Mikebriggs's profile on TV.com

After two episodes (for the most part): by MikeBriggs

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:39:18 PDT

1) Rather odd so far: Watching a lot more television this season than I had thought
2) I haven't seen a show I have disliked yet

Sunday:
8 pm: Simpsons....................................................
8:30 pm: nothing (I keep recording King of the Hill, but haven't watched an episode yet)

9 pm: Family Guy ...............................................
9:30 pm: slight chance see American Dad (first episode did not air because Family Guy 1 hour; second episode cut off after 5 minutes because cable company decided to update my software - for the rest of the night; haven't seen an episode yet)

Monday:
8 pm: Chuck - Have actually rather enjoyed this show, though second episode wasn't as good as first.
How I Met Your Mother - still watching, still good
8:30 pm: The Big Bang Theory - second episode not as good as first, but still best on TV
9 pm: Heroes - Haven't seen second episode yet, but first was . . goodish - the "twins" are annoying so far.
10 pm: Journeyman - I rather like this show - really surprised. thought it would be annoying. And I was just going to give it a shot. glad I gave it a shot. expect it to be cancelled shortly, but still, glad I gave it a shot.

Tuesday: .....................................................
8 pm: NCIS - I've been recording it, but haven't seen it yet - haven't seen anything from Tuesday at 8pm yet
9 pm: Reaper - second episode slightly more interesting that first; will continue to watch
10 PM: Boston Legal missed first episode, haven't seen second but recorded . . someday see again.

Wednesday:
8 pm: Back to You - second episode better; will continue to watch
8:30 pm: 'Til Death - it has some rather funny moments, but it is just hard for me to get into it.
9 pm: Bionic Woman - I watched the first episode when the night the second one aired, then watched second episode. Actually rather like this one. Surprised.
10 pm: CSI: NY - still recording, will get around to watching someday.

Thursday: Really glad they reaired the pilot of Reaper on this night, otherwise . . .waiting for Scrubs. Will watch tonights 30 Rock because of Seinfeld.
9:30 pm: Scrubs - 10/25

Friday: 8 pm: nothing
9 pm: Moonlight - (haven't watched yet)
10 pm: Las Vegas - watched this show again for first time since first or second season. Like Tom Selleck. Show really was intro to Selleck and wrap up of last season, and why certain characters staying or going. I'll watch/record next episode and then make decision if will continue to watch.

Saturday - So far it has allowed me to record certain shows I had missed.

Reaper and Chuck by MikeBriggs

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 07:42:56 PDT

Chuck and Reaper, connected in many critics minds as similar shows, with greater praise going to Reaper.

I watched Chuck more because I was somewhat forced to do so. I was going to record it, and watch the comedies on CBS, but the "watching television" was showing Chuck, so I watched Chuck. There are shows from last year that I have recorded and have not yet watched. Earlier on TV.com, I had noted that I had rather liked Chuck and looked forward to the second episode. I had no expectations going into it, and almost didn't see it. The opposite of Reaper - I rather looked forward to it, the critics seemed to like it more than Chuck, and . . . I found it to be ok, but not great.

Reaper was supposed to be better because the humor in it was stronger and more obvious than in Chuck (or something along those lines). I think I laughed once. I didn't go into it for humor, though, but when the critics make that point, and when the show itself keeps laying out these "jokes" that are not that funny, it becomes notable. Both shows are interesting enough, I suppose, and I'll continue watching both, baring unforeseen circumstances.

Oh and so many writers have noticed the similarities between Chuck and Reaper (giant box-superstore workers, weak unexpected "heroes" fighting . . something, etc.) that I left out the similarities/differences section.

Watched my recordings of three situation comedies by MikeBriggs

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:20:01 PDT

How I Met Your Mother - same standard level of comedy come to expect. Good enough episode. Lost interest a couple of times, but also laughed a couple of times. My Mandy Moore doesn't look good tatted up like that.

Back to You - very disappointed, expected more, bland

Big Bang Theory - didn't really expect anything, only recorded it as it was on after How I Met Your Mother, and only watched because it started after I saw How I Met . . .; Probably because I didn't expect anything, I thought it was very funny, many laugh out loud moments (loudly). lots of annoying techno babble, but that set the characters up. Hopefully the techno babble will be less annoying in the future.

Fall 2007 - Monday update by MikeBriggs

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:34:43 PDT

I picked up and finished Heroes season 1, so I will now watch that Monday's at 9pm (or record to watch later, I recorded the first episode of season 2 last night - might be a series better seen in large batches, that "continued later" thingie is annoying if you can't see the next episode immediately ).

I had planned to watch the comedies on CBS last night, but was forced to record them on one TV and watch Chuck on another. I rather liked Chuck and look forward to the second episode. I'm sure that means that it will be canceled. So, Monday updated:
8pm: Watch/record: Chuck, How I Met Your Mother

8:30pm: Chuck continued, The Big Bang Theory (recorded, haven't seen first episode)

9pm: Heroes
9:30 pm: Heroes
10pm: Journeyman (recorded first episode, not yet seen, hope to see before end up recording next episode if I end up disliking it)

Fall 2007 by MikeBriggs

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 13:08:44 PDT

Sunday:
8 pm: Simpsons - 9/23/07
8:30 pm: nothing
9 pm: Family Guy - 9/23/07
9:30 pm: slight chance see American Dad - 9/30

Monday:
8 pm: Chuck 9/24 - I'll probably record the first episode and watch:
How I Meet Your Mother 9/24 - in another room.

Not really interested in Chuck, but I figure I should try something.

I'll only watch MNF when my team plays.

8:30 pm: I'll give "The Big Bang Theory" a shot when it starts 9/24
9 pm: 2 & 1/2 Men - 9/24
9:30 pm: Rules of Engagement - 9/24
10 pm: I'll give "Journeyman" a shot 9/24

Tuesday: 8 pm: Bones - 9/25; NCIS - 9/25
9 pm: Reaper - 9/25 - I'll look as I like some of the work of one of the actors on the show
10 PM: Boston Legal - 9/25 (1st ep starts at 9:30 . . .ack)

Wednesday: not my night, I see
8 pm: Back to You - 9/19
8:30 pm: huh . . . guess I'll see 'Til Death - 9/19
9 pm: um . .. not going to watch a spinoff of a show I never watched, tired of shows like Criminal Minds . .. ack, guess I'll watch the 1st ep of Bionic Woman 9/26
10 pm: CSI: NY - 9/26

Thursday: really not my night
8 pm: nothing
8:30 pm: nothing
9 pm: nothing
9:30 pm: Scrubs - 10/25
10 pm: nothing

Friday: really not my night part 2 (not likely to watch the shows selected below)
8 pm: nothing
9 pm: Moonlight - 9/28
10 pm: Numb3rs - 9/28 (I'd watch Stargate Atlantis if the DVD arrived in time and I watched it before whenever that season starts)

Saturday - right

Filmspot: Gaming? by MikeBriggs

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 05:50:15 PST

I attempted to add the stars for the film Sweet Land. All submissions were rejected because of "gaming". Gaming? I was told to "condense all your submissions into one, or else you could be cited for gaming." How? How do you submit more than one credit at a time? I went to the page at the time and attempted to add the stars of the movie. Maybe the system has changed since I submitted the credits (I can't tell, because I can't get the system to work at the moment), but when I attempted to submit the credits originally, I was only given the option of submitting the credits one at a time. I don't care about "gaming the system." The point system isn't even working anyway, so what would I have gained out of it? All I wanted to do was add the cast to the "Sweet Land" page, and all I did was follow the form on that page. Thank-you for giving us yet another website devoted to Films. I believe I'll now return to the other websites until this one (FilmSpot) leaves Beta.

Filmspot - Casino Royale (2006) by MikeBriggs

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 07:35:00 PST

As the review didn't make it onto my page, and I wanted to ask question about the review anyway, I'll repost my Casino Royale review here, but first ask the question - do you think my review is too long for FilmSpot?:

As the only James Bond film based on an Ian Fleming book made in my lifetime, I was extremely excited to see this film. Throw in the new Bond actor, and I actually skipped work to catch the first viewing I could get into.

A Problem
A major problem with the film is the simple fact that it is an origin story, told in the present modern world (as opposed to an origin story set in the past). There are 20 official Bond films that occurred before this one, are we to assume that they are now not "official"? Or are we to just overlook the fact that those 20 films occurred in the past, while the origin story occurred in the "present"? One of the interesting aspects of the original Casino Royale film was the use of other people being James Bond. Not the mission in the original film (the 1967 comedy, not the 1950s television episode) where many people pretended to be Bond, but the idea that James Bond, 007 was/is a name used by a MI6 agent, that is passed from one agent to another when the need arises (like previous agent dead; in the comedy film, Sir James Bond passes on the mantle of "James Bond" to a new agent, the multiple "James Bond's" is a later part of the movie). The point is that many actors have played the role, and the role seems expandable to include this type of action. Interesting idea, or not, this particular discussion can be carried on some other day. The movie:

The Book and the Movie
Casino Royale is the only Fleming Bond book that I've read twice, which I only point out to note that I've read the book, seen the 2006 movie, and have concluded that the movie and the book have some strong similarities (discounting the modernization done by the movie makers, and the addition of an origin story). I don't want to get too detailed in this section, as there are those who might wish to either read the book at some point, or see the movie (or both).

Unlike some previous Bond films that only used the title of a Fleming Bond book, this particular Bond film seems to have actually used the meat/plot of the original book.

Daniel Craig and James Bond
Before Daniel Craig was named the newest James Bond, there were some who noted that the actor Jason Statham (Transporter) might make for a good James Bond. Considering the movie roles Statham has played, I thought the idea somewhat strange. Then I saw the beginning of the new James Bond film Casino Royale, and I could quite easily see Statham playing James Bond. The problem, of course, is that Bond is more than action-star, and I've only seen Statham play an action star (I'm not saying that Statham can't act, I'm saying that I've only seen him in action star roles). Luckily for the audience (except for those who would prefer to continue to watch just action), the part was given to Daniel Craig, and the movie included more than action.

So, is Daniel Craig James Bond? I don't know.
1) Craig has a hard face, and I haven't figured out if that is good or bad;
2) this movie was something of an origin story, and the film-makers have not combined all elements of "James Bond" together yet (so need to wait and see);
3) the hair - just the idea that the hair might be wrong was distracting, not whether or not the hair was the wrong shade, but the simple fact that the hair can be thought of as wrong is distracting;
4) Bond women - Bond had a different relationship with the Bond women in this movie than he normally has: the first Bond woman encounter was flowing along like previous encounters, but Bond ran out of time; the second Bond woman went the Diana Rigg route (love interest), which is not the typical Bond-Bond woman interaction; (another wait and see)

Rating
Good solid movie, somewhat distracted by "new Bond, how's the new Bond doing" part, and the "based on Fleming book, what's the same, what's different" part, and the "what the heck is Judi Dench (as M) doing in a Bond origin film, oh it's set in modern times" part. Overall, I'd give the film a solid 4.28 out of 5 stars rating.

Filmspot - Sweet Land by MikeBriggs

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 07:09:03 PST

Sweet Land was an outstanding film. I almost didn't go see the film, because it didn't really look like my kind of film. But, on the last weekend the film was available to be seen at the local theaters, I went and saw the film. I am extremely glad that I was able to catch the film before it ended it's run. The film ended up being one of the first movie I've given a rating of 5 out of 5 in a long time.

I have created a summary for the film and submitted it here. Being a Beta site, and worried that the summary will go astray, I'll repost it here to remind myself to attempt to resubmit it later if I need to do so:

Sweet Land, based on Will Weaver’s short story "A Gravestone Made of Wheat," tells the story of one man's grandparents. The film begins in 2004 with Lars Torvik. His grandmother Inge has just died, and Lars (Stephen Pelinski) is contemplating selling the family farm. He accepts a check for the farm, but he immediately starts thinking about what the family farm meant to his grandparents, and he starts to reconsider. The film then jumps back in time to 1920s Minnesota and Inge’s arrival in the area.* Inge (Elizabeth Reaser) has come over to marry a man she has never meet, Olaf (Tim Guinee), a Norwegian immigrant. Olaf is under the impression that his family has found a nice Norwegian girl for him to marry, but Inge is German. In 1920s Minnesota, being a German is the same as being the enemy. Without the correct papers, Inge and Olaf cannot marry. Without the marriage to connect them, and with the town already against Inge for being a German, Inge and Olaf try to figure out what to do next.

The multiple Inge's: young Inge is played by Elizabeth Reaser, old Inge is played by Lois Smith.

* Note, the film actually jumps back to something like the 1980s with a younger Lars visiting the family farm, and with Inge. Shortly thereafter the film jumps back to the 1920s.

FilmSpot - Newish Website, Attempt to submit review by MikeBriggs

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 07:33:38 PST

Hopefully this blog entry will post.� If it does, this will be my first blog entry post specifically to/on FilmSpot (and, like my other blog posts, appearing everywhere else on CNET).�

I just found this website by reading the blogs on TV.com (thanks RJ-viewer) and I am wandering around exploring.� I'm slightly confused as to why CNET felt the need to create this website when they already had MetaCritic, which includes the film reviews you might see if you visited one of the films on FilmSpot (which might be hard to do, judging my attempt to visit Shaolin Soccer, and having to go through Kung Fu Hustle (and then through Stephen Chow) to get to Shaolin Soccer)).� What they do not have yet, after creating or buying websites for television (MetaCritic and TV.com), games (GameSpot),�film (metacritic, and FilmSpot), music (mp3), is a website specifically for books (MetaCritic and ?), and a website specifically for DVD's (which, I suppose, is covered by MetaCritic, TV.com, and FilmSpot).�

Well, I see that my review for Shaolin Soccer is not going to make it onto the system, so I'll repost it here to remind myself to try again later.

---

Shaolin Soccer:

Shaolin Soccer stars Stephen Chow of the more widely known Kung Fu Hustle (Hustle was made and released later). You all remember Shaolin Soccer, right? Oh right, it was cut to pieces by its American distributor and then never widely released in the USA (if it was released at all on the screen in the States).

Shaolin Soccer is about this ex-soccer player (football to all you non-US Americans) that was very good, missed a goal, and was brutally beaten by a mob. That ex-player became a flunky to one of his former soccer teammates, until he leaves and eventually forms a soccer team with some bums he finds in the streets (not all bums). The team ends up entering a competition and the final game is against Team Evil, the team owned by that former teammate. There is something of a coherent plot in Shaolin Soccer (as long as you watch the uncut version), which is not always as easy to determine in foreign films (if you don't speak the language, and the best version is in that foreign language). If you get the chance, watch the uncut version, and if you can't find the uncut version, skip the cut version until you can find the non-butchered original film.

Overall, Shaolin Soccer was a funny, exciting little film, though as some have mentioned, it would probably be better to watch Shaolin Soccer before seeing Kung Fu Hustle.

Season, so far by MikeBriggs

Sat, 28 Oct 2006 09:17:02 PDT

Monday:
How I Met Your Mother (CBS): Second season is somewhat disappointing so far, though the overall second season rating (8.58 ) is just 0.06 points below the first season's score. Still my favorite comedy series on the air, though when Scrubs returns, Mother becomes the second favorite.

The Class (CBS): The first two episodes were disappointing and caused me to question whether or not any of the actors on the series knew how to act. Since the Huricane/3rd episode, though, I've found the series surprisingly funny and quite good. If I remove the first two episodes from the overall rating, the series ends up with the same rating as How I Met Your Mother (did not realize that until now). Roughly a 8.48 to 8.58 show (out of ten, rating system this website uses, though I normally rate on a five point scale). Heroes (NBC): Something keeps drawing me into this new series, and while I like it (8.58 ), I'm still waiting for the intro to end and the action to start (haven't seen last episode, though recorded it, so maybe the action has started; note: I'm aware that "action" has occurred, maybe I should say that I'm waiting for the action to move past the introduction to the characters and move more towards story advancement (while the story is progressing, we are taking more time learning about powers than story progression)). Right, that was probably confusing. Can't wait to see the recorded episode, and I have every intention of following this story until it's conclusion.

Two and a half men (CBS): Disappointing season, so far the ranks third best (8.44) of the four seasons. Will continue watching both 9pm series (this and Heroes).

Studio 60 (NBC): The pilot, which I watched early through Netflix, was good enough to really draw my interest to this series, but the two episodes after it started to erode my desire to see the series. I haven't seen the latest episode yet (recorded), but the last two episodes (eps 4 and 5) were very good and I'm likely to watch all the eps that make it on the air (what with low ratings and all, there is a risk). Of all the new series (and only counting new series), Studio 60 has received my highest rating (8.68 ) so far this year (a returning series is currently my favorite, but this is the first year I've seen that series, so it gets somewhat complicated in assessing best new series I've seen). Vanished (FOX): Saw part of first episode, decided to not continue watching episode or series. dropped

Tuesday:
Slightly confused as to what aired when on Tuesdays as the schedule has changed. Whenever I originally saw the series, I've seen Standoff, Friday Night Lights, and NCIS which now air at the 8pm hour. Veronica Mars at 9pm, and Boston Legal at 10pm. I know I also watched Kidnapped at some point, which, I think, was on at 10pm (or maybe 9pm). I also watched first episode of Smith. Friday Night Lights (NBC): Liked the film, didn't like first episode seen and with the very crowded night of shows, it needed to be better for me to give it another chance. dropped

Kidnapped (NBC): I really liked the series (8.6 rating out of 10), but then I skipped an episode to watch something else, heard that it was cancelled (actually, learned later, just moved to Saturdays to die), and stopped watching. Somewhat disappointed I lost touch with the series and that it ended up sent off to die. dropped

Standoff: Long time since they aired an episode, and the last episode I saw was the worst episode rated by me (for the series, not overall). Overall, a relatively well liked show by me, so I'll need to go back to some method of recording it and watching NCIS, or recording NCIS and watching Standoff. This television season has found me watching the most television series ever, and eventually I'll need to start pruning more than I have at this point. This show is currently on the bubble (rates the same as dropped Kidnapped - 8.6). NCIS: A little tired of the beginning "is Gibs gone, is Gibs staying" but otherwise like the season so far (second highest rated season of the 4 seasons; 8.56 ). Veronica Mars: Worst season so far, but still highly rated (8.58, while is everything turning out to be 8.58? I rate the episodes, and the overall rating is an average of the episodes, so how do so many shows end up 8.58 with the widely different individual episode ratings?). Also first season I watched as it aired instead of waiting for the DVD's, and that probably impacts the rating. Boston Legal: My favorite new series of the year, not new as in new on the air series, but new as in I hadn't watched the series until this year. I had caught a couple episodes from previous seasons as they aired, but for some reason I never really liked them until I tested the first season DVD through Netflix and like so much went out an bought it. Ended up rating the first season 8.68, the second season 7.88 (one episode), and this season 8.72. I like most of the actors on this series. I really liked Mark Valley in the series "Keen Eddie" and am somewhat disappointed in his limited use/role in this series. Smith: Many series like Smith have been on and off the air, and this was the worst of its kind, at least I thought so after the first episode. Dropped before it was cancelled, and now it is off the air.

The promo for 3lbs looks interesting, but it is harder to watch/record two episodes at 10pm. I'll see if I'm able to catch both Boston Legal and 3lbs on November 14 (and earlier I was talking about the need to prune series from my watch list).

Wednesday:
Wednesday's are somewhat annoying. At 8pm: Jericho, and Bones, and then 20 Good Years & 30 Rock. At 9pm: Justice, and Criminal Minds. At 10pm: CSI: NY.

Unfortunately, I suppose, I haven't been able to eliminate any of these competitors for my time, the networks have been trying to help me. They took Bones and Justice off the air for baseball, moved Justice to Monday (haven't caught an episode yet on Monday, as it is now the third most interesting series to watch on Monday nights, behind 2 1/2 men and Heroes, and I can't record/watch three series, only two), and are planning to move the comedy series off the night. While watching a recorded episode of Close to Home the other day, I came to the realization that I watch way to many legal/court/crime series and not enough of the other kind. Because of this I'm somewhat less said of the fact I'll not be able to continue watching Justice. Forced to prune a series by the networks actions. 20 Good Years: I'll start by noting that I like John Lithgow, and then add that I don't think I'm the target audience for these series. I just can't get myself to care about any of the characters on this series, and while there is the occasional chuckle, I haven't found much to laugh about. Considering that the series is supposed to be a comedy that is not a good thing. One last thought on the show: that daughter is way too thin to have just given birth to a baby.
View not view: Well, considering that the series appears to have an end date of 11/8/06 on Wednesday, and no new announced time slot, I'll watch the last 1 or 2 episodes and then probably drop it at the same time NBC drops it (in 1 or 2 episodes).

30 Rock: 30 Rock is a borderline show for me, I don't particularly care one way or another if I watch it. I'll watch the last couple of Wednesday episodes and see if I follow it to Thursday. I might actually watch a 2 hour block of comedy again, for the first time in a while on Thursday (CBS: Monday - I normally record the first hour block, and I don't watch the 9:30 show). If 'Til Death and Happy Hour actually return the first Thursday in November, and stay on the air until November 30th, then I could watch the first hour of comedy shows on FOX then switch over and watch Scrubs at 9pm and 30 Rock at 9:30pm. I have no problem, though, just recording/watching Scrubs and not watching any other show on Thursday's. Back to 30 Rock: I can't think of anything, distracted by the moving emoticon faces below the screen. As mentioned, I'll watch the last couple of Wednesday shows, then might follow it to Thursday (OOPS just realized, Bones will be returning on 11/1, so I've actually found myself forced to drop both NBC shows, might catch 30 Rock when it moves to Thursday, might not). Jericho: I fully expected one of two things to happen (if not both) for this series and for Heroes. I fully expected that I'd either dislike the series and move on, or that the series would get an early cancellation order. Oddly enough, though, the series picked up a full season order, and I've found myself recording each episode each week (first it was Bones which kept me from watching this series as it aired, then it is the NBC comedies). It is not my favorite new series by a long shot, but it is addictive (especially if you are like me and liked reading this type of fictional book, though none of the series (Stirling, Ringo, Flint) matches up with this type of situation, Stirlings comes closest, but still not very). Bones: Second season blues, eh? I've rated the second season 0.08 points below the first season, so far. 8.5 vs. 8.58. Criminal Minds: Odd, I've actually rated the second season 0.06 higher than the first, and I was thinking that I liked the series less. Good thing there is all these show movements, because now I can try to catch the first episode of Day Break (record/watch it, and record/watch Criminal Minds).

CSI: NY: Who know? I came to CSI:NY after liking and watching the first two CSI's and didn't watch the first season of NY until after it came out on DVD. Now? Now NY is the only CSI that I watch. I watched the first episode of CSI: Original Blend this season, and found it utterly unwatchable and have stopped watching CSI completely, and cancelled my order (actually, my intention to order) the earlier season (season 6) DVD (watched all of first 4 seasons, all but 2 episodes of season 5, and 9 episodes of season 6; 126 eps watched of CSI; 76 of CSI: Miami). I'm quite confident that I might be the only person to find themselves in this situation (might be others that only watch CSI:NY, but you would need to add in liking and watching all those CSI: Original Blend and CSI: Miami episodes and now dislike both Las Vegas and Miami). I'm also under the impression that CSI: NY is the least liked of the CSI's by CSI watchers. Will continue to record and watch this series.

Thursday:
Empty day recently, crowded in future?

Happy Hour and 'Til Death were ok comedies to watch with nothing else I want to watch on, and then they went off the air for baseball. Left me with just Shark at 10pm. I might watch Happy Hour and 'Til Death if and when the return, and will watch Scrubs when it returns at 9pm. If I actually make a comedy night, I'll throw in 30 Rock at 9:30 to round out the evening, and then record Shark (Boston Legal is the only 10pm show that I watch instead of record to watch later). Shark: Really liked first episode, second episode fell a little, and rest have been watch able. 8.64 current rating, though keeps falling with each new episode watched.

Friday:
Technically I don't regularly watch television on Friday and Saturday nights, but I will occasionally record Close to Home (because of the guy from JAG), and Numb3rs and later watch (something like 6 eps total for both series watched this year). To a certain extent I don't watch television regularly on Friday and Saturday because I: 1) have a lot of recorded shows to watch; 2) am tired of watching crime dramas.

Saturday:
I believe Kidnapped is now on this night, but never even tempted to watch it (though as earlier rating noted, I did like this series).

Sunday:
Night of comedy:

Simpsons: still like to watch it as it airs, less inclined to watch reruns in syndication, and DVD releases (not sure why).

Family Guy: still somewhat disappointed with Family Guy 2.0.

American Dad: sometimes watch, rather dislike, sometimes surprised by a good episode.