davidnielsen's blog

Let's hope that this week's Lost answers more questions than last week's episode.

I've been a faithful watcher since the show's premiere, but last week's show was often incomprehensible. Before the season started I recommended the show to a friend who hadn't seen it before. But if the rest of this season's episodes are as puzzling as last week, then I'll have to rescind my recommendation.

Final observations on my last day in Beijing:

--We were served Coke cans with old-fashioned pop tops. Must be some Jimmy Buffett fans here. From Margaritaville: "Stepped on a pop top. Cut my heel, had to cruise on back home..."

More observations after a day of touring Beijing Olympic venues:

--The tour guides speak much better English than I speak Chinese.

--Still, you occasionally feel a violent need to correct their grammar, especially after you hear, "Watch out your steps" for the 49th time

Early observations after nearly 18 hours in Beijing, China:

-- Basketball star Yao Ming is very popular here.

-- Yao Ming would never fit in my shower.

-- There are supposedly 15 million people in Beijing. I'm guessing that there are 15 million cars, too.

New Zealand's loss is our gain.

HBO has renewed Flight of the Conchords for another season.

So the quirky Kiwi duo of Bret and Jemaine will be staying in America a while longer.

That should make Mel and Murray happy.

Hallelujah!

HBO saw the light and sunk the mystical surfing show John from Cincinnati after one stupefying season.

But fans of Deadwood better not get their hopes up, just yet. JFC and Deadwood creator David Milch told the NY Post that he is still working on developing other series for HBO. He is still hoping to produce the Deadwood TV movies as promised, but he added that the odds are steep.

John from Cincinnati is now over.

Praise the Lord.

The show completely went off the deep end in its last episode. The characters were always quirky and eccentric. But they became utterly bizarre and irrational.

Is it any surprise that a show that features rampant drug references has now introduced a character nicknamed the Chemist?

After all, JFC has already given us:

Porn star mothers

Shape shifters

On April 8, 1974, I remember sitting in a wooden rocking chair in my grandparents' family room and cheering as Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run to break Babe Ruth's record.

I was so impressed that I felt compelled to memorialize the event. So I wrote my name, the date and "I saw Hank Aaron's 715th home run in this chair" on a piece of paper and taped it to the bottom of the chair.

It's about time. JFC finally showcased something more than the eccentricity of its bloated cast.

It's amazing what a dose of suspense, a little intrigue, and a smidgen of mystery can do.

Is Shaun in jeopardy? What does John mean? For that matter, what does John ever mean?