Top 5 T.V. Shows - 2007

5. VH1 Classic - Morning Video Block

I just randomly decided a few months ago to start recording these music video hours that played daily. They call the selections classic, but the farthest back they'll go is 1975. I'm perfectly ok with that because I have a strong aversion to music from the 60s and 70s. For the most part it's hippy crap and I'll pass, thank you. Most of the videos they do play are just cheesy goodness, like Duran Duran "Rio", Heart's "Alone", Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs". I like to play it while doing homework or as cool background stuff if people are over and the board games are out in full force. You really can't go wrong with this show.




4. Human Giant
This new comedy is exceptional. It's mainly bits and sketches that Paul Scheer, Aziz Ansari, and Rob Huebel (my new love) create themselves and perform, and it airs on MTV. I think I watched all six episodes about a good 15 times each, that's how much I crave this show. It's sometimes dark, usually twisted, and always very very funny. I can't wait for it to start again in a few months. I need more Illusionators!

3. Pushing Daisies
I LOVE this show. Like, a real deep love. It's a mix of Amelie's fantasty style of storytelling and settings and Big Fish's visual candy. All of the characters are likeable (even the females, gasp!), the storylines are interesting enough to enjoy while not requiring too much emotion be exerted, and it's not like what's on T.V. right now. I'm pointing at you, Law and Order and CSI and every crappy spinoff that has come from them. Take a note, television studios: Make interesting and appealing shows and the people will watch for the most part. Easier said than done, yes, but stop whining already and get it made. Oh, and stop ripping off the writers so Pushing Daisies can continue. Thank you, that is all.

2. Battlestar Galactica

It's seriously the best drama on TV. I know the name is off-putting and people cringe and wrinkle their nose when I mention the name of the show, but I don't care. Intense drama, compelling story lines, stellar music, Edward James Olmos, it's all packed in to this amazing show. Do yourself a favor and watch it. If you're not having a love affair with Helo after the beginning mini series then you're already lost and I wish you the best.

1. The Office
Ever since losing Arrested Development (I love you Michael Cera!) I've had a comedy hole in my heart that I believed would never be filled. While I still proudly declare that Arrested Development is my favorite comedy ever, The Office has thankfully filled the comedy void. Every single character is interesting and funny, 99% of every scene is hilarious and creative, and Jon Krasinski is on the show. I mean, come on. All I ask is for more Toby and Creed. And for the stupid executives to pay the writers their deserved dues so they can get back to making
more episodes, damn it!

Notables -

Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares
It's a little formulaic what with the "Crappy restaurant in dire need, head chef/owner gets yelled at by Ramsay, the place gets the kitchen and dining area remodeled, the restaurant re-opens and then happy ending.". But Ramsay in anything is enjoyable. Though I do get a sick pleasure from seeing them go back six months later to check on the restaurant's progress and the place is shut down. I'm a jerk, I know.

Final 24
It's so morbid and sad that I end up in a funk after watching it. Yet I can't stop watching because of how stupidly tragic and usually avoidable most of these deaths were. Celebrities, such attention whores to the death.

True Life
This show has been on MTV forever. It just somehow finds the most dysfunctial fools as well as some awesome people and showcases their issues or struggles. "I'm Going to Fat Camp", "I Stutter", "I Live on Staten Island", "I Have Baby Mama Drama". It's gold, I tell you.

Engaged and Underage
This show is fun and just as frustrating too. I'm amused by these kids wanting to get married, yet they don't have real jobs or money, aren't out of college (or even high school for that matter), bicker like siblings and are incredibly immature. But other than that, great show!



Gabriel Rios - Broad Daylight
(Just a random song I like at the moment)

Dance, Monkey, Dance!

I'm not a dancer, anyone who knows me can attest to this truth. I've never really wanted to learn or be good at it either as I detest clubs, bars or whatever other hellhole the whole 20s age group choose as their hangout spot (I feel old just saying that).

But while watching my daily dose of VH1 Classics and more specifically an old Janet Jackson video, a thought came to me: Someone should put these dance moves into a choreography teaching DVD because I would so learn how to do these 80s video dances in a heartbeat. How great would it be if the situation arose where I was called out or challenged to a dance-off and I just busted out those moves? Pretty freaking great, I say.

UPDATE: The video(s) that started it all.

Chromeo - Fancy Footwork

Pretty Boys Ain't So Pretty

I've been on a VH1 Classic binge for the past week, recording Morning Music Block and We Are The 80s every day. There's been some great stuff (The Human League's song "Human"* is pretty good) and some awful videos too (Skid Row was popular, for real? And can someone explain to me what the hell Gloria Estefan's "Bad Boy" video is about? I don't understand why she dances with effeminate overdressed hobo man-cats in a dark alley). I feel pretty good about myself and a teensy bit smug with not being able to say that this stuff "takes me back", because I would find it incredibly depressing if the 80s were my peak years. But now to my larger concern that I've recently developed the past week: I can't be the only one who's noticed how terrible male musicians from the 80s have aged. Sure, the booze, drugs, and countless STD's (some of those newer-found strains of STDs I guarantee were first discovered in a musician) took a pretty frightening toll on the lot of them. But I'm still amazed and/or horrified when watching these live videos from 2000 and on and seeing what has become of the likes of Duran Duran or The Cure. What's really sad is how hard these guys try to keep their younger looks by maintaining some sort of semblance of their glory day coifs, not to mention the strong fight most of this group put up against aging women in the category of who gets more plastic surgery and botox shots done. But what can demonstrate what I speak of better than visual proof (i.e. pictures I googled).

Exhibit A: Paul Stanley of Kiss
I don't know what's happening here, so moving on to the next.

Exhibit B: Rick Springfield
He was such a good looking guy, I don't understand how he could have turned into this gaunt, feminine geezer.

Exhibit C: George Michael

What a disappointment George Michael became. Good looks and talent then change to forever pissed at the world, cracked out, arrested every other week, and new beady eyes.

Exhibit D: Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran

Ugh.


Exhibit E: Axle Rose of Guns N Roses
Frightening and bizarre, all wrapped up in one dreadlock. Didn't Tommy Hilfiger woop his ass in a fight pretty recently? Wow.

Exhibit F: John Oates of Hall and Oates

Poor Oates, time has bitch-slapped you around, hasn't she.

Exhibit G: Michael Jackson
I couldn't resist as he is the most obvious freak transformation from the 80s. Was so cute starting out but currently looks like some primordial monster that lurked out of the ooze and is now enjoying visually assaulting us. This site is great for going through the time line of the past 20 years.

There are so many more, I'm sure. But my attention span (and stomach) isn't strong enough to keep looking. But hey, that's what the comments section is for, right?

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* - I'm going to admit this only because I am confident in my current musical taste and collection, but once upon a time in high school I bought a certain LFO cd (not the British techno group, but the 3 crackers trying to be a boy band/light gangsta group), and one track off of that groundbreaking and visionary album has turned out to be a complete ripoff of The Human League's "Human" song. Oh LFO... Didn't expect much better from you, actually.