May 27, 2010

Star Wars Anti-Smoking PSA

Robots don't have to worry about lung cancer, so this seems a little pointless. I think it would be more effective to show Han Solo shooting a guy who had the gall to smoke in an intergalactic bar, and then turn to the camera, saying "Smoking kills, and so do I." Yeah, that would be rad.


Hilarious.

May 19, 2010

So Good it's a Crime

Hell yes. I have watched this fifty times already, and I will probably watch it again. IT'S THAT GOOD. Here's MC Chris' tribute to one of the best shows ever on television, Twin Peaks.


Special Agent Cooper, why so dreamy?

May 8, 2010

Sexism and Season Six of House

Originally posted here at Blogcritics.

I want to preface this commentary by stating that I am actually a huge fan of House, and of Hugh Laurie in particular. The writing in this show has often astounded me in the past. From a feminist perspective, there are a few episodes in seasons one through five (“Skin Deep,” I’m looking at you) that I have problems with; but on a whole I think that the characters—especially Dr. Gregory House and Dr. Lisa Cuddy—are complex and believable.

Be that as it may, there are aspects to the current season that I find troubling.

The first instance I felt swindled by the writers this season was with Dr. Allison Cameron’s departure. This turned out to be quite a point of contention within the fandom, between those who wanted House and Cameron to hook up, and those who wanted House with Cuddy. I don’t necessarily root for any one relationship on the show. I merely saw her departure as a blow because I had come to care about the character, and I thought that she provided a nice balance for House and the other characters.

Much was made of the House/Cuddy relationship last season, and yet this season we see very little of Lisa Edelstein, besides her “superwoman” episode (don’t get me started on that not-so-empowering trope). Mostly, when she is onscreen she can be found passively listening to House’s diatribe, or his now obligatory sexual innuendos. In fact, Stepford Cuddy has lately been shown for only a few minutes in each hour-long episode.

While the female cast members of House have been given substantially less screen time, many of the episodes this season do focus on women. Indeed, the writers seem to focus heavily on women being punished in every medical and psychological form possible—punished for partying too hard (the young girl in “Known Unknowns”), for having hobbies (“Private Lives”) and finally, for having sex (“Black Hole,” “Open and Shut.”)

The presence of Dr. Remy Hadley, also known as “Thirteen,” has done little to alleviate the gender inequality of the show’s current season. Although she is portrayed as bisexual, we rarely get a glimpse of her alternate sexual identity, other than blatant titillation. What happened to her Huntington’s disease? How is she coping with her breakup from Foreman? All we know is that she hangs out in lesbian bars, but is never actually shown having a meaningful relationship with a woman. Rather, it seems that they are grooming her for an interlude with Chase.

I have hope that the writers will see the plot clichés that they are falling prey to so far this season, and that as it progresses, they will bring the female characters of Princeton Plainsboro out to play more often.

May 7, 2010

Paul Rudd on Tim and Eric

I'm in love with this new sketch by Tim and Eric, and I think I now have a crush on Paul Rudd. Seriously, every time I watch this, it keeps getting funnier.


Celery Man! Tayne!

May 6, 2010

See what he did there?

When it comes to Buffy, Season 8, you'll usually find me singing the praises of a certain Jo Chen when it comes to the cover art. But Georges Jeanty's alternacovers are often just as good, in a whimsical and often silly way.

Check out his new cover for Buffy S8 #36:



Look familiar? That's probably because you've seen the original. And if you haven't, you must be living under a rock.

By the way, I really, really need to get caught up on these comics!

Source