The required US legal disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique The required US legal disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique
I have an unique taste in TV. I’ll admit it. Generally my favorite series get cancelled after the first season (Firefly, Flashforward, Dresden Files). I also primarly watch true crime shows. (Most of my set recordings are ID Network). However since moving here I discovered the Viceland network. It’s quirkly off beat and edgy. One series that I record from there is Balls Deep. It is a series starring Thomas Morton where he immerses himself in a subculture to better understand the members. He’s a very unassuming man with a quiet deameanor but he’s game to experience various cultures.
The required US legal disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique The required US legal disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique
I’ve always been a fan of John le Carre (whose real name is David Cornwell) novels. I like how sometimes in the spy stories there are no winners. I like the subtle shifts in them. I think he does wonders on the page. At times there are great movies from his work Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy comes to mind. Others are just okay Tailor of Panama (see Daniel Radcliffe before he was Harry). So I was ambivalent when I heard that Night Manager was coming to the small screen as a miniseries and updated to modern day.
This aired some time ago but as we are wont to do we recorded it then and watched it recently. The miniseries is based on a 1950s Arthur C. Clark novel of the same name. I think I read it back in middle school because the kicker in it I remembered. There have been some changes to story the ambassador between Karellen, Overlord Supervisor of Earth wasn’t a farmer but a Senator in the book. I rather like the change to a farmer. The adaptation is very good and has the gut emotional impact of the novel. The question is what if an alien came and made, forced peace on earth – gave us a golden age of no sickness and war. Why can’t we see them at first? What would that do to us in a generation? Would we take it or be suspicious of it? What in the end would be the price? Why would they give us a Golden Age? These are the questions of the novel and the miniseries that do get answers. If you haven’t read or seen it and want to explore these questions with the novel or the very well done miniseries don’t read after the cut and go do so. For under the cut there be spoilers and a discussion of where I felt the miniseries dropped the ball a bit at the end. So if you continue on you are either like me okay with spoilers or you know the twist.
The new TV season has begun. Some of my favorite new shows from last year bit the dust, others wait for a new host, others continue onward. But I’m always up to try new ones if they appeal to me. Limitless was one of those this season. I have to admit I did not see the movie but that didn’t limit me from getting the TV show. (more…)
Mary Louise Eklund 