HBO GO 'Way

Back in the late 80s, comedian Doug Ferrari had a great riff about cable TV.
"You know HBO stands for? 'Hey! BEASTMASTER's on!'"
And we've come full circle, which is why I have broken up with Home Box Office after several years.
It's been a good run. They blazed a trail for what I consider the Platinum Age of Television with THE SOPRANOS, THE WIRE, DEADWOOD, et al. Their documentary series has been stellar as well as their original films, recent examples being TEMPLE GRANDIN and BEHIND THE CANDELABRA. Much of the rest of their programming has touched the stars also. The book DIFFICULT MEN by Brett Martin delves into how this network took command early and how it has lost its footing.

The sad truth is that the well is running dry and this sort of pay service is going the way of the dinosaur. Recent shows have been blah at best, though HBO can still trot out a classic like GAMES OF THRONES or BOARDWALK EMPIRE every now and then, but there are other platforms out there to find the shows you want to see. This is true in the case of the critically lauded TRUE DETECTIVE. As far as GIRLS, a show I admired in its first season, well...that appears to have been a momentary fling. Season Two gave me the hives. And if I have to see Lena Dunham's bare arms one more freaking time, I'm going take a permanent Sharpie to that goddamn Alice in Wonderland tattoo of hers. Get some sleeves, sister.
But their movie choices they've made available are laughable at best. They seem to have purchased Blockbuster's back catalog before that pterodactyl croaked in the tar pit. The greatest hits of the 80s and 90s? Hardly. Never mind BEASTMASTER. How about BEETHOVEN, that irascible St Bernard laugh riot? Oh, what a lovable lug!
Their platforming is archaic and desperately need of a revamp. One channel blurs into another with no distinction except Latino and Children's. It's laziness. It's just filling air time like every other cable channel except it costs extra. And adding an app offering the same crap ain't exactly moving forward, only sideways.
So as HBO goes the way of the dodo, as do I in the opposite direction, slowly evolving as I attempt to wean myself off the cable teat.

 We wish HBO well in its future endeavors.
  

I'm Just Sayin'

If you write  I'm just sayin', it's more than just wrong. It's a lie.

I'm taking Flonase. It's like a condiment for my nose. I may try it on a salad.

Speaking of food, the Bacon Renaissance is officially with Burger King's announcement of their upcoming Bacon Sundae promotion. And Michelle Obama's head just exploded.

Thank you, Matthew Weiner, for another sensational season of MAD MEN. The closing scene in this year's finale with "You Only Live Twice" playing throughout...absolute genius.

With MAD MEN, THE KILLING, GAME OF THRONES, GIRLS and VEEP wrapping up for the year, BREAKING BAD and LOUIE can't start soon enough.

Yes, I like GIRLS. I mean Lena Dunham's HBO series. I like girls too. Well, I like women. And girls. I like boys too. Oops. That's a potential Polanski/Sandusky mash-up. Poldusky?

Disappointed in Nicholas Winding Refn's DRIVE, mostly because of Ryan Gosling. His dopey grin and neo-Method styling was a cross between his character in LARS AND THE REAL GIRL and Sonny from I, ROBOT.

A much better film and lead performance is Jeff Nichols' paranoid masterwork TAKE SHELTER starring Michael Shannon.

Are people in general talking faster or am I just listening slower?

Best books of 2012 thus far, both non-fiction: Susan Orlean's biography of the iconic animal movie star RIN-TIN-TIN and Will Hermes' brilliant account of music in 1970s New York LOVE COMES TO BUILDINGS ON FIRE (despite the late addition of the dreaded At the end of the day...)

I hope I die before I get old is no longer an option.