MisterGlass

I've been rewatching the show from the beginning now that it is on Netflix. It's been a nice bit of nostalgia as I haven't watched it all the way through since the original run. I've just made it to the departure of Sharona/arrival of Natalie. Two things have struck me. First, some of my favorite episodes of the series are in the first three seasons. It always surprises me when I remember that Mr. Monk Meets Dale the Whale was only the third episode of the series. It is so sharp, with all the characters dialed in. Another favorite of mine, Mr. Monk Takes a Vacation, is only the ninth episode. Second, it is fun to look back at all the guest stars, especially those who became better known to me afterward. Seeing Michael Hogan in the pilot before he became Saul Tigh on Battlestar Galactica. Or Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jane Lynch, Ken Marino, and Todd Stashwick. It's a game of spot the character actor.

I'm accustomed to rural images of Russia, but similar to other countries I suppose large cities are more modern. The most traditional part about the show was the attitudes and social norms of the characters. There were some tropes that were more in common with US shows of the 80s, like the treatment of the tech guy's wife by the doctors.

I thought this was fine. The solution was deducible from the clues given, and I appreciate that. I agree it could have been condensed significantly, or more time could have been spent developing other characters or their camaraderie. The number of flashbacks was unnecessary, because that was a story we were not invited to solve, and we knew what we needed about the characters pretty quickly. But, having watched The OA, I was prepared for some odd choices. This was comparatively straightforward. I buy that Andy was an overwhelmingly powerful figure in the context of this setting and world. I'm sure he tied Lee to some restrictive pre-nuptial agreement. I'm no expert, but he may also have legal parental rights despite not being the biological father of Zoomer. Zoomer is a child of marriage, and no doubt he is the listed father on Zoomer's birth certificate. He has acted as Zoomer's father. A person can be a presumed parent or a de facto parent (source). He might even claim that they deliberately conceived with Bill as a donor. I can't decide if the Kubrick references to The Shining and 2001:A Space Odyssey helped or hurt the storytelling in the last few episodes. It felt like they needed that shorthand to really get the points across, and that feels like a storytelling shortcoming.

Another article said "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" won the Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film. I would have voted for Dungeons & Dragons.

I watched the last three episodes together. It was a ride, and it was very touching. I also have to assume this is a series finale, and if it is, it's a proper one. There aren't enough of those. Few characters get one good finale, let alone two. The time loop format gave Loki the chance to try all his options, and to accept that he could not both save his friends and be with them. There was always magic in the series, and after the encounter with Classic Loki it seemed inevitable that there would be more exploration of that. Magic, sacrifice, and Yggdrasil made a poignant solution.

I finally had an opportunity to watch this last weekend. The movie was more grounded and sincere than I ever expected. It moved me to tears, and I am amazed at how scenes from it have stuck in my mind since then.

A Martinez is multiracial, and has Apache and Piegan Blackfeet ancestry. The series has a number of dark episodes and themes, and has imperfections. I wouldn't say it is prestige TV. In my memory the earlier A&E made seasons are drier. In the first season, I felt episode 9 was the strongest.

I was sad Jonathan didn't get his big moment, so I would like to think that he got another in-world chance to perform. I googled the job description of Broadway producer and came across this video from several years ago of producer Stacey Mindich. She mentions Schmackary's at 3:20.

Netflix recently debuted several shorts based on Roald Dahl stories that were adapted and directed by Wes Anderson - "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar," "Poison," "The Rat Catcher," and "The Swan." Anderson previously adapted Dahl's "Fantastic Mr. Fox." The films star Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel, Ralph Fiennes, and Richard Ayoade in various roles. I have watched the first three listed shorts. Henry Sugar is the best, and longest, of those I've seen it. It has all the Wes Anderson whimsical framing that a person could ask for, including theatrical staging and a story within a story within a story. I enjoyed it a lot. Poison was good but jarring, and showed how much Ben Kingsley can act in a few moments. I found the Rat Catcher disappointing. It was a weird, dark tale that was afraid to show the weird, dark bits, and I'm not sure I would have wanted to see them.

I realized I hadn't seen this yet and rented it. I agree that it was enjoyable but in the mid-tier of Wes Anderson movies for me. Somehow it lacked intensity. I liked the theatrical framing device, like introducing the players and their roles at the beginning, and the narration from Bryan Cranston (and his accidental appearance in the story). The behind the scenes bits varied in value to me. I enjoyed the Adrian Brody performance, and Scarlett Johansen's actress on the train. But, I felt like neither set of characters really got to live because we spent half our time with the cast and half our time with the fiction. Whimsical touches I appreciated were the stop motion alien, the prize ribbons, the puppet roadrunner, and the martini vending machine. Surely that once existed, with the tiny, tiny glasses. Several characters also wore tiny revolvers, which amused me. I feel taunted by the unfinished unramp. Surely a scene should have involved it. Jeffrey Wright should stay a regular in the Wes Anderson company. I enjoyed him a lot here.

I just googled the Schmackary's website and they have a banner saying "Catch Us on Only Murders in the Building." They also have a cookie on their menu called Cereal Killer, so it seems like they have a sense of humor. ETA: They are also selling a four pack of Death Rattle Dazzle cookies on their shipment site under the heading "Only Cookies in the Building."

I loved the opening aerial shots of the community, and the so appropriate lead in of Let The Circle Be Unbroken. It was wonderful that they brought everyone together in grief and joy. There were lots of little moments to cherish. The return of the little cowboy who has now crossed over into the spirit world. Bucky starting a dance. The ladies making fry bread together. The moments the young stars got to spend together grave side. Standing ovation for a series well done.

Joy's mother had quite a risque wedding dress for the era when she got married. Maxine would have had to have seen a preview performance, and written a review outline based on it. I'm not sure if that's typical. The thing that really didn't square with me was that anyone would have a printout of a review to shred, instead of a digital copy on a smart phone. Wai Ching Ho, the actress who played Mei Mei, played the antagonist Madame Gao on the Netflix Marvel shows like Daredevil. I have one long shot suspect in mind if it isn't Donna, and that's But, I think the idea of Donna makes sense, and I wouldn't be surprised if she is the poisoner.

I also agree with the idea that Rick was supposed to be about Cookie's age, and Ethan Hawke is playing younger. That's true of a few actors on the show who are playing characters in Cookie's age group. Rick wasn't a great guy, knows it, and is trying to be a decent guy now. I thought Ethan Hawke played the part very well, and Devery Jacobs was also on point. There were a lot of little nods to his ongoing character flaws. He said originally she could decide what story they would tell the younger kids, and instead he burst out with the news that she was their sister.

It was a touching shot near the end in the hospital corridor with the kids and Irene outside Fixico's room. I enjoyed the after credits scene with Big showing footage of the original chip truck robbery. And Big uses the old fashioned windows theme on his laptop.