Random TV Thoughts

[piranesi]

MeTV is running that great COLUMBO episode where he goes to England and meets Wilfred Hyde-Park, Bernard Fox, Honor Blackman, and Arthur Malet (see: http://deathvalleydriver.com/forum/index.php?/topic/744-october-horrordays/?p=50290 )
 
But Richard Basehart is stealing this and I sense a Basehart festival coming on.  Any suggestions?  Other than LA STRADA????

 

 Just about all I know about him is that Gypsy on MST3K was in love with him.

 

 

[odessasteps]

he was the star of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

 

Did you mean Wilfred Hyde-White, he of the GIl Gerard Buck Rogers TV show?

[piranesi]

Yes...Wilfred Hyde-Park...bit of an Anglo-Freudian slip.

 

He was in two Columbos and probably wore the same suit in both.

[EVA]

Only on MASTERS OF SEX can a wedding cake sampling turn into a discussion of foreskin.

Also: "I pretended my waffle was the body of Christ."

But most of all: THE SMILE.

[Fat Spanish Waiter]

So Family Guy

 

Killed off Brian. Dead. Dead. Time machine is gone too. Replaced him with Paulie Walnuts in dog form

[piranesi]

So Family Guy

 

Killed off Brian. Dead. Dead. Time machine is gone too. Replaced him with Paulie Walnuts in dog form

 

 

It kind of bugs me how much that bothers me.

[kiguchi]

It's been several months since I finished watching Deadwood, and God I miss it. Though the story was top notch, it's the characters that I miss, every single one of them.

[Territorial]

Anyone watch the Mentalist?  I haven't followed the show in years, but I watched last night for the Red John reveal.  I have no idea who the character they revealed was, so the subtext is lost on me, but the episode didn't make me think I've missed anything by not watching.  The episode was basically one long chase sequence that reminded me of an overbooked WWE PPV. 

First the FBI chased Jane around the city as he tried to get to a meeting with Red John.  This had multiple fake outs, double fake outs, a ludicrous scene where the rest of the cast showed up for an armed standoff with the FBI (which should instantly end their careers, regardless of extenuating circumstances).  

 

The Jane finally confronted Red John.  These scenes had a heel turn (heel turning on heel), a character returning from the dead, a last minute run-in by a character never seen before, another chase - this time on foot.  Oh, and then the babyface murdered someone.  At least this time, the victim had tried to kill him minutes earlier - unlike a few seasons ago when Jane killed a fake Red John while the man sat in the middle of a shopping mall, reading a newspaper (that might have been even more ridiculous,  A jury acquitted Jane for no reason when the victim turned out to be another serial killer pretending to be Red John).

 

Oh, then the babyface walked away to start a new life - after previously offering to turn himself into the FBI if they allowed him to make the meeting.  Again, never mind that this all seemingly hangs all his friends out to dry.

 

Jane might be the most unlikeable dick babyface since face Sheamus, 

U

[The Natural]

So Family Guy

 

Killed off Brian. Dead. Dead. Time machine is gone too. Replaced him with Paulie Walnuts in dog form

 

I was introduced to Family Guy before a Christmas a long time ago as a work colleague of my Dad’s lent us a couple of the box sets. In the UK the box sets are different to the USA box set on which is most annoying. The differences can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Family_Guy_DVDs. I bought all of them up to season ten which collects the remaining season eight episodes and the first four season nine episodes (you know what I mean now). Season eight was the last full series of Family Guy I watched. I was getting tired of Family Guy before that.

 

I heard they would be killing a character:

 

Shame it's Brian as he was one of my favourites.

 

Family Guy season three probably gets my vote as the best ever season of Family Guy.

[Victator]

I'm pretty upset between this and Country Mac. 

[Territorial]

Is the Family Guy death supposed to be permanent?  I hadn't heard beforehand that they would be killing off a character, so I was surprised when __________ actually died.  I kinda figured it would be undone before the end of the ep, and didn't think much about it when it wasn't.  Figured it would be undone next week or somesuch?

 

I'm not a fan of the show, so I don't really care one way or the other, but the Brian/Stewie relationship seems to be one of the more popular things on the show. Maybe they figure the time travel/mismatched buddies plot have run their course.

Of course, if they started retiring characters/gags that have run their course, there would be no show.

[Niners Fan in CT]

Its a strange decision and if they do not reverse it I doubt I will watch many of the new episodes. Wont be the same.

[Robert S]

Anyone watch the Mentalist?  I haven't followed the show in years, but I watched last night for the Red John reveal.  I have no idea who the character they revealed was, so the subtext is lost on me, but the episode didn't make me think I've missed anything by not watching.  The episode was basically one long chase sequence that reminded me of an overbooked WWE PPV. 

First the FBI chased Jane around the city as he tried to get to a meeting with Red John.  This had multiple fake outs, double fake outs, a ludicrous scene where the rest of the cast showed up for an armed standoff with the FBI (which should instantly end their careers, regardless of extenuating circumstances).  

 

The Jane finally confronted Red John.  These scenes had a heel turn (heel turning on heel), a character returning from the dead, a last minute run-in by a character never seen before, another chase - this time on foot.  Oh, and then the babyface murdered someone.  At least this time, the victim had tried to kill him minutes earlier - unlike a few seasons ago when Jane killed a fake Red John while the man sat in the middle of a shopping mall, reading a newspaper (that might have been even more ridiculous,  A jury acquitted Jane for no reason when the victim turned out to be another serial killer pretending to be Red John).

 

Oh, then the babyface walked away to start a new life - after previously offering to turn himself into the FBI if they allowed him to make the meeting.  Again, never mind that this all seemingly hangs all his friends out to dry.

 

Jane might be the most unlikeable dick babyface since face Sheamus, 

U

I think it's a classic case of writing yourself into a corner and having no satisfactory way of resolving the stuff that was build up. Just like the last season of Lost.

 

They had three different ways to go with the Red John resolution:

a) use a regular; probably would have been full of plot holes and making no sense whatsoever

b) use a new character (or one that appeared only once before this seasons like happened here); problem is that it would feel "wrong" (why build up a whodunnit for five years and solve it being a new character)

c) use a semi-regular, problems are bit of (a) and (b)

So there was no good solution. At least the guy who ended up being Red John appeared several times this season and was sold as one of the final seven suspects.

At least they recognized this problem and don't use the revealing of the identity of Red John as series or even season finale.

[sabremike]

I think this is Family Guy's "Jump The Shark" moment.

[muhammedboehm]

I think this is Family Guy's "Jump The Shark" moment.

Or there Jean Gray moment

[piranesi]

This all could have worked great if only they'd gotten Ted McGinley to be the voice of the new character.

[tigertooth]

I saw an interview with Steve Callaghan, exec producer of Family Guy.  This was revealing:

 

Are you worried about the backlash from longtime Family Guy fans?
I'm not, only because our fans are smart enough and have been loyal to our show for long enough, to know that they can trust us. We always make choices that always work to the greatest benefit of the series.

 

Our fans are smart enough to realize how amazing and perfect we are.  That attitude should serve them well.

[Antacular]

Didn't see the episode, but being that Brian is my favorite character (Shocking I know), this does not sit well with me. Haven't heard anything about Pauly W. Becoming a permanent cast member, so I assume they'll bring Brian back eventually.

[Victator]

There seem to be a lot of Brian centric episodes down the line. But those could be red herrings. 

Best joke was the Adam West bit at the funeral. 

[Territorial]

I saw an interview with Steve Callaghan, exec producer of Family Guy.  This was revealing:

 

Are you worried about the backlash from longtime Family Guy fans?

I'm not, only because our fans are smart enough and have been loyal to our show for long enough, to know that they can trust us. We always make choices that always work to the greatest benefit of the series.

 

The bolded bit makes me think this is mostly a fakeout and they'll bring Brian back fairly quickly.

[Ryan]

There's literally episodes with his name in the title left to air, so it seems fairly obvious he'll be back. He still has to meet the Simpsons after all.

[jstout]

I thought the move was a good one - first, you know it's gonna be temporary, just 'cause. Stewie will find the stuff to build his time machine, etc. Meanwhile, it gives everyone a new character to bounce off of - he'll probably be one of the gang at the Clam, something Brian hasn't been doing lately since the Brian/Quagmire story started. And it gives the show a chance to do Brian/Stewie-type stuff, but with a new character's perspective in the Brian role. 

 

It reminds me of when South Park killed Kenny for a while to give Butters and Tweek more time to shine.

[J.T.]

Holy shit, Person of Interest was fucking awesome tonight!

 

CARL MOTHER FUCKING ELIAS~!!!!

[Eivion]

Tonight was easily one of the best episodes in the series. I thought it was perfect end to the HR story. Loved seeing Lionel get such a big moment.

[MikeRose]

Is anyone else watching the Blacklist?