I'll take potpourri for $6,200, Alex

Let's take a break from our Emmy shortlisting, and roll around in some miscellany. Sound good?

If you haven't yet seen Veronica Mars, get thee to the WB.com, where you can watch the entire first season for free online (only until June 29th). This show is awesome, of course.

Galactica Sitrep has an interview with a leading roboticist, discussing Cylons. It's a fascinating read, but one thing that stuck out to me (sowing the seeds of my dissatisfaction with not only a major show plot thread, but the WTF of the ending):

What don't you like about the show?

This may put me in a bad light with Middle America, but the God angle – the fact that the cylons have a god – I really find that to be grating.

I haven't yet seen The Hangover, but I want to. Just watching the trailers, one question that popped up in my mind is "how do they do Ed Helms' missing tooth?" Make up? Digital effects? The answer is more straightforward than you think.

No matter how much they prayed, God couldn't save Tommy Tuberville's job. Maybe the staff should have been praying to the Almighty Bobby Lowder.

I never caught the Jeff Francouer quote "If OBP is so important, they why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?", which is hilarious. Some enterprising soul put together a t-shirt in Jeff's honor. Remember a couple of years ago, with an SI cover and universal adoration? Seems like a long time ago.

I was watching an old Quantum Leap episode the other day (the one where Sam helps out Marilyn Monroe), and the guy they had play Clark Gable was spot on. I kept thinking, "where have I seen him before?" Turns out, he's played Gable before in other productions, but equally as geeky, he was the legendary Dash Riprock! AND, he showed up at the "Shindig" on Firefly!

The absolute best, and funniest, things you will ever read on gay marriage. From SI's Jeff Pearlman.

Alan Tudyk chats about Dollhouse, V and Wash.

Land of the Lost isn't doing so well at the box office this weekend. Related, are these the 25 funniest Will Ferrell characters?

Whatever happened to TV theme songs?

Burn Notice triumphantly last Thursday. Alan Sepinwall chats with BN creator Matt Nix. Sepinwall also has great chats with In Treatment showrunner Warren Leight and Party Down creators Rob Thomas and John Enborn.

Good news for V. X-Files and Angel vet Jeff Bell takes over as showrunner.

Speaking of showrunners, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles honcho Josh Friedman takes to his blog to lament the cancelation of his show. Poignant and funny stuff.

12 million year old hominid with human features found in Spain. Wait, I thought the universe was only 6,000 years old? Obviously, another case of the devil manipulating carbon dating and fossils.

The twenty sexiest ugly people.

Mountain range discovered under Antarctic, that's been untouched for over 14 million years. Obviously, another case of Old Scratch duping scientists and geologists!

I'm not a videogame guy, but holy shit, does this new Beatles Rock Band game look awesome. Hell, the trailer is a work of art itself.

Children flying first class? Having long been a traveler who appreciates (and sometimes needs) that upgrade, I would have to offer an emphatic NO. (Unless the flight is Air France 447, Oceanic 815 or Ajira 316).

100 movie cliches that just won't die.

Dark UFO put up the results of their Lost season 5 Awards. Pretty interesting.

Great news! New Better Off Teds will be airing starting June 23rd.

Potential covers for the DVD release of The Middleman. Add this to your amazon wish list posthaste!

Dexter adds a new foil for season 4.

Fun with underage strippers back in Georgia. I think we all know how this story ends.

Profiles in awkwardness: EW's "Idolatry" interviews Danny Gokey (if you're watched, or read, any of the Idolatry pieces in EW this year, you know they're big fans of the Gokester). How can you be on a music show, and not fucking know what band Michael McDonald was in?

Yes, she's annoying. Yes, her live singing leaves a lot to be desired. But these Katy Perry pics? I'll be in my bunk.

Cinematical looks at 7 female TV stars who should be in more movies.

50 dirty text acronyms every parent should know. Suddenly, my BlackBerry feels lonely.

Not only has God been forsaking the Auburn coaching staff, but apparently he's been busy elsewhere during the NBA Finals, since Orlando Magic player, and team dancer impregnator, Dwight Howard assured the media that the Magic would beat the Lakers because of the almighty. Evidently, even divine intervention can't prevent Kobe from scoring 40. No word on whether Howard will start drawing pentagrams and reading Aleister Crowley if the Magic lose.

TNRLM Emmy Shortlist: Comedy Series

 

In many ways, TV’s best sitcom is also its most “traditional.” Big Bang Theory is a three camera set up, is only 30 minutes long (as opposed to the hour format of others on this list that are hour long action/fantasy/comedy hybrids), and doesn’t feature hyper-stylized shifts in narrative and time. That, in and of itself, doesn’t make BBT make so good. What does, is that it puts five unique and interesting characters into situational comedy, without sacrificing character integrity, and consistently mines those characters and situations for big laughs. You don’t have to be a big old geek to love BBT (though if you are, you’ll appreciate just how many details they get right about nerd culture); you just have to be a fan of comedy done right.

 

Chuck, like the other hourlongs on this list, is difficult to classify. It’s not a pure drama, though there are life and death stakes and moments of heartbreaking poignancy. It’s not a total action adventure spy romp, though they can stage Bondian capers on a TV budget with ease. It’s not a sci-fi show, though they feature enough gadgets, gizmos, plots for world domination and techy concepts to fit right in with a starship crew. And it’s not a pure comedy, even though Chuck brings the funny each and every week with not only the zany antics of the Buy More crew, but also within the spy realm (what other show would cast Chevy Chase as an evil genius, and have it work so remarkably?). Despite the genre bouillabaisse, Chuck upped its game in its second (and thankfully, not final) season, and consistently put a smile on the face of its devoted fanbase.

 

At this point, do any of us really care about the mother? Sure, it’s the maguffin that keeps the show rolling, but that’s not why we tune in week after week. In fact, even though Ted’s quest for a wife is where the show gets its title, ask any How I Met Your Mother fan to rank their favorite characters, and I’m fairly sure Ted would average out to fifth place. Though that has a bit to do with Ted’s ongoing douchiness, the rest of HIMYM’s cast is so strong and so adept at handling the comedy that it doesn’t hurt to have your ostensibly “central” character be the caboose on the funny train. In addition to the eponymous search, the other notable feature of the HIMYM style is the fractured narrative method of storytelling, circling back on itself not only within one episode, but also going back in time to previous seasons, the college days with bad wigs and forward to the future, with all our characters in old age makeup. Even though “how” they tell the stories is just as amusing as the stories they tell, the technique is never distracting and almost always adds to the payoff of a carefully constructed comedy denouement.

 

For the life of me, I’ll never understand why The Middleman didn’t get more love from critics and audiences. Maybe because it was hopelessly out of place on teen and woman centric ABC Family. Or maybe because it was hard to know what to make of the show at first glance. Was it a superhero show? A sci-fi show? A comedy? An adventure show? A spoof? An homage to the silver age of comics? One of the best written shows on television? The answer to all of these questions is “YES.” The Middleman was like a fusion of the old Batman TV show and Get Smart, if written by Stan Lee and 60s era Woody Allen. It featured a hopelessly square, and square jawed, milk-drinking crimefighter prone to nonsensical exclamations like “Sands of Zanzibar!” and “Hawks of the Luftwaffe!” who teamed with spunky and thoroughly modern partner Wendy Watson to take on threats like flying zombie fish, cursed tubas and vampire puppets. The Middleman had some of the most torturously tangled, and side splittingly funny, dialogue I’ve ever heard (very similar in its construction, if not tone, to the also exquisitely written Pushing Daisies), and it was delivered by a game and winning cast that expertly strode the line between comedy and camp, making the show a true undiscovered gem.

Another show that didn’t get the attention it deserved was the Starz original, Party Down. Created by Veronica Mars mastermind Rob Thomas (along with Paul Rudd, John Enborn and Dan Etheridge), Party Down chronicled the misadventures of an LA catering crew made up of Hollywood wannabes and has-beens, with each episode centering around a particular engagement. The characters were all sharply drawn, strongly written and winningly acted by a very, very talented ensemble. Each of the characters got moments to shine, and they were supported by a murderer’s row of guest actors including Steven Weber, Enrico Colantoni, JK Simmons and Kristen Bell, among others. Party Down has a little something for everyone: the uncomfortable cringe comedy of The Office, broad laughs and sight gags, caustic nerdiness, an improvised shagginess and vibe, romantic travails, and sly commentary on the economic disparity between the haves and have nots. Party Down has already been renewed for a second season, so I can’t wait to see where they take it next year.

 

Pushing Daisies is yet another sweet, rich, wry, wonderfully developed comic universe created by Bryan Fuller (along with Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me) to be canceled well before its time. It’s tragic, really, since nobody on television produces such beautiful little communities inhabited by brilliantly realized characters better than Fuller. While the set design and achingly twee construction of the show’s world set it apart from anything else on the tube, it’s the fitfully intelligent scripts, and the perfectly cast actors that perform them, that make Pushing Daisies a modern masterpiece. If only the piemaker could use his powers to bring this beloved show back.

 

I almost didn’t include 30 Rock on the list (replacing it with Better Off Ted), since this season was so hit and miss. Some ongoing plots, like Liz’s awkward relationship with Jon Hamm’s “so pretty he’s coasting” doctor worked fine, but others, like Jack’s romance with Salma Hayek (who really didn’t have the comic timing for this show) flopped on the beach like a gasping trout. But we don’t necessarily watch 30 Rock for carefully constructed plot arcs and a mirror view of real life. We watch 30 Rock because A) Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy are two of the best comic characters around today, and B) it has the highest ZPM (Zinger Per Minute) ratio of any show on TV, and on that front, even though it wasn’t up to the high points of seasons past, 30 Rock still delivered laughs aplenty. And that’s not such a bad thing.

Emmy Shortlist: Comedy Lead Actors

TNRLM Shortlist: Lead Actor/Comedy

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock: While 30 Rock may be maddeningly inconsistent, Baldwin is most assuredly not. While this season didn’t bring anything as howlingly funny and “instant classic” as Tracy Jordan’s therapy session, Baldwin still did yeoman’s comedy work every episode, including funny pokes at his Malice character and having his “double” show up in a Mexican telenovela.


Matt Keeslar, The Middleman: Last year’s best new show didn’t attract the attention it deserved and got canceled, but Keeslar’s performance as the milk drinking, aw-shucks hero was note perfect. “I’m as serious as a hefty bag full of rottweilers!” when I say Keeslar deserves a nomination.


Zach Levi, Chuck: Chuck’s second season amped up everything, including the emotional stakes, and Levi deftly anchored the show’s evolution from pleasant diversion to must see TV. Who else could motivate the interwebs to run to their local Subway to “save Chuck?”


Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies: Ned had a lot to deal with this year, and Pace expertly handled the complex twists and turns of his relationship with Chuck (and their extended families), all while navigating the poetic dialogue in an endearingly matter of fact deadpan.


Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory: BBT has evolved into TV’s best sitcom, and if there were room, every single player on the show would be nominated. However, Parsons takes a role that could quickly devolve into the “audience whoops when he enters” equivalent of JJ Evans or Cosmo Kramer, and gives him a disarming charm no matter how annoying the character’s behavior is on the surface. Not many people can make knocking on a door (three times in a row, of course) laugh out loud funny, in addition to providing one of the season’s biggest highlights dealing with getting a napkin signed by Leonard Nimoy.

James Roday, Psych: Tony Shaloub got lots of Emmy love (and rightfully so) for his portrayal of Adrian Monk, so how about a little love for the “other” USA Network detective on Friday nights? Since Roday dialed down the “fake psychic” histrionics, his Shawn Spencer has been an 80s pop culture spewing delight, making a know it all oddly likable.

Adam Scott, Party Down: While Party Down is pretty much a true ensemble, Scott’s Henry is the emotional center of the show, and his disillusioned deadpan was an engaging audience counterbalance to some of the broader comic creations around him.




TNRLM Shortlist: Lead Actress/Comedy

Christina Applegate, Samantha Who: The show’s high concept never quite lived up to Applegate’s lead performance, which showcased her innate sweetness and deft comic timing.



Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory: The writers didn’t really know what to do with Penny in the first season, but the character (and Cuoco) really came into her own this year. Once she started to embrace the geeks next door on their own terms, Penny found a comfortable and welcome place in the storylines, and her situational pairings with Sheldon were comic gold.


Tina Fey, 30 Rock: Liz Lemon’s nerdy desperation never fails to disappoint, and her dysfunctional relationship with Jon Hamm’s Drew gave Liz more to do than just spew hysterical office-based one liners.


Jenna Fischer, The Office: The “Michael Scott Paper Company” plotline was hit and miss, but it certainly gave Fischer’s Pam more to do, and that’s always a good thing. Her “Jerry Maguire” moment with Michael, realization of what she’s done, and growth into a sales position was a nice extended character arc and highlight of The Office’s season.


Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies: Friel gives you faith that sunny optimism and a central lightness can be awesomely appealing without being cloying or saccharine.




Yvonne Strahovski, Chuck: As good as Zach Levi was on Chuck, nobody would invest in the show quite as emotionally if it wasn’t for Strahovski’s shaded performance as his conflicted handler, Sarah Walker. The audience believes that Sarah could fall for the erstwhile Nerd Herder, just as they can believe she can kick some serious ass.

I'll take potpourri for $4,800, Alex

ESPN went through one of their typically hyperbolic "ranking" processes, though this one got less pub than their "Mt. Rushmore" or "Who's Now" nonsense, to determine the "Prestige Rankings" of various college football programs. According to their system, UGA ranked 14th.

TWOP has a good recount of the comedies and dramadies that were cancelled way before their time. A sad list.

The NYT has a nice look at Adam Baldwin (Chuck's Casey, Firefly's Jayne).

JJ Abrams talks to the LA Times about the new Trek. Part 1 here, Part 2 here.

Ray Lewis says his free agency plans are in the hands of god now. No word on whether or not the big guy upstairs will chat with afterlife denizens Jacinth Baker and Richard Lollar to get their take on the particulars of the LB's contract negotiations.

A question from Bill Simmons latest ESPN chat:

Tommy Hawk (Crozet, VA): Is it just me or have Juliet's "hoo-ha's" gotten bigger through these seasons of Lost? If this is a side-effect of time travel, then there are going to be a lot of women risking the nose bleeds and finding themselves a "constant" to get on this island!

An astute observation. Yet another reason to love Juliet.

Extraterrestrial Roman Empires. (As a kid, I had a hardbound copy of that "Trigan Empire" comic collection. It was pretty damned cool).

DawgSports looks at breaking out the black jerseys in the future. For the record, I voted "Only games against major rivals should be blacked out, and then only on special occasion"

Could some craptacular Gulliver's Travels movie keep the delectable Emily Blunt out of Black Widow's spandex? Noooooo!

One more reason to love the oh-so adorable Jenna Fischer. She calls the message indicator on her CrackBerry the "red light of love."

The Weather Channel founder weighs in again on the "global warming" scam.

One of TV's best shows, The Middleman, coming to DVD!

Cute! Guess the Lego movie star.

A look at the hottest women of Star Trek. Some interesting choices in there, but I don't agree with their number 1 selection (if the list isn't topped by the reason we have a President O, then the list isn't entirely valid).

Finebaum's takedown of Hello Kiffykins.

The Daily Beast talks to Joss Whedon about Dollhouse.

Mo Ryan previews Monday's 3-D Chuck. Look, I like The Office. But don't we think that several years in, it's as big as it's going to get? Wouldn't it be better to give the post Super Bowl slot to a show that's a bit of an undiscovered gem, and could use the boost? Like Chuck, for example?

Good films by supposedly bad directors.

AWESOME "chart porn" from io9 on how to create your own original Star Trek adventure.

A funny look at how to write a Super Bowl story, depending on your forum.

TV Guide's favorite Sawyer nicknames.

No matter which way you take it, I'm buying what she's selling.

Please, please spare me this drivel during the game. Does Odin care who wins the game? Does Zeus? Does Anubis? The Flying Spaghetti Monster? However, I think Garuda might be pulling for the Cardinals.

Japanese Watchmen toys. Adorable. (which is kinda funny, given the nihilistic and dark tone of the book).

More ridiculous pandering and posturing and wasting of taxpayer dollars from our elected officials. (Isn't there a little bit more to be preoccupied with now?!) To save the children!! Look, does anyone think this noise would be loud enough to actually be heard? Or that regular (non "noise making") cameras wouldn't be used for "nefarious" purposes? Or that video couldn't be used instead? Jesus Tittyfucking Christ, this kind of stuff makes me understand the terrorists.

Stewart Mandel looks back at the high school QB class of 2005. (Joe Cox was number 6, BTW).

An unbelievably fun look at 1970s sci-fi. How many do you recognize?

Are these the ugliest uniforms known to man? Even worse the the Vols, Gators or Clemson?

TNRLM's Best of Television 2008

In many ways, 2008 was a down year for television, with the strike disrupting or derailing the continuity of the programming schedule, and "reality" TV continuing its plague-like spread across the airwaves. Yet amidst the chaos, several shows stood out above the rest, and here is the TNRLM Top 10:

(Quick note: two shows that appear on virtually every Top 10 list this year are The Shield and The Wire. For whatever reasons, I never got into either of them, and can't accurately assess their quality. Perhaps that will be a summer DVD Project).

1. Lost. Now that Team Darlton have a confirmed end in site, the show ratcheted up the pace and responded with a stellar season light on the filler and heavy on the drama. The "flash forwards" added a thought-provoking new dimension to the narrative, and the new characters (Faraday, Charlotte, Miles, Lapidus) were all fascinating, well acted and spot on. Plus, Lost gave us the single best hour of television this year with "The Constant."
2. Battlestar Galactica. The sci-fi show for people who don't like sci-fi shows. This gritty, mesmerizing drama features the finest ensemble cast on the tube, and despite being set in a world with robots, spaceships and prophecies, always retains its focus on what matters: the characters.
3. Mad Men. Season 2 refused to push the "action" forward at a breakneck pace, instead languorously taking us through the existential crisis of adman Don Draper, and we were all the better for it. Like Lost and BSG, Mad Men offers a cast with depth and talent to burn, and the stories that didn't focus on Don (Peggy's growth, Pete's realizations, Duck's machinations, Roger's divorce) were just as fascinating.
4. The Middleman. This (sadly) little watched gem on ABC Family pulled off the most difficult high-wire act of the year, straddling the line between cult and camp with a verve, wit and energy I can't recall seeing before. The laugh out loud scripts and wordplay were matched only by the precisely calibrated and endearing performances. "Mutual of Omaha!" "I’m as serious as a hefty bag full of rottweilers " when I say I will buy this baby on DVD the second it comes out.
5. Pushing Daisies. Thanks to my relocation, I missed the boat on this one when it first started, but I quickly caught up and found this quirk-filled beauty a total delight. I was also in love with Bryan Fuller's other fantastical show, Wonderfalls, and Pushing Daisies upped the ante on that show in every conceivable way. The central premise is intriguing enough (a piemaker who can raise the dead, and solves crimes with his just resurrected longtime love and a caustically sarcastic PI), but you compound that with candy-acid set design and cinematography, Emmy-worthy performances, musical interludes and a rich mythos, and you have something truly unique. Despite their radically different settings and concepts, one thing the top 5 shows here all have in common is their uncompromising and brilliant scripting.
6. Chuck. Once you get past the fact that everyone seems to be connected to some espionage organization, you can just sit back and enjoy the easy charms of this action-spy-comedy. The antics at the Buy More are just as entertaining as the main plots that drive the action, and the Chuck / Sara romance takes what could be a cliche and finds equal parts humor and pathos. Plus, any show that saves the world by getting high score on a Missile Command arcade machine is okay in my book.
7. In Treatment. HBO's novel experiment - a five night a week, 30 minute drama, with each episode being one session between a shrink and one of his patients -- delivered the goods with claustrophobic and searing performances. All of the sessions were involving and dramatic, but the ones with damaged gymnast Mia Wasikowska were riveting.
8. CBS Monday Comedy. Okay, I'm cheating here (and on the next one) by combining two shows into one entry. But the one-two punch of How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory is a treat on a night crammed with eminently watchable TV. HIMYM continued being one of the best under the radar classic sitcoms ever, and the fractured narratives and pop culture concepts (like "the naked man") never fail to amuse. Season 2 of Big Bang sanded off some of the rough edges, and made all the characters engaging and involved. Now we can laugh with them, instead of at them.
9. NBC Thursday Comedy. Despite an overreliance on guest stars, 30 Rock easily produces the highest laugh / minute ratio of any show on TV. Liz Lemon is a dysfunctional Mary Richards for the modern era, and Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy is an inspired comic creation. The Office ventured away from some of the unbelievably stupid (like following a GPS into a lake) antics and found its groove again with Micheal's relationship with the dorktastic Holly.
10. Burn Notice. This burned spy caper show is an easygoing marvel of efficiency. The plots hum along, giving viewers lots of little "how to" insights into the world of spycraft, all while providing a healthy dose of sex appeal, action beats, humor, yogurt and geek deity Bruce Campbell.

Honorable Mention (in no particular order):

• Supernatural. I'm not sure why I didn't latch on to this show when it started, but I just spent the xmas break devouring the first 3 season on DVD, and catching up on TiVo'd season 4. A worthy successor to the Buffy/Angel/X-Files tradition of character-based drama, scares and laughs.
• Law & Order (original recipe). The new cast is the best since the glory years.
• House. House and Wilson are as great as ever, but I don't care about Cuddy's baby (showrunners: please stop adding kids to shows. I tune out. Thanks. TNRLM). And as hot as Olivia Wilde is, I don't care that much about Thirteen. Or Foreman.
• Life on Mars. Intriguing and entertaining. Worth watching for Michael Imperioli's mustache.
• Dexter. Micheal C. Hall is certainly Emmy-worthy (as always), Jimmy Smits was a live-wire foil for the year and Deb is still delightfully profane. But see House above: please stop adding babies.
• The Closer. A by the numbers procedural, anchored by an electric central performance and a talented supporting cast.
• Fringe. Could have easily made it into the Top 10 with a greater sample. Many don't like Anna Torv's Olivia, but I think her stoic performance is right in line with the character (plus, we got to see her lighter side late in the season when she was doing shots). Walter Bishop is the best new character on TV, and his son Peter is delightful snarky.
• Eli Stone. I want to dislike this because of the religiosity and consistently preachy lefty politics, but I can't. It's too well crafted.
• True Blood. It took a while to find its footing, but this deep south vampire show showed considerable promise.
• The Mentalist. TV's highest rated new drama was yet another procedural, but one with a charming and star-making performance from lead Simon Baker.
• Torchwood. Upped the body count this year, and just as kooky, sexy and entertaining as year one.
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I'm getting a little tired of the terminator of the week being sent back in time, but the central mysteries, dramatic performances and character conflicts keep me coming back eagerly.
• Bones. A modern Moonlighting for the cadaver set, without the lead actor antipathy. Charisma to burn, and the addition of Sweets was a smart move (and goes a long way to make up for the Zack debacle).
  

I'll take potpourri for $4,300, Alex

The brilliant but snuffed before its time Deadwood has been released on DVD. Critic Alan Sepinwall touches on the release here, and offers some thoughts on the extras (including who was to "blame" for the premature axe falling on one of TV's best, and most challenging, shows. Fuck you HBO, you cocksuckers).

Another great reason to always keep a fully stocked bar at home. Ladies!

Critics are savaging The Spirit, which is Frank Miller's take on Will Eisner's seminal comic. As a longtime fan of the comic, I'm not sure Miller was the right guy to try to capture the tricky tone of the original work. But here's a look at crimefighters who share The Spirit's sense of fashion. When I was a kid and writing and illustrating my own comics, I did a Shadow knock-off I called "The Dark." He looked almost exactly like Lamont Cranston's alter ego, except his mask was purple instead of red. And he had a smaller nose. I think I did the whole thing so I could use the trite headline "who's afraid of The Dark?!" Hey, I was ten.

Two of my favorite TV critics have put together their Top 10 lists. Last week, I linked to Mo Ryan's. Here is Alan Sepinwall's. Though I never got into The Wire or The Shield, I agree with most of their choices, and it's cool that they're so similar. So nice to see TNRLM favorites: Mad Men, Lost, Chuck, In Treatment, The Office, Battlestar Galactica, Supernatural, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Burn Notice, 30 Rock and The Middleman (!). I would also add Dexter (which both critics seemed to think had an off year), How I Met Your Mother, and Big Bang Theory.

I twittered about this, but here's visual evidence of "the golden shower."

Thoughts on The Middleman from the creator (no DVD or S2 updates, sadly), along with an unfilmed scene.

Great summary of the year's best in TV quotage. Also from TVGal, 2008 "Favorites."

Hilariously, and ironically, forwarded from a friend:


A detailed Vanity Fair article on the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special.

Fuck recycling. Build a Battlestar!

The awesome and geek-friendly Dina Meyer will turn up on Burn Notice as Micheal's ex-fiancee.

A day late: misheard xmas lyrics.

I'm not a huge fan of horror films, but here's an interesting list of the 25 best modern horror movies.

Sex In The City + Werewolves = Bitches (who said Hollywood was out of ideas?)

Haven't read the content yet, but how frakkin' hot are Alyson Hannigan's candy striped knee socks?

The AV Club's 2008 in Band Names. Very funny stuff. Personal favorites: Methadone Abortion Clinic, Only Hate Will Set You Free, Post Mortem Bong Hit, Jesus Fucking Christ, Graveslut, Gestapo Pussy Ranch, Anal Hearse, 3 Piston Ass Hammer, Touched By A Janitor, Sleezus Fist And The Latter Day Taints, Fuckstorm, Flock of Steven Seagals, Previously On Lost, Kneel to Zod, Calling Jack Burton, Piss Piss Piss Moan Moan Moan, Bourbon Toothpaste

I'll take potpourri for $3,600, Alex

Remember my post about my "days in hell?" Well, I forgot to mention this: I also got a letter from the IRS. (Sadly, not the old record label). It seems that both the state of GA and my former mortgage company made errors in reporting. So I had to waste a couple of hours getting that straight with my accountant. Fair Tax, anyone?

A handy list of the most commonly misspelled words. I always have problems with "judgment."

Featurette about the world of Terminator 4.

Good news? An awesome new Dollhouse trailer. Bad news? It appears Joss is getting shafted again by FOX, which just announced their upcoming schedule. Instead of getting a cushy spot on the Monday sched with 24, Dollhouse is now paired with Sarah Connor on Fridays, the TV graveyard. Seems I recall another Whedon show on FOX, a little thing called Firefly, airing on Fridays. We know how that worked out. Fuck. Of course, depending on the expectations and patience of the "new" FOX regime, perhaps there's a silver lining. Maybe TPTB will realize where the stabilized ratings are for T:TSCC, and that will create lowered performance expectations for Dollhouse, and they will accept a non-American Idol number on Fridays, letting both shows breathe and attract a nice geek demo. Optimism, right?

Speaking of Joss, nice interview about Fray. (And how cool has it been to revisit that world in the Buffy Season 8 comics?)

Ray Wise, the delightfully snarky Devil from Reaper, chats here.

Q&A with HIMYM creators.

Joan Holloway (and YoSaffBridge) was in an Everclear video! Yep, she was smoking hot then, with shorter hair. More on the hotness that is Christina Hendricks here.

Unexpected storylines on college football. 4 and 5 are dismaying, of course.

Why Bones is the best procedural on TV. I'm still fond of CSI: Original Recipe too, though. (Thursday's ep, with Lady Heather, didn't disappoint. And did anyone notice that Roger Sterling's new bride showed up in that one also?)

I'm trying to keep an open mind about the Big O, but his whole idea of "fair" makes me want to vomit. FAIR is that people keep what they make, period. FAIR is that nobody gets a free ride, period. FAIR is that people are NOT rewarded for sloth, idiocy or rampant spawning.

Is this where the whole "red" and "blue" designations started? Oh, and Oregon adds yet another uni debacle to their closet.

Did anyone know you're supposed to calculate the tip on the pretax bill?

Why Pushing Daisies is the best show you're not watching. (and probably won't be for much longer. Rumor has it that PD won't get the "back 9" pick up, and Bryan Fuller could head back to try and resuscitate Heroes).

The women of Watchmen. And if Carla Gugino isn't #1 on my "list", I don't know who is.

Is Best! New! Show! of the summer dead? Sigh.

Does anything good ever happen at a Days Inn? Evidently, the Bulldog hubby got pwned just like the team did.

Passing out grades for the summer TV season

The fall television season is upon us, so it's time to take a quick look back at the boys of summer, television-style.

First and foremost, I'm sure you're probably sick of reading about my undying love affair with The Middleman. Unless, of course, you're a fellow fan of the Middledude and Dub-Dub. I watch a LOT of TV, and this was by far the most inventive, original and entertaining show I've seen in ages. Though not a clone of a Whedon program, it still has the same sensibility, in that it wholly creates its own universe, style and patter, and completely immerses you. It wasn't a perfect fit for ABC Family, and didn't pull the ratings it could (and should) have, so who knows if we'll be treated to another season of one of the most brilliant concoctions to grace the boob tube. If you've ever trusted my recommendations, please treat yourself to a viewing of The Middleman. A+

In Plain Sight was okay. In a summer without much going on, it made for a passable procedural with an intriguing concept, a solid lead performance and a star character in the making (Marshall!). I was bored with the family drama, though the whole "box of letters" bit at the end was a bit heartwarming. And for some bizarre reason, I was mesmerized by Mary's dimwitted, skank of a sister. (Evidently, I just have a soft spot for that type). On a related note, said sister will soon be showing up on Bones as a love interest for Angela. B-

Despite the interesting premise and setting, I still have all the eppies of Swingtown TiVod. Unwatched. Incomplete.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl coasted by entirely on the charms of star Billie Piper. If you're a fan of her Rose Tyler, it made for a mildly diverting 20 minutes. It wasn't sexy enough to be erotic, funny enough to make you laugh or dramatic enough to move you. But if you like saucy chicks with an overbite who once rode in the Tardis, it'll do. C

I'm still halfway through the latest season of Weeds. I enjoy this show when I watch it, yet I don't rush home to fire up the TiVo to make sure I catch the latest ep. Maybe my TiVo is telling me something. Incomplete.

At this stage of the game, I really don't expect that much from Monk. I smile at the fully realized central character, and enjoy his "here's what happened" as much as Columbo's "one more question." However, I think the summer season showed an uptick in the quality of the show, despite the mysteries being even easier to figure out. I was dreading the "Monk is hypnotized into thinking he's a child" finale, which actually surprised me by making me laugh out loud. And the 100th episode, where they revisited his 100 cases solved via a tabloid TV show conceit was particularly inspired. B

Psych strayed from the formula a bit this season, offering more insight into Shawn's background and childhood, and actually became a richer show while still offering the requisite silliness and pop culture riffs. Juliet is an underrated hottie and my only complaint was the lack of screen time for Lassiter. B+

I haven't yet watched the season finale of Burn Notice, so I'm not sure exactly how they wrapped up the season long arc with Six, er Carla, and her machinations of Michael. But the second season built on everything that we liked about the show in the first place (action, droll voice-overs, spycraft 101, deadpan humor, plenty of Bruce Campbell's Sam Axe) and delivered an even better showing. A

Law & Order: CI had an uneven summer. Some of the plot twists were patently ridiculous and it was clear that the departing Chris Noth was phoning it in. D'onfrio is always interesting, however, and I welcomed the return of the eminently adorable Megan Wheeler as Logan's partner. Next season, she'll be paired with Jeff Goldblum (of the underwatched and underappreciated Raines) who should bring an extra level of quirk to the show. I like the acerbic Eric Bogosian as the captain, and the season finale, featuring the return of Bobby's brilliant mentor and his longtime nemesis Nicole Wallace, was spectacular. B

Eureka, thus far, has been hit and miss. Many have objected to the blatant product placement from Degree, but working in the marketing field, I certainly understand the advantages of having some extra cabbage to support the show, and it doesn't bother me. I adore Ever Carradine, but don't really see what she adds to the show and I've found the whole "corporate conspiracy" with Eva a bit tedious. They also said goodbye to one of my favorite Eureka characters (and his dry, withering wit) Nathan Stark. Still, Colin Ferguson's anchoring performance keeps me tuned in, but I was hoping for more. C+

I gave up on Saving Grace. I appreciate the skill, fearlessness and ferocity of Holly Hunter's performance, but the whole show just kind of loses me. A bunch of rednecks getting drunk and solving crimes, infused with a bit of the supernatural? Damn, it sounds good, but it just doesn't work for me. D

We're still in the middle of Mad Men's run, but Holy Shit! is this show good. Easily among the top five shows on television, Mad Men continues to be a hallmark of stellar and subtle acting, writing, storytelling, directing and production values. A trenchant commentary on social mores, gender relations and commerce, Mad Men is a classic for the ages and absolutely must watch television every single week. A+

The Closer was all over the map this season, and in a good way. (Yes, as a southerner, I'm still bugged by Brenda Leigh's accent). We've had harrowing, heart-wrenching episodes and frothy, funny episodes (like the one with Provenza being hired as an undercover hit man) and they all pretty much delivered a solid, well-crafted hour of procedural entertainment. The ensemble is among TV's best, and I can never get enough JK Simmons on my tube. A

I've always watched the Stargate shows, though I've never been as passionate about them as I am with other genre fare, like Firefly, Trek, BSG, Farscape and the like. Still, it saddened me a little when Stargate Atlantis got cancelled, even though I understand the economics behind it. For an hour of sci-fi escape, you could do worse (Painkiller Jane, anyone? Or Flash Gordon? Arrrrggh). McKay (especially), Keller, Zelenka, Beckett, Ronin and the newly added Woolsey are all entertaining characters, even if Sheppard's hair bugs me (could Footloose's Ren have been in the military? Don't think so. Get thee to an interstellar Flowbee). But the replicator-redux storylines, along with the totally boring villains (how could you make "space-vampires" less interesting?) made this less than appointment viewing. C+

Who wants leftovers?

Stuff I didn't get to last night:

UGA legend Dan McGill thinks Matt Stafford might have the strongest arm he's ever seen (and "might" throw it 100 yards one day). Three strongest QB arms I've ever seen in person (in no particular order): Matt Stafford, Mike Vick, Jeff George (hopefully, one of these things is not like the others).

SI's Mandel on the "failure status" of Darth Visor.

Two of my favorites: Richard Dawkins on Christopher Hitchens.

"Robin Hood Economics:" Obama's tax plan. Of course, McCain does social engineering as well, proposing reducing the confiscation rate on people who bring more strollers, screaming and mini-vans into the world.

Celebrity atheists.

Can you make a Libertarian case for Palin? I'm not so sure.

Scroll to the bottom, and you'll find the insanely catchy soundtrack to Dr. Horrible on the Billboard chart at 39 (even more impressive, since it was iTunes only).

New DVD release for a totally underrated show.

Nice interview with one of the creators of How I Met Your Mother.

If you believe in "global warming," here's an easy solution: 1500 robotic ships cruising the seas.

Tech Porn: evolution of the CrackBerry.

Alec Baldwin (great actor, top-shelf SNL host and real-life nutjob) spews the crazy in an 8,000 word New Yorker profile, and insults My Name is Earl. Earl creator Greg Garcia responds. Funny.

Last week, I read this Atlanta Falcons season profile after a few too many IPTs, and was crying because it was so funny. In the cold, sober light of day, I still think it's a masterwork. Read and enjoy.

TiVos save relationships. I have 4 of them, but did I miss one of their service updates? Or is there a button to delete the lying and whoring?

More on the instant-classic finale of the summer's best show, The Middleman, can be found here and here.

I'll take potpourri for $2,800, Alex

Welcome back, y'all. Not much activity on the old blog front for the past week or so, as I've been slammed at work (wait -- I don't do this for a living? I'm up to $1.47 on my adsense account!) and traveling back and forth to the motherland to follow the alma mater. However, I'm back for a couple of weeks, and can now bring you up to speed on the some of the interesting things around the interwebs:

"Have a baby for love. Not German engineering." Brooke Shields is perfect in these VW ads. Funny stuff.

10 unfinished sci-fi/fantasy series that need to be finished. Though it's not listed in the numbers (but in the opening 'graph), I actually enjoyed Threshold. Carla Gugino, Data and the Dinklage? I watched. I'm not sure about being "finished," but I would enjoy checking in again with Quantum Leap, The 4400, Firefly (yeah, I enjoyed Serenity, too, but really, really wanted these folks on my TV every single week) and V. We were a very "mini-series" watching family when I was young (Roots, Thorn Birds, Winds of War, Shogun, etc.), but V was the first one to hit right in the geek wheelhouse that Sam and I loved.

Thoughts on the new season of Bones. I thought the London season opener was a bit too silly for my tastes, though I did dig the British cop. The whole Angela/Hodgins breakup seemed shoehorned in and out of nowhere, and I'm not sure where they're going with that. And I'm not entirely happy with the "Zack situation," though I never really liked Zack and think that Sweets is a much better and more entertaining character to get airtime. Plus, the "He can hold his breath for three minutes down there!"quote made me laugh. Tempy, I have the lung capacity of a tubercular hamster, but I'd be happy to spend more than three minutes.

Herbstreit predicts the Dawgs/Poultry game. I hope he's right.

A nugget of proof for the existence of a deity.

A recent Mandel column, in which he discusses SEC fans chanting "S...E...C" at the end of games. Have we been doing this? I'm not sure. It's been awfully quiet at the bottom of my flask. (BTW, I finished his book on the recent trip home. Good reading, and recommended for college football fans).

Uh-oh. Dollhouse shuts down production for a couple of weeks. Signs of trouble with the scripts? Lack of faith by the FOX suits? Normal development? I'd love to play Kevin Bacon and scream "Remain calm! All is well!" But visions of Firefly dance through my head. Shit. I can't take another early cancellation.

As if the Big 10 wasn't humiliated enough by the SEC lately, a Gator skank comments on the viability of Big 10 chicks to grace the cover of Playboy:

In addition to showing up on tonight's summer finale of Psych, Gary Cole will be appearing on Chuck as Sarah's dad. Awesome.

Did Texas and UTEP play a neutral site game in Columbus, GA?

The Vandy juggernaut pwns Darth Visor.

A laugh out loud South Park license plate.

The obvious mistake -- offering a sandwich. I would have gone with Zaxby's chicken fingers or maybe a Bourbon Street steak.

AJ Green is talented. And humble.

The season -- and let's hope not the series -- finale of The Middleman was a geektastic Oreo double-stuffed with awesome. Here's a list of the numerous references for that ep.

Glen Larson seems like a douchebag for not worshipping at the feet of the revived BSG, but hey, he gave us "frak."

The Zack and Miri redband trailer. Yep, I'm there.

9 things you shouldn't buy new. I don't know if I agree with all of those, but I'll never forget the words of a former mentor: "If it flies, floats or fucks....rent, don't buy."

More nerdware for the closet

Just got the latest in my line of geeky t-shirts:

I'll take potpourri for $2,500, Alex

Science proves that "beer goggles" are real. Everyone who went to college goes "duh."

It seems like every week, I find some reference to a retro toy and say, "yeah, I had that one too." Here's an Enterprise bridge playset from 1975. What's odd, is that this would have never happened in today's marketing climate. Can you see some guy sitting a board room, and saying "Let's introduce a line of action figures for kids based on a TV show that got canceled 3 years ago!" When I was a kid, my dad was indifferent to the gazillions of action figures I had (except maybe the early, militarily "accurate" GI Joes), but he took a noted interest in all the Trek toys. I definitely credit Sam for inspiring and encouraging my Trek fandom.

This sounds like a winner. Alien abduction story by underpraised director Whit Stillman? Cool.

I never realized this. Longtime character actor Matt Winston (Enterprise, John From Cincinnati) is the son of recently departed special effects pioneer and guru Stan Winston.

Sadly, this would attract me, too. As would the t-shirt they reference.

TRON's lightcycle race Sweded. Astonishingly effective.

For those who haven't yet become part of the Lost cult, here's your chance. Skiffy will begin airing the show from the beginning in Monday night 4 hour blocks, starting September 15.

CBS wants all the SEC it can get.

How many of the most common 100 English language words can you guess in 5 minutes? (I only got 35).

The Woodman talks about 12 of his previous flicks.

Awesome movie quiz. Guess the flick by poster font. (I got 38).

Awwww. Loyal dog story. (I'll fill up the feeder and fountain, and empty the litterbox and send out a twitter message before I decide to end it all).

So Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip didn't work because of post 9/11 anger? And I always thought it was because we had kidnapping and hostage stories in a show about TV sketch comedy show. And because it wasn't funny. Here was my take on the initial pitch meeting with the NBC execs. Despite all of Sorkin's misguided pomposity, I still have an undying love for SportsNight.

Robert Downey Jr. is a Marvel "company man." Fuck DC Comics.

This makes me sport wood.

A guide to all the pop-culture references from last Monday's episode of the best show you're not watching. (and I mean "you're" as in Nielsen families, apparently. Not brilliant readers of TNRLM, who I'm sure have taken my exhortations to heart and regularly tune in). And a critic makes the case for this unique, wonderful show.

Sadly, I've known vapid, hypocritical skanks like this, too.

And people say that West Virginia is full of backwards, uneducated hicks. Yeah, the DMV is a circle of Hell, but this is just stupefyingly asinine.

Sigh. Why can't the government let you keep more of you own money, regardless of whether or not you subject the world to a mewling infant?

Any chance this won't suck?

Play Star Trek, 20 Questions.

An awesome Fred / Illyria image.

A very good analysis of Mad Men's "The Benefactor."

Darth Vader and stormtroopers do "Thriller." And Boba Fett does Flashdance.

I'll take potpourri for $2,400, Alex

Have y'all seen the early concept and make up tests for The Joker? There's some creepy stuff in there, but all things considered, I think they wound up with the best possible result for Heath's look in The Dark Knight.

Brad Pitt is officially on board for QT's Inglorious Bastards, and the rest of the cast could shape up nicely.

Casting for Lost.

Sci-Fi Wire's Top 10 Brilliant But Canceled*. 1 and 2 are just fine in my book. (And by "just fine," I mean that they deserve to be at the top of the list -- not that it was fine that they were euthanized because the drooling masses just didn't get it).

*"Canceled is one of those words I always want to misspell. Doesn't it seem like there should be another "l" at the end? Cancelled. Doesn't that look better? Like "judgment." Shouldn't it be "judgement?" I remember seeing T2 in the theatre, and when the credits came up, I was like "holy shit! They misspelled the title!"

Time article about the Jamaica Bay plane crash -- a real life event that played a prominent role in last Sunday's brilliant Mad Men.

Hamlet: The Facebook news feed edition. Fucking Funny.

Seized at a traffic stop. Can't we just kill ourselves cheaply? Christ on a cracker, I hate this state. Better yet, wouldn't it have been cool if this van had wrecked, and I had been behind it in traffic? "Help me. I'm pinned under the van. Can you call an ambulance?" "Sorry dude. I'm just picking up some free smokes." (on a related note, I hope no one inspects my duffle bags coming back from GA next month).

Speaking of smoky treats, on a lark I signed up for some online promotion Marlboro was running. I didn't win a grand prize or anything, and forgot about it. However, when I got home last night, I found a package in the mailbox. It was a delightful "thank you for killing yourself slowly" gift.

The creator of the awesome summer show, The Middleman, talks to IO9. The season finale is going to feature an alternate universe, complete with goatees! And if the unthinkable happens, and the show is not renewed, what can fans do? Hmmmmmm. Plus, more appreciation for this hard to define treat.

Great extended interview with the creator of House.

Charles Van Doren, of the infamous quiz show scandals, opens up in a first person essay.

A very interesting look at the "Top 20 Albums of All Time." I think I have them all, except for Metallica.

Wait, if something is 55 million years old, does that make it older than 6,000 years old? Huh. Speaking of which, this made me giggle. Too bad I've already devoted that same automotive real estate to my alma mater.

And talking about the alma mater, welcome to the Bulldog portion of our broadcast:

7 and 24 seem to have their heads screwed on straight.

Will AJ Green live up to the hype? CMR seems impressed (and tells some interesting FSU stories). Also, Green outrunning Stafford's arm? Really? Was it a post pattern to Lawrenceville?

Uh-oh. Stewart Mandel opens up the can of worms again.

Carson Palmer says that 7 will be the first pick in the draft next year. Let's hope not. I want another year 'tween the hedges.

Online chat with Coach Richt.

Battlestar Galactica movie is officially happening. Jane Espenson writing, EJO directing, and the focus will be on the cylons. Awesome.

An amusing and fairly comprehensive run down of "Artificial Intelligence & Human Buddy Comedy Pairings."

A clip has surfaced from the Buffy animated series concept. Cute. A few years ago, I ordered a coffee mug with this image: