At This Stage…
Add comment May 26th, 2008
…things are crazy! I’m still dealing with my new job while trying to help plan my wedding. Making matters worse is that the wedding is less that THREE weeks away! My grandfather passed away suddenly a couple of weeks ago and my family and I have been dealing with the aftermath of that. It was an extremely sad event as you might expect. I am starting to have this fear that I’m going to lose all my hair one day which may seem irrational at this point and I’m not normally that vain but if there was ever one thing I cared about as far as my image is concerned, it’s my ability to grow hair.
I figured I would get all of the negative aspects of my present life out the way so I can focus on the positive and more relavant to the title of this column. One thing I’ve learned, personally, is that the 90’s TV show, “Home Improvement”, for some reason, makes me feel good after a hard day. That, and a beer, of course (Spotted Cow, for those wondering which type of beer). My DVR is full of X-Files and Home Improvement and that seems to clear my head. Picking out the music for the wedding was probably my favorite part of the planning process and I truly believe that my wedding soundtrack could go platinum if sold nationally. Lastly, once the hecticness of the wedding has passed then I could get into the studio and finally get to serious work on the second album at Darkhouse Productions! It’s been so long…I hope they’ll still have me.
Last Comic Standing is NBC’s answer to American Idol – for comedians. Despite the difference in subject matter, the two shows share many similarities, including great judges (including Richard Belzer and Fred Willard) and mediocre hosts (Bill Bellamy outdoes Ryan Seacrest in this regard). Like American Idol, half of the fun comes from the insanely unfunny (or downright insane) auditions, with the other spurning from jokes as they come fast and furious from the various competitors. Last Comic Standing is simply a great show with a lost of great guest stars. Last Comic Standing airs on NBC Thursdays at 7:30 PM.
Gossip Girl revolves around teenage heirs of socialites in glitzy New York’s Upper East Side. While the show focuses mostly on the games people play for rank and status, it hides a compelling narrative, especially concerning main character Serena van der Woodsen’s (Blake Lively) dark and complicated past. Another great aspect of the show is eponymous Gossip Girl (Kirsten Bell), an apparently unseen blogger whose reports on the rumors and relationships around school directly informs and affects the complex cast of characters. Unfortunately, there’s so much going on in each episode it takes a lot of attention to get a bearing the characters and their ever-shifting relationships. If you can keep track of everything and everyone, Gossip Girl can be rewarding experience. It airs on the CW Mondays at 7:00 PM.
Bearing Jerry Bruckheimer’s explosive tint, CSI gave a flashy view of criminal science, but its counterpart Criminal Minds is a bit more subtle. While CSI focuses on the technology, Criminal Minds explores the psychology. The main characters use everything from the color of paint to the arrangement of posters on the wall for insight into both criminals and their victims. Joe Mantegna heads the powerhouse cast, but the show is capable of balancing between the profiles as well as the victims and even criminals, lending to a fuller story episode to episode. Criminal Minds airs on CBS Wednesdays at 8 P.M.
movies, geek culture is at an all-time high. Big Bang Theory follows four geeks in an apartment next door to the beautiful Penny (Kaley Cuoco). The main character Leonard (Johnny Galecki) particularly pines over Penny, but is about as successful in his pursuit as Wiley Coyote chasing the Road Runner. The real problem here is the geekiness override the plot instead of complimenting it, as conversations about comic books, science fiction and mint condition action figures actually prevent the story from progressing. This is a shame, because from Leonard and Penny to the particular deadpan geek Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Big Bang Theory has one of the better sitcom casts on TV today. Big Bang Theory airs on CBS Mondays at 7:00 PM.
One of the many, many crime solving shows, NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) stands out for one reason: its actually pretty fun to watch. The show features a vibrant mix of military investigators, ranging from the laconic Leroy Gibbs (Mark Harmon) to the mercurial Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly). The cases bring an enjoyable element of political intrigue, but despite a wide variety of timely topics pulled right from the headlines, the material never rises above fluff, despite a healthy amount of charm. NCIS airs on CBS Tuesdays at 7:00 PM.
