http://www.theawl.com/ Be Less Stupid Sat, 30 May 2009 04:32:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-7038 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-7038#comments Sat, 30 May 2009 04:32:31 +0000 Hez http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-7038 Da Vinci's Inquest... and not just because it was filmed largely in my old 'hood (Vancouver's Downtown East Side - the poorest zip code in Canada), but it was actually good. The main character was based on our real-life former mayor Larry Campbell (who used to be a coroner and consulted on the show), and the series that followed, Da Vinci's City Hall, had the character winning the election and doing the same thing. Fascinating stuff for a civic politics nerd like yours truly. Sweet plotting, great long term character arcs (some built over the course of the two series) and some excellent gritty dialogue. Intelligence had the same writer and a lot of the same cast but had one of the lead cops from Da Vinci's playing a drug kingpin. DVI is still very much beloved in these parts (the show, the cast and the character on which it was based), and the real-life mayor Larry Campbell is now a wildly popular senator (and I'm not just saying that because he gave me a ride home in his Porsche last summer.) All 3 shows are worth a look if you want an antidote to all things Dick Wolf and the CSI franchises. (Or if you're bored and want to see what Vancouver's cracktown looks like.)]]> Da Vinci's Inquest... and not just because it was filmed largely in my old 'hood (Vancouver's Downtown East Side - the poorest zip code in Canada), but it was actually good. The main character was based on our real-life former mayor Larry Campbell (who used to be a coroner and consulted on the show), and the series that followed, Da Vinci's City Hall, had the character winning the election and doing the same thing. Fascinating stuff for a civic politics nerd like yours truly. Sweet plotting, great long term character arcs (some built over the course of the two series) and some excellent gritty dialogue. Intelligence had the same writer and a lot of the same cast but had one of the lead cops from Da Vinci's playing a drug kingpin. DVI is still very much beloved in these parts (the show, the cast and the character on which it was based), and the real-life mayor Larry Campbell is now a wildly popular senator (and I'm not just saying that because he gave me a ride home in his Porsche last summer.) All 3 shows are worth a look if you want an antidote to all things Dick Wolf and the CSI franchises. (Or if you're bored and want to see what Vancouver's cracktown looks like.)]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-7038/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6906 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6906#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 12:18:44 +0000 karion http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6906 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6906/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6893 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6893#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 11:24:10 +0000 El Matardillo http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6893 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6893/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6881 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6881#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 11:05:54 +0000 adam http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6881 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6881/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6859 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6859#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 00:37:09 +0000 Moff http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6859 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6859/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6858 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6858#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 23:53:07 +0000 Tulletilsynet http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6858 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6858/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6857 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6857#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 23:17:07 +0000 gumplr http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6857 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6857/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6848 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6848#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 20:36:02 +0000 DorothyMantooth http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6848 Moff's crappy taste: What's up with that?]]> Moff's crappy taste: What's up with that?]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6848/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6846 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6846#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 19:57:50 +0000 Moff http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6846 SportsNight. I don't know why. I accept that it was a good show, much as I accept that Proust has literary meritâ€"I would rather just cede the argument than spend time with the material.]]> SportsNight. I don't know why. I accept that it was a good show, much as I accept that Proust has literary meritâ€"I would rather just cede the argument than spend time with the material.]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6846/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6845 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6845#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 19:42:49 +0000 DorothyMantooth http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6845 (or you're not Aaron Sorkin on coke)"? Fixed! Also, can we talk about SportsNight? I mean, not in connection with Conor's awesome post or anything. Just 'cause I really like SportsNight.]]> (or you're not Aaron Sorkin on coke)"? Fixed! Also, can we talk about SportsNight? I mean, not in connection with Conor's awesome post or anything. Just 'cause I really like SportsNight.]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6845/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6844 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6844#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 19:32:24 +0000 mathnet http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6844 The West Wing in bed before the shower and the work.]]> The West Wing in bed before the shower and the work.]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6844/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6839 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6839#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:55:42 +0000 NatashaVC http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6839 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6839/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6837 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6837#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:42:58 +0000 Moff http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6837 Castle.]]> Castle.]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6837/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6836 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6836#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:42:32 +0000 jolie http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6836 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6836/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6832 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6832#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:37:58 +0000 Colonel Mustard http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6832 Murder He Wrote]]> Murder He Wrote]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6832/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6830 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6830#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:31:44 +0000 Conor http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6830 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6830/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6823 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6823#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:07:52 +0000 GiovanniGF http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6823 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6823/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6821 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6821#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:06:34 +0000 Moff http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6821 Castle.]]> Castle.]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6821/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6820 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6820#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:05:33 +0000 Moff http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6820 House supports his argument. Because isn't he saying that "baroque" is a phase a series goes through? But the Sherlock Holmes stuff has built into the show since the beginning. And could this whole discussion just be boiled down to "It's really hard to keep a story interesting over time, and even harder when there's no overarching arc (or you're not Aaron Sorkin)"?]]> House supports his argument. Because isn't he saying that "baroque" is a phase a series goes through? But the Sherlock Holmes stuff has built into the show since the beginning. And could this whole discussion just be boiled down to "It's really hard to keep a story interesting over time, and even harder when there's no overarching arc (or you're not Aaron Sorkin)"?]]> http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6820/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6819 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6819#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 18:05:10 +0000 NatashaVC http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6819 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6819/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6815 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6815#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 17:45:15 +0000 KenWheaton http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6815 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6815/feed 0 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6813 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6813#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 17:34:31 +0000 My Number Is My Address http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6813 http://www.theawl.com/2009/05/the-procedural-the-arc-of-television-is-long-and-it-bends-toward-sucking#comment-6813/feed 0