The World's Common Tater

One benefit of writing this on Saturday instead of Friday is that I was able to finish the one book I read this week. If I had done this yesterday, I would have no book for the post.

Movies

I watched one movie this week and it was one that I have seen dozens of times. I was browsing HBO Max last night looking for something to watch. I didn’t want anything that would require my focus. I found The Replacements on the list of movies leaving the service soon. The Replacements is one of those movies I will watch whenever I see it on TV so my decision was made. I watched it and read parts of my book during the slower scenes.

I mentioned this movie to my daughter recently because Rhys Ifans is in House of the Dragon and plays a completely different type of character in the movie. I had forgotten that Jon Favreau was in the movie. I need to make her watch it with me.

TV

I watched the beginning of the end of The Walking Dead. It’s going to be hard to get into anyone being in danger considering they have announced several characters will get a spin-off.

I watched the first episode of Interview With the Vampire. I liked the first episode. I think a TV show will work much better for the story than a movie.

I watched the first episode of the Meredith-lite season of Grey’s Anatomy. I think it could be good again if they retain focus on the new interns but I am afraid they will spend too much time on annoying characters like Owen and Teddy.

I watched the first episode of East New York. I was very sleepy when I watched it. It seemed OK. It will be good for people who like police shows.

I still watch SNL. The first episode was OK. Weekend Update is the only consistently funny part of the show now.

Books

I finished one book this week.

Dead End Girls by Wendy Heard

Maude hates her family. Her mom has married a rich guy and ignores Maude in favor of her kids with him. Her step-grandmother is a terrible person who only cares about how the family reflects on her. Maude has worked on a plan for two years to fake her death and become a new person away from them. When her step-cousin Frankie finds out, instead of telling someone she says she wants in. The book tells the story of their attempt to run away with flashbacks to why Frankie needs to do so.

It took me forever to get into this one. Maude was a hard character to like. It seems extreme to fake your death in this situation instead of just escaping like a normal person by going away to college. Sure, she wants her mom to suffer, but she’s also OK with putting her innocent sibling through a loss like this. At least Frankie had a life-or-death reason for running. That made it a little easier to root for them. Maude seems to justify a lot of bad actions just to get away from a distant and unloving mom. The action picks up midway and I got into it a little more. Still only gave it three stars on Goodreads for the slow start and unlikeable lead.

On Deck

My family has been away so we will spend the next week trying to catch up on the TV shows I’ve been saving to watch with them.

Bring It On: Cheer or Die is on Syfy tonight. I will record to watch later since the UK football game is on at the same time.

The TV show version of Let the Right One In is on Showtime tomorrow night.

All American returns Monday night.

I have not yet decided what I will read next.

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