Jessi

Thanks for your list of odd OJ Simpson books/shows. I'm also reading Toobin's book, but I'm here to talk about something so bizarre that I need to share it. Thanks to the podcast crimewriterson [http://www.crimewriterson.com],I found a This American Life about a prank show starring OJ Simpson. I haven't found the actual show, and I don't really want to, but this TAL episode is a must-listen if you're watching The People vs. OJ Simpson. Link here: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/564/too-soon [Act One]. So, so weird.

Born and bred in Baltimore...and having been made fun of for my (relatively mild) accent for four years at Princeton (yeah, they're as bad as you think), I feel absolutely vindicated to pronounce: McKinnon's accent: *eye roll*. Those who can't, please don't. It doesn't look good on you. [Also, our crab cakes ARE the best.]

Even though these previews are totally creeping me out (as a woman named Jessica), I was in the tank for this show. Now, I'm in the tank...and onboard with this casting. How am I going to do that?

Lester Freeman!

Thanks! Work will now be bearable again. Sigh. If only.

Is anyone else having trouble with the podcast? When I click the play button, nothing happened.

Did anyone else think Rachel was trying to get Quinn to say she murdered someone on tape so that the recording could be used against her in the future? I was expecting the police to drive up as Rachel was saying, "You know, I love you." Dude--this show pushes all my old Soap Opera suspicion triggers.

Hey, the podcast isn't working!

The episode I saw didn't have Niska say the line about her father. Also, I've never seen Mattie do anything with a bb gun. Are there two different versions to the episodes? I'm watching mine or AMC streaming.

As a fellow "College of New Jersey" attendee, who then had to change that once Trenton State actually became "The College of New Jersey," my deciding factor to not name drop came from the t-shirt sold at the U-store and worn un-ironically (by some students) that said, "It's lonely at the top." Also, Law and Order original flavor had more than its fair share of psychos attend Princeton--although not nearly as many as attended "Hudson University." In fact, I think PU was the only Ivy actually mentioned by name. I always thought someone on the writing staff had it in for Princeton.

CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS SHOW RETURN!

I wish there were a thumbs up for liking the podcast rather than the episode.

Thanks! It's up and running. So excited for the polka music!

Is anyone else having problems listening to the podcast? I pressed play and nothing happened.

The first casualty of Season 2: the gorgeous locks of Tim "33" Riggins.

I believe Season 5 is the weakest because the bad guys (Templeton and Marlo and Cheese) are so one-dimensional. And while many people didn't like Season 2 because they didn't care for the stevedore plot line, I think that season's biggest weakness was the one-dimensionality of "The Greek" and company--the only exception there being Spiros. One of the reasons I could bear with the horrible-ness of the horrible happenings of The Wire is that I believe the show is fundamentally optimistic about humans. The enemy is always a system of some sort and how that system brutalizes people into doing monstrous things. There is so much empathy for people who do awful things and the only difference between the "good" guys and the "bad" guys, that I could find, is not some higher morality, but rather the bodies. The "bad" guys dropped bodies. The "good" guys didn't. I was not emotionally engaged with Marlo or Templeton the way I was with all the other people on that show--including Rawls, weirdly enough. The only reason I can think of for this is because they simply were not drawn with a deft hand. The pigeons didn't do it for me Marlo--you still came off like a boring robot with dead eyes.

Norman is one of my favorite characters. A little unsung, in my opinion.

Bubbles is hands down my favorite character.

I'm going to be that person. Season Four will wring your heart out. Said as a cynical Baltimore resident. Okay, Baltimore County resident. (It's actually a big difference. My Baltimore is not The Wire's Baltimore. And the Wire made me respect my city so much more in a strange way.)

THIS LOOKS AMAZING. Thank you for your telling me about it. I like your yellow hat.

I am Not Ready.

He would totally rock "Dance, Dance Revolution." After the initial epilepsy-triggering dance floor light show, of course.

This Be Bangin'!

I'm with you Tara. This was the funniest episode in a long time. I laughed the entire time. I was grateful for the commercial so I could breathe for a few moments.

Man, I've opened the flood gates. I have realized that this is in my memory, while what I did this past Saturday is not (and not due to any outside influences, I just plain can't remember): In the pilot of "Rags to Riches," Nina (I think that's her name), the one who finds her mother between the pilot and the next episode, runs away to Big Sur with her boyfriend, who is in a motorcycle gang. Nick goes to rescue her. When he brings her home, the girls are relieved and start to warm up to him. They begin to believe he has their best interests at heart and he isn't some cold, heartless capitalist who is using them for some reason they sense, but don't know. Nick and the girls decide to throw a huge party to celebrate their new family. The girls are even going to perform. The scene is thus: "Chantilly lace, and a pretty face, with a pony tail hanging down," starts to play as the girls get ready for the party. They're all happy and putting together some crazy 60s/80s mashup of outfits. Gloves are involved. BUT THEN. dun. dun. dun. dun. Carmella (I think)--Nick's fancy lady girlfriend who told him that she just needs to "smooth out his rough edges"--tells the girls the good news that they've been accepted into the boarding school she and Nick visited without their knowledge. The girls then return to their rooms and when they come out again, they look more like "The Misfits" from Jem and the Holograms than like the demure-ish 60s/80s girl group of a few minutes ago. Then, they get on the mic. And it all goes down hill from there. More stuff happens, but by the end Nick, with the help of the butler, I believe, resolves things with the girls and gives Carmela the heave-ho with this line, "I guess I'm just a little too attached to my rough edges." Oh, and I can even remember some of the theme song. God, help me. So, if you need anyone to sub in for you or to do one of those e-mail conversations you guys do on this site about a show, call me!