57 Channels and Only This Is On - 2/17/13

Once Upon a Time: So Jack of the beanstalk fame was a chick? Alrighty. About as realistic as watching Hurley trying to run. I also like the promo monkeys making it sound like the reveal of Mr. Gold’s son is going to eb a shocking reveal as anyone who has watched has already figured out that his son is also Henry’s baby daddy.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Once Upon a Time on iTunes.

Revenge: It is common knowledge that the second season of the show just is not as entertaining as the first. I would argue that the Jump the Shark moment was when it was revealed that it was not Daniel who died as witnessed during the series premiere but the Rent Boy instead. And it looks like the show is going to pull that cheap storytelling again this season as it was teases that Jack would end up at the bottom of the ocean at some point but will not actually pull it off as I bet the evil dock owner is the one that will end up dead. Hurmph.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Revenge on iTunes.

The Walking Dead: So after coherently invading Woodbury and successfully saving Glen, Maggie, and then Daryl, Rick is bat-ish crazy again. Yep, seems right. Welcoming back The Walking Dead.
You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Shameless: Just when you think the show has run out of new ways to offend the audience, a third Malkovich child shows up with an extra package. Apparently nothing came out of Frank calling child services a couple weeks ago, but I am beginning to think maybe a representative should start showing up on set.

House of Lies: I try to avoid anything that involves Matt Damon and got tired of actors playing a douchebag version of themselves a long time ago, but this may have been the most entertaining episode of the show yet.

Switched at Birth: Is it wrong that I started yelling “Deaf Fight!!!” during this episode? Please do not answer that, I already know the answer.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Switched At Birth on iTunes.

How I Met Your Mother: Just when you think this was going to be another episode where the writers beat an already not very funny joke into the ground, out walks Mike Tyson. Well done writers, well done.
You can stream recent episodes over at CBS.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

Dallas: I wonder why Ryland and his mother are perpetrating Bobby lie that he shot him. Does Ryland actually not remember and his mommy told him who shot him? As much as they hate Anne, why not let her rot in jail?
You can download Dallas on iTunes.

Deception: O wow, I was actually right that the dude from the John Laraquette Show was actually Mia father. And now I am beginning to think he killed Edward’s one night stand to have leverage over the Bowers family. But even if the statute of limitations of statutory rape runs out after five years, would accessory to murder still get him jail time. I may just have to move him up on my list of suspect to number two after step-mommy.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Deception on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: Huh, it looked like Jason’s flashback was going to show what happened after Mr. Montgomery got threatened by Allison and then Spencer’s sister walked out of her house, but instead of Allison, Jason saw… CeCe? Huh? Maybe it is CeCe is the red coat that is the Master A. And where did Jason go? Unles the Liars are that unobservant that h would just slip by, did he really jump out of the window after falling down an elevator shaft?
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Justified: I guess I was not the only one who thought Major Dad was also Drew Thompson. Granted until I see his high school wrestling pictures under the name Josiah, I would be highly suspicious that he still is. But if Major Dad is not Drew Thompson, who is? Since the show like to recycle its guest stars, I have a feeling we have already met him (for half a second, I actually thought that Arlo may be Drew Thompson, but Raylan is too old to not know his father changed his name). Could it be the half naked judge from News Radio? Sherriff Shelby? Constable Bob? Wynn Duffy? Please oh, please let it be Dewey Crowe.
You can download Justified on iTunes.

Nashville: I wonder if Gunner and Scarlett ditch Avery’s band just like Avery did. They get wind that Rayna may want to sign them, and no mention of the other guys. I guess with a show with this name, someone needs to stay in Nashville.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Nashville on iTunes.

The Americans: Holy Mags Bennett sighting! You knew when Mags showed up in dinner, she was not going to be just some random creepy chick; the only question would be if she were KGB or FBI (or some other three letter agency). It turns out she is the new KGB boss and has no problem killing a chick. But I guess that was the only reasonable outcome (again showing again just how soft the Jennings are getting), with the kid going to his grandparents in Mother Russia.
You can download The Americans on iTunes.

Community: Note to the new showrunner: no more Scary Annie please.  It is not brain surgery, put her in highly GIF-able situations.  No need to over-think things when it comes to her.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Best of the Week - 2/16/13

Quote of the Week: I think Lynyrd Skynyrd is overrated, I know you are in Boyd’s pocket. (Raylan Givins, Justified)

Song of the Week: 9 To 5 – Dolly Parton (The Neighbors)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: State of the Union: Like every year before it, I skipped this year’s State of the Union because like always, you could find out of the president was going to say ahead of time and the pageantry around the speech is absurd where the hour long speech only involves about five minutes of actually speaking because of all the clapping and standing ovations, and the occasional shoats of “You lie!” And though we will never get rid of the State of the Union because it is ordained by the Constitution, can we please agree to get rid of the opposing party’s response? Best case scenario is that it is boring but more often the person looks like a fool like when Marco Rubio took a snack break in the middle.

Preview Picture of the Week:

Dallas "Trail and Error" Monday at 9:00 on TNT

Free Download of the Week: Restless Heart – Matt Hires (iTunes)

New Album Release of the Week: Jamie Lidell - Jamie Lindell

New DVD Release of the Week: Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season

Video of the Week: Last year the funniest new show was not on television but on the intertubes. Burning Love lampooned The Bachelor and this week, in time for Valentine’s Day, the second season debuted with it’s The Bachelorette parody. I was hoping that it would star Sally Draper’s teacher, but alas it was not to be as she was relegated to the "On the previous season" prelude with a very famous face. And maybe she will show up on the third season when they send up Bachelor Pad. Until then, here is the second season premiere of Burning Love and head over to the website where the first three episodes are already ready for your viewing pleasure.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Killing Lincoln, Sunday (tomorrow) at 8:00 on the National Geographic Channel: If you have not gotten enough of the sixteen president over the last couple months, you can commemorate the anniversary of his dead with a movie focusing on his killer. For a full review, check out Previewing Killing Lincoln.

Lyrics Quiz: Love Song

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day so I thought I would run Love Song by Tesla (which was number one on my list of the 100 Greatest Power Ballads of All-Time) through iTunes Genius function and here are the first twenty-five songs that came up. 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. Got a picture of your house an you’re standing by the door. It’s black and white and faded and it’s looking pretty worn.
2. Do you want to see me begging baby? Can’t you give me just one more day? Can’t you see my heart’s been dragging lately? I’ve been looking for the words to say.
3. I don’t want to hear about it anymore. It is a shame I have to live without you anymore. There’s a fire in my heart, a pounding in my brain. It’s driving me crazy.
4. So here it is, another chance. Wide awake, you face the day. Your dream is over... or has it just begun?
5. Little child, dry your crying eyes, how can I explain the fear you feel inside? Cause you were born into this evil world where man is killing man and no one knows just why.
6. What gives you the right to put a fence to keep you out when other people would let you in? If God was here he would tell it to your face man you’re some kind of sinner. (Signs (Live) - Tesla; guessed by Kevin)
7. I got to know tonight if you’re alone tonight. Can’t stop this feeling, can’t stop this fire.
8. You didn’t know that rock n roll burned so you bought a candle and you lived and you learned.
9. Run, run, run away like a train running off the track. Got the truth being left behind, falls between the cracks.
10. Clean as a whistle, smelling like a rose. She go no dirty little fingers, bloodshot eyes are gone.
11. She calls me Goliath and I wear David mask. I guess the stones are coming too fast for her now.
12. There goes my old girlfriend, there’s another diamond ring. And all those late night promises I guess they don’t mean a thing.
13. We weren’t in love, oh no, far from it, we weren’t searching for some high in the sky summit. We were just young and restless and bored. Living by the sword.
14. And if I had those golden dreams of my yesterdays. I would wrap you in the heaven feeling it dying all the way.
15. Go on and write me up at one twenty-five. Post my face: waned dead or alive. Take my license, all that jive.
16. I’m a fighter, I’m a poet, I’m a preacher. I’ve been to school, oh baby I’ve been the teacher.
17. Well I’m the guy who never learned to dance, never even got one second glance. Across the crowded room was close enough, I could love but I could never touch.
18. Rivers flow into the sea, yet even the seas is not so full of me. If I’m not blind why can’t I see that a circle can’t fit where a square should be?
19. I was born to run, I was born dream, the craziest boy you’ve ever seen. I gotta do it my way, or no way at all.
20. I must be on my way. The time is drawing near. My train is going. I see it in your eyes, the love, the need, your tears. But I'll be lonely without you. And I'll need your love to see me through.
21. Why you act frightened, I m enlightened. You’re weakness fills me. So someday you’ll see.
22. Look at your young men fighting, look at your women crying, look at your young men dying, the way they’ve always done before.
23. Got a surprise especially for you, something that both of us have always wanted to do. We’ve waited so long, waited so long.
24. Well there’s people and more people, what do they know? Go to work in some high rise and vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico.
25. Then I heard it on the street, I heard you might of found someone new. Well who is he baby and tell me what he means to you?

First Impressions: Survivor Caramoan: Fans vs. Favorites II

When they announced that the next season of Survivor would be Fans vs. Favorites II my mind races with the possibilities: Kat or Tarzan from One World, Ralph from Redemption Island, Fabio from Nicaragua, oh goodness, I hope they do not bring back Colton. And when they finally announced who would be returning, it was met with a resounding “huh?” I had to Google half the cast (anyone actually remember Francesca, Brenda, or Corinne?) and the other half read like the Moron half of my proposed Morons vs. Masterminds season. It is clear why they titled this season Caramoan instead of Fans vs. Favorites II because there are few “favorites” to be found.

You had two of the three people who actually gave up their Immunity Necklace only to be promptly voted out in Brandon Hantz (seriously CBS, stop it with the Hantz family) and Erik Reichenbach (who is the lone returnee from the original Fans vs. Favorite). Then you had Phillip Sheppard who surprisingly managed to pass not one but two physiological tests to get on the show. When the first Fans vs. Favorites seasons were announced I thought the Favorites had such an unfair advantage for already have played, but not this time around. I have to feel bad for Andrea Boehlke and Malcolm Freberg for being played on maybe the most inept tribe ever assembled (which is doubly bad for Malcolm who tribe last season was just as incompetent).

Not surprisingly, Special Agent Phillip was once again pitted against his arch-nemesis, the hard to pronounce Francesca. The real question would be how the alliances would break down, would the few sane people team up? Just how many crazies could coexist in one alliance? Also not surprisingly the two of the most mentally challenged contestants of all time, Phillip and Brandon ended up on opposite sides. And just like the first season, Phillip does not have to spend much time trying to pronounce Francesca as he got her out first. Again. Which thankfully means Brandon is on the outs and looks to make a quick an exit his uncle did the last time Russell played.

But enough with the “Favorites”, unlike the first time around, they actually recruited some interesting “Fans” this time around. Unfortunately the two early standouts, former Marine, and surprisingly lazy Shamar Thomas and the very hairy Matt Bischoff went after each other on camp priorities. Really the only other glimpses we got to see of the fans tribe was a “High School” alliance form and just like the dumb jocks and cheerleaders, they apparently cannot count because an alliance of four can still get voted out quite easily (but that means Shamar and Matt would have to align with each other).

After losing the first Immunity Challenge and the promo monkeys making it look like they will head to another Tribal Council next week, it is safe to assume that one of the fans will be crowned the ultimate Survivor this season (unless the “Favorites can do some Jedi Mind Tricks after the merge like what happened to Erik the first time around) and I am going to go ahead and predict that Laura Alexander wins. If a favorite does somehow get the million dollars, my back up choice is Dawn.

Survivor: Caramoan airs Wednesdays at 8:00 on CBS. You can stream episodes on cbs.com. You can also download Survivor on iTunes.

Previewing Inside Combat Rescue

With all the talk of drones these days, let us not forget there are still plenty of brave men and women fighting in Afghanistan putting their lives on the line for this country. On Monday, the National Geographic Channel will highlight some of those that try to help those injured behind enemy lines on Inside Combat Rescue. This is not a reality show version of M.A.S.H., these are the people that take the wounded to the M.A.S.H. units and have to get them there inside the “golden hour” to give the wounded the best chances of survival.

Inside Combat Rescue is the first time in history the United States Air Force is allowing cameras follow the Pararescuemen (you can just call them PJ’s) while they try to save critically wounded soldiers, American or Afghan. The show followed around the PJ’s for four months crossed 130 missions which saved 108 lives. This job is so dangerous, they have to travel in two helicopters, one caring the wounded and a second one trailing to protect the first helicopter.

The six part series is as real as it gets, if you cannot handle fake medical dramas, you may want to skip Inside Combat Rescue because it shows everything including missing limbs (I spent about ten minutes per episode watching through my fingers). But the show also follows the seven men, ranging from someone on his sixth deployment to a rookie, featured during their downtime also, from communicating with family back home (one of them is a soon to be father) to pulling pranks on each other. You even get to witness the crew debate a moral dilemma of whether to go to the rescue of an Afghan kid even though new rules of engagement state that any Afghan citizen should be left to be rescued by the Afghan rescue units. Inside Combat Rescue is a harrowing reminder of the wars that are still being fought and should be watched by anyone who can stomach the more graphic scenes.

Inside Combat Rescue airs Mondays at 10:00 on the National Geographic Channel. You can download Inside Combat Rescue on iTunes. 

Previewing Killing Lincoln

It is weird to think that Presidents Day lines up with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln but Friday marks the 148 anniversary of his death. And almost a century and a half after his death, Abe is having a banner twelve months with three separate movies made about him, the Oscar nominated Lincoln which is odds on favorite to clean up at the awards later this month, one that re-imagined as a Vampire Hunter, and this Sunday, a day before his shared holiday, the National Geographic Channel will be airing their first originally scripted drama, Killing Lincoln based on the book of the same name written by Bill O’Reilly.

Despite being the title character, Lincoln is almost a secondary character with John Wilkes Booth taking center stage for most of the film. Lincoln is even dead by the halfway point (spoiler alert for those that fell asleep during history class and ignored the title of the film). With the focus on the murderer, there are plenty of facts that are brought up that I was unaware of (keep in mind I never read the book) like Booth originally planned to just kidnap Lincoln, along with Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward. Killing Lincoln may be the first in-depth look on the man who was the first to assassinate a sitting president. Even the film The Conspirator, Booth was resigned to a background character.

In this installment Billy Campbell (The Killing) is the one who puts Lincoln’s top hat while Jesse Johnson (Don’s son) is the man behind the gun. It is hard to follow up Daniel Day-Lewis but Campbell play Abe with a calm cool while Johnson treats Booth as an overacting bad guy who pull everything from an actor’s arsenal short of twirling his mustache (probably because it is not long enough). The film is narrated by Tom Hanks who is show in what looks like an abandon stage set where he occasionally fiddles with plots I am not entirely sure ties in with what he is talking about.

But Killing Lincoln is a profound look at one of the darkest days in our counties history with plenty of new information for anyone who has just read the textbook in history class (like it was actually the Chief Justice who conducted the murder investigation). It is also interesting how they portrayed John Wilkes Booth because I do not think it is a coincidences there are a few monologues that Booth sound exactly like what you would hear from a Tea Party member (and, ironically an O’Reilly viewer) talking today about Barack Obama. Killing Lincoln is certainly worth watching and I have a feeling that O’Reilly’s follow up book, Killing Kennedy, will be on air by next Presidents Day.

Killing Lincoln premieres Sunday at 8:00 on the National Geographic Channel. You can also check out the extended trailer below or check out the Interactive Killing Lincoln page.

We On Award Tour: 2013 Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are always the best award shows of the year just because of all the great performances even if it is an off year for music. But a funny thing happened at this year’s Grammy, it was almost as if I programmed it. I loved almost all the performances (who invited Justin Timberlake, I hate when people who are not nominated get to perform unless they are a legacy artist; plus I do not see Suit and Tie getting nominated for anything next year) and it is almost as if I did the nominating. Sure I could nitpick that Call Me Maybe was nominated for a songwriting award or how Norah Jones was shut out despite releases her best single of her career, Happy Pills. But for the first time I actually endorse every nominee in the most prestigious category, each made my list of The Best Albums of 2012 (or 2011 thanks to the Grammy’s wonky eligibility rule). Usually one (or four) stinkers sneak in, somehow Lady Gaga was that past three years. Since it seemed like this year’s Grammys were geared specially towards me, I have a feeling the ratings will be way down and they will be back to nominating unworthy artists next year (maybe Suit and Tie will get a nod... or five), but I definitely enjoyed this year. Here are some thoughts on last night’s festivities.

- We may be witnessing the downfall of Taylor Swift, her performer, the carnival meets Wonderland meets Marionettes meets Marie Antoinette was way too much. Hopefully Red is her Pop and she will go back to basics with her next album like U2 did with All That You Can't Leave Behind.

- Of course Adele won the first award, after the great ratings of last year, the show want to continue that even if a live performance off a DVD is a bit cheap way to get nominated. But then again it was not like there was much competition in that category.

- When Fun. performed at the nomination special I figured they would not get invited to the big show because they already burned off their best song. But they did get to perform and we were stuck listening to the fifth best song off their album (same goes for Maroon 5).

- I think the suits Miguel and Wiz Khalifa were wearing broke my HD. And of course they went on to announce the Best Country Solo Performance.

- A couple weeks ago someone pointed out to me that We Are Young is a song about domestic abuse ("My seat's been taken by some sunglasses asking 'bout a scar, I know I gave it to you months ago") I it is weird listening to it ever since. Even weirder is a song that may be about domestic abuse won a songwriting award.

- It was jarring seeing Mumford & Sons perform with an electric bass instead of their trademark stand-up bass. And what was with three of them being clean shaven?

- Alicia Keys playing the drums = awesome.

- Should I know who Micky Echo is?

- Best acceptance speech of the night, maybe ever: "I would like to thank the swap meet for his hat." - Jay-Z.

- I really like the aesthetic of the two The Black Keys, but I would like them to make a full band album at some point, preferably with Danger Mouse producing.

- After every review mentioned The Police, of course Bruno Mars had to bring in Sting for his performance. But I wish the Bob Marley part was much longer.

- I am not sure if there is such a thing as male groupies, but if there are, I am thinking about becoming one for the chick from the The Lumineers.

- Do someone slip me some acid or was Carrie Underwood's dress changing shapes and colors?

- How do you invite Prince to an award show and not get him to perform? This may have been the best awards in recent memory, but not getting Prince to sing was an epic fail.

- I guess it should go down as a successful Grammy awards because Chris Brown made it through an entire night without punching anyone.

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 2/10/13

How I Met Your Mother: They really should have saved most of the Abby Elliot (I wonder if she is going to run into her real life father and Lily’s fake dad) storyline for next week and devoted ninety-five percent of the episode to Robin Sparkles Daggers. The show is always at its best when it makes fun of Canada, and Robin’s Underneath the Music was the most memorable skit this show has done in recent memory. Hats off for getting Dave Coulier to come in and insist the song is not about him in a not so subtle nod to the rumor that Alanis Morissette’s You Oughta Know is about him. Now if only Bob Saget can get Kimmie Gibbler out of retirement.
You can stream recent episodes over at CBS.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

Dallas: Well that was an ending I did not see coming. Assistant Director Skinner finally makes the title sequence, and then gets gunned down. Unfortunately that pretty much spoils if he survives the gunshot. Although that would be a great misdirect if they put him in the credits only to kill him off in episode three. (Rumor has it Joss Whedon wanted to put Eric Balfour in the credits of Buffy the Vampire Slayer only to kill him off in the two part series premiere but was not allowed because of financial reasons.)
You can download Dallas on iTunes.

Castle: Apparently the NYPD needs to hire me as a consultant because it seems like I am always one step ahead of their investigation. Like this week, as soon as they found the car, my first thought was why would someone kill someone else in front of their car and not use it to transport the body instead leaving the car there with plenty of incriminating evidence inside for a day or two.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes.

Deception: Wait, Mia’s real father cannot possibly be the dude from the John Laraquette show, can it? It has to be him or someone we have not met yet (unless they want to go even ickier and make Julian the father).
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Deception on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: I’m with Spencer, (in only one respect), there is no reason to eulogize Alison again. They did it at her last funeral and presumably when she first went missing and presumed dead. I am not with Spencer for going crazy just because she learned her creepy boyfriend, that she believed less than a year ago killed one of her friends, turned out to really be evil. And finally someone on the show actually stated a theory that I have had since the first episode when Hannah, who of course has always been my favorite, actually questioned if Allison is actually alive. Who else could have been the blonde in the red coat? CeCe? Everyone else on the show I can think of has dark hair except the chick Emily dated a couple of seasons ago.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Justified: Last week I pondered how long it would be until Ellie May teams up with the preacher’s sister to exact revenge on Boyd. Maybe the preacher’s sister is insignificant as Ellie May ended up in the sheriff’s house this week as the lawman looks like he wants to go legit and bring down the Crowder Empire. This would be much more interesting than what I thought was going to happen (though I have a feeling that we have not seen the last of the sister).

I got a sinking suspicion that Josiah may turn out to be Drew Thompson. C’mon, you do not bring in Major Dad to be a dude who sends out his daughter to steal pipe. And what better reason to cut off your own foot if a ruthless druglord who you stole money from is close on your tail? (I always thought the home monitors had heat sensors so such things could not occur, maybe I watch too many of these types of shows.) So either Major Dad is Drew Thompson or the real Drew I the person that kidnapped him.

It was also nice to see shocked Wynn Duffy back. His reactions were always the best and watching the dude from Yes Dead shoot an FBI agent in the head was another classic Wynn look.
You can download Justified on iTunes.

Modern Family: I do not like how they made a joke out of Cat's In the Cradle, one of the greatest tales ever recorded in the history of storytelling.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Modern Family on iTunes.

Subugatory: It is amazing how close to racism they can get away with. That is not to say I did not enjoy Triple A. I actually would not mind more trips to East Chatswin. But I wondered why Dallas just did not sell off enough of her East Chatswinian land to make her a majority Chatswin Proper resident.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Suburgatory on iTunes.

Nashville: Ooo, the show totally put Taylor Swift on blast with Juliet’s storyline this week. Btu it is weird they are trying to turn her into a real artist when at the start of the series they had to auto-tune her in the studio. Now she is singing acoustically live… with no back up dancers? Pretty soon she will be touring with The Lumineers.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Nashville on iTunes.

Community: Kind of clever of the new showrunners to have a tongue in cheek “regular” sitcom inside the show, but they went one joke too far with Inception parody.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

King of the Nerds: Genevieve definitely had reason to hate on Kevin Smith because he jobbed her in that debate. She won that debate going away. Oh well, at least she won the Nerd Off. Seriously, how are you dubbed the “Batman Expert” and lose a comic book trivia challenge? Even I was able to get two questions right and I am not an expert or even studied. Granted one I just guessed, but I was able to guess the right year Superman was introduced before the choices were even announced.

Best of the Week - 2/9/13

Quote of the Week: You're talking about no sense of humor. This is funny. I know I'm laughing. (Raylan Givens, Justified)

Song of the Week: P.S. I Love You – Robin Sparkles Daggers (How I Met Your Mother)

Scene of the Week:



Big News of the Week: The Super Bowl: As a former referee, I tend to err on the side of officials whenever there is a questionable call, we are all human and we are going to make a mistake or ten even at the highest levels. I do get a bit suspicious whenever the officiating is severely lopsided like it was with this year’s Super Bowl, the second most lopsided championship game I have ever witnessed (sorry Seahawks fans, you are still number one on the losing side of that). The most notable (no) call was the final play when there was clear pass interference that ended the 49’ers chance to tie the game. Add that to plays like the 2-point conversion when Ed Reed obviously crossed the line before the ball was snapped, which is only more glaring when the 49’ers got called doing the exact same thing during Baltimore’s next offensive series. Then there was also the time when, instead of a personal foul for running into the kicker, that would have given the 49’ers a drive extending first down, it was ruled incidental five yard penalty which only resulted in a re-kick. But the most jaw dropping moment was when a Baltimore Raven actually shoved a referee in the first half of the game. Not only did the guy not get thrown out, like he should have, he did not even get flagged on the play. What is worse the league have not even given the guy any sort of admonishment after the game. There is no way any player should get away with putting their hands on a referee. So the fix was clearly in, but the question is why. I have two working theories; 1) The NFL did not want the 49’ers to win so everyone would blame the blackout on the Ravens losing the biggest lead in Super Bowl history, or 2) the refs have a massive stake in deer antler stock.

Preview Picture of the Week:

Switched at Birth "Human/Need/Desire" Monday at 8:00 on ABC Family

Free Download of the Week: Same as Blood – Lee Koch (NoiseTrade)

New Album Release of the Week: Authentic Hip Hop - LL Cool J

New DVD Release of the Week: Weeds: Season Eight

Video of the Week: Enough of the shame of a football game, lets talk about commercials. Again the big loser again was Doritos who for some reason wants to flush millions of dollars down the drain on the dumbest ads of the year. But they were edge out on the single worst ad by the uncomfortable Go Daddy commercial. As for the winners, only two come to mind a week later, M&M’s singing Meat Loaf just losing out to the Budweiser Clydesdale advertisement.



Next Week Pick of the Week: 2013 Grammy Awards, Sunday at 8:00 on CBS: I am not happy that other channels are counterprogramming the Grammy’s tomorrow as there are new episodes of Once Upon a Time, Revenge, and the return of The Walking Dead. But the Grammy’s are a priority as for the very first time that I can remember, I fully endorse all the nominees in the Album of the Year category. Plus there will be performances by Fun., Frank Ocean, The Lumineers, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Jack White and collaborations featuring The Black Keys with Dr. John, Elton John and Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5 and Alicia Keys, Bruno Mars with Rihanna and Sting, as well as a tribute to Levon Helm featuring Mumford & Sons, Zac Brown Band, Elton John, and T Bone Burnett.

Around the Tubes, 2/8/13

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 Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome, The Song That Changed My Life, Grimm, Banshee, Men At Work, Who Gets the Last Laugh?, Robot Combat League, Out There, In Our Nature, Weeds, Nurse Jackie, Swamp People, Whitney Houston: Legend, Being: New Edition, Rizzoli and Isles, Perception, The Fosters, Twisted, and Town Hall with Tony Bennett.

- Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome may have already premiered online, but for those that prefer watching shows on your television it will be airing on Syfy tomorrow at 9:00. Check out the trailer below:


- Sara Watkins, formerly of Nickle Creek, will be on Wednesday’s episode of The Song That Changed My Life. Spoiler Alert! It’s Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) by Bob Dylan.

- I cannot even remember when the last episode of Grimm was and we still have to wait until two more mouths until it returns, but NBC has just released a new promo to get you ready.


- If you are enjoying Banshee on Cinamax, you will be getting even more of it next year because it has been renewed for a second season. Episode four of this season airs Friday at 10:00.

- TBS recently announced the premiere date of a couple of their programs including the second season of Men at Work Thursday April 4 at 10:00 and new show Who Gets the Last Laugh? Tuesday April 16 which is a new competition program hosted by Donald Faison and from the guys that brought you Punk’d.

- Syfy has a new show called Robot Combat League premiering Tuesday, Feb 26 and is exactly what it sounds like. Check out this interview with host Chris Jericho:


- IFC announced earlier this week a roster of notable voices guesting on the network’s upcoming original animated series, Out There. Selma Blair (Anger Management, Hellboy), Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Ellen Page (Juno, Inception), Stephen Root (King of the Hill, Office Space), Jason Schwartzman (Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Express), Sarah Silverman (Wreck It Ralph, The Sarah Silverman Program) and Christian Slater (Breaking In, Robot Chicken) will voice a variety of characters in the coming-of-age comedy. Created by Ryan Quincy, two-time Emmy®-winning animation director and producer of South Park, Out There premieres Friday, February 22 at 10:30pm ET/PT with two back-to-back episodes.

- John Slattery (Mad Men), Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights), Jena Malone (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) and Gabrielle Union (10 Things I Hate About You) star in Brian Savelson’s candid, delicately observed family portrait of couples at a crossroads. In Our Nature is out now on DVD.

- Also out on DVD over the next two weeks include Weeds: Season Eight, Nurse Jackie: Season Four, Swamp People: Season 3.


- Moving into the second week of Black History Month, Centric TV continues to celebrate some of African American’s greatest musical talent this weekend. To kick off February 9-10, Centric TV will feature interviews about the legendary Whitney Houston in a never-before seen documentary Whitney Houston: Legend and new exclusive interviews from R&B group New Edition in Being: New Edition, which takes center stage Saturday and Sunday, February 9-10, starting at 9:00PM ET.

- No return date yet other than “summer” but the Rizzoli and Isles team was back to work this week and started production on the fifteen episodes of season four while Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break) is set to be a guest star. Perception will also start production its season for a summer premiere and it was just announced that Scott Wolf has signed on to a recurring role as a charismatic, fast-rising Assistant U.S. Attorney recently transferred back to Chicago. Oh yeah, and he is also the soon to be ex-husband of Kate.

- Also coming this summer but to ABC Family will be two new shows The Fosters from executive producer Jennifer Lopez, and Twisted, from executive producer Gavin Polone (Gilmore Girls). Check out the cast photos for both below:




- Sirius XM Radio announced this that legendary recording artist Tony Bennett will sit down for an intimate Q&A session with an audience of SiriusXM listeners, moderated by Alec Baldwin (who humorously parodies Bennett on Saturday Night Live), at the SiriusXM studios in New York City as part of its Town Hall series. SiriusXM’s Town Hall with Tony Bennett, which will take place on Wednesday, February 13, will air on Valentine’s Day.

Previewing Inside Comedy

Showtime is launching its second season of Inside Comedy Monday with a new lineup of comedians that sit down and chat with director David Steinberg. This season will feature Judd Apatow, Carol Burnett, Jim Carrey, Louis C.K., Susie Essman, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Bill Maher, Mike Myers, Bob Newhart, Ben Stiller, Lily Tomlin, Keenen Ivory Wayans and Betty White, among others.

The season opens up with Bob Newhart and Louis C.K. but the most interesting of the first couple episodes is the one with Jim Carrey and Keenen Ivory Wayans because of their shared history and even though each comedian is interviewed separately, their crossed paths does get brought up as well as what Carrey thought about being “The White Guy” on In Living Color. It is unclear when these interviews were tapped by Tina Fey mentioned a film she is filming with Steve Carell which I assumed was 2010’s Date Night.

Some highlights from the first couple episode includes C.K. talking about Pootie Tang and why you should never ask him for a picture, Newhart talks about who gave up with the iconic series finale and also puts country music fans on blast. Fey talks about portraying Sarah Palin while Apatow talks about his time being roommates with Adam Sandler. Drew Carey talks about how he missed his first chance to be on The Tonight Show and Wayans reminisces on his first gig… which was at a Racquetball convention.

Inside Comedy airs Mondays at 11:00 on Showtime. You can download the previous season of Inside Comedy on iTunes.

Previewing Alpha Dogs

If you happen to wonder what I do with my free time, it is mostly spent thinking of possible Hollywood reboots like Turner and Hooch with Steve Stiffler filling in for Tom Hanks, Ramona Flowers as the vet love interest and Carl Winslow would naturally get promoted to chief (surprisingly no studio executives have hired me as a consultant for their reboot departments yet). Despite all the time I have devoted to resurrecting the dog cop classic, I never gave much thought about how you train a K-9 unit.

That is until I saw Alpha Dogs which premieres this Friday at 9:00 on Nat Geo Wild. The new series follows the trainers at Vohne Liche Kennels located in Indiana, one of the largest K-9 kennels in the world which provides law assisting pups to local police, SWAT teams, border patrol, and every branch of the military, including some outfits us average citizens are not privy to. They even have top security clearances and some of the people they train to use their dogs have to have their faces blocked out “for national security reasons”. The team teaches handlers and dogs to leap from helicopters, rappel down buildings, search buildings and cars for explosives and drugs, and chase down human targets. The dogs can even be trained to find illicit cell phones in prison cells and money being brought through airports as part of laundering schemes.

The show, brought to you be Jack Osborne (before you scratch your head, if I am not mistaken, Jack starred in a misguided celebrity police show that also took place in Indiana so he obviously made some connections), is full of a couple characters that you would expect on a show like this, really anyone willing to play a bad guy decoy for dogs or hang out with live explosives is probably going to be an interesting person (or just really hard up for cash). These are the type of people where you are going to see more mullets than sleeves and go turtling in their down time. If you want to know what turtling is, you will have to tune in to find out. I will give you a hint by saying it is something you will never see me doing.

Alpha Dogs airs Friday at 9:00 on Nat Geo Wild with back to back episodes.

The 20 Greatest Charity Supergroups of All Time

In honor of one of the most charitable Super Bowls ever where the referees gave the championship to the Baltimore Ravens in the second most lopsidedly officiated Championship Game in my lifetime (the first being the Steelers over the Seahawks which gives me a little satisfactions that the refs love the AFC North so much if the Browns miraculously ever make a Super Bowl appearance in my lifetime). More on the game in my Best of the Week roundup on Saturday. As for the Greatest Charity Supergroups of All-Time, unfortunately there are not a lot of them; I found a little fewer than thirty. Seriously, why there are not more of them, there should be one after every tragedy in addition. And I am sure there is still plenty of famine still left in Africa, where half of these charities went to, a favorite cause in the eighties which kicked of the charity supergroup trend. Oh well, here is my list.

1. We Are the World – USA For Africa (1985)
Raised Money For: Famine relief in Ethiopia
Best Line: Bruce Springsteen singing the chorus
Weirdest Transition: Dionne Warwick to Willie Nelson
Who Invited: Dan Aykroyd


2. Do They Know It’s Christmas – Band Aid
Raised Money For: Famine relief in Ethiopia
Best Line: Well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you - Bono
Weirdest Transition: Sting and Simon LeBon
Who Invited: Spandau Ballet


3. Just Stand Up – Stand Up 2 Cancer
Raised Money For: Stand Up 2 Cancer (2008)
Best Line: You don’t gotta be a prisoner in your mind, you can live your life (yeah) let your heart be your guide – Mary J. Blige
Weirdest Transition: Beyonce to Carrie Underwood
Who Invited: Miley Cyrus


4. We’re All in the Same Gang – West Coast Rap All Stars
Raised Money For: Promoted an anti-violence message
Best Line: Don’t you know we got to put our heads together – Michel’le
Weirdest Transition: N.W.A. to Young MC
Who Invited: Humpty Hump


5. What’s Going On – Artists Against Aides Worldwide (2002)
Raised Money For: AIDS programs in Africa and other impoverished regions, 9/11 Relief
Best Line: Oh my father, father, we don’t need to escalate – Nora Gaye
Weirdest Transition: Gwen Stefani to Aaron Lewis
Who Invited: Fred Durst… rapping

6. Voices That Care – Voices That Care (1991)
Raised Money For: U.S. troops involved in Operation Desert Storm
Best Line: You are the voice and the guiding light. Feel in your heart how our love burns bright – Warren Wiebe
Weirdest Transition: Ralph Tresvant to Randy Travis
Who Invited: Mike Tyson (seriously, who put him next to Debbie Gibson)

7. Stars – Hear n Aid
Raised Money For: famine relief in Africa
Best Line: The epic guitar solos as a whole
Weirdest Transition: None, a very homogeneous group
Who Invited: Spinal Tap

8. Wavin’ Flag – Young Artists for Haiti (2010)
Raised Money For: People of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake
Best Line: If you weren't involved before it's never too late to start - Drake
Weirdest Transition: Drake to Nicki Yanofsky
Who Invited: Tom Cohrane

9. Self Destruction – The Stop the Violence Moment (1989)
Raised Money For: National Urban League
Best Line: I never ever ran from the Klu Klux Klan and I shouldn’t have to run from a black man – Kool Moe Dee
Weirdest Transition: Ms. Melodie to Doug E Fresh
Who Invited: Tone Loc

10. Give Peace a Chance – The Peace Choir (1991)
Raised Money For: In response to the imminent Gulf War
Best Line: Liberation ahhhhhhhhhh – Rev Run
Weirdest Transition: LL Cool J to Iggy Pop
Who Invited: Dweezil Zappa

11. Sun City – Artists United Against Apartheid (1985)
Raised Money For: protest apartheid in South Africa
Best Line: We’re stabbing our brothers and sisters in the back – Bruce Springsteen. Bono
Weirdest Transition: George Clinton to Joey Ramone
Who Invited: The Fat Boys (did one of them seriously get kissed by Bono?)

12. Across the Universe – 2005 Grammy’s
Raised Money For: Tsunami Relief
Best Line: Something’s gonna change my world – the choir
Weirdest Transition: Alicia Keys to Scott Weiland
Who Invited: Steven Tyler’s maracas

13. Give a Kidney – Kidney Now (2009)
Raised Money For: National Kidney Foundation
Best Line: Listen, when someone starts talking in the middle of a song, you know it’s serious – Elvis Costello
Weirdest Transition: Wyclef Jean, Steve Earle, and Michael McDonald
Who Invited: Clay Aiken

14. Do They Know it’s Hallowe’en – The North American Hallowe'en Prevention Initiative
Raised Money For: UNICEF
Best Line: Don’t know
Weirdest Transition: Take your pick
Who Invited: Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

15. Sing – Annie Lennox featuring Various Artists (2007)
Raised Money For: HIV/AIDS
Best Line: Sing my sister sing – Annie Lennox
Weirdest Transition: None because of only two lead vocals
Who Invited: Madonna

16. Tears Are Not Enough – Northern Lights (1985)
Raised Money For: famine relief in Ethiopia
Best Line: It’s the time to take our message everywhere, ya know! – Cory Hart
Weirdest Transition: Cory Hart and the French people
Who Invited: Eugene Levy

17. H.E.A.L. Yourself – Human Education Against Lies (1991)
Raised Money For: H.E.A.L. Project
Best Line: Before you’re a color, first you are a human – KRS-One
Weirdest Transition: None, a very homogeneous group
Who Invited: Freddie Foxxx

18. Perfect Day – BBC (1997)
Raised Money For: Children in Need
Best Line: Just a perfect day, drink sangria in the park – Lou Reed
Weirdest Transition: Tammy Wynette to Shane MacGowan
Who Invited: the dude from Fun Lovin’ Criminals

19. Beds Are Burning (TckTckTck) – Time for Climate Justice (2009)
Raised Money For: Climate Change
Best Line: Now this village lives and breathes in forty five degrees – the dude from the Scorpions
Weirdest Transition: pretty much everyone in the Hodge podge of world artists
Who Invited: Talia al Guil

20. What More Can I Give - Michael Jackson and Friends
Raised Money For: Victims of 9/11
Best Line: We should give over and over again - Michael Jackson
Weirdest Transition: Reba McEntire to Aaron Carter
Who Invited: Billy Gilman


Honorable Mention
Let It Be - Gylne Tider: This did not make the list on account that it is not an actual charity single, but some Norwegian television hosts that tricked a bunch of long forgotten stars into thinking they were recording a charity single. No “Who invited…” because I would just end up writing every name of everyone involved.


Dishonorable Mention
We Are the World 25 – Arists for Haiti: Just a complete abomination

Previewing Monday Mornings

I like to complain that the only shows on television these days feature cops, lawyers, or doctors but with House and Private Practice ending last year, if I am not mistaken one of the few doctors left on television last fall was Dr. Sheldon Cooper and as a theoretical physicist, he faints at the sight of blood so he won’t be performing surgery anytime soon. For those that miss the more traditional doctors, tonight sees the premiere of Monday Mornings created by David E Kelly, his first trek back into the operating room since creating Chicago Hope in 1994, and based on the book of CNN’s chief medical correspondent (and almost Surgeon General of the United States) Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

What sets Monday Mornings apart is at the start of every week the chief of staff Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) sits down with his surgeons and makes everyone who made a mistake the previous week come up to the front of the lecture hall to explain in agonizing detail just what wrong in the operating room and what they should have done differently. These meetings are painful and Molina is relentless and scary in his line of questioning it is surprising he has not made one cry (yet). These scenes are so great that if these meeting made up the majority of the show I would be tuning in every week.

Unfortunately much like Dr. Sheldon Cooper, I hate the sight of blood except when it is cartoonish horror movie blood. But for those that do like medical porn, you will see inside a person’s brain within the first minute of the show. And since there are a couple neurosurgeons on the show, you will be seeing inside the skulls of many of patients throughout the series. Other cases you will see this season is a woman with incontrollable (except when consuming wine) hand tremors, a thirteen year old who refuses surgery, and a schizophrenic (played by Once Upon a Time’s Jiminy Cricket) who cannot provide the consent for life-saving surgery.

Joining Molina is Ving Rhames (Con Air), the Trauma Chief who is about as menacing as Alfred. The always intimidating Bill Irwin (Hot Shots!) is the local Chief of Transplantation who gets under the skin of the other doctors who thinks he just stands around hoping for their patients to die so he can harvest their parts. With all that hardheadedness, Jamie Barber (Battlestar Galactica) is the complete opposite of his co-workers who gets way too sensitive whenever he loses a patient (and my bet for the first doctor to cry at a Monday morning meeting). His partner, in possibly more ways than one, is Jennifer Finnigan (Committed) a neurosurgeon just as compassionate as Barber.

But my favorite character, which is saying a lot whenever Ving in a part of a cast, is Keong Sim (The Last Airbender) as a Korean emigrant and English speaking challenged who gives simple blunt answers like when asked what the worse case scenario is, “worse case: dead.” The rest of the cast includes Sarayu Roa (Lions for Lambs) who dates Finnigan’s real life husband Jonathan Silverman (Weekend at Bernie's) and Emily Swallow (Southland), the most inexperienced doctor on staff.

Monday Mornings airs Mondays at 10:00 (in the evenings, not the mornings) on TNT. You will be able to download Monday Mornings on iTunes.