Dead show walking?

Mads Mikkelsen plays the not-so-good Dr. Hannibal Lecter in NBC's "Hannibal."

Sometimes, you know when you're watching a great, but soon-to-be cancelled TV show. Right now, NBC's "Hannibal" (Thursdays at 9 p.m. CST) is the latest dead series walking.

Too intense, too darkly violent for network TV, not cerebral enough for cable, it is a strange middle of the road. But the surreal scenes of stylized blood sprays, rotting corpses, and impaled bodies will no doubt confuse the CSI crowd and scare off the Law and Order lovers.

It's a shame. Because after a rocky, but promising, pilot and a more fleshed out (pun alert #1) follow up, the series seems to be sinking its teeth (pun alert #2) into its source material with episode three.

To those unfamiliar with the premise, "Hannibal" focuses on the early relationship between characters of Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon" novel, FBI Special Agent Will Graham and psychologist by day, serial killer cannibal by night, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Will has the taxing ability to empathize and envision murders and Lecter is helping him deal with these ghosts in his head.

Already brought to the big screen in 1986's "Manhunter" and again in 2002 with "Red Dragon," it could be easy for the writers and producers to ape what came before. Instead, network execs bravely gave the go ahead to allow the show's creators to completely reintroduce the characters, especially Lecter.

Hugh Dancy plays Will as more William Petersen in "Manhunter" than Edward Norton in "Red Dragon." Will is fully aware of the psychological baggage that comes with his unique and advantageous gift, and Dancy wears his fragile mental state on his sleeve. Not necessarily a heroic protagonist, but definitely a sympathetic one, we the audience suffer along with Will as mentally reconstructs horrific scenes only to endure maddening night terrors and surreal day dreams.

Mads Mikkelsen is outstanding as the not so good doctor. He wisely chose to not recreate Sir Anthony Hopkins' iconic interpretation of an eerie, genius maniac obsessed with politeness. Here, we see a cold, calculating, pensive murderer. Instead of Hopkins' caged beast standing at attention on the other side of a glass cell, Mikkelsen's Lecter is a free roaming viper ready to strike. The tension between the Lecter the characters see and the one the audience knows him to be is very unsettling. 

This is all heightened to great effect by combining the audience's understanding and the score's grating strings that swell in reference to Lecter's nefarious after curricular activities — breaking the fourth wall in a more subconscious manner than a wink and nod into the camera (the show's music isn't really so much a score as a clanging, discordant, unsettling atmosphere that lies somewhere between new age and The Joker's theme from "The Dark Knight").

The chemistry between Dancy and Mikkelsen is growing with the characters, having gone from an agency mandated inconvenience to an uneasy alliance that we know will veer towards friendship and end up at codependence before a messy end. Lecter is manipulating Will with their therapy sessions while Will uses Lecter's insight in cases and inches closer and closer to discovering who Lecter really is. It's the perfect cat and mouse game — we're just not yet sure who's the cat and who's the mouse.

Thrown into this modern Greek tragedy are Lawrence Fishburne's Jack Crawford and Psychologist Dr. Alana Bloom, played by Caroline Dhavernas.

Crawford is the worst-written character — a cutout of the stereotypical law enforcement official who only cares about results while trying to serve as an authority/father figure to Will. However, Fishburne's performance brings the character above mediocrity, giving Crawford a certain gravitas that the script lacks. You feel that as much as Crawford wants to catch the bad guy, he isn't willing to lose Will in the process.

Bloom evaluates Will's mental state for the FBI. Bloom is the perfect set up for a love interest — likable, sweet, still damaged in a yet unspecified way. But more importantly, she is the show's conscience. The only true, caring character who is not affected by their debilitating psychoses, madness, or crusade for justice.

Along with these great performances is some of the better television cinematography and set design you'll find today. The dreamlike techniques behind Will's crime recreations and nightmares along with the treatment of blood as paint across a canvas show a vision that is lacking in most crime dramas. The hunting shack crime scene's claustrophobic collection of antlers less resembles a set than a postmodern sculpture gallery showing. Interestingly, Lecter's murders are also presented in an artistic (you know, as artful and elegant as murder can be) manner while the show's other killers are more brutish and downright ugly in their killings.

Still, despite having everything going in the right direction and heaps of promise in terms of storyline ahead, you can't help but feel the masses will be turned off by this intelligent look into the worst part of humanity.

FC Dallas crowd shows its fan muscle

Saturday, I was given the opportunity to be on the field at my first major sports event ― even though it may not be so major to some people.

I was able to attend the FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy Major League Soccer match. I know, many people, even soccer fans, will scoff at my excitement.

But the fact is, if you can go to one of their games ― do it. I can tell you, it looks, feels, sounds, and smells like a big time event. Well, from where I was standing, it mostly smelled like beer and sounded like fans singing, but you catch my drift.

After a small snafu at the will call window, I grabbed my press pass and some tickets for a couple of friends, and made my way down to the field.

Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas is the home stadium for FC Dallas. It's a mid-size venue in MLS, but is one of the true soccer-specific stadia in the league (which is a big deal since the league has a goal of getting a stadium specific for all of their 19 teams). Its size also gives the advantage that there's not really a bad seat in the house. Combine that with everyone involved with the operation, from ushers to their photographers, being professional and courteous, and it is a great place to catch the highest level of soccer you will see in the country.

I got behind the goal in the north end of the stadium right before kickoff to find the stadium was almost to capacity. And when you have perfect weather ― 70 degrees, slight wind, nary a cloud in the sky ― and the league's premier team coming to visit, it's easy to see why.

Most press folks who aren't photographers go to the press box because it's easier to see the entire field, you can sit down, you can type easily, and there's free food. But I wanted to be amongst the real fans ― the Dallas Beer Guardians.

This hardcore supporters group is the one that is full of life. A drum line, chant/song leaders, and hundreds of scarf-wielding, jersey wearing young adults let loose in the north end of the stadium.

They cheer constantly, sing their hearts out, mercilessly taunt the opposition, and give some much needed humor to what can, at times, be a tedious sport.

The game itself was low-scoring, Dallas won 1-0, but highly entertaining affair. It was everything you could expect from a matchup between number one in the western division hosting number three and the league's defending champions. In 90 minutes, fans were treated to an up and down game with a couple of disallowed goals, two saved penalty kicks, and a Galaxy player being red carded and sent to the locker room early, before a late headed goal won the game. Cue rapture in the beer garden.

And then it happened.

As the George John, the goalscorer and hero on the day, ran off to celebrate, an errant beer flew from the stand and pegged him ride on the temple. He may be a large man, but he is no match for a well thrown missile of alcohol. He spent several minutes on the turf and had to leave the game to receive five stitches.

But either it's expected or the team is just happy for the die hard fans, because John said after the game, “Yeah, they can get a little crazy sometimes.” You think so?

If that can't dampen the proceedings, what can? Nothing I suppose, and why should it? Dallas had won. And I realized that maybe, just maybe, the Beer Guardians and rest of the crowd had swung me from an unbiased journalist to a crazed fan.

If they can do that, look out America. Soccer is on its way.

As we made our way back to the car with chants still going on all around us and horns bleating in the background, all I could think about was getting home and how I would miss this. Anyone else miss the Mudbugs and BattleWings?

Review: "The Five Year Engagement"

I don't often write movie reviews, let alone those about films that have been released for almost a year. However, I recently watched "The Five Year Engagement" and I decided I would, nay, should, give this film a review. As someone who can relate to the dilemmas and struggles at the core of the plot, it equally bothered me that I couldn't like it as much as I wanted to.

It's a simple enough story: Jason Segel plays Tom, an aspiring chef who loves his life and loves his fiance, Violet (Emily Blunt). But all of that is turned upside down when Violet takes a job across the country and he sacrifices his career, and a lot more, to let her realize her dreams as he was about to realize his (running his own restaurant and marriage to Violet). 

Central to the movie are the performances. The supporting cast stereotypes are represented — the big, dumb best friend (Chris Pratt); the needy, overemotional sister (Alison Brie); the cool, womanizing professor (Rhys Ifans) — but they are all injected with heart and verve. For example, we know we're supposed to hate Ifans' Winton because he will inevitably hit on Violet, but we actually do like him, which makes Violet's indiscretion so tolerable later in the film.

Still, as good as the side characters are, Blunt and Segel's authentic, down to Earth performances are that much better. Their hero and heroin are a real, breathing couple and how their lives play out, while exaggerated for comic effect, are believable and even rational. 

It's worth noting that even though Segel plays a character similar to that of Peter in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (a script also written by Segel), Tom is not a victim of circumstance wallowing in his misery as Peter was, instead, we see someone who made a hard decision because he felt his hands were tied to do the right thing for the person he loves the most. And he ends up searching to find a way through its fallout, eventually disintegrating into a hapless, unhappy, shadow of his former self who works at a sandwich shop, wears old Halloween costumes around the house, and seeks out self-destructive hobbies that all climax with him having an ugly, pathetic infidelity. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Especially in relationships.

Blunt plays Violet as someone who is simultaneously seeing her worst fears come true in her personal life and exceeding her hopes professionally. She is not passive, but more at a loss on how to help Tom find the same happiness she has. She is torn between seeing her career develop and making her future husband happy, all the while, hoping he can just hang on long enough. She warned him about her fears of his possible resentment, and as he does come to resent what his life has become, if not Violet herself, she makes a mistake that seals their fate.

As good as the performances and script are, there are scenes that scream of a punchup writing job that crudely insert slapstick or random humor to remind the audience this is a comedy. And it's these moments that are my biggest problem with "The Five Year Engagement." Do we need to see Winton use parkour to escape Tom? Does Tom need to end up naked in the snow with frostbite? No. And while they do alleviate the heavy tone from what is ultimately supposed to be a comedy, they are at best a distraction, and at worst a momentum killer. 

Perhaps I could let it slide if the last scene wasn't one of these moments. After a movie largely filled with the same problems and emotions that couples can recall from their own lives, we are treated to an overblown ending that squanders all the good of the previous two hours for the sake of the Hollywood ending.

In keeping of the spirit of the rest of the film, why couldn't Tom and Violet realize that their insistence on getting married is one of the things that drove a wedge between them in the first place? It's not about their engagement persevering through sibling's shotgun weddings, deaths in the family, cross-country moves, jobs, or cheating. It's that their relationship — their love for each other — survived. 

And as anyone who has planned a wedding, they can tell you it doesn't get any more real than that.

A WAY Too Early EPL 2012/13 Season Preview

[Ed.'s note: Another soccer blog?!?!?!? Yes. Another one. I'll make this country love this sport or die trying.]

With the 2012-13 English Premier League fixture list being released and the transfer window now open, it’s time to throw out all common sense, switch off that part of your brain that tells you to be cautious, look into a crystal ball that could be better titled “hopeful delusion” and make a way too early prediction for the upcoming season.

Below, I’ve stuck out my neck and named some of the moniker games on paper as well as predictions that will come back to haunt me, such as the golden boot winner, manager of the year, UEFA Champions League spots, and the team that will walk away with the big prize come May 19.

First, let’s look at some of the games that you might not want to miss. 

 

The season opens Aug. 18 with Manchester City beginning their title defense against newly promoted Southampton. Everton hosts Manchester United — their last encounter ended in a late season draw that ultimately resulted in United’s bitter rivals walking away with the trophy. If Tottenham GM Daniel Levy can hang on to midfielder Luka Modric and find a striker, then Andre Villas-Boas’ opener as manager against a fun to watch Newcastle United looks promising.

Sept. 15 sees QPR host Chelsea in a rematch of an ugly game in 2011 that got Blues’ Captain John Terry a court date. Stoke City host Manchester City in the Sky Blues first real test of the season. While Sept. 22 sees Brendan Rodgers in his first Liverpool-United derby and Sept. 29 sees Chelsea go to north London to take on rivals Arsenal.

Oct. 27 has bad blood written all over it — the first Merseyside Derby takes place at Goodison Park, Liverpool will face Swansea City as the Swans face their old manager for the first time, and Norwich City travels to Villa Park hoping to take down their old manager Paul Lambert and Aston Villa. 

 

The first North London Derby of the year is set for Nov. 17 when Spurs travel to the Emirates to battle their hated rivals.

Southampton will face Reading, a team they should be familiar with, Dec. 8 when the two former Championship teams meet for the first time that season. Oh, and there’s the little to-do between the reigning champions and their neighbors in the first rematch since last season’s two epic Manchester Derbies.

The annual Boxing Day fixtures are headlined by a London Derby between Arsenal and West Ham United and Newcastle away at Old Trafford. The usually congested holidays continue with Everton hosting Chelsea Dec. 29 and Southampton vs. Arsenal on New Year’s Day.

Tottenham and Arsenal square off again at White Hart Lane March 2 and the second sure-to-be-endlessly-hyped Manchester Derby takes place April 6.

The last day sees Manchester City taking on Norwich City, United away to West Bromwich Albion, the Gunners at St. James Park (I don’t care what sponsor name the stadium will have by then), Chelsea hosting Everton, QPR at Anfield, and Spurs hosting Sunderland.

Golden Boot Winner: “So who’s going to score these goals that will make these games so interesting?” you ask. It’s hard to doubt Robin Van Persie considering his scorching form last year, but it’s safe to say last year was an anomaly for the man made of glass. Plus, he’s probably going to have to adjust to a new team. I really think City's Sergio Aguero will set the league on fire after adapting to his first season in the EPL. He made me a big believer even before his last day heroics that brought City the title. I think he’ll end the season with the metallic footwear.

PFA Player of the Year: All that said, Player of the Year will go to Man U's Wayne Rooney. Yes, I hate to hear it as much as you do, but I expect Wazza to grow with his ability to influence games by creating and leading, not just scoring. And look for him to singlehandedly drag United to near the top of the table much as he did in 2009-10.

Manager of the Year: If Paul Lambert is handed some cash to throw around at Aston Villa, that young team crying out for strong leadership can turn some heads next season. I fully expect him to right the ship and walk away with Manger of the Year honors for doing so.

Biggest Disappointment: Brendan Rodgers will be expected to improve on last year, and I’m a big fan of what he did with Swansea, but it’s still the same players for the Reds. The histrionics of Suarez, an aging Steven Gerrard, aimless Jordan Henderson, and lolloping Andy Carroll are square pegs in his round hole of beautiful football. Liverpool will still underachieve.

Biggest Surprise: IF Everton can avoid their annual slow start, AND they can hang on to Marouane Fellaini ANNNNNNNND get Steven Piennar back from Tottenham… The Toffees can challenge for a Champions League spot.

Major Managerial Casualty: Arsenal's Arsene Wenger. I know, he’s untouchable, but their inability to win a trophy (again) and falling out of the Champions League spots combined with no real ambition in the transfer market and a revolting fan base will mean the axe finally falls and the Gunners make a serious run at a relaxed, rejuvenated Pep Guardiola. 

 

Cup Winners: Carling – Man City, FA - Everton

EPL Title: It’s wide open and really hard to call, especially since the carousel hasn’t stopped spinning…Heck, stopped spinning? Euro 2012 means it hasn’t even really got going, yet. But I think City will assert their dominance in the same way Chelsea did in 05-06. Iwrote that the touchline spat between City Manager Roberto Manciniand United Legend Sir Alex Ferguson was a turning point for the NoisyNeighbors and I stick by it. Their inferiority complex is done and dusted. Look for their talent and depth to overwhelm the league this season.

UEFA Champions League Spots: Man City, Man United, Chelsea, Newcastle

Relegated Teams: Norwich City, Reading, Wigan Athletic

Saying goodbye is hard to do

As an American sports fan, my obsession with fútbol is only rivaled by my obsession with football.

And although football fans here would have you believe otherwise, the sports are not that far apart.

For example: this spring, the football team I support here, whose colors are blue and white, had to say a painful farewell to one of its legends — something that the football team I support across the pond, that also wears blue and white, is still trying to come to grips with.

When the Indianapolis Colts released their longtime, certified Hall of Fame Quarterback Peyton Manning, it was as much a celebration of everything he gave the franchise as it was an emotional, unfathomable goodbye.

Last week, I got déjà vu as Chelsea FC said, “So long,” to striker Didier Drogba.

The contributions these two figures made to their respective teams are similar — they came in with big expectations, and not only lived up to them but propped their teams up for success that hadn’t been seen in decades.

In the case of Manning, his resume reads a Super Bowl win, two conference championships, seven division titles, and status as a regular contender for the playoffs if not the Super Bowl itself. While Drogba’s trophy case holds a UEFA Champions League title, three league titles, four FA Cups, and two Carling Cups.

They also were alike in that they never shirked from the big moment, instead, rising to the occasion when it mattered most.

Manning made countless comebacks and put up huge numbers as the team was built around him. Drogba…well, just see the end of this season for a brief synopsis of what he has done throughout his eight seasons at Chelsea.

Their departures were even similar. The writing was on the wall for months as the teams began distancing themselves from the stars and fans braced for the worst. Their departures probably even came down to money — Manning's long term contract meant Indy would have had to pay him $28 million if they optioned him for another year and Drogba wanted a two-year contract that CFC was reluctant to give while he could reportedly earn up to £200,000 a week in China.

But at the same time, Manning left somewhat unceremoniously. After missing all of last season with a neck injury, his team slumped to a NFL-worst and caused the franchise to embark on a rebuilding project and released him in the process. Drogba left at the top, after dragging Chelsea back into the Champions League match against Bayern Munich before demanding the last penalty kick and converting it to win the club's most coveted trophy.

In the wake of their departures, I looked back and realized they also differed on the amount of impact they had on me. True, Manning is my favorite athlete. I have an authentic jersey with his name and number sewn on it (that gift singlehandedly saved my Christmas). But…I had been following the Colts long before Manning arrived.  Pardon the symbolism, but there were many jerseys with different names and numbers on it before Peyton Manning’s.

However, as I began to watch and fully appreciate soccer, Drogba, not a team, caught my attention. His power, pace, and ruthlessness in front of/bearing down on goal was a spectacle. He was THE player to watch.

Needless to say, but the first soccer shirt I ever owned was emblazoned with his name and number.

To appreciate his unique combination of skills is to understand how unique it is to find a “big man forward” that can master the art of holding up the ball, heading, and shooting with power and precision.

My favorite example of these skills is the chest-down,touch, turn and vicious shot he put into the roof of the net against Tottehnamin this season’s FA Cup semifinal. It combined everything I love about soccer — finesse, power, and the unexpected.

More importantly, as a Chelsea fan, you knew you could rely on him. You knew that if given the chance when it mattered most, of course it would be Drogba [even my wife, who I forced to watch the Champions League Final, gathered enough about the club and player to say “Of course it has to be Drogba,” as he approached the spot in the shootout]. When all seemed lost, he rescued our hopes. He gave us belief.

And when you saw the team sheet with his name on it, you knew you would be entertained — whether it was a goal like the one mentioned above, or if it meant him rolling around on the ground, playacting for a free-kick when someone breathed too hard on him.

As difficult as it was to come to grips with Manning ending his career at another NFL team, I find it equally so to picture Drogba not lining up at Stamford Bridge next season.

The silver lining is that Manning, 36, also proved that an aging superstar could begin again (he signed with the Denver Broncos), just as Drogba, 34, showed at the end of this season that he still has plenty left in the tank to offer a team, somewhere.

And even though my blue and white jerseys with their names on them are not correct anymore, I will still wear them all the same next season.

Food finds in the S-BC

If you read our paper, you probably noticed last Monday that I've embarked on a crusade to try every local restaurant in Shreveport-Bossier and report back with how the experience is.

For someone who loves to eat, I am very excited. And for someone who loves his community and supports small businesses, I am even more excited.

I learned long ago that chains are not where it's at. No offense to them, chain restaurants are usually good and they have their purpose, but there's nothing special. It's the same thing every time.

But a locally-owned, non-chain eatery has a certain feel to it. You can't explain it, but it's there...When you order a signature dish or something you can't get anywhere else, you feel special.

The Monday/Tuesday Edition of our paper kicked off my reviews with cajun cuisine (but have failed to really even breach the tip of the iceberg) and to be honest, heading in I had no idea what I was doing. I'm not a food critic, I just love food.

So before I even got going on this idea, I sought someone who had done this before. I talked with the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau's Chris Jay about his experience reviewing food places.

If you're unfamiliar with Chris, he's a young, enthusiastic member of the community who is always in the thick of things when it comes to having fun in Shreveport-Bossier. He also writes regular food critiques for the blog 20X49.

He gave me some great advice that I will not reveal here — a magician never reveals his secrets. But it set me along my way. And now I've set a personal goal of trying one restaurant once a week (which I'm sure my diet isn't too happy with, but hey, can you say "cheat day"?).

So keep an eye out HERE for what I come back with. And if you have any suggestions, be sure to email me at sean@bossierpress.com or comment below.

Coaches Behaving Badly

If you know anything about me, you know I'm a proud Arkansas Razorback fan.

True, I didn't go to college there, but if you're born in Arkansas, you have no choice but to support the Hogs. It's how you are raised. If you're lucky.

So it's no secret that the recently revived football program has taken a black eye over the head coach and married, father of four Bobby Petrino's secret relationship with a 25-year-old former university volleyball player that he put on the payroll.

The dirty laundry was aired out after the pair wrecked on a country road outside Fayetteville.

There is debate within Razorback nation whether Petrino should have been fired since his indiscretions were non-football related. Athletic Director Jeff Long fired him "for cause" (i.e. keeping a relationship secret and lying about it when he has a morality cause in his contract).

This fan feels that Long acted appropriately.

The team already gets downed during recruiting for Petrino's decision to abandon the Atlanta Falcons during midseason for the Arkansas job. I don't think they could've survived this.

There is no doubt he lost the locker room with this little stunt. It's better to have an interim coach who can have some order than a proven coach with players who have no respect for him or his decisions.

The consensus is that Petrino is not a good person. His work history certainly seems to demonstrate this notion. A lot of fans can stomach that when you're winning. But even winning only gets you so far.

Speaking of coaches who made mistakes and have now been cast aside.....

Oh, where to start with the New Orleans Saints. Head Coach Sean Payton's willful ignorance of former Defensive Coordinator Greg Williams' bounty program?

The remaining coaching staff's audacity to appeal their suspensions (including Payton's season-long ban and newly minted interim coach Joe Vitt's five game ouster)?

Or the incredibly damning audio that surfaced of Williams encouraging his players to target heads on players with concussion history and tear ACLs in players' knees?

It baffles me that any fans could be upset about this.

The argument that the game is fast, hard hitting, and all coaches encourage their defenses to be aggressive doesn't apply in this sense. Williams paid money to his players for big hits or injuries to opposition. He encouraged players to try and end careers.

It's disgusting. And it looks like the only career that was ended by all of this was his. Fortunately.

And in a society that doesn't believe in consequences anymore, I'm glad the NFL is trying to send a message. Because changing the culture of the game to reduce dangerous concussions will be met with opposition and growing pains.

Ones that make the aches in north Arkansas seem minuscule by comparison.

But these coaches on two different levels of the game have paid for their arrogance.