07.30 Nurse Jackie
08.00 Notes From The Underbelly
11.00 Friday Night Lights
Nurse Jackie. Episode 1. "Nurse Jackie" A bike messager dies because a doctor doesn't listen to Jackie.
I like Edie Falco and I like the lead character. I'm not sure I'll go back to this hospital, though, to see the (grim) daily grind. Jackie is likable because of Falco. I'm not sure another actress could make me care about the character. And if it's not in the writing, should I bother going back for more?
Notes From The Underbelly. Season 2, Episode 1. "She’s Gotta Have It" Lauren wants Andrew to be more assertive. So he tries it. He likes it, and it turns her on.
Cute episode. It's funny and - what I really like about this show - makes you think about stuff.
Is Andrew a wimp? He's definitely a 'New Man'. And he definitely defers to what Lauren wants. Whether this is a bad thing or not is worth thinking about. But the end of the episode, Andrew has concluded that he only appears to be a wuss because he only picks the few battles that he cares about.
The pairing of Cooper and Danny, meanwhile, is hilarious.
Friday Night Lights. Season 3, Episode 12. "Underdogs" is the best episode of Friday Night Lights so far, and one of the best hours ever filmed for television. I say that not because of the characters or the story but because of the way the show affected me on a spiritual level. True art does this. Affects you. Profoundly.
In this episode we see the Dillon Panthers travel to "The Big City" to play in "The Big Game".
We also see Tyra striving to write a good essay as a means towards getting into college. After much blood, sweat and tears... she writes a great essay. She reads it out, to Landry, and we get to listen and watch a montage of all the characters as they prepare for the game.
When they lose, the team gathers and Coach Taylor gives a short heartfelt speech.
In these two moments the show captures real life like nothing I have ever seen on TV or in the movies. I have seen some great movies. When you look at European cinema like Amélie, Le Scaphandre et le Papillon or La Vita è Bella you sometimes find writers/directors who capture aspects of real life. Often they are the darker aspects of real life.
Friday Night Lights captures all that is profoundly good about the human spirit.
Tyra is my favourite character. Sometimes they waste her potential and write about her love life and her on-off again romance with Landry, but when they stay on-point and write about her efforts to make good and get out of her small town life they really manage to tell a special story. And her reading of the essay she had written is the highlight of her story so far.
Coach Taylor is an amazing character of integrity and determination. He exemplifies the human spirit in all episodes, but never more than in this episode and in the speech he gives to his team at the very end.
Profoundly moving storytelling.
Highlight? Friday Night Lights (best episode)
Yet Another TV Review Podcast
Yet Another TV Review Book
Yet Another Film Review Blog
Follow Me on Twitter
A Briefing With Michael: One Year Ago
Wed, Jun 3, 09 - Nurse Jackie, Notes From The Underbelly, Friday Night Lights
