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Starlight’s Goldberg Express
Spoiler Alert: This post contains content from the October 1, 2014 episode of The Goldbergs:
“Jesus Christ Superstar” is a famous play with the most divine leading man. As a matter of fact, what has every person who has played the part of Jesus said immediately after hearing the good news (likely on a Friday)?
“Jesus Christ, are you kidding me!”
Anyways, Beverly’s most delicious snuggle monster Adam gave a spirited audition to play Jesus in the school play, but, sadly, it wasn’t enough. Instead, the part went to Data Dave Kim. Consequently, when Adam and girlfriend Dana Caldwell checked “the board” for the assigned parts, Adam’s finger devastatingly had to scroll onto the dreaded second page/second string of performers to discover his new role (literally).
“Sometimes, you just gotta be Todd the Apostle.”
Too distraught to properly congratulate Dana on getting assigned to play Mary, Adam went biblical to seek guidance from the only person who could help him in this tragic situation: His Smother. This led to a contentious meeting with the principal (who owed Beverly for introducing he and his wife years earlier…) and the casting director/director of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” In true Goldberg fashion, Beverly utilized some verbal jiu-jitsu to allow a second, rival play to open.
And would this be a second showing of “Jesus Christ Superstar” with a new cast? Well, let’s put it another way: what would make that play even better? Try adding skates and a killer disco soundtrack…
Yes, Adam was the new lead in a school production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Starlight Express!”
For anyone who has seen “Starlight Express,” all the characters sing, act and roller skate in perfect harmony. Yes, it’s just mildly ambitious for kids in middle school to master such skills in about a week or so. Enter the laughs!
Now, this part of the plot was personally satisfying because when I was around Adam’s age, I actually saw “Starlight Express” in Las Vegas with my family! The music, the flashing lights, the roller skating and the story was unforgettably fantastic. It was one of the coolest things I had ever seen and heard in my life. During the episode, Beverly bribes her daughter Erica to play the female lead and “thunder mama” herself served as the skating choreographer. While the rehearsing for “Starlight Express” was a disaster, the comedy was gold (as you’d expect). Unfortunately, Adam got too involved and too intense and a competitive streak developed with the rival play co-starring his girlfriend Dana. Eventually, both Adam and his mom came to their senses, conceded to the reality of “the board” and her precious angel returned to his supporting role as a made up apostle to Jesus.
As you do.
While the secondary storyline of this episode featured Barry and Murray leaving hockey games early to beat traffic, the storyline with “Starlight Express” between a loving mother and her baby boy rang especially true for this writer. It reminded me how a mom and her young son can genuinely relate and bond over a disco musical with roller skating while that boy is at that awkward age of not wanting to hang out with his parents. Thankfully, like Beverly, my mom was (and is still) willing to be goofy and silly with her son to spend time beyond just helping with homework and going clothes shopping.
I’d like to say more, but I don’t think I could do it as well as others:
The Goldbergs continue to show “there’s a light at the end of the tunnel” with family.
Space & Time
“We’ll find a way…we always have”
Dedication to a particular craft is essential to those who aspire to making something that transcends the ordinary and moves us into a space in the extraordinary. Movie director Christopher Nolan continues to build his resume of critically acclaimed movies that excel in acting, production, writing, creativity, intelligence and a gravitas most films fail to reach. One explanation is that Nolan is an independent filmmaker who succeeds in making blockbuster hits with the acute skills of an independent filmmaker, but with crazy blockbuster budgets and expectations.
True story.
Another hypothesis is that because he dedicates himself to one movie at a time, it translates into an investment that proves to elevate his films above the rest. Fans know that when a Christopher Nolan movie is released that it will be something grand in scale, thought-provoking and visually stunning with a pulsating soundtrack courtesy of his longtime musical collaborator Hans Zimmer.
Another teaser trailer has been released for Interstellar and it’s worthwhile to see. There’s one detail in particular that’s revealed that will undoubtedly be a string that will pull at our hearts throughout this space epic. It has to do with a conversion of time.
Christopher Nolan’s singular cinematic commitment is truly reaching for the stars in Interstellar.
Will you be so tenacious come early November?
A Stellar Soundtrack
Some days don’t require words. Sometimes, a sound can trigger such powerful emotions that the boundaries that surround us suddenly evaporate to become limitless.
This is one of those sounds:
While the trailer this music accompanies (Interstellar) is utterly fantastic in its intergalactic teasing prior to its November 7th release, the ever-building vibrations are inspirational enough on its own.
Hearing is believing.
TGIM
Spoiler Alert: Some content from last night’s television show premieres are revealed below
The Big Bang Theory
Gotham
Dallas
The Blacklist
These are just a few of the television shows that premiered for the 2013-2014 season last night. The Big Bang Theory was literally a big bang in the ratings with 17.9 million viewers, despite being temporarily moved to a new night. In the age of convenience/DVR watching, that is a damn impressive figure.
Here’s what we learned from The Big Bang Theory:
Penny got a pixie haircut!
Stuart and Mrs. Wolowitz/Deb-Deb are forging a strange, yet hilarious relationship that really can’t be labeled at this point. However, the attempts to do so with the frazzled friend and son Howard will make for some great comedy in the future
Howard is going for his PhD, which is freaking Sheldon out because Pasadena’s most famous NASA engineer may soon be on the same intellectual level as the self-proclaimed genius Dr. Cooper. It’s safe to say that Howard now has Sheldon’s full attention
Bernadette got Penny a job interview with her pharmaceutical company, she freaks out her boss and she continues to be the sweetest bully of all-time
Penny got a job as a pharmaceutical sales representative!
Sheldon traveled across the continental United States on trains and never left the train stations (FYI-did you know mustard and ketchup are popular condiments in train stations?), got everything stolen from him, wound up in the Chuck Lorre sitcom comedy-driven tightie whities and was arrested in Arizona for badgering random train goers for help. It was crazy I mean funny. Once fully clothed and back in southern California, he discovered he was promoted to a junior professor at Caltech. He attempted to teach Howard graduate level physics, but an epic spitball ended that.
Amy is now the popular girl in high school and it’s fantastic!
Oh, and Leonard got a new hoodie (and is owed some serious gas money)
The much-hyped Gotham had a noteworthy 8 million viewers. Not bad for a series premiere. When it comes to drama and/or action shows like The Blacklist and Gotham, the reins for what is deemed acceptable for a network television audience continues to be loosened. Perhaps this is partly due to the reality of having to compete for viewers who watch popular, PG-13 to R-rated shows on HBO, Netflix, FX and AMC.
What does this mean?
Ultimately, studios translate this to mean that the public still has a healthy appetite for rich stories and clever writing all played out in dramatically stunning sets with dynamic, conflicted characters. Plus, unlike going to the movies, television has to work harder to keep an audience throughout a half-hour or one-hour run time. Commercial breaks can offer too many opportunities to change channels. Next day viewing with a DVR has partially dealt with this perceived inconvenience. However, people have a thirst for great storytelling. It’s a universal and timeless truth. And judging by the season/series premieres alone, the teams behind The Blacklist and Gotham have given its audiences high-quality, suspenseful dramas with plenty of grit and imagination to sustain and entertain its viewers for this upcoming television season.
Unfortunately, Dallas is currently hanging out on this writer’s DVR. But it actually aired its season finale last night. It will be fascinating to see where South Fork and its famous residents and guests are after a host of Texas-sized scandals, secrets and seductions.
Monday, welcome to the cool table.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 