Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

Oral-B Professional Healthy Clean Precision 1000:
My dentist recommended an electric toothbrush a year and a half ago, and because I like to incorporate the pace of bureaucracy in all of my health decisions, I didn't buy one until January. Apparently, I brush my teeth too hard, and if I continue, my gums will vanish and my teeth will go all the way up to my brain. I have mixed feelings on this toothbrush. The thirty-second timer is very effective at ensuring that I brush each mouth quadrant consistently over two minutes, and it's clear that it does a much better job than manual brushing. However, it's so bulky that you must be holding it -- no more puttering around the bathroom with a toothbrush in your cheek. The base is unstable and takes up precious counter / socket space. Also, you will still need to brush your tongue with a normal toothbrush. Generally, I'll use the electric toothbrush a few times a week only -- it's too exciting and I don't always need a techno party in my mouth.

Final Grade: B

News from Nowhere by The Hoosiers:
This is the third album by the The Hoosiers. Free from the shackles of the Sony label and the pressure to be pop platinum, the album is more mature, feels a bit low-fi, and shifts the needle back from pop towards indie style. I enjoy the album a lot although I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss the bombastic pop insanity of the original two albums. (My full review can be read on Amazon).

Final Grade: A-

Archer, Season One & Two:
This is a profane cartoon about a dysfunctional spy organization with plenty of talented, memorable voice actors (a surprising number of the Arrested Development cast appear). With a minimalist animation style and jokes that are actually funny, it's better than one might expect. However, the novelty wore off pretty quickly for me, and I stopped watching after two seasons. Available on Netflix.

Final Grade: B-

Orphan Black, Season One:
This BBC America show is a wild ride, and its initial 10 episode run is more like a long movie than a serialized show. A mystery-thriller with understated sci-fi elements, it's best started with minimal advance knowledge (and plenty of leave to call in sick the next day for binge watching). The fortspinnung of the plot puts shows like LOST to shame, with plots colliding and boiling over as quickly as they should, and a minimum of "fortuitous near-misses keeping characters in the dark" plot devices. More plot progression happened in the 45 minutes of episode six than in the whole hatch season of LOST. Free on Amazon Prime.

Final Grade: A+