Still in the game with a unique pop culture perspective
Wine Country is hilarious and heartfelt. Six old friends go to Napa for a 50th birthday celebration and things happen that set off memories, old resentments, new worries, and cement friendships.
Continue reading “Review: Wine Country”I’ll say it right off the mark: I didn’t think season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale was as strong as season 1. I’m not sure I can pinpoint why, but I’ll offer several theories as to why anyway. You can join in with a comment if you think you have a better sense of why. This review is fairly spoiler free. Continue reading “Review: The Handmaid’s Tale, season 2”
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is a 2016 Tina Fey starrer about a journalist in Afghanistan. It is based on a book by Kim Barker, “The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” The premise should guarantee an interesting journey into an unknown land. In some ways it fulfills that promise, it some ways it does not. Continue reading “Review: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”
Transparent season 3 dives deeper in the the hearts of the Pfefferman clan than we have gone before with this series. After much thrashing about, some of these unhappy and broken people are starting to get a grip. Just barely. There are some season 3 spoilers ahead. Continue reading “Review: Transparent Season 3”
Ali Pfefferman’s (Gaby Hoffmann) discovery of epigenetics in season 2 of Transparent hooked me. In fact, I thought the idea that stress and trauma from generations before yours could be passed through the generations was the most interesting thing in season 2 of Transparent. It certainly would do a lot to explain why the Pfefferman clan are such a bunch of dysfunctional, self-centered, commitment-phobic assholes.
Assholes we love, of course. Continue reading “Transparent and Epigenetics”
“Did he call me sir?”
Yes, it’s almost time for Transparent season 2 on Amazon.
Amazon released a tiny clip to let you know that the characters you learned to love in season 1, are going to remain true to themselves. It’s a bit hard to tell in all the confusion, but it looks like Sarah (Amy Landecker) and Tammy (Melora Hardin) are the ones getting married.
Maura (Jeffrey Tambor), of course, is concerned about looking her best. Josh (Jay Duplass) brought his girl, the rabbi (Kathryn Hahn), and his newly discovered son to the wedding. Ali (Gaby Hoffmann) seems to be alone. We don’t see Syd (Carrie Brownstein) in this clip, but Ali and Syd are scheduled for a romance in season 2.
Based on the expression on Judith Light’s face in this very brief teaser, I’d say she is going to continue killing it as Shelly Pfefferman in season 2. New guest stars for season 2 include Cherry Jones, Anjelica Huston and Tig Notaro. Returning guest stars include Bradley Whitford and Alexandra Billings, among many others.
The series creator Jill Soloway described the new season by saying, “Season two is wild! Now that the bubble wrap is off, it’s time for the whole family to transition.”
And pronouns are still at issue. We live in a time when your choice of pronoun is a symbol of your enlightenment.
“We’re done here.”
