Recap

A review of this week’s Watchmen, “A God Walks Into a Bar,” coming up just as soon as the chicken and the egg come at the very same time… It is the spring of 1988. I am reading Watchmenfor the first time, in a thick trade paperback collection I brought home from Waldenbooks at the Willowbrook Mall. I am particularly stunned (and, admittedly, a bit confused) by how Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons depict Dr. Manhattan experiencing every moment of his existence at the same time. It is December of 2019. I am writing a recap of “A God Walks Into a Bar,” which explains how Dr. Manhattan and Angela Abar met, fell in love, and came up with the crazy plan for him to turn into an ordinary human named Cal (a god walks into) Abar. The episode skips backwards and forwards through Dr. Manhattan’s story, the better to convey the way he is unstuck in time and space. So much of it occurs out of sequence that I’m not even sure where to begin trying to explain … [Read more...] about ‘Watchmen’ Recap: Time Is a Flat Circle

If there’s one phrase that sticks in the head after tonight’s episode of His Dark Materials, (“The Daemon-Cages”), it’s “the tyranny of sin.” Uttered by one of the scientists who oversees the cruel, child-abusing “intercision” technique in the cold Northern prison known as Bolvangar, it explains nearly everything we’ve seen Mrs. Coulter and the sinister agents of the Magisterium do. After all, if you truly believe that the planet is suffering under the boot-heel of original sin, is there anything you wouldn’t do to “free” it? Isn’t a sacrifice of the few for the many, as Mrs. Coulter puts it, worth the price? The answer depends on whether you believe in the concept of sin to begin with. In this fantasy world, of course, the concept is equated with an actual physical substance called Dust, which in turn is associated with human souls in animal form, known as daemons. But what if you don’t buy into … [Read more...] about ‘His Dark Materials’ Recap: Jailbreak

Everything you need to know about Jennifer Lopez hosting Saturday Night Live can be found in the monologue. It’s not included below, but that’s because it’s a statement of purpose rather than a comedic statement. There are maybe two jokes tops in the monologue, which eschews comedy in favor of “I’m awesome, you know I’m awesome, so let’s spend five minutes celebrating this awesome.” An exercise in ego stroking? Maybe! But it’s Jennifer Lopez, and if anyone’s earned the right to use the monologue segment to take a victory lap for her 2019, it’s her. This monologue sets the tone for the episode because it never pretends that Lopez isn’t one of the biggest stars in the world. Many hosts excel because they can blend in with the cast. Lopez is one of a handful of people that can successfully exist as the focal point for every single sketch and not feel like she’s trying to take the spotlight. Rather, SNL … [Read more...] about Jennifer Lopez on ‘SNL’: 3 Sketches You Have to See

Part of the fun of Saturday Night Live is experiencing each week’s Sunday through Friday and trying to guess how certain moments will be viewed through SNL’s prism come Saturday night. After this week’s presidential debate lead-up, battle and aftermath, it was clear which moment – Mitt Romney’s promise to fire Sesame Street’s sweet Big Bird – should feature most prominently. During last night’s mostly-successful episode, hosted by Skyfall‘s Daniel Craig with musical guest Muse, the SNL cast and crew delivered . . . just not when one thought they would. The opening sketch was set up like the actual debate: two wooden podiums in front of blue walls covered in text from the Constitution, an establishing shot of President Obama and Governor Romney walking across the stage to greet each other and the debate moderator Jim Lehrer, played by SNL alumnus Chris Parnell. Just as he did last Wednesday, Mitt Romney (played by Jason Sudekis) … [Read more...] about Big Bird Joins Daniel Craig on ‘SNL’

June 14th, 1998, Salt Lake City, Utah. With 5.2 seconds left in Game 6 of the NBA Finals between Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz, Jordan coolly nailed a 20-foot jumper to put his team up by one point, and earned the Bulls their sixth championship behind Jordan’s heroics. The 43 other points he scored that night, plus his crossover to set him up for the game-winner, plus the picturesque form and release after the shot put a perfect bow on a tremendous Finals and an otherworldly career. Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player to ever play the sport, retired after that game; there was no better possible way to send him off. Kristen Wiig had her Game 6 moment less than one year ago, when in her final sketch as a Saturday Night Live player, she was serenaded by Mick Jagger, shared meaningful, personalized dances with each and every cast member (as well as SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels), and shed tears of joy. It was exactly the right tone for … [Read more...] about Kristen Wiig Returns to ‘SNL’ and Channels the Pointer Sisters