Enlightened Song

Enlightened Song

This week the award for best use of music in film or TV goes to HBO’s new series Enlightened for selecting Regina Spektor and her spot-on “Human of the Year.” First, if you’re not up on Regina’s work, please, please, please give her a listen…her latest album Far is a great place to start but don’t miss her 2006 Begin to Hope. She is a crazy talented pianist with a beautiful voice and unique songwriting style. She is truly an original.

Second, the new series features Laura Dern as a woman on the verge and she effortlessly walks the tightrope between full blown certifiable and enlightenment…which could happen to any one of us on any given day. Enlightened displays the high level of quality and originality we have grown to expect from HBO and to give it that right amount of quirky edginess, Dern teams with actor and filmmaker Mike White to create and write the show. He’s perhaps best known for writing and starring in School of Rock with Jack Black but indie movie buffs also know him as the brains behind the not-for-the-easily-offended Chuck and Buck as well as the guy who wrote The Good Girl or what’s better known as Jennifer Aniston’s meatiest role. Oh yeah, and then there was that whole Amazing Race stint with his dad.

It’s only one episode in, but I’m already hooked. I only hope more people discover the beauty of Monday night. To think, you can go from Bored to Death, and Zack Galifianakis breastfeeding a baby whiskey (where’s In Treatment when you really need it?!) to Enlightened in the span of just an hour and it has absolutely nothing to do with Monday Night Football or Oprah’s latest life lessons. Here’s to Enlightened and Regina Spektor’s empowering “Human of the Year:”