Rebel Without a TARDIS

Divided over Gemini Division

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:30:37 GMT

[ Currently: ]
 The new web series starring Rosario Dawson, Gemini Division, premiered this week. After the first two episodes I'm undecided about it. The production values appear really bad. In a sense, it might work - Dawson's character tells the story in a series of video messages to a friend, so maybe we're supposed to believe the cheesy effects are the character's work - but I think that's stretching. The obvious greenscreen work is poorly done and takes you out of the reality of the story. The show also has a ton of product placement (such as Microsoft and Cisco), but I wouldn't mind that if the quality were good. Honestly, I would expect with the resources of Dawson and NBC they would be able to create a better show. Er, wait a minute, I forgot that I was talking about NBC for a minute there. Maybe the show will pick up and can be saved by good writing or acting... but I think it's clear already that it's no Dr. Horrible or even The Guild. I'll give it a couple more episodes before quitting, though.

http://www.geminidivision.com/ and http://www.hulu.com/gemini-division

Also, I happened across a pretty brilliant article on the state of network television. While there are perhaps a few things where they miss the mark, as a whole it's a well-developed article. It's the first time I've seen anyone in the media write about a few key points that the network execs obviously don't realize.

Interestingly, the same article is used on two different web sites, Wired.com and Portfolio.com, with different headlines.

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/news/2008/08/portfolio_0813
and
http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/culture-inc/arts/2008/08/13/Tracing-the-Decline-of-Network-TV

Cloning a franchise / Another news site

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:54:30 GMT

[ Currently: Listening to Jay Brannan. ]
 Cloning a franchise

It seems a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, and simultaneously, not really that long ago that I first became a Star Wars fanatic. (Yeah, time's paradoxical like that.) It was shortly before the original trilogy "special edition" hit theaters - so I was able to ride the wave of excitement that came from anticipating their return to the big screen and the coming of the new, prequel trilogy - while maintaining that I had come on board in my own way, not just because it was a fad. (I also swear that I discovered Natalie Portman, because I had an obsession with her from the second I saw her in Mars Attacks, whereas the rest of the world only started paying attention later.)

So now, a new Star Wars movie hits theaters today - The Clone Wars. Yet there is little of the commotion that was pioneered by fans of some of the most anticipated films of all time, and has now come to accompany almost every other movie. I've never been a midnight-showing kind of guy myself, but I have gone on opening weekend or even opening day on a couple instances.

Why so little attention? Is it because it's animated? Disappointment over the prequels? (For the record, I must state that I don't agree with the anti-JarJar and anti-prequel crowds, and in general don't agree with the ranking of which episodes are considered "best.") Just overkill?

Or because the very idea of a theatrical release was an afterthought, and no one knows what this movie is? Originally, they planned to just have the animated series on TV, and only after seeing some finished material did George Lucas decide to have a theatrical lead-in. At first, I thought that it was going to be the same content as the first couple episodes of the series, but now I think it's a separate, new story... kind of like an extended pilot episode. I didn't plan on watching either, because I also thought originally that the film was a limited-release thing, and I don't have cable to watch the series (which will air on Cartoon Network and TNT). There's also the small matter that there's already been one animated mini-series, some video games and some comic books with the title "The Clone Wars." Would it have been better to come up with a more unique subtitle, something that's also snappier and more memorable? (No "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"-like snafoo, please. People like to be able to say the title before the show is over.)

I am I not really as big a fan of Star Wars as I used to be? Or is it that there isn't anything to be excited about? Sure, my obsession (and the cultural zeitgeist) with certain entertainment properties goes in waves, as I see all that there is to see of one, and a new one comes about. I can trace which shows and movies I've watched or anticipated at different points in my life.

Personally, I think no one knows what to expect. It'll attract primarily the die-hardest of die-hard fans... and kids. I had figured it's something I might eventually catch on DVD, if I had the time. But the recent pictures and videos I've seen do pique my curiousity, and I might be starting to change my mind.

Another news site

The recent technical troubles at Netflix have reminded me of another site I should have mentioned in my previous post of favorite news sources: Hacking Netflix, http://www.hackingnetflix.com/

Although the site has Netflix in the name, it also covers other video rental and distribution services (both disc-based and on-demand) like Blockbuster, Redbox and Vudu. It also usually reprints or links information from the "official" Netflix Community Blog, making it redundant to read both.

In case you're unaware, there have been widespread shipping delays this week which Netflix blames on an unspecified technical problem. I currently only have one disc left and have been waiting for my other two discs to be shipped. Luckily I've been slow watching my DVDs recently because of other circumstances, but normally I'd be hopping mad about this.

Netflix's track record is pretty good, despite that the nature of the service makes it frustrating when a disc takes even a day longer to reach its destination. There was one notable (but shorter) outage previously, for which Netflix credited accounts. Also, many subscribers are receiving a free upgrade next month because of a class action lawsuit. Meanwhile, they've actually lowered their prices and increased their productivity and features from when I first subscribed (but, consumer expectations have increased too). Overall, it's a fair value.

If there were a better competitor, I would say Netflix had more to lose. As it is, they will obviously lose out from a few days' worth of income (from the credit they've already promised to issue automatically), but I don't see it hurting them long-term unless they either don't fix the problem soon or don't offer a fair compensation to customers for the outage. Netflix has more to worry about with free sites like Hulu trumping their Watch Instantly feature - while it doesn't cost any extra, people will now view it as part of what they're entitled to as paying customers, and it simply doesn't match up to the standards the other sites are setting. And unless the U.S. Postal Service and Netflix can be convinced to somehow deliver discs much faster, on-demand video is where it's going.

More geeks get their news...

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 03:34:23 GMT

A few weeks ago, some members of the ARWZ community thanked me for reminding them here of the debut of Dr. Horrible. While I very much appreciate the feedback and the exciting feeling that comes with being a journalist, it encouraged me to share a few of my own favorite sources for Sci-Fi and TV news and commentary. While I've thought about doing my own version of it someday, for now, I don't want to duplicate other columnists' work by just reposting or linking it all here. This way, perhaps I can help spread some information while sticking with the more analytical take on things I like to post here.

The Ausiello Files, Entertainment Weekly
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/

Michael Ausiello recently left TV Guide for EW, and his new setup is pretty nifty. He often among the first to report scoop, obviously thanks in part to his working relationship with the producers and stars of many TV shows (half the cast of Ugly Betty made cameos in his first weekly videoblog for the site).

Watch With Kristin, E! Online
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/index.html

TV Gal, Zap2it
http://blog.zap2it.com/tvgal/

These are very similar to Ausiello's column, but each columnist brings a bit of their own flavor. Fun fact: Kristin Dos Santos appeared on an episode of Pushing Daisies as a corpse.

Sci Fi Wire, The Sci Fi Channel
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/

The site mostly carries brief stories about scoop that has been revealed elsewhere, and obviously shows minor bias in promoting NBC/Universal's own projects (with a disclaimer on those stories), but it has information about both print and broadcast media related to the genre.

TV Shows on DVD
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/

This site, now affiliated with TV Guide, tracks information only about TV shows released on DVD. If you want to know release dates, special features and specifications, or see cover art the moment it is announced, this is the ultimate resource.

JohnAugust.com
http://johnaugust.com/

The writer-director of such undiscovered gems like The Nines (go watch it now if you haven't seen it), John August, answers questions about screen writing, and comments on both the business and creative ends of the industry.

Jane in Progress
http://www.janeespenson.com/

If you're interested in television writing, this Buffy and Battlestar Galactica writer's blog is must-read. Jane Espenson discusses what makes jokes work on screen, shares information on scriptwriting fellowships, and fun anecdotes about the industry.

Some sites I'm not thrilled with?

TVGuide.com, especially in their e-mail newsletters, frequently provides broken links (to stories that are impossible to track down otherwise) and the reporters that have moved up to fill the void Ausiello left just aren't as charismatic or good. IMDB.com (which gets their news from "WENN" and "Studio Briefing") reports on things much later than other outlets and with little original reporting, with things that aren't newsworthy at all, and often mislead or don't tell the whole story. (All of these are qualities that plague new media; these are just a couple examples of sites where I've noticed those problems.)

There are plenty more sites I visit occasionally, but haven't fit into my daily reading for one reason or another. Have any recommendations? Leave them in the comments.

Bits & Pieces

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:29:20 GMT

[ Currently: cleaning house by making a random blog entry ]
 
File this under "I told you so"

The CW relented and is putting Gossip Girl back online. I first noted that their plan wouldn't work months ago.

The next big Horrible thing?

As expected, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog was hilarious and touching. It also made a slightly bigger splash than I anticipated; it received lots of press for being so popular that the site crashed a few times the day of its launch.

Yet for star Felicia Day, having a successful Internet video is not an entirely new experience. She already has her own web comedy, The Guild, for which she writes as well as acts. It's available to view on watchtheguild.com as well as several other sites.

In the first series of ten episodes, a group of friends who know each other only through the virtual world of an online game meet in person for the first time. Codex (Felicia Day) is stalked by someone with an inappropriate crush, and the entire guild must decide how to treat a rogue member.

The only negative is the neglectful mother who leaves her young children to fend for themselves for days while she plays games - I realize this is exaggerated for comedic effect and is not "real", but it's just unpleasant to watch. (The actress does a great job; it's only the character with which I find fault.)

Some lines will probably go over viewers' heads if they are not at least somewhat familiar with the world of gaming, but the show is extremely funny even to those who aren't as addicted to games as the show's characters.

Heroes Goes Postal

Heroes has had a strong web presence since its beginning with graphic novels and games, but recently began a series of short webisodes. The first two episodes do capture the spirit of the show fairly well and are interesting (if over-acted). However, I'm not sure what NBC's plans are, but unless they're going to introduce these characters into the show (bad idea) or continue making webisodes (better idea, if done right) it seems silly. It's a lot of work getting invested in new characters for such a short time (the whole 3-part series is probably under 10 minutes) and little reward.

Gemini Division, Satacracy 88

Rosario Dawson is also apparently getting into the web series game with Gemini Division. My first impression is that it looks a little too much like Satacracy 88 (another web serial, which I have watched only the first few episodes of so far - it's pretty entertaining for its low production values) and a million other things. But, with Dawson starring and its premise, I'll probably at least "tune in" once when it begins in August.

So, with this entry I haven't quite made a complete list of sci-fi video series online (there's also one called Sanctuary, which I don't yet know enough about to write), but I think it's getting close. Know of any I've missed? Leave a comment and let me know.

Will X Still Mark the Spot?

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:37:39 GMT

[ Currently: going to watch the final part of Dr. Horrible! ]
 This summer the long-awaited second X-Files movie hits theaters (on July 25). But will audiences show, or will it become the Ex-Files?

I was a fan of The X-Files in its height. However, I missed some of the earlier seasons (before I got hooked on the show, and this was in the days when ordering full season DVDs on Netflix didn't exist yet) and the later ones (when my TV reception changed, and especially with a visually dark show, the local FOX station was pushed past my snow-tolerance level).

And with the show that put the word "mythology" into the pop culture lexicon, that leaves me wondering if I'll even understand what's going on.

Of course, even for viewers who watched the show to the bitter end, it's still been about six years. The producers of the film, realizing this, have put out a DVD of the "essential" episodes you should see to enjoy the film. The funny (and perhaps smart) thing is, none of these episodes are from the final three seasons of the show. This could mean that the movie will be fairly accessible to the casual viewer (and I've read that it is supposed to stand alone). But even if it is, will audiences realize that in time to see the film?

I've also seen a display of some older X-Files books at Barnes & Noble, and even if the film does well, I'm seriously doubtful that that it will evoke enough interest to make it worth re-issuing a bunch of non-cannon novelizations that you would have had to be obsessed to read ten years ago.

Meanwhile, FOX already has the next X-Files in the works -- J.J. Abrams' Fringe. When I saw the leaked pilot*, that's the first thing that popped into my head, that this is the true successor to the earlier series. (Now everyone's comparing the two, but I swear I came up with it on my own before I read that.)

The pilot also shows Abrams' influence and recurring themes, bridging the gap between his other shows Alias and Lost.

I'm not quite convinced that Anna Torv can pull it off as the lead. She doesn't strike me as having a strong enough personality, and the design for her character doesn't help (could they possibly give her a less flattering wardrobe? I know she's supposed to be a government agent, but come on.) The rest of the cast, with the exception of Joshua Jackson, also lack a good "look" in the horrible promo photos I've seen.

However, the pilot has a certain je ne sais quoi to it, and while it's not breaking new ground, it looks intriguing.

And like the new X-Files film, Fringe will supposedly be less myth-centric and more understandable to the average person. Whether this trend helps bring more viewers or just scares away the potential cult audience remains to be seen.

* Or used my time machine to watch it in the future, that is. I won't reveal my sources here on the blog, but I can probably tell you how to find it if you send me a personal message.

A good idea that's Horrible

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:57:09 GMT

[ Currently: counting down the minutes until July 15 ]
 The entertainment industry is definitely changing, and while I'm not sure Joss Whedon will be able to claim that his new venture Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog will change things overnight, it definitely will be part of the new wave.

The film will make its debut online in three parts on July 15, 17, and 19. It will be free to watch on www.drhorrible.com until midnight on July 20. Sometime after that, according to Whedon, it will be available to download for a small charge and on DVD.

With Whedon behind the camera and stars Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Desperate Housewives), Felicia Day (one of the potential slayers on Whedon's Buffy) and Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory), I think there's a good chance I'd be willing to pay to download it. Obviously I'll be virtually "lining up" to see it for free first, though.

<a href="http://www.drhorrible.com"><img src="http://www.drhorrible.com/images/banners/banner2.gif" border="0"></a>

There have already been some inroads into creating a profitable "film" industry over the Internet. Lonelygirl15 created a stir and launched Jessica Rose onto a TV role on Greek, Quarterlife jumped to TV (for one episode anyway, and many cult hits didn't last much longer), and the TV networks have all tried some mix of classic, contemporary, and original programming on their Web sites.

With the WGA strike last season and a possible but unlikely SAG strike looming over next, and even popular shows constantly in danger of cancellation, viewers are sick of leaving the decisions in the hands of a few suits. Perhaps it was necessary in the past when the means of producing video were horribly expensive.

But now the problem isn't creating the content, it's marketing it correctly and getting the opinion leaders to help others find it among serious information overload. And for viewers, we don't need execs to be the critical gatekeepers and tell us which of the hundreds of shows produced a week to watch - anyone can do that.

(My services for either marketing your show or telling you what to watch are available any time.)

Not to mention the fact that so-called "real" TV will sink or swim after the digital transition next February. In case you haven't heard, many TVs will stop working without a special box (<a href="https://www.dtv2009.gov/">dtv2009.gov</a>). You probably don't have to worry, unless you're one of millions of people who will be affected despite being told otherwise. I could go on, but that's a topic for another time. My point is that the transition will be a lot more difficult than people realize. No, the world isn't going to end, but there will be a lot of people ticked off.

Also, at that point the average Joe will seriously begin to consider his options for viewing, and the Internet will be one option playing an increasing part.

Summer TV: Comics and Call Girls

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:03:24 GMT

[ Currently: ]
This summer television season offers viewers little besides an abundance of "reality" shows. In fact, the only two scripted series on the broadcast networks are both on CBS: the fun-but-predictable Swingtown (which has an excellent cast as its best asset) and the yet-to-premiere-procedural Flashpoint. However, there are two quirky new series on cable that deserve a look.

 The Middleman 
On ABC Family (and online here )

The Middleman is an adventure where the aliens-and-magic world of comic book superheroes comes to life. (The series also got its start as a graphic novel series, created by former Lost writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach.) It's earning comparisons to Pushing Daisies for its fast banter and extremely stylistic approach, and may also interest fans of Chuck.

When starving artist Wendy "DubDub" Watson meets the Middleman, she is soon recruited to be his sidekick in an uber-secret crime-fighting team. Natalie Morales (NOT the news anchor of the same name) is excellent and likable as Wendy. Matt Keeslar is almost a little too good at playing the deadpan serious nature of the Middleman.

The show is definitely not as "sleek" as others because of its budget and purposefully cartoonish style, but the tone and humor is right on. It's one of those things that looks like a kids show, but is really too smart for that and offers more laughs to adults.

 Secret Diary of a Call Girl 
On Showtime (Two episodes were previewed online, but are no longer available)

I had seen some ads for a new series called Secret Diary of a Call Girl. In the campaign, which also advertises the new season of Weeds, the stars of both shows are shown in a re-creation of vintage pin-up art. My main thought at the time was that the marketing art for Weeds has been particularly brilliant lately.

Then I saw a text ad (the dumb kind I usually ignore) and realized that the star oif the show is none other than Billie Piper (Rose on Doctor Who). So, while this show is technically non-genre, fans of Piper will probably want to check it out.

The first season has already aired in England, and is based on the blog and books by a mysterious supposedly-real prostitute whose pen name is Belle de Jour.

The show is extremely funny and juicy, and really showcases Piper's personality as well as her sexy style.

31 of 1001

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:11:29 GMT

[ Currently: ]
31 of 1001

I've seen the book "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die" at the bookstore often, but I've never really looked at it. My to-read list is already so long that it would take me well into my next life to put a dent in it. However, finding the list online, I couldn't resist counting how many I've read: 31.

I'm only including ones I've read in their entirety, but there are quite a few more I've only read excerpts from, as well as a couple I can't remember for sure whether I've read in whole or not. (Not to mention, of course, those that I've seen the movies of.) Also, the list appears to be extremely biased and only includes certain types of "literary fiction". On the plus side, I have half a dozen more titles on the list sitting on my shelves as we speak...

Post how many you've read in the comments below, if you'd like.

The books I've read:

(From 1morechapter.com via johnaugust.com . There's also a spreadsheet which you may want to use.)

Not just yellow,

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:26:29 GMT

[ Currently: ]
TMZ identifies 14-year-old alleged sex crime victim

The above link is a news story about how TMZ revealed the name of an alleged sex crime victim (a minor, to boot). This story doesn't reveal the name, however, since it's from the AP (who, like just about every real journalist, would never reveal that information).

I'm sorely tempted to look on TMZ, both of my own morbid curiosity ... and for "research" as a journalist, writer, and artist (my catch-all excuse for doing any of my guilty pleasures). But I also don't want to give their site more traffic. That only encourages that type of behavior, which I feel is utterly unethical. (As a compromise, I used a search engine but didn�t click on the links. Although it�ll give the search terms a higher ranking probably, at least it won�t count as a hit for TMZ. Right? Though still I�m not proud of my lack of willpower.)

Coincidentally, just today I finished watching the first season of Dirt, a show all about the sordid tabloid industry. It's gotten many bad reviews, perhaps because it mirrors the industry it spoofs a little TOO closely. I love the show. However, I'm hesitant to just let it be called one of my guilty pleasures, and I'm drawn to defend its artistic merits.

Perhaps I'm biased, because although I ran more *cough* respectable *cough* publications, I've often been in the position of the main character, editor Lucy Spiller (Courtney Cox). I understand her passion and how it sometimes makes others dislike her. As newspaper man William Allen White said:

"There are three things that no one else can do to the entire satisfaction of anyone else: make love, poke the fire, and run a newspaper."

I enjoy the nontraditional relationship of Lucy and her friend, schizophrenic photographer Don Konkey (Ian Hart). They're the central characters, and they're neither related nor is there any sexual tension between them, despite the fact almost everyone else in the show hooks up with everyone else. Sure, you can't deny there is sex and violence added mostly for shock value. But there are raw and honest characters, elaborate mysteries, and interesting cinematography and production design to accompany the show�s quasi-real world (besides Don�s hallucinations, there are other occasional fantasy scenes). Plus, what better way to make a statement on the scintillating world of gossip-mongering than to recreate that scintillation?

Lucy also espouses journalistic principles like finding and printing only the truth. This is not to say she�s a perfect role model; she does cross some boundaries. However, her flaws humanize her and add depth, and though often accused of being heartless, she does have her own internal moral code.

Lucy also fulfills her duties as a gatekeeper. She has � literally - a vault full of secrets that she doesn�t print. Sometimes her reasons for holding a story are self-motivated, but in the sphere she works in, the release of information often wouldn�t serve the public good anyway. It is important to expose a corrupt politician for wasting taxpayer money, but exposing a celebrity (or their child) for sexual behavior or victimization could have the opposite impact on society. Especially someone who�s neither asked for fame nor made a public statement to push their beliefs on others � once this happens, it at least gets more questionable. Sunshine is the best disinfectant, but perhaps only when something�s newsworthy to begin with does it need cleansed in the pubic eye.

Full episodes of Dirt are available free on Hulu.

(P.S. for fellow journalism freaks - the irony of using a PR outro on a blog about journalistic integrity is not lost on me. )

Lost and Found

Tom McMeekin tmcmeekin@gmail.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:02:29 GMT

[ Currently: ]
Lost and Found

Lost is an undeniable sensation, but along the way it sometimes falters. It's a delicate balance to keep the intrigue of a show like this by answering some questions and leaving others unknown.

This season introduced us to the "Oceanic Six," a nice, easily trackable mystery to revitalize the mythology-consumed show. Something the casual viewer could understand without hours of research into philosophy and physics. Right? A new identity was revealed every couple episodes. It was a great concept. That is, until the doubt over whether baby Aaron counted as one of the six.

The show's writers are still mum on any direct answer, but hints have been dropped saying that the identities of all six have been revealed. I understand the reasons behind being tight-lipped over upcoming stories. I understand keeping some things a secret. But if Aaron is one of the Oceanic Six, and viewers are just confused to even suggest he is not, why not just confirm it? The cat's already out of the bag, to try and shove it back in isn't the answer. The only good reason I can think of why they should not deny it is if the final member of the group hasn't yet been revealed, but they want viewers to forget and get caught off guard. Unfortunately I don't think that's where they're headed.

But, the show has seemed to straddle jumping the shark before, and it usually gets back on track.

Backlash from the fans over the introduction of Nikki and Paulo led to their deaths - and one of the best hours of television I've seen. While they were shown in a couple scenes before their "centric" episode, they weren't really given a proper story until that episode, where they were then killed about three different times. (Even if you don't follow the show, you should check out this third-season episode, "Expose," as it can stand alone pretty well.) The lack of a proper story was why I think they were greeted with so much resentment, while other late additions to the cast (Juliet, Ben, Desmond, and the newest group, the freighter folk) were embraced. These people were actually given plots, rather than just a couple lines in the background of a scene. Nikki and Paulo were barely noticeable until their one awesome episode. And I bet had they survived and continued on the show, they would have gained respect after this - but maybe the fact they didn't makes that one episode better.

I've been a fan of Lost since the beginning, and though my opinion of the show has varied, the island's power does always draw me back in eventually.