Rob's Periphery of Pop Culture!

Writers’ Revenge

2010-08-20T17:56:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered how the writers of a TV show come up with the names of the characters? Would you believe its sometimes a tribute, or maybe revenge.

That’s the premise of an article in the Wall Street Journal, who say

Annoy a television writer at your peril: You could wind up committing unspeakable crimes or dying a horrible death—in prime time. Settling scores with difficult stars, clueless executives and childhood enemies.

We saw an example of this when Joey Tribiani on Friends bragged how he wrote all his lines on the soap he was on. The writes sent his character plunging down an elevator shaft.

Wouldn’t it be cool of there was some way to exact revenge like this in your work day?

Best films of the naughts? the oo’s? The decade

2010-08-18T18:09:00.001-05:00

Nothing spurs up controversy like a list of best movies. Everyone’s idea of “best” is different. So I guess when a website is looking to increase their page views and incite rioting, they come up with another list.

A.V. Club has done just that with their list of “The best films of the ‘00s.”

Want to start the arguing? Fine, how about on the first page. The Dark Knight is number 41?!?!?!?! And then they have The Prestige ahead of that?!?!

Alright, the list is crap. (There, I said it) And was put together by a bunch of monkeys. I’ll save you the trouble of clicking on the link and list the top 10 for your bemusement.

10. Children Of Men (2006)

9. The New World (2005)

8. Capturing The Friedmans (2003)

7. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)

6. Spirited Away (2001)

5. Memento (2000)

4. No Country For Old Men (2007)

3. There Will Be Blood (2007)

2. 25^th Hour (2002)

1. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

Anyway, that’s the stupid list. There is a nice picture of Mulholland Dr. star Laura Elena Harring at the top of the article, so it’s not all bad.

Thanks for reading.

Nerd Alert!

2010-08-15T20:05:00.001-05:00

Have you ever watched the entire original and prequel trilogy of Star Wars and thought “Wouldn’t it be cool if someone combined every light saber ‘ignition and retraction’ for all six movies?”

You have?!?! Well, you’re in luck for today we have that video. Behold the nerd-vana.

Thanks to Moviefone.com for the video.

Time Travel and the Simpsons

2010-08-09T18:34:00.001-05:00

Today’s update looks at the past looking at the future, and also looks at today from the past. Um, what? Time Travel in pop culture is what we are talking about.

First, nothing like a good list to get the arguments started. catchrandom has the 10 Greatest Time Travel Movies Ever. Obviously, the order is all wrong and (per fark) there’s no Time Bandits listed, but if you just decide you want a time travel movie, you at least have a place to start.

And now, a look at the future with another list. This one, the order of the list doesn’t matter quite so much: 11points gives us 11 Things the Simpsons Got Right. The Simpsons, in season three did Lisa’s Wedding, which was scheduled for August 1, 2010. My personal favorite is the use of credit cards in vending machines. Who hasn’t charged a bag of FunYuns late at night, right?

11points will be back later with Predictions the Simpsons Got Wrong.

Finally, wrapping up with a final time travel type note, Scott Bakula said that Donald Bellisario is working on a script for a Quantum Leap movie. Sadly, Mr. Bakula will be too old to play Sam, but he is expected to make an appearance.

Max Headroom comes to DVD

2010-08-03T16:33:00.001-05:00

True story: the iPod was on shuffle play while I was reading Whitney Matheson’s PopCandy blog posting of DVD releases this week. As I hit the page and saw the listing for Max Headroom, the Complete Series, Max Headroom himself started speaking through my speakers. Of course I am referring to Art of Noise and their hit song Paranoimia.

Weird, huh?

Anyway, I’m curious to see if the show is a good as I remember it.

As Whitney points out, Kick-Ass and The Ghost Writer are also out. I missed Kick-Ass in theatres and will probably give it a spin this weekend. The Ghost Writer was entertaining enough. I don’t know that I’ll pay to watch it again, although Ewan McGregor is a favorite of the Mrs. When it shows up on cable, maybe.

Cheers

The Worst Year for Movies Ever?

2010-07-31T22:06:00.001-05:00

Sex and the City 2, Prince of Persia, Grown Ups, Robin Hood. What do these movies have in common? They are among the piles of crap that Hollywood has dumped on a paying public this year. In fact, the Wall Street Journal opines that this may be the Worst Movie Year Ever.

It is a little sad that the most intelligent, creative film of the year is an animated film and the finale of a trilogy. (Toy Story 3). To be fair, it is possible the writer of the article picks a few stinkers just to make his point. Certainly every year has its share of craptastic cinema. But we do seem to be behind on legitimate blockbusters this year, especially if you take the inflated 3-D prices out of the equation.

What do we have to look forward to that might take some of the stink off the year? Well, there’s Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore and Piranha 3D . Never mind.

Quick TV roundup

2009-02-18T17:27:00.001-06:00

Just a few headlines for your perusal today:

First, it must be Spring, because the “SNL has lost its mojo and should just die” articles are appearing. Zap2it has the first volley.

Many actors have had to play a far-ranging cast of parts. The New York Post has a clip of Kate Walsh before she was running her “Private Practice” playing a transsexual on season five of “CSI”. See the clip here.

Speaking of CSI, TV Guide is reporting that Charisma Carpenter has signed on to a guest-starring role on the procedural. Not a bid deal, we know, but she’s a favorite in the ARME Media office.

And finally, Robert Bianco of USA Today wonders if “Lost” and “24” are the two best shows on television today.

We would have to agree since they are priorities number 1 and 2 respectively on the DVR favorites list. Your thoughts? Leave a comment below.

What Muppet are You?

2009-02-10T16:58:00.001-06:00

I just finished taking a very unscientific test and learned that if I were a Muppet, I’d be Sweetums.

I always kind of felt some sort of connection with the large guy, even though I never knew his name until today. But the description fits: “A hard exterior covers up the sweet center of your soul. And you love to eat humans.”

Not everyone can be Kermit or Animal, so I’m happy with my results.

If you’d like to take the test, go here.

Leave a comment and let me know what Muppet you are.

Grammy wrap up

2009-02-09T17:25:00.001-06:00

What was your favorite part of the Grammy’s? Was it U2’s performance, or Jennifer Hudson? There are a lot of sources for a recap:

Zap2it starts with who missed it. (Chris Brown and Rihanna) and George Carlin’s win.

Here’s a slideshow of the performances.

AOL has the fashions as well as interviews and video clips of performances.

Oh, and if you care about the actual awards: E! online has that.

Meanwhile, not everyone was happy with the broadcast. Joshua Alston has written an article about Six ways to fix the Grammy’s. He wants: Bring back the hosts, more banter between presenters, No more blind date duets, No performances of songs no one’s heard (U2), and no giving the awards to the artist that just performed.

Grammy’s are on now

2009-02-08T20:14:00.001-06:00

The Grammy’s are on right now on CBS. Two performers we won’t be seeing are Chris Brown and Rihanna. The web tubes are all abuzz with the story that the two were involved in an altercation in their car after last night’s Grammy party and Chris may be charged with domestic battery.

It has been confirmed that both skipped out on the show. Justin Timberlake and Al Green sang in the spot that was supposed to go to Rihanna.

For the rest of the coverage of the show, including the actual awards, and see what everyone is wearing, check out E!s coverage.

Xena gets all girl on girl

2009-02-05T16:39:00.001-06:00

Have you ever wondered what goes on at a Xena: Warrior Princess convention? I actually wasn’t even aware they still had those. You know what else I didn’t realize? The show attracted a rather large lesbian audience. No-really.

Evidently there were also a number of amateur historians and mythology buffs at the convention held in LA recently.

LA Weekly was there and provides a wrap up and a slideshow.

Have you ever been to any show related conventions? Star Trek, Dr. Who? (There was a Dr. Who convention at a hotel I was staying at, I never even stepped into the conference room so I can’t say I’ve ever been, I enjoyed talking to them in the elevators.) What has been your impressions?

Idol moves to Hollywood

2009-02-03T17:12:00.001-06:00

American Idol has wrapped up the audition phase and moves to Hollywood tonight. What have we learned so far? Newsday says not much.

Plus: are the auditioners fake or really that delusional? MSNBC takes a look.

As you know, Idol airs on Fox tonight at 8, 7 Central.

Lost discussion

2009-01-29T16:16:00.001-06:00

Holy polar bear!

How cool was Lost, last night? Very. A few links for you. First, if you haven’t seen the episode yet, ABC.com is streaming it now.

The excellent Whitney Matheson has a lengthy comment thread on Pop Candy for your perusal. It’s pretty long, but there are always a few nuggets of theories that I didn’t think of.

The Washington Post has Dueling Analyses. This week they posit that the show is taking cues from Back to the Future, or is it an homage?

And finally, just as a time waster for today, 11 Points has 11 roles that the cast probably would like to forget. It includes video clips.

If you have any other cool links, comment below.

The Office gets its own porn version

2009-01-28T17:20:00.001-06:00

From “The Best Week Ever”: Introducing “The Office Porn”

As if you needed the warning, the language is NSFW. There is no nudity in the trailer though.

Letterman makes amends

2009-01-28T17:12:00.001-06:00

Bill Hicks performed on “The Late Show with David Letterman” in 1993, but his routine was too edgy for the producers and the segment never aired. Hicks died of cancer in 1994.

According to Diane Holloway, Dave has regretted the decision ever since. This Friday, Dave makes up for it and airs the entire six-minute segment.

Several tributes to the 15th anniversary of Hicks death have been planned. His web site has details.

If you’re not familiar with some of Hicks’ work, we have a small video clip for you. If you are at work, you may want to turn the volume down as it gets a little spicy.

The year’s first banned Super Bowl commercial

2009-01-27T17:12:00.001-06:00

It’s not truly Super Bowl season until we have the first commercial that the network won’t air for whatever reason. This year, that commercial is here. The network is NBC and the client is PETA. According to The New York Post, the ad “depicts a level of sexuality exceeding” the high moral standards of NBC. This is the same network that brought us The Biggest Loser, right?

Since your curiosity is now peaked, here is the banned ad.

Fox would have aired it.

The Super Bowl with the commercials that fit within the high moral standards of NBC airs this Sunday.

Meet The Amazing Race teams

2009-01-26T16:47:00.001-06:00

The favorite reality show in the ARME Media office has got to be The Amazing Race. It’s non-stop action and drama. CBS has revealed the teams for the next season. They include a deaf contestant, the required hotties (this time they’re former NFL cheerleaders) and someone you may recognize in Mike White, who wrote “School of Rock” and “Nacho Libre”.

Here’s a link to the whole cast.

And check out a promo:

AR14 premiers on CBS on Feb. 15.

Plus, if you’re looking to waste a lot of time, CBS has posted even more videos. The site includes introduction videos for all the teams.

And, one more link for you: Phil keeps a video diary.

And the Oscar goes to…

2009-01-22T17:52:00.001-06:00

The nominees for the 81st Academy Awards were announced this morning. Check out USA Today’s coverage. Probably the biggest surprise, or at least the biggest disappointment was the lack of a Best Picture nomination for The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger was nominated for Supporting Actor (This is probably your safest pick in your office pool).

USA Today also has a blog running down the nominees reactions to the announcement.

The saddest group today may be the executives at ABC and the telecast producers. As Mark Caro points out: “The best rated shows have been the ones in which a very popular movie cleans up, such as “Titanic” (1997) and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003).” Since there is no big movie nominated, specifically The Dark Knight, the hopes for big ratings have gone bye bye. The song nominees don’t help either, no Springsteen, Beyonce or even Clint Eastwood to promote.

If you still want to watch, the telecast airs Feb. 22 on ABC. Hugh Jackman hosts.

The Return of Lost

2009-01-21T17:26:00.001-06:00

Can you believe it’s been 8 months since we last had an episode of Lost? Well that wait is over tonight at 9 ET/8 CT. If you need to catch up, there is a recap episode an hour earlier. We have a number of links for you.

Zap2it has an excellent blog. Topics on there right now include the 10 best and 10 worst episodes. Discuss.
Here’s a Q&A with Damon Lindelof. Time travel plays a big role this season, but Damon Lindelof says traveling through time was built into the show's DNA. "The big question going into this year is this idea of, there's only two fundamental approaches to time travel," says Lindelof. "There's the 'Back to the Future'/'Heroes' approach where you can go back and change things, that stepping on a butterfly, suddenly, there's a different president, people have antenna, George McFly's a best-selling author. And the other way is, if you went back in time and tried to kill Hitler, you would fail, because Hitler wasn't assassinated. What would happen if you were in the past and tried to change the present as you knew it, would you A)Fail, or B)Succeed, or C)Cause the thing you were trying to prevent. And that's really interesting to us, because there's no (do-over's)."
Slate says the first five minutes of EVERY Lost premiere tells you everything.
Lost’s return reveals answers, but poses more questions.
Lost gives us answers, but the fun part is how we get there.
There are 342 tiny reveals tonight. – Don’t try to make it a drinking game.
This season is all about quantum physics.
Get to know Elizabeth Mitchell.
TV Guide talks to Jorge Garcia, aka Hurley
Ben says this season changes everything.
If you need a recap, get it here.
Do you need to understand it, or can you just “enjoy the ride?”
Meet one of the newest “Losties.”
This year is for die-hards and will only confuse new viewers.

And finally, we have “previously on Lost” a video parody. Enjoy and let the discussion begin.

Whew, start reading. Lost is on ABC.

Lost & another show that starts with an “L”

2009-01-20T20:46:00.001-06:00

Two stories in one, both happen to start with the letter L. The first is Lost and the second is The L Word.

Have you ever wondered how the producers on Lost keep track of all those little details? You know, what is the Smoke Monster, why do some people never age, etc.? The New York Times interviews Gregg Nations, whose official titles are co-producer and script supervisor, but, in reality, is the “keeper of what has been found on ‘Lost’.”

Separately, The TV Zone has a funny video clip of “When Lost met Heroes.” It mostly proves that some people have too much time on their hands.

As for The L Word, the first episode of season 6 has been posted to You Tube. So if you don’t have Showtime, or missed it, you can check it out here.

The Daily Show goes Live

2009-01-15T17:18:00.001-06:00

Jon Stewart and his gang of Merry Men will air live on January 20 at 11 ET/10 CT for the Presidential Inauguration.

Starpulse has a link to some videos profiling Bush’s last days in office.

By the way, Comedy Central is launching Comedy Central HD. You won’t be able to see Stewart and Colbert in HD for awhile, but South Park and some stand ups specials will be in HD. Look for it on cable systems soon and on DirecTV by the end of the month.

Tough times for The Donald

2009-01-15T16:42:00.001-06:00

Even Donald Trump is being affected by the economy. The Donald says this year’s group of celebrities will have a hard time raising money because of the recession. “People don’t like to think of “The Apprentice” as a business show, but it is,” he said. The second installment premiers March 1.

American Idol reviews

2009-01-14T17:16:00.001-06:00

Did you watch last nights premier of American Idol? Evidently, so did about 30 million other Americans. The numbers were good, but not great.

The reviews are coming in, and James Poniewozik says the “New Idol isn’t all that different from the old one.” He says it felt all too familiar. "It looked a lot like the old audition episodes to me—see the crying rocker guy, bikini girl, the dude with the world's lowest voice—with maybe a little less of the overlong wallowing in the excruciatingly talentless. But wringing a few less episodes out of the audition parade and spending more time on the Hollywood round should be an improvement." At least he included a pic of the bikini girl.

Other reviews: Kara held her own. ***Idol has finally found its “mean girl” *** Kara is the “fifth Beatle” plus other crazies. *** Idol has become “The View”

In other Idol news, AT&T sent text messages to a “significant number” of its 75 million customers.
Idol producers have sued a Texas strip club to stop the weekly “Stripper Idol” contests
Who knew they were dating? David Cook and Kimberly Caldwell have split
Paula is now denying any confrontations with producers over stalker
New judge Kara has had a busy couple months. She got engaged while on vacation.

Meet the new Survivor cast

2009-01-14T16:29:00.001-06:00

Sixteen castaways will compete on the 18th season of Survivor-Tocantins:The Brazilian Highlands. The show premiers on CBS on Thursday, Feb 12. The cast has been revealed today.

The contestants include two models, a former pop star and an Army sergeant. Zap2it.com has the complete listing of the tribes, as well as pictures and descriptions. Check out the individual photos here.

Video link: Meet the cast of Survivor in this video.

At least the two blonde models are on different tribes so we can tell them apart. There are other bikini pictures of the cast members, but I will leave it to you to click through for the rest.

American Idol returns

2009-01-13T17:25:00.001-06:00

American Idol returns tonight, but you already knew that. The story this year is the changes producers have made to the successful format. The biggest change is the addition of Kara DioGuardi as new judge. As the LA Times writes, the show is “tinkering with the hit’s delicate formula to fend off staleness…but that is a risky maneuver.”

Here a round up of stories about the new season:

New York Times: “More Hope, and Less Humiliation.”

Washington Post: Introducing Kara. And the New York Post’s angle.

The “real” rules of Idol auditions.

Six reasons the show will suck… and six causes for hope.

AdAge has the Top 10 reasons to despise Idol.

And finally, here are the 5 Top Idol cliches.

American Idol airs on Fox at 8 ET/7CT on Fox, but you knew that.

President’s final Act…messing with my DVR

2009-01-13T16:57:00.001-06:00

The AP is reporting that President Bush has requested 10-15 minutes from the networks for a primetime address to the nation. It would be his last public appearance until he greets President-elect Barack Obama at the inauguration. So far, Fox is the only network to commit, although generally they will grant the request. Traditionally, the speech would go at 9:00 ET/8:00 CT, which means a delay for CBS’s “CSI” and NBC’s “The Office”. You may want to change your DVR to record a little extra.

24 is back

2009-01-12T16:39:00.001-06:00

Jack Bauer is back. The 7th season of 24 premiered last night on Fox. Did you catch it? Thoughts? Is Jack still number 1 on your DVR queue? Hours 3 and 4 are on tonight at 8 ET/7 CT.

College Humor has a look at what a 24-hour news day would look like in the world of 24.

Here’s a sample.

I especially like the Ford study that says terrorists drive GMC.

By the way, if you missed last nights episode, or are looking to see tonight’s eps early, the show is evidently available on BitTorrent.

NPH on SNL

2009-01-12T16:25:00.001-06:00

Wow! That’s a whole lot of initials for a post title. Anyway, as we blogged about last week, Neil Patrick Harris was on SNL this week. The reviews are in and the show was actually, wait for it… funny.

Here’s a look at the digital short of the Doogie Howser theme.

NPH and The Reaper

2009-01-08T17:36:00.001-06:00

Okay, Neil Patrick Harris and The Reaper show on the CW aren’t related at all, but I happened to get both of these video clips at almost the same time. So there you go.

First, here’s the promo for NPH’s appearance on SNL this weekend.

And secondly, thanks to the Live Feed, we have the first look at season two of The Reaper on the CW. The devil returns on March 17.

People’s Choice Awards roundup

2009-01-08T17:27:00.001-06:00

The 35th annual People’s Choice Awards were last night, I recorded it and watched it in Fast Forward. I didn’t miss much. The outfits weren’t all that impressive. Yahoo has a gallery from the show if you’d like to check it out.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

_ Movie: "The Dark Knight"

_ Family movie: "WALL-E"

_ Action movie: "The Dark Knight"

_ Comedy movie: "27 Dresses"

_ Drama movie: "The Secret Life of Bees"

_ Independent movie: "The Secret Life of Bees"

_ Favorite cast: "The Dark Knight"

_ Male movie star: Will Smith

_ Leading man: Brad Pitt

_ Male action star: Will Smith

_ Female movie star: Reese Witherspoon

_ Leading lady: Kate Hudson

_ Female action star: Angelina Jolie

_ On-screen matchup: Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"

_ Superhero: Christian Bale as Batman, "The Dark Knight"

_ TV drama: "House"

_ TV comedy: "Two and a Half Men"

_ TV animated comedy: "The Simpsons"

_ Sci-fi/fantasy show: "Heroes"

_ Reality show: "Dancing With the Stars"

_ Game show: "Deal or No Deal"

_ Male TV star: Hugh Laurie

_ Female TV star: Christina Applegate

_ Talk show host: Ellen DeGeneres

_ Scene-stealing guest star: Robin Williams, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

_ TV drama diva: Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Johnson, "The Closer"

_ New TV comedy: "Gary Unmarried"

_ New TV drama: "The Mentalist"

_ Male singer: Chris Brown

_ Female singer: Carrie Underwood

_ Group: Rascal Flatts

_ R&B song: Alicia Keys, "No One"

_ Pop song: Katy Perry, "I Kissed a Girl"

_ Rock song: Kid Rock, "All Summer Long"

_ Country song: Carrie Underwood, "Last Name"

_ Hip-hop song: Flo Rida featuring T-Pain, "Low"

_ Combined forces: Jordin Sparks featuring Chris Brown, "No Air"

_ Song from a soundtrack: "Mamma Mia" from "Mamma Mia!"

_ Funny male star: Adam Sandler

_ Funny female star: Tina Fey

_ Star under 35: Carrie Underwood

_ Online sensation: "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog"

_ User-generated video: "Barack Roll"

Celebrity Apprentice

2009-01-08T16:41:00.001-06:00

Try to hold back the applause, but The Donald has confirmed his 16 contestants for “Celebrity Apprentice”.

Calling most of these whores a “celebrity” is quite a stretch. At least Brande Roderick was hot, back in like 1999. This show has never gotten much play in the ARME offices, but for those of you that are into this kind of thing, here you go.

Insane January

2009-01-06T20:33:00.001-06:00

It’s been a very quiet couple of weeks in TV land, but Newsday points out that there are 71 premiers and re-launches in the month of January. TV Guide has a handy calendar with links to the shows:

WINTER CALENDAR

And speaking of premiers, Battlestar Galactica returns Jan. 16 on SciFI. SCI FI Wire has an exclusive peek at the final episodes. See the video here.

Today’s topic for the watercooler: Are we suffering from Antihero Overload? According to Joshua Alston, maybe we have: “In the quest to avoid the old black-and-white archetypes, has the pendulum swung too far toward morally ambiguous characters? Remember how shocked—and thrilled—we were when Tony strangled a mob turncoat in the middle of touring colleges with his daughter? Now no self-respecting TV protagonist would flinch at the prospect of shedding a little blood in the name of a greater good. What once seemed daring now feels predictable."

Scrubs is back tonight-now on ABC.

2009-01-06T17:02:00.001-06:00

Zach Braff and crew are back tonight on Scrubs, but now the show has moved to ABC (two episodes tonight, starting at 9ET). Here are some writeups about the return:

The Star Ledger points out they have toned down the wackiness.

USA Today says they’ve had JD’s exit planned for four years. McPaper also goes behind the scenes in this article.

The New York Daily News compares the show on ABC to moving grandma into a new apartment. She’s still old.

Also, abc.com has a blog from the show’s executive producer Bill Lawrence. Read it here.

Today’s Headlines

2009-01-05T18:23:00.000-06:00

Here’s a look at some of what we will be talking about this week. Set your DVR accordingly.

Neil Patrick Harris hosts SNL this week, Jan. 10. Even though I would vote for a “Dr. Horrible” musical appearance, the musical guest is going to be Taylor Swift.

Speaking of SNL, The New York Times has an interview with Kristen Wiig, who after four years, has become the veteran female cast member. She plays a lot of wacky-yet-true characters and always disappears behind tacky sweaters and ugly wigs, yet off set, and at premiers, she’s rather pretty.

And one final SNL post: former writer and “Stuart Smalley” Al Franken should now be introduced as Senator Al Franken. Weird.

USA Today has a look at the return of FX’s legal drama “Damages”. The second season starts Wednesday at 10 ET/9 CT.

Finally, a moment of silence please, for Pat Hingle, who died at the age of 84. Yes, he was Commissioner Gordon in the Batman films (the Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer versions), but I’ll remember him for his brief role in Talladega Nights.

Roundup of video clips

2009-01-03T13:55:00.001-06:00

LOST

With the second half of the TV season getting under way in the next few weeks, clips and articles are starting to make their way online. One of the most anticipated at the ARME Media office is the premiere of “Lost” (“24” is running a close second).

The New York Post has an article that says the BIG secret of Lost will be revealed in the opening few minutes of the first episode. Of course, being Lost, the answer of that question will leave about a million more questions still to be answered over the next two years.

After you watch the latest promo for the show which premiers Jan. 19, read the article from the New York Post.

TV Guide has seen the first two episodes, and while they don’t give away too much, you can read a review here.

Here’s another review (this one includes a Hot Pockets reference).

30 Rock

E!online has a video clip from 30 Rock which features current celebrity crush Salma Hayek as a nurse to Jack Donaghy’s mean old mom. The recurring part starts on Jan. 8th. Set the DVR now.

There are other clips, including a look at how Tracy is handling the recession and at Liz’s burning baby fever. (I really thought she would have gotten that out of her system in Baby Mama) Check out the coverage here.

Living without satellite?

2008-12-29T13:09:00.001-06:00

The USA Today has a review on what life would be like without cable or satellite TV. With hulu.com, streaming videos from Netflix, and the other online choices, we are getting closer to the day when we can unplug the TV from the dish on the side of the house. Deborah Yao wondered if we are there yet. Her conclusion, “I could definitely survive pulling the plug on satellite TV, but whether I’d want to is another matter.” Read the whole article here.

My two cents: I concur, but for slightly different reasons. For me, viewing on a PC sized screen is simply serviceable and not really pleasurable. I have an HD DVR, and just got a Blu-Ray DVD player for Christmas (thanks Paul & Tanya), that I view on my big screen TV. Why would I want to shrink everything down to my PC monitor? Hooking the PC up to the TV is not pretty.

Here’s the other thing though, that few people write about: surfing the internet is solitary, while TV watching is a communal. I’m not talking about facebook or myspace, that kind of community is not the same thing as watching a movie. Even if you watch on a window on your screen and live blog the event, it’s not the same as sitting on a couch and sharing a laugh or a cry with someone else. Sporting events especially are meant to be watched in a group setting.

That’s not to say I don’t watch streaming shows and movies. There have been a few occasions when my DVR has failed to record something that the whole family wants to see. It is nice to be able to go to hulu.com and pick up on that episode of Chuck. However, having all the kids in the home office sitting around the desk to watch the show was not as comfortable as being on the couch.

When the streaming becomes a little better so we can get full screen video on the TV in the living room, we may be able to unplug the dish. We aren’t there yet.

Your thoughts? Leave a comment below.

Christmas Update

2008-12-23T19:11:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays!!!

In the spirit of the season, its times for the cable networks to roll out their holiday marathons-because nothing says the holidays like a Dog the Bounty Hunter marathon (A&E on Christmas Eve) or Keeping Up with the Kardashians (E! on Friday). At least TVLand is running the Christmas episodes of their various classic shows. I am of course using “classic” in the loosest sense of the word.

For the latest list, see Interesting Pile.

Also, Topless Robot has put together a list of the Top 10 Most Underrated Christmas Specials Ever. There are some good ones and the site has embedded highlights. For campy goodness check out the Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special.

Speaking of Christmas specials, The New York Times takes on the annual fixture that is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Wendell Jamieson blasts the movie as: “A terrifying, asphyxiating story about growing up and relinquishing your dreams, of seeing your father driven to the grave before his time, of living among bitter, small-minded people. It is a story of being trapped, of compromising, of watching others move ahead and away, of becoming so filled with rage that you verbally abuse your children, their teacher and your oppressively perfect wife. It is also a nightmare account of an endless home renovation.” He goes so far as to propose that “Had George Bailey never been born, the people in his town might very well be better off today.”

Happy Holidays

2008-12-18T16:53:00.001-06:00

After a short break, we at ARME Media are back to blogging. We have been working on an update to our web page. Check out commercial free streaming music from the ‘80s at armemedia.com.

As for today’s update: The cast of How I Met Your Mother have done a photo portfolio of “The Best of 2008.” They recreate some of the year’s most memorable moments. Here’s my favorite:

Click on the picture to see the full EW gallery.

HIMYM airs on CBS on Monday nights.

Survivor-Preview the first 3 minutes.

2008-09-19T18:02:00.003-05:00

The next installment of Survivor (this time in Gabon) premiers on Sunday, Sept. 28. To entice viewers, CBS has released a few videos clip for our enjoyment.

First is a clip of the opening segment, which introduces the landscape and then plays the new opening:

The next, Jeff gives us a tour of tribal council, including the new torches and his sniffer:

Then, we have Jeff's castaway preview:

Plus, we have a look at Survivor in HD:

All of the clips are in HD. This season looks good, both in game play and visually. Again, Survivor:Gabon premiers on CBS on September, 28.

Need more cowbell?

2008-09-10T17:23:00.002-05:00

Remember the SNL sketch with Christopher Walken where he asked for more cowbell?

Here's a refresher.

Well now, a website will add more cowbell to any song you'd like check it out.

RIP Trailer Guy.

2008-09-04T17:57:00.003-05:00

In a World...
The guy that voiced a million trailers, a.k.a. Don LaFontaine passed away recently. He made you want to see whatever movie he was talking about. In fact the Fark headline said he died because God wanted his voice back.

Someone at funnyordie.com has put together a tribute. As the man himself would say "This time it's personal."

Here's a toast to Don.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

What was your favorite trailer from Don?

Amazing Race is coming!!!

2008-08-21T17:14:00.005-05:00

One of the best reality shows returns on September 28. Set your DVR now. I'm talking, of course, about the Amazing Race.

The L.A. Times has a rundown of the teams. Read it here.

As we get closer to air date, this blog will have more information and links to get your fill.

CBS has a video preview. Check it out:

Watch CBS Videos Online

As an aside: Phil is one of the coolest hosts on TV.

New blog-Nielsen

2008-08-13T16:44:00.002-05:00

If you are interested in the Nielsen's (the rating service), they have started a blog called Nielsen Wire. They aren't going to go completely in-depth with numbers (that's what they charge the media companies and ad-buyers for), but it will give you a pretty good look inside the biz.

Funny of the Day-Bob Saget Roast

2008-08-13T16:30:00.002-05:00

Comedy Central has posted clips of the Bob Saget Roast, which airs August 17, at 10, ET/9 CT.

My favorite clip features screen legend Cloris Leachman. The language is bleeped out, but it may still be NSFW if your boss is uptight about those things.

More clips can be found here. Comedy Central has done some great roasts (William Shatner), as well as some really awful ones (Drew Carey), but I think this one should be pretty funny.

Many people who haven't seen "The Aristocrats", or his stand-up routines, have no idea how hilariously profane Bob can be.

What has been your favorite roast? Or tell us why you don't like them in the comments.

Olympics are on. TV and the web

2008-08-08T16:57:00.003-05:00

The Beijing Olympics kick off today. Besides NBC, the games will be on several of the NBC-Universal networks. Go here to get a schedule of the games that you might be interested in.

Follow the women's field hockey team here.

Follow beach volleyball here.

What is your favorite sport to watch? Comment below.

What the networks need: a little nudity

2008-08-08T16:50:00.003-05:00

There's an interesting little commentary on Wired that speculates that one of the reasons the networks are having troubling earnings reports while cable is soaring is the use of language and nudity.

Check it out and come back to let us know your thoughts.

More WB shows

2008-07-26T18:12:00.003-05:00

The WB.com comes out of beta in a few weeks. The embedding doesn't seem to be working right now. Look for more clips soon.

New Radio web site

2008-07-26T17:21:00.002-05:00

I have put together the top 50 songs of 1983 and put them in a playlist for your enjoyment.

Go to ARME Media radio station to listen.

The WB is back. It's online.

2008-06-21T09:38:00.002-05:00

So I got myself an invite to the beta thewb.com. It's not hard to get an invite, just give them an email address, wait a dy or two and you'll get an invite. It's looking pretty cool. It's no hulu.com, but its good. It does have "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Friends" and some other shows.

Here's the "Friends" pilot episode:

As I go deeper into the site, I'll add more clips.

Wow! "Lost" Blew me away

2008-05-30T16:22:00.002-05:00

"Lost" was incredible last night, don't you think?

There are several great write-ups on the episode. Salon called it the "Nuttiest finale ever."

One of my favorites was from the Chicago Tribune. Including more burning questions.

TVtattle.com has a great rundown of several articles.

And, of course, my fav blogger Whitney at Pop Candy has a huge comment section. You can spend all day in there if you want. Some of the comments get pretty outlandish, but I have gotten a lot of good information out of them as well.

Have your own theories, comment below.

Lost Season Finale is Tonight!!!

2008-05-29T17:05:00.002-05:00

My favorite show says goodbye for eight months tonight. The 2-hour finale starts at 9:00 ET, 8:00 CT. To get you in the spirit, here are a few links to check out.

First, a quiz:

The Hardest Lost Quiz Ever!

How did you do? I did not do as well as I thought I would.

More links for you:

First a heads up-the rerun at 8,Et/7Ct has a few small changes in it,

A USA Today article on crafting tonight's episode,

The LA Times got a look at one of the scripts, and its filled with profanity. Much more than you would expect for a prime time network show,

Another writer call Lost the "Best Game Show."

"Lost" questions are all the fun,

The New York Times weighs in with the philosophy behind the show,

And finally, Jorge Garcia, a.k.a. Hurley has a blog, called dispatches from the island. It discusses, uh very little about the show, but he does have pictures of disposable underwear.

Movie Mashup-Star Trek meets the Matrix

2008-05-28T18:52:00.003-05:00

My friends at joblo.com posted this and it made me laugh. Which means it must be entertaining, thus it fits with my site so here you go.

If you have more, send them to me and I'll add them.

New on DVD Tomorrow

2008-05-26T19:42:00.003-05:00

There aren't a lot of new releases tomorrow.
Here's some of the highlights.

A Luscious Exercise Video.

Cassandra's Dream.

Rambo.

The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 2

Grace is Gone.

TCM Celebrates the Chairman!!!

2008-05-01T17:14:00.003-05:00

It was 10 years ago this month that Sienfeld ended it's run. It was also that same month that Frank Sinatra died.

When I first heard the news, I thought, "About time, what is the guy, 104?" But then I watched the countless specials and tributes to the man, and I saw a number of movies and realized just how much that guy did. And he was 82 (I had to look it up).

Well, to honor the legend, Turner Classic Movies will be running some of his movies every Sunday and Wednesday throughout the month of May.

Check out the schedule here.

Guys & Dolls airs on May 11th. I played Nicely Nicely in my Junior year of High School. By the time I was done with the play, I hated the music. Now that some time has passed, I'm ready to enjoy it again.

Some Lost answers (sorta)

2008-04-17T17:13:00.002-05:00

Lost big-wigs Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse held a teleconference to talk about next week's return of new episodes. They also discussed the season finale and the future, or past or flashbacks or whatever.

TVSquad has a rundown.

Enjoy.

Catch up on Burn Notice

2008-04-17T16:57:00.003-05:00

As our friends at TV Squad point out: Burn Notice reruns begin on USA and USA HD tonight.

The pilot kicks off tonight. If you don't know what it's about, let the star, Jeffrey Donovan, explain.

It is set in Miami, has a little bit of drama, a little bit of humor and Bruce Campbell. Season 2 airs this summer so nows your chance to catch up on what you've missed.

Robin Sparkles Returns!!!

2008-04-16T15:55:00.004-05:00

How I Met Your Mother introduced Robin's Canadian pop star Robin Sparkles in the "Slap Bet" episode back in November of 2006, and now they are revealing the "B" side to her "Let's Go to The Mall"

Variety has the details and the single. The song is called "Sandcastles in the Sand"

Clips of the video will be around starting tonight. Expect the full video to be released after the episode airs Monday night. Alan Thicke and James Van Der Beek also appear in the episode. It's on CBS at 8:30 ET, 7:30 CT.

Here's the original video.

Work Out premiers tonight!

2008-04-15T19:27:00.002-05:00

Bravo's look at a lesbian fitness buff who is an awful manager, and really bad in relationships, Work Out, premiers tonight at 11:00 ET, 10, CT.

I have a few straight female friends who can't get enough of this show and I could never figure out why. Now the New York Times has an article that looks at that very thing. Here it is.

America can't dial a phone number

2008-04-15T19:23:00.003-05:00

Seeing as American Idol is on tonight, I'd thought I would remind you that if you're going to vote, make sure that you dial the right freakin' number. That's right, if you ever wanted to know why Ryan keeps reminding people to dial the right number, it's because people keep dialing the wrong number.

The New York Times has the story.

Pay attention to what your dialing America.

30 Rock Merchandise

2008-04-15T18:40:00.003-05:00

I watched 30 Rock on my DVR last night. I had to watch it twice because I was laughing too hard to hear all the jokes go flying by. Hulu has a clip when Kenneth takes the fall.

There was also a funny shot of Kenneth when he prays (He ends with a salute to heaven)

Now I see that NBC is selling T-shirts from MILF Island. Here's the link to it.

And here's what it looks like. I'll take 2.

Survivor in HD

2008-04-14T16:52:00.005-05:00

Finally.
I love my HDTV. I will watch documentaries about plants if they are in HD. One of my biggest complaints with HD channels right now is that there are still some shows that aren't shot in HD. If your shot is in a studio, you should be using HD equipment.

Having said that, I understand using regular cameras in remote locations, such as on Survivor. But at this week's NAB, Sony and CBS announced that they will shoot the next season in HD.

As soon as The Amazing Race goes HD, I'll be a happy man (those are probably the only two reality shows I bother to watch.)

Oh yeah, one other HD note while I'm talking about it: Oprah will be in HD in the fall. If you care about such things. (Disregard what I said above, I'd rather watch paint dry in HD than Oprah. No offense, it's just not my thing. And I'm usually note home at the time it is on anyway)

The Office is Back, "Babe"

2008-04-12T21:33:00.004-05:00

Have you seen Thursday's return of The Office? It was freaking hilarious. Lucky for you, and thanks to hulu.com, I have it for you here.

There were several repeatable quotes from this episode. My wife and I spent all of Friday night calling each other "babe"

What was your favorite quote?

My Name is Earl had it's funny moments, but I'd really like Earl to wake up already.

30 Rock and Scrubs is still on my DVR list. I'll try to watch them tomorrow.

Free Music at AOL

2008-04-12T21:21:00.002-05:00

Holy Crap!!

One of my bookmarks that I check when I want to listen to new music is AOL's Full CD Listening Party. It's great for checking out new music before deciding to buy or (ahem) looking on bit torrent for it.

There is almost always at least 5 new albums. This week, however, there are a whopping 17!!! CDs for you to listen to. I am currently listening to the new Gnarls Barkley. I'll probably check out The Breeders next. The selection changes weekly so check it out now, and then keep checking back frequently.

50 Greates Comedy sketches

2008-04-12T20:41:00.002-05:00

Nerve & IFC have put together a list that is sure to create many discussions. It is the 50 greatest comedy sketches of all time. It is quite the far-reaching list. Everything from "More Cowbell"

More Cowbell - video powered by Metacafe

To "Who's on First"

To "The Dead Parrot"

As with any list, it is very subjective. How do you rate Saturday Night Live's "Synchronized Swimming" (#10) ahead of Kids in the Hall's "Head Crusher vs. Face Pincher" (#27) ?

There are many different sources on the list. Some old school, a lot of SNL, a few SCTV ("Great White North" #26 is a personal fave) and Monty Python. Not every selection has a video clip with it (darn legal teams), but most do. Goodbye productivity. I started on this post an hour ago, but keep watching clips, even ones I've memorized.

Comment below if you feel the was anything missed.

Speed Racer pics

2008-03-30T08:52:00.003-05:00

So, I took the kids to see 10,000 B.C. (mini-review: don't waste your money on it. Looks okay, story sucks) and one of the trailers before the movie was for Speed Racer. This movie looks pretty cool. It also looks visually stunning, like TRON stunning. When I saw Tron in the theaters in 1982, I was almost blinded by all the bright lights and colors. When I was 11, that was cool. Speed Racer looks very bright. We'll see if it's still cool when I'm 36.

Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive look at some new images.

Check them out.

Lost's Matthew Fox plays Racer X

The movie is in your neighborhood cinema on May 9th.

Zucker promotes "My Name is Earl"

2008-03-27T15:47:00.002-05:00

NBCU President Jeff Zucker-"J-Z Out!" has taped a recap for "My Name is Earl" It appears it will air before the show does on April 3rd. NBC.com is also hosting the clip.

As a bonus: recap shot of Alyssa Milano's cleavage.

Thanks to Lost Remote for the heads up.

XM - Sirius one step closer

2008-03-24T21:08:00.001-05:00

The XM - Sirius merger is one step closer to reality. The Department of Justice finally signed off on the deal.

Here's the info.

Next up is the FCC. Maybe by 2011 this thing will finally get done.

What to Watch on Saturday

2008-03-22T17:38:00.002-05:00

Via EW.com:

The Ten Commandments

Don't steal. Don't kill. Don't commit adultery. Thou shall watch this film on ABC every year. Don't bear witness to remakes. Don't covet your neighbor's flat screen TV, or donkey, or ox. Don't worship idols, unless your idol is Charlton Heston. Then knock yourself out. Honor your mother and father, even if they forced you to watch this when you were a kid, and you thought it was boring. How many was that? Eight? If you need some brushing up on your commandments, or you're interesting in watching one of the biggest films of all time, clear five hours out of your schedule for this timeless blockbuster.

Starts at 7ET, 6CT

I have never in my life been able to sit through a showing of this incredibly long movie. But you may have better luck than me.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall clip

2008-03-22T09:33:00.002-05:00

Judd Apatow is responsible for some very funny movies, his next comedy was written by and stars Jason Segel. It also stars Kristen Bell. Oh, and Mila Kunis. The clips have been hilarious and you can see some of them at JoBlo's Movie Emporium.

I have embedded the latest clip for your amusement.

The movie opens wide on April 18.

Clips of next week's HIMYM

2008-03-20T18:24:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite show is How I Met Your Mother. I am saddened that it hasn't been picked up yet. Which is why I am all for the extra publicity the show is getting because of next week's guest star. I mean of course Sarah Chalke.

No, she is being swept aside for the promotional machine that is the train wreck knows as Britney Spears. The PopWatch blog at EW.com has two video clips for the episode. All I can see is "little miss white trash" but again, HIMYM needs the publicity.

Here are the clips. Both are fairly short.

Video 1

Video 2

The episode airs at 8:30 ET/7:30 CT next Monday.

Lost airs tonight-then disappears

2008-03-20T18:09:00.006-05:00

Lost airs it's eighth episode tonight. Enjoy it as it is the last one done before the writer's strike. I will then lay in a corner in the fetal position for five weeks until it returns.

BTW, the answer to the 4-toed statue from season has been answered. Well sorta, at least it's been talked about. Go here to read about that. As a bonus, the article has a picture of one of my favorite new hotties on TV this year: Yvonne Strahovski

How will you pass the time between Lost episodes? Have you kept the previous seven episodes on your Tivo so you can watch them again for clues you missed last time?

HBO Free weekend

2008-03-18T20:16:00.002-05:00

If you have DirecTV, as I do, they are having a free HBO/Cinemax weekend starting on Thursday. This means I will spend a little while on Wednesday night setting the DVR to tape some movies.

Highlights include The Departed, Snakes on a M*****r F*****n' Plane, The Good Shepherd, Last King of Scotland, and others.

One feature that DirecTV has added recently, that I have found to be very cool, you can schedule a recording on your DVR from any web page. Login to DirecTV, and go to the DVR scheduler. It is very handy when I am at the day job, and discover that something that I wanted to see is on, and I haven't set it up.

See pics of Britney on HIMYM

2008-03-17T16:25:00.005-05:00

People magazine has the first look of Ms. Spears on next week's How I Met Your Mother.

Here it is.

Also, Page 6 has a picture of her at work.

The episode airs next Monday, the 24th at 8:30 ET/7:30 CT on CBS.

In case you didn't know, that's Sarah Chalke from Scrubs playing the doctor. (And, as a little piece of trivia for you, the coat that she's wearing is hers from Scrubs-She brought her own costume)

How I Met Your Mother is back tomorrow!!

2008-03-16T20:07:00.003-05:00

The first post-strike HIMYM is on tomorrow night. Make sure you note, the show is on a new time, 8:30 Eastern/7:30 Central. According to Zap2it, the show description is:

Ted emulates Barney and lives like there is no tomorrow, forcing Marshall to deliver a post-St. Patrick's Day reality check.

BTW, next week's episode is the one you've been hearing about. Britney Spears costars.

New DVDs coming Tuesday, March 18

2008-03-16T19:43:00.004-05:00

Here's what's new at your local Blockbuster, Netflix, Amazon, Redbox or mom-n-pop video store:

Atonement
Enchanted
I Am Legend
Love in the Time of Cholera
Revolver
The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
Southland Tales

Check them out.

Hulu.com is open to the public

2008-03-12T21:46:00.003-05:00

I have been a beta tester for Hulu.com since October. Now that it is open to the public, it is even better. There are full length movies and TV shows that pop out into a separate window. I use this feature to keep a show playing in the corner of my screen while I continue my surfing.

You can also embed them into your blog, as I have done with one of my favorite movies: The Usual Suspects. Check it out:

This site is a game changer. Yes, there are commercials on the shows, but they are short, and the video quality is great. Bookmark the site today. (No, I am not being paid by hulu, it's just a great site.

Alternative Music

2008-03-11T21:08:00.000-05:00

Are you tired of the old radio? How would like to be transported in time, to 1992? Remember sitting in the dorm, listening to the college radio station? No commercials, just great alternative music from R.E.M., 10,000 Maniacs, The Cure and Depeche Mode.

That's what I have attempted to duplicate here with the first of what should be many music modules for your listening pleasure.