…is awesome, even though I have no clue what is going on.
Discuss.
Bookshelf Battle
The only site where new bestsellers are forced to do battle for space on a nerd's bookshelf.
Tag Archives: television
The Blacklist…
…is awesome, even though I have no clue what’s going on.
Discuss.
The Walking Dead – Wrap-Up 3/15/15 – “Spend”
GRR! ARGH! SPOILERS!
Daryl vs. a Zombie
Bookshelf Q. Battler here. Tonight, The Siberian Yeti allowed me to watch one of my favorite shows, The Walking Dead.
It was the first time my super annoying house guest had ever seen the show. He liked it. All of the post-apocalyptic carnage reminded him of his home in Siberia, except the show is slightly nicer.
My observations, in no particular order:
- Rick’s group members are coming in to their own. Glenn’s becoming skilled at leading beyond the wall. Abraham’s taking over as wall construction leader. Rick’s the new sheriff in town again. Noah’s trying to become an architect for the community.
- Which is sad because that beginning scene where Noah expresses an interest in architecture was apparently a rouse to make us not think he’s about to become zombie lunch. RIP Noah. We hardly knew ye.
- Eugene is developing some guts and good for him. He’s right! He did get the group to DC, albeit in a morally reprehensible manner.
- Don’t mess with Carol.
- Rick Grimes = other man’s wife smoocher = the new Shane?
- Ironic that Maggie eavesdrops on Father Gabriel warning Deanna about Rick’s group. A few episodes back, Maggie told Gabriel off, leaving him so depressed he tossed away his collar. Could a little kindness from Maggie have kept his loyalty?
- Gabriel’s warning plus Aidan’s death – will that turn Deanna and the community against Rick’s group?
What did you think about tonight’s episode? Discuss!
The Walking Dead Wrap-Up – Episode – “Forgotten” – 3/8/15
You know, I thought being held hostage by a dictatorial yeti would be a nice vacation, but it looks like I’m
Rick vs. Zombie – one of the more historic bookshelf battles.
blogging more than ever. Bookshelf Q. Battle Dog redeemed himself for failing to stop the Yeti’s intrusion into BBHQ by fetching me the Yeti’s Commodore 64, which I have hooked up to a gas power generator in order to connect it to the Internet.
So now it’s just me, my dog, and a suped up 1980’s computer in my basement, blogging away behind the Yeti’s back.
3.5 readers, forgive me for not wrapping up The Walking Dead this past Sunday night. I was in the middle of attempting (and sadly, failing) to kick the Yeti out of my compound.
Now I’ve had the chance to catch up. (TOKEN GRR ARGH SPOILERS NOTIFICATION)
Here are some observations, in no particular order:
- Carol = the character who does things no one else wants to do in the name of survival. Often, those things are horrible, i.e. how she threatened that kid. Oh well, at least she offered to bake him cookies.
- Michonne hanged up her sword. Say it ‘aint so!
- Rick’s going to steal the Doc’s wife, isn’t he?
- Sasha’s freaking out that no one is worrying.
- Daryl might get civilized yet.
Do you have any observations you’d like to make? Post away. I will have Bookshelf Q. Battle Dog distract the Yeti with a festive dance number so that I can read your comments without Yeti interruptions.
In Defense of Shatner
Today, the Prime Minister of Israel gave a historic speech before Congress. Also, a vocal critic of the Russian president was shot to death recently near the Kremlin.
But if you’re a nerd like me, the big issue on your mind is:
WAS WILLIAM SHATNER IN THE WRONG FOR NOT ATTENDING LEONARD NIMOY’S FUNERAL?
Shatner, who played Capt. Kirk on Star Trek opposite Nimoy’s Mr. Spock, stated he was unable to attend the funeral of his longtime co-star as he had already committed to a Red Cross fundraiser in Florida. Over the weekend, he was bombarded on Twitter by critics claiming he should have dropped everything to make it to the service of the man who portrayed his highly logical science officer.
Was Shatner wrong for not going?
No. In no particular reason, here are some reasons why:
- Shatner is 83 years old – I don’t claim to know what’s on his mind. I’m not a mindreader. All I know is the older I get, the more accepting I become of the fact that death is an inevitable part of life. Every funeral I attend, the less debilitated I am when I lose someone dear to me. Loss of a loved one never becomes less painful, but one eventually grows steeled to the fact that death happens. Therefore, I know that by the time I (hopefully) reach eight decades of life, I’ll be able to soldier on while still feeling bad about the loss of a dear friend. In other words, for a person who has lived a long life, it is possible to keep a stiff upper lip and attend a planned fundraiser while still feeling bad about the loss of a friend at the same time.
- Logistics – Again, Shatner is 83 years old. To drop everything, charter an expensive jet at the last minute, fly all the way back to California and then attend a funeral? That’s going to take a lot out of a young person, let alone an old timer. (Capt. Kirk I apologize for calling you old but what the heck, it’s a defense).
- Commitment – Shatner had committed to a fundraiser. Would the people involved with the event have understood had he left? I don’t know. I assume so, but I can’t speak for them. Obviously, the Red Cross is a cause that’s important to Shatner and he didn’t want to leave people who worked hard on a special event holding the bag. That’s admirable.
- Friendship – Shatner and Nimoy worked together since the 1960’s. I have no idea what their friendship was like behind the scenes, but I have to imagine there was enough respect there to get them through a TV series and several films. Again, I’m not a mindreader. Neither are the critics. Bottomline – I’m sure Shatner loved and cared about his colleague very much. No one has the right to tell him he doesn’t.
Finally, what would a Vulcan say about all this?
ME: Hello Mr. Vulcan. Should William Shatner drop a charity event he committed to, spend a ton of money on a last minute private jet charter to fly across the country only to attend a funeral that in the end, probably won’t make him feel any better about losing his friend anyway?
VULCAN: No. That would be highly illogical. Stay at the charity event. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
There you go nerds. Let’s give our Captain a break.
The Walking Dead Wrap-Up 3/01/15 – “Remember”
Grrr…argh…spoilers!!!
Daryl vs. Zombie
Rick shaved his beard off! Carol’s sporting a sweater and baking casseroles! And the gang have their own mansions!
The group’s been beaten down for awhile now. They’ve gone from one bad settlement to another, facing the likes of Woodbury (where they squared off with the Governor) and Terminus (and almost got eaten by the cannibals).
Deanna the Congresswoman runs the settlement. The place has been up and running since the beginning o the zombie outbreak. In other words, the people are pretty soft. They’ve had heat, electricity, all the trappings of civilization.
They’ve had to do very little fending for themselves and it shows. Rick and the group are skeptical and wary, though it generally seems like the townsfolk are trustworthy.
Still, there are problems. Deanna’s son Aidan claims to be the big tough guy but makes rookie mistakes. He keeps a walker hanging on a tree so he can torture it once in awhile as retribution for killing his friends. Glenn and Tara are aghast. As veteran zombie fighters, they realize it just doesn’t make sense to hold a grudge against a zombie. Kill it to keep it from being a threat and that’s it. The thing doesn’t know what it is doing so you’re only putting yourself at risk by keeping it alive and torturing it.
The viewer is left with the feeling that the town should be more afraid of Rick than anything. Rick shaves his beard and puts on a fresh police officer’s uniform. Eerily at the end, he tells the group that if life in the town doesn’t work, then they’ll just “take over” the town.
Is Rick slowly becoming a bad guy or is he just keenly aware that possible threats are everywhere?
By the way, I hope you like the latest battle on my bookshelf – Daryl vs. a Zombie!
Better Call Saul 2/23/15 – “Hero” – Episode Wrap Up (Season 1 Episode 4)
Better Call SPOILERS
It’s Saul vs. the big corporate law firm. Who will win? Who should win? Was Saul in the right with his bill board or was he copying his big rival?
Discuss!
Walt Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain!
Written to honor President Abe Lincoln after his assassination, Walt Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! compares the end of the Civil War to the end of a long ship voyage, and Lincoln to a journey weary Captain. Makes sense, as Lincoln did guide the nation through some very choppy seas.
O Captain! My Captain!
By: Walt Whitman
O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills,
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding,
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head!
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still,
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will,
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done,
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;
Exult O shores, and ring O bells!
But I with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
The poem is often used as a tribute to leaders in general, and was prominently featured in Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams.
Fun fact – a Walt Whitman poetry book carelessly left on a toilet tank would go on to play an important part in AMC’s Breaking Bad.
So, good for you, WW, you honored a great president, and you were featured on a cable drama.
As they say in Gaffney…
There will be a special guest on bookshelfbattle.com this Friday Feb. 27 in honor of the release of House of Cards Season 3 on Netflix.
All 3.5 of you should clear your schedules.
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