There are too many TV recap sites that are way better at what they do, so I'm not going to.
These are merely my thoughts and comments about what I've seen and heard - too long for tweets or FB statuses, but probably too short for decent length blog posts.
It's been around awhile, but while there are repeats running, why not catch up on some Authors@Google events. Finally saw Alton Brown's recent trip to the Google campus for his Good Eats: The Later Years book tour. Those Googlers sure have some interesting questions.
Which reminds me, I only have the first Good Eats book - I got to add the others on the "to buy" list at some point.
Just saw the winter finale of The Closer. Not a bad episode. Don't really remember how the FBI have a claim to the (literally) shot-calling rich guy that Fritz arrested. I probably should've seen that coming - that a) she wouldn't be so dumb to go by herself, and b) but also not with her team or at least Raydor (who seems to be on her side and also looking into the leak situation).
If you've been watching, you would know that Chief Johnson has a new nemesis this season in the form of skeezy lawyer Goldman, who's taking her down at first for the death of the gangbanger from the previous season to (now) the grey area confessions that we've all seen over the years in a federal suit.
I like how The Closer is going out with a bang, not with a whimper. Viewers are hit with the "leak in the division" and the "retribution" plot twists to keep us watching and speculating as to how it will all pan out. The long hiatus until NEXT summer for the last 6 episodes will kill fans (not literally, but you know what I mean) who are dying to find out who the leak is. When that happens and we watch the entire season again, it would probably make more sense then.
I know I'm not the first person to speculate about this on the Interwebs, but here's a summary of what I've read:
Most to gain: Pope and Taylor, particularly Taylor as his career has gotten a little stagnant since she came in. Pope - to solidify his post as Chief of Police. But that's too easy and obvious, even as per Occam's Razor.
Left field guesses: Fritz, Buzz and Gabriel - Fritz, in order to protect her as her husband; Buzz and Gabriel from their discomfort about the way she got those confessions over the years.
Rest of the squad (Tao, Sanchez, et al) - not likely, but you never know..
I'm not sure if anyone else had put this forward, but these would be my hats in that ring:
Flovenza: Based on what they would do for a little more money on the side...
Raydor: I know she's being all nice and supportive towards Brenda and all, but wouldn't it ruin Major Crimes, the spinoff?
Then there's the matter of how the show would end - if she survived the federal lawsuit, would she quit or retire to take care of her sick father (as she had mentioned already having plans to go back to Atlanta if that were to happen)? I don't know.
I hope that my mind is blown when they finally expose the leak, or I would be seriously disappointed that we've been kept in suspense for so many months for such a shitty payoff.
Theories in the comments section please, and thank you :)
It's already borderline creepy that I have a thing for the guy even though he's younger than yours truly (not that much okay, 5 years is nothing compared to other celebrity age gaps). Him doing SNL after Potter is not a bad move to make... I'm pretty sure there has been Potter-related SNL sketches that I'm forgetting about.
While I usually don't sit through entire episodes of SNL (it depends on who's hosting) and would read the recaps afterwards, but I'll find a way to watch this one after January 14th.
I'm hoping for at least ONE Potter joke in there somewhere, or I would be a little disappointed. Or a "surprise" appearance from one of the Potter castmates. I don't know. One can only guess.
From a writer of “The Office” comes “Originals,” a new web series about two young, wannabe television producers who are struggling to think of an original comedy show concept. Created by Anthony Farrell (The Office) and Brett Heard (Fresh Baked) and sponsored by McDonald’s Canada, the mini-sitcom is fresh and definitely original.
Here's the trailer...
I can understand the struggle to come up with an original comedy sitcom concept - Why do you think there are so many crime busting shows on TV?
If there's one thing I know now is that Canada has McCafe. And the bespectacled guy sorta kinda reminds me of Michael Rosenbaum whenever he's not on Smallville.
I don't always remember to watch every single time Coldplay performs on TV (made much easier thanks to YouTube), but I try to when I remember. Once you've seen the first few, you pretty much have seen them all. And they've hit most of the major places on both sides of the Atlantic to plug their album - talk shows (Letterman, Kimmel...), SNL, Colbert Report, The Jonathan Ross Show, etc etc. Take your pick.
Here's a video of them doing both current singles (Paradise and Charlie Brown) from Mylo Xyloto on The X-Factor (UK)'s finale show. What I found mind blowing was all the lights in the audience blinking along to the music.
Reminders to self:
At least learn the lyrics to Charlie Brown before I attempt to sing along like a maniac.
Bring HUGE garbage bag to collect as many of those paper butterflies as I possibly can next time I see them on tour.
Apparently this little short did not make it on the No Reservations holiday special, which in the past would mean that we, the hoi polloi, would never see it unless it's a DVD extra or something like that. Thanks to the interwebs, it will be there until kingdom come. I won't be the first to say that it is a little creepy. Watch at your peril.
Apart from that, saw the rest of the holiday special. Worth watching, there's even a Samantha Brown (who I don't watch as she's too bubbly for my liking) appearance towards the end.
I've never solved a Rubik's Cube, like ever. It is not something I pick up to play with for any reason. I don't even understand why was it a hot thing back in its day. But I will give props to people who do it with ease. That said, here's a Funny or Die video featuring a Rubik's Cube, which I thought was stupid hilarious. Enjoy!
Detectives
Tanner and McGloin have gotten themselves into big trouble with a
little package. Will they be able to foil a puzzling scheme by their
arch nemesis Little Bad Guy? “Little Bad Guy” by Funny or Die features
the world famous Rubik's Cube, the world's top-selling puzzle game.
Check out the video below:
While I don't hate Kristen Schaal, but I can't call myself a huge fan either. But I didn't know she has geek cred..
Kristen Schaal is back again to show you the new Sony Xperia PLAY! Last time she asked you to create a Minecraft shrine, and now she's here to show you Lady Cop Kristen, and thinks she can face off against Major League Gamer, Tsquared. Kristen also attempts to be a Sniper, which doesn't end so smoothly.. you'll just have to watch the videos to find out!
The Sony Xperia PLAY is a smartphone that offers a 1Ghz SnapDragon processor and gaming keypad optimized for all of your mobile gaming needs. Play Battlefield: Bad Company 2, 9mm, or any of the other 150+ games available on the go, from the tips of your thumbs. Check out the official Xperia PLAY site for more information: http://bit.ly/gZNmlE
NBC is such a fickle-minded mistress - after only 8 aired episodes, production on Prime Suspect has come to a halt after a 13 (14?) episode season. They say this is a precursor to cancellation.
If that does happen, I am sad to see it go. I didn't hate it or anything. Damn Americans that refuse to watch it.
PS. For the record, I have nothing against the hat.
I've heard of Web Therapy, but I simply don't have the time or the internet speed to watch it (seriously - the internet's been so crappy in this part of the world...). But I love the show's premise - a therapist with limited patience for other people's problems?
But I did manage to watch the above episode just this once. Quite funny.
Anyhow, if you're not already watching this, you should give it a try.
When I first heard about the NCIS:LA and Hawaii Five-0 crossing paths in an episode of Hawaii Five-0 a few months ago, I thought it should be pretty interesting - as in, it's pretty common for different shows by the same creator to cross into each other's worlds all the time, like the CSI franchises, the David E. Kelley courtroom dramas, as well as perhaps the Law & Order series. But two totally different shows created by different people crossing over like this? REALLY?!
It just turns out that it was just Daniela Ruah's character on NCIS: LA, Kensi Blye making the appearance for her lip reading skills. She was probably on screen for three minutes top, while she was lip reading the video of the meeting between the late Governor Jameson, the deceased elder McGarrett and Wo Fat. It was a "blink and you'll miss it" kind of thing. I thought she would be around longer than she did, that's all. I would call it anything else BUT a "crossover" in the conventional TV terms.
At least the episode "confirms" that Steve knows Sam Hanna in the Navy SEALs - perhaps to set up another "crossover" in the future?
The only consolation half the audience (at least) got was the few minutes of shirtless Alex O' Loughlin in the beginning and the end of the episode.
Walked past an Aldo store and I saw this (or some other picture) in the store window. I thought I was seeing things, so I had to look it up for myself.
So it turns out that Matthew Gray Gubler (MGG) and British model Lily Donaldson are the faces of Aldo's Fall/Winter Collection for 2011/2012. I'm not one to like commercials, but I thought this one was pretty cute. It does help that the song used in this ad is pretty catchy, and I found out that it's called Can't Stop Thinking About It by The Dirtbombs. Cool song :)
I'm not a huge fan of Aldo or MGG per se, but I thought it was an interesting side of MGG outside of Criminal Minds (in case anyone was wondering why I'm talking about this here).
Was supposed to post this last week, but I forgot. Here it is!
Here's a hilarious Cone Drone video available on the Team Coco YouTube channel called "Gym Rat", where Conan sends the Cone Drone to the gym to work out on his behalf because he's too busy to do it himself.
But of course, you can't trust a drone to do a man's work, and the Drone gets into trouble at the gym. Find out how - click on the video below to watch. It's so ridiculous, you must watch it.
I was so happy that Radiohead were scheduled to appear on Saturday Night Live and also my favourite of the Stewart/Colbert tag team (sorry, Stewart) on Comedy Central, The Colbert Report for an unprecedented hour long show in the latter's history. If there is a reason for a half-hour show to go an hour long, Radiohead would be a pretty good reason. They can not be contained in 22 minutes.
Personally, I can't tell the difference the extra drum set made in both appearances, but it was nice to see that the second drummer (Clive Deamer) in the SNL promo shots and also in the interview with Colbert.
Love the sign-off performance of The National Anthem and also the online-only performance of Codex (also my favourite track off The King of Limbs), which you must watch.
First there's the CSI game, now there's an NCIS game. Check out the trailer...
Much as I like the show, but as I don't play video games to start with, chances of me playing this game is pretty slim. But it looks like you get to be someone from the show, so that's got to be fun, right?
I was just thinking this the other night (which I had to write down before I could go back to sleep again), and I just realised that several returning shows this fall start with the protagonist(s) being in jail, with the new teaser promos to show for it.
Here's the fourth season teaser of The Mentalist, where Simon Baker's character Patrick Jane was arrested and is incarcerated for killing Red John (jury's still out on that) in last season's finale. I have no idea how he'll get out of it, seeing as Lisbon and the rest are still suspended (why?)...
In the second season teaser of Hawaii Five-O, Five-O was disbanded and went to heck with the arrests of Kono and McGarrett for (allegedly) killing the last governor, and Danno finally having the opportunity to leave the big island and have his family back in one fell swoop last season. There is footage of McGarrett in jail. Another LOST alum is back in Hawaii for this, but I have no idea how he'll be a part of getting the group back together.
And of course, House MD with House in jail early the next season for driving his car into Cuddy's house and endangering its occupants LAST season. I seriously have no idea how the team is going to function with House in jail and presumably can't do the teleconference calls they've been doing lately from the big house.
Another thing they all have in common is that the protagonists are also NOT AMERICAN: Hugh Laurie is (still) English; Simon Baker and Alex O' Loughlin are Australian.
What do these shows have against their non-American protagonists anyway? I'm kidding, but still.
If anyone else can think of any other shows in this vein, let me know.
I was looking forward to ABC's new fall show, Revenge, starring Emily Van Camp and then the pilot was already leaked online (don't ask me where) a couple of weeks before its September 21 premiere. I don't know whether it was a deliberate move by the network (which has got to be, how else can you can get buzz for a new fall show?) and or it's just some rough cut of the pilot. But what I saw seemed legit enough.
The show is loosely based on Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo, which I didn't even think of until I read that somewhere else, D'OH!!
Copy from the ABC site...
Wealth, beauty and status define the people in this town, but one woman is willing to destroy everyone for the sake of revenge.
Emily Thorne (Emily Van Camp) is new to the Hamptons. She's met some of her wealthy neighbors, has made a few new friends and seemingly blends into the town. But something is a little odd about a young girl living in a wealthy town all on her own, and the truth is that Emily isn't exactly new to the neighborhood. In fact, this was once her old neighborhood, until something bad happened that ruined her family and their reputation. Now Emily is back, and she's returned to right some of those wrongs in the best way she knows how – with a vengeance.
At first glance, it reminded me of CBS's Harper's Island, and I think this can probably only last for a season tops, assuming that she manages to avenge her father before it ends or gets cancelled.
I hope the show answers these questions with time...
How'd she get her money? The thing with Emily Van Camp is that she's too youthful looking to pass off as someone who's WORKED for her (presumed) millions and could only have gotten it through inheritance.
Will Victoria Grayson (the baddie, played by Madeleine Stowe) find out who Emily actually is before Emily's vengeance can be exacted?
Why is Nolan Ross (the guy who actually knew who she was) even THERE to begin with?
If James Tupper replaced Marc Blucas as Amanda's father (so it says on Wikipedia...), would they fix that in the flashback footage?
I'm not sure that living next door to your vengeance end game is at all a good idea, but that's just me.
I might keep watching this only because I'm a sucker for revenge plots and I want to know the answers to those questions and many more.
I haven't been watching Jimmy Kimmel Live for a while since I don't get the show on pay TV anymore and YouTube made it hard for people in certain geographical locations to watch the clips awhile ago, but that's been lifted recently, so I can catch up on clips again.
Here was the show's tribute to the late Uncle Frank, show security guard and on air "talent" (and apparently, Jimmy's real-life uncle) when he passed away a couple of weeks ago.
I don't know about anyone else, but I think House, MD has finally jumped the shark, based on this promo video, where he's in prison for driving a car into Cuddy's house last season.
I say Hugh Laurie should have put the kibosh on the show at least a couple of seasons ago, and leave while the going was good.
I am not sure where the season will be headed if House is in prison and they're bringing in new doctors to the diagnostics team. Frankly, I am not sure whether to actually spend time watching or to just read the recaps afterwards.
Finally found the time over the weekend to watch the brand new lawyer show on TNT, Franklin & Bashstarring Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar (MPG). The first season is only 10 episodes, so it wasn't all that hard to catch up.
The gist of the show is that two young crazy lawyers, Jared Franklin (Meyer) and Peter Bash (Gosselaar) who got hired by the eccentric name partner of a famous law firm (Infeld Daniels), Stanton Infeld (played by Malcolm McDowell) to shake things up after watching their court theatrics to win a case. Does the description sound vaguely familiar to anyone? Anyone?
If you guessed Boston Legal, points to you...! Sadly, no prizes.
I've not seen MPG in a show since Saved by the Bell. And I've only ever seen Breckin Meyer in the live action Garfield movies and perhaps heard his voice on Robot Chicken. That's about it for me. You would think that MPG would be the obvious choice for the crazier, worse womaniser than Meyer, but no. It's hard shifting that gear to see Breckin Meyer as the crazy one.
Things I like about Franklin & Bash
Because it's on cable, the language that they get away with is... woah. Okay, I haven't heard anyone being called "scrotum face" or "dickwad" on TV for awhile.
Flash of bare ass in the pilot episode - not that I care, it's just something worth mentioning.
It is a little funny and kind of filled the hole that Boston Legal left.
The tee shirts that Kumail Nanjiani's agoraphobe character wears are hilarious.
