Grimm First Episode

Last night, I gave in and started watching one of the newest TV shows airing today: Grimm. With The Walking Dead being as dragging as it is – I haven’t seen the latest episode, and I don’t particularly feel the desire to do so – it is about time for TV show junkies to cast their nets for other fish. The Big Bang Theory seems to be going down the drain as well, giving us more reason to find other things to occupy our idle moments.

Thank goodness for Grimm.

I have been hearing about this TV show in the past month, but I didn’t really know anything about it except for the fact that it is related somehow to the Brothers Grimm, known best for their collection of folklore and fairy tales “Grimm’s Fairy Tales”. If the term fairy tale is turning you off right now, please hear me out. Grimm is more than your usual fairy tale with a sloppy ending. It is more than the usual beginning of “Once upon a time…” and the usual ending of “And they lived happily ever after”. Grimm takes fairy tales to a whole new level, and brings to life creatures that were only once part of our childhood bedtime stories.

Think Little Red Riding Hood. This time around, she may be your girl in college taking a jog in the park. Think Goldilocks, except that she may not be the pretty innocent girl looking for her place in this world.

The premise of Grimm is that creatures from folklore are real, and they live amongst us. They do, however, have the ability to transform themselves so that they look like ordinary human beings. Only a special group of people called the Grimms have the ability to see them for what they are. And just to make things more realistic, the creatures of fantasy cannot be placed in a box, that is, they are not all bad, nor are they all good. The task of the Grimms is to find the bad and weed them out from the good.

The TV show provides a good mix of fantasy elements and realism. It also gives you more than your fair share of suspense, not to mention the action. I have only seen the first two episodes, and the fourth one is due to be aired this Friday. I suggest that you give it a shot. I bet you’ll be hooked just like I am now.

Hannah (Lilli Birdsell) and director Greg Nicotero - The Walking Dead Webisodes

Man, it seems like we’ve been waiting forever for the second season of The Walking Dead. The series finally returns on Sunday, October 16th, but in the meantime, AMC has cooked up a little morsel to ease the pain of waiting.

AMC is launching a series of The Walking Dead webisodes that fill in the backstory of one memorable character from the pilot. Over the course of six episodes, fans will learn about the “Bicycle Girl,” the fan-favorite zombie missing its legs and lower body that Rick Grimes (actor Andrew Lincoln) stumbled across on his front lawn.

Bicycle Girl’s name, before she became a “walker,” was Hannah, and the webisodes will show us her life pre-apocalypse, her struggle to survive after the world falls apart, and her finally being bitten and becoming a zombie. The series is written by John Esposito and produced by series co-executive producer Greg Nicotero.

The Walking Dead webisodes will all be posted online together, on October 3rd at 2:pm EST, at amctv.com.

Photo courtesy of “Generate” and AMC.

Can you believe Star Wars: The Clone Wars is about to enter its fourth season? After a shaky start in its first season, I was ready to write the whole thing off as silly kiddy junk. But then a remarkable and wholly unexpected thing happened: it started taking chances, and got good.

Based on this 2-minute trailer just released today, Season 4 is going to be the show’s biggest, baddest volume yet. Looks like the war is getting bigger all the time, while Anakin is taking his first real steps on his path toward the dark side. Early episodes will deal with an invasion on the Mon Calamari homeworld, where Return of the Jedi‘s Admiral Ackbar (it’s a trap!) hailed from, providing our first-ever look at this aquatic planet. The trailer also shows off some intriguing new aliens, the return of some dangerous old enemies, tons of cool, enormous new locations, and even a look at slavery. The show’s animation looks more lush than ever, and methinks I see stronger contrast and more cinematic lighting among these shots.

Did you know that every season of the show except the first one has had a subtitle that highlights the story arc for that year? Season 2 was Rise of the Bounty Hunters, and Season 3 was Secrets Revealed. Season 4, which premieres on Cartoon Network with a one-hour episode on Friday night, September 16th, is subtitled Battle Lines.

I remember that when Star Wars: The Clone Wars was being developed, the plan was to do five seasons that would connect the strands of the second and third films, with an end total of around 100 episodes. In story time, the Clone Wars lasted just 2 years, so five seasons is plenty of time to fill in that gap. But I haven’t heard that plan reiterated in a long while, so I wonder if it’s still the case, or if CN and Lucasfilm have revised that plan. The show can’t be believably sustained forever, after all.

I think that’s exactly how the site Winter Is Coming, Bitches came about. It’s obvious where the site’s name comes from, and you have to be pretty straight laced not to be able to laugh at the whole thing. As I said, I love Ned Stark, but his steadfastness does make you want to bang your head on the wall sometimes! And that is what this hilarious site plays on – just how Ned Stark values honor so much that he ends up looking and acting stupid.

SPOILER ALERT

Remember the scene where Cat goes to King’s Landing to find out who owns the dagger that was used by the assassin to try to kill Bran while he was in a coma? Little Finger waylays her and brings Ned to his quarters in a brothel. He says explicitly not to trust him, but what does Ned do? This image says it all.

I can’t blame him, though. Cat trusts Little Finger. Ned trusts Cat. End of the story.

Remember when Arya’s direwolf bites Joffrey to defend her mistress? Arya manages to get Nymeria to run away so that she won’t suffer from the wrath of the Prince and the Queen. However, Cersei is out for blood, so she goes after Sansa’s direwolf instead. While King Robert agrees with the Queen that night, he probably would have changed his mind the next day. Ned, however, was bound by his honor so he killed Sansa’s direwolf himself.

They’re funny quips about un-funny incidents. Ned Stark is honorable to a fault – that’s why he dies. (I warned you about spoilers!) For some of us mere mortals who are not as honorable, making fun of his “stupidity” makes him a little less awe-inspiring.

More of this silly amusing meme from the link below – if you can handle the humor.

I find it sad that children and teens of today mostly have no clue as to who MacGyver is. Or if they do, they don’t really grasp just how amazing that unassuming guy was and what he stood for.

The good news is that there are still people left in this world who know very well just who MacGyver is, and they embarked on a project that will help you relive those glory days – maybe even introduce them to the younger generation.

Enter MacRecipes. Never mind that it may remind you of mac and cheese, or even something related to the magical devices also known as iPads. This site will give you hours and hours of nostalgic moments, and hours and hours of your own be-like-MacGvyer time.

Need to know how to make fake blood? You’ll find it in Recipe 199, which is taken from Episode 66. Going on a desert trip and want to make sure you can find electrical power in case of an emergency? Check out Recipe 90. All of these recipes are labeled by episode, and you even get a short summary. (You’ll definitely yearn for the TV series again.)

Not all the recipes have clear instructions – that’s the only disappointing thing, but then again, maybe that’s where your inner MacGyver has to come into the picture. After all, he would want you to figure out some things for yourself!

That godawful-sounding Wonder Woman TV show that NBC was considering? You know, the one from David E. Kelley starring the talented Adrianne Palicki in the world’s worst superhero costume?

Not happening.

Kelley had crafted a somewhat new take on the Amazon princess that saw her living in L.A. as a corporate CEO by day and vigilante by night. The Hollywood Reporter says that the pilot had “the most buzz of any pilot this season,” but that unfortunately the buzz was all negative. The final nail in the coffin was a disastrous screening of the pilot for a test audience that hated what they saw.

Aside from Palicki, Wonder Woman also starred Cary Elwes, Tracie Thoms, and Elizabeth Hurley. Wonder if it will ever see the light of day, perhaps leaked online in some form…?

In far more disappointing news, NBC has also passed on Ron Moore’s promising 17th Precinct, about a police station set in a world ruled by magic instead of science. The series would have starred several of his Battlestar Galactica alumni, including Jamie Bamber, James Callis, and Tricia Helfer.

Before I got to watch the pilot, though, I had the pleasure – or displeasure – of reading a review at The New York Times. I have to be honest and say that I am already biased. I have been following the production of the series and Mr. Martin’s involvement in the production – he is a co-producer – has made me believe in the the show even before I had seen it. Needless to say, that NYT review tore me up.

Two reasons, really. One, what was supposed to be a review of a TV series pilot turned out to be a highlighting of the perverseness of the show (which is an arguable point) and a question of HBO’s selection. Two, the reviewer cannot distinguish between a dwarf and a person who suffers from dwarfism. (I won’t dare insult any of you by explaining the difference.) Here’s a snippet of the review.

The true perversion, though, is the sense you get that all of this illicitness has been tossed in as a little something for the ladies, out of a justifiable fear, perhaps, that no woman alive would watch otherwise. While I do not doubt that there are women in the world who read books like Mr. Martin’s, I can honestly say that I have never met a single woman who has stood up in indignation at her book club and refused to read the latest from Lorrie Moore unless everyone agreed to “The Hobbit” first. “Game of Thrones” is boy fiction patronizingly turned out to reach the population’s other half.

Illicitness = a little something for the ladies. If illicitness in TV shows is supposed to cater to ladies, maybe I am not a lady after all.

A work of high fantasy = boy fiction. Yeah, maybe I am a boy.

Seriously, any decent fantasy enthusiast just might have an apoplexy reading such a post, which is supposed to be a review. But this is not a review of a review. It’s just one gal’s excitement over a TV show she had been waiting for since it was announced.

Moving on, I refrained from writing about the pilot until I had actually seen the show for myself. While I have read all the books, the details are now rather hazy (I need to read them again), and we all know that TV shows/movies are not always 100% the same as the book.

So, after having seen Game of Thrones, what can I say?

It seems that the producers have stuck to the “real” story as well as they could. Again, I may have missed out on some details from the book. As far as I can tell, the pilot was pretty accurate. It also presented an overview of the characters in such a way that you already get a feel for them from the get go. Well, as good as you can given a one-hour limit. If there is one thing that Ms. Bellafonte of the NYT is right about, this series has a plethora of characters that will make your head spin. And that’s one of the beautiful things about it.

The show has been shot mainly in North Ireland and Malta, which should give you an idea of just how breathtaking the scenery is. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it’s as breathtaking as LOTR, but I’ve only seen one episode!

True, if the pilot is any indication, the series is not safe for work. It is not for children. There is sex and violence – some of it taboo. Those elements aren’t the focus of the plot, though. Early on, you see the political aspects being laid out. Early on, you see the undercurrents of family struggle. You get hints of fantasy elements such as dragons and night walkers (their version of the undead).

This is not a review. All I can tell you is that if you fancy yourself as a fantasy lover, then give Game of Thrones a chance. Here’s a mini-guide if you are unfamiliar with the story.

Major characters shown in the pilot

• Eddard Stark – also known as Ned Stark; Lord of Winterfell
• Catelyn Stark – wife of Eddard Stark; nicknamed Cat
• Rob Stark – firstborn of Ned and Cat
• Sansa Stark – daughter of Ned and Cat
• Arya Stark – younger daughter of Ned and Cat; somewhat of a tomboy as seen in the pilot
• Brandon Stark – or Bran; younger son of Ned and Cat; known for his extraordinary climbing skills
• Jon Snow – bastard son of Ned Stark
• King Robert Baratheon – King of the Seven Kingdoms
• Cersei Lannister – Queen of the Seven Kingdoms
• Ser Jaime Lannister – twin brother of Cersei and member of the Kingsguard
• Tyrion Lannister – younger brother of Cersei and Jaime; suffers from dwarfism – he is not a dwarf;)

That list can go on and on – you can see just how complex the storyline is going to be as the series unfolds.

Plot

Game of Thrones tells the story of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and its numerous ruling families. This story is set in a fantasy world, with intrigue as thick as molasses and with each character surprising you at every turn. What’s at stake? The Iron Throne, which symbolizes the ultimate power in the Seven Kingdoms. It is a story of political games at their most intricate forms; a story of individuals who do what they must to survive.

I’ve rambled on enough about how good this show is. Just go ahead and watch it – by any means necessary. Then you tell me if I am biased or what. ;)

Tell me honestly – do you sit through the intro of the show every time you watch it or do you skip the intro? Here’s my confession for the week – I sit through it every single time and I even try to sing along. (Yup, I have been told one time too often that I watch TBBT too much.)

In any case, for those of you who have enough time on your hands and are detail-oriented enough, here is a compilation of every single image in the intro section of TBBT. Believe it or not, there are 111 images shown in that seemingly short span of time! It took the guy 2 hours to put this thing together. Unfortunately, the entire image is too large to show in the post, so I just got a snippet. If you click on the image below, though, you can view the whole thing.

I stumbled upon another set of images, wherein the intro of TBBT is dissected. It was done by Harald Kraft about a year ago. The post is more detailed and each image is taken separately, but there are only 109 images included. Here is a sampling of what awaits you.

You might have already figured it out, but this is Christopher Columbus.

This one is Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii.

This is radiolaria, which is a kind of protozoa.

Tell me that isn’t worthwhile reading!

It really is not a secret just how much I get excited about The Song of Ice and Fire series, and much like other fans, I have been awaiting the premiere of HBO’s take on the story. They released a teaser earlier this year, and that was enough to get me all worked up. You can just imagine how enthralled I was with this video showing more insights about the making of the show.

A little background for those yet unfamiliar with the series. Considered high fantasy, the story is set in a world that is not that different from our own, but is totally not restricted by geographical boundaries as we know it. This makes for a realistic enough setting, but also allows for imagination to run freer. Politics, sex, drugs, war, dragons – it doesn’t get any better! Here, see it for yourself.

As far as I am concerned, I think they did the casting very well. For the most part, the characters look pretty much how I pictured them in my head. Only Jaime Lannister – played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – didn’t meet my expectations. I thought that he would have been fairer and “prettier”. As for Ned Stark – played by Sean Bean – I think they did excellently.

The sets and costumes will definitely make you stare. The attention to detail is amazing, and since there are no real historical references to stay true to, the artists behind the production really went all out.

Needless to say, I am wishing that it were Spring 2011 right now. In the meantime, I shall keep these words in mind:

“My sweet summer child, what do you know about fear? Fear is for the long night, when the snows fall a hundred feet deep. Fear is for the winter.”

Here are some photos from the making of Game of Thrones to further whet your appetite.

So what’s up with this holiday?  If you have been watching the series How I Met Your Mother, then you will be familiar with the character Barney Stinson, who “loves wearing suits more than he loves seducing women.”  That should tell you something, shouldn’t it?

Now if you’re not a How I Met Your Mother fan – like yours truly (I haven’t had the chance to see it) – then you might just want to skip wearing a suit today.  Otherwise, check out this video – Barney Stinson – Nothing Suits Me Like A Suit.

Barney Stinson – Nothing Suits Me Like A Suit from Bono van den Hork on Vimeo.

I have to admit, that was quirky enough to make me want to start watching the show. It’s not enough to convince me to do any of the things that one is supposed to do on this day though:

If anything, this “holiday” is one heck of an advertising idea. Didn’t get enough warning to prepare your suit for today? You have another year to prepare for it – and a slew of other awesome holidays to come, for sure.

I am of course speaking of the much-anticipated The Walking Dead, which will air on AMC at 10pm ET on Halloween night. If you’ve been following my writing here you’ll notice a trend, as I’ve lauded The Walking Dead in virtually every comic and television-related post I’ve done. So right off the bat you’re aware I’m terribly biased, but I’m biased for good reason. The Walking Dead absolutely rocks, and I’m far from alone in that sentiment.

The Walking Dead is one of the most popular comic books on the market today. Produced by Image Comics, and written by Robert Kirkman (who to geeks is famous for plenty of other things, including Marvel team-ups), the harrowing tale of zombie apocalyptic horror debuted in 2003 and has had a firm grip on its audience ever since. With occasional bouts of violence so graphic they cost the series some readers, it packs the kind of punch you’d expect from a zombie thriller. But the true beauty of The Walking Dead lies in the interpersonal stuff – the drama, the hopes, the fears, the love, the hate, and the just plain dysfunctional behavior of the few who manage to survive.

At heart, it’s the tale of a police officer named Rick Grimes who witnesses more than his fair share of horrors in a quest to reunite with his family. Without giving too much away, let’s just say he gets his wish…but loses more than he could ever imagine. No one and nothing is safe or sacred in The Walking Dead. Every character is subject to gruesome death or drastic personality changes, and that’s a fact of life for those of us who read it religiously. We adopt the attitude of “when” someone will disappear from the comic’s hallowed pages or become virtually unrecognizable, not “if”.

While the biggest question surrounding The Walking Dead‘s TV adaptation is whether or not it can survive the translation to the small screen, AMC’s recently-released trailer gives us a great deal of hope. It looks positively amazing. It’s not entirely like the comic, but it’s not entirely different; it appears to be, from the trailer, the perfect marriage of original tale and innovative additions. Robert Kirkman is on board to help steer the story in the right direction, and that’s a major shot of confidence for fans.

Don’t believe me? Check out the trailer goodness for yourself at AMC’s web site.

What you have to look forward to with The Walking Dead is a story that’s extremely strong from the get-go. It’s well-established in a successful comic, and while franchises like the X-Men movies teach us it’s easy to veer from a good comic story and make an awful adaptation, everything we’re seeing suggests this is a pretty faithful retelling. Of course, trailers and leaks are little more than propaganda, so their looks can be deceiving. But interviews with Kirkman and the other creative staff, as well as the man behind it all, Frank Darabont, support the theory that they’re really looking to bring the story to life with loyalty while still peppering in enough new aspects to keep those of us who’ve read the comic glued to our seats.

Brilliant casting and very impressive zombie special effects – something sorely missing from many zombie films – lend weight to the series, too.

For diehard fans of the comic, don’t expect complete canon. A quick glance at the IMDB page for the series reveals they’ve added in several new characters. With new characters comes new plot, and this is something Kirkman’s been honest about through the process. But this can bode well for us, since it means there’s fresh material to keep us entertained, and we don’t have to obsess over an exact detail-for-detail adaptation that will drive us nuts if it dares to deviate ever-so-slightly from the source material. Now we’ll expect changes, and cross our fingers that they integrate seamlessly.

For existing zombie lovers who’ve never read the comic – quick – pick up book or two now! But even if you never experience the story as it’s written, you should tune in to The Walking Dead for two reasons.
1) A truly good zombie television series has been sorely missing from our TV screens for entirely too long. If this show’s the real deal, it’ll be a revolution.
2) It’s your duty as a zombie fan to encourage this kind of creative exploration in the genre by tuning in. After all, if The Walking Dead‘s a hit, what wonders could come next?

If you’re one of the unwashed masses who’ve never read a zombie comic or watched a zombie film, I have bad news for you: you’re likely to be the first to have your brains eaten during the apocalypse. So spare yourself. Tune in to The Walking Dead and give a good zombie story a fair go. At worst, you’ll learn a few survival tips. At best, you’ll fall in love with a truly gripping tale that’ll have you mourning the fact that AMC’s only making 6 episodes to start. And you too will become a zombie convert – nay, dare I say, a zombie lover.

Check out more upcoming geek TV goodness here.

Steven Spielberg and his partners Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are bringing the Joe Hill written and Gabriel Rodriguez illustrated comic Locke & Key to TV with Josh Friedman of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles‘ helming the project.

According to New York Magazine the comic is set to be made into a “major TV franchise.” Originally Kurtzman and Orci wanted to turn the comic into a full-length movie, but were happy to move forward with a TV show when Friedman came on-board.

If you’re unfamiliar with Locke & Key it features three kids who watch over an old mansion that’s full of various adventures that can be found through portals.  As the kids travel through various worlds found through the mansions rooms they receive superpowers which they can use to fight evil.

No word on what network will get the show, however Fox is believed to be the front runner as they currently work to secure a deal with DreamWorks TV

Are you a fan of Locke & Key, if you are let us know what you think about the comic being brought to the small screen.

Several channels are weighing in with brand-spanking new geek programming, including NBC, ABC, and AMC. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer.

NBC’s The Cape
Billed by NBC as “an imaginative adventure about a dad who would do anything to protect his family,” this one straddles the fence between crime drama and geekitude. It’s the story of a police officer who’s doing his best to straighten up a dirty city, when he finds himself framed for murder and presumed dead. With his family torn apart he’s forced into hiding, where he turns all kinds of vigilante, inspired by a hero in his son’s comic books. Trained Karate Kid-style in what appears from the previews to be a three ring circus, by a man who looks like the love child of Mr. T and Houdini, he primes himself to fight crime like a superhero.

What to expect: At best, all the intrigue of David Morse’s Hack – which I’ll admit, to me, was pretty intriguing – with a dude in a cape. A cape that’s stronger than kevlar. It drew a lot of attention at Comic-Con, so, you never know. Preview

ABC’s No Ordinary Family
A police artist whose family is falling apart has a brush with death (notice a trend?) and gains vague superpowers that let him fall off skyscrapers without turning into goo. In fact, his entire family is superpowered, thanks to a plane crash en route to a family vacation that dumps them into radioactive water. The end result is said artist, played by Michael Chiklis, finds himself with some sort of super strength, his wife develops super speed, his daughter becomes a telepath, and his son goes from brink-of-special-ed to genius. Slated to premier in late September.

What to expect: Watch any of the Fantastic Four movies, and then tell us. Preview

AMC’s The Walking Dead
Note now how the tone of this post turns from pessimistic snark to near-pleading optimism as the rays of hope shine down on this zombie apocalyptic offering, based on the comic book of the same name. Quite simply, The Walking Dead is one of the best comic books on the planet, and it deserves no less than a stellar television adaptation. With the comic’s writer Robert Kirkman on board to help guide the show, it could very well be a revelation in comic-to-TV translation. And leaked images and video offer extremely promising zombie effects. The cast also seems, at least in appearance, to have been beautifully selected for the characters in the series.

In a nutshell, The Walking Dead chronicles the experience of a small band of survivors during a horrifying zombie apocalypse. It’s unclear exactly how the story will be told on the small screen, given the comic is rife with slow-to-unfold plots and endless cliffhangers. But you can expect a lot of interpersonal drama, because the tale of The Walking Dead is truly about the survivors, not the zombies themselves. Set to premier in October as part of AMC’s Halloween festivities.

What to expect: If it goes well, expect really epic awesome things. It if goes poorly, expect a lot of tear-stained comic book pages as fans everywhere pour over the source material in grief to figure out what the heck went wrong. Preview

Fox’s Terra Nova
Special mention goes to Fox’s Terra Nova, which is a time travel drama about scientists jumping from the distant future back to prehistoric time to try to save the planet. It’s a Steven Spielberg production, which means it’ll likely be over the top, and possibly involve velociraptors in a kitchen. That won’t be coming our way until May, however, so we’ve plenty of time to speculate.

I proceeded to watch all three seasons, meaning I am hooked. Not that the show is so great or epic, having an average of 3.2 million viewers there are more popular shows out there. But this show has its charm or rather the fictional town of Eureka.

Eureka is a small town in Oregon where worlds best scientist live and work for Global Dynamics a research facility. Federal agent Jack Carter arrives by accident in Eureka and decides to accept the position of Sheriff. In the first episodes we are introduced to Eureka and learn how technology advanced the town is while yet retaining a small town charm.

I’m not a big fan of science fiction TV shows but Eureka combines the science fiction so well with present time that it really appeals to your imagination. Jack is just a regular guy who likes his Jeep, his old fashioned cell phone, beer, hamburgers and baseball. So it’s all new to him when he ends up living in an artificial intelligent house named SARAH who acts like his wife, telling him to eat healthy, doing his laundry and cooking.

As a geek and gadget fanatic I would love to live in a town like Eureka. I’d have a car with artificial intelligence, an interface free touch driven computer and safe nuclear energy while still living in a present day house with wooden chairs, wooden floors and a comfy couch.

If you are a geek who fantasizes about living with futuristic gadgets that facilitate life then you should watch this show. It’s fun, geeky, not overly dramatic and you learn a thing or two about quantum physics.

Official Syfy Eureka webpage

From being dubbed as Jon Stewart’s “senior Asian correspondent” to roaming Comic Con grounds dressed as Princess Leia to writing and promoting her own personal essays – it looks like Olivia Munn has gained a wide following. She can also be seen regularly on Perfect Couples. But it doesn’t end there – not quite.

Come September, when our favorite geek-turned-spy Chuck comes back on air for its fourth season, we will be seeing Olivia Munn with the gang! She will not be part of the regular cast (yet?) but according to Entertainment Weekly, she “will play an impossibly cool, smart, and pretty CIA agent who intimidates and schools Chuck and Morgan in the season 4 premiere on Sept. 20.”

There is no doubt that guys love her – just do a search on Olivia Munn and you’ll find tons of drooling men online. (With a book titled “Suck It, Wonder Woman” and her videos of eating a hotdog, one shouldn’t really wonder.) I’m wondering what you guys AND gals think about her though? I haven’t really followed her career and from what I remember of old Attack of the Show episodes, I found her co-hosting blah. Or is it just me?

Central Perk has become my measurement to other coffee shops, I know of one shop that comes close but their coffee sucks. But who can forget the comfy orange couch, Phoebe’s guitar, and the wooden table which till today I want something like that for my living room.

Du Xin from Beijing, China a die hard fan of “Friends” took matter into own hands and opened an exact replica from Central Perk on the 6th floor of a building located in the middle of Beijing. And when I say exact replica I mean from the shop window to the blackboard in the back with the menu written on it.

By watching the DVD’s with attention to all details and looking at photos after 5 months Du Xin was able to complete his replica. Once word of mouth got through the cafe quickly became busy with college students and professionals who watched “Friends” when it was originally airing in the 90′s and early 2000.

If you are planning a trip to Beijing and are a “Friends” fan you should make a stop at, Central Perk, Chaowai SOHO, 6 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Building A, Suite 0616. 朝阳门外大街,朝外SOHO,A区0616室.

The staff speaks perfect English so you’ll be able to order your coffee with no problems and enjoy your time there. Maybe by then an alter Phoebe will have shown up to play and sing Smelly Cat on her guitar.

Back when “Grey’s Anatomy” was at its height I didn’t like reading weblog posts and comments on it because all viewers complained that in real life Izzie would face hard consequences for cutting a patients LVAD wire. And I just wanted to yell at people if it bothers you that it’s not conform with reality don’t watch, go hang around in a hospital for reality instead.

Case in point, I shut my mind down when watching TV shows so obviously I’m a bit ashamed to say that I never considered how the outdoors scenes are filmed. I know green screens exists but I always assumed they where only used in movies on scenes that are impossible to film in reality. All behind the scenes I’ve seen are from old sitcoms like “Friends”, “The Cosby Show”, etc. So my knowledge is pretty much outdated.

The above video shows scenes from several popular shows and how the green screen is used for a lot of “outdoors” scenes. It really opened my eyes about how the series are filmed now a days. I was reminded how far gone the sitcoms days are, when only two to three sets was needed to film several episodes.

But luckily my mind is good in shutting down logical thinking and just go with the flow when watching TV/Movies. Although I will pay more attention from now on to what’s going on behind the scenes technically now a days, especially in TV series.

Don’t get me wrong – I still am a HUGE fan of The Big Bang Theory (no one can come close to Sheldon Cooper) – but Glee is a different kind of show for a different kind of geek altogether. Last week, they showed the season finale, and while it was a bit disappointing compared to other episodes, it was still fun to watch.

Glee is about this mixed group of high schools students who find themselves – for one reason or another – in the glee club. Headed by Mr. Schuester, a geeky guy himself, the club meets all sorts of adversities along the way. What really gets the attention of viewers, in my opinion, is the music. You just can’t help but be entranced while these “kids” sing their hearts out.

To be honest, the plot just seems to be half-baked. There are too many stereotypes and the combination of characters has a “trying hard” effect. If you overlook these things, though, and just enjoy the music and try not to be critical, Glee can make you forget about the crappy stuff that you have to deal with on a daily basis.

The verdict? You’ll be filled with glee – at least temporarily. You have to at least give it a try!

Anyhow, so what else do I have to say about the show that I need to write a second post about it? For fellow Big Bang Theory lovers, you know that Penny (the hot blonde chick who lives across the hall and who has become one of the guys somehow) and Leonard (the geeky physicist who lives with the geekiest guy in the world, Sheldon) have hooked up. It happened right after the geeks came back from a 3-month expedition on the North Pole, courtesy of a study of Sheldon’s. I guess the separation made them (or Penny, rather) realize that there is something going on between the couple.

This brings me to my question: would anything like this actually happen in real life? Come on, while we have to admit that being a geek these days has become a rather cool thing, it’s still the hunky looking guys that gets the girls at the bar. If you don’t believe that, try going out tonight and hitting on some girls. (I am assuming you’re one of us.)

The Penny-Leonard thing is definitely one of the interesting plot points in the show, but I just can’t help but wonder if the writers are making a mistake on this. What do you guys say?

For the benefit of those who have not seen (or heard) of The Big Bang Theory (you are missing out, I tell you!), the show focuses on the life of two nerd roommates, Leonard and Sheldon. Their IQs add up to 360 combined but they have no clue as to how to interact with people beyond their circle. Their mundane existence is made more interesting by Penny, who just moved to the apartment across the hall. Penny is a hot blonde who just broke up with her boyfriend. Naturally, Leonard falls for her but Penny seems to be only interested in making friends with the guys.

So what makes the show worth watching? To be honest, I am almost done with the whole season but it seems that the plot is not going very far. We simply observe the lives of the roommates and Leonard does not seem to be getting anywhere with Penny. The nerdy lines that the guys deliver are priceless, though. Indeed, some of them might be gibberish in truth, but it’s still hilarious how they interact with each other and how they TRY to blend in with Penny’s circle. There’s already a second season, and I can’t wait to see if that’s as good – or better – than the first one.

Any thoughts?