Game of Thrones

matt: I'm on now...

josh: HEY HEY!!

watching spidey 1 right now

so good

did u know that Flash is Alcide the werewolf from True Blood?

matt: Yeah, but I'm not up to that season yet

josh: ah

matt: Can we talk about Game of Thrones before you spoil anything else for me?

josh: yeah

when? now?

matt: Yeah if you want

josh: yeah, I can take a few minutes, I'm very swamped tho', so not for too long

GAME OF THRONES: GO!

It took me a little bit to get into, but I got hooked after a few episodes

matt: Ok, this will be you doing most of the talking since I've only seen the first two episodes. But one thing that I was really impressed by was the casting. As a fan of the books, I was really impressed by how all the characters in the show seemed so close to what I saw in my imagination as I was reading...

josh: Unfortunately, I had to watch the 1st couple episodes in pieces, so I probably didn't get into the vibe because of that

the casting was great

Sean Bean has such a presence

and he brings a type of history to it coming from Lord of the Rings

matt: I'll try not to spoil anything from the story beyond the first book (which is where the 1st season ended, I assume)

josh: even though he's not the same character, if you're familiar w/ L.O.T.R. you know what he must have been like on the battlefield, and what a noble warrior he was/is

matt: But you know what happens to Eddard Stark, right?

josh: the opening shot of the pilot was great

the great wall doors opening, coming from pitch black to the stark (heh, stark) white of the snow

matt: Yes, I thought there were some very artfully composed shots in there

josh: the whole atmosphere was very rich

the action in the beginning set a good pace for what to expect

if it was too gory then you knew to stay away

and if you didn't mind it or liked it then you knew it was for you

I guess I'll start my critique here:

it's a story of relationships, and in the beginning, it's setting everyone up and you don't FEEL a lot just yet
it seems like it's going to go somewhere cool, but you really have to listen to get all that is going on....

matt: One great touch is that the Starks and the people of Winterfell, in the north of Westeros, speak with accents from the northern regions of England, whereas the Lannisters and their entourage from King's Landing speak with more of a "King's English" accent common to the south of England - London, etc

josh: wow, that is cool

I wouldn't have known that

I thought , yeah, mostly English people doing English accents

and English-type accents

matt: Very subtle, but it adds another layer of cool factor to geek out over (for me, anyway)

josh: yeah, I really like that they did that

the attention to detail was fantastic

just to finish up what I mentioned just before.....

I know they had to set up the characters and setting in the beginning

but after such an intense opener, it didn't engage me in a visceral way at first

it definitely picked up tho

matt: There's a lot to set up - a whole world. The book kind of drops you in the thick of things, and you pick things up along the way.

josh: I can see that. I did feel the Targaryen prince was a bit of an archetype, but you needed that in order to understand his sister and what she was going through

I thought she turned into a great character

but you didn't see much of that in the 1st 2 episodes.

now that I think of it.....

they did a really good job at following a number of storylines at the same time

I loved how you get the sense of how people didn't know what was happening far away because back then there was no way of knowing, besides sending a raven

You really felt the environment in that regard. How exposed everyone was to the elements and the times

matt: Yes, the seasons and the elements are a big part of the books - the saga is called A Song of Ice and Fire, after all, but it is front and center at all times - "Winter is Coming" is both a metaphor and a literal warning, since the winters in Westeros can last for years at a time

Did you find the death of Ned Stark shocking?

josh: I was surprised, yeah

I wish I saw him fight more during the season

as far as screen time, he was basically a reluctant politician

you got the sense of his history, but he did a lot of "I must do this, even though it's very difficult and unfair, but I must."

only Sean Bean could have pulled it off

matt: Yeah, well, his function in the story is basically to show the truth of Cersei's line "you win or you die" in the Game of Thrones - honor gets you nowhere in the end. I think you're dropping his Boromir character on to this a bit too much with your expectation of seeing him fight...

The fighting's over when the story starts...

...and then it gets interesting...

josh: Yeah, and I like that it just hits the ground running as a strong thinking piece before it tells you "Hey, perk up, you gotta pay attention." I just wasn't quite ready for it, but I do like it. I'm looking forward to a rewatch.

I really liked Peter Dinklage

Again, at first his character is very one dimensional, but very soon things start happening that throw all the characters off their center

"This is who this is."

"Oh, cool."

"And this is what happens when this happens to them..."

"Oh Jeez!"

All in all, it's a slow burn but it pays off really well.

A great cast, good story and I'm really jonesing for next season.

crappy we have to wait a whole year.

matt: ...you know, there are these things called "books". You could read them as soon as you wanted to...

josh: b-uuh -ks?

what devilry you say?

I barely have time to read the comic books I get

books on tape maybe

CD

Digital

I'll check www.audible.com

matt: I'm actually questioning whether I really want to watch the rest of the show, Since I'm enjoying the books so much. I was really excited when I first heard about the show, but once I watched the first episode, it sort of "locked in" the way I visualized certain places and characters as I was reading. For example, I had a clear picture of Catelyn Stark in my mind before the show, but now I imagine the actress who plays her when I read. And I'm not saying she's bad, she's actually pretty perfect for the character, just not quite as I imagined her looking. And now I can't go back. There are characters who we haven't seen yet, from the later books, and I kind of want to keep "my" versions of them...

josh: understandable

I'm sure that's how a lot of L.O.T.R. fans were

matt: Khal Drogo was a prime example... I imagined him and the rest of the Dothraki as a lot like Mongol horsemen, very swarthy, with a slightly Asian look. And then they cast Jason Momoa, who's almost too good looking for that character, if you ask me.

Someone who looked more like a young Wes Studi would have fit better, I think...

I must sound like an idiot...

"a young Wes Studi"...

josh: I thought he fit the role great. A lot better than he does for Conan

He has an ethic look that you can't quite place and I think that worked

and he's a giant

some of the other Dothraki I felt looked like day laborers

matt: Yes that was weird, they're all supposed to be one race, at least in the book. That irked me a bit when I saw white guys in the group. (Sorry white guys...)

josh: white not right for Dothraki

matt: It may have been a case of casting locals, and they shot that stuff in Malta, I think. They must have had to take whoever showed up.

josh: good point

Overall I really liked it, it felt a bit "storybook" in places, but as I said, the characters and the the story and the realm was very rich, and I kept wanting to watch. to me that's a sign of a good show

matt: So who is shaping up to be your favorite character?

josh: I think Peter Dinklage's character - the Imp

The Lannister brother

He has the most obstacles and manages to come out of everything alright

but not unharmed

and I like how he SHOULD have the backing of the Lannister lineage behind him, which he does, but it's tainted because they don't respect him

His family doesn't respect him, and people only respect his money

He seems to be the smartest one but goes unnoticed as such, and he can't apply everything he has because of his stature

I also like the youngest daughter

then Jon Snow and his cowardly friend

and the eunuch

In the last episode you found out that the elderly statesman or whoever in the kings's court wasn't as feeble as he was letting on, that was really cool.

matt: Hmmm... elderly statesman in the King's court... I'm trying to work out who that is...

But yeah, Jon Snow, Arya and Tyrion are my favorite characters also.

josh: might be Grand Maester Pycelle

Ser Jorah Mormont is pretty cool too

matt: Ohh, right. He's a bit of a background character in the books. Doesn't come into the spotlight except when he's interacting with some of the more prominent characters. That is, we never "hear" his internal narration.

josh: and I like the guy who pals around with Tyrion

matt: Bronn. Yeah, they're quite the pair in the books. Peter Dinklage has certainly captured his voice quite well. I'd almost think that George R.R. Martin wrote the character with him in mind, he's so good.

What did you think of the somewhat light touch of fantasy in the story, i.e. there are dragons and such, but they are presumed extinct as the story begins? I thought this was a really interesting take on the typical dungeons & dragons genre.

josh: I like it. it's really relatable, because now creatures are only told in stories, and essentially the bible and history in general. It's cool to see the effects of that environment and how it permeates that society

The show's timeline at the moment is like the eye of the storm, in that regard, there were dragons and wildlings (if that's what they were called), and we know that things like that are coming back. There was a scene in the show were the youngest daughter is chasing cats down into the depths of the castle and she comes across a huge dragon skull that was being kept there. Very cool.

and on that note, I gotta scram

sorry so rushed tonight

matt: Ok no worries.

josh: take it easy

Sherlock: A Study in Pink - BBC

josh: AAAAANNND begin
matt: How's it going?

josh: good

matt: Ok,
Let's talk Sherlock!

josh: YES!

matt: I watched the first episode again last night to refresh my memory.

josh: cool. I had been curious about it when I saw it pop up on netflix I was more than pleasantly surprised when I watched it a GREAT reboot hard to think where to start

matt: Me too, I had been hearing good things from people, but it really surpassed my expectations.
Well, how familiar are you with the source material?

josh: not very familiar besides the main common Holmes knowledge enough to get some references

matt: I have only read "The Hound of the Baskervilles" when I was a kid, and that's about it. I was switching back and forth between the commentary track and the regular soundtrack last night, and apparently they packed in a lot of references for the true Holmes fans - which I obviously missed a lot of
So let's talk about it on its own merits then

josh: ah, I streamed it so I don't have access to that on its own merits I thought it was great! even if you didn't know any Sherlock lore

matt: Well, firstly you have a script by Steven Moffatt, of Coupling and now Doctor Who. That guy could write the text on the back of a shampoo bottle and make it compelling.

josh: I knew that I knew his name, but couldn't remember not too familiar w/ Who but I love Coupling no wonder it was as funny as it was

matt: The script for this was amazing. Watching it a second time, knowing the ending, you see the pieces of the puzzle laid out, but it's a testament to the writing that it is not at all obvious what's going on if you haven't seen it before

josh: I was wondering how they'd make him the savant that he is. They spread it through a bit in the beginning, but after the scene in the cab where he explains how he analyzed Watson, I let out a "Cool." I did catch some of the foreshadowing the 1st time around. I knew from the beginning a cab had something to do with it

matt: Ah, you're too smart. I thought Benedict Cumberbatch was pretty great as Sherlock. He had a lot of info to deliver, but he has to do it rapid-fire, because of the speed at which Holmes' mind works
He spoke so fast at times, I had to rewind and watch it again to absorb all the info he was throwing at us

josh: yeah, I had to really listen to catch everything he was great!

matt: And I loved his take on Sherlock, that he was so much "in his head" all the time, he really had difficulty relating to the people around him

josh: I'm glad they went with his look too - young & cool-ish, but his long shaped face, his height & hair, very traditionally Holmes-like I LOVED Martin Freeman's dead pan delivery he really sold some of the cheesier moments that way

matt: Freeman was a great choice for Watson. He's got the comedy background, but he has a sort of a hang-dog look that seems to suggest he's dealt with a lot of stress
And the chemistry between them was amazing.

josh: wasn't sure how I felt about him being a soldier at 1st, knowing how he usually is especially him being an army DR but he totally sold it

matt: I liked the constant assumption by everyone around them that they were a couple

josh: that was really funny it didn't take itself too seriously, which in a way made me take it seriously

matt: That was straight from the books, Watson was actually an army Doctor
and apparently he served in Afghanistan in the books too

josh: why would he be in Afghanistan back then? guess I don't know my history

matt: Second Anglo-Afghan War, 1878-1880 - thanks, wikipedia!

josh: LOL that makes it even cooler then how they kept that aspect I liked how most people were annoyed with him how his way could be insulting if applied to normal conversation the girl in the morgue was funny. That's where it really showed how dysfunctional he could be the drawbacks to being SO brilliant

matt: yeah, he was almost like an autistic savant - a great way to modernize it in a TV landscape with Monk and other quirky detective types
The text showing up on the screen was a great device to dispense with a lot of expository dialogue

josh: I liked how Watson started to get excited along with him put off at first, then started to get off on it too yeah, I didn't feel like anything was forced or missed AH! So good

matt: Yes, and the psychomatic limp was a great way to show that - leaving the cane behind in the restaurant and running after the cab

josh: that was great but I was also waiting for that I'm too TV savvy for my own good

matt: Yes, I think we were always supposed to know it WAS all in his mind, it was just a nice character detail

josh: I LOVED the shots when he was talking to Holmes' brother and he mirrored the Watson & cane with his umbrella
matt: Yeah, that was a great mislead, too, with dialogue like "he would say I'm his arch-enemy" -

josh: yeah, I totally fell for that I didn't think they'd mix it up that much glad they did I liked too where they implied a past drug problem with Holmes. I think that's in the books that he used opium

matt: Yeah, me too. The scene at the end when Mycroft and Sherlock meet was really great, and Mycroft actually comes off like the more reasonable one

josh: yeah Is he an original character for the show?

matt: Mycroft? No, he's in the books.

josh: ah

matt: I would venture a guess that most of the stuff in the show is sourced from the books, and just changed to fit the new setting

josh: I like how he was almost if not just as smart & observant except he had social skills

matt: yeah, it was a great turnaround moment, it made you see that Sherlock is like the black sheep, difficult (but brilliant) little brother

josh: the rhythm of the banter between Holmes & Watson - especially when he was explaining what he observed - was almost musical

matt: Yeah, it was amazing to watch, that was definitely one of the highlights of the piece

josh: also, the bits where Watson was flatly hitting on that girl were hysterical
matt: Yes. Loved that.
What did you think of the plot itself?

josh: well, the very beginning was a bit "TV-ish" but when the 2nd scene came on with the press conference and everyone kept getting texts from Holmes and the text graphics came up, I thought it had a fresh & cool way of story telling and even the first scene montage wasn't overkill so it went by and got the info out there and it was edited and looked great. So it was very compelling ….the mystery plot you mean, right?

matt: Yeah... I felt like the whole "forced suicide" thing wasn't necessarily new... I actually guessed it was suicide at gunpoint from the opening sequence.

josh: yeah, but the fact that they had to choose vials was really cool. It was a really cool take on a serial killer and I didn't figure out what the exact deal was until seconds before the killer described it. Very innovative. When he said "why don't people just think" it made me think after the fact about which vial the good one was, and why they would choose what they chose. I would have chosen the one Sherlock chose. I actually wasn't sure about the suicide at gunpoint thing because the way it was shot in the beginning made it seem like they were alone
I thought maybe a cabbie said something that hypnotized them. Manchurian candidate-like

matt: Yes, I think the pay-off was really great, I just didn't think the concept was that unique. Not that it hampered my enjoyment by any means

josh: did you catch my opium comment earlier? I also thought the nicotine patch was a reference to that too

matt: Yeah, I think that was definitely their version of the opium

josh: yeah, whatever we've seen before was made up for by the way we saw it
matt: yes, exactly - the execution elevated it

josh: The look of the show was great. Lots of reflective surfaces, but not too glitzy. A lot of films make London look pretty gritty. I liked how it felt slick Do you know if the plot was new or adapted?

matt: Well, I know there is a Doyle story called "A Study in Scarlet", and this was "A Study in Pink", but I don't know if it was just a cute title or a new version

josh: Hm, I bet it was an adaptation. Being the pilot, they should go with what works I hope they do more than the 3 episodes
matt: Ok, I just checked Wikipedia again - "A Study in Scarlet" was the first published Holmes story. The beginning of the story is referenced a lot in this episode, apparently. Also, the word "RACHE" scrawled near a body is a primary plot device in the story - except in the original, it actually is meant as the German for "revenge".
Also, the villain in the story is a cabbie, and he does kill his victims by giving them the choice of two pills, one poison and one harmless! So it seems to be a pretty clever modernization

josh: Ah! Well they way they modernized it was great! I liked how the forensic guy was all cocky knowing that
matt: Yeah, well Moffatt and Mark Gatiss, the co-creator (who also played Mycroft) are huge Holmes fans, apparently

josh: All the side characters were great and the actor who played LeStrade was really great. Really believable and realistic performance for a purely expositional role

matt: Oh, and don't worry, a second season (three more episodes) has already been greenlit by the BBC

josh: cool I guess masterpiece mystery is a series that has different characters throughout its season I can't wait to watch the others and am glad there's more If I was ten year old I'd totally be playing Sherlock Holmes after school or on the playground. I don't know who I'd want to be. As a kid I'd probably be enamored with Holmes, but as an adult I really like Watson.

matt: I have to admit, when I first heard about "Sherlock Holmes but in modern day" I thought it would be terrible, but it was done so well and so cleverly, I was sad when I got to the end of the third one

josh: yeah, same here. That's why it took me a while to watch it I kept seeing it pop up in my Netflix suggestions

Even if I figured something out, I wanted to see how he would come about it. Because he always had another element going on. Such as exposing Watson's limp, but also trying to catch the cabbie

matt: Yeah, the joy of watching the show for me was really in watching the Holmes/Watson dynamic. The plot was not inconsequential, though... the second episode has a much weaker mystery, and I didn't enjoy it as much.

josh: oh, really? hmm well, I'd rather something be short-lived and good than beat into the ground
matt: Yeah, I won't say any more. The third one is just as good as the first though

josh: oh, cool My only MONDAY MORNING DIRECTOR MOMENT for Sherlock - A Study in Pink would be: when the cabbie comes up the stairs when the cops are in Holmes' home. I felt it was REALLY exaggerated, probably for the lowest common denominator of viewer, to make absolutely sure they get what's going on.

matt: Yeah, I see what you mean. For me, I thought the chase sequence was a little overcooked... it went on a bit long, and the editing, with the street signs double exposed over the other images, was used a little too much.

josh: yeah, it got a wee bit "hey isn't this cool!?" as if we didn't know how it would end up OH! And I liked the music a lot! It was a rip off of the Guy Ritchie film, but I didn't care I liked this show more than that movie good movie, but this felt more true to the source material

matt: I agree. I'd watch this over the Guy Ritchie film, given a choice

josh: I did really like how he had the streets in his head and the timing of the lights

matt: Yeah, it just seemed like they were trying to really over-sell that point to us

josh: TV sometimes is TV Well, I think that's all elementary my dear Matthew.

matt: Cheerio 'til next week!

josh: here's a good link for info for the show. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/index.html

matt: very good

josh: Pip Pip! Cheers!

Falling Skies vs. The Walking Dead

josh: yyyyeeeelllooo

matt: Hello! Happy 4th of july!

So are you completely up to date with Falling Skies, or have you only watched the pilot?

josh: up to date

matt: Oh, great! So you saw this week's episode?

josh: yes

hang on one sec

matt: ok

So (when you're ready) what do you think of the show so far?

josh:This week's episode i think the show was starting to get its legs a bit

it's been a bit slow going for me.

I think Noah Wyle is great and steals every scene.

Moon Bloodgood and Will Patton also keep the show in reality too

matt: Okay...

So you are finding the pace slow?

josh: not slow paced, just kinda, TV-ish.

the secondary actors are adequate, but they don't sell the cheese.

some aren't that adequate.

matt: Aww, that's cold

josh: i like the characters themselves

just the interaction between them is verymeh

and there's no way that guy is 16 years old

here's my M.M.Dir. moment: there needs to be more conflict personally with the characters

matt: Yeah, but very rarely do they actually cast kids as the age they are

josh: not that they HAVE TO copy Lost, but take a cue from them.

yeah, but that kid has totally got his bachelors degree by now

matt: Hmm, your take on it is interesting. I seem to be enjoying it more than you. I know that summer is kind of a dead zone for TV, so maybe I'm just a drowning man clutching at straws, but I'm really digging it so far.

josh: anyhow, take a cue from Lost & Battlestar Galactica and have conflict between the characters. Will Patton had some going, but there never felt like there was any real THREAT between anybody. They argued a bit, but everyone gets along pretty well considering the world fell apart

That being said, I am enjoying it, i think the dialogue isn't on the nose as much as Walking Dead

matt: Well, what about the Steven Weber character, and Pope, the biker?

josh: I like all the alien.....

stuff

matt: There's some conflict in there...

josh: there's some,

i think the Pope character brings a cool element to it,

but again, the banter is pretty cheesy

the skitters are pretty cool, and I like that part where the teacher was pointing out how the Mechs are bi-pedal and the Skitters are 4 or 8 or whatever

matt: It's funny you mention The Walking Dead, because I thought as far as post-apocalyptic dramas go, FS was further ahead than TWD by this point in their respective seasons. In terms of plot development and establishing characters.

josh: i agree

matt: Which is somewhat ironic since TWD has 80-odd issues of comic to back it up

josh: WD had the belak vibe that FS doesn't, but I feel more invested in FS

bleak that is

not belak

belak must be the skitter planet but the action is a bit A-team. lots of gunshots, very little wounded.

matt: Haha... I thought the pilot of FS was particularly strong, and the bleakness was brought home immediately with the device they used with the kids voices describing their drawings. I thought that was such a concise way to set the scene and give it plenty of gravitas at the same time.

It actually made it scary - for me, anyway. More than TWD did in 6 episodes

josh: i agree with that

i feel on paper it's a better show than SOME of its presentation

it's almost there

I think they need to study what Noah Wyle is doing more, he has a vibe that will keep it grounded

there's one actor (who shall remain nameless) that I had a real hard time watching.

ooh, i think Steven Weber is good too,

they have a good cast for the most part, and that Asian guy is cool, but they don't give him the best lines.

matt: Yeah, Wyle's playing the "haunted soul" quite well. I never liked him on ER, so I was surprised to see him do so well here. I also liked the way that you saw the aliens within the first 30 mins of the first episode - no ridiculous subterfuge - at this point one alien pretty much looks like another, so I'm glad they dispensed with any phony shock value.

josh: i really liked him on ER

matt: Now I'm trying to figure out which actor you don't like...

josh: i agree about seeing the aliens soon and well

the jaws theory is great, but at this point, lets see some shit.

i think the FX are great for TV too.

not quite Battlestar great, but they don't take you out of it at all

matt: Yes I agree, very well done on a TV budget

josh: I'm a little tired of "I'm going to get my son, and nothing you say can stop me."

matt: Oh, fireworks are starting... can we break for a bit?

josh: "No, 1st you have to do this."

matt: Yeah, it is every episode so far

josh: "oh. Ok. then I'm going to get my son and nothing you can say can stop me."

sure, happy 4th

matt: oh sorry false alarm

josh: Ok then

matt: they aren't supposed to start until 9, but we just heard a big bang- must be a test or neighbors - unless it's the alien invasion

josh: yeah, here too.

matt: it is Independence Day, after all

josh: i say invasion

lol. yeah right

anyhow as i was saying:

matt: so, yeah, we were saying... a bit repetitive so far with the missing son

josh: "if it was your son what would you do."

"I'd do what ever it takes. but 1st do this."

"Ok. but then I'm going after my son."

"and did I mention his name is Ben?"

"his name is Ben."

and no REAL threat.

matt: Yeah, I hadn't really noticed the repetition, because there's been enough stuff going on around it which fleshes out the world and the situation they're in

josh: I understand why they haven't gotten him yet, the harness being dangerous and all

yeah, i pretty much have watched them in a row

but Ben seems to be doing fine.

he'll be there next time

or the next time

or the next matt: Haha, right

I think that element definitely brings it back to the "TV show" realm

josh: and they're ALL just setting up camp and coming and going at that school like the 1st period bell rang and there's going to be a pep rally

HOW have the aliens NOT seen that?!

again, I am enjoying it though. it's good TV cheese. with enough above par stuff spread throughout

matt: I think it's been suggested that the aliens are only going after big groups, implying that groups smaller than 300 or so are no real threat to the aliens. It does have a bit of a sense of "Mission of the Week"... but TWD fell into that trap as well

josh: TWD got REAL preachy and melodramatic too

cardboard cut out characters and soap opera acting

matt: Yeah I agree

josh: after some time has passed I was thinking it doesn't do the comic justice at all

matt: Speaking of which, you just finished reading the latest trade paperback?

josh: not that you'd be able to transcribe the dialogue right from the comic to the screen, but it has so much more depth

i did just finish vol 14, yes

matt: What did you think?

josh: Loved it again, never fails to frustrate, shock and geek out

i think something that the comic has is exactly what Falling Skies needs

that sense of dread

they feel too safe at the camp

and even on missions sometimes

the sleeping skitters were really cool, but they didn't seem to whisper too softly

matt: Yeah, I have to say that this latest Walking Dead comic storyline subverted my expectations at every turn.

josh: and how long were they sleeping there? they had the whole mission, Pope ran back and torched them, ON A BIKE!

In the WD vol.14: when Morgan tells Carl he saw him kill that kid. That moment between them was awesome

I've really grown to like Carl a lot. he went from an annoying whiny kid to a really cool character

which is why it was so shitty and so great that what happened, happened

matt: Every time I thought I knew where Kirkman was going with the story, it turned and did something completely different. I thought this was going to be the Woodbury prison story all over again, but it seemed like Kirkman was doing everything he could to make it distinctly different

josh: in the beginning of the storyline when Rick told Carl what happened and Carl said he was glad they were in danger, because that means everyone will stop acting like they're not

and Andrea mentioned that too. that she felt better being on edge. feeling safe didn't feel safe

i find myself reading now too sometimes when they start doing something, like a plan of action...

and you can feel something is going to happen. I'm reading and I go "Oh no." out loud. Like I know something is going to happen

matt: Well, you know that every quiet period is going to be followed eventually by chaos and death, in this book

josh: like when you watch a youtube video of some kid on a pogo stick and you just say "oh no, kid."

i know, but it's great that you can feel it in a comic book, without music and editing

well, i guess there's editing in it's own form

man, what a great book

matt: But yeah, like I've said before, it's the only comic I've read that has given me a visceral, palpable reaction

Ok, NOW I have to go watch fireworks.. want to wrap it here or continue later?

We've got a lot of material already

(I think)

josh: a little more after i have a couple more things

matt: ok be back soon

33 minutes

matt: I'm back... are you there?

7 minutes

josh: yo

sorry

didn't hear the BLEEP

matt: right on

josh: anyhow: I like how Noah Wyle's character is always pointing out the comparisons to military history

reminds me of Anthony Hopkins character in The Edge

matt: Yeah I liked that too, it helps explain his character's optimism, in a way I haven't seen The Edge

josh: ah. it's good. David Mamet script i think

matt: hmm, I'll keep my radar out for it

josh: anyhow, it makes it make a little more sense how he can be an effective leader, aside from his personality

on the flip side - the tough chick from Pope's crew does a good job, but she's too Dawson's Creek/CW/WB. Feels kinda Smallville

the later seasons

"ooh. she's tougher than she looks."

matt: In her defense, they haven't given her too much do so far

I think Pope is my favorite character so far. He gets all the best lines and is definitely the "meta" character, making comments that someone watching the show might make

josh: yeah, but it's a bit hammy

matt: A little bit, but still enjoyable

I think he's written to be broad

josh: yeah

i like the whole forced-to-be-a-chef thing

i like his character.

i just think there's a lot of "hey this is who this is, and everything that they're about!" going on at this point

exposition city

once we know who everyone is, hopefully the plots will take precedence and subtext will kick in

matt: Yeah I was actually thinking about the exposition while watching the latest episode, and I don't think it's anywhere as clumsy as something like the later seasons of 24.

josh: true, even though i didn't watch much of the later 24 seasons

overall, I'm enjoying falling skies, but I'm not planning my week around it

matt: Unfortunately, it's one of the only watchable shows on right now, for me josh: well then. Falling Skies: Monday Morning Direct-ED