The Americans - "Gregory" review

Phil and Liz face ghosts from the pilot, a challenge to their attempts to make a real family out of their cover assignments, and Stan needs to start buying lottery tickets, because he’s right about EVERYthing in “Gregory” – episode three of the 1^st season of The Americans.  There was so much plot in this Thomas Schlamme-directed episode, they barely had time for the 80s breadcrumbs.  I’ll get to my review right after I change out of my racquetball shoes.

The Americans: "The Clock" Review

The mission-driven spy drama is on full display in the second episode of The Americans.  For those who wanted cloaks, daggers, and dead drops, “The Clock” doesn’t disappoint.  All that was missing was a self-destructing message.  I’ll be better able to speak about that as soon as I pull this speaker foam out of my esophagus.

House of Cards Reviews

I'm going to start reviewing the all-new Netflix-only series House of Cards¹ soon. Though this isn't Netflix's first foray into original programming (Bruce Springsteen's² guitarist and E Street Band Member Steven Van Zandt's Lilyhammer is going in to its second season - Little Steven will be away from the E Street Band while they are in Australia in order to be able to film this second season) though I have yet to watch it.

The Americans: Pilot

I finally sat down to watch The Americans last night, a show that has gotten some rave reviews from all circles after the airing of the pilot this past Wednesday.  Unfortunately for me, I’ll rarely have a review of it posted in the few hours after it airs – I go to bed far too early to watch it live, or even do the TiVo catch up.  But, having finally found an hour or two to sit down and power through the oddly timed 69 minute pilot episode (spread out over an hour and thirty seven minutes of broadcast space), I am hooked.  As I referenced, I was hoping for weird familial relations, lots of 1980s references, and geopolitical breadcrumbs, and the pilot delivered.  There’s so much 80s and Americana intricately weaved in to a show about family and paranoia, but it never felt like I was being clubbed over the head with the setting or mood.  There’s certainly plenty to talk about, but first, I need to go investigate my gardener for being a Sandinista, because I have a funny feeling.

The Return of the Champ

It may be temporary, but Bill Simmons reached back and delivered a fastball from his early 2000s days with his column today about PEDs in football.  I’m heartened to believe that he is back with a vengeance.  He actually seems disappointed in himself, which is important, because I think his fans seem disappointed in himself as well.  I have a long history with Bill Simmons’ work, and haven’t sat down to read a column of his in some time.  Today, when I saw that he’d written The PED Question with a provocative picture of stabber/linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, I knew I had to read it.  I tore through it like a horse too long in the desert without an oasis.