Fringe

Damn it, I can't look away :). Like Lost, I'm disc-marathon-addicted to this show. Being a latecomer has its perks...as I can avoid the suspense of "the next episode" for the time being. Having just finished the season 1 discs and reading a bit (unavoidable, believe me) on what happens next, I'm excited to move forward. This show has a lot going for it...with fringe science at its core. Then come the stories that are very well thought and written. And the cast that was assembled simply delivers. I personally like the rough edges on Anna Torv's character and the amusing relationship between Joshua Jackson and John Noble.

Small ball works

Bochy is such an underappreciated manager in the league. He and this team just continue to find ways to manufacture runs behind the strong pitching crew. Today's game was fun to watch because it was a lot of small ball in the end....steals and a suicide squeeze. Beautiful.

Production where it counts

Analysts can keep snickering at the Giants for having the lowest offensive numbers in the league despite maintining its position at the top of the NL West standings. I like to think of it as an economical approach ;). Seriously, though, I love that there is no one or two guys you normally would expect to produce every given night. Its different guys every game, and that's the beauty of it. Score just enough runs to win. Even if its a productive out to move a runner, draw out more pitches, or keep the pressure on the basepaths, it still adds up in the end. Work hard and results will follow.

Oddities

I can't believe I fell in love with another series in the same weekend...after a marathon with Ice Pilots NWT, I then found myself on a marathon of Oddities episodes. This show is basically a fusion of two other shows I really like: Pawn Stars and American Pickers. This show however is bent towards the obscure and the crew is great. It doesn't hurt to see Chloe Sevigny visit them, too!

Ice Pilots NWT

I'm hooked. The marathon showing this weekend just kept me glued to the couch. I really admire this company's love of piston-engine planes. It's great to see all these WWII-era planes still in service. The folks that run the company are interesting as well.

One Hour Photo

I couldn't believe Robin Williams was able to contain himself in this film. That in itself was a major achievement. Of course if you have the dvd all you have to do is watch the featurette and Charlie Rose segment to see that off-camera he let it all out......I don't think I've ever seen Charlie Rose giggle as much.

One is enough

It does feel like an extended post-season. The giants are still winning by one-run margins...and its become typical...though now people appear less tortured than before. Great weekend...we sweep the A's....wow! While analysts scratch their heads (again) at how the Giants remain on top of the division despite a weak offense...just goes to show how timely hitting is working. Personally though I just enjoy how this really is a team. There is no single person. It can be any of the regulars....Huff, Posey, or Sanchez.....but can also easily be anyone from the bench....like this A's series where Schierholtz, Ford, and Burris shined.

Redemption

Honestly, before this season, I only knew Ryan Vogelsong because he was the guy the Giants traded for Jason Schmidt...and given the greate service time we got out of him....Ryan easily drifted into memory. This weekend's game was heart-warming in that Ryan was able to work his way back to the Giants and delivered a solid performance. With a standing ovation on his exit and a tip of the cap to the fans, it was a nice moment.

A sprinkle of magic...

Ok, so the season hasn't been a roaring start. But this is still a team, and it just goes down to who are up to par on any given evening. And then there are days when you feel sprinkles of magic :). What a great day to have it on Willie Mays' birthday celebration at the park.

As the new season unfolds...

Finally got the first week out of the way. It's a mixed bag, actually...defense is still a little rusty, but there are positives to celebrate...Timmy has started strong, Pablo's off-season workout appears to be paying dividends, and we finally are seeing production out of De Rosa. It was sad to see Ishikawa let go (great that he was brough back for the ring ceremony), but Belt really made a case for making the roster...now let's hope he can stay the way Buster did.

Red

"This is going to be fun", says Victoria Winslow (Dame Helen Mirren)....and it truly was....there's always that fear that an all-star cast spells doom for a film...but Red shows in can still be.....fun! Too many nice scenes and lines....and I find myself laughing out loud.....this movie reminds me of Sneakers....fun to watch and has great comedic lines (in Sneakers, Sidney Poiter was gold)....John Malkovich's Marvin Boggs could have very well been Howling Mad Murdock's dad :). Dame Helen Mirren firing automatic and sniper arms...a beautiful sight indeed. Way to go, your highness!

NCIS

The addiction pretty much started the same way as CSI....via a marathon of syndicated episodes on cable. This time the culprit was the USA Network (for CSI it was Spike). The formula is not new, but when you get the right actors you get really interesting characters and relationships. It also helps to have some longer plot lines. The change in actors (Sasha Alexander to Cota de Pablo, Lauren Holly to Rocky Carroll) wasn't a negative. The dynamic between Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly is funny and the forensic scientists (Ducky and Abby) add just the right quirkiness.