Merlin

Has anyone else watched or been watching any of this little BBC show called Merlin?

One of my son's really into fanstasy stories, and I told him about Merlin a few months ago while watching the show last year Sunday nights on NBC before football started. Since, NBC has dropped the show, but the SyFy Channel scooped it up. Anyhow, he watched his first Merlin show last Friday and really loved it.

The premise is essentially a reboot of the King Arthur legend beginning when Arthur and Merlin were in their teens a la Smallville and the Superman saga -- in fact, the show's producer commented that Smallville was quite an influence for Merlin. In the show, King Uther Pendragon, has outlawed all sorcery in Camelot. Meanwhile, Merlin is a magical being serving a snooty but good-hearted Prince Arthur for the good of Camelot that comes under all kinds of attacks that are going to take some of Merlin's magic to defeat. The building of the Arthur/Merlin friendship is a key part of the show. Also, Camelot regulars Guinevere and Morgana are invloved, and guest appearances by Lancelot, an imprisoned magical golden dragon, and some of the other figures in the Camelot legends should be expected.

I haven't watched too many episodes, but each one I've seen has been really entertaining and totally family-friendly -- unless you're just dead-set against the "magic" issue, which I realize some people are or you're very hard core on limitations to the Arthurian legend because this one takes its liberties. Also, most of the actors and actresses in the series are newcomers, so you're seeing them essentially as the role they're playing, which is cool.

Also, for anyone interested, Year One of Merlin comes out on DVD beginning April 20th. I ordered it for my son for Easter here at Amazon. If you're looking for a fun, family-friendly show, check out Merlin - Friday nights at 9:00 p.m. CST on SyFy. I recommend it!

V - A Shout-out!!!

V, the TV series (the 2009 version), starts tonight at 8:00 EST/7:00 CST on ABC, and I've got my fingers crossed that this one's going to be good. It has, from one of my favorite series, Josh Whedon's Firefly, the beautiful Morena Baccarin as Anna, one of the aliens, and that's reason enough for me to watch it. Obviously, this is a re-making of the 1983 (mini-series) and 1984 (TV series) version of the show with the same name: V, which starred none other than The Beastmaster (Dar), Marc Singer. While the original V miniseries was mildly successful, spawning a year-long TV series the next year, I'm hoping for a more Battlestar Galactica-like re-envisioning here -- although I'll not set my expectations that high. Really, I'm just hopeful for a legitimate sci-fi drama that's cool to watch. And, of course, scary aliens.

However, the reason for this post is beside the point of all that. The REASON FOR THIS POST IS that it also stars Logan Huffman (pictured to the right), a friend of Shawn, who is one of our blog followers. Shawn (correct me if I have any of this wrong) home-schooled Logan, and her son and Logan are best friends from way back. SO! Give V a try, and keep a lookout for Logan.

The Visitors are here!

Battlestar Galactica Space Glow Putty

Except for the Space Glow Putty. Ken let me borrow his copy of Season One of the re-made Battlestar Galactica (BSG), which includes the miniseries that started the serial. Let me just say this:

This is not your mamas' and daddies' Battlestar Galactica.

Back in the day, as a child, I kind of enjoyed the old BSG, but really I only remember Dirk Benedict, Lorne Greene, and Richard Hatch from the show. Well, them and the Cylon robots that had the cool cyclops eye with the moving red light. However, I was never overwhelmed by that show and thought it was campy, so when BSG reappeared in a modern version on the Sci Fi (now SyFy) Network a few years back, I didn't give it a second thought. Probably lame. Probably cheesy.

Hoo boy.

While I'm not sure it's for everybody (and certainly not for children), this remake is pretty amazing. I've read on some of the reviews that the show wasn't just one of the best (or the best) Sci Fi dramas on television, it was one of the best dramas on television. Really, I'm inclined to agree with that. While having to spend around $30-$40 for a half season, which is the way the DVDs are packaged, seems a little steep, they do suck you in.

I'll say this in that regard: it IS nice to have a pal like the Diabolical Genius that is just dying to buy the next half-season and then let his good friend, Rich, borrow the disks after he's watched them. You'd think he might garner a little DVD rent from me... but no. All he asked was for me to watch and then return. Check and check. Ready for the next one, Ken!

A few things that you're not going to see coming out of this BSG version is anything like this:

Yeah, and no plastic cylon figures, either. Probably not even good to think about that.

Anyhoo, I'd like to hear -- without spoilers, mind you -- anyone else's thoughts on BSG, if you watched it. Favorite cylons... er, characters, I mean? Favorite episodes? Likes and dislikes? Etc.

Catching Up to the Present: Ken Just Bought TP&tHBs Greatest Hits, and I Just Started Watching the X-Files

Just the other day, Ken called me from the music section of one of the department stores, I think it was Target, as he was leafing through CDs and picking a couple to buy. I started asking about his choices and if the store had this or that. Ken indulged me, like he often does, because he's a great guy. A lot of what I'd recommend, I knew Target wasn't the place, but that didn't stop me from trying. Subsequent to a few band names that probably had him shaking his head, Ken decided it'd be easier to tell me what they did have rather than search for a lot of CDs they wouldn't. He started listing some music where I was "no", "no, you don't want that" and "oh, you've got to be kidding". Then, he casually mentioned Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits, on sale. What? TP&tHBs? Even Ken, methinks, would have that staple. I mean, I know him enough to know that he'd like TP, and, really, I was kind of surprised that his CD collection didn't have at least one of the TP/HBs classics -Damn the Torpedoes, Hard Promises, Long After Dark, or Southern Accents. As he scanned the songs on the CD, he knew American Girl but after that, unless he was yanking my chain -- always possible, but he sounded honest -- he didn't recognize hardly anything. Listen to Her Heart? I Need to Know? Don't Do Me Like That? Even the Losers? Here Comes My Girl? The Waiting? No, no, no, no, no, and no - he said he didn't recognize anything - I think I may have gotten a hesitant yes at Don't Come Around Here No More or Freefallin'. Now, I'm no psychiatrist, but this, to me, sounded like an urgent cry for help. My thoughts were: where had Ken been all this time and please, Ken, be joking? Immediately, I told him to get the CD. I went so far as to say I'd buy it from him for the sale price plus tax if he didn't like it, even though I already have it and have had it for years. Inside, because I'm a little bit, or a lot a bit, of a jerk sometimes, that little "music elitist" (which is really a joke - because I have no talent for singing or playing an instrument, and really only have this subjective taste like anyone else, but mine is just a little more narrow - and for whatever reason, I take pride in that -- yeah, that's the SIN pride), part of me scoffed at my friend (I'm apologizing now Ken - SORRY!) for not being on the musical "in", whatever that is, for so, so long.

Mirror reflection.

Just a day before that, I was in Wal-Mart with my kids, and I saw a package deal, Season 1 and Season 2 of The X-Files, on for $16.99. I remember when the X-Files hit way back in the early to mid-1990s, and I had a lot of good folks recommend it to me. Because I am like I am (well, I've been working on it since), I resisted, then, in getting caught up in something about which everyone else raved, even though, when hearing about the episodes and arc, I knew I'd like it. Over the years, I've caught a few X-Files shows in syndication, and I've always gotten wrapped up in them when I've watched. Since the syndicated shows I watched were at 1 a.m., however, it made it hard to keep up a steady diet. Plus, there was no chronology in the shows I watched. A few had Mulder and Scully, but others had Scully and Doggett and then Doggett and someone else, and then I couldn't figure out what all had taken place. Anyway, to make a short story that I've made longer but am trying to rectify that from the rambling mess of where this post could go, I bought The X-Files Season 1/Season 2. I'm five episodes into Season 1 and, of course, am hooked. All the accolades, at least to this point in my watching, seem well-deserved. And it just makes me think, what in the world was I thinking back in time when other folks, people I trusted and that knew me, told me that I'd love The X-Files? Not hard to see that it was, once again, pride. On the scale of things, I'm fortunate that watching a TV show isn't a big deal, so this time, my pride hurting me is just looking silly for starting to watch a TV show now that I could have been "in on" sixteen years ago. No real harm. Unfortunately, and as an aside, my pride has, believe it or not, reared it's smirky face in other, BIGGER, instances, for real harm - but maybe those another time. And maybe not.

For now, if anyone is a fan of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers or The X-Files, you're welcome to crack on me and/or Ken for being so out of the loop for no good reason. You can especially crack on Ken, because my feelings get hurt easily. I like giving, but taking's not really my thing, if that's okay ;). Nah, I'm kidding, give me what you got!

OR! You could take a higher road, and share some of either your TP or X-File insight with us.

OR! Even better, you could join in my lament on living in the past, having to catch up to the present, and hardly ever glimpsing the future. What are some of the "in"-type things, that you're trying and/or might like now, that were more popular back then. Hopefully, not wearing plaid golfer pants (I've still got enough pride in me to scoff at you if you're doing that, and scoff I will).

AND! Just so everyone realizes I'm not sociopathic without a conscience, the moral I've learned from all this, because it's so very important to apply life lessons correctly, is this:

DON'T EVER LAUGH AT KEN. NEVER. NOT EVER.
NOT FOR ANY REASON AT ALL.

Lights Out

A moment of silence in The Realm. After 72 years, Guiding Light has called it quits. What started as a 15-minute serial radio show that expanded to 30, and took its soapy camp to TV in 1952, and finally over time went to an hour... well, it's done.

Maybe someone would like to say a few words? If I actually ever watched it, perhaps I could eulogize it better. I didn't, though.

As far as you know.

Television With and Without Pity

The snarky Television Without Pity (TWoP) has put out it's Fall lists, so let's run through a few of these, shall we?

Because it's the most fun, let's hit the Worst New Shows first. Take a look at the link because I won't be listing but a few. Still, take a gander of a few of the gems on this list:

Melrose Place: I saw on MSN that Heather Locklear had signed on. She's not in the pic they have up, and I doubt she could save this one. Well, save it in my eyes, I mean. Somehow, 90210 the 2nd is still on TV.

The Vampire Diaries: I guess this is Twilight the TV show. Vampires are the rage right now, so maybe it has a chance. It'll have to take that chance sans Rich. I won't be watching.

Accidentally on Purpose: When I saw a preview of this show, I thought it was a Big Bang Theory knockoff. Unfortunately, reading about it, it sounds worse.

Eastwick: Didn't like the movie, Witches of Eastwick, so can't imagine watching or enjoying a second-rate version.

Mercy: What?! A show about a hospital? What an ingenious idea! Man, I wish I could be the one who thinks of these things. This is the reason I still work in Contracts.

Hank: Kelsey Grammar is back, apparently fired from his job and living with hillbillies in Virginia. Does that mean Washington DC?

Gotta think I'm with TWoP on these and the others it lists as the awfuls. Can't imagine watching any of them

Looking at brighter concepts, let's now skim through what TWoP considers the Best New Shows. Again, I won't be listing all of these, and you could certainly find a winner for yourself in the ones I don't mention (like, I'm not going to mention Glee).

Community: Does anyone remember Chevy Chase? I think they've got him teaching law here. The premise of this show gives it a chance, but I'm not sure how long it'll keep the attention.

The Good Wife: Probably not my type of show, but Julianna Margulies was very good in her run on ER, and Chris Noth seems to fit the smarmy, politician type to a tee. It has potential.

Cougar Town: Okay, I'm boycotting this one on title alone. Cougar Town? Cougar Town. Courteney Cox is in it. A divorced wife moving on. TWoP says it's funny and works. Okay.

FlashForward: Don't know anything about this one except the whole humna race suffers a blackout for two minutes, and everyone gets a glimpse of their future. Heard a preview on that.

V: COUNT ME IN!!! The '80s miniseries with the lizard aliens revamped, and Morena Baccarin (from the awesome Firefly) stars! Abso-BANNERMAN-lutley!!!

Like I said, take a look at some of the others. Maybe there's a new show you might find interesting enough to let it garner 30 minutes or an hour of your life each week.

And then TWoP discusses it's Best and Worst Returning Shows for if Fall 2009 TV Preview.

90210 - Worst: Melrose Place we've already discussed. Must we go on with this tripe?

One Tree Hill - Worst: Gone are Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton. I thought those two were the reasons people watched this show.

Bones - Worst: TWoP really likes this show, but they're penalizing it for it's lame finale. Along with The Mentalist, these are my dad's favorite TV shows. Bones shouldn't be listed as a "Worst", but then, I don't think it's a "Best", either.

Fringe - Best: I've always been interested about this show but never found the time to watch. Has anyone ever seen it?

The Office - Best: After a bit of a lapse, last season was good, and this season has the potential to be better. Certainly one of the best sit-coms of the 2000s.

Parks and Recreation - Worst: This show is another that shouldn't be listed as a "Worst" but isn't anywhere close to a "Best".

Dollhouse - Best: Josh Whedon's association alone is probably enough to for me to say this is a watchable show; however, I've never seen it. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Curb Your Enthusiasm: - Best: It's back, and this time with some Seinfeld characters. Because it's on HBO, I don't get to see this one, but I did see some of the old shows, and some were really funny.

The Big Bang Theory - Best: We can all just say we like this one. It's been mentioned before here at The Realm.

Castle - Best: Nate Fillion (that's right, Firefly, once again) does the heavy lifting on this one. I watched my first Castle the other night, and I enjoyed it.

Heroes - Worst: Year One of Heroes - great. Year Everything Else - real, real bad. Convoluted. Too bad. I had such hopes.

House - Best: Hugh Laurie is simply magnificent. But then, if you don't see it now, is there a show that's in syndication more than House? It's the new Law and Order of re-runs.

How I Met Your Mother - Best: I've heard this show is funny. Never seen it.

Grey's Anatomy - Worst: I love TWoP for saying stuff like this. Thank you.

The Mentalist - Best: Not my favorite - my dad's favorite. Take that for what it's worth.

Smallville - Worst: Sometimes, the best shows hold on too long.

Desperate Housewives - Worst: Again, thank you, TWoP.

So many I didn't list, but hopefully you get something out of what I did. Check out TWoP here and there. Some of their recaps are hilarious, if you're into that sort of reading. It's not for everyone; certainly not for kids.

Lastly, before I go, is there anything good you're watching right now? I've watched a couple episodes of Warehouse 13, and the jury's still out for me. Also, Royal Pains season finale is Thursday, and that show has been fun, although it ranks # 3 on USA for me after Psych and Burn Notice. [Late Addition: I've also watched Merlin a couple times on Sunday nights, and that's been kind of fun to explain to my kids.]

Tell me what you think is good, bad, and completely unwatchable.

Today Is the Greatest...

...Day I've Ever Known.

Because today, I'm not going to have a single thought. Last night, after analyzing all the hows and whys and whichevers of what makes a good blog post, I've decided that today I'm not going to think at all... instead, I'm going to write to the lowest common denominator. I'm writing a post about Dancing With the Network Stars.

(KNOCK. KNOCK.)

("what's that Mom?" "just Dancing with the Stars?" "no, I'm sure I have it right." "mom, please, can I have some peace here in your basement?")

Sorry, er, that was the plumb... er, repair man. Leaky drain pipe. Now, what was I saying. Oh, yeah, the Dancing Stars.

The show that forced my Miami Dolphins to trade Jason Taylor (pictured above to the right), a certain Dolphin Ring-of-Famer and borderline guy for the NFL Hall of Fame. Jason Taylor came in second, or so I hear, on the show, which, as is well-chronicled here in The Realm, is the first place loser! Notwithstanding the 1-15 season we endured two years ago, we Miami Dolphin fans don't accept losing. So, yes, we shipped him off to the Washington Redskins. At least we received a pair of draft choices for him from the 'Skins. And with those draft choices, I think we got Tom Delay and a bag of nickels. I don't have high hopes for DeLay, here. But if he doesn't pull out a first, we'll be trading him this year... probably for a couple of old-time James Bonds if we can manage, Roger Moore or Tim Dalton. If we can't get that, maybe an old Jacques Cousteau? Peter Sellers or David Niven...

(KNOCK. KNOCK.)

("what's is it now, Mother?" "what? Niven and Sellers passed away some time ago?" "no, I'm sure that's not right." "seriously, Mom, I'm in the middle of something crucial here, and plus, I don't want people knowing that I'm, you know, here... thank you")

Okay, maybe we'll just get some actor who played in the movie, Murder by Death.

Anyway, getting back on track, Dances with Stars -- let's take a look at the players, dancers, I mean, and I think it's pretty evident that we can go ahead and say who's going to win the whole kit-and-kaboodle, shindiggin' jamboree.

Let's start with the aforementioned Tom DeLay. I think we all know by now that Democrats are just cooler than Republicans. The secret is, for the men, they wear boxers, not briefs. Far more comfortable for dancing. Not that I know, but I just think it's self-evident. As for the Republicans, who is the last Republican that could dance? Orrin Hatch? I don't think so. DeLay is out.

Kelly Osbourne. I just don't see it in the cards. It's genetics. Now, if we were having a Bite the Head Off a Bat with the Stars, I'm thinking she'd have a leg up. Dancing? Not so much.

Who in the name of all that is Hollywood is Mark Dacascos? Can the network afford for the Chairman of the Iron Chef to win? In other words, are you watching the show all the way through if Mark Dacascos is the favorite?

(KNOCK. KNOCK.)

("Mom, please." "Mark Dacascos is a good-looking hunk? does anyone in the 21st century use the word hunk, ma?" "no, I'm sure they don't" "okay, okay, I'll say it if you leave me alone.")

Um, this guy Dacascos, I think he's got a shot.

I saw Macy Gray dance when she was singing in Spider-Man, right before the Green Goblin flew in stealing her limelight. The look she had on her face at that point tells me all I need to know. She'll be okay, but she certainly won't have enough.

Chuck Liddell. Wimp.

Isn't Melissa Joan Hart the chick that does the interviews with Joan Rivers on the red carpet? I might have that mixed up. However, if those two are friends, I'm thinking a lot of plastic surgery. And I just can't help but think that doesn't translate into good dancing. Think about Stiffler's mother in The Cinderella Story movie, where she was always getting botox. You think she could dance? Well, then, how could Melissa Joan?

And then there's Louie Vito, the snowboarder. You know what? I think he can probably dance. But the guy's 5'5" - at least I saw that somewhere, probably wikipedia, so I've got it backed up. Is America, a land rife with heightism, ready for a guy that short to win it's premiere dancing competition? Would Herve Villech... um, Tattoo from Fantasy Island have won a subjective dancing contest? Methinks not.

How about Natalie Coughlin? She's cute, a swimmer, so you know she's down for the training involved for all the dance routines. She reminds me of Kathy Ireland, who would certainly be someone people would want to see in a contest like this.

(KNOCK. KNOCK.)
("sigh. Mom, what?" "Kathy Ireland's in Dancing with Stars this year?" "no, they wouldn't. are you sure?" "thanks for letting me know, mommie")

Natalie's out.

Back in the '70s, when the Jackson 5 and The Osmonds were competing like they were on a dance contest show, Donnie Osmond could dance. Let's face it, he's a little bit rock 'n roll. Sitting around the $25,000 Pyramid, however, is no way to keep in dance shape. Twenty years later, could he possibly be better? No.

Speaking of let's face it. Joanna Kruppa is in the final three right now. For any guy that's watching the show -- I hate to say we're that shallow, but, and I can't emphasize this enough, we are -- she's a draw. Like they say in the NCAAs, the real BIG DANCE, she'll be a tough out.

On one of my birthdays years ago at my office, all the girls at work put up pictures of all the NSYNC, Brittany Spears, Backstreet Boys, 99 Degrees, all those acts all around my office with a boom box pounding out some manufactured manure from one of those acts, because they knew how much I hated them. I remember there was a picture of Aaron Carter. He must have been in the embryonic stage then. But there he was on my wall. On general principle, he's a goner.

Entourage is all the rage. And I've never seen a show. I really wouldn't know Debi Mazar from Little Debbie. And I'm sure I like Little Debbie's food better. While I shouldn't count out a person just because I don't know who they are, in this case, I don't know what else to do. Sorry, Debi. Good luck with Entourage.

(KNOCK. KNOCK.)
("I'm almost out, Mom, can it wait?" "no, Mom, Entourage is not one of those filthy shows on Cinemax. It's on HBO." "no, I'm sure it's fine for kids. Kevin Dillon is in it. Remember him from that movie Heaven Help Us. He was hilarious as Rooney. Yeah, Andrew McCarthy was in it, too. That was a great movie for kids, right?" "ouch! ouch! Mom get outta here.")

The token NFL castoff for the show this year is Michael Irvin. Haven't we been here before with Emmitt Smith? Now, I'm not saying Michael can't dance. He was in South Florida, for crying out loud, and they dance there in Coconut Grove and South Beach. And I'm sure in some of the Dallas clubs, Michael was shakin' it. But I can't get past this one thing. Unless Michael Irvin shaves off that cheesy mustache, he has no hope. Image is everything in this one. Michael is a no-go.

Ashley Hamilton is the son George Hamilton, who as we know was Zorro the Gay Blade as well as Count Vladimir Dracula in Love at First Bite, where, he liked the night life, he liked to boogie, on the disco heiiiii-iiiiiiiights, oh yeah. Also, he was Evel Knievel in Evel Knievel back in '71. Using the same logic as we did with Kelly Osbourne, Ashley's got a chance.

Also with a good chance is Mya, since Mya is a dancer and R&B Singer. If life were fair, she should and would win. Life's not fair. She won't. It'll be an upset, but she won't.

Kathy Ireland. Supermodel. Supermother. Model-turned-mogul: furniture queen and clothing empress. Superactre... uh, just actress. Author. And World Champion of Battle of the Network Stars. I mean, Dancing with the Stars. She's your winner. Write it down.

(KNOCK. KNOCK.)

("Mom, I've told you for the last time?" "what? no, I don't know any Chuck Lidde... Chuck! oh hey, Chuck! love your work..." "no, no way. I would never. Never call you a wimp. Ever." "no! Mom! I didn't say that." "no, Chuck, I'm begging. Please! Ooowwww! Aiiieeee! Arrrrrrrgggggggh!" CRAAAAASSSSH!!!)

[Service announcement from blogger: We apologize for technical difficulties here at this blog site, but The Realm of Possibility has been closed until further notice until Rich comes out of his coma.]

DWTS !!

The blockbuster cast for the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars has been announced.

Line-up with pictures included.

That is all.

Your Worst Inhibitions Tend to PSYCH You Out in the End

One day and counting! TOMORROW 10:00 p.m., 9:00 CST, Psych, Season 4, begins. I'll make these short and sweet -- my Top 10 reasons Psych is my favorite TV show:


10) Great episode names: Granted this isn't a real reason to watch the show, but if you have the DVDs and see the episode names, sort of like Seinfeld, you can relate to them by name because they stick out --

Tuesday the 17th
Black and Tan: A Crime of Fashion
Gus Walks into a Bank
There's Something about Mira
Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead
Spellingg Bee
Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast

Because of this familiarity, they touch a little closer to home when you're laughing about them with friends.

9) Corbin Bernsen works as Shawn's dad. The obsessive cop who trained his son to be hyper-observant and let Shawn live with all his misconceptions of his parents' divorce so not to soil his thoughts of his mother - this has led to a rocky yet touching relationship between the pair that grows as the serial comedy goes along. A great side story.

8) Rewatchability of the episodes. I've got all three seasons on DVD, and there's no episode I wouldn't watch and laugh at a second, third, and fourth time.

7) The scenes where Shawn and Gus run away chicken. About two or three times each season, something happens that scares the pants off of our two heroes, and they just take off running. Those scenes are so laugh out loud funny, I almost wish there were more. But that would spoil it and make them predictable. It's great how it is.

6) Maggie Lawson as Juliet O'Hara - She wasn't in the pilot episode, but bringing her on was a stroke of genius. She's cute, perky, just believable enough in a cop role, and perfect for Shawn's love interest.

5) And since I've brought up Jules, the new twist that brought Rachael Leigh Cook in as Shawn's old flame, Abigail - the one that got away in high school - has made for a really good love triangle. I hope the show continues this for a little while. The sub-plot of Shawn and Jules attraction has been well played, and this little addition makes a nice turn. We'll see how it goes, but I'm looking forward to it.

4) The show doesn't take itself too seriously. This is pretty much true of all the USA shows, and that's probably a reason I like nearly every show. Monk's my least favorite, but it started in the right vein of not trying to be a hard-boiled cop show. Some of the characters are caricatures (like Lassie in Psych), but eventually they show human sides. Burn Notice and Royal Pains also do a very good job of this, and they're even more serious shows. I think In Plain Sight is the one that takes itself the most seriously, and it doesn't totally, but because of that, I think it suffers. Psych doesn't at all. It's not supposed to be reality, but you can suspend your belief because it works well enough as a dramedy and the fringe benefits are fantastic.

3) My kids love it. Now, not everything in every episode is kid-friendly, and sometimes I have to pause the DVD episodes and fast forward because of some innuendoes or a little too much kissing or spending the night. However, most episodes are pretty family-friendly, at least for a watcher like me.

2) All the 80s and pop culture references. The show is so loaded with them, it's hard to pick any out without just overflowing. The new commercial where the lady asks Shawn if he believes in Karma is a perfect example. Shawn's witty reply: "Of course, I do. I'm a Karma Chameleon." And Gus chips in with, "We come and go." I think my favorite might have been in Tuesday the 17th, which was an excellent spoof on the horror movies in the Friday the 13th genre, where Shawn, who was jealous of Gus' relationship as a kid with Joey Cunningham and now they're grown, states, "My least favorite tag team of all team." And Clive, a camp counselor, retorts, "Really, with the Iron Shiek and Nikolai Volkov on the table." (Those were pro wrestler villians, if you didn't know.) Not missing a beat, Shawn remarks, "You came up with that reference? Wow!" It's chalk full of these sorts of references, and they.are.hilarious.

1) The relationship, repoire, and banter between Shawn and Gus. I haven't seen better chemistry between two actors in any show... ever. They are hilarious together, touching sometimes, meaningful at others, you know they love each other as friends, and they work together on their cases so well. These are the roles James Roday and Dule' Hill will be remembered for forever. And that's gonna be a GREAT legacy for the two of them.

Psych is awesome!!! I love it! Watch it tomorrow! Is there anything else I can say?

Laugh Out Loud Movie Lines

Give me any laugh out loud movie or TV lines you can think up off the top of your head... or if any come to you later. Some of my favs:

1) Several in The Princess Bride
-- "Why are you smiling, then?" "I am not left-handed."
-- "You think you're smart?" "Let me put it to you this way... ever heard of Aristotle, Socrates, Plato?" "Yes." "Morons."
-- "My name in Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, now prepare to die." "Would you stop saying that?"
-- "What about the ROUSes?" "Rodents of unusual size? I don't believe they exist." CRASH!

2) In Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: "Those aren't pillows!"

3) A Fish Called Wanda, "Oh no! It's K-K-K-Ken c-c-coming to k-k-kill me."

4) Lots from Monty Python and the Holy Grail but I'll just list three
-- "One, two, five! No three!"
-- "Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot. He was not afraid to die, oh brave Sir Robin. He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways, brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin. He was not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp, or to have his eyes gouged out, and his elbows broken. To have his kneecaps split, and his body burned away, and his limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Sir Robin. His head smashed in and heart cut out, and his liver removed, and his bowels unplugged, and his nostrils raped and his bottom burned off and his penis... " "That's, uh, that's enough music for now, lads... looks like there's dirty work afoot."
-- "You only killed the bride's father, you know." "Well, I didn't mean to." "Didn't mean to? You put your sword right through his head." "Oh dear... is he all right?"

5) And then, this isn't a line from a movie, but it's a line from my younger of two sons that I had taken to Iron Man on the first day it opened with a packed theater. You might remember when Tony Stark starts a back and forth convo with the gorgeous reporter from Vanity Fair magazine. Next thing you know, they're rolling in the sack. Anyway, my son, Davis, seven at the time, yells out in the theater, "Dad, what are they doing?!" And the theater had been quiet, like it gets when folks are making out and about to do the deed. A bunch of folks around us just broke out laughing. All I said, which brought even more laughs, was "Wrestling, Davis! Now close your eyes!"

Okay, your turn!

Infomercialicious (including all $19.95/$9.95 Commercials)

Back in the neophytic heyday of The Realm of Possibility, one of the authors of this blog -- I'm not sure whether or not it was the talented one -- put up easily one of our Top 100 posts ever, that being Commercialicious. Okay, maybe it just got squeaked out of the Top 100, but it's doubtless in the Top 200 of our all-time posts.

Harkening back to golden days of yore, when we had a following at least seventeen (or sixteen or twelve or for sure at least one) times (or time) as large as the one we have now, I thought it was time to put up its ugly, red-headed, step-cousin (not that I'm an advocate of uglyredheadedstepcousinism -- I'm most emphatically NOT!!!): Infomercialicious.

However, this time, I'm not throwing out a list of 20 infomercials. I'm not giving anything but a couple to start us off and then it's up to all Realm denizens to fill up the comments with record numbers. That's right, this time, I'm actually going to try to engage the audience, especially any of the anonymouses out there. Just name one infomercial that you've seen per comment, and along with infomercials, let's add any of those commercials for product not available in stores that has an actual retail value of $6,749. 50 but you can get it if you call now for two installments of $19.95, and if you call in the next ten minutes, they'll throw in the Swiss Army Knife made in Greece and they'll cut the first payment to $9.95. You know the ones.

Alright all you Kevin Trudeaus out there, get all your Time/Life infomercials ready. Here are my first two:

1) Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special

2) The Perfect Push-up, created by Alden Mills (pictured right)

Let me hear 'em!

Bent Notice

Now, see, here we go. My favorite show on TV, and here goes the lead actor, Jeffrey Donovan, getting arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, failing a sobriety test, and taking a mug shot that makes him look like just received his burn notice. Wasn't all too long ago that 24 was my favorite show, and it was Keifer Sutherland with the mug shot. Whew, good thing sports stars, rock musicians, and politicians are my role models rather than Hollywood actors.

Anyhoo, hopefully, it's not going to happen with my other favorite show. I'd hate to have to see the mug shots of these guys half-sloshed:





Anyway, my dad sent me the "Booze Notice" e-mail, and his one-liner was kind of classic:

Spies aren't supposed to get caught.

Knock, knock, knock...Rich. Knock, knock, knock...Rich. Knock, knock, knock... Rich. Knock, knock, knock... Rich. Knock, knock, knock... Rich.

(Ed. note: OK, THAT'S TOO COOL!! Sorry for shouting, but thanks to Milly I just found www.sheldonshirts.com. It's very exciting. They have links to all the online retailers for the tshirts worn by Sheldon and Leonard on the show. Merry Christmas to me. BTW, is my geek showing?)

Since we're already two seasons in, this may be a tad gauche. But since I've always been known for my devil-may-care Errol Flynn-type audacity, here goes anyway. I love me some Big Bang Theory.

(And no, in case you're wondering. This is not like Rich's unhealthy obsession with alternative country song lyrics or the the show 24.)

I love me some Sheldon, some Leonard, some Penny, some Raj, and some Howard. But especially some Sheldon.

I think it may be that I just relate more to his character. In all probability either because we're both geniuses or because both of us are tall, suave, Southern boys. At any rate, if you don't know what I'm talking about right now, run don't walk to the Netflix link on the sidebar and move The Big Bang Theory Season 1 to the top of the queue.

I was a late convert myself. There, I admitted it. But don't continue to make the same mistake I did. It wouldn't wear as well on you, trust me. From the show's title to its closing credits, the mirth and mayhem will keep you in stitches no matter which episode you are watching or which character you find most relatable.

Occam's razor suggests that we shouldn't analyze this further. However, if you're a fellow BBT fan, I'll indulge your secret need to share personal thoughts in a public forum using an impersonal technology, and we can discuss what makes this show so great while everyone else is left ostracized and puzzled by our witty banter.

Hey, someone in Kuala Lumpur just made popcorn in my microwave!

Late Nights at The Office

My latest guilty pleasure is the relatively new NBC TV show: The Office.

Sure, it's another American rip-off of a BBC creation. But there's something about their combination moronic/ irreverent/ mockumentary style that makes milk come out my nose one moment and makes me cringe the next. And I'll pay good money for that experience any day of the week.

I've purchased and watched the entire original BBC version (only 12 episodes and a special) starring Ricky Gervais as David Brent as well as the first two seasons of the American version starring Steve Carell as Michael Scott. Both actors bring their own brilliance to the endearingly pathetic regional manager role, and the supporting casts of both series are frighteningly accurate in their quirky portrayals, too.

I highly recommend both series. And apparently the BAFTAs and EMMYs agree.

For a sneak peek at some of the episodes, try these links at Youtube.com.

Just remember to enjoy with paper towels handy if you're drinking milk.

Battle of the Presidents

Who are you voting for in the next election?












And why was the guy on the left giving some speech on Monday pre-empting the usual television shows, when we all know that President Charles Logan, the absolute worst president in the history of the United States of America rivaled by only the late former President David Palmer and his administration, was "leading" the country down the tubes and into terrorist' hands in the latest day-long crisis that's come up, since that's the disaster we've all been tuned into?

Agent Aaron Pierce Upholding the Namesake

On last week's 24, the previews to next week's episode shows the return of our favorite thin-lipped secret service agent, that being, of course, Agent Aaron Pierce. Perhaps, if anyone else out there watches the show (if not, what a misappropriate post this is, but then, I fall into that trap all the time, don't I?) you thought he was dead as characters on this drama, aside from Jack Bauer, have a way of finding themselves literally breathless more often than not. And ~ chances are, he will die... but not yet he hasn't. Since he shares my same last name, albeit the show producers like all my school teachers growing up, have spelled his name wrong, I have a particular affection for the fellow. Obviously, the name should be Agent Aaron "Pearce," the properly phonetic Welsh spelling of the name, and henceforth on this post, Aaron Pearce it shall be.

Being as how I'm an expert on the name of "Pearce" and in the field of Pearce-knowledge, I just wanted to let you guys know how well, or not, our favorite SSA is upholding the namesake.

On the positive side, just coming up like he did from basically a White House go-fer in the David Palmer administration to becoming President Palmer's Chief of the Secret Service Agent Staff of America and All Over the World, that's pretty good and, without a doubt, resembles something a Pearce might well do. Also, as we noted in next week's previews, Agent Pearce is a glutton for punishment when he's loyal to a cause. Under no uncertain terms, bloody-faced and all, he calls out the evil-weasel-and-near-suicide-victim-except-for-a-saving-phone-call-from-the-one-person-who-may-rival-the-evil-weasel-President's-evil-weaselness, that being President Charles Logan, as a, well, let me quote, "You're a disgrace to the Office of the President!" Very, very Pearce-like, I have to say. The best and most Pearcealian attribute our good agent has is the ventiloquist-like talent to talk without hardly at all moving his ultra thin lips. Not that thin lips are a notable quality of Pearces, but we certainly say a lot of stuff without moving our lips, or at least we try. "What'd you call me?" I ask my brother. "My lips didn't move. I didn't say nothin'," he'll respond. Oh, but I heard it. No mistaking that word. So, yes, Agent Aaron Pearce has some quality Pearce attributes that add to the reality of the show for me.

Aaaaaaah, but on the downside, there's the whole subtle, covert, seemingly platonic romance between our fair agent and the First Lady. Now, this is something the nation doesn't need to see. I'm not saying a Pearce might not experience some kind of romantic attraction for a President's wife - although that certainly hasn't been my experience - but this? This??? If it wasn't for Mike Novak coming in and catching Agent Pearce and Mrs. Logan holding hands earlier in the season, I'm fairly sure the viewing audience would have been subjected to a excruciatingly nauseous make-out session between the two, which, no doubt, would have reminded us all of Henry Fonda asking Katherine Hepburn, in On Golden Pond, "You wanna dance or suck face?" Uh, please dance. Good thing there's Novak, huh? Redirecting Agent Pearce. Sometimes we Pearces need to be reminded just exactly what our job is. "Is your job dropping moves on the First Lady or is it being in charge of everything Secret Service from now until the end of time - or at least your time as you're likely to die sooner or later on this show?" Methinks it's the latter.

Speaking of which, I probably need to be doing my job in getting to work.

On a more serious note, I sorta think here in The Realm, despite all my best intentions and former posts, there are a "ton more people" (a relative phrase meaning: about 5 of the 6 of us) watching American Idol than there are viewing 24. Which is a royal shame. If you wanted to listen to gray-haired men or men with shaved heads sing, me and Ken, respectively of course although Ken's head isn't shaved all the way even after the worst of his haircuts, could sing for you and save you the trouble. Meanwhile, you wouldn't be wasting your time if it was well spent watching the best TV show of our lifetimes, notwithstanding Seinfeld. So, so sad... what's a matter with these kids today? (Not that I want to sound patronizing or condescending to subjects of The Realm, but I guess I just did.)

So lemme just ask this if any of you read this far: Do any of you guys know who or what I'm talking about at all?

Blimey, They’ve Ripped-off Me Reality

Reality TV has been going strong now for a number of years. And though many readers are too sophisticated for this “mindless voyeurism”, or at least would like everyone to think them too sophisticated, I’ll freely admit that I’ve been sucked in on occasion. The recently-completed The Bachelor:Paris and Dancing with the Stars are examples.

I’m sure many columns, articles, and clinical studies have been done to explain the phenomenon and the psychology behind it. Wikipedia (a site Rich loves to cite) even has a pretty detailed encyclopedic entry on the genre’s history, rightfully acknowledging the debt that reality TV owes to Allen Funt and his creation Candid Camera.

But what has recently struck me is how little creative credit American producers can claim despite the incredible amount of air time that reality shows in this country demand. And how utterly dependent this cultural shift has been on Britain in particular.

While this post focuses on the example of reality TV, I fear that this may also be indicative of a trend in mainstream literature, music, and other artistic outlets. And I'm not talking about quality (or perceived quality), just originality. Where’s the American ingenuity? Have we become so bottom-line conscious and sure-thing oriented that there is no longer any room for tasteful, creative risk taking? Or have we always been this way, and I’ve only just figured it out? Anyway, back to the reality show example.

An article on realitytvworld.com describes our copy-cat behavior thusly:

“The reality TV invasion from Europe continues unabated. CBS's Survivor is adapted from the Swedish show Expedition: Robinson; Fox's American Idol is a clone of the British smash Pop Idol (complete with judge Simon Cowell); CBS's Big Brother comes from the Netherlands by way of Britain ... even Fox's Paradise Hotel comes from Britain. Now The Guardian reports that ABC is ready to go forward with the smash hit British show Wife Swap, which we reported in January was in the casting process.”

Noted culture watchtower, tvbarn.com also observes:

“BBC America, which launched in 1998, has become known for airing a seemingly endless string of popular British reality shows. Changing Rooms inspired American knockoffs such as Trading Spaces and Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Other series like What Not to Wear and gardening show Ground Force have been copied by American reality producers as well.”

The Dancing with the Stars show which I mentioned above also traces its roots to the British-born Strictly Come Dancing, even importing two of its judges from the English show.

Other shows like SuperNanny and Whose Line is it Anyway? also come quickly to mind.

And unfortunately, after you’ve seen the British originals, the American versions reek even more of stilted, staged rip-off rather than insight into reality of any kind. At tv.zap2it.com, producer Stephen Lambert describes his take on this observation:

“"A lot of British reality programming comes out of a documentary tradition," he says, "whereas a lot of American reality television comes out of a game-show tradition. I used to work for the BBC, and I used to make documentaries for 16 years. The big development for us was coming up with what we called 'formatted documentaries,' which is using the same skills as documentaries, but creating a situation which obviously wouldn't exist if you hadn't created it.

"Having created it, you very much let it run its own course. It's not overly produced. There's a great emphasis on our shows of capturing spontaneity and authenticity, whereas I think a lot of American reality shows are much more about producing each of the moments to such an extent that people often don't seem very authentic or spontaneous."”

Of course maybe I should just shut up, subscribe to BBC America, and start pitching NFL Footballers Wives to network execs over here.

British Television
Reality TV

Rank Jerry or No Soup for You!

TV.com has a top episodes of Seinfeld list with which I have a problem. Well, my life problems continue pouring out over this blog, I realize, but this one's serious. Of their Top 10, only 3 or 4 are really top tenners in my book.

So, let me ask regents of The Realm to rank their own Top Ten Seinfeld episodes (which should take a lot less time than me compiling yet another lousy Top Ten list). To get more info on each one: tv.com spells it out for you in their Episode List, all nine years and the pilot. Here are mine, without my usual Top Ten rhetoric underlying why I feel so:

10) The Rye
9) The Fusilli Jerry
8) The Parking Garage
7) The Chinese Restaurant
6) The Junior Mint
5) The Sponge
4) The Puffy Shirt
3) The Marine Bilogist
2) The Soup Nazi
1) The Contest

Trying to really put these in order is tough (but fun), so if you'd rather just throw out the ten you remember most fondly, that's fine too. There are so many great ones, it's hard to narrow it down. And there are so many more Seinfeld sayings and Seinfeld moments that could make this post go on for close to ever. I'll stop here, but you can continue it on.

Note: Also worth noting is that the majority of people think that Seinfeld never jumped the shark.

Seinfeld

This Man Couldn't Handle Being President of the "Rich Pearce Fan Club"

(And that's a club of no more than one, I assure you.)

I just want to make sure that it's known that this man is the worst President of the United States, bar none. Really, there's no comparison. "Carter? Nixon?" you suggest. Both of them rip this man to shreds. Every one of you out there should go to bed deathly afraid knowing that all of our fates hinge on this man's decisions. Have a peaceless night. Say your prayers, and pray a lot. With Charles Logan leading the United States of America, every 24 hours is a crisis.

24

Bauer Power

With my fanaticism over the show "24," it started me wondering why Jack Bauer is so fascinating to me. After a bit of introspection, and too much reveling about the character, I think I have some of the profile, but then I wonder why, as a Christian, I am so drawn to that profile. Here's what I came up with about why Jack's my favorite character on TV in quite some time:

First, Jack doesn't believe he can be redeemed. He reminds me of another character I really like, that of Creasy (played by Denzel Washington) in the 2004 film, Man on Fire (a remake, I believe). In that show, there's a dialogue exchange by Creasy and his old friend, Rayburn, played by Christopher Walken. Mostly paraphrasing from memory, it was:

Rayburn: Do you think God will forgive us for what we've done?
Creasy: No.

Creasy's so tortured by his past, and Jack has that same fallen image of himself. As a patriot in the deepest sense of the word, where does that leave him? Basically, everone else is worth saving, Americans especially, but himself -- and the terrorists. He carries that fallenness with him, yet he never projects it upon anyone else. Tony, Chase, Michelle, Chloe, Curtis. All these people have in some way or another commited the same sins as Jack, but he doesn't see it that way. And he doesn't want any of them to have to fall as he has, so unless it's a must for American security, then Jack is going to want to fly solo and do the hell-bound job himself. He's done it so many times now, he's addicted to it and loses a part of himself when he's not saving the U.S.A.

Second, Jack hates what he has to do, but he sees no other way to get his job done. Worse, he might be right here. This attribute affects his image of himself that I've already described above. Jack never tortures or maims for the sake of pain itself, but he never hesitates when saving the lives of Americans is on the line, either. Same with killing terrorists or their allies. In Bauer's semi-warped mindset, however, he crosses a morality line every time he has to do it. The line has never blurred with Jack; it's always been black and white. And he's crossed it and continues to cross it every time he repeats his actions. I remember at the end of one season, it was Season Two or Three, the very last scene at the end of 24 hours of hell was Jack getting into his car, laying his head on the steering wheel, and breaking down in tears. That's how the whole season ended... with Jack crying like a baby in his car. And it was perfect.

Third, I've mentioned it above, but pure, unbridled patriotism is a huge reason for the love we give Jack. As the children of citizens, especially before my generation but even into it, we were taught that it means something, really everything, to be an American. The Pledge of Allegiance. God Bless America. Right or wrong in the hierarchy of our belief system, patriotism was rooted as of prime importance in our souls. Even as Christians where Christ IS our everything, it doesn't filter out that we're Americans, too, and really nor should it. Brave men and women have served in this country's armed forces for over 200 years. They've lived, died, and sacrificed for our freedoms. Jack sort of embodies the patriotism most of us hope that we have within us in some form or fashion. He has a loyalty to the cause of America that absolutely nothing can break. And he'll do anything - become addicted to heroin, kill, rob, cheat, steal, torture - for the patriotic cause he stands for and what his vision of America is. And those people who most define that vision in his eyes are the one's that he's most loyal to of all. He's endured everything for his cause, and we hope that in similar situation that we would do the same for God -- and then for country.

Lastly, Jack's human. He loves. He despises. He hurts. He's a father. He's a friend. He's an enemy. He errs. He regrets his mistakes. He atones for them. Although his humanity hardly ever trumps his loyalty, he's not some demi-god or mystical agent working for CTU. After his self-imposed drug addiction for the American cause, he fell prey to the drug a while. His decisions as a husband, lover, and father have rendered dire consequences on his life. We can see why people question Jack, and then we cheer when they come around to see his valor.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Since I don't watch that much TV, I'll refrain from tossing out absolutist statements like "Jack's the best character on television." But I've seen many episodes of many dramas. I've seen House, and I've watched some of the sit-coms, too. No one's as compelling as Jack to me. He's my favorite, by far.

Yeah, I'm not sure what this says about my Christian walk. My life is to take on Christ's, and aside from his loyalty to his cause, I don't see many parallels between Jesus and Jack. Yet, there are aspects of Bauer I wish I had. And for me, I can unequivocally state that watching the show has been profitable for me. Meanwhile, sometimes I just want somebody to shake Jack and get it through his thick skull that he is redeemable, but then, if they ever got it across it'd be the end of the show.

I'm going to keep watching "24," because if anything is, this is must-see TV. I'll take questions now.
24