Best of the Week vol. XLVIII

Quote of the Week: If we lived in a world where slow moving xenon would produce light then you’d be correct. Also pigs would fly, my derriere would produce cotton candy, and The Phantom Menace would be a timeless classic. (Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory)

Song of the Week: Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas (Rubicon)

Big News of the Week: Superheroes Coming to the Small Screen: The 00’s were dominated by superheroes at the Cineplex thanks to the X-Men, Spiderman and Batman to the point Hollywood cranked out random funny book characters (Daredevil?). That really didn’t translate much to live action television. Sure the decade started out with Superman’s beginning, but a Batman-less Gotham themed Birds of Prey tanked and Aquaman couldn’t even find room on the laughable CW schedule.

But two Superheroes that are no strangers to television are currently in the pipeline. Earlier this month news broke that David E. Kelley, the guy behind L.A. Law and the upcoming Kathy Bates legal drama Harry’s Law, will team up with Warner Bros. for a Wonder Woman series. No word on who will fill Lynda Carter’s spandex, but if I were a casting director, I would definitely screen test the recently unemployed and currently brunette Tyra Collette (seen at right).

Not to be outdone, ABC and Marvel are looking about bringing The Incredible Hulk back to the small screen after being portrayed by three different actors over a nine year span (Eric Bana, Edward Norton, and the upcoming Mark Ruffalo) on the big screen. After being heavily CGI’ed in those movies, I do not see how you can go back to Lou Ferrigno in green paint (assuming that a television show would not have the budget to CGI Hulk). And if you go for green pain, who do get? An obvious choice would be The Rock who coincidently appeared in the only funny Barack Obama skit SNL has managed to produce as “The Rock Obama.”

Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:




Free Download of the Week: Tom’s Diner – Suzanne Vega (Amazon MP3) – Most people know the song via DNA’s dance remix, but the song was initially recorded as an acapella song. Here is new version with Vega adding some music herself to the song which pays homage to the DNA version.

Deal of the Week: Haolloween Blu-Ray Under $10 (Ghostbusters, The Evil Dead, Frozen, Hatchet)

Video of the Week: Hollywood is littered with too many “What If” casting decisions to name, but it is extremely rare for there to be any photographic evidence. Like Eric Stoltz who was originally cast as Marty McFly in Back to the Future and they even filmed for five weeks before replacing him with Michael J. Fox. On the upcoming 25th Anniversary Edition of Back to the Future DVD we actually get to see footage of Stoltz as McFly.




Next Week Pick of the Week: How I Met Your Mother, Monday at 8:00 on CBS: Jennifer Morrison (Urban Legend: Final Cut) is the latest young moderately attractive guest star on How I Met Your Mother, Season 6 - How I Met Your Mother leading to speculation that she will turn out to be the titular character. Or maybe she will just end up as another notch on Ted’s bedpost like Ashley Williams, Sarah Chalke, Laura Prepon, Mandy Moore, Danica McKellar and Busy Phillips (at the same time!), Judy Greer, Carrie Underwood, and Rachel Bilson. After six seasons, honestly, I really do not care at this point.

Lyrics Quiz: Water

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Water is also the theme of this month’s lyrics quiz. Each song has something to do with some sort of liquid form. As always leave your guesses, both artist and song title, in the comment section or e-mail me. If you are correct I will un-bold the lyric. Please keep in mind the lyrics quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please only use your own meandering mind to guess them. Now onto the lyric quiz:


1. I walk down every evening and stand on the shore. I try to cross to the opposite side so I can finally find what I've been looking for. (The River of Dreams - Billy Joel; guessed by Angie)
2. And the bags are much too heavy in my insecure condition. My pregnant mind is fat full with envy again. (Bathwater - No Doubt; guesse by Angie)
3. We’re after the same rainbow’s end, waiting around the bend, my huckleberry friend. (Moon River - Andy Williams; guessed by Mac)
4. ‘Cause when hard work don’t pay off and I’m tired. There ain’t no room in my bed as far as I’m concerned.
5. We all came out to Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline to make records with a mobile.
6. I’d like to hear some funky Dixieland and dance a honky tonk. And I’ll be buying everybody drinks all around. (Black Water - The Doobie Brothers; guessed by Angie)
7. Don’t ya think that you need somebody? Don’t ya think that you need someone? Everybody needs somebody. You’re not the only one. (November Rain - Guns 'n' Roses; guessed by Angie)
8. Now, now they can see the tears in our eyes. But we deny the pain lies deep in our hearts. Well, maybe that’s a pain we can’t hide.
9. Step on the stone. Flesh becomes water, wood becomes bone. (Walk On the Ocean - Toad the Wet Sproket; guessed by Angie)
10. The sixteen candles burning on my wall turning me into the biggest fool of them all.
11. High in the sky, the song that I’m singing a sweet little lie. I cry wolf cry. Rabbit out of the hat. Yes that’s what I’m bringing. Tricks up my sleeve for noticing me.
12. I’ll build heaven and call it home. (Don't Drink the Water - Dave Matthews Band; guessed by Angie)
13. You know your culture from your trash. You know your plastic from your cash.
14. You know I’d like to keep my cheeks dry today. So stay with me and I’ll have it made. (No Rain - Blind Melon; guessed by Angie)
15. I never wanted to be your weekend lover. I only wanted to be some kind of friend. (Purple Rain - Prince; guessed by Angie)
16. I would be your only dream, your shining autumn, ocean crashing. And did you say she was pretty? And did you say that she loves you?
17. I went down to Virginia seeking shelter from the storm. Caught up in the fable, I watch the tower grow.
18. I want to walk in the open wind. I want to talk like lover do. Want to dive into your ocean. (Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics; guessed by Angie)
19. We’re coming to the edge, running on the water, coming through the fog; your sons and daughters.
20. I love to hear the thunder, watch the lightning when it lights up the sky. You know it makes me feel good. (I Love a Rainy Night - Eddie Rabbit; guessed by Angie)
21. Storm came and went like the times we spent hiding out from the rain under the carnival tent. (Mandolin Rain - Bruce Hornsby and th Range; guessed by Angie)
22. I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end. I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend but I always thought that I would see you again. (Fire and Rain - James Taylor; guessed by Angie)
23. Baby, when I met you there was peace unknown. I set out to get you with a fine tooth comb. (Islands In the Stream - Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Parton; guessed by Angie)
24. Though your hurt is gone, mines hanging on, inside. And I know it’s eating me through every night and day. I’m just waiting on your sign.
25. When You’re weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all. (Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel; guessed by Angie)

Around the Tubes vol. LXX

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 Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, Sanctuary, Boardwalk Empire, Pretty Little Liars, Ford's Warriors, Paranormal State, Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal, Danko Jones, and Condoleezza Rice.

- In a story I broke yesterday, Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura returns tomorrow and fans of the show can chat with Jesse after the show at TruTV.com.

- Sanctuary returns for its third season tomorrow on Syfy at 10:00. Here’s a preview:



- New Boardwalk Empire episode Sunday on HBO. Here is a promo for episode five:



- ABC Family fans mark your calendars, well first pick up a 2011 version, because two of their shows will return to the small screen in January. Pretty Little Liars and Greek return with new episodes starting January 3 starting at 8:00. The network has passed along the somewhat spoilery photo below for Pretty Little Liars (though I smell dream sequence).



- In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ford’s Warriors in Pink are teaming up with CBS stars including Neil Patrick Harris to educate people about the disease. See below:



- Just in time for Halloween, two A&E shows with spooky themes are returning. This Sunday is the return of Paranormal State at 9:00 followed by Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal at 10:00. Fans of the former, head over to its Facebook page to enter to win a book written by Ryan Buell, the director and founder of the Paranormal Research Society.

- Danko Jones is in the middle of a trilogy of music videos (if you missed the first, head over to YouTube for Full of Regret, though Had Enough is a prequel) and below is the latest Had Enough featuring Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid) and comedian Don Jamieson (That Metal Show).



- Look out for Condoleezza Rice’s interview with Ladies Home Journal about her memoir chronicling her childhood in the segregated South, Extraordinary, Ordinary People.

Previewing Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura 2.x

As the tagline to the television show Rubicon suggests, “Not all conspiracies are theories.” And former governor, wrestler, and navy seal Jesse Ventura is back for his second season of Conspiracy Theory to see if he can take the theory out of a few conspiracies.

On Friday, Jesse tries to uncover the secretness behind Plum Island off of Long Island where he suspects bio-warfare experiments are being held. You might remember a couple years ago the internets were a flutter of some sort of weird animal dubbed the Montauk Monster and Jessie thinks that it is a mutated animal that escaped from Plum Island. And our government holding secretive biological experiments seems a lot more plausible with the recent revelation that the US experimented with syphilis on Guatemalans during the forties.

Other theories Jesse and his crew will be testing this season include a secret billionaire’s club with the power to manipulate markets, government internment camps, the buying up of water rights by operations, whether the government is trying to depopulate Louisiana, and if it was really an airliner that hit the Pentagon on 9/11 or if it was actually a missile that did the damage. And Jesse will also will be digging up information on the two biggest conspiracy theories in American history this season: the Kennedy assassination and Area 51.

Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura airs Fridays at 10:00 on TruTV. You can also download Conspiracy Theory on iTunes.

They've All Gone to Look for America

It is a wonder how it took History so long to get around to making an anthology of the history of the United States of America. If the wait was to make sure they got it done right, the twelve part series America: The Story of Us that premiered back in April shows it was worth the wait and now it is available to own on three disk blu-ray. Sure there are gripes that can be made about what did not make the cut (apparently Americans had no leisure time as there are very few mentions of sports or entertainment), but they did do a good cliff-notes version cramming three hundred years of history into just over nine hours.

One complaint that is warranted is the reliance on commentary throughout the series. Sure newsmen like Tom Brokaw, national heroes like Buzz Aldrin, military men like Collin Powell, academic like Henry Lewis Gates, Jr. (yes the Beer Summit guy) usually add to the subjects being discussed. But vinaigrettes from random celebrities like Donald Trump, Sean Combs, Tim Gunn and Vera Wang just stick out like a sore thumb most of the time and these commentators make the show just too reminiscent of the less serious I Love the… series on VH1.

What America: The Story of Us is good at is find the root of what made America what it is today. The series does not start with Columbus or even the pilgrims but with the guy who brought Tobacco to Jamestown, turning the failing settlement into a prosperous farmland that made the new land a place where someone could successfully live. We get to see the start of such things that seems so innocuous today like the first mug shots to how the first mail order catalogue came to be.

Even in high definition, the visuals are not as eye popping as other television events like Life, but the dark grittiness does set the tone of America’s past from the Revolutionary war to blasting holes in mountains to put in a transcontinental railway. And the attention to detail to each era depicted is impeccable and you can tell History didn’t cut any corners in their reenactments, from the sets to the wardrobe. There is something here for everyone to discover, from grade school students to arm chair historians. The Blu-Ray does have little in the way of extras, just seven bonus scenes, most under four minutes in lenth.

It is also jarring how the series ends. After eleven hours of invention and triumph of the American spirit, the last episode is downright depressing: Nixon resigning, hippies, the Vietnam War, the Challenger explosion, the dot-com bust, 9/11 and the two wars that followed. Gave its blood and sweat into connecting the country with vast railroads and highways, we, as a country really haven’t done much lately. Once a war brought us out of a Great Depression but now war has sunk us into a Great Recession. Hopefully some people watch America: The Story of Us and are inspired to help create the next big American invention, the same American ingenuity that took the initial trip from New York City to Los Angeles six months to transverse to today when that can be done in a six hour flight.



Full Disclosure Notice: This Blu-Ray was given to me on behalf of A&E Home Entertainment for the purpose of reviewing the series.

Feed Your iPod vol. LI: How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?

It should be a requirement that every album have a Prince cover on it because let’s face it, very few artists today can write a song as great as even some of his obscure songs. Case in point, one of the stand out tracks on her debut album, Alicia Keys covered How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore? a B-Side to Prince’s 1999 single which is probably known to most casual Prince fans when it appeared on his three disk 1993 Greatest Hits/Rarities album. It is unknown as to why Keys retitled the song How Come You Don’t You Call Me, but the punchy piano and attitude remains and both versions are worth a download.

How Come You Don't Call Me - Alicia Keys



How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? - Prince

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CLI

Rubicon: This was the episode that made watching the show worth it. Who would have thought a show about analyst would have such a fight scene (though how a trained military man cannot take out a fact finder is a little farfetched). And we got a huge piece of the puzzle when Will figured out that API was a front for people to profit off of tragedy. And I would be willing to bet that the guy Will’s tem has been tracking is meant to be the catalyst of the next big score for the cabal. You can download Rubicon on iTunes.

Chuck: Please do not bring back Nicole Richie ever again please. It was painful to watch the first time around. And it was a little disappointing that we didn’t get a longer showdown between former co-workers Stone Cold Steve Austin and Stacy Keibler. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.

How I Met Your Mother: “Where’s the poop” has to be the worst attempt at a catchphrase the show has ever has. Maybe the worst idea for a catchphrase any show has ever had, or really anyone ever. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

The Event: During this episode I was thinking of last week’s The Big Bang Theory and thought, “what if The Others (I am not up on the fandom, does Sophia’s group have an official, or even unofficial name yet?) were actually from a future where The Singularity has already happened where nanobots have merged with the human body. This would explain why they age very slowly and maybe The Singularity is The Event (apparently I was wrong when I assumed the disappearing plane was The Event). Could the resurrection of the airplane people be the results of nanobots? I am intrigued enough for another week. But hopefully we get the timeline of what happened to Sean between the time he was on the cruise ship to where he got on the plane sooner than later. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Event on iTunes.

Castle: Evil Promo Monkeys strike again. We learn last week that the paper is actually a treasure map (not to mention spoil the hilarious gun showdown at the end) but have to wait for two-thirds of the episode for Castle figure it out. And I am disappointed that no one realized that Beckett’s buddy was using a photo with her as way to get a picture with the map when I knew exactly what he was doing as he was doing it. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes.

No Ordinary Family: Ask and you shall receive. In my initial review of the show I suggested what the show need most, even more than killing off the annoying kids, was an addition of a nemesis. And who would have guessed it would end up being the dad from 7th Heaven? But why exactly is he resorting to murder to cover up the existence of people with super powers? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download No Ordinary Family on iTunes.

Parenthood: Since she started appearing on the show, I thought something was off about Lyla Garrity that I could not put my finger on until I started rewatching Friday Night Lights on ABC Family, Lyla has the greatest ponytail ever in the history of the world and on Parenthood rarely utilizes that fact. It would be like having Lynyrd Skynyrd do a show and saying to them, “hey guy, why don’t you just skip playing Free Bird tonight.” You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes.

Sons of Anarchy: Someone really need to explain what is going to me. Maybe something is getting lost in translation because I still have no idea why the Irish are still holding on to Able. I really need to watch the scenes in Ireland with subtitles on because I am certainly missing something. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Survivor: Nicaragua: It is never a good sign when the thirty second preview in more entertaining than the entire forty minute episode. But they switched up the tribes about two episodes too late. Here’s hoping that Marty and NaOnka end up on the same tribe and just vote each other out. But the big question is what is going to happen to the Immunity Idol just hanging up in the old person’s tribe? Will NaOnka rip off Kelly’s leg to get another one? Hopefully the Medallion of Power doesn’t stick around after the switch. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.



Terriers: I am having a little trouble following the storyline here. So the sex tape guy has incriminating paperwork, so evil lawyer get him in on bogus charges, but it turns out evil lawyer wanted the incriminating paperwork to go public so his land would be considered to toxic to build? Maybe when we finally learn what is now going on at the fake toxic site I will fully understand what is going on. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Terriers on iTunes.

The Challenge: Cutthroat: The show finally discovered, twenty seasons in (wow, 20), what Survivor realized in its first season, Australian ballots make for a much more interesting outcome in the voting. I also like the three team twist because it never seemed fair that winning teams may lose a member of their team. But no sign from CT yet, though we learn from the season trailer that he brought Tina along who hasn’t been seen since pooping Beth a while ago when she was a Challenge staple for a while. Will they be replacing people who punched each other (which would be odd since they are of opposite gender) or just part of a challenge? MTV.com. You can also download The Challenge: Cutthroat on iTunes.

Community: What was up with Abed and the pregnant chick, he is in the background in a couple scenes and even mentions it at the end, but I just didn’t get the reference. The show just falls flat whenever I do not get whatever Meta in joke of the week is. Not that I am saying this episode fell flat per say because it is hard to complain about anything that involves Annie and Britta oil wrestling. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Best of the Week vol. XLVII

Quote of the Week: He’s out there on the street and he’s kicking (expletive deleted) like Batman. You’re married to Christian Bale. Or Michael Keaton at least. (Katie, No Ordinary Family)

Song of the Week: American Girl – Tom Petty (as sung by Jimmy T, Survivor)

Big News of the Week: The Baseball Playoffs Begin: Who knew? I really haven’t watched the sport since I realized that everyone was medically enhanced. Maybe when they finally clear the sport of the cream and the clear and add a cap so I actually think my team may have a chance to make the playoffs, I start paying attention again.

Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:



Free Download of the Week: Law & Order: Los Angeles, Season 1 - Law & Order: Los Angeles (iTunes): For those the missed the first west coast version of the franchise, here it is for free.

Deal of the Week: The Happy Birthday Sale (The Big Bang Theory, Eastbound and Down, The Hangover [Blu Ray], The Wire)

Video of the Week: ABC Family’s syndication of Friday Night Lights has soften the blow that I will have to wait another four to seven months for the start of the new season. Of course for those with DirecTV, you only have to wait another two and a half weeks. Below is a promo for the DirecTV return featuring The Black Keys When the Lights Go Out.

Friday Night Lights Season 5 Promo


Next Week Pick of the Week: Rubicon, Sunday at 9:00 on AMC: Rubicon really kicked into gear last week and with only two episodes left (tomorrow and next week), we may be in for an explosive season finale. Quite literally with an extremist entering the country and the API boss apparently profiting from catastrophes his group identifies.

Around the Tubes vol. LXIX

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 Haven, The Office, Suzanne Vega, Nowhere Boy, Outlaw, Djibouti, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, Michael Feinsein’s American Songbook, Sons of Anarchy, and a Tony Curtis marathon.

- Tonight is the season finale of Haven on Syfy at 10:00 which was recently renewed for a second season. Here is a preview:



- The Office will be releasing its latest webisodes The 3rd Floor October 21 and here is a trailer.



- Today at noon, Suzanne Vega will perform at the Borders in Ann Arbor. For those not within driving distance can watch via Livestream below:

borders on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

- Tonight is the release of the John Lennon coming of age bio-flick Nowhere Boy. Below is a clip featuring Lennon and Paul McCartney write their first song together when they were called The Quarrymen.

Exclusive Nowhere Boy Clip. Watch more top selected videos about: Nowhere Boy

- On the small screen tonight in a new episode of Outlaw featuring guest star Tom Schanley (Dexter) as a “surviving husband of a woman who is suspected of committing suicide after warning her employer, a car manufacturer, of unsafe conditions in the car. Turns out Carl may have played a role in her suicide as well.”

- The guy who wrote Fire in the Hole of which the FX series Justified is based on, Elmore Leonard will be turning 85 on October 11, a day before his latest novel, Djibouti is released. Lean more in the video below:



- I would venture to say most everyone has a few Mariah Carey Christmas tunes on their iPods and she will finally give us some new holiday cheer with the upcoming release of Merry Christmas II You. You can preorder the album and an exclusic DVD over at hsn.com/mariahcarey now or tune in to HSN Oct 20 during the 8 am, the 2 pm, and the 10 pm hours for more Mariah Carey surprises.

- In other HSN news, Rod Stewart will debut his latest album, Fly Me to The Moon…The Great American Songbook, Volume V, exclusively with HSN. He will be performing live during a one-hour primetime special on October 9 at 8 p.m. (ET) on HSN.

- Stewart isn’t the only one going back into the American songbook, next Monday the Michael Feinstein Foundation for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook debuts an extraordinary free website, Michael Feinsein’s American Songbook, in which music aficionados, music historians, teachers, and cultural researchers.

- SAMCRO fans rejoice, Sons of Anarchy has been renewed for a fourth season.

- This Sunday TCM will pay tribute to Tony Curtis with a twenty-four hour marathon of his films. Here is the full rundown:

6 a.m. Beachhead (1954) – with Frank Lovejoy and Mary Murphy
7:45 a.m. Kings Go Forth (1958) – with Frank Sinatra and Natalie Wood
9:45 a.m. The Vikings (1958) – with Kirk Douglas, Ernest Borgnine and Janet Leigh
11:45 a.m. Operation Petticoat (1959) – with Cary Grant and Dina Merrill
2 p.m. Who Was That Lady? (1960) – with Janet Leigh and Dean Martin
4:15 p.m. Sex and the Single Girl (1964) – with Natalie Wood, Lauren Bacall and Henry Fonda
6:15 p.m. You Can’t Win ‘Em All (1970) – with Charles Bronson and Michèle Mercier
8 p.m. Sweet Smell of Success (1957) – with Burt Lancaster and Martin Milner
9:45 p.m. The Defiant Ones (1958) – with Sidney Poitier and Theodore Bikel
11:30 p.m. Trapeze (1956) – with Burt Lancaster and Gina Lollobrigida
1:30 a.m. The Great Race (1965) – with Jack Lemmon and Natalie Wood
4:15 a.m. Don’t Make Waves (1967) –with Claudia Cardinale and Sharon Tate

Previewing The Dog Whisperer 7.x

I thoroughly enjoy watching The Dog Whisperer because not only does it gives me tips for my dogs; it is a nice reminder that there are much worse behaving dogs on the planet than mine. Like on tomorrow’s season premiere we are introduced to a lamp shade eating dog. My dog has chewed on socks, CD’s and even paper, but never has she jumped up to take out one of my lamp shades.

For his second case, Cesar Millan gets offered a deal to tame Howie Mandel’s Chihuahua Lola, who Howie fears is going to kill him because she lunges at him every time Howie tries to sit next to his wife. As a Chihuahua owner myself I understand just how angry the dog can get, but lucky for me I am the one mine is protected so everyone around me gets the ankles gnawed on a little. Check out Howie getting flew from a one pound fur ball below:



Tomorrow is the first of fifteen all new episodes to air Fridays at 8:00 on the National Geographic Channel. Also this season, Cesar will be visiting Astronaut Suni Williams, who once received Cesar’s coaching while serving on the International Space Station. Actress Rhoa Mitra (The Gates) and her French bulldog, Oscar. Meghan Plunkett, daughter of former NFL quarter back and Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett, who has been caring for a pit bull that belonged to her brother Jimmy, who, prior to his unexpected passing in 2008, had cultivated a close relationship with his dog based on Cesar’s relationship with his dog, Daddy. And even wildlife experts like Casey Anderson, a Nat Geo Wild host, will call on Cesar, along with his wife Missi Pyle to help with their two dogs.

Previewing HDNet and A&E Shows

Time Warner Cable dropped HDNet long before I upgraded to high definition so I am unfamiliar with the network and cannot actually watch earth of these show, but the channel has a couple premieres coming up. Tonight at 8:30 is the start of 24 episodes of Drinking Made Easy. Granted, as a former alcoholic, I probably should watch a show called Drinking Made Easy anyway. Here is a preview:




Premiering tomorrow at 8:00 as part ofHDNet’s Guys Night In is Get Out! which is heading north for the season with a Canadian season. Check out a preview below:



If reality crime fighters are more your speed, Dog the Bounty Hunter is back for its seventh season followed by the second season of Steven Segal in Lawman both on A&E tonight starting at 9:00. Check out previews for both shows below:

I Only Want to Be in Your Record Collection

If it is possible to invent music that is actually forty years old, then Mark Ronson invented the Motown sound for a new generation by hooking up with Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen and the brass section from the Dap Kings. His sound launched a new genre of retro leaning British singers including ADELE, Duffy, and most recently The Like. Which makes listening to his latest album a bit jarring.

On Record Collection there is nary a horn on the album. Instead Ronson jumps ahead two decades to the eighties with a synthesizer heavy album and even recruits eighties refugees Boy George and Simon Le Bon to sing on the album. It takes a listen or two to Record Collection just to get adjusted to the new sound which doesn’t quite reinvent a genre much like his work with The Dap Kings did.

Unlike his previous album, Version, which relied heavily on reworking cover songs ranging from Ryan Adams to Britney Spears (featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard, no, seriously), Record Collection is made up entirely of new songs mostly written by Ronson collaborator Alex Greenwalk of Phantom Planet. But much like his previous album, the songs of Record Collection live and die by the guest vocalist.

The album starts off strong enough thanks to three guest raps from Q-Tip, Ghostface Killah, and Spank Rock. Q-Tip, dependable as ever, which makes you wonder how he doesn’t get more guest turns, gets the party started on the French electric Bang, Bang, Bang with hooks provide by New York duo MNDR. Ghostface Killah brings the energy Lose It (In the End), with Greenwald on the vocals, which sounds like an electronic version a song from a western movie. The trifecta ends with The Bike Song, a weird ode to two wheel transportation by Kyle Falconer which sounds like something that belongs on Yo Gabba Gabba! before Spank Rock rescued it with an old school rap.

After that, songs on Record Collection gets more precarious, D'Angelo crawls out of obscurity when he spent most of last decade to sound like Cee Lo Green on Glass Mountain Trust. Introducing the Business is a haunting tract buoyed by London Gay Men's Chorus and Newcomer Atlanta rapper Pill who is someone to look out for. But for most of the rest of the album you just wish Ronson would have stayed with the horns as his instrument of choice.

Song to Download – Lose It (In the End)

Record Collection gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

I Want My Music Television vol. XCII

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.


Loca - Shakira featuring Dizzee Rascal



It may be time for Shakira to take a vacation because it wasn’t that long ago I was finish being underwhelmed by her last album, and by the sound of the first single off the next one, I am set to be underwhelmed once again. But is nice to see Dizzee Rascal get some work on a mainstream artist’s track.


Mama's Song - Carrie Underwood



Carrie Underwood has sang some overlycheesy songs in her short career, but Mama’s songs make take the prize for her cheesiest yet.


White Knuckles - OK Go



Here is yet another awesome OK Go video (now with 100% more dog) set to another mediocre at best songs.


Obsession - Sky Ferreira



I have no idea who Sky Ferreira is, she seems to be some sort of cross Avril Lavinge and the creepy chick from Gossip Girl who thinks she is Courtney Love. Whoever she is she gets points for the Reservoir Dogs reference, which I guestimate a movie that may actually be older than she is, even getting Mr. Blonde himself Michael Madsen to appear.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CL

Rubicon: C’mon, all the bombs go off at 4:20 EST and no one makes the easiest connection all? Of course this is the day Tanya in on her rehab assignment; she surely would have gotten it. You can download Rubicon on iTunes.

Chuck: Was that really Balki Bartokomous who showed up for half a second? The show is really going overboard with their guest stars. This week The Hulk, a Victoria’s Secret model (okay, I do not have much problem with that), and the Old Spice guy. There are even recycling them next week with the return of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Nicole Richie and whoever Greta will be that week. I am all for bringing familiar faces, but it is beginning to be too much. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.

How I Met Your Mother: So how exacklt did Barney talk everyone in to helping him move out his mother? But anyway. I am totally on the underselling things. Just set the bar so low that you can walk over it. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

The Event: I may already be off the bandwagon. When the skevvy hairy dude was killed off I wondered to myself was he a pawn used by the ht brunette, how was he chosen. Then realized that his death will be the end of it and I doubt we will ever hear from him again and will just go down as a red herring. And of course my biggest complaint about Lost is that 90% turned out to be red herring.. I don’t expect every loose end to be tied up, but I am disappointed that I am already resigned to not getting an answer to the show.

In none disappointing news, I was totally right about the alien angle and that Sophia’s buddies were the ones that diverted the plane. What I didn’t see coming was the one CIA agent was an alien all along as seen in the graphic vein removal scene. Which begs the question, who is the hot brunette and who is she working for? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Event on iTunes.

Castle: If there is one thing I learned from Lost (besides never end a series in a church) is that I really hate the argument between fate an free will. And as fun as having a psychic possibly predicting her own death, I treally6 disliked Castle and Beckett debating for and against back and forth. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes

Parenthood: Wow, Sarah’s really getting around, first she flirts with the boss and now a warehouse worker. You know this cannot end well for her, but the question is will she bring her brother down with her. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Parenthood on iTunes.

Survivor: Nicaragua: I couldn’t watch this episode live and managed to go most of Thursday without being spoiled, avoiding websites that cover the show, starting conversations by saying I missed it and the such. But of course this was the week Jimmy Johnson gets voted off and I get spoiled by PTI when they wish a Happy Tails to the former football coach. Hurnph. And on a side note, can please go back to separate Reward and Immunity challenges please? You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.



Modern Family: The correlation between how much the families interact and how funny an episode hold up again as this was much funnier than last week mostly thanks to Al Bundy slapping the evil out of the chickens. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Terriers: So the person living in Hank’s attic is his crazy sister (played by Donal Louge’s real twin sister). Didn’t see that one coming. And Hank and his partner just seem to continue to fail upward uncovering big and bigger fish in some weird conspiracy. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Terriers on iTunes

The Big Bang Theory: I really hate it when the show dips into my own personal life for storylines. Not only am I as limber as Sheldon, I have been preparing for the Singularity also. And yes this is a real thing but by estimates, as long as we make it to seventy, we might be able to make it as long as we stay away from any rogue badgers.

Community: Annie and chloroform may be the greatest gag this show has ever down. Yes even funnier than anything in the paintball episode even if I knew it was coming once Abed pulled it out of his caper bag. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Best of the Week vol. XLVI

Quote of the Week: I want to rub my brain with Purell. (Annie, Community)

Song of the Week: Stand by Me – Ben E King (as sung by Ben Vereen, Wayne Brady and Barney, How I Met Your Mother)

Big News of the Week: Lone Star First to Go: In one of the least shocking news items of the week, Fox was quick to cancel a the most critically acclaimed new shows of the season, which is the very reason I haven’t bothered to watch anything on the network since the series finale of Arrested Development. With Outlaw, The Whole Truth, My Generation (Scooter's Update: My Generation joined Lone Star in the two episodes and canceled club when ABC officially canceled the show yesterday) and Undercovers also hovering just above the CW median average, Lone Star may have some company before we celebrate Thanksgiving. For other quickly axed shows, head over to The Daily Beast where they countdown 10 Most Quickly Axed Shows of the Last 10 Years. Anyone remember The Will?

Links of the Week

- For other thoughts on the new fall season, head over to The New Yorker.

- Fans of The Glades, stars Matt Passmore and Kiele Sanchez will be hosting an online viewing party during the final episode. Head over to Facebook to RSVP.

- New episode of Eastbound and Down airs tomorrow and for those that cannot wait that long can download the Kenny Powers’ Home Run Fiesta: Deep Inside Mexico app for the low, low price of free in all its 8-bit glory.

- In other HBO news, their latest documentary premieres Monday at 9:00. Sins of My Father features interviews with Sebastian Marroquin (formerly Juan Pablo Escobar) and his mother, Maria Victoria, and never-before-revealed home movies, photographs and audio recordings from the Escobar family archive.

- The new season of Don’t Forget the Lyrics premieres Tuesday on My Network TV and will feature the Backstreet Boys. No, contestants will not try to remember the next line of I Want it That Way; Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Nick Carter will be playing the game to raise money for UNICEF.

Lastly, here is something every straight dude can agree with: Glee Sucks.

Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:



Free Download of the Week: Pilot - No Ordinary Family, Season 1 (iTunes): If you missed the season premiere, or just want to have for prosperity, here is your chance. Also, you can check out my preview of No Ordinary Family.

Deal of the Week: 100 Albums for $5 Each (Amazon MP3) This deal includes albums by Gnarls Barkley, Spoon, John Mellencamp, and Duran Duran.



Video of the Week: The Roots recently teamed up with John Legend for an album of soul covers and naturally promoted the release on Late Night. Since they are the house band, they got to perform a ten minute epic of the Bill Withers song I Can’t Write Left Handed. And as a bonus treat, another live performce by the two of the Arcade Fire song, Wake Up (not to be confused with the title track off their album Wake Up!).





Next Week Pick of the Week: The Challenge: Cutthroat, Wednesday at 10:00 on MTV: The promos have made it a little ambiguous of what “Cutthroat” will differ from other Challenges, aside from being three teams this time around. The season will see the return of CT who is conspicuously missing from the original cast list which probably someone will be kicked off before there is even a challenge, which is something CT knows a lot about.

Betty Ford, oh, Won’t You be My Valentine

Throughout the nineties artist tried to marry rock with electronic music, even Eric Clapton devoted an album to attempted genre mashing (check out Pilgrim) to little effect, but no one made that merger as successful until David Gray came around. Babylon was a folksy song that was easy to sing along with, but underneath was a beat that sounded like a rap beat stripped of its bassline.

Once you listened to the album that Babylon was found on, this month’s induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame, White Ladder, you found more of the same. Where Babylon took the acoustic guitar route, Please Forgive Me when with a driving piano line to go along with the frantic electric percussion track before a head bob-along-bass part gets added to the second verse.

The marriage of folk and electric is most notable on drug fuel We’re Not Right which mixes advanced towards former first ladies and bouncing computer blips and booms. That’s not to says Gray fully rests on the gimmick, even if he still remains one of the few that can successfully make eclectic folk. The stand out track on White Ladder (which recently ranked as number 18 on The 100 Greatest Albums of the 00’s) is the a track that only features his voice and a piano, This Year’s Love, a sweeping ballad that deserves air time at every prom and wedding reception until the end of time.

Gray could also do a stripped down guitar song as heard on the album closer, an acoustic reworking of Soft Cell’s Say Hello, Wave Goodbye. No, seriously, Soft Cell had a song not called Tainted Love and Gray took the new wave, very eighties sounding song and turned it into a reflective, acoustic nine minute gem and fitting end to a classic album.

Breaking Down the 100 Greatest Albums of the 00’s

Some say we will look back at the 00’s as the decade when the full length album died, and for the most part they will be right. Sure albums will never go away as long as there are people stupid enough to plop down ten dollars for an album with only a good song or two. But the album as an event has long passed. In this instant gratification day and age, we just want to get to the three minutes of musical joy instead of having to spend a whole album digesting an album. I cannot remember one album I sat around with a bunch of friends last decade dissecting it with friends like I did back in the ninties (granted this may be an age thing).

So my list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the 00’s is less about a cohesive album (which there were very few of in the 00’s) than just a collection of twelve good to great songs. I’m sure there can be griping of albums I left out, but when compiling a list of albums for consideration, I only included albums I actual spent money on (or had someone else buy for me, with the obvious exception of two albums on the list), and when it comes down to it, if I didn’t even bother to drop ten dollars (or even less at discount prices), it is not something worthy of my list anyway. Here is how my list broke down by the numbers.

Artists with Multiple Albums
Dave Matthews (Band) – 5
Jack Johnson – 4
John Mayer (Trio) – 4
Ryan Adams (and the Cardinals) - 4
Alicia Keys – 3
Coldplay – 3
Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley) – 3
Kanye West – 3
Michelle Branch (The Wreckers) – 3
The Roots – 3
U2 - 3

Albums by Year
2000 – 6
2001 – 12
2002 – 11
2003 – 8
2004 – 9
2005 – 12
2006 – 8
2007 – 10
2008 – 14
2009 – 10

Albums by Genre
Rock - 19
Rap - 15
Alternative – 14
Pop - 13
Adult Contemporary – 11
RnB - 9
Folk - 8
Country - 5
Blues - 3
Hard Rock - 3