We started our pre-Season 6 review of Season 5 of Mad Men this evening. I firmly believe you kind of have to watch every season of this show twice, not just to get the quick, throw away lines you might have missed, but it's a show that writes in a literary mode. Once you know the score, it's amazing to see the foreshadowing and symbols. I've seen some critics complain that, basically, the show does this on TV and they feel it can be clunky, and, sometimes, yeah. But for the occasional open elevator shaft, there's a throw-away line about "not being around by Christmas" that plays out with grim irony nobody but the writing staff could have anticipated.
As much as I live a good show like The Americans and the challenges of the show, they're all there on the surface. It's a gripping drama that challenges the American hero perspective of the 1980's (or today), but that's the function of the show. It weaves in home and life to characters we've only ever seen as drone-like killing machines or bed-mates for James Bond. Again, I really like The Americans, but Mad Men is trying in a completely different way and isn't in danger of becoming a one-hit wonder.
Also, I watched this evening's episode of The New Girl. I long ago moved on from just watching it for the Deschanel-ness and genuinely like what I suspect is about 50% made up on the spot from an outline.
In the next 10 days I need to finish the 10th Anniversary post for my blogging.
10 years, man. 10. That's a lot of navel gazing. And sometimes I feel bad that I only have 200+ posts on Superman on this blog, and then I think: well, man, that's like 200 posts you did about Superman on this site alone. That's actually a lot of thinking and writing about Superman that nobody paid you to do. You're no Steve Younis, but that's nothing to shake a stick at. Also, go out and get some sun or something. All this sitting can't be good for you.
Anyway, if you have anything to contribute to the 10 year anniversay-palooza, we welcome you to send in your post-cards and comments. You can do so via email at the contact link that is in the menu bar running horizontally at the top of the page. We'll reprint whatever you want to send in.
One thing I learned from visiting with people I hadn't seen much or at all in 20 years last weekend is that their memories of you and (what was to them) specific, very important moments can be something you don't really recall yourself until they bring it up. I was just glad that the two things I had dropped on me were both really pretty positive. But then modern-me looked like a jack-ass for not immediately remembering either event.*
So, yeah, I don't know what you people think of when you think of The League of Melbotis franchise of social media. But if you want to help me out on this, it'd be appreciated.
*apparently I defended a young woman's honor in the cafeteria and was someone else's first kiss (as a stage kiss. I had no idea.).
Film. Comics. Sci-Fi. Superheroes. Pulp. Noir. History. Superman. 20th Century Archaeology.
I can’t remember when I first started reading your blog. I would guess some time in 2010. I read the first few articles because I thought the ‘Signal Watch’ title was clever, and also because I like Krypto (and all he represents, ie the slightly goofier/more colorful/more fun/Silver Agey side of Superman).
ReplyDeleteI kept reading because your interests and reactions often echoed my own, or if not were at least presented in an entertaining and informative fashion. The past couple of years, you’ve peppered in a few references to some of my other geek interests (Disney ducks, pulp heroes, classic sci-fi).
And then there was the somewhat cathartic experience of witnessing your slow meltdown in reaction to The New 52. Kind of heartbreaking, but also entertaining and familiar.
Also, I continue to marvel at your ability to find the time to produce so much content. But I’m glad you do.
I encourage anyone who reads this blog regularly to submit at least a short email through his contacts link letting The League know what they think of this blog. Ten years is a long time to be working on ANYTHING, let alone a task as thankless as blogging can sometimes be!
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