More 'Shield'
"In a surprising move by the cable channel, FX has ordered eight additional episodes of "The Shield's" fifth season - extending its run to 21 episodes."
Excellent, particularly if this is the last season as has been rumored.
November 03, 2005
October 29, 2005
Done the Impossible
"The story of the rise and fall and rebirth of the cult TV show "Firefly,"
as told from the perspective of the fans who helped save it."
I've been hearing promos for this on The Signal, which in and of itself proves the point of the documentary. Ordered.
October 28, 2005
UmmmmKay
Amazon.com: DVD: Office Space - Special Edition with Flair (Widescreen Edition)
Extended scenes? Widescreen? Flair? Ordered!
Muppets may return to primetime TV
I don't think 'reality' means what they think it means:
"The Muppets could come back to primetime television with their own reality show.
"ABC has ordered a script and five episode outlines for "America's Next Muppet," in which viewers may join in choosing the newest member of the puppet family that includes Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy."
October 25, 2005
Dangerous Donuts
"Welcome to my first blog entry.
"If you're reading this on company time, congratulations on beating the system. If you're reading it on your own time, you really need to find a job where they pay you to do this sort of thing."
Scott Adams has finally set up a blog! Here's his mission statement: "Everything that I think about is more fascinating than the crap in your head." If you like Dilbert you'll enjoy reading the blog, so be sure to subscribe today!
September 09, 2005
Fall 2005 Premiere Dates
August 28, 2005
'Six Feet Under' finale raises the bar with perfect ending
"Most series end in ambiguity, leaving viewers alone to imagine what may have happened to their favorite characters. Not so here. Claire's tearful drive away begins a masterful montage that chronologically wraps everything up. Clearly inspired by the scene in Paul Thomas Anderson's epic film Magnolia that uses Aimee Mann's haunting 'Wise Up' as the soundtrack, the gripping sequence - anchored by the melancholy 'Breathe Me' by Sia - shows us the future we're desperate to see. Since 'Six Feet Under' centered on death, it was essential to tell us the end of the story - a wholly unexpected, yet in retrospect, absolutely necessary choice."
I think this is one of the best endings I've seen. If nothing else, it gave me (the viewer) the most sense of closure I've ever had at the end of a series.
August 13, 2005
Jumping Kitties
Cat pictures taken with a high speed camera.
July 31, 2005
Politics of Iraq war are not part of the action 'Over There'
"You'll hear a lot in the coming days and weeks about Over There, a new FX drama about soldiers fighting in Iraq and their families at home.
"It's the first time television has depicted a war that's under way, and it's a war that obviously has created deep divisions between its supporters and detractors. Are we really ready, one might ask, to see a dramatization of this, particularly one co-created by Stephen Bochco, who set tongues wagging with such groundbreaking but controversial shows as NYPD Blue?
"Absolutely."
Watched the first episode of this evening and have to say that F/X has done it again. It truly is the 'New HBO'.
July 07, 2005
Podsiphon
"Podsiphon is updated daily with free, and legal songs from sources all over the internet. Every day we look for the best new MP3s artists are sharing for free and post them here."
Very cool. Between this and the MP3 filetag at del.icio.us, I'm finding some great new music to listen to lately.
June 17, 2005
How the Batmobile Works
"Whether you have seen the movie "Batman Begins" or not, you have probably seen the Batmobile."
Hand in hand with the last entry, but even more interesting.
How the Batsuit Works
"Night in and night out, Batman keeps the streets of Gotham City safe from crime and villainy. One of the most extraordinary things about Batman is this: Despite the fact that he's a superhero, he doesn't actually posses any super powers. Instead of relying on unearthly abilities, Batman uses ingenuity, deception and clever gadgetry to give him an edge over Gotham's criminal element. Nothing instills fear in the hearts of Gotham's wrongdoers more than Batman's menacing appearance, and that appearance is all about the Batsuit."
Figured this was timely, not to mention cool.
June 15, 2005
The return of Firefly - at least in reruns
"You'll now get a chance to see the best science fiction series you never saw."
Friday nights on Sci-Fi are going to be great this summer!
June 01, 2005
WTNH's Super Duper Doppler
"Amusing parody of those annoying commercials touting a station's prowess at forecasting the weather."
May 31, 2005
Firefly Pre-Screening Message by Joss
"There have been many requests for this speech and I checked with Haken before posting, so here is the more or less complete transcript of Joss' message to the fans that is showing before the screenings of Serenity in the U.S...enjoy!"
Choked me up that night, chokes me up again reading it.
May 28, 2005
Screening Room
"Darth Vader's heart of evil is no match for Hollywood executives'."
May 27, 2005
You Can't Stop the Signal
"Down go the lights. Up comes the static and grain of the projection. Joss Whedon's clean cut but tired head appears on the screen.
"There are no commercials, no previews. Wayne Brady isn't whoring for Will Rogers. This is an unfinished, rough cut of the little show that couldn't.
"This is Serenity.
Can't Stop the Signal
I was one of the fortunate few that made it in.
May 12, 2005
'Trek' finale: Big promise, no payoff
"The Star Trek franchise ends tonight, at least for the time being, not with a bang, nor with a whimper. It just . . . stops. The two-hour series finale of Star Trek: Enterprise mirrors its history, beginning with much promise before fizzling out."
Disappointing. I'll still watch, but very disappointing.
(and I agree, BG being better than ST seems almost surreal!)
May 11, 2005
Laura Bush, stand-up comedienne
"I don't know who wrote Laura Bush's speech at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner last night, but she really has talent as a stand-up commedienne."
This is hilarious! Jump over here and, at the least, listen to the MP3.
May 06, 2005
'Hitchhiker's Guide' a delightful trip
"So it took a quarter of a century. They got it right: the movie version of 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' should delight the many fans of its earlier incarnations as a radio show, a novel and a television series."
Excellent, I look forward to seeing this this weekend.
UPDATE: Saw it, enjoyed it but you really had to read the book to appreciate it. I'll continue to recommend the books.
May 05, 2005
Runaway Bride Memorabilia
"eBay item 6393066963 (Ends May-06-05 12:43:19 PDT) - Authentic Jennifer Wilbanks Wedding Invitation"
God I love eBay. Kudos to the enterprising invitee that thought of this, this memento to the spoiled brat.
(hmmm, what happened to my posting on the billboard picture? Odd, I'll have to track that down.)
Matisyahu the Hasidic Reggae Superstar
Just Letters - A browser based multi-user Flash game
"Someone keeps stealing my letters..."
Can you keep a word up for long?
April 06, 2005
Die Wagenschenke - Das Partyzelt am Albanifest in Winterthur
Keep the drunk man walking by using your mouse. Oh yeah, you can't actually see your mouse. I made it to 52 Meters. Enjoy!
March 23, 2005
ZOOMQUILT | a collaborative art project
This is pretty neat. Let it kind of fly on it's own.
February 08, 2005
Super Bowl XXXIX Ads
"We've collected all the commercials from Super Bowl XXXIX for you to watch. Just click on any Watch Now! link and you'll be asked to select your Media Player Preferences, then you can enjoy all of the ads broadcast during the game. Plus, we've got the ads they banned. Enjoy."
This one's for Tracie and Libby. Enjoy!
January 27, 2005
ABC changes their commercial strategy
"There's a good reason you aren't flipping away from ABC. And we're not just talking about Desperate Housewives or Lost. This season, ABC executives have changed the way they schedule commercials during their shows, using a little trick to keep you from changing the channel."
Added "bonus", it makes me miss a little bit when Tivoing unless I take steps. Bah!
January 25, 2005
Rescue Me Star Fired Up
"Rescue Me begins shooting its second season in March - and the show's juxtaposition of laughs and dark drama will be sharp as ever. 'I don't want to give away any secrets,' Leary says, 'but some of the stuff that people wished Tommy would do last year, he's gonna do. But they're not gonna believe how insanely crazy he is. They're gonna wish he'd go back to the way he was.'"
Another show I look forward to seeing return.
January 21, 2005
Amazing Race "Villains"
"With a 15 percent popularity rating at CBS.com, it's safe to say that Jonathan and Victoria are the least-liked duo to ever run The Amazing Race (Tuesdays, 9 pm/ET). As a result, few fans shed tears when the married entrepreneurs from California were Philiminated on this week's episode. Here*, these two try to explain their combative behavior on the race, and insist there's more to their relationship than meets the eye."
Good riddance! We focused more on them than the travel destinations, which is why we watch in the first place.
* This was the 1/21 news story, viewing this link after this day won't have the article, you'll have to go into the archives.
January 19, 2005
OF LATE
"Does Jay Leno know? CBS senior veep Peter Lassally revealed yesterday at the TCA press tour that some of the jokes David Letterman tells during his Late Show monologues are written by none other than Leno's Tonight Show predecessor, Johnny Carson. 'He gets a big kick out of [hearing Letterman pull his punch lines],' Lassally said. Jay, dude, that's gotta hurt."
Carson and Letterman have always been my favorites, so this amuses me to no end. Maybe it explains why Dave sometimes does the Carson wave when repeating a punch line.
January 12, 2005
How Accurate Are These Spy Shows?
"Three of our favorite secret agent shows return this week (a new season of ABC's 'Alias' kicks off Wednesday, A&E's 'MI-5' returns Saturday and Fox's '24' comes back Sunday), so we thought we'd ask an expert in the field how accurate the shows are when it comes to the doings of clandestine agents."
'Bout what I expected.
January 06, 2005
Jenny, are you there? (867-5309)
How bored was this guy, anyway?
January 05, 2005
24: No Cougar Attacks This Season
From Ask Ausiello:
"Question: Any word on just how many episodes of 24 the dim-witted, typical-blond daughter of Jack will be appearing in? I want to prepare my TiVo for all the fast-forwarding. - DD
"Ausiello: Hey, I thought Elisha Cuthbert was pretty good last season! Nonetheless, the producers have plotted the first 18 episodes of the season and poor Kim doesn't appear in any of them."
What a relief, although I'll miss the drinking game rule of "drink when she does something stupid." ;-)
December 21, 2004
StupidVideos
"StupidVideos - Your Web-Repository of Stupid Videos"
You know all those little videos you get in email? Here's a large collection of them. Careful, it's addicting.
December 16, 2004
24 WATCH
From TV Guide: "Fox has announced that 24 will launch its pulse-pounding fourth season with a two-day, four-hour season premiere Sunday and Monday, Jan. 9 and 10 (8-10 pm/ET). The show will then settle into its regular Monday 9 pm/ET time slot the following week."
Cool. 'Course, I won't see it until a few days later 'cause I've got to wait for a couple of people to come watch...
December 06, 2004
'Christopher" Goes Legit
"EMMY-WINNING ACTOR MICHAEL IMPERIOLI ('THE SOPRANOS') TO FILL IN FOR JESSE L. MARTIN FOR SEVERAL EPISODES OF 'LAW & ORDER' WHILE MARTIN STARS IN FILM VERSION OF 'RENT'
"'I'm glad to be on the right side of the law,' said Michael Imperioli."
This ought to be interesting.
December 01, 2004
Double-Dipping
Def: "when a person dips a snack chip into a dip, takes a bite, and then dips again with the same bitten chip ('it's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip!!!')"
Read this and many more Seinfeld-isms at the Seinfeld Dictionary site.
ShotgunGuide- Official Rules for Calling Shotgun"
"Ever have the problem of catching a ride with someone whose car doesn't have much of a back seat? At times like these, it is important to know the rules of calling shotgun. Never again will you let someone take advantage of you because you don't know the rules."
This amused me when I ran across it, as my first web site had a page with the Shotgun Rules on it. Hmm, I wonder... Well son of a gun, the site is still there! How amusing, given that I stopped paying for that account in March of 2001. Mental Note, migrate the content to this site.
November 30, 2004
BIG CHANGES
From TV Guide Online:
"Rumors are flying that Law & Order star Chris Noth is poised to replace troubled Vincent D'Onofrio on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. According to a report in Broadcasting & Cable magazine, L&O creator Dick Wolf is considering Noth as a possible successor to D'Onofrio, who, in addition to his recent health problems, has long had a reputation for being a handful to work with. And kinda scary to boot."
I liked Noth but I like D'Onofrio better, so I would be saddened to see this come to pass. I'd still watch, as I like the format, but it'd be missing that edginess that I like.
November 21, 2004
Star Wars Kid "Paid" Tribute
"It may not be Episode 3, but the Star Wars Kid makes a cameo in Tony Hawk Underground 2."
November 19, 2004
Synergy
"ABC is moving its ratings-challenged spy drama "Alias" to Wednesday next January, in the 9 p.m. slot following its rookie hit "Lost."
The opening Jan. 5 episode of the fourth season will be a two-hour installment; the midseason introduction will allow the entire season to unspool without interruption week to week."
Very cool! Ok, I'm a TiVo dude so it don't matter, but for the rest of you...
November 18, 2004
Evil Dead: The Remake
"At first the idea of remaking a well-known horror film was slow to catch on, even if a superior second film was the end result. In 1979 we saw a new version of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, followed by 1982's version of John Carpenter's THE THING. In 1986 saw David Cronenberg updating THE FLY with state-of-the-art special effects. Two years later THE BLOB was the next old school horror flick to get re-done, and the year after that (1990) it was NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD's turn. It's only been in the past six or seven years that the speed of these chiller remakes have begun picking up steam: we've had PSYCHO, a new THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, fast-running zombies in a 21st century DAWN OF THE DEAD, the forthcoming AMITYVILLE HORROR and the one announced just last month, a remake of Carpenter's 1979 spooker, THE FOG.
And now it's Sam Raimi's turn to remake THE EVIL DEAD."
I was concerned, reading this, but Raimi and Campbell are part of the project so now I'm looking forward to it.
November 17, 2004
The WIRED CD: Rip. Sample. Mash. Share.
"These musicians are saying that true creativity needs to be open, fluid, and alive. When it comes to copyright, they are pro-choice. Here are 16 songs that encourage people to play with their tunes, not just play them."
For those of you that don't get Wired magazine. (But why wouldn't you, I've posted links a couple of times to get free subscriptions.)
Roush Review
"Question: While searching IMDB.com, I noticed under Dean Stockwell's bio a TV movie set for 2005 that looks like a reunion for the Quantum Leap actors. Can you give me any info on the project? I am an old fan of the show who loves catching it on Sci Fi now and then. - Erin
"Matt: All I know is that Sci Fi continues to maintain that a Quantum Leap project is still in development — perhaps a new series vehicle, this time built around a female Leaper. I would imagine the original stars could appear in this as well, but if there's an actual TV-movie reunion project in the works, that's news to me."]
I loved that series!
November 16, 2004
Koosh!
Koosh Ball, Fleece Balls, Playballs from Palos Sports
Hmm, I could juggle three of these.
November 12, 2004
Halo 2 Review for Xbox at GameSpot
"Halo 2, the long-awaited sequel to one of the most widely praised, most influential first-person shooters ever created, has a very tough act to follow. Fortunately, it's built on a foundation that's as strong as they come. The game's success was preordained--publisher Microsoft tallied more than 1.5 million Halo 2 preorders in the weeks leading up to the game's release, which demonstrates just how confident Halo's fans are in the sequel's quality. But how is it, really? The good news is, the sequel to the Xbox's defining action game is an absolutely superb, fully featured game, boasting an excellent presentation, a highly replayable campaign, and the greatest, most complete online multiplayer component in a console shooter yet. A surprisingly disappointing story and a fairly short single-player portion are noticeable shortcomings, but there's just so much breadth of content in Halo 2, and the action itself is so outstanding, that there can be no denying its quality. Overall, it's one of the very best action games available."
It's in my grubby little hands. I don't think anyone's going to see me this weekend!
November 08, 2004
Miss a reality show?
The Apprentice 2 Recap 11/04/04: A Tale of Two Bathrooms
Ok, it's not that I missed "The Apprentice" last week, it's that I found out who was kicked before I had a chance to watch it. (One of the drawbacks of TiVo. Oh well, still way worth it!) Once I knew that I lost interest in sitting through the whole show, even to the point where I didn't want to fast forward through it to pick out the good stuff. So I went ahead and deleted it.
However, I was still curious as to exactly what happened. Surely someone had posted a synopsis to the Internet, right? Google to the rescue!
This site, Fans of Reality TV, contains forums dedicated to reality TV. Not only did I find a great summary of the show, which some might find long but I'm a fast reader, but some great discussions are taking place in the forums.
So, great resource when you don't want to sit through the whole show but still want to track what happened. Recommended.
Oh, and for the record, I regret deleting it due to the twist of bringing back the fired candidates. Oh well.
TV Guide Online Entertainment News - 2004.11.08
"R.I.P.: Things are looking grave for Six Feet Under. HBO confirmed Friday that the mortuary drama's upcoming fifth season would be its last. Series creator Alan Ball apparently felt the show was nearing the end of its creative course. I'm fairly certain his first inkling came over the summer when he spotted Nicole Richie on the set."
The show has been going downhill. Too bad, season one was excellent. That means, of course, that if it had been on network tv it would have been immediately cancelled rather than make it to 5 seasons.
"MARS' NEW MISSION: Earth to Veronica Mars fans: Your favorite show is staying put. Despite soft ratings, UPN has picked up the cult fave for the remainder of the season."
Good, this is an enjoyable show that I watch with my daughter.
'THE SIMPSONS' LAUNCHES ALL-NEW INTERACTIVE WEBSITE
"In celebration of THE SIMPSONS' epic 16th season, FOX.com is launching an all-new comprehensive character profile feature with extended bios of 32 favorite Springfieldians coupled with 47 interactive gags and video games. The most-in-depth feature to be added to the official Simpsons site, each character folder contains custom animation, interactive jokes and games."
November 01, 2004
Amazing Race 6
"CBS today announced the identities of the 11 couples set to compete in THE AMAZING RACE 6. The Emmy Award-winning reality series pits teams against one another in a race around the world for a $1 million prize. THE AMAZING RACE will debut with a special two-hour broadcast on Tuesday, Nov. 16 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT)."
This has become my favorite reality show. Seasons 4 and 5 both won the Emmy for Best Reality Series and sorry Donald, they were deserved.
Homer Simpson for President!
"Homer Simpson in 2004! Everyman Homer Simpson would be the ideal candidate for President of the United States, it was reported today by local Springfield news anchor Kent Brockman. Simpson detailed his would-be platform after downing several cans of Duff beer at his favorite watering hole, Moe's Tavern. Simpson has yet to name his running mate, but it is rumored to be either Barney, Moe, Lenny or Carl. It is unlikely Homer would choose Krusty the Clown, given Krusty's failed bid for the presidency in 1992. Vowing to make a change, Simpson revealed the following campaign platform."
The 16th season starts this Sunday. Imagine, 15 years already and still consistently funny.
October 25, 2004
Ashlee's dad blames acid reflux for 'SNL' gaffe
"If Ashlee Simpson's stomach was upset Saturday night, imagine how she's feeling now.
"Busted for a "Saturday Night Live" lip-synch gone awry, her manager-father said Monday his 19-year-old daughter used the extra help because acid reflux disease had made her voice hoarse."
To quote a Saturday Night Live character, "yeah, that's the ticket, it was acid reflux!"
October 22, 2004
L&O TV Movies?
"NEXT BIG THING: Chris Noth is in talks to reprise his role as Det. Mike Logan in a series of Law & Order TV movies for NBC, Variety reports. Noth's last L&O pic, 1998's Exiled, was a huge hit for the network, drawing 28 million viewers."
My wife will like this one. You still reading the blog, honey?
October 15, 2004
Good to be in DC!
"From JibJab, the creators of the Internet phenomenon "This Land," comes another epic political parody. As the election approaches and the people are divided, George W. and John Kerry break out all the stops (and break into song). Featuring appearances by John Edwards, Dick Cheney, Saddam Hussein and John McCain."
Funny stuff.
October 07, 2004
DVD Review - The Star Wars Trilogy
"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..."
Probably the most famous opening line to a movie ever. This is an exhaustive review of the DVD release.
October 06, 2004
Whoa!
Anyone else catch the second season finale of Nip/Tuck last night? Talk about a roller coaster ride! The very last scene had my wife and me jumping out of our seats. Didn't see that one coming!
Now comes the wait for the next season to start. Anyone know when that is?
October 05, 2004
TIME CHECK
From TV Guide: "Fox will launch the fourth season of 24 with a special two-hour premiere on Sunday, Jan. 9 - the same day the network airs the NFC wild-card game. Fox originally planned to kick off 24's season on Jan. 10. Meanwhile, Variety reports that Knots Landing grad William Devane has joined the cast as secretary of defense James Heller."
October 04, 2004
An interesting pairing
Check this out, someone mapped Van Halen's "Jump" to 80's arcade games. Entertaining.
September 26, 2004
If Hockey Is Out, Best Thing on Ice May Be a Computer Game
"Crestfallen hockey fans worried about filling the hours during the National Hockey League's labor dispute may now have a place to turn. Beginning Oct. 13, the cable channel G4techTV plans to resurrect each of the 1,230 regular-season games listed on the league's defunct 2004-2005 schedule by setting them in motion on a video game console. All 30 teams will face off in 'computer only' mode, meaning that the computer will control both teams, and the resulting scores, stats and highlights will be shown on the network's sports program, 'Sweat.'"
Amusing. Some of these games are pretty realistic, too. I'll tune in.
September 20, 2004
Internet Archive
"The Internet Archive is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the general public."
Quite a few gems tucked away on this site.
August 31, 2004
'Millionaire' Interacts with AOL Buddies
"'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' will soon be the only syndicated TV series to add a real-time interactive element during production tapings.
"Anyone who adds the screen name 'MillionaireIM' to their AOL Instant Messenger Buddy List feature can receive actual game questions via instant message (or mobile instant message, for those appropriately equipped)."
Amusing. I added this to Trillian, we'll see if I get a question. My luck it'll happen in some meeting when I'm projecting to the audience.
August 24, 2004
Short-lived but well-loved: TV failures try DVD
"Nothing bakes a couch potato more than getting emotionally invested in a TV show only to have a bunch of short-sighted network suits pull the plug on it before it really gets rolling.
"The days of allowing television series a chance to cultivate viewers over a season or two and be nourished to success through word of mouth are long gone. With competition intense in the ever-expanding TV universe, shows either hit it big immediately or get the ax within a few weeks - too soon even to get into syndicated reruns."
I agree. Seinfeld never would have made it nowadays, for example. Anyway, I look forward to collecting some of these DVD sets.
August 20, 2004
'Office Space': The movie that wouldn't die – A cult classic five years later
"Yeah, reader, I'm going to have to ask if you can … dive into this tribute to "Office Space." But, um, before you do, make sure to use the new cover sheet for your T.P.S. reports.
"Confused? Stop reading this story right now, get in your car and rent – no, buy – the 1999 Mike Judge comedy 'Office Space.'
"Now that you're back, you've experienced one of the best cult-favorite movies of all-time. 'Office Space' overflows with memorable dialogue, dark irony, and characters."
I love this film, it definitely captures the daily grind of the average cubicle worker. This article follows up to see where the actors are today.
August 18, 2004
FREDDY VS. JASON VS. ASH = everyone wins
"The rumors about FREDDY VS. JASON VS. ASH are true. Today's Hollywood Reporter confirms that New Line Cinema has entered discussions with director Sam Raimi, the fellow who helmed the three EVIL DEAD pictures and who owns the copyright to Ash, the sarcastic hero of the DEAD trilogy. If a deal can be reached, Ash will go up against the two horror slasher icons in the sequel to last summer's FREDDY VS. JASON. In that case, it's expected that Bruce Campbell will strike a deal to play Ash for the fourth time."
Very cool! I'm a big fan of Bruce Campbell and the Evil Dead trilogy, both the movies and the back story. Bruce's book was a fascinating read on those times. I recommend it. (Thanks to Dan for tipping me off about the latest Ash update.)
August 06, 2004
Name that tune in MLB ...
"You're out at a big-league ballpark, and you hear a few seconds of some song as the batter steps into the box. Immediately, you find yourself wondering, 'What the heck was that song?' or 'Who sings that tune again?'"
Here's the answer. This one's for Jerry.
August 03, 2004
Steve Carell to Get Smart
"Former The Daily Show field reporter, and Bruce Almighty and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy co-star Steve Carell will play bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart in Warner Bros.' big screen adaptation of sitcom classic Get Smart."
Perfect casting! Hopefully they do as well with Agent 99.
July 31, 2004
Allofmp3 Review
"Allofmp3.com is an on-line music service based in Moscow, Russia. The service started in 2001.
"When we first discovered this site about a year go, we were almost convinced that Allofmp3 was illegal. But by investigating this further we came to a surprising conclusion."
This is the best download service ever. Read this well written review for an end user perpective.
Myself, I've been using the site for the last couple of months and have been extremely satisfied. I've always said that I'd be happy to give up the P2P clients if a reasonable alternative were made available; well, I'm pleased to say that that's happened and I've tossed the P2P stuff out the window.
July 26, 2004
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
"Panelists revealed few details about Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars, the four-hour revival of the way-out-there science fiction series cancelled two years ago by the Sci-Fi Channel."
Oct. 17-18!
July 05, 2004
Office Space Wars
"Office Space Wars is one of the funniest amateur video projects I've ever seen: it's a remake of Office Space, set in the Star Wars Universe, with Vader as the bad boss, Jar Jar as the stapler guy, and R2D2 as the bad printer."
Found this on boingboing. Office Space, for those of us that have worked in, well, office spaces, is freaking hilarious. This is a great parody of it.
ROTTEN TOMATOES: Movie Reviews & Previews
"Created by movie-buff Senh Duong in 1998, RottenTomatoes.com has grown to become a premier destination for both casual movie-goers and film buffs alike. With accolades from the Chicago Sun-Times, The New Yorker, USA Today, and many more for its unique approach to movie reviews, Rotten Tomatoes offers a full range of services, features, and community for its users."
Great resource for movies, particularly (for me) ratings for movies that are currently in theatres. They're headed towards a "Netflix Recommends" / "Amazon Suggests" type of feature, something I find particularly cool on those sites.
Jerry - note how "Man of War" was rated. ;-)
July 02, 2004
SPIDER-MAN 2
"With SPIDER-MAN established as a demographic-crossing movie franchise (you don't gross $403 million in the domestic box office by appealing solely to comic-book enthusiasts) director Sam Raimi delivers one for the fans, steeped in the Spider-Man mythos and filled with casual allusions to vintage story lines and characters."
I've got to agree with the reviewer, this was a GREAT movie! Unlike your typical summer blockbuster, this had a great plot and great acting to go along with the special effects.
No, I didn't end up leaving work early, but my daughter convinced me that we should try to get into the one that started just as I picked her up. So, some crafty driving and a little bit of running later, we slid into fourth row seats (which is normally too close for me but wasn't so bad this time) just as the movie started.
July 01, 2004
Harkins Theatres
Hmm, I wonder what's playing over at Harkins Arrowhead. Wow, that's a lot of Spiderman showings! Hmm, wonder if I could leave work a little early and beat the rush...
Mountain Dew "Spy vs. Spy"
"Spy vs. Spy" was one of my favorite features in Mad Magazine when I was a kid, so I was thrilled when I happened to catch one of these new commercials on TV the other day. Here they are online for all to enjoy.
June 18, 2004
DeepDiscountDVD 20% off
"DeepDiscountDVD has 20% off using code: SUMMERSALE Exp 6/25
Great time to load up on DVD Movies or Video Games. Site is real slow right now."
Free shipping in most cases.
[via TechBargains]
June 14, 2004
As a soap, 'North Shore' goes south
"There is a place in television for the prime-time soap.
"That place is currently occupied by The O.C., in which beautiful kids frolic with one another while their beautiful parents scheme and remarry, all with tongue deliciously in cheek. In the realm of great TV, occupied by shows such as The Sopranos and Curb Your Enthusiasm, it doesn't even register. But in the world of guilty pleasures, it's off the charts.
"The dirty little secret about The O.C. is that, beneath the beauty and the banality lies a generous amount of brains. That's something North Shore could use a lot more of."
Too bad, I guess beauties in bikinis and good story lines are too much to ask.
May 19, 2004
Can "Star Wars: Episode III" be saved?
"We’ve got one more year before George Lucas finishes up his “Star Wars” prequel trilogy with the as-yet-untitled Episode III, and he certainly has his work cut out for him. Not only does he have to resolve the ongoing storylines of “Phantom Menace” and “Attack of the Clones” in such a way as to lead directly into Episode IV, the original 1977 “Star Wars,” but he has to overcome two of the most soul-killingly dull storylines ever put on film. I mean, really — I’ve seen more interesting films on sandwiches I left in my fridge too long. Is there any way for Lucas to salvage the series in a single movie? It would take a great disturbance in the Force, but it’s not impossible."
May 10, 2004
Don't Save Our Show!
"Welcome to dontsaveourshow.org, a site dedicated to The West Wing as created and executed by Aaron Sorkin -- and a site determined to persuade NBC to remove John Wells' unrecognizable version of our favorite show from the air."
May 07, 2004
Can a video game be too hard?
"Some video games are hard. Some are really hard. And some are so freakishly, spoon-bendingly difficult that they take 10 hours of solid play before you've even begun to master the basics. Whenever I slip one of these nasty little backbreakers into my game system, I usually discard them in frustration after a couple of hours and wonder: What's the point? What adult has the time to master this stuff? Could it ever be worth it?"
Short answer, yes. Long answer here.
May 06, 2004
The Best of Friends
"A ton of links for the show Friends, which ends it ten year run this evening."
I particularly liked this article, which compares friends to Gen X and explains the appeal of the show to same.
April 28, 2004
Alyson Hannigan's New Sitcom : "Americana" - Review
"On Friday, April 2, 2004, I went to see the taping of a new NBC sitcom called "Americana," starring Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "American Pie,") and Michael Landes ("Lois and Clark," "Special Unit Two.") The episode was directed by David Schwimmer ("Friends") and was filmed at CBS in Studio City."
SIZE 12 WEDDING DRESS/GOWN NO RESERVE
"I found my ex-wife's wedding dress in the attic when I moved. She took the $4000 engagement ring but left the dress. I was actually going to have a dress burning party when the divorce became final, but my sister talked me out of it. She said, "That’s such a gorgeous dress. Some lucky girl would be glad to have it. You should sell it on EBay. At least get something back for it." So, this is what I’m doing. I’m selling it hoping to get enough money for maybe a couple of Mariners tickets and some beer. This dress cost me $1200 that my drunken sot of an ex-father-in-law swore up and down he would pay for but didn’t so I got stuck with the bill."
You've got to read this eBay item description! It's hilarious!
April 11, 2004
Poll for TV Shows "on the bubble"
"Within the next few weeks the neworks will determine which of this season's TV series will return next fall. Tell us - and the networks - what you hope happens to these shows hovering between renewal or cancellation."
Who's renewed? Who's gone?
"Is your favorite show safe or does it need your help if it's going to be back in the fall? Find out by checking our network renewal list below."
Bah! If it's a good show, different from the norm, something that makes you think, something you enjoy, that's pretty much a guarantee that it's on the "gone" list.
April 06, 2004
FARSCAPE mini-series officially announced
"Official word came down today from The Sci Fi Channel that the network will broadcast the new FARSCAPE four-hour mini-series in production in Australia. The mini, called "Peacekeeper War", will be broadcast on the network in the fourth quarter of this year."
Don't get me started on this being on Sci Fi.
Sci Fi Channel goes supernova with new shows, series and specials
I've been rather peeved at Sci Fi for cancelling Farscape last year, but I must say I'm excited by some of the stuff coming up:
"RINGWORLD: Based on Larry Niven's RINGWORLD series of novels, a four-hour mini-series is in development. In the future four explorers crash on an artificial structure in deep space, a mammoth ring that circles a distant star. Exploring this strange place, the humans discover that there is life here and secrets that could change the universe forever." - This is one of my favorite book series, so I can't wait to see it translated to screen. I'm praying they don't go screw it up, but past actions (Riverworld, for example) suggest otherwise.
"ALIEN APOCALYPSE: Another Bruce Campbell action fest, this time with Campbell playing a deep space explorer who returns to Earth years after leaving it, only to find the planet has been invaded by an alien race and mankind reduced to slaves. Campbell and his fellow astronauts try and mobilize a rebellion." - Bruce Campbell, 'nuff said!
There are other shows listed, but those two are the ones that leapt out at me.
March 29, 2004
How does your favorite show stack up?
"While it's easy to say show X beats show Y, the reality is that a show's overall viewership isn't the only indicator of how well it is or is not doing."
March 18, 2004
Wonderfalls
"An open letter to the Grass Roots from Tim Minear, Executive Producer of Wonderfalls:
"Hi. My name is Tim Minear and I write television. Usually. Right now I guess I'm writing SPAM. But I'm not asking you to donate to some shady or even worthy cause. I'm not offering to enlarge any of your body parts (though I haven't ruled it out), and I make no claims of miraculous cures for exotic diseases. What I can offer you is sixty minutes (really about forty five, minus commercials) of quality entertainment if you do one thing: turn on your TV to Fox this Friday night at nine."
I haven't seen the show yet but I like his past work so I'm going to give it a look-see.
Jon Stewart for President in 2008
From TV Guide: "Jon Stewart has inked a new four-year deal with Comedy Central to remain as host of The Daily Show at least through the 2008 presidential elections. 'A lot of people like to get out when their show's still going well,' Stewart said. 'This gives me the opportunity to beat this thing into the ground.'"
I think this is about the only "news" show I watch anymore.
March 07, 2004
The Editing of Scrubs
"At best, TV production is an elaborate game of “Beat the Clock,” only with costly penalties when the clock wins. So last summer, between seasons two and three, the “Scrubs” producers and editors set out to relieve some of the headaches of creating so much in so short a time. As one key prescription, “Scrubs” became the first network TV series to be edited entirely using Final Cut Pro."
I love this show and was thrilled to hear how they leverage technology in the editing process.
March 03, 2004
Reality Overload
From TV Guide: "TBS is developing reality versions of Gilligan's Island and Sex and the City. Set to premiere later this year, the Island project will feature a real-life skipper, first mate, millionaire couple, movie star, Kansas farm girl and a professor working together to get off a remote island."
It seems a bit much, yet I'm strangely intrigued. Must be all those afternoons of watching Gilligan try to get out of yet another mess when I was a kid.
FIREFLY turns green, morphs into SERENITY
"It's like what happened to BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, except in reverse: Variety reports that Universal Pictures has given the greenlight to the big screen FIREFLY movie, now officially titled SERENITY. The film's budget is being reported at around "mid-eight figures", so let's call it more or less $50 million dollars."
Very cool! Hopefully Joss does well on the big screen this time.
February 19, 2004
What SuperHero Are You?
Here's what I ended up with:
Um, yeah, ok, that works for me I guess. What happened to my powers of teleportation, though? Hmmm. Anyway, take the quiz yourself, see what your results are. (Just click on the picture.)
February 16, 2004
Save ANGEL petition
"Just hours after the word broke that ANGEL had been cancelled, a petition had been started by fans hoping to convince The WB to order a sixth season of the series. Three days after the petition was created already over 15,000 names have been added to it."
It's just after 17,000 now. We'll see what happens.
February 15, 2004
Angel cancelled
"Late this afternoon The WB broke the news to the cast and crew of ANGEL that the present season would be its last on the network. A short time later the network issued a press statement on its website explaining their decision."
Man that sucks! This is one of my favorite shows! #$#@% networks.
February 13, 2004
Battlestar Galactica is Greenlit for Series
"Despite numerous rumors that the Sci-Fi Channel would only go for six episode (or pass altogether), they've ordered production on 13 episodes to begin production in Vancouver next month."
February 10, 2004
What To Rent
"The single greatest question troubling mankind at this time is "What movie should I rent ?". We are here to answer that question! What to Rent is a website linked to a computer-cluster that will recommend a movie for you to watch based upon your personality and the type of film experience you are looking for. It will provide you with the name of the movie that fits you, the year it was released, the director, and a few principal actors. No plot details are given away. You simply take your recommendation to your favorite place to rent movies, pick it up, and enjoy. The movie fan no longer has to suffer through self-serving biased reviews from overweight critics and awkward stares from video store clerks. The movies in our database are primarily English language films. Most films are available for rent at most rental locations in the United States and Western Europe."
Cool idea for those poor folks that haven't discovered Netflix yet.
February 02, 2004
Promise Reneged: ABC Scraps 'Sisco'
"Despite promising to relaunch the series in the spring, ABC has nevertheless decided to pull the plug on its freshman drama Karen Sisco."
Farging Bastiges! Now this one I really liked!
Early Renewals Come for NBC's 'Vegas'
"NBC is rallying behind its freshman drama "Las Vegas" and its returning sophomore "American Dreams," as the network announced early 2004-05 season renewals for both series today."
'Vegas' has grown on me, so it's nice to see one I like *not* cancelled.
CBS Dumps 'Handler' During Sweeps
"The future of CBS' The Handler continued to get murkier today as the network has announced it will pre-empt both previously scheduled airings of the series during February sweeps."
Another move to irritate my wife, apparently.
January 27, 2004
The Demotivators® Collection - from Despair.com
"Whether you're a pessimist, underachiever or a chronic failure, I personally offer my unconditional* guarantee that Demotivators® will truly inspire you to new lows!"
I love these posters! Hmm, wonder what that says about me.
January 23, 2004
Pepsi ads wink at music downloading
"A new sort of Pepsi Generation will get air time on the Super Bowl: music downloaders."
January 20, 2004
Mazda : 2004 North American International Autoshow
Cool anime intro to this Mazda site.
January 12, 2004
'Last Comic Standing' to Return This Summer
"NBC will once again search the country for the funniest people in America as the Peacock announced today casting will begin for a second season of 'Last Comic Standing' next week in Los Angeles."
Very cool; I found this to be an enjoyable show last summer. Dave Mordal should have won! Still waiting for him to make it to Phoenix.
January 10, 2004
Get Rolling Stone free for one full year!
"Please enter your name and address below to receive your free one-year subscription to Rolling Stone."
Catwoman
January 09, 2004
6 FREE issues of CGW
"Best Buy and Eidos have teamed up to give you an exclusive gift: a FREE 6-issue subscription to Computer Gaming World. That's a $35.94 value*!"
January 03, 2004
Atari Follows in BMW's Cinematic Footsteps
"Driven to a choice of format and production company by the success of last year's BMW Internet campaign, Atari will premiere a three-minute live-action online film for its Driv3r game at a pre-launch event in San Francisco Jan. 13 and on the Web Jan. 23."
January 02, 2004
Gollum Raps
Link (Shockwave)
Pretty funny.
December 30, 2003
Nemo has nothing on this fish
December 29, 2003
Finally something on the west side!
Westgate area will serve up entertainment
"A sprawling music store and a half-dozen upscale restaurants and bars will join a 20-screen theater as the first tenants in an entertainment zone expected to break ground next year at the Glendale Arena complex."
Nice to have development like this in the west valley, instead of everything going downtown. Now if the Coyotes could just actually *win* a game in their new arena -- so far they're 0-2. Bah!
December 26, 2003
Which West Wing character are you?
I ran across this link in today's reading. Although I'm not as big a fan of the West Wing as I once was, I still got a kick out of taking the quiz. Not terribly surprised by the results, although I might have preferred to be Sam:
Ahh, the ever-cynical and sarcastic speechwriter. Gutsy and not afraid to speak up or clash with authority, his dry wit is amusing. But under it all he's just a big teddy bear... and the world's biggest Yankees fan.
:: Which one are you? ::
December 16, 2003
This bites
From TV Guide: "Sarah Michelle Gellar won't be back as Buffy this season after all. The erstwhile Slayer — who was in talks to do a two-episode arc on Buffy spinoff Angel during May sweeps — has opted against picking up stakes again. Says Joss Whedon, creator of both series: "She feels it's not the right time." Gellar's rep declined to comment. In related news, the Scooby-Doo thesp has signed on to star in the horror film The Grudge, an English-language remake of the Japanese thriller Ju-On."
Too bad, we were looking forward to seeing how she reacted to Spike being around, after she thought he was vaporized.
With third film, 'Rings' saga becomes a classic
USATODAY.com - With third film, 'Rings' saga becomes a classic
"The films tell a classic story that espouses the virtues of love, hard work and compassion and decries greed, deceit and abuse of power in a mighty struggle against temptation and the corrupting forces of power. The story's message about conserving natural resources has profound significance for our times, as does the notion of taking up arms against an evil tyrant and the importance of overcoming prejudice to work toward a common goal of peace."
I can't wait! While everyone is jamming into the theatres this week, I'll be at home watching the extended versions of the first two movies. Then, early next week, when it's died down a hair, I'll brave the crowds to see the third.
Here's hoping Peter Jackson gets the rights to "The Hobbit"!!
December 15, 2003
NBC to show final 'Boomtown' episodes
"In a follow up to an earlier story, NBC has contacted us with the news that the Peacock plans to air the final episode of "Boomtown," titled "The Big Picture," on Sunday, December 28 at 10:00/9:00c.
"The news comes on the heels of the network's previous announcement that it plans to burn off the remaining installments of the acclaimed drama as part of a three-hour marathon on Saturday, December 27 starting at 8:00/7:00c."
Well, at least NBC is going to air the last episodes, giving us the chance to enjoy the show one last time. That's better than some other networks (cough*fox*cough) have done.
My TiVo will be set so that I can capture and enjoy the show at my leisure. Too bad the final show won't be a wrap-up, though.
Once again, a good show gets dumbed down and then cancelled. sigh.
The top link contains the synopsis for the last show. This link contains the previous three.
December 10, 2003
Safety First
"Looking for something edgy on network TV? Then you'd better tape razor blades to your screen, because nobody at ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox is in the mood to take a risk."
A FOURTH Law and Order?!?!?!?!
Firefly in the news
"An interview with Joss Whedon about his western space adventure FIREFLY."
Interesting article, part 1 of 2. Hopefully I can remember to check back for part 2. Anyway, biggest news out of it is that the movie sounds like it's still on.
Oh, and Amazon emailed me that the DVDs are on their way!
December 09, 2003
December 04, 2003
More B5 Coming?
"Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski told fans on a message board that he's working on a follow-up to the popular SF series, according to a report on the Dark Horizons Web site. Straczynski remained coy about the project, saying only that he'd have more news next month."
Sweet. Now if they'd just release Seasons 4 and 5 before the new one comes out...
December 02, 2003
Cable Networks Roll Out Midseason Plans
"January will once again be the staging ground for the various cable networks as more than a dozen original series will premiere or resume running new episodes during the period."
Highlights: The fifth season of The Sopranos starts on March 7th. SG-1 returns Jan 9th. Monk returns on Jan 16th, but only for 7 episodes. Season 8 of South Park premieres Mar 17th.
November 24, 2003
Your Cheatin' Cart - The problem with Hummer's new ad
"A moody-looking tween enters a soapbox derby. The car he builds looks remarkably like a Hummer H2, except much smaller (it could fit in the H2's wheel well) and made of wood (instead of ballistic chromified Kevlar or whatever)."
An amusing deconstruction of the new Hummer H2 commercial.
Exciting Development
From TV Guide: "Fox has extended a full-season order (that's 22 episodes) to its sublime (yet low-rated) family comedy Arrested Development."
Very cool, as this show is entertaining and different. As a result I thought it wouldn't last three weeks!
November 14, 2003
ABC pulls "Karen Sisco"
"ABC pulled 'Karen Sisco' off its schedule but will give the critically acclaimed crime drama a second chance in the spring."
I'm glad they're going to give it another chance. I really like Robert Forster in this, it fits him perfectly.
November 12, 2003
Dark Shadows
From TV Guide: "That creepy Barnabas Collins is getting a new lease on undead life. The WB is resurrecting the classic ABC vampire sudser Dark Shadows for fall 2004, Variety reports. The franchise has been collecting dust since 1991, when NBC attempted its own Dark Shadows remake starring Ben Cross."
I liked NBC's remake and hope that the WB continues in the same vein. Be a good replacement for Buffy if they handle it right.
November 10, 2003
Boomtown Cancelled
Dammit! What, was the show too smart for the average viewer? Everything at NBC has to fit into the L&O mold? Bah!
"Dragnet" was cancelled too, which also bites.
November 09, 2003
Timeline: When Is 'The Matrix'?
"Using background culled from the three movies and "Animatrix" shorts, The Associated Press compiled an estimated timeline of the war between men and machines."
November 07, 2003
SHREK 2 - TRAILER AND VIDEO CLIPS
Cool! Shrek was a fun movie; I hope the sequel doesn't disappoint.
November 03, 2003
NBC Pulls the Plug on 'Coupling'
"NBC has formally canceled its freshman comedy 'Coupling' as production was shut down on the series Friday and the show's producers were told no additional episodes will be ordered. The series had been on broadcast hiatus since its October 23 airing."
My wife and I found it to be amusing, in a perverted sort of way. Given that it's a word for word remake of the BBC series, we'll just watch the original on BBC America.
CBS Gives Five Freshman Back Nine Orders
"While its 'Brotherhood' may have failed, CBS is quite high on the rest of its freshman class as the network has gone ahead and given full season 22-episode orders to newcomers 'Two and a Half Men,' 'Navy N.C.I.S.,' 'Joan of Arcadia,' 'The Handler' and "Cold Case.'"
Now that it's Sweeps Month, aka November, the networks are starting to announce who's getting kept, who's getting tossed, and who's in limbo.
Looking at this particular list, I enjoy 'Two and a Half Men' the most. Something about Charlie Sheen playing, well, Charlie Sheen.
If you want to see everything that's been announced thus far, check out the Newswire page over on the futon critic. That's a great site to keep up on the latest TV news. Well, for the shows that I don't care about, anyway! ;-)
November 02, 2003
Alien vs. Predator
Comes out 08.06.04. Check out the teaser!
October 28, 2003
'Alien' returns to the big screen
"Before Steven Spielberg made extraterrestrials cute and cuddly, Ridley Scott made them slimy and savage. One of Hollywood's all-time fear-jerkers, 'Alien' returns to theaters in an updated version nearly 25 years after its debut."
Too many movies coming out that I want to see, not enough time.
October 20, 2003
Boomtown not back, but not cancelled
"As for 'Third Watch,' the veteran drama will take over for the hiatused 'Boomtown' on Friday night. NBC insists 'Boomtown' is not canceled however production has not resumed on the series, which has completed only six episodes this season."
Argh! I want Boomtown back.
October 16, 2003
Apple iTunes for Windows
"Welcome, Windows users, to the world's best digital music jukebox, with a great music store inside - and it keeps getting better. Welcome to a music store with hundreds of thousands of songs which you can conveniently browse and search, and an inviting way to preview, buy and download music online quickly and easily. And welcome to the best friend an iPod ever had: iTunes."
That's great and all, but the iPod still doesn't support wma files, which is the format to which I ripped all of my CDs, for the best quality/size ratios available, at least in the Windows world. (And yes, I turned off all the copy protection crap before I ripped. I might not share, but I damn well want to take my music to whatever PC/portable I'm using, regardless of how many that is or how far down the line it is. Plus I intend to add an Auditron box to my stereo system and I don't want DRM to interfere.)
October 10, 2003
Bewitched on the big screen
From TV Guide: "Former SNL funnyman Will Ferrell has landed the coveted role of Darrin in Nora Ephron's big-screen remake of Bewitched. Jim Carrey had expressed interest in the plum part, but he apparently passed. Nicole Kidman, meanwhile, is still attached to star as Samantha.
"Keen Eddie Returns (well, sort of): Mark Valley — the star of Fox's short-lived summer series Keen Eddie — has signed on to play an L.A. detective in the ABC pilot Joe Green and Eugene, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The role of Eugene — Joe's inept brother — has not yet been cast. The potential series is being helmed by Eddie creator Joel Wyman."
October 09, 2003
This doesn't bite
From TVGuide: "The WB has given the green light to a full season of Angel, which has performed well on Wednesdays. According to Variety, the Frog network had an option to cut back to 13 episodes if the show tanked. In related news, ex-Buffy the Vampire Slayer scribe Doug Petrie is developing a contemporary take on Lost in Space for the WB."
Very good. Spike lives on! Er, uh, "undeads" on? Hmmm.
'Keen Eddie' Gets Second Life on Bravo, DVD
"Bravo has picked up the broadcast rights to FOX's short-lived dramedy "Keen Eddie." The cable network will air all 13 episodes of the series, six of which never aired on FOX, beginning in January at the earliest. In addition, the Paramount-distributed series has been slated for a DVD release however no street date has been set."
At least we get to see the unaired episodes. I hate when the quirky shows fail to find an audience.
October 08, 2003
Out of Town
From TV Guide: "NBC is overhauling its struggling Friday night lineup, and that's bad news for fans of Boomtown. The network is pulling the critically acclaimed drama off the air and replacing it with reruns of Law & Order: SVU. Also, Miss Match is shifting to 9 pm, where it will follow a repeat of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy this week and Dateline next week."
What a load of crap! Boomtown is the best thing on TV on Friday nights!
October 02, 2003
Life Beyond The Far Side
"The ones who go back to work after they've won the lottery — those people are crazy. Gary Larson, who abruptly quit producing the Far Side cartoon nearly nine years ago, has no intention of ever picking up a drawing pencil again. This is the first time in months he has seen his downtown Seattle office, which his business-manager wife and assistant use to filter the paperwork needed to pump out Far Side greeting cards. Larson, whose surreal, pothead-meets-scientist take on humans' overestimation of their species made cartoons cool, prefers his nondrawing, noncelebrated existence. "Life is good," he says, sitting at a wooden conference table, holding an antique specimen jar of chattering-teeth hand puppets, momentarily optimistic before reverting to his trademark deadpan form. 'I probably have cancer.'"
October 01, 2003
The return of 'Far Side'
"Jan. 1, 1995 - a day that will live in infamy.
"That's when cartoonist Gary Larson ceased drawing his Far Side cartoons, and millions of fans around the country went into withdrawal, fueling a multimillion-dollar industry of calendars, greeting cards and anthologies."
Given that they're promoting an upcoming book, I'll bet your local paper will also be re-running 'Far Side' as well.
September 30, 2003
FRIENDS CONTROVERSY
From TV Guide: "A story in today's New York Post alleges that Friends star Jennifer Aniston's desire to start a family with hubby Brad Pitt led to the hitcom's accelerated production schedule this season. Friends is shooting two episodes a week so that it can wrap up in January. In related news, Newsweek reports that (spoiler alert!) the Rachel-Joey romance will come to an end fairly soon - to Aniston's apparent relief. 'I hated it,' she says. 'Joey's like my brother.'"
<sarcasm>Gee, that should help the quality of the final season, writing and shooting two a week instead of one.</sarcasm>
"The Matrix: Revolutions" Trailer
"LOTR: Return Of The King" Trailer
September 29, 2003
Fall TV
MSN's collection of articles about the Fall TV Season. Winners, losers, new faces, etc etc.
September 27, 2003
Another way Tivo is changing the viewing of TV
"So now I have my Tivo record 'Enterprise' (the new Star Trek series.) I decided after a while that Enterprise wasn't hitting my threshold, but the kid who grew up on Captain Kirk doesn't quite want to give it up yet. I don't watch the show right away. I go to a fan site called treknation.com which has a fan poll. Over 2,000 fans will have rated the show in a few days. I then delete the below-average shows and watch only the best. Suddenly an average TV series becomes for me, a top quality shorter series. The web sites can fill you in on plot details you missed."
What an interesting idea. I'm the perfect person for this, as I'll let a show pile up for weeks before I get around to watching it. For example, today is West Wing day. I started with my oldest episode, which was from last April and was the one where the vice president resigned, and I'm working my way up to this season's premiere. A nice way to pass the afternoon.
September 25, 2003
The Name Game
From TV Guide: "UPN has officially changed the title of Enterprise to Star Trek: Enterprise "to further capitalize on and form a stronger connection to the famous and highly successful" franchise. Trekkers need not worry: A network insider assures me that viewers will continue to get the same subpar show they've come to expect."
Would've been nice to get advance notice on this, as it threw off my Tivo. Fortunately a buddy of mine caught it just minutes before air time and called to let me know.
Oh, and it's not as bad as TVG makes it out to be, although I do agree it could use some improvement. Still, they're trying. Besides, I've been a fan of Scott Bakula since 'Quantum Leap'.
September 24, 2003
VirtualDali
"To bring up images from his subconscious mind, Dalí began to induce hallucinatory states in himself by a process he described as “paranoiac critical.” Once Dalí hit on this method, his painting style matured with extraordinary rapidity, and from 1929 to 1937 he produced the paintings that made him the world's best-known Surrealist artist."
September 23, 2003
'Skin' is more than skin deep
"It's called Skin, and it concerns, at least in part, the porn industry. But don't watch it expecting to see much, you know, skin."
Good review for this new show. I plan to Tivo it and give it a fair shake.
Firestarter
From TV Guide: "Denis Leary has signed on to play a New York firefighter in Rescue Me, a one-hour dramedy pilot for FX. The comic-actor — whose real-life Firefighters Foundation has raised more than $1 million for local fire departments — also serves as the project's creator-exec producer."
I still wish they hadn't cancelled "The Job". Loved that show.
September 22, 2003
Highs and Lows of the 2003 Emmy Awards
"'This is going to be a long night,' Garry Shandling warned during his uncomfortable opening monologue, and boy, he wasn't kidding. You'd think that with a running time of three hours and 15 minutes, the 55th Annual Emmy Awards would have been jam-packed with excitement and emotion. No such luck."
September 19, 2003
Firefly available for preorder
Amazon.com: DVD: Firefly - The Complete Series (2002)
"This item will be released on December 9, 2003. You may order it now and we will ship it to you when it arrives."
Amazon is back in stock (so to speak) on the pre-order for the Firefly DVD release. It sold out very fast last time, so if you're looking to get it I'd suggest you pre-order it now.
UPDATE: It's number one on the realtime Amazon sales ranking, as of 2:00MST.
September 16, 2003
ABC to write John Ritter's death into future episodes
"ABC Television said Tuesday it was going ahead with its comedy '8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter' despite the sudden death last week of its star, actor John Ritter.
LLOYD BRAUN, chairman of the ABC Entertainment Television Group, told reporters that future episodes of the show would look at how a family experiences the loss of a father.
" 'After much introspection and discussion with all parties, we are going to go forward with the show. ... As it feels right, comedy will be introduced back into the show,' Braun said.
"Braun said the network would air the three new episodes already recorded by Ritter as planned starting on Sept. 23, and then show repeats while writers fleshed out the new story line.The program was a modest hit for ABC last year and the network had counted on it as a centerpiece of its family friendly lineup for the upcoming television season."
I think it's a good move on their part and honors his memory. Here's hoping it works out.
September 15, 2003
The Return of the Griffins
EXCLUSIVE: FAMILY GUY - The Movie!
"In an exclusive interview with Coming Attractions at Cinescape, FAMILY GUY creator Seth McFarlane told us that the rumor about the possible return of his TV show is about to become a reality. A deal is imminent for McFarlane to continue creating new animated adventures of Quahog's nuttiest, funniest dysfunctional family, the Griffins."
I enjoyed this series; much edgier than the Simpsons.
September 12, 2003
Dali and Disney
Wired News: Disney Animates Dalí's Flick
"In 1946, Walt Disney and Salvador Dalí, in one of cinema's oddest collaborations, teamed up on a short film called Destino. But Disney's studio ran into financial trouble and put the unfinished film on the shelf."
September 09, 2003
Opus!
Opus from 'Bloom County' returns
"Cartoonist Berkeley Breathed is resurrecting Opus the penguin from the 1980s comic strip 'Bloom County' for a new series to appear in Sunday comics this November."
Sweet! Opus rocks! Only once in my life did I come close to getting a tatoo, and it was Opus. Man, I can't wait!
"Paradise Hotel" location
"Q: The scenery and sunsets are beautiful on the Fox TV program "Paradise Hotel." What is the real name of the resort, and where is it?
--- Keith Simmons, Cornelia
A: It's not a hotel or resort in the strict sense. Although a Fox spokeswoman said she couldn't confirm the location, published reports have identified it as Villa Arabesque in Acapulco, Mexico. It was built as Casa Arabesque for the late multimillionaire Baron di Portanova of Italy and his wife.
It was both a home and getaway playground for the very wealthy. According to some accounts, after the baron died, the 28-bedroom, 26-bathroom property --- which has four swimming pools and 12 waterfalls --- passed into the hands of Greg Hovas, the baroness' brother, who rents it for weddings and parties and this TV program.
Hovas told the Houston Chronicle that he plans to convert the property into a boutique hotel and has bought adjacent property overlooking Acapulco Bay for condos or hotel rooms.
Some scenes of the 1989 James Bond movie "Licence to Kill" were filmed at Villa Arabesque.
"Paradise Hotel," by the way, originated in Britain. Filming for its paradise location was done in Morocco. "
This came up during a lunchtime conversation, figured I'd post it for anyone else that might be interested.
September 08, 2003
Cartoon censorship, or editorial discretion?
"Here is the dubious Doonesbury that more than half of the newspaper editors surveyed said they would refuse to print. It looks like much ado about nothing to me."
I can definitely see it being yanked years ago, but today?
Very cool indeed!
'Firefly' lands in film afterlife
"The short-lived TV series 'Firefly' is moving to the big screen. After taking his 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' feature film and turning it into a successful TV series, Joss Whedon is about to do the reverse with another one of his creations. Whedon has teamed with Universal Pictures to turn 'Firefly,' a TV cult favorite, into a feature film."
September 01, 2003
Swatting the Firefly
"One thing became utterly clear while I was watching 'Serenity,' the pilot episode: there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. It had action, it had adventure; it had character and development. It was smart, funny, tough-minded, and 100 percent different. It set everything up perfectly. Unless the programming executives at Fox are retardate morons who need to be in an institution rather than making millions as the heads of a TV network, the decision not to air the two-hour pilot first and the rest of the series' episodes in sequence is too big a blunder to be a simple 'mistake' or 'accident.'"
Good article about the show Firefly and its demise.
Bounty hunters in space
"The year is 2275. Earth has more or less successfully colonized the entire solar system. But our reach has surpassed our grasp.. As the colonies continuously push further and further out from Earth, lawlessness and crime expand right along.
With the vast distances between Earth and its colonies, the abilities of basic policing services are limited. The use of private forces like bounty hunters, known as 'Starhunters', has become common practice."
Anyone watch Season One of this? I stumbled across this site and decided to Tivo the show, even though I typically hate to start watching a series after it's been on for awhile.
August 21, 2003
Want Gary Coleman to call you?
"Now for the first time ever you can have a real celebrity call you or a friend for just $19.95. They can also deliver a brief customized message written by you for $29.95. Whether it's for a special occasion or just for the fun of it, there's no better way to impress a client, a sweetheart or a friend than to have a celebrity call."
Wow, what a deal! Now if they just had someone like Valerie Bertinelli...
What about Dave?
Veteran funnyman laughs off his 'loss'
"When NBC's comedy competition Last Comic Standing ended last month, the winner was Dat Phan, the comedian with the least experience.
In second place was Ralphie May, a veteran comic with nearly 15 years under his belt.
'In a funny contest, I would have won,' May says, on the phone at home in Houston. 'But it wasn't a funny contest. It was a popularity contest.'"
Agreed, as Ralphie was by far the funniest comic on the final stage. He's in Phoenix this weekend, but, unforunately, I'll be traveling and will have to miss him. Maybe next time!
August 19, 2003
"Nip/Tuck" denounced by plastic surgeons
""Nip/Tuck" may be a hit with audiences, but the new FX drama that grapples with the ugly side of the make-me-beautiful business has plastic surgeons sharpening their scalpels. "We think it's an abomination of what real plastic surgeons and true plastic surgeons do," said Dr. Rod Rohrich, president-elect of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons."
Whatever. It's still a good show. Besides, anything that gets people talking about a topic is a good thing.
August 14, 2003
I SPY A... D'UH!
"Alias fans, you may want to sit down for this: Jennifer Garner is dating her leading man Michael Vartan! The official confirmation - which came as a complete shock to no one - was issued by Garner's spokeswoman, who told Us Weekly that the pair 'were friends and they recently started dating.' Garner split from her hubby, ex-Felicity star Scott Foley, last April, but according to Us, she and Vartan didn't start dating until Alias resumed production two weeks ago. It's not a lie if you believe it."
August 12, 2003
Possibly the next governor of CA
Not work friendly!
August 05, 2003
Afterlife Telegrams
August 04, 2003
Sarah Jessica Defends Baryshnikov Casting
"We must confess: Sex and the City's decision to cast 55-year-old dance legend Mikhail Baryshnikov as Carrie's new artist-boyfriend caught us way off guard." - Hmm, ok, maybe I can see it after all, based on this interview.
July 30, 2003
Last Comic Standing
"The final five: Dat, Cory, Rich, Ralphie and Tess compete at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas." - We watched this last night and, while entertaining, it was not the laugh riot we had hoped to see. We attribute it to the missing Dave Mordal, who was eliminated two weeks ago when he went head to head with Dat Phan, in front of an obviously biased and/or inept audience. I mean, come on, Dat was uneven and recycled, whereas Dave was smoothly paced with fresh jokes. Perhaps they went with Dat because he was from CA? Or did Dave offend with his candid observations on alcoholism and juvenile deliquency?
In either case, Dave should have been "The Last Comic Standing". I predict we'll see more of him.
Who did I vote for? Ralphie May, as he was the only one to make my sides hurt from laughing. (Side note: I wish I had watched the show earlier than I did (TiVo, you know) so that I could have voted via the phone, as the website asks for waaaay too much information. Bah!)
Ballet Shoo-In
"Mr. Big has met his match - and he wears... ballet slippers?! After months of speculation, dance icon Mikhail Baryshnikov, 55, has been tapped to play Carrie's (Sarah Jessica Parker) final fling on Sex and the City." - I can't see it. I like the guy she's with now, he's the best one so far. Well, Adrian would have been the best but she blew that one. (Yes, I watch with my wife, so what?)
July 28, 2003
Firefly DVD set now on sale
"Although there's still no official word from Fox Home Video, alert fans have taken notice that a box set of Joss Whedon's short-lived FIREFLY TV show is now on sale at a certain online retail store." - Not only is it on sale, it's in the #5 spot on the Amazon top sellers chart! Furthermore, when I went to order it it was "currently unavailable". Now just how do you sell out a pre-order???
July 27, 2003
A remake of a classic
Looks like they're doing a loose remake of a classic horror pic:
July 24, 2003
Starting at 79¢ apiece
"Scott Blum, the chief executive of the online retailer Buy.com, yesterday unveiled a new Web site, BuyMusic.com, which will sell music downloads to Windows users. The service, which is not affiliated with Buy.com, seeks to capitalize on the popularity of iTunes, the music service that Apple Computer introduced in April." - Write this day down on your calendar folks, I actually paid to download a song! I've always maintained that I would buy songs rather than seek them out on a P2P client if there was a convienient and reasonably priced alternative. (Side Rant: Why the hell do CDs cost the same,if not more, today as they did 10 years ago? Advances in technology have lowered costs for just about everything else in the consumer world over the years, but we're supposed to believe it did nothing for the production of CDs?)
That's why I was excited to see iTunes come out and couldn't wait until it was released for the Windows world. The seamless integration into the OS environment is quite impressive.
BuyMusic.com isn't so seamless, using the shopping cart model that Buy.com buyers will easily recognize. Still, it was very painless to pick out a song that I've been hearing on the radio and have it on my machine moments later.
I'm still looking forward to iTunes for a higher level of integration, but for now BuyMusic.com will fit my needs. No more P2P frustrations! Now that's worth it!
July 23, 2003
No Buffy Spinoff
"9:26 am Ostroff explains that a Buffy spinoff never materialized because, in the end, 'Joss [Whedon] wanted to take some time off, [and] we didn't come up with something that was exciting enough for everybody to move forward.' In other words, Eliza Dushku followed her Tru Calling and went to Fox." - That's ok, Joss, just focus on Angel for now.
July 13, 2003
Giant Rubik's Cube spotted in NYC
"One of the most prominent landmarks in the East Village in Manhattan is a statue of a giant steel cube." - The article goes on to detail, with pictures, how they turned this work of art into a giant Rubik's Cube. I do so love a good health prank!
July 10, 2003
Stupid Pet Tricks
"Carolyn Scott and her golden retriever, Rookie, dance to the Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta recording of ''You're the One That I Want,'' from the movie ''Grease.'' Taped at a large dog show, their performance is Canine Freestyle, considered a sport in some circles." - This is very entertaining to watch. I've seen worse choreography with people; to see this dog do it so well is amazing.
July 02, 2003
Classic Sci-Fi fans rejoice
From TV Guide: "The entire run of the classic sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica will be out on DVD Oct. 21" - Another one for my friend Dan, but of course he'll never see it. Oh well.
From what I've seen of the previews for SciFi's remake of BG, this DVD set will be the way to go.
June 30, 2003
Late Show drops in ratings, again
"As he enjoyed some extra time off this summer, David Letterman would have been wise not to ponder the results of CBS's effort to narrow the ratings gap between him and Jay Leno." - This is a shame, because, as the awards help show, Letterman's program is the better of the two by far. Consistently funny, always the better interviewer, there's no doubt in my mind who the king of late night really is.
While we're on the subject, if you're lucky enough to get the Trio channel (mine comes via DirecTV on channel 315), Dave has released a handful of shows from his first season on NBC. Classic Dave!
June 27, 2003
Order in the court
From TV Guide: "It's a good news/bad news scenario for fans of Law & Order. First, the good news: Sam Waterston, who plays ADA Jack McCoy on NBC's long-running drama, has signed a new deal that will keep him courtside through the 2004-05 season. Now, the bad news: Elisabeth Rohm's sticking around, too. (Loved her on Angel; hate her on this.)" - I agree with that last part, she never should have left Angel.
June 26, 2003
Sci Fi fans rejoice
"Both Trek Today and Trek Web are reporting that ENTERPRISE cast member Jolene Blalock will have a recurring role as a Jaffa leader in STARGATE SG-1." What next, the Trek crew discovers the Gou'ald home planet? (Thanks to Dan for bringing this to my attention.)
What Matrix Persona Are You? Wait a minute, which am I?
Hmmm, perhaps I should have taken more time and read all of the answers, instead of just skimming and picking the ones that caught my eye:
You are Cypher, from "The Matrix."
Selfish, disllusioned, you are misguided at
times. You deviate from the "right"
path.
You are Neo, from "The Matrix." You
display a perfect fusion of heroism and
compassion.
Well now, that seems to be about as night and day as one could get. Yet, depending upon my mood, I could see either one being valid. Interesting. Does that make me multi-faceted or just plain schizo?
What Matrix Persona Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
June 25, 2003
Shrink Wraps
From TV Guide: "Kelsey Grammer confirms that Frasier will be signing off for good next May after 11 years. "This is the last season," the Emmy winner tells TV Guide Online. Grammer may want to share that bit of information with NBC, which has yet to herald an end to its long running comedy the way it has Friends. "[Frasier] will be on this coming season, and beyond that, we don't know," says a Peacock rep. Counters Grammer: "Right now, we're writing as though it's the end. We've laid out our plotlines for all 24 shows, and we're pretty happy with the way that arc is shaping up. So, something would have to happen fairly soon [in order for us to change course]." Like, say, cash?" - I enjoy this show, but I think that it has hung on too long and should go gracefully.
June 24, 2003
Magazine City is at it again
Back in April I reported that Magazine City was giving away free subscriptions to 'Stuff' magazine. I used an alias and a SpamGourmet email address to subscribe, and I'm pleased to say that a> the magazine showed up as promised and b> my account didn't receive any spam! On that latter I did check the "do not send me any promotions" box, so that does work.
This time, when I signed up I left the box unchecked. After all, how am I going to find out about more free magazines if I turn down their emails? (Thanks to Jesh for giving me the heads up on these, btw.)
Anyway, here are the free one year subscription offers:
MagazineCity.net - Forbes Magazine Special Offer
MagazineCity.net - FHM Magazine Special Offer
Time to get into TiVo?
TiVo is running a special right now, with 40 hour TiVos for $199 and 80 hour for $299. That's $50 off their regular prices. If you've been considering a TiVo, now's the time!
June 19, 2003
TICK TOCK...
From TV Guide: "Time's up for two stars of 24. Penny Johnson Jerald and Sarah Wynter - whose respective roles as Sherry Palmer and Kate Warner were pivotal last season - will not be returning as series regulars for Day Three this fall, TV Guide Online has learned. A Fox spokesman refused to confirm the moves, but did caution that "it would be a mistake to infer from an actor's contract status what their participation in the show next year will be. For example, Xander Berkeley (George Mason) was hired as a series regular last year but his character was killed off in Episode 15." Yeah, that sucked for him." - I could take or leave the Sherry Palmer character, as she annoyed me more often than not (kudos to Jerald for that), but I'm sorry to see Kate go. It would have been interesting to see how Jack would have juggled a relationship with her with his already full days.
June 18, 2003
The Man Show - now avail on DVD
(This is for my friend Dan, but he'll probably never see it because he doesn't surf my site or subscribe to it, which is ironic because I created the site for people like him to whom I was constantly emailing links and commentary. Setting up this site made sense, especially with the Bloglet subscription option (no spam, I might add). Puts everything in one place and everyone I used to email can just subscribe or surf by. Ah well, three steps forward, two steps back.)
"Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, "The Man Show" has created a phenomenon that delights men and disgusts women of all ages. Carolla and Kimmel have created a show that simply celebrates all things male. "The Man Show" has become Comedy Central's second highest rated show behind "South Park." For the first time the complete first season (14 episodes) of "The Man Show" are available in this 3 DVD set." - They certainly have the description right, as my wife hates it and I find it amusing. Too bad Kimmel bailed and it was cancelled.
June 16, 2003
24: Day Break
From TV Guide: "It looks like Kiefer Sutherland's tapped-out 24 alter ego will get some much-needed R&R this summer. A Fox insider confirms that some time will elapse between last month's finale and the start of the show's third day this fall. (The buzz was that Season Three might pick up immediately following the biotoxic attack against President Palmer.) In response, a 24 rep would only say that the show's writers were hard at work on a "very big idea" for next season." - I was wondering about that. In particular, when would he have time to sleep and rest up from being dead if he launched right into the next day? I mean really, there's got to be some realism to this, oh, uh, never mind.
June 12, 2003
Mackey would be proud
From TV Guide: "Shawn Ryan, creator/exec producer of The Shield, has signed a $6 million pact with FX to continue helming the acclaimed drama for another two seasons. Variety calls it the "most lucrative writer deal in the history of basic cable." (Sopranos creator David Chase calls it chump change.) Season Three of The Shield is slated to launch in January." - I was glad to run across this one, as The Shield is a great show.
Bada Bling
From TV Guide: "Don't fuhgetabout a sixth Sopranos season just yet. According to The Hollywood Reporter, series creator/executive producer David Chase is talking to HBO about the possibility of doing a sixth season. (The show's fifth season is currently in production and is slated to debut in early 2004.) Meanwhile, James Gandolfini has taken a giant step towards repairing his image in the wake of his very public salary renegotiation with HBO earlier this year. The Emmy winner, who recently received an advance on his share of the Sopranos profits from the network, reportedly handed out $500,000 in checks to more than a dozen of his fellow cast members. (Let's hope Edie Falco got most of the moolah.) 'It was always part of his plan to share some of the wealth with the other actors,' a source close to Gandolfini tells THR. 'He has always called this show an ensemble, from Day 1.' "
June 11, 2003
Fan homage to "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
From Slashdot: "one of the more fascinating fan film projects ever conceived: A shot-for-shot remake of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" filmed in Biloxi, Mississippi between 1982 and 1988 by Eric Zala, Jayson Lamb and Chris Strompolis. What's particularly amazing is that the trio began filming the project when they were twelve and finished six years later when they were eighteen." - The /. article contains links to a trailer and the full articles. Pretty impressive work for kids that age. I certainly couldn't stay focused that long at that age.
June 10, 2003
Letterman taking some time off
"Among the many mysteries of David Letterman: how much time he's planning to take off this summer." - I'll take a Letterman rerun over the competition any day, so more power to him!
June 09, 2003
Post May Sweeps Disorder
"Are you suffering from PMSD -- Post May Sweeps Disorder? Do you rush to get home by 8 p.m. only to realize there's nothing for you to watch? Do you wonder who is going to win "American Idol" and then remember you already know? Do you set your VCR to tape "Friends" and realize it's an episode you've already seen twice? Do you actually answer the phone during prime time hours?" - Then you're a TV junkie! (Not that there's anything wrong with that!) Anyway, good summary of this season's TV finales.
June 06, 2003
Fall TV: The new stuff
"Will you be laughing come fall? The networks all hope so. Look for LOTS of sitcoms built around families -- rich ones, poor ones, formerly rich ones, empty-nesters and single dads, inner-city dwellers and small-town transplants."
"It's a good time to be a federal agent, at least on TV: Five new fall dramas focus on FBI or anti-terrorism teams, with several more built around cop squads. Also look for a girl who talks to God on a weekly basis (which could be either extremely clever or horribly cheesy), a new take on Tarzan, a love story set against the porn industry (!?) and writer/producer David E. Kelley's latest endeavor."