5 Things On My Mind: The show that makes my Miles Teller appreciation grow deeper

An overlooked recent series about the making of The Godfather is a must watch.

Sunday night was kind to us, at least when it came to the weather. After a dinner plate of parents-served fried chicken potato salad and a Starbucks fancy bitch coffee run with the old man, it was a peaceful rooftop deck night when the need to write some things down occurred. While I imagined Tom Cruising it down to the roof of Crazy Bowls and Wraps for a late night burrito heist, here’s a few things that can be said.

~Hat tip once again to Dutton Ranch. Friday’s episode (#4 for those keeping count) delivered all the reasons we set out to watch television shows in the first place. Some drama, great acting, relative themes, and a complete sense that makes the one hour adventure come off as a sharp movie. Cole Hauser in one particularly traumatic scene does most of the acting with his eyes, while Kelly Reilly leans into a bevy of emotions as Beth deals with multiple storms like usual. Chad Feehan may be out as showrunner, but he created a feast so far.

~I’d like to take a moment and just go on a full-fledged rant. If you can’t drive simply, stay home. In other words: being unable to negotiate turns with speed, moves along at a pace that likens itself to traffic, and staying off your phone when it comes to green lights being in motion. If you can’t do this, stay home. Play sick, build a kite, find a carpool, or just binge a show while hiding from the outside world. As Tom Hardy would say, being left alone in your own space to eat snacks and do nothing is underrated. It doesn’t include driving. This two-job driver would appreciate the reluctance--or the still-alive desire to improve out there.

~Cubs lose. Those two words will put an instant smile on any St. Louis native’s face. The Cardinals win the series in dominating fashion, keeping their modest record intact as the June days fast approach. The team isn’t beating teams down and sometimes struggling to score runs, but they scored 12 runs in three games against Chicago. Texas and Cincinnati are the next guests at Busch Stadium. A person to keep the faith tilted up is Jordan Walker. He continues to laser, lace, and slap baseballs all over the field. I’ll take the strikeouts with everything else. Walker has a 3.0 WAR already at the end of May.

~I hang out with my parents a lot. Their house acts as a true safe haven for me. The past year has been rocky to say the least, so a place to rest that isn’t anchored by two noisy cats is nice for the soul. My dad needs to rant to somebody, and his YouTube obsession is sustainable hangout material. Eventually, we get on something else. Tonight, he started Dutton Ranch. Our show and movie commentary is still top notch untrustworthy Sirius XM radio nonsense at its best. Seeing my mom comes with the reward of a hug, a few pats on the head, and taking out the garbage before leaving. Soak up the moments, ladies and gents. Time is not on our side at all, so soak it UP!

~Watch The Offer on Paramount Plus. As I sink my teeth into the streaming platform for a week after a trip through Max and Hulu, the Miles Teller-led series covers the difficult process of adapting The Godfather for the big screen. Marlon Brando being played by Dr. Karev from Grey’s Anatomy was only WHOA for a few minutes, and other classic stars are well portrayed here as well. Matthew Goode tears it up as Bob Evans, and Juno Temple does her usual excellent work as the assistant to Teller’s Al Ruddy. He produced the film, most likely lost a lot of nerve endings during the process, but never backed down. Look what the world received. Four episodes in, I heavily approve. Further proof of why I prefer Teller over other beloved similar aged actors like Timothee Chalamet and Austin Butler. He’s more rugged and relatable in each role.

Alright, get some rest because Monday is coming. As I say to anyone I truly care about, I hope after reading this your night is improved. I did my best. Goodnight.