The Simpsons/Family Guy Crossover

Starring: Seth MacFarlane & Matt Groening

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Some people call it ingenious, while others saw it as an act of desperation. Either way, the Family Guy/Simpsons cross over episode gave fans everything they wanted and more. While it's true that the ratings of both shows are not great, the franchises mean millions of dollars for FOX, not to mention that every new episode means syndication money, and that's why these shows have stuck around for as long as they have. In this very special episode, Peter and his family are forced to leave Quahog, after once again offending a large group of people. While on the road, they stop for gas and wind up having their car stolen. The Griffin's end up in a local town called Springfield, where as Brian puts it, "everyone looks like they have hepatitis." In many ways the shows are similar, many even call Family Guy nothing more than an edgier version of The Simpsons, and if you didn't think that before, it comes across crystal clearly in this episode. Over the years and due to shows like South Park and Family Guy, the Simpsons don't seem as edgy as they once did, but I thought the crossover brought out the best in them. In many ways, for the Simpson's it was a return to it's roots, as we got the famous catch phrases, hardly uttered at all anymore, and saw some of the things that drew us to the show in the first place. As for Family Guy is was just another episode for them, incorporating their own unique brand into Springfield. Two things that particularly stood out (You'll want to stop reading if you haven't seen the episode yet) were the cameos from other animated shows on FOX and the court room scene where all the similar characters from Springfield and Quahog were sitting next to each other and interacting. This was the kind of idea that could lead to a huge movie, maybe the Simpsons 2: Road To Quahog? Either way the crossover was terrific and should be a huge ratings grabber for FOX, and for all you Matt Groening fans, this isn't the only crossover you'll see this season, as a Futurama crossover is scheduled for sweeps week.

Kyle XY

Starring: Matt Dallas, Marguerite MacIntyre, Bruce Thomas, April Matson, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Chris Olivero, Kirsten Prout, Nicholas Lea, & Chelan Simmons

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Kyle XY was the first successful original show on ABC family. Featuring cute boys, which played right into their key demographic of teenage girls. Kyle woke up having no memory, like some big adorable baby. Not wanting the show to be some cutesy fucked up version of the Brady Bunch, the producers actually gave the show a complicated storyline, which made it much better, but also led to it's downfall. The series starts when Kyle wakes up naked in the woods outside of Seattle. He has no memory and doesn't know how to do anything. He's quickly put into a group home, as a John Doe, where he gains the attention and admiration of the local psychologist, Nicole Trager (Marguerite MacIntyre). Trager knows that Kyle will never survive in that environment and decides to foster him. Once at the Trager house, Kyle doesn't need to just learn the basics of survival, but also the social norms associated with being part of a family. The series starts out with Kyle as a clean slate, having to learn everything from eating to using the bathroom, and to me this was the worst part of the show. It did however give the stations key demographic exactly what it demanded and lead to these episodes being the networks highest rated to date. Wanting to show off Kyle's abilities and not wanting him to be some loveable moron, the writers shifted the focus to Kyle's extraordinary abilities and how he uses them to try and find out who he is and where he came from. That's the point where the show started to get interesting to me and of course the point where the ratings started to decline. Show some trendy teenage girls, a bunch of cute boys being adorable and you've got high ratings, but show those same boys as part of a global conspiracy, that makes you think, and those girls want nothing to do with it. Half way through the first season, Kyle XY went from a lame family show to a terrific science fiction drama. Matt Dallas stars as Kyle and he has a lot going for him. Dallas is good looking, athletic, and intelligent, unfortunately he's not a very good actor and many times seemed like some emotionless robot, who was reading lines from a cue card. Thankfully the family and friends surrounding him were far better actors than he was. The Trager family is a terrific mix of wit and emotion that is centered on Kyle, but doesn't focus solely on him. There is a terrific storyline featuring the daughter Lori's (April Matson) entrance into sexual activity with her boyfriend Declin (Chris Olivero), who may be the single most talented person on this cast. The brother Josh (Jean-Luc Bilodeau), gives much needed comic relief to the show, while teaching Kyle the things every teenaged boy needs to know. Kyle XY was a magically complex show that blended a great science fiction story with comedy and family drama, unfortunately it was on the wrong network. A show like this could have continued to grow and come out of nowhere to be a mix of the X-Files and 90210, that appealed to a huge audience, instead, it was geared toward teenage girls who just didn't want to think. The show was designed for a large audience on a network that has a very limited demographic. Ultimately the cute boys and the occasional comedy just wasn't enough to keep them interested and the show was canceled after 3 seasons. In my opinion this show was just starting to hit it's stride and should it have been on a network that appealed to a larger audience, it would probably still be on the air today.

The Commish

Starring: Michael Chiklis, Theresa Saldana, Kaj-Erik Eriksen, Geoffrey Nauffts, Jason Schombing, Melinda McGraw, Dayna Cornborough, & John Cygan

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Long before he was cracking skulls as Vic Mackey on The Shield, Michael Chiklis was Tony Scali, the Commissioner of the East Bridge Police Department. The show launched Chiklis's career and when you've seen both The Commish and The Shield, you really get the sense that this guy could play any role. Scali was the complete opposite of Mackey, whereas Mackey solved his problems through violence and intimidation, throwing the book out the window, Scali solved crime by using the book to his advantage. Scali would use his cleverness, his charm, and even his wit to get the answers he needed and was the true opposite of Vic Mackey in every sense of the word. The Commish was so much more than just a simple cop show, it was a family show, and during it's five year run on ABC it was way ahead of it's time. The show ran from 1991-1995 and even then was exploring such topics as bullying, gay marriage, the emergence of the internet, and in one first season episode, way back in 1991, Tony states that reality TV was the wave of the future! Scali wasn't just the clever cop who ran a large police department and solved crimes through extremely clever and unconventional methods, he was a family man. Much of the show intertwines his work with his family and he's just as clever, witty, and delightful at home as he is in the station. As I said earlier, this show launched the career of Michael Chiklis who now is a multiple Emmy Award winner and one of the best people you could have on board for a new series. Veteran actress, Theresa Saldana, plays his wife Rachel, and she's more than just a housewife. She's just as intuitive as her husband and is a working mom, another aspect of the show that was ahead of it's time. Their son David, was the first major role for Kaj-Erik Eriksen, who has seemingly been in everything. You may not recognize his name, but you'll definitely recognize his face from one thing or another. I have been watching the Commish regularly for about 3 months now and I can tell you honestly, this show never gets old. No two cases or personalities are the same, and you'd be hard pressed to find award winning novels that are better written. This is one of the most clever, fun, and heartwarming shows I have ever seen, and even though it's been off the air for nearly 20 years, it's still as relevant today as it was then and I can not possible recommend it enough.

Wilfred (U.S. Version)

Starring: Elijah Wood, Jason Gann, & Fiona Gubelmann

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

At first glance Wilfred appears to be a ridiculously stupid show, but as a longtime fan and follower of Elijah Wood, I knew he wouldn't agree to do something like that, so I decided to give Wilfred a shot. The show is adapted from a very popular Australian show and if nothing else, it is extremely unique. Wood plays Ryan, a down on his luck man going through some changes. He has a hopeless crush on his new neighbor, Jenna, who to his surprise shows up one day and asks him to watch her dog, Wilfred. The thing about Wilfred is that he is actually a dog, that only Ryan sees as a man in a dog costume. Why does Ryan see Wilfred though, is he an angel, demon, spirit, or is Ryan just hallucinating? That is really the point of the show, Wilfred is there to help and guide Ryan, but what is he and why is Ryan the only one who sees him as human? When I first started watching this show, I thought it was absolutely hysterical. Some of the things Wilfred does and some of the words that come out of his mouth are shocking and hilarious, and how they get away with that on television is beyond me. Unfortunately the initial shock of this nut running around in a dog suit wears off pretty quickly and the episodes seem to blend together. It's a great idea and a unique show, but a lot of the episodes have a very similar storyline and don't really seem to go anywhere. The reason such a weird show works so well is it's extremely talented cast. Elijah Wood has always been a favorite actor of mine and when his quiet, reserved character is matched with Jason Gann and his extreme behavior, it's like watching a whole new take on the Odd Couple. Gann is a newcomer in America and was the one who played Wilfred in the original Australian version of the show. He's been playing Wilfred for years, he's comfortable in the role and none of this is new to him, and that's why he is so terrific. The show Wilfred can be a riot, but it gets old quick, and it's hard listening to moral lessons taught by a pot smoking man in a dog costume. That being said, it might not be the ideal show to watch on DVD as I did, but catching an episode or two on TV can defiantly make your night entertaining.

The Walking Dead

Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Norman Reedus, Iron E. Singleton, & Melissa Suzanne McBride

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

I did not want to get into AMC's The Walking Dead, because it is what I like to call, addictive television. I try to avoid shows like this, but I was at a friends house the other week and there were a group of people watching it, so I really didn't have a choice and I got sucked into it's grip. The reason I don't like to watch shows like this is because it's based on a book, which usually means, the show is amazing and very well written until they reach the end of the book and have to come up with new stuff on their own. At that point, the quality of the story quickly diminishes and the show either gets boring or goes way over the top. As I watched the first two seasons of The Walking Dead over the course of a couple weeks, I found that the same was true for it. The first season was an absolute delight and I hated the fact that it was only six episodes. The second season started out pretty good also, but that's when the book must have ended and things changed. This powerful, exciting show became extremely predictable, with every episode featuring about forty minutes of talking and five minutes of action. So, if I was so turned off by it at that point, why am I watching the new episodes right now? Addictive television! Now that I know the characters and their stories I want answers to the same four questions as everyone else. Who is fighting with who, who is fucking who, how will the story end, and the big one, who lives and who dies. Similar to soap operas, shows like the Walking Dead, for the most part, aren't well written, are extremely predictable, and don't really develop much after the initial impact. I didn't see a single episode in the second or third season that I enjoyed as much as I did every episode from season 1. I am nevertheless invested in the show and what happens now, and to be honest it's not that it's a bad show. I really like Sarah Wayne Callies from Prison Break and Norman Reedus's character is the one guy who really evolved into someone who fascinates me. The action scenes, as well as the effects are terrific, and they do have a pretty talented cast. It's my hope that as it continues to gain popularity, that the writers turn to other sources, perhaps the author of the book or even some fan fiction for alternative ideas on how to keep things fresh and interesting, because right now, aside from the question of who lives and who dies, there isn't much there to attract new viewers to the show. If you like dark stories, horror, and end of the world type fiction, I'd give the show a try, but if you're a newbie whose thinking about getting into the Walking Dead, I warn you, the first season is amazing and will suck you in, but after that, as of yet, it hasn't gotten any better.

The Event (2010)

Starring: Jason Ritter, Sarah Roemer, Laura Innes, Ian Anthony Dale, Scott Patterson, Hal Holbrook, Virginia Madson, Blair Underwood, Zeljko Ivanek, Taylor Cole, Lisa Vidal, & Bill Smitrovich

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Let me guess, you've never heard of the Event? The show was yet another networks answer to Lost and this one had a real shot at success. The initial ratings were high, leading NBC to pick the show up for an entire season. As has become common place on NBC, after four episodes they took it off for weeks to promote some God awful reality show, and when they brought it back, it was on a new night and the rating plummeted. The Event had a terrific premise and has been called a meeting between 24 and the 4400, I couldn't agree more. 66 years ago, an alien ship crashed in Alaska, and the aliens aboard were not strange creatures, but were in fact nearly identical to us. The only difference being that they age at a much slower rate than we do. About half the crew escaped and tried to peacefully blend into society, but it was hard since they barely age, and often had to re-start their lives. The other group was locked up by the U.S. government until such time as their true reasons for being here could be explained. The series starts when a new President (Blair Underwood) takes office and learns of the prison. His first reaction is that they've never done anything wrong and he's planning to reveal them to the world and set them free, but someone doesn't want that to happen. This unknown force orchestrates this huge conspiracy to assassinate the President, while painting the aliens in a much different light. Most episodes are split into three separate stories that all relate to one another. The White House angel looks as though it could be right out of 24, as it is so similar to what we saw on FOX for 7 seasons. The aliens go from friend to foe and the President and his men, those who are actually his men, will stop at nothing to find the rest of them. The next part shows the aliens themselves lead by Sophia (Laura Innes) who has many different goals that frequently change and surprise you. It's this part of the storyline that I found to be the most enjoyable and interesting part of the show. The third sequence follows an ordinary couple that just happened to get caught in the middle, but may ultimately be the key to this whole thing. The writing for this show is as good as you will see on Television, it's not in quite as much detail as 24, and the timeline can be somewhat hard to follow, but never the less it's very well done. Unusual for this type of show is also the fact that there is no one person who you can call the star. Jason Ritter is the face that is most associated with the show, but he's not more important than anyone else, leading me to believe that his looks have something to do with it. Overall, The Event is another terrific show that was killed by network mismanagement. I sometimes wonder if these executives actually watch the shows they put on the air and realize what they have. There is no doubt in my mind, that if NBC hadn't put it on an 8 week hiatus and then changed it's time slot, that this show would be in the top 10 by now. Instead one of the most interesting shows to come along in years is another Nielsen casualty. For fans of the show, there is still some hope as for the past two years, the Syfy channel has been interested in doing a mini-series, with the possibility of re-launch should the ratings call for one. I am one of the people who will definitely be keeping his fingers crossed for that.

V (2009)

Starring: Elizabeth Mitchell, Morris Chestnut, Joel Gretsch, Logan Huffman, Laura Vandervoort, Morena Baccarin, Scott Wolf, Christopher Shyer, Lourdes Benedicto, Mark Hildreth, Jane Badler, & Charles Mesure

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

V stands for Visitors and it is one of the best show that you've never watched. Most fans of the original series weren't happy when they learned that V (2009) would be a re-imagining of the franchise as opposed to a modern day re-creation of the show, but that didn't stop them from watching it. V was the highest rated premier of any new show on any network in 2009, but as usual, ABC managed to screw it up. The show premiered with 14 million viewers and kept it's audience over it's first four episodes. ABC, in their infinite stupidity, decided to keep the fans hungry for more, and decided to hold the next eight episodes until nearly four months later! By that time, more than half the audience was gone and the show was barely renewed for a second season, but thank God it was, because as good as the premiere season was, the second season was ten times better! It wasn't until almost a year later that ABC decided to air the second season of V and the numbers were decent, but not enough to motivate the network into renewing the expensive show. The fans launched a huge campaign to try and save the show and to ABC's credit, they did try to sell it to another network, but ultimately failed to do so and V became another Nielsen casualty. As for the show itself, it had some similarities, but was ultimately very different than the original 1983 version. On a random day, at a random time, 29 alien ships appear over major Earth cities. Shortly thereafter, a beautiful woman appears explaining that they are peaceful beings who are here to help us and give the people of Earth some amazing gifts, but as always there's a twist. We learn that Visitors or V's are actually highly aggressive, reptilian creatures, who have been on Earth, disguised as humans, for years. Many have kept their cover, while others have learned to experience human emotion. These emotions have led them to join up with the human and rebel against their queen. The star of the show is Elizabeth Mitchell, better known as Juliette from Lost. She plays an FBI agent who doesn't trust the visitors and wants to find out what they're really doing here and I can honestly say that she makes the show. If you thought she was good as Juliette, wait until you meet Erica, a smart, tough, fearless woman who will do whatever it takes to find the truth and protect her family. She is joined by an outspoken priest, a rebellious V, and a wanted terrorist, as together they form their own resistance cell. The leader of the V's is Anna (Morena Baccarin), and yes, she is the daughter of Diana from the original series, and that's how the two series are linked. Diana was a pretty tough character, but Anna is absolutely ruthless. She has no limits and is willing to do anything to achieve her goals. She trusts no one and won't let anyone get in her way, even the people she loves the most. The first season is really about discovering who the V's are and seeing how ruthless, cunning, and cold they can be. The second season is more about getting inside the resistance and seeing why they are fighting and what they are fighting for. As you all know, I am a huge science fiction fan and I have no problem saying that this may have been the best sci-fi show to come along in the last twenty years. The writing is just incredible and when you pair that with acting that is just utterly mind-blowing, it's a recipe for a show that can't be missed. V had the potential to be the show that changed the very face of TV Science Fiction forever. I am not exaggerating when I say this, because this show really was that good. It is so imaginative and exciting, like a soap opera and action movie combined with the unique and unusual genre that is the essence of science fiction. There wasn't a single episode of this series that I didn't love, the cast is as good as a cast can be, and the writing is the kind of creative stuff that Hugo and Saturn awards are made of. V was the heart and soul of a potential Sci-Fi return to the top of network television, but they made the mistake of putting it on ABC and for that V paid with it's life.

Tin Man

Starring: Zooey Deschanel, Alan Cummings, Neal McDonough, Kathleen Robertson, Raoul Trujillo, Callum Keith Rennie, Richard Dreyfuss, Ian Wallace, Gwynyth Walsh, Anna Galvin, & Ted Whittall

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Several years ago, the SyFy channel decided to take a crack at re-inventing the classic Wizard of Oz, a noble task, that many have tried and failed. I didn't know what to expect, but I assumed it would be some variation of the classic tale, hoping it would be more the like books and less like the films. Tin Man is defiantly not for kids and takes a unique approach to the classic story. In this version, OZ is not the friendly loveable place with strange characters and happy times for all. It's a dark story, about a dark place, where presently there is a lot of pain and misery. The big twist in the story is that this OZ is centuries past the one visited by Dorothy Gale. In the Outer Zone (O.Z.), Dorothy Gale is a revered as the start of the royal families bloodline, but she has been dead for centuries! That being said, quite ingeniously, the future residents of the O.Z. parallel the old story, but not because they have to, they are in a sense mocking the original story in subtle ways. There's D.G. (Zooey Deschanel), the girl from the other side, who was forced into the O.Z., with no memory of ever having been there before. She soon meets Glitch, (Alan Cummings) a man who had part of his brain removed for disobeying the Queen. As they try to figure out what is happening around them, they run into a man (Neal McDonough) being punished in a Tin Man suit. This man was a Cop or Tin Man in the O.Z. who was deemed a threat, and put into this horrible form of torture. Finally, they come to the rescue of a native healer, named Raw (Raoul Trujillo), who has become trapped by carnivores and is about to become dinner. Together they go to see the wise man, to find out how to proceed in helping D.G. The Wise Man (Richard Dreyfuss) turns out to be a drugged out magician doing parlor tricks! There are a million other parallels to the original story that make the journey through the O.Z. that much more enjoyable. Zooey Deschanel is the star and even though people often mistake her unique style of acting for inexperience, she was the perfect choice to play D.G. The other standout is veteran character actor, Neal McDonough, who gives a gut wrenching and strong performance as the tortured former cop, in search of his family. The rest of the supporting cast was equally as impressive, taking you through the full range of emotions. As I said before, this is certainly not the OZ you grew up with and it's certainly not what I expected. Everything from the special effects, to the story, and even the modernization, was extremely impressive. It really is a shame that this was only a three part mini-series, but this would have made for one hell of a regular series. Some of the parallels are obvious, but there were plenty of times where I legitimately forgot that I was watching The Wizard of Oz. Leave the musical for the kid, this is what Frank Baum had in mind when he started this series, and it's most defiantly meant for mature audiences only.

The Killing

Starring: Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman, Jamie Anne Allman, Brent Sexton, Brendan Sexton III, Billy Campbell, Michelle Forbes, Kristin Lehman, Eric Ladin, Liam James, & Annie Corley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Killing is a re-creation of a hit Swedish show and has officially been killed by A.M.C. Again another amazing show gets swept under the rug. Even if you have the best show in the world, when you hardly advertise it and bury it on Friday's at ten, what do you think is going to happen to it? I mentioned to half a dozen people that I was watching this show and not a single one of them had ever heard of it!? That is besides the point though, my job is review the content and what I saw was very different. The Killing actually took some time to grow on me. It is everything that's advertised, but it's a bit unusual. Rosie Larsen is a seemingly innocent seventeen year old girl, whose body is found inside the trunk of a car, belonging to the campaign of a Mayoral candidate. After the premier episode that introduces us to everyone, the following episodes are broken up into segments. One closely follow every aspect of the police investigation, which is really fascinating. It's also somewhat strange as the two detectives are both in their twenties. Linden (Mireille Enos) has a past, is extremely dedicated to he job, and seemingly has no emotion. Her partner Holder (Joel Kinnaman) is young, good looking, and may have called in some favors to get the job he has. Holder is short tempered and immature, the perfect opposite of Linden, making them a very interesting pair. The next set of segments follows the Mayoral race, we get to deeply know both candidates, their campaigns, and the people who work for them, giving us an unlimited number of suspects. The last of the regular segments, features the heartbroken family of Rosie Larsen and in detail it shows how it effects each member. The story being told is one of the best I've ever seen in a TV show. No one is what they seem, everyone is a suspect, and their are so many twists and turns that you'll be doubting yourself as much as the investigators doubt their instincts. The cast is equally as good and in fact is what makes this show unique. The characters are not the type of characters you'd expect to see in this type of show. The personalities don't quite fit the roles and it leads to some very unusual, but interesting scenes. The Killing was thoroughly enjoyable and should have been a tremendous hit, but poor rating and a network that wasn't really devoted to the show led to it's demise. 

Storage Wars

Starring: David Hester, Barry Weiss, Jarrod Schulz, & Darrell Sheets

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Two years ago, A&E's Storage Wars came out of nowhere and quickly became one of the highest rated shows on cable. The show is extremely addictive and I watch it religiously, but why? Most people think it has something to with the mystery about what's behind the door or the hunt for buried treasure, as usual; I have a different take on things. The reason this show is as popular as is it, is the buyers themselves. Reality TV is about watching real people in real situations. We like to see people who are just like us, struggling to survive, fighting with assholes at work, etc. The cast of Storage Wars are people that we can relate to and more than that, they are interesting as hell. Every week I can't wait to see what Barry does, who Dave's gonna piss off, and what inappropriate thing Jarrod is going to say to his wife. I believe the show’s popularity has little to do with what's behind the door. It's the unique and interesting cast that keeps us coming back for more. The truth is that doesn't matter if it's storage auction buyers, repo men, meter maids, or hand fisherman, what we want is people we like and can easily relate to in different situation both inside and out of the office, and Storage Wars provides that and then some.



Harper's Island

Starring: Elaine Cassidy, Chris Gorham, Katie Cassidy, & Matt Barr
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Harper's Island was a Mini-Series on CBS in the summer of 2009. Had it been in a decent time slot or debuted in the fall, this would have been a huge franchise. Instead this unique and exciting show was buried due to bad ratings. Harper's Island is a small island off the coast of Washington state, where rich people come to vacation, a small fishing village exists, and it was the home to a serial killer. 7 years earlier, John Wakefield killed 6 people on Harper's Island including Abby's mother. Now she is returning home for the first in 7 years for the wedding of her best friend. Harper's Island is back to normal, Wakefield is long dead, and all that remains are memories...Until people start dying again. The show is terrific, full of twists and turns and all kinds of things you won't see coming. I love shows that keep you guessing and make you think, however the one drawback of this show is that it was in fact designed as a mini-series. There is so much good stuff here, but they only have 13 hours to tell the story, so a lot of it is rushed and at points it feels like you're watching a soap opera. I wish the network saw the potential and took this gem and made it into a series, but they didn't. Harper's Island is hardly remembered now, 4 years later, but it was a show that was clever, fast-paced, and adored by its fans. The true killer of Harper's Island is Nielsen, as once again the ratings killed a gem in the making.

The Riches

Starring: Eddie Izzard, Minnie Driver, Noel Fisher, Shannon Woodward, & Aiden Mitchell

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

The Riches is the most recent TV show I've been watching from my Netflix que, and I have one question. How in the world could they cancel it!? More people watched the premier of The Riches than ever watched an episode of the Shield or Rescue Me. It's also got to be one of the most creative shows I've ever seen!

The show centers around the Molloy family, a family of modern day gypsies. Today is a big day for them as the matriarch of their family is being released from jail, after serving a two year sentence. A big party is thrown for her and all seems well in the Molloy family, but things aren't what they seem. The Molloy family is forced to leave their camp. Wayne (Eddie Izzard) is not going empty handed thou. Before leaving he cracks the camp leaders safe and takes a substantial amount of money.

Once on the road, they run into another family from camp, that had been oblivious to what was going on. It doesn't take them long to realize something isn't right, but before they can confront them, the Molloy's take off and a big highway RV chase begins. During the chase a passing motorist and his wife are killed. The man and woman are Doug and Shrine Rich, and they are on their way to a new home in Eden Falls.

 Doug was a savvy lawyer, who made a fortune at the expense of others. On this day he and his new wife were on the run also, moving away from everyone and everything they've ever known to move to a new state and into a new house they bought on the internet. Thanks to paper work in the car, Wayne Molloy quickly realizes who these people were and where they were going. It is then that he decides it's time to stop travelling the country and settle into a nice, normal, "buffer", lifestyle. Living in Eden Falls as Doug and Shrine.

Along with their 3 kids, the Molloy's try to adapt from being a family of travelers to a family of wealth and stability. The show is amazing! There are so many twist and turns, cons and jokes, ups and downs, It's so well written , with an outrageous cast of characters, and most important of all, a storyline I promise you have never seen before!  The show was cancelled by FX in late 2008, but both seasons are available on Netflix, and according to Wikipedia, Eddie Izzard and the show's creator are currently working on a full length feature film. If you want something different crossing comedy, drama, and action, then I'd say The Riches are for you!

Charmed



Staring: Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, Allyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, & Brian Krause

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

On the surface, Charmed looks to be just another WB teen show. After all, the cast is loaded with former teen idols. Looks however can be deceiving! Charmed is a very solid mix of comedy and science fiction that leaves the fan craving more. I could sit and watch episodes of this show for hours!

Three sisters reunite for the funeral of the grandmother that raised them. After the funeral, they are going through the house and find a lot of things that lead them to believe their grandmother was into witch craft. After being attacked, investigating more, and being visited by some ghosts, the sisters learn that they are the decedents of a very powerful family of magicians. They are in fact legendary witches known as the charmed ones, who for thousands of years have been prophesized as the ones who finally tip the balance between good and evil to our side!

The show starts with them learning about their powers and ends with them trying to fulfill their destinies. Holly Marie Combes plays older sister Piper and while never the big name star of the show, she is by far the most interesting and entertaining character. Eventually the show comes to center around her and her family within the show. Personally, I think this is what saved the show after the early departure of one of its stars.

Charmed is eight seasons of magic, action, comedy, love, tragedy, and just plain fun. Being that it has a cast of all former teen idols, with low rating, on what is nowhere near a major network, the show didn't get the recognition that it deserved, but it is a terrific show! You can currently catch re-runs early mornings on TNT and of course watch it online. If you've got some time, I'd defiantly suggest checking it out!

The Closer

Staring: Kyra Sedgwick, Jon Tenney, J.K. Simmons, & Robert Gossett
Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Closer is a top notch police drama the likes of which television has never seen. For the past 6 years, Kyra Sedgwick has played Chief of Major Case Squad, Brenda Lee Johnson. The series starts out when an old colleague, Chief Pope (J.K. Simmons), asks her to come from D.C. to L.A. to run a brand new division within the LAPD. She accepts and nobody is happy about it. They resent her for many reasons, such as, her past relationship with Pope, the fact that she's an outsider, the fact that she's a young woman, take your pick. Her job is to improve the closure rate on high profile crimes, but at the same time she's fighting her own people just to get things done. Sedgwick is absolutely amazing as Brenda Lee Johnson. She is such a smart woman and it shows in the way she portrays the Chief. The supporting cast are all terrific, and are in fact veterans of such successful shows as Oz, Law & Order, and MASH. If you like cop shows, crime dramas, or even just a good old fashion mystery this is the show for you! It's 7th and final season begins on TNT in late June and it's gearing up to be the best one yet!

Joan of Arcadia

Staring: Amber Tamblyn, Jason Ritter, Michael Welch, Mary Steenburgen, & Joe Mantenga
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Joan of Arcadia is an amazing show that didn't make it, because of bad marketing, and a bad time-slot. Think about this show, what do you know about it? A high school girl sees God and speaks to him, in his many different forms. That's it right? That's because that's how CBS choose to advertise this show, but it's so much more! Joan's father, Will (Joe Mantenga), is the Arcadia Chief of Police and there were many episode and background stories involving, crime, corruption, and the police. Her brother, Kevin (Jason Ritter), was in a horrible accident and is dealing with being paralyzed. That's just two of the many things about this show that you didn't know about. There are probably about ten other things I could mention, that could, alone, be the basis for a good TV show or film. Amber Tamblyn is amazing as Joan Girardi. Normally when you hear teen drama and young unknown cast, you expect the acting to be sub-par, but Tamblyn is exactly the opposite. She makes the show and gives energy and meaning to the other actors working with her. Take Chris Marquette, who plays her boyfriend, Adam Rove. I've seen him in many things and didn't like him. Working with Tamblyn makes all the difference for him here. He grows from a guest star into one of the most engaging and mysterious characters in the show! I cannot stress to you how good this show is and how it's so much more than what was advertised. There are so many stories and side angles, twists and turns, and while not a minor thing, Joan talking to God is not the focus of the show, many times it's just a scene or two, defiantly not the basis for the show. This show is the story of the Giardi family moving to a new location, following Kevin's accident, and dealing with all the struggles that come along with it and adolescents. It shows how there are still good people in this world, that not every teenager drinks, and while it sounds corny, watching it has actually cheered me up during some rough times I've had recently. It really is a great show and I can't possibly recommend it enough!

South Park: Insult To Injuries

Staring: Trey Parker & Matt Stone
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Back in the time when TV boxed sets were too expensive for the average person to buy, Trey Parker & Matt Stone produced a series of their favorite episodes on DVD and Insult To Injuries is by far the best. This DVD features "It Hits The Fan" which in response to them using the word "Shit" too often, they say it 162 times and count it out on the screen. "Cripple Fight" where South Parks resident disabled kids go at it. "Proper Condom Use" a hysterical episode where Mr. Mackey & Mrs. Chokesondick do it! ...and "Scott Tenerman Must Die" which is probably the single best South Park episode ever! This disc shows 4 of the best episodes, that really pushed the envelope and showed how cable TV gives show like this much more leeway than traditional TV.

Family Guy: Partial Terms of Endearment

Staring: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, & Seth Green
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is by far one of the best family guy episodes ever! I can see why they couldn't air it on TV, but it was really one of the best things they've done in a long time! This DVD also includes Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show which was also pretty good, I'd highly suggest checking this out!

Popular: Season 1

Staring: Leslie Bibb & Carly Pope
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is the first production from the creator of GLEE. In a sense it's GLEE with an attitude and without the music. This show is about the popular and outcast kids in high school and how their worlds come together when a parent from each side marry each other. It's funny, edgy, and most of all real. It is very well written and launched several careers. Their are charachters that everyone can relate to and storylines for everyone ranging from funny to emotional, I highly recommend this show!

The Riches

The Riches is the most recent TV show I've been watching from my Netflix que, and I have one question about this show. How in the world could they cancel it! More people watched it's premier than ever watched an episode of the Shield or Rescue Me, and on top of that, it's one hell of a show!

The show centers around the Molloy family, who are a family of modern day gypsies. Today is a big day for them as the matriarch of their family is being released from jail, after serving a two year sentence. A big party is thrown for her and all seems well in the Molloy family, but things aren't what they seem.

Without going into detail or giving anything away, the Molloy family is forced to leave their camp. Wayne (Eddie Izzard) is not going empty handed thou. Before leaving Wayne cracks the camp leaders safe and takes a substatial amount of money.

Once on the road, they run into another family from camp that had been away and oblivious to what was going on. It doesn't take them long to realize something isn't right, but before they can confront them the Molloy's take off and a big highway RV chase begins.

During the chase a passing motorist and his wife are killed. The man and woman are Doug and Sharine Rich, and they are on their way to a new home in Eden Falls. Doug was a savey lawyer who made a fortune at the expense of others. On this day he and his new wife were on the run also, moving away from everyone and everything they've ever know to move to a new state and into a new house they bought on the internet.

Thanks to paper work in the car, Wayne Molloy quickly realizes who these people were and where they were going. It is then that he decides it's time to stop travelling the country and settle into a nice, normal "buffer" lifestyle. Living in Eden Falls as Doug and Sharine. Along with their 3 kids, the Molloy's try to adapt from being a family of travellers to a family of weath and stability.

The show is amazing! There are so many twist and turns, cons and jokes, ups and downs, It's just an amazingly well written show, with an outragous cast of charachters, and a storyline I promise you have never seen before!

The show was cancelled by FX in late 2008, but both seasons are available on Netflix, and according to wikipedia Eddie Izzard and the shows creator are currently working on a full length feature film.