Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 32

Day 32 was Pure Cardio from Shaun 20 in the morning and Lift 4's shoulders (intervals) workout in the evening. Both went well, and I continue to get better cardio stamina. In the Lift 4 workout, I increased the amount of weight I was using, but I did have to go back to a lower weight for a couple of the exercises after the first set with the increased weight. 

DVD/Movie Review: Chasers

 

Chasers is a 1994 comedy directed by Dennis Hopper and starring Tom Berenger, William McNamara, and original Baywatch babe and former model Erika Elaniak. The supporting cast included Crispin Glover, Dean Stockwell, and Gary Busey. Hopper also made a minor but funny appearance about 2/3 of the way into the movie. The film is part buddy-cop, part chase, and part romantic comedy. In it, two Navy shore patrollers (the Navy's version of military police and security), Eddie Devane (McNamara), who is a day away from being discharged, and Rock Reilly (Berenger), are assigned to transport prisoner Toni Johnson (Elaniak) from Camp Lejeune to their base, where she is to be transported to prison. She keeps trying to escape detention, causing a series of mishaps along the way. Along the way, Eddie and Toni fall in love, and he regrets having to turn her in.

The DVD is very bare-bones. It can be played with English captions, and the only bonus feature is the movie's trailer. The best way to describe the film is good but not great. The story is a bit predictable and formulaic, but it does have some funny moments. Berenger plays a great, no-nonsense but somewhat out-of-touch grump, and Elaniak and McNamara had pretty good chemistry (and both were ridiculously good-looking). Elaniak was a couple of years removed from Baywatch and absolutely gorgeous. The movie has a lot of swearing, some sexual content, and nudity. Elaniak is in lingerie a couple of times during the film, and there is a sex scene between McNamara and Elaniak about halfway into the movie where she is topless and shows her ass. So, it does earn its R-rating. While it is not the greatest movie ever, it does not try to be more than it is, and it has some entertaining moments. It is worth checking out as long as you don't expect it to be something it is not. 

DVD/TV Series Review: The Finder: The Complete Series

 

The Finder was a procedural drama that was a midseason replacement during the 2011/2012 TV season. It was a quasi-spinoff of the series Bones (and was developed by the series creator of Bones, Hart Hanson) and aired during Bones' timeslot when Bones was on hiatus. It was not a direct spinoff of Bones as none of the major characters from Bones joined the show as a series regular; however, John Francis Daley and T.J. Thyne each made guest appearances as their characters from Bones, and the series actually received a backdoor pilot during the sixth season of Bones. It only received a 13-episode initial pickup and was canceled without any additional episodes being ordered. The series suffered low ratings, likely due in part to the lack of star power in the cast and the fact that FOX, much like it did with the series Firefly, aired the episodes out of their intended order, so the story did not flow as well. 

The series starred Geoff Stults, Mercedes Mason, Maddie Hasson, and Michael Clarke Duncan in the leading roles. Stults played Walter Sherman, an Iraq war vet who retired after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a roadside blast that killed all the members of his unit and that allowed him to see connections and a compulsive desire to find things (as well as turning him into an eccentric recluse). Duncan plays Leo Knox, a former attorney who manages a bar and acts as Walter's manager, bodyguard, and legal advisor. Mason plays a US Marshal named Isabel Zambada, who has a friends-with-benefits relationship with Walter and helps with his cases. She is also putting herself through law school with the goal of becoming Attorney General of the United States. Maddie Hasson plays Willa Monday, a juvenile delinquent Romani gypsy who is part of a Romani crime family and betrothed to another member who she does not want to marry. She lives in a trailer on Leo's property and works in the bar while on probation. The show had a strong guest cast and recurring cast, including Eric Roberts, Amy Aquino, Jodi Lynn O'Keefe, Annette O'Toole, John Ashton, John Fogerty (who was also the music supervisor for the show), Nestor Serrano, Patrick Fabian, and Kelly Carlson.

The DVD set is a four-disc Region 2 set, meaning you need either a region-free or a Region 2 (European) DVD or Blu-Ray player to watch and play the discs. The episodes can be played with English captions, and there are about 20 minutes of bonus material on the fourth disc. The bonus features include a making-of featurette with interviews with the showrunners and cast members and a featurette on the Hodgins-centric episode featuring an interview with T.J. Thyne. 

The series is well-written, has a nice blend of humor and drama, and is very well-acted. It blends procedural case-of-the-week stories with serial arcs that span throughout the season. The writers did a good job developing the characters in the short run of episodes it received before it was canceled. Because it was canceled after 13 episodes, the mid-season finale became the series finale and ended on multiple cliffhangers, leaving several characters in limbo. So, just be aware that if you like the show, it does not end satisfyingly. Of course, even if the show had finished the first season and been picked up for a second season, Michael Clarke Duncan (who was the most recognizable cast member when the series premiered) passed away in September of 2012, and the series would have had a hard time continuing without him. Even though the series does not get a proper conclusion (it would have been nice if it could have received a proper wrap-up by featuring the cast members on Bones after it was canceled), it is still an entertaining series worth watching.       

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 31

Day 31 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I just did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. I had intended to do at least one of the Lift 4 recovery workouts, but I ended up working out later than expected, so I just did the single workout. 

4k-UHD/TV Movie Review: Battlestar Galactica

 

This is a TV movie version of the three-part premiere (the pilot episode and the two-part Saga of a Star World) of the original 1978 Sci-Fi series Battlestar Galactica, starring Lorne Green, Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Maren Jensen, Jane Seymour, Terry Carter, Laurette Spang-McCook, Rick Springfield, and Ed Begley Jr. (the latter two in smaller roles). This is essentially an edited version of the pilot episode of the TV series titled Saga of a Star World, with an alternate ending from what was shown in the series. The series would have been quite different if the movie ending had been used. It is set in a distant galaxy and involves a war between twelve human colonies and a race of robots called Cylons. The Cylons present a peace offer, and representatives of the twelve colonies and several Battlestar ships arrive for armistice talks. Commander Adama (played by Green), the commander of the Battlestar Galactica, suspects a trap, which the Cylons spring, destroying most of the fleet and killing the council of twelve. Adama uses the Galactica to rescue as many humans from the colonial worlds as possible. Then they set off to find the legendary 13th human colony, Earth, all while battling (and trying to avoid) the Cylons. 

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc (the original Blu-Ray version of the movie released in 2013). Both discs have the same content, just the movie and no bonus features. The video quality of the UHD disc is excellent. It does have some film grain, but the video is crisp and clear (mostly), which is sometimes a detriment because the special effects back in the late 1970s were not great (at least by today's standards). In general, the shots set on the planets and ships look fantastic, while the space battles did not look as good. Many of the costumes and makeup for various aliens look very cheesy, and you can tell how fake everything was when you see it in 4k resolution. The audio is okay, but not great. The same 2.1-channel surround track created for the 2013 Blu-Ray release is on the UHD disc and was not upgraded for the 4K release.

Ultimately, I would say the movie is okay but absolutely dated. If you have watched the 2003 reboot, you will recognize elements from the plot that were incorporated into the pilot episode for the rebooted series. While I have not watched the entire original series yet, this is definitely not as good as any of the episodes in the rebooted series. Part of that is, of course, due to the limits on special effects at the time. CGI did not exist in 1978, and even practical effects and makeup were more limited back then than they are now. Even so, this is a Sci-Fi classic, and if you liked the 2003 series, this is worth watching, if nothing else, to see the differences between the original series and the reboot.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 30

Day 30 was the cardio circuit workout from Shaun 20 in the morning and the back and biceps (circuit) workout in the evening. In the Lift 4 workout, I again raised the weight I was using for the various exercises by a couple of pounds. I was able to use the increased weight for almost every set, except the last two sets of full curls in the burnout round. I started with 17.5 lbs, but had to drop to 15 for the second and third sets. Overall, however, the workout was great. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Young Sheldon: Season 7

 

The 14-episode seventh and final season of Young Sheldon aired during the spring of 2024. The series was given a shorter season to wrap up the various storylines, which primarily involved getting Sheldon to Caltech and dealing with the significant death that Those who watched The Big Bang Theory always knew was coming. Within those major arcs, we also see the aftermath of the tornado that destroyed Connie's house at the end of Season 6. We also see Sheldon's summer in Germany, where he was not the smartest person in his class for once, and we see Connie get busted (finally) for running the illegal gambling room at the back of the laundromat and video store. The writers also focus on Georgie and Mandy's relationship and acclimation to being parents, which sets the stage for their spin-off show. We also learn that adult Sheldon's narration during the series is due to him writing his memoir as he has been going through the events of his childhood. 

All the main cast members returned for this season, and the show brought back several of the supporting and recurring cast members, including some who had not been seen in a while, such as Ryan Phoung, Mary Grill, and Reba McEntire. Jason Alexander and McKenna Grace were the only two major recurring cast members who did not appear this season. This season, the two notable guest stars were Robert Picardo, who played Sheldon's German professor, and Octavia Spencer, who played Connie's parole officer. Mayim Bialik and Jim Parsons also appear in the series finale (live, not just with voiceover roles). 

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set. The episodes can be played with English captions, and the second disc has one bonus feature. The only extra is a featurette on the easter eggs in the series that tied Young Sheldon to the Big Bang Theory. It ends up being a series retrospective and includes interviews with cast members and showrunners. The season is very good. The writers do an excellent job wrapping up the series and retconning the storyline we thought we would get (and they teased) about George cheating on Mary. We get the full context for what happened when Sheldon walked in on his father kissing another woman (which he mentioned in The Big Bang Theory) and see the origin of his "three knocks" routine. The end of the series was very emotional, especially the first part of the series finale, and the cast did a wonderful job in their roles, as usual. The final scene, with Sheldon arriving at Caltech, was perfect (and included a cameo appearance by David Saltzberg, the science consultant for both The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon). Ultimately, if you liked the show's first six seasons, this is absolutely worth your time to watch to see how it (and the vast majority of Sheldon's arc) is concluded.

DVD/Movie Review: Can't Hardly Wait: 10 Year Reunion Edition

 

Can't Hardly Wait is the underrated and often overlooked late 1990s coming-of-age teen comedy. It is overlooked mainly because American Pie was released a year later and became a massive hit and franchise. This movie, released in 1998, was co-written and directed by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. It stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Seth Green, Lauren Ambrose, and Peter Facinelli. The supporting cast includes several recognizable faces (especially if you grew up watching TV and movies in the 1990s or early 2000s), including some who would become stars and/or appear in more prominent roles. They included Jason Segel, Jamie Pressly, Sean Patrick Thomas, Freddy Rodriguez, Donald Faison, Chris Owen, Selma Blair, Amber Benson, Clea Duvall, Breckin Meyer, and Eric Balfour. Jenna Elfman and Jerry O'Connell, who were more recognizable than the rest of the cast when the movie came out, had cameo appearances in the film. 

The movie is set during a graduation party in which all of the various high-school cliques show up. Several storylines occur in the movie, including Seth Green's character Kenny/Special K trying to get laid, the school geek Preston, finally taking his shot with the girl who doesn't know he exists (JLH's character, Amanda) who he has been pining after since freshman year and has just been dumped by the mega jock, Mike Dexter (played by Facinelli). Dexter is the subject of a humiliation plot by a group of nerds. Some of the storylines intertwine, and some are kept separate. Green is hilarious in the movie as the typical white suburban kid who thinks he is black, trying too hard to impress everyone. Hewitt does not do much in the film (besides looking pretty) until the end, and Facinelli plays a great asshole. It ultimately becomes a story of old friends reuniting, people from different high-school groups discovering (at least for a few moments) that they have something in common, and the guy trying to get the girl of his dreams. All mixed in with graduation party debauchery. 

The DVD release has many extras, including just under an hour of featurettes filmed in 2008, including interviews with Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont and several cast members discussing the film and what they think their characters would be doing ten years later. Then, there are deleted and extended scenes, the music video for Smash Mouth's "Can't Get Enough of You Baby," which featured members of the cast and clips from the movie, and two different commentary tracks on the film, one done for the original DVD release and one for the 2008 re-release. Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont, and Seth Green participated in both commentaries, and in the 1998 commentary, Faison, Facinelli, and Joel Michaely (one of the nerds) participated. In the original commentary track, Green started out using a British accent and seemed content to do it the entire time until Kaplan told him the joke was getting old, which Green brought up in the 2008 commentary. In the special features menu, a Special K 411 edition is listed, which appears to be another commentary track that would just feature Green in-character commenting on the movie, but it just plays the original 1998 commentary track again. 

Ultimately, the movie is a well-written and acted comedy that mixes in some drama. It does feel dated now, and certainly, some of the jokes they used would not be used today. It was not as raunchy as American Pie, and while there was some sex and a lot of swearing and drinking, there was no nudity. Most of the actual drinking was kept off-camera to keep the movie PG-13, and when we did see people drink, the actor was drinking non-alcoholic beer. Overall, the movie was pretty tame, especially by today's standards. While I would not say that it is as good as American Pie (or any of the American Pie movies with the main cast members) or that it is the best film in the coming-of-age comedy genre. That said, it is enjoyable and absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 29

Day 29 was Pure Cardio from Shaun 20 and Lift 4's Chest and Triceps (50/50) workout. This was the start of week 5 in Lift 4, which meant increasing the weight for the lifting exercises again. I increased the weight I used for each exercise by another 2.5 lbs, which was challenging but doable.  

DVD/TV Series Review: The Librarians Season 4

 

The ten-episode fourth and final season of The Librarians aired from the winter of 2017 to the spring of 2018. Although it was not intended to be, this ended up being the final season of The Librarians, which was spun off from the various made-for-TV movies that Noah Wyle made after he left ER. The fourth season essentially followed the prior seasons in that it set up the major storyline of the season in the first episode, then had story-of-the-week episodes as fillers while interweaving the larger story arc here and there. I will not go into the major story arc too much, just to say it involves a former guardian whose loyalties are questioned.

The show continued to give all the characters depth and balanced out the storylines for them well. We finally got a Jenkins-centric episode (which was directed by Lindy Booth), which John Larroquette knocked out of the park. Wyle also has a larger role this season since he was not splitting time between this show and the series Falling Skies as he was in the prior seasons. Rebecca Romijn, John Kim, Christian Kane, and Lindy Booth all do great jobs with their characters, and the series continued to be well-written and acted. This season's guest and recurring stars include Rachel Nichols, John Noble, Richard Kind, Steven Weber, and Gloria Reuben, among others.

The DVD set is a three-disc set. The extras this season include writer and director blogs for select episodes and commentary tracks on every episode (usually with the writer and director of the particular episode and sometimes with one or more members of the cast). A decent amount of material, but not as much as there had been in prior seasons. You do learn, if you listen to the commentary for the final episode, that they just found out before recording it that TNT had canceled the show. While the season was not written to be the final season, and the last episode was not written to be a series finale, the show, thankfully, did not end on a major cliffhanger this year, so you are not left wondering about a storyline or an event that will not have a payoff. You are, however, left to wonder where the show would have gone as a next step.

Overall, the show is well-written and acted. I did not feel like it was getting too stale, and I think it could have easily had another season. It would have been nice if the showrunners were given a season that they knew would be the last one to see exactly how they would have ended the show with a proper series finale. Dean Devlin had held out hope that the show would get picked up by another network, but so far, it does not seem like it will happen now that we are two years (as of this writing) removed from the cancelation, plus the complication COVID has on the shooting schedules for all the shows and movies that were in production when the pandemic shut everything down. And, given the show had more of a cult following than it ever had mass popularity, I do not think it will likely be picked up. But, if you are a fan of the show, it is definitely worth checking out the season, even knowing that you will not get a true series finale.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 28

Day 28's workout was again the 645 cardio routine, modified with different exercises. For this workout, I worked in the jump knee switches from P90x's plyo routine and switch kicks from Insanity while still doing soccer runs and speed skaters from Lift 4.  And, on the pulse squats I did the full jumps and not just lifting onto my toes.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 27

On Day 27, I did the 645 cardio routine. I did not do either of the Lift 4 recovery workouts, however. Since this was an off day from the second workout, I did a higher-impact version of the workout and incorporated switch kicks from Insanity into the routine. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Young Sheldon: Season 6

 

The 22-episode sixth season of Young Sheldon aired during the 2022/2023 TV season. The show continues to blend procedural and serial story arcs, although this season the focus was more on the serial arcs. Most of the season's serial storyline involves Mandy's (played by Emily Osment, who was promoted to a series regular) pregnancy and her relationship with Georgie and the family. We also meet Mandy's parents, played by Will Sasso and Rachel Bay Jones. George and Mary's relationship troubles come to a head when George's feelings for Brenda and Mary's feelings for Pastor Rob come to a head. Missy and Sheldon also have substantial story arcs this season, with Missy's involving teenage angst and Sheldon working on an invention while trying to position himself for grad school. Connie's storylines intertwine with Georgie and Mandy. She gives Mandy a job and a place to stay while running her illegal gambling operation. All of the series regulars return for the sixth season, as do many of the significant supporting and recurring cast, including McKenna Grace, Wallace Shawn, Ed Begley Jr., Rex Linn, Matt Hobby, Craig T. Nelson, Doc Farrow, Wendie Malick, Melissa Peterman, and Wyatt McClure. And, of course, Jim Parsons continues to narrate the series.

The Blu-Ray set is a two-disc set. There are no bonus features with the physical media release this season, but the episodes can be played with English captions. The lack of bonus content on the Blu-Ray release is disappointing, but since not all shows get a physical media release (especially a Blu-Ray release), it is better than nothing for those who prefer physical media.

The show continues to have an excellent blend of drama and humor. The writers do a great job continuing to develop all the characters, especially Georgie. Montana Jordan is wonderful in all his scenes this year and has really run with his expanded role beyond just being the "other kid" as he was in the first few seasons. Unlike the first few seasons, Sheldon is not the focus of every episode, which is ultimately good because it gives the other actors more to work with. Ian Armitage still does an excellent job with his version of Sheldon, which is still quite different from The Big Bang Theory version of the character. However, now that Armitage is getting older and his voice has changed, it is a bit weird because he sounds nothing like Jim Parsons which is only emphasized when you hear Parson's voice. Ultimately, if you liked seasons 1-5, this season is worth watching. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 26

On day 26, I did the full body workout from Shaun 20 in the morning and the Legs workout from Lift 4 in the evening, which is all HIIT this week. In the Shaun 20 workout, you do three circuits, each for two rounds. The first circuit is back and chest, alternating between one-arm rows and push-ups. The second circuit is shoulders, biceps, and triceps, doing shoulder presses, curls, and triceps presses. The third circuit is legs, doing sumo squats and lunges. So, you do need dumbbells for that workout, although because you are not doing reps but instead doing each exercise for 45 seconds, you will be using a lighter amount of weight. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 25

Day 25 was shoulders (intervals) from Lift 4 and Pure Cardio from the Shaun 20 workout. I did the cardio workout in the morning and the Lift 4 workout in the evening. I actually paid attention to the exercises in the Shaun 20 workout, and it is 17 total exercises once the warmup is over, but two of those are exercises that you do on one side and then the other (power knees and a step back into a knee lift), so you are actually doing 15 different exercises. I can definitely tell that my stamina is getting better, but it is nowhere near where I want it (basically where it was when I finished the original Insanity workout, which is when I was in the best shape I have ever been in, and where I am trying to get back to).

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 24

Day 24 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I did the 645 cardio routine followed by the Lift 4 stretch routine. I did not do foam rolling today, but I plan to on at least one of the weekend rest days. In the 645 cardio routine I continued to incorporate more of the exercises from Insanity into that one, so again, just using it for the timing of the intervals as opposed to following the actual workout.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 23

Day 23 was the Cardio Circuit workout from Shaun 20 in the morning and the Back and Biceps (50/50) routine from Lift 4 in the evening. Both workouts went well, as I can tell that my overall stamina is improving in the cardio workouts, and I was able to use the increased amount of weight on all the lifting exercises.  

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Bohemian Rhapsody

 

Bohemian Rhapsody is a 2018 biopic of the popular 70s and 80s rock band Queen, focusing on the band's lead singer, Freddy Mercury. It was directed by Bryan Singer and stars Rami Malek, Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, Lucy Boynton, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Allen Leech, Tom Hollander, and Aaron McCusker. The movie starts and ends at the 1985 Live Aid concert. The film begins with Mercury (played by Malek) walking to the Live Aid stage, and then it flashes back to 1970 to show the band's formation and chronicles their rise to fame, breakup, and reunion. The show ends with a recreation of the Live Aid performance, which is regarded by many as the band's best performance. 

The 4K set is a two-disc set with a UHD disc and a regular Blu-Ray disc. The UHD disc contains the movie and one of the bonus features, the full recreation of the 21-minute live-aid performance (which was cut down for the film's theatrical release). The rest of the bonus features are on the regular Blu-Ray disc, which includes several featurettes (that each last approximately 20 minutes) with behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with the cast and crew as well as a couple of the surviving band members, including Brian May who was also a producer on the film, and three different trailers for the movie.  So, if you are a fan of bonus content, this has over an hour's worth of material. Interstingly, Singer is not featured in any of the bonus material. He had a notorious reputation for being a difficult director (pretty much being an asshole to people on set). After the allegations of sexual assault against him in 2017, Singer became persona non grata. He was replaced late in the movie's production but still received the directing credit. This was (at least for now) his final directing job.

The movie is well-written and very well-acted. Malek is fantastic as Mercury and almost perfectly nailed his look, voice, and mannerisms. Mercury was a flamboyant and weird dude, and Malek channeled that well. Malek seems a bit odd, so it was a good fit. The movie did not sugarcoat Mercury's problems with drugs, relationships, his issues dealing with his sexuality, and the promiscuous lifestyle that led to him contracting AIDS. The writers also did a great job showing the complicated dynamics between the band members. While Mercury wanted to constantly party, the others had families and were increasingly irritated at Mercury always being late for rehearsal and recording sessions. While the movie is just over two hours long, there was not enough time to focus on the lives of the other band members, so they are primarily seen in scenes together as a group, while we see much more of Mercury's personal life. Ultimately, it is an excellent movie and enjoyable whether you are a fan of Queen or even like their music all that much. Although several of the band's songs are played in the movie, so it does help if you like their music. It is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 22

Day 22 started week 4 in Lift 4, which meant chest and triceps (circuit). In the morning, I did the Shaun 20 version of Pure Cardio. Again, I can tell that Pure Cardio is becoming easier than a few weeks ago, so I am making progress there. In the Lift 4 workout, I used the same increased weight I used last week. That was absolutely challenging during the circuit workout, even though I had only increased the weight on the various exercises by a couple of pounds. That makes a world of difference when you are doing a workout with essentially no rest until the end. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 21

On day 21, I just did 645 cardio, or my version of it, since I really do not follow their workout and just use it for timing. I have started incorporating more exercises from Insanity into the routine, focusing on ones I do not have to modify. My ultimate goal is to get back to a point where I can do Insanity modified and then start doing it unmodified or with fewer modifications. I may always do some of the exercises as low-impact just to protect my back and knees now that I am getting older, but I will see how I feel when the time comes.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 20

Day 20 was 645 cardio, followed by Lift 4's stretch. My work had its holiday party tonight, so I did the workout early in the afternoon. I did not overeat at the party, so even though it was basically a cheat meal, I did not overdo it. 

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Young Sheldon: Season 5

 

The 22-episode fifth season of Young Sheldon aired during the 2021/2022 TV season. The entire main cast returned, as did the major supporting and recurring cast members, including McKenna Grace, Reba McEntire, Ed Begley Jr., Wallace Shawn, Craig T. Nelson, Rex Linn, Matt Hobby, Wyatt McClure, Melissa Peterman, Wendie Malick, Doc Farrow, etc. Dan Bryd and Emily Osment join the cast in significant recurring roles.  Both are included as a part of major storylines toward the end of the season. This season's guest stars include Ming Na Wen, Penn and Teller, and Lance Reddick. The writers continue to use a combination of procedural and serial storytelling. The major serial arcs this season include the fallout from George and Brenda flirting with each other at the bar. We learn that George just had chest pains, not an actual heart attack. Throughout the season, his relationship with Mary becomes strained because of his guilt toward flirting with Brenda and Mary's relationship with a new youth pastor (played by Bryd). Other storylines include Sheldon going to college full-time and becoming a research assistant to Dr. Linkletter, Connie buying a laundromat with slot machines in the back room, Missy becoming a moody teenager, and a major storyline involving Georgie that will extend into season six. We also discover the reason for Sheldon's hatred of engineering, which includes a great voice cameo by Simon Helberg.

The Blu-Ray set is a two-disc set. The only extra is a behind-the-scenes featurette on the series' 100th episode that occurs this season. There are no deleted scenes, no gag reel, or commentary tracks, however. The show continues to be strong, with an excellent blend of humor and drama. The writers do a good job of developing the characters and continue to drop easter eggs that tie into the parent series, The Big Bang Theory. Jim Parsons continues to narrate the show, and his narrations (along with another voice appearance by Mayim Bialik) continue to provide details of Sheldon's life after The Big Bang Theory ended. The cast members all do a wonderful job in their roles, and the writers give all the actors great material to work with. While the show is centered around Sheldon, he is a secondary character in some episodes, allowing the storylines to focus on the other characters. So, if you liked the first four seasons, this is absolutely worth watching.

DVD/Movie Review: Daddio

 

Daddio is an independent film from 2023 directed by Christy Hall and starring Dakota Johnson (who is also a producer) and Sean Penn. The movie's premise is quite simple but works very well. Johnson's character, who is just called "Girlie," takes a cab driven by Penn's character, Clark, home from the airport. During the ride, the two strike up a conversation that includes topics ranging from the role of technology in our lives to relationships and power dynamics between men and women. Almost the entire movie is set in the cab, with the two characters talking between the divider.

The DVD release is very bare-bones. It just contains the movie, which runs about an hour and a half and can be played with or without English captions. There is no behind-the-scenes material, deleted scenes, or other bonus content. The movie is excellent and plays to both Johnson's and Penn's acting strengths. Johnson is much better when she is not trying to play a seductress (which absolutely does not suit her). Penn (regardless of what you think of his personal life and beliefs) does a great job in any role he takes on, especially dialogue-driven roles. The movie does have some sexual content, mainly in the form of explicit text messages between Girlie and the man she is seeing that occur during the cab ride. Those include naked pictures. However, there are no actual sex scenes or "live" nudity. Ultimately, it is a well-written and acted drama. If you are a fan of either actors and/or independent films as a whole, this is absolutely worth watching.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 19

Day 19 was Pure Cardio from Shaun 20 and Legs (50/50) from Lift 4. Like all the workouts this week, I increased the amount of weight I was using for all the exercises by a couple of pounds, and I could feel the increase in weight.  

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 18

On day 18, I did the cardio circuit workout from Shaun 20 in the morning and the Lift 4 shoulders (intervals) workout in the evening. I again increased the amount of weight I was using for every shoulder exercise by a couple of pounds. I found it challenging to go up in weight even though I had been using the same amount of weight for quite some time. Although, as I have said before, my shoulders are not my strongest area. But, I got through it.