TV Right Now: The Good, the Bad, and the Totally Sucky - Volume 3

[gattaca]

^^^ Nope on anything that I recall that approaches more than very casual physical intimacy in 9-1-1 for sure or rather slightly implied in some way.  Having dinner with someone is pretty benign even if it is a "date" and that seems to be the boundaries... vs something beyond even far that.  Even joking about setting up a Grindr profile I'd wager goes over 85% of the watcher's heads!   This is part of the "walking the fine line challenge" I mentioned that the writers maybe having to deal with and maybe they have been have fenced into that's as far as you can go - on this network.  (Remember where it airs and what time....)

I feel like we are receding to the 1940's/1950's with the threat of censorship bearing down on us all. Jeff's point last week with "Brilliant Minds" having highly successful gay men being portrayed as doctors embracing opening on the street was well said and taken.   At this point 9-1-1 is not going anywhere for me so I suspect I'll be hitting the delete button for next season or FF through a lot of the episodes or waiting for them to appear as covers on YT. 

I heard an interview with that SOB Leonard Leo yesterday on NPR. He's now gotta hard on for taking over the "leftist media and Hollywood" the same way he and his dark money have taken over our US Judiciary. They have stacked and packed the courts in the GOP's favor.  Read/Listen for yourself -> https://www.npr.org/2024/11/24/nx-s1-5199049/federalist-society-conservative-supreme-court   V.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Lyle's point last week with "Brilliant Minds" having highly successful gay men being portrayed as doctors embracing opening on the street was well said and taken.

Hey, Vincent, no worries, but those posts about "Brilliant Minds" you've mentioned were written by Jeff!  Although I put Brilliant Minds in my queue, I've never actually gotten around to watching any of it. I suppose it's the fact that I've never been in to doctor/hospital shows. Way back in the day I avoided Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey. Not Medical Center, Trapper John, M.D. or St. Elsewhere. I never watched one episode of Chicago Hope and I only ever watched one episode of ER. (The one they did "live".) Never watched Grey's Anatomy, Doogie Howser, Scrubs, The Good Doctor, The Resident, New Amsterdam, Nurse Jackie, Chicago Med and there's another new one: St. Denis Medical. (I've never really thought about why I don't like them, but it may have something to do with when I was a very young child 3-4 yrs.old...and had to have a surgery. After the surgery we'd still occasionally drive by that hospital because it was on the way to somewhere else we'd go and every time I'd see it my parents told me I'd say, "we're not going in there, are we?" They'd say "No." Well, the surgery wasn't quite right for some reason and my parents didn't know how to tell me I had to go back there. So they didn't tell me anything. So we were in the car and going by that hospital and I said, "we're not going in there, are we?" "Are we?" Crickets.) 

[Lyle (Mooska)]

I heard an interview with that SOB Leonard Leo yesterday on NPR. He's now gotta hard on for taking over the "leftist media and Hollywood" the same way he and his dark money have taken over our US Judiciary. They have stacked and packed the courts in the GOP's favor.  Read/Listen for yourself -> https://www.npr.org/2024/11/24/nx-s1-5199049/federalist-society-conservative-supreme-court   V.

WHAT LEFTIST MEDIA?  There is nothing comparable to the right wing echo chambers on radio and TV and podcasters on the internet. That was the lament by those in the video I posted in current events yesterday.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

I've always been one to pay attention to what's going on, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to do that right now without burying my head in the sand. How does the average person fight back against the insanity? The people like this a-hole use their money. Murdoch uses his money for his corrupting media empire. What does one do in the face of it all? They say we have the power of the vote, but the power's diminished by these people with the money using it to control courts and a maga party that disenfranchises voting power.

Ignorance is bliss: if you do not know about something, you do not worry about it. The problem is finding out things and also being able to know what to do about it, some kind of action that gives you some empowerment in knowing you're doing something.

There is currently a lot of left leaning journalism going on online like youtube (Meidas Touch, Bryan Tyler Cohen, Pondering Politics and a dozen more, but I can't think of one of them that actually offers people any ideas as to what to DO about the outrages they cover. During election times the "offer" is to vote and get other like-minded citizens to do the same, but beyond that...what to do?

[gattaca]

^^ In the 1960's the Hippies (now the boomers) organized meetings and demonstrated in the streets. They protested the Vietnam War, IN THE STREETS. Organized "Marches on Washington" , and Dr. King the infamous "March to Selma".  All mostly peaceful demonstrations on the demonstrators part but no necessarily on the part of the Southern power. 

Dems need to take off their kid gloves and "get into the face" of the now smug GOP and bring some noisy nasty political reality to the front of people's minds.

However, if the gullible electorate remains addicted to the "echo chambers", "Fox Lies" and various other GOP right wing propaganda outlets vs understanding there's a real cost to what's being done, like the Vietnam War, or any other war where good men and women die, that's what it's going to take to wake up the very gullible electorate to force a change. 

As for what people can do?  IDK - vote for sure.  Support candidates you agree with.  Educate people who are willing to listen.

I've started not watching the evening news every night b/c it's just too damn depressing.  My biggest hope is that all these plans backfire like an inferno. 

Inflation is already reversing and the bond markets are today pricing in the expectation that the GoS and US Treasury will issuing MORE DEBT - NOT LESS to cover MORE looming tax cuts to the 1%ers.  Explosive tariffs on our key trading partners (Canada, Mexico, etc..)  will raise prices Americans are paying while suppressing American EXPORTS = American Jobs.   He's now implying slapping tariffs on far more than Chinese products. 

Funny thing is all this same tariff crap has been tried before and it failed miserably in ALL respects.  But what's the definition of insanity?  You keep doing the same thing repeatedly expecting a different outcome?  The GOP is swimming in insanity for damn sure.  V.

[gattaca]

Jeff,  I'm sorry I confused your posts with Lyle's on "Brilliant Minds"  My bad for not looking back before hitting submit.   I'm catching up.  Watched S1.E4 ∙"The Blackout Bride" today.  Thinking back, the "frozen patient" was mentioned in the 2nd episode and he got a fair amount of screen time in S1E4  since they were trying to abort sending him to a LTC facility to wither away.  We got the edge of what becomes S1 E7 starting stronger.  As for the bride. The ending took an unexpected turn which I didn't see coming but rewinding, they didn't really give any harbingers either.  This one was just OK. 

IDK if this S1E4 is where Wolf's mom said something about having his friend "keep an eye on him b/c there were things even she didn't know about Wolf."... Hmmm. What else is going on there?   V.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Just a few random comments here:

Thanks for the input on Lone Star.

No worries about my posts.

Re: Brilliant Minds:

I completely forgot about that comment Wolf's mother made about keeping an eye on him.

I guess you could say last night's episode had a kind of CMBYN moment. The flashback of 18-year-old Wolf having that chat with his father (in his imagination?) reminded me of the father-son chat in CMBYN. Not in all its particulars; it just reminded me of it.

The bit about Wolf finally getting a cell phone (from Josh) amused me--especially when Wolf's patient had to show him how to answer the call. 

Oh, and I think Dr. Markus is way cute, with or without his shirt.    Interesting to know he has a six-year-old son.

I never cared much for doctor shows either, though I do remember us watching Trapper John, M.D., and Marcus Welby, M.D. I can't say what it was about the commercials advertising Brilliant Minds that made me want to check it out.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

I never cared much for doctor shows either, though I do remember us watching Trapper John, M.D., and Marcus Welby, M.D.

How could I forget Marcus Welby? Did you know there was an Australian version of this show: Marcus Wallaby.

I know that a lot of people were attracted to James Brolin in this series at the time. It was on for 7 seasons. Incredibly, to me, this show was the #1 rated show in it's second season, 1970-71, of all shows on television. Some decades later I watched a couple of these shows on a retro channel and...I don't get that at all! The three, or two, years before that it was Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and for five years in a row after that it was All in the Family in the #1 spot.

[Jeff Wrangler]

How could I forget Marcus Welby? Did you know there was an Australian version of this show: Marcus Wallaby.

 

I know that a lot of people were attracted to James Brolin in this series at the time.

Many years ago, perhaps even in the early days of nostalgia TV, my dad and I were having Thanksgiving dinner with his cousins. They had the TV on, and a couple of episodes of Marcus Welby were shown. There in the opening credits was James Brolin in tight pants astride a motorcycle. Need I say more?

I think that was the same day I saw an episode that had James Stacy riding a motorcycle. 

I don't know when I might have seen it, but I remember an episode where the drama revolved around a woman who needed a double mastectomy. To reassure her, Welby brought in a former mastectomy patient. The woman indicated her bosom and then said "All fake!"

[gattaca]

Took in 2 "Brilliant Minds" Overall good.  I'd rate "The Haunted Marine" on the VG while the "The Girl Who Cried Pregnant" as OK.  SPOILERS ON for all posted below.

1) S1.E5 ∙ Chapter Five: The Haunted Marine -  Took a turn I did not anticipate and it covered some material I had not considered before now regarding how people other than football players and other higher risk impact sports injuries can get CTE.  Chilling episode which I'd not be surprised is grounded in some reality. 

2) S1.E6 ∙ Chapter Six: The Girl Who Cried Pregnant - I thought this one weak.  Maybe it was the subject material.  I have no doubt "mass hysteria" is very real. 

I'll be caught up soon with live episodes.  V.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Took in 2 "Brilliant Minds" Overall good.  I'd rate "The Haunted Marine" on the VG while the "The Girl Who Cried Pregnant" as OK.

I agree with your assessments.

It would be interesting to know if the "Marine" was based on an actual incident because I'm afraid I was a little skeptical of the premise--but then I've never been around the firing of big guns even once, let alone repeatedly.

But throughout all the wars of the 20th century alone, has no one noticed if so many members of a gun crew died by suicide? Or was something like this noticed but dismissed as "shell shock?"

[gattaca]

Yes, S1:E5 "The Haunted Marine" is based on emerging and developing science in the field of neurological brain injuries.

> PTSD was not recognized and understood fully until sometime in the 1980's.   -> https://traumadissociation.com/ptsd/history-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder.html
> CTE was not identified until 2002 in football players - a profession with many head concussions - along with boxers, ... -> https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/physician-who-discovered-cte-nfl-players-gets-ama-s-highest-honor

The intense explosive force of the weapons firing (repeatedly) generate low-frequency shockwaves or blastwaves which may be enough to generate the mini-shocks as described in the episode.  Think of how the low frequencies below 10Hz are often felt in the body - not really heard now magnify that over 100's or 1000's of times.

See below:

Summary article -> https://www.concussionalliance.org/blog/blast-exposure-from-firing-heavy-weapons-potentially-causing-unrecognized-brain-injuries
Long detailed articles -> https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4255273/ 
-> https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34557921/
-> https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/02/us/blast-mortar-brain-injury-military.html

V.

[gattaca]

I guess you could say last night's episode had a kind of CMBYN moment. The flashback of 18-year-old Wolf having that chat with his father (in his imagination?) reminded me of the father-son chat in CMBYN. Not in all its particulars; it just reminded me of it.

The bit about Wolf finally getting a cell phone (from Josh) amused me--especially when Wolf's patient had to show him how to answer the call. 
Oh, and I think Dr. Markus is way cute, with or without his shirt.    Interesting to know he has a six-year-old son.
...

Just finished watching S1.E9 - "The Colorblind Painter" .  SPOILERS ALERT ON!

> I agree 100% that the "father son" chat @ 32:39 into the episode where Wolf wakes up from doing magic mushrooms (psilocybin) to have a chat with his father harks back to Elio's chat with his father on the couch after Oliver departed.  Wolf told his dad, "Actually, ... Dad, I like guys." and his dad gently smiles and asked, "Any guy in particular?"   Wolf's dad then asks his son, "I want to know more about you. Tell me everything.  What did I miss?"   That had a pretty hard kick!   

With CMBYN the subtext of E/O's relationship was already known to his dad. The similarities are in the acceptance, sharing and intense emotions conveyed between father and son which are similar. The young actor playing Wolf was tearing just talking to his dad (who was not really there)  - again similar.

10-4 on the actor playing Dr. Van Markus (Alex MacNicoll) - I thought I recognized him from "Bad Monkey"  and he's got quite an IMDB.  Quite handsome indeed shirt on or off!     -> https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5879880

I really enjoyed this episode.  I also like how the writers keep revealing parts of Dr. Wolf with the flashbacks to his childhood shaping events. 

I'll keep watching "Brilliant Minds".  Thanks again for recommending it.  V.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Yes, S1:E5 "The Haunted Marine" is based on emerging and developing science in the field of neurological brain injuries.

> PTSD was not recognized and understood fully until sometime in the 1980's.   -> https://traumadissociation.com/ptsd/history-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder.html
> CTE was not identified until 2002 in football players - a profession with many head concussions - along with boxers, ... -> https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/physician-who-discovered-cte-nfl-players-gets-ama-s-highest-honor

The intense explosive force of the weapons firing (repeatedly) generate low-frequency shockwaves or blastwaves which may be enough to generate the mini-shocks as described in the episode.  Think of how the low frequencies below 10Hz are often felt in the body - not really heard now magnify that over 100's or 1000's of times.

See below:

Summary article -> https://www.concussionalliance.org/blog/blast-exposure-from-firing-heavy-weapons-potentially-causing-unrecognized-brain-injuries
Long detailed articles -> https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4255273/ 
-> https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34557921/
-> https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/02/us/blast-mortar-brain-injury-military.html

V.

Lots of very interesting reading! Thanks for doing all that research. (Imagine the research that went into writing the episode.)

[Jeff Wrangler]

It appears no Fire Country or Blue Bloods tonight. All football.