This show is pure summer - easy on the eyes, easy on the brain. It's clever writing - not Chekov by any means, but it's a grown up USA Network show that you will enjoy if you give it a chance. Plus, it's about a spy, and spy shows rock.
Details on the show after the jump.
Jeffrey Donovan stars as Michael Westen, a spy who's been "burned" (blacklisted) and ends up moving back home to Miami to find out why. Of course, he puts his MacGyver like skills to good use along the way. And while he is charming in the role, one of the best reasons to watch this show is the rest of the cast.
Ex girlfriend Fiona (played by Gabrielle Anwar) is a hottie ex-IRA gal (who only had an accent in the pilot - ha!) who loves to kicks ass. She's also slightly batshit crazy. Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead), whom I love, plays the drunken washed up fiasco of a contact who is a friend of Michael's, but simultaneously keeping an eye on him for the government, and his Mom is played by the never subtle but always cool Sharon Gless. This season we also get Tricia Helfer, the hottest of all Cylons, as a woman who might know exactly why Michael was burned in the first place.
Each episode features narration about the spy trade by Michael as he deals with baddies and the baggage of his relationships. Things go boom, pretty people wear pretty clothes, and there's a good laugh at least once an episode. What else can you ask for in a summer show?
Also, Jeffrey Donovan is yummy.
Burn Notice
USA Network
New episodes start July 10th 10/9C (Thursdays all summer)
First Season is being re-run now, or you can go online to catch up
Monday, June 30, 2008
Summer Shows: Burn Notice
Saturday, June 28, 2008
John Kerry and His Windsurfing Can Bite Me
Sci Fi Davids!
Maybe this will get Monkey See, Monkey Doo Doo to watch Battlestar Galactica.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Guantanamo Bay...Watch
My friend, Erica, had been asking me if I had seen Gitmo. I had not and I was clearly missing out. This is Gitmo. It's is Jon Stewart as Elmo as a, uh, an imprisoned Guantamo Bay resident. It's rad. Happy Friday.
Olympic Moments: Derek Redmond
Okay, it's time to bawl. And not just a little glaze over the eyes, I'm talking first season of Extreme-Makeover-Home-Edition-what-is-wrong-with-me cascade of tears.
Here's the setup, Sophia Petrillo style: Picture it - Barcelona, 1992. After posting the best time in the quarter final of the 400 meter race, Redmond looked poised to easily make the finals and take gold for the UK. But in the semi, his hamstring popped. Popped.
As the medical crew rushed over, he decided to finish his race. That would be enough to make me cry, I'm easy. But it's what happened next that turns this into a primo example of an Olympic Moment.
Bonus Moment: Redmond referring to himself as a "prat". We Americans need to use that word more often.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
My Secret Handy Boyfriend: Mike Rowe
I adore him for several reasons... let me list just some. His yummy smooth voice. His obvious respect for those with very dirty occupations. The fact that very often, he looks like he hates his life (usually while shoveling poo). The fact that Gleek and I once spent an hour trying to analyze his home furnishings in an effort to figure out if he's married. Closet screamed single! *Note: we weren't at his apartment, they filmed there. We only stalk with legal footage. I crush on him because one of his crew guys, Barksey, calls him Forehead The Mighty. I slobber over him because it seems like he'd be very handy in cases of extreme danger (In Emergency, Open Mike Rowe). I wanna pet him because he acts like the type of guy who would accidentally light the garage on fire and then later sheepishly admit he had been building a jet pack with instructions from the Internet.
Oh - and the show's great too. See bloopers and Forehead The Mighty below!!!
Dirty Jobs
Season Premier July 29th
Discovery Channel - Check local listings
Jorja Fox's Movie Career Apparently Not Taking Off As Quickly As She Hoped
Jorja Fox will be back on CSI very early in the upcoming season. When last we saw her, Sarah Sidle was slinking out of Vegas in search of inner peace and a less psycho filled workplace. In an interview with TV Guide, Fox states that the episode involves an old friend with a dead wife.
While we've seen Sarah (presumably) on the phone will Gil Grissom during her absence, the status of their relationship is (presumably) off. Unless they've been having phone sex. Which I'd imagine would be awkward with Grissom. He's a stickler for proper grammar. While I never bought the relationship (Grissom dating a subordinate? Really?!), I'm actually excited to see Fox back to the show.
Sarah rolls back into town in either the 2nd or 3rd episode of 9th (9th!) season of CSI, called "My Happy Place".
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Teenagers Are As Stupid As You Would Think
The Baby Borrowers
NBC
8pm
Embed Great Saturday Night Live Videos!
Embed Great Saturday Night Live Videos! Give Me More, Monkey!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
It's Tuesday...
...which means it's new release day. This week, I'm going with G. Love & Special Sauce's Superhero Brother. With songs such as "Communication," "Peace, Love, & Happiness," and "Who's Got the Weed," I'm definitely impressed with what I've heard from their eighth album so far.
Great Olympics Moments: Of course, we start with THE VAULT
So I am an Olympic Junkie. Seriously, I should most likely talk to a professional about my obession with all things Olympic. So occasionally, I go to youtube and relive Perfect Olympic Moments... the kind that still give me goosebumps, because I am an Olympic nerd. I'll start posting these as we head toward Bejing on August 8th.
Here is the most famous moment of '96. Remember, the only reason that Kerri was in the position of having to get a high score in the vault is because Dominique Moceanu had just sat on two landings a moment before - which no one had expected. Sometimes, the best part of the Olympics is the the unlikely hero. Bonus: The infamous "You can doooo it!"
George Carlin Specials on HBO
HBO is doing exactly what many fans were hoping and rerunning all of George Carlin's specials this week.
The newest one, 2008's George Carlin: It’s Bad for Ya will be on the regular HBO Friday, June 27 at 9:00 p.m.
But the rest are going to be on HBO2 as follows:
Wednesday, June 25
8:00 p.m. George Carlin at USC (1977)
9:30 p.m. George Carlin Again! (1978)
11:00 p.m. Carlin at Carnegie (1983)
midnight Carlin on Campus (1984)
1:00 a.m. Playin’ with Your Head (1986)
Thursday, June 26
8:00 p.m. What Am I Doing in New Jersey? (1988)
9:00 p.m. Doin’ It Again (1990)
10:00 p.m. Jammin’ in New York (1992)
11:00 p.m. Back in Town (1996)
12:05 a.m. You Are All Diseased (1999)
1:00 a.m. It’s Bad for Ya (2008)
This is an awesome chance to rewatch some of your favorite moments and relearn the long legacy of Carlin's work.
"Hello, Michael"
Mr. Feeny, ala William Daniels, ala KITT has a purr that is not only instantly recognizable, but also for sale.
The Mio Knight Rider GPS will retail for $299, and the first thing you will hear is the famous "Hello, Michael. Where do you want to go today?"
If you combine it with the music from Knight Rider and a pair of sunglasses, it's the start of an excellent roadtrip.
For a Good Cause ... My Boner
CLICK HERE to see amazing photos of the event.
Let's just say: there are a couple of tea cups I'd like to take a drink from. Mm hm.
Monday, June 23, 2008
You Should Be Watching ...
IN PLAIN SIGHT !!!!!!!!
Mary McCormack is fabulous in the show but the first few episodes are not great. Start with Episode Four (Trojan Horst); it is a solid episode and a promise of what the show will turn in to. All of the episodes are on Hulu but I URGE you to start with 1.4.
Seriously, I have such a crush on Mary. I think I might be turning straight.
HULU
Of Monkeys and Music
I've decided to try to kick off every week with a playlist of good music that you should be listening to. This weekly playlist may very well turn into a monthly playlist, but we'll see how it goes. Forgive the overall cheese-factor, but I thought my inaugural list should, of course, be Monkey inspired. So, here's my Get a Monkey playlist...I hope you enjoy it.
Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me & My Monkey – the Beatles...my personal favorite
Brass Monkey – Beastie Boys...a classic
Monkey Knife Fight – Stupid Dummy Head...my brother used to play drums in this band
I’m a Believer – the Monkees...at least I didn't pick the theme song
Monkey Man – Amy Winehouse...cause she's such a mess
Monkey Wrench – Foo Fighters...hey, it's got Monkey in the title
Dr. Zaius, Dr. Zaius – the Simpsons...why I picked my Monkey name
Monkey to Man – Elvis Costello...cause we might be Monkeys, but Elvis is the man
Code Monkey – Jonathan Coulton...found this on iTunes, it's kinda funny
Monkey – Bush...mmm, Gavin Rossdale
Fluorescent Adolescent – Arctic Monkeys...more bands with monkey names
Monkey vs. Robot – James Kochalka Superstar...from Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted Animation Fest
Shock the Monkey – Peter Gabriel...for the masochistic monkey
Proudest Monkey – Dave Matthews Band...no, I'm the proudest monkey
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Daytime Emmy Awards = Comedy Gold
Um, does anybody watch the Daytime Awards? Well, ya should. They are hilarious. People are drunk, in hideous dresses, and are reading from the teleprompter like a twelve year-old retard in an Advanced Public Speaking class. The awards show is so badly written and poorly directed it is AMAZING. Now I love daytime TV (some of the people I respect most work in it) BUT this award show is a train wreck. It is every awards show stereotype ratcheted up by a hundred percent.
Check out some CLIPS after the JUMP
Friday, June 20, 2008
When Innovations Bite You in the A**
So I would feel a little remiss if I didn't post something about the new iPhone - due out July 11. I would've mentioned something earlier, but I was busy busying a BlackBerry instead. I've had several friends who bought last year's version & are flat-out pissed that Steve Jobs has pulled a big upgrade & a huge price reduction just a year after the initial drop. Here's a link to Jobs' response.
The Love Doodoo
The Love Guru comes out today and it is, OF COURSE, getting horrendous reviews. This movie looks so unfunny it will probably be asked to host the Correspondence Dinner for the President. ZING! That's what we call political humor, people!!!!
Here is my favorite line from the NY Times review:
“The Love Guru is downright antifunny, an experience that makes you wonder if you will ever laugh again."
NY Times Review
Nation Shocked: Chris Matthews is a Douche
According to the NY Post, Chris Matthews may have been gunning for the gig at Meet the Press while at Tim Russert's funeral.
Even I don't buy that, and I think Matthews is a blowhard sexist terrible journalist.
However, I do buy this: a source told the Post that no host of a MSNBC show has a shot at the coveted job, saying:
"They're cable. They're far too partisan. They have no gravitas. If gravitas is eight letters, they're about seven letters short."
Thursday, June 19, 2008
New Show: Matthew Perry in The End of Steve
Yay! Matt Perry is back. I thought he was fantastic on Studio 60, and it looks like this new show is going to also give him a mix of comedy and drama.
Also, his character's first word on the show is "cunt."
Details on why after the jump.
Created by Peter Tolan (Rescue Me) and Matthew Perry (They will share executive producer credit and both wrote the pilot together), Perry plays an afternoon talk show host that is charming on camera and a douche in real life. He also is chasing the morning show host.
The show has not yet found a network, but I'm going to go out on a limb and assume either HBO or Showtime. I'll keep you posted on details as they're announced.
Reunited & It Feels So Good
Here are my thoughts on the Top Chef Reunion:
1.) Doesn't Stephanie look like the girl who got 3rd in Prose at every speech tournament you ever went to?
2.) Bromance? Yeah, that is called GAY. You can dress it up however you like. Plus, being chefs doesn't help in the questioning of your sexuality, boys.
3.) What the hell was that little lecture by Tom Colicchio about them cleaning up their mouths? I swear, my dad gave me the same lecture when I was FIFTEEN! Oh, yeah, and he was my DAD! Ya ain't always gotta be judgin', Cue Ball.
4.) Gale Simmons needed to change her panties after looking into Andrew's crazy eyes.
5.) BEST T-SHIRT EVER!!!!!!!!!
Buy T-Shirt
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
I Love Scotch....and Ron Burgundy...and NINJAS!
This has very little to do with politics, but they do talk about the election for a few seconds so let's go with it. It's Will Ferrell doing Ron Burgundy and interviewing Tom Brokaw. It is both hilarious and awesome. Have fun.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
And I'd Like To Thank My Drama Teacher...
High School Tony Awards Honor Nation's Biggest Drama Club Nerds
This is comedy gold from the Onion News Network. Best category: Most sexual tension in a pre-show massage circle.
The Bigger Chill: William Hurt to join Damages
William Hurt, master of speaking grimly while barely moving his lips, will be joining the cast of Damages for its second season. He plays a client of Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) that may have been romantically involved with her. This is Hurt's first regular character on television.
This is good news for the show, which I thought was interesting but uneven in the first season. The bad news? One of the biggest reasons for the uneven first season is also back: Rose Byrne. She just doesn't have the chops, and never is that more obvious that when she's in the same scene as Glenn Close.
Damages begins its second season with a 13 episode run... sometime? No official word from FX on the start date.
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Tony Awards
In The Heights and August: Osage County were the big winners tonight at the Tony Awards. And although that wasn't a surprise, they deserved their wins. Breakdown, results, and some of the best moments after the jump.
In The Heights won four, the most for musicals. Best Musical, Score, Orchestrations, and Choreography. Go see this show. It's fabulous. And it won the awards it should have. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a Broadway phenom and was adorably happy. This show is traditional in its values and yet feels completely new. The dancing, the hip hop, the spanish music all blend in the Broadway sound.
Also deserving - Passing Strange for Best Book (Author). Stew, the writer and star of the show was exactly how he is on stage - irreverent and amused by the whole thing. This was the perfect award for them, the music is original and amazing. Another show you should come to New York to see immediately. Brilliant. It's impossible to know how good this show is from the performance, but trust me.
August: Osage County did exactly what it should have done, winning Best Play, Scenic Design, Featured Actress (Rondi Reed), Actress (Deanna Dunagan), and Director.
South Pacific won for Best Musical Revival, and Boeing-Boeing for best play revival (it's British farce, and two hours of fast paced hysteria. Awesome)
Best Actress in a Musical: Patti LuPone. Duh.
Whoopi was good as the host, genuinely delighted to remind the audience that she has a Tony Award (many of the presenters also reminded the audience... I think they wanted to make sure the audience knew they weren't just slumming from Hollywood) Whoopi also dressed up as various plays, which really only worked in her entrance half way through as Mary Poppins. For some reason, the flying harness is always a laugh. What didn't work was the Christian Sirano dress, which she had to clutch when she apparently didn't have enough time to change. I give her a B+. Nowhere near as good as Hugh Jackman, but certainly better than the "no host" fiasco they've had for the last two years.
Touching moments:
Laura Benanti, winning Featured Actress in a Musical for Gypsy was trying to keep it together, and was adorably a mess thanking Authur Laurents for standing up to applaud her (he's 90).
Deanna Dunagan saying saying how happy she was to be accepted by Broadway, having done thirty four years of regional theater in Chicago before coming to New York with August: Osage County. She mentioned that until tonight, she had only ever watched the show on television.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, picking up the Tony for Best Score, rapped his speech, which came out a lot better than it sounds on paper. In the rap, he gave a shout out to Sondeim (one of his idols) when he referenced the "making a hat where there never was a hat and it's a Latin hat at that." He also waved his Puerto Rican flag, which he had in his pocket.
Anna D. Shapiro winning for best Director of Play was visibly moved, and thanked her parents for not belittling her choice of career... and her nieces and nephews for not being impressed beyond her ability to get them into Little Mermaid.
Patti LuPone being the diva she deserved to be, accepting her Best Actress by announcing that she only gets the Tony every 30 years (28 to be exact) and shouting her speech, including yelling at the conductor for starting the music. Seriously, she Patti fucking LuPone - respect!
Funny moments:
Tracy Letts, the author of August: Osage County mentioning the pain of once having to audition for 'JAG'. He also made a great comment about how wonderful it was for a play to be recognized that was comprised of theater actors (as opposed to Hollywood stars).
Mary Louise Parker referring to Macbeth as "A Scottish Play" when announcing the nominees for Best Actor.
Mark Rylance, confusing the hell out of the entire country outside of New York when he accepted his Best Actor in a Play by giving a speech in character from Boeing-Boeing. Co-stars Christine Baranski and Mary McCormick was particularly amused.
Richard Griffiths and Daniel Radcliffe presenting an award had the biggest laugh of the night when Richard couldn't get the sticker off of the envelope and Daniel quickly grabbed it for him. Richard dryly noted "Like magic" and a beat later the audience got it.
All in all, a very good year for Broadway. I was annoyed they cut awards to make room for performances that had no business being there (Little Mermaid? Really?) but clearly the producers wanted to sell a product to the rest of the country. If it gets more people in the theater, I'm all for it. But frankly, if you love musicals, and you haven't seen Passing Strange and In The Heights, then someone should come to your house and burn your copies of Les Mis and Rent.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Battlestar Galactica: Photographic Evidence!
If you haven't seen the season 4.0 finale, don't click. But if you have...after the jump is a very important picture!
I'm going to rewatch the amazing/brilliant/frakkin' awesome episode again, and then write about it - including every guess I can come up with about the final Cylon. But if you've been wondering... yes, it was definitely the Brooklyn Bridge. The show continues the 9/11 theme... 
Those damn, dirty Cylons!
More to come later....
Saturday, June 14, 2008
She Got Dumped for Obama
I've broken up with or have been broken up with for any number of reasons...but this impresses even me. Fellow DC resident Rachel Keller sings this ditty in honor of her ex who wanted to bang Obama way more than her. I feel your pain Rachel...I feel your pain.
Give Me More, Monkey!Again With Calling the Black Guy a Monkey? REALLY????
I can't even begin to fathom what the thinking on this was. I mean, was it something along the lines of...."well, I like Obama. I like sock monkeys...let's get these two things together! Racial overtones be damned." I seriously don't understand. America yet again fractures my soul....
Friday, June 13, 2008
Tim Russert: 1950 - 2008
I made fun of his softball Meet The Press questions, I rolled my eyes occasionally when he talked about Big Russ too much... but still. Sad news.
I'll remember him this way: White board in hand in 2000, Tom Brokaw smiling fondly as Russert played the numbers game like an over excited St. Bernard puppy. In a night that was miserable for most of the viewers watching, Russert was the happiest person in the country.
Also, he had just returned from Italy where he was vacationing with his family - and I can't think of a better way to go.
The Conventions: Donkeys & Elephants Both Love Balloons
So, full disclosure: I love the conventions. I love them like I love The Amazing Race and Soap and the first four years of The West Wing. Can't help it - I'm a geek from way back. So obvs, I'm thrilled that it's an election year.
Dems - Denver starting August 25! Repubs - St. Paul starting September 1st! Ron Paul - BBQ at Ralph Nadar's House!
Please notice the Republican Party begins their convention on Labor Day, as to indicate their love of the working man. By making employees of the convention center work on Labor Day. Sigh.
Details on coverage after the jump with, shockingly, only one gay Anderson Cooper reference.
So ABC, CBS, and NBC are doing the usual - one hour a night for all four days, covered by their anchors. Snooze.
CNN hasn't figured out what their doing yet, so I'm just going to pretend that they're sending Anderson Cooper to the Republican Convention to bait Log Cabin Republicans and closeted Congresspeople.
Fox News has refused to discuss their coverage which is a clear statement that says to America that Dick Cheney has a plan and we're all going to die. So, you know, forewarned and all that.
MSNBC has announced the most ambitious coverage - 20 hours a day for both parties. Yes, I typed that correctly. From 6am until 2am. I was impressed for a second until I remembered that this just means Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews sitting around desks browbeating people into saying stupid shit. I can bet you that the VAST majority of those 20 hours a day will be punditry at it's worst.
So who do you watch? PBS and CSPAN, of course! CSPAN just points cameras and hits play - it's awesome gavel to gavel work. For coverage with analysis, PBS all the way... they'll be doing primetime coverage live every night.
The big three networks are wimps, the cable news networks are bullies. PBS & CSPAN remain the best source of political journalism on television.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Preview: The 2008 Tony Awards
They are officially named The American Theater Wing’s Tony Awards, and “Tony” comes from Antoinette Perry’s nickname (She ran the ATW during World War II and was a Broadway singer and actress). Fun fact: Harold Prince holds the record for most wins – 21 in all including his 3 special Tonys for contributions to theater.
Enough with the trivia – let’s talk about the big races, the presenters, and the biggest slate of performances in Tony’s history…. details on this year’s extravaganza after the jump!
There will be 13 performances – which is AWESOME. Each Best Musical Nominee, each Best Revival of a Musical Nominee, three new shows that have other nominations, plus Lion King and Rent to celebrate their 10th anniversary and closing, respectively. Full list:
In The Heights
Passing Strange
Xanadu
Crybaby
Grease
Gypsy
Sunday In The Park w/George
South Pacific
A Catered Affair
The Little Mermaid
Young Frankenstein
Lion King
Rent
Presenters. I only have one quibble and her name is Julie Chen. REALLY? Is it in her contract that she has to appear on any CBS show? The only thing that makes this slightly okay is that it takes the spotlight off of asking why the hell Marisa Tomei was invited. (Yes, I know Marisa is in Top Girls. But still.) The rest are:
Alec Baldwin
Gabriel Byrne
Julie Chen
Kristin Chenoweth
Harry Connick, Jr.
Glenn Close
Laurence Fishburne
Richard Griffiths
Laura Linney
John Lithgow
Liza Minnelli
Mary-Louise Parker
Mandy Patinkin
David Hyde Pierce
Daniel Radcliffe
Brooke Shields
Marisa Tomei
Lily Tomlin
John Waters
So who will win? If I had to bet on it, here are my best guesses.
Best Musical: In The Heights
Best Revival of a Musical: South Pacific
Best Play: August: Osage County
Best Book of a Musical (Think Best Author): Passing Strange
Best Music and Lyrics: In The Heights
Best Revival of a Play: Boeing-Boeing
Best Actress in a Musical: Patti LuPone, Gypsy
Hmm...that list may actually be my hopes rather than my guesses. Whatevs.
The Tony Awards
Sunday June 15th
CBS, 8/7C
Katherine Heigl Thought Gizzie Sucked, Too!
(FROM AP) – Grey's Anatomy star Katherine Heigl said that she did not put her name in for Emmy consideration this year because she did not feel she was given material to justify it. In a statement released by her publicist on Wednesday (June 11), Heigl said, ''I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization'' she decided against competing. ''In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials.''
AP via Yahoo!)
She won Best Supporting Actress last year... this year she'll be winning Most Likely To Get Shanked By Head Writer/Exec Producer Shonda Rimes.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tonight: So You Think You Can Dance
Finally! The auditions are over, which means no more witty bon mots from the losers like "I'm not gonna get plastic surgery so I'm pretty enough for this show", "no one can tell me I'm not a good dancer" or "Nigel is an asshole."
That last one wasn't so much with the bon mot, but you get my drift. Losers and delusional faux-dancers out! It's time for the Top 20!
I'm rooting for Twitch, who rules.
2 hour show
Fox
8/7 central
A Diddy By Any Other Name
Diddy Blog 4 Diddy Did Not Change His Name
Oh man. I actually agree with Sean Combs about something other than being a Bad Boy for life. Voting = important. Whatever his name is? Not so much important.
My New Reality Show Crush
Did anyone else think that Matt, the blonde quadropalegic in last nights episode of 30 Days, was super hot? I mean, he's like an always-seated John Krasinski with wispy highlights.
He might even give the hot diabetic from Top Chef a run for his money in the damaged hottie contest at this years paraolympics. That's a category ... right?
I even dug his girlfriend although she kinda looked like the real life trannie who inspired Soldier's Girl (not Lee Pace as the trannie, who was mucho hot as a faux-woman in that movie).
But I digress ... thoughts on the hot quad in 30 Days?
PS Morgan Spurlock needs to nix the aerial shots of him in the show. That bald spot on his head is getting a little "super sized."
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
TV Tonight Pretty Much Sucks - Watch Hulu Instead
So with the exception of the NBA Finals, Game 3 on ABC at 9pm (Go Lakers!), there is pretty much nothing interesting on. You've got Hells Kitchen at 9pm on Fox, the Work Out finale at 10pm on Bravo, and a Frontline Special on Dafur called On Our Watch (check local listings).
Alternatives: Read a book. Scrabulous. Sex.
But for TV, you can go to Hulu.com Which is free, looks great, and offers a ton of TV shows, clips, and movies. Visit the site for the movie and clips listings, but if you ask the monkey for more, I've posted the list of TV shows that are offered as full episodes. I can guarantee that one of your favorites, past or present, is on the list... In addition to watching Benson (I loved that show as a kid), I'm catching up on Bones and Friday Night Lights - two shows I just didn't have the time to watch first time around.
2/8 Life
2007 AST Dew Tour
2008 National Heads-Up Poker Championships
24
30 Days
30 Days of Night: Blood Trails
30 Rock
The 808
The A-Team
The Academy
Adam-12
The Addams Family
After Hours with Daniel
Airwolf
Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Alias Smith And Jones
The All-For-Nots
Allstate BCS National Championship Game 2008
Allstate Sugar Bowl Game 2008
America's Election HQ
America's Most Wanted
American Dad!
American Gladiators
American Gothic
American Misfits
Andy Barker P.I.
Archie Bunker's Place
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?
Arrested Development
Astro Boy
AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Game 2008
Award Season
Babylon 5
Back To You
Barney Miller
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica Classic
Beer Nutz
Benson
Best of Penn Says
Bewitched
Big Ideas for a Small Planet
The Biggest Loser
Bionic Woman
The Bob Newhart Show
Bobby G: Adventure Capitalist
Bones
Boo!
Brother's Keeper
Buck Rogers
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Burn Notice
Campus Cops
The Captain and Casey Show
Caught On Tape
Charlie's Angels
Chicago Hope
Chuck
Cleopatra 2525
The Colbert Report
Conviction
Cops
Corkscrewed: The Wrath of Grapes
Cover Me
Crime and Punishment
The Crow: Stairway To Heaven
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
The Dana Carvey Show
Deadline
Decision House
Destination Truth
Devil's Trade
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Dirt
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Dorm Life
Dr. Danger
Dr. Steve-O
Dragnet
Dream On
ECW
Emergency!
Equal Justice
Eureka
Exosquad
Fame
Family Guy
Fantasy Island
The Fashion Team
Fear Itself
Fed Ex Orange Bowl Game 2008
Firefly
Firsthand
Flipper
Foreign Body
Fox News Specials
Friday Night Lights
Fudge
Galactica 1980
Gaytown
Ghost Hunters
Ghost Hunters International
Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show
The Great Ride Open
Hart to Hart
Hell's Kitchen
Heroes
Highlander
Hill Street Blues
Hot Hot Los Angeles
House
I Dream of Jeannie
I Spy
In Plain Sight
The Incredible Hulk
The Invisible Man
Ironside
It Takes A Thief
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Jack of All Trades
Jerry Springer
John Doe
Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot
Journeyman
K-Ville
King of Miami
King Of The Hill
Kitchen Confidential
Kitchen Nightmares
Kojak
Kojak 2004
L.A. Dragnet
Land of the Giants
Last Comic Standing
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Life
Life After Film School
Lipstick Jungle
Lockup
Look-A-Like
The Loop
Lost in Space
Lou Grant
M80
Mad Mad House
MadTV
Major Dad
Manhattan, AZ
Married...With Children
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Matty Blake Show
Maury
McHale's Navy
Medium
Meet The Presidents
Miami Vice
The Moment Of Truth
Monk
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
The Munsters Today
Murder One
My Bare Lady
My Name is Earl
Nanny and the Professor
National Geographic Channel
NBA
NBC News On Stage
NBC News Specials
NBC News Time Capsule
New Adam-12
New Amsterdam
New Dragnet
New Pollution
NewsRadio
NHL
Night Gallery
Nip/Tuck
The Office
Outer Limits
Paradise Hotel 2
Partridge Family
Party of Five
Peacemakers
Picket Fences
The Practice
Pressure Cook
The Pretender
Prison Break
Problem Child
Prom Queen
Psych
Raines
Remington Steele
The Return of Jezebel James
The Riches
Roadents
Rob and Amber: Against the Odds
The Rockford Files
Roswell
S.W.A.T.
Satacracy 88
She Spies
Sheena
Silver Spoons
Simon & Simon
The Simpsons
Sitting Ducks
Sixth Sense
Sliders
Solitary
Son Of The Beach
Speed Racer
Spider-Man
Squeegees
St. Elsewhere
Stacked
Standoff
Starsky and Hutch
Start-Up Junkies
The Starter Wife
Strikeforce
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Surface
Swamp Thing
T.J. Hooker
Talkshow with Spike Feresten
Team Knight Rider
Temptation Island
Tequila & Bonetti
Test Drive
Three Sheets
The Thunder Show
The Tick
'Til Death
The Time Tunnel
Tom Brokaw Reports
The Tonight Show
Top Chef
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl 2007
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl 2008
Total Recall 2070
Tremors
TV Guide Specials
Uncorked
Under One Roof
Unhitched
Vanished
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Wall Street Warriors
Weird Science
Welcome Back, Kotter
What's Happening Now!!
What's Happening!
Who's the Boss?
WKRP in Cincinnati
Woody Woodpecker (New)
Work Out
The Writer's Room
Young Hercules
Monday, June 9, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Battlestar Galactica Recap: The Hub
In the miniseries/pilot for Battlestar, Adama said "You know, when we fought the Cylons, we did it to save ourselves from extinction. But we never answered the question, why? Why are we as a people worth saving?"
Last night, priestess Elosha/Roslin's subconscious said "If humanity is going to prove itself worthy of survival, it can't do it on a case by case basis."
Coincidence? Not even close. Huge, huge accolades to Jane Espenson, who wrote this episode. One of the best TV writers out there (Buffy, Gilmore Girls, Firefly, Ellen and more) her script for The Hub was hilarious, smart, and went right back to the big theme of the show - already existing isn't proof that humans deserve to survive. Don't ask the monkey for more unless you've already seen it....
Okay, we'll get to everything that worked (and there was soooooo much) in a second, but first - what I didn't love. By that I mean, what I just liked rather than loved - there was nothing that I disliked in this episode. Well, maybe the capri pants that they insist on keeping 8's in. I don't like those. I also wasn't over the moon for the jump hallucinations. Not that they didn't provide great moments, but it did seem like one out of the Script Manual Edited By Jimmy Stewart & Frank Capra. Small quibble, whatevs.
So no Galactica this time - it was everything that happened since the Hybrid decided to take the Basestar on a roadtrip. Basically, Hybrid was a wee bit upset that Natalie was killed, and began jumping closer to the ever moving Resurrection Hub. The scenes of Roslin and Baltar trying to reason with the Hyrbid were hysterical - Baltar cooed at it like it was a baby, and then had a tantrum like he was one. During every jump, Roslin was pulled into a hallucination of watching herself ravaged by cancer. She was led by Elosha, who reminded Roslin that the price for becoming a steely eyed "decider" was not fully loving the people around her (Hmm... a female President trying to balance strength, relationships, and femininity?) After dream Laura dies, real Laura watches Bill slide his wedding ring on her finger, saying "You go, rest now. You go."
What's that sound? Is it me bawling? Shut up, I'm not crying. My contacts are itchy, Gods.
Helo, the Cylon pilots, and the human pilots have to work the actual mission of destroying the Hub, which only works when an 8 steps up to the Athena plate. Okay, that 8 is creepy and is totes going after her alters husband. One of the many laugh out loud moments was when the 8 explained to Helo that she'd downloaded Athena's memories, basically making herself Wife 2.0. Helo looked at her like she was insane, and the 8's response? "I don't want it to be strange." Uh, too late. We're so far pass Strange, Strange is in the review mirror and coming up is the exit for Batshit Bonkers.
Meanwhile, back on the other Basestar, a newly awakened D'Anna immediately starts shit with Boomer and Cavil. In about thirty seconds, she goes all Mean Girls on Boomer and snaps Cavils neck (no Hub, no more Cavil - bye, bye you deliciously evil man!) When the mission goes as planned, Helo and the 8 grab her (where did she find that bathrobe???) and take her back to speak to the President and the Cylons.
Whoops, just the President. Helo, torn as usual between the "right thing" and the "morally right thing", does what Roslin asks and betrays the Cylon trust to bring D'Anna directly to the Pres. Wife 2.0 is not happy.
While all of this is happening, Baltar is trying to convert a Centurion. No, seriously - he's come over to the Centurions house with his pamphlets and his soothing talk of not being a slave and one true God and is proselytizing to a robot who has guns for arms. That is some brave religion he's got going there. And then, since it's Batlar, all of his fancy metaphors of dogs and owners goes to waste when the ship gets hit and the robot dies, leaving Baltar with a bloody hole in his side.
Now we're getting to the fantastic stuff. Roslin is frantically trying to save Baltar's life and is doing a pretty good job of it when a grateful and drugged up Baltar ADMITS TO BEING THE CAUSE OF THE HOLOCAUST. I know! Gasp out loud, it's okay! Watching Mary McDonnell go from shock to horror to disbelief to anger to fury to killing rage was fucking brilliant. Seriously, go back and watch it again - I did. She acted her ass off. Batlar is talking about redemption and God's love and Roslin is trying to wrap her mind around the life changing implications of it all... and GOD(S)DAMN THE EMMY NOMINATING PROCESS STRAIGHT TO HELL.
You see it, the moment when she silently decides to kill him. It's when she stops shaking. And it's almost lovely, as she gently undoes the bandage and shushes him as he begs for her not to do it, then quietly steps back.
Of course, as my Battlestar watching buddy and I said on the phone during the commercial, Baltar can't die yet. (Not yet, anyway) And eventually, convinced by watching hallucination Adama destroyed by her halluciation death, Roslin realizes she's not so far gone she can let Baltar die. And she frantically stops the bleeding.
Just in time! Cause here comes D'Anna to frak with her for a while. The fake out was funny, but even better was D'Anna informing her that a) With no Hub, the only thing protecting her was the information on the Final Five and b) betraying the Cylons wasn't necessary because she doesn't trust them either. The look on Roslin's face was a combination of "What a bitch" and "I could use you on the Quorum".
And then. Oh, and then. Mission completed, they jump back to where Galactica should be, and instead find Adama playing Ulysses's dog Argos in his little raptor. And when he lands on the Basestar and Roslin is waiting for him, we finally get the payoff that every fan has been waiting for when they just grab on to each other.
Laura: Missed you
Bill: Me too
Laura: Love you
Bill: About time
It's not my contacts, it's just me holding my very confused dog and sobbing on my couch. I'm not made of stone.
So that's where we're at - D'Anna is holding up a house of cards built on a very uneasy alliance between human and cylon, all equally vulnerable to a bullet. And in this mess are four cylons we know, and one we don't, and a planet somewhere called Earth.
I leave you now with some of the comedy, which I'm paraphrasing from memory, so it may be slightly off.
Roslin (To Elosha): If you're my subconscious, you're a little full of myself.
Roslin and Baltar dealing with the Hyrid
Baltar: STOP JUMPING THE SHIP
Roslin: Yelling seems pointless, she's not listening
Hybrid: (something about jumping)
Roslin: Do it again!
Helo (after they find out D'Anna is already online): This makes it easier.
Roslin: Why?
Helo: Well, we won't have to find a body.
Baltar (drugged and injured): You're very pretty.
Roslin: The morpha works fast.
Baltar: Still.
D'Anna: You don't know you're a Cylon?
Roslin stares
D'Anna: You should have seen your face!
Next week is the last episode of this half of the season - and you know what that means. Tons and tons of drama. Woo!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Support Local Music
Okay, it might not be YOUR local music, but it is MY local music...seriously good college radio...
"Wooden Anniversary"
New WUAG CD Compilation
**New Early Summer Price 0f $5.00**
Celebrating our fifth year of releasing cd compilations of in studio performances "Wooden Anniversary" is a milestone. The cd features 14 exclusive WUAG in studio recordings from the likes of Blonde Redhead, Damien Jurado, 31 Knots, Lymbyc Systym, Paleface, and many more.
Give Me More, Monkey!Thursday, June 5, 2008
Cubby Bernstein
Go to the below web page NOW and watch the videos. Hilarious.
http://cubbybernstein.com/
When My Former Heroes Say Crazy Things
Ugh. So this video pretty much explains the Clinton campaigns refusal to concede. Terry McAuliffe. You used to be awesome...now you're just nutters. I can't wait for Saturday to get here so we can finally just call all of this a day.
Cause Monkeys Love Dispatch
In partnership with our friends at MTV, we are working with filmmakers to cut together a One-Year Anniversary Special of "DISPATCH: ZIMBABWE - Live at Madison Square Garden" that will air on MHD, MTVU, and MTV2 this July. The 60-minute special will include an update on Zimbabwe, and highlights from the shows at Madison Square Garden last summer. Be sure to check the July Newsletter for details of where and when you can tune in.
On July 15th, 2008, the one-year Anniversary of the DISPATCH: ZIMBABWE weekend, ITunes will be releasing all of the audio from the "DISPATCH: ZIMBABWE - Live at Madison Square Garden" DVD. The audio is currently only available in the retail package of the DVD (with a redeemable DropCard), but now will be available for all on ITunes. A portion of net-proceeds will benefit The Dispatch Foundation's continued work in Zimbabwe.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Battlestar Galactica Preview - The Hub
Preview for Friday's new episode - just two more for the year (sniff).
Discussion after the jump, with many spoilers unless you are up to date.
It's always great when a familiar face returns... in this case, our high priestess herself, who played a major role in getting Laura to believe/accept that she was the dying leader in the scriptures. Which is, of course, why she's back.
The fabulous recapper for Television Without Pity, Jacob, once pleaded with the show to cure Laura Roslin by any means necessary. I believe he actually said that he would be okay with the show inventing a gun that shot Laura but only actually shot the cancer. (It also might have been Strega, but I'm betting Jacob)
Point is, that as important as it was to the show to cure Laura in the second season, it's now time that she has to die. I'd enjoy it if they delayed that death until the very last episode... even better if they waited until she finally had sex with Admiral Adama (Although I have my suspicions about New Caprica. They totes got stoned and did it). But death must come.
It's getting good, my fellow Battlestar Geeks.
Battlestar Galactica
Fridays, 10pm
Sci Fi
New Show: Fringe
Here's the trailer for J.J. Abrams new show, Fringe...
Comments on the other side.
First off all: SQUEEEEE!!!! It's Pacey!!! There, I got it out. I can be mature again.
Awesome stuff: Blair Brown, Lance Reddick (Mr. Abbadon from Lost), and what looks to be a potentially cool new show, ala X-Files.
What doesn't look awesome: Lines like "What is it that you're afraid of?" and "It's not even science!" Especially when the trailer is advertising "From the writers of The Transformers" which actually made me laugh out loud.
My rec: Give it two episodes (remember, they blow budgets for pilots, it's not always a good indicator) Watch online or on a DVR to see if it's going to become a cult classic or an answer to a trivia question (Like Six Degrees, for example).
Fringe
2 Hour Season Premier August 26th
Fox
Regular slot - Tuesdays, 9pm
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
WW III
Here is the Wayne's World sketch from the MTV Movie Awards.
Why does Dana Carvey still look so young?
Scary, Depressingly Not Fake
I tripled checked. Not fake, just terrible.
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=160731&in_page_id=34
I'd Like To Give You AIDS
Here's hoping they're not blood diamonds.
A jeweler designed a new ring in the shape of the AIDS virus.
What Gay Marriage would be complete without a SPARKLING reminder of the plague that killed so many of our people.
SOURCE
30 Days Starts Tonight
Morgan Spurlock returns tonight for the third season of his FX show 30 Days. There will be six episodes this time, so an easy investment into a great show. In each episode, either Morgan or a participant takes on someone else's life for thirty days (they don't film in February), with results like an extremely educated Wife Swap. And unlike Wife Swap, it doesn't make me want to barf.
Full episode descriptions for all six after the jump.
One: Spurlock is a coal miner.
Two: NFL Quarterback Ray Crockett spends a month in a wheelchair.
Three: A hunter lives with a vegan PETA family.
Four: A teacher who's against gay parents lives with a gay couple who has four kids.
Five: A gun control advocate who's best friend was shot lives with a gun collector.
Six: Spurlock spends a month living on an Indian reservation.
The interesting part of the show for me is the lack of judgement about the people on the show - it still feels like the documentary it was based on. Yes, there is a kumbaya vibe to the idea (can't we all get along?), but watching the subject adapt to their new living situation is fascinating.
30 Days
FX
Tuesdays, 10pm
Monday, June 2, 2008
Creator of Battlestar Talks To Wired
Wired Magazine has a great interview with Ronald D. Moore, the Showrunner and Executive Producer of Battlestar Galatica. Moore is one of the most open people in show business about the process of making a show - in addition to multiple interviews he has a blog and a podcast that really get into the detail of what it's like to produce a sci-fi drama.
He discusses his personal story, the difficulties in writing religion without turning into Touched By An Angel, and how easy it is for a writer to write themselves into a corner. One of the most interesting exchanges, however, is about the many message boards online for Galactica fans... an excerpt when you ask the monkey for more.
Moore: I do, I enjoy it. I like it. I have enough of the fan in me to appreciate what it is to be a fan... The danger is that you start reading those boards too closely.. . No one in the writers room really says, well, I was reading on the boards, and they don't like x, y, and z, so we shouldn't do that. That's happened once or twice and it's usually like stampeded to death, like, oh really, they don't like it when we do that? Well that's what were doing. We kind of go the other way. Oh, that'll piss them off? Well let's really piss them off. This'll really piss them off, that'll drive them insane. They'll say, oh, there's this guy who really hates the show, and all he talks about is how much he hates Starbuck. Oh, yeah? OK. Let's do a Starbuck episode.
Grab the rest here:
http://www.wired.com/entertainment/hollywood/magazine/16-06/ff_moore_transcript?currentPage=1
MTV Movie Awards Prove I Am Old
When you stare at the TV screen and yell the phrase, "Who the hell is that?! Is that a famous person?" You know that you are too old to be watching an MTV awards show.
And speaking of aging: either Mike Myers and Dana Carvey have had work done or their Wayne & Garth getups de-age them.
The only funny clip is below.
Monkeys make videos too
now a post from themonkeyman sportsdesk should include well...um...SPORTS...and I'll get to all that Manny 500, Junior 590 something, Lakers, Celtics, Kimbo Slice and a little liked Canadian sport involving ice and clubs....but this is about monkeys and as you will see it's all about you and me and the monkeys that make up the world around us...or our Savannah....quit monkeying around...and watch this video...chimp.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
We Don't Need No Water, Let the Marty McFly Burn!
So frickin' sad: A section of the Universal backlot burned down and the entire town square (including the clock tower) from the Back to the Future movies was destroyed. New York street set pieces and several other facades were destroyed along with a vault of reels (nothing irreplaceable thought, as reported)
The only good news: the fire will halt production of the Ghost Whisperer. Out of tragedy comes triumph, people.
SOURCE
Free Campaign Buttons at NBC Universal
NBC Universal is having fun with the election year and their Emmy campaigns... order House, the Office, Heroes, SNL, 30 Rock and other buttons. Totally free, totally awesome. After watching way too much of the Democratic Rules Committee this weekend, I've already ordered the one pictured - it would be the Unity Ticket!
http://www.nominate08.tv/