Two Guys, a Girl and a Blog

We’ve all heard the slogan “It’s not TV, It’s HBO”.  Any of those who’ve watched an HBO series completely understands that phrase. Television shows, movies,  and events that never would’ve found their way onto television found a home on Home Box Office. HBO has continued each year to be innovative while producing the best of television. HBO’s reputation for offering high quality original programming is deeply founded in its original programming, producing choices,  & development.  Never shying away from trying something new, taking on controversy, or producing the unproducable; HBO continues to impress even the toughest of critics  Here’s a brief history of the shows and events that have made the premium channel worth every penny and more.

1) The Sopranos

• The Sopranos has been acknowledged by critics as one of the greatest and most ground-breaking television series of all time.  Spanning 86 episodes the show follows the life of mob boss Tony Soprano and both his families.

2) Tales from the Crypt
3) Tell me you Love me
4) The Wire
5) Arli$$
6) Curb your Enthusiasm
7) Da Ali G Show
8 ) Entourage

• A-list movie star Vincent Chase’s rise through Hollywood is seen on Entourage. Although the premise threw me at first “Who cares about some douche in Hollywood?”, I later realized my mistake. My only beef with the show is that Medellin will never be made.

9) Extras
10) Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
11) Inside the NFL
12) Sex and the City
13) Def Comedy Jam
14) John Adams
15) The Comeback
16) Epitafios
17) Angels in America

• God has abandoned Heaven. It’s 1985: the Reagans are in the White House and Death swings the scythe of AIDS. This miniseries based on the play tells a tale     of aids, bigotry, racism, diseases, self-hatred, power, sexless marriages, shame, religious turmoil, drug abuse and more. If you’ve never seen this, then find you way to it and prepare to be moved.

18) Flight of the Conchords
18) The Larry Sanders Show
20) Lucky Louie

• The only time I disagreed with HBO. I thought this show was fantastic. A father who calls his kid an asshole while trying his best to keep the lights on and food  on the table. It was Roseanne on crack and gritty in all the right ways. Unfortunately it was canceled but at least it had a chance, something no other network would’ve gave this very funny TV show.

21) Mr. Show
22) Tracey Takes On
23) Hard Knocks
24) Real Sex
25) Autopsy
26) Thrilla in Manila boxing match
27) Fraggle Rock

• My gushing love for this show would allow me to write far too much so I’ll let wikipedia say it best….. The vision of Fraggle Rock articulated by Jim Henson was to depict a colourful and fun world. Also a world with a relatively complex system of symbiotic  relationships between different “races” of creatures, an allegory to the human world, where each group was somewhat unaware of how interconnected and important they were to one another. Creating this allegorical world allowed the program to entertain and amuse while seriously exploring complex issues of  prejudice, spirituality, personal identity, environment, and social conflict. Fraggle Rock generally refused to over-simplify any individual issue, instead simply illustrating the consequences and inherent difficulties of different actions and relationships.

28)  Band of Brothers
29) Big Love
30) Carnivale
31) Deadwood
32) From the Earth to the Moon
33) The Hitchiker
34) In Treament
35) Oz
36) Rome
37) Six Feet Under

• Alan Ball’s television masterpiece that many consider to be one of the best dramas ever made for television. The journey of Nate Fisher over 5 seasons invokes every human emotion. HBO gave ball the room to explore some of the most controversial issues including the famed Brenda/Billy semi-incestuous relationship.

38) When the Levees Broke
39) Sports of the 20th century
40) G String Divas
41) From the Earth to the Moon
42) Spawn

• Todd McFarlane’s Spawn is an animated television series which aired on HBO from 1997 through 1999 was nominated for and won an Emmy in 1999 for   Outstanding Animation Program.  The series centered around the story of an ex-serviceman who fought in the Vietnam war as a commando named Al  Simmons. He was betrayed and killed by a man whom he believed to be his close friend. Upon his death, Simmons vowed revenge on Chapel and hoped that he would one day return to his beloved wife Wanda.

43) Taxicab Confessions
44) Dream On
45) The Storyteller
46) Not Necessarily the News
47) The Chris Rock Show
48) Real Time with Bill Maher
49) Generation Kill
50) Tenacious D

Not quite television but related enough for me to mention it….

Starring Neil Patrick Harris of How I met your Mother and Doogie Houser fame, Dr. Horrible’s sing along is chiefly written by Joss Whedon . Whedon  & Co conceived the idea during the great writers strike of 2008. He recruited NPH who sang previously on Broadway before his return to television in the underrated How I Met Your Mother.  Joss Whedon also recruited past Whedonverse alum of Buffy and Firefly Flame–Nathan Fillion to star as the superhero. Today is the premiere of ACT 1.  One does not need to hope or worry about its awesomeness as it is sure to please if you are a fan of either of those previously mentioned. Check it out on your I-tunes as you won’t regret it. The season pass is $3.99 but a solitary episode is $1.99. I suggest getting the season pass for obvious reasons.

http://drhorrible.com/act_I.html

Each week we’ll watch one show and offer up three opinions. As always sometimes we’ll agree and sometimes we’ll violently disagree enough to put out a mob hit on each other. Fortunately we’ll come to our senses and cancel the hit. You won’t get to see any of that Sopranos action but whats left is One Show, Three Opinions. This week is the new show Eli Stone.

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There’s so much TV and so little time. You start out wanting to watch everything and eventually have to wittle it down until its a TV banquet fit only for you. These are the shows I’m watching this season.

/Sunday/
Desperate Housewives
The Simpsons
King of the Hill
Family Guy
American Dad continue reading »