Thanks - another person said the same thing - got be me or I just misremembered it. Cool West Coast alternative seems like a contradiction in terms. Regardless - a difficult premise for me to buy into, and that fact for me undermined everything I was being asked to accept.

Thanks, and I take it in the WW universe there was some law passed to change the general election years for president as well.

thanks, I don't know why I don't remember that.  So the show within the show was an LA based SNL knock off, yet it has some kind of glory day where it was considered extremely hip and culturally relevant. Right.

True - but Studio 60 was not good - not even close to the examples you give. He failed to produce a television show as lofty as it claimed to be. Again - show don't tell. I think Aaron Sorkin was watching the wrong channels. Also, the show within the show did not do a good job pretending to be good.

or that the mega talent that was Sarah Paulson's character included an astounding impression of Holly Hunter, because Broadcast News had only come out… about two decades prior.

You nailed my reaction to this show as well. I wanted to like it. I was a fan of The West Wing, where the seriousness that the characters placed on their jobs made sense. Not so much with what looked like a pretty lousy sketch comedy show.
Also, I was confused about the alternate universe I was expected to accept. Did…

How do ya like them apples?

Two? So I take it you don't listen to A.V. Club's Reasonable Discussions? Agree with you about Matcalf's rant - it almost redeemed him for being such an insufferable twit much of the time. I have to admit he is usually interesting to listen to though.

…or mentioned other characters he would really like to get rid of, but must keep them around to serve the narrative.
Even in the unlikely event that David Costabile is a jerk - he gets a lifetime pass for appearing on The Wire, Flight of the Conchords, and BB.

Agreed - I also found the cuts to Skylar's reaction also unsettling - can't quite say why. It may have been how she was just in the corner of the frame moving out - looking completely freaked out.

That's cool - hopefully they have Netflix and become fans, but it's a pity that they'll never experience this episode for the first time without four seasons of background and tension buildup. Better than not at all I suppose.

That's a good take on the last of Walt the loser Chem teacher. Bryan Cranston spoke about the intentional ugliness of that car on WTF w/Marc Maron, as well as his horrible mustache. Hindenburg? I guess crashing and burning is the inevitable conclusion for this character, but who knows - this show never fails to…

It was only after the final push in that I reconsidered that "Russian Roulette" scene. In fact, with this new info now I'd like to re-watch that scene and everything after it - including when Jesse accuses Walt. Nice catch!

He shot two dudes - I had to rewind a few times because it was a little confusing as we only see the gun being fired at Goon #1 who was in the lab with Jesse. There was a second guy in the elevator whom Walt was forcing to lead him at gunpoint. Goon #1 recognizes Goon #2 and says something like "you ever heard of the…

You are most welcome. Please continue to keep us all informed on how the World is feeling.

You use this word 'ambivalence.' I do not think it means what you think it means.

CH is thought of by many in the states as a one hit wonder, but many bands would love their kind of success internationally. Also, they have made some of the best pop music ever.

I would say that the Plimsouls got a lot of buzz in the early eighties, but were never really big nationally. I discovered them from the movie "Valley Girl".

I thought their follow up "Time's Up" was outstanding - at times Zepplin-esque but in a good way.

Saw them a few times in small clubs in upstate NY - always a blast. I was lucky enough to be able to receive a few Toronto stations so it was nice to be in on Canadian bands like them - also loved the Waltons - they also wrote several songs that could easily have gotten more play in the states.