Yay for Jane reviews. This has been such a surprisingly good addition to TV this year and it's great to see AV Club pick it up. Will be back after I watch this episode.

And Paula Abdul. Forever your girl was everywhere in 1989. Whether that makes it a good year for Paula as opposed to a good year for pop songs, per se, is a matter of opinion.

Cherish is the song that has stuck with me from this album. While I can't say I've been a fan for a number of years now, in 1989 she showcased how phenomenally talented and goddamn clever she was. The deeper and personal meanings behind the album never really hit me, but she turned so quickly from a 1980s joke to a…

Based on your great comment I'd say you're not "just another guy". You're one of the ones we need to stick around and speak up. It's tough speaking up against people who want to maintain the right to have the status quo maintained just because it serves them well.

Definitely the best of the (comparatively weak) second season. That slap Holt gave Peralta while they were both in silk pyjamas - perfect. And Gina was great in this one. In terms of weaknesses, I think Rosa's characterisation is all over the place. But otherwise I really enjoyed this episode.

Not everywhere, man.

Did seem like a bit of a wasted opportunity. I thought the IRB was all over the marketing side of things and would have whipped up a bit of interest in the media. NBC getting the rights was great, although by all accounts some commentators and camera operators who were familiar with the game would have improved the…

Congratulations on your new nephew.

Bend it like Beckham is a good suggestion - thanks. I've never seen it myself so didn't think of it. I can't imagine her liking Life Aquatic but she enjoyed Groundhog Day.

Rugby union - All Blacks v USA. Not sure this counts as pop culture but it was entertaining, for me anyway as an AB supporter. A trouncing, as expected, but still watchable and good to see that level of support for a rugby game in the US. I thought the Eagles did well to last the distance with good energy and focus.
Oth…

I don't watch the show but Ben Feldman looks like a young Scott Biao in that photo - circa Joanie loves Chachi.

Whiplash. Oh wow was that good. Completely engrossing and Simmons is phenomenal. I read elsewhere that others thought the sideline brief 'romance' part didn't fit in the movie but I think it did a great job of placing Andrew as 19. Growing up, ambitious but only just out of school and home and incredibly young and…

I agree. This is risky for Corden.

The Springfield Files is absolutely canon. It wrapped up the mythology beautifully. Without the Mr Burns explanation it would just be a mess of aliens, bees, oil, and - super soldiers? That would be crazy. The correct order is seasons 1-5, first movie, 6, some of 7, The Springfield Files, the last two episodes of 7,…

Nicely done. "Sleepy new agents of flashing it" looks particularly interesting. Monday night sounds like Batman does 50 Shades of Grey.

Nice work on the review. I especially enjoyed the analysis of virgin statistics. Less sure on the collective noun suggestions, but I might be able to live with Janites. Ugh, maybe not.
I was very surprised how much I enjoyed this show. Jane is a great main character. And while I hated the narration for the first 20…

I'm disappointed with B99 so far this season. I really enjoyed season 1, but so far this has been fairly dull with rehashes of the same plots as last season. The whole thing seems like they're just treading water. When they screened that great finale it really felt like it knew exactly where it was going as a show and…

I saw Gone Girl. Not sure what to say about it really, or why I went. I thought it was fairly awful. I've since read some of the analyses of it. Those looking at it more favourably appear to have read the book which I gather was more nuanced in how it approproached the unreliable narrator aspect and less clean cut in…

It's not often Carol Shields gets a mention round here. I regularly re-read her work. I had only just discovered The Stone Diaries when she died and I quickly read everything else of hers. Such a way with words.

Aw. I liked Submarine.