Growing Pains!

Hey folks!

No one said the move would be easy. We're up and running over at Wordpress but Blogger is having a hard time letting us go. If your Google Reader isn't syncing with our new posts, (I know mine isn't) subscribe to:

http://edubtv.wordpress.com/

Hopefully we'll be ready to go with edubTV.com by the end of the weekend!

Thanks for your patience.
--edub

You Can Actually Just Go Ahead And Get Rid Of Your Set

When you add it all up I follow 6 hours of prime time television on the average Thursday night. Because of scheduling and general sleepiness, watching all of these shows would be nearly impossible without the aid of my DVR and the internet. That got me to thinking; I bet a ridiculous amount of people aren't even using their TVs anymore.

Think about the number of websites you can go to right now to see episodes of television that were brand new less than 24 hours ago. Stuck? Luckily the New York Post TV blog compiled a list.

OVGuide.com
Hulu.com
Megavideo.com
Joost.com
Fancast.com
Primetimerewind.tv
Beelinetv.com
Quicksilverscreen.com
Surfthechannel.com

They also went one step further and provided a rundown for every show currently streaming new episodes online and where you can find them. Let me tell you, it's a doozy.

Ridiculous, or just the first signs that that flat screen of yours will soon be your coffee table?

I liken the transition to young people getting rid of landlines. Why keep the big set around when you can take your laptop anywhere, see all the shows you want for the price of your wireless connection, and basically never pay for a cable bill again? It kind of makes you wonder doesn't it? I suppose most people are keeping their TVs around for sports games and other shows (mostly from premium channels) that they just "can't get anywhere else."

But I pose this question to all of you: If sports and the occasional episode of Dexter aren't holding you back, what's keeping you from getting rid of your TV?

I'll answer first I guess. I usually watch TV by myself, so only having a laptop wouldn't get in the way of my big non-existent TV watching parties. I already get all of my news online or from the newspaper and 100% of the shows I watch are free on the internet or available on iTunes. So what's stopping me? New Year's Eve. I haven't been home for New Year's Eve in a few years, but I can't imagine not having a TV to watch that ball drop...even if Dick Clark's not there. But even after sitting on this for about a half hour, that's the only reason I could think of.

What about you folks?

By the way, this is our last post on Blogger. Number 499! Late tonight or early tomorrow I'll "flip the switch" to introduce you to the new edubTV over at edubTV.com. For those of you who read us in Google Reader, make sure you stop by the actual site to see the new look. It's about time we had a makeover don't you think? So make sure you're all set to go: edubTV.com 2.0 begins tomorrow.

Photo: killfilmstudents.wordpress.com

Hump Day Update

Hey gang! Brother bear got to blog last night which means I am full of things I missed from yesterday. We missed the hump day update, but let's just call it that for old times sake. This will be the last one for edubTV 1.0. Single tear.

• It's Thursday which means The Office is on. Last week's episode wasn't that amazing but the deleted scenes were brillz! (Yes, I'm very big on abbrevs this week.) Check out some of the most cringe-worthy scenes in Office history.
  

• Former Queer as Folk star and current Desperate Housewives man-candy Gale Harold is in critical condition after a motorcycle accident a few days ago. Reports show he is steadily improving but he is far from out of the woods. Harold's character has a large role in an upcoming episode involving a nightclub fire. The ep is being shot this week and EP Marc Cherry said it will need to be changed a bit. Hopefully he'll have a speedy recovery.
  

• Have you taken the NY Post Television Aptitude tests? I scored perfect on the comedy edition and did just-ok on the drama. Feel free to leave your score in the comments.
  

• Finally those Gossip Girl kids get something right. This faux-PSA about the election starring Blake Lively and Penn Badgely is right on the money. It's executed much better than that whole "Don't Vote" mumbo-jumbo.
  

• Diablo Cody, Steven Spielberg, Toni Collette and John Corbett teamed up to make a TV show. The result? What looks like another hit for Showtime. The first look is finally available online. And sidenote, boy am I glad John Corbett is back on TV. He is one charming fella.
  

• Whitney Matheson of PopCandy interviewed the Ed Asner. Awesomeness ensued.
  

• And finally, my two favorite websites of late involve Barack-O-Lanterns and Upside-down Dogs. My taste is nothing if not refined.

Reminder: Set your phasers to stun and set your bookmarks for edubTV.com.

Life on Mars Is Sort Of Awesome

ABC's new cop-drama Life on Mars is a BBC rip-off about a cop who gets hit by a car and wakes up in the thick of the 1970s. No cell phone. No DNA. No clue as to whether this is all a figment of his subconscious or whether he's some sort of time traveler.

I missed last Thursday's premiere but I caught up last night on ABC.com. After one viewing, I encourage all of you edubbers to do the same.

Like LOST, Life on Mars takes what might otherwise be a pretty ridiculous concept (man goes back in time) and does some really innovative things with it. They not only explore the challenges of learning how to adjust to life in the past, but the much more difficult aspect of living in a world where no one believes you and seemingly, no one can help you escape.

Unlike LOST, this show doesn't warrant a lot of clue tracking. No pause button required, no ridiculous mysteries, no wayward polar bears. It's a pretty groundbreaking show that doesn't require a PhD or a ridiculous amount of time to kill.

The cast is also a treat. Jason O'Mara plays our protagonist, Det. Sam Tyler, a brooding, silent type with a kind heart. Michael Imperioli (formerly of The Sopranos) returns to TV as one of Sam's 70's cop colleagues. He's joined by the legendary Harvey Keitel who plays Lietenant Gene Hunt, a take-no-prisoners, kick- him-in-the-face-ask-questions-later kind of guy. Judging by how many fistfights there were in the first episode, I'm guessing he's not alone.

The ladies of Life on Mars are also superb. Gretchen Mol and Lisa Bonet add some great balance to this testosterone heavy cast. We only see Bonet for the first few minutes of the pilot, so hopefully she makes a return in the second episode.

Life on Mars is already getting some very positive reviews and was just selected Number 1 on Metacritic's Top 10 new shows this fall.

Not too shabby for a BBC knock off.

Photo: http://seat42f.com/

Reminder: It's edubtv.com now. Adjust folks. Adjust.

Things That Made Me Smile Today

• Tina Fey threatened to move to outer space if John McCain and Sarah Palin win this election
• Speaking of which, the rest of the TV public (lead by the New York Times no less) is finally as outraged as I am that 30 Rock isn't starting for another two and a half weeks.
  
• This Friday, October 17, there will be an entire Jeopardy category devoted to Mad Men. You can practice your skills online right now with an online edition of Mad Men Jeopardy right now though.
• Best new feature ever: An addictionary for all things The Office on NBC.com. Fans can add their own entries which means some are much funnier than others. I'm glad someone else remembered this.
• Gawker ran a wonderful piece today by a guy who tried out for America's Got Talent. Oh the shit they put you through.

Photo: http://www.examiner.com/

A Special Announcement From edubTV:
edubTV is moving! Yes, we'll be leaving Blogger and moving into a bigger house with a backyard over at Wordpress. What does this mean for you? If you are one of the five people who follow us, you need to update your bookmarks, feed readers, brains, etc and starting accessing our site by going to edubTV.com and NOT edubtv.blogspot.com. Soon, edubTV.com will be the only way to find us. I'll post this announcement at the end of every post for the next few days to remind you but the shift will probably take place by the end of the week. As far as housewarming gifts go, we enjoy fine liquors and elegant floral arrangements.

Parenting Tips From edubTV

• Don't let your kids walk all over you
• Steer clear of spitters
• Don't marry a douche-bag
• If you're a parent, chances are this whole thing is your fault.

These parenting tips are brought to you by my four-hour impromptu marathon of Nanny 911 during today's "She-Nanny-Gans" weekend on ABC Family.

I really need some more hobbies.

Photo: http://media.movieweb.com/

Last Night's Premieres: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Last night we were presented with three new comedy offerings. How did they stack up?

The Good: Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday, NBC
This show is exactly what it sounds like. The folks at SNL are starting a new show that is essentially one sketch and 15 minutes of Weekend Update. It's like The Daily Show but without those pesky guests sucking the funny out of the room. This week's debate sketch fell a little flat without Tina Fey in the room but it was nice to see Chris Parnell reprise his role as Tom Brokaw. The highlight of the show for me was the return of one of my very favorite Weekend Update features, "Really, With Seth & Amy."

The Bad: Kath & Kim, NBC
I was expecting big things from this show. I have a girl-crush on Molly Shannon and anything that John Michael Higgins touches is gold in my eyes, but this just didn't cut the mustard for me. I have no problem watching characters that are a bit flawed and nutty (ex. The Office) but this was just too much. The mall culture, the fitness craziness, the child-like attitudes, etc. Any one of those pieces separately would be fine, but the combination is little much.

It was hard to watch at some points, not because it was awkward, but because the comedy was so self-indulgent. I could almost see the writers on this show cracking up while they wrote it, meanwhile, I just wasn't in on the joke. It's one of those shows that will need to hook people right away and since the promos for it have been a little slow since the Olympics, I don't know that it will. The only thing saving it right now is its timeslot.

The Ugly: Testees, FX
Oh my God this show sucks. Seriously, I can't believe I watched the whole thing. It's about two schlubby guys who take tests for the local pharmaceutical company (get it, they're Testees?). The rest of the show is not that creative. Last night's pilot had the fellas getting some sort of suppository injected. One got the placebo, the other got a big belly and thought he was pregnant. Then out of nowhere, he tries to abort the baby with a coat hanger...through his butt...because that's how he thinks the baby got in there.

This show had the potential to be hilarious. The possibilities for humor in the pharmaceutical industry are near endless. Too bad this show decided to bypass all of them for scatological humor and dick jokes.

I expected more from creator Kenny Hotz, but then again, prior to this effort he was best known for his work on the hilarious game/reality show Kenny vs. Spenny. (By the way, Spenny was on Testees last night too. He played a guy who was testing out some penis enlargement spray. I rest my case.)


Photo: http://www.smh.com.au

Obama Takes Over Your TV

Barack Obama shelled out some major bucks and purchased a half hour of airtime on CBS and NBC to run a half-hour infomercial on his campaign, his life, etc. The special will run on Wednesday, October 29.

This is a really expensive venture (each slot costs about $2 Mil) and rumor has it he may have enough money in the coffer to buy time on Fox and ABC too.

But the best news of the night? Obama's special will pre-empt Jay Mohr's latest shitshow Gary Unmarried. Womp, Womp.

Photo: http://www.rockunion.ie/

Ann Curry Is Surprisingly Funny

I kind of hate Ann Curry. She's always seemed cold, unfeeling, kind of a downer, especially since Meredith Vieira came on board. In fact, she's one of the many reasons I wake up with Good Morning America.

But Curry tried stand-up comedy for the first time and The Today Show was there to capture the big moment. Needless to say I was hoping Curry would die (maybe literally) on stage. It turns out, she was pretty funny. I am willing to give credit where credit is due.

However, I did find it a little unnerving to hear her talk about sex. It's like when you're little and you finally figure out that your parents had to have sex at some point. You just don't want to think of your news people that way.

Today Show's Ann Curry's Standup Debut @ Yahoo! Video

So It's Pretty Much The End Of Days For MTV...

Kanye West premiered the video for his latest single, Love Lockdown, on Ellen.

Britney Spears is premiering the video for her new single, Womanizer, on 20/20 this Friday.

MTV is getting rid of TRL next month.

It's official; the M no longer stands for music.

We'll always have the good times...and the hilarious parodies of the good times.

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

SNL Round-Up!

Yes, I thought the latest Fey as Palin sketch was hilarious, thanks for asking. Like every blog ever in the past two days, I will go ahead and link to it in case you missed it. However, I finally caught the full episode of Saturday's SNL and I must say, the sketch below was much funnier. Now more than ever, I am confident Kristen Wiig will fill Amy Poehler's shoes well when she departs the show following the election.

Jimmy Smits Stabbed A Dude

It was an accident on the set of Dexter, but how often do you get to write a title like that?

Apparently Jimmy accidentally stabbed a stunt man in the chest with a real knife instead of a fake knife.

The scariest part is that the stuntman saw the whole thing go down. He was bound and gagged for the scene and couldn't signal to the actor to stop. Dexter star Michael C. Hall also noticed Smits' mistake but couldn't get to the actor in time.

Luckily the stunt man had a small, plastic chest plate covering his heart or Smits would've done some serious damage.

Scary business! I can't wait to see the scene play out though.

Photo: http://www.showtimefan.com

Jerrell Is In-Teyents!

It's Friday and boy am I ready for the weekend. Nothing kicks off two days of bliss better than a hot new dance groove inspired by Jerell, my new favorite Project Runway personality. He gave Kenley the what-for by saying he wanted Korto and Leanna with him "...at da teyents." It was a funny little accent, trust me you had to see it...and you can...right here.

So the folks at BestWeekEver.tv took the time take that sweet little phrase and turn it into the new autumn jam. There's even a dance. I'm tickled pink.

Photo: BravoTV.com

Palin Bingo Makes Debate Even Better!

TV goes on hold for the night for the one and only Vice-Presidential debate.

If for nothing else, it's probably worth tuning in so you'll understand the jokes on this week's SNL. If there is a debate sketch, rumor has it Queen Latifah's been tapped to play moderator Gwen Ifill.

But if you're not a politico, debates can be a little tedious. Lucky for you I stumbled on a link to Palin Bingo! There are four cards available so you and your friends can play along. I doubt it will take too long to get a "media blackout" as some of the tiles are things like "Gee," "Earmarks," and "Lipstick."

We may not get to watch The Office this week, but this a comedy night done right of a different color.

Image: PalinBingo.com

Private Practices Pushes Bio-Ethical Envelope

I stopped watching Grey's Anatomy because the drama just got too frivolous for my taste. I was reluctant to make the switch to Private Practice, but after a string of successful episodes the show is quickly rising to the top of my must-see list.

At the very least, last night's season premiere earned Private Practice a season pass on my Tivo. The episode featured five relationships on the rocks and a medical practice about to crumble under some serious financial burdens.

But the show takes a non-traditional trajectory by tackling some dicey bio-ethical dilemmas. Is it okay for parents to conceive a child with the express purpose of using the blood from that child's umbilical cord to save the life of one of their other children? Should a doctor go outside of the law and against a family's wishes and tell a teenager who's planning to have sex that he's HIV positive?

Both of these issues were examined Wednesday night and they lead to some great debates today around the copier near my desk at work. Unlike it's parent program, Private Practice continues to do a fantastic job of combining new romance, relationship drama, family squabbles, comedy but above all--medicine. That's something the folks over at Grey's leave out more often than not.

This episode's central debates reminded me of one of my other favorites, Picket Fences. Both programs take traditional genres (police, medicine, and/or family dramas) and turn them on their ears a bit. It also intrigues me when shows can manage to be familiar and refreshing simultaneously.


Photo: Abc.com

There's Marital Bliss In Philadelphia!

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia costars Kaitlin Olson (Dee) and Rob McElhenney (Mac) tied the knot last Saturday in California.

(File this under confessions of a bad TV blogger: I didn't even know they were dating.)

I bet the wedding was flippin' raucous.

Kudos to the happy couple!

Photo: Someecards.com

National Geographic Snags An Interview With Lisa Simpson

To mark the 20th season premiere of The Simpson's, National Geographic sat down with daughter, musician and passionate environmentalist Lisa to talk about going green, eco-tourism and recycling among other things.

You can find the entire interview online, but here's a snippet:

Since nuclear power has low carbon emissions, do you now respect Mr. Burns?
You know what has really low carbon emissions and releases no radiation? Wind power! Sorry I lost my cool... you know what else is losing its cool? THE EARTH!

You tell 'em sister!

Photo: http://www.morethings.com/

A Conversation With My Brother About Desperate Housewives

My brother and I get on gChat and talk about TV occasionally. Here's today's installment on the season premiere of Desperate Housewives. The show is now taking place five years into the future. I add some punctuation, capital letters, and a few items in parentheses so the conversation actually makes sense.

me: I happened to enjoy Desperate

10:30 AM Chris: Yeah, I guess it got a little better towards the end.

10:31 AM The 5 yr experiment should be interesting, but it should take the show in a new direction.

me: I liked the whole thing. I was kind of sick of some of the old stories and this kind of lets everyone start over.

10:32 AM Chris: Yeah I feel ya. I think they really did it because, babies aren't that interesting. A couple of the women had really young kids--C'mon, how fun is that?

10:33 AM me: Not fun at all. I thought it was interesting that we still didn't really see Susan's kid.He's like 5, she was without him a lot.

Chris: Yeah not until the very end.

LOL...cause she's the worst mom ever.

me: Exactly. And I didn't think Lynette's twins were 11 last season.

Chris: (Still on Susan) ...and doesnt she write KID'S books? NQ.....NOT QUALIFIED, lol.

me: (on the twins) They looked about 9.

10:34 AM And where is their (Lynnette & Tom's) daughter?

10:35 AM Chris: Yeah, I would agree on both fronts about Lynette's kids...I was kinda wondering the same thing. But once again..8th graders are boring. There's a lot you could do with high school kids who are of driving age.

I think they are just trying to maximize story lines.

me: Yeah but they could've made the other son driving age

Chris: Ahhhh, good point.

10:36 AM But he is kind of a nerd right? Maybe he's already at college

me: Well he must be.

If their saying the twins were 11 last year, the older one must've been 12 or 13.

Chris: yep

10:37 AM me: Well either way it was interesting. I like that Edie's husband is a rage-a-holic.

10:38 AM Chris: (Going totally off subject) Oh crap...i just realized i never watched P-Break last night.

Sweet...Bonus DVR today!

me: It was good.

Chris: (Returning to the subject) Yeah, you know they had to have a twist, and with that creepy hair---I figured it was him.


Photo: ABC.com

Sunday Showdown!

There's quite a TV traffic jam tonight. I plan on recording or watching pretty much everything on this list and then making decisions as to what stays on my schedule. It's going to be a long night.

-Season Premiere (The 20th to be exact): The Simpsons - Fox 8/7c
-Season Premiere: Amazing Race 13 - CBS 8/7C
-Season Premiere: Desperate Housewives - ABC 9/8C
-Season Premiere: Californication - Showtime 9/8C
-Season Premiere: Brothers & Sisters - ABC 10/9C
-Season Premiere: Dexter - Showtime - 10/9C
-New Episode: Entourage - 10/9C
-New Episode: Mad Men - 10/9C


Photo: Hulu.com

Suck It Gatorade!

I did a triathlon today and I'm tried. I really could've used some of this.

At least I wasn't this guy...yikes.


Photo: http://mixmakers.net

"If I invaded KFC, wings would be cheap at my house!"

He's back! I havent been this excited since Popeyes Chicken put a location in my home city. Last night, HBO's favorite comedian, Chris Rock, premiered his fourth primetime comedy special and boy did he not dissapoint.

Dont kill the messenger took on a daring new format in which Chris taped performances in London, New York, and South Africa then pieced clips from each show together to form one fairly seemeless comedy special. It was a bold move on Rock's part and I was skeptical at first, but after a short moment of dizzyness, I felt like I was watching comedy history.

Rock touched on politics, the economy, race, and of course...relationships. The show was well paced and quite frankly, hilarious. Chris Rock has firmly cemented his position as the best stand up comedian of our era.

Now if we can only get that crazy Dave Chappelle to come out of hiding, maybe he could challenge the throne.

Celebrities of the Corn

Frankly, I don't which corn tribute I am more offended by:

Vice-Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin:

Or American Idol runner-up David Archuleta:

Scary! And a-maize-ing!

Photos: www.accessatlanta.com, www.scandalist.com

Paul Newman: The King of Cool

Paul Newman passed away last night at the age of 83. He was a legendary actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He'll be remembered for his beautiful work on and off screen and for a member of the Cool Old Guys Club which now consists of Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins and Clint Eastwood.

Though Newman is best known for his work on the silver screen, few know about his career in television. The Remote Island compiled some of his better moments in a fitting tribute to the star.

Newman is survived by his wife of 50 years, Joanne Woodward, and their five children.

Photo: http://www.lashonhara.net

The Office Premiere: Thoughts?

I really liked tonight's season premiere of The Office. I'll try to keep this relatively spoiler free for those of you who are time-shifting tonight.

Last year's hour-long episodes didn't work for a lot of folks because the familiar quick, snappy pacing of the show was diluted to fill the extra 22 minutes. I was pleased to see that didn't happen this time. This episode had some excellent one liners, a healthy dose of drama and intrigue and some seriously feel-good moments. (Anyone else want to give Stanley and Jim giant hugs?)

It was really reminiscent of season two or early season three when the show was at its creative peak. Hopefully they can ride this wave all season long. Remember they have a 30 episode order to get through. Even with several hour long eps, that's a lot of story to fill.

After tonight's premiere, I am cautiously optimistic.

Happy Birthday edubTV!

Today, we celebrate edubTV's first birthday! Thanks to all of you, (friends, lurkers, and even the angry Archuleta fans) for making this year a blast.

We're kicking off year two in high style as makeover plans for the blog are in the works. Hopefully we can get all our ducks in a row in time for the 500th post, a milestone we'll hit in a little under a month.

Until then, eat some cake! edubTV would want you to.

Photo: cakewrecks.com

Ready For The Office Premiere Tomorrow?

Tom Petty's been reminding us all summer that "the waaaaitttting is the hardest part." It's been a long, relatively unfunny summer and I'm ready to welcome The Office back into my life.

Here's some updates to get you ready for season five (Sidenote: who knew they'd make it this far?)

• The New York Times did a really interesting piece on Office writer/producer/actor B.J. Novak. Novak's risen to fame almost as quickly as his character Ryan. Hopefully he won't crash and burn and end up in white collar prison too.
  

• Just a few weeks back, New York Magazine did an even better story on Ed Helms. Helms and his character may be more complex than meets the eye. And did you know he really did sing acapella in college?
  

• Jenna Fischer is dating screenwriter Lee Kirk. The two appeared together at the Emmys. This is Fischer's first relationship since her divorce last year. You go girl!

• Amy Ryan is returning to Dunder-Mifflin in her role as Holly Flax, the new HR assistant. She talks about it to Kristin Dos Santos about it here.

• And this just in: John Krasinski has Muppet Arms. The condition is not contagious nor fatal.
  

And if you haven't seen any of the previews for tomorrow's episode, you can check all of them out over at Officetally, the best fansite on the planet.

Come back tomorrow so we can dish about the premiere!

Photo: http://www.watchingtheoffice.com/

Least Shocking News Of The Day

American Idol season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken finally came out of the closest. Kudos buddy! Though I'm sure there are a million and one teenage girls and older moms who are so sad to hear they'll never be Mrs. Aiken, you just gave hope to many more gentlemen fans.

The media blast for this is off the charts. People magazine is running a full exclusive on the web tomorrow morning and Aiken and his baby are this week's cover story.

When you're out, you're out I guess.

Photo: ebaumsworld.com

Amazing Race Flies High

Amazing Race won the Emmy for Best Reality Competition Program last night for the 6th time in a row. (Anyone else think it's sad Phil Keoghan didn't get nominated for best host? He runs circles around Howie Mandel.)

Anyway, the win really amped me up for season 13 of the show. In a really cool promotional effort, CBS placed advertisements for the upcoming season on rooftops of buildings near the Los Angeles airport so travelers can see them from airplanes. It's apparently the "first-ever aerial view network billboards," according to a statement released by the network.

CBS is also advertising the new season on printable e-tickets so every flyer can join in on the fun.

Can't wait for lucky number 13 to begin!

Photo: TVGuide.com

A Few Remarkable Things About Tonight's Emmys

• It ended on time, even a few minutes early. Though it got a little annoying towards the end with every presenter reminding people the show was running late and that their jokes were cut. Worse? The jokes that stayed weren't that good. Watching Rickey Gervais blow a few minutes on a good bit was well worth it though.
• Just what were the hosts there for? They didn't even open the show (thanks Oprah!) and they only appeared once or twice the rest of the night. If this show is going to have hosts then they need to do something. It should be their job to move the show long. Otherwise, skip the whole job altogether.
• Other than an excellent Cartman impression the only thing Josh Groban did tonight was prove his voice only works with one style of music.
• My picks were pretty off for the better part of the night. Bad for me but great for some folks who surprised the oddsmakers and took home the awards. I definitely tip my hat to Bryan Cranston who foiled Emmy pools nationwide for his best actor in a drama series win over "sure thing" Jon Hamm. Here's the thing...I called Bryan Cranston's win not once but twice right here on this blog. I really should've double checked this thing before submitting my list.
• I really enjoyed the way they incorporated mock sets from old television shows. What a fitting tribute to some great programs. (And did I mention it was great to see Martin Sheen again? I just watched the finale of West Wing on Bravo last week and I realized just how much I miss it.)
• How much do I love that Tina Fey took home the biggies tonight? Almost too much. She's truly remarkable. I still don't quite get why folks aren't watching 30 Rock.
  
• Other than Tina Fey, the biggest winner of the night? Don Rickles. Funniest guy on stage. We need to welcome Old Hollywood back for these things every year.
  
• The Laugh-In folks can stay at home though. Laugh-In is usually much funnier, too bad that's the impression most young people will be left with after tonight. Check some of it out at your local media library folks. It was great 40 years ago.
  
• And briefly: Best Dressed: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Worst Dressed: January Jones...Yikes!
• Want a list of all the winners? Check 'em out here.
  

I'm already chomping at the bit for next year. I suppose the Golden Globes will have to tide me over.

It's Time For The Big Dance: My Emmy Picks

This is my Super Bowl. I've booked and scheduled every minute of my day today to ensure I can successfully be in front of my television and ready to watch in awe without feeling guilty about homework, job applications, etc. I've studied, I've read thousands of blogs entries and watched even more hours of TV in preparation for this night. This is my thing. This is the one night my medium gets to truly celebrate itself. After a long year with a Writer's Strike and turmoil with the actors, the industry needs this. Frankly, I need this too.

So here are my picks for the primary categories at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards. I pretty much stuck to party lines here (30 Rock & Mad Men) but in categories where I couldn't, I went with my instinct...even if it means Ryan Seacrest wins an Emmy.

COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men

My Pick: 30 Rock

DRAMA SERIES
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men

My Pick: Mad Men

ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

My Pick: Alec Baldwin

ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
James Spader, Boston Legal

My Pick: Jon Hamm

ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

My Pick: Tina Fey

ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Glenn Close, Damages
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

My Pick: Glenn Close

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Rainn Wilson, The Office

My Pick: Neil Patrick Harris

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Ted Danson, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad Men

My Pick: John Slattery

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

My Pick: Amy Poehler

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy

My Pick: Candice Bergen

REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef

My Pick: The Amazing Race

HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Heidi Klum, Project Runway
Howie Mandel, Deal or No Deal
Jeff Probst, Survivor
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol

My Pick: Ryan Seacrest

BEST MINI-SERIES
John Adams
Cranford
Tin Man
The Andromeda Strain

My Pick: John Adams

BEST VARIETY SERIES
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show With John Stewart
Late Show With David Letterman
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

My Pick: The Daily Show With John Stewart

Think I'm totally off base? TV Addict is holding an Emmy picks contest and the winner receives Season 2 of 30 Rock. Press your luck and enter here. Happy viewing folks!

Don Draper Would Tell Me I'm Being Childish

So it's no secret that I'm a little into Mad Men. This weekend that love hit a new level of potential fanaticism.

First, I spent sometime researching the title and artist of the MM theme song and downloading a copy. In case you were wondering, it's not an original song for the show. It's a electronic jazz piece called A Beautiful Mine by a group called RJD2. (By the way, that's really hard to say without saying R2D2.)

Anyway, I downloaded the MP3 and went over to Mobile17. If you're not familiar with the site, you can take any MP3 on your computer and make a ringtone 4-40 seconds long...for FREE! Go now. So anyway, I made myself a Mad Men theme song ringtone and now whenever my phone rings I wait a little bit to answer. Sorry if I missed your call today.

My second fanatical moment? I heard Jon Hamm will be hosting SNL in October and I screamed at the top of my lungs. Smoking and slick period costumes combined with Kristen Wiig and other funny folks? Swell news indeed.

Third, I am re-arranging my schedule tomorrow to ensure I can watch the Emmy's live tomorrow evening just so I can see the show continue to make history. I may Live Blog, we'll see if I've got the energy. However, for sure I'll post my Emmy picks tomorrow morning. Expect a lot of 30 Rock and of course...Mad Men.

Photo: http://electricityandlust.wordpress.com

Travis Barker In Critical Condition After Deadly Plane Crash

Travis Barker, ex-Blink-182 drummer and former star of the MTV Reality series Meet The Barkers, was critically injured in a plane crash early this morning in South Carolina. The Lear 60 jet was en route to Van Nuys when air traffic controllers saw sparks. The plane didn't make it off the ground and crashed on a nearby road.

Four of the six passengers on the plane were killed and Barker was airlifted to the burn unit in a hospital in Georgia. Early reports are also saying DJ AM (best known for being Nicole Richie's former fiance) was also on the plane and may be the other survivor. At this time, that rumor can't be substantiated.

A tragic way to kick off the day. Let's think good thoughts for the families of the dead and cross our fingers for the survivors.

Photo: About.com

This Week In edubTV

I finally went through with that New Year's Resolution and bought the domain name for the humble blog. You can now get here just by going to edubTV.com. Feel free to update your Google Readers and favorite websites on Facebook accordingly.

Three cheers for legitimacy!

Photo: http://weblogs.mozillazine.org

See Dexter Get Back Into The Swing of Things...Early!

Showtime is streaming the season premiere eps of Dexter and Californication for free, right now on their website.

Want to get in on the action? Go here. You'll need the password.

It's Lady Killer.

Get it? Because Dexter is a serial killer with some ridiculous issues and because David Duchovny and his character Hank Moody love ladies...a little too much. Oh Showtime, you slay me.

I'm holding out for the actual premiere on September 28. Not only because I want to see it in HD, but because when I was a kid season premieres meant something. Now you can see them three weeks early and watch them over and over again all week. Where's the fun in that? Sometimes I miss the good old days of appointment television.

Photo: seat42f.com

“Move Over ‘Hey Girl Hey,’ ‘I die’ becomes new TV phrase of Choice”

Bravo recently began the new reality TV series, “The Rachel Zoe Project.” The show follows A list celebrity stylist and fashion semi-icon Rachel Zoe through her daily routine. Only two episodes have aired and I am completely and utterly obsessed.

Along with a slew of hilarious catch-phrases and crazy antics, Zoe provides an insider look into the world of celebrity fashion. More importantly though she provides a fairly raw look at her own life, at her work style, her goals and her personal relationships.

(Brad)

I’ve found the show to be more than amusing as the real life characters are seemingly unreal. Taylor and Brad, Rachel's styling associates and absolutely hysterical. Bizarrely, I do know people like this, however it’s hilarious to watch these characters live on TV and in a different context. I can’t wait for more episodes to come!

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To

Take a look at this very old footage from Sesame Street featuring Richard Pryor going over the alphabet.

He reminds me of a teacher who's just one page ahead in the book. Every new letter seems like a little surprise. I also like the short story he tells while announcing all the letters. Up until J or so it sounds like they're going to brawl.

But despite all of this, Pryor conducted himself with the cool demeanor of a much sober-er man.

TRL Ends Its Run In November

Total Request Live, once a popular mainstay on MTV (and the final place to watch videos on the network) will end its 10-year run in November.

The show peaked in the late '90s with SoCal DJ turned lucky bastard Carson Daly at the helm. Since then the show's had a string of hosts, crappy guests, spectacles, stunts and a fair share of meltdowns. (Remember this? It was one of my favorites.)

Any remember the pre-cursor to TRL, MTV Live? Daly hosted that one too. It was more of a talk show format though with a few videos thrown in for transitions. It was smart, timely and pretty funny. Maybe MTV should bring something like that back. Though it might be too slow for their current crowd. Not enough flashing lights, online voting or text messaging for the young people to stay interested.

Photo: mlive.com

I think I just dated myself.

The Trailer For The 24 Movie Looks Better Than Actual Movies

Hey you guys ever see that movie Shaft In Africa?

Yeah this 24 TV-movie is kind of like that...but with a bitter, middle-aged white guy.



I can't wait. Redemption should be awesome. Don't call international peace keepers in to do Jack Bauer's job. He can take care of this pesky genocide problem once and for all.

And I Am Telling Youuuu: J-Hud Can Do Better

News just broke that Oscar winner, Obama darling, Dreamgirl, and former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson is engaged to her boyfriend of less than a year, David Otunga. While Otunga may not sound too familiar, maybe the name "Punk" rings a bell. Yep, J-Hud's fiance was a former contestant on I Love New York 2.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure he's a nice guy and they probably have loads in common considering they're both from Chicago and they've survived reality shows. But with an Academy Award on her mantle, a budding film career and a new album dropping soon, Jennifer Hudson seems poised for stardom and her future hubby well...doesn't.

So let's do our girl a favor and offer up some suggestions for potential mates. Sure she's engaged, but like my man Michael Scott says, "BFD, engaged ain't married."

Here are my three picks for eligible fellas:

• Kanye West: He's from Chicago too! He may be kind of a short fuse but most genius' are. Pros: He's bright, has great clothes, brilliant artist (possibility for duets?) Cons: He's always on tour, he's an awful blogger and did we mention that short fuse?

• Jason from The Bachelorette: If dating show rejects are J-Hud's thing, then look no further than Jason. He was left down on one knee on the last season of The Bachelorette. Cue one giant case of the weepies. Pros: Adorable, great dad to that little son of his. Cons: Already committed to serve as next Bachelor...may be committing for his affections with 15 other ladies.
  

• My brother Chris: He has ambition, he cooks, he owns a condo, and guess where he was born? Chi-Town! Pros: Marrying someone out of the spotlight could give her a nice repreive. Cons: I would never stop requesting that she sing songs from Dreamgirls.
  

Anyone else have some good suggestions? What's that Prince William up to? That quarterback for USC was pretty hot yesterday when he trounced Ohio State. Someone fax his number to Hudson's people...stat!

Photo: rap-up.com

Suck It Haters! Kathy Griffin Wins Another Emmy!

Kathy Griffin took home her second Emmy for Best Reality Program for her hit show, My Life on the D-List.

Her speech was low on controversy this year but still gave the crowd a few sassy remarks.

Griffin is coming off an amazing week as she just added an unprecedented 4th show at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles after the first three nights sold out!

Still on the D-List? That's going to be a tough argument these days.

PS: Loving her new hair cut! It was looking a little ragged during My Life... this year.

Photo: PEOPLE.com

No 'Bama Tonight

Barack Obama will not appear on SNL tonight as planned due to Hurricane Ike. His camp doesn't think shilling for laughs and the late night vote would be too appropriate given the devastation in Texas.

Don't worry, Lil Wayne and Michael Phelps will still be on tonight...and Tina Fey will probably be there too.

Photo: http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/

Fox News: Fair And Unedited

Photo: English Fail Blog

I Want This Shirt!

Glarkware is selling this shirt dubbed "Office Manager." The silhouette bears a striking resemblance to Joan Holloway, Sterling-Cooper's curviest admin. Anyone secretly hoping the Mad Men cast wears period costumes to the Emmys?



Photo: glarkware.com

Free TV Bonanza! Thanks NBC!

NBC finally came to their senses and re-inked a deal with Apple. Now you can go back to downloading all of your favorites from the iTunes store again (even though their all free on Hulu).

The peacock is celebrating the good news by giving away HD downloads of some of their hit shows for free!

I downloaded the 4th season premiere episode of The Office and the free ep of 30 Rock. The files are giant but it's worth it to watch Michael Scott vomit chicken alfredo in high definition.

Photo: magneticmediafed.com

Hump Day Update

Hey peeps. Lots to write about and just when I think I don't have time to do it all, I remember my dear old friend Hump Day Update.

• Who Wants To Be A Millionaire got a serious makeover for its season premiere this week. There's a time limit on the questions, new crazy life lines, and help from celebrity experts. I use the term celebrity loosely as so far the only celebrity has been Bill Nye the Science Guy, though he is is 2 for 2. It speeds up the show and that time limit makes you second guess yourself on even the easiest questions. I know what you're all thinking, "How long is the time-limit for the million dollar question?" It's 45 seconds plus all of the time you bank during the other questions. So if you only use 5 seconds during a 30 second time period, 25 seconds goes to the bank. Neat huh?

• Ellen Degeneres is the new spokesperson for Cover Girl. I don't wear make-up but I appreciate the fact Cover Girl uses funny, vibrant, down-to-earth celebs like Queen Latifah and Ellen for their ad campaigns. Classy.
  

• Juliana Margulies obviously missed my mother's lesson on dressing your best for every situation...oh and the one on keeping your vagina to yourself.
  

• Michael Phelps is hosting SNL this week. Anyone see him totally bonk before he introduced Little Wayne at the VMAs? Hopefully he can hold it together on Saturday.
  

• Speaking of the VMAs, thoughts on Kanye's new song, "Love Lockdown"? I loved it live, but I'm not feeling this studio version.

Photo: The Remote Island

Weeds. Whoa.

I am blown away.

One could argue Weeds has been crazy this season. Drug trafficking, the Mexican mob, cheese shops, teenage three-ways, etc. But where Entourage takes their crazy and spins it into one-dimensional episodes of fantastical excess, Jenji Kohan and the folks over at Weeds craft complex tales of betrayal, lust and family.

We were treated to the sharp, irreverent wit of Justin Kirk, who's character Andy has morphed from a comic punching bag to a family linchpin just as troubled as Nancy herself. Dean and Celia finally had it out this week and foreshadowed the return of their long-lost daughter Quinn, who we last saw making out with Silas during the show's pilot episode. And in a move that could cost her her life, Nancy squealed to the DEA about the secret tunnel and it was promptly raided. The episode ended with Captain Till's romantic and professional partner Paul getting tortured with a belt sander then murdered, not before he gave up Nancy as an informant. Even her relationship with the Mayor of Tijuana, maestro to this madness, won't help her get out of this one.

Kohan managed to tie up the loose ends of this at times frenetic season together in a perfect bow of fear and funny, just in time for next week's finale. Has Nancy finally gotten herself in too deep? Suddenly those thugs with guns at the end of season two or impending wildfires in season three don't look so bad.

It's official. Showtime just put a nail in the coffin that is HBO television. I am counting the days until next week's episode.

Photo: rocksellout.com

Premieres! Premieres! Premieres!

There's a lot of TV on tonight and frankly I don't want you to miss out.

- First, the show we've all been waiting for with baited breath has finally arrived. Hole In The Wall premieres tonight on Fox at 8/7c. To say I am a little giddy about all of this is an understatement. It's people trying to fit through a hole in a giant wall careening towards them. Honestly? It's pure entertainment.

-The boys on Entourage are back tonight for their 5th season premiere. I will probably catch this but I'm willing to hold out for On Demand. If it's not good from the start, I'm officially giving up. See the ep for yourself tonight at 10/9c on HBO.

-And to get you pumped for your favorite show about celebrities, HBO decided to launch their new show about vampires. True Blood is not something I'd normally enjoy but the premise looks pretty appealing. The show takes place in small-town Louisiana town. Thanks to the miracles of science, vampires can drink synthetic blood and leave the humans alone. This means they can co-exist among the living without causing too much of a stir. Too bad the humans are still a little weary about having their former predators walking the streets again. A waitress in the small town is sympathetic to the vampires' plight, as she too is kind of wack-a-doodle and can hear people's thoughts. It sounds weird but this is pretty much HBO's last grenade in the war against Showtime. Let's hope it doesn't blow up in their faces. True Blood comes on at 9/8c.

A VMA Field Guide

The Video Music Awards are on tonight. When watching MTV's self-absorbed awards program, please have these things in mind.

• If you are over the age of 14, this show is no longer aimed for your tastes. You may like the music, you may be a fan of the celebrity guests, but that's where the fun ends. The jokes are awful, the sets are gaudy and there are commercial breaks every six seconds since young people can't focus.
  

• If you're 14+ but still want to get the most out of the show, watch the clips online. MTV runs a great website and their video section has just what you're looking for sans the annoying host and excessive build-up.
  

• Russell Brand is hosting the show this year. It's a kind of left field pick but this could work out for the better. It sure beats my favorite MTV hosting combo, Courtney Cox and Jon Lovitz. See how far we've come?!

• Kanye West is performing at the show tonight which means this could very well happen.
  

• Britney Spears may or may not be performing and I may or may not give a shit. I am just happy she appears to be taking care of herself now. Though like the rest of the viewing public, I'm still secretly hoping she falls flat on her face.
  

Photo: http://cyberextazy.files.wordpress.com/