Movies and Television; What Else?

Well, the daughter and I will go stand like lemmings in the line to see The Dark Knight this weekend along with everyone else. I don’t mind going to see the movie, I just hate crowds. But, I can’t wait to see it and thus will suffer what I have to. I’ve only stood in line for a few things in my life; a roller coaster ride at Six Flags over Mid-America, Jaws when it premiered in 1974, and a Beach Boys concert (in which the concert was shorter than the wait standing in line!). I will stand if I have to and if it’s worth it and The Dark Knight looks like it might be worth it and not for the creepy motive of “let’s see what Heath does” after his untimely death either. Poor guy.

My husband is going to see a baseball game with my sister this weekend because, well, I dislike baseball and would rather drill into my eyes with a drill bit than sit in 90 degree heat and watch people toss a little ball and bat around. Of course baseball isn’t a REAL sport like football is….. (I just threw that out there to annoy the baseball monkeys). So everyone has plans for the weekend. Then next weekend, I will be doing the canoe thing I mentioned in a previous post with my old high school chum while my hubby, son, and daughter go check out Portland, Oregon for kicks (I think they are jealous of my Hungary trip). But that’s ok. Don’t you love summer?

Television used to be a vast wasteland in the summer season because no one thought people still watched TV during those months. But I beg to differ. Now with the invention of TiVo, what’s not to watch??? When all my regular shows go on hiatus, the summer season rolls around and is almost as good as the Fall season. The Closer started last Monday and I haven’t watched it yet, but it’s safely tucked away on TiVo. It’s a good show but still an Americanized version of Prime Suspect, the best cop drama ever! Eureka starts soon. This quirky little show is only saved by its lead actor, Colin Ferguson. You see, I like shows that think outside the box and don’t think its audience is too stupid to get intelligent plots and dialog. There’s a lot to be said for reality TV and watching people make fools out of themselves publicly, but I like the unusual shows. Pushing Daisies comes back on in late July as well and that is definitely unusual. Where else can you have a restaurant called the Pie Hole and be believable? Besides Chi McBride is in it and he’s been a favorite of mine since Boston Public, Roll Bounce, and Let’s Go To Prison.

I think the one television show I look forward to the most is the recent Emmy nominated Mad Men. Excellently written and acted, this show is what network TV wishes it could do if it weren’t restricted by network wonks. It tries to portray the real world of Madison Avenue ad men in the 1960s including the clouds of smoke and back room deals and womanizing. It’s a lesson for the ladies about how far we’ve really come since then! It’s stylish without being fake kitschy. I highly recommend it. Kudos to AMC for taking on the project.

Did I mention that I’ll be inside a lot this summer?? No? Well, this week portends 90+ degree heat and humidity and when that happens, I’ll be cooling off with my good buddy the TV tube. TaTa.