Series Watch: Scarpetta Season 1

Lots of Spoilers

I don't know the work of novelist Patricia Cornwell.  But she's written something like 29 books about Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner detective.  Quincy, but super dark.  

Y'all know I love me some Jamie Lee Curtis, and she co-stars and produces, and is the primary reason I tuned in.  It didn't hurt that the show features Bobby Cannavale and Ariana DuBose, who I also like a lot.  And Nicole Kidman, about whom I am ambivalent, as the eponymous Kay Scarpetta.

I just finished the eighth and final episode of Season 1, and...  It was fine?

Here's kind of what I think...  

Someone really loves those 29 books.  I believe they take place over time with characters aging and growing.  And someone came up with the idea that you could combine the action of an early book with a newer book (publishing wise, the first came out in 1990 and the most recent is like 2025).  So, we'd get some origin story for Scarpetta and her first case and jump to "where is she now?"  We can keep the story of the younger woman and pair it with the current version.  

Comedy Watch: The Naked Gun (2025)

Watched:  04/09/2026

Format:  Amazon

Viewing:  Second

Director:  Akiva Shaffer

This is the second time I'd seen this.  Holds up.  I laughed.

Noir Watch: T-Men (1947)

Watched:  04/09/2026

Format:  TCM Noir Alley

Viewing:  First, surprisingly

Director:  Anthony Mann

When you think of film noir, you may get some evocative images in mind.  Deep shadow, fog, deep focus shots.  There's a few photographers who helped define this style that we're still reeling from (and stealing from) today, and among the top three or so is John Alton.  And, boy howdy, is this movie John Alton. 

So, if you want a movie that's a gritty crime procedural (with a voice-over hellbent on taking me out of the movie) and looks like a million bucks, this is it.   

It is also very much an Anthony Mann movie.  Tough, not afraid to go dark, and not talking down to the audience.  However, it's not a movie about bootleggers or guys running a numbers racket or any of that.  There's no dame manipulating men with a promise of sex.  This is a movie about undercover men of the Treasury department.  Thus, T-Men (1947). 

New Chabert for the Holidays? (I'm predicting July)

what the hell are they looking at?

 

I have a suspicion that Hallmark is going to release this Christmas movie during Christmas in July.

I don't know, obviously.  But it's still early April and today Lacey Chabert released the poster for this movie that Hallmark very loudly announced they were producing back in December.  And it *is* exciting.  A Disney/ Hallmark collab?  Like peanut butter and Nutella.  

So, it struck me...  Disney is likely making this movie to convince people to come to the parks/ resorts for Christmas.  And if you tell people to book a vacation for December in October, it's way too late.  But during the summer?  Still time to book that trip.  And sell your house so you can afford it.

Now, maaaaaybe Disney is all in on Christmas and wants to release this during the holiday season, but... ha ha ha... no.  This is probably going to be 3 parts Hallmark movie, 2 parts travel brochure.  And that's fine!  

So let's have a watch party

When they announce the release date, whenever it is, I'll organize something.  We'll have cocktails, toast Chabert, Mickey and Hallmark.  Just be ready to use Google Chat.

Wise Noir Watch: The Captive City (1952)

Watched:  04/06/2026

Format:  Amazon Prime

Viewing:  Second

Director:  Robert Wise

So, this is the second time I watched this particular film.  Here's the first.  Apparently just before COVID hit.  

A lot of what I'd say is in that first write-up.  But to recap:

The story is about an editor at a small-ish town newspaper figuring out that (a) the mob has moved in on his town and taken over the penny ante gambling operation bringing it into a combination and (b) the people of his town are maybe way more invested in a bit of low-stakes gambling than who gets the house cut.  

Our hero, John Forsythe, is pulled in when a private detective who tried to tell him about the racketeers is killed.  Then, a key witness is murdered and its made to look like a suicide.

The power of the press is quashed when local business interests pull their advertising, threatening the paper's financial stability.  

However, good 'ol real-life Senator Estes Kefauver has established an anti-mob task force, and Our Hero sees this as his salvation.  Kefauver, a ridiculous publicity hound, signed on *after* the movie had been shot, and added himself to the movie.

I think in 2026, the movie is a curious artifact, and not just because it reminds you Kefauver may be remembered beyond his expiration date thanks to his publicity stunts.  But also, in the past decade apparently we have up on making gambling illegal and sports books exist very profitably online.  There's even sports books right inside many professional sports facilities.  

Anyway, really excited about the epidemic of sports betting that's out there ruining lives.  (We really need to take a hard look at our weirdo culture of 24/7 sports talk and sports books available at the touch of a button.)

As a Robert Wise movie, first - it's from his production company, Aspen Pictures.  The budget isn't what Wise was playing with at the major studios, but his ability as a director is still absolutely there.  He's getting the most out of the talent on hand (most of whom you won't know) and there's some great cinematography that really leans into the tension. 

It really is interesting as it sort of refuses to have a single heavy at the center of the story, and instead is more of a crippling realization that when crime gets its hands into the right places and everyone wins, rooting out the problem is incredibly hard.  Who do you even go for?  If even the clergy thinks it's impossible to get their parishioners to quit the gambling or turn away from what they make on book?  Seems bad.  And I'm not sure if the Federal Government really is the magic bullet solution the movie presents.