Category Archives: television

Viola Davis for President

Posted on April 16, 2025 by JE

When I heard about G20 (directed by Patricia Riggen), an action movie set at the titular summit in which Viola Davis plays an American president in action-hero mode, I knew I would have to watch it. I figured it would … Continue reading →

Posted in movie review, music, politics, review or meta-review, television, writing | Leave a comment

Surfing the Time Waves

Posted on March 29, 2025 by JE

I’m reading the minor declamations of pseudo-Quintilian in Shackleton-Bailey’s great Loeb edition. The idea is to briefly escape the current political nightmare by immersing myself in the weird little stories of these controversiae. It’s not going that well. For example: … Continue reading →

Posted in books, history, language, politics, review or meta-review, Roman history, Rome, television, words | Tagged , | Comments Off on Surfing the Time Waves

Lured Lucy

Posted on March 8, 2025 by JE

D and I watched Lured (1947). It was watchable, maybe even rewatchable. With a script by Leo Rosten (of Joys of Yiddish fame), I expected it to be wittier than it was. But, given that it’s about the hunt for … Continue reading →

Posted in movie review, mystery, sff, television | Tagged | Comments Off on Lured Lucy

There Are Limits

Posted on July 9, 2024 by JE

I’ve been watching through The Outer Limits (1963-1965), a show I have fond memories of from when I was a kid. Uff da. They’re mostly terrible so far. The best episode of the first five was 1.4 “The Man with … Continue reading →

Posted in academia, comedy, plagiarism, review or meta-review, sff, television | Tagged | Comments Off on There Are Limits

Thrush to Judgement

Posted on July 3, 2024 by JE

I’ve been rereading Petronius’ Satyricon, to take my mind off the imminent death of democracy in America. It’s not working that well, because Trimalchio (the wealthy boor who is the anti-protagonist of his own episode in the novel) keeps reminding … Continue reading →

Posted in ancient art, art, books, language, politics, television, words | Tagged , | Comments Off on Thrush to Judgement

Carney Knowledge: MADBALL by Fredric Brown

Posted on June 15, 2024 by JE

Fredric Brown was one of the best writers of sf at shorter lengths–especially very short lengths. His story “Knock” was so short he had to write a longer story to embed it in. His “Puppet Show” brilliantly mocked the Campbellian … Continue reading →

Posted in books, review or meta-review, sff, television | Tagged , | Comments Off on Carney Knowledge: MADBALL by Fredric Brown

Latin Makes Your Teeth Shiny White!

Posted on July 5, 2023 by JE

I had occasion to use the word vademecum today, which doesn’t happen that often, but whenever it does I’m reminded of Vademecum toothpaste, which my mom used to use. This may be the first piece of Latin I ever learned … Continue reading →

Posted in language, television, words | Tagged | Comments Off on Latin Makes Your Teeth Shiny White!

Missed Opportunities

Posted on July 5, 2023 by JE

I’ve always liked C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. But I’m baffled by how many screen adaptations they’ve received, and now they’re slated to get another one via Netflix. At this rate we’ll never get a theme-park thrillride based on Till … Continue reading →

Posted in fantasy, review or meta-review, sff, television | Tagged , | Comments Off on Missed Opportunities

A Fuzzy Thing Happened…

Posted on June 28, 2023 by JE

Typo of the day is trible (where I intended to type tribe). It caused me a little trouble.

Posted in language, sff, television, Typo of the Day, words | Tagged , | Comments Off on A Fuzzy Thing Happened…

Further, Deponent Sayeth Not

Posted on April 2, 2023 by JE

The joke, such as it is, doesn’t really come off in English. But the Latin means something like “‘I am Spoke/I have spoke<n>,’ spoke Spoke.” Live long and prosper, Spoke.

Posted in fantasy art, language, sff, television, words | Tagged , | Comments Off on Further, Deponent Sayeth Not