TV Review: Face Off

I hardly qualify as a "reality" TV fan. In fact, I know I've ranted about it here, more than once. I think shows like "The Bachelor/The Bachelorette;" "Survivor" and (certainly the worst offender of all time) "The Jersey Shore" are reprehensible and signs that Western Civilization as we know it is on its last legs. All that having been said, I do actually watch a few of the competition shows, mostly on The Food Network. I love the challenges given in the form of bizarre ingredients to the chefs on "Chopped" and find myself fascinated by the people on "Worst Cooks in America," mostly because I have been cooking since a rather young age and thanks to my mother and paternal grandmother, consider myself quite handy in the kitchen and am actually appalled by the lack of basic skills displayed by the contestants.

Now, Syfy (I still can't get used to that name) has entered the fray with "Face Off," a competition show for special effects makeup artists. Many years ago, Uncle P considered entering the field of SFX Makeup. My fascination with movie makeup started as child with the Universal Monster Classics. I grew up in awe of folks like Bud Westmore, Charles Pierce, Rick Baker and the legendary Tom Savini. All through college, I was the go-to guy for special makeups in shows like The Apple Tree; RUR and Ladies in Retirement. I did an independent study in Prosthetic Makeup (which required an excruciatingly difficult Anatomy class) and actually thought I might have a career in the field. Sadly, my sculptural skills were lacking and while I could draw a fairly decent representation of the effect I was going for and had (and still do have) some mad skills with a makeup brush, my hands just couldn't recreate in clay what they were able to draw in charcoal. Still, if I'm in or directing a a show which requires painted makeup effects, I'm the guy who ends up doing them. And that's OK.

So, I must admit admit to being quite jealous of the contestants on "Face Off." All of them have been working as professional FX artists on independent and/or major films and have some mad skills of their own, though a few are obviously more skilled and talented than the others. I've seen the first two episodes so far and have already decided on my favorites. Each episode features an Immunity Challenge and a Spotlight Challenge. The winner of the first challenge gets an automatic pass in the Spotlight Challenge, no matter how good or bad his or her work is. In the first episode, I immediately found myself disliking the lazy and undeservedly cocky Frank, who seems to want to do as little as possible and almost actually forfeited the challenge in Episode 2. Of course, I found the impossibly handsome Connor at the top of my list of favorites, along with the talented Anthony. Most of the contestants have multiple credits on IMDb; some on major films, though most on indie, straight-to-DVD schlock movies. 

The first episode's Spotlight Challenge involved turning a model into Human/Animal hybrid, while the second concerned full body painting on a nude model. Jerk Frank refused to paint his male model's front, placing a lampshade on his head to add insult to injury. Still, he survived the cut, though I don't imagine (or hope) he'll last to the end.

The Grand Prize winner will supposedly go on to a massive career in the SFX industry, though since the advent of CGI, special makeup effects aren't the booming industry they were in the 80's (yet another reason to be glad I didn't pursue that particular career path). And while it's quite easy to sit back in the comfort of my living room and judge the contestants' skills, I know it can't be easy for them to produce quality work week after week, especially given the time constraints imposed upon them. But I am very much enjoying watching them try. 

The show is ably hosted by Bud Westmore's granddaughter McKenzie and judged by three Oscar-winning Make Up Artists: Ve Neil; Glen Hetrick and Patirick Tatopuolis, and features a fourth specialty judge for each challenge. For a Fantasy/Horror/Sci-Fi geek with at least some insight into the industry, "Face Off" is a fun (if somewhat cheesy) peek inside the industry.

I hope the show continues to be the fascinating look into the creative process that it's been so far and I can't wait to see what happens when the contestants get into sculpting and molding  prosthetics. Or when the challenges (hopefully) become more subtle. Six episodes remain, though I think I have a good idea of who will win, already. "Face Off" airs Wednesdays at 10 PM Eastern on Syfy.

More, anon.

Prospero

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The Continuing Proliferation of Bad Television

It's the end January and the terrible mid-season shows continue to pile up like traffic accidents on an icy highway.

NBC used to have a terrific line-up of comedies on Thursday nights. And while they mostly continue that tradition with "Community;" "30 Rock" and "Parks and Recreation," they have yet to find a fourth show to live up to those particular shows' excellence. "Outsourced" turned out to be a racist and unfunny take on how most American's perceive Indian culture, and the network's newest show "Perfect Couples" is simply a perfect disaster. 

Adorkable (you know what I mean) cub Kyle Bornheimer continues his losing streak, following "Worst Week" and "Romantically Challenged" with this show about three couples who have nothing in common but the men being college buddies. Bornheimer's Dave is in the most sane relationship with his wife Julia (Christine Woods - "Flash Forward"), while David Walton; Mary Elizabeth Ellis; Hayes MacArthur and Olivia Munn ("The Daily Show") play the most dysfunctional couples ever, with MacArthur and Munn the most cloying and annoying of the three.

The episode I DVR'd concerned Dave and Julia's attempt to celebrate their anniversary, while their wacky friends did their best to distract them from doing so. A pre-anniversary 'game night' proves disastrous, ending with the temporary break-up of Walton's and Ellis' characters while exploiting the insipid New Age platitudes of MacArthur's and Munn's. I kept shouting at the TV: "Throw these A-holes out of your house!"

Creators Jon Pollack and Scott Silveri have some impressive writing credits to their names (most notably "Friends"), though this mess isn't one of them. Sadly, Bornheimer and Woods are both likable and talented comedic actors who deserve a better than show this one. "Perfect Couples" is two for two, along with Fox's animated "Bob's Burgers" as the worst of what network TV can be. Happily, David Kelly's new show "Harry's Law," starring Kathy Bates is a winner and the superhero drama "The Cape" at least shows potential (more on both of those shows, soon).

Don't believe me? See for yourself:

Yuck!

More, anon.
Prospero

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Why the Golden Globes Don't Matter

Tonight saw the 68th Annual Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Golden Globe Awards, which supposedly honor the best in both movies and television. Since they are the first awards given during "award season," many people consider them to be indicators of how the AMPAS voters will choose the winners of the Oscars. To which I say:  Feh!

Why do I say this? Two words: Pia Zadora. Yes, Pia Zadora. Does anyone remember her? Way back in 1982, Pia won a Golden Globe as Most Promising Newcomer (an award which is no longer given, by the way) for her work in the truly awful Southern potboiler Butterfly. A true stinker of a film, Butterfly  is basically about the incestuous relationship between an Arizona farmer (Stacy Keach) and his daughter (Zadora). A wretched train wreck of a film, co-starring Orson Welles as a bellicose judge, Butterfly had yet to be screened by anyone when Zadora won her award. It turned out that her husband Meshulam Riklis (who was 31 years older than she was when they married), actually paid members of the HFPA to vote for her. The scandal nearly scuttled the Golden Globes for good.

So tonight, while I watched the first two hours of this year's Golden Globes (mostly to see just how catty host Ricky Gervais would be), I couldn't help but think of Pia Zadora and her completely undeserved award. And of course, Gervais delivered the goods, taking jibes at certain Scientologists not in attendance and the most recent scandal involving tickets to Cher's show in Vegas.

Still doubting? Then take a gander at Zadora's "Award-Winning" performance:

Zadora would go on to be in the film adaptation of Harold Robbins' The Lonely Lady and later make a hilarious appearance as a beatnik artist in John Waters' 1998 Hairspray. She also had a small role in The Naked Gun 33 1/3, but has since gone on to be a rather minor footnote in Entertainment History. I should also point out that as a child, she appeared in the horrendous Santa Claus Conquers The Martians, though the hilarious folks at MST3K have already skewered that movie - My favorite line? "Pills for breakfast? What are we, Judy Garland?"

So, while favorites like "Glee," The King's Speech and The Social Network may have won Golden Globes tonight, I'll wait until the real awards are given out later this year.

More, anon.
Prospero.

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The Gayest and Weirdest Things You'll See This Week

Okay... I'll admit to being a bit of an Internet junkie. Having spent most of my day sleeping thanks to a nasty bug I must have picked up sometime in the last few days, I didn't get to do my usual web perusal until this evening, where I discovered both of the videos I am about to share with you tonight.

Where to start? I suppose with TV's longest-running (and dare I say, most consistently funny) show, "The Simpsons." Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie are symbols of the American zeitgeist, whether we would like to admit it or not. "Life in hell" cartoonist Matt Groening has captured something so purely American in the tales of this highly dysfunctional family, that we can all find something with which we can identify. Yes, Homer is almost unbelievably stupid (I say "almost" because I speak to the unbelievably stupid almost everyday as part of the day job); Bart may be ridiculously naughty and Lisa ridiculously self-righteous and Marge may very well be the uber-hausfrau, but the show's writers are still able to tap into our collective psyches and address issues with which most of us can relate. So, do we really need this? (SFW - via):

Ew! I'm no prude and have no problem with folks who enjoy a little porn now and then, but really? Of course, hand-drawn comics porn parodies have been around since before the days of Popeye, but I really think a live-action porn version of "The Simpsons" is probably crossing a line we shouldn't be crossing.

So, let's balance that out with the latest video from Ricky Martin -- his first since coming out -- shall we? While the song may not be as catchy as "La Vida Loco" or "She Bang," it's message is far more pertinent to life in the 21st Century. Please enjoy (via) "The Best Thing About Me Is You" (something I can say about most of the people in my own life):

It's snowing here in Southeastern PA again, as I battle a very nasty virus of some kind (which may well explain my exceptionally rambling post from last night) and I am hoping for a snow day tomorrow so I wont have to use another sick day. There is already a good 4 inches of snow piled up on top of what we've already gotten in the past few days (so much for local meteorologists forecasts of 10 to 14 inches for the entire season). I hope you are warm, dry and snow-free. If you live in Australia, I hope it's not in a the region devastated by flooding. I hope no bird or fish kills have have affected your region and that wildfires, mudslides, tornadoes and other natural disasters have affected you or your loved ones.I hope none of you have the bug I have (or any other bugs, for that matter) and that your New Year is starting out the way hoped it might.

More, anon.

Prospero

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Only So Many Hours In a Day

Today was the Holiday Party at the Day Job. We boarded the buses and headed to the usual venue (a popular local club/restaurant) where we were treated to a delicious buffet and an open wine and beer bar. We danced, made fools of ourselves and left early after the buses deposited us back at the building. I've said it before and am happy to say it again: I work for a wonderful NPO that treats its employees like family and I consider myself quite blessed to a part of that family.

Anyway, I got home about 2 hours earlier than usual and had every intention of using that time to its best advantage. So, what did I do? I plopped down on the sofa and watched reruns of "Law and Order: SVU" on cable.  I had planned to work on my almost finished screenplay and make notes on an idea I had for a novel. Instead, I got caught up in Chris Meloni and Mariska Hargitay investigating the sexual assault a young girl who. along with her unsuspecting parents, was the victim of a car accident. o creativity on my part, whatsoever.

I did manage to make a few notes for the novel, several hours later, but by then, the idea of expending energy on either project was little more than a distant memory. I watched some more DVR'd TV; checked Facebook and my email; played a game and came here to bitch about how little I'd actually done today. Sigh... sometimes I hate my lack of discipline.

So, what does the picture of NBC's "The Cape" have anything to do with anything about which I've talked tonight? On a scale of 1 to 10: 1. Though I will be posting about it as soon as I've actually seen it. I guess that's something...or not. I just ask that you hang in until I actually have something worth saying. 

Wow! Talk about rambling...

More, anon.

Prospero

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The Worst New Show of 2011 (Already)

The picture says it all. Fox TV's latest animated series "Bob's Burgers" is simply dreadful, despite the presence of the usually hilarious YouTube sensation John Roberts as the voice of Bob's wife, Linda.

Stupid, poorly animated and plain unfunny, the first episode of "Bob's Burgers" concerns a rumor (started by Bob's own daughter) that Bob serves burgers made of human flesh. In better hands, this could be a very funny premise. In the hands of show runners Loren Bouchard and Jim Dautrieve, it's an exercise in poor taste and unfunniness.

To counteract the bad Fox show, I have DVR'd the first two episodes of NBC's newest Superhero series "The Cape." Based on what I've seen so far, I don't hold out much hope for it. Still, I look forward to them proving me wrong.

And speaking of TV, did you see the latest episode of ABC's "V?" Not only did we get to see Anna's reptilian tail take out a traitor, but original "V" cast member Jane Badler showed up as Anna's mother! Finally, the kind of weirdness the show needs to push it to the forefront of TV Sci-Fi. I'm looking forward to what the series has to offer in the next months.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Best of the Decade: TV

Wow, it's been a long time since I watched TV on a set like the one on your right.

I had one of these in my bedroom for many years, though these days TV viewing is limited to my living room on my Vizio 32" LCD HD flatscreen. It's a good TV with excellent picture and sound. I can't imagine what my grandparents would have thought of a TV that weighed less than ten pounds and delivered movies On Demand or recorded shows without setting the timer on a VCR.

I'll admit that I love TV, especially now. For as much crap as the networks put out (Survivor; The Bachelor/Bachelorette; Two and a Half Men), there is often enough good stuff to counterbalance it. So, for my first big post of the new year, here are my picks for the best TV shows of the past decade:

10. 24

24 was the show that almost wasn't. Debuting not long after 9/11, it was a story of a terrorists plotting the assassination of the first viable black candidate for President, and only our hero Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) could stop it. Oh - and it was told in real time. Each episode equaled one hour in time, giving us one day in a 24 episode season. The plots were ridiculous (Kim and the cougar?); Jack's survival was preposterous and the story lines were often recycled (how many moles could CTU have?), but there was nothing like it before or since, and it was the best action show since Mission Impossible.

9. Modern Family

The family sitcom had almost been officially declared dead  when ABC premiered it's faux-documentary Modern Family, featuring three branches of the family, including a gay couple raising their adopted daughter. Brilliant writing combined with an astounding ensemble cast give is one of the best sitcoms since Friends.

8. Psych

USA continues to provide funny, interesting shows, and Psych is the best since Monk. When Sean Spencer (James Roday) returns to his hometown of Santa Barbara, he teams up with his childhood friend Gus (Dule Hill) and uses the observational techniques taught to him by is father (Corbin Bernsen) to establish himself as a "psychic" detective. Irreverent and often downright silly, Psych is one of TV's most enjoyable hours.



7. How I Met Your Mother

CBS may have the worst sitcom on TV (the repulsively unfunny Two and a Half Men), but it also has one of the best. Terrific writing and ensemble acting (not to mention stand-out Neil Patrick Harris) once again combine to make this tale of a rather unlikeable architect's search for the girl of his dreams, so likable. 

6. Arrested Development

This Fox sitcom, produced and narrated by  Ron Howard, told the story of the Bluth family, whose father was imprisoned for selling housing that didn't exist (or existed only in Iraq). The show gave rise to the career of Michael Cera, resurrected the career of Jason Bateman and lent a whole new meaning to the term "frozen banana." Sadly, the show was too smart for the average TV viewer and was cancelled after only 3 brilliant seasons.

5. The Closer

Kyra Sedgwick finally won an Emmy last year for her role as Los Angeles Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson, a woman with fierce determination and the ability to elicit a confession from the most cynical of murderers. Her struggles to gain acceptance among her peers; her tenacity when working a case and her love for her FBI agent husband all add up to one of the most endearing characters in a procedural drama in a long time. It helps that Sedgwick is joined by one of the best casts on TV, including J.K. Simmons and hottie Jon Tenney.

4. Six Feet Under

The story of the Fisher Family and their mortuary business was an instant hit for HBO, and producer Alan Ball made sure each episode was filled with black humor and human drama. An amazing cast, terrific writing and a fearless producer gave us a TV classic. Of course, it helped that it had the single best series finale of all time. As Claire made her way East to New York, we got to see just what happened to every character. Only one series finale ever made me cry more... Brilliant.

   

3. The Walking Dead

Envelope pusher AMC took a huge gamble in producing a very graphic series based in Robert Kirkman's graphic novel about a group of people trying to survive in a world gone mad. Produced by Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd, The Walking Dead is the rare modern zombie story that's more about the living than the dead. And boy, is it good!

2. Pushing Daisies

Series creator Bryan Fuller has had several quirky, funny series, none of which have lasted beyond a season or two. And the best of these was one of TV's best shows ever. In Pushing Daisies, adorable Lee Pace plays Ned, a fellow who can revive the dead with a single touch. The catch? If he touches them again, they die for good. Hilarious, touching, romantic and oh so dark, Pushing Daisies was probably a little too quirky for mainstream America, but it pushed all the right buttons with me.

1. Lost

ABC caught America's collective  imaginations with the J.J. Abrams series about a group of plane crash survivors marooned on a mysterious island. The show, with its complicated mythology, time-jumping plot lines and characters that blurred the lines between hero and villain was at once the most fascinating and aggravating series, ever. And it's Season Six finale is still the cause of debate, 6 months after it aired.

I'll be back tomorrow with my Top Ten Horror Movies of the Decade.

More, anon.
Prospero

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TS-19

Sadly, this is my last recap of "The Walking Dead" for a while. Lats night's airing of "TS-19" will be the last until next fall, and while I think it's horribly cruel of AMC to leave us all hanging for so long, I understand why they only ordered 6 episodes to start. They took a huge gamble, which paid off in their highest ratings ever (not to mention Entertainment Weekly's endorsement as "The Best New TV Show of the Year").  Oh - SPOILERS BELOW!

When we last left our intrepid band of survivors, they were about to enter the CDC, where Dr. Jenner has been contemplating suicide. The episode started with a flashback to when the military attacked the hospital where Shane was visiting the comatose Rick. Unsure what to do in the face of panicked soldiers and hungry zombies, and convinced his partner is dead, Shane blocks the door to Rick's room with a bed (thus unknowingly saving his life) and makes his escape. Back in the present, Jenner allows the group to enter the CDC with a simple caveat: "Once that door is closed, it doesn't open again." He also insists on testing them all for infection. 

During their first real meal in days, the adults get drunk and Shane presses Jenner about what happened and why he is alone. Jenner tells them that those who didn't leave right away, eventually killed themselves, bringing everyone down. Afterward, Rick seeks out Jenner to thank him for saving them and finally admits that he is worried everyone he loves is going to die. A very drunken Shane almost rapes Laurie in the rec room and Andrea becomes increasingly convinced she has nothing to live for, after the death of Amy. At a very hungover breakfast the next morning, Dale presses Jenner about why he stayed and Jenner takes them all to the command center where he screens the file "TS-19" (Test Subject #19) for them, showing them an MRI-like image of the disease attacking the brain of a volunteer who had been bitten. 

As the disease (virus, bacteria, parasite?) goes to work, the image is suddenly shattered and they realize that Jenner had shot TS-19 in the head, soon after resurrection. Dale then presses Jenner about the clock that has been counting down since they arrived and Jenner admits that it's counting down to full power loss, at which time "total facility decontamination will occur. Simply put, they're all going to die in a massive fireball. Jenner also tells them that he stayed because of a promise he made to his wife, who we come to realize was Test Subject 19. 

After angry threats from Shane and Daryl and another impassioned plea from Rick, who asks Jenner to give them a choice, Jenner relents and sets the group free. Jacqui, tired of running and afraid of becoming a walker, opts to stay, as does Andrea. Just before they leave, Jenner grabs Rick and whispers something obviously important in his ear. Using the grenade Rick saved in episode 1, they make their escape through a window, taking out a few walkers on the way back to their vehicles. Meanwhile, Dale insists that if Andrea is staying, then so is he. Andrea finally relents and the two make their way out just in time to avoid the massive fireball that engulfs the CDC (and takes Jenner and Jacqui to their rewards). Devastated by what they've all been through, low on fuel and without any food, the caravan pulls away from the burning CDC and heads out into the unknown...

And so we are left hanging, not knowing where Rick; Shane; Laurie and company are headed. Not knowing what became of Merle or what Jenner whispered to Rick. Not knowing a whole lot more than we did at the beginning (except maybe the French are still looking for a cure). Like every good season finale, "TS-19" supplied both a satisfying ending (just why are giant explosions so satisfying?) and a cliffhanger or two. Now we just have to wait 10 months for it to come back and it sucks.

If it help ease the pain, here's a terrific interview with The Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman, thanks to my good buddy Sean at Just a Jeep Guy. I also wanted to address the rumor that Frank Darabont has fired the entire writing staff, which producer Gale Ann Hurd has categorically denied, calling the idea "absurd."  With writing this good, why would any director be so foolish?

I've said it before and I'll say it again: "The Walking Dead" is the new "Lost;" episodic TV with characters about whom you really care, facing outrageous obstacles and situations which are totally beyond their control. Showing us the Human Condition at both its best and worst; "The Walking Dead" may well be the most human drama  on the air. Brilliant stuff. 

More, anon.

Prospero

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Wildfire & Entrada

Too late to post a proper Zombie Zone post, I thought I'd do dual duty and follow up on a post from a few days ago.

With only one episode of left (boo!) in its first season, AMC's runaway hit "The Walking Dead" offered up a rather reflective episode in "Wildfire." Devastated by the walkers' attack at the end of the last episode, the survivors are left to deal withe aftermath. As Daryl drives a pickax through the heads of every dead body in the camp, Adrea refuses to leave her sister Amy's body and it's discovered that Jim was bitten in the attack.

Rick decides that in order to help Jim, they must head to the CDC for help, reasoning it's probably closer and safer than the military base 100 miles in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, the only person left at the CDC is Jenner, who just lost his last hopeof finding a cure and is plotting his own suicide when our band of weary survivors shows up.

Back at the camp, Andrea places the mermaid necklace she looted around Amy's neck and when her hungry sister resurrects, Andrea apologizes for not protecting her, before blowing her zombified brains out. Glenn has it out with Daryl over which bodies get buried and which get burned. And let's not forget Shane, his leadership and relationship usurped by Rick's return, Shane contemplates killing Rick, but is stopped when Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn of The Mist and The Green Mile) intrudes. Shane ultimately acquiesces and the group is soon headed out to the CDC, sans the Morales family, who head off in search of other surviving family members. Jim begs them leave him to die at the side of road, and after a short debate, they agree to abide by his wishes.

Our band arrives at the CDC, only to find it closed up. Rick, sure it must have been done so from the inside, insists there is help inside, while the others think it must be abandoned and want to leave. When Rick sees a security camera move, he makes an impassioned plea which goes ignored until just as they are about to leave.

I can't wait to see what happens in episode 6, though I must admit to being mightily ticked to have to wait until next fall for the next season.

And speaking of waiting, the writers at Fox's "Fringe" have finally sent the Olivias to their respective homes.

In this week's brilliant episode "Entrada," Peter gets a phone call that tips him off to what's been going on; Olivia convinces Alt-Broyles to help her get home (at the ultimate cost to him) and Walter wisely requests that he not be given a gun.

Personally, I was hoping for a show-down between Olivia and Faux-livia (which we may still get), but was glad to finally have the 'real' Olivia freed from the nightmare that the altverse had become for her. The episode benefited from some amazing performances from the entire cast, and the expert writing by J.J. Abrams and company. If you aren't watching "Fringe," you are missing out on the best TV Sci-Fi series, ever.

Watch these shows!

More, anon,
Prospero

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The Weirdest Thing You'll See This Week

So while it's technically Saturday, I haven't been to bed yet, so it's still Friday to me, hence the rare Saturday post here at The Revenge. 

So, the show has opened and I can kind of resume my usual Internet explorations at all my favorite sites. And among my most favorite is BoingBoing, where a young fiction sci-fi author and a couple of other science, art and crafting loons post about all things amazing; amusing; steampunk; cryptozoological; mechanical; theatrical and assorted ephemera-related. And it is where I found the video clip which I am about to share with you.

The clip is an extended promo for a Norwegian television program called "Gylne Tider (Golden Times)." I have no idea what kind of program "Gylne Tider" is, though I expect the three men who are seen flipping through the photo album are it's hosts. What astounds me is the completely random assortment of celebrities who agreed to lip-sync to "Let It Be" in front of a green-screen. I mean, did Glen Close know she was going to be in a music video with Malcolm Jamal Warner, Kelly McGillis, Peter Falk (!);* Pamela Anderson; Leslie Nielsen; Dee Snider and Tonya Harding of all people? 

This is one of the most peculiar things I've seen in a long time:

I mean, it's not me, right? That was just effing weird, right? And what he hell? *Peter Falk? Mr. Falk is reportedly in the throes of late stage dementia, poor fellow. Did he even know what he was doing? And let's not even get into Leslie Nielsen showing up in something new so soon after his passing. The closest I can come to describing that clip is "Norway's Got Talent: Celebrity Zombie Green-Screen Karaoke Edition." Got anything better?

Even more, anon.

Prospero

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I Hate Waiting! (or: The Best Shows on TV)

Regular readers know that I think "Fringe" is currently the best show on television. That's not to say there aren't some really great shows on network TV: "Modern Family;" "Community;" "30 Rock;" "Parenthood;" "No Ordinary Family" (which gets better with each passing episode) and of course, AMC's groundbreaking "The Walking Dead" (which was just named "Best New Show on TV" by Entertainment Weekly).

"The Walking Dead," is indeed the Best New Show on TV. Fearless in its production and performances, "The Walking Dead" could have been a shambling, cliched mess. But in the hands of Frank Darabont and  his super-talented cast and crew, it's a compelling story of survival and humanity. Of course, the genre being near and dear to your crazy Uncle P's heart, doesn't hurt it chances. I would probably love it in a different way, if was bad.

So why I think "Fringe" is The Best Show on TV? Let's start with the amazing cast, shall we. This season saw the ensemble, with the exception of Joshua Jackson, giving extraordinary performances as two different versions of the same character. And amazingly, both versions remain victims of the Human Condition, though with different frames of reference in the hands of the astonishing John Noble; Lance Reddick; the criminally under-used Jassica Nicole (who, along with Noble, is the most noticeably different between the two characters) and Anna Torv in a true tour-de-force performance that would be criminal if it was ignored come Emmy nomination time. Then there's writing and the cryptic mythology developed over two and a half seasons (better than the mythology-heavy "The X-Files" and not quite as indecipherable as "Lost"). "Fringe" still has plenty of questions to answer in the future, not the least of which is addressing the little-seen-this-season Observers.

And here's the trailer for this week's Fall Finale episode:

Now, not that I don't love every moment I spend working a show because I most certainly do. There's nowhere I'd rather be, ever. But I usually don't have anything going on this time of year and it means I have to wait to get my weekly fixes. And that just sounds sad and pathetic, doesn't it? Or maybe I'm just tired. Ask me next week, when I'm finally caught up. I'm just a selfish, effing baby!

More, anon.

Prospero

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Weird, Wild, Adorable and Gay, All in One Post

I was having issues with Blogger last night, so this is going to a big ole combo post.

That's the teaser poster for Apollo 18, the latest "found footage" movie. It's a fictional account of a real event, the 1970 aborted Apollo 18 mission to the moon. It's listed on IMDb as being in "pre-production," but with a release date of March, I must assume shooting is about to begin any day now. Written by first-timer Brian Miller and directed by Gonzalo Lopez (the 2008 Spanish thriller Enbrion), Apollo 18 apparently posits an alien encounter on the moon. I just love that tagline: "There's a reason we've never gone back to the moon."

Of course, it's certainly not the only 'found-footage' movie scheduled for next year. We've already seen the teaser for J.J. Abrams' next film, Super 8 (what the hell is in that train car?) and now comes this super-weird bit of whackness from District 9 director Neil Blomkamp:

It sort of reminds me of the whole Montauk Monster thing from a few years ago.

Now that I've covered the Weird and the Wild, let's move on to the Adorable. I've already gone on about how adorable I find "Glee"'s newest cast member, Darren Criss. His cover of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" has become the fastest selling "Glee" single ever. And while last week's episode of "Glee" served to remind me of exactly why I love the show in the first place, this week's episode was actually even better. Not only did it finally address the gay-bullying issue, it had the wedding between Finn's mother and Kurt's father, which featured a tribute to the famous JK Wedding Dance viral video. And as an added bonus, the amazing Carol Burnett (who so generously donated to the JTMF 5th Anniversary Silent Auction) as Sue Sylvester's Nazi-hunting mother. Could it get any better? Maybe...

Here's a sneak peak of Criss and Chris Colfer (Kurt) performing Train's over-used "Hey, Soul Sister" (though in this case, I'm willing to listen to it again):

If I were 20 years younger...

Which weirdly brings us to the gay portion of tonight's post. Via Towleroad come these next two videos. First up, NYC drag performer Sherry Vine in a parody of Katy Perry's (why is she so parody-able?) "Firework." Here's "Firecrotch!":

And from the same boys who gave us the gay versions of Katy Perry's "Peacock" and "California Gurls," (see what I mean?) comes this version of Ke$ha's "We R Who We R:"

Did I miss anything? I don't think so...

Tomorrow will be the last Turkey of the Month posts and I think I've found something really special to celebrate the turkiest of holidays. 

I wish you and yours the very best, this Thanksgiving. Uncle P gets a bit sentimental this time of year, so be forewarned that there may be some uncharacteristic sentimentality in forthcoming posts. If you are reading this from outside the U.S. (as I know a few of my few followers are), you won't really get the turkey jokes, but trust me, here they are hilarious.

More, anon.

Prospero

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Tell It To the Frogs

Warning: Here There Be Spoilers.

After 2 episodes of "The Walking Dead," Rick was finally reunited with his wife and son, both of whom had assumed he was dead.

When we last left our intrepid band of survivors, Rick and a group of scavengers from the camp outside of town had barely managed to escape Atlanta, leaving racist hothead Merle handcuffed atop the roof of the department store where they'd nearly met their demise. As episode 3, "Tell It To the Frogs" opens, Merle, severely sunburned and on the verge of insanity, vainly struggles to escape as the walkers (or 'geeks') try to force their way onto the roof and have their way with his delicious flesh.

Rick and company finally arrive at the camp, to the astonished joy of his wife Lori and son Carl (Chandler Riggs). Torn by Rick's return, his former partner Shane now finds himself bereft of the comfort he found in Lori's arms when they all assumed Rick was dead. Lori takes no time in ending things with Shane and when he takes Carl frog-hunting in the quarry, she tells him in no-uncertain terms to stay away from her family. We do find out that it was Shane who told Lori that Rick was dead in the first place, which leads me to believe there was nothing going on between them before the zombie uprising and that Shane simply took advantage of a woman whose marriage was shaky to begin with. Shane immediately lost points in my eyes, despite his taking down of wife-abusing Ed (Adam Minarovich) with a well-deserved if a bit over-zealous beating. Shane was obviously taking out a bit of his own frustrations on the neanderthal Ed. Poor Rick, of course, has no idea of what's gone on while he made his perilous way back to his wife and son.

Meanwhile, the appearance of a 'walker' devouring a deer close to camp means that the food supply in the city is dwindling and the zombies have begun to make their way into the woods in search of sustenance. It also means the deer that Merle's brother Daryl (Norman Reedus of The Boondock Saints) was stalking is no longer of any value as food. Of course, Daryl is none-too-pleased to learn that his racist cracker brother has been left behind and insists they attempt a rescue. Rick, Glenn, TDog and Daryl return to Atlanta, despite the others' protests, only to find that Merle has found a rather grisly solution to his captivity. Of course, Rick has an additional impetus to return to the city: the bag of weapons and ammo he was forced to leave behind when surrounded by zombies at the end of Episode 1.

As of yet, there have been no human fatalities in the series, though I am betting as we get closer to the series' first season finale, that will change. And that will also be a game changer. This comparatively less gory episode delved more into the personalities of the survivors; a rag-tag group of relative strangers who have been thrust together by circumstances in an effort to survive the unthinkable. The women reminisce ("I miss my Maytag;" "I miss my coffeemaker;" "I miss my vibrator.") and the men grow increasingly unhappy and resentful. Personally, I think it will be a living person who makes the first kill, rather than a zombie. And then all hell will truly break loose among these stressed-out and desperate survivors.

In other Zombie news that won't wait until Saturday's edition of The Zombie Zone, Deadline is reporting that writer/director and Zombieland restroom victim Mike White has officially signed to direct to the film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (via). The Chuck and Buck writer has just the right kind of twisted sensibility to make a perfect adaptation of the mashup novel, wherein Jane Austin's heroines must cope with both the ideals of Victorian romance and the Living Dead. Yum!

More, anon.

Prospero

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No Rules

My friend and fellow blogger Sean at Just a Jeep Guy recently posted his comparison between the British miniseries "Dead Set" and AMC's "The Walking Dead." To be fair, I have not seen "Dead Set," so I can't comment on it objectively. I know its premise - Participants in the BBC version of the so-called 'reality' show "Big Brother" find themselves the only survivors of the Zombie Holocaust. It starred the BBC version's real host and was a massive hit across the pond. It was run on IFC in it's entirety on Halloween, but my provider doesn't carry IFC, so I have to wait for the DVD version.

That having been said, Sean then goes on to list to the things he finds 'wrong' in Frank Darabont's groundbreaking "The Walking Dead." Needless to say, Uncle P had to take his friend to task for being just a bit closed-minded when it comes to the "Rules" of zombie fiction.

Among his objections (in red) and my responses to them:

"Zombies don't eat animals so the horse and rat should still be alive and well." - In George Romero's original Night of the Living Dead, zombies are shown eating insects, which means they are not limited to dining on human flesh. And in my 2004 screenplay Army of the Dead, a character says he saw "a bunch of 'em take down a horse in Central Park."

"Zombies have heightened senses and so are attracted to noise and human smells which cannot be covered up by covering yourself in zombie blood and body parts." - Zombie's senses have never been really explored, except in 1985's Return of the Living Dead, written by Dan O'Bannon (Alien) and original Romero collaborator, John Russo. The only sense they express in that movie is pain, and they say (Romero's zombies had never spoken before) that eating brains eases the pain of being dead. This is also the movie that introduced the idea that zombies are primarily interested in brains. Before that, they were only interested in living flesh.

"Zombies, like these in TWD, do not have the ability to think and therefore would not use rocks to break windows. Also, they shouldn't have the ability to climb ladders or fences." - Romero first introduced the idea of a thinking zombie in 1985's Day of the Dead, in which the zombie Bub expresses rudimentary memory such as shaving, using a phone and saluting. And in Romero's 2005 movie Land of the Dead, the zombies figure out that the lights across lake mean people are present, so there is no reason they shouldn't be able to use tools or climb ladders.

"In the second episode, we are at least 5-6 weeks into the apocalypse - most cars would have dead batteries by now and that scene of Glen flying down the road leaving Atlanta? Not a single broken down/abandoned car, dead body on one side of the road while the other is jam packed?" - Car batteries don't die after a few weeks or a month. My mother uses her car once a month and the battery is just fine. As for the highway being jammed in only one direction? Of course people would be trying to leave a city overrun by ravenous zombies, rather than trying to get into it. See Stephen King's "The Stand," in which cars jam the outbound lanes of the Lincoln Tunnel as people desperately try to escape the 'Captain Trips' virus. This makes total sense to me.

"Who has sex in the woods with zombies lurking about just weeks after her/his husband/best friends dies? Even if they where having an affair before the zombies came? I think the guild (sic) in addition to fear, would kill my sex drive." - Who doesn't get the thrill of dangerous sex in the outdoors? Fear and lust are two very closely related emotions, and if (as I have intimated and suspected) Shane and Laurie had been carrying on an affair before the whole zombie thing went down, they would certainly continue it, especially if they both thought Rick was dead. Of course, Laurie's guilt does prompt her to remove the wedding band she wears on a chain. And their fevered, animalistic rutting is certainly consistent with people who have something they want to hide from others.

The point is, when it comes to fiction -- and especially genre fiction -- there are no hard and fast rules. Writers create their worlds according their own visions and specifications.  Is anyone about to tell Anne Rice that vampires can't be religious or Stephanie Meyer that they don't sparkle ?(OK - bad example - vampires do NOT sparkle). 

In Uncle P's 'zombie-verse,' zombies don't actually have senses, but are directed by chemical responses emitted by the bio-engineered virus that controls them. In every version of a fictional story, the actions of the characters are dictated by the parameters of the author's own reality, and there simply are no rules.

Sean, I know you're reading - and that you have read the mini-version of this I posted in your comments - but please know that I'm not faulting your logic, but rather trying to expand your thinking on what genre fiction should be. In the end, all good fiction (regardless of genre) should comment on the unchanging Human Condition, and I'd say "The Walking Dead" is doing a bang-up job of it, whether you agree with it's particular set of 'rules' or not.

And speaking of genre rules, here's an example of some extremely silly ones that work because the plot adheres to the parameters of the story's own reality. I give you the latest trailer for Tron: Legacy:

More, anon.
Prospero

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Guts

The true test of a successful TV series isn't the splashy 90 minute premiere, but the regular 60 minute episodes that follow, and AMC's adaptation of Robert Kirkwood's The Walking Dead followed it's splashy premier with an episode that was just as intense and well-done. (SPOILERS ahead).

Last seen trapped in a tank surrounded by 'walkers,' our hero Rick Grimes is sort-of rescued by Glenn (Steven Yeun) who leads him through an alley to the department store where a group of survivors have been hiding. Of course, the commotion made by Rick's escape simply draws the zombies to the store, where they begin to smash their way through the glass doors. Meanwhile, Rick's wife continues her affair with her husband's former partner Shane in the woods outside Atlanta, where they have been encamped.

Among the Atlanta group is Andrea (Laurie Holden of The Mist and Silent Hill); racist redneck Merle (Slither's Michael Rooker); TDog (IronE Singleton) and Jacqui (The Skeleton Key's Jeryl Prescott). As Rick and Glenn plot their escape from the increasingly dangerous store, it soon becomes clear that the only way to escape the walkers is to become a walker and Rick hatches a plan in which he and Glenn must disguise themselves (at least scent-wise) as walkers. The episode's title becomes eminently clear as they prepare for their (admittedly disgusting) venture among the zombie horde, though a rainstorm brings a disturbingly dangerous end to their plan. Needless to say, the plan works but not without complications, the least of which involves Merle handcuffed on the department store's roof.

Based on the ratings of episode 2, AMC has already ordered a second season for "The Walking Dead," which is no surprise to the millions of zombie fans watching this exceptionally well-plotted and extremely well-acted tale of survival in a world gone mad.

This is how good the series is: Uncle P's mother, who normally eschews Horror as a 'silly' genre, is actually enjoying the show and and actively looking forward to upcoming episodes. As for myself, I cannot recommend this series highly enough. It is the best thing to happen to the sub-genre since George A. Romero's original Dawn of the Dead and quite possibly the best new series on TV this season (though I am already sad that NBC has decided to cancel J.J. Abrams' connubial spy series,"Undercovers" starring the exceptionally sexy Boris Kodjoe).

I dare you to watch "The Walking Dead." And I promise you won't be disappointed by it's its exceptionally human story,

More, anon.

Prospero

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The Gayest Things You'll See This Friday

Well, thanks to many factors, there was plenty of LGBT news I missed out on reporting last month, so I suppose I'm making up for it tonight.

First, you've heard me mention 'my angel,' Matty many times. Matty is one of the most talented young actors I've ever had the privilege to direct. Matty has become a very dear friend and I  have become a mentor to him on many levels. He appeared in my production of The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told and was the Assistant Stage Manager for last summer's production of Sordid Lives. We both love Horror movies (and are seeing one together this coming Sunday); we both love the theatre and we are both writers. He's the son (in a totally non-creepy way, I promise) I never had and I love when I get to crow about his accomplishments. And crow, I shall.

Recently, Matty made headlines when he and his friend Bobby potentially broke the Guinness World Record for Longest Continuous Kiss. A student at the school where I studied Theatre (and where I 'discovered' him in a 24-hour play contest), Matty is true Force of Nature and I have no doubt he will go on to make quite a mark on the world. And part of that mark will be a new documentary called Our Lips Are Sealed, detailing the events surrounding his and Bobby's new record.

I am so very proud to know and be a friend of this remarkable young man.

In other Gayest news, its no secret that the adorable Darren Criss (pictured above and formerly of ABC's prematurely canceled "Eastwick") has been cast as Kurt's (Chris Colfer) boyfriend on Fox's megahit musical, "Glee." Thanks to Towleroad, here's the first clip of Criss singing in an all-boys high school choir and their (almost) acappella version of "Teenage Dream:"

Gay teens all over America are sighing in delight, right now.

And this past August, in another Gayest Thing post, I embedded the video for openly gay rapper Cazwell's song "Ice Cream Truck," which featured a series of NYC hotties grinding and licking ice-pops while Caz rapped about a hot boy he met in a school yard. Well, also via Towleroad, comes Philadelphia's version (for Bear-lovers and Chubby Chasers only):

Finally, Al Gore's Current TV has this to say about Reality TV Judges:

Make sure you check out tomorrow's Zombie Zone post, where I wax poetic about AMC's newest original series "The Walking Dead," among other zombie-related news. And stop back here on Sunday, where I'll be talking about the JTMF's first ever winter production, It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.

More, anon.
Prospero

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TV Review: "The Walking Dead."

So, last night I was among the estimated 5.3 million viewers who tuned into the premiere of AMC's newest original series "The Walking Dead." If you've been even a casual reader of this blog, you know Uncle P is major zombie fan and there was no way in hell that I was going to miss the premiere of Frank Darabont's adaptation of Robert Kirkman's graphic novel about the people who are trying to survive the Zombie Apocalypse.

Cable channel AMC started out as American Movie Classics, mainly airing films from Hollywood's past. Four years ago, they aired their first original program, "Mad Men," as series about an early 1960's advertising agency which made a star out of John Hamm and which has consistently won the Emmy for Best Drama since. After "Mad Men," they introduced "Breaking Bad," about a high school science teacher (Bryan Cranston) who, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, turns to making methamphetamine so his family will have money to live on after he dies. Cranston has since won the Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama three years running. It comes as no surprise that their latest series is just as good.

IN the 90 minute premiere episode "Days Gone Bye," we are introduced to rural Georgia Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes (British actor Andrew Lincoln), who is apparently in the midst of marital problems. His partner Shane ("Eastwick" hottie Jon Bernthal) is a bit of a neanderthal when it comes to women, though it seems they can confide in one another, if no one else. Rick is critically injured during a shoot-out with a trio of desperadoes and awakes after a month-long coma to find the world as he knew it no longer exists.In a world filled with flesh-eating zombies, Rick is determined to reunite with his wife and son, who may or may not have survived the zombie uprising.

The imagery in Darabont's version of Kirkman's story is nothing short of amazing. The scene where Rick is staggering down the hospital hallway only to find a chained door marked "Do Not Open Dead Inside" is simply and beautifully chilling. As he makes his way home, Rick stumbles upon a half-torsoed zombie who is both horrific and pathetic, wisely setting the tone for this story of survival and despair. Rick soon (though not happily) finds himself in the care of Morgan his son Duane, who lost their wife/mother to the zombie virus. The scene where Rick watches Morgan's wife try to gain entry to the house in which they've holed holed up through a peep-hole was among the creepiest I've eve seen.

Darabont and company seem to have managed the perfect the balance between Horror and Humanity as I can remember and while there were plenty of graphic gross-outs, "The Walking Dead" also offered up plenty of scenes of human drama, making character the focus, rather than gore and effects (though there were plenty of both). And I haven't even gotten around to talking about Rick's wife ("Prison Break" doctor Sarah Wayne Callies) and the affair she may or may not have been having with Shane before the outbreak. The performances here are excellent across the board, and the attention to detail, especially when depicting apocalyptic devastation, are exceptional.

Having read only a few issues of the graphic novel on which the series is based, I am very interested in seeing where the story will lead. Kirkman has said that he anticipates about 225 issues, which leaves plenty of material for AMC and Darabont to cover. If the rest of the series is as good as the premiere, I'll be watching for a very long time. **** (Four Out of Four Stars).

More, anon.
Prospero

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