It’s tricky, but here’s how to tell the difference between me and Aaron Sorkin, creator of the new HBO series The Newsroom. We both possess honors that have eluded the other: I don’t have an Emmy or an Oscar, but he doesn’t have a teaching award from Bethel University or a “Best Daddy Ever” card … More Aaron Sorkin (and I) Love the 1940s
This is a couple weeks old now, but in case, like me, you don’t happen read the L.A. Review of Books religiously but, like me, do happen to be a fan of Sherlock Holmes — and especially if, like me, your favorite pre-J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies are The Wrath of Khan and The Undiscovered … More Nicholas Meyer on Sherlock Holmes
I haven’t imposed many blogging rules on myself, but here’s one I think I’ll honor more in the observance than the breach… “Any sanctimonious post must be followed by one that embarrasses the blogger” So, having spent yesterday’s post up on my high horse defending denominations less by pointing to their virtues than by decrying … More Guilty Pleasures
More than the residents of any other part of the country where I’ve lived or visited, Minnesotans pay a lot of attention to weather. Jokes about our ten-month winters notwithstanding, the North Star State actually has quite distinct seasons, sometimes turbulent (especially in the stormy spring) and always changeable. And those of us who don’t … More My Favorite Local Meteorologist Gets National Attention
One more post about British TV as I continue to reprise some posts from recent months during this mini-hiatus coinciding with Bethel’s Spring Break: my defense of Downton Abbey against withering criticism from one of Britain’s most popular historians. Downton has been back on my mind of late, after my wife and I watched its antecedent, the … More Best of The Pietist Schoolman: Downton Crabby
It’s Spring Break here at Bethel University, so I’m going to take a break from blogging the rest of the week in order to focus on some other projects. In the meantime, I’ll reprise some posts I especially enjoyed writing: one each from December 2011, January 2012, and February 2012. First up, my enthusiastic response … More Best of The Pietist Schoolman: Sherlock!
Earlier this month the popular British historian Simon Schama took to the pages of Newsweek to write a withering attack on the British TV series Downton Abbey — and even more, on Americans’ obsession with it — as its second series began to air on PBS. SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T BEEN WATCHING I … More Downton Crabby
Earlier this month I took a break from blogging about history, teaching, and theology in order to share my love of Sherlock Holmes — most recently as the character was embodied by Benedict Cumberbatch in a BBC show that will have its second series of episodes premiere Stateside next year. Until that premiere, I’ve tried … More More Sherlock!
The day after we got back from Thanksgiving travels my wife and kids went to bed early, so I seized the chance to watch something I’d had on our queue for a long time: the first episode of the BBC’s Sherlock, an updating of the Sherlock Holmes character to the 21st century that features the … More Sherlock!
I’ve tried very, very hard not to litter this blog with reflections on my love of television. But two things happened this week that, in combination, proved too much for me to resist. #1. A marginally popular drama called Friday Nights Lights reached the end of its fifth and final season last night. #2. Chuck … More Teary Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose
The Pietist Schoolman 