Best of the Week: 3/16/13

Quote of the Week: First thing we are going to do is acknowledge this guy is awesome. He shoots Theo Tonin, fakes his own death in a spectacular fashion, pushes a guy out of an airplane while he’s flying it, parachutes into Harlem County with enough coke and cash to kick start the economy of a small country, and then he has the balls to get a job in law enforcement, not once, but two times. He’s spends a couple days riding around with you while you’re looking for him, and now he’s run off with a hooker that’s half his age. That’s some bad (expletive deleted) (expletive deleted). (Art Mullen, Justified)

Song of the Week: You Get What You Give – The New Radicals (Community)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: There Is a New Pope: Surprisingly about a month ago the pope stepped down for the first time in a couple centuries and this week the Catholics got a new pope who… eh, who cares, that was not even the biggest news on Wednesday. More on the real biggest news story in the Video of the Week segment.

Preview Picture of the Week:

Bates Motel premiering Monday at 10:00 on A&E

Free Download of the Week: No Sympathy – Eric Clapton (iTunes)

Deal of the Week: Big Blu-Ray Blowout: Three Amigos, Pan's Labyrinth, Purple Rain

New Album Release of the Week: Same Trailer Different Park - Kasey Musgraves

New DVD Release of the Week: Zero Dark Thirty

Video of the Week: Forget you new pope, the biggest announcement this week was the launch of the Veronica Mars movie. The Kickstarter campaign broke records raising a million dollars in about four hours and reached its two million goal in ten and went up to three million in about thirty hours (the previous record raised for a film project total was only $808,000). Even if they did not reach their goal, it was just worth it to watch the hilarious accompanying video featuring Ronnie herself Kristen Bell along with Ryan Hansen (I’m not the one with the When in Rome (expletive deleted) you money), Jason Dorhing, Enrico Colanton, and creator Rob Thomas.


Even though they have already reached their goal, as Dick Casablancas explains, that will be their car chase and nudity fund. Rob Thomas has also thought about adding more big ticket rewards, of which Corbin Bernsen even offered his services for free (which is not complete implausible considering the shows love of eighties stars Harry Hamlin and Steve Guttenberg). So now the question is how much money will they raise; enough for a sequel? Trilogy? Maybe if they get enough extra cash, they could get Jessica Chastain to reprise her role or Amanda Seyfried can play Lily Kane’s long lost evil twin. And the question after that is what prematurely canceled show get a crowd sourcing movie? Shawn Ryan already said he was interested in how the Veronica Mars campaign goes as a possible way to get a Terriers movie (Zach Levi of Chuck and the dude behind Men of a Certain Age have also pondered the possibilities). I am slightly disappointed that the moment after Veronica Mars reached its goal that Jason Katims did not start a Friday Night Lights movie Kickstarter or Brian Fuller with Wonderfalls (or Pushing Daisies). Or Rob Thomas setting up another Kickstarter for a Party Down movie.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Pretty Little Liars, Tuesday at 8:00 on ABC Family: The last two season finales of Pretty Little Liars have revealed members of The A-Team with Mona and Toby. They jumped the gun this season as Spencer pulled out a black hoodie from her pillow case which makes me wonder just what is in store for this week’s finally. Will we finally learn who is under the red hood? Cee-Cee? A not so dead Allison? A not so dead Toby in a wig?

Lyrics Quiz: Most Played 90's Songs

I have been listening to my 90’s playlist a lot on my iPod recently so I thought I would sort it by most played and make that this month’s Lyrics Quiz. As always leave your guesses, both artist and song title, in the comment section (or e-mail me). If you are correct I will un-bold the lyric and give you credit. Please keep in mind the lyrics quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please only use your own meandering mind to guess them.

1. Talk about the things you can’t explain: to touch is to heal, to hurt is to steal. If you want to learn how to touch the sky, better learn how to kneel. On your knees boy.
2. Two peas in the same pod, yes we are. Never read too much fiction.
3. We had nothing, I had to do something now I’m knocking on heaven’s door like I’m Bob Dylan.
4. Can you get a set of better clubs with tiny nubs so my irons aren’t always flying off the back swing? (One Week - Stunt - Barenaked Ladies; guessed by Kevin)
5. Sit outside and argue all night long about a God we’ve never seen but never fails to side with me.
6. Get to macking to this (expletive deleted) named Sadie, she used to be the homeboy’s lady.
7. Cards and phone call and pictures of you. Constant reminder of all the thing you get used to.
8. If I could be king, even for a day, I take you as my queen. I’d have it no other way. And our love would rule in this kingdom we have made.
9. And the world’s a stage and the end is near. So push rewind, just in time, thank anybody. It’s just the way that you are. (Then the Morning Comes - Smash Mouth; guessed by Kevin)
10. Just close your eyes and I’ll take you there. This place is warm without a care. We’ll take a swim in the deep blue sea. I go to leave and you reach for me.
11. Pass the road to your house that you never called home. Where they turned off your lights. They say you’ll never know.
12. I don’t care if you really care as long as you don’t go. So I cry, I pray and I beg.
13. Remember you were talking and I watched as sweat ran down your face. Reached out and I caught it at your chin, licked my fingertips.
14. I have been told that salvation let’s their wings unfold. So when I’m lying in my bed, thoughts running through my head, and I feel that love is dead.
15. Follow me into the desert as thirsty as you are. Crack a smile and curl your mouth and drown in alcohol.
16. Who got the only sweetest thing in the world? Who got the love, who got the freshy, freshy?
17. Some useful knowledge can always be found. Don’t burn the library until you’ve read all the books.
18. I know you’re not afraid to go it alone, but this was a marriage of spirit, flesh, and bone.
19. Load up on guns, bring your friend, it’s fun to lose and to pretend. (Smells Like Teen Spirit - Niravana; guessed by Kevin)
20. I don’t know why you’re mean to me when I call on the telephone. And I don’t know what you mean to me, but I want to turn you on, turn you up, figure you out. I want to take you on.
21. He’s got a daughter he calls Easter; she was born on a Tuesday night.
22. Give you everything you need to live inside a twisted cage, speep beside an empty rage. I had a dream I was your hero.
23. Ya know I’d like to keep my cheeks dry today.
24. A pocket is no place for a smile anyway. Someday I will find love again will blow my mind.
25. Visiting is pretty, visiting is good. Seems like all they ever wanted was a brother.

Around the Tubes: 3/14/13

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 Veep, Beat Making Lab, The 80’s: The Decade that Made Us, Consent, Side Effects, Dom La Nena, Modern Machines, Falling Skies, and Quincy Jones.

- As we inch closer to the April 14 premiere of the second season of Veep, HBO some new Key Art which you can take a look at below:


- PBS Digital Studios, producers of the popular Icons: Remixed, Off Book, and Idea Channel web series has just launched a brand new series called Beat Making Lab. The series follows two music professionals and educators as they travel to international destinations, providing undeserved communities with the training and tools to create their own original hip hop and electronic music. See the premiere video below:


- Coming Sunday April 14, the National Geographic Channel will be airing their own version of I Love the 80’s with the six part The 80’s: The Decade that Made Us narrated by Rob Lowe. The miniseries “isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about the history of our modern world that spawned political, technological, cultural and social revolutions that began in the United States and went on to dominate the world.” No word yet if Michael Ian Black will be involved.

- Starring Troian Bellisario, star of ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars), Consent tells the story of a wealthy Manhattan family’s inability to cope with the suicide of their eldest daughter, resulting in a downward spiral of drugs, alcohol and sexual taboos that threatens to destroy them. The movie will be released on digital platforms Tuesday.

- It was announced yesterday that the provocative thriller, Side Effects will be released on BluRay/DVD combo pack on May 21 and digital download on May 7 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. From Academy Award®-winning director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Contagion) comes this suspenseful tale of intrigue featuring an all-star cast of Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

- Sometime described as Cat Power’s lost sister, Brazilian cellist / vocalist Dom La Nena has just released a new video for Anjo Gabriel, off her debut album Ela, which you can watch below.


- Fans of dance music looking for something new to dance to will want to give a listen to Trouble by Modern Machines. And if you like it, use the download button on the Soundcload widget below to get the song for free.



- TNT’s epic drama Falling Skies, basic cable's #1 summer drama among key adult demos, is bringing the Second Mass resistance back to WonderCon Anaheim with a panel Q&A and exclusive look at what’s ahead in season 3. Series stars Drew Roy (Secretariat), Sarah Carter (Shark) and Seychelle Gabriel (Weeds) will join executive producer Remi Aubuchon (24, Persons Unknown) for a panel session moderated by Rich Sands, senior editor at TV Guide Magazine, on Saturday, March 30 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The panel session will include several exclusive clips offering a sneak peek at the first episode of Falling Skies season 3, which is set to launch this summer on TNT.

- AXS TV has joined Keep Memory Alive’s Power of Love Gala honoring Quincy Jones and Sir Michael Caine’s 80th birthday as the exclusive broadcast partner. The music network will air the special LIVE from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 13, 2013.

In Time the Rockies will Crumble, Gibraltar will Tumble, They’re Only Made of Clay

At age sixty-seven, Eric Clapton has recorded twenty-eight studio albums, twenty as a solo artist, so are we really supposed to expect much from the twenty-ninth? For a guy once regarded as “God” sure. Really the most notable aspect of Old Sock (do not ask) is that it is the very first released not on a major label but on his own record label Bushbranch (again, do not ask). Like most of his albums from this millennium, Old Sock relies heavy on covers, there are two covers, and features a bevy of guest stars that you probably will not know are there unless you are reading along with the liner notes.

The album starts up with a reggae version of Further on Down the Road by Taj Mahal (who contributes harmonica and banjo to the album) and also dips back into the island sound on Peter Tosh’s Till Your Well Runs Dry. Clapton’s old buddy, and sometime recording partner, J.J. Cale contributes vocals and guitars to the softly sung Angel. Another Clapton contributor, Steve Winwood from the Blind Faith days, plays the organ on Still Got the Blues. While Chaka Khan sings back up on the rare original track Gotta Get Over which stands as one of the best on the album, a funky song and one of the rare tracks where Clapton lets loose on his guitar.

Clapton also spends some time dipping into the old standards much like Paul McCartney did on his latest album, and the Beatles shows up on All of Me (most famously done by Billie Holiday) playing the bass and providing backing vocals. He also breaks out the old Leadbelly old timey classic Goodnight Irene and even closes the album with Love Is Here to Stay written by the Gershwin Brothers. Eric Clapton has clearly mellowed as he has gotten older, I just wished he would unleash one more guitar god album before putting on another pair of old socks.

Song to Download – Gotta Get Over

Old Sock gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

The Real Vikings Collection from History

Last week, History launched its first ever scripted series Vikings, but for those that want to learn about the Nordic warriors without the poetic license that comes with a work of fiction, even if based on real events, History has compiled three of its specials on the subjects for The Real Vikings Collection. All three specials were an hour long and fit on a single disk. The first special is Foot Soldiers: The Vikings from 1998 and it hosted by the very nineties Richard Karn of Home Improvement fame. Despite being the oldest (and thus being the only one presented in the old timey 4:3 presentation), it is the most entertaining of the specials where you leaned where the myth of the Viking helmets with horns came from and you even get to see Al on a surfboard. You also learn of the special Viking fighting force, the Berserkers, who would fight on mushrooms. And yes, that is where our term “berserk” came from.

The next special is an episode of Lost Worlds from 2007 which takes CGI models to show us what Vikings societies looked like at the time based on archaeological digs and artifacts from the time (which include a Buddha statue despite the Vikings never ever making it to the Far East). The third special is an episode of Warriors with Terry Schappert (rechristened “Viking Terror” on the DVD) where the former Green Beret looks at the different fighting styles and weapons from the “Hell’s Angels of the Middle Ages”.

Even for those that are watching the scripted Vikings series, it is interesting watching this DVD collection to see what the series got right and what they are taking liberties with. While each special has its own focus on the Viking culture, one event all of them focused on was assault on the English monastery as featured in the second episode which is widely considered the beginning of the Vikings era in Europe. It does look like the set design has gotten the living quarters and the boating design very close to how the Vikings built things in their times. And the special could depict what could be coming up in future episodes or season. I really hope a Vikings battle, as demonstrated by Schappert, gets staged.


Full Disclosure Notice: This DVD was given to me by Lionsgate for review.

I Want My Music Television: 3/11/13

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.


February Seven - The Avett Brothers


Who would of guessed that an intro of The Avett Brothers fighting with each other would be so entertaining. I wonder if there is a tape out there like the one that the Gallagher brothers released at the height of Oasis which somehow managed to crack the singles charts in England.


Something Like Olivia – John Mayer


I do not know why it crossed my mind while watching this video, but I wonder if John Mayer wrote this song about Olivia Munn. I know something like Olivia Munn is what I need to find.


Why Am I the One - Fun.


Who would have guessed a music video about a suitcase would be so depressing? Thanks for not living up to your name Fun..


Downtown - Lady Antebellum


So were Lady Antebellum unable to get Kat Dennings? I cannot imagine they were sitting around wondering if they could get the other chick from 2 Broke Girls to be in their video.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: 3/10/13

The Walking Dead: One thing I really hated about Lost is that they would set up something, forget about it, and they finally pay it off long after everyone stopped caring. That was the case this episode when Rick finally ran into the dude who saved him in the series premiere. This meeting should have happened late in the first season or early in the third. But it was still one of the better episodes in the show as Rick finally met someone crazier than he is, but you got to love all the booby traps that crazy dude set up for the walkers and the barely living.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Shameless: I was wondering when Karen would pop up again. I figured after Lip gave her a call it would not be long. Though I cannot image she will stick around that long after learning how much it will take to care for her son and just let the grandparents fight over him.

Vikings: It dawned on me about half way through the episode it may not have been the best idea to do a basic cable version of Game of Thrones set in the real world. But the “This season on” package did leave me intrigued so I probably give the show another episode or two to win me over.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Vikings on iTunes

House of Lies: I never thought anyone could ruin a Kristen Bell Sex Tape, but they somehow managed to do that. Thanks House of Lies.

Switched at Birth: It is brave to try an all ASL episode, but I think it could have been better conceived. I thought maybe they would have a national day of silence in protest of the closing of Carlton. Or maybe follow a day in the life of Daphne or even Emmitt for a day. The way they did it seemed a little to force to avoid any spoken dialogue.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Switched At Birth on iTunes.

Dallas: It does not really mattered what happened in the first fifty-nine minutes, something about a silly car race, and the third Ewing brother made his first appearance in Dallas in about three decades, all that matters is the two gunshots that ended the episode. Any other show, it may have been in bad taste to murder off the character of an actor who died in real like, but in the case of Larry Hagman, it seems like a fitting tribute to send off J.R. Ewing with a murder mystery considering Who Shot J.R. was one of the biggest storylines ever in the history of television. I am sure next episode we will get a fitting tribute, but after that we will start for the hunt for J.R.’s killer. Since he was (supposedly) half the world away when he was shot, that rules out everyone in the main cast unless there was a time jump we are unaware of. Your probably have to put Cliff Barnes at the top of the list (but would he be so brazen, as the promo monkeys would have suggest, show up and taunt the death of his rival at his own funeral after killing him). Could Sue Ellen’s sister, who originally shot J.R., come back to finish the job? Um no, it turns out she overdosed and drowned in a pool during the original run. But maybe her son, Christopher finished what his biological mother started. Maybe Gary showing up in Dallas was not a coincidence. Or to tie it back into the modern day version, maybe one of Vincente’s buddies are set to avenge his death.
You can download Dallas on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: Well that was a completely random and completely shoehorned in celebrity cameo. At least tease that it would be possible that Missy Franklin could be A, put her in a red coat or something. But even worse, are they actually going to let Ezra teach again… in high school? What, what?!? Apparently even the principal knows something went on, how could he let this happen? Why will Ella work with a dude who sleeping with her high school daughter? These are the worst administrators and parents ever.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

The Lying Game: So the dude in the black hoodie had to be Thayer right? Everything points to either Rebecca or Alec being the one who killed the one dude and kidnapped (and looks also killed) Teresa, but could Thayer be behind it the whole time? But then the question is why.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Lying Game on iTunes.

Justified: Where most law enforcement shows are about who did it, Justified has almost always been a show where we knew who the criminal was early on with the show being much more about the chase. So it is not surprising that the show would unveil its first real long mystery with three episodes to go, maybe it is surprising they did not reveal who Drew Thompson was earlier. Although some could argue that they revealed that Sherriff Shelby was Drew last week when his conversation with Ellen May made it so obvious that I assumed it was going to be a red herring. So now Raylan, and Boyd and Theo Tonin, have three episodes to hunt down Drew. Oh, and Boyd has extra incentive to find him too because it looks like he took Ellen May with him.

It was surprising how funny this episode was considering it came in the wake of Arlo death. The shootout between Constable Bob and the white collar criminals was hilarious, Art’s tirade the kicked off the episode, Raylan still had his trademark wit, and of course all of Wynn Duffy’s reactions were priceless (I bet he did not think a federal agent would be making a house call with a federal prisoner). I was also surprised that the preacher’s sister finally reappeared and it did not involve her teaming up with Ellen May, instead she teamed up with Tim. Is Gutterson finally going to get some love on the show?
You can download Justified on iTunes.

Survivor: Caramoan: What a crime against humanity that the Fans voted out the three hot chicks right in a row. And it was completely short sided to get rid of Laura now, she definitely had the better argument in that you cannot trust Fratboy #1 or Fratboy#2 if they switch things up and keeping them will no way guarantee winning any challenges (and it was hypocritical of the Fratboys for saying they needed to keep a stronger team yet voted for Shamar, probably the strongest person on their team, twice in a row). And more importantly, how do you vote off the three hottest chicks in your tribe in your first three Tribal Councils? I am beginning to worry about the longevity of Andrea now.
You can stream recent episodes over at CBS.com. You can also download Survivor: Caramoan on iTunes.

The Neighbors: I feel bad for Jackie if the only song she has found on the planet Earth has been Semi-Charmed Life.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Neighbors on iTunes.

The Americans: Holy frack, Felicity just beat the crap out of Mags Bennett!!! Did not see that coming. I did see that they were being interrogated by the KGB, that was pretty obvious, it is way too early to for the United States government to be on to them (I will be surprised if that happens sometimes before the season finale).
You can download The Americans on iTunes.

King of the Nerds: A couple weeks Jeff Probst did a podcast with Chuck Closterman when Chuck asked Probst if Survivor rewarded mediocrity. His reasoning was simple: all the weak players get eliminated first, and then all the strong people get voted off after the merge, leaving the mediocre to win most seasons. I could not help think of that conversation while Celeste got crowned King of the Nerds. Going into the finals I thought Genevieve would sweep the vote, she was her team’s leader and won three Nerd Off’s while Celeste did not have one signature moment on the show, but mediocrity was awarded (two people weirdly mentioned Celeste’s “growth” as the reason for voting for her). Yawn.
You can download King of the Nerds on iTunes.