I’ve been watching reruns of Homicide: Life on the Street, an excellent police drama about murder detectives in Baltimore that I missed the first time around, except when there were Law & Order crossovers.

I just saw an episode, Shaggy Dog, City Goat, that detailed a freakishly improbable scenario. I accepted the premise at the time, because I was familiar with the story as a real-life occurrence, and I enjoyed the episode a great deal.

After the episode, I was curious to learn more details about the case, and so I did a little Internet research. I learned from Snopes that the story isn’t actually true; it’s just an urban legend. Now I feel like the story line in the Homicide episode is completely unbelievable and not worthy of the show.

It’s an idea that goes back to Aristotle, and it’s nicely summed up by Sam Seaborn in an episode of The West Wing. I’m paraphrasing from memory, but it goes something like this:

Aristotle said that a probable impossibility was preferable to an improbable possibility. The impossible is better than the improbable. He meant that you can have a broomstick sing and dance, but you can’t turn on the radio and hear exactly the news story you were listening for.

That’s about drama, but real life doesn’t have to be believable. Real life doesn’t care whether or not you suspend your disbelief. If something really happens, you have to accept it, no matter how improbable it is. You cannot, on the other hand, accept the impossible. Then, you must seek out alternative explanations or admit you don’t know everything.

What Sam didn’t know was that he was a fictional character in a drama. If he did, his life would make more sense to him at that moment. But this wouldn’t let the writers of The West Wing off the hook for Aristotle’s rule. As it turns out, the confluence of events in that episode were not too improbable to be believed. But I did have that problem with Magnolia, the 1999 film that uses the same story as the Homicide episode as a prelude to the action. It seems to be trying to tell us that since real life doesn’t follow Aristotle’s rule, then the movie doesn’t have to either. But it does, because the rules are different in drama.

So the real question is, am I allowed to retroactively not like an episode I enjoyed watching because of new information that’s come to light? I only accepted the premise because I thought that it really happened. Only real life is allowed to get away with something so bizarre.

In a Venn Diagram puzzle, there are three overlapping circles, marked A, B, and C. Each circle has a different rule about who or what can go inside. The challenge is to guess the rule for each circle. You can find a more detailed explanation of Venn Diagram puzzles, along with an example, here.

For this particular puzzle, the three rules vary significantly in difficulty, for a three-layered challenge. A is much easier than B, and C is much harder. And just so you don’t suspect me of trickery (a perfectly reasonable suspicion), I will tell you in advance that all eight names below refer to monarchs of England.

Have you figured out one of the rules? Two? All three? Feel free to post whatever you’ve got in the comments below. Just tell us which circle you’re solving, and what the rule is.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Circles A and B solved by DeLisa. See comments for all three answers.

Tomorrow’s Conundrum will be a new genre of puzzle for the blog, and I just wanted to lay out the rules ahead of time and offer a sample puzzle to make it clear for everyone how a Venn Diagram puzzle works.

In a Venn Diagram puzzle, there are three overlapping circles, marked A, B, and C. Each circle has a different rule about who or what can go inside. The challenge is to guess the rule for each circle by looking at the items inside and outside of that circle. Think of it as three mini-picnic puzzles. Whenever I can, I’ll make the three rules vary in difficulty, for a three-layered challenge.

All four of the items inside each circle will have something in common, but the four items outside of that circle do not necessarily have anything in common, other than not belonging in the circle. Some items will be in more than one circle, and so, fit the rules of all of the circles they’re in. In the example below, Bill Clinton fits all three rules, while William Shakespeare fits none of the three rules. Sir Ian McKellen fits the rule for Circle A, but not for Circle B or Circle C, and so on.

Have you figured out one of the rules? Two? All three? Feel free to post whatever you’ve got in the comments below. Just tell us which circle you’re solving, and what the rule is.

Remember, this is a sample puzzle to get you familiar with the genre. The real Conundrum for the week, another Venn Diagram puzzle, will posted tomorrow.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Cirlces A, B, and C solved by Kenneth W. Davis. See comments for answers.

Well, it’s Oscar week once again. If you have any opinions about which of the nominees are going to win, which ones you’d like to win, or who should have been nominated that wasn’t, feel free to post them here. But that’s not the Question of the Week.

This year, the ad campaign for the Oscars centers around great movie lines. I may not agree with all of their choices, but I love the idea.

What are your favorite lines from the movies? What movies are they from? Which lines made you smile in the theatre, and which lines made you gasp? Which lines do you find yourself quoting when just the right situation arises, and which lines do you quote for no reason at all? Which of your favorite lines are from your favorite movies, and which of your favorite lines are from movies that were otherwise ordinary? Which lines are so famous that they are even larger than the movies themselves, and which lines bring us back to their original movies again and again?

My personal favorite may be this one, from Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in The Silence of the Lambs:

A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

How about you?

What’s your favorite line from a movie?

Season Three of Slings & Arrows begins on Sundance tonight at 8pm. Use this thread to discuss the episode.

I’m very excited for the new season, which unfortunately will be the last season. Will Geoffrey and Ellen end up together? Who will be the new cast members? What will happen to Oliver? Who will screw with Richard’s head this season? And most importantly, will there actually be a King Lear-based theme song?

Discuss Season 1 here and Season 2 here. Future episodes for Season 3 will be posted as they air on Sundance.

Use the comments section of this post to discuss the first episode of Season Three, “Divided Kingdom.” Any comments I may have will also be posted in the comments section.

WARNING: Comments may contain further discussion of the show, including potential spoilers. Click through only after viewing the episode. Commenters may discuss this episode as freely as they like, though Canadian readers are asked not to post spoilers for any later episodes.

By the way, did you know that Paul Gross (Geoffrey) and Martha Burns (Ellen) are married in real life? That’s hot.

If you’re in the New York City area, you should check out A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Theater Ten Ten. I don’t want to give too much away, but let me tell you a little about the production I saw on Friday night.

It’s difficult to do something original, and yet supported, with this play, but director Judith Jarosz manages to pull more than a few surprises out of her bag of tricks that even a wary Shakespeare snob would have trouble nitpicking. Anticipate standout performances in the roles of Puck (Annalisa Loeffler), Hermia (Tatiana Gomberg), and Helena (Lynn Marie Macy), that not only challenge traditional interpretations of these characters, but also find new interpretations that really do work. And musical director/composer Jason Wynn deserves a special mention for some of the most memorable moments of the production.

Tickets are a bargain at $20, and the theatre is conveniently located on the upper east side of Manhattan, 1010 Park Ave., between 84th Street and 85th Street. The play runs through March 11. You can find more information on their website, including information on how to reserve tickets.

If you do see the show, you can discuss it in the comments section of this post. If you really like the show, you can give them some good buzz at the New York Innovative Theatre Awards website and help them get some additional funding. They’re a small theatre that does strong work, and can use all the support they can get. You can start by treating yourself to this wonderful show.

WARNING: Comments may contain further discussion of the show, including potential spoilers.

Don’t forget – Sundance is showing all six episodes of Season Two of Slings & Arrows today from 3pm to 8pm. Then, the new season begins at 8pm.

Use the comments section of this post to discuss any aspect of Season Two. You can discuss the Darren Nichols production of Romeo & Juliet, the new internship program, Frog Hammer’s marketing campaign, Ellen’s audit, the main stage production of, um, “Mackers,” or the elementary school version of it.

You can continue to discuss Season One in my earlier post here. And I’ll start putting up a thread to discuss Season Three episodes each Sunday, starting this afternoon.

Here’s a taste of Season Two to hold you over until 3pm.

It’s Saturday afternoon, and I don’t feel like writing any more than I imagine you feel like reading. So let’s look at some cool pictures.

You definitely want to check out this photoset of the amazing hand painting of Guido Daniele.

Or perhaps, you might enjoy these pictures taken at just the right angle.

Then, imagine what “Relativity” by M.C. Escher might look like if it were made entirely out of Legos. Now, imagine no longer.

Finally, see what nice co-workers Walt has. They covered his Jaguar with post-it notes. Then they put the photos online.

Enjoy!

First, read the rules of the game.

This week’s challenge will be tasty beverage, erstwhile Boston terror suspect, and Lou Costello soundalike Master Shake.

I was able to link Master Shake to Sir Francis Bacon in four degrees, though that shouldn’t stop you from posting a longer response, or looking for a shorter one. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Thursday, February 22.

Good luck!

And congratulations once again to Lee for winning last week’s challenge by linking Peyton Manning to Sir Francis Bacon in six degrees:

Peyton Manning > Dan Marino > Courteney Cox > Bruce Springsteen > Elvis Costello > William Shakespeare > Sir Francis Bacon

Peyton Manning in 2004 beat the record for touchdown passes in a single season set in 1984 by Dan Marino, who appeared in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective with Courteney Cox, who appeared in the video for “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen, who performed The Clash’s “London Calling” at the 2003 Grammy Awards with Elvis Costello, who based his ballet Il Sogno on A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, who is believed by some to be Sir Francis Bacon.

SuchShakespeareStuff is now Shakespeare Geek. I was checking out the links over there when I came across a post by someone named Cesario listing her ten unpopular opinions about Shakespeare. I don’t agree with everything she says, but I applaud people who are willing to post unpopular opinions, and I’d like to add my twopence to the conversation.

1. This stuff about Shakespeare being [someone else] is arrant nonsense.

Strongly agree. There’s no good evidence that this is true, and most of the arguments you hear are either elitist or overly-ambitious.

2. Twelfth Night is at its root a deeply creepy and disturbing play

Mildly agree. The play does have a dark side, to be sure. The Andrew subplot is creepy, the Malvolio subplot is disturbing, and did I hear Orsino correctly in the last scene? He’s actually going to kill Cesario to spite Olivia?

3. Shylock is not the hero of Merchant of Venice. He is the villain.

Strongly agree. If you’ve read the play, it’s hard to make the case otherwise.

4. The Macbeths have the best marriage in all Shakespeare.

Mildly disagree. I’ve heard Harold Bloom express this opinion, and I get the equal partnership aspect, but I find their relationship too dysfunctional and codependent to pay them this compliment. The title “Best Marriage in Shakespeare” is a dubious honor, but I think I’d have to go with Brutus and Portia. They seem like they have a really strong relationship. The fact that it can be torn apart by the assassination is a testament to the earth-shattering significance of that event. We won’t count the marriages at the end of the comedies, because who knows how they’ll fare?

5. Lear’s Fool is a subjective reality experienced only by Lear himself.

Mildly disagree, though I like your spirit. Both Goneril and Kent talk directly to the Fool, and others talk about him (such as the Gentleman that Kent meets in the storm). I do think there’s an alter ego reading possible here, but perhaps this is more of a symbolic idea than something that’s literally demonstrable in the play.

6. Hamlet: not really a play.

Strongly disagree. Hamlet is a play. It has searingly powerful dramatic dialogue, a story arc, and character development. There are some stage plays that I would say are not really plays, but Hamlet is a play through and through.

7. I Henry VI is a better play than Richard III.

Strongly disagree, though I think I Henry VI is highly underrated. I also think that Richard III is a much better play after you’ve read the three Henry VI plays. The characters in Richard III have a lot of history, and understanding that history helps explain a lot of their interactions.

8. Claudio and Hero = so doomed.

Strongly disagree. This is the stereotypical couple of Shakespeare’s day. These are the people who wed unthinkingly and play their roles, living happily ever after because they never consider that they may not. They are used by Shakespeare to contrast the much more interesting Beatrice and Benedick who question everything about love.

9. I think Shakespeare was probably Catholic.

No opinion, though there is some reason to believe he may have been. I’m hesitant to make any generalizations about Shakespeare based on his writings, because he was so good at speaking from so many different points of view that it’s impossible to know what’s really Shakespeare himself. Shakespeare may very well have been a soldier, a king, a murderer, a nobleman, a shrew, a fairy, a Moor, an ancient Egyptian queen, or a boatswain. He’s much too clever for me to guess.

10. Titus Andronicus is a farce and would be best played as a Monty Python skit.

Mildly agree. I don’t think the farce is intentional, but playing it as a Monty Python skit would be an improvement.