Another David and Goliath

I resisted as long as possible, but I finally watched "Kings".  I knew it was created by one of the top writers and co-executive producers of "Heroes" (which we all know I love) and I really didn't want another hour long show to keep up with.  However, today I went to Hulu.com and watched the pilot episode.

It was pretty good for a pilot.  Very long, because they released it as a movie to kick off the show.  I was astonished at the sets and all the cash I could see that had gone into this pilot.  Check out the "Heroes" pilot.  It was also an ambitious show, but you could see the tight purse strings on the pilot.  I really like Chris Egan who plays David.  He is one of many actors NBC has hired from other countries to play Americans.  I wonder why?  Does Australia and England have superior television actors?  Anyway, his scenes were very moving and I love his portrayal of David so far, very midwestern.  So far, the other actors are also impressive.  The show is filled with "where have I seen this guy before" actors.  Eamonn Walker as Reverend Samuels is also a powerful presence on the screen.  I look forward to seeing more of him.

I'm not so sure about the premise of the show.  Usually when someone rips off the David and Goliath story, they're not so blunt about it.  This show is the re-telling of the Biblical story in a modern time.  I'll have to re-read the Biblical account to see how closely they stick with the story.  Some nods I've noticed beyond the basic plot line and character names:  David's harp is an antique piano, the Court Historian records history as the King sees fit in a very poetic and Biblical language, and they even manage to throw in the controversial topic of Jonathan's sexuality.

The show reminds me of another NBC show, "The West Wing":  well written, political, and visually dramatic.  I don't think this show will last as long as that one did.  We'll see if NBC gives the show another year, but I'm afraid the curse of the peacock has killed yet another show.  It'll be fun while it lasts, though.  Check it out.

What if Clark Kent Really Did Work for a Newspaper?

First, watch this video.

This is inspiring.  It really makes sense.  I receive the local paper daily in my box.  It's not free.  I hardly read it.  On Sundays, I look at the comics, Parade, and the ads.  I've already received my news from the internet, TV, and radio.  There's a local paper that's free and often has articles about things that are uber local, not regional like the big paper.  It also is better designed and is smaller, easier to read in tight spaces.  It's filled with local ads too.  Often ads the big paper would never publish, like the local strip club, but ads none the less.

If the big paper would prioritize the news to only publishing that which I go to the paper to read and maybe one or two huge stories that give a detail and local twist no other outlet provides, then the newspaper would have my attention.  If it looked pretty, flashy, but clean, I'd pick it up.  If it were free with well designed and placed ads, I'd read the ads.  The salvation of the local paper might not lie in websites that are over-loaded with content, video, and blogs.  Maybe the local paper just needs a little pizzazz.  Sure, from necessity and in respect for the earth, the actual paper newspaper we know may go away, but the elements should remain.  Uber local, fantastically framed and emotive photos, well written articles that are examples of perfect grammar, and ads that catch the eye.  

Television could learn from this as well.  Sure, it's getting cheaper and cheaper to make TV and all those innovative people you passed up because they weren't making cookie cutter TV are killing you now because they can afford to fund their own projects, but you're not dead and buried yet.  Quit looking at poll groups.  Quit over analyzing.  Look for innovation, style, talent, and cutting edge.  If your company becomes known for discovering and cultivating the next great thing, people will flock to you to find their newest obsession.  

Forget about ratings.  That's old stuff.  Find new ways to attract advertisers.  "Heroes" has done a great job with it.  I know two advertisers that are loyal to "Heroes": Sprint and Nissan.  I know this because they advertise in every show mentioning "Heroes" in their ads.  They advertise on all of "Heroes" web content.  They've stuck with "Heroes" for all three seasons.  This is one way to do it.  There are others.  Get your writers, directors, actors, and producers involved in thinking up ways to include the advertiser.

Radio, it applies to you as well.  Hire local personalities.  Play local bands.  Be active in the community.  If one station in each market did this, they'd kill the others.  The others are all computers.

The answer to improving your company isn't automation; it's personalization.  People are loyal to people.  A company laying off employees doesn't garner support.  A company that hires excellent minds and shows how creative and non-boring it can be; people will line up at the door and wear t-shirts with the company's logo on the front (especially if the logo is well designed).

A Word About Life

All these blogs on my favorite shows and though I've mentioned it, I've never dedicated a whole blog to one of my favorites, "Life".  I love the USA network's theme of great characters and I've loved how NBC has picked up on some of that as well.  Detective Cruise is a great character.  He's got a great back story.  Happily married and a cop, he had a great life until he was framed for murder.  12 years later, he's released from prison when his lawyer proved he was innocent.  Now he's back on the force as a detective who has more than enough money to be set for life, but still works murder cases.

So, on the surface, kinda ho-hum, right?  Nope!  The writers for this show are good.  This guy was a cop behind bars, that's like having a target on your forehead.  He learned to survive.  He has no luxuries for 12 years, including taste.  Now, he can't walk past a piece of fruit without tasting it.  He searches for exotic fruit and has it shipped.  He buys fast cars and a big house, but there's something else to Cruise besides extravagance.  While he was in prison, he found Zen.  He might have the big house, but it's empty.  He might have fancy cars, but he's trying his hardest not to care much about them.  He does care about one thing though, finding out who framed him and who killed his friends.  Now we have the sub-plot to each episode.  

The show's good because the stories pull you in, they're both stand-alone and serial, but the show's great because of Cruise.  Like House, Monk, Shawn and Gus ("Psych"), "Life" is more about Detective Cruise and his thought process than it is actually about the plot this week.  There's something about this way of storytelling - really delving into characters and developing them so that the audience knows them so well they could write scripts - that forms a loyal and dedicated fan base.  I think it's because for the hour this show is on you're feeling/thinking like these characters... and the funnest part... they're so out there yet so identifiable, it's like being someone you totally aren't.  Isn't that why we love tv/books/radio/film?  The trip, the challenges, the exhilaration?

Watch "Life" on Hulu.

The Day the Music Died

Whenever I hear that song, I think of all the great musicians who died before their time: Buddy Holly, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday,Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, and tons more. The 50s, 60s, and 70s were such a tremendous growth period for American music. Now, we hear the phrases "canned music", "prerecorded vocal tracks" and "auto-tune". I have been wondering what happened to the music industry for years. Until I started using iTunes, Myspace, and launch.com to help me find musicians, I had a hard time finding great music. Sure, there's the occasional pop song that's so catchy, so well done that it's hard to ignore it as it plays over and over on the radios. Britney Spears is a great example. "Hit Me Baby, One More Time" was so catchy that I can sing every word despite the fact that I don't think Britney is a especially talented singer. However, musicians that push the genres and continue to evolve and cultivate their music are often ignored.

"Before the Music Dies" (on hulu) is a documentary examining the plight of the musician and just why the music industry has changed so drastically.  They talk to legends like Eric Clapton and Dave Matthews about where the industry is going and what they think can be done.  They talk to executives in radio and in the recording industry about how they chose who gets air time and who doesn't.  They also get advice from the musicians about making music in this environment.  

I really enjoyed this film.  It's not just about the music industry.  It's about American industry.  Everything is getting watered down.  The thinking is as long as it doesn't taste bad, it's good.  The great thing about recessions are they are like wildfires going around clearing the fields.  Now is the time for small business seeds to blow in and enrich the soil again.  It's time for the big guys to fall and the little guys to pick up the pieces.  Sure, it means we'll all have to live uncomfortably for a while, but it won't be long before innovation, invention, inspiration and independence from big business brings America back to her feet.

America, wake up!  Demand the best artists by supporting local bands.  Go to the free concerts in the city.  Buy tickets to the opera and symphony concerts.  Visit your local art museums and by art from locals instead of the poster company online.  Shop at your local farmer's market.  Listen to the independent radio stations and call in requests for up and coming artists.  Go to the local guy's restaurant instead of the chain store.  Go to the local hardware store instead of Walmart.  Yes, times are hard and yes, those big businesses are important to the economy.  You won't shut them down.  Eventually, you'll have to go to the Walmart or the grocery store, but go to the local guys first.  

I can smell the fresh turned soil and I'm ready for America's rebirth.  It's time for a revolution.  Don't wait on the US government.  Use your pocketbooks, use your time, use your resources to change the world.  Don't be another brick in the wall.  Don't eat from a can.  Demand more.

Time to Change?

I have several sites pointing to this blog.  I'm looking for a job and one of those sites is LikedIn.  I never really liked the name I stuck this blog with, I'm thinking of changing it.  Of course, with the name change comes a URL change.  Still, with the problems that may cause, I think it needs to be done.  It seems that there's a pattern of my blogs.  They're always about TV, Movies, and Music.  So, time to change?  I think so.  I'd appreciate any name changes you might think of.  I'll be wracking my brain myself.

*UPDATE* 

I changed it.  I decided to keep the URL, for now at least.  I changed the title to "What Misty's Playing" and made a simple header using FCP's Motion.  I've decided to focus on all things Media.  Including websites, which I haven't included in my header, but don't expect to review as many of them.  

Taking it to the House

I resisted watching "House" for years.  I'm not sure why... it's on Fox?  I really don't know.  I poo pooed other's enthusiasm for it, writing it off as just another medical drama.  I've watched 8 episodes or so now, it's not just another medical drama.  I dismissed it as this jerk who was mean to everyone.  He's not just a jerk.  In fact, as I watch each show I'm surprised I was engaged and enjoyed myself and look forward to the next episode.  It is so far outside my usual tastes when you look at the show on the surface.

The thing is... I think I like House.  Just like all the characters on the show, I respect him because he is a genius.  His staff brings him a bunch of pieces to a puzzle, lay them on the table, he looks at them and says, "it's a cat by a vase of flowers" and walks away.  They put the pieces together, sure enough, it's a cat by a vase of flowers.  Ok, that doesn't happen, but you understand, right?

Medical mysteries he excels at, but he struggles with his social skills.  He's in a tremendous amount of pain, therefor a jerk.  Also, he's highly analytical and everything becomes a puzzle to him.  With puzzles, his mind is off his pain.  Everything is a chance to test and prove theories, a chance to push and pull people for his own amusement.  I find this incredibly interesting.  Not so much the actual things that happen in the show, though they usually are, but the idea of this happening in real life.  I like the idea of predicting how people will react if you do this or say that.  We already do this, action and consequence, but we don't actively test other people just to find out what the consequence is.  Children do.  I guess I do to an extent.  Maybe we all do, we just don't take it to the extreme House does because we value having friends.  House, however, is exceedingly good at it.  Imagine how refreshing it would be to have House as your shrink.  Well, to some, it would be a nightmare, but I think I'd like brutal honesty.  I'd like to taste it anyway.

Mostly though, I like "House" because I find myself thinking the entire episode.  I identify with House.  I can't predict what's wrong with the patient, it's not the mystery of it.  That's why I like to watch some shows, the who-done-it factor.  Not this show.  No, this show is more about House pushing and pulling me.  When he is asking questions, I'm thinking of my answer.  When he gives the answer, I try to figure out if he's right or not.  

House loves to figure out everyone else's puzzles, but ignores his own.  I think I'm like House in that way, but I also wonder what it would be like to have a friend figure out all your puzzles for you.  Would it matter if they did?

This is how you know you're watching a good show.  This is why "Heroes" is often good, it questioned meaning of life, religion, morality.  This is why "Life" is good.  He also is on a quest of self discovery and discipline.  If a show can make you think after the credits roll, it's more than a show, it's art.

Watch "House" on Hulu.

The Color Gray

Heroes is better than ever. Seriously, you need to watch this show Monday nights on NBC at 9PM eastern!

Heroes has cool special effects and people who can fly and do other cool things, but if that was all Heroes was, it would just be another superhero show. Heroes is about so much more. It's about relating with people, making decisions, how your actions can effect not just those around you - but maybe even the future or the whole world. Of course, it's hard to think of others when you have your own problems and that brings us to a central theme of Heroes. "Morally gray" characters and decisions are sprinkled throughout each episode. The king of morally gray is "HRG" or Noah Bennett.

A few episodes into Season One we learned that HRG was a family man. Everything he did, he justified as being 'for the family'. Kill someone, it was to protect his daughter Claire. Betray his friends, Claire again. And then, half way through Season Three, the people he worked for gave him his freedom. They gave him his retirement money and told him to go home to his family. Turns out, he missed his job. He didn't always do things to protect his family, sometimes it was because he ENJOYED his work!

Now, his wife kicked him out of the house and he has nothing left but his job. Still, he's comfortable with morally gray... extremely comfortable. He has practically sold his soul to the devil.

Speaking of the devil, Sylar lives in his own morally gray area, though the rest of us might call it black...

It's interesting to think of a character like Sylar, who is a serial killer having some sort of moral standard. Yet, he views himself as a character not unlike HRG, a man who lives in the morally gray area of life. I think watching Sylar self-analyze and push himself to the extremities of good and evil is one of the most interesting aspects of the show. The episode "Dual" from Volume 3 is one of the best in this respect. Sylar does the opening narration and forces the other characters to choose whether they'll be angels or monsters. It's like a mad scientist with his lab rats.

We're all teetering one bad decision from morally gray. It's hard to balance the needs of others and our own desires. Heroes just has more adventuresome extremes than most of our humdrum lives!

"Viva la libertad — A Friend."

The Rage in Misty

I'm always reviewing old movies because I'm always watching things on Hulu.  There may be nothing on TV or in the theaters, but you're sure to find some quality things on Hulu!  

Today, I watched "The Rage in Placid Lake".  I almost passed it up because I thought it was a horror movie, but I read the description and found out it was a comedy.  Some thoughts that crossed my mind while watching:  "why can't American comedies be smart like this one?", "these characters are so me, but am I Placid or Gemma?", "Gemma, I'm definitely Gemma", "This movie is hilarious, and somewhat crude at times, but it has an excellent moral." and the rest of the time, "wow, this is good, I LOVE this movie!".  

The movie is all about being who you are.  Placid believes he can beat the system by joining into the system meanwhile, Gemma who was always a part of the system tries to break out of the system.  The system being the expectations of others and fitting in with the rest of the drones that make up society.  However, there's also something to be said about being selfish and only looking out for your own interests.  There's a point that you can take this beating the system too far.  The movie stresses that as well.  

But, this movie isn't a sermon on loving who you are.  This movie is an excellent comedy.  Really, the best comedy I've seen in a long time.  The Aussies know how to make a movie!  Loved all the US references in the film too.  I've heard that Australians like to geek out on American pop culture.  We're brothers, the Aussies and Americans.  You'll love the film, check it out.

Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity

"Long Life, Happiness, and Prosperity" is the cutest movie.  It was a winner in the Vancouver Film Fest., and it's easy to see why.  It focuses on a little Chinese girl living in Canada.  She's hard at work trying to turn her mother's life around by practicing Taoist magic for good luck.  The problem is, it seems her magic is directed in all the wrong places with some hilarious consequences.  There are also many heartwarming scenes and a nice look at westernized Chinese culture.

Click on the link and watch it on hulu while you can.  It really is worth it.  Now I want to watch the rest of the Vancouver Film Fest winners featured on Hulu.

Heroes Oh No!

Usually, you can find a blog raving about "Heroes" on this very site, but not today.  "Cold Wars" was probably the worst episode of Heroes ever.  It's really a shame, because I can tell the actors have stepped it up a notch and are really pushing themselves.  And when I say, "stepped it up a notch" and "pushing themselves" I don't mean they're over acting; they are completely believable.  They are also playing people in extreme circumstances and manage to make their body react as if they were in extreme circumstances.  These are GOOD actors.

I think I'll base my critique on what they've done right in the past.  Heroes does a couple of things really well.  They focus on who the characters are, not the sci-fi abilities the characters possess.  Because of this, they broaden their fan base and create a deeper, more meaningful story-line.  In the past, "Heroes" has only given us tidbits of information.  The best part of the show was gathering around the next day and discussing the conspiracy theories or what would happen next week.  "Who's Linderman?  What's his ability?  Is Sylar going to kill Peter?  How does saving the cheerleader save the world?  Who's Claire's dad?"  This started going away the second season and is pretty much gone now.  Now the water-cooler talk is about what happened that episode, not what we think might happen in the next.  It's a big difference.

Now, none of this bothered me too bad, because I was still entertained, not last night.  "Heroes" always treated their audience as intelligent people able to figure things out without spelling it out.  Last night, they spelled it out for us nice and slow.  Matt Parkman might not have known what HRG had been up to, but we knew.  We knew because we know HRG's character.  We knew because the hints have been dropped for us for the last three weeks.  We didn't need the writers to hold our hands.  

There was so much potential for this episode.  They could have established a more involved back story to tell with more details and drama.  Alternatively, they could have made it about the struggle of will between HRG and Matt.  HRG may not have powers, but he's a highly trained individual.  They could've even done a little of both.  It was a fantastic idea poorly executed.  

Some people are upset that there's going to be another bomb, this time in DC.  I don't really have a problem with this.  I think the big picture of Heroes is FINE.  It's the individual episodes that Kring needs to go over.  Spread out the action.  For three weeks we hurried through major plot points.  Now this week, we drag our feet only to find out three things.  Mohinder is caught and given an ultimatim, Daphne is alive, Matt might blow up DC.  Compare this with "Building 26" where we learn Nathan's in trouble with the President and the problem is solved in the same episode, Claire gets a text message and saves a guy from her dad, the hunter is willing to go to extremes to continue rounding up 'specials', Sylar and Luke had some character building and bonding, and HRG and Sandra's relationship is strained when Sandra finds out he's still working.  All of that was new stuff!  It was as if this freight train hit a wall this week.

I'm sure next week will be excellent.  Too late for Heroes producers to do anything more this volume if they've made this a habit, I really hope they haven't!!

See This: Coraline

I just watched Coraline last night.  Henry Selick is a genius.  I feel like I need to see the movie a few more times just to soak it all in.  Everything about the movie is other worldly.  The soundtrack is so eerie and chilling, the stop-motion is beautiful, the 3D is almost too real, and the plot is so incredibly dark for a children's movie.  In fact, I think the 'moral of the story' might be targeted toward inattentive parents.  

You have to see this film.  More movies like this one should be made.  I could watch this one with the sound off it is so beautiful.  The terror this child lives through is unimaginable, but yet, I envied her.  My friend Mikey envied her.  He wants to live in the 3D world, I want to live in a place with such eccentric neighbors, grand adventures, and beautiful colors.  You absolutely will not be disappointed you saw this one, I can guarantee it.

The Essentials: Movies

Foreign Movie:  Ushpizin

Why I like it:  

This movie is a Hebrew movie.  It's a movie made by Jews, about Jews, and specifically about the Jewish holiday, Succoth.  Ushpizin is Hebrew for house guest and this movie is about a couple who are having their own troubles when two house guests arrive.  This is considered a blessing during Succoth, but these house guests soon turn the house upside down.  The strength shown by the characters, the trip to far away places and ideas, the raw emotion and beautiful cinematography will have you on your feet by the end of the movie.  Two songs by Adi Ran are featured in the movie, one is called "Ata Kadosh".  I LOVE this song.  Adi Ran is an Orthodox Jew, but he rocks out like he was Ozzy Osborne.  Check out the link to see the music video starring actors from the movie and Adi Ran.

Classic Movie:  Suddenly, Last Summer

Why I like it:

Tennessee Williams is one of my favorite playwrights and "Suddenly, Last Summer" is one of his best.  A thrilling mystery of sorts, a psychologist (Montgomery Clift) filters through the details to find out what happened last summer to make a young girl (Elizabeth Taylor) go crazy.  Her aunt (Katherine Hepburn) is determined to have her lobotomized and he must do everything he can to save the girl before the surgery is performed.  Of course as all Tennessee Williams' plays are, the dialog is rich, the plot is scandalous, and the drama is gripping.  The ending with the final reveal will leave your heart pumping.  If you don't get the implication, you can find the meaning of the end here.  The Catholics protested until the movie was edited to be more decent.  

Contemporary Movie:  Bella

Why I like it:

This movie has won so many awards, features the incredibly handsome Eduardo Verastegui, and is so incredibly moving that it is a must see film.  Latinos are rarely showcased in film or television other than in a stereotypical and offensive way.  This movie dives into the Latino American family as a true representation of their way of life and values.  I loved this movie for the theme of restoration and healing and the fact that this is a good family film.  It's about connections, life changing events, and love.  However, it's not a romance.  It's about a deeper love: a life-giving, deep, familiar love.  This movie will leave you glued to your seat, overcome.  You have to see this one, it is pure art.

Video Killed the Radio Star (Now It's Happening to TV)

So, you’ve been to Circuit City, bought that new HD ready TV, and shelled out for the surround sound (after all, it’s all on sale, they’re going out of business). You have satellite radio in your car, an IPod, and a smart phone. If you don’t, you soon will. Broadcast Radio and TV is going away. The entire industry is changing. Hulu, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and Google are taking over mass media. If the huge corporations that run the TV and Radio business today are going to keep up, they’re going to have to invest in ‘social media’ and become more interactive. People don’t want to wait for Monday at 8 PM anymore. They want to watch on their time and they want to talk to others online about what they’re watching.

This is a problem for broadcasters. All of our money comes from advertisers. Now, because of DVRs, TIVOs, and internet streaming sites, advertisers can’t be guaranteed that their commercial will reach people in a set timeframe. For instance, Target’s Dollar Days have all coke products on sale for this week only, if you TIVO the program and see the commercial next week, Target’s ad lost its effectiveness. Also, why are you watching the ad? You TIVO’d it! You’re fast forwarding through the ads. Advertisers see this happening and they’re pulling their dollars.

TV ratings mean nothing anymore. Because so many programs are being watched online and TIVO’d, the ratings aren’t catching a true number. TV ratings are what broadcasters use to set ad prices, so the advertisers that are sticking with TV are paying less.

Broadcasters are going out of business. The question is, will the TV get better or worse?

Abel Raises Cain

I just finished an amazing documentary. It has the most charming narration and little funny bits here and there. Probably could never be considered a TRUE documentary as the topic is on the greatest prankster of all time and the whole thing was done by his daughter, but it is great to hear about all the things this guy has pulled in his life and his motivation for them.

I was thrilled to see how he managed to get national media to come cover his hi jinks and never check to see that this was all just a hoax. I think he could really have a heyday now with 24 hour news channels, increased competition for ratings, newspapers going bankrupt and layoffs in the television industry. With enough copycats, maybe we could get the ethics back in the news industry again. Nah.

http://www.abelraisescain.com/

Or to watch it on HULU.com

http://www.hulu.com/watch/56337/abel-raises-cain

How The Old Folks Are At Home

We have visitors in from Montana this week.  They have come to visit my grandmother on my dad's side.  She's from Montana and is the aunt to the three girls who've come to visit.  This picture is of Mill Iron where they all came from.  As you can see, it's still a land of dirt roads, prairie, and cattle ranches.  

They asked me to record my grammie for them telling the stories she remembers of different family members and places they'd like more information on.  My Grammie is the last of a large family.  All her brothers and sisters have died off and so if they want to know anything about that era, they have to find out from her.

I found the stories interesting, not because I knew many of the people she spoke about, because really, I don't know many people from this side of the family - they lived so far away.  It was because she talked about a way of life that's foreign to me and even to them even though life where they live is almost just as foreign to me.  Riding horses to get to school, one room schools with all the grades in one class, and just living on a ranch milking goats and hunting and all that stuff.  It's just so different than my life in the city.

I'm finding the older I get the more I enjoy hearing about these times from so long ago.  One thing I heard the other day at work was the phrase, "Come back when you ain't borrowing fire", which apparently is a phrase many people back in the woods still say.  It comes from a time when people used coal to heat their house and their wasn't matches, so they'd go next door to borrow fire when they let their fire go out at home.  So, they had to hurry home before the coals went out of course and couldn't stay long to talk.

I suggest everyone go talk to an old person this week.  Do it!

Unforgettable Sounds

Mahalia Jackson is a force of sound and emotion.  She could crumble walls and move hardened men to tears.  It's not just her voice, it's her heart that rips through you.  It's hard to find a recording that does her justice, but you can tell even in the scratchy old audio, this girl is in the angels' choir.  She often marched with MLK, Jr.  You've gotta check out her Christmas stuff too, she's incredible.

One more today, Billie Holiday is a LEGEND.  Her voice- it's so hurt, strong, ripped, deliberate- she could sing you to sleep, slap you to your feet, or kick you to your knees.  "Solitude", "Summertime", "Taint Nobody's Business If I Do", "Lover Man" and "Strange Fruit" are some of my favorite pieces by her.  She could do no wrong.  Her life was hard and she died young, leaving just a few old records.  I wish I coulda seen this girl in person.  Amazing.  I love her expressions in this video.  She's so appreciative of the other musicians and you can tell she loves singing. 

Heroes: A Clear and Present Danger

If you're not watching "Heroes", I suggest you go to HULU right now and watch the latest episode.  It's the start of Volume 4 (rather than seasons, Heroes reads like a good book, in volumes!) and you don't have to know the show to get into it, but you need to start now.  After you watch it, come back and read the rest of my blog.

One of the biggest reasons I love "Heroes" is every week the theme is good verses evil.  The evil is always something different, but it's always a moral challenge.  Volume one was all about power and how you use it.  Will you abuse your power, will you use it for personal gain, or will you use it for the greater good?  Volume two, which was cut short thanks to the writer's strike, was trust and betrayal and the demons of the past.  Volume three was my favorite so far and it was about the evil within.  What makes a person an angel or a demon.  Volume 4 looks very promising.  All about dealing with the potential for evil, the hardest thing of all to deal with really.  Of course, Nathan has gone straight to the wrong way.  

Obviously, this is commentary on our own fears and the US Dept. of Homeland Security.  Profiling and the racism that followed 9/11, hysteria after 9/11 when people noticed middle eastern people on their flights, and the up in arms attitudes we all had when we felt threatened.  Looking back, our fears weren't absolutely necessary.  Who knows how many disasters were diverted by the drastic actions, but there were also scores of people mistreated.  

Back to the "Heroes" episode from last night, I thought it was excellent.  Milo was in top form, his best acting job this season.  Hayden too, for the first time I wasn't annoyed by the overly dramatic cheerleader and saw a young lady who can avoid cheesy lines and crying about being different.  I also loved seeing Sylar has grown from his experiences in Volume three.  I loved seeing him show restraint because he wanted to show restraint.  I also loved seeing he is STRONGER than ever!  Amazing.  I only hope that Peter will also come back just as strong.  Nothing better than a good showdown between these two except seeing them work together.   The only other thing I have to say about last night aside from the great ending, is I'm glad they FINALLY added a little dimension to Tracy's character.  She was a sidekick to Nathan the last volume and hardly had any substance at all and became a throw away character.  Last night they gave her a brain and some gumption and wrote to Ali's strengths.  I hope they continue to improve the character, Ali was so good in the first two seasons.  Oh and I heart Matt, Daphne, Hiro, and Ando, they just didn't have much going on besides Matt's new power, but I'm sure we'll learn more about that later.  I like this idea of a prophet.  Interesting.

One More Week!!!

It seems like months since Heroes has been on. I've had to make do with DVD's, Hulu, and Spoilers on Heroeswiki.com. The wait is almost over. Just one more week till I finally get to see what's been going on in the lives of my favorite heroes. Next Monday is the start of Volume 4 - Fugitives and the Heroes people say you don't have to have watched any of the previous episodes to jump right in... but for those of you who haven't been watching, I'll give a recap of all you've missed. I expect all of you to watch, it really is the best drama on television!

To survive, a species must evolve and some humans have developed special abilities. Some can heal/regenerate, some can fly, others can move things with their minds or hear others' thoughts. These special people begin to discover that they have special abilities and that they're not alone; there are others like them who also have abilities.

They soon find out that a certain company already knows what they can do and track and imprison those with abilities. They don't put everyone away, just the most dangerous ones. Not only does this company already know about our heroes with abilities, several of our heroes parents work for this company and they also have abilities. There's a whole history that we've barely scratched the surface of. However, the heroes have been busy saving the world from atomic bombs, disease, and a future where everyone has superpowers and haven't had much a chance to dig too deeply into the secrets of their parents.

Now, the company and a rival company that popped up have been virtually destroyed by fire. Many of the people remain, but because one of the heroes told the President of the United States that there were people with abilities who needed to be locked up for the safety of everyone, they are living underground now, trying to be 'normal'. That's where we'll pick up on February 2nd at 9 PM after a 3D episode of Chuck on NBC.

Here are the main characters: Peter - absorbs the powers of others, his brother Nathan - can fly and turned the heroes over to the President, Claire - his illegitimate daughter who can regenerate, HRG or Noah - her adoptive father who worked for the company and is comfortable living in a morally grey area, Angela - Peter and Nathan's mom who dreams the future, oh, and did I mention the ice queen that Nathan was seeing, but is one of the first people he turns in? Her name's Tracy. Matt - the cop who can read minds, Daphne - his girlfriend who is fast... real fast, Hiro - who can stop time and travel in time... but has no powers at the moment, Ando - Hiro's friend who has some new powers that work like a battery for others with powers, Mohinder - his dad was a genealogist who was killed while studying people with abilities and now Mohinder carries on his work... oh yeah, and he also figured out how to give himself powers, now he has super strength, Maya - Mohinder's kinda girlfriend used to kill people with her toxic tears, but now she can control them thanks to Sylar - the baddie we all love. He's been the villain since season one and he loves to kill people with abilities and steal their ability. He recently learned that it wasn't neccasary to kill to take an ability, but there's something about sticking his hands into fresh brain...

Now you have absolutely no reason you can't watch! I promise you won't be bored or disappointed. Oh, and one more thing. There isn't one bad looking person in this cast. Seriously, they're all super model gorgeous, so turn the channel to NBC Monday nights!

What I'm Hearing

There's this brand new band called Beast and they're fantastic.  Specifically, "Mr. Hurricane" rocks.  It starts with a distorted bass line and has this funky beat to it, but it doesn't sound like KC and the Sunshine Band.  Even though funk is an obvious inspiration, this is a new sound.  Part of that new sound is the lead singer, Beatrice Bonifassi.  She sang in that animated movie that impressed so many several years ago.  Remember "Triplettes de Belleville"?  Well, the soundtrack won an Oscar and I believe it owes much of that award to Bonifassi.  The only other member of the band is Jean-Phi Goncalves.  If Bonifassi's voice makes the music haunting and fun, Jean-Phi brings the soul and beat that sets the voice to life.  They may be too unique for the bland tastes of mass consumption, but "Mr. Hurricane" could be a chart topper and the rest of the songs are like fine dark chocolate, only for the most serious conosours.  They're on I-tunes.

For the Curious

Thanks for reading my blog.  I plan to hone my writing skills here.  That isn't to say that this space will be filled with poems or abstract limericks.  In fact, you may find little in the way of 'creative writing' on this blog.  Rather, I hope to write about things that interest me or stir up my passions in some fashion.  I'll pass on cool websites, tv/music/movie reviews, products, and other things that we can share in, but I'll also tackle issues that are important to me.

This blog may not have a set topic, but it will paint a picture of me and who I am.  If you ever wondered what I'd say if... this is the place to find out.  I welcome topic suggestions, criticism, corrections, and praise.  If I want to perfect my writing, I'll need to know where I need improvement and where my strengths are.  With practice comes experience and with friends, accountability.