Paul Levinson
Bio
Novels The Silk Code, The Plot To Save Socrates, It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles; LPs Twice Upon A Rhyme & Welcome Up; nonfiction The Soft Edge & Digital McLuhan, translated into 15 languages. Prof, Fordham Univ.
Stories (742)
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Review of 'Outer Range' 1.7-8
Well, Outer Range certainly saved the best for last -- the last two episodes (of what I hope will be the first of at least a few seasons) -- waking us up like after a fever has broken and everything is clear, or at least, a little clearer.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Star Trek: Picard' 2.10
A strong season two finale of Star Trek: Picard on Paramount+, with at least a handful of scenes that were memorable, brought tears to the eyes, and were otherwise very good to see. Let's divide them between resolved and opening up a new vista:
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' 1.2
Well, I just loved the second episode of The Man Who Fell to Earth, especially the ending. [Spoilers ahead ... ] I mean, with the world and this country in the states that we're in, it was especially good to see this happy ending on the science fiction screen. And it was set up perfectly. Faraday aka The Man Who Fell to Earth had said earlier that it was time for Justin's father Josiah to die (always great to see Clarke Peters on the screen). He had lived his purpose. And we'd previously seen that guy up in Alaska take his life, after almost killing Spencer. So ...when Faraday walked into Josiah's room, and put his hands on Josiah, asleep ... well, I thought the worst. And instead: Faraday cured him, draining out and taking in what had wrecked Josiah's body. And he was whole and healthy again. Good to see on this day.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Futurism
How to Overcome The Supreme Court Decision to Strike Down Roe v. Wade
Lawrence O'Donnell pointed this out on his MSNBC show a little past 10pm Eastern time last night: The Supreme Court is what it is today because two Presidents who did not win the popular vote -- George W. Bush and Trump -- got to appoint Supreme Court justices.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in The Swamp
Review of 'Outer Range' 1.5-6
Well, here's my idiosyncratic review of one of the most idiosyncratic series on television. Ever. As in -- as I said in my previous Outer Range review -- in Twin Peaks territory, or west of The Twilight Zone, certainly when it comes to the west pasture.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Star Trek: Picard' 2.9
I'll start off this review of Star Trek: Picard 2.9 by saying I thought it easily was the best episode of the season. Every major character was sharpened, in some cases to the point of having an epiphany, in other cases with the result of being transformed into something very different from what they were all season.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'Slow Horses' 1.5
A most excellent episode 1.5 of Slow Horses on Apple TV+ this past Friday. Here's why: [Spoilers ahead... ] No explicit flatulence from Lamb in this hour, or even a mention of it from the lead Slow Horse. But he did manage to come through with a comment about being "bitten in the canal". I'd give him credit for that for this episode. He was in the right area -- he wasn't talking about his ear canal, right?
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Criminal
Review of 'The Man Who Fell to Earth' 1.1
The Man Who Fell to Earth, which debuted last night on Showtime as a ten-episode television series, has a long and distinguished history. The novel of the same name by Walter Tevis was published in 1963 to critical acclaim. I didn't read it, because I had just switched as a teenager by then from science fiction to rock music as my passion, and I didn't go back to science fiction until a few decades years later -- Philip K. Dick's 1962 The Man in the High Castle had made it just under wire. Meanwhile, The Man Who Fell to Earth was made into 1976 movie starring David Bowie which I saw and loved, and which also received critical acclaim. A 1987 made-for-television movie followed which I'm pretty sure I didn't see, and certainly can't remember. A now this new Showtime series.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Futurism
Review of "Outer Range" 1.3-4
So it occurred to me, as I was watching the enthralling third and fourth episodes of Outer Range, that this new series on Amazon Prime has a lot of Twin Peaks in it. I mean, an investigation of a murder against a backdrop that has a Philip K. Dickian mind-bending vibe is a rare thing, with a pulsing potential to be memorable if it's done up right. If Deputy Sheriff Joy, one of my favorite characters (and being played really well by Tamara Podemski) expresses a joy in cherry pie, I may be on to something.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Futurism
Review of 'The Weekend Away'
I caught The Weekend Away on Netflix the other night. The movie is based on the 2020 novel by Sarah Alderson of the same name (which I haven't read). I'll begin by saying don't expect a sleeper by Hitchcock, but The Weekend Away is nonetheless a pretty good thriller with some nice twists.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Criminal
Review of 'Bridgerton' 2
Bridgerton is a little off the beaten track of the science fiction/fantasy and detective/police fiction I usually review here, but as I pointed out in my review of the first season, Bridgerton is a kind of alternate history, and besides, it's superb television anyway.
By Paul Levinson4 years ago in Filthy
