Radiation by Fiona Rae

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Radiation: Television hell

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  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Here is the Boosh tundra rap, where Howard Moon proves his point in song format. It is cooler than ice.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    Unfortunately, real life, in other words, my job, keeps getting in the way of blogging

    What is this thing you call real life?? It sounds interesting. Tell me more Human!

    I kind of like that even if the blog posts are a bit late, the telly fiends among us can fill in the gaps with our own picks.

    That's what I found so fascinating about this one, when I first logged in. It seemed so minimalist! I'm seriously waiting for Fiona to one day blog "Some good stuff on telly this week" and leave it at that. I bet that would garner the most comments ever (we don't need much prodding)!

    I'm looking forward to getting round to watching Sex Inspectors. I used to love some lame British 'sex advice' show that Graeme Norton got his start on a few (many) years back. (Too lazy to google the title).

    As for that 'Why A Woman Can't Be President' skit on The Daily Show the other night -- yeah it was really funny but I also couldn't help wishing she'd asked the black female republican pundit (who was explaining why a female wasn't tough enough to run the country) "so what's your view on Reagan's best bud, Maragaret Thatcher?"

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Nick Howells,

    Also, Vince Noir is so hot.

    Is this due to his hair?

    I also like this show, particularly the bits about music. The debate on the comparative merits of Jazz and Electro was brilliant.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 20 posts Report Reply

  • Fiona Rae,

    Posted some links for Thursday and Friday. I am your slave!

    Point Chevalier • Since Nov 2006 • 34 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    __Also, Vince Noir is so hot.__

    Is this due to his hair?

    Ya, it's the hair. But watch out - he can use his straighteners as a weapon.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    I have loved Dead Like Me - and I liked the way at the end of last night's two hour finale, that her last words were ".......dead like me." Brilliant. I liked the way they built up the tension around the thing that burst out of Ray, only for George to completely destroy it by "reaping" it. Oh, I could go on and on and on. Not watching the Tudors. When you've seen what I think is the "original" with Genevieve Bujold and Richard Burton - even though it was really only about Anne Boleyn, but let's face it, she was the most interesting of the wives what with her six fingers on each hand, and all - and loved the way that Ray Winstone portrayed Henry VIII, well, I just couldn't get into this version.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Brilliant. I liked the way they built up the tension around the thing that burst out of Ray, only for George to completely destroy it by "reaping" it

    Iif Dead Like Me had gone to a third season, apparently that was going to have some serious consequences for everyone. In this show, the afterlife may well be a ramshackle bureaucracy but there are some things you don't do - and Reapers creating then wiping out Gravelings isn't among them. Oh, and remember that weird kid who reaps household pets? Apparently he was going to be around more - and making life interesting for the whole Lass clan.

    Any how, will be interesting to see if __Pushing Dasies__ will finally change DLM creator Bryan Fuller from a death cult to a major religion. The Barry Sonnenfeld pilot has been garnering some serious buzz (even the promos are eye-poppingly luscious), but it also apparently went seriously over-schedule and over-budget.

    and loved the way that Ray Winstone portrayed Henry VIII,

    Henry the Football Hooligan? Love it too, and probably a wee bit closer to the reality. And Helena Bonham Carter was a hoot as Anne Boleyn - when you and your sister are (virtually) being pimped by your own father to a rampant man-slut you can't blame a woman for being a teeny bit high-strung.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Markboy,

    Have just discovered this blog, and given that the last one I read actually name-dropped Jane Espenson, and didn't feel the need to actually qualify that by explaining who she is, I feel I may have found my spiritual home.

    I seem to have been the only one who found the Samantha Bee sketch on The Daily Show just not as funny as some of Jon's other work. I don't know what it was, I often find SB to be trying just a little too hard, whereas John Oliver, Aasif Mandvi and Larry Wilmore just hit the spot for mine... (Does anyone else have serious Family-Guy-Ollie-Williams-"It-gonna-rain" flashbacks every time Larry is introduced?)

    Auckland • Since Sep 2007 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    I often find SB to be trying just a little too hard, whereas John Oliver, Aasif Mandvi and Larry Wilmore just hit the spot for mine..

    I love that Larry Wilmore gets introduced as 'Senior Black Correspondent', but it's Jason Jones's asshattery that I love the most, along with far-too-infrequent Dimitri Martin.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    I like Samantha Bee. She does a great line in fake self-importance. I think I actually find her funnier than the studio audience does, a lot of the time - something about her line readings that doesn't quite carry over? Not sure.

    They've both gone on to greater things, of course, but Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert were pretty consistently great as Daily Show correspondents. (Which reminds me, I haven't done my semi-regular whine about not seeing The Colbert Report recently...)

    I think Demitri Martin is in an episode of the Conchords. When worlds collide!

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    Did anyone catch Stephen Fry's doco last night? Really thoughtful, and revealing commentary on manic depression.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I saw it Jackie. It was very good, and also incredibly personal - not just from him, but from other people who told their stories. It kinda finished very abruptly - is there more, or just harsh editing?

    I was amazed at the cocktail of drugs that these people were on. Seriously, at 13 year old kid on what looked like 7 or 8 different drugs, totalling up to about 100 pills a week. With American doctors diagnosing kids as bipolar as young as 3! That can't be good.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    It kinda finished very abruptly - is there more?

    There is!

    The second part of the doco is 11:25 next Sunday night.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • peter mclennan,

    re Welcome to Paradise - this is from the NZH feature on the show...

    "Ironically, one of the most pertinent criticisms levelled at Kiwi comedy came from the Conchords' Jemaine Clement.

    Talking about their failed attempt to make a sitcom in New Zealand (TVNZ turned them down before HBO snapped them up), he said networks should look to the live scene, rather than trying to create something based on shows from Britain or the US.

    He also pointed out that the world's most successful sitcoms - Seinfeld, The Office, Little Britain - put established stand-ups on screen.Gibson isn't keen to dissect the comedy rules, Melody included. He's confident in his young cast, despite most being comedy novices. The actors went through an extensive workshopping period to help them find the humour in their characters. "

    Yet again, TV overlooks the thriving local stand-up comedy scene for a bunch of actors with no sense of timing, or delivering a punchline... sheesh!

    BUT loving seeing Its Always Sunny again. Can't wait for series 2 where Danny De Vito joins the cast

    AK Central • Since Nov 2006 • 159 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    BUT loving seeing Its Always Sunny... again. Can't wait for series 2 where Danny De Vito joins the cast

    OMIGOD!

    I wet myself watching this clip on Utoob. (nb on the comment "what the fuck is fred savage doing here?") This clip explained (to me) why FOTC was able to find an audience in America.

    DANNY DeVITO SEX TAPE

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • David Cormack,

    Ok having watched both Paradise Lost and Conchords last night, I have a question for the Prime TV schedulers, do they not think they might have the shows in the wrong order? Shouldn't you lead in with your good show.

    Because Christ, that Paradise show is so so so bad as to be awesome.

    Suburbia, Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • David Cormack,

    *Paradise* not Paradise Lost.


    Freudian.

    Suburbia, Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 218 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    He also pointed out that the world's most successful sitcoms - Seinfeld, The Office, Little Britain - put established stand-ups on screen.

    That's true up to a point, but I'd also note for every Seinfeld and Gervais there's some fraking awful sit-coms based around stand-ups who haven't got their heads around that stand-up and a scripted sit-com aren't identical.

    I recently read the autobiography of David Nobbs - and like most good comedy writers, he's candid to a fault that on the way to The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin there was a lot of hackwork, stuff he's proud of that never found an audience for various reasons, and flat out crap that was about as amusing as a battery acid douche. The US and Uk occasionally throw up a gem, I'd suggest, only because there's a lot of people who've learned their craft on shows that (deservedly, for the most part) are gathering dust.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    And we haven't even had Season 4 yet...

    And won't be getting 3 on DVD :-(

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    That's true up to a point, but I'd also note for every Seinfeld and Gervais there's some fraking awful sit-coms based around stand-ups who haven't got their heads around that stand-up and a scripted sit-com aren't identical.

    I agree, and would also suggest that sitcoms, whether based on standup or not, fail because the creators reject originality (ie risk) over some tried & true format.

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    I wet myself watching this clip on Utoob. (nb on the comment "what the fuck is fred savage doing here?") This clip explained (to me) why FOTC was able to find an audience in America.

    That's some sick shit. But funny. Which leads me to the conclusion that the theory that there are two Americas is entirely correct.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Venetia King,

    Ok having watched both Paradise Lost and Conchords last night, I have a question for the Prime TV schedulers, do they not think they might have the shows in the wrong order? Shouldn't you lead in with your good show.

    I second that emotion. Can't see anything about FOTC that makes it deserving of a 10pm timeslot. Nor about Welcome to Paradise that says it deserves to be on before 11!

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 117 posts Report Reply

  • Venetia King,

    Hmmm. If hitting "Preview" posts my comment, does that mean Preview is broken, or that my work browser has something switched off that Preview needs?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 117 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    I have a question for the Prime TV schedulers, do they not think they might have the shows in the wrong order? Shouldn't you lead in with your good show.

    Yeah, but that's not a 'lead' timeslot. Prime are probably scared that if they show FOTC first and then Paradise then people will switch off (or over) after FOTC and not stick around for Letterman.

    D'oh! I forgot about Dog The Bounty Hunter!! Forget what I said and just record the damn show and watch when it suits!

    I can't belive in this day and age that people still sit passively in their seats watching a show and then watching what comes next anyway ... you are a dying breed and the networks love you.

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

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