Author Archive for Marcia

TV Blog Coalition: July 4-6

Published by
Marcia
on July 8, 2008 in tv blog coalition.

I am thrilled to report that the madness is over at last, and I have finally completed the move to Glasgow. I’m still settling in and unpacking, but at long last I actually have a bit of time, and I’m really looking forward to posting again on a regular basis. Oh, my darling blog, how I have missed you.

First, I need to actually watch some television in order to have stuff to write about. While I’m doing that, check out what the rest of the TV Blog Coalition have been up to this last week.

  • With the Emmy nomination shortlists out for the comedy and drama series categories, Buzz wondered which five shows would make your ballot. (BuzzSugar)
  • This week, Sandie shared her interview with Kyra Sedgwick from TNT’s The Closer. (Daemon’s TV)
  • In this week’s TV Talk podcast we talk about our recent turnaround on Swingtown, what BSG’s Tricia Helfer is up to, a preview of our upcoming trip to Comic Con and our first impressions of the upcoming Fringe. (Give Me My Remote)
  • Plattie reviewed the BBC’s search for the nation’s top disabled model. No, really. Britain’s Missing Top Model is an actual show. We’re not making this up. (Pop Vultures)
  • While meeting Dulé Hill last week, Rae learned a little of what to expect for the upcoming third season of Psych and which of Gus’ nicknames is actually the given name of one of Dulé’s aunts. (RTVW)
  • A little bit of everything on the 9th Green, from video recaps of the previous seasons of The Closer and Saving Grace, premiere dates for Stargate Atlantis and Scare Tactics, to a list of the thirteen up and coming stars most likely to get you a visit with Chris Hansen. (Scooter McGavin’s 9th Green)
  • Vance celebrated Canada Day with a shout out to all our favourite Canadians on our favourite TV shows. (Tapeworthy)
  • Jace returned from his honeymoon to review the disappointing botched pilot for FOX’s supernatural drama The Oaks, which he had been looking forward to after reading the script last summer. (Televisionary)
  • While he’s always happy to host giveaways on TiFaux, Dan had an ugly flashback to his history as an awkward teen as he introduced a new contest for an X-Files compilation DVD. Click the link to enter! (TiFaux)
  • M*A*S*H’s Alan Alda (Hawykeye) and Wayne Rogers (Trapper) reunited for an interview, and Jennifer was excited to share the video of the event. Among some of the topics covered, was the fact that M*A*S*H and The West Wing, were both recently chosen as two of the top ten smartest TV shows of all time by the chair of MENSA. (Tube Talk.)
  • In place of genuine TV scoop, the TV Addict stalks TORCHWOOD star John Barrowman. (the TV Addict)
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TV Blog Coalition: June 26-28

Published by
Marcia
on July 1, 2008 in tv blog coalition.

In case you couldn’t tell from the silence around these parts, the house-moving madness continues. Granted, I am taking the occasional break from packing, but I seem to be using that little bit of time to catch up on season 1 of Damages. About three episodes in, that show gets really good, doesn’t it?

  • If thinking The Secret Life of the American Teenager could be cheesily addictive is wrong, Buzz doesn’t want to be right. (BuzzSugar)
  • GMMR has been podcast crazy this past week. Two, count ‘em, two podcasts! In addition to the usual GMMR/Ducky So You Think You Can Dance podcast (here), we devoted a separate TV Talk Podcast to what shows are taking over our TV this summer. (Give Me My Remote)
  • I decided to spend the summer hiatus watching old episodes of Buffy and wondered if the show improves with repeat viewings. (Pop Vultures)
  • From Miami to Vancouver, this week Rae was on the set of Psych and she’s only to happy to share what happened. (RTVW)
  • Viva la Vida or was Coldplay able to make an album this time around that doesn’t sound like a Coldplay cover band? (Scooter McGavin’s 9th Green)
  • School’s out and Vance celebrates the end of an era now that Emma, daughter of Spike (from the original Degrassi) has now graduated from Degrassi High on Degrassi: The Next Generation. (Though The N will show those episodes this summer) (Tapeworthy)
  • Remember that episode about the helpless dude who delivered the baby in the elevator? Oh yeah, that was every series ever. By that token, Dan decided to coin the term “elevator baby” and cement his role in pop culture history. (TiFaux)
  • Tube Talk shared some scoop on the new season of Psych, after an interview with show stars James Roday and Dulé Hill, fondly remembered shows that were canceled too early, and asked for help in naming Tube Talk Girl’s future baby boy. (Tube Talk)
  • This week we finally spotted someone who has a Nerdier license plate than the TV Addicts and released what critics, and by critics I mean listeners are saying was our funniest ( to date! The TV Addict)
  • Kate is disappointed enough with this season of My Boys that she drafted an open letter to the show’s writers. (TV Filter)
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TV Blog Coalition: June 20-22

Published by
Marcia
on June 27, 2008 in tv blog coalition.

  • It may be the Summer hiatus, but Buzz still has a few questions for Grey’s Anatomy. (BuzzSugar)
  • If you know the significance of the ‘bench dance’, understand the genius of Mia Michaels, and secretly want to be on the Hot Tamale Train then you should check out GMMR & Ducky’s So You Think You Can Dance podcast. (Give Me My Remote)
  • Marcia found herself thoroughly underwhelmed by The Middleman. (Pop Vultures)
  • On the set of Burn Notice, Rae discovers that Jeffrey Donovan’s just as cool as his alter-ego Michael Westen. (RTVW)
  • Low production value, cheesy stories and 30 points for yet another “sassy” female lead, but The Middleman is actually entertaining. (Scooter McGavin’s 9th Green)
  • Vance video recaps The Tony Awards since apparently, no one watched it on TV. By the way, go see In The Heights, Passing Strange and Xanadu (for real!)! All fantastic! Take a look at the clips for proof! (Tapeworthy)
  • Dan didn’t see the mid-season finale of Battlestar Galactica coming — that’s for dang sure. This week, he mulled the twist ending as well as the concept of merging our world with Battlestar’s. (TiFaux)
  • Jennifer thinks the Oscars and Emmys should take a cue from the TV Land Awards. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Horshack from Welcome Back Kotter, Nellie Oleson from Little House on the Prairie, and Doc from The Love Boat dressed in their trademark costumes flying through the air, or the paparazzi catching a panty-free crotch shot of Mama from Mama’s Family. Add in the cast of The Office, Wilhelmina Slater, Justin Timberlake and a Lionel Richie concert, and the TV Land Awards were just about perfect. (Tube Talk)
  • This week, the TV Addict posted his theory on the highly anticipated spin-off of The Office and visited the set of Burn Notice (the TV Addict)
  • Raoul talked to loudmouth Jen from Hell’s Kitchen. (TV Filter)
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5 Things to Tide You Over Until There’s a Proper Friday 5

Published by
Marcia
on June 27, 2008 in friday 5.

There has been a sad lack of Friday 5s lately. Since I’m moving in a week, I’ve been forced to spend less time writing and more time wrapping up my life in England and packing up the small mountain of stuff that clearly mates and multiplies every time I leave the house. It’s not right to just leave you hanging, though, so today I give you 5 Things to Tide You Over Till There’s a Proper Friday 5. How very meta of me.

5. In the interest of staying informed, it is my duty to inform you that the odds of an actor’s strike are getting better by the day. Yes, AMPTP has apparently decided that they don’t mind killing television for another season. Don’t cry. Please, don’t cry.

4. Here’s something to cheer you up: the most unabashedly fun show of the summer, Burn Notice, is returning on July 10. If you’re in the US, you can watch the entire first season on Hulu. Non-US people, well, you’re sort of screwed, as the box set is only available as a Region 1 import. Still, if you like your spy dramas stylish, clever and featuring Bruce Campbell in a key role, you should definitely check it out.

3. How well do you know your UK cult TV characters? Play the cult trumps game and find out. Okay, the game is ridiculously easy, but it’s a fun journey down memory lane for some. For everyone not raised in the UK, it’s a long-overdue introduction to Bagpuss.

2. TV Squad compiled a list of their five favorite George Carlin routines. Damn, but that man was really, really good.

1. Prepare to squeal like the Whedon-loving fool you are: we have the first teaser for Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Whedon’s musical Internet mini-series starring Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion, and it looks EXCELLENT.



Teaser from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.

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The Winner’s Circle: Weeds

Published by
Marcia
on June 27, 2008 in meta.

Congratulations to Christina Taylor, who won the season 3 DVDs of Weeds. Enjoy your visit to the most interesting suburban development ever built.

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Once More With Feeling

Published by
Marcia
on June 25, 2008 in old school tv and sci-fi/fantasy.

Right now, there are a fair number of decent shows on the summer schedule. Okay, three. Maybe four. Still, it’s enough, in theory, to tide me over for a bit. Plus, right now I should be packing, preparing for the big move in a week’s time. This, of course, explains why I decided it was the perfect time to rewatch season 4 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Now, I am an unabashed Buffy fan. While it was still airing, some might have even said obsessive (I would have to disagree – what do you call the level between buying action figures and traveling to attend the conventions?). I watched every single episode as it aired – no delayed Tivo gratification for me – with the phone unplugged and the blinds drawn. This remained true throughout the frustrating later seasons as well. Even erratic, dark Buffy was better than no Buffy at all.

Still, if the show suffered from one major flaw, it is that it peaked too soon. The sheer brilliance of seasons 2 and 3 was hard to match, and many viewers quickly became disappointed in the show. There were enough excellent one-off episodes (“Hush,” “The Body,” “Once More With Feeling”) to convince me that the show still had a lot of life left, but they often were placed between forced drug metaphors and annoying little sisters. Even when it was good, it wasn’t as good as earlier seasons, and each week I watched the show, wondering if this was the week it returned to top form. It never really did.

And yet, watching it again without such impossibly high expectations, I can only remember why I loved it. I’m no longer horrified by unexpected and unwanted plot twists (seriously – a little sister?) and can appreciate everything the show did right. Sure, it was inconsistent, but so were earlier seasons, as anyone who remembers the swim team monsters or the magical Christmas snow of redemption can attest. The show was still witty and interesting and, although it can be painful to watch our strong heroine behave like a self-destructive college student, I can’t say that depiction is entirely inaccurate. I have entire parts of my brain dedicated to humiliating university incidents that I would happily lobotomize.

It’s a pleasure rediscovering this old show without the weight of its earlier excellence pulling it down. I’m not sure if I’ll be quite so generous when I get to the bimbo god or the crayon that saved the world, but I’m certainly going to try.

What about you? What shows improved upon a second viewing, and why?

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RIP, George Carlin

Published by
Marcia
on June 23, 2008 in miscellaneous.

He’ll be missed. Here he is, doing his classic “Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television” bit. Extremely NSFW, obviously, unless you work for Al Swearengen.

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Stuck in the Middleman

Published by
Marcia
on June 18, 2008 in comedies, reviews and sci-fi/fantasy.

Every summer, I bemoan the loss of all my favorite shows, and every summer, the networks throw me a few bones to keep me entertained throughout the warm months. (Yes, I know that summer is supposed to be spent outside, enjoying margaritas on patios and long walks in the sunshine, but I live in the UK. We get six days of sun all summer.) This year, we have Swingtown, Weeds, and Burn Notice, all quality programs that make the long wait till September a bit more bearable.

ABC Family is also trying to get into the action with The Middleman, a show that is earning far better reviews than it has any right to. It’s all part of the channel’s efforts to rebrand itself, an effort that had surprising success with the frat house comedy Greek. What makes Greek so successful is that, despite having the feel-good exterior with a warm creamy center necessary for a family channel, it is also well-written and surprisingly original. The show takes some of the most easily stereotyped characters in the history of TV — the party guy, the rich guy, the gay guy, the nerd — and gives them depth and layers. It’s actually an intelligent show underneath it all.

The Middleman, unfortunately, does not succeed on the same level. Based on a graphic novel, the basic premise centers around the titular heroes, who go around secretly saving humanity from various bizarre things that defy rational explanation. This is a common sci-fi trope for a reason — it’s a whole lot of fun — so I won’t say anything mean about that. Yes, I can forgive a lack of originality if it amuses me. I’m fickle that way.

In fact, overall, the show should work. It’s whimsical, but not self-consciously so. Matt Keeslar is entirely charming as the veteran hero, and Natalie Morales, playing his newly recruited assistant is…fine, I guess. Her line readings are a bit forced at times, but she sufficiently embraces her character’s geekiness for me to overlook that flaw. In the end, the program suffers by trying to be young and hip AND a family show. Every time it succeeds with the former, the latter pulls it right back down. Just as I start to enjoy the ridiculously quick-paced banter or the stylized production, up pops the “family” from the channel’s title. We’ve got a robot that looks like a cranky schoolmarm and a gorilla that thinks it’s a gangster. I’m fairly certain that I saw those when I was seven and watching The Wonderful World of Disney. It’s not fresh, and it clashes noticeably with the parts of the show worth watching.

It’s not a bad show, by any means. If I stumbled across it while flipping through channels, I’d probably watch it. It’s a pleasant enough way to kill an hour. But, since iTunes gets a pound off me every time I watch a show, I’m going to pass on this one…and keep waiting eagerly for September.

Did anyone out there watch this, or do you tend to forget that you even have a channel called ABC Family?

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The Addictive Properties of Weeds

Published by
Marcia
on June 16, 2008 in comedies.

Cast of Weeds

When Weeds first aired in 2005, I had absolutely no interest in watching the show. After all, it was on Showtime, and three years ago everyone knew HBO was the cable channel with all the good shows (my, how times have changed — take heart, little CW!). Plus, it was about a pot-dealing mom in suburbia. Having a) grown up in suburbia and b) spent many years in college being bored to death by wannabe philosophers stoned out of their gourds, it didn’t exactly trigger any excitement in me.

Then someone loaned me the first season DVDs, and I was hooked. Instantly. Each show is only a half hour, so it was remarkably easy to sit through an entire season in one long, sofa-tastic binge. Seasons 2 and 3 quickly followed. Somehow, I’d come to care about these wacky stoners and the loving mom that fueled their habits.

In case you also failed to get on the Weeds train early, here are a few reasons you should start watching now:

Continue reading ‘The Addictive Properties of Weeds’

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TV Blog Coalition: June 13-15

Published by
Marcia
on June 15, 2008 in tv blog coalition.

Another week, another great collection of links from the TV Blog Coalition. Contests, interviews and dance-offs — you can count on the TVBC to bring the truly important stuff to you.

  • Katherine Heigl made waves with her statement about Grey’s Anatomy while pulling out of the Emmy race this week, but Buzz wondered if perhaps she had a point. (BuzzSugar)
  • We finally found out just who PJ’s mystery date was on the premiere of My Boys. Did she bring along the right guy? If you’re a fan of MY BOYS and in the Boston area, join GMMR & Jamie Kaler (Mike) next week for a My Boys party here in Beantown and watch the second episode with fellow fans. (Give Me My Remote)
  • In preparation for Monday’s return of everyone’s favorite pot-dealing suburban mom, we’re giving away season 3 of Weeds. (Pop Vultures)
  • Still reeling from her great day on the set of Burn Notice, Rae’s got a recap of what happened as well as some visual aids. (RTVW)
  • Midgets, Token Hot Chicks, and Nerds galore, must be time to hand out the fourth annual Scooter Television Awards. (Scooter McGavin’s 9th Green)
  • Woohoo! It’s the Top 20 Dance-Off on So You Think You Can Dance! Vance is super excited and the high level of endorphins from the excitement is probably causing him to love all the dancers so far! (Tapeworthy)
  • TiFaux was a regular Bloggers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes this week as we gave away all sorts of stuff. But you can still enter to win things like Jackie from Work Out’s DVD by e-mailing us. Click the link and enter! (TiFaux)
  • The casting department at Brothers and Sisters can stop looking for Ryan Walker. Jennifer has found the perfect guy. She also mourned the loss of Men in Trees and celebrated that the Smurfs are coming to the big screen! (Tube Talk)
  • The TV Addict answers all your TV related questions in his new weekly column ‘ASK THE ADDICT’ (The TV Addict)
  • Raoul talked to Bobby from Hell’s Kitchen about Gordon Ramsay, Tourette’s Syndrome, and what’s next for him. (TV Filter)
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