I’ve been watching Big Love lately.  I picked up the DVDs of the first season a few years back and found myself fascinated with the show.  I don’t believe in the idea of Polygamy.  Do I believe it exists?  Sure.  But I don’t see it as something that could ever be successful as a practice.

It is human nature, as it is animal nature to not be monogamous.  The difference is that, as humans, we have the ability to change our habits and behaviors.  Humans are a jealous species, so it makes sense that we would try to make monogamy a natural practice.  But the idea of polygamy just doesn’t fit in my brain.  But more power to those who can make it work.  It just has no place in my life.

With that said, I absolutely LOVE Big Love.  Bill Paxton is amazing, and the actresses that play his wives are equally amazing, and fascinating characters to watch.

Big Love has been On Demand for awhile.  I tried catching the second season, but I only got through 2 or 3 episodes before I realized that it had switched to the third season and blah blah blah.

SOOO… I’ve been watching the third season (and I’m sure I’ll go back to see what happened during the in between times), and I find myself just as fascinated with the show as I was in the first place.  And also much lonelier.

I’ve broken down the basic plot points from each season into three simple themes:

• Season One is about Family.  The family dynamic gets tested and pulled and damaged over and over again.  It introduces the idea of a mixed family, in the sense that there are 3 wives and mothers, 8 children and 1 father/husband who try to uphold and maintain family values based on their religious beliefs.
• Season Two is about the individual, and how much damage can cause more damage.
• Season Three is about Community.  The Compound is in jeopardy, a new wife is brought in and abruptly leaves, and new characters come and go.  The idea is how can faith survive if the community is falling apart…

No matter where the story goes, it’s an interesting one to see develop.  And with the fourth season starting up in January (I don’t remember the date, but I do remember seeing it on the previews after the season 3 finale), I think it can only get better.

With all of that said, I feel for each of  the wives.  They deal with constant loneliness, most of which hasn’t been seen until the third season, where their core beliefs are being threatened.  Barb is going to be excommunicated.  Margie is struggling with the fact that she wants to work.  And Nikki does some horrendous things to the family and to herself that just makes your skin crawl.

But how can you not feel for these women.  They have put everything into the family model, but each, having their own issues to deal with, must deal with the fact that they are Sister Wives on their own.  Barb, being the FIRST wife seems to have it the hardest, as she is the First Wife, and therefore must lead the other wives and be the role model.  But how can you be a role model when you were put into a situation you were uncomfortable in in the first place and shaping your life around an ideal that needs to be hidden, as it is being persecuted.

The long and short of it is this: everyone experiences some bout of loneliness, and everyone deals with things in their own way.  But I feel badly for the wives in this particular marriage because no one can seem to get their footing, and to each of them, including Bill, the patriarch, it seems like the entire family is falling apart – and falling from the path.

I was thinking last night as I lay in bed. How will I EVER have enough room in my heart to love another child as much as I love Katie? How will I ever think another child is as beautiful as Katie? It is so AWESOME to me that God gives our hearts room to grow, room to swell. This is one thing that being swollen is a good thing. Sometimes things that are swollen hurt, and yes, sometimes I love my child so much that it hurts, but it is a good hurt. God loves all His children the same, and  He has room for ALL of us in His heart. Since we are created in His image, then that makes me have faith and beleive that God also allows us to love each child we are blessed with unconditionally. It is really amazing to think about isn’t it? I am so blessed by Katie. She is the most beautiful little girl in the world to me. She is smart, amazing, funny, cute, silly, loving, caring, affectionate, sometimes cranky, haha, but what women isn’t!? LOL! I am so proud of her. I am so blessed by the gift God gave me. I love her so very much. She is defiantely “sugar and spice and everything nice!” I am looking forward to God allowing me to love others He blesses us with this much. I WANT a swollen heart! On that note, WOW, the duggar family must have REALLY swollen hearts! Can you imagine loving 19 kids that much!!! that is crazy! their hearts must be HUGE God is so good!

Check out the newest trailer for Big Love season 4 which airs on January 10, 2010 on HBO!

WOW! What a trailer! This season is going to explosive. Especially with the exit of Amanda Seyfried and the addition of Sissy Spaseck and an amazing storyline for closeted gay villain, Alby.  Check out the season four trailer for Big Love! It looks REALLY REALLY good and half of the good stuff was not even featured in the trailer!! HOLLER!! 


Big Love returns Sunday, January 10. 

You know how excited I am for the season premiere of BIG LOVE on January 10, on HBO, right?  Imagine my excitement at seeing the first official trailer for the season.  I can just tell that this season is going to be amazing!

Check it out – what do you think?  Are you as excited as I am?

Before I begin, I just wanted to post this trailer for Season 4 of Big Love, which I found interesting because of the aesthetic parallels (and, I assume, similar conceptual bases) to the opening credits of Mad Men.  Basically, main character in suit falling – although this time it is Bill who is visible and the background black instead of an empty silhouette of a subject against the bright background of visual clips from the sixties ad world.  Perhaps these differences can be accounted for in terms of the characters’ relationships with their environments around them.  Bill is whole, himself only when away from the “real-world,” visually called to mind with the use of the vacuous background, while Don seems emptied and drained, yet simultaneously shaped and subject to the laws of the ad world (almost symbolized by the law of gravity acting with slow motion force upon him).  See for yourselves:

Now, down to business: secret identities.  Big Love, for those of you who don’t watch (and should!) is centered on a family of Mormon polygamists: patriarch Bill Henrickson, first wife Barb, second Nikki, and third Margene and all their many children.  Throughout the show, there are three portrayals of the life the family could lead: their current living situation (secretly living amongst mainstream society with three separate houses all connected in the back yard, the sister-wives working out schedules for who gets Bill on what nights, and giant family dinners, hectic breakfasts, chores lists, and errands with 11 people to account for) is juxtaposed with life on the compound (Juniper Creek, a community of Polygamists who live openly and freely under Roman, the Prophet, observing all the traditional tenets of Mormonism before polygamy was removed from the doctrine, including wearing long dresses, high necklines, and poofy hairstyles, and, of course, some serious multiple-marriages) and, described but never shown, Bill and Barb’s Mormon church-approved family life before they decided to take on Nikki as a second wife.

The questions the Secret Identities group was addressing were about how the main characters develop and justify their moral codes and how we as audience members accept them, despite – and even watch because of – their illicit activities.    The two alternate lifestyles (alternate to the Henrickson’s family life, I mean)  depicted in the show work as foils to the main pattern portrayed, and perhaps allow us to consider why we do or don’t approve of the Henricksons.

In short, Juniper Creek hosts the kind of polygamy that we as an audience don’t approve of.  The compound is run by Roman Grant, a self-proclaimed prophet that the residents follow on account of the fact that he is allegedly God’s messenger; yet when his son Albee takes over and claims the head role for himself, allegiances and beliefs switch seemingly without question.  Corruption abounds, the important patriarchs drive giant scary hummers, and girls are “sealed”to older men for marriage (the meaning of which may be inferred to be almost equivalent to marriage, though subtly avoiding statutory rape implications) at a very young age.  The residents, like the Henricksons, appear to believe that polygamy is the good and righteous way to live, that they are doing their families a service, and that by following “the principal” they will find divine salvation.  So what makes us respect the Henricksons’ moral code while writing off the compound dwellers as ignorant?  The difference seems to be that Juniper Creek is a bit like a cult; residents seem almost brainwashed by the prophet into believing in their way of life.  While for Bill and his family, living the principle is a struggle every day.  We respect their choice because it is not handed to or imposed upon them.  Though all the characters sincerely believe that they are following the correct moral code, we root for the Henricksons because they seem to have weighed all the options and rationally decided that their path is the correct one, and proceeded to build a life around that choice.

The one thing in the show that nervously chips away at this basis of rationality and strong belief, leaving us with a little doubt at the back of our minds as to whether we’re really rooting for polygamy, is Bill and Barb’s relationship.  Bill escaped from the compound when he was a teenager and swore never to go back; he saw the horrors of that lifestyle and made the choice to lead a “normal” life, starting his own business, marrying a school teacher, Barb, and going to legally and socially accepted Mormon church.  Yet, when Barb falls ill, both of their beliefs are shaken.  Bill  has a revelation, a calling from God to return to the principle of polygamy.  He subsequently marries Nikki, a daughter of Roman the Prophet and the first pro-compound member of their family.  The strained circumstances under which Bill’s decision to take on a second wife occur (I say Bill’s and not Bill and Barb’s as Barb admits to never having received a testimonial, but believes so strongly in Bill’s that she follows him) seem to trouble the waters when putting his moral code to the test.  This back story sets the stage for the day-to-day interactions between the four adults in the family.  There is always an inkling that while Bill finds Nikki a little psychotic and Margene a bit silly, he always has deep and unwavering respect for Barb.  Later in the series, the two even have an “affair,” sneaking around the other wives’ backs, meeting in hotel rooms, and breaking the rules of the carefully crafted family schedule the sister-wives debate over constantly.

Perhaps it is the “one man and one woman” society in which we live that has subconsciously ingrained this belief that true love can only be shared by two monogamous people.  While I am always rooting for the Henricksons as a family, I sometimes seem to falter against my best rational judgement and striven-for progressive viewpoints and wish that Bill and Barb could just run away from all the drama of their household and live happily together as they once did.  But I don’t think it’s just me, and I don’t think it’s just my a subconscious wish for “true love.”  I can’t imagine that the romantic undertones and meaningful glances between the two characters aren’t intentional, and if an audience member is feeling like the two should be alone together, I am sure the creators of the show are making it happen.

Big Love is a difficult show; it makes the viewer reconsider his beliefs about morality and virtue, but it also constantly challenges and manipulates the viewer’s thoughts on the the Henrickson’s particular situation.  Laying the compound way and Bill and Barb’s previous, “normal” life alongside the family’s mainstream polygamist lifestyle allows the viewer to both believe more strongly in their family’s views and question their situation.

I’ll leave y’all with this:

Merry Christmas!

Amanda Seyfried, that one chick from Mean Girls, is saying goodbye to the show that helped start her career. After 4 seasons on HBO’s hit show, “Big Love,” Seyfried is saying goodbye.

This has been confirmed by the heads of HBO who will no doubt miss this wonderful actress. Seyfried is said to be leaving the show because she wants to focus on her movie career.

Um, okie dok. We shall see how that one turns out. Good luck. You better not have fucked yourself with this one.

Door closed.

-Damien

The actress has played Bill Paxton’s daughter Sarah since 2006. She is leaving the show to pursue a film career full-time, reports TV Guide.

“She’s been exploring her movie career for a couple of years now, and we’ve been giving her a lot of room to do that,” said Big Love creator Will Scheffer.

Seyfried will depart the show in the eighth episode of season four.

por Diego Taborda

Los Golden Globes tienen algo divertido y es que son capaces de calificar tanto cine como televisión en un sólo evento. Lo malo es que las categorías no son muy elocuentes, por así decirlo, y terminan estando musicales y comedias en un sólo lado de la balanza.

Muchas pelis no las he visto, la mayoría son pelis que no van a traer y dependiendo de los corrillos en las salas de cine, habrá que ver si se hace el esfuerzo de buscarlas por Amazon, pedirlas prestadas o inducir a los vecinos o a algún amigo descarriado a que la compre pirata (ooops).

Siguiendo con el juego, espero se hayan tomado un tiempo prudencial para meditar el listado de ayer. Hoy voy a subrayar en negrilla las pelis que considero ganadoras y en itálica las que no he visto.

• Best Motion Picture – Drama

Sólo me he visto una, por descarte selecciono mi ganadora

Avatar (2009)
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Up in the Air (2009/I)

• Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Igual pero no creo que ninguna supere a The Hangover, sobretodo porque son demasiado romanticonas para mi gusto. De Nancy Meyers me he visto lo último que ha hecho y no me convence, Rob Marshall definitivamente no es mi director favorito y Nora Ephron lo mismo de Meyers

(500) Days of Summer (2009)
The Hangover (2009)
It’s Complicated (2009)
Julie & Julia (2009)
Nine (2009)

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Desierto por ahora

Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)
George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)
Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009)
Tobey Maguire for Brothers (2009/I)

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Desierto por ahora pero me llama la atención a la Bullock con su nominación

Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria (2009)
Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)
Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009)
Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)
Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Qué linda competencia. Damon dirigido por Soderbergh debe ser muy bueno, Day-Lewis nunca defrauda aunque insisto ni los musicales ni Marshall son mi fuerte, Downey Jr. es de los que pintan mejor pero quién sabe si se arriesguen a darle premios debido a su consabida arrogancia y humor negro en los podios, Gordon-Levitt me cae muy bien desde Third Rock from The Sun pero quién sabe si logre premio, lo último que le vi fue The Juror y fue normalito, el otro nominado ni idea.

Matt Damon for The Informant! (2009)
Daniel Day-Lewis for Nine (2009)
Robert Downey Jr. for Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt for (500) Days of Summer (2009)
Michael Stuhlbarg for A Serious Man (2009)

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Esta fijo se la gana Meryl Streep pero me gustó Roberts en Duplicity. Segunda nominación de Bullock?

Sandra Bullock for The Proposal (2009/I)
Marion Cotillard for Nine (2009)
Julia Roberts for Duplicity (2009)
Meryl Streep for It’s Complicated (2009)
Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Nadie le gana a Waltz en esta categoría.

Matt Damon for Invictus (2009)
Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009/I)
Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009)
Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Desierto por ahora

Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009)
Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)
Julianne Moore for A Single Man (2009)

• Best Director – Motion Picture

Yo creo que con tanta muerte de nazis Tarantino gana de lejos aunque Clint Eastwood siempre es un competidor fuerte y es uno de mis directores favoritos y Reitman después de Juno y Thank You for Smoking puede sorprender

Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)
James Cameron for Avatar (2009)
Clint Eastwood for Invictus (2009)
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009/I)
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

• Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Yo esperaría que ganara Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell por District 9 por sus logros con la reinvención de una buena historia de ciencia ficción pero fijo aquí también gana Tarantino

District 9 (2009): Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
The Hurt Locker (2008): Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (2009): Quentin Tarantino
It’s Complicated (2009): Nancy Meyers
Up in the Air (2009/I): Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner

• Best Original Song – Motion Picture

Desierto por ahora

Avatar (2009): James Horner, Simon Franglen, Kuk Harrell(“I Will See You”)
Brothers (2009/I): U2, Bono(“Winter”)
Crazy Heart (2009): T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham(“The Weary Kind”)
Everybody’s Fine (2009): Paul McCartney(“(I Want To) Come Home”)
Nine (2009): Maury Yeston(“Cinema Italiano”)

• Best Original Score – Motion Picture

Aún no he visto la peli pero gracias a un amigo ya escuché la banda sonora completa de Where the Wild Things Are y es ganadora

Avatar (2009): James Horner
The Informant! (2009): Marvin Hamlisch
A Single Man (2009): Abel Korzeniowski
Up (2009): Michael Giacchino
Where the Wild Things Are (2009): Carter Burwell, Karen Orzolek

• Best Animated Film

Obviamente, incluso sin verla, debería ser ganadora Fantastic Mr. Fox

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
Coraline (2009)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Up (2009)

• Best Foreign Language Film

Desierto por ahora pero que no la se la gane Almodóvar, estoy cansado de la rutina

Los abrazos rotos (2009)
Baarìa (2009)
Das weisse Band – Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (2009)
La nana (2009)
Un prophète (2009)

• Best Television Series – Drama

Hay buenas opciones, estuve viendo Mad Men en HBO y creo que es bastante ganador pero el resto es muy bueno igual, no se cuál pueda lograrlo

“Big Love” (2006)
“Dexter” (2006)
“House M.D.” (2004)
“Mad Men” (2007)
“True Blood” (2008)

• Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

“Entourage” (2004)
“Glee” (2009)
“The Office” (2005)
“Modern Family” (2009)
“30 Rock” (2006)

• Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Desierto por ahora

Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)
Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Into the Storm (2009) (TV)
Little Dorrit (2008)
Taking Chance (2009) (TV)

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Desierto por ahora

Kevin Bacon for Taking Chance (2009) (TV)
Kenneth Branagh for Wallander (2008)
Chiwetel Ejiofor for Endgame (2009)
Brendan Gleeson for Into the Storm (2009) (TV)
Jeremy Irons for Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

Desierto por ahora

Joan Allen for Georgia O’Keeffe (2009) (TV)
Drew Barrymore for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Jessica Lange for Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)
Anna Paquin for The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (2009) (TV)
Sigourney Weaver for Prayers for Bobby (2009) (TV)

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

En esta categoría también se pone buena la competencia, Baldwin por experiencia y excelencia, Carell porque no defrauda, Duchovny porque lo hace bien aunque no es que me mate la serie ni su actuación y Jane se está reivindicando después de todo ese pasado tenebroso en Hollywood

Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock (2006)
Steve Carell for The Office (2005)
David Duchovny for Californication (2007)
Thomas Jane for Hung (2009)
Matthew Morrison for Glee (2009)

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Creo que aunque Tina Fey puede ser clara ganadora, Toni Collette tiene un logro muy bueno y puede llegar a sorprender

Toni Collette for United States of Tara (2009)
Courteney Cox for Cougar Town (2009)
Edie Falco for Nurse Jackie (2009)
Tina Fey for 30 Rock (2006)
Lea Michele for Glee (2009)

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

Me voy por Ham entre Jon Hamm y Bill Paxton pero fijo gana Simon Baker

Simon Baker for The Mentalist (2008)
Michael C. Hall for Dexter (2006)
Jon Hamm for Mad Men (2007)
Hugh Laurie for House M.D. (2004)
Bill Paxton for Big Love (2006)

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama

Menos mal me quitan el servicio de televisión forzosamente durante tres meses, creo que estoy viendo demasiada. Aquí la ganadora es Glenn Close y su papel de antagónica en Damages

Glenn Close for Damages (2007)
January Jones for Mad Men (2007)
Julianna Margulies for The Good Wife (2009)
Anna Paquin for True Blood (2008)
Kyra Sedgwick for The Closer (2005)

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Voy a repetirlo tal cual: Menos mal me quitan el servicio de televisión forzosamente durante tres meses, creo que estoy viendo demasiada. Soy súper fanático de Lost y no hay nadie tan malo como Emerson, ojalá se lleve el galardón

Michael Emerson for Lost (2004)
Neil Patrick Harris for How I Met Your Mother (2005)
William Hurt for Damages (2007)
John Lithgow for Dexter (2006)
Jeremy Piven for Entourage (2004)

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Tengo un cariño especial por Jane Adams desde Happiness ojalá sea ganadora este año se lo merece pero le va a tocar duro con Byrne

Jane Adams for Hung (2009)
Rose Byrne for Damages (2007)
Jane Lynch for Glee (2009)
Janet McTeer for Into the Storm (2009) (TV)
Chloë Sevigny for Big Love (2006)

Hay todavía muchas pelis por ver, ojalá tengamos suerte y la distribucion en Colombia sea más diligente que en tiempos pasados para poder mucho más material ineteresante.

SAD FACE for all you Big Love fans!! Amanda Seyfried is leaving the show after the ninth episode to pursue her film career full-time according to creator, Will Scheffer. “She’s been exploring her movie career for a couple of years now, and we’ve been giving her a lot of room to do that,” Scheffer said. “I know having a commitment to a show for six months definitely cuts into her ability to pursue that career.” 


That’s so NICE and SWEET of him!! She’s going to do well in films especially after the success of Mamma Mia!! 


Good luck, Amanda!! I heart you!! 

So I was talking the other day with a friend about tv series, and how sometimes it annoys me when there are dead end plots that go nowhere. Specifically I was thinking about Melrose and when Laura Leighton was on 90210 for like, six episodes or something, and then her character just disappeared. Or that one weird episode of 7th Heaven in which a crooked contractor feigns injury while renovating the garage apartment to rip off the Camdens and Annie is all “I will fight you on this!” and then nothing was ever mentioned again. Clearly plots they threw at the wall that didn’t stick.

These always annoy me, despite the fact that in real life events happen that don’t necessarily lead anywhere all the time. Then again, if I wanted real life I wouldn’t need a tv at all.

Initially I floated Lost as a show with a plan before I realized it too is littered with lost (heh) plots, like Libby and Ana Lucia or, more gallingly (since AL & L were apparently let go because of bad behavior filing in Hawaii) Shannon and Boone. Why were they even there? It really puts a damper in my faith that Lost has an overarching plan, in spite of its assurances.

I have similar issues with BSG. Don’t tell me “They have a plan” unless they have a plan.

At the end of the day, the only shows I can think of that seem airtight to me are Veronica Mars and some anime series (which are, presumably, planned out in the manga?), though I’m always ready to hear more.

I haven’t finished the Sopranos yet, but it seems to be a pretty tight show thus far (midway through S5) and possibly Big Love, although it’s hard to tell with series that are ongoing.

Yesterday we treated you to a list of our favorite individual TV episodes of the last year, but not all the shows there made the cut for best overall show. Are we brilliant? Total idiots? Don’t know because you don’t watch TV? Let us know in the comments!

10. 30 Rock
A lot of people have been ragging on 30 Rock for declining in quality, and yes, its third season was not its best, but it remained one of the funniest shows on TV. The third season had some gems, such as a fake trip to space for Tracy, Alec Baldwin playing a Spanish telenovela star, and Steve Martin’s hilarious turn as a disgraced corporate executive. Perhaps the backlash has come because the bar was set so high, but still, put 30 Rock next to most comedies on TV and you’ll see just how good it is. (M)

9. Friday Night Lights
By virtue of an unorthodox distribution agreement, Friday Night Lights is no longer in immediate danger of being cancelled, so we can just focus on how great this show is and how gracefully it recovered from its season two stumbling blocks. Whether you caught up with season three on NBC in the spring, or are already keeping up with season four through Direct TV now, you’ve seen a show that rediscovered its groove as a rich, naturalistic look at life in small town America, without condescension or bombast. Boasting some of the finest performances and writing on television, it’s a load off our minds to know that Friday Night Lights isn’t going anywhere.

8. Better Off Ted
What could have been a really conventional show about a wacky company quickly worked it’s charm and quietly became one of the best shows on TV. Better Off Ted is one part corporate satire and one part modern screwball, a combination that works well even in the show’s weaker episodes. The show wears its absurdity on its sleeve, making the most ridiculous parts (motion sensors that can’t see black people, a medieval fight club, the entire character of Veronica) completely normal within the boundaries of the world it lives in. A lovably wacky show, hopefully Ted can pick up a bigger audience here in its second season. (M)

7. Modern Family
Modern Family instantly got comparisons to Arrested Development upon its arrival, due mostly to it’s hand-held camera and quirky family plot, but the show quickly differentiated itself with a sweetness that isn’t found much on TV these days. The show never fails to deliver big laughs, and in just half a season, the characters have endeared themselves greatly to fans. How it will hold up as it goes on remains to be seen, but Modern Family has stood out thus far as delightfully funny show that isn’t afraid to show it has a little heart. (M)

6. Lost
When Lost got an end date, it suddenly became a focused show with a goal in mind, and it’s action-packed fifth season delivered big time. The world of Lost was already a dense one, but with time travel added to the mix, the show about people being stranded in a weird place became a show about destiny and the decisions we make in life. By this point, Lost is a show for dedicated fans only, but for those fans, it was an absolute treat to watch. (M)

5. Parks and Recreation
It seemed like a foregone conclusion that Parks and Recreation would find its groove this season since its parent show, The Office, experienced similar growing pains. However, I don’t think anyone anticipated just how good it would get. In its second season, the show found a way to make Amy Poehler’s lead character funny without seeming pathetic or delusional, while strengthening the support around her (particularly Nic Offerman’s Ron F-ing Swanson and Aziz Ansari’s Tom Haverford). Over the course of this year, Parks and Recreation has shaped itself into a potent comic force with the potential to lead NBC’s comic block as The Office ages more and more. (J)

4. Big Love

It didn’t take Big Love too long to transcend its hacky-stand-up-comedian (you think having one wife is hard, try three!), but the jump in quality in the show’s third season was still pretty incredible. Big Love navigated the rocky emotional territory of Bill’s three marriages (and attempt at a fourth) with the shocking trial of Roman, child abduction, family secrets, and it still found time to take a road trip out east. The ensemble was typically strong, but the year’s standout may have been Ginnifer Goodwin, who finally got some juicy storylines to go with her top-notch comic instincts. (J)

3. Curb Your Enthusiasm
From the very start of Curb Your Enthusiasm, it seemed we were inevitably headed for a Seinfeld reunion, the centerpiece of this past season of TV’s most cringe-worthy show. Larry David and Company played it all perfectly, tying in the reunion to Larry’s divorce for Cheryl and the idiosyncrasies that have made the character Larry David so fun (and painful) to watch. Everything built so perfectly to the moment we’d all been waiting for: the character Larry David acting as George, who was based on real life Larry David. Curb seemed destined for a sweet ending this season, but instead it ended with a question we’ll be pondering until the show returns: Do you respect wood? (M)

2. Breaking Bad
In its second season, Breaking Bad took the box it seemed to be fitting into to (desperate man turns to life of crime, has series of misadventures) and blew it up. Breaking Bad has become many things – a gritty, ground-level look at meth dealing in the southwest, a fascinating character study, a Greek tragedy, a dark comedy – but it remains grounded in the stunning performances by its ensemble, especially Bryan Cranston’s mesmerizing performance of the deeply flawed Walter White. It started as a small underdog, but Breaking Bad has become every bit the equal of its AMC neighbor and combined with Mad Men to make a stunning 1-2 punch unlike any other on TV. (J)

1. Mad Men
Even by Matt Weiner’s leisurely standards, the third season of Mad Men felt excruciatingly deliberate, especially in the slow early part of the season. But, as always, those who trusted the show were rewarded with a season as rich and compelling as the first two. Big changes hit the Sterling-Cooper crew, appropriate for a season set against the backdrop of the impending Kennedy Assassination, but, as always, the changes felt grounded in the show’s human element. While some episodes were extremely painful to watch (“The Gypsy and the Hobo,” “Seven Twenty Three,” and “Wee Small Hours” come to mind), they were necessary steps to the exciting future promised in the brilliant season finale. (J)

Chloe must hate always being the "drab" one.

By Gina Carbone
gina_carbone@comcast.net

Bill Paxton’s a fox. He’s one of the only guys I can imagine pulling off the “Big Love” lifestyle, so kudos to him for somehow making this show heartwarming instead of full-on creepy.

HBO just issued a press release on season four, which starts Sunday, Jan. 10. Read on for details and get your DVRs ready…

***

For years, Bill Henrickson has battled Roman Grant, the corrupt “prophet” of Juniper Creek.  Now, with Roman dead and buried, Bill and his ever-growing family can breathe easy.  Or can they?

The critically acclaimed drama series “Big Love” kicks off its nine-episode fourth season with the episode entitled “Free at Last,” debuting Sunday, Jan. 10 (9-10 p.m. ET/PT), on HBO, followed by other episodes on subsequent Sundays at the same time.

Emmy-nominated for Best Drama series earlier this year, “Big Love” tells the story of Salt Lake City businessman Bill Henrickson, who balances the needs of his three wives – Barb, Nicki and Margene – their nine kids and three houses, and his own entrepreneurial ambitions.

Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin star in the series, which is executive produced by Playtone’s Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, David Knoller, Bernadette Caulfield and series creators and show runners Mark V. Olsen & Will Scheffer.

Having struggled to mend rifts that threatened the very existence of his family in season three, Bill Henrickson now faces a host of new personal and professional challenges.

Story lines in season four of “Big Love” include:  the launch of a Mormon-friendly casino with his Native American partners; the changing of the guard at the Juniper Creek compound; Bill’s potential candidacy for the Utah state senate; Barb’s controversial role at the new casino; Nicki’s stormy relationship with her ex-husband; and Margene’s career as a home shopping personality, as well as ongoing complications involving Bill’s daughter Sarah and his mother Lois.

Series regulars on the fourth season of “Big Love” also include Shawn Doyle, Mireille Enos, Zeljko Ivanek, Matt Ross, Amanda Seyfried, Cassi Thomson, Melora Walters and Grace Zabriskie.  Returning guest stars include Bruce Dern, Anne Dudek, Branka Katic, Joel McKinnon Miller, Aaron Paul, Mary Kay Place, Douglas Smith and Harry Dean Stanton.

New guest stars this season include Adam Beach (HBO’s “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”), Perry King (“Riptide”), Bella Thorne (“Dirty Sexy Money”) and Sissy Spacek (Oscar-winner for “Coal Miner’s Daughter”), who plays a conservative Washington, D.C. lobbyist intent on inserting herself into Bill’s professional and personal life.

***

Upcoming episodes:

Episode #35:  “Free at Last”

Debut:  SUNDAY, JAN. 10 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates:  Jan. 10 (11:15 p.m.), 12 (11:00 p.m.), 13 (10:00 p.m.), 15 (8:00 p.m., 1:45 a.m.) and 27 (8:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Jan. 11 (10:00 p.m.), 12 (7:00 p.m.), 16 (1:30 p.m., 11:50 p.m.) and 17 (8:00 p.m.)

With the grand opening of the Blackfoot Magic Casino only days away, the Henricksons make last-minute preparations under the skeptical eye of Tommy Flute (Adam Beach), son of Bill’s (Bill Paxton) partner Jerry (Robert Beltran).  As the feds continue to probe unfinished business concerning Roman Grant (Harry Dean Stanton), Alby (Matt Ross) has a close encounter with Dale Tomasson (Ben Koldyke), the state-appointed trustee of Juniper Creek’s assets.  At the compound, Adaleen (Mary Kay Place) shares a shocking secret with Nicki (Chloë Sevigny), who’s under fire for opening a new bank account for Roman.  Though her home-shopping business is thriving, Margie (Ginnifer Goodwin) makes an on-air slip-up that prompts her boss Beverly (Katherine LaNasa) to voice concerns about possible burnout.  Worried for her safety, Lois (Grace Zabriskie) offers Frank (Bruce Dern) a piece of her fledgling bird-purveying business.  Bill and J.J. Walker (Zeljko Ivanek), Nicki’s unpredictable ex, work out an arrangement allowing Cara Lynn (Cassi Thomson) to stay at the Henricksons’ house while attending high school during the week.  Ben (Douglas Smith) lands a gig with his Christian rock band, and ends up being called into backup duty for another.

Written by Mark V. Olsen & Will Scheffer; directed by Dan Attias.

***

Episode #36:  “The Greater Good”

Debut:  SUNDAY, JAN. 17 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates:  Jan. 17 (11:00 p.m.), 19 (11:00 p.m.), 20 (10:00 p.m.), 22 (8:00 p.m., 2:25 a.m.) and 27 (9:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Jan. 18 (10:00 p.m.), 19 (7:00 p.m.), 23 (1:30 p.m., 11:35 p.m.) and 24 (8:00 p.m.)

Ignoring pleas from Nicki to become Juniper Creek’s next prophet, Bill contemplates running for the vacant Utah State Senate seat against ardent polygamy foe Roy Colburn (Tom Amandes).  Joey (Shawn Doyle) and Wanda (Melora Walters) return to Juniper Creek, but a suspicious J.J. is lurking.  Sarah (Amanda Seyfried) and Scott (Aaron Paul) decide to forgo a wedding in Bill’s church in favor of a civil ceremony, shocking Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), who nevertheless takes steps with Bill to be re-admitted to the church that excommunicated them.  J.J., making his mark in a UEB satellite compound in Kansas, has a contentious dinner at the Henricksons’ with his cancer-ridden wife Malinda (Malinda Page Hamilton).  Barb confronts Nicki about her feelings for Ray Henry (Charles Esten), who’s moving away after losing his case.  A reform-minded Dale tries to keep Alby at bay, to little avail.

Written by Paul Redford; directed by David Knoller.

***

Episode #37:  “Strange Bedfellows”

Debut:  SUNDAY, JAN. 24 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates:  Jan. 24 (11:00 p.m.), 26 (10:30 p.m.), 27 (10:00 p.m.) and 29 (8:00 p.m., 2:00 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Jan. 25 (10:00 p.m.), 26 (7:00 p.m.), 30 (1:30 p.m., 11:35 p.m.) and 31 (8:00 p.m.)

Bill, Nicki and Cara Lynn travel to Washington, D.C., where Bill tries to land an endorsement from Congressman Clark Paley (Perry King) while repairing his relationship with Nicki.  First, however, he has to get past a faux pas he’s made with Marilyn Densham (Sissy Spacek), Paley’s political crony.  Back in Utah, Margene and her “Hearts on a Sleeve” line go prime time, but her on-air triumph is tempered by a case of mistaken identity.  Joined by Sarah, Barb leads a series of seminars on sensitivity training at the casino.  Fearing that Wanda spilled the beans about Roman’s murder to J.J., Joey goes to extremes to safeguard their dirty secret.  Barb and Sarah hit a young Native American woman with their car, prompting Sarah to personally compensate the victim and her baby.  Even as his affection for Dale deepens, Alby is tormented by reminders of his late father’s judgment.

Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa; directed by Adam Davidson.

***

Episode #38:  “The Mighty and Strong”

Debut:  SUNDAY, JAN. 31 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates:  Jan. 31 (11:00 p.m.) and Feb. 2 (10:30 p.m.), 3 (10:00 p.m.), 5 (8:00 p.m., 1:20 a.m.) and 17 (8:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Feb. 1 (10:00 p.m.), 2 (7:00 p.m.), 6 (3:00 p.m., 11:30 p.m.) and 7 (8:00 p.m.)

When an audit uncovers insurance discrepancies at Home Plus, Bill takes drastic steps to protect his secrets and save his candidacy.  J.J. approaches Alby with a partial solution on how to dispose of a “flock cast adrift,” flummoxing Nicki.  Lois, Frank and Jodean (Mireille Enos) encounter a border scare in their quest for exotic birds.  Sarah gets a taste of motherhood, albeit with someone else’s child.  Alby is tormented by his inner Roman, and torn by what he sees as Dale’s betrayal.  Troubled by Tancy’s (Bella Thorne) surprising revelation about Margene and Ben, Bill decides that a change of scene might be best for his firstborn son.

Written by Melanie Marnich; directed by Dan Attias.

***

In addition to its Emmy nomination, “Big Love” just received three Golden Globe nominations:  Best Television Series – Drama, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama (Bill Paxton) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Chloë Sevigny).

It’s my last day of work for TWELVE DAYS. It’s a Hannukah miracle! Yes!

Okay, to be fair, it’s my last day at the studio, but I still have articles coming out of every orifice. But those should be wrapped up by Monday at the latest and then I am free as O.J. Wait, O.J. is in jail now, right? Maybe that doesn’t work. Hmmm.

I still have a lot to do, but I wanted to give some quick thoughts on the Golden Globe noms that came out yesterday. I’d love to comment on the movie stuff, but I simply haven’t seen enough of them yet to do so. I did, however, see Up In The Air last night and I loved it. The movie is great and Mr. Clooney is as charming as ever. I also adore Vera Farmiga, but that’s nothing new. And what is this movie and drink and popcorn for 12 bucks deal? Why did I not know about this sooner? I think it’s because I go to so many matinees. I’m clearly going to a movie every Tuesday from now on.

On to the TV nominations, though.

1) GLEE! I’m so happy for the show, for Lea Michele and for the surprise nod for Matthew Morrison. I expected Jane Lynch to get a nod, but it doesn’t make it any less awesome. See her comic genius here:

2) Julianna Margulies. I don’t know why I have taken to The Good Wife  as much as I have. It’s pretty low-key. There are no Desperate Housewives-like shockers, no Grey’s-like romances and no 90210/Gossip Girl-like scandal. But it’s still got me captivated and that’s probably because of Julianna. Very happy with this one!

3) Big Love. It is killing me that I haven’t seen season 3 yet (although I’ve read many spoilers). I’m still really happy the show got nommed and that Chloe Sevigny finally got some due recognition! I can’t wait to see season 3 on DVD!

4) January Jones. I just don’t get the appeal. I think she’s awful.

5) Jon Hamm. Yum.

6) Entourage was nominated for Best Comedy? Really? Is it 2006?

7) I am thrilled that Modern Family got nominated, but where are the cast members? Sofia Vergara is hilarious! Ty Burrell? Julie Bowen? Where are you?

Courtney Cox-Arquette deserved her nomination and I really hope she can finally get the Emmy nom she never got for Friends.

Okay, work time. I promise to blog more once I am home in Ottawa on Friday. Unless my mom annoys me to death with requests to join Farmville. Seriously, yesterday she pulled out a “What if I die tomorrow? You will feel terrible because you didn’t join for me.” I also got a “I’ll ask my good son, then. He will do it for me,” a sentiment that is all the more hilarious because my brother won’t even authorize my mom as a facebook friend let alone join Farmville. But, seriously, let’s hope I don’t get pestered into oblivion. Okay, end scene.

Shalom,

BM

This is my animation demo reel that I did in my last year in school, it’s called Big Love, it’s about a drunk sumo’s struggle while being on a date.

I can’t recall countless sleepless nights and slaving away from morning till night on this short.

Enjoy!

With Greta teething like crazy, no one in our household has been getting much sleep lately. So, since I was still awake at 4:30AM this morning, I figured I may as well stay up to watch the Golden Globe Nominations at 5:00AM. I mean, what’s another half hour at that point, huh?

Well, apparently the Hollywood Foreign Press is as punctual as I am, because, even though their website said the nominations would begin at 5:00AM PST, they didn’t actually get to the good stuff till 5:37AM!! And trust me, trying to stay awake for those last 37 minutes sucked ass. Jesus, get it together, HFPA!

Anyway, there weren’t a whole lot of surprises this year on the movie side, except for the near total snubs of “The Lovely Bones”, “The Road” and “Where The Wild Things Are” — but it was cool to see three of our favorite actors (Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep and Matt Damon) score double nominations and, seriously, anytime Julianne Moore is nominated for an award is a happy day in my book. Now if she could actually win something sometime I’d be even happier!

Also glad to see Tarantino back in the thick of things with “Inglourious Basterds” raking up all kinds of Globes love, and though we haven’t watched our screener of “Up In The Air” yet, I am already in love with the movie from the trailers, so, kudos to Clooney and company on that front too. It was also very cool to see “Avatar” do so well and a smaller movie like “District 9″ score a coveted screenplay nomination. Wow…who knew the HFPA dug Sci Fi? Awesome!

But the big news of the day was on the TV front where Fox’s “Glee” very-deservedly cleaned freaking house with three acting nominations and a nod for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy. Hooray! After years of kicking ass in everything she does, Jane Lynch is finally nominated for an award! Coolness! Go-to character actresses like Alison Janney better watch their backs in the years to come, because the white-hot Lynch is on a roll, baby!

Also very happy to see “Big Love” score a few well-deserved nominations (go, Chloë Sevigny!) and we were very excited to see two of our favorite new shows, “Modern Family” and “The Good Wife” score some nods. Rock on, newbies!

My only complaint today are the three nominations for Lifetime’s God-awful “Georgia O’Keefe” biopic. That movie really, really sucked. Not only did it totally squander the considerable talents of it’s two lead actors, Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons, but it was so damn boring that it made Lifetime’s epic 2008 train wreck, “Coco Chanel” look interesting. And yes, I actually Tivo-ed (and watched!!) both of those lame-ass movies. Yikes…

But at the end of the day, the big story at this year’s Globes — which air on NBC on January 17th — isn’t gonna be about the nominees at all. I mean, with Ricky Gervais hosting and the booze flowing freely, who really cares who wins?

To see a full list of this year’s nominees, click here.

If you’ve been angered by the lack of completeness of the Manchester entry, be mad at Emme. Also, if you’ve been angered by the lack of outings since Thanksgiving, you can be mad at Emme for that, too. However, if you’re mad at Emme and would like advice on picking out the perfect set of organic basketweave drapes this holiday season, she can totally make it up to you.

The OneSixNine activity has slowed down because of some busy holiday schedules (and Emme’s seasonal retail job). That doesn’t mean we still don’t love our readers. We love you readers. We love you so much we want to enter into a polygamous marriage with all 6 of you.

To show you the extent of our Bill Paxton-esque love, I thought I would throw you out another “I’ll Link To That” entry. Let’s meet our blogging stars!

The C(u)T. Took me a while to find this one just now, because I was searching for “In the Cut” and kept coming up with the 2003 Meg Ryan erotic thriller written and directed by Jane Campion. Man, and I thought I was having a bad week before that. Anyway, I’ll let The Cut kids speak for themselves:

“We love Connecticut like you might love your annoying sister, who you make fun of all the time, but defend whenever anyone else calls her virtues into question. Mostly, we figure you can’t complain if you aren’t going to do anything to help the situation. So, we bring you The CuT, an online “magazine” written by the young people of Connecticut, for the young people of the Connecticut. We hope to be irreverent, topical and show the world what Connecticut has to offer – and to do it with a self-depreciating sense of humor.”

Nutmeg Kitchen – Zoe P. (who’s a lover of Emme’s holiday nursery rhyme references, even though I wish people wouldn’t encourage her) blogs for “eaters out and locovore scratch chefs and everybody who does a little of both, or falls somewhere in between.” I’m all about the eating out. Emme can cover the cooking. Also, Zoe is from New Haven. What up, Elm City!

As you all know, if there’s one thing the OneSixNine girls love doing it’s checking things off lists. This is why we totally respect the efforts of Cafe Connecticut, a blog which has endeavored to personally sample and review every dish on Connecticut Magazine’s list of 50 Dishes To Try Before You Die. We plan on hitting up some of these places as we check towns off our big list.

Also, on a completely unrelated-to-Connecticut note, I also enjoy Disapproving Rabbits. Just sayin’.

.

If you’re a Big Love Fan, you’ll get a kick out of their Christmas Album A Juniper Creek Christmas

As much as Big Love distorts and outright lies in its portrayal of the Church at times in its episodes–it’s an entertaining series.  The “carols” on this album are actually pretty funny–a different and light heartded polygamous take on the Christmas Season with Roman Grant and his wives at Juniper Creek.