Morning Coffee (7/29/16)

It's Friday AND the start of my birthday weekend, so it's time for some happy distracting links!

My friend James Moran (you may know him as a writer for Doctor Who and Torchwood) is making a webseries based on Dracula and it looks nifty. Here's a teaser.

Oprah will be in the A Wrinkle in Time movie and I remain cautiously optimistic about this whole endeavor.

Netflix is getting a bunch of stuff from the slow TV movement in August, including knitting and train rides!

The Cambridges are officially headed to Canada. Will they take the kids with them so they can be adorable with Justin Trudeau???

Speaking of: Prince George Has an Extremely Adorable Way of Ordering Cake

Whoa: WW2 silk escape map dress sold in Harrogate

Important investigative journalism: That 'S' Thing Everyone Drew in School, WHAT IS IT?

Ooh: Vatican library digitises 1,600-year-old edition of Virgil

How the Key to the Bastille Ended Up in George Washington’s Possession

When ‘Arrow’ sings ‘Hamilton,’ we all win

Morning Coffee (11/24/14)

Programming note: Posts may be erratic for . . . the rest of the year, really. I'm traveling a lot, and taking random days off to do things like bake a ridiculous number of cookies, and my schedule is generally out of whack. I'll try to keep getting link posts up MOST days, but it may not be every day, and sometimes it might be later in the day than usual. Thanks for understanding!

Me elsewhere: TV news; Haven recap.

This is my new favorite thing: TV’s geek girls need to rise above being tech support

Sad: The Duchess of Alba has died.

Sigh: ESPN Suspends Keith Law From Twitter For Defending Evolution (Okay, they now say it wasn't because of his opinions [on scientific fact] so was it . . . disagreeing with a coworker?)

Your Monday would probably be helped by the Disneyland cats Instagram account.

I have been calling for 24-hour bookstores for years and I'm glad someone is finally listening.

Oh my gosh. Pumpkin Tetris.

How to Successfully Hijack Your Family's Thanksgiving

25 questions about Band Aid 30's new version of "Do They Know It's Christmas"

How are we feeling about the Peanuts movie trailer? It's . . . much better than I'd feared, really.

Morning Coffee (10/21/14)

(Sorry for the lack of post yesterday. The bookmarking service I use was down for a bit, so I had no actual links for my links.)

Me elsewhere: This week's TV news; thoughts on last week's Bones.

What tolerating online harassment costs us

Interesting: Italy Just Pulled Out of Recession Because It Began Counting Drug and Prostitution Revenue

Baskin-Robbins is doing thematic ice cream for one of Hallmark's new Christmas movies. What a world.

Haiti wreck not Columbus flagship

Ooh: Richard III’s reinterment route is announced

What It Feels Like To Be Killed Off A Popular TV Show (And Come Back) Tommmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyy.

"These clowns are luxuriating in warmth and enjoying feeling in their extremities, but I’m saving $37 and proving my hardy New England mettle."

Dirtbag Henry IV

Morning Coffee (12/16/13)

Happy Monday! Christmas is somehow suddenly NEXT WEEK. How did that happen?

Peter O'Toole and Joan Fontaine have died. Time for viewings of The Lion in Winter and Rebecca, I think. At least one of them is seasonal.

Colin Donnell - a.k.a Tommy from Arrow - and Patti Murin recorded a thoroughly delightful cover of "All I Want for Christmas."

In case anyone other than me and my brother still cares, here's some information on season four of The Killing.

A Ten-Month-Old's Letter to Santa

Oops: Pupils' Christmas 'ruined' by vicar's Santa Claus origins story

This piece on How to Name a Baby has some fascinating naming statistics and would probably also be useful for writers naming characters.

Dallas fans, this holiday greeting from the Ewings is great.

The Onion: 30-Year-Old Has Earned $11 More Than He Would Have Without College Education

Morning Coffee (12/13/13)

Happy Friday!

How to Explain Megyn Kelly's Fear of a Black Santa

A movie about the kids of Disney villains? FUN.

Keep Flyin': An Exclusive First Look at Firefly Online

My friend Hannah runs a home daycare, so she spends a lot of time with little kids, and she's got some tips for making your family's December go smoothly.

Arrow became great by emphasizing characters above all else

Dinosaur carousel!

Here is the Countess of Wessex and a Dalek.

I'm Your Lawyer, Mr. Grinch

Morning Coffee (9/12/13)

Happy Friday!

Robin Wasserman talks to Entertainment Weekly about her great new book, The Waking Dark.

Hilarious: A Day in the Life of a Troubled Male Antihero

Next in that X-Files TV writer interview series: Arrow's Andrew Kreisberg.

Men Dressed As Batman And Captain America Rescue Cat From Burning Building

IKEA Stonehenge Infographic

47 Years of Star Trek

A Perfect Storm of Cute: Cheetah Cubs Grow Up With Puppy

You Want to Watch Chipotle's Amazing "Scarecrow" Video

Morning Coffee (7/23/13)

The RSS reader I use is having technical difficulties, so links may be light for the next few days.

As I'm sure you heard, the Prince of Cambridge was born yesterday, and the Guardian is liveblogging again, thank goodness.

Here's the Veronica Mars movie trailer.

And a really awesome Arrow sizzle reel from Comic-Con.

New Civil Wars song!

Superman and Batman are teaming up.

The 45 Most Gorgeous, Famous Gems of All Time

Morning Coffee (3/26/13)

Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day will be April 9th!

IRS calls 'Star Trek' parody video a mistake

I'm not even that huge an Iron Man fan, but aww, Pepper stuff gets me every time. (That link goes to a still from the new movie. Just mentioning in case anyone is super conscientious about spoilers.)

Seth Gabel is returning to Arrow, and you can see some episode stills now.

Steph Pearl-McPhee contemplates what knitters can be expected to know.

There is no word for this story but "adorable:" Pope Francis calls Buenos Aires kiosk to cancel newspaper subscription

Presented without comment: Essex school bans triangular flapjacks after injury

Ooh, Grigory Chkhartishvili (a.k.a. Boris Akunin) is writing a history of Russia.

My 12 Favorite Shows of 2012

As I said in my music post, I am again making no claims to "best" here. These are the shows I loved the most this year, the ones that made me happiest and saddest and most thoughtful. They're the ones I most looked forward to week to week or marathoned in feverish gulps. Above all, these are the shows that made me love watching TV in 2012. (Warning: any plot details that aired in 2012 or earlier may be mentioned here.)

1. Borgen - This drama about the first female prime minister of Denmark and her staff and family, her rivals, and the press is the show I watched this year that came closest to being perfect. The political issues are intriguing, the interpersonal and workplace conflicts are compelling, and the personal and family dramas are heartbreaking, and these threads are all woven together virtually flawlessly. Borgen also has the most nuanced look at issues of women, work, family, and power of any show I can think of. The show is so incredible that after a while I practically stopped noticing that I was watching with subtitles, though now I want to learn Danish.

2. Homeland - I came late to this show and actually watched both seasons in 2012, but I'm trying to separate them out in my mind. I understand why some critics did not like the second season, and there were definitely some flaws and ridiculous plot elements that drove me a little crazy. But to be honest, I don't watch TV for plot; I usually watch for characters and themes and ideas and moods and writing, and for me, all those elements were strong enough in season two of Homeland to far outweigh the negatives. Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, and Mandy Patinkin are all such fine actors with such superlative chemistry that watching them together is constant joy and heartbreak.

3. Fringe - This is another show with which I understand and agree with a lot of the criticisms I've read, but still think it's better than practically any other show out there. The timeline reset in season four didn't bother me as much as it did many fans, I assume in part because I marathoned most of the show over the summer and so didn't have the years of attachment to the original timeline and the months of waiting for Peter to return. And while I'm still not entirely certain how I feel about the time jump in season five, and especially some of the things we missed because of it, I love many of its results, especially Etta and her story, Peter's struggle with his humanity, and Nina's heroic end. And above all, I love these characters and the way they've come to love each other. (This show also has one of the most underrated casts on television; why doesn't John Noble, especially, have all the awards??)

4. The Newsroom - When Aaron Sorkin speaks as himself, he says all sorts of things I disagree with. But when he writes TV shows, his writing feels like it has a direct connection to my heart and my brain in a way that no one else's does. As I said above about both Homeland and Fringe, I know the flaws. I've read the reviews. I don't even disagree with a lot of the individual points. But for me, none of them are fatal flaws, and none outweigh my love of these characters and this writing. The show's framing in the very recent past has been controversial, but it's one of the elements I really enjoy, and I don't think the show would be anywhere near as powerful if it used invented news events. The cast is great, and John Gallagher, Jr. was one of the breakout stars of the year for me.

5. The Good Wife - This show has an astoundingly good cast, both in its regulars and its recurring guest stars, and the writers are very good at playing to each actor's strengths. Julianna Margulies! Chris Noth! Josh Charles! Archie Panjabi! Christine Baranski! Matt Czuchry! ALAN CUMMING. They really have more than their share of great actors. It is in some ways a straightforward legal drama, but there are a million things going on in every episode, and it almost always feels effortless (which certainly means that people worked very hard to make it happen). Even when the plot doesn't go the way I want (I really liked Alicia and Will together, for example), the show does a good job of persuading me to go along with whatever it's doing. The one exception to this was Kalinda's ridiculous storyline this season; if that hadn't happened, the show would have probably been even higher on my list.

6. The Killing - I did not at all mind the slow pace of this crime drama; it was like the television equivalent of reading a complex novel rather than a series of interrelated short stories. Having one case last for two seasons allowed for figures who would be one-episode guest spots on most crime shows become fully fledged main characters, which I found fascinating. Sure, it was convoluted and got a bit hard to follow, but I'm willing to put up with that for the chance of getting a different kind of mystery show, and I thought the ending of the season did a remarkably good job of tying everything together. I loved the tone of it, so dark and lyrical and bleak all at once, and the reluctant friendship between Linden and Holder was one of my favorite relationships on TV this year. (Also: Sweaters!)

7. Ben and Kate - Simply put, this was the most delightful show of the year; each and every episode made me happy while watching it, even if I was sad or stressed in general. I love the combination of blood relatives and created family, and the way the show focuses on people who are flawed and problematic and yet love each other and would do anything for each other. Plus, it makes me laugh more than most comedies do, and Maggie Elizabeth Jones does a remarkable job of walking the "adorable but not obnoxiously twee" line that so often trips up child actors.

8. Scandal - When I heard Shonda Rhimes was doing a show about a DC fixer, I figured it would be Grey's Anatomy but about politics, and honestly, that would have been enough for me to enjoy it. But Scandal turned out to be so much more than that. Conspiracy! Murder! Fraud! And it has my all-time favorite set-up: damaged people teaming up to work toward a common goal and saving each other along the way. (See also, from this list, Fringe, Elementary, The Newsroom, The Killing, and to some extent Borgen, The Good Wife, and Homeland.) One more thing: It's not really a positive, but the show's ability to get me to root for an adulterous couple certainly speaks to its power.

9. The Hour - The second season of this historical drama about a BBC news TV program in the 1950s still has one more episode to air (on January 2), so it's possible that my opinion will change drastically then. As it stands, though, I still love this show but have had a harder time getting into this season. I know the spy stuff was widely ridiculed last year, but what they've replaced it with is harder to follow and takes time and energy away from the characters I love doing their jobs and interacting with each other, which is why I love the show in the first place. But Romola Garai, Ben Whishaw, Dominic West, and Anna Chancellor all remain incredible, and I am happy to follow Bel and company wherever the ride takes us.

10. Elementary - I am an enthusiastic Sherlock Holmes fan but by no means a purist, which makes me probably the ideal audience for this modern take on the great detective. I love Jonny Lee Miller's portrayal of Holmes as a modern addict. I love Lucy Liu's take on Watson. (I love that Watson is female!) I love the way they play off each other and the way the show isn't making it a romantic thing, at least not immediately. The show has a firm grounding in the original stories, and references them frequently, but it's a loose enough adaptation that it's felt very much like its own thing from the start, which makes it a show I want to come back to week after week for its own sake, rather than a clever parlor trick that I admire but don't love, which is how I often feel about the other modern take, Sherlock.

11. Arrow - Arrow was probably the biggest (positive) surprise of the fall season for me; I don't particularly seek out superhero stuff as a rule, and I knew virtually nothing about the source material going in. I was hoping for no more than fun CW fluff with pretty people but found it to be surprisingly compelling and actually good. I've been a Colin Donnell fan since I saw him on Broadway, so he's a particular treat each week, and this show has clearly made some sort of deal with the devil that allows them to cast every geek favorite ever in guest starring roles.

12. Cougar Town - This is another show that I caught up on from the beginning in 2012, and I'm very glad that I was convinced to give it a try. Yes, the name is dumb, and the premise - some friends in a neighborhood in Florida talk to each other, basically - is simple, but the show is both hysterically funny and surprisingly moving. My favorite comedies are those that make me cry regularly as well as laugh regularly (yes, I have issues), and this is a perfect example. Season three dealt with a lot of changes in the characters' lives, which were necessary but always a bit hard for a show to navigate, and the show did remarkably well at dealing with these changes without losing what makes it good to start with.

Honorable mention: Bomb Girls, Don't Trust the B---- in Apt 23, Game of Thrones, Girls, Magic City, Suburgatory

What I Watched: Arrow, Nashville, The New Normal

Arrow, "Lone Gunmen (EP103)" - Wheee, someone found out about Oliver! Delightful. I also loved that someone finally articulated the Hamlet parallels. I love the Oliver/Thea relationship - "you're barely my brother" killed me. And Oliver did seem awfully calm about Tommy and Laurel. Is he possibly just being rational about the whole "They DID think I was dead" thing? I guess that's doubtful. Hm.

Nashville, "Someday You'll Call My Name (EP103)" - THIS SHOW. ALL THE FEELINGS. I love it so much. I see a lot of people saying that the hate one or both of the main characters, which honestly I just don't get - I love that they are both very flawed but sympathetic, and the supporting characters have all sorts of interesting, complex dynamics without making the whole thing seem scattered, which is hard to pull off. And the music! The music is so good. I want to buy it all.

The New Normal, "The Godparent Trap (EP107)" - This episode actually a) made me cry and b) made me want to go to Mass, which is NOT really what I expected from this show. I thought this episode was really well done and did a shockingly good job with the religion issues.

What I Watched: Arrow, Nashville, & More

Arrow, "Honor Thy Father (EP102)" - This is still reminding me of Revenge. But in a good way! And with more archery! I'm enjoying this show possibly more than I'd expected so far. It is sort of making me want to read some of the source material, because I feel like I'm missing things, but maybe I'm happier not knowing what they're changing? Hm.

Guys With Kids, "Gary's Day Off (EP105)" - I liked the way, rather than continuing to make it a novelty that the fathers were caring for their kids, the show has now gone right to the point of acknowledging stay-at-home dads as the experts and giving a mother who has never spent a full day alone with her children completely understandable anxiety about how to deal with it.

Nashville, "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You) (EP102)" - This show is so delightfully twisty and soapy, but also feels very emotionally genuine, which is a great combination. I'm surprised by some of the things I've seen about people not feeling able to connect with the characters; to me, they're all complex but sympathetic in various ways. I think I'm most intrigued by the Rayna/Deacon/Teddy back story.

Call the Midwife, Episode 103 - Would it kill you to have episode titles, British shows? Apparently. I loved Jenny's ongoing real-world education here, and her friendship with the old soldier - and the show's blatant moralizing about that, actually. Chummy is still the best, and the scene with the nun setting up the date was one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time.

Check Out This Arrow NYCC Trailer

This trailer for the upcoming season of Arrow, from New York Comic-Con and via Give Me My Remote, is just . . . wow. Wow.

What I Watched: Drama Premieres, Guys With Kids, & More

ICYMI, my takes on last night's drama premieres: Arrow, Nashville, Chicago Fire

Guys With Kids, "The Standoff (EP104)" - It was nice to see the older boys get some screen time. This is still cute. I enjoy it. I have little to say.

Go On, "Big League Chew (EP106)" - I enjoyed the collision between Lauren's personal life and the group - the inherent power imbalance makes it perfectly natural for the group to want to learn more about Lauren, who knows so much about them, and I thought it was played very well.

The New Normal, "Bryanzilla (EP106)" - For a comedy, this show sure makes me cry a lot! This episode was thoroughly adorable AND funny AND touching, so it's getting harder and harder to keep this show at "Ryan Murphy always betrays me" arm's length.

Hex, "Pilot: The Story Begins (EP101)" - This is an older show, but BBC America just started airing it so I thought I'd give it a try. British boarding school! Sorcery! Michael Fassbender! Joseph Morgan! (Naked Joseph Morgan very early in the pilot, actually, much to my surprise.) This first episode was fine, but I mentioned the show on Twitter and everyone immediately told me that it got completely nuts and not in a good way, so... we'll see.

Morning Coffee (10/10/12)

There are three new shows premiering tonight, and hey, I will tell you what to think about all of them before they even air. Don't say I never do anything for you. Here's Arrow, Chicago Fire, and Nashville.

Would you like to hear me speak about TV for a change? Here I am talking about Castle and White Collar and a little bit about various new shows.

Oh, hey, National Book Award finalists. I have read . . . none. Yet.

Don't know much about the new Georgian prime minister? Yeah, no one does, apparently.

Masterpiece continues being Masterpiecey and co-producing things I want to watch.

Hey look, Amazon came up with yet another way to drive authors to drink!

I won't bother trying to claim that this article about Taylor Swift-branded Walgreens store sections didn't make me immediately look up my nearest Walgreens locations.

Alyssa Rosenberg declares for team Mindy-skeptical.

Morning Coffee (6/5/12)

Happy Jubilee Day! I'm watching BBC America coverage right now.

Via my friend Amy, Jubilee nail polish!

I love this new Burn Notice key art.

Price Peterson recaps the MTV Movie Awards.

Good job, Arrow - the word "murder" always makes me more interested.

Meet the Romney Birthers

Tumblr of the day: A.O. Scott Zingers