“Hey Poppy! I waited for you... I waited for you this time in the meeting.” — Ian Grimm in the “Mythic Quest” Quarantine Special
The past two months, we’ve watched Hollywood employ a number of interesting gimmicks to film new content as actors and crews have been stuck at home.
Recent examples of quarantine-centered specials include a “Parks and Recreation” reunion (with the original cast reprising their roles) and an episode of the CBS legal drama “All Rise.”
Apple’s workplace comedy “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” joined the fray of properties creating an original episode designed to look like it was filmed using videoconferencing software.
According to an article on Vulture, the cast used 40 iPhones and 20 sets of AirPods to film the episode (along with the use of prosumer-grade software on those devices). The actors would connect via Zoom on their computers, but film their content using the cameras on the iPhones.
The overall effect was good. Creator and star Rob McElhenney (along with the other players) crafted a fun episode that had solid production value and a fun vibe.
You’re limited with what you can do on a videoconference-centered episode. That said, I thought thought McElhenny & Co. did a decent job avoiding some of the “remote work” cliches that have become prevalent in humorous content the past few months. It was fun to watch the fictitious video game company manage their multi-player role playing game remotely.
More than anything, it was nice to catch up with the endearing cast of characters — Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao), David Brittlesbee (David Hornby), Brad Bakshi (Danny Pudi), C.W. Longbottom (F. Murray Abraham), Sue (Caitlin McGee), Rachel (Ashly Burch), Dana (Imani Hakim), and Jo (Jessie Ennis).
I still believe that “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” is the best thing on the AppleTV+ streaming service and I can’t wait until the cast and crew are back together to film more episodes!
If you’d like to learn more about the series — and watch the first two episodes for free — visit the Apple TV website or via the Apple TV app.
I’m going to say upfront that the Amazon Prime Video service is one that I’ve never really “loved.”
Sure, there are a couple of the service’s original series — “Bosch” and “Jack Ryan” — that I’ve really enjoyed the past few years.
But a lot of the original content failed to grab me.
I’m sure that’s an unfair sentiment on my part. I’d imagine many of you have worthwhile recommendations you could make.
Bridget and I decided to try the new sci-fi comedy series “Upload” based on a number of commercials we’d seen for the show on network television.
“Upload” was created by Greg Daniels, the mind behind the U.S. version of “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “King of the Hill.” He is also the creator of the Netflix series “Space Force.”
“Upload” takes place on Earth in the near future (2033 to be exact) and tells the story of a world where people have the ability to upload a digital version of themselves into a digital afterlife of their choice.
Some people are better able to afford a comfortable afterlife than others (similar in concept to varying funeral ceremony and burial arrangements of the present).
The show’s protagonist is Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell, who I’d describe as a “low rent Tom Cruise”), a 27-year-old computer programmer who sustains fatal injuries in a freak car accident and ends up in Lake View, a ritzy resort world that is considered one of the best afterlife options.
His girlfriend Ingrid Kannerman (Allegra Edwards), a wealthy socialite, foots the bill for Nathan’s stay, hoping they’ll be able to eventually spend all eternity together in Lake View.
Much of the first season of “Upload” is dedicated to Nathan adjusting to “digital heaven.”
The immersive afterlife is something akin to the world featured in the Kristen Bell comedy “The Good Place.” In fact, the whole vibe of “Upload” is similar in nature (except it leans more toward the sci-fi end of the spectrum and is less fantastical).
Nathan initially feels listless in his new environment, but soon forges a special bond with his afterlife handler (referred to as an “angel”) Nora Antony (Andy Allo) — an employee at Horizen, the New York City company that owns Lake View. (I get the sense that Horizen is modeled on Verizon, what with the references to data caps vs. unlimited data.)
Throughout “Upload’s” 10-episode first season (each episode runs about 30 minutes) the narrative veers between Nathan’s existence in a computer and the real world exploits of the people he interacts with.
While the show is far from perfect — and appeals to a very specific taste — it is pretty entertaining.
The cast is also likable. I wasn’t sure initially whether Robbie Amell could capably carry the show as the main protagonist, but I grew to like his character as the season wore on. Nathan’s arc in the story is somewhat predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless.
I thought Andy Allo did a nice job as the “angel” Nora. Her performance struck the right balance, and you could feel her inner conflict as she dealt the moral dilemma of what exactly defines a relationship in 2033.
I should also note that a subplot is introduced early on about a business venture Nathan was involved in with his friend Jamie (Jordan Johnson-Hinds) that would provide afterlife services free of charge to the populace.
Something I didn’t think was necessary was some of the more gratuitous “grown up” content in the season (the show is rated TV-MA). While various cable and streaming outlets give creators more “freedom” with content, sometimes the resultant effect can “cheapen” a show.
I think of all the iconic episodes of “Seinfeld” that successfully navigated the network standards and practices personnel. If “Seinfeld” had been on an outlet like HBO, an episode like “The Contest” might not have been as compelling.
It’s a minor quibble, but I think the show (which has been renewed for a second season) would benefit from some judicious trimming.
Overall, I enjoyed the first season of “Upload.” While it would benefit from some tweaks next season, it is a program worth installing into your viewing lineup.
I’ve written a bit about the content on Apple TV+ since it debuted last November and am trying to work my way through the service’s content offerings.
The new docuseries “Home” takes a look inside interesting homes across the globe (and the people behind their design).
To be honest, when I first saw the trailer for this nine-episode series, I thought it looked like things I had seen in the past on outlets like HGTV.
It turns out that “Home” has a pretty unique vibe. If you’re a fan of clever design, you might want to check it out.
In many respects, the series is more about the people “behind” the homes featured than it is about the homes themselves. At times, the series also takes a look at how a home can help define the individuals that live in it.
The first season’s episodes (each running about 30 minutes) were supposed to debut at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival. Due to the event’s cancellation (prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic), the series premiered on Apple TV+ April 17.
There are a number of highlights during the first season.
The first episode, titled “Sweden,” focuses on the Solvarms, a family in Sweden that lives in a log house that is built inside a greenhouse (a “naturhus”). The home (built by family patriarch Anders) provides a climate that is something akin to that of a Mediterranean country like Italy. As a result, growing season is double what is typically realistic in Sweden.
In addition to a more temperate climate, the home is engineered to reuse waste water to irrigate plants.
As interesting as the house is itself, the Solvarm’s family dynamic is just as much a focus of the “Sweden” episode. In particular, the story of autistic son Jonatan and how he has carved his own unique place within the home’s confines illustrates the power of creative architecture.
Another fun entry in the first season is titled “Hong Kong.” The episode profiles architect Gary Chang, whose “Domestic Transformer” apartment has a design like a Swiss Army Knife, maximizing the domicile’s 344 square feet.
Chang grew up in the apartment and purchased it in 1988 (for $40,000 U.S. dollars).
“These days, people explain your home in terms of the area,” Chang says in the episode. “To me, it’s totally irrelevant because it’s really about the distance between the family and between the furniture that is more important to realize.”
He believes luxury is in the details of your home and the way you use it. There are also some innovative technologies showcased in “Home.” For example, in the episode titled “Mexico,” we see houses being built for impoverished families in Nacajuca, Tabasco, Mexico. A startup called ICON (housed in Austin, TX) uses 3D printing technologies to build the homes (they work in conjunction New Story, a non-profit located in San Francisco, CA, that builds homes in poverty-stricken communities). The 3D printer ICON uses pumps out layer-upon-layer of a special cement mix that won't slump and hardens quickly. The process is something akin to layering frosting accents on top of a cake.
It is a fascinating way to build a home. While the homes are utilitarian in nature (the ultimate goal is to give the populace a home with walls, running water, and electricity), there is something attractive and novel about the layered aesthetic. “Home” reminds me a lot of the modern-living magazine I used to subscribe to called “Dwell.” I love that magazine and enjoy the publication’s editorial focus on interesting ways of living in the modern world.
(I really wish that Apple would start offering service bundles. I’d love to revisit “Dwell” digitally via an Apple News+ subscription, and it’d be terrific to have as part of a discounted bundle with Apple TV+.) Alternative forms of home design is a topic that appeals to me. The average home size has nearly tripled in the United States since the 1950s, and a growing segment of the population is rethinking their home-buying priorities. (My 2016 blog post “A Tiny House Transition” profiles an Omaha, NE, couple that attempted a tiny house lifestyle)
Some of the first season episodes of “Home” are stronger than others (I found the eighth episode titled “Malibu” to be less than compelling).
I think a series like “Home” has a lot of potential going forward. The show fits the unique direction Apple has been cultivating in its streaming service (something I’ll explore in a future blog post).
I think it would be interesting to see Apple develop other series in a similar vein that looked at industries like graphic design and product design. But maybe that direction would be too close to the Netflix series “Abstract: The Art of Design” (a show I recommended in my blog post “Three ‘Under-The-Radar’ Series Worth Binging”).
Overall, I found “Home” to be a pretty interesting addition to the nascent Apple TV+ lineup of original programming.
When it comes to televised content, musicals can be a tough sell.
Many of you will remember the ill-fated ABC series “Cop Rock” that ABC unleashed on the public in 1990. It was a police procedural wrapped in a musical (from the creator of “NYPD Blue”).
In recent years, musicals have seen a resurgence at the theatrical box office. Movies like “La La Land” (read my review) and “The Greatest Showman” (read my review) have found enthusiastic audiences at multiplexes around the globe.
It is in that spirit that NBC has launched the new series “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.”
Bridget and I thought this one looked cute when we saw the promos for it last winter. The pilot episode was on Hulu in January (a month before the show’s launch) and it showed a lot of promise.
We just sat down and spent the past week finishing the 12-episode first season.
“Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” follows Zoey Clarke (Jane Levy), a coder for smart device company SPRQ Point (located in San Francisco).
Zoey is gearing up to apply for an engineering manager position at SPRQ Point as the show begins. The self-effacing programmer doesn’t see herself in a managerial role as she interviews with boss Joan Bennett (Lauren Graham).
“I’m not really comfortable with anything,” Zoey tells Joan. “That’s why I became a coder.”
In addition to her work life, Zoey also juggles family demands. Her father Mitch (Peter Gallagher) suffers from a rare neurological disease called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Her mother Maggie (Mary Steenburgen) cares for her husband and keeps the family’s landscaping business going.
On a visit to see her father, Zoey complains of headaches and eye pain to her mother. Maggie suggests Zoey get an MRI to alleviate her concerns.
So she does.
During the procedure, an earthquake causes the MRI machine to malfunction. At the same moment, the technician's Spotify playlist goes haywire and plays dozens of songs simultaneously (bookended by the R.E.M. song “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”).
Afterward, Zoey “sees” other people expressing their emotions through musical performances (featuring pop songs and dance routines). At first, she finds herself experiencing the innermost thoughts of random people. Eventually, her mind hones in on specific targets.
Levy is no stranger to series television (she starred on the ABC sitcom “Suburgatory”) and crafts a likable protagonist.
It would have been easy for series creator Austin Winsberg to position her as an angst-filled hipster. They manage to avoid millennial cliches. Zoey has a likable vibe and look (her wardrobe includes jean jackets and an endless supply of sweaters).
“I am a mutant,” Zoey says of her ability. “I am the X-Men meets ‘The Voice.’”
In many respects, Levy’s character shares a certain kinship with Emma Stone’s character Mia in “La La Land” — a young professional trying to find her place in the world.
Speaking of “La La Land,” I have to believe that movie served as some sort of inspiration for “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” Whether it was intentional or not, both shows share similar DNA.
As a result, the show might elicit strong opinions one way or the other.
The series is planted firmly in the “dramedy” genre, navigating through the show's funny, poignant, and serious moments with relative ease. The writers manage to strike a fairly good balance in this first season.
An undercurrent flowing through the plot involves Zoey figuring out whether or not she has feelings for co-workers Max Richman (Skylar Astin) and Simon Haynes (John Clarence Stewart).
One of the better supporting characters is Howie (Zak Orth). The rumpled caregiver of Zoey’s father proves to be grounded and likable (and has a nice little plot thread involving his deaf daughter Abigail — played by Sandra Mae Frank).
Through all of her musical exploits, Zoey finds a confidante “sounding board” in neighbor Mo (Alex Newell), a DJ who lives across the hall in her apartment complex.
One of the strengths of the show is the clever way they found to incorporate music into the story. Zoey finds her new ability as awkward as we do, and it allows viewers to willfully suspend their disbelief. The musical numbers make sense in the overall flow, and work better than they did in a show like Fox’s “Glee.”
The dance scenes are choreographed by Samantha Jo “Mandy” Moore (who also choreographed the dance sequences in “La La Land”). Moore also serves as a producer on the series.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but one of the highlights for me was “The Boy is Mine” musical sequence from the 10th episode (“Zoey’s Extraordinary Outburst”).
Overall, I had a good time watching “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” I thought it was a nice change of pace from the standard network, cable, and streaming fare these days.
Stay with it. It is a show that takes a few episodes to find its beat, but when it does, it is a pretty compelling mix.
I think I finally found a novelty breakfast cereal that doesn’t suck.
Before your lightsabers start glowing, let me qualify this by saying that General Mills “Star Wars”-themed cereal isn’t to breakfast what “The Empire Strikes Back” is to the “Star Wars” saga.
I’d say this cereal is the sugary equivalent of “The Force Awakens.” It’s fun, it tastes good, and it won’t offend you.
When I first saw the “Star Wars” cereal box, I assumed it would be the “Star Wars” version of General Mills’ venerable Lucky Charms Cereal.
I was wrong. The marshmallows are similar, but instead of the toasted oat pieces found in Lucky Charms, the crunchy pieces in the “Star Wars” Cereal are “fruity flavored.”
In that regard, the overall effect is closer to General Mills’ “monster” cereals like Franken Berry (a personal favorite of mine). As a result, I liked this incarnation of “Star Wars” cereal.
This isn’t the first time I’ve had cereal from a “galaxy far, far away.”
The first “Star Wars”-branded cereal I recall having was Kellogg’s C-3PO Cereal. I was 11 when it was introduced in 1984 (it was produced until 1986). Sadly, I didn’t have a blog back then, so I have no recollection about what it tasted like.
Here is a commercial for that cereal from “a long time ago”...
The marshmallow pieces in General Mills “Star Wars” Cereal come in five shapes: Jedi Starfighter, BB-8, Lightsaber, R2-D2, Stormtrooper.
As is commonly the case with these sort of novelty cereals, there is an activity on the back of the box. In this instance, “Kylo Ren commands you to repair the First Order’s TIE fighters by finding the correct location” for three parts on the ship’s schematics:
Going into my review of General Mills “Star Wars” Cereal, I figured I’d be saying, “I have a bad feeling about this.” Honestly, it wasn’t bad at all. Each spoonful got my Midi-chlorians jumping and I soon felt “strong enough to pull the ears off a gundark.” It made me wonder what the experience would be like with blue milk.
(If you don’t understand any of the jargon I just referenced, you’re clearly not the intended audience for this cereal…)
That’s all I have for this cereal review. Until next time... spoons up, bowls at the ready, and may the Force be with you!
One of our “spring traditions” in Omaha is the weekend that thousands of investment-minded folks from across the globe descend on our fair city to hear the words of the “Oracle of Omaha.”
The Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting has been described as “Woodstock for Capitalists.”
That description seems quaintly antiquated in 2020. A more apropos moniker would be “Comic-Con for Stock Market Geeks.”
Instead of dressing up as their favorite superheroes, the loyal denizens don business attire (with their credentials hanging proudly from lanyards) to partake in the weekend’s festivities.
The master of ceremonies is billionaire investor — and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. CEO — Warren Buffett. His down-home charm is part of his mystique to investors. The 89-year-old Buffett learned many moons ago to follow the sage advice of investment guru Benjamin Graham in his book “The Intelligent Investor.”
I had the opportunity to partake in some of the festivities for the first time last year.
Like many lifelong Omahans, I’ve noticed the electricity in the city on “Berkshire Weekend.” I’ve seen people milling around Buffett’s inauspicious home on Farnam Street in Midtown, posing for pictures.
You’ll see visitors eating at Buffett’s favorite haunts. Gorat’s Steak House (which is less than a mile from our home) is typically a popular choice. (Sadly, other local Buffett favorite restaurants like Petrow’s and Piccolo Pete’s have both closed within the last few years.)
Nebraska Furniture Mart (a Berkshire-owned company) offers “shareholder pricing” each year on furniture and electronic products sold in their store (every year I have friends on social media who offer use of their credentials to take advantage of the weekend discounts).
If you don’t live in Omaha, you don’t understand how important this event is in terms of economic impact. Thousands book hotel rooms, eat at restaurants, and shop at stores.
I decided to read Jordan’s book on Buffett this week. Even though I thought I knew quite a bit about the “Oracle,” I learned a lot as I flipped through the pages (which includes some nice photos, articles, and archival material from the Omaha World-Herald).
Buffett refers to Omaha as “the cradle of capitalism.”
“The Oracle & Omaha: How Warren Buffett and His Hometown Shaped Each Other” shows how many early Buffett partners have their fingers in major philanthropic projects in Omaha — particularly building projects at education institutions like UNO, UNL, and UNMC (notable names like Mammel, Truhlsen, and Holland have their names on a number of buildings in the city).
You realize just how connected the “blue blooded” class in Omaha was back in the 1950s and 60s, and how Buffett’s patient style of buying undervalued stocks paid off for those who stuck with him.
Much has been made of Buffett’s friendship with former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. Buffett plans to leave most of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. I gained more insight into that relationship when I watched the Netflix series “Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates” last fall (read my review).
As we walked through the exhibition hall at the CHI Health Center in 2019, I took some pictures of some of the booths (the businesses featured are Berkshire-owned brands). Typical of Buffett’s investments, many of the companies Berkshire owns are salt-of-the-earth brands featuring ubiquitous products we use each day.
Coca-Cola set up a store complete with a Coca-Cola truck:
See’s Candies had a long line (partly seen in the left of the photo). I took this picture while Bridget waited to buy a box of chocolates:
I remember Garanimals when I was a kid, but haven’t thought much about them since the 1980s. It was fun to see that the brand is still around and was on display at the shareholder meeting:
I did not wait in line to tour the NetJet they had on display, but it looked like it would be fun to see:
You’d think that I’d own a pair of Brooks athletic shoes, but I don’t. (Maybe I should have tried on a pair, I know people who love their running shoes.)
A woman working the Kraft Heinz booth gave us a pins shaped like a pickle and took our picture with the giant Heinz Ketchup bottle:
You could also pose with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile:
We both bought Dilly Bars at the Dairy Queen booth. We tried not to make a mess eating them as we sat in the CORT Furniture booth (my brother-in-law works for CORT):
Of all the booths we saw a year ago, I thought the Duracell Inc. setup was nice. While a battery manufacturer might not seem exciting, it is the sort of business that epitomizes Buffett’s investing mindset:
It’s been reported that Warren Buffett is a fan of trains. The BNSF Railway Company had a large-scale model railroad setup in the exhibition hall:
The Wayne Pumps booth proved to be beneficial. The Wayne WaterBUG pump we purchased for Robin Hill Pool takes the water down to 1/6” from the pool floor. It is tough, sturdy, and was very beneficial when Bridget and I were emptying the pools at Robin Hill last summer:
I haven’t owned a pair of cowboy boots since 1979. I can’t imagine myself wearing them these days, but there were plenty of people trying them on at the Justin Brands booth:
“People think it’s going to be flat, and they think it’s going to be uninteresting and some cow town or something like that, and they all come away feeling good about Omaha,” Buffet said about the shareholder meetings (from “The Oracle & Omaha: How Warren Buffett and His Hometown Shaped Each Other”).
According to Forbes, Buffett is ranked fourth among the world’s billionaires (as of March 18, 2020). He turns 90 in August, and many wonder how long he’ll lead Berkshire Hathaway.
Only time will tell. Whatever you might think of the billionaire investor (and there have been varying opinions over the years), you can’t deny his influence on the business community in Omaha.
I hope we see the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting back in action in 2021.
