Parks and Recreation (Thursdays, NBC): I'm sorry to say, but as much as I love this show, we've probably seen the best it has to offer already (seasons 2 & 3). So it is probably doomed to follow the same arc as The Office - we're no longer in the zone where pretty much every episode is guaranteed to be great. We'll see many decent-to-good episodes, with a few brilliant ones sprinkled in. They've pretty much admitted that the golden years are over - a book was recently released on the fictional town of Pawnee, which is pretty much an admission that there isn't a whole lot of new material from here on out. But maybe if Rob Lowe fixed his hair. . .
Whitney (Thursdays, NBC): It actually looked funny from the vignette promos that ran all summer on NBC. It's about a girl named Whitney and her bearded live-in boyfriend, and the hilarity of their non-married life. But it's hard to make a whole show out of vignettes. We gave it a try, and although it is better than Outsourced (last season's NBC Thursday night stinker), we decided it wasn't worth a place on the regular viewing schedule. But maybe if they got rid of the laugh track. . .
Up All Night (Wednesdays, NBC): NBC's promos for their new fall shows, which ran constantly during America's Got Talent last summer, really worked on me. This is another one I tried based on the promo. It's the story of a couple, played by Will Arnett and Christina Applegate, and they have a baby, and so the show is about how the baby is causing all sorts of havoc for their lives. Plus Maya Rudolph is involved. I didn't expect to like it, and actually didn't like it after watching the pilot. It's kind of harsh to judge a show on the pilot episode, but them's the breaks. At least this couple is married.
Prime Suspect (Thursdays (?), NBC): A cop show set in NYC, with homicide detective Jane Timoney as the main character. I would compare her to Veronica Mars, if only Veronica were 25 years older and working in NYC. Jane tends to rub people the wrong way, but has a knack for solving crimes. So the show is kind of about not only solving the cases, but how she isn't necessarily well-liked by her coworkers. As one of them said, "You have the worst personality ever." We're not big cop show people, so I can't really judge this against any other cop shows, but we actually like it. Which is pretty much the kiss of death. We were into the cop show Life, which lasted two seasons before being canceled by NBC a couple of years ago. And then there was Veronica Mars, which more of a PI show than a cop show, but still - canceled after three seasons. And Prime Suspect is rumored to be in trouble. They're beginning to move it around to different nights, trying to get people to watch.
Hmmm. So that should be about it. There's probably another show that I tried, but I'm not thinking of it right now. I hope my perspectives on the 2011 TV season were helpful to you in some way.
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Zethro's Fall TV Preview Part III
Modern Family (Wednesdays, ABC): I'm a little worried about ModFam this season. The well is starting to run dry on a few of their standard jokes - Claire is uptight, Phil is a little boy trapped in an adult body, Manny is an adult trapped in a kid body, Gloria is loud and hard to understand, etc. - we get all that. Even Cam, the standout character from the first season, is starting to feel a little stale. It will be interesting to see if they do anything to freshen it up. I don't think talking Lily is the answer, however.
Community (Thursdays, NBC): I'm selling all my stock in this show. I didn't really like it to begin with, but sort of got sucked in after a couple of outstanding fisrt season episodes (the ones about chicken fingers and paintball), but now I'm back to square one. It's just not worth the investment when so many of the episodes are blah. Besides, season three of a show about community college? Shouldn't they all be done by now?
The Big Bang Theory (Thursdays, NBC): I keep wanting to sell my stock in this show, but keep getting lured back in by Shelden, for whom the joke well never seems to run dry. Jim Parsons is worth the Emmy and whatever money they pay him. And what does a show about nerds do to keep the laughs coming? Introduce more nerds. I enjoy any episode with Mayim Bialik (yes, that Mayim Bialik) as Amy Farrah Fowler, the female equivalent of Shelden.
The Office (Thursday, NBC): It doesn't completely make sense that Andy is the new regional manager. Michael at least made some sense, because although he could be a terrible boss, he was a great salesman. And everything that has been presented over the past couple of seasons has portrayed Andy as having one of the worst sales records in the office. But there is a lot that doesn't make sense with this show over the past four seasons - don't get me started, I could do an entire post on just this show and maybe I will sometime. But it's okay - it's a comedy. It's just supposed to make you laugh, not make you think, right?
I think I only have a couple more shows to do, so stay tuned for Part IV.
Community (Thursdays, NBC): I'm selling all my stock in this show. I didn't really like it to begin with, but sort of got sucked in after a couple of outstanding fisrt season episodes (the ones about chicken fingers and paintball), but now I'm back to square one. It's just not worth the investment when so many of the episodes are blah. Besides, season three of a show about community college? Shouldn't they all be done by now?
The Big Bang Theory (Thursdays, NBC): I keep wanting to sell my stock in this show, but keep getting lured back in by Shelden, for whom the joke well never seems to run dry. Jim Parsons is worth the Emmy and whatever money they pay him. And what does a show about nerds do to keep the laughs coming? Introduce more nerds. I enjoy any episode with Mayim Bialik (yes, that Mayim Bialik) as Amy Farrah Fowler, the female equivalent of Shelden.
The Office (Thursday, NBC): It doesn't completely make sense that Andy is the new regional manager. Michael at least made some sense, because although he could be a terrible boss, he was a great salesman. And everything that has been presented over the past couple of seasons has portrayed Andy as having one of the worst sales records in the office. But there is a lot that doesn't make sense with this show over the past four seasons - don't get me started, I could do an entire post on just this show and maybe I will sometime. But it's okay - it's a comedy. It's just supposed to make you laugh, not make you think, right?
I think I only have a couple more shows to do, so stay tuned for Part IV.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Zethro's Fall TV Preview Part II
The Biggest Loser (Tuesdays, NBC): E-liz would probably love it if I would get on board with this show. But I just haven't been able to do it. The melodrama of this show has just proven to be too much for me to handle. I can't handle the tears and the yelling and screaming. I can't handle that scale beep-beep-beeping for five minutes before it finally gives the weight. I can't handle breaking to commerical in the middle of a weigh-in. I can't handle that Alison Sweeney chick reciting "your current weight is. . ." with such gravity you'd think she was presenting the Best Picture Oscar. I can't handle that trainer guy Bob and his beard. I can't handle every episode being two hours long.
Survivor (Wednesday, CBS): I just keep coming back. I proclaimed before this season that I was going to take another hiatus from Survivor. But then I heard that not one, but two Mormons were going to be on this season. One of the Mormons is Dawn, who's in her forties and I think a BYU professor. The other Mormon is a guy, but I'm not even sure of his name because so far they've given him about 2.8 seconds of screen time. There is also this guy Brandon on this season who is a real piece of work. It's always amazing how the players get so offended about being voted off and the other Survivors not playing with integrity. Uh. . . this show has been on for like 12 years, guys. Get with the program. I still watch, maybe only because I can sit and make snide remarks about Jeff Probst.
Well, I'm already out of time for today so this will have to do for now. This may end up being a five-parter.
Survivor (Wednesday, CBS): I just keep coming back. I proclaimed before this season that I was going to take another hiatus from Survivor. But then I heard that not one, but two Mormons were going to be on this season. One of the Mormons is Dawn, who's in her forties and I think a BYU professor. The other Mormon is a guy, but I'm not even sure of his name because so far they've given him about 2.8 seconds of screen time. There is also this guy Brandon on this season who is a real piece of work. It's always amazing how the players get so offended about being voted off and the other Survivors not playing with integrity. Uh. . . this show has been on for like 12 years, guys. Get with the program. I still watch, maybe only because I can sit and make snide remarks about Jeff Probst.
Well, I'm already out of time for today so this will have to do for now. This may end up being a five-parter.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Zethro's Fall TV Preview Part I
Ah, fall is here. Kids are back in school, leaves are turning, and new shows to watch on the tube. The anticipation is great - until you realize that most of the new shows suck and aren't worth watching. You might be thinking, wow, this guy watches too much TV, and maybe that's true, but when you've got a baby who needs a lot of holding, what else are you going to do? Build an addition on the garage?
Here's my take on the Fall TV Season thus far:
The Amazing Race (Sundays, CBS): This used to be one of our main shows to watch, but then we stopped for a few years. E-liz has been wanting to start watching again the past couple of seasons, but we haven't, maybe because of the weird Sunday time slot, and maybe because I technically didn't want to. It's an okay show, but a little boring at times (here's one team riding in a cab, and here's another team riding in a cab, and here's yet another team riding in a cab) and sometimes seems a little rigged (they always make like there is a big crisis with one of the teams not being able to get a flight, but somehow they always all end up on the same plane). Plus, the host, Phil, kind of bugs me sometimes. By the way, we would be terrible if we ever went on this show.
Pan Am (Sundays, ABC): Speaking of planes and flights, E-liz looked at me with shock when I told her I had DVR'd the pilot episode of Pan Am, as if I had DVR'd professional wrestling or CSPAN. But now she professes to like the show, which is based around a group of stewardesses who see the world as employees of Pan Am Airlines. Of course, I'm all about nostalgia and enjoy the look in at a different era. So far, it's pretty tame content-wise, compared to say, Mad Men. It will be interesting to see how long they can keep it interesting - there's some serious potential to run out of plots and storylines pretty quick, and the sixties nostalgia won't keep it afloat forever.
NFL Football (Sundays & Mondays, CBS/FOX/NBC/ESPN): I wish I had more time to sit around and watch pro football, because I really do enjoy it. However, the way life is right now, there just isn't time. I always DVR the Broncos game, and sometimes it takes me two or three days to watch it, if I get through it at all. And that includes skipping through commercials and a lot of dead time between plays. Sigh. No big deal, since it appears the Broncos are on their way to another 4-12 season. At least Tim T. will keep us all interested.
The Playboy Club (was Mondays, NBC): I never watched it, although I did see roughly 2,572 promos while watching America's Got Talent last summer. My guess was that it was going to end up being canceled by Thanksgiving. I was wrong. It was canceled by Halloween, lasting just three episodes before NBC pulled the plug.
2 Broke Girls (Mondays, CBS): Technically, I only watched about two and a half minutes of this one night. It didn't look that compelling, although it seems to be getting good reviews.
So I had to include a couple of shows I don't watch so it actually seems like a Fall TV Preview, and not just a listing of what I watch.
Check back for Part II.
Here's my take on the Fall TV Season thus far:
The Amazing Race (Sundays, CBS): This used to be one of our main shows to watch, but then we stopped for a few years. E-liz has been wanting to start watching again the past couple of seasons, but we haven't, maybe because of the weird Sunday time slot, and maybe because I technically didn't want to. It's an okay show, but a little boring at times (here's one team riding in a cab, and here's another team riding in a cab, and here's yet another team riding in a cab) and sometimes seems a little rigged (they always make like there is a big crisis with one of the teams not being able to get a flight, but somehow they always all end up on the same plane). Plus, the host, Phil, kind of bugs me sometimes. By the way, we would be terrible if we ever went on this show.
Pan Am (Sundays, ABC): Speaking of planes and flights, E-liz looked at me with shock when I told her I had DVR'd the pilot episode of Pan Am, as if I had DVR'd professional wrestling or CSPAN. But now she professes to like the show, which is based around a group of stewardesses who see the world as employees of Pan Am Airlines. Of course, I'm all about nostalgia and enjoy the look in at a different era. So far, it's pretty tame content-wise, compared to say, Mad Men. It will be interesting to see how long they can keep it interesting - there's some serious potential to run out of plots and storylines pretty quick, and the sixties nostalgia won't keep it afloat forever.
NFL Football (Sundays & Mondays, CBS/FOX/NBC/ESPN): I wish I had more time to sit around and watch pro football, because I really do enjoy it. However, the way life is right now, there just isn't time. I always DVR the Broncos game, and sometimes it takes me two or three days to watch it, if I get through it at all. And that includes skipping through commercials and a lot of dead time between plays. Sigh. No big deal, since it appears the Broncos are on their way to another 4-12 season. At least Tim T. will keep us all interested.
The Playboy Club (was Mondays, NBC): I never watched it, although I did see roughly 2,572 promos while watching America's Got Talent last summer. My guess was that it was going to end up being canceled by Thanksgiving. I was wrong. It was canceled by Halloween, lasting just three episodes before NBC pulled the plug.
2 Broke Girls (Mondays, CBS): Technically, I only watched about two and a half minutes of this one night. It didn't look that compelling, although it seems to be getting good reviews.
So I had to include a couple of shows I don't watch so it actually seems like a Fall TV Preview, and not just a listing of what I watch.
Check back for Part II.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
If You Strike Me Down, I Shall Become More Powerful Than You Can Possibly Imagine
In case you didn't hear, little Anna did not make it through to the finals of American's Got Talent. Her performance of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" was admittedly a bit off, and with the judges raving about several other performances, the handwriting was on the wall as Tuesday's show wrapped up.
I held out hope that America would grade her on her whole body of work, but apparently they did not, and she was eliminated on Wednesday night from the competition.
The acts who will square off next week for the grand prize are Team iLuminate, Silhouettes, Poplyfe, and Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
If the judges had to select a winner at their sole discretion, it's clear that they would have given it to Team iLuminate a couple of weeks ago. But since it's America voting, it will probably be the act which performs the best Tuesday night.
The double standards of the judges kind of bug me. It's not clear to me, and doesn't seem to be clear to the contestants, exactly how much they like to see the acts branch out and take risks.
In the early stages of the competition, Professor Splash wowed the judges with his bellyflops into the kiddie pool, but he was often questioned about what else he could do. When he finally did something a little different, they said it wasn't as good as the dives into the shallow pool. And he was immediately eliminated.
Sandau Trio Russian Bar ran into the same problem - in their efforts to do something different, they bombed badly, and were rightly criticized for it. Yet if they had continued doing variations on the original act, it seems likely that they would have been raked over the coals.
On Tuesday, the Miami All-Stars were criticized during the Top 10 show because Piers did not like the football/cheerleader theme of their performance, and said that he preferred the swing they had done in the semifinals.
However, minutes later, West Springfield Dance Team rolled out another edition of their unique brand of "gore-dance". Sharon seemed to think it was boring because they were expecting the same type of act. However, the similarily of their routines had never seemed to bother the judges before. I'm not sure what the judges wanted them to do - perhaps put on brightly-colored pastels and dance around with lollipops?
If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would argue that the rejection of Miami All-Stars and WSDT was simply a case of the judges making sure that the decks were cleared for their preferred dance acts - Team iLuminate and Silhouettes. Those two acts probably work a little better for a Vegas-type show - is it possible that the judges receive pressure from the producers of AGT or NBC to hype certain acts?
I bring this up because like WSDT, every act that Silhouettes has rolled out has been more or less the same - patriotic, heartstring-tugging themes - and yet the judges have been effusive in their praise every time. On Tuesday, AGT aired a manipulative human interest piece before Silhouettes went on - about many of the girls suffering from chronic illnesses, and their director not having any kids of her own, so all the dancers call her mom, and so on. It's clear they wanted them to go through Tuesday night, and America got the message.
The judges are clearly rooting for Team iLuminate to take the $1 million. I'm sure Team iLuminate could do whatever they want next on stage next Tuesday, and as long as it isn't a disaster, the judges will be ecstatic.
I guess Poplyfe is good, although they just don't connect with me for some reason. I wouldn't pay to see them - let's put it that way.
So I'm left to pull for Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. to croon his way to victory.
If you're thinking, wow, he's sounding kind of bitter and vindictive, well, I am, because my favorite just lost, and I don't care what happens to the rest of them. I'll miss her performances, which were akin to Carrie Underwood on American Idol. You didn't ever want to miss them, because they seemed like history in the making.
From the moment we heard "What a Wonderful World" nearly two months ago, it seemed that she had a blow-your-doors off quality that the other acts did not possess. And when she rolled out her version of "Home Sweet Home" a couple of weeks ago, it seemed like the momentum would be enough to carry her all the way. But I guess the demand to be ever-improving proved to be too much for a little kid, however remarkable she might be.
The good news for her, like Jennifer Hudson, is that this is just the beginning.
In case you haven't seen the show and are wondering what I'm talking about, please see my post immediately preceding this one.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Ranking AGT Semifinal Show #2
12. Gymkana. Thanks for playing.
11. Steven Retchless. You are gross, sir.
10. Fatally Unique. West Springfield Dance Team called and they want their concept back.
9. Sihouettes. I personally didn’t get it.
8. Summerwind Skippers. The mistakes are finally going to cost them.
7. Snap Boogie. He did well, but lacked the wow factor.
6. Landon Swank. I’ll give the magician credit – he did well.
5. The Kinetic King. He’s not a performer in the same way that everyone else is, but he’s still got talent.
4. Professor Splash. The judges wanted to see him do something else, so he did, and they said they liked the other thing better.
3. Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Is the fact that he’s sort of a one-trick pony going to catch up with him?
2. Smage Bros Riding Shows. Can we get these guys a bigger stage? Professor Splash gets to go outside.
1. Anna Graceman. Having mastered Alicia Keys and Louie Armstrong, she moves on to. . . Motley Crue? The other contestants have to be worried – it’s hard to imagine that she won’t win or at least be there at the very end.
I’m usually pretty good at picking who will go through – I was four for five last week. I predict that these five will advance tonight:
Anna Graceman
Smage Bros Riding Shows
Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
The Kinetic King
The judges will be left to choose between Professor Splash and Landon Swank, and the magician will edge the diver by a 2-to-1 vote.
11. Steven Retchless. You are gross, sir.
10. Fatally Unique. West Springfield Dance Team called and they want their concept back.
9. Sihouettes. I personally didn’t get it.
8. Summerwind Skippers. The mistakes are finally going to cost them.
7. Snap Boogie. He did well, but lacked the wow factor.
6. Landon Swank. I’ll give the magician credit – he did well.
5. The Kinetic King. He’s not a performer in the same way that everyone else is, but he’s still got talent.
4. Professor Splash. The judges wanted to see him do something else, so he did, and they said they liked the other thing better.
3. Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Is the fact that he’s sort of a one-trick pony going to catch up with him?
2. Smage Bros Riding Shows. Can we get these guys a bigger stage? Professor Splash gets to go outside.
1. Anna Graceman. Having mastered Alicia Keys and Louie Armstrong, she moves on to. . . Motley Crue? The other contestants have to be worried – it’s hard to imagine that she won’t win or at least be there at the very end.
I’m usually pretty good at picking who will go through – I was four for five last week. I predict that these five will advance tonight:
Anna Graceman
Smage Bros Riding Shows
Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
The Kinetic King
The judges will be left to choose between Professor Splash and Landon Swank, and the magician will edge the diver by a 2-to-1 vote.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Ranking AGT Semifinal Show #1
The first semifinal show was on last night. And I can't help myself. I have to rank them.
12. Kevin Colis - As Helen Hunt once said, buh-bye.
11. Sandau Trio Russian Bar - It saddens me to say it, because I had them ranked #2 overall, but they're done. When asked by the judges why they went for the upside-down piano act, they stated that they didn't have any more that they could do on Russian Bar. But if that was their second-best talent? Yikes.
10. Matt Wilhelm - The judges really built this guy up a couple of weeks ago, only to tear him back down last night. The only people more intolerant of a mistake are Olympic gymnastic TV commentators. As for me, he is who I thought he was. He's good, but not quite good enough.
9. Beth Ann Robinson - I guess my problem on young Miss Robinson is that I don't have a good frame of reference for what she does. I haven't watched enough dancing to know what's good and what's bad.
8. Team iLuminate - We're moving into Li'l Sebastian territory here. It's not that I don't like them, it's just that I like other acts more.
7. Daniel Joseph Baker - He gives flawless performances every week, so there's no question about his talent. But I wouldn't ever be disappointed if I missed his act or if he was eliminated, so there's something missing.
6. Zuma Zuma - A lot of what they do seems kind of repetitive. Like Matt Wilhelm, it's kind of unclear how they would be able to come up with enough material for a full show.
5. Lys Agnes - I wonder if she ever feels weird that the judges are always praising how beautiful she is. Personally, I'm kind of running into the frame of reference problem a little bit with her singing.
4. Melissa Villasenor - My concern is that she probably isn't going to have enough ammo to beat the big guns. What she has going for her is that she is very likeable. You can't help but smile when she's on stage.
3. West Springfield Dance Team - So, if you haven't been watching, they first appeared on the YouTube show, but were not one of the four acts selected for the semifinals. But Sharon selected them for the Wildcard show, and they did make it through on that round. They're growing on me, and I think they are a serious contender.
2. Poplyfe - Performed "Come Together" last night and pulled it off quite well. I had them ranked in the middle of the pack because I wasn't sure how I felt about them, but I think they are clearly one of the top 10 at this point.
1. Miami All-Stars - I had them ranked WAY too low - probably because it has been so long since I've seen them perform (I think they were the first act of the Top 48 to perform - which was six weeks ago). These fools can dance! I think they were probably the best act from last night.
So that's how I would rank them. But here are the five who I predict will go through tonight:
Miami All-Stars
Poplyfe
Team iLuminate
Daniel Joseph Baker
Lys Agnes
12. Kevin Colis - As Helen Hunt once said, buh-bye.
11. Sandau Trio Russian Bar - It saddens me to say it, because I had them ranked #2 overall, but they're done. When asked by the judges why they went for the upside-down piano act, they stated that they didn't have any more that they could do on Russian Bar. But if that was their second-best talent? Yikes.
10. Matt Wilhelm - The judges really built this guy up a couple of weeks ago, only to tear him back down last night. The only people more intolerant of a mistake are Olympic gymnastic TV commentators. As for me, he is who I thought he was. He's good, but not quite good enough.
9. Beth Ann Robinson - I guess my problem on young Miss Robinson is that I don't have a good frame of reference for what she does. I haven't watched enough dancing to know what's good and what's bad.
8. Team iLuminate - We're moving into Li'l Sebastian territory here. It's not that I don't like them, it's just that I like other acts more.
7. Daniel Joseph Baker - He gives flawless performances every week, so there's no question about his talent. But I wouldn't ever be disappointed if I missed his act or if he was eliminated, so there's something missing.
6. Zuma Zuma - A lot of what they do seems kind of repetitive. Like Matt Wilhelm, it's kind of unclear how they would be able to come up with enough material for a full show.
5. Lys Agnes - I wonder if she ever feels weird that the judges are always praising how beautiful she is. Personally, I'm kind of running into the frame of reference problem a little bit with her singing.
4. Melissa Villasenor - My concern is that she probably isn't going to have enough ammo to beat the big guns. What she has going for her is that she is very likeable. You can't help but smile when she's on stage.
3. West Springfield Dance Team - So, if you haven't been watching, they first appeared on the YouTube show, but were not one of the four acts selected for the semifinals. But Sharon selected them for the Wildcard show, and they did make it through on that round. They're growing on me, and I think they are a serious contender.
2. Poplyfe - Performed "Come Together" last night and pulled it off quite well. I had them ranked in the middle of the pack because I wasn't sure how I felt about them, but I think they are clearly one of the top 10 at this point.
1. Miami All-Stars - I had them ranked WAY too low - probably because it has been so long since I've seen them perform (I think they were the first act of the Top 48 to perform - which was six weeks ago). These fools can dance! I think they were probably the best act from last night.
So that's how I would rank them. But here are the five who I predict will go through tonight:
Miami All-Stars
Poplyfe
Team iLuminate
Daniel Joseph Baker
Lys Agnes
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Ranking AGT Semifinalists
I'm tired of all the pestering e-mails and calls demanding my updated rankings for the America's Got Talent semifinalists. So fine. Here they are.
(JK - I might be the only person on the face of the earth who takes time to rank everyone on AGT)
This updates my previous rankings to include the eight who made it through the YouTube and Wildcard shows, along with comments.
24. Kevin Colis, singer. America's Got Desperate. . .for a white male pop singer. Because I didn't think he was that good.
23. Steven Retchless, pole dancer.
22. Landon Swank, magician. Sigh. I guess Wildcard show is a good idea, but on the other hand, America already passed on you once. . .
21. Daniel Joseph Baker, singer.
20. Miami All-Stars, dance team.
19. Matt Wilhelm, bike stunts. The "headliner" from the YouTube show. The judges were practically ready to call the entire compeition for Wilhelm. But it didn't look good on television, because he was doing it in the dark. All you have to do to impress the judges is turn out the lights and do something while glowing in the dark. They'll be eating out of your hand.
18. Smage Bros Riding Shows, dirt bike stunts.
17. Beth Ann Robinson, dancer. She's from the YouTube show also. You can't be too hard on her because she's 14 and very talented, but her act just doesn't scream "superstar" to me.
16. Poplyfe, musical group.
15. Fatally Unique, dance team.
14. The Kinetic King, kinetic artist. Somehow he's back from the dead, making it through on the Wildcard show.
13. Team iLuminate, glow-in-the-dark dance team.
12. Zuma Zuma, gymnasts/contortionists.
11. West Springfield Dance Team. They needed to appear on both the YouTube and Wildcard shows, but they somehow squeezed into the semis.
10. Summerwind Skippers, rope jumpers. My highest ranked act from the Wildcard show.
9. Snap Boogie, breakdancer.
8. Lys Agnes, singer.
7. Silhouettes, shadow artists.
6. Gymkana, gymnasts. I thought they were the highlight of the YouTube show, not Mr. Glow Bike. We'll see how well they maintain this high ranking, since they have only performed once - not three or four times like many of the others.
5. Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
4. Professor Splash.
3. Melissa Villasenor.
2. Sandau Trio Russian Bar.
1. Anna Graceman.
And yes, I am super excited for this week's show, especially now that we have separated the contenders from the pretenders (with a couple of exceptions).
(JK - I might be the only person on the face of the earth who takes time to rank everyone on AGT)
This updates my previous rankings to include the eight who made it through the YouTube and Wildcard shows, along with comments.
24. Kevin Colis, singer. America's Got Desperate. . .for a white male pop singer. Because I didn't think he was that good.
23. Steven Retchless, pole dancer.
22. Landon Swank, magician. Sigh. I guess Wildcard show is a good idea, but on the other hand, America already passed on you once. . .
21. Daniel Joseph Baker, singer.
20. Miami All-Stars, dance team.
19. Matt Wilhelm, bike stunts. The "headliner" from the YouTube show. The judges were practically ready to call the entire compeition for Wilhelm. But it didn't look good on television, because he was doing it in the dark. All you have to do to impress the judges is turn out the lights and do something while glowing in the dark. They'll be eating out of your hand.
18. Smage Bros Riding Shows, dirt bike stunts.
17. Beth Ann Robinson, dancer. She's from the YouTube show also. You can't be too hard on her because she's 14 and very talented, but her act just doesn't scream "superstar" to me.
16. Poplyfe, musical group.
15. Fatally Unique, dance team.
14. The Kinetic King, kinetic artist. Somehow he's back from the dead, making it through on the Wildcard show.
13. Team iLuminate, glow-in-the-dark dance team.
12. Zuma Zuma, gymnasts/contortionists.
11. West Springfield Dance Team. They needed to appear on both the YouTube and Wildcard shows, but they somehow squeezed into the semis.
10. Summerwind Skippers, rope jumpers. My highest ranked act from the Wildcard show.
9. Snap Boogie, breakdancer.
8. Lys Agnes, singer.
7. Silhouettes, shadow artists.
6. Gymkana, gymnasts. I thought they were the highlight of the YouTube show, not Mr. Glow Bike. We'll see how well they maintain this high ranking, since they have only performed once - not three or four times like many of the others.
5. Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
4. Professor Splash.
3. Melissa Villasenor.
2. Sandau Trio Russian Bar.
1. Anna Graceman.
And yes, I am super excited for this week's show, especially now that we have separated the contenders from the pretenders (with a couple of exceptions).
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Observations on Kingergarten Cop
I never do this, but one night recently Kingergarten Cop was on one of the cable channels - TBS or TNT - I don't remember and it doesn't matter, but I sat and watched the whole thing.
This movie seemed really dated. I remember seeing Kindergarten Cop in the theater 20 years ago, for one of my friends' birthday parties. Afterwards, his mom was concerned that my mom would be upset that she had taken me to a PG-13 movie. Even though I was 15 years old at the time.
Sometimes when I'm watching a movie I like to say lines out loud from one of the actor's other movies. Penelope Ann Miller is in Kindergarten Cop, so field day for me.
"You just moved!"
"I don't have any cash!"
"Why would you hurt a poor defenseless little kitten?"
Arnold might be the weirdest movie star ever. They try to portray him in this movie to be a real studly cop who has all the womenfolk swooning. But Arnold making out with Penelope Ann Miller. . . it's kinda gross.
That being said, Arnold is hilarious. "It's not a tumah!"
If they made a show about dumbest movie criminals ever, Cullen Crisp is probably in the top 10. He attempts the kidnapping even though he's already introduced himself to the principal and knows that the cop who has been trying to nail him for years is in the building. He sets fire to the school to create a diversion, but that only guaranteed that firefighters and law enforcement were going to be on the scene in a matter of mintues. His plan had about zero percent chance of working.
This movie seemed really dated. I remember seeing Kindergarten Cop in the theater 20 years ago, for one of my friends' birthday parties. Afterwards, his mom was concerned that my mom would be upset that she had taken me to a PG-13 movie. Even though I was 15 years old at the time.
Sometimes when I'm watching a movie I like to say lines out loud from one of the actor's other movies. Penelope Ann Miller is in Kindergarten Cop, so field day for me.
"You just moved!"
"I don't have any cash!"
"Why would you hurt a poor defenseless little kitten?"
Arnold might be the weirdest movie star ever. They try to portray him in this movie to be a real studly cop who has all the womenfolk swooning. But Arnold making out with Penelope Ann Miller. . . it's kinda gross.
That being said, Arnold is hilarious. "It's not a tumah!"
If they made a show about dumbest movie criminals ever, Cullen Crisp is probably in the top 10. He attempts the kidnapping even though he's already introduced himself to the principal and knows that the cop who has been trying to nail him for years is in the building. He sets fire to the school to create a diversion, but that only guaranteed that firefighters and law enforcement were going to be on the scene in a matter of mintues. His plan had about zero percent chance of working.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Ranking AGT Top 16
So this is the first year I've really gotten into America's Got Talent with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. It's kind of an interesting show.
There was the "tour of cities" from which they sent a bunch of people to Vegas. In Vegas, they narrowed it down to 48 acts and sent them to Hollywood. Now it's down to 16 semifinalists, only they still need 8 more semifinalists before they can have the semifinals. I think they get 4 from the "YouTube" show and 4 from the "Wildcard" show. I'm still kind of new to all the rules.
Anyways, as you know I love ranking stuff, so I thought it would be appropriate to rank the 16 semifinalists which we have been following these past couple of months. Because the title of this blog is "In My Book" they are ranked according to my personal preference and not according to what I think their actual chances of winning the show are.
16. Steven Retchless. Watching him sort of makes you want to retch. There's no doubt he's talented and incredibly strong, but as Piers commented once, there is a reason there are no male pole dancing clubs.
15. Daniel Joseph Baker. I'm probably not being fair to old D.J. because technically I missed his last performance. But in general, he doesn't really appeal to me, so he would probably end up in this spot anyways.
14. Miami All-Stars. It's a dance group. I know that. But I don't really remember anything about their performance. I do remember thinking that they stole a slot in the semifinals from the family who raced around on their motorbikes inside the sphere.
13. Smage Bros Riding Shows. The judges seem to be quite taken with these guys. But then the judges think whatever the last thing they saw was the most dangerous thing they have ever seen. It's a bunch of guys doing tricks on dirtbikes.
12. Poplyfe. I feel like I missed something on their last performance - the judges were raving but it seemed pretty regular to me.
11. Fatally Unique. I'm surprised I have them up this high, as they are a dance group. But their last performance was actually not bad.
10. Team iLuminate. The judges are quite bullish on Team iLuminate, as they were basically ready to hand the keys to the universe over to them last week. It's cool, dancing around in the dark with light-up suits on, but not really super memorable for me.
9. Zuma Zuma. I like them, but I thought their last act was a little boring. Is that wrong? Because they were doing backflips off of poles from insane heights, and other similarly impressive feats.
8. Snap Boogie. He's a pretty compelling act for a solo dancer.
7. Lys Agnes. Great voice. Doesn't look like the sterotypical classical/opera singer, but she is really good. Gets a few bonus points for being from Denver.
6. Silhouettes. If it were a bunch of adults running around behind a curtain making pictures with their shadows, I'm not sure if it would be as big of a deal. But because it is a bunch of kids, it's pretty cool. Again, I'm probably giving them a little bump in the standings for being from the Denver area.
5. Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Probably the Cinderella story of the competition - a black man from small-town West Virginia who washes cars for a living. Oh, and also sings like Frank Sinatra. You sort of keep expecting his bubble to burst but he keeps on cooking.
4. Professor Splash. He gets extra points from me because while a lot of the other acts might get hurt, he actually does get hurt - guaranteed. They showed him once sitting in an ambulance getting treated afterwards and he gets all bruised up. Belly-flopping from insane heights into 12 inches of water - well, it would probably kill me.
3. Melissa Villasenor. Impossible not to like, both because of her personality and her act. She's done some great celebrity impersonations - Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore, Owen Wilson, Michael Jackson, Judy Garland. I don't know that she will make it to the end, but I'm glad we get to watch her at least one more time.
2. Sandau Trio Russian Bar. The Russian Bar is apparently this super flexible plank, about as wide as a balance beam. Two guys are holding either end, while a girl is doing insane backflips with half-twists and everything else. Oh, and last time they had a board filled with nails and also on fire under the Russian Bar. I think it's slightly more compelling than Professor Splash because it's not over in 5 seconds.
1. Anna Graceman. I think she's the clear leader at this point. I've kind of been wondering if she has an unfair advantage because she's so young. Would we be as impressed with Anna if she gave the same performances as a 22-year-old? I'm not sure. You could raise the same questions with a lot of acts - would Landau be as compelling if he were a wealthy, white, middle-aged man? Everyone left in the competition has spent hours upon hours practicing and refining their skills. But just being talented isn't enough anymore. In order to win, you have to be able to blow people's doors off. To perform like she does - at the age of 11 - is amazing.
I think this competition is kind of biased against certain performers. They're asking people to watch on television and then vote on who's the best. And I think watching on TV would be totally different than watching it in person - because some acts don't come across well on TV. For example, the deck is stacked against magicians, because there is no way for a TV audience to differentiate a good illusion from tricky camera angles. It's kind of the same for dance groups or anything else involving a lot of people - there's just too much going on to be effectively captured on screen. So I think musicians have a big advantage.
The YouTube show last night, apart from a couple of acts, was totally lame. So I don't think those acts will shake up these rankings too much.
There was the "tour of cities" from which they sent a bunch of people to Vegas. In Vegas, they narrowed it down to 48 acts and sent them to Hollywood. Now it's down to 16 semifinalists, only they still need 8 more semifinalists before they can have the semifinals. I think they get 4 from the "YouTube" show and 4 from the "Wildcard" show. I'm still kind of new to all the rules.
Anyways, as you know I love ranking stuff, so I thought it would be appropriate to rank the 16 semifinalists which we have been following these past couple of months. Because the title of this blog is "In My Book" they are ranked according to my personal preference and not according to what I think their actual chances of winning the show are.
16. Steven Retchless. Watching him sort of makes you want to retch. There's no doubt he's talented and incredibly strong, but as Piers commented once, there is a reason there are no male pole dancing clubs.
15. Daniel Joseph Baker. I'm probably not being fair to old D.J. because technically I missed his last performance. But in general, he doesn't really appeal to me, so he would probably end up in this spot anyways.
14. Miami All-Stars. It's a dance group. I know that. But I don't really remember anything about their performance. I do remember thinking that they stole a slot in the semifinals from the family who raced around on their motorbikes inside the sphere.
13. Smage Bros Riding Shows. The judges seem to be quite taken with these guys. But then the judges think whatever the last thing they saw was the most dangerous thing they have ever seen. It's a bunch of guys doing tricks on dirtbikes.
12. Poplyfe. I feel like I missed something on their last performance - the judges were raving but it seemed pretty regular to me.
11. Fatally Unique. I'm surprised I have them up this high, as they are a dance group. But their last performance was actually not bad.
10. Team iLuminate. The judges are quite bullish on Team iLuminate, as they were basically ready to hand the keys to the universe over to them last week. It's cool, dancing around in the dark with light-up suits on, but not really super memorable for me.
9. Zuma Zuma. I like them, but I thought their last act was a little boring. Is that wrong? Because they were doing backflips off of poles from insane heights, and other similarly impressive feats.
8. Snap Boogie. He's a pretty compelling act for a solo dancer.
7. Lys Agnes. Great voice. Doesn't look like the sterotypical classical/opera singer, but she is really good. Gets a few bonus points for being from Denver.
6. Silhouettes. If it were a bunch of adults running around behind a curtain making pictures with their shadows, I'm not sure if it would be as big of a deal. But because it is a bunch of kids, it's pretty cool. Again, I'm probably giving them a little bump in the standings for being from the Denver area.
5. Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Probably the Cinderella story of the competition - a black man from small-town West Virginia who washes cars for a living. Oh, and also sings like Frank Sinatra. You sort of keep expecting his bubble to burst but he keeps on cooking.
4. Professor Splash. He gets extra points from me because while a lot of the other acts might get hurt, he actually does get hurt - guaranteed. They showed him once sitting in an ambulance getting treated afterwards and he gets all bruised up. Belly-flopping from insane heights into 12 inches of water - well, it would probably kill me.
3. Melissa Villasenor. Impossible not to like, both because of her personality and her act. She's done some great celebrity impersonations - Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore, Owen Wilson, Michael Jackson, Judy Garland. I don't know that she will make it to the end, but I'm glad we get to watch her at least one more time.
2. Sandau Trio Russian Bar. The Russian Bar is apparently this super flexible plank, about as wide as a balance beam. Two guys are holding either end, while a girl is doing insane backflips with half-twists and everything else. Oh, and last time they had a board filled with nails and also on fire under the Russian Bar. I think it's slightly more compelling than Professor Splash because it's not over in 5 seconds.
1. Anna Graceman. I think she's the clear leader at this point. I've kind of been wondering if she has an unfair advantage because she's so young. Would we be as impressed with Anna if she gave the same performances as a 22-year-old? I'm not sure. You could raise the same questions with a lot of acts - would Landau be as compelling if he were a wealthy, white, middle-aged man? Everyone left in the competition has spent hours upon hours practicing and refining their skills. But just being talented isn't enough anymore. In order to win, you have to be able to blow people's doors off. To perform like she does - at the age of 11 - is amazing.
I think this competition is kind of biased against certain performers. They're asking people to watch on television and then vote on who's the best. And I think watching on TV would be totally different than watching it in person - because some acts don't come across well on TV. For example, the deck is stacked against magicians, because there is no way for a TV audience to differentiate a good illusion from tricky camera angles. It's kind of the same for dance groups or anything else involving a lot of people - there's just too much going on to be effectively captured on screen. So I think musicians have a big advantage.
The YouTube show last night, apart from a couple of acts, was totally lame. So I don't think those acts will shake up these rankings too much.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
We're Nowhere Near the End
Because we still have to wait another two weeks for season 2 of Growing Pains to be released, I decided that now would be a good time to rewatch the season 1 DVDs so that we can be prepared for the season 2 release.
A good reason to release multiple seasons of ANY show on DVD is that the first season usually isn't the best of the lot. The first four episodes of GP are a little rough. You can tell that the actors haven't totally figured out their characters and the cast hasn't fully meshed just yet. At times I was wondering if Growing Pains was Joanna Kerns' first professional acting job.
A few observations from the first disc of season 1:
I didn't know huge oversized clothing was so fashionable for women in 1985. Because Maggie and Carol could wear bedsheets in some of those episodes and they would have been more form-fitting than some of the outfits they had on.
A bit of false doctrine was refuted in episode 4. A few websites, Wikipedia and their ilk, proclaim that Ben Seaver's full name is Benjamin Hubert Horatio Humphrey Seaver. They think it's that because of an episode in a later season when Jason is angry and calls him by that moniker. I knew it was not correct, because who has three middle names like that, but I didn't have a reference. Now I do, as it is clearly stated in this episode that his middle name is just Humphrey. Still not a very good middle name, but at least correct.
The scene stealer in these early episodes is Mr. Simmons, the journalism teacher, who finds fault with Carol's overdescriptive reporting. "I forgot who I was talking to. Your writing is replete with stinkiosity." Great job by that guy.
One of the early guest stars of the series is the late Dana Plato, of Diff'rent Strokes fame. She plays a Madonnaphile who wants to "not watch TV" with Mike while his parents are out. I went online to figure out what their respective ages were when the episode was filmed. She would have been about 21, and Kirk Cameron about 15. Yeah, okay. So that kissing must have been awkward, for one or both of them. It may have even scarred Kirk for life, because he now apparently will only kiss his wife on-screen. Anyways, watching that episode made me want to look into Diff'rent Strokes on DVD.
Added to the long list of tv/movie ideas which couldn't be reused in 2010 is episode 7 - Weekend Fantasy, where Jason and Maggie hurry back from a weekend getaway to Vermont because the kids aren't answering the phone back at home at 10 PM. (SPOILER ALERT - they were down at a neighbors having a bundt and watching vacation slides) In 2010, at least Mike and Carol and maybe even Ben have cell phones, so that episode is over in like seven and a half minutes.
A good reason to release multiple seasons of ANY show on DVD is that the first season usually isn't the best of the lot. The first four episodes of GP are a little rough. You can tell that the actors haven't totally figured out their characters and the cast hasn't fully meshed just yet. At times I was wondering if Growing Pains was Joanna Kerns' first professional acting job.
A few observations from the first disc of season 1:
I didn't know huge oversized clothing was so fashionable for women in 1985. Because Maggie and Carol could wear bedsheets in some of those episodes and they would have been more form-fitting than some of the outfits they had on.
A bit of false doctrine was refuted in episode 4. A few websites, Wikipedia and their ilk, proclaim that Ben Seaver's full name is Benjamin Hubert Horatio Humphrey Seaver. They think it's that because of an episode in a later season when Jason is angry and calls him by that moniker. I knew it was not correct, because who has three middle names like that, but I didn't have a reference. Now I do, as it is clearly stated in this episode that his middle name is just Humphrey. Still not a very good middle name, but at least correct.
The scene stealer in these early episodes is Mr. Simmons, the journalism teacher, who finds fault with Carol's overdescriptive reporting. "I forgot who I was talking to. Your writing is replete with stinkiosity." Great job by that guy.
One of the early guest stars of the series is the late Dana Plato, of Diff'rent Strokes fame. She plays a Madonnaphile who wants to "not watch TV" with Mike while his parents are out. I went online to figure out what their respective ages were when the episode was filmed. She would have been about 21, and Kirk Cameron about 15. Yeah, okay. So that kissing must have been awkward, for one or both of them. It may have even scarred Kirk for life, because he now apparently will only kiss his wife on-screen. Anyways, watching that episode made me want to look into Diff'rent Strokes on DVD.
Added to the long list of tv/movie ideas which couldn't be reused in 2010 is episode 7 - Weekend Fantasy, where Jason and Maggie hurry back from a weekend getaway to Vermont because the kids aren't answering the phone back at home at 10 PM. (SPOILER ALERT - they were down at a neighbors having a bundt and watching vacation slides) In 2010, at least Mike and Carol and maybe even Ben have cell phones, so that episode is over in like seven and a half minutes.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Show Me That Smile Again
Hey, thanks, Warner Bros. It's about dang time you got this out on the market.
FIVE YEARS after the first season was released on DVD, the second season will finally be released on April 26, 2011. At this rate, we will have all seven seasons of Growing Pains on DVD in the spring of 2036, when DVDs will be obsolete and I will be planning my retirement.
I have a lot of these episodes taped off Denver's 2 and Albuquerque's 14 from back in 1991, but I would rather have them on DVD .
Season 2 introduces the name of Boner Stabone's father in episode 12 - Sylvester. Wait for it. . .
It also features perhaps the best episode title of the series - Jimmy Durante Died for Your Sins. Never made sense until I looked up who Jimmy Durante was.
And there are many episodes that I haven't seen for many years. I'm pretty excited. They don't make shows like this anymore.
FIVE YEARS after the first season was released on DVD, the second season will finally be released on April 26, 2011. At this rate, we will have all seven seasons of Growing Pains on DVD in the spring of 2036, when DVDs will be obsolete and I will be planning my retirement.
I have a lot of these episodes taped off Denver's 2 and Albuquerque's 14 from back in 1991, but I would rather have them on DVD .
Season 2 introduces the name of Boner Stabone's father in episode 12 - Sylvester. Wait for it. . .
It also features perhaps the best episode title of the series - Jimmy Durante Died for Your Sins. Never made sense until I looked up who Jimmy Durante was.
And there are many episodes that I haven't seen for many years. I'm pretty excited. They don't make shows like this anymore.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Top 10 TV Dads
I've wanted to count down the best TV dads for some time now. It's hard to do since some of the shows I haven't seen in years. So how can I properly assess their fatherhood skills? The answer is that I can't, so I'm kind of shooting from the hip.
This will only include shows that I've actually watched, so Howard Cunningham, Andy Taylor, and Charles Ingalls are off the table.
10. Ward Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver) - The standard package.
9. Dan Conner (Roseanne) - You'll see Homer Simpson on best TV dad lists, but not Roseanne's husband? You usually don't get the middle-america dads on TV, so he's kind of a rare bird.
8. Danny Tanner (Full House) - Single father, kept a tidy house while raising three girls. He did need reinforcements from Jesse and Joey in order to pull it off, so does he get penalized a bit?
7. Tony Micelli (Who's the Boss?) - I think Tony slips into the top 10. Another single dad, putting his ego aside to work as a housekeeper for a woman.
6. Mike Brady (The Brady Bunch) - He has to be on this list, representing TV dads of the Seventies. He gets a lot of credit for meshing this blended family together. But it kind of bugged me that he had that huge den downstairs while the kids were crammed three to a room upstairs.
5. Philip Drummond (Different Strokes) - I started him out at #9 and keep moving him up. You never see him get props in the 'best dad' race. But an older, single, rich father adopts a couple of black kids and moves them into his penthouse with his hottie teenage daughter and keeps it all together? My hat is off to you, Mr. Drummond.
4. Sandy Cohen (The OC) - He doesn't like living in Orange County, he has to live in a house owned by his wife's family, his father-in-law doesn't like him, and his wife - well, she's not exactly June Cleaver. And Sandy decided that not only was he going to deal with all the drama, but he would also take in a troubled teenager and raise him like a son.
3. Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show) - I think it's illegal to have a best dad list that doesn't include the venerable Dr. Huxtable. One of my enduring memories was when he humorously lectured Theo about standing in front of the refrigerator with the door open.
2. Keith Mars (Veronica Mars) - This list is filled with single dads. In his case, his wife flaked out after he lost his job as sheriff and left him to raise their teenage daughter. Performed the ultimate parental sacrifice when he risked his life to venture into a blazing fire to rescue Veronica.
1. Jason Seaver (Growing Pains) - A stay-at-home dad who also ran a psychiactric practice out of the home. He saw troublemaking Mike and intellectually gifted Carol through to adulthood. He had to take a backseat to his wife when she took a job doing TV news and became Maggie Malone. Plus, I believe he is the only one on this list who fathered a new child during the show's run. Jason handled all this with great aplomb.
This will only include shows that I've actually watched, so Howard Cunningham, Andy Taylor, and Charles Ingalls are off the table.
10. Ward Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver) - The standard package.
9. Dan Conner (Roseanne) - You'll see Homer Simpson on best TV dad lists, but not Roseanne's husband? You usually don't get the middle-america dads on TV, so he's kind of a rare bird.
8. Danny Tanner (Full House) - Single father, kept a tidy house while raising three girls. He did need reinforcements from Jesse and Joey in order to pull it off, so does he get penalized a bit?
7. Tony Micelli (Who's the Boss?) - I think Tony slips into the top 10. Another single dad, putting his ego aside to work as a housekeeper for a woman.
6. Mike Brady (The Brady Bunch) - He has to be on this list, representing TV dads of the Seventies. He gets a lot of credit for meshing this blended family together. But it kind of bugged me that he had that huge den downstairs while the kids were crammed three to a room upstairs.
5. Philip Drummond (Different Strokes) - I started him out at #9 and keep moving him up. You never see him get props in the 'best dad' race. But an older, single, rich father adopts a couple of black kids and moves them into his penthouse with his hottie teenage daughter and keeps it all together? My hat is off to you, Mr. Drummond.
4. Sandy Cohen (The OC) - He doesn't like living in Orange County, he has to live in a house owned by his wife's family, his father-in-law doesn't like him, and his wife - well, she's not exactly June Cleaver. And Sandy decided that not only was he going to deal with all the drama, but he would also take in a troubled teenager and raise him like a son.
3. Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show) - I think it's illegal to have a best dad list that doesn't include the venerable Dr. Huxtable. One of my enduring memories was when he humorously lectured Theo about standing in front of the refrigerator with the door open.
2. Keith Mars (Veronica Mars) - This list is filled with single dads. In his case, his wife flaked out after he lost his job as sheriff and left him to raise their teenage daughter. Performed the ultimate parental sacrifice when he risked his life to venture into a blazing fire to rescue Veronica.
1. Jason Seaver (Growing Pains) - A stay-at-home dad who also ran a psychiactric practice out of the home. He saw troublemaking Mike and intellectually gifted Carol through to adulthood. He had to take a backseat to his wife when she took a job doing TV news and became Maggie Malone. Plus, I believe he is the only one on this list who fathered a new child during the show's run. Jason handled all this with great aplomb.
"Gee, dad, I thought you'd do better than number 10!"
My Top Five
I like to rank things, but I'm not very good at it. In an ideal world, I would count down things post-by-post, giving you my explanation for each ranking. It's a bit ambitious, considering that hardly anyone reads this blog. So I don't do it - as evidenced by the fact that I never finished ranking my personal top songs of the Nineties. Part of the reason was that I was having trouble coming up with the right songs for 6 thru 9, and then I realized that Nineties music wasn't half as good as Eighties music. Anyways, this is my top five of the Nineties. If I ever get 6 thru 9 figured out, I'll let you know.
5. Gonna Make You Sweat - C+C Music Factory
4. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
3. Ironic - Alanis Morrisette
2. Everything I Do (I Do it For You) - Bryan Adams
1. U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
5. Gonna Make You Sweat - C+C Music Factory
4. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
3. Ironic - Alanis Morrisette
2. Everything I Do (I Do it For You) - Bryan Adams
1. U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sponge Bob: Still Going Strong
I thought this was interesting. Of the top 15 cable programs last week (Sep. 20-26), episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants held 6 of the slots, including #4 and #5. I kind of thought he had peaked about six years ago, but apparently he still has massive appeal.
1. NFL Football: New Orleans vs. San Francisco (Monday, 8:30 p.m.), ESPN, 10.9 million homes, 15.12 million viewers.
2. "Jersey Shore 2" (Thursday, 10 p.m.), MTV, 4.33 million homes, 5.95 million viewers.
3. "Pawn Stars" (Monday, 10:30 p.m.), History, 3.41 million homes, 4.67 million viewers.
4. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 11 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.29 million homes, 4.73 million viewers.
5. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.28 million homes, 4.5 million viewers.
6. "ICarly," (Saturday, 8 p.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.24 million homes, 5.2 million viewers.
7. "Sportscenter" (Monday, 11:58 p.m.), ESPN, 3.227 million homes, 3.93 million viewers.
8. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 11:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.221 million homes, 4.59 million viewers.
9. "Pawn Stars" (Monday, 10 p.m.), History, 3.19 million homes, 4.28 million viewers.
10. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.13 million homes, 4.16 million viewers.
11. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 10:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.117 million homes, 4.49 million viewers.
12. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 10 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.112 million homes, 4.34 million viewers.
13. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 10 p.m.), USA, 2.81 million homes, 3.94 million viewers.
14. Auto Racing: NASCAR Sprint Cup, Dover (Sunday, 1 p.m.), ESPN, 2.8 million homes, 3.96 million viewers.
15. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 9 p.m.), USA, 2.76 million homes, 3.9 million viewers.
1. NFL Football: New Orleans vs. San Francisco (Monday, 8:30 p.m.), ESPN, 10.9 million homes, 15.12 million viewers.
2. "Jersey Shore 2" (Thursday, 10 p.m.), MTV, 4.33 million homes, 5.95 million viewers.
3. "Pawn Stars" (Monday, 10:30 p.m.), History, 3.41 million homes, 4.67 million viewers.
4. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 11 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.29 million homes, 4.73 million viewers.
5. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.28 million homes, 4.5 million viewers.
6. "ICarly," (Saturday, 8 p.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.24 million homes, 5.2 million viewers.
7. "Sportscenter" (Monday, 11:58 p.m.), ESPN, 3.227 million homes, 3.93 million viewers.
8. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 11:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.221 million homes, 4.59 million viewers.
9. "Pawn Stars" (Monday, 10 p.m.), History, 3.19 million homes, 4.28 million viewers.
10. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.13 million homes, 4.16 million viewers.
11. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 10:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.117 million homes, 4.49 million viewers.
12. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 10 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.112 million homes, 4.34 million viewers.
13. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 10 p.m.), USA, 2.81 million homes, 3.94 million viewers.
14. Auto Racing: NASCAR Sprint Cup, Dover (Sunday, 1 p.m.), ESPN, 2.8 million homes, 3.96 million viewers.
15. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 9 p.m.), USA, 2.76 million homes, 3.9 million viewers.
Friday, September 24, 2010
My Top 10 Songs of the Nineties #10
So I recently offered my critique of VH1's Top 100 Songs of the Nineties. And it wouldn't really be fair to criticize unless I could come up with a list of my own, right?
I won't be listing of my top 100, but I will do my top 10. And they may not necessarily be what I think were the ten best songs of the nineties. These will be the songs, which sort of defined the nineties for me personally. If any of them were erased from existence, the Nineties would not be quite the same for me.
First up - Whitney Houston's performance of our National Anthem prior to Super Bowl 25 in Tampa, Florida in January 1991 at the height of Gulf War tensions. I just watched it twice, and it still holds up. It's impossible to watch or listen without experiencing a little emotion. I think it remains as the standard by which all other performances of The Star-Spangled Banner are judged. Absolutely a perfect 10.
And it's not cheaters to put this as #10 on my list - if I remember right, this was actually released as a single, although I have no idea if it landed anywhere on the Billboard charts.
Also, Whitney Houston was recently ranked by VH1 at number 60 on the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. My reaction was this: There's no way. She has to be in the top 25.
PS I'm apparently too lame to be able to embed stuff in my blog so you can actually watch it, but here's the link for now.
I won't be listing of my top 100, but I will do my top 10. And they may not necessarily be what I think were the ten best songs of the nineties. These will be the songs, which sort of defined the nineties for me personally. If any of them were erased from existence, the Nineties would not be quite the same for me.
First up - Whitney Houston's performance of our National Anthem prior to Super Bowl 25 in Tampa, Florida in January 1991 at the height of Gulf War tensions. I just watched it twice, and it still holds up. It's impossible to watch or listen without experiencing a little emotion. I think it remains as the standard by which all other performances of The Star-Spangled Banner are judged. Absolutely a perfect 10.
And it's not cheaters to put this as #10 on my list - if I remember right, this was actually released as a single, although I have no idea if it landed anywhere on the Billboard charts.
Also, Whitney Houston was recently ranked by VH1 at number 60 on the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. My reaction was this: There's no way. She has to be in the top 25.
PS I'm apparently too lame to be able to embed stuff in my blog so you can actually watch it, but here's the link for now.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Survivor Twist I
I'm sort of a big Survivor fan. What I mean is that I'm sure there are bigger fans. I didn't jump into Survivor until season 2. I took off seasons 5 and 7, and then the first Survivor All-Stars lured me back for season 8. I took off season 14, but then jumped back in for 15 and 16. After season 16, I decided I was quitting Survivor. That lasted three seasons, but when I heard that season 20 was going to be another All-Stars edition called "Heroes vs. Villans", I could not resist.
My point is that CBS can lose me as a viewer at any point - they have to keep me intrigued. And so far I'm on board for season 21, maybe because they are tempting me with something I've wanted for awhile - the first nationally recognized celebrity to appear on Survivor - former college and NFL head coach Jimmy Johnson.
A full-blown Celebrity Survivor is one of the things I most want to see on television. I'm not sure why they haven't gone there before. It could be that Survivor pretty much has created its own line of celebrities - Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Richard Hatch, Boston Rob & Amber, and so on. It could also be that Jeff Probst is the real star of the show and his ego wouldn't be able to handle anyone outshining his presence.
We'd need a few athletes. I would love to see Barry Bonds play Survivor. The combination of his steroid-tainted past and his sourpuss attitude would be ratings gold. Since Allen Iverson is having trouble finding work in the NBA, he would definitely be available.
"No practice on the island? I'm so in!"
We'd need some blasts from the past, such as Bo Jackson. After winning his first immunity challenges, he could yell, "Bo knows Survivor!"
Also, I'd like to see Martina Navratilova and Mary Lou Retton. Can you imagine those two out in the jungle with A.I., trying to work out the details of an alliance? American Idol be danged, Survivor would be back at the top of the ratings.
The Rod Blagojevich appearance on Celebrity Apprentice worked so well, I'd like to see if Survivor could get a scandalized politican of their own, such as John Edwards or Eliot Spitzer.
The only problem would be coming up with an incentive. Some of these celebs could probably use a $1 million prize, others probably are rich enough. Would they play for charity? Then the problem is if you could come up with enough celebrities who were philantrophic and entertaining at the same time.
Anyways, it's fun to think about. Who would you add?
My point is that CBS can lose me as a viewer at any point - they have to keep me intrigued. And so far I'm on board for season 21, maybe because they are tempting me with something I've wanted for awhile - the first nationally recognized celebrity to appear on Survivor - former college and NFL head coach Jimmy Johnson.
A full-blown Celebrity Survivor is one of the things I most want to see on television. I'm not sure why they haven't gone there before. It could be that Survivor pretty much has created its own line of celebrities - Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Richard Hatch, Boston Rob & Amber, and so on. It could also be that Jeff Probst is the real star of the show and his ego wouldn't be able to handle anyone outshining his presence.
We'd need a few athletes. I would love to see Barry Bonds play Survivor. The combination of his steroid-tainted past and his sourpuss attitude would be ratings gold. Since Allen Iverson is having trouble finding work in the NBA, he would definitely be available.
"No practice on the island? I'm so in!"
We'd need some blasts from the past, such as Bo Jackson. After winning his first immunity challenges, he could yell, "Bo knows Survivor!"
Also, I'd like to see Martina Navratilova and Mary Lou Retton. Can you imagine those two out in the jungle with A.I., trying to work out the details of an alliance? American Idol be danged, Survivor would be back at the top of the ratings.
To top off the athlete sector, I'd add a former Olympian, such as Summer Sanders or Nancy Kerrigan.
I'd add Rachael Ray, to see what kind of dishes she can whip up on the island. And we would need either MC Hammer or Vanilla Ice, take your pick. I don't think you could or should do it without Paris Hilton.
Dr. Phil. Definitely. I'm not watching it if he's not on. Also, Bob Vila seems like an obvious choice. Would they get rid of him as soon as the shelter was built?
I'd add Rachael Ray, to see what kind of dishes she can whip up on the island. And we would need either MC Hammer or Vanilla Ice, take your pick. I don't think you could or should do it without Paris Hilton.
Dr. Phil. Definitely. I'm not watching it if he's not on. Also, Bob Vila seems like an obvious choice. Would they get rid of him as soon as the shelter was built?
"Oh, sure, I'll build a shelter. But I'm building an alliance first."
Let's throw in former Miss California Carrie Prejean. And since he doesn't seem busy, do you think we could get Billy Joel? If he's not busy on some other reality show, David Hasselhoff seems game for whatever comes up.
And I don't know if she would do it, but I think we also would need former First Lady Laura Bush.
And I don't know if she would do it, but I think we also would need former First Lady Laura Bush.
"You know you've been waiting to see me rock a bikini on a desert island."
The Rod Blagojevich appearance on Celebrity Apprentice worked so well, I'd like to see if Survivor could get a scandalized politican of their own, such as John Edwards or Eliot Spitzer.
The only problem would be coming up with an incentive. Some of these celebs could probably use a $1 million prize, others probably are rich enough. Would they play for charity? Then the problem is if you could come up with enough celebrities who were philantrophic and entertaining at the same time.
Anyways, it's fun to think about. Who would you add?
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Count This Down
You may know that I am a BIG fan of countdown shows.
Recently VHI re-aired the five-hour "100 Greatest Songs of the 90's". I am so thankful for DVRs.
It was unclear what the criteria was for determining inclusion in this list. It was clear that an artist could not have more than one song in the top 100.
They made a point to fill us in on what a lot of these long-forgotten musicians have been doing since they hit it big - and it seems that almost all of them recently put out a CD or are working on a CD or are touring (probably for free). The one noteable exception was the guys from Kris Kross, who were the little kid rappers who wore their clothes backwards. Remember them? VH1 was all, yeah, no one has heard from these guys since 1996. We don't know where they are or what they're doing.
But that's not the main point of this article. The main point is to mention a few of the glaring exceptions.
1. Everything I Do (I Do it For You) by Bryan Adams - I can't believe this didn't make the cut. So maybe it's not a masterpiece, but if the criteria was "Popularity Among rural Coloradan teenageers in 1992" - this is the #1 song on the list, Nirvana be danged.
2. Nothing by Boyz II Men was on the list. I wasn't necessarily a big fan, so I don't have a recommendation as to which of their songs should be on the list. But how can you make a 5-hour production on music in the nineties and not mention these harmonizing wizards? It's even a bigger slap in the face when you consider that Color Me Badd, which was pretty much a poor man's version of Boys II Men, had a song in the top 40 of this list.
3. No Aerosmith? I guess that's not a huge surprise considering they didn't have any gigantic hits. But it seems like VH1 wouldn't have wanted to miss a chance to talk about the iconic videos starring a pre-Clueless Alicia Silverstone. Aerosmith's album Get A Grip was quite popular when I was a senior in high school, but again, I kind of doubt VH1 asked anyone from the Valley their opinion on the top songs of the nineties.
4. Don't Speak by No Doubt. How does this not make it?
5. Michael Bolton. I don't know if VH1 is being entirely honest with themselves. Or maybe they made a conscious decision to exclude the entire genre of easy listening.
6. Amy Grant. It seems like revisionist history or selective memory. People make fun of Amy Grant now, but in 1992, everyone loved Amy Grant. I loved Amy Grant. You loved Amy Grant. Don't deny it. And yes, that was my Amy Grant VHS tape. Baby, baby. . .
7. Okay, I was sort of kidding on those last two. But how about this one: neither "More Than Words" by Extreme or "To Be With You" by Mr. Big made the list. The whole acoustic bad-boy heartbreak genre really needed some representation in the top 100.
8. If the criteria is "Most Popular Among Rural Coloradan Youth Dance DJs" I really think "Joyride" by Roxette makes it. Also, both the long and short version of "(Everything I Do) I Do it For You" are in there as well.
9. BTW, file that last one under "kidding".
10. Rules are rules, but it seems like a travesty that Mariah Carey is limited to one song in the top 100. Realistically, she would have at least three.
I guess that's all for now and I better save this before Blogger loses it. But I think there will be a Part II discussing specifically the top 10 of this list.
Recently VHI re-aired the five-hour "100 Greatest Songs of the 90's". I am so thankful for DVRs.
It was unclear what the criteria was for determining inclusion in this list. It was clear that an artist could not have more than one song in the top 100.
They made a point to fill us in on what a lot of these long-forgotten musicians have been doing since they hit it big - and it seems that almost all of them recently put out a CD or are working on a CD or are touring (probably for free). The one noteable exception was the guys from Kris Kross, who were the little kid rappers who wore their clothes backwards. Remember them? VH1 was all, yeah, no one has heard from these guys since 1996. We don't know where they are or what they're doing.
But that's not the main point of this article. The main point is to mention a few of the glaring exceptions.
1. Everything I Do (I Do it For You) by Bryan Adams - I can't believe this didn't make the cut. So maybe it's not a masterpiece, but if the criteria was "Popularity Among rural Coloradan teenageers in 1992" - this is the #1 song on the list, Nirvana be danged.
2. Nothing by Boyz II Men was on the list. I wasn't necessarily a big fan, so I don't have a recommendation as to which of their songs should be on the list. But how can you make a 5-hour production on music in the nineties and not mention these harmonizing wizards? It's even a bigger slap in the face when you consider that Color Me Badd, which was pretty much a poor man's version of Boys II Men, had a song in the top 40 of this list.
3. No Aerosmith? I guess that's not a huge surprise considering they didn't have any gigantic hits. But it seems like VH1 wouldn't have wanted to miss a chance to talk about the iconic videos starring a pre-Clueless Alicia Silverstone. Aerosmith's album Get A Grip was quite popular when I was a senior in high school, but again, I kind of doubt VH1 asked anyone from the Valley their opinion on the top songs of the nineties.
4. Don't Speak by No Doubt. How does this not make it?
5. Michael Bolton. I don't know if VH1 is being entirely honest with themselves. Or maybe they made a conscious decision to exclude the entire genre of easy listening.
6. Amy Grant. It seems like revisionist history or selective memory. People make fun of Amy Grant now, but in 1992, everyone loved Amy Grant. I loved Amy Grant. You loved Amy Grant. Don't deny it. And yes, that was my Amy Grant VHS tape. Baby, baby. . .
7. Okay, I was sort of kidding on those last two. But how about this one: neither "More Than Words" by Extreme or "To Be With You" by Mr. Big made the list. The whole acoustic bad-boy heartbreak genre really needed some representation in the top 100.
8. If the criteria is "Most Popular Among Rural Coloradan Youth Dance DJs" I really think "Joyride" by Roxette makes it. Also, both the long and short version of "(Everything I Do) I Do it For You" are in there as well.
9. BTW, file that last one under "kidding".
10. Rules are rules, but it seems like a travesty that Mariah Carey is limited to one song in the top 100. Realistically, she would have at least three.
I guess that's all for now and I better save this before Blogger loses it. But I think there will be a Part II discussing specifically the top 10 of this list.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Things I Would Buy. . . If Only They Were Legally Available
I'm sure everyone has sort of a list like this in their head - of things they would immediately purchase if only such a thing actually existed.
Here's a few of mine:
Seasons 2 thru 5 of Growing Pains on DVD. So far, only one season of the highly underrated 80's sitcom has been released on DVD - and that was five years ago. I guess it didn't sell very well, so it may be highly underrated only from my perspective. I prefer it to either The Cosby Show or Family Ties. You can catch a few old episodes on WB.com and I have a few more on VHS, but that is a far cry from having the full set! Notice that I'm not even asking for seasons 6 or 7 (which took place even though the series had run out of steam by then) - however, I don't have much hope that we will see any further seasons released.
Teen Angel on DVD with commentary and deleted scenes. I'm talking about the 1989 "miniseries" which ran during episodes of the Mickey Mouse Club on the Disney Channel. Never heard of it? Not surprised. However, it is a television classic about a misfit kid who loves the fifties, and needs help from his James Dean-eque guardian angel to get the attention of a girl at school. If you're not already convinced, maybe I should mention that the guardian angel is played by Jason Priestley. Yes, THAT Jason Priestley. Pre-90210 Jason Priestley. Before he was Jason Priestley. Plus, the girl is played by Renee O'Connor, who I think went on to become the sidekick of Xena Warrior Princess. It's the bomb!
Adventures in Babysitting Soundtrack. I actually thought of it this morning and did a quick search. I believe there is some sort of an underground version that someone has created, but a legitimate one was never produced. Still - that movie had some good music:
Babysitting Blues - Then He Kissed Me - Expressway to your Heart - Future in your Eyes - Twenty Five Miles - Evil (Is Going On) - The Brady Bunch Theme - What Does It Take (To Win Your Love?) - Just Can't Stop - Albert's Smokin' Ice - Gimme Shelter -Real Wild Child - Blues had a Baby and they Named it Rock-N-Roll -Bring it on Home to Me
Here's a few of mine:
Seasons 2 thru 5 of Growing Pains on DVD. So far, only one season of the highly underrated 80's sitcom has been released on DVD - and that was five years ago. I guess it didn't sell very well, so it may be highly underrated only from my perspective. I prefer it to either The Cosby Show or Family Ties. You can catch a few old episodes on WB.com and I have a few more on VHS, but that is a far cry from having the full set! Notice that I'm not even asking for seasons 6 or 7 (which took place even though the series had run out of steam by then) - however, I don't have much hope that we will see any further seasons released.
Teen Angel on DVD with commentary and deleted scenes. I'm talking about the 1989 "miniseries" which ran during episodes of the Mickey Mouse Club on the Disney Channel. Never heard of it? Not surprised. However, it is a television classic about a misfit kid who loves the fifties, and needs help from his James Dean-eque guardian angel to get the attention of a girl at school. If you're not already convinced, maybe I should mention that the guardian angel is played by Jason Priestley. Yes, THAT Jason Priestley. Pre-90210 Jason Priestley. Before he was Jason Priestley. Plus, the girl is played by Renee O'Connor, who I think went on to become the sidekick of Xena Warrior Princess. It's the bomb!
Adventures in Babysitting Soundtrack. I actually thought of it this morning and did a quick search. I believe there is some sort of an underground version that someone has created, but a legitimate one was never produced. Still - that movie had some good music:
Babysitting Blues - Then He Kissed Me - Expressway to your Heart - Future in your Eyes - Twenty Five Miles - Evil (Is Going On) - The Brady Bunch Theme - What Does It Take (To Win Your Love?) - Just Can't Stop - Albert's Smokin' Ice - Gimme Shelter -Real Wild Child - Blues had a Baby and they Named it Rock-N-Roll -Bring it on Home to Me
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