Was the Internet Really That Scary?

The snow day (really snow afternoon and day) gave me some free time to forget about studying for midterms (who really wants to do that anyway?) and get back to my roots. With the help of Hulu (I love love love Hulu!) I was able to re-watch season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy was the first show that I watched religiously. I remember being at my friend Jennie's house for a passover party and after locating the hidden matzoh we sat in front of the television and watched the series premiere of  Buffy. After the show had finished I had to walk back to my house 5 doors down from Jennie's, but I did not walk, I ran. Buffy scared the heck out of me and I couldn't wait to see the next episode. After the first episode, I forced my family to watch the awesome teen Comedy-drama, Supernatural, Fantasy, Action, Horror show every week. And we (turns out my father actually enjoyed the show too) even watched the spin off series Angel which I don't think is as good. Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that Buffy was the first television show I was hooked on and since then I have grown to love television, hence the name of this blog.

One thing I noticed after re-watching this beloved (by me) show, is that many of the characters fear the internet. The show aired in 1997 just as the internet bubble was inflating and I, myself was getting my first AOL account (my first screen name was IBChillin247. Really it was.). Many of the characters, high school students, teachers, and parents seems to not trust/understand the internet and not see the use for it. The characters that do trust the internet (Willow and Mrs. Calendar) are the ones who often save the day by adequately finding helpful information on the net. Also the characters that are not computer savvy are completely  I just found this occurrence interesting. I do not remember people being fearful of the internet, do you guys?

Here's what I am talking about.

This clip is from season 1 episode 8 when a demon gets downloaded onto the internet and seduces Willow in order to trick her into helping him take over the world (seriously horrifying stuff *sarcasm* You can't blame me for thinking it was the best show when I was 9 or 10 years old). Buffy who is not computer savvy seeks out help from a computer geek. When she goes to talk about it with Giles, her watcher/Sunnydale High School librarian he makes an anti-computer comment. "I really don't know how to advise you. Thinks involved with the computer fill me with a child-like terror." Giles would rather fight off evil creepy creatures of the night then surf the net. He's a twisted librarian.

Vampire Slayingly Yours,

Alicia

NBC Should Thank God for the Olympics

NBC is so lucky to be the carrier of the Olympics following the Jay Leno disaster. (I am Team Coco, Bite me Leno) Normally I would not be sitting in front of the TV watching NBC every night of the week, but I am a little Olympic crazed and it seems that the rest of the country is catching the fever too. NBC is beating it competitors almost every night of the week thanks to all of the American superstars. I am glad to see American Idol loose ratings (minus Ellen Degeneres). They always win the ratings war, but not this time.

Tiger, Shut Up and Get Off My TV (Unless its the PGA Tour)

I was so psyched to watch the View Friday morning (don't judge me!). I just wanted to see what the ladies thought of Evan Lysacek's gold medal winning performance since I missed it the night before. But then all the network channels were taken over by Tiger Wood. I am the daughter of a golfer, I respect the sport and enjoy watching it on Sunday evenings, but not listening to a golfer drone on about his mistakes. I just don't understand why they let him take over all those stations in the first place.

Dear Network TV,

More of this:

(Suck it Evgeni Plushenko) 

And more of this:

Less of This:

 

                                                                                                                          Thank You,

                                                                                                                                               Alicia

Quality Television to go Online

HBO announced that it has teamed up with Verizon Fios to bring HBO GO a website that makes HBO on-demand services available wherever there is internet service.

Reuters reports:

HBOGO.com will feature more than 600 hours of HBO shows, including its hit series “The Wire.” That is more than four times what is typically available on HBO’s TV on demand services. HBO will update the roster more regularly than TV on demand, which it usually refreshes once a week.
Verizon FiOS customers will be the first to get access to the HBO GO site, though Comcast HBO subscribers can see similar content through Comcast’s Fancast site.
“The name of the game here is customer retention,” said Eric Kessler, co-president of HBO, in an interview with journalists at the launch on Wednesday.

 HBO GO is part of the so-called TV Everywhere initiative (sponsored by Time Warner, HBO's parent company) to put more TV content online for existing subscribers. Time Warner and Comcast announced in the summer of 2009 that it was going to give paying cable customers access to its content. Here's to hoping that more quality cable networks, such as Showtime, follow in suit.

Hey NBC Shaun White & Coach Can Do Whatever They Want

Shaun White's gold-medal coronation in the halfpipe finals at the Winter Olympics was marred Wednesday by vulgar statements made by coach Bud Keene and aired on NBC live to the East Coast before White's final run. White was the last to go, but since nobody had beat his score from the first round, he was the automatic winner. There was much joy and celebration atop the run, as there should have been. Unfortunately, a few of those words were picked up by NBC cameras.

At first there were whoops of celebration. But then things got a little R-rated. Keene: What do you want to do? White: I don't know, man. Ride down the middle? (Chorus of noes.) Keene: No, have some fun. White: Drop a double mick? Keene: Yeah, drop a double mick at the end. Do whatever you want and [expletive] send that thing. Make sure you stomp the [expletive] out of that thing.

It went downhill from there if you can read lips, at which point NBC announcers Pat Parnell and Todd Richards apologized for the language and defended it by saying that a lot of energy was running through White and his coaches. The apology was necessary (even if it did draw more attention to the curses they were tough to hear without rewinding), but NBC was apologizing for the wrong people. They shouldn't be apologizing for Bud Keene; they should be apologizing for the network showing it in the first place.

 Shaun White and Bud Keene

Who Cares About The Olympics Show Me Pop Stars!

Before the Winter 2010 Olympics the We Are the World 25 music video premired on NBC. I love love love it. Please watch and download at http://wearetheworldfoundation.org/. Enjoy!

In solidarity,

Alicia

Vancouver Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony 2010

The Winter Olympics began tonight with a beautiful ceremony in Vancouver. The ceremony took viewers through the history of Canada and introduced the teams. Overall I found the ceremony to be visually stunning, but it lacked flow and shock factor. I enjoyed the Beijing Summer Olympics more.

Take a look at the creative and colorful outfits here.

Listen to the musical talents of some of Canada's best here. Sarah McLachlan was spectacular.

Check out the pictures:

Team USA

Only hours before the ceremony, a luger from the country of Georgia, Nodar Kumaritashvili, was killed in a horrific training-run crash at Whistler. The Ceremony was dedicated to Kumaritashvili and the team members wore black arm bands to honor their teammate.

  

  

 

  

The Fireworks Finale

Let the games begin!

From 30 Rock to Vogue

Tina Fey, the queen of comedy can add cover girl to her resume. Her appearance on Vogue's March issue is quite surprising considering considering Fey often receives the title of worst dressed at most award events she attends. Check out this behind the scenes video.

Super LETDown 44

Last night was the biggest night in television: The Superbowl. The highlight for many during this must see event is the commercials. This year they fell short in my opinion. Many viewed the commercials as misogynistic portraying women in poor taste. Many commercials also portrayed men as being dumb. I just thought they were all a major letdown. See for yourself:

Misogynist male: “I’d love to hear you read some words”
The punchline - Women: "Do you like Little Women?" Dumb Guy: “I’m not too picky, you know.”

Of course Megan Fox sends scandalous photos of herself all over the internet.

Being a man is so special that Dove created a body-wash to help men deal with all the pressure they feel.

Another theme was pant-less men:

And what TV Blog would this be without including the most controversial ad of the night from Focus on the Family.

I think what this ad really achieves is demonstrating how dangerous it is to have a football player as son. Watch out Mrs. Tebow!

And this Coke ad makes no sense. Maybe you guys have an understanding about what it is conveying:

But my favorite ad of the night was Google's:

Feel free to comment about which ad was your favorite and least favorite!

Peace & Love,

Alicia

MTV Redefines the Meaning of Reality, Again

MTV created the genre of reality television in 1992 with the Real World. The Real World, as if you all don't already know, is a show based on the idea of putting 7 - 8 strangers in house together and filming them 24/7. MTVs bright idea is to put people with vastly different ideologies, life choices, and backgrounds in a house together and watch the drama unfold.

MTV then introduced the documentary style series Laguna Beach. This is the start of MTV altering the definition of reality television. Laguna Beach received much criticism due to several scenes that seemed to be re-shot and alleged staging be MTV. Laguna Beach was filmed for three seasons and had a successful spin-off The Hills which received the same criticism.

MTV's latest reality endeavor My Life as Liz is the first MTV reality show that acknowledges that it is not "real." At the beginning of each episode text comes on the screen stating the the people, places and events are real... "at least the way I [Liz] see it."

Th show it self is cute. It is Daria meets Juno minus the pregnancy factor plus aspiring musician. I don't think it will last more than a season if that. It is too cutesy and lacks any real dram that would make the show more interesting.