Blogcritics

Even on Television Actions Have Consequences

Josh Lasser — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:47:40 EDT

What is it with reality show contestants and their lies?
I don't quite know why, but I'm constantly amazed at the insanity of reality show contestants. I particularly enjoy moments on reality shows where a contestant speaks one-on-one to the camera about something that happened previously, and the show instantly cuts to the person doing the exact opposite of what they claim to have done or the...

Dragons' Den More Smoke Than Fire

Josh Lasser — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:06:32 EDT

This week I'm a little down on Dragons' Den. I'm hoping it's just a short term thing though.
Last week, as you may or may not recall, I wrote that I was all excited about the BBC America show Dragons' Den. Last night, I was less excited. I'm not going to say "far less excited," just less excited. "Why?" Good question, let's talk. There were two main problems with last night's show. The first was...

Baby Borrowers Leaves Me Wanting More

Josh Lasser — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:15:49 EDT

I expected more from the show. Maybe it's them... maybe it's me.
Did you watch Baby Borrowers last night? Well, I did. I have to say, I'm completely underwhelmed. I wish I wasn't, but I am. I expected more. I expected… I don't know what, but certainly more than what we're getting.The teenage couples just finished with their pre-teens, so next week they're on teenagers, and then...

Top Gear Drives Me Around the Bend

Josh Lasser — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:23:54 EDT

Are Top Gear and I having our first lovers' spat?
I don’t know how to tell you this. It actually physically pains me to write what I have to now write. Seriously, my fingers are cramping, my stomach is in knots, and my vision is going a little blurry. There I was watching Top Gear last night, and I totally and completely disagreed with what they had to say about the Honda Element. Now, I...

Burrowing Into The Mole and American Gladiators

Josh Lasser — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:40:12 EDT

I watch The Mole and I wonder; I watch American Gladiators and I cringe.
As I sit here and ruminate on last night's television offerings, one thing becomes abundantly clear -- The Mole is just plain old fun. It requires a modicum of thought and encourages the viewer to engage with the game. Even though there is backstabbing, deceit, and trickery going on, it still is one of the nicer reality competition shows...

Stepping Into The Dragons' Den

Josh Lasser — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:57:53 EDT

Man, do I love my BBC America. They aired a new show last night; you know you want to know all about it.
So, there I am, watching BBC America last night (okay, I really need to move to England so that I can watch the Beeb all the time, but that, perhaps, is another tale) because I heard that a new series, Dragons' Den, would be coming on. I say "new," but as with so many things BBC America airs, I think the show is not so much...

TV Teens with Kids - Part III

Josh Lasser — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:43:23 EDT

Another week has passed for our American teenager and Baby Borrowers, let's discuss.
Last week I wrote to separate pieces on television shows focusing on teens with kids. This week I'm condensing it all down into one piece. Really, I'm condensing it all down into one question - why? Why do the teens on Baby Borrowers want to have kids? Why does the main character on The Secret Life of The American Teenager not want to...

Hell's Kitchen Has A Wipeout

Josh Lasser — Wed, 9 Jul 2008 21:20:36 EDT

Hell's Kitchen finished its season last night, and I finished Wipeout.
I'm more than happy to admit that this season's edition of Hell's Kitchen (which ended last night) was moderately disappointing. Everything about it felt as though it were a poor imitation of previous years. But the most disappointing thing about the whole season were the contestants. They simply didn't, even in the final...

Finding the Good Stuff on TV This Summer

Josh Lasser — Tue, 8 Jul 2008 20:25:04 EDT

Get Psych-ed, take it to the House, Eureka, you've found it.
As we do our best to endure this incredibly long summer of our discontent, televisually speaking, I think that it's really important to remember that it won't last forever. It's also important to note that you can go out and pick and choose old shows that you were interested in but never got the chance to see, and watch them in repeats...

More About TV Teens With Babies

Josh Lasser — Thu, 3 Jul 2008 21:36:29 EDT

Let's continue our discussion from yesterday, but we'll throw another show into the mix too.
I have a two-year-old daughter. Perhaps you've heard me mention her from time to time. Even if you haven't, the fact remains that she exists and that under no circumstances, ever (save tons of money, of course), would I give her to a couple of teenagers to watch for three days. Apparently though, other people have no such qualms, though...