Hemlock Grove Is ALIVE. It's ALIVE...

Okay, holy crap, how did I go over a month without a real post?  Well, it's simple: it's been a little busy around Casa Verheiden, AKA "the bedroom office."

Hopefully by now folks know that Hemlock Grove, the show that occupied much of my 2012, has debuted via streaming on Netflix.  13 episodes, and every stinkin' one of them can be watched, devoured, analyzed, rewatched and rewatched again.  (Are you picking up a theme?)  The reaction has been fascinating.  I learned long ago not to take criticism personally, so the drinking of the last week has been celebratory, not reactionary.  (Well, most of it.)  Still, I'm not sure I've ever been involved in a show that polarized opinion quite as much Hemlock. 

That said, I am amazed and heartened by the reaction to the show on twitter, the audience reviews on Netflix and IMDB (by actual viewers!) and the fact that poor lil' Hemlock actually reached more viewers the first weekend than (the excellent!) Netflix series House Of Cards.  We knew we were making something a bit off the wall and different, and it's fun to see that there are a lot of folks out there that get that.

It's also been fun to get feedback from people who has seen all 13 episodes, as opposed to the first three that were sent to reviewers.  When we told folks that the show was a 13 hour movie, we kind of meant it.  Fashioning a critique based on the first three episodes is a little like watching the first 15 minutes of a feature film and banging out a review based just on that.  To be fair, not everyone falls in love (ahem) even after watching all thirteen.  But that's okay.  The show's not for everyone, and there are plenty of other viewing options available. 
  
The twitter feed (#hemlockgrove) has been especially hypnotic.  I'm no math whiz, but there must be hundreds of thousands of comments by now, and I'd say a good 85% seem positive.  I first started with twitter on Falling Skies, and I have to admit, I've gone from a skeptic (140 characters?  What can you say in that?) to an addict.  

There has been no decision re: a Hemlock Grove season two at this writing, so we shall see. But for those who yet to have a taste our wares and haven't joined Netflix, you can get a free one month trial subscription and give it a shot.  Meanwhile, I'll be back with more news soon...     

So What's New In Tennessee?

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/tenn-lawmaker-allegedly-drove-90-mph-while-masturbating?ref=fpb

My favorite part of this story?  "Recalling dozens of complaints in recent years, Terry Christian, a Kingsport detective, told WJHL that Blakely's behavior has gone on "for so long an (sic) nobody's addressed it." I guess his insanity was Grandfathered in...