Raw Data: Red Team III

Thoughts and observations for Newsroom episode 2-07 "Red Team III".  There are two episodes remaining in the season, but the show will take a week off over Labor Day.  Booooo.  At least there will be other options.

Written by Aaron Sorkin,
Wrote "Malice" which is a good thriller

Directed by Anthony Hemingway of The Wire and Treme.
I wonder if Hemingway and Sorkin bonded over the unrealistic standards and expectations viewers have of great television producing talent following their masterpiece.

• Sierra Tuscon gets name checked, which is where Leo McGarry did his rehab
• Last week I posed that the unfolding of Genoa was too predictable and played into expectations when Gary Pajama edited the tape.  This week addressed that to some extent showing how the gumshoes are coming up juuuuuuust short in a lot of areas, which, when put together, show an institutional failure
• The show does a great job showing the errors made by the gumshoes to make them partially culpable for the retraction
• "Red Team III" brings to mind a decent episode of Elementary from earlier this year "The Red Team"

Gary Pajama is suing for millions of dollars despite the fact that, as Don plainly lays out, he was fired for journalistic fraud.  The cognitive bias occurring here is almost too much to handle, considering how actively and maliciously he edited the tape.  He feels justified because he "wouldln't have done it unless he was sure" which sounds like a justification for, well, anything unethical.  Gary's lawyers may be able to make a legal case enough to scare Atlantic Cable News.  But strictly in the legal, technical way that also relies on the public relations nightmare the company is experiencing, as well as blood lust for scapegoats beyond Mr. Pajama who is a relatively low man on the totem pole.  This despite Gary's egregious editing choice, realized too late by Mac for the same reasons we know Rock Bottom edited its interview with Homer Simpson. The gumshoes are far from innocent but much of the story relied on the edited tape.  It does raise the question of should they rely on a tape witnessed and edited by a single person?


The institutional failure in question is where a seemingly solid case goes down in flames as a result of the sources turning out to be not so reliable.  Unfortunately, the sources were all singing the same song until that point but a lack of follow through from several of the gumshoes brings us to the current state of affairs of NewsNight.  The whole is actually less than the sum of the parts of this investigation.

You know this is fiction because everyone argues about how they should be the one to take responsibility, and semi-hilariously Mac is told she can't be the one to go because she's not important enough.

The causes for the errors become apparently quickly.  Outside of Gary Pajama's editing fraud, each piece by itself may not contribute in a major way to the inaccuracy, but they do serve to confirm the other incorrect information or sources they are piecing together.  It brings to mind the chapter in Outliers where Malcolm Gladwell discusses the many factors that contribute to a plane crash (fatigue, fuel levels, weather, communication, etc).

Will has largely been in the background the last two episodes.  Being the face of NewsNight, he's going to get hung with this more than anyone, despite having probably the least to do with it.  Will is managing editor of the show so it does largely lie with him and he is the decider of things they air.

The biggest surprise was Charlie's source* acting even more maliciously than Gary did.  Actually, I take that back.  The biggest surprise is that NewsNight and Atlantic Media are brought to its knees and it's not solely due to Maggie, who is a terrible, drunk, moody spaz who is somehow employed as an incompetent associate producer on NewsNight with Will MacAvoy.  I am pretty sure it says "incompetent" in front of "associate producer" on her business card.

*  I know I've seen this actor, Frank Wood, in a few things, but I knew there was one in particular that stood out because his voice is so distinct.  After some serious IMDB hunting he played the dean in The Sopranos "Second Opinion" taking Carm to lunch and asking for $50k.  Fun Fact - Edie Falco won the Emmy for that episode, so give Frank Wood an assist.  The episode really focused on Carm and her internal conflict resolving her lifestyle with the means by which Tony earns it.  It also involves an awesome, maybe the most awesome, Furio scene.

I'd like to re-watch the conversation between Charlie and his source, who IMDB says is named Shep, and see if there's any indication Shep is the vengeful type.  Charlie's reaction to his son's death wasn't, "If only we'd known!" but "he deserved to be fired" which seemed a bit harsh.  Though understandable in trying to explain the rationale. 

Raw Data: Confessions

Thoughts and observations for Breaking Bad episode 5-11, "Confessions"... third of this year with five to go.

Written by Gennifer Hutchison, whose done a lot of work on this series, as well as Gilligan's former home, X-Files

Directed by Michael Slovis, the much lauded director of photography for this series


Walt's Jujutsu
Walt is a deranged evil genius.  He is blackmailing his brother-in-law for something his brother-in-law did not do.  In an incredible jujutsu ninja move, Walt, coming from a weak position and defensive perspective, manages to not only buy time but possibly bring his Hank problem to a sudden stalemate, barring some sort of kamikaze always get his man type mission on the part of Hank.  Last week I mentioned "Hank benefitted from Walt's meth money via his rehab.  Something to keep in mind."  Walt takes Hank's single, incredibly thin tie to the meth (which Hank is completely unaware of) and uses it to his advantage.  Quickly Hank is the one that now needs to make decisions about how to proceed, treading ever so lightly.  You have to wonder if this plan was sitting in the back of Walt's mind the whole time.

But you also have to wonder if it's a bluff, and would he actually bring down an innocent man and member of his family, and, presumably, the successive guardian to his children.  Any family togetherness is clearly gone forever.  Once someone tells you to "Just. Die." it's doubtful they'll split the wishbone next Thanksgiving.  But Walt and Skyler want to have an almost 'no hard feelings' attitude with Hank and Marie.  Even though the bond is gone, will they be willing to bring Hank to his knees as Walt goes down?

I am a bit shocked at the lack of shock and disbelief on Hank and Marie's parts.  It may be because they are so angry they do not have room for any other emotion.  Since Hank's panic attack behind the wheel he's been able to focus his energy and quickly come to grips with the reality of Heisenberg.  Marie seemed to do so even more quickly.  I wonder if it would be different, for Marie at least, if they hadn't been, or hadn't found out they were directly affected by Walt's shenanigans. 

This show takes some giant leaps in the interest of moving plot forward where characters make connections that are seemingly thing.  It also suspends reality in a way that I don't often see with other shows.  The way it is different is that viewers don't give them any guff about these leaps and connections the show asks them to make.  I wonder what that is.

Walt and Jessie
Speaking of catatonic, Jessie gives just enough a reaction out of his fugue state in the interview room to confirm (but not prove) Hank's suspicions.  Talking Bad posed the question, paraphrasing, what would be worse for Jessie to find out, Hank's role in Jane, Mike or Brock.  Looks like we'll see at least two, though I can't imagine the circumstance where evidence of the third would come out.  Jessie has his suspicions about Mike's death and may not be interested in proving it.  As Mike was in the game and understood the risks, Jessie's reaction to information about Brock* would dwarf that.

* Discovering in a similar epiphany-esque way as Hank on the toilet.  

When Jessie deduces the deal about Brock* his reaction is not to go to Hank, who essentially offered Jessie immunity not long before, or to get in the car and start his new life.   No, Jessie quickly obtains a giant can of gasoline and runs into Walt's house completely dousing it to apparently set fire to it.  Wow. 

* This show takes some giant leaps in the interest of moving plot forward where characters make connections that are seemingly thing.  It also suspends reality in a way that I don't often see with other shows.  The way it is different is that viewers don't give them any guff about these leaps and connections the show asks them to make.  I wonder why that is.  EDIT 8/27 But here is one good diagram of how it came together for Jessie

Until Jessie's revelation, Walt is on a manipulation bender, even for him, between hugging Jessie and using his cancer to retain control of his own son.

EDIT 8/27 And, for laughs, how about Walter retrieving his gun, casually making excuses to Skyler. Took a while to find that exact strip.

EDIT 8/27: Compare (I assume) Walt's choice of Guapo's for a meeting place with Hank, the DEA agent. Public and unlikely to cause a scene...with a much less Heisenberg-ed Walt choosing to meet Tuco the drug dealing meth head in the garbage dump. 

Have an A-1 day!

Take a Page from 24

On demand television watching, like Orange is the New Black from Netflix, and marathon DVD sessions are re-shaping how people watch television, providing a format for serialized television not previously available. 

Networks shouldn't give up on dramas though, just re-think them.  I think cable is also going to have to re-think how they do things in a few years when the market becomes oversaturated with serialized (especially gritty ones, an overused term if there was one) dramas* as every network not only gets in the game, but gets in the game enough to consistently air a show year-round.  How to make your show stand out? And how do you give viewers impetus to finally turn on your show when they have the convenience of doing so whenever they damn well please?

* Already evident by some shows being a poor man's version of other successful shows.  Some flash with a red alarm as being Very. Important. and discussing Real. Issues.  While there's no cap on the number of anti-heroes there can be, all the anti-heroes are not created equally. 

One way ABC re-thought Lost was to air episodes consecutively.  Season One, with 24 episodes, aired from late September to late May, a traditional television schedule spanning about 32 weeks.  This of course means repeats and pre-emptions which could push viewers away when they start missing episodes or watching them out of order. 

So they played with the model.  Season Three aired episodes six consecutive weeks in the fall and picked up again a few months later, airing the remaining 17 episodes consecutively.  Following the negotiation of a series end date * the only case of episodes not airing in consecutive weeks was due to the writers' strike **. 


* An incredibly contentious issue that nearly resulted in the producers leaving.  They wanted an date, the network did not, which hamstrung a lot of their creative efforts.

** Season Four in eight and six week blocks, and Seasons Five and Six in 16 and 17 week blocks, respectively.

No doubt Lost was a tough show to get into due to the serialization, and not made easy to hang onto due to scheduling.  Even the pilot which seems like an obvious two hour long premier aired over two separate weeks.  Adaptation allowed them to keep loyal viewers though.

It is easier to keep watching a show than it is to start a new one.  Despite pleas from friends and offers of DVD boxes, show recommendations are most often met with, "yeah I gotta get into that."  And if it doesn't take after the first episode, those pleas are often followed with "but you gotta wait a few episodes before it takes off." 

After a certain age it's easy to stop wanting to make friends.  Why should I, you may think.  I already have my friends.  Why bother putting in the enormous effort to meet new people.  Why spend the time over several weeks of one episode at at time to meet Ray Donovan*  when when I'm already buds with Jessie Pinkman and Roger Sterling, and have several seasons of Raylan Givens sitting there if I ever decide to move back home?

* Even with all the television I watch, this is the only new show I've 100 percent bought into in 2013.  One more has potential.  Gotta watch episode two.  I just wish I could hear Elmore Leonard's thoughts on it. 

If simultaneous release is not an option for cable and broadcast networks, I propose mini-events where they air, say, the first three or four episodes in a single night or over a weekend.  Three may work best with the 8-11 prime time slots (or 9-12 if they are worried about airing certain content any earlier*). Three episodes would also work with a three act structure and may benefit how the writers plot the season.  Instead of a (largely) stand alone pilot, they could do more with three hours of television.


* Networks are working on that.  Cable networks pretty much work at their own discretion. I'm reminded of an quote from an incredulous Dan on SportsNight "We have ACTUAL standards and practices?!"

Three episodes would more quickly get viewers invested in the characters.  It would also remove some of the pilot-y things that make pilots pilots.  Writers would not have to cram so much introductory stuff about characters into a single hour. They could be more subtle.  Viewers could record and watch a meatier section of the season together, or at their convenience throughout the week, as is more often their preference.  

24 did this in Season Four and it became their highest rated season.  While not necessarily causal, I imagine it didn't hurt.  I figure if viewers are going to tune out after the first hour they will do so whether it is weekly or in a single night.  But for the population who is going to like the show and is willing to invest, this is a way to make a show more appealing to start.  You may have a list of shows already existing that you want to start watching.  How do you establish priority, and how does a network make theirs the most appealing to prioritize.  It is a way to capture those viewers and bring them into the fold when there are so many other sources competing for their attention and ultimately get them to watch as the show airs from that point on (and maybe buy the DVDs too).   

Raw Data: Buried

Thoughts and observations:
Breaking Bad
Episode 5-10 "Buried"

Written by Thomas Schnauz
Producer, writer, director on Breaking Bad.  The episode is also dedicated to Thomas Schnauz, Sr who appears to have passed away, but am unsure if this is the same person.  

Directed by Michelle MacLaren
Director of several AMC shows.  Also Game of Thrones and is already listed as director for the fourth and fifth episodes of GoT's next season.

•  "The monkey's in the banana patch!"
• Hard to believe a show this dark is also this funny.  So in the final episodes, pause and think about the things that make this show so great.  Like Saul
• "Send him to Belize...I'll send you to Belize!"
• New favorite murder euphemism
• On Talking Bad, which is worthwhile of your time, someone tweeted "Send him to Belize" is the new "Sleeps with the fishes"
• Even though Huel and Bill Burr (who is an excellent, underrated comedian *) definitely stole some of the money, that seemed like not a great tip Walt game them, especially considering it's for the three of them.
• I thought Walt would've at least hid an emergency bag in a slightly easier to get to place in a hole that's easier to access.  Like the dead drops Jessie and Mike were doing pick ups for
• POV Bingo: mark off your space for a GPS
• At this point, the episode title seems too obvious, so I'm wondering what else in the episode is going to be buried
• Turns out it is Lydia's inadequate meth producer's lab/shootout avoiding space.  The guy who was going to buy the methlamine from Mike and Jessie
• Get me on her cell phone or blackberry plan if she gets signal not only out in the desert but in the underground lab with the door shut
• Todd is so matter of fact about things.  He doesn't seem to experience emotion and has singular focus on his tasks.  I wonder if Gilligan wrote him as having some sort of learning disability.
• Speaking of, hadn't seen that many bodies since the prison shankings.  Aaaaaaand there's the guy who did the prison shankings.
• Landry has another FNL friend, Jason Street's murderball teammate.  Also, Devil Crowder
• Walt's underwear is conspicuous again
• Hank's all in but he doesn't want to make the reveal until he has it 100 percent
• Marie and her uber-purple-ness in the episode are 100 percent in as well
• The first 30 minutes of this episode had the pace and suspense and feel of a late season episode, like Walt tracking down and trying to bomb Gus. I would not be surprised if that was the rule and not the exception for the rest of the season
• Hank benefitted from Walt's meth money via his rehab.  Something to keep in mind.

Meth meth meth...methy methity meth meth.
 
* Topics include Boston mascots and bandwagon fans, who to vote for, Lance Armstrong, Oprah, Steve Jobs, the Internet, and being president


Have an A-1 Day!

Raw Data: One Step Too Far

Thoughts and observations for Newsroom episode 2-06 "One Step Too Far"

Written by Aaron Sorkin

Directed by Julian Farino who directed two epic Michael-Jan episodes on The Office, "Back from Vacation" and "The Deposition" and also directed a documentary on psychopaths which sounds a lot like a specific chapter focusing on Broadmoor Hospital in Jon Ronson's The Psychopath Test

• Our gumshoe journalists nicely re-cap the case for Sarin for the Red Team/audience
• Jim is immediately skeptical, as is Don
• Weirdly, the gumshoes get defensive about the case, which seems counterproductive.  The whole point of the Red Team is to poke holes in the case set forth and see where they can tighten it, or expose weaknesses.  It is not necessarily to get approval for the case, as it is 100 percent
• The whole meeting seems poorly structured and not likely to be productive in aiding the investigation
• Dennis Bandana even flies off the handle, attacking the ethics of the Red Team, and re-framing the case in the context of questions that have nothing to do with the case as it is presented
• Jim has a skype conversation with his girlfriend that would obviously be annoying to nearby co-workers
• Something about Hallie being surprised at it working is obviously a commentary from Sorkin about how women are idiots about technology. Why does he obviously hate half the planet and have his male characters make zero mistakes?
• They discuss plans which, because we are still in the first act, will obviously be ruined
• Will didactically points out the hypocrisy in how the GOP brings up faith when it's convenient. 
• Mac can't drive, and everyone goes crazy 
• Maggie, who takes up two spaces of street parking when she could allow another car to fit in there, has a rare valid point on Jim when she tells him she kept Genoa a secret from him for months.  
• Jim has a counter point in that she was not (extra) messed up at that time and her drinking is degenerating, so past behavior is more predictive of how future behavior will get worse, not stay the same.
• Did they bring the funny?
• These are more about the delivery than the text:
• "Naahhhhh" - Sloane
•  "It was regular negligence" - Mac
• "Cool" - Neil
• "You're confusing me with a hobo" - Will
• Drunk Aubrey accurately representing a drunk girl
• Tips on acting drunk
• Step 1: Practice
• The episode takes place during March Madness, which is late March 2012, but we're given a specific date of March 21, 2012 later in the episode. 
• General Stan poses the question why is it different for the "collateral damage" to be killed by chemical weapons, or other weapons, which brings to mind Obama's "red line" with Syria as to why is is worse for them to kill people with chemical weapons as opposed to regular genocide/mass murder
• General Stan has some sort of Jed Bartlet-like quality
• "You were a good spokesman for him" (emphasis added) is a backhanded compliment from Jim if there ever was one
• This show could have a vignette each week and post it to the Web site, "Conversations with Don"
• The music at the bar seems familiar but can't make it out enough to place it
• Don was at Newsweek in 2005
• Thanks Mike Isikoff!
• This is the Newseum related item I was hoping for a few episodes back
• After reading Top of the Morning, I look at the morning show with new interest
• The book also noted Savannah Guthrie's dancing skills, which Sloane highlighted
• There is a surprising dearth of clips showing this
•  Will has to sit and talk with this idiot Steve Doocy guy who Charlie yelled at in the first season
• Will talks about likeability, which may reference his Q score.  Top of the Morning makes particular note of Matt Lauer's Q score and plummet thereof following the Anne Curry nonsense
• Of course Denny Bandana is the only one in the room for the interview, making him and General Stan the only ones who know what is actually said after he alters the raw footage
• The show is taking pains to show that while the rest of the crew is skeptical and proceeding cautiously, Mr. Bandana dead set on broadcasting this story come hell or highwater.  I only wish Charlie and Mac were raising more substantive questions about the reporting rather than gritting their teeth to show how uncomfortable they are about it
• Based on how well last week's episode subverted expectations, I hope this storyline has a similar treatment because each beat has followed perfectly in step, somewhat exacerbated by the knowledge the audience has from the flashforward

What people will be upset about
Besides the supposed misogynistic attitude implying that only women make mistakes with anything ever, I imagine some will take issue with the Tailwind (not Tailspin*) story which for the first time is made the central plot to an episode.  "That's now how it happened!" will say the journalists who take no issue with artistic license on a cop or lawyer or doctor show, but suddenly become keenly aware of realism when their industry is subject matter of television drama.  Despite the central ideas for this storying ripped straight from the headlines it will somehow not be believable.  All the usual arguments for drama versus documentary apply here.  If there's an issue to discuss with the storyline, it's the predictability thus far and not the realism.  Why care about plotting and such instead of realism?

Because it's a fictional television show.
 
* OH-E-OH! 

And just as Sorkin put in Maggie mis-editing the Zimmerman tape, he flaunts another huge journalistic mistake, the Quran flushing.  I am admittedly a bit colored, seeing Isikoff speak on a panel with Matthew Cooper and some other journalists (David Corn maybe?) a few months after the incident *, because Isikoff did not seem particularly remorseful for his part in what happened. On Charlie Rose he gave the passive "it was terrible what happened" fake apology but avoids taking any responsibility. 

* And around the time of the Valerie Plame nonsense

Talking Bad

AMC has a follow up show to The Walking Dead called Talking Dead* where they have cast and crew members and a (varying level of) celebrity guest discuss the show with host Chris Hardwick.  Capitalizing on the monster ratings for Walking Dead, they immediately follow it not with an encore (the "pre-owned" instead of "used" version of "re-run") but this talk show which is entertaining enough to passively watch and (I imagine) a low cost way for the network to get some cash and keep making quality shows.**

* Talking Dead led to this hilarious moment in online polling, when posing a question related to whether the group should spend time looking for Sofia.  The audience clearly had no patience for it.

** Nationals Park in Washington, DC abuts a parking lot that laid vacant for the longest time.  With the rest of the area, which was supposed to have restaurants and bars and retail shoot up, almost completely devoid of options, it makes sense to do the bare minimum, put up a tent, and sling Miller Lights for six bucks, rather than let all that potential income go by the wayside.  That is the concept with these talk shows.  The captive audience from the lead in is there.  This is free money.


It makes sense considering how much and energy we spend discussing these shows, why not do it in house and capitalize?  

They've expanded the concept to Breaking Bad with Talking Bad.  Creator Vince Gilligan and Modern Family's Julie Bowen (who largely carries that show with Ty Burrell) were guests on the first (live) show after the season premiere Sunday.

It's refreshing to see Julie Bowen's sincere and earnest interest in the show.  The Breaking Bad finale is going to be one of those "television events" and it's cool to see a celebrity clearly invested in it.  It's not like celebrities who attend and comment on the Super Bowl, while not actually being a fan of the teams, or football in general  Bowen was clearly a huge fan who wanted Talking Bad to go longer than the half hour allotted.  Anyone who's started talking about a show they love knows that feeling.

Oddly, the show takes a caller like a radio call in show, rather mine from e-mails or tweets.  Given all the sports radio (now podcasts of radio broadcasts) I prefer e-mails because it gives the hosts and production staff a better chance to weed through the nonsense and find comments or questions that are constructive to the show, rather than listen to a caller ramble only to be cut off.   

If the guests remain main cast members, or Vince Gilligan returns I'll continue to watch this Monday evenings.

Have an A-1 Day!

Raw Data: News Night with Will MacAvoy

Thoughts and obeservations on Newsroom episode 2-05, "News Night with Will MacAvoy" written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Alan Poul (of the season premiere).

• A several month time jump, we're in March 2012.
• This episode happens close to real time (not accounting for showing simulteneous events in a more digestible manner), lasting about an hour (the length of Will's broadcast)
• It's also written more like a play, which you'll see more of in Sorkin's Steve Jobs movie, which is completely real time
• Also happening, ramping up to the Illinois primary, which Mittens won handily
• It may have been planned this way to start but a bottle episode re-allocating resources would make sense considering the mulligan  * 
• If it is a result of saving resources...I think it is one of those times where less resources make you more creative.  The plots meshed well together, like Neil looking at the NewsNight hashtag, linking the LGBT kid and Will's vanity exercise
• Ultimately though, I think it is just Sorkin being the playwright he rightly fancies himself.  The best scenes he writes have a theatrical quality to them, often evoking a play (think Noises Off)
• Think the bugged scotch in Charlie Wilson's War or the Billy Beane's horsetrading on the phone in Moneyball
• Maggie (who walks really slowly on city sidewalks) says something in the control room, but it's a guess.  Nothing like relying on Maggie's (who stands on the left side of the escalator) guesswork!
• Then again, a shot in the dark can't be any worse than work she puts effort into
• Why does Jim even bother to put on a tie?  He looks like shit every day of his life.
• Jim harps on Maggie (who orders her steak well done) for her appearance and rumpled clothes, which is a great example of the crow calling the raven black **
• If a real life media analysis of Will's tie took place it'd say the purple means he's trying to appeal to moderates.  When in reality it would only provide something for the people who picked out his tie and the people talking about his tie to talk about
• Maggie (who says "could care less" instead of "couldn't care less") is making herself useful by waiting for an e-mail.  And only that.
•  Does anyone have a problem with her performance?
• Only every Newsroom viewer
• Did they bring the funny?  Don did.
• Don in the shot (!)
• Another quote from Don involving Germany and 15-20 years of building rage...will get the exact quote
• "Mr. Munch!" - more in the delivery than the text... 
• "Ba-ba-booey motherfuckers!" - and not just the line but that payoff and unexpected twist
•  Mac verbally and intellectually smacks around this kid who gets himself in trouble for tweeting behind the scenes, reminding me of this story
• #D2R
• A serious moment about Maggie, from a writing standpoint I like how her alcohol abuse, or whatever it is, isn't hiding a bottle in her desk or spiking her Big Gulp (cliche....), but going out on the town a lot  more, which results in drinking, as a way to combat loneliness.   
• Related, this episode does a good job in general averting expectations.  Don and Sloane's talk culminates in a funny phone call and beat down rather than a make out session.  The 'trapped Syrians' get karmic comeuppance rather than be a part of some News Night team to the rescue plot.
• After several Godfather-esque moments in Sunday's Breaking Bad, Mac "settles all family business"
• I think an epic quote like that is somewhat overstating what occurred on News Night
• It actually doesn't even factor as high on the Godfather scale as when Lisa went Michael-Fredo on Maggie (who takes the elevator up one flight. Yes we're back to that)
•  And so we'll see the next few weeks how Will deals with his father's death.
• And Stephen Root!  What an awesome actor.  I know he's so well known for Milton in Office Space but he'll always be Jimmy James from NewsRadio to me.  He's also on Justified these days as the most awesome judge in the world.
• Also, what a cast NewsRadio had.  The whole was so much better than the sum of the parts.  I wonder if that show is streaming somewhere...
• Genoa is lurking in the background of every episode, but hardly the primary concern.  Kind of like how Jim and Pam always had a thing going on in the early seasons of The Office, but it was rarely the main focus of the episode.  The meeting between Charlie and his Naval Intelligence friend went like so many of those West Wing meetings.

What everyone will complain about
Not a lot in this one due to relatively little media criticism.  The errors associated with the Zimmerman tape are still fresh in people's minds.Though I would not be surprised to see Mac catch some flack for saying the kid's announcement isn't the kind of thing they do on that show ("oh, they're so self righteous!").  Or maybe some jabs for having Sloane embroiled in this naked photo thing.  Because, you know, Sorkin hates women.

* Articles contains some of the self-congratulatory nature of media patting themselves on the back for suggesting improvements to the show and lauding praise on Sorkin for taking their suggestions

** I don't think I had a chance to mention I finished A Dance with Dragons and no longer risk  inadvertent spoilers pertaining to Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire.

Raw Data: Blood Money

Thoughts and observations for the second half premiere of the final season of Breaking Bad, episode 05-09, "Blood Money" written by Peter Gould who wrote the epic episode "Salud" as well as several others*.  The episode is directed by Walter White himself, who also directed the season two and three premieres. 

* IMDB also lists an episode later this season, "Granite State", which would probably involve Walt's trip to New Hampshire involving the car he had at the Denny's in the flash forward to start last season and this one. Another episode is titled "Ozymandias" which we'll get to in a moment.

• The flash forward picks up in what appears to be a scene that would directly follow the opener from last year at the Denny's.  The Good Denny's.  Here's what we learn
• Walt is identified as Heisenberg and it's well known
• Skyler and Junior are elsewhere
• The house has been abandoned for quite some time (but we know less than a year)
• Walt's neighbor (a different one than he sent to "check on the burner") dropped some oranges, which symbolize death or are at least a bad omen.  Recently seen at the Beneke residence.  
• Walt retrieves the ricin he stowed away after the Jessie/Brock/Roomba incident, which would mean he'd want to use it.  Which is decidedly more subtle than the BFG.
• In the scene they show before (last season) Walt says how long it takes to make the drive "if you only stop for gas" which makes me think he knows because he just did the drive without sleeping
• Hey, maybe Walt is on meth!
•  Present day!  Hank gets off the epiphany toilet
• I wonder if there is some legal thing Saul can do for Hank taking the book
• Probably not because I bet it doesn't matter.  The book was just the inspiration for Hank.  He's going to retroactively connect the pieces. 
• Walt's downfall has often been his pride, whether it be in spats with Mike, or prodding Hank to re-open the investigation.  His shortcomings with Grey Matter and his unrealized potential are the impetus for much of this and it's a trait often cited to lead to his likely downfall.  While it can manifest itself in a desire for quality, like Walt taking pride in his 99 percent purity, and I don't think it will lead to it in the sense that he will get sloppy because he takes so much pride in running things tightly...but because he will overreach.  Walt couldn't stand the fact that he had to launder money through his son's Web site, and would not accept a gift from his friends (partly because he wanted credit for bringing in the cash, however elicit).  Even though he is out of the game at this point.....well, we still have seven episodes for him to get back at it.
• The "Ozymandias" commerical lends itself to this. 
• Even keeping Leaves of Grass is an example of this.  More on the hubris end of the scale.
• The "Ozymandias" commercial may lend a peek to what is going to happen, if Walt ultimately wants to be recognized in some way for his achievement, or flies too close to the sun (as Victor did...) or taunts Hank too much.  The thing about the drug trade is that no matter how often the busts happen, someone else will be there to pick up the pieces and no one will give a second thought to the former man in charge (Walt/Ozymandia).  In a way, the show could end a lot like The Wire in that Walt's efforts to make his mark are as futile as efforts to change the game, whether it be drugs, politics, or education.  Ultimately, the larger institutions or whatever higher power looms over it all (glides?) will push Walt back down
• Ozymandias is one of only a few poems to ever leave a mark with me (or be understood by me), probably my favorite.
• The four toed statue on Lost always made me think of this
• Speaking of, Walt and Ben Linus could put on a clinic about getting punched
• Walt is back to wearing a lot of light and earthy tones and his underwear is conspicuous
• Between Lydia coming for Walt and Hank coming after Walt...I need Sil to cheer me up..
• Just when I thought I was out
• they pull me back in
•  Walt emulates Gus on two occasions
• His demeanor with Lydia at the car wash he shoos her away in an overly polite manner while running his legit front
• Folding the towel and placing it at the base of the toilet as he barfs, to soften the floor on his kneeds
• I chuckled on a repeat when Walt is staring at Gus in the garage through is binoculars, Walt has managed to find a piece of cardboard to there to soften the ground against his knees
• When Walt is honest with Skyler about Lydia pulling him back in, it's jarring.  Because he's being honest.  Which says a lot.
•  I assume whoever wrote the Badger and Skinny Pete scene is a huge Star Trek fan and had a lot of fun with that
• "My script, I just have to write it down"
• Oh jeez someone already animated it
• Huel is looking at Jessie in the waiting room pull out his cigarette pack, probably thinking back to when he lifted the ricin 
• Mike's not dead.  Okay, Walt is back to lying
• Jessie's never been motivated by money, but by being good at something.  He went middle child that one time during an argument between Walt and Mike on costs, offering his whole share so Walt could keep his.   
• If you are playing Breaking Bad Cinematography BINGO, there's some good POV and super close ups of the pool and skateboards to mark off on your card
• Walt pretty much simultaneously admits everything and nothing to Hank, while also simultaneously goading him to investigate and reasoning with him to give it up...then threatens him to "tread lightly"
• I thought Walt would take the strategy of reminding Hank how foolish he'll look if he has to turn in his brother who was under his nose the whole time.  The last ASAC was booted when Gus was discovered for the same offense.  This is even more extreme
• I also thought he'd involve Skyler and Junior.  "Does Skyler know?!  She not only knows, but is laundering the money!  Put me away, put her away, and leave Junior an orphan."  Walt's approach is much more aggressive.
• After a lot of speculation, the real point of the episode was to see how Hank would react to the news.  I could not come to a reasonable conclusion and was surprised at him punching Walt, while also thinking this makes complete sense.

 Have an A-1 day!

Eli's Coming

A Vulture post recently discussed the use of music, particularly "dad rock" in Aaron Sorkin's shows.  

I've always loved the music that goes into Sorkin's shows. Sometimes before I hear it used, and sometimes because I so closely associate it with a particular scene. Often both.

SportNight's "Eli's Coming" is one of my favorite episodes of television, period.  The song and the plot associated with it play a large part as to why.   Of Sorkin's four shows, SportsNight probably made the best use of music of all four shows. They don't even mention a bunch of my other favorites like "The Weight" at the end of Quality of Mercy at 29K which would be the best ending ever if not for "Eli's Coming."

Some other good uses of music:

• "Afternoon Delight" at the end of "The Apology" 
• "Sloop Jon B" at the end of "The Sword of Orion"

Breaking Bad's Coda

Breaking Bad returns on Sunday.  How will it end?

The well known pitch of the show "Mr. Chips to Scarface" may provide a glance into what's going to happen.  In this case, Walt's last stand.  He's slowly progressed from Hero to Villain over each season, with stops in between as an anti-hero and an anti-villian (good aims, bad means).  Each season represented a solid progression on that scale. Who knew Hal would come this far?

In the premiere of the most recent season, we saw Walt celebrating his 52nd birthday, alone, in a diner.  The scene also served to show two years had passed between the pilot and that scene, and that Walt's cancer has returned.  Walt purchases a BFG from the same man who sold him the side arm, along with a car to get out of town.  He's on the run.  If his cancer is back and he's unable to seek treatment, it's possible Walt is a man with nothing to lose, perhaps already embarrassed by being exposed by Hank  to the public including the last two members of his family who don't know, Betsy and most importantly Walter Junior.

How does it end?  Well, how does Scarface end?  Walt's not going down meekly.  His son may or may not want anything to do with him toward the end of the series.  Back in the first season, Walt told his family he did not want to undergo treatment in order to avoid the financial cost of a procedure that was far from guaranteed to work, a cold but pragmatic approach.  Walt may take a similar pragmatic approach, understanding he's going down anyways but engineer it in a way where he comes out looking like a good guy.

Additionally, it's not often the innocent get out of Albuquerque.  Between planes crashing, or Gale, or a kid riding his bike into the desert to catch spiders, there's plenty of blood spilled, not to mention near misses including Hank's attack and the kid Walt poisoned, thanks to Walt's actions and decisions.  Whether it's Junior or another family member who suffers as a direct, indirect or six degrees from a result of some decision Walt makes, it will no doubt be devastating.

Breaking Bad airs on AMC and is available on Netflix streaming.

Raw Data: Unintended Consequences

Thoughts and observations for Newsroom episode 2-04, "Unintended Consequences" written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Carl Franklin who was an actor on The A-Team in the 1980s and recently directed "Chapter 10" and "Chapter 11" of House of Cards.

• Following a morning visit to the Newseum I hoped this week's episode would deal with a high minded look at ethics in journalism or something similar.  Instead, we got a lot of Maggie.
• I find it difficult to read any other analysis of Newroom, but for a different reason than before.  Some now include faint praise of the episode but in a backhanded manner.  Writers will praise an aspect of the show, explain why it was lacking, that it was identified in the media and pat themselves on the back for recognizing it and raising it to the attention of Sorkin.  They will also compliment Sorkin for taking their sage advice.
• Noticing the word 'abudiate' I wondered how Maggie (who reclines her seat all the way on airplanes) could have a word in her vocabularly that I did not.  Quickly fixed by acknowledging this is not a word.  See "refudiate" for Real World example.
• Whatever happened to Gary Cooper?
• He was gay?
•  Maggie and Gary are going to do some piece on KONY 2012.  Is that the same reason as before?
• This OWS girl is dressed much more nicely than one would expect for a OWS-er.
• All of Will's points are valid, considering that she cannot articulate a best case scenario.  Or even identify who would meet with Congressional leaders if they walked down there one day and said they were willing to listen to their (scatterbrained, disorganized) demands.
• Will is still battling with that internal conflict to be liked and though of as a moderate, admitting to being harder on OWS than he had to be because they are a convenient target for someone in his position with his credentials
• Though I didn't think she took any lumps that weren't warranted or justified.
• Mentioning Entebbe brings to mind this movie
• Here I am thinking this fixer is as useless at his job as Maggie, who is terrible, is at her's.  But when the cattle bandits come, he's pulling out his gun, checking things out and getting everyone onto the bus.  Bam!
• This scene brought out a tension and suspense not often seen in Sorkin's work.
•  Good plan to stay off the doctor prescribed Paxil.  Very smart.
• The Mayo Clinic states the generic form of Paxil, Paroxetine, is used to "treat mental depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (also known as social phobia), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Paroxetine belongs to a group of medicines known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medicines are thought to work by increasing the activity of the chemical called serotonin in the brain."
  They mention SSRIs earlier in the episode, but I can't recall the context
• Instead, Maggie (who is a poor tipper) medicates herself via haircut which lies somewhere between here and here and here 
• Speaking of tropes, Mac is on her way to becoming the Only Sane Employee
• Did they bring the funny?
• "I always...I hate that name...I did it..." - Jim, of all people
• "Couldn't find a map with a fucking map" - Will
• Don's rambling on how he's the only one who can save the situation with OWS and the source, followed by his immediate bungling of the situation

What everyone will hate
Sorkin used kids, African kids no less, to manipulate the viewer, introducing a character for the sole purpose of drumming up empathy and magnifying the tragic outcome.

However, I'm sure everyone will pat themselves on the back for calling out Sorkin on smugness and making him draw attention to it as Will, Sloan and Don march in a self aware smugness and condescension parade toward the OWS rep.

Oh, but they are going to lose their minds about Halle's editor yelling at her over the phone.  "No one could ever say that!"

Uganda
Part of the problem with the Uganda story is it will ultimately not be worth it because of the simple fact it is happening to the worst character on the show.  Trauma is a tricky thing to convey because it relies much on the established endearing nature of the character.  Besides the quality of the Maggie character lacking, the quantity of time we've gotten to know her is lacking we well.  Newsroom has only broadcast 14 episodes so far, eight less than the number than ran before "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen."

It's also unclear to me how the Uganda story connects with the subject of the wrongful termination suit, besides Maggie's (the insane, unbalanced one) ability to testify as a credible sane person.  Which I'm not sure she could do anyways.  Also, why she has to tell them every excruciating detail.  It's a matter of suspending disbelief which I will give someone like Jeremy Goodwin when he writes his deaf sister Louise, but not to a terrible character like Maggie (who we hate).

And ultimately, the terrible thing that happened to Maggie (blah) didn't actually happen to Maggie (blerg).  It happened to someone else, and she bore witness.  Which is terrible.  But not as terrible as Maggie (narf).


Next week!
Trayvon.  Fuck.

That's great, but who are the chefs?

Great googly moogly!

Top Chef is returning, in Masters form.  Being the only show I watch on Bravo, there's nothing I'm watching that tells me Top Chef is coming back so it's usually by word of mouth I find out it's back a few episodes into the season.  Seems like a marketing flaw, considering how much television I watch that I could somehow not know one of my favorite shows is on.  But then again, Top Chef is on Bravo, which is owned by NBC Universal, which is owned by Comcast.  So, with those guys on the job, I'm not particularly surprised.

This season is worth watching, to me, for the sole reason that Bryan Voltaggio returns.  Voltaggio was the runner up to his brother in the (probably strongest) Season Six in Vegas.  While he did not win a Quickfire, he did win four main challenges * and was selected in the top group four additional times.  He never was in the bottom group to be possibly eliminated, which even Kevin and Michael cannot claim.**

* Though it seemed like he was unlucky, never winning one of the challenges that had a cash prize as a reward.

** Looking to see if anyone else in the show's run can make that claim.  Thank you Wikipedia.

I think I was a fan because I could see the older brother in him come out often.  Bryan and Michael exemplified an older/younger brother relationship.  One segment, which I think was online and not on the show, was when a snake got into the the house.  Brian dealt with the snake while Michael drunkenly sat there ready with a knife in case the snake pounced.

Despite the often flawed competition structures they have which can result in the worst dish not being eliminated * Top Chef is still one of three reality shows I watch **.  If Kristen, unjustly elminated early due at least partially to a dishonorable competitor, hadn't ultimately won*** I may feel differently.

* Often due to a team or bracket style match up.

** The other two being The Amazing Race and Survivor.  Both competition based, rather than candid.

*** In some weird Iron Chef finale cookoff.  Hopefully TC doesn't continue to try to be something it's not.