Television Review
Friday, May 17, 2013
The Office ends on a high note
Posted by Erik Hahmann on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 6:14 PM
I’ve watched a lot of shows to completion. All of them have one thing in common; I used DVD or Netflix to finish them. Until now. The Office is the first show I’ve kept up with in it’s entirety week by week. As ridiculous as it sounds, I’ve grown up with the show. It’s spanned virtually all of my adult life as I transitioned from a student to working in an office not too dissimilar from Dunder Mifflin.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Killer Karaoke: Singing plus humiliation plus Steve-O equals fun!
Killer Karaoke is part The Voice, part Fear factor, and all guilty pleasure.
Posted by Daniel Feingold on Fri, Nov 23, 2012 at 4:00 AM
Killer Karaoke claims to be the only game show to ever combine the art of singing with Fear Factor-esque challenges. (I didn't fact check their claim, but I take them at their word.) Three pairs of contestants are faced with the task of singing a song while performing a stunt — walking through a patch of cacti with impairment goggles on, getting immersed in a tank of snakes, then getting immersed in a tank of larger snakes, etc. — for just the chance of winning up to $10,000. If instead you end up winning a shade over $5,000 for your troubles, what's the difference really? We're basically splitting hairs. The live audience votes after each challenge for which of the two contestants should move onto the final round, where the remaining three compete for the cash.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Tasty TV Treats: the flava of Britney, Barney and Ava
Posted by Bianca Rosen Siegel on Tue, Sep 18, 2012 at 9:55 AM
Summer is officially over and although that means no more beach days, short shorts or summer flings it also means it's the beginning of the fall TV season. This TV season brings old favorites, new love triangles and lots of break-ups. Curious what is going on this week in TV? Want to know who breaks-up and who makes-up? Questioning if your favorite couple is going to finally tie the knot? Read on fellow TV addicts but beware spoiler haters, don't cross this line.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Perception is 9/10 of the law
TNT's hit-to-be takes a different look at the procedural crime drama.
Posted by Kevin Tall on Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 2:40 PM
OK… Go on.
"The neuro-chemical impulses fired when we're dreaming or fantasizing or hallucinating are indistinguishable from the ones banging around inside our skulls when we actually experience those events. So, if what we perceive is often wrong, how can we ever know what's real and what isn't?"
Pretty heavy stuff to open up the next big-hit procedural crime drama, but it's just one of the reasons why TNT's Perception is breathing some new life into a stagnant genre.
Say hello to Dr. Daniel Pierce (Eric McCormack), an eccentric neuroscience professor who also happens to be a paranoid-schizophrenic; think John Nash from A Beautiful Mind meets Dr. House. Former star student Kate Moretti (Rachael Leigh Cook), an FBI agent, recruits Pierce to help solve difficult cases. While he possesses a brilliant handle on human behavior and the inner workings of the mind, he also walks around with a head full of noise.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Dallas: Game of phonies
The relaunched '80s hit is a worthy successor to the original.
Posted by Kyle Dunn on Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 12:07 PM
The premiere episode of the 14th season of Dallas — it's not a reboot, mind you, but a continuation 20 years removed — begins much like the first-ever episode that kick-started the five-part miniseries that was season 1.
It begins with a marriage.
The marriage has everything and nothing to do with the grander plot. It’s a muted statement of affection in the Southfork universe that is buttressed by hate and distress, and it’s a single chess move in an as yet unseen game with more players than you'll care to remember by the halfway mark of the season. Christopher Ewing (Jesse Metcalfe), the son of Patrick Duffy's gold-hearted Bobby Ewing, is the soon-to-be groom of Rebecca (Julie Gonzalo), mirroring in reverse the marriage between Bobby and Pam Ewing at the very start of the original series.
Monday, May 14, 2012
USA's Common Law is funny, formulaic
Common Law follows the cable net's typical formula, but succeeds anyway.
Posted by Katelyn Williamson on Mon, May 14, 2012 at 2:28 PM
What sets Common Law apart from these other shows is it's the only one whose premise centers entirely on the unstable relationship of its main characters. Detectives Wes Mitchell (Warren Kole) and Travis Marks (Michael Ealy) are such an explosive pair, that they are sent by superiors to couples therapy to work out the kinks in their dysfunctional five-year partnership.
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Raw Story: Here Comes the Pain
Posted by Daniel Feingold on Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Ironic that the reason Brock Lesnar has returned to the WWE is the same in reality as it is on TV. As John Laurinaitis, the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Permanent General Manager of both Raw and Smackdown (actual title), stated on the April 9 edition of Raw, Brock Lesnar’s return also brings back legitimacy to the company. As much of a fan as I am of young superstars on the cusp of the main event spotlight — think guys like Cody Rhodes and Dolph Ziggler — I acknowledge the benefit that a presence like Lesnar brings to the pro wrestling scene.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
The Raw Story: I Missed You, Undertaker
Posted by Daniel Feingold on Tue, Jan 31, 2012 at 11:34 AM
• While mainly focusing on Raw, I have also included my thoughts on Sunday’s Royal Rumble. In case you can’t tell after reading the column, I was disappointed in the pay-per-view. I wouldn’t call it horrible, but it wasn’t very good either.
• I’ve been writing this column for three weeks now, and have liked each episode of Raw that I've reviewed. I find that particularly interesting for some reason. What can it mean?!
Now, let's get Raw…
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Raw Story: Johnny Ace Takes a Nap
Posted by Daniel Feingold on Wed, Jan 25, 2012 at 12:29 PM
Before I get carried away in all this wrestling business, here is more stuff for you to read:
• A note about the upcoming Royal Rumble on Sunday: I plan on giving my thoughts on both the pay-per-view event as well as the following night’s Raw. For the sake of you, me and my CL editor who is forced to reading these things, I will condense both reviews into one that is hopefully no longer than usual and post it next week.
Now on to this week's The Raw Story…
Friday, January 20, 2012
Television review: Archer Season 3 Premiere — "The Man From Jupiter"
Posted by Scott Harrell on Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 11:46 AM
A good animated comedy will take advantage of the duality, deftly placing interesting characters in situations that strobe between reality and that other world.
And Archer is an excellent animated comedy.
