When I am not reading, or when I want to vege out and multi-task I love watching movies and there are a few television shows I gravitate to as well. It's interesting how much my viewing mirrors my reading choices. I like smart, snappy writing and tight plots.
By the way I came to watching each of these shows I mention below late in the game thus I am a HUGE Netflix renter where I can get caught up on the back seasons or I do HBO On Demand. Interested in trying Netflix for free for a month, instead of the usual two-week trial offer? If so, drop me a note since I got a coupon for this today to forward on to folks and my entire family already are subscribers. I have five to give away. If you are interested, send your email address to this form and I will select five people by next Friday and forward the info off to you. You have til September 30th to redeem the trial offer. Full disclosure, I get a free rental if you sign up for the trial, but to be honest I am on the three-movies-at-a-time plan and it's enough. I really just thought it might be nice for you to try this.
So here you go...my list:
"Bones": This show actually inspired this blog. The creator and producer of this show is Kathy Reichs and the main character in the show is based on the Temperance Brennan character in her books. In the show Brennan also is an author and it's amusing when she talks about her book tour and working with her publisher. I have not read Reichs, but after watching the show I am dying to, no pun intended. Her new ones BONES TO ASHES is reviewed by Roz Shea this week. Quoting Roz's review, "BONES TO ASHES is the 10th installment in the Temperance Brennan series, which serves as a basis for the hit television program "Bones." Reich's demanding forensic work and writing schedule include producing the show, in which her character comes to life as a forensic anthropologist. The TV version of Tempe has just started writing mysteries, ironically under the pen name 'Kathy Reichs.'" Amusing eh?
"House" --- Hugh Laurie is terrific, the dialogue is snappy and those diseases having me look at cuts and bruises a whole new way. Still want to see the extras on DVD where Laurie's British accent is heard.
"Prison Break" --- This is one clever plot. Those tatoos of the prison layout as a plot device got me hooked on this story. And okay, I will confess to a major crush on Wentworth Miller. I think it's the blue eyes, his troubled nature, the pensive looks, the way he plots his way out of a situation with firm direction...and I cannot believe the short hair on him really works. Okay, enough of a sixteen-year-old moment. I wonder if the show someday will end with him at a doctor getting those tatoos removed. I see a HUGE future in that business in this country when things start sagging, but I digress.
" 24" : I liked seasons 1-5 though last season was so poorly executed that it was not must-see and instead I got a lot of work done while I watched.
"Law & Order": Since there ALWAYS seems to be an episode of L&O on SOME channel, it's great background when I am doing emails or other things where I can multitask. It's like TV to work with. Some people have music. I have L&O). And that bomp bomp sound gets me looking up every time. You know what I mean.
"CSI": With CSI in many cities, like L&O I can watch at almost any time. I confess that these plots somehow need more attention and thus I can get lost when I multitask.
"Big Love": This is so over-the-top wild I find myself riveted to the screen, which each time I watch. There have been a number of stories about polygamy in the New York Times recently and the culture of these compounds fascinates me. I want to read Jon Krackauer's book UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN.
I am sure there are more. I will do a listing of movies I love at some point. One I saw on vacation was PREMONITION starring Sandra Bullock, which I enjoyed. What was interesting is that they shot it in sequence, instead of banking all of the "same shots" and shooting at once. If you watch this one, be sure to watch the "extras" about this. Watching it made me think a lot about plotting a story, which is what works about my favorite books. I also watched DEJA VU last weekend. Again it's a plot I would like to try and diagram. Remember diagramming sentences in school, or am I dating myself? I would like to diagram the plot.
Remember if you want to enter to win the free month of Netflix...click on that link above.
