We had an amazing rainstorm on Friday afternoon. It swept across the state from the north, blowing through just as I was driving home from work. It was like being in a typhoon. In some parts of the Houston area, the wind gusts were as high as 70 mph. The rain was coming in in sheets. Things were bouncing off the roof of my car (pine cones, mostly). We lost one shingle from our roof, too. It passed through quickly, but it took out power in several places, including three consecutive traffic lights on the road we took to meet up with people for supper. Not a good scene during Friday afternoon rush hour.
This month’s musings on Storytellers Unplugged went live on Saturday. It’s called Nil Illegitimi Carborundum. Sound like Latin but it’s not. I also posted a review of the seventh book in the Dexter series: Dexter’s Final Cut by Jeff Lindsay.
I didn’t recognize the name Lee Thomas Young in the headlines a while ago, but I clicked on the link and recognized the picture: Detective Frost from the TV show Rizzoli & Isles. Dead at the age of 29 by suicide. Quite a shock.
We’re watching Broadchurch, the UK crime series starring David Tennant. A very effective mystery series. Small town, where everyone knows everyone else’s business. A tad larger than the town where I went to school. Beautiful Dorset coast scenery. I could see myself living there. A perfect example of how a murder investigation stirs up everyone’s secrets, whether germane to the crime or not. Intriguing characters, especially Ellie, the DS who thought she was going to be DI when she got back from vacation.
Breaking Bad: holy cow. So many fascinating and well constructed scenes. Hank with Skyler. Marie with Skyler. Both Hank and Marie have had their shots at the respective members of the White family. Marie was just getting back at Skyler for yelling “shut up” at her last year. Lydia needs to seriously reconsider her choice of footwear when going out to do business. Funny character: willing to bring down the wrath of the gods on people who get in her way, but unwilling to look at the aftermath. Still not convinced Walt’s cancer is back. I’d probably collapse after burying all that stuff in the desert, too. (He’s the same age I am, give or take.) He did not look terribly credible when he “came to” a few hours later. Interesting how the wives are now counseling their husbands on how to behave. Marie, as it turns out, is a good detective. She thought through everything and got to the heart of when Skyler knew and what she knew, and she also realizes the dangerous path Hank is walking. God, I hope the “Saul Goodman” spin-off happens. And what a place to end the episode. What will be the outcome of that little chat?
Dexter: (holy cow)²: This week’s episode was nothing at all like what I expected. That’s a good thing. I like to be surprised. Funniest scene: Deb, Hannah, Zach and Dexter in a little motel room at the same time. Neatest scene: Dinner with Vogel. I was so sure Zach was going to be Dexter’s undoing. And then I thought about all that money Hannah would have access to. I thought that Quinn was the one framing Zach—and I’m still entertaining that possibility—but what’s Vogel’s angle? Did she kill him? She was going to drive him home (in a car older than he is). Is she the brain surgeon? If she is, there’s a lot of explaining needed. Only four episodes left. I wish it were more.
