Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Written by Musgo Del Jefe
MUSGO'S TOP 100 FEATURE OF THE WEEK:
No. 99 – Rushmore (ENC) (TUE)
Is Wes Anderson a genius? Jury's still out on that one but he intrigues me every time he gets behind a camera. We're almost the same age, we have many of the same influences, and we're both living in Texas. I guess the difference is that he's decided to apply himself and I decided to sell books for a living. We were all big supporters of Bottle Rocket at Gen X, but this film took another leap. Since revisiting The Graduate on DVD a few weeks ago, I realized how much influence that movie had on Rushmore. Not to mention the obvious relation to Holden Caufield that Max Fischer has. The cast of characters are like a live-action Peanuts film. This film works it's way into the Top 100, but will it be the only Wes Anderson film there???
Ratings around this movie . . .
89 – Diabolique
92 – Heat
96 – The Conversation
98 – Diva
100 – Fist Of Fury
SUNDAY
Family Guy (FOX) 100th episode. Now a few years ago, that would've been the most unlikely thing to hear. How many shows have ever been as dead and buried as this show and been revived to as much success? Maybe there's as many bad jokes as good, but when they hit it (like the Star Wars episode this season) – it's greatness.
The Simpsons (FOX) What better tradition than the first week of November’s "Treehouse Of Horror" episode? Always the best quotes of the year.
MONDAY
Prison Break (FOX) It wasn't on last week because of baseball, so we get two hours this week – way to keep my Tivo happy!
American Masters (PBS) Talk about a show that's hitting on all cylinders this season – last week was the brilliance of Charles Schulz and this week is the comic genius that is Carol Burnett.
TUESDAY
Nip/Tuck (FX) Another show that I'm sleeping on. I know that it's probably pretty good but it's just never seemed good enough to make me actually put forth the effort to tell Tivo to grab an episode. This falls somewhere down the TV on DVD line.
Reaper (CW) The cast is right up my alley. But it's that CW thing that keeps me from tuning in. Send this show to USA Network and I'm all over it.
Late Show w/David Letterman (CBS) Tom Brokaw and Bear Grylls.
WEDNESDAY
41st Annual CMA Awards (ABC) It's American Idol old-home week with Kellie Pickler and Carrie Underwood performing. But I'm most curious about the listing of Jamie Foxx among performers – talk about a little out of his element. And The Geezers, excuse me, The Eagles are scheduled to do some new songs.
Bionic Woman (NBC) This show's gaining momentum while so many of the other's on my list aren't. Do you hear that, Heroes? The two Bionic Women plot is like the genius two Terminators plot line. We know that Jamie's doomed to the same evil fate someday if there isn't a cure found. I foresee great season two or three plotlines already.
THURSDAY
My Name Is Earl (NBC) The prison setting has led to another fresh season of Earl. Craig T. Nelson makes a great warden and it's fun to have Coach back on network sitcom TV.
Scrubs (NBC) Janitor is cured of his lazy ways when he watches An Inconvenient Truth. Some writer deserves a huge pay raise.
FRIDAY
Band Of Bloggers (HIST) Clever twist on Band Of Brothers title. This special is about the soldier bloggers of the Iraq War. Interesting takes on how they've shaped our understanding of the war.
Bear's Mission Everest (DISC) Even if he was spending some nights at the Holiday Inn Express, the guy's crazy and fun. Now he's trying to paraglide higher than Mt. Everest. That's a hard one to fake.
Late Show w/David Letterman (CBS) Portia de Rossi.
SATURDAY
Saturday Night Live (NBC) The Rock yuks it up and Amy Winehouse will be half in the bag while singing.
A&E Rocks: Bon Jovi (A&E) Funny, if I actually thought about A&E "rocking" it would probably be to "Livin' On A Prayer". This tour stop in Chicago should include some very fine "Dead Or Alive".
TV-ON-DVD TO OWN (to be released November 6)
1. Seinfeld (Complete Series) ($169.99 at Best Buy). If you've been collecting all along, then just get yourself Season 9. If not, this set makes it less than $1.00 per episode. And later we'll argue if this was the best TV comedy of all-time.
2. Sesame Street – Old School (Vol. 2 – 1974 – 1979). Do you even have to ask? Includes the debut of Gordon!
3. The Colbert Report (Best Of) ($14.99 at Best Buy). I'm approaching overload on this guy but I can't deny the truthiness of his bit. The Writer's Strike may slow this show down, so enjoy keep this set aside for those lonely nights.
4. Flight Of The Conchords (Complete 1st Season) ($19.99 at Best Buy) I still haven't seen a episode about New Zealand's "4th Most Popular Folk Parody Duo" but it looks brilliant.
5. Tonight Show – Heeere's Johnny (Definitive Collection) Twelve discs made to make me pee my pants. An ideal gift for the holidays includes "Timeless Moments" – six discs that only members of the "Carson Club" could order.
BEST BUY BEST BUY OF THE WEEK: Keep your movie night options open with a 2 for $15 special – choose The Untouchables and Shaun Of The Dead and you're ready for any occasion.
TV ON DVD NEWS: 2008 promises to start off with a bang, so save your Christmas gift certificates. Extras (Complete Series) arrives on January 15th with a bonus 90-minute "Series Finale." It would be Chevy's last season and Bill Murray's first, SNL (Complete Second Season) is going to be here December 4th including their only trip ever outside of New York with the "SNL Mardi Gras Festival". My fave musical performances of the season were – Paul Simon, Tom Waits and The Kinks.
