In the real world, it is ILLEGAL to threaten someone's life, yet here the "interventionists" (not an actual profession, by the way) do it regularly as life or death manipulation. I have known multiple individuals who have substance abused themselves to death as an alternative to the very real pain and or mental illnesses they were self-medicating, I also know how futile it is to intervene in the behavior of any adult who is in the actual throes of physical addiction (my Mom could never quit nicotine, even when she had to sit up @ night trying to breath during her dying days). Look @ the counselors on this show, many are unrecovered addicts themselves who, rather than resolve their own issues, intervene in the personal lives of others (for profit, I should add, recovery is as big an industry as religion, diet, cosmetics & munitions, with just as positive outcomes). I have had dozens of decades long friendships end because people would sooner take the "tough love" approach than acknowledge their own failings (or, rather than being a hopeless suicidal addict, I was actually mourning the loss of loved ones). Watching a marathon now, @ least one "success story" has died, but that is ignored in the years old closing credits. Apparently the producers consider an episode a "success" if the afflicted are delivered to the door of "recovery", I wish life were that simple. As the adage goes, never let the crazy person write the prescription for your meds, or, in this case? Physician, heal thyself (esp. Self-proclaimed who are not actually licensed to diagnose). How much has America's mortality rate continued to plunge for the 1st time in history during the course of this show's run during the course of the opiate epidemic? Even Russia is doing better with Putin & vodka.
Reviews
12 Reviews
If Mr. Bean were a male superdupermodel
31 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Julian Looman is the funniest man on television! Poor Al Weaver, going from James Norton to Tom Brittney to Max, but he was EXCELLENT in a contemporary character role. This was the best ep. of the series thus far, comedy cornucopia with great character development of Miranda & her relationship with Max, love that Inez was humanized (a little) as well. This show may have been derivative to begin with but it is evolving into something unique because of its talent & locale. More operatic Max, pls!
Test Pilot
(1938)
Loy's Fave, Understandably!
30 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Though this is a classic Hollywood film, from a great studio with four of its greatest stars, it is also something unique to me (even if it predicts Top Gun by half a century). The leads participate in a platonic love triangle where the characters actually love one another, regardless of their human failings. Howard Hawks is 1 of the writers & Loy makes the most of her chance to play another of his strong female characters, whether it's threatening cocky Gable with a bull or acting out cheering on her team the stadium. Hawks' brother was 1 of several killed a few years earlier when a flying stunt went wrong, & this movie totally captures the anxiety of living with someone constantly risk - Loy tossing & turning, the clock ticking, "Still living, still living..." I have lived that way, this is the only movie I recall seeing that presents the feeling so graphically, simply, succinctly. That the movie provides an unlikely happy ending only after suffering a great tragedy is another reason I love it. Good training for Fleming & Gable on their way to making GWTW together.
Loved it
24 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The Amanda relationship never rang true for me, she seemed to be 1 reason our hero was so troubled. He finally realized, walked away & recognized real happiness when she arrived. Sidney isn't leaving the Church, he's following his faith to an even higher realm where he'll be an advocate for change more than he ever could be in Grantchester. Loved the mystery, its affirmation of Sidney's humanity & that he didn't have to suffer an unhappy ending.
The show is called GRANTCHESTER
22 July 2019
NOT Sidney. And yes, Norton did a great job of showing how troubled his character was. But as we saw through three seasons including wartime flashbacks, Sidney was on a journey, searching. And when he found what he hadn't even realized he was seeking, he was smart enough to go after her & find his peace. So his journey continues & I thought the final episode was a great tribute to an excellent character. But Grantchester has other excellent characters & I will continue to follow their stories. In no way is Grantchester p.c., post-War was an era of huge social change, how could it not be? And we get to watch some of those changes happen on a personal level. As pastoral & bucolic as Grantchester seems, there is so much more going on beneath, totally true to the village of 2,200 I lived in decades ago. I am totally looking forward to seeing how our new young motorcycle-riding preacher varies from the excellent Mr. Chambers.
Great ep.
29 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Anyone claiming racism has never met the protagonists, they hate everyone. This is a great episode, all the best Saunders Ab Fab features, criticism of consumer culture, fashion, slapstick, cultural appropriation, pop culture, character interaction. And really no overlap with France. Love that Saffy had fun while Pats & Eddie were passed out for 3 days. And not with Humphrey!
Loved this
21 April 2019
In a brief time it covers so much history, ground, personality, humanity. From contemporary footage of the chaos of the day, to quiet moments of people reflecting, to the full circle of the story returning from where it came, NYC. My Grandmother was from Glace Bay, not Gander, but the same generosity, kindness & fun & they do carry it with them wherever they go in the world & to whatever strangers they may meet. What I love most about the Ganderites, their guests & recounting & celebrating their stories is that it's such a great middle finger to those who caused the tragedy in the 1st place. It is moving because it is both memorial of loss but also a tribute to surviving. No wonder the stage production has become a global success, it lets us share, celebrate & remember both our grief & our humanity. Kiss the cod!
Hitchcock?! II
19 March 2019
Hitchcock?!
19 March 2019
The lead of The Avengers was Ian Hendry, who left the series during a production strike. Producers replaced him by bumping John Steed into the lead with rotating partners, by the time leather-clad, gun-wielding, motorcycle riding anthropologist widow Mrs. Cathy Gale arrived (in scripts written for Hendry), it was clear who Steed's new partner was. Don't recall any Hitchcock blonde knowing judo, nor being as tough as Mrs. Gale - she had to be, to fend off both Steed & villains!
MTV Floribama Shore
(2017–2021)
Surrogate Family Dysfunction
13 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Never watched Jersey Shore & generally avoid "reality" shows, but have in the past become obsessive depending on casting & these kids got me hooked Season 2. Just binge watched Season 1 & have actually come to appreciate all of them - yes, they have their problems & human failings, but they're young & working on it. What's fun to watch is how different they are - & open to airing those differences! - but ultimately pull together for the good of their messy household. The worst stereotypes are perpetuated by the ignorant name-calling locals, it's not usually the kids who go looking for trouble, they keep getting called out. The stuff other people criticize I enjoy - the raunchy girls & sweetheart dudes. Glad they got renewed with a longer season - I'm in!
When We Rise
(2017)
Beautiful
1 March 2017
I am 5 years younger than Cleve Jones, so I don't have his experiences but I do remember a lot of what this project recreates (a young Sylvester!). It's bringing back memories, nostalgia & emotion, the latter also because of the young talent involved. The casting, writing & performances all are bringing characters to life in effective, brief moments, as must happen when you telescope decades of history into the lives of a few characters. The 1st episode hooked me, I will be watching the rest of this retelling of what is epic, living history - maybe survivor history is more apt. Some of the misguided criticism validates this project: "Hasn't this story been told?", "This is just identity politics", "Not a fit subject for primetime network television". NONE of these are valid. Bring it on, ABC!
When Ladies Meet
(1933)
how petty are you people?
29 December 2015
I love old movies for many reasons, that they are time capsules of the era they come from being the primary one. This is a classic based on the source, the cast & the studio. That the same studio remade it post-code is remarkable, I just wish Myrna was given the wife role this time, opposite her old friend Joan. Unfortunately, when Myrna left MGM for Fox to film The Rains Came, Greer assumed many of her roles, beginning with Goodbye, Mr. Chips (Myrna, in her un-diva way, cites Greer's generosity to her decades later while touring,apparently oblivious to the fact she enabled Garson's star turn. No wonder Loy was friends with Crawford for fifty years!). There is no such thing as a bad Myrna movie, this one also scores points for trivia like the terrace beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, when's the last time you saw that?! Any old movie can be criticized for many things,but eyebrows? No wonder today's hits come from comic books...
Tell Your Friends