themusicaddict's review of "The 4400": A Show You Don't Need To Watch

Hello,

I love having Netflix, it's been so much fun. One thing I like about Netflix is that I can catch up on shows that I've heard a lot of great things about but never saw when they were airing originally. For instance a show like "Battlestar Galactica". Or shows that I watched the first few seasons, but never watched the entire season. For instance "The West Wing". Also there are shows that I wouldn't have heard of without Netflix. In this case that show is "The 4400", a show that somehow lasted for 4 seasons.

"The 4400" isn't the worst show ever, but it's a show that I'm surprised lasted 4 seasons. I only made it through the first 3 hours of Season 1, that was enough for me. By that point I realized there wasn't much new about this show. The Orson Bailey character was awful, seemed like he had been a bully all his life. It's shameful a man that age hadn't learned how to control his temper.

It's a show where I recognize very few of the actors.

The ones I do recognize are Peter Coyote, who has been in dozens of TV shows and movies. Patrick Flueger looked familiar, but I had to look at his Wikipedia page to remind myself where I knew him from. He's one of the cops on "Chicago P.D.", Officer Adam Ruzek. With Laura Allen I had to go to her Wikipedia page as well to remind myself that she was in 2012's "Awake". A much superior series to "The 4400", although it only lasted for 1 season.

And in the episode "The New and Improved Carl Morrissey", the actor playing Morrissey is David Eigenberg. I recognized Eigenberg nearly right away for his role as Christopher Hermann in "Chicago Fire".

These are some of the "stars" that I don't recognize from anywhere else: Joel Gretsch, Jacqueline McKenzie, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali and Kaj Erik-Erikson. All those names produce the following question "Who?" I don't know what that says about this show or the actors, but it's obviously not indicative of quality.

A show that doesn't have a lot of recognizable actors, it makes me wonder how good of actors they are. If a show was on for 4 seasons, shouldn't that show carry those actors to a higher level of recognition? The storytelling isn't very good and either is the special effects. I'll give them a pass on the special effects as I know they can only do so much on a limited budget.

All I know is it's a show I don't need to watch ever again. If Veronica Mars is on Netflix, I think I'll check that one out next. It lasted 3 seasons and produced a Kickstarter launched movie, so I hope it's better than "The 4400".

themusicaddict

themusicaddict's Things I'm Not Writing About Today, July 22nd, 2014 (Updated July 24th)

Hello,

These are the topics I won't be writing about today. I write these blogs when I have a bunch of random thoughts rambling around in my head, but they wouldn't make a full blog by themselves.

TV:

"The Last Ship": I've seen the first 5 episodes of this show. When I started seeing previews for this show, I thought to myself that looks really dumb. However I read a local reporter's column who'd said he'd seen the first few episodes and had enjoyed the show. Due to his recommendation I decided to watch the show, but sad to say it's really dumb. I'm halfway through it's hopefully only season and will stick with it. However if you think you might want to watch it, I suggest you don't. If the show was any dumber, it would be called "Revolution".

And if Tex and Dr. Scott get together, that would be a new low in dumbness for this show. You know Tex, he's the random stranger The USS Nathan James picked up at Gitmo.

"Murder In The First", I've seen the first 6 episodes of this show. Again this isn't the greatest show, but it's better than "The Last Ship". Although in watching the 6th episode last night the shift from police work to the court room slows down the story. However I liked the story line of Mulligan's ex-husband wanting to get coffee with Detective English to ask for amends. I like a person's and a character's journey to seeking forgiveness. We actually see a more fully realized, well rounded character. It makes the character more likable. Definitely something different than a normal police procedural. Then Detective English asked amends of the prisoner he beat up during interrogation, Chris Walton. I have a feeling that apology will be paying dividends before the end of the season. If not, this isn't the last we'll be seeing Walton.

But I'm sorry I just don't believe that Erich Blunt is the one who killed Cindy Strauss. Although some of the evidence presented in the episode 5, which I watched last night, gave me pause. He really is a creep though and what's up with the freaky Ivana? In police shows, rarely is it the first suspect that killed the victim, unless the detectives come back to them a second time. Despite his apparent suicide and "confession" we know that Mark Strauss didn't kill Cindy.

But I've got to love a show that features such an amazing cast, including Taye Diggs, James Cromwell and Richard Schiff- although that ponytail has got to go!

"Rectify": I've seen the first season and the first 5 episodes of season two. After one of the most amazing first seasons ever, the second season has really struggled. It seems there was a solid and well played plan for the first season that was followed to perfection. However the second season has had no cohesive whole, it seems to be comprised of different scenes that are only slightly connected.

And if Tawny is really pregnant I'm going to scream. Tawny and Teddy shouldn't be together at all, they have no chemistry. Their relationship has 0% believability. Tawny is too good of a girl and needs to considerably lighten up and Teddy is just a jerk. Is a potential pregnancy a way to drive the two characters apart?

Other TV: I've watched "Longmire" through the 8th episode of it's third season. "Longmire" continues to be a very solid show, themusicaddict gives that series a big thumbs up. It likes to focus on certain story lines way too long, can we please quickly resolve who killed Miller Beck? Beck killed Martha Longmire, originally the story was she died of cancer. Overall this is a great show with a great cast. I love Robert Taylor's portrayal of Walt Longmire, he plays him with so much class and skill. Any show with Katee Sackhoff will be a show I'll watch just for her. I love the feisty and incredible characters she plays. She has a clear sexiness that's quite alluring. I also love Lou Diamond Phillips as Henry Standing Bear. Phillips and his role is as good of a fit as is Taylor and Longmire. Sometimes it just seems an actor and a role are a perfect fit.

I love Cassidy Freeman as Cady Longmire, the lovely Miss Freeman has amazing eyes. Like Sackhoff, she's not a woman that's a natural beauty. However she knows how to use the assets she has to her full advantage.

With the dissolution of Shaun and Vic's marriage, I'm hoping that doesn't mean Longmire and Vic are going to get together. Cliche alert, which might be as bad of a cliche as Tawny getting pregnant. I do wonder how "Longmire" is going to resolve all of it's story lines with only 2 episodes left. I don't know if this show is going to get a fourth season, so I hope they wrap some most of the story lines. Is David Ridges real or is he just a figment of Branch's imagination? Will the show actually resolve who killed Miller Beck? Please let's hope so. If "Longmire" gets a fourth season, I hope we never have to hear the names Miller Beck or Dareus again! Will the fate of Henry Standing Bear also be resolved?

Another show that I've been watching is the very intriguing "Tyrant". I've watched the first 5 episodes of it's debut season. "Tyrant" is anchored by the excellent Adam Rayner, who plays the brother of the tyrant. Rayner plays Bassam "Barry" Al Fayeed, an Americanized free thinker in the land of my way or the highway fictional Abbudin. Rayner is surrounded by 3 amazingly gorgeous actresses in Moran Atias, Jennifer Finnigan and Sybilla Deen.

Sibylla Deen

Moran Atias

Jennifer Finnigan

All three women are regularly dressed in dresses that emphasize their amazing figures.

The show is centered around Barry, who's been living in America for 20 years. Barry married an American and they have two children. Barry and his family return to Abbudin for his dipshit, entitled nephew's wedding. While he's there his father, Abbudin's ruthless dictator, dies. The kingdom falls into the untested leadership of his son Jamal. Barry decides to stay around for a month or so to help his brother rule in a much more friendly way. Barry is much more liberal in his ideas to help reform the country. He doesn't want Jamal to end up like   Muammar al-Gaddafi. Barry had sent a link to Jamal of Gaddafi's death march, a video that Jamal has on seemingly infinite loop as a fate he wants to avoid.

"Under The Dome" is back for it's second season. After an insultingly stupid first season I'm not watching the second season. Along with "Jericho" and "Revolution" this might be the worst show ever to get a second season. Who's watching this show? I love the writing of Stephen King and this TV show is based on his book. However "Under The Dome" is one of King's lesser novels and for the TV show they dumbed down from the book.

I just recently got Netflix and I've started watching two shows there. First up is "The Fall" a show that only has a 5 episode first season, I've watched the first 3 episodes so far. I don't know that I would say that I love this show, but I certainly like it. Just the sight into the heart of darkness makes me feel less than comfortable.

But the show is well acted with Gillian Anderson who plays Stella Gibson as an ice princess, other than when she has physical desires. Also Jamie Dornan as serial killer Paul Spector, who is terroizing the city of Belfast. Dornan will soon be on movie screens as Christian Grey in the "50 Shades of Grey" nonsense, get ready to hold your nose.

The second show I'm enjoying on Neflix is "Continuum". Another show that won't ever win any Emmys, but it's good enough. It also has the amazingly beautiful Rachel Nichols in it:

Music: Two Mumford and Sons songs that they didn't write. First up the one song that everyone knows, Phillip Phillip's "Home":

Here's the other song that I was thinking of when I was thinking of songs that sound like they could have been written by Mumford & Sons. This is Matt Hires' "Restless Heart

But do you know this song, this is the amazing "Ghost Town" by First Aid Kit:

I heard the above song on my walk this morning and I wondered why women seem to be the ones who sing most of the spurned by a lover songs? It made me think of Adele's "Someone Like You". The next song that played on my iPod was this (warning this version of the song caused goosebumps for me):

themusicaddict

themusicaddict's Greatest CDs of All-time: Pink Floyd's "The Wall" Part 5, Disc 2 (Blog in Progress, Updated July 28th)

Hello,

Disc 2 of "The Wall":

I'm not sure where "Sexual Revolution" fits in with "The Wall" yet, but I'll figure it out. (This is a "The Wall" (Work in Progress) version):

I'm also not sure where "Backs To The Wall" fits into "The Wall" either. I'm guessing on Side 1, but I'm keeping it here until I figure it out. This is "Backs To The Wall" (Work in Progress version):

Now for side 2 of "The Wall" CD:

1) "Hey You": (Lead vocals: David Gilmour, Roger Waters)

This song is very important in telling us the story of Pink and his frame of mind, I thought the lyrics version would be appropriate here:

"Hey You" (Movie version):

There's no alternate take for "Hey You" or "Is There Anybody Out There" on the 2011 deluxe release of "The Wall". Did that mean that they liked those versions enough?

2) "Is There Anybody Out There?" (Waters)

"Is There Anybody Out There?" (Live):

"Is There Anybody Out There?" (Movie version):

3) "Nobody Home": (Waters):

"Nobody Home" (Movie version):

4) "Vera" (Waters):

"Vera" (Movie version): 

5) "Bring The Boys Back Home" (Waters) Roger Waters' "The Wall Live In Berlin version:

"Bring The Boys Home" (Movie version)

6) "Comfortably Numb" (Waters, Gilmour):

"Comfortably Numb" (Movie version):

Roger Waters with a David Gilmour special appearance on "Comfortably Numb" in 2011:

"The Doctor" was the working title for "Comfortably Numb" (Work in Progress version):

7) "The Show Must Go On" (Gilmour)

"The Show Must Go On" / "In The Flesh"/ "Run Like Hell" / "Waiting For The Worms" (Movie version):

8) "In The Flesh" (Waters)

"In The Flesh" (Live):

Roger Waters also titled one of his concerts "In The Flesh" (From Italy April 2nd, 2014):

"In The Flesh/ Run Like Hell" (Movie Version):

9) "Run Like Hell" (Waters) (Lyrics version):

"Run Like Hell" (Live):

10) "Waiting For The Worms" (Waters, Gilmour)

"Waiting For The Worms" (Movie version):

11) "Stop" (Waters) (Lyrics version):

"Stop" (Movie version):

13) "Outside The Wall" (Waters)

themusicaddict

Great Singers, Lesser Known Songs (Partial Blog)

Hello,

Here are some great musicians, but lesser known songs. Although these are all lesser known songs, they are all still very good.

Rush's "Red Barchetta":

Depeche Mode's "A Pain That I'm Used To":

Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks":

Pink Floyd's "Not Now John":

Adele's "If It Hadn't Been For Love":

The Who's "Eminence Front":

Which reminded me of Pete Townsend's "Let My Love Open The Door":

themusicaddict

Prince Where Is Your New CD?

Hello,

I'm just writing a quick blog today, I'm wondering where the long rumored new Prince CD is. Over 4 months ago, in the March 13th issue of Rolling Stone magazine, they mentioned his new CD. They wrote that the name of his next CD is "PlectrumElectrum". They listed the release date as Spring TBD. It's now 4 months later and there's very little information available about it online. There's not even a confirmation that it's an actual CD or any information about when it will be released.

What do we think we know: Prince will be on this CD with the all girl band 3rd Eye Girl. 3rd Eye Girl is made up of Prince, Hannah "Ford" Weldon, Ida Neilson and Donna Grantis.

According to 3rd Eye Girl's Facebook page, there was a listening party for "PlecturmElectrum" on July 12th. It seems there might be an actual CD, but where is a release date? I'd suggest that he might be trying to pull a Beyonce like surprise release, however Beyonce's CD had no publicity. Prince's CD has been long rumored. What game are you playing Prince?

What don't we know: I'm sorry I know that Prince is a bit quixotic, but I don't really believe he's going to release a CD titled "PlectrumElectrum". We don't know a release CD. If this is actually a real CD, what songs are on it? What's the hold up?

However there's very little information available on the internet about this CD, no mention of it on amazon.com. When I type in "PlectrumElectrum", it says that search does not match any products.

The following 3 videos have a lot of jamming but very little singing.

3rdEyeGirl performing "Let's Go Crazy":

"Something In The Water":

"Chaos and Disorder":

This is much better, from the Arsenio Hall show, 3rd Eye Girl performing "She's Always In My Hair".

3rd Eye Girl performing live at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards:

"Guitar":

themusicaddict

themusicaddict's Selected Greatest Hits of Pink Floyd, Not Including Songs From "The Wall" (Finished July 16th, 2014)

Hello,

Several of the blogs I've written in the last few days have been about Pink Floyd's amazing CD "The Wall". Obviously Pink Floyd has many more great songs other than the songs on "The Wall". They also have a new CD coming out this year in October. Although "The Endless River" sounds more like a David Gilmour/ Polly Samson duo project more than any thing else.

I'm still working on multiple "The Wall" blogs, they probably won't be finished for awhile.

Besides "The Wall", Pink Floyd also released "The Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Division Bell". I listened to "The Division Bell" again the other day and it's a lot better than I remember. What I mostly have been listening to lately is Roger Waters "The Wall: Live in Berlin". I highly recommend that you pick up this CD even if you already have "The Wall".

I know a lot of people really enjoy Syd Barrett's contributions to Pink Floyd, but I've never been a fan of those songs. But I have included "Bike".

"Money" ("Dark Side of the Moon") Part of this song is actually quoted in "The Wall" movie, but the song itself isn't in the movie.



"Us and Them" ("Dark Side of the Moon") :



"Breathe" ("Dark Side of the Moon"):

From "Dark Side of the Moon" here's "Speak To Me/Breathe/On The Run/Time":

"Learning To Fly" ("A Momentary Lapse of Reason") I love these lyrics in this song:

Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone my senses reeled
A fatal attraction is holding me fast,
How can I escape this irresistible grasp?

Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earth-bound misfit, I

(Thanks to azlyrics.com)

"Shine On You Crazy Diamond" ("Wish You Were Here") (The full 26 minute version, parts 1-9):

"Shine on You Crazy Diamond" ("Short" Version) The song is about Syd Barrett and this is a tribute to him:

"Wish You Were Here" ("Wish You Were Here") (Lyric Version):

"Bike" ("The Piper At The Gates of The Dawn"):

"What Do You Want From Me?" ("The Division Bell") :

"Sorrow" ("A Momentary Lapse of Reason"):

"Sheep" ("Animals"):

This isn't really a Pink Floyd song, it's a Rogers Waters solo composition. I'm adding it here because this is the last song that was performed at his "The Wall: Live in Berlin" concert:

themusicaddict

Dodgers At 2014's Mid Season, Where Are The Runs? Thank Goodness for Dodgers Pitching! (Updated July 15th, 2014)

Hello,

The Dodgers are one of the most bizarre teams in the MLB in number of runs scored. At the All-Star break the Dodgers are 10th place in runs scored, with 404 runs. However in their recent 4 game series with the Padres, the Dodgers only managed 7 runs the entire series. The fact that LA won three of those games show just how good the Dodgers pitching staff is and also shows how bad the Padres are.

When the Dodgers do score a lot of runs many times they score a lot of runs in games when they don't really need them. Here's a few examples of the Dodgers prowess in scoring when all those runs aren't quite needed. LA beat Minnesota 8-3 on May 6th and beat Arizona 7-0 on May 16th. The next day LA scored 7 more runs in a 18-7 loss to Arizona and beat Pittsburgh 12-2 on May 31st. In three games from June 8th to June 10th the Dodgers scored 18 runs, while only allowing 4 runs. From June 16th-18th the Dodgers scored 18 more runs, while only giving up 3 runs this time. On July 6th LA beat Colorado 8-2. So the accumulation of runs in those games skew their runs scored ranking.

Many times the Dodgers only score 2 or 3 runs per game. LA played 95 games through the All-Star Break. In 45 of those games they scored 3 runs or less, including the last 5 games they've played. In those 5 games, they only scored 8 runs. Not surprisingly LA is only 13-32 in games where they score 3 runs or less. So even with a great pitching staff a team still needs a decent offense and timely hitting. I'm worried with what's going to happen when the Dodgers need a big hit in a crucial late season or playoff game. Who's going to provide that big hit, besides Yasiel Puig do the Dodgers even have a player like that on their roster?

Carl Crawford is only hitting .261 and just barely came back from missing two months due to injury. Last season's Mr. Consistent has been this season's Mr. Under Performing, Adrian Gonzalez is only hitting .250. Andre Ethier is hitting .253, A.J. Ellis is only hitting .214 and Matt Kemp is hitting .269. Kemp is another player wildly under performing his contract. Hanley Ramirez is one of the best hitting Dodgers this season at .275. In my opinion the Dodgers can let Ramirez go in the off season. He's too injury prone and wildly inconsistent. Juan Uribe has been a consistent hitter, hitting .297 this season. However he also misses a lot of time due to injury. The Dodgers only have one hitter with a batting average above .300, Yasiel Puig is hitting .309. I've wondered many times where the Dodgers would be without Puig's bat in the lineup.

So with the trade deadline coming up on July 31st, the Dodgers desperately need another bat. LA is an example of just because you have a lot of money, doesn't mean you should spend it all. In fact your team is much better if you spend your money efficiently. Oakland has won 5 more games than LA and only have a payroll at 40% of what the Dodgers payroll is. That 2012 trade with the Red Sox is starting to haunt the Dodgers even more.

The fact that the Padres only scored 7 runs in the whole series isn't a surprise at all. They are the lowest scoring team in the MLB and they aren't even close to the next lowest scoring team. The low scoring Padres are the only MLB team that hasn't scored 300 runs. In fact they've only scored 279 runs, which means they trail the 29th place St. Louis Cardinals by 81 runs scored.

themusicaddict