57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CLXI

Quote of the Week: Well Nick, throughout this competition, we all really have grown from Boyz II Men, we have shown the nation we’re not just Pussycats anymore, um, I’m just really proud we haven’t Ben Folding under the pressure and I just wish the judges would give us One More Night (Una Noche). (Josh, The Sing-Off)

Song of the Week: We're Not Gonna Take It – Twisted Sister (Glory Daze)

Big News of the Week: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2011 Inductees Announced: Well this should make for an interesting end of concert jam session. Going into the Hall next year will be crooner Neil Diamond, shock rocker Alice Cooper, gravel voiced Tom Waits, jazzman Dr. John, and R&B sidekick Darlene Love. The only way it could have been more eclectic is if they would have finally inducted the Beastie Boys who got snubbed again this year.


The Sing-Off: There was a clear pecking order with the judges from the first episode: Jerry Lawson and the Talk of the Town and Committed at the top with Streetcorner Symphony and the Backbeats just behind. It was clear On the Rocks would get the boot first and I was interested on who the judges would actually kick off after there. And not so surprisingly they decided to send them all to the final. But did they have to tell Jerry last, it look like he was heartbroken, then about to have a heart attack. It is understandable no one went home because I do not have a problem with any of these acts winning. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download songs from the show on iTunes. Here was my favorite performance of the past week:



How I Met Your Mother: Maybe cause I watched Inception and it dream within a dream, within a dream, within a dream just two days earlier, but the shows flashback within a flashback, within a flashback was more annoying that it usually when the show goes to it. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

Glory Daze: What an anticlimactic ending. It is not surpising that the Jew couldn’t make it to the finish line, but when the brothers were content with it, I thought maybe they had one more prank up their sleeve, and then nothing. You can stream recent episodes over at TBS.com.

Survivor: Nicaragua: Really, these are the dumbest Survivors ever. First you have Chase with the worst poker face ever in the history of the world of bluff who tries to tell Jane that it is Dan going before breaking down and telling it is her. Then even everyone including the channeling of Jeff Probst’s mom think well why not have Jane join up with Fabio and Dan, those two doofuses were like, no, we have no problem being in the minority. Which is especially surprising for Dan who has absolutely no show at winning immunity, or he has been trying to get voted off since before the tribes got mixed. It’s as if no one wants to win this season. I feel bad for the people who actually tried to win this season like Marty, Alina, Jill, Kelly B, for having to watch these quitters and idiots get further in the game than them. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.



The Big Bang Theory: I was ready to call this the best episode of the season until Raj uttered the line, “Scooter sucks, he’s the Aquaman of the muppet babies.” That hurts man. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.


New Album Release of the Week: All You Need Is Love – Duran Duran (iTunes only release; physical disk being released 2/11)

New DVD Release of the Week: Bob Ross: Joy of Painting - Barns Collection

Free Download of the Week: You’ll Never Find My Christmas – Bishop Allen (Target): If you have watched television in the past month you have undoubtedly seen the Target commercial with the absurdly catchy You’ll Never Find My Christmas tune. Well the store is giving away free downloads of that and thirteen other Christmas songs.

Deal of the Week: The Big Blu Ray Sale (The Dark Knight, Lord of the Rings, Life)

Video of the Week: Despite the old adage, I have long belived that you can judge a book by its cover. If the words inside are so good, how could someone not come up with a worthy cover? If there is a movie corollary, can a movie named after an Eddie Money song possibly be good? Well it is set in the eighties, so that will get me to check it out when it hit the Blu-Ray. Until then, here is the trailer for Take Me Home Tonight.



Next Week Pick of the Week: The Sing-Off, Monday at 8:00: Ben Folds and the dude from Boyz II Men have done all they could and now it is up to us to crown the new Sing-Off champs. But before that is announced the groups get to perform with Neil Diamond, Sheryl Crow, Boyz II Men, and Sara Bareilles. After the finale, NBC will be giving a sneak peak of Perfect Couples, and as much as I enjoy having even more Olivia Munn on my television screen, I can’t imagine this being very good by the look of the promos.

Around the Tubes vol. LXXVIII

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 Survivor, Out of England 2, Funny or Die Presents, Karmaloop, Sanctuary, Chiller, World's Biggest Cave, In the Time of Jesus, and new shows from Showtime.

- Fancast.com has started up their Survivor Hall of Fame which was chosen by fifty percent by fans and the other fifty percent by “an Executive Voting Committee” that included Jeff Probst and the Survivor Press Team (of which I wasn’t asked to be a part of, not that I am bitter) and the inaugural inductee is Parvati Shallow. Head over to the site to read an interview with the inductee.

- Ricky Gervais is returning to HBO tomorrow at 10:00 for another stand up special Out of England 2 taped live at the Chicago Theater. In other HBO news, Funny or Die Presents will get its second season premiere January 14 at midnight.

- Hip Hop heads will want to head over Karmaloop where they can enter to win $250 gift certificate and a signed Sheek Louch album with a new winner everyday.

- Tonight is the midseason finale of Sanctuary on Syfy. Here is a sneak peak:



- Before Sanctuary at 8:00, Syfy will be counting down the thirteen scariest movie moments of the past decade with Chiller starting at 8:00 with commentary from Kyle Massey (Dancing With The Stars finalist), renowned special makeup effects supervisor Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead), comedians Dan Gurewitch & David Young (collegehumor.com), actress Betsy Russell (the Saw anthology), writer Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), actor Tony Todd (Final Destination) and horror film director Lucky McKee (May), among others.

- Two new specials are coming to the National Geographic Channel next week. On Monday, scientist try to determine if a new discovered cave is the World’s Biggest Cave starting at 10:00 and what secrets hide in the Son Doong cave. Then on Tuesday is three hours of In the Time of Jesus with Making a Living at 8:00, Healing the Sick just after that, and Crime and Punishment at 10:00. Check out a preview below:

Jesus the Stone Mason



- Showtime had a bunch of news items this week. Mandy Patinkin is returning to the channel (no, not for a Dead Like Me reunion) for Dreamland, a drama with Claire Danes about a CIA agent and her mentor. Shooting begins next month. Don Cheadle will also be getting a show. House of Lies is a half hour comedy based on the book House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time by Martin Kihn. Production is set to start in February. Paul Provensa also saw the renewl of his The Green Room and Ray Romano and Judd Apatow have signed on to appear on the second season which will premiere sometime in 2010. And for those of you that do not subscribe to the premium channel, mark your 2011 calendar for January 7 when Showtime is giving a free weekend preview.

Lyrics Quiz: Best of 2010

As for the 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. Please keep in mind the lyrics quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please only use your own meandering mind to guess them. There is also a bonus lyricsthat was found on a mixtape where I will also need the person who spit that lyric. Now onto the last lyric quiz of the year:


1. I’d look psychotic in a balaclava. Winter’s cold, it’s too much to handle. Pincher crabs that pinch at your sandals.
2. Ain’t that Mr. Mister on the radio? (Hey, Soul Sister - Train; guessed by Anonymous)
3. The soldier is bailing out and curled his lips on the bar and I don’t know if the dead can talk to anyone.
4. Tell me why the grass was greener years ago I swear it used to grow here, but no more here. Tell me why on this hill all the birds that used to come to fly here come to die here.
5. You are the thunder and I am the lightning. And I love the way you know who you are and to me it’s exciting. (Naturally - Selena Gomez and the Scene; guessed by Canadian Boy)
6. You’re the color of the night, that's right. Color of a fight, you move me. You’re the color of the colored part of The Wizard of Oz movie.
7. I said I wouldn’t call but I’m a little drunk. (Need You Now - Lady Antebellum; guessed by Canadian Boy)
8. I got 99 problems and they all (expletive deleted). I wish I was Jigga man: carefree living. (Soundtrack 2 My Life - Kid Cudi; guessed by Rose)
9. I’m freaking out to where am I now: Upside down and I can’t stop it now. Can’t stop me now.
10. We’ll imagine we’re sleeping revolvers. Shotgun wedding in a strange SoHo. Our chambers hold silvery collars; gun down werewolves wherever we go.
11. I’ll just read a book instead. I don’t care if we’re just friends. I can hang out by myself. I’m old enough pretend.
12. After all of this is gone, who would you rather be, The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?
13. Take my badge but my heart remains loving you, baby child.
14. Let's be honest, that last Relapse CD was eh. Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground. (Not Afraid - Eminem; guessed by Rose)
15. Your life doesn’t change by the man’s that’s elected. If you’re loved by someone you’re never rejected decide what to be and go be it.
16. Soon the world will see our graffiti love. Spray paint on my glove, they’ll wonder who you are.
17. What am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you? What am I supposed to say when I’m all chocked up and you’re okay? I’m falling to pieces. (Breakeven - The Script; guessed by Anonymous)
18. I probably need to go ahead and have my head exam. Look how they got me on the Def Jam payment plan. (Dear God 2.0 - The Roots featuring Monsters of Folk)
19. Oh, Oh, I want some more. Oh, Oh, what are you waiting for? Take a bite of my heart tonight.
20. (Expletive deleted) in plastic cups before we went on stage. Playing hackeysack back when Audioslave was still Rage. (Memories - Weezer; guessed by Anonymous)
21. You’re so busy making maps with my name on them in all caps. You got the talking down, just not the listening.
22. Don’t put your money where your mouth is, baby. We don’t want to see you choke. Nobody’s choking around her anymore. Nobody’s broken any high score.
23. But it was not your fault but mine. And it was your heart on the line. I really (expletive deleted) it up this time, didn’t I my dear. (Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons; guessed by Anonymous)
24. I’m in the corner, watching you kiss her. I’m right over here, why can’t you see me. I’m giving it my all, but I’m not the girl you’re taking home. (Dancing On My Own - Robyn; guessed by Canadian Boy)
25. What a lovely day, yeah, we won the war. May have lost a million men, but we got a million more.
26. Let’s have a toast for the douchebags. Let’s have a toast for the (expletive deleted). Let’s have a toast for the scumbags, every one of them that I know. (Runaway - Kanye West; guessed by Rose)
27. He’s an X-box and I’m more Atari. But the way you play your games aren’t fair. ((Expletive Deleted) You - Cee-Lo Green; guessed by Rose)
28. Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father. Run for your children, for your sisters and your brothers. (Dog Days Are Over - Florence + the Machine; guessed by Rose)
29. The cool is dead, baby, go on and sleep. Rest your weary head and love a better me.
30. I’d go back in time and change it but I can’t. So if the chain is on your door, I understand. (Back to December - Speak Now - Taylor Swift; guessed by Canadian Boy)


Bonus: To be continued, we on that Norman Mailer (expletive deleted). In search of the truth, even if it goes through Taylor Swift. (Power (Remix) - Kanye West featuring Jay-Z; guessed by Bryan)

Previewing The Peacemaker: L.A. Gang Wars

Ice-T is the original O.G., or dare I say, the O.O.G.. He went from singing Cop Killer to playing one for over a decade. Then in his spare time he films reality shows like Ice-T presents Rap School (which really needs another season). He returns to reality television Thursday at 10:00 on A&E as producer of The Peacemaker: L.A. Gangs. Ice-T isn’t the titular character, or even shows up in front of the camera, but contributed the theme song (not the obvious Colors, but a new song) and serves as the executive producer).

Instead of Ice-T, The Peacemaker follows gang mediator Malik Spellman who is on a mission to bring peace to the neighborhood he has called home for over three decades, a vow he made after getting out of prison himself. Armed with only words, Malik tries to get mediate peace between various gangs in Los Angeles. In the first episode, after the murder of a pregnant woman, Malik gets in-between two neighboring Crips gangs to avoid retaliation and escalation and it is a race against time as Malik tries to get the gang heads face to face before that happens.

The tension in the show is real and you can cut it with a knife through your television screen. You know the situation is getting bad when Spellman puts on his bulletproof vest as soon as he steps out his car before going into a gang members territory. And the story hits an emotional high when someone else, who we met moments earlier, gets shot in the first episode before Spellman can even get the two gangs in the same vicinity. The Peacemaker: L.A. Gangs may be the more real reality show currently on television.

Also in the first season Spellman attempts to mediate a truce between opposing gangs that are run by brothers from the same biological family. And in Imperial Courts, the largest housing project west of the Mississippi, Spellman works to calm tensions after gunplay erupts over a game of dice.

The Peacemaker: L.A. Gang Wars airs Thursdays at 10:00 on A&E. Check out a preview of the show below:

I Want My Music Television vol. XCVII

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.


Kush – Dr Dre featuring Snoop Dogg and Akon



Much like when we got our first listen to Chinese Democracy, it is hard not hear this song and think, we waited a whole decade for this? And why did Dr. Dre taint one of songs with Akon and auto-tune? Dre sets trends, he doesn’t follow them. Granted had this been released in 2002 without Akon, I would have loved this.


Hold My Hand - Michael Jackson with Akon



Speaking of Akon ruining songs, this happened. Not that it would have been much better without him. Count me with the Jackson family in saying they should have kept Michael Jackson’s unfinished work in the vault.


Pyro – Kings of Leon



This may be the lamest slo-mo fight ever in the history of slow motion. I do not what Kings of Leon is trying to say with this video, but I do not care enough to study it more than the one viewing.


Boots - The Killers



And now some holiday cheer courtesy of The Killers. Actually I am not sure if I am uplifted or depressed for have seen this.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CLX

The Walking Dead: Finally the grenade gets reintroduced, but that was the first time in the history of grenades where I was someone go with the “pull and drop” method of detonation as opposed to more traditional “pull and throw” technique. And the herd gets thinned even more with the black chick deciding to stay. Was she related to the black dude? I do not remember them mentioning any type of relationship before, but he said a term of endearment before leaving. If they were, he seemed more than eager to leave her behind. And now that they are out, where to now? It can’t be safe to go back to their old camp, they can’t make too far with the little amount of gas they must have left. Is the old folks home too obvious? Should make for an interesting second season. Hopefully it moves faster than the first. You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

How I Met Your Mother: How an episode with so many great one-liner (eye broccoli, the Mermaid theory) feel so bland. All three storylines fell flat to the point of I don’t even want to bother rank them because that would mean having to relive the episode. Yawn. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.

Glory Daze: You really cannot go wrong by bringing in Carl Winslow for a guest stint, but throw in Booger, Dexter’s Dad, the mayor from Spin City and DL Hughley playing the father of a white dude and you have an awesome hour of television. I hope they have Father’s weekend one a month at this college. You can stream recent episodes over at TBS.com.

Survivor: Nicaragua: Just when you think this season cannot get any more disappointing, they announced we still have two more episodes to sit through. I would have guessed we were down to the final by now. I guess this season just feels longer. I can’t pontificate on any more on this episode, because I do not care enough to think more about it. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.



Modern Family: Odd, no Thanksgiving or Christmas episode this year when last years were some of their best episode. Seriously, bring back a drunken Shelly Long and that episode writes its self and would definitely have been better than this episode. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



The Challenge: Cutthroat: The Challenge isn’t one of those show that you really remember once the season ends, so this may be a little hyperbole, but CT carrying Johnny Bananas like a backpack, them slamming him into the barrel when he could have easily just kicked it over was the greatest moment ever in the history of The Challenge. Unfortunately they only made Tyler go the seventeen seconds it took CT to waltz Johnny over to the barrel, if you are going to fly CT all the way to Romania, let him through another contestant into a barrel. You can stream recent episodes on MTV.com. You can also download The Challenge: Cutthroat on iTunes.

The Big Bang Theory: I am still over Blossom. It is time to get her off the show. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.

Community: I guess this episode was entertaining as a Christmas special, but like the Christmas stop motion specials it was paying tribute to, it is not very good compared to non-holiday fair. And they should have brought in an actual songwriter to write the songs because the ones in the episodes sounded like they were written by television writer. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Best of the Week vol. LVI

Quote of the Week: It’s the first season of Lost on DVD… No, it’s a metaphor, it represents a lack of payoff. (Abed, Community)

Song of the Week: Piano Man - Piano Man – Billy Joel (as sung by the cast of Castle)

Big News of the Week: I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas: But I was kind of hoping for a sixty and sunny Chanukah. Instead I had gotten eight days of shoveling snow. And it doesn’t look like things will be letting up since the National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm advisory that isn’t set to expire until Wednesday evening. I guess I will be sending the next week inside watching 25 Days of Christmas.

Free Download of the Week: Christmastime Is Here (Instrumental) - Vince Guaraldi Trio (iTunes): You may know this song better as that song from the Peanuts Christmas Special.

Deal of the Week: 100 Christmas Albums for $5 Each: Get some holiday cheer from Sarah McLaughlin, Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Diamond, and John Denver with the Muppets.



New Album Release of the Week: III/IV - Ryan Adams

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

Video of the Week: The Sing Off returned this week and here is more favorite performance of the first two episodes (of which you can buy, along with the other songs from The Sing-Off on iTunes):



Next Week Pick of the Week: Leverage, Sunday at 9:00 on TNT: In a story I broke earlier this week, Leverage concludes its third season over the next two Sundays (see Previewing Leverage: The Ho Ho Ho Job). And do not forget you can chat with the chat tomorrow after the show over at TNT.tv.

Around the Tubes vol. LXXVII

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 Leverage, Explorer, Wishful Drinking, 24/7, Tom Brokaw Presents: Bridging the Divide, Paul McCartney: A Life, Marry Me, The Funniest Commercials of the Year: 2010, Shameless, and R. Kelly.

- In a story I broke earlier this week, Leverage returns Sunday and the cast of the show will hit the internets to talk with the fans about the Christmas episode. After the show Sunday at 10:00 head over to the show’s Facebook page, TNT.tv, or TNT’s mobile site m.tnt.tv to watch and submit your questions.

- Henry Rollins teaming with National Geographic? Sure, why not. The singer / poet / actor / author / radio and television broadcaster has teamed up with The National Geographic Channel for Explorer: Born to Rage? Which will take a look at the “Warrior Gene” that is associated with violent behavior. The show airs this Tuesday (12/14) at 10:00. Here is a preview.




- Carrie Fisher will be bringing her one woman show Wishful Drinking to HBO this Sunday at 9:00. Here is a trailer:

Trailer

- In other HBO news, their Emmy winning series 24/7 returns next Wensday (12/15) at. The four episode special this time will feature Penguins/Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic.

- Tonight on USA the network is debuting their inspirational documentary Tom Brokaw Presents: Bridging the Divide that “looks beyond recent inflammatory headlines, sensational stories and politicized rhetoric to where our increasingly diverse country really stands on a range of civil rights issues.”

- If you are still looking for a gift for that Beatle’s fan on your Christmas list, you may want to check out Paul McCartney: A Life, by Peter Ames Carlin which “built on years of research and revealing interviews with friends, bandmates, and collaborators spanning McCartney’s entire life.”

- The latest Lifetime miniseries Marry Me premieres this Sunday and concludes Monday and stars Lucy Lui and Rescue Me’s White Shaun. Here is an exclusive clip:



- We may still are three weeks away from the end of 2010 but that hasn’t stopped Vibe from releasing their top ten albums of the year with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West taking the top slot. Head over to their website to see what made up the other nine albums.

- Who better than the Old Spice guy to host The Funniest Commercials of the Year: 2010. Tune in next Thursday (12/16) at 10:00 on TBS to see what made the list.

- Fans of Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven, The Hours) will want to head over to Livestream Monday at 6:30 to watch an interview with the New York Times the actress live.

- For anyone who wants to take a look at Showtime’s latest series Shameless starring William H Macy and Emmy Rossum, you will not have to wait until January 9 when the show premieres because the first twenty minutes will air immediately after the fifth season finale of Dexter this Sunday.

- And just because, R. Kelly performing Ignition with the Roots:

Don't Call it a Comeback vol. II: Hall and Oates

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: Hall & Oates

Biggest Hit: I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) (#1 on the Top 40, RnB and Dance charts)



Last Hit: So Close (1990)

Where Are They Now: They still seem to be everywhere despite not having a hit song on twenty years. They are still a go to for fun movie soundtracks (see last year’s (500) Days of Summer not at all ironic dance sequence featuring You Make My Dreams), they have been sampled by De la Soul, Wu-Tang Clan, and Young Jezzy, Gym Class Heroes created a Hall and Oates mash-up album, The Bird and the Bee recently released an all Hall and Oates covers album, and who can forget Vinnie Van Lowe’s serenading Veronica Mars with Private Eyes? As for the greatest duo in rock and roll history, they are still trucking, releasing a Christmas album four years ago, continue to travel, and Daryl became an internet phenomenon last decade with Live From Daryl’s House where Hall would sing with this generation’s artists including Rob Thomas, Train and Diane Birch while giving everyone a cooking lesson.

Why the World Needs a Hall and Oates Comeback: Because Daryl Hall is still the best Blue Eyed Soul singer out there (and who wouldn’t be against more of their awesomely bad music videos).

If there is one thing that Live From Daryl’s House shows is that Daryl still has it whether it is dusting off his old stuff, be it the hits or deeper cuts, reinventing the songs of that show’s guest or just a random cover. Don’t tell me you didn’t get chills when Smokey Robinson showed up. It is really a crime that these songs are no available to buy on iTunes because I would have bought at least ten of the shows in full and would have cherry picked from the rest of the episode.

Since Christmas is around the corner, here is their most awesomely cheesy video they ever made for Jingle Bell Rock.

Previewing Leverage: The Ho Ho Ho Job

Just in time to spread some holiday cheer, Leverage returns this Sunday to finish off its third season and naturally taking up a case from Santa Claus. Yes, red suit, long beard Santa Claus has been unceremoniously fired after being framed by his boss, guest star Dave Foley who does his best Grinch impression for the episode, at the mall he was working at. And he is not the only familiar face as a certain Sheldon Cooper will make a triumphant return to be the thorn in the side of the Leverage team.

Ironically it is the next episode that is entitled The Big Bang Job which starts off a two part finale, both airing December 19 starting at 9:00, where the group gets back to tracking down the infamous Damien Monreau, the ruthless international financier that guest Elisabetta Canalis has hired the team to take down. A job so big the group resorts to stealing the Department of Defense and a whole country just to get near the big bad.

Fans of Leverage should really enjoy these three final episodes with so many twists and turns in the finale, TNT sent a laundry list of topics that they forbid me from talking about. I can say they two scenes that I have been banned from talking about left a big grin on my face (and many more that are not on the list, but are way too good to spoil either, at least one for each character) and one that deserved applause when it concluded. And unlike many series that just do not how to close out a season/series, the ending to the third season is very satisfying.

Leverage returns this Sunday at 9:00 for its Christmas episode (The Ho Ho Ho Job)and the two hour finale also starts at 9:00 12/19. You can stream recent episodes on tnt.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

I Want My Music Television vol. XCVI

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.


It's OK - Cee-Lo Green



The new Cee-Lo Green song seems like nice version of (Expletive Deleted) You with its Motown style delivery and even the cartoony video. Of course it is not as fun to sing “It’s Okay” at the top of your lungs like his previous hit.


Rolling in the Deep – Adele



It is weird in a time whenever a movie features someone smoking we first have to watch an anti-smoking PSA to see Adele start out her video smoking a cigarette for no apparent reason. I do like that she has continued to name her album after her age. I wonder if she will keep that up when she goes on the wrong side of forty.


Christmas Lights - Coldplay



All these Christmas tunes that radio pulls out every year are decent enough, but do you know what they are all lacking: violin playing Elvi. Now I can fully get into the Christmas spirit this year thanks to Coldplay.


Shake Up Christmas – Train



Train is also getting into the holiday mood (coming to a Coke ad near you soon) and my favorite part of the video is the crowd bum rushing the door after the barricade gets knocked down. As if a four foot barricade was stopping them before. As a former amphitheater usher, whenever a large group tried to get past me, I totally pulled the if you can’t stop them, join them routine. Unfortunately I still was never able to get a hand on a member of Duran Duran.

Previewing Men of a Certain Age 2.x and The Closer

Men of a Certain Age is a good enough show, but as a man of a somewhat younger age, it can be painful to watch and see what my life could be in thirty years (alright, twenty). You laugh, and they you realize may be happening to me soon. When we left off last season Joe has quit gambling (I wonder if he would take the over or under on that lasting five episodes) and decided to try out for the Senior Tour. Owen quit his father’s dealership only for papa to promote him to manager. While Terry decided to take his professionally charming self to work under Owen.

The show returns tonight with a second season where all the boys are now adjusting to new directions their lives are taking them and their new responsibilities. Owen now has a car dealership to run while still under the shadow of his father. Terry has his first nine to five and it doesn’t help that one of his early commercial pops up on YouTube. And Joe is trying to channel his addition into gambling into training for golf while still juggling his store, his divorce, and his kids.


Preceding Men of a Certain Age is the return of The Closer which closes out its sixth season with five more episodes. Tonight’s installment features an ambush on one Brenda’s own which sends the team to figure out how a man behind bars orchestrated the attack. The remainder of the season will feature a seemingly minor robbery involving medical marijuana dispensaries and a race to find a missing woman who may be in the hands of a violent drug dealer. Then in the two part season finale an immigrant family’s blood feud turns deadly, putting everyone’s holiday plans on hold.


The Closer airs Mondays at 9:00 on TNT. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download The Closer on iTunes. Men of a Certain Age airs Mondays at 10:00 on TNT. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Men of a Certain Age on iTunes.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CLIX

The Walking Dead: Gee, if you are going to move from your camp, why go to the unknown of the CDC instead of the old folks home where you just donated half your guns to? Oh well. The introduction of the CDC worker (which begs the question, where are all his coworkers, no one else was quarantined with him in the building when the outbreak broke out?) was very Lostian, in the best sense of the word. You can download The Walking Dead on iTunes.

Chuck: What an odd villain for such an odd season. I really do not know where they go from here. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.

The Event: I was recently lamenting to a friend how the next cheap remake Hollywood needs to do is Out of This World and low and behold, The Event apparently is doing the half human, half alien storyline, at least I assume that all the kidnapped girls are hybrids. Which begs the question were the old faced girls the result of being a half-breed which the shady organization are trying to cure (and apparently did so with Layla) or is the cause of it? And in another storyline stolen from the eighties, I take it the satellite that Thomas launched was to summon his race to Earth which potentially set up a second half of the season to be a V rip-off, but without the lizard undercarriage. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download The Event on iTunes.

Sons of Anarchy: Wow, that almost made up for the lackluster Irish storyline that dominated this season. I knew either Stahl and Jax would turn on each other and naturally it was both of them. And ever since Jax made the deal I wondered why not tell the club because it was a good deal and kept Gemma out of jail; it turns out they were in on it all along. Nice twist. I wonder when next seaon will start off, will we get a season on the inside, or will it start just as the club is getting released? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Sons of Anarchy on iTunes.

Glory Daze: Funniest moment of the week had to go to Jason being left hanging, trying to duet Up Where We Belong with his girlfriend (who need to be promoted to series regular) only to be helped out by Eli. It’s too bad they didn’t recreate the Officer and a Gentleman scene. You can stream recent episodes over at TBS.com.

Survivor: Nicaragua: Purple Kelly has to go down as the worst casting ever in the history of Survivor. Most people who got voted off first had more screen time then she had this season, and the four times she opened her mouth all season showed exactly why they didn’t go to her more often. It is a wonder how she got through casting, she isn’t practically attractive, so you cannot blame it on eye candy. Ugg, this season has just left a terrible taste in my mouth. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.



Terriers: I guess the theme of this show is that powerful men cannot keep it in their pants. The season started out with a sex scandal and ended with one. The guy behind the curtain seemed a little to calm about his airport plans going down in flames to a low rent private investigator. Should make for an interesting second season (hopefully there is one). You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Terriers on iTunes.

Community: Annie’s bad Texas accent was oddly alluring. But sadly (or lucky depending how you look at it) for me my twenty-first birthday fell on the same day as an econ test, so no bar hoping for me. Who knows if I would have survived the night if I didn’t have a reason to stay in? You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.

Best of the Week vol. LV

Quote of the Week: I have nothing left to suck. (Purple Kelly, Survivor)

Song of the Week: Hey Hey, My My – BattleMe (Sons of Anarchy)

Big News of the Week: A Melancholy Happy Trails to Leslie Nielsen: No one did dumb comedy better than Leslie Nielsen. Most movies like that are one offs or have a sequel just do not live up to the original, but thanks to Nielsen, each of the three (or thirty-three and a third) Naked Gun movies were hilariously funny and he may have made more had one of his co-stars hadn’t stood trail for double murder. But we still had other classic comedies like Airplane!, Spy Hard and the underrated Repossessed. In his later years, it seemed like ever dumb comedy brought in Nielsen because no one did it better, and those movies were better for it.

Free Download of the Week: 25 Days of Free (Amazon MP3): Every day until Christmas, Amazon MP3 is offering a new free holiday song to download. As of right now you can pick up holiday cheer from Fleet Foxes and Indigo Girls.

New Album Release of the Week: Endlessly - Duffy

New DVD Release of the Week: Inception (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

Deal of the Week: 100 Albums for $5 Each: This month you can download albums from Mumford and Sons, Spoon, Norah Jones, and Michelle Branch.



Video of the Week: Best Week Ever likes to write a lot in hyperbole so most of the videos they post last about five seconds before I movie on. But I have been watching this video for twelve straight hours.



I have no idea what Gylne Tider is, but from why I can gather from Google Translate it is some sort of talk show in Norway that in previous season focused on famous Norwegians from the sixties and seventies and their latest season is dealing with American pop culture from the eighties (as the people in the video would suggest, with some carryover to the nineties it seems). And their promotion for the season; wow, just wow. Just when you think things cannot get any more random, Tubbs starts doing air guitar. Then Little Forrest Gump shows up with a nose ring. And then there is the living half of Milli Vanilli. There is first posthumously appearance from Leslie Nelson. Then Ricky Schroder gets recognized for The Champ. Did they not get Silver Spoons in Norway? You know when Right Said Fred doesn’t even crack the top five weirdest cameos in a video you have something awesome. Considering all their current shows are unwatchable, if VH1 doesn’t import this show by next year they might as well just fold up shop. Now if you excuse me, I will be spending the next twelve hour

Next Week Pick of the Week: Big Cat Week, starting Monday, Nat Geo Wild: National Geographic’s animal focused channel is rolling out its Big Cat Week starting tomorrow and here is the full rundown for you feline lovers:

Big Cat Odyssey (Monday at 9): This show chronicles their meticulous work over three decades of filming, photographing and documenting the behavior of big cat species in Botswana.

Leopard Queen (Tuesday at 9): This show follows the life of “Manana,” a wild leopard whose territory spans the heart of the Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa.

Lion Warriors (Wednesday at 9:00): This show features lions that the proud Maasai warriors have hunted ruthlessly in return for killing their cattle so that now only about 2,000 remain in the country. If their numbers drop any lower, their populations will not be sustainable.

Lions on the Edge (Thursday at 9): This show focuses on Ruaha National Park in Tanzania which used to be a true paradise for wildlife gathered around the rich Ruaha riverbanks. Now, the worst drought in decades is pushing all the animals on a march to find water.

Around the Tubes vol. LXXVI

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 Boardwalk Empire, I am Legend, Flip, Telethon for Alzheimer’s, Characters United, Chuck Lorre, Christmas in Washington, Linkin Park, Television on Twitter, FX and Syfy renewal and premiere dates, and Christmas with a Capital C.

- The season finale of Boardwalk Empire is this Sunday at 9:00 on HBO and here is a sneak peak and what you will see:



- I am Legend recently hit iTunes for the first time with Bonus Content including behind the scenes footage and interviews with the Will Smith.

- Do you Flip? I do (I recently picked up an HD one) and so do Diddy, Brooke Burke, and Ryan Sheckler; in fact Sheckler has designed six personal Flips for this campaign.

- Tomorrow on some NBC channels (and everywhere online) there will be a Telethon for Alzheimers. If your NBC station isn’t airing it, head over to alzfdn.org to watch or donate.

- USA is using the Characters Welcome slogan to good use with Characters Unite program where if you click on the website and pledge to stand against discrimination and for every pledge made this month, USA Network will donate $1 to its nonprofit partners.

- The big cheese for CBS comedies Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, and new show Mike and Molly) will be profiled in December 6th issue of The New Yorker. Head over to their website for a preview.

- In a story I broke last week, Christmas in Washington will air on Friday December 17 at 8:00 on TNT and it has just been announced that Andrea Bocelli will be joining the lineup that already includes Mariah Carey, Annie Lennox, Maxwell, and Matthew Morrison.

- Fans of Linkin Park will want to check out Linkin Park Radio which includes previously unreleased tracks, demos and covers that can't be heard anywhere else.

- I do not Twitter, but some television show creators do and not surprisingly they have run into viewers who have had some choice words over the site. The Daily Beast takes a look at the phenomenon.

- FX recently announced the premiere date of a couple of their shows, animated series Archer returns January 27 at 10 and new show Lights Out about a former heavyweight fighter bows January 11 at 10:00. While you are waiting, play the Lights Out Game for a chance to win $1000. In other premiere date news, Syfy has announced that Being Human is set to debut January 17. The channel also ordered another season of Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files and Ghost Hunters, and 12 new episodes on top of the current season of Hollywood Treasure.

- This Sunday you can see Ted McGinley in the new GMC movie Christmas with a Capital C at 7:00 with encores at 9:00 and 11:00.

We on Award Tour: 2011 Grammy Nominations

The 00’s is when the music industry went in the tank, yet as sales go lower and lower, it seems like every year there is yet another new music awards show (there is another new one airing in a couple months), but there still remains only one award show that matters: The Grammy’s. Okay, the awards themselves are not that credible (Hilary Clinton has more Grammy’s than Bob Marley, The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix combined) but you know they will put on a great show. No acts announced yet (hopefully they will be better than Katy Perry and Justin Beiber), but they did announce some nominees last night (head over to Grammy.com for the full rundown):

Song of the Year
Beg Steal or Borrow – Ray LaMontange and the Pariah Dogs
(Expletive Delete) You – Cee Lo Green
The House That Built Me – Miranda Lambert
Love the Way You Lie – Eminem featuring Rihanna
Need You Now – Lady Antebellum

Who Will Win: Ray LaMontange and the Pariah Dogs
Who Should Win: Cee-Lo Green

Wait, they actually nominated for a songwriting award a song they cannot even say on network television? Also nominated a song that includes the lyrics, “It’ three AM and I’m drunk again.” You cannot call the Grammy’s stuffy anymore. It is such a weird group it is hard to pick a favorite, but Ray LaMontange is the most “traditional” song, but Mirada Lambert may get the sentimental vote.

Best New Artist
Justin Bieber
Drake
Florence + The Machine
Mumford & Sons
Esperanza Spalding

Who Will Win: Drake
Who Should Win: Mumford and Sons

Best New Artist is always a tossup, but I have been playing out Mumford and Sons for most of the year. But I can see them or Drake or Florence and the Machine also taking it. Since there is no one in the academy under sixteen to stuff the ballot like the AMA’s, Beiber doesn’t have a chance. And for those wondering, Esperanza Spalding is a jazz artist, and as Herbie Hancock’s win recently, do not count her out.

Album of the Year
The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
Recovery – Eninem
Need You Now – Lady Antibellum
The Fame Monster – Lady Gaga
Teenage Dream – Katy Perry

Who Will Win: Eminem
Who Should Win: I do not care

Wasn’t Lady Gaga nominated for the same album last year? How does this happen? Even more puzzling, Kate Perry gets nominated? Ugg, I could care less for this category.

Record of the Year
Nothin' On You – B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars
Love the Way You Live – Eminem featuring Rihanna
(Expletive Delete) You - Cee-Lo Green
Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

Who Will Win: Jay-Z
Who Should Win: Cee Lo

A strong category (though I would have exchanged Airplanes for B.o.B.’s song here) but there was no song more infectious this year than the one that Cee-Lo gave us. Here is hoping that they let Cee-Lo perform the real version on the telecast.

They're Singing Deck the Halls but it's not Like Christmas at All

And really, it is not like Christmas at all if I do not hear Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). Where most Christmas tunes are of a more cheerful variety, Christmas was one of the first heartbreaking holiday song for those that do not have anyone to kiss under the mistletoe during the wintery months. Whether it be the original with Darlene Love backed by Phil Specter’s Wall of Sound, or U2 with Bono in full Elvis mode, more the more melancholy version utilized by Death Cab for Cutie, I cannot go a December without hearing multiple versions of Christmas (Baby Please Come) which is what makes it this month’s induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame. Below you can watch their versions of their song and click on the artist names to buy the song on iTunes, or you can head over to RCRD LBL to download the version by Slow Club for free.

Darlene Love




U2




Death Cab for Cutie