TV Right Now: The good, the bad and the totally sucky

[killersmom]

I got a terrible shock on Downton last night... I expected Bates to be convicted. But when the judge pronounced sentence, it sounded like Bates was going straight from the courtroom to the gallows. How awful!

And I'm pretty tired of dumb Daisy.

Yes, Daisy does tend to grate the nerves a whole lot!!

[killersmom]

Best line of the night!  Ha!  Loved when she was looking at all the Christmas cards and then just rolled her eyes!  Ha!  She is an interesting character and I love her!  Someone needs to make a montage of all her Downton funnies!  So was that it?  I am assuming so because of the summary of the filming at the end of the show.

That would be a  great idea, April. Wish I knew how to do that on YouTube.
As far as I have heard there is to be a third season. This was just the finale of the second season.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

but would be just as happy with Miss Piggy in the fourth chair.

 I thought she was?

[Jeff Wrangler]

Sheesh!

You guys are sure prickly lately.  Or crabby.

Or maybe you didn't see the terrific episode of The Mentalist she was on
last season and didn't find the interest in this one because of that.  I don't
know, but I disagree with your assessments of her and last night's episode.
I thought it was a good show.

And the actress IS on more shows.  Not only this sequel to last year's
Mentalist, and possibly future appearances since the episode ending might
allude to it, but she's on an episode of The Good Wife in two weeks and
is currently shooting a film titled "Old Days."  She also is a regular on the
series Homeland.

I think she's very attractive and perfect for femme fatale roles. But then I'm gay, so what do I know about sexy women? 

I once saw a photo of her, in TV Guide, in connection with V, where she was relaxed and laughing and not in character. She looked totally different.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Adam Levine - a little scroungy, barely passes on the rump factor, and hardly a distinguished chest.  Looks, B plus.  But I once read, waiting in the dentist's office, a woman's magazine that was saying women wanted sex with someone real.  He's certainly got that, and I suppose I can understand the multiple tats thing as an expression of taking more identity in one's own body.

I've done real. I think as a general rule of thumb I prefer fictional. ... 

[Tony_]

I've done real. I think as a general rule of thumb I prefer fictional. ... 

 Am still trying to decipher that, Jeff.  Am slow, but will get there  .....

Smash undulated back to good, tonight.  Loved the rock performance !

The Voice was great.  Someone here said the talent level is low, and that seems to be true.  But the judges......all of them, make it work.

[doodler]

I sorta said that... I actually said the talent isn't as good as last year.

Re: Smash
Is it realistic that a show would be cast before it was actually a show? They don't have a script or even the beginning of a script. And of course, the only part that's been assigned to anybody is Marilyn.
So far, Smash is utterly missable.

[jack]

@TONY...i think adam levine is sex on a stick, and so does he.  google up some images of him, he has his kit off as often as on. one is particularly well known, full frontal with only a woman's hand reaching from behind to cover the jiggly bits.  and he has fun, with life, his fans male and female, his band and his music.

each of the four is well versed in his or her craft.  there's no question that each of them can bring their picks to a better performance level than they came in with, so everyone is a winner, in the end.

the coaches profit by reaching audiences that never would have been exposed to their music, in particular that applies to cee lo green, who wasn't doing badly prior, but whose career has taken off with the exposure.

on another topic, broadway shows are created different ways, but the way they are illustrating here is workshopping, in which the play is constructed like a child's building blocks, using a operational cast that may or may not wind up in the full production.  rogers and hart, rogers and hammerstein created plays this way.  when a play seemed to have something but wouldn't come together, some writers/musicians were famed for being "play doctors" and would be called in rearrange, or whatever else was necessary when its originators just got stuck.  at one time, a long time ago, i read a great deal about the algonquin circle and it full time and part time luminaries, and which included many playwrights. 

[doodler]

Thanks Jack.

[doodler]

Another question, re Smash and the real "Broadway"
Once an actor is cast in a role, does he immediately start getting a salary? Seems to me most of the non "stars" in the community are actually waiters, mechanics, nannies, etc so how could they give up their day jobs in order to rehearse all the time?

[Tony_]

TONY...i think adam levine is sex on a stick, and so does he.   

 You nailed it there, Jack.  And sometimes, a person's confidence adds to their sexiness.  Also, if they are really hot, so, too does the opposite.

Meanwhile, as The Voice develops the singers chosen, am favoring the sandwich shop guy, myself.  But I also think the Indian 2nd generation gal has a strong shot for the win.
Gosh I wish our UK and Oz friends could see this show.

[Passion]

You nailed it there, Jack.  And sometimes, a person's confidence adds to their sexiness.  Also, if they are really hot, so, too does the opposite.

Meanwhile, as The Voice develops the singers chosen, am favoring the sandwich shop guy, myself.  But I also think the Indian 2nd generation gal has a strong shot for the win.
Gosh I wish our UK and Oz friends could see this show.

And lets not forget Jordis Unga.  She will be the singer that I am behind!!  I have loved her for many years and I am so excited that she has a shot at this! 

[jack]

Another question, re Smash and the real "Broadway"
Once an actor is cast in a role, does he immediately start getting a salary? Seems to me most of the non "stars" in the community are actually waiters, mechanics, nannies, etc so how could they give up their day jobs in order to rehearse all the time?

all the workshop actors get the minimum equity wage which is or was, something like $200 a week.  i'm not sure, but that my apply to the name actors as well, although that may be a voluntary gesture.  if someone has more current information, i welcome correction.

[Jeff Wrangler]

on another topic, broadway shows are created different ways, but the way they are illustrating here is workshopping, in which the play is constructed like a child's building blocks, using a operational cast that may or may not wind up in the full production.  rogers and hart, rogers and hammerstein created plays this way.  when a play seemed to have something but wouldn't come together, some writers/musicians were famed for being "play doctors" and would be called in rearrange, or whatever else was necessary when its originators just got stuck.  at one time, a long time ago, i read a great deal about the algonquin circle and it full time and part time luminaries, and which included many playwrights. 

all the workshop actors get the minimum equity wage which is or was, something like $200 a week.  i'm not sure, but that my apply to the name actors as well, although that may be a voluntary gesture.  if someone has more current information, i welcome correction.

Thanks for these posts, Jack. I didn't know any of this stuff, and it's very interesting.

[doodler]

I agree.

$200 a week is hardly more than pocket change in NYC!