I hope you all had a good M and M Triple B.

I was checking out Truveo, a new video search engine where I found a couple cool "Office" video montages that are a little cheesy but really well done.

TVshowsonDVD.com is a great place to get all the info you could want about any TV series, including availability of most series and news on future releases. But here they share their High Def TV shows on DVD thoughts as it concerns the HD-DVD and Blu Ray format battle. I think that "Heroes" will be a huge gain for HD-DVD, but in the end I think Blu Ray wins out with both "Lost" and "24" probably coming out in December on Blu Ray exclusively.

My brain is still decompressing for the end of the TV season, I will have more later

Lost thoughts, then lost in thoughts

I have watched the season finale for "Lost" twice so far, and I am totally fascinated by the episode.
Lost just hit the reset button to perfection. We know there are 48 episodes left and that the show creators will be allowed to complete their story and end the show they want to.
If you are haven't seen the finale, you may not want to read this: We now have a brand new group on the island that could be there to save them (there are 3 years left, are they really going to be saved now?) or they could be an enemy to "every living thing on the island". We also know for sure at least Kate and Jack got off the island which dramatically changes they way the show needs to end (getting off the island isn't the end of the show, we at least have to see how they got home, why they aren't together, how long they have been home, how many were brought back, is Jack's dad alive or is that just how messed up Future Jack is and whose funeral was it). So now the show will be able to play with flashbacks, and they will also be able to flashforward to show how the survivors deal with being off the island but now at any point they could be rescued and then we may actually get Island flashbacks to fill in the island questions (What is the island, why did Ben kill all his people, how did the Others get there).
So Yeah, I'm a little excited for the final episodes of "Lost" to start, unfortunately we have to wait until February for new episodes.

One of my soft addictions is "As Seen On TV" products, I don't know why but they amaze me with their magical powers. It was always fun to throw an ice cube on the Miracle Thaw and watch how fast it melts, my Sobakawa pillow lasted for a long time and I couldn't live without my Little Giant. But I have just witnessed the 2 newest marvels from Billy Mays, the man who brought us Oxiclean. The Hercules Hook could revolutionize the way we hang everything. But these Zorbeez could render paper towels useless and actually help the environment. I have just ordered both because, well its a sickness, but i will update you on the true power of these 2 new wonder products once I am able to test them fully.

I guess if I have gone from "Lost" to "as seen on TV", the only logical next step is to talk about what may be the greatest concert of all time. This summer get ready for the Poison'd tour with obviously Poison as the headliner but just as important to the greatest concert moniker is White Lion. Just the thought of "When the Children Cry" "Wait" "Tell Me" plus all of the Poison greats "Every Rose" "Something to Believe In" "Nothin' But A Good Time" "Talk Dirty To Me" "I Won't Forget You" and "Fallen Angel" makes me think that this is the sort of event that could reverse the rotation of the earth (although without Vito Bratta playing guitar for White Lion, I think we should be safe for now). Ratt is also on the bill, and Great White may still join them, but that really only adds "Round and Round" and "Once bitten Twice Shy". If you are in the Chicago area the show at the World has tickets available for $3.79.

In the words of Ricky "It Blew", the "24" finale that is. How could a season that started with a nuclear detonation end like that? It was still entertaining, but it was really silly.

I was really excited to tell you to check out the Must Replay TV lineup for this Thursday, but it has changed slightly. NBC has put together a good selection of reruns as a lead-in to the start of their burn off of the final episodes of "Studio 60". The night starts with the the "Earl" where Catalina helps Earl with the list. Next is "30 Rock" and originally it was going to be the hilarious "Black Tie" episode featuring Pee Wee, but now it is one of the earlier episodes where Jack set up Liz on a blind date. Then we have the convention episode of "The Office" which was when Jim first heard that Pam canceled her wedding. Then comes the musical episode of "Scrubs" one of the best episodes from a great show that few seems to still watch. Then comes the first of the final 6 episodes of "Studio 60", you can catch up if you missed some episodes here.

I like to think that at some point I can put all of my TV knowledge to good use. Lately I seem to have a screenplay running in my head, its almost like I can see it fold out in real life. It scares and amazes me at the same time.
I have shared several of the possible story lines with friends and an excellent title for my show was just suggested "Livin' the Dream".
It is going to be a dark comedy with a large ensemble cast full of truly unique characters, and could best be described as taking place in a live action Beavis and Butthead world. It will shock you
Look for it on FX in 2009
Update 5/27 2:30 PM: It looks like there is now some interest coming from HBO (or somebody just suggested it, I don't remember), but they want to take it to some dark places that I don't think America is ready to witness. I think it could be a fascinating, but funny look into a reality that you will hardly believe could exist. By slowly introducing you to the world of depravity, my hope is that you root for the characters but yet can't wait to see what they do next. They want to shock you from the beginning, but I don't think they really understand what they are asking for.

The Bi-Weekly AH Update

I have come across several believers and only a couple doubters during my crusade to bring AH+ into the hands of everyone who has ever suffered from a hangover.
Most people who try it feel like it does something, but judging if you would have had a hangover or not is hard. Some people fully believe in its powers (like me and Katy) but I have also heard that it did nothing and they still had a hangover.
I can't explain it, but I know it works. I've done some serious research. I've put several hours and millions of brain cells on the line to get a true scientific result, and I can say I am a believer.

Anyone else have an AH+ experience of note?

M&M Triple B

I have been trying to bring back the Memorial Morning Breakfast Barbecue Bash for years, I even gave a brief history of the event here last fall.
This special holiday is both a fitting tribute and a perfect excuse for some good old fashioned morning drinking.

So one week from right now, I expect everyone to do their best to bring back this once glorious tradition. If you don't have the ability or capacity to grill an entire breakfast, you are allowed to do some indoor cooking. But, if at all possible you really should at least cook some pancakes and sausage on the grill, it is so rewarding and tastes great.
The typical MMBBB consists of friends, food and booze in some combination during the morning of Memorial Day. This really is intended to be an all day event, but the focus has always been the breakfast (as the rest of the day has been filled with bastardized versions of this true celebration).
If the weather spoils the day, then a great way to continue the fun of the morning is by heading to a movie. I am now ready to name Pirates Of the Caribbean 3 as the official M&M Triple B movie (The Day After Tomorrow was a perfect fit 3 years ago). If you are unable to enjoy the outdoors, or you really want to see a movie this is the one that fits the spirit of the day. Just make sure you have a way to get to the theater,or designate a driver if there is a chance of rain, many people tend to get a little too caught up in the spirit of the day.
And I also highly suggest you pick up a few AH+ to help you make it through the long day. Head to their site, find a store and buy a 4 pack. The knowledge that you will be going into this glorious day with an anti-hangover drink will make it easier to really celebrate.

Love it

"The Office" had a second straight fantastic season finale. I have already watched it twice and I think I will have this one on the DVR for awhile.
The conviction of one Mr. Michael Scott is amazing and awe inspiring. He convinces himself of something and then fully follows through with his plan, not a doubt in his head.
There are so many great things that happened in this episode that have been building up for the past 3 years. It is almost a given that Dwight would take control with an iron fist if he was ever the senor employee in the office. The Schrutebuck is an ingenious way to motivate people and when you think about it what color could you paint an office besides black.
Possibly the best line of the entire season "Absolutely I do" from when Pam explains why she agrees to be a part of Dwight's secret plan.

Some important things to remind you of:

This weekend on Sci Fi is the "Heroes" marathon. It starts at 8 AM Saturday and runs til 5 AM Sunday, so if you want a killer Heroes recap set your DVRs. Scheduling-wise its kind of strange, It starts at 8 AM with "Homecoming" which is the ninth episode and then runs in order to the most recent episode. Then at 10PM it rolls over and starts with the pilot and then continues until the 8th episode. If you miss any episodes you will still be able watch them streaming.

Next Wednesday is the 2 Hour season finale for "Lost" it starts at 8 and right before it at 7 there is a great recap. It focuses on the mysteries of the island, reminding us of which ones we have solved and what we still don't know. If you stopped watching Lost (and don't intend on watching it on DVD) then you really should give this recap a try, the show has been fantastic.

The "Gilmore Girls" series finale actually had an the ending. I was worried that the late announcement of the cancellation wouldn't let the show have the closure it deserves. It turned out to be a great episode and a great send off.

I am shocked that Melinda got voted off of Idol. I am speechless, I wanted Jordin to win all along, but Melinda should have been in the final. I will swear off the Idol if Blake wins (at least until January).

And "Lost" was great. Not only did we find out about the underwater hatch, but we also saw an order for a full on attack. And on top of that Charlie has perhaps the best hero moment of the series.

Drum Solo

I had no idea little Stevie had it in him.
For anyone who enjoys a drum solo (and really who doesn't), check out what Stevie Wonder can do behind a drum kit.

Office recap and NBC upfronts

You may want to watch this great 3 minute recap before the 1 hour season finale for "The Office"(Thursday NBC 7). This week we see Jim's response to Pam's big epiphany.

"Friday Night Lights" is officially on the NBC schedule, but hopefully it isn't locked into the 9PM Friday timeslot. If the show were to air at this time next fall, it would be lucky to survive a couple of months. It may be easy to market "Friday Night Lights on Friday night", but the show's base audience is not going to be at home watching at 9 on a Friday night. Hopefully once the series starts to replay, starting Sunday May 27th at 8, it will get good ratings and build an audience that will make NBC give the show a better timeslot.

Some undoubtable good news did come out of NBC's upfronts today.
The entire Thursday lineup will return and both "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office" got orders for 25 episodes next season (This year each had 22 episodes) and 5 of the Office episodes will be an hour long.
We will get a total of 30 episodes of "Heroes" next year to help avoid the viewership loss they have run into with the long layoffs this year. There will be 6 stand alone episodes of "Heroes
: Origins" at some point in the year which will introduce new heroes in self contained stories, which will not continue the main story arc of the 24 regular episodes.

This could be the best week ever

We have the penultimate episodes of the year for "Heroes" and "Lost", both of which I am extremely excited for.
We also have the series finales for "Gilmore Girls"(May 15 The CW 7) and "King Of Queens"(Hour long-May 14 CBS 8).
Plus the season finales for "How I Met Your Mother"(May 14 CBS 7), "Two and a Half Men"(May 14 CBS 7:30), "Everybody Hates Chris"(May 14 The CW 7), "Bones"(May 16 Fox 7), "The Office"(Hour long-May 17 NBC 7), "Scrubs"(Hour long-May 17 NBC 8), "Smallville"(May 17 The CW 7), "Supernatural"(May 17 The CW 8) and "ER"(May 17 NBC 9).
And the final 3, if you haven't been following its Blake, Melinda and Jordin, each sing 3 songs on "American Idol"(Fox Tuesday 7).

But with all of the exciting things happening on TV, there is also the potential for the week to be heartbreaking. This week is the networks upfronts, which is when they announce the schedules for next fall. This is when we find out what shows are coming back and sadly which have been canceled. Upfronts also allow me to have an entire summer to obsess over the schedule (I will have multiple handy viewing guides ready for Fall 2007) and figure out what scheduling conflicts are going to cause me pain at the '08 upfronts.

So far there is reason to celebrate, it is rumored that NBC will be renewing "Friday Night Lights" though it won't be official until the official announcement Monday. On Wednesday, CBS will supposedly bring back "How I Met Your Mother" for a third season. And in a move that I am extremely surprised by, and excited about, ABC may announce on Tuesday that they are bringing back "The Knights of Prosperity".
Some other potential good news is it appears "Veronica Mars" may return, and even if NBC drops "Scrubs" ABC would pick it up.

So much can happen in just one week, cross your fingers, say a prayer, sacrifice a chicken, whatever it takes to keep our favorite shows on TV.

"24"(Monday FOX 8) has already hit the reset and completely changed the main storyline a couple times this season. The show is good at manufacturing action situations, but this year they may have stretched it too far. If you didn't see the episode this week there were a couple of shocking moments that didn't really come as a surprise, but instead felt like we've seen it all before.

"Jericho"(Wednesday CBS 7) has become as close to a modern times western as you can get. The town is trying to recover from the nuclear attacks on the US and now they are facing the potential constant attacks from outsiders. With no word from the government about the recovery and when exactly to expect help, the country has taken an old west mentality where the gun rules.

I have some good news for "Entourage"(Sunday HBO 9) fans, while the current season ends June 3rd we won't have to wait long for the fourth season to start. We actually only have to wait 2 weeks, that's right, the season 4 premiere will be on June 17th. This is due to the fact that right now we are watching the final 8 episodes of Season 3. So you can look forward to a lot of Entourage this summer, hopefully Vince's new project will give the show the great story arc that it deserves

Watch the preview for the "My Name Is Earl"(Thursday NBC 7) finale this Thursday.

There is a sneak preview of "Traveler"(Wednesday ABC 9) this Thursday at 9. The show will take the "Lost" timeslot starting May 30th with a second airing of the pilot. Traveler looks like an interesting show, it centers around 2 grad students who may have been set up for a museum bombing by their friend Will Traveler, who may not even exist. The previews look interesting but not ground breaking, but the fact that David Nutter directed the pilot is a very encouraging sign. David Nutter was a director and producer for some great episodes of "X-Files", he was also has been director or producer for the pilot episodes of many other good sci-fi shows; "Dark Angel", "Supernatural", "Smallville", "Roswell", "Millennium" and the criminally overlooked "Jack & Bobby".

Heroes and Lost are a good place to start

"Heroes"(Monday NBC 8) had another fantastic episode and it is becoming more obvious that many of the current storylines are going to wrap up by the end of the season. It is also looking like there is a good chance that several of the main characters will not be back next year. I really like the way all of the Heroes we have met this year are connected and coming together. So far this season we have really only scratched the surface on why these people have powers and who the shadowy groups in power actually are. There are so many directions the show can take and I am looking forward to meeting even more heroes in the future.
Claire's "you can fly?" was hilarious and a great moment for her and her dad.
The DVD and HD-DVD will be coming out August 28th, I can't wait for the ultimate Heroes marathon in HD.

There is an official end in site for "Lost" (Wednesday ABC 9). ABC has announced that there will be 3 more 16 episode seasons of Lost. I am hoping that this will not just give the "others" a date to circle on the calendar for when they can return to normal activity. But seriously, a definite ending point will give both the show creators and the viewers an assurance that the show will be given a chance to wrap up. A 3 season commitment could also draw in viewers that were afraid to commit to a show that could end without us getting all of the answers. The show already has had a renewed focus and has been excellent lately.

Tonight is the second season finale for "The Unit"(Tuesday CBS 8).

Idol

Well the final 4 will each be singing 2 songs tonight, on Bee Gees night with mentor Barry Gibb.
I don't know enough Bee Gees to make any predictions besides LaKisha singing "Staying Alive".
It is going to be a tough decision to get to the final 3, but I feel like the teenage girls are going to keep Blake in.
Whoever has a bad night will go home, song selection will be key.

Help me save TV, watch the good shows

"Heroes"(Monday NBC 8) has been delivering consistently excellent episodes and the build up to the May 21st finale looks to be incredible. You can get caught up with the season at NBC.com where you can watch every episode or you can hold out for the Sci Fi marathon on the 19th.

It is absolutely horrible when a popular show like "Gilmore Girls"(Tuesday The CW 7) isn't allowed a chance to wrap the series up properly. The show was just cancelled which means the final 2 episodes were filmed before they knew that these were the final 2 episodes (The finale will be May 15th). A show that has been on for 7 years deserves a chance to wrap up every storyline possible, and that is most likely not going to happen. The writers knew there was a chance that this would be the final season, but they also had to leave an opening for next year. The show has been good lately but there is almost too much that needs to happen for the show to wrap up properly.

There are only 4 episodes of "Veronica Mars"(Tuesday The CW 8) left this season, and there still is a chance that it will be the final 4 episodes of the show. If this was on any channel other than The CW it would at least have an audience and we wouldn't have to worry about yet another great show being canceled due to lack of network support.

This is the sort of pandering to the stupid that makes me wonder how far away a real life Running Man could be. I am fine with Bingo being on TV during the summer, or a couple reality shows during the regular season, but now the networks are relying on reality and game shows as the center piece of their schedules. Hopefully TV can be saved, I will try my best.

The Weekend Ahh update

Did anyone get a chance to experiment with the powers of AH+?
I only did some minor testing this weekend, but I am already sold on this Anti Hangover drink. The reason I am sold is because I haven't had a hangover in 2 weeks (and I should have at least a few times). I've even started drinking it when I just feel wiped out.

Let me tell you a little bit about it for you nonbelievers.
AH+ or "Ah" is an Anti-hangover drink that Hydro-Plenishes your body. Its not just water, and its not the same as Gatorade.
After a night of drinking, even if you drink a couple of bottles of water at night it doesn't always make you feel better (I've struggled after a couple of glasses of water and a few advil on many occasions). With AH you can have one at the beginning of the night if you know you are going to drink a lot, or you can have one at the end of the night for when you drank more than you thought or you can drink it in the morning if you are feeling a little slow. When I drink a lot I like to go with 2 bottles, but then again, I also ask the dentist for a double dose of novocaine just to be safe.
AH+ does have electrolytes like Gatorade, but that is where the comparison ends. It is scientifically formulated to "put back in what drinking takes out" and also gives you vitamins and minerals. The drink comes in 3 flavors Bedtime Berry, Goodnight Grape and Last Call Lemon, all three have 0 calories and 0 carbs.

I originally only thought it worked because I wanted it to work, but too many people have been convinced for me to think it is just in my head. This is why I feel I need to tell as many people about it as possible. AH+ opens up a door to drinking that may be scary in the hands of some (it won't cure a bottle of Cuervo or a blackout), but for most people it will allow you to have an extra drink or stay out late.
Go to their website to find a store near you.

Also check out Katy's testimonial here.

The quick

I am glad that Phil is gone from "American Idol" and I think this is the right final 4.
I guess this sort of kills my whole "the voters are racist" theory.

Nobody watched the new episode of "Veronica Mars"(Tuesday 8 The CW). Give this show a chance, watch it here.

I can't even talk about "Lost" yet. Wow, I need time to process and then watch again.

Pulp Muppets, genius!

I should have gotten this to you earlier.
Watch Veronica Mars! learn why here.

There was a great special about the band Feist on XM Radio tonight, as of right now they don't list any future repeats. You can go to her Myspace page to listen to her new album "The Reminder", or go here to see her video for "Mushaboom". She is a very interesting artist, very laid back but very detail oriented. She went to great lengths to get every song to sound just right, the song "The Park" sounds like the park it was recorded in. And the CD is a serious bargain, its available for $8 at Best Buy and Amazon.

Update 11:59PM: There will be a replay of the Feist special on The Verge, XM52, this Sunday at 3 and 9 AM and PM (Central time)

I have some "Idol" observations for you

So, Phil started with what should have been Blake's song, "Blaze of Glory". I thought he was bad, but Paula and Randy thought it was his best performance. I hope that he is going home tomorrow, but Dial Idol said he got the most total votes last week, so he already has a head start.

Jordin is awesome, she is so hard core 80's rock how can she not win. She sang the song I wanted her to, "Livin' On A Prayer", but it wasn't a great performance. The beginning was rough, but by the second chorus she was rockin'. She was excellent last week and should have been good enough to make it through.

When Lakisha sang the line "then I'm wrong" in her song "This Ain't A Love Song", it made me realize that I was wrong by not picking this as her song, because it was perfect. I should have known it would be good when Jon made the prediction that she wouldn't be going home this week, but I wasn't prepared for just how good she would be. I really hope her and Jordin can be top two!

After Phil took "Blaze of Glory", Blake followed my advise and took my second choice for him "You Give Love A Bad Name". He may have changed the song too much, and this week we will find out just how many Blake fans there are. I thought it was worth the risk and was an entertaining performance.

I also called the Chris "Wanted Dead or Alive" selection, but I thought he held back and could have used a cowboy hat to really sell it. He should have changed the song more, it sounded like an average rendition from any country karaoke bar. Randy and Paula both liked it, but 2 people are going home and he has a good chance at being done.

Melinda is so good, she owned "Have a Nice Day". She is the best of the night.

As of 10PM(central time) Dial Idol has the voting as Jordin and Blake being in the lead with Phil also safe. Melinda, LaKisha and Chris are all possibilities to be going home, with Chris their current pick to go. There are 2 more hours of voting. I have gotten mostly busy signals so far, and have only gotten through about 10 times. I am going to wait for about an hour and then do my best to make sure Phil goes home.
I really don't know who else should go besides Phil, but if I had to choose I would guess Chris. Chris, Jordin and Blake could all be bottom 3 based only on tonight's performance only.

Why did they let Bush thank America? I don't remember him doing anything to support it beforehand. Plus Laura looked incredibly stiff while reading the teleprompter and the "funny joke" was horrible.

Check This Out

Support Steve and Katy on their MS Bike ride for charity.
Two Days on a Bike. Pedaling for One Mission.

Could those 5 words be "Bon Jovi Medley Group Sing"?