Cannes Film Festival 2013

Listen: Firewall & Iceberg Podcast No. 50

Dan and Alan talk Golden Globes, 2010's best TV episodes and 'Dexter'

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Happy Tuesday, Boys & Girls. It's time for another installment of the Firewall & Iceberg Podcast.
 
Some of us have been up since 5 a.m. covering the Golden Globe nominations. But I'm well aware that some of you have been up since 5 a.m. because that's what your actual jobs require on a daily basis. OK. No more complaining.
 
This week's podcast is divided into three segments. In the first part, Sepinwall and I discuss the highs and lows of the Golden Globe nominations. In the second part, we pay tribute to some of the year's best TV episodes. Then we talked a bit about Sunday's finale of "Dexter," which Sepinwall thought was brilliant. 
 
I kid!
 
Anyway, the breakdown:
 
Golden Globe nomination blowback -- 01:35 - 21:40
2010's Best Episodes -- 22:00 - 56:00
The "Dexter" finale -- 57:30 - 01:06:10

As always, you can subscribe to The Firewall & Iceberg Podcast over at the iTunes Store, where you can also rate us and comment on us. [Or you can always follow our RSS Feed.]

 
And here's the podcast...

Firewall & Iceberg - Podcast 50

Dan-feinberg-sm
Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.

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  • Default-avatar

    Ovid

    The Dexter finale was disappointing, but I really don't get how your ideas would be better.

    How would Dexter killing Lumen be more interesting than letting her go? He's a serial killer - killing Lumen would have been the most obvious thing to do. You compared her with Lila - what did he do with Lila? He killed her.

    And how can you simultaneously complain about Dexter becoming an unarguable good guy and argue that the show wouldn't suffer if Deb found out? If Dexter is as dubious as (I agree) he should be, then Deb would have no choice but to hunt him down.

    December 14, 2010 at 7:13PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Gizmo_bigger_talkback_profile

      dan Ovid - Dexter killed Lila for the AUDIENCE. Dexter killing Lumen would have been for himself. That's the difference. He killed Lila because the absence of her death, particularly after she endangered Astor and Cody, would have left the AUDIENCE unsettled. Killing Lumen would both unsettle the audience *and* remove the only living person who knows Dexter's secret. And that's how it's different.

      And we didn't say the show wouldn't suffer if Deb found out. We said it needn't be a stopping point for the series. If it's written well, it could take the series any of a dozen directions out of its current rut.

      -Daniel

      December 14, 2010 at 8:25PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    hey

    Mr. Fienberg, I don't get why you wouldn't watch Doctor Who just for Karen Gillan/Amy Pond. I say this as someone who doesn't like Doctor WHo all that much but watched every episode of the latest season.

    December 15, 2010 at 2:34AM EST Reply to Comment
    • Gizmo_bigger_talkback_profile

      dan Hey - I *swear* I tried for EXACTLY that reason. I watched the first two episodes of the new run. I thought the first one -- very stand-alone-y with very little Dr. Who-iness -- was fine. The second episode? Just reminded me that I don't watch "Dr. Who"...

      -Daniel

      December 15, 2010 at 12:59PM EST
  • Default-avatar

    Brad

    Dan, Lila was bad, Lumen is good. What am i missing here?

    December 15, 2010 at 9:23AM EST Reply to Comment
    • Gizmo_bigger_talkback_profile

      dan Brad - Lila was definitely bad. Whether Lumen is good or not is a different question. She had the chance to depart with absolute assurance that Dexter would enact vengeance on her behalf and she remained because she couldn't rest until the vengeance had been enacted with her own hands. From there, your feelings on vigilante justice will be your own.

      Here's the thing: Lila may be "bad" in your moral universe and Lumen may be "good," but if Dexter is too clearly "good," then the show's moral compass has become excessively black and white. Dexter remains a sadistic serial killer with self-preservation as his main instinct. Nobody seems to have *any* issue with Dexter killing Liddy. Liddy had some moral issues, sure. But in the context of the show? Liddy was hired to investigate Dexter for crimes that DEXTER COMMITTED. Dexter killed him for only one reason: To protect himself. Liddy was a loose end. Lumen, frankly, is a loose end, albeit of a cuter and more victimized sort.

      Just saying...

      -Daniel

      December 15, 2010 at 1:06PM EST
  • Dec68d935006f54ec08bf415b18429bb_talkback_profile

    Savvy Veteran

    One nitpick: Dan, you seem under the impression that COMMUNITY took a cheap shot at the LOST *series* finale (by stating that the show lacked a satisfying payoff), but I'm fairly sure that Abed was actually only referring to the end of LOST season 1(which, obviously, famously ended before spilling the beans about the hatch). I'm pretty sure that Abed specifically says that the DVD set is LOST season 1.

    December 20, 2010 at 4:21AM EST Reply to Comment

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