Dear Miss Ro – America’s Best Dance Crew

It’s sad that our relationship has hit a bumpy patch because of America’s Best Dance Crew. I know, I know. You’re still reeling over Kaba Modern (your second favorite crew) being voted off and the final two crews coming down to Status Quo (my favorite) and JabbaWockeeZ (your favorite). I recognize that Jabba and Kaba operate on a whole other level, but I thought I’d make my case for why I think the right two crews are going head-to-head.

There were three schools of crews in America’s Best Dance Crew: the technically brilliant (Jabba, Kaba, Iconic) , the more raw street style (Status Quo, Live in Color, Fysh n Chicks), and the other (BreakSk8, Femme 5). The other/novelty acts went as far as they could (BreakSk8 represent!), but the show rightly came down to the best of the two schools.

Sure, Status Quo is sloppy. Their choreography is a mess. They are like a three ring circus every time they perform, like short attention span theater for dancers. Their brand of barely controlled chaos reminds me of an NBA team: a bunch of individual stars who struggle to work together half the time. But they get credit for their creativity, their energy level, their stunts and their sense of humor. They are audience crowd pleasers.



JabbaWockeeZ are just. Plain. Stupid. Status Quo may be my favorite group, but that was taking Jabbawockeez (and Kaba Modern) out of the equation, because [those two groups] are sick. While both groups execute with near machine-like perfection, Jabba got the edge because they have a greater stage presence. Their choreography not only is creative, but they engage the crowd in ways Kaba hadn’t.


You knew at some point the competition was going to come down between Jabba and Kaba, we just wanted it in the final episode and not the penultimate one. Think of it this way, I understand the pain you are feeling: I still haven’t quite gotten over the first season of American Idol when I thought the showdown should have been between Kelly Clarkson and Tamyra Gray.

Anyway, I know you’ll be voting right up until the finale airs Thursday.

So you really don’t have to take your anger at me out on my message board. You know, not many pictures even exist of me in an Afro, so I know you had to go WAY back to find some (for those keeping score at home, I’m in the yellow shirt). You realize that not even our mother has pictures of me in any form of an Afro because I confiscated all such pictures when I moved out. But Of COURSE you manage to dig one up.

Come on over to my house. I’ll fix you dinner. We’ll lead up to the finale of America’s Best Dance Crew by watching the previous episodes. It’ll be okay.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say “hi”, feel free to stop by my message board. We always welcome new voices to the conversation.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles – A Review

“O Mary Don’t You Shoot”

The latest trend in Hollywood has been to re-tread nostalgic favorites, thus the return of Transformers, Rocky, Rambo, and Knight Rider (which threatens to become a series in the Fall). It makes sense: the properties have immediate name recognition and a built in audience, however, that alone isn’t enough (see Bionic Woman). However, I don’t think Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles will be sharing the problems of Bionic Woman.

For a start, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has a well thought out mythology and the writers know where they are going with the show. It’s a simple premise: a mother and son on the run from robots from the future who are out to kill him before he grows up to become the rebel leader savior he’s destined to become. But the duo has their own robot protecting them in their travels.

Though the series picks up after T2, the second in the movie franchise, it avoids a lot of the continuity issues of T3 by time jumping ahead to present day 2007. This allows them to fulfill the words spoken in T2 about them writing their own destiny (and the show becomes the default T3).

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has a strong cast. Lena Headey (300) steps in as Sarah Connor, in the role Linda Hamilton made iconic. Add Thomas Dekker (Heroes) as John Connor and Summer Glau (Serenity) as the Cameron, the good Terminator, you have a cast that isn’t exactly a collection of strangers to genre work.

“Come with me if you want to live.” –Cameron

These are the first words the protective Terminator uses to introduce itself to either Sarah or John Connor. To draw a Biblical connection, we have the Terminator essentially functioning as the angel Gabriel in the story. He both announces Sarah and John’s role in the greater story of prophetic history, but serves as a guardian spirit.

“I’m not who they think I am. Some messiah.” –John

In a lot of ways, John’s story is parallel to that of Clark Kent’s in the series Smallville. Both are Messianic figures who have yet to come to terms with their future greatness and struggle with the idea of getting there. In the future, he will lead a war against a system programmed to destroy the world, so their present day adventures revolve around trying to prevent the future Fall of humankind, even though they know they won’t.

John constantly questions himself and his destiny (“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be? A hero, isn’t that who I am? If it’s just going to sit inside me, if it’s just going to sit in my gut, then what are we doing? What’s the point?”) even as he slowly comes to terms with it. Hopefully John Connor having the initials J.C. wasn’t too subtle for people.

Also in a way, John communes with himself. His older self sits in some future realm, yet still aids his present self by sending messages, Terminators, and other rebel helpers to help him along his journey. Yet it is not John’s story that I think the biggest spiritual connection lies, but rather with his mother’s.

“Would he know my love runs through him like blood?” –Sarah

Sarah Connor assumes the role of Mary in the story of the one day messiah of humanity. She is the one who will teach him to become the soldier and leader he will become. She is the primary guiding force who helps him come to terms with his destiny. As much as she likes having no name, no story, as they move about in their adventures, it is her love, a mother’s love for her son—and her, in turn, fighting for him—that the show revolves around. Because she knows he has a destiny/mission/ministry to fulfill.

Debate rages around the issues of Mary (from her Assumption to her Immaculate Conception to her role as co-redeemer). In the Protestant rush to downplay her, we often overlook the vital role she had to have played in Jesus’ life, beginning with the fact that she carried the God-man in her womb. She was mother to the Savior. Hers was the voice that shaped him, taught him, disciplined him (we see that she at least got on him for tarrying too long at Temple), and helped him come to terms with his messianic consciousness.

Her role was huge in the Story we find ourselves in and she did play an important part in the story of redemption. So all respect is due.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is smart and entertaining, the epitome of how to reinvigorate a franchise. As both messenger and protector, Summer imbues Cameron with a likeability, warmth, and sly humor despite her robotic role. It’s not easy to raise a teenage boy these days, especially while being stalked in a battle between good and evil. And Sarah is one mother you don’t want to cross. Put simply, This. Show. Rocks.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say “hi”, feel free to stop by my message board. We always welcome new voices to the conversation.

My Name is Earl - A Doubting Faith

“Bad Earl”

“After everything that happened, Karma had me pretty confused.” --Earl

Entering its third season, My Name is Earl spent much of the season following Earl’s misadventures in prison. A lot of his life prior to finding out about and following the ways of “Karma” were spent breaking the law and showing up on episodes of Cops. However, Earl was imprisoned for trying to do right by his ex-wife, Joy. This led to a string of largely mediocre episodes, but watching Joy and Darnell lead a church service (“Oh Jesus you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind, hey Jesus!”) was a series highlight. The episode “Bad Earl” follows Earl’s crisis of faith, what some call a “dark night of the soul.”

As a scientist, a writer, and a practical theologian, intellectually speaking, faith hasn’t come easy to me (the question of faith has always hiccupped my spiritual journey). Some days I find myself wondering if I’m even a Christian. You pour yourself into people, befriend them, only to have them turn on me and/or leave the faith. It can be disheartening and you wonder if maybe you’ve gotten everything somehow wrong.

Some people find the prospect of doubt in one’s faith akin to leaving the faith entirely. They stand firm on “knowing” and “certainty” and “assurance” which can be understandable because people hate the idea of not knowing. Truth shouldn’t fear critical examination, and while there may be a point where you end up questioning for its own sake, every now and then it can be a healthy thing to question and re-evaluate our worldview.

Faith can be a relatively simple math problem: History/evidence + personal experience + intuition = faith. The personal dimensions to our faith, however, can be outlined in three phases: discovery (the kingdom of God/way of life), acknowledgment (this is true), and then reckoning (wrestling with it). Sometimes it seems like we chase after God and He’s playing hard to get. Paradoxically, or at least somewhat counter-intuitively, we can still draw closer to God through times of doubt and questioning.

“I’m pretty sure this Karma thing doesn’t exist.” –Earl

The Christian story on its face can seem ridiculous: God, this completely Other—sometimes seen as an imaginary friend, sometimes as the Creator—becomes flesh and blood, born of a virgin. This story unfolds in the context of angels, miracles, and fulfilled prophecy, only for him to die as so many had before and after on a Roman cross and then rise from the dead.

The journey of knowledge begins with an assumption: atheists begin with human reason (“I know through my reason, I know because I’ve reasoned that”); people of faith with theirs (“The Bible is the word of God because it says it is”). Oversimplified, I know, but minds of inquiry and genuine intellectual curiosity can journey together.

Doubting proves thought. How you arrive at truth, the contemplation of your own existence, demonstrates our ability to think and reflect. In the Christian tradition we typically draw on four sources: Scripture (the Bible), the historic church tradition (we learn in community, with time merely being a dimension to community), reason (both intuitive and deductive), and personal experience.

“I’m sick of people expecting more from me. How come I always have to act better than everyone else?” –Earl

Earl had certain expectations of his faith, a sort of “prosperity Karma”. Faith was almost like an investment scheme: after two years of doing good, things were supposed to be better, not worse. Things didn’t seem fair and we find ourselves (intellectually/behaviorally) spiraling. We can get so hung up on the possibility of missing the mark that we miss the point of being here. We end up asking the wrong questions (“Am I saved and thus ‘in’” vs. “Am I living in the way of Jesus?”).

The whole world is blessed and God is at work in all of us, working out His kingdom plan. Ironically, it’s Randy, Earl’s dimmer-witted brother, who stumbles over the secret to getting back on track: “Maybe you should go ahead and do something on your list. That always makes you feel better.” His list was his “Scriptural” guide for missional living. Living out one’s faith, the parts you clearly understand and know to be true, doesn’t make the questions irrelevant, but it certainly puts them in perspective. I may not be able to exegete every passage in the Bible, but I can grasp the concept of “love others as yourself” or “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
“I had no idea where I was going to, but I knew where I was going from … but Karma came looking for me.” –Earl

In the silence, God is there, or, in Earl’s words, “I thought Karma was dead, but she was just laying low.” You can turn your back on Him, but He won’t turn His back on you. And sometimes we need the silence in order to learn, if only to learn to listen. Having a life of faith means accepting the difficulty of living between paradoxes; it means getting rid of the arrogance and judgmentalism because you don’t have all of the answers. Having a doubting faith isn’t an easy road to walk. It can be filled with many dark nights and the weight of unanswered questions can sometimes be unbearable. But if you let it, a doubting faith can leads you to having to recommit to the journey daily. In the end, that’s all we can ask from our faith. As T.S. Eliot said, "Doubt and uncertainty are merely a variety of belief."


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say “hi”, feel free to stop by my message board. We always welcome new voices to the conversation.

Dexter – A Review

“Hannibal the series”

Many of us suffer from compulsions—from smoking to drinking to promiscuity—some more self-destructive than others. We look at a character like Monk and see the bundle of neuroses that leads to him trying to control his reality by trying to maintain a strict sense of order to it. On the opposite end f the spectrum from Monk is Dexter.

Put simply, Dexter is a serial killer that preys on serial killers. Based on a crime novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall, Six Feet Under) is the kind of witty, intelligent, handsome, oddly charming brand of serial killer we’ve become fascinated with every since the popularization of serial killers with the advent of Hannibal Lecter. The self-aware monster. At an early age, his father, then a cop, recognized his son’s sociopathic tendencies and developed what he dubbed the “Code of Harry”* which would allow him to function in day-to-day circumstances.

He works as a blood splatter analyst for a crime lab in the Miami-Dade police department (yes, essentially tucked away within C.S.I. Miami). While the police track the various serial killers, Dexter is along playing cat and mouse with them. Thus combining our insatiable consumption of both serial killers and police procedurals, especially of the C.S.I. variety. Originally developed for Showtime, the show has been slightly edited so that it can be broadcast on network television.

“I don’t know what made me the way I am but whatever it was left a hollow place inside.” –Dexter

Our culture has a fascination with serial killers, having long mythologizing them. Whether caught up by the charming face evil often wears or a simple fascination with the brutality we are capable of inflicting upon one another, within them we seek dark reflections of ourselves. Call it sin or our nature, it’s like we realize that there is something fundamentally broken about us. Sometimes this brokenness evidences itself in ways both sick and criminal. Evil has many guises, yet there are those who have to figure out the pattern of brokenness.

“I’m a very neat monster.” –Dexter

Dexter clearly is psychotic, incapable of human interactions and feelings, but he fakes them well. He remains ever guarded beneath his façade of relative normalcy, controlling the chaos his urges dispose him to. For him, the blood tells the story of seeking justice, balancing the world’s books.

The Code of Harry are the tenets of his belief structure that provide his moral compass, such as it is. However, they do point to the reality of his life: there is real, undeniable evil; and it must be recognized as well as confronted. The laws help him fight his urges, to not only channel them, but use them ostensibly for good. Depicting the dark side to our nature, serial killers specifically remind us that evil death is all around us in the form of each other, lurking in the ordinary.

What we identify with is a damaged person struggling to do the right thing (as close to the right thing as he knows), despite his nature/inclinations to do otherwise. Since he kills only those who “deserve” it, we are allowed to root for him and for his victory in his struggle.

Considering the level of gross out currently seen on network television (see Bones or Criminal Minds), the graphic nature of Dexter isn’t nearly as shocking as it should be. A few things lost in translation, such as the occasional jarring epithet, “mother lover”. Watching Dexter juggle the relationships that give him the veneer of humanity—his love for his sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) and his just as broken, except in a different way, girlfriend, Rita (Julie Benz)—makes for compelling television, both gruesome and gripping, with a leavening dose of dark humor.




* “Remember this forever: you are my son, you are not alone, and you are loved.”

The Code of Harry basically boils down to six points: 1. Killing must serve a purpose, otherwise it's just murder. Killing innocents is never allowed. 2. Always take time and make sure you have the right person. Be sure. 3. Blend in -- maintain appearances. Fake emotion and normality to fit in. 4. Control urges, and channel them. 5. Be extremely careful with the killing and more importantly the preparation. Preparation is vital, no detail can be overlooked 6. Most importantly, never get caught.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say “hi”, feel free to stop by my message board. We always welcome new voices to the conversation.

The New Adventures of Old Christine – A Review

“The Passion of Christine”: The Hole of Intimacy

Traditional sitcoms have a built in “seen that” quality to them that often acts as a black hole for ideas, originality and performances. Thankfully, some sitcoms break, or at least stretch, the mold (Arrested Development, Scrubs, The Office, even It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) while others do the best they can within genre expectations (The Big Bang Theory). The New Adventures of Old Christine falls into the latter category.

The not-nearly-as-old-as-we’re-led-to-believe Julia Louis-Dreyfuss portrays an older (all of 45!) mom suddenly single again and navigating the changed landscape of the singles scene. Rounding out the ensemble of tropes, I mean, stock characters are her ex-husband, Richard (Clark Gregg); the “new” (READ: younger) Christine (Emily Rutherfurd); 8-year-old son, Ritchie (Trevor Gagnon); and her live-in brother (Hamish Linklater). The show is a love letter to an undervalued demographic: fortysomething women (read: the Desperate Housewives demo).

“I wish I could take credit, but God did that.” –Marley (Tricia O'Kelley)

The adventure that Christine is most often on is the one to fill the hole of intimacy inside her, to quell the stabbings of loneliness. True intimacy is often elusive. Let’s face it, we have this need, this void, for intimacy that our culture has taught us to fill with all sorts of things that fall short of truly filling it. Money. Marriage. Sex. Parenthood. Success. Food. (Don’t tell me you haven’t tried to fill the pain of a break up with a cheeseburger or some ice cream. Or both.) All because the desire to know and be known is a universal desire, one hard-wired into us.

We are hard-wired for intimacy; we’re relational beings. Augustine spoke of a God-sized hole within each of us - essentially it is that built-in need for intimacy. Just as there was an intra-Trinitarian intimacy within the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) before creation, so–as His image bearers–do we share this need for intimacy. The pursuit of intimacy is similar to our pursuit of God. We seek that communion, that connection with him as well as with others. God created us with a yearning for relationships from the beginning (Genesis 2:18), from the moment He said “‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’”

Julia Louis-Dreyfuss carries Christine’s litany of foibles like proud armor, on the one hand a dervish of physical comedy on the other, a “more urbane than thou” devilish wit. Tormented by gossiping moms, her own self-image, and, well, the “new” Christine, The New Adventures of Old Christine mines its share of laughs. However, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss is so much better than the scripts, she alone makes the show better than it ought to be. Brief stints by Wanda Sykes (Evan Almighty) and Blair Underwood, the instant fixer uppers of shows, demonstrate a willingness to get behind the show and lighten her comedic load. This is good because there are a lot of “Christines” out there.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say “hi”, feel free to stop by my message board. We always welcome new voices to the conversation.

Chuck – A Review

"Nerd Delight"

My arch-nemesis/friend Nick Kaufmann and equally huge television watcher, told me that I would love the show Chuck. I hate it when he’s right. Chuck has already become one of my three favorite new shows of the fall (along with Life and Women’s Murder Club). What we see is Josh Schwartz (creator of The O.C.; McG is even around to direct the pilot) taking his best character from the show (Seth Cohen) and building a series around a similar character. Maybe it would be easier to let Chuck Bartowsky introduce the show:

“Hi. My name is Charles Bartowsky but you can call me Chuck. Those are my shoes. This is my life. It’s filled with spies, car chases, computer stealing ninjas, and me saving the day.”

The premise is simple: a twenty-something computer geek gets critical government secrets downloaded into his brain, so rival government agencies recruit him, guard him, and keep him out of evil hands. Chuck and his best friend, Morgan Grimes (Joshua Gomez), are members of the nerd Herd at the local Buy More electronics store (next door to Large Mart). One day he’s drifting through life as usual, things having not worked out the way he had planned, not knowing how important he’s about to become; the next moment, he doesn’t go into the rabbit hole, the rabbit hole goes into him. His old Stanford buddy sends him an e-mail containing thousands of encrypted images/ the combined secrets of the CIA and NSA. Suddenly, he’s enmeshed in the life of a spy. He’s like the anti-Neo.

“Some people want to be heroes and others have to be asked.” –Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski)

Despite being surrounded by a hot CIA agent, Sarah, and a ready-to-shoot NSA agent (Adam Baldwin, Serenity), Chuck refuses to let knowing government’s secrets change his life. He still goes to work, spends time with family and friends, and still pursues love. Despite him being a man with secrets, Chuck knows who he is, it is liberating. The show comes down to what’s really important in life, relationships. Chuck and his best friend (let no one come between their man love). Chuck and his sister, Ellie Bartowski (Sarah Lancaster). Chuck and Sarah. Friendship, family, and the possibility of romance.

“What’s the good of being a hero if no one knows about it?” –Chuck

Webster defines hero as "a person noted or admired for nobility, courage, outstanding achievements". Or, as Joseph Campbell puts it, "a hero ventures forth from the world into a region of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man." Granted, you may picture Jack Bauer long before you picture Chuck Bartowsky, but they share many similar traits that make them heroes: noble, trustworthy, loyal, just, and good; a mix of patriotism and professionalism, as they are both true to their country and their jobs. On another level, his essential story, the monomyth, echoes the story of Christ, humble guy who goes onto great things.

Part spy spoof, part workplace comedy, and tribute to the nerd hero, Chuck is a light-hearted romp. Considering how often Chuck stumbles on them (kind of like how Jessica from Murder She Wrote had family accused of murder every week, which ought to make one wonder about their family) there are conspiracies all around us. Suffused with a quick wit, the show is hilarious and we find ourselves laughing with the nerds, not at them. And because everyone is trying to remain undercover, a lot of the battles are cleverly staged, though there is still plenty of car chases and things that go boom.

In this age of the nerd becoming the leading man rather than loveable sidekick, Chuck is another step toward the dream. One day, though no time soon I hope, the nerd will get the girl.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

Bionic Woman – A Review

"Keep Re-Building"

From the creators of Battlestar Galactica, The Bionic Woman updates the high camp of the 70s series with a straight face. Jaime Sommers (East Enders' Michelle Ryan), girlfriend of a scientist, Will Anthros (Chris Bowers), gets side-swiped by a truck. Luckily for her 1) her boyfriend escapes from the accident unharmed and 2) he’s part of a secret government program that can rebuild her. At least the parts of her that need rebuilding: both legs, an arm, an ear, an eye — all replaced with military bionics. Hardwired for combat, as her boyfriend breaks her situation to her, her blood stream is also full of “anthracites” which allow for, among other things, faster healing. The downside is that she's now government property and must participate in secret operations or be killed.

Okay, so not that straight of a face. The series uneven nature is hard to appreciate until you’ve seen a few consecutive episodes. The pilot was … functional. It got us to the super powers. After that, the series enters a state of constant flux. It was as if the creators were so excited about the concept (“we’re updating the Bionic Woman! I was so hot for her as a kid!!!”), they didn’t fully think out the backstory of the series or characters. And there are a lot of characters they have to choose from to bore us with (whose personalities tend to change with each episode also). It’s a television-familiar cast from Ruth Treadwell (Molly Price, Third Watch), Jonas Bledsoe (Miguel Ferrer, Crossing Jordan), to Antonio Pope (Isaiah Washington, recently fired from Grey’s Anatomy). Unfortunately, no one has much to work with.

“When is it okay to intervene on God’s work?” –Will Anthros
Jamie Wells Summer is stable, loyal, smart, all the things one would want in a girlfriend. She has her act seemingly together. Saddled with an angry, angst-ridden teen sister, Becca Summers (Lucy Hale), the bionics represent her entering her own personal matrix and being given true freedom as opposed to the illusion of it she enjoyed previously. Cutting away all of the parts of her that are weak, she begins to see the world in a new way, experiencing things anew.

“You have no idea what you can do now. It’s a gift. It’s not what you wanted, you didn’t ask for it, it’s not fair, but it’s where you are. And I’m not going to stand around and watch you flush your life down the toilet.” –Jonas

A life ends. A new life begins. Or as the Apostle Paul put it, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life … For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6 4-6).

We begin to question not only who we are, but what we are doing here. That is where the journey begins, that journey of discovery of what it means to be fully human, of learning what we are capable of doing. To figure out how to live as we were created to live, to resist empty ways of living, to find a larger purpose to your life. It may mean being a part of something larger, maybe even an organization out to save the world.

“Sooner or later, you’re going to have to make a choice … welcome to the game.” –Jonas
The Bionic Woman is wildly uneven, much like the protagonist’s acting or her chief nemesis’, Sarah Corvus (Katee Sackhoff having a ball playing the only truly fun character on the show), personality. The characters tend to spout exposition, not actual dialogue; they behave in sometimes bizarre (since we can't say "out of character" since those characters haven't been defined) ways. Ryan isn't up to the task of conveying angst and gravitas via hurt looks and endless exposition (telling us she's hurt is a lot different from us feeling her pain).

However, it does show signs of lightening up in recent episodes. The show itself is still in search of what it wants to be, retool as it goes until it finds its legs: a quasi-feminist/girl power sort of romp (a la, s, though it has that pesky “men in control of your life” underbelly); a popcorn thrill-ride romp that doesn’t take itself too seriously; a social commentary of a woman’s role in the military and society? Ryan lacks the dynamic sparkle needed to act opposite Sackhoff, much less be able to share the screen with Isaiah Washington. That’s how things stand as of now. Who knows what the show will be about by the time the next episode airs. And let's hope that we care by then.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

Boston Legal (Season 3) – A Review

Now out on DVD, I have to say so far so good. David E. Kelly has managed to sustain the delicate balancing act that is Boston Legal. Re-visiting the show after a few seasons, it has been interesting to observe its evolution. Candice Bergen, playing Shirley Schmidt, continues to prove herself to be a genius hire, holding her own in the boys club of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. And she is the third person—the Holy Spirit, if you will—in the trinity that forms the heart of the show: Alan Shore (James Spader), the Son; and Denny Crane (William Shatner), the Father.

“If there were new guys, they’d have shown up in the season premiere. Cue the music.” –Denny Crane

The rest of the cast constantly revolves. In this season: Jeffrey Coho (Craig Bierko) , Claire Simms (Constance Zimmer), and Clarence (Gary Anthony Williams). An assortment of romantic entanglements also come and go, but the pretty people have a disposable quality to them, existing to give the illusion of appealing to a younger demographic as well as illustrating the transitory nature of most of the show’s relationships. (Although, there has been a bit of a Star Trek reunion: with Shatner from the original series; Rene Auberjonois (as series regular, Paul Lewiston) and Armin Shimerman (as Judge Brian Hooper) from Deep Space Nine; and Ethan Phillips (Michael Schiller) from Voyager).

“Why do I get all the issues cases?” –Alan

We live in an increasingly litigious society and the show satirizes this very fact as people turn to lawsuits as the answer to their problems: from being insulted, showing up on youtube, loneliness, issues with God, to how they choose to raise their children.

“That’s your niche. Making the most unacceptable of taboos sound … (exotic).” –Shirley

The sheer ridiculousness of cases serves as a platform for preaching tolerance, stridently intolerant of views that might judge. Lifestyle choices some might consider disturbing, disgusting, or even vulgar (anorexia, cannibalism, transvestitism, racism) are defended. Those that are shocked by the antics are portrayed as close-minded, hypocritical buffoons. Religion, obviously, is a frequent target. However, as Denny points out, “Alan Shore believes man has a soul.” He seeks that essential bit of humanity, that eikon, reflection of God’s image in us all. And he also believes in leading a reflecting life as he asks himself will our lives have counted for something?

“Your disability with intimacy is profound here. You need to get help.” –Alan

All of this said, the central theme of the show is about social isolation and the inability, or at least extreme difficulty, many people have in forming relationships. When Alan asks Denny “Do you ever get lonely?” they both know just how lonely they really are, despite (or because of) their constant womanizing. People are suspect of revealing their “true, unadulterated self” for fear of rejection which leads to them being starved for a little tenderness and distorts how they view relationships. They may find it easier to have a relationship with blow up dolls (or in the current season, appliances) rather than with real people. And yet, each episodes ends with Denny and Alan enjoying cigars and drinks, an old boys club sacrament, realizing that they enjoy what few people have: true acceptance, true friendship, true love.

“These past few years I’ve felt this inexplicable compulsion to be redeeming as if I were some series regular on a television show.” –Alan

The show enjoys its running commentary on a meta level, deconstructing itself as it goes along. It pokes fun at its own rhythms, such as its politically biased but compelling closings. Characters question their motivations or sometimes read their lines from cue cards. The script revels in talking about the characters as well as the actors, such as pointing out how some may be has beens, but at least they’re rich and famous (though they desperately strive to remain relevant). When Alan attacks religion, he admits he’ll get letters. The level of Intra-office romances should be a series of sexual harassment lawsuits. But the show, buoyed by fine performances and finding the humanity within even the most eccentric of characters, continues to delight.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

Women’s Murder Club – A Review

"It's All About the Club"

There are times I’m hesitant to review a show only because I’m enjoying it so much that I hate to have to “go to work” when I’m watching it. One show was Life and the other entry this Fall television season is Women’s Murder Club.

Based on the best-selling series of books by James Patterson, Women’s Murder Club revolves around the lives of a Fantastic Foursome of women in San Francisco - a homicide detective (Inspector Lindsay Boxer - Angie Harmon); an assistant district attorney (Jill Bernhardt - Laura Harris); a medical examiner (Dr. Claire Washburn - Paula Newsome); and, newest member, a newspaper reporter (Cindy Thomas - Aubrey Dollar). Though they each have separate and distinct lives—and they bring their own “super power” to the table—they are bound by friendship.

It doesn’t have enough grit that one would expect from a Patterson product or any crime procedural, though I suspect that is what the ongoing serial killer storyline is about. But the show also juggles a cavalcade of a soap opera-esque cast of characters: ex-lovers, tough bosses, soon-to-be wives to the aforementioned lovers and bosses, not to mention any other spouses and significant others currently in the picture (each with their accompanying story).

Harmon continues to distract me with her acting: it’s like she doesn’t know what to do with her hands. Her strident and cool character is more believable as a cop than as a prosecutor (though don’t get me wrong: she was my second favorite ADA in Law & Order’s history). Her relationship with her partner, Warren (Tyrees Allen) is one of the highlights of the show. With her husky voice and abrasive manner, she fights her way through the boys’ club of the police squad.

“I don’t want to die period. Why are we even talking about this?” –Inspector Lindsay Boxer

Women’s Murder Club is a procedural to a point, revolving around their relationships more than the cases. The ladies long ago realized that their lives, both personal and work, were better lived in community, muddling through what life throws at them together rather than on their own. The reality is that we have spheres of friendship which are defined by levels of intimacy and long to be a part of a close knit community though they are forged over time – a mix of chemistry and history that leads to intimacy. We have those folks in closest orbit to us (the smallest circle of friends) and as we move away in levels of intimacy, those spheres include more and more people. Many of us are afraid to put ourselves “out there,” To risk possible rejection, to be vulnerable, to open ourselves up – to do the things that developing intimacy requires. However, we can all stand to be better friends, to learn how to peer out of our spheres of self-involvement and self-focus. Good friendships rare enough and should be treasured when you find them.

Women’s Murder Club has a sense of humor with very much a woman’s perspective to it. There’s plenty of “girl talk” and chocolate at the end of the day (and beginning of the day and many times during the course of an investigation). Yes, it is NYPD Blue meets C.S.I. meets Grey’s Anatomy and the show often feels the growing pains of a show trying to find it’s unique voice from such a pastiche. Consider this my Friday night guilty pleasure.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Season One and Two) – A Review

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the kind of comedy that makes you squirm with discomfort. The kind of cringefest that makes shows like The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Arrested Development. The characters are wrong (ignorant), selfish, insensitive, and vacuous (no convictions beyond getting laid or making money). They collide in a train wreck of personal situations as they reveal themselves to be … who they really are. It’s Seinfeld in the extreme and we laugh along to their absolute wrongness.

“This isn’t a morality contest.” –Charlie

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia follows the exploits of three self-absorbed high school friends -- Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Mac (Rob McElhenney) – now twentysomethings who own a neighborhood bar along with Dennis' sister, Dee (Kaitlin Olson).

The show is not afraid to mine comedy from taboos. Racism, incest, homophobia, abortion, child molestation, underage drinking, statutory rape, cancer – you get the idea. In so doing, there is a realness to the show because real life is awkward and uncomfortable. It’s both familiar and absurd, in other words, a dark reflection of us.

“Take a look at yourself, bro.” –Mac

At its heart, the show is about people’s inability to be authentic, with themselves or with one another. What they say, who they hang around, what they wear, how they act, about their relationships, they are mired in a non-reflective mindset and trapped by their social ineptness as they try to dodge the inevitable consequences of their cluelessness

They are at the fun stage of life where they struggle with issues of self-image (many of them uncomfortable in their own skins), where they fit in the social order, wrestling with their idea of self-identity, and dealing with feelings of alienation. They’ve been burned by some community (family, a circle of friends, a church … did I mention family?) and are tired of not fitting in, of being rejected, of not being accepted. They put up these “harsh”, abrasive fronts, of the mostly bark/little bite variety, that mask their insecurity.

They seek a place where they can belong, a community whey they can live their often uncomfortable lives. In other words, they are like the rest of us: looking for authenticity, looking for acceptance, on their terms.

“I don’t know what God wants for us … He works bigger than that.” –Dee

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is painfully universal. We’ve all been there. We’ve all been “that guy” (or “that girl”), somewhat pathetic, though often meaning well. And while hilarious in a “I’m gonna feel bad about this later” sort of way (with a Fawlty Towers feel to it if you want an old school comparison), there is a line it treads where the show could just flat out be mean-spirited. Sometimes, if you don’t wince, you may want to adjust your moral compass.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

Life – A Review

The new Fall television season is upon us and, as expected as the routine of having to rake leaves, with it comes the familiar spate of police procedurals. Not that you could tell from the title—nor could you tell much of anything else about the show from its unfortunate title—but Life is one of them. Detective Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis) has his share of quirks, from his constant eating of fresh fruit to his constant Zen-commentary. So much so, one feels this show is misplaced not being on the USA channels lineup of detective shows: Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Psyche, Monk. Despite the competition, Crews is easily one of television’s most fascinating characters.

Having spent the last 12 years in prison set up for a crime he was exonerated for, Crews (through convoluted premise-generating events) ends up back on the LAPD, though a lot wealthier for his troubles (thus justifying Adam Arkin’s return to series television as his one-time cell mate and now money manager, Ted Earley). The slightly troubled Crews, whom no one wishes to partner with, is nonetheless saddled with a partner equally in need of redemption, Dani Reese (Sarah Shahi). All of this going on while 1) a film crew does documentary-style interviews about the Crews case and 2) Crews is secretly trying to ferret out the conspirators that framed him in the first place.

“Life was his sentence and life is what he got back.” –Constance Griffith (Brooke Langton) “What do you think he should do with that life?” (interviewer)
“That would be up to him.”

One of the intriguing aspects to Crews’ character is observing how much prison life has affected him, especially in regards to how he pursues his calling of being a police officer. Besides being over a decade behind in technology, he still carries with him all the lessons of surviving in prison now that he’s back on the street.

People so often find themselves on a spiritual path once they find themselves in prison is because they look around and see the consequences of living life their way on their terms. Prison is the ultimate end of self. It’s when we’ve reached the end of our rope and hope. When we’ve seen where life has gotten us under our own efforts. When we see the bars/cages of our life for what they are. When we’ve completely bottomed out. With prison, we have nothing but time and are forced to be alone. We have to face our inner noise, without all of the distractions that comes from our hollow pursuits. In Crews’ case, he turned to Zen in order to make sense of his place in the world. But, as Lt. Karen Davis (Robin Weigert) points out, “You don’t have to go to prison to eat crap.”

“Tell me something that means something.” –grieving victim

What does life boil down to? What’s really important? These are the important questions we have to meditate on in order to find meaning for ourselves. Sometimes the answer comes in the simplest question, as Crews asks: “Anyone ever love you that much?” To take a bullet for you, to give you life, to sacrifice themselves so that you may find your true purpose for being. When Crews is asked by a grieving crime victim “How did you go on living? How did you get past it?”, the answers sound easier than they are. You’re already past it. We’re to be fully alive, in the moment, living the life we ought to be living.

It’s good to see quality writing and complicated characters taking the front seat in hour long dramas. The ever-present danger is that quirks become caricatures and characters become cartoons. So far, so good though and after only a few episodes, Life has found its rhythm. In fact, it’s easy to say that Life is one of the pleasant surprises of the Fall.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

Moonlight – A Review

Since apparently only geeks stay home, the latest entry into the Friday night/genre death slot has arrived. Twenty years ago, creator Ron Koslow gave us that paranormal romance, Beauty and the Beast. Paired with Ghost Whisperer, Moonlight seems like a good fit. Not that it tries too hard, but Moonlight won’t be able to escape the Forever Knight (and, for that matter, Angel) comparisons.

Private investigator, Mick St. John (Alex O'Loughlin), was transformed into a vampire 60 years ago by his ex-wife, thus he remains the perfectly preserved thirty something do-gooder for hire. Playing web casting Lois Lane to his undead Superman is Beth (Sophia Myles), who shares a bond with him. Rounding out their little ensemble is his 400-year-old friend Josef (Jason Dohring), who is a part of some greater vampire conspiracy/network only interested in his selfish pursuits and keeping the reality of vampires a secret.

At some point they will hopefully re-think the voice over exposition. Not that the device works often (Desperate Housewives and Burnout being exceptions), but for the device to work, the narrating character needs to have something interesting to say or at least say it interestingly. In Moonlight’s case, the voice of the character lands somewhere between emo, Anne Rice-an and poor film noir, except devoid of humor and anything engaging. Acknowledging that a joke is bad ("being a vampire sucks") doesn’t make it any better.

"When you live forever, the past always catches up to you." –Mick

Moonlight has redefined vampire lore (albeit awkwardly, in a talk show format, pre-credits "interview") so that there is very little religious overtone to the vampire mythology, except for the idea of blood leading to eternal life. However, it isn’t his vampire nature that is the spiritual lynchpin of the show, but rather his humanity. His choice in vocations and how he chooses to live his life is what is of interest.

"There is no time. There is no life. There is no death. It is a perfect world, seemingly everlasting, until we are ripped from the womb into daylight. When we are born, that paradise is lost and we spend the rest of our days trying to find out way back. Back to that perfect world." –resident bad guy

The fallen state that we find ourselves in leads Mick to confess that "For the longest time I was like most people, looking out for myself." He reaches a climax point in his life when he realizes that living his life for his own ends and purposes is a hollow pursuit which is why he begins living his life for others. It is his attempt at redemption. At the same time, "the thirst for blood is symbolic of a deeper hunger," a desire to connect. He has a longing to connect not only to his lost humanity but to others and perhaps find himself.

In the twenty years since Beauty and the Beast, the mopey, melancholy hero (especially in vampire form) has been done to undeath. O'Loughlin doesn’t bring anything to the role beyond the ability to pose and we’re still waiting for the chemistry between him and Beth to take root. (Although, the whole "I’ve been watching you since you were a child" vibe is probably the creepiest thing about the show). Apparently the key to doing something new with vampires is to make them boring and unsexy. Brilliant!

***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

K-Ville – A Review

"Life After the Fall"

I long advocated a CSI: New Orleans when it was in the idea pile (before they settled on the "been there" setting of New York). My chief reasoning being that the cities, Las Vegas (original C.S.I.) and Miami, were as much a character as any other regular. With K-Ville, we finally have a series set in New Orleans, though it does its level best to squander the opportunity.

Basically your standard interracial buddy cop team, one partner being ex-Special Forces, the other half a nut job, you can’t help but think of something like Lethal Weapon crossed with Miami Vice. But because of the particular sentiment swirling around New Orleans, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, race and politics provide a vital undercurrent to the show ... and the people an exploited one.

Anthony Anderson, still prone to screaming half of his lines, plays caring family man cop, Marlin Boulet. His former partner, Charlie Pratt (Derek Webster), burned out on the job during the Hurricane Katrina crisis. As the show opens, he is being assigned a new partner, Trevor Cobb (Cole Hauser). Once we get through the introductions and setting, we’re left with (sub-)standard procedural fare.

"I guess you’re human." –Trevor

The show is not subtle about the state of New Orleans (and bounces along to an equally subtle soundtrack). Rich racial and spiritual implications abound in the show, but it is the treatment of the disenfranchised that buoys it. Few have ever considered Fox philanthropic, but the show does draw attention to the inconvenient reality of our poor. After tragedies, we want to move on quickly, ignoring the reality of more pressing economic priorities, that played a part in why the tourist areas were back up quick, slapping a shiny, happy face on the situation, while the poor areas were left in disarray, the casualties of trickle down help.

Ayana: Just look around … it’s not the same place and it’s never gonna be.
Marlin: It will be if we fight for it.

In a lot of ways, Hurricane Katrina represented their story taking a different turn, much like the idea of "the Fall": the sin of Adam and Eve. Moving beyond a literal interpretation of the story, Adam’s sin represented humanity seeking its own way. Our pursuit of what we hope to create out of rebellion (the lie of independence)—attempting to write our own stories—all the while ignoring the grand story of which we’re a part. Relationships are broken and we’re left with conflict: man vs. man; man vs. God; man vs. self; man vs. Creation. One of the things that makes suffering so bad is the sense, the part of us that knows, that things aren’t as they’re supposed to be.

"If you get a second chance then you’re changing your life." –Trevor

While some have said that Hurricane Katrina was God's judgment against our embrace of homosexuality and abortion, the hard reality is that if we're going to be judged, it will be on how we treat, in Jesus' words, "the least of these". The poor. The disenfranchised. We are to be witnesses of hope and the first ones to protest this violent order of the way things are; we draw near to the suffering, continue to ask "why?", and then act in compassion. Our lives become pursuits of putting things back together after bad things happen. In K-Ville we see most of the characters in search of redemption, from the ex-partner to the current one.

"Isn’t this a bit overboard?" –Trevor

K-Ville brings big gun battles set in the Big Easy, so it is a show completely dependent on its context, bringing little new to the table. I keep waiting for Anderson and Hauser to break out somehow rather than play within the ciphers they’ve been given as characters. The show has just enough promise to justify a couple more episodes to see if it will shake out its kinks and grow into the show it wants to be.

***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

Cane – A Review

Blair Underwood. Heather Locklear. Jimmy Smits. These are who I like to think of as good television folks. These are the kind of folks who you just enjoy watching on the small screen and can improve whatever show they are on simply by the power of their presence. So you know that means I’m just happy to see Jimmy Smits (NYPD Blue) back on television on the show Cane.

Smits plays Alex Vega, heir apparent to the rum and sugar empire of a large Cuban-American family. Pancho Duque (Hector Elizondo, Chicago Hope) creates all sorts of rivalries when he settles on his son-in-law Alex over his natural son, Frank (Nestor Carbonell). Yeah, I said the sugar cane business; it’s not very sexy, but once you get past that and focus on the intrigue of family politics, rival businesses, and the betrayals of each, you have an interesting show. It’s a show about a family trying to live the American Dream and make the most of the land of opportunity.

“You do what you have to do for your family.” Santo (Oscar Torre)

Cane revolves around the idea of family. Sometimes the definition of family needs to be broadened; for example, friends are the family you choose. Some folks have adopted family, yet regardless, we strive for a sense of unity within our diversity. We weren’t created to be islands of solitude. This self-sufficient image may work for some, but it was not what we were created to be. We were born for relationships–be they family, friendships, or colleagues–and that is what shapes us (though the absence of relationships also form us). We were created as relational beings and we live in the context of family. In taking on one another’s burdens, we define what’s best about family.

There’s nothing new here. Too many stock characters, more clichéd glyphs than real people: from the patriarch to the outsider heir apparent to the disgruntled son (Frank) to rambunctious teens (to bring the sexy back). There is also a disturbing Cubans vs. “Americans” subtext (those darn immigrants co-opting our dream) that runs as an undercurrent. Cane is a mix of The Sopranos (maybe more the short-lived but wonderful, Kingpin) and Dallas except with a Cuban-American family. It’s like comfort television.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

Viva Laughlin – A Review

I know the executives are going to get quickly sick of this comparison, but did Cop Rock teach us nothing? Is there some pop culture zeitgeist building for the return of the musical drama that I am heretofore unaware of? At one point Hugh Jackman (a long way from playing Wolverine in the X-Men movies) bursts into a room singing the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil.” I understand the need for creativity and we’re tired of the same old-same old, but singing and dancing along to the background music seems pointless, distracting, and, its biggest sin, doesn’t advance plot. It might as well be music playing along in the background.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Based on the British hit, Viva Blackpool, Viva Laughlin revolves around Ripley Holden (Lloyd Owen) whose casino, in Laughlin, Nevada, has its grand opening threatened. Its big investor is found dead in his office, Ripley has been sleeping with the guy’s wife, Ripley becomes the prime suspect in his death, and his rival, Fontana (the aforementioned Mr. Jackman) eyes a takeover opportunity.

And folks break out into singing the soundtrack music.

“Let me show you what believing can do.” --Ripley

Ripley is so focused on living the American Dream, he hasn’t stopped to examine if his “dream” is worth living. Like the show, The Riches, this show realized that too often we believe that if we can just get that dream, that castle, that we’ll have the time and the opportunity to make up the costs of what it took to get them. We have faith in the belief that once we attain the dream, everything will work out.

“You are not who you are pretending to be.” Bunny Baxter (Melanie Griffith)

So we seek a new, presumably better identities for ourselves, surrounding ourselves with the trappings of success, ever wanting improvement for our lives, accepting the costs of moving on up. Ripley becomes so lost in his skewed value system when it comes to his pursuit of wealth and the costs of consumerism, he neglects much of what really matters. His various self-salvation schemes, his narcissism and his materialism come at the cost of wrecking the lives of those around him.

The over the top premise unfortunately lends itself to a lot of shrill and overblown performances. It needs to make up its mind about whether it wants to go campy or not. The show has the star power (if not the star vocals), but if it stays around more than a month I’ll be surprised.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

The Big Bang Theory - A Review

Nerds are the new chic. Think about it: Hiro from Heroes, Hurley from Lost, Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds. So it was only a mat ter of time before nerd sitcoms (nerdcoms?) came down the development pipeline: NBC’s The IT Crowd, ABC’s Miss/Guided, and CBS’s The Big Bang Theory. Let me first start out by admitting that sitcoms aren’t my thing. I watch four (not counting The Simpsons or Family Guy): 30 Rock, The Office, Scrubs, My Name is Earl. I long ago grew tired of the laugh track on overdrive.

The only reason I gave The Big Bang Theory a shot was because it was directed by industry legend, James Burrow (everything from Will & Grace to Friends to Frasier to Cheers to Taxi), who has a great track record of getting pilots onto the air and written by Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men, Dharma & Greg – although, frankly, that Dharma & Greg credit should actually have given me pause).

“It’s a paradox. Paradoxes are a part of nature.” Leonard

It’s a comedy about two genius roommates, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons), who understand the workings of the universe, but can’t figure out women. Now they get the girl, Penny (Kaley Cuoco), who’s hot, but we’re not clear if she can talk and change channels at the same time. So when they aren’t watching Battlestar Galactica reruns, playing Klingon Boggle, or doing quantum mechanics and differentials, they are left baffled by the mysteries of a woman showering in their place.

“What are you trying to accomplish here?” Sheldon

That’s a good question. Once we’re passed their use of the “No more tears Darth Vader shampoo”, we’re left with the issue of their difficulty in developing relationships. The awkwardness, the desire to relate—and we’re left asking “Why bother?” Why get involved in the game, the silliness, the drama? Why put yourself through the emotional roller coaster over and over again? Why invest or risk so much of your self-esteem, self-image, and personal happiness on the possibility of going out with someone? Why do we end up defining ourselves, our well being, and our worth through the eyes of another? Why, as a friend put it, do we insist on continuing to date after so many heart wrenching, near life-destroying, pain-inducing, love experiences (and then remain hopeful that the next dating experience will be different)?

One word: intimacy.

We might as well ask why form friendships or any relationships at all. Everyone wants to be loved and be loved by someone. Everyone wants to know and be known by someone. When people speak of intimacy--trying to define what it is they are wanting–they talk about genuine trust, vulnerability, and transparency. They want to feel connected to someone. This sense of connectedness is a characteristic that we want in all of our close relationships. We want to share our lives, be accepted, and be intimate with others. Especially an other.

We are hard-wired for intimacy; we’re relational beings. Augustine spoke of a God-sized hole within each of us - essentially that is that built in need for intimacy. Just as there was an intra-Trinitarian intimacy before creation, so–as His image bearers–do we share this need for intimacy. The pursuit of intimacy is similar to our pursuit of God. We seek that communion, that connection with him as well as with others. God created us with a yearning for relationships from the beginning (Genesis 2:18) when He said “‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’”

The Big Bang Theory has the ultimate outsiders, social clueless yet endearing all the same. I don’t know if we’re meant to be laughing with them or at them, thus pantsing them all over again. Right now, they aren’t fleshed out characters, but still mostly stereotypes not characters, though Sheldon displays the most comic potential. But there are laughs to be found here and possibly a mid-sized hit.


***
If you want to make sure that I see your comment or just want to stop by and say hi, feel free to do so on my message board. I apologize in advance for some of my regulars.

Robin Hood – A Review