It's Bound To Be A Funny One..."Mel Brooks: Make A Noise"

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (2013)

TV-PG

Starring Mel Brooks

Written and Directed by Robert Trachtenberg

The Story:

Part of the PBS "American Masters" series, this in-depth biography finally lets Mel Brooks talk about his favorite subject: himself!

Okay, that may or may not be true, but for the first time that I can recall, here's Mel opening up about his life, his career and his films, in his words, as well as some of his collaborators over the years.

If you've never seen his work, this will help showcase his efforts in one career spanning retrospective and you'll begin to understand why he's so funny and a comedy legend.

If you're a fan of his work, this is icing on a delicious cake of a career.

The great thing about Brooks career, is even his bad stuff is good, when compared to other offerings.
It's only when you compare one Brooks film to another that you can really see the difference, which also elevates how truly great his best films really are.

The biography also reveals a lot of interesting facts that you may be unaware of, or have simply forgotten over the years.

Definitely worthwhile.

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing. You can probably also find it, and other American Masters episodes on the PBS.org website.

Final Grade: B+

I'm Really Enjoying "Last Man Standing"

Last Man Standing (2011)

TV PG

Starring Tim Allen, Nancy Travis, Hector Elizondo, Alexandra Krosney, Molly Ephraim, Kaitlyn Dever, Christoph Sanders

Created by Jack Burditt

The Story:

Mike (Allen) is a successful photographer/marketing guru for a sporting goods company. His wife, Vanessa (Travis) has gone back to work and winds up with a big promotion that means more time away from home. However, Mike's boss Ed (Elizondo) grounds Mike from traveling so that he can focus on making the company website better. This works out for the family so he can help watch over his three girls (Krosney, Ephraim, and Dever) in his own particular way of parenting.

Welcome back to ABC, Tim Allen. After over a decade since Home Improvement went off the air, Allen continued to star in box office hits and misses before returning as Mike Baxter, a man's man.

Yet this time, he's not the befuddled handyman, Tim Taylor. No, he's more akin to the smarter cousin because while he can be gruff and macho, he's not a klutz who gets lucky at his job.  He's an accomplished marketing manager who brings his grumpy touch to the company website and instantly makes it a hit.

So yes, he's basically playing a similar character to the one we knew before, but I think I like Mike even more because he's not the victim of his own stupidity...usually. :)

His ego might cause a few things to go awry, but that happens to the best of us.

I'm mid-way through the first season, and I find myself consistently amused and laughing with the show. His banter with Elizondo is some of the funniest buddy comedy you'll find in a sitcom.

Each of the daughters has their own unique personality and feel more fleshed out than the Taylor boys ever did. Nancy Allen slides easily into the wife/mother role and doesn't miss a beat. At first I was concerned because it seemed like she smiled or laughed a lot at Allen's lines and jokes in the show.

Then I realized, that's what we do if we have a spouse or partner that constantly keeps us amused because you just don't know what they're going to say next.

So far, so good and with an episode or two every few days, I know I've always got something good to watch if I find myself with less than an hour or so before I want to go to bed and want to settle in for a good night's laugh.

I hear that the oldest daughter gets replaced in Season 2, so we'll see if that changes the dynamic of the show or not. Currently that character is my least favorite in the entire series, so I don't know how much of an effect it will have on me.

:)

Currently streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

A Peek Behind The Curtain..."The Writer's Room"

The Writer's Room (2013)

Starring Jim Rash

The Story:

Jim Rash, Academy Award winning writer and actor (The Dean - Community) takes us behind the scenes to talk with the writers responsible for some of your favorite shows.

It's fun, free-wheeling and insightful on how different writers approach these shows and the efforts they go through to bring your favorite shows and characters to light.

In the first season, now streaming on Netflix, you get a behind the scenes journey with the minds behind Dexter, Parks and Recreation, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones American Horror Story and New Girl.

It's a breezy show that moves along quickly with commentary from all involved held under control, mostly, by Rash who is always on, and just as fun "being himself" as he is as The Dean.

Recommended for fans of the shows, fans of television or entertainment in general, and those that love to write.

Final Grade: B

I Wish I Could Move To "Gravity Falls"

Gravity Falls (2012)

TV Y-7

Starring Jason Ritter, Kristen Schaal, Alex Hirsch, Linda Cardellini

Created by Alex Hirsch

The Story:

Twin siblings Dipper (Ritter) and Mabel (Schaal) are sent to spend the summer in Gravity Falls, Oregon. They are in the care of their Great Uncle Stan (Hirsch) who runs a tourist trap in the town. Dipper soon discovers that the town is filled with supernatural secrets and he spends his time trying to solve these secrets while also pining away at the girl of his dreams, Wendy (Cardellini).

I watch very few cartoons anymore, so if I do, it has to be well-written and have a great voice cast.

This has that, in spades.

Credit, of course, needs to be heaped on Hirsch as the series creator, head writer, and main vocal talent for not only Gruncle Stan, but also Soos, the handyman at the Mystery Shack, and other characters.

Each episode has built slowly from each other, expanding the secrets of Gravity Falls. However, there is rarely any point that you just can't jump in as a new viewer and understand what is going on.

Of the 27 episodes that have aired on the Disney Channel, I'd like to say they were all perfect, but I can't.

The one with Mabel's crush on the boy band is the least favorite of the entire family.
I don't know, something about that episode just didn't do it for anyone in the family, and it was even deleted from the DVR.

That's some serious business right there!

Otherwise, it's a lot of fun and again, some of the best writing on tv, period, cartoon or not.

Naturally, dealing with supernatural, your parental discretion is warranted.

However there hasn't been too much to worry about overall.

Except maybe Stan in his boxer shorts...

:: shudder ::

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Most episodes have been seen several times. Summerween (a holiday that should be adopted!) is a personal favorite. :)

Sabotage Has Never Tasted So Good..."Cutthroat Kitchen"

Cutthroat Kitchen (2013)

Starring Alton Brown

The Story:

Alton Brown hosts possibly the most diabolical game show/reality show on The Food Network.  4 chefs compete in 3 rounds of cooking competitions. They have between 20-30 minutes to create a dish. After the judge comes out and tries each of the 4 dishes, that judge sends one cook home each round until only one survives.

Sounds simple?

So arm each of the chefs with $25,000 and offer them a series of auctions where they bid to make life miserable for anyone else.

The last chef standing gets to keep whatever money they didn't spend to get there.

Brilliant!

The dishes themselves range from simple to fairly complex.

They have 60 seconds to grab whatever they need to make the dish.

Invariably, someone realizes that they left a crucial component such as eggs, or flour, or milk, or bread behind in the pantry.  How will they make do?

They get creative, or if they are lucky, an auction item comes along that allows them to steal or replace ingredients with someone else.

The show is a lot of fun to watch and see the creativity of the chefs.

The main thing I'm noticing in the first few episodes, it seems like whoever spends the most money in the first round invariably loses.

The other chefs either gang up on them with later challenges, and they just no longer have the money to try and compete.

Some challenges push their imagination...some challenges are just too hard to overcome.

There is a season now streaming on Netflix as of this writing.

I'm hoping they will add the other episodes soon!

Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Not sure yet, but I definitely want to see them all.

Here's To A Delicious Weekend... "Good Eats"

Good Eats (1999)

Starring Alton Brown

Originally aired on the Food Network

The Story:

Alton Brown hosts a delightfully entertaining cooking show that is equal parts cooking, history, science and fun.

You'll learn a few things along the way, whether you intend to or not!

So apparently Netflix snapped up some episodes of shows from the Food Network.

I figured, why not?

It's just a bit over 21 minutes long, and sometimes a little short something is just what you need to unwind before bed, or just relaxing on the couch but you don't want to devote the full time that a movie demands.

After all, we enjoyed our episodes of Cake Boss, so let's see what this offers.

It's awesome!

Brown is a genial host.  Filled with facts and enthusiasm for what he does, Brown is filled with energy from start to finish on his show.

He offers up recipes both straightforward and easy to the challenging, but you see with just following a few simple steps, you too can cook like a chef!

That he infuses historical facts and science components in his explanations expands your overall cooking knowledge and appreciation for the magic that happens in the kitchen.

So far only 25 episodes are available for streaming on Netflix as of this writing.  It's not the first season, as Brown refers to other episodes in some of his discussions.

So far, I've seen no reason why these need to be in order, so feel free to jump right in.

I'm trying to take it one episode a day so I don't run out, but it would be so easy to just let them play.

As the show ran for over a decade, there's another 200+ episodes just waiting to be watched.

Dear Netflix,
Please, bring them!
:)

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I would have no problem watching some of these again, but again, I'm hoping I get to see the other 225 or so episodes first!

Guaranteed To Drive You Batty..."Gotham"

Gotham (2014)

TV-14

Starring Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue, Sean Pertwee, David Mazouz, Jada Pinkett Smith

The Story:

Perhaps you've heard of a young man named Bruce Wayne (Mazouz) whose parents are gunned down one night. Now learn the dirty details about what happened in Gotham years before Batman showed up on the scene.

Being able to expand and expound on the rich history of Gotham is something that could never truly be shown in a movie.

A slow, dramatic series on Fox is just what DC needs to tell this story.

Wisely, they've picked the best bits and  pieces of comic book lore to fill up Gotham with dirty crooks, dirty cops and a brand new detective named James Gordon (McKenzie) who someday will rise to the position of Commissioner.

However, that's not coming for some time. Like, never, at least in this series.

Instead, enjoy the ride as Gordon teams up with crusty detective Harvey Bullock (Logue) as the two begin to track down the Wayne murderer, and enjoy seeing Batman's rogues gallery before they don their own costumes and embark on the criminal career the are known and loathed for.

Needless to say, I'm thrilled that they included the Falcone crime family from the excellent issues by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.

One big negative... Alfred's (Pertwee) accent.

Not. A. Fan.

It's minor thing, but a thing nonetheless. 

So far, so good. I'll be back next week!

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: It's the first series from DC that I've watched, so that's a huge plus.

"Cedar Cove" A Nice Place To Visit...

Cedar Cove (2013)

TV

Starring Sarah Smyth, Brenna Elliott, Andie MacDowell, Dylan Neal

The Story:

Cedar Cove, Washington.  Home of Judge Lockhart (MacDowell) and her daughter Sarah (Smyth).  This is their story.

What happens when what appears to be a made for Lifetime TV movie turns into a weekly series?

If you said "Cedar Cove", you're absolutely correct.

Watching the premiere episode, and the plot follows the Judge as she is nominated to become a Federal judge from an old college classmate who is now a senator.  At the end of the day, she decides she likes it where she's at, and turns down the nomination.

Sure, that might sound dull, but with MacDowell in the lead, and the introduction of a host of other characters who will interact in the lives of the Lockhart family, for better or worse.

Filmed in beautiful British Columbia, the city is taking on a life of its own as a character for the show.

While I won't be binge watching this one, I will likely watch what happens next when it's a slow night or the kids are around or we're winding down and don't have time for a full  movie.

Season One now available for streaming on Netflix as of this writing.


Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No need to purchase, but good enough to keep watching to see what might happen next.

I Spy With My Little Eye... "Chuck"

Chuck (2007)

TV PG

Starring Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Adam Baldwin, Joshua Gomez, Sarah Lancaster

The Story:

Chuck Bartowski (Levi) is a member of the Nerd Herd at the local Buy More.  When he receives an email from an old college roomate, he opens it and subliminally absorbs all of the nation's defense secrets from the INTERSECT device.  With the INTERSECT offline, only Chuck holds the key to American defense.  So the CIA sends Agent Walker (Strahovski) and the NSA sends Agent Casey (Baldwin) to watch over Chuck while they attempt to bring their computer back online.  Meanwhile, Chuck can't divulge anything to his sister (Lancaster) or best friend (Gomez) and he keeps flashing on unsavory people or things which keep getting him one step closer to danger in being part of the spy business.

You know when you see the commercials or hear about those shows that you think, "hey, yeah, I'd probably enjoy that one?"

Well, Chuck was one of those shows for me.

It looked like a fun show with an interesting premise.

A comedy-action show, much like Psych, how could I go wrong?

But, I never got around to watching it.

Until now.

Scrolling through Netflix, and there was Chuck staring back at us, almost begging for us to watch it.

So we watched the pilot, directed by McG (!!!) himself.  Well, I've never been one to shy away from McG material...

He didn't disappoint.

It was fun, funny, filled with action, great dialogue, and fun characters.

The relationships all run through Chuck.

Chuck with his sister.
Chuck with his best friend.
Chuck with Agent Walker.
Chuck with Agent Casey.

Each one is different, and each vital to the show.

As the season moves along and each of the supporting characters grows and has interaction with one another, it's a balancing act between actual spy cover that they must maintain.

Looking forward to seeing what is in store for the gang next season! 

Sadly, unlike Psych, the house is divided over this one.  One half is really enjoying it, and one half is wondering what the heck we're watching it for.

:: sigh ::

Can't win 'em all...


Available to stream on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Won't need to own it, at least not yet.  One season down, 4 to go, we'll see if it jumps the shark or if it stays this much fun.

Are You A Fan of Delicious Flavor ... "Psych: The Complete Series"

I know, you know, that I'll be telling the truth...

Psych (2006)

TV PG

Starring: James Roday, Dule Hill, Maggie Lawson, Timothy Omundson, Corbin Bernsen, Kirsten Nelson, Kurt Fuller

The Story:

Shawn Spencer (Roday) was trained to use keen observational skills by his father, Henry (Bernsen).  However, unlilke growing up to be a cop like his dad, Shawn's pretty much been a slacker.  Then he stumbles on an idea to get himself out of hot water with the cops: Pretend he is actually psychic!  He enlists his childhood friend, Gus (Hill) and they start the Pysch detective agency.  For the next 8 years, they will solve "about a case a week."

And now it's over, and Pysch-o's around the world are a little hurt on the inside.

:)

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my favorite television show, in the history of television shows.

A show that was smart, funny, dramatic, fun, engaging, full of wit, well written, superbly acted and never afraid to try something new, to include a full-fledged musical.

Psych had it all, and it will be missed.

And trust me, this comes from a family of fans that didn't come onboard until the end of the 5th season.  We caught an episode, We'd Like To Thank the Academy, where the boys have to enroll in the Police Academy, and we were instantly hooked.

Trust me, when I find something that I like AND my wife enjoys, that's two thumbs up and let's see what else is available.

We found it was streamable on Netflix, and so we began our foray into season one.

About halfway...maybe almost all the way through, some of the kids stopped by and watched an episode or two.

They too were hooked.

So we did what any good parents would do, we started over with the whole family, and quickly caught up the series.

I probably should not admit that we've had many Psych-o-thons and have probably seen all the streamable episodes on Netflix...on average... 10 times each.

Each time, you catch something new.

A line you missed, a facial reaction by Gus....

The million and one 80s references that populate the dialogue...

The pineapple randomly hidden in the background.

Yes, we now go through life yelling "Pineapple" whenever we see one.

You'd be amazed where pineapples crop up in life...

I've also purchased all of the DVD sets, because someday they won't be streaming, or like seasons 7, 8 and the musical, are as yet NOT on Netflix for reasons unknown to mankind.

It's also a show that, in my opinion, never "jumped the shark".

There were a few episodes that were not as great as the rest, but for the most part, aside from Dual Spires, we loved them all.

And if you're a fan of Twin Peaks, then Dual Spires was probably right up your alley.

So when I hype Psych up to friends and family, I always give them one warning:

The Pilot is not the best episode.

It's not bad... but things really clicked with Episode Two: Spellingg Bee

It was here that the lovely Detective Juliet O'Hara joined the cast, and you could tell by the chemistry that someday Shawn and Jules (Shules) would be a couple.  But boy, was it a long, crazy road to get there, and again, unlike many episodes that began their downward spiral when the leading man and woman got together, Psych did not fall into that trap, so kudos.

:)

So, running down 8 seasons, what were *some of* the best episodes?

Season One:

The Spellingg Bee - Just know that 'banana' gets intoned around our house the same way Shawn uses it in the storyline.

Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast - Juliet goes undercover at a sorority where years earlier Shawn and Gus witnessed a suicide!

Season Two:

American Duos - The boys take to an American Idol style contest with judges Tim Curry and Gina Gershon.  The guest stars that were on this series were amazing and fit in perfectly with the show.

Lights, Camera...Homicidio - Shawn must solve a murder recorded for a telenovela by getting a part on the show.

Picking only 2 for this season is almost impossible.... :)

Season Three:

The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable - Shawn's uncle comes looking for buried treasure!

Lassie Did A Bad, Bad Thing - Lassister is accused of a crime, and Shawn and Gus must clear his name. Even if Gus is pretty certain that Lassiter did it. :)

Again, another strong season that's hard to only pick 2 great episodes from.

Season Four:

Death Is In The Air - Beware the Thornberg Virus!  And the 2nd member of the Brat Pack to guest star!!  They would eventually get them all, except Emilio.  Tsk tsk.

Shawn Takes A Shot In The Dark - An episode that was very different in format to what we'd seen before.  Proof that the show was willing to take risks, and you couldn't always be sure everything would be okay at the end of the episode.

Again, this season is full of great episodes... A Very Juliet Episode, High Top Fade-Out... Possibly the best single season of them all...

Season Five:

Not Even Close...Encounters - An alien abduction in Santa Barbara?  Shawn and Gus enlist an old friend to help them solve the case!

The Polarizing Express - Another Psych Christmas episode, this one a strange take on It's A Wonderful Life where Shawn gets to imagine what life was like for everyone had he not come back to Santa Barbara.

Season Six:

Last Night Gus - Imagine The Hangover... but funnier.  This is the winner for my favorite all-time episode of Psych.

Santabarbaratown - The cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers!  A cast member is shot.... will they survive??!!  It was a long hiatus....

Season Seven:

100 Clues - An homage to the 1985 film, Clue.  Including several guest stars from that movie.  Yes, audience participation even got to pick the ending(s) for each coast.

Office Space - When Gus' boss ends up dead... and Gus appears to be the prime suspect.. the more the guys do to clear his name, the more guilty he appears!

Season Eight:

Cog Blocked - Gus is murdered, or at least a man whose life mirrors Burton's is found dead, and Gus is determined to find the murderer... and live again!

The Breakup - It's the final episode of the series, and it wraps up in just the way that a Psych finale should.  After 8 years hanging out with these guys...

Bring a tissue.

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I may not be watching them live anymore, but they live on through streaming, DVD, and DVR!  I hope to see them return in a 2 hour special movie in the future, but I suppose I'll just have to...

 wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttt!

All The Praise For This Show Is... "Justified"

Justified (2010)

TV-MA for language

Starring Timothy Olyphant, Walter Goggins, Nick Searcy, Joelle Carter, Jacob Pitts, Erica Tazel

The Story:

US Marshal Raylan Givens (Olyphant) is reassigned from Miami to his home state of Kentucky following a shooting where he warned a man that he had 24 hours to leave town or else.  Well, he didn't leave, then pulled a gun on the Marshal.  The shooting was...

Justified.

But back home, Givens is immediately immersed in issues by the Crowder clan, led by old friend Boyd (Goggins) and it appears that Givens is going to have to keep his gun handy if he wants to survive his trip home.

Ah, a series I always wanted to watch but never did.

Saw that it was streaming on Amazon Prime, so I gave it a whirl.

The pilot episode was pretty good, so I kept going.

Through the course of the next dozen episodes, new developments happened to progress the story forward, but always adding new layers to what had happened before.

By the conclusion of the season, a lot of characters are no longer standing in Kentucky, and I'm looking forward to see what happens next.

Always been a fan of Olyphant, and am enjoying his take as a no-nonsense lawman.  An Goggins is an excellent foil as the man that Raylan wonders just how much he can trust before it blows up in his face.

Great stuff!

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Doubtful that I need to buy it, and watching it once should be good.  Good show though!

You Say You Want A (Musical) Revolution Weekend... "The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles"

The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles

Feb 9th, 1964.

Ed Sullivan introduced the Fab Four to North America.

The world was never the same.

While the Beatles didn't create Rock & Roll, they did redefine it.

50 Years later, the Grammys pulls out an all-star tribute to the Beatles.

Here's some thoughts I had as the extravaganza unfolded...

First, I don't think I will poke too many holes in the performers that got up on stage and offered their renditions.  Some more faithful than others.  Some that were cleverly repackaged.

Why?

Well, it's two-fold.

First, it takes some nerves to get up on stage that is pandering to an audience filled with other singers and celebrities and saying "I'm going to do a Beatles song!"

Then, multiply that by infinity, because you're also doing this performance in front of Paul and Ringo!

As the cameraman caught all throughout the night, Paul McCartney loves to singalong to the Beatles songs.  I would imagine it's reflex.

Next, I think they really, really, really missed out by not having Dhani Harrison and Julian Lennon get up on stage and perform at least one number with Paul and Ringo.  It would have been surreal and awesome.  Surreally awesome, even!



Loved the backstage interviews with the crew that was there on that night, as well as Letterman's interviews with Paul and Ringo back on the actual Ed Sullivan stage where it all began.

It could have used some editing, and it sounds like a DVD could come out with the trimmed for time footage.

I wish they would have aired the Beatles entire performance on the Ed Sullivan show, but again, perhaps they will add that to the DVD.

I think they could also do without so much showing the audience during these shows.  I'm not watching to see what other people think of musicians singing.  I want to see them singing.

Otherwise you end up panning to Tom Hanks awkwardly caught not singing to Hey Jude at the end.

Tsk tsk Mr. Hanks.

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I don't think I'll buy it on DVD, but I've got it recorded and there were a few numbers worth revisiting in the future.

Tuesday's Streaming TV Show..."Melissa and Joey"

Melissa & Joey (2010)
TV-14

Starring: Melissa Joan Hart, Joseph Lawrence

Airs on ABC Family

The Story:

Melissa Burke (Hart) is a successful city council member who winds up as the legal guardian of her teenage niece and nephew when their parents wind up in jail and on the lam for embezzlement.  She's barely able to keep head above water with the two new kids in tow, and decides to hire a nanny.  Before she gets the chance, Joe (Lawrence) a disgruntled former co-worker of her brother in law comes looking for the money he is owed and offers to be the nanny as he is desperate for a job.  When he actually does a good job, Mel decides to keep him on for the time being.

Say, this sounds like Who's the Boss?

:)

That's okay, I liked that show back in the day.

So where was I?

Oh yes, so previously reviewed was My Fake Fiance ( My Fake Review! ), which starred both of our leads and aired on ABC Family.  As I commented, the two had a nice chemistry together.

Apparently I wasn't the only one that noticed, and shortly after that film aired, ta-da, a brand new sitcom starring them both is on the air, and beginning their 4th season.

Looking to watch something funny the other night, ran across this and figured, why not, 21 minutes never killed anyone.

21 minutes later, I let the next episode play.

Yep, it's a pretty cute show.  Melissa and Joe (am I referring to the character or the actor?!?) have the same chemistry and it makes for an enjoyable experience as they are clearly having fun with the show they are working on.

At Least One Chicken Was Harmed In the Making of This Episode

I am sure that someday the show will naturally force these 2 to become a couple, but for now, it will retain the chemistry and magic of the early Who's the Boss, Cheers, Moonlighting, Friends, etc. etc. of two lead characters who so belong together but instead create great sparks by getting on each other's nerves.

Therefore for now, I'm happy.

The writing is crisp and fast and works well for the duo to bounce off one another.

Not going to marathon this (30 episodes a season!), but whenever I have an hour or less to kill at night, an episode or 2 will do the trick nicely.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor  So far, I see no reason not to watch it again.  I've enjoyed each of the episodes that I've viewed thus far.  I'm now up into the 20s on Season One.  As for a purchase?  Probably not, I've found that aside from Psych, I just don't buy a whole lot of television shows anymore.