Why do I Like So Many "Bad" TV Shows?

My wife and I binge on several TV shows on Netflix, which have been popular on TV. These include: Doc Martin, Upstairs Downstairs and its modern equivalent Downton Abby, Breaking Bad, Alias, and currently we wrapped up the previous seasons of Sandal. They are bad shows.

When I say bad, I don’t mean they are poorly done, on the contrary they are extremely well written and well acted and fascinating with characters who are easy to care for. When I mean bad, I’m thinking of the typical Tom Clancy novels in which the leading character is always an antihero; an immoral jerk. Let me go through these shows one by one to demonstrate.

Doc Martin, has no social graces, acts like a total bonehead to everyone including the ones he loves. But we find him funny and love all the weird supporting characters. But he is in essence a morally bankrupt character we somehow expect to get better despite all evidence to the contrary.

Upstairs Downstairs and Downton Abby and again extremely well acted and visually pleasant. But they extol the virtues of a class system continuing the belief in noblesse oblige of the wealthy upper classes to run society better despite their inabilities to do so. They advocate conservative values that keep all but the upper classes down in order for the few to live lives of extravagance.

Breaking Bad, was one of those shows we never watched when it began but became addicted to on Netflix. But it is what the title says, about a man breaking bad. A man when faced with life’s difficulties turns to evil means to provide for his family. He is a drug maker and seller who lies to those closest to him until he drags them into his web of evil intrigue compromising their moral integrity as well. But he is so well played along with the rest of the cast we end up rooting for him and hope all will turn out well, despite his killing people in the long and short term.

Alias is a bit more fluffy with Jennifer Gardner getting to play dress up constantly as she puts other actions heroes to shame with her athletic exploits. But it has one level of evil intrigue built upon another. It scares the crap out of us who believe these things might and probably do happen in the world behind political intrigue and espionage. It is hard to differentiate between the humanely used tranquilizers guns and guns with real bullets that kill friend and foe alike. And we will cling to the ridiculous hope that she and her hubby after a life of lies and deception will end up on a beach cuddling with their children. Right.

And finally, Scandal starring the gorgeous Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope who is the brilliant and most competent “fixer.” It begins with her and other selling their collective souls by fixing voting machines to rig an election so that her love interest conservative presidential candidate will win the election. She is so loyal to her misfit friends that we can’t help but like her and want her to marry her boyfriend president and live happily ever after. So, it comes at the expense of all types of immorality, doesn’t she have a good heart and aren’t the others she combats even worse that she. It reflects the morality of, well others are doing it why shouldn’t we because our cause is just…

As I said, we watch them with great enthusiasm, sans commercials on Netflix and delight in the acting. But each and everyone one of them is a moral quagmire based on the morality of expediency not right. And perhaps that is one reason they are popular. They reflect us and our values perhaps to a greater extent or level; but I fear most in this country and in others buy into the morality of expediency. It is right if it gets me to where I want to go and gets me what I want to get.

It’s sad, but like the news, bad news sells better than good news and we elect politicians who smear their opponents better than they are getting smeared.

Human beings are very strange creatures who persist in believing we are capable of greatness and goodness despite all evidence to the contrary.

Cat Flopping: A Proposed New Olympic Event

The Sochi 2014 Olympics in Russia is due to start Feb 7^th this year. Thus it is unlikely to get this new event in these Olympics, but it is timely to start promoting it for the 2018 Olympics.

In case you are not familiar the sport “Cat Flopping”, I will share with you this conversation among the proponents of this sport that live in our house.

* * * *

 “I see the human servants are out of bed and up and walking about, “said Lamont. “It’s time to play Cat Flopping.”

“Oh yes,” purred Patch, “this is a great time to play Cat Flopping. We haven't played it since last night.”

“I must admit,” added Paw, “Cat Flopping is one of my favorite sports.

“Yes,” continued Lamont, “it ranks even above Walking the Upstairs Rail, a death defying extreme sport I am particularly good at; Scaling the Windows; Leaping Upon Mewreen’s Face; and so many others.”

“Don’t forget Playing Centerpiece on tables and cabinets,” gushed Paw. “I’m particularly proficient at that.”

“Okay, get ready,” meowed Patch, “Here they come. Run ahead a few steps, throw yourself on the floor, flop on your backs and stick your paws in the air and see if they will lean down and rub our tummies. Whee!”

*  *  *  *

As you can see Patchtricia won this round of Cat Flop.  2018 Olympics here we come.

Know Yourself ~ Socates

Socrates, in the writings of Plato, was foud of saying, “Know thyself” as he explored the wisdom of Delphi. How can we know others unless we first have an understanding of ourselves? Or perhaps understanding others if far easier than knowing ourselves as we can be more objective about others than we can about ourselves. Ah, such go the deliberations of philosophical human beings.

Now it is less well know in history that Socrates had a cat, Socates, who was quite learned in his own right and prone to philosophical thought as well. In previous cat tales Lamont is known to have voiced his belief in reincatation. One of those reincatations was as Socrates cat, Socates. We also understand from previous cat tales that Bast was a goddess in ancient Egyptian mythology to depicted as a cat. It is helpful to recall this historical information as we deal with today’s cat tale.

* * *

With his usual great agility Lamont leapt to the railing of upstairs railing, thumped his right paw on the railing three times and said, “Attend now you members of the Order Bast, Drennan household chapter.”

With that Patchtricia and Pawline, strode to the beds, assumed a thoughtful and attentive curl and peeked up at Lamont and said, “State the order of business for the day Bast Master.”

Stepping down to the bed on the orange chair Lamont went on, “Sisters and members of the good order of Bast in this household in this household we have all come to realize I believe that we are now official house cats.”

“We’ve ascertained that several times recently O Lamont, “Cranston/Shadow and Bast leader. Pray continue,” said Patch.

“I believe,” continued Lamont, “that we should have a discussion as to our proper role and matters of protocol as house cats in order to display seemly behavior as house cats. ‘Know yourself’ as the good Socates used to say, our in our collective case, ‘know ourselves.”

“Well put,” yawned Paw as she examined the claws on her right front paw. “I take it this is an open discussion with equal input by all and not just a pontification by you Lamont.”

“You may well assume that,” replied Lamont with a slight sniff.

“It seems to me,” put forth Patch, “that as house cats that we should take on as a priority and a responsibility of the wellbeing of our human servants. We need to keep them happy and have them continue to dote on us as is their place in life as I believe they are coming to understand.”

“Well said,” applauded Paw, “If they are happy we should be happy. Or as they might say in Upstairs Downstairs or Downton Abbey parlance, “happy servants make a happy household.”

“Hear, hear,” affirmed Paw licking her paw and rubbing the side of her face with it.

“To that end,” spoke Lamont, “I would suggest a primary goal is to ensure that we spend a good deal of people time. We need to be around them as much as is convenient for us. And, we should be very entertaining.” Seeing nods of approval from Paw and Patch, Lamont continued, “As it should be apparent I am the most people oriented of the three of us, so I will assume the major responsibility in this area, but we must all endeavor in these noble pursuits.”

“If by ‘people oriented’ you mean a show off, we agree,” said Paw. Lamont frowned a bit but held his tongue.

“I know what always works,” chimed in Patch. “They just love it when we run up past them, throw ourselves on the floor and then roll over on our backs with all four paws pointing to the ceiling as we await tummy rubs. They love that, and it has the double advantage of being quite pleasurable for us.”

“Excellent, most excellent,” agreed Lamont. “That is very good and exactly what I am talking about. More suggestions? He inquired.

“Well, just this morning Mewreen was having some milk in a cup when she got up, “said Patch, “and when she had finished most of it I stuck my head in the cup and lapped up the remaining milk. I stuck my paw in for good measure to get the last drop. She thought that was just great and got Meugh, in his usual morning grump, to look over and even he laughed and enjoyed my shenanigans.”

“Good one Patch,” continued Lamont, “I saw that and poked my nose in as well. Excellent behavior. I also notice that Mewreen likes it a good deal when I jump up into her chair as she watches TV, massage her legs a bit with my paws and then move onto the padded bench beside her chair.”

“Oh yes,” said Paw, “and she really likes it when you sit on her lap for awhile. You do that best even if it isn’t very long. Patch and I will put up with being held on her lap or Meugh’s lap, but no longer than necessary, meaning when they loosen their grip, we’re out of there. I think Meugh gets a bit jealous of Mewreen who gets more lap time. Such is life.”

“They like it when we scratch on the scratching pole and cone and even the new rug,” said Paw, “but they get down right grumpy when we scratch on the cloth sofa. Meugh bellows ‘No!’ very loudly. And heaven forbid if with might look like we’d even extend a claw on the leather chairs of couch. That could easily led to us loosing our claws and toes along with them. We must be careful there.”

“Let see,” added Lamont, “they also like our climbing into bed with them at night as long as we don’t claw them. They think it is a hoot when we zoom at lightning speed across rooms and up or down the stairs. They laugh when they hear us thumping around upstairs when they are downstairs. And they love petting and brushing us at meal time.”

“This is a very good start and a good sharing at this Bast meeting. Well done everyone, we must do this regularly. Socates would be proud,” said Lamont as he ended the meeting my thumping his right paw on the chair three times and they all took a nap.

On Being a House Cat

“How long have we been over here in the house,” asked Pawline?

“Quite a while I think, perhaps a bit more than a half a month,” said Patchtricia.

“Yep! I think it is official; we’re house cats now,” said Lamont with conviction. “Furthermore, I like it! I like it quit a lot.”

“I do too…now,” added Paw, “but wasn’t all the sure the first few days. It is a lot different and a lot bigger than the Shackteau. But there have always been lots of places to hide.”

“I had misgivings about being over here as well,” meowed Patch. “We were quite accustomed to the Shackteau and now it seems almost a fading memory.”

“In the Schackteau Meugh (e.d. Catonese for Hugh in case you’ve forgotten) was with us quit a bit of the day,” said Lamont, “But now the human servants are around us 24/7. In the Shackteau Mewreen (e.d. Cantonese for Doreen) wasn’t a round much. Generally she’d just come out in the evening to feeding and pet us. But how she’s around all the time. Meugh still takes care of our litter boxes, but she is much more involved with us. And, she has a great lap. I even jump up on it voluntarily now.”

There used to be a pizza here :)

“I wonder if we will ever find all the places to explore,” said Paw. There are many many many places to find and stuff to play with besides our toys.”

“This whole place is rather like a toy,” continued Patch. “I love hiding in their clothes and tossing them on the ground. I could do that by the hour.

“And we can dash lickety split from one place to the other and slide on the many rugs to our hearts content, purred Lamont. “And you can plop yourself down almost anywhere a human servant is present and get tummy rubs. Oh, oh, oh, how we like those tummy rubs!” Both Patch and Paw nodded their assent.

“I like waking them up at night by jumping on them when their in bed and asleep,” add Lamont. You get all types of reactions. I also like to snuggle up to Meugh when he sticks his naked leg out from under the covers. And I love viewed them from the vantage point of the headboard as they purr, or rather snore. I still get a kick out of jumping down of Mewreen’s head when I get off the headboard.

“I counted the other day and we have five beds,” said Patch. “Three upstairs and 2 downstairs. Official beds that is, we can make anyplace a bed when we feel like it.”

“I rather like sitting on the dresser in our dining/patio patio room. I think they sometimes think I am an artistic piece of furniture.”

“I like my death defying catwalks on the rail above the steps,” said Lamont. “It scare Mewreen to death.”

“Yep, we are officially house cats,” said Paw.

“Amen to that,” replied Patch and Lamont in two part harmony.

We think there is a small elephant hiding here