LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures Gets A Premiere Date!

We have some exciting new details regarding LEGO Star Wars' newest show, The Freemaker Adventures. Featuring the Freemaker family, sibling scavengers who operate a salvage and repair shop in space, this action comedy will take place between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and will document their adventures as the youngest member, Rowan, discovers an ancient artifact with a connection to the Force. For more information and a few sneak peek stills, check out the press release below:

"Introducing new heroes and villains to the LEGO Star Wars universe, the animated television series "LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures" will premiere MONDAY, JUNE 20 (10:00 a.m. EST) on Disney XD. Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the action comedy series follows the Freemakers, a family of sibling scavengers who operate a salvage and repair shop in space. The series will also feature familiar characters and locations from the filmed Star Wars saga.  

During the series' premiere week, Disney XD will debut a new episode each day, beginning Monday, June 20 through Thursday, June 23. The first episode will also be available via Video on Demand (VOD) and the Disney XD app for users on tablets, phones, set top boxes and computers on Monday, June 20. 

Random Thought: Glee - Does No One Know How To Close a Door?

I was watching the Guilty Pleasures episode of Glee last night, and I noticed something odd (it's Glee, there are a lot of odd things to notice) - the doors to the choir room are always open. Always. How is that acceptable in a school? Why do we need to see students walking outside the door? Is it to remind us that they are at a school? I would think the choir room would be enough for that. And where the heck is Sue Sylvester yelling at them to keep their infernal racket down? 



To be fair, for this performance they were coming from outside, but look at other performances. The doors are always open. I can suspend belief for many things but I find this one a little hard to swallow.

Best In Show

Editor’s Note: Since the amazing Christopher Guest celebrated his birthday this past Sunday, here is a look back at one of his amazing films.  And no, it’s not Princess Bride!  Our fav contributor Teacup takes a look at the hilarious Best In Show!  Happy Birthday Chris!

I recently sat down to watch Best In Show, a comedy by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy. Best in Show follows five dogs and each their eccentric owners on their quest to win 'Best in Show' at the fictional Mayflower Kennel Dog Club Show. Guest and Levy's other works include the cult classic This is Spinal Tap and A Mighty Wind.

 

The film is in documentary style, or, to be more specific, mockumentary style, parodying both the people who attend and compete in dog shows and the documentary style itself. Presenting the story in documentary style is a storytelling choice I'm not usually fond of, but Best in Show makes it work. The documentary style, in which the actors speak to the camera and help tell the story, makes a film more intimate, as if you're being spoken to by the actors on screen, creating a deeper connection between the audience and the actors. It also allows the filmmaker to treat their subject matter in a completely serious matter, which is great for a comedy. Each neurotic character trait and each awkward moment is intensified by the supposed 'real life' aspect of the 'documentary.' And Best In Show is definitely full of awkward moments and neurotic character traits.

Sunday Links

Yesterday the IGH team spent the day at the NYC Coffee and Tea Festival, so I am recovering from my caffeine high as I look back on the past week's news.


In DC news this week, we have the sad announcement that seven titles are being canceled over the next two months. It looks like they are cleaning house before the Flashpoint event takes over.


Who is that women in red and gold? It's our new Wonder Woman! Adrianne Palicki is taking control of the lasso in the new NBC series. In more Wonder Woman news, you can watch disturbing audition material from the show at i09. Geek girls have come too far to still have "big tits save lives" comments. I get what they were going for, but they need to revisit the script again.


Are you a fan of Esty and all of those handmade items? Well be careful: According to this article over at The Weekly Crisis, there are some "original artworks" being sold on Esty that are really stolen from hardworking artists. Caveat Emptor!


My favorite gamer news of the week is the announcement that Fables and The Walking Dead games are being created by Telltale Games. With Telltale in the mix, these are going to be download-able games, rather than in a store, so this is one less thing to stand in line for!


For all of the emotionally-scarred Glee fans from the last episode, here is some more Bieber to pass the time! I love James Earl Jones and anything he says sounds great to me, even if it is Justin Bieber.

Until next week......


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Video Friday!!!

It's that time again...


McBain - The Movie???


The awesome folks at CollegeHumor have done it again. Putting together all the McBain clips from The Simpsons, they have created what looks to be a great action flick.

I want this movie made now! 

A Brief History of Hip Hop

This guy is amazing! I don't know how Eklips does it, and I think some of the magic would disappear if I did, I just know I want him to keep doing what he does.


3 Minutes





I think I nearly died from the sheer amounts of geeky awesomeness. This stars two of my favorite dancers, Harry Shum Jr. (Glee) and Stephen "tWitch" Boss (SYTYCD), in action roles... oh, and did I mention lightsabers? Yeah, they're in there too. All it needed was a soundtrack from a beloved 80's cartoon and I would have gone to nerd heaven. 


A History of Rap





I have to admit I was a little surprised at how good a job they did. I expected JT to pull it off, but Jimmy Fallon surprised me. As great as the guys sounded, I think I liked the dancing and facial expressions even more, They looked like they had a ball doing it.


To finish things off, as you know, yesterday was Chinese New Year. It is the Year of the Rabbit. To celebrate, the ever elusive @Getsuyobi (yes, he's still around trying to defend his masculinity) found this little gem...


39 Degrees North: 兔年 Year of the Rabbit





Wishing you all a Gung Hay Fat Choy!!!

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Glee - The Substitute

The Substitute is like someone opened a window and delicious fresh air came in to revive the slowly stagnating show. Yeah, I know that was very flowery, but seriously, this episode was desperately needed. It was a return of the Glee of old.


The basic plot is Principal Figgins gets sick, thanks to a particularly "virulent strain of monkey flu," allowing Sue to use the extremely broad clauses in her contract to get herself into the Principal's seat. Will ends up getting sick himself, and after hallucinating the Glee club as children, he goes home sick, leaving the club to fend for themselves. Naturally, Rachel tries to take over, and Kurt, in an attempt to stop this, gets the popular substitute teacher, Holly Holiday, to take over Mr. Shue's Glee duties.

Can't handle the cuteness!

Everyone, including Sue Sylvester, falls in love with Holly Holiday, played with perfection by Gwyneth Paltrow. Everyone that is except Will, who ends up losing his job to Holly, because Sue just really hates him and his beautiful hair. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Holly is out of her depths because she is not used to dealing with the hard stuff, so Will gets his job back pretty quickly, and also learns how to loosen up a little bit with the Glee club.


That's the A-plot. The B-plots involve Mercedes feeling left out as Kurt pursues his new friendship with Blaine and as a way to deal, stages a Norma Rae type of protest when Principal Sue decides to ban tater tots. What I want to know is who in their right minds would ban tater tots?! They're tiny and delicious. 

Viva La Tots!!!

The other more interesting plot is while Will is very sick he turns to his ex-wife, Terri, for tender, loving care. They have an interesting exchange about how Terri preferred Will while he was weak, and Terri doesn't disagree. In fact, she agrees with him and reveals she's been going to therapy and taking meds. Will is initially a jerk to Terri because he didn't really want her there, but after she gave him his favorite sick movie to watch, he soften up and was much nicer to her, which unfortunately led to the "tender and loving" part of the care. He knows it was a mistake but Terri takes it as a sign they were getting back together, and when Will rejects her (in front of Holly), she gets pissed. Very pissed. Like you know she's going to do something messed up pissed. Kudos to Jessalyn Gilsig! She doesn't get nearly enough credit for playing Terri. Terri is an anxious, manipulative, crazy, vindictive, insecure, unsure, yet oddly caring person. She has so many layers, most of them awful, yet Jessalyn manages to give her some likability. That's extremely hard to do. Anyway, one can't help but feel that Terri will be back soon to cause many more problems for Will, and I can't wait to see how she does it.


Now let's talked Gwyneth and the music. There was a lot of concern and confusion when word about Paltrow's involvement hit the news. For some reason, a lot of people seem to dislike her and didn't know if she could sing. I won't touch the first part other to say I've never had a problem with her, but I was excited to hear her sing. I've known for a long time she had pipes because she did that odd movie, Duets, with her father, Bruce Paltrow, some years ago and showed off how well she could sing. Many people will probably agree that this is a career highlight for Gwyneth because not only was she great as Holly Holiday, but she also managed to sway some of the haters into liking her. She really owned the role. I can't wait for when she comes back.

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?

The music was stellar for this episode. There's a great song and dance scene with Matt Morrison and Harry Shum, Jr. to "Make 'Em Laugh" from Singin' in the Rain. But it was Gwyneth who stole the show. They made her work! She covers (too briefly) "Conjunction Junction" from Schoolhouse Rock, does "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" from Chicago with Lea Michele, a fantastic mash-up of Rihanna's "Umbrella" and "Singin' in the Rain" with Matt and the cast, but the standout performance goes to her rendition of Cee-Lo Green's "Forget You." Yes, it's the clean version, but that doesn't matter because it's so awesome you can't help but play it over and over again. It's gotten such good reviews, Cee-Lo and Gwyneth are going to be recording a new version of it. If there's a Glee song worth buying, it's this one.

Make 'Em Laugh

This was one of the strongest episodes to date. The bullying of Kurt was not forgotten, there was a scene between him and Karofsky where he threatened Kurt's life if he told anyone about the kiss, but it took a backseat to everything else. It was a good thing because it set us up for the next episode and it gave us a break from how heavy the show had become. This is probably my favorite episode of season two so far. We'll see how the rest of the season goes. Til then... here's Gwyneth Paltrow and the cast of Glee with Cee-Lo Green's "Forget You." Adieu!





Check out all of our GLEE reviews here!

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Glee - Never Been Kissed

Is it bad that as important its message and as well acted as it was, this episode doesn't really do it for me?

Never Been Kissed's main plots focus on Kurt and Coach Beiste. Karofsky's harassment of Kurt has been steadily increasing and causing Kurt to start to crack under the pressure, while Coach Beiste finds out several of the boys and Tina have been imagining her in compromising positions in order to cool down when they're with their significant others. The minor plots revolve around Puck getting out of juvie and declaring Artie his "community service," and Mr. Shuester setting up another boys vs. girls mash-up competition.

There are many great moments in this episode such as Coach Beiste, as the unlusty star in the gang's fantasies, is hilarious. Seriously, Dot-Marie Jones should get an Emmy nom for this episode. She's just amazingly funny, but when Beiste discovers the truth, Jones is just heartbreaking. Her speech at the end of the show was so painful but honest. Granted, the lines felt a little cheesy and predictable, but Jones made them work.

Other highlights include the introduction of Blaine, Kurt's new crush, as the adorable, older student at rival school, Dalton Academy. Darren Criss is wonderful as he lightly flirts with Kurt (you know he was  when he was singing Teenage Dream) and then helping support Kurt as he confronts Karofsky. Darren Criss and Chris Colfer have great chemistry together, and I'm excited to see how their friendship develops and whether it develops into something more.

The big revelations of the episode were Coach Beiste and Kurt had never been kissed until this episode and who did the kissing. For Coach Beiste, it was Will Schuester coming to the rescue to help her get past this, so she can move on and go forward with her life. If that sounded a little over the top or sarcastic, it is, because while Dot-Marie Jones was lovely during this scene, as I said before, it felt cheesy.

For Kurt, however, his first kiss was more traumatizing than liberating. In an intense moment during a confrontation between him and Karofsky, Karofsky grabs Kurt and kisses him. It's brutal and filled with anger, and I think left most people surprised.

Overall, this is an episode that should have left me emotional in some way, but other than a few moments,  I was left mostly cold. The acting was great. Chris Colfer once again knocked it out of the park, as I said before, Dot-Marie Jones was wonderful, Darren Criss - loveable, and Karofsky -violently self loathing and angry, but the writing was just rough. I think they've been laying on the bullying too heavily. I know this is the reality for far too many kids, but in an ensemble comedic show, there needs to be a balance and they tried to do it with the Coach Beiste plot and the Puck gets out of juvie sub-plot, but it wasn't balanced, and I feel like it hurt the episode rather than enhance it.

That said, the music was awesome. It was another boys vs. girls mash-up competition with the twist of the boys doing girl songs and the girls doing boy songs. The girls got to rock out with a mash-up of Livin' on a Prayer and Start Me Up, though Quinn's bandana and Rachel's hamming it up with the mic made me laugh. The boys, as a form of apology to Coach Beiste, were a little more old school with Stop! In the Name of Love and Free Your Mind. It was an unexpected combination that worked perfectly and in my opinion, won the competition for the boys.

Puck and Artie sang One Love (People Get Ready), and while it was a nice performance, it was really random and made little sense. But it was a lot fun and made me wish I could have done something like that when I was in high school.

Standout performance, however, goes to the boys at Dalton Academy. Darren Criss and the Warblers singing Teenage Dream is one of my all-time favorite Glee performances. It was just perfect. Rather than explain what made it so perfect, I'm just going to show you. Enjoy!

I never wanted to be a part of an acapella group so badly. Looks like so much fun.

So once again Glee offers us an uneven episode, but it shows signs of improvement. I'd say this was good, not great, but definitely better than the Rocky Horror ep.

Midseason Musings

I don't know about you but I watch a lot of television. A lot. I might even be considered a "television junkie." With many shows in reruns for another week or so, now seemed like a good time to take a quick look at the shows, new and old, and see how they're doing.

American Dad - I don't like American Dad as much as Family Guy, but I like it more the The Cleveland Show. It doesn't wow me but it's fun. I really liked the Christmas episode. I enjoyed angry, wrathful Santa.

Bones - I've been a little ambivalent about it the last few seasons. It's felt a little too formulaic, but I think they have revived the show a little by deepening the character relationships. The most recent episode was one of their strongest because it forced Bones to examine her life and allowed her to have a few necessary breakthroughs.

Castle - I love Castle. I love Nathan Fillion. There's very little I don't think he can do (except maybe rap like NPH). I think some of his considerable talents are wasted on Castle, but I like seeing him as a lighter  character. The show itself keeps growing. The supporting cast is getting more developed, and that's fantastic because all of them are wonderful. I would like to see more of a story arc than just the average standalone procedural.

Chuck - Linda Hamilton. How awesome is she? I love her inclusion this season. It's deepened the mythology and lead to some hilarious and heartbreaking episodes. I love that Casey is learning to navigate fatherhood (sort of) and that Sarah and Chuck have been dealing with genuine relationship issues while working together. It's these type of stories that help keep the show grounded.

The Cleveland Show - It's okay. Occasionally there will be something that makes me laugh, like "It's a Great Pancake. Cleveland," but mostly, I watch it in the morning when I'm having breakfast and just want a little something to watch.

CSI - I miss the Grissom years but Laurence Fishbourne has been embraced. It's a show that had its peak and is now slowly going downhill, but it still has some life left to it.

CSI: Miami - Not only has it felt stale but it pissed me off recently, when out of nowhere, without any context to the storyline, religion was brought into the episode, and Horatio went to visit his dead wife on her birthday. It was awkward, weird, and left a bad taste in my mouth.

CSI: New York - Not as stale as Miami but definitely feeling a little stiff. The addition of Sela Ward was brilliant. She's given the show some extra life. What kills me about this show is this is the show where they should spend a little more time of the relationships and not just the crimes. The writers created all these interactions and then rarely go anywhere with them. It just leaves you dangling and not in a good way.

The Event - I have tried to get into it. I hear it's gotten better but it started off soooo slowly and felt like it didn't have a clue what kind of show it wanted to be. I stopped watching after five episodes. I'm going to go and try to finish it but so far, I'm unimpressed.

Family Guy - This season started off strong with the Clue-like murder mystery, then became a little uneven, and got better with Brian and Stewie and emaciated Santa. Sometimes I think Seth MacFarlane is at his best when he's writing the longer episodes. Other times, I just think Seth is nuts.

Fringe - I had to give Fringe up last season because of time constraints, but I started watching again and I'm so glad I did. It was risky to alternate between the two universes, but it has worked out brilliantly. Even with missing last season, I was able to just jump right back into the world and understand what was going on. This is one of the few shows I get excited about seeing.

Glee - See other posts for my opinion on it because there is not enough space for my thoughts on it.

Grey's Anatomy - I was sucked into Grey's about four years ago and I've sporadically watched since. Last season's finale was definitely "Must See TV" but other than the first few episodes of this season, I haven't been impressed. It feels tired, but the most recent episodes have gotten stronger and are starting to suck me back in... at least for a little while.

Hawaii Five-O - One of the few new shows I've fallen in love with. Smart writing, strong cast, good action and a gorgeous location. I would like them to develop Kono more, but other than that, it's a solid show.

Human Target - It's a fun show. I thoroughly enjoy it and by adding a couple of strong females to the cast, including their new benefactor/boss, they've taken the show to a new level of hilarity. It's got great action, interesting situations and characters and funny. It's the whole package without taking itself too seriously. What more can you ask for in a show?

Lie To Me - Sometimes feels a little formulaic but I love this show. Strong writing, fairly interesting stories, great cast and Tim Roth always keeps it interesting because I never know what to expect from him and as a wannabe performer, it's really fun to watch and study on-screen.

The LXD - If you haven't seen it on Hulu, go now and watch. The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers is just that - extraordinary. It has a cohesive storyline, and while the acting is sometimes cheesy or stiff, it doesn't matter because that's not why you watch the LXD. The dancing is amazing. All the gravity defying moves are 100% the dancers, no wires or anything like that. It's beautiful to watch.

NCIS - Keeps holding steady. It's well written and well acted. I like how they are delving into the other characters' pasts like using Tony's father or dealing with Ziva's daddy issues. I hear there will soon be an Abby-centric episode as well as a flashback to Tony's days as a Baltimore cop and his first meeting with Gibbs. It's definitely one of the shows I really look forward to each week and watch the reruns often when they are on USA.

NCIS: Los Angeles - Started off rocky but steadily improving. I really like the unexpected team of Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J. They just work so well. Adding Deeks and sending Nate away helped smooth out some of the bumps and Linda Hunt's Hetty is hilariously terrifying, though sometimes I think they lay it on a little too thick. I love Hetty but it gets a little one note after a while.

No Ordinary Family - I like it but I don't watch it regularly. I'm still playing catch up with it. It's cute. I think they are still finding their footing. I really the focus on how the family struggles to maintain a normal life with the powers. Only one of them is really interested in using his powers in a heroic way, while the others are just trying to adjust and figure out why they got them. One thing I found annoying was how they all got powers that were exactly what they needed like the son with the possible learning disability got brain powers. Just a little too convenient for my tastes, but this is one of the new shows I hope sticks around for a few seasons. There's still a lot of potential with it.

Private Practice - The show really came into its own with the Charlotte King rape plot. It forced everyone to step up their game, from the writers to the cast, and everyone delivered. As I said earlier, KaDee Strickland has been simply beautiful this season. There are a few stories that as bland or feel tired, such as the current Addison wanting a baby story, and I really hope they can find a story for Naomi because right now, as much as I adore Audra McDonald (they really need to get her to sing on the show), she doesn't have much to do and frankly, I wouldn't miss her if she left the show. Overall, the show has been really strong and if you haven't watched it before, this is the season to give it a shot.

The Simpsons - They're like an addiction I can't quit. We all know the show is tired and will eventually have to end, but until then I continue to be a loyal viewer. Occasionally, they have a really good episode, the kind that reminds me of the first few seasons, but more often than not, it's nothing special.

Supernatural - I <3 this show way too much. It's like crack for me. Hot guys driving across the country, in an awesome car, killing evil beings? I'm there. Supernatural is reminds of Buffy because it often gets mocked and overlooked, but it's a show filled with great stories and great characters and at the heart of it, it's about two brothers and the trials they go through in order to keep their family together. Plus the writers are not afraid to laugh at themselves and pop culture or break the fourth wall, which always leads to fun times. If you don't believe me, check out the season 5 episode, Changing Channels.

The Walking Dead - See group review for that.

So these are the shows I watch on a regular basis. After tallying the number up, I find myself a little scared at the amount of TV I watch. This doesn't even count the midseason or off-season shows like So You Think You Can Dance and The Cape or the shows I watch sporadically like The Big Bang Theory, Raising Hope and Nikita (recommend them all). You might have noticed these are mostly network shows, and there's a good reason for that. I don't have cable so most of my watching has to be network tv or what I can easily access on the interwebs. I know there are amazing cable shows out there like Dexter, Sons of Anarchy, White Collar, Breaking Bad and Mad Men. Eventually I will get to see those shows. Until then, I'd love to know your thoughts on the current season and if you can recommend any shows, I will gladly give them a shot.

Glee: The Rocky Horror Glee Show

The most recent episode of Glee was the highly anticipated, much hyped Rocky Horror Glee Show, featuring the music of, you guessed it, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I, along with several of my friends, felt this would either be one of Glee's best episodes or one of its worst. It saddens me to say, while this wasn't their worst, it certainly wasn't their best.

The problem with the Rocky Horror episode wasn't in the concept; it was in the execution. The general premise of the episode is Will Schuester decides to have the glee club perform Rocky Horror as a way to get closer to Emma Pillsbury, the lovely ginger-headed guidance counselor Will desperately wants but cannot have. That's the whole plot. There are two minor storylines involving Sue trying to win a local Emmy and Finn dealing with body image issues, but they're mostly swept aside so we can hear RPHS music and watch Will try to woo Emma.

I think it's great that the show was trying to have a more adult-centric episode, but it was done at the expense of the glee club, and it felt like there was a lot of wasted potential. Finn and Sam's storyline about how they look could have been a really great opportunity for the show. We all know about females and their body issues but no one really talks about what the guys go through. Men have the same insecurities women do, and while it was handled well, not enough was done with it. I would have preferred it if they had two separate episodes - one dealing with the Will, Emma, and Carl love triangle and the other dealing with the stress of putting on the show and Sue's interactions with the club.

The Good -

The opening featuring Naya Rivera singing Science Fiction, Double Feature was perfect. She sounded great and it was a good way to let the world know Glee meant business. I also liked the listing of who was starring in the show. It reminded me of classic movies.

Lauren Potter as Becky Johnson, the cheerleader with Down's Syndrome, who looks up to Will, uttering one of the best lines of the episode, "Give me some chocolate or I will cut you." Priceless.

Cory Monteith handled his story with vulnerability and honesty, without coming across as cheesy or melodramatic. While I'm not always happy with Finn's development, I am increasing impressed by Cory's growth as an actor. *Side note - I heard some people were surprised that Finn would become the "poster boy" for male insecurities but I think it makes perfect sense. Of all the characters, he was the obvious choice. Sam, Mike, & Puck are ripped, Kurt's proud and comfortable with who he is, and they're not going to give Artie, the guy in the wheelchair, any more issues than he already has at this point. That leaves us with Finn. He also has a different body type than the other guys, so it's easier to work with that. That said, anyone else notice Cory's been working out? Compare his shower scene in the first season to his walk down the hall in this episode - see the difference? I'm not judging. I'm just pointing it out.

The look on Lea Michele's face when she fake faints during "Sweet Transvestite" is hilarious. She needs to be allowed to do more physical comedy. I have a feeling there's some untapped potential there.

Mike Chang wanting to play Dr. Frank-N-Furter was great. I would have liked to see him at least try before his parents yanked him out. I really like that they are slowly developing him, and I hope one day, we can hear him sing for real.

Jane Lynch was on fire. There are too many great lines to choose a favorite, and YAY! Sue's Corner is back! For those of us missing out Sue fix, this was just what was needed. By the way, I want to learn how to carve like Sue. She's a master.

The Bad

"Sweet Transvestite" - I couldn't stand it. Amber Riley sounded amazing. The rich, powerful tones that have been missing from some of her other songs, were back in full force, but she was practically yelling for most of the song. I don't know if this interpretation was her decision or the Powers That Be, but it was way too much. It sucks because I think if the song was taken in another direction, she could have had something spectacular. Then again, the other option was John Stamos, and after hearing his version, I'm really glad they went with Amber.

Lea Michele - I hated Rachel's acting in the show. The character of Janet is a silly, cheesy character, but Rachel took it to a whole other level, and I don't even find it all that believable. Rachel Berry has been in performing arts classes since forever. I don't think she would be that awful. It was if she had never acted before, and was trying to be Susan Sarandon. Rachel Berry would take a role, base it off of the actor who originated the role and then turn it into her own thing. She would not suck like this.

Underutilizing everyone except the adults. I liked a lot of what came out of it but come on, we're not watching the show for the grown ups. I would've liked to see more of the glee club.

The Wha???

Barry Bostwick and Meat Loaf Aday - The original Brad and Eddie came in for a cameo, but what was that about? Their presence made no sense, other than convincing Sue she needs a local Emmy. Yes, Africanized Mexican terrorists do cause me concern, but mostly I watched them and scratched my head. This was another example of not using the talent properly.

Emma singing "Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-Me" to Will was yet another example of Glee using a song in a weird manner. Just like Rachel singing "Poker Face" was not the best song to be sung with her long-lost mother, this was just out of place and highly sexualized. I know they wanted to demonstrate the heat between Will and Emma but stripping him in a classroom was really messed up, considering their positions in the school (if they want to strip Matt Morrison any other time, I most certainly won't not object). It was also a little creepy having Brittnay and Santana watching all of it.

Changing the lyrics to the songs. Seriously, what the bleepity bleep? Mercedes can't say "Transexual, Transylvania"? What about how they tried to sanitize "Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-Me"? I understand some things needed to be toned down but did they need to make it laughably horrible? Also, considering that Emma sang the song to Will, it really didn't need to be changed as much since it was between two adults... I'm just saying.

This episode was a hot mess. Other than "Sweet Transvestite" and the lyrical changes, the music was pretty good. Almost everyone got to sing and sounded great. Everyone looked amazing. If only the plot had been better... I think Glee needs to stop doing themed episodes and get back to simply telling a story. Maybe then they'll be able to recapture some of their former magic. The soundtrack for the episode is available on iTunes. What did you think? Awesome ep. or hot mess? Tweet us or let a comment. Toodle-oo until we meet again!

Glee: Duets

Contains Spoilers!

"Duets" felt like a return to the Glee of old. Puck gets thrown into juvie and the club needs a new member. Enter Sam Evans played by newcomer, Chord Overstreet, and yes, that is his real name. Sam had been introduced in the season premiere. He'd expressed interest in joining but chickened out at the last moment. I guess he finally found some courage. This week's lesson is duets and Mr. Shue decides to make things interesting by having a competition. Best duet gets dinner for two at....wait for it....Breadstix!!! Of course, everyone is excited and ready to get started. 

Here's where things get interesting. Rachel decides for the good of the team that Sam needs to win the competition and decides to throw it. Kurt's trying to determine if Sam is gay or not, makes Sam a little uncomfortable with his inquiries, yet manages to convince Sam to be his partner, while Finn tries to convince Sam and Kurt that it's a terrible idea. 

At this point, everything is still pretty light but Finn raises a very interesting point. He feels that if Sam sings with Kurt it will destroy his reputation. Finn appears to come off as homophobic but as he tries to explain to Sam, it's not about being homophobic; it's about surviving high school. I think that is what this season is going to be about: surviving high school while being your authentic self. 

Anyway, Sam is still willing to sing with Kurt because he gave his word (tres honorable) but Kurt, after having a chat with his dad, the amazing Mike O'Malley, about coming on too strong and having to walk alone for a while, lets Sam off the hook. Sam goes on to sing with Quinn and Kurt is left to sing alone.

The duets themselves are pretty entertaining. Rachel and Finn originally planned a really cute version of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" but in an effort to throw the competition, sang Billy Preston's "With You, I'm Born Again." You have to watch it to know why it was so perfectly awful. Quinn and Sam sing Jason Mraz and Colby Caillat's "Lucky." Those two have great chemistry and it's going to be fun to see how their relationship develops. Mercedes and Santana destroy Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High." Amazing doesn't come close to describing how well their voices go together and Kurt shows everyone how to do a duet with only one person with "Le Jazz Hot." But the most entertaining performance of the evening was Tina and Mike Chang singing "Sing!" It was the perfect song to introduce Mike's singing to the world... well, sort of.

The song that was the most appropriate for the show's theme was the final duet between Kurt and Rachel. They did a mash up of "Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy." Rachel, dressed in an outfit reminiscent of Barbara Streisand and Kurt, in a gorgeous silver suit complete with bowtie, not only sound amazing but together encapsulate the episode's message: two voices, both unique and wonderful on their own, are made stronger and more beautiful together.

Memorable Moments -

Brittany saying Puck "might be the dumbest person on this planet and that's coming from me."

Santana and Mercedes, after their song, declaring "We's be going to Breadstix."

"Sweet lady kisses" between Santana and Brittany in Brittnay’s room.

Brittany finally getting to show emotion when Artie calls her out for so callously taking his V-card.

Rachel telling Kurt, “Look, I know you’re lonely, but you’re not alone.”

This is when Glee is at its best. It's light-hearted, fun, advances the storylines, has a deeper underlying message, and is filled with fantastically sung songs. If all episodes were like this, Glee would run on the air for years. Unfortunately, as we'll see with the next episode, that is not necessarily the case. Until next time...

Glee: Grilled Cheesus

As I said in my previous post, Glee's sophomore season has not been living up to its hype (if that's even possible). There's an unevenness that's become more apparent than last year's back nine. We're five episodes in and they have been all over the place.

MAJOR SPOILERS!!!! 

Seriously, don't say I didn't warn you. 

Read on at your own risk

There are three storylines of importance in Grilled Cheesus - 

1) Finn sees what he believes to be Jesus in the grill marks of his sandwich, hence “Grilled Cheesus.” He attempts to pray and when what he prays for comes true, he believes it was due to a high power, leaving him with the desire to share this with the rest of the glee club. Later on, when something unfortunate happens to a fellow teammate but gives Finn something he asked for, he starts to question whether Grilled Cheesus is good or bad and eventually, his beliefs, already tentative and not fully formed, are seriously shaken and he’s left asking more questions.

2) Kurt goes through a family crisis. His father ends up in the hospital, comatose. The glee club tries to rally around Kurt, offering support and prayers. Kurt pushes them away because he doesn’t believe as they do and because he’s carrying around so much guilt, because of  his behavior prior to his father’s heart attack, that he has a hard time seeing how everyone is trying to help in their own way. For Kurt, his lesson is not about believing in God but believing in something more than what the five senses tell us.

3) Lastly, Sue’s story with her older sister, Jeannie, is a smaller storyline but just as important. Jeannie has Down’s Syndrome but that has never mattered to Sue. To Sue, she’s everything. She’s Sue’s hero, but Sue noticed, when they were very young, that people would treat Jeannie differently and cruelly. Sue would pray for her sister to get better and when she didn’t, Sue stopped believing. A conversation with Jeannie about God shows how at ease she is with her disorder, while Sue is the one who continues to struggle.

Memorable moments include -

Puck, giving one of the most profound and humorous statements of the show, saying, "Oh, I got no problem with the guy. I'm a total Jew for Jesus. He's my number one Heb. What I don't like seeing is people using J-money to cramp everyone else's style, 'cause it seems to me that true spirituality or whatever you want to call it is about enjoying the life that you've been given. I mean, I see God every time I make out with a new chick."

Brittnay - “Whenever I pray, I fall asleep.”

Jeannie says she doesn't believe God makes mistakes and asks Sue if she wants to be prayed for. Sue's voice cracking a tiny bit as she says, "That'd be nice."

Kurt singing a beautiful stripped down version of “I Want To Hold Your Hand” with flashbacks documenting significant moments with his father, including a not to be missed tea party.

This was an interesting episode. It wanted to say a lot but aside from the stellar performances of Chris Colfer and Jane Lynch, I felt it missed the mark. Wanting to explore spirituality is one thing but to lay it on so thickly is off putting. Why was Rachel singing  "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" Was it because it had the word "papa" in it or was it one of the few "Jewish" songs they could find that wasn't overly religious? I don't know but as beautifully sung as it was, it didn't belong there. Giving Mercedes two spiritual songs, one of which took place in a church, was too much.  There were comments made that didn't feel authentic, as if they were just put there to continually convey the show's message. I strongly believe that the questions asked should be explored but it felt as if they were being crammed down our throats.


I'd also like to point out that I do not believe that Finn wouldn't have known earlier about Burt being in the hospital. Kurt might have forgotten to tell him but Finn's mother knew. Why wouldn't she tell him as soon as she found out? I just don't buy it. I'd also like to know how old was the grilled cheese sandwich before Finn finally ate it? I get the symbolism behind the gesture but eating a cold, several days old grilled cheese sandwich is not that appealing to me. It was moments like these that kept taking me out of the story. I had to keep re-watching in order to find the good moments and it turns out there are many of them.


Jane Lynch was stunning. You could see her pain and anger simmering beneath the surface. Her scene with her sister made me want to cry because it was Jeannie comforting Sue. Chris Colfer was beautiful. He can mesmerize a person with both his acting and singing. Not a small feat, especially for someone so young. Mike O'Malley's portrayal of Burt is unpretentious and wonderful and he didn't even do much in this episode. Even Cory Monteith at the end of the show had me interested. Seeing Finn's faith shaken added a new depth to the character that hadn't previously been there. It's nice to see him growing as an actor. I also want to acknowledge Robin Trocki, the actress who plays Jean Sylvester. It's not often that shows use actors with disabilities, especially older actors with disabilities, and I think it's fantastic Glee does this because not only does it helps color the world of Glee and make it more realistic, but she can act! It's about time. Other than Chris Burke, who played Corky on Life Goes On, when was the last time you saw someone with Down's Syndrome or any other disability playing a role that was meaningful and important? Life Goes On has been off the air since 1993! I don't know about you, but I want a world as diverse as possible when it comes to the shows I watch.


I don't get worked up about a show's message very often. I like asking questions, being forced to think and a good controversy. I might dislike the writing or acting, I might hate where a storyline is going or cheesy special effects (I look to you X-Men Origins: Wolverine) but "Grilled Cheesus" bothered me enough that for a moment, I seriously considered not watching Glee anymore. Then I stopped, thought about it, and decided I love the show too much to just give up on it like that. I'll keep watching and hoping the show pulls itself together and in the meantime, keep you informed on how it's progressing.

* Sorry for the delay.  The other ep. reviews will be out this week and then done as each new ep. comes in.

New York Comic Con 2010: Quickie Recap - Day 2

Wilderowens here with our Quickie Recap for Day 2.

We all overslept so we got to the hall around 11am.  Getsuyobi went to wander the floor in search of comic book cover prints while Wysefyre and I went to the ReedPop resume session.  I was able to talk with a member of their HR team about possible career opportunities and Wysefyre asked about volunteering.  After that, Wysefyre started a crazy amount of panels, and I wandered the floor.

During my wanderings, I met so many great people, so here is the rundown.  First up, Mike Cavallaro, the artist for The Life and Times of Savior 28 (and the number one thing I was looking forward to).  It was awesome to talk with him and exchange contact info.  I plan to write more about him and Savior 28 in the future.  I learned about another project he worked on called Foiled and also met Jane Yolen, the writer.  I got the first book and learned that they are working on the second one. 

I met Matthew Dow Smith when I got a copy of the Supernatural comic signed for my sister.  He also works on the Dr. Who comics, which I must start to read. I continued to wander and found a copy of Firebreather and got it autographed by Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn.  They are premiering the Cartoon Network movie tomorrow!  Finally, I got to hang with the great Georges Jeanty.  He is the main artist for the Buffy comics and quite possibly the friendliest guy I know.  Love him and his work!

While I was hobknobbing, Getsuyobi was at The Thing panel and Wysefyre was at a whole bunch of panels.  She was in an amazing Voiceover panel that she hasn't stopped talking about, that was run by  Emmy-winning vocal director, Stevie Vallance.  She attended the LXD panel, which is an amazing dance group that has a web series.  This group also includes our favorite Glee dancer, Harry Shum Jr. or as you know him, Mike Chang.

After lunch, I went to the V Panel (also on my list) and there was so much goodness in that panel that all I can say is wow.  I promise to elaborate soon. :)  Getsyobi and Wysefyre attended the Comedy Central panels: Ugly Americans and Nick Swardson's Pretend Time.  I couldn't make it inside but I could hear the laughter and all I heard was how funny it was.

For tomorrow, we have Legends Day.  We have our Stan Lee tickets and we are going to get on the line for the John Romita, Sr. & Jr. signing.  If you are on the line, find us!  We always love a good line party.

Glee (Season 2, so far)

This has spoilers so read it at your own risk.

From day one, Glee had me hooked. The way the show handles feeling like or actually being an outcast was something I related to. The show has handled tricky subjects very well while still maintaining its humor and fun and it uses music to push the stories forward. That's right, for those of you who haven't figured it out yet, Glee is musical theater on TV. Even when the writing hasn't been stellar, the actors have more than made up for it with their superior skills. It's my love of Glee that has prevented me from writing about it this season, but after this week's episode, I had to speak up.


I don't know if I like what has been going on with Glee's sophomore season. I found the premiere episode, Audition, forgettable. I remember the songs, mostly because they were so good, Charice & Lea Michele's version of Lady Gaga's "Telephone" is amazing, but also because a song like "Empire State of Mind" should never have been covered. Let's be honest here, the cast is not filled with rappers and to try and take on someone like Jay-Z is insane! When they tackled "U Can't Touch This,""Ice Ice Baby," and "Good Vibrations," it was fine because these songs were more campy so they could be played with more (I'm not even touching Shue's covers of the Thong Song & Gold Digger). If they had done the Alicia Keys version, it would've sounded good but I feel like the Jay-Z version just showcased their weaknesses.


I liked the introduction of the new characters. Coach Beiste, played by the wonderful Dot-Marie Jones, was  a welcomed surprise. She gets to be the new antagonist to Sue but instead of having her be just the badass, no nonsense, new coach (which she is), she also gets to cool. I'd much rather have a coach who makes me work my ass off but can also have some fun than someone like Sue Sylvester who believes fear is the best way to motivate people to do their best. I go back and forth on whether I liked showing her vulnerability at Sue & Shue's stupid childish pranks. I like that she's shown as being a person with feelings but I would've loved if they showed her as a woman who is certainly different but strong, confident and comfortable with herself. I hated them showing her putting on lipstick before coaching, not because she shouldn't want to feel attractive and feminine but because it doesn't fit with what she was about to do. You don't see her with noticeable makeup the whole time but because she was being picked on, she had to reach for the lipstick? That's not right. Her overreaction to Finn and Artie was far more appropriate.


On to Britney/Brittnay. Let me start by saying Heather Morris has been woefully underutilized. The character of Brittnay is one of the funniest characters on television today. Her randomness and dimwittedness bring a whole new level of humor to the show and Heather Morris plays her perfectly but Heather is also a phenomenal dancer and as seen in the episode, a decent singer. I wish they had let her sing earlier but this was a perfect introduction for her. I don't think anyone in the cast could've pulled off Britney like Heather did but I don't think they've featured her dancing as much as they could have. Harry Shum, Jr. is the dancer of the group but if you watch any of the previous episodes and look for Heather, you'll see how awesome she is. Why haven't they featured her more?


Storywise, unfortunately, Britney/Brittnay did very little to advance the overall plot. I was left wondering what the season was going to be about. It felt like it might be more of last season. Audition, at the very least, introduced us to new characters.  Oh sorry,  we were introduced to the hotness that is John Stamos, aka the anesthesia happy Dr. Carl. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Uncle Jesse and I like seeing Shue go stupid when he realizes that not only is Emma dating someone else but he's a good looking doctor who is bringing Emma out of her shell, but this was a weird way to introduce a character. He should not have given in to Santana's demands about going under, though it did bring about one of my favorite lines, "So get up in my grill, cause me and Britts wants to get our anesthesia on."


The music was amazing but other than Artie's version of "Stronger," none of the songs really did much other than pay homage to Britney Spears. I did not like Lea Michele's version of "Baby, One More Time." She raised the key in the song and I feel that not only was it unnecessary but it detracted from it. It also makes the song harder to sing along with. I liked the stripped down version of "Toxic" but singing a song like that for a school assembly with your teacher is not only strange but also wildly inappropriate. Why would someone sing a song that sexually charged to a group of teenage hormone bombs? As demonstrated by the characters, Laura Izizes and Jacob "Can he get any more disgusting and perverted?" Ben Israel, being exposed to that level of sexuality can cause craziness or as Sue Sylvester put it, "It's a Britney Spears sex riot!" If I were a parent and heard this had happened at my kid's school, I'd be concerned. I know Britney Spears has other songs that are a little less over the top and better suited for a school assembly. *Side note - I don't know if it was noticed but I loved seeing Mark Kanemura from "So You Think You Can Dance" as one of the dancers. He was one of my favorites from the show.*


From here out, I'll be tackling each episode as it airs. Comments and opinions welcomed!