Basierend auf der gleichnamigen Mini-Serie des Science-Fiction-Autors Stephen Gallagher ermitteln der Wissenschaftler Dr. Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell) und die FBI-Agentin Rachel Young (Marley Shelton) im Dunstkreis krimineller und korrupter Forscher. Im deutschen Free TV übernimmt Kabel 1 die Ausstrahlung der Serie. Aktuell ist man dort auf den Stand der 10. Folge, die am kommenden Samstag um 21.15 Uhr ausgestrahlt wird.

In den USA ist die Serie bereits eingestellt, es gibt keine weiteren Folgen mehr. 18x die elfte Stunde, das war offenbar genug.

Momentan habe ich sowieso den Eindruck, in Amerika setzen sie alles an Serien wieder ab, was ihnen so in die Finger kommt.
Eleventh Hour ist allerdings auch sehr trocken.

Dr.Hood fehlt es an Menschlichkeit, an Profil. Rachel Young ist zwar ein netter Anblick, aber das ist auch der einzige Trost. Den Geschichten fehlt es an Ecken und Kanten. Alles läuft irgendwie immer glatt. Es gibt nichts überraschendes.
Im Endeffekt ist es somit auch nicht überraschend, dass die Serie bereits so früh wieder eingestellt wird.

Last Wednesday was Armistice Day, when on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”, in 1918, the armistice was signed for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front at the end of World War I.

Source:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/11/armistice_day_remembrances.html

As I write it is the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month–the day, month and hour WWI came to an end.  It was named Armistice Day and later became Veterans Day to honor all veterans of all wars.  If you’re a Veteran, thank YOU for risking life and limb for the safety and wellbeing of all of us back home.  Your efforts and sacrifice carry positive reverberations through space and time.  Even if you feel invisible in a sea of soldiers, your singular stance to protect sends out strong spiritual signals that make enemies flee. Thank YOU!

To reflect back a bit to the end of WWI, to the hour of its cease-fire, the 11th hour makes me think of the expression “at the eleventh hour”, which means at the last possible moment.  The 11th hour of 11/11/1918 was the last possible moment for the enemy to gain ground, the last possible moment for warriors to be shot down.  Were any soldiers killed that hour?  Were any ships sunk or flying aces shot out of the sky?  I suppose so, even though within the hour the war was over.

The Bible says we’re in the End Times, the final moments before the war with Satan is over.  Even though we’re 2000 years out from Jesus’s prophecy of His Second Coming, we’re at the 11th hour.  Unlike most earthly rulers, Satan seeks no truce and will never consent to a peace treaty.  There will be never be a spiritual Armistice Day: God and Satan will never shake hands and call it a day.  No, Satan’s goal is only destruction and he knows his time is short and his defeat is sure.  Unleashing his wrath he seeks to deface God, deceive Jesus’s followers, rob us of our awareness of God’s love and peace and keep souls from the salvation offered through Jesus Christ.

As Christians, we are soldiers in perpetual combat.  Internally we, with the power of the Holy Spirit, battle impurity and idolatry, mindlessness and denial.  Externally, we choose love over fear, we choose forgiveness over revenge, we reach out and, as He leads us, dare to set foot on enemy territory and claim it for Christ.  Jesus commands and oversees His Body’s movements and strategically sends angels into demonic strongholds (those called to intercessory prayer do oh so much more than simply pray for another, they enter spiritual battle).   Satan seeks our personal and collective weaknesses and goes for the jugular.  We’re in dangerous territory, yet we’ve never been safer, for in Christ we’re eternally secure. 

In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul unpacks our spiritual armor…may we never forget it, never shrug it off, never leave ourselves vulnerable…this is the 11th hour and our enemy is cranking up the assault…

God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

 Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (from The Message, vs 10-18)

(pic info: Turamichele (“Tower-Michael”) is the name of a moving mechanical figure on the Perlach Tower (Perlachturm) next to Perlach church in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany. It shows the Archangel Michael fighting with the devil. Every year on 29 September (Michaelmas or St. Michael’s Day) the Turamichele appears in a window on the west side of the tower. The day is also marked by a big children’s party. Permission to use: Creative Commons license; found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Turamichele-2007-4.jpg)

So were full steam ahead. Ive decided to release an album fully produced by yours truly. The album will be titled “The 11th Hour Theory”. Im planning on releasing it in mid to late spring 2010. I can’t say for sure who you can expect to be featured on the album but I can promise it will be a mixture of both local and more nationally known artists.

The title comes from my own personal beliefs that those who are last shine brighter than those who are first. Seattle hip hop to me is one of the last amongst hip hop communities within larger metropolitan areas to be heard on a co basis on a national level. I feel as if my music has not yet seen the complete light of day so the album strives to prove my theory correct.

If your an artist  feel free to hit me up if you would like to know more details and are interested in being a part of this. I titled this post impatience because I felt the need to come out and do something for myself. Trying to get music on other peoples mixtapes, albums, etc just wasn’t  cutting it so I have to do it my way.

For months, many following the “Cap and Trade” implementation worldwide and who have been aware of the Cap and Trade proposed legislation now in the Senate, the “Climate Bill” H.R. 2454, have come to recognize this scheme as an international fraud that would impose further taxes on home energy use while such tax revenue finds its way to offshore bankers. The scheme points overtly to the probablity that it in fact represents a scaffolding for the construction of an economic global governance.

Now, the “Climate Change” treaty that is to be presented at the U.N. Climate Change Conference to take place this December in Copenhagen is viewable online, and a very interesting section of this Treaty seems to congeal the actual birthing of a three-point framework of such a global governance. It would indeed appear that Obama is poised to usher in such world government under the initial pretext of a world cooperative commitment to reduce man’s carbon ‘footprint.’ In effect, the sovereignty of the American Republic could well be signed away in just a few weeks.

Eleventh hour, at the fifty-ninth minute and fifty-ninth second – OBAMA POISED TO CEDE US SOVEREIGNTY, CLAIMS BRITISH LORD
Article: RepubX

From a concerned citizen:

The Minnesota Free Market Institute hosted an event at Bethel University in St. Paul on Wednesday evening. Keynote speaker Lord Christopher Monckton, former science adviser to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, gave a scathing and lengthy presentation, complete with detailed charts, graphs, facts, and figures which culminated in the utter decimation of both the pop culture concept of global warming and the credible threat of any significant anthropomorphic climate change.

A detailed summary of Monckton’s presentation will be available here once compiled. However, a segment of his remarks justify immediate publication. If credible, the concern Monckton speaks to may well prove the single most important issue facing the American nation, bigger than health care, bigger than cap and trade, and worth every citizen’s focused attention.

Here were Monckton’s closing remarks, as dictated from my audio recording:

At [the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in] Copenhagen, this December, weeks away, a treaty will be signed. Your president will sign it. Most of the third world countries will sign it, because they think they’re going to get money out of it. Most of the left-wing regime from the European Union will rubber stamp it. Virtually nobody won’t sign it.

I read that treaty. And what it says is this, that a world government is going to be created. The word “government” actually appears as the first of three purposes of the new entity. The second purpose is the transfer of wealth from the countries of the West to third world countries, in satisfication of what is called, coyly, “climate debt” – because we’ve been burning CO2 and they haven’t. We’ve been screwing up the climate and they haven’t. And the third purpose of this new entity, this government, is enforcement.

How many of you think that the word “election” or “democracy” or “vote” or “ballot” occurs anywhere in the 200 pages of that treaty? Quite right, it doesn’t appear once. So, at last, the communists who piled out of the Berlin Wall and into the environmental movement, who took over Greenpeace so that my friends who funded it left within a year, because [the communists] captured it – Now the apotheosis as at hand. They are about to impose a communist world government on the world. You have a president who has very strong sympathies with that point of view. He’s going to sign it. He’ll sign anything. He’s a Nobel Peace Prize [winner]; of course he’ll sign it.

[laughter]

And the trouble is this; if that treaty is signed, if your Constitution says that it takes precedence over your Constitution (sic), and you can’t resign from that treaty unless you get agreement from all the other state parties – And because you’ll be the biggest paying country, they’re not going to let you out of it.

So, thank you, America. You were the beacon of freedom to the world. It is a privilege merely to stand on this soil of freedom while it is still free. But, in the next few weeks, unless you stop it, your president will sign your freedom, your democracy, and your humanity away forever. And neither you nor any subsequent government you may elect will have any power whatsoever to take it back. That is how serious it is. I’ve read the treaty. I’ve seen this stuff about [world] government and climate debt and enforcement. They are going to do this to you whether you like it or not.

But I think it is here, here in your great nation, which I so love and I so admire – it is here that perhaps, at this eleventh hour, at the fifty-ninth minute and fifty-ninth second, you will rise up and you will stop your president from signing that dreadful treaty, that purposeless treaty. For there is no problem with climate and, even if there were, an economic treaty does nothing to [help] it.

So I end by saying to you the words that Winston Churchill addressed to your president in the darkest hour before the dawn of freedom in the Second World War. He quoted from your great poet Longfellow:

Sail on, O Ship of State!
Sail on, O Union, strong and great!
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate!

————– End of Speech ———–Some questions for Lord Monckton—–

Lord Monckton received a standing ovation and took a series of questions from members of the audience. Among those questions were these relevent to the forthcoming Copenhagen treaty:

Question: The current administration and the Democratic majority in Congress has shown little regard for the will of the people. They’re trying to pass a serious government agenda, and serious taxation and burdens on future generations. And there seems to be little to stop them. How do you propose we stop Obama from doing this, because I see no way to stop him from signing anything in Copenhagen. I believe that’s his agenda and he’ll do it.

Response: I don’t minimize the difficulty. But on this subject – I don’t really do politics, because it’s not right. In the end, your politics is for you. The correct procedure is for you to get onto your representatives, both in the US Senate where the bill has yet to go through (you can try and stop that) and in [the House], and get them to demand their right of audience (which they all have) with the president and tell him about this treaty. There are many very powerful people in this room, wealthy people, influential people. Get onto the media, tell them about this treaty. If they go to www.wattsupwiththat.com, they will find (if they look carefully enough) a copy of that treaty, because I arranged for it to be posted there not so long ago. Let them read it, and let the press tell the people that their democracy is about to be taken away for no good purpose, at least [with] no scientific basis [in reference to climate change]. Tell the press to say this. Tell the press to say that, even if there is a problem [with climate change], you don’t want your democracy taken away. It really is as simple as that.

Question: Is it really irrevocable if that treaty is signed? Suppose it’s signed by someone who does not have the authority, as I – I have some, a high degree of skepticism that we do have a valid president there because I know at least one judge who shares your opinion, sir, yes.

I don’t believe it until I see it. … Would [Obama's potential illegitimacy as president] give us a reasonable cause to nullify whatever treaty that he does sign as president?

Response: I would be very careful not to rely on things like that. Although there is a certain amount of doubt whether or not he was born in Hawaii, my fear is it would be very difficult to prove he wasn’t born in Hawaii and therefore we might not be able to get anywhere with that. Besides, once he’s signed that treaty, whether or not he signed it validly, once he’s signed it and ratified it – your Senate ratifies it – you’re bound by it. But I will say one thing; they know, in the White House, that they won’t be able to get the 67 votes in the Senate, the two-thirds majority that your Constitution has stipulated must be achieved in order to ratify a treaty of this kind. However, what they’ve worked out is this – and they actually let it slip during the election campaign, which is how I know about it. They plan to enact that Copenhagen treaty into legislation by a simple majority of both houses. That they can do. But the virtue of that – and here you have a point – is that is, thank God, reversible. So I want you to pray tonight, and pray hard for your Senate that they utterly refuse to ratify the [new] Treaty of Copenhagen, because if they refuse to ratify it and [Obama] has to push it through as domestic legislation, you can repeal it.

Regardless of whether global warming is taking place or caused to any degree by human activity, we do not want a global government empowered to tax Americans without elected representation or anything analogous to constitutional protections. The Founding Fathers would roll over in their graves if they knew their progeny allowed a foreign power such authority, effectively undoing their every effort in an act of Anti-American Revolution. If that is our imminent course, we need to put all else on hold and focus on stopping it. If American sovereignty is ceded, all other debate is irrelevant.

Verifying the treaty clauses Mockton made reference to:

Skimming through the treaty, I came across verification of Monckton’s assessment of the new entity’s purpose:

38. The scheme for the new institutional arrangement under the Convention will be based on three basic pillars: government; facilitative mechanism; and financial mechanism, and the basic organization of which will include the following:

World Government (heading added)
(a) The government will be ruled by the COP with the support of a new subsidiary body on adaptation, and of an Executive Board responsible for the management of the new funds and the related facilitative processes and bodies. The current Convention secretariat will operate as such, as appropriate.

To Redistribute Wealth (heading added)
b) The Convention’s financial mechanism will include a multilateral climate change fund including five windows: (a) an Adaptation window, (b) a Compensation window, to address loss and damage from climate change impacts [read: the "climate debt" Monckton refers to], including insurance, rehabilitation and compensatory components, © a Technology window; (d) a Mitigation window; and (e) a REDD window, to support a multi-phases process for positive forest incentives relating to REDD actions.

With Enforcement Authority (heading added)
© The Convention’s facilitative mechanism will include: (a) work programmes for adaptation and mitigation; (b) a long-term REDD process; © a short-term technology action plan; (d) an expert group on adaptation established by the subsidiary body on adaptation, and expert groups on mitigation, technologies and on monitoring, reporting and verification; and (e) an international registry for the monitoring, reporting and verification of compliance of emission reduction commitments, and the transfer of technical and financial resources from developed countries to developing countries. The secretariat will provide technical and administrative support, including a new centre for information exchange [read; enforcement].

On October 14, Lord Christopher Monckton, a noted climate change skeptic, gave a presentation at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. In this 4 minute excerpt from his speech, he issues a dire warning to all Americans regarding the United Nations Climate Change Treaty, scheduled to be signed in Copenhagen in December 2009.

I don’t know whether everyone in Australia is in agreement with me but I believe GO! to be a godsend. If you’re under 30 and you don’t care about watching repeats of Seinfeld, GO! is the channel for you.

With Channel 9 signing an approx $500 million deal with Warner Bros we can finally see all those cable shows in America that usually go straight to Foxtel.  For example The Vampire Diaries started 4 weeks after its premiere in America on GO!.

I’ve lived in the household with the parents that couldn’t justify paying for Foxtel when we had free television which I never understood, but now I don’t think free-to-air TV is that bad. Every time I go to my friends house we watch Fox8 and it is basically re-runs of old shows until you hit primetime where you see the news shows. GO! seems to be following this pattern.

The programmers at GO! have their heads screwed on right shaping each night to a different demographic. Wednesday nights slated for young males into sci-fi with Fringe and Eleventh Hour headlining the primetime slot while on Thursday you have a female slated line-up with Gossip Girl and The Hills.  These types of nights are a golden opportunity for advertisers to get on board and take advantage of the demographic groups that are likely to be watching with appropriate product advertising.

This move by Channel 9 to set up this new channel aimed at the younger audience takes pressure off Channel 9 to appeal to younger audiences on the main channel. With Channel 9 struggling in the ratings this year pushing it back in to third one week this year due to the success of Master Chef on Channel 10, GO! is the answer to draw the younger audiences and Channel 9 can focus on regaining the audience it has lost over this year.

I am probably bias in the aspect that the reasons I support GO! so much is that so many of my favourite shows I wasn’t able to see on TV are now available on GO!. Beside that point the presentation of GO! and the slick programming are all contributing to what I see is shaping up to be a great addition to Australian television.

Eleventh Hour

Why is it that God seems to like to wait until the last minute to do His thing?  Does He enjoy tormenting us?  Does God have a “Hero Complex”?  Or is it really for our own good?

The other day I used a verse in a post that said “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28 NLT 

I truly believe it and yet the last few weeks have been a series of ups and downs for me.  I have battled depression and fear.  I have wrestled with my faith in God and fought against disbelief.  A war has raged in my very heart for control of my destiny. 

Every prayer held the same phrase, “Lord, help my unbelief.  Give me faith in You!”  Most times I held onto my absolute trust in God, but to be completely honest and transparent, it hasn’t been easy.  Some days were harder than others.  When Amy would call and was having a hard time with the kids because I wasn’t there, when I would be all alone in my little motel room, when life seemed to crawl by, at these times I would loose heart and feel disconnected from God.  But looking back I can see that God was there, carrying me like a father carries his child on his shoulders;  in the phone calls from friends, in the comments on my facebook page from people praying for me, in the amazing Quiet Times I had with God. 

Another verse stands out to me as well, Hebrews 13:5b “be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (NIV)

This I have tried to do.  I have sought to be content with my circumstances and realize that God is in control.  I am His to do with as He sees fit.  This is hard for me, I like to be in charge.  I like to make my own decisions.  To allow God to be in charge is to give up what I want to hold on to, “me”.

It hasn’t been easy, I have been stressed like never before, but my faith, or at least my desire to have faith in God, has been rewarded.  God has stepped in at the Eleventh Hour, just as He promised.  Actually, He didn’t “step in” as He has been here all along, He just made His presence more fully known by pulling everything together at the last moment.

Does God have a Hero Complex?  Does He enjoy tormenting us?  NO!  What He  does enjoy is seeing the faith His children have in Him and rewarding those who honestly seek Him and want to have their faith increased.  But a secondary motive arises as well, this allows us to see where our faith truly is.  I can look back and see how small my faith was but how great my desire was to have faith in Him.  Now, looking back from the other side of the valley I can see how little I started with and how much I ended with.

How about you?  Are you in a valley?  How’s your faith?  It doesn’t have to be strong right now but the desire to have faith in God must be strong.  Call out to Him.  Ask Him to help your unbelief.  I did, and it made all the difference.

In Mark 9 we read of a father with a child afflicted with seizures and unable to control himself.  The young boy was possessed of an unclean spirit/sickness.  The father asks Jesus to heal his son but adds, “If you can.”  Jesus looks at him and says, “If I can?  Everything is possible for him who believes.”  The father recognizes his lack of faith and immediately cries out to Jesus, “I do believe.  Lord, help me overcome my unbelief.”  Immediately Jesus heals his son. 

That’s what I cried out as well, in the darkness and loneliness of my motel room, “Lord I believe, help me overcome my unbelief!”  And He did!

     

Questions? Don’t forget to visit the Questions??Questions?? page and let me know. I will try to answer it the best I can. No Quantum Physics or Time Travel questions please!

I’m not Einstein!

Hat mich jemand vermisst?

Zugegeben, ich habe diesen Blog leider sehr vernachlässigt – und das wird vermutlich auch noch einige Zeit so bleiben, da mich meine neue Zweigstelle doch ganz gut auf Trab hält.

Das hat leider dazu geführt, dass sich für diesen Blog hier so einige Dinge angesammelt haben, zu denen ich allerdings nicht versprechen werde, dass ich sie jemals wirklich aufarbeiten werde.

Aber zumindest mit den im letzten Jahr gesehenen Serien will ich jetzt endlich mal beginnen.

Dabei werde ich mich aber aller Voraussicht nach dieses Mal nicht ganz so ausschweifend äußern, was verschiedene Gründe hat. Zum Einen natürlich muss ich auch den anderen Blog noch am Laufen halten und zum Anderen sind es in diesem Fernsehjahr noch mal mehr Serien geworden: Insgesamt stehe ich bei 44 Serien, von denen ich mindestens eine komplette Staffel geschaut habe – ohne solche Dinge wie Colbert Report, Daily Show, Tonight Show with Conan O’Brian, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson oder Saturday Night Live, die auch immer mal wieder geschaut werden (vor allem die ersten beiden finden eigentlich regelmäßig den Weg auf meinen USB-Stick).

Bevor wir ans Eingemachte gehen, wenden wir uns aber erst einmal den Serien zu, die bei mir irgendwann unterwegs früher oder manchmal auch später aus den verschiedensten Gründen verreckt sind.

Castle

Mit Castle haben wir hier direkt mal einen eher untypischen Vertreter dieser „Misfit“-Kategorie, denn ich glaube, unter anderen Umständen, wäre der Funke vielleicht übergesprungen. Unglücklicherweise habe ich mit Castle aber, aufgrund einiger positiver Erwähnungen in anderen Blogs, zu einer Zeit angefangen, als ich schon recht viel im Programm hatte und da ich dann nicht so richtig viel Aufmerksamkeit aufbrachte, schoss ein möglicher Funke irgendwie ins Leere. Ich kann mich nicht mal direkt erinnern, ob ich tatsächlich die ersten zwei oder drei Folgen gesehen habe…

Es geht um einen erfolgreichen und hochnäsigen Krimiautor, dessen geschriebene Mordfälle einen Nachahmer in der Realität finden. Nachdem er bei der Aufklärung helfen kann, hat er plötzlich Gefallen an der Polizei- und Detektivarbeit gefunden, auch wenn er (oder weil er?) mit der zuständigen Polizistin immer wieder aneckt.

Yet another fish out of water Schnüffler-Geschichte, die vielleicht etwas Charme aus den Dialogen zwischen Nathan Fillion und Stana Katic ziehen dürfte. Vielleicht bekommt sie irgendwann mal wieder eine Chance.

Dark Blue

Das immer noch existierende Sommerloch spült immer mal wieder die eine oder andere Serie an die Oberfläche, die man unter anderen Umständen womöglich nicht gesehen hätte. Das ist oftmals durchaus erfreulich, da einem ansonsten mal wieder das „Hidden Gem“ eines kleinen Kabelsenders entgangen wäre – hier ist das leider nicht der Fall.

Ein total geheimes Undercover-Team ermittelt in der Unterwelt von L.A. und übertritt dabei regelmäßig die Grenzen des Gesetzes – aber der Zweck heiligt ja die Mittel.

Das Problem ist, dass die Serie derart übertrieben ernsthaft ist, dass sie beinahe schon keimfrei wirkt. Dazu ist sie so schrecklich düster, dass einem beim Zuschauen schon fast die Augen zufallen. Aber gut, ich hatte ja schon an Training Day damals keinen wirklichen Spaß.

Was ich aber wirklich überhaupt nicht verstehen kann, ist die Entscheidung des Senders TNT, diese Serie im Doppelpack mit dem ganz vorzüglichen, aber eben locker flockig inszenierten „Leverage“ zu programmieren. Zwei Serien könnten kaum unterschiedlicher von der Grundaussage und der Tonalität her sein. Keine Ahnung, wer hier so besoffen war.

Dirty Sexy Money (S02)

Eigentlich reicht es glaube ich schon, wenn ich zu meiner letztjährigen Besprechung der ersten Staffel verweise, wo ich mein eher unterkühltes Verhältnis zu DSM recht deutlich gemacht hab und auch erklärt habe, dass DSM zu den Serien zählt, deren Episoden ich meist nachhole, wenn wirklich Zeit vorhanden ist.

Dies hat sich mit Staffel 2 nicht gebessert. Im Gegenteil, da aufgrund zusätzlicher Serien die verfügbare Zeit noch knapper geworden ist. Und als DSM irgendwann dann auch noch abgesetzt wurde und die verbliebenen Folgen auf irgendwann im Sommer verschoben wurden, habe ich endgültig den Faden verloren und die Serie Serie sein lassen. Bedauern tue ich es nicht wirklich.

East Bound and Down

Ehrlich gesagt, ist mir erst bei der Recherche zum Serienguide wieder bewusst geworden, dass ich ja auch mal irgendwann im Sommer 2008 den Piloten zur HBO-Comedy East Bound And Down sah und mir dieser damals sogar ziemlich gut gefiel. Da der Pilot damals allerdings sehr frühzeitig als Pre Air-Version geleakt wurde, hatte ich ihn bis zum tatsächlichen Serienstart wieder aus den Augen verloren.

Es war zwar kein überragender Pilot, aber doch eine ganz witzige und HBO-typisch unflätige Geschichte über den abgehalfterten Ex-Baseballprofi Kenny Powers, der wider Willen in seiner Heimatschule als Sportlehrer anheuert, um nach einem deprimierenden Ende seiner Karriere irgendwie versucht über die Runden zu kommen. Danny McBride in der Hauptrolle war schon ziemlich klasse, dazu noch Will Ferrell in einer Nebenrolle und natürlich ganz HBO-like alles schön unzensiert. Wäre vielleicht auch mal wieder einen Blick wert…

Eleventh Hour

Dröge bis zum geht nicht mehr war der Pilot dieser „Bio-Mystery-Ermittler-Serie“, die bei mir so gar keinen Anklang finden wollte. Vielleicht hing es damit zusammen, dass ich kurz zuvor eine von Stimmung, Machart und Ansatz her sehr ähnliche Serie begonnen hatte (Fringe), deren Pilot mich zwar auch nicht vom Hocker riss, aber doch im Direktvergleich gewann (und meinen Mystery-Bedarf schon hinreichend abdecken konnte). In Anbetracht der Absetzung von Eleventh Hour, habe ich dann im Nachhinein wohl auch aufs richtige Pferd gesetzt.

HawthoRNe

Ein weiteres Sommerloch-Spülobjekt war diese Krankenhausserie mit Jada Pinkett-Smith in der Rolle der alles wissenden und immer Lösungen findenden Chefkrankenschwester Christina Hawthorne. Zwar habe ich es bis Folge 7 oder so ausgehalten in Ermangelung von Alternativen, aber dann ging mir diese allwissende Nurse, die immer unfehlbar ist, doch irgendwann kräftig auf den Zeiger. Zumal auch der Rest der Serie dies nicht mal im Ansatz kompensieren kann, da es nur um die gleichen Wer-Mit-Wem-Spielchen geht, die eine Serie wie Grey’s Anatomy viel besser und spannender und mit mehr Sexappeal und Glamour inszeniert. Und mit dem wesentlich besseren Soundtrack.

Eine Serie, die die Welt nicht braucht.

My Own Worst Enemy

Christian Slater als Hauptdarsteller einer Serie war natürlich schon mal eine Hausnummer. Und auch die Grundidee von Geheimagenten, deren Cover als parallele Identitäten in ihrem Gehirn eingespeichert sind, klang zumindest interessant. Schließlich ist der Ansatz der Serie zu zeigen, wie dieses System nicht mehr fehlerfrei funktioniert und die Identitäten plötzlich und unkontrolliert anfangen zu wechseln.

Die Serie begann dann auch ganz ordentlich mit gutem Tempo, aber mit der Zeit verzettelte sie sich dann leider auch immer mehr. Vieles blieb unklar, ohne dass es aber eine Struktur gab, die die Serie wirklich vorantrieb und zudem konnte man auf der inhaltlichen Seite viele der technischen Dinge nur mit wirklich großem Augenzudrücken akzeptieren.

Dementsprechend kam die vorzeitige Absetzung denn auch nicht ganz so überraschend, denn die breite Masse (inklusive mir) konnte die Serie trotz der relativen Starpower nicht erreichen.

The Ex-List

Eine weitere vorzeitig abgesetzte Serie war „The Ex-List“, eine Comedy, in der es um eine junge Frau geht, der vorhergesagt wurde, dass sie ihren zukünftigen Ehemann schon mal früher gedatet hat. Daraufhin macht sie sich daran, alle ihre „Ex-Freunde“ wieder zu treffen, um herauszufinden, wer dies ist.

Klingt grundsätzlich nicht schlecht, war in der Umsetzung aber maximal leidlich okay und wurde dann auch schneller wieder abgesetzt, als ich mich wirklich einfinden konnte. Lediglich schade vielleicht um Hauptdarstellerin Elizabeth Reaser.

True Blood

Bei True Blood ist es auch eine eher gemischtere Angelegenheit. Tolle Bilder, solide Story, exzellente Produktionsqualität, gute Schauspieler – und doch hat es bei mir nicht so recht gefunkt. Woran es genau liegt, kann ich nicht sagen. Vielleicht, weil mir das Thema der Geschichte an sich nicht so ganz zusagt, da ich mit dieser Vampir-Mystik nur bedingt etwas anfagen kann.

Da halt dann auch eben hier wieder die Zeitlimits griffen, habe ich, trotz der wundervollen und anbetungswürdigen Anna Paquin, so bei Folge 7 oder 8 irgendwann aufgehört weiter zu schauen. Immerhin, die restlichen Folgen der ersten Staffel liegen hier weiterhin noch auf Halde und könnten u.U. durchaus demnächst noch geschaut werden.

Aber deswegen ist dieser Abschnitt eben auch mit „Misfits“ überschrieben und nicht mit „Scheiss-Serien“. Es passte halt einfach nicht.

United States of Tara

Ebenfalls nicht gepasst hat diese ambitionierte Serie mit Toni Colette in der Hauptrolle, die eine Mutter mit multipler Persönlichkeitsstörung spielt und deren Familienleben diese Serie als zentrales Thema genommen hat. Auch hier wiederum wirklich hochwertig produziert, mit guten Schauspielern und schönen Dialogen – aber eben halt nichts, was mich so richtig fesselte, so dass ich hier sogar schon nach drei Episoden die Lust verlor, um weiter dran zu bleiben.

Valentine

Hauptsächlich habe ich damals in den Piloten reingeschaut wegen Hauptdarstellerin Jaime Murray, die mir in ihrer Rolle bei DEXTER schon sehr gut gefiel. Dieses Produkt, das auf CW ausgestrahlt wurde und sich um eine Familie von Göttern dreht, die unter den normalen Menschen lebt, ist allerdings doch eher sehr überflüssig gewesen und insgesamt sehr kitschig und seifig, so dass das Schauen nun wirklich keinen Spaß machte. Auch die Absetzung folgte dann recht bald und auch durchaus zurecht.

Mehr dann demnächst. Irgendwann. Vielleicht morgen. Vielleicht in zwei Monaten. Wir werden sehen. =)
[Dann aber auf jeden Fall mit Sex, Sekretärinnen, Switch-Geschichten, Survivaltalenten und äh Handwerkern]

]]> http://impressoesdom.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/fall-season-20092010-novas-temporadas-e-novas-series/ Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:44:00 +0000 Dom http://impressoesdom.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/fall-season-20092010-novas-temporadas-e-novas-series/

Montagem: Sanny Saraiva

Os fanáticos pelos enlatados norte-americanos – aqueles mesmos, alienantes e tal – têm infinitas razões para intensificar a devoção às mais inusitadas e imprevisíveis histórias advindas das esquizofrênicas cabeças de roteiristas do Tio Sam. Desde o início de agosto, séries consagradas exibem suas novas temporadas e emissoras lançam novas produções, que já estreiam despontando como novidades no inóspito e disputado cenário do entretenimento televisivo.

Como já é conhecido, o gerenciador desta, por assim dizer, miscelânea midiática é um assumido e compulsivo fã das séries americanas e repudia qualquer hipócrita manifestação contrária, de famigerados arautos da razão, a essa predileção.

A exemplo do ano passado, quando expus minhas impressões acerca desse próspero período e descrevi algumas de minhas preferências, tecerei comentários sobre as  séries que acompanho religiosamente.

Fall Season 2009/2010

Domingo, 2 de Agosto

Defying Gravity, 1ª temporada (ABC)

Sexta, 7 de Agosto

Psych, 4ª temporada (USA)
Monk, 8ª temporada (USA)

Domingo, 16 de Agosto

Mad Men, 3ª temporada (AMC) – Infelizmente ainda não encontrei brecha em minha atribulada agenda de ócio criativo para acompanhar esta série. Mas, confesso, o fato de ela, não raro, abocanhar as principais estatuetas do Grammy e do Emmy desperta em mim certa curiosidade e vontade de agregar mais esta a minha extensa lista.

Quarta, 19 de Agosto

Top Chef, 6ª temporada (Bravo)

Quinta, 20 de Agosto

Project Runway, 6ª temporada (Lifetime)

31 de agosto

Greek, 3ª temporada (ABC Family) – Acompanho, entusiasticamente, a saga de Casey, Rusty e cia desde o início. Greek fora produzida para preencher buraco de programação, no canal ABC Family. No entanto, com um roteiro afiado e maroto, embora um tanto pueril, a série conquistou seu espaço e cativou um público-alvo específico. Para tanto, os responsáveis pelo seriado utilizaram-se de fórmulas consagradas – por vezes, batida – no intuito de estabelecer um padrão temático e constituir fiéis seguidores. A única ressalva que tenho em relação à essa terceira temporada, é o fato de a trama ter perdido sua vilã-mor, a ardilosa Frannie. Os roteiristas terão que se desdobrar para darem continuidade aos inusitados conflitos, outrora, ocasionados pela referida antagonista. No mais, a série tem tudo para emplacar mais uma bem-sucedida temporada.

Terça, 8 de Setembro

90210, 2ª temporada (CW)
Melrose Place (2009), 1ª temporada (CW)
Sons of Anarchy, 2ª temporada (FX)

Quarta, 9 de Setembro

America’s Next Top Model, 13ª temporada (CW)
Glee, 1ª temporada (FOX)

Quinta, 10 de Setembro

Supernatural, 5ª temporada (CW)
The Vampire Diaries, 1ª temporada (CW)

Segunda, 14 de setembro

Gossip Girl, 3ª temporada (CW) – Assim como já explicitei em algumas ocasiões, repito: Gossip Girl é a malhação de luxo dos nova-iorquinos. O roteiro é absurdamente superficial e, às vezes, de uma ingenuidade risível. Contudo, acredito que o glamour e os mistérios que circundam a vida dos personagens contribuem para que o congênere do seriado global se sobressaia em alguns aspectos. A famigerada temática de idas e vindas de casais, que, em tese, nasceram para ficarem juntos (Dan e Serena; Chuck e Blair), sempre proporciona bons momentos, além das armações dos autoproclamados antagonistas. A expectativa da temporada fica por conta do surgimento do meio-irmão de Dan e Serena.
The Jay Leno Show, 1ª temporada (NBC)

One Tree Hill, 7ª temporada (CW) – Dramalhão mexicano sem precedentes, que deixei de acompanhar há muito.

16 de Setembro

Bones, 5ª temporada (FOX)
Community, 1ª temporada (NBC)
Fringe, 2ª temporada (FOX)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 5ª temporada (FX)
Parks and Recreation, 2ª temporada (NBC)
Survivor: Samoa (CBS)
The Office, 6ª temporada (NBC) – Comédia sofisticada. Tão sofisticada a ponto de, em certos momentos, não ser engraçada. Acompanho-a esporadicamente, mas, normalmente rende cenas antológicas.

Domingo, 20 de Setembro

Curb Your Enthusiasm, 7ª temporada (HBO)
Bored to Death, 1ª temporada (HBO)

Segunda, 21 de Setembro

Accidentally on Purpose, 1ª temporada (CBS)
The Big Bang Theory, 3ª temporada (CBS)
Castle, 2ª temporada (ABC)
CSI: Miami, 8ª temporada (CBS)
Dancing With the Stars, 9ª temporada (ABC)
Heroes, 4ª temporada (NBC)
Two and a Half Men, 7ª temporada (CBS)

House, 6ª temporada (FOX)– Esta, certamente, está inclusa no meu Top Five de séries. É incrível a capacidade de David Shore e dos demais roteiristas deste aclamado seriado de se reinventar a cada nova temporada, reservando, sempre, situações absolutamente inesperadas. Falar da interpretação de Hugh Laurie é redundância, a julgar pela quantidade de indicações em Emmys e Grammys que ele conquistou. Na última temporada, havia o receio pela substituição da equipe do Dr. House, no entanto, o terrificante, degradante e genial processo seletivo imposto por House pulverizou qualquer preocupação acerca da troca de subalternos. Ao contrário, a modificação revitalizou a história e deu novo ritmo à trama. O único percalço fora a súbita saída do Kutner (Kal Penn), que, para os que ainda desconhecem, debandou da série em função de compromissos políticos assumidos com a gestão Obama. A despeito da próxima temporada, muitas surpresas aguardam o séquito de fanáticos seguidores do seriado, a começar pela estadia de House em uma clínica psiquiátrica.

How I Met Your Mother, 5ª temporada (CBS) – Atualmente, esta é a minha série de comédia predileta, ao lado de 30 Rock. É impossível não se entregar às desventuras de Ted Mosby para encontrar a mãe de seus filhos e às inapeláveis, por vezes rascantes, encrencas que seus amigos Marshall, Robin, Lily e Barney se metem. Em sua quinta temporada, parece que finalmente contemplaremos os decisivos momentos que culminarão no esperado encontro da mulher que se casará com Tedy e, com ele, terá dois filhos.

Terça, 22 de Setembro

The Forgotten, 1ª temporada (ABC)
The Good Wife, 1ª temporada (CBS)
NCIS, 7ª temporada (CBS)
NCIS: Los Angeles, 1ª temporada (CBS)

Quarta, 23 de Setembro

Cougar Town, 1ª temporada (ABC)
Criminal Minds, 5ª temporada (CBS)
CSI: NY, 6ª temporada (CBS)
Eastwick, 1ª temporada (ABC)
Gary Unmarried, 2ª temporada (CBS)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, 11ª temporada (NBC)
Modern Family, 1ª temporada (ABC)
The New Adventures of Old Christine, 5ª temporada (CBS) – Outra que acompanho bem tangencialmente, mas, que, sempre, acabo gostando.
Parenthood, 1ª temporada (NBC)

Quinta, 24 de Setembro

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, 10ª temporada (CBS)
Flash Forward, 1ª temporada (ABC)
Grey’s Anatomy, 6 ª temporada (ABC)
The Mentalist, 2ª temporada (CBS)

Sexta, 25 de Setembro

Brothers, 1ª temporada (FOX)
Dollhouse, 2ª temporada (FOX)
Ghost Whisperer, 5ª temporada (CBS)
Law & Order, 20ª temporada (NBC)
Medium, 6ª temporada (CBS)
Numb3rs, 6ª temporada (CBS)

Smallville, 9ª temporada (CW) – Os fãs do super boy que me perdoem, mas, com a saída de Lana e Lex da trama, esta série perdeu a razão de ser e de existir. Simplesmente a ignorei e a deixei de lado. Em minha opinião, Smallville clama por um final digno, o quanto antes. Não há mais fôlego para sua continuidade.

Southland, 2ª temporada (NBC)

Sábado, 26 de Setembro

Saturday Night Live, 35ª temporada (NBC)

Domingo, 27 de Setembro

The Amazing Race, 15ª temporada (CBS)
American Dad, 5ª temporada (FOX)

Brothers & Sisters, 4ª temporada (ABC) – Atualmente, esta atração é, sem sombra de dúvida, a minha predileta. É simplesmente impossível não se sensibilizar diante do carisma que emana naturalmente da família Walker. Sally Field está sensacional como matriarca de uma gigantesca e pródiga prole. Seus cinco filhos, todos eles com características absurdamente únicas, proporcionam momentos de descontração, drama, comédia e suspense, sempre mantendo uma verossimilhança assustadora com os hábitos familiares. Em dados momentos, a comunhão dos personagens é tamanha, que facilmente somos transportados a um plano no qual, ilusoriamente, pensamos que eles realmente fazem parte de uma mesma família. A depender da sua situação emocional, é provável que, em algum momento desta série, você já tenha ansiado ter uma mãe tal como a Nora; uma astuta irmã, como a Kitty; ou cálida, como a Sarah; ou um perspicaz, como o Kevin. Enfim, sou fã incondicional desta brilhante produção e faço votos de que sua vida útil se estenda por muitos e produtivos anos.

Californication, 3ª temporada (Showtime) – Aguardo ansiosamente – quase em cólicas – pela terceira temporada desta série. Com um roteiro sagaz, ágil e despudorado, Californication é uma das séries mais inovadoras da atualidade. É inevitável não torcer pelo protagonista, o escritor Hank Moody (David Duchovny), ante as agruras impostas pela vida em função de decisões equivocadas. Todos os personagens são essencialmente peculiares e marcantes. Becca, a filha de Hank; Karen, a ex; Charlie, o agente; Mia, a ninfeta; e Marcy, mulher de Charlie. Esta nova fase mostrará o dia a dia de pai (Hank) e filha (Becca), agora, morando juntos, já que a mãe, Karen, foi para Nova York.

The Cleveland Show, 1ª temporada (FOX)
Cold Case, 7ª temporada (CBS)

Desperate Housewives, 6ª temporada (ABC) – A última temporada terminou de forma eletrizante, com a morte de Edie, a volta de Susan e Mike, a derrocada de Dave, a nova gravidez de Lynette Scavo e muito mais. São premissas auspiciosas que permitem que vislumbremos uma nova etapa em Wisteria Lane, repleta de situações inusitadas, dramas, comédia, surpresas. A exemplo do roteiro inventivo de House, Desperate Housewives adentra à sua sexta temporada com fôlego de sobra e muitas histórias para se explorar. Mais uma vez, certamente, seremos presenteados com um show de interpretação das quatro protagonistas deste seriado, que também habita a lista do meu Top Five.

Dexter, 4ª temporada (Showtime) – Como um serial-killer reage ante a paternidade? Esta é a pergunta que todos os fãs de Dexter estão se fazendo no momento, às vésperas de a quarta temporada inaugurar os trabalhos. Provavelmente este será o mote que norteará as ações da nova fase de Dexter, uma série instigante e envolvente, haja vista a dose de tensão e suspense que permeia todas as situações. O elenco é afiadíssimo e Michael C. Hall incorpora o protagonista de forma visceral. A depender da situação, é quase impossível cerrar os olhos durante um episódio sob risco de se perder algum detalhe determinante para os rumos da trama.

Family Guy, 8ª temporada (FOX)

The Simpsons, 21ª temporada (FOX) – Tenho sido uma ovelha desgarrada deste decano das séries. Mas, faço questão de ressaltar, ainda compartilho da ideia de vitaliciedade a esta sensacional produção.

Segunda, 28 de Setembro

Lie to Me, 2ª temporada (FOX)
Trauma, 1ª temporada (NBC)

Quarta, 30 de Setembro

Hank, 1ª temporada (ABC)
The Middle, 1ª temporada (ABC)

Quinta, 1º de Outubro

Private Practice, 3ª temporada (ABC)

Sexta, 2 de Outubro

‘Til Death, 4ª temporada (FOX)
Stargate Universe, 1ª temporada (Syfy)

Terça, 6 de Outubro

Scare Tactics, 1ª temporada (Syfy)

Nip/Tuck, 6ª temporada (FX) – Acompanho Nip Tuck desde o início. Assisti a todas as cinco temporadas e, portanto, posso afirma com propriedade que esta série descambou para o lado circense (ridículo). Os dramas e tragédias se potencializaram de tal modo que se tornaram cômicos. Os inesperados destinos de Sean e Cristian desagradaram a todos – sem falar da Julia. Não é que a série tenha perdido o fôlego, mas, sim, o fio da meada. Até pouco tempo atrás, considerava-a inovadora por explorar temas intocados, porém, agora, para mim, ela não passa de mais uma produção banal que aborda questões superficiais, sem a menor importância.

Quarta, 7 de Outubro

South Park, 13ª temporada (Comedy Central)

Sexta, 9 de Outubro

Sanctuary, 1ª temporada (Syfy)
Ugly Betty, 4ª temporada (ABC)

Quinta, 15 de Outubro

30 Rock, 4ª temporada (NBC) – Destaco dois pontos principais desta série genial e, por vezes, incompreendida: o roteiro e os atores. O texto é de uma primazia e agilidade inquestionável, com sacadas atuais e sagazes. A atuação de todo o elenco é impecável – diria impagável. Há uma sintonia singular entre todos. A relação entre Liz e Jack é indescritivelmente cômica. Os demais personagens compõem uma confraria de humor extremamente refinado: Tracy é hilário; a Jena, indefectível; e o Kenneth, surreal. No seu terceiro ano, 30 Rock continuará a exibir as investidas de Jack em sua mesopotâmica missão de ascender ao cargo máximo da NBC; as peripécias da vida privada de Liz Lemon; e as mazelas da intrépida trupe do mais improvável programa de TV.

Terça, 3 de Novembro

V, 1ª temporada (ABC)

2010 – Estreias e séries confirmadas

Caprica, 1ª temporada – 22 de Janeiro
24, 8ª temporada – Janeiro
American Idol, 9ª temporada – Janeiro
LOST, 6ª temporada – Janeiro
Damages, 3ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Breaking Bad, 3ª temporada – Sem data confirmada

Chuck, 3ª temporada – Sem data confirmada – Sou um apaixonado inveterado pelas maluquices de Chuck e da sua destemida equipe de agentes secretos do governo norte-americano. Surpreendentemente, em vias de iniciar sua terceira temporada, Chuck ainda não caiu no gosto popular. Uma pena, pois suas histórias são envolventes, intrigantes e geram incontáveis expectativas acerca do futuro do Intersect, da relação de Chuck com Sarah e das mazelas vivenciadas na Buy More. Nesse novo ano, a apreensão dos fãs da série reside em dois pontos: quais serão os desdobramentos das novas habilidades adquiridas pelo personagem principal; e se essa será será a derradeira temporada da série, uma vez que seus produtores já deram mostras de que não estão satisfeitos com o desempenho da produção em termos de audiência.

Party Down, 2ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Royal Pains, 2ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Burn Notice, 4ª temporada – Sem data confirmada

Weeds, 6ª temporada – Sem data confirmada – Comecei a acompanhá-la há pouco, no entanto, já reuni subsídios suficientes para constatar de que se trata de uma série imperdível. A temática é inovadora – rompe uma série de tabus e paradigmas, por tocar em um assunto normalmente posto de lado em sociedades permeadas pela hipocrisia moral (maconha). A protagonista Nancy é apaixonante e seus complexos filhos, encantadores.

Big Love, 4ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Dexter, 5ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Entourage, 7ª temporada – Sem data confirmada

Hung, 2ª temporada – Sem data confirmada – Atualmente, Hung está próxima do final de sua temporada inaugural. À primeira vista, a série é aviltante; traz para os nossos lares um tema árido, nem um pouco frugal, de difícil absorção. Porém, com o desenrolar da trama, o telespectador acaba desenvolvendo uma grande empatia com o personagem principal, Richard. A despeito da premissa inicial do seriado, que, para os desavisados, pode soar como pornográfica, os roteiristas conduzem a questão da exploração do dote fálico do protagonista de maneira sutil e bem real. Portanto, não há motivos para temer possíveis cenas cujo mote lascivo possa ferir os princípios de ditos puritanos.

True Blood, 3ª temporada – Sem data confirmada – Como abordar a temática de vampiros sem descambar para o ridículo, a fanfarronice e a bizarrice? Longe de ser a panacéia das produções artísticas desse segmento, True Blood surgiu com uma poesia contemporânea inserida nesse contexto de vampiros. Há momentos, sim, em que há certa apelação, mas, nunca, de forma ridícula. A interpretação de Anna Paquin, como Sookie, é visceral, intensa e extremamente convincente. Há de se ressaltar, também, a peculiar beleza da referida protagonista. Agora, sei que serei alvo de críticas, Stephen Moyer, como Bill, deixa muito a desejar, sobretudo em cenas que demandam maior expressividade e elevadas doses de drama. Falo isso mesmo levando em conta que o personagem de um vampiro milenar deve ser de uma impassibilidade marmórea quase inexorável, mas, ainda assim, Stephen se perde na tentativa de transparecer uma aura austera. Os demais personagens dão um verdadeiro show: Jason, Sam, Tara, Lafayette, entre outros. A série está no auge de sua segunda temporada e, portanto, seria incoerente de minha parte projetar a terceira, sendo que muitas incógnitas ainda estão por se descortinar.

Friday Night Lights, 4ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Friday Night Lights, 5ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Nurse Jackie, 2ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Scrubs, 9ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
United States of Tara, 2ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
Happy Town, 1ª temporada – Sem data confirmada
In Plain Sight, 3ª temporada – Sem data confirmada

Das novidades do primeiro semestre deste ano, a única que aparentemente não emplacou foi: Mental. O que não representa nenhuma surpresa, já que, assim como mencionei em outra oportunidade, a série já iniciara suas atividades com uma mácula: roteiro batido – clínica, médicos, casos quase impossíveis, destemida equipe, doutor rompedor de paradigmas e eticamente questionável.

Para finalizar este imenso post, gostaria de acrescentar a essa pródiga lista de produções, a série The Diary of Anne Frank, produzida pela BBC de Londres. Dividida em cinco emocionantes episódios, a trama é baseada no diário da menina judia Anne Frank que, ao lado de sua família e outros judeus, viveu reclusa por dois anos num sótão de um prédio, na Holanda, durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial. Durante essa estadia, Anne compôs um diário, com esmero e destreza gramatical digna de grandes escritores, contendo relatos sobre o dia a dia naquele lugar e as impressões que tinha acerca dos outros e das relações que matinha. Após deflagrado o esconderijo e Anne e sua família serem levadas a campos de concentração, o diário fora encontrado por uma amiga e, posteriormente, publicado, tornando-se um Best-Seller, traduzido para diversos idiomas. Na série, é espantosa semelhança da garota que interpreta Anne com a real. O elenco, correto e irrepreensível, consegue traduzir perfeitamente o terror e o pânico os quais a família fora submetida à época.

There was no doubt what the story of the night was: Laurence Fishburne joining CSI, the top-rated scripted series on TV. When I tuned in, I was pleasantly surprised to see Grissom (William Peterson) calmly and casually resign before the opening credits. Anybody who was going to watch the episode already knew Peterson was departing and Fishburne was coming in, so I’m glad the-powers-that-be did not try to drag out the reveal for the whole episode. Fishburne plays Dr. Raymond Langston, a former pathologist who now works as “an itinerant college lecturer” specializing in teaching about the mentality of criminals.

Fishburne, better known as Morpheus in the Matrix movies, was introduced slowly, presumably so he would not appear to be taking over. He had little to do last night except establish his character as an intelligent guy who is brave enough to stand up to a serial killer, cops, and a lecture hall full of underclassmen. That’s because Langston just happens to be teaching a course in Las Vegas on Nathan Haskell, an incarcerated mass murderer who chatted with Langston’s class via Webcast. Bill Irwin, who is known for his comedic roles, here turns in a cool, reserved performance as the murderous Nathan Haskell. Maybe it was the horn-rimmed glasses. (Once again, the fashion statement of choice for guys; perhaps I should get myself a set of those frames! Would that make me as awesome as HRG on HEROES?) Haskell’s demeanor telegraphed a sense of power and control. (He doesn’t need to wild gestures to attract attention.) Haskell’s calm permeated everything.

The storyline was some confusing gobbledygook about a serial-killer copycat who just happened to kill a previously unknown assistant to notorious killer Haskell. (Was somebody watching LIFE? See below.) But the really atmospheric filming engaged my curiosity. Perhaps it was the knowledge that Grissom was leaving, or just the oppressive shadows that dominated every scene, but the episode was shot through with a sense of dread and foreboding. The soundstages were barely lit, so sometimes it was tough to figure out who was speaking — but it looked good.

Speaking of looking good on the surface, ELEVENTH HOUR continues to be a bit disappointing to me, because it still plays like HOUSE with a location budget. I think Dr. Hood needs to face more non-medical mysteries. He’s supposed to be the FBI’s science adviser, so how come he’s only used on medical cases? Perhaps it’s time to import David Duchovney) and investigate some alleged aliens? Rufus Sewell and Marley Shelton deserve better and more diverse material. Giving Hood a personal life — he actually (sort of) asked a woman out on a date for the first time — is a great first step. It’s worth noting that the original British version of this series only lasted four episodes, so the American adaptation is already ahead of the game.

The game was entering its final phases on SURVIVOR: GABON — EARTH’S LAST EDEN. Science teacher Bob has surprisingly emerged as the dominant player, winning four straight challenges and painting a target on his back. But he’s not the only threat. Sugar is proving to be an adept manipulator, and the secret to her power this week stemmed from her willingness to share information, such as revealing to the seemingly doomed Matty the members of her alliance, or cluing in Bob that the others were planning a blindside. Unfortunately, her Achilles heel appears to be her highly emotional state; she’s too quick to empathize (and get teary) with other players. Her insta-feelings for Matty proved highly entertaining when she gave him her Hidden Immunity Idol, thus sabotaging the other players who were hoping to pick off the physically powerful Matty. In the end, Crystal ended up getting the boot, because she garnered the second-highest number of votes.

Hard to believe, but it’s already time for the finale this Sunday. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict the final two will be Bob and Sugar, with Bob taking the prize, because the jury will feel he played a more straight-up game. However, I’m rootingfor Sugar.

I’m a bit out of the target demographic for Harlequin romances, so I have no idea if the “Dutch love spoon” cited as a key piece of evidence in the murder mystery on PUSHING DAISIES is real, but hey, this is a documentary, right? (Olive said the spoon is supposed to symbolize the sweetness lovers feed each other forever.) The spoon came up because Olive was helping Emerson investigate a murder involving a lighthouse-keeping family. (No, not light housekeeping!) In addition to Olive demonstrating aptitude as gumshoe, portrayer Kristen Chenoweth got to exercise her Broadway lungs again with a song! However, the episode was dominated by the antics of Chuck’s resurrected father, Charles Charles, who feared Ned would accidentally touch his daughter again and send her back to the Great Beyond. Charles warned the Piemaker to stay away from Chuck, or he would tell the world their secret. Charles moved in with Ned, but felt trapped and freakish. And not just because he’s a reanimated corpse — Charles actually preferred cake to pies!!! Horrors! Speaking of horrors, I was actually kind of shocked when the Ned/Charles conflict was externalized into a broom/mop fight. For a show the features so much death, violence is relatively rare, so to see two guys going at each other was a surprise. But that was more than counteracted by Olive obtaining themed rain slickers to battle the downpour that raged throughout the episode. She bought herself a raincoat with olives on it, Emerson Cod got one with fish (they looked like salmons to me, but could have been cod), and Ned’s was adorned with pies. What other show would dare such on-the-nose nonsense? It’s tragic this show has been clipped in the flower of its youth.

The very next hour also featured a type of flower – LIFE opened with a body buried up to its neck in the ground with flower petals arranged into a pattern around it. Why do I like this show? Because after the body was removed, Charlie climbed into the hole to get a corpse’s eye view of the crime scene. And he spotted a clue!

Much like Thursday’s CSI, this episode of LIFE concerned a possible serial killer copycat or “tribute killer.” Again, it was too complicated to follow the details (especially since characters were using assumed names!) but I did enjoy watching it unfold. I also enjoyed seeing soap veterans Jessica Dunphy (ex-Alison, AS THE WORLD TURNS; ex-Devin, THE SOPRANOS), Rachel Miner (ex-Michelle, GUIDING LIGHT; Dani, CALIFORNICATION) and Mary Gross (ex-Aunt Raylene, GENERAL HOSPITAL). Miner was especially effective as Squeaky, the breathy curator of a museum devoted to murder memorabilia, as was Gross, whose loopy delivery made her character’s tale of how her father killed a man while wearing handcuffs morbidly funny.

Surely Reese and Tidwell don’t think they can hide their relationship from Charlie? And how long will it last, seeing as he admitted he wants two kids, while Reese doesn’t want any? Poor Ted got violated back to jail in order to send Charlie the message that he has to play ball with the feds. Uh-oh…

Speaking of uh-oh, DIRTY SEXY MONEY ended with a cliff-hanger worthy of GH: Grief-addled Chase dressed as a cop to infiltrate Patrick’s swearing-in ceremony and open fire. But whom was he shooting at? Was Nick hit? Is Jeremy okay after hitting his head on the pavement? I’ll tell you this much: You do not want to miss next week’s episode…

Kabel1 sichert sich reihenweise die Austrahlsungsrechte an interessanten Serien. Ghost Whisperer, Medium, Without a Trace und Cold Case laufen bereits erfolgreich auf Kabel1.
Zukünftig werden dort auch 24, Lost, Terminator: S.C.C., Jericho, Castle, Dark Blue, Southland und Eleventh Hour zu sehen sein.

Für Serienfans dürfte Kabel1 dadurch noch deutlich interessanter geworden sein. Zeit also, den Sender etwas weiter vorn auf der Fernbedienung zu platzieren.

So…  Jon and Kate Plus 8 is coming back on Aug 3^rd.  I cannot wait.  I don’t care what anyone says I love her, I always have this is not just sympathy because she was married to a jack-a$$.  I will watch and support her till she decides that TV is not where she wants to be.

 BUT…

 I found a site that has announced the premier dates for the Fall Season and well I had to call Rogers and order a few channels!  James is gonna kill me!

 So on September 8^th, the new 90210 is coming back but believe it or not the new MELROSE PLACE is starting!  Yeahaw!  Had to order the CW, CTV just pre-empted 90210 too many times last season!  

 September 9^th, the new cycle of America’s Next Top Model is starting! 

 September 10^th the Vampire Diaries starts, which is based on a series of books along the lines of the Twilight saga again on The CW….

 What the hell is this ABC Family and WHY CAN I NOT GET IT!  I WANT IT!

 September 16^th So You Think You Can Dance starts for another season.  As well as The Beautiful Life on CW… This is new starring Mischa Barton based on the life of a model….  I’ll give it a try.

 September 17^th Survivor and Bones are BAAAACKKK!  As is Fringe!

 September 21^st Dancing With the Stars starts and House (OMG I cannot wait for this) is coming back with a two hour special.

 September 22^nd NCIS is coming back and Ohhh I think I just wet myself….  NCIS Los Angeles starts.  The Good Wife with Juliana Margulies where she has to go back to work after years out of the work force because her Politian husband is embroiled in a sex scandal.  The Forgotten starts this day too! 

 September 23^rd DWTS, Mercy a new hospital drama, Criminal Minds (Oh I could not be happier,) Law and Order SVU, both come back.  Cougar Town about a single Mother (Courtney Cox) and her teenaged son starts!

 September 24^th The Mentalist

 September 25^th Ghost Whisperer, Doll House and Southland

 September 27^th Brothers and Sisters

 September 28^th Trauma

 September 29^th Hell’s Kitchen….  Oh Gordon!

 October 4^th Three Rivers another hospital drama

 October 16^th SuperNanny!  Gotta Love it!

 Now Amongst that I have to fit Denise Richards, Parking Wars, Obsessed,

Tori and Dean, about four fugitive shows from A&E, Gene Simmons, The Real Housewives as many as they show of the five series, Hammertime, Ice Road Truckers, Sandhogs, Lemur Street, Meerkat Manor, Miami Ink, LA Ink, Texas Cheerleader Moms, Tuckerville, Table for 12, Toddlers in Tiaras, 18 Kids and Counting, Cake Boss and Ace of Cakes, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Exterminators, The Hills, The Apprentice (Celebrity and other,) The Closer, The Dog Whisperer, Dog Town, At the end of my Leash. 

 I noticed that Mental, Psych, The Listener, The Philanthropist, In Plain Sight were not listed at this time.

 On top of that we KNOW that, American Idol will have new shows and then there will be other tantalizing shows I know I will have to watch that have not been added. 

 Why do they do this to me?  I am getting anxious as we speak!  How in the hell am I ever gonna see all of this?  Oh I love my TV….  Thank-you Mr. Philo Taylor Farnsworth for inventing it….. 

A government scientist and his attractive counterpart try to save people from deadly scientific experiments.

Eleventh Hour S01E01

http://duckload.com/divx/5123D4D940686154.html

Eleventh Hour S01E02

http://duckload.com/divx/319DE51C829886EB.html

Eleventh Hour S01E03

http://duckload.com/divx/E2EA499EA6DB5319.html

L’odio per Bruckenheimer, quello di CSI, quello di Armageddon, Con air e di altri film che tanti dicono fracassoni, questa volta non mi ha fermato. La curiosità era tanta per un telefilm per cui si riparla di X-files, e che ha preso il posto di Fringe nella programmazione di Steel del sabato sera. Però ci sono dei però: prendere come oggetto del pilot la clonazione, argomento piuttosto abusato e per il quale era necessario ancora una volta citare la pecora Dolly, non prometteva bene, anzi potevo tranquillamente fermarmi. Poi, vuoi un pò di pigrizia intellettuale, vuoi il dovere di cronaca, ho visto anche il secondo episodio, ed era piuttosto carino: si parla di ragazzini che si drogano e poi muoiono di infarto, di piante velenose, di un genio del male che non diresti mai…

Il protagonista, interpretato da un attore inglese già visto in Martha da legare, è uno scenziato protetto dall’FBI, che ne sa “abbastanza” e che potrebbe rivelare qualche sorpresa, dato il saggio che ha scritto sulla materia oscura e la candidatura al Nobel. E’ accompagnato da una agente del Bureau che gli guarda le spalle nel modo più mascolino possibile (scatterà la storia d’amore?) e forse ha trovato il suo nemico mitologico, la sua nemesi, che spero lo seguirà almeno per tutta la prima stagione, quel Geppetto che vuole clonare il figliolo morto di un milionario. Se non è così allora siamo messi male…Non oso comunque programmare il dvd-recorder per le settimane a venire, ho una strana sensazione di giga sprecati (devono poi ancora spiegare cos’è l’undicesima ora…).

“There is no salvation in becoming adapted to a world which is crazy.”
–Henry Miller

As I wrote in my previous blog entry, I was dealing with an eleventh hour issue prior to the formal review of my team’s strategic plan for NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy lab and Space Vehicle Mockup building. The issue was handled at the last minute by my team’s attorney, who walked special paperwork around for signatures to resolve the issue.

Between buildings in 100 degree heat.

While pregnant.

It’s a crazy world we live in, reinforced by an event at the start of the formal review on Friday. My support team showed up with a new guide and said, “It’s the new format from Headquarters for your report. It was approved in May, but we just received it this morning.  This is the format they are expecting.”

Did I mention crazy?

So, what is my leadership perspective on all of this? I recall a quote from former NASA Associate Administrator Scott Pace during my time at NASA Headquarters: “Some things are secrets,  and some things are mysteries.” I also recall another one from my Dad, who always said this while I was growing up: “Don’t sweat the petty stuff.”  (His expression was more colorful but you get the idea.)  Sure, I could have chosen to go ballistic over all the crazy eleventh hour stuff, but what would have resulted from it? Higher blood pressure for me, and little else. A few days ago another attorney remarked to me, “You are so calm, cool, and understanding of all this.”  That is the ideal compliment at this time, because that tells me that what I intend on projecting is being received. I even joked with my deputy: “Hey, if this eleventh hour craziness causes a delay, look on the bright side – we can take the afternoon off and go drinking.” She added, “on the golf course.”

Now, isn’t that a great deputy?

The review itself went without a hitch and we will continue with more formal reviews of my team’s strategic plan. And I’m sure we will encounter other crazy events as we go forward. I expect it, and I will continue to handle each one as I have handled the ones so far – cool and collected. I’ll save the craziness for the celebratory party afterwards!

“When you are in any contest, you should work as if there were – to the very last minute – a chance to lose it. This is battle, this is politics, this is anything.”
–Dwight D. Eisenhower

Last week was a great week for the team.

On Tuesday I briefed my team’s strategic plan to the leadership team in mission operations.  We had a frank and open conversation, one where I permitted and even encouraged those with dissenting opinions to be heard.  In the end, we received the endorsement to proceed with our plan as proposed.  In the subsequent days, we finalized our briefing materials for the executives at NASA Headquarters, and are ready to start the long review process to ensure we’ve “dotted all the i’s” and “crossed all the t’s”.  It seems like everything has come together, and that we can take a breather while our package is being reviewed.

An e-mail late on Friday has reminded me that despite every effort to be prepared, events on the outside will arise to upset the equilibrium.

The above refers to a particular issue that has been simmering beneath the surface for a while.  I was aware of it about a month ago and decided it was not a priority due to its limited scope.  We had bigger concerns on our plate.  However, the issue sprang to life in an unexpected way late Friday and turns out to be more far-reaching than I expected.

First, the issue is a distraction for me in the immediate term, and I will want to keep it from being a distraction for the team.  The team deserves to celebrate its accomplishments and not be concerned with events beyond its control.

Second, the issue has the potential of delaying the review schedule while I seek a resolution.  OK, fine – I will deal with a schedule delay if it comes to that.

Third, the issue is a reminder that surprises can and will arise, and many will be beyond the team’s control.  As a proactive leader, it is incumbent on me to anticipate events to prevent surprises, and to react quickly and decisively to unanticipated events in a manner that helps the team.  This event is a mixture of both – the basic event was known to me, the far-reaching nature of it was not.

I’m blessed with a very supportive leadership team.  Friday night I informed them of the issue and the steps I was going to take on Monday to address it.  I also sought their help if they could see a way to provide it.  And that they did.  The leadership got engaged that night and are working with higher-level leaders to help me find a resolution to the issue.  I’ll continue with my proposed approach and am confident that one or the other will lead to a satisfactory resolution.

My team and I are in the eleventh hour of our strategic planning work.  I’m sure that other issues will arise.  I view one of the marks of leadership as being how one handles the eleventh hour, where last-minute issues can arise and will test the character of the leader.  The clock is still ticking, and we’re still moving forward.

Das séries estreantes desta pobre temporada, poucos sobreviveram, e mais ainda, poucos se destacaram, abaixo algumas séries que pude acompanhar e que acabaram caindo no meu agrado (não ando muito exigente). Faltaram algumas séries que ainda estou acompanhando no momento, como Dollhouse e Castle, ambas renovadas para a próxima temporada.

FRINGE: talvez a melhor série estreante da tevê aberta (junto à True Blood, da tevê fechada), claro que considerando que você goste de dramas científicos. Cercada de grande expectativa, por se tratar de mais uma série da “grife” J. J. Abrams, e tratar de uma nova série com mistéiros e toques de ficção.

Passado a estréia, Fringe sofreu da “síndrome da comparação”, principalmente, com Arquivo X, em certos aspectos com razão. Assim, a série percorreu um caminho irregular até seu meio de temporada. No entanto, após seu retorno, Fringe conseguiu construir um clima de mistério (como O Observador, o passado de Dr. Walter Bishop e a agente Olivia Dunham, Massive Dinamics, somente para citar alguns) ininterrupto envolvendo o tão citado Padrão quanto ilustrar casos isolados de maneira acertada. Ao término da temporada, num episódio empolgante, uma grande questão é introduzida na série, que deverá ser bastante trabalhada na próxima temporada: dimensões paralelas.

O canal Fox parece apostar bastante na série ao colocá-la no horário mais disputado da tevê americana, às quintas no horário das 21hs, junto à CSI, Grey’s Anatomy e Supernatural, mesmo que não me pareça uma aposta muito correta.

THE MENTALIST: série fenômeno da temporada, um mistério para críticos e público especializado explicar o sucesso tão estrondoso da série junto ao público americano. Os casos policiais nem são tudo isto, muito pelo contrário, alguns são extremamente óbvios e corriqueiros. O elenco coadjuvante é sem sal, quase todos servem somente de escada para o grande atrativo da série, Patrick Jane, numa composição incrível de Simon Baker, eterno ator coadjuvante em filmes.

Ex-vidente televisivo, Patrick Jane, é na verdade uma fraude como vidente pois o seu verdadeiro “dom” é observar o comportamento das pessoas e ajudar uma força-tarefa especial como consultor enquanto investiga um serial killer (Red John) que matou sua família. O caso de Patrick Jane serve como pano de fundo para o envolvimente de Jane junto à polícia, claramente, sua resolução não deve ocorrer tão cedo, que é um grande problema para os roteiristas, afinal por quanta temporadas um mistério como este consegue segurar a série? Que não possui outros atrativos se não o carisma e o “jeitão” do protagonista como trunfos.

ELEVENTH HOUR: aposta de rede CBS (a Globo americana) para “prender” a audiência pós-CSI nas noites de quinta-feira, a série remake homônimo de uma série inglesa (protagonizada por Patrick “Picard” Stewart), conseguiu em parte ter sucesso. Manteve uma parcela considerável da audiência para o canal vencendo seus concorrentes, no entanto, não causou nenhum tipo de reação da mídia além de críticas negativas. Os erros saltavam aos olhos, desde a escalação equivocada de Marley Shelton como a durona agente Rachel Young, servindo de guarda-costa para o cientista Dr. Jacob Hood (interpretação ok de Rufus Sewell).

A série não soube construir um arco para os personagens como, por exemplo, porque os mesmos trabalham juntos?, os roteiristas apostaram na fórmula “caso da semana”, sempre envolvendo temas científicos, faltou um pano de fundo (mesmo que fosse frágil como o de The Mentalist), que tornasse os acontecimentos mais interessantes ao telespectador. Série fraca, elenco mediano, audiência ok,  sem grandes atrativos, resultado: cancelamento!

LIE TO ME: outra série que me agradou bastante, principalmente, por conseguir embasar aqueles conceitos de comportamento humano que em The Mentalist parecem somente adivinhados pelo personagem Patrick Jane. (que serviu de comparação durante meses à Lie to Me) Aqui, este tema virou assunto cientifíco, para ser estudado, sempre exemplificado as feições/reações/tiques com perosngens reais (recurso que traz a série para a nossa realidade). O único equívoco da série foi tentar ter dois casos isolados a cada episódio, sendo sempre estudados pela equipe principal do Dr. Cal Lightman (belo trabalho de Tim Roth, que andava embaixa no cinema), isto diluía a dramaticidade e surpresas do roteiro, além disso, à modo de comparação, os episódios com somente um caso são os melhores da temporada disparados.

Em contrapartida, a diversidade dos casos que a empresa de consultoria do Dr. Cal Lightman trabalha é um grande acerto, temos desde a proteção num casamento coreano, um incendiário a à ataques terrosristas nos EUA, excelente episódio season finale. Os personagens, mesmo em somente 13 episódios, tiveram todos seu momento na série, com storylines particulares, principalment, Cal Lightman com a descoberta de uma personagem com talento natural para “detectar” mentiras, sua filha e sua ex-esposa e sua sócia (a bela Kelli Williams) envolvida com o marido não “tão” honesto como aparenta. Vale uma espiada para quem não conhece.

SOUTHLAND: substituindo E.R. na grade do canal NBC, a série usa do artifício falso documentário para resgistrar o dia-a-dia da polícia de Los Angeles, envolvida nos mais banais e perigosos casos, quase uma crônica. Você pode perguntar tá e daí é somente isto? Posso argumentar que este é na verdade, o grande trunfo da série “ser real” e o estilo câmera na mão da filmagem somente aumenta esta sensação.

Além disso, a série aidna conta com um elenco bastante eclético, a princípio, assumindo tipos típicos de uma delegacia dividida entre policias de viaturas e detetives de homicídios, no entanto, cada um a seu tempo vai mostrando aspectos sua história e seus problemas rotineiros. Destaque para Regina King (com passagens em 24 Horas, como irmão dos Palmers, e no filme Miss Simpatia 2, como parceira de Sandra Bullock), em meio a um elenco quase totalmente masculino, como a detetive Lydia, envolvida com a doença da mãe. A série foi renovada mas irá trocar de horário na grade do canal, passará para às sextas, dia de baixa audiência na tevê, junto à eterna Lei & Ordem, vamos ver no que vai dar.