Saturday, July 31, 2010

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLI


Quote of the Week: I care about my teammates, and you're my teammate. (Landry, Friday Night Lights)

Song of the Week: When the Night Comes – Dan Auerbach (Friday Night Lights)

Leverage: How MacGyver of Hardison in making the bomb, but still, going back into the lair of dude with semi-automatic weapons was not the brightest idea he has ever had. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: What a mind trip of an episode. I am not sure that is a good thing or a bad thing like a warped version of The Hangover. I am not sure how Uncle Teddy would think lacing Tommy’s drink was a good thing. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: When I rewatch this season, I may have to make a drinking game out of every time Tim tells Becky, “This can’t happen.” Certainly it won’t get me as drunk as the time I drank every time on Deadwood when someone said (expletive deleted)-sucker. but I bet I could get a good buzz. Also I have to give hats off to Landry for his toothpick prank. But do Texans really call that drill jingle-jangles because here above the Mason-Dixon line we have a much less lame name for that: Suicides. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

Friday Night Lights on iTunes


Free Download of the Week: Nat Geo Amazon Sampler (Amazon MP3)

Deal of the Week: Save up to 47% on Action & Adventure (Black Hawk Down (Blu-Ray), Air Force One, Hellboy)

Video of the Week: Hot chicks with guns in a stylized version of the fifties as conceived by the director of 300 and Watchmen? Yes please.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Friday Night Lights, Friday at 8:00 on NBC: I cannot believe it is the season finale already as we get the big showdown between the two Dillon with a playoff birth in the balance for the Panthers and pride for the Lions. Luckily we will be getting another season and here’s hoping DirecTV, with or without NBC, ponies up for a sixth.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Around the Tubes vol. LX


I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on True Blood, Friday Night Lights, Community, and Chuck.

- Here is a sneak peak up the upcoming episode of True Blood on Sunday featuring Howard’s girlfriend on The Big Bang Theory:



- Here is a quick two minute replay of last week’s Friday Night Lights:



- Community hit Comic Con last week and here is Allison Brie talking about what she expected:



- Chuck’s Yvonne Strahovski also has some thoughts on Comic-Con:



- Some changes are going on over on CNN and here is a link to Nancy Franklin’s piece from the current issue of The New Yorker about the subject.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

I Want My Music Television vol. LXXXVIII


There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Amongst the Waves (Live) - Pearl Jam



Surfing enthusiast Eddie Vedder had another song about his favorite pastime on the latest Pearl Jam album and with the recent assault on our oceans, no better time that heal out the ecosystem in the Gulf. Proceeds from the U.S. sale of Pearl Jam's video “Amongst the Waves” will benefit Conservation International's Marine Programs. To learn more about this program and Conservation International, visit www.conservation.org/marine


The Fire – The Roots featuring John Legend



When I first saw this new video from The Roots, I had no idea what was going on, then I read this description from directorRik Cordero:

"The Fire" chronicles a post-apocalyptic death march set in 1945 during the final stages of World War II in Europe. After a cataclysmic event renders the war futile, a paramilitary splinter group -- led by a Kurtz-like figure known as The Commodore -- forces the transfer of young men who will be used as labor...and food. The last survivor of the march receives a mysterious White Box which holds the key to survival.
Yep, still no clue.


You Lost Me - Christina Aguilera



It seems clear that Christina Aguilera should take the Eminem route and start disavowing this album like he did Relapse. This video seems like it is trying to be weird and artsy but just doesn’t go far enough instead coming off amateurish. Seriously, what is up with that effect when she sings about being infected?


He's Not a Boy - The Like



Of course The Like go for a retro video to the great retro song.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Sixth Annual Scooter Television Awards


Welcome to the 6th Annual Scooter Television Awards honoring show that aired new episodes between June 2009 and June 2010. Without further ado, here are the winners of the 2010 STA's:

Best Scripted Show: Friday Night Lights

Best Sitcom: Modern Family

Best Cable Show: Justified

Best Reality Show: Survivor

Best Talk Show: Pardon the Interruption

Best New Show: Justified

Best Awards Show: 2010 Grammy Awards

Best Hour of TV: Fire in the Hole - Justified

Best Half Hour of TV: The Adhesive Duck Deficiency – The Big Bang Theory

Biggest Shocker: How lame the final scene of Lost was

Best Moment: Landon Donavan’s goal against Algeria

Worst Idea: JT giving Russell his Hidden Immunity Idol

Best New Title Sequence: Parenthood

Best Song Placement: Circle of Life – Elton John (Modern Family)

Best Karaoke: In the Moonlight (Do You) – Dylan (Modern Family)

Hottest Token Hot Chick:

Kristin Kreuk: the orginal Token Hot Chick


Kristin Kreuk as a Buy More Nerd Herder


Kristin Kreuk on Chuck


Kristin Kreuk coming out of the shower


Best Character: Sheldon Cooper PhD (The Big Bang Theory)

Best New Character: Annie Edison (Community)

Best Cast Addition: Becky Sproles (Friday Night Lights)

Best Guest Appearance: Ed Norton (Modern Family)

Best Duo: Coach and Tami Taylor (Friday Night Lights)

Most Entertaining Male Reality “Star”: Dre P (Tool Academy 2)

Most Entertaining Female Reality “Star”: Casey Cooper (Real World Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins)

Most Annoying Reality “Star”: Russell Hantz (Survivor)

Best Quote: “Use it or throw it away.” (Raylan Gibbons, Justified)

Show That Should Be Brought Back: Lost (but just the flashsideways world of Dr. Ben Linus and John Locke in high school buddy comedy)

Biggest Question for 2009-2010: What is The Event?

Monday, July 26, 2010

The Best Television Shows of 2009-10 Season


A little late this year for my best shows of the season list because I wanted to get a good chunk of Friday Night Lights under my belt before declaring it the best show of the year. Short of Landry killing another dude, I am confident in calling it just that. My list covers shows that air a bulk of their season between June 2009 and July 2009 (so any current summer show will be eligible next year. Here is the makeup of this year’s list.

1. Friday Night Lights, Season 4 (NBC)

2. Justified, Season 1 (FX)

3. Modern Family, Season 1 (ABC)

4. Parenthood, Season 1 (NBC)

5. The Big Bang Theory, Season 3 (CBS)

6. Rescue Me, Season 5 (FX)

7. Sons of Anarchy, Season 2 (FX)

8. Castle, Season 2 (ABC)

9. Leverage, Season 2 (TNT)

10. Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (CBS)



It should be noted that this is the first time a cable network landed the most shows and had more than one show in the top ten. Also notably missing from the list is the final season of Lost in all its excruciating flashsidewardsness. And to show just how far it fell, here is how the other season landed in their respected years:

Season 1: 2nd
Season 2: 4th
Season 3: 8th
Season 4: 7th
Season 5: 6th
Season 6: Not Ranked

Keep in mind, the only other show with five appearances is Survivor (Friday Night Lights presumably will join that club next season assuming Landry doesn’t go on a killing spree). Below is a running tally of what shows racked up the most Quotes and Songs of the week.


Quotes of the Week
Chuck 5
Friday Night Lights 5
The Big Bang Theory 4
Greek 4
Mercy 4
Modern Family 4
Justified 3
Leverage 3
Rescue Me 3
Survivor 3
Castle 2
Community 2
Eli Stone 2
Kings 2
Lost 2
How I Met Your Mother 1
Ochocinco: The ultimate Catch 1
Pardon the Interruption 1
Parenthood 1
Pushing Daisies 1
Raising the Bar 1
Real World/Road Rules: the Ruins 1
Sons of Anarchy 1
Tool Academy 1

Songs of the Week
Rescue Me 7
The Big Bang Theory 4
Chuck 4
Friday Night Lights 4
Greek 4
Pardon the Interruption 4
Mercy 3
Modern Family 3
Parenthood 3
Castle 2
How I Met Your Mother 2
Late Night 2
Lost 2
Sons of Anarchy 2
Trauma 2
Leverage 1
2010 ESPY Awards 1
Community 1
Eli Stone 1
The Philanthropist 1
Pushing Daisies 1

Sunday, July 25, 2010

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXL


Quote of the Week: So, now what do you think about Obama so far Jess? (Mrs. Clarke, Friday Night Lights)

Song of the Week: Thinking of You – Christian Kane (Leverage)

Big News of the Week: Comic-Con: The yearly nerd pilgrimage to San Diego is upon us. Certainly you can find news that is trickling out on site that are actually there (like who mama Bartowski will be played by).

Leverage: This episode featured Bo Duke, Meg Manning, and made an A-Team reference (I love it when a plan comes together; which took them long enough considering I mentioned Leverage was a modern day version of The A-Team back in my original review). If there were a Friday Night Lights references from touching my four favorite television of all time. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: I seem to have gotten ahead of myself a week and mentioned what happened this week, during last week’s installment. Oops. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

Covert Affairs: If Annie’s identity is so important that she needs a cover job, then why is she taking walk in’s where anyone who walks in can identify her? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Covert Affairs on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: It is a little disturbing that no one on the coaching staff had notice taking forever getting up until this episode. They should have been on that a lot sooner. And does the Sproles household not have a television in the living room to watch movies on. Yeah Tim can plead all he wants that nothing happened, but you shouldn’t share the bed with a girl on her mom’s bed. And from the promos, it looks like things are getting worse for Tim. I was a little surprised that Vince and his boys didn’t skaje down the Riggins boys for no longer stripping cars. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.

Friday Night Lights on iTunes


Free Download of the Week: Trailer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 8 Motion Comic - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 Motion Comic: For the fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer who are too lazy to read (i.e. me), the comic version of the 8th season has been made into a motion comic and you can head over to iTunes to check out the trailer and buy the first episode. If you like your shows in physical form, a blu-ray/DVD combo pack is available for pre-order on Amazon but no release date yet (I saw a non reliable source say early January).

Deal of the Week: Save up to 60% on Popular TV Shows and Movies (Friday Night Lights, Battlestar Galactica, Shaun of the Dead)

Video of the Week: Due to my dislike of airplanes, the idea of going to San Diego in the middle of summer to sit in a convention hall are two of the reason why I have not made my way to Comic Con yet (oh yeah, and I have no desire to be stabbed either). Another reason is why wait in line to see a panel when most of it leaks online anyway. Like this surprise performance during The Big Bang Theory panel.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Mad Men, Tonight at 10:00 on AMC: I have only watch the first season (I have the third on DVD but need to hunt down the second so I can catch up). Also returning tonight is My Boys on TBS. Check out mt preview of the return.