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Sunday, August 31, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Winners

And so, the end has come. All the votes have been cast, tallied, counted, and reviewed. We've reached the end. There's no more voting to do in order to determine the best there ever was in television. Now, we just have to sit back and enjoy the winners. So...let's enjoy!

But first, a bit of statistical data. Only six shows received more than two official nominees when we went through each category daily. Only three received more than three. Saturday Night Live (Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, the show itself), Perry Mason (Barbara Hale, Raymond Burr, the show itself), and The X-Files (David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, the show itself) each received three nominations officially. I Love Lucy (Lucille Ball, Vivian Vance, Desi Arnaz, the show itself), Friends (Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew Perry, the show itself), and The Office (Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, and Jenna Fischer) each received four official nominations. Only one individual actor received more than one vote and that would be Tina Fey for 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live! Interesting numbers there.

Now on to the winners! We've whittled it down from hundreds of potential candidates and now there are one. For each category, that is. Keep in mind, these are the best of the best.

In the category, Outstanding Reality/Competition Series,

Cosmos: A Personal Voyage finishes third.
Match Game finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

...The Amazing Race! Hosted by Phil Keoghan, this series sends teams of two across the world performing tasks and completing goals all on the way to a million dollar prize. Well-deserved and well done!

In the category, Outstanding Variety Series,

The Carol Burnett Show finishes third.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

...Saturday Night Live! The sketch show has been around for forty years, launching such comedic talent as Chevy Chase, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, and Jimmy Fallon. Hosted by a new comedian each week with a musical guest, the Lorne Michaels produced program has become an NBC institution.

In the category, Outstanding Host for a Reality/Competition/Variety Series,

Kermit the Frog finishes third.
Ellen DeGeneres finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

...Johnny Carson! For decades, Johnny Carson was the face of television. If you made it onto his show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, of course, you had made it. And he definitely had something to do with that.

In the category, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series,

Christine Baranski of The Good Wife finishes third.
Allyce Beasley of Moonlighting finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...Christina Hendricks of Mad Men! One of the few on this list to be on a show that is currently running, Christina Hendricks still does not have much time left on Mad Men, as the show is entering its final season. Her portrayal of Joan Harris has garnered immense critical acclaim and now this!

In the category, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series,

Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad finishes third.
Bruce Weitz of Hill Street Blues finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek! His portrayal of Spock on the original series has become iconic and easily recognizable, not just in American culture, but globally. He is a Vulcan, an all-time winner, and will forever live long and prosper.

In the category, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series,

Julia Louis-Dreyfus of Seinfeld finishes third.
Tina Fey of Saturday Night Live finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...Vivian Vance of I Love Lucy! I considered Vance to be the underdog going into this category, honestly. She barely made it into the final six that I figured it was a win for her to get there. But she wouldn't be denied. I like to think that's what Ethel Mertz would have done, as well.

In the category, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series,

Rainn Wilson of The Office finishes third.
Don Knotts of The Andy Griffith Show finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...Danny Pudi of Community! A list minute push for Pudi won him the award, one he never won at the actual Emmys, which is a failure of America. His role as Abed Nadir is just simply spectacular and worthy of this win.

In the category, Outstanding Leading Actress in a Drama Series,

Lindsay Wagner of The Bionic Woman finishes third.
Gillian Anderson of The X-Files finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

...Angela Lansbury of Murder, She Wrote! She was one of two who came the closest to winning the vote unanimously. As Jessica Fletcher, Lansbury revolutionized the crime drama on television. And now, she's finally won some kind of an Emmy, despite being nominated twelve times before this.

In the category, Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series,

David Duchovny of The X-Files finishes third.
Sam Waterston of Law & Order finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...Larry Hagman of Dallas! J.R. Ewing is one of the legendary characters of television and Hagman was the man who brought him to life. Another dark horse, at least, in my opinion, who actually ended up winning the award. He even came back to be J.R. once again in the TNT revival before he passed away.

In the category, Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series,

Betty White of The Golden Girls finishes third.
Tina Fey of 30 Rock finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy! I don't think anyone ever really thought it would be anyone else. She was the favorite to end all favorites. Notable statements, though, she and Lansbury were the two actresses who came so close to winning unanimously. Also, this is the second time Tina Fey lost to someone from I Love Lucy. This time, it was Lucy Ricardo, an unparalleled role.

In the category, Outstanding Leading Actor in a Comedy Series,

Andy Griffith of The Andy Griffith Show finishes third.
David Schwimmer of Friends finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...Steve Carell of The Office! This was one I was surprised by. Even though the category had no true favorite, I think Steve does make the most sense. He put everything into the role of Michael Scott, regional manager of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin. So much humor and insanity, but also heart deep down.

In the category, Outstanding Animated Program,

A Charlie Brown Christmas finishes third.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...The Simpsons! This and Blue's Clues were the only two shows in this category that were actually series. The other were holiday specials. But, I do think The Simpsons has to win this category no matter how you vote. It changed the game. Forever. Nothing to "D'oh!" about, for sure.

In the category, Outstanding Drama Series,

Murder, She Wrote finishes third.
The Twilight Zone finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

 ...The X-Files! This entire category was challenging as each show was innovative and, naturally, dramatic. But in the end, The X-Files received the majority of the votes. It tackled the mysterious, the unknown, and the paranormal. Phenomenally acted, directed, and, well, just about everything else you'd expect from this category's victor.

In the category, Outstanding Comedy Series,

Arrested Development finishes third.
I Love Lucy finishes second.

And The Emmy of All-Time goes to...

...Friends! This was definitely the most hotly contested category with the outcome going right up until the end. Literally. Someone cast a vote as I was writing this post. It re-worked the entire outcome. I can't imagine how tough it was to choose in this one, but ultimately, this is your winner. I don't think you could have gone wrong with any of them, but let's take a look at Friends. Quite possibly, it was the last truly great show with laughter happening in the background. It's never been able to be replicated, but not without executives trying. Finally, it can be argued this is the most recent comedy to become a cultural phenomenon. All these reasons and more give Friends the win.

So there you have it. After about a month of deliberation, voting, and tough decisions, we have the fourteen winners. And I think it's truly a solid bunch. This is the best in the history of television. I Love Lucy won two of these. More than that, twelve shows won one. And that's a huge accomplishment as well.

And not to brag or anything, but with eight-hundred and thirty page views (and more to come, with this one, I'm sure) and over one-hundred and forty votes cast, I think The Oscars of All-Time will be coming in the future. Wink.

Thanks for partaking and happy television!

Rom-Com Week on Grantland

This is what I love about Grantland. It's a terrific blend of sports and pop culture, but they're also not afraid to balance it with anything they know would be good. Bill Simmons created a great website. One article could be about the lack of a salary cap in major league baseball and the next is at the other end of the entertainment spectrum, with the inducting of Julia Roberts into the "Rom-Com Hall of Fame." The hall (which includes Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, and Drew Barrymore) is just one aspect of Grantland's entire week dedicated to romantic comedies, an undeniable part of cinematic history. They did so many posts about the genre, including the debate over the Queen of Rom-Coms, a Rom-Com-Con, if you will, a cultural expression of romance, an explanation of Anchorman's qualifying as a Rom-Com, and a premiere piece of writing for each day. Monday's, for example, is titled, "When 'Harry' Met 'Annie.' So that's the kind of thing to expect if you click here, but all in all, it's really neat!

Jessica Biel and Julian Morris to Appear on New Girl

Julian Morris of Once Upon a Time and Pretty Little Liars fame will have a recurring role on New Girl for the fourth season. As Jess becomes vice principal, he takes her open teaching position. He also may be a potential love interest for Jess. Who knows? But it's probably going to happen to be honest.

Jessica Biel will also be making a guest appearance on New Girl! She will play a rival of Jess' in an unknown capacity in the season premiere! It sounds interesting to me.

Hopefully with Damon Wayans Jr. signing to become a series regular and with Nick and Jess being apart, New Girl can reclaim the greatness it once had. Of course, it's still good, but it just wasn't the same in season three. Showrunner, Liz Meriwether even addressed this. She said the growing pains are done and the whole writing staff had trouble writing for Nick and Jess, but the focus will be on everyone as friends. And that's perfect, in my opinion. I hope it comes back better than ever.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

The Twelve Inch Pianist

This might just be one of the best stories ever, never mind being one of the best to ever be published in The New Yorker. Simon Rich wrote it for the Shouts and Murmurs section. It being a story called, "Guy Walks Into a Bar." So many things happen in this story, including events involving geese, genies, and tiny piano players. I just love it so much, but it's really indescribable. I highly recommend reading it for yourself here, but don't feel obligated to or anything.

An Ode to Jaden Smith's Tweets

Leave it to Buzzfeed to know exactly what the public wants, but had no idea about or even how to make it so. They took tweets from Jaden Smith, completely nonsensical, outrageous, and pretentious tweets, and turned them into Garfield comic strips. It's so amazing and I laugh at each one. You can too!

Comic-Con 2014 Recap

 I expected big things from this year's Comic-Con and boy, did it deliver. While appearances from those working on Jurassic Park, Fantastic Four, and Star Wars were not to be, we were treated to more DC than expected and a surprise from Interstellar. Now, this is not a complete recap of Comic-Con 2014, but I can guarantee it has the following. Superheroes, Christopher Nolan, a Christmas special, and Greendale Community College.

 More details were released from the upcoming Disney/Pixar Christmas special, Toy Story That Time Forgot! For example, that cat in the above photo is Angel Kitty, a Christmas ornament. Plot-wise, we didn't learn much else than we already knew, but it was announced that the special will debut on December 2. As one man reported it, "It's clear this is a Christmas special like no other, but will definitely be one 'Toy Story' fans will want to watch every year."

As many fans speculated, Christopher Nolan and Matthew McConaughey made surprise appearances to promote their new film, Interstellar, which certainly fits into the mold of Comic-Con material and is coming out in theaters in November. Again, the plot was kept vague, but we were treated to a new trailer.



The Warner Bros. panel went on much longer than everyone expected (in a good way) with surprise appearances from Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot, (Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, respectively). It far outshone Sony's panel (which featured Let's Be Cops. I mean, seriously? Not really a Comic-Con movie). Plus, the first image of Gadot as Wonder Woman was released and it definitely fits the tone they seem to be going for.

The biggest panel was, of course, Marvel's in Hall H. They didn't even have to talk about The Avengers: Age of Ultron or Ant-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy, but they did. No matter what they did, people were going to love it, but they definitely delivered anyway. A sequel to Guardians was announced and footage from Ant-Man was released. For The Avengers, however, that brought the house down. Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Cobie Smulders, and Chris Evans all appeared. Joss Whedon and Scarlett Johansson were both in hospitals. That's still impressive, though. They each talked a little about the movie, but then came the visuals. The above photo was released featuring every one of the Avengers, but more importantly so was footage. This footage is still unavailable to the public, but it features strewn-about Avengers, a dishonored Tony Stark, and Hulkbuster armor. So yeah, it's gonna be a big movie.

Finally, COMMUNITY LIVES ON!



These three signs are all part of Yahoo's promoting of Community. Subway was re-themed to be Shirley's Sandwiches and you have no idea how warm and happy they all made me. I almost teared up at seeing them. The panel for Community was low-key yet all the rage at the same time. Not much new news was learned as most of the answers were jokingly said. However, we know writing will begin on September 8 and filming on October 17. Attending the panel were Dino Stamatopoulos (Star-Burns, writer), Dan Harmon, Gillian Jacobs, Chris McKenna (executive producer), Jim Rash, and Joel McHale. On Britta's potential in the psychology field, Jacobs said her options are "truly limited." But! Do not fear. The first official teaser trailer for Community on Yahoo was released. And it's so amazing. Like I literally cannot love it anymore than I do and that is a large amount already. Where we're going, we don't need ratings...



Solid Comic-Con. See you again in 2015 (or read about you, rather), San Diego!

Friday, August 29, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Results Will Come Soon

As you know, all of the six official nominees for each category have been announced so now, we will keep the voting open for a bit longer, but rest assured the list of winners will arrive on the blog very soon! It's so exciting. Been a long time coming and I, myself, am quite interested to see who takes home the top prizes. Keep voting!

Billy Joel in the Legacy Period of His Career

Billy Joel has had an illustrious career marked by innumerable hits and a status of icon. Now, he's reaching the time of his career where he's not really doing new material, but he's still being honored with lifetime achivement-y stuff. The latest example of this is the Library of Congress' Gershwin Prize. Yep. He won it for this year! The description of the prize is as follows, "[The Gershwin Prize] honors the career of one musician and their dedication to 'promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations." Not a bad thing to receive! Joel got the Prize specifically for Allentown and he will give a special performance in Washington D.C. this fall.

There Just Might Be an Iron Man 4...With Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr., who has stated multiple times he only wanted to do the Iron Man trilogy and three Avengers films, might be having a change of heart. When asked about the potential of him starring in an Iron Man 4, he sounded like was more interested. Tony Stark himself said, "When things are going great there's a lot of agreement...Why give up the belt when it feels like you can barely get jabbed?" From my point of view, it seems like Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is far from done.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Outstanding Comedy Series

The last one. The last one to vote on before the winners are announced. Isn't that crazy? What a process it's been so far! There's only one to choose here. I know I couldn't make the call. I love all of these shows! Good luck, friends. Get it?

1. I Love Lucy

Six seasons. One hundred and eighty-one episodes. Sixteen Emmy nominations. Four Emmy wins.

2. Friends

Ten seasons. Two hundred and thirty-six episodes. Fifty-seven Emmy nominations. Six Emmy wins.

3. Arrested Development

Four seasons. Sixty-eight episodes. Nineteen Emmy nominations. Six Emmy wins.

4. Seinfeld

Nine seasons. One hundred and eighty episodes. Fifty-eight Emmy nominations. Ten Emmy wins.

5. 30 Rock

Seven seasons. One hundred and thirty-eight episodes. Ninety-one Emmy nominations. Sixteen Emmy wins.

6. Community

Five seasons. Ninety-seven episodes. Two Emmy nominations. One Emmy win.

Get it?

Fifth Pirates Film Release Date

Finally, after Disney's concern about Johnny Depp following The Lone Ranger, they have decided to go ahead with the fifth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. It will be released July 7, 2017, so, 7/7/17. It's going to be a summer blockbuster and Orlando Bloom may even return! Big doings...

This Week's Entertainment by David


Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Outstanding Drama Series

We've obviously had many surprising upsets so far in this ongoing process, but The Walking Dead over Breaking Bad was one of the more unexpected ones, to me. Nevertheless, in our penultimate category, the competition is stiff. How could you ever pick a winner from here? I guess I'm about to find out! Pick one if voting is what you decide to do, please.

1. The Twilight Zone

Five seasons. One hundred and fifty-six episodes. Five Emmy nominations. Three Emmy wins.

2. Murder, She Wrote

Twelve seasons. Two hundred and sixty-four episodes. Forty-one Emmy nominations. Three Emmy wins.

3. Perry Mason

Nine seasons. Two hundred and seventy-one episodes. Six Emmy nominations. Three Emmy wins.

4. The X-Files

Nine seasons. Two hundred and two episodes. Forty-six Emmy nominations. Sixteen Emmy wins.

5. Star Trek: The Next Generation

Seven seasons. One hundred and seventy-eight episodes. Forty Emmy nominations. Eighteen Emmy wins.

6. The Walking Dead

Four seasons. Fifty-one episodes. Five Emmy nominations. Two Emmy wins.

Lots of television royalty here!

Rhea Perlman Castellano

The Mindy Project has landed a stellar guest star! Leading man, Chris Messina plays Danny Castellano on The Mindy Project. Annette Castellano, Danny's mother, will be played by none other than Rhea Perlman! On September 16, we'll see her not only butt heads with Mindy, but abandon the cliche by butting heads with Danny, too. This is perfect casting! It's gonna be a good season.

Back to School

This is simply an informational post about me heading back to school. Today was the first day. I know once I get into the swing of things, it'll be a lot more enjoyable to go, but I just want to get into the swing of things faster than it usually takes, which is a week and a half. Can't wait to get used to it again. But it'll be good! This year, on October 1, I'll start the countdowns that rank categories of music, film, and television. Hopefully you don't get sick of daily pop culture things!

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Outstanding Animated Program

Now, we enter the official nominees for the series television as a whole. Acting? Done. Reality? Done. This one, however, is the first step into the biggest categories. Animated programs. Notice I say program. Not series. Anyway, here we are. If you decide to vote, please choose one.

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas

One special. One Emmy nomination. One Emmy win.

2. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

One special. Three Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

One special. Zero Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

One special. Zero Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

5. The Simpsons

Twenty-five seasons. Five hundred and fifty-two episodes. Fifty-nine Emmy nominations. Thirty-one Emmy wins.

6. Blue's Clues

Ten seasons. One hundred and forty-three episodes. Twenty-four Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

Love for the animation!

Ghostbusters Reboot

For a long while, there's been rumors of a third Ghostbusters movie. In fact, Dan Aykroyd even confirmed it on the Today Show while promoting Get on Up. But now, a more firm confirmation has come to light. The Ghostbusters film franchise is actually getting a reboot. With an all female cast. And boy am I excited if they do it right. Because they could either do it really well or really garbage. The bad way to go would be to cast people like Melissa McCarthy, Mayim Bialik, and Kat Dennings. That would be the biggest let down ever. On the other hand, the photos above are the way to go. Amy Poehler, naturally, in the Peter Venkman role. Mindy Kaling would be the new Harold Ramis-Egon Spengler writer type. With Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig, however, I think they could be used interchangeably with the Ernie Hudson and Dan Aykroyd. They'd work either way, but I chose Tina for Dan because of more Tina-Amy interaction. Now, that cast would be probably unlikely to come to fruition. But one can dream, right? I'd love that movie so much. For now, we'll just hope it'll be done right. I would like to see Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, return for a cameo, at least. (It's too bad about Harold.) Also, Paul Feig will likely be the director and he's pretty cool. See you on the other side.

The Haunted Mansion Special

Forget about Eddie Murphy and forget it'll be on Disney XD. Let's hope, for a moment, that this will be good. An animated television special about The Haunted Mansion is coming to our screens this October. Yes, a Halloween special in honor of the forty-fifth anniversary of the amazing ride. Illustrator Gris Grimly (a good name for it) will do the animation and Phineas and Ferb's Scott Peterson will write. I'm not going to set my expectations too high, but maybe it will be good! One can hope.

Monday, August 25, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Outstanding Leading Actor in a Comedy Series

This one's an interesting one. It's the last presentation of the six official nominees in an acting category. But there also doesn't seem to be a clear favorite. There are definitely dark horses or underdogs, rather, but no real favorite like there was yesterday. Nevertheless, one must be chosen! There are also some gross snubs when looking at the Emmys. You'd be surprised that none of these guys ever won one. It's a terrible thing to realize because they all deserved to win. Now, one of them will.

1. Steve Carell

Leading actor on The Office. Six Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

2. Desi Arnaz

Leading actor on I Love Lucy. Zero Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

3. Andy Griffith

Leading actor on The Andy Griffith Show. Zero Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

4. David Schwimmer

Leading actor on Friends. One Emmy nomination. Zero Emmy wins.

5. Matthew Perry

Leading actor on Friends. One Emmy nomination. Zero Emmy wins.

6. Jason Gann

Leading actor on Wilfred. Zero Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

Who will you choose?

BoJack Horseman Debuts

About a month ago, the first poster for the new Netflix original series, BoJack Horseman, was released. The name was obviously eye-catching as was the fact it's a cartoon horse-man. Also, with a cast of Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie and Aaron Paul, it sounded like something I truly needed to watch. And I have been. After finishing Freaks and Geeks, I immediately began on this show and I love it. In one day, I've watched eight of twelve episodes so far, but I don't want it to end. I've heard great things about the eleventh episode, but I'll enjoy the ride of the first season. Hopefully more comes! It's a quality program.

This Week's Sports by David


Sunday, August 24, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series

We inch closer toward the end, but for now, let's revel in the process. Leading actors? We've proven we can vote for them. But what about when it's turned comedy style? Will it get tougher? Especially with this elite class of comedy actresses? Who knows? What we do know is one must be chosen.

1. Lucille Ball

Leading actress on I Love Lucy. Seven Emmy nominations. Two Emmy wins.

2. Betty White

Leading actress on The Golden Girls. Six Emmy nominations. One Emmy win.

3. Lisa Kudrow

Leading actress on Friends. Five Emmy nominations. One Emmy win.

4. Tina Fey

Leading actress on 30 Rock. Six Emmy nominations. One Emmy win.

5. Elizabeth Montgomery

Leading actress on Bewitched. Five Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

6. Mary Tyler Moore

Leading actress on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Four Emmy nominations. Three Emmy wins.

Who will it be?

My Wish: Dustin Pedroia



Finally, someone chose him. Twelve year old Jace Andrews spent the day at Fenway with Dustin Pedroia for his part in ESPN's My Wish campaign. Jace Andrews barely survived the first few days of life. Twelve years later, he gave Dustin Pedroia a box of Wheaties so he'd be able to hit more home runs, Dustin gave Jace a pitch to hit over the Green Monster. It's all above and it's a nice video!

Krusty Krab Comes to Life

The esteemed restaurant from SpongeBob SquarePants, the animated kids television program, is coming to life. The Krusty Krab, owned by Mr. Krabs, employs SpongeBob, Squidward, and Patrick for an episode. Now, an actual restaurant that looks just like it will be made in Palestine and you can actually eat at it. I am definitely placing it on the bucket list. We can all finally learn what a Krabby Patty tastes like! Pictures below.



Looks cool!

Saturday, August 23, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series

After this post, leading actors will be half over. Drama will be nearing its end. But, then again, so will the entirety of The Emmys of All-Time. But never mind! Let's worry about what's here right now. The six official nominees for today's category, as you can see in the title. Only one may be chosen, though!

1. Raymond Burr

Leading actor on Perry Mason. One Emmy nomination. Two Emmy wins.

2. Ron Perlman

Leading actor on Beauty and the Beast. Two Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

3. David Duchovny

Leading actor on The X-Files. Two Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

4. Tony Shalhoub

Leading actor on Monk. Five Emmy nominations. Three Emmy wins.

5. Sam Waterston

Leading actor on Law & Order. Three Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

6. Larry Hagman

Leading actor on Dallas. Two Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy nominations.

Best wishes!

Toy Story That Time Forgot Poster

The first poster for the new Toy Story television special has been released. After the success of the Toy Story Halloween special, Toy Story of Terror, Pixar has created a new special for Christmas. And I'm quite excited for it. This poster has reassured that I should be. This is the group of toys fighting against Reptillus Maximus and his gang of dinosaur toys who don't know they're toys. Should be delightful! The poster looks good.

A Learning Experience with Jason Mraz

In an interview with Ben Tracy from CBS Sunday Morning, Jason Mraz talked about his inspiration for songwriting, specifically The Remedy. He said his carefree music is inspired by a laid-back lifestyle and love for surfing. One quote was quite good from Mraz. "The fact that surfing serves no point, really, I think brings my music a sort of carefree, 'everything is going to be okay,' quality. Because when you're out on the water, that's how you feel." The full interview is here. I thought it was neat.

Friday, August 22, 2014

The Emmys of All-Time: Outstanding Leading Actress in a Drama Series

While you certainly can't have a television show without supporting actors, the lead actors are always considered the heavyweights and for good reason. Just check out the six above! That's craziness! These are the six official nominees and they're six of the best. Choose one if you want to!

1. Angela Lansbury

Leading actress on Murder, She Wrote. Twelve Emmy nominations. Zero Emmy wins.

2. Lindsay Wagner

Leading actress on The Bionic Woman. Zero Emmy nominations. One Emmy win.

3. Gillian Anderson

Leading actress on The X-Files. Three Emmy nominations. One Emmy win.

4. Julianna Margulies

Leading actress on The Good Wife. Three Emmy nominations. One Emmy win.

5. Sharon Gless

Leading actress on Cagney & Lacey. Four Emmy nominations. Two Emmy wins.

6. Tyne Daly

Leading actress on Cagney & Lacey. Two Emmy nominations. Four Emmy wins.

How about that? Thirty-three Emmy nominations between them all. That's insane! Good luck.

Wilfred



"Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them."

- Leo Tolstoy.

And so, another amazing show has come to an end, adding to the many legendary programs I've recapped the end of on this blog. Wilfred's series finale has got to be one of my all-time favorites. Above, is the theme song. When listening to the theme song after the finale, it becomes playful, haunting, and mystical. Which is what the finale (and all of Wilfred) was. The quote was the last intro quote ever used. The series finale was titled Happiness, the same title of the pilot. Although, Wilfred aired the penultimate episode, Resistance, before the finale for a one-hour block. And boy was it amazing.

This was the first scene of Resistance. Wilfred and Ryan sitting on the beach on the couch from the basement. This was also the last scene of Happiness. Let's just get to the recap, though.

Oh, by the way:

*COMPLETE SPOILERS AHEAD*

Ryan lays with Jenna. After all, they had a...passionate embrace in the previous episode after finding out Wilfred (now a three-legged dog) has stage-four lung cancer and is dying. When Ryan told Wilfred about it all, it was one of the best scenes in the show's history. The two are under the deck and here's the conversation.

Wilfred: "Did you do it before or after you found out I was dying?"
Ryan: "...Wilfred..."
Wilfred: "Before...or after?"
Ryan: "After, but it's not what you think. We were really upset about you. Are you mad?"
Wilfred: "Mad? I'm not mad, mate."
Ryan: "I don't understand."
Wilfred: "Don't you see? I lead you to happiness. I am a god..."

Haunting and amazing conversation. So, in the next episode, Ryan lays with Jenna. While on a walk, Jenna insists she doesn't want to try any types of medicine and would rather have Wilfred go in peace. The two then share a heart-to-heart conversation (while Wilfred talks to other dogs) about how Jenna can be herself with Ryan. She says Drew would never respect what she needed when she was sad and would try to make herself feel better. Jenna also remarks that she wore a mask in that relationship, but not with Ryan.

Ryan and Wilfred then head to the basement once again and discuss the painting on the wall that Wilfred never remembered being there. He says it looks like a great place to curb stomp ducks. So, you know. A bit of heart, a bit of a terrible Wilfred-ism. He then makes Ryan believe he's dying after refusing to eat carrots followed by an amusing, "Gotcha." At Ryan's mother's house, Jenna asks about Ryan's baby pictures and Catherine promises she'll dig them up once her and Dr. Cahill unpack. Dr. Cahill then talks about how his three-legged dog has had cancer multiple times and knows of some treatments that could save Wilfred's life. Ryan wants to try the techniques, but Jenna has no interest. She really has no interest in saving Wilfred's life at all because she's awful and selfish.

Wilfred is concerned that Ryan will try too hard to save his life and cause a rift between he and Jenna, making Wilfred's mission of leading him to happiness pointless. Unfortunately, just then, Drew returns to say goodbye to Wilfred, the latter not caring about the former. Drew makes casual conversation and recognizes a squirrel he used to see often. When Ryan offers to let Drew stay on his couch, Wilfred kills the squirrel and puts its head on the couch. This, however, causes Jenna to offer for Drew to stay with her instead. The two are also going to yoga together in the morning. (I also must say, the fact that Drew wore a knee brace because of his broken leg in the second episode of the season is one of the best continuity moments in television history.)

Now Wilfred is completely distraught, believing himself to be a failure and he starts wreaking havoc on the basement, shouting and over-exerting himself. This is arguably the best acted scene in the history of everything, further proving the brilliance of Jason Gann. Collapsing on the floor, Ryan rushes Wilfred to the vet. Here, the doctor tells Ryan, Jenna, and Drew that there is nothing to be done for Wilfred and Ryan decides to stay with him as he is put to sleep.

Ryan then joins Wilfred in a dream sequence. The location is what was depicted in the basement's painting. Regarding his death, Wilfred tells Ryan to have a good cry and move on. Ryan responds by asking if the basement is heaven or not, but he quickly tells himself it is not. Another great Wilfred-ism comes into play here. "Answers are like the missing kids on milk cartons...They'll come when they're ready." Ryan and Wilfred conclude their final meeting by talking about their times together and saying thank you and goodbye all while playing fetch. Ryan throwing the tennis ball to Wilfred, followed by Wilfred catching it and then walking it back is a brilliant touch. Once Ryan goes to throw again, Wilfred says he's done for now and he wants Ryan to keep the ball. Then, we return to the vet's office with one of the most jarring, heart-breaking scenes in the entire run of the show. Just take a look.

Yes. That's how everyone else saw Wilfred. The physical entity of Wilfred has died. Heart-wrenching scene.

Then, we cut to Ryan and Kristen on a bench by the beach and they talk about Wilfred. Kristen says she didn't think he could love another dog as much as he loved Sneakers, so perhaps he could fill the void again, but Wilfred was "special," as Ryan says. They also talk about Jenna and Drew about to sign their divorce papers and how Kristen is happy with her new job at the abortion clinic.

Leaving Kristen, Ryan arrives at Jenna's home where he sees a new dog, Jordy, that Drew bought. Confused, Ryan asks if Jenna really got over Wilfred so quickly, but he learns the two didn't sign the divorce papers and will be getting back together. Here's that exchange.

Jenna: "We couldn't sign the papers, Ryan. This week's been so awful and Drew's been so great."
Ryan: "You told me you needed some time alone so I stayed away. I didn't try to fix you."
Jenna: "I know and I thought that's what I wanted, but-"
Ryan: "I can't believe this."
Jenna: "Drew and I have a history together and most of that history is really good. It just got bad when we came to L.A."
Ryan: "What about the mask? What about being who you really are?"
Jenna: "I overstated that. It's not true."
Ryan: "Yes. It is. I think that's maybe the only true thing you've ever said to me."
Jenna: "I know you're hurt-"
Ryan: "You said you were finally finding yourself with me. Why don't you want that anymore?"
Jenna: "You don't understand."
Ryan: "No. You know what? I think I do. I think I finally get it. I'm in love with a fantasy. That smiley, bubbly persona is just bullshit. You want to run back to Wisconsin and play it safe instead of taking a risk and maybe finding real happiness."
Jenna: "I'm sorry."
Ryan: "Me too. Sorry for you."

FINALLY. He said it. Jenna is a garbage person and Ryan knows he's better than her. Then, Ryan is running on the beach aimlessly as a montage of past scenes from Wilfred plays, culminating in Ryan breaking down, throwing the tennis ball into the ocean, and collapsing in the sand. This leads us into the true finale. Happiness.

Happiness begins the same way the last Happiness, the first episode, did. Ryan is preparing for a suicide attempt as he prints out his final draft of a suicide note. Once again, he watches Jenna from his window, making spiteful comments this time. He adds two bottles of pills to his death smoothie and only takes one sip before his mother, Catherine, knocks at the door. Kristen told her about Ryan's depression with the loss of Wilfred and anger toward Jenna. Ryan once again asks about baby pictures following her comment, "Some people believe animals choose us. They come into our lives when we desperately need them and they help us find our way to happiness. And when they die, they're not really gone. They just move on to someone else." This leads Ryan to believe she knows about The Flock of the Gray Shepherd. Finally, she breaks down and tells him the truth.

Kristen was the reason the relationship between Henry and Catherine deteriorated. This lead Catherine to Charles Smith, the leader of The Flock. They both stayed for three years which allows Ryan to realize his biological father is Charles. Not Henry. She continues to tell him about how Charles would receive revelations about a talking dog God, Mataman (Matt Damon), would lead a Chosen One to happiness. When Ryan was born, he was believed to be the cult's prophet. Then, Charles started to lose it and become really protective of Ryan, causing Catherine to contact Henry who had Charles arrested. Henry adopted Ryan and received full custody after representing Charles' tax evasion case. Catherine finishes by saying Charles died in prison and she leaves, with Ryan forgiving her.

This allows for one last callback to the finale, when Ryan hears Wilfred and turns to see him smoking from the Gatorade bong. He blows it into Ryan's face and says, "Lights out, Ryan." In the next afternoon, Ryan wakes up and they go for a walk where Wilfred reveals that he is Mataman, but it is also learned no one can see Wilfred anymore. Wilfred claims to be in between bodies and his next subject will be someone named Nazeem. Funny opening for another Wilfred show if Jason Gann ever desires. Upon learning about the break-up, Wilfred is determined to find another way to lead Ryan to happiness.

The two go on a long drive and arrive at the Blue Barn, so prominently symbolized throughout the show. Wilfred disappears at this point and Ryan approaches the barn. The owner approaches him with a shotgun, but following a lie, allows Ryan inside to make a "phone call." However, Ryan notices many photographs on the nearby mantle which feature the logo that was on the seal of the envelope he found. There is also a photograph of Ryan with Kristen and Catherine, the first baby picture he's seen of himself. The man sees Ryan and informs him he is Charles Smith.

Ryan connects with Charles over a photo album of pictures from Charles' times at the cult. There are more baby pictures of him, but also some more notable ones.

Like that one. That's Richard, the man who played Mataman in the cult's rituals. Yes. It's the manifestation of Wilfred, as well. Charles describes him as a "prick who always told people how to live their lives." The dream neighbor from season one is also pictured alongside the two people from Ryan's trip from season two, The Man in the Dark Room and The Native American Spiritual Guide. Bruce is also in one of the pictures and Charles reveals he is actually Shane. Shane played the evil trickster dog God, Krungel, in the rituals, just like Bruce said to Ryan. He was also the one who blackmailed Henry for thirty years, constantly threatening to tell Ryan about Charles. That old man who told Ryan he was "crazier than his mother," was elderly Shane. Charles finishes by telling Ryan how Henry was such a good man who even let him see Ryan one last time. Upon learning of Henry's death, Charles talks about how he had saved both his and Catherine's life. Now, the only crazy thing he does is talk to his dog. But the dog doesn't talk back. Then, as Ryan leaves, we hear Charles' last words to Ryan over the scene.

"There is no Chosen One. There's no dog God. I just made all that up. All just the insane creation of a very sick mind."

Then, we're thrust back into Ryan's psyche as we see a flashback of multiple, notable scenes throughout the show as they truly were. Ryan shocking himself with the shock collar and Wilfred, the dog, just sits there watching. Everything Ryan's done with Wilfred hasn't really happened. At least, not for Wilfred. Take a look at this:

So it's confirmed. Ryan is absolutely insane. But no sooner does he realize this, then Ryan sees Wilfred again. What follows are multiple scenes of Wilfred trying to get Ryan's attention, but it's all kind of heartbreaking. Eventually, Ryan sees Wilfred on a rooftop and Ryan thinks hard about Wilfred's non-existence. Wilfred fades away. He's not real.

Now, once again, Ryan and Kristen are sitting on the bench by the beach and Ryan tells her how glad he is that she's happy and she wishes the same for him. Kristen tells Ryan she's glad she has such a supportive brother to help her through some things and asks what would make Ryan happy. He sees Wilfred standing in the distance and realizes that's how he can be truly happy. Running after him, Wilfred disappears and Ryan goes home to search for him.

"I miss you, Wilfred. Without you, my life is so ordinary and flat and dull. I need to know that you're still here."

When Ryan opens his eyes again, Wilfred is sitting on the couch next to him and Ryan is thrilled. Ryan tells Wilfred he wants him back, but things can't be as crazy as they were before, to which Wilfred agrees to lay low every once in a while. Upon going to grab a coat, Ryan looks at the door to the basement and opens it to learn if it's real or not. And obviously it's just a closet as we've known many hints of that throughout the series, but there's ambiguity there for those who want it.

Now, we return to this.

Ryan and Wilfred are on the beach with the couch from the basement. And here is their final conversation.

Ryan: "So where do you go when you're not around?"
Wilfred: "I just hang out in your head. You know, sometimes, I'll check out your hippocampus, see what I can find. For example, I just came across that incident when you walked in on your Uncle Larry. Yikes."
Ryan: "What incident?"
Wilfred: "You know, when you were six, and you walked in and he turned around, but it was too late because he was already there."
Ryan: "Already where?"
Wilfred: "There...Oh...Shit. You repressed that. My bad. Whoops."
Ryan: "Wait, what are you talking about?"
Wilfred: "Oh, nothing I just made all that up."
Ryan: "Oh, God."
Wilfred: "Sorry, mate. Can't put that one back where I found it."
Ryan: "Ugh...So, my iPod wasn't stolen?"
Wilfred: "Nope. Nope. You just set it down on the men's room counter at The Bungalow when you were washing your hands and you just forgot about it."
Ryan: "I just left it there? I don't remember doing that."
Wilfred: "You may not remember, but that's what happened. Trust me. It's all in there."
Ryan: "Huh...Who did I loan my Polanski box set to?"
Wilfred: "Jamie Fowler."
Ryan: "Jamie Fowler! Of course...What's that?"
Wilfred: "I think that's a question you can answer for yourself."

Then, we see Ryan walk down to the shore and pick up the tennis ball, which has returned. He picks it up, smiles, and looks back at Wilfred, all while this song plays.



And that's the end of the series.

And, man, what an ending it was. Some people might be disappointed by the "simple" ending of how it was all just in Ryan's head, but it was far from simple. Not only was it logical, but all loose ends were tied up! Completely. We learned that Wilfred, the manifestation, is in Ryan's head, yes, but it's also what brings him his happiness. And it's not Ryan accepting his insanity, but moving past it. He's getting better and healing, that's why he can now control Wilfred, but there's nothing wrong with having a friend to go through it with, and that friend is Wilfred, who makes Ryan happy. Truly happy. And that's not the ending I hoped for or the ending I expected. To be honest, I don't know what I hoped for, but that ending. That ending is the one I needed, wanted, and loved. It was amazing and perfect.

Just like the show.

Thank you, Wilfred.

"Happiness and sanity are an impossible combination."

- Mark Twain