edub TV

Growing Pains!

2008-10-18T08:39:00.003-05:00

Hey folks!

No one said the move would be easy. We're up and running over at Wordpress but Blogger is having a hard time letting us go. If your Google Reader isn't syncing with our new posts, (I know mine isn't) subscribe to:

http://edubtv.wordpress.com/

Hopefully we'll be ready to go with edubTV.com by the end of the weekend!

Thanks for your patience.
--edub

You Can Actually Just Go Ahead And Get Rid Of Your Set

2008-10-17T18:18:00.005-05:00

When you add it all up I follow 6 hours of prime time television on the average Thursday night. Because of scheduling and general sleepiness, watching all of these shows would be nearly impossible without the aid of my DVR and the internet. That got me to thinking; I bet a ridiculous amount of people aren't even using their TVs anymore.

Think about the number of websites you can go to right now to see episodes of television that were brand new less than 24 hours ago. Stuck? Luckily the New York Post TV blog compiled a list.

OVGuide.com
Hulu.com
Megavideo.com
Joost.com
Fancast.com
Primetimerewind.tv
Beelinetv.com
Quicksilverscreen.com
Surfthechannel.com

They also went one step further and provided a rundown for every show currently streaming new episodes online and where you can find them. Let me tell you, it's a doozy.

Ridiculous, or just the first signs that that flat screen of yours will soon be your coffee table?

I liken the transition to young people getting rid of landlines. Why keep the big set around when you can take your laptop anywhere, see all the shows you want for the price of your wireless connection, and basically never pay for a cable bill again? It kind of makes you wonder doesn't it? I suppose most people are keeping their TVs around for sports games and other shows (mostly from premium channels) that they just "can't get anywhere else."

But I pose this question to all of you: If sports and the occasional episode of Dexter aren't holding you back, what's keeping you from getting rid of your TV?

I'll answer first I guess. I usually watch TV by myself, so only having a laptop wouldn't get in the way of my big non-existent TV watching parties. I already get all of my news online or from the newspaper and 100% of the shows I watch are free on the internet or available on iTunes. So what's stopping me? New Year's Eve. I haven't been home for New Year's Eve in a few years, but I can't imagine not having a TV to watch that ball drop...even if Dick Clark's not there. But even after sitting on this for about a half hour, that's the only reason I could think of.

What about you folks?

By the way, this is our last post on Blogger. Number 499! Late tonight or early tomorrow I'll "flip the switch" to introduce you to the new edubTV over at edubTV.com. For those of you who read us in Google Reader, make sure you stop by the actual site to see the new look. It's about time we had a makeover don't you think? So make sure you're all set to go: edubTV.com 2.0 begins tomorrow.

Photo: killfilmstudents.wordpress.com

Hump Day Update

2008-10-16T20:22:00.006-05:00

Hey gang! Brother bear got to blog last night which means I am full of things I missed from yesterday. We missed the hump day update, but let's just call it that for old times sake. This will be the last one for edubTV 1.0. Single tear.

It's Thursday which means The Office is on. Last week's episode wasn't that amazing but the deleted scenes were brillz! (Yes, I'm very big on abbrevs this week.) Check out some of the most cringe-worthy scenes in Office history.

Former Queer as Folk star and current Desperate Housewives man-candy Gale Harold is in critical condition after a motorcycle accident a few days ago. Reports show he is steadily improving but he is far from out of the woods. Harold's character has a large role in an upcoming episode involving a nightclub fire. The ep is being shot this week and EP Marc Cherry said it will need to be changed a bit. Hopefully he'll have a speedy recovery.

Have you taken the NY Post Television Aptitude tests? I scored perfect on the comedy edition and did just-ok on the drama. Feel free to leave your score in the comments.

Finally those Gossip Girl kids get something right. This faux-PSA about the election starring Blake Lively and Penn Badgely is right on the money. It's executed much better than that whole "Don't Vote" mumbo-jumbo.

Diablo Cody, Steven Spielberg, Toni Collette and John Corbett teamed up to make a TV show. The result? What looks like another hit for Showtime. The first look is finally available online. And sidenote, boy am I glad John Corbett is back on TV. He is one charming fella.

Whitney Matheson of PopCandy interviewed the Ed Asner. Awesomeness ensued.

And finally, my two favorite websites of late involve Barack-O-Lanterns and Upside-down Dogs. My taste is nothing if not refined.

Reminder: Set your phasers to stun and set your bookmarks for edubTV.com.

Guest Blog: Dear Entourage, pack up your things and get out!

2008-10-15T23:05:00.008-05:00

Ok, let me preface this post by saying I used to love entourage. I still remember being in college with some of my buddies and joking about how this was the greatest show ever and how awesome it was that HBO finally offered a show poised to be the male equivalent of Sex and the City.

Well folks, my love affair has ended, and apparently, there are some other scorned lovers out there as well. Entourage was a special show from the get go. It featured a lifestyle that, lets face it, is one we all might like to get a taste of. It was able to give viewers a behind the scenes look at the Los Angeles rubix cube known as Hollywood. From business deals, fast women, faster cars, and the empty lives some of these people lead, the show exposed it all--and we watched.

Sadly, this season has come crashing to a boring halt. Characters seem lifeless, the story lines are all over the place (are they ever gonna address drama's drinking problem or ari's anger management issues--which are becoming downright scary)?

This show had a chance to reach new heights and tackle some challenging issues. They needed to force Vince, Turtle, Drama, Ari and E to grow as characters and as men in the primes of their respective lives. Instead, we get an episode about doing magic mushrooms in the desert, while the gay assistant has a naked pool bash. Truly groundbreaking television.

Entourage used to be a shining gem in the HBO lineup, and now, It's just a show that I time shift after I watch Dexter and Desperate Housewives. I wish the guys in L.A. the best and hopefully they can recapture the magic they had four seasons ago, because quite frankly, I'm just done with season 5.

Photo: http://www.livingstonbuzz.com

Another quick note, dont forget to update your blog rolls/readers/favorites/etc to reflect the "new" edubtv, which can be found at www.edubtv.com. Stay tuned for final updates on the move and thanks for reading!

Life on Mars Is Sort Of Awesome

2008-10-14T20:46:00.003-05:00

ABC's new cop-drama Life on Mars is a BBC rip-off about a cop who gets hit by a car and wakes up in the thick of the 1970s. No cell phone. No DNA. No clue as to whether this is all a figment of his subconscious or whether he's some sort of time traveler.

I missed last Thursday's premiere but I caught up last night on ABC.com. After one viewing, I encourage all of you edubbers to do the same.

Like LOST, Life on Mars takes what might otherwise be a pretty ridiculous concept (man goes back in time) and does some really innovative things with it. They not only explore the challenges of learning how to adjust to life in the past, but the much more difficult aspect of living in a world where no one believes you and seemingly, no one can help you escape.

Unlike LOST, this show doesn't warrant a lot of clue tracking. No pause button required, no ridiculous mysteries, no wayward polar bears. It's a pretty groundbreaking show that doesn't require a PhD or a ridiculous amount of time to kill.

The cast is also a treat. Jason O'Mara plays our protagonist, Det. Sam Tyler, a brooding, silent type with a kind heart. Michael Imperioli (formerly of The Sopranos) returns to TV as one of Sam's 70's cop colleagues. He's joined by the legendary Harvey Keitel who plays Lietenant Gene Hunt, a take-no-prisoners, kick- him-in-the-face-ask-questions-later kind of guy. Judging by how many fistfights there were in the first episode, I'm guessing he's not alone.

The ladies of Life on Mars are also superb. Gretchen Mol and Lisa Bonet add some great balance to this testosterone heavy cast. We only see Bonet for the first few minutes of the pilot, so hopefully she makes a return in the second episode.

Life on Mars is already getting some very positive reviews and was just selected Number 1 on Metacritic's Top 10 new shows this fall.

Not too shabby for a BBC knock off.

Photo: http://seat42f.com/

Reminder: It's edubtv.com now. Adjust folks. Adjust.

Things That Made Me Smile Today

2008-10-13T21:23:00.005-05:00

Tina Fey threatened to move to outer space if John McCain and Sarah Palin win this election
Speaking of which, the rest of the TV public (lead by the New York Times no less) is finally as outraged as I am that 30 Rock isn't starting for another two and a half weeks.
This Friday, October 17, there will be an entire Jeopardy category devoted to Mad Men. You can practice your skills online right now with an online edition of Mad Men Jeopardy right now though.
Best new feature ever: An addictionary for all things The Office on NBC.com. Fans can add their own entries which means some are much funnier than others. I'm glad someone else remembered this.
Gawker ran a wonderful piece today by a guy who tried out for America's Got Talent. Oh the shit they put you through.

Photo: http://www.examiner.com/

A Special Announcement From edubTV:
edubTV is moving! Yes, we'll be leaving Blogger and moving into a bigger house with a backyard over at Wordpress. What does this mean for you? If you are one of the five people who follow us, you need to update your bookmarks, feed readers, brains, etc and starting accessing our site by going to edubTV.com and NOT edubtv.blogspot.com. Soon, edubTV.com will be the only way to find us. I'll post this announcement at the end of every post for the next few days to remind you but the shift will probably take place by the end of the week. As far as housewarming gifts go, we enjoy fine liquors and elegant floral arrangements.

Parenting Tips From edubTV

2008-10-12T17:32:00.004-05:00

Don't let your kids walk all over you
Steer clear of spitters
Don't marry a douche-bag
If you're a parent, chances are this whole thing is your fault.

These parenting tips are brought to you by my four-hour impromptu marathon of Nanny 911 during today's "She-Nanny-Gans" weekend on ABC Family.

I really need some more hobbies.

Photo: http://media.movieweb.com/

Last Night's Premieres: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

2008-10-10T21:50:00.004-05:00

Last night we were presented with three new comedy offerings. How did they stack up?

The Good: Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday, NBC
This show is exactly what it sounds like. The folks at SNL are starting a new show that is essentially one sketch and 15 minutes of Weekend Update. It's like The Daily Show but without those pesky guests sucking the funny out of the room. This week's debate sketch fell a little flat without Tina Fey in the room but it was nice to see Chris Parnell reprise his role as Tom Brokaw. The highlight of the show for me was the return of one of my very favorite Weekend Update features, "Really, With Seth & Amy."

The Bad: Kath & Kim, NBC
I was expecting big things from this show. I have a girl-crush on Molly Shannon and anything that John Michael Higgins touches is gold in my eyes, but this just didn't cut the mustard for me. I have no problem watching characters that are a bit flawed and nutty (ex. The Office) but this was just too much. The mall culture, the fitness craziness, the child-like attitudes, etc. Any one of those pieces separately would be fine, but the combination is little much.

It was hard to watch at some points, not because it was awkward, but because the comedy was so self-indulgent. I could almost see the writers on this show cracking up while they wrote it, meanwhile, I just wasn't in on the joke. It's one of those shows that will need to hook people right away and since the promos for it have been a little slow since the Olympics, I don't know that it will. The only thing saving it right now is its timeslot.

The Ugly: Testees, FX
Oh my God this show sucks. Seriously, I can't believe I watched the whole thing. It's about two schlubby guys who take tests for the local pharmaceutical company (get it, they're Testees?). The rest of the show is not that creative. Last night's pilot had the fellas getting some sort of suppository injected. One got the placebo, the other got a big belly and thought he was pregnant. Then out of nowhere, he tries to abort the baby with a coat hanger...through his butt...because that's how he thinks the baby got in there.

This show had the potential to be hilarious. The possibilities for humor in the pharmaceutical industry are near endless. Too bad this show decided to bypass all of them for scatological humor and dick jokes.

I expected more from creator Kenny Hotz, but then again, prior to this effort he was best known for his work on the hilarious game/reality show Kenny vs. Spenny. (By the way, Spenny was on Testees last night too. He played a guy who was testing out some penis enlargement spray. I rest my case.)

Photo: http://www.smh.com.au

Obama Takes Over Your TV

2008-10-09T21:26:00.003-05:00

Barack Obama shelled out some major bucks and purchased a half hour of airtime on CBS and NBC to run a half-hour infomercial on his campaign, his life, etc. The special will run on Wednesday, October 29.

This is a really expensive venture (each slot costs about $2 Mil) and rumor has it he may have enough money in the coffer to buy time on Fox and ABC too.

But the best news of the night? Obama's special will pre-empt Jay Mohr's latest shitshow Gary Unmarried. Womp, Womp.

Photo: http://www.rockunion.ie/

Ann Curry Is Surprisingly Funny

2008-10-08T21:27:00.004-05:00

I kind of hate Ann Curry. She's always seemed cold, unfeeling, kind of a downer, especially since Meredith Vieira came on board. In fact, she's one of the many reasons I wake up with Good Morning America.

But Curry tried stand-up comedy for the first time and The Today Show was there to capture the big moment. Needless to say I was hoping Curry would die (maybe literally) on stage. It turns out, she was pretty funny. I am willing to give credit where credit is due.

However, I did find it a little unnerving to hear her talk about sex. It's like when you're little and you finally figure out that your parents had to have sex at some point. You just don't want to think of your news people that way.

Today Show's Ann Curry's Standup Debut @ Yahoo! Video

So It's Pretty Much The End Of Days For MTV...

2008-10-07T22:49:00.003-05:00

Kanye West premiered the video for his latest single, Love Lockdown, on Ellen.

Britney Spears is premiering the video for her new single, Womanizer, on 20/20 this Friday.

MTV is getting rid of TRL next month.

It's official; the M no longer stands for music.

We'll always have the good times...and the hilarious parodies of the good times.

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

SNL Round-Up!

2008-10-06T22:48:00.003-05:00

Yes, I thought the latest Fey as Palin sketch was hilarious, thanks for asking. Like every blog ever in the past two days, I will go ahead and link to it in case you missed it. However, I finally caught the full episode of Saturday's SNL and I must say, the sketch below was much funnier. Now more than ever, I am confident Kristen Wiig will fill Amy Poehler's shoes well when she departs the show following the election.

Jimmy Smits Stabbed A Dude

2008-10-05T18:18:00.002-05:00

It was an accident on the set of Dexter, but how often do you get to write a title like that?

Apparently Jimmy accidentally stabbed a stunt man in the chest with a real knife instead of a fake knife.

The scariest part is that the stuntman saw the whole thing go down. He was bound and gagged for the scene and couldn't signal to the actor to stop. Dexter star Michael C. Hall also noticed Smits' mistake but couldn't get to the actor in time.

Luckily the stunt man had a small, plastic chest plate covering his heart or Smits would've done some serious damage.

Scary business! I can't wait to see the scene play out though.

Photo: http://www.showtimefan.com

Jerrell Is In-Teyents!

2008-10-03T22:07:00.002-05:00

It's Friday and boy am I ready for the weekend. Nothing kicks off two days of bliss better than a hot new dance groove inspired by Jerell, my new favorite Project Runway personality. He gave Kenley the what-for by saying he wanted Korto and Leanna with him "...at da teyents." It was a funny little accent, trust me you had to see it...and you can...right here.

So the folks at BestWeekEver.tv took the time take that sweet little phrase and turn it into the new autumn jam. There's even a dance. I'm tickled pink.

Photo: BravoTV.com

Palin Bingo Makes Debate Even Better!

2008-10-02T18:53:00.004-05:00

TV goes on hold for the night for the one and only Vice-Presidential debate.

If for nothing else, it's probably worth tuning in so you'll understand the jokes on this week's SNL. If there is a debate sketch, rumor has it Queen Latifah's been tapped to play moderator Gwen Ifill.

But if you're not a politico, debates can be a little tedious. Lucky for you I stumbled on a link to Palin Bingo! There are four cards available so you and your friends can play along. I doubt it will take too long to get a "media blackout" as some of the tiles are things like "Gee," "Earmarks," and "Lipstick."

We may not get to watch The Office this week, but this a comedy night done right of a different color.

Image: PalinBingo.com

Private Practices Pushes Bio-Ethical Envelope

2008-10-02T18:44:00.006-05:00

I stopped watching Grey's Anatomy because the drama just got too frivolous for my taste. I was reluctant to make the switch to Private Practice, but after a string of successful episodes the show is quickly rising to the top of my must-see list.

At the very least, last night's season premiere earned Private Practice a season pass on my Tivo. The episode featured five relationships on the rocks and a medical practice about to crumble under some serious financial burdens.

But the show takes a non-traditional trajectory by tackling some dicey bio-ethical dilemmas. Is it okay for parents to conceive a child with the express purpose of using the blood from that child's umbilical cord to save the life of one of their other children? Should a doctor go outside of the law and against a family's wishes and tell a teenager who's planning to have sex that he's HIV positive?

Both of these issues were examined Wednesday night and they lead to some great debates today around the copier near my desk at work. Unlike it's parent program, Private Practice continues to do a fantastic job of combining new romance, relationship drama, family squabbles, comedy but above all--medicine. That's something the folks over at Grey's leave out more often than not.

This episode's central debates reminded me of one of my other favorites, Picket Fences. Both programs take traditional genres (police, medicine, and/or family dramas) and turn them on their ears a bit. It also intrigues me when shows can manage to be familiar and refreshing simultaneously.

Photo: Abc.com

There's Marital Bliss In Philadelphia!

2008-10-01T20:07:00.003-05:00

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia costars Kaitlin Olson (Dee) and Rob McElhenney (Mac) tied the knot last Saturday in California.

(File this under confessions of a bad TV blogger: I didn't even know they were dating.)

I bet the wedding was flippin' raucous.

Kudos to the happy couple!

Photo: Someecards.com

National Geographic Snags An Interview With Lisa Simpson

2008-09-30T19:22:00.003-05:00

To mark the 20th season premiere of The Simpson's, National Geographic sat down with daughter, musician and passionate environmentalist Lisa to talk about going green, eco-tourism and recycling among other things.

You can find the entire interview online, but here's a snippet:

Since nuclear power has low carbon emissions, do you now respect Mr. Burns?
You know what has really low carbon emissions and releases no radiation? Wind power! Sorry I lost my cool... you know what else is losing its cool? THE EARTH!

You tell 'em sister!

Photo: http://www.morethings.com/

A Conversation With My Brother About Desperate Housewives

2008-09-30T19:02:00.005-05:00

My brother and I get on gChat and talk about TV occasionally. Here's today's installment on the season premiere of Desperate Housewives. The show is now taking place five years into the future. I add some punctuation, capital letters, and a few items in parentheses so the conversation actually makes sense.

me: I happened to enjoy Desperate

10:30 AM Chris: Yeah, I guess it got a little better towards the end.

10:31 AM The 5 yr experiment should be interesting, but it should take the show in a new direction.

me: I liked the whole thing. I was kind of sick of some of the old stories and this kind of lets everyone start over.

10:32 AM Chris: Yeah I feel ya. I think they really did it because, babies aren't that interesting. A couple of the women had really young kids--C'mon, how fun is that?

10:33 AM me: Not fun at all. I thought it was interesting that we still didn't really see Susan's kid.He's like 5, she was without him a lot.

Chris: Yeah not until the very end.

LOL...cause she's the worst mom ever.

me: Exactly. And I didn't think Lynette's twins were 11 last season.

Chris: (Still on Susan) ...and doesnt she write KID'S books? NQ.....NOT QUALIFIED, lol.

me: (on the twins) They looked about 9.

10:34 AM And where is their (Lynnette & Tom's) daughter?

10:35 AM Chris: Yeah, I would agree on both fronts about Lynette's kids...I was kinda wondering the same thing. But once again..8th graders are boring. There's a lot you could do with high school kids who are of driving age.

I think they are just trying to maximize story lines.

me: Yeah but they could've made the other son driving age

Chris: Ahhhh, good point.

10:36 AM But he is kind of a nerd right? Maybe he's already at college

me: Well he must be.

If their saying the twins were 11 last year, the older one must've been 12 or 13.

Chris: yep

10:37 AM me: Well either way it was interesting. I like that Edie's husband is a rage-a-holic.

10:38 AM Chris: (Going totally off subject) Oh crap...i just realized i never watched P-Break last night.

Sweet...Bonus DVR today!

me: It was good.

Chris: (Returning to the subject) Yeah, you know they had to have a twist, and with that creepy hair---I figured it was him.

Photo: ABC.com

Sunday Showdown!

2008-09-28T18:14:00.004-05:00

There's quite a TV traffic jam tonight. I plan on recording or watching pretty much everything on this list and then making decisions as to what stays on my schedule. It's going to be a long night.

-Season Premiere (The 20th to be exact): The Simpsons - Fox 8/7c
-Season Premiere: Amazing Race 13 - CBS 8/7C
-Season Premiere: Desperate Housewives - ABC 9/8C
-Season Premiere: Californication - Showtime 9/8C
-Season Premiere: Brothers & Sisters - ABC 10/9C
-Season Premiere: Dexter - Showtime - 10/9C
-New Episode: Entourage - 10/9C
-New Episode: Mad Men - 10/9C

Photo: Hulu.com

Suck It Gatorade!

2008-09-28T17:56:00.004-05:00

I did a triathlon today and I'm tried. I really could've used some of this.

At least I wasn't this guy...yikes.

Photo: http://mixmakers.net

"If I invaded KFC, wings would be cheap at my house!"

2008-09-28T10:41:00.004-05:00

He's back! I havent been this excited since Popeyes Chicken put a location in my home city. Last night, HBO's favorite comedian, Chris Rock, premiered his fourth primetime comedy special and boy did he not dissapoint.

Dont kill the messenger took on a daring new format in which Chris taped performances in London, New York, and South Africa then pieced clips from each show together to form one fairly seemeless comedy special. It was a bold move on Rock's part and I was skeptical at first, but after a short moment of dizzyness, I felt like I was watching comedy history.

Rock touched on politics, the economy, race, and of course...relationships. The show was well paced and quite frankly, hilarious. Chris Rock has firmly cemented his position as the best stand up comedian of our era.

Now if we can only get that crazy Dave Chappelle to come out of hiding, maybe he could challenge the throne.

Celebrities of the Corn

2008-09-27T19:30:00.004-05:00

Frankly, I don't which corn tribute I am more offended by:

Vice-Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin:

Or American Idol runner-up David Archuleta:

Scary! And a-maize-ing!

Photos: www.accessatlanta.com, www.scandalist.com

Paul Newman: The King of Cool

2008-09-27T18:56:00.002-05:00

Paul Newman passed away last night at the age of 83. He was a legendary actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He'll be remembered for his beautiful work on and off screen and for a member of the Cool Old Guys Club which now consists of Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins and Clint Eastwood.

Though Newman is best known for his work on the silver screen, few know about his career in television. The Remote Island compiled some of his better moments in a fitting tribute to the star.

Newman is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joanne Woodward, and their five children.

Photo: http://www.lashonhara.net

The Office Premiere: Thoughts?

2008-09-25T21:32:00.003-05:00

I really liked tonight's season premiere of The Office. I'll try to keep this relatively spoiler free for those of you who are time-shifting tonight.

Last year's hour-long episodes didn't work for a lot of folks because the familiar quick, snappy pacing of the show was diluted to fill the extra 22 minutes. I was pleased to see that didn't happen this time. This episode had some excellent one liners, a healthy dose of drama and intrigue and some seriously feel-good moments. (Anyone else want to give Stanley and Jim giant hugs?)

It was really reminiscent of season two or early season three when the show was at its creative peak. Hopefully they can ride this wave all season long. Remember they have a 30 episode order to get through. Even with several hour long eps, that's a lot of story to fill.

After tonight's premiere, I am cautiously optimistic.