Why stop with January 6th?

January 8, 2024

The Skrulls By Gary Larson

December 22, 2023

Hang On Woody!

November 18, 2023

Subway Scenes

December 16, 2021

Meet Kirby, My New Executive Assistant

November 8, 2021

Who says you can’t find good help anymore?

After an exhaustive search, I found Kirby, an 8-week old Golden Retriever, and he is terrific. Outgoing, energetic, curious, tenacious and loves people. Based on his first walk this morning, they love him too.

He started with us yesterday, and we began with the basics: house training, walks, treats, and belly rubs. Not fond of a collar and leash, but nobody’s perfect.

I suspect you’ll be seeing lots of him in the days to come.

November 5, 2021

Bram Stoker Did Say They Were Active In The Daytime

April 28, 2021

Large Lights And Little People

December 26, 2020

Tolkien Foresaw This Day

November 7, 2020

The Fall of Barad-dûr in The Return of The King

“But the Nazgul turned and fled, and vanished into Mordor’s shadows, hearing a sudden terrible call out of the Dark Tower; and even at that moment all the hosts of Mordor trembled, doubt clutched their hearts, their laughter failed, their hands shook and their limbs were loosed. The Power that drove them on and filled them with hate and fury was wavering, its will was removed from them; and now looking in the eyes of their enemies they saw a deadly light and were afraid.” — J.R.R. Tolkien

Sauron’s Home On Halloween

October 31, 2020

All The Best Superheros Have Sidekicks

July 5, 2020

The Power Of Neptune Compels You

June 21, 2020

“A Good Mustache Can Give You The Look Of The Devil.” Jesse Ventura

April 8, 2020

Early Transporter Accidents Were Nasty

January 22, 2020

“You Talkin’ To Me?”

January 18, 2020

“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” –Marilyn Monroe

January 5, 2020

The Dreaded Hanging Man Of Park Slope

October 30, 2019

The Best Pirates Start Young

September 19, 2019

All Kids Love Log

September 18, 2019

Broomsticks Are So 19th Century

January 23, 2019

When Groot Met The Xenomorph From Alien

January 7, 2019

The Vigilant Squirrel

January 4, 2019

Arthur Curry’s Big Day Is Here

December 21, 2018

The Little Mermaid

October 28, 2018

Man And Superman

September 29, 2018

Auxiliary Jedi Knight

September 19, 2018

After Infinity War, Rocket Let Himself Go

August 23, 2018

More Victims Of Thanos

August 2, 2018

The Crimson Bands Of Cyttorak

March 24, 2018

Marge Simpson’s Other Family

March 12, 2018

Her Sister’s Ruby Slippers

January 31, 2018

The Batman

January 25, 2018

My Favorite Television Shows of 2017

January 2, 2018

American Gods will amaze you.

Honorable Mentions:

Preacher (Great show, but this story is supposed to be a road trip, guys. Get the characters out of Dodge.)

Berlin Station: Interesting series about CIA agents in Germany, but one pivotal character’s return, after he Assanged and Snowdened the agency six ways to Sunday, made the second season hard to swallow.

Peaky Blinders: The show that Boardwalk Empire should have been, with compelling performances by Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy, but too much deus ex machina in Season 4.

Twin Peaks: The Return: Kudos to David Lynch for his vision and all, but after 25 years we were entitled to a helluva lot more than just one full episode (out of 18) of FBI agent Dale Cooper in his prime.

20. Vikings: Even without Ragnar Lothbrok, it’s a brilliant glimpse of pagan exploration and conquest, with kickass shieldmaidens. I want a spinoff about Floki the boat builder.

19. The Magicians: Harry Potter with adults. For adults.

18. Better Call Saul: This Breaking Bad prequel is terrific all on its own. Now with Gus Fring!

17. Colony: Three seasons in, and we’re still waiting to see what the colonizers look like. The show is so good that we don’t mind at all.

16. The Expanse: Exciting adaptation of the science fiction novels that show life, death, and humanity’s future across the solar system, without transporters or technobabble. If only the network would let UN leader Chrisjen Avasarala curse like she does in the books (her swearing could scrape the barnacles off a fleet of ships). With a female Marine from Mars who can kick your ass on any planet.

15. The Crown: A great series. The episode dealing with Edward VIII’s Nazi ties (and his real plans if they had won) was compelling.

14. Mindhunter: True story of the FBI discovering how to hunt serial killers.

13. Legion: One of Marvel’s X-Men characters (the son of Professor X) is brought to life, with a performance by Aubrey Plaza that will blow you away.

12. Mr. Robot: Hacking, conspiracies, anarchy, and global realignment from the click of a keyboard.

11. Outlander: This is how you adapt historical romance for television. Geillis, we hardly knew ye.

10. Dark: Grim, gripping and altogether fascinating German series about childhood abductions across decades of history in a small town. Time travel uber alles.

9. Black Mirror: A Twilight Zone for the 21st century. Believe the hype.

8. Fargo: No amount of snowfall can cover up a murder with a cop like Gloria Burgle around.

7. The Americans: I never expected to root for murderous Soviet sleeper agents. You will, too.

6. The Good Place: So forking good, even after the mindforking twist that changed everything.

5. Stranger Things: Spielberg + Lovecraft = eminently bingeable television.

4. Travelers: Agents from the future, downloaded into the bodies of people who were about to die anyway: an FBI agent, a developmentally disabled woman, and a junkie. Welcome to the 21st.

3. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: A plucky comedienne starting out in 1958 Manhattan. Rachel Brosnahan is soooo good as the title character. Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce, is a breakout role for him. Alex Borstein from Mad TV and Tony Shalhoub round out a cast to die for.

2. Game of Thrones: The Lannisters always pay their debts, and this show is paying off in spades after six seasons of setup. Plus, not just dragons … zombie ice dragons!

1. American Gods: Neil Gaiman’s novel is boldly adapted for television, with characters, storytelling, worldbuilding, and visuals that will amaze you. Mr. Nancy has one of the most powerful first appearances by a character in television history. Multiple versions of Jesus for every audience. And the best leprechaun, ever.

Merry Christmas

December 25, 2017

My Neighbor’s Green Thumb

October 31, 2017

Profile in Courage

July 20, 2017

Entering Baikinman’s Lair, With Trepidation

July 2, 2017

Death Takes a Holiday, on Amtrak’s Rail Pass Program

June 7, 2017

Madame’s Hand

April 19, 2017

The Princess Bride Minute: Never Fight a Land War In Asia

April 11, 2017

Never Fight a Land War in Asia

I was recently a guest on The Princess Bride Minute podcast: http://theprincessbrideminute.com/minute-34-a-land-war-in-asia/

Steve Lastoe and Jonathan Carlisle host the podcast, and to our mutual delight, it turned out that I was their very first guest who had actually first seen The Princess Bride in a movie theater (the Uptown, Washington DC’s grand old single-screen palace, to be exact).

Join us for The Battle of Wits … Minute 34 of The Princes Bride!