Around the Tubes - 7/27/12

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 new NBC shows, Grimm, About Face: Supermodels Then and Now , American Colony: Meet the Hutterites, School Spirits, The New Yorker, American Pickers, Kevin Nealon: Whelmed… But Not Overly,The Real Story, Dracula, Selena Gomez, and folk festivals.

You will not have to wait until their official premiere dates to watch the new series on NBC this fall. They will all be airing early on NBC.com, your cable on Demand channel, iTunes and the like. Here are the dates you can start watching them: THE NEW NORMAL (August 29), GO ON (August 9), GUYS WITH KIDS (September 13), REVOLUTION (September 4), ANIMAL PRACTICE (August 13), and CHICAGO FIRE (September 27).

- If you need to catch up on NBC’s new offering from last season Grimm, it is out on Blu-Ray and DVD August 7. While you wait, check out the clip below:



- The latest installment in the HBO Summer Documentary Series is About Face: Supermodels Then and Now! The film explores the lives and careers of legendary models, highlighting the complex relationship between physical appearance and the business of beauty. Check out the trailer below and tune in Monday at 9:00 to watch it:



- The season finale of American Colony: Meet the Hutterites airs Tuesday at 10:00 and check out a preview here: College for Claudia.

- Tune in this Wednesday at 10:00 for the season finale of School Spirits. Check out a preview below:



- I this week’s issue of The New Yorker, Emily Nussbaum takes a look at cliffhangers throughout television history and how they were influenced by classic literature.


- There will be a three hour marathon of American Pickers starting at 8:00 tonight on History where Danielle will take you through her favorite picks from the show.

- Be prepared to be Whelmed when Kevin Nealon’s new comedy special Whelmed… But Not Overly premieres August 4 at 10:30.

- The fourth season of The Real Story returns to the Smithsonian Channel this Sunday at 9:00. First up is the real story behind Saving Private Ryan with future episode focusing on True Grit, Apollo 13, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Braveheart, and Master and Commander.

- Apparently NBC did not get the memo that vampires are so last decade (the 10’s are all about zombies), but they are going ahead with a Dracula series starring that dude from The Tudors. No word on when the ten episode season will hit the network.

- Selena Gomez has recently teamed up with Case-Mate for their “Right Case, Right Occasion” marketing campaign set to begin September.

- There are a couple of folk festivals popping up around the country over the next two months, here are four of them:

Edmonton Folk Music Festival (August 9th – 12th) – Known as one of the leading folk festivals in the world since the 1980’s, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, taking place at Gallagher Park, has a lineup of some of the best folk musicians in the industry. With 80,000 people in attendance over a 4 day period, this festival strives to minimize their carbon footprint by instating special green programs. US performers include: Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Mavis Staple and many others. For more information, please visit: www.edmontonfolkfest.org

Cambridge Folk Festival (July 26th – 29th) - One of the premier music events in Europe and the longest running folk festival in the world (started in 1964), the Cambridge Folk Festival attracts more than 10,000 people, many of who return year after year. For people looking to widen their definition of folk music, this is the concert to attend. An intimate stage at the festival, The Den, has dedicated 15 minute slots for up and coming performers to show off their talents. For more information, please visit: www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk

Newport Folk Festival (July 28th – 29th) – Started in 1959, this festival is known for introducing a number of performers who have become major stars including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Joan Baez. Taking place at Fort Adams in Newport, RI, the festival works to preserve the legacy of the Folk Festival through continuing the traditions of music education and collaboration. Musicians taking one four stages over the weekend include Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Deer Tick and Iron & Wine. For more information, please visit: www.newportfolkfest.net

Shrewsbury Folk Festival (August 24th – 27th) – Bringing together the finest acts from the UK and the around the world, this festival works to create an atmosphere the highlights both new and established performers. Besides music, concertgoers will enjoy loads of additional entertainment including workshops, a craft fair, open mic area and a children’s program with a folk band, craft tent, storytelling and theatre performances. For more information, please visit:www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk

The Ten Most Anticipated Movies of 2012-13

It is weird to talk about movies these days especially about Batman considering the massacre in Colorado. My heart goes out to anyone who was affected by the shooting. I actually planned to run this for a while and wanted it to coincide with The Dark Knight Rises hitting theaters because it had been on top of my most anticipated list since it was announced. So now that it is out, I need to figure out a new number one. So here are the movies I am looking forward to over the next year.

10. The Is 40 (December 21): I did not find the first trailer particularly funny, but Judd Apatow has yet to make a completely unwatchable movie so hopefully the promo monkeys are to blame and the movie will be as good as the rest of his resume.

9. Iron Man 3 (May 4): I was apparently one of the few people who enjoyed the second installment and am excited a Ben Kingsley enhanced third film even if I am more of a DC guy.

8. Man of Steel (June 14): Another teaser I am not much of a fan of. Couldn’t we at least get a glimpse of Amy Adams as Lois Lane? And I am not sure if I need a Superman movie the in the tone of Christopher Nolan’s Batman. Did they not learn from the moody Bryan Singer version that led to a quick reboot? But I am a DC guy, so I hope this succeeds so we can finally get a Justice League movie, even if that means a new Batman so soon.

7. Oz The Great and Powerful (March 8): Sure this may lead to a crappy The Wizard of Oz reboot, but I am really interested in what Sam Raimi can do with this world.

8. Django Unchained (December 25): Is it wrong that I kind of hope Quentin Tarantino worked in the line, “Where all the white women at?” somewhere into this movie?



5. The Hobbit (December 14): Peter Jackson and J. R. R. Tolkien. What could possibly go wrong.



4. The Evil Dead (April 12): This should be on my list of Movies You Cannot Pay Me to Watch because I hold the original trilogy in such high regard. And who could you possibly get to replace Bruce Campbell’s chin? The answer turned out to be the chick from Suburgatory. Since both Campbell and Sam Raimi are involved hopefully this will be the one remake that does not suck massively.

3. The Watch (July 27): Another movie with an unfortunate history. It was originally called Neighborhood Watch but quickly shortened it after the Travon Martin murder. But this movie is less about vigilante suburbanites and more about aliens. Sure I may be a bit optimistic considering the spotty track record of Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn of late, but at least the trailer looks extremely funny.



2. The Man with the Iron Fists (November 2): If there was one thing I have learned in my life is that you never, under any circumstance, trust a big butt and a smile. If there was a second thing I have learned, Wu-Tang Can ain’t nuthin’ to frack with. For those who do not know why, just check out RZA in this film.



1. Gangsta Squad (September 7): Another movie affected by the massacre in Colorado, the trailer, which was originally attached to The Dark Knight Rises, actually featured a theater being shot up. Now the trailer has been pulled and it looks like the scene will also hit the cutting room floor even though it was integral to the plot, so there are going to be reshoots and presumable the release date is no in questions. Scandals aside, after watching Crazy Stupid Love, I fully endorse any movie that features both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.

Turn the Record Over, I'll See You on the Flip Side

A reoccurring conversation my generation have these days is how the music of today does not mean anything. Everything these days seem to be either scantily clad girls taking about how slutty they are, rapper talking about how rich they are, whiny bands complain about… who knows what. Excuse my grandpa moment, but back in my day, Pearl Jam meant something. Counting Crows talked to me. Public Enemy were important. It has been awhile since I have heard anyone who sounds important. Sure this could just be a generational thing much like our parents complains about how no one makes music like The Beatles anymore, plays like Eric Clapton, or sings like Marvin Gaye.

But then I heard The Gaslight Anthem with every song sounding more important than the last. Seriously, how can you not get excited about lyrics like, “Give me the fevers that just won’t break and give me the children you don’t want to raise. And tell be about the cool he sings to you in those songs if it’s better than my love.” “You ain’t supposed to die on a Saturday night.” When they sing about having her name tattooed inside his arm, you want to head down to your local parlor. He may sing “Cool is dead go baby go on asleep,” cool may have been dead, but The Gaslight Anthem may just resurrect it.

If all is right with the world, The Gaslight Anthem will finally have some breakout success with the release of the first major label release Handwritten. And let’s face it; the world is in some dire need of great rock and roll music. Right now there is The Black Keys and that is it. And for those ready to rock, Handwritten is full of enough Aye’s, Whoa’s, Sha-la-la’s, Eh-hey’s, and Oh-oh-oh’s to get your fist pumping.

As the title track suggests, these songs have traveled from heart to limb to pen. The opening track "45" is a hard driving rumination of the ending relationship comparing it to turning a record over to something new. And the album does not let up from their with guitar riffs coming fast and aggressive. They may be on a major label now and are in the studio with uber-producer Brendan O’Brien (Rage Against the Machine), but these Jersey boys are still wearing their Bruce Springsteen and The Replacements influences on their sleeve.

Even though it does not take away from songs on this album, The Gaslight Anthem should be wary of becoming a parody of the heart on their sleeve lyrics in the future like Coldplay became a self-parody on their third album. They did come close of this album with lines like, “I’d just die if you ever took your love away,” and, “What’s left for you to take if I put too much blood on the page?” Actually some of the best songs on Handwritten are on the rare songs from the band that make you put your fists down and raise your lighters up like on the final two songs Mae where they “wait for kingdom come with the radio on” and the beautifully simple National Anthem. If these two songs are a hint of where they may go next I cannot wait to hear it.

Song to Download – "45"

Handwritten gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

One Necessary Evil Leads to Another until One Day You Can’t Differentiate Between What’s Necessary and What’s Merely Expedient

Who would have guessed that a show that starts off with a character getting a very detailed diagnosis of a rare disease (it is kind of like Alzheimer’s crossed with Parkinson’s but not really either) would end up being the antagonist of the show. But there is Kelsey Grammer (X-Men: The Last Stand) at the start of Boss sitting in an abandoned warehouse getting his death sentence. Why an abandoned warehouse? Oh yeah, he is the mayor of Chicago and naturally would not want to be seen coming out of a doctor’s office, let alone a neurologist because it would be a sign of weakness.

Really the sickness could not have happened to a better person. Everything we fear that is happening behind closed doors, Grammer is doing: manipulating voting and voters, endangering constituents for personal and political gain, create fake scandals to hide his own, throwing anyone and everyone under the bus to save his political career, shutting down government instead of comprising, and pulling out every dirty trick in the book. And to make things worse, it looks like what little conscience he had left is slipping away as he holds onto his power as his mind slips away with his illness.

If there is one shred of humanity gained by Kelsey after his diagnosis is that he tries to reconnect with his only daughter Hanna Ware (Cop Out) after shunning her for years because of her drug use. Naturally their reconciliation is tense at first and culminates with the second biggest jaw dropping moment of the season so shocking I had to rewind a couple times to make sure I saw what I just saw. For all intents and purposes, the mayor is also estranged from his wife, but since Connie Nielsen (The Ice Harvest) also comes from a political family, she still puts on the mayor’s wife in public but stays clear of him in private.

As for the biggest jaw dropping moment of the season, that comes when Grammer sits down with his advisor Martin Donovan (Weeds) in the final episode of season. Really whenever these two do down to chew the fat it pretty awesome, but their final powwow of the season is particularly epic (for those that have seen the series and wonder what that final discussion meant, in the audio commentary, the creator says that you will know what exactly happened at the start of the second season).

Despite being a political show, it does not really make any political statement like The West Wing (or any Aaron Sorkin show). We never even learn the party affiliation of anyone on the show (although being Chicago, it I easy to assume everyone we see is a Democrat), there is no debate on health care, gun, abortions, or Michelle Bachman’s sanity. Really the only time they get into a hot button political subject is the handsome candidate for governor that Grammer is grooming who is quick to say the right thing to voters and even quicker to spot a female with a short skirt, which is a one of the few missteps the show takes when it veers to close to John Edwards (or any other philandering politician). Really I was more interested in his wife who steps out from the shadows later in the season (and I assume will have a bigger role next season as she is on the poster).

One other valid complaint and something I really hate on television shows are all the “dream sequences.” But since hallucinations are a side effect of the drugs he is on they are also necessary, especially because it is seems as though we are witnessing the whole show through his eyes. This means we get some shaky camera use and close ups so gratuitous and long it becomes claustrophobic as a viewer. Of course you should expect some weird things, even in a political show, when Gus Van Sant (Even Cowgirls Get the Blues) is the executive producer and directed the series premiere.

The special features on the Blu-ray are a little thin (the press release feature the same things although there are only two blu-ray dicks compared to three DVD’s), there is a featurette “The Mayor and His Maker” which features about a twenty minute discussion between Kelsey Grammer and creator Farhad Safinia. There is also an audio commentary with Safinia and director of photography for the premiere and Farhad is then joined by executive producer Richard Levine for the finale. With only eight episodes, it should be easy to catch up before the second season starts August 17. Although if you do not have Starz, it should be really easy to catch up by the time the second season is released on Blu-Ray and DVD is about a year. And for those that do not like the clutter of disks lying around, the series will also be available by digital download including iTunes starting today.



Full Disclosure Notice: This blu-ray was given to me by Bender / Helper Impact for the purpose of reviewing it.

Musings from the Back 9: AARP Edition

Whenever asked the eternal question: The Beatles or The Stones? My answer is always, “Snitch please; The Beach Boys are much better than those hacks.” They made the catchiest pop music of all time with their surf infused harmonies before going on to make more profound music. Then mastermind Brian Wilson retired from touring and later dropped out of the band, not to be seen or heard from until he finally dusted of the abandoned Smile album and even managed to tour behind it. And just in time for their fiftieth anniversary, Brian reunited with his cousin Mike Love for a reunion album and tour.

Did we really need a new Beach Boys album? Probably not, but the group recently released That's Why God Made the Radio and it pretty much sounds what you would expect a Beach Boys album would sound like five decades later. Where their early records celebrated the exuberance on teenage youth, surfing and chasing girls on the beach, the new collection of songs is a mellow look at retirement with your toes in the sand and maybe a grandkid or two running around. None of the new songs are as catchy as their early hit singles (or even as catchy as Kokomo) or as profound as anything on Pet Sounds but the harmonies are still tight, the songs will put a smile on your face, and will probably get massive rotation in retirement home. That is if grandpa can figure out how to download it from iTunes, get it on his iPod, and then get it to play on the docking player you bought him for Christmas.

That’s Why God Made the Radio gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.


If we were playing the old Remote Control segment Dead or Alive and Bobby Womack came up I may have actually had guessed “dead.” Even after he showed up on the Gorillaz song a couple years ago I may have just assumed that it was vocals from a track I was unfamiliar with. But as it turns out Womack is very much alive and released his latest album in over a decade. Gorillaz’s mastermind Damon Albarn produced The Bravest Man in the Universe and brought his electro-beats that he used for his own band. Unfortunately sometime this distracts from Womack’s voice which has aged into a creepy haggered sound that does not need all the bells and whistles behind it Albarn adds. Even more distracting is the appearance from Lana Del Rey (presumably recorded in the month and a half between when she went from internet phenomenon to laugh stock) who’s voice does not mix with Womack’s at. The album is at its best when the studio magic is pulled back and it is just Womack and a solitary instrument like the acoustic guitar on Deep River. Love Is Gonna Lift You Up is the only overproduced on the album that did no made me wish I could hear an acoustic version of it. It is not hard to wonder how much better the album would have sounded if Rick Ruban had produced the comeback instead of Albarn.

The Bravest Man in the Universe gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.


When you hear that Neil Young is singing kindergarten anthems like Clementine and This Land Is Your Land, you would probably think it is some lame sketch concocted by Jimmy Fallon. Nope, Americana is Neil Young singing these songs and other big among the Cub Scout set but adding some of the original darker verses routinely dropped out when sung by the youth. Much like the older Beach Boys album, Americana sound just like you would expect Neil Young singing campfire ditties with Crazy Horse (their first new album together in almost a decade) backing him up would sound. The sing-a-long choruses are there in-between fuzzed out guitar solos, some veering dangerously close to sounding like a Fallon parody. As weird as it sounds on paper, it probably does not even raking in Young’s top five weirdest albums. Do not fret Crazy Horse fans, after this album, Neil continued to work with them on new material they are writing.

Americana gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

I Want My Music Television - 7/22/12

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.

Handwritten – The Gaslight Anthem



Wow, The Gaslight Anthem put out a video that is not tattooed dudes sing heart on their sleeve music and this has a coherent storyline (or as coherent as music video get). But it is really just another reason to get excited for their album release this week. Look for a review sometime soon.


Freedom At 21 - Jack White



Hype Williams directed the latest Jack White music video. Seriously. And it is as weird and stylist as you would actually expect.


The Wind - Zac Brown Band



And if that is not a weird enough combination for you, Mike Judge directed the latest Zac Brown Band music video. But I guess Zac Brown Band would not have been out of place on King of the Hill. Granted robotic Zac Brown would have been.


I Shall Not Be Moved – Public Enemy



And who would have guessed Woody Allen directed the new Public Enemy video? (Okay, that one did not really happen… yet). It is amazing they are still putting out music that is still pretty good though I find it odd that Chuck D put Basketball Wives on blast considering his partner shilled for VH1 for most of last decade. But I guess somebody needed to put the Basketball Wives (none of which are actually married to basketball players) on blast.

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 7/21/12

Quote of the Week: I’m only going to say this once boys, give me the... teddy bear. (Eliot, Leverage)

Song of the Week: Little Boxes – Steve Martin and Kevin Nealon (Weeds)

Scene of the Week:



Big News of the Week: Emmy Nominations Announced: The only nomination Justified got was for Dickie Bennett (and his hair)? Alright, I am back to ignoring the Emmy’s.

Falling Skies: Even though I knew it probably would not be the case, I was hoping Karen would come back normal, or at least as normal as a de-harnessed kid could be. Unfortunately it looks like she is still being controlled by the Overlords somehow. Sadly I have a feeling she may go the way of the black kid whose name I have already forgotten by the end of the next episode which is a shame because she was really the only character I actually cared about from the start of the series.
You can download Falling Skies on iTunes.

Weeds: Kids playing roller derby was probably the most entertaining this I saw anywhere this week. Well it was until the great Andy slap fight of 2012.

Pretty Little Liars: I love how stupid these girls are. Of course Hanna, the police man was there because of the note. Of course Spencer, Garrett was sending you somewhere that would help him get off (although I thought we already saw him confess to killing Allison with Jenna). Then you have Aria who finds a boat load of money in Ezra’s sock drawer (not his finest hour) and instantly thinks that he collected Jason’s reward money. She is that paranoid but actually believes his I let the guy pay in cash to avoid taxes excuse. And what could he have possibly tell Jason? Then there is Emily who just happens to remember a tattoo right before seeing it on Aria’s former beard. God bless stupid people.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Dallas: As I mention in my initial post about Dallas, there was going to be more to Rebecca and Anne than being doting brides to the Ewing men. We learned just was hiding in Rebecca’s closet earlier this season, and we finally (kinda) learned Anne’s deep dark season besides having an evil ex-husband and it looks like she had a kid. Of course there are a couple possibilities like she gave them up for adoption, they could of died, or my current favorite theory, she thinks her kid is dead but really grew up to become Rebecca. Didn’t her parents mysteriously died early in her life? If so then we would get the awesome Springer episode with Christopher marring his step-mother’s daughter. Sometime soap operas write themselves.
You can download Dallas on iTunes.

Preview Picture of the Week:



Free Download of the Week: Fly Like an Eagle – Steve Miller Band (Google Play)

Deal of the Week: $2.99 Soul Albums: This week’s absurdly low price sale on Amazon is dedicated to soul music including greatest hits packages from Prince, The Temptations, Al Green, and the new album from Frank Ocean.



New Album Release of the Week: Handwritten - The Gaslight Anthem

New DVD Release of the Week: Boss: Season 1

Video of the Week: Apparently Mansome is a real documentary (from Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and the Super Size Me Guy) and not a Funny or Die fake trailer. Now if you excuse me, I need to go add this to my queue.



Next Week Pick of the Week: 2012 Summer Olympics: Opening Ceremony, Friday at 7:30 on NBC: I am an unabashed Olympics fan, I will watch it all, no matter how obscure, I will be even watching handball at some point probably. Trampoline? Sure, why not? (Unfortunately for the second games in a row I will not be able to watch any basketball because I cannot bring myself to root for the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant). If you cannot wait a whole week for the start of the games, there are a couple preliminary soccer games starting Wednesday including the American woman (welcome back to my life Alex Morgan) playing at noon on NBC Sports Network (which used to be called Vs). Head over to nbcolympics.com to get a full rundown of what sports will be airing when and what channel.

Around the Tubes - 7/20/12

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 Alphas, The Godfather Legacy, Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, Lost Girl, In the Big House, Comic Con, The Last Ship, Killing Lincoln, The Dark Knight Rises, and Charlie Sheen.

- Alphas is returning for its second season on Monday at 10:00 on Syfy. The new season picks up eight months after last year’s stunning season finale with the stage set for an explosive turn of events at the Binghamton facility (the Guantanamo of the Alpha world) that could have devastating, far-reaching consequences. Dr. Lee Rosen, having exposed the existence of Alphas to the unsuspecting public, finds himself discredited and imprisoned by a government desperate to cover up his stunning revelation. Some of the team have disbanded and without Dr. Rosen’s care and guidance, have regressed to their old, destructive ways. They must now battle their individual demons, reunite and try to save their own. Check out a trailer below:



- Godfather fans will want to circle Tuesday on their calendars because History is airing a two hour special The Godfather Legacy starting at 9:00. It will feature commentary from those involved in making the film as well as those who love it.

- Sons of Anarchy finally got a premiere date in September, and now there is a preview to go along with it, check it out below:

Sons of Anarchy on FX - Before the Anarchy


- Apparently the wait was worth it because Breaking Bad returned for its fifth season on AMC with its most watched episode ever at 2.9 million viewers.

- Lost Girl moves to Fridays starting tonight on Syfy at 9:00 and check out a sneak peak below:



- New show alert! Premiering Monday on Logo is In the Big House, a docu-reality series which will reunite an old school Philly mobster with his all-too-modern family in West Hollywood.

- For those that did not make it to Comic-Con this year, do not fret because you can watch all of the NBC panels from the comfort of your computer including Community, Animal Practice, Grimm, Do No Harm, Revolution, and Brian Fuller who is behind both Mockingbird Lane and Hannibal.

- TNT is getting into the Michael Bay business as they announced they have just ordered a Pilot of The Last Ship which Bay will executive produce. The show will be based on the book of the same name that is about a global catastrophe that nearly obliterates the earth's population, forcing the crew of a naval destroyer to confront the reality of their new existence in a world where they are among the only survivors. If it get picked up, I would put mu money on a summer 2013 premiere.

- After the huge success of Hatfields and McCoys, other networks are getting in on the history miniseries. Recently The National Geographic Channel announced Killing Lincoln. Billy Campbell has been cast as Abraham Lincoln, Jesse Johnson will play John Wilkes Booth, Geraldine Hughes as Mary Todd Lincoln, Graham Beckel as Edwin Stanton, who served as secretary of war under the Lincoln administration, and Shawn Pyfrom as Private John W. Nichols in the two-hour upcoming television film set to hit the small screen sometime in early 2013.

- The Dark Knight Rises finally hit theaters and for those that cannot get enough of the Nolan Batman trilogy, be sure to check out The Dark Knight Manual: Tools, Weapons, Vehicles and Documents from the Batcave.

- Showing that he is not a completely horrible person, Anger Management’s Charlie Sheen recently donated $1 million to the USO, the largest contribution ever from an individual to the military aid organization.

Previewing Sullivan and Son

After trying to launch a brand around Conan that did not have the words “Tyler” and “Perry” attached to it, TBS finally had a moderate success with the recent renewal of Men At Work. Sure the show did not light the world on fire and was ignored by critics, but enough people did watch the traditional sitcom. The network tries to keep the momentum going tonight now that Men at Work had its finale last week with the introduction of Sullivan and Son.

Like the show whose timeslot it is taking over, Sullivan and Son is a traditional sitcom in the eightiest way possible. How eighties sitcom: The Wonder Years Dan Lauria plays the father. If that is not old school enough for you, the show also features Bill’s brother Brian Doyle-Murray. And it does not get more traditional than pluck the lead from a comedy club with minimal acting experience, in this case stand up Steve Byrne (who studied at my alma mater Kent State University).

On Sullivan and Son, Byrne is a successful corporate lawyer with the perfect job and perfect girlfriend who bringer her home to meet the family on his father’s birthday. It is while he is there he learns that his father (Lauria) had decided to sell the family bar which prompts Byrne to ditch his cushy New York lifestyle to move back to Pittsburg and buy the bar from his father. Unfortunate his girlfriend (played by the same actress that Kat Dennings nannied for on 2 Broke Girls) does not stick around because she was the most entertaining part of the premiere and much more entertaining than Byrne’s high school crush, and probable future love interest played by Valerie Azlynn (Welcome to the Captain).

Apparently the club in question is in the most racially diverse neighborhood in Pittsburg because it is patroned by every ethnicity you can think of (except for Indians; native or foreign), Byrne himself is a mix of Irish and Korean, while Murray plays the local racist who makes fun of all of them. And they are all brought together by their love of drink whenever they can. One of the first jokes is even a drinking while pregnant joke which is promptly followed up by a drunk EMT joke. Much like Men of Work, you probably will only want to tune in if you miss the more traditional sitcoms of the eighties and nineties. Or you just like watching people drink. Hey that worked for Cheers.

Sullican and Son airs Thursdays at 10:00 on TBS (with back to back episodes tonight).

My Life Been Good Since I Started Finding Peace

It seems like the last couple albums, Nas has made more headlines with his titles than the actual songs on the record. In 2006 the rapper declared Hip-Hop Is Dead while the follow up went Untitled after he announced he was going to title the album a word I am not allowed to use. His latest album Life Is Good may not sound as controversial as his previous two until you get a glimpse of the cover art where Nas has his ex-wife’s wedding dress (which Nas claims is the only think she left behind in their house when she left) draped across his lap.

Not surprisingly Life Is Good is heavily influenced by Nas’s marriage and subsequent divorce to Kelis. None more so than the song that closes out the album Bye Baby where he directly talks to his former flame and baby mama and recounts their history. Due to the subject matter, this is his most grown up album to date. For those keeping track at home, this is his tenth solo album, a rare milestone in hip-hop, especially as he remains relevant. Or close to it, some could argue he has not had a hit in almost a decade (which is probably why he has gone with controversial titles lately to stay relevant).

And Life Is Good probably will not change that trend either. When he gets around to releasing a Greatest Hits package, Nas will rival anyone in the history of rap, but it is hard to image anything from this album making his Greatest Hits unless he feels obligated to put one of these songs on it. Sadly one of the better songs, the old school Nasty is resigned to the Deluxe Album Bonus Tracks as it would not have sound out of place on God’s Son. For the album proper, the best song is the reggae tinged The Don produced by Salaam Remi who has also produces his great Made You look track.

The most noteworthy track on the album is Cherry Wine featuring Amy Winehouse (also produced by Remi who turned a Marvin Gaye song into her Tears Dry on Their Own) but it is weird hearing her posthumously sing about alcohol considering how she died. After that, the most talked about track is Daughters where Nas opens up his relationship with his and coming to terms with her growing up. Since I cannot relate I really cannot get into the song. But at least he did not sample or shout out John Mayer in the song.

Song to Download – The Don

Life Is Good gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Previewing American Gypsies

Like many people my age, I spend too much time wondering whatever happened to Ralph Maccio. He was an Outsider, the Karate Kid (the real one), and turned in a great performance in My Cousin Vinnie. Then he basically disappeared for two decades. And now he is back like every other eighties ex-pat, via reality television. Thankfully it is not in front of the camera like the painful to sit through Scott Baio is 45… and Single. Instead he is producing American Gypsies (answering the question, what ethnicity and / or occupation could reality television possibly exploit next?).

Honestly I did not know much about gypsies aside from what I learned from Stevie Nicks. Even then I learned more about lightning then the gypsy culture. American Gypsies follows an extended gypsy (or Romani if you want to be less offensive) family featuring five brothers and their fifteen kids (with two grandkids on the way). Despite being very a very insular culture (homeschooled, arranged marriage complete with a dowry and their own court) they look assimilated and would not be able to pick them out of a lineup. If face they look like they could have been a Jersey Shore feeder family.

The heart of the show are two brothers, Nicky is the traditionalist who wants to make sure every of their 5,000 year old traditions continue. While Bobby wants to become more America even allowing his daughters to take acting classes even though associating with Gaje (non-Romani; naturally one of the third generations on the show is secretly dating a Gaje) is shunned upon. This conflict seems to be the heart of the show and Nicky is very vocal about the kids taking acting classes. Granted every time Nicky complains about this I want to yell at the television, “Dude, shut up, you are on a reality show.”

Aside from a different ethnicity to exploit, American Gypsies does not add much new to the docu-series genre. There is fighting be it verbal or physical (the brothers even throw punches in a hospital sometime in the season) and shameless self-promotion (even though the daughters in the acting class have less charisma than the average Kardashian and even less of a worth ethic). It is a bit disappointing that even though the family is in the physic business, which is the most interesting part of the family, the actual business is rarely shown in the first two episodes and no one ever exhibits the gifts they claim to be bestowed upon them. But If you are fan of docu-series, American Gypsies will probably have enough to pull you in. But if you hate the genre, the show will not do anything to change your mind.

American Gypsies airs Tuesdays at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel. You can download American Gypsies on iTunes including the first episode which is free as I write this. Check out a preview below:

I Want My Music Television - 7/16/12

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.


Breaking Down – Florence + the Machine



I would never have guessed that Florence + the Machine would go the old school Americana route for making a video. It just does not match the epicness of their music.


Two Way Street – Kimbra



It is a shame there is not a song on her album as good as Somebody that I Used to Know because Kimbra’s album as a whole is much better than the one Gotye put out. So she really has not had a single catch on stateside (although Warrior should have been much bigger than it is, I wonder if the sigma of being associated with Converse hurt it at all). Hopefully for her sophomore album she hooks up with some producers that can take her to that next level.


Man on Fire – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros



Honestly, this is the last video I would have expected the hippie enclave Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros to released. It looks like more like a promo I would expect to see for some crappy Lifetime reality show.


Heartbeat – JJAMZ



For those that have never heard of JJAMZ, they are a supergroup of sorts featuring members of The Like, Phantom Planet, Maroon 5, and Rilo Kiley. As for the video, thanks to the synthy track, I am not surprised that the video is inspired by the 80’s but it is a little odd that they started off the video with a serious kidnapping message when the video itself plays like a campy, horror film from the decade.

Lyrics Quiz: The Greatest RnB Songs of the 90's (That Should Had Been on VH1's List)

A couple weeks ago VH1 released their latest list of The 40 Greatest RnB Songs of the 90’s and like all of their lists, some of the inclusions (Bone Thugs-n-Harmony are RnB?) and omissions (were Michael Jackson and Prince too big for the RnB label by the 90’s) were head scratching even if this list was as egregious as their list of The 40 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 90’s which was so bad it inspired me to make my only list of The 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 90’s. I probably will not come up with my own RnB songs of the 90’s list, but for this month’s Lyrics Quiz I did pick twenty-five songs that probably should have been on VH1’s list. 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. Take my money, my house and my cars. For one hit of you, you can have it all, baby. (Feenin' - Jodeci; guessed by Doug)
2. How blue can I get, you can ask my own heart. Well like a jigsaw puzzle, it’s been torn all apart. (Nobody Knows - Tony Rich Project; guessed by Doug)
3. Now you can have me when you want me. You simply ask me to be there.
4. The very first time that I saw your brown eyes. Your lips said, “Hello” and I said, Hi.” I knew right then you were the one. (If I Ever Fall In Love - Shai; guessed by Doug)
5. Other guys have tried before to replace you as my lover. Never did I have a doubt, boy iy’s you I can’t do without. (Love Will Never Do (Without You) - Janet Jackson; guessed by Doug)
6. In our darkest hour, in my deepest despair, will you still care?
7. Girl if I told you I love you, that doesn’t mean I don’t care. And when I tell you I need you, don’t think that I’ll never be there. (Cupid - 112; guessed by Doug)
8. Tell me who I have to be to get some reciprocity. See no one love you more than me and no one ever will. (Ex-Factor - Lauryn Hill; guessed by Doug)
9. Would you be a happy boy or a girl. If I could I would give you the world. But all I can do is just offer you my love. (Diamonds and Pearls - Prince and the New Power Generation; guessed by Doug)
10. Prejudice: wrote a song about. Like to hear it? Here it go. (Free Your Mind - En Vogue; guessed by Doug)
11. You remain my power, my pleasure, my pain. To me you’re a grown addition I can’t deny. (Kiss from a Rose - Seal; guessed by Doug)
12. I thought we’d get to see forever. But forever has gone away. (It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday - Boyz II Men; guessed by Doug)
13. Still have your picture in a frame. Hear your footsteps down the hall. I swear I hear your voice, driving me insane. (Anytime - Brian McKnight; guessed by Doug)
14. Is it my turn to wish you were lying here? I didn’t dream you and I’m sleeping.
15. You are the girl that I never had and I want to get to know you better. (Iesha - Another Bad Creation; guessed by Doug)
16. Since the first day I ever laid my eye on your face I knew you would be mine. And since the time you gave me your tiny hand I knew I wanted to be your man.
17. I wanna tease you, I wanna please you. I wanna show you baby, that I need you. I want your body ‘till the very last drop. (Nobody - Keith Sweat; guessed by Doug)
18. Put your faith in me and I’ll do anything. I will cross the ocean for you. I will go and bring you the moon. (For You I Will - Monica; guessed by Doug)
19. If you should feel that I don’t really care and that you’re starting to lose ground. Just let me reassure you that you can count on me and that I’ll always be around.
20. Tell me princess now did you last let your heart decide?
21. The twenty-third of loneliness and we don’t talk like we used to do. Now it feels pretty strange but I’m not buggin’. (Creep - TLC; guessed by Doug)
22. Large, if large is how you living why you living large? Are you taking what is given to you in the form of true experience ‘cause if you’re not you life will be spent. (Live and Learn - Joe Public; guessed by Doug)
23. It feels like springtime in winter. It feels like Christmas in June. It feels like Heaven has opened up its gates to me and you.
24. You want me but he needs you. Yet you’re telling me everything is cool. Trying to convince me to do as you say. Just go along and see things your way.
25. Smack it up, flip it, rub it down, oh no! (Do Me! - Bell Bive DeVoe; guessed by Doug)

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 7/14/12

Quote of the Week: An eye for an eye just make both people blind. (Bobby, Dallas)

Song of the Week: Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men (Covert Affairs)

Scene of the Week:



Big News of the Week: Comic-Con: Okay, it is not particularly big news this year as nothing that has trickled out so far (I am still waiting for the Homeland season two preview to be released). Really the only thing that raised my eyebrow so far was the trailer to Oz: the Great and Powerful but mostly because it is directed by Sam Raimi. But I fear this film is just a gateway drug for Hollywood to do a full Wizard of Oz reboot starring Kristen Stewart as Dorothy, Justin Timberlake as the Scarecrow, Tyler Perry as the Tim Man, and Channing Tatum as the Cowardly Lion.



Preview Picture of the Week:



Falling Skies: An interesting plot twist with the skidder uprising, considering the overlords did force them into slavery, but the humans do have a very good reason to cautious considering they have the mind controlling harnesses stuck to their back. And they do not know, like the audience does, that the scarred-face skidder has that eye parasite computer thingy that they pulled out of Tom’s eye.
You can download Falling Skies on iTunes.

Weeds: Nancy has taken on her fair share of drug lords in the series history, but the drug dealing clown was easily the most entertaining.

Pretty Little Liars: The talk of the Katy Perry movie was so awkward (“It's a behind-the-scenes look at Mrs. Firework.”) I was convinced it was a product placement. And lo and behold the next commercial break, there it was. Why is it so hard for writers come up with product placements that do not seemed shoehorned in? But I guess this is why Pretty Little Liars writers are on this show and not Mad Men.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Dallas: Last week I pondered how Rebecca would stay on the show after Christopher boisterously dismissed her and concluded she would just do some bed hopping. Apparently I forgot the more obvious way to keep her around: make her pregnant. Or at least have her claim she is pregnant. You are in Dallas Christopher, make sure you see the ultrasound live in person and get a blood test (I am still not completely convinced that her “brother” is really related to her). And after two episodes, I am already prepared to call Assistant Director Skinner the best character on the show after J.R.’s eyebrows. Can we get him promoted to the main cast by next season please?
You can download Dallas on iTunes.


Free Download of the Week: Live at Eddie’s Attic – Rhett Miller (Noise Trade)

Deal of the Week: 2.99 Country Hits: Amazon went country for their super discounted albums for the week including ones by Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Black Shelton and the 61 track box set from Willie Nelson (which comes out to about five cents per song).



New Album Release of the Week: Life Is Good - Nas

New DVD Release of the Week: Friends With Kids

Video of the Week: Mark finally found his love on Burning Love which you can watch below. If you have not been watching, head over to BurningLove.com to watch the entire season. But those that are caught up, do not fret, there is still one more episode where the Woman Tell All. Hopefully it will also be announced there with be a Bachelorette-style spin off featuring Annie. And if so, I would like to offer my throw my hat into the ring as one of the suitor.

Next Week Pick of the Week: Leverage, Sunday at 8:00 on TNT: In a story I broke earlier this week, Leverage returns tomorrow for another season of pure summer fun. Or as much fun as you can get in the rainy pacific northwest. Check out my Preview of Leverage.

Around the Tubes - 7/13/12

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 Dexter, George Lopez: It’s Not Me, it’s You, Tales from a Ghetto Klown, Freaks and Creeps, Falling Skies, Woman's Day, Upload with Shaquille O’Neal, ALMA Awards, and Ernest Borgnine.

- Please note I did not actually watch this video or even read the press release on account that I am still on episode eleven of season three of Dexter. So I still have eleven weeks to watch the remaining thirty-eight episodes to catch up. For those that are up to date here is a two minute sneak peak of the seventh season which premieres September 30.



- Tomorrow, tune into HBO for George Lopez: It’s Not Me, it’s You where the comic is returning for his third live solo special for the network from the famed Nokia Theater L.A. Live. Check out the promo below:



- Tonight on PBS, they will be airing Tales from a Ghetto Klown which follows award winning actor and playwright John Leguizamo as he struggles to mount his latest one-man show. It is set to air at 9:00 (check your local listings).

- This Tuesday, join zoologist Lucy Cooke in her new series Freaks and Creeps which premieres at 10:00 on Nat Geo Wild. Cooke will be traveling the globe to find the world’s strangest creatures in the wildest place including Devil Island in the premiere episode to find the strange animals of Tazmania.

- TNT has been on a renewal kick lately and you can add a third season of Falling Skies to the recently renewed Dallas and Rizzoli and Isles.

- Starting with the October issue, Katie Couric will be writing a new monthly column for Woman’s Day. You will also be able to read the column ay Womansday.com and KatieCouric.com.

- Shaq is getting on the internet video commentary trend as TruTV has just picked up Upload with Shaquille O’Neal (working title) where the big man will comment on the funniest internet videos with comics Gary Owen, Godfrey, and a special guest. Ten episodes have been ordered.

- The Alma Awards are set to air Friday, September 21 on NBC. Until then, head over to ALMAAwards.com where you check out and vote on the catergories.

- We lost another legend this week with the passing of Ernest Borgnine and TCM will be honoring his work with a 24-hour marathon Thursday, July 26. Check out the schedule below:

6 a.m. – The Catered Affair (1956) – with Bette Davis and Debbie Reynolds.

8 a.m. – The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968) – with Kim Novak and Peter Finch.

10:30 a.m. – Pay or Die (1960) – with Zohra Lampert and Al Austin.

12:30 p.m. – Torpedo Run (1958) – with Glenn Ford and Diane Brewster.

2:30 p.m. – Ice Station Zebra (1968) – with Rock Hudson and Patrick McGoohan.

5:15 p.m. – The Dirty Dozen (1967) – with Lee Marvin, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Robert Ryan, Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland, George Kennedy and Telly Savalas.

8 p.m. – Private Screenings: Ernest Borgnine (2009) – hosted by Robert Osborne.

9 p.m. – Marty (1955) – with Betsy Blair and Joe Mantell.

10:45 p.m. – From Here to Eternity (1953) – with Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed and Frank Sinatra.

1 a.m. – The Wild Bunch (1969) – with William Holden, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Warren Oates and Ben Johnson.

3:30 a.m. – Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) – with Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Anne Francis, Dean Jagger, Walter Brennan and Lee Marvin.

5:00 a.m. – Private Screenings: Ernest Borgnine (2009) – hosted by Robert Osborne.