Leverage: How MacGyver of Hardison in making the bomb, but still, going back into the lair of dude with semi-automatic weapons was not the brightest idea he has ever had. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.
Rescue Me: What a mind trip of an episode. I am not sure that is a good thing or a bad thing like a warped version of The Hangover. I am not sure how Uncle Teddy would think lacing Tommy’s drink was a good thing. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.
Friday Night Lights: When I rewatch this season, I may have to make a drinking game out of every time Tim tells Becky, “This can’t happen.” Certainly it won’t get me as drunk as the time I drank every time on Deadwood when someone said (expletive deleted)-sucker. but I bet I could get a good buzz. Also I have to give hats off to Landry for his toothpick prank. But do Texans really call that drill jingle-jangles because here above the Mason-Dixon line we have a much less lame name for that: Suicides. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Video of the Week: Hot chicks with guns in a stylized version of the fifties as conceived by the director of 300 and Watchmen? Yes please.
Next Week Pick of the Week: Friday Night Lights, Friday at 8:00 on NBC: I cannot believe it is the season finale already as we get the big showdown between the two Dillon with a playoff birth in the balance for the Panthers and pride for the Lions. Luckily we will be getting another season and here’s hoping DirecTV, with or without NBC, ponies up for a sixth.
A little late this year for my best shows of the season list because I wanted to get a good chunk of Friday Night Lights under my belt before declaring it the best show of the year. Short of Landry killing another dude, I am confident in calling it just that. My list covers shows that air a bulk of their season between June 2009 and July 2009 (so any current summer show will be eligible next year. Here is the makeup of this year’s list.
It should be noted that this is the first time a cable network landed the most shows and had more than one show in the top ten. Also notably missing from the list is the final season of Lost in all its excruciating flashsidewardsness. And to show just how far it fell, here is how the other season landed in their respected years:
Season 1: 2nd
Season 2: 4th
Season 3: 8th
Season 4: 7th
Season 5: 6th
Season 6: Not Ranked
Keep in mind, the only other show with five appearances is Survivor (Friday Night Lights presumably will join that club next season assuming Landry doesn’t go on a killing spree). Below is a running tally of what shows racked up the most Quotes and Songs of the week.
Quotes of the Week
Chuck 5
Friday Night Lights 5
The Big Bang Theory 4
Greek 4
Mercy 4
Modern Family 4
Justified 3
Leverage 3
Rescue Me 3
Survivor 3
Castle 2
Community 2
Eli Stone 2
Kings 2
Lost 2
How I Met Your Mother 1
Ochocinco: The ultimate Catch 1
Pardon the Interruption 1
Parenthood 1
Pushing Daisies 1
Raising the Bar 1
Real World/Road Rules: the Ruins 1
Sons of Anarchy 1
Tool Academy 1
Songs of the Week
Rescue Me 7
The Big Bang Theory 4
Chuck 4
Friday Night Lights 4
Greek 4
Pardon the Interruption 4
Mercy 3
Modern Family 3
Parenthood 3
Castle 2
How I Met Your Mother 2
Late Night 2
Lost 2
Sons of Anarchy 2
Trauma 2
Leverage 1
2010 ESPY Awards 1
Community 1
Eli Stone 1
The Philanthropist 1
Pushing Daisies 1
Quote of the Week: Man, I haven’t seen this many girls on a football field since the last time we played the Steelers. (Chad Ochocinco, Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch)
Song of the Week: Tightrope – Janelle Monáe (2010 Espy Awards)
Big News of the Week: George Steinbrenner Died: It is natural whenever people die to remember the good times and gloss over their bad attributes (see Michael Jackson) but the George Steinbrenner coverage is downright bizarre where his worst attribute has be hailed as a positive. His collection of players that resemble a fantasy roster more than an actually baseball teams what has ruined baseball in my lifetime (along with steroids) to the point is almost unwatchable. Yet in the wake of his death, people are applauding his ruthlessness. This would have been like when Richard Nixon died had be lauded for having the wherewithal to spy on his opposition for political gain.
Leverage: How can they include a town called Arcadia and not have anyone named Joan from there? How disappointing. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.
Rescue Me: It is always good whenever Shawn and Mike put their brains together and them coming up with a worthy charity may be the best conversation since discussing God with Katie after Conner died. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.
2010 ESPY Awards: It was cathartic to hear LeBron get booed during the show. Even though the monologue was entertaining, some of the bit were pretty lame with Paul the octopus and the creator of the vuvuzalas. But my second favorite part of the night (after LeBron getting booed) was Lindsey Vonn calling out Marky Mark.
Persons Unknown: Me wonders if the new black chick is also a plant as a replacement for Joe. It is a little convenient for someone to have antifreeze in a town with no cars. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.
Video of the Week: New show on the National Geographic Channel tonight at 10:00, Monstar Fish follows fish biologist Zeb Hogan as he tries to find the world’s largest fresh water fish. Tonight is just a sneak peak before settling in to its permanent timeslot tomorrow also at 10:00. Here is a preview:
Next Week Pick of the Week: My Boys, Sunday (7/25) at 10:00 on TBS: It has been over a year since the last new episode of My Boys aired so I have completely forgotten what is actually going on with the gang (was it common knowledge that Andy took a job in China?) Look for more on the new season of My Boys this week.
Quote of the Week: We don’t have any money. I’m in the 10th grade. It was my first time. I threw it away, and I don’t want to throw my life away. It’s just really obvious that my mom wants me to have this abortion because I was her mistake and she has just struggled and hurt and everyday she wanted better. And I knew better. I was just thinking forget about what she wants, what do I want? Maybe I could take care of this baby. And maybe I would be good at it and I could love it and be there for it. Then I think about how awful it would be if I had a baby and I spent the rest of my life resenting him or her. (Becky – Friday Night Lights)
Song of the Week: Percussion Gun – White Rabbits (Friday Night Lights)
Big News of the Week: LeBron Is Gone: As someone who has lived in Northeast Ohio all his life, the only sports championship I have witness in my lifetime was by the Cleveland Crunch (bonus points for anyone who can name the sport). So really came as not much as a surprise that LeBron would be “taking his talents to South Beach” (really, is the a more douchebagery way of saying you are leaving) but it still stung a lot coming from a guy who should know very well events like The Drive, The Fumble, The Shot, The Blown Save, and Art Modell. Things are so bad here in Cleveland, the past decade, we were not even good enough in anything to have a gut wrenching loss to name. Instead we get events like watching game one of the World Series where the starters of both teams were a year before, both Indians.
So I am totally with Dan Gilbert’s douchebagry letter and I hope he is right that the Cavs with a title before the Heat and that the Cleveland Curse will follow LeBron down to South Beach. And that highlights what may be the worst byproduct of this trade: if the Heat end up playing the Lakers in the finals next year like many predict, I will have to root for Kobe Bryant for the first time ever, and I even secretly hoped he didn’t win Olympic Gold a couple years back. On the funnier side of the trade, you can now buy a LeBron James Fathead for the deeply discounted price of $17.41 (cut from $99.99), which just happens to be the same year that Benedict Arnold was born. Also keep in mind Fathead is also owned by Dan Gilbert.
Persons Unknown: Another Lost parallel, they killed off the Token Hot Chick way too early (as in ever). Hurmph. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.
Rescue Me: Of course Tommy’s great idea to get his daughter off the sauce was to pour more down her throat until she didn’t want to drink anymore. I may have to try the overindulge approach whenever I need to hold my next intervention. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.
Happy Town: The final two episodes popped up online this week (check out the Hulu link below) and all I have to say about it is that I really did not care for the reveal of The Magic Man (though I correctly guessed the gender). You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Happy Town on iTunes.
Friday Night Lights: It must have been heavy discussion with you parents week with Becky, Luke, Vince and Jess (you can also throw in Tim as Billy raised him) all had heart to hearts with their parents. And watching this episode reminds me of how Tami really needs more screen time with the students because those are what got her the much deserved Emmy nomination (congrats to Coach Taylor for finally landing one also). Big laugh of the week, though, goes to the Riggins brothers for their ill conceived plan to bury the car skeletons. And even though Tim asked him to quit, I have a feeling it will not be easy to get out from under Vince’s buddy (and how heartbreaking was him getting into the car was). You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Free Download of the Week: Rubicon Sneak Preview - Rubicon, Season 1 (iTunes): I am not as enamored with AMC’s critically adored series as most, so I have not checked out Rubicon yet. But if you want to check it out before it’s August 1 premiere (and didn’t catch the sneak peak after the Breaking Bad finale), you can do so for free.
Next Week Pick of the Week: The Closer, Monday at 9:00 on TNT: Click here for my Preview of the new season of The Closer, which will be followed tomorrow by new show Rizzoli and Isles which you can look out for a review tomorrow.
Last we saw Tommy Gavin, he was sitting in the pool of his own blood after his uncle shot him because Teddy blamed Teddy for his wife dying in a drunk driving accident. That is really all that came to the top of my head of what happened last season on Rescue Me after a ten month absence. Sure I vaguely remember Maura Tierney and Shawn singing, but even a lengthy “previously on” isn’t much help after a layoff like that, though I shouldn’t complain too much because of the even lengthier break it had the previous season.
In what may be the least surprising cliffhanger resolve (SPOILER ALERT!!!) Tommy lived through the gunshot and as much as he does not admit it, he has come out a changed man thanks to what he saw on the other side (hint: it is not as musical as Shawn’s near death experience). The show returns with Tommy in the ambulance (don’t worry, we do hear how we get there after Teddy was adamant that Tommy die a slow death) which triggers another one of his lucid dreams, but the question is, was it a dream or him about to pass over?
The near death experience of Tommy also have some of the boys thinking too and thinking about making some changes themselves, most hilariously of course being that of Shawn’s plan to get into heaven. And the House has other problems as the economy has hit home and word is New York City plans on shutting down one or two and the recent shooting of one of their own with many of them in attendance doesn’t help their case very much. Unfortunately for Tommy, his experience had an adverse effect on Colleen, who just so happened to turn twenty-one during his stay in the hospital, and has been taking advantage of what you can legally do at that age.
Rescue Me is down to it final nineteen episodes starting tonight, with ten episode airing the next couple weeks and the final nine airing next year just in time for the tenth anniversary of 9/11. And from the first couple episodes of season six, Rescue Me looks to go out the way it came in, with a mix humor, tortured guilt of those that survived 9/11, and breathtaking rescue scenes. Let’s hope the final season or two doesn’t turn out to be purgatory.
Rescue Me airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on FX. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.
Quote of the Week: Yes, I’m a lurker. That’s my thing. (Elliot, Leverage)
Song of the Week: Trashcan – Delta Spirit (Friday Night Lights)
Big News of the Week: USA Wins Late; Loses Even Later: After scoring a goal in stoppage time in group play that boosted them from elimination to first place and an easy bracket. It looked like America was a team of destiny. But once again, the team gave up an early, poorly defended, goal. The cardiac kids came back once again, but gave up yet another early, poorly defended goal, in extra time and were too tired to get another late equalizer. On the bright side I do not know any Ghanaians so I don’t have to hear them rub it in like the Canadians after the Olympics.
Persons Unknown: One thing I would have never considered if stuck in an abandoned ghost town would be dig under the city. Maybe it’s my fear of the tunnel collapsing. Granted it took them too long to figure out maybe they should try to build a signal fire. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.
Friday Night Lights: The whole campus visit felt a little eh, and I am not too thrilled with the chop shop plot line. Still a solid episode, I love Buddy Garrity becoming the color commentary on a Spanish language station. But hopefully the previews are just a red herring and what is suggested doesn’t actually happen. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Free Download of the Week: Levi’s Pioneer Session: The jeans company has a cool series of downloads with artists from today covering songs that inspired their sound including Nas doing Slick Rick, The Shins taking on Squeeze, Raphael Saadiq doing his best Spinners impression and many more. Note you have to submit your e-mail to download the songs which will put you on the Levi’s mailing list, but you can always opt out later.
Video of the Week: Two of the funniest movies of last decade are currently on Hulu, Pootie Tang (which expires at the end of this month) and High Fidelity which is embedded below. If you need a good laugh, give them a look.
Next Week Pick of the Week: Rescue Me, Tuesday at 10 on FX: It has almost been ten months since Tommy was shot and left to die a slow death by the hands of his uncle. With nineteen episodes left, spread over two seasons, I am going to go out on a limb and says he survives somehow (hopefully the series finale isn’t one of those, he actually died then, and the last two season was all flashsideways dream type of thing). Check back later this week for more on the season premiere.
When I decided I was going to lists to commemorate the greatest of the decade, I knew it was going to be hard as I already put way too much thought into my end of the year ones. But The 100 Greatest Television Shows was relatively harmless as the top ten was pretty obvious for the most part and I didn’t even quibble very much with the other ninety. Then I started trying to rank the greatest characters from the decade. Really anyone I listed in the top ten could have been a worthy number one. And of the five different trial runs I made, I had some characters move sixty different places from list to list. And some of the lists from here on out will be just as hard if not harder. So look out for a new Greatest of the 00’s list coming sometime next month (especially for all the dudes out there). Until then, here is a breakdown of The 100 Greatest Television Characters of the 00’s.
Shows with Multiple Characters Friday Night Lights – 8 Lost – 7 Chuck – 7 Arrested Development – 6 Rescue Me – 6 Veronica Mars – 6 Ed – 5 Greek – 4 Knights of Prosperity – 4 Angel – 3 Everwood – 3 Everybody Hates Chris – 3 Firefly – 3 My Name Is Earl – 3 Pushing Daisies – 3 The Big Bang Theory – 3 Castle – 2 Dead Like Me – 2 Deadwood – 2 Rome – 2 Smallville – 2
Characters by Original Network NBC – 27 ABC – 18 FOX – 12 UPN – 10 WB – 8 CBS – 6 FX – 6 ABC Family – 5 HBO – 4 Showtime – 3 TNT – 1
Actors Who Appear Multiple Times Adam Baldwin (John Casey, Jayne Cobb) Nathan Fillion (Mal Reynolds, Rick Castle) Ian McShane (Al Swearengen, Benjamin Silas)
99. Leonard Leakey Hofstadter, Ph.D - The Big Bang Theory
100. Harold Brighton "Bright" Abbott - Everwood
(Scooter’s Note: Only characters that were introduced and featured for at least one full season between September 1999 and August 2009 were eligible for this list. For a complete breakdown on the list, check out Breaking Down the 100 Greatest Television Characters of the 00's.)
When a show has a bad season you have to wonder if it just an outlier or signs of what’s to come. The fourth season of Rescue Me just came completely off the rails with silly plots about baby stealing and Tommy being forced to date the chief’s daughter. But if there was one show that benefited from the writer’s strike more than any it would be Rescue Me which had a twenty month layoff between seasons. This apparently gave the writers enough time to get the train back on the track (for the most part) for the fifth season.
Part of the resurgence was song crafty casting that saw Alex P. Keaton turn into a hard drinking, wheel-chair bound tool that somehow landed Janet between the seasons. While an aloof Maura Tierney kept everyone, including the audience, guessing for the last couple episodes. And let us not forget the Garrity family who came to help Sean out during his cancer treatment, that caused the highlight of the season with Garrity musical numbers. By the end I was hoping that his big brother would stick in New York to keep tabs on Sean.
The big theme of the season was relapse. Shortly after getting his one year chip from Alcoholics Anonymous, Tommy found himself back at the sight of the former twin towers talking about his cousin who he hasn’t for that time, getting him back on the wagon. If only he knew this would be his downfall. And finding out his cousin had slept with his wife was the least of his worries from going back to the bottle.
Tommy’s reunion with the alcohol started a chain reaction that eventually contributed to the death of his Aunt. And despite Uncle Teddy only being married to her for a year or two, wanted to get away from her after he got out of prison, and let her get into a car drunk even though he was in prison for killing a drunk driving, he still blamed Tommy for getting almost the entire extended Gavin family back on the sauce. And so Teddy shot Tommy. Twice. In front of everyone at the bar. Leaving him to die a slow death as the season end leaving open what should be an interesting final season.
– Dan Auerbach (Friday Night Lights)
(Amazon MP3)
(Black Hawk Down (Blu-Ray), Air Force One, Hellboy)
and Watchmen
? Yes please.
in all its excruciating flashsidewardsness. And to show just how far it fell, here is how the other season landed in their respected years:
(Amazon MP3): This set includes songs by The Gaslight Anthem, Flogging Molly and Anti Flag.
finale), you can do so for free. 
![Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebDZ0qqwOVKMZj7oFSUe8Hm3ax54U9Hp1fThJPgiddTyzcdwx_5SV6E3b7hkKyxbaDiym4COmUXT2YJnsKCUjBHI_a2xZtNoY7qFQRslP5AGO5gLkJwn2ZbO0wIF80ycbKrgPPA/s400/small_high.png)
on my Terror Alert Scale. Rescue Me came in at #11 on 