Elena says: What do you think of the VM gossip?

Jen Star says: I don't know anymore. I'm kinda ready to let it go.

Elena says: I haven't liked this season. It's a relief when it's not on. The dialogue is so good though. I have trouble letting go, I always worry it'll get good after I stop watching.

Jen Star says: I wouldn't stop watching, but it's never a good sign if the creator doesn't have it in him to have a solid five-year arc for a series. Scrambling is never a good sign, and they've been scrambling since the end of season one.

Elena says: New writers perhaps? Maybe supporters like Joss and Stephen King should try their hand! That'd be interesting.

I really don't understand the "best show on TV" tag anymore. Wishful thinking?

Jen Star says: Or not knowing when you're beaten. Arrested Development could have gone on on Showtime (and, not to spoil it or anything, but Deadwood is only three seasons, with the creator bowing out), but the creator said, "I think we're done now." And I'd much rather get two-and-a-half seasons of an amazing show, than to get five of a mediocre one.

Jen Star says: VM should have realized after two seasons that the best way to keep the story moving was to kill someone close to her, and give her some baggage to work thru. Sassy teen detective only goes so far. Joss saw it with Buffy; I really don't know why Rob Thomas couldn't see it with VM.

Elena says: Of course there's a difference between reaching a natural end and just running out of steam... VM has more in it to tell, they just can't figure out what that is and how to do it. The college years are always the death of shows. (I did know that about Deadwood.)

I feel this way about Lost. They want to stretch it for seven seasons and it doesn't have it in it. I blame pressure from the networks.

Jen Star says: It's the public, tho, to a major degree. They want new episodes, and with a story like that, you can't do 24 episodes a season and still give things away. You'd run out of things to talk about one-third of the way in! That's why I love Heroes. They just pile it on! They don't even care if it makes sense!

Elena says: You're right. The gen pop has the attention span of a moron.

Heroes is so damn great.

Jen Star says: It really is.

Jen Star says: Hey! Maybe you can start watching BSG, then start watching Deadwood, and when you're done, you'll be ready for Firefly!

Elena says: Stranger things have happened... I wouldn't hold my breath tho!

Jen Star says: I'm watching Battlestar Galactica. Fantastic show.

Elena says: I left you a comment on that one. My mom has been at me to watch Battlestar. When I read your post I laughed so much, I'd just gotten off the phone with my Mom who was going on and on about this week's Battlestar finale and how I had to get watching the show.

I want to like it, but the few episodes of this season I've seen hadn't grabbed me. I'll try season one.

Jen Star says: You've watched them out of order? Good God, why?!? It's a serial show of epic proportions! Stop! Stop watching the new season until you've seen the first two.

Elena says: My mom makes me watch when I visit in the hopes that I'll get interested. So, I'm afraid I already know some major plot twists. But I don't plan to watch the finale or anything. I hate not watching from the start. What was the miniseries you mentioned tho? Is that before season one? I checked at Rogers and they have seasons one and two for rent, but I don't remember seeing a miniseries...

Jen Star says: BSG started as a four-hour miniseries to see if there was enough interest in reworking the show (it first aired in the '70s). When there was, the miniseries became the pilot episode.

Elena says: Ah, got it. Is BSG as good as Buffy would you say?

Jen Star says: I have no idea. It's hard to compare. It's as good as Deadwood.

Elena says: Ewwgh. Is Deadwood good? A western with cowboys isn't it?

Jen Star says: Deadwood is amazing. I can't believe how much I love that show.

Elena says: Really? Huh. Can't say I ever wanted to watch it. What's so great about it?

Jen Star says: Timothy Olyphant plays the lead guy.

Jen Star says: Larry, from "Hi, I'm Larry, and this is my brother Darryl" is in it.

Jen Star says: Molly Parker is in it.

Jen Star says: It is violent and moody, and the characters are so compelling that you feel like you've known them forever.

Jen Star says:It is everything in its second season that Rome wasn't.

Jen Star says: A historical look at real people (Olyphant's character is a guy from Etobicoke; nearly everyone else is someone from the real town of Deadwood) that is well made and realistic. And immensely watchable.

Elena says: Huh. I'm intrigued. I so need another TV show to watch! Is it still on the History Channel?

Jen Star says: Nope. They ran it twice and then pulled it from the lineup. I'll try to remember to let you know when it starts up again.

Elena says: Thanks. I guess I could also rent it. Lots of swearing sounds good.

I have been such a terrible correspondent lately. It’s not that I love my entertainment any less, it’s just been a busy time for me, both personally and creatively. Family sorrow marked the holidays (read my Robert Altman tribute and you’ll probably get the gist of it). That was followed by my annual Major Work Project during the day, and my Brand New Love of Acrylic Paint/Awesome Rebel SLR Digital Experimentation at night. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t even had a chance to play with my new pen-as-mouse pad I got so I can start animating things in Flash.

I’m feeling very artistic right now, which I haven’t in years. I can directly correlate my downturn in creative art to my increased involvement in writing, so it makes sense that my writing is suffering as I rediscover how to hold a paint brush. I will endeavour to keep up a bit more, though, as I have seen and heard a great many things in the last couple months that are worth writing about.

Let’s start with Babel. My neighbour C and I went to see it New Year's Eve, and by the end of the movie I wanted to kill myself. What a downer! I thought the editing and acting were fantastic, but the story was just one giant buzzkill. I am willing to accept that (spoilers ahoy!) a couple could lose a child to SIDS, then decide to go to Morocco to get over that loss (even though the wife hates germs and filth of any kind. Maybe all the flights to Paris were booked?), then get shot by some kids playing a prank. It doesn’t happen all the time, but at least it’s not inconceivable. But that that same couple’s young children would be taken to Mexico, then driven home by a drunk who hates authority, and abandoned in the desert to fend for themselves? Come on. That’s a lot to swallow—too much to make the story believable.

Of course, I saw The Holiday a couple of weeks ago and really liked it. So perhaps my opinions shouldn’t weigh all that strongly.

I’m watching: Deadwood. Hoo, doggy, am I in love with this show! History Television has been running this series uncut since the fall, and I PVR’d it this last go-round. Why did nobody tell me that Timothy Olypant was in this series? I love Timothy Olypant! Also, Trixie and Sol rock my world.

I’m listening to: Good lordy, what aren’t I listening to? I’ve been on a bit of a folk run lately, as I gear up for my trip to Scotland in the spring. So, a little kilt-and-bonnet action (I finally know the tune to Johnny Cope), mixed in with some bluegrassy-folk like Gillian Welch and Abigail Washburn, and some UK folk like Cara Dillon. I also picked up the new Arcade Fire album this morning (shhh! . . .) Maybe with this album, I’ll finally understand what all the hype is about.