THE NOT SO DAILY DUMP #17

Arrested, Again

In TNSDD #8, I featured the show, Arrested Development. I wrote up a very small bit about my feelings on Season 4. I included a video, of course. In this issue, I’ve decided to bring this show up again as my wife and I watched Season 5 in the latter half of this past summer.

To start off with, in general, I liked Season 5 more than I liked 4. It felt more akin to the first three seasons. I know that there were issues getting the whole cast together to film during Season 4, and that seemed to have had a greater affect on how the show turned out, greater than they probably expected. Maybe it was in part due to writing that didn’t live up to prior seasons. I’m sure it’s an all-of-the-above type of explanation. Season 4 was still good but as in the same way that there’s no such thing as bad pizza, as the saying goes. Having Arrested Development is better than NOT having it, mostly.

I would’ve liked to have watched Season 5 more binge-fully. Now that most people, including my wife and I, are used to being able to consume seasons of shows more quickly, it’s harder to enjoy a show when waiting a week or more to see the next episode. Not all shows are like this but many are. I believe part of the reasoning for that phenomena comes from the ability to have a show’s details at the forefront of one’s mind—the fresher the better. I don’t think it’s an instant gratification thing as much as someone else might make it out to be. I’m sure in some instances it is. Normally, in the past, my wife and I would work on a show throughout the week. As has been the case more so lately, we were able to watch an episode a week at best for the first half of the season. The show felt somewhat foreign each time we started up a new episode. Too much time between episodes interrupted our flow. Towards the end, we stayed up a little later than we would have preferred to be able to finish the season more quickly.

A little over a month ago, a friend told me about an alternate way to watch Season 4 called Arrested Development Season 4 Remix: Fateful Consequences. The point was to make the season better, more enjoyable. I’ve looked into it a little and, while the original cut of Season 4 is findable on Netflix, it is buried a bit. I’m not going to say much more about the remix, as you can find many articles posted about it, but from what I have read, the reaction to it has been mixed. The remix took fifteen episodes and turned them into twenty-two shorter episodes that are more chronologically sensible and has some new Ron Howard narration. Will I watch it? That’s not very likely as I HAVE already seen Season 4 and, quite frankly, there’s plenty of other shit to watch. Maybe someday.

Here’s a snippet from Season 5 that’s well worth the watch. Is it a spoiler? I suppose any clip would be, but this one not so much. (If you need a route to the video on YouTube, give this link a shot.)

*   *   *

New Posts To Consume

R&D No.7   |   R&D No.8   |   R&D No.9

Since my last ‘New Posts’ update, I have written and published three instances of The R&D Workshop. These three posts are a shift in my approach to this blog feature. What does that mean, exactly? Well, the best way to understand would be to familiarize yourself with my progress from No.1 onward. The subject matter is similar, though not exact, but the approach is quite different—from my perspective, at least. I explain myself better and with more detail in No.7.

So far, I’ve mostly written about my work in blogging/writing. I hope to expand this to other areas once I’m able to work on those other areas beyond blogging, like music or secret projects with cool code names that I could at least mention from time to time. At the end of these new Workshop posts and with those going forward, I’ve added a line that gives a quick explanation of the feature's purpose: “The R&D Workshop is a recurring feature where I talk candidly about my works of passion and associated things.”

Interesting little tidbit: The R&D Workshop No.9 was my blogs' 100th post!


*   *   *

Recently, On Social

Here’s a new section to TNSDD that I’ve thought about doing for a while now. The title should be read with the same voice and inflection as one who would say a similar thing before the start to a TV show, you know, when the show is trying to get you back up to speed for the episode you're about to watch. This is how I am. This is my brain. Welcome.

I’ve been having more fun on Instagram lately. You can follow me @grrrahamalot. Though, I have been thinking about changing my @... But, that could possibly be a part of a larger shift in my @’s across other social channels. Pointless thoughts, I’m sure. WE SHALL SEE.

Go to my Instagram if you don’t understand how or why this picture came about. There's a succession of photos that built up to it. Will there be more? Probably. Nothing is really planned out. They come randomly and sporadically. Here's the caption I wrote for the picture.

"I told them that their "grotto party" was NOT going to work out. It's too cold, too cloudy. They went ahead with their big plans anyway and no guests showed up. Maybe next time they'll listen to me."

*   *   *

Shine That Spotlight, You Crazy Diamond

Once again, I’m sharing with you someone that I’ve already Spotlighted in TNSDD #8 and #12. With good reason, though! Brian Gallagher has a book, his first, that was published last month. The full title is Doing Time in Hollywood: The Chronicles of a Movie Journalist by Day, Screenwriter by Night and His Quest for a Happy Medium in the Age of Outrage.

I was going to strongly suggest that you go and read the meaty book description on Amazon, the same that engulfs the back of the book, and then I was going to write up a short synopsis about my impression of the book here. Considering I’ve just begun reading it, how much do I even know? Well, I do know that Brian tells a good story, and I do have experience reading what he has written in the past. I’m truly enjoying the book so far. But back to that meaty description…

“With every Hollywood endeavor, whether it be a big-budget blockbuster, or an up and coming indie, there are hundreds of people involved that help bring it to life… but no one is treated worse than the writer. Just kidding… the only people treated worse are the journalists and critics assigned to cover it all. Kidding aside, there aren’t many who are crazy/stupid enough to try and do both at the same time. Except for Brian Gallagher. 

For the past 10 years, he has lived in Los Angeles (by way of Minnesota), covering all facets of the entertainment world by day, while then turning around and trying to write his own screenplays and TV pilots by night. While the “day job” often included unglamorous tasks such as writing daily news stories at a breakneck pace, it could also include interviews with actors and filmmakers, attending red carpet premieres and other industry events, and even being flown around the world to visit movie sets. 

While trying to navigate the ins and outs and ups and downs of the press world, he also tried to carve out a path as a screenwriter, with only three (horrible) scripts to his name before arriving in Los Angeles back in January 2008. Within the following pages, through a unique and innovative “present/past” hybrid format, you’ll explore his decade in Hollywood, through both the stories he covered within the industry, and the stories he crafted to try and break into said industry. In the past 10 years, he has written over 43,000 stories as a journalist (seriously… there is proof!), plus 19 screenplays (11 features, three half-hour pilots, three one-hour pilots, two TV specs), all while sometimes drinking too much, playing retro video games, practicing card-throwing and rooting for the L.A Kings. And sleeping… sometimes. 

On top of all that, you’ll get whiskey-fueled stories from the Hollywood bar scene and his eclectic group of neighbors, along with the reason why Dwayne Johnson is the best celebrity he’s ever met, some tips on how to sneak into a Playboy Mansion party, how he almost got his big screenwriting break through Twitter, and how to survive in L.A. on a budget that’s just a step above being homeless.”

And, an additional blurb taken from Amazon.

“Plus, the e-book will include links to some of his favorite interviews including an impromptu chat with James Cameron at Comic-Con, Kevin Pollak revealing the most amazing story about how one of his movies came together, Kirk Douglas explaining why he hired Dalton Trumbo for Spartacus, thus ending the McCarthy-era Hollywood blacklist, and, you know, so much more!”

You can buy the paperback or the Kindle version at Amazon.

BrianGallagherWriter.net


*   *   *

Videos From The Treadmill

As many of you know, I take advantage of my treadmill time by watching YouTube videos. I look forward to it, actually. (Trust me. I know most of you hardcore runners out there are cringing at the idea of enjoying time on a treadmill as opposed to running outside in ANY weather. I do run outside but mostly to train for upcoming races. I'll get into that in another, more appropriate post.) I’m not opposed to enjoying any form of video entertainment while running/walking, but I gravitate most to things that educate and motivate me. One of the channels that I’m subscribed to on YouTube is The James Altucher Show; it’s essentially the video version of his podcast, though not all of his podcasts come in video form.

Here’s the most recent episode that I finished: 21 LESSONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY with Yuval Noah Harari. (Direct link) Yesterday, I started an episode where James interviews Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Comment on this post at Facebook


*   *   *

Join me on Facebook!
I've recently started a page for THIS blog, Graham Sedam Writes, where I will be sharing all of my writing related endeavors and stuff.

Did you like this post?
Please comment and share!

Tired of missing new posts?
Want to receive posts directly to email?
Subscribe to Graham Sedam Writes
Unsubscribe at any time.
No funny business! I promise.

Thank you for your time!


Did you know that I also have a daily blog, Notes.gs?