JJ Abrams: Believe

The last show in our JJ Abrams series is Believe. It premiered in 2014 on NBC and lasted one season.

Again, I thought this show was Fantastic. I don't know if it failed due to lack of promotion or if, once again, the public wasn't all that fond of strange science (I use science loosely) combined with the idea that our government just might not be the good guys. I said before that both of these ideas were explored in Fringe and Revolution (albeit in different ways). This is the first show that presents both of them up front (as opposed to focusing on one and segueing into the other). Turns out that it didn't make a difference.




I thought the actress who played Bo (Johnny Sequoyah) was outstanding, and I'm sure we'll see her again in something else.

Did you watch Believe? What did you think?

JJ Abrams: Almost Human

Despite the disappointing lack of interesting in my JJ Abrams series, I'm pushing on. Besides, there are only two more shows left (and one that is slated as post-production, but I haven't seen anything about it on the air).

In 2013, Almost Human premiered on FOX. Frankly, this show was awesome. I can't think of even ONE thing I didn't like about it. And yet, it didn't last longer than one season.





Did you watch Almost Human? If so, did you love it or hate it?

JJ Abrams: Revolution

This is the next installment of JJ Abrams' TV shows. Revolution began in 2012 and ran two seasons.

In a previous post on Fringe I mentioned that the show was about fringe science until the final season. It took a hard turn and focused on an out of control government and the loss of personal freedom.

Fringe was cancelled.

So, JJ Abrams teamed up with Eric Kripke and brought us Revolution. This show focused on what would happen if the lights went out forever. Batteries didn't work. An instant thrust into the "stone age." Governments fall. Militias rise up. It gets pretty crazy. As in crazy good.




Then, in season two Revolution took a hard turn into fringe science. And it was cancelled.

Oh vey.

Two topics that don't go together: revolution and fringe science. You'd think he'd learn this one... but... Wait a few days... because Ooop! he does it again!

Did you watch the fabulousness that was Revolution? What did you think when it veered into fringe science?

JJ Abrams: Alcatraz

Alcatraz lasted all of one season. 2012. One and done.

This is another show I didn't see, but after watching this trailer... I want to! Wowza. I don't know why why this one was cancelled; it looks fantastic!




Did you watch Alcatraz? Know why it was cancelled? What did you think?

JJ Abrams: Undercovers

Still working our way through JJ Abrams' TV shows.

I didn't watch this one, so I'm relying on IMDB and YouTube. IMDB says that the show aired from 2010-2012, but there were only 13 episodes. Not sure precisely what that meant, but I suspect that the show was on. Then off. Then on. As a viewer, I imagine it was hard keeping up. (Maybe that's why it failed?)

Here is the trailer:



Did you watch Undercovers? Love it or hate it?

JJ Abrams: Person Of Interest

In 2011 JJ Abrams partnered with John Nolan to bring Person Of Interest to CBS (starring Michael Emerson and Jim Cavaziel). This is the ONLY JJ Abrams show still on the air (right now), but not the last he'll put out there.

This is not the show I was alluding to regarding personal freedoms and such in the last past (on Fringe), but I realize, even more than I did, that this issue is near and dear to his heart. Person Of Interest addresses personal freedom in a BIG way. Finch (Emerson) created an AI that monitors every electronic communication we make and gives that information to the government. In this scenario, Finch set it up so that they only received the Relevant Numbers (Social Security Numbers) of people who were "threats." Finch back-doored the system so that he got the Irrelevant Numbers (SS#s) of the people who would either die or kill someone (victim or perpetrator). However, he doesn't have the capacity to actually prevent these murders, so he seeks out Mr. Reese (Cavaziel).

Over the years, the scenarios have dived far beyond receiving an Irrelevant Number and stopping a murder. I'd tell you, but that would be spoiling it for you. And this show is worth watching from the beginning. It just gets better and better.





Have you watched Person Of Interest? Please tell me what you think....

JJ Abrams: Fringe

Lost premiered in 2004 (with much success). In 2008, Abrams launched a totally different show on Fox: Fringe (which also premiered with much success).

Fringe was about fringe science. Or weird science. Let's say extremely weird science. There were five seasons and seven openings of Fringe.

This video features all seven openings. The openings very much walk in lockstep with the content of the shows. Notice that the first six (the first four seasons) are all different, but the same. And then there is the last one (season five). If you want to watch the first and then skip to the last, jump to the two minute mark.




Season five was a totally different Fringe... a hard turn for the show that some viewers loved, but others not so much. And the network... not at all. It was cancelled mid-season (with a wrap-up for the show).

Let's look at a trailer for season one.




In season five, as I already said, the show took a hard turn from fringe science to much more basic issues of freedom and personal control versus government control. Fox cancelled it. However, JJ Abrams wasn't done with this idea, and it would be revisited several years later in a new show on a new network. The irony: it would be cancelled because this time he couldn't keep it about the concepts of freedom and personal control. In season two he introduced.... wait for it... fringe science.

He also went for show number three incorporating all of these issues in season one, and it was cancelled after season one. Do you see a picture yet????

Do you know the later shows to which I'm referring? Did you watch Fringe? What did you think about Season Five?

JJ Abrams: Lost

I started watching Lost (2004-2010) late in the game (2009). I bought it on DVD and caught up and watched the end with everyone else. Man, that show was excellent. Every episode was a surprise. Twist after twist after twist. The other thing you can count on: hard choices. For these characters, it was always one hard choice after another. I don't know about you, but I was constantly asking myself, "Could I make that hard choice if I had to do it?" Of course, until you walk that mile in those shoes, you just don't know.

This is just one of many hard choices...





Did you watch Lost? Were you on the edge of your seat week after week?

JJ Abrams: Six Degrees

At the same time that What About Brian aired (2006-2007), so did Six Degrees. It was a busy season for JJ Abrams. Unfortunately, neither of these shows lasted more than one season. I couldn't find even a trailer for Six Degrees (what's up with that???). But, someone posted the episodes in snippets on YouTube. So, I cued up the pilot. I admit I'm intrigued. JJ Abrams is genius. Shame on those network execs who cancel his shows too soon. (Or don't adequately promote them...)




Did you see this one when it was on? If so, what did you think? If not, did you watch the clip? Are you now intrigued?

JJ Abrams: What About Brian

JJ Abrams' third television offering was a show called What About Brian. I didn't watch this one. In fact, I didn't even know about this one until a few minutes ago. So, I can't cull through YouTube searching for the best video... since I don't know! I can tell you that the show aired from 2006-2007.

Here is the trailer:




Did you watch this one? If so, did you like it? Does making the trailer make you want to watch it?

JJ Abrams: Alias

JJ Abrams' second TV series, Alias, actually began while Felicity was still running. In fact, Felicity was the inspiration for Alias. Apparently, about halfway into the first season it occurred to him how much fun it would be if Felicity lived this secret life. Like she was a spy or something. But, there was no way to incorporate THAT into Felicity. So, the idea germinated and Alias was born. Sydney Bristow, played by Jennifer Garner (who made appearances on Felicity), actually was a spy attending graduate school. Voila. The idea manifested and was a HIT. Alias was one of those shows with talent up the wazoo, tons of action, an over-arcing mystery, and just Awesome. The show aired from 2001-2006.

Also the show had Michael Vartan, who played Michael Vaughn. Sidney and Vaughn were a HOT couple. Just steamin'.





Did you laugh when they realized they were on coms? That older guy was her dad. Can we say AWKWARD???

JJ Abrams: Felicity

Arlee Bird posted recently on Tossing It Out (as part of his A to Z) that a blogger just shouldn't leave their blog unattended (no posts for a LONG time) without at least hanging up a Closed Sign. Well, this blog isn't closed. It's just been neglected.

So, I'm going to post clips again (with as much regularity as I can muster). To kick this event off, we're going to revisit JJ Abrams career in TV. Checking out his list on IMDB, I see that I've watched many, but not all, of his shows. I guess I'm going to have to rectify that!

His first TV show was Felicity. This one I've watched several times. I'd try to explain that obsession, but it would take more words than you want to read. The show lasted four years and it documented Felicity's four years of college. Many of the actors from this show will reappear on Abrams' future TV shows. Felicity aired from 1998-2002.



Did you watch Felicity? Are you a fan of JJ Abrams? 

Once Upon A Time

I haven't posted one of these in a while. I figure I better get busy because the Fall season is upon us and I haven't done much recapping of what was good about last season. I hardly think one post qualifies! I am going to start limiting these posts to my TV blog, so if you like this sort of thing, you should start following that blog. If I think of it I will make a notation that I have posted on my regular blog and link it in. However, I wouldn't place any bets on my remembering to actually accomplish this feat.

As I mentioned the last time I posted like this, picking one scene out of a season is extremely difficult. With this show, I could not do it. I thought I had it, but then I changed my mind. The show is JJ Abram's Once Upon A Time. The premise of that show is that the Evil Queen placed a curse on all of the storybook characters taking away their Happy Ever Afters. Instead, they no longer know who they are and live in our world in a town called Storybrook, Maine. They cannot leave the town. The only one who knows the truth of the matter is the Evil Queen (Regina) who is the Mayor of the town and Rumpelstiltskin (Mr. Gold). Regina's adopted son suspects the truth when he reads a book of Fairytales provided by his teacher (Snow White) and becomes determined to save the town.

JJ Abrams is also known for Felicity, Alias, Lost, and Alcatraz. I know that he has numerous movie projects to his credit. The only one immediately coming to mind is the newest Star Trek movie (the prequel). Whenever I see his name attached to something I am willing to give it a whirl. His imagination is fearless. I like that about him.

Anyway, Once Upon A Time embraced many of the style points that made Lost so much fun. It, too, rockets back and forth between past and present to tell the story. Even though the characters don't remember who they are, it doesn't change your choices so much. People don't change at the CORE. In other words, you are who you are. So, as they face challenges in this "foreign" world, the story often juxtaposes to their past when they faced a similar challenge. All of these characters are onions. I love that. Mostly because you don't really expect it in a fairy tale. In the fairy tale good is good and bad is bad. Black is black and white is white. There really was no grey. In Once Upon A Time you discover that the story has a lot more shading than you originally thought.

And people aren't just born evil. It was a JOURNEY. And it is walking that mile in their shoes that is always the most interesting part. So, you start out hating the Evil Queen because she is just so darn hateful and evil. And then at the end you find out how she got that way and it is like being turned on your head. Evil isn't born; it's made. And while you wish she had made different choices and could embrace things like forgiveness, those things, too, are taught. What happens when you are raised by evil?

So, I am going to show you two clips. The first one is a combo clip. I would have liked to show you a clip from episode 18 that really showed what happened to Regina to turn her evil, but Disney has pulled it off of youtube. This clip has pieces of it in there, along with other stuff, so it should give you a pretty good picture of what happened.



That episode changed everything we thought about Regina. She was a girl in love with a boy. She had a controlling mother who abused magic for her own ends. A little girl, Snow White, found out about this love that Regina had for the stable boy and encouraged Regina to marry him. Regina decided to leave home with her love, but told Snow that she must not tell anyone, especially her mother. However, Snow was grieving for her own mother, so when Regina's mother began to question Snow about Regina, Snow was an easy target. She easily gave up Regina's secrets, believing all that false concern Regina's mother expressed. And then Regina's mother found Regina and her love and killed him. She then forced Regina into a marriage with the king. When Regina found out what Snow had done, her heart hardened and she blamed her, her father, the whole world for her misery. They would all pay for Daniel's death. They would all be just as miserable as she was. The opposite of love isn't apathy. It is hate. And her hate just ate her alive.

Now, was it unrealistic to expect a little girl to keep a big secret like that? Of course. Did Snow reveal that secret to hurt Regina? Of course not. She thought that Regina's mother loved her in the same way that her own mother had loved her. She didn't know how wrong she was. She didn't know what kind of person Regina's mother was. She didn't understand these people at all. She was a child. However, Regina's pain over the loss of her love never allowed her to see Snow that way.

And that is what makes this scene the best of the season...



Ironically, they are both doing the things they are doing out of love. Regina is doing what she is doing out of a twisted love for Daniel. Snow is doing what she is doing out of a pure love for the man she has come to call Charming. Regina thinks that bringing a non-death to Snow White will bring her peace. It won't. She doesn't yet get that because what she really wants is Daniel back and nothing will give her that. However, Snow will have her peace because she is giving the man she loves safety, even it is at her own expense. They are living on the opposite sides of the emotional spectrum. Ironically, watching this scene I feel more sorry for Regina than I do Snow White. She has a long way to go before she will know any peace in her life.

Until you dig out all of the junk there is no room for any good stuff in your life.


image found here