"The King's Pleasure: A Biographical Novel of Katharine of Aragon" by Norah Lofts

Determine to read through my impressive bookshelves, I selected this 1969 tome about Henry VIII's first wife.  Often portrayed at the end of her life, rather than in the middle, this book was refreshing in how it started truly at the beginning -- with Queen Isabella nearly giving birth to baby Katharine on horseback, in the rain, on the frontlines of war, and proceeds carefully and specifically through every event of the woman's life.  I was afraid of two things when I picked up this book -- the first being that Katharine's life would be sentimentalized.  I did not need to fear that.  Mrs. Lofts was clearly a dedicated researcher and while certain elements are fictionalized it is clear that Lofts used every letter, every recorded conversation to build up a story which was exacting in accurate detail.  This epitomized my second fear, that the novel would come off as some dusty old history book.  It does not.  The tale doesn't move, isn't a page turner, but it is a story and you do feel the emotion behind the dates and places.  It doesn't take long before you really ache for Katharine, who loved a man who loved her, then lost that man forever.  It is a rich book, and one which had me contemplating these lives well after I turned the last page.  Norah Lofts was a prolific and well-reviewed author in her day and now that I have read one of her books, I understand why.  It's not a short read but it was a perfect "big book" to sink into on these slow summer days.

Two Sentence Horror Stories

The idea is cool.  Create a shivering two sentences, tease the first at the beginning of each half-hour segment and reflect the horror at the end of the show with the second sentence.  And, while I don't particularly like gory drippy horror, I do enjoy "Twilight Zone" and other programs which creep me out.  The problem here is execution.  I'm easily scared.  I screamed during a showing of "Audrey Rose" and that was a truly terrible film.  I watched two episodes of this and wasn't even a little bit scared.  In the case of the premiere episode, I guessed the ending in the first few minutes.  There was also a concern about the choice of tales.  While I only watched the first two episodes I couldn't help but notice that there was a unifying theme -- women being abused and getting back in a kind of "Burning Bed" manner.  It wasn't so much creepy as sad.  The women's movement has come this far only to be placed back into a box of victim/cruel and crazy revenge seeker.  It didn't wow me.  The production values are strong and the acting solid but I won't be coming back for more.

Bulletproof

The CW has pushed out new fare for August, the first of which, "Bulletproof" is fairly promising.  A British import the major kudos go to lead actors Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters.  Not since the "Lethal Weapon" films has dialog been batted back and forth this well in a cop buddy-drama, adding needed humor to tough storylines.  Acting and production values across the board are excellent and for those who are action-inclined, this will be satisfying.  The premiere episode included two car chases and one significant fight.  And therein lies the challenge for me.  It's good, really good.  Characters have depth and from the get-go there are multiple stories being told.  But it's gritty and rude and a bit much for me, a lover of rom-coms and superhero shows.  It's also ~really~ British.  Not "The Crown" let's-talk-in-proper-accents-and-avoid-colloquialisms for the American audiences.  This is honest-to-goodness British talk, complete with whole phrases which can be difficult to understand.  That being said, it is worthy and for those who like action and the down-and-dirty cop shows which focus on the mean streets, this one is for you.

Best TV Shows Ever. According to Me.

Okay, just watched the finale of “Jane the Virgin” and cried my little eyes out.  Said goodbye to so many terrific shows this year. Inspired me to create a list. I like to call it “Best TV Shows Ever”.  It seriously bugs me that awards shows focus on dramas. Comedies, Sci-fi shows, etc., are often left out. Half-hour shows?  Fuggedaboutit. Network representation is also uneven. First, it was all the big three, now it is all premium cable like HBO.  Open cable networks like FX may get nods, but rarely win. So, here’s my take to balance the scale.

In my humble opinion, what makes the cut?  Shows which broke the mold in some way.  Shows which were consistently good, even smart, from top to bottom -- writing, casting, directing, acting, production values.  Also, no paid premium cable ‘cuz that’s for elitists.  If you have to pay a bunch of money to watch it then it ain’t real TV (I know, this will tick folks off, but that’s my take).  Lastly, no so-called reality shows, so no “Survivor” etc.  

Because of these “rules” a lot of great shows don’t make the cut.  “This Is Us”?  Great show but basically “Parenthood” with a multi-racial, multi-timeline twist.  “Colombo”?  Love, love, love the character but the show was hugely formulaic and typical of the era -- no new ground.  The 1960s “Batman”?  Fun, different, but not really a pinnacle of quality.  So, no.  Every Star Trek.  Okay, some of my favorite shows, ever, but no, they don’t make the list as quality was fairly uneven.  The first series was sold as “Wagon Train” in space and Gene Roddenberry basically used that to sell his leftist politics hidden under Sci-Fi tropes.  They made a point but didn’t change the medium (IMHO). (That being said, “Star Trek:  Discovery” may break the mold.  First season was outstanding from beginning to end).  

And that’s the bottom line -- this is my list.  It’s highly subjective and you may not agree.  In which case, make your own list. ;--}

“All in the Family”  As a recent attempt to recreate the show proved, the actors really made it what it was but the writing also holds up.  A comedy about a bigot?  It worked.  It worked because of Caroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner, along with a host of other notable cast members who humanized characters who could have been two-dimensional.  It worked because of Norman Lear, who somehow kept it on the fine wire between being shallow or being obnoxious.  Norman Lear did something no one had ever seen before and then replicated it.  Archie Bunker spewed hate but was delightfully challenged in episode after episode.  We kept coming back, either because we hated him or loved him.  It may have been the first time in history that a half-hour show had people around the country arguing over the dinner table, and it gave birth to a host of successful spin-offs which continued to challenge our idea of blacks, hispanics and women.  We need a show like this today, but no one seems able to find the alchemy which made it work the first time round.

“M*A*S*H*”  Never before had a show blended comedy and drama in such an integrated way.  That, and they did it in half an hour.  Without this, there would be no “Scrubs”, no “Mom”.  The show wasn’t perfect.  Initial attempts to replicate the irreverent tone of the film gave way to a show which had us laughing and then crying, the turns of emotion made in an instant.  A commentary on humanity and war it is still infinitely watchable today, if for nothing other than the stellar, award-winning performances.

“Barney Miller”  Early episodes tried to blend the family with the office.  That was quickly discarded and it became a single set show about cops which could only be described as “quirky”.  There was little action and while it was listed as a comedy it clearly had dramatic elements.  Subtle yet current in its assessment of the politics around it the show had an authenticity reflected by a host of characters who felt palpably real.  The show said that our world is not full of skinny pretty people and resolutions are often more grey than black and white.  It didn’t feel ground-breaking but watching it evoked a sense of connection to our daily lives.  In many ways, this show made “Night Court” possible.

“Soap”  Preceded by “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” this parody of soap operas confronted the modern age with a kind of honesty which was downright uncomfortable at times.  It clothed the revelations in the ridiculous storylines but the incredible cast was able to ground the silly into painful reality.  

“In Living Color”  A sketch show which far excelled “Saturday Night Live” in consistent quality.  The Wayans brothers broke a lot of boundaries in creating this show and made us think as well as laugh.  It said, clearly, that a person’s color had little to do with who they are.

“Golden Girls”  Yes, older women exist.  And have lives.  Even sexual lives.  Portrayed by some of the best ladies of film this show never failed to delight, and challenge.  “Sex in the City” wouldn’t have existed if not for this forthright tale of women friends who bared it all.

“Twin Peaks”  Weird.  Bizarre.  At times unintelligible.  And absolutely, positively nothing else like it on television, before or since.  You simply had to come back each week and sit in front of the TV to say “Whaaaaat???”  The “Psych” parody was delightful and “Stranger Things”, in a way, owes a bit of a nod to this really odd show.

“Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”  It wasn’t particularly unique.  It was basically a soapy romance set in the 1800s, but it stood out.  First of all, the lead was a woman, and she wasn’t always likeable.  Second, it was a packed through-line.  A single episode clocked in under an hour but sometimes told three or four stories.  Lighting, costuming, every element of the show was very well-done.  Besides which, this show built on the success of “La Femme Nikita”, paving the way for “Xena”, “Star Trek Voyager”, “Dark Angel”, “Charmed” and “Veronica Mars”.  The message of the 90s was simple -- women really can carry a show. 

“Buffy, the Vampire Slayer”, “Firefly”  Joss Whedon may have his picadillos but he is simply one of the best storytellers of the modern age.  He infuses familiar themes with rich dialog and a complex balance of styles.  Some would say he is a modern Shakespeare.  The tales were old but the presentation unique and fresh.  Put simply these far-out tales somehow speak to us in a very personal way.

“West Wing”  Okay, it’s basically a liberal wet dream but the writing is smart, really smart, and the cast was stupendous.  (The direction and cinematography weren’t bad, either).  Watch it over and over (and over) and you will see something new every time.  Ending a good while back it is hauntingly resonant in today’s political times.

“Battlestar Galactica” (remake)  The original show was so bad it was good.  The remake, coming shortly after 9/11, discarded the camp, made Starbuck a woman, and reflected the new world in stark detail.  The bad guys had stronger faith than the good guys and there were real questions about whether our leads deserved to survive.  It wasn’t easy to watch but it was hard to turn off.  Oh, and that drum score made your heart beat faster through every episode.  This was one of many shows in the early 2000s which had a dramatically different tone after America suffered through a war which came home.  It painfully reflected a new vulnerability for the most powerful nation on earth and was one of the first to show anti-heroes as protagonists, a theme which continued with “The Sopranos”, “Dexter”, “Breaking Bad” and more.

“The Big Bang Theory”  A silly little comedy which was watched by millions.  Why?  A fabulous cast, smart writing, a lot of heart and yes, that impossible-to-copy alchemy.  That being said, it was the cornerstone of a Chuck Lorre empire.

“Gotham”  Beginning with “Superman” in the 1950s television has never lacked for superhero content, but this prequel brought things to a new level.  The vision of how to portray origin stories for hugely familiar characters was strong and very much fulfilled by the creative team, who created a world as rich as anyone could imagine.  Acting was top-shelf from every villain to the young man who would become Batman.  Even good guys like Jim Gordon had an edge and nothing was clear-cut in this world of moral morass.  It set a bar which few other DC or Marvel shows have managed to reach.

“Jane the Virgin”  Try taking the most beloved format of television from another country and translating it into an American show which managed to balance the cheesy factor with real emotions and still honor its Hispanic roots.  They did it with incredible skill and created a show, and characters, you couldn’t help but love.  It was hugely enjoyable and profoundly important without being preachy.  Yes, it was built on what “Ugly Betty” tried to do but did it just a bit better.

“Life in Pieces”  Drawing inspiration from “Love, American Style” this smart comedy managed, week in and week out, to tell four stories in 30 minutes (actually in 22 minutes).  A stellar cast who managed to bat the one-liners around more than the balls at Wimbledon.  Fast-paced and clever.  Part of the trend of smart sitcoms but this one rose above the rest.

“Mr. Robot”  I had to bail after season two due to the extreme intensity but not because it isn’t great.  It is fricking brilliant.  With the quality of film and shot in ways which honor the most innovative filmmakers of the 1960s this ground-breaker manages to address the modern age and seriously mess with your head.  The “unreliable narrator” is hot in this day and age, but no one does it better than in this show.  Acting?  Rami Malek.  ‘Nuff said.

“Better Things”  Like “Seinfeld”, this show is about nothing.  But unlike “Seinfeld” this show is really about everything.  It is slice-of-life stuff.  Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, it mostly just “is” and Pamela Adlon’s deadpan in dealing with the latest life obstacle while putting one foot in front of the other is hugely relatable.  Low-key yet powerful, it is worth the half-hour to jump in and get real.

“Pose”  Never mind the highest LGBT casting, ever, for television OR film, the acting is simply superior and the willingness to look deep into the challenging lives of this community is not only honest, it’s brave.

Runner-Ups “Miami Vice” and MTV.  Neither progressed with the strength they started with but both, debuting in the early 80s, completely changed television.  TV became a more visceral, bold, in-your-face medium.  Editing speeds ramped up.  Good and bad became less clear.  Musical scoring began to drive narratives, creating indelible stories. 

Honorable mentions: 

• FX for pushing the envelope, and for “The Americans”. 
• The BBC for putting the ~entire~ Shakespeare canon on video in the 70s and 80s, bringing his works to the attention of millions.  And for “Monty Python”, “Absolutely Fabulous”, “Doctor Who”, “Robin Hood”, “Merlin”, "Orphan Black" and everything else delightfully British.  Even the stuff shot in Canada.
• Canada for raising the bar and creating a lot of entertaining shows with real heart.
• USA for making some of the best bro shows ever. 
• The CW for making Marvel shows which work (sorry, SyFy).
• Streaming services for “Orange is the New Black”, “Stranger Things”, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Handmaid’s Tale” and changing the face of what television "is" -- for good or bad.

It's Summer

For some reason, summer means bad.  First up is "Pandora" a CW series which makes the other summer fare look like Shakespeare.  A strange mix of "Scooby Doo" meets the original "Battlestar Galactica", this silly sci-fi tale has less script quality than that of an ABC Afterschool Special, every known stereotype and reduces a good number of female characters to two-dimensional sexual objects.  Even the stage combat is, like, really bad.  Flat plots which go nowhere and actors who look like they would rather be anywhere else round out a show so camp it inspires one to MST3K it.  I barely made it through three episodes before saying "bye-bye" on my DVR. 

After that it was the movie "Blood and Chocolate" which is based on a FABULOUS book by Annette Curtis Klause.  This film ignores so much of the book that the only recognizable elements were character names and werewolves.  Lurching in with little exposition at the beginning it changes the setting from Maryland to Bucharest (because the two have so much in common???)  The result is a muddled, dark, eastern European mess.  No clear plot, whispered and purposeless dialog and lethargic acting make the whole thing a waste.  In this case, read the book.

Lastly, because most of my shows are on hiatus, I binge-watched two Canadian series being played endlessly on Ion Life.  First was "The Listener" which has a neat concept -- a guy can read minds and helps solve crimes.  Problem was execution ... literally.  Regulars on the show were killed off willy-nilly and the setting/premise changed with every season.  None of the changes seemed to have any impact on characters, who briefly raised a glass to the dead and moved on, unhindered by, you know, feelings.  Whole plot threads were discarded and in the end the series settled into a kind of formula which was as boring as the performances (with noted exception Ennis Esmer). Lead actor Craig Olejnik might be cute but the character, or his portrayal of it, was dour.  Skip it.  This was followed by "Saving Hope" which was moderately better.  Cast and writing were stronger, and the concept -- a doctor goes into a coma and starts seeing ghosts of those who die, or are also in comas, in the hospital -- was fun and unique.  I particularly enjoyed the female focus of the show as women were often in positions of authority.  On balance, I liked the series and looked forward to new episodes with a few major caveats.  First were the "Grey's Anatomy" echoes.  Characters often don't leave, but get killed off (in fairly spectacular fashion).  There were romance storylines which didn't enhance character development at all.  The love story between the leads, in particular, was remarkably obtuse, as the actors rarely shared a screen together.  I haven't seen this much distance between two lovebirds since the final season of "Castle."  There were also the (very) detailed surgery scenes.  Producers seemed to revel in making the gore as realistic, and bloody, as possible.  I took up knitting mid-series so that I could listen and not watch (yes, I'm squeamish).  Finally, after five seasons of tender-hooks, the final episode disappointed ... greatly.  One character asks "After all of this, how can we be back here again?"  It was exactly how I felt.  Like a cheat, the series leads to a conclusion which is not fulfilled.  I stuck through it for an ending and got, well, not.  In any case Ion also needs a little wrap on the knuckles for purposely running shows like this over the hour mark by about 30 seconds, which means you lose the ending if you don't record the next episode.  Just sayin.

In any case, I'm looking forward to Fall.  Not only the return of shows I enjoy (minus too many retired favorites) but the release of DVDs, like the second season of "Star Trek:  Discovery".  Good times will come again.  Or not.