Staff Recommendation #20: Euglassia Watsonia

There are two ways to go about your adaptation of Sherlock Holmes: adhering as close to the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories (known as "the Canon") as possible, or finding a fresh interpretation of the character. Wisely, Elementary has decided to take a page from each theory.

First airing in September 2012, Elementary brings the characters from Conan Doyle's stories into the twenty-first century -- with more than a few twists along the way. It is, of course, not the first filmed adaptation to place the stories in a "modern" setting (that's been done for decades, from the Rathbone WWII movies to the BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch).

But Elementary managed to find its way to creating unique twists on a much-adapted idea, placing their Holmes not in London, but rather uprooting him to New York City. And as the first season wore on, the writers and actors presented us with continually engaging characters, even as they continued to twist some of the best-known tropes of the Sherlock Holmes tales -- with exciting, original results.

I love a good mystery show -- and, if you've ever read this blog before, you know me as quite the Sherlockian. But even I was surprised to find how much I fell in love with this show, easily won over by brilliant acting, clever writing, and characters to care about.

With the premiere of Elementary's second season on the horizon, it seemed like a good excuse -- I mean, opportunity -- to take a look at what the show has done to introduce their own unique versions of some of the most iconic characters in literature:

Season 2 is off to a promising start (airing September 26 on CBS)

Sherlock Holmes:

Most people remember that Sherlock Holmes smoked a pipe, but Sherlockians will be quick to point out that the Sherlock Holmes of the Canon had other addictions besides. In Victorian times, today's illegal substances were in existence, but they weren't illegal yet, making Holmes's occasional uses of morphine and cocaine unfortunate but by no means unheard of.

In a truly modern update, Elementary's Holmes also made use of such substances -- with tragic results. After a catastrophic loss in London, Sherlock spiraled into heavy addiction, bottoming out before making his way to New York City. When the show begins, Sherlock's just finished a round of rehab at Hemdale Recovery Center and is on his way to putting the pieces of his life back together.

This tattooed, t-shirt-wearing Sherlock is almost jittery with energy, firing off rapid responses as he explains his quick-fire deductions to those around him. On the surface, this "hipster Holmes" is seen by some critics as being too unlike the original to truly hold the moniker of "Sherlock Holmes."

But in the ways that count, the character is unmistakably the Great Detective. It's not just in his deductions -- which, as always, point to a brilliant mind who sees the "puzzle" in things that most people fail to observe. But we also have a Sherlock Holmes who has deep compassion for the victims and clients who come to him for help, and who sees justice as something that, just occasionally, might require going around the law to uphold. The emotions he often tries to hide are undeniably present -- as in his Canon counterpart -- and his empathy and his ethics are all vintage Holmes.

My favorite thing about this Holmes has been the hope inherent in watching a character who has suffered a fall, but is continuing the struggle to heal. Indeed, the show occasionally explores the question of whether or not Sherlock will relapse -- and to resist the impulse, Sherlock has made use of the support of the people around him. One friend, in particular.



Dr. (Joan) Watson:

A doctor. A soldier. A man. If there was one thing Elementary got a lot of flack for (months before the first episode of the show had even aired), it was the decision to make Dr. Joan Watson only one of these things.

The Dr. John H. Watson of Conan Doyle's Canon is a former military surgeon who served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Sent home from India -- and still recovering from the double whammy of a bullet wound and a bout of typhoid fever -- Watson finds himself too poor to rent a set of rooms on his own. Luckily, a pal of his happens to know of another chap looking for a roommate: one eccentric Sherlock Holmes. Watson goes on to become one half of the most famous fictional friends in literary history, serving as roommate, bodyguard, assistant, partner, chronicler, eager audience, and best friend to the Great Detective.

A former surgeon, Elementary's Joan Watson now works as a sober companion, guiding recovering addicts through their first six weeks of post-rehab life. Hired by Sherlock's father for the job, Sherlock himself is quick to try to push her away ... at first. But by the third episode ("Child Predator"), Sherlock is coming to see real worth in the former doctor -- not just as a sober companion, but as a detective, and as a friend.

Strong, capable, intelligent, and fairly self-assured, Joan Watson is on her own quest throughout the first season: discovering who she is and what she wants to be. As her friendship with Sherlock deepens, so does her faith in her own deductive abilities. Though she's mentored by Sherlock, Watson has truly become a detective in her own right by the end of the season -- and she achieves a momentous victory in the season finale. A true partner, and a true friend, to Sherlock Holmes (and certainly, thank goodness, not a romantic interest), Elementary's Watson is one of the most engaging characters of the series.



Detective Gregson:

When it comes to the officials of Scotland Yard, Inspector Lestrade is the most famous policeman to work alongside Sherlock Holmes. But he's hardly the only Canon cop, and the Elementary writers choose to make use of a different Yarder for their interpretation: Inspector Gregson.

Tobias Gregson is described by Sherlock Holmes as "the smartest of the Scotland Yarders." When he first appears in the novel A Study in Scarlet, he's portrayed as the polar opposite of Lestrade: tall, level-headed, and a little more likely to overlook the occasional lapse of the law -- as long as justice is still served in the end.

In the world of Elementary, Thomas Gregson is a captain of the NYPD, and is similarly described by Sherlock as the smartest cop on the force. Gregson had previously crossed paths with Sherlock in London, when Gregson had been consulting with Scotland Yard on their counter-terrorism methods following the 9/11 attacks. Having seen Sherlock's brilliance first-hand in England, he is more than happy to bring Holmes in as a consultant to the police now that the private detective is on Gregson's home turf.

While commanding enormous respect from Sherlock himself, Gregson also does as much for the audience. It's in an early episode (Episode 4, "The Rat Race") in which we discover that Gregson knows more than he always lets on -- and that he's a great cop because he tempers intelligence with wisdom. With Sherlock's estranged relationship from his father and older brother, it's not hard to see that Gregson is serving as friend, mentor, and perhaps even father figure to Holmes himself.



Ms. Hudson:

While she rarely gets involved with the action of cases themselves, Mrs. Hudson remains an important figure in the Sherlock Holmes stories. The landlady of the apartments at 221-B Baker Street, Mrs. Hudson provides room and board for her two unusual lodgers, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. While we truly don't see much of her in the stories, we can, at the least, deduce that she has a great sense of affection and protection for her "boys" (she's always very affronted at those clients who insist on bursting in on Holmes and Watson at a moment's notice, particularly those clients who are not in the best of tempers), and she's also quite courageous (lending an important hand in The Empty House, at a bit of a risk to her own safety, to help Holmes capture the bad guy).

In the world of Elementary, the brownstone residence of roomies Sherlock and Watson is a property owned by Sherlock's father, which seemed to suggest that Mrs. Hudson wouldn't figure into the story. So fans were delighted by Episode 19 ("Snow Angels"), in which we are introduced to Ms. Hudson.

In a show which can rightfully pride itself on making great progress in representation, Ms. Hudson herself is transgender (both the character, and the actress who plays her). That is, of course, only part of who she is, and the fact that she's transgender never dominates the character.

Needing a place to stay after a breakup, Ms. Hudson finds herself at the brownstone for a few nights. (An expert in Ancient Greek, Ms. Hudson originally met Sherlock when he consulted her on an unusual case.) Initially wary of an unexpected houseguest, Watson quickly warms to Ms. Hudson when her self-proclaimed "OCD tendencies" result in her giving the hopelessly messy brownstone a much-needed cleaning. Sherlock eventually goes on to hire her as a part-time housekeeper -- and fans have fingers crossed that we'll see her again in the show's second season.



Irene Adler:

In the Conan Doyle stories, Irene Adler is known as "the Woman" -- that is, the only female mind who outwitted Sherlock Holmes himself. But rather than despise her for it, Holmes deeply admires this advisory who bested him, and "the Woman," as he so often refers to her, is meant as an honorary title. ("In his eyes," Watson explains to we readers, "she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex.")

The original Irene Adler was neither a career criminal (she was threatening the King of Bohemia with blackmail because he'd broken her heart, not because she was after his money), nor a love interest for Holmes (she gets married to another man midway through the story). In dozens of adaptations, however, she is, as often as not, portrayed as a criminal -- and she has certainly served as a love interest for Sherlock Holmes in more than one onscreen interpretation.

Happily, Elementary finds a way to play with the modern ideas about the character while still serving up their own unique twist. Shown in flashbacks, Irene Adler is an American woman (as she was in Conan Doyle's short story A Scandal in Bohemia) who earns a living as an art restorer. Sherlock encounters her in the course of an investigation, and as he studies the paintings in her studio, he deduces that she is also an art thief -- sometimes keeping the originals and sending her own copies back to the museums who hired her. But despite that, Sherlock is immediately smitten with her, and it's not hard to see why: she is brilliant, creative, good-humored, and knows exactly who she is and what she wants. Here is the Woman, indeed.



Moriarty:

Professor James Moriarty was conceived by Conan Doyle to be "the most dangerous criminal in London," a genius mastermind who has a hand in half the crimes committed in London. "He sits motionless," Holmes tells Watson, "like a spider in the centre of its web, but that web has a thousand radiations, and he knows well every quiver of each of them." Moriarty is equal to Sherlock Holmes in wit, strength, and intelligence -- the polar opposite of the detective, using his powers for evil instead of for good.

Ironically, Moriarty was also conceived to be a one-off villain, never mentioned until his star appearance in The Final Problem and never used as a central character again. (He does rate a mention in The Valley of Fear, but it's more the suggestion of his presence than any actual appearance.) But this hasn't stopped Moriarty from becoming an iconic figure in the Sherlock Holmes legend -- and why not? Presented as Sherlock Holmes's ultimate foe, it's hard to resist giving him a larger-than-life (or larger-than-page?) reputation. (Plus, there was that little matter of the falls ...)

Elementary delights in teasing its audience with the appearance of Moriarty, starting with the startling revelations in Episode 12 ("M.") of Moriarty's involvement with the death of someone very close to Sherlock Holmes. The last few episodes of the season draw Sherlock and Watson into the tangled web of this latest incarnation of the criminal mastermind, with jaw-dropping results. To say more would ruin one of the greatest plot twists I've seen on television, so I'll simply leave you with the reassurance that, when it comes to Moriarty -- one of my all-time favorite villains -- Elementary's spin on the character is my solid favorite.



-- Request the first season of Elementary from the Catalog.


-- Post by Ms. B 

Oktoberfest!

As many of you are already aware, Oktoberfest is upon us. I am not a beer drinker, but since my husband is German (and I lived in Germany for two years) I can't help but know more stuff about beer than I ever thought I would! Beer is an everyday part of life to most Germans. This does not mean that they are all alcoholics, it just means it's an important part of the cultural heritage.

And while most Germans enjoy their beer, Oktoberfest is a Bavarian celebration (Bavaria is a state in southern Germany). It's generally the most popular destination for American tourists because of it's beautiful and pristine small villages and interesting and fun big cities.

Oktoberfest is held each year in Munich to celebrate beer. The festival grew out of the wedding celebration of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and his bride, Princess Therese, in 1810. A horse race was held and the people of Bavaria were invited to attend. This proved to be quite successful, so they decided to hold the horse race again the following year.

By 1938 the horse race was eliminated after the festival took on a life of its own. Now there are parades, rides, food and of course, beer. The festival grounds are so huge it becomes a temporary city each year with its own police force, post office and fire brigade!

With Western Pennsylvania having such a strong German ancestry, it's no surprise that there are many Oktoberfests held in and around the Pittsburgh area each year. Some are more family friendly than others, so you may want to check ahead of time. While a few have already taken place there are still several coming up within the next few weekends (along with some traditional Fall Festivals).

Oktoberfest and Fall festivals in the area

Penn Brewery -- Festivities this weekend (9/27-9/29) at this North Side brewery.

Hofbrauhaus  -- Head there this weekend (9/27-9/28) for a Munich-style celebration on the South Side.

Sewickely Oktoberfest -- German bands and food (10/4-10/5)

Rivertowne Brewing Fall Fest -- Beer sampling at food at their Export Brewery location (9/28 with a family friendly time and an adult only time).

Penn's Colony Festival -- The popular colonial-style marketplace returns for its 30th year. (9/28-9/29)

Trax Farms Fall Festival -- For family fun, head to Finleyville for this annual festival (every weekend through 10/27).

Clarion Autumn Leaf Festival -- This marks the 60th anniversary of this large, annual affair celebrating the town and the university (through 9/29).

Delmont Apple 'N Arts Festival -- If you love all things apples, then this is the festival for you! (10/5 -10/6).

Autumn Fest at Seven Springs -- This is one of the most popular fall fests in Western PA, so don't miss it! (every weekend through 10/20).



-- Post by Tracy

Really Bad Eggs

September 19th is one of the best days of the year. Know why?

Because it's International Talk Like a Pirate Day, of course!

I've written before about my fondness for pirates, and I know it's an obsession in which I'm not alone. Author and historian David Cordingly once wrote about an exhibit he co-organized at the National Maritime Museum in London. Entitled Pirates: Fact and Fiction, the exhibit first opened in May 1992 and was scheduled to last for four months. Its popularity was such that it remained for three years.

It's probably books like Stevenson's Treasure Island (1883) and Barrie's Peter Pan (1904) that should be heralded (or blamed) for creating pop culture's modern pirate craze. However, the biggest single force in piratical storytelling today is Disney's ongoing film series Pirates of the Caribbean.

When the first movie premiered in 2003, pirate movies had been in a slump for decades. Movies about pirates were known to be box-office duds, and the fact that Disney's latest offering was a quirky fantasy film said to be "based" on one of their amusement park attractions did little to inspire confidence in critics.

But Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl turned out to be a sleeper success, eventually pulling in over $600 million worldwide in ticket sales. The success was enough to spawn three additional movies in the series -- Dead Man's Chest, At World's End, and On Stranger Tides. Together, the series made history as the first film franchise to have two entries in the "billion dollar" club (that is, films whose gross has exceeded $1 at the worldwide box office).

In total, the four movies have brought in over three and a half billion dollars worldwide. In doing so, the films have also widened the world originally created for The Curse of the Black Pearl, bringing in elements of nautical mythology to create a rich, unique universe that rivals Lord of the Rings or Star Wars in terms of epic scope. The films were conceived as summertime popcorn flicks -- but, like the best sagas, they have a richness in story and character that goes far beyond the usual such fare.

Speaking of characters, there's one in particular who can take credit for the breakout success of the Pirates franchise -- and that is Captain Jack Sparrow. You don't have to have seen the movies to recognize the name of Johnny Depp's hilarious, witty, and wholly weird pirate character, as Jack Sparrow has become a pop culture icon in the decade since his first appearance.

Savvy?

Jack's my favorite, of course -- Jack's everyone's favorite -- but he's hardly the only noteworthy character in the story. He's joined by such figures as Will Turner (a young blacksmith whose ideas of right and wrong have convinced him of the impossibility of someone committing a crime but still being a decent human being), Elizabeth Swann (a governor's daughter who idolizes pirates for the freedom they represent), Commodore Norrington (a by-the-books naval officer whose world spins entirely out of his own control), and Angelica (a pirate lady from Jack's past who also just happens to be the daughter of Blackbeard). Alongside such formidable baddies as Captain Barbossa, Lord Cutler Beckett, and the devil of the sea himself -- Davy Jones -- the result is a series of stories where complex characters reign supreme.

Over the course of four films, the Pirates of the Caribbean film series posits questions about the nature of freedom, the line between good and evil, the meaning of love and friendship, and prices that must be paid for what we most want to obtain. The result is a blockbuster franchise of depth and scope that remains my favorite set of films to this day.

Considering the holiday, now would be a great time to watch (or re-watch) the Pirates of the Caribbean films. For those of you short on time, however, I've summed up my five favorite moments of the series for you. Take a look:

5. Entrances

"It's a shilling to tie up your boat to the dock."

Nobody knows how to make an entrance like Captain Jack Sparrow. The character is first introduced in The Curse of the Black Pearl standing tall and proud atop the yard of a regal sailing ship. Except -- as the camera pulls back -- you see that Jack's not aboard a tall ship at all, but rather a tiny (and somewhat hole-ridden) boat that's sinking, more than sailing, its way into port.

This funny, surprising entrance (made all the more entertaining by the character's utter unconcern) was the first indication that there might be something more to this movie than the usual summer blockbuster. Jack's wholly-unique first appearance set the stage for a character who excels in forcing the people around him to expect the unexpected -- and who proves to be endlessly hilarious while doing so.

In the following films, Jack's entrances are used to foreshadow the character's fate (Dead Man's Chest), showcase his talents (On Stranger Tides), and bring him completely full-circle (At World's End). The result are four truly memorable introductions to one unforgettable character.



4. Moonlight Swordfight (The Curse of the Black Pearl)

 "Couldn't resist, mate."

There's nothing like a good plot twist to raise the stakes in the third act -- and nothing like a great sword fight to finish out a grand pirate adventure. The entire Pirates film series has plenty of fantastic action sequences, but for sheer fun, you can't beat the moonlit sword-fight that takes place towards the end of the first film.

Throughout The Curse of the Black Pearl, Jack's out for revenge against Barbossa, the mutinous first mate who once was a part of his crew. That's easier said than done when you're fighting against a bad guy who's under an ancient curse that makes him impossible to kill (not to mention turning him into a skeleton every time he steps into the moonlight). Jack is, however, nothing if he's not an optimist, and the sheer odds against him don't seem to bother him much as he squares off against his mortal enemy in a rip-roaring, no-holds-barred sword duel. (Of course, Jack usually does manage to find a way to even the odds against him.)

Much of The Curse of the Black Pearl is spent wondering exactly whose side -- if anybody -- Jack Sparrow is really on. We get our answer here, tucked within a sword-fight whose participants are crossing in and out of moonlight (and in and out of "skeleton-mode") as they duel. The result is an action set piece that is visually fun and character-based, all at the same time.



3. Palm Tree Pow-wow (On Stranger Tides)

"Here's to revenge -- sweet and clear."

From the beginning of the series, Captain Hector Barbossa's been just too much fun to be all bad. Even Jack seems to concur here, as the two captains -- tied up side-by-side by the soldiers they were just attempting to rob -- take a moment to converse (and share a well-earned drink).

Barbossa's always been a complex baddie: terrifying but fun, bluntly cruel but often honorable. As the films have progressed, Barbossa has crossed the line from outright-villain to sometimes-ally, and the result is equal parts fun and fascinating. By the time we reach the fourth entry in the series, he is, if not exactly a good guy, at least masquerading as one. And as Barbossa explains what's happened to his ship (and his missing right leg), the audience gets their deepest look yet into what price Barbossa is willing to pay for his freedom and his fate. So does Jack -- who comes out of the conversation ready to help his former enemy find justice. It's an incredibly powerful scene, and it's little more than two characters sitting and chatting underneath the palm trees. Not to be missed!

(Plus, the whole thing wraps up with one of Jack's greatest escapes ever.)



2. Up is Down (At World's End)

"Now up -- is down!"

The third movie in the series remains my favorite of the films, with its complex characterization, gorgeous visuals, and epic scope. That said, it's one of the simpler bits of action that remains one of my favorites.

Trapped in the doldrums of an otherworldly ocean, our pirate crew finds themselves lost, stranded, and without any real hope of escape. They've got a mystical map that may hold the answer to their way back home, but having been unable to decipher its messages, things are looking rather bleak.

No problem. You've got Jack Sparrow on board. The solution he arrives at, following the clues of the map, may not be a traditional response to the situation -- but when you've been hounded by the supernatural as long as Jack has, you pick up a thing or two on how to handle these things. "Up is Down," reads the map, and it stands to reason (at least to Jack) that the they should take the instructions as literally as possible.

What follows is a scene that is a bit of delightful, goofy fun, but that's also got a hint of zen to it: to get to where you want to go, you might have to take a direction you'd rather avoid. If, in this case, a bit more literally than the usual.

1. The Maelstrom (At World's End)

"Gentlemen -- hoist the colors."

I don't think it's just my personal bias talking when I say that this may be the grandest action scene I've ever seen on film. With the events of a trilogy's-worth of epic storytelling all coming to a head, At World's End third act features an epic sea battle between Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl and baddie Davy Jones's Flying Dutchman -- while a storm is raging and the two ships are pulled into an enormous whirlpool.

But the Pirates movies have never been just about the action. For all the stunning visuals and enormous special effects, what makes this a favorite scene of mine is the final pushes the characters are put through. Elizabeth Swann completes her transformation from upper-crust governor's daughter to a woman fighting for her own freedom, as well as the freedom of those around her. Will Turner seizes his chance to save the father he swore to help, and, in doing so, just may discover his own destiny. And Jack Sparrow finally answers the question of whose side he's on -- and what he's willing to do to stay there.

These decisions come with prices, and, in the end, our characters prove willing to pay them. Such choices and consequences add a rich layer of morality and heart to the story -- and leave our "pirates" better, and truer, versions of who they've always been.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me ...

From the Catalog

-- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (DVD)
-- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (DVD)
-- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (DVD)
-- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (DVD)

-- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (Blu-ray)

-- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Blu-ray)

-- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Blu-ray)

-- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Blu-ray)

-- Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks (CD)

-- Bring Me That Horizon: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean by Michael Singer (book)

-- The Art of Pirates of the Caribbean (book)

-- The Art of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides by Michael Singer (book)

-- The Pirates' Guidelines by Monique Peterson (book)

Don't forget to celebrate the day, matey.

-- Post by Ms. B 

Staff Recommendation #20: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

U.S. Cover

If you follow the latest events in the book world, you know that J.K. Rowling has been in the news quite a bit lately. A year ago she published her first post-Harry Potter novel, The Casual Vacancy. And just this past week, Warner Brothers announced that Rowling would write a screenplay for a new film franchise set in the Harry Potter world (it will be set many years before Harry was born).

But the biggest news was that she had written another adult novel, but written under a pseudonym. The Cuckoo's Calling was published in the U.K. and the United States in April of this year under the name Robert Galbraith.  In July, The Sunday Times (London) revealed Rowling as Robert Galbraith. The paper ran the story after receiving a tweet from a person who turned out to be a lawyer at a London law firm with his suspicion. The paper asked Rowling directly if she was Galbraith and she admitted that it was.

Rowling's intention was to see how well her book would do without her name being attached to it. The Cuckoo's Calling had actually received many very positive reviews from publications such as Publisher's Weekly and Booklist. However, the book only sold about 1,500 copies in the U.K. before she was outed. According to Publisher's Weekly it has now sold over 228,000 in the U.S. alone.

U.K. Cover

So, I have to admit I wanted to read it once I heard it was written by Rowling. I've loved the Harry Potter books since I picked up the first one in 2000 while living in Germany. When it was announced that Rowling would write an adult novel I was excited but a little uncertain. And when The Casual Vacancy came out with mixed reviews I didn't rush right out to read it, although I knew that I still wanted to give it a try. I have since read it and enjoyed it a lot. It definitely read like a Rowling story.

The Cuckoo's Calling, however, did not. And that's not a bad thing! Rowling has written an intriguing mystery with a lot of potential for a continuing series. As the story opens, Cormoran Strike, private detective and wounded ex-soldier, is a bit of a mess. His long term girlfriend has just broken up with him, which means he has no where to live. Also, his business is close to failing due to lack of funds, he owes money on some loans and he's been paying for a secretary from a temporary service that he really can't afford. Strike finally thinks he's free of the temp service when another young woman shows up for a two week stint. At the same time an old childhood acquaintance shows up with a case for him. These two events turn out to be the best things that have happened to him in quite awhile.

John Bristow wants to hire Strike to investigate the apparent suicide of his adopted sister Lula Landry. Three months earlier, the London police declared Lula, a famous supermodel, had jumped to her death from her third floor balcony. Bristow believes she was murdered and is willing to pay a large sum of money to find the truth.

As Strike is learning the details from Bristow, Strike's new assistant, Robin, puts herself to good use. Robin turns out to be a reliable and intelligent woman who shows initiative, something none of Strike's earlier secretaries had done. She ends up helping him solve the case in ways he never could have imagined.

With Robin's help, Strike begins his investigation into the death of Lula Landry. She lived her life in the world of fashion and celebrity and there are many possible suspects among that group. The more Strike learns about the night Lula died, the more uncertain things seem to be. But Strike discovers some interesting information that leads to someone he did not suspect, which puts his life in danger.

As a fan of mysteries I found The Cuckoo's Calling to be far better than average. There is a limited amount of violence, but it does have a gritty, urban feel to it. And while the ending was a bit more tidy than it maybe needed to be, Rowling has created two very compelling and relatable characters in Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott. I look forward to reading more mysteries involving these two. I might never have read The Cuckoo's Calling if J.K. Rowling had not been exposed as the true author, but I'm kind of glad that she was!


-- Post by Tracy

Staff Recommendation #19: Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs

It's the rare spin-off show that lives up to its predecessor. (You remember Friends, but what about Joey?)  When Cheers was cancelled after a spectacular 11-season run, the character of Dr. Frasier Crane -- a stuffy psychiatrist originally brought in to complicate the Sam/Diane relationship -- had become an undeniable part of the show. But he was, perhaps, the last character audiences expected to see in a spin-off series. (When asked in a survey, only 2% of viewers picked Frasier as a character they wanted to see get his own series.)

But perhaps it's precisely the unexpected fun and heart the came from having the character at the center of his own story that made Frasier the powerhouse sit-com it was. Lasting for 11 seasons of its own, the show was the creation of the same writers who created Cheers, and they wisely decided to take the character of Dr. Frasier Crane and give him a show that was entirely different -- and entirely his own.

With stellar casting, snappy writing, and storylines that often employed farce in its most artful form, Frasier is simply a fun show. But it's also a show about family, exploring the relationships between parents and children, between siblings, between spouses, and between the friends that become like family. And in the end -- like all good stories -- Frasier is about its characters.

The show, a long-standing favorite of mine, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year, having first premiered on September 16, 1993. In honor of the occasion, let's take a closer look at the Frasier family:


-- Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer)

"This is Dr. Frasier Crane -- I'm listening."

On Cheers, Frasier was a practicing psychiatrist who worked at a psychiatric ward in Boston. When the time for a spin-off series came, however, a freshly-divorced Frasier has relocated himself to his home town of Seattle, where he takes up a new career as a Dr. Phil-like radio host.

Out of the office, Frasier is, perhaps, the stereotype of the typical academic: stuffy, pompous, and particular, but also well-read, intelligent, and thoughtful. What balances out Frasier the most, however, is the fact that he's got a big heart. Legitimately caring about his family, his friends, and his listeners, he's got a strong moral compass and almost always tries to do the right thing -- even if it usually backfires on him. He's also a guy that, while actually having some truly good advice for those who ask him for it, is also on a quest to figure out his own life.

His catch phrases might sum him up best. While a bit pithy, they also show a guy who sincerely wants to help those listeners who call in for advice: "I'm listening," and "I wish you all good mental health!"

Best Moment: As both a writer and an older sibling, I'll always have a special place in my heart for the Season 1 episode "Author, Author." It's little brother Niles who has always dreamed of being an author, but when Niles gets the idea of writing a book about sibling relationships, he enlists older brother Frasier to help him out. With a deadline fast approaching, the two brothers lock themselves in a hotel room for 24 hours to hammer out the first few chapters ... and things go about as well as you'd expect them to.

Watch the scene from "Author, Author"

-- Dr. Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce)

"You're a complex little pirate, aren't you?"

Like his brother, Niles is also a psychiatrist in Seattle -- although, rather than hosting a radio show, Niles still has his own private practice. He's married to a woman called Maris (who, much like Norm Peterson's wife, Vera, on Cheers, is much discussed but never seen), though he still harbors a secret crush on his father's physical therapist (more on that in a bit).

Also like his brother, Niles is every bit as pompous and stuffy. He's also even more neurotic than Frasier -- the first thing we ever see Niles do is wipe down his seat at a restaurant table, a la Adrian Monk. His nervous personality and fussy habits make him a comedic masterpiece of a character, but his personal struggles add a touch of relatable humanity that can be a rare thing indeed in your average sit-com.

Best Moment: Nominated for an Emmy every year of the show's run (and taking home four of them), Hyde Pierce's superb comedic timing and acting prowess makes it difficult to pick just one moment. But if forced to choose, my vote has to be for the opening scene of the Season 6 episode "Three Valentines." Opening in Frasier's apartment (which Niles has borrowed for the evening to entertain a date), this nearly-wordless scene plays out like a Charlie Chaplin routine, as Niles's preparations for his date slowly build into a scene of utter catastrophe.

Watch the scene from "Three Valentines."

-- Martin "Marty" Crane (John Mahoney)

"You want to establish this great father-son relationship. Well, that kind of thing takes a couple of years -- not a couple of days." 

Profession-wise, Frasier and Niles take after their mom, who was a research psychiatrist. But Martin Crane is no slouch in the intellect department, having once been a detective on the Seattle police force until an on-the-job injury forced him to retire. At the start of the show, Marty has not sufficiently recovered physically to be able to live on his own, and so he moves in with his newly-relocated son, Frasier.

Significantly more down to earth, practical, and casual than his somewhat-snooty sons, Marty is often at his comedic best when antagonizing Frasier and Niles for their various fussy habits. But even without a psychiatry degree, Marty also has plenty of wisdom on the trials and tribulations of life, which he always offers to his sons when they need it the most. And if he's still not entirely sure how his sons turned out so differently from him, he doesn't love his boys any less for it.

Best Moment: There's often a touch of condescension from Niles and Frasier when they're talking to their blue-collar father -- so it's always fun to watch that condescension come back to haunt them. In this episode, Frasier cajoles his father to play a round of chess with him -- only for his "uneducated" father to promptly beat the pants off him. Slightly daunted, Frasier challenges Marty to game after game, until he finally reaches the late-night moment when he's convinced he's finally defeated his father. Or so it seems for one brief, shining moment. (Marty's nonchalance about the whole thing only adds to the fun.)

Watch the scene from "Chess Pains."

-- Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin)

Niles shouldn't have made fun of Roz while standing in front of her with a newly-purchased antique novel.

While Frasier is primarily a show about family, I do enjoy the addition of Frasier's radio station "office life" -- best personified by Roz, who, over time, becomes like family herself. The executive producer of Frasier's radio show, Roz is smart, sharp, outgoing, and remarkably patient (most of the time). Skilled at her job, Roz must guide new-to-the-airwaves Frasier through his initial days as a radio star, but even after he's learned the ropes, the two go on to form a great partnership.

With an active social life, Roz also has plenty of stories to regale Frasier with -- much to his exasperation (and the audience's amusement). But as time goes on, she also becomes his best friend, someone he has to help him sort out his own personal conundrums (and he's always happy to return the favor for her).

Best Moment: This isn't just my favorite Roz moment, but one of my favorite moments of the whole show. It takes place in the very first episode, "The Good Son," when a despairing Frasier is wondering why his best intentions of growing closer to his father aren't working out the way he wanted them to. The story Roz responds with puts things neatly in perspective -- for Frasier, as well as for the audience.

Watch the scene from "The Good Son."

-- Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves)

"I must confess -- I'm a bit psychic."

Starting as something of a spear-carrier, Daphne is a physical therapist who moves into the Crane household to work with Marty on his post-injury therapy, as well as serving as an unofficial housekeeper. She is, however, quickly made another member of the family, providing some much-needed balance to the tension between father and son. ("Daphne, you can't go," Frasier implores her in one episode, when she's considering moving out. "You have to stay. I've only just recently realised how important you are to us. You see, if you go, Dad and I will kill each other.")

She's got her eccentricities, though in a far different way from the Crane brothers. Born and raised in Manchester, England, she fancies herself as the receiver of flashes of psychic insight and enjoys regaling those around her with unbelievable stories about her wacky family. But she's also funny, insightful, and quite sure of who she is, and is much more outright and forthcoming than the generally more reserved Frasier and Niles.

Speaking of Niles: the not-so-secret crush that Niles harbors for Daphne may have started life as a throwaway joke, but the evolution of their relationship becomes a major component of the show for more than a few seasons.

Best Moment: This is another hard one for me to choose, as Daphne is a favorite character of mine. That said, it has to be in the Season 2 episode "The Innkeepers." Niles and Frasier have gone into the restaurant business together with the purchase of a fancy Italian restaurant. When their entire staff walks off the job on opening night, it's up to the family to carry out the evening's duties. The results are classic -- especially for Daphne, whose practicality proves to be particularly hilarious as she helps prepare the star dish.

Watch the scene from "The Innkeepers."

-- Eddie (Moose & Enzo)

"DA-AD!  I can't eat my breakfast; Eddie's staring at me!"

"Oh, Dad, not Eddie!  He's weird!"  When Marty moves in with his son, he's not about to leave his best friend behind. Eddie, a Jack Russell terrier, quickly becomes the bane of Frasier's existence, climbing up on the furniture and spending long periods of time sitting and staring at Frasier with apparent rapt fascination. Beloved by Martin and tolerated (mostly) by Frasier, Eddie -- like many TV dogs -- seems possessed with an uncommon intelligence that makes for hilarious results.

The role of Eddie was played for many years by "dog actor" Moose (and, later, by Moose's son Enzo, when Moose himself stepped down to "retire"). Impeccably trained, Moose and Enzo both did their duty in making Eddie an undeniable part of the Crane family.

Best Moment: Every time he stares at Frasier.

Watch some of Eddie's best moments in this clip of highlights.

From the Collection: 

-- Frasier on DVD
-- Cheers on DVD

-- Frasier by Jefferson Graham [the making-of book]
-- The Frasier Scripts created by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee [book]
-- My Life as a Dog: By Moose, Who Portrays TV's Eddie by Brian Hargrove [book]

-- So Far ... by Kelsey Grammer [autobiography]

Request via Interlibrary Loan:

-- "Tossed Salads & Scrambled Eggs: And Other Frasier Favorites" [CD soundtrack]



-- Post by Ms. B 

Staff Recommendation #18: The Truth is Still Out There

While I have mentioned in other posts (here and here) about my love of The X Files, I thought it was time to further examine this obsession. And since it's the 20th anniversary of the premiere of the show, it's as good a time as any!

On September 10, 1993 the face of science fiction on television changed. At that time, most of the science fiction shows that had been produced usually dealt with space ships traveling the universe sometime in the future. When Chris Carter created The X Files, he didn't even considered it a science fiction show. He wanted to make a show that would scare people. His goal was to recreate the "thrills and chills" he had, when he was a kid, from shows like The Night Stalker. While the show had a lot of scary episodes, it eventually worked its way into a mythology driven, sci fi classic.

The main premise of The X Files is of the search for one man's missing sister. When he was just a young boy Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) witnessed the abduction of his sister Samantha. Or at least he believes he did. This obsession with the mystery of her disappearance leads him to study psychology at Oxford. He is then recruited by the FBI and graduates from the academy with top honors. His success in his early career and his connections in Congress lead him to start investigating "X Files" or unexplained phenomena.

He is eventually joined by the fresh, new FBI Agent, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), which is where the show starts out. Scully is brought in to observe and report on Mulder, who has a reputation of using unorthodox methods. Their first case takes them to Oregon to investigate the alleged abductions of several teenagers from the same graduating class. The things that they see and learn leaves a powerful impression on Scully, a trained medical doctor. While she is not as eager as Mulder to believe everything is a conspiracy or the result of aliens, she is determined to understand what is happening. Thus begins one of the best partnerships in television history.

To say much more about the episodes would do the show an injustice and give away too much, if you've never watched. While many episodes stand on their own (AKA "freak of the week" episodes), the meat and potatoes of the show are the "mythology" episodes. This is where the viewers slowly start to find out about the government conspiracy concerning the existence of extraterrestrial life and what happened to Mulder's sister. The mythology episodes are what set the show apart. It wasn't a show where you had to watch every single episode to understand what was going on, but the combination of the stand alone episodes and the mythology episodes is what made it interesting.

And despite the fact that the show mostly focuses on Mulder and Scully, The X Files also gave us a great group of supporting characters. From Assistant Director Walter Skinner (who may or may not be on our heroes side) to the Lone Gunmen (a trio of conspiracy nuts) to the Cigarette Smoking Man (definitely not on the heroes side), these characters add humor, suspense and intrigue to the stories.

While it had a slow start in the ratings, by season 4 (1996) The X Files was the highest rated show for FOX. The slow start was partly due to being on Friday nights, but when they made the move to Sunday nights at the beginning of Season 4, their ratings and popularity soared. With that came more demand for all things X Files. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were gracing the covers of magazines and making more and more appearances on all the talk shows.

Another development was the admiration and devotion of the fans, known as X Philes. These devoted fans started fan clubs and shared fan fiction in the early days of the World Wide Web. If they would have had the resources that are available today to obsessed fans, who knows what else they would have done. As it is, there are still plenty of web sites devoted to The X Files maintained by these fans. I am happy to admit that I was one of these fans - I was an early member of the fan club, bought all the books and magazines I could get my hands on and even attended a convention!

At the height of the show's popularity, The X Files: Fight the Future was released as a motion picture in the summer of 1998. The film picked up where season five had ended, but it was done in such a way that anyone would be able to follow the story. Season six picked up where the film ended. This film was concerned with many of the conspiracy theories from the show which played to the die hard fan. (Seven years after the show went off the air another film was released, The X Files: I Want to Believe).

After seven seasons, David Duchovny decided that he was ready to tackle other roles and was written out of the show. In season eight Agent John Doggett (Robert Patrick) steps in as Scully's new partner. Eventually they are joined by Agent Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish). At the end of season nine, Mulder does return, but he faces a military tribunal on charges of murder. After Duchovny left, the show suffered from his loss and ratings for the final two seasons plummeted. The show probably should have found a way to wrap up the story at that point, but from my understanding the network was still making a profit on the show, so it stayed on the air.

So after all that, why do I love this show so much? First of all, I had never seen anything like it before. The idea of their being life on other planets has always fascinated me, as has the many stories of people claiming to have been abducted by aliens. I'm still not sure if or what I believe, but I was thrilled to see a show that treated these ideas as serious. And even though I'm not a fan of horror/slasher films, such as Friday the 13th, I don't mind a bit of scariness and suspense and The X Files delivered on that count. The show had a wonderful crew of writers over the years who wrote some of the best television I've ever seen. Some of them were exciting and suspenseful and many others were a bit outrageous and funny.

But what really kept me coming back, week after week, year after year, was Mulder and Scully. At first it seems that The X Files is Mulder's show, but we soon realize that this is Scully's story as much as Mulder's. I loved that Scully was an intelligent, dedicated and professional woman. She was every bit Mulder's equal and he treated her that way almost from the very beginning. They had their moments of disagreement and serious falling outs, but in the end they knew they could count on each other. Often, they could only rely on each other.

So take my advice, if you've never watched The X Files, take the plunge! And if you have, it's always fun to revisit a show. It's like reconnecting with an old friend.


-- Post by Tracy

Old Timey Music

One of my favorite films is O Brother, Where Art Thou? It's a quirky, beautiful, satire set in the American South during the Great Depression. Three escaped convicts are on a journey to retrieve a stolen treasure that may soon become unaccessible once the valley where it is buried is flooded to build a dam. Along the way they meet many interesting characters. One of the main characters in the film is music. It tells a vital role in the telling of their journey. At one point, they record an "old timey" song "into a can" because they need the money. That song ends up saving their lives.

In the 1930s "Old Timey" music was the beginnings of what we know today as Country music. Much of the music used in the film is authentic to the period and were popular hits of the day. The artists behind those songs were pioneers in the Country and Western genre.

Below are a few of those artists.



-- Jimmie Rodgers

Considered by many to be the "father of country music", Jimmie Rodgers was a pioneer in music history. Born September 8, 1907 in Pine Springs, Mississippi, Rodgers spent his early life in Meridian, Mississippi. By the age of 13 he was working on the railroad. This nomadic life exposed him to a variety of people and musical styles. It also may have contributed to his contracting tuberculosis in 1923. Since this meant he had to leave the railroad business, it gave him more time to concentrate on his music. In 1927 he signed with Victor Records. His music combined folk and blues (and some yodeling) to create another uniquely American sound. One of his hits, "In the Jailhouse Now", was used in O Brother, Where Art Thou? Rodgers also starred in a short film called The Singing Brakeman (1929).

His health continued to fail and in 1933, at the age of 35, he passed away. In 1961 he was one of the first artists to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

-- Roy Acuff

From the "father of country music" to the "king of country music." Roy Acuff, born September 15, 1903 in Tennessee, was one of the most popular country musicians of all time. After an injury forced him to give up his dream of being a professional baseball player, he started playing the fiddle and ended up joining a local traveling group as a musician/comedian/actor. With the success of that tour, Acuff began performing with his brother and a friend on the streets of Knoxville. The band quickly grew in size and by 1936 signed a contract with the American Recording Company. The group, the Smoky Mountain Boys, had one of their biggest hits "Wabash Cannonball" in 1938.

After the success of "Wabash Cannonball", the group was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry radio program. Acuff would be a continued presence at the Opry until the 1990s. His warmth and charm made him a natural for master of ceremonies duties.

Acuff was also a smart business man who formed his own music publishing company Acuff-Rose Publishing in 1942. He realized it made more sense to be his own publisher rather than sell his songs to someone else.

In 1962, Acuff became the first living artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.



-- Gene Autry

Gene Autry was known as the "Singing Cowboy" for his many years of playing that role on film, radio and television. Autry was born September 29, 1907 in Texas but grew up in Oklahoma. His musical career began in 1929 with the best selling "That Silvered-Haired Daddy of Mine." By the mid-1930s Autry began his long association with Hollywood. His first film, In Old Santa Fe, had only a brief, but popular, singing performance by Autry. But that was enough to spur him on to making films for the next twenty years. After World War II, Autry made the transition from film to television with such shows as The Gene Autry Show and The Adventures of Champion.

Autry is probably most well known today for his holiday songs, such as "Frosty the Snowman," "Peter Cottontail," and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Probably his most well known song, "Back in the Saddle Again" has been used numerous times in contemporary films, most notably Sleepless in Seattle.

Gene Autry entered the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1969.



-- Hank Williams

Hank Williams is one of the many country artists who benefited from the early work of Rodgers, Acuff and Autry. Through his brief, but highly prolific career, Hank Williams became the father of contemporary country music. Born in Alabama on September 15, 1923, Williams got his first guitar at the age of 8 and learned to play from a local blues street performer. His honky-tonk, country-blues style was greatly influenced by his early exposure to African-American blues. When he was 12, Williams won a songwriting contest and by the age of 14 had organized his own band.

For the next several years, Williams continued to perform and write, but was not having widespread success. He moved to Nashville and signed a songwriting contract with Acuff-Rose Publishing. In 1947 he signed with MGM Records and recorded "Move It On Over" which was a huge hit for him and his band, The Drifting Cowboys. He joined the Grand Ole Opry, over objections to his hard drinking ways, in 1949. For the next four years Williams would have 27 top ten hits. He also saw many of his songs covered by other performers of the day, such as Tony Bennett and Jo Stafford.

In December of 1952 Williams suffered a heart attack brought on by his excessive drinking. He died January 1, 1953 at the age of 29. More than 25,000 grieving fans attended his funeral in Montgomery, Alabama. He was inducted into the Country Music Association Hall of Fame in 1961, along with Jimmie Rodgers.

His legacy lives on in the musical careers of his son (Hank Williams Jr.), grandson (Hank Williams III) and his granddaughter (Holly Williams).


-- Post by Tracy