In Treatment: Season Two

Having finally caught up with HBO's In Treatment, I feel a lot like a patient ending therapy. A significant amount of my response has been projection, it has taken me to some dark places in order to ultimately reward me, and it has inspired both dependence and rebellion. This is me urging you to check it out, knowing Season 2 artfully improves upon an excellent foundation. Spoilers from here on out.

You could probably sum up my problems with Season 1 by saying it was too limited--limited by plot convention, strict adherence to format, and source material. It was tough enough to achieve a complete story (or set of stories) every day for nine weeks, much less aim for some philosophical investigation into modern life.

Cue Warren Leight, the showrunner for Season 2, whom I credit with taking a good show and making it one of the best on television. Part of that comes from liberties with the adaptation, which is just the tip of the iceberg; Leight has loosened the series up considerably. Notice how often we leave the two primary sets (the offices of Paul and Gina). Notice how many times a therapy session is merely a part of an episode, instead of the episode itself. Notice how much more comedy is played this season. The effect of all this loosening is to give us respite from the cruelty, and even there, the problems of Paul's new crop of patients pale in comparison to the horrors Sophie or Alex endured. Luke and Bess, parents though they are, come off merely as squabbling colleagues next to the vicious Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? acolytes Jake and Amy.

What's more, free from the tendrils of all that melodrama, Season 2 feels both less conventional and more intoxicating than Season 1. It's funny that the produers at HBO relied on the Laura character last year, thinking the "will-they-or-won't-they" suspense was a primary draw. In the final account, fans hated Laura for precisely that reason. We as television viewers are conditioned to despise the flirty young things that show up to disrupt the marriages of our central characters. It's why Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton joined Friday Night Lights on the condition their characters are never written into affairs.

People also apparently despised Jake and Amy, I'm guessing thanks to the intensity of their battles. There's only so much cruelty we can take. In fact, much as I loved the revelatory performance of Mia Wasikowska, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle learning more about her troubled past.

But the cast and crew pulled me through, giving me an excellent return on my investment in those final few weeks as Sophie begins to cope. Perhaps my favorite moment from the series is when April gives her gift to Paul: telling him Sophie credits him with saving her life, she's in college now, and she sounds happy. It's a transcendent moment, earned by In Treatment's unique format. If I hadn't spent all those sessions with Paul and Sophie and April, it would have been merely an epilogue instead of the series' peak, loaded with so much meaning: Paul's been fretting about the value of his work, and here he's shown exactly how much good he can do; Sophie was so far-gone as to attempt suicide four weeks into treatment, and now one of the series' most beloved characters, the one you just want to reach out and hug, is happy; and April presents this compliment to lead into her realization that Paul has saved her life as well.

I don't completely agree with all the criticisms of Laura, Jake and Amy, but I understand. Like I said, last year was intensely claustrophobic. Watching Josh Charles and Embeth Davidtz is a treat, but I won't deny the difficulty of enduring their weekly assaults. In Season 2, and this is also thanks to the relaxed format, every patient enthralls. The stories are unconventional and more subtle, the performances are compelling and never histrionic, and the patients relate to Paul less obviously. Instead of reflecting the surface elements of Paul's plot, like his marital trouble or alienation from his children, the Season 2 patients revolve around Paul's doubt.

Thus, Season 2 deftly challenges my leading criticism of Season 1, that In Treatment fails to have any perspective. What it means to be in therapy is examined deeply in Season 2, as are several criticisms of the process and a constant exploration of its ethical implications. I deflated at the Week 6 downturn, watching Paul receive his punishment for being a good person instead of a good therapist. He had to inform April's mother of her cancer when she collapsed, and he had to make Oliver a sandwich--his parents certainly aren't nourishing him, nutritionally or otherwise. Then he takes a week off for a legitimate emergency and returns to experience the consequences of dependence.

Those episodes exemplify what I wanted to see from the series. The basic requirement of In Treatment is that it be a television drama. In that respect, Season 1 succeeds. Going further, In Treatment ought to be a compelling show, which it is only intermittently in Season 1, mostly during the Sophie and Gina episodes (and, a personal favorite, the solo Jake session). Above that, it should aspire to something more, whether that be a rigorous study of the therapy process, an exploration of the psychological state of modern society, or a metaphor for something else entirely, say, the American political state after the series of democratic crises that introduced the decade.

Season 1 is often a compelling television drama that occasionally seeks to fulfill that higher need, especially toward the end. But Season 2 opens with a break in format--Glynn Turman's Mr. Prince serves Paul a lawsuit--immediately declaring its intentions to add to its surface therapy plots an examination of the value of therapy.

The risks pay off with a final week of involving sessions and natural conclusions for the characters. Overflowing with touching moments--Mia deciding to continue therapy, Paul giving April a new hat, Paul telling Bess he admires her, Paul calling Oliver from the kitchen, Gina and Paul taking in the news that the judge dismissed the Prince lawsuit--Week 7 is as good as television gets.

If this is the end of In Treatment, kept inexpensive thanks to its strict shooting schedule and limited sets but equally low-rated, Season 2 has given us a fitting finale. Personally, though, I think they can do even better. If it's ever ready to return, my door is always open.

Picture of the Day

We watched Twilight today, and this elegant composition illustrates my appreciation of this sophisticated deconstruction of vampire mythology. "The lion fell in love with the lamb," indeed.

Edward Cullen is so dreamy. I mean, right? He's very dangerous, and very possessive, which is great, because I don't really like doing stuff on my own or making decisions or thinking. And that angst! It's so romantic. Especially when he bores right into Bella with those simmering, bloodthirsty eyeballs, regardless of whether or not she's awake. So dreamy. Where is my Edward Cullen?!

Only five more months till New Moon!

In Treatment: Season One

For all its capable direction and riveting performances—and the cast of In Treatment is so uniformly excellent that the one weak link lies in an actor who was only in half an episode, and the fault there lies mostly with the writing—the inaugural season of In Treatment frustrates me. It is a deeply realized study of psychology where every glance or shift has some internalized motivation and every assertion is projection. But perhaps unsurprisingly, the series is so focused on itself that it fails to achieve any perspective.

They say that in a dream, every character is you. The same is true for this psychologically-informed series, where every patient and relative and friend-of-a-friend reflects protagonist Dr. Paul Weston’s life. His patients aren’t literal projections of himself, but each character reflects a rather obvious piece of Paul’s family troubles. It’s an intense effect, especially if you devour the series quickly, but the solipsism is stifling.

There are other issues with the series—somewhat cliched storylines, weak dialogue in some of the non-therapy scenes—but this is the one that bothers me most. As In Treatment progresses, a few touches begin to enhance the series, like an explanation of the water motif and patient breakthroughs, but it never truly engages with the world.

It comes close. Tuesday’s patient Alex, played with surprisingly charming bravado by Blair Underwood, is a navy pilot who bombed an Iraqi school, killing 16 children. Meanwhile Sophie, played by young Mia Wasikowska, reads a diary entry from a painful day in 4th grade—September 11th. That’s it. That’s as close as In Treatment comes to having an opinion on the world.

Surely that’s okay, though? Not every show needs to comment on society using 1960s poetry and French film allusions, right? Of course not. Great pulp is better than good highbrow anyway. But—and I’m playing the therapist here—I get the feeling In Treatment wants to comment on the world, it has something to say, but it just won’t allow itself to.

Unfortunately, In Treatment’s first season is not always compelling enough to overcome its myopia. If the series were at least interested in understanding the world, I’d be more forgiving of its storytelling weaknesses. Not that any of the patients’ storylines—not to mention Paul’s own crises—are especially uninteresting, but there is a vast disconnect between which of Paul’s patients are the most significant in their effect on him and which are the most captivating. This is my diplomatic way of saying the mostly boring Laura sessions get the most focus, Paul’s meetings with Sophie and Gina cackle with slow-burn tension, and the rest are hit-or-miss.

It’s not surprising that a series about therapy isn’t very critical of therapy. At various times, every male character questions its efficacy, but it’s never very serious, and Paul usually immediately proves to the viewers, if not his patients, the value of the process. But this is an issue worth examining. Clearly therapy can be effective, especially when people find themselves unable to cope with crises, but what are the consequences of living two lives, one where you’re the subject and one where you’re the object? Is it possible that therapy, in analyzing every motivation, can train people to overanalyze or become dependent on the process? Maybe that’s impossible; perhaps as Dianne Wiest’s Gina suggests, consciously understanding our psychologies is always beneficial. Whatever the answers, you won’t find them--or even sincere inquiry--on In Treatment.

I feel like I’m being too harsh. I can’t imagine how impossible it must be to script these therapy sessions, where exposition comes so naturally we don’t notice and every minute detail resurfaces as a clue to a patient’s psychology. The acting Emmys for Dianne Wiest and Glynn Turman are well-deserved, Gabriel Byrne delivers a complicated and affecting performance, and above all, the series is a remarkable showcase for Mia Wasikowska, whose sessions with Paul become the show’s highlight.

But the uniform excellence of the Season 2 patients has cemented my mixed response to Season 1. And my response isn’t really all that mixed—I have a few quibbles, and I wish the series would transcend its narrow focus, but I rapidly devoured this acting masterclass. Still, In Treatment has learned from its first season. The therapy is working.

The Cult of Pixar: To infinity and beyond?

Another Pixar cartoon, another hit. On cue, critics trot out all their favorite chestnuts: the latest is Pixar’s best, Pixar has the best track record of any studio, Pixar should prepare for an Oscar campaign. If you’re like me, all that jazz goes in one ear and out the other, not because it’s irritating or wrong, but because it’s so obviously right. Of course Pixar is the best. The worst they can do is crank out a decent entertainment.

After seeing Up, though, I began to wonder: how good is Pixar, really? If I'm honest with myself, there’s always something holding back Pixar films. They’re mostly terrific, of course, but not the masterworks popular opinion holds them to be. When it comes to comedy, these cartoons rarely flounder, and lately they’ve only increased in target, aiming not just for the knee-high set any more. Though, given Toy Story’s “laser envy” quip, I’m not sure Pixar has ever aimed to please only children.

But the greatest improvements have come in the studio’s handling of its dramatic subjects. For all the genius of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles, these films come up a bit short when it comes to believably handling emotion. Sudden and unconvincing character changes (Toy Story), awkward, melodramatic, and unrealistic dialogue (Finding Nemo), and obvious or cliched family moments (The Incredibles) rear their ugly heads throughout otherwise excellent stories. This is not to say these films aren’t intermittently capable of tackling serious discussion—just look at Mr. Incredible’s relationship with his wife or Andy’s love for his toys—but the emotional catharsis of Finding Nemo—when Marlin accidentally calls Dory Nemo—is cringeworthy.

Ratatouille was the great leap forward, not just for Pixar's breathtaking animation but for its commitment to real human drama. There’s no comparison between Marlin’s epiphany and the cracking of Anton Ego. (For freedom of information, I find Peter O’Toole delightful and Albert Brooks overrated, but I really think I’m being objective here.) Then came WALL-E, a film unprecedented for Pixar in terms of its expanded dramatic bent, and one without an unearned emotion. Is there a more touching love story in the modern era than WALL-E and EVE? Who among us wasn’t on the edge of our seat when a resurrected WALL-E seemed to have forgotten his romance with EVE? Up has only cemented Pixar’s grasp of human drama with its masterful treatment of Carl’s relationships with Ellie and Russell. Where Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc. often settle for forced sentiment, Carl’s backstory in Up is sincere and convincing. It’s told almost bereft of dialogue, and it packs a harder punch than anything the studio’s yet produced.

Forty minutes into Up, the film was unquestionably my favorite Pixar enterprise. I wanted to make my own adventure book, and I couldn’t wait to break out my old Boy Scout merit badge sash. Most of all, I desperately wanted Carl to achieve his dreams. Now that the film is said and done, I’m not quite as enthralled with it as I was. My biggest complaint is that I found the dog squad unnatural. I expected something more traditional to an old adventure series—maybe jaguars or monkeys—and while an old explorer going Kurtz in his rainforest-set Victorian blimp complements Carl’s pulp adventure nicely, semi-robotic dogs felt a bit out of place. (On the other hand, if I have to accept the villains to keep Dug, I will gladly retract.)

Further, I found the film a little too traditionalist--it justifies Carl's worldview too staunchly--but maybe that comes with the territory in a film about an old man and a boy scout fleeing modern society. Then I agree with several complaints I’ve read: not enough flying house, too much bizarre villain dogs, and a somewhat contrived action sequence for a climax. WALL-E faced similar scrutiny with its final act fight sequence. It’s as if Pixar films are struggling to transcend their kiddie cartoon outlines, but they can’t quite crack the climax.

The root of the problem lies with Pixar villains, roles you’d expect—based on Disney tradition—to be fascinating, popular characters, but who turn out to be not remotely as interesting as the heroes. I’ll take Sid and Scud, traditional enemies of the toy who are not without social commentary. And Syndrome is an inspired and intimidating foe for The Incredibles, easily Pixar’s greatest villain. But do Carl Muntz, AUTO, Anton Ego, and the like even register on a list of cinema’s best baddies? Are they even among the best parts of the movies that spawned them?

Moreover, Pixar films often brilliantly navigate internal conflicts or external obstacles instead of pitting heroes against a single villain. Look at Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, or Ratatouille—sure, the human characters challenge our protagonists, but they’re not single-minded enemies. Unfortunately, these films have a habit of introducing surprise villains like Stinky Pete or AUTO at their climaxes. However grave or motivated the threat, it always feels a bit like settling. There’s a reason admirers point to the first acts of WALL-E and Up as examples of Pixar’s heights. The studio is capable of so much more than your average summer action flick.

So if Pixar fumbled some of the straight drama in their early outings and contrived climaxes for its later ones, I must concede that the studio isn’t quite as perfect as everyone accepts. They’re pretty close, and both WALL-E and Up achieve such great heights it’s disingenuous to even suggest the few and arguable lows greatly diminish the whole. But there's always something.

Sure, Pixar has had some missteps. A Bug’s Life is fine, but it’s the kind of film that could have been done by any studio, despite its appropriation of Bergman and Kurosawa. Cars is the oft-cited low for the studio, and it ever so slightly shook the world’s faith in the Nemo/Incredibles juggernaut. However, since Ratatouille, Pixar has perfected its blend of diverse comedy and real-world drama. Plus, Pixar films are good for you, with their deft, literate homages to cinema history, longer but not bloated running times for the youtube generation, and especially their genuine look at life’s troubles and joys.

It’s astonishing that anyone could grumble about Pixar’s pipeline—three sequels (admittedly including Cars 2 and Monsters, Inc. 2), a fairy tale, and a newt-romance—but already the doubters are vocal. Yes, they're returning to two of their least inspiring wells, but if anyone’s earned a little faith, it’s Pixar. Up may not be a Pixar masterpiece. But it's my favorite so far.

Grand Tour VI: Bratislava

Once we arrived in Vienna, I somehow managed to convince my benefactors that we may as well take a trip to Bratislava since we're in the area. After all, according to wikipedia, Vienna and Bratislava MAY be the world's closest capital cities (barring, one assumes, Vatican City). Hell, I'll do anything for a maybe.

To our surprise, Bratislava turned out to be a charming little town. It's not remotely as magical as Prague, but it has that same vintage Europe feel, which is to say despite its cars and graffiti, it's really just a small historical town wearing big city clothes.

But since we only had a day there, I don't have too much to say. Lots of churches, all of them exquisite. The Catholic church actually had a First Communion ceremony that morning, so we saw a lot of dressed-up Slovakian chilluns milling around the entrance.

The real reason I wanted to visit Bratislava was for its castle, which is practically the archetype of medieval castles: a square base with round towers at each corner. But remember when I said Europe was under construction? Well that includes Bratislava Castle, currently adorned in charming scaffolding. Instead, we had a lot more time to just wander around the Old Town.

Having viewed the Danube now from three capitals, I confess that I preferred Bratislava's position the most. The bluest parts of the river I've seen snake right by Bratislava Castle. Still, the Danube has nothing on the Salzach or the Spree, am I right?

We enjoyed the market kiosks in the town square, which is also where I took that picture with a statue on a bench. I bought a neat sketch of the town on the cheap. I also considered buying gifts there--maybe scarves or corn-husk dolls (Bratislava specialities)--but then I reflected that buying Slovakian dolls, after having been to Berlin, Prague, and Vienna, sounds a little cheap. It's like touring all of Europe and coming back with some Bulgarian washcloths.

Nothing much left to say. Enjoy these last few snaps of picturesque Bratislava without all this annoying commentary:








Next up: Vienna

Celebrity Jeopardy: Man vs. Wild

You may have missed it amidst the Bergmanesque fracturing of Jon and Kate or the politically motivated furor over a Letterman joke or the weirdly nostalgic return of Zack Morris. Or maybe you were on vacation. But in one of the most creative marketing ploys yet, Land of the Lost's Will Ferrell joined Bear Grylls in an awesome Man vs. Wild special.

"I wish I had a dollar for every time I've come to Sweden and eaten a deer's eyeball."

Is it too much to ask that Man vs. Wild rebrand as Men vs. Wild permanently? To my eyes, Will Ferrell is the perfect partner-in-survival to Bear Grylls. Bear's the brains and the brawn and the beauty, and Will's . . . Will's the damsel in distress. The intensely, hilariously earnest damsel in distress.

To be fair, Will never complained (unless couched in jest) and faced every obstacle with determination. And I've never seen Bear trek through as much falling snow as he did with Will in Sweden. But the joys of watching Will Ferrell, a performer known for his manic energy, repeatedly throw himself on the ground, always with a wry joke--well, that was more fun than I've ever had watching Man vs. Wild, and Bear didn't even take his clothes off.

Of course, Man vs. Wild is an action-oriented survival show, not a comedic one. In that respect, this special comes up a little light; since Bear spent so much time worrying about Will, there was less time for survival demonstrations. All the same, we beheld multiple ice-climbing scenes, snowshoe cobbling, and a feast of deer eyeballs, so it's not like the episode completely abandoned its principles. What's more, this special featured more footage devoted to the peace and wonder of the outdoors than usual. As much as Bear is prone to take a moment to appreciate wilderness, Will's even more so.

As I said, Bear Grylls and Will Ferrell make an entertaining team, whether Will's trying out some of Bear's Britishisms or Bear's ribbing on his teammate's Hollywood lifestyle. I'm sure a permanent collaboration would garner some ratings success. In the age of shame-ratings (ahem, TLC), that's no mere trifle.

Man vs. Wild returns in August with Bear Grylls in the lone saddle. I don't doubt I'll enjoy it as much as I have the rest of this engaging series--as Bear visits Borneo, Uganda, and New Zealand--but I can't help but miss Will Ferrell.

Guess What I Bought

Here's a hint. Below, another:


At last, one of my very favorite movies--a marked distinction from my mere favorite movies--arrives in the western world (well, the west western world) thanks to Criterion. I'm speaking, of course, of Last Year at Marienbad, of which friends, roommates, and countrymen should prepare for marathons.

I have yet to crack anything but the first part of the film on this DVD set, which looks stunning, but I'm eager to explore the interviews with Alain Resnais.


But that's only half of the answer. I am also the proud owner of another new Criterion, Science is Fiction: 23 Films by Jean Painleve. And then some. This three-discer is extraordinary in all things but packaging, which is cramped. It's worth it, of course, for the eight silent Painleve shorts scored by Yo La Tengo, which amount to a glorious atmospheric trance. I haven't gotten around to Disc 3 yet, featuring a documentary about Painleve, but the centerpieces of the set--the Painleve films themselves--are appropriately wondrous.

More to come, I expect, as I devour these sets. People tend to complain about Criterion's diminishing output, as if a boutique DVD label could be remotely recession-proof, but these two sets have elicited tremendous gratitude from at least one film fan.

Grand Tour IV: Budapest

I already posted my favorite pictures from Budapest, but I suppose I could muster up a few more just for you. Budapest is the furthest east I've been, and like Berlin, it's a modern industrial city with a few ancient landmarks sprinkled throughout. Of course, Budapest wasn't remotely as clean as Berlin, nor were there enough bratwurst stands or apple strudels for my liking. But it's interesting in its own right.

For instance, of the three Tex-Mex places I drug my family too (not blindly, but upon guidebook recommendations), Budapest had the best. Started by a real, 'live Mexican, the Iguana features delicious guacamole (with chips that I wasn't a great fan of, but my parents liked them), refills and iced drinks, and one mean quesadilla.

I walked by a bar that I swear is straight out of the first scene in Werckmeister Harmonies, but alas, no pictures. Still, Bela Tarr set me up to be disappointed when I left Budapest without a single metaphysical or existential profundity. Not even a traveling circus!

The most famous landmarks are probably the Hungarian Parliament, about which more later, and the Chain Bridge. And they certainly contribute to Budapest's splendor--let's not understate the glory of that Parliament building--but my favorite site was the Matthias Church in Buda. To get there, we climbed the hill and up into the Fishermen's Bastion, some cool, sandcastle-looking tower-wall built as a monument to the fishermen's guild. The Matthias Church, meanwhile, is like a cross between a gothic or romanesque church and a great hall. So it felt like being on Klingon. I was especially fascinated by the flags inside the church, which gave the building not just a political feel but a tribal one.

Similarly, the paintings in the National Gallery were a lot more fun than those in Vienna's counterpart, by which I mean the Hungarian artists showcase their horse-riding, nation-conquering, rip-roaring past, while the Austrians are busy making up for Hitler with as much Christ as you can handle. Plus they let you take pictures in the Hungarian National Gallery.

I'll take this opportunity to say that, like Houston, Europe is apparently under construction. In fact, many of the most famous landmarks were at least obscured by scaffolding, if not closed to the public entirely due to renovation. This list includes but is not limited to some of the most famous sites we visited: Sanssouci Palace in Berlin, the Charles Bridge in Prague, the Great Tower in Karlstejn Castle (we did get to tour the rest, fortunately), Matthias Church in Budapest, Stephensdom in Vienna, Bratislava Castle, and Fortress Hohensalzburg.

One castle we did get to visit fully was the Vajdahunyad Castle out in East Pest. Boy was that underwhelming. I should have read my book more closely, because it turns out Vajdahunyad never actually served as a castle; it was constructed as a tribute to Hungarian architectural styles, attempting to blend romanesque, renaissance, gothic, and baroque styles into one unified palace. So it was a lot like visiting the Disney castle--pretty to look at, but fifteen minutes and you're jonesing for Space Mountain (which, btw, I am).

Afterward, we caught a tour of Parliament, which felt like a prisoner exchange thanks to the crazy security measures. To get tickets, one person in your party is allowed to enter the premises, crossing the parking lot and disappearing inside some room on the inside. Oh, and they take your passports to get tickets. Lucky me, I followed the book's suggestion and left my passport in my room, and after some finagling, I got to enter Parliament without anyone in Hungarian government knowing my name or details. I really should have bombed something.

Here's the Museum of Applied Arts, which we only looked at. Well, I only looked at, while my family members waited in the subway stop. But is this not a gorgeous example of Secession architecture? It turns out Secessionism is the same thing as Art Nouveau, but throughout our tour to the capitals of the movement, they seem to prefer the Secessionism label.

I'm trying to remember anything special that we did in Budapest, but I'm not sure we did anything spectacular. Apart from visiting the landmarks, we spent an exorbitant amount of time walking down the main shopping center, Vaci Utca, and we always went back to the hotel early. On the last night, I went back out to shoot pictures of the Chain Bridge and Parliament at night, which was enjoyable. But I think Tex-Mex and some old lady watching us from her apartment window are about the only surprises from Budapest. Oh, and I bought Satantango for approximately a quarter of its American price.

Or as Kenneth the Page might say, "I give Budapest about a B."

Next up: Bratislava

Dream Emmy Ballot, Take 2: The Rest

And we're back with the final part of my revamped Dream Emmy Ballot for the 2009 Emmys. Part 1 focused on the Comedy nominees, Part 2 on Drama, and Part 3 will cover everything else. Anon!

I really don't have much more to discuss, so rest easy.

Old business: I have a general thought on the acting nominees that I forgot to bring up earlier. Damages has quite a lineup of potential nominees, including Glenn Close, Tate Donovan, William Hurt, Ted Danson, Marcia Gay Harden, John Doman, and Clarke Peters. Having seen Season 1, I fully believe these actors are capable of splendid performances even on a pulp opera like Damages. It may be enough to convince me to check out the universally reviled Season 2.

Best Miniseries:

I only watched one, but it's a doozy: Generation Kill. I'm patently unqualified to judge this category, but I'm still pulling for some major Gen. Kill victories, including Best Miniseries. Meanwhile, Alexander Skarsgard's up for Best Actor in a Miniseries, and Lee Tergesen, Stark Sands, and James Ransone (and the guy who played Poke) are up for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries. Here's hoping. I was a little surprised and dismayed to see Billy Lush, who played Trombley, didn't throw his name into the ring. He was terrific, even if I'd prefer to see Ransone take the gold.

Best Variety, Music, or Comedy Series:

The series nominations allow you to fill up to 10 slots, even though I stuck with 5 for Comedy and 6 for Drama. But here are the late-night series I've seen (at least in part) this season:

Chelsea Lately
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Important Things with Demetri Martin
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon - I've only seen a few segments, and never an entire episode
The Late Show with David Letterman
Saturday Night Live
The Soup
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

So I could theoretically vote for all 10 of these series. But if I actually judge on consistency, it's an easy choice:

1. Chelsea Lately
2. The Colbert Report
3. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
4. Late Night with Conan O'Brien
5. The Soup

Sorry to long-time favorite SNL, but you weren't really in the game this year outside of those Palin sketches. Better luck next time.

Of course, my lineup is heavily cable-oriented, which marks me as an elite viewer but way out-of-touch with Emmy voters, who will undoubtedly reject Chelsea Lately and The Soup in favor of more traditional talk shows.

Oh, and thanks a lot, Emmy, for disbanding the Individual Performance category. Now Colbert will never get what he has rightfully deserved for approximately 17 years.

Reality Programming:

I would like someone to explain to me the difference between Outstanding Nonfiction Series and Outstanding Reality Program.

For instance, Survivorman is a nonfiction series, but Man vs. Wild is a reality program. Is it because Man vs. Wild is gussied up with action music, while Survivorman just sits there boring us to death? That can't be, because Ice Road Truckers and Deadliest Catch are both nonfiction series as well.

Meanwhile, Architecture School is up there with Man vs. Wild in the reality sphere. So are Ace of Cakes, MythBusters, and Flipping Out. But Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations qualifies as nonfiction.

As expected, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-list, The Hills, and The Real Housewives of New York are all in the reality bracket. But the perhaps even trashier Cops is a nonfiction series. I still have no idea what the line is.

That said, here are my picks in both categories.

Best Nonfiction Series:

1. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
2. Deadliest Catch
3. Toddlers and Tiaras

I don't know what criteria I should be judging on. Bourdain's show is my favorite of the above, but I appreciate Toddlers' subtle subversiveness. I find No Reservations to be the most educational as well, even as it is heavily filtered through the curmudgeonly, non-academic Bourdain.

Best Reality Program:

1. Ace of Cakes
2. Architecture School
3. Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
4. Man vs. Wild
5. The Real Housewives of New York

Don't judge me. I love the New York housewives! Sorry, MythBusters!

But Architecture School deserves to win this thing. Even over two-time champ Kathy Griffin and my long-time love Bear Grylls.

I wonder if Jon and Kate's recent buzz will affect their chances in this category. There's no such thing as bad press, right?

Now it's your turn. I invite you to criticize my picks or offer your own alternatives. And please, someone tell me what the difference between nonfiction and reality is!

Dream Emmy Ballot, Take 2: Drama

Once again, I've finally read the full list of Emmy submissions and come up with my selections. As you know, I've split this into three posts (Comedy selections here). Part 2 of my Official Emmy Ballot, my Drama nominees, coming up.

Best Drama:

Again, I have failed when it comes to HBO this season. So possible heavyweights Big Love and In Treatment are unfortunately outside my purview. On the other hand, almost no one watches In Treatment, even compared with relative niche shows Mad Men and Battlestar Galactica.

Perhaps more importantly, my picks won't matter because voters prefer Boston Legal, Damages, Dexter, and House. In the past, they've also favored Heroes and Grey's Anatomy--which is manifestly ridiculous--but I think those ships have sailed. I think.

1. Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
2. Breaking Bad (Season 2)
3. Friday Night Lights (Season 3)
4. Mad Men (Season 2)
5. *Rescue Me (the first half of Season 5)
6. The Shield (Season 7)

It should be noted that Rescue Me Season 5 airs across Emmy seasons, so (I believe) only the first 8 episodes are in competition this year. Which makes it difficult to compare, but I know I've been regularly impressed with this season, including unified subplots and strong monologues from Cousin Mick, Sean, Franco, Lou, Needles, and Sheila, none of whom, it should be noted, are stage-hog Tommy Gavin.

We also have two final seasons (up against a third in Boston Legal). Apropos of nothing, the final episode of The Shield beats that of Battlestar Galactica, but as whole seasons, the balance tips toward Battlestar.

Best Lead Actor in a Drama:

Second weirdest moment reading the ballots: Seeing Chace Crawford's name right next to Bryan Cranston. Yeah, totally in the same league. Relatedly, props to Penn Badgley and Blake Lively for keeping their names out of the running. Also, Rob Lowe is in the Lead category. Someone thinks an awful lot of himself. Apparently, he always runs as a lead, regardless of his role. Which makes me hate him (and his frustratingly uninteresting performance on Brothers and Sisters) even more.

Once again, Bill Paxton and Gabriel Byrne are the biggest oversights of this category for me. I'm hoping to get to In Treatment at some point this summer. But my initial Emmy lineup returns with one addition:

1. Kyle Chandler - Friday Night Lights (Season 3)
2. Michael Chiklis - The Shield (Season 7)
3. Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad (Season 2)
4. Jon Hamm - Mad Men (Season 2)
5. *Denis Leary - Rescue Me (Season 5a)
6. Edward James Olmos - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)

Any questions?

Best Lead Actress in a Drama:

As you know, I only have three nominees. But fear not, because Emmy voters won't care. They'd much rather stick with their old favorites Patricia Arquette, Mariska Hargitay, Sally Field, and Glenn Close.

1. January Jones - Mad Men (Season 2)
2. Mary McDonnell - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
3. Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men (Season 2)

Apparently Nicki Micheaux is in the running for her work on some show called Lincoln Heights. I don't know anything about it, but she was incredible on The Shield, so I support her inclusion.

More importantly, there's no way McDonnell, at worst the second-best lead drama actress of the year, is going to make the cut. Because we have more important people to nominate, like Holly Hunter and Calista Flockhart. I just know this is going to be the category I most despise when the final ballots are released.

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama:

Weirdest moment reading the Emmys: Seeing Max von Sydow as a supporting actor on The Tudors. Who knew? Note to Max: Just because Bergman died doesn't mean you have to stop making good films.

Here's a nice category. I have several honorable mentions: Jay Karnes, for his final season on The Shield, stuck with the incompetent Billings, bolstering Claudette, and facing one last serial killer. Adam Ferrara, who failed to register much last year on Rescue Me, but who has impressed in Season 5, constantly betraying the weight on his shoulders. Also: Daniel Sunjata and John Scurti, both terrific this season. Vincent Kartheiser, growing into something resembling a man this year on Mad Men. Dean Norris, demonstrating his range on Breaking Bad. Finally, Henry Ian Cusick, Jeremy Davies, and Michael Emerson, who were barely given anything to do on Lost and still managed to be the best parts (Terry O'Quinn is not in the running, because the former Best Supporting Actor is classy like that).

1. James Callis - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
2. Walton Goggins - The Shield (Season 7)
3. Michael Hogan - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
4. *Steven Pasquale - Rescue Me (Season 5a)
5. Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad (Season 2)
6. John Slattery - Mad Men (Season 2)

Most of the Rescue Me ensemble have been better than ever this year, but Pasquale has impressed me most, from his naturally not-all-there comedy moments to his pent-up frustration outbursts. And the rest of this list is the same as before.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama:

Not that I want 90210 to steal any nominations, but if it must have one, I wouldn't mind seeing Jessica Walter make the cut here. That said, here's my actual list:

1. *Connie Britton - Friday Night Lights (Season 3)
2. Anna Gunn - Breaking Bad (Season 2)
3. Christina Hendricks - Mad Men (Season 2)
4. CCH Pounder - The Shield (Season 7)
5. Katee Sackhoff - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
6. *Callie Thorne - Rescue Me (Season 5a)

Because Melinda McGraw entered the Guest race, I had an extra slot to fill here, which fits nicely since I had to move Connie Britton from Lead to Supporting in accordance with her wishes.

Best Guest Actor in a Drama:

Once again, the guest categories are allowed up to 10 slots. I tried to keep my list within reason, but I still went up to 8.

1. Robert John Burke - Rescue Me (Season 5a)
2. John de Lancie - Breaking Bad ("Over," "Phoenix," "ABQ")
3. Michael J. Fox - Rescue Me ("Baptism," "French," "Sheila," "Perspective")
4. Richard Hatch - Battlestar Galactica ("A Disquiet Follows My Soul," "The Oath," "Blood on the Scales")
5. Jay Karnes - House ("The Social Contract")
6. Mark Moses - Mad Men (Season 2)
7. Joel Murray - Mad Men (Season 2)
8. Bob Odenkirk - Breaking Bad ("Better Call Saul," "4 Days Out," "Mandala," "Phoenix")

Here's another confusing category case: According to IMDb (which my memory cannot refute) Mark Moses was in every episode this season on Mad Men. Yet he's a guest? Well, wherever he wants to enter, I'll vote for him.

As House patients go, Mos Def and Meat Loaf got big publicity, but Karnes is the one who managed a great performance on a subpar procedural. He has no chance of being nominated against those two, much less the rest of the candidates, but at least I can honor his work in some small way here.

Best Guest Actress in a Drama:

I can use up to ten slots here, but I'm only going to use four. Wish more were worthy.

1. Anne Dudek - House ("Saviors," "House Divided," "Under My Skin," "Both Sides Now")
2. Melinda McGraw - Mad Men ("The Benefactor," "Three Sundays," "The New Girl," "Maidenform," "The Gold Violin")
3. Krysten Ritter - Breaking Bad (Season 2)
4. Kate Vernon - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)

In a perfect world, this would come down to McGraw, Ritter, and Vernon. I wonder if any of them will be nominated.

Best Directing in a Drama:

This is a tough category simply because it's difficult to pick a favorite piece of direction on shows that are consistently well-directed. Further, Emmy only allows five slots here. It helps that most shows only submitted a few episodes, but still. This is what I've come up with so far:

1. Leslie Linka Glatter - "A Night to Remember" - Mad Men
2. Clark Johnson - "Family Meeting" - The Shield
3. Terry McDonough - "Bit by a Dead Bee" - Breaking Bad
4. Edward James Olmos - "Islanded in a Stream of Stars" - Battlestar Galactica
5. Matthew Weiner - "Meditations in an Emergency" - Mad Men

It's safe to say that these are my favorite-directed shows on television, and I'd be happy to find any episodes in these series nominated here. Picking the best-directed Breaking Bad or Mad Men is no easy task.

It's also interesting to see which episodes were left off the list. Rescue Me only offered one, perhaps in order not to split its own votes, but chose one of my least favorites. Yes, "Iceman" is quite a theatrical, "dramatic" piece, but it's so self-consciously big as to be distracting, like most of last season. I'd have much preferred the (barely) lower key "Sheila," which culminates in quite the long shot, especially by television standards.

Battlestar Galactica only submitted two episodes, my selection and "Daybreak, Part 2." Not like they'd be nominated anyway, but I found "Someone to Watch Over Me," "The Oath," and especially "Sometimes a Great Notion" phenomenal pieces of television direction. You just don't see shots like those on any old series.

Oh, well.

Best Writing in a Drama:

Again, only five slots, so I had to pick among many favorites.

1. Jane Espenson - "The Hub" - Battlestar Galactica
2. Andre Jacquemetton, Marie Jacquemetton & Matthew Weiner - "Six Month Leave" - Mad Men
3. Shawn Ryan - "Family Meeting" - The Shield
4. Robin Veith & Matthew Weiner - "A Night to Remember" - Mad Men
5. Matthew Weiner & Kater Gordon - "Meditations in an Emergency" - Mad Men

As you can see, Mad Men scored three of the very limited slots, because I find Mad Men to be exceptionally well-written. I only wish "The Gold Violin" were in the running as well.

It's a shame not to find room for any Breaking Bad episodes, but I wouldn't mind seeing them score actual nominations here. Especially since Battlestar's in the running in name only.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of my Emmy Ballot.

Dream Emmy Ballot, Take 2: Comedy

Last week I posted my Emmy wish list, which constituted a fantasy ballot conforming to few official Emmy rules. But since we have the actual ballots at our disposal, I thought I'd pore over them to glean a more feasible lineup of nominations, especially since Emmy now allows six slots in most of the acting categories.

As usual, this project quickly spun out of control, so I'll divide my reactions among three posts, one for comedy, one for drama, and one for the rest. First up, Comedy.

Best Comedy:

Even though Emmy voters are allowed to choose up to 10 nominees for this category, I'm sticking with my condensed 5 so as not to devalue how much I enjoyed them. Were I to round out the category, it would include Flight of the Conchords, The Office, Party Down, Pushing Daisies, and United States of Tara. But I'm not. Thus:

1. Better Off Ted (Season 1)
2. How I Met Your Mother (Season 4)
3. The Middleman (Season 1)
4. Scrubs (Season 8)
5. 30 Rock (Season 3)

Best Lead Actor in a Comedy:

Once again, Kevin Connolly throws his hat into this ring for Entourage, instead of the far more suitable Supporting bracket. But when it comes to Entourage's twisted and inexplicable relationship with Emmy, it's better to just accept the reality and move on. Also of hilarious note: Bill Engvall is in the running. I didn't even know that show was still on. It should be mentioned that I mostly fail when it comes to HBO, so I'm sure Danny McBride is terrific in Eastbound and Down, but I'm unqualified to judge him.

Again, up to six slots for Lead and Supporting performance categories are now available, so here is my revised list:

1. Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock (Season 3)
2. Steve Carell - The Office (Season 5)
3. *Jemaine Clement - Flight of the Conchords (Season 2)
4. Jay Harrington - Better Off Ted (Season 1)
5. *Zachary Levi - Chuck (Season 2)
6. Adam Scott - Party Down (Season 1)

Matt Keeslar isn't in this race, sadly, so I had two new slots to fill. Hence, bumping up both Levi and Clement from honorable mentions to real, 'live nominees. You're welcome. Still, gamblers should factor in Emmy favorites Tony Shalhoub and Charlie Sheen, certain to take nominations from more deserving actors.

Best Lead Actress in a Comedy:

How cute. Miley Cyrus is up against Tina Fey. In stranger news, Judy Reyes is competing as a lead for Scrubs, which is possibly due to decreased competition here. On the other hand, it works against her when people like me come to judge her and declare her role decidedly supporting. And I love Judy Reyes.

1. Toni Collette - United States of Tara (Season 1)
2. Tina Fey - 30 Rock (Season 3)
3. Anna Friel - Pushing Daisies (Season 2)
4. *Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds (Season 4)
5. Amy Poehler - Parks & Recreation (Season 1)
6. *Yvonne Strahovski - Chuck (Season 2)

Like co-star Keeslar, Natalie Morales stayed out of the Emmy race. Wise, but unfortunate. The Middleman is one of the year's best shows, and it will almost certainly be forgotten. Still, it gave me the opportunity to bump up the best part of Chuck, Yvonne Strahovski. And while I mostly loathed Season 4 of Weeds, I suppose Mary-Louise Parker is an acceptable sixth choice for this category.

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy:

The SNL cast is back in its entirety (I think), only this year, I can't recommend any of their performances. For those counting, last year I was a strong supporter of Amy Poehler scoring the Emmy for her SNL work. Relatedly, check back with me when we get to the guest categories. The Reno 911! cast also submitted their names in Supporting, including both Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant. But my list is mostly intact:

1. Donald Faison - Scrubs (Season 8)
2. Keir Gilchrist - United States of Tara (Season 1)
3. Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother (Season 4)
4. *Chi McBride - Pushing Daisies (Season 2)
5. Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock (Season 3)
6. Nick Offerman - Parks & Recreation (Season 1)

Jason Segel didn't submit this year, either, which is understandable (not to say he's not excellent) but sad nonetheless. My sixth slot was tough to decide, but eventually I knew I had to find room for Chi McBride. And in more likely Emmy nominee news, Kevin Dillon and Jeremy Piven are back like the plague, so that's fun.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy:

Amy Ryan apparently submitted herself as a Guest Actress, while Melora Hardin entered this race. Which must mean the rules are extremely lax on which category actors can enter, because for you math wizards, Amy Ryan appeared in four more episodes of The Office than Melora Hardin this season. I haven't spoken much about Aubrey Plaza on Parks & Recreation, but this Cerie-with-attitude cracks me up. I particularly love her reaction to the reporter showing up at Leslie's office. She's not on my list, because she had almost nothing to do this year, but I hope next year is more fruitful.

1. Lizzy Caplan - Party Down (Season 1)
2. *Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies (Season 2)
3. Portia de Rossi - Better Off Ted (Season 1)
4. Jenna Fischer - The Office (Season 5)
5. Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock (Season 3)
6. *Cobie Smulders - How I Met Your Mother (Season 4)

Since I had to drop Amy Ryan, I got to include two actors instead of just one. This may be the most competitive of the Comedy categories. I'd be elated to see any of these fine performers win the gold. And I'll be especially pleased for as many of these actors to score nominations as possible. Unfortunately, they face Emmy favorites Vanessa Williams from Ugly Betty and Holland Taylor from Two and a Half Men, so I'm prepared to see a less interesting lineup come Emmy Ballot Day.

Best Guest Actor in a Comedy:

This category allows for up to 10 slots, and I tried desperately not to go that high. Still, it was tough to winnow my list down. Justin Timberlake's in the running for his guest hosting on SNL, an episode which I found far less funny than everyone else. Similarly, I thought Albert Brooks was boring, unfunny, and vile on Weeds, but apparently I'm alone there. I expect to find him nominated as well.

Meanwhile, David Arquette's adorably quirky work on Pushing Daisies is sadly out of the competition here.

1. Alan Alda - 30 Rock ("Mamma Mia," "Kidney Now!")
2. Roger Bart - 30 Rock ("Cutbacks")
3. Jon Hamm - 30 Rock ("Generalissimo," "St. Valentine's Day," "The Bubble")
4. Chris Parnell - 30 Rock ("Flu Shot," "Retreat to Move Forward," "The Funcooker," "Kidney Now!")
5. Glynn Turman - Scrubs ("My Last Words")
6. Steven Weber - Party Down ("Celebrate Rick Sargulesh")
7. Dean Winters - 30 Rock ("Apollo, Apollo")

In recent years, the Comedy Guest categories have become 30 Rock orgies, and while part of me hates to further the trend, I can't pick among them. Methinks Roger Bart is the most likely to go by the wayside, but his turn as the corporate hatchetman (the guy Liz gives "front-top and some light earwork") is one of my favorites on the list.

Best Guest Actress in a Comedy:

Mary Lynn Rajskub almost made the cut for Flight of the Conchords, but no-go. How about an honorable mention? Meanwhile, the biggest disappointment of the category: Laura Prepon failed to submit her name for her outstanding work on How I Met Your Mother this year.

1. Jennifer Aniston - 30 Rock ("The One with the Cast of Night Court")
2. Kristen Bell - Party Down ("Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception")
3. Tina Fey - SNL (Six sketches as Sarah Palin)
4. Salma Hayek - 30 Rock ("Senor Macho Solo," "Flu Shot," "Generalissimo," "St. Valentine's Day," "Larry King," "The Ones")
5. Megan Mullally - 30 Rock ("Do-Over")
6. Amy Ryan - The Office ("Weight Loss," "Business Ethics," "Baby Shower," "Crime Aid," "Employee Transfer," "Company Picnic")
7. Sherri Shepherd - 30 Rock ("Senor Macho Solo," "Kidney Now!")

Somewhat frustratingly, the Emmy ballot claims Tina Fey only participated in three sketches as Sarah Palin, which isn't true. She had six: the press conference with Hillary Clinton, the Katie Couric interview, the Biden debate, the introduction of the real Sarah Palin, the Bush photo op, and QVC with McCain. Unfortunately she's up against the phenomenal Amy Ryan. Throw in a Jennifer Aniston (am I the only one who thinks she made the most of that part?), and you've got yourself a stew goin', baby!

I have a feeling Fey's Palin is going to reap the most votes, though I believe Amy Ryan's Holly Flax is the better performance.

Best Directing in a Comedy:

Now we're down to five slots per category, and in an already tough bracket.

1. James Bobin - "The Tough Brets" - Flight of the Conchords
2. Rob Greenberg - "The Front Porch" - How I Met Your Mother
3. John Michel - "My Full Moon" - Scrubs
4. Millicent Shelton - "Apollo, Apollo" - 30 Rock
5. Gene Stupnitsky - "Michael Scott Paper Company" - The Office

"Apollo, Apollo" is certainly a well-directed episode, but it's tough to pick among the submitted 30 Rocks. I don't doubt at least one will score a nom here, and I don't really care which. On the other hand, I especially appreciated "Michael Scott Paper Company" as a piece of direction, from the new intro to the final scene where Pam makes a sale.

Best Writing in a Comedy:

1. Jack Burditt & Robert Carlock - "Kidney Now!" - 30 Rock
2. Robert Carlock - "Apollo, Apollo" - 30 Rock
3. Michael Glouberman - "Racial Sensitivity" - Better Off Ted
4. Javier Grillo-Marxuach - "The Pilot Episode Sanction" - The Middleman
5. Greg Malins - "The Three Days Rule" - How I Met Your Mother

I think "Win Some, Dose Some" is the best-written episode of Better Off Ted, but it wasn't submitted. Still, "Racial Sensitivity" isn't a bad replacement. "Veridian Dynamics: Diversity. Just the thought of it makes these white people smile."

And for all the flack "Kidney Now!" has taken for not being a gigantic event episode, it's got a tremendous wealth of quips that make Mary J. Blige and Cyndi Lauper look hilarious. Fruit-blindness!

Stay tuned for Part 2 on my Drama nominees, and Part 3 for some other thoughts.

Grand Tour III: Prague

As previously stated, Prague is basically heaven. It's medieval and majestic and relatively low-rent. The language is delightfully weird and the money is crowns. And there's something around every corner.

In keeping with the elliptical nature of the vacation timeline on this blog, I'll avoid writing a chronological recap. Instead, Prague anecdotes as I recall them:

On the first evening, during which we did almost nothing but walk through a market, get dinner, and return, I spotted some Asian man taking pictures of the ground. Obviously I pushed him out of my way and kept walking. But later I returned, and copied his exact picture.

As you already know, I spent part of one day seeking locations from Jan Nemec's Diamonds of the Night. You also know I visited the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Charles Bridge, wearing a yarmulke on at least one occasion. What you don't know is that I now expect a bar mitzvah and accompanying presents. So, get on that, friends. Thanks, you're a doll.

We spent five days in Prague, one of which was a day-trip to neighboring Karlstejn, home of the glorious, romanesque Karlstejn castle. Which, as you know, because you hang on my every word, is the home of the crown jewels of both Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. What I left out was that only the Bohemian crown is the original. They also had a replica of the HRE crown, but the real one is located in Vienna at the Hofburg Palace. Having visited Prague, Bratislava, Budapest, and Vienna, it's cute to watch the cities fight over historical celebrity.

We also took a half-day to visit Nizbor, a glass-making town near Prague. It was interesting to an extent, but not as fun as exploring gothic churches and seedy alleys. Then again, I don't foot the bill, and the womenfolk delighted in buying cheap Nizbor crystal. Also of note: this picture has nothing to do with Nizbor, but is of the arresting Church of Our Lady before Tyn in Prague.

The best Czech goulash I had was at Karlstejn, which also featured some Mayday-like festival on the last day of May, with a Maypole and adorable Czech youths dressed in traditional costume dancing in a parade.

I heard the song "Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics exactly five times while in Europe. I thought, culturally, they'd at least be in the '90s by now. Unrelatedly, here are the hoodlums I traveled with entering Prague's subway.

I have now seen three operas in my life, two in languages foreign to the countries in which I saw them, and none in English. Okay, I had subtitles for one (Ingmar Bergman's The Magic Flute), but the other two forced me to depend on my heightened other senses. It was actually my dad's idea to see Mozart's Don Giovanni, an ultrahyped show that has won some kind of awards. As you can see, it was a marionette opera, and it rocked my socks off. I couldn't believe how alive the puppets felt while they were being handled, and then how dead they felt when they were hung up at the end. Also, the interludes with the Mozart marionette were hilarious, but more so because they really tickled some little kid whose giggles, in turn, really tickled the rest of the audience.

As it was unexpectedly cold during our stay in Europe, I eventually needed another pair of blue jeans. So I am now the proud, fashionable owner of a pair of Swedish blue jeans that I bought in Prague. No big.

Trivia: Prague is the only city in which a substantial architectural movement emerged from cubism. I'm not sure if that's true (though my guidebook says so), but I loved the cubist buildings we saw. Since you had to be there, instead here's a picture of St. Vitus' Cathedral, which is spectacular. And massive. Unfortunately, this is as zoomed-out as I could get given the constraints of my camera and Prague Castle.

I call this picture "Kafka Nights," only, in German. God, I'm artsy. As you may know, I read Kafka's three novels and his novella The Metamorphosis in the past year, so I was ecstatic that we got to visit the Kafka Museum. Other than the Berlin Film Museum, the Kafka Museum was the most interestingly presented museum we visited, with hallways of file cabinets, a stairway down into hell, and a transparent, spiral walkway into the room detailing his doomed romances.

And because we spent the most time in Prague, I have a few more pictures to share:

Emmy Nominees: Entertainment Weekly

I began this blog just over a year ago with my less-than-thrilled reactions to the dream Emmy ballots that came from TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Now TV Guide's Michael Ausiello writes for EW, so I have but one slate to review. In short: great minds think alike, but a great mind and a good mind are only mostly in sync.

You can find Ausiello's picks here, helpfully sorted by category. My turn.

Best Drama:

Big Love
Breaking Bad
Friday Night Lights
Mad Men
Rescue Me
The Shield

Since posting my own list (which will be updated in short order), I have caught up on Season 5 of Rescue Me. I definitely support its inclusion here on a six-candidate list (which the Emmys now allow). Further kudos to Ausiello for withstanding the Lostmania that blinds many pop TV writers. It's good, but it ain't that good. However, no room for Battlestar Galactica? Other than Mad Men, it was the most thoughtful, artful show on television last year, and don't get me started on that cast. But that's my only quibble. And at least he didn't pick House. Or Dexter. Both of which I fully expect to find on the actual Emmy ballots, released July 16.

Best Lead Actor in a Drama:

Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
Kyle Chandler - Friday Night Lights
Michael Chiklis - The Shield
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Hugh Laurie - House
Denis Leary - Rescue Me

At the risk of repeating myself, Rescue Me and Denis Leary's performance therein are much improved this year, and it's not especially horrendous that Ausiello snubbed Edward James Olmos so he could include Leary. But my other pick is a notable snub. He couldn't find room for Jon Hamm! And for what? Hugh Laurie? Sure, he's the best part of his own show (which is really the least he could do), but there's no comparison between the performances. Ausiello, I'm assigning you homework: Go watch any episode of House Season 5, and follow it up with any episode of Mad Men Season 2. Then rethink your Emmy roster.

Best Lead Actress in a Drama:

Glenn Close - Damages
January Jones - Mad Men
Regina King - Southland
Evangeline Lilly - Lost
Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
Jeanne Tripplehorn - Big Love

I'm elated to see both Jones and Moss make the cut. I hope Emmy voters agree. Again, only one major snub, but it's a doozie: Mary McDonnell. I'm picking up a pattern here. I guess someone wasn't thrilled with how Battlestar ended. Nevertheless, McDonnell regularly surprised and riveted in her final season as Laura Roslin, and I can't imagine actually thinking Evangeline Lilly gave the better performance. To paraphrase our fearless leader, "I'm coming for you!"

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama:

Walton Goggins - The Shield
Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad
John Noble - Fringe
Jeremy Davies - Lost
Ryan Kwanten - True Blood
Jon Voigt - 24

I'm not sure if Ausiello believes these are the best of the lot, or if he's trying to branch out and include a wider array of shows like Fringe or True Blood that he'd have trouble working into the higher categories (imagine: Anna Paquin for Best Actress in a Drama!). Regardless, I am apathetic toward most of his choices, but at least they're fresh to the Emmys.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama:

Connie Britton - Friday Night Lights
Ginnifer Goodwin - Big Love
Katherine Heigl - Grey's Anatomy
Christina Hendricks - Mad Men
Allison Pill - In Treatment
CCH Pounder - The Shield
Chloe Sevigny - Big Love

I've heard nothing but great things about the wives of Big Love, so I'm fine with the inclusion of all three actresses, especially since Ausiello widened this category to 7 slots. Otherwise, I have the usual complaint--no Battlestar?--but it's not a huge deal. Besides, we all need to unite behind Christina Hendricks. One more thing: I hope Emmy voters take notice of CCH Pounder. She was fantastic in the final season of The Shield.

Best Comedy:

30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
Chuck
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Pushing Daisies

It'd be nice to see CBS comedies not named Two and a Half Men make the cut, but that's a fantasy. Outside of Emmy heavyweights 30 Rock and The Office, I wonder if any of these fine shows has a shot (not that my own choices do).

Best Lead Actress in a Comedy:

Christina Applegate - Samantha Who?
Kaley Cuoco - The Big Bang Theory
America Ferrera - Ugly Betty
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
JoAnna Garcia - Privileged
Eva Longoria Parker - Desperate Housewives

Can we please go one season without the Housewives ruining our fun? My biggest complaint here is the Toni Collette snub, but it's understandable given the substantial drama factor in United States of Tara. I'd like to think Tina Fey has this in the bag--who doesn't love Tina Fey?--but Emmy voters have been surprising in recent years, and 30 Rock has suffered something of a backlash this season.

Best Lead Actor in a Comedy:

Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Kyle Bornheimer - Worst Week
Steve Carell - The Office
Zachary Levi - Chuck
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
James Roday - Psych

Again, is Ausiello using low-competition categories to expand his list of nominated series? I'm looking at you, Worst Week and Psych. The least he could do is look to quality television, like The Middleman or Party Down or Flight of the Conchords. Oh well. It's not the worst Emmy lineup I've seen, and I'm certain I'll prefer this to whatever dreck the Emmy voters nominate.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy:

Andrea Anders - Better Off Ted
Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
Jennifer Esposito - Samantha Who?
Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock
Cobie Smulders - How I Met Your Mother
Vanessa Williams - Ugly Betty

Wow, this is the third or fourth time I've seen Cobie Smulders floated for actual awards consideration this year. I'm sure critics were just trying to keep up with my trend-setting list of the best performances of the decade. Based on Neil Patrick Harris' Emmy history, this means Smulders will be nominated not this year but next year, and she'll lose to Jeremy Piven every time. In other news, Andrea Anders over Portia de Rossi? In what world?! This is a crowded category, so I'll cut some slack in the shape of Jenna Fischer, but I strongly suggest Ausiello reconsider.

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy:

Adam Baldwin - Chuck
Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
Chi McBride - Pushing Daisies
Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
Jason Segel - How I Met Your Mother
Michael Urie - Ugly Betty

Decent list (though if we must nominate a gay, I vote for Keir Gilchrist's Marshall over Urie's whatever). Another trend I'm going to take credit for: the change in stock from Jack McBrayer to Tracy Morgan as the go-to supporting male on 30 Rock. (Insider trading: I'm starting to LOVE Scott Adsit's Pete. Check back in a year.)

Like I said, I'll be back with my updated Emmy selections shortly, but in the mean time, let me know who you're rooting for to show up on those ballots on July 12.

Photoshopping Europe, Part 2

I'm going home soon, so here's the long-awaited Part 2 of my Grand Tour.

Here I am from the top of the tower in St. Stephen's Basilica, lording over my peons in Budapest.

Me and my comb-over from the Royal Palace, overlooking the Chain Bridge and St. Stephen's Basilica.

Me with the best angle of Vajdahunyad Castle I could get. Trust me--you're not missing much.

This is the statue of Anonymus in the aforementioned castle. We were fast friends.

You've already seen a similar shot, but not with my shadowy face in it!

Ah, Vienna. This is just the Rathaus, during some sort of band festival, one of the coolest rathauses I've seen. It's no Friendswood City Hall, but what could be?

Here I am in Bratislava, in front of the former city hall (I think). Bratislava was surprisingly awesome, and not once was I nearly kidnapped or threatened with gulag imprisonment.

Some guy on a bench in Bratislava's main square. Or as I call him, Lord Nelson.

The Prater Riesenrad, also known as the site of Orson Welles' cuckoo clock speech.

You don't know how badly I wanted an Austrian hat. Yes, I look half-dead in this picture, but that chick behind me is having the time of her life.

I tried so hard to get Old Town Salzburg in the background, and this is as good as I got. At least you can see a few churches and the castle.

Me with the Alps, on my third visit to Salzburg--no big.

You may recognize this as the "Do, Re, Mi" dance site from The Sound of Music.

Some graffiti on the abbey (of Sister Maria's nunnery, no less), but I let it slide for being awesome.

Weeds: "Wonderful Wonderful"

Weeds is back, so here's a non-spoilery look at the Season 5 premiere, reachingly titled "Wonderful Wonderful."

Unfortunately, Weeds seems to have permanently abandoned its satirical roots. It was and continues to be a surface sequel with the same characters and stories. But, in the grand tradition of last year's reviled Season 4, it's even shallower than it was when it started, and not funny enough to cover.

Don't get me wrong: the premiere is funnier than most episodes in Season 4. But I miss the bite.

As you might expect, the credit sequence is officially that Season 4 title-card-with-diegetic-music thing. Which is disappointing, but then, no satire, so what's the point of keeping "Little Boxes?"

And at least for the time being, the characters remain stranded in separate storylines, one of my biggest complaints from last year, though that looks to be changing shortly.

So why keep watching Weeds?

Mary-Louise Parker truly is that good. I'm no apologist--and writing missteps have forced her into some binds in the past--but this episode has her back at the top of her game. Also, Justin Kirk has never been better, and I've been a huge fan of his work on this show. If they were really looking to shake things up two years ago, they should have just stuck Parker, Kirk, and Elizabeth Perkins in a room and gone from there.

Which is to say the rest of the cast--well, I could take 'em or leave 'em. It's not that they're bad, but more that they're not always engaging enough to overcome certain story and character limitations (unlike Parker, Perkins, and Kirk). Kevin Nealon's usually hilarious and Hunter Parrish ain't bad to look at, but is it worth sitting through another "wacky" subplot that has no bearing on anything? Alexander Gould is apparently going through some serious puberty, as illustrated by his tinny voice. Andy Milder, Allie Grant, and Maulik Pancholy scored some great laughs, so there's hope, but I'd prefer something resembling a unified plot.

Is it valid to quibble with the show's treatment of Nancy as a mother? Or: she's obviously a horrible mother, so is it okay for me to grow weary of watching her parenting? Early in the series, Nancy's addiction to danger threatened the well-being of her children, but she always seemed to care for them first, or at most second. Nowadays, how she thinks of herself as a mother--"I'm doing this for my kids, even though I never see them or involve myself in their lives"--and the reality--When was the last time Nancy and one of her children shared a subplot?--are so divergent as to threaten one of the series premises. Or maybe that's the point. After all, Walter White is utterly engrossing.

Finally, though it often goes unnoticed, or at least unpraised, I quite admired the direction of Scott Ellis, who sure knows how to pull off a stationary shot.

Like I said, "Wonderful Wonderful" features some major funny, at least one in-your-face moment of social drama that may elicit squeamishness, and a couple of excellent performances. Oh, and there's a musical number, and it's fun but not what I expected. When asked why it's occurring, a character says, "Because it's cool." I wonder if that's the rationale the writers used.

It's enough to keep me going--and Jennifer Jason Leigh guests next week (er, tomorrow)--but I'm not sure Weeds will ever return to its heights, modest though they were in the grand scheme of television.

Emmys 2009: My Wish List

Emmy ballots were just released, which means it's time to put Euromania on hold and discuss what I do the other 49 weeks of the year. Which is watch great television. As per uzhe, my personal television awards will be revealed in short order, but for now, let's stick with gender-segregated Emmy nominee slates. My picks after the jump.

Sticking to the limitations of five per category but NOT the limitations of who didn't submit themselves for Emmy consideration (Jason Segel, Terry O'Quinn, etc.), the actors and shows I'll be rooting for to get that coveted Emmy nomination (in alphabetical order) anon:

COMEDY:

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy:

1. Donald Faison - Scrubs (Season 8)
2. Keir Gilchrist - United States of Tara (Season 1)
3. Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother (Season 4)
4. Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock (Season 3)
5. Nick Offerman - Parks and Recreation (Season 1)

If only I could lump Aziz Ansari's performances in Scrubs and Parks and Recreation into one, he'd likely make the cut. But as it is, he just wasn't used enough in either series. There's always next year. Surprisingly, none of the Party Down guys impressed me quite enough to score consideration, but the show as a whole is that good. Go figure. I surprised myself by including Gilchrist, but what can I say? The kid stole the show, and John Krasinski wasn't Season 2 good (thanks, largely, to the writers). In fact, my runners up include Rhys Darby from Flight of the Conchords, Chi McBride from Pushing Daisies, and Jonathan Slavin/Malcolm Barrett from Better Off Ted (but how do you separate Phil and Lem?). Oh, and as always, Jack McBrayer, who may actually force his way onto a later version of this list. I never rule out 30 Rock nominations.

But as is, I'm pleased with my slate, especially with the breadth included. Donald Faison is underrated on Scrubs but demonstrated why he's become the best part (with the possible exception of Sarah Chalke) this season, particularly in the episode he spends up all night with Elliot overseeing the interns. It goes without saying that Neil Patrick Harris is excellent, but his pining after Robin and "The Stinsons" gave him especially fun showcases. Once again, Gilchrist ups the ante for all future performers playing gay teenagers, and Nick Offerman never failed to score a laugh in what few scenes he was given on Parks and Recreation. And at the top sits Tracy Morgan, always hysterical but this year doubly so, whether dressing up as a white woman with a monster claw, buying solid gold shoes, or trying to keep up with investment bankers turned interns' hard-partying ways. Every sitcom has the wacky character who can do anything because no rules of realism apply to them (Barney Stinson, Kramer, etc.), but the great thing about Tracy Jordan is that he is allowed to absolutely contradict his own history (as in the "when have I ever cried?" montage or his "okay, but I'm allergic to horses") and still feel real to his universe.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy:

1. Lizzy Caplan - Party Down (Season 1)
2. Portia de Rossi - Better Off Ted (Season 1)
3. Jenna Fischer - The Office (Season 5)
4. Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock (Season 3)
5. Amy Ryan - The Office (Season 5)

Traditionally a filler category, I had my work cut out for me this year, this being the category that has changed the most since I began (and the one most likely to change before my own television awards debut). Eliza Coupe almost singlehandedly breathed funny back into Scrubs, and Kristin Chenoweth stole Pushing Daisies from her costars so much that I was rooting for a Ned-Olive romance, however unlikely. Then there's the infinitely believable Rosemarie DeWitt, who will hopefully get more to do next year on United States of Tara. Despite all these, the hardest omission was Cobie Smulders from How I Met Your Mother. Last, there's the overshadowed Mary-Pat Gleason from The Middleman. (Is now a good time to mention that Laura Prepon needs a Guest Actress in a Comedy nomination for her perfection on How I Met Your Mother?)

Though she appeared in only a handful of episodes this year on The Office, Amy Ryan's Holly Flax arrived a fully-realized creation, and every moment she was onscreen sizzled. Unlike Michael Scott (usually), Holly can be goofy and weird and still betray how much is going on underneath, culminating in her extraordinary return in "Company Picnic." Meanwhile Jenna Fischer has, as I've said, practically become co-lead, and she's demonstrated she deserves the focus. I'm thrilled to include Lizzy Caplan from Party Down, probably my favorite performance on the series, and as you know, Portia de Rossi is hilarious on Better Off Ted. It's tough to pick a winner, and it almost seems blasphemous given the limited nature of the role, but I'm leaning toward Amy Ryan. We'll see.

Best Lead Actor in a Comedy:

1. Alec Baldwin - 3o Rock (Season 3)
2. Steve Carell - The Office (Season 5)
3. Jay Harrington - Better Off Ted (Season 1)
4. Matt Keeslar - The Middleman (Season 1)
5. Adam Scott - Party Down (Season 1)

I suppose Harrington is the surprise pick, but I really enjoy his wry charm. Sorry to Zach Braff, Josh Radnor, Lee Pace, and Flight of the Conchords (the band). But my first runner up is Zachary Levi, the lead of terrific entertainment Chuck. Another surprise? For the first time since his series began, I'm not sure Alec Baldwin gave the best lead male comedy performance. He probably did, of course; I'm just not sure yet. For now, his main competition comes from Adam Scott and Steve Carell, though I wouldn't count out Matt Keeslar just yet either.

Best Lead Actress in a Comedy:

1. Toni Collette - United States of Tara (Season 1)
2. Tina Fey - 30 Rock (Season 3)
3. Anna Friel - Pushing Daisies (Season 2)
4. Natalie Morales - The Middleman (Season 1)
5. Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation (Season 1)

Obviously Tina Fey deserves the win, if only for her Bijou commercial. Or her dance to get the flu shot from Dr. Spaceman. Or her dance to save Jack humiliation at the Six Sigma retreat. Or her "not on my watch, biatch" dealbreaker segments. Or "there's gonna be a Mamma Mia!" Or her jury costume, or her Oprah scenes, or her reaction to comanapricil. Yeah, it's safe to say I'm obsessed. And much as I feel strange about comedy performance awards going to such dramatic performances as Nancy Botwin on Weeds or Tara on United States of Tara, Toni Collette is easily my runner up. Still, bitch better keep her paws off Tina Fey's (next) Emmy.

Best Comedy:

1. 30 Rock (Season 3)
2. Better Off Ted (Season 1)
3. How I Met Your Mother (Season 4)
4. The Middleman (Season 1)
5. Scrubs (Season 8)

This is probably contentious, but cut me a little slack: we had something like 13 enjoyable comedy seasons on the air this year. With such a glut, I picked on instinct; which shows gave me the best time? I could easily make room for Pushing Daisies, Party Down, United States of Tara, Flight of the Conchords, or, despite a recent post, The Office. Since I know you're curious, I'd put pay-cable's Party Down and Tara on the list next, followed by The Office, Daisies, and Conchords (which is saying something, given the hilarity of the possibly-gone-forever HBO sitcom). Just be glad (since I'm apparently the only fan) I didn't nominate Sit Down, Shut Up.

So in the end, these are the five shows that gave me the most pleasure. It's obvious to anyone who lives within 7 billion blocks of me that 30 Rock is my pick for the best comedy of the year (despite this season including my least favorite episode of the entire series, "The Natural Order"). But these other four series were also outstanding, from just seven episodes of the new Better Off Ted to its companion, the renovated, reinvigorated Scrubs. Of my picks, the longer-running series (How I Met Your Mother and Scrubs) are the ones with the most missteps this year. But overall, I was still moved to laugh, think, or feel more by these two than, say, The Office or Party Down.

DRAMA:

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama:

1. James Callis - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
2. Walton Goggins - The Shield (Season 7)
3. Michael Hogan - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
4. Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad (Season 2)
5. John Slattery - Mad Men (Season 2)

If only they had a Super-Supporting category for bit parts like John de Lancie in Breaking Bad, who riveted in every scene. He exceeded all my expectations especially with the heavy focus on his character in the finale. I can't believe De Lancie is only known for being on Star Trek. In the exact same category is Bob Odenkirk who was also given barely more than a few scenes throughout the season and shined. But enough about not-quite-a-guest-not-yet-a-supporting-actor performers.

Of the Dollhouse men, Enver Gjokaj is the surprising best (body-wise), but he just doesn't make the cut here. Ditto Henry Ian Cusick and Jeremy Davies, whom the Lost writers decided to ship off for episodes at a time despite them being the most interesting characters on the series. And as much as I'd love to fill every category with slots for Mad Men, Bryan Batt and Mark Moses were the two most painful cuts. Still, you can't beat Slattery's droll Roger. Among my favorite scenes of his is his first scene with Joan in the season premiere. Who should win? Jesus, probably Goggins. But I may secretly prefer Callis, who took Baltar to yet more surprising places in his final episode and looked good doing it. Of course, I'm rooting for any of these guys to win. Just keep the Emmy from going to a merely acceptable series like Damages.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama:

1. Anna Gunn - Breaking Bad (Season 2)
2. Christina Hendricks - Mad Men (Season 2)
3. Melinda McGraw - Mad Men (Season 2)
4. CCH Pounder - The Shield (Season 7)
5. Katee Sackhoff - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)

Tricia Helfer and Kate Vernon almost made the cut, but I feel they weren't given quite enough to do this season (same with the thisclose Krysten Ritter from Breaking Bad). I still really wish Battlestar had devoted an episode to what it would be like to be the immortal woman. And if we wanted to spread the love around, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Dichen Lachman from Dollhouse get some love (Olivia Williams either, for that matter). On to the five I did pick: Anna Gunn is one of the performers on Breaking Bad who improved since Season 1 to become an actual draw for the show, rather than just filler for the time Bryan Cranston can't be onscreen. Once again, however, Christina Hendricks delivered my favorite supporting female performance in a drama (though Melinda McGraw's Bobbie Barrett gave her a bigger run for her money than you might expect).

Best Lead Actor in a Drama:

1. Kyle Chandler - Friday Night Lights (Season 3)
2. Michael Chiklis - The Shield (Season 7)
3. Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad (Season 2)
4. Jon Hamm - Mad Men (Season 2)
5. Edward James Olmos - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)

It sounds like the only real competition outside my purview is Gabriel Byrne in In Treatment, and if he's as good as he's supposed to be, I may be tempted to bump Kyle Chandler. Of course the good but undeserving Michael C. Hall and Hugh Laurie are going to prevent at least two of my picks from making the actual Emmy slate. As for the winner, it's a tough race. Olmos' best work comes in the second half of Season 4, particularly in the mutiny two-parter and finale arc. Then I think of Chiklis in The Shield's penultimate episode (not to mention the implosive finale). Add to that the horse race between AMC (best network on television? discuss) powerhouses Jon Hamm and Bryan Cranston. I'm honestly not sure who I want to win, but I'd be thrilled to see any of them.

Best Lead Actress in a Drama:

1. Connie Britton - Friday Night Lights (Season 3)
2. January Jones - Mad Men (Season 2)
3. Mary McDonnell - Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
4. Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men (Season 2)
5.

I barely included Britton, and while I could give that fifth slot to Sally Field or Eliza Dushku, they'd just devalue the talent pool here. I suppose Big Love is my blind spot here, and Glenn Close is possibly legitimately great in Season 2 of Damages. I doubt she's this good, but Emmy's more likely to swing her way than McDonnell's. Unfortunately for the phenomenal Elisabeth Moss, January Jones owned Mad Men Season 2. I watched parts of "A Night to Remember" a few nights ago and was once again happily blown away. The problem for her comes in the form of my favorite dramatic actress of the 2000s, Mary McDonnell as Laura Roslin. I hate to be so wishy-washy, but I'm not sure which performance I prefer, the awakening housewife or the dying mother.

Best Drama:

1. Battlestar Galactica (Season 4b)
2. Breaking Bad (Season 2)
3. Friday Night Lights (Season 3)
4. Mad Men (Season 2)
5. The Shield (Season 7)

It was a little tough to pick between Friday Night Lights and Lost. I think FNL is improved this year, but it can never fully recover from its indelible missteps. Meanwhile Lost was mostly fun and exciting, just anticlimactic and obtuse as ever. You can see which won out. Meanwhile, the other four are shining examples of television excellence. Mad Men is almost certainly my favorite (I need to work in some rewatching), but I would happily support any of Battlestar, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, or The Shield ascending to the television throne.

What about you? What are you rooting for to score Emmy nominations?

Vienna in a nutshell

Vienna isn't quite what I expected. It's a little Paris for my tastes.

In other words, I don't feel as capital-R Romantic about Vienna as I expected to after Letter from an Unknown Woman and Before Sunrise. Salzburg, on the other hand...

But before we get ahead of ourselves, guess what I did today:


It's not very close to any shot from The Third Man, but you get the idea.

Grand Tour II: Berlin

As previously stated, my heart is in Berlin. Nobody seems to care, but I feel Berlin is overlooked as a European City of Splendor. I blame the French. But any city where bratwurst stands outnumber public restrooms is a winner in my book. Magnificent palaces and Cold War intrigue: even better. (See also: Vienna).

I'm too tired to detail my stay in Berlin. We visited all the obvious sites of the Cold War (including the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall exhibits), a bombed-out church in the heart of the upscale shopping district, Knut the polar bear at the Berlin Zoo, Alexanderplatz, home to the Fernsehenturm, and a plethora of palaces: Charlottenburg, the education in historical restoration known as Babelsburg, and my dream home of Sanssouci. And surprisingly, one of the best museums of the whole trip came in the form of the German Film Museum, where I beheld Maria from Metropolis, clips from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Orson and Marlene, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder's hardware from the festival circuit!

Now if you ever want a guide slash half-decent translator slash live-in "companion" for your visit to Berlin, let me know. And I'm now accepting submissions for a best castles list. I already have about 15 marvelous contenders.
























Berlin. It's a good thing.

Nowalkmeister Harmonies: Goodbye, Budapest

Grand Tour I: I Amsterdam

I'm perhaps foolishly surprised by how imperialistic the English language has become. Amsterdam has a new slogan complete with a park monument in the museum district: I Amsterdam. And of course, it only makes sense in English, despite being set in the capital of the Dutch world. Maybe it's just me, but I feel a tad uncomfortable speaking close to no Dutch or Hungarian, like I'm throwing my jingoistic weight around with no regard for the places I'm visiting, but I'll be back on solid ground soon in Vienna. And it's been fun picking up the odd phrase in Magyarul (Hungarian in Hungarian).

We arrived in Amsterdam at like 8 in the morning, which was a calamity since I tried and failed to sleep on the plane--30 Rock on demand was just too enticing! Nevertheless, since we couldn't check in to our hotel that early, we set off for the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands, complete with the obvious Rembrandt, Vermeer, and the like. What sticks out most in my mind, however, is The Threatened Swan by Jan Asselijn. It's gigantic and full of energy and completely dominates the hall it's in.

Next up would have been the Van Gogh Museum, if we weren't exhausted and the line weren't so long. Instead, I went to sleep at 4 or 5 in the afternoon. Naturally I woke up in the wee hours of morning, which afforded me the opportunity to snap Amsterdam at sunrise! But alas, Amsterdam woke up overcast, so I wandered around and ran into some delightful Dutchman on his way home from the night before with a glass of beer in his hand.

The plan for that day was some tour to surrounding villages, the first of which was wooden shoe-making, windmill-heavy Zaanse Schans. We got to see a demonstration of how they make wooden shoes, and then we had about fifteen minutes to run through as many of the windmills as possible. The village was basically The Shire, so it was disappointing to be so rushed, but I was happy to arrive at the gouda cheese farm, which offered up such deliciousness as dill gouda and pesto gouda! We bought some "dynamite gouda" for our train ride the next day, and I must find more somewhere.

Then we hit up Volendam, some conservative Catholic fishing village, which was mostly quaint and charming, but with a seedy touristy waterfront. This is the town church, with a wedding taking place inside.

The requisite Dutch fishing wench monument. We sailed to Marken next, which was unremarkable only because our sole activity there was walking single-file through the town back to our buses. It was a shame, because the village looked beautiful, but I have no good pictures.

We still had time to visit the Anne Frank House, which has changed since I visited last (the museum part, not the house itself, obviously), and then we hit up Die Silveren Spiegel for a dinner of asparagus foam soup, beef, and strawberry parfait, which are apparently traditional Dutch foods.

On our way back to the hotel, we stumbled upon some celebration going on in an alley, where this man and his dog performed with a big wooden music-making box (there is probably a technical term for this, but I am too uncultured and important to find out).

Then I slept like the dickens, for we had an early train to catch for Berlin. But we're flying out of Amsterdam, so I'll be back for a couple days in a week or so.

Next up: Berlin, which, again, owns my heart. Is it me, or is Berlin a little undercelebrated as a great European city?

The Ugly American

Believe what you want, but I really didn't intend this post to be a monument to myspace-style narcissism. Still, the pictures are telling.

Unfortunately, I started taking pictures of myself at landmarks a little late, so nothing in Amsterdam. But our tour begins with a windmill in Zaanse Schans. I rapidly sunburned that day, which was fun and speaks to the current state of my relationship with the outdoors. We also visited a gouda cheese farm in Volendam and the fishing town of Marken, but again, I am a failure, so let's move on to Berlin.

Get it? The Brandon-berg Gate? It was under renovation when I was here last, so I was excited to finally see Berlin's biggest landmark. Also, I want to live here.

Checkpoint Charlie! I'll take this opportunity to announce that my German was, to my surprise, quite adequate. I danced a little in celebration after my first successful German interaction, which was with the dining car attendant on our train to Berlin.

Very serious at the Berlin Wall. I'm very thoughtful.

The Fernsehturm, or for you non-speakers, the TV tower in Alexanderplatz.

Here's the Berliner Dom, the most awesome cathedral I've seen (which isn't saying too much, but I have been to most of the West/Central European capitals). Challengers?

I hate this picture mostly, because I look at least a third retarded and the palace behind me is both way too close and hidden behind renovation scaffolding. But: Sanssouci is by far my favorite palace I've seen in Europe (again, not saying too much, but you get the idea). I'm pretty sure when I live in Berlin, it will be on the Sanssouci grounds.

The wittiest conversationalist in all Europe.

Prague! My newest love! Here we are at the infamous Charles Bridge. And please note the cold. Amsterdam was warm, Berlin was nice, Prague was cold and rainy. Not that the weather could possibly detract from the city's glory.

Karlstejn Castle! Well, the Great Tower anyway. It's the holder of the crown jewels of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. No big.

At last I realized my great dream of feigning Jewyness with a mandatory yarmulke at the Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague. Gravestones everywhere! And not to fuel stereotypes or anything, but the admission costs are a total gyp.

From the top of the Old Town Hall (featuring the more important Astronomical Clock), here I am with the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, one of the most arresting buildings in Prague.

The Charles Bridge again, but at night this time and with a timer on my camera.

And today, I stood in front of Hungarian Parliament in Budapest. The city is a lot less clean than Prague and Berlin, but has as many beautiful ancient buildings sprinkled throughout the post-soviet urban decay.

I missed several of my favorite landmarks, including St. Vitus' Cathedral in Prague, but this gives you an idea of where I've been for the past week and a half. And thanks to free wireless in my hotel in Budapest, I'll finally get to the aforepromised posts of actual pictures and descriptions of what I've been up to. I just wanted to get these out of the way first.

Next up: Greater Amsterdam

Scene-Stealing

On the hunt for locations from my favorite Czech film. Why, what did you do today?

You don't know how badly I want to take this picture again at the appropriate expressionistic angle. At the time, I thought it was a longshot that this was the same place as in the film, so I just took a quick snap.

This one I planned but didn't get wide enough. And unfortunately, the plaza has been street-ified and the metro doesn't run through. Still.

Back in a bit.

P.S. Find a way to watch Diamonds of the Night. Thank me later.