Friday Night Law: My 2014 Obsessions
Call it a “Best Of” list, or a my “Favorite Things”, or whatever the hell you want. When I think back about what I watched, loved, and couldn’t get enough of from the past year – these are the things that immediately pop into my giant head.
FARGO
At the end of almost every episode of FX’s Fargo I was left saying to myself, “This shouldn’t be this good.” For a spin-off TV show, from a movie that came out in 1996, in it’s first season, to take attention away from the dominant and established Game of Thrones is, quite honestly, unthinkable. But that’s exactly what it did. Billy Bob Thorton made us all forget how weird he really is by nailing one of the greatest roles television had to offer this year. There are dozen of movies I’ve always thought would make for great television (The Warriors, anybody?) but FARGO was not on that list.
ABEL TELLER
Moreso than the end of a series I’ve watched for seven seasons, Able Teller ended up being the reason I got giddy every Tuesday night. Tuning in to watch how ridiculously bad this kid was, as an actor(s) and a character, was must-watch TV every week. When Kurt Sutter returns to FX in ten years to do the sequel series Sons of Sons of Anarchy in which Able leads the most lethally lethargic group of mentally challenged Big Wheel bikers the country has ever dealt with – you can count me the fuck in.
30 FOR 30
I don’t know whether to consider this a TV show or a bunch of movies but I do know that nothing has been this consistently great on television since they got rid of the older brother on Happy Days. Even when you convince yourself that the subject matter isn’t for you or you’re not in the mood for a sports documentary, you tune in and end up riveted. Even the short films they’ve been throwing up online have been great. I watched a one about a high-school football team that never punts two weeks ago and am still thinking about it. They never punt! PLAYING FOR THE MOB is vying for my end of the year top ten list. Yes it’s an episode of television, but it’s also GOODFELLAS 2, so shut up.
SERIAL
I’ve covered this in another blog earlier this year so I won’t rehash the entire thing. At this point there’s no excuse for you not to be listening. There’s no better time to do so either as I believe the show is airing it’s last episode of season one next week. It’s literally the best free entertainment you’ll get this year. Start here:
GROOT
I love this fucking dude. I love that he steals every frame he’s a part of in the film. I love that he only uses four separate words the entire script. I love that my kids love him as much as I do. So why is there no official dancing Groot toy ready for Christmas? This makes no sense to me. I’ve scoured the interwebs and found nothing but fan-made versions that cost more than my minivan to own. Amazon.com has one listed that will be in stock for June 30th, 2015. What the fuck? How is it even possible that the most popular toy on the planet doesn’t even exist yet? Here’s a list of the best Groot toys available to buy right now.
MORAN ATIAS
If you watched Tyrant you know what’s up. If you didn’t I’ll just leave a whole bunch of these below and you can figure it out for yourself.