The Increasingly Poor Viewing Decisions of Scott

Hello. I havent put up a new article in a bit but that doesnt mean I havent been hitting the television and hitting it hard. The past few weeks saw me storm through Life's Too Short (review coming) and Seasons 1&2 of The League. I always ignored The League because it is based around a fantasy football league and I'd rather be involved in a Fantasy R&B Vocalists League. But yes, the show is really funny and take a look at Ank's recent article for more reasons why.

Another show that just made its way to Netflix streaming is the IFC show 'The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret'. It is a show about a hapless underdog of a dude who is sent by his boss to sell a new energy drink in England and everything goes wrong. Doesn't sound amazing but alright, I'm on board. Its written and directed by/starring David Cross, who is normally hilarious in everything. On paper this is my favorite show ever. It's weird, set in England, doesn't have a laugh track and Will Arnett plays his boss. It was too good to be true. Since the first season was only 6 half-hour episodes I sat down and watched them all in a sitting the other night. The show fucking stinks. It has enjoyable moments here and there, but it gets worse as it goes instead of getting stronger and is really all over the place. I enjoyed the first two episodes, probably because his British sidecar is witty and both episodes ended with Todd Margaret pissing himself. I hoped thats how every episode would end. There is also a decent running gag about Todd pretending to have summered in Leeds as a child and thus has a slight Leeds accent. The show just kind of putters along and I found myself less and less invested and interested as it went. Every episode begins at the end, showing Todd Margaret in court facing a long list of charges for various serious crimes, and each time I saw this flash forward I more realized I didnt give a shit how he got in that scenario or what happened afterwards. Trust me, I love a good underdog but this just wasn't what I needed and by the end I was mostly doing other things and watching it in the background. I cant say watching it was a complete wash, but it was very forgettable and a huge letdown for me. The show returns for its second season on Jan 7 and I recommend you continue to be unaware of it.

Also in coming days I will post something about a show I enjoy because those exist too.Cliffhangers Until Next Time:-Am I an Archer guy?-Does Sliders hold up?

Should we do movie reviews?
This and more..

Louis Ck: Live at the Beacon

After watching Louis CK on Jimmy Fallon the other night I knew immediately I needed to stop procrastinating and download his new special "Live at the Beacon"

here's the clips from Jimmy Fallon

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Late-Night-With-Jimmy-Fallon-Video-Louis-C-K-Talks-Years-White-House-His-Comedy-Special-38005.html

I was in subdued hysterics throughout Louis' appearance. It was truly refreshing to see someone who wasn't a bump on a log, blindly promoting some phoned in Uwe Boll movie or ghost written autobiography about their son with dyslexia. Granted Louis was promoting something but the way in which he promotes is so nonchalant and sarcastic it's as if he doesn't care (he probably doesn't) Louis cracked jokes about the very serious charities he raised money for with his special which got big laughs.

The concept behind "Live at the Beacon" is simple. Louis filmed the special independently, designed a bare bones website, connected it to pay pal, and wrote a note encouraging fans not to pirate it and to spend $5 to view it. With Louis' immense following from both his four time Emmy nominated show "Louie" on FX and his comedy career, this was an immediate success. So far the special has earned well over a million dollars and I have little doubt this is just the beginning.

I paid for and downloaded "Live at the Beacon" the other day and have it saved on my desktop where it will stay for a long time. Louis' standup is fantastic as always, but for me the most intriguing part is the concept. I love the fact that Louis made this special on his own and didn't charge people an exorbitant amount for it. I feel like in this day and age with torrents (which I use) SOPA, the high cost of itunes, and people's frustration with it all, this special couldn't have been more timely. Louis is a brilliant comedian, a gifted writer, and apparently a phenomenal business man.

Buy the special today and watch it, you will not be disappointed. Here's the link!

https://buy.louisck.net/

ANK

Football: No Longer Just For Jocks

I will preface this post by saying that if you know me at all you know that not only do I not follow any sports, but I am the last person that a show like "The League" would have been written for. When I heard about it back in the fall of 2009 I was doubtful that it would have legs of any kind. The cast is assembled of semi-recognizable D list actors and comedians who hadn't "set fire to the rain" quite yet. I gave the show a shot anyway because I watch everything and was pleasantly surprised. I've been a devout fan ever since and have even considered joining a fantasy football league and pretending I have a penis just to be more like the guys on the show.

Stephen Rannazzisi who plays Kevin on "The League" is my favorite character and really scored big with his role. Previously Stephen wasn't known for much of anything except his role in "Paul Blart Mall Cop" and being inside the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks. He's now the

anchor on the show and brings a different angle of comedy than the other cast members. His angle is the funny dynamic between him and his wife and daughter. I get a big kick out of Stephen's character Kevin and always anxiously await the interaction he has with his family. His timing and sarcasm are both weapons in "The League's" arsenal of good bits.

Paul Scheer is a comedian known for VH1 rockumentary type programs, "Reno 911", and originally the very funny "Upright Citizens Brigade". He definitely has a comedic television background and a decent body of work but "The League" is his best get yet in the business. Paul plays Andre on the show,

a metro-sexual and easily mocked plastic surgeon who gets a lot of guff from the other members of the league. He's one of my favorite characters because he takes a lot of hits and is always the butt of every joke. Andre as a character is easily likable for a number of reasons due to the sheer fact that he takes a beating and keeps coming back week after week. Whether they're making fun of his clothes, or his latest hobbies (urban foraging), or his demeanor, Paul Scheer is an integral part of "The League".

Nick Kroll is one of my other favorite cast members for a number of reasons. He's a hilarious standup comedian also from "Upright Citizens Brigade". Nick has had bit parts in a number of movies and TV shows over the years and even his own comedy special on Comedy Central (definitely a result of his hilarity on "The League"). Like his fellow cast members "The League" was a big get for Kroll. He plays Rodney Ruxin an attorney/asshole/husband to a smoking hot Hispanic woman, and probably my second favorite cast member. Kroll is a sarcastic, conniving and manipulative member in the fantasy league and will stop at nothing to win. Every scene he is involved in is humorous and one of my favorite episodes this year featured a Jeff Goldblum cameo as Ruxin's father. I don't think they could have cast a better father figure for Kroll and the episode itself was a laugh riot. The link below is to a sketch that's part of a series entitled "Oh Hello" that Kroll created with another comedian John Mulaney. Watch the clip, then watch the other clips, if you don't laugh you're dead inside.

http://vimeo.com/7118220

Mark Duplass plays Pete on the show and his character is probably the least outrageous but very necessary straight man in many scenarios. Pete is a divorced guy whose character is often meeting women and getting himself into interesting situations. Duplass has a pretty decent rap sheet in Hollywood with directing credits on the drama "Cyrus" starring Jonah Hill and John C. Reilly which I dug immensely, he also starred in the movie "Greenberg" with Ben Stiller which I stayed up until almost 2 the other night watching for the 2.5th time. Mark Duplass has less of a comedy background than his costars but he is funny in a different way.

John Lajoie is the most under the Hollywood radar cast member and he is the same way on "The League" playing the role of Kevin's strange brother Taco. John is a recording artist and comedian who began his career in the entertainment world in 2007. On the show he is ridiculous, unemployed, and always up to a new get rich quick scheme. Taco is probably my least favorite character. Throughout season two they ended almost every episode with a song performed by Taco and they were always cringe worthy. I'm pretty happy they got rid of that aspect of the show. Other than that Taco is OK and Lajoie will probably vanish quickly if the show is ever cancelled because he's really not that funny.

Katie Aselton plays the role of Kevin's wife and is "just one of the guys" in every way possible. She even plays in the league with them and is better than most of the men. The dynamic between Stephen and Katie might be the funniest aspect of the show, especially when their daughter is involved. I laugh almost every time they are all on screen together. Katie's life has been pretty interesting, she's younger than the other cast members born in 1978 she was Miss Teen USA in 1995 and has directed a couple movies that got into Sundance. Sounds like a good combo to me. I must admit the football knowledge is a bit of a turnoff for me and I like to think it's character research. Katie is an important part of the show and is always good for a laugh.

The League just wrapped up its third season last night on FX and I for one am excited about what's in store for next year. It's not exactly a cliffhanger kind of show and I'm really not worried about what will happen it's a nice break from shows like Dexter that are fast paced intense and emotionally taxing. The League has been picked up for a 4th season that begins in the fall and it should be interesting and lighthearted much like the previous 3. If you have yet to tune in to "The League" check it out.

ANK

Why Do Finales Suck?

It's the all time burning question: why do series finales never satisfy viewers?  The most obvious answer is because they're upset to see their favorite show move on and out of their lives.  It's comparable to when your number one candy is discontinued, or your top stripper quits to go home to her children.

Sometimes, the creators purposely leave the ending ambiguous, such as with The Sopranos and its loose-ended conclusion to a tumultuous series.  Other shows, like Oz provided their fans with somewhat of an open-ended closure to the show.  Then again, it's not like anyone in their right mind would release all the inmates at the end of the show and say "Fly little butterflies, fly!"  And even worse, with a genius show like Deadwood, the series is cancelled before the writers can give it a proper send off.

Then, there are shows like Lost.  Short disclaimer: I used to LOVE Lost.  I started watching very late into the series and had to play catch up before the final season aired.  I spent three months of my life, time that definitely should have been put towards academics, tearing through five seasons on Netflix Instant through a haze of smoke and lazy everydays.  Everyone knows the drill: first two or three seasons were amazing, season four was eh, season five was decent.  Then came the final season, or as I like to call it, "The Bane of The Island."

In a single two and half hour series finale, the writers of Lost destroyed everything they built up over six season.  Religion, really?  You develop and bring in awesome scientific and philosphical ideas and theories, then decimate them with fucking religion?  I could go on at length, but that's not the point of my rant.

My point is: why can't writers ever stick to their original formula and churn out a fantastic finale that brings the series to a close? Answers all the questions? Dots all the i's and crosses every t?  It's like they work so hard developing characters and plots and relationships, then refuse to care at the end and give up.  TV needs to revamp their stock of writers; the amount of piss poor television these days is nauseating.  I think it's time myself, Scott and Ryan wrote a show.  In fact, let's fucking do it.

Seriously HBO?

SERIOUSLY?

Scott informed me earlier of HBO's decision to axe three shows that I've grown quite fond of, "Bored to Death" "Hung" and "How to Make it in America". Needless to say as a big fan of all three I am a bit upset. I will say that I understand as a network executive for HBO if the ratings aren't there the ratings aren't there and you need to make a decision. But isn't there value in letting a show get it's legs before cancelling it and piling on a bunch of new shows? It's hard for me to be unbiased about HBO's decision here but ultimately they did give the shows a chance, not a single one of them was in its first season. Even so I am displeased.

Here's an excerpt from a Deadline Hollywood article,

"They will be joined by four new half-hour series: Armando Iannucci/Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Veep,Lena Dunham/Judd Apatow’s Girls, Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant’s Life’s Too Short, and Chris Lilley’s Angry Boys. HBO has two other comedies in the pipeline from auspices with strong track records at HBO — half-hour pilots 40, written byEntourage creator Doug Ellin and starring Ed Burns, and Viagra Diaries, penned by Sex And The City creator Darren Star and starring Goldie Hawn."

Personally I am a bit tired of anything Apatow but am willing to hold my tongue for his work with a television show. As evidenced by "Freaks and Geeks" "The Critic" and "The Larry Sanders Show" Apatow has chops.

As for another Doug Ellin vehicle I am totally on board. Met him in LA with my Dad and Brother he was about as cool as it gets. He actually told me when I chatted with him (he took the time to talk to me, very down to Earth) that he had a couple irons in the fire for when Entourage ended, this is clearly one of them. I know a lot of people have bad things to say about this season and the last few seasons of Entourage but I don't, I think it was awesome and the show was what it was. I must admit the series finale let me down big time but how the hell else were they supposed to tie that up? Fingers crossed Doug's new show isn't awful.

"Eastbound and Down" is coming back for whatever reason, pretty sure that show's entire cast and crew has been mailing it in since season one ended. I really look forward to the Kenny Power's fad ending. Something tells me that it wont based on the fact that there are way too many overweight, bud-lite swilling, fantasy football playing, nacho inhaling, retards that boost the ratings through the roof while wearing a guacamole stained Danny McBride t-shirt. Did any of you actually see "Your Highness"? If you enjoyed that movie please don't ever read this blog again. My dislike for the show obviously doesn't mean I wont watch the shit out of it, but let's be honest casting Deep Roy might be the silliest stunt I have ever seen. Don't get me wrong the man's a true gentleman, I even met him at the Beverly Hills Film Festival this year and he was more than happy to snap this photo with me.

rockin' loafers

I must say I am very disappointed about the cancellation of three solid shows. I will admit "Hung" was losing steam and that Thomas Jane wasn't really enough to carry the show. I'm mainly upset and confused about "How to Make it" and "Bored to Death" both show's casts were starting to develop chemistry and get more comfortable with each other. Ted Danson is a consummate pro and will be sorely missed. I love Ted but will surely not be tuning in to fucking CSI to see him. Honestly, that show has been dead in the water for years but people love formulaic, procedural, crime-based, garbage television so it will probably be broadcast until I'm dead.

The good news is that Enlightened was picked up for a second season and Laura Dern was nominated for The Golden Globe for "Best Actress in a Comedy" and the show was nominated as well. Perhaps now more people will watch it and discuss it and cause me to like it less.

All in all a mixed bag of TV feelings today, couple interesting sounding shows coming, couple new favorites going. Bottom line "Southland", "Californication", and "Shameless" all start up in the next two weeks. Merry Christmas.

ANK

2012 Golden Globe Nominations Are Out

Well, the Golden Globe noms have been announced, and as usual there's plenty of controversy to go along with it.  Every year, people anxiously await these nominations, as they typically dictate the road to the Oscars.  More often than not, the movies/directors/actors who are announced at the Globes go on to receive nominations/wins from the Academy.  Honestly, I'm more excited to have the comedic genius of Ricky Gervais back as host, hopefully refueled with more inappropriate jabs at Hollywood and politically incorrect judgments of its townfolk.

You can read the full list of nominations here.  But let's discuss some of my personal issue with the list now.

1. First and foremost, the absolute SNUB of Michael Pitt's work on Boardwalk Empire.  Before the show, Pitt was relatively unknown to most of the public, but contributed great performances in movies such as Murder By Numbers and Funny Games U.S.  The past two seasons on Boardwalk, he put forth a powerful showing as a young man lost after returning home from World War I and coming into his own as a full fledged gangster.  I won't give away any spoilers but his turn as Jimmy Darmody this season was tragic and powerful, strong and commanding; he easily stole scenes from everyone, including Best Actor nominee Steve Buscemi.  To not see his name even under the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series is an utter traveshamockery.

2. Starz's Boss nominated for Best Television series, when that spot should belong to Breaking Bad.  I mean, come the fuck on.  Boss is a politically themed rip off of BB to begin with, and they have the audacity to nominate it over one of best shows on television?  On basic cable?!  It's almost a bigger snub than Pitt's, but a very close second.  Breaking just finished its fourth season and is still one of the strongest shows out there, with one last season to go.  It's definitely driven by amazing writing and cinematography, but also the superb performances of its stars, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.  Why is it completely missing from the ballot?  I love American Horror Story, but please, Best Series???  It's not even the best show on FX!

3.  Lastly, the double whammy bullshit that is the Best Actress in a Drama Series.  Who the fuck is Madeleine Stowe, and who the fuck actually watches Revenge?  Where in god's name are any of the actresses from Game of Thrones, arguably the biggest breakout show of the year?  Lena Headey?  Emilia Clarke?  Bueller???  How the shit does some two-bit ramshackle show have better actresses than Thrones?  Seriously, sometimes I think the critics are assholes and just fucking with us to see our sour reactions.  Huge letdown in this category.  Oh, and fuck everything about Margaret Schroeder.

Homeland Season Finale Review

Spoiler Warning: if you have not watched the season finale of Showtime's breakout show Homeland, do not scroll past this point.  Full spoilers for the entire season, and the last episode, appear below.  So don't blame me if it's ruined for you, because real fans don't miss premieres or finales.



The question of will he or won't he was finally answered in Homeland's season one finale last night.  All season long, viewers have been mulling over the idea: will Brody follow through on his commitment to Abu Nazir and sacrifice himself in the names of little Isa?  The answer: a resounding...maybe.

Damien Lewis' turn as Sgt. Brody has been amazing to watch; he's truly one of the most under-appreciated actors in the business.  Personally, I have trouble even calling him Brody, because he'll always be Major Winters to me.  But his performance as Marine POW-turned-suicide bomber has been superbly captivating this fall.  I don't know many actors who can express emotion through breathing like Lewis; this man's ability to huff and puff with agitation/frustration/fear is untouchable and can expertly convey his emotions with little to no help from words.

That being said, a majority of this episode was spent with our two main protagonists: Brody and Carrie, each going through their own inner turmoil.  Watching Brody give personal good-byes to his family, and the saddened look on his face as Jess walked out with a lackluster adios, was depressing but also built up some excitement: he's really going to do it.  Watching Carrie try to warn everyone was kind of frustrating: listen, everyone thinks you're nuts and you need to stop trying to help.  I was happy to see Saul finally cave and try to detain her, stopping the insanity of his unwavering devotion to her theories.  I love Carrie and how unstable she is, but it can get pretty annoying at times; I can only see Claire Danes make this awful crying, batshit crazy face so many times before I just want to bury it in an avalanche of fists:

We also got to see Tom Walker eat the bullet we knew was coming after finding out he was still alive.  But what we didn't get, and I'm pretty glad it's still a mystery, is seeing who's the mole inside the CIA.  There's almost no way it's Saul (almost) but I believe that'd make great TV if it was.  Estes is the next best, being so high up in the CIA, and he knew about the drone attack, and Brody called him personally to get Carrie fired. But there's always the chance Agent Galvez is our mole: he's young, Muslim and wasn't prominently shown throughout the season; he's not enough of a major player for it to be completely shocking, but I think him being a mole is too predictable for Homeland.

All in all, this was a pretty great finale that set up next season perfectly.  Homeland has been an amazing surprise from Showtime, although they have a great line-up of shows already (Shameless, Weeds, Californication).  I know I'm very excited for more Homeland next year, I'm actually going to go buy Band of Brothers on Blu-Ray for the sake of nostalgia.

Finale Score - 9 out of 10

A Little Introduction

Hello all, my name is Liam and I'm the new member of TV Guys.  Like Ryan and Scott, I too gorge myself on television and fill my brain with plots and characters, and possess the overwhelming need to discuss (and vent about) them.  I try to have an open mind but when something like Skins or My Boys or Teen Wolf comes out, all I can do is rant in order to prevent me from slamming my skull continuously into a cement wall.

I would have posted earlier, but work has me bogged down with ridiculous bitch work, so I will do my best to be current and up-to-date.  For instance, at the moment I am sorting through a 4 pound pile of financial statements that will most likely take me an hour to finish; hooray work...

Moving onto relevant information, my list of favorite shows is always shifted around and amended; barely any show stays in the same spot.  But if someone were to put a gun to my head and ask for my ten favorite shows (see? I'm even altering this scenario to expand my list), I would most likely say, in no particular order: Deadwood, Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Lost, Dexter, Oz, Sons of Anarchy, Homeland, Seinfeld and Modern Family.  Phew.  The time it took me to actually weed out that list would definitely get me killed in a real life hostage situation.  I spent the most time debating whether or not to throw Homeland on the list, as it's just so new to the world that the decision to loft it atop my favorites list was a difficult one.

Shows I hate?  That's probably the easiest list: reality fucking television.  For one reason: not one moment of those shows is real.  By now, everyone's seen the Jersey Shore clip where the producer clearly gives directions to one of the she-beasts; that's basically what happens on every show.  And then these sorry excuses for humans (Kardashians, Guidos, Housewives) somehow become famous and get paid to just show up somewhere and flash their ugly mugs (or privates, depending on the harlots involved).  I could seriously go on about it, but for the sake of time and attention, I'll stop...for now.

There you have it folks, a quick little intro to who I am and why I'm here.  Hopefully, it'll give you some insight on me and what to expect out of me.  I'll have a nice Homeland review up around noon for everyone to check out.  If you missed the finale, be sure to watch it because there may (and by may, I mean definitely will) be spoilers.

Shitney

Sorry folks I tried to come up with a title less hacky than Shitney but it didnt work out.

Whitney is taped in front of a live studio audience.....of sick pricks who are dead inside or have never seen another tv show before. I was looking for something to write about this morning and decided I'd get myself all riled up and watch the latest Christmas themed episode of the show Whitney. This will be the fourth episode of Whitney that I watch. Whew, I said it. That was weighing on me. I watched the first three episodes of this show's run a few months ago and the best excuse I can come up with is it is captivatingly unfunny. The fact that this and 'Two Broke Girls' (which Whitney Cummings produces) are popular makes my stomach sink. This show has it all:

-a laugh track that is never needed but never stops

-unlikable lead and supporting characters that do nothing but be snarky to each other

-splashes of physical comedy from actors who can barely stand still convincingly

-a "Token Indian", which I believe is the new "Token Black"

-Rarely do 2 lines of dialogue go by without a shoehorned, unnatural sounding "joke"

Alright thats all I got for now, I'm turning this dreck off. I know that it is the hip move to shit on Whitney but the show really is the pits. Also I'm tired of D-lister cameos as wacky parents on sitcoms. Later

Dexter Finale: (Spoilers)

Pretty sure Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter are divorced because she let him walk the red carpet with that hat on.

Please don't read this if you are behind on "Dexter".

Was anyone else as relieved as I was when Quinn revealed his plan to dodge Batista's surprise attempt at transferring him? I for one breathed a heavy sigh and envisioned another season full of pot smoking, anonymous sex, Cadillac driving, and chiseled jawlines. Kudos David Nevins!

Will someone please explain to me Lewis' character and give me your theories about what will happen with him in season seven? He mailed the ice truck killer hand to Dexter and Travis Marshall found the hand at Dexter's (I was taking notes for the blog got confused need to rewatch, huge stud that I am) Bottom line I got a little lost here and maybe I'm supposed to be because Masuka's offer to "get him a little consulting work to keep his dick wet" will keep Lewis around for season 7 as well. Let's see what happens there.

When is Michael Anderson going to start killing people and or sleep with Deb? I feel like his character needs to be developed way more. Not nearly enough screen time, zero back story, he's an enigma and I know that's not an accident. Something awesome will happen with him or he will disappear I'm pulling for the former.

I will now tackle the elephant in the room; the biting sexual tension between Dexter and Deb and how uncomfortable it made America. I mean the scene where Deb said, "I love you" and he actually responded was creepy. I tell my sister I love her all the time, usually via text or after she buys me stuff (jk Kat) but in our family expressions of love for one another are normal and I'm not a serial killer yet. I actually thought Deb was going to lay it all on the line in the office when she said she needed to talk to Dexter, and to be honest with you I wouldn't hate it if he responded positively. I am a huge supporter every time "Dexter" pushes the envelope. I loved it when Rita got killed, I loved it when Doakes got killed, and I loved it tonight when Deb watched Dexter plunge the knife into Travis Marshall. I love a good cliff hanger and tonight certainly was up to par.

I'm going to take a minute to discuss how annoying the "scenes from next week" and endless spoiler-laden promos have become. I go out of my way to shut the TV off before seeing "scenes from next week" on anything especially with a show like "Dexter". This week I was bombarded with a promo before the finale aired that showed Travis Marshall on the roof with Harrison. This revealed to me exactly what would happen and in turn made the first twenty minutes of the show boring. I liked how Dexter killed the random extortionist/murderer/thief/illegal immigrant trafficker on the boat then swam to shore, that was bad ass, but even so I knew he was just on his way to the rooftop and I don't really see the validity in showing us that. Who are these people who need a taste of next week's episode? Just be patient and let the show shock you like its intended to.

One more thing I will touch on is how awesome the dialogue was as Dexter readied himself to kill Travis Marshall. I have been waiting for Colin Hanks to get iced since the minute he walked on screen in the first episode. I find him smarmy and annoying and without Forrest Gump he'd be hosting at a restaurant in West Hollywood (not that there's anything wrong with that) I don't like Colin Hanks in anything but I must admit he nailed that closing scene. He does play the role of hypnotized Jesus freak very well. When he said, "No one is innocent" and "God allowed his son to die." I was glued to the screen. I like to think that somehow I knew something big was about to happen, but when I watched Deb round the corner I was blown away and completely surprised. Where they will go with that and how Dexter will spin it is beyond me, I have no idea how that scenario is fixable. I think that is what makes "Dexter" such a great show. The fact that as of November 18th Showtime signed off on at least two more seasons of "Dexter" is another genius move on David Nevins' part. Season seven is going to be fantastic, you heard it here first.

"Dad what was it like working with Meg Ryan AND Julia Roberts?"

Great show you've never heard of

"Enlightened" might be the most under promoted and thus under appreciated show on television. It's 10 episode first season starring Laura Dern and Luke Wilson just wrapped up on Monday and I took in every one and enjoyed them thoroughly.

The show is based around a woman (Laura Dern) with a great job at a large corporation who suffers an emotional breakdown and ends up in rehab center. The first episode opens with Dern's mental collapse which is fantastic and then catches up with her life after rehab. The following episodes detail her "enlightened" life in her newly assigned much less prestigious job at the same company only stationed in the basement data processing department.

Quite frankly the main reason I enjoy this show is because no one else watches it. "Enlightened" is untainted by countless awful "water cooler" discussions, moronic plot summations, and idiots in check out lines at convenience stores stomping all over the storyline misinterpreting every nuance of the show (see every popular show of all time for examples of this). I mean the show isn't that complicated or in depth it's pretty cut and dry but it's done well.

"Enlightened" is based in California and it sarcastically pokes fun at the self obsessed granola eating types, who "find" themselves then try and change the world. This is a great concept for a show and in this day and age certainly an easy target with tons of angles.

I am a huge Luke Wilson fan, have been since "Bottle Rocket" and his character is certainly a lovable fuck-up that helps bring the story along. Wilson plays the role of Laura Dern's actively drug addicted/alcoholic ex-husband who she attempts to help but also uses as a security blanket when she's down. The chemistry between the two is believable and enjoyable and I found myself quickly invested in his character.

My favorite character on the show is Timm Sharp who plays Dern's new boss in her demoted position, you might remember him from nothing. He's an awkward, womanizing, ass, who portrays the role of middle management perfectly. He may even remind you of your boss.

All in all this season was solid, I wont give anything away but it's not really a spoilable show. I definitely recommend adding it to your repertoire when the 2nd season starts just don't tell your stupid friends about it.

Beavis and Butthead was funnier when I was 14 but it's still good.

I have been watching the new season of "Beavis and Butthead" and enjoying it for a number of reasons. I'm amazed that Mike Judge has maintained the exact format as when it originally aired from '93-'97. A few things have changed about the world since 1997 but not Beavis and Butthead, they are still virgins, they are still morons, and they are still in high school. I had a feeling that the show would hold up when I heard that it was being brought back and I was correct.

The biggest hurdle that they've handled very well is the significant decline in music videos that are played on MTV. Mike Judge overted this obstacle with grace when he decided to have the boys poke fun at reality television programs aired on MTV. I assume mocking shows on the same network makes getting all the rights a breeze, so that's another great move on Judge's part. Hearing Beavis and Butthead tear apart the cast of "The Jeresey Shore" is simply magnificent especially since they have strung that show on for far too long and it's no longer even ironic and funny to me anymore it's just annoying and sad. I will tackle those assholes in a future post, although I feel unoriginal even thinking about them.

If you have yet to tune back in to "Beavis and Butthead" it airs on Thursday nights on MTV at 10/9c and it's certainly worth checking out especially if you were a fan in the 5th grade like I was.

Fuck Dee. Am I the only one who feels this way?

I have been watching "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" or as douche bags like to call it "Sunny" for years now. I have been a fan since the first season. I even bought it on DVD to add to my soon to be obsolete collection of about a thousand movies and television series. I really like the show, I think Danny DeVito is hysterical, Rob McElhenney shows unbelievable bit dedication (50 lb weight gain in one season just for laughs), Charlie Day has a style all his own, and Glenn Howerton is undoubtably a deluded laugh riot. My problem with the show lies with their lead female role Dee or "Sweet Dee" played by Rob McElhenney's real life wife Kaitlin Olson, she is just awful. She's the definition of token female character, her jokes are almost always physical and forced, her voice is shrill and obnoxious, and I feel like she's the loose wheel on the show that derails many potentially humorous plots.

Don't get me wrong, by no means does she deter me from watching a single episode, but if you haven't figured it out yet it takes quite a bit to get me to give up on a show (like Scott I also quit "The Walking Dead" before it was en vogue we'll discuss later). I just feel like Olson is on the show because they felt they needed a female element and Rob McElhenney had a wife. I could be wrong.

Upon reading about her a bit online I discovered she has a bachelor's degree in Theater Arts and some training at the famous LA Groundlings where she "honed her craft". To me this helps add up why I hate her so much. She's a classic improv style actress whose histrionics eclipse any talent she may possess. She's always so fucking over the top and obnoxious with outrageous hand gestures and her horrid glass shattering voice. I feel like every week she gets a bit more annoying.

I just wrapped up this week's episode the 2nd half of their high school reunion two part and there's one part in particular where she's trying to insult a former classmate played by actress Judy Greer who is one of my favorite bit character actresses in the business. Judy had a recurring role on "Arrested Development" and starred as the uncomfortable waitress that Nicolas Cage makes a horrible pass at in my favorite film "Adaptation". Judy is a fantastic actress, I even enjoy her on the new Charlie Sheen free "Two and a Half Men" (which I watch and record weekly, oh yeah by the way Scott and I went to Charlie Sheen's live tour). Anyway, Dee is insulting Judy Greer's character because she used to be fat with this awful "fatty mcgoo" taunt that isn't even worth describing especially since they've used the exact bit in (correct me if I'm wrong) two previous episodes from other seasons. It was chilling and obnoxious and had the remote not been on the other side of my MASSIVE murphy bed I would have skipped right through the scene as it made me very uncomfortable.

This is a blog not a book so I will wrap this up by saying that I feel Dee is unnecessary on the show and they should kill her off perhaps in a horrible car accident. I really would love to see Judy Greer step into her role seamlessly and just take the entire cast up a notch. Here's a small list of ways that Dee would become a necessary character on "Always Sunny", in my opinion:

1. If she were to gain more weight than Mac and keep it on.

2. She were to remain in the metal back brace until the series finale.

3. All her jokes would play off of the episode where she became a crack addict.

4. She were to comically lose as much weight as Mac and walk around looking like a pencil with a head.

5. She were to remain silent throughout each episode just for the bit.

Really Howard?

As an avid Howard Stern Show listener I was shocked and somewhat dismayed this morning when I awoke to hear the live broadcast as Howard broke the news to his Sirius listeners that he in fact had accepted the offer to host America's Got Talent on NBC. The idea has been thrown around and discussed for a few months now. I assumed it was a joke/publicity stunt and that Howard would never actually take the offer. I have been listening to Howard since the 90s when he was on terrestrial radio and never in a million years saw this becoming a reality.

Here's a list of reasons I think Howard hosting America's Got Talent will be awful.

1. He needs tons of sleep and will not get it if forced to work both night and day. As a result of lack of sleep his radio show will suffer.

2. It will soften the "shock jock's" image and persona and change him for the worse

3. It will open up Howard to the public (the kind of public I detest) and make him a household name and not in a good way.

4. It will become all that he talks about on his show.

5. Howard will become an NBC zombie.

I could probably come up with more but I'm not going to. I will also say that I wish I could set my DVR right now to record the Howard hosted episodes because I will surely never miss a single one. I must admit I am being selfish, I want Howard the way that I am accustomed and I don't want network TV viewers sharing him with me in this capacity.

I do however wish Howard all the best and think that he truly is the king of all media and will always be the greatest radio host of all time.

Baba Booey.

My name is Scott and I am a TV guy

Hello. My name is Scott Sweeney and I watch a lot of television. Whew. That felt good to say out loud. In my head. Then to type. Anyway, as I write this I have the latest episode of How I Met Your Mother streaming on the CBS.com website in another window. It's a decent one. Ank and I for years have been known to watch TV for amounts of time that make busy people wince. Between us there are few shows that go unwatched and these days its gotten to the point where we need to write about it to at least attempt to justify it.

Following are some fun facts about my television habits. I watch a lot of television, but virtually no reality programming. Sometimes a splash of Toddlers and Tiaras for a cheap laugh but almost never. Reality shows are boring and are rarely more than unwatchable outtakes of uninteresting peoples lives and they need to be really fucked up to be entertaining. I also hate crime procedurals, which are probably 75% of the shows on television. An NCIS or a Law and Order or CSI type show is the last thing I would ever want to suffer through. Snoozy obvious hour long wastes of time. I watch no late night programming whatsoever because theyre all horrible hacks going through the motions, especially Leno and Letterman but really all of them. If I had to pick five all time favorites it would probably be Seinfeld, The Sopranos, Arrested Development, The X Files and Breaking Bad. Here is a rough list of the shows on the air currently that I am caught up on (in no particular order):

Parks and Recreation, Community, The Office, Happy Endings, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Dexter, Breaking Bad, Family Guy, New Girl, Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, True Blood, Psych, South Park, Californication, Raising Hope, Allen Gregory, Mad Men, Cougar Town, Wilfred, Louie, Weeds, Walking Dead. I bet you think theres no way someone without a DVR could watch this much television but you are wrong. I am that guy. Appointment television, On Demand, Hulu, Torrents, DVDs, I will find a fucking way to watch. Alright I think thats it for now, just wanted to pop on here and introduce myself and my sickness. Things on my mind I may write about soon are:

-Howard Stern is now a host on America's Got Talent?

-There is a fantasy sports-type league for new TV shows and which ones will succeed and fail

-My obsession with Food Network shows even though I'm a picky eater and hate cooking

-I'm not a hipster I gave up on the Walking Dead before it was hip!

-Shows I Wish I Watched

-Other fun and yes

Why am I watching this? (vol. 1)

Two Broke Girls is this evening's show in the hot seat. I started watching it a week or two after the premier back in the fall. I hate it; the jokes consist mainly of overused clichés, the cast has awful chemistry, the plotlines are paper-thin, and Kat Dennings and her sloppy fat tits make me want to vomit all over my flat screen. Despite all this, I DVR this abortion weekly and watch it in its entirety. I have to admit I am ashamed but by no mean is Two Broke Girls my guiltiest pleasure. I will detail other shows I don’t tell anyone I watch in further posts. I guess I was initially drawn in by the fact that moderately attractive and clever standup comedienne Whitney Cummings is one of the show’s co-creators. I should have thought twice upon learning that Michael Patrick King former producer of Sex and The City was her partner in crime but I didn’t.

There are a lot of things that I hate about this show and none that I like. Kat Dennings is a homophobic, unnecessarily sarcastic, cow, with the eyes of a heroin addict, and that plus-size frame that big American TV networks seem to tirelessly promote. My point is that neither she nor her significantly attractive yet surprisingly more obnoxious co-star Beth Behrs are funny and should die in a trash fire set by Les Moonves’ crack ashes. The thing that really kills me is that the show was recently nominated for a People’s Choice Award. I guess “sassy street wise” humor has a place in our hearts here in the USA.

No matter how much I rant and rave about this show and how awful it is the bottom line is that watch it weekly and will continue to do so, probably until it is cancelled and Kat Dennings' nude photos
leak on the internet and make everyone sick.

'

Are Deb and Dexter going to bang?

This season of Dexter has been heating up in many ways. In the most recent episode "Talk to the Hand" a lot of things happened that most TV bloggers are probably jumping all over, but I only want to discuss one of them. Deb wants to fuck Dexter.

As I lay on my couch Monday afternoon completely nude drinking a kale smoothie I took in this episode and was understandably shocked by the newest developments. Deb's sessions with her psychiatrist have become a Sopranos-eqsue bore fest in my opinion, up until Sunday's episode. The accusation by the therapist that Deb may have sexual feelings for her brother Dexter upsets her to the point of walking out of the session. This to me seemed odd, if my shrink accused me of having sexual feelings for my sister I would say "that is inaccurate" and move on with my session. Deb's reaction led me to believe there was something more there. Especially based on the look she gave the therapist right after the accusation was made. After the session there's a scene that IMDB describes as,

"Deb tells Dexter her predicament with Maria. They start to playfully joke about chopsticks which leads to Dexter kissing her on the mouth. Deb wakes up and we see this was a dream.

She curses."

A bit of a rushed description in my opinion but that's what happened. Deb is now dreaming about making out with Dexter.

In reality Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter were married off camera so it's not that creepy but in the world of the show it's horrifying. Dexter is her "safe place" in more ways than one. What do you guys think? Personally I think a sex scene would alienate a few viewers but I wouldn't hate it. Perhaps Dexter can go down to the beach and use Deb's naked body as a surf board after they're done.

Sweet jacket bro