Wednesday, September 22, 2010

The New TV Season - Part 1

WOW - my DVR is working overtime and I am now just starting to view the beginning of  the new shows on offer.  I figure I'll start off my "review/comment" by talking about the new shows (and in some cases reworkings of older shows) that have started this week.  Also, since I am on Comcast and not ATT, I can only record 2 shows at one time and not 4.  So I will be missing some shows but will catch up at another time for these shows.

"Book 'em Dano" - my generation knows exactly what this means.  For the younger generation I am positive you will get to know this phrase and immediately associate it with "Hawaii Five-0", the first of the shows I am going to talk about.

I recorded this show and watched it at 3am this morning.  What a great way to start off my day!!!  I was caught up within the first few seconds of this excellent show.  I was wondering how they were going to update this icon and I was not disappointed.  It was very well thought out and the actors are first rate.  Speaking to my generation I will tell you that I did not miss Jack Lord at all.  Alex O'Laughlin, the newest of the Australian actors to assault the US screens is a perfect leader of the pack.  Scott Caan is going to be a great Dano and I liked the New Jersey character built for him.  Daniel Dae Kim, last seen on Three Rivers, is perfect and the addition of Grace Park is a work of genius.  Do you think I like the cast?  Well I do.

We are all used to the Hawaii background from the original and, of course, Magnum.  The great use of innovative camera shots mixed in with the familiar shots from the original show (same locations but new action and views) and we have a site winner as well as a good show.  The writing is great and the story line was perfect to introduce the new "Hawaii Five-0" to this generation.  I am looking forward to the upcoming season and new story lines.  I am also looking forward to the character development that has already started and is sure to be an intricate part of the new season.

I will look forward to your comments (both pro and con) on this and any of my other reviews and blogs.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Caught Up - Where Do We Go From Here?

I am trying to understand the options that are available to me.  When I say "me" I am really channelling the "royal me" and applying it to the untold millions who are feeling the same frustrations that I am feeling.  This has to do with the current state of affairs we are living with in the US.  We have a current government who took over in the worst of times; an opposition who wants to be back in power by exercising their power of "no" (which has worked wonders, I might add); leaders of a new party who are trying to convince the masses that they have the right path by giving us nominees who scare the hell out of me (and many others too); independents who are trying to decide the lesser of two evils.  What are we supposed to do?

I was out of the country during the Bush era and viewed it from afar in a country that was content to go along with the US in most areas (except for the sub-prime debacle).  The results are well documented and the leaders were "benched" but, it appears, not removed from the playing field.  The far right of the Republican Party and the far left of the Democratic Party are very scary options and yet seem to be the leading voices of their respective parties.  Where does that leave us?  Whom do we believe will be better for the country?

We are in such dire straits that I keep thinking our woes are really the lyrics for a new Country and Western song and that the last stanza will have all the answers and, if played on a much slower speed, will have the remedy for our salvation.  OK, maybe I am just having some fun with words but, let's face it, what are we going to do?  Do we return to the years of big business, lesser government, a free-falling economy where the rich get richer and the poor keeps growing?  Will the current administration accept their due and realize that force-feeding their agenda after 8 years of frustration was not the way to do certain things?  Will they "fall on their swords" and convince the country that they can govern with responsibility and reconcilliation?  Is it too late for them and for the country?

I am watching the "Presidential Rhumba" being played on the back stage.  This entails the various contenders to start to position themselves with the party faithful and start to put together the endless dinners, speeches, photographs and other things that will enable them to accumulate the IOU's they will need in the Presidential Primary season.  The master of this was the late Richard Nixon who, after major defeats, played the game and won.  Are we watching the female version of this taking place?  Are we really going to witness the former Alaskan Governor's full-out assault on the Republican nomination for 2012?  What about the other side?  Would a challange take place if the Democrats suffer the defeat and humiliation that is being forecast for the November elections?  Who would be serious enought to take on a sitting President?  Interesting times, indeed.

I don't have any answers (I wish I did) - I consider myself enlightened enough to understand what is happening but this is taxing my own processes.  I agree with the woman at the Town Meeting yesterday; I am tired of defending the current administration and policies.  The problem is that the alternatives being offered are even more scary at this time.

Time will tell.