Discovered a new game this weekend: Earth & Beyond. It was actually one that Jason (that'd be the Boyfriend) picked as an alternative to Everquest (which he doesn't play anymore).
It's an interesting little game, an online RPG galaxy in which your character belongs to one of six professions and flies around the galaxy doing whatever your job is. I chose play a Tradesman, so I get to fly trade missions and make things. I've already made a nice little sum of money (I think it's nice, judging by what I've seen some items auctioned for. I'm not completely certain about how developed the economy is on my chosen server though). Mostly, I just like flying the little ship around.
Speaking of, you get to "customize" your ship, though most of the customization is in choosing the colors of different parts of your ship. The choices for the actual form of your ship are limited (three sections of ship with three choices each for the Tradesman). The same applies to customizing your character, though there are more parts to customize on your character and more options for each part.
I like that I have options for how my character and ship look, but the customization is completely cosmetic. My ship's stats start out exactly the same as every other Tradesman's, though I am able to improve different components of my ship through gameplay. Overall, I thought the character creation was a little tedious, devoting way too much time to something that doesn't affect gameplay at all. I could have just hit the Random button and let the computer take care of all that, but this was my avatar! I couldn't allow my representative to be thrown together all willy nilly.
The user interface isn't complex, which is nice. I'm not sure if I found it so easy to use because of my experience with online RPG interfaces, or if the UI is intuitive. It's mouse-based, though you can set up the keyboard to take care of most actions. There is a tutorial available with each new character that will take you through the basics, and the first time you do something or are in a situation not covered in the tutorial (like targeting another player or docking in a spacestation), you get text and sound to teach you.
Combat at low levels gets repetitive. 1) Target MOB 2) Push the "Fire" button. 3) Repeat step 2 until MOB is destroyed. If it's that simple, I'd prefer to be able to automate the firing to free me up for to prepare and use one of the special abilities of my ship. Simple combat bores me. I'm hoping that it's a bit more complex at higher levels, requiring a little strategy.
All in all, it seems to be a good game. I played up to level 13 in a few hours, completely explored four sectors, made lots of money, and got my butt kicked a couple of times by some hostile space creatures. It no replacement for Everquest (who could give up a lizardman who animates the dead and siphons the life from others?), but it should be a nice alternative when I feel like a change of setting.
Monday, October 14, 2002
Friday, October 11, 2002
Thursday, October 10, 2002
i keep forgetting to mention that best mate Brian drove down with his entourage last weekend so they could go to the fair (that's the reason he gives, but i know better. his birthday was yesterday, and the fair excuse was the only way he was going to be able to get the gifts from all of us).
Brian and Co. went to the fair Friday night to see Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. afterward, they hung out with her in her suite, along with, as he says, 10,000 lesbians.
on Saturday, Brian and Co. and several members of my family went. the only reason i go to the fair is for the corn dogs and to cruise, but the first corn dog i bought was one of those corn dogs with the cheese in it. it ruined my palate for corn dogs for the remainder of the evening, which left only the cruising. that's not quite as much fun when you're there with your boyfriend.
instead, the boyfriend and i played a rousing game of Spot the Mullet. i quickly ran out of fingers and toes to keep score on.
on our way into the fair, there were a couple of people standing outside protesting (i think). they were wearing signs that read, "Dancing chimps are not education!" and such. as we passed by, i read the sign aloud, then said excitedly, "Oh my god! They have dancing chimps here. We have to go see them!"
on the way out, as we waited at the corner to cross the street, there was a man handing out pamphlets and shouting about God and repenting and smiting. he kept trying to shove a pamphlet in my hand, and i kept pulling back. he said, "If you had God in your heart, you'd have a smile on your face." i said, "You're not smiling." he began shouting about smiting again.
there's more to tell, but my eyeballs hurt, and really, it just wasn't all that exciting. i'm just sad that i didn't get to indulge in tasty corn dogs.
Brian and Co. went to the fair Friday night to see Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. afterward, they hung out with her in her suite, along with, as he says, 10,000 lesbians.
on Saturday, Brian and Co. and several members of my family went. the only reason i go to the fair is for the corn dogs and to cruise, but the first corn dog i bought was one of those corn dogs with the cheese in it. it ruined my palate for corn dogs for the remainder of the evening, which left only the cruising. that's not quite as much fun when you're there with your boyfriend.
instead, the boyfriend and i played a rousing game of Spot the Mullet. i quickly ran out of fingers and toes to keep score on.
on our way into the fair, there were a couple of people standing outside protesting (i think). they were wearing signs that read, "Dancing chimps are not education!" and such. as we passed by, i read the sign aloud, then said excitedly, "Oh my god! They have dancing chimps here. We have to go see them!"
on the way out, as we waited at the corner to cross the street, there was a man handing out pamphlets and shouting about God and repenting and smiting. he kept trying to shove a pamphlet in my hand, and i kept pulling back. he said, "If you had God in your heart, you'd have a smile on your face." i said, "You're not smiling." he began shouting about smiting again.
there's more to tell, but my eyeballs hurt, and really, it just wasn't all that exciting. i'm just sad that i didn't get to indulge in tasty corn dogs.
DreamWatch magazine has an article on Jeph Loeb's departure from the Buffy animated series to become a consulting producer for Smallville. Unfortunately, DreamWatch doesn't seem to update their website very often (their big splash is for issue #84. i'm referring to an article in #96).
the important part of the article is:
Joss Whedon reports that Loeb's departure just preceded final approval on the Buffy cartoon. The series' creator explains, "The process took so long to put the package together, it just came together on Friday [14 June], and he got an offer, a big deal over at Warner Brothers, and he had to move on."
Plans for the entirety of Buffy's cast to voice their cartoon characters have fallen through. "We have almost the entire cast signed on to do the voices," says Whedon, but he confesses, "Sarah [Michelle Gellar] and David [Boreanaz] are about the only cast members that can't be in it.
Describing the show, Whedon says, "Think of it as Buffy: Year One. We're going back to high school and telling the stories that we didn't get to tell back then."
so, to summarize: Buffy-animated did get final approval; SMG won't be participating (which we already knew). DB won't be either (which was still up in the air, as far as I knew. also, because it's going back to the time of the first season, also means no Spike). oh yeah. Jeff Loeb is now over at Smallville.
the important part of the article is:
Joss Whedon reports that Loeb's departure just preceded final approval on the Buffy cartoon. The series' creator explains, "The process took so long to put the package together, it just came together on Friday [14 June], and he got an offer, a big deal over at Warner Brothers, and he had to move on."
Plans for the entirety of Buffy's cast to voice their cartoon characters have fallen through. "We have almost the entire cast signed on to do the voices," says Whedon, but he confesses, "Sarah [Michelle Gellar] and David [Boreanaz] are about the only cast members that can't be in it.
Describing the show, Whedon says, "Think of it as Buffy: Year One. We're going back to high school and telling the stories that we didn't get to tell back then."
so, to summarize: Buffy-animated did get final approval; SMG won't be participating (which we already knew). DB won't be either (which was still up in the air, as far as I knew. also, because it's going back to the time of the first season, also means no Spike). oh yeah. Jeff Loeb is now over at Smallville.
a review of the Angel season opener: Everyone! Out of the Water!
a review of this week's Buffy: You Can Kind of Go Home Again
a review of this week's Buffy: You Can Kind of Go Home Again
from Dark Horizons: "
Variety reports that Warner Bros. will produce a live-action English-language remake of the Japanese 1988 anime classic feature [Akira]. Director Stephen Norrington ("Blade", "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") will reteam with "League" screenwriter James Robinson to pen the script whilst Jon Peters will produce. This remake will follow the original story of a futuristic motorbike gang leader who must rescue his younger brother from his involvement in a secret government project."
Variety reports that Warner Bros. will produce a live-action English-language remake of the Japanese 1988 anime classic feature [Akira]. Director Stephen Norrington ("Blade", "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen") will reteam with "League" screenwriter James Robinson to pen the script whilst Jon Peters will produce. This remake will follow the original story of a futuristic motorbike gang leader who must rescue his younger brother from his involvement in a secret government project."
Shrek: The Musical. if Disney can turn everything they've ever filmed into stage musicals, why can't Dreamworks, eh?
yes, i know i exaggerate a lot
yes, i know i exaggerate a lot
Tuesday, October 08, 2002
We watched "Scooby Doo" last night (on VHS, because they didn't have the DVDs yet, the bastards). After the feature came the music videos (blech) and the alternate/deleted scenes.
There was an alternate title sequence that I think they should have used. It was the Scooby Gang, cartoon version, doing various things like searching around and running from baddies from the series. It ends with Daphne being captured by the ghost guy who runs to the toy factory, which slides from animated to live action, and the movie starts as it did in the theatrical release. It's no big deal, and nothing spectacular, but I liked it better than the one that was used. Not that I matter, but this is my blog, and if you don't like that I liked the alternate title sequence, then you can bite me.
There was an alternate title sequence that I think they should have used. It was the Scooby Gang, cartoon version, doing various things like searching around and running from baddies from the series. It ends with Daphne being captured by the ghost guy who runs to the toy factory, which slides from animated to live action, and the movie starts as it did in the theatrical release. It's no big deal, and nothing spectacular, but I liked it better than the one that was used. Not that I matter, but this is my blog, and if you don't like that I liked the alternate title sequence, then you can bite me.
Monday, October 07, 2002
I've been looking for a new place to live lately, and the search has become a bit more urgent now that the kitchen has been invaded by ants. I've been spending a lot of time on the search, which, I believe, caused to me to dream last night of finding that the place I wanted was all "13 Ghosts"-ey. Normally, of course, I wouldn't have anything to do with a house haunted by violently homicidal spectres, but the ghosties had kidnapped my would-be landlord's child. For some reason, I decided I'd find the kid, with the help of a bunch of people I didn't know. It all turned out to be a bloodbath, of course, and I somehow ended up in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" house. I think this means I'm stressing a little much over this house-hunt, or that I'm gonna end up in a house where a lot of people die.
Later in the night, I dreamed of vampires and dead kittens, which made me really sad. The vampires only hurt people if a person discovered that it was the vampires behind the kitten attacks. They were kind of lame, as vampires go. It took me and (of all people for my adled brain to conjure) Peter DeLuise very little time to dust the vampires, thus saving thousands of kittens.
Later in the night, I dreamed of vampires and dead kittens, which made me really sad. The vampires only hurt people if a person discovered that it was the vampires behind the kitten attacks. They were kind of lame, as vampires go. It took me and (of all people for my adled brain to conjure) Peter DeLuise very little time to dust the vampires, thus saving thousands of kittens.
Friday, October 04, 2002
ack! i stumbled up some Jean Grey rapes Nightcrawler 'erotic' fiction (i'm not gonna link to it. i was looking for updates of what was going on in the X-Universe. really). the author says "This story was inspired by the fact that Jean Grey is a slut, so I decided to make her act like one."
I know Jean had that little triangle thing with Scott and Wolverine, but that doesn't make her a slut, does it?
I know Jean had that little triangle thing with Scott and Wolverine, but that doesn't make her a slut, does it?
looky at this! little information more than the OMWF soundtrack insert, at least now we have a price. it's been added to my wishlist. "will be published in November 2002" is the key phrase though (and hey! <one ton anvil with the word 'Hint' engraved in the side begins to fall> it'll be published right around the time i'll be celebrating my birthday!).
though i don't know why i haven't mentioned anything about getting my copy, if you haven't picked up the OMWF soundtrack, you should. heck, Joss' liner notes make it worth the price*.
do i need to give you reasons to buy it? nah, you already know why, so if you haven't already done it, go get NOW!
* that may be a slight exaggeration. don't hold me to it, buy really, they are some of the best liner notes i've ever read.
though i don't know why i haven't mentioned anything about getting my copy, if you haven't picked up the OMWF soundtrack, you should. heck, Joss' liner notes make it worth the price*.
do i need to give you reasons to buy it? nah, you already know why, so if you haven't already done it, go get NOW!
* that may be a slight exaggeration. don't hold me to it, buy really, they are some of the best liner notes i've ever read.
Thursday, October 03, 2002
Wednesday, October 02, 2002
a thunk-provoking analysis of "Beneath You," last night's episode of Buffy. it focuses on Buffy & Spike (mainly Spike) and the last scene (with transcript of that scene).
not Buffy related (though I may give it some thought and find a way to make it Buffy related): Should the 17th Amendment be repealed?
some of the points in the first half of "Buffy's Angels" I take issue with as being oversimplified. the second half, the half that deals with Spike, is much better.
Tuesday, October 01, 2002
according to MovieHole (take it for what it's worth):
Val Kilmer will be playing the role of John Holmes in Wonderland (i'm anxious to see if Val can measure up).
little Eddie Furlong won the lead for The Crow : Wicked Prayer.
"Mad Max 4" has been given the go ahead.
Val Kilmer will be playing the role of John Holmes in Wonderland (i'm anxious to see if Val can measure up).
little Eddie Furlong won the lead for The Crow : Wicked Prayer.
"Mad Max 4" has been given the go ahead.
Monday, September 30, 2002
watched this weekend:
Brotherhood of the Wolf. death, betrayal, swords, the supernatural, kick-ass fight scenes. excellent just for these bits alone, i reeeaaallly liked this one. French with subtitles, i swear they were calling him Prozac throughout the film.
The Devil's Backbone. death, betrayal, the supernatural, and scandal. no swords, but there is a good fight scene. i liked the sets and the way the film looked visually as a whole. Spanish with subtitles, this film is a good way to brush up on your foreign language profanity skills. One recap and review (meaning it be spoilery).
also watched the most recent installment in a series of comedy films: Jason X. no sudden make-you-jump scares, no suspense. lots of gore. the characters kindly set themselves up at the beginning of the film to let you know which would die. the android kicking ass was cool, and Jason killing the holo-camper-babes cracked me up, the rest of it is fairly forgettable. mostly. the scene in which the Thawed Chick went back, jeopardizing her life, and lives of Tech Geek and Valient Space Rescuer/Deus Ex Machina Candidate for rescue the head of Tech Geek's sexbot? kind of pissed me off. at the point, i began cheering for Mr. Voorhees. expectedly disappointing, i yearn for the time when Jason wasn't so much the invulnerable, immortal killing machine, and was just the creepy, waterlogged kid who returned from his aquatic grave to avenge his mother (and himself, i suppose).
Brotherhood of the Wolf. death, betrayal, swords, the supernatural, kick-ass fight scenes. excellent just for these bits alone, i reeeaaallly liked this one. French with subtitles, i swear they were calling him Prozac throughout the film.
The Devil's Backbone. death, betrayal, the supernatural, and scandal. no swords, but there is a good fight scene. i liked the sets and the way the film looked visually as a whole. Spanish with subtitles, this film is a good way to brush up on your foreign language profanity skills. One recap and review (meaning it be spoilery).
also watched the most recent installment in a series of comedy films: Jason X. no sudden make-you-jump scares, no suspense. lots of gore. the characters kindly set themselves up at the beginning of the film to let you know which would die. the android kicking ass was cool, and Jason killing the holo-camper-babes cracked me up, the rest of it is fairly forgettable. mostly. the scene in which the Thawed Chick went back, jeopardizing her life, and lives of Tech Geek and Valient Space Rescuer/Deus Ex Machina Candidate for rescue the head of Tech Geek's sexbot? kind of pissed me off. at the point, i began cheering for Mr. Voorhees. expectedly disappointing, i yearn for the time when Jason wasn't so much the invulnerable, immortal killing machine, and was just the creepy, waterlogged kid who returned from his aquatic grave to avenge his mother (and himself, i suppose).
How Big of a Buffy Fan Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
swiped link from Jean, who swiped it from elsewhere
this result cracked me up though:
Joss talks about the OMWF soundtrack [contains SPOILER in last (two?) paragraph(s)];
Amazon.com says the Buffy season three DVD set will be available January 7. (yippie!)
Amazon.com says the Buffy season three DVD set will be available January 7. (yippie!)
Friday, September 27, 2002
"New Line Cinema will premiere the new trailer for its upcoming sequel film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on America Online at 12:01 a.m. Sept. 30. The trailer will then move to the official Web site. Two Towers opens Dec. 18." [source: SciFi Wire sidebar]
i don't understand this. is this supposed to be some sort of "bonus" AOL gives it's customers? "Join AOL and get exclusive looks at movie trailers a few minutes before they're available to the general public!" will people be bragging about it? "I got to see LotR:T^3 trailer five minutes before you did!"
<chime> You've got Lame!
i don't understand this. is this supposed to be some sort of "bonus" AOL gives it's customers? "Join AOL and get exclusive looks at movie trailers a few minutes before they're available to the general public!" will people be bragging about it? "I got to see LotR:T^3 trailer five minutes before you did!"
<chime> You've got Lame!
my employer will be passing out pledge cards for the Tulsa Area United Way. reading the accompanying email, it occurs to me that every year, they say the same thing: the United Way needs your assistance more than ever!
if year after year it's always a more than ever! thing, doesn't that mean that world keep getting worse and worse? who needs a Doomsday Clock? there's the perfect Hell In a Handbasket Indicator.
for the record, i already knew the world was going to shit:
Moviehole reports that an insider at Paramount Pictures has confirmed that John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are indeed in talks to reprise their roles of Danny and Sandy for an update of "Grease". The story follows all the original film's stars who'll we'll be catching up with years later and finding out what's going on in their lives post high school. Stockard Channing is apparently going to reprise Rizzo. Randal Kleiser, the original director, is rumoured to be handling the new one.
if year after year it's always a more than ever! thing, doesn't that mean that world keep getting worse and worse? who needs a Doomsday Clock? there's the perfect Hell In a Handbasket Indicator.
for the record, i already knew the world was going to shit:
Moviehole reports that an insider at Paramount Pictures has confirmed that John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are indeed in talks to reprise their roles of Danny and Sandy for an update of "Grease". The story follows all the original film's stars who'll we'll be catching up with years later and finding out what's going on in their lives post high school. Stockard Channing is apparently going to reprise Rizzo. Randal Kleiser, the original director, is rumoured to be handling the new one.
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Fun With Referrals (or, Skip This Post):
wtf? i mean, i know why it comes here. i just don't understand the search.
also listed in the results is this, which feels like (because it is like) you walked in on the middle of a conversation, but is interesting nonetheless.
hooray! i've been useful to someone!
kinky or in need of therapy?
wtf? i mean, i know why it comes here. i just don't understand the search.
also listed in the results is this, which feels like (because it is like) you walked in on the middle of a conversation, but is interesting nonetheless.
hooray! i've been useful to someone!
kinky or in need of therapy?
oh look! my employer Posts Early Loss of $954 Million.
All this finance stuff tends to go over my head a little. Anyone want to read up on this then let me know if I'll still have a job come year end?
All this finance stuff tends to go over my head a little. Anyone want to read up on this then let me know if I'll still have a job come year end?
a quick five-question Q&A with James B. South, associate professor of philosophy at Marquette University: Buffy has more to teach than just killing vampires
i should do better with attribution. this link and the one immediately above are from Slayage.com, which is a great source for BtVS (and other Joss creations, plus any news about the cast and crew of the shows) related news. they're kind enough to put a (SPOILERS) notice with each link that needs it.
i should do better with attribution. this link and the one immediately above are from Slayage.com, which is a great source for BtVS (and other Joss creations, plus any news about the cast and crew of the shows) related news. they're kind enough to put a (SPOILERS) notice with each link that needs it.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Theologian of the Year.
an interesting read with some good points and interpretations here, though at times it felt a little like the fict-facts were being a little manipulated to make a point or to stay within the thesis.
an interesting read with some good points and interpretations here, though at times it felt a little like the fict-facts were being a little manipulated to make a point or to stay within the thesis.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
i could have figured it out on my own (really, i could have. two hands, one foot) if i'd given any thought to it: ST:TNG debuted 15 years ago.
updated 2:45pm - planned on talking about Buffy here. some Buffy talk would be nice. i've been trying all day to get the time to talk about it. bah! whenever i get a little bit of freetime, something else comes up and i'm stuck sitting here keeping all my thoughts to myself. i will cross my fingers and hope for it.
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
a list of Firefly reviews, including an unfavorable one from someone who is now on my list of people to flog soundly 'round the shoulders and head.
Monday, September 23, 2002
Enterprise's premiere ratings lukewarm.
i don't really buy into ratings (much as i don't buy into polls. come on! you called 750 people out 3.5 million?). the ratings game is a scam, but unfortunately one that can cause the cancellation of a beloved program. not that i worry that cancellation will happen to Enterprise. Voyager stayed on the air with lukewarm ratings (because lukewarm = very good for UPN).
however, Firefly pulled a 4.1 according to Zap2it, even lower than Enterprise (TVtracker says a 4.9, which would tie Enterprise). Fox is cancellation happy, and the 8pm Friday timeslot is like Death to any show anyway. though Firefly won its timeslot among adults 18 - 49, i fear for the crew of Serenity.
i don't really buy into ratings (much as i don't buy into polls. come on! you called 750 people out 3.5 million?). the ratings game is a scam, but unfortunately one that can cause the cancellation of a beloved program. not that i worry that cancellation will happen to Enterprise. Voyager stayed on the air with lukewarm ratings (because lukewarm = very good for UPN).
however, Firefly pulled a 4.1 according to Zap2it, even lower than Enterprise (TVtracker says a 4.9, which would tie Enterprise). Fox is cancellation happy, and the 8pm Friday timeslot is like Death to any show anyway. though Firefly won its timeslot among adults 18 - 49, i fear for the crew of Serenity.
Friday, September 20, 2002
a quick scan of Dark Horizons today is sequel miasma:
Legally Blonde 2. The Mothman Lives. Police Academy...Yet Again. Three Men and a Baby 3. Bad Boys 2. Bridget Jones' Diary 2. Hellraiser VII: Deader. Star Trek: Nemesis. The Amazing Spider-Man.
guess which ones i'm sobbing "why, god, why!" about.
Legally Blonde 2. The Mothman Lives. Police Academy...Yet Again. Three Men and a Baby 3. Bad Boys 2. Bridget Jones' Diary 2. Hellraiser VII: Deader. Star Trek: Nemesis. The Amazing Spider-Man.
guess which ones i'm sobbing "why, god, why!" about.
Thursday, September 19, 2002
so, the series debut of the new The Twilight Zone. i'm a little indifferent towards it. both of the two stories they had were too expected. i'm certain that the teasers for the show gave away most of the goods on the second story (the Death retires one), and its Final Twist didn't have the punch i think they wanted. on the sunny side, i do think there's some real potential behind it. the stories were good ideas that probably suffered from the half-hour per story format.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
not much in the way of interesting television or film news today. that could be a good thing though.
today, though, is a big day: it's the first of the premiere days for shows i'll watch this season (not counting 7th Heaven's premiere on Monday. i don't watch that for entertainment so much as using it as a way to build myself into a frothing mass of indignation). this seems like a good time to recap this season's important premieres:
tonight (being Wednesday, September 18 and all):
Enterprise kicks off its second season with "Shockwave pt 2" (7pm CDT on UPN). i missed many of the first season's eps, but i hope that i haven't missed too many that i'm lost.
following Enterprise is the debut of the remake of "The Twilight Zone" (8pm CDT on UPN), hosted by Forest Whitaker. originally, i thought he was an unusual choice. he doesn't exude the same kind of menace that Rod Serling did, but after seeing some of the teasers, i've decided Forest's shaven head, wonky eye and slightly pointed ears make him look a little like hellhounds in Buffy (thus, he's a creepy-looking fellow). it just may work.
on Friday, Sept 20, we have the debut of Firefly, the next thought-child of Joss Whedon to hit the boob tube (7pm CDT on Fox). i'm looking forward to seeing Joss' take on the space western comedic drama genre.
next up is (the big one) September 24th: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (7pm on UPN)! don't need to say why i'll watch. check any other day's posts and you'll see.
i'll probably also take a look at Smallville again (8pm CDT on WB). the first two episodes were shown again earlier this week, and i remembered that, Hey! i do like that show! i don't remember why i didn't watch it last season. only problem could be that it's opposite the debut season of UPN's new Buffy companion, Haunted (i want to give it a look), then in late October, against Fox's second season of 24. Tuesdays are a busy night, and a very strong argument in favor of multiple televisions, VCRs and TiVo.
the week of September 30th sees the season premieres of two syndicated shows, Andromeda and Mutant X (you have to check your local listings for these. me, i watch 'em on WGN). both are shows i watch occasionally, usually the infrequent times i actually watch television on the weekend, and both are decent. Andromeda is actually pretty good, but i'm kind of getting lost on the metaplot (because i don't watch it each week).
from the eps that i do catch, Mutant X seems to be getting its tv legs. i thought the show simplifies its theme and plots too much, reducing it to little more than flashy effects, pretty characters, and sometimes predictibility. the second season is supposed to begin with the team learning more control over their respective abilities, a maturation of sorts, so i'm hopeful the show itself will mature, dealing less with Good Guys vs. Bad Guys of the Week and more with the personal struggles these mutant go through, not only in controlling and mastering their abilities, but also conflicts they face by being mutant freaks in the first place.
the week of Sept 30 is also the week of the series premiere of the syndicated program Adventure Inc. i haven't heard much about it, other than starring the Aliens hottie Michael Biehn. that alone is reason to watch. i have a feeling this show will have the same quality as Relic Hunter, which i also enjoy, but this one has Michael Biehn. anyway, i'm kind of hoping this goes beyond Relic Hunter and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in the feel of the pulp fiction action worlds. i sort of envision it to be something like White Wolf's game Adventure! i'll probably be disappointed in that aspect, but still, it has Michael Biehn.
lastly (until late Oct./early Nov., anyway) on October 6th, Angel debuts its fourth season (WB Sundays, at 8pm). Cordelia. Lorne. some Wesley/Gunn action. what's not to love?
today, though, is a big day: it's the first of the premiere days for shows i'll watch this season (not counting 7th Heaven's premiere on Monday. i don't watch that for entertainment so much as using it as a way to build myself into a frothing mass of indignation). this seems like a good time to recap this season's important premieres:
tonight (being Wednesday, September 18 and all):
Enterprise kicks off its second season with "Shockwave pt 2" (7pm CDT on UPN). i missed many of the first season's eps, but i hope that i haven't missed too many that i'm lost.
following Enterprise is the debut of the remake of "The Twilight Zone" (8pm CDT on UPN), hosted by Forest Whitaker. originally, i thought he was an unusual choice. he doesn't exude the same kind of menace that Rod Serling did, but after seeing some of the teasers, i've decided Forest's shaven head, wonky eye and slightly pointed ears make him look a little like hellhounds in Buffy (thus, he's a creepy-looking fellow). it just may work.
on Friday, Sept 20, we have the debut of Firefly, the next thought-child of Joss Whedon to hit the boob tube (7pm CDT on Fox). i'm looking forward to seeing Joss' take on the space western comedic drama genre.
next up is (the big one) September 24th: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (7pm on UPN)! don't need to say why i'll watch. check any other day's posts and you'll see.
i'll probably also take a look at Smallville again (8pm CDT on WB). the first two episodes were shown again earlier this week, and i remembered that, Hey! i do like that show! i don't remember why i didn't watch it last season. only problem could be that it's opposite the debut season of UPN's new Buffy companion, Haunted (i want to give it a look), then in late October, against Fox's second season of 24. Tuesdays are a busy night, and a very strong argument in favor of multiple televisions, VCRs and TiVo.
the week of September 30th sees the season premieres of two syndicated shows, Andromeda and Mutant X (you have to check your local listings for these. me, i watch 'em on WGN). both are shows i watch occasionally, usually the infrequent times i actually watch television on the weekend, and both are decent. Andromeda is actually pretty good, but i'm kind of getting lost on the metaplot (because i don't watch it each week).
from the eps that i do catch, Mutant X seems to be getting its tv legs. i thought the show simplifies its theme and plots too much, reducing it to little more than flashy effects, pretty characters, and sometimes predictibility. the second season is supposed to begin with the team learning more control over their respective abilities, a maturation of sorts, so i'm hopeful the show itself will mature, dealing less with Good Guys vs. Bad Guys of the Week and more with the personal struggles these mutant go through, not only in controlling and mastering their abilities, but also conflicts they face by being mutant freaks in the first place.
the week of Sept 30 is also the week of the series premiere of the syndicated program Adventure Inc. i haven't heard much about it, other than starring the Aliens hottie Michael Biehn. that alone is reason to watch. i have a feeling this show will have the same quality as Relic Hunter, which i also enjoy, but this one has Michael Biehn. anyway, i'm kind of hoping this goes beyond Relic Hunter and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in the feel of the pulp fiction action worlds. i sort of envision it to be something like White Wolf's game Adventure! i'll probably be disappointed in that aspect, but still, it has Michael Biehn.
lastly (until late Oct./early Nov., anyway) on October 6th, Angel debuts its fourth season (WB Sundays, at 8pm). Cordelia. Lorne. some Wesley/Gunn action. what's not to love?
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
this won't mean anything to most people. if not, please ignore it and look for an informative or fascinating post. let me know if you find one of those here. i will delete it immediately.
anyway:
it finally clicked for me. i now understand how to quad-kite! did a bang up job of it for a few hours last night. snow bunnies will never be safe from me now!
anyway:
it finally clicked for me. i now understand how to quad-kite! did a bang up job of it for a few hours last night. snow bunnies will never be safe from me now!
Sunday, September 15, 2002
i realize that there are financial and PR benefits (are those one and the same?) to this, but i still think it's a cool thing to do.
summary: WHSL, a St Louis area station affiliated with the Home Shopping Network is set to become a UPN affiliate on April first next year. KPLR, a primary WB affiliate, had been broadcasting Buffy and other UPN shows as a secondary UPN affiliate (dual affiliation for UPN and WB is common). KPLR decided that it's schedule was too crowded with both network's shows and local professional sports broadcasts, and opted not to continue showing UPN programing this season*, leaving the area UPN-free through most of this season (there's even more history of UPN bouncing around in the St. Louis area, at the end of the linked article).
WHSL stepped up and worked out a deal with HSN (who stands to lose money) and UPN to broadcast two hours of this season's UPN programming a week, Buffy and Enterprise. the only downside to the deal (though still in the Upside column over all, i think) is that the WHSL won't be broadcasting them until Friday of each week.
* (through my corporate overlord, i have been seeing a lot of stations dropping to single affiliation lately. i've also noticed that UPN is picking up more affiliates, with WB remaining about the same).
summary: WHSL, a St Louis area station affiliated with the Home Shopping Network is set to become a UPN affiliate on April first next year. KPLR, a primary WB affiliate, had been broadcasting Buffy and other UPN shows as a secondary UPN affiliate (dual affiliation for UPN and WB is common). KPLR decided that it's schedule was too crowded with both network's shows and local professional sports broadcasts, and opted not to continue showing UPN programing this season*, leaving the area UPN-free through most of this season (there's even more history of UPN bouncing around in the St. Louis area, at the end of the linked article).
WHSL stepped up and worked out a deal with HSN (who stands to lose money) and UPN to broadcast two hours of this season's UPN programming a week, Buffy and Enterprise. the only downside to the deal (though still in the Upside column over all, i think) is that the WHSL won't be broadcasting them until Friday of each week.
* (through my corporate overlord, i have been seeing a lot of stations dropping to single affiliation lately. i've also noticed that UPN is picking up more affiliates, with WB remaining about the same).
Friday, September 13, 2002
someone on this Save Farscape board says that TV Guide is to have an article in next week's print edition about their efforts to save the show.
Thursday, September 12, 2002
Two-headed turtle found in Florida , and they released it into the gulf! this thing is a mutant. it could grow to gargantuan size and eat cruise liners and Cuba. have we forgotten about the Godzilla movies?
Kim Hunter, Dr. Zira in the original Planet of the Apes films as well as Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, died yesterday. the link also contains a biographic and filmographic overview.
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
an interview with Stephanie Romanov. there's also a magazine on the stands at Blockbuster that has interviews with Stephanie Romanov, David Boreanaz, and (i'm kinda-sorta-mostly certain) Sarah Michelle Gellar also. i don' t remember the name of the magazine nor had a chance to read the interviews (i was in a hurry).
and really, she looks good in the photo in the link above.
and really, she looks good in the photo in the link above.
Monday, September 09, 2002
transcript of a Dallas Morning News article, 'Buffy' creator brings new meaning to prolific (yeah, yeah, another 'Joss is doing a lot!' article. i have to have something to hold me through the next 15 days).
it seems that the Sci Fi Channel has decided not to pick up Farscape for a fifth season. if you don't like that, and want to do something about it that doesn't involve leaving your computer, try this Save Farscape website.
we here at TV Squid have received two hundred or so emails about it so far, many demanding or begging that we not cancel it. which we have nothing to do with, of course (except for those Big Cheeses who are members of the Stonecutters, i'd wager).
the cubical of the woman who goes through all that email is not too far from mine. she's been waving me over, "Look at this one!" and "You HAVE to see this!" truly, there are some morons out there.
if you want to save Farscape, write someone who can actually do something about it. don't email us. we're just laughing at you (and possibly putting you on a list of your email addresses to have some fun with, but i can't confirm that).
we here at TV Squid have received two hundred or so emails about it so far, many demanding or begging that we not cancel it. which we have nothing to do with, of course (except for those Big Cheeses who are members of the Stonecutters, i'd wager).
the cubical of the woman who goes through all that email is not too far from mine. she's been waving me over, "Look at this one!" and "You HAVE to see this!" truly, there are some morons out there.
if you want to save Farscape, write someone who can actually do something about it. don't email us. we're just laughing at you (and possibly putting you on a list of your email addresses to have some fun with, but i can't confirm that).
Friday, September 06, 2002
the Xbox Buffy game continues to receive good reveiws('Buffy' game is worth sinking your teeth into).
TrekWeb says the first season Star Trek: Deep Space Nine may be released as early as late February of next year. although there's been no official word on the release dates of the DS9 dvds, it's expected to be similiar to ST:TNG's All-Seven-Seasons-In-One-Year.
i know this is a (relatively) long way off and could change at any time between now and then, but according to the information we have, Toon Disney will be airing the entire Gargoyles series in large blocks from 3pm to midnight on October 28 through 30, with the final block on October 31 running from 3pm to 3am.
Thursday, September 05, 2002
for anyone keeping track of such things, my Hotspam box is too overwhelming, averaging 150 piece of junk mail a day (i have good reason to keep the box. otherwise i'd abandon it like a litter of puppies). i'm changing it to the "exclusive" setting to allow only those on my contact list to get through (we'll see if that works. i upped the filter setting before and all of the junk mail started going to my inbox).
if you've been in regular contact with me, you'll be on the list. if not, all is not lost. you may still benefit from myjuvenile sense of humor and incoherently incomplete thoughts wisdom by using the new address listed on the left sidebar.
you'll still be able to get regular Buffy-obsessed spewings and my Marc Blucas and Jeff Corwin lustings (egad! Marc and Jeff together! /drool) right here.
if you've been in regular contact with me, you'll be on the list. if not, all is not lost. you may still benefit from my
you'll still be able to get regular Buffy-obsessed spewings and my Marc Blucas and Jeff Corwin lustings (egad! Marc and Jeff together! /drool) right here.
Wednesday, September 04, 2002
Tuesday, September 03, 2002
a tiny bit of Buffy comics news, accompanied by the cover art for Buffy #53, a really good rendering of Angel (head down, i think, to downplay the height of his hair and make sure it all fits on the cover).
(totally off-topic, i kept misspelling the word 'height' as 'heighth.' i knew it didn't look right, so i looked it up at dictionary.com. it seems that i keep trying to spell the word the way that i pronounce it. i've never noticed if others pronounce it differently. anyone care to dash off a quick note and let me know how they pronounce it?)
(totally off-topic, i kept misspelling the word 'height' as 'heighth.' i knew it didn't look right, so i looked it up at dictionary.com. it seems that i keep trying to spell the word the way that i pronounce it. i've never noticed if others pronounce it differently. anyone care to dash off a quick note and let me know how they pronounce it?)
and some more grrr! from Dark Horizons:
Those wondering about the pseudo-cameo from 'Gambit' [in X2] can now find out more by checking out Stunts Canada where Banana Republic model-looking stuntman James Bamford has confirmed on his resume that he's scored the role. Thanks to 'Tyler Durden'.
Those wondering about the pseudo-cameo from 'Gambit' [in X2] can now find out more by checking out Stunts Canada where Banana Republic model-looking stuntman James Bamford has confirmed on his resume that he's scored the role. Thanks to 'Tyler Durden'.
some photos from the filming of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Max Ryan as Dante. grrrr!
i really want some boots like his (last pic).
Max Ryan as Dante. grrrr!
i really want some boots like his (last pic).
Friday, August 30, 2002
Tim Burton to direct Batman: the Musical.
i'm sad. that probably means no plastic nipple-suits and no homoeroticism.
on a less homoerotic front, here's the new Romulan Warbird from Star Trek: Nemesis.
i'm sad. that probably means no plastic nipple-suits and no homoeroticism.
on a less homoerotic front, here's the new Romulan Warbird from Star Trek: Nemesis.
Thursday, August 29, 2002
Buffy Casualties: Dead and Loving It! (may contain a casting spoiler).
this would be a better article if they'd gone through and listed every regular and guest star that had died over the course of the series. i'd like to know what Robia La Morte is up to.
this would be a better article if they'd gone through and listed every regular and guest star that had died over the course of the series. i'd like to know what Robia La Morte is up to.
commentary on "Real Me," "Fool For Love," "I Was Made to Love You," and "The Body."
see what's on the Region 2 Buffy season 5 DVDs that is being released in October and wish the British still ruled the world.
see what's on the Region 2 Buffy season 5 DVDs that is being released in October and wish the British still ruled the world.
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
the company that owns my apartment building has decided to build a ramp from the handicapped-accessible parking to the building. it has taken a crew of six men four days to build the concrete ramp. during that time, they've had three equipment trucks, a trailor and a big monstrosity-machine taking up eight parking spaces, in addition to the four handicapped-accessible spaces and the two regular spaces bookending them that they've closed off.
speaking as someone whose father and grandfather were/are masons, carpenters, and worked extensively with concrete, and as someone who spent way too many summers in junior high and high school working on their crews, the ramp should have buildable by a one- or two-man crew, and it should have taken no more than two days to build it.
all this so i can bitch about having to park across the street last night because there were no parking spaces at my apartment.
speaking as someone whose father and grandfather were/are masons, carpenters, and worked extensively with concrete, and as someone who spent way too many summers in junior high and high school working on their crews, the ramp should have buildable by a one- or two-man crew, and it should have taken no more than two days to build it.
all this so i can bitch about having to park across the street last night because there were no parking spaces at my apartment.
Tuesday, August 27, 2002
samples from the "Once More, With Feeling" soundtrack, including the bonus tracks.
didn't think before clicking on the track from "The Gift." duh. it's the Buffy-death track. had to close the window quickly before i started sobbing.
didn't think before clicking on the track from "The Gift." duh. it's the Buffy-death track. had to close the window quickly before i started sobbing.
i went into this thread knowing there'd be quotes and one-liners, but really, the first post takes it. no need to read beyond it.
Monday, August 26, 2002
review of the Buffy Xbox game.
the boyfriend doesn't believe the Xbox will be around long, so he's resisting my demand to buy one. he says there aren't enough games available for it. i counter with 'But the Buffy game is the only one i'm gonna get anyway.' somehow, it's not convincing him.
the boyfriend doesn't believe the Xbox will be around long, so he's resisting my demand to buy one. he says there aren't enough games available for it. i counter with 'But the Buffy game is the only one i'm gonna get anyway.' somehow, it's not convincing him.
Thursday, August 22, 2002
The Parents Television Council rated UPN's Buffy the Vampire Slayer the worst show in prime time for graphic violence and sex and an element of the occult.
all reasons i watch the show.
“It appears that the networks are finally starting to listen to the collective voice of parents who want to sit down with their children and enjoy high quality, family-friendly programming in prime-time.”
to this i say, seek out the shows you wanna watch with your rugrats and stop expecting networks to show only what you want to see. hell, turn on PAX or Fox Family. they have networks for people like you.
and stop referring to any part of Prime Time as "Family Hour." if you're really so concerned about spending a quality hour with your children, i don't think that staring at the television is the way to go.
“The PTC’s Best/Worst rankings clearly show that the networks have a long way to go before parents can be assured that their children will not be bombarded with filth during prime-time”
kill your tv. or turn it off. or parent your children and keep an eye on their viewing habits.
by the way, 7th Heaven should not be considered good family programming. everytime i see more than five minutes of it, i fly into a near-murderous, ranting-at-the-television rage. if you don't want your children doing the same, demand that the show be cancelled before we end up with children gunning down their families.
all reasons i watch the show.
“It appears that the networks are finally starting to listen to the collective voice of parents who want to sit down with their children and enjoy high quality, family-friendly programming in prime-time.”
to this i say, seek out the shows you wanna watch with your rugrats and stop expecting networks to show only what you want to see. hell, turn on PAX or Fox Family. they have networks for people like you.
and stop referring to any part of Prime Time as "Family Hour." if you're really so concerned about spending a quality hour with your children, i don't think that staring at the television is the way to go.
“The PTC’s Best/Worst rankings clearly show that the networks have a long way to go before parents can be assured that their children will not be bombarded with filth during prime-time”
kill your tv. or turn it off. or parent your children and keep an eye on their viewing habits.
by the way, 7th Heaven should not be considered good family programming. everytime i see more than five minutes of it, i fly into a near-murderous, ranting-at-the-television rage. if you don't want your children doing the same, demand that the show be cancelled before we end up with children gunning down their families.
Wednesday, August 21, 2002
Rounder Records has posted the track list for the OWWF soundtrack.
for those of us into such things (and i am), here's the press release for the Buffy roleplaying game. it'll include a guide to Buffyspeak! as any good non-rules-lawyering-bastard geek gamer will do, i'll end up adapting the rules to bring the Buffyverse together with the World of Darkness's Vampire: the Masquerade. i wanna see Buffy taking out [warning: Gamespeak ahead] some Methuselahs and eventually go up against an Antedeluvian.
for those of us into such things (and i am), here's the press release for the Buffy roleplaying game. it'll include a guide to Buffyspeak! as any good non-rules-lawyering-bastard geek gamer will do, i'll end up adapting the rules to bring the Buffyverse together with the World of Darkness's Vampire: the Masquerade. i wanna see Buffy taking out [warning: Gamespeak ahead] some Methuselahs and eventually go up against an Antedeluvian.
woo hoo! Governor Frank has added the Cockfighting Ban question to the November ballot. we finally get to vote to make this barbaric act illegal!
i shouldn't get too excited though. the electorate of Oklahoma has consistently disappointed me in elections.
i do, however, finally have a reason to give Frank a thumbs up. go go, Frank!
i shouldn't get too excited though. the electorate of Oklahoma has consistently disappointed me in elections.
i do, however, finally have a reason to give Frank a thumbs up. go go, Frank!
"You have found the RYO Corporate Home Page. Welcome. Please view the next three pages as well as they are irrevocably linked. You would be a wise person indeed to follow this suggestion. "
"The RYO Lodge was a 2200 acre facility offering guided hunting and fishing, as well as a world class enema spa and pizzeria. Norm's Famous All You Can Eat No Crap Chitlin Pizza was a traditional favorite among the guests"
"The RYO Lodge was a 2200 acre facility offering guided hunting and fishing, as well as a world class enema spa and pizzeria. Norm's Famous All You Can Eat No Crap Chitlin Pizza was a traditional favorite among the guests"
Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Understand every word with English translations projected above the stage!
i've never been, so i'm wondering, is that something commonly done at the Opera?
i've never been, so i'm wondering, is that something commonly done at the Opera?
The One Ring staffer Arathorn got confirmation direct from Tim Minear himself, who told us exclusively that Sean Astin is a lock in this season's schedule to direct an episode of Angel.
also, from Wolfram and Hart to Enron: Christian Kane can't stay away from monolithic, demon-controlled companies to another (probably explaining the reason he works in Hollywood).
also, from Wolfram and Hart to Enron: Christian Kane can't stay away from monolithic, demon-controlled companies to another (probably explaining the reason he works in Hollywood).
Monday, August 19, 2002
Buffy stuff:
press release on the "Once More, With Feeling" soundtrack.
Misrepresentations, Misunderstandings, Slurs and Allegations. a rebuttal to three editorials accusing Joss and ME of being bad people for killing Tara (yeah, the whining is still going on).
from the season seven premiere (supposedly), two photos. i just really like the way first one looks (the 'vibe' of the interaction between the characters, who i won't name to prevent anyone from crying "You didn't warn me about spoilers!") (i'm a little gun shy about that now, aren't i?).
press release on the "Once More, With Feeling" soundtrack.
Misrepresentations, Misunderstandings, Slurs and Allegations. a rebuttal to three editorials accusing Joss and ME of being bad people for killing Tara (yeah, the whining is still going on).
from the season seven premiere (supposedly), two photos. i just really like the way first one looks (the 'vibe' of the interaction between the characters, who i won't name to prevent anyone from crying "You didn't warn me about spoilers!") (i'm a little gun shy about that now, aren't i?).
copied from Dark Horizons : In truly disturbing news, Fangoria has filed a detailed story about how it appears Kane Hodder may in fact be out of this movie as Jason Voorhees is "re-invented" and possibly taken over by "Halloween: Resurrection's" Brad Loree, the actor who played the Shape (fueling rumors that they needed to fill a "Canadian" top-liner cast quota). Apparently, the characters are being re-designed by Bill Terezakis of WTC Productions who did the effects work for "Final Destination 2" and "Willard," two other recent New Line projects. Jason Voorhees is being re-invented to a point where they're looking for an actor "who can emote pain and anguish over the loss of a loved one."
that *is* what i look for in preternatural serial killers.
another tidbit from Dark Horizons:
The Hollywood Reporter indicates USA Network plans to remake the 70's series "The Bionic Woman."
is that a good or a bad thing?
that *is* what i look for in preternatural serial killers.
another tidbit from Dark Horizons:
The Hollywood Reporter indicates USA Network plans to remake the 70's series "The Bionic Woman."
is that a good or a bad thing?
Friday, August 16, 2002
if you're not watching Rocko's Modern Life, you should be. last night, Nick showed the ep with "Zanzibar" (the musical Recycling episode) and "Fatal Contraption" (a dialogue-less tale of a Wallaby and his new appliance) both right up there in quality with Animaniacs musicals ["Dot's Entertainment," (with the song "Cats of Phantom Boulevard") and "Les Miseranimals" (the whole fucking thing was great)].
Thursday, August 15, 2002
New York Times link. registration required: News Corp. Posts a Loss, Mostly in Gemstar Mess. no wondering the company is laying off everyone and screwing us on our raises.
He-Man.org has posted the -one- -two- -three- commercials that Cartoon Network is running for the new He-Man animated movie/new series pilot. the movie will be broadcast tomorrow at 3pm CDT, then rebroadcast Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 9am (both CDT).