That's So Marvelous

After yet another day where the news of the real world makes me want to take to the bed, I'm here to discuss television. Our only escape now.

I don't know about you, but I'm always reluctant to try new TV shows. It's the whole getting invested. That first investment- figuring out what's going on, learning everyone's name, the whole drill. I want new shows, but getting into them seems like work sometimes. Then, there's always the fear that if I invest, it'll be cancelled. Sometimes, I just DVR like half a season or a whole one, being that some "seasons" are now only ten episodes (WTF?). Then I binge them when I'm done with all my regular programming- either by hiatus or just timely watching.

What's funny is that I get casting calls for E for many of these new shows. I'd gotten numerous ones for The Marvelous Mrs Maizel. The times and dates never really worked for me and it didn't sound interesting. I hated Mad Men. YES, I HATED IT. It was boring AF and SO slow. I'm not into the fifties in general. I don't like the music, the clothes, or the lifestyle. I would've jumped out a window being a fifties housewife. So a period show like that had no appeal for me. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG.

I hadn't really read the premise. I just saw fifties, housewife and I was over it. Then I heard it was really good. I saw previews for it. Over the holidays, when all our shows were on hiatus, B and I decided to give it a whirl.

Ok, if you're not Jewish, I don't know if you'll *relate* to it as much as we did. You'll still think it's funny and great though! When I talk about being Jewish by culture, this show is exactly what I meant. I don't know much about actual religion, but I got every reference and both B and I laughed our asses off. No one gets using a fabulous brisket as collateral more than I do!!

I read articles (editorials?) on Kveller sometimes. One lady recently wrote how much she loves the show BUT.... But, she has an issue with how uninvolved Midge is with her kids. Well, did she ever see Mad Men? Season one (all I got through), Betty Draper sent her kids out to play with plastic bags on their heads or something like that. That was the times. And some parts of fifties parenting doesn't seem that bad. We could use a little more parents not being up their kids behinds so much. This was a time when kids were not the center of your universe, but just part of it. I think that was a positive. Midge is supposed to be twenty-six and a newly single mother, living with her parents. Her mom doesn't work so she's around to watch her kids. I'd call it more, benign neglect.

I'm the first to bitch, and HAVE, mercilessly (Ambig-jew-ity), when we can't have a good, funny, show with intact Jewish families. Where the joke doesn't come from the typical nebbishy Jewish guy married to the blond shiksa. Or on Odd Mom Out, which was supposed to be semi-autobiographical, where of course, the very Jewish Jill Weber (Jill Kargman) is the Odd Mom Out because she married into a wealthy WASP family. Except that in real life, Jill Kargman is married to a Jew. I asked her why an intact Jewish family couldn't be a good show and she just gave me a bunch of excuses.

But this is a whole show filled with Jewish characters! We FINALLY GOT ONE. So quit complaining that all the actors aren't Jewish. I'll take the characters. I'm good on this one and the Jewish quotient.


Of course, I think the success of the show, and why it's so damn good is all Amy Sherman-Palladino & Dan Palladino. The genius also behind Gilmore Girls, if you didn't know. Where do you think all the super wordy, ultra quick dialogue comes from?? Kudos on another winner Amy & Dan.

Jewish or not, getting the references or not, you should check it out. It's a phenomenal cast. Rachel Brosnahan, while not part of the Tribe, plays a amazing Jewish Midge. The rest of the cast is superb too. Alex Borstein, who I only know as Dawn from Getting On, is hysterical as Midge's reluctant friend and eventual manager. Tony Shalhoub plays Midge's dad. I didn't realize that Michael Zegen grew up in the town next to where I live and his mom is the Hebrew School coordinator at the Jewish Center in my town. I hate his character, but he's great as Midge's philandering husband. Last but definitely not least is Kevin Pollack, who plays Joel's father, and to the letter- like every Garmento you've ever come across in this lifetime.

I CAN'T WAIT FOR SEASON TWO!!! How could they only give us eight F'ING episodes?? (Amazon Prime)

Another one we picked up to watch in December is SMILF. You should know what that stands for. It's about a single mom in Boston- a "Southie". Her life is a MESS. She has an amazing kid, food issues, a mentally ill mother, played to perfection by Rosie O'Donnell, a mess of an ex- her kid's father, and the best of television BFFs I've seen in a long time. It's a half hour show, written and starred in by Frankie Shaw.

This show isn't for the conservative or prudish. It's has truly some of the most messed up scenes I've ever seen on TV. I wasn't sold on it at first, like in the first episode. But I HAD to see where it was going to go. I'm glad I did. The cast is awesome- Connie Britton plays Frankie's extremely wealthy, totally narcissistic, lonely, needy boss. Frankie tutors her children and is sort of like an assistant. Rosie O'Donnell certainly knows how to play mental illness. Raven Goodwin is my favorite. As Frankie's best friend, she is ride or die, hysterically.

I don't know where Frankie got all this to write about- she's playing Irish Catholic, relatively uneducated, and poor but in real life, she's Jewish and very well educated (Barnard College of Columbia University). The only things I know (hope) she has in common with the character are that they're from the Boston area and they each have a young son. She’s very convincing as a hot mess though! You believe she IS Bridgette Bird- a SMILF who named her kid Larry Bird because she LOVES basketball and always dreamed she'd play for the WNBA. This is on Showtime.

We just started 9-1-1 on FOX Wednesdays, which is only two episodes in. Also a great cast- Angela Bassett, Peter Krause and (AGAIN!) Connie Britton!! I do love me some Connie. We may not have Friday Night Lights anymore, but she's everywhere right now. 9-1-1 is a show from the perspective of the paramedics and firefighters. Since I watch all the Chicago shows (PD, Fire, and Med), this is right up my alley. It's graphic and emotional, edge of your seat kind of stuff, but it's great.

On episode two, you'll say to yourself, "Where do I know her from?". You'll be talking about Autumn Reeser who played Taylor Townsend on The OC. I still miss that show. This show is a real nail-biter and it reminds me a lot of Southland actually. Another gone-too-soon fave.


As far as new shows that started in the fall, we really only have The Good Doctor on ABC. That's quickly become a favorite for both of us. I didn't realize the star is Freddie Highmore from August Rush. B and E love that movie. That has a great cast and premise. If you haven't started it, I definitely recommend that.

We were watching Wisdom of the Crowd, but thanks to Jeremy Piven being pervy or sexually harassing women, that's cancelled. It was a really cool premise, but whatever. That's done. I have one left to watch but I don't know if I'll bother. I don't know if they're going to wrap it up or what. Maybe they'll move Monica Potter over to 9-1-1 to reunite with Adam...oops, I mean Peter Krause.

That's all I got for now. I have The Brave DVR'd but haven't watched one yet.

Happy TV watching. I'm going back to checking on whether my old clothes are selling....