Robot Chicken - Star Wars
All sort of cool things on the Robot Chicken - Star Wars page at Adult Swim, including a new trailer and an awesome video of George Lucas in therapy.
Go now! Watch it! Hope that some Canadian Network is carrying it!
May 31, 2007
May 28, 2007
Clone Wars
Shiny! A trailer for LucasFilm's new CGI animated TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars!
May 07, 2007
Robot Chicken
When Star Wars and Robot Chicken meet it can only result in comedy goodness.
April 30, 2007
Studio 60
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is back on the air on May 24.
Whether this is just to run out the finished episodes or a sign it will get picked up for another season is unknown, but at least we get a few more episodes.
April 25, 2007
Drive Out
Dammit! Didn't I tell you all to watch Drive before it got canceled? Nobody ever listens to me.
April 17, 2007
Drive
If you missed out on the two-hour premiere and last night's first regular episode of Drive you totally missed out.
First off. It's an awesome, action-packed racing show that has Nathan Fillian from Firefly.
Secondly. It's got a deeply embedded mystery that seems solid (so far) and not all mystical or mythological like other shows have become (coughLOSTcough).
Third. It's clever, creative and unlike anything else on TV. Which means it has about six episodes before it gets cancelled. The ratings on the premiere weren't great and it was up against Deal Or No Deal and Dancing With The Stars.
Sigh. Watch it while we have it.
January 23, 2007
Rome On Demand Update
From: Phil
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2007 6:19 PM
To: web moviecentral
Subject: Rome Season 2
Hey guys! How come Rome Season 2 isn't on Movie Central On Demand like you guys said it would be in your press release (http://www.corusent.com/corporate/press_room/pressReleaseDetail.asp?id=1190)?
I missed the first episode, but figured it should be okay, since I'm a MCOD subscriber. What's going on? When will it be avaiable?
-- Phil
-----------------------
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:09:32
From: web moviecentral
To: Phil
Subject: RE: Rome Season 2
Hi Phil,
Thanks for the email. We always enjoy hearing from our viewers.
Due to an encoding backlog, we are currently unable to add as many new episodes to our Movie Central On Demand package as we normally schedule. We can assure you that this is a temporary situation and do apologize for any inconvenience this technical difficulty may be causing.
Your patience with this matter is appreciated. We are working as quickly as possible to rectify the problem and this service should be operating at normal capacity shortly.
Regards,
Movie Central Viewer Relations Department
January 22, 2007
Rome Season 2
Okay, it was with very little fanfare that Movie Central here in Canada started showing the second season of Rome. I don't know how it got past me -- where I work I tend to get big notice on stuff like this.
Episode 13 ("Passover" - they are continuing the numbering from Season 1) was already on, and isn't scheduled to repeat in the next couple weeks. Movie Central's November press release says each episode should be available through Movie Central On Demand on the Tuesday following each broadcast. If It's not there yet, odds are Movie Central screwed up and it should be there shortly.
Episode 14 ("Son of Hades") was on Sunday, but repeat broadcasts are on Movie Central 4 on Wednesday at 9 pm and Thursday at 4 am (Mountain Time).
Episode 15 ("These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero") is on the following (Mountain Time, Calgary channels):
55 MC1 Sun 1/28 9:00 PM
302 MCHD Sun 1/28 9:00 PM
55 MC1 Mon 1/29 4:00 AM
302 MCHD Mon 1/29 4:00 AM
58 MC4 Wed 1/31 9:00 PM
58 MC4 Thu 2/1 4:00 AM
January 16, 2007
Amazing Race 11
Check out the lineup for The Amazing Race 11 - All-Star Edition!
Lots of fun people are back, like Uchenna & Joyce and Rob & Amber. The neat one is Eric and Danielle, who were on opposing teams in season 9 and are now dating (and competing) together.
October 25, 2006
Must See TV
Nearly everything on the fall television has premiered by now (with a few exceptions, like Daybreak).
Here's our breakdown of the shows we watch and what we've axed.
October 13, 2006
15 Minutes
There's been much talk over the years about reality show contestants making the most of their 15 minutes of fame. Some have had success, like Rob & Amber (who've had their own shows plus appearing on multiple contests) and Elisabeth Hasselbeck (who parleyed her appearance on Survivor to a hosting gig on The View). Most don't get anywhere.
Now former Apprentice contestant Raj Bhakta is running for congress. We'll see how that works.
October 12, 2006
TV Success
According to my newspaper, the only two new shows to be declared a 'success' in network terms this year so far are Heroes and Jericho. Both of which I watch and enjoy immensely.
Seriously though, Heroes is one of the best shows on television. I'm actually left guessing what will happen, but the surprises don't come out of nowhere like they do on Lost or similar mystery shows. No, they make sense and are entirely plausible. You know, once you get your mind around the basic premise.
Watch it!
October 10, 2006
The Bionic Woman
From the file of not-entirely-well-thought-out ideas. A remake of the Bionic Woman.
Hey, it worked with Battlestar Galactica. Lightning strikes twice, right?
October 06, 2006
Heroes Pick Up
Sweet! The ratings are excellent and we'll get a full season of superhero goodness!
October 05, 2006
Eureka Renewed
So the Sci-Fi channel has renewed Eureka for another season. Which is awesome. Only the first three episodes have been aired up here in Canada, but I love the show already.
October 01, 2006
Brothers & Sisters
We didn't want to like this one. Just watched the premiere, hoping that it would suck and we could cut another show from the schedule.
But no. No such luck.
I've talked a lot this season about one major pitfall of new shows: introducing the secrets before investing us in the characters. Here's another example of doing it the right way.
The entire show was focused on getting to know the family. The conservative radio host, the drunk surfer boy, the gay businessman, the rest of the siblings all in the family food business. Set up relationships, old conflicts and connections. Then, finally, in the last bits, introduce the real problems, the issues that will drive everything else in the series.
And it was good, damn it. Even handling of political sides, good solid characters that feel real.
Kidnapped
See. This is what I was talking about. SImilar premise -- kidnapped person, hints of secrets and conspiracies, but it's quiet and to one side, with the focus on the people and the procedure. We may not like them all, but we're given reasons to understand who they are and why they are the way they are.
I like the action between the private operative and the FBI agents. Former connections, yet diverging purposes. I like that they work together as much as they can and actually have respect for each other.
We watched two episodes in a row and I enjoyed each one.
September 29, 2006
The Class
Yet another case of the actors trying too hard.
The premise is fine. Eight people whose only connection is that they were in the third grade together reconnect and hilarity results. The pilot was funny, but the freshman overacting of the cast continued through the second show. They have to settle in soon, or people will flip channels.
The show won its place on TV due to the pedigree of the creators (some of the folks behind monster-hit Friends) so I hope it will improve. I think the pre-planned dynamics -- these two will fall for each other, this one will have an affair with this one, etc. -- are a bit contrived, and I'd like to see more cross-pollination of the storylines.
We'll keep watching. FOR NOW.
The Amazing Race: Season 10
The Race is up there with Survivor on our all-time favourite shows. I go into serious withdrawal when it's not on, enough so that I actually watched a few episodes of Treasure Hunters before running screaming from the room.
Really, it's awesome. We love it so much that every episode is an analysis of 'What We Would Do'. Which one of us would do the Roadblock, which Detour we would take...we cheer on favourites, Lisa screams at the assholes and we roll our eyes at everyone who prays that God will leap them to win the leg. Frankly, we were happy to see the Muslim team this year say, "We will win if Allah wills it" which is awesome. Too bad they lost out first episode.
It's one of the very few reality shows that both of us would leap at the chance to be on it.
People we hate this season: None so far. Rob & Kimberly suck and there is zero chance of their marriage surviving the show. David & Mary are showing to be a lot more open and accpeting than the stereotype the show painted them as, but they do grate. I think Tyler & James, the models/recovering addicts will win. That would be cool, especially if it helps other people get over addiction.
Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance
You've been watching the web mini-episodes right? If not, go watch them now.
If you're not in the States, you likely can't view them (stupid Sci-Fi Channel). Thankfully, they're all over YouTube and can be download from various websites.
Bones: Changes for Changes Sake
Again, I'm not sure I get the rationale for adding a new cast member. The dropping of Goodman for Camille was done, apparently, because "the director of the Jeffersonian would not spend so much time in the Forensic Division". It gives more tension, since Camille doesn't let the Squints get away with murder any more.
But again, contrived. Unneccessary. I like to see my mad geniuses throwing dead chickens into wood chippers. That's part of the fun.
I will admit that it's given some more depth to Booth, which rocks.
Desperate Housewives: Building Momentum
Last season sucked. There, I said it.
The plan this year (reportedly) is to get back to basics. An underlying mystery that connects all the main ladies on Wisteria Lane. Good. All the scattered plots bored the pants off me, and the big mystery? Who cared!
A big draw is the cool evilness of Kyle MacLachlan. He's groovy. And if Lisa watches enough of him here, I might be able to get her to watch reruns of Twin Peaks.
How I Met Your Mother: Season Two
One of the rules of a comedy show is that you can only have one stable relationship between primary characters at any time. Like how before Chandler and Monica could get together permanently, Ross and Rachel had to break up.
So with Ted and Robin now together, Lily and Marshall are broken up. I don't like it. Beyond the fact that I can't believe anyone could ever say no to Willow, their relationship was a cornerstone of the show. It's another case of shaking things up for the sake of shaking things up.
I predict they will be apart until Spring Sweeps, when Ted and Robin break up.
Bah.
Jericho
We watched the premiere of this apocalyptic small town show and episode two is sitting on the PVR. I liked it well enough, but I think its premise may be its downfall.
It's too real.
Small town is cut off by nuclear attacks. They have to deal with rationing, power loss, no information, panic, mobs, fallout...all the grim stuff that we know would happen in the real world. But I'm not interested in the real world. If I were, why would I be watching television?
There has to be something else brewing in there, otherwise the show will turn into week after week of rationing and boiling water. Exciting.
Lost: Season Three
The premiere is next week. Lisa remarked to me when we saw that the PVR had taped the 'previously on' show Wednesday that she hasn't even thought about Lost since the finale last Spring.
I'm nearly the same, although I lightly followed the Lost Experience and it's bizarre results which may or may not actually have anything to do with the truth of the show.
Despite the success of the last two seasons, the producers are throwing even more cast members at us. How about resolving something -- anything -- with the current people before adding more? Just a thought.
My Name Is Earl: Not on the list
The producers of My Name Is Earl have announced that not every episode of the series this year will focus on Earl crossing an item off his infamous karma list. Instead they will have some wacky side-adventures with the other cast members.
The pilot gives us a taste of this, with a storyline focusing on Joy and the aftereffects of getting a giant television that can be hidden in its entertainment center.
I wasn't thrilled. Joy is funny and all, but two much Joy is a bad thing. The heart of the story is Earl's list and with some 200+ items remaining on it, there's another eight seasons of material waiting to be mined. I guess having one of the highest rated and critically acclaimed comedies on television wasn't good enough for them.
Smallville: Stunt Casting
Word is that Tori Spelling is going to appear on Smallville sometime this season as the Daily Planet's gossip columnist. And she'll have POWERS. She can turn into water or something.
Wonder where her Wonder Twin will be...
September 28, 2006
Smallville: In The Zone
Smallville is back, and I couldn't be happier. I love way the pieces of the mythology are coming together. I love the addition of Jimmy Olsen to the cast, I love the fact that apparently there is going to be a 'Justice League' episode sometime this season with a bunch of other heroes.
And I love that Michael Rosenbaum got to say, "Kneel before Zod!"
Now there's what looks like up to six escaped Kryptonians or Phantoms from the Zone are roaming free. Lex Luthor has access to some rocking Kryptonian technology, Lionel seems to be taking advantage of the remnants of Kryptonian knowledge in his brain (for nefarious ends no doubt). Cloe is moving on and Clark is unsure if he likes it or not.
Yay!
Prison Break: Out in the Open
It's a completely different season. The crooks are all out in the open, they are racing fo DB Cooper's five million. Not everything can be answered by the tattoos on Scofield's body, and good thing too; the federal marshal knows nearly everything and can figure out the rest.
It's a different feel to the show, out of the confines of the prison and it's a hard thing for the TV folks to make it consistent with what's come before...
...but I think they are handling it fine. I like the scramble, I like the chase. I like the fact that Scofield has someone with a bit of intelligence working against him and the weaknesses are all on his side. I like that the whole conspiracy is not being dealt with much -- it felt a little over the top last season anyway.
Good show! More!
Shark
James Woods = Television goodness.
Everyone likes to see lawyer getting yelled at. It's a good time. But the secondary characters are all one-dimensional cardboard standups. The misfit, the rich kid, the irritable Hispanic, the suckup. It's all cookie cutter, and there is only so long that even James Woods can carry the show by himself.
Predictable line of the night: Why did the daughter choose to stay with her Dad instead of her Mom? "You need me." I called it ten minutes before it was uttered.
Smith: Bad People Doing Bad Things
Another case of the TV people wanting us to sympathize with unsympathetic characters. At least this time they are deliberately unsympathetic.
We watched it because I love a good heist story. But I wonder how much of that the rest of the show will involve. For me, the fun is in watching them plan, gather associates, execute the plan, deal with emergencies and walk away with the goods. This looks like it will be all the 'what next'.
We liked it enough to watch another episode. I think it's waiting on the PVR right now...
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
We watched Sports Night in its original run. We like behind-the-scenes stories, the characters were smart and funny and just a little damaged, and the writing was tight and spot on. We were very sad when it was cancelled. We weren't really into the milieu though. We like sports, but sport reporting leaves us cold. The show was so good, we liked it despite that.
We watched the Sorkin years of The West Wing. Again, not because of any particular interest in American politics, but because it made us laugh and cringe and kept us on the edge of our seats. Something was gone when Aaron Sorkin left, and we stopped watching very soon afterwards.
And now he's back with a show about something we do love very much. Comedy.
Bradley Witford is always awesome and Matthew Perry was (in my opinion) the most under-valued performer on Friends. His guest stint on The West Wing rocked and obviously earned him a spot in the Sorkin Stable of Actors.
Oh, and Evan Handler? Doesn't matter what role you play. You will always be Shrug to us.
The Unit
We liked The Unit a lot last year. I remarked to Lisa that it was probably the most right-wing, pro-US government show we watched.
When it popped up in our PVR list of recorded shows, we were like, "Oh yeah, that one."
If we barely thought about it during the off-season, we figure we don't really need to watch it now. If it continues to do well, we'll catch the DVDs. it's not like it's a watercooler show anyway.
Vanished: Gone by Thanksgiving
We watched the first two episodes of Vanished. Aaaand then we were done.
It's a failing of new television shows that are about conspiracies or secrets or mysteries. They all want to be Lost but they just can't be. The first episode had more subplots and dangling threads than characters, and this is an ensemble show.
TV creator folks, it is vital to make us actually care about the characters before you bury them in plots. You've got an unsympathetic husband with two annoying kids and a FBI team with more baggage than Paris Hilton. Seriously, we watched the show and felt that she probably ran away because they all annoyed the crap out of her.
March 24, 2006
Bones Picked Up
Fox digs up Bones for Season 2
Woo! We love that show. Smart people who don't entirely get along. Yay!
March 08, 2006
CBS Renewals
CBS has renewed a bunch of shows including some of our favs like How I Met Your Mother and Criminal Minds.
February 27, 2006
Aw MAN
This sucks. Why didn't anyone tell me that Don Knotts died last week? Man...
January 27, 2006
Next Great Prime Minister
This has to be a joke. A new reality show where Kim Campbell, Joe Clark, Brian Mulroney, and John Turner all decide which contestant would be the Next Great Prime Minister.
January 24, 2006
Everybody Hates Chris: Blargh
Insufficiently funny or original. An early casualty in this year's watch list.
Moved to the Dead List.
Ghost Whisperer: Faded From View
Nice enough show (Lisa really liked it) but too much else was better and Jennifer Love Hewitt is too cloying for large doses.
Moved to the Dead List
November 24, 2005
Farewell Alias
Looks like afetr five seasons Alias is ending.
November 23, 2005
Rome: Finished?
SO Rome may or may nto come back for a second season. You'll have to sign in to the LA Times to read this article about HBO challenging ABC on Sunday nights, but the gist on Rome is that is really, really expensive to make, complicated to script and plan, and the lock on the actors is fading rapidly.
November 17, 2005
BG: Renewed!
Looks like Battlestar Galactica has been picked up for a third season. Great!
Now can I see the goddamn second season already? Stupid doesn't-carry-Sci-Fi-Channel-country.
November 14, 2005
Aquaman
I guess the Aquaman episode of Smallville a couple weeks back did well enough that he's going to get his own series. But with a different actor, plot, story and absolutely no links to Smallville.
November 10, 2005
Terminator on TV?
How about a new show set between T2 and T3 called The Sarah Connor Chronicles?
November 04, 2005
Prison Break I Love It When A Plan Comes Together
Another show that gets better and better all the time.
The plan for the escape is so tight, there's no wiggle room. And the damn thing is wiggling all over the place.
There's too much! The needy, nagging, nosy doctor lady, the predatory Captain Bellick, The Evil Government, T-Bag's 'needs'... It's impossible!
T-Bag will die. He has to at some point. He can't betray them and they can't take him with them. Dr. Sara will probably find out everything, but in a HEART-WRENCHING DECISION will help out.
They will get out of jail, that's obvious. But I can't conceive what will happen after that. After all, the woman who wants Burrows dead is the Vice-President of the United States, after all.
Rome: Caesar is Nuts
Rome is building towards its massive finale. Only three episodes left and then we'll have to wait a year or so for HBO to put out season two.
I like how HBO doesn't hold back on anything. Suicide, murder, torture, sex, politics. The incest scene between Octavian and Octavia was very, very disturbing, but I can see how the little runt is shaping up to be Caesar's successor.
Vorenus is now in over hsi head as one of Caesar's magistrates, and poor Pullo has nothing to do for the first time in his life. She doesn't love you Pullo! She's just a slave!
Running out of enemies. Pompey's dead. Cato's dead. Cicero and Brutus surrendered. What's left?
Amazing show. Love it. If you haven't watched the previous episodes, don't start in the middle. Wait for the DVD or catch the whole thing from the beginning in reruns. It's worth it.
October 25, 2005
America's Next Muppet
Seems like the Muppets might have another comeback, this time in a faux reality show.