You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'television' tag.
Compiled by Ryan
The links:
-If you’re looking for a way to waste a solid half hour, check out Paste’s top fifty albums and films of the decade.
-Wes Anderson told Access Hollywood that he wants to shoot a film in space.
-George Clooney may play the lead in The Descendants, the next project from director Alexander Payne.
-AV Club talks to Chris Pratt, who plays Andy on Parks and Recreation.
-Tina Fey recounts her ten favorite 30 Rock moments at The Daily Beast.
-This NYT piece highlights the talented Kumail Nanjiani among others in the New York alt-comedy scene.
-A friend pointed out to me that Fearless Freaks, the Flaming Lips documentary, is on Hulu now; if you’re a fan of the band at all, it’s definitely worth a watch.
The YouTube highlights:
It’s a simple enough concept, but Christopher Walken reading Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” on Jonathan Ross still made me laugh:
Aziz Ansari highlighted this gem on Twitter this week:
New music spotlight:
Julian Casablancas – Phrazes for the Young
Stokes leadman Casablancas has gotten quite a bit of buzz for his debut solo album; you can read an interview on Pitchfork, check out this Village Voice article, read about his cover of the SNL song “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” at NME, then listen to it at Stereogum, and, finally, you can check out his MySpace to preview the entire album along with bonus tracks. But if you don’t do any of that, at least listen to the Strokes-y first track:
Julian Casablancas – “Out of the Blue” from Phrazes for the Young, out now on Cut Records
Compiled by Ryan
The links:
-NBC has picked up full-seasons of Community and Parks and Recreation, which have both exceeded industry ratings expectations.
-I enjoy Top Chef, but I’m not sure about a Just Desserts spin-off.
-A lot of rumors have been bouncing around about Hulu going to a pay system, but this article attempts to refute such claims.
-A former Late Night with David Letterman writer wrote an interesting piece for Vanity Fair about what it’s like to be a female working for the male-dominated show.
New music spotlight:
Yeasayer – Ambling Alp [Single]
All Hour Cymbals was one of the more interesting debut records in recent memory, instantly catapulting Brooklynites Yeasayer to the ranks of “buzz band.” Fortunately for everyone, the band decided not to abuse this status by rushing out a new album of debut-album retreads, instead logging long hours touring, writing, and recording in anticipation of their 2010 follow-up, Odd Blood. We now have the first taste of that album, and I’m pretty excited to hear more:
Yeasayer – “Ambling Alp”
Compiled by Ryan
The links:
-Andrew Bird has announced an extended tour that finds him playing churches in Minneapolis (St. Mark’s Episcopal) and Chicago (Fourth Presbyterian).
-Yeasayer have signed with Secretly Canadian and will release their second album, entitled ODD BLOOD, early next year.
-Of course Jack White gave a philosophy lecture in Dublin.
-The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn is teaming with Letterman scribe Tom Ruprecht to adapt Chuck Klosterman’s Fargo Rock City for the big screen.
-Comedy Central has acquired the syndication rights to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, an unusual move for FX, the cable channel that produces the show.
-Where you wondering what George Wendt was up to? I bet you were wondering what George Wendt was up to. Here’s what George Wendt is up to.
-Time has a brief Q&A with Malcolm Gladwell.
-Food, Inc. arrives on DVD in early November, and a friend passed along this link to the film’s highly-education and surprisingly-fun website.
New music spotlight:
Tegan and Sara – Sainthood
Everyone’s favorite Canadian twins look to continue their run of success that started with 2004’s So Jealous and peaked with 2007’s The Con. Sainthood is the duo’s fullest sounding record yet, employing a full band to fill out the post-punk infused pop of the Quinn twins:
Tegan and Sara – “Hell” from Sainthood, out October 27 on Sire
Compiled by Ryan
The links:
-Moviefone asks if Where the Wild Things Are is for kids.
-Variety gave a fairly positive review to Fantastic Mr. Fox, while Wes Anderson tells /Film about directing it from a distance.
-I love stories about fonts, and NBC just got sued for infringing on the trademarks of one.
-It’s Gary Shandling’s Show is finally coming to DVD.
-It’s pretty predictable, but I still liked this list of the 10 “Coolest” bookstores in the U.S.
-It’s a cover song, but it’s still new LCD Soundsystem, so check out Bye Bye Bayou.
New music spotlight:
Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
Is London the new Montreal? Just as seemingly every indie buzz-band five years ago hailed from Montreal, many of this year’s talked about acts are part of an emerging folk scene that’s formed in London over the past few years. Following the success of Laura Marling, Noah and the Whale, and, to a lesser extent, Johnny Flynn, Mumford & Sons has just released a self-assured debut that’s as good as anything to come out of that scene thus far. Fans of The Frames or Johnny and the Moon will find something to like here, and lead singer Marcus Mumford sounds a lot like the former band’s lead singer, Once star Glen Hansard, though he also recalls Josh Ritter, Caleb Followill (Kings of Leon), and a bit of Michael Stipe. Intrigued?:
Mumford & Sons – “The Cave” from Sigh No More, out now on Island
By Ryan
Viacom’s $1 billion copyright-infringement lawsuit against YouTube seemed from the beginning more of a statement than an actual attempt to recover damages. Hey, do not steal our stuff; we have top-notch lawyers and the ability to sue you for far more than you’re even worth. But now, it seems that Viacom may actually have a solid case, based on recent evidence that suggests that YouTube employees were among those who illegally uploaded Viacom clips, and their managers knew about it. Now, I don’t expect Viacom to be awarded $1 billion (Google only paid $1.65 billion for the entire company), but, as some experts are pointing out, this could have huge ramifications for YouTube, leading to at least a restructuring of how uploading clips works and perhaps even to a temporary shutdown. While that’s probably a bit excessive, the primary question remains: does the profit Google makes from copyrighted clips exceed the promotional value of those clips being on the most popular video site in the world?
To be sure, I think user-uploading of full episodes of television shows anywhere on the internet is just as bad as uploading music, yet it is behavior that many users—myself included—benefit from. We assume that because the show has already aired, everyone has been paid, and no one is hurt by watching it on YouTube instead of OnDemand, Hulu, or a network website. The truth is that much of the 2007-2008 WGA strike that shut down television production was based on artists wanting returns for the burgeoning field of online video.
Still, if I just want to see a two-minute clip of David Letterman joking about his extortion situation, should I really have to sit through a 45-second ad? Wouldn’t having that Letterman clip on YouTube actually promote interest in the show? I recognize why full episodes shouldn’t be on YouTube, and I agree with such a sentiment, but I think clips usually serve to highlight one small thing that was funny or interesting about a show, which should serve to drive people towards the show. And let’s face it: if I have to go to the CBS website, a site I never visit, to watch a Letterman clip, I probably just won’t watch it. However, if that clip was on YouTube, I probably would, and it may even prompt me to tune in to The Late Show.
Of course, the difference between clips and full/part episodes can be tricky, and the distinction seems all but lost on most network executives. Still, perhaps this Viacom-YouTube mess will lead somebody to figure out what’s an effective use of content that helps everybody, and what’s a clear violation of copyright. And heaven help you, Viacom, if you lead to YouTube getting shutdown.
