If you have HBO, you must watch Big Love. This new series is very original and thought-provoking, not to mention controversial. On a basic level, the show is about polygamy, but there is much more depth to it than that.  Bill Paxton is a man with several families and a tremendous amount of responsibility; you can literally feel his tension as he goes from house to house, and wife to wife. While some might fantasize about the idea of having three wives, the reality is unglamorous. Paxton is perfectly cast as the sole patriarch, running a successful business while balancing two covert marriages (his first marriage is the only public and legal one), and battling the politics of the polygamy sect he chose to distance himself from. The youngest wife, played by Ginnifer Goodwin, has a blog: http://www.hbo.com/biglove/. I have to say that I will never be able to see actress Daveigh Chase (who plays Rhonda on this show) as anything other than the evil girl in The Ring. And it’s nice to see Tina Majorino on screen again – after many years as a child actor (Waterworld, When a Man Loves a Woman), she only recently reemerged in Napoleon Dynamite and on Veronica Mars.

The third season of Arrested Development is coming out on DVD in June, but I haven’t heard if Showtime or another network has picked up the show. Take a glance at the current primetime sitcoms that rank consistently high in the ratings each week; there is nothing as remotely funny or clever as Arrested Development. Sad.

I heard a rumor that someone is coming out on Grey’s Anatomy. Something tells me it will be a woman, she won’t be a main character, and she’ll be bisexual (especially given that the sexual proclivities of the leads have been on display since day one). I don’t believe there has been a recurring bisexual male character on television since Homicide: Life on the Street boldly and briefly delved into that territory in the 90’s.

Just as I’d suspected, In Her Shoes is good film…in spite of the fact that Cameron Diaz is one of the stars.  She wasn’t the best casting choice, especially to hold her own opposite the exceptional Toni Collette. Collette first won me over in 1994 as the ABBA-loving bride in Muriel’s Wedding.  In The Sixth Sense, she delivered a subtle yet powerful performance as Haley Joel Osment’s mom, resulting in her first and only Oscar nomination to date (for Best Supporting Actress). And in 2002, Collette had a small but pivotal and memorable role opposite Julianne Moore in The Hours.

My only thought throughout Just Like Heaven? What on earth were Reese and Ruffalo thinking when they signed on to this!? Yikes. It was difficult to watch Reese sleepwalk her way through a painfully predictable and formulaic film after just seeing her win the Best Actress Oscar. Hopefully her next choice will be worth the record-breaking $29 million dollar paycheck she’s now earning per film. Of course, Julia Roberts made $24 million for Mona Lisa Smile, and that was an expensive snoozer…

Matthew McConaughey was voted the sexiest man alive in 2005. Really? He is appealing, but is he a good actor? Are people too distracted by his pearly whites to notice or care?  Personally, I am distracted by his hairline (check it out in The Wedding Planner – it’s strange). And although I am drawn to some of his movies, I find myself ambivalent about his actual talent. The first time I saw him on screen was as Drew Barrymore’s boyfriend in Boys on the Side. Shortly after that he was touted as the next big thing when starred in the adaptation of John Grisham’s A Time to Kill. Yes, he has shown us his dramatic chops in quality films like Lone Star, Amistad, and U-571, but I prefer his comedic charm in EdTV.  He just signed on to star in Dear Deliah, playing a female advice columnist with a secret. Oh boy. Sounds a bit like Mrs. Doubtfire meets Little Black Book plus Someone Like You. Run, Forrest!
 

ABC 

For the Grey’s Anatomy fans out there, here is a great site for afternoon procrastination: http://www.greyswriters.com/. Check every week for additional information and back story from the writers of each episode.

Alias has been off the air while Jennifer Garner was on maternity leave. But the final six episodes of the season and series will finally air next month (rumored to start on Wednesday nights, beginning April 19).

While I do not love Desperate Housewives these days, I have to admit I’m excited for Carol Burnett to guest star soon.

The last episode of Lost was fantastic. Bring on the rest of the new episodes already!

BRAVO


The finale of Project Runway was anticlimactic.

 

I’ll give Top Chef one episode to hook me in. It looks like Kitchen Confidential meets Iron Chef.  But will it succeed on this channel, or does it belong on the Food Network?

 

Season three of Blow Out begins soon. I can’t believe I watched the first two.

 

CBS


The Amazing Race and Survivor are the only two reasons my TiVo ever visits CBS.

 

FX


I love Rescue Me. The new season begins in early summer, and I hear that Susan Sarandon has a three episode guest arc!

 

I’m almost done watching the first two seasons of Nip/Tuck on DVD and look forward to the third.

 

FOX


Why did Bones move to Wednesdays at 9pm?!  FOX made the wrong decision, airing it opposite the juggernaut that is Lost.

 

HBO 

While I miss Six Feet Under more than any other series that has ended, I can’t wait for The Sopranos to start again on Sunday night. I’m also pretty enthusiastic about the debut of the new series airing right after it, Big Love. Anyone who knows and appreciates the quality and casting of HBO shows should tune in, just to watch Bill Paxton (Twister) as a polygamist with three wives and seven children. The wives are played by Ginnifer Goodwin (Johnny Cash’s first wife in Walk the Line), Chloë Sevigny (Boys Don’t Cry), and Jeanne Tripplehorn (The Firm).

 

In June, we will be treated to a new season of the brilliant Deadwood and the addictive Entourage should also be returning this summer as well. 

 

NBC


The Office continues to be fantastic. As much as I root for the Jim & Pam connection every week, their awkward tension just makes the show that much better.

 

Medium is a pretty compelling and intriguing show that more people should watch. The realistic family dynamic and interaction is what sets it apart from most other primetime dramas.

 

Scrubs now conflicts with The Amazing Race on Tuesday nights. I will never understand why NBC didn’t move it to Thursday nights, to a prime timeslot where it would be a natural fit and widen their dedicated fan base.

 

SHOWTIME


I continue to watch The L Word but it has lost its allure. Season one was fresh and fun, season two was average and this one induces more eye rolls than laughter or tears. The best thing about the show continues to be Leisha Hailey, who recently had a guest stint on Grey’s Anatomy. 

 

Weeds is pretty good, but I don’t watch it consistently. Mary Louise Parker is amazing, and I need to set my TiVo to catch up with the show.

 

It might seem like I watch an extraordinary amount of television, and that used to be the case. BT (before TiVo).  Now I ‘tape’ many shows and watch them when I please, not scheduling my life around their original air dates like the good old days.

 

I am fascinated and mildly amused by the amount of grief and backlash directed my way, simply because I am not, nor have I ever been, on the Crash bandwagon. I’m being called bitter, when in fact it is disappointment.  I am entitled to be frustrated and affected by an Oscar win or loss – I invest and devote a good deal of emotion and time to the movies each year. Peruse the numerous post-Oscar articles and analysis by well-respected film critics online; in spite of the many shaking heads of disbelief at my opinion about Crash, I’m certainly not the only person who feels this strongly about the newly crowned Best Picture.

However liberal I might be, my dislike of Crash has nothing to do with the fact that I love Brokeback Mountain. I also really like Capote and Good Night, and Good Luck. In my personal opinion, these other three nominated films are superior to Crash. It disturbs me that some folks are attributing hidden Hollywood homophobia as the reason that Brokeback didn’t win Best Picture. Give me a break.

Nothing kills a good champagne buzz like a shocking win for Best Picture. I’m too stunned and appalled to analyze how and why Crash won over Brokeback Mountain, so I’ll avoid it for the time being.


Host Jon Stewart was pretty funny, and a definite improvement from the last several years. I need to watch the show again on TiVo because I was at an Oscar party and did not hear some of his gems.


I’ll break down my initial impressions of the winners by category.


ACTOR – LEADING

Won: Philip Seymour Hoffman

Should have won: Heath Ledger


Hoffman altered his voice and dropped a few pounds to play Truman Capote. He is a veteran of independent film, and has played far more challenging roles. I really enjoyed Capote but did not feel that Hoffman was transformative. On the other hand, Ledger was compelling and heartbreaking in laceName w:st=”on”>BrokebacklaceName> laceType w:st=”on”>MountainlaceType>. He clearly reached deeper than he’d ever been before as an actor, traveled far outside of his comfort zone and delivered a career-altering performance.


ACTOR – SUPPORTING
Won: George Clooney


I did not see Syriana, but I will. I’m happy for Clooney. It seems this year the Academy is awarding the men for altering their physical appearance; both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor underwent obvious weight fluctuation for their roles. And yet Felicity Huffman was snubbed for the most daring renovation of all – playing
a man who becomes a woman…

ACTRESS – LEADING

Won: Reese Witherspoon

Should have won: Felicity Huffman


Witherspoon saved Walk the Line. It is a good movie but her spirit and incandescent persona are what make the film. I am a big Reese fan, but this was a safe role, one that didn’t require much reach. She’s a Southern gal playing one of her Southern idols. Yes, she learned how to sing, and sing well, but Witherspoon’s best work was in Election.  Felicity Huffman may be more recognized for her television career, but her role in Transamerica is on par with Charlize Theron’s in Monster and Hilary Swank’s in Boys Don’t Cry.

ACTRESS – SUPPORTING

Won: Rachel Weisz

Should have won: Michelle Williams


To me, the women in this category anchored the films they were nominated for. Without them, the movies would have suffered greatly. I’m glad that Weisz has finally broken away from The Mummy, but I hope winning this category won’t affect her future work (see: Mercedes Ruehl, Marisa Tomei, Mira Sorvino, and Kim Basinger). The good news is that she is next starring in The Fountain, an Ayn Rand adaptation directed by her fiancé Darren Aronofsky. And although Michelle Williams didn’t win, she has officially arrived; Dawson’s Creek is now a distant memory, and Brokeback should open new doors for her.

BEST PICTURE

Won: Crash

Should have won: Brokeback Mountain


The only shocker of the night. I was in denial about the strong word of mouth support and momentum behind the film, as well as the power of a Best Picture released on DVD before Oscar ballots are due.  I need to sleep on it and get back to you, but I’m very surprised and disappointed.

ORIGINAL SONG
Won: Hard Out Here for a Pimp (Hustle & Flow)


Admittedly, it was a poor year for original songs in film. And to be fair, this song is catchy. The music in Hustle & Flow was the only highlight of the entire movie, if you ask me. But the Academy’s requirements for original music in a film are so asinine that Emmylou Harris was denied a nomination for her original song in Brokeback Mountain solely because it didn’t play long enough in a scene to qualify.
 

I don’t have the heart or energy to comment right now about the rest of the categories. Stay tuned for more analysis after I sleep and recover from the Crash upset.