Category Archives: Awesome TV Shows

The “Science” Of Binge-Watching

Feeling guilty because you locked yourself away from the world like a curmudgeonly hermit in order to binge Stranger Things so you could discover the awesomeness that is Barb for yourself? Worried about the impact of watching 18 straight hours of The Big Bang Theory? Well, worry no more, because no less a luminary than Bill Nye — formerly known as The Science Guy, but for the purposes of today’s discussion using the totally not trademark infringing Science Man — says binging is great for you!

If binging really does give you the ability to crush things with your mind, we should be rulers of the universe any day now. In the meantime, if Nye’s “go ahead and binge” appeal has you looking for something to watch, we heartily endorse the following…

Stranger Things
Netflix’s sci-fi/horror mash-up is as much a love letter to innocence at it is to the era in which it’s set (the ’80s)
bingestranger

The Big Bang Theory
If you’re a latecomer to the geekfest, go back to the beginning and see what life for the guys was like when Penny was the only girl they knew!

bingebigbang
Law & Order
If you can’t find a marathon airing somewhere that you can DVR, pretty much any day of the week, you’re not trying hard enough.

bingesvu

OJ: Made In America
ESPN’s incredible 10-hour Simpson documentary was overshadowed by FX’s splashier (and shallower) series.

NBC Sports commentator and former professional football player O.J. Simpson sits with a group of servicemen to watch a Thanksgiving Day football game.  Simpson is visiting U.S. troops who are in the region for Operation Desert Shield.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
If Ellie Kemper’s irrepressible alter ego taught us anything, it’s that we can survive anything for 10 seconds, and that “anonymous quotes are never funny… except when you write ‘wash me’ on a car. That’s just funny, ’cause it’s like, ‘Is the car saying it?'”

bingekimmy

What’s the last show you binged… and what’s next on your list?

5 Reasons We’re Excited About Westworld!

This week, HBO released another trailer for their upcoming series Westworld… home to the kind of robots that blow Walt Disney’s animatronics out of the water!

Now, there are a whole lot of people out there who probably have no clue that this new HBO offering is actually based on a classic movie. But for many of us, it’s impossible to think about Westworld without hearing one of the taglines from the trailer of the original 1973 film, in which we were told by a vaguely robotic sounding voice that nothing could “go wrong… go wrong… go wrong” even as we saw clips from the movie in which everything possible did.

1973 was clearly a simpler time, as the film seemed to reflect our fear that technology would one day turn on us in a most deadly fashion. If the 2016 take is any indication, we’re now more concerned with questions regarding what actually makes us human. As with last year’s freaky Ex Machina, the new version of Westworld will explore the ever thinner line that exists between man and machine, and the potentially terrifying consequences of crossing it.

However, whether you’re a newbie to the franchise or a longtime fan, there’s plenty to be excited about where HBO’s new project is concerned. Here’s what has us so psyched.

1. The man behind the scenes
The original Westworld was written and directed by Michael Crichton, whom you’ll remember also brought us another theme park run amok, Jurassic Park. This time around, the familiar name behind the scenes is J.J. Abrams, who will be executive producing. Sure, there are other EP’s attached, but Abrams is the one most folks will recognize.

2. The man in front of the camera
Anthony Hopkins will be playing Dr. Robert Ford, the creator of the titular theme park. Sure, he scared the crap out of us in Silence of the Lambs, but more importantly, he even made the craptacular flick  Fracture worth checking out.

westworld4

3. The woman in crisis
In what promises to be a killer role, Evan Rachel Wood plays Dolores, a beautiful creature who slowly begins to question everything about her life… which makes sense, given that she is actually one of the theme park’s human-seeming robots! And no wonder her poor circuits are fried… how can she wrap her mechanical brain around her feelings for all-too-human hunk Teddy, played by James Marsden?

westworld3

4, The “recast”
If you remember one actor from the original film, it is probably Yul Brynner, who brought the dead-eyed robot known only as The Gunslinger to chilling life. HBO’s take features Ed Harris in the same role… although the trailer hints that there may be far more to his sinister alter ego than meets the eye.

5. The website
Want to fully immerse yourself in the Westworld experience, but can’t wait for the series to debut on October 2? Oh, have we got a treat for you! Head to Discover Westworld by clicking here, and enter the words WhiteHatBlackHat in the field marked “access code.” While there, be sure to check out the “terms and conditions” set forth by Delos Destinations. (Including the paragraph which indicates that causes of accidental death occurring within the Delos compound have included buffalo stampedes, self-cannibalism and autoerotic asphyxiation!)
westworld1

Are you looking forward to HBO’s Westworld? What other classic films from the era would you love to see transformed into a modern series?

Save

Happy Endings: The Lost Episode!

Ready for the most ah-mah-zing news of all time? You’re not, trust us, but we’re going to share it with you anyways: Happy Endings, aka the funniest show in the history of television (and that’s just science!), is coming back!

happy3

Okay, sure, it’s only for one episode, and it’s not actually going to be airing on TV. But if you’re like us, you’ll take another dose of the gone-too-soon sitcom any way you can get it!

The Details

The live reading of the never-aired script will take place at EW PopFest this October. Presented by the folks at Entertainment Weekly, the “ultimate pop culture  event” will also feature a performance from Nick Jonas, the cast of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend crooning a coupld of that show’s signature tunes, and a closing-night celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the flick Scream.

happy2

All this and more will take place at The Reef in downtown L.A. on the weekend of October 29 and 30th.  But let’s get back to why we’re really stoked…

The Main Event

For those not in the know, Happy Endings focuses on the comedic misadventures of six friends who don’t live in New York City or hang out in a coffee shop. Sadly ratings would indicate there are a lot of people not in the know. Heck, Rolling Stone called Happy Endings “the most underrated, under-watched series on TV… that may also be the funniest.”

But nothing we say here will actually sell you on the cancelled show the way the show will sell itself. So here’s a fantastic introduction in the form of a 10-minute mini-episode comprised of the six webisodes known as “Happy Rides.”

Having now met Penny, Brad, Max and the rest of the gang, your new mission in life is clear: Head to Hulu.com and watch all 57 episodes. Then, stay tuned for the inevitable moment when the PopFest reunion hits the web… and you know it will! And if you’ll be in the L.A. area and want info on attending Popfest, click here!

Everything’s Better With Muppets!

Every year around this time, the big networks begin pimping their new programs. And let’s face it… a whole lot if it is crap. I mean, how many CSI or Chicago PD spin-offs does one really need?

But every now and then, something comes along that makes you sit up and say… wocka wocka!

Fozzie2

That’s right, kids, The Muppets are back… and they’re better than ever! We’ll admit that upon hearing ABC’s pitch for the latest rebooting of the much-loved franchise, we were more than a little nervous. After all, it was described as being “more adult” and delving into the personal lives of Kermit, Miss Piggy and their pals. For many of us, it started to sound a little too much like the racy Broadway play Avenue Q, which is not what we want from our favorite furry pals.

But now, ABC has released the first trailer for the show and we’re left saying, to quote Sam the Eagle, “God Bless America and its broadcasting company!” Want a peek at the new show? Here ya go!

Meet Your New Addiction: Danger 5

Nazis and dinosaurs and robots… oh my!

danger 5
Welcome to the bizarre world of Danger 5, an Australian series which last month made its Netflix debut. Although it pretty much defies description, we’re going to do our best. Set during World War II, Danger 5 follows the adventures of a group of international spies — bet you can guess how many based on the title — who are out to kill Hitler. Along the way, they must deal with She Nazis, blimps which steal the Eiffel Tower and someone claiming to be from the lost city of Atlantis.

Tell us you’re not intrigued. On the off chance you somehow aren’t completely convinced yet, here’s the trailer. But be warned: Once you’ve seen it, there’s no turning back. Close the shades and block the doors, because you’re about to go on a binge.

You can thank us later.