Showtime just ordered a second season of its newest “quirky/awful protagonist” series House of Lies. Well, congrats, I suppose, to the writers and producers, the cast and crew, the executives and transpo guys. You have a job for at least another year. And the network has what passes for a hit these days on television. But I wonder if this “quirky/awful protagonist” business—practically patented by Showtime with series like Weeds, Californication, and Nurse Jackie—is starting to fray around the edges, turning from something fresh and interesting into something curdled and coarse. Maybe it’s just over-exposure; these protagonists seem to be turning up everywhere, not just in these half hour cable “comedies” but in feature films as well. At what point do we go from thinking, “Wow, I’ve never seen a character like this before! As the lead! How delicious!” to thinking, “I just want to have a nice cup of tea and make it go away.” For me, I think, that turning point has happened. I’m done. I love you, Don Cheadle—I love you even more, Kristen Bell—but I’m done. Continue reading
weeds
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So the deal with Scheherazade was (basically) that she needed to keep the King entertained with new and better stories to protect her own life. For some time now though, Scheherazade has been phoning it in as “Reality TV” has been allowed to creep into our chambers and bore us merely pacify us with annoying people making cakes, crazy people making cupcakes, fat bastards collecting used crap, dirty people catching crabs, flaky women speed dating a bunch of douches and the like. At least Project Runway actually required the contestants to be able to accomplish something you can judge see from home. (unlike all those Top Chef programs where they make food, some asshat tastes it and tells you it’s wrong and you’re just left feeling hungry and alone) The good news is that as of this July, Scheherazade is again bringing the goods since if she doesn’t I will cut her. Continue reading