2017: Year In Review

After a long hiatus for which I have no excuse, Shortstack is back! Overall, last year was a pretty good one for pop culture. Here's a summary of where my love for it took me this year:

Movies:
I went to my local theater a lot last year. What I didn't catch in theaters, I saw via Redbox. My brief impressions of everything I saw.

• Power Rangers: Didn't quite live up to my memories of the original from the 1990's, but it wasn't unwatchable.
• CHIPS: Still can't believe I watched the whole thing; no wonder Erik Estrada wanted nothing to do with it.
• King Arthur--Legend of the Sword: Came out the day I graduated nursing school, so I dragged my boyfriend and family to the theater after the ceremony. Extremely disappointing, even though Charlie Hunnam was frequently shirtless.
• Kong--Skull Island: Absolutely loved it.
• Wonder Woman: Boyfriend Redboxed it. Pretty good, but I still prefer MCU.
• Dead Again In Tombstone: Another Redbox find. I love Danny Trejo, but found it hard to keep track of what the hell was happening.
• Ingrid Goes West: Aubrey Plaza at her darkly comedic best.
• Guardians of the Galaxy--Volume 2: Endlessly quotable with a kick-ass soundtrack and A+ casting in Kurt Russell as Peter Quill's estranged father.
• Star Wars--The Last Jedi: Boyfriend took me. Prior to this, I'd never seen a Star Wars movie all the way through and had zero interest in doing so. I spent the rest of that weekend binging the original trilogy (not gonna lie, the Porgs helped).
• Spider-Man--Homecoming: Tom Holland is 1,000% more likable than Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire.
• Logan: The ending made me bawl in the theater.
• Thor--Ragnarok: It's rare for a sequel to be almost better than the original. Really enjoyed the Hemsworth/Ruffalo bromance.
• Kingsman--The Golden Circle: Elton John's performance alone was worth the price of admission. A worthy follow-up to The Secret Service. Although I'm not happy they killed JB.

TV:

• After 6 amazing seasons, Longmire had its last roundup. Walt and Vic (finally) hooked up and admitted their feelings for each other. Henry got the happy ending he deserved. 
• Bates Motel also ended with the expected amount of murder and mayhem. (RIP to yet another Kenny Johnson character, the incestuous Caleb Calhoun). The last man standing in the Bates clan was Norman's illegitimate half-brother Dylan.
• Kenny Johnson wasn't gone from TV for long before being cast in the revival of S.W.A.T. as team driver and third-generation SWAT cop Dominique Luca. Add in Shemar Moore of Criminal Minds and you have a recipe for sexiness. There's also solid writing by The Shield showrunner Shawn Ryan.
• Sneaky Pete, Amazon's original series starring Giovanni Ribisi as a charming con artist quickly became something I recommended to all my friends.
• Santa Clarita Diet. Though I am by no means a fan of the zombie genre, I couldn't resist after hearing Timothy Olyphant was attached to it. He and Drew Barrymore are fantastically hilarious as husband and wife trying to cope with Drew's sudden appetite for human flesh.
• Vice Principals had a solid series finale. I only wish there was more of Walton Goggins as the delightfully foulmouthed and psychotic Lee Russell to look forward to.

Celebrity Encounters: 

Golly days, it might be easier to list who I didn't meet last year. My local comic con, though in a midsize Southern city, attracts some high-profile talent.

• Theo Rossi AKA Juice from Sons of Anarchy and Shades from Luke Cage. "How you doin', doll?" the first thing he said to me in that New York accent made my knees go weak. I told him Juice was in my top 5 favorite Sons and he asked who else. I listed off Jax (of course), Opie, Chibs, and Kozik. "Really?" said Theo, "I don't hear a lotta people say that." Turns out he's also a big Shield fan and Lem was his favorite character too.
• Robin Lord Taylor AKA Penguin from Gotham. My cousin and I both cosplayed as Penguinettes (complete with Cobblepot for Mayor buttons), which he thought was absolutely adorable. He was so flattered I have a cat named Oswald that he almost cried. 
• Jeffrey Dean Morgan. At an absolutely disastrous out-of-state con, measures meant to cut wait time made it worse. My cousin and I waited 4 hours (!!!!). When he heard how long we'd been waiting, Jeffrey said, "Fuck! I'm sorry, girls" and hugged us both.
• Dee Wallace AKA Patricia of The Frighteners. Very sweet, mild-mannered little old lady. She did a guest role on Supernatural and gleefully described Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as "yummy."
• Traci Lords AKA Wanda from Cry-Baby and a vampiress in Blade. And also porn, per my dad. When I brought up Blade, she said, "That heatseeker guy [Kenny Johnson] was actually like super-nice? I don't know what happened to him? I think he's on some cop show now..." 
• Walter Jones AKA the original Black Power Ranger and Rondell Robinson from The Shield. Told him I was a huge Power Rangers fan growing up, but I really liked him as Rondell. "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, "I was a beast on that show!" Walter danced me around his booth to "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" by Stevie Wonder, making him one of my more memorable con meetings.
• Danny Trejo. I love Con-Air, so I wore a fake cop badge and an Air Marshals Put the Bunny in the Box shirt to meet him. I also carried around a pink stuffed bunny in a box labeled POE. Danny's first question was, "What's with the bunny?" I told him what I was referencing.
  He laughed and smiled, telling me this was the first time anybody had ever thought of bringing a Con-Air bunny. He asked where I got my shirt so he could get one just like it. Danny also insisted on the bunny being in the picture and signed the shoe box as Johnny-23, his character from the movie.

2018 is already shaping up to be good. Got some fun plans in the works and will update my blog more often. 

Longmire Rides On: "High Noon"

There's not a lot I can say about this episode without entirely spoiling a major plot twist. However, I will say it's one of the strongest episodes of the series. Deception and intrigue are around every turn. Walt is being accused of harassment and racism by Nighthorse, with Nighthorse alleging that Walt went as far as shooting at his house. A Boston-based law firm sets up shop in Durant and offers Cady a very generous salary to work there. They praise her work on the Henry Standing Bear case, expounding upon how much they could use the expertise of acn ambitious local woman with strong ties to the Native American community. Cady uncovers something disturbing on her first assignment, but she can't share the information with her father because she signed a non-disclosure agreement.

The investigation of Branch's death plows full steam ahead. Soil found in the rifle used to shoot Branch is a possible match to Nighthorse's property. However, a judge refuses to issue a warrant to search Nighthorse's house because of Walt's alleged harassment. The episode's final scene will have you on the edge of your seat as Walt confronts Barlow Connally. Gerald McRaney and Robert Taylor play their parts to absolute perfection. Shocking secrets are revealed and you won't see the final twist coming.

Longmire Rides On: "War Eagle"

Spoilers ahead! This week's episode involved a touchy chapter in U.S. history, deception, and old wounds that just won't heal. Walt is called to the scene of War Eagle, a former Japanese internment camp, because some local teens partying there reported hearing Asian voices coming from a building. Walt and Vic immediately notice that the donation box has recently been broken into and a HAM radio tower has been erected. They find War Eagle's caretaker Thorvin Hampton dead on the floor of his office.

While investigating the case, Walt and Vic find out that Thorvin recently unearthed a family secret. His father, who had been a guard at War Eagle, impregnated a Japanese detainee. The woman gave birth and Thorvin began trying to get in touch with his illegitimate half-brother. Ferg eagerly pitches in to find out who Thorvin had been talking to. The deputy is no stranger to CB technology, having used it as a kid to keep in touch with his father, a long-haul trucker. Ferg, using the cute handle High Plains Drifter, contacts a woman who knew Thorvin. She's local, so Ferg and Walt head out to talk to "Sunshine Sally."

"Sunshine Sally" turns out to be a crazy turtle lady; she has live ones of all shapes and sizes roaming her living room. She had also "catfished" Thorvin by mailing him a picture of a much younger, thinner woman in a bikini. There's a funny bit during her interview when Walt catches a wandering turtle in his ever-present cowboy hat. Sally expresses being hurt that Thorvin ignored her when she introduced herself at a bar, but still talked to her every night on the CB. She even moved from Florida to Wyoming to be with Thorvin.

Walt and Vic locate Thorvin's half-brother, now an old man with dementia, who's being cared for by his daughter. His daughter is also resentful of Thorvin's efforts to restore War Eagle in order to turn it into a museum/tourist attraction.

Also in this episode, Walt deputizes Henry so Henry can handle evidence in Branch's case. The soil samples from Branch's rifle don't match the creek bed where his body was found, further proving it was not a suicide. A fingerprint check reveals Jacob Nighthorse to be not Jacob Nighthorse at all. Rather, he's Jacob Blankenship, a Native American radical who was once arrested for assaulting an FBI agent.

Vic has a flashback to her abduction thanks to the sight of a man carrying a baseball bat. Walt recommends she seek professional help for her PTSD. Not sure if she will follow Walt's sound advice.

Henry answers one of the letters addressed to Hector. It was written by a single mother whose neighbor is stealing money from her. He sees her in a grocery store, unable to pay for all the food in her basket because she doesn't have enough money. Henry employs a little psychological warfare when the man comes into the Red Pony. He slips a letter under the bathroom stall that reads HECTOR LIVES and scrawls the same message on the bathroom mirror with a Sharpie.

So who killed Thorvin? "Sunshine Sally"? His half-brother Francis? One of the teens who broke into War Eagle's donation box? Watch and find out!

Longmire Rides On: "Down By the River"

Thanks to my fellow members of the Longmire Posse and the good people at Netflix, us folks at home can once again ride along with the Absaroka County Sheriff's Department. If you haven't had a chance to watch Season 4 yet, this is your warning: SPOILERS AHEAD.

When we last left our heroes, Branch had a serious confrontation with his father Barlow. A gunshot rang out and the screen faded to black. The season premiere opens with Walt stalking across the prairie with homicide on his mind. He intends to kill Jacob Nighthorse, the man who hired a meth addict to stab Walt's wife Martha to death. Henry has followed Walt and convinces his friend not to go through with it.

Cady goes to her father, concerned that Branch isn't answering his phone. Walt can't get a hold of him either and senses something isn't right. He organizes a search party. Walt, Vic, and Ferg find a man's body in the river, dressed only in boxer shorts with a rifle by his side. It's barely recognizable as Branch. Everyone present is stunned. Suicide is initially ruled the cause of death due to the angle of the wound and the note Vic found in Branch's house. Walt, however, firmly believes that his deputy was murdered.

Meanwhile, Henry has signed over the Red Pony's deed to Malachi. Malachi is also now in charge of day-to-day operations of the bar. People are continuing to leave letters for deceased Cheyenne vigilante Hector, asking for him to intercede in matters such as abusive husbands and drunk uncles. Henry seems to be contemplating taking over where Hector left off.

The cast is in fine form, as always. Rookie actor Adam Bartley continues to show great potential in his role as Ferg. There's an especially heartbreaking scene where Ferg breaks the bad news about Branch to Cady. He chokes out that he doesn't know how he'll get through going to Branch's house to take back the fallen deputy's uniform and squad car keys. I cried myself watching it unfold.

The season's main story arc is intriguing. Even though I already know who killed Branch, it will be entertaining to see how Walt figures it out. I'm not sure how I feel about the implication that Walt and Vic could become romantically involved. However, I can easily picture Henry becoming the next Hector; after all, Lou Diamond Phillips did play one of the Lincoln County Regulators :-)

Boy howdy, what a start!

Longmire Rides On

As I blogged about before, fans of TV's Longmire were quite upset when the drama was axed, mostly due to perception that the audience was "too old." Not content to have the show fade off into the sunset, fans called for people to boycott the show's former network A&E. The creators immediately began shopping the Western around to other networks.

Months passed with no word on a possible new home. The fanbase, aptly named the Longmire Posse, never gave up hope. Each Monday, there were "stampedes" on Twitter to lobby for a network to save the show. I participated in as many stampedes as I could, studies permitting. Stars of the show including Adam Bartley (The Ferg) and Lou Diamond Phillips (Henry Standing Bear) joined in; Robert Taylor (Walt Longmire) posted YouTube videos, making cryptic comments such as "keep doin' what you're doin'" and alluding to things going on behind the scenes.

I picked up an issue of Globe earlier this week after reading that the magazine had done an exclusive interview with Adam Bartley. He echoed Robert Taylor's sentiments and expressed his gratitude for the loyalty of the show's fanbase. Less than a day after reading the interview, I saw a headline on Entertainment Weekly's website announcing that Netflix will be picking up Longmire for 10 episodes. Filming is scheduled to resume in New Mexico. Season 4 is set to premiere sometime next year. I can't wait to see what's next for Absaroka County's finest! :)

Long Live Longmire: Boss Without a Badge

After I wrote my initial post, a couple of commenters pointed out that I missed a fan favorite supporting character and I'm rectifying that here. When a detective from Denver wanted to make an appointment to talk to the sheriff, Walt's response was simple: "Talk to Ruby. She runs my life." Ruby (Louanne Stephens) doesn't only run Walt's life; she's the dispatcher/receptionist that keeps the Absaroka County Sheriff's Department in order.

Ruby is a kind soul, everyone's favorite surrogate aunt. Her strongest appearance is the Season One episode "An Incredibly Beautiful Thing." Local gas station owner Ellis is found murdered in his store after calling Ruby for help. Ruby is distraught by her friend's death and takes it upon herself to write his obituary since he has no family to do so. Ruby also possesses a dry wit and humor of her own. Hoping Ruby and the rest find a new home soon!

Long Live Longmire!

Does the world really need any more so-called "reality" shows? The heads of A&E clearly think so, as they've chosen to cancel its highly rated scripted drama Longmire after the cliffhanger Season 3 finale. Shows such as Duck Dynasty and various incarnations of Storage Wars, however, are safe. As a longtime member of the show's fanbase (known as the Longmire Posse), I am seriously disappointed.

The modern-day Western is based on Craig Johnson's book series Walt Longmire Mysteries. (If you haven't read them, I highly recommend picking up the first book The Cold Dish). Set in fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming, the books and show follow Sheriff Walt Longmire (played by Robert Taylor) who is solving crimes and trying to keep his life together after the death of his wife. The small-town police force consists of three deputies: local rich boy and nephew of the former sheriff Branch Connally (Bailey Chase), sassy Philadelphia transplant Victoria "Vic" Moretti (Katee Sackhoff), and baby-faced, kind-hearted Ferguson (Adam Bartley). Lou Diamond Phillips rounds out the regular cast as Walt's best friend since grade school and Red Pony Bar owner Henry Standing Bear.

Longmire features more than just Walt and company solving the crime of the week; each season had one or more overreaching characters arcs. In Season One, Walt learns that not only is Deputy Branch Connally running against him for Sheriff, Branch is dating his daughter Cady. Cady also learns that her mother Martha did not die of cancer; she was stabbed to death in Denver while she was in the city getting chemo treatment. Hints are dropped that Walt may have taken a trip to Colorado to avenge his wife's death. Season Two sees Vic dealing with a stalker, Cady being critically injured in a hit-and-run car accident on election day, and the outcome of the sheriff's race. I won't be spoiling Season Three in case you haven't seen it; let's just say things get interesting.

Besides the great storylines, Longmire has solid characters; the writing left me with strong biases, both positive and negative. Walt is a tough, old-school sheriff and a basically good man, though not above the temptation of taking the law into his own hands (and possibly even taking it too far). I admire Vic's Yankee spunk and empathize with her struggle to adjust to rural Wyoming life. I openly loathed Branch from the first episode; there was just something slimy about him and his entitled attitude didn't help matters.

Lou Diamond Phillips is pitch-perfect as Henry: a protective, strong, proud Cheyenne who'll stop at nothing to help those he cares about. Henry also has a terrific dry sense of humor (when Cady describes a physically attractive male bar patron, he responds "I am not a good judge of hotness"). Henry is also deeply spiritual when it comes to his culture and a valuable assistant whenever Walt's sheriff business takes him onto the local reservation. This show has really given Lou Diamond Phillips the best chance to shine that he's had in years; he deserves much more respect as an actor than he generally gets.

My favorite deputy has always been Ferguson, known in the office simply as "the Ferg." The words that best describe Ferg's personality include "awkward" and "shy"; but rather than being portrayed as the department's resident weak link or sad sack, he's competent in his own right as a fly-fisherman and outdoorsman. He wants to please his boss and sometimes worries that he's not good enough at his job. (Think McGee during his early seasons on NCIS). Ferg never had as much screen time as I would have liked, which is a pity because rookie actor Adam Bartley showed a lot of promise. For proof, Netflix the Season One episode "A Damn Shame" and watch what happens when Ferg tries to turn in his badge. Ferg really came into his own this season, finally standing up to Walt about being overworked and under-appreciated: "I know you haven't noticed, but ever since Branch started going crazy, I really stepped it up around here. And that's not easy with you two shutting doors in my face, treating me like I'm not even a part of this department. I do everything you ask and I do a good job, but if you want me to keep doing it, you can't just throw me in the corner at this little kid's desk and ignore me."

However, all hope for the show may not be lost. Its production company Warner Horizon Television is currently pitching the show to other networks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Walt, Henry, Vic, and of course the Ferg will find a new home. It just makes good business sense to pick up a successful drama that has a six-million strong Posse behind it.