The Prisoner: This was someone entertaining, but a little too David Lynchy at times. And it didn’t take me that long to figure out what The Village was, although I wasn’t able to figure out what 6’s part in all of it. Still I would have preferred the show to play across six straight Sundays rather than the six hours over three days like it was. But in the ends I wish networks would do more of these quick one and done shows like this.
How I Met Your Mother: How stupid are these people, I knew from the very beginning that the Scuba Diver would end up being an elaborate plan to pick up a chick. Seriously, have these people not met Barney before? You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.
Trauma: In an episode that saw a dude get slammed into window, a baby get delivered on a helicopter, and a few protruding bones, still the most disgusting part of the episode was a dude drinking from a shoe. Ewww. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Trauma on iTunes.
The Big Bang Theory: The show is always at its best when Penny and Sheldon are together but this was a little force, c’mon, Penny should have known that calling an ambulance would have been faster than having Sheldon drive. We even get a repeat of the “Check Engine” light discussion. But all is forgiven thanks to Penny making Sheldon sing Soft Kitty. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Castle: Even though Castle and Beckett’s relationship is entertaining by itself, I wouldn’t be opposed to them bringing in the black dude for more ride-a-longs. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.
Sons of Anarchy: Wow, I never imagined Tig cracking like he did and just blurt out that he killed Opie’s wife right to his face. My jaw was dropped for most of the rest of the episode. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.
Mercy: Dawn Summer’s reactions are priceless, in fact I wouldn’t mind if she doesn’t say anything and all we get from her are reaction shots all episode long. Too bad she wasn’t the one that discovered the chick had a little something extra growing down there. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mercy on iTunes.
Modern Family: I knew that Edward Norton was going to be on Modern Family sometime this season but I am glad I didn’t know when or who until he showed up as the bassist for Spandau Ballet. Norton has never been this funny (although, has Norton ever been funny before). And we get the triumphant return of Dylan (although he didn’t get to sing this week). All that and the funniest moment may have been when Al Bundy started spaying down his step-son when he started hitting on his granddaughter. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins: Over the past decade, the drunken morons of this show have done some pretty some things yet Brad by far takes the cake for dumbest cast member ever but goading Durrell into fighting him. He just kept at it until he finally cracked and go his skull crack. Seriously, I was not prepared for Brad’s “after” look. And you have to ask the question, at what point do producers step in? You don’t see anyone get booted for fighting except this one. There has to be a reason for that. You can stream recent episodes over at mtv.com. You can also download Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins on iTunes.
Survivor: Samoa: They really need to get rid of that stupid tie breaker. It makes the baseball deciding home field advantage in the World Series with the All-Star Game seem fair in comparison. They should go back to fire making as a tie breaker. And how do you not switch your vote if you are in that situation? You may not vote out who you want, but I rather that happen then possibly be voted out. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.
Community: It is interesting that NBC goes through all this trouble to have a “Green Week” yet most of the shows that participated basically just make fun of it. Nobody participated in the bike ride to work on Mercy and here the dean wasted all that paper to promote Envirodale. But there are very few things more entertaining than a teacher pulling a student around in a desk while they are still in it. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.
Quote of the Week: Well, actually he’s the idiot, he fell in love to a break up song. (Izzy LaFontaine, Modern Family)
Song of the Week: True – Spandau Ballet (Modern Family)
Big News of the Week: A Melancholy Happy Trails to Ken Ober: Every once and a while you hear about a death that makes you feel like part of your childhood died with them. That happened a couple of weeks ago when Captain Lou Albino passed away, and again this week with Ken Ober. I doubt there are many people younger than me that even recognize that name, but he was host one of the top five programs MTV ever produced, Remote Control (a show I could have been the Ken Jennings of if I were old enough to be on it). To give an idea of how great the show was, it featured then unknown comedians Colin Quinn (as co-host), Denis Leary and Adam Sandler. Ober would later appear in a triad of Blues Travelers videos, including Hook below where he appropriately sat around flipping his remote control.
Free Download of the Week: Free Download of the Week: Death to All but Metal – Steel Panther (iTunes) Usually I have to give something a listen before I download a song, even if it is free, but just the title alone made me want to grab Death to All but Metal, and it didn’t disappoint. A must download for any metalhead and even non-one can find the song entertaining.
Video of the Week: Who knew at the beginning of the week, there would be some many great musical moments, Modern Family was mentioned above, and Community had their tribute to An American Tail, and not only did The Big Bang Theory bring back Soft Kitty, Penny made Sheldon sing it in a round.
Next Week Pick of the Week: Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Thursday at 9:00 AM on NBC: Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. This year features artists I have actually heard of including Carly Simon, Cyndi Lauper, The Roots, Ziggy Marley, Gloria Gaynor, and Katharine McPhee. Also expect an oversize Pillsbury Doughboy stroll down the streets of New York City.
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 Chuck, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, WWII in HD, The Lost JFK Tapes: The Assassination, When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs, Caprica, and Delta Blues.
- I was never a fan of the idea of Chuck returning before the Olympics and it looks like NBC will be fumbling its return more than I thought. Hopefully I am the one that is wrong and it because NBC’s most watched scripted show (which actually shouldn’t be that hard). So Chuck is slated to premiere its third season Sunday January 10 at 9:00 before settling in on Mondays at 8:00. Hopefully NBC reminds viewer’s ad nausea during the NFL playoffs as so they are Pavloved into remembering it. And let me start with this preview clip introduced by Zach Levi (and features the Token Hot Chick dancing):
- In other Zach Levi news, he, along with Jane Krakowski will be hosting this year’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center special that will also feature performances from Michael Bublé, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, The Roots and Shakira with apperences from Brian Williams and Mercy’s Taylor Shilling and James Tupper.
- For those that have been enjoying WWII in HD or want to catch up, it is currently available on iTunes and Xbox or you could head over to History.com for more information.
- With the anniversary of the JFK assassination coming up this weekend, The National Geographic is premiering The Lost JFK Tapes: The Assassination this Monday at 9:00. The program features no narration, no after the fact interviews, no conspiracies, just real time news footage and photographs, some never before seen, starting from when John Kennedy touched ground in Dallas and ending with Lyndon Johnson’s first speech in front of Congress as president.
- In other National Geographic Channel news, their Expedition Week ends tomorrow at 9:00 with the awesomely titled When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs. Here is a preview if the title along can’t get you to tune in:
- It is not every day when someone sends me a picture of a hot naked chick (but feel free to do so if inclined) so I thought I’d share the new Caprica key art. Imaging Greater indeed.
- Another new show coming to Syfy soon, as in December 8 at 9:30, is Outer Space Astronauts. Below is a sneak peek:
- Delta Blues, TNT’s latest pilot, has got a leading man, Jason Lee who will be playing a Memphis cop by day and Elvis Impersonator at night that still lives with his mom. No word yet if he will have a massive mustache and of list of wrongs he wants to make right and a shrewd ex-wife who lives in a trailer park with her new black husband. Here’s hoping he does.
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.
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart - Alicia Keys
A slightly better song from Alicia Keys than Doesn’t Mean Anything, although the superpowers thing in the video is a little weird.
Remember when Rihanna sang silly little pop songs? But in the last year or two, her hair kept getting shorter and shorter, her songs got darker and dark to the point where she scares me like she is a modern day Grace Jones.
You might remember The Swell Season as the duo that won the Oscar two years ago. They become a couple while filming Once, then broke up, then recorded this most recent album. Hey it worked for Fleetwood Mac. But I am sure touring with an ex may feel like it is raining on you all the time.
Just another great song from Raphael Saadiq. And a cool stylistic video worthy of a comic book translation. Have I ever mentioned that my very first concert was MTV Party to Go Tour featuring Tony! Toni! Toné!? I’m sure you will need that information if you are ever on Jeopardy.
Remember the Funny or Die video John Mayer did about a year ago (featuring celebrity music tester Kristen Bell) that took a day in the life of Mayer as he tries to write a song (if not click here to view it, or not if you want to avoid hearing Mayer and/or Bell curse like sailors at each other). The video got a “funny” because, despite his tabloid fodder for celebrity bed hopping, attempts at standup comedy, and incisive twittering, the music stands up with his three successive albums getting better than the one before.
But I bring up Mayer’s contribution to Funny or Die because it is hard not to think of the skit when listening to his latest album, Battle Studies. With lines like “I don’t remember you look any better but then again I don’t remember you” (Who Says) just sounds like something else that someone who would ask his writing partners to come up with a song about sleeping with a supermodel to make another supermodel jealous would say. And with all the song out relationship, it is hard not to wonder which songs are about Jennifer, Jessica, Minka, Jennifer #2, or any of the other random hot chicks Mayer has been linked to.
Your mind drifts to pondering which starlet is linked to which song because of how mediocre they are. Where Room for Squares was one of the greatest pop albums of the decade, Heavier Things was his blues album, and Continuum was his foray into blues, Battle Studies just sound what you think a clichéd John Mayer album would sound like. Heartbreak Warfare sounds like Mayer just thought of the title sounded cool and forced to write a song about it if it turned out to be good or not. Things just don’t fare much better with titles like All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye, Perfectly Lonely, War of My Life, and Do You Know Me are depressingly sad as their title suggests.
The few times Mayer tries to break out of the mold of the album, he just falls flat. Who Says just sounds like a retreat of Stop This Train, but with a clumsily pot metaphor. Half of My Heart, featuring Taylor Swift, is his attempt at an eighties style duet, but it comes close to parody and barely constitutes a duet as Swift is just resigned to backing vocals to the point you wonder why even bother. Then Friends, Lovers or Nothing just sounds like an extension of In Repair.
His Robert Johnson cover of Crossroads is the lone non-relationship to the point it just sticks out like a sore thumb. And top of it, it just isn’t a very good version with it heavy organ thump and it would have been a better choice to have included his take on Bruce Springsteen’s I’m on Fire (which is an iTunes bonus track with Battle Studies) which is the better cover and would have fit in better with the album thematically.
Thanks not to say all of Battle Studies is a disappointment. Assassin sounds different than anything else on the album and is the one love is war metaphor that works on the album with a not so shocking lyrically twist at the end. And even though Edge of Love starts out slow, it kicks into gear when Mayer lets loose on his guitar. But the two songs just can’t keep Battle Studies from being the weakest of Mayer’s career. So John, the next time Kristen Bell tells you that your song sucks, please take her advice and go back to the drawing board and avoid songs about making supermodels jealous.
Norah Jones gets a rap of being overtly mellow. And for the most part it is warranted. But a funny thing happened on the way to your mother’s record collection: she somehow becomes a favorite among rappers. She sang hooks for Outkast, Wyclef Jean, Talib Kweli, and Q-Tip and was named checked by Kanye West. While her fourth album The Fall doesn’t feature any hip hop beats, Jones has expanded her musical palette from her regular mellow jazz.
Although she may not have those rappers directly to thank for her new exploration on The Fall, but Jacquire King (Kings of Leon) who produced the disk which moves away from piano based tunes with more songs based around guitars and organs. Of course the one thing that has stayed constant is Norah Jones’ voice, still silky as ever even if there are guitars distortions accompanying it. And the new sound mix together well with her classic voice.
The tone is set nicely with the first song on The Fall (as well as the first single) Chasing Pirates with its marching organ chords. While It’s Gonna Be features organs so funky it sounds like they come from a Booker T. album. Then the closing number Man of the Hour manages to sound like old school soul and modern day Fiona Apple even though it is a song about choosing her dog when her only other suitors are a vegan and a pothead. And for those that want classic Norah, check out Back to Manhattan.
The best of the album includes Young Blood, a driving tune that seems to build up to something but you know Jones would never let the song break. But she lets the guitars let loose on Stuck which may be the closest Jones ever gets to a straight up rock song even though her vocals grounds the song. But despite her turn in musical styles; The Fall should still keep your mother’s content if you still need something to buy her for Christmas.
As a history buff, last year’s Expedition Week on the National Geographic Channel was thoroughly enjoyable. Last year relied heavily on Egyptian related programming which is lacking this year, but still plenty of watchable specials. Some of those have recently been uploaded to Hulu (presumable this year’s will also end up there at some point if you miss them). Here is a list of what you can expect with each program starting a 9:00 on the days listed below starting with tonight.
Monday: Expedition Great White Not the most interesting program of the week (but I tend to find the social scientists more interesting than the biological one) but it does feature an inexplicable cameo from Paul Walker (yes the dude from Fast and Furious) as one of the deckhands.
Tuesday: Hunt for the Samurai Subs History is fill with a lot of “What If’s (did you know Hitler won by one vote, what if one person decided to go the other way?). Here is one “What If” I never knew existed. During World War II, the Japanese had developed subs the length of a football field so advanced they could go around the world one and a half times without refueling or coming up for air and housed three fighter planes in air lock holders. The Japanese had planned to take them half way around the world to land a surprise attack on New York City and Washington DC. Luckily the US was able to capture them before they left the Pacific and then sank them to keep the Russians from developing the technology to build their own. Here, scientists try to locate those sunken subs.
Wednesday: The Ballard Gallipoli Expedition The guy who discovered The Titanic moves to the Mediterranean where Dr. Bob Ballard is looking for warships off the peninsula in Turkey where one of the most bloody and controversial battles of WWI took place.
Thursday: Mars: Making the New Earth Most expeditions are about uncovering the past, but here is a possible expedition that could take place in the future. It is a simple concept of if we are warming this planet without even trying, could we warm up Mars to the point it is habitable to humans? After watching this, it seems plausible. But the show leaves out one very important variable that isn’t even mentioned once: how exactly do we get to Mars? Check out a preview below:
Friday: The First Jesus Despite centuries of fighting, Islam, Christianity and Judaism all have the same roots. It is just Muslims consider Mohammed is a prophet, Christians believe Jesus Christ is the son of God, and the Jews believe neither. A newly discovered tablet may make things even more muddled as a newly discovered tablet may have discovered a new Messiah that predates Jesus by a few years. It just that one very important letter has become illegible over time and some scientist try to figure out what it was.
Saturday: When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs C’mon, with a title like that, do I really need to elaborate to get you to turn in? It’s about prehistoric crocodile who ate dinosaurs for dinner complete with CGI recreations.
Every November I make the Lyrics Quiz a little tricky and not give you the theme of the month. You have to guess the lyrics and then try to see what ties them together. Whoever does gets 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), or e-mail me, 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. It’s too high to get over. too low to get under. You're stuck in the middle. And the pain is thunder. (Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - Michael Jackson; guessed by Taylor Blue) 2. Use the body, now you want my soul. Ooh, forget about it, now say no go, yeah. (I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) - Hall and Oates; guessed by Rebekah) 3. Every time I hear how you never want to live a lie. How it’s gone too far and you don’t have to tell me why. 4. I give you all a boy could give you. Take my tears and that's not nearly all. (Tainted Love - Soft Cell; guessed by Rebekah) 5. A man in a silk suit hurries by, as he catches the poor old lady’s eyes. Just for fun he says, “Get a job.” (The Way it Is - Bruce Hornsby and the Range; guessed by Rebekah) 6. No one on the corner has swagger like us, hit me on my burner, prepay wireless. We pack and deliver in UPS trucks. (Paper Planes - M.I.A.; guessed by Doug) 7. Now Watergate does not bother me. Does your conscience bother you? Tell the truth. (Sweet Home Alabama - Lynard Skynard; guessed by Rebekah) 8. Put your pictureon my wall. It reminds me it is not so bad, it’s not so bad. (Thank You - Dido; guessed by Taylor Blue) 9. 38-24-37; you and me honey are a match made in heaven. (Bonita Applebum - A Tribe Called Quest; guessed by Doug) 10. There’s nothing wrong with me loving you. And giving yourself to me can never be wrong if the love is true. (Let's Get it On - Marvin Gaye; guessed by Rebekah) 11. John Brown always hated me, for what I do not know. (I Shot the Sheriff - Bob Marley; guessed by Rebekah) 12. No I’m not a sucker sitting in the House of Pain. And no I’m not the butler, I’ll cut you. (Check Yo Self - Ice Cube; guessed by Doug) 13. The first kick I took is when I hit the ground. End up like a dog that’s been beat too much. (Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen; guessed by Doug) 14. When I had you to myself, I didn’t want you around. Those pretty faces always make you stand out in a crowd. (I Want You Back - The Jackson 5; guessed by Doug) 15. It wasn’t my intension to mislead you. It never should have been this way. What can I say? (Toy Soldiers - Martika; guessed by Rebekah) 16. Dissipation. Race Relations. Consolation. Segregation. Dispensation. Isolation. Exploitation. Mutilation. Mutations. Miscreation. Confirmation.......to the evils of the world. 17. You could have a Big Dipper. Going up and down, around the bends. You could have a bumper car bumping. This amusement never ends. (Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel; guessed by Doug) 18. Sing with me, if it’s just for today. Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away. (Dream On - Aerosmith; guessed by Doug) 19. She gives me money when I’m in need. Yeah she’s a kind of friend indeed. (I Got a Woman - Ray Charles; guessed by Doug) 20. How does it feel to treat me like you do? When you place your hands upon and told me who you are. 21. Dear Daddy, I write you in spite of years of silence. You cleaned up, found Jesus. Things are good also I hear. (Say it Ain't So - Weezer; guessed by Doug) 22. See my old man’s got a problem, lives with the bottle, that’s the way it is. He says he body’s too old for working. His body’s too young to look like his. (Fast Car - Tracy Chapman; guessed by Taylor Blue) 23. If you say run, I’ll run with you. And if you say hide, we’ll hide. (Let's Dance - David Bowie; guessed by Rebekah) 24. Chewing on a piece of grass, walking down the road. Tell me, how long you gonna stay here, Joe? 25. Just like the white dove sings a song sounds like she’s singing… (Edge of Seventeen - Stevie Nicks; guessed by Rebekah)
(Scooter Update: I just realized I made an oops and #12 does not actually fit with the theme of this quiz directly. I fully regret this error. So here is a hint: four of the lyrics above (#6 being the first of them) should make the theme absurdly obvious. And the reason why #12 does not fit the theme is because it is backwards.)
Quote of the Week: What, like the first rule of Perv Club is no talking about Perv Club. (Ronnie - Mercy)
Song of the Week: Evil Woman – Electric Light Orchestra (as sung by Jeff, Community)
Big News of the Week: Hank and Eastwick: Dead and Dead: Not that I care. And neither of the show showed up the list of The Best New Shows of Fall 2009 that I released earlier this week. And some of the bloggers who took part in the survey posted their ballots. You can check them out on their sites:
Tool Academy: Much like last season, and pretty much any reality show that have eliminations, the finale just didn’t hold weight to the rest of the season. And I was surprised they didn’t offer up a wedding to the winners like they did last season. You can stream recent episodes over at vh1.com. You can also download Tool Academy on iTunes.
How I Met Your Mother: Finally the second most annoying coupling has come to an end (more on number one in a second). Barney is much better flying solo. If the show wants to get them back for the series finale, fine, but let’s keep Barney single until then. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.
The Big Bang Theory: I actually thought they might go two for two in breaking up couples that just don’t belong together with the friends crashing on Penny’s couch finally pushing that relationship over the edge. Hurph. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Castle: My favorite moment of the easily was when the NYPD, busted down the door of an elderly woman on oxygen. Highest of high comedy there especially when her cats started crawling over the boys. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.
Sons of Anarchy: I wonder with Gemma telling Clay and Jax about her attack will actually bring the two together as they may ultimately disagree abou the plan of action for retaliation. And again, no update on Skinner or Tommy Two Fingers. Did they get out of the porn studio or not? It’s odd they lingered so long on Tommy Two Fingers and not give us a resolution or even a mention of if there were any bodies found. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.
Mercy: Second favorite moment of the month, when Erica Christensen stabbed her husband in the neck. It gave me Swimf@n flashbacks. They just do not make stalking swim team groupies like that anymore. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mercy on iTunes.
Survivor: Samoa: Exile Island was the greatest twist in Survivor history. The hidden immunity idol should have been but after getting played during its inaugural introduction, I think fake immunity idols have been played more often than real ones. That all changed this season, when there was finally someone smart enough to assume there was one and looks for it before any clues, a group of people smart enough to smoke it out, and someone actually using it to save himself. And from the previews it looks like there are people smart enough to tail Russell to see if he somehow goes three for three. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.
Community: How disappointing that we didn’t get to see a werewolf. And Annie really needs to let her hair down more often. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.
Free Download of the Week: Fly Me Away - Annie Little: Amazon is taking a page out of Apple’s playbook by using a quirky pop song to haulk their products and you may have heard the song playing in the background of the new Kindle ad.
Deal of the Week: Up to 40% Off Blu-ray Hits (The Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coyote Ugly)
Video of the Week: Grown Ups is technically about a thirty year reunion of a basketball team, but let’s face it, it is really a twenty year reunion of Saturday Night Live cast members (with Kevin James subbing for Chris Farley). Let’s just hope that the movie just feel like an extended SNL skit.
Next Week Pick of the Week: The Prisoner, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday at 8:00 on AMC: Sunday and Tuesday should be pretty easy to catch this mini-series as there is nothing else on although an already log jammed Monday will be more complicated with the Browns on Monday Night Football. Luckily AMC will be airing encore presentations, just none announced yet. And of course if you are interested in checking out the original, I am giving The Prisoner away on DVD and Blu Ray.
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 Expedition Week, Crash, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Mad Men, Community, Showtime premiere dates. (And of course don’t forget to enter to win The Prisoner on DVD or Blu-Ray.)
- The second annual Expedition Week is starting up on the National Geographic Channel. I will be going in depth on what to expect Monday, but a little heads up on the premiere Sunday at 9:00, Search for Amazon Head Shrinkers where Pierce Gibbons heads to the jungles of South America to find out if the only video of a head being shrunk is actually legit. For those wondering what your shrunken would look like (or a friend or enemy), head over to National Geographic.com and upload a photo.
- Tonight in another episode of Crash at 10:00 on Starz. Here is a preview:
- January Jones, who is hosting Saturday Night Live this week, is certainly moderately attractive but has for the most part flown under my radar. I even think 1960’s Betty Draper is much hotter than 21st century January. That all changed when Jimmy Fallon challenged Jones to a game of Beer Pong and she called him out for playing incorrectly and being a light weight for not filling his cup to the top. Color me officially smitten.
- For those of you with Showtime, the channel has a full slate of premieres coming early next year. January 25 sees the return of Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Tracy Ullman’s State of the Union, and new show LaLa Land. Then on March 22 the second seasons of Nurse Jackie and The United States of Tara. Lastly, The Tudors arrives April 11. Mark your calendars.
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.
It hard not to think of the Monty Python skit from The Meaning of Life while watching the new Norah Jones video. And listening to song it sounds like hanging around with all the rappers he has latly has made her music slightly less boring.
It really too easy to take pot shots at actors who try to sing, but Leighton Meester’s attempt my go down in the annals of time with Joey Lawrence and Brian Austin Green as one of the worst. And I haven’t been this uncomfortable watching a music video since Fiona Apple’s Criminal.
How do you follow up a song with the best title of the year (I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked)? Well you can’t. But Ida Maria recruiting Iggy Pop for a video is decent enough.
Being Veteran's Day today, here is a song for all the soldiers, past and present out there. Thank you for your service and for the current ones, come home safely.
Remember in Ghostbusters when Dan Aykroyd sees Slimmer for the first time and just stands there with a cigarette barely dangling from his mouth? That was basically the same expression I had when I saw Carrie Underwood’s latest music video for Cowboy Casanova (except substitute a pretzel stick for the cigarette). Yeah, Underwood wouldn’t be winning any karaoke contests that took place on the radio, which is not to say she cannot put together a listenable song or two and Cowboy Casanova stands out as her best to date.
That may be thanks to Mike Elizondo, best known for his bass work with Dr. Dre, who engineered a song that gave Underwood some edge for the first time yet still manages to sound country while doing so. That even includes Before He Cheats because even with its anti-boy lyrics, you doubt the person singing it is capable of jaywalking let alone felonious destruction of property. But when Carrie says in Cowboy Casanova, “You better run for your life,” you lace up your Adidas and do your best Usain Bolt impression.
That song starts of Underwood’s third album Play On and the strong songs continues with Quitter, a whimsical banjo ode to finding that special person that makes you want to work at the relationship than your usually bailing after getting bored. On the flipside is When I Stop Loving You, a quintessential heartbreak country song and Underwood’s best ballad yet.
Unfortunately the rest of Play On doesn’t stand up to those three previously mentioned songs as Carrie is content on resting on her laurels and just recycle previous song on the remaining tracks. Change might as well be called So Small 2009. Temporary Home manages to be even more smaulzier than Jesus Take the Wheel. Songs Like This (as in “If it wasn’t for guys like you, there wouldn’t be…”) is just an extension of Before He Cheats. While Undo It (albeit the best of the rest) just repeats the lyrics, music and tone of Flat on the Floor with the exception of turning the title into eight syllables and manages two out of the word “lack.”
From her first album I thought Carrie Underwood had a great album in her. It is just she has continued to repeat her successes on her two follow ups. She may have been better off handing the reigns off to Mike Elizondo for the whole album instead of just the one song. Hopefully that kind of shake up happens for the fourth album, because her current shtick is starting to wear thin after three.
Every year in August and September we are bombarded by best new shows of the fall list which can be daunting. Add to that those list are typically only based on one episode of which the second one typically isn’t filmed until months later. That is why every November a corral up a cabal of television bloggers to see what live up to the hype and what what was a big a let down as the new Weezer album (*cough* Flash Forward *couch*). Then I throw in their ballots into my patent pending algorithm which so advanced that Sarah Palin accused it of being Communism. Here are the results and places to catch up if you missed the shows:
In a measure of full disclosure, here is my ballot:
1. Modern Family – ABC 2. Mercy – NBC 3. Community – NBC 4. Trauma – NBC 5. Rescue Ink Unleashed – National Geographic Channel
And in one last television tidbit, let me remind you that you still have until Sunday to enter in The Prisoner Contest where I am giving away one DVD and one Blu-Ray set of the classic series.
Greek: I can understand not letting Beth perform in Songfest (although I was allowed to be a ringer on my buddy’s frat intramural team a couple times)but why not let them use her dance? And how do they know if she choreographed it or not? A little silly plot point there. But the real competition for the episode was the showdown between Rusty and Dale with a soundtrack that sounded straight out of Over the Top. And I am certainly not very enthralled with the reintroduction of the Casey-Cappie-Rebecca-Evan love quadrangle that will most likely have to put up with for the rest of the season. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
The Big Bang Theory: I’m surprised that the guys could be surprised that Sheldon would know something. There is nothing I would be surprised by Sheldon knowing except how to act in social situation. You can download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Castle: It was a little disappointing that they didn’t draw any comparisons to Sarah McLachlan whose song Possession was written about a stalker (who then sued her saying she stole lines from his letter to use in the song). You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.
Sons of Anarchy: So what happened to Skinner and the two fingered dude? The ending was left a little ambiguous to if either or both got out of the porn studio or not and neither was mentioned when Jax showed up the next day. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.
Modern Family: Hopefully everyone caught Claire wearing a “Claire and Present Danger” t-shirt. Presumably that wasn’t for the figure skating competition. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Survivor: Samoa: It may be a JV Survivor move to just vote out the other tribe one by one and Varsity Survivor to start scheming right after the merge, but a member of the NCAA Survivor would instantly crush the other tribe coming out of the merge, crushing their spirits by taking out their leader. When you are up eight to four you cannot let the minority tribe choose who is getting voted out because not only are you giving them hope, you are also sending a message to you own tribe that they could get blindsided at any time. Seriously, half of the majority tribe’s named were brought up for potential elimination. On the bright side, as a viewer, this should make the stretch run pretty exciting. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.
Community: Though the song may not be as catch as In the Moonlight from Dylan and the Rusty Zippers, I cannot help going around all day singing, “She’s a B, she’s a GDB.” You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.
(Castle, Eli Stone, Scrubs)
, and not only did 
, then broke up, then recorded this most recent album. Hey it worked for 
![Terror Alert Level: Elevated [YELLOW]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-iVFV0hXCTSYP16K_V0Rrxp3GqFrtBIJKeTUyQ2LpxZQ9XKHFj6QGtqqa7oxhLadLV8vUj8R84AftD8IKUSfN0u_u0CYDtJwhrpCPN2DBWquAIDv0jbVlhZL0mDFKlPKluGyxw/s400/small_elevated.png)
on my 
doesn’t feature any hip hop beats, Jones has expanded her musical palette from her regular mellow jazz.
![Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebDZ0qqwOVKMZj7oFSUe8Hm3ax54U9Hp1fThJPgiddTyzcdwx_5SV6E3b7hkKyxbaDiym4COmUXT2YJnsKCUjBHI_a2xZtNoY7qFQRslP5AGO5gLkJwn2ZbO0wIF80ycbKrgPPA/s400/small_high.png)
on my 
flashbacks. They just do not make stalking swim team groupies like that anymore. You can stream recent episodes on 
: Amazon is taking a page out of Apple’s playbook by using a quirky pop song to haulk their products and you may have heard the song playing in the background of the new Kindle ad.
while watching the new 
when Dan Aykroyd sees Slimmer for the first time and just stands there with a cigarette barely dangling from his mouth? That was basically the same expression I had when I saw 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 