Where the Hell is Matt? 2012

While it can’t quite replace my first love, Where the Hell is Matt? 2008, I enjoyed seeing this one. Got it from Ethan Zuckerman’s post, where he also details Matt’s history which I found interesting.

Numb3rs

So my new favorite show is Numb3rs. I’d heard about it awhile ago and had to investigate, given the premise: mathematician brother of FBI agent becomes FBI special consultant.

Every episode, brother Charlie Epps contributes to the solving of a case by using some kind of analysis or algorithm, such as Graph Theory or Fourier analysis. I actually think David Krumholtz (who I vaguely recognized from The Santa Claus) does a great job of delivering mathematical and scientific explanations. However, someone should be vetting his pronunciation from time to time. It’s tor-I, not tor-ee, for the plural of torus. And a Princeton math grad would pronounce Fourier French-like, Foo-ree-ay, not Furrier.

But, hey, I just love the mathematical interludes, even though at times, they’re more wallpaper and hand-waving than real. I also love that there’s a girl math genius, though she doesn’t get enough air time.

Actually I think the acting is great across the board. I totally enjoy Peter MacNicol as the physicist friend. And Dianne Farr is great. Finally, I sobbed my way through Ordinary People when I was a teen, and enjoy seeing Judd Hirsch–no, didn’t see much of Taxi.

Anyway! I like mystery/FBI shows where the good guys win, but it’s intelligently presented with balance. I haven’t heard much buzz about Numb3rs, but it is definitely my new favorite show.

Doctor Who made me cry

I’m watching the second season of the new Doctor Who this week. I like it because it’s quirky, whimsical, funny, doesn’t take itself too seriously and yet can be serious, can be about anything or any combination of things. I like its breezy storytelling. I love the Doctor himself, but I also enjoy Rose, Mickey and Jackie Taylor.

But, Doctor Who made me cry the other day. It’s the episode where the Doctor and Rose have the least screen time, “Love & Monsters” which Wikipedia describes as “one of the more comic episodes”.

It is quite funny, I have to say, but also rather full of horror, as some of them are. But when poor Elton remembers his mother, it made me cry. I wasn’t expecting that. (And I have to admit, I thought the Doctor would be able to do more for Elton’s friends.)

Elsewhere

I’m at the Samhain blog and Beyond the Veil, talking about TV and old childhood movies whose names I can’t remember.

Doctor Who, series one

Okay, so I may be the last person on earth to have ever watched any Doctor Who. But that has now changed. I saw some episodes of the first season of the new series, with Christopher Eccleston. Why did I only see some? Because some members of my family insist on watching them all in a row and I can’t watch straight TV that way. So I saw the first two episodes. They were okay, a bit sillier than I’d hoped. But I got roped back in when Captain Jack appeared and saw most of the last four or five episodes.

So, question, are there any not-to-be-missed episodes in season one of the revived Doctor Who?

I was quite surprised, I have to admit, that there’s a new actor for Doctor Who. I had grown fond of Christopher Eccleston. Ah, well.

Anyway, verdict: really liked show, will watch more, though not ten episodes a day!

House

Today I talk about my new favorite show, House the superhero, over at Beyond the Veil.

Bionic Woman

Hey, while waiting in the orthodontist’s office yesterday, I flipped through People magazine. And, what do I see? There’s a new Bionic Woman—note the dropped “the”. As a kid, I loved The Bionic Woman. Much more than The Six Million Dollar Man. (Though I loved the opening of that show. “Gentleman, we can rebuild him.”)

Who else remembers a teenaged Helen Hunt as an alien?

So, I find this very exciting. Wonder if it’ll be any good.

(And, hey, whatever happened to the new Kojak? Another childhood fave. I wanted to be Kojak’s niece, you see.)

Little Miss Sunshine

I wasn’t expecting to love this movie, but I did. Truth is, I didn’t know much going in. In fact, I had Little Miss Sunshine mixed up with Hounddog for reasons I can’t figure out, and until I realized that, I didn’t want to watch it.

Not the same movie. This is quirky, dysfunctional family on roadtrip territory. And while a husband like that played by Greg Kinnear would drive me batty, I just loved watching Kinnear. His face is so expressive. I have seen him before in films like Nurse Betty and others, but I loved him here. I also enjoyed Toni Collette and Steve Carell.

By the way, the film is funny, has heart, but is also kind of crass and creepy, all in a way that makes sense. Quite well done.

Lost, season 2

So for Christmas the family received the second season of Lost. And we watched it all, too. We find it quite difficult to spread out the episodes when they’re all there in front of us.

Overall, I liked this season a lot. Due to a number of posts around the internet, I had low expectations for Lost tying up loose ends. But it hasn’t been bad. I’m not saying one should look too closely at what’s going on in the hatch or with the Others, but still, a fair number of questions are answered and explanations given. I think the acting is top notch across the board.

Lost 1.8

The entire family is now hooked on Lost. Good acting, good storytelling, interesting characters.

Quibbles:
1. Why are the men so much more interesting than the women? Even Kate mostly follows, though her backstory is exciting.
2. I really hope Sawyer is not the only guy to get romance. Admittedly, the way they did his backstory was good, loved the twist. But, well, what can I say, I’m not a huge bad boy fan. Whereas Jack, Sayid…

I know, many episodes yet to travel.