Fun What are you watching right now?

The Magicians. Just watched the 1st episode. Wasn't sure I'd keep going but the way it ended I decided I must see the 2nd. So far it's Harry Potter with sex and cursing.

 

ABC News

 

The Unxplained

 

UFC's 25 Greatest Fights

 

Sita Sings the Blues

 

Blade was on AMC and now Blade 2 is on and, swear this is true, I decided to finally watch Blade Trinity tonight (it was on my Netflix list for years then left then it was on Showcase StackTV and it's also Amazon Prime - StackTV makes you sit through ads even though it's a paid service). Then I flipped on the TeeVee and there's Blade and Blade 2 running back to back. So now I kinda have to watch it even though it's apparently terrible. Blade is pretty cool though and I haven't seen Blade 2 in forever so pretty excited. Del Toro!

 

Family Feud

 

Clone Wars S7 Ep 6&7.

 

Family Feud

 

My Cousin Vinny

 

Star Wars The Clone Wars S7 Eps 1-8

 

The Late Show with Steven Colbert

 

Doctor Who (9th Doctor)

 

Something on the Game Show Network called America Says.

 

For the past week or so I have been rewatching and watching various episodes of the X-Files. Both the early and latter seasons(not the 2010s brief sequels).

The X-Files are an interesting show for a variety of reasons. First off, nineties culture is just so memorable and this is from someone born in 1997. Secondly the content-conspiracy theories are somewhat of a used hat now-so much so large swathes of the population believe some conspiracy is ongoing or another. Its a different conception though of the conspiracy genre-backroom plots and sinister schemes, with deep layers of government involvement and of course black helicopters and super soldiers. Back I dare say when conspiracies were more "fun". Less politicized because they weren't as tied to political movements or sentiments.

Secondly, despite UFOs and aliens being the central premise-it isn't really heavy on aliens. Which rarely appear even in mytharc episodes, and even then they are often dead bodies, or in flashbacks. Correct me if I'm wrong, but our protagonists Mulder and Scully never directly encounter aliens or confront them face to face. The Alien menace is unseen, always there and approaching but never up in the face-which works to retain its menace and mystery.

Monster of the week episodes are diverse in nature and in quality, though I do enjoy the formula with an overarching mythos and plenty of cryptids, ghosts, religious phenomena, and psychic powered people to fill out a 20 plus episode season.

The X-Files are paradoxical-the nineties were supposedly a time of prosperity and the end of history yet also the notion that men within the government could be plotting with aliens to colonize the planet would receive a nine season TV series. Nowadays we live in far more cynical times, and paradoxically conspiracy theories and theorists have a far more negative cultural and political connotation-which is for complex reasons I couldn't say without a long essay.

Overall though, its still a very enjoyable series and its main leads-David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are a strong duo in terms of performance and gravitas.

In some ways, I think the X-Files is probably one of the greatest legacies of the nineties and the ideas and notions it crystallized have made lasting impacts today. Even if you don't believe in aliens.

But to me, in spite of its dark plot the X-Files embody a certain...epistemological optimism. "The Truth is out there". It can be sought out and perhaps found. Whereas now we live in an era where truth itself is either de-universalized or de-emphasized, or is seen as un-pursuable. The optimism even in the face of shadow and conspiracy-that truth can be found, even amongst the lies, plots and sinister conspiracies is probably the greatest underlying theme of the series. And that is why I love it.

 

Not this second, but I watched the first two episodes of Devs which is interesting, and the Magicians.

 

DH is making me watch a Marlins game on youtube because I brought a Marlins shirt from a vintage shop. I just liked the colours damn it!

 

Minutes away from watching The Rise Of Skywalker for only the second time. I wasn't bowled over after the first viewing and couldn't bring myself to watch it again at the cinema so I'm really hoping I like it more this time round. Wife and kids with me this time so it should be more fun.

 

Local News

 

Natalie Merchant music and concert videos.

 

Cops

 

What We Do in the Shadows season 2. There are 2 episodes out. One of the best shows ever.

 

CNN

 

Doctor Who
Series 1 with Eccleston
Just finished "The Empty Child"
WW2 blitz in London setting, creepy plague like attack taking over with victims left in gas masks.

Very comforting at a time like this.
Great episode though.
Left on a cliffhanger.

 

What did you think of 'Dalek'?