First Impressions: Survivor: Nicaragua

It is weird to think how much the world has changed in the short amount of time I have inhabited this planet. Thanks to the fall of the Berlin War, Europe looks completely different then when I entered grade school. Nicaragua was a war zone growing up and now they are hosting game shows in the country and Sandinistas and Contras are just album names by The Clash and Vampire Weekend (though the later admits they named it after the NES game).

Nicaragua thankfully is the first Russell Hantz free installment of Survivor in over a year. Though with just the first episode under our belt, all the contestants this year seem a little too nice, in fact is was a pretty pedestrian start to the season after all the bombast of the previous All-Star season. Even without any All-Stars, that doesn’t mean we didn’t’ get a familiar face as former Dallas Cowboy coach and current Fox commentator Jimmie Johnson who promptly started puking during his first night.

We do get two new twists this season. As mentioned previous, this year’s tribes are divided by age, over forties in one tribe and under thirty in another. This probably means that they will switch them up within a month. I kind of wished they would have gone four tribes, twenties, thirties, forties and fifties. The other new twist may be the worst idea the show has had. The Medallion of Power allows the owner gets a head start in challenges and if they choose to use the medallion it will then go to the other tribe. Lame.

The only other contestant of note besides Johnson is the second amputee in the history of Survivor, and first female to walk around the island in a prosthetic. Though I have been starring at the photo of Kelly Bruno (at right, in the pants) and I swear she has two feet there. Did Survivor really Photoshop toes on her for her individual promotion shot but not in the cast photo above? It is interesting the dichotomy between the two tribes where Johnson said they should bring him to the final because no jury would award him a million dollars where the younger tribe talk about how they want to get Bruno out soon because she would be a lock to win Survivor if she made it to the end. Alright it is time to name the hottest hot chick on the beach and who I predict to win.

Contestant I’d Most Like to Have Dirty, Dirty Sex with Even if She Hasn’t Take a Shower in a Month: Alina Wilson

Winner: Kent State’s own Jill Behm

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

Lyrics Quiz: Last Played

I was playing around with iTunes the other day (but not with Ping which manages to be an even more worthless social networking site than Twitter) and though it would be interesting to see which songs that I have gone without playing the longest. The winner by far was Best of Me, Pt. 2 by Mya featuring Jay-Z hasn’t been played since 2005, the year after I first downloaded iTunes (yet managed to get played twelve times that year). The next closest hasn’t been played in three years and here are those songs. 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. Please keep in mind the lyrics quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please only use your own meandering mind to guess them. Now onto the lyric quiz:


1. I was a high school loser, never made it with a lady, ‘til the boys told me something I missed. (Walk This Way - Run-DMC and Areosmith; guessed by Rebekah)
2. Acting funny but I don’t know why. ‘Scuse my while I kiss the sky. (Purple Haze - Jimi Henrix Experience; guessed by Rebekah)
3. I fear that I am ordinary just like everyone.
4. You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips. And there’s no tenderness like before in your fingertips. (You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - the Righteous Brothers; guessed by Rebekah)
5. Breathing is the hardest thing to do with all I’ve said and all that’s dead for you.
6. So I have some to my dog when he began to beg. And then he licked his bowl and looked at me and did the wild thing on my leg. (Funky Cold Medina - Tone Loc; guested by Rebekah)
7. Hey! What gives you the right to put up a fence and keep me out, or to keep Mother Nature in? If God was here, he’d tell it to your face, man, you're some kind of sinner. (Signs - Tesla; guessed by Rebekah)
8. Tell me why everything turned around? Packing up, shacking up, is all you wanna do. (Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac; guessed by Rebekah)
9. You finally make it home and the fun begins. You try to pass out but here comes the spins. So you turn and toss, then you toss and turn. Your head gets light and your chest starts to burn. So you lay on your stomach and you tuck in your chin. Pail by your bedside, now the breathing begins.
10. I can feel your body when I’m lying in bed. There’s too much confusion going around through my head.
11. I sit on the stairs ‘cause I’d rather be alone. If I can’t have you right now, I’ll wait here. (Patience - Guns 'n' Roses; guessed by Kyra)
12. Rev me up, rev me up my little buttercup. We can tug sheets, snuggle up and get stuck.
13. But as the scenery grows, I see in different lights. The shades and shadows undulate in my perception.
14. I must confess I still believe if I’m not with you I lose my mind.
15. 'Cause I wanna be good for you, I didn’t mean to be bad. But darling I’m still the best that you ever had.
16. What’s a matter with the car I’m driving, can’t you tell that it’s out of style? Should I get a set a white wall tires, are you gonna cruise the miracle mile? (It's Still Rock and Roll to Me - Billy Joel; guessed by Rebekah)
17. I bet you’re hard to get over. I bet the moon just won’t shine. I bet my hands I can stay here. I bet you need more than you mind. (If You're Gone - Matchbox Twenty; guessed by Rebekah)
18. If I ever get out of here, thought of giving it all away to a registered charity. All I need is a pint a day. (Band On the Run - Paul McCartney and Wings; guessed by Rebekah)
19. No, I can’t forget this evening or your face as you were leaving. But I guess that’s just the way the story goes. (Without You - Harry Nilsson; guessed by Rebekah)
20. And I don’t know, I could crash and burn but maybe at the end of this road I might catch a glimpse of me.
21. You shut your mouth. How can you say I go about things the wrong way? I am human and I need to be love just like everyone else does.
22. She’s just like a maze where all of the walls all continually change.
23. I can’t get any rest. People say I’m obsessed. Everything you say is lies but to me there’s no surprised.
24. This ain’t got (expletive deleted) to do with shampoo, but watch your head ‘n’ shoulders. Brother older bold enough to fold, yo, I told ya.
25. Oh she may be weary. Them young girls they do get weary wearing the same old shaggy dress.

Toss Up: Modern Family vs. Parenthood

When television schedules were announced last year, I marked Wednesdays on my calendar are a good family block with two new shows, Parenthood at 8:00 and Modern Family at 9:00. Both were similar in that they both focused on an extended family which made for easy comparisons. Unfortunately Parenthood got yanked from the schedule and when it popped up it was at the unfamily friendly timeslot of 10:00 on Tuesdays (where it returns tonight). But despite the separation, they were still the best two new network programs and so I thought I would do an old school toss up to see which family show was in fact better.


90’s Sitcom Refugee
Modern Family: Al Bundy
Parenthood: Coach
Winner: Modern Family

Created By
Modern Family: Christopher Lloyd who may or may not be Doc Brown
Parenthood: The guys who brought us Arrested Development and Friday Night Lights
Winner: Parenthood

Younger Brothers Is…
Modern Family: ADHD
Parenthood: Autistic
Winner: Modern Family

Mom from Boston Legal
Modern Family: Carol Vessey
Parenthood: Monica Potter
Winner: Modern Family

Mr. Mom
Modern Family: Cameron Tucker
Parenthood: Joel Graham
Winner: Modern Family

Costume of Choice
Modern Family: Clown
Parenthood: Pirate
Winner: Parenthood

Temptresses
Modern Family: Phil’s ex-girlfriend Judy Greer
Parenthood: Joel’s PTA buddy
Winner: Parenthood

Dude from The Class
Modern Family: Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Parenthood: Jason Ritter
Winner: Modern Family

Absentee Dad
Modern Family: Manny’s father
Parenthood: Crosby
Winner: Parenthood

Underaged Daughter Who, Thank Chris Hansen, Is Over 18 in Real Life
Modern Family: Haley
Parenthood: Haddie
Winner: Modern Family

Ethnic Diversity
Modern Family: Al Bundy married a Latina
Parenthood: Cosby hooked up with a black chick
Winner: Modern Family

Guest Stars
Modern Family: Edward Norton, Elizabeth Banks
Parenthood: Dr. Harold Abbott, Lyla Garrity
Winner: Parenthood

Theme Song
Modern Family: Bob Dylan’s Forever Young
Parenthood: an instrumental
Winner: Parenthood

There you have it, Modern Family squeaks out a victory 7-6. Parenthood airs Tuesdays at 10:00 starting tonight. You can stream episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes. Modern Family airs Wednesdays starting next week at 9:00. You can stream episodes on Hulu. You can also download Modern Family on iTunes.

Previewing The League 2.x

Despite having the best dramas on basic cable, FX struggles on the comedy side thing. Sure Louis has been funny but it certainly isn’t must see TV or something worth talking about around the watercooler. Last year’s The League had its moments but nothing that really stuck out as particularly funny and was one of those comedies that tried too hard to cross the preverbal line.

Tonight is a new season, both of the television show and the football season which means it is time for a new draft. And the boys are going all out this year, drafting in Vegas, with reality dater Chad Ochocinco. There is a funny bit about how they determine their draft order, but I really do not recall much else laughable aside from someone being excited about drafting Monterio Hardesty.

Same goes for episode which sees the inclusion of a new league member when Ruxin’s recruits his brother-in-law who seems to know even less about football than Taco. On the plus side, my sources tell me that Cleveland Brown Joshua Cribbs will make an appearance this season making him the second Kent State alumni to appear on the show after Antonio Gates last season. Granted my alma mater deserves better.

The League airs Thursdays at 10:30 on FX. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The League on iTunes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLVII

Quote of the Week: All we need is Boyz II Men and we’d have a prom. (Tanya, Rubicon)

Song of the Week: (They Long to Be) Close to You – The Carpenters (as hummed by Hank, Terriers)

Big News of the Week: TNT Is Heading to Dallas: For those that had Dallas in your office pool of what eighties project Hollywood would exploit next, collect your prize (I unfortunately drew The Greatest American Hero). Although, I thought that there was a movie in the works with Eva Longoria. But anyway. Much like the unwatchable 90210 rehash, the show will focus on the next generation, with the offspring of brothers JR and Bobby Ewing taking center stage. No word yet on when the show will show up on TNT.

Leverage: You can never go wrong with the Dead Hooker Con (which is what the real name of the con was). Though I really could not follow the cat and mouse game between Nate and the Italian. She really wanted him to believe she intended to kill him in hopes that he would go after the target without her? I really do not get it. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rubicon: In the first couple episodes, the comic relief seemed shoehorned in and almost like a completely different show, but the show is doing a much better job blending the humor in. I especially like Tanya chiding Grant for not getting the Boyz II Men (though it is about time for a comeback because R&B sucked last decade). reference when the group hasn’t been big since her prom and Cale’s general condescending nature during his test. You can download Rubicon on iTunes.

Also check out my first impressions of the season and series premieres of Sons of Anarchy and Terriers.

Free Download of the Week: Americana Music Awards Sampler (Amazon MP3): Features song by The Avett Brothers, John Hiatt and Steve Earle.

Deal of the Week: The Big Blu Ray Sale (The Dark Knight, Chuck Seasons 1 and 2, The Never Ending Story)

Video of the Week: A new Kristen Bell movie hits the big screen and when she is not campaigning for a revival of Veronica Mars, she apparently is getting in verbal catfights with the cast of You Again. Heartbreakers. Ha ha.

You Again Cast Fight

You Again Cast Fight from Betty White

Next Week Pick of the Week: Survivor, Wednesday at 8:00 on CBS: Survivor is switching it up again this time dividing up its tribes by age in Nicaragua. Granted if I were a bookkeeper, I would set the over/under for how long until the switch up the tribes at 3.5 episodes. Here’s hoping they named the tribes Sandinistas and Contras (and not because of the Clash or Vampire Weekend albums).

In other premiere news, two show are getting early previews after this week’s episodes of America’s Got Talent and I do not think it is a coincidence they both have ties to the 2002 cinema classic Swinf@n. Erika Christensen returns for the second season of Parenthood on Tuesday (which will be its regular night) and the object of her affection Jesse Bradford shows up on Wednesday (before settling into its regular Friday death slot) in the cast of Outlaw, a show about the most conservative member of the Supreme Court who resigns to fight for the little guy. Another Parenthood tie is that Ellen Woglom, who is the best part of Outlaw, could past as Monica Potter’s younger sister. Outlaw tries a little too hard to be House set in a courtroom, but the first episode does feature the RZA.

You will have to wait until next week until another Swimf@n alum gets his own show when The Event starring Jason Ritter premieres September 20. No word when NBC will be giving Shiri Appleby her own show.

Around the Tubes vol. LXVI

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on True Blood, The 19th Wife, Caprica, Mel B: It's a Scary World, and the NFL.

- The season of True Blood is coming to an end this Sunday at 9:00 on HBO and below is a sneak peak. Then after the finale, head over to bloodcopy.com to chat with Kristin
Bauer van Straten following the east coast viewing, and Joe Manganiello will be chatting after the west coast viewing.



- Lifetime’s latest made for television movie premieres Monday September 13. The 19th Wife stars Chyler Leigh (Grey’s Anatomy), Matt Czuchry (Gilmore Girls) and Patricia Wettig (Brothers & Sisters) and is based on the New York Times bestseller of the same name. Here is a promo:

The 19th Wife HD Promo


- Mark your calendars Caprica fans, the show returns Tuesday October 5 at 10:00. The show will follow new episodes of Stargate: Universe. In other Syfy news, Sanctuary will return Friday October 15 at 10:00 following Friday Night Smackdown.

- If I were to give a reality show to a Spice Girl, it would have been Baby Spice. But alas, nobody has let me run their network, including the Style Network who instead went with Scary Spice for Mel B: It’s a Scary World. Here is a preview of Sunday’s new episode:

Mel B: Date Night Fiasco


- NFL starts off this week, which means it is week one of fantasy football. Run out of orginal smack to talk to members of the league? Then heaqd over to Cameo Stars to have the likes of Drew Brees and Tony Romo insult your rival’s team on their Facebook page. Check out some outtakes below.

- And what better way to watch football than in HD, this will be my first season with it. For those that do not, Aaron’s has an 82 inch (that is almost seven feet) 3D ready Mitsubishi DLP that you can rent for $199 a month.

- In other NFL news, if you cannot enough of football and have a gambling problems to the point where you feel the urge to bet on which teams that will face a black out this season, head over Bookmaker.com to place your bet. Currently Kansas City and Cincinnati are you best bet at +500.

I’m Going Down, Follow if You Wanna

There was not a more subversive love song in recent memory then the one Sara Bareilles titled it. It screamed to be sung along to when coming on in your car. But behind the bouncy piano bop was a snarky response to her record company who wanted, well, you know. One assumes that same executive is who we have to thank for King of Anything (though I would like to think she wrote it Kanye West) which bounces around, this time with a brass band, and even snarkier lyrics perfectly visualized in the video when she holds out her hand, with a crown ring, to be kissed during the line, “Let me hold your crown babe.” This guy may be a tool, but thanks to him we have gotten some pure pop perfection from it.

King of Anything is just a sign of what is to come for her sophomore album Kaleidoscope Heart which brings a broader sound that her first outing. Hold My Heart is an anthemic balled heavy on the bass and drums. Gonna Get Over You is reminiscent of the days of girl groups complete with a nonsensical sing-along chorus.

Basket Case (not a Green Day cover) may be Sara’s most vulnerable song to date where she takes on the attributes of the title “whenever you’re gone” and trades in her piano for an acoustic guitar for much effect. She plugs in for the next song Let the Rain which starts as a ballad before exploding into a hand clapping groove. Where Love Song and King of Anything hide their vemon behind bouncy tracks, there is no hiding the distain on Machine Gun where Bareilles lets loose on the chorus “Maybe no body loved you when you were young.” You know this is the type of song you just have to hear live.

Song to Download – Machine Gun

Kaleidoscope Heart gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Previewing Terriers

Remember back in the early nineties when MTV was such a cultural phenomenon even their commercials could launch a career (of course now they cannot even launch a musical act). Now all those commercial stars are convening on FX with their own television shows, Denis Leary is in his last season on Rescue Me. Tonight Donal Logue, also known as Jimmy the Cab Driver, gets his own show Terriers.

The show follows Logue as he travels between two worlds, his old life and his new one. In his old life, he was a cop with a by the book partner in Rockmond Dunbar (who conspicuously looks like a thinner Rockefeller Butts complete with an oral fixation) while in his new life he can barely get by as a private investigator with a former petty thief for a partner as played by Michael-Raymond James (who conspicuously looks like a younger Eddie Finnerty). In his former life, he was married to Kimberly Quinn (Two and a Half Men) but now he is resigned to buying the house they lived, and got divorced in despite the lack of a steady cash flow.

Things seem start to pick up for the PI duo while looking for a friend’s daughter who just so happens to works for a developer who gives the guys a retainer to get back “sensitive material” that she took. And yes, the sensitive material is what you think, but much more. Despite a conclusion at the end of the episode, I do not expect this storyline to go away even though the next couple episodes deal exclusively with case of the week plots with an occasional mention of what happens in the first episode. And the third episode features maybe the most bizarre cliffhanger ever (be sure to pay attention to the upper right part of the screen).

Though the best new show of the fall, be warned Terriers is not as funny as the promos would have you to believe and is more of the tone FX’s other freshman series, Justified. But Raylan Gibbons these guys aren’t. Logue’s jokes are more of a rundown bitter man who quips bitterly when asked questions he does not want to answer than his usual punch line fare of his sitcom work. And despite the title, the dog of choice is for some reason is a bulldog. It is still unknown to me why the show is called Terriers. But the show gets bonus points for the cheeky seventyish title sequence.

Terriers airs Wednesdays at 10:00 on FX. There is a Terriers page on Hulu so presumably episodes will show up there eventually.

Previewing Sons of Anarchy 3.x

On most network shows, I usually have trouble remembering what happened three months previous, but cable show are either worse. Thankfully Sons of Anarchy returns tonight with a lengthy two minute “previously On” segment. I remembered Jax had his son stolen from him, but I forgot pretty much everything else. But that wasn’t the only cliffhanger were for left with last season. Gemma had to go on the lamb when agent Stahl framed her for the murder of Cameron Hayes’ son which set the Abel kidnapping that also left the prospect lying in the pool of his own blood trying to protect Abel.

At the start of season three, SAMCRO is in full find Abel mood with all available members trying hunt him or Hayes’ whereabouts with the lone exception of Tig (and a couple of red shirts) who is on Gemma duty. And with the strong headed Gemma, things do not go as planned for Tig with keeping her on the down low including a trip to her father in the form of Hal Habrook (Into the Wild) which is an odd place because wouldn’t immediate family be a place the FBI would look for a fugitive? But anyway.

Halbrook isn’t the only notable guest star as Deadwood’s Paula Malcomson doesn’t have to hide her Irish accent as cousin to Cameron with ties to Sons of Anarchy: Belfast and the real Irish Republican Army. Kenny Johnson (Saving Grace) will also be back this season as SOA Tacoma member who has bad blood with Tig (which I cannot remember what). And Ethan Zobelle may go unmentioned in the first couple episodes, but Alan Arkin interesting enough is listed as director of Episode 11 and I would be surprised if we do not see him in front of the camera sometime this season because the death of his daughter by the hand of Gemma cannot be sitting well with Ethan.

The show is back with a vengeance tonight with the boys on the warpath to find Abel, but the other factions around Charming won’t be sitting still waiting for SAMCRO’s personal drama to settle down. The final scene of tonight’s premiere may include the most violent in the show’s history to date.

Sons of Anarchy airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on FX. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Previewing 9/11 Specials

We are inching up to the ninth anniversary of 9/11 and the National Geographic Channel has a pair of shows to commemorate the day, both airing tomorrow. First up at 9:00, they look back on the event through the eyes of then mayor of New York City with Giuliani’s 9/11. The special features interviews about where he sought strength, motivation and perspective with the backdrop of amateur and news footage from the day. Check out a preview below.



Following that at 10:00 is Witness: DC which takes a view from two hundred miles to the south and. If you saw last month’s Witness: Katrina, it follows in real time the nation’s capital’s reaction to the plane the hit the Pentagon entirely through the lens of home video; fire, rescue and police footage; and news coverage including Footage from the Pentagon crash site taken shortly after impact captures a raw view of the devastating aftermath. Below is a preview:



For those who cannot sit through 9/11 retrospectives because the wounds as still to raw and need some light fare, try out the new series Lion Ranger: Trouble in the Pride on Nat Geo Wild premiering tomorrow at 9:00. Check out a preview below:

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLVI

Quote of the Week: I'm glad you are as confused as I am 'cause when I first heard it I thought it was a big number. You know after a jillian come pavilion. (Sean, Rescue Me)

Song of the Week: Whatever Hot Chip song they played on Rubicon, but I am just not gay enough to know the name of the song. You know is gay enough? Apparently Cale’s rent boy. Didn’t see that coming.

Big News of the Week: TV Fall Season Kicks Off: FX will be getting a jump of its network counterparts with the premieres of three show next week. Here is the schedule of what I will be watching this fall and the date of when they return:

Mondays
8:00 - Chuck (September 20)
8:00 – How I Met Your Mother (September 20)
9:00 – The Event (September 20)
10:00 – Castle (September 20)

Tuesdays
8:00 – No Ordinary Family (September 28)
10:00 – Sons of Anarchy (September 7)
10:00 – Parenthood (September 14)

Wednesdays
8:00 – Survivor: Nicaragua (September 15)
9:00 - Friday Night Lights (October 27)
9:00 – Modern Family (September 22)
10:00 – Terriers (September 8)
10:00 – The Challenge: Cut Throat (October 6)

Thursdays
8:00 – The Big Bang Theory (September 23)
8:00 – Community (September 23)
9:30 – Outsourced (September 23)
11:00 – I Love Money 4 (September 16)

Sundays
10:00 – The Walking Dead (October 31)


Leverage: Finally back to the overarching plotline of getting that dude who the Italian chick sprung him from jail for. I almost forgot about that whole storyline. And even more back story in the process when we learn that Sophie may actually be royalty. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Rescue Me: Assuming that Damien really isn’t faking, is Tommy now hallucinating the living know? Did Damien die right there? But last week would have been the better end to the season. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes. You can also check out my season review: He Wasn't Bulletproof and Neither Are Any of You.

Covert Affairs: My biggest complaint about the show is: are we really supposed to believe that Annie really fell that deeply in love after one meeting? And how exactly does the agency know about the tryst and even think anything of it? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Covert Affairs on iTunes.

Persons Unknown: Weren’t we promised an actual ending? That seemed like a pretty big cliffhanger to me. Like what is with the cages the editor and the ambassador were put in? Just too many things that were not explained are not well enough explained for my liking. And the last episode seemed so rushed and seemed to be missing major scenes and just jumped to the end because they were out of time. At least the elevator took them up to a church where patchy explained that the town was a place they created so they could meet up in some other dimension. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.

Free Download of the Week: NFL Follow Your Team (iTunes): The new NFL season kicks off this week and iTunes has released 2009 highlights fall all thirty two teams to remind you how your team did last season.

Deal of the Week: 100 Albums for $5 (Amazon MP3): This deal includes albums by John Mayer, Pink Floyd, Sara Barielles, and The Avett Brothers.



Video of the Week: In a story I broke last month, Friday Night Lights hits syndication on ABC Family this Tuesday and will air weeknights. So if you missed it the first time around, or just want to watch it again from the beginning, here is your chance. Below is a promo:

Next Week Pick of the Week: Terriers, Wednesday at 10:00 on FX: Forget AMC and all their pretentious shows, FX has the best dramas on basic cable. They landed three shows on my list of the Best Shows of 2009-10 and they may increase that total on next year’s list with their latest program Terriers. Look out for a full review later this week.

Around the Tubes vol. LXV

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 Undercovers, The Office, My Trip to Al-Qaeda, Parenthood, Two and a Half Men, Bones and United States of Tara.

- For those that love high concept / low reward television shows, J.J. Abrams has a new show coming to NBC this fall and you can watch the premiere in style by entering the Undercovers - Get a Room Private Screening contest. Click the contest link and fill out the form before September 6 and you could win receive an all-expense-paid trip for two including round-trip transportation, a romantic dinner for two at the Gordan Ramsay restaurant, a pampered hotel stay at the posh London hotel complete with spa services and other amenities, and a chance to get under the covers while watching Undercovers in a private in-room screening.

- For those that like entreting contest by do not have a significant other for a romantic dinner, try entering The Office contest where you can win a $3000 VIP trip to Universal Studios for two. Runners-up will win 1 of 4 collections of NBC TV DVD sets worth $250 each. Follow these four easy steps to enter:

1. Select a date to hold an Office-inspired party and invite as many friends and colleagues as you want to celebrate the release of The Office Season 6, on Blu-ray and DVD September 7!

2. Host your Office Season 6 marathon viewing party and take lots of pictures -- the more creative, fun and Office-like, the better!

3. Go to The Office Facebook page on or after Tuesday, September 7th to register and create your Ultimate Office Party gallery.

4. Spread the love. Get your friends to view your entry and wait for recognition, praise and winnings!

- Next Tuesday at 9:00 is the premiere of HBO’s latest documentary My Trip to Al-Qaeda by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney. Below is the trailer.

Trailer

- Parenthood is getting a jump start to the fall season returning a week earlier than most shows Tuesday September 14 at 10:00. Here is a sneak peak.

Pac-Man?


- Have nothing better to do Labor Day? FX is running a twelve hour Two and a Half Men Marathon starting at noon. Also at noon is the start of the Bones Marathon over on TNT that with run eight hours and will be followed by new episode of The Closer and Rizzoli and Isles.

- Production will begin on the new season of The United States of Tara later this month and showing up for work will be Eddie Izzard who will be guest starring.

I Want My Music Television vol. XCI

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.


Mine - Taylor Swift



What a striking difference between the last two lead videos from Taylor Swift. Love Story was all about princesses and fairytales, while Mine is strikingly real, warts and all. Though after Valentine’s Day, someone should have told Taylor that it is not a good idea for her to run on camera.


(Expletive Deleted) You – Cee-Lo



Apparently if there was one thing Cee-Lo learned from Kick-(Expletive Deleted) it is that ten year old’s swearing is thoroughly entertaining. There is word on the street that Green is releasing a version to the radio called Forget You. Song unheard, this is a bad idea, you never want to cram two syllables into where only one should be. Too bad he isn’t a Battlestar Gallactica fan because Frak You would have been better. But if I were making the decision I would have went the ironic root and change it to Thank You.


The Bike Song – Mark Ronson and Business Intl



Well Mark Ronson is continuing his theme of futuristic-retro Japanese talk show videos for better or worse.


The Catalyst – Linkin Park



I have no idea what is going on during this Linkin Park video and song, but I just watched it about ten times straight.

Hey Yo Kids: Remember When I Used to Be Dope?

This may come to a surprise to some, but on the rare occasion I do completely forget about song. Such was the case while I was browsing Popeaters’s list of Hip Hop’s Most Unlikely Collaborations I spotted a lost gen I long forgot about, Fallin’ by De la Soul and Teenage Fanclub. And there is a reason I forgot about it, despite playing out the song in my youth, when I scanned my iTunes library it was nowhere to be found. Then my copy of the Judgment Night Soundtrack managed to not be in my primary or secondary CD collections but buried in a box that probably hasn’t been opened since I graduated college. Popping th album into my computer to be ripped, it is surprising how much the album still stands up with most of the songs finally making their way onto my iPod.

Since it slipped my mind, here is a little reminder far those that can’t remember themselves. Judgment Night is was a movie in released in 1993 featuring Emilio Estevez (in between Might Ducks movies), Cuba Gooding Jr. (fresh off A Few Good Men), Stephan Dorff (what happened to this guy, he used to be the next big thing but the most memorable thing he did last decade was appear in a Britney Spears video), and Jeremy Piven (a year away from PCU) as friends who get lost in gang territory and witness a murder, The big catch being it was an white Irish gang (juxtaposed against a black antagonist) led by Denis Leary (in his first big role that was launched by his MTV commercials) who want to kill off the loose ends. Needless to say, I doubt the movie has held up as good as the soundtrack.

With all the crappy rap-metal hybrids that popped up in the late nineties, it may be easy to forget how revolutionary the Judgment Night Soundtrack was. Rage Against the Machine was still a buzz band back in 1993 and other genre mashing was few and far in-between. But the album brought together some of the best rappers of the era and had their music backed by their hard rock counterpoints.

To get an idea of what the album was all about, there is nothing better than the opener which joined the forces of Helmet and House of Pain (Everlast appeared in the movie as a Leary lackey) where they trade verses between sung and rapped, managing to sound both like one of their own songs individually for Just Another Victim. Then Ice-T, who had just released his own rap-metal album with Body Count, joined up with thrash legends Slayer on Disorder. And in an only in the nineties would we have groups like Faith No More and the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. (who really need to appear in a Where Are They Now segment) and here they are on the same track, Another Body Murdered. The Onyx and Biohazard like their collaboration on Judgment Night they even teamed later on a remix of Slam.

But it was all about hard rock. The stand out track on the album was between backpack rapper De la Soul and British alternative rockers Teenage Fanclub and even went the extra mile by sampling Tom Petty for Fallin’. And of course Cypress Hill could get mellow on a track by Sonic Hill for the not so subtle I Love You Mary Jane. Cypress Hill was the only group on the disk with two songs but their song with Pearl Jam was kind of a dud considering they were the two biggest acts in their genre at the time.

Weirdest combination had to go to booty king at the time Sir Mix-a-Lot getting down and dirty with fellow Seattlians Mudhoney Freak Momma. Another standout pairing was Missing Lionk by Dinosaur Jr. providing a funky bass line for De the Funky Homosapien who is no stranger to the rock world by working Gorillaz. Sure bands like Limp Bizkit came along and ruined the rap-rock genre, but bands and rappers on Judgment Night show that it can be done right and is why it is this month’s induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame.

It Just Takes Some Time, Litttle Girl You're in the Middle of the Ride

Last fall, Modern Family got a lion share of the attention, and its was much deserved, but there a couple other new sitcoms that debuted that were worth some attention. Community on NBC was a weird zeitgeist of pop culture that weirder and better as the season progressed. Then there was the show that aired right before Modern Family, The Middle which put a modern spin on nineties sitcoms. Here is a synopsis:

Patricia Heaton stars as Frankie Heck in this warm and witty single-camera comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations. Frankie Heck is a superhero. Well, no, not an actual superhero - but sometimes it seems to Frankie as though getting her kids out the door for school every morning is a superheroic act. Middle aged, middle class and living in the middle of the country, this harried wife and working mother of three uses her wry wit and sense of humor to try to get her family through each day intact.

Own it on DVD which is out today, The Middle may star Patricia Heaton (Everbody Loves Raymond), but the secret weapon on the show is her TV daughter Eden Sher (Weeds) who is an eager beaver who seems to fail at everything from show choir to a tennis ball girl and most hilariously trying to make the no-cut cross country team in the season finally. She even fails at boys too, even the ones she can get, including a witless recurring boyfriend who may have other interests even if he hasn’t realized it yet. All the while she manages to do all the failing with a smile on her face, a braces enhanced smile.

The other main breakout character comes in the form of Neil Flynn (Scrubs) as Heaton’s other half, a man of few words, but the few he does say tend to be brutally true. Even when he tries to more outgoing, his at being socially acceptable conversation ends humorously. Flynn’s dry wit is good for multiple laughs every episode.

The other guys, both named to make them cool, in the family tend to hit or miss and usually more of the latter. The problem with elder Axl (Charlie McDermott, Frozen River), is he is too authentic as the apathetic teen that thinks everything suck and only cares when it comes to sports and girls. He was at his best when he actually managed a girlfriend (Alexa Vega, Sleepover). Then there is the precocious Brick (Atticus Shaffer, Hancock), who for whatever reason routinely repeated everything, whispering to himself. This joke paid off when he entered the Spelling Bee, but otherwise got old quick.

There are a few worth wild bit characters that pop up during the show. Brian Doyle-Murray (Bill’s older brother, you will know him when you see him) is Heaton’s curmudgeoned boss at the car dealership she works at. The family’s aunt’s dog, which has been resigned to a cart and oxygen mask due to years of second hand smoke, always provides a good sight gag whenever he shows up. And what would 2010 be without an appearance from Betty White as a librarian who harasses Brick when he has failed to being back thirty books at the end of the school year.

The DVD spreads the twenty-four first season episodes across three disks, six of which come with deleted scenes, though most of them last less than thirty seconds. But it is nice that they the scenes easily accessed next to the individual episodes on the menu instead of one lump option. The set also comes with three special features, your run of the mill “making of” feature Raising a Sitcom Family that runs around twelve minutes. There is a short feature Sue’s Best Shots where the cast share (verbally) some of their worst picture day shots and there is also a short Gag Reel.

There is plenty of time to catch up on season one of The Middle before the second premieres Wednesday, September 22 at 8:00 on ABC. Check out the official site.



Full Disclosure Notice: This DVD was given to me on behalf of Warner Brothers Entertainment for the purpose of reviewing the television show.

He Wasn't Bulletproof and Neither Are Any of You

If there is one theme that shows up more than 9/11 on Rescue Me, it is alcoholism. The disease cost Tommy Gavin his family, caused him to visualize everyone from his dead cousin, to people he was unable to save on the job, even Jesus, and his son, who of course was killed by a drunk driver. The show has kicked up the alcoholic theme for the final season (technically split into two seasons, the first ending tomorrow, so FX could air the final season to coincide with the tenth anniversary of 9/11).

It was thanks to the sauce that we started this season with Tommy heading to the hospital after his uncle shot him, blaming Tommy for the death that died while driving drunk herself off of some booze provided by Tommy. But staying clean and sober never goes well for Tommy and it doesn’t help that upon her twenty-first, his daughter takes up drinking and quickly competes for the title of drunkest Gavin. Dealing with your own addiction is tough, and having witness his daughter’s pushed him over the edge by baptizing her in a pool of liquor. But who am I to judge, it actually worked (for now).

Tommy was not the only one dealing with addiction this season and Lou’s penchant for eating too much has finally caught up to him leading to multiple heart attacks over the course of the season. His doctor tells him that his heart is only working at fifty percent and he only has two options, retire or die (why changing his diet isn’t mention, I do not know). Option B led us to the cliffhanger of the last episode before the season finale where his inability to breathe puts himself, and this time, his crew in danger as the episode goes to black with himself and Damien underneath debris.

One wonders why FX didn’t use that cliffhanger as the season finale; sure the final scene in tomorrow’s finale is shocking, but it doesn’t leaving you wondering what will happen next as much as the pervious episode. As the finale picks up two months after the fire, we do learn the fates of Damien and Lou fairly quickly, one before the title sequence and the other shortly after, one of which should led quite the storylines going into the finale season. We also get satisfying resolution to the fallen cancer patient storyline which results in a humorous discussion between Garrity and Mike on what a Pavilion is. And the guys stoop to an all-time low in picking up women (not to say I didn’t laugh especially when Needles joins in).

So that leads only nine episodes left for Rescue Me to air sometime next year. As long as the show didn’t happen to take place in a purgatory where all the firefighters meet up in after they die or that Tommy actually died on 9/11, it should be satisfying finish to a stellar series.

Rescue Me 6.x gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Previewing Border Wars

It is pretty clear that something needs to be changed about our current immigration policy, but naturally groups are wide apart on what should be done. But you do not hear these arguments on Border Wars. The officers just do their jobs as currently assigned without any complaint.

Tonight you can see a sneak peek of the new season at 9:00 on National Geographic Channel. This time around the crew follows officers in Falfurrias, Texas which brings into play a more interesting border because instead of an invisible line across the land, in Falfurrias the countries are divided by the Rio Grande. And some of the people do not make it across the river like someone the officers discover some floating (naturally viewer discursion is advised to the graphic nature). Also tonight the officers raid a safe house, and discover a different type of immigrant, a snail in a produce shipment that has the ability to destroy thousands of acres of farmland if not found.

Border Wars settles into its usual timeslot Wednesday at 9:00 with a new episode featuring an eighteen wheeler with over 1,000 pounds of marijuiana, a four hour chase at night and some smugglers that drive their truck into the Rio Grande after being discovered by Border Officers. Here is a preview:

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXLV

Quote of the Week: I wanted to post Will’s quote about fear from Rubicon, but AMC doesn’t stream the show and when I tried checking On Demand, my cable box went all wonky (and that is if it even they yet because the latest Leverage episode hadn’t shown up). I hate when technology isn’t easy.

Song of the Week: The Ghost Inside – Broken Bells (Covert Affairs)

Big News of the Week: August Sucks: I have had a long standing theory that February is the worst month of the year: it is bitterly cold, the nights are at their longest, there are no interesting sports events unless the occasional Olympics. But I am beginning to reevaluate that. The NFL season has pushed the Super Bowl into the month and August is just becoming more unbearable each year. It is excruciatingly hot, allergy season makes me walk around half the month in a fog, and unless the NFL pushes games before Labor Day (which it should do instead of pushing the Super Bowl to March), there is nothing interesting to do with sports except the occasional Olympics. August is so blah there isn’t even one holiday to celebrate. February even has three. September cannot come soon enough; Labor Day, NFL Kickoff, the new television season, the first frost (hopefully), and the relief of fall.

Rescue Me: Finally things are picking up. It is pretty clear someone was going to die soon with the leading candidates being Lou and Damien (Tommy will at least make it to the series finale). It should make for an interesting season finale to see if either of them makes it out of the fire. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

Free Download of the Week: I Don't Wanna Dance – Hey Monday (iTunes)

Video of the Week: The trailer for the latest AMC show The Walking Dead hit the internets this week. With all the zombies I am going to assume it won’t be as pretentious as all the other shows on the channel. On the flip side it doesn’t look as cool as Zombieland (which came in at 7 on my list of the Greatest Movies of the 00’s).

The Walking Dead


Next Week Pick of the Week: Rescue Me, Tuesday at 10:00 on FX: It has been bit of a low key season up to this point. But with two men down at the end of the last episode, it should make for an explosive season finale. Look for a full recap of the season and a preview of the finale before the episode.

Around the Tubes vol. LXIV

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 Community, Don't Forget the Lyrics, Shaquille O’Neal All Star Comedy Jam, Falcon Quest, Lost, PBS, Slash, Pandora and 1001 reasons not to vote for Harry Reid.

- The year of Betty White is still going strong as she will be appearing in the season premiere of Community.



- Don’t Forget the Lyrics will be returning to television for a new season to MyNetworkTV every Tuesday starting October 5 with host Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray. For those that cannot get enough of the show, it is also going into five days a week syndication starting September 20. Check your local listings.

- The latest Shaquille O’Neal All Star Comedy Jam is this weekend on Showtime. Tune in Saturday at 100:00 to see Paul, Corey Holcomb, George, and Michael Blackson with host Mo’Nique as they rip into everything from Tiger Woods & President Barack Obama.

- If you are a fan of eighties soap operas, get ready for the release of the second season of Falcon Crest this Tuesday exclusively at WBshop.com.

- With the new television season right around the corner, the Daily Beast as compiled a list of the most groundbreaking and envelope breaking sex scenes ever in the history of the small screen complete with video. In last season news, the site also breaks down the twelve minute Lost epilogue.

- A new PBS website launched earlier this week, head over to PBS.om/arts where you can view four “virtual exhibitions” including Ruin and Recovery which follows New Orleans artist Thomas Mann and his series of sculptures that commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

- Famed guitarist Slash is getting his own radio station over at A.P.E. Radio starting next Thursday. Naturally expect some heavy guitar for Slash FM.

- In other internet radio news, Pandora fans there is a new genre station-creation feature. More than 100 other micro-genre stations have also been created for listeners. Head over to pandora.com/genres to check them out.

- Do you live in Nevada and hate your current senator Harry Reid? Then you will definitely want to check out HarryReidVotes.com for 1001 reasons to vote against him come November. Remember the good old day when we voted for politicians, not just against them. Yeah, neither do I.

Breaking Down the 100 Greatest Movies of the 00’s

I have never claimed to be some sort of film connoisseur as I only cared enough to make it inside a movie theater twice last decade, but when the holy grail of movie awards handed out a Best Picture award to crap like Crash, who can really trust? But anyway. Here is how my list of The 100 Greatest Movies of the 00’s broke down by the numbers.

Movies by Year
2000 – 8
2001 – 8
2002 – 8
2003 – 4
2004 – 12
2005 – 8
2006 – 11
2007 – 14
2008 – 14
2009 – 13

Movies by Genre
Comedy – 31
Drama – 24
Action – 18
Romantic Comedy – 7
War – 5
Animation – 3
Documentary – 3
Horror – 3
Sports – 3
Suspense - 3

Foreign Language Films - 4 (5 if you count Inglorious Bastards which was German heavy)

Actors Who Appeared in Multiple Movies
Jason Bateman – 6
Justin Long – 6
Seth Rogan - 6
Bill Hader – 5
Jay Baruchel – 5
Natalie Portman – 5
Samuel L. Jackson - 5
Adam Sandler – 4
Ben Stiller – 4
Christine Taylor - 4
Craig Robinson - 4
Danny McBride – 4
Jack Black - 4
Jonah Hill - 4
Keira Knightly – 4
Kristen Bell - 4
Mandy Moore – 4
Orlando Bloom – 4
Vince Vaughn – 4

Directors with Multiple Films
Clint Eastwood – 3
Ridley Scott - 3
Ben Stiller – 2
Cameron Crowe – 2
Edgar Wright – 2
Guillermo del Toro – 2
Jason Reitman – 2
Judd Apatow – 2
Kevin Smith – 2
Martin Scorsese – 2
Paul Thomas Anderson – 2
Peter Berg – 2
Quentin Tarantino – 2
Robert Rodriguez – 2
Sam Raimi – 2
Steven Spielberg – 2
Zach Snyder - 2