Posts from — July 2008

Defamer’s “Top Ten Countdown of TVs Coolest Cats”:

1. Jack Bauer - “24″
2. The Fonz - “Happy Days”
3. Cord Walker - “Walker, Texas Ranger”
4. Will Smith - “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
5. Don Draper - “Mad Men”
6. Officer Tom Hanson (Jonny Depp) - “21 Jump Street”
7. Hannibal - “A-Team”
8. Dr. Ross (George Clooney) - “ER”
9. Conrad - “Weeds”
10. Parker Lewis - “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose”

The Walker pick is undeniable (he always gets his man!), but I’m not sure that I can back up the rest of their choices. Dr. Ross, Hannibal, and Jack Bauer (sorry, Kiefer) have got to go. Why? Because the grittiest character on there is Don Draper. Don’s got nothing on the folks in “The Wire”. HBO’s B-more crime drama has the coolest cats around in my opinion.

Stringer “It’s just Bizness” Bell

Jimmy “I’m working a case, so it’s okay when I drink a fifth of Jameson” McNulty

And Tommy Gavin of “Rescue Me” is the craziest, yet coolest firefighter in the history of television!

Watch Molly McAleer’s hilarious compilation video on Defamer and make your own top ten list.

A&E’s “The Cleaner” premiered a few weeks ago, and I finally watched the first episode this week on my TiVo.

The tv show is based on real life interventionist, William Banks, played by Benjamin Bratt. Banks has a team full of former addicts who help him locate the person they’ve been hired to essentially kidnap and force into rehab. The cops give them a pass on these extreme tactics, so as long as Banks throws a drug bust their way. Grace Park (”Battlestar Galactica”) plays Akani, the street smart temptress that loves working for Banks but refuses to follow all his rules. Gil Bellows (”Ally McBeal”) plays Banks’ best friend Mickey, a body builder/trainer who used to be addicted to heroin but has since cleaned up for his family. I barely recognized him in character, almost the exact opposite of his bumbling lawyer character on Ally. Last but not least, newcomer Esteban Powell plays Arnie the resident slacker and complainer of the bunch.

By the end of the pilot episode, some pretty serious stuff goes down as they try to locate a 15 year old kid named Zach who’s hooked on oxycontin. This television show is gritty, engaging, and doesn’t soften up the predicament of drug abusers. Think of it as a dramatization of “Intervention” crossed with the crime melodrama of “The Shield”. Banks is a more sympathetic character than Vic Mackey by far. But he still is a former addict, and thus, he still has demons that he struggles with each day. Not to mention, chasing addicts doesn’t leave a lot of time for your family. I think Banks balancing his time between work and home will become a huge story arc in the show.

Watch new episodes on A&E at 10pm on Tuesdays. “The Cleaner” may just have washed away that bad taste in my mouth from Benjamin Bratt’s previous tv show, “E-ring”.

“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” returns to F/X on September 18th (Thursdays at 10pm), which pleases me to no end. It’s been called “Seinfeld” on crack, but I say the gang is much darker than those cynical New Yorkers.

The gang consists of four slacker friends who own an Irish Pub in Philly. Being the lazy, selfish people they are, they end up having to let Dennis’ Dad, Frank (Danny DeVito) come help run the bar and keep things afloat. The kicker is that Frank usually ends up being the real instigator of their troubles (see. “Bums Making a Mess All Over Town” from last season where he uses an old cop car to extort hot dogs out of a street vendor).

Each episode essentially is them getting into the most insane situations. For example, Dee and Dennis get addicted to crack (on purpose) so they could claim welfare (instead of like, y’know, getting a job), Charlie pretends to be a war vet on a dare, or like on episode two where they decide to give underage kids alcohol as a public service! And that’s just off the top of my head.

Still, I think my favorite scene is still Dennis and Charlie coming up with “Day Man” in Charlie’s dingy apartment. The performance of the song to a stunned bar crowd (and the subsequent booing) was priceless!

They say there will be more songs and a sequel to “Day Man” in the new season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. Yes! More David Bowie-esque outfits! Maybe more of Danny DeVito on drums too!

The season 3 dvd comes out on September 9th, so I can finally delete the episode containing DayMan from my television. I’m telling you, these seasons are highly rewatchable (maybe that’s where they get the “Seinfeld” comparison). I def don’t regret owning the season 1 & 2 dvd set. Take my advice and watch these episodes so as to acquaint yourself with the hilariously demented minds of the Paddy’s Bar gang.

Related Sources: Pajiba Comic-Con highlights

At Comic-Con this weekend, the producers of “Lost” revealed some exciting news and spoilers to the crowd of Hall H. They even answered a few of the fans’ burning questions. To kick things off, they showed a “video [which] consisted of Lindelof and Cuse talking about how, in these new DVDs, they will present all of the flash-forwards as an extra and in the correct time sequence.”

Say what now? All those crazy flashforwards will be edited together for my viewing pleasure? That’s definitely an extra feature that could prove useful! “Lost” is such a complicated show, I mean most viewers have to watch each episode twice to know what the heck is going on! This flash-forward compilation feature could finally resolve all of those dangling clues that are mixed up in my head.

The only catch is the 5-disc box set doesn’t come out until December 9th! I guess in the meantime, I’ll have to watch the other three seasons to pass the time.

Find more coverage of the “Lost” panel at TV Squad.

I saw a teaser last night for this new paranormal mystery show on CBS called “Eleventh Hour”. It stars the dashing Rufus Sewell as Dr. Jacob Hood.

“ELEVENTH HOUR from acclaimed producer Jerry Bruckheimer follows Dr. Jacob Hood, a brilliant biophysicist and special science advisor to the government, as he investigates scientific crises and oddities. His jurisdiction is absolute and Hood is dogged in his pursuit of those who would abuse and misuse scientific discoveries and breakthroughs for their own gain. His passion and crusade is to protect the substance of science from those with nefarious motives. He is called in at the eleventh hour and he represents the last line of defense.”

Jerry Bruckheimer?! Now, I’m scared to give it a chance. I fear it’s gonna be a supernatural tinged version of “CSI”! And doesn’t this sound strangely like “Threshold”, the David Goyer produced sci-fi drama with Carla Cugino that was swiftly cancelled. Am I the only one who dug that show? It was spooky, intriguing and had a decent cast (Charles S. Dutton from “Roc”!).

I’m not sure the senior citizen demographic of CBS will be down with a X-Files FBI procedural knockoff. Plus, isn’t “Fringe” already going there? In a television battle, JJ Abrams vs Jerry B, JJ is gonna win hands down.

But hey, by some strange fate, “Ghost Whisperer” still gets ratings, maybe it could work. However, GW’s success may be due to JLove Hewitt and not really the subject matter. I think I’m gonna give it a look, but no way I’m giving it an automatic TiVo season pass.

“Eleventh Hour” airs Thursdays at 10pm this fall.

If you haven’t guessed, I like to watch aaaaaalot of television. Like I don’t like to sleep with mine on. Call it a television security blanket, the glow of the screen my night light. I can sleep without it, but I’d rather not. 6 out 7 days a week, my television set is on from the time I get off work until I get up the next day.

My green conscience feels terrible about the waste of power, but it’s hard to break addictions (see: “Intervention” as proof!). Thankfully, Sony understands what me and countless other tv addicts are going through in these energy conscious times. They created a sleek 32 inch flat screen television that uses almost half as much power as other models! Sony claims that it could “reduce your annual carbon emissions by 175 lbs.”

Sony Bravia KDL-32JE1

It goes on sale in Japan on July 30th, hopefully it will be available in the US soon after. And then maybe other manufacturers will follow Sony’s eco-friendly example. =)

Source: Green Vaccine

The TV Whore reported today that the folks across the pond are developing a British version of “Law & Order”. Battlestar Galactica’s Jamie Bamber the first actor attached to the project.

I’m a serious L&O addict. I have watched every incarnation of L&O, except that stupid “Law & Order: Trial by Jury” one that got nixed. And seeing how I’m already addicted to BBC’s “Wire in the Blood” (a police procedural that follows psychologist Tony Hill who consults with the police), this is nothing but good news for me.

Now, I’ve just got to move to London by the time it airs or pray they show it on BBC America. Even if they show it in the middle of the night, my dvr will be tuning in for me.

The creator of the TiVo “wants to turn the television remote control into a tool for buying the products being advertised and promoted on commercials and talk shows.

The company, based in Alviso, Calif., will introduce a “product purchase” feature on Tuesday in partnership with the Internet retailer Amazon.com. Owners of TiVo video recorders will see, in TiVo’s various onscreen menus, links to buy products like CDs, DVDs and books that guests are promoting on talk shows like “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Late Show With David Letterman” and “The Daily Show.”

In the months ahead, TiVo plans to begin offering this feature to advertisers and programmers, so that the chance to buy products and have them delivered will be presented to viewers during commercials and even alongside product placements during live shows.”

Word? Now, I don’t have to get off the couch (and walk a mere 2ft to my computer) to buy a book I see on television? Do I need this feature? Isn’t shopping online already pretty easy? I feel like this scheme is marketed more towards housewives and QVC addicts with TiVo boxes. Not really gonna affect my shopping habits since I already shop online (at Amazon no less!).

But that’s not to say I’m not a fan of TiVo. I think their AmazonUn-box feature, where you can buy digital copies of movies and shows and they download directly to your DVR, is awesome! That’s some technology I can get behind.

Source: NY Times

“Empty Nest” was one of my favorite sitcoms from the early nineties. It was a “Golden Girls” spin-off, but when the show aired, I’m not sure I was even aware of that fact.

The seven seasons of this Emmy winning show followed the misadventures of Dr. Harry Weston (Richard Mulligan) and his two adult daughters, Barbara (Kristy McNichol) and Carol (Dinah Manoff). And let’s not forgot about their loveable dog, Dreyfuss and the scheming neighbor Charley (David Leisure)!

I don’t remember any specific episodes, but I do remember that Richard Mulligan kept me coming back for more. At least, I’m not the only one who has a soft spot for “Empty Nest”. Televised Revolution has a humorous breakdown of the series. And see, even he says the plot points weren’t that memorable.

It premiered last week, but it’s still not too late to catch up! Col. Carter is leaving/getting fired and Woollsey is running the show (crazy, I know!) over at the Atlantis site. Babies, wraiths, exploration, what’s not to love about the new season.