Buying TV Show DVDs

When at Best Buy last weekend, I was looking at various TV seasons trying to decide which one I wanted for my birthday. They have basically any TV show you can think of. Yes, they can be quite expensive, especially considering some of them have very few episodes in a single season, but they are so worth it in the end. If you are a TV junkie like me, you like to watch your favorite episodes of your favorite shows over and over again. When shows aren’t in syndication or are just not on the air anymore, it is more convenient to buy the individual seasons. Plus, you get a ton of extras. Most TV season DVDs contain fun extras such as gag reels, commentary, cast interviews, deleted or extended scenes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes. The best parts, in my opinion, are gag reels and commentary. Not only do you get to see the making of episodes, but you also get great insight into what it was like shooting certain scenes and how the actors really are off camera.

When looking among the DVDs, there was also a whole entire section for shows that are not on the air anymore and have released their entire series on DVD. These sets are quite a bargain for all that you are getting. Plus, you have the pleasure of having the entire collection of “old” favorites in your own home. I saw shows like “Freaks and Geeks”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Angel”, “Little House on the Prairie”, “Friends”, and “Full House”. Those are just to name a few of the many complete series that fans can now buy. These sets may seem like they are quite expensive, but if you add up how much each individual season costs and then factor in the nice packaging it comes in the countless extras, it is worth it. For example, when I considered buying the “Angel” series, it cost $120 for the whole set compared to $190 when buying each individual season.

So check out local stores to see if your favorite past TV shows have their complete series on DVD. You will be glad that you did!

"So You Think You Can Dance" Top 20

On Tuesday night, “So You Think You can Dance” began its real competition as the Top 20 were broken up into 10 couples. For those people who have watched SYTYCD in the past, it is usually as summer show, each couple is taught a dance by choreographers on many different styles of dance. They usually pick the style of dance out of a hat each week. The dance styles that were featured on the show this week were hip-hop, smooth waltz, Broadway, cha cha, contemporary, disco, jive, and foxtrot.
The thing about the contestants on SYTYCD is that they can actually dance and they are extremely good. Each person has their own different style and is great to see them dancing out of their comfort zone. It was really great to have the show back earlier than expected. The Top 20 show really delivered.
Some of the performances were a little lackluster and lacking chemistry between the couples, but that can be worked on throughout the weeks. The show started out with a Jive routine performed by Channing and Peter. It was definitely not my favorite dance of the night. They definitely lacked that chemistry and definitely could have made their dance moves sharper. Also, the hip-hop performance performed by Ariana and Peter also lacked chemistry and performance. The choreography was great, but the actually dancing was not so much.
My favorite performances of the night had to be the contemporary routine choreographed by Travis Wall, who choreographed my favorite routine from last season, and a hip-hop routine. The contemporary routine had the dancers, Victor and Bianca, in character. Victor was treating Bianca like she was invisible to him and brushing her off. The emotion was definitely there and it was a beautiful piece. The hip hop routine was unique and fun. Dancers Kathryn and Legacy played the roles of cave people who hear music for the first time. They begin doing hip hop moves and it was if their bodies were taken over by the music. They hit all the moves and they portrayed the characters so well. Unfortunately they also had to kick two people off: Ariana and Brandon. It is unfortunate that two people had to go already.
SYTYCD is a fun show to watch. If you are going to watch any dancing show, it should be this one. SYTYCD currently airs on Tuesdays on Fox with the results show on Wednesdays.

Flashbacks in "Bones" 100th Episode

A show reaching its 100th episode is such a big milestone that it has to be celebrated in the best way possible. I have seen some pretty great 100th episodes and it seems that most shows go all out when it comes to this particular episode. In early 2010, "Bones" will be celebrating its 100th episode and will be providing flashbacks that fans have been dying to see. A lot of "Bones" fans have probably wondered how Angela Montenegro, facial reconstruction extraordinaire came to be friends with forensic anthropologist, Temperance "Bones" Brennan. Apparently their meeting will be shown in the 100th episode, which is just extremely exciting.

Also on the menu for the 100th episode is a flashback to the first case that Booth and Brennan ever worked together. Many references have been made to this case within the show. Apparently the case went very bad, causing them to hate each other and vowing never to work with each other again. In the pilot episode of the series, Brennan has just returned from Guatemala after that first case and bickers with Booth the whole episode about working cases with him. It will be really interesting to see them completely hate each other when now their characters are on the verge of being in a romantic relationship. David Boreanez and Emily Deschanel always play off of each other so well, that they should be able to make this fantastic.

This episode does raise a lot of questions though. Is it going to be all flashbacks? If it is, we will lose beloved characters such as Cam, Sweets, and the Jeffersonian interns. However, I guess it does bring the possibility of bringing back fan favorite, Zack Addy (Eric Millegan) and even possibly Dr. Goodman (Jonathan Adams), the boss of the "squints" in season one. Also, the characters have gone through some physical changes since then. Are they going to bring back Angela's bangs or Hodgin's afro? I guess we will have to see what they come up with. For now, I am very excited and can not wait for this episode to air.

“Bones” currently airs on Fox on Thursdays at 8/7 central.

Photo: tv.yahoo.com

How to Survive the "Fall" Hiatus

Every October, TV fans have to deal with the some of their favorite FOX shows going on hiatus. This is also the time where other TV shows on other networks will take a week break to catch up with filming or to set up the episodes for November sweeps or the upcoming holiday season. No matter what the reason, fans may feel a little lost when they realize their show is a repeat.

There are several ways to keep yourself busy and not go crazy with the anticipation for the next episode of your favorite show.

1) Fans can watch past seasons of the show. If you have the seasons on DVD, maybe have a mini-marathon to relive great moments that the show has had. Fans can also check out clips or go to the TV network's website or sites like HULU to watch episodes of the current season. Either way, fans will be kept busy and excited for the next episode.

2) Check out message boards on various sites such as the network website and places like FanForum. These are great places to talk to fellow fans and discuss favorite episodes or characters. Even episode discussion of the current episodes and speculation about upcoming episodes can also be fun. Fans on the boards also usually post pictures or news items that everyone can discuss.

3) Fans can check out fan videos that have been uploaded to YouTube or read Fanfiction. If you go on YouTube and search your favorite show in general or maybe a favorite couple, you can probably find a ton of fan-made videos. There are a lot of good ones out there that are very creative and enjoyable to watch. Fanfiction also allows you to immerse yourself in the world of your favorite TV characters. There are so many different settings and character pairings that a person could never get bored.

4) Keep checking TV blogs for up-to-date information on your favorite shows

It can be hard waiting for your favorite show to come back from a break. By trying some of the provided suggestions, maybe the wait won't be so bad. And, the wait will probably be worth it.

Joss Whedon Directing "Glee" Episode

Yesterday it was reported that the very talented Joss Whedon will be directing an upcoming episode of “Glee”. He will be directing one of the back nine episodes or remaining season one episodes. Joss Whedon is the creator of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Firefly”, “Angel”, and more recently “Dollhouse”. He has written and directed many episodes of each of these series. Whedon has also written for other shows and screenplays such as, “Toy Story”. He also has directed the popular musical episode of “Buffy”, “Once More, With Feeling” as well as the internet sensation “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” starring Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day, and Nathan Fillion. Both of these episodes are brilliant in my opinion which makes him a good choice in directing an episode of “Glee”.

Whedon is such a talented guy that there is no doubt that the episode he directs will be great. Hopefully, he will bring something great to the table and maybe even a guest star. It would be amazing if he did, but that it only wishful thinking.

“Glee” follows a teacher, Will Schuester, who starts up the glee club again at the high school he works at. He recruits students from all different cliques to come together and win sectionals. The coach of the Cheerios cheerleading squad, Sue Sylvester, tries to sabotage the glee club by having some of her Cheerios join glee club and spy for her. It is definitely a must-watch show with fantastic music and great guest-stars, including Kristin Chenoweth of “Wicked” and “Pushing Daisies”. Here is to hoping Whedon directs a great episode, which I am sure he will.

Look for the Whedon-directed episode in the spring TV season. Also, watch the latest episodes of “Glee” on www.fox.com or www.hulu.com and download the songs from each episode on iTunes!

Picture: www.choralnet.org

Why Thursday Night TV is Great

In my honest opinion, Thursday night is the best prime-time TV night during the week. It offers so many good shows for people to check out. Each network has at least one really popular show that airs on Thursday nights.

Here is a breakdown of what each network has to offer viewers:

NBC:

Community - It is the latest half-hour comedy to hit NBC. It joins a time-slot that popular shows like "Friends" once filled. It is a solid show. Every episode is filled with great jokes, the cast is great and work with each other well. Besides, Joel McHale is just awesome and you can never get enough of the "Ryan Seacrest" jokes.

Park and Recreation - Another half-hour comedy on NBC. I have never watched an episode, but I suppose it is pretty good.

The Office - A genius show. It never fails to make me laugh.

30 Rock - Another genuinely funny show. I mean, c'mon, did you see how many Emmy's it was up for?

CBS:

Survivor - Classic reality show.

CSI - Doesn't everybody at least love one forensics show?

The Mentalist - From what I hear, this show is worth checking out.

ABC

FlashForward - It is said to be one of the best new shows of the fall season.

Grey's Anatomy - It is still very popular for a reason.

Private Practice - Nevr watched it, but people should check it out.

Fox

Bones - It is seriously a great show. Great chemistry between the cast and interesting cases.

Fringe - I have never watched it, but I hear it is pretty interesting.

The CW

The Vampire Diaries - A fun and exciting show. It has a great story and gets kind of intense.

Supernatural - Fans love this show. It needs to get more recognition so start watching!

I mean, Thursday nights have so much to offer. There are so many fantastic shows that have gotten great reviews from fans and critics. It is easily one of the most exciting nights in television. SO, get those DVRs set and start watching some Thursday night TV.

The Era of the Vampire

Stories about vampires have been written for long time, such as Bram Stoker's "Dracula", Anne Rice's "The Interview with the Vampire", and more recently "The Vampire Diaries" and "Twilight" series. It is not hard to fall in love with these stories because they take us to another world. But this vampire obsession is starting to get out of hand. Before "Twilight", people read these stories and watched TV series and movies about vampires, but they were never quite as big as they were now. I mean, can you imagine series such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" coming on TV now? They were very popular when they were on, but I think they would have a whole new group of fans who would watch just due to the vampire craze. Nowadays, we have so many different vampire book series and now we have those series being turned into TV shows. Look at “True Blood”. People became obsessed with it. Its ratings kept increasing and caused more and more people to call their local cable company to get HBO just so they could watch it. More recently, “The Vampire Diaries” premiered on the CW Network. It is also based on a book series by L.J. Smith. It is getting great ratings considering that it is on the much-neglected CW. I think people hear “vampire” nowadays and have to check it out.

A couple weeks ago, I was searching on iTunes and found a link to a preview of a new web series called “I Kissed a Vampire”. It is a rock musical starring Lucas Grabeel from “High School Musical”, Drew Seeley from “Another Cinderella Story”, and newcomer Adrian Slade. From what I have seen in the preview, it will probably be popular among tween and teenage girls. The songs are definitely “pop” and the acting looked pretty bad, but if it looks like something you might enjoy, check it out.

In my opinion, there definitely better vampire stories and series out there. Here are a few suggestions:
1) Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris (“True Blood” is based off of)
2) “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” (both are excellent)
3) “True Blood”
4) “The Vampire Diaries” (both the book series and TV series)
5) “Twilight” series (It’s not for everyone, but check it out!)
6) Anne Rice novels
7) Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”

Jim and Pam Tie the Knot....Finally!!!

Many fans of "The Office" have been doing a lot of waiting when it come to Jim and Pam. For three whole seasons, there was innocent flirting and unrequited love. It was heartbreaking at times, but also very cute. Jim and Pam were always friends, especially since Pam was engaged to someone else. They were best friends and thought that was all they ever could be, even though there was always a "spark" between them. They have had their ups and downs from Jim getting shot down by Pam to Jim transferring to another office to Pam finally realizing her feelings when Jim has a new girlfriend. Fans waited and waited till finally at the end of the third season, Jim asked Pam out and then found out in the fourth season that they had been dating since then. For the past two years we have gotten to see them in a loving relationship. They got engaged, found out Pam is pregnant, and more recently, married. As a long time fan of this couple, I could not be more excited that one of my favorite TV show couples finally made it official.

Of couse, since it is "The Office", Jim and Pam just could not have their perfect wedding. First off, everyone in the office was given off just to go to the wedding, which was in Niagra Falls. Having the whole staff there just spells disaster. You just expect that crazy things will happen. When everyone arrives in Niagra, they are on strict orders not to mention Pam's pregnancy because her grandmother is old-fashioned. Of course, by this point, a viewer may be expecting someone like Michael Scott to spill the beans. However, it is Jim who tells. During his toast at the rehearsal, which was probably one of the most adorable speeches ever, Jim asks everyone to raise their glass, except Pam for obvious reasons. Hilarity ensues when Jim tries to fix his mistake and Michael jumps in and makes things so much worse. Another highlight was the dance party that Andy had in his room with all the people from the office. He rips his scrotum trying to do the splits and Pam has to take him to the hospital in the middle of the night.

The best part of the whole episode had to be the ending, though. Not only was it sweet and the moment that Jim and Pam fans have been waiting for, but it funny as well. Pam freaks out because she ripped her veil, which prompts Jim to cut his tie. They decide to run off and get away from the big wedding and all the craziness. They come back about an hour later and the wedding party and office staff dance down the aisle to Chris Brown's "Forever". It pays homage to the popular YouTube video which you can watch here. Jim and Pam don't mind, which is surprising. Turns out they ran off and got married on the "Maid of the Mist" by the captain. It gave us some sweet moments between the two of them. It was a great episode that every fan of "The Office" should definitely watch. If you would like to watch the episode, check it it out here: "The Office" -Niagra

Photo: Just Jared

"Community"

“Community” is a new show on NBC. I am a little late in reviewing it, but I have been a little busy. “Community” was one of the most anticipated shows of the fall season. It stars Joel McHale as a lawyer named Jeff Winger who has to go to community college because his original bachelor’s degree was not legitimate. The first scene finds Jeff at a community college. He convinces a professor, a friend of his, to help him get through college because as he says, “If I wanted to learn, I wouldn’t have gone to community college. Jeff tells him he wants all the answers to the tests he has to take. Jeff is also interested in this girl in his Spanish class named Britta (Gillian Jacobs), who does not seem as interested in him. He offers to help tutor her in Spanish by saying he is a Board Certified Tutor in order to get colder to her. However, when he meets her, turns out more people were invited to this tutoring group. Jeff seems like he can make everything go the way he wants it to and can lie his way out of sticky situations. I mean, he lied his way into a career as a lawyer. One of the guys, Abed, compares them to “The Breakfast Club”, which kid of makes sense. These are people of different ages coming together.

Jeff runs into trouble, though, when everyone shows up to his tutoring special expecting him to tutor them in Spanish. The people in the group start arguing because of the differences among them. Jeff gives them a speech on how they should accept each other for who they are and create emotional bonds with each other. However, he completely made it up and he is called out on it and asked to leave. Later, they say the group isn’t the same without him.

I thought the first episode was good, it did not blow me away, but I think I will keep watching it. The episode was much better and funnier the second time around. It will be interesting to see Chevy Chase in this kind of role. He is a very talented comedian and it will be interesting to see how he is in the role. All the characters are very likable, especially Abed, who seems to be clueless about most things. And Joel McHale is a very funny guy, who people should check out on “The Soup” as well. Check out “Community” because it is a show that I think will get better over time and has the potential to succeed.