Archive for May 2015
David Letterman’s caution in the name of comedy: My visit to the first ‘Late Show’ in 1993
So I guess this is how it happens: You do something long enough and you start being able to flash back on your own work. In 1993 I wrote to Late Night With David Letterman in the hopes of being able to get a ticket to one of his last NBC shows before he jumped…
Read MoreRemake, remodel: “Mad Max: Fury Road” and the delicious taste of a reboot done right
When I go to the grocery story for ice cream, I know exactly what flavor I want. Maybe I’m flexible on who’s making the flavor but in general, give me what I know I already like. Ice cream makers aren’t the only ones in on this truism; advertisers are well aware that once consumers find…
Read MoreLet’s get retro: My 2007 ‘Mad Men’ review for The Hollywood Reporter
Back in July of 2007, I was about a year and four months from getting laid off from The Hollywood Reporter after a pretty good run at the troubled trade publication (which has very much bounced back in the years since after going through a visionary rethink). But they were at loose ends in a…
Read MoreContain yourself! Four shows whose “bottle” episodes are short bursts of perfection
Into the life of every TV series, a breather must fall. Here you have a successful plot engine chugging along, peopled by a beloved ensemble cast, all of whom who up every week to continue an ongoing story. But that can get tiring. Everyone needs a palate-cleanser. Which is what happens when a showrunner and…
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