Tuesday TV Touchbase: Julia

Why do we watch what we watch on TV?

Sometimes we watch a program because its a genre we enjoy or it fills a certain emotional need or a show features a performer we really like. 

Sometimes we watch a show because it's there.

Case in point, Andrea and I went out for dinner this past Friday at a local restaurant called Ham's. They make really good sandwiches and the best deep fried potato chips. We sat in the bar where each booth has it's own TV set.

The NFL draft was happening Friday night and our TV set was on ESPN for a pre-NFL draft show. We couldn't hear anything being said on the TV because of the music in the bar. 

As I attempted to engage Andrea is discussion, I could not help but notice that she was repeatedly looking at the TV. 

It was a TV show we couldn't hear about a sport we aren't fans of (football) about a subject we didn't care about (the NFL draft) and in fact it wasn't really about the NFL draft but about what was going to happen in the draft that wouldn't actually happen until later.

And Andrea was watching it.

Sometimes I worry she is too easily entertained. 

OK, let's turn the Tuesday TV Touchbase over to a show we deliberately watch on purpose for reasons. 

Julia is a show on HBO Max about the early days of public television icon Julia Child, host of "The French Chef".   

Our original interest was piqued by nostalgia. Way back in the day we were fans of the TV comedy Frasier which featured David Hyde Pierce as Frasier Crane's brother Niles and in a recurring role, Bebe Neuwirth as Frasier's ex-wife Lillith.   Whenever Lillith was in town, she and Niles would engage in some really funny snarky banter.  

These two actors are reunited in Julia with David as Julia Child's husband Paul and Bebe as her best friend Avis. And their scenes together still crackle with the same energy they had on Frasier. 

Well, we may have come to Julia for the David Hyde Pierce and Bebe Neuwirth but we've stayed for the Sarah Lancashire.

Sarah has been in tons of TV shows and movies since 1987 but Doctor Who fans will know her as Ms. Foster from the 2008 Series 4 episode "Partners in Crime". 

Sarah Lancashire develops in Julia Child a complex woman who is confident in her skills as a cook and as a writer on the subject of cooking but also riddled by self doubt as she stumbles into a world of notoriety and acclaim. She did not expect to become famous with the advent of her silly little cooking show on WGBH, a fledgling small public television station in Boston still trying to find its way in it's noble but rather vague mission of serving the public.   

"The French Chef" is a hit much to consternation of certain men who think their mission as public television is elevated beyond a weird cooking show hosted by a stocky middle age woman with a odd voice.  

When "The French Chef" is sold to also appear on a public TV station in San Francisco, Julia Child is amused and flattered to discover a drag performer whose bit is impersonating Julia Child. 

Not everyone is on board the Julia Child express. A French chef at a fancy New York City bistro chides Julia to leave the real French cooking to men and the gets an angry earful from feminist Betty Friedan that Julia's culinary fantasies on her TV show on serve to enslave women to their kitchens even more than ever before. 

Thankfully a pre-Mr. Roger's Neighborhood Fred Rogers is on hand to remind Julia Child that he thinks she's great just for being herself. 

With Julia set in the northeastern United States in the early 1960's, there is more than a bit of a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel vibe which is probably more than a coincidence since Daniel Goldfarb is a producer for both shows.  

There are some genuine laughs and some unexpected crudity. When Julia's duck dish does not come out as she hoped, she giggles nervously and confesses, "I fucked the duck!"  

But mostly Julia is a charming character study of a woman who knows what she wants even if she's not always sure how she wants to get there or fully prepared for the results when she does get there. But Julia the show and Julia the character are very engaging and interesting even if the pace is at times gentle and almost languid. 

But sometimes gentle and languid are the exact tonics needed after a long day.  

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Before I wrap up, the word came down last week that Batwoman will not return for a 4th season. 

I'm not entirely bothered by that. The show ended it's 3rd season in a good place. Still, it's a shame we'll have no more adventures of Ryan Wilder in the bat-suit

So that is that for this week's Tuesday TV Touchbase.  

Next week? Gentleman Jack is back at long last with new episodes?!?! Squeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

(OK, I am way happier than a middle age straight man should be for the return of 19th century English lesbians. But damn! Squeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!)   

Until next time, remember to be good to one another and try to keep it down in there, would ya? I'm trying to watch TV over here.