TV Resurrection: The Ok, The Good, and The Great

It’s been a busy few weeks since the 06-07 TV season came to a close. The networks announced their new fall lineups and with that we lost a few shows that were cut before their time. However there are 3 that are now all in some form of resurrection with various results.

The Ok- CBS listens to the fans that have gone nuts for Jericho
Jericho was a show I wanted to like last Fall. However it got off to such a slow start and was basically a nighttime soap flush with family values. Later in the year (and I mean late as in the last 3 episodes) the show finally seemed to find a new gear and pushed out more action and mythology then the previous 20 episodes had. Still when CBS pulled the plug I didn’t shed a tear. Even though the show had shown promise at the end I was ready to say goodbye to Skeet Ulrich and his post-apocalyptic band of brothers. Apparently this is one geek bus I missed because there were plenty of folks hopping mad with CBS and they deluged them with letters and yes, nuts. Now Jericho has been renewed for a limited 7 episode midseason run and I must say I’m intrigued. Will we get the show that resembled Party of Five or the one that reminded me of the X Files? Either way it just goes to show that these fan campaigns work sometimes, which sadly brings us to the good.

The Good- Veronica Mars lives, no she dies, no she lives, well maybe?
After the success of the Jericho folks people started a campaign for a show I can really get behind and that is Veronica Mars (the first two seasons are on sale at Target for $22 people, check it out). The CW was inundated with Mars bars and Snicker’s with almonds which, unbeknownst to me, replaced the Mars bar a few years back. Unfortunately this did no good and the CW reiterated their commitment to shut Ms Mars down. This was the latest of many efforts to bring Veronica back, the most promising of which was the flash forward to FBI Cadet Mars that would surely have featured a new cast except for Kristen Bell but would have had the trademark wit and humor Mars fans have grown to love. Of course that failed as well, but fear not fans there seem to be two new avenues that have come out that point us in the good direction. First there is talk from creator Rob Thomas himself of a big screen adventure for the gang much like Joss Whedon’s Firefly transformed into the big screen Serenity. Now there’s word that inspired by the sales and success of Joss’s Buffy Season 8 comic book, DC comics has approached Thomas about a V Mars Season 4 book. Now Buffy tends to lend itself to comics with the monsters and the action but Mars would be a bit different, still I’m jonesing for a fix anyway I can get it.

The Great- Studio 60 Finally Shines Through!
The last show I want to talk about is one that has zero hopes of a literal resurrection. There won’t be a midseason return, or a movie, or a comic. No, Studio 60 will fade out from our lives in the near future. However the show has gone through a creative resurrection that has transformed it from a decent show into truly outstanding television. I knew Aaron Sorkin had it in him but between the over the top even handed political statements and the insipid faux skits the show was stuck in the decent but not great realm of TV. That was until it came back from its hiatus and has hit us with 3 great episodes. The first featured none of the shows big 3 stars, Bradley Whitford, Amanda Peet, and Mathew Perry, and in doing so really allowed the supporting cast to shine and to give real depth to their characters, especially Timothy Busfield’s director. The last two have focused on seemingly the entire cast. The story of Nate Cordrey’s character has been particularly emotional and almost difficult to watch with its heart wrenching developments. Peet and Whitford have also returned with a vengeance and have truly made their characters sudden romance not only believable but attractive to the audience who is now rooting them on full speed ahead. The show had two eps left and I can only hope they match the quality of the previous 3. If they do we’ll be losing a great show but at least we’ll see them go out in a blaze of glory.

We Should All Go To Jail

One of the biggest perils of vacation for me is staying in touch with the outside world. While I usually have a TV, newspaper, or even web phone near me, I tend to find a way to stay information free while out of town. Sadly, there are just some things you can’t escape like news about Paris Hilton.

That’s right its time for me to put me two cents in on a subject that has already been beaten to death. Thursday as I had a bloody mary waiting for my flight I actually found myself watching CNN as they discussed the escalating feud between Bush and Putin. There was no sound but I didn’t need it when the Breaking News logo flew on the screen. Did we invade Iran? Are the Russian’s invading Europe? Nope Paris Hilton was out of jail. So many feelings instantly flew threw my head not the least of which was anger.
Anger at our justice system: How many times do we have to see the rich, especially the white rich, get off with no time or minimal time?
Anger at our media: Really CNN…you needed to break in to tell us that?
Anger at our society: What has celebrity become and why do we reward the shows and magazines that focus on celebrity?
Anger at myself: Yes that was me flipping through someone’s US Weekly at the airport bar prior to the news flash and then posing in the picture above with Saturday’s NYC rags.
Anger at people in general: I couldn’t believe that as I walked down Broadway upon my arrival in Times Square, almost every conversation was about Paris getting sprung.

Of course the next day there was another 360 degree turn when Paris was turned back around. Sure I was happy to see her rich manufactured butt back in the slammer but was another 2 days of wall to wall coverage really worth it. I mean we’re on the verge of starting a new Cold War and the only thing I see on TV and newspaper covers is Paris. Now we get daily stories on her apology, her God search, her refusal to appeal and my god this is all for a woman who has done a few reality shows and not another thing ever. Imagine the wall to wall coverage if this was Brit Brit, or Lindsey…or wait you probably won’t have to imagine.

Quick Review...A Little Late: Knocked Up

After starting up my summer movie fare with the incredibly disappointing Spiderman 3, I was relieved to find my hope restored by Judd Apatow's Knocked Up. The fact that I listed it as my number 2 most anticipated movie of the summer speaks to my desire for it to be good and boy howdy was I rewarded. As I've said before Apatow writes people in their late 20's/early 30's better them anyone in Hollywood today even better then my beloved Kevin Smith. Judd takes the struggles we face growing up in a materialistic society while still attempting to make those basic human connections. In 40 Year Old Virgin, his directorial debut, Apatow approached the kinship of men relating to the struggle with an oversexed society and the demands that takes on us all. Of course he did so while making us pee our pants laughing which is what makes the film so damn watchable. Here he looks at our struggle to "grow up" and to reach out to different relationships whether by chance or by desire. Seth Rogen who has worked with Apatow for years, gives a break out performance as the stoner who knocks up a woman way "out of his league." Katherine Heigl brings both humor and a sense of desperation as that woman who struggles with ideas of what society, family, and work expect of her. The connection the two make after the fateful act do seem a bit rushed but since the movie clocks in at just over 2 hours I'm guessing there was a need to leave some script pages on the cutting room floor. Paul Rudd seems to have truly found his voice in Apatow's films almost stealing the show from Rogen much like he did to Steve Carrell in Virgin. All in all its a funny, sweet, even thought provoking film that is certainly the best I've seen this summer. Hope to catch Ocean's 13 later this week so I'll have my thoughts on that soon.

I'm Back Like Paris In Jail

I'm back from my spring hiatus and will resume my semi-regular posting this week. Let me just say that New York City is one hell of a town. After not being there in 17 years I wasn't sure what to expect but seriously is there any other place on Earth where you can feel so alive and stimulated just by walking down the street. Anyway I'll be posting on all that I missed from Paris to Knocked Up to the best TV show turnaround of the season, but in the meantime start your Monday out with a serene Waterlilly moment courtesy of Claude Monet and MoMA.

10 Things I Learned From My First Buffy Sing a Long

10. Even though there’s more room to dance in my living room, seeing Once More with Feeling on the big screen is something every Buffy fan should do.

9. Most Buffy fans, like Joss Whedon himself, are huge Veronica Mars fans. During the clip from V Mars that features Joss there were many, “Save Veronica” cries.

8. Plastic vampire teeth are really just drool cups that make your mouth super uncomfortable.

7. Most hardcore Buffy fans hate Angel, love Spike, and feel a little sorry for Reilly.

6. While I consider myself an avid fan I’ve got nothing on the folks that could yell out episode titles in .03 seconds during the trivia portion. That’s true devotion bordering on obsession but impressive none the less.

5. Everyone hates Dawn…and if some how you don’t, hearing over a hundred folks scream “Shut up Dawn” every time she speaks will certainly bring you around.

4. Midnight movies suck in the Midwest where our bars close at 2am and our movie theaters are dry. Either start the show at 10pm or someone open a real drinking theater like the Drafthouse in Austin , TX .

3. Even non-Buffy fans can enjoy the spectacle thanks to the props, MCs, pre-show entertainment, and general sense of camaraderie. I brought along a Buffy neophyte who had just gone through a crash course viewing of the musical the night before and she said the only thing she regretted, was not knowing it well enough to participate more.

2. Xander and Anya’s song might not be a breakaway pop hit but damn it all if it didn’t seem to be the crowd favorite. I think it’s always been the favorite number in the many living room performances I’ve attended over the years but I was somewhat surprised that it was most popular number for the theater audience as well.

And the number 1 thing I learned from my first Buffy Sing a Long…Never underestimate true fans. I must admit while I was giddy at the thought of the show I was worried when I picked up my advance tickets to see that only 37 had been sold two weeks prior to show time. However when the curtain rose the house was packed (so was Friday’s performance according the MC). I also questioned how much people would get into it and honestly I was blown away. From the older couple in front of me who embarrassed their teen daughter and her friend by making out throughout the night, to the scores of lesbians who savored the hotness of Willow and Tara , the entire theater seemed alive. Of course the sing a long wouldn’t have been complete without bunnies and sure enough we had two of them run to the front of the theater for Anya’s solo during “I’ve Got a Theory”. Seriously, if you’ve ever been a member of the Mutant Enemy army, make sure you catch this if it comes to your town. BuffySings.com


I’m off to NYC tomorrow and will be back full time next week with reviews of Knocked Up and Ocean’s 13 and a look at the latest efforts to resurrect some cancelled shows including the aforementioned Veronica Mars.

One More Thing

Yesterday I railed against the NBA but tonight LeBron James reminded me why I love sports. His 48 night performance didn't evoke memories of Jordan it started what I'm sure will be many James memories. Seriously even Pistons fans had to sit in the stands and realize that they were witnessing history. I don't know if LeBron will win game six or if he does whether he'll beat the Spurs but I do know that tonight I feel like I saw something special that I'll always remember.

Hiatus Thoughts

In case you haven’t noticed the old blog hasn’t been updated much this week and that’s due to my unofficial spring hiatus, Much like The Daily Show or The Colbert Report, every so often I need some time to recharge my pop culture batteries. Unlike John and Stephen though, my need stems from partying too hard over Memorial Day weekend, work being crazy, and a trip to New York. So while I won’t be completely absent, I won’t be full time blogging again until June 11th when I’m back from the Big Apple. In the meantime here are five random thoughts to tide you over:

1. Thank god for Lindsay Lohan. Between the leather seat fiasco and the latest lip synching mess I thought Britney was going to be America’s favorite punching bag again but thanks to her love of substances liquid and powdery Lindsay has stolen back the spotlight in spectacular fashion. Meanwhile Brit has written her most honest letter to date and despite small bumps still seems on track to complete the inevitable comeback.

2. I think I left them off my brief summer TV preview but don’t forget that Rob & Big are back on MTV. What should be yet another boring reality show about a pseudo celeb has actually turned into one of MTV’s best. Whether it’s teaching their dog how to skate, or purchasing a mini horse as a companion pet for the dog the show is constantly funny and both stars (3 if you include Meaty the dog) are all super endearing.

3. By now I’m sure many of you have heard Rhianna’s new tune Umbrella that features Jay Z. Talk about an impulse buy. I read about the track a few months ago in a couple of articles and when I found it on iTunes I took a quick preview and downloaded it. Now I’m stuck with a rather annoying song and I’m not sure if it’s going to have the ability, like say her previous track “SOS”, to turn it around after listening to it nonstop. Seriously the girl just sings syllables for half the track.

4. While I appreciate good team basketball I’ve got to say the NBA is dead to me right now. Sure the Spurs and Pistons are great fundamental teams but as they head towards their inevitable I am uninterested and bored. This isn’t anything new either, the NBA has bored me for quite some time and while Phoenix and this year’s Golden State team were fun to watch they are truly anomalies in a sport that once captured my attention and my pocket book.

5. Not that my voice matters but I’m declaring the MySpace revolution dead. Sure it’s a great place to find bands and what not, but you can find all that by Google. I don’t know maybe it’s the responsibility of updating a page every so often or maybe it’s the fact that the longer I’m on there the more spam and bogus friend invites I get in my regular email. Either way, I’m calling it quits despite the fact that it’s put me in touch with some people from my past that I’m very thankful to have rediscovered and has allowed me search vice versa. Plus I’ve got to give it props because it’s truly the birthplace of this blog. Goodbye MySpace and thank you for all that you’ve given and taught me.

So that’s it. Have a great first weekend in June y’all! I’m sure I’ll pop in next week some time with tales from my first Buffy Sing A Long event (aka first that’s not in my or a friends living room). That’s right the folks from New York that put these on monthly are stopping in the Minne-apple this weekend and I’ll be there belting out every single line. They’re on tour all summer so visit BuffySings.com to see if they’re heading to a city near you.

RIP Charles Nelson Reilly

He wasn't dead already...really?

Memorial Weekend Funnies-Superbad R Rated Trailer

I Thought You Were In Canada aka the last Lost ****FINALE SPOILERS AHOY*****

One day after praying for a satisfying conclusion to the 3rd season of Lost, I can safely say my wish was fulfilled. I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for as satisfying. If you wanted clear cut answers that shed light on the island or the Other’s you were left completely unsatisfied. However, if you wanted some resolution then last night was the show for you. Moments finally played out before us some of which we’ve been waiting 3 seasons for, like:
* Sawyer’s payback to the Other’s for taking Walt.
* Jack and Locke’s showdown.
* Rousseau and Alex’s reunion (although that was also the second funniest line of the night when their first words to each other were “Help me tie him up.”)
* Jack confessing his love to Kate.
* Hurley being a hero and finally having his luck change (so sure he was going to die).
* Penny and Desmond’s moment of recognition no matter how brief.
* Of course the big one, rescue for the survivors of flight 815.
Personally I was terrified that we’d get musical montages and all the usual stuff that Lost tends to use to fill up an episode but last night there was no filler. The two hours always had something happening and I think that’s why I loved it so. Season 3 will hold an interesting place in the show’s history. On one hand the first half of the season was by far the most disappointing series of episodes yet. However, the last 7 or 8 eps have kicked you in the gut so hard you’re puking up blood in disgust that the next season doesn’t start until January 2008. Season 3 is the season when the show creators finally were able to come up with an end game that both the network and they could live with and last night was a major step toward that end game. 48 episodes lie between the audience and the answers they so desperately crave but if Lost can maintain the level of excitement and suspense that they did last night, I’m not sure if I’ll need all the answers in the end.

Summer Programming Alert

Tonight at 9pm CST on NBC, the first of the last 6 episodes of the uneven but brilliant Aaron Sorkin drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip hits the air. Make sure to catch it as it will probably be the last time Sorkin does TV. Also catch it because it was really beginning to get good before NBC yanked it for Paul Haggis' The Black Donnelly’s. Again people, the creator of Walker Texas Ranger has an Oscar and Aaron Sorkin can’t get a quality show renewed for a second season…what a world we live in.

A Prayer to the Smoke Monster

Please, please, please make tonight’s Lost the best season finale ever. This spring has felt more like sleeps then sweeps. There have been some good, some bad and some ugly and I’m really hoping Lost is great. Here's some quick thougts on a sampling of what we've seen so far:

The Good
The Office- Obviously the final 20 seconds were great to JAM fans everywhere but the credit segment also set up some interesting stories for next year, not to mention the continued dysfunction of Michael and Jan was insured. Great finale with no true cliffhanger but enough to make you eagerly anticipate next year.

Scrubs- The finale once again showed how Scrubs took the typical sitcom relationship and flipped it on its head by having the audience screaming at the TV for its star crossed characters NOT to hook up. Genius.

My Name is Earl- For a show that I’ve pretty much given up on Earl really surprised with not only a cliffhanger but a return to top comedic form. Sending Earl back to the slammer gives the show many avenues to explore next year and hopefully they don’t go back to status quo within a few episodes.

The Bad
Survivor- Not only did the best contestant get screwed in Yao-Man but the vote was anticlimactic to say the least.

Heroes- When you spend all season building to one moment you better know what you’re doing and sadly it seems like the Heroes writers didn’t. A rushed hour of TV that left few questions for next year and ever fewer reasons to care. It goes to prove that for the people that complain about the lack of answers on Lost there is something to be said for maintaining some mystery.

24- For a season that started with such promise, it’s sad to see it finish as the worst season of 24 ever. The end of day 6 was 20 minutes too long and we’re left with Jack once again disappearing on his own ala day 4. Oh and the big news in the finale: Chloe’s pregnant. Gack! If I wanted to watch Grey’s I’d watch Grey’s!

The Ugly
Top Model- The crazy Russian or man-thing Jaslene? How ultra qualified Renee was sent home before either of these two is beyond me. I know that models as a rule don’t have to beautiful but they should be able to speak and not look like a drag queen (unless that’s the gig). Tyra you have failed me for the last time!

No Life On Mars

Last week the CW Network bid goodbye to two very special ladies as they correctly sent the Gilmore Girls into the sunset. This week however, The CW is making a mistake that I hope haunts them as much as it will me…the cancellation of Veronica Mars. Tonight the final 2 episodes will air of a TV show that deserved so much more exposure then it received. Of course being on the sixth, and then fifth network is a major obstacle for any show to overcome but despite that, V Mars still cultivated both a critical and cult following.

I must admit I was a late comer to the show. When it premiered I didn’t give it a second thought. Another teen drama on UPN? I think I’ll pass. Still every time I surfed the web or read year end best of issues I kept hearing things like best new show or most surprising and I must say my interest was piqued. However it wasn’t until two members of my dream mancrush poker table emerged praising the show that I really perked up. Kevin Smith and Joss Whedon both not only endorsed the struggling series but they also made appearances on it. That was the final straw and so I grabbed the first season off of Netflix. What I discovered was a show that like Whedon’s Buffy perfectly captured the linguistics of teens. These kids talked like I talked and still talk, and not like some sugary sweet show like One Tree Hill. Also I was immediately drawn in by the culture war aspect that dominated the first season and really every one since. Of course I was also sucked in to the overall mythology of the show and the season long mystery of who killed Lilly Kane. I immediately started to TiVo season 2 even though it was half way done and by the end of last summer I was completely in love with one Veronica Mars. Like any love affair though there was turbulence. Last Spring as I was becoming a complete Mars-head right down to my Mars Investigations Crime Solving Kit, the newly formed CW wavered about bringing back V and her crew. How could this great show be cut down especially when the new network needed to keep viewers…especially loyal cult like viewers? Thankfully the show was renewed but not without some network interference. Afraid that the show’s trend of using a season long mystery would keep new viewers away the network ordered creator Rob Thomas (no not the guy from Matchbox 20) to focus instead on more stand alone fair. As a newly loyal fan I was a bit worried about this third season but Thomas has outwitted the network by continuing to use multiple season long story arcs while still giving each episode its own unique case. The result has been very successful and while I don’t think he could ever top season 1, season 3 certainly has brought the characters closer to the audience.

So now we sit here only hours away from Veronica’s final case. I’m guessing Thomas was smart enough to know this could be coming and wrote a finale that will send Veronica out strong and not dangling from a cliff somewhere never to be heard from again. There are rumblings that Thomas pitched season 4 as a completely different show to the CW in a last ditch effort to save it. Picture this: Veronica Mars: FBI Cadet. The idea had merit and since we’ve already seen her grow so much over 3 years it wouldn’t be a stretch to jump forward another 3 years and I’m sure the talented Kristin Bell would have no problem pulling it off as an actor. Sadly even this effort seems to have failed, and so tonight we can all pull our Neptune letter jackets out of the closet, light a candle for Lilly Cane, and say goodbye to a show that is being cancelled far before its time.

Greatest Hits

Last night Lost delivered another solid episode as it continues its comeback from the early season malaise that it suffered through. Without spoiling much for those of you that haven’t seen it one of the characters on the show flash backed to the five greatest memories of their life up the present. Not only was it a great storytelling device but it actually caused me to pause for a moment of introspection. While I’m still working on my personal list, which I may or may not share on here, I did come up with a more blog appropriate list and that’s the 5 greatest hits of my entertainment life. Media is intrinsically tied to all our memories. It can be a song on the radio while you’re driving cross country, a movie you remember from a first date, or a book a loved one gave to you. In much the same way memories can influence our feelings towards media and that’s what I discovered as I made this list. These aren’t necessarily my favorite movies, bands, books, or TV shows but rather these are the ones that produce my strongest memories.

Finding Someone on Lost Highway
David Lynch is like the crazy creepy uncle I never had, sure he scares me but deep down I love him and appreciate all he has to show me. I pretty much worship all his films, but Lost Highway holds my favorite memory. I went to see it opening weekend at the Uptown Theater in Minneapolis which is a grand old movie house that’s still in relatively good repair and any movie I’ve seen there instantly sticks in my head. However, more importantly I saw it with my friend Steve who I had just begun to get to know. Not only was the movie great but it really solidified the fact for both Steve and I that we were on the same page creatively which led to not only a great friendship but also a business partnership where we’d make films of our own.

Buffy Killing Angel
In this day and age of spoilers it’s hard to believe I was ever completely and genuinely surprised by the ending of a TV show but that’s just what happened as Buffy wrapped up it’s second season. Sure as we sat down that night to catch the show we knew a confrontation between the two former lovers was inevitable and since the show was called Buffy and not Angel we had a lot of faith in our girl but the way it all went down left our jaws on the floor and some tears on our cheeks.

Dillinger 4 at the Turf Club
Don’t ask me for a date of when this show was but for many reasons this one show stands out in my head above all the countless other times I’ve seen this band. Perhaps it was the fact that it was an afternoon show. Maybe it was that the band was all over the place (even more so then normal). Maybe it just sticks out because one of my friends wore his D4 shirt to a D4 show and I never let that go. I don’t know maybe it’s just that it was watching one of my favorite bands with my favorite people in a bar that was just right for a hot summer afternoon.

Star Wars Re-Release
Before we got the prequel trilogy, whose pros and cons could be discussed for pages on much geekier sites than this, George Lucas “cleaned up” the original trilogy and put it pack in the theaters making me happier then a wookie on Life Day. Even though I’d seen the flicks over and over and over again especially during my college years (nothing better then Empire and a La Bamba’s burrito to cure a hangover), I was so excited to see these movies on the big screen again that it was almost like catching them for the first time. I’ll never forget the day Episode IV was re-released, I think I was working nights so I was standing in line outside of the theater bright and early Friday morning and after getting tickets for the first show I immediately got tickets for the second showing. Sure in retrospect the so-called Special Editions have their flaws (Greedo shoots first, fake looking young Jabba) but the pure childhood joy I recaptured that day still makes me smile.

Conquering The Stand
My parents really pushed me to read for enjoyment as a child and for the most part I didn’t rebel. Sure I read a lot of comics but I think I was able to argue their literary significance to a satisfactory level that my parents didn’t mind them as long as I also had a “real” book on the side. I think it’s safe to say that reading a good book can give one a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment and I still remember the first time I felt that feeling and that was reading Stephen King’s The Stand. I think I was about 15 when I picked up The Stand. It had just been re-released in its unabridged format and was quite the volumey text. I think I was just beginning to hit the King stage which is something that I believe anyone under the age of 35 has gone through in some form or another. No matter how high brow or low brow your taste is in literature I think that most people from my generation on down go through a period where all they can do is read King book after King book. I think my period lasted from age 13 to 18 although I’ve picked up a few in the following years. Anyway The Stand which is arguably King’s greatest work demands your full attention and I must admit as a kid who at 15 was insecure about so many things, the pressure to finish the book only added another rung to the ladder of insecurity. What I didn’t know then was how good the book was going to be. That book literally grabs your attention right out of the gate and by the time I was on page 1,204 only a couple of days had passed and when I finish that last chapter I had a feeling of pride which at the time in my life was somewhat foreign.

Trespassing On The Lot

DISCLAIMER: The following column has nothing to do with my personal dislike of Senor Spielbergo and is actually just a critical assessment of yet another summer replacement show.

I’ve gotten some feedback to yesterday’s column on summer shows and those that asked were wondering where On The Lot was. Created by Survivor mastermind Mark Burnett in conjunction with Steven Spielberg, On The Lot is yet another reality entry, this time following aspiring filmmakers as they try to win start up capital for their newest production. Since I’ve got the whole film background people apparently thought this would jump out at me but I’ve got to say I’m not that interested. Sure Burnett is an evil genius who knows how to build a successful show but filmmaking isn’t a creative skill that lends itself to 5 minute challenges like Top Chef or American Idol style showcases week to week. Is a challenge revolving around making a 30 second film really going to give judges or the audience true insight on who should stay or who should go?

Project Greenlight had been the only reality show focused on film and they were smart to focus less on the competition and more on the results. The last season of that show proved fascinating as no name director John Gulager dealt with an immense budget and the immense egos of everyone associated with the project. That was real drama and in a way real competition. Watching the little guy fight the man as he attempted to preserve some kind of creative control was truly fascinating…at least to someone like me who’s been a part of similar battles albeit with slightly smaller budgets.

Speaking of budgets, Fox has sunk a lot of money into this show hoping it will not only be a hit summer show but one that could return again by next winter but I’ll be surprised if it garners high ratings. The film enthusiasts like myself would rather see the production side while the casual viewer wants drama and competition but not through a series of 10 minute films that demands they pay attention especially when it’s nice outside. Of course I could be wrong and On The Lot could prove to be a highly engrossing show and at the very least it’s given many filmmakers another avenue to showcase talents. The On The Lot website (thelot.com) features all the trailers, and short films that perspective filmmakers submitted from all over the globe. Sure a lot of these can be found on YouTube or IFilm but there’s some really good stuff out there. I even found an entry from a director whose film I crewed on back in the summer of ’97. Although the film didn’t get the director on the show as a finalist, here’s the trailer for Melvin: A Midwestern Tale:

5 Things To Do On Your Summer TV Vacation

We’re in the final two weeks of the 2006/2007 television season which means soon we’ll be officially in the thick of summer. Last year I remember writing about a handful of new summer shows that made me optimistic about summer viewing options. This year the cupboard seems a bit slimmer but I’ve still come up with 5 things you can do this summer if you’re bedridden, lazy, or just addicted to TV.

5. Rent Kidnapped
I know I’ve been pimping this show so hard that it’s got blisters on its proverbial feet but after watching the final episodes this past weekend I once again have to declare this one hell of a show. If you like 24 and the thrills and cliffhangers that show gives weekly you’d love Kidnapped where you get those kinds of moments every 15 minutes. At only 13 episodes and 3 discs it’s the perfect summer viewing that you can drag out over weeks but then again you could be like me and watch them all in 2 days.


4. Watch Reunited: The Real World-Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the season where the Real World gave up any hope of being an interesting commentary on society and instead became a show full of drunken sex, drunken fights, and drunken sex. Since Vegas other casts have been crazier ( Denver I’m looking at you) but still you gotta love the original train wrecks. It’s hard to believe it’s been 5 years since the cast moved into their suite at the Palms and while this show promises to be tamer since the cast is older and more wise to the reality TV game, I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing Brynn, Arissa, Irulan, Frank, Trichelle, Alton, and Steven. (Wow can’t believe I still remember all their names.)

3. Watch Top Chef
I’m a self described foodie and this show from the creators of Project Runway is the best thing going in terms of reality food shows. While Hell’s Kitchen is mildly entertaining, the chefs there aren’t anywhere near pros and they spend most of there time mimicking Gordon Ramsey’s menu. Next Food Channel Star is a show full of Rachel Ray wannabees and it spends too much time on the production side as opposed to the food. Top Chef has the best chefs and the best challenges and like any good reality show it has discovered its fair share of characters.


2. Watch the Final 2 Episodes of Drive on July 4th
Yet another great show from the mind of Tim Minear (Angel, Wonderfalls, Firefly, The Inside) has come and gone but Fox is brining back the show to air episodes 5 and 6 on our nation’s birthday. Why? Because they know no one will watch it. Minear must be the product of an abusive relationship because for some reason he always goes back to Fox with his brilliant shows even though they cancel them early again and again. Anyway, you can catch the first 4 eps online prior to the 4th finale.



1. Watch Big Brother
This is my biggest guilty pleasure of the summer. It took me a while to get hooked on this show but in summer of 2004 it grabbed me. Last year’s All Star Edition was fun although like most of America , I was disappointed the Kayser didn’t win. This summer promises more turns and twists and while the hype is more then it’s worth the show is definitely good summer programming because with 3 eps a week you can really fade in and out. Like the Real World the show has gravitated to filling the house with more and more “beautiful” people but there’s nothing wrong with eye candy during summer fluff.



BONUS ACTIVITY
If you find yourself watching National Bingo Night on a beautiful Friday night this summer, immediately draw yourself a hot bath and find something sharp, as you’ve officially hit rock bottom. Seriously folks…bingo? We’re done as a society.

Quick Review Spiderman 3 or Can I Have A Re-do?

This my friends are why disclaimers were created. Last week when I started my top ten can't miss movie list for summer 2007 I made it clear the list was purely based on my anticpation and not the actual quality of the films. Spiderman 3 is the reason why. I saw it tonight and while it's not a horrible movie it sure as hell is not a great film. Too many storylines that all have nice moments but none that coherently stands out as good. For the first time in the series both Tobey McGuire and director Sam Rami seem bored with Spidey. I actually think the best thing that could happen to this "franchise", is to bring in fresh blood with a new cast and a new director although I hope they take a few years off before number 4. Again not a horrible film but a lot like the original just incredibly dissapointing.

Top 10 Can't Miss Movies of Summer 2007: #2 and #1

2. Knocked Up (June 1st)
Judd Apatow is one great movie away from ascending to God like status
for me. The man created Freaks and Geeks which many hail as the
quintessential high school TV show of all time and I think it's his
worst work. His sophomore show Undeclared perfectly captured the college
experience but even more so captured my generation. Then there was his
feature film debut from 2005, The 40 Year Old Virgin. If Undeclared
spoke to my college years then Virgin spoke to my post college life and
no not in the 40 year old way or the virgin way. Apatow gave one of the
truest depictions of dating and relationships both romantic, and
friendship wise that I've seen from anyone not named Kevin Smith.
The one constant through all these projects has been the wit and charm
of one Seth Rogan. Obviously someone who you wouldn't say has matinee
idol looks, Rogan has written for and stared in almost anything Apatow
has touched. Knocked Up gives Rogan his first leading role as a normal
guy who has a one night stand with someone he thinks is way out his
league (Grey's Katherine Heigl) only to find out that
he's...well...knocked her up. In other director's hands this could be a
crass vulgar comedy but with Apatow I'm expecting a vulgar comedy with
an emotionally satisfying side as well. A lot of Rogan's fellow Apatow
players look to be in the film as well which should only aid to the
hi-larity. Check out the trailer below


1. Ocean's 13 (June 8th)
Will this be the most critically acclaimed movie of the summer? No. Will
this be the most action packed movie of the summer? No. Will this be the
funniest movie of the summer? No. Will this be the blockbuster of the
summer? No. What this will be is everything a summer popcorn movie
should and first and foremost that means it will be fun. A summer movie
should be light on its feet allowing the audience to sit back in an air
conditioned theater and lose themselves while it's 98 degrees outside.
However many filmmakers and studio heads take this to mean that summer
movies should not make you think at all. The first two Ocean's are the
thinking person's fluff films. I myself loved both 11 and 12 and while I
know many people thought 12 was self indulgent I found it to be the
perfect sequel. Really I'd watch anything that director Steven Soderberg
does especially when you throw in George Clooney. The two of them seem
to get each other in a way off screen, which allows anything they work
together on to flourish on screen. The addition of Al Pacino as this
film's villain paves the way for Andy Garcia's self important twit of a
casino boss to join the gang and from the brief snippets we've been
shown, I think that will be comic gold.

Top Ten Can't Miss Movies of Summer 2007: #6 and #5

6. The Simpsons Movie (July 27th)
Here’s the poster child for movies that you’re excited for but also fearful of. I’m a huge Simpsons fan and nothing would make me happier then seeing a great big screen adventure hit theaters and further solidify The Simpsons as the greatest fictional characters of the last 20 years. Recent history has given us two examples of TV shows successfully making the jump to the big screen with South Park and Serenity/Firefly. I should be filled with hope but prior to last season, The Simpsons had been in a creative funk that led many people to walk away for a good 5 years. I’m not sure if we’re going to get classic Simpsons, bad Simpsons or maybe the Simpsons of the last two years which has had it’s high and low points but I guess this is the faith movie of the summer. Much like SoaP was last year there are some films you have to throw your misgivings out the window and just enjoy, so I’ll be grabbing my diorama and heading to the theater and if you don’t join me…that’ll be a paddling.

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (July 13th)
I’ve written many times on the blog about how apprehensive I was about a certain boy wizard. A great deal of my resistance to reading the books stemmed from the god awful first two Potter films. Thankfully my friends Steve and Erin managed to convince me to give the books a try and now I’m a full blown Potter fiend. I eventually caught all the movies and while the first two suck even worse after reading the books, the next two are progressively better especially 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Now we’ve got yet another new director coming into the fold and a few new cast members. I think this series has really found its voice thanks to the darker nature of the books lending themselves to darker films. Let’s face it while the books are for kids, many adults read them and many of those kids are now adults themselves so it makes sense to reflect the sorrow and pain the books personify. While the films will never stand toe to toe with the books, the fact that the main actors signed up to see the film franchise through to the end, and that the producers are constantly bringing in new creative blood, I think these films will carve out a nice place for themselves as standalone entities and this installment is the next building block to that goal.

Top 10 Can’t Miss Movies of Summer 2007: #8 and #7

Before we get back to the countdown, now back in numerical order, I just wanted to give a quick shout out to the CW, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bleidel for knowing when to fold ‘em and walk away. Yesterday we got the news that Gilmore Girls will end its run this month. With Rory facing graduation and the start of her adult life, now is the perfect time to say goodbye to these two especially after the uneven quality of the last two years. Anyway on with the countdown…

8. Ratatouille (June 29th)
I know I’m opening myself up to the mocking I received for putting Cars on last year’s list but I just can’t pretend I’m not excited about another Pixar film especially when it comes from Brad Bird. As the creator of Iron Giant and The Incredibles, Bird has given us the best two animated films of the last twenty years and this time around he’s trying something a little different. Instead of human based film, Bird is trying his hand at the time honored tradition of animals as he tells the tail of a rat who lives in Paris desiring to be a gourmet chef. On paper this sounds much more kid oriented then his previous films, but I’m guessing this will be another Bird/Pixar production that speaks to adults just as much as children.

7. Sicko (July ????)
Every executive’s worst nightmare is back this summer as Michael Moore hits the street to expose the corrupt and broken health care system. I’m sure it will be preachy to the point that even supporters get annoyed with Moore but that’s what he does and in the end the humor and truth that he’ll put out there will more then make up for it.

Top 10 Can’t Miss Movies of Summer 2007: #4 and #3

No you’re browser is not going crazy and you haven’t missed my can’t miss summer movies #8-5. Nope I’m going a little out of order just because I wanted to talk about my number 4 most anticipated film before it hits theaters tomorrow. Of course I’m talking about ol’ web head himself…

4. Spiderman 3 (May 4th)
I thought the first Spiderman was pretty blah. Tobey McGuire was good but the whole thing left me unimpressed but eager to see what lies ahead (much like my reaction to the equally boring Superman Returns last year). Spiderman 2 rewarded my hope 10 fold. Until Batman Begins this was tied with X Men 2 as my favorite comic book movie ever. The fights with Doc Ock were epic and both McGuire and the usually annoying Kristen Dunst really grew into their characters. So now on the eve of Spidey 3 I’m filled with anticipation. As a kid Spiderman was not a comic hero I gravitated too. I was a huge X Men fan and while Peter Parker was a nerd he certainly didn’t face the kind of racism and hatred the X Men did. Parker seemed like a 60’s hero to me, old and unimportant. However when Spidey put on the black alien suit for the first time in the comics, I instantly started to pick up an issue here and there. Something about a darker Spiderman made him cool and edgy for the first time since…well…ever. Of course this led to the introduction of Venom who has become a template for all modern day super villains. Venom was the first mass murdering villain that you almost actually cheered for. Anyway the point is that this is the Spiderman tale I’ve been waiting to see. Throw in the late great Gwen Stacy, the Sandman, and the Green Goblin 2 and you’ve got a jam packed sequel…which might be its downfall. No one my age will ever be able to wash the taste from the last 3 over populated Batman films and those films always come to mind when you see something like Spidey 3 coming out. With that said Sam Raimi has never made a really bad film so at worst we might get Spidey 1.1 but here’s hoping we get Spidey 2.2.

3. The Bourne Ultimatum (August 3rd)
I’ve never been as surprised by a film as I was by The Bourne Supremacy. I liked The Bourne Identity just fine but also found it completely forgettable partly because I’m not a huge spy film guy. When I went to see Supremacy it was with my mom and I think it was one of those cases where it was the only film we could agree on yet neither of us were super excited when we sat down in the theater. 16 heart attacks later I was in heaven. Paul Greengrass shot an action film that was groundbreaking in both its technical merit and its storytelling. The kinetic action while shot handheld never made the audience queasy but rather was used as a device, and that’s saying something since I saw the film on the Midwest’s largest movie screen. So now we get number three and after directing the stellar United 93 last year, Greengrass is back to put Matt Damon through his paces. The plot will be the same as always as Jason Bourne tries to remember his past and stay alive and I’m sure he’ll get a few new answers but it will be the fun in finding those answers that will have me lining up this August.

Top 10 Can’t Miss Movies of Summer 2007: #10 and #9

Welcome to my 2nd Annual Summer Movie Preview. Keep in mind I’m not ranking these films on box office or on critical acclaim, but rather my own personal tastes. Obviously I’ve not seen any of these yet so some of them could be clunkers like last year's number 8 film Nacho LIbre. On the other hand they could be every good as I built them up to be like Clerks 2 and Snakes on a Plane. This year I had a hard time finding honorable mentions (Pirates 2 killed any interest in Pirates 3) so we’ll jump right into the list.

10. The Brothers Solomon (August 31st)
This is the tale of two brothers who are socially inept with the ladies trying to grant their father’s dying wish of seeing one of them produce a grandson. It’s also a tale of two Wills. Will Forte is someone who used to really annoy me on Saturday Night Live. Every skit he did seemed overly long and filled with dead silence. In the last couple of years though, the guy has steadily improved partly due to the addition of new cast members. He also had a nice turn in Broken Lizard’s Beerfest. Now Forte is making his screen writing/leading role debut and I must admit I’m interested especially since his costar, Will Arnett, might be the most underrated comic actor today. Arnett stood out on a show filled with amazing performances on Arrested Development and steals the spotlight when ever he takes smaller roles on shows like 30 Rock or movies like Blades of Glory. Hell I even thought about seeing the dreadful looking prison comedy he did last year. Simply put despite my somewhat apprehensive feelings about giving Forte’s lead role/writing debut a coveted spot on my list, I’m willing to bank on Arnett making it worthwhile.

9. Transformers (July 4th)
This could suck…bad. This is a movie based on toys. While Batman, X-Men, and Star Wars are all money making commercial machines they all come from original source material. The Transformers started as toys and then got their animated show, first movie, and various comic book incarnations. Still I’m geeking out for this flick for two reasons. First of all even though the Transformers cartoons were a transparent marketing tool from my childhood I still loved them. I know the show was really just 30 minutes of trying to get me to convince my parents to buy me Optimus Prime but I didn’t and don’t care. Vehicles that turn into robots are inherently cool. The second reason I’m jacked up for this is director Michael Bay. The man can flat out direct the hell out of an action film. Unfortunately sometimes he gets distracted by things like plot and character. Bay is no where near my list of top 10 directors but I still love the way he blows things up. The Rock is still one of my favorite action films and despite the layers and layers of cheese, I still dig Armageddon. Pearl Harbor on the other hand was terrible beyond words and Bad Boys II made the original look like Gone with the Wind. Obviously this flick could go either way but I’m feeling half full today so Transformers makes the list…barely.

Saturday Funnies: NFL Draft Edition

I could show some clips of Brian Bosworth, Tony Mandrich or Troy Williamson but instead I'll just show the sickingly talented and shockingly funny Payton Manning.

BEST THREAT EVER courtesy of 30 Rock

I WILL CUT YOU OPEN LIKE A TAUNTAUN!

Looking Back on the New Shows of 2006

Ahh spring…birds chirping, flowers growing, and season finales. Is there any better season then spring? As I prepare to say goodbye to my favorite TV shows for the summer (and others for good…Veronica Mars I’m looking suspiciously at you), I took a look at my Fall TV Preview from last September and at the new shows that I was pimping. Some have disappeared and others have flourished; so without further ado, let’s take a look back at my top new shows of 2006 (as predicted in September 2006):

Jericho- About the best thing I can say about this show is that it’s still on my TiVo season pass. Week to week the show bores me to tears but the premise of a small town fighting for survival in a post nuclear world still holds my attention somewhat. Last night’s episode had about 15 minutes worth of watchable developments while the rest was fast forward material. Instead of focusing on who launched the attacks and what was behind it the show has chosen to focus on the boring ass lives of the one dimensional characters that populate the town. The season finale appears to be heading towards a mini war with a neighboring city and while I’ll probably record and fast forward through much of it, unless there is some kind of truly interesting cliff hanger, I’m afraid it’s sayonara for Jericho.

The Nine- Take a group of people forced into an extraordinary situation and see how it affects their lives afterwards. Hmm sounds good on paper. Cast a bunch of recognizable TV actors from shows like 24, Wings, and Party of Five. That sounds like a good way to launch a show. Have the network decided your show is a sure fire hit and schedule it after on of their established big hits Lost. Well my god we’ve got a formula for the number one new show of the year right? Not so fast my friends. The extraordinary situation was a bank robbery gone awry but instead of revealing the details all at once the show instead revealed them in 30 second flashbacks each week. This show made Lost look like a sitcom in terms of it’s story telling pace. The cast seemed to not care that much that they were on a new show and instead seemed to be channeling their old characters especially Audrey from 24 and Scott Wolf from POF. As for the scheduling, the first six Losts of the season (arguably the worst stretch in the history of the show) certainly didn’t help The Nine. In fact I’m guessing the last thing people who were fed up with the lack of answers on Lost wanted to do was watch another show where things were going to be revealed verrrrrrrrrrrrrry sloooooooooowly. The masses spoke and the Nine was done after 6 eps or so.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip- Here’s a show I was screaming for people to watch almost 6 months before its premiere. I love Aaron Sorkin and the shows he’s created prior to this one, Sports Night, and The West Wing. I loved the cast from Amanda Peet, to Matthew Perry to the other guy from Wings. Then the show premiered and I liked it…a lot…but I didn’t love it. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I found the show almost too preachy and liberal. It tried much too hard to seem balanced and as such came off as a bit fake and elitist. Still it was damn entertaining TV and while I might have some complaints; it is a show I pray gets renewed from for a second chance. However those hopes seem to be dimming as we still haven’t heard when the last 4 eps of this season will air.

30 Rock- I thought this show held promise and for the first 2 or 3 eps that’s all it was…promise. Flash forward to the present and 30 Rock has surpassed The Office as the best comedy on TV. Tina Fey’s neurotic but strangley sexy lead character keeps the show just barely grounded in reality and allows the rest of the cast to take some truly outrageous risks. NBC has shown it’s faith by renewing the show for a second season but then the news hit this week that entertainer of the year Alec Baldwin is asking out of his contract so he can leave the show. Come on Alec just because you called your 11 or 12 year old an ignorant pig doesn’t mean you should hide your face in shame…she probably had it coming anyway.

Kidnapped- I already talked this show up last month when I talked about it’s DVD release but this quality show with a superb cast was cut short way before it’s time. I kind of felt like it already had its work cut out for it when NBC failed to promote it and stuck it in a lousy time slot.

Notes From the Underbelly- This show finally premiered a few weeks ago and honestly I haven’t seen two minutes. From what I hear it’s mostly dreadful but that the genius that is Rachel Harris is almost worth suffering through 30 minutes of inane pregnancy send ups.

Heroes- Aha! Finally a show that is both commercially and critically successful. I was intrigued by the idea but put off by the early previews of Heroes so I was heavily skeptic when I started watching. Skepticism be gone! Heroes is a perfect mix of complex character development, and engrossing plot lines. They’ve done an amazing job hyping their show through the online comics and the catch phrases (save the cheerleader save the world, are you on the list, etc). The cast seems large at times but when any of them bite the dust you truly are saddened. The mysteries are still mostly shrouded in secrecy but we’ve been given enough of a peak that we can make some general statements about what lies ahead (and behind). This is called balance my friends and it’s the superpower that Heroes possesses.

Friday Night Lights- I didn’t even talk up Friday Night Lights in my preview last fall and wouldn’t you know, in the end it became my favorite new drama. You’d think that a story going through it’s third medium (non fiction bestseller, major studio pic) would lose some of it’s shine but instead the TV show plucked new depths by changing some of the facts from the previous incarnations and introducing us to some of the most human characters in recent memory. Each week you feel like you’re looking through a peep hole at the real city of Dillon Texas. There’s no crazy plot twists (except for maybe the train explosion) and even the football games that you know they’re going to win, are done with a realism that truly matches high school football play. The coach and his wife are the most well adjusted healthy couple on TV and the rest of the cast truly disappear into their roles in hands down the best new drama of 2006.

Drive- Ok here’s another show that wasn’t on my fall preview mostly because it wasn’t to premiere until this summer or even next year. That being said, when it premiered two weeks ago I fell in love with one of the most preposterous premises of all time…a secret cross country road race where the winner gets $32 million. Once I got wind of the shows pedigree with creators and actors from such shows as Wonderfalls, Angel, and Firefly I begged and pleaded for people to give this show a chance. Turns out it didn’t matter. Fox pulled the plug on Wednesday once again proving that they have the most clueless execs in the business. When crap like Prison Break, American Dad, and I’m Brad Garrett Kick Me in the Balls are still on the air, I find it hard to believe that Fox can even turn a profit. If they lost American Idol I think we’d soon see a network that would be closer to the CW then CBS. I hate to agree with Rosie O’Donell but Rupert Murdoch is one stupid, ignorant, koala hide wearing, kangaroo eating, coral reef snorting bastard and so is his network!

Whew...I feel much better now getting that out.

Wii Have Come A Long Way

I’m not what you would call a video game junkie. I don’t play for hours on end, I don’t buy the most groundbreaking games and I certainly have never bought the most popular system. Yet I think that may have changed when I purchased a Nintendo Wii this past Saturday.

My prime childhood video game years were spent in the gap between Nintendo and Atari. The first system I had was around 1982 and it was an Atari Dirt Bike console. Yes that’s right it was a one game console that featured handle bars for controllers, one for speed and the other to pop a wheelie. There were variations but pretty much the goal of the game was to race what appeared to be a motorcycle across 4 lines on the screen while occasionally jumping squares that I believe represented buses. The system was given to me by a friend/coworker of my father, who was really still a big kid himself and despite the fact that most of my friends had Ataris or Intellvisions, I was so excited to have something that was mine that I could play on the black and white TV in the guest room.

About a year later, I had progressed to the point where I needed a new system of my own and for some reason my parents were willing to humor me. I had read up on what the hot new system was going to be and decided on the Colecovision. The system had the most advanced controls at the time and by far the best graphics. It also had a pair of flagship arcade titles in Donkey Kong and Zaxxon. Best of all, and I think this is why my parents agreed to it for me, there was a computer add on promised called the Adam. Sadly by the time the Adam came out the Smurfs (see above) and my Pole Position games were gathering dust as most kids I knew had already upgraded to games on real computers and a few had even picked up something called a Nintendo Entertainment System.

The next few years really saw my gaming habits become non-existent. My family eventually got a PC and that led to some games like Blades of Steel, and Double Dragon but that was about it until I went off to college. Somehow I had made it through high school playing on the NES only a handful of times, so when I got to college and everyone’s dorm room had either a SuperNintendo, Nintendo or Sega Genesis, it was quite a shock. This was the first real period of video game fandom for me. Between Super Tecmo Bowl and the EA NHL series this sports fanatic soon became a video game fanatic. While I never owned my own system during this time, I always had a roommate that had at least one if not two systems.

After college however, I went right back to being a casual fan. I found that work took up more time then school did so I really only had time for TV and drinking as opposed to the college recreation of TV, drinking and video games. Still my second video game renaissance occurred around 1997 when my favorite fake sport of wrestling finally found its niche on the Nintendo 64. The advent of the 4 player Battle Royal made for the perfect late night weekend party game and I was enthralled. It was also around this time the Madden franchise really improved and being the football fan I am that intrigued me as well. However, when it came time to buy my own video game system I decided to be different and cutting edge, and went with the Sega Dreamcast. The system itself was awesome and the few games that were made were really the best around. Sega’s 2K sports franchises were actually equal if not better then EA’s and Virtua Tennis was one of the best party games ever. However the Dreamcast was the biggest failure of the next gen consoles and the game supply ended sooner rather then later.

Ever since the Dreamcast I’ve had a system but not a thriving video game habit. The Dreamcast was put in storage shortly after I made the poor choice of shacking up with my eventual ex-wife and by the time it came out of mothballs it was obsolete. For a while I went retro and bought a Nintendo 64 but eventually I settled on a Nintendo GameCube even though everybody and their mothers had Playstations or even X-Boxes. For me Nintendo has always had the best games, the best controllers, and the best look so even though it was the lesser system I cubed up. My diet has consisted of Madden, NHL and the occasional soccer or MLB game over the last few years however in the last 10 months I think I played a grand total of 3 times. Around that time I started telling people that this was it for me and video games. No more systems, no more games. Then we saw the Wii.

Considering the buzz on the X-Box 360 and Playstation 3 were deafening, I was surprised when I started reading positive spin on the Wii. Even though I was going to give up gaming once and for all I decided to keep up to date on the development of the system. When I first read about the remote controllers and their motion sensing technology I was intrigued. When I read about the ability to download old games right to the console, I was excited. When I read that it was hands to down the best new system, I was sold. Truthfully I think if the reviews on the Wii had been negative or if the price was equal to that of the PS3 or Xbox, I might have packed it in but instead all these attributes have led to Elliot’s 3rd Age of Gaming.

The 3rd Age started with a whimper. Friday afternoon I got an email from a friend who informed me that he could pick up a Wii for me at his local Target yet I turned him down. It just seemed too frivolous for a guy who really doesn’t play games that often and who doesn’t have a savings account. Yet after turning it down I spent much of Friday night beating myself up. By the time Saturday rolled around I was in a car with 2 friends searching for any remaining systems. I kept thinking positively (SECRET alert) and found one Saturday around noon. Ladies and gentlemen the Wii is the culmination of everything I’ve ever wanted in a video game system. First off the controls are interactive to the point where you actually feel like you’re truly in control. Second it’s the best party system I’ve ever seen, however I might make some friends wear double wrist bands when playing after a few drinks. Third all the games I enjoy are actually being released on the system I own. In coming months they’ll be a karaoke game, Dance Dance Revolution, all the EA sports titles, and even Guitar Hero 3. I spent 5 hours playing on Saturday and another 4 on Sunday. Last night was a night off but today I’m planning on getting a few hours in on the Wii golf course or maybe spending some time in Little Italy roughing up The Godfather’s enemies. I just have to remember to stretch out first because the Wii actually makes you a bit sore in the morning.

More Alec...Now With Audio

Man of the Year?

I know the following is supposed to be negative but somehow I think this just makes me man crush on Alec Baldwin a little bit more.

A voice mail recording was circulated online Thursday in which the 30 Rock star insults his 11-year-old daughter, Ireland, after the child purportedly missed her dad's scheduled phone call, in which he calls her a "rude, thoughtless pig."

"Once again, I have made an ass of myself trying to get to a phone. You have insulted me for the last time!" Baldwin said accusingly in the recording, reportedly made Apr. 11 and obtained by TMZ.

Baldwin added: "I don't give a damn that you're 12-year-old or 11-year-old, or a child, or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the ass who doesn't care about what you do as far as I'm concerned...The crap you pull on me with this goddamn phone situation that you would never dream of doing to your mother, and you do it to me constantly over and over again!"
The Golden Globe winner then threatens/offers to fly from New York to Los Angeles "for the day just to straighten you out on the issue."

American Idol Almost Had Me

Despite my questionable taste in both music and TV, readers of the blog have known that I’ve managed to avoid the American Idol phenomena over the past five years. Sure I see clips on The Soup and Best Week Ever. Sure I’ve enjoyed a Kelly Clarkson song here or there but really that’s been the extent of my Idolatry. This year I was beginning to feel a change. The success of super freak Sanjaya actually had me thinking about sitting down and watching the season finale as long as he was in it. I would love nothing better then to see the machine that is American Idol be brought down by its own massive ego. Unfortunately Sanjaya got the boot last night so we’ll be treated to quotes and articles about how America always get’s it right. On the bright side I’ll be able to go another year without watching a single episode of Idol.

Geek Test

Yesterday’s tragic events at Virginia Tech affected us all but paraphrasing Jon Stewart, “I’m going to do what I always do when faced with tragedy, I’m going to repress it deep down to the point that when I’m 80 and someone spills a pop on the carpet I’m going to freak the fuck out.”

Paraphrasing is actually the word of the day as yesterday I came across a column in my Entertainment Weekly by Dalton Ross. Ross is mostly a TV/feature writer for the mag but recently he’s been sharing the back page column with Stephen King. This week he wrote a column on being a geek and how he’s proud and embarrassed about it at the same time. In the column he gave some examples ala Jeff Foxworthy on how to recognize your geekiness and since I know many a geek or geek in denial read this blog I thought I’d paraphrase and pass on a few of his points along with some of my own.

You might be a geek…
…if you own the Buffy musical CD and can reenact the entire episode with or without a video backdrop.
…if you spend your Thursday mornings analyzing every frame of the previous nights LOST.
…if you find yourself singing the Ewoks celebration song from the end of Return of the Jedi.
…if you’ve gone on message boards and created a user name based on a character from the show.
…if you’ve bought a book, or comic book that takes place out of the continuity of a show or movie.
…if you ever put food coloring into your drinks to make them look like the funky space cocktails served at Quark’s bar. Hell, if you even know what Quark’s bar is you might be a geek.
…if you own both V miniseries and the short lived TV show on DVD.
…if you’ve ever discussed how George Lucas ruined the Force by introducing midichlorians.
…if you’ve ever wrote fan fiction.
…if you’ve ever even thought about wearing Spock ears.
…if you’ve ever argued about the virtues of hyperdrive versus warp drive.
…if you know what the following acronyms stand for BSG, HRG, TARDIS, TNG, CSM and ESB (I’m having trouble with that last one myself).
…if you ever used frak (from Battlestar) instead of fuck in a sentence.
…if you ever waved your hand at a bouncer and said “these aren’t the IDs you’re looking for” as you attempt to get into a club.
…if you get excited when alumni from your favorite shows appear on new shows (ie. Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Jubal Early, and Fred all showing up on Drive; which by the way is off to a great start Monday’s at 7pm CST on Fox).
…if you spend an inordinate amount of time trying to convince people to watch a new TV show so that it doesn’t get an early pink slip.

I had to answer yes to a handful of these but I owned up to my geekiness years ago. Just don’t call me a nerd cause that’s a whole other ball of wax.

El Dog's Super Amazing Donkey iMix

Since I haven't posted on my latest musical highlights in a while we'll
go with a Top 15 on my iPod this week:

15. Girlfriend- Avril Lavigne
Despite a shoddy performance on this past weekend's SNL (stage presence
anyone), this track still get's me going and with the release of the
album today I'm sure to be adding a few new ones as well. Line of the
week goes to Entertainment Weekly which gave the album a B+, "You're SAT
score will probably go down retroactively if you're an adult listening
to this."

14. Release- Timberland f/Justin Timberlake
The first of 3 tracks on my countdown, this probably is the best vocal
performance that Timberland gives. I mean the guy is not a rapper or
singer by trade so something like this track where he mostly bellows is
perfect. Justin is solid and what more do you need when you've got
Timberland's beats.

13. Jackie Will Save Me- Shiny Toy Guns
12. Rainy Monday- Shiny Toy Guns
When Apple introduced the whole complete an album tool to iTunes last
month, this was the first one I downloaded. A mix of 80's new wave, rock
and current dance pop, STG's music has truly made an impact on me. Great
for blaring out of your car on the first 60 degree day or for background
music at a pre or after bar, I'm all over these guys...and girl.

11. Never Stop- Hilary Duff
10. With Love- Hilary Duff
For whatever reason I've been listening to a lot of dance music lately.
It's not like I've been hanging out at the clubs or anything, just
gravitating to it for some reason. Duff's new album is pure dance pop
and leaves her teen pop ballads behind. The girl's voice is nothing
special so music like this is actually more up her alley.

9. Love Today- Mika
Pure Brit pop at its finest. Mika has a voice that evokes the late great
Freddy Mercury and his tracks like this one are pure bubblegum fluff at
its finest.

8. Bounce- Timberland f/Dr. Dre, Missy Elliott, and Justin Timberlake
Holy crap there's a Dre sighting! Unfortunately it's a Dre rapping
appearance which would be akin to a Timberland rapping appearance. Wait
a second...I'm listening to a track with two non talented
rapper/producers? Well yes mostly because Missy's verse if fierce as
hell and JT's chorus is spectacular over (repeat with me now)
Timberland's beats of glory.

7. Party, Party, Party- Andrew WK
Anyone who's ever seen the Aqua Teen Hunger Force ep with this track has
been waiting for this to be available for what has seemed like an
eternity. Thankfully it pops up on the soundtrack for the new movie and
we're treated to slightly less then 2 minutes of the typical WK mayhem.

6. Don't Cry Out- Shiny Toy Guns
This song embodies everything I said before about this band. Get your
grove on while singing along and also rocking a bit. My favorite song in
the car right now.

5. Dignity- Hilary Duff
Seriously I don't know when this affection for dance music developed in
me but I think it might be a problem.

4. Bjork- Earth Intruders
Speaking of dance, here's someone who has certainly made a number of
dance tracks that I've always enjoyed. After slowing things down on the
last few albums this first single is supposedly a preview of what will
be a dance beat heavy album. Oh and guess who did the beats on this one,
who else but mister omnipresent Timberland.

3. What I've Done- Linkin Park
No rap breakdown and no scratches, this comes across as straight rock
and or roll. The opening bars grab you out of the shoot and don't let
go. These guys continue to grow on me.

2. Never Again- Kelly Clarkson
Avril might have the latest chick rock album but guess who's warming up
to take back her crown, yes its Miss Independent herself, Kelly
Clarkson. This first single features Kelly doing what she does
best...being pissed at some dude who screwed her over.

1. Give It to Me- Timberland f/Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake
I'm declaring this the song of the summer or at least the spring. Sure
Timberland can't really rap or sing but I'm willing to put up with that
when he continues to drive home the best beats in the business and make
both these artists sound better then they ever have.

Saturday Funnies

I'm sure you've all seen this but screw it I love it.

Mid Week Thoughts

Sorry for the lack of posts but between work, play, and a general lack of pop culture items demanding attention, I just haven’t had much to say. As such here’s a mid week hodge podge of thoughts:

This morning my hometown ball club, the Minnesota Twins, unveiled designs for their new stadium. Seems a bit plain to me but I do like the stone façade that mimics the walls of the Mississippi river valley. Of course tt would make more sense if the stadium was next to the river but if they chose something to mimic in the vicinity of the new stadium the front would mimic burning garbage. I’m not a big fan of mandatory taxes for building new stadiums (I tend to think volunteer donations on tax forms or lottery tickets are the way to go if the state is to have any involvement) but now that the construction looks to be starting on time I must admit these pics got me excited about outdoor baseball…in the snow.

Lost continues its recent renaissance with another excellent episode last night. Again it was very reminiscent to the first season as it really took the time to connect the audience with the characters. However I was shocked not only by the small answers they gave throughout the ep but by the giant reveal at the end. Usually something like that would be dragged out for weeks and while I expected some note of ambiguity at the end, I sure as hell was not expecting that.

RIP Andy Barker. Yep that’s right yet another Andy Richter series is in the tank. The latest, created by Conan O’Brien, had Andy playing an accountant who moonlights as a PI. I thought there was potential in the show from the 3 episodes I saw but it certainly hadn’t found its voice yet. I’d lambaste NBC for the quick cancellation but they get a free pass for a while longer due to renewing 30 Rock.

MTV unveiled its latest installment of The Real World/Road Rules Challenge on Tuesday night and it started out with a bang. (Yes this is the same blog writer who railed against this type of crap on Monday, but again just because I think it’s a low form of entertainment doesn’t mean I won’t compulsively watch it.) Everyone’s favorite sexy dirt bag CT got sent home on the first night after bringing his fist of fury down upon challenge newbie Davis from the current Denver Real World. The self loathing part of me loves that the producers somehow didn’t have a camera present for this to take place. You know they’d give anything to have captured it on film so they could slo-mo the replay about a million times. The Real World fanatic in me is pissed however because quite simply CT makes for great TV. Also I’m curious as to why MTV rushed this installment to the air. Denver is still airing and usually cast members don’t appear on a challenge until after their season has finished. There is a lot of talk that with the recent change in MTV’s head programmer that the Real World team might be on their way out. They are contracted for two more seasons of Real World (Sydney and ??) and one more of Road Rules. However with the earlier news of the reunited Las Vegas cast show perhaps rumors of Bunim/Murray’s demise are exaggerated.

Kudos to Apple and iTunes for once again finding a way to keep their strangle hold on digital music. The latest is their option that allows customers to buy a complete album they may have already partially downloaded. I have often lamented some ill choices to purchase single upon single only to realize I could have saved money if I had just bought the album (see Barkley, Gnarls). This is a shot at redemption for serial purchasers like myself and another example of how Apple anticipates their customer’s needs and desires better then any tech company in the market today.

MTV: The Two Faced Monster

Tonight MTV premiered the 3rd season of Run’s House and proved that every once in a while the network can still provide worthwhile moments. Run’s House follows the lives of RUN DMC’s Rev Run and his family. It’s very much the anti-Osbournes. Sure they’re richer then all the readers of this blog combined but the Rev’s family seems more down to Earth then any other on reality TV. For someone such as myself who is put off by religion, Run manages to preach without being preachy. His family seems to have no problem opening up their lives with all its blemishes and pains. Tonight’s episode was gut wrenching to watch. At the end of last season Run and his wife were preparing for a new baby and within 5 minutes of the premiere after a typically entertaining exchange about the Rev burning in hell for going to Hooters, we find out that they lost the baby in child birth. Furthermore, the family actually lets the cameras in as mom and dad share the news with their 5 other children. To say it was engrossing TV would be a disservice. Yet it wasn’t the kind of TV that grabbed you because you wanted to see human misery, no it was engrossing because of the fact that you saw a real family dealing with real tragedy and trying to heal themselves. Moments like these are few and far between on a network that airs shows like Exposed, NeXt and The Hills but thanks to a handful of shows like Run’s House and True Life, MTV proves that it is still a worthy network. That is until you hear of a stunt like…reuniting the entire cast of the Real World Las Vegas and moving them back into their Palms Hotel suite for a month. Is this what you’ve been reduced to MTV literally recycling the exact same old shows? Arguably the most dysfunctional season of the Real World ever, this cast was the exact opposite of Run’s House because they made you watch because you knew these 7 people would be a gigantic train wreck. Of course I don’t mean to sound too high and mighty because as much as I appreciated Run’s House I know I’ll be lining up to watch the Real World reunion and that’s why MTV might actually be the devil.

Twin Peaks Week: Day 4- Season 2 DVD Review

Let me be honest up front and say that I haven’t made it through the complete set yet. You really can’t rush yourself thru 22 of the best hours in TV history. However, after getting a look at the first 7 eps and a handful of extras, I think I’m ready to give my review on the DVD set of Twin Peaks Season 2. If you haven’t been able to tell from the fact that I devoted a whole week of the blog to this release, I’ve been anticipating this set ever since season 1 came out 5 years ago. I scoured the net for any news about the release at least once a month over that time and when I was finally able to purchase this set on Tuesday, I actually felt a joy in my heart that I haven’t felt since you were first able to buy Star Wars on VHS. I’m saying all this because obviously I come into this review with rose colored glasses on, so while I can’t be completely objective I’ll do my best.

Packaging
The set comes in a box that echoes the season 1 set. This is a nice touch considering this is a completely different studio releasing these discs so the synergy is greatly appreciated. There is no slip cover ala Laura Palmer on season 1 but I’m not really sure what they could have done here to match that. Inside there are 3 of the ever popular slim cases. These are the super thin cases that have become all the rage in DVD sets over the last couple of years. Personally I’m a big fan of the larger boxes that fold out, like season 1 or all the Buffy sets. Each case has a different picture on the front and feature The Giant, Windom Earl, and TMFAP (aka the midget), and the back features episode info. Overall the packaging isn’t as great as season 1 but again the fact that CBS/Paramount made an effort to match the exteriors lends me to give these 3 out of 5 stars.

Video and Sound
The only way most of us have seen a season 2 episode in the last few years has been on grainy VHS tape, so it’s impossible not to be happy with this transfer. However, once again this set falls short of the season 1 release. Each disc contains 3 to 4 episodes on this set where as season 1 only had 2 on a disc. The result is that they had to knock down the video quality a tad. Don’t get me wrong it still looks better then it did even on TV but the blacks seem a little crushed in spots and the amazing crispness of the season 1 transfers is just not there. Still when compared to other sets of modern shows, like Lost for example, it certainly matches that quality. The sound on the set also suffers from the amount of eps crammed into a disc. On season 1 there was a DTS and a Dolby mix to choose from and here we only have the DTS. This doesn’t really bother me as I’m not a sound techie but I’m sure it will rankle some feathers out there. I really have no complaints about the sound as it all sounds fantastic but those of you out there who really care might be disappointed. Video and sound earn another 3 out of 5 stars.

Extras and Menus
Season 2 rivals season 1 in this category. The big negative is that there are no commentaries on any of the eps which I found very disappointing. Instead we get various sets of interviews. The first by Lynch’s daughter Jennifer features her discussing The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer, a tie in book she authored during the show. It’s a fine interview except for the fact that Jennifer still seems tight lipped about the series as if we’re watching this before the season 3 premiere. The second features director Todd Holland this is a very engaging interview but at roughly 5 minutes is far too short and makes you wonder why they couldn’t have done a commentary track instead. On the rest of the discs there are more one on one interviews but it is the final disc that has the most to enjoy. Disc 6 features interviews with some of the cast members such as Cooper himself Kyle MacLachlan. These interviews are a nice touch because some of the cast has been MIA for some time. We also get the Log Lady intros that were featured on Bravo and the season 1 set. For some reason the transfer of these wasn’t cleaned up so the video and audio are quite horrible but that’s a minor quibble as it’s always nice to listen to what Margaret has to say. I wasn’t expecting Lynch himself to make an appearance but some new stuff with Mark Frost would have been nice. The one place I’ll say season 2 definitly exceeds season 1 are the menus. Each disc has you zooming over what turns out to be a map of Twin Peaks . The extras are easy to navigate which is something season 1 faltered at. Oddly there aren’t any chapter points in the episodes but if I remember correctly that’s Lynch throwing in his two cents again as I seem to remember him discussing his hatred for a tool that allows audiences to skip ahead in a film. Again I’ll give this area 4 out of 5 stars.



Overall
The rumor going around these days is that is this set sells well; CBS will release a box set of the entire series including the long lost pilot late this year. On the off chance that doesn’t happen I strongly recommend you pick up this set. Could it be better? Yes and maybe a box set would allow Lynch and CBS to give us more extras like commentaries or a documentary on the Twin Peaks festival that’s still going strong. I know I’d drop $150 bucks for a complete set and a Twin Peaks Sherriff’s department coffee mug. In the meantime though this set does satisfy my quench for season 2 because at the end of the day the extras, packaging, video and sound are all secondary to the true star of this set and that’s the episodes themselves. Season 2 of Twin Peaks is TV101 and should be required viewing for any child, studio exec and gosh darn it any decent human being. Because of that I’m going ahead and giving the whole set 6 out of 5 stars. Now if we can just get those 40 minutes of cut scenes from Fire Walk with Me released….

Twin Peaks Week: Day 3- Early Saturday Funnies

Ok so I'm still working on the season 2 DVD review so instead of posting nothing I'm flip flopping and putting up today, Friday, what I meant to finish out the week. I'm particularly fond of this clip as the language barrier makes it even more Twin Peaks-ian. Enjoy!

Extra! Extra! Live Every Week Next Year Like It's Shark Week!

We interrupt Twin Peaks week for an important announcement: NBC has wisely renewed the growing comic genius of 30 Rock. Cheers to NBC for sticking with another show that's ratings challenged much like The Office was it's first year. Congrats to Tina, Tracey, and of course my entertainer of the year, Alec Baldwin.

Twin Peaks Week: Day 2- The Lost Legacy

As I watched season one I was struck by how similar and how much Lost owes to Twin Peaks. This is not groundbreaking stuff, many TV scholars are quick to credit Peaks for creating a world in which X Files and Buffy would excel, thus paving the way for current shows like Heroes and Lost. However upon closer inspection of season one I must say that the Lost parallels really hit me. Here are 4 that jumped out at me the most.

Secrets
Both shows take their own sweet time in answering questions. For those of you that can remember, Peaks faced much of the same outrage from fans that Lost does now, over the fact that it wasn't until mid season 2 that the murder of Laura Palmer was solved. Then there were all the dangling plot lines such as Cooper's past, the Indian glyphs, the aliens in the woods just to name a few. For every one question answered many more were created...sound familiar.

Reality Bites?
Both shows play quite openly with the reality the characters and as such the audience are experiencing. Characters see things they shouldn't be seeing, visions if you will, and of course they keep it themselves which then makes the audience question its place in the show. Take Laura's cousin Maddie who in the first ep of season two see's a blood soaked carpet and really is that it much different from Kate seeing a horse she encountered before the plane crash.

Pacing
It's amazing sometimes to think that while Lost has been on the air for almost 3 full seasons, the characters have only lived on the island for some 80 odd days. Well the Oceanic 815 folks got nothing on the people of Twin Peaks. Much like a daily soap opera, some days on Twin Peaks seemed to last multiple eps. In fact season one seems to only stretch out to maybe a week.

Bad Boys Who Aren't Really Bad
On Lost, Sawyer is a guy who's done some horrible horrible things in his life but as an audience we want him to be good in fact we even believe it despite everything we've seen. This is not your typical character but it was one that Twin Peaks played to perfection. Bobby Briggs is introduced in season 1 as the coke dealing star quarterback who cheated on Laura Palmer and seems to be an ass in general. As the first season progressed we saw just how vulnerable this bad boy was as he broke down during a session with Dr. Jacoby. By the time the second season rolls about he's almost a reluctant hero. Take the even more extreme example of Leo Johnson. In season one Leo is evil as evil is but after he become a bit...well...challenged you actually find yourself pulling for the guy.

Twin Peaks Week: Day 1- DVD Review Season 1

As promised I’ll have a review of the new season 2 Twin Peaks DVD set up later this week, but in preparing for the release, I sat down this weekend and watched season 1 for the umpteenth time. I must admit that I don’t think I’ve watched all 7 episodes in a row for at least two years and it left me with a bevy of new observations. Today I’ll share my thoughts on the season 1 DVD release which while out of print can still be found quite easily on the net. Tomorrow I’ll discuss the many parraells to Lost that I discovered while watching the first season. Finally on Thursday or Friday I’ll have a review of the season 2 DVD.



First and foremost, this is a great TV show. If you’re still reading this I’ll assume you’re familiar but on the off chance you’re not, Twin Peaks is the story of a small upper Northwest town that is full of secrets. The show was famous for the “who killed Laura Palmer” storyline but in truth the show was very much a cross between a nighttime soap and a 50’s melodrama. There were only 8 episodes produced in the first season as ABC introduced the show in midseason with trepidation. The show itself was groundbreaking in the way it told its stories but I’ll talk more on that tomorrow.



The DVDs of the first season themselves are some of the best ever produced when it comes to a TV show. Considering Twin Peaks originally aired at a time when cable television wasn’t in every house or even every room in the house many of us watched a grainy picture to begin with. Then there was the VHS release of the series which is quite possibly the worst looking VHS transfer I’ve ever seen. Still for those of us that loved the show, it’s all we had until the DVD of season 1 came out 5 years ago. The season 1 set comes in a beautiful package that features a slip cover with Laura Palmer’s prom picture on it that slides over a picture of her dead, wrapped in plastic. Each disc features two episodes and the picture transfer is breathtaking. Seriously, I don’t think the show ever looked this good when it aired. There is a Dolby and DTS sound mix, both of which allow you to hear the series in a new light. Then there are the extras. First you’ve got the Log Lady intros to each episode that David Lynch filmed and aired when the show ran in repeats on Bravo. Then, there are script notes that can pop up as you view the eps which feature nuggets on deleted or alternate scenes. Of course there are commentaries too but none from Lynch, who is notorious for hating DVD commentaries. Lastly there are a gaggle of interviews on the final disc. There is a pretty insightful interview with series co-creator Mark Frost and then a series of interviews with some of the cast that get increasingly bizarre. For example the interview with Sheryl Lynn, aka Laura Palmer, is very revealing…when it comes to her trip to Africa after the failed show LA Doctors. The interviews are so weird that they belong on a DVD set for Twin Peaks . Some of the menus are hard to navigate but that’s really a minor complaint. The biggest complaint comes from the fact that the pilot episode of the show is not included. Because Lynch and Frost sought to avoid the censorship and creative drains of financing the show through a US studio they entered into a very complicated contract that eventually tied up the rights to the pilot. Word on the street is that those issues have finally been cleared up and if the new season 2 set sells well we’ll get either a series box set or a re-released season 1 with pilot later this year. Until then, I still believe that this really is the standard bearer for TV show sets and it sets a high standard for season 2.