When I first saw the previews for ABC Family's Bunheads, I thought it could be interesting but wasn't sure about the dance aspect. I considered checking it out anyway since it was a new show from Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Then I found out that Kelly Bishop would be playing the mother-in-law. That was the deciding factor for me; I had to see this show. After all, she had portrayed one of my all-time favorite characters, Emily Gilmore, and I knew she would also be great in the role of Fanny Flowers.
Bunheads premiered last night at 9:00 pm EDT. Since the episode will be repeated several times, I don't want to give away anything terribly crucial, so any spoilers here will be minor.
Bunheads stars Sutton Foster as Michelle, a Las Vegas showgirl who's been putting off an ardent admirer named Hubbell (Alan Ruck) for quite some time. After a bad experience at an audition, she gives in and goes out to dinner with him. She gets pretty drunk while he goes on about how he just wants to take care of her. Michelle eventually wakes up to find herself in the passenger seat of Hubbell's car--wearing a wedding ring.
Hubbell takes Michelle to their new home in Paradise, on the coast. However, he has neglected to mention one crucial detail: although he owns the house, his mother lives there, and he's allowed her to decorate every room but his bedroom.
After Hubbell breaks the news of his marriage to his outraged mother, Michelle finds out that her new mother-in-law operates a ballet studio on the property. Could this mean they have something in common other than Hubbell?
Like Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls, Paradise is a very small town with very quirky characters. The writing for Bunheads is good, as is the casting and pacing. I definitely plan to watch this show again, and I hope it does well in the ratings.
Bunheads airs Monday nights at 9:00 pm Eastern. Full episodes are also available on the official website and will probably be available On Demand.
Wolf Parade - "Shine a Light"
From Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)
The video for Wolf Parade's "Shine a Light" is the story of a man who is subjected to ridicule and discrimination everywhere he goes, and it's all because of his physical appearance. Watch the story unfold to see what he goes through on a daily basis.
U2 - "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight"
From No Line on the Horizon (2009)
"There are two music videos for U2's "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight." This animated version was the first to be released; the second was from a live performance.
Set in the city, this video shows several people who are having a bad night for one reason or another. It was entered in the 2009 Ottawa International Animation Festival.
Stone Temple Pilots - "Sour Girl"
From No. 4 (2000)
The video for "Sour Girl" features Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and rabbit costumes eerily reminiscent of the Teletubbies.
An episode of MTV's Making the Video featured "Sour Girl." The video was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography, as well as a Billboard Music Video Award for Best Modern Rock Track. Unfortunately, it did not win either award.
Radiohead - "There There"
From Hail to the Thief(2003)
The video for Radiohead's "There There" was inspired by Bagpuss, a British TV show for children. It features frontman Thom Yorke in a forest, where he is stunned to encounter woodland creatures engaged in activities he never expected to see in species other than human beings.
In 2003, "There There" won Best Art Direction in a Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Queens of the Stone Age - "No One Knows"
From Songs for the Deaf (2002)
Queens of the Stone Age have a hilarious music video for their hit song "No One Knows."
Although the video starts out with the band members hitting a deer while driving at night, there's no need to worry--at least not about the deer, which attacks them and then proceeds to wreak havoc on their lives. The scenes with the deer alternate with scenes of the band performing against a black background.
"No One Knows" was nominated for the MTV2 Award at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.
Matchbox Twenty - "Unwell"
From More Than You Think You Are (2003)
This super-fun video for Matchbox Twenty's "Unwell" features frontman Rob Thomas having a very strange day in which he sees and experiences things that just can't be real. He's "not crazy," though; he's "just a little unwell." His faithful dog keeps him company throughout the weirdness.
Korn - "Evolution"
From their untitled album (2007)
Korn's "Evolution" video is an amusing production that pokes fun at the idea that humans are evolving and proposes that the opposite is more likely. The spoof website Devolution: Nature's U-Turn was set up to promote the video.
Daniel Powter - "Bad Day"
From Daniel Powter (2005)
Starring Jason Adelman and Samaire Armstrong
Daniel Powter became a One-Hit Wonder with this song, which was also his first single. The video takes place over the course of three days as two people make a connection while going about their lives.
A while back, I was scanning my cable guide and saw something I hadn't noticed before: a channel called TheCoolTV. Taking a quick look, I saw that it was airing music videos. In fact, the whole channel seemed to be dedicated to music. Even the infomercials were for CD collections.
Later, I went online to look it up, and I learned a few things. TheCoolTV is a digital substation that's been around for about two years now. I have no idea when it came to my area. In fact, it's not everywhere, but more affiliates are signing on all the time. Right now, the channel guide lists affiliates in 34 states.
Programming blocks include Indie Cred, Nineties Nectar, The Underground, and Retro Rewind, to name just a few. The website also states that programming is customized to each area's demographic and local music scene.
If you're into music videos, take a look at the channel guide and see whether TheCoolTV is in your area yet.
Until I saw an article written by my friend Kenzy England, I had no idea that Matthew Bellamy and Kate Hudson were together. Most people probably recognize Kate, but those of you who aren't into alternative rock may be wondering who Matt is.
Matt Bellamy is the lead singer of Muse. I still remember the first time I heard his voice. I was absolutely mesmerized. I happened to see a music video of "Knights of Cydonia" being performed live, and it was pure magic. I had to know more about this band, so I started looking for more of their songs and videos. All I can say is that Muse is amazing.
In addition to the concert performance of "Knights of Cydonia," there is also a scripted video, known as the Western; both versions are well worth watching. "Uprising" is essential viewing. In fact, it received an MTV VMA award for special effects.
I encourage everyone who hasn't seen these videos to take a look. If you can't watch videos online and can't get them On Demand, I hope you'll be able to at least listen to the songs through last.fm or another website.
Joss Whedon.
The very name evokes a lot of different feelings in a whole lot of people.
Joss, as his fans usually refer to him, created two of my all-time favorite television series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
I still remember how I found out about Buffy. I noticed the listing in the TV Guide and realized I had to check it out. That night, I had some news for my husband. "We're watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer tonight," I informed him. He gave me a funny look but figured I knew what I was doing. As it turned out, he liked the show just as much as I did.
I was enthralled with Buffy, and later, with Angel. Joss did some incredible things with both series. Who would have thought a musical episode would work? Joss thought so, and it did. An episode with very little dialogue was even better; "Hush" was both absolutely hilarious and incredibly creepy. One of my favorite episodes of Angel was about puppets. I never knew what to expect, but I knew it would work.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer lasted seven seasons and ended in 2003. After five seasons on the WB, it moved to UPN. Angel, which began three years later than Buffy's premiere, ended in 2003 after a five-year run on the WB. These two shows introduced me to some of my favorite actors, and Joss has included many of them in his other ventures.
Before Buffy the Vampire Slayer became a series, it was a movie. The history and basic premise were carried over into the series, but with all new actors and mostly new characters. Now, a new Buffy movie is supposedly moving forward, but without Joss.
Buffy without Joss?
That's hard to imagine.
Who is Nolan North? Many people recognize his name. In fact, if you're a gamer, you're probably quite familiar with his work; for the past few years, he's been concentrating on voiceover roles.
That's not the only place you'll come across Nolan North, though. His acting career started when he landed a major role on a new soap opera. He's also been on primetime television and in movies, and he currently has a recurring role on Pretty Little Liars, as Spencer's dad.
Michael Easton has been one of my favorite actors for many years. His portrayal of Caleb Morley on ABC's Port Charles made Caleb my favorite TV vampire.
He's a fan favorite as one of daytime's leading men. He was on Days of Our Lives years before resurfacing on Port Charles. He also had a memorable guest role on Ally McBeal. However, his talent isn't limited to acting. In fact, Michael Easton is a man of many talents.
In his latest role on One Life to Live, his character is in transition. The woman he loved betrayed him, and he left her at the altar. Will he go back to her?
With OLTL on its way out, many fans will probably want the two characters to reunite and live happily ever after. I would have preferred to pair him with any of the other actresses I mentioned in my article about his leading ladies, but at this point, with the show ending in a few months, that's not likely to happen.
If you're a soap fan and haven't heard the news yet, make sure you're sitting down. This is a doozy.
ABC has announced the cancellation of both All My Children and One Life to Live. Fans were expecting it to be one or the other, but certainly not both.
If this trend continues, there won't be any daytime soaps left.
For me, the classic rock band Kansas and the TV show Supernatural will always be intertwined. Whenever I hear or even think of "Carry on Wayward Son," I think of Supernatural.
Kansas released "Carry On Wayward Son," one of the tracks on Leftoverture, as a single in 1976. Who would've thought it would resurface thirty years later as a kind of anthem for Supernatural fans?
For those unfamiliar with the show, Supernatural is about Dean and Sam Winchester, two brothers who were raised as "hunters" and who now continue the tradition as adults. In this case, hunting means tracking down supernatural and demonic entities and vanquishing them. There's much more to the show; this is just the simplified version of what it's about.
Supernatural doesn't really have a theme song, but Dean's love of classic rock music is an integral component of the show. Most songs have only been in one episode, but "Carry On Wayward Son" has been used prominently in several episodes, beginning in 2006, near the end of the first season. Therefore, as someone who has seen every episode since its premiere, it's only natural that "Carry on Wayward Son" will always make me think of Supernatural.
I started thinking about song titles that begin with "I." For this post, "I" songs are songs with titles beginning with the word (not just the letter) "I." Here are just a few of the ones I like, listed in alphabetical order:
"I Don't Care" - Finnish cello rockers Apocalyptica are brilliant, and this is a great song with a great video. It features Three Days Grace frontman Adam Gontier on vocals.
"I Don't Want to Be" - Gavin DeGraw's theme from One Tree Hill was eventually dropped from the opening credits, but fans of the show will never forget it. The best line? "All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind."
"I Drove All Night" - Cyndi Lauper was the first recording artist to release this hit, which was actually written for Roy Orbison. Although it's been covered a few times, this is the version I always think of.
"I Just Can't Help Believing" - B.J. Thomas sang a sweet song about a belief in a future with the woman of his dreams.
"I Love You" - I was surprised to learn that the Climax Blues Band released this hit in 1980; if I'd had to guess, I would have said it was a year or two earlier.
"I Never Cry" - This is a fantastic power ballad by Alice Cooper.
"I Ran (So Far Away)" - I always liked this song by A Flock of Seagulls, but the video is priceless.
"I Want to Know What Love Is" - Foreigner had a mega hit with this one. Besides the fact that the lyrics could reduce people to tears, the inclusion of the choir was a major plus.
"I Want You to Want Me" - I think this was the first Cheap Trick song I noticed. I ended up buying the Live at Budokan 8-track tape. Yes, 8-track.
"I Wish It Would Rain Down" - This hauntingly beautiful ballad is easily my favorite Phil Collins song.
As someone who likes both reading and watching movies, it's sometimes hard to decide which form I'd rather indulge in. Differences between a book and its movie adaptation can nag at me, even when they don't make a difference to the story. Because of this, I've found that it usually helps if I see a movie long after having read the book. That way, the text isn't fresh in my mind, and I can appreciate the film version better.
I found three books that I think have potential on the big screen. The publication dates range from 1982 to 2007, and I read them all fairly soon after they were published. If you're a fan of Christopher Moore, Dean Koontz, or Bentley Little, check out my picks for books that should be movies.
