Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Firewall & Iceberg Podcast, episode 137: 'Perception,' 'Hit & Miss,' listener mail & more

Dan and Alan also answer reader questions about 'The Newsroom' and 'Cheers'

By Alan Sepinwall Monday, Jul 9, 2012 4:21 PM

The

Time for the first of two installments this week for the Firewall & Iceberg Podcast, as Dan and I talk about TNT's "Perception" and the American premiere of "Hit & Miss," as well as checking in on a highlight and lowlight of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" season 1, and dipping into the mailbag to talk Aaron Sorkin and "Cheers." We'll be back on Wednesday or Thursday with another one of our wildly popular road trip podcasts, this time to discuss "Breaking Bad," USA's "Political Animals," and more.

The line-up:

"Perception" (00:02:00 - 00:14:45)

"Hit & Miss" (00:14:45 - 00:27:25)

Listener Mail - Reviewing shows (00:28:00 - 00:33:15)

Listener Mail - Writerly tics (00:33:20 - 00:39:49)

Listener Mail - Why "Cheers" still looks good (00:39:50 - 00:48:00)

Two "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" episodes (00:48:15 - 01:12:50)

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, download the MP3 file or stream it on Dan's blog.

And as always, feel free to e-mail us questions for the podcast.

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Firewall & Iceberg, Alan Sepinwall, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Perception, Hit & Miss, Chloe Sevigny, The Newsroom

Andrei

Will there be more "Buffy" on the road trip, or is that set aside for next week?
July 9, 2012 at 4:48PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall Next week, or possibly the week after. Next week's show will be on Thursday the 19th, and may be Emmy nominations only.
  July 9, 2012 at 6:07PM EST
filaphresh

Alan, could you post a link to the Monty Python video/film sketch? I've never seen it and couldnt' find it on youtube.
July 9, 2012 at 7:57PM EST Reply to Comment
- sepinwall I believe it's this: http://youtu.be/DsoScA4_wWA?t=4m13s
  July 9, 2012 at 8:17PM EST
- filaphresh Thanks!
  July 9, 2012 at 9:38PM EST
- Peter Wow, I totally missed the point of that sketch until now. I thought they were just being paranoid.
  July 10, 2012 at 1:44AM EST
melanie

I came here to find out what you thought of Perception before deciding whether to bother with it but can't find anything you've written. Do I really have to listen to the podcast to find out?
July 9, 2012 at 9:23PM EST Reply to Comment
S. Tarzan

Speaking of writers liking certain tropes, I've been re-watching The Sopranos, and I noticed that in "Kaisha" (in which Matt Weiner is one of three credited writers) there's a scene where Christopher grabs Julianna Marguiles' hair while they're making out, which is something that Pete does to Peggy (and Don to Megan), this apparently being the kind of thing that Matt Weiner likes.

Also, in season five Adriana says, "Who knows why people do what they do?" after Carmela has been tearing into Pussy for being an informant, which is what Don says to Betty after Betty has been complaining about Carlton cheating on Francine.
July 9, 2012 at 10:46PM EST Reply to Comment
Bob7

While culturally popularizing a taboo subject can educate people about that issue and help with instigating social change--see how Joe Biden's favorite show, Will and Grace led to President Obama's same-sex marriage endorsement and the popular acceptance of homosexuality by the nation at large--there is the dangerous drawback with certain issues that a TV show can ill-inform and do harm.

Having not seen Perception, I fear this might be the case with its apparent treatment of schizophrenia as some sort of magical gift that can solve crimes and lead to happy, beneficial results--" That doctor's schizophrenia helped bring my husband's killer to justice" one grateful wife can say. Mental illnesses do not give the sufferer superpowers. They are horrible diseases that the victim wishes would go away. And they can lead people to violence towards others. For the record, I'm not speaking from experience, just basic common human empathy. I can see many cases of ignorant people watching this show and making jokes to schizophrenics or other mentally ill people, or asking them questions that minimize or glorify their disease. I hope that doesn't happen and I hope Perception has some intelligence and compassion as to how it portrays mental illness--instead of making it a TV mystery trope.

I wish you two had talked about this in the podcast.
July 9, 2012 at 11:07PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Bob7 - But I instigated a discussion on casting of transsexual actors versus Chloe Sevigny and missing the opportunity to be progressive in that respect. Only one soap box per episode...
  
  -Daniel
  July 10, 2012 at 12:57AM EST
- Bob7 Dan--Ah-I skipped over the Hit and Miss discussion because I don't have Direct TV. But I'm almost certain the producers of that show handle their subject with some insight, plausibility, sensitivity and class, unlike this repellent sounding show. I know I'm being unfair and need to watch the damned thing, but I just can't make myself.
  July 10, 2012 at 1:14AM EST
- dan Bob7 - I would say that the treatment of mental illness is "Perception" is simultaneously more thoughtful and pragmatic than what you're fearing and yet also *less* sensitive and realistic/thorough than one might ideally hope for? I didn't find the show repellent at all. Just dull and half-baked...
  
  -Daniel
  July 10, 2012 at 1:18AM EST
EdithKeeler

I have only been listening to the Buffy talks on and off since I'm not rewatching along but I just have to mention Angel's spectacularly awful OYRISH accent in the flashbacks. HI-larious even these many years later to think about.
July 9, 2012 at 11:08PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan EdithKeeler - We haven't gotten to those flashbacks yet! But yup. He's Lucky Charms Leprechaun-y!
  
  -Daniel
  July 10, 2012 at 12:56AM EST
mike

No Breaking Bad screeners?
July 9, 2012 at 11:23PM EST Reply to Comment
- "We'll be back on Wednesday or Thursday with another one of our wildly popular road trip podcasts, this time to discuss "Breaking Bad," USA's "Political Animals," and more."
  July 9, 2012 at 11:33PM EST
LWW

Alan said he agrees with most of Aaron Sorkin's political views.
July 10, 2012 at 3:53PM EST Reply to Comment
odessasteps

I hope we can get a little actual comics talk during one of the comic-con related podcasts.
July 11, 2012 at 2:42PM EST Reply to Comment
Allen

Firewall can guard you from unknown virus entering into the system and Comodo Firewall is having a unique technology feature
July 12, 2012 at 2:20AM EST Reply to Comment

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Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Firewall & Iceberg Podcast, episode 137: 'Perception,' 'Hit & Miss,' listener mail & more

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Firewall & Iceberg Podcast, episode 137: 'Perception,' 'Hit & Miss,' listener mail & more

Comments

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Option 3

Andrei Will there be more "Buffy" on the road trip, or is that set aside for next week?

sepinwall Next week, or possibly the week after. Next week's show will be on Thursday the 19th, and may be Emmy nominations only.

filaphresh Alan, could you post a link to the Monty Python video/film sketch? I've never seen it and couldnt' find it on youtube.

sepinwall I believe it's this: http://youtu.be/DsoScA4_wWA?t=4m13s

filaphresh Thanks!

Peter Wow, I totally missed the point of that sketch until now. I thought they were just being paranoid.

melanie I came here to find out what you thought of Perception before deciding whether to bother with it but can't find anything you've written. Do I really have to listen to the podcast to find out?

dan Bob7 - But I instigated a discussion on casting of transsexual actors versus Chloe Sevigny and missing the opportunity to be progressive in that respect. Only one soap box per episode...-Daniel

EdithKeeler I have only been listening to the Buffy talks on and off since I'm not rewatching along but I just have to mention Angel's spectacularly awful OYRISH accent in the flashbacks. HI-larious even these many years later to think about.

dan EdithKeeler - We haven't gotten to those flashbacks yet! But yup. He's Lucky Charms Leprechaun-y!-Daniel

mike No Breaking Bad screeners?

"We'll be back on Wednesday or Thursday with another one of our wildly popular road trip podcasts, this time to discuss "Breaking Bad," USA's "Political Animals," and more."

LWW Alan said he agrees with most of Aaron Sorkin's political views.

odessasteps I hope we can get a little actual comics talk during one of the comic-con related podcasts.

Allen Firewall can guard you from unknown virus entering into the system and Comodo Firewall is having a unique technology feature

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Andrei

Will there be more "Buffy" on the road trip, or is that set aside for next week?

filaphresh

Alan, could you post a link to the Monty Python video/film sketch? I've never seen it and couldnt' find it on youtube.

melanie

I came here to find out what you thought of Perception before deciding whether to bother with it but can't find anything you've written. Do I really have to listen to the podcast to find out?

dan Bob7 - But I instigated a discussion on casting of transsexual actors versus Chloe Sevigny and missing the opportunity to be progressive in that respect. Only one soap box per episode...

-Daniel

EdithKeeler

I have only been listening to the Buffy talks on and off since I'm not rewatching along but I just have to mention Angel's spectacularly awful OYRISH accent in the flashbacks. HI-larious even these many years later to think about.

dan EdithKeeler - We haven't gotten to those flashbacks yet! But yup. He's Lucky Charms Leprechaun-y!

-Daniel

mike

No Breaking Bad screeners?

LWW

Alan said he agrees with most of Aaron Sorkin's political views.

odessasteps

I hope we can get a little actual comics talk during one of the comic-con related podcasts.

Allen

Firewall can guard you from unknown virus entering into the system and Comodo Firewall is having a unique technology feature

Never miss a post - sign up now to get an e-mail alert whenever
What's Alan Watching is updated