MONDOmagazine » This Week in Electrons

This Week in Electrons: Scattered strike-related stuff, and Alex eats a piece of humble pie after Tim Kring is done with it

television — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 02:49:49 +0000

By Alexander B. Huls

Tim Kring & Co. are A-OK in my book After doling (that's my new favorite word) out a fair amount of criticism in the direction of Heroes, I have to admit — I feel sort of guilty now that Tim Kring has come out and admitted to and apologized for the mistakes made so far in Season Two. You'd think after all my huffing and puffing, I'd be here doing the Dance of Joy and muttering "I was right" to myself, but all I really have to say is how much respect I now have for Kring. My issues with the Season One finale and the current season aside, it's hard enough for a creative individual to watch criticism perpetually thrown at his/her little baby; but to then absorb them, process them, and concede that those criticisms are valid, then apologize for them, and promise to fix things? That, fair readers, makes Tim Kring and his fellow writers what one would call stand-up acts. I know they are not reading this, but nevertheless, I wish to salute them — one and all — for doing something that can't have been easy to do. It indicates an admirable honesty and impressive respect for their audiences — something I thought they had lost with the Season One finale. I was wrong [...]

This Week in Electrons: Triumphant returns, triumphant stays, not so triumphant rehashing, and tears

television — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:31:55 +0000

By Alexander B. Huls The prodigal son returns If our massive Buffy event a few months ago wasn't any indication, let me assure you: Joss Whedon is kind of a big deal around here. That in turns means the biggest news this week in television is the news that, after a somewhat unfortunate and unsuccessful dabbling in film, Joss Whedon is returning to television, with old friend Eliza Dushku, a.k.a. Faith, in tow. You hear that noise? That's Co-EIC Miles Baker, squealing with the delight of Homer Simpson winning a lifetime supply of beer. So what show is this that was formidable enough to bring Whedon out of his self-exile from television? Dollhouse follows the likes of Echo (Dushku), who is implanted with a "personality package" of various adoptable identities, memories, and skills that enable her to carry out particular missions — only to have these packages wiped out when the mission is done. In effect, these characters are only ever who they need to be, when they need to be, and never really have their own personality. I have long been fascinated by existential themes and preoccupations, so this is right up my alley. Inevitably, the media studies student in me can't help but wonder if the show's concept is a clever commentary on the impact of media inundation on our contemporary lives [...]

This Week in Electrons: Updates on the usual suspects

television — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:37:36 +0000

By Alexander B. Huls Pushing Daisies Who knew the most romantic and adorable scenes I've seen in ages would involve plastic wrap and a rubber glove? And yes, that might sound like a normal Saturday night-in with your significant other for some people, but in the fair tale wonderland of Pushing Daisies it was something much more innocent. Pushing Daisies has certainly lived up to its pilot, barely missing a beat in the process. Though the centerpiece of this show is obviously the relationship between Ned and Chuck, as well as its gimmicky (I mean that in a good way here) concept, in the last few weeks the show has also proven itself to back those up with quirky humor (with a cynical edge), and some of the most enjoyable dialogue currently on television. What is also a minor miracle is that the cuteness between Ned and Chuck never is too much. If it were handled in any other way, it would be so saccharine you would feel like you were overdosing on sugar, but instead by the end of the episode my face hurts because I've been smiling the entire time, and it's a welcome pain. Admittedly, I'm a romantic sucker who eats stuff like this up, but given the critical love this show is getting, it seems to be getting through to even the most hardened cynics. Then again, it is ultimately a magical fairytale that never pretends to be anything but, which is exactly why it works, even when it deviates from the world we know (in which dandelion run cars don't exist, nor do morgues that look like there from a Dr. Seuss book) [...]

This Week in Electrons: Journey Man, Heroes, Bionic Woman, and Reaper

television — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 01:41:54 +0000

MONDO warms to Journeyman, grows frosty towards Heroes, Bionic Woman and Reaper. Television season not culprit of Global Warming. By Alexander B. Huls Journeyman Take my words, crack them like eggs, whirl them around in a batter, stick them in the oven, and serve them to me in a delicious apple pie, because that way eating my words will at least be yummy. A while back, you may recall, I was somewhat harsh on the pilot of Journeyman. Thankfully the show has done what one hopes for any show with a poor pilot: it gets better with subsequent episodes as the creators find their groove. Last week’s episode confirmed the show as one of my growing weekly favorites. A slight change from that earlier review, huh? The third episode was a turning point, in particular, for several reasons. First, the mythology is expanding, centrally through more frequent appearances of Livia who keeps hinting at a bigger picture [...]

This Week in Electrons: Your weekly recap of the news from the world of television

television — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:45:27 +0000

By Alexander B. Huls Reaper If two episodes in, a TV series already feels formulaic and repetitive, there’s cause for concern. The thing is, I really want to like Reaper, and I almost envy those who do. The premiere was definitely fun, exciting, and funny. The show overall has such a catchy vibe, an enthusiasm for its own content, that it’s hard not to overcome by its infectiousness. Bret Harrison is a charming and likeable lead. The energy of Tyler Labine’s performance as his character, Sock, make him an endearing slacker. Of course the shining star of the show is really Ray Wise, who — and I’m not sure if this is an insult or not — seems born for this role [...]

This Week in Electrons: Your weekly recap of the news from the world of television

television — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 07:48:34 +0000

By Alexander B. HulsWith the amount of TV I watch it would be pretty much impossible to produce a review for every episode of every show I feast my square eyes on in a given week. So this weekly column will be my forum for voicing comments, observations, complaints, and unabashed geeky gushing, about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the past week's elevision. How I Met Your Mother: Season Three Premiere Man, it's good to have How I Met Your Mother back. It's a lot like hanging out with friends after they've returned from traveling abroad all summer. At certain points it is slightly awkward and they may have changed a little bit (beards, marriage, new significant others, and getting into new experiences — like biker chicks), but once you've spent a little time together things fall right back into rhythm and you share a bunch of laughs (butterflies, massages, wingmen, and Marshall's longing eyes). You may even meet new people (seeing Ted's wife for the first time... kinda). Finally: "Cirque de so laid?" Oh, Barney, I've missed you terribly [...]