I read the digital version, and the errors screamed OCR to me. Most optical character recognition software will turn a smudigly printed "corner" into "comer" in a heartbeat, and you need a human being to come along and proofread. Whoever turned this into an electronic file scanned the pages but didn't proofread.

That is a super link. I heartily endorse it.

That's too bad, because she's a fantastic storyteller.

I'll just point out that most advanced degrees in religious studies (as a university discipline, distinct from seminary or divinity school degrees) are not in theology; mine happens to be, and doing theology is part of the conditions of my employment. So yes, I am a professional theologian.

I think you can blame the publishing industry. In terms of academic book sales, a title like "The Gospel According To Popular Culture Phenomenon X" is solid gold. At least judging by the proliferation of them on bookseller tables at conferences I attend.

I turned in this review more than a week ago. That very afternoon, Noel told me about the Twitter thing. Saved once again by my ignorance of the larger media world!

http://tinyurl.com/l54hyh

Yes, like last week, she's certainly not on the periphery of the ensemble in these episodes.

Nobody's arguing that he didn't grow up in Wisconsin. Heck, his parents still live there. They seem betrayed by the fact that he wasn't born there … something that he never claimed one way or the other, as far as I can tell. And it's not just that he wasn't born in the midwest (home of real Americans) but that he…

I was absolutely astounded this time around by how good that special effect is. Wow. I was distracted from Stephen Root knocking over glasses because I was fruitlessly looking for evidence of the green screen.

A mom who not only ages the food she prepares, but goes to the lengths of making donuts just so she can let them sit out for weeks on end. That's dedication.

I yield to no one in my love for cute and nerdy Dave. But you know what? As wonderful as that moment is (the slight Alec Guinness impression really makes it), I am bothered by something. I am bothered that he says, "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine, LORD VADER." …

Phil's blank look during that whole exchange, plus the way it went on about two iterations more than necessary to establish the joke = brilliance.

If I recall correctly, the princess's assent is obtained (albeit reluctantly) before the act. I confess I didn't think about consent issues while reading, which may not bode well for my own ethical standards.

The dragon is possessing a Ch'in princess. So it's not exactly xenophilia, but not exactly same-species either.

I used to protest that Alien3 at least had those cool tracking shots from the aliens' perspective. Then Scott Tobias' derisive laughter shamed me into silence.

And yet, it's pathetically easy to imagine another good comic actor playing the Matthew dynamic vis-a-vis James Caan completely differently, in a way that's much less original and multi-layered. I'm just in awe of that performance. It can't all be attributed to the writing and directing, although so much of what I…

yaaaaaaay!
It took me a couple of episodes to get on this show's wavelength. You know what I mean — suddenly what appeared to be forced or contrived reveals itself as brilliant, natural, charming, original. The "flow" that I fall into while watching BOT is almost as delightful as the wonderful humor that springs…

That's one of the greatest episodes in all of sitcomdom.

I blathered on and on to Noel at dinner the other night about the pathos of missed opportunities on this show. An ensemble sitcom usually has as one of its missions to produce breakout stars. Dick is so incredible in this episode — and consistently throughout, of course — that it just makes me sad. All that…