Hulu Recommendation Friday (on Monday) -- The Legend of the Seeker

Since 1994, Terry Goodkind's objectivist Sword of Truth has been flying off the shelves. The series combines objectivist philosophy with traditional fantasy storytelling to very good effect. If you ever wondered what a fantasy series written by Howard Roark would read like, the Sword of Truth series is a pretty good approximation.

The first novel, Wizard's First Rule, is the novel that suffers the most from "generic-itis." The overall story in the novel is very similar to the underlying narrative of Terry Brook's wonderful Sword of Shannara -- itself reminiscent of the Tolkien classic Lord of the Rings. Both Goodkind's and Brook's novels focus on the importance of Truth and the dispelling of "illusion." Both books are entertaining, but each approaches the central theme of Truth from a different perspective. Brook's Shannara series uses the more traditional fantasy toolkit of mythic tradition to advance his argument. Goodkind, on the other hand, uses the novel as a place to embed philosophic discussions. Beginning with the discussion of the titular "wizard's first rule," and not really ending in the first novel, the book continually examines the best tools for determining Truth.

Goodkind's books are entertaining and insightful, and one need not be an Objectivist to appreciate them.

The Legend of the Seeker television series is a very entertaining adaptation of the Goodkind series to the tv medium. Sam Raimi's production company Ghost House Pictures is affiliated with the show, but unlike Raimi's prior fantasy foray's Xena and Hercules this series doesn't fall as much into slapstick. Xena and Hercules were fantasy for Three Stooges fans (which includes Cinerati), but The Sword of Truth is fantasy for television fans.

As always, click play then click full screen and enjoy.

Gaming Paper: Selling Game Products with Online Infomercials

Erik Bauer, the inventor and chief salesman of Gaming Paper, has a difficult road ahead of him. Erik is trying to sell what might be viewed by many as an "old" product as a new innovation. Erik is trying to get the modern roleplaying gamer to buy his specially designed paper to replace the gaming tiles and expensive gaming mats on which gamers are currently spending lots of money. He wants us to buy...paper, and to make his case he is becoming that most wonderful of things and internet Pitchman.

It's hard to be a Pitchman, a carnival barker, a huckster if you will. Most people think you're kind of shady and untrustworthy, but I've always admired these dicey individuals. I love a good huckster. It doesn't matter whether the huckster is running a game of three card monte, working at a carnival, promoting a movie, or selling me stuff on television. There's just something entertaining about the patter and technique that entertains me, not that I'm going to buy from them mind you. This is one of the reasons I am going to deeply miss Billy Mays, and lament the fact that I never got to see William Castle in action.

At the carnival, the job of the barker might be to convince the rube that the $2.00 stuffed animal is worth 10 attempts at a carnival game...each game costing $3.00. The job of the carnival barker is to create a higher demand for an item than the item might otherwise command. After all, if the $2.00 stuffed animal isn't a $2.00 stuffed animal but a "test of one's manliness" then it is certainly worth $30.00. Right?

On television, you watch masters of the art (like the aforementioned Billy Mays) gleefully attempt to convince viewers that they absolutely must buy OxiClean for their cleaning needs or Green Now to fix up their lawn.

The internet is the perfect environment for these ne'er do wells. In fact, the internet is home to one of the best hucksters of all time, Tom Dickson, with his stream of "Will it Blend?" internet ads. I absolutely love the "diamonds" ad that Blend-Tec did a while ago.

So how does Erik measure up to the great Pitchmen like Billy Mays and Tom Dickson? By the video below, you can see that he gets the concept of pitching and seems to be trying to fuse the Dickson and Mays models. It does come off as a little clumsy and low, but it's still entertaining. I particularly admire the comment about ink bleed, "it doesn't go through...unless you went really thick." I actually recommend watching all 5 videos they have up, there are some pretty silly moments that are pretty entertaining. In fact, in support of Erik I'll probably buy a few rolls of his "high quality paper." $4.00 a roll doesn't seem like too much to ask.

Geekerati Discusses the Ins and Outs of San Diego Comic Con

Last Sunday, the Geeks at Geekerati hosted this year's first episode of their annual Comic Con episode series. The Geeks are all experienced attendees of the San Diego Comic Con and have witnessed it grow from a well attended comic book convention to the monolithic pop culture extravaganza that the event is today.

In last Sunday's episode, the geeks provided answers to some of the Frequently Asked Questions about the convention. The discussion used Shawna Benson's excellent Shouting at the Wind "REAL Guide to the San Diego Comic Con" as the outline for the conversation. Benson has been a member of the Geekerati crew for over two years and provides wonderful insight into the television and film aspects of the convention.

This Sunday, the Geeks will be discussing the lesser known aspects of SDCC. In addition to Comic Book and films about Comic Books, the SDCC has events and panels that span all pop culture interests. Whether you love SF/Fantasy literature, old horror movies, Pulp Fiction like HP Lovecraft and Robert E Howard, or have a deep affection for video games and table top gaming, the SDCC has events geared toward your interests. Stop by this Sunday night at 6pm Pacific at www.blogtalkradio.com/geekerati to offer your insights are to ask questions of our expert panel.

Joining the Geeks in their discussion this Sunday will be Dominic Crapuchettes, the game designer responsible for the award winning Wits and Wagers and Say Anything! party games.

Past guests on the show have included:

Film and Television writer John Rogers discussing the writer strike, LEVERAGE, and comic books.

Dave Goetsch (Co-Executive Producer on Big Bang Theory)

Television writer/producer Tim Minear (Angel/Firefly) discussing the writer strike.

Television writer/producer Rob Long(Cheers) discussing the writer strike.

Variety editors David S. Cohen and Peter Debruge discussing film animation and this year's crop of films, including the remarkable 3D animation on BEOWULF.

Game Designer and Author Matt Forbeck.

Science Fiction author Susan Palwick who discussed her excellent novel "Shelter"

Comic Writer/Reporter Marc Bernardin discussing his Highwaymen comic book.

Film Critics Luke Y. Thompson (The OC Weekly) and David Chute (The LA Weekly and Premiere.com)

Wold Newton Historian Win Eckert discussing pulps and the Wold Newton Universe.

Comic Book editor and author Jeff Mariotte

Game Designer James Lowder.

Many others, including Shelly Mazzanoble (Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress)

DEADLIER THAN THE MALE and 24: SEASON 1

The current season of 24 is the first season my wife and I have watched. When the show started, we thought that the premise of a "real time" television action/drama was ingenious. Our lives were very busy, and we had no DVR at the time, so we missed half the first season. We then saw a commercial where Jack's daughter is attacked by a mountain lion and our suspension of disbelief was lost before our viewership began.

Years later, under the continual barrage of recommendations by our friends, we capitulated and started watching the current season.

We like it -- as unrealistic as it is -- very much. We also think they should rename the show to Jack's Very Bad, Horrible, Awful, Day. We also don't like having to wait seven days to see what happens next. We can be thankful for the fact that we haven't seen any of the other season, because now we have some content to view between our weekly updates of Jack's current horrible day.

Naturally, we began our filler viewing with Season One and we're about halfway through the season. I was amazed at how much effort the villains of the first season took just to make sure they could get a shot off at a Presidential Candidate. I thought no one would go through so much effort. But then I saw a post on a blog I regularly read (Lee Goldberg's fine A Writer's Life) entitled "There Have Got to be Easier Ways to Kill a Guy..." which bore surprising similarities to the first episode of 24. Watch the clip and I'll discuss the similarities below.

Now that you've watched the opening to Deadlier than the Male think back to the first episode of 24 -- Day One.

SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN 24 SEASON ONE

We have a woman who seduces a man on an airplane in order to get his special key card. She then leaves the plane using an explosive device on the airplane's exit door (and another explosive on board for good measure), which causes explosive decompression allowing her to escape as her other bomb blows up the plane. Mind you, this was all to get a key card that would allow an assassin, who has had extensive plastic surgery in order to make him look like the now dead journalist, to enter a location where he could eventually shoot a Presidential candidate. This doesn't even get the gun in his hands, a side of the plot that adds several layers of planning to what is already a convoluted assassination attempt.

END OF SPOILER ALERT

Apparently, the creators of 24 don't agree with Mr. Goldberg. Apparently, they believe there are far more complicated ways to kill a guy.

AMCtv Streaming Classic 1967 Series The Prisoner

Can you say...W00t?

Who's the Master? A Rememberance of Julius J. Carry III (March 12, 1952 - August 19, 2008)

The end of one year, and the beginning of a new one, is a time for reflecting upon the memories of our past and the people who mentored, inspired, and/or entertained us. Over the next few days, I will be writing short remembrances of those among my favorite entertainers who died this year. I can think of no better person to begin with than Julius J. Carry III. Every geek/nerd has a list of actors that the geek/nerd will watch everything that actor stars in, no matter how bad. Typically, this list begins with Bruce Campbell, but not mine. Bruce Campbell is on my list, to be sure, but the top of my list -- and a very warm place in my heart -- has always belonged to Julius J. Carry III.

To understand my love for this character, one must look back in time to our pastel and neon colored past. I am, of course, referring to the 1980s. In this particular case, I am referring to the summer of 1986 and I had an obsession with Barry Gordy's film The Last Dragon starring Taimak and Julius J. Carry III, or -- as my obsession would have it -- starring Julius J. Carry III and Taimak. I absolutely loved the movie, much to the annoyance of my best friend Sean McPhail. You see, Sean had the movie on VHS and every time I visited his house I always wanted to watch The Last Dragon. Okay, either The Last Dragon or Hawk the Slayer, but the point here is that I would ask Sean to the point of nagging. His patience regarding this request, even granting that his answer was usually a sighing, eye-rolling NO, was really quite remarkable. I was pretty obsessed, and I am certain a little less than reasonable in the regularity and desperation with which I requested this film. My family didn't have a VCR at the time and Sean had to endure my bizarre movie cravings. Then again, it's his fault. He did introduce me to the film.

In The Last Dragon, Carry plays a character who is a fusion of what you would get if you merged Superfly with all the martial arts villains from the classic Shaw Brothers kung fu flix. In a word, Carry was the BADDEST thing I had ever seen on the screen. While, The Last Dragon is a Motown centric spoof of kung fu films, the film also beautifully satirizes MTV and it's a rip-roaring good time. Taimak makes a pretty good kung fu hero, if a bit limited in range, but it is Carry who steals the show. From the first moment Carry appeared on screen, to his fight scene with "Bruce Leroy" where he makes his hands glow -- you see he's a highly skilled fighter who can through intense focus make his hands glow -- I fell in love with this villain. The villain made the movie, and that movie made me a Carry fan.

Here's the fight between ShoNuff (Carry's character) and Bruce Leroy (Taimak), so you can get a glimpse of what hypnotized me as a teen.



There is no way that Samuel L. Jackson will be anything other than a caricature of this performance, if he actually plays the role in a possible remake of the film.

From The Last Dragon, I followed Carry to a couple of excellent television shows. First was the unforgettable geek extravaganza that was The Adventure's of Brisco County Jr.. This show had the geek irresistible combination of Bruce Campbell and Julius Carry. Dave Simkins, who worked with Carry on The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., has a short -- and kind -- remembrance. The show was quirky, fun, and set the stage for later Fox shows like Buffy and Firefly and USA's Burn Notice. Don't believe me? Watch an episode of Brisco, then watch one of the others. The "rhythms" of the shows are very similar. The combination of action and comedy, etc. I cannot imagine any of those shows being made were it not for Brisco -- though I doubt there would be a Brisco without a Wild, Wild, West, but that is another post entirely.

Then I followed Carry to a little sitcom called Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place. Carry was excellent on the show, as was Richard Ruccolo, and this show expanded my crush on the very entertaining Traylor Howard. It also introduced me to Nathan Fillion...What's that? Another Firefly connection? Sadly, the show became Two Guys and a Girl after only 13 episodes as the Pizza place was shifted to the side. After that, Carry got steady work as a guest star, but no regular lead/support roles.

Julius J. Carry III entertained me and conversations about the characters he played have turned acquaintances into friends. He died last August of pancreatic cancer at the -- to young -- age of 56.

I will miss him in the selfish way that all fans miss those who entertain them.

Bitchin': "Superman Returns" and "X2: X-Men United" Scribe Brings Werewolf Women to TV

According to this morning's Hollywood Reporter, Michael Dougherty ("Superman Returns," "X2: X-Men United," as well as an upcoming "Charlie Chan" movie -- sweet) is developing a television show for Fox entitled "Bitches." At first glance, one might think this title refers to a "Housewives of X Community" style show. One would be wrong in this case, as this show is a Dramedy about the lives of four female friends in New York...who happen to be werewolves.

Ah...the sweet smell of high concept. It makes me feel all warm inside. This is the kind of idea that fuels my geek metabolism.

I love the idea of combining "Sex and the City" with "Werewolves." Gretchen Berg, who has worked on "Women's Murder Club," "Roswell," "Wonderfalls" (bold intentional), and "Pushing Daisies" will be helping Dougherty develop the show. As will her writing partner Aaron Harberts.

A good high concept premise doesn't guarantee a good show, one could easily see this premise slipping too much into "Housewives of the Wolf Pack" or "Sex in the City in Heat" territory. But when judging whether or not a particular show/movie/book will succeed in entertaining me, I often look to see if the author/creator and I have shared interests of any kind. In this case, Dougherty has written two "slasher" style horror movies. I am often entertained by the genre. Check. He wrote "X2," which I really liked and wrote "Superman Returns" which has moments that perfectly capture the character. It also has moments like Superman as dead beat dad that are problematic, but...he's also working on a Charlie Chan film which might mean he shares my love of the pulp. So...check. He was also the voice of Hooper and Quint in Jaws in 30 Seconds Re-enacted by Bunnies. Check.

That makes three things he has worked on, and thus likely has an interest in, that I too enjoy. Looks good to me. The only way I might be more likely to give the show a try is if Dougherty was in my bi-weekly D&D group.

Next task, see if Dougherty would be willing to do a Geekerati Episode.

Quick Cuts: Friends of Cinerati Speak Up

In this entry in newly renamed "Quick Cuts," the friends of the Cinerati blog answer the following question:

"Was there a particular book (or television show, or film) that you read (or watched) as a child that inspired you into your current career?"

David Chute

I sometimes think the key issue is at which stage one's development gets arrested. I liked monsters (and Famous Monsters) as a kid but was never into the classic "guy movies," the war films and Westerns that were basically about groups of boys playing in the backyard, with no gurls allowed. For me the light bulb went on watching Ann-Margret in "Bye Bye Birdie." "Viva Las Vegas" and "Dr. No" were not far behind, and Claudia, Romy and Barbara (Bouchet) were strong favorites. But that opening back-projected image of A-M being massaged by a wind machine was the real thunderbolt. My interest in movies ever since has been as much about sex as anything else. Make of this what you will.



David Chute is a film critic who has written for LA Weekly, Premiere Magazine (both print and online), The Los Angeles Times, Film Comment, and Vanity Fair. In addition to his work as a critic, David has also written press kits for films like THE SHADOW, HARD TARGET, JACKIE BROWN, and IRON MONKEY.

Matt Forbeck

The blue book version of Dungeons & Dragons launched me into the world of games, fantasy, and adventure and swept me through my middle-school and teenage years, right through into adulthood. I don't know if you can call the many varied things I do a career in the traditional sense, but if it hadn't been for that thin, little booklet my friend's mom picked up for Christmas on a blue-light special, I'd have probably wound up in engineering or law instead!



Matt Forbeck has worked full-time on games and fiction since 1989. Projects Matt has worked on have been nominated for 23 Origins Awards and won 12. This includes the Best Roleplaying Game for Deadlands and The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, Best Miniatures Rules for Warzone and The Great Rail Wars, Best Roleplaying Adventure for Independence Day, Best Fantasy Board Game for Genestealer, and Best Short Story for “Prometheus Unwound” from The Book of All Flesh.

Dale Launer

Woody Allen's Take the Money and Run. It really wasn't very funny, or coherent, no plot and it looked cheap. It was inspirational because I thought "Shit, I could do that!"



Dale Launer is writer and director of motion pictures. His movie-biz break came after the producing team of Lancaster/Wagner optioned his screenplay of RUTHLESS PEOPLE. It was produced and released in 1986. This was followed by BLIND DATE, for which Launer neither takes blame nor credit since it was heavily re-written. Launer followed this effort by optioning the rights to the film BEDTIME STORY, which was re-written and re-titled to DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (which he also produced). He also wrote and directed LOVE POTION #9, which was followed by MY COUSIN VINNY, which he wrote and produced.

He is currently finishing up TOM'S NU HEAVEN, a movie he made very, very independently.

Richard Scott Nokes

I think I was more influenced by people and events then by a single book, mostly because I was such a bookworm it would have taken a lot for one book to influence me over all the others.

Even though it's a cliche, The Lord of the Rings was probably the most influential book. As a child I really identified strongly with Sam, and liked to imagine when I grew older I would construct an underground hobbit hole and live in it. Even though I've grown up to have a career as more than of wizard than a hobbit, that book created my initial interest in the medieval.



Richard Scott Nokes is a professor of medieval literature at Troy University. Dr. Nokes enjoys reading, film, and all things medieval. He is interested in looking at representations of the medieval in modern culture, a phenomenon he calls Popular Medievalism.

Susan Palwick

Star Trek. (The original one; my third crush was on Spock. My first crush was on a parrot keeper in Florida, and my second crush was on Don Rickles. Yeah, I'm weird. That's why I write science fiction.)


Susan Palwick is a Science Fiction and Fantasy author who holds a doctoral degree from Yale. She currently teaches as an associate professor of English at the University of Nevada, Reno. She is the author of three novels (FLYING IN PLACE, THE NECESSARY BEGGAR, and SHELTER) and a collection of short stories entitled (THE FATE OF MICE). She is currently working on her fourth novel, DRIVING TO NOVEMBER, which is historical fantasy set in central Nevada. Her fiction often centers on concepts of identity, belonging, and sense of place.

How about you Cinerati readers out there? What do you have to say?

Conan and Jem: Christy Marx on Geekerati

What do CONAN: THE ADVENTURER

and JEM

have in common?

Christy Marx was a Writer and Story Editor on both of these animated series (and a whole host of others. Listen to last week's Geekerati episode as she talks about these shows and her career as a television, animation, comic book, and video game writer. You can also visit her website to find some great advice if you are looking to become a writer in the television, animation, comic book, or video game fields.

A Call for Writers

Despite the fact that I have been pretty lax in my posts the past few weeks, this is not a post soliciting writers for this blog. I have enough co-writers, who don't do enough co-writing, at this time.

What this is is a call for writers who want to write for a new online magazine designed to support the Geekerati webcast radio show my co-hosts and I air each week. Essentially, I am looking for writers who are willing to work for no-pay now, hopefully pay in the future, who will write quality articles about some area of geek culture which will be published in a Monthly online magazine via the Issuu service. Here's what I'm looking for.

1. A reliable illustrator or two: b/w line art is dandy as is someone who can do cover designs.
2. A video game reviewer: we'll need 2 to 3 video games reviewed each month.
3. 2 to 3 book reviewers of various genres: do you want to write about mystery, fantasy, children's lit, comic books?
4. A television reviewer: Shawna...I'm looking at you. We need 2-3 television show reviews a month.
5. Games reviews: We need someone who can write 1 or 2 table top game reviews a month.
6. A film reviewer: (David Chute and LYT, I'm looking at you guys) Are your reviews not published in enough places? Try our magazine
7. A tech writer who knows a thing or two about the gadgets out there.

Any writers/illustrators will be invited to participate in our online radio show on a fairly regular basis.

As I wrote earlier, these positions will be unpaid until we can build an advertiser base, but when/if we do that we will pay a fair rate.

WGA Strike Day 3: Update and Thoughts

As of today, internetelevision is dead to me. I am a big fan of internetelevision, or as other people call it, "the ability to watch their favorite shows on the internet." Intelevision can come as purchased iTunes downloads, ad supported streaming video, or subscription based streams and downloads. It doesn't matter, it is all dead to me. I don't care if I can watch it when, where, and how I want.

At least not anymore. The fact that television producers think of webisodes and other streaming content as "promotional" and don't want to pay a fair share to the writers who produce the material is extremely bothersome to me. If you charge to place ads within the content, it isn't promotional -- it's a show. The internet is the future of visual home entertainment. With services like iTunes, Xbox Live, and Joost, not to mention the network websites and MySpace, there is an abundance of visual entertainment I can access whenever I want and without leaving my couch. These services, and others like them, are only going to continue to grow. That is unless we as consumers stop using them, and that's what I'm doing.

I will not visit a network website, or link to one, until the Writer's strike is over. I will not download any episodes from iTunes. I will not purchase a DVD. I will not watch any reruns, or reality TV, that the network runs during the strike.

I will support the writers, without whom I would not have the visual entertainment I enjoy.

Writers are some of the hardest working people in Hollywood, and they receive the least credit. Like Joss Whedon, I was appalled when I read the description, provided by Joss, of the striking writers in the NY Times. They described the writers as:

“All the trappings of a union protest were there… …But instead of hard hats and work boots, those at the barricades wore arty glasses and fancy scarves.”

I've met a couple of writers, one of whom I interviewed on Monday, and I've yet to see one in "arty classes and fancy scarves." I think the writer was mistaking a memory of Tom Baker as Dr. Who for the writer's strike.

For a look at what the writers really look like, here's a video of the writers of The Office as they spell out their complaints. Watch the video and visit UnitedHollywood.com.



If you want even more information about the strike, you can play or download my interview with writer/producer Rob Long below.

The WGA Strike and the Geek Perspective

Last night, television writer/producer Rob Long hung out with me and the rest of the geeks at Geekerati to discuss the current WGA strike. In addition to covering the expected questions like, "why the strike is happening" and "how will this affect the current television season," Rob discussed the ways new technology are going to change the ways we interact with visual entertainment. He discussed the need for writers to get their foot into the door when it comes to receiving their fair share of the "digital dollar" and what the digital future will look like.

You can listen to the episode by pressing pressing the play button below.




Or you can download the episode directly at the Geekerati website or on iTunes.

Rob Long is a writer and producer in Hollywood. He began his career writing on TV's long-running "Cheers," and served as co-executive producer in its final season. During his time on the series, “Cheers” received two Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe awards. His most recent television series were "George and Leo," starring Bob Newhart and Judd Hirsh, “Love & Money,” on CBS, and “Men, Women & Dogs,” on the WB Network – all three of which he created with his writing partner, Dan Staley. Their production company, Staley/Long Productions, was based at Paramount Studios from 1993 to 2001, and is currently based at ABC Studios. In addition, he and his partner have served as creative consultants on numerous programs. Mr. Long has been twice nominated for an Emmy Award, and has received a Writers Guild of America award.

He has co-written several feature film scripts, including “Just a Shot Away,” currently in pre-production with a France-based production company.

His first book, Conversations with My Agent, chronicled his early career in television. It was published in the UK by Faber & Faber, in the US by Dutton, and in France by Actes Sud. His second book, Set up, Joke, Set Up, Joke, was published in November 2005 by Bloomsbury. He is also a co-founding partner in Madison Road Entertainment, an integrated advertising production company.

He is a contributing editor of National Review, Newsweek International, and the Los Angeles Times and writes occasionally for the Wall Street Journal and the BBC Radio Times (UK). His weekly radio commentary, “Martini Shot,” is broadcast on the Los Angeles public radio station KCRW, and is distributed nationally. It’s also podcast in iTunes, and can be found here: http://www.kcrw.com/show/ma

In addition to his work in television, film, and politics, Mr. Long is also a new media entrepreneur. His limited partnership venture, Yurth.com, is a fast-growing video site that combines videos, entertainment, news, and information all in a dynamic map-based interface. It can be found at Yurth.com.

He speaks often in front of trade, political, and community groups, including National Review Institute, CATO Institute, the Wednesday Morning Club, the Los Angeles Public Library Foundation, and the “Conversations/Design” Series on topics ranging from Hollywood and politics, screenwriting, contemporary media, and “how to break into the entertainment industry.”

Mr. Long graduated from Yale University, and spent two years at UCLA School of Film, Theater and Television, where he occasionally serves as an Adjunct Professor of Screenwriting. He serves as co-president on the Board of Directors of My Friend’s Place, an agency for homeless teens in Hollywood and is on the board of the American Cinema Foundation. He’s also an active and passionate member of the Southern Foodways Alliance.

The Best Horror Themed TV Shows: Tonight on Geekerati Radio

Last week, my co-hosts and I discussed the "merits" of the horror movie trend that David Edelstein called Torture Porn. Shawna and Bill were on different sides of the issue, though the conversation was extremely civil. If you are interested in the topic, you can read David Edelstein's New York Magazine article and then listen to our show.

This week, we'll be talking about our favorite horror themed television shows. Give a listen and call in at (646)478-5041 to let us know your favorites tonight at 7pm Pacific. The only way you can ensure that we talk about your favorite show, is for you to call in and join the chat. Do you remember the old Fox series Werewolf? We do.

Listen to the Latest Geekerati Radio Broadcast

Monday evenings have become an exciting time for the Cinerati crew. We now have our own online radio show hosted over at BlogTalkRadio.com. You can listen to the show live at 7pm PST and call in to chat with the Geeks, or you can listen to our archived episodes at our show's host page. From the host page you can also download our past episodes and listen to them at your convenience.

I am joined on the radio show by an interesting panel of friends who share many similar interests with me. Wes, Eric, Steven, Shawna, and I discuss everything from movies and television to video games and roleplaying games. We even sometimes make rpg references during television discussion and vice versa. We think it is a good show and would like all of you to join in the conversation.

Here are some of the topics we have covered in our prior episodes:

1. Summer Blockbusters with the Geeks: During this episode the panel discussed the, then, upcoming blockbuster season and talked about what films we planned to see and which ones we planned to avoid. It was a lively conversation and a nice premiere for the Geeks.
2. Downloading the Upfronts: The upfronts are the event where the major television networks discuss the shows they will be adding to this year's fall schedule. It is when those employed in the television industry jump for joy, sigh with relief, or cry with panic. The geeks discussed which shows they were looking forward to in the upcoming fall season, and which ones they thought wouldn't last until Halloween. Minus a couple of technical difficulties with Skype, the show was an excellent discussion. This show also featured the beginnings of a playtest of Out of the Box game's Cineplexity.
3. Cinema, Cineplexity, and TV Wars: In this show you can begin to see the development of our format. We began the show with a discussion of two of the blockbusters which have already been released in theaters, Pirates and Spider-Man. We then moved on to what will soon be a regular feature, Wes's MMORPG Moment. Wes reviewed Lord of the Rings Online and discussed a growing controversy over CCP's EVE game. If you have an opinion on the CCP controversy, you can comment on the Geekerati site. This was followed by our weekly game review where Christian Johnson gave Cineplexity a full review, listen in to see what I thought. Then Shawna and Christian discussed the summer television season when many cable networks run their big shows during the broadcast network's summer hiatus. We also had our first listener giveaway, a copy of Free Enterprise.

This next Monday the Geeks will be discussing the ever increasing interactive nature of entertainment. It is a brave new world when an audience can choose not merely how and when to watch the shows they like, but also contribute to what stories are being told in more direct ways then ever. What is the future of entertainment now that the "Choose Your Own Adventure" generation is getting more and more control of many media? Steven Merrill will also be reviewing The Complete Champion, the most recent class book for Dungeons and Dragons.

Stop by and give us a listen.

Second BlogTalkRadio Show Completed With Only Minor Technical Difficulties

Last night, Wes Kobernick, Eric Lytle, Steven Merrill, and I hosted our second online BlogTalkRadio show. The episode, "Downloading the Upfronts," covered last week's network upfronts and discussed what shows we can all look forward to next fall. Our guest speaker for the show, who we hope will become a regular, was the very knowledgeable Shawna Benson of the Shouting into the Wind blog.

Shawna guided us through the 3 major network's proposed schedules in a presentation filled with good information and entertaining opinion. In fact, the conversation was so much fun that we didn't cover Fox or the CW's schedule until the "after show" which you can only hear on the show's host page. Stop by the page, have a listen to the 70 minute show, and let us know what you think.

Other than a couple of technical difficulties, primarily in the 16th minute when we were discussing the upcoming "Bionic Woman" show, the show went smoothly.

In upcoming weeks we hope to have Luke Y. Thompson, of the OC Weekly, discuss genre films and his thoughts on the summer season so far. We also hope to have Shawna return many more times to talk about her thoughts on the summer hiatus television season (which includes shows like "The Closer," "Monk," and "Psych", and on the upcoming fall season as more information comes available. Heck, I'd even give her a half an hour (without me butting in) to talk about Battlestar Galactica the television series.

That gives me an idea for an upcoming episode based entirely around BSG. Shawna could cover the show, and I could cover the upcoming Roleplaying game by Margaret Weis Productions (the manufacturers of the Serenity rpg).

ABC Schedule and thoughts

Earlier this week ABC announced their upcoming fall lineup, but I was too busy to make my comments regarding the upcoming schedule. Now...at last, my time has come.

Continuing the trend of other networks, the majority of ABC's new orders are for Dramas (7), with a few Comedies (4) added for good measure. The current era of television seems to be as dominated by the Drama and Dramedy as the 90s were with the half-hour comedy. Which is one way of saying that TV networks will go with a good thing until they beat it to death and then they'll see if they can kick a couple of death throes out of it. Only then, will they move on to the next best thing. A less cynical way of saying that might be that networks go with what works.

The new television series include everything from modern man to cavemen. Yes you read that right, ABC is premiering a series based on the Geico commercials. Some of these series are: “Big Shots,” “Carpoolers,” “Cashmere Mafia,” “Cavemen,”
“Dirty Sexy Money,” “Eli Stone,” “Miss/Guided,” “Private Practice,”
“Pushing Daisies,” “Sam I Am” and “Women’s Murder Club.”

The proposed fall lineup, and my comments are below (with the new shows in italics):

MONDAY:
8:00 p.m.: “Dancing with the Stars” -- I only watch this show in spurts. I understand the appeal, heck I used to love "Circus of the Stars," but like "Circus" this is more of a one time thing for me than a weekly commitment.

9:30 p.m.: “Sam I Am” (new comedy series) -- This is Christina Applegate's new series about a person who has an accident and forgets who they are, only to discover they weren't very likable. The show's tension will rest on a "nature vs. nurture" irony, she wants to be good but isn't. (deadpan)I am laughing already. This is such a funny idea. No one ever though of a bad person trying to be good, but can't actually succeed at being good story before.(end deadpan) I will watch the show once, but I won't be very forgiving.

“Sam I Am”
When a terrible accident leaves Samantha “Sam” Newly in a coma for eight days, she wakes up with no recollection of any past experiences, memories or events. Faced with amnesia, Sam must start over. To her dismay she discovers that she wasn’t a particularly honest, good-hearted or loving person. In fact she was self-involved, narcissistic and devoid of real relationships - essentially a bitch. Sam must now struggle with her desire to be good and her temptation to be...not so good. Finding the line between good and evil is never easy.

10:00 p.m.: “The Bachelor” -- The fact that people watch this show makes me worry for the state of our civilization. "Look ma! It's women being treated like cattle by a man who they all plot in Machiavellian fashion to seduce."

TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Cavemen” The commercials are funny, but somehow I think that placing this show in the suburban South will spell quick doom for this show. That and the fact that the dinosaur version of the "Honeymooners" didn't last too long either.

“Cavemen”
Cavemen is a unique buddy comedy that offers a clever twist on stereotypes and turns race relations on their head. Inspired by the popular Geico Insurance commercials, the series looks at life through the eyes of the ultimate outsiders - three modern cavemen - as they struggle to find their place in the world. Joel, his cynical best friend, Nick, and easy-going little brother, Jamie, are contemporary cavemen who live in the suburban south and simply want to be treated like ordinary thirty-something guys. Despite their attempts at assimilation, Nick doesn’t believe mainstream society will ever completely accept them, Jamie seems to take it all in stride and Joel straddles the middle, torn between his friends, his more traditional values and his loving fiancée.

8:30 p.m. “Carpoolers” -- Hopefully this show will have moments that take place outside of the car. Though that makes me wonder how that would be different from an Office Space show. I'll watch it once, but if they don't get out of the car I won't be back. I want you to remember that this show is about 4 people. That seems to be a theme.

“Carpoolers”
Less about saving the environment than male bonding, four guys from very different backgrounds relish their daily commute as they commiserate about their lives, jobs and families in the carpool lane. There’s Laird, the recently divorced playboy; Aubrey, the timid homemaker and breadwinner; the conservative and traditional Gracen; and eager newlywed Dougie. Together, between the pressures of home and work, these men find time to be themselves while driving to and from the office.

9:00 p.m. : “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show” -- See above.

10:00 p.m.: “Boston Legal” -- Glad to see the show back for another season. Shatner!

WEDNESDAY: A night completely filled with new shows? That is a potential risk.

8:00 p.m. “Pushing Daisies” -- I am intrigued by this twist on a procedural and the romantic tension possible has potential. Ideal scenario for me as viewer is if this show is a well thought out single season narrative with a final episode that resolves the season long arc.

“Pushing Daisies”
From Bryan Fuller (“Heroes”) and Barry Sonnenfeld (“Men in Black”) comes an unprecedented blend of romance, crime procedural and high-concept fantasy in a forensic fairytale about a young man with a very special gift. Once upon a time, a mild-mannered boy named Ned realized he could touch dead things and bring them back to life. Grown-up Ned puts his ability to good use, not only touching dead fruit and making it ripe with everlasting flavor, but working with an investigator to crack murder cases by asking the deceased to name their killers. But the tale gets complicated, as all tales do, when Ned brings his childhood sweetheart, Chuck, back from the dead and keeps her alive. Chuck encourages him to use his power to help others, instead of merely solving mysteries and collecting the rewards. Life would be perfect for Ned and Chuck, except for one cruel twist: If he ever touches her again, she’ll go back to being dead, this time for good.

9:00 p.m.: “Private Practice” -- "Grey's Anatomy 2?" No thanks. I stopped watching "Grey's Anatomy" when they killed the dog just to end a romantic storyline. I still like Kate Walsh, but I won't watch this show. The best "Grey's Anatomy" moment, in my opinion, was during the last season of "The OC" when Summer's father moved to Seattle.

“Private Practice”
From Shonda Rhimes, the Golden Globe-winning creator of “Grey’s Anatomy,” comes a story about new beginnings and old friends. Addison Forbes Montgomery is a renowned neonatal surgeon, respected by her friends and colleagues at Seattle Grace Hospital. Deciding she can no longer healthily co-exist with her ex-husband, McDreamy, and her ex-lover, McSteamy, Addison heads to Los Angeles for sunnier weather and happier possibilities. Reunited with her once-married, newly divorced medical school friends, Naomi and Sam, Addison joins their chic private practice. Featuring an all-star cast including Kate Walsh, Amy Brenneman, Tim Daly and Taye Diggs, “Private Practice” tells the story of a woman unafraid of change and willing to begin a new life.

10:00 p.m. “Dirty Sexy Money” -- I think it is good to see the return of the evening Soap, but this just doesn't seem to do it for me. Besides wasn't the "I'll have access to a lot of money to do good things" tension a part of 2 Week's Notice? (Minus the Soapy mysterious death etc.) This show would have to be funny to attract me. And the "Darling" clan? Please, shoot me now.

“Dirty Sexy Money”
Some people say money is the root of all evil. They may be right. Nick George’s whole life has been lived in the shadow of the Darling family, but as an adult he’s leading the perfect life as an idealistic lawyer, until his father’s suspicious death. The absurdly wealthy Darlings of New York have asked him to take over his father’s job as their personal lawyer, but the money that will allow him the freedom to be an altruistic do-gooder is only part of the picture. That same money pulls him into the dubious doings of the Darling clan. Power, privilege and family money are a volatile cocktail.

THURSDAY:
8:00 p.m.: “Ugly Betty” -- One of my favorite shows, but I hope they do like a real telenovella and let the story end at some point.

9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy” -- As I said, I stopped watching it when they killed the dog just to eliminate a romantic rivalry.

10:00 p.m. “Big Shots” -- It's "Carpoolers," but serious. By the way, what is up with the whole "4 friends" thing? Can't we have three friends? Or even five friends?

“Big Shots”
This is the story of four friends at the top of their game...until the women in their lives enter the room. Lines between boardroom and bedroom blur when these competitive but dysfunctional CEOs take refuge in their friendship, discussing business, confiding secrets, seeking advice and supporting each other through life’s surprising twists and turns.

FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m.: “MEN IN TREES” -- Don't watch it, so I have no opinion one way or the other.

9:00 p.m.: “Women’s Murder Club” -- "CSI: Vigilante" with a dash of possible romantic subplots? Okay, I'm down for that. But what is with the whole 4 friends thing again?

“Women’s Murder Club”
Based on James Patterson’s bestselling novels, The Women’s Murder Club, four working women in San Francisco - a detective, a district attorney, a medical examiner and a reporter - use their expertise and unique talents to solve murder cases. Each woman is successful in her own field, but because of their unique friendship, they realize that pooling their resources during investigations leads to undiscovered clues and answers in both work and their personal lives.

10:00 p.m.: “20/20” -- For those who have no internet or are baffled by the "tubes" that make the interwebs work.

SATURDAY: 8:00 p.m.: “Saturday Night College Football” -- Depends on who's playing.

SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m.: “America’s Funniest Home Videos” -- Watch Jimmy hit someone in the crotch! No. Don't watch this. Won't watch this.

8:00 p.m.: “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” -- I watched one season of this show. I like the premise, but don't watch it.

9:00 p.m.: “Desperate Housewives” -- I don't watch this, but I have nothing against it. I have to read books some time.

10:00 p.m.: “Brothers & Sisters” -- Sunday at 10? I might be watching "Lipstick Jungle" on NBC. I might not.


The remaining shows will be mid-season pick ups after “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Bachelor” conclude their fall seasons. I will probably watch both "Cashmere Mafia" and "Miss/Guided" at least once.

NBC Announces Fall Line-Up

NBC's Upfronts may be at 3pm EST today, but that didn't stop Variety (among others) from reporting NBC's upcoming fall schedule. Though I was sad to see that Raines wasn't among the listed shows (I didn't really expect it to be), the list looks pretty interesting. Below is the line-up with my thoughts (new shows in italics):


MONDAY
8-9 p.m.: "Deal or No Deal" -- I know that this show gets good number, but I just don't get it. All I can do as I watch this show is chant "Choose Wisely" like the knight in Indiana Jones 3. I just can't take seriously a show that adds dramatic tension to a hidden information game where the contestants seem to be selected based on their ignorance of probability.

9-10 p.m.: "Heroes" -- This was one of my favorite new shows this year and I am glad to see it has been renewed for the fall. I also can't wait for the "fill in" show "Heroes: Origins" which will be running this while the main show is on hiatus.

10-11 p.m.: "Journeyman" --Based on the description (below) this is a combination of "Quantum Leap" and "The Unit." Not only do we get the "Sam travels through time fixing stuff" narrative, but we also get the "what's happening in his home life" as well. It sounds like an interesting enough combination for me to watch a re-envisioning of an idea I enjoyed before. The added element of the protagonist having to deal with his home life does intrigue me, so I'll be either staying up or Tivo-ing this show.

"Journeyman"-- From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Kevin Falls ("The West Wing") and Emmy Award-winning director-producer Alex Graves ("The West Wing"), "Journeyman" is a romantic mystery-drama about Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd, "Rome"), a San Francisco newspaper reporter and family man who inexplicably begins to travel through time and change people's lives. Along the way, he also must deal with the difficulties and strife at work and home brought on by his sudden disappearances. However, his freewheeling travels through the decades reunite him with his long-lost fiance Livia (Moon Bloodgood, "Day Break") -- which complicates his present-day life with wife Katie (Gretchen Egolf, "Martial Law") and their son. Reed Diamond ("Homicide: Life on the Street") and Charles Henry Wyson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") also star. "Journeyman" is a production of 20th Century Fox Television. Falls is executive producer and writer; Graves is executive producer and director of the pilot.

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m.: "The Biggest Loser" -- Ah, lame reality programming, renewed. I'll pass.

9-10 p.m.: "Chuck" -- A new show from Josh "pop culture" Schwartz and Mc"king of high concept"G, that seems to be an interesting combination of "Jake 2.0," "The Six Million Dollar Man," and The Computer Wore Red Tennis Shoes. Based on the creative crew, "The OC" and "Supernatural" are two of my favorite shows, alone I was sold. Add a semi-SF/espionage back story and Adam Baldwin from "Firefly" and I'll give the show 8-10 episodes to prove itself to me.

From executive producer, Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.") and executive producer-director McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall") comes a one-hour, comedic spy thriller about Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi, "Less Than Perfect") - a computer geek who is catapulted into a new career as the government's most vital secret agent. When Chuck opens an e-mail subliminally encoded with government secrets, he unwittingly downloads an entire server of sensitive data into his brain. Now, the fate of the world lies in the unlikely hands of a guy who works at Buy More. Instead of fighting computer viruses, he must fight assassins and international terrorists. With the government's most precious secrets in Chuck's head, Major John Casey (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard") of the NSA assumes the responsibility of protecting him. His partner is the CIA's top agent (and Chuck's first date in years) Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strzechowski, "Gone"). They'll keep him safe by trading in his pocket protector for a bulletproof vest. Also starring are Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace") as Chuck's best buddy Morgan and Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister Ellie. Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak wrote "Chuck," which is produced by College Hill Pictures and Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television.

10-11 p.m.: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" -- Don't watch it. Not because it's bad or anything, just not enough time in the day.

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m.: "Deal or No Deal" -- Two days a week of bad decision making? No thanks.

9-10 p.m.: "Bionic Woman" -- My demands of remakes of my favorite childhood shows are very high. Given that this has "Battlestar Galactica" connections, I expect to be disappointed.

10-11 p.m. "Life" -- "A cop given a second chance after serving time for a crime he didn't commit?" Like the old Life cereal commercial, I'll be like Mikey. I'll try it out, but I don't expect to like it. Who knows...It might be good. It might be terrible. I'll find out what I think.

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m.: "My Name Is Earl" -- I don't watch it, but Fritz thinks it's very funny.

8:30-9 p.m.: "30 Rock" -- I don't watch it, but it looks very funny.

9-9:30 p.m.: "The Office" -- One of my favorite shows.

9:30-10 p.m.: "Scrubs" -- Just when you think ratings are the only consideration when renewing shows, they renew "Scrubs." Not that I'm complaining, I really like this show. I'm just saying. It's not every show that looses 2.1 million viewers from the previous hour that gets renewed. (On May 3, "The Office" had 7 million viewers, "Scrubs" had 4.9).

10-11 p.m.: "ER" -- This show will be on in twenty years. I stopped watching it when they dropped a helicopter on one of my favorite characters. That was a year or so after they had a helicopter cut the same character's arm off. It was just too much for me.

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m.: "1 vs 100"/"The Singing Bee" -- Could we get a new host for "1 vs 100"? I like the concept, but Bob Saget? As for "The Singing Bee," I might just watch this to see how many interpretations of "Blinded by the Light" I can hear.

9-10 p.m.: "Las Vegas" -- Until a show demonstrates just how dull and mechanical the behind the scenes of a casino is, I will be disappointed. As someone who was a 21/Craps dealer for a couple of years, I can't watch the "Casinos are so exciting" narratives. Puhleese. It's all about old ladies loosing their Social Security money in the hopes that the few moments of "friendship" they receive from casino staff can substitute for family who doesn't visit or call. Casinos are dull, depressing, and filled with the desperate.

10-11 p.m.: "Friday Night Lights" -- It makes more sense to me that this show be broadcast on Fridays. Well...except for the fact that a good part of their target audience are out watching the games that this show fictionalizes! Hello?

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m.: "Dateline NBC" -- Um...there's still cable news and the internet right? Pass.

9-11 p.m.: Drama Series Encores -- Space for "Raines" here if they give it a shot again. I'll go light a candle.

SUNDAY (Fall 2007)
7-8 p.m.: "Football Night in America" -- I'm a baseball and college football guy myself, but I'll probably watch this semi-regularly.

8-11 p.m.: "NBC Sunday Night Football" -- Ditto.

SUNDAY (January 2008)
7-8 p.m.: "Dateline NBC" -- The internet still here at this point of the post? Same answer.

8-9 p.m.: "Law & Order" -- Long after our society crumbles, the Eloi will still be watching this show.

9-10 p.m.: "Medium" -- Sorry, I read James Randi's website during this hour.

10-11 p.m. "Lipstick Jungle" -- Maybe, maybe not. If it is just another show about catty women sleeping around in the workplace, no. If it is a show about the genuine obstacles women face in the entertainment industry, yes. As someone with friends, and family, who hope to be in the basic circumstances of some of the characters in this show, I'm intrigued. But I still don't trust it. The fact that the show stars Brooke "nothing gets between me and my Calvin Kleins" Shields leads me to believe that the show will likely be the first. Based on the description though, I am ordering the novel today.

Based on the best-selling novel by Candace Bushnell ("Sex and the City"), this fun dramedy follows three high-powered friends as they weather the ups and downs of lives lived at the top of their game. Nico (Kim Raver, "24"), editor-in-chief of a hot fashion magazine, wants to replace her boss as CEO. Movie exec Wendy (Brooke Shields, "Suddenly Susan") finds even her most earnest efforts may not be enough to balance career and family. And free-spirited designer Victory (Lindsay Price, "Beverly Hills, 90210") longs to make her dreams come true, and maybe find Mr. Right along the way. Armed with humor and strength, these three modern New York women support one another through the triumphs and tears that are all part of making it big in the Big Apple. Written by executive producers DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler (both for "How I Met Your Mother," "Three Sisters") and based on the book by Bushnell, "Lipstick Jungle" is from NBC Universal Television Studio. The pilot is directed by Gary Winick ("13 Going on 30").

The Number One Reason to Watch CSI:Miami

I was having a conversation with David Chute and Tulkinghorn of The Hungry Ghost a couple of weeks ago, we went out for dumplings, and mentioned that I have a deep and inexplicable affection for CSI: Miami. In particular, I am a huge fan of Horatio Caine. H, as he is called on the show, is who brought me back week after week and made me a fan. I started out merely making fun of the character, but I eventually got sucked in to what is actually quite a good show.

I still make fun of H, but now I both mock and adore him. You see, the character of Horatio Caine is a combination of all my entertainment vices. He is overly dramatic like Captain Kirk. He never has to fill out paperwork for any of his many shootings. He is the CSI equivalent of Doc Savage: the Man of Bronze, he's even semi-bronzish. As Ray Richmond of Past Deadline states, "a character name that tells you all you need to know in two words." In addition, I can think of almost no better representation of the D&D Paladin class than Horatio Caine, the obvious exception is Paksenarrion. He is Lawful Good to the core, but is also smart/savvy enough to defeat those who manipulate the law in order to gain freedom. God help you if you ever raise his wrath in a situation where he has the legal authority to cap your ass, because he will. He is relentless in the pursuit of evil, sympathetic to the victim, and punishes those who take the law into their own hands. If there was anything "supernatural" on CSI: Miami, I am certain that H could "turn undead."

Long story short, David Chute sent me a link which included this collection of H one liners. It really is absurd how seriously David Caruso delivers these lines, but he is extraordinarily consistent in his performance of Caine. In fact, my next D&D character is totally going to be based on him.

H
"What do we have Rogue?"

ROGUE

"A Locked Door."

H

"Somebody doesn't want us going in..."

ROGER DALTRY

"YEAH!"