Discussion Thursday

Rizzoli & Isles

Title: Rizzoli & Isle

Channel: TNT

Time: Hiatus until Summer Premier

Premise: Based on characters created by best-selling crime novelist Tess Gerritsen, RIZZOLI & ISLES stars Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli, a tough-as-nails Boston police detective, and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles, a smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner from a privileged background. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry and strong working relationship that has helped them bust some of Boston’s most notorious criminals.

Lorraine Bracco stars as Jane’s demanding and intrusive mother, Angela. Lee Thompson Young is Detective Barry Frost, Jane’s somewhat green partner. Bruce McGill plays Detective Vince Korsak, Jane’s seasoned former partner who resents her being paired with Frost. And Jordan Bridges is Jane’s brother, Frankie Jr., a patrol cop who hopes one day to become a detective.

At first I wasn’t interested in the series, despite the fact Sasha Alexander was in it.  I’m not quite sure why suddenly decided to take a look at the series, but after about three episodes in, it hooked you.  Sasha and Angie are amazing as the two leads – Marua Isles and Jane Rizzoli.  They are two strong woman who are very different, yet not.  They adore each other, will back each others plays without thinking, and at the same time want to smack the crap out of each other.  They are real woman.  Many times I could find myself relating to Rizzoli (hush to the peanut gallery) but those who know me – that isn’t nearly shocking.

They tackle modern day events/issues without hesitation.  There’s an episode where a woman is killed and you discover she has a wife.  It was just part of the story, not a big deal made over the fact this was a gay couple.  Recent episode you discover Detective Frost’s mom has a partner and she was worried on telling him.  They handled the situation with the fear, stress, and love that comes with those type of moments.  There is a returning character who was wounded in Afghanistan and has lost most use of his legs.  In simple ways they show the affects of the injury to his life, and those he loves.  It brings to home so many issues you hear and read about and makes it real.  Giving the audience someone to relate to.

Angie Harmon: Jane Rizzoli  the only daughter, of a Boston Italian Family – she shocked and upset her family by become a police officers instead of marrying and having kids.  The character is well rounded, lovable and annoying.  Angie brings a sense of humor and sophistication to a hard nose cop who as a woman has to live in a man’s world.  I’ve followed Angie since her stint in Law&Order.   If you have a twitter account you would enjoy following her: Angie Harmon – she is funny, inspirational, adores her fans, and she’ll post pics from filming.

Sasha Alexander: Maura Isles was adopted by her parents when she was a baby, raised in a upper class family.  She is the ME of Boston PD and is very knowledgeable about anything sometimes too much.  I hadn’t seen her in a real role since Kate in NCIS so it was nice to see her in running series as a lead.  It took a while to get used to the blonde hair but she pulls it off beautifully.  She gives Maura a sense of humor, innocence, intelligence, and caring.

Lorraine Bracco: Plays Jane’s mother.  If you don’t recognize her name you’ll recognize her voice instantly.  Angie Rizzoli is an Italian mother of 3, and everyone knows it.  I do adore her characters, but there are times she does the hot/cold quickly and sometimes they aren’t sure where they want ma to go with her life.

Lee Thompson Young: Detective Barry Frost – Jane’s partner.  He’s assigned to her after she has a bad run in with a serial killer, Hoyt.  The character is very different from her previous partner. Young. Tech Savy. And the two don’t always get along.  I’ve never seen Lee Thompson Young in anything else, but he shows good potential and I would enjoy seeing his career unfold.

 Bruce McGill: Vince Korsak – Jane’s former partner.  He was removed as her partner due to the fact she was taken on the job by Hoyt.  He still works with Jane and Frost, but still upset over the fact he failed Jane in her worst nightmare.  Bruce McGill has been around Hollywood and you know him the moment you see him.  Might not know his name, but you’re always going – that guy! You know the one in ….

Jordan Bridges: Frankie Rizzoli – Jane’s Brother.  Who wanted to follow in sister’s footsteps and become a cop much to the dismay of Mama Rizzoli.  Over the past three years the show has been on – Jordan has developed from new actor to someone who can hold his own in the scene.  Frankie has grown as a character and it shows.

The TV Series is actually based on a set of books by Tess Gerritsen – her first book introducing Jane Rizzoli – The Surgen.  I’ve read the first book, and the timing is slightly different as it starts in 2000 (pre 9/11) so the situations/background is slightly different from the TV Series. I’ve got the rest of the book sitting on the bedside table and will read them as time goes on.

Sylum Relationship: Jane Rizzoli & Maura Isles were briefly introduced in Roads Untravelled.  There story is in the works, but sitting on the back burner as many stories are in front of them.  The biggest difference you’ll notice from the book series/tv series and Sylum is Joey Grant.  Joey is scene briefly in the Pilot and 2nd Episode – played by Donnie Wahlberg.  He’s family friend who’s known Jane all their lives.  This character is being used heavily in Sylum – while he’s never really seen again in the TV show.

Joey Grant: Mate to both Jane and Maura 

So the questions I’m tossing out today are: Do you watch the show?  Loveit? Like it? OH Hell No? Do you read the books? Does the show do the books justice? Or are the too different?

Sylum Questions: Curious to know how they all got together? What are their histories? And did you notice they are the only triad paring that is two woman and a man.  And Joey will tell you – having two woman as Mate’s isn’t easy and any guy who has the fantasy of two girls – yeah they should try living with Maura and Jane.

Discussion Thursday

Movie/Book/Musical: Les Misérables

Title: Les Misérables

Author: Victor Hugo

Synopsis: In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever.

There have been many many adaptations of this book.  There’s the Broadway Musical, the 1998 Movie, and now the movie based on the Musical.  The story evokes many emotions, and everyone has their favorite rendition of how the story is told.  My actual first introduction to the story was the 1998 Movie Version with Liam Neeson as Valjean.

Before I get the OMG how could you like that you Heathen! Despite the fact I’m sure true fans of the book and musical can give me a couple hundred reasons why this version sucked, I will argue – it introduced the story to a new audience.  Not everyone has sat down to read the 1488 pgs.  I love to read and even that number makes the book daunting.  And not everyone has seen the Musical.

The most famous and well known adaptation is the Musical.  The first English Performance was in England in 1985 and as they say the rest is history.  The Musical as become a huge success and a theatre classic.

I have never seen the Theatre Production.  Once again before I get the OMG Heathen how could not have seen this!!!! Well there are a few reasons: Anytime it arrived into LA it was sold out before you could blink, and I really didn’t have the few hundred dollars for the back row tickets.  Second reason – I’m not a musical fan.  There I admit it, not a fan of musicals.   Sitting through a musical throws me off… I like to listen to the music and songs and hear what they are saying not being shown what they are saying.

Now the latest version is a movie based on the Musical Theatre Production.  Yeah get your head around that one.  It caught my attention quickly because hello Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman.

Now I’ve heard the reviews and read the critics ranging from this was the best thing since slice bread to the bitch rants on the fact Jackman and Crowe don’t have good enough singing voices for the roles.  Now I’m not a musical fan but even I can tell you there is a difference between Broadway Actors and Hollywood Actors.  Getting someone who can belt out Stars and I Dream a Dream on Broadway is totally different then finding an actor/actress who can act on film and sing.

Now what makes something like Les Misérables interesting for Sylum is the fact there are multiple versions of the same storyline.  Finding and creating a backstory to make it fit the original storyline and Sylum can get creative.  The characters Valjean and Javert have been in Sylum for a while, but recently were changed to fit the new movie version.  Why you ask? Because it actually fit Sylum Storyline better than the original images/actors.  That and hello Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe :D.

So the questions I’m tossing out for the discussion are these.  Which is your favorite version? Book? Movie? Broadway Musical? Movie based on Broadway Musical? Another one I haven’t seen or heard of?  Do you like the variety of versions? Or hate it?  If your a fan of the Musical which song speaks to you the most?  Which character do you feel for?

As for Sylum – are you looking forward to seeing how these men will play in a modern world?  Curious on how they do get together?  Or you just looking at Bob going – dude wtf?
It’s Thursday – so lets discuss!!!

Every Thursday I’ll put up a post to discuss a latest TV Show, Movie, Book, Band, etc…

Discussion Thursday

TV Show: Arrow

Title: Arrow

Channel: CW

Time: Wednesday 8pm

Premise: After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he’s become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow – a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be – flanked by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle – while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under cover of darkness. However, Laurel’s father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the vigilante operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver’s own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on – and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine.

I admit I came into this a little later into the season – having recorded most for the season. The moment I started watching I went through like 4 episodes and was little upset I had to go to bed for work the next day!  The show grips you, and you want to know what will happen next.  I admit it needs some shoring up on character development – the sister and the ‘ex-girlfriend’ go from bitchy to caring back to bitchy in two seconds.  The supporting characters are well casted and you enjoy watching them as much as the main character.

Stephen Arnell is amazing in the role he really brings depth to the character and watching him transform from shallow useless playboy to vigilante is really good.  And the fact he does his own stunts – damn that’s all there is to say about some of those scenes.  PS if you would like you can follow him on Twitter – his comments while filming are worth the read.

Katie Cassidy she will always be my favorite Ruby.  And she does good in this role.  I think the character needs some focus she seems to be all over the map at times for no reason.

David Ramsey as the bodyguard turned sidekick.  I actually like him a lot.  The actor is one of those you’ve seen him but not sure where.  He holds his own, and his character is one of the few that as more focus on what he is supposed to be doing.

Paul Blackthorne  will always be Dresden I don’t care what he does.  It’s Dresden.  He brings experience to the cast and it shows.

Though I have to ask John Barrowman – Really? I have a hard time seeing him as a sinister mastermind that wants to rule the universe.  Just not working for me.

So the questions I’m tossing out to everyone reading the blog.  Do you watch the show? Love it? Like it? What the fuck were they thinking?  For those who know the comic series – does it follow true? Or typical hollywood rewrote everything?

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So come on – lets discuss!