact that people seek out news stories that bolster their views and rarely search out the ones that don't fit in with their personal views."

So true! I won't watch the "news" program which opposes my views. Those guys get on my nerves too. :)

[Jackie]

Joy wrote: Well, she gets on my nerves, especially when...

That's how I feel about all politicians, just insert different reasons but the result is the same.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

To be in politics one needs a hide as thick as a rhinoceros hide. I don't know how they do it. I especially don't like to see bleach blondes as their wives. :) Why do so many of the men choose bleach blondes? (BTW, I used to be a bleach blond.) :)

[Jim]

I don't like listening to any news program that has an agenda. They're always so transparent. Blech.

[Jackie]

All news programs have a spin; the days of free and unbiased media are long gone. The news is irrelevant now that it's become entertainment; and people believe what they want anyway.

[Jim]

Where's Walter Cronkite when we really need him?

Help, Obi Wan!!!

;-)

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "Where's Walter Cronkite when we really need him? Help, Obi Wan!!! ;-)"

I often think of Cronkite. His delivery was so authoritative. We had great trust in him. I read his autobiography: A Reporter's Life. It was interesting to look behind the scenes and hear his slant on life. The following is a link to a good GR review of the book:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Werner]

Joy and Nina, Barb and I both watched The Long Shot, at the time it originally aired, and liked it. (Of course, she's a sucker for any movie that features horses prominently in the plot! :-) ) But I thought it had a good message, well-delivered, with good acting. (Julie Benz is the actress who played Darla, the malevolent female vampire who "sired" Angel on the eponymous TV series, but her character here is much nicer; she doesn't try to bite anybody. :-) It was nice to see a bit more of her range, in a very different type of role.)

[Nina]

I need to check out, The Long Shot.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Werner, thanks for your positive comments on The Long Shot. Now I'll make a point of watching it.

[Jim]

Joy H. wrote: "I often think of Cronkite. His delivery was so authoritative. We had great trust in him. I read his autobiography..."

I listened to the abridged audio tape version some years ago. It was great. Yes, Cronkite was an icon & actually lived up to his reputation.

-------------

"The Long Shot" sounds interesting, Werner. Hadn't heard of it. Thanks.

[Werner]

Nina and Joy, hope you both enjoy it!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

9/26/13 - 8:00AM - 10:00AM
The TCM Channel is currently airing "Shall We Dance" (1937) with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. I LOVE these old musicals!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029546/?...
"A budding romance between a ballet master and a tapdancer becomes complicated when rumours surface that they're already married."

[Jim]

Jackie or Mary JL, did you catch "The Black List" with James Spader? It's pretty good, although he's making it. Anyone else in that role & it would just be a sick show.

Most everyone else in this group will hate it, so don't bother. Lots of senseless violence.

I watched a few episodes of 'Boston Legal' the other day. Spader & Shatner together are just perfect.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

OK, I won't bother! lol

[Nina]

We watched, "Unfinished Song," last night and it was very good and I appreciate whoever of you on Goodreads recommended it.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "We watched, "Unfinished Song," last night and it was very good and I appreciate whoever of you on Goodreads recommended it."

Nina, Jackie recommended it. See her post at:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...
Message #646

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Tonight on PBS TV, I watched "Act One" on "Live from Lincoln Center". It was a wonderful play about playwright Moss Hart.
http://www.pbs.org/arts/pbs-arts-fest... <--->[SEE THE SHORT VIDEO CLIP HERE.]
Premiere Date: Friday, November 13, 2015:
"Few have captured the magic of the theatre better than Moss Hart, a poor kid from the Bronx who went on to become a lion of Broadway. Moss Hart, the writer of classic comedies with George S. Kaufman and the director of the original production of My Fair Lady, has captivated theater lovers for over 50 years with his memoir, Act One. Now another lion of the theater, James Lapine, has fittingly reimagined this memoir for the stage. Lincoln Center Theater's gorgeous production pulls out all the stops, creating a world as vivid and transformative as the stage itself. But it's the strong performances from its first-rate cast, led by Tony Shalhoub, Andrea Martin and Santino Fontana, that anchor the play in real human emotion."

Autobiography: Act One by Moss Hart.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moss_Hart

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I'm looking forward to tonight's beginning of the final season of
"Downton Abbey" on PBS-TV. "Downton Abbey", Season 6, premieres Sunday, January 3, 2016, 9/8c on MASTERPIECE on PBS!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/p...

Here's a review of the stories so far:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/p...

[Nina]

Me too. I can hardly wait.

[Jim]

It's good. We just finished it up last week. Great series & it wrapped up well.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Last night, the best part was when Carson and Mrs. Hughes kissed and hugged one another. So well done!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "It's good. We just finished it up last week. Great series & it wrapped up well."

Jim, did you buy all the DVDs? Otherwise, how have you managed to see all of Season 6 already? They've only aired one episode so far.

[Nina]

I am curious also but don't want to know the ending yet. It seemed like old times to watch my favorite people again.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I suppose one of the favorite characters from Downton Abbey is the Dowager Countess, Violet Crawley . Her quotes are famous. I especially like the following one:
"Vulgarity Is No Substitute For Wit" -Violet Crawley (Downton Abbey)

The following webpage has more of her quotes:
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/...

[Nina]

Every quote that came forth was a gem. Great writing by Julian Fellows.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

PS-See more of Countess Violet Crawley's quotes:
https://www.google.com/search?q=vulga...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "Every quote that came forth was a gem. Great writing by Julian Fellows."

Yes, and great acting by Maggie Smith as the Countess!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

PS-The following page has some interesting information about the fictional background of Downton Abbey's Dowager Countess, Violet Crawley :
http://downtonabbey.wikia.com/wiki/Vi...

[Nina]

I totally agree that no one could have delivered those lines iike Maggie Smith. I once went to a play in London and Maggie Smith and Joanne Ploughwright were the stars and when the came on the stage even before the play began they got a standing ovation come the audience. They are loved in London/and elsewhere.

[Nina]

Wonderful Quotes. What will we do without her? She, along with the others will be sorely missed.

[Jim]

She's looking awfully fragile, but still delivers her lines perfectly.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jim wrote: "She's looking awfully fragile, but still delivers her lines perfectly."

Wiki says that Maggie Smith is 81 years old. She does look fragile, probably because she's very thin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I'm currently watching an adaptation of Doctor Thorne ("Chronicles of Barsetshire" #3) by Anthony Trollope. I'm streaming it from Amazon.com.
"Doctor Thorne" - TV Series (2016– )
"The life of penniless Mary Thorne, who grows up with her Uncle, Dr Thorne, and her relationship with the family at nearby Greshamsbury Park estate."
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4938084/?...
https://www.amazon.com/Julian-Fellowe...
("Julian Fellowes Presents Doctor Thorne")

To see a list of the books in the "Chronicles of Barsetshire" series, see the following page: https://www.goodreads.com/series/5671...

[Joy H., Group Founder]

PROGRAM ALERT!
Golden Globes - 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sunday night, 1/8/17.
http://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-n...
I don't recognize half the names!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

PROGRAM ALERT!

SAG AWARDS - 10 pm - TNT CHANNEL - 1/29/17
"23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards"
http://www.sagawards.org/

I missed the 8 pm airing. Thank goodness they're repeating it.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

PS-LINK TO SAG AWARDS: http://www.sagawards.org/

[Joy H., Group Founder]

I made the mistake of ordering "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" from Netflix. (TV Series (2015– )
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3339966/?...
https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Unbreak...
The show is too silly to enjoy, even though it tries hard. Ellie Kemper is a likable actress and comedienne but the material was weak. I wouldn't recommend it. Read the Neflix reviews to see what else is wrong with it.