livius drusus
09-28-2004, 08:33 PM
Vanity Fair media critic James Wolcott has a blog (http://www.jameswolcott.com/), and it kicketh ass. His review of the Law & Order premier is dead on.
Part of the problem is that the "Law" casting is so stiff compared to the cop procedural stuff. Sam Waterston has been doing his high-sniffy rectitudinous grandstanding for so long it's as if he expects some soft of Atticus Finch statue; Elisabeth Rohm is no worse than Angie Harmon, but no better; and Fred Thompson is a pompous pork chop whose cliched Southern homilies wouldn't be listened to seriously for ten seconds in NY (whereas Steven Hill, with his crusty cut-the-crap irritability and desire to get out of the office before bad news could follow, was the authentic article).
The bigger problem is that all of the forensic info gathered in the first half seems to get tossed in the second, as we're subjected to civics lectures and speechy arguments that wouldn't persuade a jury if it weren't for the poignant swelling music accompanying them on the soundtrack.
Not only do I love his writing style, but he's also gave me all the justification I need for liking America's Next Top Model. Now that's good media criticism. :bow:
Part of the problem is that the "Law" casting is so stiff compared to the cop procedural stuff. Sam Waterston has been doing his high-sniffy rectitudinous grandstanding for so long it's as if he expects some soft of Atticus Finch statue; Elisabeth Rohm is no worse than Angie Harmon, but no better; and Fred Thompson is a pompous pork chop whose cliched Southern homilies wouldn't be listened to seriously for ten seconds in NY (whereas Steven Hill, with his crusty cut-the-crap irritability and desire to get out of the office before bad news could follow, was the authentic article).
The bigger problem is that all of the forensic info gathered in the first half seems to get tossed in the second, as we're subjected to civics lectures and speechy arguments that wouldn't persuade a jury if it weren't for the poignant swelling music accompanying them on the soundtrack.
Not only do I love his writing style, but he's also gave me all the justification I need for liking America's Next Top Model. Now that's good media criticism. :bow: