What the Colors of the Clothes on Breaking Bad Tell You About the Characters and Story

Posted on August 18, 2013 at 8:00 am

I love stories like this wonderful analysis by John LaRue about the way the costume designers on “Breaking Bad” use the colors of the characters’ clothes to tell you what is going on.

There are a lot of patterns that emerge, so much so that each character has an identifying color.

After Walt’s cancer diagnosis, his colors become stronger, and eventually go black. When the cancer returns or when he’s defeated, the drab khaki returns. The closer he gets to Gus, and the stronger his ties to blue meth, the more blue shows up in his barcode.

Skyler starts out blue, but turns dark once she starts to figure out Walt’s secret. Her timeline turns deep blue, almost purple, as her flirtation with Ted grows, and then it turns green once she discovers Walt’s stash of money. The more complicit she becomes in Walt’s criminal activity, the blacker her timeline gets to the point that it’s pitch black in season 4.

Fascinating!

The New Dr. Who: Peter Capaldi

Posted on August 4, 2013 at 2:41 pm

And the new Dr. Who is…Peter Capaldi, most recently seen in “World War Z” but perhaps most memorably seen in “In the Loop,” as the purveyor of the most impressively, explosively, excoriatingly profane tirades of invective ever put on screen. And that includes David Mamet. I will always remember him fondly as the sweet Scot from “Local Hero.” I look forward to his portrayal of the Time Lord.

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This Week on the Disney Channel: Teen Beach Movie

Posted on July 14, 2013 at 3:59 pm

I have a lot of affection for the teen beach movies of the 1960’s starring the late Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, with guest stars including Buster Keaton and “Little” Stevie Wonder. There was a nice update, “Back to the Beach,” and a knowing tribute to the genre in Tom Hanks’ “That Thing You Do.” I am really looking forward to this week’s Disney Channel salute, “Teen Beach Movie,” premiering July 19.

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Tribute: “Glee’s” Cory Monteith

Posted on July 14, 2013 at 11:19 am

It is with special sadness that we bid farewell to the talented young actor who played Finn on “Glee,” Cory Monteith. The cause of death is not yet known but he struggled with substance abuse.

Here he tells Ellen Degeneres about his audition for “Glee.”

He had such a charming, unaffected presence and his portrayal of the gentle football player who loved to sing and struggled with his affection for the ambitious Rachel (sometime off-screen love Lea Michelle) and his gay step-brother Kurt (Chris Colfer) was in many ways the heart of the show. He will be missed.

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A Capitol 4th on PBS — 2013

Posted on July 3, 2013 at 8:00 am

Be sure to tune into PBS tomorrow to see the annual “Capitol 4th” concert in front of the Capitol Building.

This year’s “A Capitol Fourth” on PBS welcomes back host Tom Bergeron, the two-time Emmy Award-winning television personality (“Dancing With the Stars”), and stars music legend Barry Manilow. Back by popular demand following his powerful debut performance on the show in 2009, Manilow will lead an all-star cast, including Candice Glover, the Season 12 winner of “American Idol;” country music artist and “American Idol” winner Scotty McCeery; actor and singer Darren Criss (“Glee”); musical prodigy and classical crossover star Jackie Evancho; Broadway and television star Megan Hilty (“Smash”); Broadway’s new hit “Motown The Musical;” and five-time Academy Award-winner John Williams conducting music from the Oscar-winning blockbuster “Lincoln,” with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly.

Watch Celebrate Live with Megan Hilty! on PBS. See more from A Capitol Fourth.

In celebration of America’s 237th birthday, the show will be capped off with a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” complete with live cannon fire provided by The United States Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and now an “A Capitol Fourth” tradition. Also participating in the event will be The Choral Arts Society of Washington, along with The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, Members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial flags and the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.

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