At the start of The Visitor, Richard Jenkins (Cheaper by the Dozen) is your typical burned out professor who just white outs the term and year on the syllabus, and only if he remembers. Criticism isn’t his strong suit either as he has been through five piano teachers without a second lesson. Just your typical mid life crisis, but about ten years after he should have grown out of it.
All that changes when he has to go to a conference in New York City and a couple has taken up residence in his apartment there in his absence. Instead of calling the police like a normal person, Jenkins, longing for some human contact out of the norm and let the two Muslims stay. In Haaz Sleiman (American Dreamz), Jenkins finds a teacher that doesn’t just dismiss him learning the djembe (a Syrian drum) at such an old age.
This first half of the film is as exhilarating as Jenkins taking up the foreign instrument with plenty of great music that moves the movie along. But not surprising considering the origins of the house guests, the second half delves into a heavy handed commentary on the immigration policies in a post-9/11 world. Even during the first half, you know it is coming, but you wish they would have just stayed with the uplifting story of bring people together with music.
Quote of the Week: You don't want to get into it with Sheldon, he is one lab accident away from being a supervillian. (Leonard, The Big Bang Theory)
Song of the Week: Cats in the Cradle - Harry Chapin (as sung by Barney, How I Met Your Mother)
Big News of the Week: Get Ready for Black Friday/Cyber Monday: The recent economic crisis is basically a combination of the greedy and the stupid (see: Pay off Your Debts You Morons). The result for the rest of good and smart people will be harder to find credit, higher taxes, and inflation. But if there is a bright side for those smart enough to diversify and manage our money wisely, there looks like there will be an overabundance of great deals out there. After doing my shopping for friends and family, I may find good enough deals where I can pick up an HDTV, PS3, computer, and other goodies to stuff my own stocking. What does this have to do with all the TV watchers out there? Well Amazon is running a multitude of sales from now until even after Christmas. Here are some of those deals.
Coalition Links of the Week: From the curmudgeons at House to the sex-crazed residents of Grey's Anatomy, which medical show's staff would you most want treating you? (BuzzSugar)
This week, Sandie came up with a cool Twilight TV series: The Cullens. (Daemon's TV)
Looking for happy thoughts to hold of the grey and dreary days of winter, Jody came up with a list of her Top 5 Happy TV Moments like Buffy not letting The First keep her down in Chosen or the series premiere of Lost. (RTVW)
The set ups are getting a bit obvious but Vance still likes Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters and Degrassi:TNG. (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace interviewed Chris Lilley, the creator/writer/star of HBO's new comedy series Summer Heights High, about what it's like to play Jonah Takalua, what's next for him and the characters, and those rumors that he refused to sell the format rights for Summer Heights High. (Televisionary)
The TiFaux gang bid adieu to Total Request Live (and, in a way, their youths) by each giving their top five videos ever. (TiFaux)
This week, theTVaddict.com used Twitter to snag an interview with Ugly Betty's David Blue (Cliff St. Paul). (The TV Addict)
Kate talked to Tom and Padma from Top Chef. (TV Filter)
Heather got to see a sneaky preview of 24: Redemption. Her verdict? “Jack-tastic”, whatever that means… (TV Spy)
The Big Bang Theory: This past episode reminds me a lot of last season’s Sheldon is sick one in that it should have been much better than it actually was. This once again can be attributed to having a B-storyline that doesn’t add much to the episode. And I am extremely disappointed that we didn’t get a glimpse of Sheldon’s forgiveness test. If you can take it online, why doesn’t the show post it there? You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Chuck: Did I miss where Chuck got all the questions answered that he wanted like he told Ellie he did? I certainly didn’t get the answers I wanted like why she shacked up with Bryce Larkin so quickly after dumping Chuck. I guess I was distracted by Casey and Sarah’s disguises in the restaurant. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
How I Met your Mother: As someone who has seen the Spice Girls without their makeup on up close, I completely agree with Barney’s Spice Girls Paradox because they are all Scary Spice without a heavy layered makeup (sans Baby Spice). But I have to disagree with the Cheerleader Theorem. What makes cheerleaders hot is not they are in a pack it is the uniform that makes them hotter than without it. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Heroes: Yet another example of why Heroes has way too many cast members. I can’t imagine anyone out there was interested in any of the back stories except Pap Petrelli’s, and yet we get the rest of the episode bogged down by boring origins of Sylar (why did Noah leave after he started killing instead of bag and tag him?) or the return of Eric Roberts. Please start killing people off and let the list start with Peter. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com.
Eli Stone: I have a fear going into the second season the network said we are going to renew you but cool it on musical numbers. The Katie Holmes is the only one I can think of so far this season. Now the show seems to be morphing into Boston Legal, where weirs things happen in a legal setting, which is not a good thing. As a straight dude, I am surprised I am saying this, but bring back the singing and dancing. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com. You can also download Eli Stone on iTunes.
Survivor: As I predicted, Corrine’s face was priceless when learning that her buddy got voted out. Loved how the video game nerd shot back what made him more deserving to stay than everyone else. And in one episode she went from being in the driver’s seat to on the chopping block. And to think I was ready to give up on this season. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.
My Name Is Earl: Did I miss where Earl put a hole in the bar? Did it happen when he stabbed the bee? And would that have been big enough to make hole? I really hope I haven’t gotten so old I start falling asleep while watching TV at 9:00 at night. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download My Name Is Earl on iTunes.
Free Download of the Week: A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas - Kristin Chenoweth (Borders): It is still a little too early for me to get excited for Christmas yet considering I haven’t sliced any turkeys yet, but I will just file away the song in iTunes until at least December because it stops being free on Tuesday. And of course you should know Kristin Chenoweth from her role as Olive Snook on Pushing Daisies.
Video of the Week: Another week, another Chuck webisode. Check it out below:
Next Week Pick of the Week: Expedition Week, All Week at 9:00 on National Geographic Channel: For more on this special, check out: Previewing Expedition Week which starts tonight. Here are a couple more pictures, this time from Shipwrecked: Captain Kidd, Tuesday at 9:00, and Lost Cities of the Amazon, Thursday at 9:00 (also click on the name for videos of the specials):
I decided last year that November would be the official Mystery Theme. If you guess the theme you will get three extra bonus points and as always you need to put both artist and title in the comments section (along with the theme if you think you know it) and if you are correct I will un-bold it and give you credit. The Lyrics Quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please do not use anything besides your own meandering mind to help you up with the answers. Now onto the quiz:
1. I was down at the New Amsterdam starring at this yellow haired girl. (Mr. Jones - Counting Crows; guessed by Taylor Blue) 2. They love to tell you, “Stay inside the lines.” But something’s better on the other side. (No Such Thing - John Mayer; guessed by Angie) 3. With a holy host of others standing around me. Still I’m on the dark side of the moon. (Carolina on My Mind - James Taylor; guessed by Rebekah) 4. Looking around the house. Hidden behind the window and the door. Searching for signs of life but there’s nobody home. (Good - Better Than Ezra; guessed by Rebekah) 5. In restless dreams I walked along narrow streets of cobblestone. (Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel; guessed by Rebekah) 6. 38/24/37, you and me honey: a match made in heaven. (Bonita Applebum - A Tribe Called Quest; guessed by Rose) 7. Get up in the morning, look in the mirror. My face ain’t looking any younger. Now I can see, love has taken a toll on me. (She's Gone - Hall and Oates; guessed by Rebekah) 8. I see you my friend, and touch your face again. Miracles will happen as we dream. (Crazy - Seal; guessed by Angie) 9. I been hit with a few shells but I don’t walk with a limp. (In da Club - 50 Cent; guessed by Rebekah) 10. I got seven women on my mind: Four who want to hold me, two that want to stone me, one says she’s a friend of mind. (Take it Easy - The Eagles; guessed by Angie) 11. I never felt this way. How to you give so much pleasure and cause me so much pain? (Fallin' - Alicia Keys; guessed by Rebekah) 12. I know you want what’s on my mind. I know you like what’s on my mind. I know it eats you up inside. (Sex Type Thing - Stone Temple Pilots; guessed by Angie) 13. There’s an old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic n’ gin. (Piano Man - Billy Joel; guessed by Angie) 14. I’m gonna break the spell she’s got on you. You’re gonna wake up to find I’m your desire, my intentions are true. (I Can Love You Better - The Dixie Chicks; guessed by Jo) 15. Make sure to keep your hair spotless and clean. Wash it a least every two weeks. Once every two weeks. 16. You’re licking your lips and throwing kisses my way, but that don’t mean I'm going to give it away. (Genie in a Bottle - Christina Aguilera; guessed by Angie) 17. When I dream of fairytales I think of me Shelly. She’s my kind of height, but I can’t stand when brothers tell me… 18. Can I ride with you in your BMW? You can sail with me in my yellow submarine. 19. We just like to stay at home and rip on the President. (Meet Virgina - Train; guessed by Jo) 20. She hold the shotgun while you doe-se-doe. She want one man made of Hercules and Cyrano. (Little Miss Can't Be Wrong - Spin Doctors; guessed by Rebekah) 21. Never skipped a beat, while cooling on South Street. Jet black Benz, plenty of friends and all the foods that you could eat. 22. You’re all I’ve got. You lift me up. The sun and the moonlight, all my dreams are in your eyes. (Inside Your Heaven - Carrie Underwood; guessed by Angie) 23. I have waited a lifetime. Spent my time so foolishly. But now that I've found you, together we’ll make history. (Feels Like the First Time - Foreigner; guessed by Angie) 24. I was in a bar one Friday night cooling watching a Mike Tyson fight. I was maxing and relaxing sipping on Tequilla when this girl walked up she said hi my name is Sheila. (Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble - D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince; guessed by Angie) 25. You had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfriend that I had in February of last year. (Somebody Told Me - The Killers; guessed by Taylor Blue)
With its successful Shark Week, you knew it would only be a matter of time before other cable channels would be following the Discover Channel’s lead an devote a whole week to specific targets. Starting this Sunday, the National Geographic Channel launching their Expedition Week which looks to solves some of the biggest questions archeologist have been trying to solve for decades, if not centuries. Each night features a new program specifically for the event. Here is what you can expect (the new programs start at 9:00 PM unless otherwise noted:
Sunday, November 16 Unlocking the Great Pyramid: They start off the week with the best of the new programming. This is mostly because the program is narrated by the guy leading the expedition who is legitimately excited about the findings and not narrated by someone disembodied voice of your high school science teacher.
Monday, November 17 Direct From the Moon: Don’t have much on this but it looks like someone is looking to colonize the moon, if only for a month at a time. Here are a couple of pictures from the episode:
Tuesday, November 18 Shipwrecked! Captain Kidd: Here’s one that can’t wait until the next Pirates of the Caribbean. Apparently some of the pirate lore comes from Kidd, and of course there may be some hidden booty, even though he was on the British payroll.
Wednesday, November 19 The Real George Washington: Maybe the least interesting because it seems like we already know everything there is to know about the first president. And the few things that they uncover are not the interesting or that groundbreaking.
Thursday, November 20 Lost Cities of the Amazon: Put the kiddies to bed early this night because it is National Geographic in the Amazon so there is plenty of gratuitous nudity of tribal men and women and like the magazine none of it is at all sexual. But there are plenty of interesting theories of if and who huge tribe could have survived in the middle of a tropical jungle.
Friday November 21 Egypt Unwrapped: Alexander the Great’s Lost Tomb: The double feature of two Egypt programs starts at 8:00 featuring a tomb that was once a tourist attraction in the ancient world but have today’s archeologist puzzled to its whereabouts that have taken tomb seekers across Egypt and parts of Europe.
Egypt Unwrapped: Mystery of the Screaming Man: The Egypt episodes are easily the best of the bunch and here in another entertaining one. It is probably not a good sign your mummified corpse was frozen in a scream, but adding to this mysteries the lack of a name to go along with the tomb he was found in. And much like many of today’s mysteries, this one might be solved with a CAT scan.
Sunday November 23 Egypt Unwrapped: The Scorpion King: I have not much on this that airs at 8:00 but who know that the movie was based, if very, very loosely, on a real person?
Herod’s Lost Tomb: Who knew King Herod was such an accomplished architect? I guess when you are primarily know as a killer and your must impressive works don’t stand the test of time either by erosion or invaders tearing your work down. And even when you construct your own expansive tomb, apparently if you are extremely cruel to you people, they don’t honor your burial very much.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though 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 not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
If I were to make a list of the greatest music videos of the 00's, Jack White would show up plenty of times. And that is what makes the new Raconteurs video so disappointing. If it had been anyone else, the clones band may have been cool.
After hearing the new Hilary Duff song, one has to wonder when does sampling become just blatant stealing? An the artsy beginning and end is pretty laughable considering the rest is just Hilary doing her worst Madonna impression. The song is one of two new songs on her recently released Greatest Hits package. For those keeping track at home, Duff has released three studio albums and two greatest hits albums. Because if there is any artist that needs to update her greatest hits after every album, it is Hilary Duff.
Fanboys pretty much had me at Kristen Bell in a Princess Leia costume, but this trailer reaffirms how great this movie is going to be. I love how they do not bother to name any of the actual stars and just names the cameos, and just what they are known for (like whenever you see my older brother Shooter, you think anything else but the dude from Happy Gilmore). Brilliant. If I were a promo monkey, this would be the kind of promo I would make. Now if they would only actually release the movie which has been ready for two years.
Love Song by Taylor Swift may just end up being the best pop song this decade that was not written by Gnarls Barkley. Even with its fiddles and twang, the song was instantly accessibly to anyone with ears that would make anyone want to write their own song. Usually whenever artists try to recreate that one big hit on their next album they fail miserably but somehow the eighteen year old was able to catch lightning twice with the equally likeable, if not slightly more mature sounding Love Story off her sophomore outing Fearless.
Given her age it is forgivable for her Disney version of the Baird’s Romeo and Juliet where the guy gets the girl with the family’s approval. And who knew Shakespeare and banjo would go so well together? While the build up of the bridge makes you want to hunt down one of the Jonas Brothers (who gets addressed as a “scared little boy” on the sarcastic Forever & Always) and smack them up side the head. But it seems that very same fairytale all but comes crashing down a couple songs later on the acoustic guitar plucking White Horse of which is “too late to come around.”
More similar themes pop up on Fearless including the sediment of Teardrops on My Guitar of why do you want her when you know you could have me based You Belong to Me. What is not around this time is any vengeful songs; no burning pictures, no cheaters who forgot to say no. The closest comes on Tell Me Why but it is not as spiteful as anything her debut. Swift is more ambivalent about failed relationships on Fearless like on the slow piano based You’re Not Sorry but Swift sounds more morose than angry that they fell apart.
It is easy to write off Taylor Swift writing as just a school girl diary put to fiddles (remember the line, “wishing on a wishing star”), and she unabashedly admits she likes to write songs about boys, but no teenage has been able to craft songs this catchy since Debbie Gibson. Fifteen, a song about freshmen memorized by upper classmen can be relatable to girls going through it now, graduates looking back on high school, middle schoolers looking forward to high school, and even us lecherous dudes who took advantages of those innocent girls (I miss high school).
And that musical growth is the heart of Fearless as Swift turns down the fiddles and banjos and turns up the guitars and orchestras (see The Way I Loved You). Then for something completely different is breezy, hum along Hey Steven where Swift’s singing is so carefree she even starts laughing after the line, “All those other girls, well, they're beautiful, but would they write a song for you?” That same vibe, right down to the humming is also featured on Breathe which finds Colbie Caillet helping out with the writing and backing vocals. And Taylor’s down home drawl fits right in to Colbie’s campfire beach song writing.
If Fearless is an album this teenager can produce, one can high hopes when Swift gets some miles under her and evolves past all the songs about boys and grown even more musically and invites in more influences. The album closes with what could be a precursor, Change (written for the Olympics compilation album) where she sings Halleluiah and about revolutions that could have come off cheesy from others of her age but cannot sing along when it was Swift that is asking. It may have just been a high school anthem rising up against the rival team now, but wait until she gets out in the real world for awhile and create real change. If only in musical term.
In this I have to be first world we live in, there tends to be a rush to judgment. Take the first impression of The Big Bang Theory which was universally panned thanks to a sub-par pilot last year, many of the jokes that were killed by the overplaying of the promo before the show become much beloved by the end of the year. So once again I have rounded up a cabal of TV Bloggers to list their favorite new shows of the season now that they have gotten about a month of episodes under their belts. Then I put their list into my patented formula that is slightly more credible than token daily tracking poll. Here are the results. You can catch up by downloading the shows on iTunes and/or Amazon Video on Demand.
1. Privileged (The CW) iTunes - Amazon
2. Fringe (Fox) iTunes - Amazon
3. True Blood (HBO)
4. The Mentalist (CBS)
5. My Own Worst Enemy (NBC) iTunes - Amazon
6. Raising the Bar (TBS) iTunes
7. Busted (MTV) iTunes - Amazon
8. Gavin & Stacey (BBC America) iTunes
9. Kath & Kim (NBC) iTunes - Amazon
10. Gary Unmarried (CBS)
Also receiving votes: Life on Mars, 90210, Worst Week, Whatever Martha!, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Eleventh Hour, Sons of Anarchy, The Ex-List, Rita Rocks Voters: Dan, Ducky, Matt, Rae, Sandie, Scooter McGavin, Tube Talk Girl, Vance
The closest thing to a consensus would be Privileged, then Fringe slightly behind and everything pretty much bunched up at the bottom. But considering some of the negative comments voters sent with their ballots, they are less than enthuse with the new slate of shows this fall much like I am which many are contributed to lingering effects of the writer’s strike. Honestly I was thinking of not hosting the poll this year but only did for prosperity sake so in 1000 years from now people in the future could tell just how poor this television season was. In a measure of full disclosure, here was my ballot:
1. Busted (MTV)
2. Gary Unmarried (CBS)
3. Raising the Bar (TNT)
4. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Cartoon Network)
5. The Ex-List (CBS)
The Big Bang Theory: Considering all she does is calling Sheldon names, maybe they should have made the stalker a castmember and made her obsession a season arc. Best part of any show this week was the discussion of Sheldon’s “deal.” Don’t tell me you have never had that discussion with friends before. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
How I Met your Mother: Sadly Ted’s Ohio way of dealing was pretty much on point. And yes I had made many of mental maps back in college and hid under a few tables. Unfortunately I was not as good at hiding. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Gary Unmarried: Nice juxtaposition in the kiddie house. And Paula Marshall’s (it may not be a good thing that this far in I have no clue what her name is) misusing penultimate begs the question, when you catch someone doing that, do you tell them or mock them behind their backs? You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.
Survivor: Hats off to the quiet chick. It seems like every season there is an obvious pecking order yet the fifth and six in the alliance are happy to get voted off when their time comes then flip on their tribe. I can’t wait to see how Corrine reacts to this. Now the game should become more interesting. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.
My Name Is Earl: If I had a list, Sold a Dude a Lemon would have to be high on mine. If you remember the Check Engine light discussion from a couple Big Bang Theories ago, when I sold that car it didn’t last more than a couple a months before it broke down completely. But I guess that was karma in a different way because the dude I sold it to was a humongous tool so he ended up getting what he deserved. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download My Name Is Earl on iTunes.
Everybody Hates Chris: Holy Robin Givens sighting! Are there any washed up black actors from the eighties Chris Rock hasn’t given a job to? Come to think of it, where has Rudy Huckstible been hiding?
Big News of the Week: Dollhouse All But Canceled: Nothing more sad then when Dollhouse was announced and people actually thought this would be the show that FOX turns a new leaf over for. Then earlier this week thousands of fanboys hearts sank when FOX announced it’s spring lineup and Dollhouse landed in the Friday night death slot right after Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a show itself that would have been canceled already if FOX didn’t want it around to help promoted the upcoming fourth movie. And with that announce Vegas have moved the line for number of episodes before Dollhouse gets axed from five to three. Wake me up when Dollhouse: The Complete Series DVD is released.
Coalition Links of the Week: Buzz rounded up some of her favorite TV production company logos and slogans, like "Bad Robot" and "Sit, Ubu, Sit." (BuzzSugar)
Rae took an early look at TNT's The Librarian 3: Curse of the Judas Chalice. (RTVW)
Vance wrote some limerick reviews about Ugly Betty, 30 Rock, The Office, Bones, Grey's Anatomy, Survivor and more, just because he felt like it. (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace offered up some tantalizing spoilers as he took an advance look at the next three episodes of NBC's Chuck, including Monday's episode, which he says is the best of the series to date. (Televisionary)
How was your election night? Dan mainly focused on Anderson Cooper, the fancy electronic maps on CNN and those crazy holograms that Wolf Blitzer was talking to. (TiFaux)
This week, the TV Addict interviewed newest Terminator cast member and Battlestar Galactica fan favorite Stephanie Jacobsen. (The TV Addict)
Kate interviewed Megan, Stylista's villain, and was surprised by how down-to-Earth she was about the whole reality star thing. (TV Filter)
Who would win in a fight between Heroes and Smallville? With apologies to Harry Hill, there’s only one way to find out… It’s the Heroes vs. Smallville superheroes trump cards smackdown! [TV Spy]
Free Download of the Week: Linus for President (iTunes): For those going through election withdrawal, iTunes is offering up the Peanuts classic.
Video of the Week: Here is a look at the next episode of Frank TV this Tuesday at 11:00 on TBS:
Next Week Pick of the Week: The Bill Engvall Show, Saturday at 8:00 on TBS: It is not Thanksgiving yet, but TBS is already giving us a very special Christmas episode of The Bill Engvall Show where the kids learn the true meaning of the holiday with the help from a hilarious sight gag from their neighbor. Granted I suggest waiting until the inevitable repeat of the episode sometime in December. But before then is another non-holiday episode.
When Q-Tip calls his album The Renaissance you cannot help but get excited. It has almost been a decade since his first solo outing and over a decade since his seminal rap group A Tribe Called Quest last recorded together. In the interim rap has gone from a cultural movement to a corporate medium that now hawks soda drinks and feminine products.
Tip’s hiatus wasn’t self imposed those as he bounced from five record labels in six years with a couple albums that have yet to see the light of day (asides from some advance copied). Old School Tribe fans should be pleased that The Renaissance stays away from the pop-dance vibe of Amplified and fit somewhere between Midnight Marauder and The Love Movement.
And that vibe starts right off the top with the jazzy, minor key staccato notes of Johnny Dead, one of many songs that Q-Tip produced himself. The only outside producers are Mark Ronson whose retro sound messes well with the Tribe vibe on the sports filled metaphors of Won’t Trade. The other guest producer is frequent Tribe collaborator, the late great J Dilla on the two lead singles, the most danceable songs on the album Gettin’ Up and Move which will definitely make you want to do what the songs say with the latter sampling The Jackson 5’s Dancing Machine.
As for people lending their voices to the album (sadly no Phife Dawg) the most notable being D’Angelo who was months away from showing up on the side of milk carton on Believe. Also bring the neo-soul for a hook is Raphael SaadiqonWe Fight/We Love. While Norah Jones adds some smoothness while Tip gives a shout out to those that have carried on his torch on Life Is Better. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another decade to hear from Q-Tip again and he has Phife, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi along for the ride.
As mentioned last week, I am always on the lookout to live a better, greener life, if only for selfish reasons to save myself money. So the latest special from the National Geographic Channel caught my eye. Ultimate Skyscraper premieres tonight at 9:00 and profiles a new building in Manhattan at One Bryant Park which is built to be one of the most energy efficient skyscrapers in the world.
The special isn’t much in terms of things you can do in your personal life but it is mildly interesting to see what goes into making a building in the middle of the most congested islands in the world and a green one. Ultimate Skyscraper does come off like a video a science teacher plays when he didn’t have time to create a real lesson for the day or doesn’t trust a substitute teacher to do anything but press the play button, and the less than enthusiastic narration doesn’t help much, but that cannot all be the dude from Pushing Daisies. But it would be interesting to see if they do a follow up once the building is complete to see if it does reach the potential the architect hopes it does. Check out the full synopsis below or head over to the National Geographic website for two video previews:
NGC gives viewers an exclusive look at the design and construction of an eco-friendly marvel: One Bryant Park, set to be the second tallest building in New York City and one of the world’s most energy-efficient skyscrapers. Follow architects and engineers as they take a modern approach to green technology, incorporating innovative new systems including an on-site power plant that will reduce the buildings energy consumption by 50 percent. Then go behind the scenes with construction workers as they dig one of the deepest foundations in midtown, lay recycled steel beams, pour environmentally friendly concrete, and build a skyscraper whose blueprints could map out a new design for our planets future.
There has been a long standing belief of a sophomore slump that transcends all medium and is no more found than in music. Seal may caught on to the reason why when asked why he took so long to record his second he said it took him twenty years to record the first, he should be expected to take only a year to make the next. But in recent years, there seems to be a trend of artists being able to get two quality albums under their belts before falling into a funk, most notable Coldplay whose third album X&Y found the band in such a rut that the album sounded like it was recorded by a cover band, not a band on the verge of being the biggest band in the world.
Also on the cusp of the title was Snow Patrol, the trendy band in recent years for musical montages in television and movies. Like Coldplay, on their second album, they pushed the boundaries of their musical limits, but with their third album, A Hundred Million Suns, Snow Patrol has made the ten safest songs they could. Even the last track, the sixteen minute The Lightning Strike is just basically three songs just without a break in between. While the best song on the album, Crack the Shudders follows the blueprint laid by Run and Chasing Cars on previous albums. Hopefully Snow Patrol follows Coldplay's lead and just completely deconstructs their sound for the fourth album.
The junior slump does not just apply to rock acts as John Legend has fallen into the category with Evolver where the R&B sadly does not actually evolve. And that can be heard from the start which is front loaded with guest stars even though his first two album shows he can command a song on his own. On Green LightAndre 3000 mentions he usually does not freestyle and if his rap on the song is any indication he should go back to writing his rhymes down first. And Kanye West really needs to give back the voice modulator to T-Pain because it just does not work for him on It's Over. Things are a little better when Legend is own his own like the slow burning Everybody Knows or This Time which reaches the emotional impact that Ordinary People did on is debut. But he over reaches on If You're Out There, an overtly sappy song that tries but does not hit the gravitas of Coming Home from his last album.
Some indie/underground bands are great but you understand why they never achieve any mainstream success, but then their are ones like Old 97's who write catchy and easily accessible songs. The lead singer of that band, Rhett Miller released a solo album a couple of songs that should have at least had moderate success, like his duet with Rachael Yamagata, but sadly did not sniff the charts. I love the dichotomy of the Fireflies with Rhett singing your token The One That Got Away song, but Rachael's response is basically, you're a moron, stop stalking me.
It is odd that the three least liked professions, lawyers, cops and doctors make up 85% of primetime shows. Roughly. And now matter how much we hate them, shows of that ilk just keep popping up again and again generating the highest ratings since the eighties. One has to wonder by that assumption how The West Wing is the only political show in recent memory. But anyway. Though I typically stay away from those types of shows it was hard not to get sucked into Raising the Bar just to be memorized by the mane of Zach Morris.
Follicle issues aside, the first season has been rather bland after the premiere issue promised an insight on the personal life of the lawyers it followed with the early reveal of Morris shacking up one of his rival district attorneys, the sexually harassing boss, and the gay homosexual legal aide who happened to nailing his female judge. But besides the occasional fraternizing at the local watering hole and the rare cases that involved lovers and relatives, most of episodes were just your run of the mill procedurals. But with great hair. The show even had the most boring gay outing ever in the history of television.
The season comes to a close tonight at 10:00 on TNT and brings back the fire that was ignited in the premiere with some one getting fired, a family member coming front of a judge, two characters going out on a date and another couple making out. I won’t spoil to who did what but I will say that any Bayside High School fans won’t be disappointed and it won’t be just because of Zach Morris’ massive locks.
Coalition Links of the Week: There have been so many Grey's Anatomy hookups and romances over the years, it's hard to keep count. Which is your all-time favorite? (BuzzSugar)
This week, Sandie shared an interview with Reggie Austin from The Starter Wife. (Daemon's TV)
A longtime friend of Vance's wrote this past week's The Office episode and Vance gives it a totally unbiased review. (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace was absolutely gutted by David Tennant's decision to leave Doctor Who at the end of 2009 and came up with some suggestions as to who could succeed Tennant as the Eleventh Doctor. (Televisionary)
On the topic of Gossip Girl, Sara thinks that Chuck's a bore, Nate's a dim bulb and Dan and Serena keep having the same conversations over and over! (TiFaux)
This week, the TV Addict took a brief look at Life on Mars. (The TV Addict)
What can be done to save Heroes? TV Spy’s answer to Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross, Ben and Gareth, have the answers! (TV Spy)
Kate loved the second episode of Stylista even more than the first one! (TV Filter)
Chuck: Aw, the arcade. The youth today just don’t know how good they got it with next generation gaming like the PS3. I was always partial to Gauntlet myself even though it was a huge quarter suck and you needed three other players to even do anything. But anyways, they really need more Creepy Guy-centric episodes; he had me cracking up throughout especially his video tape of Anna. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
Heroes: There needs to be a running counter at the bottom of the screen that ticks up whenever (now former) Osmosis Dude dies but doesn’t actually die. Dude fell further out a window than John Locke for goodness sake. The number has to be in double digits by now. Or just imagine how high that number would be if it included the whole cast. Is there any cast member that shouldn’t actually be dead by now? Hiro is the only one that I can think of off the top of my head. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com.
Greek: Finally something interesting happened this season. Gotta love the massive brawl Rusty started and the pledges debating to take off their blindfolds or not. Then the complete blindside at the end with Frannie taking half the house to start her own sorority. This should make the second half be a little more interesting than the first half. You can stream current episodes over at ABCFamily.com. You can also download Greek on iTunes.
Eli Stone: Well that was a dark episode. If there was really one episode that needed a musical montage sequence, this would have been it. Eli is forced to settle, Jordan wins his case but loses his firm in the process, and Maggie ends up defending the paint companies at the Supreme Court. And with that last sentiment, the show is closely getting into the territory that is part of Heroes downfall with the cast sending too much time trying to change a vision of the future in the long term. It has been fine with the future being resolved at the end of each episode, but it won’t work if spends a whole season, or even a couple of episodes trying to change a vision he had of the future. I guess we have to wait two weeks to see if Maggie stays with Jordan or goes with Dr. Abbott and Peg Bundy. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com. You can also download Eli Stone on iTunes.
Pushing Daisies: They shouldn’t go to that well too often, but hopefully they bring back Simone every couple months. If only I could train my dogs that way. My elboy is dislocated from mine trying to catch cars and squirrels. And hopefully Jimmy James isn’t as evil as they have teased. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com.
Survivor: At this point I am just really ready for a merge. I thought the case the team around the course was the most pathetic attempt by any tribe ever, but the keep away challenge really rivals that. While Sugar beating Bob in the log rolling may be up their as the biggest upset ever. But Bob can rest in the solace that he wins the award for best use of a buff with him using it as a bowtie. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.
My Name Is Earl: A nice fight there between karma and voodoo. Earl debating anyone tends to be the highest of high comedy, but seeing him try to mind wrestle a kid just made it funnier. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
For those still undecided or persuadable, please check out My Case for John McCain and Part II (I have a lot of reasons) before you go to the polls Tuesday.
) is your typical burned out professor who just white outs the term and year on the syllabus, and only if he remembers. Criticism isn’t his strong suit either as he has been through five piano teachers without a second lesson. Just your typical mid life crisis, but about ten years after he should have grown out of it.
), Jenkins finds a teacher that doesn’t just dismiss him learning the djembe (a Syrian drum) at such an old age.![Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebDZ0qqwOVKMZj7oFSUe8Hm3ax54U9Hp1fThJPgiddTyzcdwx_5SV6E3b7hkKyxbaDiym4COmUXT2YJnsKCUjBHI_a2xZtNoY7qFQRslP5AGO5gLkJwn2ZbO0wIF80ycbKrgPPA/s400/small_high.png)
on my Terror Alert Scale.
is running a multitude of sales from now until even after Christmas. Here are some of those deals.
![Terror Alert Level: Elevated [YELLOW]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-iVFV0hXCTSYP16K_V0Rrxp3GqFrtBIJKeTUyQ2LpxZQ9XKHFj6QGtqqa7oxhLadLV8vUj8R84AftD8IKUSfN0u_u0CYDtJwhrpCPN2DBWquAIDv0jbVlhZL0mDFKlPKluGyxw/s400/small_elevated.png)
on my 
