Californication Season 4 Premiere Spoilers

The Season 4 Premiere of Californication is on the 9th of January but like most premieres these days they have been put out for viewing for the TV critics to digest. The last season left all of the fans of the show wondering: what great book will Hank Moody write while he is in prison? Well, the beating that Hank threw Mia's manager in the pool was not enough to keep this lovable scamp behind bars. In the season premiere Hank emerges from lockup to find his good friend Charlie with a cigarette, bottle of booze and a big man hug waiting for him.

Thinks are looking bleak for Hank this season on the family front. Karen will not speak to him and Hank's daughter (who is currently the same age Mia was when Hank laid her)   is not in her good books. Hank has taken up residents in Charlie and Marcy's house, because he is not getting back into his own any time soon.

There are some positives and negatives to come from the truth about Hank and Mia's brief sexual encounter. Hank has been given credit for writing Fucking and Punching and has been asked to write the screen adaptation. This is positive. The negative comes with Hank being the new Roman Polanski in Hollywood and is being charged with sex with a minor and might just end right back in jail like most of us thought was going to happen after the credits rolled in last season's finale.

Another new but less interesting development this season is that Marcy may or may not be pregnant.

“SGU Stargate Universe” Is No More! What Does This Mean For The Remainder of Season 2?

After one and a half seasons the SyFy show “Stargate Universe” has been canceled. As one of the main actors from “SGU” Robert Carlyle put it via his Twitter page, “It's over Guys!”. Carlyle played Dr. Rush on the most recent and maybe the last addition to the Stargate franchise. Though the show has been canceled it will still be airing the second half of its second season, starting in the new year, a small consolation for fans of the series.

SGU’s Epitaph  

“SGU” was notably darker than all the other Stargate series that came before it, possibly taking some cues from the cult favorite “Battlestar Galactica” reboot. The show featured stunning special effects and great locations. The locations were one of the highlights of “SGU”, while most of the older Stargate shows looked as though every episode was filmed in the rainy wilderness of B.C. Canada, “SGU’s” featured desserts and ice worlds along with the rainy B.C. wilderness. It was one of the elements which brought new life to the franchise.

Concluding the Story Arc: Will It Happen?

In the end though there are still ten more episodes to go in the series, which begs the question: will the mysteries of Destiny be revealed? In season 2 of “SGU” it was revealed that the purpose of the ship was to discover the origin of an apparently intelligent transmission found in the background noise of space. Interesting enough, but it is unlikely that the whole story of explaining the origins of the universe and possibly the meaning of life, according to Stargate story writers, can be wrapped in ten episodes. It’s more likely that the show runners will bang out the remaining episodes by telling the story of how the Destiny’s crew found their way back to Earth.  An ending like that is kind of a meager one, for a show that spent so much of its time trying to create depth in their characters. It gave the viewer the impression that you were to understand the characters so what they went through had some kind of an impact.  So what’s next for the “SGU” alum, well Lou Diamond Phillips can be seen in the made for TV movie “Metal Tornado” early next year… yay!     

Charlie Kelly's Rat Bat Bash Seminar -- "Now That's A Dead Rat!"

Here is another example of what makes the character of Charlie the best part of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. It's not just the glue/paint thinner that he gets high on or his vain attempts at lawyering. It isn't even his strange relation ship with his roommate/father Frank. The best part about Charlie are his janitorial duties, the ones that no one else in the group is willing to do. The worst of which is the Rat Bashing, "I've killed whole generations of rats, whole rat families smashed at the end of this stick. Makes you think, whose really worth more us or the rats?" Idiotic insights like that one just flow from Charlie's mouth.

Here is an instructional video on how to really smash a rat good, from Charlie Kelly.

Sy-Fy's Being Human Trailer -- Charm Doesn't Translate Across The Pond

Being Human was a U.K. show that cashed in on the whole Vampire, Werewolf craze created by Twilight. People couldn't get enough of fangs and fur and this show with a relatively unknown cast and thoughtful storytelling managed not only to make movies like Twilight look like a bag of shit but it also delivered a memorable television experience. Now that Sy-Fy has taken on Being Human (instead of just re-airing the original series in the U.S.) given it a new cast and, from the looks of this trailer, turned it into shit. I defer to something I wrote about the whole issue regarding BBC/U.K. shows being redone over here and I stand by what I said.
So, click here.

"Strange Days with Bob Saget" Premiere Episode Review

In the Premiere episode of Strange Days with Bob Saget, we find Bob riding with the Iron Order motorcycle club. Sadly, Bob is not the obscene comedian he is famous for being. It would have been brave to have him speak candidly while amongst a comedian’s easy prey, but he is actually quite civil with his biker companions. It shouldn’t really be surprising that Saget can hold back and be family friendly. He has spent most of his career doing just that. But why have him host the show if he doesn’t offers something a little different.

However, you can tell that his lower instincts are bubbling at the surface and just waiting to explode when he encounters some hard to not make fun of people, possibly the Bigfoot hunters. The Iron Order MC aren’t exactly the Sons of Anarchy, so I’m disillusioned. Anyone who is ruined by TV would expect something seedier out of a MC. The club is self described as law abiding and more known for drinking parties, though the way the show depicted them in a generous manner. The show is pretty light, just like any reality series of this kind. There is really nothing negative that can be said about Strange Days with Bob Saget. It delivers what it promises, but there is still room for improvement.

Holliday Gift Guide: Top 10 Complete TV Series For TV Nuts

TV Box Sets are great gifts for the TV buff, but why get one season when there is a whole series. It’s incomplete, and if they like the show they have to buy the other seasons and that’s more expensive, and kind of cruel. Why not go all out and get the entire series, if it is available and out there right now. With that spirit of giving in mind, here is a list of the top 10 complete series available to purchase right now. Why aggravate loved ones with only a part of a TV season?


1. Deadwood

Deadwood happens to be one the most insane series in history; it must be seen. It may win the prize for the most vulgar show ever made. Watch the main character Al Swerengen cuss at people in the most creative ways possible and see Timothy Olyphant play the character that was so good he essentially reprised it in Justified.








2. Rome

Cancelled before its time due to the insane cost of production, it has amazing sets and battles. It recounts the rise and fall of Caesar through the lives of two roman soldiers. There are only two seasons but they are some of the best television seasons to date. The storytelling is excellent and the characters are as charming and interesting as they come.







3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer

The un-debatable superior to all other Joss Whedon shows and that’s proven with its success, Buffy The Vampire Slayer enjoyed seven seasons filled with evil fighting, word play jokes and most importantly saving the world. It’s not an opinion that this series is well loved and is enduringly entertaining.








4. The Wire

You just can’t watch one season and not watch the rest. Sacrilege! As one of the most complex television series, it has lasting payoff that can only be gotten from watching the entire series, or maybe just the first three, but still. The series has such memorable and fleshed out characters that the actors who played them are practically now typecast forever. That means you Bubbles!







5. Lost

It’s a TV phenomenon, it is insanely satisfying to watch such a drawn out show all at once, and the box set comes with backgammon.










6. Freaks and Geeks

The dramedy about teen angst played out amongst a group of high school social outcasts. It is Judd Appatow’s television debut and has all the elements that have make his films popular today. Not to mention most of the stars as well.









7. Battlestar Galactica

A vast improvement on a 70’s sci-fi series, Battlestar Galactica produced in its 4 seasons produced stories which rivalled, if not surpassed non sci-fi series in storytelling and characters. And now you can watch this action packed series (but not really that actiony in the last season) in high quality surround sound many times, because it is a very re-watchable series.







8. Arrested Development

Being the funniest comedy to come out of network television in the last decade makes Arrested Development a great pick for any occasion. It had a short run with 3 seasons, but although the series was on the edge of cancellation for its entire run, it never ran out the clock and every episode was hilarious.








9. The Shield

Critically acclaimed but slightly forgotten in its later years, The Shield is a solid series that never lost it touch in the 7 seasons it aired. It is now the template for gritty police drama’s, although most still lack the quality of The Shield delivered. Michael Chicklis is neutered in No Ordinary family, but that was not the case in The Shield as Vick Mackey, the dirty cop and head of the police strike force in California.






10. 24

You could watch 8 days of the epically unkillable Jack Bauer as he kicks, shoots, stabs and tortures hundreds of terrorists and people he doesn’t like “for America’s sake”.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot: Who is Whit Anderson?

News broke today that Warner Bros. is set to make a film reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A few names of producers were dropped but the big surprise was the choice of a little known actress named Whit Anderson, as the film’s screenplay writer. The photo used in most of these news articles announcing Anderson as the new Buffy script writer looks like it was pulled from a Dove Body Wash advertising campaign. Now, Anderson doesn’t have any writing credits to her name according to popular site imdb.com, but she does have some acting credits.  “Through Walls” marks her first imdb.com credit, a short film where she played a mysterious art dealer.  She also voiced the part of Jill, in the short “Saw Rebirth”, which is a motion comic set in the Saw universe. Her largest claim to fame was a part in “Yes Man” as a Yes Patron. I’m assuming a Yes Patron is one of the screaming extras that you could see in the crowed during one of the motivational speeches given during that film. But will hardcore fans say Yes to Whit’s take on the Buffyverse?    

The problem is Anderson’s writing chops are going to be compared to those of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode writers such as Jane Espenson, David Fury, Marti Noxon and of course, the creator of the whedonverse – Joss Whedon. Most people say, no Joss Whedon equals no Buffy. Not so. Over the seven seasons, the show had many writers, the best of which were just mentioned, without them Buffy and the Scooby Gang would not have meant as much as they do to people. These writers really knew how to tell the Buffy story. They wrote the words and they were damn good. Unless Anderson is some sort of savant who can simultaneously please all the diehard Buffy fans, while recreating the whole mythos of the story, this film is going to be another Buffy Movie. Everyone remembers Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie right? The vampires had those crazy ears and they would float around then Ben Affleck gets beaten in basketball by one of them - good times now, but total crap then. Anderson has big some shoes to fill and she must be aware of the fact that critics and fans alike will be unforgiving if her version of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” ever hits theaters.     

“The Event” Has Slowed to a Crawl

The new fall TV lineup offered many choices for the avid viewer. For the nostalgic cop show lover there is “Hawaii Five-0” or if you are more of a sitcom person there is “Outsourced.” Then there is the “Lost” void, that rather large niche viewer base that required fodder for water cooler talk and has been left in the wind ever since Jack and the gang walked into the light.  One new show has obviously been vying for that empty spot and that is “The Event.”

Initially one of the highlights of the new season, “The Event” with its jarring, flash back riddled storytelling, that is seemingly unrightable to the viewer, but that is the hook. The unknown is what drew in the “Lost” audience among other things, primarily though it was the mystery. “The Event” has mixed that kind of unnecessarily opaque storyline seen in “Lost” with the action of the now retired “24” (not canceled, Jack Bauer can’t be canceled). Strange mysteries, aliens, wormholes and explosions “The Event’s” first episodes were very entertaining, but can they keep that pace?

 If “The Event” wants to survive for a second season it will have to maintain a few core elements.

·        Wormholes are a must. Most people don’t know what to make of them and unless you are a sci-fi aficionado or a fan of Stephen Hawking’s theories, wormholes are as good as magic and just as mysterious.

·        Keeping the aliens in the show lightly defined is key. If you give too much away people will not be as interested in them, remember the oddly quiet man smoking a cigarette in the fedora always draws the most attention from viewers.

·        Keep the action in every episode. There are multiple storylines that are active in the show and at least one of them needs to be action oriented during an episode. If all of the storylines are moving like molasses then you might as well have aired a rerun.   

“Bored to Death” Is the Most Charming Show on Television

There are shows on TV that people watch because they have an attachment to them, either because they have been watching for years or because they have an affinity for a cast member. Sometimes it’s just one member of the cast that draws you in but it is rare to find a television series that has a cast that literally makes every episode a delight to watch. Ted Danson, Zach Galifianakis and Jason Schwartzman have a chemistry reserved for shows that have been on the air much longer than a season and a half.

The only draw back to “Bored to Death” is the simplicity of the story or case in each episode. Though the basic nature of the investigations allow the show not to get bogged down in details and lets the cast have the full stage, which in the end is what the show it about -- kinship.  The relationship between the Jonathan Ames and George Christopher’s characters are the heart of the show. Their relationship is along the same lines of Alan Shore and Deny Crane in “Boston Legal;” they are platonic friends with a very close relationship. It is charming to see the two of them play off of one another in scenes, both actors are well known in their own right, but you do get the sense while watching “Bored to Death” that these actors are enjoying themselves, the situations and the dialogue are so playful and amount to a quirky delight for the viewer.

Zach Galifianakis, what a name “it starts with a gal and ends with a kiss.” Enough said.      

Ted Danson’s character George Christopher is the stand out in the show, the decades of experiences on television shines though in every scene. Danson is older now, and the character of George Christopher, a magazine editor whose lust for women and marijuana has not declined with age, has fun with the baby boomer generation and the idea that you can relish and enjoy life even in your 60s.   

Many people say that Jason Schwartzman is an annoying actor; his mannerisms, voice and even his face. Nothing could be further from the truth, Schwartzman plays most of his characters very quirky and a little off putting but that’s what makes him perfect in his role as Jonathan Ames in “Bored to Death.” His character is a dreamer, who has of yet not found his place in the word and most everyone has been in a similar position. This really brings out that relatability of the character, and the same is true for all three main members of the cast. Even though the “Bored to Death” story is rather over the top the likability of the cast out shines any flaws in the storytelling.  

“Sons of Anarchy” Season 3 Not Yet as Good as Season 2

It’s hard to say that the “Sons of Anarchy’s” third season isn’t good, when it is, just not as good as season 2. For those of you who haven’t been following the show for the past two years, season 2 was epic. The town the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club Charming, is set in has come under attack by a white hate group who used tactics that ranges from firebombing buildings to rape and even a fine cigar store in trying to take over the small California town. Season two of the “SOA” was the best thing on television while it aired and maybe even for that whole season in general.

The anticipation for season 3 of the show was certainly higher among the devoted fans and people looking to get in on this new show described by some as “Hamlet” with motorcycles.  “The Tragedy of Jax, Prince of Charming” played out at a relentless pace throughout the second season. Every character grew in depth and the way the show ended the overall story arc for that season was fantastic. So going into season 3 there were very high expectations, but it is hard to top an evil group of white supremacists with the extras from “Brave Heart.” And that is exactly where the third season took us to the “SOA’s” Dublin chapter, the hub for the club’s gun trafficking and the location of Jax’s kidnapped son Able.

Even though it was interesting to see the Sons put on their in country attire, which looks an awful lot like something you will be able to buy from the shows online store, the storyline lacked the gravity of season two. There were a number of secrets in season 2 that kept the intrigue alive. What is happening in season 3 seems to be more transparent to all of the characters on screen. But there is one thing that could turn the third season of the “Sons of Anarchy” around and make for a powerhouse of a season ender.

There is still one secret that could come out that will change the hugging, loving relationship Jax has with his mother Gemma and step father Clay, the president of the “SOA.” That is, what happened to John Teller, Jax’s father? It was always implied in earlier episodes that Clay had something to do with John Teller’s death and if it turns out that Clay was the one that killed John, Jax will kill Clay. He has too. If that is what this season was leading up to as a season finale then it will be hard to wait another year for season 4.        

Strange Days with Bob Saget: Watch a Dirty Comedian Meet Easy Targets

You may know Bob Saget as the future voice of Ted Mosby on How I Met your Mother. To the older audience, he is the loving father from 90s sitcom Full House. And he is recognizable as a caricature of himself in his guest appearances on Entourage. To a much lesser extent, in the documentary film The Aristocrats, he is known as the man with the greatest, most vulgar Aristocrats joke ever. He has turned his sights away from traditional television and is now coming out with his new reality series Strange Days with Bob Saget, which premieres November 30th at 10PM on A&E. The series follows Saget as he immerses himself in the various subcultures of America. He joins fringe communities such as biker gangs, survivalist groups preparing for the end of the world, and Bigfoot hunters.

This formula for a reality series is already well used, perhaps overly used, but this just might be the genius idea that kick starts a revolution in reality television: crazy show, crazy people, crazy place, and crazier host. The most common incarnation of this type of reality series would be the BBC documentaries, which take an academic look at strange cultures with some dry wit mixed in. Their outlook, especially when it comes to American subcultures, seems synonymous with America in general. The real entertainment though is in the reactions of the host rather than his academic observations. Saget seems destined to perfect the role of reality host with his notoriously “salty” humour and character amping up what would have been a run of the mill series. If anyone has ever seen Saget being himself like he does in The Aristocrats, they know that he is much more interesting, much filthier than his TV characters let on. What better idea than to have a person who both personally and professionally is mockingly offensive, gets away with it, and have him enter a group that should be met with diplomacy, especially with those survivalists. Suffice it to say, this series sounds like a winning mix and something that is worth watching.

What is strange is how under advertised this series is. One would expect large amounts of information floating around, but it is actually difficult to find. Perhaps Bob Saget should find better promoters. Let’s blame laziness, the laziness of this show’s promoters.

The Hasselhoffs Reality Series: Hoff-Vertising Gone Wrong

“The Hasselhoffs” is set to air on December 5th and if it’s as good as its advertising campaign then there is something to worry about. Previews have been released of the reality series featuring David Hasselhoff as he helps his daughters build their singing careers, which is a premise I personally dislike. Hasselhoff singing is not without its charm, but Hasselhoff becoming a real life guard or crime fighter would be pure entertainment. If the series happens to be a failure, let’s not blame Hasselhoff but rather the people in charge advertising, because the latest ads do a fantastic job at creating disinterest...unimaginatively. Like this one with Baby-Hoff. It’s strange, it doesn’t explain what the show is about, and it’s a bit confusing. The tagline is “Some People Are Born Awesome”, but he’s not born in the scene.

Then there’s this clip. It says I’m the high point of the season and not even that good.

Why couldn’t they give his show as much attention as another reality series that premiere the same time last year, such as Steven Seagal: Lawman? Maybe this is proof that Steven Seagal is more important Hasslehoff, if anyone gets into that argument. Seagal’s ads raised interest while Hasslhoff’s invoked confusion. In any case, based on what we have seen from “The Hasslhoffs” there is nothing that lures viewers to watch it.

Good job, ad men. Consider me disinterested.

“The Walking Dead” Preview S01E01 – Does it Live Up to the Hype?

There has been a lot of hype around the new AMC television series “The Walking Dead” for many reasons. One is that the show is based on a very poplar graphic novel of the same title (which is still banging away by-the-by). Another is as a result of a certain critically acclaimed show from AMC (cough) “Mad Men”. People have high expectations not only from the zombie fanboy who can recite Romero’s filmography back to front, but the general TV watching community. “The Walking Dead” premieres on… you guessed it October 31^st, but some people have had a sneak peak at perhaps the first ever zombie television series.       

After watching the pilot episode for “The Walking Dead” entitled “Days Gone By”  you realize that graphic novels don’t just make for good movies (at least some good movies, did any one see “The Spirit”?). The episode starts off as the trailer released at this years Comi-Con suggested with a shoot out between the main character Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes and some gun wielding man, the resulting shoot out leaves Grimes shot and unaware of the apocalyptic situation developing around him. He awakes to a hospital abandoned by any living inhabitants and continues to stumble about in a hospital gown until he meets up with one of the town’s holdouts, who introduces himself by popping a ghoul in the head only feet away from Grimes. After being filled in on all of the details by the zombie shooting samaritan regarding the rising of the dead and a refuge camp most people headed towards located in Atlanta, Georgia. Grimes decides that Atlanta is the best place to find his missing family so he gears up using the resources from his former workplace and donned in a deputies uniform heads to his family’s would be haven. During the journey to Atlanta a lack of fuel leads him to abandon his police cruiser and commandeer a horse (as seen in the trailer).

You have to appreciate what the makers of this show have done, the aesthetic of a lone cowboy looking character carrying a  duffle full of guns down a devastated highway really hits that zombie apocalypse nail right on the head.  Atlanta is a wasteland with abandoned vehicles all headed in one direction,  towards a hope of survival.  Once Grimes makes it to Atlanta he is quickly surrounded by a murder of zombies (or is it a herd of zombies) his new horse friend is the first to go in the feeding frenzy and then the sack of guns. Grimes takes refuge under a derelict tank and right when all seems to be lost and the deputy is being pursued on all sides, he takes his high caliber six shooter points it at his temple and says: “Lori, Carl, I’m sorry.”.   You’ll have to watch it to know the rest.

  

This pilot episode has the same amount of content as most B-Zombie movies but instead of placing all of that story telling on trying to make people pop out of their seats the minds behind this show seem to know that if you let things build and create a group of characters that have real depth and let the viewer become attached to them, then you will get much more bang for your zombie buck. This series has a wealth of ideas to draw from, given it is based on a beloved comic book series. All the show’s creators have to do is bring all of the elements from the comic to life and so far they have managed to do that.           

THE WALKING DEAD "Opening Titles" from Daniel Kanemoto on Vimeo.

This Fall The League Is The Funniest Show On Television

Most people know about a few FX network comedies like Archer or It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia but then there is The League.  It’s Always Sunny used to take the cake when it came to over the top comedy. A brand of comedy that is generally reserved for South Park type shows, where “the funny” comes from the depths the characters are willing to take a certain ideal or argument. This is no longer the case, It’s Always Sunny has had a poor start for its 6^th season and it really feels as though the whole cast is just phoning it in, but if you watch The League your appetite for laughter to the point of pissed pants will be sated.

The second season of The League introduced a very funny character. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea but for some people his brand of vulgar outbursts and his misfit social behavior is incredibly entertaining. Enter Rafi or otherwise know as El Cuñado. Rafi is the brother-in-law to the different but equally despicable character of Ruxin the league member who brought El Cuñado into the fold. El Cuñado’s interacions with the other league members have been, by far, the funniest part of the new season. El Cuñado is either one of those guys who just tries to hard to be like and comes off as a freak or is just a freak. He will blur out comments like “Let’s all get the same girl pregnant tonight!” and then go on to talk about how you can just “shit out the booze” if you are DD a half hour before it is time to leave the party. It’s more than just stupid funny shit that El Cuñado does and says, some of what he says is down right shocking.

Another aspect of the show which makes it incredibly entertaining, are all the running jokes. In the last episode entitled “The Kluneberg” the running jokes were: about sex addiction and whether it is a real disease or just an excuse for guys to bang as many women as they want; the medicinal affects of a toilet seat made from cocaine and a painting of a “dick bird” raping “ass mountain”. As it turns out sex addiction is a real thing, as was demonstrated when the sex addict friend of one of the league members finds that one of his “triggers” is cocaine in the beards of men, more specifically Rafi’s beard. That’s right the episode ends with a shot of Rafi coked out of his mind taking it from behind in the back of a SUV, scream out “some things you can’t unsee!”.  It also appears that long term use of a cocaine toilet seat is a no no within the league even if you are crazy productive. As for the raping of “ass mountain” by “dick bird”, Rafi in a cocaine fueled burst of energy separates the “dick bird” from “ass mountain” in a permanent way, by fisting both.

Now this all may seem juvenile but the laughs are there in spades and continue to be. The second season of The League is measuring up to be one of the funniest of the fall TV season.          

“Paranormal State”: Repetitive Good Fun! Or Reality Show In Disguised

The fifth season of A&E’s “Paranormal State” is premiering on October 16^th and it’s hard to get excited about. The reason being all shows that center on paranormal activity or investigations similar to “Paranormal State” suffer from a repetitive formula. As with most ghost hunting shows “Paranormal State” follows the same development, first the location is introduced, the interviews, the investigation and finally the wrap up (which is really just a highlight reel from the episode).  So this begs the question, if they are so repetitive why tune in?

Paranormal investigation shows would benefit from a different method of investigation, not because they will find proof that hauntings are real. It would be better if groups didn’t just spend just one week on a hunting that is, only if there is something interesting going on, whether it be the history of the location or haunting itself. On some of these investigations, you can tell there not much happening and the investigators have to focus more closely on the home owners of whomever is associated with the paranormal activity.  As a viewer it is hard to believe that much of an investigation can be accomplished within a week on location and whatever research is done beforehand about the site doesn’t come through on the screen. This isn’t just something that happens to some of these paranormal shows, it’s systemic for the genre.

What ends up being the entertaining part of any of these gene of show, are the people, history and the locations surrounding the investigations. Beyond that, any of the evidence of some otherworldly presents that is produced by the investigations can be dismissed as circumstantial. But if you are superstitious and are frightened easily then this sort of show will be right up your ally.   

What Would Be Nice To See On Any Paranormal Show

A full bodied apparition: if any of these shows could capture a something other than “shadow people” and wisps of light on camera that would be interesting.

Levitation anyone: whatever happened to the poltergeist myth that spirits can lift objects and make them fly about. If there were some coaches and chairs floating around a room for mysterious reason, you better believe that people will be interesting and watching.

No More EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomenon)! Just because you think you can hear your grandmother telling you to make your bed in the background crackles of an audio recording doesn’t mean that’s what you are hearing. EVP session for these TV shows are just a way to keep viewers from realizing that they are watching is a bunch of people who are easily frightened, walking around talking to themselves.    

A total crackpot for a host: picture a paranormal TV show host/investigator that is completely convicted of his mental superiority and that ghosts are real and can be proven to be so. Something else that would make this host more watchable would be if he were wildly superstitious. This host would be great to watch.

In the end though, little can help this quasi documentary’s style of television from the fact that ghost investigations shows are little more than a veiled reality horror series with little fright to speak of.   

The Event Season 1 Episode 2, To Keep Us Safe

The people being held by the government are aliens and that’s not surprising. What was surprising was this episode was much more enjoyable than the first. In the pilot episode they exaggerated the story to the point where it was frustrating. Moving back and forth through time was annoying, but they have changed the style this time. There are considerably less flashbacks and they are actually quite revealing. Instead of making the episode puzzling they made the overarching story a puzzle, which is much more immersive for the viewer. Maybe the first episode seemed so terrible because it was stepping stone for the series. They presented the questions but no answers in the pilot. In the second they answered the question from the pilot and presented new questions, and they very interesting, especial the answer to what happened to Jason Ritter’s girlfriend and the fact that he is wanted for murder. This might be what to expect for the whole series. If the show continues like this, The Event may turn out to be a decent series.

"Supernatural" Starts Season 6 with a Whimper

After the season 5 finally, where Sam is sucked into hell with his half-brother while both of them were possessed, Dean ends the show by settled down in suburbia. In the season 6 premiere Dean is not hunting monsters anymore and he lives in one of those boxes on the hillside, you know the ones made out of ticky tacky. The guy who saved the world (with a little help from his 67’ Impala) is now a construction worker living a normal life doing normal things, and has been for a whole year. That is until his life is disrupted and he begins to think that something otherworldly is stalking him in his new life, this all turns out to be the doing of a Jin (a mystical creature similar to a genie).  The Jin’s touch acts as poison that that makes the things you long for the most appear to be real. Meanwhile the Jin drains you of your life force.  Sam pops in mid way through the show in order to save dean from the Jin poison and tells Dean that he has been back from Hell for a year and he also found their maternal grandfather (played by Mitch Pileggi) who hasn’t aged a day since Yelloweyes possessed/killed him back in the 70s. Other tagalongs were distant cousins of the Winchester brothers who are also hunters. You might be thinking who cares? Well after that episode so was I.

The odd thing about this episode was that it didn’t feel like an episode of Supernatural. The pace of the show was off and didn’t seem like something we would have seen in any of the pervious seasons. It could have been the whole grandpa and cousin thing. These new characters took away from the brother dynamic that the show has become known for. Perhaps this is the post-Kripke Supernatural. Kripke was the show runner for the past five years has taken a backseat for season 6 allowing someone else to take the reins. This is the issue, will the post-Kripke Supernatural be as good as it once was. If we go by the first episode of the season as any indication then the answer is sadly no.

Predictions for Season 6 of Supernatural

• Grandpa and the cousins are evil and use supernatural beings to extend their own lives and gain powers.
• Sam is the new Devil and is raising an army on Earth to become the master of both worlds.
• Dean will kill his surrogate family… with boredom.
• The Impala will begin to speak to Dean in a sexy voice demanding that he “take a ride on the wild side”, Lou Reed style.   

Walking Dead Opening Credits Made By A Fan!

THE WALKING DEAD "Opening Titles" from Daniel Kanemoto on Vimeo.

New Series Watch: Nikita, Terriers Season 1 Episode 3

Most TV Shows have a period during the first season where they’re working out the kinks, and they don’t always pull it off, but when they do it’s great. So, we’re going to watch some freshman shows, watch their progress, and spot that moment when they finally get awesome, or become unwatchable.

Nikita (CW) – Episode 3, Kill Jill

First of all, this is the best episode so far in the series (still sucks though), but only because they finally gave Nikita somebody to talk to aside from a disembodied computer voice. She had a reporter to protect for the duration. Why doesn’t she interact more? She spent the last two episodes talking to herself and stroking her guns before she finished the episodes with a gun fight. You cannot be invested in a character unless they interact with other characters. There is yet another confrontation between Nikita and Michael at the end of the episode. The fighting between two people that won’t hurt each other is getting tiresome. Get someone else to hunt Nikita so Michael can train recruits like he did in the movie and get the story moving.

Terriers (FX) – Episode 3, Change Partners

Episode Plot
Hank and Britt must find evidence of a wife’s infidelity so her husband will approve Hank’s house loan. Meanwhile, Britt runs into a friend from his old robbery days who is harassing him and his girlfriend into getting back in the game.

Episode Thoughts
This episode stepped up its fun level with the silliest episode yet, although does turn quite dark at the end. Hank’s obsession with his ex-wife and their house is playing a major role in the series and it takes a funny turn when he attempts to ruin her new fiancé’s reputation by putting an escort service on his credit card. They’re not exactly defenders of the weak in this episode, more like defenders of themselves, with hank manipulating a fragile man into giving him a loan and Britt framing a guy for robbery to protect himself. Hank’s self-destruction has begun, which seems interesting. There was a deeper focus on character development. His relationship with his ex-wife seems too similar to Rescue Me though. It can’t be said if this episode was better than the last, but it was definitely different from the rest.

Freshman Shows Watch List: Week 3.5

Most TV Shows have a period during the first season where they’re working out the kinks, and they don’t always pull it off, but when they do it’s great. So, we’re going to watch some freshman shows, watch their progress, and spot that moment when they finally get awesome, or become unwatchable. Week 3.5: Outsourced, Running Wilde and Shit My Dad Says.

"Outsourced"

 A network comedy series that forgoes a laugh, track is a victory in my book. I don't need to be told when to laugh "Two and A Half Men"!!! There was very little to laugh about though, the best parts of dialogue came during a conversation between Dempsy’s character and another relocated American about how many days in a row you will shit yourself after eating a portion of local food. The magic number was five by-the-by.

"Running Wilde"

Will Arnett’s new show is silly fun with its ridiculous set of characters and top notch performances by its leads. Except for Keri Russell who is the odd ball out among the cast and can’t seem to pull off her part. Perhaps none of the shows dialogue is funny Will Arnett’s presents just fills the screen with his funny being.

 "Shit My Dad Says"

Total garbage! Not funny or original, this laugh track fill sack of shit is not worth anyone’s time. How far you have fallen Kirk, it’s almost as if you are “buried alive… alive.”

"Outsourced" Is Not That Offensive

The new TV series "Outsourced" came upon some harsh criticism for being culturally insensitive and painting the Indian characters as one dimensional and based upon stereotypes. Can anyone say; "Thank you, have a nice day?"  Well, after watching this freshmen show I can say that it was hardly the 'blackface' is was painted as. The show is offensive, in the way the main character Todd Dempsy's illustrates to his employees the benefits of being American over being Indian. To assume that America has cornered the market on culture, especially popular culture, the world over is the only real offence. 
As for the show being funny, which should really be what is at issue here, it is... a little bit. A network comedy series that forgoes a laugh track is a victory in my book. I don't need to be told when to laugh "Two and A Half Men"!!! There was very little to laugh about though, the best parts of dialogue came during a conversation between Dempsy and another relocated American about how many days in a row you will shit yourself after eating a portion of local food. The magic number was five by-the-by.   

Freshman Shows Watch List: Week 3

Most TV Shows have a period during the first season where they’re working out the kinks, and they don’t always pull it off, but when they do it’s great. So, we’re going to watch some freshman shows, watch their progress, and spot that moment when they finally get awesome, or become unwatchable. Week Three: The Event and Chase. 

The Event

The Plot:

The president is going to tell the public about “The Event”, but some people want to stop this and at expense of a couple on vacation.

Episode Thoughts:

If they wanted this show to provoke guesses about what the mysterious “Event” is, they succeed. Some guesses made: aliens, they have superpowers, there’s an underwater city, mermaids, wormholes or holes with worms in them. You cannot help but discuss wild outcomes to pass the time because this show is unnecessarily slow. If the series follows the style of the pilot, expect fractured timelines in the story. It jumps to the future, past and present constantly to create suspense and mystery. It both annoys and drags out a 30 minute story to a full hour. In the end “The Event” turned out to be me being robbed of my time.

Chase 

The Pilot:

U.S. Marshals are hunting bad guys and fighting them with mixed marshal arts like an updated version of Walker Texas Ranger.

 Episode Thoughts: 

This is the first and last article on this show, because we’ve had enough. Chase was shit! The dialogue was shitty and the story was boring. If this show makes it, it will be due to the looks of the female lead character and that dude who played a whory pool boy on Desperate Housewives. In comparison to the other show currently on television about U.S. Marshals – Justified, Chase doesn’t even come close; mainly because none of the characters have a signature cowboy hat and swagger. The only desirable characteristics that the Marshals have, is that they make a point not to tuck in their shirts. Yeah these assholes are “going rouge” all over the place, untucked shirts and cliché riddled dialogue. Chase is in no need of being caught.      

New Shows We Are Watching: Week 2

Most TV Shows have a period during the first season where they’re working out the kinks, and they don’t always pull it off, but when they do it’s great. So, we’re going to watch some freshman shows, watch their progress, and spot that moment when they finally get awesome, or become unwatchable.

Week 2

Nikita (CW) – Episode 2, 2.0
Here is a run-through of the episode from a viewer’s reactions:
Viewer: She’s got a big rifle? Why is it in every camera shot with Nikita?
Viewer: They made Nikita’s partner into a prostitute.
Viewer: What’s with all the flashbacks? Is every episode like this? Get back to the story.
Viewer: Oh, she blew him away with the big rifle. Awesome!
Viewer: Another standoff between Michael and Nikita?! That’s how the last episode ended. How many times are they going to do that? Ridiculous!

This episode showed a miniscule improvement over the pilot episode, but that is, however, overshadowed by the very slow pacing of this series. Episode 2 focused on the protection of a former tyrant and the story of how Nikita found her inside man, told through flashbacks that took up half the episode. The problem is the episode felt redundant, a retelling of the pilot but told in much the same way. It’s a grim look at what’s to come of the series. The story won’t move forward fast enough to keep your interest, which is strange when the show is about taking down an organization. When they don’t progress with their goal, then the show is at a boring standstill.

Terriers (FX) – Episode 2, Dog and Pony

Episode Plot
Since Hank and Britt’s cheque is being held as evidence, they chase down an escaped convict to collect the bounty, but they end up helping him get the man who set him up, his brother.

Episode Thoughts
The second episode establishes what Terriers is and what these characters do in it. They take odd jobs to pay debts, they have a con man style (where they do things such as pose as thugs to lure out a fortune teller’s criminal boyfriend), and they have resources (a dry cleaner that supplies costumes and geek friends who supply wire taps). Everything explains how some poor slackers can be detectives. It’s a step up from the previous episode, but it still doesn’t have that it factor that compels us to watch it again. It had some fun scenes but it lagged in some parts. So, now that the series is set up in this episode, they have to show what they can do with that in the next episode.

New Shows We Are Watching

Most TV Shows have a period during the first season where they’re working out the kinks, and they don’t always pull it off, but when they do it’s great. So, we’re going to watch some freshman shows and spot that moment when they finally get awesome, or become unwatchable.

Nikita (CW) – Pilot

So far, Nikita is a disappointment. The biggest surprise of this episode is how boring it is. It’s strange to feel your mind wander to more interesting things while you’re watching a series about assassins and explosions. Why? Well, that’s no mystery. This show, the third remake of an originally French movie, is contrived. They not only reuse an old story, they don’t do it as well. There have been plenty of series featuring strong leading women and others about spies, but this Nikita does not do anything new with the formula. The cast has no chemistry, and the way they are portrayed seems a little lifeless. We personally feel that cardboard cut outs of the actors being moved about would be much better. Wait, that sounds amazing. Picture their likeness on cardboard and inappropriate groaning noises. Fantastic! The strangest thing, however, is that Nikita is not the star of the show, or at least that’s how it comes off. But despite all of this, we here are such gluttons for punishment that we will continue to watch it and mock it (because it’s fun), and see if it improves and if the pilot turned out to be an anomaly.

Terriers (FX) – Pilot

No complaints here. It’s an old-school private eye show (very Rockford Files). The only complaint would be that the main characters (a pool cleaner/unlicensed private investigator duo) don’t grab your attention, but still its fun to watch, and a welcome change to the overly interesting characters that have taken over television since House first aired. Who they are and what they do is still ambiguous, and they have yet to establish that and distinguish the series.

Sad Don Draper With The Boys From Pineapple Express

After a great episode of Mad Men last Sunday we got to see the softer side of Don Draper and since then there has been sad Don Drapers popping up all over the internet. Here are a few of Don Draper crying it out with our favorite stoner softies Dale and Saul from the 2008 film Pineapple Express. Enjoy!

Here is one of Sad Don and Sad Saul on some swings.

Here is Sad Don popping in during an emotional conversation between Dale and his high school aged girlfriend.

Funniest TV Characters of the Past 10 Years

1. Cartman (South Park)

2. Bender (Futurama)

3. GOB (Arrested Development)

4. Sock (Reaper)
Click Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbJSv2XQoVM&p=59078747627678CF&playnext=1&index=76

5. Steven Seagal (Lawman)

6. Charlie Kelly (It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia)

7. Ari Gold (Entourage)

8. Hank Moody (Californication)

9. Zap Brannigan (Futurama)

10. Roger Smith (American Dad)

Emmy Picks For 2010

Here is our list of Emmy Award nominations in major categories

Nominees in major categories for the 2010 Emmy Awards with our winning picks.

Our picks for the winners are marked by a (*).

Drama Series:

*Breaking Bad (AMC)

Dexter (Showtime)

The Good Wife (CBS)

Lost (ABC)

True Blood (HBO)

Mad Men (AMC)

Comedy Series:

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)

Glee (Fox)

*Modern Family (ABC)

The Office (NBC)

Nurse Jackie (Showtime)

30 Rock (NBC)

Miniseries:

*The Pacific (HBO)

Return to Cranford (Masterpiece) (PBS)

Made-for-TV Movie:

Endgame (Masterpiece) (PBS)

Georgia O'Keeffe (Lifetime)

Moonshot (History)

The Special Relationship (HBO)

*Temple Grandin (HBO)

You Don't Know Jack (HBO)

Actor, Drama Series:

Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)

Michael C. Hall, Dexter (Showtime)

Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights (DirecTV)

Hugh Laurie, House (Fox)

Matthew Fox, Lost (ABC)

*Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)

Actress, Drama Series:

Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer (TNT)

*Glenn Close, Damages (FX)

Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights (DirecTV)

Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife (CBS)
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)

 January Jones, Mad Men (AMC)

Supporting Actor, Drama Series:

Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad (AMC)

Martin Short, Damages (FX)
Terry O'Quinn, Lost (ABC)

Michael Emerson, Lost (ABC)
*John Slattery, Mad Men (AMC)

Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age (TNT)

Supporting Actress, Drama Series:

Sharon Gless, Burn Notice (USA)

Rose Byrne, Damages (FX)

Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife (CBS)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife (CBS)

Christina Hendricks, Mad Men (AMC)

*Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men (AMC)

Actor, Comedy Series:

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)

Matthew Morrison, Glee (Fox)

Tony Shalhoub, Monk (USA)

*Steve Carell, The Office (NBC)

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)

Actress, Comedy Series:

*Lea Michele, Glee (Fox)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)

Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie  (Showtime)

Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)

Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)

Toni Collette, United States of Tara (Showtime)

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series:

Chris Colfer, Glee (Fox)

Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother (CBS)

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family (ABC)

*Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family (ABC)

Ty Burrell, Modern Family (ABC)

Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (CBS)

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series:

*Jane Lynch, Glee (Fox)

 Julie Bowen, Modern Family (ABC)

 Sofia Vergara, Modern Family (ABC)

Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock (NBC)

Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men (CBS)

Actor, Miniseries or Movie:

Jeff Bridges, A Dog Year (HBO)
Ian McKellen, The Prisoner (AMC)

Michael Sheen, The Special Relationship (HBO)

Dennis Quaid, The Special Relationship (HBO)

*Al Pacino, You Don't Know Jack (HBO)

Actress, Miniseries or Movie:

Maggie Smith, Capturing Mary (HBO)

*Joan Allen, Georgia O'Keefe (Lifetime)

Judi Dench, Return to Cranford (Masterpiece) (PBS)

Hope Davis, The Special Relationship (HBO)
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin (HBO)

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie:

Michael Gambon, Emma (Masterpiece) (PBS)

*Patrick Stewart, Hamlet (Great Performances) (PBS)

Jonathan Pryce, Return to Cranford (Masterpiece) (PBS)

David Straithairn, Temple Grandin (HBO)

John Goodman, You Don't Know Jack (HBO)

Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie:

Kathy Bates, Alice (Syfy)

Julia Ormond, Temple Grandin (HBO)

Catherine O'Hara, Temple Grandin (HBO)

*Brenda Vaccaro, You Don't Know Jack (HBO)

Susan Sarandon, You Don't Know Jack (HBO)

What You Want to See in Smallville But Don’t.

1. Fist through face.
2. Clark wins an argument.
3. A decent finale.
4. A good Justice League episode.
5. Batman.
6. Green Lantern.
7. Wonder Woman.
8. A Good Bazaaro Superman.
9. Lex Luther Returns As President of the U.S.A.
10. Cara shows up and tells Clark that they are not cousins this is good news for Clark because Cara is so much hotter than Lois and he has always had more chemistry with her than Lois or Lana. What actually is going on is Brainiac has been revived and has retaken the form of Clark’s cousin in order to seduce The Man of Steel with the promise of a future for the Kryptonians race but really only wants some super seed in order to create a super villain.
11. The Green Arrow is killed in a fishing accident and fittingly uninteresting end to a boring character.
12. Chloe is eaten by a gutter rat empowered by kryptonite which then takes her place at watch tower but no one notices.
13. Martian man hunter takes over watch tower after they find that Chloe is a gutter rat in disguise.
14. Vicky Vail arrives in town at the Daily Planet gets drunk and throws herself at Clark. This pisses off Bruce Wayne who is an angrier version of Oliver Quinn with ninja skills and does not fight crime but does beat up people while wearing a balaclava. Wayne looks into Clark and finds that he is an alien with a league of super powered humans at his command. 
15. Brainiac returns to eat Chloe’s gutter rat replacement to piss off Superman this after the man of steel placed the powerful gutter rat with the rest of his alien specimens in the Fortress of Solitude.

Louie | What’s The Deal With “Louie”?

If you were unaware the standup comedian Louis C.K. has a new show on FX entitled Louie. I premièred this summer and as far as summer shows go it is quite good. However, it does take some getting use to. The show is directed and written by Louis C.K. and the first couple of episodes did not follow any kind of traditional sitcomy sort of formula. In fact they were rather odd, hopping from stand up routines to serious conversations ranging from the topic of being gay to the unnecessary ridicule for not liking President Obama.  These moments were strange, not particularly funny and felt out of place in the show. That is until you begin to realize what Louis C.K. is up to. Whether intentional or not Louie’s first episodes were a reflection of his creative process as a comedian and not as a show runner. Louie’s interactions with people are the basis for the stand up and that’s how the show goes. Louie is out with friends shooting the shit then some question is brought up, discussed and from that discussion Louie’s comes up with his stand up routine and the same is true for the show. So instead of being just told jokes the whole time you are seeing what leads to the jokes at least in so far as the fictional version of Louis C.K. goes.

It took until the 8^th episode of the season called Dogpound for the show to really be focused all the way through. In this episode Louie after sending his two daughters to their mother’s house for the weekend promises himself that he is not going to be a depressed piece of shit while they are gone. This is something Louie does every time his kids leave for an extended period of time. After this solemn vow there is a great moment where Louie goes to pay for a bottle of water at a convenience story and looks down to see that the counter for the cash is also the ice cream freezer. And when the cashier asks if the water is all, Louie gets this look on his face. Cut to the next scene and Louie is pounding down that Hagen-Daz like a drunk with a bottle of booze in the background a cacophony jazz is playing like something out of a David Lynch film. But that was only the beginning of Louie’s self-loathing spiral while his children were away. Just as he begins to take on a jump rope for some much needed exercise he is distracted by the faint sent of weed coming from next door. This leads to one of the funnies moments in the show’s short history where Louie gets to know his pot smoking neighbor better by doing a few bong hits with him and destroying a parked car with a large jug of water from the neighbor’s window. At the height of Louie’s attempt at getting right while his kids are gone is when he heads to an animal pound to find himself a furry companion to take his mind off of ice cream and pizza while his kids are out of hugging reach. This too ends badly after he is talked into taking one of the older dogs by a sexually suggestive dog lover because the problem with taking in an older dog is that they might have health issues or worst case scenario will die right as you bring them home. After the dog disposal unit took the dead pet away Louie’s children arrive thus ending his self-loathing shit spiraling into a uncontrollable orgy of extra creamy ice cream accompanied by copious amounts of take out pizza just to sate the empty void left by the absence of his children. Now that is how you make an episode that’s interesting, funny and coherent.    

Mad Men | “The Good News” Was Damn Good

Season 4 of Mad Men has been some what of a lumbering giant. The first two episodes of the season established the shows new dynamic but lacked much of the qualities that have made this show so beloved by so many; until “The Good News”. This episode featured three of the show’s main characters Lane, Joan and of course Don Draper.  The episode begins with Don on a layover in L.A. on his way to Acapulco for vacation, while there he visits Mrs. Anna Draper the wife of the long dead Don Draper whose name and identity was taken over by Dick Whitman (Don’s original name). Anna has known for quite some time that Dick/Don has taken her dead husband’s name and become a success in New York and is the only person in the world that truly knows Don. While visiting her Don finds out from Anna’s niece that Anna has advanced cancer and will not live long, and to top it off she hasn’t been told. Don’s reaction to the reality that his long time confidant will soon be gone is classic Mad Men, instead of Don doing the expected thing that you might see in a Network TV show, where he “does the right thing” and tells Anna that she is going to die soon, he tells her nothing and says his final goodbyes and heads back to New York to do some Draper style coping.

Meanwhile Joan and Lane are having a bit of a conflict in the office over holiday time which leads to a misunderstanding that puts a final nail in the coffin of Lane’s marriage. You see after a bit of a verbal scuffle over New Year’s holidays Lane has some flowers sent to Joan expressing his regret over their head butting, but due to Lane’s incompetent secretary the flowers are mistakenly sent to his wife with the note to Joan attached to it. There is nothing like finding a note to another woman in a bunch of roses to tip a rocking marriage over a cliff.

This isn’t the only thing on the voluptuous Joan’s mind, her husband has recently joined the military and will most likely be going to Vietnam as well she has been checking in with her doctor about her fertility and whether or not the “procedures” she undertook in the past will affect her ability to conceive a child.  The subtlety of Joan’s struggles in this episode are a testament to Mad Men’s ability for subtle expression which peaks after Joan cuts her hand while preparing food  begins to cry while her husband charmingly tends to her wound; revealing the more fragile side of her character usually not seen on the show.

Things are bleak up until the second half of this episode. Once Don makes it back to New York he and the martially challenged Lane go on a gentlemen’s night out. Fueled by smooth drinking spirits and a sense of loss both men begin a rather lighthearted evening with a getting to know you kind of feel. These two characters haven’t had much of a rapport in the show and there is a real sense of solidarity between the two while Don makes lewd comments in a late night cinema showing of Godzilla about handjobs and then later Don hooking Lane up with a prostitute to console his newly single heart.  It is interesting as always how Mad Men illustrates how Don and company cope with personal issues, drinking, laughing and of most important whoring. A bleak if not entertaining look at a bygone era.