Harris vs. Trump Presidential Debate: Eating Dogs and Viktor Orban

I don't recall ever seeing a Presidential debate like this, Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump: a cool, passionate, articulate champion of democratic values and principles vs. well, a lunatic and fascist admirer.

One of Trump's lies which struck me most -- lies are too weak a word for it -- was Trump's claim that immigrants are eating dogs.  One of the moderators, David Muir, quietly pointed out that the City Manager of one of the allegedly afflicted places said that dogs were not being eaten in his town.  Among the plethora of Trump's lies, this one strikes me as one of most indicative of Trump's mental maladjustment.  It's far less serious, of course, than Trump's continuing charge that governors in Democratic states allow killing of newborn babies -- denounced as a lie by both Harris and the other moderator, Linsey Davis.  That's an egregious lie about a crucial issue.  But the claim about immigrants and dogs is somehow vivid evidence that the former President is not in his right mind.

As for his politics,what I found most significant and disturbing was Trump's citing the pride he takes in Viktor Orban's praise of him.  A fascist, neo-Nazi, who has systematically put down and tried to pull down the press and democratic structures in his country, Hungary.  I couldn't help thinking that if Hitler was alive, and said anything good about Trump. the former President would have cited him as an admiring ally too.

Kamala Harris aptly pointed out that the most important thing in Trump's book and psyche is flattery from others.  Everything she said in the debate was astute and on target.  In fact, I can't think of a single off-key thing she said.  Sure, that's because I agree with everything she said, but I still think her performance was objectively excellent.  That includes her facial reactions to Trump's lies and absurdities, which we've known since the 1960 JFK/Nixon debates are at least as important as what the candidates actually say.

As for the moderators, better than CNN's in the Biden-Trump debate in June, but that's faint praise. They did quietly point out a few of Trump's lies, but maybe I'm old fashioned thinking that they should have called our every single one of them.  Loudly and clearly.

Big good news arrived shortly after the debate in Taylor Swift's ringing endorsement of Harris for President.  I'm pulling for a landslide.

Paul Levinson interviews Dan Abella about The New York Science Fiction Film Festival

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 394, in which I interview Dan Abella about The New York Science Fiction Film Festival, to take place Saturday, September 14, 2024 at the Stuart Cinema and Cafe, 79 West Street in Brooklyn, NY.

• more details here
• my review of Gerrit Van Woudenberg's Quantum Suicide

Among the science fiction filmmakers we discuss: Gerrit Van Woudenberg, Jay Kensinger, Frank Spotnitz, M. Night Shyamalan, Francis Ford Coppola

Among the science fiction authors we discuss: Philip K. Dick, Sam Delany, Robert Harris, Walter Mosley

 

Check out this episode!

Poster for Quantum Suicide

 

                                 read the review here

Slow Horses 4.1: River

Well, Slow Horses is back on Apple TV+ with the debut episode of its 4th season, and

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

In the riveting opening and subsequent scenes it sure looks like River was shot to death by his (probably) somewhat deranged grandfather, but I didn't really believe that, because it's too crazy a way to die, even for Slow Horses, and in the end we learn Lamb didn't buy it either, and in fact River's in France, on some mission likely connected to the terrorists Taverner and the MI5 crew are dealing with (ineptly, because this is after all just the beginning of a new season).

But there were clues before the big French reveal, most notably that the body said to be River's had its face shot off, which made it difficult to identify as River's, on the basis of just eyesight.  This probably tipped off Lamb from the beginning.  He's in good form, by the way, not only farting, but scratching his ass (not at the same time).  At least it was outside this time, not in a car with the doors closed.

The team, other than Ho, are more or less devastated, especially Louisa, who in one unfortunate scene not only rebuffed River's possible advance, but suggested he visit grandpa.  Standish is not devastated at all, because, as we learn near the end, she knows River has not been shot, and Grandpa David is taking a nap in her bed.   Have we ever actually seen her and Lamb in bed together and awake?  I can't recall, but I think not, and I hope that will happen sooner or later in some future episode or season.

Kudos again, by the way, for Mick Jagger's excellent theme song at the beginning, but I didn't hear it again at the end, as we have in prior seasons, and that's s shame, because I'm always eager to hear that song, even in the middle of an episode.

But off to great start, and I'll be back with weekly reviews.

See also Slow Horses 3.1-3.2: Beatles Level ... 3.3: The Meaningful Difference Between "The" and "A" in the UK ... 3.4: "Clear the Board" ... 3.5: Winners and Losers, Part 1 ... 3.6: Winners and Losers, Part 2

And see also Slow Horses 2.1-2.2: Do Horses Eat Ramen? ... 2.3: Faster Than You Think ... 2.4-2.5: Lamb Firing On All Cylinders ... Slow Horses 2.6: Heralds of Humiliation

And see also Slow Horses 1.1-2: Fast-Moving Spy Thriller ... Slow Horses 1.3: The Fine Art of Bumbling ... Slow Horses 1.4: Fine New Song by Mick Jagger ... Slow Horses 1.5: Did You Hear the One About the ... Slow Horses 1.6: The Scorecard

  

Fair Play: Fairly Good

I watched Fair Play -- a 2023 movie on Netflix last night -- because, well I've been a fan of Rich Sommer since he played Harry Crane on Mad Men (and he looked then like a young Isaac Asimov), [see

========= 

Isaac Asimov (1965) and Harry Crane aka Rich Sommer (1960)

=============]

and Eddie Marsan has been one of my favorites since he played Ray Donovan's older brother on Ray Donovan, the Showtime series that ended too soon.

Also, I'm always willing to give an erotic thriller a chance.

And the two -- Marsan and Sommer -- play a mean, soulless chief (Campbell) and assistant (Paul) of a hedge fund from hell, though for all I know, that's what all or at least most hedge fund offices are like.

But that's not really what Fair Play is about.  It's about a couple, Emily and Luke, who love sex and get engaged, right before Emily gets promoted to the job Luke was yearning for.  The promotion devastates their relationship to the point where Luke is unable to perform in bed, despite Emily's inducements.  I actually had a slightly difficult time believing this because, well, Phoebe Dynevor as Emily is an excellent, convincing actress.  But tensions between the two escalate. Luke continues to not have the good sense to find another job (another somewhat unbelievable lack of development, since Luke, well played by Alden Ehrenreich, otherwise seems pretty smart), and in the end, verbal attacks and lack of sex escalate into ... well, I don't want to give too much of the ending away.

All in all, I think Fair Play is worth seeing.  But a little more subtlety would have helped the story.  It's ok for Emily's mother to be a caricature, but I would've liked to have seen a little more depth in the other characters, beginning with Campbell and Paul.

Criminal Record: Outstanding in Every Way

I just saw the eight-episode Criminal Record on Apple TV+.   My wife and I are avid devotees of British detectives in dramas, and Criminal Record is better than most.  In fact, it's outstanding in every way.

The story features a relatively junior detective, DS June Lenker played by Cush Jumbo, and a senior detective, DCI Daniel Hegarty played by Peter Capaldi, who come into conflict over Errol Mathis (played by Tom Moutchi), who Lenker increasingly believes was railroaded into taking the fall for the murder of his wife.

The acting is superb.  Capaldi distinguished himself as Dr. Who, Jumbo was on The Good Wife, and I don't recall seeing Mathis anywhere before Criminal Record, but it's Paul Rutman's writing and creation of of this series that give it such remarkable power.  In most stories like this, you'd expect DCI Hegarty to use every ounce of his prowess to protect himself and his colleagues' putting away Mathis for the presumed murder of his wife, but Hegarty has a conscience and a decency, Mathis may actually think he's guilty, and you don't know what's really what until the very last moment of the eighth episode.

And in the midst of all this, Criminal Record delivers some really funny moments.  Hegarty under the strain of these events often looks like he slept the night before in a crypt, and one of his former colleagues remarks when Hegarty is looking particularly haggard that he would do well if he showed up for a casting call for a corpse.

I don't want to share any more humor with you, or anything more about the plot, lest I rob you of the enjoyment you'll have watching this series.  There's talk of making a second season, and I certainly hope they do.  In the meantime, you absolutely can't go wrong watching the first.

Playlist by Anthony Marinelli of Songs from It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles

 

Presumed Innocent 1.8: The Killer

Well, in the thoroughly superb season 1 finale of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+, we find out who killed Carolyn.

And that's not the person who killed Carolyn in the novel and the movie!

And I won't tell you who either is, in case you haven't read the novel, seen the movie, or the series, even after the Spoiler advisory below.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

It wasn't Tommy Molto, even though he loved Carolyn too, and she rejected him.  He gave a great summation of the prosecution's case to the jury, but Rusty's in his own defence was even better, and carried the day.  All in all, one of the best courtroom scenes I've ever seen on screen,

It was also something to learn that Rusty staged the murder scene -- tied up Carolyn's body -- to protect whom he thought was the murderer.

Hats off to everyone who created this series for telling a story much like the book and the movie, but with some very different parts and angles, all sharp and intriguing.  There wasn't a single acting performance that wasn't powerful in all kinds of ways, and I can't wait to see where all of this goes in the second season.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is ... 1.3: Sterling Performances ... 1.4: Under Fingernails ... 1.6: Tommy Molto ... 1.7: The Poker

Presumed Innocent 1.7: The Poker

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

First, let me say that I'm glad we find out in the first few minutes of episode 1.7 of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+ that Horgan and is alive and well.  In fact, so well, that we see him back in court with a pacemaker in his heart as Rusty takes the stand.

Which, of course, is the last thing a defendant in a murder case is supposed to do, and Molto has a field day with Rusty, winning the rarely given praise of Nico.  But Molto's satisfaction is short-lived.  He returns home, finds his apartment has been ransacked, and a fire poker with the charming note attached, "G0 FUCK YOURSELF".

What does this tell us?  Well, Molto didn't write the note in all caps himself.  Someone put it there on the poker.  That poker, presumably, is the poker that was used to bludgeon and kill Carolyn.  I didn't see any blood on it, but that could have cleaned off.

I see two possibilities.  One, Molto is the killer, he cleaned and hid the poker in his home, and someone found it -- after ransaking the place -- and left it and the note.   Who could that person be?

Well, the other possibility is that the murderer in the book and the movie, angry about what Molto had put Rusty through in court, left the poker with the note in Molto's home.  I guess this is the more likely explanation, but then why was the home ransacked?

We'll find out the answer next week. And I'm glad there'll be another season of this superb drama.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is ... 1.3: Sterling Performances ... 1.4: Under Fingernails ... 1.6: Tommy Molto

Criminal Minds: Evolution 17.7: Jill Gideon

Episode 17.7 of Criminal Minds: Evolution on Paramount Plus expanded the retrieval of earlier Criminal Minds players with the introduction of Jason Gideon's wife Jill.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

Wow!  Jill's played by Felicity Huffman, and she not only was married to Jason -- killed nearly 10 years ago (off-camera) by an unsub -- but had some kind of important relationship to Rossi, who tells Emily he doesn't want Jill brought into the BAU's current investigation into the various Stars.  (As far as I can recall, she didn't actually appear in the first few seasons in which Jason was on the show.)

Of course, Emily ignores Rossi's plea -- she's back in charge of the BAU, so no one in the BAU can tell her what to do, including Rossi -- and we get some great scenes as Emily knocks on Jill's door, and is something less than warmly received.  Again, as in last week's episode, it was fun to hear Emily go over all the missing BAU members, when Jill asks her what's happening at the BAU.  Once again, I was most interested in what Emily had to say about Spencer, characterizing his absence as "on sabbatical".  That's certainly better than dead -- which we know isn't the case for Spencer -- or even left in a huff.

Moving on to other characters, I just want to also say that Tyler should be made a member of the BAU already. No need to keep him in the vestibule of being a consultant any more.

And as for the plot of this episode and its violence -- the specific kind of depraved violence featured in this episode -- I found it suitably revolting, as I usually do.  But that's not why I watch this fascinating series.

See also Criminal Minds: Evolution 17.1-17-.2 The Elusive Profile ... 17.3: "BAU Gate" ... 17.4: Progress ... 17.6: Gideon, Morgan, Hotch

And see also Criminal Minds: Evolution 16.1-16.4: Outstanding! ... 16.5: Assessment of What Could Have Happened at the End ... 16.6-16.8: Better Than Ever on Paramount Plus ... 16.9: Elias Voit and David Rossi ... 16.10: Gold Star

===

Some reviews of episodes from earlier seasons:

Criminal Minds 8.12: Spencer's Burden

Criminal Minds 7.1: "The Is Calm and It's Doctor" ... Criminal Minds 7.3: Meets House and The Unit

Criminal Minds in Sixth Season Premiere ... Criminal Minds 6.2: The Meaning of J. J. Leaving ... Criminal Minds 6.3: Proust, Twain, Travanti ... Tyra on Criminal Minds 6.13 ...Criminal Minds 6. 17: Prentiss Farewell Part I ... Criminal Minds 6.18: Farewell Emily ... Criminal Minds 6.19: Fight Club Redux Plus ... Criminal Minds 6.20: Emily's Ghost ... Criminal Minds 6.21: The Tweeting Killer ... Criminal Minds 6.22: Psycho and a Half ... Criminal Minds 6.23: The Good Lie ... Criminal Minds Season 6 Finale

Criminal Minds 5.22 and the Dark Side of New New Media

 

Presumed Innocent 1.6: Tommy Molto

Well, episode 1.6 of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+ had a shocking ending which I won't tell you about until the end of this review, in which I want to talk about something else.

I think there's a good chance Tommy Molto murdered Carolyn in this excellent version of Presumed Innocent.   We saw previously that she said she didn't want to work with him on any more cases.  And in episode 1.6 we learn that she formally told Human Resources that she didn't want to work with Tommy because he was "ick"y.  

Now, again, I know who killed Carolyn in the novel and the movie.   It wasn't Tommy.  But I've already seen some differences between those and this TV series, and I can see why Carolyn would see some "ick" in Tommy.  Does that mean he killed her?  No, but it certainly makes him a good suspect.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

Now for the shocker: Rusty's lead attorney, former DA Horgan, collapses in the courtroom.  I think Horgan is a great character, and Bill Camp's doing a fine job portraying him, so I certainly hope he survives.  If he doesn't, Mya's an excellent attorney, she can take over, but she doesn't have the gravitas that Horgan has as the former DA.  

I recall Horgan in the novel or the movie, so I have no idea how he'll fare in the TV series, but I sure hope -- for Rusty's sake and the audience's -- that we haven't see the last of him.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is ... 1.3: Sterling Performances ... 1.4: Under Fingernails

The Lazarus Project 2.5: The Status of Dr. Gray

The Lazarus Project 2.5 was all about Dr. Gray.  And she indeed deserves at least one episode of focus, being such a crucial character.

[Spoilers ahead .... ]

We already know she's building an old-fashioned H. G. Wellsian time machine.  And Wes wants to kill her before the machine becomes fully operational.  She sends Janet and Ross back to do the job.  But there's a lot more to this than meets the eye.

First, Robin seems to be a Gray supporter.  Good, Wes is clearly the villain in this second season, and Robin is the only one who can have at least some control over her.

Next, there are, of course, two versions of Janet in play here. The younger one who's sent back with Ross to kill Kitty Gray, and does.  And the older one who comes to know and respect and really care about Gray.  This older Janet knows that stopping her younger self from killing Gray will upset too many apple carts, but it's unclear if she can bring herself to stopping her younger self from doing the deed.  And we never find out what the older Janet would have done, because Wes sends the younger Janet back to kill Gray earlier than she was killed in the original reality (if it makes senses in this kind of time travel story to talk about an original reality).

I will say, again, that I think Gray (played by Zoe Telford) is a wonderful character.   Especially because, as we find out in this episode, her motive in inventing a time machine is true love.

See you back here next week with another review.

See also The Lazarus Project season 2.1: Shades of Gray ... 2.2: Shag in the Alley ... 2.3: The Plane Outside the Loop ... 2.4: 2018

And see also The Lazarus Project season 1: Time Travel Done Superbly Right

=====

my latest novel (with a touch of time travel)

“Paul Levinson’s It’s Real Life is an incredibly unique and captivating peek behind rock and roll’s mysterious curtain. The idea that the story delves into an alternate world adds to its page-turning intrigue. Highly recommended!” 
-– Steven Manchester, #1 bestselling author, The Menu


"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." 
-- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History


get It's Real Life in paperback, hardcover, or on Kindle here

Criminal Minds: Evolution 17.6: Gideon, Morgan, Hotch

The best part of the excellent episode 17.6 of Criminal Minds on Paramount Plus is the conversation between J. J. and Emily in Emily's apartment, both stoned.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

Emily asks J. J. to think about everyone who has come and gone at the BAU since she and J. J. met -- "Gideon, Morgan, Hotch".   Why did she pick those three?  Well, Gideon was the first head of the unit we met, all those years ago.  Hotchner was there the longest.  And Morgan I don't think was ever head, but he was a major player.

But I wonder why Emily didn't include Spencer in her reminisce.  It would have been easy to add a fourth name.   I'm pretty sure I heard someone mention Spencer's name earlier this season, but the stoned conversation in Emily's apartment would have been a good time to say it again.

Spencer was on the show for 324 episodes, from 2005 through 2020.  Showrunner Erica Messer says scheduling conflicts kept Matthew Gray Gubler from coming back for the first season of Criminal Minds: Evolution, and this may be the case for the second season, but his desk remains, as is the possibility that he'll be back in some future episode or season (see Screen Rant for more).

With a serial killer like Voit behind bars but still very dangerous, and the big reveal at the end of 17.6 that the BAU's historic leaders may be North Star, related in some way to Gold Star, the BAU could certainly use every bit of Spencer's brain power it can get.

See also Criminal Minds: Evolution 17.1-17-.2 The Elusive Profile ... 17.3: "BAU Gate" ... 17.4: Progress

And see also Criminal Minds: Evolution 16.1-16.4: Outstanding! ... 16.5: Assessment of What Could Have Happened at the End ... 16.6-16.8: Better Than Ever on Paramount Plus ... 16.9: Elias Voit and David Rossi ... 16.10: Gold Star

===

Some reviews of episodes from earlier seasons:

Criminal Minds 8.12: Spencer's Burden

Criminal Minds 7.1: "The Is Calm and It's Doctor" ... Criminal Minds 7.3: Meets House and The Unit

Criminal Minds in Sixth Season Premiere ... Criminal Minds 6.2: The Meaning of J. J. Leaving ... Criminal Minds 6.3: Proust, Twain, Travanti ... Tyra on Criminal Minds 6.13 ...Criminal Minds 6. 17: Prentiss Farewell Part I ... Criminal Minds 6.18: Farewell Emily ... Criminal Minds 6.19: Fight Club Redux Plus ... Criminal Minds 6.20: Emily's Ghost ... Criminal Minds 6.21: The Tweeting Killer ... Criminal Minds 6.22: Psycho and a Half ... Criminal Minds 6.23: The Good Lie ... Criminal Minds Season 6 Finale

Criminal Minds 5.22 and the Dark Side of New New Media

 

The Lazarus Project 2.4: 2018

An excellent little pocket of an episode 2.4 of The Lazarus Project, in which just about everything takes  place in

[Spoilers ahead ,,, ]

2018.  Even though our band of heroes were trying to get back to 2012 to meet Dr. Kitty Gray, the inventor of the true time machine.

My favorite delightful drama in the 2018 pocket are the two Georges and two Sarahs, one of each knowing what's going on, the other not, mixing and matching at the corner of true romance.  I've thought throughout both seasons of this series that their true love story and its time travel tributions would in and of itself have made for a compelling time travel television series.

As it is, The Lazarus Project has many other riveting stories to tell. Rebrov is an excellent character in any stage of his education about the complexities of time travel, and he pulls some significant triggers -- literally -- in episode 2.4. Of course, when time travel loops are involved, death isn't what it is in our off-screen world, in which as far as we know there is not a way to redo anything, certainly not life and death.

Since this second season is the final season, I can't help wondering who will live happily ever after at the end.  I'm hoping that George and Sarah, Rebrov and Janet (and Becky), and Archie and Zhang will go on to live and prosper, but that's probably too much to hope for.

See also The Lazarus Project season 2.1: Shades of Gray ... 2.2: Shag in the Alley ... 2.3: The Plane Outside the Loop

And see also The Lazarus Project season 1: Time Travel Done Superbly Right

=====

my latest novel (with a touch of time travel)

“Paul Levinson’s It’s Real Life is an incredibly unique and captivating peek behind rock and roll’s mysterious curtain. The idea that the story delves into an alternate world adds to its page-turning intrigue. Highly recommended!” 
-– Steven Manchester, #1 bestselling author, The Menu


"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." 
-- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History


get It's Real Life in paperback, hardcover, or on Kindle here

Podcast: It's the Debate that Failed, Not Biden

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 393, in which I argue that debate performance has nothing to do with how a candidate actually performs as President.

See also:

• It's the Debate that Failed Last Night, Not Biden blog post
• NY Times Editorial Board: President Biden Should Leave the Race
• What's Wrong with The New York Times blog post
• Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial: Donald Trump Should Leave the Race

Check out this episode!

Presumed Innocent 1.4: Under Fingernails

[Spoilers ahead ...]

Presumed Innocent 1.4 ended with a shocker: Rusty's DNA is found under Carolyn's fingernails.  This is obvious proof that the two were fighting ...

Of course, if we read the book or saw the 1990 movie, Rusty's DNA under Carolyn's fingernails is entirely consistent with who the real killer is, definitely not Rusty.  And since I have no idea how similar this Apple TV+ series and the 1990 movie will be, I'm keeping an open mind:  the killer could be the 1990 killer, or Rusty, or someone else entirely.

The relationship between Rusty and Raymond, his lawyer, continues be strong, and Mya on the defense team is an excellent asset.  Over on the prosecution side, Nico continues to be unflappable, but also not having 100% confidence in Tommy.  I'd like to see more focus on Tommy's character.  He actually seems to be doing a pretty good job, which makes me wonder why Nico seems so quick to disagree with him.

We also need to know more about Carolyn.  What was Tommy's relationship with her in the office? What was Raymond's relationship with Carolyn -- he after all was her boss.  Shouldn't there be more investigation of Carolyn's cases, and whether any of the people she prosecuted were now in a position to kill her?

I'm very much looking forward to seeing how this literally life-and-story, and saga of justice, unfolds.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is ... 1.3: Sterling Performances

It's the Debate that Failed Last Night, Not Biden

Biden tried to say decent, ethical things but delivered most of his words poorly in last night's Presidential debate; Trump spoke much more clearly but said vile things and lied just about every time he opened his mouth (lies which the CNN moderators failed to call out).

What are we to think about this?

I would say it's that debates shouldn't matter as much as they seem to.  JFK looked better on TV than did Nixon, and a majority of people who saw the two on TV thought Kennedy won.  A much smaller number of people heard the same debate on radio, and thought Nixon won.  That event certainly demonstrated the importance of debates.  But though JFK proved to be an excellent President, the fact that he won the debate was really no indication that JFK would do so well in office.   The debates, in other words, were very valuable windows into the effects of media in politics, not indicators of the political character and acumen of the candidates.

It's plain logic that what a President does in office has nothing to do with the President's voice quality or appearance.  FDR was in a wheelchair throughout his presidency.  He connected to the American people in an age before television via his fireside chats on radios.  Few people knew he was in a wheelchair.  Most historians agree he was our very best President, getting the United States out of the Great Depression, and guiding us and our allies to victory in the Second World War.

I've spent my professional life as a professor of media and an author talking about the importance of televised debates, how candidates look and sound on television. JFK won the debate with Nixon because because by 1960 more than 90-percent of Americans had television in their homes. Reagan prevailed over Mondale by making a savvy joke about not making the younger age of his opponent an issue. Obama faltered in his first debate with Romney but came back strong in their second nationally televized conversation. But maybe it's time to focus on what debates really are: a 90-minute performance that has little to do with what the candidate did, is doing, or will do in office.   The truth is that the skills needed to be an effective debater have nothing to do with the skills needed to be an effective President.  Never did, never will.  Maybe it's long since time that we recognized that.

Marshall McLuhan was the first to point out that JFK won the 1960 debates and then the election because he performed so well on television, in contrast to Nixon who was judged as winning the debates on their radio broadcasts that so few people listened to. McLuhan made this observation in Understanding Media (1964), whose breakthrough message was "the medium is the message". The view that Biden's poor performance in Thursday's debate means he's no longer fit to be President strikes me as an egregious case of mistaking the medium (the debate) for the message (Biden's been doing a superb job as President).

Or, to paraphrase Shelley, maybe it's the debate that failed last night, not Biden.

***

Note added Friday, June 28th, afternoon:  And Biden amply demonstrated his power to effectively communicate in a rip-roaring speech in North Carolina.  Again, a debate is a unique mode of communication, which not only has nothing to do with Presidential decision-making and other Presidential activity, but not much in common with speech-making, interviews, and other kinds of communication, either. 

Note added Saturday, June 29:  The New York Times' editorial board called on Joe Biden to leave the race. They didn't say a word about Biden's speech in North Carolina. What are we to make about such an unprecedented call from the editors of what used to be known as the newspaper of record? I would say this is just more evidence of the decline of a once-great newspaper.  See my What's Wrong with The New York Times for an example this past Fall of what I'm talking about.

Podcast Review of Dark Matter 1.9

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 392, in which I review Dark Matter 1.9 on Apple TV+.

Further places:

• podcast review of Dark Matter 1.1-1.2
• podcast review of Dark Matter 1.3-1.4
• podcast review of Dark Matter 1.5
• podcast review of Dark Matter 1.6
• podcast review of Dark Matter 1.7
• podcast review of Dark Matter 1.8
• written blog post review of episode 1.9

See also Deadline's interview with Blake Crouch

Check out this episode!

Dark Matter 1.9: Science Fiction and Horror

I have unsettled feelings about the season 1 finale of Dark Matter on Apple TV+ -- episode 1.9 -- and they all point to a series eminently worth watching and continuing.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

I said last week that the multitude of Jasons showing up in one world gave cinematic verite to the poster for the series.  But that crucial scene near the end of 1.9, with all of those Jasons, marshalled by their leader to let our Jason -- Jason 1 -- have the life he deserved with Daniela and Charlie -- well, that scene epitomized the poster.

I also said last week that I didn't expect to see the happy ending that the ending of 1.8 was pointing to.  And we did see Jason 1 and Daniela 1 and Charlie 1 in family bliss for part of 1.9, only to have that taken away from them by a few of the marauding Jasons.  But Jason 2 saved them -- at least, I think that was Jason 2, I'm never 100% sure -- and got the crowd of Jasons to let the Jason 1 family go into a world where they could presumably have a very happy life.

That scene with the crowd of Jasons made me realize that I was watching not just a science fiction story but a horror story.  Crowds have been a part of horror at least since the notorious town folk with their torches in Frankenstein.  They weren't carrying torches in Dark Matter 1.9, and they were different versions of the same person, but they felt to me to have a kinship with those villagers in Frankenstein.  Mary Shelley's and Blake Crouch's stories, after all, are both vivid testaments to the horror that uncontrolled science can bring.  The Twilight Zone often focused on this field of dreams turned nightmares, too.

So, the Jason 1 family has a happy ending.  And Jason 2 sees the error of his ways and redeems himself. But there are an infinity of stories in that crowd of Jasons, and in this, our offscreen reality, I envision a Canterbury Tales of Dark Matter stories spanning years.

See also Dark Matter 1.1-1.2: Break-Neck Action and Philosophic Contemplation ... 1.3 Missing Fingers ... 1.4 The Multiverse Unveiled ... 1.5: The Lesson ... 1.6 "A Bunch of Chicagos" ... 1.7: Obama Tower ... 1.8: A Bevy Of Jasons

The Lazarus Project 2.3: The Plane Outside the Loop

A really tight episode 2.3 of The Lazarus Project now up on TNT.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

Let's start with the end.  A plane with most of our crew traveling back in time to 2012.  It -- of course -- encounters some extreme turbulence.  Will they survive?  Can they?

Well, let's put aside the point that it's highly unlikely that the series would kill off so many major characters in the third episode of the second season.

But, wait, why would it matter if so many players were killed in this plane?  Wouldn't the time loop give them another chance to get the flight right, as it does with everything else?

Here's where we get to the nitty gritty. The folks on the plane are time-travelling -- trying to time travel -- outside of the inevitable, infuriating, but life-saving loop.  So, if they're beyond the loop, and have already traveled a few years back in time, doesn't this mean that they're on their own?

The loop is really cool.  Over and over again, a character or characters make a wrong choice, die as a result, only to come back and get it right.  There was an excellent example of this in 2.3 when Archie and Zhang (a great couple) mistakenly think a finger is needed to open a digital lock, die as a result, but come back next time around with an eyeball, which works.

Time travel outside the loop has changed everything, and I'm looking forward to seeing how those characters on the plane outside the loop fare next week.

See also The Lazarus Project season 2.1: Shades of Gray ... 2.2: Shag in the Alley

And see also The Lazarus Project season 1: Time Travel Done Superbly Right

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my latest novel (with a touch of time travel)

“Paul Levinson’s It’s Real Life is an incredibly unique and captivating peek behind rock and roll’s mysterious curtain. The idea that the story delves into an alternate world adds to its page-turning intrigue. Highly recommended!” 
-– Steven Manchester, #1 bestselling author, The Menu


"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." 
-- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History


get It's Real Life in paperback, hardcover, or on Kindle here

 

Criminal Minds: Evolution 17.4: Progress

Criminal Minds is coming together nicely (or harrowingly, depending on how you look at it) as of episode 17.4 on Paramount Plus.

[Spoilers ahead ...]

Elias Voit now has a good reason to cooperate: his daughter is showing signs of becoming a serial killer, like her old man, and he wants the BAU to help her with their expertise.  But the smile on his face at the end of the episode shows he's also happy about this for other, more nefarious reasons.  I'm half-guesing he's hoping to turn his daughter into an asset.

Penelope is allowing Tyler to come back into the fold.  Good. She still has feelings for him, and there's no point in struggling all season to keep them down.  And, I don't know, I don't think Tyler did anything that terrible, but maybe that's just me.

It's good to see the crew's excursions now actually connecting to the Gold Star case, which happens just as the BAU realizes that Gold Star is not a person but a project.  This of course puts Voit right back in the picture.  In addition to being the serial killer Internet mastermind Sicarius, Voit is no doubt part of Gold Star, and maybe it's chief?   That would be good reason for Voit's smile at the end.

One issue unaddressed in this episode are the fake porn photos of J.J.  We'll no doubt see that center stage sooner or later, as Criminal Minds: Evolution continues its perilous journey this season.

See also Criminal Minds: Evolution 17.1-17-.2 The Elusive Profile ... 17.3: "BAU Gate"

And see also Criminal Minds: Evolution 16.1-16.4: Outstanding! ... 16.5: Assessment of What Could Have Happened at the End ... 16.6-16.8: Better Than Ever on Paramount Plus ... 16.9: Elias Voit and David Rossi ... 16.10: Gold Star

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Some reviews of episodes from earlier seasons:

Criminal Minds 8.12: Spencer's Burden

Criminal Minds 7.1: "The Is Calm and It's Doctor" ... Criminal Minds 7.3: Meets House and The Unit

Criminal Minds in Sixth Season Premiere ... Criminal Minds 6.2: The Meaning of J. J. Leaving ... Criminal Minds 6.3: Proust, Twain, Travanti ... Tyra on Criminal Minds 6.13 ...Criminal Minds 6. 17: Prentiss Farewell Part I ... Criminal Minds 6.18: Farewell Emily ... Criminal Minds 6.19: Fight Club Redux Plus ... Criminal Minds 6.20: Emily's Ghost ... Criminal Minds 6.21: The Tweeting Killer ... Criminal Minds 6.22: Psycho and a Half ... Criminal Minds 6.23: The Good Lie ... Criminal Minds Season 6 Finale

Criminal Minds 5.22 and the Dark Side of New New Media