Read the first chapter of The Plot to Save Socrates .... FREE!
Thu, 18 March 2010
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 74, in which I present my original reviews of the first 10 episodes of FlashForward, from the Fall 2009. With Flashforward to resume tonight, I thought these reviews - from my Levinson news clips podcast - might be a good way of catching up.
Links:
home page: http://paullevinson.info more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006
published on 3 September 2009: New New Media my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates "challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly "Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book Read the first chapter of The Plot to Save Socrates .... FREE
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Sun, 7 March 2010
A special Episode 72 of Light On Light Through -- recorded an hour after ABC-TV pulled its station off Cablevision in the New York area.
Link to blog post: Memo to Cablevision and ABC TV
home page: http://paullevinson.info more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006
published on 3 September 2009: New New Media my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates "challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly "Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book Read the first chapter of The Plot to Save Socrates .... FREE
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Thu, 28 January 2010
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 70: A January 2010 TV Review Sampler. I've been speaking and writing for several years - here on Light On Light Through, in my classes, on my blogs, in newspaper op-eds, and in my books - about the "new golden age of television" we are enjoying. Indeed, I've been reviewing many of these great dramas - The Sopranos, Lost, Dexter - over on one of my other podcasts, Levinson News Clips. These reviews are usually just 5-7 minutes, and I often post them within minutes of a show's broadcast. This month of January 2010 has been an especially excellent month for television, so I decided to put together this special Light On Light Through sampler of my Levinson News Clips TV reviews of 24, Big Love, Bones, Damages, Fringe, Heroes, and House - all of which have come back on television with fine new episodes. You'll find continuing reviews of every episode of these and other television shows on Levinson News Clips. Links:
home page: http://paullevinson.info more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006
published on 3 September 2009: New New Media my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates "challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly "Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit" -- in Curled Up With A Good Book Read the first chapter of The Plot to Save Socrates .... FREE
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Sat, 23 January 2010
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 69: Leno, Conan, and New New Media .... in which I replay for you the entire 48-minute interview Fred W. Hofmann conducted with me on KCPS Radio, January 19, 2010, about the shake-up with Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien at NBC. My thesis is that this has little to do with the talents of either late-night comedian, but rather is a result of the shift in audiences from network television to cable and the Internet. I began to explore this shift in my 2009 book, New New Media, and I see the Leno-O'Brien events as just the latest rumblings in a television revolution which has just begun... Links:
home page: http://paullevinson.info more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006
published on 3 September 2009: New New Media my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates "challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly "Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit" -- in Curled Up With A Good Book Read the first chapter of The Plot to Save Socrates .... FREE
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Fri, 26 December 2008
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 56: 24 Season 6 Plus Redemption...a special, super-jumbo compilation episode, in which you'll hear my reviews of every episode of 24 Season 6 ... including my impersonation of Secretary Heller, somewhere in the middle of the reviews ... originally presented on my Levinson news clips podcast a few minutes after each broadcast of 24 back in 2007 ... plus a brand new review of Redemption, the two-hour 24 movie broadcast on Fox in November 2008. A great way to rev up for the return of 24, Season 7,
on January 11, 2009. Hey, if you're a student, and you want to
surreptitiously listen to this podcast in the back of a boring class, I
won't tell anyone... Helpful links:
home page: http://paullevinson.info my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . heroine Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit" -- in Curled Up With A Good Book
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Sat, 22 November 2008
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 54 LOST 4 and 13 ...another special, jumbo compilation episode, in which you'll hear all of my reviews of the second part of Season 4 of Lost ... originally presented on my Levinson news clips podcast a few minutes or hours after each Thursday's broadcast of Lost ... reviews of the final five episodes of Season 4: 9-13.... These five
episodes, in my opinion, were among the best ever on Lost ...Helpful links:
home page: http://paullevinson.info my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . heroine Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit" -- in Curled Up With A Good Book
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Sun, 23 March 2008
Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 53 LOST 4 and 8 ...a special, jumbo compilation episode, in which you'll hear all of my reviews of the first part of Season 4 of Lost ... originally presented on my Levinson news clips podcast on the Friday after each Thursday's broadcast of Lost ... 9 reviews of the first 8 episodes (because I did two reviews of the first episode, I liked it so much), plus some special new commentary, presented here for the first time, with some additional thoughts I had about Episode 8, and the coming attractions at the end ... These eight episodes have been classic ... containing one of the best time travel stories ever on television, as well as some possible answers to the key mysteries of Lost ...Helpful links:
home page: http://paullevinson.info my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . heroine Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit" -- in Curled Up With A Good Book
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Sun, 28 October 2007
Welcome to Light On Light Through Episode 48, an Interview with Rich Sommer, who plays Harry Crane on AMC's Mad Men. Among the highlights - the "joys" of wearing real 1960s clothing ... what are they really smoking on the show? ... what does Rich think happened with Harry between episodes 12 and 13 of the show? ... how does Rich explain Harry's uncanny resemblance to Isaac Asimov (see photos below) ... how does Rich account for the rare anachronism on the show ... and much more in this exclusive interview, conducted just two days ago ... We had a grand time in this interview! If you love the show, you'll want to listen to every minute of this ... If you don't know the show, you'll want to watch every minute of it after listening to this interview...   Isaac Asimov (1965) and Harry Crane aka Rich Sommer (1960) Plus flashes ... David Wiltse's Sedition at Fordham University Monday night, 7:30pm, Pope Auditorium, 60th Street & Columbus, free admission ... I'll be on the radio Tues, 7:30 pm, on Bob Mann's Let's Consider the Sources, channel xm133 on XM Radio... Helpful links:
home page: http://paullevinson.info more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv and http://www.myspace.com/twiceuponarhyme videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006 my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . heroine Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit" -- in Curled Up With A Good Book more about The Plot to Save Socrates... | |
Fri, 21 September 2007
I'm just watching Keith Olbermann, back on MSNBC's Countdown, after several days of being down and out with appendicitis ... It's good to see him back on his show. I by no means agree with all of Keith's positions and remarks. I especially didn't like his caustic attack on 24 last year, his shots at Bill O'Reilly sometimes are over the top. (But see my blog post about O'Reilly's site giving away "Please Don't Taze Me, Bro" bumper stickers - a new low, even for O'Reilly.) But whatever Keith's flaws, he offers a unique and much-needed commentary. Not only because it generally comes from the left (which I don't always agree with, either), but because it is sharp, outrageous, fresh and funny. Alison Stewart does a good job as Keith's regular substitute, but you can see Keith's special contribution right there. Alison's content is the same as Keith's, her delivery is fine, but I laugh, gasp, or get angry maybe one out every ten times I do when watching Keith Olbermann. Welcome back, Keith, and keep up the good, infuriating work. Category:Television
-- posted at: 3:07 AM | |
Thu, 20 September 2007
Dan Rather is suing CBS for $70 million and he is 100% justified. Instead of standing by its reporter, after its own two-member panel could not say that the report Rather went on the air with was false, CBS hung Rather out to dry. In so doing, CBS damaged Rather's reputation and his potential for future employment. And it damaged its own reputation and its legacy even more. CBS just celebrated its 80th anniversary the other day. William Paley must be turning over in his grave about CBS did to Dan Rather. His law suit is a small way of rectifying that. Meanwhile, the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric draws fewer viewers than it did with Rather. Category:Television
-- posted at: 3:24 AM | |
Mon, 17 September 2007
I'm not talking about Fox News. It is the Fox Broadcasting Company - the entertainment part of the company, which has far more viewers and rakes in far more advertising revenue than its little brother, Fox News - that might need some massive boycotting. It was the Fox Broadcasting Company which censored Sally Field's anti-war statement in its broadcast of the Emmys last night. Sally Field was on stage to accept her Emmy Award for best actress in a drama series - Brothers and Sisters. She was talking about the pain of war, and said that, "if mothers ruled the world, maybe there would be no more godda-" And Fox cut her off in mid-sentence. We're not allowed to hear the phrase "goddamned war," even though war is just that. We, in our democracy, supposedly protected by a First Amendment that says Congress shall make law no abridging freedom of speech or press, are not allowed to hear a critique of war. Fox was no doubt afraid of the Federal Communications Commission, and what it might do to a broadcast network that allowed the word "goddamned" to go out to the world. This is what we've come to. Fear of an unconstitutional agency leading a network to bleep a profound, heartfelt observation about war. Here are some responses we might consider: 1. The Fox Broadcasting Company could lose more money if it loses viewers than it might have been fined by the FCC for broadcasting goddamned. Maybe Americans who want to see this wrong war over should stop watching Fox for a couple of weeks. A good time to start would be right now, when Fox is unveiling its Fall lineup. 2. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences should think about moving the Emmys telecast to cable, currently not under the FCC's thumb. 3. We need to elect a President who understands the unconstitutionality of the FCC, and the damage it does. Ron Paul of the Republicans already gets this, and perhaps a few of the Democrats, such as Obama or Edwards, could make this part of their platform. On the May 8th page of the 2007 First Amendment Calendar, I'm quoted as saying "What begins as a seemingly innocent campaign against indecency … always segues in short order into political censorship." That's just what happened last night.  Category:Television
-- posted at: 6:49 PM | |
Sun, 2 September 2007
A lot of hand wringing, phosphor, and ink spilled over the news that NBC shows won't be for sale any more on iTunes. According to Apple, that's because it didn't want to go along with an NBC price hike that would have upped the per-episode download price from $1.99 to $4.99 for consumers... But, you know what? They're both wrong. NBC, sure, for wanting to get more money for its downloaded shows, but iTunes and NBC were both wrong, in the first place, to charge even $1.95 per download. Most people already know that that you can see episodes of most major shows for free, on the NBC or whatever network's web site - not to mention bittorent and all the rest. The world of television consumption is changing, almost by the minute, and it's moving towards people watching whatever they want, when they want, and not paying for it. Actually, there's probably a shorter distance between this and traditional free television in your living room than download-and-pay. NBC and Apple are usually ahead of the pack in understanding this new world. Maybe NBC does understand this, and wants to drive more viewers to its own site. But whatever the reasoning, it's a safe bet that corporate, profit-per-item mentality is a stubborn old bird, and won't die easily, even in the digital age. Category:Television
-- posted at: 7:20 AM | |
Sun, 26 August 2007
Big Love is ending tonight on HBO. Mad Men is superb on AMC, as is Californication on Showtime. I'm also enjoyingt the new season of Weeds over there - but I'm really looking forward to the return of Dexter on Showtime in September. It was the best show on television last Fall, when it premiered. Michael C. Hall - of Six Feet Under fame - played the serial killer who takes out serial killers, and he played the part to chilling, sometimes even humorous, perfection. I've never quite seen anything like this on television (something which is also true of Big Love, Mad Men, Californication, and Weeds - part of the reason I keep saying we're in a new golden age of television). But a serial killer with a social conscience... who has trouble relating to people - because he is so detached - but is nice to his girlfriend. That's fascinating. And the shows raises the important ethical issue of whether a serial killer of serial killers is ultimately a good or a bad human being.... See you in September with more... Category:Television
-- posted at: 5:55 PM | |
Sat, 25 August 2007
Category:Television
-- posted at: 7:13 PM | |
Wed, 22 August 2007
This got me thinking: when will an iPhone make its first appearance on a television show - in which series? Well, it won't likely be Battlestar Galactica, where digital media are banned, lest the humans be compromised by Cylons, and the phones are attached to walls with wires. It won't be Lost, either, which is not quite yet in the present (though you never really know with that extraordinary show). Otherwise ... certainly any of the Law and Orders, "ripped from the headlines," could sport an iPhone, and probably will, sooner or later. When that happens, I predict it will mostly likely be in the hands, or at least the view, of John Munch (Richard Belzer's digitally savvy character). But, ok, I'll stop making conditional predictions. I have no inside information, but I predict the first iPhone we'll see will be in .... Heroes ... on NBC ... on a late-November episode. Let's check back here in the November, and see if I'm right ...
Category:Television
-- posted at: 3:50 AM | |
Mon, 13 August 2007
John from Cincinnati concluded on HBO tonight - you'll find my review, and links to my reviews of all the episodes, here - but in this post I wanted to reflect a little on the salient characteristic of the series: ambiguity, also known as lack of clarity. I don't think I've ever seen a television show - including Twin Peaks - so brazenly unresolved. The question, then: is that good? People complained about the open, ambiguous ending of The Sopranos. Well, John from Cincinnati was ambiguous at the beginning, the middle, or the end? Good or bad? The murkiness of the show will certainly make it memorable. Is it always necessary to have clear-cut resolutions in our narratives? I've been criticized for not tying up more loose ends at the of my time-travel novel, The Plot to Save Socrates - in particular, for one major character (no, not Socrates). I don't know ... I ended my novel that way because it felt good, right. After all, life is usually ambiguous in its endings, not resolved, so why do some of us insist upon resolution in our fiction? I think John for Cincinnati was probably too unresolved throughout for my tastes in narrative. I don't mind a murky jewel at all, but I like seeing a little more light through it, when I hold it up in my mind for scrutiny, at least some of the time. But I suspect John from Cincinnati will be scrutinized for light and meaning for a long time to come.
Category:Television
-- posted at: 4:13 AM | |
Wed, 1 August 2007
We'll be convening a conference, to take place at Fordham University in The Sopranos, A Wake We expect about 100 papers to be presented, written not only by professors and graduate and undergraduate students, but by critics, writers, and indeed anyone with something interesting, sage, original, provocative to say about The Sopranos. Here is our formal "call" for papers. Admission will be open to the general public. The guiding force behind this conference is David Lavery, Chair in Film and Television, Some background: David Lavery edited This Thing of Ours, Investigating The Sopranos (Columbia University Press/Wallflower Press, 2002), which contains essays by Lavery, Howard, me, and other scholars and critics. In September 2002, to inaugurate the book's publication and a new season of The Sopranos, I organized a small vest-pocket conference at Sopranos script supervisor Christine Gee Lowrey was our special guest. We expect to have all sorts of exciting special guests at the 2008 conference. Keep an eye on this blog for details, and/or send me an e-mail at PaulLevinson@LightonLightthrough.com to be put on our mailing list.
Category:Television
-- posted at: 7:47 PM | |
Mon, 28 May 2007
Welcome to Episode 36 of Light On Light Through ... in which we consider five questions that arise from the breathtaking Season 3 finale of Lost ... 1. how far in the future was the action in Los Angeles? ... 2. who's in the coffin? ... 3. who's waiting for Kate? ... 4. who is Naomi's boss? ... 5. is Mikhail immortal? ... Plus flashes ... more Lost ... still significant: inexplicable coincidences in the backstories ... Walt ... the paradox of the liar ... more Lost in Helpful links... First, my blog posts on Lost New Questions and other Lost matters - How Far in the Future? ... Who's In the Coffin? ... Who's Waiting for Kate? ... Who Is Naomi's Boss? ... Is Mikhail Immortal? and Lost and Alias: Now Something Else in Common ... And some helpful links... videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006 my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . heroine Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit" -- in Curled Up With A Good Book | |
Sun, 20 May 2007
Welcome to Light On Light Through Episode 35 ... my exclusive predictions for the season finales this week of 24, Heroes, and Lost! I'll say no more ... you've got to listen to the podcast (most of these predictions have not appeared on my blogs before). Email yours to me at PaulLevinson@LightonLightthrough.com - if I receive them before the shows, and you're right, I'll mention your name on next week's Light On Light Through.... Plus flashes ... devoted completely to politics again, and mostly to the poor treatment Ron Paul is still receiving from mainstream media ... this time, why did Fox choose to conduct a poll via texting, and then denigrate the results because Ron Paul did so well? ... also, Democrats, next time take up Fox and every network on offers to host your Presidential debates ... you don't hurt Fox by refusing to debate on its network, you hurt yourselves and the American people... Helpful links:
The Plot to Save Socrates - my latest novel | |
Sun, 15 April 2007
Four Imus Fallacies ... Welcome to Episode 30 of Light On Light Through in which we consider four fallacies that have been bandied about the media regarding the firing of Imus from his television and radio shows, which was well-deserved ... the language of rap ... the Duke lacrosse players ... Anne Coulter, Rosie O'Donnell, and other celebrities who traffic in insult ... the First Amendment ... I'll explain why none of those issues or people have relevance to Imus ... Plus flashes ... freed British sailors have every right to sell their stories to the media ... O'Reilly and Rivera knew just what they were doing when they lost their tempers on television ... And a special treat ... a new home demo from England's James Harris ... Walking On Air ... Try GoToMyPC free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.gotomypc.com/podcast Helpful links:
The Plot to Save Socrates - my latest novel | |
Sun, 8 April 2007
The Tudors and Rome: Golden Ages on Television ... Welcome to Light On Light Through Episode 29, in which we consider how the revolution in television which began with The Sopranos has given us captivating new windows onto history, first with HBO's Rome and now with Showtime's The Tudors ... afraid to portray neither complex ideas nor sex, these programs make enjoyabe contributions to our understanding of the past and the ways it has shaped us... Plus flashes ... now the FCC's going after cell phones ... Josh Wolf free! ... the Supreme Court does the right thing about global warming ... which might be reduced, in part, up on the roof ... Try GoToMyPC free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.gotomypc.com/podcast Helpful links:
The Plot to Save Socrates - my latest novel | |
Sun, 1 April 2007
Welcome to Galactica Dylan ... Episode 28 of Light On Light Through ... Battlestar Galactica started brilliantly this season, faded in the middle, but concluded last Sunday with more than one astonishing twist ... including Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" ... but if BSG takes place in the past, how could this be ... and if takes place in the future, how did one of the most covered songs in rock 'n' roll history get out there? This episode of Light On Light Through considers these questions and provides ... more questions, along with some brief musical treats... Plus flashes ... HBO's Rome concludes, and it's better than Shakespeare ... Lost has a Canterbury Tales-like episode ... and panda paper out of China (you can't make this stuff up) ... Try GoToMyPC free for 30 days! For this special offer, visit www.gotomypc.com/podcast Helpful links:
The Plot to Save Socrates - my latest novel
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Sun, 18 February 2007
Welcome to Episode 22 of Light On Light Through ... Lost: Anatomy of a Loss ... in which we look at what went wrong with this tv series which galvanized audiences with its experimental story telling and viral marketing the first season, put people to sleep or got them frustrated in the second season, and now, despite a good resumption this February, is struggling to stay afloat... Plus flashes ... actually, just one big, bad one this episode ... the FCC's at it again with a report circulating in Congress that calls for extension of government regulation of television programming ... Helpful links:
Enjoy... Paul web: http://paullevinson.info videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006 Levinson news clips podcast: http://Levinsonnews.podshow.com Ask Lev 2-5 min pieces of advice on writing, succeeding, and tea words and music by Paul Levinson readings, performances, live on radio (Sundays, 7:20am, Pacific time): www.knx1070.com The Silk Code - winner Locus Award, Best First Science Fiction, 1999 The Plot to Save Socrates - my latest novel
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Sun, 21 January 2007
Welcome to Episode 18 of Light On Light Through - Keith Olbermann, Jack Bauer, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge ... What do these three have in common? Well, last Tuesday evening, Olbermann delivered a diatribe about 24 and Jack Bauer, as perhaps deliberate tools of the Bush administration to frighten the American people about terrorism, and thereby shore up support for its policies. I say Olbermann misunderstands how people enjoy fiction, and recommend to him and his producers an acquaintance with Coleridge's "willing suspension of disbelief". I also recommend Thomas Jefferson, for his confidence in human rationality and his distrust of anything that smacks of calling for censorship... Helpful links:
Enjoy... Paul web: http://paullevinson.info videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006 Levinson news clips podcast: http://Levinsonnews.podshow.com Ask Lev 2-5 min pieces of advice on writing, succeeding, and tea words and music by Paul Levinson readings, performances, live on radio (Sundays, 7:15am, Pacific time): www.knx1070.com The Plot to Save Socrates - my latest novel | |
