Nobody Knows Anything

Welcome to Diane Patterson's eclectic blog about what strikes her fancy

“The Restaurant”: the review

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We haven’t been watching much in the way of television lately. Partially because it’s summer, and partially because now the kids are going to bed at 9 instead of 8, and 9 is bordering on bedtime. (Hey, you go have some kids and see how you do!)

But we have been watching a few new things. “MI-5” on A&E (evidently originally it was called “Spooks” on the BBC, but Americans would tune in expecting something quite different if they kept that name). Yes, we watch “Monk,” and we know you probably do too, because it’s the highest rated show on basic cable. (I could do a whole thing about “Monk,” about how it’s a completely retro 70’s-detective style drama that’s as hokey as all get out, but Tony Shalhoub is so wonderful that he sells the whole damn creaky package.) And we’re big fans of “Lucky,” the half-hour dramedy about Las Vegas that has the two funniest guys on TV, bar none: Lucky’s sidekicks. I don’t know who those guys are or where they found them, but they are priceless.

We’ve also begun watching is “The Restaurant,” which is a hybrid of one of our favorite genres, the food show, crossed with one of our least favorite, the reality show.

“The Restaurant” is the story of chef Rocco DiSpirito opening his new restaurant, Rocco’s, in Manhattan. From finding the space to auditioning waiters to opening night and beyond, “The Restaurant” ostensibly shows us the craziness that goes into a high-profile restaurant.

Because of the subject matter, we keep watching it, but this isn’t at the RJ Cutler level of reality programming. It’s more a descendant of the staged “reality” of “Survivor”: editing clearly creates something that wasn’t necessarily there when the events occurred. It’s unclear how much say the show’s producers have in how the restaurant’s run: it’s not surprising that most of the waiters in a New York restaurant would be actors, but there’s something fishy about the cast…I mean, the staff. The guy who’s first in line at the casting call for restaurant staff just happens to be the central figure in the drama of a subplot in the second and third episodes! The backstage catfighting! The glamour of being a celebrity chef!

We’ll probably keep watching, but Darin sez it’s doesn’t compare to his reality show favorite of all time, “American High.” (Which was, of course, filmed at his high school, Highland Park High.)

“The Restaurant” also shows us the bleak future of the post-TiVo world. Reportedly TiVos aren’t selling that well and Hollywood isn’t concerned. Don’t you believe it. People are skipping commercials? Screw that, the shows are the commercials. The ad placements in this show are horrifying in their obviousness, for their integration into the show. We not only see the American Express logo several times during any given episode, but a subplot of the second episode revolved around an American Express card. You can’t show people drinking beer during a beer commercial, but during this show you can show the entire staff of the restaurant drinking big plastic cups of Coors—another sponsor of the show.

Every episode has one major moment for one of the big three sponsors: American Express, Coors, and Mitsubishi. They’re obvious insertions. The only way you can tell the American Express commercials from the show itself is the different style of photography.

Filed Under: TV

Simon’s current wordlist

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  • Mama (usually pronounced “Mamamama”)
  • Dada
  • Uh-oh (usually accompanied by a mischievous grin)
  • Ba’pa’ (what Dora the Explorer carries around)
  • A-boom! (his current favorite)
  • Book (sounds like “buk”)

And then there are the non-repeaters, the phrases that make me wonder. He wanted me to hand him a book to look at, and when I did he said something that sounded a great deal like “Tenk oo.” I can’t imagine he really did, but…wouldn’t that be amazing?

And he understands everything. We were playing in the living room one day and I said, “Oh, you must be hungry.” Damned if he didn’t take off for the kitchen like a shot. And tonight I told him to go over to Daddy to get dressed for bed…and Simon immediately went to report for pajama duty.

The most amazing incident was when we were at the Barnes and Noble that has a train table, and Simon started running around with a train in each hand. Then he dropped one on the floor and left it there. Without looking at the train and without pointing to it, I said, “Simon, pick up the train and put it back on the table where it belongs.”

Which he proceeded to do immediately.

Wow.

Must. Watch. What. I. Say.

Of course, I already know I have to watch what I say (and I know I’m not watching half as hard as I need to be). One day in the backyard Sophia said, “I have to go to work!” So she narrated what she was doing as she did it: “I put on my badge…and I get into my car…and I say, ‘Dommit.'”

Uh, oops.

I would think that imitating me would cause the first thing out of her mouth to be “Mor-on”…but I may simply not be aware of how often I say other things.

Around the horn

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I’ve pledged money for both WampumBlog and Paper Bent for Blogathon 2003. Why? I don’t know. There are plenty of worthy blogathoners out there, and if they’re willing to sit there and blog for twenty-four hours straight, they’re welcome to do so. A

Skimble has a neat little summary of the heist of a lifetime. If there is a spot o’ truth to this “river of light” story, it needs to be investigated and revealed post haste.

Calpundit’s entry about medical malpractice—and how people testifying about it can change their stories rather drastically once they’re made accountable for them—is required reading.

John Scalzi has a nice little essay/rant on what being a professional writer means in regard to criticism—to paraphrase using the words of a recent episode of “Monk,” Suck it up. And he’s right. If you think this is hard, you ain’t seen nothing yet. (My professional writer experience consists solely at this point of being a tech writer at Apple, and it was as true there.)

If you want to be loved, have a blog. Oh wait.

(I’ve read Natalia’s followup, and she makes a good point: this is her journal; she was writing about her feelings. Fair enough. But I’ve been in enough writing classes/workshops/seminars to know how the vast majority of people react to criticism, and it’s not with the detachment they’re going to need to whether writing professionally. I know how I deal with getting criticized on my writing, and I have a much stronger sense of self-esteem than most when it comes to my writing. So John’s reaction is not at all from left field.)

A couple of people have now written to ask why my right-hand column (which contains my list o’links, among other things) doesn’t show up in Mozilla. I don’t know why; it shows up in Safari and IE. The first time I got this question, I thought it was because blogrolling.com was down, but now I suspect it’s a Mozilla problem. Any clues?