Jeff "Jmunney" Malone's Self-Styled "Expert" Thoughts on Movies, TV, Music, and the Rest of Pop Culture
December 27, 2015
Television, What Won TV? Doctor Who, Jeopardy!, The Affair Leave a comment
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
Sunday – The Affair
Monday – Jeopardy!
Tuesday – Jeopardy!
Wednesday – Jeopardy!
Thursday – Jeopardy!
Friday – Doctor Who
Saturday – I watched some football.
December 20, 2015
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Amy Poehler, Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Lola Fabray, Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live 4109, Saturday Night Live Season 41, SNL, SNL Season 41, Tina Fey Leave a comment
SNL: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot)
This review was originally posted on Starpulse in December 2015.
“SNL’s” Christmas episodes often have a homecoming feel, insofar as good vibes are easier to come by than usual, and visits from old friends are part of the deal. Usually sports teams designate a winnable game as homecoming, because nobody wants to lose homecoming. So it only makes sense when the “SNL” Christmas lineup features as co-hosts two of the show’s most famous alums who have developed quite the comedic partnership, and as musical guest one of the most iconic rock stars of all time who has a beloved Christmas song in his arsenal. It would take a lot of effort to screw this one up.
Republican Presidential Debate – The GOP primary circus is a bit of a boon but also a formidable challenge for “SNL’s” political machine. The endless supply of candidates ensures plenty of buffoonery but makes for material that is by definition unfocused. Sketches that cruise through a menagerie of characters are reliable for a few laughs, but they are rarely classics. The best political moments have one or two star impressions. Who is the star of this sketch? Is it Darrell Hammond dropping in for his iconic Trump, Beck Bennett as a wimpy Jeb Bush, or is the star the lack of a true star? The best impression is probably Jay Pharoah’s Ben Carson, but he does not have the screen time to show for it. This is all to say, there is plenty of quality here, but it’s all just crowding each other out. B-
December 20, 2015
Television, What Won TV? Billy on the Street, Fargo, Jeopardy!, Saturday Night Live, SNL, The Big Bang Theory, The Last Man on Earth Leave a comment
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
Sunday – The Last Man on Earth
Monday – Fargo ended Season 2 on its own terms.
Tuesday – Jeopardy!
Wednesday – Jeopardy!
Thursday – Billy on the Street (but Honorable Mention to The Big Bang Theory for its most tender episode ever)
Friday – Jeopardy!
Saturday – Lola Fabray performing “12 Days of Christmas” after putting 12 shots of rum in her eggnog on SNL
December 18, 2015
Key & Peele, Sports, Television A.A. Ron Rodgers, East West Bowl, Key & Peele Leave a comment
This one is sure to be the most extravagant.
EAST
Creme De La Creme, Vanderbilt University
Cosgrove Shumway, Clemson
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, University of Alabama
Doink Ahanahue, Marshall
Legume Duprix, West Virginia University
Leger Douzable, University of Central Florida
Quisperny G’Dunzoid Sr., Central Connecticut State University
Grunky Peep, Georgia Southern University
D’Brickashaw Ferguson, University of Virginia
Strunk Flugget, University of South Carolina
Stumptavian Roboclick, Grambling State
Cornelius ‘Tank’ Carradine, Florida State University
Vagonius Thicket-Suede, Duke
Marmadune Shazbot, Tulane University
Swordless Mimetown, Jacksonville State University
WEST
Prince Amukamara, University of Nebraska
J.R. Junior Juniors Jr., Texas Christian University
Faux Doadles, University of Oregon
Fozzy Whittaker, The University of Texas
Myriad Profiteroles, Utah
Busters Brownce, Illinois State
Turdine Cupcake, Yuniaty (?)
Rerutweeds Myth, University of Washington (“Washingtwon”)
Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, Kent State University
Takittothu’ Limit, College of the Canyons
Snarf Mintz-Plasse, East Los Angeles College
Frostee Rucker, University of Southern California
Splendiferous Finch, Northwestern University
Triple Parakeet-Shoes, Ball State
Logjammer D’Baggagecling, North Texas University
A.A. Ron Rodgers, Cal
December 13, 2015
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Chance the Rapper, Chris Hemsworth, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live 4101, Saturday Night Live Season 41, SNL, SNL Season 41, Will Ferrell Leave a comment
SNL: Chance the Rapper, Chris Hemsworth, Bobby Moynihan
This review was originally posted on Starpulse in December 2015.
When Chris Hemsworth first hosted “SNL,” almost every sketch featured the theme “Let’s Ogle Chris Hemsworth’s Body.” Perhaps because of that prurience, the show could not wait even a year to have him back, and his physique is once again a major part of the material. He does not even bother to plug his current movie, except to obliquely reference it in a way that underscores how huge he looks even when having lost weight for a role. Elsewhere, this episode finds plenty of room to address Donald Trump’s call to ban all Muslims, driving the political material to tip-top shape.
Announcement from George W. Bush – Some time last decade, there was a Doonesbury cartoon recounting how terrible the George H.W. Bush presidency seemed at the time, but now, compared to his son, he looked prudent and reasonable. Somehow, everyone in the current Republican field is either ridiculous or feckless enough to grant W. a similarly favorable reevaluation. Will Ferrell is welcomed back with cheers partly because it is one of the best impressions in “SNL” history, but also because the guy he is playing really would be preferable to this notorious lineup. He certainly provides some perspective. As fodder for comedy, the 2016 candidates may be buffoons, but they are also depressing. None of them are so playfully silly that they could conceivably wonder what happened to all the leprechauns. B+
December 13, 2015
Television, What Won TV? Leave a comment
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
Sunday – The Last Man on Earth
Monday – Fargo
Tuesday – The Mindy Project was pretty good, but Mindy’s guest spot on The Muppets was even better.
Wednesday – You’re the Worst finished up one of the best TV seasons of 2015.
Thursday – The most stunning episode of Nathan for You
Friday – Jeopardy!
Saturday – SNL, mainly Chris Hemsworth pretending to be a woman and, oh yeah, Will Ferrell as W.
December 11, 2015
Television, The Middle, The Middle Episode Reviews Not So Silent Night, The Middle, The Middle 710, The Middle Season 7 Leave a comment
“Do we have a cloud?” “Just the black one over our heads.” http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2015/12/10/the-middle-season-7-episode-10-recap-w
December 9, 2015
30 Rock, American Dad!, Arrested Development, Arrow, Billy on the Street, Bob's Burgers, BoJack Horseman, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Community, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, Fargo (TV Series), Futurama, Hannibal, Happy Endings, Jeopardy!, Key & Peele, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Nathan for You, New Girl, Orphan Black, Parks and Recreation, Portlandia, Review (TV Series), Rick and Morty, Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, Stella, Television, The Chris Gethard Show, The Eric André Show, The Middle, The Office, You're the Worst Community, Favorite TV Shows, Jeffrey Malone 1 Comment
You can learn a lot about people from their favorite television programs. TV viewing involves spending a lot of time with fictional characters and more or less forming relationships with them. Who we choose to spend our time with says a lot about our own personalities. With that in mind, here are the current standings for my 50 favorite shows of all time.
December 9, 2015
Muppets (2015 TV Series), Muppets Episode Reviews, Television Single All the Way, The Muppets, The Muppets 110, The Muppets on ABC, The Muppets Season 1 Leave a comment
“Can: open. Worms: everywhere.” http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2015/12/09/the-muppets-season-1-episode-10-recap-
December 9, 2015
Awards Shows, Cinema SAG, SAG Awards, Screen Actors Guild Leave a comment
This has thus far been one of the most unpredictable awards seasons I can remember. The SAG nominees can help clarify the Oscar race, as the significant overlap between Academy and guild membership means that there is also significant overlap between who both groups nominate. This year, however, the SAG nominees are so surprising that that trend might not hold. Or maybe the Oscar nominees will be just as surprising.
Lead Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Johnny Depp, Black Mass
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Leo, Eddie Redmayne, and Fassbender are still the favorites. Depp is still comfortably in the race. Cranston is a surprise, but not a shock; it’s hard to say where his Oscar chances stand now.
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