Just watched the latest (fourth) episode of new Canadian drama This Life, and I continue to be very impressed. After exchanging some high words of praise on the subject with @liz156 (of this parish) recently, I spent the first few minutes of this episode thinking that I'd built it up too much.

(Making a post at the bottom of the latest WoT, right now.)

It kinda turned out to be, in the end, didn't it? I appreciated that it (at times) used its male-centric premise and male-dominated cast to explore issues of masculinity, instead of not addressing that imbalance at all. A couple of really great performances, as well.

It's not for everyone, but if it is for you, it's probably going to supplant whatever show is on top of your all time favourite list. I can't remember how long it took for me to fall completely in love with it, but it might have been as late as the second season. That you found it "boring" might be a red flag, but I'd…

It was neither the show you wanted, nor the show you needed.

Beyond the rather delightful relationship between Lady Love and her maid (Katey Sagal's daughter being kinda awesome, actually. Yay nepotism!), and the occasional Welsh accent, I can't find much to recommend it. I've still watched every episode, though.

Sure thing!

I know what you mean. I can't say I've ever thought of him as sexy in any of the other things I've seen him in, but when he popped up on This Life, suddenly there was something there. Which is weird, since he doesn't really look any different from the way he usually does. Maybe it's because he normally plays creeps?
And…

That sounds like a good idea! Here's a list of what's shipping from Diamond this week.

I say that to myself all the time. Earlier botched attempts have made me a bit gun shy, though. Maybe we should challenge each other; you'll write a thoroughly researched and insightful spy comics article, and I'll waffle on about how Adam is the best Kubert brother or something like that.

I think there's a depth and nuance to the characters and the performances there that you'd normally only see in fiction with more intricate plotting and/or darker themes (your typical modern prestige TV drama). This in service to a story that thematically isn't deeper or darker than the stereotypical US family show. I…

Watching the first three episodes, I was amazed at how the show could be that vanilla, and still be so very good.

I run hot and cold on Howard, but Jerry Adler's delivery of the "Flaccido Domingo! That one hurt especially given my devotion to the opera. And-uh, and my sexual prowess" bit was amazing. He did it so well it arguably didn't even need the last phrase; the preceding part was so perfect that it worked as a joke by…

Is there a chance you might have confused Thomson with David Bordwell? Bordwell's wife, Kristin Thompson, did most of the LOTR-related writing on davidbordwell.com, and has published a book on the trilogy.

It builds on the Gaiman/Romita mini, but I kinda felt like the Knaufs did better than Gaiman in making the Kirby of it all work for them, instead of against them (which it frequently felt like Gaiman struggled with). No world-beater, but I seem to recall if I was decently entertained. I don't know anything about the…

I think I've read the first two or three trades of American Vampire, but there's just something inherently ephemeral about the storytelling. If it hadn't been available through my local library, there's no way I would have read beyond the first issue's worth of pages.

That article on superspy comics sounds intriguing; is that for a blog, or do you write for professional outlets?

Queen & Country is one of the all-time greats, really. Not every artist might be to your taste, but aside from that, it's pretty unimpeachable. The novels are amazing as well (perhaps the best parts of the series, even), and it's sad that Rucka/Oni haven't been willing/able to continue it, either in comics or prose…

Acuna is so great. If you haven't seen it, I recommend checking out the short-lived Eternals series he did with the Knaufs a while back. Some of his best work.

Congratulations to Kristen (and yourself) on the Henchgirl launch!