Media goodies

[gurdymonkey]

1. Thanks to a random FB post by JAF about a week or so ago, I was reminded how much I loved "Babylon 5" even though I was late to the ball on that one, so I acquired the DVD set, then splurged and got the one for "Farscape" as well, a series I never saw all the way through because they kept moving it around on me. I'm most of the way through Season 1 of B5. I recall when it first aired I watched one or two episodes and couldn't really get into it and didn't revisit it until some time in Season 4 because all my friends were ape***t for the series. Knowing it's a set-up for things to come helps, but it's clear a lot of the characters haven't quite hit their stride yet. (I could quite happily listen to the late Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar) read a telephone directory, however. What a voice....)

2. HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" continues to keep me absorbed. Great storytelling, a strong cast headed by Steve Buscemi, and the details feel right, from the costumes to the great use of music from the period.

3. Ditto, Masterpiece Mystery's "Sherlock." I appear to have missed a week due to travel, but this Sherlock Holmes for the 21st century makes the recent movie with Robert Downey Jr. seem contrived. Definitely worth checking out.

4. I mostly got out of the habit of watching network TV over the past few years, simply because I'm finding things I prefer on cable and PBS (see above), interspersed with movies and documentary kinds of things. I watched one episode of the new Hawaii Five-0, just 'cause, and gave up. layla_lilah  had been suggested that I might like something called "Castle," however. So I gave that a look. OK, first off, it has Nathan Fillion getting to actual crack a smile (something he didn't get to do very often in the Whedonverse as captain of the Serenity) and be sorta romantic-comedy funny/clever/charming as a mystery writer who gets to follow around/get on the nerves of NYPD Detective Beckett (Stana Katic). It's got veteran actress Susan Sullivan as his mother and the girl that plays his daughter is just so darling you want to puke and I like the way the family relationships are being played. I also found myself playing Six Degrees of Generation Kill about a week or so ago as series regular Jon Huertas was in that miniseries and  Lee Tergesen who played the embedded reporter in "Kill" turned up as villain of the week. Kind of an odd mix of fluff and cop show, but it's not a bad way to spend an hour.

4. Connie Willis' Blackout let me crying, "WHAT?" with frustration when I turned the last page: I had no idea it was a cliffhanger when I picked it up as something to read on the plane. As with several of her previous novels, it's set in a universe where time travel is possible and history scholars go on research jaunts into the past, in this case to WWII Britain. I will have to look for the conclusion in a volume titled All Clear.

Comments

[didjiman.livejournal.com]

Try "To Say Nothing Of the Dog." It's time travel to WWII Britain too, but very light-hearted. May need to check out Blackout/All Clear. I like her.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

I've read it, it was delightful, especially after the grim slog that was "Doomsday Book."

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

Bob and I are hooked on Castle. Not something I would get on DVD, but a very enjoyable series.

Missed most of Babylon 5 when it was airing. I was moving a lot, sometimes didn't have cable and was working crazy hours at that time in my life. Bob picked up the box sets some time ago. I keep meaning to watch the series.

Sherlock is wonderful! But I think I posted about that a while ago. Check the PBS Masterpiece Mystery site (google for Sherlock TV PBS). I believe they are streaming the episodes?

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

I was SO PISSED OFF at the Willis book essentially being half a book. I rarely splurge and buy books anymore, but when I'd heard that Blackout was coming out I pre-ordered on Amazon. I don't mind a book that has a follow-up, but that just plain wasn't a complete book. Grr. Aargh.

Castle is a lot of fun--I catch it on Hulu every week.

Woot!

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

I didn't know about the Sherlock Holmes--based upon reynardine mentioning that it's currently streaming, I caught an episode this morning before work. Yay! That was fun!

[broider-barones.livejournal.com]

so we only had 3 weeks of Sherlock - will need to look at website to see if there are more or just hopefully more in the works
Castle - 3rd season - fun - well written and the lines -- it is rare that a TV show will make me laugh out loud and this one does!

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

http://watching-tv.ew.com/2010/11/07/sherlock-pbs/ seems to indicate more episodes are in the works. (Yay!)