Mida Mutionu?

Armastan Eestit. Ma vähemalt arvan, et armastan. Olen ju siin sündinud ja kasvanud, eestlase DNAd on minus protsentuaalselt kõige rohkem ja kui keegi mu välismaa sõpradest hakkab "Estonians are so slow" nalja tegema, siis üritan ikka vastu tervameelitseda.
Samas ei tunne ma eriti midagi kui laulupeo teleülekandest veekalkvel silmadega inimesi Mu isamaad laulmas vaatan. Tõenäoliselt olen üks vähestest, keda Tõde ja Õigus (nii film kui raamat) haigutama ajas. Seda ei julge muidugi kõva häälega välja öelda. Ja pole vajagi.
Kas selleks, et midagi armastada, peab oskama seda kollektiivselt teha?

Eilne EV100 lõpuüritus jättis mind küll täiesti ükskõikseks. Saan aru, et suur hulk inimesi on suure hulga tööd ära teinud, aga koorilaul kõlab telekast endiselt sama igavalt. Olgu ta mässitud kõlavate kõnede isamaalisse rüüsse. Ja 10 minutit Mutionu ei tohiks isegi lasteaia lõpupeol esitada.
Samas - mis alternatiivi ma ise välja pakuksin? Tõenäoliselt midagi veelgi igavamat ja pseudopidulikku, kui keegi peaks mingil hullumeelsushoos mulle sellise ülesande andma.

Pank, panga, panka ...

Muidugi vaatasin.
Ja mitte kuidagi tagantjärgi, vaid lausa otse. Istusin teleka ette ja valmistusin elamuseks.
Sest tunnistan ausalt, see ettekiitmine ja haip oli mulle mõjunud küll.
Pealegi Sergo Vares, Tambet Tuisk, Võigemastid - kõik suurepärased näitlejad, eriti ekraanil.

"Me kasvame liiga kiiresti," oli lause, mis Evelin Võigemasti esituses esimesest osast vist küll kõigile meelde jäi. Me napilt hakkasime juba kihla vedama, mitu korda ta seda veel öelda jõuab. Kas oligi tegemist omamoodi "plantinguga" ja see lause saab edasistes osades mingi maagilise ja kõikemäärava tähenduse? Ma väga loodan, sest muidu oleks see korrutamine ju lihtsalt ... tobe.

Kui suht alguses kohe poolpoeetilise kaadritaguse tekstiga sisse sõideti, siis arvasin, et äkki polnud piisavalt materjali, et lugu ainult kaadrisiseselt käima tõmmata. Ja eks see ongi keeruline, aga siiski mõjusid need arhiivikaadrid mulle puhtalt ballastina. Natuke meenutas ühte mu lemmiksarja (Narcos, eriti 1. hooaeg), kus ka suht julgelt dok.materjali kasutati, aga seal oli see balanss rohkem paigas. Muidugi on alati eestikeelset materjali raskem objektiivselt hinnata. Keelebarjääri tõttu tunduvad  välismaa seriaalides mingid üleminekud alati pehmemad kui eestikates.
Oijah, need üleminekud. Või täpsemalt, mitte üleminekutes pole minu ohkamise põhjus, vaid selles, millele üle mindi. No kui huvitav on vaadata kahte inimest üldplaanis teed joomas, eriti kui kumbagi tegelast veel ei tunne? Joogu oma teed kaadriväliselt.
Ja need pikad - ilmselt põhjamaade stiili tabada üritavad - pausid. Kui tegelasega pole veel sidet tekkinud, siis läheb sellel kohal mõte kohe uitama. Mida jokutame, rääkige asjast või müüge mõned aktsiad selle aja jooksul.

Sergo Vares tegi väga hea rolli. Tambet Tuisk ka. Priit Võigemastile oli antud mingi eriti tobe  (aga selleeest pikk!) monoloog, mida isegi Anthony Hopkins poleks suures plaanis välja kandnud. Jne.
Kõige parem screen-presence on Tiina Tauraitel. Tema puhul mõtlen alati, et ingliskeelses keskkonnas kasvades ja heade juhuste kokkulangemisel, oleks saanud temast suurepärane seriaalinäitleja UK või USA teleproductionites.

Ei, häid kohti oli ikka ka. Muigama ajavaid kohti.
Võib-olla oligi tegijate taotlus selline eklektiline tervikut etendav pusa. Ikkagi 90nendad.
Kõik oleks okei, kui ma oleks saanud sellest kõigest mingigi sisulise või visuaalse elamuse. Või sooviks teada, mis edasi saab. Kahjuks ei ühte ega teist.

Üldse ei taha nii kriitiline olla. Aga ma tõesti ei saa öelda, et "Oh, kui lahe" kui ei olnud.
Wikmani poisid, Tuulepealne maa ja Alpimaja on endiselt parimad seriaalid, mis eestikeelsest telekast tulnud.

Sons of Anarchy ... What a ride, brother

I fall into a very strange category of SOA fans. You see, just about three months ago I only knew these series existed and even that knowledge was a result of looking at Charlie Hunnam's IMDb page. Random posts by my co-worker/friend on FB suggesting soundtrack songs from SOA caught my attention, but I never moved past the music. My bad.
I decided to give SOA a go on one lazy Sunday afternoon after watching a Calvin Klein perfume ad where aforementioned Charlie Hunnam just made me forget everything about the product he was promoting. I mean, the man is hot. In a very old-fashioned way: dominant, but not aggressive, strong, but not condescending.
Jokes aside, I watched the first episode of SOA and I was sold. I watch a lot of stuff, some good, some bad, but I rarely get emotionally attached like I did with this.
And before I knew it, I had all the seasons on my iTunes library and exactly 50 days to watch a little over 90 episodes. Why 50 days, you ask. (Actually you don't, but I am trying to improve my creative writing here). After seeing the first three episodes I had no doubt in my mind that I have to see it all and the sooner the better. So I started my SOA marathon and although it makes me look like all twelve kinds of weirdo, I decided to be done with all the previous episodes by the time the final ride takes place. And I am so glad for that stubborn decision.
I got to experience this show in all its intensity. When you only watch an episode in a week, your own everyday life kicks in too strong and you lose touch with the characters or events. But watching it in a row, sometimes 4 or 5 episodes in a day (in a night - to be correct) gave me a totally different perspective of things.
Sons of Anarchy has created a lot of heated opinions, heavy debates about the use of violence and the overall conception of the show. I have no problem either with the concept or with the violence, because first of all - it's a fiction, y'all. And second - I see SOA more as a drama about family and brotherhood than a heroic praise-singing to a bunch of outlaws on a killing-spree. Yes, it can be totally senseless at times (hey, fiction, remember?), but it keeps you invested, attached. It keeps you caring about the characters and that's what I value the most. I love the casting of this show, it is hands down one of the best casts I have seen. It's real. It's realistic in the very best sense of the word. The interactions between characters come across as real as they can be on screen.

So I watched the #FinalRide on Tuesday with thousands of others. Coming through a thunderstorm of emotions this show had made me feel during the last 2 months. Some say the finale was too long, but I loved it. It gave me time to reflect on all my own feelings and thoughts while still keeping up with the events. It gave me time to cry and say good-bye to all of these guys. Somehow it made the right and wrong even. It gave me closure. I never doubted Kurt Sutter's ability to see the bigger picture and the finale proved it. Yes, it was pretty damn symbolic at the end, but c'mon - it was the last act of a play never seen on screens before.

I doubt I will ever rewatch these episodes. The first experience was too strong and I would like to keep it like this.

Time is a flat circle

Pealkirja järgi tunduks loogiline, et järgnev jutt on seotud sarjaga "True Detective". Vale puha, lihtsalt meenus see tsitaat ning et meelest maha ei läheks, siis panin (peal)kirja.
Aga sarjadest rääkides on mu elu hetkel jälle nagu lilleõis, sest nii "Revenge", "Scandal" kui "Nashville" on täies hoos, lisaks "Madam Secretary" ning ETV2 hakkas eilsest näitama "House of Cardsi". Viimast olen muidugi juba näinud, aga nii head asja pole liiast ka üle vaadata. Alustasin (oh, miks küll) ka "Sons of Anarchy" maratoniga ja ikka korralikult: esimesest hooajast ja esimesest osast peale. Kahe nädalaga olen läbi töötanud kolm hooaega ja nõustun Kevin Spaceyga - seriaale on hea järjest vaadata. Mul kaob telekast sarju vaadates tihtipeale juba hooaja alguses huvi ära, sest kui tegelased pole veel tuttavaks saanud ja süžeeliinid ähmased, on jube raske nädal aega kõike meeles pidada ja sama emotsiooniga edasi vaadata.
"Sons ..." on üle pika aja üks asi, mis mulle tõeliselt meeldib. Esiteks on seal päris inimesed. Selles mõttes, et tegelased ei jagune headeks ja halbadeks. Ja ei ole ka nii, et peategelane on ikka "põhimõtteliselt ainult hea ja õiglane ning teeb halbu asju ainult sellepärast, et ta on selleks sunnitud" Oo ei! Peategelane suskab noaga ja kõmmutab revolvriga teinekord ka lihtsalt vihast ja kättemaksuhimust. Minu meelest on väga ok ka see, et tegelased ei kõnni ringi ideaalse meigi ja maniküüritud küüntega, kammitud juustest ja puhastest teksadest rääkimata.
Mulle meeldib, et Kurt Sutter ajab oma rida, teeb sellist sarja nagu ta tahab ja täpselt selliste tegelastega nagu ta tahab. Ja juhtuvad just need sündmused ja surma saavad ka need, keda tahaks viimase osa lõpuski elusana näha.
Ja soundtrack on puhas kuld. Puhas. Kuld.
Ühesõnaga, I'm hooked. (Kolme sõnaga, aga who cares)

What you should and should not do

I should be writing about the election night coverage.
I should be depressed out of my mind that the time is running out and there is so much to do.
I should dedicate my every waking moment (I get to spend without kids) to organizing, controlling, screaming and shouting.
But no!
Instead I am genuinely happy about the fact that summer is finally over and my favourite TV-shows are back on screen.

First of all "Nashville" with fabulous Connie Britton. I became quite a fan of country music thanks to the first season of this show. I was under the impression of country music being a boring and ridiculous ji-ha for men too stupid to wear anything but boots and cowboy hats, but ... I could not have been more far from the truth. Country music - especially the early stages of it - is captivating and deep and brings out emotions like no other genre. This is me exaggerating again, but I can not help it. Think of Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline or even Kris Kristofferson ... listening to their songs have made me revaluate some things. Seriously.
Of course "Nashville" is not that deep. And the main reason I watch this show, apart from the music and Connie Britton, is a pure lust after Michiel Huisman  - a dutch actor who came to my radar while playing Sonny in Treme. He is just so damn attractive and so spot on for this role. Too bad they don't give him as much air-time as I would like e. g 43 minutes per series. Just kidding.

photo via screenrant.com

Ok, moving on.

I also started with ABC's other hits that have reached season 3 - "Scandal" and "Revenge" and I am experiencing the same problem as at the beginning of last season. After having such strong season finales they both just fell flat in my eyes. "Revenge" does not make any sense - the characters are blurry and not in a good way and the events are just piled together for the sake of it. Maybe it has something to do with its new showrunner Sunil Nayar and his desire to "Go back to basics". We'll see.

"Scandal" disappointed me by being so weakly constructed. Kerry Washington is as sharp as ever, but the storylines just don't add up. They feel so forced and unnatural - maybe it is done on purpose? I have faith on Shonda Rhimes, she is a very clever woman who gets the viewers on the hook, one way or another.

I also tried to watch ABC's new thing "Betrayal", but - excuse my French - it was just boring as hell. Stuart Townsend and Hannah Ware's lips are the best part of it, but it is not enough to keep me interested. As picky as I am. Joke.

Fichtner, Weber and WWW

Living at the time where world wide web has already asked and answered all the questions one can think of, coming across something no one has blogged/commented/linked about makes you seriously question your own judgement. Which would have never happened, say, twenty years ago when we were blissfully in the dark about ... well, everything. Of course I am exaggerating as always, but still - half of the questions we nowadays only need Google and basic skills of two-finger typing to answer, were left making circles in our mind not so long ago.

The point of this baroque introduction lies in the discovery I made last night while watching "Crossing Lines", new criminal series on NBC. It's a good one, by the way. And it has William Fichtner as a "headliner" which was partly the reason I took interest in that show.
Fichtner is one of those actors who work so much both in film and TV, but never get the recognition they deserve. He really comes across true to the character he is playing and he does not get boring and predictable even in series. Not to mention he has amazing eyes which make him ... irresistable.

And that brings me to the main issue of this post.

William Fichtner
photo: Primary Ignition

Steven Weber
photo: RedList

How come there is almost no mention of the fact that Fichtner looks so much like Steven Weber? They could pass for twins replacing Mary Kate and Ashley or something. Especially now when they are both older. This discovery does not cure cancer or solve the situation in Syria, but why has not anyone (except one line in Weber's IMDb page) posted pictures of them, compared face-lines and eye colour? You would think that at least one bored fan has a page dedicated to their similarities. No.

Do I sound like a crazy person talking about this? Probably.

Do I absolutely love obsessing about insignificant stuff like that? Hell yes!

Eat Drink Love ... or not

You know my obsession with some really bad reality TV, right? I am not proud of it, but for some reason it is something that fascinates the hell out of me. And although I realize it makes me look like twelve kinds of crazy, I can not stop. Well, actually I just don't care about superficial opinions made about my character based only on the contents of my iTunes section of TV-shows.

There is a new show on Bravo called Eat Drink Love which - according to the Bravo official page - follows five single ladies as they claw their way to the top of the male-dominated Los Angeles food scene. Sounds quite interesting. Except ... there is not much "food" in all this. It is definitely more Real Housewives than an inside look at the LA food scene. We see someone mixing a bowl of salad or frosting a cake once in a while, but that's about it. Unless we count wine as an individual food group, because there is a lot of drinking going on. Maybe they should have called it simply, I don't know ... Drink? I am not being fair here - of course it features a lot of restaurants etc, but basically it is more about jealousy and d-bag (ex)boyfriends than food. The latter serves just as a garnish to the main course - a big plate of juicy gossip and weird (staged) relationships. 

The cast, however, is highly likable. And equally dislikable at the same time. This is how it should be. The protagonists becoming antagonists over the course of episodes. I bet the ones I find relatable right now turn out to be my worst enemies at the end. There is always a twist in that type of reality shows. So I am curious to find out who will be the most "played" in this one.

@Revenge S2 finale really delivered

Not until recently I was almost giving up on ABC's Revenge. After a very powerful first season it kind of a fall flat in my eyes when storylines started to blur together and different conspiracy theories emerged in crazy speed and variety.
But I suffered it out and the season finale did not disappoint me. I was maybe hoping to see Victoria more involved with everything, but I guess she deserves a little break after a busy season, right? I definitely did not expect Declan to be crossing over to join Amanda and leave Jack blinded by lost and hate. By the way - where is little Carl when Jack is searching Graysons' house and planning his revenge? No nanny has been introduced and I am seriously worried about that baby. Kidding. He is probably written off productions payroll and returns in S3 as an adult. (Like they do in Bold&Beautiful).

Framing Nolan as Initative ... that must have been the shocker of the hour. Although after seeing the combo of Trusk-Padma-Camera I suspected it will come and bite someone's (Nolan's) ass.

So, I am looking forward to season 3 and I keep my fingers crossed that dead will remain dead. As much as I loved FauxAmanda and Declan, it would be too much to start with these 2 again.

RHOBH season 3 ... It is happening

I absolutely love US reality shows and can not admire enough the evil minds who draw it all together.
The reality shows in Estonia only follow the (non)events and rely on hope that something m i g h t happen or someone from the cast m i g h t look like an idiot every now and then. There is never enough drama, never enough bitching and never enough money. We just swim through the episodes and feel unsatisfied at the end. While in US the viewers are being manipulated so well that even the smartest of us lose their better judgement.
I do believe that even highly staged and edited scenes carry at least some true value given them by the participants, but I also think you can make a bitch out of an angel and vise versa. The success of these shenanigans lies on the fact that for example even while called The Real Housewives Of Whatever there is nothing "real" about them. And I am not referring to plastic surgery right now. All the cast members are presented us as characters not responsible for their plot lines themselves, but being puppets in the hands of the almighty producers. And the majority of viewers would never know a damn true thing about these people. It works in US, not in Estonia. And that might be the reason why the reality shows don't really deliver here. Unlike in US, everybody knows everybody in Estonia (that sounds like the over quoted thing Brandi said about Beverly Hills, right?) and you probably know a thing or two about at least one of the people on the show.

Oh well, reading what I have just written makes me yawn. I tried to make a point, but I think I lost the point somewhere on the road.

One of the commentators - DialogueQueen - has summed it up pretty well on Vulture RHOBH recaps site. I hope she doesn't mind I quote her here.
"Which brings me to something I've been thinking about for a long time. All these shows, and what makes them sooooo interesting, is that they're kind of like flawed sociological studies on the democratization of fame and the effect of said fame on the completely untalented (didn't you used to have to practice, practice, practice to get somewhere?), uneducated, undeserving and mediocre (save for a few of our faves). Some of these gals have made money on their own, but most of it came through marriage or family. Button-eyed Barkin Yolanda and The Countess are true "anatomy is destiny" types. Had either been 5' 4", we wouldn't know their names.
Mostly, they're just not special and some are downright dumb  /---/ What they do possess is the desire to flaunt whatever they believe they are in front of the camera. And that's what's so fascinating to me. How could you NOT spend most of your waking hours cringing after you watch yourself on TV?"
Enough said.

To make long story short. I, too, have been played here. Big time.
You see, only three episodes ago I wasn't a Kyle-hater or a Lisa-lover, but my boat has been seriously rocked by before mentioned evil minds aka Bravo producers. I am trying to be smart and insightful, but I find myself switching likes and dislikes by the minute. Or hot minute as Brandi would say. And I don't like myself for being so easily distracted. It has become like a contest (with myself, weird I know) to stay true to my evaluations. Making true evaluations in the first place. But as I explained before - there are no "true" material to base my evaluations on ... Basically I am doomed to fail.
I will watch couple of more episodes before I try to make some sense of it. And I understand if most of you don't share my passion for such a shallow form of entertainment. Feel free to stay on your high horse ... I don't mind. I take the high road every now and then, but right now I am a bit addicted to my crazy housewives.

p.s. Is there a single event in Beverly Hills - with or without the housewives - where white crystal chandeliers are n o t hanging from every possible hook?

Toddlers & Tiaras aka Save the Kids

If you think "Saw 6" is the most horrifying thing you have ever seen on the screen, try catching an episode of Toddlers & Tiaras and actually watching it from start to finish. I bet the majority of you will be sick to your socks before the first commercial break.

Those of you blissfully unaware of what I am talking about, here's a brief recap: small children (some of them literally still in their prams and cribs) are competing in different beauty pageants all over US. No, let me brutally honest in my synopsis - mostly overweight mothers desperate to take home as many cups and tiaras as possible, dressing up their little daughters as has-been cabaret stars (I am avoiding the H word here. It's children we are talking about, y'all) with fake hair, teeth and eyelashes being the most innocent aspect of all this charade.
I am not sure which void these so-called parents are trying to fill, but little Aleyshas, Timiennas and Ankoyafildas (obviously the crazier the name the better) are pushed to the extremes to deliver. Have you seen a 10-month old with a hairpiece? Or 3-year old with fake teeth? Not to mention the nails, the lashes, the makeup ... the works. The producers have no problem showing poor kids crying while sitting through hours of beauty treatments, waiting their turn to perform in uncomfortable costumes or leaving the contest without desired prize.
I am not saying these mothers have no love for their daughters, but for some reason this affection of theirs has taken a really twisted turn. Which grown-up woman in her right mind will encourage her child to expose herself in a way that will only attract a totally undesired kind of attention. There are enough weirdos out there and to deliberately put your daughter in harms way objectifying her more than a Playmate of the Year ever would .... That is just sick. And I think the people who organize these pageants don't have anything else in mind but profit. Therefore being equally responsible for presenting these young girls to every bloody pedofile out there.

So I suggest you stick to "Saw 6" for your daily dose of horror.

RHOBH season 3 ... catching up

So I am catching up with season 3 on Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills and the first 2 episodes have not actually delivered. The previous season was so shadowed with Russell's death that it was difficult to even make sense of the events and I was really hoping for a kick-start for this one.

I am a bit surprised they let Taylor stay on the show to say the least. I truly think there was a lot of begging from her side and she must deal with all the stupidity the producers come up for her. Looking like over-fried chicken on her introduction clip and saying things like "I can't squeeze myself in any of the cocktail-dresses I own". I bet she has sold most of her wardrobe by now in order to maintain the lifestyle of BH. Or maybe her pathetic book sells really well, I don't know. I have read excerpts of it and, well, even a telephone book looks like a best-seller compared to this nonsense. Although she gave "The bigger the purse, the smaller the butt" line while shopping (i.e ass-kissing) with Adrienne which I considered to be quite funny. And don't get me wrong - Taylor can be entertaining as hell, but something about her rubs me the wrong way and I am not gonna cave in just because she can make a joke every now and then. And let's be honest - one drunk per show is more than enough.

In, out or without rehab, Kim Richards still comes across as crazy as a bat in a broad daylight. And I don't blame Kyle for one bit to become so frustrated about her sister's crap. I would have probably hit her with a sledgehammer by now. Or maybe not. Whatever.

I admire Adrienne's ability to talk sense while looking like something stolen from a christmas tree. Girlfriend needs to change a stylist. Period. So I was not surprised by the style of her F***U flower-arrangement sent to Lisa. So her. So off. Part of the reason I like Adrienne is her adorable husband Paul. Who is not so adorable any more - in the present light of their divorce and DV-allegations, but I am not going to go there now. Paul strutting around in pink heels (and almost falling out of the store while leaning to the door) - like watching a cow learning ballet. Hilarious!

I will try to FF my way through the episodes and catch up with the other recappers and commentators out there.

RHOBH .... getting my dose

As I have said before one of my guilty pleasures include watching stupid reality-shows and being really addicted to them although I realize the lack of events there can only be compared to witnessing the grass grow. But they come really handy when I need a distraction. There is nothing better than observing the life of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when everything else gives me a headache of a lifetime. You would be really surprised to discover the contents of my iTunes library. But it gives me an opportunity to switch my mind off the serious stuff and be as judgemental as Kelly Osbourne on Fashion Police without no bad feelings whatsoever.

As I have zero tolerance of judging people by their looks under any other circumstances, I have no problem mocking everyone who has deliberately made a choice to put themselves out there in a reality show format. These people become characters to me and I can only laugh at the articles on US Weekly where the poor housewives accuse the viewers being too harsh in their comments. Well, that is the reason you are shown on the screen, darling - to get as many comments as possible. The bitter the better.

There is a bonus waiting when you know your way around these housewives. Julie Klausner writes absolutely hilarious recaps of RHOBH on Vulture and these writings (and comments) alone are a reason good enough to watch that show.

I am not very up to date with my comments on this show because I just started watching it recently and I have managed to fast-forward myself through season 1. So I am in the middle of season 2 and I have to admit I am really confused about these ladies. Bravo has done a lot of editing, even more than planned, I guess, because of the death of Russell Armstrong and the characters are becoming so categorized. Like - The Crazy Woman (Kim Richards), The Nut (Taylor), The Villain (Kyle Richards), The Madame Superior (Lisa Vanderpump), The Mute Who Decided To Speak Up Once (Camille Grammer) and so on.

What surprises me is the amount of hate Kyle has stirred up. There are few commentators who find her appearance on the show somewhat pleasant and most of them have filed her under the word "vile". I think it has something to do with the fact that she really is the most relatable one among these weird creatures and therefore raises a lot jealousy. She is not afraid to show her true colors, so to speak, and being the least "worked on" means she really c a n show the emotions she has. I think Kyle is no angel, but at least I believe what I get with her. And the fact she has such a long marriage and such decent kids says a lot.

Well, The British Empress also has been attached to Mr. Ken for a good number of years, but that does not take away the goosebumps I get every time I see her. So the solid marriage alone does not make me like her. She tries to project an image of being so over the small stuff, but I just can't take her seriously. An adult woman looking at a ridiculous boxed wedding invitation saying it is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen ... please, shoot me now.

Eesti Laul

Eesti Laul selleks korraks jälle läbi. Ei olnudki nii hull, kui ma kartsin - selles mõttes, et ... ei olnudki nii hull, kui ma kartsin. Sellest hoolimata ise enam seda teha ei viitsiks. Eesti Laul või Eurolaul - vahet pole, mina olen oma doosi juba saanud. Teleka ees istuda ja õiendada on palju mõnusam. Kuigi - ega siin niiväga enam midagi õiendada polegi, saated olid ju igati korralikud. Finaali vaheklipid jäid minu meelest küll kuidagi venima, aga nalja ongi nii paganama raske teha, et igasugune kriitika tuleb kohe suhu tagasi toppida. Mine tea, millal peab ise huumorit kokku monteerima.
Mind üllatas, kui erinevalt mõjusid artistid ETV stuudios ja Nokia suurel laval. Kui ma esimesel korral kahtlesin finaali suurde saali viimise vajalikkuses, siis nüüd olen kahe käega poolt. Suur lava ja rahvast täis saal näitavad kohe ära, kes on tegija ja kes ainult mängib seda.

Miss Advised ... indeed

Every now and then I watch TV (as normal people do) and every now and then I stumble upon some reality-series which are a total waste of time but oh-so-addictive. Like honey to the bee. It must be one of my guilty pleasures - lie on the couch, eat chocolate and watch reruns of "Real Housewives of Orange County" or something of the sort.

So I am watching "Miss Advised" and although I completely understand how these people are manipulated just for the show, it has made me kick the pillows several times. What is wrong with these women? You'd think a matchmaker and a dating columnist (being on the field for 10 years) are much better off than the rest of us, right? They should know how not to overact and make a complete fool out of themselves.

At least the sex expert (Emily) seems to have a vague idea about herself as an individual while Amy (the matchmaker) and Julia (dating columnist) have fell off the wagon long time ago. Amy is so uptight that even the botox she injects in her forehead feels like a soft feather next to her. And I believe most of it has been edited and directed to build a certain image, but still .... you can only fake it to certain extent.  And there has to be something real to build the case on, so to speak.

Julia - aka Julia Allison Who Is Famous For Nothing But Self Promotion - acts like a typical teenager who overreacts every time a boy comes to the picture. It might as well be her true nature but a lot of her behavior just screams bad manners. I mean, it is polite to let your date speak once in while, right? Especially if a question is asked from your date not you. And what is all that "I want to stay friends with all of my exes" thing? Girlfriend has to learn how to let go. You can maintain a certain level of friendship with your exes, but only if you are happy and content in your present relationship or you are just happy and content as you are. In any other way - let them go and even better - kick them in the ass as they do. Desperately trying to find Mr. Right and hanging on to your exes - definitely not a good match. And the punching! Julia is constantly punching his dates, have you noticed? Word of advice - men do not like that. It makes them feel like they are hanging out with their best mate and are about to have another beer and a good barf.

Later ....

But I have to admit it is drawn together very well. I started off kicking pillows every time Amy made an appearance and by the final episode I found myself smiling while watching her gushing about that Kevin guy. And let me tell you - nothing wrong with the man giving you tons of compliments. It might be a bit excessive on Kevin's case, but Amy definitely seemed to dig that.

And I felt so sorry for poor Julia when her last date did not call her back. Although I still think she must be the most "edited" one for the show. I just don't buy her inability to see all these patterns in her behavior. Being a dating columnist and all.

Ellen, Damian ja Mandy

"Ellen" ikka aeg-ajalt hüppab mu telekapuldi nupu alt välja, eriti kui näitlejad külas on, aga ... no ei saa mina tema fenomenist aru. Selleks peab olema vist "keskmine ameeriklane" (mida iganes see ka ei tähendaks), et tema showd lausa kiljudes naljakaks ja meeltlahutavaks pidada. Tema intervjueeritavatest ei saa me üheksal juhul kümnest teada absoluutselt mitte midagi uut ega huvitavat, kolmveerand vestlusele mõeldud ajast kulub mõttetute viisakusklisheede loopimisele. Ja minu meelest ei tunne külalised (just celebritid) ennast temaga rääkides mugavalt. Kokkuvõttes mõjub kõik nii võltsilt, et süda läheb pahaks.
Just vaatasin Elleni intervjuud Damian Lewisega ning mees, kes Jonathan Rossi ja Jimmy Kimmeliga vabalt nalja viskas, niheles proua diivanil nagu kuivanud sipelgas.

Esquire's oli intervjuu Mandy Patinkiniga ja ta ütles nii ilusasti:
If there's one wish that I have in life, it's to connect, to connect to my children, to connect to my wife, connect to my friends, to connect to you. On my tombstone, I'd like it to say: "He tried to connect."

photo by Kent Smith/Showtime

Time for new @Revenge

I absolutely love Revenge - a captivating ABC drama series created by Mike Kelley. I started to watch it because of Emily VanCamp who was brilliant in "Brothers & Sisters", but I did not expect the whole thing to be so damn good. I have to say it is probably the best casted US series I have seen for a long time. Madeleine Stowe for instance is so spot on in her role as Victoria Grayson that I find it hard to believe she could actually be a nice person in real life. Which she definitely is. Also the character of Gabriel Mann - IT genius Nolan Ross - is so different from what is expected in such a genre. I also admire Ashley Madekwe who brings along a touch of brit arrogance and immaculate style.
So - as you can see, I am totally obsessed by it. I can not remember the last time I was so caught up in TV since Knight Rider .... Some of my friends are laughing at me and I can not blame them not understanding the revenge-appeal. Maybe there is something hidden in me that has drawn this plot so close to my heart? But you have to agree that revenge is a desire pretty easy to relate to. In some way or another we have all felt the urge to get even, make "the bad guys" pay for our heartaches etc.

Photo by ABC

Omakohus vs ülekohus

TV3s alustas sel sügisel saade "Omakohus", mida olen kaks korda vaadanud ja kolm korda kuulanud. Kuna saadet teisest toast ainult kuulates ei tekkinud mul korrakski vajadust ekraanile kiigata, liigitasin selle formaadi pigem raadiosse sobivaks ning ei peljanud oma arvamust ka Facebookis jagada. 

Mind on kasvatatud julgema oma mõtteid välja öelda ning nende eest seista. Ning umbmäärase ja salajase klatshimise asemel eelistan selgeid seisukohavõtte. Kui ma mingil põhjusel ei taha n.ö. pooli valida, siis olen pigem vait kui valetan.

Loomulikult puhkes torm veeklaasis (loe: Facebookis) ja saatega seotud inimesed tundsid end isiklikult puudutatutena. Unustades solvumistundes marineerides, et minul tavalise televaatajana ja Eesti Vabariigi kodanikuna on õigus oma arvamust avaldada. 

Kõigi silme all (loe: meedias) töötamine on raske just seetõttu, et igaüks võib sinu töö kohta midagi arvata. Justnimelt. Rõhuga sõnal "võib". Tegelikult lausa peab. Sest nagu ütleb kolleeg Reikop "Me teeme saateid ainult ja ainult vaataja jaoks." See on kõige tähtsam. Enesearendusega võib tegeleda ka käsitööringis ristpistet õppides. 

Ja ma ausalt öeldes ei tea inimest, kes tõemeeli negatiivset kriitikat armastaks. Loomulikult saab kriitikast õppida ja peabki - muidu võiks oma ajukääre lihtsalt aastate kaupa sirgemaks elada, aga see ei tähenda, et see alati kerge on.

Väide "Ma teen oma tööd südamega" ei säästa kedagi kriitikast. Ja ei peagi. Vaatajale on oluline ainult see, mis ekraanilt paistab ning kui talle ei meeldi, siis talle ei meeldi. Mõnele teisele jälle meeldib väga.

Teles töötatud aastate ja kümnete saadete jooksul olen saanud selgeks kaks asja.

1. Kasvata endale paks nahk, sest muidu kaotad usu oma sisetundesse

2. Rebi selle paksu naha sisse praod, muidu kaotad oskuse pidevalt kahelda ning selle kahtluse läbi paremaks muutuda.

Programmipoliitika

Sügis.
Igasugused lahedad telesarjad jälle alustamas.
Ja mida ma näen. Üks minu lemmikuid "The Good Wife" on eetris 23:30, kordusega järgmisel öösel 01:10! Aitäh, Kanal 2 - milline suurepärane eetriaeg. Aga no hea vähemalt, et "Pilvede all" jms. kräpp seetõttu normaalsel ajal eetrisse saab.
Kuri olen. Ja lähen joonelt iTunesi.

Sänk juu zis is naiss

See on muidugi ainult minu (pseudo)probleem, aga mind panevad imestama need saatejuhid-reporterid, kes üsna tihedalt ingliskeelseid intervjuusid tehes ei vaevugi oma häälduse kallal vaeva nägema. Minu meelest ei ole see puu-inglise keel küll asi, mille üle nädalast nädalasse uhke olla ...  Ja mõned keeletunnid ei tohiks ka kedagi hoobilt vaeseks teha.

I miss the old times

Vaatan "Vabariigi kodanikke". Õigemini, üritan vaadata ja kuidagimoodi jutujärjel sabas tilpneda. Teema on aktuaalne, rääkijad ka enam-vähem ning hariv tunnike kuluks ära küll. Aga ma lihtsalt ei suuda! See täiesti suvaline pildiga vilksutamine ja Rait Maruste pidev ninapooride eksponeerimine ajab mind täiesti hulluks. Kui see kõik toimuks ehk kolm korda aeglasemalt ning jälgiks minimaalseltki jutu mõtet ja loogikat, siis oleks talutav (sans Maruste ninapoorid loomulikult), kuid praegu nõuab ikka meeletut pingutust, et veidigi kuulata.
Soovitan vaadata rohkem soome telekanalite analoogseid saateid, mis on režiiliselt ülimalt läbimõeldud ja maitsekad. Kui inimene räägib, siis ta räägib. Ilma väga mõjuva põhjuseta ei näidata samal ajal mõne teise saatekülalise selga.
Uhh, sain end jälle välja elada ...