Afternoon Tea (9/10/18)

Judging by the Cover: How the Magazine Industry’s Identity Crisis Is Playing Out on Its Front Page

Vitamin D, the Sunshine Supplement, Has Shadowy Money Behind It

An Ovidian Taste Test: The Old Verse Translations of Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’

FRINGE: Ten Years Later, The Fox Drama is Still Underrated

Crime and the City: Phoenix

Morning Coffee (8/24/16)

Wow, there's a... lot here: Bernie Sanders' New Group Hits Major Trouble on the Launchpad

Saying Donald Trump is totally unlike mainstream Republicans could be the best way to beat them

This is great: Jimmy Kimmel asked Clinton to read Trump quotes with a straight face. She had to refuse one.

Deutsche Bank’s $10-Billion Scandal

Okaaaaaay: You may think the world is falling apart. Steven Pinker is here to tell you it isn't.

!!! Yes, please, put John Cho on my TV regularly: USA Network Developing Con Artist Drama Starring ‘Star Trek’s’ John Cho

The hunt for medieval kings

Heh: The Exact Moment Amal Clooney Realized She Settled

The alternate universe of ‘Fringe’ beat us to ‘Batman v Superman’

I would watch a movie about these retirees turned shipwreck hunters.

Morning Coffee (1/18/16)

Welcome and thank you to newest Patreon patron Holly! The first Patron update went out this weekend; get in on it here.

ICYMI: My Oscar Project post about Cinderella.

Me elsewhere: So much TV news!

Bernie Sanders, Guns, and the Idea of Vermont

Speaking of Sanders, this thing about him claiming to have never worn a tuxedo sounds silly but actually does bother me. Because if it's true, then he's saying he's either never attended a black tie event or has refused to follow the dress code, and neither of those options give me any confidence in his ability to be an effective president. And if it's NOT true, then it's a dumb pointless lie that a. will probably be found out easily (formal events are often photographed!), b. sounds like that kind of anti-intellectual folksy pandering that drives me nuts and, I think, causes genuine harm, and c. is probably actually intended as part of his "rich people are inherently evil!" thing, which I also think is wrong and harmful.

This is an important point in Oscar dicussions: "The shocking — or maybe not so shocking — whiteness of this year’s field of nominees exposes not only the myopia of the nominating body but also the deep structural biases of the industry that feeds it."

I adore Fringe, but I also agree with Blair Brown here: "...the truth is that was originally a story about a female protagonist [Olivia, played by Anna Torv]… and the show turned into a story about father and son [played by John Noble and Joshua Jackson]. Very often in this business, that’s what tends to happen."

Scholastic Halts Distribution of ‘A Birthday Cake for George Washington’ (Here's the statement. Good for them for taking action and being honest and specific about the issue.)

Standing Up To Sexual Harassment And Assault In L.A.’s Comedy Scene

I love 3D printing but THIS IS TOO FAR.

!!!! Cadbury Is Launching a Very Chocolaty Crème Egg Café Pop-Up in London

I like this: Play Life Less Like Chess and More Like Tetris

Whoa, remember the Thames whale?

Morning Coffee (5/6/13)

Here are the Edgar Award winners. Yay Code Name Verity!

Read Carrie Raisler on the new online versions of One Life to Live and All My Children.

Ugh, fandom, be better: How to Kill a Vampire (Series)

Watch the short film that John Noble made with his daughter and a bunch of the Fringe crew.

I have to try this ice cream bread thing.

The Stuff We Don't Normally See

Penguins' Explicit Sex Acts Shocked Polar Explorer

Solving Equation of a Hit Film Script, With Data

Morning Coffee (2/28/13)

This is basically the EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE edition. I'm sorry. I will find you a whole list of happy/fun/cute Friday links to make up for it tomorrow.

Please read Fringe actress Jasika Nicole on Quvenzhane Wallis and her own experiences with a "difficult" name, as well as her feelings about the running joke in which her character's name was constantly gotten wrong by an older white male character.

No seriously, if I tell you that her story included things that make me like Joshua Jackson more than I ever had before, will you please read it? Thanks.

Disturbing but important: Photographer as Witness: A Portrait of Domestic Violence

House of Cads: The psycho-sexual ordeal of reporting in Washington (And a lot of other places, really.)

Related: You should be following the Said to Lady Journos Tumblr.

Sexism Fatigue: When Seth MacFarlane Is a Complete Ass and You Don’t Even Notice

Attacked at 19 by an Air Force Trainer, and Speaking Out

The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us

This piece about the mob in Naples is a little older, but I just read it because it's being developed into a movie, and it's fascinating: The Camorra Never Sleeps

Morning Coffee (2/11/13)

If you hadn't seen the news yet this morning, the Pope is resigning. Wow.

Castle fans, don't miss this: Andrew Marlowe teases episode 100.

A British romance author is actually an 89-year-old grandfather and World War II vet. Awesome.

Here's an interview about race in YA with Holly Black and Sarah Rees Brennan.

Whoa: The Apollo 11 immigration form.

Fringe fans, check out this teaser for a movie John Noble made with his daughter.

Your feel-good story of the day: Baby fawn licked back to life by family.

Oh hey, a deleted chapter from Anna and the French Kiss!

Morning Coffee (1/18/13)

Fringe is ending tonight. I am not ready. But if you need to kill time until the finale starts, my friend Marisa has been posting lots of great interviews with the cast and J.H. Wyman this year. I've already linked to a few, but not all, so check them all out here.

Also worth a read today: TV Guide's four-part Fringe oral history. Start here.

Pauline Phillips, a.k.a. Dear Abby, passed away on Wednesday. The New York Times obituary is a work of art. Also: 10 Weird And Wonderful Dear Abby Columns

Read this if you've been following the story: Manti Te'o in his own words

Whoa: FX is splitting into comedy and drama channels.

Matt Bomer Designs 'White Collar' Inspired Line

Take A Minute To Watch The New Way We Make Web Headlines Now

Yeahhh.... Author of novel attacking lack of academic integrity runs essay-writing service.

Morning Coffee (1/16/13)

I liked Syfy's new Canadian import Continuum. Here's my take at TheTelevixen.

Did you see the Fringe series finale trailer? Eeeep. Also: The Fringe Cast Talks About the Show's Cultural Impact

Here are the National Book Critics Circle Award finalists.

As apologies go, this one from the Atlantic about their Scientology sponsored content is pretty decent.

The Oscar Best Picture Showcase is always tempting, but I also worry that watching that many movies in a row would just make me unable to enjoy them.

Prepare yourself: A new Dan Brown book is coming in May.

I'm fascinated that The Bachelor and Harlequin actually teamed up, because when you think about it, that really makes a lot of sense.

I finally read that Elizabeth Wurtzel thing everyone's talking about, and . . . wow. I think my favorite sentence was "Mostly, they make six-figure incomes and somehow manage."

Morning Coffee (1/15/13)

Your actually important read of the day: Transphobia Is a Goddamn Embarrassment to Us All

How to Choose a Bottle of Wine

To promote their new show The Following, FOX released clips from a fake true crime show about the case. This is an awesome idea and I really can't wait for the show now.

Presented without comment (mostly because I haven't had time to finish reading them yet): The Beyonce and Lindsay Lohan stories everyone's talking about.

Another terrible-sounding Twilight AU fanfic has a big book deal. Commence hand-wringing as needed.

Lance Reddick and J.H. Wyman Remember Their First Days on Fringe

Danish/Swedish show Bron, which has a U.S./Mexican version in the works at FX, now has a British/French version coming too. I'm fascinated by how the different relationships between these sets of countries will affect the shows.

Morning Coffee (1/7/13)

Well, this is both exciting and worrisome - there are going to be Fringe prequel novels.

Want this now please: Sundance Channel is doing a series about TV writers' rooms.

Afghan census dodges questions of ethnicity and language

Useful and hilarious! Riker Ipsum

‘Teens’ Caught Egging Suburban Home Turn Out to Be Off-Duty Officers

Dilbert sums up online media.

Sen. Chris Murphy's family is ridiculously adorable.

This chart of Zeus's affairs and descendants is one of the best things I've ever seen.

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

Morning Coffee (12/19/12)

Here's a handy resource to check whether your senators support an assault weapons ban.

If you're feeling badly about being single for the holidays, Patricia Steffy has some good reasons why it can be a positive thing.

Taylor Swift and the Eurozone Crisis

This article about the history of Barneys is long but really fascinating.

Game of Thrones beer! I repeat, GAME OF THRONES BEER.

Scandal at the OED!

Fringe fans should really check out the Fringe Benefits Project and vote!

This Doctor Who/Winnie-the-Pooh mashup cake is ridiculously adorable. And that is a sentence I never thought I'd type.

Morning Coffee (11/28/12)

Oops. I have read NONE of the Times's notable books of the year. Must do better next year.

Sesame Street director Emily Squires has died.

Would you like to see a slideshow of pictures Lee Pace took in Italy? Of course you would.

Fringe puppet theater!

This piece on the costume designer of Anna Karenina (and Atonement, Tinker Tailor, etc.) is quite interesting.

Awesome: The United States of YA

Interesting read: Why Smug Atheists Should Read More Science Fiction

How NASA might build its very first warp drive

Morning Coffee (10/25/12)

Snor'eastercane? Really?

Ooh, shiny posters for The Following. (Which premieres January 21, by the way.)

If DVRs were a network, they'd be first in the ratings.

Is the next big thing in YA Fringe readalikes? Because I'd be okay with that.

The Body on Somerton Beach

Michael Chabon on Thanksgiving

What's in Taylor Swift's fridge?

What I Watched: Fringe, Haven, Blue Bloods, & More

Fringe, "The Recordist (EP503)" - I know a lot of people were disappointed in this episode, but I really liked it, even though it was different and much quieter than we're used to. I loved the chance to see a little glimpse of how all of the huge changes in the world affected normal people who were living very different lives than our heroes. And I thought a lot of the family-related scenes were very powerful - both the Bishop family and the recordist family. The big scene between Peter and Olivia was wonderful and heartbreaking, and I'm so glad Peter articulated that he wants a second chance. (Though what the heck is up with Olivia's memory?) And they both had some great moments with Etta - Peter automatically checking her for the skin condition in a very natural dad-like way, and Etta and Olivia quietly holding hands. But I am so afraid that the father saying goodbye to his son and sacrificing himself will turn out to be foreshadowing.

Haven, "Over My Head (EP304)" - I liked this episode much more than the last one, I think. I love how Nathan isn't bothering to hide how hurt he is and is basically just being hostile to Duke and cold to Audrey, though of course he's always there when she actually needs him. And boy, is Lucas Bryant a good glarer. I'm very interested in this semi-secret society he's trying to join/infiltrate, and I may have yelled "Nooooo!" at my TV when he realized he was the only person Jordan could touch, but that was a really compelling, magnetic scene and they have good chemistry. I'm torn, because obviously I think Nathan and Audrey are meant to be, but Nathan can hardly be faulted for considering his options given that Audrey is trying so hard to push him away.

Blue Bloods, "Old Wounds (EP303)" - No, seriously, WHERE IS WILL ESTES? I think he had all of two very short lines last night. I wasn't necessarily wild about his plot last season, but at least he had one. I hope the lack of him in the first few episodes of the season means there's a Jamie-intensive plot coming up soon. Other than that, I liked this episode; it was full of Lessons but that's basically this show's thing so I don't mind. Tom Selleck and Len Cariou imparting life lessons is a pretty decent way to start the weekend, really. I did roll my eyes at Danny taking so long to consider the rape victim's brother as a suspect in the murder of the rapists, since IN THE SAME BREATH he was offering to beat up someone who hurt his sister.

The Good Wife, "And the Law Won (EP402)" - UGH. This Kalinda story. Why do her stories have to revolve around sex? Why is she suddenly incapable of remembering to do her job when her husband comes to town? Other than that, though, I liked this episode; I'm glad Will's back and I always like it when Alicia has to confront the fact that everyone knows Diane and Will don't really see her like the other associates, as much as everyone claims there's no special treatment. The way the dynamic between Alicia and Peter is developing this season is fascinating. And hey, Gilmore Girls actors together in court! That was exciting. Too bad Cary wasn't there too.

The Mentalist, "Devil's Cherry (EP502)" - These hallucination sorts of episodes are usually not my favorite, but I thought this one was done pretty well. And by all means, Jane, please listen to your imaginary daughter and MOVE ON. I did like that drugged Jane insisted that Lisbon was the only person who really knew him, and hey, that plot left them with no time to spend on Rigsby's and Cho's ridiculous, out-of-character personal crises, so hey! The case was fine but the villain seemed a bit cartoonishly evil and eager to confess.

New Fringe Science Channel Promo

Whoa. WHOA. Getting Julie Andrews-related feelings mixed up in my Fringe feelings is NOT PLAYING FAIRLY, promo people!


(Via my friend Faythe: The song is this version, if you're as fascinated as I am.)

Watch I Watched: Fringe, Homeland & More

I wound up having a busier-than-expected weekend with no time to post, so hey, here's everything from Friday through Sunday . . .

Fringe, "In Absentia (EP502)" - SIMON. Sob. I'm still loving the way the Bishops are finding their way and getting to know each other again as a reunited family - and doing really well at working together - even though it's heartbreaking at times. I thought the interplay between Olivia and Etta on the torture issue was quite well done. But SIMON.

Haven, "The Farmer (EP303)" - SPEAKING OF HEARTBREAKING. I'm less annoyed with Audrey now that I know her reasons for pushing Nathan away, BUT STILL. DON'T DO THAT. STOP IT RIGHT NOW, YOUNG LADY. I'm glad she's talking to Claire, and the case of the week was interesting, and overall I liked this better than the second episode.

Call the Midwife, Episodes 1 & 2 - I finally had the chance to catch up on this, and I'm loving it. Babies! Historical setting! Constant reminders of how awesome the NHS is! And new character Chummy (starting in the second episode) definitely adds a lot.

Homeland, "Beirut Is Back (EP202)" - This was another fascinating, intense episode, but I too was concerned by the plausibility issues that Willa Paskin outlines. But we'll have to see how the payoff is. Saul and Carrie's relationship remains my favorite part of the show.

Vegas, "Money Plays (EP102)" - I'm continuing to enjoy this, but find myself with oddly little to say about it. It's good! I think! It's just not leaving much of an impression so far.

Bomb Girls, "Bringing Up Bombshell (EP104)" - I like the way this show is getting progressively more serious with the issues in the women's lives (in addition to the obviously serious war-related plots) but retaining the focus on their friendships and goals. I just realized there are only two episodes left this season and now I'm sad. The propaganda issues this week were explored well, and for some reason I'm kind of rooting for Gladys and James to make it.

Made in Jersey, "Cacti (EP102)" - I still kind of like this? I KNOW. I'm not saying it's brilliant or ground-breaking, but it would make nice comfort TV if it stuck around. Which it won't. I mean, Fringe beat it in the demo, for goodness' sake.

Blue Bloods, "Domestic Disturbance (EP302)" - This episode, with its really interesting case and high-pressure family stuff involving Linda going back to work, was actually better than the premiere, I think. But NOT ENOUGH WILL ESTES. I mean, never enough, but he was particularly lacking here, was he not?

What I Watched: Fringe Premiere, Haven, & More

Fringe, "Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11 (EP501)" - Well. Fringe's final season is off to quite a start, and while part of me misses the "old" show - and I'd give a lot for a season covering 2012-2015 - I'm really glad that they're getting the chance to wrap things up the way they wanted, and fascinated by this new world. I'm the first to admit that I'm pretty much over dystopic stories in general, but I was very impressed by the world-building in this episode. And, as usual, the show managed a great blend of big plot with quiet character moments, though if the Bishops aren't back together by the finale, I will probably never forgive the people who convinced me to watch this show. But regardless of that, the four Bishops and Astrid working together makes me so freaking happy. I want Nina and Broyles back, though!

Haven, "Stay (EP302)" - After the great finale and premiere, I thought this second episode was a bit of a letdown. Too much monster-of-the-week, not enough mythology and character stuff. (And I don't have a problem with monster-of-the-week on this show; I just thought the balance felt off.) And I was annoyed by the way it looked at the end as though Audrey was going to use the information from Duke to distance herself from Nathan. I've never really bought this love triangle; I think Duke and Nathan's relationship is fascinating, but the tension/flirtation between Duke and Audrey always seemed forced, and Nathan and Audrey have amazing chemistry, care deeply about each other, and are compatible in practical ways, so I'm not convinced that she'd be looking elsewhere anyway.

Also: More LA Complex. Beth is driving me nuts, but she's really young, and I'm still surprisingly sympathetic to everyone else.

Music Break: "For Once in My Life"

Fringe is back tonight. That is all.

Why I Love Fringe

Fringe returns for its fifth and final season tonight, and if you follow me on Twitter or have talked to me much in the last month or so, you've probably noticed that I've recently caught up and am completely obsessed. And, for me, when it comes down to it it's not really about the specifics of the plot or Joshua Jackson's coats. So I thought that in celebration of the show's return, I'd tell you the three main things that make me love it so much.

1. The continuity (and foreshadowing). My God, the continuity. The plot is extremely complicated, and the writers are extremely careful. Given the way many simpler shows can't seem to keep their own details and timelines straight, the way the Fringe writers have made this all work is nothing short of astonishing. They should be teaching classes. And tiny things, sometimes things that seem to be throwaway lines, from early seasons come back in extremely meaningful ways later. I already can't wait to rewatch the whole series to catch things I didn't notice.

2. The acting. I won't tell you specifics, in case I'm actually convincing any of you to watch, but several of the actors have had to play different versions of their characters over the course of the series, and they've all done a really good job. There's a particular couple who plays the actual day-to-day couple stuff (which is harder to do well than the early flirting/sexual tension stuff, I think) more believably than anyone other than maybe Peter and El on White Collar. And I don't usually go around ranting about how my favorites should be rewarded at awards shows, but SERIOUSLY WHY DOESN'T JOHN NOBLE HAVE ALL THE EMMYS?

3. It makes me think and care. Too often, "smart" shows leave the viewer feeling somewhat distanced from the characters and their concerns, and shows that excel at tugging on the heartstrings aren't necessarily intellectually engaging. Most shows at their best alternate between plays for the viewer's head and heart. Fringe is the only one I can think of that melds this perfectly, so that the thought-provoking sciencey bits are also the things that very directly affect the lives and loves and fates of the characters they make us care about so much.

If I've gotten you at all interested, well, do not jump in with the fifth season premiere tonight. Start at the beginning. Trust me, it's worth it. Amazon Prime members can stream the first three seasons for free, and Netflix has the first four seasons on DVD.