Last week we covered the Best in Movies for 2011 (well, genre stuff, anyways). This week, we’ll look at some our favorite TV from 2011.

I say we, in hopes that the other boys will pitch in as well.

Admin_Rock

This is a bit tricky, as i certainly don’t watch every show on the air, so there will likely be some big ones that I miss, or don’t discuss. Of the top of my head, Mad Men would be one. I watched the first few episodes, and didn’t really dig it. I might go back and give it another chance. The other big one would be Boardwalk Empire, which looks pretty, but bores me to tears. I like Michael Shannon’s FBI character, but after sticking with it for a season of snooze, I bailed.

Drama:

Wow, I’m not watching a lot of straight up Drama, apparently.

Breaking Bad was insanely good this season, better than 4th season show has a right to be. Byran Cranston pretty much won himself the Emmy with a certain hysterical laughing scene. This is the best show on TV, bar none. The scripting, plotting, acting are all sublime. Hell, the costuming even goes beyond the norm, as characters wear specific colors to reflect the mood and plot.

House House was pretty crappy this year. Love Hugh Laurie, and love the character, but it’s time to put the show out to pasture.

Parenthood This show is neither hip, nor cool, but it’s the only show I know of that makes me reflect on the job of being a parent, and make me want to be a better one.

Winner:(?) Breaking Bad.

Comedy:

Louie Louie C.K. is pretty much the best the standup comedian I know of. Patton Oswalt’s last record was more miss than hit, and no one else is even close. Louie is a bizarre show, staggering from straight-up comedy to hard-hitting truth, to weird dream sequences. This year was really good, with only a few slow episodes, and some great ones to temper those.

The League I love this show. Just discovered it this year, and burned through them all. Always a killer funny episode to be had. This year’s was Jeff Goldblum and Sarah Silverman’s Thanksgiving episode with talk of Sorbet, and a special garnish for the Turkey. Whether you like fantasy football or not is irrelevant.

Community Community is a show for people who love TV. Probably the funniest network show on (I don’t dig Parks and Rec, I find it self-congratulatory and the writers try to be clever, which is always a bad idea, and the Office is done and cooked, 30 Rock I still like, but hasn’t been on much this year.) The diverging reality episode was awesome, as was the D&D episode from way back.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia This show has been on for 7 years, but never really aired in Canada. Thus, whenever I mention it to people, they have no idea what the hell I’m talking about. Even in season 7, it’s still wonderful, and Danny Devito has the best job on TV.

Modern Family: Second year, very popular, so for most internet denizens, it’s time for the hate backlash to start. Not me. I think this show is hysterical. The best dialogue is reserved for those paying attention, as there’s often things muttered or quickly said under the breath. Funny stuff.

Winner: The League For me, it’s the one I couldn’t wait for more of.

Genre:

MisFits: This one is in year 3, but it’s British, so relatively unknown here. Think of it as Heroes done right with teenagers, swearing, and lots of T&A. They lost the best character on the show this year, but it’s still interesting, and had the best “punching Hitler scene” of the year.

Doctor Who: This seemed very uneven, more hype than substance to me. I grew very tired of Amy Pond in a big hurry, and too many episodes seemed to be 45 mins of filler for a “shock” ending. Still worth watching, but hopefully next year is better.

Terra Nova: Terra Nova was a year of “how will it disappoint me this week”. It was mostly crappy, but picked up towards the end of the year, and looks promising for next. Sci Fi is often garbage in the first season, and tends to peak around season 3. Was it “the Best of”? No. Hell no. But it was fun, and it has Dinosaurs, and big guns.

Game of Thrones: Crazy good. After the season, I went back and read the first book. Then I started the second. Here’s what I know: The TV show was fantastic, the books are a bit dull and scattered. I don’t like Martin’s writing style at all, and he jumps around from character to character, leaving me confused as to whom I reading about . Ser Whothehellisthat and SerIcantrememberwhoyouare are my favorites.

Walking Dead: I really enjoyed Walking Dead this season. I think it’s still ramping up to where it wants to be, but have less problem with the speed of the narrative than most. If you hear people bitch about how many episodes they spent at the farm, it’s because they a) read the comics, and want to jump ahead to other parts, and b) they don’t get that the show is still about relationships and people.

Winner: Game of Thrones

Overall: Breaking Bad
Tbinns
I have a toddler, my TV watching is sporadic at best. The best I can offer is the top two shows I WISH I had seen more of this year, and that’s Louis and Game of Thrones.. I’ve seen more episodes of the Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba than both of them.
For the record, Yo Gabba Gabba has some great guests and some pretty good music behind it, so it’s not all bad. And the Wiggles, well they are catchy that’s for sure. I don’t mean that in a good way. But some of the back up dancers are real cuties, so you take the good with the bad.
I’ve watched a little Modern Family, some 30 Rock and some How I met your Mother and even a little Big Bang Theory but not much else, so I am in no position to contribute.
I will say that the wife quite likes Once Upon a Time and Walking Dead. I find Walking Dead a little slow, and Once Upon a Time hasn’t really hooked me, although I do like Robert Carlyle.
So my recommendation is Yo Gabba Gabba. At least the Circus episode with Weird Al Yabkivic. And check out the Aquabats “Pool Party” it is also kind of awesome.

Oh I saw exactly one episode of “The I.T. Crowd” and loved it but that is NOT 2011. I don’t think.

Cub Reporter Keith

This year I moved even further away from network TV. Burned by too many serialized Lost wanna-bes that couldn’t manage to film a finale to their series (I’m looking at you V & The Event).

Here without too much kibitzing are my tops in a variety of random formats:

Best Comic Book Adaptation: Human Target. Sorry to see this go. The first season was stronger, and it only had a couple of eps in 2011, but screw it. Jackie Earle Haley chewed the damned scenery and came back for seconds.

Best Genre Show: American Horror Story. Certainly not for everyone, but a solid creepy haunted house story with a great cast of folks wandering through. For extra fun, play a drinking game where you follow how many times Dylan McDermott cries (spoiler: It’s a lot).

Best New Series: Homeland. I love this show. A cross of Dexter and Manchurian Candidate. A Gulf War POW returns to the States and some in the CIA suspect he’s been turned into a sleeper agent. Is he or isn’t he? I’m not telling. Watch.

Best Animated: Tie. Beavis & Butthead and Archer. Can’t compare them straight across so can’t make one winner. They are both awesome and hilarious. If I had a category for best comeback, B&B would snag that too.

Best TV Episode Featuring Booster Gold: Smallville 1018. I’m hopeful for the ScyFy pilot being made this year.

Best Show: Boardwalk Empire. Yes, including season 2. I love every minute. Richard Harrow is the most compelling character on television bar none and he barely says a word.

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Give us your list, I’ll put them up in the article. Let us discuss and find new things to watch from one another.

Agree? Disagree? Want to tell RRT to suck a bag of dicks? Now’s your chance!

Hey folks, we had a small discussion about The Walking Dead going on on the fb link, but I thought people might want to elaborate here a bit more, so …. talk away.

RULES: No comic book spoilers for events that haven’t occured.

Anything that has happened on the show is fair game.

It seems that Eddie Murphy, in a show of solidarity for a douchebag will no longer be hosting the Oscars.

I can’t say that I’m sad, especially after last years debacle. Thanks Academy, for dragging my beloved Anne Hathaway through the mud with your crappy writing and pairing her up with a stoned co-star who apparently thought he was supposed to host it ironically.

Alright fine, maybe she wasn’t really up for it either, but damned if she didn’t look good trying. It’s like I said before…nobody had looked that good on a sinking ship since Kate Winslet in Titanic.

"That's Bullshit...quit playing around that is NOT the actual script... go get the REAL script you guys

Let me help you out with a list of names I posted on facebook after that first disaster, just as a friendly reminder. You don’t have to drag poor Billy Crystal out of retirement…there’s plenty of good talent around. So for your consideration…

(Feel free to mix and match these hosts, there could be some good combos here!)

1. Tina Fey

This is called "TFeyBinnsing"

- Just adding her to the writing process would make the whole thing 10 times better. You still have the eye candy, she’s got great timing and comes from an improv background so she’s fast on her feet and knows how to keep a show rolling.

2. Steve Carell -

Probably make a great partner for Tina if you thought she needed one. Has a great deadpan, has been hilarious on many an award show before. and It’s not like he’s busy with a TV show right now.

3. Craig Ferguson

- Stop worrying about whether or not people will understand the accent, nobody understood Kirk Douglas, that didn’t seem to bother you any. Craig keeps it free and loose and funny 5 days a week. He is one of the BEST talk show hosts out there today

4. Neil Patrick Harris.

He’s already got Emmy’s and Tony’s under his belt…give him his Award Show Host EGOT. It would be Legen…wait for it…dery.

5. Justin Timberlake

Tbinnsin for the Ladies, y’all!

If you insist on young and hip…try for someone who is actually pretty funny. For a boy band reject.

Oh Robbie RobTown I’m glad you’re here we need an undercard for…waaaaiiit a minute…

6. Sandra Bullock

- Both times I’ve seen her at the oscars she seems funny, relaxed and totally cool. Plus she’s one of the biggest stars in Hollywood

7. Patton Oswalt-

Okay that’s the real longshot… Yes, he looks like Toad from the John Byrne X-Men, but you aren’t going to find a bigger movie buff to host.

8. Conan O Brien

…yes he would bring nothing but goofiness to the proceedings but has it occurred to you that you are probably taking yourself a bit too seriously anyway? Conan might just be what you need.

9. Ricky Gervais.

Whatsamatter academy…chicken?

So there you go. Nine just off the top of my head. Remember COMEDIANS FIRST before you go tarnishing the sterling reputations of girls who have large pretty Disney Princess eyes. And for God’s sake FIRE Bruce Valanche!

Add yours to the list below.

For those who don’t know, which I have to assume is all of you because if you DID know you are taking WAY too much interest in my personal life, I am in the process of developing a half hour comedy show. I’ll spare you the painful details about how many times I’ve had to rethink the concept owing to being beaten to the punch, but I believe I’ve hit on something that works now. We’ll leave it at that. I have a producer attached, who got us a little funding to write a pilot, and then, something rather marvelous happened.

Our project got accepted into the NSI Totally Television Program. NSI, in a nutshell is a non profit organization dedicated to developing Canadian film and television. They flew me and my producer out to Toronto and we did a week long TV boot camp…working with story editors, getting the basics of structure, learning to pitch, and even setting up very educational chats with writing agents, executive producers and broadcasters. It was an invaluable experience that I will treasure even if the show goes nowhere else.

In short, NSI Rules and I cannot thank them enough. Check them out for yourself here.

Being in such a creative environment, it was inevitable that I would come up with a number of concepts for new tv shows. Every one of which is a complete winner, I’m sure. Because I always think of you fondly, Oh Loyal Correct, I’m offering you a sneak peak of my genius which will no doubt be on a TV screen near you soon. Enjoy…

Reasonable Gout – a one hour procedural that takes place in a law office. The lawyers are the very best in the city… but they make poor dietary choices and have a pronounced limp.

Goin’ Down! - A hilarious half hour sit com that takes place in the world trade centre during 9\11.

TED: Man, I’m late… I have a plane to catch

(Cue laugh track)

The Aaron Sorkin Show - a great new talk show where Aaron and his celebrity guests wander through hallways talking very quickly. Guests rarely get a word in edgewise.

Nobody Puts Baby in a Coroner – A New CSI Style crime procedural starring Jennifer Grey. In the pilot episode, she solves the mystery of who killed her career.

Casey Anthony Daycare Nightmare - A Reality show that follows Casey Anthony around as she tries to put the past behind her, avoid vigilante justice, and follow her dream of opening a daycare that caters exclusively to clients who don’t like their children.

HA HA!! LOOK! MIDGETS!!! – TLC finally comes right out and says what they mean. First step in a network wide rebranding from TLC to TMC (The Midget Channel)

Anne Hathaway Eats a Popsicle – Very slowly. A new flavour every week. Spike TV has already shown some interest in this one.

"Wait a minute, you are telling me it's either the popsicle thing, or Bride Wars 2? Some agent you are. I'll take the popsicle thing."

Extreme Couponing - SURPRISE!!!! I DIDN’T MAKE THIS ONE UP!!

Keep Calm and Carry Naan – A new sit-com starring Russell Peters as a waiter in a Toronto Indian restaurant who gets to make all those jokes white people like, but technically aren’t allowed to make.

One Guy, Two Girls, a Pizza Place and One Cup : Do not order the soft serve. Ever.

So there it is…my future television empire. and you wanted to cancel your cable. Pshaw! PSHAW I SAY!!

Trivia question: Who is the GREATEST back up band of all time? You might be tempted to answer “The E Street Band” or Elvis’s “ The Jordanaires”, but I think the correct answer is more surprising. I’ll give you a hint…this band is so incredibly diverse that they have worked with jazz greats like Lena Horne and Buddy Rich. They have worked with country superstars like Johnny Cash, Kenny Rodgers, and Loretta Lynn. Tried their hand at Calypso with the legendary Harry Belefonte. They worked with Soul diva Diana Ross, Rock Diva Elton John, and even played back up for Debbie Harry. It shows incredible diversity for what essentially started as a modest 5 piece rock band, who by the way was very progressive in having a female bass player.

The greatest back up band of all time? Scroll down for the answer…

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Yes. The greatest back up band of all time is Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem.

Can you picture that?

Yes. Yes I can

Admin Rock here: Today we have a special interview with Ryan Belleville, star of the new Showcase series “Almost Heroes”.

Ryan took the time to sit down with me and answer some questions. We tried to avoid the standard stuff, and focus on more comic book related stuff. He and his brother Jason created the show, and Jason serves at the show runner.

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Admin_Rock: Whose idea was it to create a show about running a comic book store?

Ryan Belleville: This was an organic idea that came from Jason and me talking about things we grew up with, enjoyed, and haven’t seen as the setting of a comedy show yet. …. Actually it was all my idea…. Don’t ask Jason!

AR: What’s it like working with your brother?

RB: It is an unspeakable torture! When he isn’t punching babies in the face, he is poking me with long sharpened chop sticks. Actually it has been a lot of fun. Jason is my friend, and we have a sort of short hand comedy language. The chopstick thing is true.

AR: Who were your favorite heroes growing up?

RB: I always loved Jesus. What with his web slinging, and ability to stick to walls. Oh…. wait. That was Spider-Man. My favorites for realsy were Spider-Man, and Nightcrawler. I loved Spider-Man because he used humor do cope with stressful situations, and his powers were awesome. And I loved night crawler, not only because he looked cool, and had left the smell of brimstone ( a smell which I assume smells like awesomeness), but because he was a true freak. He couldn’t just put on a pair of glasses and pretend to be a banker. He really had a downside to being a mutant, and had to learn to cope with that. He was never as popular as Spider-Man, which is a shame. Although this slogan isn’t as catchy. ” With great power comes… blue skin and a tail”.

AR: What are you reading these days?

RB: Now that I have a baby I don’t read as many issues as I used to. So I turn more to trades. I’ve been reading DMZ, Walking Dead, Invincible. I love Mark Millar’s Nemisis, which I did collect the issues of. I just found it really different.

AR: Do you have a favourite writer and/or artist?

RB: I loved Charlie Adlard, and what he did with Walking Dead. I know that lots of people are over that as a series, but I just loved the style, and the darkness in those books. I’m always a fan of realism too. It sounds silly, but I don’t like when the characters look “cartoony”. For me the cool thing about comics is the “what if this was possible” feeling. What if there WAS a man who could fly, and was invincible?

As for writers it would have to go with Neil Gaiman. I loved Sandman, and he really took story telling to a new level. Such fantastical stories. I imagine that he lives on a cloud made of dragon tears, in the imagination of us all.

AR: Do you reference any of the modern happenings in the comic industry? (crossovers, market share, multiple covers, bubble bursting on speculation)?

RB: Although the show takes place in a comic shop, we really try not to make it to “inside”. We want this show to be accessible to everyone, and be inspired by the location, and not handcuffed to it.

You don’t have to be a fan of comics to get our show, much like you don’t have to be an alcoholic to enjoy Cheers.

AR: Are you concerned/ready for feedback from real comic book fans via the internet?

RB: I would hope that fans embrace the show. We took some big risks making this show, and a lot of people appreciate the attempt almost as much as they enjoy the product. It’s very hard to make comedy in this country, and even harder to make an original one that is funny. But I think we made something amazing, that people will not only enjoy, but be proud that it is Canadian. Watch the whole season, because it gets bigger, and bigger every week. By the time we get to the finale (without too many spoilers), there has already been a giant fire shooting cannon, arrows, people in wizard costumes on fire,…. what can I say. We love fire gags. Flame On! We also have a massive medieval L.A.R.P.ing battle! It’s awesome!

AR: If you were writing a comic book today, what would you make it about?

RB: So many people think they have what it takes to make a comic, and I am not one of those people. I have tons of respect for the artists and writers out there. I just want to read But if I HAD to make a comic, it would be about a group of vampire killing nuns who are the only thing standing between the end of all mankind!!! Just off the top of my head.

AR: Any plans for The Correctness appearing in a cameo for season 2?

RB: Sorry? What was that question. I think we have a bad connection, and I couldn’t here that last question… over email….. Nuff Said.

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Thanks to Ryan for putting up with us, and we wish him and Jason all the best for the show!

Here’s a link to the Showcase website for the show.

The passing of Elisabeth Sladen yesterday got me thinking about Doctor Who, and it’s long and storied history.

While the current incarnation of the show seems to be going well, and bringing lots of viewers (new and old) to the fold, Sladen belonged to the old school Who. She was a companion to both John Pertwee’s Third Doctor and Tom Baker’s Forth Doctor.

I started watching Doctor Who a long time ago, probably around my junior high/high school days, back when the only way to see it was to watch late on a Saturday night, at the mercy of whichever episode good old KSPS in Spokane chose to broadcast. Tom Baker was my first Doctor. There were a few Pertwee episodes, and after Baker, I followed Peter Davison for a while, but Baker will always be the “real Doctor” for me. Sladen was with him for the first few years of his run, eventually left behind, as Baker moved on to the Leela and Ramona days.

I even convinced my mom to knit me a scarf. It’s bloody huge, at least 12 feet long, and a foot wide. It’s truly magnificent, and I think I might have to pull it out and wear it to Comic Expo this year. If I’ve remembered to, there should be a picture of it just below. In true Doctor Who fashion, it will depend on when you read this as to whether it appears or not. Also, here’s a link to a site that shows you how to knit your own!

After Davidson, I stopped watching, so i’m not that familiar with 6 (Colin Baker) or 7 (Sylvester McCoy). I picked up again with 8 Paul McGann’s TV Movie, which was not great. When the new series started up again, I was hooked. I really liked Christopher’s Eccelston’s 9, and even more so David Tennant’s 10.

When Sladen appeared with K-9, I was delighted. I really missed K-9, regardless of how annoying his voice is. Best. Companion. Ever. I’d take him over bloody Rory any day. The clock is ticking for that guy, I suspect.

I admit to being initially resistant to the idea of some young unknown taking over as 11, but I think I gave in around the time of “fish fingers with custard”. Matt Smith’s first season was good, but it’s too early to tell if he’ll be a memorable Doctor.

I’ve always loved the emphasis on thinking over shooting, and intelligence over brute force that the series conveys, and of course, the crappy looking rubber monster masks.

Thoughts, stories, opinions? Who was your first Doctor?

As part of our continuing service to you, The Correct, we continually find things for you to be in favour of. In our crazy, fast paced, webmanic society, it’s easy to miss something. Our “A Case For” series presents something (a TV show, film, Book, Band etc) that might deserve a look.

Our first installment “A Case For: Farscape” was presented by one of our regular readers, and we encourage that sort of behaviour. If you have something you’d like to make a case for, write it up and send it to us at admin@thecorrectness.com . See the end of the article for more info.

This week, we bring you A Case For Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Buffy and I go waaaay back. Originally, Buffy was a very strange and quirky film starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry. It was your typical teen comedy romance film, except for the part where the hero was a dumb cheerleader type who had a talent for killing vampires. There was a creepy and ominous Donald Sutherland as her Watcher, and she had cramps when vampires were near. What really sold the film for me was its quirky sense of humour. Paul Reubens is hysterical as the minion of the head vampire (Rutger Hauer!) His death scene belongs in some kind of hall of fame for character exits. You know what, this is getting a bit long winded. Go watch it, I’ll wait….. Okay, it was better than you remember, right?!!??

At any rate, it spawned a television show which lasted 7 seasons, and a network change. In fact, it’s still going on as a comic book series from Dark Horse, but I’m sure if I can get on board with that just yet.

For the Case, we’ll focus on the tv show. If you’ve never seen it, I both envy and pity you. Buffy is a rare sci-fi TV show that doesn’t suffer from a bad first season, or require any ramp up time to get to the good stuff. The first season starts strong, and things stay that way, or get even better, until about the end of the “Adam” arc (though on a second watch I found I liked the later episodes more than I remembered). We have a new family member added in the 5th season(a sister, nonetheless) , which is a “jump the shark” moment for many shows, but as we’ll see below, this is no ordinary show. Season 6 stands out with some of the best one-off episodes, and season 7 takes us out with a bit of a whimper, but a lot of flourish.

1. The Characters

Buffy’s characters are the reason for its success. The four core characters are all likeable and interesting. We have Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a strong but cheerful high school student, and her two closest friends, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) a shy, bookish girl, and Xander (Nicholas Brendon), a fumbling sharped tongued boy. Anthony Stuart Head (brother of Murray of “One Night in Bangkok” fame) plays Rupert Giles, Buffy’s Watcher (a teacher/mentor). Along the way, we pick up many more, a few boyfriends and girlfriends, a vampire or two, a vengeance demon and a sister/key.

Whedon’s power lies in his dialogue, and having a team to work with and off of suits his style perfectly. His ability to use pop culture references and nicknames makes the dialogue snappy and clever. And over the seasons, he uses the framework of characters to develop them and have them grow and change. The show deals with family, obligations, and the role of the individual within the group.

2. Perfect Tone

Buffy walks a fine line in tone, usually to perfection. A show filled with the supernatural and darkness could easily become morbid, slow, and gloomy. But Buffy balances that with hopeful characters, spirit and humor. We grow to love them, and root for them, even when things are looking hopeless, which is pretty much always. It’s a show that knows when to lead with a smaller card, rather than try to place the Ace every time.

There is a great variety of tone and emotion throughout the show, ranging from pathos to broad comedy. It wasn’t afraid to go for the throat, make you sad, or make you laugh. Sometimes, all three inside of a few minutes.

3. The Ladies

It should comes as no surprise that Buffy is filled with strong female characters. The ratio of female to male characters is at least 2 to 1, and they’re all taken seriously. There’s none of this Hollywood type feminism, which is having a woman talk tough, and later be saved by the man. The women of Buffy fight, solve the problem, back each other up, and do so without needing a man. One of the later seasons deals with Buffy’s new boyfriend having trouble coping with the fact that she’s much stronger than he is.

Trying to find a good segue from that last paragraph to showing you pictures of the hot girls now…. Ummmm…. they are strong and steadfast in their appearance as well? Screw it… here you go. By the way, this is now referred to as “Tbinnsing”

Buffy

Willow

Tara

Anya

Faith

Cordy

Dawn

4. Breaking Conventions

Buffy was never afraid to shake things up. There are some characters who don’t make it to the end, some change ups in the look and feel of the show, and a few episodes that throw the book of normal out the window. A few examples:

Hush (Season 4) The town is invaded by a group of creepy looking “gentlemen” who steal everyone’s voices. The episode is mostly silent, forcing the characters to find ways to exchange information. (Nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series).

The Body (Season 5) Buffy discovers a body. The implications of which change everything once again. A painful, somber, and uncomfortable hour of great storytelling.

Once More With Feeling: See point 5.

Tabula Rasa (Season 6) This one is completely overshadowed by the giant awesome musical that precedes it (See point 5), but is fantastic in it’s own right. The characters have their memories wiped by way of a spell, and spend most of the episode attempting to figure out who they are, and how they relate to one another. “We’re both English, we must be father and son”.

Conversations With Dead People (Season 7) The original part isn’t that the characters are visited by the dead, who bring messages to them, the original part is that one of them pyschoanalyzes Buffy between rounds, and that we’re left at the end unsure of what was real and what wasn’t.

5. Once More With Feeling

This may very well be the strongest episode of episodic television yet. I realize that seems like a strong boast, but, seriously, this thing is amazing. Not only do we have an episode done as a musical (before this sort of thing was in fashion), but it’s a great one. The plot involves a Demon being summoned who makes everyone break in to song and dance occasionally. As usual, it’s self referential, and the plot device itself is discussed in the show. The songs run the gamut from okay to amazing, and the supporting cast steps up, due to strong vocal talents from specific actors. This makes for an interesting plot, as the songs carry the episode to its conclusion. Bonus points, as it’s not even a stand alone. In fact, a MAJOR plot point for that season is brought up moments before the end.

On top of that, it’s a funny episode as well. We have a great duet between Emma Caulfield and Nicholas Brendon, which both amuses and sets up a storyline which will play out over the year. Later we hear Anya (Caulfield) complaining about the fact that song was just a book number, and not a breakout hit.

Here’s a very crappy looking you tube video of one of the early numbers. Note the essence of “lousy capture”, note the odd “this is mirrored from the actual version”-ness. But mostly, enjoy the witty fun sing-y part.

If this episode alone doesn’t give you enough faith in Joss Whedon and the show, you might just be too cynical to go on.

So there you have it, 5 reasons to go back and watch Buffy again, or maybe for the first time. Sci-Fi fans are constantly looking for a mythology to wrap themselves in, a show that lasts more than two seasons. Here it is. Seven seasons of goodness. Enjoy.

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If you have a show or film or book or band you’d like to make a case for, we’d love to hear from you. Read the rules below, and drop us a line.

The rules:

1) Give us 5 good reasons we should care, or watch, or listen etc. Make them compelling. Remember, you’re trying to sell this to us, and our readers.
2) Send pictures along with the article. Admin_rock doesn’t like to work harder than he has to, so be sure to send pics, or links to pics in the article.

Check out the previous installment(s) to see how it’s done.

A Case For Farscape

A Case For Babylon 5

Greetings gentle reader. A recent article brought up discussion of Sci-Fi shows, and reasons for watching them. Often on the net, these devolve into arguments and name-calling. So I thought, let’s give them a chance to make their case, in a reasonable fashion, as to why their favorite shows are worthy. Also, with so many shows on the air, and so many cancelled early, people tend to miss, or gloss over shows, or miss the first few seasons, then not bother to go back and catch up.

Take it away, sir:
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I’ll keep this as brief as possible. The best, initial, synopsis I can give is the opening voice over monolog from season 1 & 2 (the introduction is modified in both seasons 3 & 4 to reflect the evolving plot).

I know you, you’re thinking:

“Woopy!”

“Wormholes, I’ve seen that shit! It was called Deep Space 9.”

“Radiation… pfst! I have a Mirowave.”

“Aliens… BAH! I’ve seen me some aliens”

“See Aliens!”

Well First off my poopy panted reader, Deep Space 9, was an incredible hunk of the afore noted material that is in your pants. Second the muppet aliens that are in this series are way cooler than the ones from Star wars! Which brings me to my first reason to watch Farscape.

1. Farscape has Muppets

Well kind of. No Kermit, no Gonzo, no muppets you know. And definitely not muppets in the traditional use of the word. But it is important  to know that The Jim Henson Company (the muppet people) produced Farscape.

“I hate muppets! This sounds like a kids show, I’m out”

Hold on my fecaled pantalooned friend. Think deep on this one. Jim Henson was a wacked out hippy who made a fortune off having his hand up a frogs ass while making funny sounds. He made you think that a pig and a frog having sex was normal. Trust me this show is not intended for kids. It has all of the twisted Henson imagination and only as much PG as was needed to stay on network TV (see Exhibit A).

Exhibit A;

2. The colours children the colors!

Being produce by hippies incorporated would you expect anything less? The costuming, sets and effects are all so pretty. I will admit the show is very stylized, and has a kind of Cirque du Soleil feel to it at times. But for me it works. It isn’t distracting in a bad way, but more in a pleasant way (see Exhibit A).

“But I hate the french! I’m out!”

But hold on my little chum with the defecated in dungaree’s, the show has other saving graces. The crappy CG of the era is used sparingly, and when it is used it is well placed and believable. and um, ah, um, er… ah just look at “Exibit B” and shut up!

Exhibit B:

3. Moya doesn’t like you.

“Huh? That dosen’t even make sense! I’m out!”

Wait one second my compadre with das Lederhosen full of Scheiße. Let me ask you this, when did you cry harder geek tears, when Spock was killed, or when the Enterprise was first destroyed?

“…sniff *snork* I can’t decide it’s all too painful”

Ya well what if The Enterprise was alive, sentient and Scotty was symbiotic and permanently attached to her?

“GASP! Your’re not killing Montgomery too!”

All of the characters on Farscape are interesting, including the ship “Moya” & Her symbiotic pilot “Pilot“. They add a nice depth that you don’t find in other Sci-Fi. Don’t get me wrong, I loves me the Falcon, Galactica, Serenity & every NCC-1701 to grace the screen. But they’re different than Moya & Pilot, those ships never really drove the plot, or stole scene’s.

Exhibit C;

4. I never have to watch Crichton open a jar of pickles for Zhaan

“TYPE ENGLISH! Or I’m out!”

Oh sweet little mierda shorts, I am. Like I said before the characters on Farscape are interesting, but more then that they are useful and fun. All of them, not just the guys. I don’t have to sit through episodes where the girls all sit around talking about how dreamy Will Riker is. (mostly due to the fact that he’s not there I’m sure, but that’s beside the point).

Exhibit D;

5. Have you seen Exhibit A?

“You are just a pig of a man! I’m out!”

Hey (insert poop joke here), have you been to thecorrectness.com before? And besides I’m here to elaborate on the show with-out giving away plot. Sexuality is a big part of the show, and saying that doesn’t give away the plot. As the author of this little rant I am predisposed to elaborate on that part of the show by referencing my own sexual preferences. But saying that I’m told that the show is appealing on other levels…

Exhibit E;

Well there you have it my shaken’ bake elementary science fair like expo of Farscape. You either want to watch it now, or you want a lobotomy, either way I win!

So there it is. Convinced? Not sure? Think it’s terrible? Sound off below. If you have a case to make for your favorite show, past or present, write it up. Give us 5 reasons why we should love your show. We’ll pretty it up, post it here, and continue the discussion.

admin_rock here, with a special Correctness article. A while back, we posted an article: 35 reasons to watch Babylon 5. And it is. No question. The comments thread was fun filled and interesting, and one of our regular readers “Keith”, mentioned the following:

“I share the love of the last of the Babylon stations.

I have yet to find a publisher for the annotated viewing notes.”

This intrigued us (well, me) and Keith was kind enough to send us an excerpt, which we now provide for your reading pleasure.

Every year on summer vacation I watch a long run of a TV series, usually something I haven’t ever watched and am finally diving into. 2008 was Lost, 2009 was Heroes. I was trying to decide what to tackle in the summer of 2010 when I thought of what can only be called a mega-fest, all the parts of which were sitting on my shelves already.

123 episodes. 7 movies. 11 novels, 11 comic books, 6 short stories and 3 unshot episode scripts. The entire canon of Babylon 5.

As I always say, if it’s worth doing, it’s worth over-doing. The project was grand and much more involved than I expected. My sheet of notes was written over a dozen times. Often I would reach the end of a episode and realize it should have been later or earlier than I had it placed.

It is, most assuredly and apologetically, the geekiest thing I have ever done. But hopefully it will be discovered by at least one other person who will find it useful. If one person does make use, then my response to detractors is a simple “fuck you, who did you help today?”

My thanks to The Lurker’s Guide website and to I. Marc Carlson who wrote a fairly accurate chronology which is also available online.

The entire idea seemed crazy, but even crazier was that as I wrote corrections and notes on my sheets I kept thinking “this will be much smoother next time.”

“You put more effort into your leisure than most people do into their work. That’s impressive. And a little disturbing.” – B.J. Allan

Notes:
- Bold numbers are episode numbers. As production numbers, airing order and episode guides can vary, I have used the episode numbers from the dvd boxed sets.

-Most novels cover several months or years and have been placed in the most logical order.

-When the novels duplicate events in filmed material (especially the Technomage Trilogy), the filmed version is placed first.

-There are two “in-universe” books that I have not included but which fit prior to 501. “The Babylon 5 Security Manual,” Garabaldi’s guide for new security officers, and “Dining on Babylon 5,” a cookbook published in the UK that was used on-screen in 504. I’ve never read the cookbook and it is long out of print. Anyone looking to get me a $100+ present should check eBay.

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Psi-Corps vol 1 (novel)

In the Beginning – The prequel TV movie takes place prior to everything in the series. However, much of the mystery of the early seasons is lost if viewed in this order. An alternate order is to instead place it based on the Emperor Londo bridging sequences (Londo is telling the story to children in the palace). This would place it immediately after page 212 of Centauri vol 3.

Psi-Corps vol 2 (novel)

The Shadow Within (novel) – Only two of the original nine novels are generally considered canon. JMS has referred to this novel as “90% canon.” The Shadow Within ties into the Technomage Trilogy, also by the same author, and gives great insight into the characters of Anna Sheridan and Mr. Morden.

The Gathering

101-122

Technomage vol 1 (novel)

201-202

Comic # 1-4 – The 14 comic books produced are considered canon but are not a perfect fit into the chronology of the series. The placement is the best I could find to keep the story arc of the episodes flowing. This story arc is referenced in passing in To Dream in the City of Sorrows.

Technomage vol 2 January 2259 (novel) – The Technomage books are separated into parts by month which makes it simple to read them as they fit into the episodes. Vol 2 wraps around 203 and explains why the Technomages are on B5.

203

Technomage vol 2 February 2259 (novel)

204-206

Comic # 5-11 – Comics #9 and 10 have major continuity conflicts with the series but are still considered canon.

207-211

To Dream in the City of Sorrows (novel) - For smoother flow, the opening and closing framing sequence featuring Marcus is ignored. I have placed this novel after 211 given that both are is concerned with events happening on Minbar.. The framing sequence follows 319.

212-222

301-315

Technomage vol 3 August 2260 (novel)

Hidden Agendas (short story) – Susan Ivanova’s first visit to B5 following the events of 421, written by JMS. The short stories and unshot episode scripts appeared in various publications and websites and are no longer (legally) available. I cannot supply them to you. JMS has requested they not be distributed and has occasionally mentioned the possibility of publication, though that seems increasingly unlikely as time goes on.

503-519

Centauri vol 1 Prologue (novel)
The Shadow of His Thoughts (short story) – Written by JMS. A story of Emperor Londo shortly following the coronation.

Centauri vol 1 2262-2264 (novel) – The first of the Centauri Trilogy is split into years and I have separated out the parts as I did with the Technomage Trilogy. There is a continuity error which has Sheridan & Garabali still working on B5 months after the events of 521.

520-521

Genius Loci (short story) – Written by JMS. A story of G’Kar and Lyta adventuring following the events of 520. It is unclear how long G’Kar and Lyta travelled together but it was less than three years.

River of Souls

The Nautilus Coil (short story) – Lyta and Garabaldi travel to Vorlon space. Written by J. Gregory Keyes, this is a companion to the Psi-Corps Trilogy and the last story to detail events leading to the Telepath War. The story of the war itself has never been told.

The Legend of the Rangers

Centauri vol 1 2265-2267 (novel)

Centauri vol 2 pgs 1-65 (novel) – The structure of separating the parts by year wasn’t used in this or the third volume so page numbers have been used.

A Call to Arms

Crusade 101-112 – Given the odd production order of Crusade, and the lack of a canonical viewing order, I felt it simplest to view in the order used on the dvds. This leaves a continuity conflict between episodes 105 and 110 , but ends the series on what I consider the best episode, 113, which features Stephen Franklin. Three unshot scripts were released on the internet and are no longer available. Five more episodes were discussed but never written (“Tried and True” by Fiona Avery, an Apocolypse Box episode by JMS, and a 3-part story in which Dureena gets a sword).

Crusade Unproduced To the Ends of the Earth – Written by JMS. Gideon gets a lead on the Shadow hybrid that destroyed the Cerberus. This script explains the uniform change which happens between Crusade 112 and 113.

Crusade 113

Crusade Unproduced Value Judgements – Written by Fiona Avery, this unshot script features a fugitive Alfred Bester.

Crusade Unproduced The End of the Line – The unshot season finale written by JMS. The episode would have revealed secrets of the Technomages that were instead used as material for the Technomage Trilogy, where much of the story of Galen saw the light of day. The episode ends with a cliffhanger.

Centauri vol 2 pgs 66 to end (novel) – The events in the remainder of the novel take place parallel to and following Crusade.

True Seeker (short story) – Written by Fiona Avery. Featuring Na’Toth and Alisa Beldon, a telepath who appeared in 117, the story takes place on Narn.

Lost Tales

Psi-Corps vol 3 pgs 1-245 (novel) – The story of the cure for the Drakh plague was never told. The events of this book are 4 years after those of Crusade and take place on Earth after the plague.

Centauri vol 3 (novel) – As noted above, the sequences of In The Beginning featuring Emperor Londo take place immediately following page 212 of this novel. The young woman taking care of the children in the film is revealed in the novel to be Senna, a main character in the Centauri Trilogy.

522 (Sleeping in Light)

Psi-Corps vol 3 pgs 246 to end (novel)

Space, Time and the Incurable Romantic (short story) – Written by JMS and featuring a happy ending for two tragic characters from the series.

422 (The Deconstruction of Falling Stars) – This episode features a short sequence at the beginning that places it shortly after 421 but I would rather end on an episode than a short story.

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Thanks, Keith. If anyone knows of a publisher who might be interested in an expanded version of this, let us know and we’ll hook them up with Keith.

I’m not full on obsessive, haven’t read the comic books, nor the short stories, but pretty much everything else. I also paid far more than necessary for copies of “The Babylon File” (vol 1 and 2), and Jane Killick’s episode guides. I’ve linked them below to Amazon, in case anyone wants to pick them up.