Related Posts:

• No Related Posts

Cable’s “Nip/Tuck” ended Wednesday night with its 100th episode, which was filmed in Los Angeles last June.  After a 7 year successful run filled with shocking revelations, sex, drugs, and surgery-it was a well put together episode and a finale that did not disappoint.

As a devoted follower, who originally identified with the son character of Matt (who was the same age as me when the show began), I grew attached to it like an addiction. Every Thursday, and then Tuesday, and finally Wednesday became my night for my show.  A show that soon grew into an overnight phenomenon and blew itself out of the water with outrageous plot lines, and ridiculous characters. But, it was all great. I went through high school and teenage hood with Matt, and grew up into an adult-and the show never lost my interest. It became so absurd, and unbelievable but I still always felt close to the characters of Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon), Dr. Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh), Julia McNamara (Joley Richardson), and Kimber Henry (Kelly Carlson). That was the beauty of this show, which was the original idea of its mastermind creator- Ryan Murphy (aka Glee creator and producer). To take these characters and test them with subplots like murder, suicide, almost death, flashbacks, childhood trauma, insane life coaches, a knife welding “carver”, prison, Scientology, drug use, and everything in between… was always a test. Always a way to go about discussing REAL issues that we deal with daily, or within our families-and blowing it up to a huge over-the-top scenario to get our attention. To serve a point-and let it be heard.

Those of you familiar with the show, and who followed it all these years know that last night’s finale was something ‘unlike’ Nip/Tuck. It had no jaw dropping sequences, nor fairy tale endings, but it served satisfying, and several of our good guys got what they earned, and our wonderful resident bad guy – he did wind up changing in the end too-in the way he needed to. This was a great show, and I will miss weekly gatherings to discuss the absurd series that won over my heart.

If you were not a watcher, I suggest hopping onto iTunes and starting with Season 1, you won’t regret it.

Related Posts:

• Happy Mother’s Day From THM

Every Fall the networks begin their usual marketing announcements of “Best New Show This Season” and “Most Exciting Drama.” As audiences, we have grown accustomed to tuning it out. They say it every year about every show. One would think that after over 50 years of television the marketing professionals would finally figure out new creative strategies. This season was no different and with large campaigns from Glee, Mercy, Flash Forward and yes, even Cougar Town–it’s come to be that really, there is a best new show of the season and it’s NBC’s Trauma.

Don’t get me wrong, Glee certainly has actually given every network show a good run for its money with its upbeat sing-a-longs and downright hilarious social commentaries but when it comes down to it, the best is usually a tad underrated at first. Like House, MD was six years ago.

Trauma follows the lives of six paramedics in San Francisco and the drama that comes along with it. The first few episodes were a bit shaky, focusing mainly on the formulas given to most medical-related dramas: Accident, blood, doctors, surgery, saving the day–with a dash of  sexual tension thrown in for good measure. But a few short weeks later and the show has begun to map out its path in the world of prime-time television.

The shows two notables are hands down Anastasia Griffith and Cliff Curtis.  Griffith who plays the show’s protagonist Nancy Carnahan–an ex MD who after an as-yet-undiscussed event became a paramedic and whose boyfriend dies in a helicopter crash in the pilot–carries most of the show with her banter and tough-girl demeanor that is both believable and pitiable. You feel for her, her losses–and recognize that this chick has more gall than most men in Manhattan. Curtis plays Rabbit, an “Angel Rescue” paramedic whose blatant disregard for rules and sultry seduction skills make him the would-be child of Don Draper and Gregory House. The New Zealand native owns every scene and has an interesting chemistry with Griffith on screen that keeps you wanting more.

Most medical and crime dramas tend to follow the ‘introduce problem–solve problem’ formula each episode. This is a bit frustrating as we, the audience, are aware that whatever side characters come in will simply be healed and set on their merry ways with the 2 episodes maximum a year where the writers feel diabolical and actually kill someone. Trauma’s writers, though, seem to be interested in telling good stories at the forefront. Two episodes already within the six episodes that have aired have been beautifully written and uniquely moving. “Bad Day at Work” is surprisingly dark and frightening–it tells the story of a disgruntled ex-employee who shoots up an entire office building. The writing does not allow for a g-rated portrayal of the event. You see people hiding under their desks, where the killer looks at them slowly, and then shoots then point blank.  There also was no foreshadowing, we as the audience were caught just as unawares as the characters. To bring it back to the main characters, one’s wife is stuck in the building and the man cowering next to her is shot, she is missed by centimeters. Also, in an attempt to save the wounded–Nancy and Rabbit put their lives in serious jeopardy.

A second great episode puts Nancy and her partner in a severe car accident, where their co-workers are forced to make the moral decision whether to save their friends or the rest of the 20 plus people  injured in the wreckage.

The show is still young but it has plenty of room to grow and I am certain that it will.  Each episode is an exciting thrill-ride complete with blood, guts, gross injuries and crazy scenarios.

Related Posts:

• Gleeam (Fringe Festival 2011)

mmm-mmm!

Boy oh boy … how I love a good sandwich. I know they’re the worst things for you. I know they’re full of bleached flour, processed meats, gloppy condiments, fats, salt and nitrates. I know that. What’s your point? You are what you eat so I am a big ole sandwich. When I die you can wrap me in some wax paper, bury me in one of those little deli containers and put me on that great conveyor belt to the sky.

Stephen likes them too, but he is the King of the Dagwood Sandwich. Early on in our relationship I’d asked him what ingredients would he combine to make his favorite burger. By way of example, I created mine for him: English Muffin bun, a big juicy burger seasoned with basil, slathered in Hellman’s Mayonnaise and Frank’s Red Hot Sauce … some sauteed onions and thick cut apple smoked bacon on the top. Yum.

He responded by building his for me: bottom bun, mayonnaise, avocado and onions, honey mustard, all beef patty, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing, Doritos, sauteed lettuce and cabbage with garlic, 2nd all beef patty, Swiss cheese, ketchup, more mayonnaise, slice of lettuce and top bun.

Of course I’ve watch him eat things that make the above look tame. I’ve learned not to ask what he’s jamming between two overtaxed slices of bread. If it crunches I just assume it’s the Doritos. Or pretzel sticks. Or peanuts. Or saltines. Or granola. Or sunflower seeds. Or wasbi peas. One time it was trail mix.

A few years ago I caught a great documentary on PBS called Sandwiches That You Will Like (which is a little like calling your clothing line Dresses That You Will Wear). It does a great job of traveling across America and showing how the definition of a sandwich changes with the landscape. I love hearing people, full of conviction, talking about their city’s sandwich and why it’s the best, not like any other Blah and Blah Sandwiches from any other place in the whole US of A! It reminded me of the time my friend’s cousin came back from Italy praising the corner markets and the plethora of prosciutto and provolone sandwiches. “It’s so common … like getting a ham and cheese in America”. We laughed our butts off at that. Um, maybe because prosciutto and provolone IS ham and cheese.

Anyway, I love this show — I’ve seen it twice and I’m thinking of buying the DVD (or accepting it as a Christmas present). What makes the show so special is not that it’s a program about food … though that’s part of it. No, what makes it great is that it’s a program about people and their relationship to food; it’s about tradition, habits, customs, comfort. It’s about folks reveling in the fact that in their little corner of the world, this is how it’s done:

This is the kind of program that makes you want to grab your map, get in the car, and just drive across America seeking these places out. Luckily, I actually have been to a few of these fine establishments and when time allows, I intend to visit a few more. For now, here are the 3 I sampled:

Living in New York you can’t escape the siren song of a good Pastrami Sandwich. And what better place to get one than at Katz’s Delicatessen … a New York tradition for over a hundred years. Stephen and I just went there recently and almost died (happily) of a meat overdose. He got the Corned Beef Sandwich and I got the pastrami … between the 2 of us I think we were able to eat 2/5th … we had to take the rest home. And we both kept on eating corned beef, pastrami and rye bread for another two days! I repeat … You are what you eat!

I’ve also been lucky enough to sample authentic Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches when a friend of mine took me back to her home town. It was really cold the weekend we were there, and we spent a long time shivering on line waiting to order our sandwiches, staring across the street at the OTHER long line of people waiting to get THEIR sandwiches. The first day we went to Geno’s, the second day to Pat’s. I liked one better than the other but can’t remember which … so I guess when I go back I’ll have to do another taste test. I’ll have to go again with a local, because even though there were big signs everywhere explaining how to order, I still made my friend order for me because I was too intimidated. Yes … I. Was. Too. Intimidated. Huh.

When another friend and I were kicking around in New Orleans, I was thrilled when we stumbled upon Central Grocery …

… which I knew all about from the program. We immediately went in and purchased the most wonderful Muffuletta Sandwich I’d every had. (Truth be told, I’d only had one once before at some wannabe New Orleans bar in Manhattan where the drinks are watered down, the food is tasteless and badly fried and the Muffuletta Sandwich is lousy). But here was the real thing! We couldn’t wait to dig in! We shared one … it was that big … and even had leftovers for later. Next to the drinking-all-day-and-night-in-the-street thing and the super hot jazz and the man who tried to take my friend and me home with him to “let nature take its course” (an offer we refused, but a story we gleefully repeated), this Muffuletta Sandwich was the best part of our trip.

So, hopefully, Stephen and I will get around to Kentucky one day in order to sample a Hot Brown Sandwich … and then maybe we’ll take another trip to Maine and get a Lobster Roll from Red’s Eats. Heck, I’d even try and get to Domilise‘s for a fried oyster Po’Boy. (Hey, did you even WATCH the clip up there?) But I can tell you right now … as far as the Fried Brain Sandwich goes … I’ll let Stephen tackle that one alone.

Related Posts:

• 23 Feet In 12 Minutes: Redux – A Fringe Festival Success Story