Fall in love with Misfits this holiday season

You can watch Misfits here on YouTube, no fuss. Or via SideReel links. There. You have absolutely no excuse not to watch this show.

A couple weeks ago, I blogged about the brilliance that is Misfits, the British dramedy about a group of kids in a community service program who are suddenly given supernatural powers. The synopsis of the show sadly underscores how entertaining and fascinating the show is, so please do not judge the show based on the synopsis alone.

Well, since I blogged about it, the show only became more brilliant. I don't want to give too much away, but the second season of the show made the show even more addicting. New characters and character pairings were created and embraced by the show's fans. Episodes that are filler are still jarringly gut-wrenching (literally - I warn you now, while season 2, episode 6 is great, don't eat or drink anything while watching it) and emotionally affect the viewer. I don't like to waste time when I'm watching TV - I like plot forwarding episodes. But if an episode that doesn't really forward the plot can still be good, that's the sign of a great TV show in my eyes.

I realize I'm being really obtuse in my descriptions, but I don't want to inadvertently give anything away. Being surprised is half of the fun.

I liked to places to watch the episodes above. There's only six episodes in season one and seven in season two, so it's not a major time commitment. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I have never heard of someone who watched the show and didn't like it. It's charming, fascinating and addicting.

TV addicts, make a wise decision during the holidays and watch Misfits. Plus, when it's inevitably poorly remade for American television in a few years, you can say you knew about it before anyone else.

Do yourself a favor, stay 'streets ahead' and watch Community

Back during season premiere time, I wrote about how Community started the season off on a high note. While this season has been far from perfect, I still find myself enjoying the show, and Thursday's Christmas episode was genius.

As shown above, the entire episode was filmed as stop-motion animation, which could have been a cheap gag, but instead, established a high point for the show. Now, for the most part, I kind of hate Christmas. I'm not saying that in an attempt to be an ironic grinch, I just find other times of the year more enjoyable, and in recent years, I've become jaded by it. So, I was awfully surprised by how moved I was by this episode.

Abed, everyone's favorite television obsessed oddball, wakes up one day with his entire world in stop motion, and the study group tries to get him out of his funk. What follows is an episode that both satirizes and embodies holiday television traditions in a funny and sweet way. I'm not entirely sure how much of the episode's dialogue and events were real, or figments of Abed's imagination and worldview, but it was a fun ride that also put me into the Christmas spirit, which is a pretty remarkable feat. Plus, I have to love any show that manages to work the phrase "wash your dupa" into the plot (as a Polish person who hears her grandma, excuse me, Busia, say the word "dupa" all too often, I was cracking up).

Please, do yourself a favor and watch "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas." Community is one of those shows where it's fairly episodic, and you can watch any episode and understand what's going on. I'd like to also recommend 4 other episodes that showcase the show at its finest:

Modern Warfare (season one): As the title suggests, this episode involves war. A paintball game, more specifically, a campus-wide game for early class registration. It turns into an all-out blood bath straight out of a video game, complete with jabs at Glee.

Contemporary American Poultry (season one): The Godfather (and other mob movies), revolving around chicken nuggets. Need I say more?

Anthropology 101 (season two): Here's how good this episode is: Betty White is the weakest link.

Basic Rocket Science (season two): This was another episode that was so outrageous it was funny. I think what sold me on the episode was the KFC product placement. I can't help but laugh and smile at a great Colonel Sanders joke/reference:

Why am I here? Why do I watch shows like SNL?

Those of us who watch TV on a regular basis have probably found themselves asking why they are watching something that is terrible.

I'm not talking about "guilty pleasure" terrible, where something is enjoyable, even though it is lowbrow. I'm talking about deliberately sitting down to watch a show week after week, even though it consistently disappoints, out of sheer loyalty, a desire to not miss a potential great moment, or some other reason. While this semester has left me unable to follow as many television shows as I'd like, I still have this relationship with Saturday Night Live.

Rarely can I say that I enjoy a full episode of SNL, where I can recall sketches, recall laughing at them and find more hits than misses. Most weeks, SNL is filled with painfully unfunny skits that drag on far too long with only the occasional chuckle, which is how this season has been for me. Last night's episode, hosted by Anne Hathaway, was probably tied with the Amy Poehler-hosted season premiere for the best episode of this season, but sadly, that's not saying much.

Yet, every single week, I sit down, put aside whatever I'm doing, open up the ONTD discussion posts for the episode, and sit complaining (or occasionally expressing amusement) at the episode with fellow commenters. I usually don't enjoy the episodes enough to warrant spending 90 minutes watching them in real time.

So why do I do it? Well, the aforementioned discussion posts are a big reason. They help me get excited about the episodes, even though I'm eventually disappointed by them. As ONTD user "whop__dedooo" (that's a perfect username given the discussion) said, "the formula for our snl posts is pretty much: soo excitied --> ehh this skit is boring --> the writers dont know what to do with them ---> why did i watch again." I'd like to add a fifth step: "Oh yeah, I watch because it's better than homework."

For me, even the most painfully unfunny episode is better than toiling away on a Word document for hours and hours on a paper I care little about. It's a chance to complain about something other than my procrastination and my schoolwork. It can also assure I don't miss a potentially funny moment (I still remember watching "Dick In A Box" live, thinking it would be a hit, and going online immediately after the episode to be proven correct). But mainly, it's a chance to procrastinate, quality or not.


Does anyone else have similar relationships with shows?

Misfits is one of British television's finest

The above image explains exactly why Misfits, a sci-fi dramedy airing on Channel 4 in the UK, is so engaging and addicting.

The show centers around a group of young delinquents who are performing community service in London. During an electrical storm, the group is given superhuman powers and must deal with the outrageous fallout that results (it sounds familiar, yes, but unlike Heroes, it doesn't take itself too seriously). I would give the rundown of their powers, but I think it's more fun to discover them as the episodes unfold, because it creates a sense of suspense and intrigue. These characters are not the only ones who are affected by the storm, and, without giving too much away, as the above gif hints at, at least one of their probation workers ends up dead, and the gang has to work to cover up the death.

The fist six-episode season aired last fall/winter in the UK, and season two began on Thursday, and it came back with a solid episode that reminded me exactly why I enjoyed the first season. I'm not normally a fan of sci-fi shows, but I love this. I think my love partially stems from the fact that it's not simply a sci-fi show. The mythology of why the characters got their powers is fairly secondary to their subsequent dealings with them.

There are numerous moments of hilarity from the sharp-tongue characters, especially Kelly and Nathan. There is high drama from start to finish. Simon (otherwise known as Barry) is a character that is just so down on his luck, you can't help but feel sympathy for him. There's plenty of violence and sex, suspense twists and turns. And the second episode is incredibly heartbreaking. The show does a fantastic job of running its audience through the emotional gamut.

I realize my synopsis may be vague, but I have a feeling that the majority of regular readers have never even heard of the show, and I don't want to give much away. I began watching the show fairly blindly, and I'm glad I did. It made the experience so much more rewarding.

With Dexter falling short of its previous season, my own schedule preventing me from watching Chuck and Breaking Bad off the air until July (yes, I know AMC's Walking Dead is supposed to be great; I have not had time to watch it yet), Misfits is providing me with my drama fix. It won the prestigious 2010 BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series for a reason.

For those of you who are in the UK, or have an IP proxy, Channel 4 has each episode on their website. How I wish I could recommend NinjaVideo to everyone as a means to watch the episodes in high-quality. Since that's no longer possible, I'll recommend Sidereel to get the links (MegaVideo is my source now, but zshare and wisevid are good, too, if possible).

Anyone else familiar with Misfits?

Conan O'Brien returns to television

Once I see a few more episodes of Conan O'Brien's new show, I'll be able to critically evaluate it, with more coherent language and maybe a little criticism (hopefully, not much). In the meantime, I am giddy knowing that I cracked up many times during his show tonight. Of course, if my brain explodes due to the amazing pairing of Tom Hanks and Jack McBrayer, it'll be a bit difficult to update.

Anyway, it's just so nice to see Conan back on television. I missed his interactions with Andy, I missed his rapport with guests, and I miss him singing! His performance tonight with Jack White had me dancing in my seat like a crazy person (in other words, thank God I was watching it alone in my room, because that would have been too embarrassing for anyone to see). I remember the euphoric high I had in May after seeing Conan at Michigan State University; just being reminded of how amazingly funny and how big of a smile he brought to my face. I have that same high again, and it's nice to know that my exposure to him won't be limited to that one tour date, but now, he'll be on my TV four nights a week.

I think the highlight was, no doubt, the Halloween mask, even if it will likely haunt my dreams:


(via jenpero on LiveJournal)

I think David Sims of the AV Club gave a really well-stated review of the episode. I would highly recommend reading it.

So, what did everyone else think? Overall, I think his "Tonight Show" opener was more entertaining, but that show was so good, it would be difficult to top it. This was certainly a fun show. List your likes/dislikes in the comments!

Big Love set to end in 2011 ... good riddance?

Thursday, HBO announced that the fifth season of Big Love, beginning Sunday, Jan. 16, will be its last.

I used to be a fan of Big Love in its first and second season (I'm one of the only people who did not really enjoy season three, minus the amazing "Come Ye Saints" episode), in which the Henrickson/Grant/Heffman family faced the extensive issues that come along with hiding their polygamist family from society, and attempting to deal with a traditional polygamist compound.

And then, suddenly, I found myself reacting like this when watching it:


It became just so complicated; too many characters were in play, and Bill Paxton's character, Bill Henrickson, became more unlikable than Michael Scott. Big Love was good at making us love to hate characters (Daveigh Chase's Rhonda still makes my blood boil when I think about her), but with Bill, they simply ruined him.

In terms of increasing the show's quality, ending the show may be the best option. Hopefully, they'll use their remaining episodes to leave the show with a good legacy. Actually, I hope Bill dies or the wives leave him.

Anyway, Big Love, along with Entourage (also ending next year), needed to end. I'll add the Office to that list as well. Anyone else have shows that they only watch out of habit, because they're still on TV? Ones that you don't really enjoy? Leave a comment.

30 Rock listens to Bill O'Reilly and does it live, Will Arnett remains a god

(Context for this is below.)

I have been neglecting this blog, but not by choice. School and the "real world" have completely taken over my life, sadly.

So, here's a quick update:

30 Rock took a cue from their fellow Rainbow Room tenants and performed a live show Thursday, one version for the Eastern and one for the Pacific time zone. While it was not their funniest episode, it was a nice change of pace for the show. In recent seasons, the fact that 30 Rock is about a "show within a show," TGS with Tracy Jordan, is often overlooked for Liz and company's personal issues.

This episode was a fun reminder that TGS exists, that people have to worry about Tracy's antics, and that the Robot and Bear Talk Show should have happened. Now, if only Josh Girard could still be on the show ... oh well, at least Rachel Dratch was back. Her crazy characters are always welcome, especially when they have a Fonzie fetish like this one did (God, if only Henry Winkler could have made an appearance, that would have been fantastic). Chris Parnell's Dr. Leo Spaceman serenaded the audience in only a way Dr. Spaceman could. Both of these former SNL stars are incredibly underutilized in the world of comedy.

The episode also featured guest spots from Julia Louis-Dreyfus, playing Liz Lemon in "flashback" scenes that were impossible to stage life, along with Matt Damon (and Bill Hader as his co-pilot). And then there was Jon Hamm (pictured above), who complimented his hook hand with an executed inmate's hand or a horny middle-aged Josh Groban fan's hand, depending on which coast you live on. It was silly, but it was still worth a laugh.

For what it's worth, the biggest laughs, for me, came when TGS' Fox News sketch introduced Jenna's character simply as "Blonde," and, upon speaking about her birthday party in a disjointed way, Jack asking Liz, "Why are you speaking like a Persian immigrant?" Differences between the two episodes are here, and both versions of the episode can be found on Hulu.


In other news that no one will really care about, but I will share anyway, this happened:



Will Arnett replied to me on Twitter. I realize this isn't that big of a deal, it's not like we had a deep conversation or anything. But I like seeing "arnettwill @MacysDayMar" and not the other way around. I just think it's cool that someone I adore so much even took a second to acknowledge fans, especially when that fan is me. Anyone else have similar exciting Twitter moments?

It feels like 2006 all over - The Office is hilarious again

We have a shocking development:



It is so nice to be able to say that Thursday's episode of "the Office" was quite funny. I rarely say that these days, but there were some great moments throughout the episode.

The vocal inflection Steve Carell would put into Michael's voice when talking to Toby was genius, as were some of his facial expressions, such as when he rested his head on his folded fists and told Toby to "take two of these and call me in the morning" ... and by "these," he means two quick and hilarious flips of the bird. His saccharine smiles were killer. Plus, his "confessions," such as "I was sitting the other night, eating my penis. I mean, peas ... I was probed," were just pure Michael.

Dwight "was taking Mose to get his blood pressure taken at the Rite Aid." I don't really know why I found this line so funny, but I do. Only because I can't see Mose and Dwight going into a drugstore for ANYTHING. They probably create their own homemade Vicodin. Actually, Dwight's entire description of his so-called discrimination was hilarious (even if that scenario wasn't so great, it didn't bring the episode down).

The best moment? Dwight hiring Mose to make a day-care center in the Scranton Business Park. His decoration? AN INSANE CLOWN POSSE POSTER. For those of you who know me, I am amused and horrified by Juggalos, so this was just brilliant. I rarely laugh very loud, but I was cackling at that moment. That moment alone was better than anything in season six for me.

Pam's "Office Administrator" plot could backfire on her, but due to the messy bureaucracy in an office, it could very well work. Gabe is timid enough to let it go on, so long as he can feign ignorance if Jo were to find out.


It's strange, it was the weird nuances by the actors that made this show. The way Kelly did not hesitate in saying that she talks so much, she no longer listens to herself was genius. Sure, there were some great one-liners, but it was the simple things that made it work. I was worried Steve had "checked out" of being Michael Scott this season since he's leaving, but I think he delivered a great performance.

I sure hope they can keep up the momentum.

SNL under-utilizes former all-stars in season premiere

The Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time-Players were back last night, with former cast member and current Parks and Recreation star Amy Poehler serving as host. Her return allowed for some fun cameos and overall joyful moments, even if the episode itself didn't serve up to its full potential.

After a cold open featuring some chuckle worthy if predictable jokes about Delaware Senate candidate and part-time witch Christine O'Donnell, Amy used her monlogue to express her nervousness about hosting and the stress dreams she had about the show. This segment brought out the who's-who of SNL of the last decade: Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Rachel Dratch and Justin Timberlake all taunted Amy during her "dream." It was clear that the cast and guests of the show were incredibly excited for Amy to return to the show, and this helped to create an incredibly supporting atmosphere throughout the episode.

While the episode itself was far from perfect, that supportive nature showed to the home audience, and even if I wasn't laughing at a sketch, I could tell that the cast was having fun just being with everyone. When Maya Rudolph reuninted with Amy for their "Bronx Beat" sketch (featuring Katy Perry's boobs clad in an Elmo T-shirt as a wink and a nod to her recent controversy), you could tell that the women were having great fun bringing them alive.

Seth Meyers seemed to enjoy having Amy at his side during "Weekend Update," and they had fun laughing at the awkward meeting of the real New York Governor David Paterson and Fred Armisen's clueless parody of him. I can't even recall many specific jokes and moments that made me laugh, yet, because of the electricity and chemistry Amy had with the cast and guests and the respect they had for her, it was a joy to watch.

Yet, while these moments were fun, I couldn't help but feel like there were many wasted opportunities in the show. I would have absolutely loved to have seen another installment of "the Barry Gibb Talk Show," the ridiculous and hilarious faux talk show with Jimmy and Justin. How often can you get both of them in the same room ... this should have been the highlight of the evening, but instead, it was woefully missed.



Now, I'm willing to recognize the fact that many, if not all of the special guests last night were last-minute additions, which is why they couldn't participate too much, especially in the pre-recorded Digital Short (which, unfortunately, featured Katy Perry attempting to sing), but it was still a shame they couldn't do more. A lot of talent was wasted.

And then, Katy Perry. I wish I could give her kudos for NOT lip syncing, but she was so terrible, screeching her way through every single note in her overplayed songs that it was unbearable. Listening to her perform truly made me cringe.


So, it wasn't the best SNL premiere, but it wasn't the worst. Let's hope next week's Bryan Cranston-hosted episode can improve on the formula. May I make a suggestion? Could Tracy Morgan make a guest appearance reading tweets from next week's musical guest, Kanye West? I love the SNL writers, but I don't know if they could write anything better than Kanye's genius tweets, and since many of his statements sound like something Tracy (both Morgan and his fictional 30 Rock character) would say, so this would be a wonderful inclusion.



Also, as a side, NBC-related note: in a brilliant act of karma, Jeff Zucker, the man who oversaw the collapse of NBC and played a major part in the Conan O'Brien debacle, has left NBC (before he could be fired by Comcast once they take over NBC ... his words, not mine). He complained how hard of a decision it was to leave the company he has worked for all of his adult life, much like Conan complained how hard it was that he was so mistreated by a company he worked at for much of his adult life. I enjoy schadenfreude.


What was everyone's favorite (or least favorite) moments from SNL? Thrilled about the latest corporate shakeup at NBC?

30 Rock and Community shine, while the Office phones it in

Thursday nights are traditionally the best night for television. It would have been so much better had NBC not pushed Parks and Recreation to midseason (which is something I won't harp on, since I have done that plenty already), but it is what it is.

And what it is is not what it used to be, at least when it comes to "the Office." Tonight's episode just proved that it is a shell of what it used to be and should have been put out to pasture. Keep in mind, this is coming from a die-hard fan of the show.

Last night's episode, "Nepotism," was easily the show's weakest season premiere and did not set the season off on a high note.

Here's a recap: The show left off last season with ... wait a second. The events in "Nepotism" had absolutely nothing to do with the events of the closing of season six. It's not known what came about after the printer recall. They made it such a major deal at the end of last season and it was dropped in this episode.

Anyway, suddenly, Dunder Mifflin hired an assistant, something they hadn't needed before (and where did they get that money to pay him?) and Michael hired his nephew to improve his strained family relations. He's your stereotypical douchebag that everyone else hates, and long story short, Michael ends up spanking (yes, spanking) him in front of the whole office, while his co-workers cheer him on. Really? The same people who would be frustrated by Michael's sexually explicit comments and mindless office pranks would cheer on such an awkward and inappropriate gesture? Sure, he was annoying, but I don't even think that would be an appropriate reaction from anyone - and I'm referring to both Michael's gesture and his subordinates' reactions.

Also, in a throwaway talking head, Jim mentioned that Dwight bought the office building. Wait, what. Why? What use would that have? Another question - what was with Dwight's water-filled backpack? Did it have a purpose? I know, it's Dwight, and very few things Dwight does often make sense, but even that seemed outrageously pointless. Can someone help this confused viewer out?

Overall, this episode had maybe one or two chuckle-worthy moments, but nothing to write home about. It's a shame that such a brilliant show has become so slapstick (no pun intended) and unfunny. I wasn't a fan of the cold opener, either. Why is that they have to constantly reference or parody viral Internet videos? Is this Tosh.0 now?



So, thank God for "Community" and "30 Rock." Both shows returned strong last night, especially "Community's" incredibly meta episode (Donald Glover/Troy campaigned to play Spiderman! So Troy wears Spiderman pajamas!). It followed up on last year's romantic drama by creating truly funny moments between Jeff and Britta, yet it also developed a nice satirical flair by making fun of CBS' latest attempt to seem cool, "$#*! My Dad Says" (look how cool they are ... swear words!). You know this is a fantastic episode when Betty White's role was the weakest part, and I mean nothing bad by saying that. She was brilliant and outrageous, especially performing Toto's "Africa" with Troy and Abed. Way to go, "Community," for utilizing her well.

"30 Rock" had some brilliant one-liners ("The Harry Potter theme park is a hit with both Anglophiles and pedophiles"). Matt Damon's previously one-dimensional character was given a funny backstory and made Ina Garten cool. It wasn't their absolute funniest episode and had some awkward plots (I have trouble believing Jenna would be such a brilliant and ruthless producer, even though she's a sociopath), but they did not let them take away from the enjoyment of the show.

"Outsourced," the show NBC bumped "Parks and Rec" for, was incredibly offense, both on a cultural sensitivity level and a "so unfunny it's 'Two and a Half Men'-bad" level. Sure, "Parks and Rec" was weak when it started and it overcame its pitfalls. But it didn't have the offensive premise and execution to overcome. I don't see it laughing.


To be honest, I think "the Office" is a lost cause and that's why Steve Carell has turned in his notice. I'm only watching out of habit, not hoping for quality. However, I do hope "Community" and "30 Rock" stay on their hot streak.

Agree, disagree? Have opinions about any other shows? Leave a comment!

MTV Video Music Awards are the definition of lackluster

Last week, I blogged about how Lady Gaga would make the VMAs great. Well, Gaga's impressive eight wins last night, including Video of the Year, did yield some highlights in the show, including her so-called "meat dress":



Sadly, the rest of the show was fairly boring. Gaga did not perform, which took away some of the mystique in the evening. Justin Bieber sounded off-key, and nearly every other performance involved Auto-Tune and lip syncing. Not to mention, they were fairly boring.

Was Taylor Swift's performance really necessary? I understand that it would have been awful for something like that to happen to her. However, I just feel as though it was completely tacky to compose and (poorly) perform such a maudlin song over something that, in the grand scheme of her career, didn't exactly hurt. I feel like a cover of Natalie Merchant's "Thank You" would have been more fitting, because Kanye West's interruption of her speech made everyone elicit an outrageous amount of sympathy for her. Then again, why fault her for believing the hype?

However, no matter whether one thought harping on the past was necessary it's difficult to argue that she didn't sound great. Which is what is sad about the VMAs and music as a whole: we complain that people lip sync and use AutoTune. But why do they do that? Because they sound like Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. Minus the very talented and charismatic Florence and the Machine and Robyn, each performance was rather lacking.

Host Chelsea Handler wasn't give a whole lot to do, but when she was on stage, she had some good one-liners. I think Kanye West's Twitter account should have hosted the show.

Usually when it comes to late summer-early fall award shows, the Emmys are far superior to the VMAs. Last year with the travesty of Jon Cryer winning an Emmy and the overall boring nature of the presenters, the VMAs were quite entertaining. However, this year things went back to normal. MTV just can't capture the magic they used to have. The show wasn't terrible like June's Movie Awards, just boring.

Amy Poehler will host the SNL season premiere; NBC remains idiotic

It's once again time to highlight the failure of NBC.


Seth Meyers announced on his Twitter page that the Sept. 25 season premiere of Saturday Night Live would feature Amy Poehler as host and Katy Perry as the musical guest. Putting my strong dislike for Katy aside, the musical guest choice is a smart one, in the sense that "California Gurls" not only dominated the summer while SNL was off the air, but "Teenage Dream" is taking off now as well.

In terms of picking a quality host, I think SNL hit the nail on the head. Amy was one of SNL's standouts during this last decade and she is incredibly likable. Plus, I find it pretty impressive that she will be taking on such a daunting task less than two months after giving birth to son Abel.

However, due to NBC's moronic move to push her series, Parks and Recreation back to a midseason premiere, she will have virtually nothing to promote. SNL hosts should not be picked on the sole basis that they have an upcoming movie or TV show. However, it would have been a fantastic way to drum up publicity and buzz about Parks and Rec. The ratings for the show are dismal, likely because people wrote the show off after a sub-par season one. For the record, it is currently the funniest show on television; season two was hilarious.

Of course NBC did not know SNL would have Amy host, but that isn't the point. The point is that they took a now critically approved show with a low audience share and decided to push it to midseason, so that people would forget about it. Now, with Amy hosting, it's another wasted opportunity for them to promote their show.

On that note, maybe Amy could invite her husband, Will Arnett on the show (God, I hope this happens) so he could promote his new show, Running Wilde.


Also, in addition to Jane Lynch hosting on Oct. 9, fellow Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston will host the Oct. 2 episode. Given his background in comedy with Malcolm in the Middle and his hilarious interviews (such as his Daily Show clips), this should also be great.

Lady Gaga holds the key for VMA greatness

The MTV Video Music Awards air next week, and it will be interesting to see what spontaneous (see: Kanye West last year) or orchestrated (see: Madonna/Britney/Christina kissing in 2003) controversies will take place. Like the rest of the music industry, MTV is struggling and the VMAs are awarding something that is becoming increasingly rare and irrelevant on the network and the musical climate as a whole: music videos. Unless one is a night owl or has MTV Hits, the network's digital cable, 24-hour music video station, televised music videos are a rarity.

That's why MTV needs to rely on shocking moments to get people talking about the show. They need performances to remind people why the artists MTV shoves down viewers' throats are worthy. Normally, I find myself complaining about the VMAS; they're an award show I watch purely out of habit. Yet, last year's show was actually wonderful to watch. The Kanye/Taylor Swift debacle was a true shocking moment even MTV couldn't fathom happening. The performances, from my personal favorites, Green Day to even acts I'm not normally fans of (Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, for example) were strong.

However, the key moment for me? Lady Gaga. She was absolutely ridiculous and engrossing to watch. Her performance was so anticipated by fans and haters alike, curious to see what she would come up with. She certainly delivered.



This performance was off-the-wall and outrageous, and that's what made it so perfect for the VMAs. Yet, it also proved that she had talent, and that's why it was good for the VMAs, because it proved that not everything on MTV is awful. Personally, it made me a fan of hers, just because I was in awe of how ridiculous it was, yet it didn't feel as though she was trying to force controversy (like the aforementioned kiss).

At the moment, MTV does not have her performing or even appearing at this year's show. Without her, the show will lose a major power force. She is the most nominated artist of the night and anything she does will be so analyzed by the press and the office water cooler, it can help make the VMAs seem relevant. Without her, who will the big draw be? Rihanna? Justin Bieber? They certainly have their fair share of fans and haters, but they do not posses anywhere near the same public interest or controversial matter as someone like Gaga. Even someone formerly controversial like Eminem has become more mainstream.

Looking at Gaga's tour schedule, she has a break this weekend that would coincide perfectly with a VMA appearance; I hope MTV is just holding off on announcing her appearance to build hype. Because without her, they will really be missing out this year.


On a side note, I saw Lady Gaga in concert Saturday. It was such a spectacular party atmosphere, it was impossible not to walk away feeling good afterward. Yet, it also proved that she has legitimate talent beyond her costumes and crazy nature. Even though I was in the upper section of the Palace of Auburn Hills, it was great. My photos from the event are here. I'm not a great photographer, but I still got some good shots!

The 2010 Emmys deliver, thanks to Jimmy Fallon and company

I love Emmy night. Most people I come into contact with on a regular basis don't understand the fierce passion I have when it comes to Emmy nominations, wins and the broadcast itself. After last year's show was fairly terrible, I was concerned about whether I'd be impressed again, and I certainly was (yes, NBC did something right).

This year's epic opener kind of proves why I love the Emmys so.



Jon Hamm and Betty White shimmying. Perfect song choice. Joel McHale being Joel McHale (side note: I loved that the Emmys used Joel liberally throughout the show, yet never nominated Community for anything). Jimmy and Tina Fey bringing back their adorable chemistry from their Weekend Update days (but, Tina, don't try to sing, please). Lea Michele not making me gag. If that alone doesn't make the Emmys worth watching, I don't understand how you can call yourself a television fan. For God's sake, they made you laugh at Kate Gosselin without hating her. That's quite the feat.

This year really provided a lot of fantastic moments. My second favorite?



Jimmy's dead-on impression of Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day, during his tribute to LOST. While I love TV, I'm also a very devoted Green Day fan, so I nearly fell out of my chair in a combination of laughter and giddiness. Just ask anyone at the BG News, who put up with my reactions to the awards all evening long.

I know a lot of people hate Jimmy, but I think he delivered tonight. He played to his strengths but he didn't dominate the show.

Now, to the actual winners.

I was impressed with the comedy wins. I love 30 Rock, but I can handle them losing, especially to a show like Modern Family. I've expressed my feelings about Glee here before, and I just think that they won the awards they deserved, mainly Jane Lynch. I expected vote-splitting for the three Modern Family nominees in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category, but I'm happy Eric Stonestreet took it (actually, I would have been happy with anyone but Jon Cryer). I strongly believe that in terms of consistency, cast excellence and comedic value, Modern Family is a far superior show to Glee. I have no complaints about it winning, even if it isn't 30 Rock. It's time for some new blood. As for one Modern Family complaint? I wasn't wowed by the pilot episode, which earned Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan an Emmy tonight. 30 Rock's Anna Howard Shaw day, written by Matt Hubbard, was a better episode.

Edie Falco won for her wonderful performance on Nurse Jackie, making her the first woman to win for both comedy and drama acting categories. I would have liked to have seen Amy Poehler (who looked amazing so soon after having her baby) win, so it would help the woefully under-viewed Parks and Recreation, but there's no denying that Edie is great. Due to my inherent bias against CBS comedies, I haven't seen the Big Bang Theory, so I don't know about how deserving Jim Parsons win was. Like with the suppporting actor category, I was just happy it wasn't Larry David, Tony Shalhoub or Matthew Morrison.

As for guest actors, I was impressed. As much as I love and adore Will Arnett, Neil Patrick Harris was great on Glee, and Betty White's win for SNL was also well-deserved. John Lithgow for Dexter was a no-brainer, too.

Now, for drama. Mad Men won once again, over Dexter's amazing season four. As I've said before, Mad Men may be a show that's well executed, but it would have been nice to see Dexter rewarded for its stellar season. Likewise, I'm frustrated Michael C. Hall lost for Outstanding Actor. Yet, since he lost to Bryan Cranston, who put forth a great body of work this year on Breaking Bad (even if the season was a little inconsistent), who has deserved his three consecutive awards.

The award that brought me the most joy, though, was seeing Aaron Paul win for Outstanding Supporting Actor for Breaking Bad. He was just astounding to watch this season. I loved hearing the insane amount of applause for him and his speech was so heartfelt. I'd say it's a three-way tie between him, Edie Falco and Eric Stonestreet for favorite speeches tonight.

(I'm ashamed to say that I'm very unfamiliar with the nominees for the dramatic actresses. However, just because I do root for the underdogs, it would have been nice to see Connie Britton take home the award. I have seen a scant few Friday Night Lights episodes, and her work impressed me.)

Lord knows I love the Daily Show and Jon Stewart, but I wish Conan O'Brien or Stephen Colbert and their respective shows could have won instead, if only so we could have actually received an acceptance speech for them. Conan's nomination intro was pretty humorous too, and it was wonderful seeing him in the audience, strike/unemployment beard still in tact.

Another highlight? Ricky Gervais, as always. It was silly for NBC to book him to host this year's Golden Globes, a show where the host does little work. This isn't meant as a dig at Jimmy, because I think he did great, but the Emmys are what Ricky is made to host. A low light, however, was seeing Jason Sudeikis bring January Jones as his date. I don't care too much about celebrities' private lives, but I just find January to be boring and basic (put on display during her awful SNL episode), especially compared to his ex-wife, the hilarious and gorgeous Kay Cannon (who was nominated tonight for 30 Rock). It's just one of those couples that baffles me.

Alright, I've rambled on long enough about the Emmys, but I just love them so. What did everyone else think were highlights and low points? Any red carpet mishaps I missed? Seriously, if there were any awful/hilarious/amazing red carpet moments, please let me know. I had to work, so I was only able to watch the show on a stream online, and it was hard enough to pay attention to them, I didn't have time to watch red carpet shows, either.

For a list of winners, click here.

Brian Williams returns to the Daily Show

Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to update in a while. School and the BG News are dominating my life right now. I don't have as much time as I'd like to update in depth as I'd like. And, the saddest part? I will have to miss the Emmys this Sunday. It's pathetic, really, how depressed I am about this!

In the meantime, I would like to highlight Brian Williams' appearance on the Daily Show Tuesday night. Even when talking about morose topics such as the death of Brian's father and Hurricane Katrina, BriWi-Jonny Stew moments are some of my favorite parts of television today.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Brian Williams
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Weeds: It's all been done

Season six of Showtime's hit show Weeds premiered last night, and while it wasn't a poor episode, I couldn't help but feel like the writers just played a game of "search and replace" with the scripts of past seasons.

For those who have yet to catch up with season five, here's a bit of a recap: Nancy is pregnant with Esteban's child. A woman from Esteban's past, Pilar, comes into his life and attempts to run his political campaign as a Mexican governor. Seeing Nancy, Silas and Shane as toxic assets to Esteban's career, she attempts to have Nancy killed. Esteban attempts to have Nancy quietly deliver the baby at home (so that Nancy can be killed with no record of the birth), but Nancy and Andy go to Dr. Audra Kitson (Alanis Morissette) and deliver the baby with Andy's name on the birth certificate. Andy and Audra begin dating, and he proposes to her. However, he bails on Audra when her stalker breaks into her home and kidnaps her.

Esteban and Nancy make up and marry, but Pilar is still out for blood. At a campaign party for Esteban, she tells Nancy that Silas and Shane are unnecessary and detrimental towards Esteban's political career, and threatens to have them killed. Shortly after, Shane attacks Pilar with a croquet mallet and she falls into the nearby pool and bleeds to death.

And that's not even describing the plots of the secondary characters such as Doug and Celia (although, with Elizabeth Perkins gone, who knows if that will happen). So, there's a lot going on when "Thwack" opens.

The problem I had with the episode is that I felt as though I saw everything before. Back at the end of season two, Celia attempted to have Silas arrested for dealing pot. While there wasn't a threat on Silas' life in that case, it was the first thing that popped in my mind when Pilar threatened them. Nancy's lifestyle, both her family dynamic and business model, were being threatened. The same thing happened again; the boys were used as collateral in Nancy's life.

After Pilar is murdered, Nancy rushes home and packs up the bare essentials and abandons the house, much like the season three finale, where Nancy burns the Agrestic house down. Shane tells Silas about how he killed Pilar, and says he feels no differently about himself. She realizes she needs Andy's van to flee, and heads to his home, where Audra is tied up by her pro-life, evangelical, crossbow-yielding stalker. Gee, Andy's girlfriend is in harm's way thanks to a violent man chasing after her ... this sounds an awful lot like Zooey Deschanel's Kat being chased by Abumchuck the bounty hunter in season two/three. I just wish the plot line with Audra was as funny as Kat and Abumchuck's was.

Eventually, thanks to Nancy, the stalker is subdued, and Audra is furious with Andy. She breaks up with him and tells him that he should just leave with Nancy, which he does somewhat begrudgingly. Andy finds out about Shane, and doesn't express much shock. The episode ends with the gang leaving town, and a cliched "serial killer rear view mirror" moment with Nancy seeing Shane in the mirror.

Weeds has been one of those where it seems as though nothing and everything happen all at once, and this episode was a perfect example. It seemed slow (maybe due to the deja vu), yet it's obviously acting as the catalyst for everything that's going to happen this season. However, instead of fleeing to Mexico like in the lackluster season four, it seems as though the Botwins will not stay in more than one place for long. Hopefully that will help the show stay fresh. I just hope we still hear from everyone holding down the fort at home, too. It's a shame that Elizabeth Perkins left the show, because I will miss Celia. However, I hope the show finds a way to keep her family in the show. Because as Nancy continues to put herself and her family in danger, I'm finding it more difficult to sympathize with her.

Yet, I'm fascinated by Shane. Considering all of the things that have gone wrong in his life, I'm surprised he isn't more violent or troubled. Plus, one could argue that his killing of Pilar was in self-defense. Then again, maybe said cliche rear view image is a sign of things to come. All of this traveling could allow him to further act out, and that could be both fascinating and horrifying to see.

Did anyone else watch "Thwack?" What are your thoughts? Do you have any hopes for this season?

Jane Lynch to host Oct. 9 SNL, but who will host the season premiere?

I was excited to learn yesterday that Glee star Jane Lynch will host the Oct. 9 episode of Saturday Night Live. It's always a treat when SNL gets hosts who are competent in the world of physical comedy, and I have a feeling that the seemingly fearless Jane will fit in quite well. She's more than proven her worth with films such as the 40 Year-Old-Virgin and Role Models, and so it'll be great to see her be someone other than Sue Sylvester for the evening.

However, even with this announcement, it still leaves the spot open for who will host the season 36 premiere episode. It's rarely the highest-rated episode of SNL, but it's still a pretty big deal, since the season premiere can often set the pace for the tone of the rest of the season. It's quite the honor to host any time, but on such a noteworthy time as the season premiere, that's something.

Unfortunately, lately, SNL has gone for a host of this episode for their notoriety rather than comedic ability. Steve Carell hosted the season 31 premiere in 2005, and he was a perfect fit. Not only was he a high-profile star at the time (the 40-Year-Old Virgin was released a month prior), but he was actually funny on the show. After that, things went downhill.

In 2006, Dane Cook hosted the season 32 premiere. I personally cannot stand Dane, but I think even fans would be hard pressed to disagree that his stand up storytelling just did not translate well onto the SNL stage. It was an awful fit, and his extreme smugness was too much to bear. I am a huge fan of the musical guest that evening, the Killers, so sitting through that show to watch them? It was painful.

Seasons 33 and 34, SNL made the same mistake of tapping sports superstars to host, with Cleveland's Public Enemy #1 in 2007, and Michael Phelps in 2008. LeBron James wasn't too terrible (the image of him from the Solid Gold sketch still makes me laugh), but he wasn't great, either. As for Michael? He was far too awkward and worthless. These episodes proved that you can't just assume people who are charismatic in one field would do well at Studio 8H.

In 2009, Transformers star Megan Fox hosted. I will give her the benefit of the doubt because the writing for the episode was lackluster. However, she did not bring anything to the table, which, as a host like Jon Hamm proves, is very possible.

SNL ends up leaving a negative impression in peoples' minds right from the season's start, and it doesn't have to be that way.

Can I put in a couple of suggestions to Lorne Michaels? Will Arnett, the husband of one of SNL's finest, Amy Poehler, will begin a new show on Fox, Running Wilde, this fall. It's a rival network, sure, but I think he could deliver. (Side note, congratulations to Will and Amy on the birth of their second child, Abel James!) I'd recommend his co-star on the show, Keri Russell, but I don't know how strong she'd be on a format like SNL (we don't want a repeat of the January Jones fiasco). Joel McHale is a network in-house talent as well, and a hosting gig would be great publicity for the ratings-challenged Community. It's always baffled me that Stephen Colbert and John Krasinski haven't hosted, so I would love if Lorne considered them.

One suggestion I find amusing is the one on Facebook, which is to have Conan O'Brien host. This will NEVER happen, but wow, it would be fantastic if it did. To be honest, it would be genius. The ad revenue for that show would be through the roof, so NBC could still profit off of him even after all of the drama. Per his contract with NBC, he could legally host a show as of Sept. 1, and SNL does not premiere until Sept. 25, so it's possible, but not probable. He was funny when he hosted in 2001, and I'm sure the writing staff would work extra hard to make his show great.

Who are some other potential knockout hosts for SNL? Looking to defend any recent hosts? Leave a comment!

TV Tropes: taking time-wasting to a whole new level

Since I love making people waste time with TV or on the Internet, I feel as though I have to share this.

My own Internet kryptonite, ONTD, was named on Urlesque's list of the most addictive websites ever. It was on that list I found out about a pop culture junkie's paradise, TV Tropes.

It's a fantastic database listing all of media's cliches and common plot elements, and it's yet another one of the Internet's black holes. I'm currently writing this entry at 6:00 a.m., hours after I had originally planned to do so. Why? TV Tropes.

The site explains such phenomena as "The Danza," where characters are named after the actors (I say this is often due to actor stupidity or subtle reflections of real life, like Tracy Jordan/Morgan on 30 Rock, regardless of reports otherwise), like (Hold Me Closer) Tony Danza. I also enjoy the "Cluster F Bomb" page, which I don't think I need to explain. But I could go on and on.

Just take a gander at the site, and I will accept rage-filled comments for making you waste more time on the Internet. You're welcome.

Will Jersey Shore lose its appeal?

In my last entry, I talked about how I couldn't bring myself to enjoy Mad Men. I know why - because I watch trash like Jersey Shore.

I hate reality TV, but Jersey Shore is just so ridiculous, I can't resist it. I wish I were more excited about the season two premiere on MTV tonight, but I'm not. Why? Because I'm afraid that it will be too scripted.


Yes, I realize that it sounds semi-insane that I'm bemoaning the potential loss of realness in an MTV show. After all, how realistic are these shows from the get-go? These eight strangers wouldn't have met and lived in their Seaside Heights home without the help of MTV, and I'm sure the cameras do influence their behavior. However, with Jersey Shore, I honestly felt as though there was little exaggeration when it came to the behavior of the cast members. I think Snooki will be Snooki whether there is a camera on hand or not. My brain hurts trying to comprehend the idea of the Situation wearing a shirt unless required by law. The way they acted in season one was really ridiculous and ridiculously real.

Back in March, I wrote about the issue that plagued one of MTV's biggest reality show hits, the Osbournes. It had an outrageous first season, and that ridiculousness is what made the show so addictive and fun to watch. Then, in the second season, the show became about the show and the fame the family got from it. It felt scripted and I got the idea that the family was acting in subsequent seasons. This is my fear for Jersey Shore.

For the beginning of this season, the cast will be living in Miami, and while I think it could make way for some interesting moments, I worry that the show will focus too much on their new fame. What was fun in season one was that the cast members seemed to act out these stereotypes in their own lives, and were just transported to New Jersey as they were - self-described guidos living the "Jersey Shore" life elsewhere. Now, I worry they truly have just become actors, and have lost touch with their real lives, and for me, that takes away a lot of the show's appeal.

I'm in Cleveland right now, and the hotel I'm in (the same one that has the unreliable satellite) does not feature MTV, so I'll either have to search it out online tomorrow night after it airs, or catch it when I go home, which is unfortunate. So, I'd love to hear everyone's comments on what they think of the season premiere tonight.

Mad Men returns tonight, yet I cannot bring myself to watch

I should be excited about the return of AMC's Emmy award winning drama Mad Men tonight. I usually love shows that are critically acclaimed and develop a rabid, if small, fan base. However, I just cannot bring myself to enjoy the show.

It's not that I think Mad Men is a bad show. I see exactly why people love it so much, and I recognize that it's brilliantly executed, especially in regards to cinematography. I love most of the cast members outside of the show, and from what I've seen, they give great performances on the show.

Yet, just because one realizes a show is brilliant, that doesn't make one a fan. The aspects of Mad Men that make it great just don't hook me at all. I've tried watching season one twice; I think I've watched the pilot episode three times. I find the pace to be too slow for my tastes, even though that's probably one of the things that makes the show what it is.

I've had people call me crazy for not falling under the allure of Mad Men. Usually, people react like this:



To be honest, I don't blame them. I don't know what mental block is stopping me from enjoying the show, because I want to love it. However, in my defense, and the defense of others who can't fall in love with Mad Men or other high-quality shows, I think it's good that I can recognize a good show when I see one. It's just that what I respect and what I like can be two totally different things.

I try not to judge shows based upon first viewing. I didn't like Modern Family or 30 Rock's pilot episodes, but now I enjoy the shows. I didn't enjoy Friday Night Lights' pilot, yet I feel like I need to give that show another chance for the same reasons I listed for Mad Men (the performances are supposed to be so good). But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the spark isn't there, and that's what happened with me and Mad Men.

With that said, I'm happy for all of the fans of the show who have been waiting a year for their Dick Whitman fix (Why do I know that is Don Draper's real name considering I don't watch the show? It shows I know too much about TV.). I just won't share in their enthusiasm.


Are there shows that just couldn't hook you, no matter how many people praised them, no matter how many Emmys they received?

UPDATE: NBC not to blame for Writing Emmys snub

Well, TV fans, I have bad news, and I have even worse news.

The bad news? The Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series Emmy award will still not be presented on prime time television, which I wrote about yesterday.

The worse news? NBC cannot be blamed for this (and let me tell you, since I get a real high out of hating the Peacock, this is a real buzzkill for me).

According to Deadline Hollywood, this Emmy category, and other writing nominations were pre-arranged by the Emmys and the Writers Guild of America to only air in prime time every other year. It just so happens that this is the year in which these categories will be presented during the Creative Arts Emmys, or the Schmemmys, as Kathy Griffin refers to them, one week before the prime time show.

When Conan writer Deon Cole Tweeted after finding out that his nominated category would not appear in prime time (the Schmemmys will air on E! one week before the prime time awards), many took it to mean that NBC was cutting the category out of the show as a conspiracy against Conan. It's not like that isn't something that NBC would do, as petty as they are. Unfortunately, NBC cannot be blamed for this oversight. Rather, the union that is working for the writers is downgrading their members' publicity by agreeing to appear only on the Schmemmys.

So, I think the two points I made yesterday still stand: the prime time telecast will lose one of the few highlights of the show (the nomination videos), and it's unfair that the writers are delegated to the Schmemmys. As the Deadline Hollywood article notes, NBC probably isn't too thrilled about losing such a highlight in the telecast (then again, as I said yesterday, they'll just use that extra time to shameless promote their soon-to-be-canceled shows).

Also, I want to note, I don't mean to downplay winning a Schmemmy (to be honest, my ridiculous dream in life is to win ANY Emmy award, Schmemmy or not). It's just that this arrangement seems strange. How unfortunate would it be to be nominated for a writing Emmy in an even-numbered year, when you will only be featured on cable and in industry chatter, but to be shunned in an odd-numbered year, when those nominated people will be shown on prime time? It should be an all-or-nothing setup, not this peculiar arrangement.

It's a shame that Deon and Conan's fellow writers won't be able to be recognized for the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (since it's their only year for that show to be nominated) and that the other nominees won't be recognized on prime time. It's also sad that the audience will lose such a fun moment in the show. But the biggest shame of all is that it can't be blamed on NBC.

Outstanding Variety Series Emmy awards removed from telecast, likely due to Conan O'Brien

^I don't think anyone could have summed up the latest Emmy news better.

Last week, I blogged about how exciting it was that the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien was nominated for Emmys this year, even after all of the controversy with NBC. NBC executives were probably shaking in their boots, because if Conan and/or his writing staff won awards, they would have to suffer the awkward indignation of airing the acceptance speech of someone they so unceremoniously booted off of the network.

So, it doesn't come as too much of a surprise that, according to one of Conan's writers, Deon Cole, the 2010 Emmy broadcast, which will air on NBC this year, will not feature the Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program. Continuing their long-standing reputation of acting like petty 14-year-old girls, the network has decided to eliminate any possible way for Conan or his writing staff to appear on camera to accept an award at the Emmys, in their ongoing mission to pretend as though he never existed. Deon said that it wasn't NBC who made this decision, but I have a feeling that the telecast producers were largely influenced by the network (Jeff Zucker, in particular) to make the cut, and that he was just being polite.

This bothers me a lot, for two main reasons. First, the removal of this category will remove from the Emmy telecast what is typically the best part of the show - the nominee videos for the category.







I always enjoy seeing what the writers of the nominated shows come up with each year, and it bothers me that we will not be able to see the nominee presentations this year. Instead, knowing NBC, they'll use the extra time in the telecast to have Jay Leno on the show, complaining about how he wasn't nominated, or spending time shamelessly previewing the future failure fall shows on NBC. Even if the Tonight Show didn't win the Emmy (typically, the Daily Show wins, but Late Night did win in 2007), NBC apparently couldn't risk Conan and his writers using the nominee portion to take a dig at the network. I'm sad that we won't be able to see the Conan team's videos, as well as videos from the fellow nominees (the Daily Show, the Colbert Report, Saturday Night Live and Real Time with Bill Maher).

The second reason this bothers me is that in NBC's increasingly pathetic attempts to do damage control, they are unfairly hurting the nominees. Outstanding Writing award doesn't just honor the show, but the people who help to put it together, the names that many people don't pay attention to when the credits roll. For that one second, their names, and possibly faces, can be featured on a prime-time show, and they can be publicly honored for their accomplishments. NBC is now taking away that honor for the writers of all of the nominated writers of all of the nominated shows. The writers for the shows should not be punished for NBC's failure to run their network. I like to see writers in the spotlight, and this Emmy category is a great chance for people to recognize their talents.

It's not that I feel sorry for Conan, but his writers, and the writers of all of the nominated shows. I feel sorry for Emmy viewers, who will be robbed of a show highlight. With award show ratings going down the toilet, you would think networks would want to do whatever they can to keep highlights in the show. Then, I remember, this is NBC we're dealing with, and everything makes sense.

I now wonder if Conan and his staff will even be invited to the Emmys this year. If they aren't, I hope some party crashing goes on, not to vindicate Conan, who has constantly reaffirmed that he does not want sympathy, but for the sake of the shunned writers. Plus, it would be a great middle finger to NBC.

This is why we can't have nice things, because the trolls at NBC will find a way to ruin it. It's what they do best.

Calling for cable

I'm currently in a hotel room in Cleveland, and I planned on spending the evening watching some movies on Showtime, since we do not have it at home. Just as one of the movies I wanted to watch started to play, a scattered shower came overhead, and knocked out satellite services to our hotel. This wasn't a massive monsoonal thunderstorm, but rather a much-needed rain that could refresh the plants on the ground. However, it was enough to knock out our channels for a good 25 minutes. In other words, it was enough to make me miss a big chunk of the movie, so I just gave up on it.

This leads me to ask a couple of questions - why is satellite television so popular? I would not want to trust my television to something as sensitive as a satellite, which is very temperamental. I've talked to numerous people who have satellite services, and they frequently have random blackouts due to natural weather movements (or, just randomly for no apparent reason). I'm still amazed that, years after satellite television came onto the scene, it's still so shaky and unreliable. I know that satellite services are widely dependent upon the environment. However, when you consider how much cable has improved in terms of not being so dependent upon the weather, why hasn't satellite?

Are the multiple channels really worth the risk of not being able to watch them? Can you even navigate the hundreds of channels you have on your satellite service? I have digital cable, and there are so many channels I forget about or miss in my perusal of the idiot box. At least, when I do find something to watch, with my cable, there are fewer chances of my picture suddenly going away. I am rather fond of our cable provider, Buckeye CableSystem, and while even their best packages don't offer nearly the same variety and volume of channels as satellite companies, at least their customers can trust that they're going to see what they have.

 It's just frustrating that when I do have access to premium channels such as Showtime, I can't even access them when I want to. Thankfully, the movie I was watching, Big Fan, is on DVD, so I can catch it later. Could I still be watching it if our hotel had cable?

Am I being too harsh on satellites? Have any cable horror stories (as much as I love cable, I will be the first to acknowledge that cable companies aren't perfect)? I'm genuinely curious about the ways and means in which people watch TV.

Fun Food Network Challenge captivates and cures the blues

It wasn't a great end to my weekend. One of my beloved cats, Sammy, passed away. I was very upset about this, and since I needed something to take my mind off of the fact that he's no longer in the house, I, being the television junkie that I am, turned to the idiot box for solace. In short: Thank God for the always wonderful Food Network Challenge, which always seems to air in a marathon on Sunday nights.

The show, which features professional chefs competing against one another to create the most delicious and aesthetically appeasing food for a $10,000 prize, is one of those shows that I will leave on any time I come across it when channel surfing. It's so addictive; it's highly drama without being overly ridiculous, and it's so fascinating to see how these elaborate creations come together. I'm especially partial to the episodes featuring cakes and other sweet treats, likely because they are the easiest to admire without actually using taste as a means to judge the creations.

The other evening, I caught the SpongeBob Squarepants birthday cake challenge episode, and I absolutely loved it. The cakes the competitors made were so amazing. Seeing nearly life-sized cakes of Mr. Krabs and Patrick? That is right up my alley. I loved seeing the competitors take existing characters and using their own creative pasty flair to make them come to life. Of course, the cakes don't always turn out so wonderful. I remember the infamous collapse of the Sully cake (from Monsters, Inc.) during the Pixar cake episode.

The amount of anguish and pain I feel for the competitors is pretty intense. I worry that all of the hard work they do won't matter, since they won't even be able to finish creating their ideal work. Last night, I was watching the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame cake challenge episode, and I would have loved to have seen how it turned out, but my cable box decided to freeze up 15 minutes into the episode. However, during the moments I did watch, it was clear that the competitors were going to have issues with their elaborate cakes (especially those who were making theirs to look like the actual building in Cleveland). I felt so sorry for them.

I'll admit, my food palette is pretty boring, therefore, the recipe-based shows on the Food Network don't really interest me. But add in the pretty designs of these cakes or confections during the Food Network Challenge? You've got me sitting on the edge of my seat with my mouth watering.

My only question: Who eats the massive creations when they're done with the episode? Then again, are they even edible at all once they are finished, or are they just made with food?

Emmy nominations, LeBron James' tackiness and Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert's brilliance

It was quite the day for television Thursday, and there's a lot to discuss.

First up - the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Award nominations were announced bright and early yesterday morning. The nominations feature a fair share of stalwarts, snubs and surprises, as always.

Plus, LeBron James inflates his ego by punching Northeast Ohio in the face on national television.

As if that weren't enough, Steve Carell made his first appearance on the Colbert Report, and the word "epic" doesn't even begin to cover it.

American Idols Live faces dismal ticket sales, cancellations

Anyone who has access to any form of popular media has probably heard that season 9 of American Idol, which ended in May with Toledo's own Crystal Bowersox NOT being crowned the winner (sorry, I'm still bitter), was the weakest season of the show. While contestants may have had talent, by and large, they lacked the charisma and panache of seasons past. It also didn't help that Paula Abdul left the show and Simon Cowell had mentally checked out of his judging duties (who remembers his excellent rant about Tim Urban still being voted in week after week regardless of his critiques?).

Conventional wisdom would say that because this season had so little fanfare, polarizing fandoms and captivating performers, ticket sales for the summer tradition that is the American Idols Live! tour would be weak. That didn't stop the planners of this tour to book an exceptionally large amount of dates, many in massive venues. That didn't turn out so well.

Tuesday, rumors of cancellations and date and venue changes were confirmed by American Idol. Dates in Cleveland, Toronto, Omaha, Neb., Kansas City, Mo., Buffalo, N.Y., Portland, Maine and Winnipeg, Manitoba were canceled, and the dates of eight shows were changed. Instead of the tour ending in mid-September, it will end Aug. 31 in Indianapolis (conspiracy theorists note that this may be to avoid paying the salaries of the performers and crew for the month of September).

I understand that these venues are booked far in advance, but I can't help but wonder if they could have made some of these changes and arrangements (such as the Pittsburgh venue change to a smaller pavilion versus the massive Consol Energy Center) before they announced the dates. It was pretty clear early in the season that this season was a dud, and maybe they could have lessened the blow of this PR nightmare.

For example, in Cleveland, the tour normally went to the Wolstein Center, which seats up to 14,000 people. This venue is where I saw Clay Aiken and company the American Idols Live in 2003, and I thought it was a perfect sized venue. This year, the year where it was painfully obvious ticket sales would be bad? They decided to go to the larger Quicken Loans Arena, where the Cavaliers play. No wonder the show was canceled.

In addition, I think the locations of the tour stops were planned poorly. For example, a new addition to the tour this year is in Toledo, at our new 8,000 seat Huntington Center. This addition was likely made to include a hometown show for Crystal, and it seemed as though it was going to accommodate northern Ohio fairly well (but even that date isn't selling well). However, there were still too many dates around this city, or at the very least, in too big of venues (as mentioned with Cleveland).

Toledoans could stay home, or go to Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit and Grand Rapids, all within about a 3 hour distance. That's just too many options. When Toledoans go to concerts, we can help fill big venues like the Wolstein Center in bigger cities. But when you have small market concerts with big ones too, it's just not feasible to expect bigger venues to sell out too, such as the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Simply put: the tour was too big and the talent too bland. Plus, in this economy, people just cannot justify paying even $20 (which are what some Idol tickets are selling for) for a favorite to sing 3 or 4 songs (this is why I'm not going to the Toledo show, since I'd only wish to see Crystal).

This is a bad year for American Idol, and this tour is making it worse. Couple that with Simon's departure next year, and I wonder if it means this could be the last Idol tour we ever see, because I wouldn't be surprised if next year would not only mark the end of the show, but wouldn't be able to support a tour. Next year's cast needs to be buzzworthy enough to make viewers pull out their credit cards.


For updated tour information, visit Idol's official site.

Jay Leno now delivers lower ratings than Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show run

I hope my American readers enjoyed their Independence Day (and today, if you got the day off for the holiday). Shame it was so hot here in Toledo that it was unbearable to be outside, hopefully the heat didn't ruin the day for everyone.

In the "News that even Helen Keller could have predicted" department (side note, Helen and I share a June 27 birthday. I love that. However, I also share it with Khloe Kardashian, so you win some, lose some.), Jay Leno is kind of failing.

After 4 months back on the Tonight Show, Jay's ratings are even lower than Conan O'Brien's were during his Tonight Show tenure. After starting off strong back in March, viewership has dipped 20 percent, and Nightline now beats both his and David Letterman's numbers.

Apparently, Jay's desperate attempts to be painted as the clueless victim didn't go over so well with people. Or, people have lost their taste for Jay's stale comedy after all these years.

I'll let Conan express my feelings for me:



It's so ridiculous. NBC "punished" Jay by putting him back in his coveted late-night spot, and in the processed, punished Conan for garnering lower ratings than Jay, who is now failing. Now, he's doing even worse, NBC still has to shell out money for 10 p.m. weekday shows and they have yet another fantastic story from a public relations perspective. I bet they're thrilled.

As the above article points out, NBC kept Jay and his team because he would have been more expensive to buy out than Conan. However, Jay's show is much more expensive to maintain than Conan's was and would have been had he stayed at NBC. Now, since decreased ad revenue is likely going to result from this, they're still losing big time, and have foolishly severed all ties with such a strong network icon, all because they impulsively acted out of panic in late 2009 as a result of their own stupid decisions.

Since I love some schadenfreude, especially when NBC is the one experiencing the misfortune, I'm writing this entry with a big grin on my face. I used to be neutral towards Jay and his team, but this whole debacle and his smarmy attitude after it (such as when he claimed that Conan ruined the Tonight Show franchise) has resulted in my reveling in his failure. If there's anyone I feel bad for in this, it's Jimmy Fallon and his show, which has vastly improved since last year. His ratings are suffering as well, and I think Jay is partially to blame.

Is that immature? Yes, probably. Should I feel bad for Conan since he's still a multi-millionaire? Probably not. But that's not the point. This whole incident came from an unfair and illogical decision from a tired network, and it still baffles and annoys me. In television, if your show fails miserably, as Jay's prime time show did, it's canceled, not rewarded with a better spot, that's just the way it should go, and didn't in this case.

I haven't watched the Tonight Show since Conan's last rerun aired in February. It's going to be tough not to watch Thursday, when Steve Carell and Jane Lynch are on the same show, but I won't, out of principle (one that is semi-irrational, considering I'm sadly not a Nielsen household, but still).

Are you the same way, or have you gone back to the Tonight Show?

RIP Party Down and NinjaVideo (but you didn't hear that from me)

Television cancellations are no fun. This was proven today when Starz announced they were cancelling Party Down and Gravity. I never watched Gravity, but I did enjoy Party Down, so this made me sad. It was like a mini-Veronica Mars reunion, with hilarious characters and great one-liners.

It doesn't come as much of a surprise, really. The season finale only garnered 74,000 viewers, and this season, star Jane Lynch left to join Glee full-time, and Adam Scott's hilarious role on Parks and Recreation would likely cause scheduling issues. No disrespect to Starz, but I wish a show this good could have been on a network like HBO, where it could at least benefit from a bigger subscriber base and a bigger influence when it came to marketing.

On the bright side, the show did go out in prime form before it got the chance to die a slow, painful death (like the Office), so I'll choose to look at this cancellation as a bit of a blessing in disguise for the show's quality.

Since so few people actually have the Starz network, I'm betting that they probably watched the program on the Internet. Well, those who watch television shows on the Internet were dealt quite the blow today when the feds shut down sites such as TVShack.net and, my personal knight in shining armor, NinjaVideo.net.

I know the piracy argument. I understand it. To an extent, I can agree with it. But, for now, I would just like to say one thing.

Last week, I blogged about how I had fallen in love with Modern Family. Do you know how I found all 24 of the season's episodes, while helped me experience the show? Not Hulu or ABC.com, who only have five of the episodes, but NinjaVideo. I now plan on being a regular viewer of the show in the fall.

The same goes for season 2 of Chuck; season 1 was on theWB.com when I watched it last summer, which helped me really enjoy it (see? Official network sites pay off!), but it was season 2, which was on NinjaVideo, that really cemented my love for it. Subsequently, I bought both seasons on DVD. I began watching Spaced on there, and I proceeded to buy the DVD set.

Again, I can see the arguments against sites like NinjaVideo. But, it is just not rational that people are going to go out and blindly buy box sets of TV shows without previewing them. If official sites aren't going to offer them, people are going to turn to outside sources, like NinjaVideo. I watch whatever I can on Hulu or official sites, but they offer such a limited selection, they can only go so far. The Internet has helped me fall in love with television, and I would argue (and I doubt I'm alone), caused me to spend more money on the medium, because I never would have bought a big chunk of the DVDs I have without watching the shows online first.

Last week, I went to Cleveland and I found season 1 of the Channel 4 series Shameless at the library. I really love it; the problem is, there are 7 seasons of the show, and this is the only season of the show released in the US. So, I could buy season 1 here, but I would have had to have turned to NinjaVideo to watch the rest of the series. Now, I don't know if I'll ever finish it.

The Toledo-Lucas County Library, my home library, doesn't own season 1. I wouldn't have seen it had I not gone to Cleveland, so, how many people are now in the same boat? They don't have the luxury of previewing the show on DVD without buying it blindly, and have now lost a way to watch it in the first place. That could have been one more season 1 DVD sold.

Media companies should be willing to fully adapt to the demands of consumers, rather than turning to archaic methods to keep products away from consumers. 30-40 second ads on Hulu don't bother me, as I said, I try and watch as much as I can on there. But I'm not going to pay for it, and if I do pay for a full season of a show, I want a tangible DVD of it, a one-time purchase, which I can bring wherever I go, Internet or not. THAT'S portability. I will buy shows once I fall in love with them, not before I see them. I strongly believe that shutting down sites like NinjaVideo will prevent people from seeing TV shows, supporting them and giving them buzz.

I'm just really going to miss NinjaVideo. The video quality was amazing, and while I rarely watched new content on there, videos were posted so quickly after they aired. The site helped me discover so many shows thanks to its vast library. I wonder how many shows I would have fallen in love with on there had it not been removed, it's a shame.

Are you still reeling from the loss of a wonderful site? Are you glad sites like these are gone? Are there recent television cancellations that have brought sadness to your life? (Should I be terrified that the feds are going to bang down my door for admitting my love for NinjaVideo?)

Steve Carell departs the Office, should the show end too?

At Monday's premiere of Despicable Me, the film's star, Steve Carell, repeated the statement he made back in April, that the upcoming seventh season of the Office would be his last. Upon initially hearing this news, like many fans, this was my reaction:



Then, I began to think about it more, and I realize that, if played correctly, Steve's departure could be a blessing in disguise to the show's quality. Many, if not most fans of the show feel that the show's quality has drastically decreased in the last few seasons. However, since it's still a cash cow to NBC, there's little danger of it being cancelled in 2011. So, instead of having a set end date, like with Friends, they'll let it limp by season after season.

So, as someone who views Thursdays as the highlight of my week because of NBC's Comedy Night Done Right, I think Steve's departure should mark the end of the show. Since Jim and Pam have married (which would have been another good end note for the series), I think Michael Scott leaving would be the most logical end point for the show in 2011.

Seven seasons is a lot in television, and the Office is truly a success story for the struggling NBC. They believed in the show when it was not popular, and it eventually became beloved. As a result, it would be best for them, and the writers and producers of the show, to give it a proper ending. I'd rather have an "early" fantastic ending than a closure that is sub-par and dragged out over seasons.

Here's my idea for the show's final season.

Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) follows through on her promise to look into transferring Holly Flax (Amy Ryan) back to Scranton. However, the only compromise she can make is to give Holly a promotion at corporate headquarters in New York City (not Scranton, but much closer than Nashua, N.H.) at the beginning of the season, allowing Toby to once again ruin Michael's life. The two date long distance over the course of the season, and eventually, a management position opens up at Corporate for Michael, allowing him to move to New York to live with Holly. His going away gift will be a year's supply of Nightswept and a showing of the documentary (which has been licensed to a channel like IFC).

Jim and Pam continue working at Dunder Mifflin, while Pam sells artwork on the side, hoping to eventually make it a career. Do we know what else Jim likes to do? I feel like we don't, so I really can't think of an alternative career option for Jim. Stanley will be able to retire. Meredith will meet a friend with benefits on the Internet. Andy and Oscar realize their true love for one another. Kevin and Stacy get back together. Kelly and Ryan move in together, with Ryan regularly going to hipster band shows in New York and Philadelphia. Dwight and Isabel get married, and, this may seem insane, but I see Angela and Mose beginning a relationship (if only so we can see Mose again before the series ends). I've yet to figure out happy endings for Phyllis/Bob, Erin and Toby, but I'm sure that can be worked out in due time.

We see that Creed has once again begun playing music again, and he has begun a small club tour in Pennsylvania. The last ever scene of the show? Creed getting ready to engage in a drugs and sex filled romp on his tour with a bunch of groupies. Lots of peach cobbler will be involved, and someone will probably have their wallet, and subsequently, their identity stolen by Creed in the morning.


Of course, since this is television we're talking about, none of this will happen. The rest of the cast is under contract for an eighth season, meaning we'll have to suffer through another lackluster season which is made worse by the departure of one of the main characters (see Scrubs, NewsRadio, although the circumstances surrounding that show were a little different, sadly). The show will suffer in the ratings and go out like a lamb with an unsatisfying conclusion. What can I say? I'm a pessimist, and this is NBC we're talking about, who will milk this cash cow for as long as they can.

It sounds crazy, a die-hard fan wishing for the end of one's favorite show. It's not that I want the Office out of my life. It's just that, unless it can dramatically improve this next year, I'd rather see it put out of its misery with dignity and care in 2011. Michael Scott is not the only reason I watch the show, but he is an integral part of it, and I honestly believe that Steve's departure would allow for a poignant and funny end to a series that has brought me many laughs over the years.

Am I crazy, or do Office fans agree with me? Do you have your own thoughts about the quality level of the show over the years? Have any more insane ideas about how it should end? Leave a comment!

Modern Family: Not Arrested Development, but still wonderful

This is Manny Delgado, one of the standout characters on last season's breakout hit comedy, Modern Family. Countless people, especially Andy Ouriel, kept insisting I watch the show. I'm late to jump on the bandwagon for this show, but I finally caught up with it, and I'm glad that I did.

For those unfamiliar with the show, it is a mockumentary which centers on the lives of the extended Pritchett family. Patriarch Jay Pritchett lives with his much younger, Colombian wife, Gloria and her son, Manny, a ten year old who alienates other children his age by acting more like an adult than many of the adults around him. Jay's daughter, Claire, lives with her husband, Phil (who is rather clueless but well-meaning) and their three children. Claire's brother, Mitchell, lives with his partner, Cameron, and their newly adopted Vietnamese daughter, Lily.

I initially dismissed the show after watching the pilot episode when it aired in September (which is what I also did with what has now become one of my favorite shows of all time, 30 Rock). I feel like I'm the minority for not finding the Lion King/Pride Rock imitation Cameron did to introduce Lily to the family very funny. Since my plate was already pretty full of other television shows in the fall, while I didn't hate the show, I didn't find it funny enough to warrant watching on a regular basis.

When I watched the show initially, I think I came into it with different, not necessarily higher, expectations than I should have. Shortly before the show premiered, I heard critical raves about it, and many comparisons to my favorite TV show of all time, Arrested Development. So, I expected a show that was filled with questionably ethical characters and numerous inside jokes.

While it's funny, I really don't get the AD vibe from it. Sure, it's a mockumentary in which the lives of an extended family living in Southern California are chronicled (but, unlike the Office, the camera crews have no direct interaction with the family, while it has Office-style interviews). That certainly fits the bill of Arrested. However, the humor on Modern Family is a little broader than Arrested, it doesn't have the subtlety of that show. This may work towards Modern Family's advantage, because it doesn't require massive devotion to the show to find the episodes funny, like Arrested regularly would.

The characters are extremely likable on Modern Family, too. Phil Dunphy is a little thick like Gob Bluth, but he doesn't have the narcissism and oddness as Gob. Much as I love Gob, I mean that as a compliment. Manny is weirder than George Michael Bluth, but is not as, for lack of a better word, creepy as George Michael (while occasional jokes about Manny possibly having a crush on Claire and Phil's daughter, Haley, it's nothing like George Michael's incestuous love for his cousin, Maeby). The flaws in the Modern Family characters are minor compared to those of the Bluths on Arrested, and so, unlike the Bluths, people may be able to relate to them more.

So, while I enjoy the show, I don't think it's on the same page as Arrested Development, nor do I think it's meant to be. Don't start this show looking for the next Arrested, and you'll really enjoy it for what it is.

I'll admit, I may have had an unfair prejudice against the show due to its network. Laugh tracks are a major turnoff for me when it comes to TV shows, and while Modern Family does not have one, I think I looked at Modern Family and assumed it would be as unfunny and groan-inducing as other ABC comedies, such as According To Jim. I'll be honest, I wonder if my hatred of Two and a Half Men may influence my dislike of How I Met Your Mother (I can see why people like it, and I love Neil Patrick Harris, but I just don't like it) and my disinterest in the Big Bang Theory.

Liking Modern Family has helped me realize I shouldn't be so dismissive of comedies based on their network, because a network's identity doesn't define a show's quality. After all, while I view NBC as a strong comedy network, I grew to hate My Name Is Earl. (Yes, I realized I used the word "strong" to describe NBC. What an oxymoron.)

However, if you get a chance to catch up on the episodes over the summer, I'd recommend doing so. It's an episodic show, and therefore, catching ABC's reruns over the summer (Wednesdays, 9 p.m.) would suffice. It was far superior to the Office this season (not that that took much), and while I still think 30 Rock was better this season, I wouldn't be too upset to see it take the Best Comedy Series Emmy this year.