Take note: The FDA created Ebola to protect Area 51. http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jeffrey_Malone/2015/04/02/the-middle-season-6-episode-18-recap-o
The Middle 6.18: “Operation Infiltration”
April 2, 2015
Television, The Middle, The Middle Episode Reviews Operation Infiltration, The Middle, The Middle 618, The Middle Season 6 Leave a comment
New Girl 4.19: “The Right Thing”
April 1, 2015
New Girl, New Girl Episode Reviews, Television New Girl, New Girl 419, New Girl Season 4, The Right Thing Leave a comment
Careful trying not to fall in love with Winston, cause he’s lovable as hell. http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jeffrey_Malone/2015/04/01/new-girl-season-4-episode-19-recap-the
Community 6.4: “Queer Studies and Advanced Waxing”
April 1, 2015
Community, Community Episode Reviews, Television Community, Community 604, Community Season 6, Queer Studies and Advanced Waxing Leave a comment
Community, “Queer Studies and Advanced Waxing” (CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot)
This review was originally posted on Starpulse in March 2015.
“Queer Studies and Advanced Waxing” took the most advantage of Season 6’s lack of running time restrictions thus far, clocking in just under 31 minutes. This made sense, insofar as there were three plots and only two of them were even tangentially related. The structure of a typical modern network sitcom episode is generally not long enough to fully conclude the normal amount of three storylines. “Community” was not being indulgent here so much as it was just finding the necessary legroom. But even though each plot had enough space, it was not clear why Chang’s performance as Mr. Miyagi, the Dean joining the school board, and protecting a bird’s nest as IT work all needed to be in the same episode.
SNL Recap March 28, 2015: Dwayne Johnson/George Ezra
March 29, 2015
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television 200 onion rings, Banana, Big Banana, Cecily Strong, Dwayne Johnson, Franchise Viagra, George Ezra, I'm always thumping, Kyle Mooney, Kyle Mooney Interview, Long Banana, One Banana, Robert Durst Improv, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 40, Short Banana, SNL, SNL Season 40, The Rock, Two Banana, Vin Diesel as Thumper, Wham Bam Bambi, White Banana 1 Comment
SNL: George Ezra, Dwayne Johnson, Aidy Bryant (CREDIT: YouTube Screenshot)
This review was originally posted on Starpulse in March 2015.
“If you don’t have a boner right now, you should just kill yourself.”
As he noted in his monologue, Dwayne Johnson is known for joining established film franchises and giving them a successful shot in the arm. Accordingly, his fourth “SNL” hosting stint heavily favored sketches that commented on the host’s reputation and familiar pop culture entities in general. Many of this season’s hosts, even the most capable ones, have been relegated to mostly utility roles. But Johnson was effectively given plenty of opportunities to shine, as he was allowed to play to his strengths, and the result was an episode that overall also played to its strengths.
The Rock Obama – While Dwayne Johnson is now unequivocally credited by his birth name, he has no qualms breaking out his wrestling moniker for a particular “SNL” sketch. He first broke out his hulked-out alter ego of the president the last time he hosted back in March 2009, only a few months into Obama’s first term. He brought it back in a cameo appearance later that year, and that was enough for it to reach iconic status. In its current iteration, it was formulaic, but still vibrant enough to be worthwhile. Michelle She-Hulking out as well provided a welcome addition, so it was nice that Leslie Jones was around to play the part. Bobby Moynihan went above the call of duty by putting together his weaselly impression of Ted Cruz. B
What Won TV? – March 22-March 28, 2015
March 29, 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 – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Monday – Better Call Saul
Tuesday – Community
Wednesday – When I’m tired and thinking cold, I hide in The Middle, forget the day.
Thursday – Archer
Friday – Vice, I guess, but Girl Meets World was a lot more fun to watch.
Saturday – The best SNL of the season. Thank you, The Rock.
VH1 Top 20 Countdown – 3/28/15
March 28, 2015
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
Each week, I check out VH1′s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Taylor Swift – “Style”
2. Maroon 5 – “Sugar”
3. Ellie Goulding – “Love Me Like You Do”
4. Pitbull & Ne-Yo – “Time of Our Lives”
5. Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney – “FourFiveSeconds”
6. Ed Sheeran – “Thinking Out Loud”
7. Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding – “Outside”
8. Nick Jonas – “Chains”
9. Tori Kelly – “Nobody Love”
10. Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
11. Lily Wood & Robin Schulz – “Prayer in C (Robin Schulz Remix)”
12. Kelly Clarkson – “Heartbeat Song”
13. Tove Lo – “Talking Body”
14. Imagine Dragons – “I Bet My Life”
15. Zedd ft. Selena Gomez – “I Want You to Know”
16. Sam Smith – “Lay Me Down”
17. George Ezra – “Budapest”
18. Echosmith – “Bright”
19. Walk the Moon – “Shut Up and Dance”
20. Ella Henderson – “Ghost”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Outside
2. Style
3. Talking Body
4. Prayer in C (Robin Schulz Remix)
5. I Want You to Know
6. Chains
7. Ghost
8. Nobody Love
9. FourFiveSeconds
10. Shut Up and Dance
11. Love Me Like You Do
12. Lay Me Down
13. I Bet My Life
14. Time of Our Lives
15. Uptown Funk
16. Budapest
17. Heartbeat Song
18. Sugar
19. Bright
20. Thinking Out Loud
Watch And/Or Listen to This: Run the Jewels ft. Zack de la Rocha’s “Close Your Eyes (And Count to F**k)”
March 26, 2015
Music, Music Videos, Watch And/Or Listen to This Keith Stanfield, Race Relations, Run the Jewels, Shea Whigham, Zack de la Rocha Leave a comment
This video features a wrestling match between Shea Whigham, who you may know from Silver Linings Playbook or Take Shelter, and Keith Stanfield, who you may know from Short Term 12 or Selma.
The Middle 6.17 – “The Waiting Game”
March 26, 2015
Television, The Middle, The Middle Episode Reviews Leave a comment
This episode featured a demonstration of Parkinson’s Law: http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jeffrey_Malone/2015/03/26/the-middle-season-6-episode-17-recap-t
Community 6.3: “Basic Crisis Room Decorum”
March 25, 2015
Community, Community Episode Reviews, Television Basic Crisis Room Decorum, Community, Community 603, Community Season 6 Leave a comment
Community, “Basic Crisis Room Decorum” (CREDIT: Yahoo! Screen)
This review was originally posted on Starpulse in March 2015.
The Audacity of Hope
In its earlier seasons, “Community” distinguished itself among typical sitcoms with its determined focus on character development. The study group was various forms of broken, and Greendale was positioned as a place for them to work out their issues and become better people. The show followed through on this determination in a way that was deeply satisfying. Six seasons in, “Community” is still concerned about allowing its characters to grow, but it is also intent on emphasizing what works best, and that can mean maintaining the status quo. “Basic Crisis Room Decorum” found itself squarely within these crosscurrents. Major developments were looming, but they felt like conflicts that had played out many times before. Ultimately, though, this episode succeeded by getting deeper into the emotional truth of these situations than ever before.
Fuse Top 20 Countdown – 3/24/15
March 24, 2015
Fuse Top 20 Countdown, Music, Television 3 Comments
Each week, I check out FUSE’s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Apparently this is the final episode, and as a final episode, this week’s countdown is an all-time list.
Original Version
1. LMFAO – “Party Rock Anthem”
2. Pharrell – “Happy”
3. Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
4. Taylor Swift – “Shake It Off”
5. Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris – “We Found Love”
6. Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell – “Blurred Lines”
7. Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera – “Moves Like Jagger”
8. Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball”
9. Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”
10. Katy Perry – “Roar”
11. Lady GaGa ft. Beyoncé – “Telephone”
12. Imagine Dragons – “Radioactive”
13. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz – “Thrift Shop”
14. Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
15. Psy – “Gangnam Style”
16. Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull – “On the Floor”
17. Drake ft. Lil Wayne and Tyga – “The Motto Remix”
18. One Direction – “Live While We’re Young”
19. CeeLo Green – “F**k You”
20. Justin Bieber ft. Nicki Minaj – “Beauty and a Beat”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Fancy
2. Happy
3. We Found Love
4. Party Rock Anthem
5. Telephone
6. Call Me Maybe
7. Shake It Off
8. Radioactive
9. Gangnam Style
10. F**k You
11. Thrift Shop
12. Blurred Lines
13. Wrecking Ball
14. Roar
15. Super Bass
16. The Motto Remix
17. Moves Like Jagger
18. Beauty and a Beat
19. Live While We’re Young
20. On the Floor
Jmunney's Blog 