Inquisitionist

Keener is almost always excellent, in my book. I don't understand why people cast Jennifer Aniston in down-and-out "serious" character roles, such as this movie and The Good Girl. I just don't find her credible in them.

The moderators probably moved it for you, as they requested that the Stephen-centric discussion continue here rather than in All Episodes. :-)

Kind of? I'd been dubious about ever reading any of Franzen's novels, but after that "performance," I'm virtually sure I never will. Was the storybook reading at the very end of the episode? If so, I must have deleted the episode before getting there.

I also love Walking and Talking -- and pretty much anything by Nicole Holofcener. W&T has excellent early work by Keener and Screiber, as well as Anne Heche and Kevin Corrigan. Another heads up for fans of Italian cinema: TCM has Fellini's I Vitelloni (1953) slated for the wee hours of Monday, Nov. 2. Both Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese have cited the influence of this B&W character study of "aimless" young men in an Adriatic coastal town, post WWII.

It's also available on amazon.com, but you have to buy the episodes. I'm fine with Ffwding through commercials, but I'm surprised Comcast doesn't have the 2nd season available On Demand, as FX allowed with Justified and The Americans. I chugged through the first two episodes of S2 last night in an effort to catch up with you all. So far, I've seen only the first two episodes of S1 as well, so I can't compare the two. But I'm enjoying both very much. Did not recognize Jean Smart as Floyd. Still trying to figure out why Bokeem Woodbine looks so familiar (his IMDb credits aren't helping me out). He's terrific. And I'd agree that Ted Danson has become a better actor over time. Loved him in Damages a few years back.

The IBM Selectric -- count me among those who remember how excited secretaries were to have this in the late 1970! I just started watching S1 recently. The opening shots establish that it is set in 2006, and shortly thereafter, Molly says she is 31. That would make her only 4 years old at the start of S2.

And speaking of the Radisson, a few weeks ago I saw a stage production of East of Eden at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater. The Chinese man-servant who has a lot on the ball was played by Steve Park, who was Mike Yanagita in the Fargo movie.

I think it depends on the series. For example, having a week to savor each installment of Mad Men and discuss its nuances with like-minded viewers on line greatly enhanced my appreciation and satisfaction level. Series that are released in one fell swoop don't generate the same level of online discussion, in my experience, and talking about what I watch is almost as important to me as the watching!

I've just started watching the first season, but am thinking about jumping into the second as well, so that I can discuss it here in real time. Would I lose anything by doing that, in your opinions?

Ah, got it! For some reason, I thought Hannah's parents were supposed to be modeled on Mia's own experience. O'Sullivan and Nolan were wonderful in their roles! Sullavan was wonderful in The Shop Around the Corner, but she spent a lot of time away from Hollywood, preferring Broadway -- only 16 films between 1933 and 1943. Reading about her later years makes me sad.

But then who's the husband modeled on in Hannah and Her Sisters? According to her Wikipedia bio, O'Sullivan's first husband, director John Farrow, died in 1963, long before Woody met Mia (who was only 18 when her father died). O'Sullivan married her second husband 20 years later, in 1983; James Cushing was not a performer. For some reason, I always remember that O'Sullivan was a few years ahead of Vivian Hartley (aka, Vivien Leigh) at the Catholic boarding school they both attended.

How did Arrested Lady think her mother paid for that sweater? ::eyeroll:: I was multi-tasking, so I must admit that I didn't even notice Diane's Jacket of Fabulousness. Screen capture, anyone?

I've never heard of Genevieve Tobin. According to IMDb, her film appearances stopped in 1940, when she "abandoned her career for high society after marrying" director William Keighley

My second favorite with Debra's parents is the Thanksgiving in S5 (Fighting In-laws) where Ray overhears from the garage that they're going to marriage counseling in New Jersey rather than touring Baden-Baden (or Hagen-Dagen, as I think Ray calls it). This has one of Debra's all-time great rant lines: "My parents could set fire to an orphanage on Christmas Eve and they still wouldn't be as bad as your parents!" (approximation, but you get the idea) My absolute favorite is the following Thanksgiving, when Warren brings an "older woman" to the family get-together at Ray and Debra's (Older Women). The discussion between Warren and the Barone men about his "thinking" in going with an older woman is classic. (Frank: You're still handsome, nice tan, you've got all your teeth and then some.) As is Frank telling the story of how he could have had his "chance" with Claudia, the 300-pound cleaning woman. (Debra: Wait, you watched her clean the glass? Frank: Well, I'm not monk.) I've watched this one many times, and it always cracks me up.

Just had a chance to watch this episode last night, and I totally Ffwd'd through that part of the show.

I found the first joke moderately funny, but the repetition did feel insulting, in my book. Oddly, the AV Club gave this episode a C+. I mostly liked it.

Not to mention Thelma's buffoonish husband in Thelma and Louise. My earliest CM sighting, however, was as a slumping pitcher in season 1 of Cheers, 1982.

TCM fans might enjoy this New Yorker blurb about Dance, Girl, Dance which starred Lucille Ball and Maureen O'Hara. There's a video-clip, too. I'll keep an eye out for this one.

But she babbled like a 12-year-old. I'd be looking for a way to let her go.

Wow, he really was perfect for the role of Russell. ;-) Speaking of family members, do you all remember the one time we saw Debra's sister, Jennifer, who had decided to become a sister (nun)? The storyline was a little contrived, but I loved the scene of Ray singing Dominique, nique, nique... with his t-shirt fashioned into a make-shift veil on his head. And of course, the way he covered his nipples with his fingertips when Jennifer entered the room was priceless!

Casting Paul Rubens as Russell was inspired. Who else can sell a line like: Too bad they couldn't get "Pee-wee" again and had to morph Russell into Peter.

And the whole premise was obnoxious, i.e., that parents can't individually decide what an acceptable snack is. Brian was one of those little Nazi types who loves to exert his "power" over trivial things. IMO, Debra was right to refuse another "turn" at bringing snacks 'cause screw him. :-)

Yes, Episode 1-5, The Power of Female Sex.

Just read that Pat Woodell has passed away. She played Bobbie Jo Bradley for the first two seasons of Petticoat Junction. Not much of a career after that; she retired from show business in 1973, and reportedly battled cancer for the past 20 years. She was 71 and died a few weeks ago on Sept. 29.

Yeah, The Cannister was one of those "we're gonna write Patty Heaton an Emmy" episodes, just like Bad Moon Rising the year before. She made the most of both opportunities.