HBO | Where Pen Meets Paper

Television Show Review: True Detective: Season 1

True Detective: Season 1 created by Nic Pizzolatto (Home Box Office, Anonymous Content, Lee Caplin / Picture Entertainment) Starring Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Potts, and Tory Kittles. Capturing the Mystery-Sized Hole in My Heart Mystery can be an addicting genre. Nothing else on television can arrest the mind like a well-crafted narrative where the parts left unsaid take a life of its own. In its heyday, I would spend hours scouring the Internet after every episode of Lost, trying to discover every ounce of meaning in each scene. For many devoted fans, the rabbit hole that was Lost left a hollow feeling when it became evident that the creators had no intention of bringing everything together into… Read More →

Television Show Review: Getting On: Season 1

Getting On: Season 1 created by Jo Brand, Vicki Pepperdine, and Joanna Scanlan (BBC Worldwide Productions, Home Box Office, Anima Sola Productions) Starring Laurie Metcalf, Alex Borstein, Niecy Nash, and Mel Rodriguez. Far from the Curse Is Found In the theological narrative of the fall, God curses humanity in two distinct ways: God makes childbirth incredibly painful and physical labor toilsome. While drugs have attempted to remove some of the sting from childbirth, the birthing process remains quite the ordeal. Likewise, our work seems to be unrewarding. Many people can’t stand their jobs. In fact, some statistics even suggest that number might even nudge up against 70% of the workforce. Even if we can’t possibly apply the notion of hard… Read More →

Television Show Review: Boardwalk Empire: Season 4

Boardwalk Empire: Season 4 created by Terence Winter (Home Box Office, Leverage Management, Closest to the Hole Productions) Starring Steve Buscemi, Michael Kenneth Williams, Shea Whigham, Stephen Graham, Michael Shannon, Jack Huston, Jeffrey Wright, Gretchen Mol, Brian Geraghty, Margot Binham, and Ben Rosenfield. *Spoiler Alert for Previous Seasons in Effect* “A” “B” “C” “H” I’ve never seen so many stories at once in serialized television. The standard sitcom includes “A,” “B,” and “C” stories. And most often, three stories can be too much. But this season of Boardwalk Empire finds a way to execute not only “A”, “B,” and “C” stories, but also the show finds a way to an “H” story. Despite the complexity, Boardwalk Empire still creates riveting… Read More →

Television Show Review: Girls: Season 2

Girls: Season 2 created by Lena Dunham (Apatow Productions) Starring Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, and Zosia Mamet. Spoilers for Season 1 apply. Halcyon Days Are you ok with change? For many, change is the devil. We all wish for halcyon days, a verdant time where everything exists in a perfected state. When a life altering circumstance occurs, we often long for the days of yore, for a period when things were less stressful or easier. With the second season of Girls, I am beginning to see changes—ones I’m not certain are good for the show. I don’t think I’m ok with change. Girls and Their Boys Season 2 begins shortly after the concluding events of Season 1. Hannah… Read More →

Television Show Review: Girls: Season 1

Girls: Season 1 created by Lena Dunham (Apatow Productions) Starring Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, and Zosia Mamet. A Millennial Decade for a Millennial Generation Life in the 2nd millennial decade has not been easy for the millennial generation. Twenty-somethings are stuck somewhere between adolescence and adulthood. Some relish in these circumstances, life—as in, job opportunities and serious relationships—is out of reach, so these people decide to remain childish. Others react in the opposite direction; the lack of opportunity offers many frustrations and life is in a standstill. Given these circumstances, HBO’s series, Girls, feels current and trendy with a humorous take on what the millennial generation encounters in this day and age. The Economics of an Unemployed Generation… Read More →