FISHING
Not actually about fishing - just stuff I'm also passionate about. If you will, this is me casting my net over the polluted waters of popular culture, hoping for a tasty fish as opposed to the far more numerous used condoms and old shoes. Whenever I see the words "used condoms and old shoes", I can't help but picture Madonna's soul. No, you're right. She doesn't have one.
Anyway, as I was saying, occasionally there are things worth celebrating that make it as far as my world. But being old, I now confuse contemporary with anything that may have happened in the last twenty years, but as we live in a digital age where nothing dies, I'm sure you'll bear with me if I appear somewhat out of the fashion loop.
Things such as:
Tom's Fishelin Stars:
(this is a bream that I caught in Oxfordshire)
(this is a bream that I caught in Oxfordshire)
Suffishently Entertaining
Entertaining Fish'Sure
Offishially Brilliant
Best bit for me is the opening episode where the central character of the sheriff leaves us in no doubt as to the true complexity of his nature, by speeding the death of a criminal he is hanging by pulling down on his legs in order to dispatch him with swift humanity. Brutal. Compassionate. Brilliant. We know from that moment who this man is, and gain some insight into why he's quitting law enforcement to open a general store in the lawless town of Deadwood.
Viewing tip: due to the relentless use of swearing and brutal violence - you may want to watch these scenes over and over again, in slow motion, for later use in your imagination as you lie awake at night wondering what new things you could do to Tony Blair if you ever met him. Also best to send children and elderly religious relatives out of the room for the duration. But why stop at the room, you could send them away forever, and just enjoy life. So, Deadwood is awarded 2 Fishelin Stars in my keepnet of culture. Calamity Jane wins best overall performance by a hair. Buy the box set and enjoy.
I will award this :
DEADWOOD
The second best tv show of all time, beaten only by The West Wing. If the writing team of Shakespeare, Homer and Moses had written a show about the wild west, this is what it would have looked like. Poetic dialogue, grotesque characters, loveable rogues, and quiet, unlikely heroes with morals enough for the rest of us. And who would have thought that Lovejoy would get a second act?