Fox only has a few shows worth watching and “Family Guy” is one of them. Typically, I’m a big fan of catching it on Hulu.com, but Sunday was a can’t miss episode, thanks to the cast of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” beaming in for some fun.
For those that know me, it’s no secret that my father was the property master on both “Star Trek TNG” and “Star Trek Voyager” for 14 years. So, I grew up loving those shows, although the jury is still out on why. It could have been the fact that it put food on the table or perhaps it was just plain cool, in a geeky sort of way. Either one works for me, as I will embrace my nerdy side every now and then.
“Family Guy” creators have already joined the sci-fi club with their homage to all things “Star Wars” in 2007, and now with the addition of “Star Trek,” this half-hour comedy has solidified its place in the hearts of fanboys everywhere.
Of course you can find a clip posted below, but, if you tuned in last night and were curious who the heck that Wil Wheaton guy was, well then you probably aren’t a Trekkie, or you started watching the space series a few years into its run. Wheaton ditched the show after four seasons. My guess is that he didn’t want to be type cast as a sci-fi actor. Can’t say I agree with that decision. “TNG” ran for seven years, earning quite the residuals for its actors, and Wheaton, well, he’s signing autographs at conventions now. That’s something, right?
Besides Wheaton, nearly the whole “TNG” gang was there on Sunday, including Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Denise Crosby, Gates McFadden, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Marina Sirtis and Michael Dorn. Now where the heck was Colm Meaney?
Don’t call me unpatriotic, as I am a military veteran and all, but must we really suffer prime-time television interruptions because Barack Obama wants to make a speech? Granted, the man is a wonderful speaker, but I can tune into a news network to catch that stuff. It’s not wise to come between a TV addict and his evening programs.
And on that note, here’s the fourth webisode of Sofa Snark, my weekly vlog series wrapping up the week’s prime-time television shows. Portia de Rossi is back on TV, as is Ian McShane. Balthazar Getty takes a hike from “Brothers and Sisters” and “Lost” goes primal. Other shows hit on include “Gossip Girl,” “Better off Ted,” “Big Love,” “Kings,” “Breaking Bad,” “Saving Grace,” “Heroes,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” Until next time, xoxo.
“To be a star, Paula, you’ve got to be conceited.” - Simon Cowell
Just what the world needed, Ryan Seacrest’s head inflated even larger on a giant screen as “American Idol” opened Wednesday. Paula Abdul pulled an outfit out of Bjork’s closet and Simon Cowell stated, up front, that he wasn’t looking forward to the evening. Way to keep the already laughable energy nice and light Simon.
With Motown on the turntable this week, and no lip-syncing going on, anticipation was riding high. What better music to please the masses than America’s greatest sound. And Smokey Robinson was looking especially tight, in the face that is. Hasn’t he had a little too much plastic surgery by now?
While I’ve held the belief, since the get go, that Adam Lambert will win “Idol,” America should finally be on the same page following his stellar spin on a Robinson classic. Simply flawless, and quite stunning in the dapper getup. This boy truly puts the other contestants to shame each week, save for a select few. While he doesn’t need “Idol” to launch a career, it will be fun to see him slide into the finals. Pending he doesn’t blow his hot streak.
As for the rest of the hopefuls, most were at least on key. And breaking news. Lil Rounds can sing R&B. Shocker there. Danny Gokey deserves a little recognition this week. His husky voice fit nicely with “Get Ready.” And of course Allison Iraheta knocked it out of the park. Although, I have to disagree with Kara DioGuardi. If Allison sounded like she had been singing for 400 years, she’d most likely resemble Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies rather than a superstar. Check yourself Kara.
But enough with the praise. Too much positive energy in one day wears me out. The greatest moment last night had to have been Scott MacIntyre’s snore fest. Paula could have cared less about this blind kid, as was seen by her literally crawling under the judge’s table to hide following his performance. No worries. Scott couldn’t see such rude behavior, even if he wanted to.
On another sour note, John Mayer is uncool, Jason Mraz is tired and Kris Allen continues to imitate both hasbeens. Ditch the guitar, and “Idol” mate. You’re causing me to nod off when I watch back the show in the wee hours of the morning. How am I supposed to write this column half asleep?
And for the first time, it pains me greatly to bring up Megan Joy’s performance. This foxy minx, sporting her usual spunky outfit, failed to turn her “half jazz, half cabaret” vocals into a winning combination with the Motown catalog. I’m holding out hope that she won’t get booted Thursday, because I have a sinking feeling Simon might refuse to save her.
When the home video craze flipped from VHS to LaserDisc, many videophiles invested in the new technology for two reasons. The picture quality was far superior to anything a magnetic tape could offer, and the offerings on Laserdisc were geared towards the aficionados and not the masses. Granted, there were a few mainstream films printed every now and then, but Criterion changed the game in the 1980s with the advent of “special edition” releases. “Citizen Kane,” “The Third Man” and “Blade Runner” were just a few of the titles getting the Criterion treatment. Their motto, to release “important classic and contemporary films” for the public.
Then came the switch from a rather clunky Laserdisc format to the now mainstream DVD followed by Blu-Ray. I’ve made it a point over the years to only collect mostly classic films on both formats, with classic meaning either a cherished favorite or well made modern flick. There is no “American Pie” in my collection… oh wait, there is. Damn it.
Since DVDs hit the market, my biggest complaint has been the lack of film treasures in circulation. Major studios have consistently refused to release many of the pulp films from yesteryear, with good reason. Who but a film buff, such as myself, would buy obscure noir films or old-time movies that fell under the radar of the mass market? It would have been a lousy investment for studios to do so.
But, Warner Brothers must be cheered for adopting an ingenious business model to appease all those that appreciate dusty classics from the film vault. This week saw the launch of The Warner Archive. The studio has made available “rare treasures in authorized editions from the original masters.” And so as not to waste money printing hundreds of copies only to have them grow dust in a Midwest Best Buy, Warner Bros. is producing them on demand. The DVDs are released by special order for $19.95, and can also be downloaded for $14.95.
Any movie fan must at least peruse the digital aisle to discover some true gems from the Warner Bros. catalog. Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Rain People,” Warren Beatty’s “All Fall Down” and Robert Altman’s “Countdown” are just a few of the more than 150 movies made available online. First on my list, “The Adventures of Mark Twain” starring Frederic March and Alan Hale. So many to choose from, and all the time in the world to do so. Kudos Warner Bros. Classic idea.
I’ve added some new features to the third webisode of Sofa Snark, my weekly vlog series wrapping up the week’s prime-time television shows. There are now a select few television clips scattered throughout the show. As always, every weekend I take on some of my favorite shows, mostly because my DVR is overflowing, and so are my opinions.
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President Obama dropped by NBC Thursday for what will hopefully be a future fireside chat series, although better off without Jay Leno. And who was out in full force to greet our newly elected leader but a bunch of grumpy SAG members. Oh yes, and ousted national exec Doug Allen. The actors’ union continues to gripe about Hollywood’s “last, best and final offer” regarding contract negotiations.
While SAG has all but agreed on the new-media terms of the producers’ offer, holding out any further runs the risk of stunting Hollywood’s evolution. Studios will soon have no option but to make a push for more online content, otherwise they might lose the digital demographic.
NBC Universal and News Corp.’s foray into viral video, Hulu, celebrated a big win last week, ranking as the number two video website coming in only behind YouTube. The site now has 9.5 million unique viewers, according to Nielsen. And all those clicks equal potential dollars for producers. They can take in upwards of $40 for every thousand virtual eyes.
Across the pond, the BBC just boosted web spending by $44.3 million over the next three years. Much of the Beeb’s online content is expected to focus on news and educational programming. PBS should begin considering a similar effort.
The key to Hollywood’s future survival online can only be found in experimentation. Let’s face it, Internet users are a fickle bunch. With this week’s Facebook makeover, web chatter shows the beginnings of an exodus from the social networking stalwart to the latest rival, Twitter.
There’s no telling what will hit or miss when it comes to the Internet, but if studios don’t have the ability to try everything, many more actors might soon find themselves out of work. A few creative types have recently made valiant efforts in this direction.
NBC’s “Heroes” has a few actors and crewmembers on Twitter interacting with fans. And Showtime’s “The L Word” is experimenting with extending its finale online by posting videos on the show’s website, seemingly with the intention to help explain the cliffhanger-esque series ender.
Comedy Central took advantage of exclusive online video following Jon Stewart’s “Daily Show” interview with CNBC’s Jim Cramer. Those only watching on cable saw a cut down segment, but website visitors were able to see the unedited stream. As of March 20, the video received nearly 1.3 million hits, having only been posted seven days.
SAG, and every creative union, deserves a fair piece of the pie, but Alan Rosenberg’s foot dragging efforts have led actors to this unnecessary standoff. If SAG doesn’t end things quickly, the digital wave might pass Hollywood by.
How have I lived this long without having “The Princess Bride” in my home video collection? Simply put, the film is on television in one form or another nearly every time I check the guide. But the time has come to cast off such inferior offerings and embrace MGM Home Entertainment’s Blu-Ray release of this cult classic.
To hear Mandy Patinkin utter those vengeful words, “My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die” is reason enough to recommend “The Princess Bride.” During my time in the U.S. Air Force, a news instructor would start nearly every class with a reenactment from this fractured fairy-tale. Read into that as much as you’d like. Suffice it to say, I found my days much more cheery afterward.
Cary Elwes in his pre “Saw” days was actually a fine actor, and opposite Robin Wright he adds the perfect note of snarkiness to Rob Reiner’s film. Then of course, the movie also boasts a cast that includes Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal and the larger-than-life Andre the Giant.
So sink into your couch one more time and enjoy a romp with Buttercup and Wesley as they battle screaming eels, rodents of unusual size and the six-fingered man, all while keeping true love alive and well. Plus, there’s no passing up Peter Falk, and his one eye, reading bedtime stories to Fred Savage. Which reminds me, where is The Wonder Years boxed set?
“It’s like you’re going on some polar expedition, and it’s 80 degrees in Los Angeles today.” – Simon Cowell
The stakes on “American Idol” are higher than ever, or so Ryan Seacrest reminds viewers every change he gets. Until the winner is announced, I’ll be on the edge of my seat, holding my newly minted “Idol” trading cards. I really thought producers would have nixed the judges entrance bit by now. How wrong I was, or perhaps I should say how wrong they are. It forced me to take Seacrest up on his opening advice, knocking back a few pints of Guinness before settling in for some “Idol” snark.
Tuesday was a twang-filled night of Grand Ole Opry, seeing Randy Travis and his freakishly large head guiding the top eleven on training horses and mixing up American classics. This week actually had quite a few applause-worthy performances from the unlikely Kris Allen and Annop Desai.
Then there is Allison Iraheta, who can do no wrong. Her rocker voice slipped right into country mode with a Patty Loveless classic. She has country fair entertainer written all over her future. Saddle up girl. Picking one of my favorite country tunes was Alexis Grace with Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.” She faltered a bit, but I’m still vying for an estrogen filled finale.
Megan Joy should move on to the next round simply for making prison tats look hot. With her chanteuse vocal stylings, she’s my underdog hopeful. Get well soon doll. Far from underdog, androgynous-glam rocker Adam Lambert slapped Randy Travis across the face with a Middle Eastern twist on Johnny Cash. As the spoiling “Idol” staffer reports, Lambert is already locked in for the finals. I loved his drugged out tripfest take on “Ring of Fire.” Dare I say, ladies and gentleman, meet your next American Idol. Now let’s drop some LSD together and celebrate.
On the other side of the rainbow were a few clunkers. When it comes to Scott MacIntyre I must keep reminding myself, no curly hair jokes. The white chocolate Stevie Wonder seems to have drawn a sympathetic fan base, but the judges have just jumped ship. Now, the best part of every country “Idol” edition is seeing how the resident R&B diva takes to yodeling and hee-hawing. When Paula Abdul went straight for the looks category in her “criticism” of Lil Rounds, it just about summed up the odd performance. But I’m sure her fan base will phone in support.
When the home video craze flipped from VHS to LaserDisc, many videophiles invested in the new technology for two reasons. The picture quality was far superior to anything a magnetic tape could offer, and the offerings on Laserdisc were geared towards the aficionados and not the masses. Granted, there were a few mainstream films printed every now and then, but Criterion changed the game in the 1980s with the advent of “special edition” releases. “Citizen Kane,” “The Third Man” and “Blade Runner” were just a few of the titles getting the Criterion treatment. Their motto, to release “important classic and contemporary films” for the public.
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