That second, late-night glass of wine may have been a big mistake. Took a detour down memory lane: more specifically, to an under-maintained, seldom revisited blog. (http://ejoanna-thecorioliseffect.blogspot.com) And I got all nostalgic again for . . . a . . . network (gasp) TV series. And one that lasted barely half a season. In 2007.
"Journeyman" on NBC.
Well, what nerve! Diaries are for Important Stuff: GOP Outrages; Congressional Races; Faux News; Pooties (my weak spot); Benghazi; and GOP Outrages. So, what possible excuse can I have for dredging up a network sci-fi, time travel romance series from nearly 7 years ago?
None, absolutely none.
Except: Dammit! I still miss it. Here's what I wrote in early 2008, in my "Journeyman" cancellation grief:
Journeyman: Redux or No Dice?
Well, what's a well-educated (see previous post), sensitive, latte liberal, Left Coaster supposed to do when she falls--and falls hard--for a TV show? And not a show on PBS. Oh no. Not even on Upper Echelon Cable--or, horrors--basic cable. But on the TV That Dare Not Speak Its Name. Yes, Broadcast Television.
To be more precise: NBC. You know, TV from the Paleolithic.
What happened, as best I can recall is this. Around September, 2007, I happened upon a vaguely snarky review of the new fall series, "Journeyman", in the San Francisco Chronicle. The term that hooked my usually spotty attention was: time travel. But not the prosaic and shockingly common time travel to the future. Nosirreebob. I don't even trust the future. Do you?
No. Time travel to the past! And, again, no--not that been-there/done-that time travel to the distant past. "Journeyman" turned out to be about time travel to the relatively recent past, i.e., decades even I can still remember. Sort of. And, icing on the media cake: the series was set in and around my favorite geography: San Francisco. It was good-looking in another way, too. The lead actor was Kevin McKidd, late of HBO's yummy costume drama, "Rome." (I mean, have you seen this guy? OMG.)
So, I watch episode 1. And it's pretty good. I decide to give NBC's long-mothballed motto, "Must See TV", another whirl, and I watch episode 2 the following Monday. And the second episode is really good. By now I'm hooked on this tasty and smart look at the late 20th century Bay Area from the not-so-much smarter early 21st century.
What really sealed the deal was this: around episode 3, I sat up abruptly on my couch (on which I customarily lounge) to say out loud, This show has just jumped exponentially* in complexity and depth. I'm astounded! It's rounding the "j-curve"** and is heading straight up!
The rest of the episodes rolled around each Monday like polished jewels. Until the 13th, unlucky installment. Episode 12 had appeared as expected, on its appointed Monday, the 17th of December. All blue skies and calm waters. But the next episode, and the last, as it has turned out, appeared just two days later, on an alien Wednesday--with all the abruptness and surprise of a Bay Area earthquake. After that, silence from NBC.
What's a heart-broken TV snob to do?
(to be continued. . .)
*Thanks to the very late and great Thomas Robert Malthus.
**Ditto
Except I never continued it. The "Journeyman" blogging I mean.
I should mention that a large part of my nostalgia for that long-ago series was the also-long-ago and ill-fated (aren't they all?) campaign to save the show. It was waged largely at a Beta site from Nielsen ("Hey Nielsen") which was a virtual community of simpatico fans gathered for a common purpose. I loved the community, the posting, the e-outrage at NBC. And then Nielsen said "Thankyouverymuchforbeingourguineapigs" or some such--and pulled the e-plug on us...
Now I'm drinking some water and wondering if any of you good sister and brother Kossacks (in this vibrant and simpatico online community) remember any of this.
Maybe a memory-jog or two or four is in order:
The gorgeous Kevin McKidd?
The also-gorgeous Gretchen Egolf?
The sensuous Moon Bloodgood?
An early peek at the darling of "Fringe", John Noble?
Sometimes the small stuff: the fleeting devotions; a San Francisco setting; a chance to change the future; and Monday evening "appointment TV" is just the best.