The wonderful world of HBO
I'd like to take this time to point out that HBO is amazing. Its array of films could be better, but right now I'm talking about its original programming. I don't get to watch tv all that often, but when I do I like to see what's on HBO. Every time I see a tv show on that channel and watch it, even if it's in the middle of season 6 of the show, I end up loving it. Some of my favorites:
1. Sex and the City.
Okay so this show is probably every girl and gay guy's favorite on HBO but it's for good reason. It is extremely well written, and they take sexual orientation lightly, which I like. I think Miranda and Samantha were both randomly lesbians for a little while then ended up stopping. The show is simply amazing, the weed episode being my current favorite.
Sample lines:
Samantha: One time I fucked a guy because he had a swimming pool. I came over and he used to bring me Kool-Aid.
Carrie: Kool-Aid?
Samantha: I was thirteen.
Carrie: You can't make friends with a squirrel. Squirrels are just rats with cuter outfits.
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2. Angels in America
This isn't exactly a tv show, it's actually a 6 part miniseries. It swept the Emmy's, winning 16 awards. It showcases some of the best actors and actresses of our time, including Meryl Streep and Al Pacino. From the title you might find it boring, but if you sit down and watch one part, you'll want to see them all. The whole series is about the intertwining lives of various gay men, most of whom have AIDS. Serious and funny at the same time, it is unlike anything I've ever seen.
Sample lines:
Prior: I usually say, "Fuck the truth," but mostly, the truth fucks you.
Harper Pitt: I burned dinner.
Joe Pitt: I'm sorry.
Harper Pitt: not my dinner, my dinner was fine. your dinner. I put it back in the oven and turned everything up as high as it could go then I watched it burn black. it's still hot you want it?
Joe Pitt: you didn't have to do that.
Harper Pitt: i know, it just seemed like the kinda thing a mentally deranged-sex starved-pill popping housewife would do.
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3. Six Feet Under
A show that's been on for awhile but I hadn't gotten around to watching until this past summer. It's about a family that owns a funeral home and all the fucked-up-ness that happens to each family member. This show has its sexual identity problems as well....I'm seeing a theme here. (no I am not a lesbian, for real) The oldest brother is commitment phobic, the younger brother is gay and high strung, the daughter is a sexually confused artist, and the mother married a deranged water obsessed man. I like plotlines involving death and sexuality, so this show is right up my alley.
Sample lines:
Nate: This is my... uh, my girlfriend, Brenda.
Brenda: I prefer the term "fuck puppet".
Ruth: David, are you bringing a special friend to dinner?
David: Why are my friends always special?
Ruth: Okay then, is the man you're having sex with coming to dinner?
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4. The Sopranos
Okay so I actually JUST started watching this show, courtesy of Ben, however if I had watched it from the beginning it probably would be my favorite show right now. I am Italian and love the Godfather movies/Goodfellas/anything else like that. I won't even go into the Emmy's that this won over the years, and Joe Pantoliano was on the show, who could beat that?!
Sample lines:
Meadow Soprano: Are you in the Mafia?
Anthony 'Tony' Soprano Sr.: Am I in the what?
Meadow Soprano: Whatever you want to call it. Organized crime.
Anthony "Tony" Soprano Sr.: That's total crap, who told you that?
Meadow Soprano: Dad, I've lived in the house all my life. I've seen the police come with warrants. I've seen you going out at three in the morning.
Anthony 'Tony' Soprano Sr.: So you never seen Doc Cusamano going out at three in the morning on a call?
Meadow Soprano: Did the Cusamano kids ever find $50,000 in krugerrandts and a .45 automatic while they were hunting for Easter eggs?
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5. Carnivale
A relatively new show, which I actually just watched tonight (it may have been the pilot), and is the inspiration for this blog entry. It is apparently about a group of old time carnies who take in this guy that has a mysterious past. Certain people have strange powers, and it looks to me like an X-men of the old west. There was a scene tonight with a priest standing on the street looking at a chinese whore house. All of a sudden it starts to snow and when the snow hits his face, it turns to blood. He just stands there on the street with blood running down his face. The show is very intriguing and shows promise.
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There are others, of course, like Real Sex and Curb Your Enthusiasm, but Real Sex is well....extremely graphically sexual so don't watch if you don't enjoy porn, and Curb Your Enthusiasm can be slow. However if you're ever bored one night and get HBO, try to catch the original programming. Even if you start watching in the middle, they're all amazing.
1. Sex and the City.
Okay so this show is probably every girl and gay guy's favorite on HBO but it's for good reason. It is extremely well written, and they take sexual orientation lightly, which I like. I think Miranda and Samantha were both randomly lesbians for a little while then ended up stopping. The show is simply amazing, the weed episode being my current favorite.
Sample lines:
Samantha: One time I fucked a guy because he had a swimming pool. I came over and he used to bring me Kool-Aid.
Carrie: Kool-Aid?
Samantha: I was thirteen.
Carrie: You can't make friends with a squirrel. Squirrels are just rats with cuter outfits.
_________________________________________________
2. Angels in America
This isn't exactly a tv show, it's actually a 6 part miniseries. It swept the Emmy's, winning 16 awards. It showcases some of the best actors and actresses of our time, including Meryl Streep and Al Pacino. From the title you might find it boring, but if you sit down and watch one part, you'll want to see them all. The whole series is about the intertwining lives of various gay men, most of whom have AIDS. Serious and funny at the same time, it is unlike anything I've ever seen.
Sample lines:
Prior: I usually say, "Fuck the truth," but mostly, the truth fucks you.
Harper Pitt: I burned dinner.
Joe Pitt: I'm sorry.
Harper Pitt: not my dinner, my dinner was fine. your dinner. I put it back in the oven and turned everything up as high as it could go then I watched it burn black. it's still hot you want it?
Joe Pitt: you didn't have to do that.
Harper Pitt: i know, it just seemed like the kinda thing a mentally deranged-sex starved-pill popping housewife would do.
________________________________________________
3. Six Feet Under
A show that's been on for awhile but I hadn't gotten around to watching until this past summer. It's about a family that owns a funeral home and all the fucked-up-ness that happens to each family member. This show has its sexual identity problems as well....I'm seeing a theme here. (no I am not a lesbian, for real) The oldest brother is commitment phobic, the younger brother is gay and high strung, the daughter is a sexually confused artist, and the mother married a deranged water obsessed man. I like plotlines involving death and sexuality, so this show is right up my alley.
Sample lines:
Nate: This is my... uh, my girlfriend, Brenda.
Brenda: I prefer the term "fuck puppet".
Ruth: David, are you bringing a special friend to dinner?
David: Why are my friends always special?
Ruth: Okay then, is the man you're having sex with coming to dinner?
___________________________________________________
4. The Sopranos
Okay so I actually JUST started watching this show, courtesy of Ben, however if I had watched it from the beginning it probably would be my favorite show right now. I am Italian and love the Godfather movies/Goodfellas/anything else like that. I won't even go into the Emmy's that this won over the years, and Joe Pantoliano was on the show, who could beat that?!
Sample lines:
Meadow Soprano: Are you in the Mafia?
Anthony 'Tony' Soprano Sr.: Am I in the what?
Meadow Soprano: Whatever you want to call it. Organized crime.
Anthony "Tony" Soprano Sr.: That's total crap, who told you that?
Meadow Soprano: Dad, I've lived in the house all my life. I've seen the police come with warrants. I've seen you going out at three in the morning.
Anthony 'Tony' Soprano Sr.: So you never seen Doc Cusamano going out at three in the morning on a call?
Meadow Soprano: Did the Cusamano kids ever find $50,000 in krugerrandts and a .45 automatic while they were hunting for Easter eggs?
_______________________________________
5. Carnivale
A relatively new show, which I actually just watched tonight (it may have been the pilot), and is the inspiration for this blog entry. It is apparently about a group of old time carnies who take in this guy that has a mysterious past. Certain people have strange powers, and it looks to me like an X-men of the old west. There was a scene tonight with a priest standing on the street looking at a chinese whore house. All of a sudden it starts to snow and when the snow hits his face, it turns to blood. He just stands there on the street with blood running down his face. The show is very intriguing and shows promise.
_______________________________________
There are others, of course, like Real Sex and Curb Your Enthusiasm, but Real Sex is well....extremely graphically sexual so don't watch if you don't enjoy porn, and Curb Your Enthusiasm can be slow. However if you're ever bored one night and get HBO, try to catch the original programming. Even if you start watching in the middle, they're all amazing.
Comments
And postings like this one help fulfill my fantasy of being a tv/film critic. Sad, huh.
The Wire
Real Time with Bill Maher
Def Poetry
Deadwood
Though I don't know why it's a big deal if I like most of HBO's shows...