“I always skip Wednesdays.”

OK to all my friends who have been pinging me about how this past friday's FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ep was the best this year: YES IT WAS VERY AWESOME.  I've enjoyed this entire year, yes even the Landry-killed-a-guy-stuff!, but I'm with you all - this show was a pinnacle.  Zach Gilford was especially amazing. 

A few tidbits off the grid:
-- Season 2 DVD coming April 22.
-- Paley Festival panel with cast and creatives happened last week*.   I wasn't there.  *sad*  Did they tape it to share with the rest of us?


* Warning: watch out for one big spoiler in the piece, clearly marked. Just jump over it.

Miss Austen Regrets

This week's Austen was quite good.  Unlike the 1999 film MANSFIELD PARK, which mashed up the novel with Austen biopic elements, MISS AUSTEN REGRETS is all biopic.  Even though a lot of Austen's bio is unknown...so there's a lot of imagining going on here.  All of Austen's main themes, and how Austen might have felt about them in real life, are covered.  Olivia Williams is great as Austen.  The scene I liked the most took place late one night while Austen is visiting her brother in London.  She has a fireside chat with her brother's middle-aged maid (a French woman) that is especially satisfying as it attempts to pin down the essence of Austen - and why women the world over adore her work. 

Cat herding.

(What's this got to do with anything?  Some find meaning.  I think it's just excellent.)