TV Time: Flesh and Bone

Posted in Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Every once in a while, I like to talk about TV. Because yes, I’m a TV watcher. And I enjoy it, dammit!

This week, I watched the first episode of Flesh and Bone, a new “limited series” on Starz… and proceeded to binge-watch all eight episodes over the weekend. Which is a lot of gritty ballet drama to absorb in a short time… but hey, I was hooked, and before I knew it, I was too far gone to stop.

So, Flesh and Bone. What’s it about?

Here’s the official trailer:

Soooo… not exactly a feel-good sort of series.

Flesh and Bone tells the story of Claire, a young woman who starts the series by running away from her family home in Pittsburgh, where clearly — judging by the padlock on her bedroom door — there are issues. Arriving in New York, Claire auditions for the American Ballet Company, and despite almost getting pitched out on her ear, she ultimately lands a position with the company.

The company is headed by Artistic Director Paul Grayson, a high-strung former dancer who demands absolute control over his dancers and who uses emotional manipulation and threats to get what he wants. While he’s initially ready to kick Claire out over a minor infraction, once he sees her dance, he realizes he has a star on his hands.

Claire, meanwhile, has to deal with living on her own in the big city, the pressure of being singled out, and the constant malicious gossip from the other members of the company.

The supporting characters include a prima ballerina, Kiira, who’s not willing to give up without a fight, Claire’s anorexic and hostile roommate Mia, and Romeo, the delusional homeless man who lives on the roof of Claire’s building, who seems to have appointed himself Claire’s protector.

All this, plus some glorious dancing, makes for riveting television.

If you’ve seen other ballet movies or TV shows, the standard ballet tropes will jump right out at you: An egomanaical artistic director. A statuesque former ballerina as the company manager. Rehearsals run by a Russian lady with a teeny dog. Catty comments from the other dancers about the new girl. Sexual tensions permeating the company. Sexual favors given and received for advancement. Sexual demands by a powerful donor. An aging prima ballerina feeling displaced by the fresh young talent.

Oh, and stripper poles. Yup. Stripper poles. (You’ll see.)

Despite some familiar themes and cliched moments, there’s also grace and power — although it’s mixed in with scenes of harsh ugliness. Still, check out the haunting opening sequence:

Doesn’t that just make you… feel?

Flesh and Bone is definitely more than meets the eye. For example, there’s a big, dark secret lurking in Claire’s past. There’s a shocking reveal at the end of the first episode — but even then, when we think we’re beginning to understand, it turns out that there’s so much more to it.

The same is true of so much about this series. You could look at Flesh and Bone as just another ballet show, but that description really doesn’t capture the full picture of what F&B is all about. I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity of the relationships, the unpredictability of the push and pull between artistic glory and human grittiness, and the lovely directing and artistry that keeps the beauty in balance with the blood and sweat.

Starz is defining Flesh and Bone and a limited run season, eight episodes and done. No second season is planned, which is too bad, as far as I’m concerned. The show does have a great ending, but I could definitely envision much more story left to tell. If Starz changes its mind and decides to do more, I’d gladly watch.

Oh, and a final fun fact: If you were a fan of Center Stage, the 2000 ballet movie, then you have one more reason to check out Flesh and Bone. Because Sascha Radetsky from Center Stage dances in F&B as well, and he’s just so… awesome.

Pausing for a moment of Center Stage nostalgia.

(For more on the Center Stage/Flesh and Bone connection, check out this piece from Vulture.)

Have you watched Flesh and Bone yet? Do you intend to? Share your thoughts in the comments!

11Nov2015

A book and a movie: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Posted in Book Reviews, Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Finally, finally, finally… after years of saying that (a) I want to read North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and (b) I need to see the mini-series version (starring *swoon* Richard Armitage)…

I’ve done both!

This year, my online book club (the wonderful and amazing Outlander Book Club!) chose North and South as our group classic read. We started about six months ago, and have read and discussed two chapters per week from then until now, just finishing this past week. And then, to celebrate, we all decided to watch the BBC mini-series and discuss that as well. And both were glorious!

First, the book, starting with a quick synopsis (via Goodreads):

When her father leaves the Church in a crisis of conscience, Margaret Hale is uprooted from her comfortable home in Hampshire to move with her family to the north of England. Initially repulsed by the ugliness of her new surroundings in the industrial town of Milton, Margaret becomes aware of the poverty and suffering of the local mill workers and develops a passionate sense of social justice. This is intensified by her tempestuous relationship with the mill-owner and self-made man, John Thornton, as their fierce opposition over his treatment of his employees masks a deeper attraction. In North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell skillfully fuses individual feeling with social concern, and in Margaret Hale creates one of the most original heroines of Victorian literature.

North and South is is a combination of romance and social commentary. Through Margaret’s eyes, we come to see the struggle for workers’ rights, the plight of the poor, and the value of good people, no matter their social status. Margaret casts aside her class snobbery and learns to appreciate and respect a self-made man who pulled himself up from nothing, and at the same time comes to befriend and support the poor and downtrodden of the mill town where she ends up. Margaret and John start as stormy opposites, constantly antagonizing and misunderstanding one another, and evolve into the truest of soulmates. It’s a lovely, lovely book, and we found so much to discuss and ponder throughout.

And then there’s the mini-series, a four-episode production from 2004. How can I possibly describe the loveliness? It’s got passion, drama, beautiful people, lots of smolder, amazing costumes… also grimy, poverty-stricken hovels, dangerous working conditions, and angry mobs. Not to mention parents who are either clueless (Margaret’s) or kind of scary (John’s mom), plenty of tragic deaths, secrets and misunderstandings, and oodles of train rides.

What’s not to love about a tortured, broody hero?

Or a beautiful young woman with a backbone?

And talk about chemistry:

I’m thrilled to have finally experienced both versions of North and South, and I wouldn’t give up either! If you’ve never had the pleasure, I absolutely recommend starting with the book… unless you don’t have the patience and demand instant gratification, in which case, all this gorgeousness can be yours in just four short hours!

On a final note, I just read a terrific piece written last year on the 10th anniversary of the BBC production’s release. Check out the full article (“10 Years Later, ‘North & South’ Remains the Greatest Period-Drama Miniseries of All Time”) here, and I’ll leave you with this small line from it:

It’s one of the most explosive, chemistry-rich misunderstanding-laden romances that’s ever graced the small screen.

And if you want to know more about Elizabeth Gaskell’s novels, check out this terrific post over at the always great Eclectic Tales blog.

30Jul2015

Poldark!

Posted in Fun and Whimsy, Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Anyone else out there loving the glory of Poldark on PBS?

I mean, how can you resist?

I haven’t seen the two-hour season finale yet (airing this coming Sunday), but as for the rest of the season so far, I’m loving it.

To back up a bit, Poldark is adapted from a series of books by the late author Winston Graham (which were also made into a PBS series in the mid-1970s). Book 1, Ross Poldark, was published in 1945, and the author went on to write a total of twelve book in the Poldark saga. The books are historical fiction set in Cornwall, with the first book opening in 1783 as Captain Ross Poldark returns to his family home after fighting in the American Revolutionary War — on the losing side.

Ross finds much changed upon his return: His home is tumbling down and in terrible shape, his family’s copper mines are failing, the workers are starving, and his beloved Elizabeth has become engaged to marry his cousin Frances, who belongs to the wealthier part of the Poldark family. Ross deals with disappointment and hurt by throwing himself into the restoration of his estate and his mine, and eventually falls for the lower class girl he rescued from abuse and brought into his home as a servant.

Demelza is a breath of fresh air, not hung up on manners, full of impetuous good spirits, laughter, and a good heart. With Demelza’s love, Ross begins to find happiness finally, and the two make an unconventional couple who incite the gossip of the upper class throughout the area.

After watching the first episode of the TV series, I just knew I had to read the books. The 8-hour first season covers the content of books 1 (Ross Poldark) and 2 (Demelza), and I ended up reading both. Normally, I dislike reading books after seeing the TV or movie versions of a story, but in this case, it only added to my enjoyment. I found that I enjoyed the TV episodes best without knowing what was going to happen, but knowing what would happen didn’t at all detract from my enjoyment of the books.

The TV show is very faithful to the major plotlines of the books, with only slight changes here and there to heighten the on-screen drama. (For example, a character’s mine in the books fails due to a crumbling economy, whereas on TV, the character loses the mine in a card game.) Likewise, the show plays up the love triangle aspect of the plot more than the book does, although to be honest, it’s really not as big a factor as the early promos might have led us to believe.

The books were simply terrific! Even reading them after viewing the events on TV, the level of detail and beautiful writing in the books adds to what I already knew, so I was never bored or feeling like I was going over familiar ground. The writing is lovely, and the descriptions of landscapes, interior scenes, even clothing and candlelight, are so masterfully worded that there’s a sharply visual element to the words on the page. (See my Thursday Quotables post from last week, here, for an example of what I mean.)

The TV production is stunning to look at (and no, I don’t just mean the curls blowing in the breeze or the sultry, brooding stare). The sea and the fields, the hills, the farms — they’re all gorgeous. Of course, there are some episodes that feature about three too many scenes of Ross dramatically dashing off on his horse as the waves crash beside him… but that’s easy to forgive. It’s not all eye candy. The plot is engrossing, and the supporting characters are, by turn, sadly valiant (cousin Verity), tragically doomed (poacher Jim), and buffoonishly weak (ugh, cousin Frances). And don’t get me started on Jud and Prudie, Ross’s household servants who spend most of their time drinking, fighting, or drinking and fighting.

While there are moments of light and joy, and swoonishly romantic love scenes, the tone seems to get darker and darker as the season draws to a close. As I said, I haven’t seen the finale yet, but I have finished reading Demelza… and boy, it’s a doozy. No spoilers from me, but if the show is anywhere near as tragic, I’ll be a big soppy, weepy mess by the end.

My understanding is that Poldark has been a big success for Masterpiece, so I think we can feel confident that it’ll return for season 2 next year. Meanwhile, I already have copies of the next two books… and while I really should read other things for a while, I’m super tempted to dive right into book #3 (Jeremy Poldark — and no, I have no idea who Jeremy Poldark is), if for no other reason than to find out (I hope!) that there’s some sunshine heading back into the story.

Sigh. Are you watching? Have you read the books? What do you think?

And yeah, I know I said it wasn’t all eye candy, but — seriously! How can they show this on TV and expect people not to paste it all over the internet?

30May2015

TV Time: TURN

Posted in Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Everyone once in a while I feel like writing about something other than books (shocking, I know!)… and one of my favorite non-reading activities is watching TV. The spring season has just wrapped up, and I find myself with only three ongoing series on my DVR queue. Which is a good thing, in a way — more reading time in the evenings! I’ve cut way back on my commitment TV, but there are some shows that I absolutely love, and some that have only recently joined the list of my TV favorites.

One of the newer-to-me shows is AMC’s TURN. Close to the end of its second season, Turn has grown on me steadily since the beginning, and at this point, I’m totally hooked.

Turn‘s promos declare it “the untold story of America’s first spy ring”. Sounds pretty sensational, right?

Turn is the story of the legendary Culper Ring, George Washington’s network of spies whose intelligence gathering changed the course of the American Revolution.

Check out the season 2 preview trailer for a taste:

I’m seriously into this show. The development has been something of a slow burn, and it took me a few episodes of the first season to really get a handle on the players and the stakes. Ultimately, the characters are what make the show, and they’re terrific.

There are the biggies — George Washington and Benedict Arnold, among other well-known historical figures. Other people from the history books may be less immediately recognizable, but were in fact the key members of the Culper Ring: Abraham Woodhull, Benjamin Tallmadge, and Caleb Brewster, among others.

I hate to admit it, but I’ve become a little unreasonably infatuated with British spymaster John André, who is portrayed on the show with oodles of swagger and sex appeal (and has an endearing side braid that fascinates me all by itself):

If you need more convincing, how about this:

Why do I love Turn?

The acting is terrific, the story is fast-paced and twisty-turny, and the stakes are incredibly high. We all know how it turns out… but do we really know why? The intrigues are fascinating, and while we may think of redcoats and muskets as quaint elements of the past, seeing them in action makes the danger feel real. The weaponry is from the 1700s, but the human lives on the line are as vulnerable as ever.

I was surprised by how much tension and suspense a show about historical events could deliver. After all, we do know so much about the time — but seeing how these events unfold is constantly a thrill, especially as we’ve come to know the characters and understand who they are and what they’re risking for their beliefs.

The cast is superb (and okay, really good-looking). There are heroes and villains, some totally crazy-pants bad guys, dashes of romance, and even some rather funny bits mixed in… Hey, on the last episode, there was even a wooden mini-submarine. (It’s from HISTORY, yo. The Turtle — go look it up!)

Captain Crazy-Pants

As a side note — because I never do seem to write many posts that don’t mention Outlander in one way or another — the time period ties in nicely with the events in books 7 and 8 in the Outlander series, An Echo in the Bone and Written In My Own Heart’s Blood. Fans of the book series will especially enjoy seeing some of the people, places, and occurrences familiar from the books from a new and different perspective. (No Jamie Fraser, but you can’t have everything.)

Want to know more about the history of the Culper Ring? Here are some good basics.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for something intelligent and absorbing to occupy your vacant TV-watching hours, give Turn a try!

Do you watch Turn? What do you think of it so far? Share your thoughts in the comments!

13Apr2015

Fans, Fanatics, and Frenzy

Posted in Outlander, Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

So, you may have noticed that I’m an Outlander fan. Right?

Yes, another Outlander post from me… but this one is about fan reactions.

It seems to me that fans may very well be a fandom’s worst enemies. Here’s why.

For years prior to the announcement of a TV show, when Outlander was *only* a bestselling series of books with a huge, devoted fanbase, fans spent countless hours and brain cells on fantasy casting. The perfect Jamie! The ideal Claire! Oh, the fights. I swear, I would not be surprised at all to hear that friendships were lost over such important issues. Because we all know that Jamie is the king of men and he is PERFECT.

But it was all a dream, alas.

Until Ron Moore read Diana Gabaldon’s books, put together a TV deal with Starz, and the rest is TV history.

So here we are, two weeks into season 1, part 2, and are fans happy?

If you relied only on social media comments, you’d be justified in thinking the answer is “no”.

I suppose it’s only to be expected, and we need look no further than Game of Thrones for similar fan reactions, but people are more or less going NUTS over the changes from book to screen. And while I used to just roll my eyes and move on, the tone of some of the comments is seriously starting to irritate me and worry me.

Because, oh ye gods above, it’s getting insane.

Yes, there are changes. Sometimes the changes are big, sometimes they’re just minor details. But hey, as Diana Herself said in one of her endless rounds of pre-premiere interviews, “I understand what the word ‘adaptation’ means.” The question is, do the fans?

Early on, before the show premiered and immediately afterward, a lot of the focus of fan complaints was on the physical: Claire’s eyes are the wrong color. Jamie isn’t tall enough. Okay, fair enough in terms of facts, but would you rather have a Claire with whiskey-colored eyes or a Claire portrayed by an actress who can actually ACT? I love Caitriona Balfe as Claire, so I’m perfectly okay with a change in eye color. Anyway, look at the Harry Potter movies or at the Targaryens in Game of Thrones — maybe the eye color is important in the books, but the overall dramatic effect is not altered in the slightest by the fact that Harry’s eyes are blue in the movies or that Daenerys’s are not violet.

Soon after the premiere, the focus of fan comments seemed to have shifted to plot changes:

In the book, Claire does buy the vase!

In the book, it’s Beltane, not Samhain!

In the book, Claire has a certain KIND of sex for the first time with Jamie — she doesn’t do that with Frank! (This isn’t true, according to Herself, but it certainly is many fans’ perception.)

And what about this line, or that line? Wait, the wedding ring is wrong! Jamie’s tartan isn’t red enough! Old Alec is supposed to be old!

Yes, there are variations. ADAPTATION, people. Still, I know some people take pride in spotting every little difference, and that’s fine.

What’s bothering me, though, is that the tone seems to have shifted to a “blame the production team” mentality in some quarters, and that’s starting to feel not okay. I’ve read comments saying that “of course, Ron doesn’t get it” or “they ruined xyz scene” or “the writers don’t care about the book”. I’ve even seen devoted fans say “that’s it! I’m not watching anymore!” And that’s just so frustrating to me, and feels so counter-productive.

Without Ron’s vision and dedication, we wouldn’t have a TV show. Period. Is that really what people want?

Again, yes, there are differences. Any time you change from one artistic medium to another, there are going to be changes. And so long as the new production is true to the important themes, characters, and events, I’m okay with the details that get altered, combined, or skipped. Because it’s a TV show! It’s not a word-for-word reproduction! If you want word for word, go listen to audiobooks!

The Starz production is a representation of Diana Gabaldon’s work, recreating her stories and characters as filmed drama. It has to work on the screen. It has to fit into one-hour episodes within a sixteen-episode first season. It has to attract new viewers as well as appeal to fans. That’s a really tall order.

I hope the fan noise around changes from the books doesn’t get so loud that it starts to drown out the applause and the enthusiasm from people who are just LOVING the show. It would be a terrible shame if Outlander fans themselves were responsible for shifting the tone of discussion into widespread negativity.

We want our show. Right? So let’s support it. We can acknowledge the changes, track them, debate them, and discuss the potential plot disruptions that might result five seasons from now. But let’s try to move the discussion away from “ruining” and “destroying”, and stop casting blame on the magnificent and dedicated people behind the scenes every time we wish a certain scene had happened a wee bit differently. Because the production team does love this story, and they get it, and they want it to succeed. And they’re pouring their hearts and souls into it.

Personally, I can only say that I’m loving every moment. I know the Outlander books pretty much backwards and forwards by now, and yes, I’m very much aware of the elements that are changed for the show. But I can still love the show, and the show’s differences in no way subtract from my love of the books. They’re two different art forms, and they’re two different pieces of art, and I love them both.

Here’s a cheer for Ron Moore and the cast and crew of the beautiful production of Outlander! And here’s wishing them — and us — many more seasons to come. And to all the fans, all I can say is — maybe it’s time to dial down the upset, sit back, and enjoy TV Outlander on its own merits.

As the T-shirt says:

4Apr2015

Outlandish Obsessions

Posted in Bookish Thoughts, Outlander, Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Let’s see. In about 9 hours… no, make that 8 hours and 45 minutes… I’ll finally be watching the new Outlander episode!

After six months of “Droughtlander”, the 2nd half of the first season starts today. Finally! I’ve been pretty calm for most of the past six months, but for the last week, my excitement has been building — as evidenced by randomly working Outlander into every possible conversation, madly rewatching the first 8 episodes, and picking up my battered old copy of Outlander and reading all the relevant chapters for tonight’s episode one more time!

How obsessed am I? Well, just for fun (and to distract myself from counting down the hours until tonight’s episode), I decided to take stock of all of my Outlander-related books. Turns out, I have quite a few!

Breaking it down a bit, I have five copies of Outlander itself, including a signed hardcover (in blue), the 20th anniversary edition hardcover (in red), the battered old paperback (only $3.99, according to the cover!) that was my first introduction to all this madness, a newer paperback in better condition, and the TV tie-in version, because who can resist?

Then there are all the other books, which I have in both large-sized paperbacks and mass market paperbacks:

Just how many copies of An Echo in the Bone do I have? Well, three. Because I also needed the UK version, which has some reference pieces at the back not included in the US editions.

Speaking of reference, Diana Gabaldon has just released a newly revised edition of The Outlandish Companion, volume I… so yeah, now I have the old and the new versions:

There are also some miscellaneous items, like The Exile (a graphic novel retelling of Outlander), audiobook CDs of one of the Lord John books, and then (score!), Hebrew editions of Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, picked up on my last trip to Israel after much scouring of bookstores. (FYI, those are the only two books in the series — so far — available in Hebrew; otherwise, I’d have more. Believe me, I looked for them!)

What else is on my super-duper, magical Outlander shelf? The Lord John books, a few anthologies that include Outlander novellas, hardcovers of The Scottish Prisoner and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, and the collected novellas found in A Trail of Fire.

All in all, I count 34 Outlander-ish books currently in my house… which does not even take into account the fact that I have Kindle editions of them all as well. Because you never know when you’ll be away from home and in sudden, desperate need of looking up a good Jamie-ism or two!

Insanity? Devotion? I suppose it’s all a matter of perspective. I can safely say that I have more Gabaldon books in my house than books by any other author. Except maybe J. K. Rowling, but that’s counting my kids’ bookshelves as well as my own, and I’m not sure that’s fair.

And look! After taking all these photos and writing this post, I only have 8 hours and 3 minutes to go! Thank you for allowing me to share my madness with you for this little while.

Now what am I going to do?

Watch clips of the stars being adorable?

Head out to the store for a bottle of whiskey? Re-read the Outlander article in the newest Entertainment Weekly? Go gaze at picture of the Scottish Highlands on Pinterest? The possibilities are endless!

Thank you, EW! This one’s a keeper.

Or maybe just keep watching previews, over and over, until 9 pm rolls around.

25Nov2014

Graphic Reaction… Serenity: Leaves on the Wind

Posted in Book Reviews, Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Browncoats, rejoice!

If you’ve been in mourning ever since you watched Serenity once or twice or a thousand times, there’s a glimmer of sunshine waiting for you:

Mal is back! And so is his crew of big damn heroes.

Picking up after the events of the movie Serenity, we rejoin the gang some eight months or so later, on the run, avoiding the Alliance baddies, and trying to lie low and go their own way. But Captain Mal doesn’t manage to stay out of trouble for very long, and some very bad bad guys are trying to track them down.

Meanwhile, there’s bittersweet joy onboard the Serenity, as personal lives have moved forward in all sorts of ways — most pretty expected, but at least one development totally unexpected.

Sigh.

I can’t even begin to express how great it was to spend time with these guys again! River, Kaylee, Inara, Simon… even Jayne’s hat!… and the mule… and so much more.

This isn’t just fan service, though. Serenity: Leaves on the Wind has a story to tell, and it’s a good one. The plot is tight and action-packed, but with the same heart that held together the stories told in the too-brief life of Firefly.

The artwork is a bit spotty at times — sometimes Mal and Simon seemed interchangeable, and ditto for Inara and River. But overall, the likenesses worked well enough to make me happy.

156d_firefly_inevitable_betrayal_dinosaurs_with_sound

via ThinkGeek

What really and truly sent me over the moon was the dialogue. Words on a page aren’t the same thing as words spoken on a big (or small) screen — but the writers of Serenity: Leaves on the Wind have done a gorram great job of capturing the essence of the characters through the words they speak.

I know! Let’s play a guessing game! Can you guess who says each of the following in Serenity: Leaves on the Wind?

a) Bad people got in my head, put things there, secrets. I could feel them hidden away, dug in like parasites.

b) This job can’t go but one way. Turns out you’re beyond your depth, I ain’t gonna drag you back.

c) This ain’t right, havin’ that man on our ship.

d) Vera’s got this.

e) I marched a lot of young folk to their deaths and had it in mind never to do so again. Anyone shows up uninvited, there’ll be a fine amount of hell to pay, that clear?

f) Plus, you need me, sir.

g) Case you don’t remember, we dealt a pretty ugly blow to a giant wasn’t too fond of us in the first place.

h) I can hear everything, all at once. I can hear the whole ‘verse.

Whee! I could go on all day. But I’ll stop there. Share your guesses in the comments. Whoever gets the most right wins… the undying admiration of your peers!

Serenity: Leaves on the Wind is a hardcover compilation volume of six previously published comic book editions plus a short story comic, “It’s Never Easy”, from Free Comic Book Day in 2012. The story is left open-ended just enough to allow for more Serenity tales to come (although I couldn’t find anything saying one way or the other whether more are planned at the moment).

If you’re a fan, you’ll want to read this. It’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s sexy. It’s moving. It even brought on a tear or two.

But you know what it is, more than anything else?

Shiny.

_________________________________________

The details:

Title: Serenity: Leaves on the Wind
Author: Zach Whedon
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Publication date: November 5, 2014
Length: 152 pages
Genre: Comics/graphic novel
Source: Purchased

26May2014

TV Time: Season Wrap-Up

Posted in Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Veering off the book blog path for a moment to talk about one of my very favorite things: TV!

If I weren’t such a voracious reader, you’d be right to worry about me. Yes, I do watch a lot of TV. Yes, that does entail sitting on the couch for hours and eating bowls of popcorn. No, it hasn’t rotted my brain yet, as far as I know. Yes, if I had to choose one or the other, I’d pick reading… but fortunately, I live in a world where I don’t have to choose! I want it all!

Am I excited when my favorite shows are on? Yeah, you could say that.

Moving on…

The traditional TV season has come to an end, more or less — although one could argue that the concept of a “season” for TV is out of date, since there’s excellent programming year-round. Still, May seems to be the time of year when many shows air their season finales, and it just so happens that nearly all of “my” shows have finished their seasons.

So, I thought I’d tell you a bit about what’s just ended — and which shows ended with an especially big bang!

(This is a completely subjective list. It’s just the shows that I personally watch and enjoy, not at all a comprehensive overview of what’s worth watching!)

Done for the season:

The Americans: Just wrapped up season 2 this past week, and wow! What a way to pull off a finale! Season-long mysteries were resolved, some loose ends were tied up, some long-awaited confrontations finally took place… and lots of groundwork was set for the next major conflict. Just a stellar season all around, with incredible acting, superb writing… and yes, plenty of wig action! If you’re not watching The Americans, you’re missing out. Give it a try!

The Originals: I scoffed a bit at the beginning of the season, and true, the show did get off to a very rocky start, plot-wise. But this spin-off show turned itself around and ended its season 1 with incredible drama, plus open-ended plot developments that actually wrung a tear or two out of my dried-up soul.

The Vampire Diaries: Okay, I’ve been quite frustrated this season (and last), and have almost walked away a few times… but the season finale was not bad, there were some genuinely emotional moments, and the ending leaves me wanting more. Not bad is really the best I can say about it. This show needs to straighten out its muddled mythology and start having actual stakes (as in life-or-death consequences, not the pointy wooden things). When everyone on the show has died and come back a few times already, why should we worry when one more bites the dust? Particularly when the most recent “death” is one of the show’s biggest stars, it’s a no-brainer to assume this person will be back in the fall, in one way or another.

Mad Men: Why do I keep watching this show? I keep asking myself that question, yet I keep watching. This season has been more energetic and engaging that the last couple, but still — despite all the reviewers out there who rave about this show, I find it hard to maintain interest week after week when nothing much seems to happen. Yes, I know, character-driven TV, blah blah blah. Like I said, I watch, but I don’t love.

Survivor: Cagayan: I started watching Survivor again a couple of years ago when my son took an interest, and was surprised to realize just how much fun it still is, even after all these years. My kiddo and I had a great time with the latest go-round, which in my mind was an incredibly strong season with players who came to play hard. From a parent’s point of view, it’s interesting in a number of ways: We talk about strategy, and numbers, and the thought-processes that go into the various alliances and blindsides. At the same time, we can discuss the differences between game-play and life, what it means to play a game like Survivor and make choices to betray and lie, and whether a successful player can also be a good person. I think the fact that Survivor is something I can watch with my son is a big draw for me — it’s become one of our go-to weekly events, and even works as a motivating tool. “No Survivor ’til the homework is done” is my rallying cry…

Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD: I’m a relative newbie when it comes to the Marvel universe, but I’ve been digging the movies of the past several years, and adored the Whedon-riffic Avengers, so there was no question of not watching Agents of SHIELD. After an admittedly slow kick-off, the show dug in and revealed layers only hinted at early on — then kicked into super-high gear with its connection to the events of this spring’s Captain America movie. The last batch of episodes was… well, let’s not mince words… epic! I’m hooked, and can’t wait to see where the show goes from here.

The Big Bang Theory: Sure, you could argue that after so many years, there’s not a whole lot of fresh material for BBT to explore. And yet, I’m always charmed, episode after episode, and when it’s not making me giggle, BBT actually has some genuinely sweet and heart-felt moments. I like this show! And I think this past season was surprisingly strong, ending on a high note for Penny and Leonard, and with a big huge question mark for our beloved Sheldon.

Gone… and soon to be forgotten?

I was sad to see the demise (a.k.a., cancellation) of two new shows from this year that I’d really had fun with.

The Crazy Ones, a star vehicle for Robin Williams, was really an ensemble gem that I suppose just didn’t get the viewership it needed. I laughed. A lot. And was delighted to have Sarah Michelle Gellar back on my TV screen. Bye, Crazy Ones!

My kiddo and I had been watching The Tomorrow People on the CW all year… and yeah, it didn’t always make sense or stick to its own rules, but it was compelling watching all the same, and I’m sorry that we won’t get to see whatever craziness would have happened next. Plus, Mark Pellegrino! A big huge plus for any show, any day.

A bit earlier on, we had the series finale for Being Human, and I’m still not over it! When this show first started, I sneered. Who needs yet another American re-hash of a BBC series? But the Syfy production of Being Human took off on its own and created its own show, thanks to creative storytelling and a remarkable cast… and damn it! if I think too much about it, I’ll get all weepy again. Sniff. I’ll miss you, Being Human!

Not over yet:

Game of Thrones: The disadvantage to having read the books first is knowing what’s coming… and being powerless to change it! I know I don’t want to see what’s coming in the next episode — but I’ll be glued to the TV anyway. Three more episodes left this season! I can’t quite figure out how the showrunners will juggle books 4 and 5 in the next season or so, but I’ll be watching to find out.

Orphan Black: We still have several more episodes left this season, right? I’m loving season 2, and even this far along, I’m still amazed by Tatiana Maslany’s ability to convince me that I’m watching separate actresses playing separate characters.

And still to come:

I’m really looking forward to meeting the new Doctor this August when this rolls around:

Doctor Who, returning in August!

And… shocker of shockers… the TV show I absolutely can’t wait for is…

Yes, I will be glued to my TV on August 9th, thanks for asking! So DO NOT DISTURB.

So what TV shows were you sad to say good-bye to? Which had the best season finales? And what will YOU be watching this summer?

Why is August 9th circled in red on my calendar???

Here’s why:

Thank you, Starz, for giving Outlander fans the great news!

8Mar2014

TV Time: The Americans

Posted in Pop Culture by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Last week, I wrote a post called Stuff I Love: TV Time!, in which I talked about how good TV shows can be as enjoyable for me as a good book — and as a reader, what are the elements I need in a TV show in order to really get into it.

And now it’s time to get more specific: Every so often, I think I’ll wander away from my book-related posts and focus instead on a TV show that I’m obsessing over.

Up first: The Americans, now back for its second season on FX.

According to the FX website:

The Americans is a period drama about the complex marriage of two KGB spies posing as Americans in suburban Washington D.C. shortly after Ronald Reagan is elected President. The arranged marriage of Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell), who have two children – 14-year-old Paige (Holly Taylor) and 11-year-old Henry (Keidrich Sellati), who know nothing about their parents’ true identity – grows more passionate and genuine by the day, but is constantly tested by the escalation of the Cold War and the intimate, dangerous and darkly funny relationships they must maintain with a network of spies and informants under their control. Their neighbor, FBI Agent Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich) has already come dangerously close to discovering their secret, but was thwarted by Nina (Annet Mahendru), his KGB mole and paramour. Torn between his wife Sandra (Susan Misner) and his deepening feelings for Nina, Stan is completely unaware that the beautiful Russian is actually a double agent, reporting on him to the KGB. Philip has been more successful handling his mole within the FBI, Martha (Alison Wright), assistant to Stan’s boss, Special Agent Gaad (Richard Thomas). Romancing Martha under the guise of one of his cover identities, an FBI bureaucrat named Clark, Philip has secured her unquestioning loyalty…by marrying her. Meanwhile, in the Jennings’ house, Paige has become increasingly suspicious that her parents are hiding something.

Why do I love The Americans?

For starters, it’s unlike anything else on TV right now. While a period drama, it doesn’t play the 1980s for laughs. Instead, it perfectly captures the Cold War paranoia of the Reagan era, and it’s fascinating to watch the spy games play out in a low-tech world, with hand-written codes, dead drops and radio transmissions… and oh, the wigs!

Philip and Elizabeth live a double life. They’re devoted KGB agents who believe in Mother Russia — but they’re also living a happy life in the suburbs with their clueless kids, enjoying their large home, the kids’ school assemblies, racquetball and the daily paper, trips to the mall and family TV nights. As the fake marriage becomes more real, there’s more and more at stake for the family, and their safety and survival is constantly on the line.

There’s an odd morality at play in Philip and Elizabeth’s marriage. The marriage itself is an assignment, albeit one that now feels real to them. At the same time, in practically every episode, we see Philip and Elizabeth using whatever means necessary, including all sorts of sexual encounters, to get what they need from their web of informants and contacts.

Okay, and the wigs! Both routinely don disguises, but Philip’s wigs became an almost obsession for fans during the show’s first season. Would they stay on? How do they stay on? How do they stay on while he’s doing THAT? Really hilarious — and addressed nicely in the first episode of the 2nd season during a scene in which there was actual wig peril. Oh my.

The Americans has all of my must-haves for TV: Well-defined, complex characters; a plot that moves forward and establishes the players, the stakes, and the risks; a setting that’s captivating — and different from the run-of-the mill; a premise that’s unique and layered; and performances that are pitch-perfect, week after week.

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out this promo for season 1:

If nothing else, try to check out the first episode of season 1, which is truly spectacular. A super-sized 90-minute episode, it hits all the right notes and perfectly establishes the tensions in the family/espionage setting. Plus, bonus points for a truly stellar soundtrack, anchored by an unforgettable usage of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk”. Trust me on this one — you’ve got to see it!