I Have the Motivation to Be a Free Girl Now

It seems like every couple years Scandinavia imports some pre packaged pop act before they retreat back to the frozen tundra of their homeland such as Roxette, Ace of Base, and Aqua. But Dutch born Laura Jansen is a singer-songwriter right out of the mold of the Lilth Fair. The piano she plays will draw her comparisons to Sara Bareilles, Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor, but Jansen for the most part lacks the snark, edge, or quirkiness of those artist but with a more serene voice.

Jansen’s debut album is pure piano pop. Naturally Bells opens with The End which sets up the album with heartbreak that seeps into many of the songs. This is most notable on the first song off the album Single Girls where Jansen chronicles her newly single life which manages to be heartbreaking and touching at the same time. She even manages to make the Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody a beautifully stripped down song of yearning from a female’s perspective. Many have tried to turn the song into a balled, but no cover has come as good as Jansen’s.

Laura does try to speed things up throughout the album including on Wicked World where she bounces around on her piano while namedropping fairy tale characters but sound a little too much like Bareilles’ own Fairytale. Jansen starts taking more chances near the end of the album like on Elijah where she highlights song percussion and other instruments on the song. And the album closes with the moody Signal which ups the production, including a guitar solo at the end, and even lets go vocally compared to the mainly piano and voice of the pervious tracks. The music may not be there yet, but Laura Jansen has the kind of voice that you can put on and drift away while listening to.

Song to Download – Single Girls

Bells gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Feed Your iPod vol. LVI: Lies

You have to feel bad for two hit wonders, enough talent to conjure that elusive second hit, but not enough to sustain a career. Everyone can sing along with Lou Bega with just the mention of his name, but who remembers Nine Days? Then there are the strange class of one hit wonders whose other songs are forgotten by the annals of time despite being as big as the original. Seriously, Vanilla Ice’s Play That Funky Music was a top five hit, not to mention the show jam I Love You got plenty of airplay. EMF is also a group whose songs not named Unbelievable (which was #31 on VH1’s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of All Time) vanished from conscienceless. This is a shame because Lies (which reached #18 on the Billboard’s Hot 100) is another great track from the band. Sure I may be part of the problem considering I got a couple arguments saying that songs on my 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 00’s did not belong, but let me rectify by reminding everyone that EMF does not deserve the one hit wonder status.

Lies - EMF

Got a Secret, Can You Keep It

Despite posting a list entitled The 100 Guiltiest Guilty Pleasures of the 00’s, I really do not feel guilty about any of the music I listen to or television I watch. Yeah I have Hilary Duff’s Come Clean on my iPod, if you don’t like the song than that’s your problem. But Pretty Little Liars during its first season really asked the question of when does a guilty pleasure becomes just plain guilty.

The premise was primed for guilty pleasurness: four friends who drifted away after their Queen B disappear are reunited a year later when she is found dead, each of who are harboring a dark secret of their own that a mysterious figure is harboring over them claiming to be the dead friend.. Best case scenario is the show would be a poor girl’s Veronica Mars, who was even mentioned during the first season. Unfortunately it turns out the four Liars have a combined IQ of the junior private detective.

The dumbest of the all being Aria, who, despite catching her English professor dad in a torrid affair with a student that ruined her family, carried on a torrid affair with her English teacher for the entire season. What’s worse is the writers made this seem like a grand forbidden love story on the lines of Romeo and Juliet instead of the creepy statutory storyline that Nancy Grace would have dedicated a month of shows to if it happened in real life.

The other liars didn’t have much better success with the opposite sex. Or same sex in the case of Emily who announced her lesbianess only to attract every other gay chick in a five mile radius. Hanna, who took over the mantel of Queen B when Allison went missing didn’t have much luck when she was trying to decide between the captain of the football team (who may have had his own sexual questions of his own) and the Yearbook nerd only to choose the skeevy bad boy who was paid to get close to her. But worse choose in boys goes to Spencer who kept on hooking up with her sister’s boyfriend (include the one who may have killed Allison (but probably not) and then tried to kill her) only to end up with the town pariah.

At least the season ended on somewhat of a high note when we got more back story about Jenna, the chick that Allison, who was aided and abetted by the other liars, blinded. The lead suspect for “A” since the beginning we learned that Jenna had to stay away from town because Allison was blackmailing her because she found video of Jenna blackmailing Toby that was made by Ian (or possibly not, it is never confirmed, Ian may had thought the video Spenser was blackmailing him with was the one where he “killed” Allison). This revelation may cross Jenna off the suspect list of being Allison’s killer because she never returned to town until Allison’s body turned up dead. But her hooking up with the cop adds to the theory that she is “A” with the officer being her eyes.

Unfortunately the season didn’t end with the curtain being pulled off of who is “A” though we may have gotten a look at her (him?) as the person who pushed Ian off the bell tower (worst death scene ever). Even though Jenna still remains at the top of the list, with Toby, Mona, Melissa, Lucas, or some combination of them also ranking high on the list, I still hope that “A” turns out to be a not so dead Allison. Though I am not sure I will still be watching when they finally get around to the reveal.

Pretty Little Liars gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

I Want My Music Television - 3/21/11

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.

Rope - Foo Fighters



It seems like Foo Fighters alternate videos between cheesy dress up ones and artsy performance based ones and after the eightiestastic White Limo it’s time for artsy. And did I miss the memo that Pat Smear was back in the band?


I Do - Colbie Caillat



The whole (un)happy faced inanimate objects is cute and all for Colbie Caillat, but is there a credit card ad that already did that a year or two ago?


How You Love Me - Talib Kweli



Those credits seemed a little long for a music video featuring a dude and a chick in a bedroom. At least it was another killer track from Talib Kweli.


'Til The End of Time (Edited Version) - Timothy Bloom



For those that think like me that R&B died about a decade ago, here is a song by Timothy Bloom that might give you hope for its resurrection. And the music video is like a two person D'Angelo video. And for those wondering, yes there is an undited version.

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 3/20/11

Shameless: When Liam’s blood test came back with Frank as his father I was convinced that someone swapped it because I didn’t see how there were going to explain it any other way. I guessed the title of the episode, Nana Gallagher had an Affair should had tipped me off. Speaking of Nana, we actually get to meet the matriarch tonight.

Chuck: The top of the Greta crop were the Old Spice Guy and Stacy Keibler? Didn’t the latter get knocked out by Stone Cold Steve Austin? It is too bad Olivia Munn and Summer Glue were too busy slumming it on shows that are already doomed. Also not to producers in charge of finding Regis’s replacement: drunk Olivia Munn would be rating gold. (If you do not know what I am taking about, Google it.) You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.

The Event: I really hate when show insult my intelligence. Just minutes after complaining that the prisoners at Innastranka didn’t have the security of the nuclear plant, they only guard the transported uranium with two guys and three drivers? If you still do not trust Sophia, how about using a small army as an escort? But I did like the unintentional comedy of the token hot chick being paranoid that guys were watching her. Of course every guy is tailing her, she is absurdly attractive. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Event on iTunes.

Lights Out: No better fight promotion that an impromptu brawl that probably hit YouTube before either fighter made it to jail. Almost makes you wonder if Barry K. Word did some puppet mastery behinds the scenes to make it happen. I know Don King is kicking himself for not thinking of it first. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Lights Out on iTunes.

Survivor: Redemption Island: We have finally reached the point in the season where it has gotten too predictable. No matter who wins immunity it is clear who will be going home. Hopefully there is a blindside or switched tribes, because this could get boring quick. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.



Mr. Sunshine: This show really needs to incorporate more lingerie football matches into the show. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mr. Sunshine on iTunes.

Justified: I am a little surprised that they are expanding the Wynona theft storyline into multiple episodes. I assumed that when Raylan found the bill that would be the end of that. I am not sure how more of this can continue being entertaining. But I guess if they can include something as funny as Art’s footrace with the guy who needs an oxygen tank in the next episode, it will be entertaining enough. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Justified on iTunes.

Community: Jeff really needs a hair intervention. If you have a receding hairline, you have no business trying the Justin Beiber. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Outsourced: Why are we not celebrating Holi here in America? It could be right up there with the biggest drinking days in college along with Fat Tuesday, St. Patrick’s Day and the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. My college experience now feels incomplete having not throwing a Holi party. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Outsourced on iTunes.

Best of the Week - 3/19/11

Quote of the Week: Yeah, I really got Jewish personed out of that one. (Peirce, Community)

Song of the Week: Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain and Tennille (as sung by Rajiv, Outsourced)

Big News of the Week: Bracket Busted Already: For the first time in over a decade I had one of my Final Four teams go out in the first weekend. Thanks St. Johns. I guess I should have gone all high seeds like BaChalke Obama did yet again this year. Seriously, what self respecting basketball fan picks all number one seeds? At least he didn’t shamelessly go with all swing states like he did last year.

Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:



Free Download of the Week: Young Blood – The Naked and Famous (iTunes)

Deal of the Week: Save up to 50% on Hit TV Series: (Weeds, Mad Men, Boy Meets World)

New Album Release of the Week: Hello Fear - Kirk Franklin

New DVD Release of the Week: Ernest Double Feature: Ernest Goes to Camp & Ernest Goes to Jail [Blu-ray]

Video of the Week: Not to go all Leave Britney Alone on the internet, but I do not understand the vitriol hate for Rebecca Black’s Friday. Is it horrible, sure, with inane lyrics that for some reason details the sequence of days of the week but is it any worse than anything that Justin Bieber has put out in the past year? And the lyrics could be Dylanesque compared to Katy Perry’s Hot N Cold. So shut up internet and just be happy like I am that YouTube didn’t exist when you were thirteen.

Rebecca Black – Friday


Next Week Pick of the Week: Pretty Little Liars, Monday at 8:00 on ABC Family: The latest show from ABC Family may have been much more guilty than pleasure, but it did keep me watching all season. Hopefully the girls finally out “A” for the finale, but I doubt that will happen.

Around the Tubes - 3/18/11

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 Big Love, Parks and Recreations, The Cape, Outsourced, Yo Gabba Gabba!, The Dog Whisperer, Triangle: Remembering the Fire, Pee Herman Show on Broadway, Wilfred, Life After Film School, Big Brian: The Fortune Seller, Men's Health, and 16th Annual Gathering of the Vibes Festival.

- Big Love hits its dramatic conclusion this Sunday on HBO. For those that want a trip on memory lane before it ends, here is a half hour End of Days Show retrospective.



- Fans of Parks and Recreations will be happy to lean that starting today NBC.com will be hosting Super-sized Producers Cut. Head over there to see an extended version of last night’s episode. Also getting expanded editions will be the episodes airing 4/28, 5/12, and 5/19. Even better news is the NBC announced yesterday that it is picking up Parks and Recreations for the 2011-12 season along with The Office and Community.

- In other NBC.com news, the season (most likely series) finale of The Cape is now streaming their exclusively.

- Sometimes you just need some love advise, and here is some from the resident ladies man (albeit over the phone) on Outsourced, Manmeet:

Love Advise, Part 1


- While in other renewal news, Nickelodeon has announced they are picking up live-action preschool series, Yo Gabba Gabba! for thirteen new episodes.

- There will also be new episodes of The Dog Whisperer early in 2010 but will be switching networks to the more animal themed Nat Geo Wild. No word yet if one of the ten episodes ordered will see Cesar Millan heading here to the 9th Green to teach my dogs that the dining room isn’t their own personal bathroom.

- On Monday at 9:00, HBO will reflect on the 100th anniversary of The Triangle Shirt Waist Factory Fire with Triangle: Remembering the Fire. For those unfamiliar with the tragedy, up until 9/11 it was the worst workplace disaster in New York State where 146 had the choice of being burned alive or jump ten stories to their death. The aftermath sparked the modern labor movement (which we may be witnessing the death of in Wisconsin). For more information, here is a trailer:



- Just a reminder in news I broke a couple weeks ago, the Pee Herman Show on Broadway airs tomorrow at 10:00 on HBO. The channel has also created a Facebook app where you can have the childhood icon make a personalized phone call to your friends.

- While they have the best dramas on television, FX really hasn’t found a particularly funny show until Louis. We will have to see is Wilfred brings more funny to the network in June. Here is a promo:

Wilfred on FX – Friends


- This Sunday on the Fox Movie Channel, a new episode of Life After Film School will feature Brad Simpson and Nina Jacobsen, producers of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.

- New Show Alert: Big Brian: The Fortune Seller premieres Monday on TruTV following the business of estate sales.

- Mixed martial artist Georges St. Pierre covers April’s edition of Men’s Health. Inside you can learn such things as his future goals: “The danger is not to set your goal too high and fail to reach it. It’s to set your goal too low and reach it.”

- For those in the Bridgeport, CT area, the 16TH Annual Gathering of the Vibes Festival will be going on July 21-24. FURTHUR featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, Jane's Addiction and Elvis Costello are all set to perform. Single Day, Camping and VIP Tickets On Sale Now at http://www.gatheringofthevibes.com/. Over 40 bands will perform on multiple alternating stages at Seaside Park's 370-acre beachfront venue.

Batman's Rich History Allows Him to Be Interpreted in a Multitude of Ways

With Batman hitting a critical peak with the Christopher Nolan trilogy, you would think a cartoony version, both in visual and execution, may bring down the bat brand. But Cartoon Network’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold is entertaining in its own right even though it conjures up more parallels to the Adam West version than Christian Bale. And unlike recent 3-D cartoons like Star Wars: The Clone Wars, or stylized animation of the recent Young Justice, The Brave and the Bold is animation at out your eighties Saturday morning cartoon memories.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold, own it on DVD now, features the caped crusader teaming up with a different superhero (or two) from the DC Universe battling different bad guys from the same pages. Most episodes are divided into two segments, opening usually with Batman and a Super Friend already in mid mission before launching into a longer full mission after the title sequence. Oddly, the two other biggest members of The Justice League, Superman and Wonder Woman are not featured in the first season. And many of Batman’s famous rouge gallery members like The Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler, Scarecrow, Two-Face, and Mr. Freeze have blink and you’ll miss it cameos.

But the more famous DC Superhero/villains are not missed because the cartoony style is a great way to highlight some of the company’s lesser characters like Booster Gold, the Outsiders, even Sherlock Holmes to take on the likes of Gentlemen’s Ghost, Psycho-Pirate, Gorilla Grodd, and to prove not all villains are equal: Calendar Man.

Some of the standout episodes in this set include the very meta Legends of the Dark Mite! where Bat-Mite attends a Batman fan convention (where he defends a lighter incarnation of Batman) and features Biker Santa’s. And really whenever the over the top gregarious Aquaman shows up. But the episode the stands above all other is when Neil Patrick Harris shows up as the Music Meister and gets the heroes and villain alike to break out into a song and dance for his own amusement. Batman: The Brave and the Bold is a perfect Batman primer for young kids that the parents can still enjoy. Though it should be pointed out aside a trailer, there is nothing in the way of bonus material included.

Diedrich Bader may not be the first name to come to mind when casting the Dark Knight, but his deep gravely voice works well in the role (just as long as you don’t conjure up visions of his work on The Drew Carey Show or his current gig on Outsourced) and his comic background work does help in the show’s lighter moments. Other vocal talents are provided by the likes of Will Friedle as the Jamie Reyes version of Blue Beetle, Oded Fehr as Equinox, R. Lee Ermey (from History’s Mail Call) as Wildcat, Carl Lumbly as Tornado Tyrant, Phil Morris (who plays the live action Marian Manhunter on Smallville) as Jonah Hex, Paul Reubens as Bat-Mite, Tom Everett Scott as Booster Gold, , Armin Shimerman as Psycho-Pirate, Jeffrey Tambor as Crazy Quilt, Tony Todd as Astaroth, Kevin Michael Richardson as Black Manta and B’wana Beast, and Wil Wheaton as the Ted Kord version of Blue Beetle. Check out a synopsis from Warner Brothers below:

Batman wings into an exciting new era, teaming with a mighty honor roll of DC Comics Super Heroes in this action-packed series. Through the show’s final 13 Animated Adventures in this 2-Disc Collection, the Dark Knight allies with Aquaman, Plastic Man, Blue Beetle, Red Tornado, Green Arrow, Wildcat, Deadman, Bronze Tiger and Atom to take on an array of evildoers ranging from mad scientists to intergalactic crooks, from power-mad dictators to out-of-control teenagers. He even travels to a parallel world, becoming the villainous Owlman! (Scooter’s Note: The Owlman episode is actually part of Season Zone, Part One and not part of this set) In this cool, cutting-edge and often funny series bringing back old-school comic-book styling and dry wit to crimefighting, Batman faces any peril – including other heroes stealing the show – in his relentless pursuit of justice.

Full Disclosure Notice: This DVD was given to me on behalf of Warner Bros. for the purpose of reviewing the series.

A Melancholy Happy Trails to Nate Dogg

With all due respect to Mary J. Blige, Nate Dogg was the greatest hook singer ever. Nathaniel Hale passed away yesterday after several years of health problems as the result of multiple strokes. Nate broke out with his childhood friends back in Long Beach Snoop Dogg and Warren G (who formed a group 213) who ushered in the G-Funk era in the early nineties under the tutelage of Dr. Dre. For a decade and a half, you were no one unless you could get Nate Dogg singing your hooks as he helped launch 50 Cent, Fabolous, and Ludacris, and jumped on tracks from legends like Eminem and 2Pac.

For those of us that cannot rap, Nate Dogg made the art form more accessible to join along with his Barry White delivery but smoothed out on a Gangsta tip. We may not be able to spit like the rappers he performed with, but it was much more fun to sing along with Nate, I still remember everyone around the dorms still constantly singing, Ayo, Ayo, Ayo, you don’t wanna step to me.” And “Regulators: mount up” was a rallying cry during intramural games. And I is still no fun if my homies can’t get none. Though never able to break out on his own, Nate Dogg left a big impression on my formative years. He was 41. Here are some of my favorite tracks that featured the singer.

Regulate - Warren G featuring Nate Dogg



The Next Episode - featuring Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and Kurupt



Bitch Please - Snoop Dogg featuring Xzibit and Nate Dogg



Can't Deny It - Fabolous featuring Nate Dogg

Lyrics Quiz: Green River

In two days there will probably be a few Green Rivers flowing in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and so I thought I would put the Creedence Clearwater Revival song threw iTunes Genius feature and here are the twenty-five songs they suggested which should be fairly easy for the classic rock fans out there. As always leave your guesses, both artist and song title, in the comment section or e-mail me. If you are correct I will un-bold the lyric and give you credit. Please keep in mind the lyrics quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please only use your own meandering mind to guess them.


1. I’ll wait in the queue where the trains come back. Lie with you where the shadows run from themselves.
2. You know the day destroys the night; night divides the day.
3. I like to hear some funky Dixie land and dance a honky tonk and I’ll be buying everybody drinks all round.
4. Somewhere, somehow, somebody must have kicked you around some. Who knows, maybe you were kidnapped, tied up, taken away for ransom.
5. He was a hard-headed man, he was brutally handsome, and she was terminally pretty. She held him up, and he held her for ransom in the heart of the cold, cold city.
6. It seems like yesterday, but it was long ago. Janey was lovely she was the queen of my nights.
7. Tambourines and elephants are playing in the band. Won’t you take a ride on the flying spoon?
8. Don’t come hanging around my door. I don’t wan to see your face no more. I got more important things to do them spend my time growing old with you.
9. I'm going way down south, way down where I can be free. Ain’t no one gonna find me. Ain’t no hang-man gonna, he ain’t gonna put a rope around me. You better believe it right now.
10. Who could hang a name on you? When you change with every new day, still I'm gonna miss you.
11. When I read the letter you sent me it made me mad, mad, mad. When I read the news that it brought me it made me sad, sad, sad.
12. I never understood a single word he said. But I helped him drink his wine and he always had some mighty fine wine.
13. She’s got hair down to her fanny. She’s kinda jet set, try undo her panties.
14. The lunatic is on the grass. Remembering games and daisy chains and laughs. Got to keep the loonies on the path.
15. What will you do when you get lonely? No one waiting by your side. You’ve been running and hiding much too long. You know it’s just your foolish pride.
16. Saw him the other night at this roadside bar. I was walking in, he was walking out. We went back inside, sat down had a few drinks.
17. And after all the violence and double talk there’s just a song in all the trouble and the strife.
18. I’m getting tired of waiting and fooling around. I’ll find somebody, who won't make me feel like a clown.
19. Let me go home, why don’t they let me go home? This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on.
20. I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are. You make it hard.
21. Sitting on the park bench, eyeing little girls with bad intent. Snot is running down his nose, greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes.
22. They told me when I was younger, “Boy you're gonna be president.” But just like everything else those old crazy dreams.
23. He heard one guitar, just blew him away. Saw stars in his eyes and the very next day bought a beat up six string in a secondhand store.
24. Boys and things that come by the dozen. That ain’t nothing but drugstore loving. Hey little thing let me light your candle.
25. And my mind goes back to a girl I left some years ago who told me…

March Madness Baby! 2011 Edition

It became very clear this year that the selection committee hate me. My alma mater Kent State University wins the regular season MAC championship, but loses the conference tournament in overtime (one a questionable no call on a would be game winning shot) which apparently made them unworthy to make to the big dance so numerous teams in “big” conferences that were one and done could get at large bids. Then Cleveland State University, where I did graduate work at, had the second highest RPI of teams left out after Harvard but since they are also considered a mid major, they can be left out so lower RPI “big” schools can get that at large bid. Maybe it is time to give two automatic bids for each conference, especially if they continue to expand the number of play in games. But anyway. Here are my picks and some upsets I have in my bracket.


East
Finals: Ohio State over Syracuse
Upset Special: Marquette over Xavier

West
Finals: Duke over San Diego State
Upset Special: Missouri over Cincinnati and Connecticut

Southwest
Finals: Georgetown over Kansas
Upset Special: Georgetown over Notre Dame

Southeast
Finals: Sr. Johns over Butler
Upset Special: Butler over Pittsburg

Final Four
Duke over Ohio State
St. Johns over Georgetown

Championship
Duke over St. John’s 70-65

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 3/13/11

Shameless: Well that got serious at the end of the episode to the point where just dropped every other plotline than the returning mother.

Pretty Little Liars: Is it wrong I started laughing when Hanna slapped the glasses off the blind girl? But anyway. With one episode left until the season finale, I wonder if we will get any answers. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

The Event: They really need a longer “previously on” segment, because I was still playing catch up in the second episode trying to remember things. So we got a full conformation that the hot chick is a alien – human hybrid (which puts her in the discussion of hottest hybrid ever with Evie from Out of This World). And we got a new character with an Alaskan senator who sniffing around the million dollar “weather center” in her district. I bet J. Edger Hoover would have had her wacked back in his day if she pulled a stunt like what happened on Hardball. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Event on iTunes.

Lights Out: You knew that Lights tenure with Ed Romeo would manage end worse than Ed did with Death Row, and Lights being the one cut (instead of Romeo’s wrists) certainly qualifies. But where does Lights go from here? We know Johnny has the ability to keep Lights trips to the doctors out of paper, But a gash in the mid section is a lot worse than the blurry eye he had going into the Morales fight. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Lights Out on iTunes.

Survivor: Redemption Island: Good riddance the cry baby Russell. Hopefully he sticks to his word that he is done with Survivor (though a potential lawsuit for spoiling his previous two seasons may have more to do with it). I have never been a fan of throwing challenges, and I thought that it would eventually backfire on his tribe, but they got rid of Russell and went back to dominating the immunity challenge. The one they threw may be the only one they lose until the merge. And as much as Ralph hates Russell, he hasn’t realized Russell’s biggest downfall: his ego. Ralph’s ego let him slip that he in face found the Idol in front of members of the other tribe, and the crowing after wins only puts a bigger target on his back. Much like Russell, if Ralph makes it to the final tribal council, he better not expect too many votes coming his way. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.



Justified: I read a lot of places calling this the best episode of the series so far, I didn’t see it because to me all the episodes are equally great that I really cannot judge which one is better than the others. Of course you cannot go wrong with starting an episode with Dewey Crowe being “quarantined.” And I wonder if there is a correlation between the heights of Boyd’s hair this season and the loss of sanity. But my favorite part of the episode is when Seth Bullock got in a Taser war with Whitney Ellsworth. And I have not even mentioned Mama Bennett punishment technique or Raylan’s talk with Loretta so I understand the aruement that this was th best episode of the seies. As epic as the first season finale was, we are already gearing up for a greater second season finale. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Justified on iTunes.

The Big Bang Theory: Poor Sheldon, as smart as he is, sometimes he is just clueless, I figured out that the group was playing with him right around the time Penny got involved. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.

Also check out my season review of Greek: College Has Been Everything I Ever Imagined it To Be.

Best of the Week - 3/12/11

Quote of the Week: You’re like the hillbilly whisperer… put you on Oprah. (Art – Justified)

Song of the Week: Sea of Love – Cat Power (Pretty Little Liars)

Big News of the Week: Sheen off the Charlie: Last week’s media blitz was entertaining with all the tiger blood and warlock talk but that wore real quick when Charlie Sheen went from crazy fun to just crazy. I’ve talked more about Two and a Half Men over the past two weekes than the two season before and now it is time to not caring about one of the least funny shows on television.

Free Download of the Week: Childish Gambino EP (iamdonald.com): Last week I brought you the new video from Community’s Donald Glover’s rap alter ego Childish Gambino and you can download that and the rest of the songs on his EP for free on his website.

Deal of the Week: Blu-ray for Under $15 (Kick-Ass, Sin City, 300)

New Album Release of the Week: Scandalous - Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears

New DVD Release of the Week: Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Season One, Part Two

Video of the Week: After a decae of making a name for himself on the backs of Beta Males, Judd Apatow’s next film in his production teny will focas on the quintisential Beta Female, the bridesmaid.

Bridesmaids Trailer


Next Week Pick of the Week: March Madness, Starting Thursday at Noon on CBS, TNT, TBS, and TruTV: It’s the most wonderful time of year, Spring, Shamrock Shakes, St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness all happening this Thursday (assuming McDonalds doesn’t run out prematurely like they seem to do every year). Seriously, can we just declare it national holiday because nothing will get done. Or just make next Thursday a half day like we had in grade school? To get geared up, tune into Selection Sunday starting at 5:00 on CBS while ESPN will have a three hour braketology special. And the field gets expanded to 68 teams with the last eight in battle Tuesday and Wednesday during the newly announced First Four round.

Around the Tubes - 3/11/11

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 Ultimate Factories, Fish Warrior, Law and Order: Los Angeles, Big Love, South by Southwest, Tina Fey, CMT's Next Superstar, Peel, TNT premiere dates, Hawthorne, Discovery Channel DVD's.



- Last night Ultimate Factories went inside Jack Daniels and next Thursday they will go into its natural companion Coca-Cola. Below is a preview. As for tonight on the National Geographic Channel, at 8:00 is an episode of Fish Warrior expert angler and conservationist Jakub Vagner goes in search of giant catfish (see above):

Secret Formula of Coca Cola


- NBC has finally announced the return date for Law and Order: Los Angeles which is Monday April 11 at 9:00 for a two hour return before settling down at its usual 10:00 start time the following week.

- Only two more episodes of Big Love left and below is a special retrospective of the show’s title sequences set to God Only Knows performed by the Dixie Chicks.



- For those that cannot make it to Austin this weekend, you can watch South by Southwest live musical performances, exclusive interviews, comedy and more much over on Livestream.

- Fans of Tina Fey will want to check out the March 14 issue of The New Yorker where the comedienne talks about her tenure on Saturday Night Live.

- CMT has announced their new singing competition, appropriately titled CMT’s Next Superstar, will premiere Friday April 8 at 9:00. Like the show on Facebook for cast updates, exclusive extras and more.

- I am not much of a techie, so this kind of goes over my head (the lack of an iPhone / Pad / Touch does not help much), but for those that do may want to check out Peel Personal TV Listings & Remote Control. Take a look below below:



- TNT has recently announced summer premiere date for their show and here they are so you can march your calendars.

Franklin & Bash (New Series) – Wednesday, June 1, at 9:00

Men of a Certain Age – Premiere: Wednesday, June 1, at 10:00

Memphis Beat – Premiere: Tuesday, June 14, at 9:00

HawthoRNe – Premiere: Tuesday, June 14, at 10:00

Falling Skies (New Series) – Two-hour series premiere Sunday, June 19, at 9:00; regular timeslot Sundays at 10:00

Leverage – Premiere: Sunday, June 26, at 9:00

The Closer – Premiere: Monday, July 11, at 9:00

Rizzoli & Isles – Premiere: Monday, July 11, at 10:00

- Speaking of Hawthorne, when it returns the cast will include Marc Anthony as Police Detective Nick Renata, the character he introduced as a guest star in two episodes last season.

- Discovery Channel has a bunch of DVD’s hitting shelves this month including Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman; Cake Boss Season 3; Best Food Ever; Atlas: Uncovering Earth; Two Weeks in Hell and I Shouldn’t Be Alive 3.

I Know What I am Chasing, I Know that this Is Changing Me

For those of us whose formative years happened during the nineties, Automatic for the People was a seminal album by R.E.M. Released just nineteen short months after Out of Time, which pushed the band into the mainstream after being college rock gods for the previous decade, Automatic for the People hit a major chord with their newfound melodic sound and Michael Stipe’s impassioned lyrics. But in the nineteen years since the release, they have yet to release an album up to that standard which makes you wonder how much drummer Bill Berry, who left the band two albums later when he suffered an aneurysm during the Monster tour, had to do with the greatness of those nineties albums. But at this point I would be happy if the band released an album as good as Monster.

That has not to say the remaining three hasn’t scrapped together a few great songs in their drummer’s absent, but they never have seemed to fill a full album of them. Their fifth post Berry album (fifteenth overall) is their best work since Monster. Collapse Into Now mixes songs that have the energy of their eighties college rock days and melodic songs from the nineties, though definitely leaning more towards the former.

Album opener Discoverer can make any middle-aged remember back to college when they were in some sweaty bar seeing the band for the first time as you shout along with the chorus with one fist in the air. The band prominently breaks out a mandolin for the first time since Losing My Religion for Oh My Heart, the band’s catchiest songs since At My Most Beautiful. While Überlin sounds like a perfect blend of the band’s first two decades. And the boys brings back Patti Smith to close out the album with Blue and the spoken word is reminiscent of their last hook out on E-Bow the Letter.

Song to Download – Oh My Heart

Collapse into Now gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Assessing the Fall 2011 Network Pilots

TV Guide recently ran down the pilots, eighty-two in all, which the networks are considering considering for their fall schedule. It is premature to predict what is going to be good or not since we are still two months away from any of these shows from being picked up and six months before any of them premiere. But they did not called me Premature Scooter in college for no reason so I am going to do some predicting anyway. Here are five shows I would like to make it on their respective schedules.

Wonder Woman (NBC) – Sure the scripted has been ripped to shreds online and David E Kelly doesn’t seem like a good fit guiding the show, I would certainly tune in to see Trya Collette don the red, white, and blue spandex every week.

Once Upon a Time (ABC) – Considering this is being described as “A woman travels to a town where fairy tales are real” we may have to wait until this weekend to see how well Red Riding Hood does at the box office to gauge the chances this show has to getting picked up. Though I would be more confident if a show like this came from someone like Bryan Fuller, it was instead created by two writers from Lost who seemed to do a lot of Hurley-centric episode. And it stars Ginnifer Goodwin (Diane Snyder returns to free TV!) as Snow White. NBC will also have their own fairy tale themed show Grimm from Buffy / Angel writers.

Work It (ABC) – I have waited almost three decades for a Bosom Buddies reboot and this may be as close as it gets with two unemployed car salesmen dress in drag to get jobs a pharmaceutical representative. We will also get the bonus enjoyment figuring out which of the two will go on to be Tom Hanks and the other Peter Scolari.

Two Broke Girls (CBS) – Kat Dennings, who is great with passive aggressive dialogue, staring as a waitress co-written by Whitney Cummings, a standout of recent Comedy Central Roasts. Cumming also has her own starring vehicle for NBC from the creator of My Boys.

Playboy (NBC) – Let be the last red blooded American boy on the internet to get excited to hear they are doing a Playboy Club themed show (donning the bunny suits will be the absurdly hot Amber Hear and moderately attractive Naturi Naughton and Jenna Dewan) only to be let down to hear it will be on NBC, not HBO.


And as the great philosopher Butt-Head once told his understudy Beavis, “If it weren’t for things that sucked, how would we know if something was awesome?” And this year looks like there is a bunch of crap that hopefully never makes it to your televisions.

Charlie’s Angels (ABC) – Whenever something is successful is on television it spreads like wildflower (seriously, just count the number of three different couples themed shows that have popped up since Modern Family), and that is understandable. But why do networks continue to reboot show considering every single one in the past decade has failed miserably? And as much as I would like to see Lyla Garrity kick bad guy butt in skimpy clothing every week, I just cannot see this being any good and “from the producers of Smallville” doesn’t help.

Home Base (CBS) – Speaking of failed ideas, was NFL player who goes home already failed recently? Executive producer Marky Mark is also a serious red flag.

Touched (Fox) – Seriously, how does Heroes creator Tim Kring keep finding work? Only Lane Kiffin has fallen upwards faster.

Ringer (CBS) – I hate to break it to Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans, Sarah Michelle Gellar cannot act. She is only passable when Joss Whedon is putting words in her mouth, and since he won’t and Supernatural writers will, this will be unwatchable.

Grace (ABC) – Nothing could get me to run further from a show than “from Dancing with the Stars judge” but here’s the catch, this show isn’t some crappy dance themed reality show, it’s a drama. Staring Eric Roberts. Of course it is set in the world of professional dance.

Are You There Vodka, It’s Me Chelsea (NBC) – Sure Laura Prepon was surprisingly good as Nikki Heat, but portraying Chelsea Hander (who inexplicably will play he older sister) screams unwatchable.

Partners (ABC) – No description made me laugh harder than, “Two female police detectives are fiercely loyal to one another... because they're also secretly sisters.” Actually, I may have to move this to the please get picked up pile because this may be so bad it’s good.

College Has Been Everything I Ever Imagined it to Be

Back in college, one thing all the graduate assistants I worked with agreed on, do not do graduate work at the same school you did your undergrad. I could not help think of those words of wisdom when watching this season of Greek. Though I did not have any plans of going to grad school after graduating, watching Casey Cartwright this season I could see exactly why everyone suggested not continuing even higher learning at the same school.

Sure hanging out with undergrads you were friends with just three months ago may not seem that band, but how quickly you turn into that old guy at the college bar. And I got that vibe that Greek itself may have stayed one season too long and may have been better if the series would have just ended when Casey and Even Chambers graduated. Instead Casey and Cappie end up riding off into the sunset one semester too late (leaving Evan to wallow by himself yet again).

We even got a steady parade of returning alumni this season with Frannie, Katherine, Ashleigh, and Wade all finding their way back to Cypress Rhoades this season to mixed results but with one common theme, they did so with their tails between their legs. Again, you may be able to go home again, but that doesn’t mean you should. Even Lonegirl15 inexplicably popped up for no apparent reason. Who knew she was still attending CRU? Which begs the question whatever happened to Ben Bennett?

That is not to say season four was a complete waste. Dale, always the series MVP, finally got a major storyline worthy of the spotlight when the former president of USAG (fun fact: Abed from Community was also a founding member) actually rushed a fraternity and taught the guys who only gave a bid to get back at Rusty a thing or two about brotherhood. And his work as the ZBZ hasher was always comedy gold especially whenever Rebecca was involved.

Greek did miss the usual ten years later epilogue you expect at the end of college stories, but at least Dale finally got that kiss from Casey he had been pining for since he first laid eyes on her at his Darwin Lied concert. Here is hoping they do not come back to Cypress Rhoades except for the occational Homecoming weekends.

Greek 4.x gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Greek the Series gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

I Want My Music Television - 3/7/11

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.


Uncharted - Sara Bareilles



I thought this was going to be another one of those fan made video until I went, “wait, isn't that Pharrell? And Josh Groban singing into a banana? Turns out Sara Bareilles got all her singer-songwriters friends to film videos of them lip-syncing her new song. Apparently no one in Maroon 5 has been on YouTube because their camera is too high quality and do not ham it up enough.


From the Clouds – Jack Johnson



Leave it to naturist Jack Johnson to shoot a beautiful video featuring the ocean. This screams view me in HD. And for anyone who would like to download this song for free (and more important legally) head over to Jack Johnson Music to do just that. The catch though is you have to post the link on your Facebook page or Twitter it to get the download. But for me free is free.


Uberlin – R.E.M.



At least the new R.E.M. video is less seizure inducing than their last one.


Freaks and Geeks – Childish Gambino



Yes that is the dude from Community (Childish Gambino is what a Wu-Tang Clan name generator gave him back in college; for those wondering, mine is Illmaster Assasin). I keep on going back and forth on if I actually like the song. Dude’s got wordplay skill, but the nasally delivery puts me off. But bonus points for including a shotout to time slot rival and fellow LaVar Burton fan, The Big Bang Theory.

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 3/6/11

Shameless: Who would have guessed Frank would be more annoying sober than drunk?

Chuck: Holy Pierre Chang sighting! With both arms in tack! You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: Wow, that may have been the worst karaoke performance I have ever heard that I do not think was intentionally supposed to be bad. At lead they did something for her hair because the previous cut was even worse than her singing. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Greek: Is there really only one episode left? You would seem like there would be some sense of urgency, but it seems like this season has been the same old episodes we have seen in the past, not something leading somewhere. Hopefully they have something big for tomorrow. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Castle: There were three times I yelled at the television: 1) Shoot at the fans to stop them while in the freezer, 2) For the dude from Heroes to shoot the terrorist when he drew his gun in the interrogation room, 3) For someone to just start pulling wires when they were out of option in front of the bomb. At least they listened to me once. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes.

Parenthood: Wow, that sure was a heartbreaking episode. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes.

Lights Out: Those were some pretty big scars on the trainer. I guess it is a good thing I have never tried to slit my wrists because I would have cut across the hand, not all the way up from the wrist to the elbow. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Lights Out on iTunes.

Survivor: Redemption Island: I was a little worried that Russell was yet again going to benefit from one of the dumbest moves in Survivor history, because if the firelady had switch and Ralph got voted out, Ralph would have shot to number two dumbest Survivors ever for not going, “hey, forget this risky split the votes, Russell doesn’t have the Idol because I do so let’s just all vote for him.” Luckily things worked out for him. Here’s hoping that Boston Rob joins Russell on Redemption Island next week. But I do not understand why let four contestant observe Redemption Island. This would be the only season where contestants wouldn’t know what they were getting into and now they completely ruined that. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.



Mr. Sunshine: Since I also have a pretty bad time at remembering names, I will have to remember not to try to learn names but creating nasty names for their initials. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mr. Sunshine on iTunes.

Justified: I have no recollection of the business guy Raylan visited this week. I used to be able to rattle off the littlest detail on Lost that most of the creators seemed to forget, and now I cannot even remember a guest star on a show nowadays. Getting old sucks. Speaking of Lost, it is weird seeing Daniel Faraday playing a moron. I keep waiting for him to outsmatrt someone, but I do not think it is ever going to happen. And which member of the Gibbons family had something to do with his limp? This season is only getting better, now if only I can remember the recurring characters. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Justified on iTunes.