Why I Can't Watch Mad Men: AKA: I've Got Issues Like a Magazine

So I started typing this a week or so ago, and in light of the now semi-infamous "Betty Draper rape joke" in the premier last night I am now posting it.

I've never really considered myself to be a feminist, sure I am in support of strong females, but I've never been the one to go out and preach the evils of a patriarchal society.

Maybe it has to do with my upbringing, I grew up in the suburbs in a middle class family, we were by no means living in the lap of luxury, but I don't recall ever really being in want of anything either. My house consisted of two loving heterosexual parents, an older sister and my grandmother, so females out numbered males four to one. I am white, heterosexual and have a naturally slim build. I grew up watching shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer and reading the Harry Potter series so strong females were almost always present in my entertainment. By the time I got to high school, and probably since then, a majority of my closest friends were/are men, who for the most part have never treated me as anything but an equal. I took a "Women's Study" class junior year of high school, but mostly because one of my favorite teachers was teaching it, not for any female empowerment agenda. I also grew up doing theatre, which for the majority is a pretty accepting environment.

It's not really anything I've thought about, until about a week ago when The Boy has decided to start watching Mad Men. We have plenty of friends who watch and love the show, so I was not opposed to checking it out, but about halfway through the pilot, I knew I wouldn't be continuing to watch it. I know, I know, it has always been my policy to watch at least three episodes before ditching a show, but Mad Men made me so uncomfortable, I just found no enjoyment in it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it's a bad show, or that you are a terrible person if you do like it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I also realize that women, in that particular time period, were treated as inferior and submissive and that if you are setting your show in that time period you should be showing that. It is the reality of that time, and hiding it or denying it will do the world no good. We can't/shouldn't just omit the parts of history we don't like. That being said, I personally do not get any enjoyment in watching the women of the show being basically abused and mistreated episode after episode. In fact I find it very uncomfortable.

We all want to think that we've come so far from those times/ideas of how women are treated, but some time I am forced to wonder, especially in light of recent current events. I am not ashamed to admit that some of the "opinions" that were being tossed out during the last time of the last presidential election scared the hell out of me. Actual politicians were legitimately saying things like a woman can only get pregnant from a rape if she wants to. That she was in control of whether or not she wanted to get pregnant during a rape and could just flip some magic switch to stop it. Excuse me what?

I tried explaining to The Boy as to why I wouldn't continue to watch it, and although he is understanding of, I can't help but think he missed my point. He told me he understood and brought up the example of Don disappearing during a birthday party for his daughter an returning how with a puppy and no apology. While I agree that Betty should have gotten an apology and been consulted on the puppy, I couldn't care less on that issue. No, what upsets me is the constant degrading of the women on the show. The fact that in episode one, the OBGYN that Peggy goes to threatens to revoke her prescription for birth control if she uses it as an excuse to become a slut. Or how Peggy is only going on birth control in the first place because she told by Joan if she wants to get ahead she's gonna have to learn to put her "pretty little ankles" above her head. And don't even get me started on the character of Pete Campbell, basically everything out of his mouth makes my skin crawl, especially the episode when he more or less asks his newlywed wife to sleep with an ex-boyfriend to get his "story" published. If that wasn't bad enough, he starts a fight with her when he finds out that he's getting published in what he deems an inferior publication because she refused to be unfaithful to him.

Now, I am in no means saying that Mad Men isn't a good show, that you shouldn't watch/enjoy it or that it should be taken off the air. Nothing like that, there are plenty of shows I enjoy that many others do not. No, this was simply written to try and explain why Mad Men is not a show that want to invest my limited television viewing time on.

The Islanders Move to Brooklyn: AKA: We're talking Hockey...

So, let's talk hockey...

I know, I know, I already hear you, "But this is an entertainment blog. I want to read about fun tv/film/theatre/general geekery! Not sports."

Well, sorry folks, I am a tried and true hockey fan. I have literally been attending games since I was a fetus, and while life/work has come and made it harder for me to attend/watch games I still firmly stand in the "Hockey is Awesome" camp.

Needless to say, the hockey strike makes me cry a bit inside, but that's not why I'm writing this. I am indulging in this slightly off topic excursion because this past Wednesday it was announced that after 40 years the New York Islanders would be moving to The Barclay Arena in 2015. When the announcement was made on Wednesday I received more than a few texts/messages asking my thoughts on the issue.

That's right, as you probably deduced from that last sentence, I am an Islanders fan. I grew up 15 mins from Nassau Coliseum. My father has been a fan of the Islanders since they were formed. He was there for the dynasty. When my sister, also became a fan and we attended countless, picnics, charity events and the like. During those years New Yorkers, at least those on LI were proud of their scrappy little team. The New York Islanders were part of the community. When I was 3 years old, the team was doing a charity bowling event at our local bowling ally and my family went to cheer them on. My father had me up on his shoulders so I could see, and I began chanting "RUDY, RUDY, RUDY" when I saw my favorite player at the time, goalie Kelly Rudy, come up to bowl. 

Denis Potvin, left, and Bryan Trottier May 1980 Photo Credit: Richard Drew/Associated Press

I grew up with names like Bobby Nystrom, Billy Smith, Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier  even Meeko Mäkelä  which as a child I miss pronounced as Meatball Mäkelä,were as familiar to me as Derick Jetter is to a child today. As I grew older the players changed, and the Stanley victories got further and further away, and yet I still cheered them on.

And while I am loyal, almost to a fault, I have often times followed players to other teams, I still root Zdeno Chara on and was so happy when he finally got a cup win, and more vehemently, I have followed Tim Connolly from the Islanders, to the Buffalo Sabers, to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Honestly that boy is one of the best puck handlers I've ever seen, if only he could stay UNINJURED.  

(Photo Credit Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

Side note: I will follow a player to just about any team, except the Philadelphia Flyers, Or more importantly The New York Rangers. I can love you again if you go to and then leave the Flyers, but once you become a Ranger you are dead to me. I'm looking at you Kevin Weeks!

Safe to say, the Islanders have always been my boys, and the Coliseum has always been home. Now, I am by no means saying the Coliseum is a perfect place. There's no real convenient mode of public transportation to get there  its old, and in slight disrepair. Lets be honest here, it's kind of a shithole. The thing is, it's our shithole. As a person who often rejects change you would think I would be outraged by a change of venue, but I'm not entirely opposed.

Hockey itself isn't the most popular sport. In fact there are a lot of people in this country that have been to or even seen a hockey game. I feel bad for these people I really do. Hockey is awesomely fast paced, as in the clock actually shows you how is left and 3 mins doesn't really mean another half hour, it's kinda  violent… I don't care how much you protest, almost everyone enjoys a good fight, and you have to have a ridiculous amount of skill in order to play. How does that not sound awesome, people?

December 25, 2009  Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America

But I digress, the fact of the matter is that by moving the franchise to Brooklyn, you are making the games much more accessible to a larger amount of people. If I can hop a subway to the game right from work, I am much more willing to drop money on tickets. Playing at the Coliseum I have to book it from work and then with travel time I usually end up missing the entire first period and a portion of the second. For those of you really unfamiliar with hockey, I should probably enlighten you to the fact that there are 3 periods to a game.  So that's missing nearly half a game just trying to get there. By moving to an arena more easily accessible there is great potential to increase your attendance.

Let's face it the current team itself isn't really a crowd drawer. We have (well, had last year, stupid lockout) John Trevaris, Matt Moulson, Kyle Okposo, who while good players are not star names like Martin Brodour, or Sydney Crosby. So why shouldn't the owners be doing everything the can to up the attendance, which will bring in more money, to then invest into the team?

The Islanders, for the past, gonna go with decade here, have always felt, at least to me, like the breeding ground for great players. Only problem, The Powers That Be in the land of all things that be Islanders have the uncanny knack for trading away plays just before the get hot.  As much as it hurts me to say that money makes a huge difference in building a winning franchise, I'm also a Yankee fan…so I know the truth.

The decision was made that despite the move the team would still be called The New York Islanders, which I believe to be a sound decision. Although I am aware there are some who believe that they should be renamed "The Brooklyn Islanders", after all The Nets moved to the Barclay Center and now they are "The Brooklyn Nets" (that's a basketball reference, see now I've mentioned all the major US professional sports)  I can't help but think that is a bit ridiculous. The Nets has to rebrand, as they were "The New Jersey Nets" and are not playing in/for New Jersey anymore.

I am well aware that both "The New York Giants" and "The New York Jets" play in a stadium in New Jersey so technically your team doesn't have to be named for the state you play in, but cut me some slack here.

The Islanders will still be playing in New York, and technically still playing on an island, so what is the point of an expensive rebranding? Furthermore, in a sport with an already small fan base why would you want to risk alienating the fans you already have?

"Fish Stick Logo" See? It's hideous.

The New York Islanders have four back to back Stanley cups, they have fans, like my father who, despite many, long grueling years of heart ache, seriously when was the last time we had a winning post season? That is rhetorical, I know the answer I just choose not to think about it. And those of us, myself included who grew up with the team, and persevered as fans, even surviving the horrible "fish sticks logo". I will support my NY Islanders till the end, but The Brooklyn Islanders? Who are they? Changing their name is effectively whipping away their history, sure you could say in an attempt to clean away the years of failure, but you would also strip the team of it's history. The cups, the eight members in the Hockey Hall of Fame, all of it.  You can't have it both ways.

Islander fans are a scrappy bunch, we love our team, even when they are loosing, which is often. Every win is exciting, not expected. The team moving to Brooklyn is the next chapter in our history, not the end of our franchise, which would have been the case if they has been moved out of state, which was a very real possibility.

And for those who justify the name change saying that The New York Rangers are New York's "only hockey team" I remind you that it only seems that way because The Rangers made the playoffs last year, and were knocked out by The New Jersey Devils, Booyah, and so there was an abundance of fair weather fans. And if you even begin to argue of The Rangers being the better team, I remind you, The Islanders have four Stanley Cups, and yes that was decades ago, however, the Ranger's won the cup in 1940 and then took 54 years to win their next one. So fear not Islander fans we still have over two decades before our cup gap is that bad.

Look at "Baby" Connolly...see the awesomeness

So sound off Isles fans: what do you think about the move and the keeping of the name New York Islanders, despite of it? Hit the comments and be heard!

Fun fact: The (now) Brooklyn Nets used to play at Nassau Coliseum way back in the day before they relocate to "New Jersey", so the teams are now being reunited at the Barclay Center.

Awake: AKA: Alright NBC You Have My Attention

Last week was the premiere of NBC's new series Awake. I'm not going to lie I have been looking forward to this show since I read the script last pilot season. Although I was saddened when the premiere got pushed back from its original air date, because the "Awake Powers that be" needed to take some extra time to work on continuity, I was happy to see that the series was treating the complex story line with the care and commitment that it deserved.

I was beyond excited to finally get to sit down and watch the show, which luckily did not disappoint. I don't want to write too much plot wise about the show, since its so show is so beautifully interwoven, and talking too much about the plot would spoil it.

The basic premise is about detective Michael Britten, who gets into a horrific car accident with both his wife, Hannah, and teenage son, Rex, in the car, cut to the "present" where he is sitting in therapy. Here's where things get interesting and we learn that Michael is living in two realities, one in which his son died in the accident, and the other in which his wife was the one who perished. He goes to sleep in one reality and wakes up in the other, never knowing in which he is living and which he is dreaming. In both realities, his department has assigned him a partner and sent him to therapy, the catch? Both realities have different partners and therapists, both of whom are convinced that they are the "real" world. Adding an even more interesting twist to all this is the fact that details in Michael's cases at work seem to over lap.

They have assembled a fantastic cast to tell this story, Jason Issacs, B.D. Wong, Cherry Jones and Wilmer Valderrama just to name a few."The Powers That Be" have really done an amazing job at creating a different look/feel for the different realities. In the reality where Hannah, survived the world is brighter. Everything just seems to be shot in more vibrant and full of light. In Rex's reality, everything is shot in darker, more muted tones, allowing for a more dark and gritty feel. It's really interesting to see how just the way a series is shot can completely change the tone of a show.

I can not wait to see how they keep this premise going in future episodes.

R.I.P. Davy Jones of The Monkees Dies at 66

Wednesday afternoon, while I was sitting at my desk between appointments, one of my coworkers announced that Davy Jones of The Monkees had passed away of a heart attack. News of his death came as a bit a shock, as he was, as far as all accounts, a healthy, even health conscious individual, who was still touring. Immediately I texted my mother.

As I'm sure you've noticed, I have a very strange eclectic taste/background in tv/film/music. My mother was a huge fan of The Monkees when she was younger, and when they started rerunning episodes I ended up loving them as well. Which might seem a bit strange as it was definitely a slapstick sixties era comedy and I grew up in the late eighties/early nighties, but for some reason it struck a chord with me. It was something my mother and I had bonded over. I even took her to see Aida on Broadway when Micky Dolenz was staring in it as he was our favorite.

I write this I sit at my couch watching The Monkee's marathon, I tapped off of Antenna Tv this weekend, and it becomes increasingly apparent that this marathon is not intended for anyone remotely near my age, as all the commercials are targeted toward the over 50's crowd. Still there is something inherently charming about the four musicians running about in crazy situations, more often than not involving Davy and girl of the week. Not to mention the musical interludes which essentially were music videos, before music videos existed.

It's funny how a celebrity dying can have an effect on you, to cause you to think about your own life. Music has a profound effect on people, and even though The Monkees were in their prime many years before I was born, their music and tv show, was able to bring my mother and I closer together.

R.I.P. Davy Jones. Thank you for all the laughter, love and great music.

TV Time: What's Currently on My Sched...

So it's been some time since I did I what I'm watching post, and since we've now entered mid-season programing I felt the need to update:

Monday

8pm
Bones (starting 4/2)

9pm
Hart of Dixie
Alcatraz
Touch (starting 3/19)

10pm
Castle


Tuesday

9pm
The River

Wednesday

9:30pm
Apartment 23 (starting 4/11)

10pm
Revenge
Psych (starting 2/29)
The Soup

Thursday

8pm
Community (starting 3/15)

9pm
The Finder

10pm
Archer
Awake (starting 3/1)

Scandal (starting 4/5)

ON DEMAND
Face Off
The Voice
Comic Book Men


Interestingly enough I watch most of my reality competitions On Demand. In fact I just started watching The Voice this weekend while I sick in bed, mostly because I realized that I knew three contestants on it already so I might as well. Words can not even begin to express how excited I am for Awake  to start, between that and the return of Community NBC and I may have temporarily come to a truce in our long standing fight, but we shall see.

I admit as much as I hate that Zoë Gulliksen was cut from the show, because she is insanely awesome and the eipitomy of awesome female geeky fandom, seriously this girl knows her shit, follow her on twitter at @bookishbelle if you don't already, trust me you'll be glad you did, and let's face it would be nice to have a female POV on that show, Comic Book Men, is starting to grow on me. What can I say I like comics and Kevin Smith, it was bound to happen. 


I'm sure by the spring this will be revised yet again, but for now, this is what I've got.

Top Five Fave Films: Movies I Couldn't Live Without

 Ok so all this  excitement over The River premiering last week, has renewed a long of the movie Across the Universe in me. It got me thinking about my top fave movies. Everyone has them, those movies tat you know every word by heart, and will watch over and over and over again, and even though you obviously own them, you HAVE to watch them every time they come on tv. So here, in no particular order are my Top Five Fave Films:

1) A League of Their Own - This may be my all time favorite movie ever. I remember going to see it in theaters with my mom and sister, which is slightly odd since I couldn't have been more that 7 years old at the time. Something about the movie really stuck with me, I even played softball for an entire season, which if you know me is kind of a big deal. Seriously though, the movie has an amazing cast, Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Bill Pullman, not to mention it's one of the few movies Madonna was actually good in. Plus the dialogue is great, "There's no crying in baseball" is listed at number 54 on The American Film Institute's Top 100 movie quotations in American cinema.

2) Clueless - This is another movie with an awesome cast, baby Paul Rudd, baby Jeremy Sisto, baby Breckin Meyers and baby Donald Faison, just to name a few. Not to mention the fact that this movie added a ton of new phrases into my generations lexicon, Betties, Barneys, Monet, just to name a few. Also the soundtrack was incredible with songs from, No Doubt, The Cranberries, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and my personal favorite, The Muffs version of "Kids in America".

3) The Princess Bride - Seriously, there was no way to write this list without including one of the greatest action/adventure/romance/comedies of our time. Again the movie has an amazing cast, and wonderfully memorable dialogue. There is literally something for everyone in this movie. I won't lie, my life was made by the fact that when I saw Mandy Patinkin live in concert in Philly, several years ago, that he ended his encore by uttering the famous line: "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

4) Robin Hood: Men in Tights - I kind of feel like it is impossible to have any top of top movie list without having at least one Mel Brooks film on it. Let's face it the man is a comedic genius. Everyone has their fave, my mother's is Young Frankenstein, The Boy's is Blazing Saddles, but mine has always been Robin Hood: Men in Tights. I remember watching it when it first came out on VHS, when I was probably a little too young to be watching it, but most of the inappropriate jokes went over my head anyway. That's the great thing about Mel Brooks' writing, it's layered. You can watch one of his films over and over and constantly find something new.

5) Across the Universe - You knew it had to be on here, after all it is what started me on this topic. While this movie definitely isn't for everyone, it is one of my all time favorites. Casting was done by Telsey + Co which is actually largely a theatre casting company and so the cast of this movie, mostly the featured extras, is made up of mostly theatre actors. As one of them put it, "Bernard Telsey is a pimp, and all his hos are are in this film". There is just something that will never get old about seeing people I've known for years in the film. When my friends and I saw the film in theatres, we spent the entirety of the "A Little Help From My Friends" in fits of giggles at the actions of the people we knew, much to the confusion of everyone else in the theatre. Factor in the fact that the music is amazing, um hello it's The Beatles, I went right home from the theatre that night and downloaded the soundtrack off iTunes, and all the little references to Beatles lyrics hidden with in the film and I am on heaven.

Honorable Mentions

Ok, so I know it's supposed to be a top five, but there were two movie who came so close that I felt they had to be mentioned:

Newsies - A live action musical, with Christian Bale, Arron Lohr, and Bill Pullman? How could I not love it. This is another one of those movies I can recite word for word, and I often do while watching it. It is one of my fave movies from childhood and I still adore it. The stage show definitely doesn't even begin to do it justice.

Clue - It's hard for me to imagine anyone not loving this film. The Boy's college roommate and I once quoted the entire movie back and forth over our Facebook walls. It's a silly fun film, made for pure entertainment, plus it has Tim Curry at his finest.

Champagne Revelations

Sitting on my couch with The Boy, champagne glass in hand, watching A League of Their Own, which is by far my favorite movie ever. I mean there are lots of movies I love, but A League of Their Own is the "saw it in theatres, must watch every time it is on tv despite owning it, actually got me to play an entire season of softball, I can quote every line in my sleep" favorite movie.

Of course I already knew most of the trivia/lore, how much Madonna hated filming, how all the injueries were real, and that one bruise lasted for over a year, but having been some time since I last watched it there were a few things I never pieced together.

Tonight's revelations:

Evelyn was played by Bitty Schram who more recently played Sharona on Monk. While I never truly "watched" Monk, my parents did and so I deffinately was aware of it's existance and have seen several episodes.

Mr. Lowenstein was played by David Strathairn aka Dr. Rosen on Alphas. I always thoght his voice sounded familiar on Alphas but never made the connection as to how I knew him till tonight.

Sometimes it is just really awesome to watch a favorite movie/show and have new realizations and make new connections.