Archive for the 'Californication' Category

About Fries and Freezing

French FriesFirst of all - a new object has been brought to my attention. It seems that French Fries vending machines are popping up everywhere nowadays. My friend who is presently living on a university campus in the UK discovered one of those magic machines right in her cafeteria. I was suspicious in the beginning since I couldn’t figure out how one from human hand invented machine could store the fries in a freezer-like atmosphere - then deep fry them and then put them in a box, put salt and the optional ketchup and mayonnaise on them and the fries would actually taste like fries. But as I’ve heard from several sources now the fries aren’t supposed to be that disgusting - they can actually be eaten. I’ve also read that  quite a few schools and colleges are putting these portable deep fryers in  their cafeterias obviously to the dismay of quite a few supporters of healthy nutrition but anyway I applaud this trend and would like to put one up in my kitchen. Don’t get me wrong - I wouldn’t eat the fries all the time (yeah right) I would merely enjoy the presence of this heavenly object which is obviously the result of a highly intelligent technical revolution. I’m not really into fast food that much right now. It slows you down and is totally counter productive when you try to keep up a regular running schedule. But who doesn’t love the occasional basket of fries? OK I’m stopping now. I sound like a crazy person.

Back to TV: This is like the best week ever. Almost all the shows are coming back or have come back already and a lot of promising pilots are also premiering this week. I’m so busy all of a sudden and somehow I underestimated how many shows I have come to watch regularly. When someone comments on my love for the shows I respond that it is necessary for me to watch them so that I can write my blog, otherwise I wouldn’t watch that much of course…  For some reason I’m especially anticipating the season premiere of ABC’s Brothers and Sisters on Sunday. It’s so refereshing and funny and they really had a fantastic first season. Didn’t miss this weeks episode of “Californication” and I think I should revise my original statement that it in some ways reminded me of Sex and the City (Shooting of the movie has begun last week btw) and that at least some scenes had this certain vibe. Apart from the fact that the numerous sex scenes which we were able to witness during the first 4 to 5 episodes seem to have been replaced by scenes of the everyday life of a writer who is desperately trying to figure out where his life is headed, the storyline has become less shallow and more serious. Maybe they just put the sex scenes in to get as much viewers hooked up in the beginning as possible. Hank is really trying to get back together with Karen, faces some trouble with his daughter Rebecca who seems disappointed in him for what - leaving her with the Cheese spectacle? I didn’t get that one and ultimately gets the perspective to make more out of his blog AND helps Karen get a new assignment. Well let’s keep observing and see how and whether this show will eventually establish itself.

“How I Met your Mother” is finally back and I had some good laughs. Loved gorgeous Mandy Moore and of course Barney was legendary as always. I especially liked the scene where Barney arrives back at the appartment after his and Ted’s night out together and Lily and Marshall have just noticed the butterfly-shaped tattoo onTed’s back. They mention this to Barney and he gets to tell Ted. The scene is really hilarious. To all my friends who aren’t watching HIMYM yet: Start watching the show already! The TV addict posted a Youtube link which will hopefully convince you.

 Have to defrost myself now. I feel like in medieval times. There is no warm water in my appartment and the heating doesn’t work either. Gotta love the winter or what comes with it. Thank you mom for that beautiful und warm pink winter coat with fur which I didn’t intend to wear until perhaps November. Will be back to report on the fourth season premiere of House M.D. shortly.

 See ya

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TV Shows, Brothers & Sisters, Californication | September 26th, 2007 by admin | No Comments

I love Californication

David Duchovny CalifornicationAfter three episodes of “Californication” I guess it’s time for a few words from my side. A good introduction on the show can be found here. Since I never watched the X-Files the last memory I had regarding Duchovny on television was his one episode appearance on Sex and the City as Jeremy - Carrie’s high school sweetheart and I sort of didn’t like him there because I wanted her to get back together with Big and I was still annoyed from the “Berger” debacle. I thought he was somewhat boring. Then I turned the TV on to Showtime and was hooked after about 2 minutes. I must admit that at least up till now there’s a serious Sex and the City vibe surrounding the show but not in a negative way and I don’t feel like they are copying the show. The dialogues are so hilarious and refreshing and its nice to see Madeline Zima from the Nanny again and also Evan Handler better known as Charlotte’s Harry from SATC. I was just rewatching the third episode from Monday night and I absolutely love the scenes between Duchovny and Zima. I laughed out loud several times - even the second time I watched this episode.

Gillian Flynn on www.ew.com summarizes what Californication is all about when she writes:

“Join David Duchovny for an odyssey of self-loathing, despair, bitterness, and projectile vomit in Showtime’s ”new comedy” (huh, comedy?) Californication. Here, Los Angeles is a grotesque nihilopolis and Duchovny’s writer Hank Moody is its pissy chronicler, indulging in cocktails and revenge sex and anonymous sex and angry sex and massive doses of wallowy self-pity: After seeing his brainy best-seller turned into a mindless date movie, the guy can’t get it up, literarily speaking. He’s losing his longtime partner (Solaris’ Natascha McElhone) and precocious 12-year-old daughter (The Pillowman’s Madeleine Martin) to a safe, boring rich guy — whose teenage daughter he slept with, unknowingly….

….Hank’s a man in crisis, and the crisis is distinctly Duchovnyesque: sarcastic, understated, and buzzing with sly humor. This character, in fact, probably wouldn’t work without Duchovny, so oft-infantile Hank is. As with his X-Files persona, the actor brings just enough playfulness, and a goodly amount of sorrow, to make Hank palatable. And bless McElhone’s Karen, because if a woman that sensible and earthy still sort of loves the guy, it’s a pretty solid voucher. She banters with Hank, brushes him off, rails against him — and it’s in those scenes that Hank becomes a real person, engaged in a genuine dissolution of love”

I hope people turn on their TVs and keep watching this show because provided that it keeps this course Californication will be a potential success. I will put it on my weekly regular show schedule and I will make everyone I know watch it as well. The only bad thing about it is its episode length of maximum 30 minutes. They went by so fast that I initially thought I had missed a part.

I just ran across this short article. It’s about a writer’s love for Tina Fey. I love her too (Just wanted to mention my love for her again at this point) and I think she is one of the funniest TV actresses on American television. I can’t wait for Season 2 of 30 Rock- (And of course we will wish her lots of luck for the Emmys).

(Picture Source: www.popbytes.com)

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TV Shows, 30 Rock, Californication | August 30th, 2007 by admin | No Comments