Red-Letter Entertainment Week

[eachase.livejournal.com]

I had an awesome week in terms of entertainment, so I wanted to share it here.

First of all, Season 1 of White Collar, which I requsted via ILL the day we resumed ILL service at my library, arrived:



I'm 4 or 5 episodes in and *loving* it. Even the pilot was great. (So rarely is a pilot episode great...) In fact, my husband is watching it with me (that hasn't happened since Leverage). In fact, I'm sorely tempted to abuse my position at work at have us order all 6 seasons. Great choice for QT fans. Thank you for the recommendation.

Also, I read _Deeplight_ by Frances Hardinge. Has anyone else read it? Highly recommend! I saw it on the "Random Musings of a Bibliophile" blog - she's a QT fan and primarily writes about the very odd combination of middle grade fiction and adult romance novels. She does some YA, though, which is where this one falls:

Here are some of my favorite quotes from it:

"Stories were currency, and Hark understood that better than most."

"'My own invention,' explained Dr. Vyne with surprising warmth, turning a large wheel to lower the sub into the water. 'I call her the Screaming Sea Butterfly. She's a prototype.'

'What does that mean?' asked Hark.'

'It means that every voyage is a safety test, and it'll be scientifically fascinating if we die in her,' Vyne answered cheerfully."

"Human fear has a terrible power. It changes everything, distorts everything, maddens everything. Fear is the dark womb where monsters are born and thrive."

"'It looks like the accursed offspring of a jellyfish and a stingray,' said Quest after a moment. 'You say you know how to pilot this... error of judgement?'"

"He had always been a storyteller of sorts--eager to entertain, or win people over, or get something he wanted, or play the hero for a bit. No other people's stories were the treasures he prized. He was a storykeeper for gods and heroes."

Comments

[readsintrees.livejournal.com]

My past week has been consumed by "Hamilton". I mean, I'd been aware of the play prior to this, but I never listened to the music because without the context of seeing the play I knew it wouldn't be as meaningful for me. Well, when it went to Disney Plus I was like, "I guess I'll subscribe so I can see what the fuss is all about..." and now I'm obsessed. And, being a geek, of course I'm going bananas absorbing all of the details and behind the scene stuff. I think that the entertainment pieces that I love the best at the ones that (like Queen's Thief) can be enjoyed over and over, and you glean new tidbits each time. And there are layers upon layers to pick apart and analyze. I've watched it three times and have had the music pretty much on loop for a solid week.

I'm currently (as in, this very second) watching the conversation between Lin Manuel-Miranda and Emma Watson, thinking, "Which Thief character could LMM play....?" I think I'm seeing him as the Magus.

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Well, if you love Hamilton you have to watch Great Performances: Hamilton’s America. I found a link that works today, but watch it soon because it’s hard to find a working link. For some reason, PBS doesn’t have it available.

https://youtu.be/SDTmITgsye8

[readsintrees.livejournal.com]

I already did! I've come close to exhausting the behind the scenes content on YouTube.....

[eachase.livejournal.com]

I have a problem where I generally don't have any interest in whatever is wildly popular. So I haven't seen Hamilton yet.

But I know quite a few people who've become obsessed with Hamilton. Glad you've found a pastime to keep you busy until October!

[readsintrees.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way....which is why it's kind of annoying that Hamilton was so good. Every once in a while something is worth the hype.

[eachase.livejournal.com]

lol

[whataliethatwas.livejournal.com]

White Collar is such good fun. I think I might just like it most because of Mozzie, whom I love in turn because of Stargate SG-1 where the actor was a guest for a few episodes and played a similar-ish character so I think it's hilarious they basically fleshed that character out into Mozzie.

Deeplight looks like a fascinating mix between enchanting and horrifying.

[eachase.livejournal.com]

Moz is my husband's favorite character, too. I've never watched Stargate SG-1. Do you recommend it?

[whataliethatwas.livejournal.com]

Stargate SG-1 I watched growing up so I do love it and recommend it. It is such a nerdy show, and isn't really anything like tqt or White Collar if those are things you judge interests by. Simple version is a branch of the military uses an abandoned alien device (Stargate) to explore the universe, encounter different societies, and fight an evil overlord race that's oppressing the universe. It's got a lot of good stories, adventures, action, etc. but I really love it for the characters and the humor. I really love a book/show that can provide good material but also not take itself too seriously. The Moz actor episodes are ones where a TV producer (Moz) has created a show about a military team exploring the universe using an alien ring technology. Since it's too close to home for something supposedly top-secret they go to investigate. Basically it's a TV series making fun of the actual Stargate SG-1 TV series and it's fantastic. The Moz actor does such a great conspiracy theorist.

[eachase.livejournal.com]

Thanks! We have the series on DVD at the library, so I'll check it out the next time I'm in need of a show to try.

[manderelee.livejournal.com]

Yup, I read Deeplight! I'm a big fan of the author. Have you read anything else by Frances Hardinge? Deeplight was good, but I would say it's about my 4th favourite from her.

[eachase.livejournal.com]

I can't quite remember whether I read The Lie Tree or not. Which of her other titles do you recommend?

[manderelee.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed A Skinful of Shadows and The Lost Conspiracy! A Skinful of Shadows is probably my favourite from her.

[eachase.livejournal.com]

I checked out a Skinful of Shadows since it's in my library collection and added The Lost Conspiracy to my to-read list on Goodreads. Thanks!

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

So glad you are enjoying White Collar. It's, hands down, one of my favorite shows. And you reminded me that I am well overdue to re-watch all six seasons... :)

[eachase.livejournal.com]

I've finished Season One and am now re-watching it before I have to return the DVDs to the library. It only lost points for a cliff-hanger season finale. (I love that Leverage never did that.)

I love the characters and relationships.

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

Yup, WC loves its cliffhanger finales. Season four is the worst... XD I don't really mind cliffhangers, but I also prefer it when a season is a complete story. If the show is good, I don't need a cliffhanger to come back.

The characters are the best. They are all my favorite and each relationship has its own interesting dynamic. You also have to appreciate the clever cons and heists.

[eachase.livejournal.com]

Cliff hangers aren't so bad when the entire show has completed its run and you can go straight to the next one. But thanks for the warning about season 4!

Yes, I love the cons and heists. And gloats! I listened to the commentaries on all the episodes of Leverage and that's one of the things the creators/writers talked about -- they learned early on the importance of a good gloat to creating a feeling of satisfaction in the audience. The WC pilot has a good one, and so do Bad Judgement and Vital Signs.

I also love all the little (and sometimes big) things that remind me of Leverage. Hard Sell was full of them, but my to use an example from Bad Judgement (that someone certainly must have tagged as an incorrect quote) in the scene in front of the bank at the end, I looked at my husband and said, "You realize that your plan depends on me being an utter bastard," which, is (of course) from Leverage's The Second David Job, but exactly what Fowler must have been thinking in that moment. I think The Portrait was one of my favorites of the season.

It's so fascinating to me that the shows use some many of the same acts of malfeasance and cons, and are both very alike and very dissimilar. Also, since they aired almost the same years, I don't feel like one was stealing from the other. (Although, only too appropriate if there were!) The "conversation" between them is delightful.