Best moment on TV in quite some time

Jimmy Fallon struck again last night when he had Will Farrell on. The two's friendship from SNL spilled over and it made for one of the funniest moments I have seen on TV in quite some time.

Something is consistently funny to me about the way Ferrell makes Fallon uncontrollably laugh. It always has even since the days of SNL. Its like a watching a little kid hanging out with his idol.

I can't describe it, so if you missed it, check it out.

Battle of the Theme Songs

Tonight I saw Zack Morris (mark Paul Gosselar) on the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. Along with intense bouts of nostalgia, hearing the roots rock out their own version of the Saved by the Bell theme song, an idea struck me.

By the beginning of next week I'd like to have a bracket of a set of 16 TV show theme songs, and day by day pit them against each other until a champion is crowned. So for those of you who still read this thing, including the ones who read and don't comment, now is your time to come out of the woodwork and nominate which songs you'd like to see in the final bracket of 16.

This could be fun.

Friends, Diffrent Strokes, and Saved by the Bell are three that I'm really feeling as of late. Who do you nominate?

I didn't mean for that to rhyme.

Move over Twilight... Word about True Blood is spreading fast

Two book series began just weeks apart. True Blood and Twilight. True Blood was released 3 weeks earlier.

It seems like after spending a year in the backseat word is starting to spread, and save the preteens, people are finally catching on.

I spent the last week watching all 12 of the hour long episodes of True Blood on HBO. And I admit I have never read a Twilight book but have seen the movie, and the True Blood series puts it to shame. With far more grit, plot, and of course way better special effects, True Blood is finally garnering the attention it deserves.

I AM NOT SAYING YOU CAN"T LIKE BOTH. Just try a taste of True Blood and make up your mind for yourself...

Season 2 premiers Sunday June 14th.

Hard Knocks with the Who Deys?

As of now, the Bengals are the top contender for this season's Hard Knocks on HBO. Last season followed the Dallas Cowboys, and it was an outstanding series. The show allows viewers to go in depth, and get to know players and personal on the team as the team progresses through its summer training camps. The season typically consists of 6 hour-long episodes that run from the early camps, through the preseason games. The show stays up to date, airing just one week after the actual events in many cases, but this in no way leads to poor production, as this is a very well put-together show. I think it'd be great for the franchise if the players can stay out of trouble and earn the respect of a national audience. What would be even better would be if they could back it up on the field after the series concluded. I'll be keeping a close eye on this, and keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't fall through.

Why can't every channel be premium?

Recently I was considering which TV shows are truly my favorite. I am a man who is certainly guilty of claiming that something is my "favorite" far more times than there are open positions for such an honor. But I am a man of passion and I don't feel guilty for such things. But recently I truly assessed modern telivsion and which shows have my attention. Sure, network TV has a few gems; In my opinion currently The Office, Lost, Smallville and Grey's Anatomy are television shows that are either truly funny, well written, or simply extremely captivating. But then I compared these shows with those that pervade the premium channles HBO and Showtime, and there truly is no comparison. I do not believe it is necessary for there to be graphic violence or language for a show to be good. But I do believe the censorship of network TV makes its writers feel trapped creatively. This can be seen in the sheer creativity and unique plotlines of these premium channel shows. To help you grasp the types of shows I am talking about it is important to know which shows I am considering when discussing this topic. The four shows I consider elite in the scheme of ALL current television including network, cable, and premium, all come from premium channels. They are as follows in no particular order: Entourage (HBO), Dexter (Showtime), Weeds (Showtime), Californication (Showtime). These four shows are truly the pinnacle of modern television. Entourage began as a man's Sex and the City, and it was great even at that point, but as its 5th season has concluded it has grown and developed a unique sense of plot and struggle. Californication certainly satisfies the writer's side of my life (I've referenced it in previous blogs if you're curious) but it is extremely well written, and has a sense of character development unlike anything I have ever seen save Dexter, which is in its own unique category. I can't explain what is so special about Dexter without ruining it so if you know nothing about it I simply recommend you take time to check it out. Then comes Weeds. A perfect blend of comedy and drama. Never has a show had me laugh so hard, and care so much about its characters at the same time.

But this isn't supposed to be a review of these shows, at least that's not what I had originally intended. What I am really trying to stress is the fact that these shows are given free reign over their content, allowing them to flow wherever the story takes them creatively. As a result the shows are able to span a much more wide base of plot and conflict. Sure some may be controversial but that's life. That's what these shows are trying to mirror or comment on in the first place. Our life is not censored, and neither are these four elite shows, and I think it is that simple fact that has allowed these shows to sky-rocket and propel their actors and actresses to begin dominating the Emmy's over those on network TV (See Mary Louise Parker and David Duchovny).

Entourage:

Weeds:

Californication:

Dexter: