Thursday , March 28 2024
Musgo Del Jefe offers suggestions on what's worth watching for the upcoming week.

Senses Working Overtime: This Week in Television (1/20/08)

Written by Musgo Del Jefe

MUSGO'S TOP 100 FEATURE OF THE WEEK

No. 16 – The Godfather Part II (A&E) (SAT)  

Time to pull out another of the big guns.  I haven't filled in the whole Top 20 in my head just yet, I'm still only 29% done with the list, so it feels like I've got time.  I initially thought that this would be one of four films where the sequel ranked higher than the original.  I've already committed to Aliens being ranked higher than Alien.  I just could bring myself to do it here.  The decision to tell the parallel story of father (Vito) and son (Michael) is brilliant.  But the flashbacks also steal some of the momentum that was generated in the slow build of the original.  Any respecting film fan needs to have this on their resume, whether they like it or not.  Want to know why Pacino is a legend?  Here's your proof.  Lots to love here.  The other odd trivia is that Francis Ford Coppola released The Conversation the same year – another film the make my Top 100 (see #96).

Ratings around this movie . . .

5 – The Godfather
10 – LOTR:  Fellowship Of The Ring
33 – The Wild Bunch
44 – Aliens
45 – Dazed & Confused

SUNDAY
Breaking Bad (AMC)  One of my favorite TV actors, Bryan Cranston (Malcolm In The Middle) returns as a Weeds-style drug dealing high school teacher.  AMC's come up with some great shows recently, this may be worth the add.

Amazing Race (CBS)  Finale to another great season – another Emmy guaranteed.

NFL Football (CBS)  The night game is for the runner-up competition.  I'm watching history this afternoon on CBS as the Patriots keep their unbeaten streak going.  I like those powder-blue Chargers jerseys but I don't see them pulling this out in New England.

MONDAY
Life After People (HIST)  I've always been intrigued by movies, stories, etc. about what happens after the end of the world.  Even before I Am Legend, I loved the New Zealand classic, The Quiet Earth and Stephen King's The Stand.  This special looks at Earth – population 0.  Anxious to see the real life Chernobyl examples.

Ture Life: I'm Happy To Be Fat (MTV)  And they didn't ask me?

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX)  Did I like it?  Yes I did.  John and terminator Cameron head to school for the ultra-sci-fi version of The O.C.

TUESDAY
American Idol (FOX)  The ratings juggernaut invades Omaha. 

Life On Mars (BBC)  Season Two and Series finale looks to leave everything up in the air.  How disappointing for this excellent series.  I'm hoping for a pretty decent American adaptation.

WEDNESDAY
Monsterquest (HIST)  I've really enjoyed this series.  Tonight we're looking for the American Werewolf in Wisconsin and Michigan.

The Moment Of Truth (FOX)  The "truth" is that I don't see this show attracting enough interest to last through sweeps.  Even with American Idol lead-in.

THURSDAY
Ace Of Cakes (FOOD)  Great show title aside.  I've seen this once or twice in its previous three seasons and there's some seriously cool cakes being made here.  There's a Harry Potter tie-in this episode.

Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (BBC)  A new season and new restaurant owners for Gordon to yell at.

Winter X-Games (ESPN)  My favorite time of the Winter.  Shaun White and Hannah Teter rock.

FRIDAY
Gone Country (CMT)  Not that my DirecTV would even let me tune into this channel, but I'm curious to see Bobby Brown and Dee Snider doing Country songs.

Friday Night Lights (NBC)  I'm just going to keep saying it – my favorite drama still in new episodes.

SATURDAY
Trading Spaces (TLC)  In case it hasn't come up before, most everyone else knows about my huge, huge crush on Paige Davis.  I'm afraid even she does, after meeting her in 2003.  Paige returns to her show tonight.  I'll be there.

Figure Skating (NBC)  In the afternoon session, you can probably see my niece and nephew competing in the Ice Dance portion of the US Figure Skating Championship. That's Kieffer and Madison Hubbell – watch for them!

Torchwood (BBC)  Now that I'm all into the Buffy universe, I can be excited about James Marsters appearance as Capt. John.

TV-ON-DVD TO OWN (to be released January 22)

1.  Torchwood (Season 1).  A little steep pricing for what amounts to half a season but it's a really different sci-fi series that would never be made here.

2.  Barney Miller (Complete 2nd Season)  Wonderful sitcom that was pretty groundbreaking for its day.

3.  ER (Season 8)

4.  The Odd Couple (3rd Season)  The definition of classic television.

5.  Thunderbirds (40th Anniversary Collector's Edition Megaset)  I love anything with Mega in the title!  Twelve discs with all 32 episodes seems like more Thunderbirds than I can watch at one sitting.  But it is Mega.

TV-ON-DVD NEWS

As I wrote earlier, the MST3K Vol. 10 is being replaced by Vol. 10.2 which will now drop Godzilla vs. Megalon and add The Giant Gila Monster (a very find episode from season 4).  The whole Blu-Ray/HD-DVD fallout continues, Justice League: The New Frontier ships on Feb. 26th, but the HD-DVD version is being put off until March 18th.  Not releasing the versions on the same day virtually guarantees failure since fans won't typically wait the three weeks to get the HD edition.

TOP 5 ADDS TO YOUR NETFLIX QUEUE (released January 15)

5.  She's Gotta Have It.  Spike's big coming-out party.  This movie was a latecomer to VHS and Laser, so it's only fitting that it's only just now coming out on DVD.

4.  Wedding Daze.  I don't have much hope for this movie other than it was directed by Michael Ian Black.

3.  Monster.  This is for the Cloverfield crowd.  The movie's made from tapes found in the camera of filmmakers in Tokyo.  Seems there was a big earthquake and a 200-foot monster attacks the city.

2.  Vietnam War.  Great History Channel, two-disc set using lots of rare footage from CBS news.

1.  Family Guy: Blue Harvest.  If you didn't buy it already, it's a must add to your queue. I'm anxiously awaiting a sequel.

BEST BUY BEST BUY OF THE WEEK

Fill in your strike-shortened TV schedule with The Shield (Season One-Five) $19.99 each or Lost (Season One-Two) for $29.99 each.  If your budget is running a little cheaper – pick up The Godfather and The Godfather Part II for $4.99 each.

About Gordon S. Miller

Gordon S. Miller is the artist formerly known as El Bicho, the nom de plume he used when he first began reviewing movies online for The Masked Movie Snobs in 2003. Before the year was out, he became that site's publisher. Over the years, he has also contributed to a number of other sites as a writer and editor, such as FilmRadar, Film School Rejects, High Def Digest, and Blogcritics. He is the Founder and Publisher of Cinema Sentries. Some of his random thoughts can be found at twitter.com/GordonMiller_CS

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