What I found, however, is that the network is not the issue here: airing on ABC Family is no longer a curse, but Brenda Hampton certainly is. Best known for her eons-long stint running 7th Heaven, one of my most hated shows of all time, she brings to The Secret Life of the American Teenager a bag of tricks so lifeless and emotionless as to emaciate any interest the series could have driven. The show looks, feels, like 7th Heaven, and while it isn't quite as preachy that seems more like pilot sins that will later be repented.

What Teenager lacks is what Greek had: for all of the show's stereotypical storylines and love triangles and everything else, it was willing to treat all of it with both a sense of humour and a sense of respect. While there is some humour in the show's first episode, and I think that it does respect a few of its characters, the former is isolated to one character and the latter is only created through hackneyed bait-and-switch mechanics. At the end of the day, there's a central secret, but it doesn't have any of the life that its title alludes to.

I won't spend too much time recounting its numerous failures, but for the most part the biggest one is that the performance of the show's central character just isn't good. I'm not saying that Amy (Shailene Woodley) is an unredeemable character, but she bland to the point of nothingness: she went to the 7th Heaven school of acting, which does no one any favours unless they're playing a more emotional role. For someone going through a teen pregnancy, her emotions are downright strange: she's anxious, a little spaced out, but we don't see any of the more extreme emotions that you'd expect someone to feel. Not seeing those kind of robs us of a chance to empathize with her character; instead, I just kind of pondered how unrealistic that reaction can be when it was never attributed to shock (An explanation that would have made her character far more interesting).

And with a better actress, not to fully discredit Woodley, I think the part could go somewhere: unfortunately, the script doesn't even give Woodley anything to work with, with its long glances at the child's father or her horror at hot dogs entering into buns at the post-game party, so an actress would need more experience to make it something to relate to. While the comparisons to Juno are always going to be unfair, what Ellen Page brought to Juno (even beneath the <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -->
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colloquialisms) was something who was forced to mature too fast and was having issues with it. Here, we don't see anything that gives us a window into how this character is really affected, and it hurts.

Especially when the other characters all essentially get better characterization, which seems odd considering the scenario. Yes, they're all horrible cliches, but at least they feel fully formed. Grace and Jack's "Waiting for Marriage" storyline is as predictable as they get, but we get the full story: Grace is waiting, Jack's willing to wait, but he's also really horny. I don't necessarily like either character, but I get a better sense of who they are. Similarly, I cared more about Ben's two asian friends, whose names I don't even know, than I did for Amy by the end of the pilot.

And this gets worse when you consider Ben and Kenny both, two characters that get either a lot of time to establish their characters or an intricate back story to explain their behaviour. Amy's home life is awkward, sure (Plus, it has Molly Ringwald in it!), but it's nothing when we compare it to Kenny's sexually molestive father that has left him with serious sexual issues (Hence his promiscuous ways, including with Amy). Yes, it's a highly manipulative way to avoid having a villain (Like 7th Heaven, the show will likely never show someone as just mean for no reason), but at least it's a perspective.

Similarly, with Ben, he's just charming; if there's a character in the show who's interesting on his own right, it's Kenny Baumann's take on a fast-talking, horny (Yes, everyone is horny in this world) kid who's really a romantic at heart. It's plenty simplistic, but I like the kid: he's smart, he's charming, and if the other actors were delivering Hampton's tired dialogue with his energy I think the show could improve tenfold.

But they're not, and the show depends on this changing - I don't think I'll have the patience to stick around, but if I was it would be based mostly on the fact that eventually Amy will have to tell her parents she's pregnant, and that perhaps in that moment real emotion can be found and the show's trajectory can be altered. But if they are going to drag this out as far as possible, the show is on the wrong track: they're using what should be the core event of the series as a cultural catalyst for teenage sex in general, and when I care more about that then the main character's teen pregnancy something needs to change.

For now, it's just the channel.

Cultural Observations

• Molly Ringwald doesn't do much here in the first episode, and to be frank? It was pretty bad. I'm not saying it's her fault, the dialogue is painful to listen to, but Molly Ringwald should not be cracking Kim Jong Il jokes, nor should anyone else on this show outside of Ben. It just doesn't work.
• I couldn't help but be reminded during the family scenes of how much I enjoyed the early episodes of Aliens in America before I grew tired of the series. In fact, I might finish it out at some point if only to get a better and more interesting glimpse into high school life from that CW series.
• I'd be curious to see where they take the Guidance Counselor - do they go the route of Dawson's Creek, or the underlying sexual tension of Six Feet Under, or leave him as the admittedly quite good sounding board for Ben and others? Regardless, only time will tell.

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: In the Family

The Secret Life of an American Teenager

Tonight, ABC's newest series aired - The Secret Life of an American Teenager. ABC has done an amazing job whoring it out. I have seen countless (and seemingly endless) commercials, and I have been told that it was advertised on the radio. Either way, ABC made sure that it was shoved deep into your ears. For some odd reason, I had this programmed into my phone and for the past two days, I have been staring at the "ABC Family - Preggers Bitch Show" on my Q's homepage. Lovely? Definitely! Anyway. I watched the first episode, and well. I am in love. ABC has done an amazing job researching the life of (real) American Teenagers, and this show is probably one of the more realistic ones. Unlike, Disney, these kids have problems, and moms. Thus, I propose a dedication to the show, and my weekly coverage. :) Let the games begin.

General Idea - Let's start off simple and describe what the gist of the show is about. If you do not like what you are about to read, then, just ignore all the posts in the "American Teenager" category. Moving along at glacial speed, the high-school is, shockingly, a real one - Ulysses S. Grant High School. It is located in Valley Glen, California. Which, if you are not aware happens to be located in San Fernado Valley. Surely, I am mentioning this for a reason. It's the fucking porn capital of the United States.  But, then again. What amazing TV show is NOT filmed in California? And, besides. Porn = Sex. This show = Sex. I think it's a perfect match. Way to go ABC for using your 40 year old pervy minds, you earned yourself a +1 on the realistic/NYUblog love scale. Now, digging into the show, there is this chick, Amy, is a preggers bitch, which I suppose is mocking the "american teenager". But, anyways. That's the main point of the show. There are several others (seriously guys - this is a multi-demisional show, like real high school), but, I will leave those to mention in the character area. But, really. This show is going to be good. :)

Characters

Amy Juergens - The main character. She's the freshman at Grant, and is the preggers bitch. And, don't be shocked if I call her that from now on. Afterall, she is the preggers bitich. Anyway. She is oddly aged 15, and a freshman. How that works out? Either this bitch is dumb (and got left-back), or ABC is sniffing the crack. Let's rub the first one out, she IS in Marching Band, and usually those kids have a brain. So, ABC, You're sniffing crack. -1. Now, this girl lost her virginity before entering high-school. Impressive. Where? Oh, Band Camp. Ha. On the behalf of NYUblog.. ABC, we would like to thank you for shedding light on the fucking miserable skinny twits in Band who think they will "get lucky" at Band Camp. Seriously. The only thing they'll be blowing is a fucking Tuba. +2 for trying, though. As ABC puts it, Amy is lucky to have two best friends, Madison and Lauren. They're not as important, especially since they don't have a bio. But, anyways. One is black, and the other is some freak. I think she's a ginger, not too sure, though. Either way. I seriously wonder how the hell these three became friends. I mean, seriously. Unless their parents are BFFs then there is absolutely no reason that these chicks should even be in the same room at the same time. -2 for picking horrible friends. The freak really would never have Amy as a friend, in real life.

Adrian Lee - This chick is hot. Hands down. She's gorgeous. ABC, if you ever need someone to pay for her to be on the show - Ring me up. I'll pay anything for this hottie to remain on the show. Really, do that. I don't her to die in a tragic car accident like The OC. Anyway. I just read ABC's bio for her. There are a few words that made me seriously drop my head in shame. For one - They used "bad resident". Seriously. She's not bad. She is just a horny little girl who wants some action. But, anyways. I don't see her as a rule breaker. And, one night stand. HAHA. Please, ABC. She is 15 years old. She is not having one night stands. Wait till she is about 25 to say that. -5 for making my hot mess seem like a party animal whore. She's not!

Ben Boykewich - Let's all take a moment to laugh at that name. Ha. Anyway. He's some loser, I assume a freshman. He's smart. He's friends with the asians. Horrible, horrible, subtle racism you added there, ABC. But, I fucking love it. +10. Asians = Smart. Ben = Smart. What do smart people do? Jerk off to internet porn and dream of girls! Not together, hopefully. Anyway. He thinks he is going to swipe Amy's V-card. Sorry, hun, but that cunt has been used. Sloppy seconds! Hey, take it, though. It'll probably be all you ever get. Unless, of course, the two asians want to allow in on a three-some. Moving along. I can't wait for Amy to drop the preggers bomb on this punk. Seriously. I want him to break to his knees, crying. Oh, that would be the day!

Ricky Underwood - Ha. Okay, He's a drummer, and lives in a foster home. According to ABC, he's the "bad guy". Yeah.. No. He's just the kid who wants to get laid, and gets the ladies like Amy. Oh, and he was sexually abused by his father when he was younger. No homo? Hahaa. Sure!

Grace Bowman - Is her name a pun or something? Either way. She is no longer called that. She is going to be called "Bible Humper". Seriously. When I first saw her, I instantly thought of "LOLSLUT". But, obviously, I was wrong. This bitch is pure! It all makes sense, though. She lives in a suburban area, with a retarded brother. Now, usually families with retarded children are nurturing, loving, and Christian. Any REAL family would abort that shit. +25 for making it seem real. However, I just question how well the retarded brother is going to be the "bigger brother". Ship his ass to the reject school and get him off the show. I mean, c'mon. Seriously. What is going to do when his sister is raped? Kick some ass? HA. Imagine a little fat retard charging at you wanting to kick your ass. What do you do?! Oh my god. This character [retarded brother, Tom] is now my favorite. ABC, do you pay this fuckwad?!

Jack Pappas - The star football player. His dick must be 8 inches long, and must have nailed at least sixteen girls. Oh, wait. Nevermind. He's yet another bible humper. Seriously. This is like One Tree Hill all-fucking-over again. We're in the PORN Capital, not in fucking Missouri. Let's cut the religious shit out. He wants some ass. And, really. The only ass action he is getting is the roids he's sticking in his. Fuck Adrian. Please.  Actually, don't. She's mine. -3 billion for adding this character. He's not even halfway realistic. ABC, you suck.

Ashley Juergens - Oh, god. She's 13, so she MUST be in 8th grade. She's ugly as fuck. Her dad is mean. She's never going to get nailed. I don't know why I am wasting my time writing about this waste of space. Who gives a shit about her, really. Drop dead, fat fuck.

Marc Molina - He's the new GC. He's "hot", even though the Bronx called and wanted their ugly fucker back. He's going to help Ben get in Amy's pants (as if he has experience). And, he's going to help Adrian find out her real dad. Oh, fuck off. You're useless, and will probably end up banging Madison!

George Juergens - Okay, okay. He's a fucking cheating whore. He's the father of the preggers bitch, and the gothic fattie. He works "extra" hours. Really, ABC. I love you for throwing this in. + 3 billion (hell, I'll level you out). He's a cool character and I really can't wait to see how this plays out. :)

Marshall and Kathleen Bowman - These are the two parents to the retard, Tom, and the bible humper, Grace. Marshall is the dad, even though he has a woman name. He knows about Amy's pregnancy, afterall, he IS a doctor. I really don't like that. The fact that he knows insider trades, AND the fact that he's Christian AND a doctor. Really rough mix, right there. Open your mouth? I'll fucking cut you a new one. Do not speak about Amy. Mkay? Anyway. Give whatever for these characters. I am not going to bash ABC for creating them. I am sure they went through enough just thinking of them.

-x-

In all, I really love this show and it's somewhat realistic. I am dying to see how this unravels, and, ABC. I am your devoted watching (and blogger!). Please, please, please leave comments. Don't be afraid to butt heads with me. I won't mind. Too much, that is.

Vital information is below:

The Secret Life of an American Teenager

Tuesdays - 8 PM

ABC Family

]]> http://thefallen17.wordpress.com/?p=1205 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:14:43 +0000 siznarf http://thefallen17.wordpress.com/?p=1205 Esta serie es una nueva que va a poner lasexta, la verdad es que esta bastante bien yo la he visto. Por eso aqui esta para que os la podaís descargar en v.o.s.

Sinopsis:

Cada otoño, los campus de las universidades se llenan de nuevos estudiantes, todos ellos ansiosos de experimentar la educación superior a su propia manera. Greek mezcla la comedia y el drama para centrarse en la vida universitaria de un grupo de jóvenes, que nada más llegar a sus respectivas facultades, empezarán a descubrir el complicado mundo social que se esconde detrás de las afamadas fraternidades, a la vez que recorren su camino a través del traicionero camino que deben atravesar para encontrar su propio lugar en la Universidad Cyprus-Rhodes.

Para unir los capítulos, usar el programa Hacha Pro: http://rapidshare.com/files/22458790...Danisyrtis.rar

1. Pilot (HDTV)

http://rapidshare.com/files/43201056/Greek_1x01_Pilot_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/43209150/Greek_1x01_Pilot_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/43217655/Greek_1x01_Pilot_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/43220294/Greek_1x01_Pilot_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  52.9 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/43192215/Greek_1x01_Pilot_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/46083636....hdtv.xvid.srt

2. Hazed And Confused (HDTV)

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http://rapidshare.com/files/44250790/Greek_1x02_Hazed_and_Confused_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/44255398/Greek_1x02_Hazed_and_Confused_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/44257797/Greek_1x02_Hazed_and_Confused_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  53.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/44240659/Greek_1x02_Hazed_and_Confused_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/46429445....hdtv.xvid.srt

3. The Rusty Nail (DSR)

http://rapidshare.com/files/44742967/Greek_1x03_DSR_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/44748135/Greek_1x03_DSR_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/44754483/Greek_1x03_DSR_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/44758073/Greek_1x03_DSR_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  54.1 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/44737975/Greek_1x03_DSR_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/10370884...Rusty_Nail.srt

3. The Rusty Nail (HDTV)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HLB8UTHJ
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Subtitulos: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2W6TY4EG

4. Picking Teams

http://rapidshare.com/files/46147132/Greek_1x04_Picking_Teams_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/46152676/Greek_1x04_Picking_Teams_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/46158161/Greek_1x04_Picking_Teams_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/46161276/Greek_1x04_Picking_Teams_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  52.9 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/46141451/Greek_1x04_Picking_Teams_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/10370890...king_Teams.srt

4. Picking Teams (HDTV)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=J91W2JXP
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Subtítulos: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X5T8DRXU

5. Liquid Courage Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/48580362/Greek_1x05_Liquid_Courage_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/48586130/Greek_1x05_Liquid_Courage_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/48591916/Greek_1x05_Liquid_Courage_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/48595036/Greek_1x05_Liquid_Courage_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  52.9 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/48575009/Greek_1x05_Liquid_Courage_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/56426371...vid-orenji.srt

6. Friday Nights Frights Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/49001553/Greek_1x06_Friday_Nights_Frights_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/49007244/Greek_1x06_Friday_Nights_Frights_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/49013153/Greek_1x06_Friday_Nights_Frights_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/49015885/Greek_1x06_Friday_Nights_Frights_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  52.9 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/48996003/Greek_1x06_Friday_Nights_Frights_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/56426387...vid-orenji.srt

7. Multiple Choice Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/56342459/Greek_1x07_Multiple_Choice_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56349379/Greek_1x07_Multiple_Choice_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56355464/Greek_1x07_Multiple_Choice_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56358378/Greek_1x07_Multiple_Choice_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  52.8 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56335069/Greek_1x07_Multiple_Choice_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc   0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/56426390...vid-orenji.srt

8. Separation Anxiety Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/56364063/Greek_1x08_Separation_Anxiety_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56369737/Greek_1x08_Separation_Anxiety_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56376937/Greek_1x08_Separation_Anxiety_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56380109/Greek_1x08_Separation_Anxiety_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  52.8 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56358381/Greek_1x08_Separation_Anxiety_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc   0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/56426382...vid-orenji.srt

9. Depth Perception Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/56386725/Greek_1x09_Depth_Perception_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56393014/Greek_1x09_Depth_Perception_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56399720/Greek_1x09_Depth_Perception_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56403047/Greek_1x09_Depth_Perception_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  51.8 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56380114/Greek_1x09_Depth_Perception_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc   0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/59693332...r.xvid-sys.srt

10. Black & White and Read All Over Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/56409587/Greek_1x10_Black___White_and_Read_All_Over_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56415657/Greek_1x10_Black___White_and_Read_All_Over_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56422614/Greek_1x10_Black___White_and_Read_All_Over_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  99.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56425979/Greek_1x10_Black___White_and_Read_All_Over_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  53.6 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/56403050/Greek_1x10_Black___White_and_Read_All_Over_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/59693348...r.xvid-2sd.srt

11. A New Normal Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/102210083/Greek_1x11_A_New_Normal_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/102216956/Greek_1x11_A_New_Normal_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/102223953/Greek_1x11_A_New_Normal_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/102227477/Greek_1x11_A_New_Normal_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  50.7 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/102203792/Greek_1x11_A_New_Normal_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/10433086...Series.Net.srt

12. The Great Cappie Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/104219727/Greek_1x12_The_Great_Cappie_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/104223737/Greek_1x12_The_Great_Cappie_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/104228154/Greek_1x12_The_Great_Cappie_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/104230628/Greek_1x12_The_Great_Cappie_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  50.4 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/104215483/Greek_1x12_The_Great_Cappie_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/10631539...Series.Net.srt (

13. Highway to the Discomfort Zone Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/105822273/Greek_1x13_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000[/url]  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/105829015/Greek_1x13_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001[/url]  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/105835819/Greek_1x13_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002[/url]  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/105839219/Greek_1x13_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003[/url]  50.5 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/105815931/Greek_1x13_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc[/url]  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/10845767..._Zone__ES_.srt

14. War & Peace Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/107720662/Greek_1x14_War___Peace_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/107729186/Greek_1x14_War___Peace_By_Danisyrtis.avi.001  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/107737968/Greek_1x14_War___Peace_By_Danisyrtis.avi.002  100.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/107741947/Greek_1x14_War___Peace_By_Danisyrtis.avi.003  50.0 MB
http://rapidshare.com/files/107712751/Greek_1x14_War___Peace_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/11048993...Series.Net.srt

15. Freshman Daze Versión DSR

http://rapidshare.com/files/109456995/Greek_1x15_Freshman_Daze_By_Danisyrtis.avi.000  100.0 MB
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Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/11078095...__Espa_ol_.srt

16. Move On Cartwrights Versión DSR

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Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/11232303...ights__ES_.srt

17. 47 hours & 11 minutes Versión DSR

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Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/11442410...11_Minutes.srt

18. Mr. Purr-fect Versión DSR

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Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/11720824...Series.Net.srt

18. Mr. Purr-fect (HDTV)

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http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WAUDNPO9  100.0 MB
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Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/11720815...Series.Net.srt

19. No Campus For Old Rules (HDTV)

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http://rapidshare.com/files/116707587/Greek_1x19_No_Campus_for_Old_Rules_By_Danisyrtis.avi.crc  0.0 MB

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FK9IJPET  100.0 MB
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Subtítulos: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NRIV1HT8

20. A Tale of Two Parties (HDTV)

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Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/12091985...s_By_Droom.srt

21. Barely Legal (HDTV)

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Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/12417652...para.vagos.srt

22. Spring Broke (HDTV)

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http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LQNG44DN  100.0 MB
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Subtítulos: http://rapidshare.com/files/12572262...-fqm.Droom.srt

Estos programas son necesarios para poder verlo y grabarlo en DVD.

Real Player: (Software necesario para reproducir archivos RMVB)
VSO ConvertXtoDvD (Para pasar los episodios a Dvd)
Capitulo 1 - The Beginning

Formato: *.RMVB - Tamaño: 294Mb
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Capitulo 2 - The Journey

Formato: *.RMVB - Tamaño: 289Mb

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__________________________________________________

Capitulo 3 - The Destiny

Formato: *.RMVB - Tamaño: 289Mb
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Après la grande première mondiale de Camp Rock durant la fin de semaine, Disney Channel ne perd pas de temps et travaille déjà sur une suite du célèbre téléfilm qui nous a fait découvrir, principalement, les talents des Jonas Brothers et de Demi Lovato.

Le réseau espère entrer en production, pour le deuxième film, vers la fin du printemps ou l'été 2009, alors que le scénario est déjà en écriture.

On s'attend à ce que toute la distribution principale — incluant Joe, Kevin et Nick Jonas, ainsi que Demi Lovato — soient de retour pour la suite du film. Les Jonas et Lovato, qui sont en tournée ensemble cet été, sont aussi entrain de travailler sur leur série respective pour Disney Channel, "J.O.N.A.S." (mettant en vedette les Jonas Brothers) et "Welcome to Mollywood" (mettant en vedette Demi Lovato).

"Camp Rock" a débuté avec un total de 8.9 million de téléspectateurs vendredi soir, aux États-Unis. Toujours aux États-Unis, une deuxième diffusion, samedi soir sur ABC, a attiré 3.6 million de téléspectateurs, pendant qu'une troisième diffusion, Dimanche sur ABC Family, a eu droit à un solide 3.7 million de téléspectateurs, selon la firme Nielsen.

Pendant ce temps, la première du film au Canada anglais a classé le film comme étant le deuxième film le plus regardé de tous les temps sur Family Channel, juste après le film musical de Disney "High School Musical 2" (848,000 téléspectateurs contre 1 million). Malheureusement, nous ne connaissons pas le nombre de téléspectateurs qu'a eu droit VRAK.TV pour la première mondiale francophone.

I've been anticipating this movie since January, and it really delivered this time. The movie was much more diverse than HSM not only in actors but also in music. It had rock, R&B, hip hop, and pop. I was really impressed by Joe Jonas "Shane" acting and the chemistry he had with Demi Lovato "Michie" was really perfect.

"Camp Rock," which features a slew of musical performances from the teen heroes, averaged 8.9 million total viewers at 8-10 p.m. Friday, making it the cable network's second-most-watched original movie ever behind "HSM 2," according to Nielsen. "Camp Rock" pulled in about half of that movie's audience (17.2 million) in its August 17 premiere.

However, "Camp Rock" did outperform the original "HSM," which debuted in January 2006 to 7.7 million viewers, and other original movies like "Jump In!" which averaged 8.2 million in January 2007.

In the kid demos, "Camp Rock" drew 3.5 million kids 6-11 and 3.4 million tweens 9-14, which Disney said was higher than "American Idol's" most recent season premiere and finale on Fox.

The movie made Disney Channel the most-watched network from 8-10 p.m. Friday in total viewers, topping runner-up CBS by more than 3 million.

On Saturday, "Camp Rock" averaged 3.6 million total viewers when it aired as part of on sister broadcast channel ABC. It aired again Sunday on cable's ABC Family, and will premiere on Disney.com Monday.

I think if it had Corbin Bleu, it would have been better though, lol.

Doctor Who: Silence in the Library

Swingtown: Double Exposure

Overhaulin': SEMA : Radical Roadster

The Circuit

Shark: Wayne's World 3: Killer Shark (Series Finale)

American Gladiators: S02E04, S02E05

Shark: One Hit Wonder

Top Chef: Watch What Happens Reunion

Based on the graphic novel series by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Les McClaine  ABC family's The MiddleMan is a cross between X-Files, and Men in Black, with a dash of Eureka .  Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales)  a struggling artist runs into The MiddleMan (Matt Kessler) after she is attacked by a mutant lab experiment.  Wendy is later recruited by The MiddleMan, and his android secretary, to join a secret agency dedicated to fighting 'all the evil' in the world. (And they mean all 'evil'  including genetically altered gorillas who pilot planes and shoot guns.)
I'm betting this series is sure to become a future hit. It's got all the right elements quirky fast talking characters with smart-a** quips, a gorgeous cast, and a plot line that can go anywhere.

ABC Family Trailer of The MiddleMan

"Pilot"

June 16th, 2008

ABC Family caught my attention with Greek, but the network has been making its own move in the cable television arena over the past few years. The network has had success with shows like Greek, Wilfire or the upcoming The Secret Life of the American Teenager, shows that most easily fit into their teen girl demographics, but they've also made a few leaps into genre television. It is in the spirit of Kyle XY, then, that they bring us The Middleman, a science fiction comedy with plenty to enjoy.

Of course, there's a lot of pedigree behind this project; the series is based on a comic book by Javier Grillo Marxauch, best known to this TV writer as an Executive Producer during Lost's first season. Here, he's writing comfortably in a genre that seems to work for him, and one that feels simultaneously fresh and familiar. Yes, it delights in a certain amount of cheese, and its quippy dialogue feels like the director realized that Gilmore Girls and Juno were both big with the kids, but as someone who enjoys both of those things I was thoroughly entertained.

While there's no telling whether the pilot's quirks, from its dialogue to its use of roundabout redundancies and on-screen irony, will remain in the episodes that remain, but when you combine a winning premise, an enjoyable cast and a summer where the rest of my TV schedule is catching up on series much more dark and depressing, Chloe from 24 genetically engineering Apes to take over the mafia and being thwarted by a superhero and his art school graduate sidekick is more than enough to keep me watching.

And yes, that's actually the plot of the show's pilot, a complicated mess that never once attempts to be taken seriously. Very little of the show is meant to be taken seriously in fact, if any at all - it is clear from the moment we see our first monster, and the first arrival of The Middleman (Matt Keeslar), that this is not about any sort of super-serious organization. This is ultimately for the best; without a light-hearted pace, the show would be far less entertaining, if it was even entertaining at all.

The lightning fast pacing helps the series get started, as Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales) is flung into a world of gadgets and evil comic book villains without much warning. Morales is asked to do a lot here: fire out the fastest dialogue since the aforementioned Gilmores, display just the right level of disbelief and biting sarcasm at The Middleman and his confusing offer. As with any show where we follow an unsuspecting participant in a science fiction environment, we need to be able to view them as a surrogate; here, while we could probably have gotten the humour of these situations ourselves, she is the best possible conduit, boiling things down where necessary while reacting in intriguing ways in others.

It's the comic book stuff that they've got down pat, as the banter between Keeslar and Morales is seemingly effortless. A weapons gag mid-episode goes on a bit too long (Almost saved by the question of where precisely he was carrying that crossbow), but the questions I ended up asking about The Middleman himself were good. We don't know who he works for (Hence his name), just that he was recruited by the previous Middleman to fight evil and those who attempt to take over the world Pinky and the Brain style. It's a compellingly blank slate, and the character's back story (Navy Seal who ignores orders to leave men behind and then punches his commanding officer) doesn't jive with the character we see. The episode does fine work prodding at his nice-guy exterior, showing enough shades of grey to allow for the character to expand further with time. Similarly, the group's all-purpose assistant Ida (Stuck in marm dominatrix mode after an appearance shift) is played to good comic effect.

It's on the Wendy side of things that things get a bit off track, although nothing that a few tweaks can't fix. I love her banter with the Middleman, a relationship that I think the show will do great things with. The problem is that the rest of her life is somewhat boring, whether it's her stereotypical artsy boyfriend or her stereotypical activist roommate in her illegal sublet. The only part of her life I find distinctly entertaining, to be honest, is her Mother (Who we never get to see but who leaves messages asking if she's a lesbian and seems rather a hoot) and Noser, her neighbour who sits outside her apartment and baits her into reciting with him lyrics from a variety of different songs (Hungry Hippos is a bit of a cheat, I think, but I can't possibly resist a good Shaft reference). Neither of those two play a huge role, so I'm a bit worried that the other half of her life is falling apart. What sets a good genre show apart from a poor one is often the parts of the show that have nothing to do with said genre, and here they're more than a bit weak.

But they were never totally off - even when the pilot wasn't firing on all cylinders, there was always a laugh to get you through or a new little quirk that could assist the show moving forward. Javier (We're on a first name basis until I can spell his name off by heart) does a good job of building his leads and establishing their banter, but it's a distinctive style that will need some time to settle (and to see if the rest of the writing staff can pick up on it. This was the challenge facing a show like Pushing Daisies, perhaps the last show to fall so heavily into both quippy dialogue and a certain cheese factor, and that show's success was about building characters to pull it all together. With a strong sense of what kind of genre show it wants to be, I can only hope this means that subsequent episodes can help to flesh out the other relationships in the show.

Plot was paper thin as you'd expect, the aforementioned hyper-intelligent and mind-controlled apes being used to do practical things (Speak, fly space shuttles, play chess) and world takeover things (like turning into a total mobster), complete with "realistic" ape costumes. It was a bit over the top at points, but if it's a sign of things to come I say bring it on. I may have never really felt like the plot was driving me forward, but I also never wanted to turn away. Hopefully, as the episodes require less back story, perhaps we can see some more complete storylines and mysteries for our heroes to solve.

All in all, I'm charmed; it looks like ABC Family will continue to be my destination on Mondays, even after Greek heads into its summer hiatus. While I somehow doubt that their next series, the tween-girl focused The Secret Life of The American Teen, will be as well received by my demographic, I at the very least will be giving it a try out of good will to the network that has brought us another surprise hit.

Cultural Observations

• One area that ABC Family gets right is its blog on the show's official website, playing well to both community building and getting great video blogs from "Javi." It's the kind of interaction that will work well for the network, and hopefully help usher in the show's success.
• That was, indeed, Mary Lynn Rajskub from 24 portraying the primate scientist. I do hope that this won't become one of those series where, somewhat like Pushing Daisies or any procedural with a light-hearted flair, that the biggest "name" actor or actress is bound to be the perpetrator. In this case, it was pretty darn obvious when we consider that she was also the only actor or actress we really actually got to see who had anything to do with the primates. Still, it reminds me of how much I enjoy her, and how much I wish 24 was better so I could watch her in it.
• I was watching this with a colleague, and we both enjoyed the redunancies of on-screen description and dialogue, a nice pilot trick that works extremely well. Whether that will continue on into future episodes depends on whether it will feel overplayed - hopefully, the writers will test this out before putting it into action carelessly.

Has Drew Carey's head gotten bigger since this show?

"Spring Broke"

June 9th, 2008

Most series set in college would end their first season with the end of the school year, but Greek is operating under a really weird schedule - it took only ten episodes to complete the first half of the year, but only got to Spring Break (Woo!) in its last twelve.

The argument you could make, though, is that a show that has nothing to do with academics should probably climax in the throes of the party period as opposed to the exam one. I don't say that to degrade the series, a solid entry into its television category, but rather to point out the obvious: if you came in expecting no drama or theatrics surrounding love quadrangles or hijinx, you went to the wrong Spring Break.

For the most part, the show follows its traditional patterns: Ashley is shallow and immature, Casey is self-righteous, Cappie is humorous but unfairly treaded on, Evan is pathetic, and Rusty has every possible bad thing that could happen to him, well, happen to him. But they're comfortable patterns, and just like an ideal Spring Break in a television season swimming with less and less options.

The episode is an odd turn on one front, and that's the decision to return Cappie and Casey's relationship to the narrative. It's a strange move when we consider that they really haven't been spending much time with each other in the past few weeks, and while I like Casey a lot more when she's with Cappie than without I don't think it's really all that fair to Cappie. As a character, he doesn't need to be further defined by being anything but a concerned boyfriend who likes to party.

However, furthering my respect for the series, at first the only person who views it as anything more than friendship between them is Rebecca, who has good reason to - her paranoia is fueled not by illogical and cliched plotting, but rather an emotional breakdown fueled by a tragic revelation about her Senator father (That he is part of a high end prostitution ring). Cappie as the concerned, doting and caring boyfriend is pretty much where the character sits most of the time in my mind, so ending him on that note would be doing the character justice.

Except, limiting my respect for the series, they didn't stop there: they had to throw Cappie and Casey together in a contrived setting wherein Casey's newfound confusion about her life makes her relate with Cappie's own pointless existence. I'm fine with these two characters spending time together, or finding friendship, but turning it into a relationship is a tired cliche to the same level as the young girl with daddy issues.

There was nothing necessary about that kiss, really - they could have just let Cappie and Casey relate to one another and potentially set a course for a new future. It's one of those situations where I really don't think it says anything good about either character, something that never seems a smart move on a show where I am supposed to like almost all of these people. Once Rebecca's reasoning is revealed, and Cappie rushes to her side, it feels like a contrived way to turn this into a "Will they, won't they?" moment versus an actual character point for anyone involved.

Casey, however, finally gets a sober third thought or four. Her final moment of realization that Cappie and her are not that different, that they both have no idea what they're going with their life, is at least a logical one. I'm not sure if it's as simple as she makes it out to be, but her uncertainty did make her seem more attractive and less spite-worthy on my end of the spectrum. My issue is that it kind of, again, absolves her of anything even close to responsibility - she just heads into the water naked at sunrise with Ashley and everything's okay.

And that's a problem when her two biggest rivals of sorts are teaming up against her, and we're supposed to look at it as a bad thing. I've stuck up for Frannie a lot as of late, even if I can never decide how to spell her name, and her behaviour here is logical. That she wants to be with Evan is strange when she knows what a dirtbag he is, but at the same time I think that the show took it a step too far by turning it into something where both are really in the relationship to spite Casey. Can't things in this universe not revolve around this character - if they want to be together, the show needs to let them do so on their own terms.

The only two people who really get to define themselves on their own terms in the episode are Rusty and Calvin, who leave Myrtle Beach early to avoid further humiliation and to see their boyfriend, respectively of course. Rusty is having the worst Spring Break ever (Real guy from his ID shows up, forgets to check his eye colour, gets ridiculous sunburn that magically went through his clothes), while Calvin just isn't having any fun; they come together on a bus trip, and eventually through hijinx and rental car regulations end up with Dale on their way back to Cyprus.

It's the episode's simplest, but most effective, storyline - Rusty got a bit of a bum rap in the second half of the season, but here was a nice small story of friendship and camaraderie to end on. Throwing Dale into the mix was a smart move, as the character has plenty of potential to exasperate these situations, and there was just a lot to like about it.

And it's unfortunate that the other storylines couldn't be as even - there certainly wasn't anything bad, but they all felt strangely un-finale like. Sure, certain things came to the forefront. A lot of them, especially Ashley's Cinderella story with her mystery blob, felt like setup for next season as opposed to a continuation of other storylines (I was sure the episode title would lead us back to last week's credit card issues, but they went unnoticed here). It almost feels like the real finale was weeks ago, and that these are extra episodes designed more as an epilogue than as a larger picture (With the real season's end coming with the lifting of the regulations and the subsequent parties).

Either way, I'm in for season two - there's a lot to like here, and a lot of room to grow with the right touch. I do think that they absolutely need to back off the love triangle stuff for at least a little while (Especially since the Evan/Frannie pairing reeks of the Cappie/Rebecca pairing on the "All about Casey" scale), but I'll at least hope that we get to see more of what makes the show great.

Cultural Observations

• Producers must have really enjoyed drunk Betsy, the ZBZ pledge who we saw I think two weeks ago. Here, she was wonderful in noting that she enjoyed the life guard tower in Baywatch.
• While I might find Casey more frustrating, Ashley is certainly more annoying - here, her credit card troubles went away over an obsessive stalking of a potential person to "molest." It was almost pathetic to watch, which is something I wouldn't say of Casey or any other character.

Former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler has joined the cast of the upcoming ABC Family mini-series "Samurai Girl" playing the rival of the main lead, Heaven (Jamie Chung) and the ex-fiancee of Heaven's love interest.
Samurai Girl is based on a series of young adult novels about a Japanese girl who learns that her adoptive father is the head of the Yakuza and trains in the ways of the Samurai to stop his evil empire after he is implicated in the death of her brother.
The six hour mini-series will debut on 9/5.
Keibler, who placed third on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, is under a development contract with ABC and has appeared on several other ABC properties in guest-starring roles.

Greek: Spring Broke (Season Finale)

The Venture Brothers: The Doctor is Sin

Good Eats: Popover Sometime

Secret Ingredient: Rice
Judges: Ted Allen, Victoria Von Biel, Mario Rizzotti
Winner: Iron Chef Batali

Greek: Barely Legal

By Zack Smith

Resolvi começar a ver a primeira temporada de uma série canadiana transmitida pela CBC e comprada pela ABC Family: Sophie.

Um feiticeiro que faz vudu prevê que este será o pior ano da vida de Sophie (Natalie Brown). E tudo se desenrola a partir daí. Sophie está grávida e o seu marido abandona-a para ir viver com a maior estrela da sua agência de talentos. Eles abrem uma agência concorrente e roubam quase todos os seus clientes. Os únicos aliados de Sophie são uma actriz decadente e um médico gay. Agora Sophie tem de reconstruir a sua vida profissional e pessoal.

Pelo episódio piloto, pareceu-me ser uma série de comédia bastante forçada, com diálogos e personagens pouco naturais. Quem sabe se isto não muda nos próximos episódios?

"A Tale of Two Parties"

May 26th, 2008

As two competing parties emerge in the context of the newly lifted regulations, I will myself place a new regulation on Cultural Learnings: from now on, I am going to stop complaining about Casey Cartwright.

This is going to be a serious issue, considering how it seems as if every storyline in the series eventually boils down to how the entire series can revolve around her presence. Now, if I was still complaining about her, I'd note how this ultimately cheapens all of the other characters (in particular Evan, who is getting a rather awful rub in this scenario). But, I'm moving on with my life: from now on, I'm over it.

Which, if the Secret works as Casey wants it to, could perhaps will the series (and her character) to move on in turn. But it's doubtful.

With the restrictions lifted, Omega Chi wants to host a big party; of course, Kappa Tau also wants to host a party, but the cash isn't flowing quite as well for them. Solution? HIJINX.  Of course, in this setting, there is the chance for relationships and friendships to completely explode, or for new ones to blossom. And, well, there's a little bit of all of it.

And I'll start with some actual positive things to say about Casey's storyline (seriously!). Mainly, I was really charmed by its conclusion: that her picture perfect, pre-Med stud tried to eat her face. It was a great moment of humour, and something that kind of helped humanize her character - her search for a new romantic conquest is definitely something that could be taxing, but the bait-and-switch in this instance at least lets it fit in better with the series' sense of humour.

For Evan, however, such a moment doesn't exist: he continues to pine over Casey, and in this episode goes to extreme lengths to get his way. It's a bit of a tough sell for me, really; even though he bought off the last potential love interest, his use of Calvin to scare others away still reeks of desperation than my idealism hoped the show would avoid. I also think that Franny's sudden obsession with Evan is a bit tough to swallow (She should be smarter), and oddly he never seemed to put two and two together as to her nail on the head comments. That the storyline ends with him being met with a dark house when he goes to visit Casey is on one hand a sign that perhaps he can give up, but chances are he'll keep plugging away at it.

In terms of relationships, we also have the saga of Calvin and Michael, the French T.A. who he met a few episodes ago. Their story is about what you'd expect: Calvin invites him to the Frat party, it's incredibly awkward, there's a lot of drama due to Calvin being busy helping Evan ward male conquests off of Casey (That was a neutral comment, I'm sure...absolutely...definitely), and then they reconcile (after discussing the clear age difference) by making out for a while. That, weirdly, was the storyline: I was surprised that it all worked out so cleanly, and was fully expecting something more than "I felt awkward" to be part of Michael's problem (Loved, however, Evan calling him Michel and subtly complaining about his grade).

It was the Kappa Tau party, however, that brought the episodes best and, well, not quite as good storylines. On the latter point, Rebecca and Casey's feud just isn't going anywhere right now. We're two episodes away from the finale, and yet I'm already tired of them fighting it out. Their battle, however, was observed and officiated by Cappie, who was on fire. Whether it was his question of whether they were allergic to Jello, or his comment to Casey regarding her house's lack of appreciation for the KTs assistance during their lowest moments, he was the most intriguing voice.

And, his storyline was the most entertaining: seeing the KTs organizing their own sparsely funded and attended party was actually kind of entertaining, as opposed to the less than thrilling events elsewhere. There's just an energy to these characters: Beaver, in particular, was given a lot to do in this episode, and his fake phone conversation with Rusty made me laugh. A lot. It helped to balance everything out, and I was definitely glad it was a tale of two parties and not just the one.

And yes, we can't go without discussing Rusty: he's finding his "Funbuddies" relationship (Loved the nun as logical reason to avoid saying the real phrase) less than emotionally satisfying, so he goes to various people for advice (Ashley, not so helpful; Beaver, hilarious but also unhelpful) and eventually ignores him until he texts her and she responds with news that she has Crabs. I am torn on this: it was intriguing coda to the episode, and certainly made for a nice gag, but I kind of liked Tina and was kind of thinking that there was something more than just lust between them. And, well, this seems to put a damper on that, most certainly.

Also, Rusty talking about having sex still creeps me out. It just doesn't seem right. This episode, though, did - and that's even taking into account what I can't say under the new rules. It's nice to have a show with new episodes still going, but there's only two weeks left before it's gone for good. Hopefully, by then, some other shows will be starting.

Cultural Observations

• "It's like we've died and gone to Gossip Girl" - Cappie on entering the Omega Chi party, proving again that there is great wit to be found in his character that isn't found in some others (Not to name names, that would be against the rules).
• I am really curious to see how they handle Max Greenfield's character - from rumours, I heard that he was only signed on for two episodes, so where does that relationship go from here? Or, since there's only two episodes left, is it going to be so centered on other character that Calvin will be forced to the sidelines as usual?
• We'll see if I last through next week with the rules still in place, there's always the chance they could be miraculously overturned.

Secret Ingredient: Langostine
Judges: Andrew Knowlton, Donatella Arpaia, Ed Levine
Winner: Iron Chef Bobby Flay

Throwdown with Bobby Flay: Rematch on the Grill

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Greek: A Tale of Two Parties

But here's the thing... I contacted Dish Network to ask where those missing channels were, and they sent me a list of the channels intended to "replace" the ones that are gone.  There are, according to Dish, 22 new channels.  Let's take a look at the list I was given of new and "replacement" channels, shall we?

Animania was dropped, and was replaced by Cartoon Network HD and Toon Disney HD, with an "alternative" choice of Boomerang.  Okay, here are two "new" HD channels...

Equator was replaced by Discovery HD, History Channel HD, Travel Channel, AAnimal Planet HD, and SCI-FI HD.  And here are four more "new" HD channels... we already had the Travel Channel, so it's not new at all. 

Family Room went away, but we get TLC HD, ABC Family HD, TBS HD, Disney HD and Hallmark Movies HD instead, with alternatives of ION and Hallmark available.  Five "new" HD channels here...

Gallery made way for Arts and Entertainment HD and Smithsonian, with alternative choices of Classic Arts Showcase and Ovation.  One "new" HD channel... and Smithsonian is new, but not HD.

Game Play was replaced by the alternative channel G4 - no direct replacement was listed and we already had G4.

HD News is gone, but we now have CNN HD, CNBC HD and CSPAN, with the alternative option of Fox News.  Two more "new" HD channels...

Kung FU was knocked out and no replacements were offered except the alternative offering of SPIKE, which we already had on our lineup.  And it doesn't even come close to replacing the Kung Fu channel.

Monsters disappeared, also without direct replacments, but can be replaced by the alternative selections of the Premium Movie Packages (at an additional cost, of course) and there is an alternative available called Chiller.  I haven't seen Chiller, but obviously it's not HD, and the premium channels don't replace the Monsters channel any more than Spike does Kung Fu.

RAVE took a final bow, to be replaced by MHD 369 or the alternative offerings of FUSE, MTV, or MTV2.  I haven't seen MHD, but Hubby says it's primarily country music, whereas RAVE showed jazz festivals and other alternative music choices - not a great trade, in my opinion.  Also, we already had FUSE, MTV (do they play music anymore??) and MTV2.

RUSH is gone, and replaced with ESPN HD, ESPN 2 HD and SPIKE HD.  Three "new" HD channels... but none of them really show the cool extreme stuff RUSH did.

Treasure disappeared, but was replaced by Travel Channel HD, HGTV HD, Food Network HD or the alternative, Fine Living.  Three more "new" HD offerings...

Ultra was dumped for the replacement options of Travel Channel HD, HGTV HD and Food Network HD, with Fine Living or Soapnet being listed as alternatives.  Obviously, these replacements are the same as the ones for the Treasure channel that's gone, so no "new" ones counted here.

VOOM HD Movies (formerly World Cinema) was replaced by IFC, which I love but we already had. 

World Sport is gone, and now we have ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD , Tennis HD and Fox Sports HD, with an alternative offering of Fox Soccer.  Two of these were used to replace RUSH, so only one counts as "new" HD.

So, there are 22 allegedly "new" HD channels.  HOWEVER... most of the new channels are not new at all, but  are duplicates of channels we already had but with an "HD" added to their name.  Of the HD versions now listed, most have been available for at least several months on our lineup.  So, we are paying the same amount of money for fewer actual offerings.

The real kick is that adding the letters HD to the end of the channel's name, and sending it through an HD signal, does not mean that programming on the channel will be shown in HD format.  David Bromstad will not be any hunkier than he already is on my other HGTV channel, Raven will not be any funnier than she is on my other ABC family channel, and the Challenges will not be any more riveting on my non-HD Food Network channel.  So Dish Network is pulling a big one over on their paying customers, and suckering in a bunch of new ones, I'm sure, by saying they've added 22 new channels.  They have really only added - that we can tell - Smithsonian, which is NOT EVEN HD!!!!!

We're going to look at Direct TV - maybe they will treat us as intelligent consumers, not morons.
]]> http://fistfightatthearthouse.wordpress.com/?p=146 Sun, 25 May 2008 19:01:22 +0000 Costa http://fistfightatthearthouse.wordpress.com/?p=146 Hey, check out the first trailer for ABC Family's weird-looking but pretty fun-sounding comic book series, The Middleman.

Thanks to io9.com for the tips on this show. They also bring up some new details about The Middleman, like what happens to the maniacal chimp villains, strip clubs, and butt monsters.

Hehe, "butt"...

"No Campus for Old Rules"

May 19th, 2008

If you're wondering why this week's review of 'Greek' is so far behind, I just unfortunately wasn't able to get to the episode before now. Blame the television gods for that one, I guess, but I've finally been able to spend more time with a show that continues to charm me.

This week's episode was no change to that pattern, although also no different than my past views: I continue to despise everything about Casey, and continue to enjoy the series' ability to build characters outside of her own. The show smartly returned to a lingering character moment, and played with the kinds of relationships that are actually intriguing or interesting in the broad scheme of things.

Whether its bitter rivals who find a mutual respect, or bitter enemies who embrace a mutual attraction, Greek has certain notes it hits extremely well...just not Casey.

I'll get my Casey hate out of the way right off the bat: she gives Ashley special privileges, apologizes and opens herself up to a broad range of other leadership problems, and through it all she has no idea what she's doing or why it was even moderately unfair. That the series continues to portray Rebecca and the pledges as the "mean girls" when Casey is so clearly off the rails is growing annoying, although I like how Franny continues to be a voice of reason that Casey so often chooses to ignore. Her character is definitely the most interesting for me as we've moved into these ZBZ storylines.

She's also at the center of a complex new Evan/Casey relationship, one thing about Casey that works for me. That Evan is so clearly desiring something beyond friendship, which he essentially bought in the previous episode, gives it an intriguing twist, and that now Franny is caught up in the mess of it all certainly adds another ticking time bomb. It is unfortunate, though, that eventually it will all blow up and that Casey will be seen as the innocent victim, when I'd argue that Franny is the most fault-free in this scenario (Evan, for buying off another guy, is perhaps worst of all).

And yet, I liked Evan's character in this episode because he was actually extremely logical. In particular, his relationship with Cappie is a nice subtle play that we've seen most recently; ever since we learned the story of how their friendship fell apart, we're getting a different side to their interaction. Here, Evan honestly tries to help Cappie with his speech, and is quick to recognize that he is on the right track with his address to the board. Cappie's acknowledgment that it's weird to both like and hate someone is the perfect tone to their friendship: they have every reason to dislike one another based on past history and current rivalry, but at the same time there is an odd mutual respect that recalls earlier times. It's a relationship I think plays well, and one I want to see a bit more of.

This is the same sentiment I had for Rusty and Tina, our Greek-hating roommate of his last conquest who turned out not to be a fan of the stalking. You could tell from that first interaction that they were destined for this kind of coupling, but I think it's a good pairing for him: she's actually challenging to his idiocy, and their attraction isn't built on sappy notions of love. Admittedly, I am pondering how anyone could be attracted to some of Rusty's more annoying neuroses, but their adversarial coupling was charming enough to overcome any sort of fallacies. As far as relationships on the show go, I'd argue they have some of the most realistic chemistry, so who am I to argue?

I also like the final moment wherein Dale and Rusty's friendship is dealt with: Rusty stops being an obnoxious greek for a moment and realizes that Dale totally and fundamentally embarassed himself by comparing the Greeks to Sodom and Gomorrah in front of a crowd that isn't quite as into his religious messaging as he might be. It was a quiet moment, and it was great to see that the show is capable of pulling back Dale from comedy in favour of real human understanding. USAG being disbanded might be poor for Dale's screentime, and it was certainly a source of a few nice gags/moments, but I do like the idea of returning to a somewhat less antagonistic perspective for Dale's character.

So, on the whole, once we got past the annoying Casey storyline, I thought that it was a strong episode for the characters I enjoy. And, as we march towards the final three episodes of the season, that's where we need to be. I do kind of worry that, since we've resolved the Greek restrictions, we will have to deal with nothing but love triangle and Casey-related storylines to create drama once the finale rolls around, but I'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Cultural Observations

• I like the show's willingness to both fall into somewhat absurd humour (Dean Bowman with the flaming dog crap on the doorstep) and, in my favourite moment of the episode, Beaver shamelessly referencing 90210 (With "DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES"). It's a great combination of intelligent satire and slapstick that is growing on me more and more.
• Really liked Rebecca/Cappie's discussion with Rusty about Tina, particularly Rebecca's "Just have sex with her already" and their banter thereafter. I don't know if I completely buy the pairing in a lot of ways, but their banter is incredibly engaging and provided one of the better scenes in the episode nearly single-handedly.