South Dakota Dark

TV on the Internet, Episode 32: Mail call!

2010-03-19T00:58:00.000-07:00

NOTE: This will be the final podcast posted on South Dakota Dark. Please look for the show on MediaElites.com from now on.A few weeks ago, Todd and Libby asked for your questions that they could answer because it was during the Olympics and nothing was on TV. Dutifully, they recorded a podcast answering those questions. Then, Todd's laptop was stolen, which was a tragedy that will echo through

TV on the Internet, Episode 31: Things we hate about shows we love

2010-02-21T20:38:00.001-08:00

Todd and Libby are joined by Zack Handlen of The AV Club and Daniel T. Walters of the Pacific Northwest Inlander this week to discuss things they hate about shows they love, inspired by Todd's borderline psychotic antipathy for Dwight Schrute on The Office. (OK, it's not that bad, but close.) They discuss things they hate about The Office, 30 Rock, Lost, Big Love, Burn Notice, Community, Mad Men

TV on the Internet, Episode 30: (Insert Lost Pun Here)

2010-02-12T23:51:00.000-08:00

So, getting the second TVOTI episode at MediaElites up could have gone a lot more quickly, but we here at TV on the Internet enterprises are not known for our hustle and/or keeping our eye on the ball. In the future, though, we'll endeavor to get these 'casts recorded on Wednesday or Thursday and have them up by Friday, as that works with our schedules. This week, we talk about Lost because ...

TV on the Internet, Episode 29: Because What the Internet Needs is More Leno/Conan Commentary

2010-01-22T00:06:00.001-08:00

Todd and Libby are leaving the cozy confines of South Dakota Dark for the big, wide world of MediaElites.com We'll be cross-posting the podcast to both blogs through February, but after that, we'll mostly be gone from here. Awww. Sad. But to celebrate, Libby's going to call Jay Leno a "dick" a lot.Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us,

TV on the Internet, Episode 28: The Best Drama Series of the Decade, Part 2

2010-01-05T01:53:00.000-08:00

Todd and Libby join up with Noel Murray to talk about their favorite dramas of the Aughts, places 10-1. We talk about why The Wire scares people, how Lost is like Dimetap and whether one of these shows is the most feminist or least feminist show on TV.Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please review us on iTunes. We WILL take out

TV on the Internet, Holiday Special: A Christmas Story for You

2009-12-25T18:46:00.001-08:00

Happy holidays, everyone!Todd and Libby are here to spread a little holiday cheer, as Libby reads a selection from Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Here's hoping you're having a wonderful season and that you'll have a great 2010.Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please review us on iTunes. We WILL take out the Official

TV on the Internet, Episode 27: The Best Drama Series of the Decade, Part 1

2009-12-24T01:56:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays, everyone!Todd and Libby join up with Jason Mittell to talk about their favorite dramas of the Aughts, places 30-11. We talk about Joss Whedon, two spy shows that debuted in the same season, one of the best things to ever come out of Canada and just why Todd's junk food TV is better than Libby's junk food TV (or maybe why it's not).Thanks for all your comments and criticism.

TV on the Internet, Episode 26: The Best Comedy Series of the Decade, Part 2

2009-12-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

Todd and Libby join up with Jaime Weinman (who also blogs here) to talk about their favorite comedies of the Aughts, places 10-1. We talk about why Greg Daniels is underrated, whether literary comedy or go-for-broke comedy is better and the importance of creating a fun place to hang out.Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please

TV on the Internet, Episode 25: The Best Comedy Series of the Decade, Part 1

2009-12-09T23:37:00.000-08:00

Todd and Libby join up with Myles McNutt to talk about their favorite comedies of the Aughts, places 30-11. This includes everything from two shows created by Victor Fresco to two shows created by Bryan Fuller to a bunch of cable series we're not huge fans of that we, nonetheless, feel obligated to include.Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T16:13:00.000-08:00

Libby and I have been traveling most of November, but we'll be back with podcasts - including our best comedies and dramas of the decade lists - in December.In the meantime, the Muppets!

TV on the Internet, Episode 24: All Mad Men, All the Time

2009-11-13T21:55:00.000-08:00

Todd VanDerWerff joins Luke De Smet and Myles McNutt for this special Mad Men season three recap podcast, produced in conjunction with The House Next Door. The three spend just under an hour talking about the season finale, the season as a whole, their favorite moments of the season and where the show can go from here.Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show

TV on the Internet, Episode 23: Boys Becoming Men; Men Becoming Wolves

2009-10-27T02:41:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween, which means Todd and Libby are giving you their longest podcast yet, devoted entirely to talking about scary TV, the embarrassing things Todd was scared of as a child and Halloween-themed TV. And then, Libby gives you a ghost story that will scare your pants off. Or something like that. And still THEN, Todd has found the WORST HALLOWEEN SONG IN THE WORLD, and you can listen to

TV on the Internet, Episode 22: Comedy Showcase Thursday

2009-10-16T02:01:00.000-07:00

Todd and Libby are sorry they've been traveling a lot. As a reward, here's a podcast that's a couple minutes longer than most of their podcasts! They've got a lot of things to say about the state of NBC, will-they/won't-they relationships and the past week in comedy. They'll hopefully be back for another podcast this weekend, but who really knows nowadays?Thanks for all your comments and

"The Lost Boy" - Gossip Girl, episode 3.3

2009-10-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

The heavily plotted "The Lost Boy" provides a glimpse of the kind of GG we can expect from here on out.The Gossip Girl website hasn't been mentioned yet this season. Blair, Serena, and Chuck no longer have the protective bubble of prep school under which to pull off their power plays; the real world is just too large and each will have to rise or fall on their own merits. Unexpected relationships

TV on the Internet, Episode 21: 30 Shows in 90 Minutes (or Thereabouts)

2009-09-29T01:10:00.001-07:00

Todd and Libby are joined by Myles McNutt of Cultural Learnings to take a look at the first official week of the fall season and all of the shows that debuted or returned therein, as well as a few favorites carrying over from the summer. All told, they discuss 30 shows in just under 90 minutes, though clips and other stuff carry us up over 90 ultimately.There are some technical problems in this

"The Freshman" - Gossip Girl, episode 3.2

2009-09-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

Last week I wrote that GG never really gets off the ground until the characters go back to school, and darned if "The Freshman" didn't prove me right. The sophomore episode of GG's junior year follows Dan, Vanessa, and Blair through their first days as NYU freshmen and sets up a new social hierarchy for the show. Are we ready for a world where Dan Humphrey is the life of the party? That world is

TV on the Internet, Episode 20: The Only Good New Show Is a Dead New Show

2009-09-22T03:07:00.001-07:00

Todd and Libby have some things to say about the Emmys AND about the new fall season. Also, they talk about the soft launch for the fall season last week with thoughts on shows like The Office and Fringe AND find a way to clumsily shoehorn Lost into the proceedings. Also, we hit all of those people who thought Mad Men was getting boring in the FACE. Thanks for all your comments and criticism.

On Glee

2009-09-18T09:35:00.001-07:00

There should be a name for it. That feeling you get when a new series seems to stumble after a strong pilot. The episodes exhibit some of the characteristics that initially won you over, but something isn't right...and there's at least one head-slapping, "How could they?" moment that makes you wonder if the time you invested was wasted. I'm an advocate of giving promising new shows a chance to

"Reversals of Fortune" - Gossip Girl, episode 3.1

2009-09-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

I've come to the conclusion that GG doesn't really get going until the characters go back to school. There is something about the lazy days of summer, where the next party is only a few hours away and a butler is waiting to take your drink order, that limits the writers' imaginations and gives us a slow season premiere like last night's "Reversals of Fortune.Serena is just back from Europe and as

TV on the Internet, Episode 19: The Emmys Can Only Disappoint You, so You Might as Well Learn That Now

2009-09-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

Our big time Emmy predictors -- Erik Dean Anderson of Awards Daily's forums and Big Ted of For Your Speculation -- return to once again crush our hopes of Chloe Sevigny winning on a write-in vote. (Both also post at Culturish.) We're going to be discussing which shows will win the Emmys this Sunday and which won't. After that, Libby and Todd take us through ten of the biggest shows on right now

TV on the Internet, Episode 18: The Top Ten Comedic Performances of the Decade (Male and Female)

2009-09-08T02:15:00.000-07:00

So this week, we finally follow up episode 11 and give you our top ten comedic performances of the decade, male and female. Unlike the dramatic list, though, this one is going to be full of anger and vituperativeness. It may make us completely fall apart. Be prepared. Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please review us on iTunes.

Maybe Thurston & Kim will read my posts!

2009-09-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

I do plan on bringing back my weekly review/recap/commentary feature on Gossip Girl this fall (because why stop now?), and I'm looking for a new show to write about as well. Your suggestions are welcome, though I think there's already going to be too much written about Glee. While you're thinking about it enjoy this report from the GG set courtesy of Thurston Moore, whose makes a cameo with his

TV on the Internet, Special Edition: Everwood (May contest winner podcast)

2009-09-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

(Thanks to podcast editor error, much of our 18th episode is lost to the ages. We'll re-record it over the weekend, but here's a special podcast to tide you over.)Megan from Alaska asked us if we'd watch an episode of Everwood and comment on it and we did. What did we think of the show and its famous "Episode 20" (better known as "the abortion episode")? Who was our favorite character? What's

TV on the Internet, Episode 17: Mad Men Gives Us Something to Talk About

2009-08-25T00:48:00.000-07:00

Todd and Libby return from another short hiatus to head into the fall season with no more breaks. This week, they discuss the returns of Mad Men and Project Runway, what they're looking forward to this fall and the first season of Nurse Jackie. Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please review us on iTunes. We WILL take out the

Why do women love Don Draper?

2009-08-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, and yes I'm still alive. I'm interrupting my vacation to call your attention to this post commenting on Don Draper's appeal to women (in the audience of Mad Men) despite his drinking and other foibles. I'm not sure I quite agree with Suderman's conclusion though; I'd add that Draper is passing despite the disadvantages of his upbringing in a world that all the characters aspire to, so

TV on the Internet, Episode 16: Moby Dick in the Lifetime with Tim Kring

2009-08-11T01:20:00.000-07:00

This week: Todd and Libby return from a long, unintended hiatus with lots of thoughts on what's been going on on your boobish tubes while they've been away, including the return of Mad Men (this Sunday!?), books becoming TV series and Dollhouse's "Epitaph One." Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please review us on iTunes. We WILL

TV on the Internet, Episode 15: The Emmys Giveth, and the Emmys Taketh Away

2009-07-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lateness. Libby was not feeling well last night.This week: Todd and Libby have a bone to pick with the Emmys. But they also have much praise for the beleaguered organization! Also, there is more fighting over Burn Notice, Walter Cronkite makes them sad, and Todd is going to Comic-Con! Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us

TV on the Internet, Episode 14: Some Emmy Prediction for You

2009-07-12T00:32:00.001-07:00

We've got more special guests this week -- Erik Dean Anderson of Awards Daily's forums and Big Ted of For Your Speculation. Both also post at Culturish. We're going to be discussing which shows will be nominated for Emmys this Thursday and which won't. Here's a hint: If you love quality television, you've got a 50/50 shot or so! Please keep voting for us on iTunes! Your reviews and ratings have

TV on the Internet, Episode 13: Some Unpopular Opinions for You

2009-06-28T00:38:00.000-07:00

We've got special guests on this week -- Myles McNutt of Cultural Learnings and Carrie Raisler of Zap2It.com, and we're going to be discussing our unpopular TV opinions. To that end, we're going to express our secret loves of Everybody Loves Raymond, The Mentalist, vampires and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Also, Todd and Libby look at the week in celebrity death and Fox's Virtuality.

TV on the Internet, Episode 12: Why does cable news suck so much?

2009-06-21T01:53:00.000-07:00

This week: Why did America never embrace Pushing Daisies? Why can't cable news seem to cover actual, y'know, news? Will the Scrubs reboot work? And why can't Libby and Todd agree on Burn Notice? At least they both dislike True Blood! Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please review us on iTunes. We WILL take out the Official Lost

TV on the Internet, Episode 11: The Top Ten Dramatic Performances of the Decade (Male and Female)

2009-06-14T01:40:00.000-07:00

After yet another short hiatus (we won't have one for another three weeks this time!), we're back with our countdown of the top ten dramatic performances of the decade, both male and female. Also, we've got some headlines and an extended discussion of the David Letterman/Sarah Palin feud. Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please

TV on the Internet, Episode 10: Which is Better? Mad Men or Breaking Bad?

2009-05-31T01:27:00.000-07:00

We're back after our short hiatus to talk about the pressing question of the moment: Which is better, Mad Men or Breaking Bad? Also, we've got a summer TV preview and thoughts on the few season finales we didn't touch on earlier. Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us, please review us on iTunes. We WILL take out the Official Lost

The Ritter Files

2009-05-25T05:34:00.000-07:00

I join Todd in my enjoyment of Krysten Ritter's contributions to Breaking Bad this year and to a growing number of other projects. Ritter has a rising star vibe coming off her in waves right now and is apparently looking to hit on the musical front as well. (Am I the only one thinking next Zooey Deschanel? Now we just need to find the next M. Ward) If you're uninitiated we offer this collection

No new podcast tonight

2009-05-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone:Our oldest cat passed away this morning from the disease she'd been battling for almost six months. Needless to say, we wouldn't feel like doing a podcast under the best of circumstances, and we REALLY don't feel like doing one about The CW. So we're not going to! We may try to catch up over the weekend or something, though I would not bet on that happening. Since we were already

TV on the Internet, Special Edition: CBS Upfront

2009-05-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

CBS announced its rather boring fall schedule today, and we've got just the snark it always needed. Also, we make fun of Alex O'Loughlin fans. Sorry, Moonlight-heads!We're available on iTunes, or you can check us out at Podcast Alley, Podcast Pickle or the TV on the Internet libsyn page.If you like the show, consider a donation by clicking on the PayPal link over at the right. Remember, you'll

TV on the Internet, Special Edition: ABC and NBC Upfronts

2009-05-20T00:49:00.000-07:00

Today, ABC announced its schedule and pick-ups, while NBC announced its schedule. We're going to take a look at both, as well as the new shows on ABC. Sadly, the quality of the clips from ABC is pretty low. Thanks, ABC!We're available on iTunes, or you can check us out at Podcast Alley, Podcast Pickle or the TV on the Internet libsyn page.If you like the show, consider a donation by clicking on

Well, Did You Evah?

2009-05-19T06:04:00.001-07:00

Did you know the characters on the now cancelled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles were in an alternate timeline from the Terminator movies? OK, sure, but you were probably watching the show. Anyway, I'll have to rely on DVD to get freaked out by Shirley Manson's acting but here's a thought-provoking post about what might have been. (MTV Movies)

TV on the Internet, Special Edition: Fox Upfront

2009-05-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

Fox announced its new show pickups and its fall schedule officially this morning, and here are our thoughts on the matter. Check back throughout the week for our takes on the other networks' schedules.We're available on iTunes, or you can check us out at Podcast Alley, Podcast Pickle or the TV on the Internet libsyn page.If you like the show, consider a donation by clicking on the PayPal link

"The Goodbye Gossip Girl" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.25

2009-05-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

We come to the end of what has been a very long sophomore season for GG, one that began last August and grew to 25 episodes. This year saw the show lose a bit of the shiny cultural cachet (and a few hundred thousand viewers) it picked up in its first season and become a sort of low-key cause celebre among bloggers amd cultural commentators who can't be bothered to get a subscription to Town and

TV on the Internet, Episode 9: Season Finale Showdown

2009-05-17T01:31:00.000-07:00

We're in Las Vegas, living the high life (aka eating $1 hot dogs), so this week's show is a little shorter than usual. It's an abbreviated look at ten shows that finished their seasons this week. One of them even ended its whole series. We'll be doing news posts to reflect the new network schedules all week long.We're available on iTunes, or you can check us out at Podcast Alley, Podcast Pickle

"Valley Girls" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.24

2009-05-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

The bulk of "Valley Girls" is intended to be a lead-in for next fall's supposed spin-off focusing on Lily's teenage years in California. That series' fate currently hangs in the balance as the CW prepares its fall schedule, so there's at least a chance that this episode might wind up being merely a very expensive footnote in GG mythology. I had a hard time imagining Brittany Snow as the younger

TV on the Internet, Episode 8: Star Trekkin' with J.J. Abrams

2009-05-10T02:25:00.000-07:00

Our eighth episode takes a brief trip to the local theater to see how TV impresario J.J. Abrams fares with his second feature-length directorial effort, the new Star Trek movie. We're also going to talk about what makes a good cliffhanger and rant a bit about those who rant about product placement. Thanks for all your comments and criticism. They're helping us make the show better. If you like us

"The Wrath of Con" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.23

2009-05-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

My TV is making judgments. No recap this week since my DVR recorded the sound of GG and not the picture. If you missed last night's episode check out this roundup instead. (EW)

TV on the Internet, Special Edition: NBC Infronts

2009-05-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

NBC announced which new shows it was picking up for the fall today, though it didn't let us know if Chuck would be coming back or not. Sorry, you guys.We're available on iTunes, or you can check us out at Podcast Alley, Podcast Pickle or the TV on the Internet libsyn page.If you like the show, consider a donation by clicking on the PayPal link over at the right. Remember, you'll get your name on

TV on the Internet, Episode 7: Pilotpalooza!, Part 2 Glee Sound!

2009-05-03T02:43:00.000-07:00

Our seventh episode is, in my humble opinion, our best episode on a technical level yet. We take a look at the top 15 pilots of the development season with the help of the TV Mad Man and we review the pilot for Fox's new high school drama Glee. Also, our top ten shows of the week. Hopefully, the e-mail exchange is more interesting this week than it was last week. Thanks for all your comments and

"Southern Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.22

2009-04-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit late to this one so I won't waste your time with a long recap. "Southern Gentlemen..." lays out the full extent of the con that Poppy and Gabriel are running on Serena; we just got a taste of it at the end of last week's episode. In short, Gabriel and Poppy fake a fight which appears to cost Gabriel investors on a vague-sounding plan to bring "wireless to developing nations." Gabriel

TV on the Internet, episode 6: Lost Takes a Road Trip to Chicago

2009-04-26T01:25:00.000-07:00

Our sixth episode tackles the death of Bea Arthur, the upcoming announcements of the networks' schedules and one of the biggest TV debates out there: Did the creators of Lost know where they were going when they started the show? It's long this week, which we didn't expect, since there was nothing on, but we think it's a good show. If you like it, please, please, please review us on iTunes. We

"Seder Anything" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.21

2009-04-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

After a promising beginning, a Blair dream sequence in which she's a Dickensian flower girl begging a richer version of herself, the rest of "Seder Anything" felt a little rushed and desultory. We didn't learn very much about anyone, saw some characters repeat themselves, and generally spun our wheel while waiting for what looks like an unmissable episode next week. It's not looking good for

TV on the Internet, Episode 5: Al Michaels Is NOT an Alien Queen

2009-04-19T02:08:00.001-07:00

The fifth episode arrives, and for once, we have a major disagreement on something, namely the Caprica pilot, which Todd quite liked and Libby HATED. So there you go! As always, we appreciate your critiques and comments in the comments, so let us know what you think, and be honest. If you're liking what you're hearing and have the time, please review us at iTunes, so we can start climbing the

What we're up to ...

2009-04-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure you've noticed, we've mostly let South Dakota Dark lie fallow and made it a repository for podcast episodes. Well, while I have a few moments, let me give you an idea of just why there's so little time for SDD, at least in my life, anymore, and link you to some of our other projects.To the jump, then!My new and hopefully-soon-to-be-primary base of operations is over at The Onion's AV

TV on the Internet, Episode 4: Should Dollhouse Be Canceled?

2009-04-12T03:45:00.000-07:00

Our fourth episode is here, and our first with THE LEVELATOR, which sounds more ominous than it actually is. Actually, I think it really helped improve this week's volume issues. As always, we appreciate your critiques and comments in the comments, so let us know what you think, and be honest. If you're liking what you're hearing and have the time, please review us at iTunes, so we can start

TV on the Internet, Episode 3: Pilotpalooza! Part 1

2009-04-05T06:28:00.001-07:00

Here's our third episode, and I think we're finally getting the hang of this podcasting thing. This is the first one that is neither too loud nor too quiet throughout. As always, we appreciate your critiques and comments in the comments, so let us know what you think, and be honest. If you're liking what you're hearing and have the time, please review us at iTunes, so we can start climbing the

"And In The End" - E.R., episode 15.22

2009-04-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

A few words on the subject of ER, the cornerstone of NBC's Thursday night lineup for a decade and a half and the late Michael Crichton's greatest contribution to pop culture.When a show has been around as long and gone through as many iterations as ER there's no way to really do a series finale that can encompass everything the show has meant to fans. I liked the much-hyped tactic of bringing

A New Set of Downs

2009-03-31T01:35:00.000-07:00

It's two more 13-episode seasons for Friday Night Lights....Good news for one of the few shows anyone likes on NBC, and I hope Life gets the same treatment and a time slot not opposite Lost. As for FNL, does this mean we'll follow Smash, Tim, Jason, Matt, etc. into their college years or will the show attempt to develop new Dillon Panthers as its leads? (I guess if you've seen the season on

"The Remains Of The J" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.20

2009-03-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

After the craziness of the last two weeks "The Remains of The J" felt like a step backward, a return to the themes of Season 1. Yes there was plenty of romantic intrigue and two new couples got together (for the moment), but the story of Jenny's mixed-up Sweet 16 party was a distraction from the main event. Surprise! It's Jenny's 16th birthday and over breakfast at the VDW's place (that's how

TV on the Internet, Episode 2: They Fumbled Less Balls This Time

2009-03-29T01:10:00.000-07:00

TV on the Internet's second episode is here, and we're hopeful we aren't so breathe-y this week (actually, we know we aren't, but now we might be too quiet, which is an entirely different issue altogether). As always, we appreciate your critiques and comments in the comments, so let us know what you think, and be honest.We're available on iTunes, finally, if that's how you'd like to get the show,

Thoughts on Breaking Bad

2009-03-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching the 7-episode first season of Breaking Bad on DVD and wanted to echo the good things Todd has been saying about the show over at HND. (Most recently here) On it's face the show's premise doesn't sound sustainable, or at best like something that would last a few episodes over on FX. But appearances can be deceiving....Just like Lost isn't really a show about an island or

"The Grandfather" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.19

2009-03-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

In Noah Baumbach's Kicking and Screaming there's an offhand line I've always liked when the main character's girlfriend is telling Grover (Josh Hamilton) about her plans to study in Europe. "I've been to Prague," Grover replies. "Well, I haven't BEEN TO PRAGUE been to Prague." I was reminded of that moment when watching last night's Gossip Girl, in which Nate dips a toe in the water of a

TV on the Internet, Episode 1: Brain Cancer Ghost Sex

2009-03-22T17:17:00.000-07:00

Just in case anyone still checks this blog ...About a year ago, I started to realize that keeping a TV blog was becoming an increasingly ridiculous task. There are SO MANY TV blogs now, and they're all saying pretty much the same things. This is not to mention that none of us can compete with Alan Sepinwall or The AV Club or what-have-you, and we all pretty much end up saying the same things.

"The Age of Dissonance" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.18

2009-03-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

We're back! I Twittered tonight's episode to keep it fresh in my mind, and boy am I glad I did since it turned out to maybe be the craziest episode of the season. Shall we begin? GG is getting all Edith Whartony and meta- tonight.It's time for the "senior class play" and so Blair, Serena, Dan, and the rest of the gang (except Chuck) are all cast in a stage adaptation of Edith Wharton's The Age

One Tree Hill, v. 7

2009-02-26T11:10:00.000-08:00

I wrote about my fascination with the absurd CW series One Tree Hill here. Now comes word that the show has been renewed for a seventh season, which means that Lucas, Peyton, and the gang will be around for 22 more episodes of emo-filled, badly soundtracked, life lessons and that none of them will be able to get too far away from thew teat that is their nondescript North Carolina hometown.What

More SDD folly: Live blogging the 2009 Oscars

2009-02-22T17:04:00.000-08:00

Jai ho, everybody!Yes, we're liveblogging the 2009 Oscars, everyone who asked. I don't know what we're going to say, just yet, but stay tuned for Libby's thoughts on fashion. The only thought I have is that Miley Cyrus is just growing up all weird and stuff. She increasingly looks like one of the monsters Hercules had to beat to prove his worth to Zeus.Click below to follow along!5:08 p.m.:

South Dakota Dark's folly or Live-Blogging the 1989 Oscars

2009-02-21T23:00:00.000-08:00

(So, anyway, yeah, we've been largely absent, and that's because there are big doings here at SDD that we can't yet tell you about. But we will very definitely be letting you know in the next couple of weeks what's going on and what the blog's role in that will be. Thanks for checking in! -- ed.)All right. We're going to watch the 1989 Oscars and try to remember just how weird 20 years ago was.

"Carnal Knowledge" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.17

2009-02-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

This week we find out what our GG friends are really made of in an episode so bleak it deserves the honor of being named after an actual movie and not just titled with a bad pun. "Carnal Knowledge" feels like the episode that will set things in motion for the rest of the season and perhaps dramatically realign some of the relationships we've come to love over the past two seasons. Meanwhile my

Damn you, L Word

2009-01-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

On last week's sixth and final season premiere of The L Word it was revealed that Jenny Schecter (Mia Kirshner), the self-involved writer-turned-filmmaker whose coming out was the theme of the show's first season, was found dead in a swimming pool outside her neighbor's house with almost the entire cast present. We then flashback to the end of Season 5, when Jenny discovers best friend Shane (

"You've Got Yale" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.16

2009-01-19T18:31:00.000-08:00

This week finds the GG gang in full-on nighttime soap opera mode, with the main plotlines all focusing on the underhanded and deceptive. You know what? They don't pull it off. This dour episode recalls the slow-moving hours of earlier this season in which the cast seem like kids playacting at being grown-ups. Oh, for the lighthearted and carefree days of Jenny and her guerrilla fashion shows.

"Gone with the Will" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.15

2009-01-12T18:06:00.000-08:00

"Gone with the Will" takes an intriguing premise and carries it to an uncharacteristically warmhearted conclusion. The character farthest removed from their usual role on the show is in fact Kristen Bell's Gossip Girl herself, whose lack of omniscience helps push the story forward. We're used to Gossip Girl commenting on (and sometimes influencing) the action through their network of citizen

SLAT - Insert Palin Family joke here

2009-01-09T17:45:00.001-08:00

The second season of ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager premiered this week, and if you're not caught up with what's going on in this communique from Deep Red America don't worry. That's what bloggers are for. The story so far: Amy (Shailene Woodley) arrives home pregnant after a trip to band camp and her first sexual experience, a one-time fling with school player (Daren

"In the Realm of the Basses" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.14

2009-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

We're all agreed that GG represents teenage life for about .001% of its viewing audience, but when Chuck gets drunk why does he have to act like a 47-year old man? "Farewell to my dear Spanish ladies?" Really? This show is still set in 2009, right? I half expected Chuck to pop up between Benchley and Parker at the Algonquin Round Table. The New Year finds our GG friends back to their old habits.

Some thoughts on Christmas music ...

2008-12-19T03:36:00.000-08:00

(I do truly plan to get back to regular blogging, but I'm doing a couple of year-end recaps for other sites. Here's something I wrote for a forum boldly repurposed for a blog! I'll try to throw up some other Christmas-related posts over the next few days. -- ed.)I have a reputation among many as someone who loves shitty Christmas music, but that's really not true. I mostly just KNOW what the

Notes on Gossip Girl, House, & Life

2008-12-10T19:19:00.000-08:00

I'm a little overdue on my GG recap this week; apologies, but I won't bore you with the work-related reasons. I'll go ahead and share some thoughts now about the holiday episode of GG as well as developments on House and Life. I'm going to make a statement based on nothing at all but a feeling. It may shock you, but roll with it. Ready? I think GG might be reaching the end of Chuck Bass's

Come see some plays for charity!

2008-12-08T17:37:00.000-08:00

If you're in the Southern California area, come see the play I'm helping out with, The 12 Plays of Christmas. All proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, and the 12 individual short plays are in a variety of styles and genres and all very entertaining. Well, except for the two written by that giant black hole of anti-talent, Todd VanDerWerff. But, still, it's for a good cause,

The Top 100 Shows of All Time: The Comments, Part 1

2008-12-05T03:50:00.000-08:00

(Thanks for your great ideas, everybody. I'll get up the Mad Men review, some Oscar predictions and a few posts on Christmas entertainment over the next couple of weeks, along with some of your other suggestions. -- ed.)Back when I did the top 100 TV shows posts, I really thought I was going to come back after a week's hiatus and respond to all of the great comments I got. But I was working then

Blogger block

2008-12-04T04:51:00.000-08:00

So, as it turns out, I just have no idea what to blog about (I've been hoping to do a follow-up to last year's Top 100 TV Shows list, but I simply haven't had the time to prepare sufficiently, so it may have to wait until next year sometime). I'm throwing it out to you: What would you like more of? TV show episode reviews? TV season reviews? Film or book reviews (please don't ask me to do album

"It's A Wonderful Lie" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.12

2008-12-02T11:46:00.000-08:00

Time constraints prevented me from posting a recap of GG last night, and with some time to think about it I don't know that there's really much to say about this winter-themed installment of GG. Everyone is preparing for the Snowflake Ball, but who will Blair and Chuck be taking. This week turns the heat down quite a bit on the would-be couple (Would the tabloids call them Bluck or Chair?). Since

Trailer Curmudgeons, Vol. 8: Meryl Streep, Rorschach and a MOUNTAIN-CRESTING TIDAL WAVE

2008-11-30T21:47:00.000-08:00

We've been out of commission for Thanksgiving and my birthday, which came right on top of each other, so here's FAN FAVORITE Trailer Curmudgeons to kick us off again. Doubt (Dec. 12)Quicktime.Todd: So it was while watching the trailer for this, which takes the mostly excellent and mostly somber stage play and apparently turns it into Notes on a Scandal 2: The Nunnening, that I realized the play

Shield finale open thread

2008-11-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

(Too busy to blog tonight, but I want to keep this site up and running as much as possible, so jump below for some quick, spoiler-y thoughts and contribute yours in comments.)The Shield, I think, was a show that actually GOT BETTER as it went along because it was able to use the weight of events that had come before to inform events in whatever its current season was to great effect. To that end,

V.S.E.

2008-11-25T17:58:00.001-08:00

I think the term "Very Special Episode" went out of vogue sometime around when Family Ties went off the air. Tonight's House had all the trappings though: an extended running time (eight extra minutes), a shot of melodrama added to the usual formula, and a possible exit for a major character. How did it all play out? I've been a fan of Zeljko Ivanek since Homicide and loved his work on

What's the matter with Fringe?

2008-11-24T23:00:00.000-08:00

Everything that's wrong with Fringe, Fox's newest drama hit (though I use that term pretty loosely) is eminently fixable if the producers will just look back to the show's most obvious influence -- The X-Files. However, I don't really expect anyone to actually go and fix Fringe, because it's just good enough that it can probably skate by for years and years and years without anyone ever turning

Trailer Curmudgeons, Vol. 7: No one cares what a wiener cat thinks

2008-11-21T23:25:00.000-08:00

(Tonight, we will be featuring special thoughts from our cat, Wiener Cat, who is short and enormous. Also, she is a cinephile.)This time on Trailer Curmudgeons, we're looking at the big, Oscar films. And the films you'll probably actually SEE instead of the big, Oscar films. Don't lie.Australia (Wednesday)Quicktime. Check out the Web site here. You can explore the eight themes of Australia, which

A modest proposal in re: '80s workplace dramas

2008-11-20T23:25:00.000-08:00

(Sorry, Jennifer! Saw your request for a Fringe review after I had already started this post. I'll get up the Fringe piece tomorrow. --ed.)I don't think it's an overstatement to say the networks are in turmoil. The writers' strike accelerated the erosion of ratings that were already under siege. The seeming promise that serialized dramas held in 2004 ended up being a false one, as viewers were

"Who says the Easter Bunny's not real?": NCIS and The Mentalist

2008-11-19T23:57:00.000-08:00

NCIS is a cool TV show for people who've never seen cool TV shows. In the manner of all CBS shows, it's endlessly, endlessly competent, and when you watch an hour of it, that hour passes as quickly and painlessly as possible, but none of this explains why the show has randomly become one of the biggest on television, bested only by Dancing With the Stars, CSI or 60 Minutes in any given week.

Piling on Mondays at 8

2008-11-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

Every year, the networks seemingly decide to put all of their good and/or promising shows in the same time slot for no discernible reason. A couple of seasons ago, it was Tuesdays at 9, which had the first seasons of Veronica Mars and House, Scrubs when it was still mostly enjoyable and some other show (maybe The Amazing Race?). That was followed up with a season where Thursdays at 8 boasted

All the ladies on House say yeah!

2008-11-18T18:42:00.000-08:00

What was I hoping for from tonight's House?After last week's episode in which Cameron treated an agoraphobic in his own home I was wishing for further development of Cameron as a more humane counterpart to her former boss. Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, and Omar Epps are in a curious position: their roles were reduced in order to keep the series from becoming stale but they weren't let go in

"The Magnificent Archibalds" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.11

2008-11-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

So here we are at the midpoint of GG's sophomore season, with an episode full of families trying to come together for a New York Thanksgiving. I'll propose a theory: the merits of an episode of GG are inversely proportional to the amount of screen time given to Lily, Rufus, Bart, and the other adults. Do you agree? "The Magnificent Archibalds" featured plenty of parents looking to connect with

Why you probably don't want to get those politics in your sitcom

2008-11-17T23:58:00.000-08:00

One of the things you'll occasionally hear TV comedy creators bemoan is the fact that they can't do politically-oriented sitcoms anymore. Some of the best sitcoms of the '70s (often considered to be the golden age of the form) were heavily centered on political issues, particularly Norman Lear's All in the Family, which often seemed to tackle a hot-button issue in every single episode. You'll

Life has Life...and more

2008-11-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

NBC has given Life, about LAPD Det. Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis) restarting his career after being wrongly convicted of murder, a full-season order. I haven't had time to do the week-by-week recap of each episode I did here last year, but I'm still enjoying the show as a less relentlessly procedural alternative to some of the cop fare on CBS. If you're not familiar, the first season is out on

"Bonfire of the Vanity" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.10

2008-11-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that Leighton Meester's best acting of the season would be done opposite.....Wallace Shawn? The distinguished American playwright pops up on GG this week as Cyrus, the new love interest of Eleanor. As Blair's eighteenth birthday looms, she's horrified to find her mother mooning over a loud hugger who isn't exactly her Upper East Side idea of a perfect stepfather. The Blair

"There Might Be Blood" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.9

2008-11-03T18:12:00.000-08:00

I don't know what was funniest about "There Might Be Blood." Was it Jenny's "guerrilla" fashion show at a gala event honoring Lily and Bart Bass or the fact that Nate has a driver's license? Actually it was neither, but rather the sight of Blair, Serena, and Chuck unexpectedly teamed up to save a young woman with an unusual goal for her first night on the Manhattan club scene. All of this added

"Pret-A-Poor-J" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.8

2008-10-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

Best episode title of the season? Maybe. Taylor Momsen shows up in this Jenny-centric episode with a angrier haircut and older new look, and while the end of the hour finds her potentially striking out on her own it's the unusual intrusion of Dan into the Chuck-Blair saga that lingers as the end credits roll. Jenny's fortunes at the House of Waldorf were sealed a few weeks ago when the

"Chuck In Real Life" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.7

2008-10-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

The picture of Jessica Szohr as Vanessa that I chose to accompany this recap says a good deal about what's wrong with "Chuck in Real Life." I mean no disrespect to the lovely Szohr, but the sight of Vanessa all dolled up at Bart and Lily's housewarming party is a good representation of an episode that never quite came together. So how did things get to this improbable point? As we know, Vanessa

"New Haven Can Wait" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.6

2008-10-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

Before I say anything else, it's kind of a relief to know that Blair is nice to her maid. The conversation Blair has with Dorota at the top of "New Haven Can Wait" is a nice pickup off of where we last saw Blair, watching as Serena was fawned over after the fashion show at the end of the last episode. As her friendship with Serena has (apparently) crumbled, we've seen a more vulnerable side of

In which I alienate all of my relatives forever by working for a Democratic presidential candidate and start the first South Dakota Dark pledge drive

2008-10-10T00:12:00.000-07:00

So this summer? Really fell down on the blogging job. Now, there's a long explanation as to why this happened and what's going to come in the future (which I'll write ... someday), but I had really planned on picking everything up again this fall.You may have noticed that hasn't happened (outside of some excellent posts by Simon and Jon). There's a good reason for this.You see, I am going to

"Let It Be" - Lipstick Jungle, episode 2.3

2008-10-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

Quick Review: The first "season" of NBC's Lipstick Jungle (based on a novel by Candace Bushnell) introduced us to three New York women who were best friends, professionally successful, and juggling busy personal lives as well. Bonfire magazine editor Nico (Kim Raver) is married to a stiff academic and begins an affair with a younger photographer's assistant named Kirby. Movie studio exec Wendy (

"The Serena Also Rises" - Gossip Girl, episode 2.5

2008-09-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

In case there was any doubt, "The Serena Also Rises" was proof positive that this season Gossip Girl is first and foremost a show about Blair. I always think of the main character of an ensemble series like GG as being the one that the show happens to, and this year its the aristocrat-loving, Bass-hating, friend-losing Miss Waldorf. That's not to say that things didn't happen to other characters

NBC: A Look Ahead (2008-09)

2008-09-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

I'm sure there's a lot to say about NBC and why it's in such a terrible state at the moment, but so much has been covered about that over the last 3-4 years, and I already have this in-depth schedule analysis, so I'll get right to it. And here it is! Mondays08:00p.m. – Chuck (Sept. 29)