Football Counter-Programming 2017: Week 5

On Thursday night I decided to watch the last hour or so of You've Got Mail. I was likely influenced by recent listens to "The Rewatchables" podcast and so I was in the mood for some previously enjoyed films of recent years.

ANYWAY . . . as I was watching Tom Hanks manipulate and deceive Meg Ryan-and then inexplicably watch Meg Ryan forgive and love the man that ran her out of business and reawoke the pain of her mothers death . . . I got to wondering--which Meg Ryan movie is the best movie?

NOTE that I am leaving aside all of the movies that she made after You've Got Mail. Well, honestly, my question boils down to this: Which  of these Meg Ryan romantic comedies is the best: When Harry Met Sally, Joe Versus the Volcano, Sleepless in Seattle, and You've Got Mail.

And when you ask the question like that, you are really asking two separate questions;

Question 1: Which Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie is best?

This means you have to decide between Joe, Sleepless, and Mail. As much as I am a fan of Joe Versus the Volcano, it can't hold itself up against the higher quality efforts of the latter two films. Maybe that makes me a New York-lovin' snob. (Remember that Meg Ryan's character spends her time in Sleepless in Seattle in New York while Hanks is raising his widowed son in the J. Crew earnestness of the Pacific northwest.)

So, I'm left to decide which Ryan/Hanks couple is better. And maybe you can tell from my sentiments a few paragraphs above that I'm very much against the plot and resolution of You've Got Mail?  Seriously, go back up five paragraphs and read that again. THINK about what Tom Hank's Joe Fox character did to Ryan's Kathleen Kelly. He catfished her before there was such a term. He emotionally manipulated her--especially in the last hour, past the point where he KNEW who he was corresponding with . . . and she did not. He purposefully set up scenarios in their casual afternoon meetings--AFTER he put her out of business--to subtlely turn her towards him. It's just NOT OKAY.

So . . . I'm going to say that Sleepless in Seattle is the best Ryan/Hanks film. Who's gonna dispute that? If you don't like it . . . come at me in the comments.

But then--we've got to confront

Question 2: Is Billy Crystal better than Tom Hanks?

Because . . . we've still got to figure out which Meg Ryan romantic comedy is best. And so we've got to decide if Sleepless in Seattle is better than When Harry Met Sally. And if we are going to do that we have to decide if Tom Hanks is better than Billy Crystal.

Maybe you disagree? Because . . . well, as much as I like When Harry Met Sally (and I really, really do), I can't say that Billy Crystal is the same caliber of actor as Tom Hanks. Can anyone make that a credible argument? Tom Hanks has two Academy Awards! Billy Crystal made Mr. Saturday Night. Their acting Venn Diagram doesn't do much intersecting at all.

But . . . leaving that aside--(can you?) --I guess we can concede that When Harry Met Sally is a stronger movie that Sleepless in Seattle. Do we agree on that? The overall cast of WHMS is better than SiS. And the plot of WHMS is stronger than SiS also. The question of whether or not men and women can be platonic friends is a more compelling one than whether or not two people can randomly fall in love because of talk radio and a replay of the plot to An Affair to Remember.

But! Billy Crystal is NOT better than Tom Hanks!

What if Tom Hanks has been cast as Harry. What might that have been like? Would it be a better movie? And what if Billy Crystal had been cast as Sam Baldwin? Would he have made SiS a better movie?

Making a movie is a complex mix of chemicals and egos and writers and timing. And the fact is that Sleepless in Seattle hit the Tom Hanks timing at the right moment. He was the male romantic lead that the nation wanted. And so everyone wants to think that SiS is the better movie because everyone loves Tom Hanks. But you can't let that cloud your judgment of the movies. And you can't let you opinion of the movies sway you into thinking that Billy Crystal is better than Tom Hanks.

So . . . have I confused you enough? Are you now prepared to determine which Meg Ryan romantic comedy is the best one? Are you ready to admit that her romantic comedy career peaked all the way back in 1989 when she played Sally Albright in When Harry Met Sally? Because that IS the answer to that particular question.

And remember . . . until next time--f your alma mater's Right Tackle has a wrong opinion about Billy Crystal, just bench him until next week. You are still in the cupcake portion of the football schedule anyway. He can afford to rethink things until the more important October games hit the schedule.

Football Counter-Programming 2017: Week 4 Bye Week

Credit: whywontyougrow.com

During every football season, there is a week with no game. It's called a bye week.

Since I am travelling this weekend, this is going to be my bye week..

So . . . that's it for this week.

Remember . . . no one cares--well, you can make up the rest. It's my bye week.

Fall TV Preview 2017: What I'm Likely to Watch

We've already covered how I feel about the new shows (or at least some of the new shows) coming out this Fall. So, now it is time to get real. What am I actually going to watch this year?

The easiest way to figure that out? Let's browse my DVR queue and see what we can find.

The Good Place (NBC, returns Sep. 20, at 10 pm) Last year I was skeptical of this show at first. But--for once, I listened to Dean early on and gave this show a try. And I found that I liked it. Don't be fooled by its candy-coated exterior (especially if you are catching up and watching season 1 at this point). It's (a bit . . . ) deeper than it seems. Not tons deeper or anything, no matter how often Chidi talks about Emmanuel Kant. But it's a fun watch.

iZombie (The CW, returns sometime this winter?) I admit that I struggle with this show. I started watching it because Lynda seemed interested and I've played along. I don't love it by any means. Its the sort of show that I listen to and watch with one eye while I'm checking out Twitter. The plot has gotten twistier as the seasons have gone on. But I can't honestly say that I keep up with every new development. If you wish Veronica Mars was still on TV and you don't want to watch Kristen Bell on The Good Place, you might find enjoyment here.

Mr. Robot (USA, returns in 2018?) Dean already noted how confusing season 2 was. But I'll hope that season 3 pares down the plot and gets back to the mystery of what is going on inside Elliot's head.

The Flash (The CW, returns Oct. 10) This has always been the most consistent and reliably fun-to-watch superhero show on the Arrowverse network. Last season, however, spent too much time on the importance of Iris--the least charismatic and least interesting person on the show. We need more Tom Foley so that I can continue to infuriate Grace with lots and lots of Draco Malfoy jokes.

The Magicians (SyFy??, returns in 2018?) I still haven't read the book(s?). But I like the show, which says Sucks to you Harry Potter fans and gives you fun.

You're the Worst (FX, returned Sep. 6 at 10 pm) Not the sort of show you can watch with your kids. But I like how terrible the characters are. Sort of like Seinfeld on crack, maybe. But like that show, nobody is learning any lessons and they are convinced that they are better than everyone else.

Supergirl (The CW, returns Oct. 9) Grace and I fought a bit this past season about the progress of Supergirl. She was frustrated that the show was leaning far too heavily on romance--and especially the wrong sorts of romances. I was used to this sort of plot turn. But we were both glad to see the return of Calista Flockhart at the end of last season. I hope they find a way to get her to stick around again.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (ABC, returns maybe in 2018 when Inhumans is quickly yanked?) At this point I think the acronym stands for Should Have Investigated alternative Life Decisions. But I'm still watching . . . and was surprised to enjoy big swaths of last season. But that was because they twisted everything up with an alternate universe plot that gave every character time to be something other than the boring selves they had become in previous seasons.

Silicon Valley (HBO, returns . . . who knows?) Dean didn't talk about this in his post because it isn't coming back soon. But we both agree that it is fun. I'm sad to see T.J. Miller off the show (and shaking my head that it was his own personal decision). Erlich Bachman was a fun character and I loved Miller's line delivery.

Game of Thrones (HBO, returns 2019?! What, why? Maybe?) I don't need to talk about the most talked-about show since the demise of Breaking Bad and Mad Men. I am very sorry that there are less than ten episodes remaining. And that it won't return until my oldest daughter is in college?

Gotham (FOX, returns Sep. 21) That is TONIGHT!! Yeah! Such a stupid show! And I'm all IN. I've got Stockholm Syndrome and I guess I don't care. And Bruce is gonna start wearing a funky costume and punching criminals in rain-soaked alleys this season.

blackish (ABC, returns Oct. 3) Still funny. And gotta have lots of topical stories coming up this year, I'm quite sure.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW, returns October 13) The tonal quality of this show is all over the place and I don't love every single episode (or every song). But when it is good, there is nothing quite like it on television. Admittedly, that bar is not too high to get across.

Arrow (The CW, returns October 12) I have a problem. I'm not on drugs or anything serious. But I clearly have a very distinct problem in my life.

Atlanta (FX, returns in 2018) Congratulations Emmy winner Donald Glover! You definitely deserved it. This show is really good. But now that we've gotten an entire gift third season of Twin Peaks itself, will the occasional oddities within Atlanta episodes pack less punch?

Drunk History (Comedy Central, returns  2018?) This is always fun. And occasionally informative.

New Girl (FOX, returns sometime this fall?) One more season to enjoy. One more chance to laugh at Schmidt, Winston, and Nick.

Archer (FX, returns 2018?) Last season wasn't as great as all the previous seasons that I binged in preparation for its return. I'm hoping that when it comes back again, I enjoy the "Danger Island" plot they are hanging the episodes around.

Search Party (TBS, returns Nov. 19) Quirky is the wrong word to describe this show. But it has a smallish, bespoke feel to it. I want this show to be good.

Riverdale (The CW, returns Oct. 11) I watch this show almost entirely to laugh at it with my older kids. It is ridiculous in many TV, teen drama ways.

Doctor Who (BBC America, returns at Christmas and then ???) One last Christmas trip in the TARDIS for Peter Capaldi and then the first female Doctor arrives in the guise of Josie Whittaker. I didn't love Capaldi much. (I'm very much in the Matt Smith camp.) And I have no knowledge or preconceptions about Whittaker. We'll see how it goes?

Legion (FX, returns 2018) Season one was almost perfect. You should really give this show a try.

The Americans (FX, returns March 7, 2018) This past season was really bad. But you should still give this show a try. (Just don't watch it late at night like I always do--or the minutes of silence will guarantee that you will fall asleep mid episode.)

Better Call Saul (AMC, returns 2018?) I like watching Jimmy (more quickly) turn into don't-give-a-shit Saul Goodman. But I have two requests. I  also  want to see more of post-BB Saul working at the Cinnabon in Omaha. AND when we're watching Jimmy break bad, I want to see friends from the original Breaking Bad doing stuff in the background.

American Gods (Starz, returns summer 2018--I think?) I loved the first season of this show and then I was equally flummoxed when it seemingly stopped broadcasting and went dark. I thought my DVR had stopped working. But I am now confident that the show will pick up again and I'll continue to enjoy Shadow and Mr. Wednesday's road trip toward Rock City and Lookout Mountain.

Fargo (FX, returns ???) I still believe that season 2 was the best season. Or maybe that is just my continual love of Kristen Dunst as Mary Jane Watson in the Spiderman movies? But season 4 was fine, I guess. I really did like Mary Elizabeth Winstead's character.

12 Monkeys (SyFy, returns May 2018) This show, like some others on this list, is pretty convoluted in its plot. But I'm still trying to hang in there and get some resolution. The next season will be the last one. I thought season 3 was a pretty nice one and the romance plot between Cole and Cassie felt earned this season. Let's hope it comes to a strong, satisfying end.



Frankly, I'm surprised at the number of FX shows that I watch. And I wish I didn't watch that many shows on The CW. and I also wish that most of the shows listed here aren't even coming back until after the Fall season and into 2018. But if I don't mention them now and wait until next Fall, most of these will have already returned and gone again.

Happy viewing everyone!

Football Counter-Programming 2017: Week 3

Did you notice that I posted last week--even if I didn't promote it? Well, it's true. I did write a Week 2 post. And now I'm opening the draft of this week's post and looking at the bare sentence that I put there and having no idea how to go forward with it. So, I guess I"m going to start with a new idea.

Okay . . . so, here is this.

What do you do on a Saturday in the fall? (Other than game plan how you are going to get your ingredients together for that halftime grilling extravaganza that I'm desperately trying to distract you from.) Do you take the day to simply relax and do nothing? Do you have a long, predictable list of chores that you have to complete each weekend? Do you prefer no schedule and simply take the day as it comes to you? Or do you have to work?

Typically on an autumn Saturday, I really want to do nothing at all. But that lazy desire is prevented  by the need to mow the grass. (Each week I'm thinking it is the Last.Time.For.The.Season. But by the following Thursday, it is always clear that I need to do it One.More.Time.) And once the lawn is mowed, it is usually almost noon. So, then I've got to figure out what comes after that. The floors always need to be vacuumed and God knows that there is plenty to dust that I ignore lots of the time. And then of course there is laundry and this and that and whatever.

But wouldn't it be nice to take a break and head off to the zoo? Or some other fun thing with the kids? But can I convince them to do it? (If they are not already doing something of their own?) I do like to go to the zoo whenever I can get away with it.

That is the tension between fun and need. How badly do I need to clean stuff and make the house ship shape? (If you ask Lynda, then I both do need it and and apparently don't need it.) But what I really want to do--when the time comes . . . is nothing at all.

But then the question of what about the kids comes into play. Can I let them just sit around and do nothing? Or am I responsible to make sure that they are doing fun and enriching stuff all the time?

And, well . . . that is it.

Not my best post. But head back up to the top and click on last week's entry. It is more engaging than this one.

And, no matter how disappointing my post might be, remember--the most disappointing result of all on a Saturday is spending your own precious weekend watching your beloved football team lose to a team they should never lose to.

Until nest week!

Amen

Lynda and her dad Bill, July 8, 1995

I first met Bill Thompson in December 1991, only a few months after I met his daughter Lynda. I was a sophomore at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, and Lynda was a freshman. We started dating during her first few months of college. By then I knew that she grew up in Valdosta, only 45 miles from my hometown of Tifton.

During that first Christmas break that Lynda and I were getting to know each other, I agreed to come help out at her parents house when they were hosting a Christmas holiday "drop-in" style party in Valdosta. Bill was the pastor at the Valdosta First Christian Church. The Thompsons were hoping that I could help serve to help with drinks, plates . . . that sort of thing, during the Christmas party. Since Lynda was also going to be helping, maybe we could do it together? I said yes, took a night out from my Christmas break in Tifton, put on a white shirt, tied a too-long red tie around my neck and drove down to Valdosta.

It was a fun night, just wandering around the house with Lynda and occasionally asking people if they needed refills on punch. Lynda appreciated my willingness to step in and the Thompsons were thankful as well. It was a small kindness, but one that they have paid back to me many times over.

Bill performed our marriage ceremony, keeping it together when he simultaneously "gave away" his daughter and sanctified our marriage. He waited with me in his church office, down the hallway, behind the altar sanctuary at the Patterson Street church. As I am sure he had done in countless marriage ceremonies , to many other grooms before me--as we waited in his office to take out positions at the head of the aisle--he pointed out his office entrance to a nearby exit and said, calmly "There's the door. Last chance?" Of course I wasn't going anywhere. And if I had twitched in the chair, I'm dead certain he'd have stopped me before I got two steps away from his desk. But it was a special moment the two of us shared alone--away from the rest of the wedding day events. He trusted me with his daughter and I have done my best to multiply that gift and make his generosity expand beyond me, beyond the two of us, into our family, and beyond.

In all the years since 1991, Bill has counseled Lynda and I when we needed advice. He has helped us financially when we asked and many other times when we did not. He always tried to make sure that we were secure, protected, and advised in the complicated business of being an adult--something he was extremely good at being. Bill loved understanding and manipulating finances, making it work to his benefit. And while I could not share the details of that love with him, I benefited from that knowledge--even if I could not always tell him what the gas mileage I was getting on my car.

In college and when we lived in Georgia, I often enjoyed a holiday meal with Bill, Cheri, Lynda, and Matt. Once we moved to Ohio, Lynda and I were happy to repay that hospitality with annual Thanksgiving meals for Bill and Cheri to enjoy with us and their grandchildren. Coming all the way to Ohio isn't the most convenient thing to do, but I was glad that we could host holidays for them as they were always willing to do for us.

At the births of our girls, they were always ready to arrive and help as soon as everyone was able. I learned during Sarah's birth that I needed to be quicker about sending them word of the labor and birth. The first time around, I left them in the dark a bit too long and was told they were a bit anxious, waiting to hear how things had moved along. (Don't worry! I did better the next two times around.)

Bill always had a strong opinion about politics and justice--a deep reflection of his strong Christian faith, and his life's work of teaching the Gospel. He passed those values on to his daughter and reinforced them in me and demonstrated them to his grandchildren. He touched many lives in his time in the faith communities in Guyton, Valdosta, and Lawrenceville, Georgia as well as his retirement church in Cherry Log, Georgia. By extension, the lives touched through Lynda's own ministry and faith widens that circle further and further.

"May he gaze upon you, Lord, face to face, and taste the  blessedness of perfect rest."

Thank you, Bill for all that you have given to me. Your presence among us will be missed, though I will see you within Lynda every day to come.