Veep: Season One (2012)

Creator: Armando Iannucci

 If you've seen In the Loop, the 2009 British film by the same guy who created this show, then you'll know exactly what to expect for Veep (if you haven't seen that movie but like Veep, then you really need to watch In the Loop). The comedic style is dialogue-heavy with a bit of an absurdist slant. It takes a slightly exaggerated, but true in theory, look at the world of politics. Veep gets a lot right about politics in America, even if much of the show is a bit out there. D.C. politicians don't throw creative insults around at each other or engage in the type of shenanigans the show's characters do, but the spirit of the character's actions does ring true.

The lofty over-ambition of Dan and the slave-like loyalty of Gary are two examples of characters on the show that are exaggerated for comedic effect, but are still based on reality, and they're all the more funnier because of it. The same goes for the story-lines on the show, like Selina's efforts to get a Clean Jobs bill without making anyone mad only to find that in the end she has made everyone mad (pretty much politics in America in a nutshell). The show reveals the absurdities of not just politics, but of the human desire for others to approve. Even though the show does seem a bit slight and doesn't have goals that are set too high, it's most definitely achieves the modest goals it has for itself. On top of all of its great digs at the politics, media, and culture in America, the show provides a high and frequent dose of laughs. This is an example of a comedy that does exactly what it's supposed to.

Grade: B

Game of Thrones: Season Two (2012)

Creators: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

 It should be obvious based on the title of the show that Game of Thrones is about the pursuit of power. The first season disqualified those who were too noble and pure to gain power in a harsh and brutal world and defined what type of people won't be taking the throne. The second season takes a step back and looks at why those who want power think that they can have it. Each of the "kings" this season who want to become king of Westeros find their legitimacy coming from different places. Stannis Baratheon finds his legitimacy coming from religious authority. Joffrey has legitimacy because of his supposed royal blood (and this a point of contention in the series). The Khaleesi's legitimacy comes from the fact that years ago her families power was wrongfully taken. Power comes from many places, but only one person can have it.

This season examines all of the rulers who want to be king, and their very different reasons for wanting to do so. By looking at the show through this thematic lens, this season was definitely better than the first one, which spent a lot of time setting up everything. But there is one thing this season didn't have that last season did, and that's a definitive conclusion to the thematic arc (I'm referring to the fate of Ned Stark in season one). The Battle of Blackwater Bay is meant to be the big conclusion to the season, but nothing really happened. It was a visceral battle that was an incredibly impressive episode, but after the battle everything more or less went back to how things were, and the pursuit of power continues just as it was before into the third season. Not only that, but the final scene of this season was pretty much the exact same as the final scene of last season. In terms of plot, not a lot of progress was made this season, though it's definitely possible and probable that this is all leading to a plot-heavy and exciting third season. But I'm not complaining. Because there was still a great deal of impressive writing this season that examined the everything from the power of legitimacy, the power of gender, the power of brutality, to the power of survival.

Grade: B+

Prometheus (2012)

Director: Ridley Scott

 Art is the expression of ideas and emotions that may not always be comfortable or easy to experience, while entertainment is for the soothing of the masses. For decades there has been a battle in Hollywood between the studio executives interested in creating mass entertainment and the filmmakers behind the camera interested in creating timeless art. But in Prometheus there is a slight  variation in that battle, because it seems that the filmmakers themselves are interested in creating a fun entertaining movie, but also exploring big ideas at the same time. Unfortunately, and perhaps predictably, this ends with a failure, but that failure is still more interesting than most everything Hollywood has put out this year. The movie explores fascinating ideas, notions, and symbols pertaining to creation, rebirth, sacrifice, power, ambition, God, and science. But ultimately it's all too much. One two hour movie will never be able to be successful at exploring all these ideas while still delivering a science fiction film with a standard beginning, middle, and ending.

The movie shifts focus many times throughout the movie. Sometimes it is focused on David the android, and his ambiguous issues, then later we will focus on the faith of our main character Shaw's issues of faith, then later we will contemplate man's desire to meet his maker. None of these threads successfully mesh together and it's pretty disappointing because these ideas are all fascinating on their own but they all get glossed over so quickly. Director Ridley Scott and writer Damon Lindelof are definitely ambitious filmmakers. As I've explained already, Lindelof's script is incredibly ambitious. But Scott's visual eye is one of the best parts of the film. The production design, the visual effects, the magnificent vistas, and overall look of the film is all extraordinary. These aspects are certainly the best part of the movie, and even when movie turns into more of a standard sci-fi action movie, Scott's visual eye keep the movie at least somewhat interesting. This movie is honestly not very good, but it's one that I can't help but recommend because it's such a fascinating miss.

Grade: B-