This Wednesday Famke Janssen returns to the FX show Nip/Tuck as Ava Moore, the season two nemesis highly regarded by most fans as the best villain to appear on the show. Since Nip/Tuck has only two episodes left before it ends the writers are hoping that by bringing the infamous character back the show will go out on a bang. They need all the help they can get, as this show is suffering in a bad way.
This once great show has been going down in quality since the third season. When fans look back longingly at the third season, after they once complained that it was terrible, you know the show is in bad shape. At this point it’s just a shell of it’s former depraved self. I’ll even admit that I’m only watching the remaining episodes because the show is ending and I’ve stuck with the show for so long I should see it to the end. Obviously bringing Ava back is a last ditch effort to recapture its former glory. However, my fear is that this move will backfire and instead tarnish the memory of this deliciously vile character. Which is understandable since the last time they brought back a previous villain his former memory become tarnished. I’m talking about when they brought back season one villain Escobar.
During the first season Sean and Christian encountered Escobar, a sinisterly charismatic drug dealer who confronted the doctors when they performed surgery on one of his associates. After the associate died on the operating table Sean and Christian were forced to dump the body in the Florida everglades. Later in the season Escabar used the incident to force the doctors to remove heroin filled breast implants from desperate women. After several tense surgeries, one of which led to anesthesiologist Liz being shot in the leg, Escobar offered to leave the two alone in exchange for changing his face so he could leave the country and get off the top 10 most wanted list. The plan backfired as instead they altered his face so he looked like another man on the most wanted list and he was arrested at the airport.
While he made a few appearances as a representation of Sean’s darker impulses the character didn’t physically reappear until the middle of the fourth season. He convinced the doctors to change his appearance back or he would reveal what they did. They performed the surgery and he was able to escape while recovering. If his story line had ended here it would have been fine. But instead it was later revealed that he was the ring leader in the organ harvesting plot of the fourth season.
This reveal made little sense. Not only was the character in prison while this was going on, but he looked like a different person. To me it’s a hard sell that he was able to convince his workers that he was really Escabar and run his operation behind bars. Furthermore this reveal seemed to only be created in order to lead to the character being shot and killed in the finale of that season. They should have just left his story line alone instead of bringing him back and ruining it.
The treatment of Escabar makes me very uneasy on Ava Moore’s return. In my opinion she is the best villain to have appeared on the show, even more so then Escabar and The Carver. She brilliantly manipulated everyone in her wake and led to several memorable plot turns, such as entering into a relationship with Matt and then revealing to him that Christian was his biological father. Like many intriguing villains you root for her even when she destroys the lives of the heroes. It would be terrible if her return destroys the integrity and perception of her character.
The only thing to do now is wait for Wednesday’s episode and hope the writers don’t mess it up.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Return of the Deadpan Queen
Daria, the clever spin off of Beavis and Butt-head, is finally coming to DVD. I have just learned that MTV will begin releasing this hilariously deadpan series on May 11th.
So far conformation of a release date is all that is known. Other pressing questions are unavalible at this time, such as if the entire first season will be released on May 11th or just part of the season. Or if the episodes will contain the original broadcast music or generic filler tracks.
Daria aired on MTV from 1997 to 2002, containing five seasons and two TV movies. While both of the movies were released on DVD only a handful of episodes have been released on VHS. But now it seems the series will finally be avalible for repeated viewing.
Hopefully sales are strong enough for the rest of the series to be released. Otherwise the show could suffer the same fate as Gargoyles and only have part of the series released. Which in my opinion would be worse then having no episodes released at all. At least then there was hope of someday having the entire series avalible.
So far conformation of a release date is all that is known. Other pressing questions are unavalible at this time, such as if the entire first season will be released on May 11th or just part of the season. Or if the episodes will contain the original broadcast music or generic filler tracks.
Daria aired on MTV from 1997 to 2002, containing five seasons and two TV movies. While both of the movies were released on DVD only a handful of episodes have been released on VHS. But now it seems the series will finally be avalible for repeated viewing.
Hopefully sales are strong enough for the rest of the series to be released. Otherwise the show could suffer the same fate as Gargoyles and only have part of the series released. Which in my opinion would be worse then having no episodes released at all. At least then there was hope of someday having the entire series avalible.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Not Enough Bang For The Bucks They Spend
Like many people I spend yesterday at a Super Bowl party watching the Super Bowl. Though as indicated by my last posting I was more interested in the commercials then the game itself. This makes it even more disheartening to report that this year’s crop of Super Bowl commercials were no where near as funny or as memorable as they have been in previous years.
A great or beloved Super Bowl commercial is always debatable. In talking to a few people at the party the famous Mean Joe coca-cola ad was brought up, with a number of people remarking on how they didn’t think it was as good as people make it out to be. And my personal favorite Super Bowl commercial (A FedEx ad that parodies Cast Away) is probably not well remembered. But in my opinion only a few of this years offerings were good, and only one will be remembered in years to come.
Rather then list my response to every single commercial (which would become very tedious very quickly) I have decided to voice my opinion on a few. They have been divided into four categories: what was good, what was bad, what was simply so-so and what was memorable.
The Good:
Monster.com, beavers: While not particularly effective in advertising its product (the commercial seemed to say that using monster.com will lead to success through luck rather then finding a job), you can’t go wrong with a beaver playing a fiddle.
Bud Light, Survivor: Airing less then a week after Lost’s season premier, this silly commercial proved that survival is less important then fun.
Bud Light, Two Ladies: “I’d like to hear you read some words.” Saying anything else would just ruin it.
Flo TV, My Generation: An impressive collection of good and bad memorable moments set to an amazing song.
Snickers, Betty White: For some reason it’s always funny to see a beloved actress being tackled and berated.
The So-So:
Focus on Family, Tebow and Mom: A woman talks about how special her son is and how she almost lost him when suddenly she’s tackled by quarterback Tim Tebow, revealing the woman to be his mom. This pro life ad was so vague I had to go on-line to find out what it was suppose to be advertising. It also loses points for airing right after the Snicker, Betty White commercial. Don’t air two commercials with exact same elements (in this case woman getting hurt) back to back. Have a little wiggle room.
Cars.com, Growing Up (2010): A young genius who grew up performing amazing acts is nervous about buying a new car. It would have been clever and memorable, if the exact same commercial hadn’t aired during last year’s game.
Teleflora.com, Rude Flowers: While it’s gratifying to see rude people gets their comeuppance this ad just didn’t do it for me.
Bridgestone, Bachelor Party: This ad might have been a little better if it had been a parody of The Hangover or Free Willy instead of a combination of the two.
The Bad:
GoDaddy.com, both ads: You know a commercial is bad when even the prospect of soft-core porn doesn’t make a person want to use a product.
Coke, Simpsons Moving: This one might have simply been so-so if not for defacing such beloved icons. With only two characters speaking (one not even a Simpsons regular) and the message that cola can make up for final ruin this ad was a major stinker.
Doritos, Play Nice: While seeing a grown man slapped by a little kid is funny to some I found it to be disturbing. Also, was the woman meant to be the kid’s mom or sister? Meaning if that question has to be asked then they definably cast someone who looks to young for the part.
Dockers, Wear No Pants: Overweight men in tighty whities marching through a field is not something I want to see while I’m snacking.
Select 55, Lightest Beer in World: Where’s the fun in a Super Bowl commercial if it looks as ordinary as a regular one?
Anheuser Busch, Clydesdale Friend: This bland and overly cute spot would have been simply so-so if not for the hilarious Anheuser Busch commercials the Super Bowl has given us in the last few years.
Vizio, Beyonce: The whole time during this commercial all I was reminded of was big brother telling us what we should find entertaining.
Dennys, all three ads: Those freaked out chickens were just creepy, and not in a cool pleasing way.
The Memorable:
Late Show, Leno, Oprah & Letterman: Of all the ads that aired this is the only one that will probably be talked about in years to come. Poking fun at their famous feud the ad has both hosts brought together by Oprah to watch the Super Bowl. But it’s clear neither want to be there, with the two late night hosts barely tolerating each other. Topical and at the same time somewhat timeless.
A great or beloved Super Bowl commercial is always debatable. In talking to a few people at the party the famous Mean Joe coca-cola ad was brought up, with a number of people remarking on how they didn’t think it was as good as people make it out to be. And my personal favorite Super Bowl commercial (A FedEx ad that parodies Cast Away) is probably not well remembered. But in my opinion only a few of this years offerings were good, and only one will be remembered in years to come.
Rather then list my response to every single commercial (which would become very tedious very quickly) I have decided to voice my opinion on a few. They have been divided into four categories: what was good, what was bad, what was simply so-so and what was memorable.
The Good:
Monster.com, beavers: While not particularly effective in advertising its product (the commercial seemed to say that using monster.com will lead to success through luck rather then finding a job), you can’t go wrong with a beaver playing a fiddle.
Bud Light, Survivor: Airing less then a week after Lost’s season premier, this silly commercial proved that survival is less important then fun.
Bud Light, Two Ladies: “I’d like to hear you read some words.” Saying anything else would just ruin it.
Flo TV, My Generation: An impressive collection of good and bad memorable moments set to an amazing song.
Snickers, Betty White: For some reason it’s always funny to see a beloved actress being tackled and berated.
The So-So:
Focus on Family, Tebow and Mom: A woman talks about how special her son is and how she almost lost him when suddenly she’s tackled by quarterback Tim Tebow, revealing the woman to be his mom. This pro life ad was so vague I had to go on-line to find out what it was suppose to be advertising. It also loses points for airing right after the Snicker, Betty White commercial. Don’t air two commercials with exact same elements (in this case woman getting hurt) back to back. Have a little wiggle room.
Cars.com, Growing Up (2010): A young genius who grew up performing amazing acts is nervous about buying a new car. It would have been clever and memorable, if the exact same commercial hadn’t aired during last year’s game.
Teleflora.com, Rude Flowers: While it’s gratifying to see rude people gets their comeuppance this ad just didn’t do it for me.
Bridgestone, Bachelor Party: This ad might have been a little better if it had been a parody of The Hangover or Free Willy instead of a combination of the two.
The Bad:
GoDaddy.com, both ads: You know a commercial is bad when even the prospect of soft-core porn doesn’t make a person want to use a product.
Coke, Simpsons Moving: This one might have simply been so-so if not for defacing such beloved icons. With only two characters speaking (one not even a Simpsons regular) and the message that cola can make up for final ruin this ad was a major stinker.
Doritos, Play Nice: While seeing a grown man slapped by a little kid is funny to some I found it to be disturbing. Also, was the woman meant to be the kid’s mom or sister? Meaning if that question has to be asked then they definably cast someone who looks to young for the part.
Dockers, Wear No Pants: Overweight men in tighty whities marching through a field is not something I want to see while I’m snacking.
Select 55, Lightest Beer in World: Where’s the fun in a Super Bowl commercial if it looks as ordinary as a regular one?
Anheuser Busch, Clydesdale Friend: This bland and overly cute spot would have been simply so-so if not for the hilarious Anheuser Busch commercials the Super Bowl has given us in the last few years.
Vizio, Beyonce: The whole time during this commercial all I was reminded of was big brother telling us what we should find entertaining.
Dennys, all three ads: Those freaked out chickens were just creepy, and not in a cool pleasing way.
The Memorable:
Late Show, Leno, Oprah & Letterman: Of all the ads that aired this is the only one that will probably be talked about in years to come. Poking fun at their famous feud the ad has both hosts brought together by Oprah to watch the Super Bowl. But it’s clear neither want to be there, with the two late night hosts barely tolerating each other. Topical and at the same time somewhat timeless.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Why Even a Unfan of Football can Love the Super Bowl
Growing up I was never into sports, despite my father’s efforts. While he himself was never a sports fanatic he did try to instill an appreciation for physical games. He played catch with me and would take me to professional football and baseball games. His efforts unfortunately ended up in vain as even those simple gestures didn’t interest me. I was more interested in the arts and visual media then in watching professional athletes compete for glory. However, once a year a paradox always ends up taking effect. And that is that in spite of my indifference for sports I love the Super Bowl.
Whenever people hear that they ask me how can I love the Super Bowl if I don’t care for sports? I always have my answer ready, and it’s not jumping on the bandwagon. I love everything about the Super Bowl except the game. To me the day is a joyous spectacle with many things about it to enjoy. So here is a list of all the things that make Super Bowl Sunday immensely enjoyable, even if one doesn’t care about football.
1. The Atmosphere: Although Super Bowl Sunday isn’t a national holiday it sure feels like it. Such a big deal is made about that one game that there seems to be a feeling of energy in the air. Seeing so many people excited about the upcoming day’s events can make anyone feel just a little bit giddy.
2. The Parties: Even if you don’t like the game everyone likes a party. And odds are someone you know will be throwing a Super Bowl party. I say go to one and enjoy yourself. Or throw one yourself. It’s a great excuse to get friends together and have a good time.
3. The Food: With the exception of Thanksgiving people eat more food on the Super Bowl then any other day. I say indulge and enjoy yourself. Some well loved staples include chips and dip, salsa, chili, and baked ziti. Though no party would be complete without the big hero sandwich, which always seems to have a little bit left over no matter how many people eat it. Just make sure you don’t wait until the last minute to order one.
4. The Commercials: The Super Bowl is the one event where people actually want to watch the commercials. Advertisers pull out all the stops in order to have people remember what they are selling. This has led to many memorable commercials which are talked about for years after they originally aired. A few personal favorites of mine are a McDonalds spot in which a tyrannosaurs rex skeleton turns into a playful puppy at the site of French fries, a parody of the movie Cast Away in which the unopened FedEx package is revealed to be everything one would need to survive on a deserted island, a Budweiser spot in which a hopeful Clydesdale trains like Rocky in order to make the team, and a advertisement for Doritos in which a magic snow globe can grant wishes if you throw it at the right item.
5. The Alternative Programming: It would seem the fact that not everyone cares about the big game is catching on, because in the last few years other channels have been offering up other programs to watch on Super Bowl Sunday. While many are aired during the halftime show other channels have offered people something to watch during the game itself, such as many cable stations showing all day marathons of favorite shows. Though the biggest counterprogramming can be seen on Animal Planet with The Puppy Bowl, a simple program that has adorable puppies playing in a football themed pen. But be warned, if you’re at a Super Bowl party do not suggest switching over to another channel. You could lose a limb or two that way.
6. The Post Game Show: Since so many people watch the super bowl networks cleverly air special programs after the game in order to maximize how many people view it. Networks have premiered shows after the game (Family Guy, Survivor All Stars) or simply showed special episodes of already established shows (Friends, The Office). This year the show after the Super Bowl is Undercover Boss, a new reality show in which CEOs secretly work remedial jobs within their own company.
So there you have it: six reasons to enjoy the Super Bowl even if you don’t care about the game. I hope this guide is helpful in having you enjoy this unofficial national holiday. Good luck and enjoy yourself.
Whenever people hear that they ask me how can I love the Super Bowl if I don’t care for sports? I always have my answer ready, and it’s not jumping on the bandwagon. I love everything about the Super Bowl except the game. To me the day is a joyous spectacle with many things about it to enjoy. So here is a list of all the things that make Super Bowl Sunday immensely enjoyable, even if one doesn’t care about football.
1. The Atmosphere: Although Super Bowl Sunday isn’t a national holiday it sure feels like it. Such a big deal is made about that one game that there seems to be a feeling of energy in the air. Seeing so many people excited about the upcoming day’s events can make anyone feel just a little bit giddy.
2. The Parties: Even if you don’t like the game everyone likes a party. And odds are someone you know will be throwing a Super Bowl party. I say go to one and enjoy yourself. Or throw one yourself. It’s a great excuse to get friends together and have a good time.
3. The Food: With the exception of Thanksgiving people eat more food on the Super Bowl then any other day. I say indulge and enjoy yourself. Some well loved staples include chips and dip, salsa, chili, and baked ziti. Though no party would be complete without the big hero sandwich, which always seems to have a little bit left over no matter how many people eat it. Just make sure you don’t wait until the last minute to order one.
4. The Commercials: The Super Bowl is the one event where people actually want to watch the commercials. Advertisers pull out all the stops in order to have people remember what they are selling. This has led to many memorable commercials which are talked about for years after they originally aired. A few personal favorites of mine are a McDonalds spot in which a tyrannosaurs rex skeleton turns into a playful puppy at the site of French fries, a parody of the movie Cast Away in which the unopened FedEx package is revealed to be everything one would need to survive on a deserted island, a Budweiser spot in which a hopeful Clydesdale trains like Rocky in order to make the team, and a advertisement for Doritos in which a magic snow globe can grant wishes if you throw it at the right item.
5. The Alternative Programming: It would seem the fact that not everyone cares about the big game is catching on, because in the last few years other channels have been offering up other programs to watch on Super Bowl Sunday. While many are aired during the halftime show other channels have offered people something to watch during the game itself, such as many cable stations showing all day marathons of favorite shows. Though the biggest counterprogramming can be seen on Animal Planet with The Puppy Bowl, a simple program that has adorable puppies playing in a football themed pen. But be warned, if you’re at a Super Bowl party do not suggest switching over to another channel. You could lose a limb or two that way.
6. The Post Game Show: Since so many people watch the super bowl networks cleverly air special programs after the game in order to maximize how many people view it. Networks have premiered shows after the game (Family Guy, Survivor All Stars) or simply showed special episodes of already established shows (Friends, The Office). This year the show after the Super Bowl is Undercover Boss, a new reality show in which CEOs secretly work remedial jobs within their own company.
So there you have it: six reasons to enjoy the Super Bowl even if you don’t care about the game. I hope this guide is helpful in having you enjoy this unofficial national holiday. Good luck and enjoy yourself.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Now Even Lost Followers Are Lost
When watching Tuesday’s season premiere of the sixth and final season of Lost, the phrase that best comes to mind is “What the hell is going on?” Whenever I recommend this show to people I always insist they go back and start watching it from the beginning, because there’s simply no way one can understand what is going on if they try watching it randomly from the middle. But now even long time Lost lovers will have a hard time figuring out what is going on.
The premier started right where we left off last season, with a “previously on Lost” flashback of Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) detonating the hydrogen bomb in 1977 in an attempt to stop Oceanic Flight 815 from ever crashing onto the island. A flash of white light occurs and suddenly we’re back at the faithful 2004 Oceanic flight. Things appear more or less the same, with Jack (Matthew Fox) talking to Rose (L Scott Caldwell) while she waits for her husband to return from the bathroom. There are deliberate differences however. This time Rose is comforting a nervous Jack and Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) is now a passenger. The cold open ends with the camera pulling downward into the ocean, where after an impressive underwater zoom we see the island under water. Which begs the question: what exactly are we seeing?
Things become even more complicated after the commercial break. Again we see Juliet detonate the bomb, but now Jack and everyone else who was transported into the 1970s wake up back on the island in 2007. And since Jacob (Mark Pellegrino) later confronts Hurley (Jorge Garcia) and tells him he’s been killed it’s safe to assume this group is in the same 2007 we witnessed last season.
My two best guesses as to what we are seeing are these. Either the 2004 scenario is an extreme flashfoward/rewind in which the events of the final season will lead to. Or the bomb detonation created an alternate reality in which we see how things would have unfolded if the energy from the hatch had never been released. While I’m sure I can go on-line and read a spoiler as to what happened, I would rather take the more patient route and naturally see what unfolds on screen.
My guess is Vincent the dog is the one behind it all.
The premier started right where we left off last season, with a “previously on Lost” flashback of Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) detonating the hydrogen bomb in 1977 in an attempt to stop Oceanic Flight 815 from ever crashing onto the island. A flash of white light occurs and suddenly we’re back at the faithful 2004 Oceanic flight. Things appear more or less the same, with Jack (Matthew Fox) talking to Rose (L Scott Caldwell) while she waits for her husband to return from the bathroom. There are deliberate differences however. This time Rose is comforting a nervous Jack and Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) is now a passenger. The cold open ends with the camera pulling downward into the ocean, where after an impressive underwater zoom we see the island under water. Which begs the question: what exactly are we seeing?
Things become even more complicated after the commercial break. Again we see Juliet detonate the bomb, but now Jack and everyone else who was transported into the 1970s wake up back on the island in 2007. And since Jacob (Mark Pellegrino) later confronts Hurley (Jorge Garcia) and tells him he’s been killed it’s safe to assume this group is in the same 2007 we witnessed last season.
My two best guesses as to what we are seeing are these. Either the 2004 scenario is an extreme flashfoward/rewind in which the events of the final season will lead to. Or the bomb detonation created an alternate reality in which we see how things would have unfolded if the energy from the hatch had never been released. While I’m sure I can go on-line and read a spoiler as to what happened, I would rather take the more patient route and naturally see what unfolds on screen.
My guess is Vincent the dog is the one behind it all.
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