Who Is Your Favorite (Or Least Hated) Jersey Shore Cast Member?

Life

All too often I find myself loving shows that get canceled before their time. Most of these shows you've at least heard of (Deadwood, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The O.C., Flashforward). But some fade away without ever registering on the public consciousness like Life.

Life came and went and unless you were one of the five or six million people watching every week chances are you don't even know it existed. For a myriad of reasons this show just never really caught on. NBC did it's typical poor job of promoting a new show, something they've mastered in the Jeff Zucker era to such a degree they are now being bought by a cable television outlet . The show was yet another victim of the writers' strike, getting cut from a 22 episode first season order to a mere 11 episodes. And this is just a guess, but I can't believe the somewhat generic title did them any favors either.

As someone who has only been a fan of two other cop shows in the last ten years (Southland and The Shield) I can tell you this was one of my all-time favorite shows. In a genre that is quite often boring and formulaic Life is anything but.

Life centers around the enigmatic Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis), an LAPD detective who has just been released from prison after serving 12 years o a life sentence for a murder he did not commit. Having won a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles he has been awarded $50 million and his job as a detective.

Charlie is teamed with Detective Dani Reese (as played by the stunning Sarah Shahi) and set free to solve the crime of the week. The crimes are often somewhat unusual, and Charlie's methods of solving crimes are often very unusual and that makes for great fun.

Where the show really separates itself from your average cop drama is the series length story arc as Charlie slowly unravels the conspiracy that framed him for the murder of his partner. Week by week Charlie closes in on his prey and it is insanely entertaining to watch where the chase takes him.

To my way of thinking there are really only three things that matter when constructing a television series, if you get those right everything else will sort itself out. First you need an interesting premise. Second you need a good cast. And most importantly you need good writing. Life passes all of these tests with flying colors.

If I have one complaint to make about this series it's this, the series as originally aired used music to great effect to enhance the show. Music is one of those things you don't really think about unless the show is really doing it right (Miami Vice for instance). Well Life was one of those shows that really nailed it, but if you buy the DVD they have CHANGED all of the music to save money. This drives me fucking crazy! And they don't put a warning on the box either. You just get to roll home and BOOM, sneak attack after you've dropped your $50. Thanks NBC.



The entire series is available on Hulu until September 19th. Check out the Pilot.

Oprah Voted Most Annoying Person On TV

I'm reluctant to post the results now that Oprah was voted most annoying person on television. If this blog disappears in the next few days you'll know that Oprah got wind of my insolence. In the meantime have a laugh at her expense.

"They Raise You Up And They Knock You Down..."

*Spoiler Alert: This article is a recap of last nights season premiere.

As August approaches we can breathe a sigh of relief as basic cable networks are beginning to trot out all their Emmy contenders. Mad Men is back, and as captivating as ever. It truly is a stroke of genius to leave us in the dark as to how much time will have passed between seasons as each year I can't wait to catch the premiere and see when the hell Matthew Weiner's time machine is going to drop us off at.

In this case it seems about one year has passed. Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce has grown well beyond its hotel room offices and has expanded to an entire floor of an office building. As the episode opens we are treated to many of our favorite familiar faces and in Christina Hendricks case one of my favorite familiar everythings.

More quality TV just around the corner!

The first line of the episode, asked of Don during an interview, "Who is Don Draper?" remains as elusive an answer as it was two seasons ago. Don's own unwillingness to part with even the slightest hint leads to a disastrous interview costing SCDP a large client and earning the ire of his fellow partners.

It is clear that not all is well in the young company, and Don ever his own man is more determined than ever to let his nuts hang. The unofficial tally for the season premiere has Don at three women berated, and one set of clients tossed unceremoniously right out of the SCDP offices after rejecting his pitch.

Just as it looks like Don is ready to continue the same selfishly stubborn behavior we've seen since episode one, he does something quite un-Draper-ish. Finally forced to accept his role as star in the SDCP solar system, Don concedes to a second interview, this time with the prestigious Wall Street Journal .

After years of resisting Don appears ready to take his place as the "rock star" of Madison Avenue. While it's bound to be good for business, the repercussions of this exposure for a man living under an assumed identity remain to be seen. These questions aside, before we fade to black we witness old Don Draper, whiskey in hand making with the god damn sunshine. Apparently, when it comes down to it, selling yourself is as easy as selling Glo-coat.

Oh, and Don likes to get smacked around by hookers when he is banging them. Just thought that bore mentioning.

Poll: Who Is The Most Annoying Person On Television?

Television is rife with douchebags and now it is time for us to crown the King of The D-Bags. I am sure I missed plenty of worthy candidates so feel free to put your write-ins down in the comments section.





And don't forget, Mad Men returns this Sunday!

Guest Blogger Sonya Chudgar Reviews Spartacus: Blood And Sand

I’ll admit it, I had my doubts when a friend told me I needed to watch the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Really? I asked him. You’re talking to a girl who was underwhelmed by 300 and shrugged at Gladiator.

Luckily, my friend is pretty stubborn. He sat me down and we began a journey through the 13-episode first season.

Man, am I glad I listened to him.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand is, at its heart, a potent tale of a warrior trying to fight the Romans. He wants to find his captured wife as well as escape his own captivity. In order to do so, he must compete in the old gladiator arenas and play the rules of the Romans’ convoluted political game; meanwhile, however, Spartacus plots his revenge. The first couple of episodes depend too much on expository material, and the visual effects are unimpressive. But stick it out. By episode three, the story gears up – and the translation on screen is luminescent.

The key player is, of course, Spartacus, portrayed with a gritty exterior and raw emotional power by Andy Whitfield. (It’s a shame Whitfield was snubbed by the Emmys.) The Romans that control the gladiators provide a deliciously dramatic plot as well; John Hannah, Lucy Lawless, and Viva Bianca transcend their roles as aristocrats, creating characters more dynamic than television viewers are used to. Lucky for us.

What is wonderful about Spartacus is the mélange of drama, violence, and pure emotion. It is as if the best drama from The OC, Rescue Me, and 24 were rolled into one series and catapulted 2000 years into the past. We get the bitchy backstabbing, bureaucratic games and hero complex – but with an adult spin on it.

The show is absolutely daring in the characters it kills off. I even gasped aloud at the TV during certain episodes (and it takes a lot to surprise me). The relationships twist unexpectedly. And the final three episodes tie together threads you never realized were being sewn throughout the season – all culminating into one of the most satisfying season finales I’ve watched.

The infamous story of Spartacus is a complex one to tell, yet one also brimming with potential. Starz’s adaptation rises to the occasion, blending old-world swordplay with radical dramatics to create a sweeping, adrenaline-packed adventure.

It’s nice when risks pay off.

- Sonya Chudgar

Emmy Snub Poll Results

Once again I must tip the cap to my readers for their good taste in television. Sons of Anarchy walked away with this poll pretty easily and I have to say that I couldn't agree more, even if I did technically vote for Katey Sagal. Sons is possibly the best show on all of TV now that Lost has run its course. I've put off writing about Sons to this point simply because I'm not sure I can do the depth of this show justice, but I'll go ahead and tackle this in the next few weeks in honor of it's DVRy award.

Swing by tomorrow for review of Spartacus: Blood and Sand by Guest Blogger Sonya Chudgar.

Top Ten Ways To Improve Summer Television

It's no secret that summer television is a wasteland of re-runs and long shot television shows that didn't cut the mustard back in fall. Here is a top ten list of ways that summer television could be improved:

10. Just re-run The Wire 24/7 on a channel

9. Someone do SOMETHING about Guy Fieri

8. Air feed from security camera of local 7-11

7. Two words: American Gladiators

6. Would it kill MTV to go back to having a Beach House every summer? I know for a fact Bill Bellamy is 100% available right now.

5. What's wrong with summer television?! I love reality TV!

4. Girls Jumping On Trampolines

3. New reality show featuring Michael Vick being savaged by dogs on a weekly basis. (That is right, I will NEVER let that go.)

2. Cancel Jay Leno

And the number one way to improve summer televison...

1. Show us the fall shows already!

Biggest Emmy Snub Poll

I went on my tirade yesterday, now it is your turn to vote. And here is a completely non-TV related video that nearly made me pee my pants.

I Hate Awards Shows

Every time one of these awards shows is coming up I tell myself "I'm going to try and get into it this time, let me look at the nominee list." And that is right where my interest dies every time. It's like someone picks the nominees just to piss me off.

Jim Parsons for Best Comedy Actor? How about he gets an award for best reason to stop blogging about television. His character renders that show UNWATCHABLE. The Big Bang Theory has got to be the single biggest draw of Jay Leno fans this side of the Jay Leno show. That much unfunny in one place is a lodestone for these people.

Where is my nomination?

And now we come to Amy Poehler for Best Comedy Actress. Considering she is at best the third funniest person on her own show, this is probably sexist. If she wins does this mean that two men who are not even nominated are funnier than every woman on TV?

And are we REALLY giving out awards for Best Reality TV Show host? "Great job helping to ruin television fuckface. Here is an Emmy award for your efforts!" This is like the NFL handing out a trophy to Terrell Owens at the end of the season for fucking up the locker room of his newest team.

Who is the best actress on television right now? If you didn't say Katey Sagal you are probably wrong. Well guess who didn't even get nominated? In fact as far as I can tell Sons Of Anarchy, one of the best show on television, didn't get one single Emmy nomination period. (insert Will Ferrell yelling "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!!!")

I think the final straw for me is seeing The Office nominated for Best Comedy Show after easily its weakest season. Despite all my complaining about the wasted talent on Parks and Rec, The Office was still the FOURTH best comedy on NBC on Thursday nights. Where the fuck is Community or Always Sunny In Philadelphia on this list of nominees?

I guess I am unclear as to what the point of the Emmy Awards show. Judging by the list it rewards neither ratings nor quality. What then is it judging on?

The very idea of these shows is plain silly. You can't definitively prove which shows are better and who was a better actor. I'm sure tomorrow someone will be reading this and wiping drool off their chin and thinking "Hey! I like Big Bang Theory!"

The Chuck Check-In

Last month Chuck won a poll I hosted on here for my readers to choose my next show to watch. Well allow me to thank you kind readers for voting for such an awesome fucking show. I could not be more pleased with your choice, as evidenced by my four episode marathon last night. (Whenever I watch three episodes or more of a show in a row I instantly think back to season one of 24)

For anyone who has not seen it here is a brief synopsis. Chuck reads an encoded e-mail which essentially turns him into a super spy computer. As a result he has an NSA and a CIA agent assigned to guard him while his super brain helps thwart all sorts of threats to national security. I know this sounds flimsy, but trust me it's good. Take Purple Rain, if I gave you the plot would you ever guess it's the most amazing spectacle ever? Some things exceed their descriptions.

This show is the perfect show to sit down to and tune out. It's a collaboration between McG and Josh Schwartz, and it plays out exactly like you'd expect. The McG flash meshes perfectly with the Josh Schwartz charm and humor.

I could not be more impressed by Zachary Levi, he's entering the Seth Cohen realm here for me. It's hard to hate the male star when he's just so damn awkward and cute. Zachary has great comic timing as well, I would not be surprised to see him start popping up in some movie roles soon.

Kudos are also due to Australian beauty Yvonne Strahovski and Jayne from Firefly. (I know Adam Baldwin has been in everything, but god damn it he is Jayne in my book) Yvonne is absolutely striking, yet still manages to be convincing as the ass-kicking Sarah Walker. Meanwhile John Casey plays right into Baldwin's wheelhouse, cantankerous, sarcastic and irritable.

I'll check in with you guys and let you know how I'm feeling in a few weeks. I have no doubt I'll be done with season two by then.

Shhhh. I'm undercover.

Review: Childrens Hospital

Satire can be a dangerous tool. Bad satire can fall flatter than Amy Winehouse's ass. (Gotcha random celebrity who did nothing to me!) Thankfully no worry of that here though. Written by the brilliant Rob Corddry Childrens Hospital nails the Medical drama genre to the wall but hard. If I were to compare the flatness of the ass to which this show's satire should be compared I'm going Ice T's wife, Coco. (If you click that hotlink you will see a woman working out, in high heels. No joke.)

To my own detriment I never bothered to check out the Webisodes that www.thewb.com started airing in 2008. But after their success Cartoon Network decided to pick Childrens up for a full season on their Adult Swim. And it appears they will be showing the webisodes two at a time to make up episodes until they segue into Season Two on August 22.

The first thing I couldn't wrap my head around was the cast and the A-List cameos that came out for the premiere. As far as the Adult Swim website is concerned the cast consists of:

Rob Corddry - The genius behind this mess
Ron Huebel - Along with Corddry a Human Giant alum)
Lake Bell - Look over here -->
Ken Marino - ALWAYS funny.
The Fonz - Heeeeeeeyyyyy
Megan Mullally - One of the funniest woman on television, oh, and HOT
Erinn Hayes - Not familiar, but she was dynamite on this episode

Not bad right? Well how about we sneak Nick Offerman, Ed Helms, Nate Corddry, and Rob Riggle into the first 15 minute episode too. Childrens Hospital is so star-studded it's the Miami Heat of comedies! (Sorry Huebel, you have to be that douche bag Lebron)

As with most satire, the further you go the better. This show makes me feel like I should have been watching ER as a drinking game. In fact if I watch another episode of Hawthorne I am almost certain my head will explode. But one thing is for sure, I'm going to be watching this show every Sunday @ 10:30 PM on the Cartoon Network.

Did You Catch The Lebron James Special?

Love athletes referring to themselves in the third person...

Community Marathon Tonight

In honor of Community's six episode marathon tonight I thought I would stump for my favorite sitcom. If Community was a candy bar it would the Kit-Kat in my candy store. I don't even know what the means, but it works for me.

If you don't watch this show already I highly recommend tuning in tonight. It's not just funny, it's touching, charming and witty. I don't even really like the sitcom genre and I still fell in love with it.

The highest praise I can give a show is my The Wire Award. The Wire is one of the only shows in history that didn't produce a single weak episode. Joining those hallowed ranks I think I can only say the same about The Shield and now (so far) Community. Every episode to this date has managed to make me laugh my ass off.

It's rare that sitcoms bother to try and become more than a 30 minute excuse to turn your brain off. And who can blame them? The highest rated sitcom in America is Two And A Half Men. And the only way that changes is when we, the viewers, reward clever shows like 30 Rock and Community.

Tonight's marathon includes an episode named Modern Warfare at 9:00 PM. For my money that was the best 30 minutes of comedy since Seinfeld went off the air. Give it a whirl, I promise you'll thank me.

Party Down Vs Parks And Rec Poll Results

Well, even DJ Roomba could not save Parks And Rec. Further evidence that you guys have good taste. Your reward:



Call an ambalamps!

Party Down Vs Parks And Rec

Party Down finished it's lame duck season and limped into oblivion much as we expected after Parks and Rec stole it's star, Adam Scott, several months ago. It's possible I am in the minority here but I find Party Down to be far superior to Parks and Rec and this really pissed me off. What do you think?