The only current shows releasing sets this week are Numb3rs and Top Chef, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see down at your local DVD Hut. Topping the list for me, Dan Freaking Tanna. Yes, finally, we can all watch Vega$ any time we want. If classic P.I. isn’t your style, there are also a number of collections that are worth a look, such as complete sets from Homicide, Black Adder, Fawlty Towers, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, and Plastic Man. Other highlights include The L Word, Hawaii Five-O, and Peanuts. The complete list is after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

What the heck, I had time to kill this morning, so here’s the lyrics to the SNL Digital Short from last night. Man!

I was walkin’ through the city streets
and a man walks up to me and hands me the latest energy drink
Run faster. Jump Higher.
Man, I’m not gonna let you poison me.

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It should come as a surprise to approximately no one that I, above all else, positively worship Tina Fey. That woman is a comedy genius, and 30 Rock brings a light to my life that is only rivaled by puppies and newborn babies.

So why does NBC insist on holding out this show on me every year?

Look, I understand that 30 Rock has pretty low numbers, ratings-wise, but I absolutely fail to understand how starting the season later helps matters. Wouldn’t it stand to reason that people want things to start all around the same time? I can’t help but think that the late starts are actually hurting 30 Rock in the long run — people look at a late-starting show and go “oh, I don’t need another thing to start watching” once their schedule is made. Meanwhile, long-time fans like me often miss the premiere by accident or go crazy waiting.

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This week kicks off the real fall season with more premieres than we could possibly list here. Even more intriguing is The Jay Leno Show, kicking off Monday and every weeknight at 10pm. Will it work? I’m sure it’ll launch huge, just like Conan did over on The Tonight Show. But will it last?

If it does, will this spell the slow decline of expensive quality scripted fare on television? And what about expensive less-than-quality programming like ‘Til Death and Brothers? These shows need homes on the schedule as well … for some reason. Read the rest of this entry »

I used to be a huge Saturday Night Live fan. From the early ’80s up until the year 2000, I rarely missed an episode. Over the last decade, I have only watched the show sporadically. To be honest, I just don’t find it as consistently funny or edgy as it once was. I probably sound like the neighborhood relic sitting on his porch, bitching at the kids skateboarding in front of his house, but I can’t help it. It’s just not as good as it was back in the day.

However, it’s hard to ignore SNL’s historical impact on television and pop culture. The series has provided an excellent breeding ground for top-notch comedic talent; many of whom have gone on to become mega movie stars. A plethora of signature skits have much to do with catapulting the likes of Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell into the Hollywood stratosphere.

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We’ve got a pretty wide range of rerun selections tonight, including the chance to get in on the ground floor, and several marathon runs. Check it out:

• Legend of the Seeker, Syndicated, Check local listings. This show isn’t set to return until October, but that means there’s time to catch the whole thing in reruns, starting today. Whether you’ve read The Sword of Truth series or not, this is pretty fun sword and sorcery adventure.
• Wipeout, ABC, 8 p.m. This goofy obstacle course is back for a second season, and even though it doesn’t really matter, if you want to see that season premiere, ABC is giving you that chance.
• Battle of the Sexes, ABC, 9 p.m. Another season premiere, this time you might want to get in on the ground floor, meeting the nine new couples and watching them splatter one another with paintballs.
• Saturday Night Live, E!, 9 p.m. Remember when Lindsay Lohan hosted SNL in 2004? That’s right, it’s Mean Girls era pre-trainwreck Lindsay and that classic Hermione Granger with boobs sketch!
• Saturday Night Live Remembers Chris Farley, E!, 10 p.m. Stick around then to see a retrospective of the late, great Farley.
• Saturday Night Live, NBC, 11:30 p.m., but don’t give up yet. Flip to NBC and catch Justin Timberlake hosting SNL so you can see the “Dick in a Box” sequel, “Mother Lover!”
• The Tudors, Showtime, 7 p.m. In this third season finale, it’s time for Henry to clean house and throw the latest chick out. Women may not grow on trees, but Henry picks ‘em like they do.
• Marathons. If you’re one of those addictive types, why not stick with marathons of one show all night. TVLand has The Andy Griffith Show, it’s original crew House on USA, America’s Next Top Model on Oxygen, Ice Road Truckers on History. We has The Locator from 8-10, which my wife is hooked on. She keeps telling me I should find my father.

Once upon a time, I was a hardcore SNL fan. I’m talking back in the days of Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Chris Kattan and Molly Shannon. Towards the end of the 90s, I drifted away and only recently have started to watch again on any regular basis.

Still, the show on a whole just doesn’t make me laugh like it used to. Maybe that’s because I’m no longer 14, but I like to think I’m as immature as I ever was, at least where comedy is concerned. This is probably why the one and only skit out of this entire season to make me literally convulse with laughter, tears streaming down my face so hard I could barely see, was The Lawrence Welk Show from episode four, with Anne Hathaway hosting. Read the rest of this entry »