While programming the DVR earlier in the evening the following exchange occurred.
Deeps: Oh no! Me: Are we out of room? Deeps: No. I just remembered that The Cleaner is on tonight. Me: The show with Benjamin Bratt? Deeps: Yes! I thought I could ignore it forever. But there it is. Me: We said we'd watch the first episode. Deeps: We did. Me: I think it will be terrible. Deeps: I just wanted to pretend it didn't exist. Me: That didn't work with the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Deeps: Or global warming.
So I guess I'll watch it tomorrow, because thanks to global warming and the mortgage crisis I have to go to bed early. Or something like that....
This week our cups runneth over with good comedy and interesting drama - Derek, Deeps and I tackle Moonlight (okay, that's Derek), Doctor Who, Supernatural, LOST, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, and 30 Rock.
Then I share a story about making poor food choices when meeting new people (I ordered garlic fries, but the fellas from Cinema Diabolica didn't hold it against me) and talk about how I accidentally watched Criminal Minds.
If you enjoy the show, why not throw us a bone over at Podcast Alley Podcast Alley? We appreciate it! Then visit us at PopSyndicate.com/forums to participate in lively discussions.
This week Derek, Deeps and I are joined by our friends Chris and Jen to reconsider the previous three and a half seasons of LOST. They are recent converts to the show having crammed in the show on DVD in about a month.
Plus we still find time to talk about our old friends Torchwood, How I Met Your Mother, and Reaper. And Deeps offers up his loud assessment of the latest New Amsterdam. I'm married to him and I don't understand how he is still watching that show.
We're on a little hiatus next week but we return with fresh shows and material on April 13. In the meantime, you can check out two new polls I have up.
One is about whether or not Big Red Podcast needs a forum for fans to chat with us about the podcast and the stuff we cover.
This week Derek is out "on assignment" so Deeps and I valiantly brave the podcast alone. I should note that instead of eating our usual brunch before recording we ate Indian food. You can decide if that makes a difference.
Since it is early in the month, I beg for votes on Podcast Alley. FYI - our recording schedule will be slightly different next week. The show will probably go up on Monday night.
This week we muddle through a pretty rough podcast. Derek, Deeps and I discuss the Oscars on TV, LOST, Breaking Bad, Torchwood, and save our show campaigns. Then we ramble a bit more.
Since it is the beginning of the month, I beg for votes on Podcast Alley.
This week is a real humdinger. Derek, Deeps and I discuss the Pterodactyl theory on Torchwood, how happy hour can make LOST a little tougher to follow, how car porn isn't enough to carry a show with a wooden lead in Knight Rider, bad science on Sarah Connor Chronicles and finally how to do genre better with Supernatural.
Plus Derek stuns the group by reading a book(!) called Anasi Boys by Neil Gaiman and we review Be Kind, Rewind. Then we totally ignore the Oscars. Weird, huh?
Deeps and I have a lot of interests - art, film, cooking, hiking, photography, and books to name a few - but we really like television. We like it so much we do a weekly pop culture podcast primarily about TV. (Are you still not listening? Because that hurts my feelings - I mean feeling.)
Anyway, the Writer's Strike was a little tougher on us than the usual TV viewer. Not only do we watch TV but we talk about it and other people listen to us discuss it. We muddled through and now that the strike is over, we are just a few weeks away from lots of returning television. Of course, that long run to new television was never more apparent than Wednesday night.
We had sent back our Netflix and the new shipment hadn't arrived yet. We stared down a hideous hour of TV featuring stuff like "Reality Narcissist" and "Suitcase or No Suitcase". I opted to explore the wonders of cable TV "on demand" which means you can watch total crap whenever you want.
Oh and the crap I found. I watched an episode of Fantasy Island from approximately 1978 (if my reading of roman numerals is right).
It was full of stars: Abe Vigoda, Cesar Romero, John Saxon, Don Knotts, Lisa Hartman and Florence Henderson. Two of the three stories covered topics that I were very popular in the 70s - nuns in crisis and satanists.
It was awful. Deeps actually begged me to stop watching. When I tried to fire up another episode, he suggested we just go to bed early.
This week Deeps and I tackle the toughest question of our marriage - Are you writing Reba fan fiction? Luckily, Derek is around to help us figure out if our heretofore wedded bliss can survive it. Before we have to call Doctor Phil, we are address the latest developments in the WGA strike.
Then we discuss House, LOST, the Korean film The Host and my deep affection for LEGO Star Wars for the Wii. And I announce the next selection in the Big Red Film Festival: In A Lonely Place.
Yesterday I spent a bit of time trying to convince a friend that he should start watching LOST. He's kind of, vaguely intrigued but seemed intimidated by the three seasons of content he'd have to make it through before season 4 (however short) would start.
I suggested he check out the "Everything You Need to Know About Lost" summary of the previous three seasons - conveniently in 8 minutes and 15 seconds. Then I directed him to a Dharma initiative video - I picked Orientation 1.
I'm not really sure why I was so adamant about him watching - but in light of so little that is interesting being available on TV, it seems like a good way to go. Lunch time discussion is more interesting when everyone knows a bit about the subject matter.
Last week I was trying to explain what the Match Game is, and frankly... while Brett Somers was a charming woman and Charles Nelson Reilly was a bon vivant - it doesn't hold a candle to giant, invisible monster, slightly rumpled hotties and the ever looming dread of craphole island.
This week I break down some punctuation in the Sarah Connor Chronicles. We talk about the least secret agency in the world - Torchwood. We kick Derek out of the podcast - temporarily - to get very spoilery about the series finale of Life on Mars. And then we discuss our fifth entry in the Big Red Film Fest, the 1942 Val Lewton production of Cat People.
This week Deeps, Derek and I wonder what will happen to Doakes and Dexter - plus I overshare my reaction to Lundy's heiny; I force Derek to face the horror that is Heroes; we determine that Deeps is dead inside because he is still unmoved by this week's fantastic episode of Chuck; enjoy catsuits and girlventures on Pushing Daisies; and Derek tells us what it takes to get fired from Torchwood and hired by House.
Plus I announce the second selection for the Big Red Film Festival - Bullitt starring Steve McQueen for episode 61. The festival starts next week with episode 60's entry, The Thin Man starring William Powell and Myrna Loy.
Feel free to watch the movie and send us your thoughts by Sunday, Dec. 9 at 10 AM (Eastern Time) and we'll include them in our discussion on the podcast!
The strike has lasted a little over a week and there is no end in sight. Let's hope people get back to the negotiation table soon and get back to important stuff - like talking about my hair.
This week Derek, Deeps and I try to get inside Dexter's head, we question the wisdom of Green week on NBC, we talk Sweeps, and then we try make sense of the Writers' Strike.
Plus we go over listener mail from Jens and Jon, my brush with Tim Goodman, and my dreams of fame.
This week Derek, Deeps and I analyze Halloween, think about what the Writers' Strike might mean for our televisions, and start to digest November Sweeps including finer things on The Office, tiny secrets on Pushing Daisies, trust issues on Chuck and Reaper, and the problem with anger on Dexter.
Plus I offer that we made very interesting observations about Heroes way back in episode 33. Listen to the first 15 minutes of that episode and I'll tell you all of our fears were totally founded.
Then Derek and I fight! I know!
A programming note, episode 57 will be delayed by a day and will go up on the evening of Monday, November 19.
Derek returns to join me and Deeps to talk about Podcamp Boston 2, meeting cool people and riding their coattails - plus we remind Derek about stomach viruses.
Then we offer up some tiny information about how the Writers' Strike might affect the TV season; I review the latest entry in the Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay; and we talk about some of our favorite (or not so favorite) shows like How I Met Your Mother, The Office, Chuck, Scrubs, Heroes and of course, Dexter. And I throw out a suggestion for a great Halloween rental - John Frankenheimer's classic film Seconds.
Derek is on assignment this week - or on the run. You decide.
Deeps and I talk about Dexter, Heroes, Mad Men, the new series Samantha Who?, what Pushing Daisies can learn from Ugly Betty, the final one hour episode of The Office, and our weekly showdown between Chuck and Reaper.
Plus we're getting ready for Podcamp Boston 2. Can you feel the excitement?
Look - we didn't mean to be angry. But some TV disappointed us a little bit this week. Some shows are on probation, some shows have been dumped altogether.
But it wasn't all doom and gloom. We still liked Ugly Betty, Supernatural, Pushing Daisies and Chuck. Plus we belatedly take a look at Women's Murder Club and reconsider Carpoolers.
Last week I made our very first poll for the podcast. (That's why I made it look weird!)
Anyway, take a look at the list of new series and be sure to vote. Your votes will help us determine what shows we should cover in the podcast. Otherwise, it's all Painkiller Jane all the time. 'Cause that's what Derek likes.
More polls will happen in the future. If I don't mess them up.
Last week we had a little cliffhanger on episode 50 of the Big Red Podcast. This week we resolve it and quickly move on to new stuff like Pushing Daisies and the sustainability of whimsy; most improved second episode; hair and underwear; and of course what shows are on probation.
Plus we talk about a bunch of other shows and try to keep closer to 30 minutes. We did it in 39 - which is good considering how much we talk about. Oh and I make an argument for wacky. And did I mention there's a poll? Go answer it!
Podcast Pal, fellow TV watcher and my husband - Deeps - would like to remind you that Friday Night Lights comes back tonight on NBC. He's a big fan. I'm giving it a shot. He was right about Ugly Betty.
To help mark the first year of the podcast and the milestone that is Episode 50 - Derek decided to... go visit friends in Jersey?
What the H, Derek?
Whatever. We made due. Deeps and I blazed through almost an entire fall TV season in one hour. New shows and returning favorites are included. Sorry it's so long (over an hour).
That's what she said!
Anyway, we covered shows that aired this week thematically. So, in rough order, we discussed the following shows:
For those who care, episode 49 of The Big Red Podcast is on deck for this weekend. Deeps, Derek and I have been racing to watch as much new stuff as possible so that we might focus on returning shows for episode 50. See how nicely that works out?
And I think we might have a review of an Errol Morris film. I can't say for certain because certain members of the household are asleep and can't tell me if they are ready to discuss the film.
Plus I found the pilot for Big Bang Theory on iTunes. And we watched Chuck, Life and Journeyman on NBC's On Demand sneak peek. I'm sure there is something else....
We're going long this week, dear listeners. That's what she said.
Deeps was brave enough to watch the voyeuristic drama. I am less brave. I can't face the possibility of a naked David Selby. As a kid I loved to hate him on Falcon Crest!
Okay - it was in the forties last night. Well, not that close to me. But it was on the map during the weather segment on the news.
Buses are everywhere. School is back in session. That means one thing - I've had to say good-bye to my summer crush.
Las year's summer crush was chocolate almond frogurt. Mmm....delicious.
This year I say farewell to Flight of the Conchords until next summer. I think they were my favorites. It took me a couple of episodes to warm to them, but now I'm wandering around humming The Robot song.
And maybe I watch some episodes on the iPod and chuckle quietly to myself. On the bus. It scares people.
You can hear more about other summer loves on The Big Red Podcast. And over the next few weeks we'll start to attack the new fall TV season. It's pretty daunting since we have, you know, jobs and stuff. But we're on it. If you've got any special requests - I'll take them.
Seriously. Are you still not listening the Podcast? It's not half-bad. We've gotten much better. We have notes, we do a little preparation and we do one bit of research each week. Take that NPR!
I know HBO series usually wrap before airing - so it is probably too late for Flight of the Conchords to tackle the 4Real/Superman issue. But I'd like to think if there is a season 2, they'll take a shot.
Also - I this week's episode, Girlfriends, became my new favorite.
Our friends dropped by last night to escape the heat and blow off a little steam. Wait - is that a pun? Whatever.
Since we got the Wii our drop by rate has increased. That's cool with me, we're pretty social creatures and the chance that someone might just drop by forces us keep the house tidy. Win win!
Anyway, since we were going to be playing video games (Mario Party 8) I asked Deeps to record some shows.
Me: Hey are you taping The Closer? Deeps: Yeah, and it looks like something else is taping. Me: I can't remember. Deeps: Oh - it's your Kyle XY. Me: I'm doing it for the podcast. Deeps: Sure you are. Me: Hey can you tape Age of Love? Deeps: For the podcast? Me: I'm taking one for the team! Deeps: Looks like there are two episodes tonight - the one from last week and the latest episode. Me: Just tape the newest. Deeps: I can do both. Me: I'm familiar with the premise and I feel pretty confident I can pick it up in the second episode. Deeps: You don't think you'll be confused by the mythology? Me: If I am, I'll consult the Wikipedia.
Looks like we were a little slow on the uptake. CBS yanked the show from the schedule today. Whoops!
Well - at least the other shows we talked about are still around: The 4400, The Closer and Kyle XY just to name a few.
For those who suggested we cover The 4400 this summer I would like to say that we'll do a much better job next week. The first episode was a lot of chess pieces being moved around - but this week the story got going.
And if there is anything else anyone would like us to cover over the summer, just leave us some feedback! We're also talking about doing some DVD coverage of shows that were canceled but that are worth checking out on video. Deeps and his big ideas.
I suspect we'll be doing a lot of talking about new summer shows on the next podcast - but I can't really wait.
First - I recorded a few episodes of Kyle XY on ABC Family. I don't know what makes that network "family." It looks like the cheaper, easier cousin of the CW. Well, I guess cousins are family. As for Kyle - wow. I'm saving that for the podcast.
And then The Closer returned. It was okay, and poor Beaver (okay Kyle Gallner) was all abused and tormented again. He's getting good at that. We think that Kyra Sedgwick's lipstick was ever so slightly dialed back from the clown setting of last season.
Finally, I've been saving up episodes of John from Cincinnati. Why have I waited so long? I've heard it is very, very bad. And you know, I can play some Wii tennis instead of watching bad TV. But I do it for the podcast, ya know?
In the last podcast I played devil's advocate and I suggested that David Chase hates television. At the time I thought it was the move of a tired and cranky person who wasn't anywhere close to being a fan of the show.*
I'd say that my argument is supported by Chase's comments about film and making films. He's using the vocabulary of cinema but television is a writers' medium. Cinema is the medium of the visual. Ask anyone who has ever tried to write for film - writers are at the bottom of the totem pole.
Don't believe me? Ever watch Project Greenlight?
(* I perpetuate the tired and cranky argument even now as I am both tired and cranky when writing this at the end of the day. Blogging while cranky is one thing, podcasting while cranky is quite another.)
Subscribe to the podcast with iTunes or your favorite podcatcher.
And I've also posted the special bonus episode in the feed - so if you are a subscriber you'll get a sort of stream of consciousness podcast with our friends at the House of Burdens.
New Fall TV schedules are being announced. Since we cover pop culture in our weekly podcast, we have some interest in these developments.
So NBC is tilting towards the science fiction realm. I'm most excited about the Bionic Woman - mostly because she was on my first lunch box. With the Bionic Dog of course.
Anyway, here's more about NBC's new shows. And CBS is up today. ABC is making announcements. And the CW won't present it's new season until Thursday. I hope Veronica Mars makes it!
It's sweeps time - so I've called in some special guests: Salena and Erin! They join me and Derek to talk about the wonders of Heroes, LOST, Grey's Anatomy and speculation about an Addison spin-off, Veronica Mars' return (we debate whether or not it was triumphant) and the horrible majesty of The Office.
Plus we talk about why so many men are shirtless. Off color jokes are made, but no Dereks were harmed in the making of this podcast.
This week Deeps and I talk about the Big Red Blog’s Donors Choose campaign, Derek, and we offer up some listener shout-outs. Plus we talk about disappointing fights on Heroes, The Riches, the cancellation of Drive, LOST and sneaky ladies, a second look at Ugly Betty, and a documentary called The King of Kong.
Plus I reveal my hatred for My Name is Earl and my horrifying past with decoupage.
Right - so we went to visit Deeps' parents this weekend to help them clean out their house. After 30 years, they're planning on selling and retiring.
They have 30 years of stuff. We did huge amounts of yard work and cleaning - I cut down half a pine tree. Deeps and I hauled about 400 tons of old junk out of their basement and then spread 60 cubic yards of mulch without a rake.
You should understand that after doing this, sleeping poorly and then driving five hours from Jersey back to Boston we still did a podcast.
Because we love you, podcast listeners. This one is a little more ... well, I say like a lot when I'm tired. I'm really, really sorry.
This week we talk about Drive on Fox, The Sopranos, Supernatural (I even talk about the thematic similarities between their latest episodes), LOST, The Shield, Acceptable TV, This American Life on TV, why TV is awesome, and we do a review of Casino Royale and Fountains of Wayne's latest offering Traffic and Weather.
This week Derek returns to join me and Deeps to chat about the return of The Sopranos. We take a look at the first season of Sci Fi's The Dresden Files and review the pilot of Sci Fi's new show Pain Killer Jane. We also hit Big Red Podcast favorites like LOST, 30 Rock, The Office, and House.
Deeps makes another case for watching Friday Night Lights (he lurves it!). Derek watches the vampire show we talked about last week, he's captivated by it. So we learn something today - Lifetime isn't just for women. It is also for Derek.
This week Deeps and I (along with the cat) chat about a lot of television including resolving dramatic problems The Office, dirty cops on The Shield, women in chains on LOST, hairdos on House, Thomas Jefferson on 30 Rock and of course the problem with vampires (in Canada or anywhere else).
This week Deeps and I discuss the wonders of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in Hot Fuzz (remember Shaun of the Dead?), celebrity Q&As, waiting in really long lines, Hey it's that guy - British edition, noir on a desert island, and Zach Galifianakis's new DVD.
Derek is off doing exciting stuff like selling kidneys on the black market or buying a house or something. He'll be back soon. He is powerless in the face of my cheese potato casserole. Brunch is awesome.
This week Deeps subs for Derek who is out looking for a house. Meanwhile, we painted our hallways. Everyone get excited.
We tackle a lot of tough topics like Super Cops, Norma Rae, Serpico, Shaft and later his big score, The Dresden Files, The Riches, Foreign Accent Syndrome, the importance of a sense of place, John Locke's love of blowing stuff up, Vermeer (yes the painter), Rembrandt (yes the painter), architecture, Vanilla Ice (yes the rapper) and This American Life.
Can you believe we covered so much in just 40 minutes? Me either.
This week Derek is back and we cover a few more new mid-season shows including wacky Jeff Goldblum vehicle, Raines; the latest incarnation of Robin Hood on BBC America; the pretentious and overblown October Road; and I make a pitch for saving Veronica Mars – in two parts!
Plus we wax poetic about The Fly, winter weather, and Eddie Izzard’s eyebrows. See, I made a funny!
I know I posted about this on Sunday - but that was days ago.
Not listening to the Big Red Podcast yet? Get with it, Nabbalicious! (I'm continuing to call people out by name. I should have covered everyone by uhm.... I can't count that high.)
This week we talked about The Oscars, LOST, Heroes, and how totally right I was about Veronica Mars - even if it didn't make sense. And coming up on the next podcast, I'll have special guest Deeps to help me break down the Heroes "cliffhanger," LOST and some new shows. I'm watching so you don't have to. Seriously... you'll thank me when you hear about what I've subjected my family to.
This week Derek and I recap the Oscars and I offer Marty Scorsese some fashion tips. He's a tiny man!
Then we race through a partial review of some of the books from the Dresden Files series and how they relate as source material for the show. We speculate about what will happen next on Heroes and LOST and try to make sense of the latest mystery on Veronica Mars. Even though I was right about almost everything (see last week's VM podcast), I still don't understand it.
And I take a look at NBC's The Black Donnellys and complain about bad sitcom clip shows. I'm looking at you, Scrubs.
My beloved, sporter of a bloody nose and conquerer of ice, agreed to pitch in on Sunday to co-host the Big Red Podcast with me. He's so good, he made two pages of notes - so we covered a lot of topics and tried to sound very smart about television.
But despite his good works, I made a tiny little mistake in the podcast feed and iTunes didn't load my podcast until today. Whoops! One must really mind one's Ps and Qs (or in this case Hs).
Luckily, I've fixed the problem and if you're an iTunes subscriber you'll find it now. And if you're not subscribed, why not sign up? We record every week!
Deeps stepped up this morning when we learned that Derek's car was frozen in some kind of tundra in Cambridge. Not to worry - he's fine. On to the podcast!
This week we covered a lot of hot television including: The Dresden Files, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, Heroes, Veronica Mars, Medium, LOST, Grey's Anatomy, The OC, and The Office. Plus we wrangle with a little word, podcasting with your spouse and I apologize to Jacki for going over 30 minutes.
Plus - there is still time to send in your thoughts about Veronica Mars for inclusion in our special round-table discussion next week.
Just send us your feedback: podcast(at)thebigredblog.com.
But just so you know how sick I've been: I didn't watch LOST last night. I've been waiting and hoping and waiting for 33 years and on the night it debuts, I'm too sick to watch. I sacked out around 9:30 and slept like the dead.
On the bright side, I can breathe out of at least one nostril. Big progress if you ask me.
I can't believe I slept through LOST. It was probably the episode when they answer ALL of my questions: what's with Dharma? Why Claire's baby? What's with Desmond? Where is the magic turtle?
This week Derek and I talk a bit about Mooninites. We get excited for February Sweeps and break down Extras, Heroes, Veronica Mars, Grey's Anatomy, and I get very excited about the return of LOST. Plus we discuss how to fix The Dresden Files on Sci-Fi.
I review a book by Christopher Moore called Lamb and we talk a little about the Super Bowl.
Send us your feedback: podcast(at)thebigredblog.com - we're looking for contributions for our special Veronica Mars roundtable discussion at the end of the month.
I don't want to toot my own horn, but I'm not above it.
I have a podcast. Every week my friend Derek joins me and Deeps for brunch and then we record a podcast (Deeps is our producer). Usually we talk about television, books, movies and games.
Sure, we were a little long-winded in the beginning, but we've gotten better. All the pop-culture commentary you need in 30 minutes(ish).
And this week you get the extra bonus of me, mumbling, due to a trip to the dentist.
It is Friday, maybe you're looking to kill a little time while working on your TPS report.
Actually, I only mention my dentist in passing to explain why I sound so... subdued. My dentist drilled for gold on Saturday and after enduring an hour of dental work, I was a little sore on Sunday.
Luckily, Derek has lots of important things to say about Heroes, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, The OC and Grey’s Anatomy. We also review the new series on Sci-Fi called The Dresden Files and I offered up a review of Mike Judge’s Idiocracy.
Plus we announce a special opportunity to participate in our upcoming Veronica Mars podcast event. It's as easy as sending an email to podcast(at)thebigredblog.com
Derek is back this week and he talks a little bit about this year's MIT Mystery Hunt Experience. I share a delightful story about how much my Dad loves 24.
We also bring in our really smart friend, Chris, to talk to us about popular music - a subject we are sorely lacking on in our pop culture podcast. He talks to us about critically acclaimed but overrated music from 2006 including works from Bob Dylan, Joanna Newsom, TV on the Radio, and The Hold Steady.
And of course we talk about lots of TV in the run up to sweeps including three shows worth checking out: Eureka, Extras and Psych.
This week Derek sleeps off his nerd hangover so I recruited my friend Salena to pitch hit. She does a good job as we discuss: How I Met Your Mother, Scrubs, The Office, Grey's Anatomy (why is "To Be Continued" even necessary?), Armed and Famous, Alec Baldwin's terrifying powers on 30 Rock, My Name is Earl, and we tease a little something we saw on the Internets about LOST and Veronica Mars.
Plus we wax nostalgic (ever so briefly) about Patrick Swayze, Dirty Dancing and slumber parties. Don't worry, we don't over-girl it.
So I didn't exactly write a faux holiday newsletter this year. I hope that my memo worked instead - I'm really passionate about the working conditions of elves.
In other news, Deeps and I recorded a very special holiday edition of The Big Red Blog's weekly pop culture podcast. We don't discuss sugarplums and sweet dreams, we take on the stuff of nightmares by chatting about the Showtime series Dexter. I'll say it, I think it may be the best new show of 2006.
If you haven't watched the show or read the books and don't want to be spoiled, you should skip this week's installment. But if you'd like to hear about the most compelling and disturbing character on television then please, by all means, listen to this week's podcast!
On this week's podcast Derek and I talk about a lot of things: whether Veronica Mars is getting stupid, what Hero could die, and of course I talk about breezy dramas like Riptide. But Derek had no idea what Riptide was, but I know you remember. Right? It was 1984!
Oh for the days when TV dramas had minute-long opening credits.
I don't watch a lot of filler TV anymore. You know, when you're bored and you just flip on the TV and watch anything? Thanks to the DVR I don't really do that much. Except on Saturday mornings. Sometimes it's just a free-for-all of bad television.
This morning I came across something unusual and oddly familiar. Guys on TV were playing video games - and they were competing against each other. So it was a little like 1988 when Cuddles and Bangles would play Super Mario on the Nintendo in the living room and I'd watch them. It was about that exciting too.
Watching this made me think that some things don't really change that much. Graphics get better, games are harder, but the spectator is still pretty freaking bored. Luckily, I could watch a guy build a stone wall over on HGTV so as I grow older I've transitioned to a new kind of boring. I'm saving golf for my 50s.
The nice thing about watching a guy build a wall is that there's no annoying Nintendo music to accompany it. That Super Mario song used to haunt my dreams.
I recruited three friends this week to join me in a round-table discussion podcast about LOST. I think things went well, but we have a vocal and bitter contingent of people who are more than a little frustrated with the show.
That said, we're sticking with it and offering up our best ideas about what has happened and what is going to happen on the island of mysterious mysteries.
I sometimes laugh a little when reading trend stories in the New York Times. It often appears the writer has a friend who does something a little unusual and then he/she works to find a trend. Two points on a data chart do not produce a trend. It’s just a line.
The next trend will be – skinny blonde ladies will appear in movies and on television. Hot, misunderstood men will try to woo them. Quick! Someone get Wolf Blitzer on the phone.
Even as I type, the fall finale for LOST is starting. I see a plane. What could possibly happen?
As you may know, I have a podcast like all the other cool* kids on the internets. On Sunday I'm recording a special round-table discussion about the six episode fall season and we'll speculate about what this all means. We're not famous or experts or anything - we're just people with too much free time, some pancakes and a microphone.
If you'd like to join in the fun, I've opened up a phone line for Big Red Blog Podcast listeners to leave their thoughts about the finale. The number is 206-312-9599 - don't be afraid to share your wacko theories. Why should Derek and I be the only ones?
November isn’t always about politics and mudslinging – it’s also about television and the first big ratings cycle of the new season. In this week's podcast, Derek returns to talk about what’s happening with LOST, why he’s worried about Wallace on Veronica Mars and I speculate about what types of dramatic surprises await us.
And I read a book!
If you’re interested in keeping up with Big Red Blog Podcast, please visit the podcast site.
Yesterday Kristen, Ernesto and the kids came to visit us for the day.
My house isn’t totally kid unfriendly – but we realize our limitations. We don’t have any cool toys, our cat is mean, and then we ruin children for life by turning on the mind-sucking, all-powerful, zombie-making television.
As someone who loves TV and spends a good number of hours per week watching, reading about and discussing it I’m still amazed by its power over young kids. They are quite literally stopped in their tracks. They just stand and stare at the glowing box.
Deeps, ever the scientist, was so intrigued by this notion I think he wanted to spend more time experimenting with the kids reactions. He paused the TV on the credits and they’d still just stand there watching. Awesome.
Aside from husband’s nefarious experiments – the kids were really good and totally charming, even to cranky non-parents like me. And it was nice to try to catch up with K and E.
We walked around town, played in leaves in the backyard, dealt with several head traumas (darn all those sharp corners we have at kid level!), and ate pretty tasty barbecue. And just as everyone was starting to get a little tired it was time to go home. We loaded them up with some bookshelves, a DVD and their children* and sent them on their way.
I don’t know where they’re going to shove a third kid – after all Jackie, the shared “imaginary” friend of the kids doesn’t like anyone to sit on her. She appeared sometime after dinner and I won’t lie, it was a little creepy.
We were sitting around the dining table and the kids were running around when Da stopped and walked quickly to his mother and whispered something in her ear. Then Kristen announced Jackie was here and she wanted to play a game.
Are you kidding? I’ve seen this movie – and I know it ends badly for idiots like me.
I invited (lured with the promise of homemade pancakes which were actually inedible) Derek - the only person Dana likes - back to participate in this week’s spooky podcast.
I should note that Derek isn’t actually a fan of scary stuff, but he was game as we weakly discussed the wonders of TV Halloween episodes, what he might have been traumatized by as a kid, what freaks us out now, and of course this week’s best television. Plus we do a taste test of some candy I bought for the ‘weenies. We are harsh but fair with our verdict. And I graciously edited out two full minutes of thoughtful chewing.
A fire was lit, a challenge was issued, and my first podcast guest appeared in a special 57 minute (I know!) episode of the Big Red Blog podcast.
This week’s guest, Derek, is an old friend from college who watches more TV than I do which is hard to believe. We talked about nearly every show on television from Seventh Heaven (I’m not kidding) to Battlestar Galactica and everything in between. I was worried it would be a 43 hour show.
In light of the length and the late hour of recording (last night) my apologies for any audio problems. I’ll review the podcast more closely today for a little quality assurance.
After a lackluster day of sitting, quietly and sipping broth and tea at work I came home with my low-grade fever to figure out my next step. But then Deeps suggested that we order some Thai food because it would make me feel better to have some awesome Tom Kha Gai.
I also got some spicy chicken dish that I usually love – and I loved tonight. When the food showed up I thought, “Yummy! Food!” and I ate soup and some rice and some spicy chicken stuff… it seemed like such a good idea at the time.
But now I feel all hot and nauseous – could be the ick or the Gilmore Girls that I’m watching. Ooooh no! I’ll have to save that for my next podcast. I think I’m breaking up with the Gilmore Girls.
And my head is throbbing. But I will be okay for Jon Stewart. We love him and I spent four million dollars on those tickets. I don’t care if Deeps has to pour me into a Dixie cup.
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, October 03, 2006 at Tuesday, October 03, 2006 | |
But British and with 300% more lesbian! That should get your attention.
Deeps and I have been watching borderline television programs this summer. I still haven’t gotten into Deadwood – it just never appealed to me. I know it’s supposed to be good, but whatever. I can’t get into it. The saddest part is that my husband assures me that I’d like it because “people get killed all the time.”
That’s right; he invoked the Boehm Body Count Rule. He made up the rule when noting that when I watch certain types of movies (usually action, thrillers or horror) that I expect a certain number of deaths to occur. I don’t know if that’s totally true, but I can’t deny that I do enjoy seeing stuff get blowed up.
Anyway – I’m toying with this theory about shows that are critically acclaimed but don’t appeal to me like Rescue Me and The Shield. I think it’s the Hemingway conundrum (aka the Stooges factor) – some men seem to gravitate towards and like Hemingway more than some women. I appreciate the sparseness of his prose but I am not a fan.
What does this have to do with lesbians? Well one of the summer shows that I’ve started watching is Hex on BBC America (warning: sound effects). Basically it is like Buffy but with less plot advancement, more lesbianism (like it’s written by the staff of Maxim) and more British.
It’s not a show I’d watch during the regular season, but it is perfectly acceptable for me during the hot summer months. It’s not especially good and it doesn’t bring anything new to the genre, but sometimes it is funny. The plotting is very slow - which is surprising because Brit shows have much shorter seasons and usually cram more stuff in. I'm three hours into season one and I know very little about what is going on.
And like I said – they constantly talk about lesbianism. I don’t really have a problem with that, but it’s kind of hilarious how much it factors into every single conversation. I think someone has mistaken sexual orientation with character development. Whoops!
I enjoy reading about television and I think that most TV critics are underrated. There are no Eberts of Kaels in the realm of TV criticism and I think that's too bad.
Anyway two of my favorite sites offer insight and criticism about Television on a very regular basis -- Television Without Pity (criticism is less broad and found in the insights of writers who "recap" episodes of various shows) . The other site is Teevee which offers a host of critics writing about various issues in television -- advertising, TiVo, Olympics coverage, etc.
This week they wrote about a show that I've really come to enjoy a lot -- but it's still a flawed show. The folks at TeeVee think that Andy Richter Controls the Universe is clever and innovative but ultimately the show has a sweet, nougaty center.
I don't like the sweet center! This show isn't mean enough? How many sitcoms do we need where the poor schlub does the right thing and learns a lesson? If you're going to be an edgy show then please feel free to be edgy -- show me the guy who keeps sleeping with the horrible anti-Semitic hottie instead of dumping her from all the guilt. (The moral dilemma about sleeping with a super hottie who is also anti-Semitic came up in a recent episode.)
Someone recently told me he read an interview with Mr. Richter (we haven't found said interview online yet) where Richter said he doesn't write the show, but that he generally likes what is written. However, Mr. Richter said the show has a little too much heart.
I concur! I’m looking forward to future shows with a little less heart (you know big, red and heart-shaped like a valentine) and more like a black void in the chest where the heart (the valentine one you might have found in Operation) should be.
See, I've figured out things in my own life and now I've found time to clean my apartment (sometimes), organize old photos (okay, I bought a nice box to shove them all in) and worry about the problems of famous people.
It's a special case -- I don't know if this guy knows he has a problem yet. I worry about Jon Stewart.
We all love him. Deeps and I have the unspoken agreement that The Daily Show is appointment television (M-Th) whenever possible or there's a new episode. I like Jon Stewart's snarky little glances, his oddly tall hair and his hilarious deliveries. He's the best thing to happen to Comedy Central and certainly the best host the Daily Show could ever hope to have. And finally he's come into his own and receiving the accolades and attention he deserves.
Plus, with the hubbub about Letterman bailing on CBS or ABC eyes are turning to Stewart as a possible replacement for Letterman if he jumps ship. This is why I worry. What success spoil our Jon? I think it might.
What if? Let's play "for instance" -- if Letterman jumps ship for ABC and CBS pulls Stewart into its clutches with promises of fame, money and audience, I would be hard pressed to believe Stewart wouldn't go. But this has happened before! Remember MTV. The Jon Stewart show was hip and cool and totally hilarious. Then it got transported to "proper" Network TV and died a horrible death. All irony, edge and wit were displaced and the show suffered until finally put down a scant few weeks later.
What if the same thing happens? Comedy Central won't take you back, The Daily Show is already suffering under the un-funny weight of the likes of Matt Walsh and worse, Lauren Wederman. And there's some new chick with horrible lipstick. They're so bad I long for the days of Mo Rocca. The 2 Stephens/Stevens are making only weekly appearances if we're lucky, since they've both found more lucrative and rewarding work outside the gray halls of Comedy Central studios. What if it all goes horribly wrong!
I just want to be assured that no matter what happens, I won't lose my 4x a week dose of Jon Stewart -- whether I want him or not. I just like to know he's there. And I hope that the giant Viacom machine doesn't chew him up and spit him out. He's smoother and savvier and smarter now, right? I shouldn't worry....of course...I'll just overlook that Grammys fiasco.
