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Explore Phoenix

RoJo — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:09:51 +0000

I’ll be traveling to Phoenix at the end of March, exploring a city that told me yesterday, in a commercial, to explore it. So I’m following orders. More coming.

Top 25 TV Shows: #25

Russ Davis — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:03:03 +0000

It’s time to get this countdown started in fine fashion: college slacker fashion from the guy that brought us The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up.

Undeclared
(Fox: September 25, 2001-March 12, 2002; 17 episodes)
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Carla Gallo, Charlie Hunnam, Monica Keena, Seth Rogen, Timm Sharp, Loudon Wainwright

At seventeen episodes, I’m fairly certain this is the shortest tenured show of the forty-five I’m putting on the list. Undeclared seems to be the classic cult TV show story: strong premise, with a unique show runner and a young cast that the network has no idea what to do with. In the end, Fox decided that enough was enough and canceled the series after fifteen episodes aired (the final two produced being available on the Complete Series box set).

Undeclared was Judd Apatow’s follow to Freaks and Geeks, which also only lasted a year back during the 1999-2000 season. It centers around a group of college freshmen living in a dorm and trying to find themselves in perhaps the final four years of true freedom and youth. Steven Karp (Baruchel) is an undeclared major, hoping to shed his high school geeky image. He immediately takes strides towards this by losing his virginity with floor mate Lizzie (Gallo), who is on the outs with older boyfriend Eric (Jason Segel). Steven tries to make a relationship with Lizzie but she wants nothing to do with him romantically. Steven’s other big plot was the constant presence of his father Hal (Wainwright), who was going through a mid-life crisis after his divorce.

The rest of the narrative follows the other floor mates as they navigate classes, social gatherings and personal relationships. Steven’s British roommate Lloyd (Hunnam) is a heart throb but his advice is chaotic at best. Lizzie’s roommate Rachel (Keena) initially feels homesick but quickly embraces the partying lifestyle and becomes a cohort in all of the schemes. Ron (Rogen) and Marshall (Sharpp) provide one liners and observations to the rest of the group.

To me, Undeclared serves as a great reminder of how carefree the first year of college can be. I miss those days, and though Apatow romanticizes the lifestyle (at least in the dorms) a little bit, he obviously wrote from personal experience. He painted characters that you knew right away. You were one of these characters or knew one very well.

It’s a shame that Fox didn’t really know what to do with this series because it had plenty of legs in it. Maybe Apatow would have better luck these days after his film success. Or maybe audiences would’ve embraced the series better on a cable network. We’ll never truly know what the future could’ve held for Undeclared, which has turned into a cult classic along the lines of Freaks and Geeks. What is certain that perhaps no other TV sitcom has been that real about spending your first year away from home (I mean, Saved by the Bell: The College Years had Bob Golic as an RA).

Top 25 TV Shows: HM

Russ Davis — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:18:39 +0000

Now that we’ve taken a look at ten shows that didn’t quite make the cut, the next step is to examine the shows which are RIGHT there but fall short of the Top 25 countdown.

Honorable Mention (#35-26) — These are the shows that made major contributions to the medium over the past ten years, no matter of the genre. They range from a sketch show to a show about a sketch show (warning, there are more of one of these in this countdown).

- Chappelle’s Show
(Comedy Central: January 22, 2003-July 23, 2006; 33 episodes)
Dave Chappelle was given his own sketch comedy and ran wild with it. Providing a unique humor with offbeat characters including Tyrone Biggums and Lil’ John, Chappelle would inspire a pop culture phenomenon with the phrase “I’m Rick James, bitch!” However, the show was cut short when Chappelle cited burn out and shut down production during the third season.

- Desperate Housewives
(ABC: October 3, 2004-present; 121 episodes)
They said that the primetime soap opera was dead with the cancellation of series like Dallas. However, Marc Cherry decided to take a new approach: female driven and full of dark comedy. The ladies of Wisteria Lane have long been a ratings hit, finishing no season outside of the Top 10 (this season, the series is ranked 11th). It’s also made a star out of Eva Longoria and finally brought long awaited success for Dana Delany.

- Grey’s Anatomy
(ABC: March 5, 2005-present; 112 episodes)
Sure, it isn’t ER, but it’s not trying to be either. Grey’s Anatomy capitalized on the steaminess of medical personal relationships, breeding the McDreamy/McSteamy craze. But it also showed a panache for writing medical disaster very well, with the primary case being the 2006 post-Super Bowl episode. It’s also already spawned one spinoff.

- House
(Fox: November 16, 2004-present; 120 episodes)
Continuing our medical drama string, House represents somewhat of a polar difference from Grey’s Anatomy. It centers on Hugh Laurie’s Gregory House, an unorthodox, cocky but brilliant doctor. Often called upon to diagnose medical mysteries, House does it his way. Featuring writing with a bite, House is the answer to when a doctor knows his patients says “You should see my doctor: he’s the best”.

- How I Met Your Mother
(CBS: September 19, 2005-present; 98 episodes)
So we all know that the formula is over done: boy meets girl of his dreams, falls in love after overcoming obstacles, and they start a life together. Boring, right? Well what about the journey to start that story? How about a show based on that? HIMYM is told in mostly a flashback format, and has provided plenty of pop culture references including “slap bet”. It also gave Neil Patrick Harris a stage after making a comeback in the 2004 stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Straight up, HIMYM is probably my favorite written sitcom of the 2000s.

- Malcolm in the Middle
(Fox: January 9, 2000-May 14, 2006; 151 episodes)
Malcolm in the Middle set about to tell the story of an intelligent kid trying to fit in the cruel world of middle school. Frankie Muniz played the sarcastic and observant Malcolm, trying to juggle his chaotic home life with his gifted intellect. At one point, it was watched by 20 million people, but sagging ratings affected its final few years on the air. But in the end, Malcolm will be infamous for being a show about trying to fit in, no matter how hard it may seem.

- One Tree Hill
(The WB/The CW: September 23, 2003-present; 142 episodes)
One Tree Hill premiered around the same time as its much more publicized rival, Fox’s The OC. But while the latter was shelved after four years, One Tree Hill has re-invented itself as more than a teen drama. Its ensemble cast has plenty of heart stopping drama for nearly seven full seasons. It has become a rock on the fledgling CW network, even though some didn’t feel it should’ve survived the WB/UPN merger. This is like…the smart but doesn’t try to be version of Dawson’s Creek.

- Scrubs
(NBC/ABC: October 2, 2001-present; 171 episodes)
Yes, there is another medical series on the countdown (the backdrop makes it a little easier to write about). However, this isn’t ER. It plays for the laughs, most of the time and tugs at your heart the rest. Following the lives of doctors John “JD” Dorian, Christopher Turk and Elliot Reid from their first day at Sacred Heart. Scrubs definitely has an interesting offscreen story to tell, having been canceled by NBC and then brought back by ABC for an eighth season. And then ABC renewed it for a ninth season, though that was never in the original plans. Perhaps it’s lasted too long. But the journey of coming to that conclusion has been an entertaining one.

- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
(NBC: September 18, 2006-June 28, 2007; 22 episodes)
I believe that Studio 60 has among the least amount of episodes of the 45 I’m profiling. However, those twenty-two were a finally crafted television series. Telling the behind the scenes stories that comprise a sketch comedy similar to Saturday Night Live, Aaron Sorkin penned a blend of drama and dark comedy, of not only performers but network brass. Some cited the immediate popularity of similarly themed 30 Rock as the death knell for Studio 60. If that’s true, at least we got a proper ending.

- That 70’s Show
(Fox: August 23, 1998-May 18, 2006; 200 episodes)
A teen comedy set in the late 70s world of Wisconsin, That 70’s Show blended funny writing with a red hot cast that became that way because of the show. The series created Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace and Mila Kunis as breakthrough stars. It brought success to character actors like Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp. Even though its spinoff, That 80’s Show, was an utter failure, the original has shown it will live forever in syndication.

Love a good sandwich

RoJo — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:42:59 +0000

Something most of you haven’t learned about yet, but will, is my love for sandwiches. I mean, I love ‘em. Who doesn’t? If you answered, “I don’t,” then you must go away. Yes, go away now. Go google ’sandwich hate group’ and enjoy your time in hell.

I’ve had all kinds of sandwiches in my twenty four years on earth. Chicken sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, grilled chicken sandwiches, and, um, crispy chicken sandwiches. I’ve had them all! From the brilliance that is a Chick Fil’A chicken sandwich, to the new masterpiece that is the McDonald’s premium crispy chicken sandwich (which, thankfully, isn’t crispy at all. Crispiness would ruin such a classic!) Someday, my dream is that other eateries across the world will begin making sandwiches. The more the merrier. Why leave all the greatness to McDonald’s and Arby’s?

I originally wanted to tell you about the greatest sandwich I’ve ever eaten, but why just talk about it when you can enjoy it yourself. You can find the beautiful beast at your local Walmart~!

Isn’t it beautiful. Turkey, cheese, and you can even find a similar version with chicken! It’s america in its finest form. Go out and enjoy yours today.

Reference: A real blog only about sandwiches. The bloggers photo account is apparently inactive. For shame.

Top 25 TV Shows of 2000s (Honorable Honorable Mention)

Russ Davis — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:27:55 +0000

With just a month away from the end of this decade, it’s time to get nostalgic. In some ways, television seemingly hit its peak and downfall in the past ten years. Broadcast shows have been tossed aside more and more for basic cable. Premium cable networks such as HBO and Showtime have started to flex their muscles. It’s a confusing time for producers, actors, network execs, advertising execs and viewers. But in the past ten years, there have been several shows that showed, during however long they were airing, they shouldn’t be forgotten.

With that in mind, I will spend the next few weeks counting down my picks for the Top 25 television series of 2000-2009. There needs to be a preface at this point. I am not saying that my opinion is the end all, be all. Lest you look at the first list and see that I haven’t seen quite a few well regarded series of this past decade, and you’ll realize that. I tried to be as objective as I could with this list. I didn’t just rank my favorite shows of the decade. I tried to keep in mind, the shows that took the nation by storm and left an imprint on pop culture. I also realize that as with a lot of lists like this, the nuts and bolts of the rankings could change depending on mood. This list was trying to best gauge the average spot I would choose the series in relation to the rest.

So all that aside, here we go…

Stuff that might have made my list, but I haven’t watched it: Angel, The Big Bang Theory, Boston Legal, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Burn Notice, The Closer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Damages, Deadwood, Dexter, Firefly, Flight of the Conchords, Heroes, In Treatment, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Monk, My Name is Earl, The Office (UK), Oz, The Practice, Pushing Daisies, Rescue Me, The Riches, The Shield, Six Feet Under, True Blood, Will & Grace

Honorable Honorable Mention (#45-36) — These are the shows that I’ll watch from time to time, and were memorable for various reasons this past decade, but don’t stick out as much as others (in alphabetical order).

- Cheap Seats (without Ron Parker)
(ESPN Classic: February 4, 2004-November 19, 2006; 77 episodes)
The Sklar brothers bring their own variaton of the MST3K format to forgotten or over the top sporting related events, including the National Spelling Bee and 1970s professional wrestling.

- Corner Gas
(CTV: January 22, 2004-April 13, 2009; 107 episodes)
“There’s not a lot going on” in Dog River, Saskatchewan but the quirky residents made this show a critical and fan favorite in the Great White North.

- Entourage
(HBO: July 18, 2004-present; 78 episodes)
A show all about Young Hollywood, Entourage taught us that there is plenty to love about show business. It also brought us Jeremy Piven on a consistent basis.

- Everybody Loves Raymond
(CBS: September 13, 1996-May 16, 2005; 210 episodes)
Although some have pointed out its repeated episode format, the series was a ratings hit as it finished no lower than twelfth from season three onward. It also won 2 Emmy’s for Best Comedy.

- Law & Order: Special Victim’s Unit
(NBC: September 20, 1999-present; 233 episodes)
The second in the popular L&O franchise, the series focuses primarily on sexual crimes and cases. In recent years, it has passed its predecessor in ratings.

- Nip/Tuck
(FX: July 22, 2003-present; 89 episodes)
Capitalizing on the craze of plastic surgery, FX found a huge basic cable hit. As with many similar series, the heart and soul of the show is relying on strong guest performances.

- NYPD Blue
(ABC: September 21, 1993-March 1, 2005; 261 episodes)
Although the show had to overcome the loss of enormously popular Jimmy Smits during the 1998-99 season. However, they reloaded with Rick Schroder and later Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Dennis Franz, from the first day, remained at the center of the series until the end. I guarantee this show would be a top 10 pick for the Best of the 90s list.

- The OC
(Fox: August 5, 2003-February 22, 2007; 92 episodes)
More than any other show, The OC can be pointed to as the renaissance of the teen drama series. Although the series never regained its first season popularity, its place in popular culture should not be ignored.

- Prison Break
(Fox: August 29, 2005-May 15, 2009; 81 episodes)
Sometimes, shows can become too complex for their own good. Sometimes, they become tedious. There were times when Prison Break was both of these things. But at its best, it was an extremely well crafted serialized drama series with an all-star cast.

- Smallville
(The WB/The CW: October 16, 2001-present; 183 episodes)
Batman may be the contemporary DC Comics superhero of choice, but Superman remains a popular force. Smallville focuses on a variation of Superman’s origin story and has to best represent the DC Comics label on television, featuring other popular characters.

Back on track.

RoJo — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:43:31 +0000

So, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to update this site, and it was my own fault. I tried updating Wordpress, the backbone of this site, around Thanksgiving. Long story short, I failed. At fist! I have since succeeded. I am now on the latest version of wordpress, so pages should look more like what they’re supposed to look like from now on. Also, tags and links and everything else supposedly should be proper. It took a while, I’m a novice afterall. But, hey, should be all good now. So I can post again, and Russ can post again, and the Weezer 100 can continue! Also, Russ has a countdown of his own debuting soon.

Weezer 100: #92

RoJo — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:12:30 +0000

Running Man
Make Believe Demo
2002

An very raw demo, Running Man tells the story of a man who basically has his shit together. The song features very simple lyrics, obviously unfinished, and was never released on any Weezer album. The music is quite good, and could be great if it was produced further. The potential of this song has it on the list, but the lack of production values and unfinished lyrics keep it low at number 92. I’m sure most of you have never heard this song, but you can listen to it on YouTube.

100. Beverly Hills
99. The Answer Man
98. Space Rock
97. Simple Pages
96. We Are All On Drugs
95. The Spider
94. Mo’ Beats
93. Love Explosion
92. Running Man

Weezer 100: #93

RoJo — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:36:14 +0000

Love Explosion
Maladroit
2002

Love Explosion, off of Weezer’s Maladroit, is a song that took on many different forms prior to its release. Demos of this song were released, like many of the Maladroit tracks, and drew comparisons to “The Loco-Motion” almost immediately. However, unlike “The Loco-Motion”, this song would not place on the Rolling Stone Magazine’s Top 500 songs of all time. Nowhere close, in fact. This song has a pretty good sound, it’s a throwaway track on Maladroit, and the lyrics seem to have some kind of deeper petty meaning. Like Maladroit’s Space Rock, it seems that Rivers is almost singing in defiance of the fans who disliked the Green album. It’s got a catchy chorus, though.

100. Beverly Hills
99. The Answer Man
98. Space Rock
97. Simple Pages
96. We Are All On Drugs
95. The Spider
94. Mo’ Beats
93. Love Explosion

Weezer 100: #94

RoJo — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:06:06 +0000

Mo’ Beats
Maladroit/Make Believe Demo
YouTube
2002

One of my favorite Weezer demos ever to see the light of day, Mo’ Beats samples the Beastie Boys “No Sleep ‘Till Brooklyn.” Now, don’t get me wrong… it’s one of my favorites, but it’s a joke of a song. I can imagine Rivers getting bored in the studio after the work put into Green and Maladroit, just going nutty, and thinking of ridiculous words to a song he just happened to hear on some modern rock station or something. The song was released on Weezer’s website, along with many other demos, right after Maladroit. The song is heavier than most material from the band, but it fit in with the timeline of Maladroit, which also featured some heavier rock songs.

Really, the first 45 seconds are all you need on this song, and afterwards it just goes downhill. But, the first 45 seconds are awesome. The opening includes the line…

I got mo’ beats than y’all
Keep Fishin’ still seems small
Is that the best that all of you can do?

Wonder if Rivers actually likes Keep Fishin’? I know audiences didn’t. Anyway, Mo’ Beats is another song that Weezer diehards seemed to hate when it was released, but casual audiences probably never heard it. If they did, they wouldn’t like it. So, it gets spot #94 on the top 100 list as we roll into #93 tomorrow which will feature a song off of Maladroit~!

100. Beverly Hills
99. The Answer Man
98. Space Rock
97. Simple Pages
96. We Are All On Drugs
95. The Spider
94. Mo’ Beats

Twitter Fun

RoJo — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:37:32 +0000

Twitter is ridiculous. Well, the people on it are, I should say. Including myself at times, but hey, not time time! I was on Twitter tonight to gather reactions to a breaking news story in the world of sport. I ended up on the site for over an hour laughing, wondering, and ending up just baffled at some of what I was reading…

Report: Illness shelves UFC’s Lesnar indefinitely
– UFC’s heavyweight champion, Brock Lesnar, was to fight on November 21 for the UFC in Las Vegas. That fight was postponed once Brock came down with mononucleosis, but now, his return is in further question as he is reportedly suffering from another serious illness. More on the story at the link above. So, I went to Twitter, in search of more. News, reactions, general goofiness. I found much general goofiness.

@John19718 @QBKILLA I betcha Lesnar has cancer ot leukemia…. White said Mayo clinic….

This is just the beginning. Everyone’s a doctor all of the sudden. Also, I was confused a bit as to why he had to tweet this to former NFL lineman Warren Sapp. “Hey, Warren, this white guy has cancer, I bet.”

@indy44 @GoDanica7 I heard kidney failure with Lesnar but who knows.

I’m sure you did.

@sprewellrimz @shabooty Brock Lesnar has more than mono, dude. he’s hospitalized. feared to be lyme disease or hepatitis or something worse.

Or a tooth ache or down syndrome or…

Reaction to breaking news is one of the funniest things to watch on Twitter, and often outshines the news itself. However, twitter fun doesn’t relegate itself only to breaking news. If you’re looking on twitter anytime soon, just read some tweets some people send to celebrities, thinking they’ll get either noticed or a reply. It’s sad.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go tweet Bree Olson and Shaq on what I had for dinner.