Element of
Oddly enough, this very same discussion came up at my house this weekend. We were discussing why sitcoms and horror films have such a problem maintaing their impact. It seems like the element of surprise is a huge part of it. We delight in incongruity and opposites (of what we believe will be said or done)…

I'm watching the first episode during my lunch break and really liking it, at least liking it 20 minutes in. It's fun and light, great setup. But already looking forward to the great stuff later on (which I hope includes less "BOING!" sound effects).

Off BSG, but slightly related, was discussing with friends this weekend about how hard it's been to really dive into the darkness/misery of Mad Men, but how the same doesn't hold true for Breaking Bad. It's just as dark, but for me, far more watchable and involving.

That can't be his real hair, right? RIGHT? OR is he just that good?

So how much did Andy Dick contribute to Phil Hartman's death? On WTF, he said it was a rumor that he had anything to do w/ Phil's wife's drug problem. False or slightly false?

"Ain't got no-bah-ahdy, and no body cares!"

I'm guessing the one with the pale, brooding Frankenstein who acts out because really, he just doesn't want Elizabeth to get hurt.

good marketing
You'd think he'd spin this whole thing in a way that would attract more business, not make everyone conclude he's a huge, greedy dick.

Watch out, Amelie! Sl8ter's closing in.

It's a website about nothing! Nothing!

Except when it was the week of the Royal Wedding — then it was hard-hitting, investigative journalism of highest order.

sincerely…
My TV-watching time is already so limited, I don't know that I want to spend it watching a show that's like The Wire, but not quite as good, just reminiscent of it (and on CBS).

Fred Thompson? Never heard of him.

Even these later movies don't do a great job at making Voldemort seem like a genuine threat. His total loss of humanity, his gradual takeover of the entire government, his extermination of the Muggle-borns - those have not translated that well on the screen.

Yep, best movie they ever showed on American Airlines.

So basically
He's Mr. Garrison w/ a beaver version of Mr. Hat?

And you're not entirely in control of the monster when it leaves the gate. You can try and move it in a different direction, but in a way, you're just doing a lot of harm to it.

Lovecraft, I was thinking specifically of the new Foo Fighters album (I'm just vaguely familiar with it). These guys still rock pretty hard and they're selling a lot of records, at least right now. They seem manly and populist, and they get some play on commercial radio. But, if we're going to split hairs, I guess…

manly rockers extinct?
Okay, so Pete Yorn hasn't found his way to any hot 100 lists in the last few years, but I'm not sure that manly populist rockers are dead on commercial radio or as a genre. While they may not sound like Pete Yorn with Neil Young guitars and Bob Dylan harmonica, I think these kinds of manly…

Our local pub is opening insanely early to show it. I'm sure it will be packed w/ middle-aged women in sad hats.