Mike Chalmers Photo Blog

permalink Alongside the several television shows that I am currently watching and rewatching, I have begun to watch Home Improvement again, from the very beginning. While most of the shows I watch are in some way to aid an essay I am putting together (and for general televisual research), I cannot claim to be watching this for same reasons (despite the innovative and postmodern use of the studio audience doubling the “Tool Time” audience). It’s just good tv. I managed to procure the first season and am going to work my way through. I used to watch HI on late-night Disney. It is the perfect viewing for when you’re in bed, the lights are out and you don’t want to be strained, challenged or have to follow any complex narrative arcs. You can pretty much guess the episode outcome within the first five, but the humour (I’ve noticed a lot of tool and “rub it - oh you mean my shoulder” innuendo this time, that I didn’t pick up on the first time round) and wholesome family values make it so.. pleasant. The show actually has a really clever format and the different areas (in the house, the back-garden/Wilson segment, Tool Time and so on) make it quite rich. I don’t have much of value to say right now, but I am only bringing it up because I intend to construct an essay about my thoughts on the show (which will hopefully be riveting compared to this post). So you know how there’s nothing to watch at like 1am onwards (except crap phone-in gameshows, poker and other nonsense)? Get a copy of Home Improvement for that time, it’s only £9 for the first season.

Alongside the several television shows that I am currently watching and rewatching, I have begun to watch Home Improvement again, from the very beginning. While most of the shows I watch are in some way to aid an essay I am putting together (and for general televisual research), I cannot claim to be watching this for same reasons (despite the innovative and postmodern use of the studio audience doubling the “Tool Time” audience). It’s just good tv.

I managed to procure the first season and am going to work my way through. I used to watch HI on late-night Disney. It is the perfect viewing for when you’re in bed, the lights are out and you don’t want to be strained, challenged or have to follow any complex narrative arcs. You can pretty much guess the episode outcome within the first five, but the humour (I’ve noticed a lot of tool and “rub it - oh you mean my shoulder” innuendo this time, that I didn’t pick up on the first time round) and wholesome family values make it so.. pleasant.

The show actually has a really clever format and the different areas (in the house, the back-garden/Wilson segment, Tool Time and so on) make it quite rich. I don’t have much of value to say right now, but I am only bringing it up because I intend to construct an essay about my thoughts on the show (which will hopefully be riveting compared to this post).

So you know how there’s nothing to watch at like 1am onwards (except crap phone-in gameshows, poker and other nonsense)? Get a copy of Home Improvement for that time, it’s only £9 for the first season.

Posted in tv review Home Improvement
permalink End of Academic Year Post / Film Festival Post Today was the last day of the year, school-wise. I got my end-of-year marks and am pleased. I got a KFC to celebrate. I’m just home to get changed and charge the iPhone before heading out again. At 6pm I’m going with Becky to see the ECA Film Degree Show at the Filmhouse - this showcases work from the year above me so my film, Over & Done With, isn’t involved but the film I shot for Gabriel Foster-Prior, Binoculars, is. Then we’re going to Nandos for some delicious chicken (didn’t think through the amount of chicken consumed today). Then at 10pm we head to another cinema to enjoy the opening of this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival, where I have tickets to the world premiere of Away We Go - Sam Mendes’ new film. I’ll probably talk about it more after I have seen. I’m also going to the Q+A with Sam Mendes tomorrow afternoon, so that’ll be interesting, hopefully. A couple of years ago I went to see Judd Apatow before he had exploded (he was mainly talking about Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared), the surprise movie (The Kingdom.. so-so), the latest Gus Van Sant (Paranoid Park - worthwhile) and a slew of other stuff and it was really memorable, I hope this year is the same way. I’m actually going to a lot of tv-based stuff this year (for the why - see previous posts).

End of Academic Year Post / Film Festival Post

Today was the last day of the year, school-wise. I got my end-of-year marks and am pleased. I got a KFC to celebrate. I’m just home to get changed and charge the iPhone before heading out again.

At 6pm I’m going with Becky to see the ECA Film Degree Show at the Filmhouse - this showcases work from the year above me so my film, Over & Done With, isn’t involved but the film I shot for Gabriel Foster-Prior, Binoculars, is.

Then we’re going to Nandos for some delicious chicken (didn’t think through the amount of chicken consumed today).

Then at 10pm we head to another cinema to enjoy the opening of this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival, where I have tickets to the world premiere of Away We Go - Sam Mendes’ new film. I’ll probably talk about it more after I have seen. I’m also going to the Q+A with Sam Mendes tomorrow afternoon, so that’ll be interesting, hopefully.

A couple of years ago I went to see Judd Apatow before he had exploded (he was mainly talking about Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared), the surprise movie (The Kingdom.. so-so), the latest Gus Van Sant (Paranoid Park - worthwhile) and a slew of other stuff and it was really memorable, I hope this year is the same way.

I’m actually going to a lot of tv-based stuff this year (for the why - see previous posts).

Posted in eiff festival film my work round-up uni tv
permalink I am a Student of Television ..and have been for around four years. This always lies on the back-burner and if I’m telling people what I study: I’m a Film Student. When I’m with my fellow students we talk about films. Exclusively. TV is generally thought of as a lesser art and inferior. However, I’m becoming more and more enticed by it. I’m going to go on a bit of a stream-of-thought thing about television shows recently and would love to hear anyone’s feedback, opinions, ideas, recommendations etc. Here we go: Spent a month and a half catching up with every Lost episode to date. Love that show (who doesn’t?) and looking forward to season six. Been really getting in to Garry Shandling’s Show and his later series as Larry Sanders. I can’t believe I missed this or how much Gervais and Seinfeld/Curb Your Enthusiasm (some of my favourite comedies) owe to this man. Underappreciated over here. How I Met Your Mother. This show is Legen - wait for it - dary. Should be called How Am I Not More Famous In The UK? 30 Rock. I’m on episode 3. I keep reading about how good this show is and I can’t see it. I can’t beleive it survived when Studio 60 (one of my favourite shows of all time - big Sorkin fan) didn’t. Should I keep going - does it get better? NewsRadio. This is really good, takes a couple of episodes to get into it but by ep3 or 4 it really gets its groove. Can’t remember how I discovered this but I’m glad I did. There must be more shows out there that I have missed (hoping to get in to Cheers and Frasier eventually). Mad Men. Luxurious - waiting for season two to hit the shelves. The Wire. This is one I’ve been prepping for. So far not watched an episode but the next DVD I buy will be season one of this show. At least some of this is for research (I swear). I’ve become quite focussed on the use of narrative within tv shows and have some loves (differing timelines / Christmas, Halloween specials / One-offs and mythology episodes etc). Wouldn’t it be fun to work on a tv show? I do realise that this is an all-American list. It’s Big Brother season in the UK right now.

I am a Student of Television

..and have been for around four years. This always lies on the back-burner and if I’m telling people what I study: I’m a Film Student. When I’m with my fellow students we talk about films. Exclusively. TV is generally thought of as a lesser art and inferior. However, I’m becoming more and more enticed by it. I’m going to go on a bit of a stream-of-thought thing about television shows recently and would love to hear anyone’s feedback, opinions, ideas, recommendations etc. Here we go:

  • Spent a month and a half catching up with every Lost episode to date. Love that show (who doesn’t?) and looking forward to season six.
  • Been really getting in to Garry Shandling’s Show and his later series as Larry Sanders. I can’t believe I missed this or how much Gervais and Seinfeld/Curb Your Enthusiasm (some of my favourite comedies) owe to this man. Underappreciated over here.
  • How I Met Your Mother. This show is Legen - wait for it - dary. Should be called How Am I Not More Famous In The UK?
  • 30 Rock. I’m on episode 3. I keep reading about how good this show is and I can’t see it. I can’t beleive it survived when Studio 60 (one of my favourite shows of all time - big Sorkin fan) didn’t. Should I keep going - does it get better?
  • NewsRadio. This is really good, takes a couple of episodes to get into it but by ep3 or 4 it really gets its groove. Can’t remember how I discovered this but I’m glad I did. There must be more shows out there that I have missed (hoping to get in to Cheers and Frasier eventually).
  • Mad Men. Luxurious - waiting for season two to hit the shelves.
  • The Wire. This is one I’ve been prepping for. So far not watched an episode but the next DVD I buy will be season one of this show.

At least some of this is for research (I swear). I’ve become quite focussed on the use of narrative within tv shows and have some loves (differing timelines / Christmas, Halloween specials / One-offs and mythology episodes etc). Wouldn’t it be fun to work on a tv show?

I do realise that this is an all-American list. It’s Big Brother season in the UK right now.

Posted in tv round-up
permalink The writer’s strike in America didn’t affect us much, over here in Scotland. But in a matter of hours I have felt the aftershock - one and a half years after it happened. The first was last evening: I couldn’t watch How I Met Your Mother because, to my dismay, the episode didn’t work when I came in. I had picked up Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog weeks ago and forgot about it and this was the perfect opportunity to slot into my busy internal schedule of what I’m gonna watch next. Cut a long story short - really enjoyed it, funny and good songs. The premise is a bit tried-and-tested but the great cast and clever songs and witty comedy really works (and the shoestring budget only adds to it). But, as fate would have it, the strike got its own back the very next day (this morning). Seeing as I’m writing about television narratives at the moment (and the fact that me and Becky are addicted to Lost), I was trying to pick up Lost season 4 and managed to track it down to Blockbusters. It was £35 - more expensive than most places but it was too convenient to leave it to trek to a cheaper copy. I get home and scan the box while the DVD loads up and Becky makes some intricate salad and notice the episode count. 14! They had to cut it short because of the strike and there’s nothing I can do about it. The Strike Giveth and The Strike Taketh Away

The writer’s strike in America didn’t affect us much, over here in Scotland. But in a matter of hours I have felt the aftershock - one and a half years after it happened.

The first was last evening: I couldn’t watch How I Met Your Mother because, to my dismay, the episode didn’t work when I came in. I had picked up Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog weeks ago and forgot about it and this was the perfect opportunity to slot into my busy internal schedule of what I’m gonna watch next. Cut a long story short - really enjoyed it, funny and good songs. The premise is a bit tried-and-tested but the great cast and clever songs and witty comedy really works (and the shoestring budget only adds to it).

But, as fate would have it, the strike got its own back the very next day (this morning). Seeing as I’m writing about television narratives at the moment (and the fact that me and Becky are addicted to Lost), I was trying to pick up Lost season 4 and managed to track it down to Blockbusters. It was £35 - more expensive than most places but it was too convenient to leave it to trek to a cheaper copy. I get home and scan the box while the DVD loads up and Becky makes some intricate salad and notice the episode count. 14! They had to cut it short because of the strike and there’s nothing I can do about it.

The Strike Giveth and The Strike Taketh Away

Posted in TV Writer's Strike research