Around the Tubes - 8/24/12

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 NBC, Kattpacalypse, Alphas, Switched at Birth, Sons of Anarchy, a blind judo champion, Ball Up Streetball, the Screen Actors Guild, and You've Got a Friend.

- We are less than a month away from the strt of the fall television season and you can get you sneak peak at the upcoming NBC shows right now with the 2012 Primetime Preview hosted by star of Go On Matthew Perry.


- Anyone who needs a laugh this weekend should tune into Kattpacalypse premiering tomorrow at 10:00 on Showtime. Katt Williams will be taking on everything from Mitt Romney to the Michael Jackson murder trial. Maybe he will even explain why he went with the munchkin hairdo for the show.


- Alphas is now airing twice on Mondays. The first airing is at 8:00 and the second begins at 10:00. There will be an Alphas live chat at 8:00 on its Facebook page so you can discuss the new episode with your fellow Alphas fans. They will also be giving away two signed DVDs and two Alphas t-shirts to participants chosen at random during the chat. Head over to Alpha’s Facebook page to join the live chat visit the following

- Kathryn Kennish may be having trouble having her book published on her show, but you can read the first chapter of Switched at Birth over at ABCFamily.com and preorder the book, being released this Tuesday on Amazon.

- We are inching closer to the September 11 premiere of Sons of Anarchy and FX has released another promo for the fifth season where you can get a first look of gust star Jimmy Smits.


- The Olympics may be over but if you are still interested in inspiring stories in niche sports, head over to Take Part to learn about Jordan Mouton, a blind judo champion.

- But for those going through more traditional sports withdrawals, Fox Sports will be airing the new reality show Ball Up Streetball. The show will follow the Ball Up Streetball league as they cross the country in search of the next best street ball star with teams coached by former NBA players Shannon Brown, Sam Cassel and Kyle Lowry.

- The Screen Actors Guild recently announced that Dick van Dyke will be honored with the 2012 SAG Lifetime Achievement Award. The award show will air Sunday, January 27, 2013 (assuming the Mayans were wrong).

- New to DVD shelves this week: You’ve Got a Friend about Bobby Graham who is a twelve-year-old boy whose personal problems haven’t gotten in the way of his dream: to win the American Soapbox Derby Championship. With the odds against him, including his school foe and main competition in the race, Bobby is determined to prove himself with a personal best and unbeatable new self-confidence and stars John Schneider.

I Want My Music Television - 8/23/12

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.

Trying Not to Love You – Nickleback


Big news in the Nickelback world this week: a new music video featuring George Costanza and… um, that one who who was the host of that one reality show that no one watched. In lesser news, apparently the dude from Nickleback got engaged to Avril Lavigne. The internet for some reason wondered why Lavigne would get married to the dude from Nickelback, but c’mon, he is still a step up from the dude from Sum 41.


Modern Love - Matt Nathanson


When I saw all the people put on headphones I thought great, finally someone is copying the great Cake videos for Short Skirt / Long Jacket where they have people on the street critique the new Matt Nathanson song. Sadly they just listen to the song, keeping their comments to themselves; aside from place cards what I assume is what they consider modern love. Le sigh. Instead of the Lyric Video crazy video that has been going on for a year, they should introduce songs like Short Skirt / Long Jacket did.


Watch the Corner – Dinosaur Jr.


Who would have guessed that the latest Dinosaur Jr. music video (you remember that band from the nineties that was the best grunge band that never managed to have a hit), would premiere on Funny or Die and star Tommy Gavin’s daughter


St. Croix – Family of the Year


Just in time to start reminiscing about summer, here is Family of the Year in what looks to be a remake of a lost The Beach Boys music video.

The Peter Bjorn and John Award for Catchiest Indie-Pop Song of the Summer of 2012

A couple days I heard some people discussing what the song of the summer was and depressingly they came up with Call Me Maybe and really there was not much of a debate. But that got me thinking about last summer when I made an off comment that The Naked and Famous would have won the Peter Bjorn and John Award for catchiest indie-pop song of the summer if it were not for Foster the People. Since the actually songs of the summer list would be boring, I thought I would make the Peter Bjorn and John Award (who may not invented catchy indie-pop, but certainly perfected it with Young Folks) a real thing. So without further ado, here are the top five catchiest indie-pop songs of the summer, some bonus picks, along with the official inaugural winner of The Peter Bjorn and John Award.

Honorable Mention: Call Me Maybe – The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, and Carly Rae Jepsen: Yeah, I just said I was disappointed that the original version is everything that was wrong about the summer of 2012 (severe droughts are what happens when you let a Canadian rule pop culture), but The Roots, along with some children toys, can make anything awesome. If you have not seen The Roots version, which is the only version worth listening to, check it out below:


Legacy Artist: Don't Leave Me (Ne me quitte pas) – Regina Spektor: No one does indie-pop better than Regina Specktor who dusted off one of her older songs and managed to make it weirder and better at the same time. Who else could make Paris the rain sound fun?

5. Bottom of the River– Delta Rae: A big year for folk this year with three songs on this list that could also be categorized in the genre. This song is just handclapping and footstompingly awesome.

4. Tongue Tied – Grouplove: Nothing like a good shout along chorus to get you in consideration for this award. Bonus points for the weird backwards video that went along with the song.

3. Warrior – Kimbra, Mark Foster and A-Trak: Yeah the chick from the Gotye song (which is not on the list because it was more of a winter / spring song and it is not really peppy enough) released her own album this year while you were trying to teach yourself the xylophone solo, this is the catchiest song from it with a little help from last year’s unofficial winner of the Peter Bjorn and John Award.

2. Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men: Whenever you encourage shouting, you are destined for this list. And music does not get more awesomely weird then when it comes from Iceland, where this sextet hails from. Horns are also a plus too.

1. Ho Hey – The Lumineers: But when it comes to shouting during the summer of 2012, no one will make you go hoarse faster than The Lumineers. The trio took a hip-hop phrase mainstay (I want to ignorantly believe this song was inspired by Naughty by Nature) and essentially turned into the percussion for the song. I dare you to try and listen to this song and not put it on repeat for the next hour or two.

You Always End a Conversation One Sentence too Late

Note to self: when writing an uber-peppy script, it may not be the best idea, no matter how shocking it is, to kill off what the audience may believe to be an important character at the end of the Pilot. After one of the most promising premieres in recent memory, Bunheads had to go the downer route by killing of the main character’s husband just minutes after getting married thus tearing down what they spent the first fifty-eight minutes building up.

Not surprisingly, Hubble’s death hung like a black cloud over the first season of the show. And every time it started to pick some momentum back up, out of nowhere they had to remind you that Michelle’s husband, who she did not even really love, had died tragically. She meets a new dude, who she hits it off with, she starts balling over her dead husband after coitus. And of course he had to return for the finale in a dream sequence to up the creepy factor.

It also does not help for a shown named Bunheads, I am not entirely sure what any of the names of the dancers are besides Boo (really, how do you forget a name like that). I think the mean girl is named Sasha, but I would not bet my life on it. I just watched the finale and I still could not name the other two off the top of my head which is a shame because the tall one has the best comic timing of the bunch but she was given the least to do in the first set of episodes. Am I am not sure if it is a good or bad thing that it turned out that Mindy Riggins turned out to be the best part of the show.

But the one aspect the show had going for itself was its rapid fire delivery that, even if a pop culture reference or two went over your head, there would still be plenty of good one your recognize per episode even if there was no way a bunch of teen girls would talk about let alone even know about. I like The Ringer was too busy dancing to catch any of these references. And the season did end on a high point with one of the funniest scenes I have seen on television all year when Michelle sprayed all the dancers in the face with mace. That alone should keep me laughing until the show returns, and when it does, hopefully they can help us forget about Michelle’s dead husband.

Bunheads 1.x gets a on my Terror Alert Scale. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Bunheads on iTunes.

It’s The World We Live In, Not The World We Want

It was hard not to get excited for the first season of Falling Skies: Steven Spielberg producing an alien invasion show on cable, TNT at that because they apparently know drama. But those first ten episodes just fell flat. The skitters were scary in an creepy incest kind of way, but it was hard to care about the characters, and the plot, much like the characters, did not seem to go anywhere.

But early in the second season, the show, much like the 2nd Mass, found its direction. And their compass pointed south to Charleston, South Carolina. It was a long march which saw a few new obstacles like the new mini bugs that ate the dude from The Killing inside out. There an even smaller bug(? Maybe machine?) that crawled out of Tom’s eye which turned out to be a tool of the new skidder rebellion. But is that just a skidder contraption or do the Overlords have their own and planted in Hal? But none was creepier than our first look inside a harness factory where we learned the harnesses are an actual life form before being attached to the children.

Then when they finally arrived in Charleston, the 2nd Mass landed right in the middle of a political fight between a pseudo-dictator and military coup. Sure this was the weakest storyline of the season (who would actually elect John Locke to a position of power). But the vacation in South Carolina seems to be short lived as Tom intends to leave the new civilization as soon as his son gets better. Although I am surprised Tom is so quick to leave the closest thing to civilization to fight some more when he is about to become a father again. Well that was the plan until the skies started falling again.

Thanks to the promo monkeys, you knew it was coming; the only question was what exactly was in the jellyfish looking things. Thankfully this is not John Locke’s old show and we actually got to see what were driving these spaceships. It turned out to be something in a suit that looked like suits of Master Chief joined with the Blue Beetle with something reptilian looking inside. If these new creatures mate with a human and there is a lizard baby birth I am out.

The show left us with the question “Friend or Foe?” Before they scrolled down to reveal a biped, I originally thought a non-harnessed skidder was going to step out the spaceship. Of course it is possible that the harnessed skidders ended up growing the extra limbs. But I am going to answer the promo monkey’s question, with a question of my own, “Why does it have to be either or?” I have a feeling they are an enemy of the Overloards (the weapon that the 2nd Mass was build to keep these new aliens from landing) who will end up being enemies of humans. At any rate, hopefully season three continues the momentum built this season. And hopefully by the time the next episodes air, they can get me to start caring about some of the characters.

Falling Skies 2.x gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Previewing Locked Up Abroad: Nightmare in Somalia

If there has been one thing I have learned while watching Locked Up Abroad is that you never become a drug mule, no matter how easy your buddy would have you believe it is. And if you must, certainly do not go to a third world country to collect your stash. If there was a second lesson I have learned from the show is to stay out of countries described as “war torn” especially Muslim practicing countries. Of course if everyone had heeded these rules then Locked Up Abroad would have only lasted about half a season.

Tomorrow’s episode (premiering at 10:00 on the National Geographic Channel) features Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan who travels with Canadian reporter Amanda Lindhout (who unfortunately did not participate in the show) to report on “war torn” Somalia in July 2008. Uh oh. Note to any journalist going to a “war torn” country, when your hired bodyguards will not go to a certain part of the country, you probably should not go either. Not surprisingly Nigel and Amanda get kidnapped and held for ransom by Somali terrorists.

Just when you think this you’re your run of the mill kidnapping Locked Up Abroad story, about half way through Neil and Amanda come up with a plan to escape their captors in an unknown country leading to an edge of your seats chase through the streets that could save their family millions of dollars American of random. The whole ordeal lasted for 462 days and for those that want the extended story after watching the episode, Nigel wrote a book, The Price of Life: The True Story of an Australian Held to Ranson for 462 Days, with his sister and sister-in-law, a 467 page detailed account of his time in Somalia and how his relatives back home coped with his capture and how they tried to secure his release. You can watch a preview of the episode below:

Islam Conversion

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 8/18/12

Quote of the Week: No One Takes Khaleesi's Dragons. (Michelle, Bunheads)

Song of the Week: One Day – Matisyahu (Covert Affairs)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: Paul Ryan: A couple Fridays ago, AMC announced just hours before the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics that they were not renewing The Killing for a third season. It is common practice to release bad news late Friday in hopes that people will forget to be angry by the time the weekend concludes and to do it as the Olympics starts helps to bury it further. I bring this up not because I enjoy pissing on The Killing (even though I do) but I found it a bit odd that Mitt Romney chose Saturday morning on the last weekend of the Olympics to announce his running mate. What exactly was he hiding (besides what is in his tax returns), making the announcement at a time when most people are trying to bury news? Why not wait until Monday when you can own the new cycle instead of a time when people would rather talk about Usain Bolt or why didn’t Noel Gallagher jump out of the crowd during the Closing Ceremonies to punch Liam in the face when he was performing Wonderwall? Sometimes I wonder if Romney really wants to be president or if he has already resigned himself to losing.

Another sign that Romney may not want the presidency was his selection for Vice President. Paul Ryan is a super wonk who’s claim to fame is his budget that is supposed to save the country from financial ruin by slashing Medicare, lower taxes (mostly for the uber-rich) but will actually increase the debt according to a non-partisan economist. The guy is part of the most hated Congress in the history of polling and one of the bigger reasons why the country hates this Congress. This was clearly a pick to shore of the base of the party, but if you need to shore up your base by your vice president pick, you have pretty much already lost (see 2008). But on the bright side Ryan is a fan of Rage Against the Machine who will hopefully be invited to play the Republican National Convention later this month. Not surprisingly Tom Morello is not fond of his latest fan calling Ryan “the embodiment of the Machine our music Rages against”.

Preview Picture of the Week:



Leverage: Hardison biting that one dude (after actually warning him he was not above biting) has to be the funniest scene in the history of the show.
You can download Leverage on iTunes.

Falling Skies: I was all excited about the trip to Charleston this season, but I did not like all the politics when they got there (a dictatorship overthrown by the military; yeah). And even with running, heated water (which is not explained how they could keep the electricity going for an underground mall 24/7) Tom decides to keep the ratty beard. Alrighty. And wasn’t Weaver’s daughter going north to the mountains? How did she beat them to South Carolina?
You can download Falling Skies on iTunes.

Grimm: Where most people spend up-fronts hoping the shows they watch get renewed, I secretly hope they all get6 canceled. I really did not need a second season of Grimm, but here it is and a month before everything else. I always liked the idea of the show way more than the acting (the dude from Road Rules? The chick from Quaterlife?). They need to find some compelling leads and quick.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Grimm on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: With her absence this week, I have come to the realization that CiCi is my favorite character on the show. Granted it does not take much to be the best character on the show. All she has to compete with is whenever Hanna goes H*A*M on people., which is not nearly enough
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.


Free Download of the Week: Go On / Animal Practice (iTunes): If you missed their preview during the Olympics, you can download the new comedies for free.

Deal of the Week: Blu-Rays Under $10: The Expendables, Total Recall, The Terminator)

New Album Release of the Week: Last of a Dyin' Breed - Lynyrd Skynyrd

New DVD Release of the Week: Revenge: The Complete First Season

Video of the Week: The season two trailer of Homeland was just released and not surpisingly it looks all shades of awesome. Despite being unceremoniously booted from the agency, Carrie is back, in some cases with new hair and eye color, but unfortunately it looks like she is back on her meds. And just when you thought things could not get any more moody, they had to go and add a children’s choir to make it more epic. Remember The Social Network with Creep? And yes the Scala & Kolacny Brothers version of Every Breath You Take is available to download. Hopefully that does not last long. Homeland returns Sunday September 31 at 10:00.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Falling Skies, Sunday (tomorrow) at 9:00 on TNT: The first season was a bit rough at times and tiresome at others, but it seemed to hit its strike this season as it finally had a direction (and that direction was towards Charleston). But now there are there, now what? Apparently political drama as the series closes out its sophomore season.

Speaking of rocky first seasons, Bunheads also draws to a close this week. Hopefully it finds its foot too in the next season (it was recently renewed along with Melissa and Joey and Baby Daddy).

Around the Tubes - 8/17/12

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 Strike Back, Dexter, Face Off, FEARnet, Abandoned, Boardwalk Empire, Black Gold Hardcore Pawn: Chicago, Web Therepy, YPolitic, and Good Will Hunting.

- Strike Back returns to Cinemax tonight at 10:00 and you can check out the trailer for the new season below:


- Can’t wait until the seventh season premiere of Dexter next month? You are in luck because you can watch it over at SHO.com or on YouTube.

- The new season of Face Off returns Tuesday at 9:00 on Syfy and you check out a sneak peak below:

A Force to Be Reckoned With

- Starting tomorrow, FEARnet is kicking off their Saturday morning retro block with two hours of classic programming including The Real Ghostbusters, Tales from the Cryptkeeper, Eerie, Indiana, and Dark Oracle starting at 10:00 AM.

- New series alert: Abandoned follows a team of collectors as they dig through dark, dank, and dilapidated buildings in search of lost pieces of Americana and hidden treasures and premieres Wednesday at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel.

- We are a month away from the return of Boardwalk Empire and here is a trailer for the third season:


- TruTV recently announced that it has ordered a fifth season of Black Gold which is slated to air ten episodes this winter. They have also greenlit Hardcore Pawn: Chicago.

- Lisa Kudrow wrestled another Friends alum to appear on Web Therapy and you can check out David Schwimmer make his debut Monday at 11:00 on Showtime for his first of four appearances.

- Just in time for the National Conventions, YPolitic, a new social network dedicated exclusively to politics, launched this week.

- Out on Blu-Ray this week, Good Will Hunting: 15th Anniversary Edition.

I Want My Music Television - 8/16/12

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.

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Lyric Version) - Taylor Swift


When Taylor Swift released that song with The Civil Wars I was hoping that Safe and Sound was the direction her next album would take. Instead she took a complete 180 with the uberpoppy crap that has been clogging the radio lately by the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, and P!nk. The song was even produced by Max Martin, the guy who helped usher in the teen pop revival of the late nineties. And I’ll will let all the gossip hound dissect which of Swift’s boyfriends the song is about because I am above such silliness *cough*Jake Gyllenhaal*cough*.


Oh Love – Green Day


After two straight highly political albums, Green Day is back with a concept album about… a party. Alrighty. Apparently a Green Day party is a bunch of semi-interested models somewhat nodding their heads.


Reboot the Mission - The Wallflowers featuring Mick Jones


You would think the world does not need The Wallflowers comeback complete with a reggae infused track assisted by the dude from The Clash, and it is no One Headlight, but I kind of like it.


Save Me – Gotye


Yet another music video from Gotye where I have no clue what is going on.

Lyrics Quiz: Golden Age of Hip-Hop

I have already dedicated a couple posts this month to the golden age of hip hop and am continuing that with this month’s Lyrics Quiz. 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. Bo knows this and Bo knows that, but Bo don’t know crap ‘cause Bo can’t rap. (Scenario - A Tribe Called Quest featuring Leaders of the New School; guessed by Mike)
2. Everybody’s rapping like it’s a commercial; acting like life is a big commercial, so this is what I got to say to you all: Be true to yourself and you will never fall. (Pass the Mic - Beastie Boys; guessed by Doug)
3. That’s right my right is ill, peace goes out to L.O.N.S. and Quest, Nice and Smooth, and Cypress Hill. (Hip Hop Hooray - Naughty by Nature; guessed by Mike)
4. Got ‘em mad and trebling, ‘cause I been up in my lab assembling missiles to bomb the enemy because they envy me, and the making of my mad currency. (Drop - The Pharcyde; guessed by Doug)
5. I said, “Mom, what are you doing? You’re ruining my rap,” She said, “You’re only sixteen; you don’t have a rap yet.” (Parents Just Don't Understand - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince; guessed by Mike)
6. I sit along in my four cornered rooms starring candles… oh that (expletive deleted) is on? (Mind Playing Tricks On Me - We Can't Be Stopped - Geto Boys; guessed by Mike)
7. If you’re hungry get something to eat, if you’re dirty, then go take a bath. Messed up a line? Nope, sometimes I don’t rhyme.
8. Big time way before Hammer got to touch it. Remember the faces in all types of places. Look ma, no shoelaces. (Down With the King - Down With the King - Run-DMC featuring Pete Rock and CL Smooth; guessed by Mike)
9. At the same time with the dope rhyme that I kick you know, and I know, I flow some ol’ funky… (Nuthin' But A G Thang - Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg; guessed by Doug)
10. Hip Hop got turned into Hip Pop. The Second a record was number one on the pop charts. (Pop Goes the Weasel - 3rd Bass; guessed b Mike)
11. Get used to one style and you know I might switch it up up and around, then buck buck you down. Put out your head then you wake up in Dawn of the Dead. (Jump Around - House of Pain; guessed by Mike)
12. Once upon a time, not long ago, where people wore pajamas and lived life slow. (Children's Story - Slick Rick; guessed by Mike)
13. Kicking out girls that’s nicety. Yo, I got a body count like Ice-T. (Wicked - Ice Cube; guessed by Doug)
14. It was all a dream. Used to read Word Up magazine. Salt ‘n’ Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine. (Juicy - Notorious B.I.G.; guessed by Mike)
15. Times is ruff like leather. Figured out I went the wrong route so I got with a sick (expletive deleted) click and went all out. (C.R.E.A.M. - Wu-Tang Clan; guessed by Doug)
16. Others say rhymes which fail to be original or they kill where the hip-hop starts forget about the ghetto and rap for the pop charts. (Express Yourself - N.W.A.; guessed by Mike)
17. I just got offstage, dripping, pouring with sweat. I was walking through the crowd and guess who I met?
18. In school I wrote notes and took quotes from Shakespeare and other types of rhymes to show you that I care. (Case of the P.T.A. - Leader Of The New School; guessed by Doug)
19. The rhythm is the bass and the bass is the treble. (Regulate - Warren G featuring Nate Dogg; guessed by Mike)
20. Don’t Worry Be Happy was a number one jam. (Expletive deleted) if I say you can slap me right here. (Fight the Power - Public Enemy; guessed by Mike)
21. Yo I gotta funky funky rhyme with a funky funky style. (Hip Hop Junkies - Nice and Smooth; guessed by Mike)
22. And when I pull out my jammy get ready 'cause it might go Blowww. How ya like me now? (Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J; guessed by Mike)
23. Nineteen, I got a fifty-thousand dollar car. Go to school, I ain’t going for it. (New Jack Hustler (Nino's Theme) - Ice-T; guessed by Mike)
24. A lot of rappers be like one time wonders. Couldn’t say a fly rhyme if there was one right under… their noises. (Mass Appeal - Gang Starr; guessed by Mike)
25. Thinking of a master plan. Cuz ain’t nothing but sweat inside my hand. (Paid In Full - Eric B and Rakim; guessed by Mike)

They Drew First Blood, Not Me

Sylvester Stallone is having a bit of career resurgence with the release of The Expendables a couple years ago when Sly joined up with some of his action heroes of a bygone era. The sequel is set to hit theaters this weekend and in honor of him being back on top, Lionsgate released today Stallone: 3-Film Collector’s Set featuring, three of his best received movies. Well, his three best movies that do not have the word “Rocky” in the title: Cop Land, Rambo: First Blood, and Lock Up.

Honestly, Sylvester Stallone was a bit before my time and I was a bit too young to be watching his violent movies, and before The Expendables, the only other films of his I had seen were the Rocky where he single handedly destroy the Soviet Union, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (R.I.P. Estelle Getty), Victory (which needs a reboot but with women and starring Alex Morgan) and the greatest arm wrestling movie of all-time: Over the Top. Really, when I think of Stallone, I think of the Saturday Night Live sketch where Sly tries to help a dyeing Norm McDonald who insults his filmography with his final breaths.

Jokes aside, this three disk set is a good reminder did have a pretty good career. The highlight is the Cop Land from 1997 which showed to people like McDonald that Sly could act if given the right material as the sheriff of a town full of New York City police officers, who could not get a job himself in the city, who tries to root out corruption of dirty cops. The movie also has a stellar cast (well, a stellar cast and Michael Rappaport) including Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, Peter Berg, Janeane Garofalo, Robert Patrick, Annabella Sciorra, Edie Falco, and Method Man in his very first acting role. It does seem like they put the old DVD’s from previous releases and stuck them into one package. The special features for the Cop Land DVD (which are the same for the Blu-Ray version) include an audio commentary with Sly, Patrick, writer / director James Mangold, and producer Cathy Producer. There are a couple deleted scenes with optional commentary, a behind the scenes featurette, and storyboard comparison.

First Blood of course features John Rambo, Sly’s second most famous character who goes H•A•M on a local sheriff department when they decide to mess around with the wrong green beret Vietnam veteran. After all the parodies, the 1982 film is a bit dated now, but there is still plenty of unintentional comedy to still enjoy it especially the extremely eighties song that plays over the credits. The DVD special features include a “Survivor Mode” that lets you access additional information while watching the film (you can also access these features on the main screen), which increases the rewatchability of the movie as well as an audio commentary with Sly and an alternative ending. The Blu-Ray also includes an audio commentary with novelist David Morrell, a featurette, and advanced trivia track.

Stallone fights the law again in Lock Up (1989) where he is a prisoner who takes on a sadistic warden in the form of Donald Sutherland. The special features on the DVD just include a cast and crew featurette, production notes, and the theatrical trailer. The blu-ray also features the trailer, as well as two other featurettes and a profile of Sylvester Stallone. If you are a fanatic of Sylvester Stallone, you probably already have all three movies in your collection and there is not enough new here to buy again (unless you need to upgrade your collection to blu-ray), but it a good starter kit for anyone new to the action hero. But you will also want to pick up the first couple Rocky films too.


Full Discourse Notice: This DVD set was provided to me by BHI Impact for review.

Saying Goodbye to The Closer and Hello to Major Crimes

The Closer will always have a place in my heart as the first television show that sent me a present along with its screener when it sent me a package of cookies for my enjoyment. After seven years and over a hundred episodes, The Closer is closing up shop. Because of the nature of a series finale, it is hard to talk much about it without giving too much away, but I can say there is a familiar face that returns tonight and there is a very shocking scene that happens in an elevator. With so many television shows that get their finales wrong, I cannot see too many people complaining with how the show ends.

For those that do not want The Closer to end, you are in luck because airing right afterwards is the spin-off Major Crimes. And really it is a spin-off in name only because is the exact same show as The Closer right down to the same way it presents its credits and about eighty percent of the cast. Of course the biggest change is Mary McDonnell is the defacto lead with the departure of Kyra Sedgwick. The problem with that is the cold Sharon Raydor was a good foil for Brenda Leigh Johnson, but it does not make much for a lead character.

There is a slight philosophy change for Los Angeles Police Department, without its closer around anymore the department is not looking for more deals that keep cases from going to court than right out confessions. There is also some fresh blood in the cast, Kearran Giovanni (One Life to Live) is a recent promotion who butts head with her older, more tenured coworkers. Also joining the cast is Graham Patrick Martin (The Bill Engvall Show) as a whiney kid that Raydor kid takes in who is involved with the finale case on The Closer.

With recent events, it is a little disconcerting that the first images of Major Crimes involves some guys with fully-automatic rifles sneaking into the backdoor of some business which ends with a shootout which the detectives have to investigate. Next week’s episode is a little lighter than (or as light as these types of shows get) with a victim that becomes known as “Hanging Chad”. And even though most of the cast returns for the spin-off, there is one character that utters the phrase, “Then I quit” sometime in the first two episodes. When it comes down to it, anyone who has enjoyed The Closer and is not a Kyra Sedgwick fanatic these past few years, should find some enjoyment in Major Crimes.

Major Crimes premieres tonight at 10:00 after the series finale of The Closer before moving to its regular time slot at 9:00 next week. You will be alble to download Major Crimes on iTunes.

London Olympics Round Up Week 2

- Where the swimmers shave their body hair, wears swimming caps and do everything to shaves fractions of a second off their times, it is weird how none of the track runners do the same thing with jewelry, lots of hair, and even they are forced to wear a loose fitting name tag. There even someone who ran with a large flower in her hair.

- I am not going to pretend I am an expert at gymnastics, but there seems to be a flaw in the judging when someone who falls on her butt gets a silver. Either that are all the other competitors that bad?

- I played soccer all throughout my youth, was a referee in college and watch every American match in the World Cup, Olympics and other random friends, and I do not remember anyone call a goalie for holding the ball too long, seen a couple warnings (apparently the Canadian goalie was warned by the assistant referee previously), but never actually called. It is so prevalent that the networks usually aired replays while the goalies stroll around the box before getting rid of it. It is kind of like a travel in basketball where you have to take an extra step or five to get called. For the record, the rule is six seconds and the goalie held it for over ten before the penalty was called. But it is silly for Canadians to complain because it is a rarely called foul because it would be telling a judge you should have not have to pay your jaywalking ticket because cops rarely write anyone up for it. And if that is not enough to keep you Cunucks from complaining, please watch the video of Melissa Tancredi stomping on Carli Lloyd’s head which went uncalled. It was poetic that the American went on to win the gold medal on a header by Lloyd. Suck it Canada.

- There was actually belly-flop in the Olympics. And the guy advanced.

- Chris Webber may be off the hook for the dumbest timeout ever in the history of sports. That is thanks to the American Women’s Water Polo coach who called time out with one second left with his team up by a goal. Since they did not have possession, the Australians were awarded a penalty shot, which they converted. I am hesitant to call it the dumbest timeout ever because unlike Chris Weber, the Americans went on to win in overtime.

- I do not know how I am supposed to take volleyball commentators seriously when they say things like, “Hooker records her 9th kill.”

- One of my favorite stories of the Games was the high jumper who could not find his jersey, and since his time was running out, pinned his number to his polo shirt to get his jump off in the allotted time. Not only did he clear his jump, he won gold.

- After watching them play in the gold medal field hockey match; I have decided to move to The Netherlands.

- It was weird to see the East German Women still held the World and Olympic Records for the 4x100 until the Americans beat it at this games. You know when the commentators brought the record up they wanted to claim that the East Germans were known for using steroids.

- If the winner of the decathlon is the world’s best athlete, what does that make the3 winner of the modern pentathlon (fencing, 200 meter swim, show jumping, and a 3k cross country run that includes a shooting competition at the same time, kind of like the biathlon)? The most random athlete in the world?

- There I nothing I hate more in sports that replay, and having football coaches throw a red flag on the field is really silly. But I have to admit I liked the challenge brick in wrestling.

- I may update this space if anything interesting happens at the Closing Ceremonies (which rarely happens), until then, here is only last obligatory look at Alex Morgan’s ponytail.

57 Channels and Only This Is On - 8/11/12

Quote of the Week: Life is cheap in prison, Vicente and I'm a very rich man. (J.R. – Dallas)

Song of the Week: God's Gonna Cut You Down – Johnny Cash (Dallas)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: Canada Blames: I played soccer all throughout my youth, was a referee in college and watch every American match in the World Cup, Olympics and other random friendlies, and I do not remember anyone call a goalie for holding the ball too long, seen a couple warnings (apparently the Canadian goalie was warned by the assistant referee previously), but never actually called. It is so prevalent that the networks usually aired replays while the goalies stroll around the box for a minute or two before getting rid of it. It is kind of like a travel in basketball where you have to take an extra step or five to get called (I had to laugh when Chris Paul actually got called for it not knowing NBA superstar rules do not apply in international basketball). For the record, the rule is six seconds and the goalie held it for over ten before the penalty was called. But it is silly for Canadians to complain because it is a rarely called foul because it would be telling a judge you should have not have to pay your jaywalking ticket because cops rarely write anyone up for it. And if that is not enough to keep you Cunucks from complaining, please watch the video of Melissa Tancredi stomping on Carli Lloyd’s head which went uncalled. It was poetic that the Americans ended up winning the gold medal on that very head of Lloyd.

Preview Picture of the Week:


Falling Skies: I have to wonder just how Pope knew of Maggie’s deep dark secret. Why exactly would she tell her former captor something like that if she did not want to share with someone else?
You can download Falling Skies on iTunes.

Weeds: It is a shame that Andy got himself a new show already on NBC this fall because I would have been up for an Andy and Doug, My Two Dads style spin off.

Pretty Little Liars: Did they really need to introduce yet another guy who looks just like every other guy? When Erza’s brother showed up on screen I was trying to figure out if that was the dude who ended up hosting the party or the one guy who was in the secret fight club. It turns out neither. Now usually when talking about Mr. Fitz(Gerald) I make a Better than Ezra reference, but instead suggest Aria take the advice of Steve Miller and take the money and run. That family is bad news.

But the big news was the introduction of The BetrAyal which will happen at the end of the season. Despite the stylization it is unclear if The BetrAyal will turn out to be “A”, just a member of “The A Team” or just a someone forced by “A” to betray the Liars, or just a random betrayal. ABC Family even set up a suspect tracker where Paige is currently in the lead with 34%. Conspicuously absent is my leading contender for the new A in Allison and my new favorite character CiCi. Since I am hoping that the BetrAyal is by one of the Liars, I am going to predict Aria will be doing the betraying. Her name does start with an A.
You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.


Free Download of the Week: Tracks from the Attic – The Lumineers (Noise Trade)

Deal of the Week: Hip-Hop Classics for 2.99: Amazon went for some classic rap albums for their deeply discounted albums this week including A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, Dr. Dre, and Nas.


New Album Release of the Week: Just Tell Me That You Want Me - Tribute To Fleetwood Mac

New DVD Release of the Week: Shaft [Blu-ray]

Video of the Week: Wait, Coach Taylor helped kill Osama bin Laden? I guess that makes sense.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Boss, Friday at 9:00 on Starz: For the three of you that have Starz, the second season of Boss returns later this week. The first season was weirdly frantic and I could not turn away. For those that do not have Starz, t5he first season is available on Blu-ray and DVD, you can check out my review here: One Necessary Evil Leads to Another until One Day You Can’t Differentiate Between What’s Necessary and What’s Merely Expedient.

Around the Tubes - 8/10/12

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 Treme, Go On, Dallas, Grimm, Evancho: Music of the Movies, Sons of Anarchy, Nelly Furtado, H+, US Soccer, Hard Time, Lena Dunham, The Avett Brothers, Black Entertainment magazine, and TruTV.

- Treme is set to return to HBO on Sunday 9/23 at 9:00 and here is your first look at the third season.


- Missed Go On after the Olympics? Head over to NBC.com to watch the entire premiere for free.

- For those who cannot wait to see what happens next after the Dallas finale, which was seen by 4.3 million viewers, you will only have to wait until January to see what the Barnes family has for the Ewing’s.

- Grimm is getting an early start Monday, a day after the Olympics closes and if you need to a refresher, you can download the all new Grimm EBook for freen on iTunes. And of course prior to Grimm will be new reality series Stars Earn Stripes.

- Premiering tomorrow on PBS (check your local listings) is Jackie Evancho: Music of the Movies where the twelve year old will be singing My Heart Will Go On, Some Enchanted Evening, and many more.

- If you follow Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter on Twitter, and the show returns with a bigger rating than season four, you could win a trip to Los Angeles to watch a future episode with him and the cast. Head over to SutterInk.blogspot.com for all the details.

- Swagger New York recently sat down with Nelly Furtado and talked about how Odd Future is the new Nirvana and why she chooses Timberlake over Bieber in the battle of Justins.

- Do not look to the big screen for Bryan Singer’s (X-Men: First Class) next project, instead head to YouTube for H+ about a futuristic online series, where the human race is hardwired to the Internet starring Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Alexis Denisof.

- The American women Soccer team took home gold yesterday and they may have Brendan James to thank because they used his song The Lucky Ones for a pregame and when the singer found this out he created a video to root them on including a live performance of the song, check it out on YouTube. In other US Soccer news, check out the op-ed about the team on TakePart.com.

- When Hard Time returns next Tuesday at 9:00 on the National Geographic Channel, the new season will begin with two “Best Of” episodes then twelve episodes on Las Vegas’ Detention Center.

- In The New Yorker this week, Lena Dunham recalls the heartbreak of her first love.

- Gap recently launched it6s fall Shine campaign with help from The Avett Brothers, check them out below:


- In the August issue of Black Entertainment magazine, President Obama sits down with Editor-in-Chief Derek T. Dingle for an exclusive Q&A to address the needs, concerns and criticism from the black community.

- TruTV just released their fall television schedule and here it is:

Killer Karaoke – New series premieres Friday, Oct. 19, at 9:00
South Beach Tow – Season 2 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 9:30
Operation Repo – Season 10.1 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 10:00
Ongoing Series
Lizard Lick Towing – Mondays at 10:00
Hardcore Pawn – Tuesdays at 9:00
Storage Hunters – Sundays at 10:00

Don't Call it a Comeback vol. VII: Eric B and Rakim

It seems like once a week I am listening to my iTunes library and I hear a song that makes me go, this artist really needs a comeback. So I thought I would start a new feature here on the 9th Green highlighting an artist that really needs to reenter the public consciousness. The only criterion is that the artist hasn’t had a legitimate hit in over a decade.

Due for a Comeback: Eric B. & Rakim

Biggest Hit: Paid In Full


Last Hit: Juice (Know the Ledge) (1992)

Where Are They Now: DJ Eric B. released a solo album shortly after the duo split but has been relatively quite ever since. Rakim has released three solo albums, none of which were released by Aftermath even though he was signed to the Dr. Dre record label for a couple years, the songs of which stay sealed in a vault somewhere. He has also been featured on tracks from Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, and, um, Shaquille O'Neal. Rakim (without Eric B.) was honored by VH1’s Hip Hop Honors in 2006 and the duo was a finalist for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year but was ultimately not selected.

Why the World Needs am Eric B & Rakim Comeback: Rakim is widely viewed as the greatest lyricist of all time and even to this day can rap miles around hacks of today like Rick Ross and Lil Wayne. Their debut Paid in Full had its twenty-fifth anniversary last month and according to Rakim he is hoping to rerelease the album later this year which would include new tracks with Eric B by the end of the year. Hopefully that leads to a full album.