The reality of online dating and the change in power structure.

Recent studies have shown that women are more picky about whom they interact online with than in the real world. Though men still outnumber women by a narrow wide margin (less than 3%) on dating sites, the fact is women are choosier and tend to be very selective on who they date.

Women are more likely to accept dates face to face than they are to accept a date request online. Why is this?

Because women feel safer and are less likely to acquiesce to a date request simply because they feel intimidated or pressured into accepting a date. The old adage that women are less superficial than men has been blown out of the water, in fact, if online statistics are accurate women are far more superficial than men.

Okcupid found that with a ranking of 1 to 5 only 5% of men were found to be a 5, the vast majority of men fell in the 2 ranking and women were 3 times more likely to rank men a 1. Men on the other hand ranked 30% of women a 5 and all but 5% were ranked equal to or above a 3 on the scale.

Is this a bad thing? No, it means that women are now given a venue to be true to themselves. What we are seeing is that a small minority of men are dating a larger segment of women. Though studies have also shown that the more selective women also tend to have the shorter relationships as well. That is up to the individual to decide whether it's a good thing or not.

All in all, women now have the power when it comes to dating, they can pick and choose and "like" and "love" to express their desire at their leisure, and in the end it comes down to what they want. Men, in regards to dating in the new century are taking a back seat and have a less dominant role compared to the previous centuries.

In my opinion this is just evolution at work.

Restore Your Faith in Humanity!

Some awesome pictures that will restore your faith in humanity. I looked at them and they did it for me, then I scrolled through google news and it was lost again but good for a few minutes at least. Seriously, it will make you smile, laugh, maybe cry, so take a look.

some-pictures-that-will-restore-your-faith-in-humanity/

Reddit? Well you should have! Your guide to the one stop social news site.

You probably heard about Reddit or know someone who has gone on about it so much it made you want to shoot yourself or them or possibly both you and them. To avoid those types of situations in the future I'm going to tell you what you need to know and why you should use it. That way next time someone start's explaining the website to you, you can tell them you know what Reddit is and roll your eyes condescendingly but until then lets break down the site.

Reddit is basically a social news site, what that means is that all the stories are submitted by users like me or hopefully you. The stories are then ranked by the users in order of popularity, you can choose to vote an article up or down according to how relevant you feel it is. The site is broken down into what are called subreddits, those are groups where users post links or original content about topics relevant to the subreddit. Do you like cat memes (Fuck yeah you do) there's a subreddit for that. Like news about "50 Shades of Grey?" (Fuck, no you don't) Well you don't have to subscribe to that. See that's how it works, when you find a group you like, you subscribe to it, which is the same as hitting the "Like" button on Facebook. So when you want to find out what's new you can logon and look through your subreddits and check out the areas you enjoy. Be warned there are a lot of subreddits and you will be overwhelmed at first. Also, you need to be careful, there are a lot dark seedy rooms there, with all sorts of naughty stuff you might not want to see. I mean you can do a search for anything and you will find a link about it. That's a good thing and a bad thing.

When you register, it's not Facebook, so don't use your actual name as your login/screen name, pick something original and interesting. Also be warned the whole Reddit scene can be as cliquey as high school once in awhile. Like every social site it has it's drama and the key to that is to just tear into the bastards until they bleed, just kidding, just ignore them. 

There are other social media sites out there as well and you can search them out but honestly, Reddit is the first and biggest around. So now you know what Reddit is so follow the links I've outlined and check it out for yourself. Remember that the best thing about Reddit is that it educates you and provides a forum to discuss the topics you are interested in. Now go out there and have fun.

Chrissy Tiegan knows how to do Twitter right.

So Chrissy Tiegan went to the Met Ball in NYC and was nice enough to tweet some pics for everyone while there and you know what, she knows how to tweet right. We don't want to hear this political  crap or this bullshit melodrama. No, we want to hear about hot girls stroking other girls hair or see pictures of hot girls with pizza or with girls putting pizza on guy's shoulders. Wondering why would a guy let a hot girl put pizza on his $1000 jacket, duh... because guy's will let pretty girls do anything. So follow the link to see more of Chrissy Tiegan's, uhm.... tweets and see the boobs I promised you earlier today.

Chris Tiegan knows how to twitter....

50 Shades of Grey Too Sexy for R Rating...

According to the cast members of "50 Shades of Grey," being filmed now, the movie may be too sexy for an R rating. Which I guess is bad news for someone somewhere, since Universal Studios has already said they will not put out a NC-17 version of a movie based on a novel that's essentially a soft core porn BDSM story (and a literary travesty.)

I mean I think the main reason they are saying this is that it's going to be the only way for women to get their significant others to go sit and watch the movie. Seriously do you want to be the dude seen going into the screening of "50 Shades of Grey." There better be some really awesome sex in that movie to justify the embarrassment of being seen entering the theater. On top of that you have to sit through 120 minutes of some story about a woman finding her own femininity in sexual bondage and submission.... So yeah be sure to go see this movie or stay home and look at internet porn. I'm guessing either will be about the same in entertainment value.

Insane Clown Posse are officially the worst rap band ever...

According to GQ Magazine, the go to for all things hip hop, the Insane Clown Posse are the worst rappers of all time. I mean I don't know how much stock I would put into their ranking when it comes to hip hop but I'm going to have to say I may agree here. Not only does the Insane Clown Posse's music suck but they are kind of creepy and I think that's what sells their music. They have a strangle hold on a specfic target audience. Those confused young men who really don't know how to grasp their plunge into the testosterone filled adolescence that is young manhood, so they listen to bad rap music from white guy's dressed in clown makeup. Oh come on we all have done worse so lets take it easy on them.

Anyways, the Insane Clown Posse wasn't going to take this lying down though, their official comment went like this...

“Insane Clown Posse has been selling rap records, rocking rap stages and making rap money for over 20 years now. You can’t rack up all that rap success for this long and still be ‘the worst ever.’ GQ magazine should stick to what they know: Dressing preppy metrosexuals. Why don’t you say that to my face!”

Yeah man, say it to their face! 

So yeah, that's the stuff I have for you today. I know I'm sorry. I'll try and find some boobs or something to post later to make up for it.

Humble Bundle, get games and feel good about yourself while doing it!

I wanted to tell everyone about "Humble Bundle." They are a non-profit company that raises money by receiving donations from avid gamers and in exchange developers provide games. So this is how it works, lets say you go to Humble Bundle and see a group of games that you like and you are feeling generous, contrite or just greedy and decide to donate some money. Well you will always get some of the games listed but typically you have to donate a minimum amount to get all the games listed. The way you get your games is via digital format whether it's through Steam or direct download depends on the developer providing the game but so far Steam has always been an option for PC downloads. They also have quite a few Android bundles on their site to.

As you can tell I'm a big fan and typically I donate what I can to them and if I already have the Steam keys for the games I just wait and gift them as presents later to people. So check out Humblebundle.com and get on their email list if you are a gamer. You'll be getting some great games and helping some great causes as well.

humblebundle.com

Everything is About to Change!

So I am changing the format of my blog to be more a pit stop for men, rather than a blog about what TV shows tickle my fancy. I will be posting about TV shows still but also technology, video games, personal issues men important to us as well as pertinent entertainment news for men. I want to run the gambit because I see very few bloggers who are writing for men and the ones I see are simply writing about some T-N-A so I figured how about some substance instead?

I hope that both men and women reading the new format and that it's entertaining foremost but also informative. As always I appreciate any feedback you want to give.

Luther on BBCA and Netflix or Oh No! Not Another BBC Review!

I know what your saying, "This guy writes entirely too many blogs about British television." You might be right but I see so many great shows on the British airwaves that I feel this urge compelling me to spew out my diatribes of the great TV found across the pond.

Luther is another one of the British shows that has captured my attention, which to be honest is somewhat hard to do. I started watching it on a whim, after reading the somewhat bleak description given on Netflix. From the first episode it sunk it's hook into me and reeled me in with what was a a surprisingly short fight. I have so many TV shows I watch, it's hard to find another one I can invest time into but this one was worth it.

Luther is another cop show, and you are thinking, "gee whiz not another one of those." Don't hit the home button yet, let me finish! This one is different, it is a cop show that is shrouded in deep layers of gray. The subject matter is gritty, intelligent and fast paced. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and remains unpredictable. It's one of the few cop shows out there that takes a premise beaten sore and breathes fresh life into this often poorly done genre. It plays on the dark fascination we all have with serial killers and goes to the other end of the spectrum, how far can a man go to stop a monster when he is hemmed in by the fine letter of the law. What happens when he finds himself so divided that he start's to breaks down in the process?

The show manages to bring about an impossible amount of tension because the cast is so strong. The characters here are flawed and far from perfect. They find themselves thrust in to intense situations, where they have to decide just where they can draw the line. Then you catch them walking that line, like a tight-rope walker with acrophobia. Afraid of what might happen if they fall on either side.

So take a look and tell me what you think. The seasons are relatively short and easy to fill into a couple evenings if you marathon it or something you can treat yourself over the course of a few weeks.

Why aren't you watching Doctor Who?

Doctor Who is probably a show you've heard someone talking about or read about some where. You also probably associated it, well in America at least, with those same geeks that speak Klingon, quote Yoda and whine about how Fox killed Firefly. Though there is probably some truth to that assumption you would be missing one of the greatest sci-fi shows ever aired if you didn't take the time to watch it.

Now that Netflix has put up the first 6 seasons of the new Doctor Who you have the chance to see why this show, that has aired since the 1960's, is still counted as a national treasure in the United Kingdom. It has a simple principle to it, take a little bit of time travel and mix it in with a dash of space opera and then add in that one ingredient that makes it what it is, the human element.

Doctor Who takes television to a level you wont see in America, the CGI (the fancy graphics we all love) is excellent, the acting superior and the script on any given episode will rival any blockbuster sci-fi movie out there. Yet still I can count on one hand the amount of American's who have taken the plunge and watched this fantastic show.

Each show takes a wild and thourghly absurd premise and turns it into a journey where we suspend our doubt's and disbelief's to let ourselves get lost in the story. A story driven by the main character, "The Doctor," who is as complex a character as any you've ever seen. The Doctor is an amalgamation of Captain Kirk, Yoda, Han Solo and Gandalf all rolled into one man (well Timelord), who's almost human, except for his two hearts. I often think of the two hearts as a metaphor for a man who feels more than most and at the same time has seen more pain than most. That emotional attachment and distance is what draws you into the deep affection the fans of the show feel for this often changing character.

You see there are several incarnations of The Doctor, each time he has died he is regenerated into a new body, which not only look different but also have different personalities, but the same underlying idiosyncrasies. To do this and make it believable, they manage to bring in actors that the fans learn to love, even though you often hear the fans bemoan how they killed, "The Doctor," it doesn't take long before they are once again cheering for their new protagonist. Yet The Doctor would be nothing with out a stellar cast that make up his companions.

The Companions are what round out The Doctor. They follow him around, mere mortals, who thrust in the often surreal and astounding universe they never knew existed become the Yin to his Yang. The Doctor, it could be argued, is only as human as those companions he takes with him. As you go through each season you see an assortment of men and women accompany him and add all the personality and subplots that make a space-opera so engrossing. Each one you start rooting for as much as The Doctor himself and in doing so you find yourself caring about them. All their insecurities and doubts, are pushed aside as they succumb to the same overwhelming wanderlust that drives The Doctor from episode to episode.

So with that being said, I ask you, "Why aren't you watching Doctor Who?" It's on Netflix and BBC America in the United States and it's one show that anyone who loves Sci-Fi or adventure needs to watch, because at it's heart it's one of the few shows that really is something the whole family can watch. Something that is an oddity in the United Kingdom, where so many of the drama's are targeted at the adult crowd, this show manages to still be family friendly.

So take the time and watch a few episodes, season 1 starts off slow but as you get into season 2 things really light up and if you are still watching by then, you will be like me, complaining that we have to wait too long for the next season of Doctor Who to air in America. I hope you take my advice and I'm sure you will enjoy your travels with The Doctor.

America Lacks Intelligent Programming...

I'm coming to the realization that American TV is generally not all that intelligent and the few shows that are, Pushing Daisies, Firefly, Terriers to name a few, hit the floor within two seasons. I have been watching a lot more UK television lately and I have to say that I am impressed. There is a level of intelligence that you don't see on American TV.

Why is this? Cause honestly, beyond the stereotype, I don't think Americans are stupid. I mean most of the Americans I turn on to UK TV shows love them. I have yet to see anyone say they hate Misfit's or Peep Show but for some reason we don't see show's like that on any of the big networks.

It's not to say that there aren't some intelligent shows on American airwaves, Dexter and Justified are smart well written shows that consistently deliver, I'm just saying that a large majority of programming is stupid. You don't realize it until you watch shows that force you to pay attention or get lost.

So are we just so acclimated to stupid sitcoms and dramas that we don't care? I think part of it is that seasons for most shows in America are 24 episodes long and in some case the writers are going for quantity over quality. Most UK shows are only 6 to 10 episodes long at the most. That leaves a lot of time for writing each season, which allows for a higher quality programming.

It's not to say American television isn't popular in the UK, in fact most of my UK readers constantly remind me of how good TV is in America which makes me ask one other question? Is this just a case of the grass being greener?

Sex and TV are Americans too Uptight?

So lately I've been watching British TV and I noticed that in almost every show there is a lot more emphasis on Sex and it's not very subtle, in fact it's pretty blatant. So it leads me to ask the question are Americans to uptight about sex?

On the most popular prime time TV shows in Britain you see nudity and sex as graphic as anything you would see on any of the big cable networks. I don't think it's a bad thing and not just because I'm a guy and I'm not easily offended but because it reflects on society.

I think one of the reasons we let the government regulate everything on TV is because, god forbid, our children should see a naked person on TV or two people having sex. I'm not saying that children need to or should see this, they shouldn't, I'm just saying that we rely on regulations set up by the government to moderate TV and protect our children. This to me should be up to the parents to do.

Parent's should be the ones sitting with their children making sure they are watching the right programming. The fact that many parents rely on the government to make sure their children are watching suitable content, seems a lazy approach to parenting. To be honest taking nudity out of television doesn't affect teen sex. Kids in America are having sex just as much as their UK counterparts. The levels for teenage pregnancy are actually lower in the UK too even though their isn't as much government oversight with regards to the handling of sexual content on TV.

I think that watching a television show where the people involved are swearing, and talking very blatantly about sex is probably true to how we act in our daily lives. Why then are we trying to hide just how our society is on television? I talk to men and women and I know that the conversations about sex are frank. People in general don't pussy foot about when it comes to talking about sex.

I also remember what it was like being a teenager and this was back in the 1980's, we swore like pirates and talked about sex. I think if I had seen this sort of thing on television it might have made us a little less uptight. We would have probably had parents more concerned with talking openly about the importance of sex and relationships.

Plus, if parents are so concerned about their children seeing inappropriate behavior then they have to tools to monitor that. I mean how hard is it to program a television so that parents block out what they think is unsuitable for their children? Not at all really! It's like 5 button clicks on most modern televisions. Better yet set the television so that children watch what you want them to watch.

So it comes down to this, not only are Americans uptight but they are down right lazy about one of the things that children spend the most time doing, watching TV. They would rather see their shows censored then take the time to make sure their kids are watching whats proper.

I've watched several British shows, The Book Group, Misfits, Peep Show, Teachers, MI:5 and more, that are well written, high quality programs that wouldn't make it to American prime time based solely on the fact that the characters swear. The intelligent dialogue, relevant topics or overall quality of the programs don't matter because there's a censor who has already decided it's not appropriate for us to watch. Adults shouldn't watch this even though most of us really wouldn't be offended.

When was the last time you exited a Rated R or PG 13 movie and heard someone say I would have liked that more if they hadn't said, "Fuck Off" or mentioned "Blow Job?" Not very often because most Americans could care less. We pride ourselves on rights in America but when it comes to television those rights are only as good as what is proper for the average twelve year old to watch. I think this is wrong and I think that the right thing would be to deregulate censorship on television to some degree.

I'm not saying throw porn up on television, I'm saying that if television networks want to put mature content up let the people decide if they want to watch it or not. Make the parents work more to safeguard their children rather than sit back and have the government do it for them. We Americans, the creator of modern television, are 20 years behind Europe in this regard.

I guess that sums it up. What do you think?

The British Invasion

Anyone that reads my blog knows I'm a huge HULU fan. The reason I'm still a fan for so long is that it continually adds content that is top notch. They have managed to keep putting up new and better programming by negotiating with some major networks and now they have managed to bring some top notch programming from England. Yes the island nation that brought such great shows as Black Adder, Faulty Towers, Doctor Who and Monty Python is still making some top notch programming that rivals anything from our own great nation (America just in case that was in question.)

With that in mind, I have been a fan of British television for awhile but until recently what I was able to watch was limited to what aired on PBS, which more often than not were period pieces and mystery shows that seemed far from the mainstream programming we see in America, not anymore though. With Hulu I am now able to watch some of the most popular shows in ol' Britain. Believe it or not they are a far cry from the fair we have seen on PBS often risque and with a boldness we only see on cable television.

First off Misfits is new to Hulu even though it is starting it's third season on BBC 4. This is a show that is part X-files and part Heroes but even though it's an odd combination it works. The show revolves around five teens who are struck by lightening and receive super powers. It's a simple concept that's shaken up by the fact that all five are juvenile delinquents on probation, stuck in a community service program. The premise works brilliantly and it's an enjoyable show that I want to say is targeted at teens but with this very strong warning. British television often runs along the TV MA gambit and as such contains some stuff we in America find taboo, such as extremely vulgar language and nudity and this show is no exception. There is, as the rating's people like to say, strong sexual situations and nudity involved, as well as strong language, drugs and alcohol which is to say even though the premise involves teens you might think twice before queuing up the show with your teens in the room. Still a great show for scifi fans looking for something missing currently on american television.

The next show I have become obsessed with is Peep Show. The story follows Mark and Jez, roommates on the cusp of thirty trying to deal with all the mundane events of daily life. It sounds bland but what it does is show how some of the most innocuous events in our life can actually be the opposite and at the time out right hilarious. Honestly this is one of those shows you will either get or not get but if you get it, it's one you will watch religiously. There's alot of rough language which is the standard for any British show.

Spaced is another one of those offbeat crazy shows where you either get it or you don't. It's made by the creator of Shaun of the Dead and it's humor runs along the same lines. If you haven't seen Shaun of the Dead, then shame on you, one of the best zombie movies ever made with it's quirky humor and anti-heroes. This show does the same thing except rather than facing zombies the protagonists are facing the realization of what being a responsible and mature adult entails and as is often true in real life, it's funny and often not pretty. The premise is about two strangers posing as a married couple to get into a flat (apartment). They learn to deal with their own differing personalities as well as the realization that maturity waits for no man or woman. Funny show that is offbeat and often surreal.

There are a bunch more out there not to mention the Office, the show that was the premise of the popular US version of the Office. If you like our own NBC version you will most likely enjoy the British version. I hope that you take the time to check out the new shows on Hulu especially those from England as it helps you realize that we in the US are not the only source for great television. If you are one of the many out there that is watching Netflix you will find a section devoted to British television, with shows that run the gambit from scifi to cop shows. Probably the one that really shows just how good television in Britain can get is Sherlock, a retelling of the classic Sherlock Holmes story set in modern England. It's funny, witty, and action packed, with a quality to rival anything on American television.

Give them a try and enjoy. Leave a comment if you seen any of the above or have a favorite.

Computer Viruses and You

So most people who know me, know I'm kind of a computer geek. I spend quite a bit of time fixing peoples computers and 90% of that time, the problem is a computer virus. So I'm writing this blog to give some bit's of advice that I think will help me not have to fix so many computers. Not that I'm lazy or anything it's just that I would like some free time.

First off never install anything on your computer from a website unless you trust the site. This seems pretty straight forward but a lot of flashy sites out there look legitimate, when all they are doing is hosting a virus, spyware or something equally bad for computer. The easiest way for them to do this is to make it seem like something you really need. That flashy program that just popped up asking you to scan your computer so benignly for virus or spyware is actually just spyware. Almost 99% of the time it will hijack your computer and ask you to pay to have them fix the problem, which ironically is the program you just installed on your computer.

Second watch what sites you're visiting, people oddly think that the only sites that have viruses or spyware are porn sites, and while they do host the majority of them, a lot of sites out there, gossip, television or movie sites etc... also are hosting some very bad things for your computer. First rule if you are going to visit a site try checking online to see if it's actually a legitimate and safe site. The easiest way to do this is by downloading McAfee's Site Advisor here.

Now if you clicked the "here" that's also a clever way people get you to download viruses but I didn't so your safe this time but be careful what links you click on.

Third get a good virus scanner and use it, use it a lot! Once a week is usually good enough but setting it up to run at least every night is better. In fact never restart your computer until you have scanned it. The best program out there hands down is Malwarebytes which you can get for free here click the link for the free version, though I encourage you to buy the full version! Malwarebytes is one I keep in my arsenal at all times. You can also get, totally free, Microsoft's security essentials which is a good back up (found here.) Run both of these as often as you can to ensure your safe.

There are others and you will see them but before installing any virus scanner please use McAfee's Site Advisor to make sure it's a legitimate site. Don't screw yourself by doing the one thing you're trying to avoid.

In closing if you do get a virus or spyware on computer and you know it's there never restart your computer until you run one of the two above. Sometimes a virus or adware might be keeping you from running Malwarebytes or Security Essentials if that's the case then run this little program, RKill found here. This will stop almost any virus running and allow you to run a scan.

Now if you have restarted your computer and cant get anything to work reboot your computer and when the computer starts to turn on keep pushing the "F5 key" till you get a prompt asking you if you would like to boot into safemode. When that comes up do it! If you can, go into "safemode with networking" and then follow the steps I told you. Run Rkill then Malwarebytes then Security Essentials (separately don't be lazy.) Once they have gotten rid of any virus you might have, go to your (windows/start button) where all your program menus are and choose the help and support from the menu. From there you will see an option to restore your computer. From there look through the points and choose a date where you know your computer was virus free and go to that point. Some people are afraid to do this cause they fear they might lose some documents or what not on their computer but the only thing this will do is remove any programs you have installed or that have installed with out your knowledge from your computer (well it does more but I don't want to geek this all up.)

God willing your computer is as good as new. So that's it. I just put a lot of those IT guys out there out of work by showing you just how simple it is. I hope this helped and keep tuned in I'm going to be blogging more again so you might read something else helpful! Who know's it could happen!

Back By Maybe Popular Demand...

So I've decided to once again take up this blog. I enjoyed the time I put into what was a hard and often thankless endeavor. I hope that those that read it before will come and check it out again. I'm going review shows again, write about some of the topics in entertainment news and hopefully be witty while doing it.

I appreciate the support and encouragement from those asking me to put my thoughts back into publication. Though I'm sure some might agree and some disagree with what I have to say, I do want to thank each and every person who takes the time out their busy hectic day to check this blog out.

Lost the Final Season Delivers...

After the first episode of Lost I have high hopes for a great season. Not wanting to ruin it for those that haven't seen the first episode, I'll just say that they've already answered some of the big mysteries that happened during the tumultuous first two seasons. They put a lot of work into the show, that was to be expected. I have a feeling that the show will continue to surprise everyone.

If you haven't had a chance to watch yet be sure to catch it on Hulu. Let me know what you think about the show so far and whether you think it will deliver or not.

The Human Target Puts Action in its Sights!

So I wondered whether the Human Target would be as good as the comic book, a series that many consider one of the best ever written? Well the mystery is solved, the Human Target exceeded my expectations! With a lot of action and some clever dialog, Mark Valley (of Foxes Fringe) manages to bring a character of substance and a bit of validity to what is so often a failed genre.

The pilot episode was well directed and for the most part seemed more like what you would see at the theater, in a high budget action movie, rather than something you would catch prime time on your local network. The Human Target solves the problem that many have faced in the past when trying to bring comic books to the silver screen. The show manages to delicately balance dialog and action, by establishing strong characters that don't get overwhelmed by the intense action of the show.

Mark Valley's character Christopher Chance, is one of a body guard but not just any body guard. This guy's job is not only to protect his client but also to eliminate the threat to them. In doing this he will go to lengths that go above and beyond the norm. It doesn't hurt that Mark Valley has a military background, graduating from the United States Military Academy, nor that he has already steeped himself into the action genre with his short but memorable tenure on Fox's successful Fringe. Along with Valley, the supporting cast consists of Chi Micbride (Pushing up Daisies ABC) and Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen 2009), both adding the necessary break from the often intense action surrounding Valley's character. They are both excellent actors and are one more reason I have hope for this show. Jackie Earle Haley, is the character that really shines as Guerrero, a mercenary who gets drawn in to Christopher Chance's good fight. Haley manages to bring an intelligence and brooding nature to the character that makes this small, skinny framed man seem truly menacing.

Whether they maintain the quality of special effects in the pilot episode remains to be seen, if they do it will be an expensive series to run, but whether they do or not doesn't really matter. What they have now is some solid writing, with plot lines that are fast moving but still hold together the basic elements of todays successful drama shows, lots of intrigue, and plausibility.

The down side is that the Human Target is appearing on Fox, a channel notorious for canceling shows that do not make the top spot in their slot. This could bode ill for a show with such potential but that remains to be seen. With Fox's decision to give Dollhouse a second chance (even though it did end up being canceled) as well as allowing Josh Whedon to wrap up the shows storyline, maybe Fox has learned from past mistakes. Many a fan still remembers their pulling of Firefly, Family Guy and a host of other shows that didn't meet their high expectations in ratings. With so much animosity building from fans, maybe they've realized that a lot of viewers don't even bother tuning in because, seriously, whats the point if it's going to end up being canceled anyways?

Either way I think the success of Glee, Fringe and of course American Idol, has given Fox a little more leeway to allow for a show like the Human Target to survive the ratings. We can only hope that no one has to throw themselves in front of a bullet to save this great show. Tune in and check it out because the Human Target promises to entertain with all the oohs and aahs of your favorite action movie.

2010 TV To Look Forward To!

So as we wind 2009 down and bring 2010 into full swing, we can look forward to some awesome television this season and I don't say that lightly. We have some truly great shows staring on their sophomore seasons. I want to touch base on the highlights of this coming year.

I think that the most impressive show this season is destined to be Lost on ABC. Seriously, this is the ending to a show that has season after season kept people on edge. Now, finally, we get to see what's behind the Island and hopefully why the Island chose the Oceanic Six.

On top of that, we've already seen a few episodes of ABC's other shows, Modern Family, Better Off Ted and Cougar Town. All three shows did great in the ratings and were pretty well received by critics. Whether all three will make it to the third season will be the true test. I personally think this year is probably the best year for comedies on ABC in a long time. One show that struggled on ABC is also coming back, The Middle.If you didn't watch it, please take the time to sit down with your family. if you have one or by yourself if you don't, because this show is really one of those show's that works for everyone.

Now NBC had a rough season last year. I'm sure most of you have heard about the Jay Leno debacle, which apparently most people think was the worst thing to happen to NBC (seriously no one watched Trauma?) last season. I for one didn't expect much from Conan moving to the Tonight Show, he attracts a totally different crowd then Leno. So riddle me this, how did the great executives think that those people who made the majority of Leno's viewers, the baby boomer crowd, would react to the often offbeat and absurd Conan? I'm guessing a whole lot better than I did. Conan has lost upwards to 40% of the viewer base from the Tonight Show, if you're wondering, thats probably the worst of any show in a long time. Whether it's the networks fault for not putting enough support into The Tonight Show with Conan or is up to debate. The problem is that they should have realized what was going to happen.

I think NBC should concentrate more on there poor turnout of new shows last season. Nothing was even remotely as successful as Modern Family was for ABC or Glee for Fox. NBC does not have a show in the top 30 of the ratings list and is in the last slot for network television! That should be scaring them since for ever and ever they numero uno, especially when it came to sitcoms. To see that all get totally uprooted must be hard for them to swallow. At least we have Parks and Recreation and the Office coming back. As well as Chuck, which was on shaky legs in the ratings last season. I'm guessing it was better to bet on a maybe than to start from scratch hoping that a new show would be able to clinch it. I personally enjoy Chuck and with the new story line I am hoping for good things.

As for the old stand by CBS, they are bringing back almost their entire catalog of shows. With that in mind even though David Letterman and Charlie Sheen both had some serious personal issues, according to Nina Tassler, entertainment chief of CBS, none of that will affect either show. Thats good news for fans of Two and Half Men and the David Letterman and probably a safe bet for CBS. Maybe taking the forgiving approach towards your talent may be the stronger approach to successful television.

As for Fox they have American Idol, Fringe and Glee all coming back, all three great shows (I don't really watch American Idol other than the clips) that have dominated their time slots. If anything, Fox is finally being rewarded for the risks it often takes in programming. Not all their shows float in the norm and because of that ratings sometimes suffer but with these three at least we have seen some shows that go off the beaten path make it in the lime light. As for American Idol, if anyone out there has any writing talent and wants to post on this blog about it, feel free to submit some ideas to me. I personally cant get through anything other than the auditions.

Then we leave the big four networks and we come to the cable stations, SyFy has some great shows both new and returning this season. Caprica is the shining light for SyFy, a precursor to Battlestar Galactica, it covers the rise of the Cylons with all the intrigue you could ever want from a Space Opera. Though touted as being something everyone will enjoy, I don't see many people who didn't enjoy BSG tuning in even if it does seem much more main stream.

With Caprica aside, SyFy also has Warehouse 13 returning, a fantastic scifi show that I enjoyed for the quirky humor and great character dynamics and with the clincher in the season finale it promises to be even better this season. Then theres Sanctuary the show that strongly reminds me of Stargate, when Stargate was still interesting. It's a dark future show where all the things that go bump in the night are being tracked and captured for the benefit of man kind by the Sanctuary. This show is probably one of the top scifi shows out right now and it's got a lot of buzz around it. If you enjoy scifi then give all of them a chance.

I enjoy all of USA networks shows, this station has really come into it's own. All of its shows are wonderfully written with hugely talented actors on them. I dare not label one my favorite though I will say I am most excited to see what happens on In Plain Sight. Though all the shows season finales were in my opinion some of the best on television. White Collar and Royal Pains will be on their sophomore seasons and both were big success on cable television. With USA having a more lenient approach to their shows than most networks, I didn't see either getting cut the first season, which is good. I loved White Collar and I have to say of all the shows, it's season finale surprised me more than any other (even Lost.) Psych is consistently funny, though pretty much the same every season, it's kind of like Friends was. It's one of those shows, that even though it runs the same every season, it still entertains. On top of the other great shows Burn Notice promises to be awesome, though I honestly did not get to watch it last season mostly due to Hulu only running it sporadically then only for a short period of time.

Dexter is the show that everyone was talking about and I literally had to plug my ears to keep people from ruining it for me. I'm hoping to finish the whole thing in the next few weeks and be ready to watch it next season from start to finish.

That wraps up what I see as being worth watching this next season. I'll post more as I here it. I'm going to be taking a different approach in the future towards this blog. I'm going to be posting blurbs daily about different things as they pop up, as well as my longer post's such as this. I think that to maintain a faithful fan base I need to get more quantity out there. As always thanks for reading.

Brittany Murphy Dies at Age 32.

Though we never truly know the people we see on television or the silver screen we do become fond of them. Maybe because as much as we hate to admit it we feel attachments to other people when we find something good in them. Brittany Murphy was always enjoyable to watch in what ever role she played. She played many different characters but for the most part she played the sweet and caring girl who was often underestimated.

I once heard that a good actor is not able to portray that which they cannot feel. I think that Brittany Murphy was as nice and caring as those people who attest to knowing her say she was. With that in mind it is a sad day to see someone so young pass away. Now that she has passed on I think we will feel that we underestimated the impact one person on television or the movie screen can have on each and every one of us. I hope we remember her for the joy she brought those that watched her and remember that beside the characters she portrayed, there was a woman here. This woman had a husband and a family and right now I pray they receive the dignity and sympathy they deserve in this most awful of times.

I think many feel the same when I say, Brittany Murphy you will be missed.

Fin.

Monk Summed Up In Two Episodes.

With storm clouds hovering somberly above me, floating by slowly to the east, I sat watching what would be the final two episodes of a staunch eight season run. Under the eves of my porch I sat puffing on my cigar and sipping a bottle of beer, an expensive import I had been saving for just the right occasion. As I thought about what I was going to write I knew for certain that I did not want the review of the last two episodes to sound like a eulogy, rather I wanted to write about the ending of a show that has consistently brought an hour of some of the best written shows produced in over 60 years of television.

Though like all television shows, it’s not for everyone, it has brought to life vivid characters that it’s fans have looked forward to seeing every week. It will be a hard task for any network to bring a show that has been as successful on so many levels as Monk has.

That success can be attributed to the producers ability to take great actors and talented writers and combine them together to bring about some of the highest quality television. This is a show that will be looked back on and remembered. Monk deserves to be referred to with the same reverence as M.A.S.H and Seinfeld, because it has done what only the highest caliber of television does successfully, taken characters that by all rights should irritate and disturb us, and stir in us this profound affection for them because of their faults. There are no better than normal protagonists here, these are people with faults and idiosyncrasies’ who manage to over come the roadblocks set in front of them and persevere.

The final two-parter of Monk was the shining example of what made the show so great. Though many were not happy with the abrupt conclusion to a twelve year mystery haunting Adriene Monk (Tony Shalhoub), in many ways it held true to the shows most wonderful attribute, the ability to bring a show every week that you could sit down and watch, yet not fret because you didn’t get to see the previous episode. Almost every show of Monk has managed to tell a compelling, emotion evoking story in just one hour.

The character of Monk with his uncanny ability to notice the simplest oddity, as Captain Leland states, it is his ability to see more and feel more than everyone around him that makes him more human than most people. It is his idiosyncrasies that make Monk the detective he is, his foibles are what has made this character so enjoyable to watch and his often aloof yet sincere nature that made him still lovable after eight years. Tony Shalhoub has managed to bring a character to life that someone watching season eight, can enjoy even if he never saw the pilot episode. We don’t need to know what caused Monk to become the way he is because what he is, is complex yet simple overall. The fact that Monk finds out who killed his beloved wife after 12 years doesn’t need to be dragged on over a whole series of episodes because in fact it’s always been about who and what the character is. It’s not just Monk either that makes this show great.

The supporting cast on this show are all excellent actors in their own right, whether it be Natalie (Traylor Howard), Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) or Lt. Randall Disher (Jason Grey-Stanford) all of them have done a great job of helping bring balance to a show that revolves around a neurotic savant ex-detective who manages to bring meaning to his life by giving the closure to others that he was never able to find, until these last two episodes.

In my opinion the final two episodes did some great things in that it did wrap up some major character subplots that have hung on over the past eight years. It brought closure to the great supporting cast that has managed to balance out the often bizarre character that Monk breaks down into. Seeing the remaining characters of Monk get their own sense of closure is another thing that made these last two episodes great. Even if you never watched an episode of Monk before these two, take the time and sit down and watch television as it should be done, bright and colorful, with just the right touch of melancholy. It is a sad day when we bid adieu to a friend, yet it is the joy of having known them that makes the memories bitter sweet.

Fin.