Ride with Norman Reedus Review

I chastise myself for forgetting about this show when I made my television of the year list, which shall be corrected. Ride with Norman Reedus is an unscripted project in which actor and motorcycle enthusiast Norman Reedus, famous for his role on The Walking Dead, rides a different scenic American route each episode with a friend who is always another motorcycle enthusiast.

I read that some people complained about a lack of American bikes in favor of European bikes. If you're like me, then the bikes don't really matter. If there was a shortage of American bikes, there certainly was no shortage of American mechanics and other bike gurus.

However, my primary interest in this show was the scenic travelogue aspect and the cozy atmosphere of friendliness. Along the way, various idiosyncratic diners are explored, so even foodies may get something from the show. That said, my appreciation of biker culture deepened. I was especially impressed by the "Zero Bike" (http://www.zeromotorcycles.com), which are made in America, and are virtually silent and very smooth to ride. But there were so many more fascinating bike clubs, collectors, and related businesses to learn about.


My favorite episode was probably the first, featuring Pacific Coast Highway, which gave me some home state pride, but I also happened to watch this within a week of my own trip to the Monterey area (complete with some PCH cycling), which made the episode resonate even deeper for me. Furthermore, my passion for an eventual visit to Santa Cruz deepened from Reedus's poetic recounting of his experience there.

I am so happy that this was indeed renewed for a second season.

Young Drunk Punk

***If you're here and you're Canadian: You rule!  Please return for more!


Yay, I've seen the first four episodes of Young Drunk Punk.  It is nice to see a show filmed in Canada actually about Canadians in Canada.  I love that there is a Lethbridge reference in the show.  This show takes place in residential Calgary, Alberta during the 1980's.  It was largely filmed in Calgary and, more broadly, surrounding Alberta.  It's one of the better sitcoms out there.  Of course, I came to this because of Allie MacDonald and she is a riot at times (more on that later).

The show actually revolves around two young high school seniors who may or may not graduate and their various post high school shenanigans.  Actually, Ian McKay (Tim Carlson) is the main focus of the two, as is the rest of the McKay family.   The family lives in a residential community called Brae Vista. The other senior is portrayed by Atticus Mitchell.  Their experiences with van culture, prodigious job loss, and DJ/music production are explored, among others.  Ian's father, Lloyd McKay (Bruce McCulloch, also the show's creator) is a groundskeeper for Brae Vista.  Early on, Ian gets the idea of leaving home and moving in with his sister, only to lose that chance when his adult sister arrives and announces she's moving back in.  Now, that's a sexy dose of reality.

Allie MacDonald plays the sister, Belinda McKay.  She is a little tacked up, with abnormally dark and voluminous hair, and she provides an accent that suggests she's on the airhead side of the spectrum.  It's fun seeing her put the fried chicken to her mouth in earlier episodes.  Even tacky, she's adorable as all get out.  In fact, she still has that adorable, chiseled face evident in "The Ruby Song" and Score: A Hockey Musical.  And speaking of young drunk punks, I saw a video where Allie was doing some kind of cold turkey going straight edge parody, but she was definitely winning at coming off as a young drunk punk.   

So far, episode 4, written by Scott Montgomery, is my favorite.  Allie kills it, which I will show you plenty evidence of.  Hair care, hygiene, and style are major themes of the episode and they manifest with great hilarity channeled through the cast.

I'm glad to see that thirteen episodes are currently completed.  I hope this show has a strong life.

The rest of this review will be dedicated to images and my commentary.

Episode 1

Belinda McKay (Allie MacDonald) arrives.

Two-faced, as always.

Ian McKay (Tim Carlson)

 In the above scene, Ian says two things:

1.  Maybe he and his friend should move to Toronto for the good music scene.

My reaction: I got chills knowing that Allie, in her own small way, was/is part of that music scene.

2.  Maybe he and his friend should move to Vancouver because the girls are prettier.

My reaction:  Hello!  Allie MacDonald is like a few meters from you, evidence to the contrary.  Just marry me already or at least give me our first excursion.    

I hate tube tops, but not on Allie MacDonald.

Episode 2

Allie MacDonald and Mitchell Verigin in Young Drunk Punk

Tim Carlson, Allie MacDonald, Mitchell Verigin, Tracy Ryan, and BruceMcCulloch in Young Drunk Punk

Allie MacDonald and Tim Carlson...So adorable.

Allie MacDonald and Tracy Ryan reaching in unison.  Young Drunk Punk.

Hmmm!  Allie MacDonald in Young Drunk Punk.

Takes my breath away.  Allie MacDonald in Young Drunk Punk.

Episode 3

Allie MacDonald and Tracy Ryan in Young Drunk Punk.

The incomparable Allie MacDonald.

The following scenes illustrate Allie's future as a hardcore pet detective.

Allie MacDonald.  Those blues are giving me the blues!

Allie MacDonald and Bruce McCulloch. Cute!

Allie MacDonald and Bruce McCulloch.

Allie MacDonald and Bruce McCulloch.

Allie MacDonald and Bruce McCulloch.

Allie MacDonald and Bruce McCulloch.

Allie MacDonald.  Hey, her real name's Henry!

Bruce McCulloch and Allie MacDonald.

Allie MacDonald has moves.

Hardcore focus by Allie MacDonald as Belinda McKay.  Bruce McCulloch also focused on driving as Lloyd McKay.

Episode 4 

Horrified stares at an important object.  Allie MacDonald, Tim Carlson, and Tracy Ryan.

Ouch.  Tracy Ryan, Mitchell Verigin, and Allie MacDonald.

Allie MacDonald has major complaints.

NO, I mean MAJOR.

I contributed some stills for a better appreciation of her classy entrance.  She's even sexier when she's trying to be plain, boring, and un-stylish.

Allie MacDonald.

Allie MacDonald.

Allie MacDonald.

Fanny pack time.  Oh no, take that.  Allie MacDonald. Young Drunk Punk.

Allie MacDonald does a protest dance.  Young Drunk Punk.

Yeah, you tell them.  Allie MacDonald in Young Drunk Punk.

Can't commit to the fanny.  Allie MacDonald, everybody.

"Marvel's Agent Carter": Favorite New TV Show of the 2014-2015 Season So Far

Marvel's Agent Carter

Hayley Atwell has been one of my celebrity crushes for about five years now.  She first caught my eye in The Dutchess but she really became unforgettable in Brideshead Revisited. She was the other woman in The Dutchess, which got in the way of her likability. I'm not sure what her hairstyle is called from Brideshead [...], maybe a turn-of-the-century bob? 

The Dutchess

 

The Dutchess

 

Brideshead Revisited

Brideshead Revisited (Atwell in center).

I just finished watching the first two episodes of "Marvel's Agent Carter." My crush is even more validated thanks to this show. She pulls off one of the first female characters on TV that can go toe-to-toe with men physically without any silliness or awkwardness.  No doubt, the choreographers and stunt coordinators are largely responsible but she sells it. There are many great female protagonists who are strong mentally but less physically and they are often icy and sullen, Carter is quite warm and funny. She uses whatever is available in her environment during combat, quite effectively. More importantly, she does quite well without weapons or, rather, with the weapon of her body. Carter's also quite snappy and bold-lipped when the situation calls for it, which is often. I love the automat and the waitress friend and the 30s/40's pop music. Whereas, "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." left me underwhelmed, I can see sticking with this 'til the end.

EDIT: Upon further consideration, I'd say she's now my favorite female comic book character of all that I know of (Catwoman being my previous favorite).