Listen, the President was on TV last night, ruining most of what the writers' strike left intact, and I don't really talk politics here, so I'm going to pretty much avoid any discussion of what he said. Let me just… Read More ›
Month: January 2008
Nova Knows a Secret (of the Parthenon)
The Parthenon, which has existed for 2500 years, just may be the largest jigsaw puzzle ever created. Despite the fact that all its columns look perfectly straight, as does the floor, and just about ever other piece of marble in… Read More ›
It’s Good to be the King of California
There seems to be an emerging niche genre in Hollywood – quirky, off-beat dramas featuring eccentric characters. The movies try to be funny and smart, tearful and hopeful at the same time (Sideways and Little Miss Sunshine come to the… Read More ›
NBC Chucks out a Couple of Episodes on Thursday Night
We live in an odd world. Last night NBC aired what it referred to as a “Chuck sandwich.” It was an episode of Chuck followed by The Celebrity Apprentice followed by another Chuck. In my world I'd call that a… Read More ›
A Look at Some British Television on DVD
As we all know by now, the television and film writers are on strike. One of the things they're requesting is an increase in the residuals from DVD sales. This can put the consumer in something of an awkward bind… Read More ›
Boston Legal Tackles Abortion
Did you watch Boston Legal last night? No? You missed out. It was one of the best episodes the series has done in a long time, maybe ever. Last night, they tackled abortion, and managed to do it in a… Read More ›
Terminating the Idea of Sportmanship
Over the last few weeks somehow Mondays have become a night of terminating. First there was American Gladiators, which is all about terminating the competition, and now there's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, too. If there's ever been a show… Read More ›
George, George, George of the Jungle
Jay Ward is responsible for putting on television numerous beloved cartoon characters, characters that have found a life far longer than their initial television run. From Rocky and Bullwinkle to Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman, to Dudley Do-Right, the… Read More ›
Gene Simmons’s Kiss of Death
I fear that The Celebrity Apprentice just took a major turn for the worse. Last night — and don't read this if you don't want to know what happened — poor Gene Simmons got fired. Scratch that, stupid Gene Simmons… Read More ›
Cashmere Mafia Doesn’t Upset Me (and There May be Something Wrong With That)
Heaven help me, I didn't hate Cashmere Mafia yesterday. I know, that should be a good thing, but for some reason it isn't. I went into the episode fully expecting to be just as displeased with it this week as… Read More ›
Boston Legal and I get Connected
I think the scripted shows that networks have in the can are nearly eliminated. Sure, there are a couple of extra episode here and there that are going to be aired in the coming weeks (NBC is throwing up the… Read More ›
Terminators and Gladiators Kill – One with Bullets, the Other with Kindness
Do you know what I like? I like good television. It's just who I am. I think that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles represents good television. I'm not convinced of it, I may yet be proven wrong, but after two… Read More ›
Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, and Scott Baio Make for a Golden (Globes Free) Night
Well, it's Monday and there you are thinking to yourself, “Golly, I wonder if Josh watched TV last night.” Come on now, what kind of a silly question is that? Obviously I watched TV. It's what I do. I sat… Read More ›
Funny, I Would Have Called it International Treasure
The incredible success of Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code spawned innumerable copycats. One of the most successful of these, released before The Da Vinci Code film, is the Nicolas Cage adventure caper, National Treasure. Directed by John Turteltaub… Read More ›
Earl Celebrates Christmas in January While The Apprentice Lies
Do you know what bothers me? I mean, what really, really bothers me. Ridiculously over-the-top promos for decidedly dull moments bother me. No show on television is better at putting together a ridiculously over-the-top moment than The Apprentice. All week… Read More ›
Sarah Connor Chronicles Her Running Into More Terminators
In 1984, Arnold Schwarzenegger starred as the title character in a movie that would turn into a massive Hollywood franchise, Terminator. Schwarzenegger's character is a cyborg covered in human skin, a killing machine. The film went on to have two… Read More ›
Cashmere Mafia vs. Law & Order
I love television. Have I made that abundantly clear yet? Because, I do. I really, really do. I do not however love Cashmere Mafia. Sure, I watched it last night, not in place of the also airing at 10pm Law… Read More ›
Those Desperate Housewives go up Against American Gladiators (in my mind anyway)
Mea culpa. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. In yesterday's piece I didn't mention Sunday night's Desperate Housewives. I've slammed the show so much over the last year and a half that I should really talk about the bits and pieces… Read More ›
Nova Gets Cold… Damn Cold
Most people have the good sense to stay away from the extreme cold. The temperature drops below a certain point, and people do their best to warm up. Maybe they drink some hot chocolate, maybe they throw on a sweater,… Read More ›
American Gladiators take on the Cashmere Mafia
Oh, I’ll admit it, I’ll admit it happily: yes, I sat there for two hours last night and watched American Gladiators. What’s more, I liked it. Well, mostly liked it anyway. Sure, I was a fan of the original Gladiators… Read More ›