Your Monday Quote

Smell that Ralph? That's the smell of justice. It smells like hot dogs.

- Chief Wiggum, The Simpsons

A class well worth attending - why universities are teaching 'The Wire'

From Slate (via the National Post):

Not content to write about it and discuss it among themselves, academics are starting to teach The Wire, as well. Professors at Harvard, U.C. Berkeley, Duke and Middlebury are now offering courses on the show.

Interestingly, the classes aren't just in film studies or media studies departments; they're turning up in social science disciplines as well, places where the preferred method of inquiry is the field study or the survey, not the HBO series, even one that is routinely called the best television show ever. Some sociologists and social anthropologists, it turns out, believe The Wire has something to teach their students about poverty, class, bureaucracy and the social ramifications of economic change.

Two of the first courses on The Wire were offered last spring. One was taught by Jason Mittell, a media scholar at Middlebury, the other by Linda Williams, a film studies scholar in Berkeley's rhetoric department. What interests Mittell and Williams is the fact that The Wire works despite its subject matter.

To read the full article click here.

Indie Baristas on the coffee war between Tim Horton's and McDonald's

BNN speaks to Matthew Taylor, co-owner, Mercury Expresso Bar and Sam James, owner, Sam James Coffee Bar. They talk coffee and perform a blind taste test to determine which of the battling fast food giants has better coffee. Will you be surprised by the results? View the video here.

Opening Ceremonies for Vancouver 2010

Boston.com has a collection of fantastic photos of the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremonies.

The Ceremonies, while dragging a bit in the middle, were really quite amazing. k.d. lang was great, the right people got to play prominent roles and in the end, it was a very Canadian selection on who got to light the torch. Well played VANOC. Well played.

A spectacular time waster - 20 Greatest Monty Python Sketches

In honour of 40 phenomenal years of comedy, Gnews takes a look at the 20 greatest Python sketches ever.

Today's something or other #45

It was just the other day that I remarked to LM that I missed The Wire. I can't watch TV the same way anymore. The Wire spoiled it for me, with the exception of a few comedies (hello, 30 Rock). The next day I saw this on Buzzfeed. The internet is awesome. 

Sunny day, sweeping the clouds away

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down. Tomorrow is Remembrance Day. Obviously there can't be any significant milestone happening today, right? Wrong! Today is the 40th anniversary of the world's most magical street, Sesame Street.

Ever tried to remember the lyrics to some of those old Sesame Street songs but couldn't quite come up with the words? Well, someone's done the work for you. Enjoy.

The CBC has a few good articles on the impact and importance of Sesame Street, including Things That Go Pop! and Sesame Street Celebrates 40 Years.

Excerpts from those articles:

Hong Kong Phooey

Do you remember the cartoon Hong Kong Phooey? Well, apparently it is being remade into a movie... sorry, feature motion picture. HKP headed to the big screen. The production is being led by one of the writers for the Family Guy and some other dude who has made some direct-to-video "classics" like the Inspector Gadget sequel. The movie will be a combination of live action and animation.

Very cool super slo-mo surfing video

10 lines from TV to work into everyday conversation

Ten lines from TV you should try to work into everyday conversation. Standard bonus points apply for each initial usage with escalating points for repeated use.

10. Its not a lie if you believe it. - George Costanza, Seinfeld

9. Big Uwe Krupp - Bob Cole, Hockey Night In Canada

8. I don't want no part of your tight ass country club, ya freak b*tch! - Franklin, Arrested Development

7. What the f*ck did I do? - McNulty, The Wire

6. I don't like being outdoors Smithers, for one thing, there's too many fat children. - Mr. Burns, The Simpsons

5. I'm a little miffled. - Tony Soprano, The Sopranos

4. But that's another story. - Narrator, Hammy Hamster

3. "Mad, bad and dangerous to know. That was him and that's me" Dylan McKay, Beverly Hills, 90210

2. By the power of Greyskull - Prince Adam, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

1. Revenge is like cold cuts. - Tony Soprano, The Sopranos

Today's something or other #19

Aussie Rules!

Check out this pretty cool commercial for the Australian Football League:

Still, to paraphrase a former NHL ad campaign, Aussie Rules would be a lot cooler if it were hockey.

TV's hottest new show!

[From the Supastar Collective archives....]

For Immediate Public Release:

There hasn't been an event like this since NBC's Friends spinoff, Joey. The marketing geniuses at Genesis 2 Exodus Marketing (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Catholic Church) bring you the hottest new property on TV, in literature and on the evangelical lecture circuit. This never before seen look at the Bible's lesser known, but no less hilarious, characters will redefine how the world watches television, reads books and gets told what to believe. With Jesus Christ, star of The New Testament, off making the feature film, JC in the Hood: Don't hate the playa, hate the game, the Catholic Broadcasting Company (CaBC), affiliated with Vision TV and CBS, took the opportunity to create this still untitled spinoff and showcase biblical characters that haven't had the time in the limelight their accomplishments deserve.

Watch the first episode where wandering nomads in search of the Promised Land do battle with the Sand People of Tattooine.

See Paul in a poetry slam with the Corinthians and watch the Prophet Elijah battle the mighty Minotaur in a steel cage.

Also starring:

• Ham
• Daniel - catch his latest celebrity predictions and his stockmarket forecast
• Levi - learn about the man before he invented the world famous denim pants
• And last, but not least, the wacky, but lovable neighbour, John. What will he do next?! Tune in and catch all his crazy antics!
• And more!

Best TV Shows of the 2000s

I recently finished watching season 2 of Rome on DVD (the series finished at the end of season 2, although there are some rumblings about a Rome movie) and it got me to thinking about my favourite TV shows of this century. I watched most of these shows on DVD, which is really a great way to watch TV shows. You can get really wrapped up in the show and, essentially, watch an episode (or more) every night until you've seen entire series.

[Note: I'm nearing the end of season 1 of The Wire and it will likely figure highly on this list once I've finished watching it. I think there are five seasons? Anyway, it isn't on the list at this point because it is still in progress. BTW, if you are like me you probably heard the description of The Wire and said, 'why would I ever want to watch that? It sounds unbearably bleak.' Well, if so, get past it and start watching. You will not be disappointed.]

On to my rules / guidelines:
1. The show had to be on since Y2K, and not just in syndication (i.e. Seinfeld is excluded even though you can still watch it every night on one channel or another)
2. A show that started before the year 2000 could be included, but its post-2000 episodes only would be considered. E.g. The Simpsons - arguably the #1 TV of all time, didn't make the cut because while it is still consistently good, it is no longer must-see TV. Some of its episodes this century have been sublime, but it doesn't consistently hit the high notes of the early to mid-90s (think: The Goodfellas episode).
3. Specific seasons of shows could be cited, if warranted (e.g. great season 1; poor subsequent seasons)

Here's my Top 10 Best TV Shows of this Century (so far):

1. The Sopranos
2. Arrested Development
3. The Office (UK)
4. Dexter
5. Six Feet Under
6. Rome
7. Friday Night Lights (season 1)
8. The Family Guy
9. Mad Men (season 1)
10. Entourage (seasons 1 and 2)

Other notables: Rescue Me, The Office (US), 24 (season 1)

I also asked my resident wine expert to provide a woman's perspective since her 2008 Valentine's Day Wine submission is still overdue, as is her '2008 Spring Wines' and 'Wines of Summer 08' offerings.... Here's her top 5:

1. Six Feet Under
2. The Sopranos
3. Dexter
4. Sex and the City
5. Arrested Development

There you go. A similar list for the most part, although we disagreed over a show that certainly appealed much more to women than men.

I recommend you get watching these shows if you have not seen any of them as they are all high quality. Will The Wire make the cut? Will it bump Entourage or will my perspective change and something else will fall out of the top 10? I'll provide an update later this year.

Your next favourite TV show?

One to watch: Fox's Sit Down, Shut Up, set to debut later this month.

Based on a popular Australian concept, the animated series was adapted by the creative team behind Arrested Development and boasts that show's principal cast regulars, including Jason Bateman and Canadian Will Arnett. The storyline follows a handful of terrible teachers at a rundown high school.

“Each character in the show is more or less modeled after the actor doing the voice,” said executive producer Mitch Hurwitz. “These people are known quantities.”
Even in rough-cut form, the version shown to critics here was hilarious.

Source: The Globe and Mail

This is a perfect trip down memory lane for the holidays

Starting in 1974-75, CBC's Hockey Night in Canada added a fresh twist to their telecasts with Showdown. This intermission feature presented innovative competitions featuring current and former NHL superstars. Lanny MacDonald, Johnny Bower, Börje Salming and Chico Resch are just a few of the hockey greats competing in the 1978 series of one-on-one matchups and mini-games featured here. Offence or defence, old-timers or current greats, Showdown had something for all hockey fans.

Check out this archival footage of the great Perrault v. MacLeish battle of Showdown '78.

Can you imagine if they tried to bring Showdown back today? I really can't believe they used to do this segment. By the way, it has to be said, MacLeish had a killer mustache!

Flight of the Conchords

The HBO show Flight of the Conchords is coming to the Comedy Network. I've never seen this show but I have it on good authority that it is hilarious. I do have a couple of their songs downloaded and they are well worth checking out. Here are two the videos for two key tracks:

1. Business Time



2. Ladies of the World

Flight of the Conchords with the best anti-war song in years... there you go. [We're talking brunettes not fighter jets!]

Change - that's wassup

You have to watch this. I can't believe AB put this out! This made my day. What a nice way to start the weekend.

Mark Wahlberg Talks to Animals

In case you missed it in all the Tina Fey/Sarah Palin on SNL hoopla (funny stuff - check it out here), Adam Sandberg did a weirdly funny bit about Mark Wahlberg talking to animals a couple of weeks ago. Wahlberg failed to see the humour in it and told Jimmy Kimmel that he'd like to punch Sandberg in the face. I thought the skit was hilarious in a strange, what am I watching (?) sort of way. Give it a look here.

[Side note: How will SNL survive the departure of Amy Poehler? She is fantastic.]

Marketing campaign for the new season of Dexter is pretty cool

I've talked here before about how much I like the TV show Dexter. Season 3 just kicked off and they have been running a very clever marketing campaign for the new season. I just finished watching season 2 on DVD, and while I slightly enjoyed season 1 more, the second season is also excellent. I'm bummed I don't have Showcase and am missing season 3....