First Word

  Let me be clear, I adored Sex and the City . The series was groundbreaking in every sense of the word. It frankly, openly and without judgment talked about relationships and sex in ways that no other TV show had done. It delved into women's issue with moxie and style.  However, this "thing" we call And Just Like That is so degraded and diluted into this sociological/political, over-the-top statement about every sexual and racial comment about today's culture that it's hardly recognizable.  Other reviewers have already explored its tragically misguided narrative and disjointed storyteller, so I am going to stick to character destruction, especially with our beloved Carrie Bradshaw.  In Season 2, Episode 2, our heroine Carrie pointedly refuses to do a vaginal suppository commercial. She fusses and fumes over having to essentially shill for the "vag," and to that end her character flips into uptight -- uncharacteristic -- behavior. She simply won't do...

  I admit it's sometimes hard to be creative with these recipes. A helpful tip is to always keep your eye on maintaining the goal of fresh food. Trust me, some days I would rather jump in my car and get takeout (as I'm sure many of you feel the same way). Problem is you can't count on restaurant food not having preservatives, additives or being frozen, processed foods.  Most notably since I started the Challenge, I've been pleasantly surprised by how others are already on this bandwagon, too. I was pleased while watching Real Time with Bill Mahr on HBO to see he's taken a lead in promoting the same ideas I already have embraced. In fact, if this book had been finished, I would have pitched it to the show. I have to confess that since I became strict on staying on the guidelines for the Challenge, I've enjoyed many health benefits (and taste treats). I simply don't want to cheat on the program and go backwards. Plus, what kind of example does that set for th...

WestWorld Season 3, Episode 1 Rating: 2.5 **1/2 Westworld , my current favorite sci-fi show on HBO started its new season last night with a confusing, lukewarm bang. Who would have thought in Season 1 one of the few remaining original cast members would be Delores. It seems the art and sophistication of having the Anthony Hopkins character load the show with intelligence and intrigue has flipped over to a comic book-stylized future world where our sweet strawberry blonde has turned into an assassin with kick-ass marshal arts skills. Delores has gotten into some kind of love affair with the heir to a technology empire of some sort where the big brain data "center" has her attention. Judging by the little balls of artificial intelligence used to preserve the personalities of other robots from the previous season, my guess the giant ball houses the personalities (of most of it not all the "guests" and robots). I might be wrong. Remember, I'm watching it unf...

I love HBO's programming. I watch so many shows now off paid TV that the other day I watched commercial television and realized I was totally out of it. Commercials! Who likes those in the middle of your show? I did notice that online shopping has become the biggest promotion (yes, I am that out of it). Speaking of ... let's segue to the topic at hand -- the final season of Silicon Valley . Most shows as they end tend to wind down, and not always in a good way. Season 6 of Silicon Valley has turned into a laugh-worthy, well-timed series. I'm not sure what part of the ridiculousness I admire most. AI Denesh was great as it managed all of Denesh's contacts to his utter delight. Then we had the virtual chess battle between Gilfoyle and his Hooli phone expert. The friend rejection at the end was a let down, but true to Gilfoyles anti-social personality, he didn't accept the friend request. I also thoroughly enjoyed the episode where the evil investor goes after ...

Rating: **** The only reason I removed a star from my rating is because the third episode wasn't that exciting. Otherwise, this show continues to hit a home run. What stands out is author and screenwriter Elena Ferrante's alter ego (sometimes referred to in the show as Elena and Lenú) is like this intense, intelligent observer of life around her in the neighborhood in which she grew up and of the people and relationships. The silent way in which Elena watches everyone almost expressionless at times is intriguing. Her adoration and love of her best friend Lila reflects her deep intelligence and understanding of others. At one point when Lila is sick, Elena reflects that she feels a part of her is missing. I was deeply moved by that admission. The show (so far) breaks down the girl's friendship and how each inspires a competitive desire to be better than the other; but this competition brings out the best in them. They aren't competing for men, but for educational e...

Big Little Lies Rating: ***** Big Little Lies starring heavyweight actresses Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley is yet another great limited series from HBO. As always I look at TV shows and movies from the viewpoint of storytelling. What impresses me about this show is how each woman’s story is woven together and somehow linked in the murder that we have yet to discover who is the victim. As you watch the show unfold you’re aware that their stories are tied to the murder, but the tension and mystery lies in the question: which woman did it and to whom was it done? I will find out the coming weeks, as many audience members will as well. I love two things about this story: the way it’s constructed around the mysterious murder and the individual women’s stories. The first layer is the murder and we see the rest of the story in flashbacks. A police interview of outsiders looking in on the women’s stories is used almost like a narrative to retell wh...

The Young Pope HBO Rating: ****1/2 The title itself caught my attention many months ago when HBO began promoting its new limited series, The Young Pope . I'm not Catholic but was certainly curious about Jude Law playing a youthful "Your Holiness," which the character insists on being called even to close friends. I'm not sure which I find the most interesting: the often surreal scenes (episode 4 a random note about Greenland and music appears as its prime minister dances) or the deadpan jokes that are sprinkled throughout. Aside from the strange quality of the setting at the Vatican, this series is just unique. I may not be Catholic but I am spiritual. The questions raised about God's existence and belief are provoking and inspiring. I like nothing better than a show that is intelligent, and The Young Pope is deftly written and every scene interesting. Now episode 1 was laden in too much intellectual reflection and slow-moving dialog. By episode 2 and th...

I've been watching the new HBO series WestWorld and have found its storytelling methods rather intriguing. What makes this series very unique is the dual worlds in which the stories are unfolding. You have the "Park" world that is a throwback to old westerns and gun slinging and then you have the science fiction of the engineers behind the Park. The questions posed in the science fiction story line come out in the "hosts" who exist in the Park. The primary theme has to do with questions related to consciousness. While the hosts are grappling with their memories returning (and these memories have to do with the brutality and abuse the robots suffer at the hands of the guests), the guests are dealing with questions about identity and self. The intellectual capital in this series is truly fascinating. Are you a hero or a villain? Do the hosts want revenge and to decide upon their own story lines. Beneath all of this subterfuge is the corporate agenda for the p...

Preface It’s the year 3010 and the great Apocalypse of Death is nearing the end. After 50 years of death, war and destruction, the zombies, vampires and humans are about to take their last stand. What is at stake – the survival of the human race.   Zombies and vampires have brought the human race to the verge of extinction. Now only a small population of humans have survived, which has created a great famine for vampires. The head of the vampires Colonel Baptista has declared all zombies must be annihilated. His rival necromancer General Wilhelm, though, has a secret weapon – one that is sure to kill all of the remaining humans, and therefore, eliminate the food source of the vampires and destroy their race as well.   And then zombies will rule the world.

Rating: ***** Singing, dancing and a strong message -- you can't go wrong. First, the music was worth the movie, but the acting and themes stole the show, especially for young women and girls. Now the graphic moments (wish they weren't there) made the movie hard to show preteens and girls, but the message about self-love was way more important that I just covered my daughter's eyes when the moments were not appropriate. As a parent, though, measure your teen's maturity before you allow viewing. Young Bessie Smith is traumatized as a child by family members. As a strong girl she manages past the absence of her mother and abusive older sister, but it haunts her entire life. She scrapes and climbs to the top of the early vaudeville circuit and 20's era, and men and sex become symbols of her pain, sense of alienation, and low self-esteem and self-regard. Early on Ma Rainey, another famous singer, recognizes her lack of self-love and tries to help her by pointing i...

In an unevenly paced and poorly written season, one of my favorite series came to an end -- True Blood created by Alan Ball. I was completely disappointed in the finale. It dragged, lacked any action, and the closure was disappointing. We got a sappy happy ending for one of the campiest, funniest shows around that produced such great lines as "Sookie's precious fairy vagina." The show established Bill as Sookie's true love (huh? She had way more chemistry and emotional resonance with Eric), and then showed how he really "loved" her to want to set her free and give her a vampire-free life. They had "kind of" tied up the feelings with Eric in the previous show, but instead of letting the two characters truly wrap it up when Eric saves her one more time they just skipped it. What happened to the love triangle and Sookie loving them both? Those loves scenes from Season 4 all went for not. In the books, Eric and Sookie had the passionate love affair....

Well! Finally something to get excited about -- Eric and Sookie reunited in the Season 7. I bet over at MyFutureLover on YouTube the videographer had a party LOL. She finally had a reason to "Ship Sookie and Eric" after like three seasons. Let's face it boys and girls, vampire fans ... Eric and Sookie as played by the wonderful Alexander Skarsgard and Anna Paquin have all the chemistry. The tenderness and connection between these two was evident. You don't feel the same sparks when Sookie and Bill are together -- sorry you just don't feel it. I don't care if they're married in real life. They don't ignite the screen the way Eric and Sookie do. It was the first time in many episodes you were able to see the real love beneath the surface as they had thrown these two characters in separate directions for quite some time. Now we have Eric on the verge of death with Hep V, and with the season winding to a close, I'm not thinking anything wonderful will...

True Blood -- Season 7 Episode 1: Vulture I was hugely disappointed last season with the show's declining writing after creator Alan Ball changed directions and left the series in the hands of the other directors and writers. As this season opened I was also a little apprehensive with the prospects of the "zombie-vamp" mutation story. But as the show began with an explosive slaughter of humans, and the fates of some show favorites like Arlene and Holly on the line, I was quickly absorbed into it. I liked the way they got back to basics with Sookie being able to read the entire "accusing" citizens' minds as they blamed the "vampire whore" for inviting this havoc upon them. The show had deviated so far off her fairy powers in connection to citizens in recent years it lost a little of its humanity. The intensity of the opening scene though immediately invited you in for an absorbing episode where we find Andy and Vampire Bill on the hunt to fin...

I started watching the new HBO series Silicon Valley , and I was surprised about the great information about creating a start-up company. Young entrepreneurs will learn a lot from this show. My favorite scene was when the lead character takes his $200,000 check made out to Pied Piper (his product's name) to discover he cannot deposit it because he hasn't established the name yet. My first thought was LLC or S Corp. (not that it was mentioned in those terms). Our clueless hero is dumbstruck and doesn't know what the bank clerk is talking about. Seasoned business people were nodding. The show also covered the need for a business plan as our hapless hero is asked by the incredulous billionaire Burke, "Where's your business plan?" You then see one of the other more business-like nerds helping our guy write one and explore the facets of it. But I loved it when Burke sneers, "What's your go-to-market strategy?" Of course, I know what "go-to-mark...

I was walking with my boyfriend Kirk to dinner the other day and said, "Oh, Boardwalk Empire is on tonight?" Kirk replied, "Do you think anyone will die in tonight's episode?" "Oh yeah, we can consistently count on a body count -- it's Boardwalk Empire !" We both laughed. Yes, and our beloved Eddie threw himself out a window for betraying Nucky. Then Frank, brother of Al Capone, came to his untimely demise, too. Can't recall if the body count exceeded two ... well, for that episode anyway. Gangster shows seem to rely on violence and death as the main story thrust. Sopranos was also a reliable show to provide plenty of death and mayhem. Why do we like these shows? Beneath the never-ending action and body count, you also get strong messages about family, loyalty and even love. Boardwalk Empire is reliable, taunt drama that sucks in viewers with its action-packed stories that move and move and kill and kill. Am I a fan of violence? No, ...

Spoiler alert : some people hate spoilers so don't read this if you haven't seen the True Blood Season 6 Finale. Now I don't usually write spoilers, but hey! They made my favorite character Eric Northman catch fire in Sweden while he sunbathed. Many of you maybe wondering if he really died or not since we didn't actually see his demise into a pile of goo. I'm thinking our show's writers kept that window of possibility open that they did not kill off this immensely popular character played by the sexy Alexander Skarsgård. As for the rest of the finale ... sorry fan boys and girls! Ugh, it was absolutely terrible. The six-month later shift felt wrong. It was more like what? What? And what? Sookie and Alcide? Really ? When did that happen again? And I thought Eric had glamoured Alcide (season 5) into zero romantic interest in Sookie. Now Sam is mayor and Arlene owns Merlotts? What? Huh? And the most important question, why? Oh, and now we have a rapidly spreadi...

You can count on my Monday morning reviews of True Blood to start. The 6th season got off to an interesting start in rapid-fire pacing and action. Sookie and Eric in the 5th season finale watched as vampire Bill melted and re-emerged as something else. Judging from the show's theme, we are going to find out this season what that something else is. Other story lines continuing included Alcide's initiation as pack master and Andy Balfour having to face the results of his unprotected sex with a fairy. Now we have Alan Ball out as head writer (I noticed he retained the title as executive producer) and Raelle Tucker in his place. I thought the storytelling was a little more focused. We stayed on the action longer with Sookie, Eric and the gang as they escaped a major explosion and headed for the ocean where some emotional confrontations went down. Now the big question in the air: What is Bill? Is he Bill Compton or Bill-ilth? Eric signed back Sookie's house, and a tenderness wa...

Wow! Last night's True Blood Season Finale just kicked bad-ass. My two favorite enders: Andy Bellfleur become a new father four times over and Bill's final transformation into evil-doer for Season 6. It was absolutely intense to watch Bill's slow descent into villain, and the show delivered when he drank Lilith's blood, turned into a puddle of blood, and rose from the blood into the next evil-doer on the level of Russell Edgington, who by the way received his just ending. Yes, Russell just got a major ray zap of Faery power volts and that ended him nicely. Well done Alan Ball and crew -- you really did a masterful job to wrap up the season with a little pop, sludge and cry! Then we had poor Luna who had skin-walked her way right in front of the TV cameras only to face the mic, throw up blood, and keel over in what appears to be her untimely demise. And of course, Sam who flew into the mouth of the vile female chancellor only to take over her body and explode out -- yeah...

End of the week achieved! I have a media kit I have to write and put together today, but that's the only major pressure. My TV wouldn't work last night ... "no signal"? I don't watch too much television so it's the first time I noticed it all week. Let me just say this, though: when all you want is to sit and watch a mindless dump of your favorite reruns of Season 4 of True Blood , it sucks when it won't come on! Then I thought, "Oh crap! No I have to call Time Warner Cable ... that ought to be an experience." And then I thought, "What if it's something stupid like I sat on the wrong button?" The "skeezy" cable guy will think I'm a complete idiot. After I had those random musings, I realized perhaps I ought to try different buttons before I hit the actual panic "button" ... didn't work. I could have gone to my computer and surfed the Internet and watched some of my favorites like Eric and Sookie Lovers o...

You know when you hit a point where you say something like, "Oh that younger generation ..." then you have officially become "old." I decided I've hit that point only after once more torturing myself watching that horrible show Girls about four young women in New York and their social lives. This show is a major hit. And I frankly don't get it. Every single time I watch, I am completely aghast (never turned on) at their frank, soft-core porn approach to twentysomething girls and their dating lives. The show is supposed to be funny, and I suppose it's making someone out there laugh, but I am more gob-smacked by it more than anything else. I worry about this, because my book California Girl Chronicles is geared partially toward this audience, but at the same time is highly relatable for women my age who in their younger days may have made Brea's mistakes. While California Girl Chronicles is sexy and I hope funny (reviewers have agreed it's fun...