The Girlfriend Experience: Eminently Worth It

If it had to pick the best new 2016 television series on any medium - network TV, cable, or streaming - it would be The Girlfriend Experience on Starz.   And though it's hard to compare The Girlfriend Experience to the science fiction, crime, and historical drama I usually review here, it may well be the best series now on television, period.

What's it about?  Well, the girlfriend experience is offered by call girls who not only provide sex, but companionship, dinner, affection, conversation, attentive listening during the time that is purchased, for a thousand dollars or more an hour.   The purveyor of the experience thus needs to be not only beautiful, but intelligent and empathetic.

In order for a series like this to work, the lead actress has to not only be gorgeous, but convey that intelligence and sensitivity.  That would be Riley Keough, who gives a virtuoso performance as Christine Reade.   She's Elvis Presley's granddaughter, by the way.   I don't how she sounds on record, but she has more acting talent than everyone in her family combined - and I liked Elvis in Jailhouse Rock, and Priscilla was pretty good in Dallas, too.  But their granddaughter is something else again on screen.

The story's excellent, too.   Christine has a day job as a law student and legal intern - which is also why she needs to be so intelligent - and this puts The Girlfriend Experience on a continuum with Secret Diary of a Call Girl on Showtime (about a straight-up prostitute) and every lawyer show ever on television, including The Good Wife, and for that matter in a different way with Girls on HBO and The Devil Wears Prada in the movies, too.

But the subject of The Girlfriend Experience is something all its own, and the narrative does a good job of mining its possibilities and complications. Christine's clients range from obsequious to savvy, from brutal to sweet to even sometimes cool.   One of them realizes he can't afford to continue shelling out the big bucks for this and asks for a discount.   Another drops dead (off camera).   A third craves the jealousy part of any real relationship, and asks Christine to set that up.

The pacing in the 13-episode season, each 30 minutes, took a little getting used to, and wasn't helped by the fact that Cablevision didn't have all the episodes up on Starz On Demand as advertised - maybe I should pay for a more satisfying cable experience (wait, I thought I was already doing that) - but in the end and in retrospect I rather like the way the story is rolled out, especially the unconventional season finale.

There's astute use of media in the story, with smartphones and videos playing crucial roles, thus giving the media scholar a great excuse to watch this.

But you don't need an excuse.  The Girlfriend Experience is brilliant, provocative, appealing television, and a unique addition to the screen.

 

#SFWApro

Revolution 1.15: Major Tom and More 24

Revolution 1.15 continues firing on all cylinders - and continues drawing on the fine female acting talent on 24.

Last week we met the President of the Georgia Republic - played by Leslie Hope aka Jack Bauer's late wife Teri on 24.  Tonight we meet Emma played by Annie Wersching - who played FBI agent Renee Walker, my favorite of Jack's love, who after finally getting an hour in bed with him suffers the same fate as Teri.   Wersching's having a good year on television, also showing up on the new Dallas.

I like her role on Revolution much better than on Dallas, but it seems Emma's ending up the same way as Renee on 24 - shot dead.   But here's the thing - I never fully believe characters are dead on television unless they're blown to bits, or get their head blown off, right in full review (see my review of tonight's season 1 finale of The Following).   And although Emma's clearly shot, and unconscious, and although Miles puts the blanket over her face as the wagon pulls away with her body, something about that scene makes me think she's still alive - something about the way she looked before the blanket was put over her face.  Not to mention that both Miles and Monroe love her, so the show would be crazy to throw her away.  Maybe I'm just sentimental - we'll see.

Meanwhile, out west in another new country on the other side of the Mississippi, Aaron runs into his missing wife.  Although the ending of that story isn't exactly happy, no one is killed, and it's nice to learn a little more about Aaron's personal life.

The big reveal at the end of the episode is Major Tom showing up in the President's office in the Georgia Republic.  This was predictable, based what happened with Tom back in Monroe, but it sets up an excellently tense and deadly situation among our major characters.   Charlie rightly holds Tom responsible for the deaths of not only her father but her brother, and, whatever the President of Georgia may want or say, or even Miles, Charlie will insist on killing Tom sooner or later.

Good Revolution on television ahead this season - and next season, too, since the show is deservedly being brought back for a second season.

See also Revolution: Preview Review  ... Revolution 1.2: Fast Changes ... Revolution 1.14: Nanites and Jack Bauer

New Dallas Season Two Finale

I'll come right out and say it.   I think the second season of the new Dallas on TNT, which flagged a little at the beginning, put together a brilliant narrative after actor Larry Hagman died, and wove that into a superb and satisfying J. R. story capped off with a masterful twist ending last night.

The question after J. R.'s death was, once again, who killed J. R.?   Evidence increasingly pointed to Cliff Barnes, who certainly would have shot J. R. in a heartbeat if he'd had the chance.  And Cliff was indeed in Mexico in the same hotel as J. R. at the time of his death.

But it turns out that J. R., dying of cancer, had one of his loyal men shoot him, to give the Ewings a hand they could play to get the best of Cliff Barnes in his attempt to wipe the Ewings clean out of the energy business.  This was indeed a master plan, and Bobby played it to perfection in the weeks that followed.

Even the acting improved in the series, almost as if the actors were galvanized into better performances, rallying to keep the series flying, after the death of Larry Hagman.  Josh Henderson, who often seemed to rattle out his lines in the first season, and the first part of the second season, suddenly began to almost channel J. R., and Hagman's delivery, in crucial scenes.  The result was a powerful and effective performance.   Julie Gonzalo, who was ok in the first season and a half, also put in some impressive performances as she lost her babies and confronted her father Cliff.   Jesse Metcalf, who was probably the best of the new cast in the first season, continued to put in good work in the second season.

Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray were fine as Bobby and Sue Ellen in the first season and a half, but they too got even better in the aftermath of J. R.'s death.  Duffy in particular put in some of the best acting in the whole history of the series, as he dealt with the death of his brother and strove to implement J. R.'s plan.

At this time, the continuation of the series is not clear, but it would be a shame if it didn't come back.  In addition to perfectly wrapping up the death of J. R., the finale also set the foundation for a new series of  powerful conflicts.  John Ross is not only married to Pamela but sleeping with Emma - continuing the great duplicitous tradition of J. R.   And Elena, spurned to some extent by Christopher - who then changes his mind and wants her back - seems to be forging an alliance with Cliff who's behind bars.

The revived series has found its beat, and I'd love to see what happens next.

See also New Dallas Back for Second Season and Dallas 2.8: The Death of J. R.

And see also The New Dallas: An Outright Pleasure and New Dallas One Season One Evaluation

                                                     

Dallas 2.8: The Death of J. R.

Dallas 2.8 put in a powerful show tonight on the death and funeral of J. R. Ewing, which brought a tear or two to even these cynical eyes.  That's no doubt because J. R.'s death as a development in the narrative was mandated by the sudden death of Larry Hagman last November, so the end of J. R. was more than the end of an iconic character.   The real death of Larry Hagman is also no doubt what brought out great performances from Linda Gray as Sue Ellen and Patrick Duffy as Bobby.  They were grieving for their close friend and colleague, whose fine work was crucial in propelling all three to decades of fame.

But the narrative tonight was also well written.  Most effective was the impact of J. R.'s death on Bobby.  When Annie asks him to talk to her, to share his feelings with her, he lashes out about how she never told him anything about her life, in particular, that she had a daughter.   It's clear that what Bobby is really upset about is how J. R. left Bobby out of J. R.'s most inner wheelings and dealings for years.  Patrick Duffy puts in another fine performance here, as does Brenda Strong as Ann.

Sue Ellen, predictably but powerfully, is driven to drink by J. R.'s death.  When she reads J. R.'s letter which asks her for one more chance, there's again a connection to a deeper reality - the producers of Dallas, I hear, were seriously thinking of getting J. R. and Sue Ellen back together, which would have been satisfying in a decades-long way.

Bobby won't be left out of finding out who killed J. R., because J. R. left Bobby a letter to get him started.  Tonight, J. R. leaves John Ross and Christopher out in the cold, as J. R. did so often to Bobby, but it's likely that that won't last too long.

Ray, Lucy, another J. R. wife, and one his mistresses were back tonight too, which added some good nostalgic depth to the episode.   Gary came home last week and was on again tonight.  He'll likely continue on the show, which is good.  I enjoyed Dallas last year, and I'm betting the show would have gotten even better had Larry Hagman and therefore J. R. lived.  But there's no doubt that J. R.'s murder has jumpstarted the revived series to a new, higher level, not least because it retrieves the classic "who shot J. R." motif from the original series.   So the new series will likely be better, at least this year, because of J. R.'s death.  But I'm still feeling bad that it had to take the death of Larry Hagman to do this.   Rest in peace, you created a character who will live on long after you.

See also New Dallas Back for Second Season

And see also The New Dallas: An Outright Pleasure and New Dallas One Season One Evaluation

                                                     

New Dallas Back for Second Season

Not long after the sad news of Larry Hagman's passing, the new Dallas came back last night for the two-hour debut of its second season.  J. R's still in the first number of episodes, and his appearance now gives a special tug on the emotions.

The plot has been revved up to pit Global Barnes against Ewing Energy, in the person not just of Cliff Barnes for Barnes but Rebecca Sutter, revealed at the close of Season One to be his daughter, and with a first name of Pamela - as in her aunt - to boot.  Julie Gonzalo does a good job of portraying the combination of strength, zest for revenge, and vulnerability of Pamela/Rebecca, and her character is my favorite in the relaunched series.  She sleeps with both Christopher (to whom she was and technically still is  married) and John Ross - well, of course, Elena does that, too - and Pamela combines this not only with a tough business savvy but a capacity for scheming that almost matches J.R.'s.  Elena's a good scientist and businesswoman, and beautiful, too, but seems not quite in Pamela's league when it comes to razor-sharp strategizing and willingness to take a bold decision, as in killing someone.  What more could you ask for in Dallas?

J.R.'s back in good form, too, saving Sue Ellen from prosecution and prison by blackmailing the prosecutor over an affair.   But John Ross seems a little light-weight, even though he does set in motion a scheme that J.R. admires.  Christopher is learning, just as his father did, that playing by the rules doesn't always pan out - though, come to think of it, Bobby may not quite have learned that, even now, after all he's been through.

He's now getting entwined, not only in the Barnes-Ewing battle, but in Ann's attempt to reestablish a relationship with her daughter kidnapped years ago.  The revelation that her first husband and mother-in-law engineered the kidnapping promises some good soap opera flourishes ahead.

And it's well to remember that Dallas still is, after all these years, a soap opera, with larger than life characters in situations that often strain credibility.  But as long as the betrayals move quickly and the twists come fast and unexpected and the love making takes place in pools and boardrooms, Dallas should be in for more good times ahead - the best homage one could want for Larry Hagman and his inimitable J. R.

See also The New Dallas: An Outright Pleasure and New Dallas One Season One Evaluation

                                                     

New Dallas One Season One Evaluation

The new Dallas wrapped up its first season last week.  A good time to size up its strengths and weaknesses.

Among the best parts of the new Dallas:

• J. R. and Bobby are both excellent.  J. R. continues to be a pleasure to see, and Bobby is frankly better - a more powerful character - than he was in the original series.  I hope we see even more of J. R. in the second season.
• The new generation - John Ross and Christopher, Elena and Rebecca - are also excellent.  John Ross and Christopher are both well motivated and unpredictable in their actions (Christopher helping John Ross in a life-and-death matter a few weeks ago, as just one example).  Elena is sassy and appealing as a woman in love with both Ewings, and the twists in Rebecca's story, including her very identity, are right up there with the highlights of the classic Dallas story.

Two story threads that were not as good:

• Sue Ellen running for governor?   Yeah, I'd vote for her in heartbeat against Rick Perry, but I just don't believe it.   Where's Sue Ellen's previous political experience?  Meg Whitman did run for governor of California with no prior positions in government, but she was the CEO of eBay.  Sue Ellen might have been head of Ewing Oil at some time in the past, but if that's what got her the nomination in Texas, we need to see more of the connection.
• Ann Ewing - Bobby's wife - brandishes a shot gun every time she sees herself or family in any kind of danger.  I know she's supposed to be a rough-tough Texas woman, but I'd like to see a little less of the shot gun and a little more of the guile she used to get the better of her former husband in the finale.

The best news is the new Dallas is coming back for another season.  Relaunching an iconic series is a difficult task, and  Dallas did enough of it right to make its return for another season something well worth waiting for.

See also The New Dallas: An Outright Pleasure

Added November 23, 2012:  Saddened to learn of Larry Hagman's passing.

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The New Dallas: An Outright Pleasure

The new Dallas on TNT is being promoted as this summer's "guilty pleasure".  I disagree - it's just a real pleasure, period.  I don't feel at all guilty about really enjoying it.

J.R. and Bobby are as ruthless and infuriatingly decent as ever.   Larry Hagman's J.R. continues unscathed, in an arc that runs straight through the original series to the solar power commercials in 2010 (and their great J.R. cackle) to the J.R. now on the screen - older, sure, but every bit as cut throat.  He still loves Sue Ellen, who looks like she's barely aged a day.  Bobby is excruciatingly sincere, as always, which makes him an ideal opponent brother for J.R.

The next generation is also excellent.  Christopher - adopted son of Bobby and Pamela (not yet in evidence) - is not quite as decent as his father,  not quite as willing to forgive.  He sends his beautiful wife Rebecca packing, not long after they get married, because she may have been using him in her brother's scheme (the brother certainly is).   Christopher's professional interest is not oil in the ground, but alternate sources, and this creates a refreshing new scientific element in the show, as he struggles to work out technical issues.

John Ross - J.R. and Sue Ellen's son - is maybe a tad less ruthless, but he's learning, quickly.  He's discovered oil on South Fork, and needs to move Bobby out of the way so he can start digging.  His business/technological partner is another beauty, Elena, who was on track to marry Christopher, until Rebecca's brother sent her a bogus email from Christopher calling it off.  Elena also has a hot and cold romantic relationship with John Ross, and Jordana Brewster does a good job of playing the torn between two lovers part.

Cliff Barnes, Ray, Lucy are also on hand.  The key to this Dallas, even more so than in the original series, is that just about everyone is more or less or different than they seem to be.  Alliances shift with the frequency of the summer breeze, but my money is on J. R. succeeding, as he always did, whoever his opponent.

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The Plot to Save Socrates


"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book

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Hats Off to Larry Hagman for Superb Solar Commercials!

Hey, a shout out to Larry Hagman for retrieving his J. R. Ewing character from Dallas, on behalf of solar energy!   There's a superb core commercial - watch it below - being played all over MSNBC, and at least two other commericals up on YouTube.   In one, Larry tells Sue Ellen on the phone about solar.  In another, he enjoys hearing that his rival Cliff Barnes is still in the oil business.

Nothing like a masterful appeal to authority for a good cause - in this case, solar power.    It's fun to see old J. R. on any occasion after all these years.  But with a social conscience, and still interested in making a buck, you couldn't ask for more.   Even better than Pamela's season-long dream about Bobby.

All Hat and No Cattle: Reclaiming A Great Insult

Hillary Clinton slammed Barack Obama before the Texas primary for being "all hat and no cattle" - or, all talk and no action, someone who put on a good show, talked a good case, but didn't have the goods.

It was an empty critique of Obama, and the people of Texas agreed, at least in part, since Obama actually won more delegates in Texas than did Clinton, even though she won the popular vote.

But, as an Obama supporter, I don't want my irritation at Hillary's use of this phrase to dilute or distract from what I think is one of the best insults to come down the pike in a long time. Actually, it's been around for a while - there are quotes in the Wiktionary going back to 1980 - but I heard for the first time just a few weeks ago, so I've got to thank Hillary Clinton for that.

Now, what I really like about the phrase is how sheer, audacious rhyme makes it shine.

After all, although Texans wear big hats and herd cattle, the two don't have much else in common other than their rhyme.

But put together in a rhyming insult, the phrase invites further analysis and deeper insult. A hat is worn on the head, cattle are forces of nature that we tame and eat, so all hat and no cattle reinforces the distinction between thinking and empty talking, which we do with our heads, and changing, taming the world and rendering it fit for our human consumption and life.

Ok, enough professor-of-metaphoring ... Does anyone recall if anyone ever used this insult against J. R. Ewing in Dallas?