Archive for June, 2008
June 30th, 2008
Since superheroes have shown no signs of stopping on the big screen, they’ve moved to the small screen with hits like Heroes and Smallville. The Middleman, based on the Viper Comic of the same name, is ABC Family’s latest example. Struggling artist Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales) is recruited by the Middleman (Matt Keeslar), a fast-talking secret agent who maintains most everything in comic books is real – especially the supervillains him and Watson are now tasked with fighting. Though Middleman lacks the fairy tale clarity of Pushing Daisies or working stiff ethos of Reaper, it is equally apt at dishing out hilarious one-liners as the two heavy hitters. The Middleman airs on ABC Family Mondays at 9:00 PM Central.
June 23rd, 2008
Swingtown, CBS’s 1970’s summer show, has a great cast and an enthralling premise, centering on Bruce (Jack Davenport) and Susan Miller (Molly Parker), two parents swept up in the social/sexual revolution of the 70’s. After several experimental flings, “free love” starts to have consequences on Bruce and Susan’s relationship, as the two find themselves – and their children – torn between tradition and change. But while the writing and the cast are first-rate, the execution isn’t. Some episodes have considerable trouble picking up steam. Worst, the supporting characters seem defined only by either their traditional values or adherence to “free love” – and not much else. In other words, they exist solely to point Bruce and Susan one way or the other, but fail as well-rounded characters themselves. Swingtown airs Thursdays on CBS at 9:00 PM.
June 16th, 2008
USA Network is one of the best reasons to look forward to summer, as the network has one more reason to watch. In Plain Sight follows US Marshall Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack). Paired with her unpredictable partner Marshall Mann (Fred Weller) and her equally quirky boss Stan McQueen (Paul Ben-Victor), Mary must protect valuable witnesses – both innocent and not – while attending to her chaotic personal life. From the beat-up car she drives to her rough-and-tumble luck, Mary Shannon feels extremely real, further reinforced by McCormack’s engaging performance. Funny and immensely entertaining, In Plain Sight is the perfect appetizer for USA’s quirky line-up. In Plain Sight airs Sundays on USA at 9:00 PM.
June 9th, 2008
The Japanese-styled anime is just any other genre of TV – there are good TV shows and bad TV shows. Fortunately, the popular Bleach on Cartoon Network’s late night Adult Swim is definitely one of the better ones. The gist of Bleach is the teenage Ichigo, who along with his friends, discovers an underworld of spirits, reapers and more running parallel to the real world. The mythology is infinitely more complex than that, providing something of a hurdle to new viewers. However, the show does have its moments of sidesplitting humor. Often times, twists and gags alike directly defy anime conventions, making the show all the more enjoyable. One thing to keep in mind: Bleach is aimed at adults, although its content on cable isn’t anything much higher than PG-13. Bleach airs new episodes on Cartoon Network Saturday at 11:00 PM.
June 9th, 2008
Just when I was lamenting there’s nothing good on Saturday morning, the most spectacular exception arrived. Spectacular Spider-Man on CW is slick and above all smart addition to the comic book franchise which has already included three movies, ten cartoons, countless video games and even a live-action series. Like the best of its animated brethren, Spectacular Spider-Man effectively covers not only the quips of the web-slinger, but also the quirks of his supporting cast, which includes a surprising variety of characters true to the comic roots yet re-imagined for a fresh start. The series is also one of the best in recent memory to capture Spider-Man’s trademark agility, making the character just plain fun to watch – as any Saturday morning cartoon should be. Spectacular Spider-Man airs Saturday on the CW at 9:00 AM.
June 8th, 2008
My bachelor party was this past Saturday and holy hell was it a blast! From start to finish it was 100% fun and right up my alley. Bill, my brother, was the master mind of the event that found me being transported at the beginning of the day to Chicago to go to Dave & Buster’s. If you know me at all it should strike you as obvious that the idea of combining amazing food and beer with video games and prize-winning sounds like heaven on earth to me. And true enough it was an awesome time. I was able to hang out with some people that I normally don’t see due to getting older and having grown up responsibilities. Being a huge fan of Rockford we of course came back to my town and went to my favorite, favorite, favorite place, Old Chicago before bringing the party back to my buddy Jason’s. There is no better way to end a night than playing some drunken Mario Kart and barbecuing shrimp. Thank you to all my friends and my brother for giving me the best bachelor party I could possibly have.
What’s next? I’m getting married this Saturday to a wonderful girl, April. I love her so much and this wedding is going to be fantastic! My family is back in the States and everyone I know and love will be converging at one place at one time on Saturday, it really is a dream come true. The guests will arrive at the reception and wait until they hear Europe’s, “Final Countdown”, introduce the wedding party, which is in and of itself an all-star lineup. After the party is introduced the opening track to Ok Go’s, “Oh No”, album, “Invincible”, will blare and April and I stride in as husband and wife. I’m counting down the days…
June 2nd, 2008
Deadliest Catch is one of the most popular shows on Discovery Channel, and it’s easy to see why, as the show crafts that perfect balance between drama and realism most reality TV shows either lack or just plain ignore. Narrated by Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs), Deadliest Catch follows the crews of several crab-fishing ships off the Alaskan coast. Adversity goes hand-in-hand in the raging sea, and while some crews triumph in the harsh conditions, others spiral into backstabbing and bruised egos. The only problem is the show uses so many flashbacks its get in the way of the real-life drama on the deck. Still, Deadliest Catch is a must-see for reality TV. Catch it on the Discovery Channel Tuesday at 8:00 PM.
