The Best Frakkin' Show on TV

Recently Alex and I were deciding what movie we might see next and it struck us that pretty much everything out there would probably pale in comparison to the stuff we've been watching lately on TV.

It seems we're in a golden era of television entertainment where the finest character development, the most thoughtful treatment of major issues, the biggest laughs and the best-earned tears can all be found on the small screen.

Currently, I'm hooked on five shows each of which has a strong claim on the designation of the best frakkin' show on TV.

(This sets aside a number of other shows I watch and enjoy, but which fall short of that mark: Heroes, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Survivor. It also, obviously, excludes a couple shows I don't watch but which have received universal acclaim: The Wire, The Shield)

5. Entourage

This HBO comedy is the best time you can have watching TV — the episodes go down like popcorn and are more addictive than crack. Produced by Mark Wahlberg and inspired by the adventures he and his buddies from the mean streets of Boston had once he hit it big in Hollywood, Entourage gives viewers the chance to live vicariously the life of a huge movie star. We follow Vincent Chase as he takes the meetings, goes to the parties, dates the most incredible-looking women. We also get to hang out with a hilarious supporting cast, highlighted by Kevin Dillon as Johnny Drama, Vince's pathetic but proud older brother, and Jeremy Piven as Ari Gold, Vince's breathtakingly arrogant agent. This show makes me want to subscribe to HBO.

4. Lost

It started as an adventure about a group of people stranded on a remote island with something that sounded a lot like a dinosaur stomping through the woods behind them. But it quickly turned into a captivating puzzle, complete with mysteriously reappearing numbers, a series of hatches tied to psychological experiments, precognition, time travel and a freaky smoke monster. Best of all, Lost spends most of its time digging ever deeper into the backgrounds and psyches of its large ensemble cast of characters. In the most arresting season finale of last year, the flashback structure was turned completely on its head and we were treated to a flash-forward showing Jack and Kate off the island. The show's creators have arranged for a unique end game, giving us three shortened seasons eight months apart, and I'm confident they will deliver the goods, giving this special show a finish as satisfying as its start.

3. The Office

It seems unlikely that a remake of a beloved British show could end up as one of the best shows on American TV, but a month into its fourth season, The Office has never missed a step. It is consistently the funniest thing on the air but also has a thread of pathos running through every episode. Steve Carrell's Michael Scott is a buffoon, but you always believe he wants what's best for the people and company he cares about. And the Jim/Pam relationship has gone through so many phases now and just becomes deeper and more winning with each one. Of everything on this list, The Office is the show that best captures a regular daily life — we can all appreciate dealing with the weirdo the next cubicle over or harboring a secret crush on the pretty girl across the room. That it turns such mundane material into hilarious high art is quite an achievement.

2. Battlestar Galactica

On the opposite side of the spectrum (though Dwight is a huge fan, so there is a connection) we have Galactica. Though on hiatus for months now, and with months left before the start of its next season, this show continues to enthrall me (not least because I've been able to relive the first two seasons through Amy and Dana's eyes). It's a gripping human drama that happens to take place in outer space, with heroes and villains painted in so many shades of grey it is sometimes hard to tell them apart. Dark and uncompromising, Galactica has tackled issues such as torture and abortion through the prism of a world not quite our own, but powerfully similar. And it must be appluaded for adding to the lexicon the word "frak" — a TV-friendly stand-in for its more vulgar cousin.

1. Friday Night Lights

I don't want to be accused of lapsing into hyperbole, so believe me when I say this bold statement is completely heartfelt: the first 22 episodes of Friday Night Lights make up the finest season of television I have ever seen.

How is it that a show about a high school football team in Texas reaches such lofty heights? Well, for starters, you've got the sports thing. On the big screen, movies from Hoosiers and Rudy to Bull Durham and Rocky have made for outstanding fiction — mixing the heart-pounding tension of on-the-field competition with the personal battles between and within the characters. Now imagine that same level of excitement and emotion spread over a television season, with so much more time dedicated to each character.

And what characters these are — people you hate but grow to love, people you love but grow to hate and then grow to love again. People who are funny, angry, weak and strong. At the center of this universe are Kyle Chandler's head coach and his wife, played by Connie Britton, in an exquisitely dramatized marriage. You completely believe these people have been married for 20 years, and beyond that, you want to move to Texas to be friends with them. I know the Emmys are notorious for overlooking stellar shows and performances and for giving awards to the "wrong" people, but Connie Britton not winning (let alone being nominated for) the Best Actress trophy is the single biggest travesty in that award show's history.

Finally (though I could go on and on) I'll call attention to the meticulous attention to detail the show offers, the overwhelming realism. Whether it's the workings of a small Texas town obsessed with high school football, the atmosphere surrounding a quadriplegic rugby team or the awkward maneuverings of a first teenage love, everything is spot on. Friday Night Lights often feels more like a documentary than a scripted TV show.

We're about to start Season Two, and I hope the show maintains its level of quality (not to mention its very existence, which is in doubt thanks to lackluster ratings). But for now, I can confidently say Friday Night Lights is the best frakkin' show on TV.

The Darjeeling Limited

Date: October 20
Location: AMC Sunset Place

Wow, it's been awhile since I saw a movie. Can't let that happen again! I still don't know exactly how I feel about this movie, at least in terms of placing it on the list. I can say that, for now at least, I consider it the weakest of Wes Anderson's films. But that's not saying much, because I consider all the rest masterpieces of varying degree and this one definitely has its place among them. Complicating things is the fact that all of Anderson's films have grown richer and more effective for me over time, and I suspect future viewings of Darjeeling will continue that trend. I'd love to see this film again in the theater, and I will definitely buy the DVD the day it's released.

That said, I can appreciate the criticism that Anderson has gone to the well one too many times, producing another film about broken families set against obsessively detailed mise-en-scene and peppered with slo-mo shots set to obscure 60s pop songs. He definitely does that here, perhaps a couple times too many.

However, I was surprised to see how much Anderson breaks from his signature style in this film — shooting on a moving train and on location in India lends a more organic feel to many of his compositions. The film has a looser, more improvisational feel. And the performances are lovely, with Owen Wilson a particular standout — he has always done his finest work in Anderson's films.

Ultimately, while I feel this is a special film, I hope Anderson stretches his wings a bit more on the next one. His spectacular early success (artistic if not commercial) is working against him now, but I'm guessing 20 years from now his work will be studied and appreciated alongside the other great directors of our time. Five films into Steven Spielberg's career, he was regarded as a boy who refused to grow up, but a couple Munichs and Schindler's Lists later that criticism is forgotten. Wes Anderson is at a similar crossroads, and I for one can't wait to see what direction he takes next.

Death Proof

Date: September 26
Location: Clifton Living Room

Released in theaters as part of a double-feautre titled Grindhouse, this Quentin Tarantino film has been expanded by 30 minutes and given the solo treatment on DVD. The extra footage is unnecessary, and basically amounts to more scenes of people talking... and talking... and talking. Yes, Tarantino is a great writer of dialogue, but he's not at his best here. More so than any QT film, this thing is absent a single recognizable human emotion. It's all about the style. And stylish it certainly is — but Tarantino needs to grow up and stop reimagining B-movie schlock if he wants to regain his status as one of America's finest filmmakers.

Away From Her

Date: September 21
Location: Clifton Living Room

Writer-director Sarah Polley makes a striking debut with this haunting tale of a long-married couple dealing with Alzheimer's. Polley clearly learned some tricks under the tutelage of her Sweet Hereafter director Atom Egoyan (who is a producer here) — the snowy setting, fractured timeline and emotional restraint are all reminiscent of that great film. Julie Christie is a marvel as the afflicted, but I was moved even more by Gordon Pinsent in the difficult role of the left-behind husband.

Once

Date: September 16
Location: Regal Tara (Atlanta, GA)

I crept away to see this in the dead of night at a beautiful art theater outside of downtown Atlanta. This place was great. In the mold of the old 167th Street theater — four huge auditoriums — but strictly foreign and indie fare. It's a wonderful movie, with three or four scenes that will definitely make my highlight list for the year. It's sort of a long, emotional music video... I don't know that I've seen anything quite like it before. Given that, I suppose it can only be as good as the music, and there is some truly great music here. I'll definitely be buying the soundtrack, though I doubt "If You Want Me" will be as special without the exquisite image of Marketa Irglova walking down the street after buying batteries.

The Kingdom

Date: September 15
Location: AMC Sunset Place

We saw a sneak preview of this Peter Berg political thriller a couple weeks before its official release, and I'm predicting this thing will be huge. It's smart, funny, exciting and thought-provoking. With this film and Friday Night Lights, Berg has established a style I'm liking a lot — gritty realism rooted in a strong sense of place combined with a sure-handed Hollywood sheen. He delivers that "this is why I go to the movies" feeling even if you leave the theater in tears. This film is very well cast — the mix of procedural, culture clash and action movie doesn't leave a lot of time for character development, but these actors are instantly likable. The strongest impression is left by Jamie Foxx's Saudi counterpart, and the treatment of the Saudis in general is impressive. Look for a powerful cameo by a barely recognizable Tim McGraw, who definitely appears to have a future in film.

Smokin' Aces

Date: September 14
Location: Clifton Living Room

A wildly stylish and often hilarious crime romp that would be much better if it was the 5th post-Tarantino exercise and not the 95th. It has some memorable action and dialogue, and a dozen or so excellent performances from a very impressive cast, but the "serious" moments fall flat and the plot turns ridiculous at the climax. Jason Bateman, though, practically steals the whole movie in a scene that can't last more than 5 minutes. He should be in everything.

Disturbia

Date: September 7
Location: Clifton Living Room

This was a highly enjoyable, if far-fetched, modern (and younger) take on Rear Window. It turns into a somewhat typical thriller in its final moments, but before that it very effectively establishes its characters. I did find myself wondering why these kids didn't just call the police, especially later in the film, but suspension of disbelief makes things a lot more fun. Shia Lebouf is an excellent actor who can play funny, smart, dorky or cool — sometimes all at once — and he packs a real dramatic punch when he needs to. I have no doubt that he'll be a major star for years to come.

Stardust

Date: September 1
Location: AMC Sunset Place

We had a free ticket thanks to Moviewatcher points and nothing new was worth seeing (King of Kong is playing only at Las Olas), so we gave this comic fairy tale a try. It's a very sweet film — I get the Princess Bride comparisons, though of course it's not in the same ballpark (or, to quote Pulp Fiction's Jules, not even the same bleepin' sport). Some big laughs, a sweet love story, good villains... all in all, a fun night at the movies. One big misstep, though: Robert DeNiro's pirate as a cross-dressing fop? I liked the sensitive soul masking as a tough guy, but they took it to cartoonish (and frankly, offensive) places.

Large and in charge

I'm straying a bit from the topic of this blog to examine the latest album release of a certain Mr. Lyle Lovett. Perhaps I'm not too far afield, as Mr. Lovett has acted in several films and provided music for many more. Regardless, such a talent deserves to be reflected upon, and this is as good a place as any.

This is an important release for Lovett, arriving 11 years after what I consider his best work, The Road to Ensenada. His output since then has been spotty — a live album, a collection of covers, a soundtrack and, in 2003, the album I consider his worst... My Baby Don't Tolerate. That work had the sheen and musicianship he's known for, but the songs were standard country rock numbers that felt like they could have been written by anyone.

So would this be a return to form, or another disappointment?

The short answer: It's a return to fom. But I've never been one for short answers. So here's a track-by-track breakdown of Lovett's latest opus.

1. Tickle Toe
In general, the songs on this album feel like songs on Lovett's previous albums, particularly his back-to-back classics Lyle Lovett and His Large Band and Joshua Judges Ruth. This track, a bouncy jazz number, is reminiscent of 'The Blues Walk,' which opened Large Band. It's a great way to kick off an album that harkens back to that earlier sound.

2. I Will Rise Up/Ain't No More Cain
In a way, I think it was a mistake to put this song right up front, because it's one of the most powerful and involving tracks Lovett has ever recorded. It starts slow, with an acoustic guitar and haunting vocals, before exploding into a gospel chorus as memorable as anything he's written. The band is in full swing here, but oddly it's one of the only tracks on the album that really uses them like this.

3. All Downhill
A splendid, fun country rocker with funny lyrics and Lovett's usual wry delivery. "I've been good and I've been bad / Mostly I've been bad"

4. Don't Cry a Tear
This feels a lot like 'She's Already Made Up Her Mind' on Joshua... the same atmospheric background and ominous vocals. Stunning acoustic guitar work, and another album highlight.

5. South Texas Girl
Along with 'I Will Rise Up,' this song ranks right up there with Lovett's best work. It's bookended with an old-timey performance of the chorus which drives home what an instant classic this is. My favorite line: "Now these days with car seats and open container laws / Social correctness leaves no room for Santa Claus." Unfortunately the album peaks here after only five songs, which is not to say in any way that the rest is disappointing — just that the standout tracks come early.

6. This Traveling Around
A lovely melody, though the lyric is quite simple. It's a mood setter. Some quick Googling confirmed something I suspected, which is that Lovett is a fan of and sometime collaborator with Lucinda Williams. Some of the songs on this album remind me of her recent work.

7. Up In Indiana
This one hasn't left a very strong impression on me after a few listens. It's more country than most songs on the album and it's certainly a fun listen, but it doesn't resonate like the tunes surrounding it. Which makes it a strange choice for a reprise — the final track is an "acoustic" version of the song that doesn't seem a whole lot different from this one to my ear.

8. The Alley Song
Lovely little tune that reminds me of 'Nobody Knows Me' from Large Band. I was surprised to learn from the liner notes that this song was written way back in 1980.

9. No Big Deal
My fourth favorite track on the album (for now). Very reminiscent of 'Good Intentions,' again from Large Band, though it was apparently written before that classic tune. The band is in fine form here, with fiddle and piano interplay I could listen to for hours.

10. Make It Happy
It sure sounds great, but I don't have a lot of patience for this song in general. It's sort of a cross between 'Penguins' and 'She's Hot to Go' but not as fun as either of those tracks. It is the track that best uses the full band, though, after 'I Will Rise Up.' So for that it earns some points.

11. Ain't No More Cane
A haunting and majestic performance of an old gospel classic. My fifth favorite performance here, and a stunning finale (I don't count the reprise of 'Up In Indiana' as part of the album proper). I love how all the singers get a turn at a verse — Lovett has always been a generous bandleader, and his music is so much the better for it.

Conclusion:
So, after just a few listens, I feel It's Not Big It's Large has already earned a spot alongside the dynamic duo — Lyle Lovett and His Large Band and Joshua Judges Ruth. It doesn't reach the heights of The Road to Ensenada (few albums do) but it's a work of art and a return to the Lyle Lovett I adore. Let's hear it for the long tall Texan!