So last night I had dinner with Jamie and watched a lot of TV. I watched 2 episodes of Fringe, an episode of Heroes, and the series finale of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I can't decide if Fringe is much of a show or not, but it's definitely becoming increasingly over the top (this is a bit of a spoiler, but this week's episode involved a giant, genetically mutated monster which was killing people). I also have to admit that I dig Anna Torv. Whether her show succeeds or not, Torv brings a good combination or intelligence, strength, and compassion to her character, Agent Olivia Dunham. Heroes has continued to get better since they brought back writer Bryan Fuller. The emphasis has been returned to the characters, and he's even introducing new characters that continue to drive the story. I like the direction he's taking the show in, but I'm not sure if he's supposed to be back next season or not.
And the season finale of Sarah Connor Chronicles was pretty good as well. I'm glad that it was good, because there are rumors that the show is going to be cancelled, but even if it doesn't come back, this season finale was a strong, respectable note to end on. Sarah Connor Chronicles is a good show, but I'm not too surprised that it never gathered strong ratings. The show is thought provoking and smart (which Lost often manages to be, although it continues to enjoy high ratings), but it's also very dark, involving characters who are not only constantly facing their own mortality (not in an exciting "trying to escape death" sort of way, but more often in a "you are destined to die and one of your tasks is to come to terms with that" sort of way), but who are also dealing with the knowledge that a nuclear global apocalypse is an almost certain part of their future (they struggle to stop it without really knowing whether such a victory is even possible). In this day and age, filled with global warming, recession, war, etc., I'm not surprised to see people looking more toward American Idol, Rock of Love, Dancing with the Stars, and other programs that serve as diversions from some of the more depressing aspects of our lives as opposed to a show that tries to explore some of the more troubling existential questions that life has to offer. Sarah Connor Chronicles really is an intelligent, well written show, though, and it would be great if the show could find a place to continue. (even in the finale this week, new points were made about the nature of the soul and its dependence upon the connection between mind and body- it was pointed out that the cyborg, John Henry, would have his "personality" altered if people were to start swapping out his hardware components, even though such components are supposedly interchangeable). I think it has a pretty small audience, but undoubtedly a loyal, cultish one who which might continue to grow if the show were able to find a way to stay on the air.
Anyway, the season finale was a good one and provided a satisfactory ending to the show if need be, but I hope that's not the case.
And apparently Governor Perry made comments yesterday during one of those well-publicized "tea parties" which alluded to possible secession on the part of Texas in response to federal spending policies in Washington. Surely, surely this was a joke, but it was sort of a dumb one, and, of course, Texas Democrats are all over him for it. You gotta love the irony- Bush comes out of Texas and goes to Washington for 8 years, runs up record debts, tanks the economy, gets us entangled in a pointless war, and gets the Republicans run out of office, and then when the Democrats come in and try to start working on fixing things, Texas Republicans throw a hissy fit and start throwing around ideas like dissolving the union. I would have absolutely loved watching John McCain or George Bush try to come up with a plan to improve our current economic situation. The Republican infighting would have absolutely torn that party apart (while the country's economy would have continued to decline in a dizzying nosedive- ok, I wouldn't really want to see that part of my hypothetical to play out). Instead, the Republicans keep making the messes and using the clean up crew as whipping boys. Par for the course.
Oh well. Sadly, I've come to expect it.
If Texas is going to secede, someone please just let me know ahead of time so I can get the hell out of here before this place goes Mad Max.
Hang in there, kids.