joanne__king

A good episode, but the premise is a complete steal from "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly", a French film based on a true story about journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby. Bauby was the editor-in-chief of the French magazine Elle. He fell victim to locked-in syndrome after a massive stroke. Like Bauby, the patient in this episode is mentally aware of his surroundings, but is physically paralyzed except for some movement in his eyes. Both the move and the episode chronicle a first-person view of a person with locked-in syndrome. There are also dream events in both that include playing at the beach with family, In this episode the patient was played by Rapper and Emmy nominated actor Mos Def.

A funny and sad mocumentary that doesn't quite achieve its potential. I think that the film would have been better if the approach were a little less scripted and a little less earnest, and some jokes grow tiresome with repetition. It is, however, still enjoyable on a lot of levels. The cast, most of whom are appearing in their first film, do very well.

The film isn't in a class with "Waiting for Guffman," "Best in Show" or "This is Spinal Tap," but lovers of the mocumentary genre will enjoy the film - if they can put up with the nudity, bad language and scurrilous humour.

What an AWFUL show. I thought with the material they had it would at least have an advantage on a "new concept" show, but it was just horrible. It was feelingless to have them discuss genocide like it was a shoe sale at Neiman-Marcus. Kathy Reichs was very affected by her experience, and in this show they treated the subject like a holiday in Hawaii. I didn't have a problem with the premise that the lead character was nabbed by security for having a skull in her luggage (this actually happened to Reichs) but doing an Emma Peel karate number in the middle of the airport? And seriously too. I've never seen a pilot that whacked the audience over the head so hard with tired "they'll love this in Altoona" clichés.

Kathy Reichs must be spinning in her grave....and she's the only author you can say that about who isn't dead.

Jo