Resident Theologian
About the Blog
2025: out of touch
On waking up to the realization that I am out of touch with pop culture.
More screens, more distractions; fewer screens, fewer distractions
A vision for the design of our shared spaces, especially public worship.
The Acolyte: mea culpa & apologia
I take it all back. The final two episodes of The Acolyte proved it knew where it was heading all along.
The Acolyte
Twelve thoughts on the new Star Wars TV show, focusing especially on the ideology of the Jedi and the politics of the Republic.
Ranking drama series finales
Ranking the top ten series finales of TV dramas since the turn of the century.
Slow Horses
A few comments on what the Apple TV adaptation of the Mick Herron novels gets right and what it gets wrong.
Out of touch
Some thoughts on House of the Dragon, Rings of Power, and (especially) Andor.
Jimmy’s change
So far as I can tell—but I haven’t been trawling Twitter for contrarian takes—Alan Jacobs’ negative reaction to the Better Call Saul finale (spoilers herein, obviously) is the exception to the rule. The people I read loved it. Friends and family who watch it loved it. I loved it. But it’s useful to read a take against the grain. Is Alan right?
NOPE, BCS, TOM, MCU
Some pop culture odds and ends: on Nope, Better Call Saul, The Old Man, and Marvel movies.
Kim, breaking bad
A comment on Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul and, you know, original sin.
Personal tech update
It’s been an unplanned, unofficial Tech Week here at the blog. I’ve been meaning to write a mini-update on my tech use—continuing previous reflections like these—so now seems as good a time as any.
Foundation
Later this month the television adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation will premiere on Apple+. I had been planning on writing something about it, then doubled down on that plan when I read a piece resorting to that laziest but most common of critical terms of approval these days: the R-word. You know what it is. “Relevant.”
An action movie pet peeve
I don’t recall when it first appeared on screen, much less when it became a tired trope, but in the last 5-10 years a certain scene has become a mainstay in action movies (and TV shows). The protagonist realizes he needs the help of A Certain Someone. But either the last time he saw A Certain Someone things didn’t end well, or A Certain Someone is an unsavory character who can’t be trusted.