What I'm...

…Renting.
Entourage: Season 2- This was a very interesting show to watch in the wake of May sweeps from a storyline point of view. In fact, it was almost jarring to see a TV show wrap up a storyline in one season. Sure there are dangling plots which, thanks to my lack of HBO, I won’t catch up on until this next year, but in this age where your average storyline can span 2 to 3 seasons this was rather refreshing. Besides the tight plotting, the actors really hit their stride in season 2. When I watched season 1, I thought it took about 2 or 3 episodes before this group of friends really felt like a family. Season 2 is all about the guys truly realizing their friendship makes them family. The whole cast is on top of their game especially Kevin Dillon and Jeremy Ferrera who bring unexpected depth to seemingly one dimensional roles. Entourage has turned into the kind of series where you regret renting it and not buying the DVDs.

…Buying.
Venture Brothers: Season 1- I’ve been a fan of Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network but I’m not a religious watcher. Some shows have completely slipped my radar including Venture Brothers. I think I caught the pilot but was relatively unimpressed. Now everyone and their mothers have been touting the season 1 DVDs as the must have release of early summer. After reading reviews from enough places I trust, I went out and picked it up. My first reaction was anger. The first four episodes left me so pissed off at myself because I wasn’t getting it. I could see why everyone loved it; a perfectly twisted take on Johnny Quest plus a dash of the kind of diluted super villains you’d find in The Tick (no surprise, Tick creator Ben Edlund pops up in the credits here and there). The animation and voice talents were also top notch especially Patrick Warburton. By episode 6 or so I was about ready to give up when it clicked for me. The rest of the episodes were great and I’m guessing if I go back and watch the first few I’ll feel the same way. Maybe I had some sand in my crotch but for whatever reason this show should come with a “takes a while to love” sticker on the cover.

…Reading.
Play: The New York Times Sports Magazine- Last weekend I received a copy of this publication, which up until that moment I was completely ignorant of. Consider me ignorant no longer. As a supplement to the Sunday Times, Play reads like a top notch sports mag. It’s clearly not meant to replace the sports page as it doesn’t have recaps or game stories, but rather previews and columns. From a great story on Brazil and Ronaldhino to a somewhat depressing story on youth travel league baseball, this was a great read front to back. The pretentiousness you expect from the Times only rears its head in a couple of places such as their ideal golf weekend travel bag or their inclusion of Ivy League professors yapping about the science of Torii Hunter’s great fielding abilities. You can find most of the articles on the Times website.

…Watching…For Now.
Making the Band 3- In typical self loathing form I must admit I’ve watched most of the show since Diddy took over in season 2. In fact in a move I probably should not admit publicly, I even bought Da Band’s CD from season 2. Wow, I feel dirty just admitting that. Anyway “series 3” of season 3 tipped off last night and it was very underwhelming. The best “series” of season 2 was when the band was formed and recording their album so the bar is set high for the girls of season 3 as they go through the same process. If the first episode is any indication they’ll fail to reach that bar. The only burning question I was left with is will Aubrey become so skinny that she disappears when she turns sideways?

…Listening To.
Top 5 on My iPod
1. Tainted Love- Soft Cell (After hearing that infernal Rhianna song that sampled this classic over and over again, I picked up the original which unlike many 80’s classics still sounds fresh and new.)
2. Hip Don’t Lie- Shakira (If you know me personally you’re probably wondering why this didn’t appear sooner. Truth is I got turned off to the song thanks to its overexposure. Still when I sat down and listened to the whole thing, I gotta give credit to Shakira and Wyclef for a damn good song. Now if I can just resist the allure of Miss Aguilera’s new track.)
3. Complicated- Avril Lavigne (Heard this the other day in a friend’s car and it prompted me to pull it out of the mothballs and back into heavy rotation. She may be a prepackaged label alternative girl but Avril does have some talent that comes through on songs like this.)
4. Fuzzy Pink Handcuffs- Dillinger Four (An old song by probably my favorite band of the last ten years. It slipped back into my iTunes list after the news that D4 may finally release a new album this October. The song itself is classic D4 putting the p back in punk.)
5. Gone Daddy Gone- Gnarls Barkley (I’m begging you people to give these guys a listen if you haven’t already. Album of the summer, no doubt.)