Showing posts with label south park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label south park. Show all posts

02 October, 2013

Review - SOUTH PARK 17.02: 'Informative Murder Porn'


Last week the SOUTH PARK writing core group of one shoved their libertarian bullshit down our throats with a deft hand only a moon-landing-hoax-screaming-besotted-conspiracy-nut and fake-Navy-SEAL who was also once the governor of a Midwestern state could deliver.

In this episode, adults need their investigative murder porn. Kids fight the creeps with content blocking apps. Cable companies suck. No one actually wants DirecTV. Minecraft is about punching trees and building shit.

Here's what our heroic writing core of one was trying to say:

Some of you really love creepy sex shows about people doing creepy sex things to people. It's somehow legal and really popular. Minecraft is about exploring. Burger King changed its name to Fries King even though they make the worst freedom fries on the planet. That last part wasn't in the episode but it's important.

If I had to rate this one, and virtually every popular show on primetime TV says I do, I'd give it:

95 out of 100

Don't bother commenting on this article. I've pre-banned you all.

P.S.

How DO YOU tame a horse in Minecraft? I play Terraria. Actually, don't tell me. I'll figure it out the old fashioned way. Wikipedia.

P.P.S

This episode may actually have been trying to say that the awful things we watch on TV or play in video games don't actually cause us to become terrible people. Maybe it's just a few bad people on the planet who do bad things and we over hype those events due to our 24-hour news cycles which are just entertainment information porn.

Also, cable bundles force you to buy channels you never watch. It's actually how these channels stay in business. So. Is. That. Bad?

I take it back. This was about shoving libertarian ideology down our throats.



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10 October, 2012

Review - SOUTH PARK 16.10: 'Insecurity'


The mailman always rings twice. But what does the UPS man do? All is answered in this week's brand spankin' new episode of SOUTH PARK.

ANALYSIS
Last week some people got mad at me for writing a review that was essentially an analysis of bullshit because I hadn't finished watching the episode because I had to go pick up pizza.

I own that criticism. It was an awful thing to do especially when you consider how much I am paid to write these reviews. It will never happen again. I promise.

Now, this week we get a crazed Cartman (redundant?) putting together a security force to combat the evil USP guy. The subtext is that Obama's Amerukah is full of covert operatives who are spying on your every move.

No?

Shit.

I admit that I am writing this 4 hours before the episode. I apologize and will never do it again. I have turned over a new leaf on-the-spot like Mitt Romney in last week's debate. No one should call me on it and instead just pretend as if everything I said before never happened.

4.5 hours later

I am now actually watching the episode. I swear. And wow. This is pretty good stuff. Thrilling. Genius. So amazing guys. This part where Kyle and Stan makeout is so Obama. Way to go. Civil rights now! Civil rights forever!

For realz this time folks, 4.5 hours later

I will never lie again. Trust me. Everything I said before was just me on the review trail. I can't be held accountable for what I said there. The only thing that matters is what I say now whether I mean it or not. Sure, I could change my mind after you accept me as your reviewer of choice (spoiler: I will definitely change my mind later), but you should just take it on faith or whatever thing helps manipulate you most that this review and everything contained within it is an honest assessment of what I watched.

If I watched it.

Which I did because I wrote a review and you read it.

I swear to the Lords of Kobol that this is being written after watching the episode

When Ike catches his parents fucking like horsemonkeys while playing the old UPS-man game, Cartman decides it must have been rape and jumps into action and installs a high security system. And when the adult men mistakenly think the UPS-man is going around fucking all their wives, they overreact. Also, people order shit from Amazon all the time and then forget about it.

[Copy and paste someone's words from another review, don't cite the source but change a couple of words like you did all through college, don't worry because people are dumb and won't notice.. just remember to delete this note before you click "Publish"]

At some point Mitt Romney's company, Bane, shows up to kidnap the UPS guy and kick the shit out of him for banging wives.

The moral of the episode? That home security systems are a sham! And that Amazon is addictive. And that James Cameron has a song, or that was last week.

QUOTABLES
Announcer: Fake it, with Cialis. It won't make her any hotter but it'll make you not care for up to 3-hours.

Cartman: Think about it. What kind of sane normal person would want to have sex with Kyle's mom?

Cartman: What if I was someone who wanted to rape my mom?!
Dispatcher: You want to rape your mom?

Cartman: Hello? Did you hear me? A rapist is here. He's white.
Dispatcher: Okay. Should we contact the police?
Cartman: Yes you should contact the fuckin' police! My mom's about to get fuckin' raped!

Dispatcher: Try and stay calm. The police are on their way.
Cartman: Well that's nice. Maybe they can bring some cigarettes and Gatorade because the guy's gonna be pretty wiped out! What the fuck?!

Dispatcher Kevin: Wow, that just fucked my head.
Cartman: Yeah. I just fucked your head and the UPS guy just fucked my mom!

Kyle: The Jewish population isn't dying out, fatass, it's growing!
Cartman: (quietly stunned) What?

[type any kind of shit here, no one reads it anyway, it just helps with Google search --remember to delete this too]

RATING
If I had to rate this episode, and the man in brown shorts says I do, then I'd give it:

88 out of 100

It was good. Most likely. I bet it was. But if it wasn't, then the score is 55 out of 100. Unless it was mediocre in which case it is 76 out of 100.

For some reason, this episode made me think of the craziness in this video around the 6:15 mark.

Ike's little drawing sure made the rounds.

See? I watched it this week.

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26 September, 2012

Review - SOUTH PARK 16.08: 'Sarcastaball'


The 8th episode in this 16th season, and the 231st in the series, comes only FIVE MONTHS after the previous episode because these silly cable networks like to space these things apart to extend the length of seasons without ordering more episodes.

What dicks.

THE PLOT
Randy becomes concerned about rules changes meant to stop concussions in football and takes action to change the game forever by making sarcastic suggestions in a PTA meeting that the board takes seriously. It then appoints Randy as head of his new type of football where the players wear bras and tinfoil-hats instead of helmets. Also, instead of a ball the game is played with a balloon. And the player who catches the balloon tries to run while all the other players hug.

He names it Sarcastaball.

Unfortunately for Randy, his sarcasm totally falls on dumb ears. The country happily and excitedly takes to this new sport. And Butters give a rallying speech about a kinder gentler game.

The NFL Broncos then hire Randy to coach the team and newly changed game-play.

Later, Butters has a wet dream and we learn he saves his creamy goo (what the fuck is he going to do with it?!). When Cartman worries that he just doesn't have the creamy goo fortitude to be good at Sarcastaball, Butters shares with him his goo which Cartman slurps up enthusiastically.

We also get a timely jab at the replacement referee problem, proving yet again why SOUTH PARK is the most unique show on television, able to put something that just happened into the show.

Anyway, so Randy becomes so consumed by Sarcastaball that he can't stop being sarcastic. Others have the same problem. The sport is turning everyone into fuckin' sarcastic douchebags!

Meanwhile, the little boys' team is drinking Butters' performance enhancing spank juice to get an edge over the competition. Soon the whole country is on Butters' Creamy Goo. Best served just above room temperature.

QUOTING SOUTH PARK

Stan: Dad, do we really have to wear bras?
Randy: [sarcastically] Yes Stan, this is what people want. Don't worry, you look really cool.

Butters: [upon waking up] Daaaaad! It happened again. More of my creamy goo came out.

Cartman: I don't know what to do. Kids are starting to make fun of me because I'm no good at Sarcastaball. I suck at being nice and polite! I am so good at sucking, I should work at a Thai massage parlor.

Butters: [showing Cartman his spunk collection] My goo doesn't come out every night, but I sure do seem to have a surplus of it.

Randy: [after drinking Butters' Creamy Goo] This is cum.

Butters: What's sarcasm and what's cum?
Stephen: We'll talk about that when you're older.

RATING
If I had to rate this episode, and Butter's Creamy Goo says I do, then I'd give it:


88 out of 100

The episode was obviously a shot at the pussification of the NFL as well as the replacement referee problem and PEDs. But also a social commentary on the evils of sarcasm! As such it definitely works. Sure, the point of it all is hammered along a bit too much but when you consider that these things are conceptualized, written, voice acted, and animated in a week, it becomes more impressive.

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25 April, 2012

Review - SOUTH PARK 16.07: 'Cartman Finds Love'


In this show's mid-season finale, Cartman has decided to let a special someone know exactly how he feels.

Plot
When a new girl, Nicole, arrives at the school and joins the cheerleading squad, the boys are all very excited. And being that she is black, Cartman is especially excited since this means he can torment Token with suggestions of a love tryst since, in his racist mind, their shared race is an automatic match.

During one early sequence, as Cartman annoys Token, we hear Mr. Garrison giving the kids a history lesson that is mostly a discussion of the complexities of GAME OF THRONES. This made me chuckle at first but then I became really worried he was going to spoil something this season, or in later books. Thankfully, that didn't happen but it reminds us that this nutjob is a horrible teacher who is allowed to shape the minds of impressionable children.

Cartman decides to instigate the relationship himself by telling some of the girls that Token has a crush on Nicole. But when Nicole admits she has a crush on Kyle, Cartman is (geek?) furious. So he does the most logical thing and tells Nicole that Kyle and him are lovers. He then orchestrates a plan that puts Nicole and Token together just as Kyle reveals his interest in her.

We then get a musical montage about love as performed by Cartman and his imaginary love angel, Cupid Cartman. It is kind of strange to see the little fat dude so interested in a romantic pairing. You'd almost think he, dare I say, cares about them. But only the uninitiated could possibly believe in such nonsense. Cartman is at best pure evil.

When Kyle confronts Cartman about his lies and his racist ways, we also discover that Cartman has done this before. This sicko is pairing people together by race like some tiny whale Hitler! And at dinner, Nicole's father worries about her dating the one black kid in the school and suggests should expand her options, an interesting bit of bigotry in its own right... err, wrong.

When Nicole discovers a disturbing message on the collar of a stuffed animal Token has seemingly given her ("To My Boo, 'Cuz Blacks Belong Together"), she ends things with him. When Cartman finds out, he's an emotional wreck, and beats Cupid Cartman with a baseball bat. But he soon revives his other half when he's inspired to reignite the fire in his racist-formed relationship. By that point, Kyle has already asked Nicole out and the two go to a NBA game, one that Token is also attending.

Cartman interrupts the game on the big megatron to give a message of love and hope and is so hellbent on putting Nicole and Token back together that he asks a horrified and angry Kyle to go back out with him. As the arena crowd cheers them on, Kyle tells Nicole the truth. She and Token then discuss their racist ways and decide to stay together even though everyone will think they are together because they are black.

Cartman is in racist heaven having masterminded this pairing, until Cupid Cartman reveals who he thinks is Cartman's perfect match: the fattest most gross looking girl in the history of mankind.

Quotables
Mr. Garrison: Token, is there a problem?
Cartman: Ahh, he's just a little sick, Mr. Garrison. He's got boneritis.

Cartman: The thing is, me and Kyle are kind of, you know, together.
Nicole: Ohhh.
Cartman: Yeah, he's my man.

Cartman: Just stay away from my man, bitch.

Cartman: Love is like taking a dump, Butters. Sometimes it works itself out. But sometimes (pause) you gotta give it a nice hard slimy push.

Kyle: Just because two people are the same race doesn't mean they belong together, you fat racist piece of shit!

Kyle: You are going to tell everyone that you lied and that we aren't a couple!
Cartman: Why, Kyle? So you can try to ruin things for Token and Nicole? Look at how happy they are! (pause for a shot of the happy couple together) Is it that you want to ruin that, or are you just homophobic?
Kyle: God dammit!

Nicole's Mother: Here, have some more turkey.
Nicole's Father: Yeah, just try the white meat. I know it's a little dry, but there's a lot more of it.

Cartman: (beating Cupid Cartman) Take your sunshine and fuckin' die!

Kyle: That fat turd up there is the one who set up you and Token 'cuz he thinks blacks belong together!

Rating
If I had to rate this episode, and Cartman's future lovechild says I do, then I'd give it:

84 out of 100

Philosophical about the notion of racism, bigotry, perception, and whether a deed brought on by evil can still have beneficial results. I don't know if Trey Parker and Matt Stone intended for this to be a commentary on eugenics experiments, but one could definitely read such things into this episode. Or am I injecting more genius into this one than intended? That's always possible. It could just be an episode about Cartman putting the two right people together.... via racism.

That's a mindfuck!

I enjoyed the episode but didn't feel like it went above and beyond the expectations of the small minded fuckbag types who likely hated last week's counterculture episode. So, I am sure the average viewer will love the shit out of this one, hence why I must lower its overall grade. Fuckin' poseurs.

Sadly, there were no references to Stan jacking it in San Diego, so this review will not receive as many hits as the last two.



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19 April, 2012

Review - SOUTH PARK 16.06: 'I Should Have Never Gone Ziplining'


The boys' ziplining adventure becomes a terrifying experience.

PLOT
Presented like one of those dramatic biographical shows with interviews of those involved and video or reenactments, the episode follows the day-in-the-life of our favorite little 8-year olds (are they still 8 after 16 seasons?).

The boys decide to go ziplining when playing video games and swimming in the city pool with herpes gets boring. When they end up with a tour group of zipliners, the boys have to fake being nice, watch a safety video, and then get on a 45 minute shuttle ride that ends up taking 2-hours. The horror. And likely terrible taste in using the Challenger explosion video from 1986 in a montage of lame shuttle rides. Come on, guys. Too soon! Too fuckin' soon!

After hours of waiting, shuttling, tree lessons, and more babbling, the boys finally get to zipline. And it sucks ass. They aren't remotely impressed and find themselves having to wait for the rest of the group, which for little boys is excruciating. When everyone has finished ziplining and the boys think they are finally going home, they are told the tour goes for another 16 zipline runs. What follows is nothing but a massive mess of misery that includes songs, pictures, more stories, boring ziplining, and the boys screaming in horror.

But what the boys don't know is that inside Cartman's stomach, hell is brewing! When his diarrhea goes out of control from over-consumption of evil foods and beverages, the boys try to escape via horseback but end up with yet another tour group, thereby extending their trip from hell at 4mph.

When the boys find a boat and try to make their escape at 5mph, a live-action reenactment takes place as adult actors portray the animated version of the boys. This includes thunderous projectile diarrhea, vomiting, and beaver attacks. Not to mention Kenny's horrific herpes problem and its ability to jump to the lips of the other three boys... for life! And then the unthinkable happens. Kenny dies... of boredom.

You bastards!

Cartman and Kyle fight about who is responsible for Kenny's death until Stan finally fesses up. It was his idea to go ziplining because if he signed up three friends, he could get a free iPod Nano.

Just as things are looking bleak, Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo comes to save them. Though, his cuteness is really lost in the live-action translation, I must say.

In the end, Kyle spends time in the hospital recovering from fecal matter in his nose. Stan goes back to jacking it in San Diego. And Cartman goes back to drinking Diet Double Dew.

QUOTABLES
Kyle: We could go to the city pool. They have a water-slide.
Cartman: No, no, no, I'm not getting in the pool with Kenny, he has herpes.
Kenny: (muffled) What?!
Cartman: Look at his lip. You got herpes, dude.
Kenny: (muffled) It's not herpes, it's a cold-sore.
Cartman: No, cold-sore is what girls call it, Kenny. It's actually herpes.

Cartman: Heh, did you hear that guys? Kenny says it's just a fever-blister. Heh heh. You sound like a chick, Kenny! That's herpes, dude. You got that shit 'til you die!

Narrator: Inside Kyle's mouth, the muscles contract to force a smile, even though in his brain, Kyle is thinking 'Dude, fuck you!'

Narrator: But what the boys don't realize is that a massive storm is brewing. Last night, Eric Cartman had Kung Pao Spaghetti from California Pizza Kitchen. Inside Eric's stomach, the Kung Pao has just met with the Del Taco he ate for breakfast. It has already started to tear down the layers of BBQ BK Toppers that have been building up for months. And now, to compensate for all the annoying tourists, Eric is ingesting massive amounts of Mountain Dew. The caffeine and sugar turns the sooty fast-food liquid in his stomach into a toxic gas. When the gas is released, it carries with it tiny particles of Eric's fecal matter. Fecal matter which floats up and into Kyle's nasal passage.

Kyle: (yelling across the ravine) Well, how was it, Cartman?!
Cartman: (yelling back) It's totally fuckin' stupid, dude!
Stan: (disappointed) Oh, really?
Cartman: (yelling) Yeah, dude. It's fuckin' boring as shit.

Narrator: But what the boys don't realize is that Eric's body is already shutting down from stage 4 diarrhea. Inside his stomach, bile has just dislodged in Arby's Ultimate Angus. In the average human, this would only cause mild diarrhea. But Eric Cartman is now drinking Double Dew, a Mountain Dew product with twice the sugar and caffeine of regular Mountain Dew. His rancid feces is now rapidly converting to a thick paste. The diarrhea shoots out of Eric's anus and into his underwear. Eric Cartman is a ticking time-bomb.
Kyle: Dude! Did you just shit your pants?!
Cartman: Mmmmmm... no?

Narrator: An attempt to make a bad day better becomes a descent into madness on 'I Should Have Never Thought Horseback Riding Would Be Any Better Than Ziplining.'

Kyle Reenactor: Because we keep getting screwed over by your diarrhea!
Cartman Reenactor: Well, it's not my diarrhea's fault that you took us all ziplining, you fuckin' Jew!
Kyle Reenactor: Ziplining was your idea, fatass!

Narrator: Kenny McCormick has died of boredom.
Kyle Reenactor: Oh my god. They killed Kenny. You bastards!
Cartman Reenactor: No, not they, you! Look what your ziplining idea has done. You killed Kenny. You're the bastard!
Kyle Reenactor: It wasn't my idea, it was yours! You killed Kenny! You bastard!

Kyle: How many iPod Nano's is friendship worth? I guess one.
Stan: (crying) The hardest part about it is knowing you can't take it back. I mean, it was a fifth generation Nano so I can't trade it in anywhere.

Narrator: After nearly four hours in the Colorado wilderness, the boys are finally going home. From the boat, the boys were airlifted aboard Mr. Hankey's Magical Helicrapter. In the four hours since they had left home, the boys had traveled so far that Mr. Hankey then had to fly them on his Seven-Turdy-Seven. From there, it was only an hour ride back home, on the Poo Choo Express.

Cartman: It's diet, dude. Diet soda doesn't give you diarrhea.

RATING
If I had to rate this episode, and Cartman's time traveling Wii thinks I should, I'd give it:

96 out of 100

An episode about the most boring day in the life of a bunch of kids somehow became one of the craziest episodes this show has ever done... and I loved every second of it.



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12 April, 2012

Quicky Review - SOUTH PARK 16.05: 'Butterballs'


I skipped reviewing the show last week because it didn't motivate me much. This week I am reviewing it because I want to try out something different.

PLOT
Butters is getting bullied... by his grandmother.

The school has an assembly, set up by Bucky Bailey's Bully Buckers, to increase awareness... and create a platform for Bucky to bully little kids.

Stan creates an anti-bullying video complete with song and dance and a catchphrase of "Make bullying kill itself" with Butters as the reluctant poster-child.

Kyle worries that Stan is going Kony on the video thingy. When Stan's video gets popular and bought by a movie company, Bucky claims ownership and bullies Stan. Bucky then gets bullied by the movie company.

Butters and Stan go on Dr. Oz. Butters turns psycho and attacks. The movie studio dude goes crazyballs on Stan, but is later met by Jesus in the bathroom, who bullies him.

Butters eventually stands up to his gramma and Stan gets bullied at school for making a bullcrap bullying video. So Stan goes to San Diego and jacks it.

QUOTABLES
Gramma: You narc again and you're fuckin' dead! Fuckin' dead, you got it?!

Kyle: Don't! Don't act for me, Stan. Really! Because every minute I'm watching this video become less about awareness and more about you.
Stan: Kyle, I'm trying to make a difference.
Kyle: Okay. Just be careful you don't end up naked and jacking it in San Diego.
Stan: What the hell does that mean?

Gramma: Oh look, it's Captain Pussy.

Dr. Oz: We all know that bullying has become an epidemic. Like AIDS, bullying is escalating and is spread mostly by penises.

Butters: (to gramma in bed) Some day you're gonna die. Some day pretty soon. And when you're laying in that hospital bed, with tubes up your nose, and that little pan under your butt to pee, I'll come visit you. I'll come just to show you that, that I'm still alive and I'm still happy. And you'll die. Be nothing but you. (happily) Goodnight, gramma!
RATING
If I had to rate this, and the Lords of Kobol say I do, then I'd give it:

80 out of 100

It was a bit too on-the-nose as a message episode. Though, the final musical number about jacking-it in San Diego made the episode better. Without it, I would have given it a 68.

FYI, "jacking it in San Diego" is a reference to Kony 2012 director Jason Russel's naked meltdown in San Diego.



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29 March, 2012

Review - SOUTH PARK 16.03: 'Faith Hilling'


This week, SOUTH PARK tackles a very serious subject that may change the planet as we know it.

I wonder if Matt Stone and Trey Parker are prepared to accept the blood that is on their hands now that they have created several deadly memes. Spoiler. The episode is about memes.

AND WHAT AN EPISODE IT IS!

In what mandkind will some day call the definitive episode of television about the early 2000s, our little band of poorly animated kiddies tackle: Faith Hilling; the incredibly deadly Tebowing; Taylor Swifting; Oh Long Johnsoning; Bradying; cats taking over the world; and the republican debates.

QUOTABLES
TV Anchor: First there was planking: People taking pictures of themselves in a plank position and putting the photos on the Internet. Planking was soon replaced by owling. And after the Super Bowl, by Bradying. But the newest meme involves pulling the shirt out to look like boobs. It’s called ‘Faith Hilling’ and all around the world people are doing it. Kids, adults, even some notable celebrities are getting into the act. But as Faith Hilling becomes more and more popular, the question on everyone's mind: who will be the first to die doing it?

Host: These youths paid with their lives for Tebowing. When they posed for pictures, they should have remembered there are only three approved memes: peace sign; bunny ears; fake wiener.

Kid #2: Oh God. Faith Hilling is so February 2012.
Stan: Saying something is so 2000 and anything is so 2009, you stupid asswipe!

Professor: If cats are putting slices of bread on their heads and taking pictures, they’re proving to be almost as intelligent as we are.

If I had to rate this episode, and I do, I'd give it:

96 out of 100

Totally brilliant. Why are you reading this anyway? Go watch the episode!



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15 March, 2012

Geek Furious the Poopcast, Episode 10: Calling Out Lisa Nova


In this episode, we discuss COMMUNITY, SOUTH PARK, CHUCK, DIABLO III, wannabe geeks, Lisa Nova, and why zombies suck plus much, much more.

Click below to play it directly on the site:


Or right-click and SAVE to play it wherever and however you like.



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Review - SOUTH PARK 16.01: 'Reverse Cowgirl'



"Now little Clyde's mother is dead. And the blood is on his penis."

One of the things that has kept me returning to this show for sixteen seasons, after abandoning other shows long before getting close to that number (I don't get what you people still find interesting about the SIMPSONS) is that it takes real world issues and pounces on them like a ferocious honey badger from hell. And over the years, it has only gotten more controversial, not less. I'd also say the show has become more relevant.

Part of that relevancy can be attributed to the fact that SOUTH PARK is written, animated, voice acted, edited, and released in the span of a week. Whereas other animated shows take MONTHS to complete one episode. That gives this show the ability to tackle current topics within days of them becoming news items.

This season premiere doesn't tackle a current news item exactly, but it does use the well known complaint by women about men leaving the toilet seat up to blast government overreaction to sudden deadly events and specifically the TSA.

When Clyde's mom is killed after falling into the toilet because he couldn't remember to put the toilet seat down, the TSA (toilet safety administration) swoops in with new government regulations and violates everyone's autonomy with their seat-belt and ass inspection laws.

Cartman, in his usually ignorant extremist mindset, comes up with a solution: remove the ability to raise and lower the toilet seat. The women resist because men pee on the seat but suggest men could agree to sit down to pee, solving the problem. But the men resist this suggestion because it prevents them from cutting their poo with their urine.

Eventually, the entire town sues the inventor of the toilet, Sir John Harrington, who has been dead for hundreds of years, by way of a swindling lawyer's sue-ance. But when the spirit of Clyde's mom pops in the courtroom to reveal the truth, Harrington's spirit arrives and tells everyone they've been using his toiler incorrectly. Apparently you are supposed to straddle it the opposite way, so you can use the little shelf for your books and chocolate milk.

Also, that hole in the bathroom stall is for your laundry, not your man parts. Sorry porn.

If I had to rate this one, I'd give it:

82 out of 100

It was funny and nutty like the show likes to be but it has definitely done better episodes.



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07 June, 2011

Is The Book of Mormon any good? Holy F**k Yeah!

This is not going to be a review of "The Book of Mormon"; just an emphatic recommendation of the show which I had the benefit of catching over the weekend.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone have crafted a glorious piece of entertainment. Yeah, it's a Broadway musical comedy in the classic sense...but one from the creators of "South Park". So by definition it's gut busting funny, raunchy and just damn entertaining.

"The Book of Mormon" is simply the next evolutionary step after "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" and "Team America: World Police" except it's live and in your face.

If you're in NYC and have the opportunity...SEE IT.

As far as geek credibility? Let's just say Middle Earth, A galaxy far far away and the United Federation of Planets are present at mass. I have already said too much.

I'll stop here and let Trey and Matt tell you the rest.



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03 June, 2011

Top 10 Geek Shows You Should Watch


So you call yourselves geeks or fans of shows that are fantasy based?  You buy your tickets to SDCC every year and spend thousands to stand in line all day to see the new X-MEN trailer?  But when I ask you if you watched this show or that you look at me like I just kissed your sister (ignore this one if I just kissed your sister)!

First, let me define the difference between a GEEK and a NERD since this is bound to turn into "that's not a geek show" or "you don't know what you are talking about, nerd!"  Only my opinion matters in this regard since it is my list.  If you don't agree, then you have only yourself to blame.

THE NERD
Loves linear knowledge. Has a shrine to Star Trek and learned to speak Klingon because Shakespeare is better in the original mother tongue.  Spent five years trying to find the meaning behind the numbers on LOST and has 500 JPEGs of the images that are shown at each FRINGE commercial break, looking for patterns in what has to be code.  Consumed by the logic of things and uses terms like "derivative" and "pedantic" when their entertainment pays homage, because the nerd doesn't require anyone to validate their love for things.  As a scientist or engineer, is likely to be more on the development side of things because making things work is more interesting than the concept.  Give one a manual and watch them devour it.


THE GEEK
Loves collecting stuff!  Has watched Star Wars at least once a week since 1977 because of light sabers and droids and the Force and Han shooting first and Jawas and space battles and the JEDI!  Didn't learn to speak any particular fantasy language (except maybe a few choice words or terms) but can do a mean Yoda or Jabba impression and can twirl a lightsaber like one of those prequel Jedi.  Loves to quote lines from their favorite shows.  Consumed by the potential of things and "geeks out" when a show pays homage, because the geek is at the core a social bug.  As a scientist or engineer, enjoys the research side more because coming up with concepts for technology is far more interesting than making sure it works.  Give one a manual and watch the perplexed look on their face.


Here are the top 10 Geek shows... that you should watch:

10. SOUTH PARK (1997-Present) - It is animated, edgy, pop cultury, hilarious and even after over fourteen seasons, still relevant (unlike that show on FOX with the spiky haired brat).  The fact that they can make these episodes in less than a week and have them ready for airing also means it is the only show that can take an immediate current event and lampoon it before the ink is dry on your Sunday paper (people still read those, right?).

9. THE IT CROWD (2006-Present) - A show from the UK that is full of pop culture and geek centric themes.  Only a true geek would love it.  While it plays around with the world of information technology, it only does so on the surface, focusing more on the comedy of outcasts.

8. SPACED (1999-2001) - Another UK show.  Made by geeks, for geeks, about geeks.  Though made way back in the day (over 10 years ago), it still feels current as the generational themes haven't shifted all that much in geek world.  It also has the most amazing "gun fight" ever put to film.

7. ARCHER (2009-Present) - Geeks love toys.  Archer has tons of them.  Plus witty writing and crude humor make for win.  The show is wish fulfillment for geeks as Archer can do anyone and anything without suffering too many consequences.  It is also brutal, reference heavy and very quotable.

6. FIREFLY (2002) - Never even made it through a whole season but is worshipped by geeks everywhere for its great characters, fun stories, quick dialogue and geektastic casting.  Though this show aims more for realism than fantasy, it avoids nerdisms by not getting caught up in technicalities.

5. COMMUNITY (2009-Present) - One of those shows that could end up much higher on the list down the line.  It is an orgie of all things geek and more often than not executed masterfully.  It is like every show and yet no show can be compared to it.  Arguably the most geek show ever made.  It is important to note that if you watch just the first few episodes of season 1, then you won't experience what this show has become as the writers went along.  Watch them all or don't bother, the payoff is pretty incredible.

4. CHUCK (2007-2012) - Terrible name for an intoxicatingly lovable show.  This is the ultimate geek fantasy.  Brilliant guy in a dead-end job gets abilities through tech and is suddenly thrust into the spy world.  Assigned a beautiful CIA handler, he falls for her.  And the rest is history.  This show delivers more character progress in 78 episodes (91 will be its final tally) than most shows do in 178.  Plus, how can you not be watching a show where characters hum the Imperial March from Star Wars to gain confidence for a mission?  Or demonstrate proficiency with an Italian accent inspired by Nintendo's Mario?  All in the same episode!  Not to mention one of the most likable casts on television.  If you haven't checked it out yet, you should.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

3. QUANTUM LEAP (1989-1993) - Scott Bakula at his best (though, he is pretty great on CHUCK as well).  A never-ending possibility of story lines and shifting characters in every episode, this has to be one of the most challenging acting gigs ever.  Never given its proper respect due to being too sci-fi, it lasted just long enough to give us almost everything we ever wanted, with an ending that left us wanting more.

2. LOST (2004-2010) - Not just one of the best geek shows of all time (nerds dig this one too) but one of the best television shows of all time.  Full of sci-fi, fantasy, drama, and humor, along with brilliant writing, it will go down in geek-history as one of the most controversial series finales ever.  Whether you were satisfied at the end or not, that shouldn't change the greatness of the journey.

1. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (2004-2009) - When it was announced that this 70s series would be re-imagined and that it would change major characters and plot elements around, many raged against it and slammed the miniseries.  But the show went to season, thanks to the UK, and Americans started hearing positive things from their cousins across the pond and suddenly BSG became the most illegally downloaded thing on planet Earth!  And then we saw what those Brits were talking about and the lovefest began.  With its deep social, political, and religious themes, as well as some of the most amazing space battle sequences you will ever see, and major story shifts along the way, this is the best geek show of all time!  That... you should watch.

Your favorite show didn't make the list?  Well, I can be persuaded to add more or even change the list.  Argue for your choices in the comments section.  If I haven't watched your favorite show, I will consider it if you make it sound sexy.  But if your only argument is "YOU SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED FUTURAMA! YOU ARE NOT A GEEK!" then I will just add that show to the "dumbest fans of" list next week.

NOTE TO BABYLON 5 fans: Your show was 10th and SOUTH PARK was 11th on my list but I switched the spots because I haven't watched all of B5 and didn't get as involved in it. I may some day change the rankings once I catch up on shows (like FRINGE). But I didn't feel it was an honest list if I included a show I hadn't finished watching.



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