Dual Redundancy is Back on ICTV!

Dual Redundancy is back on ICTV…well sort of.

No, it's not a new season but classic episodes of Dual Redundancy are now back on Ithaca College Television's website. Relive some classic moments from season two when we aired all across Tompkins County (and to the world thanks to their live stream). These episodes include interviews with fellow Ithaca College students as well as the faculty of the Park School of Communications.

All the episodes can be found here in the ICTV Archives: http://ictv.org/archives/category/dualredundancy/

DR Rewind: TV Production with Jack Powers

For the next few weeks as our YouTube page catches up with all the great episodes and interviews we have done we will rewind and share some of our favorite Dual Redundancy moments.

When Dual Redundancy became an Ithaca College Television show in early 2012 we did various interviews with some of the Ithaca College faculty. In our sixth episode of 2012 we sat down with Professor Jack Powers and interview him about television production, writing for series television, and his time with ABC's Modern Family. Below is the interview segment for you to enjoy:

To learn more about ICTV you can visit their homepage by clicking here and you can also watch the episode this interview was edited down to fit in here.

DR Rewind: Media Aesthetics with Professor Ray Gozzi

For the next few weeks as our YouTube page catches up with all the great episodes and interviews we have done we will rewind and share some of our favorite Dual Redundancy moments.

When Dual Redundancy became an Ithaca College Television show in early 2012 we did various interviews with some of the Ithaca College faculty. In our fourth episode we sat down with Professor Ray Gozzi and interviewed him about media aesthetics, Herbet Zettl's five fields, and how to watch television in a smart way. Below is the interview segment for you to enjoy:

To learn more about ICTV you can visit their homepage by clicking here and you can also watch the full episode this interview is from here.

Dual Redundnacy Turns Two!

On August 30th 2011 in their Ithaca College dorm, David and Mike (along with their audio expert John) recorded the first episode of Dual Redundancy. Since then their television and entertainment podcast has morphed into a web show, ICTV show, and blog. Despite all these changes one thing has stayed the same: their opinions (which are exactly the same)!

To celebrate this special anniversary, all day today on Twitter we will flashback to some of our favorite moments. Head over to our Twitter page or follow along using the hashtag #DualTurnsTwo.

Thank you to everyone who have been with us these last two years. We can't wait to see what year three has in store!

DR Rewind: Advertising 101 with Professor Scott Hamula

For the next few weeks as our YouTube page catches up with all the great episodes and interviews we have done we will rewind and share some of our favorite Dual Redundancy moments.

When Dual Redundancy became an Ithaca College Television show in early 2012 we did various interviews with some of the Ithaca College faculty. In our first episode we sat down with Professor Scott Hamula and interviewed him about advertising, product placement, and Super Bowl commercials. While the commercials may be old the information is timeless. Below is the interview segment for you to enjoy:

To learn more about ICTV you can visit their homepage by clicking here and you can also watch the full episode this interview is from here.

TV Review: Whodunnit? 102: "Fire Starter"

DA- Oh my god! We’re having a fire…sale! No, unfortunately there is no fire sale or commercial starring Tobias yet, but we do have another episode of Whodunnit? to dissect and solve!

This week we have to piece together how Dontae (or the stunt man that pulled off that pretty amazing feat) somehow became engulfed in flames. This episode for the most part follows the same structure as the week before. The contestants chose between the three locations, they mingle over a nice lunch spread, receive a clue that leads them on a goose hunt around the house, and then they plead their case talk to themselves in a library trying to sound like they are a lawyer.

While I like solving the murder along with the houseguests, the biggest thing that I cannot stand about the show are the contestant reactions. Most of America knows that these contestants are not really dying but somehow this message is not getting to the actual contestants. Contestants are crying over Dontae’s death, Kam is disgusted to swim in a pool before they clean it since Dontae’s body was lying in it, and Giles tells them nobody is allowed to leave the house. Stop it! This is a reality show. I am okay with the puns about how if you don’t solve the case it will be the “death” of you and your game but you are not fooling anyone that this is real…well okay almost anyone.

One aspect I do like though is allowing the contestants to only choose one location to explore. This forces them to meet and collaborate with each other. However, like this week, each group decided they would change the information and withhold crucial pieces, which led to some interesting conversations. While Sasha (one of the best players on the show) sees right through it, others like Gino are confusing themselves on what actually he saw himself. The protector from fire is St. Agnes Gino, or wait it’s Agatha. No I’m sorry Agnes. Argentina?

Also these conversations post-investigation always creates some much needed drama and tension between the contestants. I love the alliance formed by Kam and how much it annoys the rest of the players. The other side thinks they need to work together to stop this killer but Kam at least is aware that this is all an individual game. However because you are only be allowed to see one of the three rooms you need a few others to at least help you make it to the finals. One thing I do not understand though about Kam is why he thought to choose Lindsey to replace Gino in his alliance. Last week she was almost “scared” when she was not close in solving Sheri’s murder and this week she is playing with Adrianne with a gas fireplace while everyone else is solving the flag clue in the laundry room. So to go back to another Arrested Development reference…her? What is she funny or something?

After all the clues were pieced together we find out that Kam’s alliance mate Ulysses was the best at piecing together Dontae’s murder. It turns out that Dontae was given special pajamas sprayed with benzene and socks that somehow created more static electricity than other socks. After the killer sounded the fire alarm, Dontae tried to run out of the room but the shag carpet and his special socks created enough static electricity that when he touched the door the small spark engulfed him in flames. He then proceeded to run out of the house (not catching anything else on fire mind you) and jumped into the pool. 

This time Dana and Adrianne are “scared” or nominated to be “killed.” I had a feeling I knew who was going home for a few reasons. For one, Adrianne said Dontae died from the exploding medallion the killer gave him along with his silk pajamas. Not only can she not figure out he died but I also do not think she knows how science works. If this is true then how did it reform and float to the bottom of the pool where you found it with Kam? As for Dana, she may not be the killer of the house but give her time and I think she could become one. After Ulysses did not run over to talk to her, Dana threatened to kill him and to pinch his head off. Dana! Don’t tell us how you are going to kill him! We need something to solve in the next episode.

Speaking of the next episode Adrianne has finally bit the dust and not a day too soon. How did the golf cart she was fleeing in explode? My money is on an exploding medallion…

In and Out Points:

- Donate’s death could have easily been avoided. Don’t they teach “stop, drop and roll” in elementary schools anymore?

- How did Giles get an ankle monitor on him to keep him in the house? We are told he has never met his employer but wouldn’t he have seen/heard someone strapping something on to his ankle at some point?

- Speaking of Giles, in next week’s preview it looks like he is either protecting or terrorizing the house with a shotgun. Is it too late to rule him out as the killer?

- For all you Ithaca College students out there, talk about a death by doorknob!

- Anyone else think ABC threw Donate’s last words at the end to try and convince America that a network television company represented by Mickey Mouse is not lighting people on fire for others to solve how and only win a quarter of a million dollars by doing so?

That is all for this week. Let me know who you think the killer is and how Adrianne died either in the comments or @eastwoodmcfly. Until next Sunday have a killer week!

TV Review: Whodunnit? 101: "High Voltage"

DA - There’s been a murder I do declare! Well okay, not really, but tell that to the people who watched ABC’s premiere of their new murder mystery reality show, Whodunnit? Because there were some people out there thinking that the Mickey Mouse network was offing contestants left and right in their series premiere Sunday night.

Thirteen contestants entered the Bachelor’s the Whodunnit? house all knowing that they were there to compete in a reality game show. However, they should have known that when Sheri Marsh, ex-NFL cheerleader (and probably aspiring actress) was killed for dropping a champagne glass, that this was not going to be Minute to Win It.

Out of the thirteen, one contestant is a “killer.” Really Whodunnit? is The Mole mixed with the board game Clue (or a direct rip-off of the ICTV show Suspicion, created by Dual Redundancy’s own Mike Ladue). Every week a character will be murdered and it is up to fame-seeking contestants to figure out how each one of them died and who the killer actually is.

While the show has its moments full of cheese and eye-rolls, there are many interesting ideas the show uses. After Sheri is murdered in front of the fish tank, contestants have to choose between three locations to explore: the crime scene, her last known whereabouts, or the morgue (which is conveniently located in the basement of the mansion). This automatically leads Kam, a homeland security attorney, to align with two others to get the full story. However, he does not know if one of his allies is lying or even worse the actual killer!

They are also given clues by a mysterious butler named cliché butler name Giles, who supposedly receives notes from the killer under his door. One clue was a key with the numbers “13:17” on it. Even though Kam was an early favorite of mine after he thought the numbers were military time and decided to disregard the key and start spinning the hands of clocks for a secret passage opening, I started looking for other strong players. 

After they figured it out was a Bible verse, it was Ronnie who realized there were two sides to the key (really? Nobody else saw this?!) and figured out the two crowns engraved on the key were referencing the book of Kings 2 in the Bible. Next he realized it was in reference to a nearby missing window, saw a number carved into the wood, and realized it was for a crate directly straight ahead from the window. Where Ronnie, the bounty hunter, failed was not only speaking out loud for the other contestants to hear but also sprinting throughout the house to the crate, thus bringing everyone with him to the clue!

Inside the crate we find a slingshot and a crowbar, which adds with the pebble found in the back of her head to point to a Dennis the Menace copycat killer. After all the clues they are off to the library where they get to pace around and talk out loud to the “killer” of how they committed the crime. This was easily the funniest moment of the show. Every single contestant thought they were the greatest lawyers ever to walk across the face of the Earth yet as a viewer we knew who was completely out of left field. Yes, I am talking to you Dontae and your idea that she drowned from the fish tank instead of the head shot wound you found.

In the end it was the journalist Sasha who correctly figured out that the killer broke into her room and used a fogged up mirror to lure her down to the fish tank. The killer ran back down, cut the wire of the nearby lamp, and aimed a slingshot outside waiting for Sheri. Somehow this killer made a completely remarkable shot from outside, through a missing glass pane, and right into Sheri’s neck severing major arteries. Next it was an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine only seen on TV or in an OK Go music video. This hit forced her to fall into the fish tank, cracking it, and the built up pressure made it break which caused the frayed wire to further shock an already dead Sheri. Moral of the story? Don’t drop a champagne glass in this psycho’s house!

Don and of course Dontae were the two that were “scared” after their accusations during a dinner that night. (It should be noted that despite a killer on the loose inside the house, Giles is always there with the best hospitality and food service you could ask for). That night at 4:38 AM the contestants are awaken to a fire alarm. Now in some insane special effects (especially for a summer network reality show) “Dontae” comes running out engulfed in flames. In the end, he jumps into the pool but it is too late. Now while it was more than likely not Dontae running around (doesn’t he know to stop, drop, and roll?) this sequence was still amazing. Between this effect and the makeup they used on an insert shot of Dontae in the pool, Whodunnit? may be after some Creative Arts Emmy nominations.

Next week assuming the killer does not also murder this show from ABC’s schedule, we will most likely piece together Dontae’s murder and possibly receive more clues on who actually “dun it.”

In and Out Points:

- Hopefully we receive more clues on who the killer is instead of just how he/she committed the crime. There is already speculation online that the killer is right handed based on the dramatizations but this may just be reading too much into it.

- I know it is a game show but it seems as though the killer wants to get caught. He/she leaves clues behind and picks his/her next victim on who was the worst detective. Shouldn’t he/she have kept Dontae around and killed Sasha instead? Sasha was the one who figured out exactly how he/she did it!!

- I find it ironic that Dontae finds his end in the pool since the whole time he thought Sheri drowned. Now I may be over doing it here but did production choose his death based on Dante’s first part of the Divine Comedy, which is “Inferno?” Despite the spelling both names are pronounced the same way. If so, anybody have any ideas for how others may die?

That is it for this week. Let me hear what you thought about the premiere and who the killer may be either below or on Twitter @eastwoodmcfly.

TV Review: Big Brother 14x09: Keep Calm and Kiss Ass

ML- Britney and Shane mocked Janelle's players and couldn't wait to kick one of them out of the house. By the end of the episode, it seems as though all of them will survive into next week. How'd they manage to pull that one off?

Much of their success can be attributed to Ian, whose inability to commit to saving Shane next week sent Britney into a frenzy and turned the target back onto Frank. But Janie and Joe did their own share of the work, the former offering her wedding ring and Chanel earrings as collateral, the latter making weird metaphors to rock climbers and the president.

Joe was not happy to be up basically only because he's Janelle's player, though his personality obviously didn't help his case. Janelle wouldn't let her people freak out, nor would she let them give Shane or Britney an ounce of breathing room during the week. Ass kissing, though embarrassing, is a good strategy in Big Brother. Wil claimed he doesn't want to be known as an ass kisser, and there is absolutely no joke to be made there. Joe tried his best, but obviously, gentle tones and smooth deliveries are not his strong suits.

The Veto was similar to one in BB13, except this time instead of Greek gods and goddesses, the contestants were dressed in clown suits. They had to run to keep two balls off the ground as they rolled  up slanted paths. Once you dropped a ball, you were out.

The competition went pretty quickly tonight, as Wil, Joe, Frank and Danielle fell out, leaving only Shane and Ashley. Shane defeated the klutzy Ashley to score his third straight veto, probably sending past all-time veto champs Janelle and James Rhine into panic mode. Is he the Michael Phelps of Vetoes?

It was then do or die time for Joe and Team Janelle, as they made as many offers as possible to get Boogie and his people out of the house. I've got to hand it to Janelle, she really does hustle to get her way in the house. Along with Ian's slip up, Shane and Brit decided to explain the backdoor to Frank in a way he might not expect to go home. It didn't work 100% as planned, but at least there wasn't a big blow-up- yet.

Britney likened Boogie and Frank to a dragon and its head- are we getting some more Survivor cross-over here with Coach? Is this all one big elaborate ploy to get Big Brother fans used to hearing "coach" and "dragon" so next season they can do a BB/Survivor mash-up? I'd truly dig that.

Tomorrow night we'll see if the coaches enter the game (they probably will) and who goes home, Frank or Joe (if they're smart it'll be Frank, but I can't stand listening to Joe's confessionals anymore). If Frank does go home, I'll be looking for a new Winner Pick. Leave me your suggestions in the comments below!

Episode Grade: B
Episode MVP: Janelle Pierzina & Shane Meaney
Original Airdate: 8/1/2012

TV Review: Louie 3x04: "Daddy's Girlfriend Part 1"

The following article may contain spoilers. Reader disruption advised.


ML- We got another glimpse inside the brilliant, messed-up mind of Louis C.K. this week thanks to the use of his fantasies. After pressure from his daughters to get a girlfriend (they slyly brought up mommy's boyfriend who had been on a blimp, in a nudging only kids can get away with), he set his sights on locking down a new serious girlfriend to impress the girls with.

His first choice was another comedian who wasn't all that funny, in my opinion, aside from her spot-on Delilah talk-show impression. She and Louie went back to her place and hooked up, then turned on the ultimate aphrodisiac, reality TV. I must say, I'm already hooked on whatever show they were watching, which featured a guy stab another woman in the house in an attempt to "be more aggressive". This is almost as crazy as the Big Brother house this summer!

She said she wanted another go-around, not because she liked it, but to hopefully improve on the first time. Louie tried luring her into a date, which she vehemently denied, because she was there for "THAT" (his penis) and now he had ruined her all day twice, the first time being the awful sex.

Louie then experienced some well-produced fantasies at his daughter's school. Every time he saw a woman, the seductive music would play that every guy hears in his when he thinks about romancing a girl, and he begins imagining her playing with the kids. Not your average fantasy, but Louie here isn't looking for sex, he wants to not be the loser dad.

The first teacher shuts the door in his face, so he continues down the hall. The next teacher gets the same treatment, until he sees the ring on her finger. He goes again and finds a teacher with no hold-ups, except she's not what one would call classically attractive, and that throws Louie's fantasy into a tailspin. Frustrated, he goes to the bookstore to fill the "librarian" fantasy, and comes across Parker Posey as an employee who really "gets" his daughter's adolescent mindset. They bond, as anyone who comes in contact with Parker Posey would naturally do, and by shaving his beard, we see he's preparing to make a big move.

He makes the move by cornering her in the bookstore and talking until he runs out of things to say, most of them knocking his own appearance and awkwardly complimenting her, and the entire scene is highlighted by Posey's ability to show convincing facial expressions in response to his weirdness. She accepts the date, setting the stage for next week's "Part 2".

Overall, this episode had some nice features with the flashback, but broke the Louie mold of fitting multiple vignettes in a single episode to spreading one over 2 episodes. We'll see how Part 2 wraps things up, but for now, I was just content with this.

Episode Grade: B+
Episode MVP: Parker Posey
Original Airdate: 7/19/2012

TV Review: Breaking Bad 5x01: "Live Free or Die"

The following article may contain plot spoilers. Reader discretion adviser.


ML- Breaking Bad has been very generous with how it has handled informing the audience of what is to come. There are great blogs that expose hidden easter eggs planted into episodes to foreshadow future events, like the pink bear in free fall in Jane's painting, or the bear's eye itself mirroring Gus' final state, or, similarly, the two-faced statue visible at the beginning of the season 4 premiere. Vince Gilligan and company have crafted a fine gem of television here, and I don't believe it's a waste of time to search for clues to the endgame of this final season premiere.

And what a premiere it was. We got to see a little bit of everyone, from the kids Walter, Jr. and Holly to Mike and Ted to the guy from the junkyard. It reminds us how many players are left on this wild chess board, and what purposes they serve. Walter, Jr. and Holly served as great foils to their father tonight; The White Formerly Known As Flynn talked to his father from such an innocent perspective on the whole Fring fiasco, and Walt had to just put up with him to pacify him. And how uncomfortable was it to see Walt interact with a baby after just cleaning up bomb ingredients? The well-being of these children was once Walt's main motivation for getting into the drug game. Now they're barely an afterthought.

I've gotten ahead of myself by skipping around in time, something the episode obviously did, too. I could be wrong, but my impression of the opening was that it was a flash-forward and not a flashback? I don't recall any time in his past when Walt would have bought a gun like that or been under the alias Mr. Lambert from New Hampshire. In this case, seeing a glimpse of a bearded Walt switching cars in a Denny's parking lot makes me think Walt is heeding Mike's advice and hitting the road, soon.

The talkative Denny's waitress brings up the concept of a "free" something, from which the title takes its name, and therefore it should be looked at. Today is Walt's alias' birthday (a sign he is just having gone on the run?) and he is therefore entitled to a free meal. He turns it down, but she goads him, saying "free is always good". After Walt's interaction in the bathroom he leaves the waitress a $100 bill, another sign this is a future scene, and makes his departure. Walt is "free", it seems, from the home ties that bind him, from the hand of the law, from anyone telling him what to do. But is it better than what he had? Is he going to continue living free, or will he die?

Back in the bedroom, Skyler admits that she's scared of Walt. I think he loves this. His ego is at an all-time high, he knows he's the baddest dude in town, and even his woman trembles at the sight of him. It's everything the once boring, disrespected physics teacher ever wanted, and he's trying to take the time to enjoy it.

Except he can't. He tries to pour himself a drink- then remembers he forgot to get rid of the Lily of the Valley, too. He goes to take another sip as Skyler and the kids arrive home. He finally takes a sip when alone with the baby- but remembers something else. He's never going to be able to have that drink, metaphorically. Something is always going to come up, either extraneous or from his own desire to keep conquering obstacles and blowing people's faces off. It's as if he's doing science experiments and solving problems, except people's lives hang in the balance.

What Walt remembers is that Gus had been recording everything going on in the now-torched lab, the files of which had been fed to Gus' home laptop, which Hank and the police seized for evidence. In order to discover all this, Walt has to locate Mike.

When we last saw Mike he was recovering from a GSW in a Mexican hospital. Now, he's peacefully feeding chickens, making sure everybody gets their fill. After getting the call regarding Gus' death, he takes off driving, and gets into his own game of chicken as well with Walt and Jesse. If we're looking for important themes and motifs here, "chicken" seems to be one. Gus ran "Los Pollos Hermanos", or The Chicken Brothers, which, in a different context, can be applied to Walt and Jesse. I've long suspected these two will come to a head, especially if Jesse ever finds out Walt's hand in what happened to Jane and Brock. Is may come down to who blinks first, who shows more compassion for the other, who is more vulnerable. That sounds a lot more like Jesse than Walt, to me.

The police have the laptop in their possession, as Mike discovers. This is another pattern for Walt throughout this whole series: someone is always a step ahead of him. Gus always was until he turned the tide and "won", but he didn't take into account the police having that evidence. Whatever Walt does, he's never going to be able to "win", because in the drug dealing business, winning is measured in the money you have when you die, and Walt isn't interested in the money anymore.

The scene where Walt and Mike argue with each other while Jesse, the voice of reason, struggles to make his voice heard is a fun one. I can only imagine being on set with these three actors, all of whom are award-worthy. Jesse mentions using a magnet to wipe the hard drive on the laptop, and from this they are brought back to the wreck yard from season 3, where they gain access to a magnet large enough to make their bogus plan a reality.

Meanwhile, Skyler meets with Saul to confirm something many fans had suspected- Ted isn't dead, just paralyzed. She goes to visit him, and we see the same fear she has for Walt in his eyes as he looks upon her. He promises never to breathe a word of what he knows, and we see Walt's same cockiness brew in her as she accepts his plea. Walt and Skyler are so alike it's crazy, but I have a feeling she may have a hand in his ultimate downfall. I think it's possible that after all is said and done, Walt may get away with all of his crimes and wrongful doings and come home to the family he once vowed to support, only to have Skyler be the one to rat him out. It may not be a satisfying ending to the audience, but thematically, it would be one of the richest ways to bow out.

The magnet test was freaking cool, and prompted my favorite line of the night, from the junkyard owner, regarding the removal of all credit cards from their person while the magnet is on: "You want that plastic working come Miller Time." I know, it was product placement, as the Miller 64 ad reminded me during the next commercial break, but damn, people really do call it that in real life.

They bring the fully-functional magnet to the station, with Mike's help getting in, and Walt begins turning the knob. First the cop behind the desk's computer fizzles out, then objects in the evidence locker begin flying off the shelves towards the wall. Walt keeps turning the dial, pulling heavier objects and increasing the chances that the information will be lost. Jesse warns him to stop, but Walt can't and turns the dial all the way. The van itself is pulled towards the wall and it tips on its side. They can't drive off.

The police rush to the van, but Walt and Jesse already escaped into Mike's car. Walt sits in the backseat, alone, as if being chauffeured by his assistants. The power pulsates through his veins, as he is so wrapped up in his own ego. He's only going to get more and more overconfident.

I found the entire magnet usage to be thematic for Walt's own influence on the people in his life. He's drawn so many innocents into his black hole of a soul, and, when advised to turn it down at the point of success, he cannot comply. He has to keep going. He's going to pull everyone down with him because he's too headstrong to go back.

The police examine the evidence and find the laptop, at least broken, but also a damaged picture of Gus and his business partner/possible lover. The cracks resulting from the magnet incident revealed an address of some type- one that is sure to led Hank to some secrets Walt does not want him to find. This, too, is symbolic- You hide secrets behind what you love, and Walt is making cracks that the police (mainly Hank) are starting to see through. It won't be long now before they're onto the real Heisenberg.

In the end we're treated to two scenes of Walt interacting with those he feels superior to- Saul, who betrayed his trust by siding with Skyler in the Ted decision without consulting Walt. Saul sees the terror Walt has become and says they're done, but Walt asserts that they're not done until he says they're done. And, again, as we saw from the magnetic dial, Walt will not say "when". If you're playing chicken with him, you're going to lose.

Finally, Walt comes home and finds Skyler in the bedroom. She tells him about Ted's promise not to spill, and he hugs her. It's not a loving hug, but more of a constraining, engulfing hug. He's holding her body close to his, within reach. He tells her he forgives her for sleeping with Ted, but does she believe him? I doubt it, but she has no other choice than to go along with him. If her choices are live free or die, she's certainly not living free under his control.

One last prediction: If Jesse survives until the end of the series, the last word of this show will be "Bitch." If not, it will be his last word. It's just too iconic of an end cap to not utilize (like the eye closing in Lost). Make it happen, Gilligan.

(Bitch.)

Episode Grade: A-
Episode MVP: Bryan Cranston
Original Airdate: 7/15/2012

TV Review: True Blood 5x06: "Hopeless"

The following article may contain plot spoilers. Reader discretion advised.


ML- Tonight's episode was titled "Hopeless", which describes the state of many of the characters at this halfway point of the season. This week's review will rank their story lines from most hopeless to actually looking up... for now.

Roman and the Authority: Obviously, Roman got the short end of the stake tonight as Russell Edgington managed to break free and gain some street cred back. I'm surprised Chris Meloni only lasted through 5 episodes given the intense press storm that preceded his arrival, and disappointed that he never got much to do except walk around one set piece and spout religiously/politically-charged dialogue. It's obvious Salome was the traitor now, yes?

Terry and Arlene: After getting chased by the Lost-rip-off smoke monster (I believe he actually referred to it as a smoke monster tonight) and hopping out of Patrick's moving car, Terry told Arlene he had to leave her and the kids behind or else trouble would come their way. I genuinely like them together so I hope (and expect that) things will work out once the ifrit business is dealt with. Can Sookie's microwave hands defeat smoke monsters, too?

Hoyt: You know it's a messed-up episode when getting drained by a strange vamp to the point of barely being able to walk is the third-least hopeless thing that happens to someone. Not only that, he got  denied by Jess again, who he claimed loved him despite her cruel words, and by the way she reacted I think he was right. Why can't these damn kids just get over their baggage and have fun! Now Hoyt is in the midst of the Obama Supe Killers, who use have a history with him as they saved him. Will Hoyt join their cause or report back to the vamps his findings?

Eric: Sure, he and Bill successfully captured Russell, but his sister Nora has shown her true colors as a Lilith-worshipping extremist, swaying around in her prison cell. Eric doesn't believe in anything other than himself, as Roman pointed out, but is he making the correct assessment, or is there something to the whole Lilith religion?

Lafayette: His trip to visit Ruby Jean resulted in him realizing that he must confront Don Bartolo, Jesus' creepy shaman grandpa, in order to find closure with Jesus' spirit. That can't end will for LaLa, who will undoubtedly cuss and bitch his way through dealing with all that supernatural shit all over again. Ruby Jean, however, was undoubtedly hopeful today, mentioning the "elestrisity" running through her body.

Sookie and Jason: Jason led Sookie to the faerie nightclub, which looks like what I expect Lady Gaga's living room to look like. There they discovered their parents were in fact killed by a vampire the night of the flood because he/she was drawn to young Sookie's blood on a band-aid left behind in the backseat. This obviously isn't something Sookie or Jason wants to hear, but it sends them on a path towards getting revenge. As Jason told his dad in a dream, he swears to take down the vamp responsible. You can't be completely hopeless when you have a plan, right?

Sam and Andy: Sam and Luna were rushed to the ER while Emma escaped to Martha's house. Both Sam and Luna were fine for the time being, and Sam set out to find the humans responsible for this "hate crime" while Luna allowed Martha to care for her granddaughter while Luna healed. Sam enlisted Andy in hitting up the gun shop of vamp-hating extremists, and while Andy asked the cashier some questions, Sam smelled the cashier get frightened and shot him with a crossbow before he could fire a bullet at Andy, but not before he disclosed that thousands of wooden bullets had already been sold.

Alcide: He was first glamoured by Eric into not remembering the events at the asylum, but retained many of the memories and all of them with Sookie's help. He recalled there being wolves amped up on V during the fight, so he returned to take the position as pack master, which he earned after killing Marcus. The current pack master referred him to the law which stated he had to choose a second and both would battle against him. A woman from the group stepped up, setting the stage for a power struggle that could make Alcide the top dog in the wolf pack.

Overall, I'd say this was a weaker episode of the season, but Russell's liberation definitely sets the stage for good times up ahead, as does the information about the Stackhouse deaths.

Episode Grade: B-
Episode MVP: Denis O'Hare
Original Airdate: 7/15/2012

TV Review: Weeds 08x03: "See Blue and Smell Cheese and Die"

The following article may contain plot spoilers. Reader discretion advised. 


ML- It's the final countdown of Weeds episodes, the end of a long, dangerous journey by the Botwin clan, and we get an episode full of roller derby and Mae Whitman (Parenthood, Ann from Arrested Development) blowing an albino. Is it too much to ask for a little Weed?


I have to give the writers credit for keeping the pace of random, hilarious dialogue up over these 8 seasons, especially in regards to Andy. Justin Kirk never got any Emmy love for this show, which is unnerving, as he brought his A-game tonight apologizing for a forged Raquel Welch signature. But the storyline in which this dialogue exists doesn't stack up.

Seeing Nancy actually try to help someone who wronged her was another big development in her growth towards an "After Botwin", but the end result was about the same as her usual vindictive ways: his life was ruined. Tim goes off to jail, another casualty of Hurricane Nancy's reign of terror throughout the country (and Mexico).

But everything else in the episode was lacking for me. Doug's business story lines are always a drag on this show, and though it looks as though they'll be transitioning to something else now that he transferred lots of Vehement money to a Wilson/Tillerman "non profit", he still feels like a vestigial structure of the show's past, kept around solely because he's a desperate actor with a semi-big name. He ruined what could have been a perfectly peaceful Steve Martin banjo cover of "Little Boxes", too.

The roller derby stuff with Andy was there to get the girls to hate him and turn back to bloodthirsty dad Scott, but it felt so unnecessary. The twins began attacking Andy by destroying his shoes in the oven, so immature Andy retaliated by cutting off the Dread Menace's red dread. This lead to a moderately funny slap fight with Scott that was enhanced by some seriously funny heckling from the twins. Scott's vent was extremely uncomfortable and slightly unbelievable, as he ranted on about how he never wanted twins and, when he saw the sonogram, hoped for an abortion and a new boat instead. No dad would talk like that in front of his kids, but it did get them to side with Andy, the whole purpose of the ridiculous B-story.

Mae Whitman was pretty hilarious as Tula, Tim's girlfriend with some severe issues of her own, and another vessel for some out of this world dialogue. I'd like to see her return, but with so few episodes left in the series, I'd much rather they devote time to important plot lines and character progression.

Speaking of character progression, it was great to see Shane as a cop, and even greater when Nancy was so caught up with Tim that she didn't realize her son's accomplishments. He didn't use the gun he got from Tula to shoot Tim, he tested it against the shells. She was so focused on the darkness she had brought to that boy's life that she didn't notice the shining presence Shane had become, at least in part under her guidance.

One last thing- the title was taken from Tim's line regarding someday Nancy's bullet repositioning in her brain, and her seeing blue, smelling cheese and dying. I know I haven't seen past the first season of The Sopranos but I have a blanket knowledge of just about everything TV, so this made my foreshadowing sense tingle in the same way Sopranos mentioned RANDOM SOPRANOS SPOILER ALERT everything going black and not hearing anything at the moment of death. Will we end with things seeming great for Nancy, then the screen going blue?

Episode Grade: B-
Episode MVP: Mae Whitman
Original Airdate: 7/15/2012

TV Review: Big Brother 14x02: Willie or Won't He?

ML- It's ironic that one of the most talked-about people in the Big Brother house this season isn't actually in the house, but rather is the Big Brother of someone playing! HoH Willie Hantz opened up to his alliance about his lineage to Survivor's Russell, a smart move given they look exactly alike and lying about it would paint him in a bad light.

Appearances and accents aside, Willie doesn't remind me anything of Russell. He's not cocky at all, and actually shows some vulnerability. He understands it's a social game, something Russell never gathered. Most of all, he's likable, and doesn't proclaim how wonderful he is or speak in the third person.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? No? No.

Speaking of wonderful, did you know Jenn played in an all-female heavy metal band? Because she hasn't mentioned that at all to anyone or the camera.

We got a lot of Ian being a creeper tonight, something I frankly don't understand. I'm not saying I haven't fantasized about crawling under the couches in the BB house, or spanking myself with spatulas and passing gas in pink underwear, but given the opportunity I wouldn't actually do any of those things. I'd rock a green banana hammock like Wil, obviously. Big Brother is a social game, and Ian seems to have no social awareness whatsoever. I think he and Russell would be a

The coaches took sides, with Boogie offering a chance to "Will it up" to Dan, referring to his infamous partner from seasons past Dr. Will, and not Willie or Wil, the people actually in the house. Can we at least cast some people with different names next year? Either that have a house full of Mikes- myself included. Dan warily agreed to the pact.

Janelle and Britney, however, were onto the boys' plan and quickly formed their own mega-alliance. They actually included their contestants in this plan, something Dan and Boogie didn't seem to do. I give props to Janie and Brit for organizing this so quickly, as it appears to have a strong backbone.

Willie did some strategizing with the house, and his encounter with Frank had a lasting impression on him, at least enough to merit a confessional. He found him threatening, but also trustworthy. Frank felt the same, as he told Boogie he felt his chances of being nominated were 1 out of 10.

Julie introduced a brand new competition to the house- Coach's Comp, which gives the winning coach the power to save one of their house guests from being nominated or backdoored that week. This is a great twist, in my opinion, that really integrates the coaches with the house guests.

The competition was a derby-style horserace that borrowed from a classic Survivor challenge done in Seasons 10, 13, 17 and probably others: Two contestants run in the same direction around a track until one catches the other and "tags" them, or in this scenario, pulls the tail off of their horse. Big Brother may be the most strategic game in the world, but it's competitions sure are the stupidest.

Boogie won his heat against Britney "Strength of a 6-Month Old" Haynes, and Dan threw his race against Janelle to keep the heat off of Danielle and Kara. The BB: All-Stars rivalry came to a head in the final round, which Boogie dominated, giving him the power to grant someone safety.

He chose Ian, who spends all of his time bouncing on a ball in the pool rather than actually talking to people. Is it a smart move? Perhaps, as it grants someone on his team safety, but it puts pressure on Frank and ROCKSTAR Jenn by the HoH. Good for Ian, though. Maybe he can learn not to creep on the girls in the shower and start talking to them at dinner? One can only hope.

Each coach also had to pick 1 Have Not from their team, and Shane, Danielle, Ashley and Ian were chosen to eat slop and sleep on the terribly uncomfortable-looking beds. I don't think the Coaches Comp winner should have had to pick a Have Not, but regardless, it's a good way to put people from different groups in a room together.

Britney, Janelle and Willie had a pow-wow and determined Boogie and Dan's MVPs are Frank and Kara and it might be smart to attack them at the jugular early on. Boogie suggested Willie nominate JOE, WHO HAS STOLEN DAN'S STATUS AS DIARY ROOM SCREAMER AND COOKS TOO MUCH DAMN FOOD.

In the end, Willie stuck by his alliance and put up Kara and Frank. Both of these players look like great players and threats down the road, so it's huge for Willie to have targeted them so soon. Will it bite Willie in the butt if Frank manages to save himself and gets revenge for their broken agreement? Anything can happen in the Big Brother house!

Episode MVP: Willie Hantz
Episode Grade: B
Original Airdate: 7/15/2012


SPOILERS AHEAD: LIVE FEED RECAP!
It's hard to believe but it's Day 9 in the house, and the PoV ceremony has already been concluded! Here's what's been going down:
-Shane won PoV, in a competition that had to do with sliding around (Shane and Frank scuffed themselves up) and collecting exact change and throwing it into something. The players chosen by draw were Wil, Shane and Danielle.
-Shane planned not to use the Veto, as it would put his alliance in a bad position and he wants either Kara or Frank out anyway.
-Ian has weirded everyone out in the house, from quacking like a duck to kicking himself in the face. Many on Britney and Janelle's teams are convinced he's America's Player.
-The Have-Not room has been brutal for those sleeping in it. Ashley and Shane both hurt their backs.
-Britney and Janelle have had private discussions about the possibility of entering the game at some point. It doesn't seem like they know this for sure, but they surely expect it as a possibility.
-Wil, Britney and Janelle are all very close and are planning a "girls alliance" with Ashley and JoJo.
-The gameplay has been harder than ever thanks to the coaches' presence. Dan has been telling Kara and Danielle what to do and who to talk to, as they can't even think for themselves. Britney has surprised me by how good of a coach she has been, constantly playing the game for her people. Boogie seems disappointed with his people, as Ian needs coaching in basic social skills and Jenn is a creep. Janelle has given good advice to Wil and Ashley, but not so much Joe that I've seen. Joe's plan is to stick by Wil.
-Boogie has alienated everyone in the house, and even Frank is telling people he wants no part in listening to Boogie. Boog did have a point today when he called out the messy girls on not cleaning, as now they've got tons of ants.
-Danielle is super into Shane and apparently is here for a showmance. Shane is going to use her but has no feelings for her (or so he says to his alliance).
-Kara has been super paranoid and trying to talk to people, while Frank has been quietly trying to make alliances.
-As of right now, it's still unclear who is going home. Jenn and Ian will vote for Kara and Danielle will vote for Frank, but the rest of the house plans on voting together. They're torn between booting Kara in order to systematically get rid of Danielle next week so that Dan is gone for good from the game, and kicking out Frank, who knows the game very well, is a major threat (he nearly won the PoV) and has been making the same deals to Britney and Janelle. At this point, it could still go either way, but HoH Willie wants Kara out because he feels if she wins HoH she'll only come after him and Shane, whereas Frank would also target Wil. Britney wants Frank out, as he isn't keeping his word.

TV Review: Louie 3x03: "Miami"

ML- I think it's fair to dub last night's episode of Louie an "instant classic".

Aside from reminding me of Curb Your Enthusiasm, as it usually does, tonight's episode gave me vibes of Larry David's other hit sitcom Seinfeld, specifically, the episode "The Contest." In this Emmy-winning episode, the characters make a bet revolving around masturbation without actually saying the dirty word. Everybody knows what they're talking about because it's so grained into the subtext.

"Miami" takes this idea and builds upon it, or rather, breaks it down, because it takes away the subtext by removing the text, as dialogue, from the episode's climactic scene. in doing so, CK demonstrates comedic genius that gives the audience great a payoff, even though/because it's the one they saw coming.

The episode starts with Louie's plane landing in Miami for a couple days of gigs. I like to imagine the idea for this episode springing from the real CK just acting on a whim to shoot in Miami, like the crazy rebel he is, but the television-radio student in me knows all of these locations had to be secured weeks in advance, so that's likely not what happened.

The best episode of Louie (and, really, are there bad episodes?) feature Louie as a fish out of water. "Duckling", last season's brilliant 1-hour special, brought Louie all the way to Afghanistan to entertain the troops. Here, we got a much more familiar, relatable experience as Louie reached the shores of Miami, and realized he did not fit in with the lean, tan bods that littered the sands. He thinks twice about taking his shirt off, and instead heads inside.

Some people might take this as a sign to get fit or find another fun, fully clothed thing to do. It says a lot about Louie that instead he chows down on a big sub and waits until the cool kids all scatter, and all the out-of-shape outcasts can enjoy their time in the (quickly setting) sun. He's like the runt of the litter when he doesn't have to be, but his insecurity keeps him from fully taking what he wants.

This all changes when he finally swims out into the water and a man on the beach mistakingly snatches up Louie's chair. He waves from the water for the man to stop, and the lifeguard takes this as a signal for help. He rushes to Louie's aid, who continuously mentions that he's not drowning. The lifeguard, young, fit Ramon, saves him anyway, and the two head back to the lobby for Louie's set.

Immediately, I began thinking "gay storyline". My suspicions grew as Louie bought Ramon a drink. It was too obvious, I then deduced. There's gotta be something more at play here.

The two bond more over Louie's stay, and Ramon shows his out-of-place friend around the city. After seeing Louie splurge on the motorcycle as a sign of renewing his manliness, it was great to see him riding on the back of Ramon's bicycle. This truly is a different world for him, and he experiences it fully as he spends the night at a party hosted by Ramon's Cuban family. Ramon draws his attention to the nearby hotel, and how those people, though they'd lived in Miami their whole lives, also didn't know the world he lived in. Louie again notes that he wasn't drowning, but he's glad Ramon saved him. From all the subtext, we know he's not talking about the beach.

After a frantic race to a show, Louie decides to stay in Miami another few days and calls his ex-wife Janet to confirm she can watch the kids. She can tell something from the sound of his voice (another nod to subtext)- he's met someone. She thinks it's a romantic thing, which he tries to dismiss, but it's true that he has "met" "someone", and clearly this person is the reason he wants to spend time in Miami rather than with his daughters.

This is the second week in a row gay panic has been a theme addressed in the show. Last week was when Melissa Leo's guest character used calling Louie gay as a method of exploiting him for sexual favors. We've also seen the motif of the motorcycle/bicycle play throughout these first three episodes. Is CK developing more season-wide themes that will build to something and later pay off, or are these just coincidences?

By the third act both Louie and Ramon know there's something going on in their chemistry, and they sit down at a bar (after swimming together all day) to discuss it. Ramon starts and implies he knows something about Louie, who denies it and tries to explain where he's coming from. Except neither of them actually say anything. In their entire conversation the actual words don't come up once. When Ramon says "I have a cousin, Manny...", Louie stops him short, because he knows why Ramon is brining up Manny.

This is the most manly conversation about homosexuality I've ever seen on television.

It ends with Louie doing stand-up, where he finally can bring the point home- heterosexual men are the only group of people who care that people identify them as such. Gay people, he says, aren't worried someone might mistake them for straight. It's rare that shows can make us honestly feel sympathy for the straight man, or the white man, or the educated man, but Louie does so without saying anything that offends anyone. As it turns out, he doesn't have to say anything at all. And it's wonderful.

Episode Grade: A
Episode MVP: CK
Original Airdate: 7/12/2012

TV Review: Big Brother 14x01: Cruel Summer

ML- To paraphrase the great Janelle Pierzina, "Hi hi, bitches!" Welcome to America's favorite guilty pleasure life consumer, Big Brother, which began its 14th season with a bang- that bang being the sound of Jodi's face smacking against the animatronic bed over and over again.

The game has already taken an incredibly drastic change with the addition of four legendary (Copyright Barney Stinson, CBS) coaches to guide the noobs through the game, which is a good thing because it seems as though none of them have watched much Big Brother in the past. These coaches will be playing their own game; whoever mentors someone to victory will pocket $100,000 of their own.
The coaches are: Mike "Boogie" Malin, BB2 & BB7, Janelle Pierzina, BB6 & BB7, Dan Gheesling, BB10 and Britney Haynes, BB12.

I'd say the first three choices were spot-on, but the addition of Britney nearly ruins the plan. Despite being a diary room goddess and one of the funniest house guests in history, she (admittedly) played terribly last time and shouldn't have been considered as a mentor over the likes of Jun, Danielle or Dani Donato. Hell, even RACHEL would have been better at mentoring, but Britney proved tonight that she's at least going to give the other coaches a run for their money.

Before we continue (or should I say BUT FIRST) let's go over the 12 newbies and quick first impressions of them from their awful, fake "key finding" packages.

FRANK- Frank is unemployed, something Jodi was 98% sure was a lie. Unfortunately, the margin of error tonight was 1.9%, or something. Ian would probably explain it better. Anyway, Frank is a BB super fan who doesn't fit the stereotypical BB super fan mold, a dangerous combination for the rest of the house. Frank was the first choice to join TEAM BOOGIE.


DANIELLE- My first thought was "Jordan 2.0", which isn't a bad thing at all. She's cute and has that southern drawl that makes everyone seem just an ounce more likable (unless your last name is Hantz). She decided to lie about her job, saying she's a kindergarden teacher rather than admitting to being a nursing student. A risky move, as it'll be easy to slip up while in the house for so long and instantly lose  people's trust. Danielle was a second round pick for TEAM DAN.


SHANE- He flips houses for a living, so I can't wait to hear all the puns of him "flipping" the house around once he gets on the block. I don't expect that to take too long, as his physicality and apparent lack of strategic game will make him a prime target for some early nominations. So of course, he was the first pick for TEAM BRITNEY.

JODI- "Too normal", my reality TV-addled brain warned as she came upon my screen. She doesn't have perfect features or a perfect body. How did she manage to sneak into the house and fool everyone, even the great and powerful Chenbot? Despite that (or perhaps because of it) she came across as down to earth and eager to play, which, in the Big Brother world, gets you picked last of everyone, ending up on TEAM DAN.

IAN- Ian and Cochran from Survivor were probably in the same pile of applications sorted at CBS, as both fit the stereotypical "nerd" slot. Unlike Cochran, Ian may be getting some action soon, as Ashley has showed interest in him, because he "wears glasses." Girl really knows how to pick 'em. His excitement at the sight of Boogie, Dan and Janelle made me smile, as it's exactly how I'd be if put in the house. Except I wear contacts, so I'd have no shot at an Ashley showmance, so I guess he knows what he's doing. He was the second choice for TEAM BOOGIE.

WIL- With 1 L. Guys. 1 L. There's already a Willie, this is Wil. Jeez. The "Southern gay" (who was an American Idol reject that I actually remember) tried making a hair alliance with Frank within seconds of entering the house. He could be a very up-front player, which makes for great TV, but often doesn't lead to the big bucks. Hopefully he will find some great tutelage as first pick under TEAM JANELLE.

JOJO- Or should I say JowwJoww, BB's answer to the Jersey Shore stereotype (because we have all forgotten Enzo, yes? Yes.) She's from Staten Island and there to do New York proud, whatever that means. My expectations for her as a player are low, so I hope she gets drunk and fights with Janelle a lot. She was the final pick for TEAM BRITNEY.

WILLIE HANTZ- Yes, Russell's brother. No, he probably won't win, unless producer Allison Grodner deems it fitting, then which case he absolutely will. He's actually a lot more likable than Russell, but everybody was onto him within minutes (Ian gave it a 99.9% certainty rating- nice going, Ian!) but he's still trying to play dumb. Absolutely foolish, he should own up and say he's nothing like Russell, because literally, I thought it was Russell when he stood outside the door. Actually, since he's taller, it looked like Russell standing on a smaller Hantz' s shoulders. Brush that Hantz off yo' shoulder, Willie, and do TEAM BRITNEY proud!

KARA- The Playboy model has many assets that will help her succeed in this game, but unfortunately, they're out for everyone to see. I'm pointing to her boobies. She's dated rockstars in the past, so all I have to say is: Haaaaave you met Jenn? (Copyright: Barney Stinson, CBS). She's looking for a showmance, which has benefitted BB girls the past few seasons, so perhaps she's got more going on than we've all seen on NSFW sites? Now we know why she was chosen for TEAM DAN.


JOE- The chef, who only made it into the house because another contestant quit, doesn't seem to be someone who can relax and chill with all of the young kids in the house. Cooking is a good skill to have, however, and his age could also be a benefit if they deem him as out of his physical prime. Hopefully he can find strengths from his qualities and be a good player for TEAM JANELLE.

JENN- The tattooed rockstar says she's either loved or despised, which means she'll probably go sooner rather than later in the house. People want to put up people that the majority of people are against, to seem like less of a bad guy. If half the house hates Jenn, it'll be easy to find the numbers to oust her. Can her personality shine through the unique appearance enough to form strong bonds? That's a task for her mentor on TEAM BOOGIE.

ASHLEY- The mobile spray tanner has a personality disconnect that I noticed with Porsche last year- everything she says seems staged or scripted or fake. Maybe it's just her weird baby voice? Is the house really going to be "yummy"? I don't think so. Hopefully her mentor, a friend of Porsche's, can direct her in the right way on TEAM JANELLE.


So there we have it, 12 people on 4 teams- except by the end of the night, Julie warns, one of them would be leaving. Bonkers.

The challenge is different from a regular Big Brother competition: The team that comes in first will let their mentor choose one of them to be HoH, and the team that comes in last will force its mentor to eliminate someone that night. This twist definitely favors Team Britney, which has arguably the two most athletic guys in the house in Willie and Shane, and takes a lot of power out of the contestants hands and into the coach's. This is not the Big Brother we all know and love, this is an exhibition match to see which coach can take down the others. I both hate and love it at the same time.

The challenge involved house guests hopping in pajamas onto spinning and bucking beds to retrieve teddy bears for their slumber party, Frogger-style. (Never thought I'd write that sentence in my life). Each houseguest had to retrieve one bear, then send one person to the other side to hit the buzzer. If, at 20 minutes in, a team had not completed, a coach could substitute another player to run the course.

The competition was pretty even throughout, with the men dominating way easier than the ladies. That didn't bode well for Team Dan, who actually seemed like a good coach (considering he is a coach in real life) but couldn't muster the same inner power that Coach Taylor could manage from his Panthers. Clear eyes, busted lips, sure to lose?

I ranked the teams as they were announced as Boogie > Dan > Janelle > Britney, and wouldn't you know it, my last place team came out on top. Physicality won out and Britney's team was able to take control of the house for week one. It'll be interesting to see who she advises her HoH to target, considering she loves Janelle as much as I do. But I'm getting ahead of myself- the other teams were neck and neck, but Dan's team played like a bunch of girls (a joke, because they all are girls, not a commentary on females in sports- have you SEEN the Williams sisters?) and, unfortunately for the Renegade himself, he placed behind both Janelle and Boogie's teams.

Brit selected Willie as her first HoH, a smart move to secure the rest of the house doesn't get into Shane or JoJo's ears about knocking the Hantz out of the game. He equate this "victory" to winning a national championship. Hear that, Olympians? Ain't nobody got nothin' on Willie Hantz!

As Dan debated his options, I came to my own conclusion- boot Jodi. Yes she's likable in a dorky kind of way, but she just doesn't belong with the rest of the fame whores in the house. And Dan agreed, sending Jodi packing as the first casualty of the summer, and weeding his team down to only Kara and Danielle.

What should Willie do? One strategy would be to pick Kara and Danielle as nominees. That way you don't piss off any other coaches and are one step closer to ridding Dan from the house. Or does he go after bigger threats like Frank and Ian on Team Boogie? I'm ecstatic to see how this twist plays out, and especially to see what "new power" will be introduced into the game. Also, what's the over-under on when the mentors can enter the game as actual house guests? I love the idea of Janelle having no consequences of getting into drunk fights with everyone, but it'd be much sweeter to se her finally walk away with the oversized check.

Well, that's it for me this week! Before I go, I'll begin with this BB blog's tradition: player most likely to win it all and player most likely to go home next.

Most Likely to Leave Next: Danielle
Most Likely to Win It All: Frank


Another note: I will be watching the live feeds and Big Brother: After Dark this year, so this may be the first night where spoilers don't come into play in the reviews. I'll try to limit conversation to only CBS info and maybe use the end for spoiler-y discussion? If you care at all, let me know in the comments! Hope you guys keep reading, it's going to be a long, fun summer!

Episode Grade: B+
Episode MVP: Janelle Pierzina
Original Airdate: 7/12/2012

TV Review: Weeds 8x02: "A Beam of Sunshine"

Warning: The following may contain spoilers. Reader discretion advised.


ML-"I think I was a bad person."


Never did I ever expect to hear Nancy Botwin utter those words. Never! She was the worst person imaginable, but never seemed to give a damn about it. Getting shot in the head must early change a person.


Or does it? I posed a similar question in my True Blood review as well. What does it take to cause a person to change their ways? Nancy may think she's on the path to righteousness, but she's still technically dealing marijuana. How long before the reality of her hospital bills set in (did you notice they were at around $420,000?) and she reverts back to her dark and twisty ways?


My guess is not long. As Shane so thoughtfully pointed out in his little colorful diagram, she has plenty of enemies that still want her dead. If Nancy is going to get vicious against a clown imagine what she'll do when confronted by Guillermo again. She thinks now they can be the "After Botwins", like the people in the Before & After ads on TV, but she seems to have forgotten she already tried changing her identity as a Newman last year. 


Mary-Louise Parker is having a blast in this new season, and I'm happy for her. She's done a brilliant job of portraying Nancy and creating a complex character. She was never afraid of playing unlikable, and nails those scenes just as much as she can the comedic ones. She truly is a beam of sunshine in this show.


Speaking of sunshine, a weather analogy factored heavily into Andy's story this week. As he fooled around with Jill, Scott, her estranged husband, returned to visit the kids and spread his newfound zen energy (and cookie dough bars) with his family. He notes how when the sky is gray, it's not the sky, it's the clouds. The sky is blue the whole time, you just can't see it until the clouds pass. This is a lovely thought and gives me hope for the Botwins as the series comes to a close, as maybe they can find a way to break through all those clouds (like a beam of sunshine) and have nothin' but blue skies from here on out.


Andy made a big step as he barged in on Jill's dinner with Scott. He was clued in by the twins' pre-emptive packing, as they told him whenever mom and dad have dinner, they reconnect. This is a great scene that shows how in-tune children are with their parents; often, kids know their parents better than the parents know themselves. Silas and Shane have spoken more truths of Nancy than she ever has. So jealous Andy distracts Jill from Scott's plea to screw in the bathroom of a chinese restaurant. "this is more than just sex", he tells her. Again, is he changing, or is his love for Nancy just transferring over to her sister? 


Doug definitely hasn't changed, as he bought into the "tri-kini" product that will problem spell bad things for him down the line. Silas didn't have much to do other than spank his agent in some S&M, 50 Shades of Hunter Parrish's Hair business. Shane managed to track down the shooter, Tim Scottson, after noting how 85% of all male juvenile offenders come from fatherless homes. This is the true test of whether people can change- will he bring Tim to justice using handcuffs or a croquet mallet?


Grade: B+
MVP: Mary-Louise Parker
Original Air-date: 7/8/12

Movie Review: Ted

The following article may contain spoilers. Reader discretion advised. 


ML- It seems today that all you see is violence in movies and sex on TV, but where are those good, old-fashioned values on which we used to rely? Luckily, there's Ted, the R-rated comedy by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane that utilizes many of the shows's signature quirks, with varying degrees of success. The movie is built upon the classic coming-of-age story that has found great success with audiences as of late (most recently, the spectacular Toy Story 3), and decorated with pot smoking and fart jokes and pop culture references galore. It targets all aspects of a guy's personality, but in doing so, loses much of its charm.


We open in 1985 Boston, where lonely young John Bennett uses his Christmas wish to grant life to his new stuffed bear, Ted. Ted (voiced by MacFarlane, who uses the same voice as Guy's Peter Griffin, something the movie makes note of) becomes an overnight celebrity, but remains friends with John (Mark Wahlberg) into adulthood.


The two do what any guys in their early 20s do- smoke, drink and watch Flash Gordon reruns. The only problem is that John isn't 20, he's 35, and his immature ways start becoming too much for his perfect girlfriend Lori (Mila Kunis) to handle. John must kick Ted out, putting him in danger of a creepy super fan (Giovanni Rivisi) who has been obsessed with the bear since he, too, was a boy.


The film suffers from being too formulaic: the cliched narrator is annoying and unfunny, the characters fit the roles of every guy-oriented romantic comedy of the last ten years. Joel McHale does his best as the skeezey, spoiled boss, but he can't make the part special because there's nothing there to enhance. Rivisi nails the creepiness as he sways his hips to Debbie Gibson alone in his living room, but there could have been much more development into his psychosis. 


I don't mean to be too critical, because the movie is funny. Unfortunately, the funniest scenes were all in the trailers, so those who watched them over and over again in anticipation may have been disappointed in the theater. Some of the best bits included a topical jab at box-office rival Katy Perry, flashbacks to John and Lori's first encounter, and cameos by Norah Jones, Sam Jones (no relation), Ted Danson and Ryan Reynolds. These moments weren't enough, though, to carry the weight of the rest of the film.


Wahlberg creates a believable character, the guy who just needs to grow up and realize he's got the catch right in front of him, but his performance is nothing revolutionary. That being said, most of his scenes consist of acting against an inanimate bear, and he managed to nail that chemistry. Kunis plays her part, too, one that left me with one major gripe at the end of the film: how come a young boy needs it to be a Christmas miracle to get a bear to come to life, and all Mila Kunis has to do is bat her overly-made up eyes and the shooting stars give her just as much precedence? Seems unfair and contrived to me!


Ultimately, I ask myself: How different is this movie from the rest of the stoner rom-coms, aside from the talking bear? Cast Seth Rogen as the loser friend and I feel like I've already seen that movie three or four times before. The premise of a man dealing with adulthood by abandoning his maladaptive childhood vices through the use of actual toy bear character is clever, no doubt, but the movie fails to take full advantage of the unique idea and instead settles into the safe, established confines of the genre. MacFarlane relied too strongly on the good, old-fashioned values of moviemaking  to create something extraordinary. Mike's Grade: B.

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