Coalition Links of the Week: Buzz got to wondering about the TV shows that are sort of the opposite of guilty pleasures, the ones you don't even like very much but can't seem to quit watching. (BuzzSugar)
In case you didn't know, Vance goes to the theatre a lot, and then blogs about it. He also likes to stalk celebrities like James McAvoy after the show. (Tapeworthy)
After thinking about a particularly shocking character death this week, Jace talked to former BSG and Buffy writer and current Caprica showrunner Jane Espenson and some other television industry insiders about the role of death on television today. (Televisionary)
Sara was all aflutter over the BBC reality show Any Dream Will Do, which is possibly the campiest thing she's ever seen. Hear that Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber? (TiFaux)
Kate was oh-so-pleasantly surprised by Southland. (TV Filter)
Matt didn't love the premiere of Parks and Recreation. But he won't give up on it yet! (TV Fanatic)
This week, the TV Addict wondered if casting Leonard Nimoy in Fringe is well, highly illogical. (The TV Addict)
Free Download of the Week: Geraldine – Glasvegas (Rcrd Lbl): If you like the song that closed out Chuck this week, it was by the band Glasvegas, a group that shows up what The Clash may have sounded like if Joe Strummer were Irish. Now the song on Chuck isn’t free, but another song, Geraldine is just as good.
Video of the Week: I haven’t watched Battlestar Galactica basically because I would rather watch the story in chronological order with Caprica first then BSG. Think how much Episodes I-III had you not seen IV-XI of Star Wars yet. Granted you would get spoiled on how Darth Vader was Luke’s father. But anyways. Caprica launches as a DVD April 21 (and will also be available by digital download that day) and here is its trailer. For more on the show, head over to Discover Caprica.
Next Week Pick of the Week: Friday Night Lights, Anytime on Hulu: This is for those of you in Northeast Ohio, like myself, who were unable to watch the season finale because the local affiliate would rather show a four-hour Indians rain delay than the best show currently on television. What’s worse is I sat through the last couple minutes of Howie Do It just for them to go back to the rainy field and not even mention FNL and when, or if, they planned on showing it. Major League Baseball is at much fault as my NBC channel with their absurd “if we start a game we will finish it even if it is after midnight” philosophy. Long story short, I will be watching Friday Night Lights on Hulu sometime today.
Kings: A little less confusing this week. Not that it matters as the show is getting banished to Saturdays which is becoming the new Friday: the day shows go to die. Caruso was first then ABC announced this week they would be killing off the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone, and Dirty Sexy Money in succession. I guess this is better than making us get the DVD to see the remaining episodes like Foc always does. But it looks like I will be catching the remainder of Kings on Hulu. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Kings on iTunes.
Chuck: As predicted here about a month ago, not only was Orian not dead, he turned out to be Chuck’s father. But after watching Scott Backula’s “Oh boy” routine, I actually began doubting my prognostication until he showed up at Chevy Chase’s workplace. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
Trust Me: Much like I said last week, if the beginning of the series was as good as the last for, maybe it would have been worth saving. You can also download Trust Me on iTunes.
Gary Unmarried: Even though it gets ripped off all the time, nothing better than a silly Romeo and Juliet rip off for comedic purposes. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.
Lost: I pretty much have a full understanding of everything that happens on Lost, but the two things that go way over my head while I scratch it are all the “constant” talk and the Smoke Monster. And really how does Ben and the Others not have a name for it? Like they have never talked to each other about it especially when their sacred temple just happens to be its home. And how, and why, does draining a pool summon it? You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com.
Survivor: Nothing more boring than a tribal council-less episode. This episode especially considering each tribe was scatterbrained. I would have loved to see how the vote would have turned out. Now that they have three more days to figure things out, it may be less interesting. And I do not know how he did it, but Tyson actyually became more annoying than Coach this episode. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.
Tonight sees the premiere of two new shows (well three if you count Southland; but you have had a week to see the whole premiere on NBC.com) and you really can’t get much different from the two shows. First up is Parks and Recreation over on NBC at 8:30 sandwiched between two new episodes of The Office, both show were created by the same people. Here is an extended preview of the show starring Saturday Night Live’s Amy Poehler.
Over on CBS at 10:00 is their new ambitious series Harper’s Island which they are dubbing and a thirteen-week event. It is a murder mystery where a wedding group is trapped on an island with one guest being killed every week. And we are promised, “By the end of the 13 episodes, all questions will be answered, the killer will be revealed and only a few will survive.” Since it is only thirteen episodes, hopefully CBS doesn’t get an itchy trigger finger and cancel the show before the resolution (Fox’s Reunion comes to mind as a parallel).
To prepare yourself for the show, you can check out The Globe, Harper’s Island newspaper (where you can also check out pre-show minisobes). Also, below is an extended promo for the show. But please note, if you are not a horror fan, you may want to pass on the show and watching the clip, because it can get graphic (but from the clip isn’t any more graphic than Dexter):
On a personal note, I would like to put my money on the bride. Take a look at the other suspects below.
Cupid was a show I remember seeing but not caring that it got canceled. Sure Jeremy Piven was thoroughly entertaining as a guy who may or may not have been the Roman God of Love and Paula Marshall was likeable, but certainly not must see television. Which is unlike the next show Rob Thomas created Veronica Mars. But since very few people compared Veronica Mars to Cupid (1998), it would be unfair to compare Cupid (2009) to Veronica Mars.
Naturally it is fair game to compare the two Cupids. Both shows follow a dude named Trevor who lands himself in a mental institution because he thinks he is a Roman God whose case is taken on by a psychiatrist named Claire. Upon release Trevor takes a job at a bar. This time around the story gets transplanted from Chicago to New York City.
From the promos I feared that Bobby Canivale (Snakes on a Plane) was going to just do a Piven but turns out to more subtle than his predecessor. Unfortunately I was right in thinking that Sarah Paulson (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) is a huge downgrade from Paula Marshall. Paulson is as uptight as her character requires but lacks the likeability that Marshall brought to the role.
Inside the bar we meet owner Rick Gomez (The Adventures of Pete & Pete) taking over the role of Jeffery Sams who gets a sister this time around the comes in the form of Camille Guaty (The Nine) whom I hope starts to take screen time from Paulson. The bar adds some extra depth to the show as it is more of a club with performances and a mariachi karaoke night (which is as cool as it sounds; assuming you think it sounds cool) which is the catalyst of some great music like Donnie Hathaway, Hall & Oates, and Pat Benatar.
Granted it looks like the second go around for Cupid may actually end up airing fewer episodes than its prematurely canceled predecessor. But maybe if we are luckily, third time will be the charm in 2020 when Ryan Pinkston and Hayden Panettiere take over the lead roles.
Cupid airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on ABC. You can stream episodes over at ABC.com. You can also download Cupid on iTunes.
It has been nineteen months since the time Rescue Me aired a full length episode. To put that in perspective, Pushing Daisies debuted, got renewed and then canceled all in the time since Rescue Me last aired. Naturally a lengthy “Previously on Rescue Me” is warranted for the fifth season premiere. Like who remembered that Tommy’s dad died at a baseball game right when they finally reconnected? Also Tommy is in some hot water when the new chief writes him up for being crazy partly to get back at him for leading on his daughter and partly for wearing his dead cousin’s gear when off duty.
After three very strong seasons, the fourth season went off the rails with absurd storylines that just got weirder and weirder, the extended time off seemed to do the show well as at the start of the season it is back to its strong self with most of the action taking part on the job instead of following the boys outside the firehouse. One storyline that keeps the story inside the firehouse deals with a French journalist, Karina Lombard (The L Word), who is doing a ten anniversary retrospective on 9/11 and in interviewing the crew. Also the boys go on a very explosive call which they end up bring back to the house.
Even the outside the house antics seemed better contained like Mike, White Shawn, and Franco get in business to buy a bar. Certainly that can’t go very well but will at the very entertaining for us the viewers. And Tommy’s girls all have new men in their lives, Colleen has been seeing Black Shawn while Janet has started something up with Michael J. Fox (Back to the Future), and naturally that doesn’t sit well with Tommy but Fox isn’t one to back down so there is going to be plenty of fireworks.
Also show up sometime this season, which will last for twenty two episodes, is Maura Tierney (Finding Amanda) who shows up at the firehouse after being saved by the group. Tawny Cypress (Heroes) will be spending some quality time with Franco. And Milena Govich (Law and Order) returns as the hooker that stole Lou’s money. We will even get to met some members of Sean’s family this season.
Rescue Me airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on FX. You can stream every episode over on Hulu or download them on iTunes or Amazon Video on Demand (see below):
My sources tell me that Chuck is on the bubble and so I and some other TV bloggers have decided to make a consorted effort to bring to the attention of those that are not watching why they should watch and to the big wigs at NBC (and possibly any other networks that it is worth a Friday Night Lights type deal), that Chuck is worth saving.
For my part I decided to run down the hottest Token Hot Chick Pictures. For those that patron my weekly Best of the Week posts (and the occasional 57 Channels and Only This Is On) ever week I pick the hottest screen cap of the week from the CIA’s finest and here is the best of the best. If any red blooded American boy takes a look at these pictures and doesn’t start watching Chuck immediately, you may want to move to Iowa.
10. Chuck Verses the Crown Vic
9. Chuck Verses the Seduction
8. Chuck Verses the Lethal Weapon
7. Chuck Verses the Imported Hard Salami
6. Chuck Verses the Sandworm
5. Chuck Verses the Beefcake
4. Chuck Verses Tom Sawyer
3. Chuck Verses the Third Dimension (note: the picture is in 3-D if you still have the glasses)
2. Chuck Verses the Fat Lady
1. Chuck Verses the Truth
For more Chuck related articles, head over to Give Me My Remote for the aptly dubbed Chuck vs. the Network Pick Up for those which will be added throughout the week. If you would like to paticipate, you can find out over there. Also many thanks to Strahotski.com where I stole borrowed the above pictures from. And of course you can catch up with Chuck on iTunes, Amazon Video on Demand and/or DVD (and of course Chuck airs Mondays at 8:00 on NBC):
Kings: There are very few times I have been watching Lost and just got completely, well, lost, yet I don’t remember how many time during the early going of the show I have found myself scratching my head and wondering just what exactly was going on. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Kings on iTunes.
The Big Bang Theory: I am beginning to think that the producers of the show have my crib wired because you can add computing in the air to the list of things Sheldon and I have in common. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Chuck: So the General was worried that Chuck was falling in love with Sarah so she brings in other absurdly hot chick to replace her. Sadly that sound exactly how are government usually solves problems. Had Sarah actually gone back to Langley like she was supposed to, she probably would have been greeted with a multimillion bonus for being incompetent. Or many that is how she got that car. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
How I Met Your Mother: Speaking of shows that may be spying on me, I can’t count the number of times I have said “I’m getting too old for this ish” over the past half decade. Granted I was too lazy to put all of them down in list form. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.
I Love Money: How dumb do you have to be to be called the dumbest player in the history of VH1 reality show and to have It of all people sing a song about how stupid you are? You can also download I Love Money on iTunes.
100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80’s: When I first heard VH1 was doing this countdown I though how could they find that many. But not only did I recognize about 90% of the songs and half are actually on my iPod. Granted I can grip about the ranking and how some are not legit one hit wonder (c’mon, Twisted Sister had a second hit, I Wanna Rock anyone?).
Trust Me: With the twofer this week it is hard not to think how much better the season would have been if they were more like these two episodes. I guess beer is more interesting than cell phones. You can also download Trust Me on iTunes.
Lost: I’m glad we got a Back to the Future reference this week because for me, that is the gold standard when it comes to time travel. And Hurley and Miles Who’s on First routine was the best meeting of the minds on the show thus far. While Ben being revived to become “one of us” as Richard Alpert put it, adds credence to my theory as to why he and Locke aren’t flashing now. But that still leaves Sun and Lapidus. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com.
Survivor: Yet another season where the Token Hot Chick doesn’t make it to the jury. Guess it is time to pour out some Cristal and cue up It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.
Friday Night Lights: One of the many things that puts the show head and shoulders above the rest is the amount of great monologues on Friday Night Lights from Coach’s halftime and postgame speeches to Tyra’s carried confession to her college essay. Although I am a little scared of what could possibly be coming next week now that the playoffs are over. I have a feeling redistricting won’t be going smoothly. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com.
DogTown: If you are interested in the dogs featured this week, you can check out their profiles on the Best Friends website. Click the link to go to their specific page. Ava (the golden retriever whose paw got caught in a bear trap), Haley and Hana (the Ethiopia refugees), and Hugo (the biting bloodhound).
(Laverne and Shirley, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Facts of Life)
. But since very few people compared Veronica Mars to Cupid (1998), it would be unfair to compare Cupid (2009) to Veronica Mars.
) was going to just do a Piven but turns out to more subtle than his predecessor. Unfortunately I was right in thinking that Sarah Paulson (
) is a huge downgrade from Paula Marshall. Paulson is as uptight as her character requires but lacks the likeability that Marshall brought to the role.
debuted, got renewed and then canceled all in the time since Rescue Me last aired. Naturally a lengthy “Previously on Rescue Me” is warranted for the fifth season premiere. Like who remembered that Tommy’s dad died at a baseball game right when they finally reconnected? Also Tommy is in some hot water when the new chief writes him up for being crazy partly to get back at him for leading on his daughter and partly for wearing his dead cousin’s gear when off duty.
), who is doing a ten anniversary retrospective on 9/11 and in interviewing the crew. Also the boys go on a very explosive call which they end up bring back to the house.
), and naturally that doesn’t sit well with Tommy but Fox isn’t one to back down so there is going to be plenty of fireworks.
) who shows up at the firehouse after being saved by the group. Tawny Cypress (
) will be spending some quality time with Franco. And Milena Govich (
) returns as the hooker that stole Lou’s money. We will even get to met some members of Sean’s family this season.
reference this week because for me, that is the gold standard when it comes to time travel. And Hurley and Miles Who’s on First routine was the best meeting of the minds on the show thus far. While Ben being revived to become “one of us” as Richard Alpert put it, adds credence to my theory as to why he and Locke aren’t flashing now. But that still leaves Sun and Lapidus. You can stream current episodes over at 