Now that Lost is on hiatus until 2010, I need a reason to watch television. A show that will pique my interest and really pull me in. Let’s see…how about The Bachelorette? Will Jillian find true love? Probably, at least until she changes her mind on After the Final Rose. Maybe Jon and Kate plus 8? Are they getting a divorce? What about those kids? Would my hair look good in “the Kate”? I could give I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! a try. Is Speidi being tortured in the Costa Rican jungle? Let’s hope so. Let’s be real — these shows are completely mind-numbing. They may be cute, but they just aren’t enough. Recently, though, I found two new reality-like shows that I’m not sure people are watching. And they might be worth a look. [Read more →]

Tags: television by Nancy DeGregorio
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Now that was a first… no cocktails. No party. A monumental moment in Bachelorette history. Here’s how we got to that point:

First, the one on one with Kiptyn. I thought there was some real chemistry there. I could’ve done without the kayak “race” but when they got to the market and back to the apartment, they were cute. However I also kept thinking, he’s so much cuter than her. I know, I’m mean. Before he could walk out on her for receiving the worst kiss of his life, Jillian wisely gave him the rose… on to the group date. [Read more →]

Tags: television by Lauren LaBumbard
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Looks like summer’s schedule will be the norm… reality-heavy (some of the best reality shows invented) with some scripted shows sprinkled in:

Monday

The Bachelorette — The season has been disappointing so far. I loved Jillian when she was chasing after Jason last season, but now I find her a bit annoying. The same thing happened when Deanna was the bachelorette, so I’m not surprised. She seems like a good girl, so I hope she ends up happy… and let’s hope it’s not with that psychopath, David. I can’t wait to watch her diss him tonight. [Read more →]

Tags: television by Lauren LaBumbard
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 Yesterday I was shocked to hear reports that legendary actor David Carradine was found dead, hanged from an apparent suicide in his hotel in Bangkok. I immediately felt that things did not add up. Carradine was 72 years old, rich, famous and still working. True, he had spoken of suicide many times in his life, but that had been years ago. Many artistic people go through such turmoil in their life (as do many others), but once 72 years old, it would seem that you had decided to live. I also found it strange that he was in a hotel in Bangkok. If you’re depressed, contemplating ending your life, you’re generally at home, bed ridden, a shut-in, maybe abusing drugs and alcohol. You’re not gallivanting in an international party city, staying at the Swissotel. Something was fishy here, and this morning, with further reports released about his death, it became clear that this was not a suicide, but rather an accident that will cast a shadow over the strange and wonderful career of David Carrradine. [Read more →]

Tags: health & medical, movies by David Alfreds
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You would think that a film about a prostitute played by a twenty-one year old porn star (Sasha Grey) who can claim over one hundred and sixty-five porn films would be mildly interesting, or at least contain some racy scenes. You would be wrong on both fronts. I am not sure why the two elderly couples walked out of the theater the night that I saw the film, but I suspect it had more to do with boredom than shock. [Read more →]

Tags: Gail sees a movie, movies by Gail D. Rosen
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I decided to write about “Wipeout” (Wednesdays at 8 pm, ABC) because I couldn’t understand why I enjoyed it. I’m not a big laugher, “The Office” and “30 Rock” excepted. So what was it about seeing the human body being twisted and contorted like a rag-doll that made me giggle with delight? 

In retrospect, it shouldn’t be that funny. [Read more →]

Tags: television by Mark Guerin
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I am a recovering Catholic. I attended a Catholic grade school, high school and even a Catholic University for a while. To say that I was not amused would be an understatement. It really didn’t take me very long to realize that there were some glaring inconsistencies in church doctrine. Once I was old enough to start thinking on my own, what I call “The age of reason”, the hypocrisy became much too burdensome. [Read more →]

Tags: movies, religion & philosophy by Larry DeRose
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The Bachelorette

My husband can’t watch this show with me. And it’s not because he can’t stand the idea of 30 men throwing themselves at one chick and humiliating themselves on national television, because he hasn’t had the same problem watching with me in the past (though in his defense, he’s not that interested… like he is in So You Think You Can Dance and The Hills). It’s because he thinks Jillian is the worst kisser. And he’s right. He totally brought it to my attention last night and now I find it horrifying to watch her make out with practically everyone. No wonder Jason didn’t pick her. He was over the sensation of being pecked at. [Read more →]

Tags: television by Lauren LaBumbard
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With the summer drought officially in full swing, I thought I’d take this time to pay tribute to some of my favorite shows which never made it past a single season and let you know how you can still watch them. These two shows not only should have never been cancelled, but they should’ve won awards. It’s hard to say why some great shows don’t make it (the WB might be one reason), but I do know that it hurts… badly… when they don’t. Fortunately, the Internet and Netflix help us remember. [Read more →]

Tags: television by Lauren LaBumbard
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Our fellow WFTC writer Michael Antman has just published a fine essay on the digitalization of our culture at the popular culture website PopMatters.com. Entitled “The Future is an Empty Room,” the piece explores the impact that digital progress has had and is likely to have on everything from music and books, to the very nature of living spaces in the future. Needless to say, I completely agree with him, and there’s only a few points I’d like to add. [Read more →]

Tags: art & entertainment, technology by Christopher Guerin
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Obviously I take my movie watching somewhat seriously. I mean, I write a blog about it, and that’s a bit above and beyond where most people go with their movie watching. I try and walk a fine line between movie snob and movie goer, but there is one place where I seem to be the movie snob asshole guy, and that’s AT THE MOVIES! [Read more →]

Tags: art & entertainment, movies by David Alfreds
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Willie Heath Neal plays country music. That’s what I’d call it, that’s what he calls it. If you listen to popular country radio then you will disagree. You will call his songs “alt-country rockabilly” or “cowpunk” or “outlaw country” or “hillbilly” or “psychobilly.” Really, there seem to be endless ways to describe him by tacking “billy” onto the end of a word. But what really matters as we hash it all out is that he knows how to write a good song. That’s all I care about, and that is exactly what matters when you are in Ybor City on a rainy Tuesday night at Crowbar to see Willie and his gang play. I don’t ordinarily listen to country music (I adore The Old 97’s, but here again, they don’t seem to count), so I had no idea what I was getting into, but I loved every minute of it. [Read more →]

Tags: music by Van McO
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Barack Obama has been talking about shaking up the Supreme Court by making his first appointment a non-judge. If he really wants to rattle Scalia’s cage, he’ll give the nod to Saul. Criminal attorney Saul Goodman boasts a haircut described as “business mullet” and works out of a New Mexico strip mall with an inflatable Statue of Liberty on its roof (his office is filled with similarly cheesy/ patriotic décor). Loud, flirtatious, and utterly smitten with himself, he’s a clown with a knack for getting what he wants. Oh, and he’s actually only pretending to be Jewish for the benefit of his largely Hispanic clientele: “My real name’s McGill. The Jew thing I just do for the homeboys.” [Read more →]

Tags: on the law, television by Sean Cunningham
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“Dr. Langdon, what a relief. The symbolist is here,” Commander Richter (Stellan Skarsgård) says dryly to Dr. Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks). I understand his lack of enthusiasm. Let us all pray we never hear that greeting again. This convoluted plot is as murky and confusing as the copious underground Roman passageways, where much of this film takes place. Only an exciting final thirty minutes comes close to bringing this film redemption. [Read more →]

Tags: Gail sees a movie, movies by Gail D. Rosen
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Glee (FOX, Fall, 2009) — I had high expectations for this and it did not disappoint. It was actually better than expected, not because it was oozing with cheese, but because actually, it wasn’t. Obviously, it’s had its cheesy moments, but I actually saw some similarities between Glee and the 1999 dark comedy, Election. It’s funny and entertaining, yet quietly odd (and the main chick, Rachel, is reminiscent of Reese Witherspoon’s award-nominated role as the uptight teacher’s pet, Tracy Flick). [Read more →]

Tags: television by Lauren LaBumbard
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What do you do when you’ve taken a great concept, squeezed it until it’s bled dry, and made it a non-viable entity? In cinema, the answer is the “reboot”. And the best way to reboot a franchise is with a “prequel”. Following the path led by George Lucas and the Star Wars prequels, movie makers are revisiting some of the best sci-fi concepts that have been ruined by greed, and the American need to make each sequel to a movie (insert Schwarzenegger accent here) “Biggah, bettah, with even moh exploshons!” Star Wars worked to a point, with each prequel getting better and better. (Best in my opinion was The Clone Wars movie and animated series). Star Trek‘s new movie was mostly very good, with an interesting twist on the “reboot” concept, using an alternate timeline. Terminator Salvation, though, falls woefully short of these rebooted prequels. [Read more →]

Tags: movies by David Alfreds
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This week, all the major networks made their presentations and unveiled their fall/mid-season lineups to the media and its buyers. As an obvious fan of TV and its miraculous storytelling, I look forward to this week every year. As all my shows come to a close, this is a reminder of what’s to look forward to and figure out just how much time I will consume engaging with my fictional friends and family, and how little time I’ll be spending with my real life friends and family. Here it is…. [Read more →]

Tags: television by Lauren LaBumbard
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Let’s do the whole combination, facing away from the mirror. From the top! Five, six, seven, eight! If these words resonate for you, you should finish reading this and then immediately step, kick, kick, leap your way to the closest theater showing Every Little Step. At a time when no career choice seems safe, even those who are not fans of musical theater will marvel at the passion and commitment of those in this documentary, as they pursue careers that are never a safe choice. [Read more →]

Tags: Gail sees a movie, movies by Gail D. Rosen
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Grey’s Anatomy (Thursday, ABC, 9PM) — I didn’t see it coming. I usually see it coming. Not this time. How did I not see it coming?! It’s so obvious now. But, I’m so glad I didn’t. That was the most shocking thing to happen on TV since JR got shot (yes, I remember that). But talk about a cliffhanger. We have to wait all summer to know if George and Izzie live or die. Certainly a “who shot JR?” moment (or for those who pined throughout the summer of ’99 dying to know if Felicity chose Ben or Noel, you get my point). [Read more →]

Tags: television by Lauren LaBumbard
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Just as how the Others blindly follow Jacob, we Lost fans have invested five years of our lives blindly following a TV show that has become increasingly intricate. Will our commitment be worth it in the end? Those of us who have faith have stuck with it, but we’ve lost a lot of former believers along the way. What if the series finale is a disappointment and leaves many of the major questions unanswered? Will we question our blind faith to a show that we hoped would give us answers to [Read more →]

Tags: religion & philosophy, television by Marc Oromaner
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