Television
Blog posts, articles, and essays about television shows.
- Mr. Rogers Goes to Washington ()
I don’t know where to find PBS on my digital cable subscription, or if I even get the network (I have to, somewhere, right?). And aside from NOVA, I can’t really think of a show that might land on the channel that I’d enjoy watching from time to time. I don’t have kids, nor do […]
- You Gotta Go Away to Come Back ()
The first of three parts in Louie‘s “Late Show” arc left off with Louie deciding whether or not he would risk becoming a success, and accept a tentative opportunity to stand as an option in the search for a replacement host of The Late Show. The second part opens with Louie and his ex-wife Janet […]
- Louie and the Risk of Becoming a Success ()
Talk about learning to cope with randomness! In the first of Louie‘s three part “Late Show” arc, Louie crushes as a guest on The Tonight Show, only to be invited to a secretive meeting with a CBS executive (masterfully played by Garry Marshall), before quickly learning that David Letterman is retiring, and that they want […]
- Letterman Said it Best… ()
This started as a Facebook post. Initially I feared putting something like this up on the blog because it might be misconstrued as another in this weekend’s parade of tasteless grabs for pageviews and misplaced online celebrations. But my words eventually outgrew the word-count limit on Facebook’s “wall,” and I’d like to think that my […]
- Is “Wilfred” Becoming “Fight Club”? ()
If the immediate introduction to the show by way of suicide attempt wasn’t enough to distance the new version of Wilfred from the Australian original, perhaps this past week’s episode (the series’ third, titled “Fear”) has done the trick. Where the first two episodes — or at least the first episode and a half — […]
- On Louie: Episode 2, “Bummer/Blueberries” ()
Spoilers are kind of silly when it comes to discussing Louis CK‘s Louie: Even if someone was to tell you the exact breakdown of an episode, chances are that it would still hold an entirely different value to you once you watched it. Such is the case with season two’s second episode, titled “Bummer/Blueberries.” Despite […]
- Weeds: Season 7 Premiere Recap ()
“Three years later…” opens the first episode in the seventh, and rumored to be final, season of Showtime’s Weeds. And where the final episode of season six left off with drama hitting yet another bizarre peak — Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) copping to murder charges which subsequently led to the arrest of her estranged husband […]
- Ryan Dunn, Star of Jackass, Dead at 34 ()
TMZ is reporting that Jackass cast member died last night in a car accident. Posting a picture to his Tumblr account of some friends and himself drinking earlier in the night (seen below), Dunn drove his Porsche off the road at roughly 3:00 am last night, the fatal crash killing both him and an as […]
- Source Claims “Chappelle’s Show” to Return ()
Dave Chappelle is returning to television with a new show. Or so says The Daily while citing an “insider” in their June 16 article “Chappelle’s next act.” And just as the the comedian displayed through the tireless brilliance that was Chappelle’s Show, it seems that he will be once again be playing the role of […]
- Har Mar Superstar brings “Tall Boy” to Late Night ()
Har Mar Superstar made an unusually clothed (as in, he actually had clothes on) appearance last night when Late Night with Jimmy Fallon hosted a performance of “Tall Boy,” the first single from the new album Dark Touches. Originally penned for Britney Spears, the song is accompanied by a pair of music videos which were released earlier this month. The first features guest […]
- Smashing Pumpkins “Tarantula (Jimmy Kimmel Live)” Video ()
Along with guests Tom Arnold and Shea Whigham, Smashing Pumpkins stopped Jimmy Kimmel Live this past Friday, playing the show off the air. Rather than performing its new single, “G.L.O.W.,” the band stuck with “Tarantula” from last year’s Zeitgeist. “G.L.O.W.” debuted almost two weeks ago on Chicago’s Q-101 and will see its official debut with the release of the Guitar Hero […]
- Scoundrel! Norm MacDonald on The Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget ()
I can’t say that Bob Saget would ever make it to my short list of favorite comedians, nor does his name cross my mind when I think of actors I admire (though his brief cameo in Half Baked still brings a smile to my face), but when the producers of Comedy Central’s ongoing celebrity roast series found […]
- NOFX’s “Backstage Passport” Video ()
Seven years ago I moved right before NOFX was going to play a show in my hometown of Calgary… six years ago the band’s show got rained out when I tried to see them at the Warped Tour here in Minneapolis… (then I lived in small town Iowa for a while)… now, when I finally […]
- “Lily Allen & Friends” Debuts, Is Sure To Fail ()
Lily Allen & Friends debuted on Tuesday night to a stream of skepticism, The Times‘ Adam Sherwin adding “Lily Allen reduced BBC Three’s average audience for the 10:30pm slot by some 200,000 viewers. The E4 channel attracted a higher share of the target youth audience during the evening. ITV2 attracted more viewers than Allen with […]
- Revisiting Super Dave Osbourne ()
Rare is the occasion when a long forgotten memory returns and is revisited with any sort of remote sense of fondness, but this past week during a conversation with a group of friends a thought of Super Dave Osbourne came to mind. While not necessarily as hilarious as some distant memories, those of Super, Fuji […]
- Conan/Colbert/Jon Stewart Made Huckabee Finale ()
Following the logic here: Mike Huckabee appeared on The Colbert Report and during his appearance Stephen Colbert gave Huckabee the Colbert bump, therefor – Colbert made Huckabee. That being said in 2006 Colbert appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, thus Conan made Colbert, and therefor Conan made Huckabee. But wait…Conan O’Brien once appeared on […]
- Fred Rogers vs. The United States Senate: 1969 ()
Last night over some delightful pizza a discussion was had that touched on the power of Mr. Rogers’ classic television show; one friend in particular addressed this, his 1969 appearance before the United States Senate Subcommittee on Communications in hopes of continuing funding for the young PBS. The situation is, as best I can come […]
- Tracy Morgan on The Late Show with Letterman ()
In between DL asking Tracy about his ankle bracelet and his sobriety Tracy dropped comedy gold on the nation. It’s moments like these that make me wonder if I should start watching TV again. “It’s in the Smithsonian next to Michael Jackson’s glove, and his nose.” “Now if I go near alcohol I turn into […]
- Bring Back “2 Scoops”! ()
This past weekend the next generation of American Gladiators was unveiled unto a national audience craving an end to the ongoing writer strike. First hand accounts left me interested, could the Gladiators honestly be back? Well, this really depends on how you look at the program, is it simply a medium for muscle-clad athletes to […]
- The Top 10 Musical Performances on Late Night TV of 2007 ()
10. Peter, Bjorn & John feat. Victoria Bergsman “Young Folks” from Late Night with Conan O’Brien 01/29/2007 Does anyone remember the embarrassingly unimportant issue of Peter, Bjorn & John using a whistle track during their live performances? ‘Round the turn of the new year, just as the band was breaking the American market, things got […]
- Pierre Henry: “Futurama” Inspiration, Violent Femmes Collaborator & Remix Fawn ()
Bouncing about the internets lately has been a fascinating YouTube video highlighting Pierre Henry’s 1967 track “Psyché Rock” and its immediate influence on the theme song to the animated series Futurama. As for the similarities – glaringly obvious; but who is Pierre Henry? Oh, just “the first formally educated musician to devote his energies to […]
- “Chuck Norris Approved” – Mike Huckabee May Very Well Be The New Presidential Front Runner ()
I need not hear anything of the man’s political agenda, his historic voting record or personal ins and outs – based on his appearance on The Colbert Report and this video alone I have decided to make a stand and officially (momentarily) back Mike Huckabee as Republican Presidential candidate. Sit on it Brownback! UPDATE: Not […]
- Mad TV: Ever So Topical Feist/iPod Parody ()
Dropping topical comedy like there’s no tomorrow, Mad TV delivers a skit using a poorly executed parody of a half year old music video thematically mocking old “new” technology. The skit isn’t necessarily “funny” per se but with a very slim exception one cannot expect too much from the show. Mad TV is still on […]
- Mike O’Connell: The Complete Jimmy Kimmel Sessions ()
Originally scanning through the outrageously popular Runaway Box videos hosted by (amongst other things) HBO correspondent Dave Hill I was crudely introduced to one Mike O’Connell. The interview didn’t so much surround his stand up as much as it did his hugely successful (600k YouTube views) online video for “What’s It Gonna Be.” And while […]
- 30 Rock’s “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah” ()
For those who are fans of NBC’s 30 Rock, especially those who don’t have cable, you can catch the show streaming online on their official site. And for those who have been keeping up with the show, I’m sure you remember the quick mention of Tracy Morgan’s character’s (aptly named Tracy Jordan) “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah.” […]
- “The Best of The Johnny Cash TV Show: 1969-1971” DVD Review ()
A deeply toned narrator introduces footage of Woodstock and Altamont, peace and war, comparing and contrasting various struggles and glories that the world, culture and art were facing through the late ’60s to the early ’70s; but who was there as a voice of reason? Johnny Cash. A tad on the dramatic? Absolutely. But no […]
- O’Reilly Continues to Bash Nas & An Ill Doctrine Rebuttle ()
Continuing his assault on Nazzz (though since we last saw him, he must have been informed of the proper pronunciation of Nas’ name), Bill O’Reilly continued his verbal assault on both Nas and Virginia Tech President Charles Steger this week. First “going at it” with “liberal” personality Geraldo Rivera, then again with Fox News Correspondent […]
- Everlast Records “Saving Grace” Theme Song ()
Everlast recently tracked the theme song to TNT’s upcoming series Saving Grace. After checking out the trailer for the show I’m fairly certain that it’s a TNT original series however (aka: not entirely worth watching) but that being said I must admit that Everlast’s track, also called “Saving Grace,” sounds pretty good. Call it a […]
- Look Out Oprah, It’s Comedy Central! ()
The Peabody Awards, The Emmys and more…Hey kids, it’s not just fart jokes any more! (Fully realizing that the previous statement is about 9 years too late…but still…) One of my favorite moments this past year included visiting a taping of The Colbert Repor(t) and slapping hands with one Stephen Colbert as he made his […]
- Kathy Griffin: My Life as a Douche ()
There’s something funny about titling your show “My Life on the ‘D’-List,” isn’t there? Not really. Fitting for a show that really has nothing funny or original about it. I needed a break from some papers I was writing tonight and I turned on the television. I had heard about the show (and by heard […]