Whine & Cheese

Express Lane: Issue 47

Dutch To Legalise Gay Sex in Public Park - Who needs the hetero-centric Red Light District when you have the rose garden at Amsterdam's Vondelpark!  But there are some "rules":  evening hours only, pick up your condoms, and not around the playground areas please. (3/19/08)

'Scrubs' Star Meets 'How I Met Your Mother' - Perhaps Sarah Chalke will distract me from the potential 'jump the shark' stunt-casting of Britney Spears in the same March 24th episode of one of my sitcom faves. (3/12/08)

'No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' Gets HBO Green Light - As a big fan of the Alexander McCall Smith books, very happy to see HBO picking up its move to the small screen with Jill Scott heading the cast as Mma Ramotswe. (3/10/08)

Express Lane: Issue 46

Will Fantasia Star in Film of 'The Color Purple' Musical? - Yes, according to Fantasia... who says the movie turned musical to be turned movie musical will get underway once she wraps a new album and tour. (3/7/08)

Mario Lopez Will Be A Chorus Line's Next Zach - This Broadway debut seems kinda of a waste -- particularly in the adorable dimple department -- as the role is described as "mostly-unseen god-like director (heard on mic for most of the show)." (3/4/08)

Phoenix Strip Club: 'Idol' Once Danced Here - Blogosphere rumblings of David Hernandez's 3-year stint as a stripper for "mostly male" clientèle hits the mainstream media today... will be interesting to see how Idol handles this one. (3/4/08)

Pascal and Rapp Will Tour in 'Rent' in 2009 - With the show soon ending its 12 year run on Broadway, the original (and film versions of) Roger & Mark are taking their act out on the road. (2/29/08)

NBC, ABC Tussle Over 'Scrubs' - Wasn't I just thinking the show wouldn't have a SERIES finale due to the writers' strike... now it seems the ratings-challenged show may have another season on a new network. (2/29/08)

Montecito Resort Closes Its Doors - There goes my steady Josh Duhamel fix!  NBC folds on any post-strike episodes for its kitschy "Las Vegas"... the show ends just short of 5 seasons and with a "to be continued" cliffhanger... I guess we'll never know the fate of Danny & Delinda's unborn baby. (2/27/08)

Photo Gives Face to Anne Frank's "one true love" - Definitely have renewed interest in Anne and her diary ahead of our trip to Amsterdam which will very, very likely include a visit to the Franks' house. (2/27/08)

Adam fired for "[causing] tremendous damage to" the United Autism Foundation - The Big Brother 9 contestant finds himself out of a job after telling his fellow hamsters (on Day 1 no less!) that he works with 'retards.' (2/26/08)

Express Lane: Issue 45

Edie Falco Nurses Showtime Comedy - 'Carm' jumps the HBO ship and morphs into a NYC nurse for a 1/2 hour "dark comedy." (2/21/08)

Apple sings as American Idol sponsor - Starting with the Top 24, iTunes will sell music and video - but to remain 'fair and balanced' they will not release sales figures or rankings... also expect a lot of Apple hawking ala big sponsors Ford, Coca Cola, and AT&T.

Showtime Cultivates 'Weeds' in June - Mary Louise Parker & Co. are back two months earlier than usual... guess we'd better get to finishing last season (which ended in October... whoops!).  (2/13/08)

Return dates for 30  TV shows ... and how many new episodes to expect -- nice to have it all in one place! (2/13/08)

Franklin Slams Beyonce Grammy Intro - Apparently there's room for only one "queen" in music industry and it ain't Tina Turner according to Aretha. (2/12/08)

Addicted To Therapy

... on television, that is.

Is there a 12-Step program to get over therapy-centric television?  And no worries, I am not talking Dr. Phil or others in the talk show ilk... and oh, it's mostly fake.

It all started innocently and slyly enough with the occasional, but always interesting, therapy sessions between the delightfully monotone Dr. Jennifer Melfi and Tony Soprano on, of course, HBO's The Sopranos.  Next, we shifted over to Showtime's documentary series, Sexual Healing with Dr. Laura Berman... and of late, it's been back to HBO and the fictional couch.

Although it wrapped in October, we're still working our way through the first season of Tell Me You Love Me.  It has taken so long to get through this couples therapy show since each episode is pretty emotionally draining (Todd opts for the more succinct "depressing").  We took the holidays "off" and now  we're on an "episode every other week" schedule.  While it's hard to call it "entertaining," it is pretty fascinating and quite well-done. 

The show got a lot of attention because of the explicit sex (we no longer have to imagine what sex with Ian Somerhalder, formerly Boone of Lost, would look like!).  I admit that even through a half-dozen episodes, I still find them jaw-dropping. I think it's just the juxtaposition... not very often you get softcore porn in the midst of a quality drama.  The sex scenes are (pardon the pun) very revealing... while the extent and length of them might be a tad gratuitous, they tell us a lot about the character and move along the plot.   

I'm guessing this next show will be more therapy, less sex and nudity...

Last night, HBO premiered a new series... In Treatment.

It is an interesting premise, but it's probably a good thing we got that new TiVo expander. It's a half-hour nightly drama series... that's 5 nights a week for 9 weeks! 

For 4 of the nights, it will be the doctor (played by Gabriel Byrne) dishing out the advice. Each night features a different patient.  For example, every Tuesday is a session with Alex (Blair Underwood), a Navy pilot recently home from Iraq.

On Fridays, the tables are turned and it's "physician heal thyself" with Byrne's character off to his own therapy session (with Dianne Wiest).

Other cast members (at least that I am aware of going into the show) are Josh Charles (of TV's Sports Night and the movie Threesome) as one half of a troubled marriage (the Thursday "appointment")... and Michelle Forbes (Battlestar Galactica and 24) as Byrne's wife.

I haven't had a chance to watch the first episode yet (nor do I know when that'll be), but I suspect it will be good and I'm not sure there's been original programming on HBO that I haven't liked.

I shouldn't really be too intimidated quantity/time-wise.  The schedule is really no different from a daytime soap... even a tad less, given that a hour-long soap would notch about 40 "TiVo minutes" and this should come in under 30 minutes even without commercials.

Why this addiction to these shows?  I guess it is vicarious therapy... and while I won't suggest I wouldn't benefit from therapy (who wouldn't!?!), it could just be that these shows make me feel a whole lot better about my life, my mental health and my relationship!

Battle of the Bilge

Had a quite funny "random" iPod moment while whipping up some dinner yesterday.  First up, Valerie Cherish comes on singing "I Will Survive"... if you are not familiar with that "artist," I guess I really can't blame you... Valerie is a fictional character played by Lisa Kudrow on the much too short-lived series The Comeback that aired on HBO during the summer of 2005.

But when the song ended with Val drinking some water because "angry hurts my throat," next up was Mary J Blige's "No More Drama"... and I totally cracked me up... why?

While Valerie has provided us with many catch-phrases that we still laugh about 2+ years later ("I don't need to see that"... "Note to self"... "Flag it"... "You see puppies, I see Korean BBQ")...

For us, Valerie and Mary J...

...are forever linked thanks to the episode "Valerie Relaxes in Palm Springs."

On the road to the resort town with hubby Marky Mark and her reality show film crew (including producer Jane) in tow, Valerie is ready to pass the time by listening to some music...

Valerie(flipping thru a music CD wallet):  Eric Clapton, Allman Brothers, Cheap Trick, and Bob Seger and... I know we have some current hits in here. 

Oh, here's one we love... Mary J Bilge.

Jane: It's Blige

Valerie (inspecting CD): You're wrong, it's Blige.

To this day, we still use the same mispronunciation of Bilge... and can't help it whenever we hear or see Mary J to think about Valerie Cherish.

The funny thing is that we've just got on the Mary J bandwagon, probably in thanks to Valerie.  Not sure why it's taken so long... I'm certainly not lacking the "diva love" portion on my gay DNA strand... I think (though I could be wrong) her early stuff was more rap or hip-hop, two genres that do not have much (any!) representation on our iPods.   On a fairly recent Grammy "best of" clip-show, we saw her perform "No More Drama."  It totally kicked ass and had a pretty good/inspiring message too (Britney and others of that ilk need to take a listen)... and we have also purchased a couple of songs off her new album including... "Work That" (used in iTunes TV ads over the holidays) and "Just Fine"... another good song (with a positive message) with an irresistible hook.

So... note to self... if you haven't already, give a listen to Mary J and long live Valerie Cherish!

Express Lane: Issue 41

Osmonds Headed to Sin City? / Midler Names Show - Donny and Marie rumored to replace Toni Braxton in a multi-yr headliner gig at the Flamingo... while the Divine Miss M dubs her Caesars production "Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On."  (12/6/07)

Will 'Color Purple' Return to the Screen as a Musical? - Oprah confirms that she's thinking about it, and I think it's a pretty good idea...  of course, would love to see Fantasia get the lead. (12/6/07)

Whatever happened to Melinda Doolittle? - Sadly one of the 'Idol' standouts from last season, Mindy Doo, still does not have a record contract... unlike... ummm... Phil Stacey?  Tragic. (12/4/07)

CBS Sets 'Jericho,' 'Big Brother' Returns - I guess CBS doesn't see an end in sight for the writers' strike.  A lot of new show news and  BBro, the summer's guiltiest pleasure, getting an extra edition and a Feb 12th premiere! (12/3/07)

Ballas injured during DWTS finale; Maks says he's "moving on" - Mark rushed to the hospital with a severe shoulder injury (torn labrum?) and Maks sulks that it may be time to pick up his toys and go home. (11/28/07)

DWTS Champ Calls Off Engagement - Helio may have won the mirror ball trophy, but the wedding is off... and I am quite sure the rumors have just begun! (11/28/07)

Maks says unlike Marie, DwtS cast did not "burden people with our personal issues" - Mel B's partner Maks is never one to mince words.  The truth or just sour grapes?  I'll go with a little bit of both. (11/26/07)

Winter Wonder-S&M-Land

When checking out some talk show line-ups, I got kind of excited interested when I saw Mario Lopez was going to be in something called...

Holiday in Handcuffs

Unfortunately, the images and dialogue ("Who's been a very naughty boy this year?") going through my head didn't quite line up with the actual plot:

A struggling artist (Melissa Joan Hart) working as waitress kidnaps one of her customers (Lopez) to bring home and meet her parents at Christmas.

Sounds destined to be a holiday classic, huh?  Throw out the "meet her parents at Christmas" part and it's pretty much Kathy Bates and Misery!   

I guess throw together a former teenage witch and Mr. "Can My Dimples Possibly Make Me Any Cuter"... kidnapping morphs into fun holiday fare for entire family!  Oh, that's right... it's airing on the ABC Family Channel (this Sunday, December 9th)... as part of their 25 Days of Christmas series.

Maybe Mario's next TV movie, Husband For Hire, holds more promise... oh wait, according to IMDb, that one also stars Tempestt Bledsoe (you know, Vanessa from The Cosby Show)... ugh.  I guess that means this one is nudity-free as well.

Mall Rat

This post was planned to be a "rainy day" one... but who woulda thunk it would have been literally an actual rainy day here in Phoenix (well, not specific outside our door just yet... but it's threatening).

We've continued to enjoy How I Met Your Mother this season.  We missed the first season (barring the occasional re-run during last season), but it's a TiVo staple now... well, until they run out of new episodes due to the strike... which may have already happened, I see repeats are ahead.

Anyhow, we enjoyed the recent Slapsgiving episode ... which originated last season when Barney lost a bet to Marshall and the Lily, Slap Bet Commissioner, ruled that Barney could receive 10 slaps immediately or 5 slaps at any time... Barney chose the latter and the statute of limitations expired on this very special Thanksgiving episode.  Classsss... wait for it... sic.

Also quite enjoyable was recent episode that highlighted each character's personality quirk that annoyed the others the most.  Robin's was the (over-)use of the word "literally" which Ted then had to correct her when she meant "figuratively."  We have stopped ourselves a few times since watching that episode after using the word "literally."

Though getting to "rainy day" part of my post... which was just to share another t-shirt with you.  Todd will tell you I have been completely obsessed with Robin Sparkles... the surprise identity of Robin, once a 90s Tiffany/Debbie Gibson-ish Canadian pop-star.  Anyhow, her hit single, Let's Go To The Mall, is on regular rotation on my iPod.

So when I stumbled upon the folks at Glarkware (formerly partnered (??) with Television Without Pity, who I now see is brought to you by BravoTV... guess I hadn't been there in awhile)... had this shirt available, I knew I had to get it.  When it arrived and I showed it to Todd he pretty much banned me from wearing it in public ... well, if we were together in public.  No worries, even I have to admit I am not sure I would go out the front door wearing it...ha!

Couldn't quite get a good picture of the back... the self-timer photos of my attempts to do so (the outtakes) probably would have made for a more entertaining entry than this one!   Anyhow, it's hard to see... but just a like any classic concert t-shirt the back has Canadian mall locations and date for Mall Tour 1993.

Unfortunately, it is no longer available... it was a limited edition/NoN ("now or never") shirt... so call the Slap Bet Commissioner on me for not telling you about it when it was available.   But then again, I am probably the biggest loser (and not in the NBC reality weight loss show way) when it comes to Ms. Sparkles.

But just because I love it so... and since it is the holiday season... here is the video again...

..and HIMYM now has it's own YouTube page... so check it out, there's a music video version of Marshall singing "You Just Got Slapped"... though I prefer the episodic version with Neil Patrick Harris' embellishments at the end of the song.

Express Lane: Issue 40

'The Office's' Angela Kinsey Pregnant - No word if her 'Office' namesake will be in the family-way as well, but wouldn't be great fun?! That is, if the Writers' Strike ever ends!  Other trivia: 'Toby' is Kinsey's real-life brother-in-law. (11/21/07)

Super-Californication-Titular-Litigious - The Red Hot Chili Peppers sue Showtime, accusing the network of 'stealing our identity' over the title of the David Duchovny sex-fused dramedy 'Californication.' (11/20/07)

Donny Osmond apologizes to Larry King - Don't think this is in order... didn't LK & Co. still ambush Marie live on the air?  Couldn't they have told her BEFORE the show, that they knew about it and that tabloids were going to break the story. (11/19/07)

Paige Davis returns to 'Trading Spaces' - After being unceremoniously dumped from the show in 2005 -- and likely when most folks stopped watching (I hadn't realized it was still on!) -- Davis and many former designers are coming back to the TLC makeover show. (11/15/07)

Ken Follett is latest Oprah pick - Finally a book selection pick that I've already read!  Though it was years ago, so I don't really remember all that much about it! (11/14/07)

DWTS' Karina Smirnoff Gets Nose Job - Check out Karina's 3-week old 'new' nose when she returns for the season finale on Nov 27th.  (11/13/07)

Sopranos' pork store no more - Satriale's has been whacked, demolished to make room for condos... glad we got to see the Kearny, NJ store front this past summer (you can see my Sopranos pix here). (11/11/07)

Crossing Jordan

Slightly misleading you, since this post is all about Bionic Woman and not that other NBC show the same name.  Bionic is still pretty much a mess (more about that below)... but what has made the last two episodes much more enjoyable is the addition of the dreamy Jordan Bridges as Jamie's new love interest, Tom Somebody, the CIA agent.   

I was disappointed when they killed off Jamie's surprisingly hot first boyfriend in the first episode, but if that loss was for the gain of Mr. Bridges... well, all is forgiven.

I had never heard of Jordan Bridges.  What to do?  Head over to IMDb and do a search, of course!  Mostly sporadic guest spots on network TV, a handful of Dawson's Creek episodes and, just last year, his first lead role in NBC's failed lawyer drama, Conviction.

If the pretty face isn't enough, I would have though he would have had more work just based on his name alone... a look at his personal info uncover that yes, he is a part of that Bridges family.... son of Beau Bridges... thus making him the nephew of Jeff and the grandson of Lloyd. 

Let's just hope he sticks around Bionic Woman since he's providing a nice distraction from a show that still need to get its act together.  I've read that there's been quite a bit of turnover behind the scenes, which has been pretty evident.  The whole transformation of Jamie into the the Bionic Woman was rushed through in the first episode and now, it's pretty much an "assignment" a week.  The whole "what is this secret/rogue organization" has taken a back seat and sadly Sarah Corvus, the first Bionic Woman (cheekily played by Katee Sackhoff), has gone A.W.O.L taking along with her own that sub-sub-secret/rogue sub-plot.  We'll see what happens... that is, if the Writers' Strike doesn't end up killing it first.

Overcoming The Undertaking

Over the weekend, one of the first things I watched off TiVo was a Frontline episode called The Undertaking.   Ummm... probably not the best-est of ideas.   If you are even mildly in a mentally bad place, which I admittedly was at Hour 10 of 12 days of solitude... this one may just rock you to the core.  Then again, is there ever a good time to watch a documentary about the death, dying, and funerals?!  Likely not.

First off, if I haven't said it already... just record Frontline.  While often political in nature (and usually left/liberal leaning... would you expect anything else on PBS?!)... but it is consistently excellent/high quality program. 

Ok, back to this program.... which was basically a real-life version of Six Feet Under... a look at and behind the scenes at a small-town funeral home in Michigan...or, as the funeral director states at the top of the show, "(getting) the dead where they need to go and the living where they need to be."

It was quite interesting to experience all different stages in the process... all the decisions that need to be made for a funeral/burial (some folks even planning their own... which I have to admit, is not a bad idea)... and yes, you see bodies being moved, prepared, viewed, cremated, and buried... though always in a very respectful manner... nor, oddly enough, did I find it exploitive... though I am not sure I could/would have agreed to have my departed loved put on film.  Now was it uncomfortable to watch... absolutely!   In the end, I thought the participants were brave.  This is part of the human experience and something that I think should be shared, viewed, talked about, understood, etc.

Many stories were covered, and while all of them were not terribly easy to watch... there was one that stood out... a young couple with a two-year old baby dying of a rare genetic condition.  We meet them as they are planning for the imminent funeral and we follow their story to the heart-breaking end.  So brave to put themselves on camera and speak of their grieving process... with clarity and honesty... knowing that they were not given more than they could handle and that even though they will have their child only for a short time, the time that had was worth it... it is really hard to put down in words what had to be one of the most emotionally raw and amazing things I have ever seen on television.

I just watched the eulogy the mom gave their son... available online here.  I really encourage you to watch it to see this remarkable woman. Warning: keep a Kleenex handy.

Now my family tends to be worry-warts and I am a carrier of that gene... and this documentary certainly stirred up all kinds of things.  While not afraid of death per se... okay, as long as its some time in the distant future... I am concerned about dying alone.  Having moved far away from my family (and a quite small one at that) and with no children in my future, I can't come up with any "next of kin" who would be available and/or feel obligated to be there/here for my final days. 

While it's a warm and fuzzy to think Todd and I will peacefully keel over in rocking chairs at some nice and gay-friendly retirement community, that above-mentioned worry-wart gene blocks that kind of thought, opting for a far bleaker scenario.... and Todd's always joking he's not going to make it to his next birthday anyway!   So typical of me, while death or what's on the other side of life might not scare me... the lack of control of what happens after I go is more my concern... sounds like a spreadsheet is in order!

As is usually the case with my TiVo'd programs, I watched it long after it has originally aired... so unfortunately, I can't lead you to a television re-broadcast of this Frontline episode.  I know, you are all very disappointed after having "sold it" so wonderfully in those last two paragraphs!  However, the full episode is available to view online (FRONTLINE: The Undertaking | PBS).  I realize it's not very palatable subject matter, but it is really a well-done and fascinating program.

Writer's Strike Block?

As you are likely aware the Writer's Guild is on strike.  This has already sent the late night comedy shows into re-runs while most scripted network programming is expected to last only until December or January.

I was reading this article - Strikes halting production on 7 shows - but when I reached the below passage, it made me wonder if I want all of them to come back to work.

In Toluca Lake, near Warner Bros. studio, writers converged on a house serving as a location shoot for "Desperate Housewives."

"We write the story-a, Eva Longoria," about 30 strikers chanted, referring to a star of the hit ABC show.

Story-A?  Longoria? 

Is that the best they could possibly come up with?   

Then again, I guess it's not the Poet's Guild... and the scene didn't involve Bree (Hey Marcia! We're Cross!) or Lynette (We're Gettin' Huffy at Felicity)...

The article goes on to say that after the scene was filmed... Eva did bring out pizza to picketers and said... "We are done, and we'll be on the lines supporting you."

Man! I Feel Like A (Bionic) Woman!

Last night, we watched our first pilot of 2007 Fall TV season... NBC's highly touted and hotly anticipated re-make re-imagination of Bionic Woman.  (BTW, we did do the free download to our TiVo via Amazon Unbox, but never got around to watching it.. which was probably fine since the "live" show was in HD.)

Here's a few things that I got out of the first episode (btw, you can watch -- and screencap -- episodes over at nbc.com):

A) First, I had no idea Sandra Bernhard was a cast member.

B) Who woulda thunk that The Bionic Woman's boyfriend, Will Anthros, had that nice of a chest?  (Google, Google: Chris Bowers Shirtless)... though I was secretly wished he would have done the "bionic" sound effects during the sex scene?!

C) It rained... a lot... an awful lot... and apparently no one owns an umbrella.

As you can probably guess, the show didn't quite bowl me over.  If you didn't recognize the font from the title or credits, this is from the same folks who brought you Battlestar Galactica... and while they did manage to turn that 70s kitsch show into something big, better and relevant... I am not sure if the proverbial lightning is going to strike twice.

A bit problematic is a lead character (actress?) who you wished would have received a bionic personality to go along with the eye, ear, arm, and legs.  Though that still would have left the rest of the wooden cast (and/or the writing).  Despite my above attempt of a joke, Galactica's Katee Sackhoff was by far the best part of the episode.  There was a fun slyness/tongue-in-cheek (intended?) aspect in her role as the now rogue first bionic woman.

And please, please, please... may I declare a musical montage moratorium Sia's "Breathe Me"?!?  It completely pulls me out of anything I am watching/thinking/doing.  All I can think about is Six Feet Under and what remains on very high on my "Best Series Finale ever" list (Exhibit A: YouTube - Final Six Minutes of the "Six Feet Under")... likewise, I don't need a reminder of how much I miss that show versus the one I am currently trying to watch.

I know there was a lot of business to get through in the opener, so I'll give Bionic a few more episodes... but as I get grumpier older more mature... these new shows are on a very short leash.  Thoughts?

Fall 2007 TV Schedule

The new television season starts in a couple of weeks... magazines and websites are already out with their preview issues... and it's going to be a pretty light fall (for us!), only trying out 3 new shows.

Here's the night-by-night run-down (new show in bold):

Sunday:  Viva Laughlin, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters
Todd has already told me he's not watching Laughlin and honestly there's no way I see this musical drama surviving all that long, even with Hugh Jackman as an occasional guest star.  I'm guessing Amazing Race will be back in this slot by mid-season.  Desperate is more habit than anything else... so it's just one of favorites B&S that really matters on this night.

Monday: Dancing With the Stars, How I Met Your Mother
Nothing new here and that's just fine... until 24 is back in January... and likely Old Christine, if the new CBS sitcom entry, Big Bang Theory, fails.   And no, we're not watching Heroes, so deal with it.

Tuesday: Dancing With the Stars, Singing Bee
Again, nothing new... and truthfully nothing tempting either.  Of course, Idol returns in January.

Wednesday: Bionic Woman, Dirty Sexy Money
All new here!   While other new shows may have more of a critical buzz, seems like many folks are most excited about Bionic... I am not geeked out about it as much as others, so will give it a few episodes and see.   Dirty is the show that I am most excited about... stellar cast (Peter Krause, Jill Clayburgh, Donald Sutherland, Billy Baldwin) and a good pedigree with Brothers & Sisters' exec producer, Greg Berlanti.   And though unmentioned, Deal or No Deal will likely be TiVo'd as a "no brain necessary" fill-in show.

Thursday: Earl, 30 Rock, The Office, Scrubs, Don't Forget the Lyrics
Pretty much the NBC line-up... though I found Earl to be more hit-or-miss last season... also giving 30 Rock another chance despite my  dislike of Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan, but willing to give guest stars Jerry Seinfeld and Edie Falco a shot... but the big news is what's missing... unless something grabs my attention, for the first time ever... Survivor is off the schedule!

Friday: Las Vegas
It's certainly hard to count Vegas, the guiltiest of pleasures... and another recording of Deal or No Deal... but a night of rest is a very good thing... and  I know Friday Night Lights should be on the schedule, but it's not.

So that's it.  While I always appreciate feedback, I don't see us budging... for the first time in a long time,  it feels as if we are going into fall without an overwhelming amount of show... granted the above is only the major networks... there's plenty of other stuff going on cable-wise!

If you want to check out the fall TV grid, Zap2It has a pretty nice one here.

Frisky Friday

... continues!  As does the letter "f" alliteration.

In this afternoon's entry, I'm leading you to a program on The History Channel. 

Yes, you read correctly.

Granted Todd is more of the history buff in the house, but this week's TV Guide had a blurb (and more importantly a photo) that tipped me off to this show Human Weapon (Friday nights at 10p, check your local listings).

I have absolutely no idea what it's all about, nor do I care... why?

Allow me introduce you to one the hosts... Jason Chambers

Mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce... wooooooo!

This certainly ain't your daddy's History Channel... though, oddly enough, the eternal question of "who's your daddy?" does come to mind...

...and at least Jason won't have to change his name if he decides to go into gay porn... haha!  (Great, I can just imagine the search hits I'm gonna get now!)

Okay, here's the description of the show:

The ultimate search of a Human Weapon, Each episode of HUMAN WEAPON charts an expedition through foreign continents, famous cities, exotic villages, back alleys and lush landscapes with hosts Jason Chambers – mixed-martial-artist and professional fighter – and Bill Duff – former professional football player and wrestler, who will learn how each individual location gave birth to its distinct form of combat and will study their form of martial art.

Hmmmm.... sounds like it may even be a bit educational... guess I'll still give it a shot!

Train Wreck TV

A bit of TV rubberneckin' ...that's putting the guilt into guilty pleasure...

First up, Daniele and Dick... the estranged father-daughter and part of this year's "twist" with 3 pairs of "enemies" were brought together in the Big Brother 8 house.  Dick says Daniele hasn't spoken to him for 5 of the last 7 years... a good chunk of Daniele's almost 21 years on the planet.  After just two evictions, D&D are the only of these pairs to still in the house.  I'm not sure this is such a good thing.  Two conversations this week, conveniently -- or not -- timed during ShoToo's three-hour live feed block, were very uncomfortable, but equally as compelling to watch.   

At first, I was thinking (hoping!) the two would work things out.  But the more I see, the less I think that will be the case... particularly being in an environment that is prone (heck, encourages!) mental breakdowns. I think BB might have crossed the line on this one.  The other of this season's "enemies" were pretty weak.  The high school rivals barely had a pulse and while there were some fireworks between the ex-boyfriends, they only had dated for a year.   But at least in those instances... and even the Ex-Factor twist a few years back you were dealing with two adults (at least biologically).

Not the case here... D&D have some serious baggage... Daniele is obviously very hurt and not quite mature enough to vocalize those feelings beyond cries of "you don't understand"... which does little to move the situation forward.  While certainly having good intentions, Dick doesn't quite know how to deal with his daughter either... I almost feel like smacking him through the TV screen when he just won't shut up... and I am guessing his nickname of "Evil" is there for a reason.  I guess we can just hope for the best... but I'm not counting on it...

Now being an adult, doesn't explain Paula Abdul and her Bravo reality series Hey Paula!   C'mon now, you didn't think I wasn't watching this?!! 

Call me silly... naive... or even call me crazy... but I was thinking Paula signed on to this to show she's not bat sh&t crazy!   Well, hold off on that "Mission Accomplished" banner.  Halfway through the last episode, I turned to Todd and said that the show has only increased my opinion that there is something really wrong with her.  Todd thought her behavior was so over-the-top that she had to be playing it up for the cameras.  I "get" that inthe algebra of reality TV "crazy = good"... but I still questioned Paula's motivation... at minimum, it had to be a bit of image repairing, with hopefully a bit of image enhancing along the way.

Ok, there's been some explanation for the incoherence and general mental fragility (at least once an episode she melts into emotional puddle)... Paula doesn't sleep or eat all that much.  This is due to a constant cycle of activity that includes (at the time of filming) obligations to American Idol, hawking jewelry on a home shopping network, charity work, media appearances, etc.  Based on the previews for this week, we'll get some insight into the chronic pain she suffers due to a plane accident several years ago.  I say, Dear Paula... slow down!   Though she can't really do that with her entourage of at least a dozen... with that kind of payroll, she likely can't afford to rest.

Finally, and who would think in this post, it would be CNN that I would not be watching... but has Larry King become (even) more of a bottom-feeder these days?!   I realize, given its nature and network, Larry's show is that very fuzzy line of news-tainment.  One night it's a politician, author, or other valid newsmaker... the next it's Paris or Tammy Faye or Papa Lohan.  Now this might get me into some hot water (especially with Tammy Faye who has apparently been elevated into the patron saint of gay folk), but you start wondering who's worse... the "dealer" providing the TV air time or the "addict" who craves it?!?   Just something to think about...

Suze Is Bat-Sh&t Crazy

Over the weekend, we caught an episode of The Suze Orman Show on CNBC... and that woman is just bat-sh&t crazy (not to be confused with ape-sh&t, there is a difference)!!! 

For those of you who are not familiar with her, Suze (pronounced Suzy) is a financial advice guru... author of many books on the subject... and, recently self-announced, as the country's newest power lesbian.

So what the heck was I doing watching the Suze show?  Thank to our my KATHY GRIFFIN TiVo Wishlist .... the D-List Diva's appearance on the financial advice show was dutifully recorded.

Before I go any further, I think Suze is wonderful.  When I was $20k+ in debt, her books were some of the places I turned to for financial advice (granted, at the time, I should not have been spending $$ I didn't have on books... but anyhow!)... and Suze truly gives out sound, straight-forward, and helpful advice.  Often it is common sense, but when it comes to money (and many other things in life)... common sense is something we all need to reminded of from time to time. 

But man... her on-air personality made my head spin... over friendly, over enthusiastic... I swear she's more animated than Minnie Mouse!  During the show, I uttered the infamous When Harry Met Sally diner scene line... "I'll have what she's having"... and wondering what "happy drug" could possibly get my adrenaline to approach her levels.  We were exhausted after the hour-long show.

Particularly entertaining was "Can I Afford It?"  This segment featured silly (and in retrospect, masochistic) viewers asked the financial genie if they, after spilling their overall financial picture, could afford a particular item. Again, some very good advice being given (though I questioned the 18-year getting "approved" for a motorcycle)... but the way it was doled out was wacko... an odd combo of Dr. Phil "tell it like it is"... Dr. Ruth pathos... and the snide delight of requests being "denied" of The Weakest Link host Anne Robinson (remember her?).

Oh, I should mention a couple of things about Kathy Griffin's appearance during the first half hour of the show.  Kathy definitely showed a different side.  I am sure most of us fans suspect she is smart (how else can she come up with her ever-evolving stand-up act) and a shrewd business woman... and that was certainly on display during the Suze show... always fun and quick-witted, but certainly not cracking her usual barrage of one-liners.

Anyhow, Kathy did cough up some interesting details re: her finances.  She holds a modest number of stocks, including Pfizer and Berkshire-Hathaway.  She owns three properties (two houses and a condo) and admitted to having a $1 million mortgage.  As seen on the Bravo show, she's always working and the "crawl" noted 150 gigs a year... and nonchalantly mentioned she expected to earn $4 million this year.  Initially, I was surprised by the figure... thinking it was a bit high... but with a little more thought, it did seem on target for what would be needed expense-wise (the "mansion," employees, etc.) even for a self-proclaimed Hollywood D-Lister!

I don't know if these shows ever re-air ... but it was an interesting and entertaining hour... and you can always catch Suze (sans Kathy) on various airings of her show each weekend on CNBC.

Don't Spoil Me

Well... you can spoil me... but despite it being the official start of summer, I'm talking about TV spoilers, and more specifically season finale spoilers.

We've made some choices when it comes to our television viewing.  If you are regular W&C reader you know out TV viewing tends take more than a dip in the deep end... while we haven't exactly cut back on the number of shows we're watching, we have tried to cut back on the number of hours we watch per night. 

These days that's usually between 2 - 3 hours a night, though rarely either end of that range.  Part of that is watching the news... real (Charlie Gibson) and faux (Jon Stewart)... and we wrap up around 9 pm (thankfully our primetime ends at 10pm, I don't know how you "coast" people last until 11pm).  The rest of the pre-bedtime evening is spent reading, entertaining the puppy, or just unwinding.

So you probably can guess there's a gap... or should I say, overflow... more shows being TiVo'd than hours being watched per night.  We started "catching up" last night ... but here's our overflow going into the holiday weekend (there's still more other stuff on the TiVo too!):

3 hours of 24

4 hours of Lost

2 hours of Brothers & Sisters

2.5 hours of Scrubs

2.5 hours of Entourage

Technically 1 hour behind on The Sopranos...  it gets recorded on Sunday night (it doesn't air early enough for us to watch it "live" on HBO HD) and watch it the following Sunday before the next episode records.

Plus, I am currently watching the second half the past season of Battlestar Galactica... there was just way too much TV in January, so I waited until they aired on Universal's HD channel (I just watched what was considered the "surprising" Starbuck-centric episode... which I kind of knew about already).

I have avoided spoilers on most the shows (and thanks to everyone who post "warnings"... I have yet to be spoiled by a blog)... most surprisingly with 24 and Lost, which is probably not a good sign for either.. since in the past, it was hard to avoid hearing spoilers the morning after (producers are promising big changes next season for 24... Is '24' running out of time?). 

Oddly enough, B&S is the show I know the most about... along with some things on Scrubs... Entourage is pretty un-spoilable ... and, believe it not, I have done pretty well with The Sopranos.  I honestly don't know how I avoided hearing about the "accident" for a week (I feel pressure not to spoil on a post all about spoilers)... though I knew something big happened in that particular episode.   

So our television season will certainly spill over to June... now, just to keep that summer programming under control.

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

Most mornings I watch our local independent TV station's morning show... it also airs Oprah and Dr. Phil, so most mornings I am usually treated to repeated teasers of that day's episodes. 

Tuesday's Dr. Phil promos caught my attention as the voice-over boomed...

THE TRUE LIFE OF MARCIA BRADY!

This one was a juicy one... because I heard it over and over and over again throughout the day.

"After four years of silence, Dr. Phil helps Marcia track him (her father) down and confront him about his horrid accusations....  Marcia's Family Face-Off!"

If that kind of promo wasn't enough... shows like Entertainment Tonight were all over the story as well... if you care to read some of the details (I'll admit to some curiosity) here the ET link to: Marcia Brady Breaks Down.  I would link to the Dr. Phil site... but honestly I don't want a direct link... don't need that guy on my ass.

But call me silly ... and I am certainly not ... ahem! ... a psychologist... but call me crazy, but if you are trying to help someone, I would think the first thing that might just be a tad helpful is to stop referring to her by the fictional TV character she played over 30 years ago!

I don't expect much from Entertainment Tonight... they are certainly in need of something to fill their half-hour with now that those Anna Nicole EXCLUSIVES!! are starting to slow down... once a show genuinely about the entertainment industry, it is a bit scary to see what now qualifies as "entertainment" tonight... or any night!

I expect a bit more out of the good doctor.  When he first rose to fame via Oprah, I liked the things he had to say and appreciated his straight-forward "tells it like it is" approach... but it's been a downward opinion trend here as well... the inferred political affiliation of hosting recent Christmas in Washington specials... that his wife and children are now "experts" as well (and published authors to boot)... and this increasingly tabloid-ish promotion of the show.   

It would have been nice to hear the name... Maureen McCormick... just once in these promos... heck, even... "TV's Marcia Brady, Maureen McCormick's Family Face-Off On The Next Dr. Phil!" would have been good enough. 

Full disclosure, I did see the beginning of the show and after a few "Marcia" mentions Dr. Phil did switch over to Maureen... and no, I didn't watch the show beyond the opening montage.

Likewise, I am not sure what all this says about Ms. McCormick either.  Increasingly common with each passing day, it is hard for me to comprehend why celebrities want to take personal matters like this public.  Now that's what is really worth of a visit to the psychologist's chair!   Sure it's a need for attention... besides Dr. Phil, McCormick is also appearing on the latest season of VH-1's Celebrity Fit Club, where she admitted to suffering from bulimia as a teen (I assume it's an overweight issue now... my reality tv schedule is too full to watch this one).

Ultimately, I think the "appeal" of airing (or watching) McCormick's woes is to solely make all of us "Jans" feel better about ourselves.

Robin Sparkles Repeat!

Quick programming note!

Do yourself a favor and record/TiVo/watch How I Met Your Mother tonight (Monday, April 23rd) on CBS (check your local listings).

By far this was one of my favorite episodes of this entire television season!  (Even CBS is promoting it as such... well, not that that it is one of my favorites... but some "real" TV critic/publication).

In the episode, we learn about Robin's secret past as a teenage, Canadian, mall-touring, 80s-ish pop princess named Robin Sparkles!

If you have never watched the show, no worries!   We just started watching this season and this was one of the earlier episodes we saw... and c'mon its a half-hour broadcast network sitcom... so how complex can it be?! 

At the end of the episode, you'll see just part of the music video for Ms. Sparkles' greatest hit, "Let's Go To The Mall!"... containing just about every imaginable early-MTV video cliche.  The song is pretty infectious as well... I even managed to trackdown an mp3 version of it... so its on our iPods, though one has to show some self-restraint when it comes on during a dog walk.

If you haven't seen the full version of the video, it's available on the HIMYM site or right here at W&C!

Armchair Traveler

You know we are die-hard fans of The Amazing Race.  So it will come as no surprise that our TiVo's Now Playing list more often than not has some kind of travel-related program on it.  Actually, since we got HD, it seems like we're watching even more travel stuff.  It's almost like we're there... well not exactly, I know my eyes couldn't see things that clearly!

Granted watching all this just leads to frustration.  While money is an object to a certain extent, having the time to travel is more the issue for us... so many places to go, so little time... plus these shows just end up adding to the list... which isn't particularly helpful either!

Here are three of my favorite travel-oriented programs... all available in (but not exclusive to) HD.

First up, is Smart Travels with Rudy Maxa on PBS (and, I've come to learn, public television's first ever HD series)... also airing on the Fine Living channel.  There are two different series... Europe and Pacific Rim.  They are half-hour episodes led by public radio's Rudy Maxa... the ideal fatherly (or grandfatherly) type.  I swear your blood pressure will go down listening to his calm and soothing commentary.  Rudy hits all the major spots (but goes off the proverbial beaten track)... with a lot of tips, tricks, and advice along the way.  (And he is exponentially less creepy than his PBS travel show counterpart, Rick Steves).

If you are looking for the polar opposite of Rudy Maxa, I could think of no other person than Zane Lamprey, host of INHD's Three Sheets... while this one does require HD television, you can watch some of the full episodes online (click that link and explore).  As you may be able to guess by the show's title, comedian Zane explores the "drinking cultures" of the world... in other words, he goes to places and gets drunk... sometimes, extremely drunk.  Zane has become oddly appealing to me (note to self: do a post about guys I find oddly appealing).  It's a very funny and very fast half-hour of television.. and goes to some not so typical locales (Belize, Costa Rica, Croatia).

Our latest travel show addition is 1,000 Places To See Before You Die... based on the bestselling book and airing on Discovery HD and also The Travel Channel.  It would be easy to really hate Albin (yes, Albin) and Melanie Ulle.  On a lark, the newlyweds auditioned and won hosting duties for my dream job -- basically The Amazing Race... without the racing and challenges,  with plus 4- or 5-star hotels!   But after watching just two episodes (Alaska and Peru/Machu Picchu), they are really quite likable... and ummm... given the above pix, you can probably figure out what else we "like" about the show (goshdarnit, when is that Hawaii episode going to air in HD?!!).  This is a one-hour show... so a bit more leisurely paced than the other shows... and thus far, it has certainly lived up to its name.

Media Merry-Go-Round

I know this is the NY Post (I'm an ex-NJ boy after all)...

But this just typifies what I absolutely abhor about the "news" cycle:

It's lather-rinse-repeat ... these days when a "big" story hits I find myself shutting it off (physically or mentally) well before it ever leaves the "lather" stage.   

It doesn't matter how newsworthy... it's a "chew it up, spit it out" mentality.

Joy Behar said it on The View today... so I can credit her (instead of admitting it was something that had already crossed my mind)... that Don Imus would still have a job if his "story" hit a week later than it did.

Sadly and cynically, I don't think the Virginia Tech tragedy will be treated any better or kinder or differently than Imus or Anna Nicole.

Didn't I just say this morning that I wasn't going to write about this kind of stuff?  I guess just chalk this one as a whine.

Open The Case

One of my many (many!) guilty pleasures on television is Deal or No Deal.

It's "turn your brain off" fun.  It just cracks me up when the contestant, Howie, or one of the ladies pretend they have some control of what dollar amount will be in the case.  I like to participate as well.  I will whoop and holler when the ladies come out and applaud or groan depending on what's in the case.  Now, this is not necessarily for Todd's entertainment benefit, I've been known to do this even when watching the show myself.  And no, alcohol is not usually involved.

Since W&C rarely showcases pretty ladies, I figured I shake it up a bit and present you...

My Top 5 Deal or No Deal gals.

From left to right, and in alphabetical order by name..
Anya (#10), Claudia (#1), Hayley (#25), Meghan (#24), and Tameka (#21)

While I love the Deal ladies, don't you think it would be special "boys" night with male models... maybe even get a female guest-host!?  Hey, Kathy Griffin is in the family via Bravo... now that would be hilarious!

Let's Go To The Mall

Here's my latest "can't get enough of it" musical obsession (thanks JD!)

I have not experienced the likes of this since Valerie Cherish took on "I Will Survive"...

As recently mentioned, I am quite happy that we started watching the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.  While it is a "traditional" sitcom, a group of friends dealing with life and love, somehow it avoids seeming like something that I have seen a hundred times over. 

A couple of episodes ago, we learned of Robin's skeleton in the closet... that she was Robin Sparkles ... a teeny-bopper pop princess who toured the malls of Canada in the early 90s (we're told that it took the 80s a little while to get up to our neighbor to the North).

The video of Ms. Sparkles' greatest hit is pure genius!  A delightfully devilish mix of Debbie Gibson and Tiffany (and let's throw Canada's own Alanis Morissette... since she had a sugary pop singing past as well)...

It's got the clothes, the hair, the cheesy dance moves, the breathy voice-overs, the break out into a rap, groovy special effects... and even Canadian accents.

So without further ado... Robin Sparkles' "Let's Go To The Mall"... try it!  You won't be saww-ry!

tags:  robin sparkles,  lets go to the mall,  how i met your mother

Fall TV Update

A couple of months into the new TV season, I am sure you are just on the edge of your seat wondering what we're still watching. 

This fall, my plan was to cut down on the number of TV hours... it failed miserably. 

So here is day-by-day look at what we're still watching (along w/ some thoughts)... now when I say "day" that means the day that TiVo records it, not when we necessarily get around to watching it.

First off... the roster cuts.  With the tide rising too quickly, Showtime's Dexter and ABC's The Nine were dropped sight unseen.  We said goodbye to Fox Monday night early in the season... Prison Break and Vanished did just that (good thing since they killed off Gale Harold, which was the only reason we watched it in the first place!).  Also on Monday night, CBS' The Class failed to make the grade (hardee har har).  We gave Jericho a run... and while we enjoyed the concept (well if you can enjoy nuclear annihilation), it just wasn't terribly well-executed.  Lastly, I just ditched 30 Rock... didn't even get through the 3rd episode.  Love Tina Fey... but that did not off-set my non-love of Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan... and honestly I did not find myself laughing all that much (ironically enough much like watching an episode of SNL).

Monday
Despite pretty iffy ratings, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip has been picked up for a full season.  I thought this series started off spectacularly, but hasn't quite kept up to that level.  I tried to figure why I am feeling ambivalent... and I think I have pinned it down to not caring about these characters (yet).  It's all head, with little heart... which wasn't the case at all with Sorkin's Sports Night or West Wing.

"New" this season to me, I am glad we picked up How I Met Your Mother and The New Adventures of Old Christine.. while certainly not ground-breaking sitcoms, they are still quite enjoyable... mostly thanks to some fine chemistry among the cast.

Also, I totally enjoyed the now completed 2nd season of Showtime's Weeds... lots of twists and turns headed by the delightful Mary Louise Parker.  Hopefully, it will returned as promised next year ... viewers were definitely left hanging!

Tuesday
Will Tuesday night be totally free once Dancing With The Stars ends next week?  By far, this was the highest quality collection of dancing "stars" since the show began.  Should be a very competitive finale with Mario vs. Emmit.  While you all know I am totally in the Mario camp, I guess it doesn't matter all that much who wins since we got to see him for the entire run.

Wednesday
Wow, another future "free" night!?!  two more hours back thanks to DWTS and Lost on vacation until February.  You read my recent Lost rant and nothing really changed with the "fall finale"... sure there was some excitement, but it still left me a bit underwhelmed.  Again, not enough to drop it... but still waiting for this show to get its mojo back.

Thursday
At least one reader (hi Kenna!) has noticed that I haven't had much to say about this season's edition of Survivor.  No good reason... except after all these seasons, I think we have pretty much seen every possible scenario of how things play out.  Now I still enjoy watching it, but am definitely stumped to find new ways of talking writing about it... I even feel that way about my beloved Amazing Race.  This season has certainly had its bevy of eye candy (JP, Yul, Ozzie, Brad, Adam, Nate)... if I rooting for anyone it would be Yul (right combination of playing the game, being a nice guy)... though there is something naughtily wonderful about Ozzie.

Next, the NBC sitcoms My Name Is Earl and The Office... both continue to be their off-beat, nothing else like this on TV selves.  Nice that Earl has expanded a bit, with more of the supporting cast getting their chance to shine (the episode where Catalina would not, quite literally, "jump for Joy" was a particular stand-out).  In my opinion, The Office has always been spotty -- sheer brilliance (faxes from "future Dwight") peppered in with some stuff that doesn't quite work.  This season has been tricky with the (soon to be over) separation of Jim & Pam.  So we'll see what happens... surprisingly I don't hate "new Pam" as much as I thought I would (though my other half very much disagrees).

Friday
Not much to report here... this is usually our political night... with PBS' The McLaughlin Group and HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher (wrapping up this week I believe).   Ok, admit to a couple of guilty pleasures... still checking in on Las Vegas and 1 vs. 100 is kind of fun... and at least requires some knowledge other than opening up random suitcases (ok, we catch a Deal or No Deal on occasion too).

Oh, oh oh!   How could I forget .. the long-awaited verdict on Battlestar Galactica!?!   Now, this will probably shock you mega-fans, but we just finished watching the 2-hour season premiere.  For good reason though... I watched the last 7 or so episodes from last season (trying to get Todd on the last 3 or so).  So, given all that you have just read/skimmed, that has taken awhile.   So I think it is a very good show... it has taken some time to figure out what's going on... but things are starting to gel.  So while I am not crazed about it, I still enjoy it.. particularly the political stuff.  Ok, I get the Jamie Bamber obsession (fortunately I saw him pre-season 4 fat suit).  Though shoot me... should I be fraking laughing every frakin' time they say frak!?

Saturday
Nothing, thanks goodness... this is our "catch up" night... or something else, last weekend we watched the HBO documentary Hacking Democracy.

Sunday
Whew.. here we are at the end (start?) of the week!  I guess nothing to be added about The Amazing Race since I typically air my thoughts about TAR every week.   Again, I find myself trying not to be repetitive when speaking of it, but with each season it gets more difficult.   

The remainder of the night is spent with ABC starting with Desperate Housewives... as I have suggested, ala Lost... I am not feeling this one as much as I used to... but it is still a harmless hour (42-ish minutes of TiVo time).   I think it has always been slightly over-rated.. that said, I don't think season two was a disaster (though the Applewhites were a big mis-step)... but it's fine.

Finally, onto what has turned into my favorite new show of the season... Brothers & Sisters.  Now this isn't a show that you say "wow" about when its over... but I still enjoy the dynamics (perhaps because the whole concept of multiple siblings is foreign to me).   Really enjoy the cast... a nice to see a <gasp!> multi-dimensional, non-stereotypical gay character ... or should I say a character who just happens to be gay.  Echoes of thirtysomething for sure.. and with all the reality and crime shows, a family-based dramedy is something different!

Friday Free For All

Ok, just a bunch of totally unrelated stuff for this Friday...

Work has been a little crazy of late. I have been working on this "the world will end if it doesn't get done" project.  So trying to remain calm with a client that is bouncing off the walls has been a challenge, plus it is huge.  I am working with a data set that is nearly 43,000 columns long... granted 70% of it is blank... but I had to pull out 5 of 87 possible items (randomly selected for 1,600+ respondents) that is sprinkled through the data set.  Fun, fun!  Another reason, I had to work so hard/fast on it was that my contact was going on vacation... so everything needed to be done prior to her leaving!  Right now, it's the eye of the storm... the preliminary stuff is done and being presented... but I have a feeling it will rear its head again next week... but, at least for today, it seems I have a bit of a break.

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We've been dogsitting this past week.  Todd's parents took a trip back East for a fall foliage tour, so we've had Lucy the pug over.  Todd's parents get back Saturday night, and everyone will go home on Sunday.  As always, it has been fun watching Toby and Lucy have some fun together.. they certainly enjoy each other's company.  But meal time is still a big dance.  As you may recall when Mindy was still with us, Toby had food bowl "defending" issues.  This odd/unwelcome behavior re-surfaces with our visitor.  Thankfully, we haven't had any dog fights, but it is still a pretty tentative/tense around meal time.  I always thought we would eventually get another dog, but I am really not sure we are up to dealing with this on a daily basis.  Toby seems fine being an "only" dog, so I think, for the forseeable future, it will likely remain that way.

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Tomorrow afternoon we are going to see Madeleine Albright... again!  She is in town signing her latest book The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs.  She must really love it here... this is her 3rd Valley appearance in the past couple of years... she signed both the hard and soft-cover versions of her memoir... we caught her the second time... and I think that may have been our last book-signing event!  Myself and Todd really find her to be one of the most fascinating people around.  While I am sure the book is quite interesting (I plan to read this one!), we are really looking forward to the Q&A and her thoughts about current world events.  Madame Secretary certainly doesn't mince her words.  Last weekend, we bought the book, along with our place in the signing line... we're #48, so it looks like she will get a big turn-out... and deservedly so!

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Okay, okay, okay... I am recording the Battlestar Galactica Season Two seven episode mini-marathon currently airing on the SciFi channel.  This is all in preparation for tonight's highly anticipated Season 3 premiere.  But please please please folks... I appreciate your BSG comments and enthusiasm... but there is only so much time in the day!  A quick tally shows that we start at about 20 hours of programming per week... so there is absolutely no time for DVDs or downloads!  Heck, I am already considering dropping a couple of unwatched premieres that are on our TiVo (and not yet included in that 20 hours figure!).  Since work is a little light today, I'll probably sneak off and watch a couple of those S2 episodes this afternoon... I definitely won't get through all of them, so I am not sure when I'll get to the S3 premiere... and then we'll see if Todd will get involved.

Our TiVo Thinks We're...

Republican?!!?!

The old joke is that a TiVo thinks you're gay... but our latest addition to our family (yes, a third TiVo for a two-person household!) seems to be going to the other extreme.

TiVo will record suggestions based on your viewing habits.  These suggestions are supposed to get "smarter" the more you use your box, but after putting in all of our old Season Passes and Wish Lists (50+ of them), I think HD TiVo needs to head back for some remedial learning...

In the past 48 hours... the following Suggestions have been recorded:
Hann1ty & C0lmes
The 0'Rei11y Factor
Tucker Car1son

Yes, I purposely made those titles alpha-numeric since I certainly don't want any search hits for any of those gentlemen guys.

But c'mon we have items that are not quite bastions of conservatism... Bill Maher, The Daily Show, Frontline, Bill & Hill wishlists...

Plus... Kathy Griffin, Desperate Housewives, Dancing With the Stars...

Ok, I guess I should get going and record some stuff off LOGO...

Holy HD!

Ok, one more post... and I'll shut up about it already... since I know these types of posts don't win me any friends...

...but so far, HD is awesome!!

Thankfully, the cable company visit for the Cable Card installation for our new HD Series 3 TiVo appears to have gone fine.  I read so many horror stories on the TiVo boards about bad cards, not getting all your stations, multiple visits and phone calls, ornery installers, etc... but not on fake wood (that would be my desk), so far so good...

The installer was out here for about an hour... but much of that was documenting serial numbers and IP addresses... and then having to call those numbers in... and wait until the cable company to activated it back to us.   No huge surprise, this was the installers first HD TiVo experience ... so it was nice that I was able to "take the lead" and guide him along in the process.  Generally, me doing more of the work than the service person would annoy me... but I was more than glad to get involved and get it right... from what I read on the boards, doing things in the order they are instructed is very important... and it seems like some other people have had installers who have just wanted to slam the cards in and leave.

But the HD channels are incredible.... honestly I didn't know if I would be able to tell a difference.  Sure I have enviously ogled the TV pictures in electronic stores... but I just figured there was some other magic going on (satellite service, newer/better tv, etc.).  Plus I am not very good at detecting differences... recording on my other TiVos is "best" vs. "high" quality went largely undetected by my poor eyesight... likewise, I usually can't tell the difference between a $8 bottle of wine and an $80 one... so I am not a snob all of the time... haha!

But just flipping around it has been staggering... I think I may have even gasped when I turned on an NL baseball playoff game airing on ESPN.  Ok, time to really zip it... I am probably setting the expectation bar waaaay too high before Todd gets home.

One interesting HD note, though duh!/common sense... it still probably would have thrown me off if the installer didn't tell me about it... commercials are not recorded in HD... so while watching a show on an HD channel, the commercials will be letter-boxed (vertically) and return to the full wide-screen once the HD filmed show comes back.

I have started putting in all our Season Passes and Wish Lists...  and the dual tuner function is definitely cool... hardly a show conflict at all... and those occured with very low priority (those airing many, many times) shows.  Though sometimes, it seems like it is recording way too much.  I set up a Wish List to pick up syndicated episodes of Scrubs... which airs like 15 times a night on 5 different channels... with the prior conflicts on the previous TiVo it would pick up maybe 2 or 3 of them... but now its seems like a dozen.

So I'm thrilled... but the big dual-tuner test is tonight... I have scheduled two programs to record at the same time... so we'll see if the new TiVo can handle it.

HD Ready!

You get a "bonus" entry today, since I am not sure how much "free" time I'll have tomorrow...

It's the big day!  The cable company comes by tomorrow morning to install our HD cable cards to pop into our brand spankin' new Series 3 HD TiVo.

We certainly feel like "early adopters" here... when Todd called the cable company last week, the phone rep didn't even know how to input a request for 2 cable cards for one device (the TiVo requires 2 cards for the dual-tuner feature).  They responded that their DVR didn't need that since it already had the dual-tuners... but being a TiVo snob, I know the cable company's DVR is nowhere near the likes of TiVo service!

So we'll see how much fun it is when the technician arrives and tries to figure it all out... though I can't imagine it can be all that bad... the instructions seem fairly simple... so simple that I felt like I could even do it myself (and that's saying something)... but apparently that is not allowed to do that in cable-land. 

I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out.

We likely made the mistake of checking out the TiVo forums over the weekend... where we a read a fair share about "growing pains" and "bugs" with the new model... there was some positive comments, and we have to realize more folks are likely to jump onto a discussion board when something is wrong vs. everything being fine.  Again, fingers crossed.

TiVo has certainly become a "can't live without it" device in our household.  We had some marathon viewing sessions this weekend to "clean off" the main TiVo... since the new TiVo will not allow transfers between our TiVos.  Granted we'll still have what's on the TiVos, we just won't be able to watch them on our main television.

So tonight, we are going to unhook that TiVo and get the new TiVo to hopefully view our cable signal and get it to where it's ready for the cable card installation... then its a mad scramble to get through Guided Set Up and be ready for prime-time TiVo-ing on Tuesday night... will we make it in time for Dancing With The Stars in HiDef?!

Then its time to re-input all the 60+ Season Passes and Wish Lists!

Fall 2006 New Show Review #1

Ok, remember when I said that I wasn't going to get too crazy with picking up new shows to watch this fall... well, that isn't quite working.  We did drop Fox Monday night, Prison Break and Vanished, but have picked up waaay more than the two hours we "saved" there.

So here are my thoughts:

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - This was almost a miss, for some reason our TiVo said it couldn't (and didn't) record the premiere episode... didn't realize this until 5 days after it aired... but fortunately we caught it when it was re-broadcast on Bravo.  By far, this was the best of the new shows... I thought the first sequence with Judd Hirsch doing his Network-ish "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore" rant was pure brilliance.  It was so good, I think the rest of the episode suffered in comparison.  But still very good... and I think it is quite funny that NBC is airing this when it is a big 'ole indictment on television networks and particularly the Peacock network...

The Class - With the Fox drop, we replaced it with the CBS Monday night comedy line-up... with the exception of Two and a Half Men... just couldn't do that one.  The premise of The Class is simply ridiculous (a 20 year reunion of 3rd graders?)... so once we get beyond that, maybe it'll stand a chance.  But pretty typical sitcom material and, after two episodes, nothing terribly special.  So if this one falls to the curb, I really don't care... though I am enjoying How I Met Your Mother and The New Adventures of Old Christine (just started watching these shows for the first time this season).

Jericho - Picked this one up after Todd thought it seemed interesting... small town dealing with the realization that at least two major American cities have been nuked.  We like the premise, but agreed it could probably be better executed... we'll see how it pans out in the coming weeks and whether it can stand the bigger A-bomb in its path, the Dancing With The Stars results show.

Brothers & Sisters - The new family drama airing after Housewives... this one I thought tried to cram way too much into its first episode (and was re-shot when the mother role was re-cast)... my head was spinning from all the characters and revelations (what was the brother-related event that caused a rift between Calista Flockhart and Sally Field?).  But it is a good cast... plus the brothers side are all pretty easy on the eyes.  Particularly enjoyed Rachel Griffiths, though I don't think she's hiding her Aussie accent as well as she did on Six Feet Under.

So I think that's it.  And before you yell at me that your favorite new show is not on the list... we just don't have time!   Plus, there are still (eeeek!) more new shows to come...

The Nine - the Lost-ish bank robbery drama with 24's Kim Raver and Scott Wolf

30 Rock - Tina Fey's sitcom take on backstage life at an SNL-ish show

Dexter - Showtime's new crime drama starring Six Feet Under's Michael C. Hall as a forensics expert who is also a serial killer of serial killers!

Battlestar Galactica - Ok, not "new" but I'm going to give it a try... I have been reading up and also have "the story so far" re-cap already recorded

... and this is all on top of the other stuff we are already watching (which, frankly was more than enough)!  Yikes!  I really thought I wouldn't do all this again?!

Hi Def Jam

A television post about ... the actual television... not what comes across it on the airwaves!

We are soon to be headed (finally!) into the world of hi-def!

When we first moved in, one of our first splurges was a big-screen television... it was high-definition, but way back then our cable company wasn't even offering the service...

... then they did... but by then our love affair with TiVo had started... and since pretty much everything is watched thru the TiVo it didn't make much sense to get HD since the TiVo couldn't handle it... and while we looked into it, we never seriously considered switching to satellite.

But recently the gap was filled with the introduction of the TiVo Series 3 HD... we ordered it over the weekend and if the tracking is correct... it should arrive on Thursday!

Then the next step will be to have the cable company come over and hook us up.  I am curious to see how much of difference it will be... and thanks to CableCard technology, we'll also be able to do one thing I always wished our standalone TiVos could do... record two programs at the same time (something satellite TiVos and cable company DVRs could always do). So I am excited about that. 

The Series 3 is a whopping 300-hour TiVo... that's at standard quality... it gets whittled down to 32 hours of HD quality recordings.  At the moment, the new TiVo doesn't allow transfers between other TiVos and the computer... but hopefully that'll come around pretty soon... but with the dual-tuner capability (fingers crossed!), we shouldn't really need to do the transferring.

Now, just to resist the temptation to get a new slicker television... we've gazed longingly all the new and schmancy tvs out on the market... and have attempted to figure out all that DLP vs. LCD vs. Plasma pros and cons... if you have anything to chime in about those options, please leave a comment... though, we really don't need any encouragement!

MyNetwork Guilty Pleasures

Thanks the whole WB/UPN CW merger (I think?!), there's an empty slot of the television dial... it has been filled by this new creation called MyNetwork... which has unloaded upon us some extremely guilty pleasures... Desire and Fashion House... American takes on those campy telenovelas that you may have caught while channel surfing thru Telemundo (or something like that). 

The hour long shows air every weekday night, with a recap episode on the weekend.  Each series is limited -- running only 13 weeks -- with a promised shocking finale.  This is totally okay with me... I like that something has a beginning, middle, and end... so anything can happen, without worry whether the show is/is not going to be picked up for another season.

Both shows are currently in their 2nd week and I have to admit that I am a bit hooked.  I caught the "revealed" teaser shows that introduced us to the characters... it seemed as if it would be a serious train wreck.  The format was like "America's Most Wanted" where a host interviewed the characters... it was bad, really bad... even beyond "it's so bad, it's good"!