Morning Coffee (4/25/16)

Ireland Seeks Peaceful Path to Marking 1916 Easter Rising

Nothing to see here, I'm sure: Russia’s New Human Rights Ombudsman Is Former Police General

Hmmmm: The U.S. government just withdrew its iPhone-unlocking case against Apple in New York

Heh: An Incomplete List of Topics J.K. Rowling and President Obama May Have Discussed

Ooh, fascinating: Triangles in the Sky Tell the Story of the Universe's Birth

This is what I'd expect from Bernie Ecclestone, but I'd hoped for better from Mario Andretti. For... some reason.

Meet the Association Upholding the Integrity of Instant Noodles

Researchers Discover Ancient Observations of a 1006 AD Supernova

Confession: I gave up keeping track of the current name of Lockhart Gardner etc. etc. years ago.

Amazing: Audubon Made Up At Least 28 Fake Species To Prank A Rival

Morning Coffee (5/18/15)

Me elsewhere: The week's TV news and a few thoughts on the Wayward Pines pilot.

Here at long last is the "Bad Blood" music video.

How Hollywood stays white and male

As many of us suspected, that Good Wife scene with Alicia and Kalinda was apparently filmed without them in the same room, and I remain stunned by the lack of professionalism.

Todd VanDerWerff's final TV schedule analysis for the season: The CW.

I love this: Miss Marple vs. the Mansplainers: Agatha Christie’s Feminist Detective Hero

Two new fathers whose writing I like wrote some interesting, powerful things. First, Matt Yglesias: Basic parenting gets fathers a gold star, and other things I learned on paternity leave

And Barry Lyga: Every Day Is (Not) a Disaster

MADELEINE L’ENGLE: hey remember that book about ecumenical Episcopalianism and quantum physics and resisting conformity you loved so much

READERS: yeah

MADELEINE L’ENGLE: how about a sequel featuring your favorite character’s sexy twin brothers going back in time and learning about boners and childbirth before God drowns everybody

READERS: uhhh

Morning Coffee (11/25/14)

Like everyone else, I've been glued to the news watching events in Ferguson; my thoughts are with Michael Brown's family and all affected. If you want to catch up on overnight developments, here are liveblogs from the Guardian and Vox.

Also from Vox: How to Survive Your Family's Thanksgiving Arguments

I haven't had a chance to read this yet, but I bookmarked it for when I have a moment over the weekend and you might want to as well: A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA

I lost track of whether anything came of this last night, with everything else going on, but someone hacked Sony.

Check this out, The Good Wife fans: LetMeChumHumThatForYou.com

Netflix's Marco Polo series looks epic and lots of fun.

Is Your Governess Really a Spy?

Reasons Why I Would Make An Excellent Druidess And You Should Consider Me For The Position

Morning Coffee (9/10/14)

Oh hey, the Man Booker shortlist! I should get reading.

The season of CBS Sunday night football delays is almost upon us! They're tweaking their alert system. Grumble grumble.

"In one sense, Tuesday's release of the complete mono catalog of the Beatles on vinyl LPs is the most technologically ambitious attempt yet to take what is arguably the most significant body of recorded music in the pop era and do... absolutely nothing."

Iceland's 'Pompeii' emerging from the ash

I just . . . no. I don't get this whole "proposals must be a complete surprise!!!" thing. I mean, what do I know, but I'd think ideally marriage should be a decision agreed upon by two equals rather than a shocking gift bestowed by a man.

The Allure of Imagined Meals

Can You Guess These TV Shows By Their Emojis? (I am proud/embarrassed to say that yes, I guessed them all correctly.)

Rupert Giles, MLS

Morning Coffee (4/29/13)

Hey soap fans, the first new online episodes are available for All My Children and One Life to Live.

Ugh: On Wikipedia, Men Who Write Books Are Just Novelists, While Women Who Do Are “Women Novelists”

Ooooh, first trailer for The Killing! So excited!

Hollywood’s Kickstarter Craze Needs To Be Fair To Fans As Well As Filmmakers

76 Guest Stars Of “The Good Wife” Ranked In Order Of Excellence

The Revolutionary Effect of the Paperback Book

Ancient Maya discovery sheds new light on the origins of civilization

Heh: The 27 Stages Of Getting Addicted To A Television Show

Morning Coffee (4/2/13)

Everyone survive yesterday okay?

Happy Birthday, Carl Kasell

Want the story behind that amazing Vampire Diaries reference on The Good Wife the other night? Here you go.

Should children learn cursive?

I am all in favor of adaptations of Danish crime shows, though really, I'd rather they just made the Danish show available.

Hmm: Gender Questions Arise in Obituary of Rocket Scientist and Her Beef Stroganoff

The Nightmare of the West Memphis Three

Heh: Citing Exhaustion, Kim Jong-un to Stop Threatening World on Weekends

This will only be funny to, like, three of you, but: The Real Archers Omnibus

Morning Coffee (3/14/13)

Google Reader is going away. Yes, now is the time to panic. So far, the best replacement I've found is The Old Reader, but I'll keep you updated. Read about migration and their future plans here.

And we have a new pope! Here's a profile of the man who would become Pope Francis.

Today in shows you should be watching: The Killing season two is now on Netflix, and previous seasons of The Good Wife have made it to Amazon Prime and will be on Hulu Plus in the fall.

Clear your calendars, Comcast customers: TV Catch-Up Week is coming.

Polaroid and Instagram are teaming up.

This piece about Bob Woodward's John Belushi book is fascinating.

A dark, live-action Beauty and the Beast? Yes, please.

Big Breaks for Blowjobs: The Dark Underbelly of the Miss USA Pageant

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: Homeland, Grimm, & More

Homeland, "New Car Smell (EP204)" - Wow. Wow. THIS SHOW. I absolutely did not expect that confrontation at the end to happen so early in the season, and it was a DELIGHTFUL surprise. This show definitely makes bolder choices than pretty much any other show on TV, and the writing and plotting almost always back this up. I'm so excited to see where they go now that they did this thing I absolutely did not think they would do yet. Also: I heartily approve of the addition of Rupert Friend, and I love that in the midst of everything else going on, the show is taking time for stuff like Dana's storyline.

Grimm, "The Other Side (EP208)" - I actually caught up on the past few episodes yesterday, and I think the show is doing a good job this season of expanding the mythology and increasing the serialized aspect while still having interesting cases of the week. And in this one, I loved the combination of science and mythology with the genetic engineering aspect.

The Good Wife, "Two Girls, One Code (EP403)" - Yes, due to football scheduling nonsense, I'm watching CBS's Sunday shows online and so wound up behind this week. Anyway. This episode was so good, except for the Kalinda nonsense, which is so bad. It's just baffling to me. But I loved the case of the week - search engine intrigue! - and all the Alicia/Peter/Will/Eli intrigue was really well done. And even though I'm completely a Will fan, the kiss at the end was quite something. I can't wait to see where they go with it.

The Mentalist, "Not One Red Cent (EP503)" - I know I was unimpressed with the first two episodes of this season, but I thought this one was a lot better, in that it got back to the traditional sort of cases this show does and didn't spend too much time trying to decode Jane's brain or doing weird things with the rest of the team's personal lives. So I guess this bodes well.

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.

What I Watched: The Good Wife Premiere, Elementary & More

Elementary, "While You Were Sleeping (EP102)" - I thought this was a strong second episode, though again, the actual case was fine but not particularly memorable. (And this was at least the second procedural to involve twins this week, though that's not an issue, really.) But where it really shone was the character dynamics and the further development of Holmes and Watson. And the violin scene at the end just slayed me.

Guys With Kids, "Marny Wants a Girl (EP103)" - Well, this show is now 3/3 for making me laugh out loud. And I'm glad to see they've abandoned the "Isn't it crazy that these guys are taking care of their kids?" thing - now it's just presented matter-of-factedly as their regular lives. Also: CUTE BABIES.

Major Crimes, "Dismissed with Prejudice (EP108)" - This was a weird episode - going back to look at a case in the past because of new evidence - but it definitely gave some more insight into the characters, which was nice. And Rusty's story continues to be heartbreaking. I love how the whole team is now so invested and involved in his life.

The Good Wife, "I Fought the Law (EP401)" - You know the week is not going well when it takes me four days to watch the season premiere of one of my favorite shows. BUT ANYWAY. I'm so glad this show is back. I'm unsure about the storyline with Kalinda's husband, but I loved everything else. There were some great moments between Will and Diane, especially, and I love Peter when he gets angry and authoritative. "No. I'm threatening you."

New Scandal & Good Wife Promos!

These are both SO GOOD.

Morning Coffee (4/18/12)

Listen my children and you shall hear . . . Yes, it's that day, and that's going to be in my head all day so I figured I should share. Kind of me, no?

The funniest thing you will read all day (provided you're in the demographic that will find this funny): Blurb Your Enthusiasm

A close second: But If We Started Dating It Would Ruin Our Friendship Where I Ask You To Do Things And You Do Them

Tumblr recommendations: SuperCoryBooker and The Internet Never Forgets

Here's a fun calendar of Fictional Character Birthdays.

I don't necessarily agree with all of this, but it's interesting: Barbie's Plastic Politics

An adorable video interview with Matt Czuchry will improve your morning, I promise.

I desperately want a book and key necklace.

I didn't actually know there was a battle over Mary Pickford's legacy, but apparently it's heating up.

The Good Wife Promo: Welcome Back to the Dark Side

We don't get a new episode of The Good Wife for a few weeks yet, but this fairly grim new promo for the last three episodes of the season (!) highlights what the show is best at: examining the intersection of public and private lives and the use of both - and everything else - in an eternal struggle for power, again both public and private. But let's be frank: The really exciting thing here is the suggestion that Cary and his smirk and his pretty pretty suits may return to the dark side. Wheeee.



(The song, if you're wondering, is Jose Gonzalez's "Down the Line.")

Morning Coffee (2/29/12)

Happy Leap Day! And snow is coming. Finally.

Hey, fans of The Good Guys and Roswell and good TV - Colin Hanks will be guest starring on Happy Endings tonight on ABC at 9:30/8:30c.

In case you missed it last night, here's my White Collar finale review. Spoilers!

Does your morning need some cute? Check out this kitten and baby deer snuggling.

You should really read Todd VanDerWerff on why fans of quality TV should stop pirating stuff and try to be slightly less entitled, spoiled brats. (Er, that last bit was my phrasing, not his.)

Ooh! New Charlotte Bronte story!

Sarah Rees Brennan says important things about adaptations in general and the casting of Lucy Liu in Elementary in particular.

How The Good Wife became the first great series about technology

It's never too early to start worrying about the TV Death Watch.

The Good Wife, "Live from Damascus:" Recap at ThinkProgress

Well, THAT was quite an episode. Read all about it.

The Good Wife, "Bitcoin for Dummies" - Recap at ThinkProgress

Sunday night's episode of The Good Wife was a good one, but then, they all are. Also: CARY'S FACE. (Okay, I mean that as a general thing, but also that there a few moments this episode when HIS FACE is particularly telling. And adorable. ANYWAY.) Read all about it in my recap at Alyssa's ThinkProgress blog.

“Bitcoin for Dummies” was one of those episodes of The Good Wife that revolves around everyone manipulating everyone else. Unfortunately, since Will is facing the very real prospect of jail time and Eli isn’t in the episode at all, the machinations are grim, without the undertone of playfulness this show often gives even cases involving serious issues. To make up for that, though, we get double Kalinda, as she plays a central role in both the case of the week and in Will’s legal woes.

The Good Wife, "Alienation of Affection" - Recap at ThinkProgress

The Good Wife is back, and so are my recaps at Alyssa's ThinkProgress blog!

David is in the middle of a Gilbert and Sullivan performance and shows up at the office in historical military costume, and if this were an Aaron Sorkin show, that would mean something about duty, but in this case it’s probably just an easy laugh (Diane: “So, David, not to pry, but did you enlist?”) and a reminder that David takes himself very seriously while everyone else thinks he’s ridiculous.

Read the rest.

The Good Wife, "Parenting Made Easy" - Recap at ThinkProgress

Here's my take on this week's episode.

The Good Wife, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" - Recap at ThinkProgress

It's a little late - sorry! I was sick and then Alyssa was traveling! - but here's my recap of last week's Good Wife.