All posts by Greg Bueno

Channel Surfing

Play gay

My gaydar is notoriously out of whack, and what little ability I do have with it is entirely misdirected. That’s my disclaimer to describe something of a game I play when I watch TV — Can This Actor Play Gay?

I can picture some actors more easily than others taking on gay roles. Before I ever knew Det. Tim Bayliss on Homicide experimented with his sexuality, I had a sense Kyle Secor would be convincing playing gay.

Even though Jesse L. Martin plays Det. Ed Green on Law & Order as tough and suave, I thought something about Martin could work in a gay role. Then I learned he was cast as Tom Collins, a gay computer programmer, in the musical Rent.

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TV News and World Report

I knew, and I didn’t know

When I saw the headline that Neil Patrick Harris came out of the closet, I was surprised. Then the surprise wore off, and I was left with an odd sense of deja vu.

Hadn’t I already learned about this news from a long while back? I thought I had, but I couldn’t remember from where.

I always thought Harris would do a great job playing a gay character, and I guess now it wouldn’t be so much of an act. He’s not exactly on my hot list, but I’ve always found his handsomeness less boyish than what’s generally perceived. What surprised me more was finding out I’m a year older than he is. Damn, what have I been doing with my life?

Harris is the third big coming out story of the year (yes, I’m counting T.R. Knight.) In terms of child actors from the ’80s and ’90s, that makes three — Chad Allen, Danny Pinaturo and now, Neil Patrick Harris. Who’s next?

Channel Surfing

I thought that ‘L&O: CI’ was kind of gay …

I don’t watch Grey’s Anatomy, so I don’t know off-hand who T.R. Knight is. The AP report of his coming out mentioned he appeared in Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which I do watch.

So I looked up the episode in which he appeared and realized which criminal he played. Knight played a computer programmer with a very desperate need to get his writing partner to focus on finishing the sequel of their hit game.

The final scene in that episode kind of struck me as gay. Det. Goren, of course, is summarizing the crime and getting the criminal (Knight) to incriminate himself. I don’t know if Knight intentionally telegraphed a gay vibe to the desperation his character felt to maintain the distracted attention of his partner, but I rather liked that subtext.

It felt more human. And Knight looked kind of hot in glasses.

TV News and World Report

‘Eureka’ earns 2nd season

This news is more than a week old, but Eureka has been picked up for a second season.

I really liked the original shows that aired over the summer. The Closer does terrific things with the crime procedural, while the chemistry between James Roday and Dulé Hill made Psych the most watchable comedy of the summer.

It’s tough to put a superlative to the comedy of either Psych or Eureka — they’re humorous in their individual ways.

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After the Show

Candidate for Brilliant But Cancelled: Friday Night Lights

I didn’t read the book, and I didn’t watch the movie with Billy Bob Thorton.

I live in Texas, and while I’ll largely ambivalent to the culture of high school football in Texas, I know it’s out there. Despite that pedigree, I’ve become a fan of Friday Night Lights after two episodes. That makes me one of the nearly one million viewers who didn’t ditch after the series premiere.

Two more scripts have been ordered for the show, but given the competition with Dancing with the Stars and, perhaps, Gilmore Girls, I’m not sure critical acclaim and a small fan base are enough.

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After the Show

Dark

I just watched the most wrenching two-hours of television so far this fall season.

When producers said the new season of Battlestar Galactica would be dark, they weren’t mincing their words. I haven’t felt such a dark mood after watching a television show since renting Oz many years back.

This show does nothing to bolster your faith in humanity. And oh is it so, so good.

This season premiere used the Lost season premiere to wipe the floor. I know I shouldn’t really compare the two shows, but there’s a very human core to all the mystery and science surrounding both shows. And Battlestar Galactica is far more willing to put the ugliness of humanity in plain view.

I love this show.

After the Show

Season premieres, part the first

I’ve already written about my impressions of new shows — what about my returning favorites?

Truthfully, the old favorites have been a bit waylaid by the new shows. With TiVo making it too convenient to catch a lot of stuff, I found myself last weekend inundated with catch-up viewing.

I didn’t even take in any of the Law & Order shows.

So Thursday night, I went on a TiVo binge. Man, I hope to write off some of these new shows soon, just to make my viewing schedule a bit more sane.

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