VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 7/30/11

July 30, 2011

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In related news, Katy Perry was the most VMA-nominated artist this year … with 4 different videos.

Original Version
1. Lady GaGa – “The Edge of Glory”
2. David Cook – “The Last Goodbye”
3. Britney Spears – “I Wanna Go”
4. OneRepublic – “Good Life”
5. Katy Perry – “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
6. Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer – “Give Me Everything”
7. Jason Derülo – “Don’t Wanna Go Home”
8. Hot Chelle Rae – “Tonight Tonight”
9. Beyoncé – “Best Thing I Never Had”
10. The Band Perry – “If I Die Young”
11. Coldplay – “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”
12. Andy Grammer – “Keep Your Head Up”
13. Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song”
14. Avril Lavigne – “Smile”
15. Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
16. Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”
17. Matt Nathanson – “Faster”
18. Foo Fighters – “Walk”
19. Gavin DeGraw – “Not Over You”
20. Demi Lovato – “Skyscraper”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Rolling in the Deep
2. Pumped Up Kicks
3. Walk
4. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
5. Faster
6. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
7. Smile
8. I Wanna Go
9. Good Life
10. Best Thing I Never Had
11. The Edge of Glory
12. Give Me Everything
13. Don’t Wanna Go Home
14. Skyscraper
15. Tonight Tonight
16. If I Die Young
17. Keep Your Head Up
18. The Last Goodbye
19. The Lazy Song
20. Not Over You

VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 7/23/11

July 24, 2011

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Just the regular assortment of crap – gotta love it.

Original Version
1. David Cook – “The Last Goodbye”
2. Katy Perry – “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
3. OneRepublic – “Good Life”
4. Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer – “Give Me Everything”
5. Lady GaGa – “The Edge of Glory”
6. Jason Derülo – “Don’t Wanna Go Home”
7. Train – “Save Me San Francisco”
8. Britney Spears – “I Wanna Go”
9. Andy Grammer – “Keep Your Head Up”
10. Beyoncé – “Best Thing I Never Had”
11. Foo Fighters – “Walk”
12. Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song”
13. Christina Perri – “Arms”
14. Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”
15. Coldplay – “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”
16. The Band Perry – “If I Die Young”
17. Hot Chelle Rae – “Tonight Tonight”
18. Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
19. Matt Nathanson – “Faster”
20. Gavin DeGraw – “Not Over You”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Rolling in the Deep
2. Pumped Up Kicks
3. Walk
4. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
5. Faster
6. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
7. I Wanna Go
8. Good Life
9. Best Thing I Never Had
10. The Edge of Glory
11. Save Me San Francisco
12. Give Me Everything
13. Don’t Wanna Go Home
14. If I Die Young
15. Tonight Tonight
16. Keep Your Head Up
17. Arms
18. The Last Goodbye
19. The Lazy Song
20. Not Over You

VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 7/16/11

July 16, 2011

jmunney Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown 1 Comment

KA-TY!

Original Version
1. Katy Perry – “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
2. David Cook – “The Last Goodbye”
3. Jason Derülo – “Don’t Wanna Go Home”
4. Train – “Save Me San Francisco”
5. OneRepublic – “Good Life”
6. Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer – “Give Me Everything”
7. Foo Fighters – “Walk”
8. Andy Grammer – “Keep Your Head Up”
9. Christina Perri – “Arms”
10. Lady GaGa – “The Edge of Glory”
11. Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song”
12. Britney Spears – “I Wanna Go”
13. Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”
14. Taylor Swift – “The Story of Us”
15. Linkin Park – “Iridescent”
16. Steven Tyler – “(It) Feels So Good”
17. The Civil Wars – “Barton Hollow”
18. Matt Nathanson – “Faster”
19. Coldplay – “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”
20. Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Rolling in the Deep
2. Pumped Up Kicks
3. Walk
4. Barton Hollow
5. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
6. The Story of Us
7. Faster
8. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
9. I Wanna Go
10. Good Life
11. The Edge of Glory
12. Save Me San Francisco
13. Give Me Everything
14. Iridescent
15. (It) Feels So Good
16. Don’t Wanna Go Home
17. Keep Your Head Up
18. Arms
19. The Last Goodbye
20. The Lazy Song

My Emmy Thoughts 2011, Part 2: Drama

July 13, 2011

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Best Drama
Once again, it is clear that I do not watch that many dramas, or at least not that many good dramas.  I can vouch for Fringe deserving a spot, and The Walking Dead might be welcome as well. Breaking Bad, which is apparently the best show on television right now, didn’t have any new episodes in the eligibility period.  So I’m hearing that Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Justified, Mad Men, or perhaps The Good Wife ought to go here.  It’ll be several years before I can say for sure.  After all, I still have to get around to watching The Sopranos and The Wire.

Lead Actor
I would throw my support behind John Noble all the way here, except that he apparently enters in the supporting field.  I hear that Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Sean Bean (Game of Thrones), and Timothy Olyphant (Justified) are all great, and that Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) continue to be so.  Brian Cranston won’t be around to defend his title.

Lead Actress
I am going to continue my campaign for Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) to get some Emmy love.  And Anna Torv (Fringe) may have just been strong enough to earn a nod this year.  Apparently, Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) are also deserving.

Supporting Actor
On Fringe, John Noble’s was by far the most astounding work of any actor on TV this year.  From what I have heard, Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) is the only other contender who can even come close to him.  Fringe deserves to double up here, as Joshua Jackson went deeper and darker.

Supporting Actress
I suppose Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) might repeat here, and Kelly McDonald (Boardwalk Empire) sounds good, too.

Guest Actor/Actress
For perhaps the first time eveer, the guest actor statues for comedy and drama ought to go to the same recipient, as Kevin Corrigan led us further into the mysteries that lie at the heart of Fringe.  It was a treat to see Noah Emmerich pop up in The Walking Dead.  Returning for five minutes, Michael Rosenbaum was the best thing about the final season of Smallville.  As for the ladies, I have no idea.  I am sure there were great guest actresses this past season, but I just did not happen to catch them.

My Emmy Thoughts 2011, Part 1: Comedy

July 12, 2011

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The Primetime Emmy Award nominations will be announced this upcoming Thursday morning, July 14, so here are my annual thoughts on who and what I believe deserve to be nominated.  As always, I will only include picks from shows that I regularly watch, but I suggest picks from shows that I don’t watch that I have heard may be deserving as well.  Today, the comedy categories; tomorrow, the dramas.  (Picks are listed in order from most deserving to least deserving.)

Best Comedy
Parks and Recreation was good as usual, and 30 Rock felt reenergized this year, but it was Community that met its fullest potential.  But I’m struggling to find anything else truly worthy of a nom.  The Office, Modern Family, and Family Guy were all okay.  Is Futurama eligible in this category?
1. Community
2. Parks and Recreation
3. 30 Rock

Lead Actor
Joel McHale is the realest actor on TV right now, as he leapfrogs over Alec Baldwin and Jim Parsons to the top of the lead acting heap.
1. Joel McHale, Community
2. Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
3. Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
4. Steve Carell, The Office
5. Will Arnett, Running Wilde

Lead Actress
Leslie Knope remains slightly more indelible than Liz Lemon.  Also, I am happy that Martha Plimpton was entered for lead, which allows me to round out my picks in this category a bit more and opens up supporting.
1. Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
2. Tina Fey, 30 Rock
3. Keri Russell, Running Wilde
4. Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope

Supporting Actor
Before Community came along, Tracy Morgan deserved plenty of Emmys for 30 Rock.  He has yet to win, which is doubly unfortunate, now that Community is on, and Danny Pudi is now the one who deserves multiple Emmys.  Apparently, SNL cast members are nominated in the supporting categories, so Bill Hader ought to end up with a nom for one of the best seasons ever.  And how do you stand out in a cast filled with wackos?  Apparently, play it understated, as Adam Scott did on Parks and Recreation.
1. Danny Pudi, Community
2. Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
3. Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
4. Chris Pratt, Parks and Recreation
5. Adam Scott, Parks and Recreation
6. Chevy Chase, Community

Supporting Actres
Jane Lynch’s screen time on Glee was, strangely, diminished, which would have made room for Aubrey Plaza to deserve to win here, except that Alison Brie became even more essential to Community.  Meanwhile, Mayim Bialik was upgraded to main cast member status, and Olivia Munn stood out on the sadly short lived Perfect Couples.
1. Alison Brie, Community
2. Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation
3. Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
4. Jane Lynch, Glee
5. Olivia Munn, Perfect Couples
6. Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock

Guest Actor/Actress
Kevin Corrigan is one-of-a-kind, especially in his appearance as Professor Professorson on Community.  He ought to edge out James Spader’s frighteningly, hilariously creepy appearance on The Office.  The guest ladies were a mixed bag this year.  The youngest contender – Chloë Grace-Moretz – had the most room to do plenty with her role and she did all that she could with it.  And let’s throw in a couple of folks who also deserve noms in the main acting categories (Will Arnett, Aubrey Plaza).
1. Kevin Corrigan, Community
2. James Spader, The Office
3. Jim Carrey, Saturday Night Live
4. Zach Galifianakis, Saturday Night Live
5. Will Arnett, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
6. John Lithgow, How I Met Your Mother

1. Chloë Grace-Moretz, 30 Rock
2. Parker Posey, Parks and Recreation
3. Catherine Tate, The Office
4. Amy Sedaris, Raising Hope
5. Aubrey Plaza, Portlandia

Best Episode of the Season: Happy Endings Season 1

July 10, 2011

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“Dave of the Dead”

Three words: nineties bat mitzvah.
Happy Endings is about a group of friends who hang out and talk to each other, their conversations occasionally peppered with cultural references.  In other words, it is hardly any different than a great number of other sitcoms, but its cultural references are tangier than those of most sitcoms.  Despite this, there is no great overarching idea behind all the mentions of early nineties nostalgia and Chicago trivia.  This changed, at least for an episode, when Penny started dating a hipster, someone who actually does have a purpose behind any and all cultural references.  This difference in purpose or lack thereof came to a head when the gang was invited to a hipster party with “nineties bat mitzvah” as the theme.  The hipsters played cheesy mid-nineties dance-pop like “I’m Too Sexy” while doing their best impressions of bored upper-middle-class Jewish teenagers.  Hipster humor is generally hilarious, but it is often indulgent, so it was healthy that the disaffected hipster elements were tempered by the overeager Penny.

VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 7/9/11

July 9, 2011

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Here’s a comment for Philly-area radio listeners: “Pumped Up Kicks” is the most Radio 104.5-ish song that has ever cracked the countdown.

Original Version
1. Train – “Save Me San Francisco”
2. Jason Derülo – “Don’t Wanna Go Home”
3. Taylor Swift – “The Story of Us”
4. Katy Perry – “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
5. Andy Grammer – “Keep Your Head Up”
6. Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song”
7. David Cook – “The Last Goodbye”
8. Christina Perri – “Arms”
9. OneRepublic – “Good Life”
10. Foo Fighters – “Walk”
11. Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer – “Give Me Everything”
12. Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”
13. Lady GaGa – “The Edge of Glory”
14. Steven Tyler – “(It) Feels So Good”
15. The Civil Wars – “Barton Hollow”
16. Britney Spears – “I Wanna Go”
17. Linkin Park – “Iridescent”
18. Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
19. Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull – “On the Floor”
20. Coldplay – “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”

Jmunney’s Revision
1. Rolling in the Deep
2. Pumped Up Kicks
3. Walk
4. Barton Hollow
5. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
6. The Story of Us
7. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
8. I Wanna Go
9. On the Floor
10. The Edge of Glory
11. Good Life
12. Save Me San Francisco
13. Give Me Everything
14. Iridescent
15. (It) Feels So Good
16. Don’t Wanna Go Home
17. Keep Your Head Up
18. Arms
19. The Last Goodbye
20. The Lazy Song

Best Episode of the Season: Modern Family Season 2

July 9, 2011

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“Caught in the Act”

What works best for Modern Family and just about any show with large main casts and multiple storylines in one episode is when everyone crashes into each other.  That did not quite happen in “Caught in the Act” (Cam and Mitchell’s storyline remained separate), but it was close enough.  Phil and Claire already had enough going on without Jay and Gloria showing up at their door.  So of course it would all end up becoming a comedy of errors with misunderstandings galore, and of course Phil’s crush on Gloria would come into play, so much so that he nearly passed out.  The other highlight of this episode was Claire and Phil’s handling of their kids walking in on them.  In a meta moment, the Dunphy kids were right on in predicting the sort of family meeting their parents would have to explain what happened.  And their explanation was actually quite reasonable and sweet, in its own potentially uncomfortable way.

Next (and last) up: Happy Endings

Best Episode of the Season: Glee Season 2

July 9, 2011

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“Rumours”

The most entertaining character in Glee is, of course, Sue Sylvester, but her presence was inexplicably tamped down a bit for Season 2.  Thus, while my pick for last season’s best episode depended on Jane Lynch’s most memorable moment (the rant against Spanish as a “dead language”), this season’s pick was determined more by the music.  The Fleetwood Mac-centric “Rumours” was the best themed episode so far, in that the theme did not feel so very forced.  The internal strife affecting New Directions was, in fact, not unlike the strife that Fleetwood Mac endured before and during the recording of Rumours.  A triumph of editing was at play as well, as the right songs came at just the right moment, particularly when a confrontation between Finn and Quinn that was reaching a fever pitch led right into a duet by those two of “I Don’t Want to Know.”  There was an appropriate song for every moment, as this was just about the best album choice for Glee to build a themed episode around, with nine of the eleven tracks from Rumours still receiving significant classic radio rock airplay today.

Next up: Modern Family

Best Episode of the Season: Family Guy Season 9

July 8, 2011

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“Brian Writes a Bestseller”

The most essential aspect of the success of “Brian Writes a Bestseller” was not the cynicism that fueled Brian’s writing of Wish It, Want It, Do It.  While many self-help books certainly deserve the treatment that Family Guy gave them, this was an easy target and one that has come under fire before.  What really made this episode work – and what makes most great Family Guy episodes work – was the way in which the satire was melded into the framework of the show’s own particulars.  The foundation of Family Guy is its vast reservoir of cultural references, but there has to be something going on with the Griffin clan as well, or else those references are meaningless and often grating.  As Stewie becomes Brian’s publicist, “Brian Writes a Bestseller” ends up being a Stewie/Brian buddy episode, and the nonsense of an infant working as a dog’s publicist is completely ignored.  It is sensible, though, that that nonsense is ignored, as Family Guy has developed a shorthand for all of its ridiculous elements.  But most viewers must surely have a moment at which they stop and realize the ridiculousness, and that is a moment of laughter when everything in the episode comes together.

Next up: Glee

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