I had such a good time writing about the best television shows of the aughts that I decided, with my vast reservoir of trivial knowledge and pop culture references overflowing, to do yet another "best of" list for you, my faithful reader, and this time we're going to the movies.
The aughts have definitely been one of the better decades for film, and in my opinion, it ranks only behind the game-changing film making of the 1970's for overall quality and innovation. But, for every The Man Who Wasn't There there were 5 Transformers 2: The Revenge of the Fallen like films clouding the public's perception by raking in more money at the box office than the far superior films that always have trouble making money. In that respect, the aughts was a unique era for film. We saw terrible movie after terrible movie make millions of dollars week in and week out, but quietly, off to the side in art house theaters and independent cinemas across the world, small, touching movies of staggering ability slowly but surely made their way into the mainstream.
Which brings us to number 10...
10. Memento (2000)
After the insane success of The Dark Knight, Batman Begins and The Prestige, it's easy to forget that way back in 2000 Christopher Nolan directed and co-wrote the movie that changed the aughts forever. Memento, was and is a movie that, upon further review, is so groundbreaking in it's approach to storytelling that it boggles the mind on a level so profound there are literally few words besides "breathtaking" and "phenomenal" available to describe it. It is equal parts murder mystery, character study and romance, but it's less about the story than how it is told, and Nolan and star Guy Ritchie (in a career defining performance he has never lived up to since) wove a tale from finish to start so mesmerizing and often times confusing that 10 years later it is still riveting to watch and all the surprises and twists still hit home like a hammer to the back of the head.
9. Block Party (2005)
I'm sure Michel Gondry's ability to be an artistic voyeur played a large part in the force and feel behind Block Party, but the movie is so dominated by the presence of Dave Chappelle that it is truly his movie. Mr. Chappelle is such a warm, caring person who honestly wants to give back to the community and fans that made him the outrageously successful stand up comedian and television star that he once was, that one day he decided to throw an impromptu block party in Brooklyn, NY for 5,000 lucky (and random) people; and, obviously, he filmed it. What happens during the course of the film is nothing less than absolute magic as we go from the budding idea at the very start to the absolutely stunning concert performances that play throughout, all of which are connected by personal vignettes that explore the hearts and minds of those involved in the process; from fans to the crazy family that lives in the "broken angel" house to man who got the whole thing off the ground in the first place. It's a happy movie with a powerful message about the true nature of a community seen through the eyes of the finest, most endearing story teller of our time.
7.The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)
It isn't easy being Daniel Johnston, and that is made incredibly clear in 2005's The Devil and Daniel Johnston; which portrays it's titular character as a musical genius saddled with the mind of a mad hatter. Johnston's music is pure brilliance, as anyone who has taken the time to listen to any of his crudely recorded tapes will attest, but outside of a small circle of trusted friends and family members and musical cohorts that were allowed on the inside, too little was known about this mysterious Svengali. The Devil and Daniel Johnston changed all that, as the raw talent and pure heart of a man with manic depression are put on full display for the world to see, the images are endearing, heartbreaking and enraging all at the same time. To watch the life of Daniel Johnston chronicled in such painstaking detail is like watching a roll of toilet paper unravel into a trash can full of water. We, the viewer, are looking through an all to honest portal into the head of a man who, despite his mental issues, is so full of love and intelligence that his charisma (even behind the stained sweatshirts and greasy, glossed over look in his eyes brought on by his medications) shines through as if it can't be stopped. Such is the brilliance of the damaged mind of Daniel Johnston, he is a legend in his own right and The Devil and Daniel Johnston does his legacy proud by never excusing his behavior, only explaining it and showing the world that once upon a time there was a boy named Dan who just wanted to love and be loved and used all his joy and suffering to write some of the finest music of the past 50 years. Even if you've never heard it.
6. Gangs of New York (2002)
This is a highly personal choice. I am a sucker for great performances, but I am doubly a sucker for great performances by Daniel Day-Lewis (as you'll see later on), because I honestly believe that Mr. Day-Lewis is far and away the best actor on the planet, and perhaps the best of all time. That being said, Martin Scorsese's long sought after dream job (legend has it he tried to make this movie in each decade from 1972 on) finally came to life in 2002 and it is a brutal, but beautiful, portrait of a fledgling New York City that is governed not by law and reason, but by the all too powerful presence of the myriad gangs that patrol the 5-points neighborhood. Less than stellar performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz (seriously, Scorsese?) take away some of the impact of the films message, but thanks to his amazing turn as Bill the Butcher, Daniel Day-Lewis more than makes up for it. DDL is truly a forced to be reckoned with in Gangs of New York, and his menacing presence is evident in every single frame of film shown on screen. From the gut wrenching opening scene (in my opinion, the best opening to any movie I've ever seen), to the mind numbing final battle between DiCaprio and Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York is a visually striking tour de force reminder of the way NYC used to be, and how, sadly, it isn't that different today.
5. WALL-E (2008)
How is it possible that a movie starring an animated robot with no speaking parts for the entire first third of the movie is able to be so stirring a message about love, environmental carelessness and hope? It's all about the execution. In a not too subtle homage to the work of the late great Buster Keaton, Pixar's WALL-E is a throwback to a time when movies didn't need loud explosions and plot twists to keep the audience entertained. Made even more captivating by the juxtaposing of classic movie music (I get giddy just thinking about the beginning of the film's choice of music), knee slapping physical comedy and timeless movie staples like the quest for love, over a futuristic, desolate Earth that is covered in the refuse of the human's that have long since abandoned it. It's a cautionary tale hidden in a love story that, despite it being between 2 robots, is as touching a romance that has ever been portrayed on screen; and, even though WALL-E stumbles home in the final third of the film it is still an ever optimistic reminder that it is never too late to make things better than they already are. As an aside, it is quite possibly the finest animation ever put to film, and the stunning beauty of WALL-E would have been enough for me to place it in my top 5 on its own, but couple that with an incredible story and imaginative film making of the highest level, and WALL-E transcends its genre to become something much, much more.
4. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
"No matter what I say, it draws controversy. It's sort of like the abortion issue."-Billy Mitchell, star and antagonist of The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. To truly love The King of Kong is to embrace the assholish nature of Billy Mitchell, and nothing epitomizes his delusional opinion of himself more than the quote up above. Mr. Mitchell is a man obsessed with himself and his legacy as the greatest arcade gamer of all time, and when his beloved Donkey Kong score is in jeopardy of being broken by a relative newbie in the competitive gaming world named Steve Wiebe, the gloves come off. While most documentaries attempt to be objective about the subject matter they cover, The King of Kong does no such thing as it very much paints a picture of the good (Steve) and the bad (Mitchell), and the film makers have no problem painting Steve Wiebe in the best light possible, while casting a long, dark shadow over Billy Mitchell and the way he goes about securing his legacy. But, in all honest, neither man is right nor wrong and they each display their faults individually; which illuminates the film's hidden message that obsession and ego will lead people to do very, very strange things.
3. Shaun of the Dead, (2004)
Many [citation needed] have attempted to make a horror/comedy/romance, but until 2004's Shaun of the Dead no one got it right. It's truly a testament to the creativity and genius of director Edgar Wright and star/co-writer Simon Pegg that Shaun of the Dead is rife with moments that are equal parts terrifying and hilarious without sacrificing any of the plotting or pacing of the film. It's no less stunning that the movie is ridiculously re-watchable and packed with so many call-backs, Easter Eggs and circular themes that each time it's viewed the audience can pick up on something they didn't notice before, but really, all you need to do is watch the opening 20 minutes and the entire movie is spelled out for you in full; you just have no idea that's what they are doing, and when it kicks in that all the editing, all the quick cuts and sound effects and story lines have already been announced to the audience, the effect is staggering. I've never seen a movie so fully aware of it's purpose and place in the world than Shaun of the Dead, it is far and away my favorite film on this list (not the best, just my favorite), and the only one that I will stop whatever I am doing just to sit down and soak it all in time and time again.
2. No Country For Old Men, (2007)
The Coen Brothers have been the best thing to happen to Hollywood since Bogart and Bacall for almost 20 years, it just took a nearly perfect movie for the entire world to fully embrace and award their wry, subtle genius, and No Country For Old Men is that movie. Aside from being painfully beautiful to look at, No Country tells the story of a nation that has moved far past the ideals it once held so dear and has begun a tailspin into a sort of limbo from which it needs more help than is readily available to pull out of. It is chilling, it is hilarious at times and best of all it tells a story so well it's almost too good to be true. Staring Josh Brolin, in his best role to date, as a quiet, but deep cowboy who stumbled upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong only to find a bag full of money that could change his life, No Country heads off in several distinctly different directions. The least of which is the ever present menace of Javier Bardem's portrayal of Anton Chigur and his relentless search to recover the bag of money Brolin took at the beginning of the movie, no matter what it takes; and Tommy Lee Jones "old man" Sheriff who is tasked with putting the pieces of several disturbing homicides together only to realize his country and the ideology it once held so dear has, in fact, left him by the wayside ages ago brings to the forefront one of the Coen Brothers most striking abilities: which is to say their ability to get the most out of their actors without ever creeping into over the top parody or Nicolas Cage like overacting. As the movie slowly converges the plot lines into one fantastic parable about greed and the death of the American dream in favor of quick cash and easy living, it's hard not to scratch your head and wonder where we all went wrong; and as Anton Chigur limps away in one of the films final scenes, you get the creeping suspicion that no matter how hard we try to fight it, he's always going to be just around the corner waiting for someone to steal that next bag full of money. The Coen's are master story tellers of the highest degree, and No Country For Old Men finds them firing on all cylinders to create an epic masterpiece that will be impossibly difficult to top... but, the crazy thing? The Coen's are so good they will probably prove me wrong.
1. There Will Be Blood, (2007)
Whoever had the idea to combine the force of nature acting style of Daniel Day-Lewis with the unrelentingly inventive and beautiful direction of P.T Andersen should be given a medal, or at the very least a milkshake, because I have never witnessed a performance or a film so brutal in it's execution, and so honest in it's message than There Will Be Blood. What starts as the epitome of the American dream with Daniel Day-Lewis chipping away at the walls of a gold mine, ends with a twisted, maniacal representation of a man who sold his very soul for a wealth and power without ever stopping to think of the consequences. It is truly an allegory for the current miasma America has found itself in, and how greed when combined with power can corrupt even the most devout man, as is evidenced by the scheming preacher Eli, played wonderfully by Paul Dano (honestly, people, wake up and recognize this young man's talent, for it is formidable) who, when money is dangled in his face and the promise of a new church and, yes, a road leading to that church are too much for even his most pious soul to bare. In the now infamous final scene, the torturous, lonely life of Daniel Day-Lewis' Plainview is made obvious, and it should serve as a cautionary tale for those among us with greed in our hearts to stop forfeiting the small pleasures in life in favor of something as trivial as the pursuit of power and money.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
According To Jimbolaya: The 10 Best TV Shows of The Aughts
At first I found it morally and ethically reprehensible to put together a "best of list" of any kind because, to be honest, my experiences in the world at large are few and far between. That's not to say I haven't had my fair share of adventures (I haven't) or made too many memories to count (I haven't), but I lack the worldly wisdom that many of my peers have garnered over their brief but exciting lives. For example, I've never left North America, and the furthest away I've traveled from Rochester, NY is Austin, TX for mandatory job training; which, according to many of my friends and relatives, is unusual and sad, but I wouldn't want it any other way. If I were a globetrotting vagabond I wouldn't have the vast expanse of useless knowledge at my disposal that I do now, and, more importantly, I would have been forced (due to lack of time between my travels) to miss out on some of (if not the) best television of all time.
When it comes down to it I can talk knowledgeably about 3 things and television is one of them (golf and sleep being the other 2), so after some careful thought I decided that if I were going to create any sort of "best of the decade" list, it would have to be in the realm of television, because that's what I know. Of course, one big caveat to all of this hullabaloo is that I am unable to rank television shows I have yet to see, so my list will obviously be lacking some very big shows (The Shield and The Wire stick out the most in my head) and some much loved cult classics that, unfortunately, were short lived that I still haven't been able to check out. So, I apologize for any glaring omissions from this list, and if you are really pissed off about it, please let me know and I'll do what I can to make it up to you.
Without further adieu...
10. Reaper (The CW/ABC Studios 2007-2009)
There is no doubt in my mind that had Reaper been given a chance to establish itself more thoroughly it would have finished much higher on this list, but alas, thanks to the writers strike, being on The CW and getting the axe before it had a chance to flesh out it's mythology as fully as it could have, Reaper can be added to the list of shows that never really reached its potential, but managed to have an impact on nerdy fans like me all the same. Reaper is essentially a show about how much most of us hate our jobs, and how almost every single person in the world feels trapped by responsibilities they had no hand in creating for themselves; which is why Sam Oliver (played by Bret Harrison) continues to collect escaped souls from hell for the devil even though his parents sold his soul before he was even born. Sam doesn't want to end up in hell, and he doesn't want to keep on reaping, but he does anyway, because he's out of options and no matter how hard he tries to wriggle out of his contract, there is always a road block standing in his way. Throw in a few demons, some goofy humor and the best portrayal of the Devil ever (played brilliantly by Ray Wise) and Reaper is the type of show guys like me, who can't help but relate to the pit of despair Sam found himself in every week, couldn't get enough of.
9. Flight of The Conchords (HBO, 2007-2009)
FOTC must have been a bitch to make if it's creators and stars (Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement) have decided to call it quits after only 2 brilliant seasons, but sometimes less is more, and what FOTC gave us in it's 22 episodes is enough to last me a very, very long time. Aside from their incredibly well done musical numbers (which garner the most hype and praise), FOTC is subtly very, very well written and very smart almost besides itself, and much of that is in thanks to secondary cast members like Kristen Schaal, Arj Barker, Eugene Mirman and a slew of talented, super funny guest starts that fully embraced Bret and Jemaine's lazy, hipster musician ethos and used it to their advantage in such a way that the show flat out wreaks of the uber hip neighborhoods in Brooklyn, NY and the hordes of hipsters that call them home. FOTC's portrayal of slightly off, but entirely lovable goofballs living in a world that would seemingly embrace them with open arms, but strangely doesn't, is a breath of fresh air in a universe where TV shows try to make everyone look cooler than they actually are. Also: Murray Hewitt (played by Rhys Darby) was the funniest character on TV during the shows run, and I will go to my grave defending that.
8. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX, 2005-Present)
Some shows are just funny, and It's Always Sunny... is one of them. Sure, the plot lines are usually non-existent and all the characters on the periphery are underdeveloped, but none of that matters, because It's Always Sunny... manages to work despite all those apparent "flaws". It's Always Sunny... has a knack to make any situation the main characters find themselves in twisted, grotesque and hysterical even though the actions of "the gang" are often despicable (usually felonious as well) and riddled with debauched ideals that would never, ever be suitable for the broad comedic fare that inundates network television these days. And that's precisely why I love it so damn much. Whenever a show has the balls to abandon traditional structure and just go with it the way It's Always Sunny... has the past 4+ years and is still hilarious week after week, you have to tip your cap to it, because let's face it, it just doesn't happen very often.
7. Friday Night Lights (NBC, 2006-Present)
FNL is not about football. FNL is about much, much more than whether or not the Dillon Panthers go out and win the big game every Friday. No. Friday Night Lights is about what happens to the people of a small, Texas town when all they have to live for is the success or failure of a high school football team and how that translates into unbelievable pressure for all those directly involved with the team like the coaches, players and their friends and family; and how, at any given moment, a person's entire existence can implode in on itself without any warning at all and for utterly ridiculous reasons (in the grand scheme of things). In the middle of the entire debacle is head coach Eric Taylor (a flat out brilliant portrayal by Kyle Chandler) who serves as a conduit connecting every single situation on the show, and his wife Tami (played in another incredible performance by Connie Britton) who, no matter how dire a situation may be, always seems to make well thought out, level headed decisions that serve everyone involved. It's captivating watching the Taylors, and it's amazing to see how an entire town reacts to situations that you and I may slough off as "just one of those things," but that's the allure of FNL, it's the investigation into a world we know exists, but can't entirely understand.
6. Breaking Bad (AMC, 2008-Present)
Breaking Bad is so good it almost hurts. Seriously. Sometimes watching Breaking Bad is a painful experience that you can't rip yourself away from, because the show, more than anything else, is about ramifications. Though that may not be immediately evident upon your initial viewing, about half way through the first season it starts to become obvious that the actions of Walter and Jesse (the two main characters played by Brian Cranston and Aaron Paul, respectively) have a ripple effect that is slowly, but surely, starting to affect everyone they come into contact with, and even those they don't. From the instant Walt is diagnosed with fatal lung cancer the show jumps entirely down the rabbit hole and immerses the viewer in a f_cked up, inconsolable world of drug dealing, addiction, deceit, misplaced anger and a never ending cycle of violence and despair; and it never, ever lets up. Unlike shows and movies that have come before it and glamorized the drug trade, Breaking Bad, in it's own subtle way, forces you, the viewer, to not just contemplate the atrocious crystal meth problem facing America today and how it can so easily destroy people's lives, but to truly ask yourself that, if put in the same position as Walt and Jesse, would you do what they did? As a viewer, you never get a chance to answer, because Breaking Bad makes it painfully obvious that the road less traveled is never a short cut, but a long, winding path towards your own personal hell.
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, 2000-Present)
Larry David is a dangerous man. He says what he's thinking and doesn't care if you like what he's dishing out. It's the way he is. It's how he's always been, and God damn it I love him for it. While the show itself is a tour de force exposition on tearing down the social niceties that make so many of us act one way or the other just to get through the day without getting punched in the face (and slowly drive us insane in the process); it is Larry David's ability to unleash his id that makes him so unbelievably likable, when by all accounts he should be one of the most detested people on the planet. Larry David is the only person alive today, in my opinion, that says what we are all thinking, and the world is a better place for it. He holds up a mirror to the traditional morays we all live by and then shatters it by going in a completely different direction altogether, and in that highly specialized and confined space he manages to make each and every one of us reflect on how absurd our own predisposed notions of how we all should act really are. Why? Because he's usually right.
4. Mad Men (AMC, 2007-Present)
Style only gets you so far, and Mad Men is chock full of style; which is what initially catches your eye. You can't help but be dazzled by the accuracy of the set pieces, costumes, hairstyles and all the other minutiae that makes Mad Men so visually appealing and makes the viewer feel as if they are watching a real advertising agency from the early 60's through some kind of magic looking glass. After the awe of the visual experience wears off (about halfway through the third episode) you start to realize Mad Men is about way more than the style of a bygone era, but rather an expose into the lives of the men that used to run America, and how little by little their empire started to crumble as new ways of thinking pushed out their tired methodology and ushered in the "modern era" of not just advertising, but America in general. The shows pacing can be glacial, and sometimes you can spend an entire hour watching it without knowing what just happened or if it even meant anything, but rest assured that it does, and that the slow pace is meant to reflect the way things "used to be" when people were less rushed to get everything "right now" and information took days and weeks, not minutes, to trickle down to the world at large. If anything, Mad Men should serve as a reminder to present day America to slow down, have a drink and watch the sunset once in a while; if only because it's so damn pretty to look at.
3. Lost (ABC 2004-Present)
There is more substance in a single episode of Lost than there is in entire seasons of other similarly themed television shows. Never before has a network television series asked it's audience to be so patient as the myriad riddles, secrets and mysteries have been slowly unraveled over the course of its first 5 seasons, and with the sixth and final season quickly approaching I can only imagine how much more maddening the search for answers is going to become, but, hey, that's why I watch the damn show in the first place. It's a mystery wrapped in an enigma that I can't quite figure out, and in between all the smoke monsters and three toed statues are some of the most fully fleshed out characters on television today; which is amazing considering how little time on screen most of the characters get. All in all, Lost is that super rare type of show that manages to shoehorn mystery, character development, romance, intricately woven plot, philosophy and science fiction into an unforgettable (if not downright enthralling) television experience.
2. Arrested Development, (Fox, 2003-2006)
If there is ever a better comedy on television than Arrested Development I will eat my hat. Never before or since has a 30-minute comedy been better written, better conceived and better executed than Arrested, nor has there ever been a television show as re-watchable. I can't tell you how many times I've seen each episode (my best guess is probably about 10 times on average), but each time I sit down to watch the Bluths I find something new to laugh at that I never noticed before, or, and this is really something, the same jokes I laughed at the first time still land so hard that they make me cry with laughter. That's no exaggeration. I've literally laughed so hard at Arrested Development that I've been in pain, and I can't say that about any other comedy ever. I have such fond memories of the show that I sometimes think my love for it is over inflated and unjust, but all my doubts are quickly thrown to the wayside the instant I re-watch the pilot episode and Gob (played by Will Arnett) says, "Illusions, Michael! A trick is something a whore does for money," then he turns to see a group of children, mouths agape, and tries to make it better by adding, "... or cocaine." Television was undeniably blessed by the presence of Arrested Development, and the fact that it was consistently put upon by the network due to it's inability to secure an audience (that still blows my mind) and was ultimately canceled is one of the biggest tragedies in television history.
1. The Sopranos, (1999-2007)
I've said it before and I will say it again, The Sopranos is the best television show of all time. Period. Case closed. There has never, ever been such a well written, well acted and well directed show in the history of mankind and I am sad to say that I do not think we will ever get treated to something so genius ever again. I don't even know where to start when singing the praises of The Sopranos, because over it's 8 years and 6 seasons it delivered the goods each and every week and touched upon so many issues in it's own special way that it would be impossible for me to pinpoint one specific item that made the show so f_cking amazing. With a gun to my head I would tell you it was Tony Soprano and his unwavering appeal as the patriarch of two very different types of families, and the way he maneuvered through them both that kept me coming back each week to see what would happen, but I'd by lying through my teeth just to save my head from acquiring a new hole, because there is so much going on in every episode that to lay my love entirely upon Tony S. would be almost sinful. When I mentioned before that Lost has some of the most fleshed out characters on television today, I did so knowing that there is no possible way any show could develop it's cast of characters the way The Sopranos did. I know more about Sylvio Dante and Paulie Walnuts than I do about some of my cousins, and as sad as that is for me, it's a testament to the unrivaled quality of the writing and the unwavering vision of show creator David Chase. You really don't watch The Sopranos, you live it, because the world it represents is so clearly defined and so easy to get into, that for an hour at a time you forget where you are, who you are with and what you are doing and became a part of the family.
*Honorable Mentions* Undeclared, Freaks and Geeks, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Chappelle's Show, The Office (UK and US), 30 Rock, Party Down, Extras, Dexter, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Eastbound and Down, Parks & Recreation, House, Summer Heights High, Penn & Teller's Bull Sh_t, Weeds, Six Feet Under, Strangers With Candy, Human Giant, That Mitchell and Webb Look, American Dad, Oz, Futurama, The West Wing
*Blaring Omissions Due To My Not Seeing Them Yet* The Wire, The Shield, Deadwood, Rome, Battlestar Galactica, Veronica Mars, Firefly
When it comes down to it I can talk knowledgeably about 3 things and television is one of them (golf and sleep being the other 2), so after some careful thought I decided that if I were going to create any sort of "best of the decade" list, it would have to be in the realm of television, because that's what I know. Of course, one big caveat to all of this hullabaloo is that I am unable to rank television shows I have yet to see, so my list will obviously be lacking some very big shows (The Shield and The Wire stick out the most in my head) and some much loved cult classics that, unfortunately, were short lived that I still haven't been able to check out. So, I apologize for any glaring omissions from this list, and if you are really pissed off about it, please let me know and I'll do what I can to make it up to you.
Without further adieu...
10. Reaper (The CW/ABC Studios 2007-2009)
There is no doubt in my mind that had Reaper been given a chance to establish itself more thoroughly it would have finished much higher on this list, but alas, thanks to the writers strike, being on The CW and getting the axe before it had a chance to flesh out it's mythology as fully as it could have, Reaper can be added to the list of shows that never really reached its potential, but managed to have an impact on nerdy fans like me all the same. Reaper is essentially a show about how much most of us hate our jobs, and how almost every single person in the world feels trapped by responsibilities they had no hand in creating for themselves; which is why Sam Oliver (played by Bret Harrison) continues to collect escaped souls from hell for the devil even though his parents sold his soul before he was even born. Sam doesn't want to end up in hell, and he doesn't want to keep on reaping, but he does anyway, because he's out of options and no matter how hard he tries to wriggle out of his contract, there is always a road block standing in his way. Throw in a few demons, some goofy humor and the best portrayal of the Devil ever (played brilliantly by Ray Wise) and Reaper is the type of show guys like me, who can't help but relate to the pit of despair Sam found himself in every week, couldn't get enough of.
9. Flight of The Conchords (HBO, 2007-2009)
FOTC must have been a bitch to make if it's creators and stars (Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement) have decided to call it quits after only 2 brilliant seasons, but sometimes less is more, and what FOTC gave us in it's 22 episodes is enough to last me a very, very long time. Aside from their incredibly well done musical numbers (which garner the most hype and praise), FOTC is subtly very, very well written and very smart almost besides itself, and much of that is in thanks to secondary cast members like Kristen Schaal, Arj Barker, Eugene Mirman and a slew of talented, super funny guest starts that fully embraced Bret and Jemaine's lazy, hipster musician ethos and used it to their advantage in such a way that the show flat out wreaks of the uber hip neighborhoods in Brooklyn, NY and the hordes of hipsters that call them home. FOTC's portrayal of slightly off, but entirely lovable goofballs living in a world that would seemingly embrace them with open arms, but strangely doesn't, is a breath of fresh air in a universe where TV shows try to make everyone look cooler than they actually are. Also: Murray Hewitt (played by Rhys Darby) was the funniest character on TV during the shows run, and I will go to my grave defending that.
8. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX, 2005-Present)
Some shows are just funny, and It's Always Sunny... is one of them. Sure, the plot lines are usually non-existent and all the characters on the periphery are underdeveloped, but none of that matters, because It's Always Sunny... manages to work despite all those apparent "flaws". It's Always Sunny... has a knack to make any situation the main characters find themselves in twisted, grotesque and hysterical even though the actions of "the gang" are often despicable (usually felonious as well) and riddled with debauched ideals that would never, ever be suitable for the broad comedic fare that inundates network television these days. And that's precisely why I love it so damn much. Whenever a show has the balls to abandon traditional structure and just go with it the way It's Always Sunny... has the past 4+ years and is still hilarious week after week, you have to tip your cap to it, because let's face it, it just doesn't happen very often.
7. Friday Night Lights (NBC, 2006-Present)
FNL is not about football. FNL is about much, much more than whether or not the Dillon Panthers go out and win the big game every Friday. No. Friday Night Lights is about what happens to the people of a small, Texas town when all they have to live for is the success or failure of a high school football team and how that translates into unbelievable pressure for all those directly involved with the team like the coaches, players and their friends and family; and how, at any given moment, a person's entire existence can implode in on itself without any warning at all and for utterly ridiculous reasons (in the grand scheme of things). In the middle of the entire debacle is head coach Eric Taylor (a flat out brilliant portrayal by Kyle Chandler) who serves as a conduit connecting every single situation on the show, and his wife Tami (played in another incredible performance by Connie Britton) who, no matter how dire a situation may be, always seems to make well thought out, level headed decisions that serve everyone involved. It's captivating watching the Taylors, and it's amazing to see how an entire town reacts to situations that you and I may slough off as "just one of those things," but that's the allure of FNL, it's the investigation into a world we know exists, but can't entirely understand.
6. Breaking Bad (AMC, 2008-Present)
Breaking Bad is so good it almost hurts. Seriously. Sometimes watching Breaking Bad is a painful experience that you can't rip yourself away from, because the show, more than anything else, is about ramifications. Though that may not be immediately evident upon your initial viewing, about half way through the first season it starts to become obvious that the actions of Walter and Jesse (the two main characters played by Brian Cranston and Aaron Paul, respectively) have a ripple effect that is slowly, but surely, starting to affect everyone they come into contact with, and even those they don't. From the instant Walt is diagnosed with fatal lung cancer the show jumps entirely down the rabbit hole and immerses the viewer in a f_cked up, inconsolable world of drug dealing, addiction, deceit, misplaced anger and a never ending cycle of violence and despair; and it never, ever lets up. Unlike shows and movies that have come before it and glamorized the drug trade, Breaking Bad, in it's own subtle way, forces you, the viewer, to not just contemplate the atrocious crystal meth problem facing America today and how it can so easily destroy people's lives, but to truly ask yourself that, if put in the same position as Walt and Jesse, would you do what they did? As a viewer, you never get a chance to answer, because Breaking Bad makes it painfully obvious that the road less traveled is never a short cut, but a long, winding path towards your own personal hell.
5. Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, 2000-Present)
Larry David is a dangerous man. He says what he's thinking and doesn't care if you like what he's dishing out. It's the way he is. It's how he's always been, and God damn it I love him for it. While the show itself is a tour de force exposition on tearing down the social niceties that make so many of us act one way or the other just to get through the day without getting punched in the face (and slowly drive us insane in the process); it is Larry David's ability to unleash his id that makes him so unbelievably likable, when by all accounts he should be one of the most detested people on the planet. Larry David is the only person alive today, in my opinion, that says what we are all thinking, and the world is a better place for it. He holds up a mirror to the traditional morays we all live by and then shatters it by going in a completely different direction altogether, and in that highly specialized and confined space he manages to make each and every one of us reflect on how absurd our own predisposed notions of how we all should act really are. Why? Because he's usually right.
4. Mad Men (AMC, 2007-Present)
Style only gets you so far, and Mad Men is chock full of style; which is what initially catches your eye. You can't help but be dazzled by the accuracy of the set pieces, costumes, hairstyles and all the other minutiae that makes Mad Men so visually appealing and makes the viewer feel as if they are watching a real advertising agency from the early 60's through some kind of magic looking glass. After the awe of the visual experience wears off (about halfway through the third episode) you start to realize Mad Men is about way more than the style of a bygone era, but rather an expose into the lives of the men that used to run America, and how little by little their empire started to crumble as new ways of thinking pushed out their tired methodology and ushered in the "modern era" of not just advertising, but America in general. The shows pacing can be glacial, and sometimes you can spend an entire hour watching it without knowing what just happened or if it even meant anything, but rest assured that it does, and that the slow pace is meant to reflect the way things "used to be" when people were less rushed to get everything "right now" and information took days and weeks, not minutes, to trickle down to the world at large. If anything, Mad Men should serve as a reminder to present day America to slow down, have a drink and watch the sunset once in a while; if only because it's so damn pretty to look at.
3. Lost (ABC 2004-Present)
There is more substance in a single episode of Lost than there is in entire seasons of other similarly themed television shows. Never before has a network television series asked it's audience to be so patient as the myriad riddles, secrets and mysteries have been slowly unraveled over the course of its first 5 seasons, and with the sixth and final season quickly approaching I can only imagine how much more maddening the search for answers is going to become, but, hey, that's why I watch the damn show in the first place. It's a mystery wrapped in an enigma that I can't quite figure out, and in between all the smoke monsters and three toed statues are some of the most fully fleshed out characters on television today; which is amazing considering how little time on screen most of the characters get. All in all, Lost is that super rare type of show that manages to shoehorn mystery, character development, romance, intricately woven plot, philosophy and science fiction into an unforgettable (if not downright enthralling) television experience.
2. Arrested Development, (Fox, 2003-2006)
If there is ever a better comedy on television than Arrested Development I will eat my hat. Never before or since has a 30-minute comedy been better written, better conceived and better executed than Arrested, nor has there ever been a television show as re-watchable. I can't tell you how many times I've seen each episode (my best guess is probably about 10 times on average), but each time I sit down to watch the Bluths I find something new to laugh at that I never noticed before, or, and this is really something, the same jokes I laughed at the first time still land so hard that they make me cry with laughter. That's no exaggeration. I've literally laughed so hard at Arrested Development that I've been in pain, and I can't say that about any other comedy ever. I have such fond memories of the show that I sometimes think my love for it is over inflated and unjust, but all my doubts are quickly thrown to the wayside the instant I re-watch the pilot episode and Gob (played by Will Arnett) says, "Illusions, Michael! A trick is something a whore does for money," then he turns to see a group of children, mouths agape, and tries to make it better by adding, "... or cocaine." Television was undeniably blessed by the presence of Arrested Development, and the fact that it was consistently put upon by the network due to it's inability to secure an audience (that still blows my mind) and was ultimately canceled is one of the biggest tragedies in television history.
1. The Sopranos, (1999-2007)
I've said it before and I will say it again, The Sopranos is the best television show of all time. Period. Case closed. There has never, ever been such a well written, well acted and well directed show in the history of mankind and I am sad to say that I do not think we will ever get treated to something so genius ever again. I don't even know where to start when singing the praises of The Sopranos, because over it's 8 years and 6 seasons it delivered the goods each and every week and touched upon so many issues in it's own special way that it would be impossible for me to pinpoint one specific item that made the show so f_cking amazing. With a gun to my head I would tell you it was Tony Soprano and his unwavering appeal as the patriarch of two very different types of families, and the way he maneuvered through them both that kept me coming back each week to see what would happen, but I'd by lying through my teeth just to save my head from acquiring a new hole, because there is so much going on in every episode that to lay my love entirely upon Tony S. would be almost sinful. When I mentioned before that Lost has some of the most fleshed out characters on television today, I did so knowing that there is no possible way any show could develop it's cast of characters the way The Sopranos did. I know more about Sylvio Dante and Paulie Walnuts than I do about some of my cousins, and as sad as that is for me, it's a testament to the unrivaled quality of the writing and the unwavering vision of show creator David Chase. You really don't watch The Sopranos, you live it, because the world it represents is so clearly defined and so easy to get into, that for an hour at a time you forget where you are, who you are with and what you are doing and became a part of the family.
*Honorable Mentions* Undeclared, Freaks and Geeks, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Chappelle's Show, The Office (UK and US), 30 Rock, Party Down, Extras, Dexter, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Eastbound and Down, Parks & Recreation, House, Summer Heights High, Penn & Teller's Bull Sh_t, Weeds, Six Feet Under, Strangers With Candy, Human Giant, That Mitchell and Webb Look, American Dad, Oz, Futurama, The West Wing
*Blaring Omissions Due To My Not Seeing Them Yet* The Wire, The Shield, Deadwood, Rome, Battlestar Galactica, Veronica Mars, Firefly
Thursday, November 5, 2009
My 9 Year Wait Is Over
This post is dedicated to Work Matt, Matt K., Steve F., Brandon W., Bader, Mikey L., Mikey C., Ben C., Katie S. and all the people I know who have waited patiently for the Yankees to bring home the big trophy these past 9 years. Our collective wait is over. Everyone exhale.
It's tough being a Yankees fan. Not only is our team perennially favored to win it all, has the biggest payroll in professional sports and the most outspoken owner in the history of everything, but on top of all that is the burden of loving a team that a lot of people love to hate. So, on days like today when I and the rest of the Yankee faithful wake up knowing that, yet again, we can call our favorite team the champions of the world, every single one of us breathes a little easier... for a few hours at least, before we start to hear the same old sh_t from angry Yankee haters who can't figure out why their favorite team can't get it done. Hey, I feel you, guys. My team has gone 9 years without performing in the post season the way they should have, and they even missed the playoffs once, so, please let us have our moment in the sun. Okay? Seem fair? Moving on then...
When I was 6 years old my Grandpa Sam sat me down and told me about Babe Ruth and the storied history of the Yankees. I learned about Gehrig, Dimaggio, Maris and Mantle, Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin, and from that point on I never considered cheering for another team. It just wouldn't have made sense to root for a team like the Mets, Pirates or Red Sox, because not only were the Yanks the winningest team in the history of professional sports, but they were the most storied franchise ever. Period. So much of baseball's legacy revolves around the New York Yankees that to love the sport, to me anyway, meant to love the Yankees. Now, it didn't matter that when I was growing up the Yankees were a bottom feeding team with a mercurial manager/owner relationship that turned the franchise into a kind of side show attraction, because they were still the mother f_cking New York Yankees and I knew deep down their time would come and the glory of years past would be fully restored. Not to mention the first moustache I ever admired belonged to Don "Hitman" Mattingly.
Little Known Fact: Don Mattingly's moustache hit .280 for Triple AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre in 1979, but injured it's knee before it had a chance to be called up to the majors.
I was lucky, because not too long after I really got into baseball the Yankees started to win again. This was a simpler era when Derek Jeter was a baby faced phenomenon and Mariano Rivera was just starting to become the unbeatable, legendary closer that he is today. I remember in 1996 listening to the Yankees beat the Braves in game 6 during CYO basketball practice, because my coach, like me, was a die hard Yankee fan who wanted to know exactly how and when his team was going to win it all. This was 2 years after the 1994 baseball season was ended prematurely, and I'm not sure how many people remember this, but before the season was called the Yankees had the best record in baseball and looked poised to return to their winning ways. It took almost 2 years for the Yanks to rally back into championship form, but, man, when they did it was look out world time and they were off to the races. As a fan, a young one at that, I had never been happier.
Then 2001 came around and, after winning 4 out of the last 5 championships, the Yankees lost to a team from Arizona known as the Diamondbacks. I was in college at the time and remember feeling like I wanted to punch a hole in someone's face when a roar went out over the campus (literally, it was a wave of noise I'll never forget) as the Yankees lost. People poured out into the common era wearing Diamondbacks jerseys and the few, proud Yankee fans sat around looking dazed, licking their wounds without making a scene. I have never been prouder to be a Yankee fan in my life than I was that night when the dozen or so of us just sat there and let it happen without picking a fight or rioting to show our anger. We acted like civil human beings that understand sometimes a team has to lose, and hey, we were spoiled. No matter how much it hurt to see our team lose after 5 years of complete and utter dominance, we were nice about it.
2002 was the first year I remember actively hating anything that had to do with the city of Boston and especially the Red Sox, because it seemed like that year especially the BoSox and their fans were making great efforts to piss off anyone that even marginally supported the Yankees. Granted, I was busy that year trying to piece my life back together after a series of bad decisions on my part ended with me being out of college, out of work and completely and totally lost in a stormy sea of uncertainty. In short: 2002 sucked, but I dealt with it as best I could and hoped for the best in 2003.
That didn't happen. The Yankees once again reached the World Series, but this time they lost, again, to the Florida Marlins (this was more embarrassing than painful, because, f_ck, it was the Marlins for God's sake), and I found myself once again faced with the arduous task of being gentlemanly in the face of defeat, but I never once lost hope that the next season would bring about a return to form, but, unfortunately we all know how 2004 ended with the BoSox winning their first World Series in more than 80 years. It was at this point that I started to wonder if, after dropping 4 in a row to our most hated rivals, that the Yanks might need to shake things up a bit and start righting the ship in a different direction, and in a way they certainly did, but for 5 years things pretty much stayed the same and my frustration with the underperformance of a team with a payroll in excess of $200 Million and more All-Stars than should be allowed by law came to a head.
Ah, but, last night around midnight Robinson Cano tossed the ball to first base and ended the game giving the Yankees the win over the Philadelphia Phillies ( a team I have new found respect for, by the way, because, f_ck me can Cliff Lee pitch and f_ck me can Chase Utley hit) and for the first time in nearly a decade everything was right with the world. I looked upon the love of my life and our dog and I just knew what it was to be completely and totally happy with the way things are. I don't live and die by the Yankees, and my happiness doesn't truly depend upon their success, but God damn it, it feels good to win again.
Congratulations you magnificent, pin striped bastards!
There they are, your 2009 World Series Champs!
It's tough being a Yankees fan. Not only is our team perennially favored to win it all, has the biggest payroll in professional sports and the most outspoken owner in the history of everything, but on top of all that is the burden of loving a team that a lot of people love to hate. So, on days like today when I and the rest of the Yankee faithful wake up knowing that, yet again, we can call our favorite team the champions of the world, every single one of us breathes a little easier... for a few hours at least, before we start to hear the same old sh_t from angry Yankee haters who can't figure out why their favorite team can't get it done. Hey, I feel you, guys. My team has gone 9 years without performing in the post season the way they should have, and they even missed the playoffs once, so, please let us have our moment in the sun. Okay? Seem fair? Moving on then...
When I was 6 years old my Grandpa Sam sat me down and told me about Babe Ruth and the storied history of the Yankees. I learned about Gehrig, Dimaggio, Maris and Mantle, Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin, and from that point on I never considered cheering for another team. It just wouldn't have made sense to root for a team like the Mets, Pirates or Red Sox, because not only were the Yanks the winningest team in the history of professional sports, but they were the most storied franchise ever. Period. So much of baseball's legacy revolves around the New York Yankees that to love the sport, to me anyway, meant to love the Yankees. Now, it didn't matter that when I was growing up the Yankees were a bottom feeding team with a mercurial manager/owner relationship that turned the franchise into a kind of side show attraction, because they were still the mother f_cking New York Yankees and I knew deep down their time would come and the glory of years past would be fully restored. Not to mention the first moustache I ever admired belonged to Don "Hitman" Mattingly.
Little Known Fact: Don Mattingly's moustache hit .280 for Triple AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre in 1979, but injured it's knee before it had a chance to be called up to the majors.Then 2001 came around and, after winning 4 out of the last 5 championships, the Yankees lost to a team from Arizona known as the Diamondbacks. I was in college at the time and remember feeling like I wanted to punch a hole in someone's face when a roar went out over the campus (literally, it was a wave of noise I'll never forget) as the Yankees lost. People poured out into the common era wearing Diamondbacks jerseys and the few, proud Yankee fans sat around looking dazed, licking their wounds without making a scene. I have never been prouder to be a Yankee fan in my life than I was that night when the dozen or so of us just sat there and let it happen without picking a fight or rioting to show our anger. We acted like civil human beings that understand sometimes a team has to lose, and hey, we were spoiled. No matter how much it hurt to see our team lose after 5 years of complete and utter dominance, we were nice about it.
2002 was the first year I remember actively hating anything that had to do with the city of Boston and especially the Red Sox, because it seemed like that year especially the BoSox and their fans were making great efforts to piss off anyone that even marginally supported the Yankees. Granted, I was busy that year trying to piece my life back together after a series of bad decisions on my part ended with me being out of college, out of work and completely and totally lost in a stormy sea of uncertainty. In short: 2002 sucked, but I dealt with it as best I could and hoped for the best in 2003.
That didn't happen. The Yankees once again reached the World Series, but this time they lost, again, to the Florida Marlins (this was more embarrassing than painful, because, f_ck, it was the Marlins for God's sake), and I found myself once again faced with the arduous task of being gentlemanly in the face of defeat, but I never once lost hope that the next season would bring about a return to form, but, unfortunately we all know how 2004 ended with the BoSox winning their first World Series in more than 80 years. It was at this point that I started to wonder if, after dropping 4 in a row to our most hated rivals, that the Yanks might need to shake things up a bit and start righting the ship in a different direction, and in a way they certainly did, but for 5 years things pretty much stayed the same and my frustration with the underperformance of a team with a payroll in excess of $200 Million and more All-Stars than should be allowed by law came to a head.
Ah, but, last night around midnight Robinson Cano tossed the ball to first base and ended the game giving the Yankees the win over the Philadelphia Phillies ( a team I have new found respect for, by the way, because, f_ck me can Cliff Lee pitch and f_ck me can Chase Utley hit) and for the first time in nearly a decade everything was right with the world. I looked upon the love of my life and our dog and I just knew what it was to be completely and totally happy with the way things are. I don't live and die by the Yankees, and my happiness doesn't truly depend upon their success, but God damn it, it feels good to win again.
Congratulations you magnificent, pin striped bastards!
There they are, your 2009 World Series Champs!
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