Sunday, October 25, 2009

Premieres and Notables; October 26- November 1, 2009

Monday, 10/26

Cake Boss; TLC. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Tuesday, 20/27

Monica: Still Standing; BET. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Monica, who I guess is a singer, gets her own reality show.

Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel; HBO. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Hmmm. I didn't know this show-- which airs a new ep once a month-- had seasons.
But this is the perfect opportunity to mention it here.  This is news-style TV at its best.  Even if you don't follow sports (I sure don't), this show will hook you with its look at the humans and the issues behind the scores.  Highly Recommended


Wednesday, 10/28

Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space; NBC. 7:00 pm CST. Special
The movie was okay (cute enough), but this half-shour special got some nice reviews, so it may be worth checking out.

Friday Night Lights; DirecTV Ch. 101. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Anyone who watches this show loves it, so give it a try. If you don't get DirecTV, then you'll have to wait for NBC to air it next year or wait even longer for the DVDs.
And this ep is directed by the film's and the pilot's director, Peter Berg...
Highly Recommended


Thursday, 10/29

Ace of Cakes (Food; 9 pm CST) Season Finale.
Didn't this just have a season premiere a couple of weeks ago?

The League; FX. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A comedy that follows the players of a fantasy football league.  God knows there's lots of funny to be had in the concept; not sure how the execution will work, though...


Saturday, 10/31

Shelldon; Qubo.  11:30 am CST. Series Premiere.
Something about a shellfish who goes on adventures in the water that follow a "green" theme.
My question is: What the Hell is Qubo?

The Locator (WE; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Smackdown: Jesus vs. Satan

If I believed in Hell, I'd be afraid I'd be going there when I die for posting this clip.

But let's take it for what it is, a stupid wrestling "create-a-game" with some rasslin'-style commentary (one "good" play-by-play guy and a "bad" color commentator.).

Besides, some of the jokes, sacreligious as they are, are pretty funny...

Sunday, October 18, 2009

MIRACLE Speech

I saw this on some web show (Tosh.0 or Web Soup; I can't remember), and thought it was funny as well as accurate.

Four-year old "Rizzo" gives the speech Kurt Russell's Herb Brooks gave right before the game against the Soviets in the 1980 Olympics. "Screw 'em". Love it.



And here is the original, for comparison:

Condensed SOUP; 10/16/09

http://www.eonline.com/videos/v46129_condensed-soup-oct-.html

Premieres and Notables; October 19-25, 2009

iParticipate Week begins, where 60 shows on the four major networks will have some sort of community service element; either a plotline or a public service announcements starring the shows' actors.  I'm sure some Republican jackass will poo-poo the whole thing. Like volunteering will be the end of civiliazation or some such nonsense...

Tuesday, 10/20

Shark Tank (ABC; 7 pm CST) Season Finale.

Flipping Out (Bravo; 9 pm CST) Season Finale.


Wednesday, 10/21

Lock 'n' Load; Showtime.  7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A new reality show where a former actor/current gun salesman in Colorado is followed.

Living With Ed; Planet Green.  8 pm. Season Premiere.


Thursday, 10/22

The Jeff Dunham Show; Comedy Central.  8 pm CST.  Series Premiere.
The ventiloquist brings his favorite characters with him on this show.


Friday, 10/23

Neil Patrick Harris lends his voice to the newly created Batman villain, the Music Meister on Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Cartoon Network; 6 pm).

White Collar; USA. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Something about a con-artist teaming up with an FBI agent-- with the requisite comedy USA dramas are known for...

Hitler Reacts to Abrams' STAR TREK Rumors

There are some great lines in this one...

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Premieres and Notables; October 12-18, 2009

Monday, 10/12

The Rachel Zoe Project (Bravo; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.

Million Dollar Listing; Bravo. 10 pm. Season Premiere.


Tuesday, 10/13

Hell's Kitchen (FOX; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.


Wednesday, 10/14

Alaska State Troopers; National Geographic.  9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
COPS in Alaska.

Nip/Tuck; FX. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Thursday, 10/15

Hmmm... What is this?  Two consecutive funny episodes of Parks & Recreation (NBC; 7:30 CST)?  I wouldn't have believed it three weeks ago, but the last two eps of P&R were pretty good.  If you've decided to skip it after their usual unfunny eps, you may want to try it again...

30 Rock; NBC. 8:30 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.


Friday, 10/16

Ugly Betty; ABC. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.
I know I had this one last week, but ABC saw fit to back the premiere out a week, so let's try again.

Psych (USA; 9 pm CST). Mid-season finale.

Bartender Wars; Fine Living.  9:30 pm. Season Premiere.


Saturday, 10/19

Head Games; Science Channel.  8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Whoopi Goldberg exec-produces this science-based trivia game show hosted by Greg Proops.


Sunday, 10/18

The Simpsons (FOX; 7 pm CST) hold their annual "Treehouse of Horror" epsiode.

Occupation; BBC America. 7 pm CST. Movie.
A gritty drama about three soldiers returning home-- but are unable to leave the war behind.  It's supposed to be pretty good.

Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer's Cut); IFC. 8 pm CST. Mini-series.
A six-part documentary about the Python gang. I've read this doc is pretty good-- but I never got into the actual Python series.

Condensed SOUP; 10/9/09

http://www.eonline.com/videos/v45896_condensed-soup-oct-.html

Hitler Doesn't Like TWILIGHT

Maybe you're sick of seeing these Hitler parodies...

But are you as sick of hearing about fucking Twilight as I am?


Sunday, October 04, 2009

Premieres and Notables; October 5-11, 2009

Sorry for not having anything post the past few days. My friends at eonline/the soup decided to not offer the code to embed videos anymore.  I'll still make a Condensed Soup link, but I won't be doing any others (unless they're really good). The Soup website changes every couple of months, so maybe they'll go back to having a working embed code (they have an embed code now, but it doesn't work-- unless it's for another site like FaceBook; I don't know).

Quick notes on last week's watching:

With the amount of TV I watch, I can't afford DVR space to record HighDef television, but I knew I had to figure out a way to see Ken Burns' National Parks: America's Best Idea mini-series in HD.  Through some hardcore TV watching/DVR deleting, I was able to get the space needed.  It was worth it. I'm only half-way through the 12 hours, but it has been amazing to see in HD-- especially the first ep dealing with Yellowtone and Yosemite.  I just wish PBS would have aired 2 hrs/week; that 12 hrs/6 days was a killer.  I think BestBuy is going to sell the BluRay set for about $90 this week. I'm not sure it's worth that price (which is pretty cheap on a per-hour basis), but is was beautiful (and informative).

Accidentally on Purpose got deleted from my DVR schedule after I watched the second ep. Don't have time to see if it actually gets funny.  What a turd.

My Glee love is starting to get just a small tarnish.  Two parts on last week's ep disappointed me as being too unbelievable, but I kept reminding myself that the story is what matters-- and some of the unbelievable bits are there to serve the story.  It's still great TV.

I held out way longer than I should have, but 'Til Death also got the DVR boot.  Mercy is on its way; just want to watch the second ep to be sure.  I may not even get to The Good Wife or The Forgotten before I purge the DVR of them. 

The Middle (ABC; Wed, 7:30 pm CST) was pretty good. Hank (ABC; Wed, 7 pm CST) not so much.  Flashforward's (ABC; Thurs, 7:00 pm CST) pilot was great; haven't gotten to ep 2 yet.  Community's (NBC; Thurs, now at 7:00 pm) second ep was just as good as its first.

And I'm trying to catch up with last year's Californication, but I ran into a roadblock after the first ep. Hank gets a vasectomy, but wears jeans after the procedure and then goes to a party that night.  For real?  I was in a coma most of the first day and stuck on a chair the next two days with frozen peas on my junk.  I don't expect lots of reality on my shows (especially that one), but that was a bit much.


Okay, here's this week's notables:

Monday, 10/5

Sherri; Lifetime. 6 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Sherri Shepherd stars in a comedy loosely based on her life (maybe her character will take a walk to see the edge of the world).

Rita Rocks; Lifetime. 6:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

The Mo'Nique Show; BET. 10 pm. Series Premiere.
The comedian gets her own talk show.


Tuesday, 10/6

Kings Ransom; ESPN. 7 pm. Special
For its 30th birthday, ESPN enlisted some famous directors to make a documentary about a major sports event from the past 30 years. Peter Berg gets the first doc, and he chose to focus on the L.A. Kings trade that "stole" Wayne Gretzkey from Edmonton.

Scare Tactics; Syfy. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Parking Wars; A&E. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Now in Detroit Rock City.


Wednesday, 10/7

Mythbusters; Discovery. 8 pm. Season Premiere.

South Park; Comedy Central. 9:00 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Let's all cross our fingers that the shows gets funny and satirical again after the last two, weak seasons.

Secret Girlfriend; Comedy Central. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
The main character is portrayed through the camera lense (kinda like a first-person shooter game; making the viewer the main character.  I've read two things about it, and they both said the show is pretty bad. (got 1 out of 10 in TV Guide and a D in Entertainment Weekly).


Thursday, 10/8

This Old House; PBS. 7 pm. 30th Season Premiere.

Pam and Jim get married in a special hour-long episode of The Office (NBC; 8 pm).

Leonard Nimoy returns as a guest star on Fringe (FOX; 8 pm).


Friday, 10/9

Ugly Betty; ABC. 7 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
First it gets premiered a week or two later than the other shows, and then its now on Fridays... Owch.

Dog Whisperer; National Geographic.  8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

The Wizards of Waverly Place; Disney Channel. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Not that you'd know there hasn't been anything new in a while the way Disney has been pimping Selena Gomez...


Saturday, 10/10

Wanday Sykes: I'ma Be Me; HBO. 9 pm. Special.


Sunday, 10/11

Army Wives (Lifetime; 9 pm) Season Finale.

Californication; Showtime. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Rick Springfield gets a four-episode guest starring arc this season.  It's bound to be pretty hardcore.

Hitler Explains That Wrong Subtitles Are Funny

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Laurel & Hardy "Party Train"

First off, I gotta say, I love Laurel and Hardy.  Any chance you can get to check out their work on AMC or on DVD or something, do so.  Completely brilliant entertainers who will be forgotten if we don't keep their memories alive.

Anyway, I ran across this video created and posted by YouTube's yark72.  He said he didn't do anything to the video (which comes from the film Way Out West) to match it up with The Gap Band's "Party Train" song; it just came together naturally.

Check it out.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Blue Suede Shoes Monster Jam

I'm not positive what the celebration was, but I believe it was for Les Paul (and a belated R.I.P. to the man who may have shaped rock music more than anyone else).  I'm also not sure of the when, but I'd place it at the mid-'80s just from Edward Van Halen's appearance.

So, you've got Les Paul introducing the Stray Cats, who break into "Blue Suede Shoes". Then during the solo, Brian Seltzer calls out EVH, B.B. King, David Gilmour, Steve Miller, and Jan Hammer.  Then Les finishes up the jam. 

Not many stages have held that much talent on it before.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Premieres and Notables, September 28- October 4, 2009

Well, it was a pretty good week last week: How I Met Your Mother had some good stuff, Modern Family showed tons of promise, Cougartown was much better than I expected, Gary Unmarried conitunes to get better, Glee got more serious-- and pulled it off wonderfully, Curb Your Enthusiasm was just as wacky as it ever was. 

And the bad: Two and a Half Men: pure shit. Accidentally on Purpose: better be funny this week, or it's off the DVR schedule.

And the first casualty of the new season? Kind of a surprise-- or maybe not as I saw NO press at all on it; I didn't even know enough about it to mention it on my blog.  The CW axed The Beautiful Life: TBL after just two eps.

Let's see if this week can continue with good and cancel the bad:


Monday, 9/28

BrainSurge; Nickelodeon.  3:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Kids compete in a memory game.

Ted (on How I Met Your Mother; CBS, 7:00 pm CST) gets set up on a blind date-- with a woman he had a blind date with seven years earlier.  --And he doesn't remember her...

Lie to Me FOX. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Trauma; NBC. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Did you like the big, explosive scenes on ER? Well, it looks like this show is full of them.  San Fran paramedics help people all over the Bay Area.  I actually got tired from just watching the couple-minute promo for the pilot.  Too much.


Wednesday, 9/30

Hank; ABC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Kelsey Grammar stars as a wealthy New Yorker who gets downsized, so he has to move his family to Virginia.  The promo didn't look that funny, but I'll check it out for a few weeks to be sure.

The Middle; ABC. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Patricia Heaton and Neil (Scrub's "Janitor") Flynn star as parents in a modern household.  The promo for this one did look funny.  It's a little bit wacky (in a good way), so that should keep it from being boring.


Thursday, 10/1

Private Practice; ABC. 9:01 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.


Friday, 10/2

Star Wars: The Clone Wars; 7 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
Last season was uneven at times, but they've decided to bring back new bounty hunter Cad Bane as a recurring thorn in the Jedi's sides (and Bane brings friends as well-- many of whom we've already seen in the films).  Also, Anakin heads down the Dark Side path more and more this season.  May be worth trying again if you left through last season.

'Til Death; FOX. 7:30 pm CST. Season Premiere.
It has never been especially funny, but the addition of J.B. Smoove really brought some (and sometimes even alot of) humor to it.  Unfortunately, Smoove wasn't brought back for the new season (BOOOOO!!!!) after yet another series retooling.   But there are some eps left over from last season (when the piece of crap it got scheduled with bombed, and this show disappeared for ten months), so maybe they've got some Smoove in the can.

Stargate Universe; Syfy. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
The concept that couldn't die now has a group of people (including ones who look a lot like Robert Carlyle, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Ming-Na) jumping blindly through a Stargate that lands them on a gigantic starship billions of lightyears from home. 
I've tried the Stargate shows every couple of years, and they've never grabbed me-- but this one just may do it. It's got a decent cast and and interesting concept.


Saturday, 10/3

SuperFetch; Animal Planet. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Dog trailer Zak George teaches dogs to make a bed, ride a bike, and get a beer, among other things in this series.

Celebrity Ghost Stories; Bio. 9 pm. Season Premiere.


Sunday, 10/4

America's Funniest Home Videos; ABC.  6 pm CST. 1,000,000th Season Premiere.
Because nut-shots are always funny...

Dallas Divas and Daughters; Style. 7 pm. 6th Season Premiere.
How does a show get to season six, and I have never heard of it?

My Monkey Baby; TLC. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
A baby monkey and her adventure with her human "parents" who hook her up with stylish clothes and toys.
On a related note to the Dallas Divas from above: How does a show like this get made, and why do I have to hear about it?

The Next Iron Chef; Food Network. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Three Rivers; CBS.  8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
(Female) Fangasmic actor Alex O'Loughlin stars in the medical transplant drama.
(Why "fangasmic"? I'll bet if you Google his last show-- Moonlight-- you'll read much, much more about how hot and sexy he is than you will about the actual show.)

The Seinfeld "reunion" begins on tonight's Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO; 9 pm). This season-long storyline promises to bring back the original cast as they film their reunion special (which is just for this show's storyline; it;'s not real).

Entourage (HBO; 9:30 pm CST.) Season Finale.

Hitler Didn't Get a Wii Fit

Condensed SOUP: 9/25/09

Sorry-- the embed code wouldn't work, so here's the link to the website I get it from:

http://www.eonline.com/videos/v_HXYN3nBOXdKlqFHIVWz4RMWZfsC1865_condensed-soup,-sept.-25.html

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Two Burritos and a Rootbeer Float

Here's Edward Van Halen's cameo in last week's season premiere of Two and a Half Men:




So, I thought it was great. Ed's not an actor, so he's on less than 30 seconds, plays a hot riff as you'd expect, and gets the best line of the episode (My VH pal Turd Ferguson said the next album should be named "Two Burritos and a Rootbeer Float". I agree.). Perfect appearance. 
What wasn't so perfect: it was on this show. I went on an e-mail rant to Mr. Ferguson, which I'll copy-and-paste here because it needs to be said in public:

I remember really not enjoying Men after maybe the first or second season (and I never really did get into it even before then), and I have tried it once or twice a year (such as the CSI writer experiment) since, but this week's ep was brutal. I felt in pain when I watched it. Actual pain.


I like Jon Cryer. He seems to be a humble person who's grateful for his career, but he never should have won the Supporting Actor Emmy on Sunday. And then to say (or at least how I paraphrased it) that Sheen has been robbed by not yet having an Emmy was about the funniest thing said that night. Acting IS tough, and I'm sure Sheen works hard, but that show should be nowhere near the Emmys. Those guys shouldn't even be valet parking the limos at the Awards for being in Men.


I get the love these actors have for their parts-- especially lucrative parts that get high ratings-- but do they actually watch their show? A great actor in a terrible movie usually can't be blamed, but Sheen and Cryer have been on that show for years. They've got to have some show guidance control by now.

I just don't get how it's the #1 comedy. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the average American is a moron.
 
I just can't handle how bad this show is. It was fucking painful to sit through last week. I'm no snob (you saw some of the "29 favorite shows" I listed last week), but this show is garbage. Shame on you Neilsen people who flip to CBS Monday at 8 pm CST and don't have the common courtesy to change the channel while you puke from watching it, so it gets high ratings.  For Shame!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Fave: The Wire 3: Sideways Cap

And the final clip of the day: the scene that made this show my favorite. It had NOTHING to do with the show or the storyline, but I could not pull my eyes from it after I watched it.

Fave: The Wire: Crime Scene

This is an early scene where I realized just how good this show could be.

An entire 4 minute scene with dialogue only consisting of variations on a single word. It was so brilliant, I didn't even realize what made it special until the scene was half over. Check of the direction and acting. An entire crime was solved without any discussion.

Fave: The Wire: Series Opener

And now we're to my favorite show of all time.

A single clip can't do it justice, so I thought I'd just show the first scene of the first episode...

Fave: Babylon 5: Londo Talks About Humans During the Earth-Minbari War

I really tried finding a clip of the beginning of this speech from the movie "In the Beginning" where a dying Londo describes the human race as being "loud". That was the moment I knew I'd love this show.

And love it I did. It remained my favorite TV show of all time (over ten years)-- until I watched The Wire last year. 

This was the first show that really felt epic to me.  It taught me what television is capable of: telling a story much bigger than it looked.


Fave: Real Time With Bill Maher: New Rules 8/14/09

I've mentioned this show before, so I won't get too into again.  I don't always agree with Maher or his guests, but I appreciate how he really stands up for what he believes in.  And yes, it helps that I agree with him more than I disagree with him.  He gets good guests from both sides of the political and religious spectrums, and he asks them real questions and can get real answers.

And at the end of every episode, he offers up "New Rules". Some are funny, some are pretty mean, but they almost always need to be said, especially those that close out the show and start him off in his closing thoughts. 

I could have included most any New Rules segment here, but I included one where he was tough on President Obama.  Why? Because right wingers kept whining that he was too tough on that moron Bush, and I wanted to show that he'll call out anyone who doesn't do the job.

Fave: Chappelle's Show: Rick James Pt 2

And here's Pt 2...

"What did the five fingers say to the face?"
"Cocaine is a helluva drug."
"Buy another one, you rich motherf*****."

Chappelle's Show
True Hollywood Stories - Rick James Pt 2
www.comedycentral.com
Buy Chappelle's Show DVDsBlack ComedyTrue Hollywood Story

Fave: Chappelle's Show: Rick James Pt 1

Chappelle's lunacy + Charlie Murphy's storytelling + Rick James contradicting nearly everything = One of the funniest bits of television I've ever seen.

I have the DVD sets, but I still HAVE to watch this bit every time I run across it.

Chappelle's Show
True Hollywood Stories - Rick James Pt. 1
www.comedycentral.com
Buy Chappelle's Show DVDsBlack ComedyTrue Hollywood Story

Fave: Angel: "I Can't Seem to Care"

I liked Buffy The Vampire Slayer and was really enjoying Angel, until this scene.  Then I loved Angel.  It instantly became one of my Top Five shows ever with what you'll see next.

After a number of episodes where Wolfram Hart got the best of him, Angel decides to start playing by their rules with this scene. Chilling-- and unlike anything I had seen before in a TV protagonist.

I couldn't embed the clip, but here's a link to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gox181bN0-s

Fave: Kid Notorious: Kim Jong Il

Babylon 5 was the show that got me really into TV, but Kid Notorious (Comedy Central in 2003) was the comedy that got me digging into TV through the internet (even though it was almost unheard of for networks to post clips back then).

Sadly, very few clips exist on the internet  (and none on DVD); Here's one of the few:


Fave: Boomtown: Season One ending

Probably the first all-around great show I ever encountered. Fantastic cast, wonderful writing, and a beautiful tone to it. The last three episodes of the first (and only one on DVD) season had me in tears more than once. It's accessible to anyone who can handle great TV and is highly recommended.

One of my Top Five shows ever.

Fave: The Venture Brothers: Trouble in the Bathroom

Another show that has started to cool off for me (as it gets away from the core concept), but I still have lots of love for earlier episodes like this one from Season 2.

Only Hank and Dean could get into this kind of trouble on a double date.



Fave: Bodies: Season 1, Ep 1, Pt 1

This was one of the first shows I bumped into when I got BBC America, and I was amazed by how dark it was.  Doctors who didn't even care to remember patient names, fucked up records, covered their asses at all costs... Very, very dark. 

I've included the the first part of the first episode because, like many 6-part BBC series, this one really works well as a whole piece (all six episodes).  The ending of the season was a great way to complete the arc begun in the first episode one remains one of the most heroic moments I've seen in TV.

But before I get to it, I'd like to publicly ask: what the Hell happened to BBC America?  When I first got it five or so years ago, it had Bodies, The Office, Green Wing, Rocketman, and Coupling, among others that I just loved (because they were nothing like the more stale American shows I had been watching).  Now it's nearly all reality shit, and I barely watch it.  It's a shame.

Diversion #2: why is BBC America holding out on us?  We never got to see anything other than the first seasons of Bodies and Green Wing, and you can't buy Region 1 DVDs of them (they're limited to the England/European markets for the most part).  Sad...

Fave: Break from the faves: Prison Break, Simpsons Style

Ran across this one when I was searching for Prison Break clips.
Hadn't seen it before, and that scares me (where did I miss it?).

Fave: Prison Break: Sexy T-Bag vid

Prison Break had its ups and downs, but it was the one show that really put me into high gear with television.  It was the first show I actively went out to the internet to learn about (at least in Season One).  There are plenty of great scenes (that I had an impossible time finding for this little "experiment")-- but most were great in the context of the series, and it was tough when I'm trying to distill a series into one or two clips.

So I'm going way off the rails here and posting a fan video about T-Bag; one of the most vile characters ever to be seen on network television.

Fave: Frisky Dingo 3: Xander Knows How to Treat the Ladies

I love how Xander treats Grace (who's a little crazy).



Fave: Frisky Dingo 2: "Check Me Out..."

One of my favorite lines is uttered when Xander hears Killface is getting a documentary...



Fave: Frisky Dingo: "That's Not a Pickle"

I loved the first season of Frisky Dingo, and this was one of the biggest reasons why:



Fave: Boondocks: Nigga Moment

This show has highs and lows, but it really excels when it takes aim at African American popular culture. There are some really pointed critiques of white as well as black culture in this show.

I especially love the Martin Luther King Jr. episode, but since I'm trying to keep this to clips, this "Nigga Moment" clip is a great indication of what this show is capable of. It's shocking in its language, but also very accurate on saying some parts of our culture are stupid (much like South Park was back when it used to be a social satire).

Fave: Extras: Patrick Stewart's Movie

It may be a bit unfair to include another Ricky Gervais show, but the guy is pretty brilliant. Extras is a bit tougher to get into than The Office, but breaking that barrier to the humor is pretty satisfying.

The series had some great guest stars, but I particularly like this one by master thespian Patrick Stewart, who explains the concept of the movie he is writing.


Fave: Star Trek Enterprise: Opening Credits

Sacrilege to have this and not Star Trek: The Next Generation?  Maybe.  I did learn to love STNG, but I'm a Star Wars kid, so the more visceral Enterprise holds a special place in my heart.  I liked the first two seasons, but Season Three featured a year-long arc that I really dug.  It had a very specific mission, and I'm a sucker for a continuing story.  Season Fouy had the best of both worlds: a few single episode stories and an few 2-3 episode stories that tied into continuity (another thing I'm a sucker for)

My second bit of sacrilege for this post: my clip is of the opening credits.  Many (most?) Trek fans hated it.  I liked it.  It was different, and it tied in really well with the premise of the series (the accompanying visuals were also great).  It's also a great clip because it's tough to say "This is what this series was about" by having just one clip from an episode.

Fave: The Office (U.S.): Fire Training

This show has flashes of brilliance.

One of them is in this clip.   Each of the characters gets a moment to show their true natures.

And the part where Angela tries to save her cat is one of the funniest moments I've ever seen.

Fave: Wonder Showzen: Clips

As I tried to write up the 24th show, I realized I had run out of room for a few I wanted to include.  So I decided to jam five ("on the edge") into the mid-way point.  Here's the first:

I had a very brief love affair with Wonder Showzen.  I thought there was some really good (albeit sick) humor.  But it was one of the very few shows that routinely crossed a line with me.  I was okay with it, but I don't get offended easily, so it was very unsettling to me to get offended once in a while.

It's tough to call this a fave, but there was some very funny (if you're not easily offended) stuff going on.  As I watched more and more, I felt they were too blatantly trying to cross boundaries of taste (they long ago passed the "good taste line"). 

But, hey; that's how it goes.  Thank God (or Allah, Mother Gaia, Dumbledore of whoever you wish) we're in America where any type of "free speech" has the chance to get on the air.

Here's a montage of clips at this link because I couldn't embed the video.  If you are even moderately "offendable", why don't you skip this and wait an hour for the next show.

Fave: Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel: Jackie Robinson

I've mentioned this show before. I don't watch sports as a rule, but this show is wonderful in its presentation, and it'd be a crime not to watch. In a single hour, I can laugh, cry, get mad, and feel many more emotions than I can on most any other show.

I posted my favorite clip about a little boy who loves to golf-- even though he was battling for his life here.

But I thought I'd take the opportunity to embed a clip from one of Gumbel's nearly always-great end pieces fromn an episode.  This is where Bryant can get down and dirty. It's where he said the NFL commissioner had a leash on the players union president, it's where he said it was time to lay off of Michael Vick (he had great reasons), and it's also where he can pay tribute to people and events.  Here's what he said in April 2008 about Jackie Robinson:

Fave: Green Wing: "First Date Rules"

I loved BBC America's Green Wing that aired a few years ago.  They only aired Season One over here in The States (which is lame they didn't finish the series here), but I got addicted to what I could see (there was also a season two and a Christmas Special-- those Brits sure love Christmas Specials).

It's been years since I've seen it, so it was tough to decide what clip to show, but I remember loving the line at the end of this clip. Totally cracked me up.  Green Wing was one of the first non-American shows I had ever seen, and the joke in this clip made it abundantly clear that BBC America was a world away from the stuff I had seen in America.

I've been bummed for years that I haven't seen the rest of the series-- especially when they haven't (and probably won't) make a Region One DVD release (just Region 2 for the European market so far)-- but I tried hulu.com on a whim and see that they have the first and second seasons. Awesome.

Well, here's the clip (from Season One, Episode One):

Fave: Coupling 3: Chatting Up a Girl

Fave: Coupling 2: How Women Flirt

Fave: Coupling: Playing Reservoir Dogs

One of the most consistently funny shows I've ever watched. The show is filled with video clip moments. Try to see it if you can (the DVDs are available even in America, and BBC America had been running episodes from time to time).

Here they "tackle" one of the biggest movie/TV cliches of the past 15 years:

Fave: American Gothic: Series Promo

Another one where a clip may not work (and I had a tough time finding one that expressed what I wanted to say about this show), so here's a promo for the show. This was near what I consider the beginning of when I really got into TV-- and it was a big influence. Great cast; spooky premise.

Fave: Arrested Development: The Siblings Come Together on Business

This show is filled with clip-worthy moments. Here's one that encompasses the style, humor, and personalities in this show.

Fave: The Office (UK): Keith's Performance Appraisal

Love this clip.

Fave: Slings and Arrows: Promo

A show I really liked, although it didn't sound interesting to me at first.

It's a trickier type of show. A clip doesn't really do it justice. So here's a promo for the series (Season One):

Fave: How I Met Your Mother: "You Just Got Slapped."

Probably my current favorite show right now. I love the casts, the lines, the intricate plotlines...

But this scene had me rolling on the floor with laughter. After an episode full of Marshall tormenting Barney, he lays the smack down-- and then takes the humiliation a step further...

Fave: Brisco County, Jr: Card Cheatin'

I liked this show in college. I didn't get a chance to see all the eps until I bought the DVD series a few years ago.

This clip kinda encompasses the series: very tongue in cheek. And funny.

Bruce Campbell rules.

Fave: Tour of Duty: Sarge and Lt. Talk about First Impressions

Tour of Duty was the first show that hooked me; I needed to watch every week (this was before I was savvy enough to use a VCR).  I don't remember many details from it, but I do remember many of the emotional strings it pulled when I was younger.  Some of them still stick with me after 20 years.

Oddly enough, I don't remember this specific scene, but as I searched through clips to post, I discovered that this clip pretty much summed up what the show was about: friendship, duty, learning, trying to stay alive.


Fave: It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia: "Get Crippled"

I like to think of this group as "Seinfeld gone too far."


Fave: Aqua Teen Hunger Force 2: "Keep the Ranch Coming"

I was going to stick to one clip per show, but I had to add this second one; where one of my favorite lines ever is at the very end of this clip.

"Hey, Dingbat," is also a classic.



Fave: Aqua Teen Hunger Force: "The Creature Thus Be Formed"

ATHF had its moments-- especially in the early years (later seasons seemed too "out there" just for the sake of being "out there").

I thought I'd start the birthday-inspired "experiment" with this insane clip from ATHF where Master Shake hires Zakk Wylde to make a new Birthday Song.

It is absolutely ridiculous.



Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Birthday Experiment: Favorite Shows

Tomorrow's my birthday.  No big deal.  I'm in my mid-'30s and am married with children, so, you know, I'm going out and partying (again: no big deal. I'm too old/tired for that.)

But I wanted to do a little something special for it. One, because I know I handle this blog-thing a little lightly. I go out into the internet once or twice a week, round up a number of videos and then schedule them to post throughout the week, so it looks like I do more work than I really do.  Two, because I wanted to kind of get back to what I had hoped to accomplish for this blog.  I had hoped to give more commentary and point people in the "right" direction.  There's lots of crap out there, and I think I avoid it mostly.  There's also lots of good stuff out there you've probably never even heard of.  So I decided to do a little something for my birthday (and also due to the fact that one of the posts tomorrow will also be #1000) because Three, it gave me a deadline.  You have no idea how many "essays" I've written in my head for this blog that never saw the light of day.  Using my birthday was the deadline I needed.

My experiment was to find clips from 24 (actually ended up being 29) shows I really liked.  Not real difficult, but I also hoped to find some of the cream of the crop (in my estimation).  Maybe they aren't all the best, but they are all well above average in their own ways. And most helped remind me that I haven't seen everything possible yet.  The medium of television can hit all genres and tones.  I've got some very dark shows, very light shows, some silly, some very serious, some thought provoking shows, and some that are nearly pointless. 

I basically just tried to go off the top of my head.  Of course, I have included my Top Five shows ever (ones I hope to finally properly reveal someday); the ones who have really shaped my love of the medium.  But much like my yearly Top Ten, I also included some hidden gems you may never have encountered before.  Happily, they all (aside from a couple BBC shows) are available on DVD in the U.S.

I spent about 12 hours this past weekend compiling the list and finding clips, and now that I'm done, I keep remembering ones I had forgotten.  And let's not forget that while I watch way too much TV, I still don't see it all; including the ones I record or buy on DVD and haven't gotten to yet (Lost, Mad Men, The Shield, etc).  But I think my list is pretty thorough.  It does give a nice cross-section of the shows I did and continue to like.

Hope you get something from it other than the eyestrain of a couple of hours of clips... (It's okay to skip some and go back later.)

And because post #1000 is in there somewhere (actually, I've determined it's the post for Boomtown, which is great as it's one of my all-time favorite shows), I'd be remiss if I didn't say "Thanks for reading."  Keep coming back.

teameck

(Yes, someday, I hope to explain the name...)

McHale Finally Got Wendy to Snap

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

"My Kitty's Emo" Video

Truly one of the dumbest things I've ever seen-- that made me laugh out loud.

.

The Tabloids Crank It Up a Notch

Joel and The Soup gang show us the new tabloid sensation.

I could write about this forever, but I think I'll just let this clip speak for me.


Sunday, September 20, 2009

A New Speech Impediment Is Discovered

Watch what happens when a news anchor tries to use "pl" and it comes out as "f".

It's right at the beginning.

PS-- check out the co-anchor's eyes...

Premieres and Notables; September 21-27, 2009

And here's the biggest week of the year. Buckle up and get ready for the ride.

Monday, 9/21

Dancing With the Stars; ABC. 7 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.

Heroes; NBC. 7 pm CST.  4th Season Premiere.
Volume 5 ("Redemption"-- from what I hear, that's what this show needs) introduces the masterful Robert Knepper as the leader of the latest villianous threat: a roaming circus full of "freaks" who have actual powers.

House; FOX. 7 pm CST.  Season Premiere.
Two hours of mental patient House trying to convince Andre Braugher's shrink that he is mentally heathly enough to return to normal society.
Let's see: Hugh Laurie and Andre f'ing Braugher.  I may actually watch this.

How I Met Your Mother; CBS.  7 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
Barney and Robin's romance is explored.  Barney being Barney means he has to be the best boyfriend ever-- just as he was the best "player" ever in his single days.  Highly Recommended

Accidentally on Purpose; CBS. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Jenna Elfman stars as a film critic who dumps her boyfriend, has a one-night stand, and gets pregnant from it.  I've seen a few clips, none of which are funny.  If it wasn't protected in the solid CBS Monday night comedy lineup, I'd predict this would be the first show cancelled of the new TV season.

Two and a Half Men; CBS. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
One of the few comedies I avoid.  Except this week, when Edward Van Halen has a cameo.
If I was a betting man, I'd put money down that he'll mention something about "writing a ton of music", which he ultimately never puts down on a fucking album!
[If you're a long-time Van Halen fan like me, you know my pain.]

The Big Bang Theory; CBS.  8:30 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Sheldon and the gang return from their summer-long trip to the Arctic.  Highly Recommended.

Castle; ABC. 9:00 pm. 2nd Season Premiere.


Tuesday, 9/22

NCIS; CBS. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

NCIS: Los Angeles; CBS. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J head up this NCIS spin-off.

Warehouse 13 (SyFy; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.

The Forgotten; ABC.  9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Christian Slater lands on his feet after My Own Worst Enemy bombed last season.  This time as an ex-detective who try to ID John & Jane Doe murder victims.

The Good Wife; CBS. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Juliana Margulies stars as the wife of a politician who gets busted nailing a hooker.  As she tries to pick up the pieces of her life, she returns to her old profession as a lawyer.
Jesus, how many lawyers has this woman played since she left ER? I'm pretty sure that's all she's been cast as since then.

The Naughty Kitchen With Chef Blythe Beck; Oxygen. 9 pm.  Series Premiere.

Epitafios; HBO2. 10 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
I haven't caught this show yet, but I heard Season 1 was excellent.


Wednesday, 9/23

Mercy; NBC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Hey! Look at this: another medical drama on NBC. What are the odds?  Would love to skip it, but Michelle Tracthenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and James Tupper (enjoyed him on Men in Trees) are in the cast, so I guess I'll try it out.
Anyway, the show is about a trio of nurses who work in a hospital (and, most likely, save the patients the doctors almost kill).

The New Adventures of Old Christine; CBS. 7:00 pm CST. Season Premiere.
I think it floundered a bit last season, but it's still capable of greatness.  Recommended.

Gary Unmarried; CBS. 7:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
A show that got better as its freshman season went on. That gets it a recommended. But because it also stars Paula Marshall, I give it a highly recommended if you have a major crush on her like I do (ever since Cupid, way back in 1998).

Criminal Minds; CBS. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; NBC. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
With guest star Wentworth Miller (from Prison Break).

Modern Family; ABC. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Ed O'Neill-- and a pretty darn good cast-- stars in this comedy about 3 sets of married couples: there are a "traditional", a same-sex, and a "May-December" relationship in this dynamic.  Hilarity to follow.
You have to be careful with ABC comedies. They usually don't work.  But this is the most-hyped comedy of the Fall, and I've heard good things (and have seen good things in clips), so I think I can say it's recommended.

Cougar Town; ABC. 8:30 CST. Series Premiere.
Courtney Cox stars as divorced mom who steps back into the dating scene.
BTW: The town of "Cougar" of the title is not necessarily referring to the over-used definition of a hot, older woman.
The clips look decent, but I have little faith in ABC cultivating its own comedy.


Eastwick; ABC.  9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Lindsay Price, Rebecca Romijn, and Jamie Ray Newman play the witches of the John Updike book(s?) and film, and I was just fine with skipping this show.  Then I found out Paul Gross (who I loved on Slings and Arrows) stars as the mysterious stranger Jack Nicholson played in the film.  Gotta watch it now... (or at least FF through the show until he's in a scene).
[Me not being interested has nothing to do with the actresses; I'm just not interested in it besides for Gross.]

Thursday, 9/24

FlashForward; ABC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Joseph Fiennes stars as a genius who is trying to solve how and why everyone on the planet blacked out for two minutes and seventeen seconds-- and hglimpsed their future during that time.  This is the show ABC is pimping-- big time-- to "replace" Lost.  It's the show I've looked forward to the most-- and it's bound to be the show that I end up taping and waiting to watch (like the aformentioned Lost, as well as Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Supernatural...)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; CBS. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Grey's Anatomy; ABC. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

The Mentalist; CBS. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.


Friday, 9/25

Smallville; The CW.  7 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.
Clark gets closer to his destiny.  This season opens with Brian Austin Green as the man who will eventually become Metallo (I saw a pic of him as the Kryptonite-hearted villain; freaky and cool)

Brothers; FOX. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Ex-football player Michael Strahan stars as an ex-football player who moves back home with his parents.
I think Strahan has the charisma needed to lead a show, but we are talking about FOX.  I predict this will be the third (only because there are usually 1-2 knee-jerk cancellations within two weeks every season) show cancelled in the new TV season.

Ghost Whisperer; CBS. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Law & Order; NBC. 7 pm CST.  20th Season Premiere.

Dollhouse; FOX. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Medium; CBS.  8 pm CST.  Season Premiere.
Now on CBS...

Numb3rs; CBS. 9 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.

Rescue Ink Unleashed; National Geographic.  9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Tattoed bikers rescue abused pets.


Saturday, 9/26

Saturday Night Live; NBC. 10:30 pm. 35th Season Premiere.
These guys couldn't even get a funny half hour last Thursday, so I'm guessing it will remain unfunny in this 35th season.


Sunday, 9/27

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; ABC. 6 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Isn't it time to remove the old "Extreme Makeover" name (if you recall, it was for a shitty show about people makeovers).

The National Parks; PBS. 7 pm. Miniseries.
This six-part, 12-hour series by Ken Burns looks at one of America's greatest achievements, it's national park system. 
I'll bet this will look fantastic in HD.

The Amazing Race; CBS. 7 pm CST. 15th Season Premiere.

The Simpsons; FOX. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

The Cleveland Show; FOX. 7:30 pm.  Series Premiere.
Seth McFarlane's takeover of FOX continues with his third show on the network premiring tonight (the other two follow).

Dexter; Showtime. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
New baddie this year: John Lithgow.

Desperate Housewives; ABC.  8 pm. 6th Season Premiere.

Family Guy; FOX. 8 pm. Season Premiere.

American Dad; FOX.  8:30 pm. Season Premiere.

Californication; Showtime. 9 pm. 3rd Season Premiere.

Cold Case; CBS. 9 pm.  Season Premiere.

Brothers and Sisters; ABC. 9 pm.  4th Season Premiere.
Kitty's got a secret-- that could destroy the family. (As if this show could do anything "small"...)

Hitler Gets Scammed on eBay

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Where's My Emmy?: Weeds

Sure, it was good before, but...

Hitler Gets His Bears Tickets is even better when the full screen shows up.

Sorry I didn't notice it before now.  I thought the format I used fit okay (as it has before)-- and I don't "view blog" nearly enough, I guess.

"Hey Little Sparta" Video

I don't "get" cats, but this "Mean Kitty" song was pretty funny.



Yes-- I know it's 2 years old. But like the old NBC commercials said, "If you haven't seen it before, it's new to you."

Friday, September 18, 2009

Where's My Emmy?: 30 Rock



"Stop tellin' me I can see an extra Kenneth scene on the internet. I don't wanna watch an extra Kennth scene on the internet"
Amen.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Where's My Emmy?: Flight of the Conchords

Keg Stand Fail

This is why you have at least two good friends (or at least two guys who won't take a shot at your nuts) holf you when attempting a keg stand.


Dude Fails At Keg Stand - Watch more Funny Videos

Monday, September 14, 2009

Premieres and Notables Addendum; Sept 14-20

I just got my Entertainment Weekly today, so I have a few things to add because-- why?


Yes, that's right: TV Guide sucks.


Thanks for playing along at home...




Monday, 9/14 (sorry it's late-- thank goodness for reruns)


The Oprah Winphrey Show; Syndicated. 3 pm CST (check local listings). Season Premiere.
But if you were a fan, you'd already know.
If you missed today's ep, tune in tomorrow for Part 2 of Oprah's sit-down with Whitney Houston.


The Dr. Oz Show; Syndicated. 2 pm CST (check local listings). Series Premiere.
Oprah increases her sphere of influence...




Tuesday, 9/15


Big Brother 11 (CBS; 8 pm). Season Finale.
How could I forget?
I actually watch this and have been eagerly awaiting the end since Jeff got evicted.




Wednesday, 9/16


Biography; Bio. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Focusing on George Clooney.


Mystery Quest; History. 9 pm. Season Premiere.
Exploring a theory that Hitler didn't die in a bunker in the war.
Well, no shit-- didn't you see the clip I had on 8/30/09 that had him complaining about Brett Favre?


Friday, 9/18

Crash; Starz. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
I wonder how/if Dennis Hopper will kick off this season (the series premiere opened with him talking to his schwing-schwang).

Where's My Emmy? The Office

The Family Guy folks did some parody bits about their competition for Best Comedy.

The animation is very similar (and sometimes exactly the same) between them, but the jokes are all different-- and pointed at the show being discussed.

I'll post one a day until Saturday. Enjoy.

"Show Me Your Genitals" Video

Jon Lajoie shows us that one doesn't need flowery metaphors in songs.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Hitlers Gets His Bears Tickets

Same visuals as the Favre one-- but a whole new joke.

Premieres and Notables; September 14-20, 2009

Monday, 9/14

One Tree Hill; The CW. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Gossip Girl; The CW. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

The Jay Leno Show; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
NBC's biggest gamble this year-- and likely to be the most profitable. Jay Leno brings some of his Tonight Show bits to prime time, and this will be more comedy than interview show.


Tuesday, 9/15

The Biggest Loser; NBC. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

More to Love (FOX; 7 pm). Season Finale.
I'd go to Hell if I mentioned this 2-hour finale was needed because the contestants are big-boned, so I won't mention that.

Shaq Vs. (ABC; 8 pm). Season Finale.


Wednesday, 9/16

America's Got Talent (NBC; 7 pm). Season Finale.

The Beautiful Life; The CW. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.

I want to reiterate that you should be checking out Glee (FOX; 8 pm). Last week's season premiere was insanely good. Jane Lynch is absolutely perfect as the villain of the show, and I don't know if I can ever hear Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It" again without thinking of one of the "wrongest" TV performances I've ever seen.


Thursday, 9/17

Survivor: Samoa; CBS. 7 pm. Season Premiere.

Bone; FOX. 7 pm. 5th Season Premiere.

Saturday Night Live: Thursday; NBC. 7 pm. 19th Season Premiere.
Because watering-down an already weak franchise is always a great idea...

Parks & Recreation; NBC. 7:30 pm. 2nd Season Premiere.
Here's hoping they try something different this year and be funny...

Fringe; FOX. 8 pm. 2nd Season Premiere.

The Office; NBC. 8 pm. 6th Season Premiere.
Recommended.

Community; NBC. 8:31 pm. Series Premiere.
NBC has been hyping this Joel McHale (and Chevy Chase)- led comedy pretty heavily. The preview scenes I've watched look pretty good. I think it's safe to say it's recommended.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; FX. 9 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.
Speaking of "wrong" TV, here's the wrongest show airing on basic cable. Recommended.


Friday, 9/18

Guiding Light (CBS; 2 pm). Series Finale.
I usually stay away from mentioning daytime soaps, but I have to tip my hat to the ending of a 72 year run. This show ran so long, it predated television and actually began as a radio show. Impressive achievement. I never watched a second of the show, but the TV landscape will be a little diminished next week without it.


Sunday, 9/20

I have avoided The Emmys (CBS; 7 pm) the past few years, but this year's host is Neil Patrick Harris, so I'll probably tune in to what may possibly be... wait for it... Legendary.

Curb Your Enthusiasm; HBO. 8 pm. Season Premiere.
The Seinfeld reunion storyline happens a little later in the season, but I can't wait just for the return of this show, which has been away for too long. Recommended.

Bored to Death; HBO. 8:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Jason Schwartzman stars as a writer who's having problems getting through his second novel, so he lives out his fantasies as a private detective. Co-starring Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis.