Young Justice on Cartoon Network

So lets start this off by saying that I don’t watch live TV almost at all. It’s all torrents and recorded shows for me. The only channel ever actually on my TV is Cartoon Network, because its easy to watch and has some sweet shows on it.

Lately I’ve been feeling more of a desire to watch whole seasons of shows, so I took it upon myself to find Batman The Brave and the Bold and the new this season Young Justice. I’ve seen more than a handful of episodes of Batman TBATB already and started off watching Young Justice.

This show is great. I was a big fan of Teen Titans when that was on, and this show feels similar, but with a little more bite. It basically follows, Robin/Dick Grayson,  Aqualad/Kaldur’ahm, Kid Flash/Wally West, Artemis/Artemis Crock, Superboy/Conner Kent, and Miss Martian/M’gann M’orzz as they form their own team under the Justice League and are sent on covert missions by Batman.

They are trained by the Black Canary and live under the guidance of The Red Tornado. In the show is also Speedy who later becomes the Red Arrow. Speedy refuses to join the group but still sticks around and makes appearances.

The group lives in the old Justice League headquarters inside of Mount Justice. It features the typical members from the DC rouges galley of villains who show up and cause the usual problems as well. The shows begins focusing on Superboy’s origins as a clone of Superman, and deals with the team trying to come together and deal with growing up.

I barely follow comics since they get so ridiculously confusing with who’s dead this week, or who plays what character on which Earth and on and on. I’m sure there is all kinds of continuity differences, both good and bad between this and the actual Young Justice comic, The writers have already come out to say that it’s not gonna follow the entire DC Universe, but stick to its own story.

It’s nice because it focuses on the relationships between the young heroes coming out of the shadow of their mentors and finding their own way. It’s obvious that they all strive to impress the older generation especially Robin and Superboy. Robin, the youngest of the group by far is only 13, while the rest are 15-17. Early on Aqualad is chosen as the team leader, but the show makes it clear that Robin will ultimately take that mantle.

There’s only been nine episodes to date, but the show has gotten better and better with each one. It appears as though the writers have a story to tell and plan to stick with it slowly brining out more in each character. One of the things I liked best about Teen Titans is how every season focused on a different character and really built up a good story. This show seems like nothing less as it’s already given depth to each of the main character’s. It’s clear they are all in-experienced and short from being as capable as their Justice League counterparts. It’s fun seeing regular DC villains squaring off against a new generation of heroes trying to prove their worth.

The show is simplistic and entertaining. It doesn’t require expansive knowledge of the confusing and long running DC universe, and is easy to jump right into. Go back and catch up on the beginning of the season, because I only see this season getting better.

Conan O’Brien as the Flaming C on Young Justice

Scoot has more on the Flaming C – SupaScoot’s Action News!!!

– B. VanGorder

Glee VS. Grohl

As some of you may already know, I am a fan of the TV show Glee. It has been a favorite of mine since it first aired in 2009. However, in a recently publicized article by MTV, I learned that one of my favorite musicians denied his band’s music to the hit TV show.

Dave Grohl has been the in the band the Foo Fighters since July of 1996. Before that, he was the drummer for my favorite band of all time, Nirvana. I have always enjoyed Dave Grohl’s musical endeavors. He is extremely successful, and deservingly so.

For those of you with the inability to hear or see anything, Glee is one of Fox’s number one shows right now. It follows a group of teenagers, some outcasts and some jocks, while they prepare for singing competitions. The show also follows the personal lives of the Glee Instructor, as well as the Cheerleading Coach and other faculty. I’m sure that is all you want to read about Glee.

Glee creator Ryan Murphy reportedly got angry after Dave Grohl denied the use of Foo Fighters songs on the show. At that point, Grohl came to the defense of his band as well as fellow rockers Slash and Kings of Leon. Murphy called Slash a “washed up old rock star” when he made it clear he didn’t want the teens of Glee doing Guns N Roses music, claiming he “hates musicals”.

Fergie_Slash_Superbowl-600x400
Slash at the Super Bowl with Fergie…

Murphy, talking to The Hollywood Reporter also said of Kings of Leon:

“F**k you, Kings of Leon. They’re self-centered assholes, and they missed the big picture. They missed that a 7-year-old kid can see someone close to their age singing a Kings of Leon song, which will maybe make them want to join a glee club or pick up a musical instrument.”

Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill fired back via Twitter:

“Dear Ryan Murphy, let it go. See a therapist, get a manicure, buy a new bra. Zip your lip and focus on educating 7yr olds how to say f**k.”

To which Murphy responded:

“Just read Nathan Followill’s Tweet…in which he implied I should ‘get a manicure and buy a bra.’ Wow. That’s a homophobe badly in need of some education. I’m all for manicures, don’t wear a bra. Would guess most gay dudes don’t. But it’s telling that Nathan can reduce a group of people to a mean-spirited cliché, in a time where young gay men are killing themselves all over the country because of hatred like this.”

Kings of Leon

I can understand these artists’ frustration with the situation when the show’s creator is making rude comments about them, but it does seem a bit dramatic for men who are out of high school. Furthermore, because of Murphy’s reaction to the band’s decision to keep their hit “Use Somebody” off of Glee, and all that transpired after, an open statement from the entire band was released. It stated that they have a new album coming out and that they did not want to promote Use Somebody right then.

Grohl was also quoted by Hollywood Reporter saying that it is every band’s right to choose whether or not to let a show use their music:

“And then the guy who created Glee is so offended that we’re not, like, begging to be on his fuc***g show. F**k that guy for thinking anybody and everybody should want to do Glee.”

Recently, former SNL star Victoria Jackson made wildly homophobic comments about a long anticipated kiss between two gay teenaged boys on the show. I have decided not to go into this, since she hasn’t done anything important since 1992 when she left SNL and began her career as a tea party activist BLAH BLAH BLAH NO ONE TAKES HER SERIOUSLY!

Dave Grohl has been the only artist so far to take the aggressive stand, and say PISS OFF RYAN MURPHY for your holier than thou attitude. I applaud that, but as a fan of Glee I am disappointed that I will not hear their songs sung by my favorite teen gays.

[Ed – Michelle can like Glee all she wants, I’m still convinced there are only 3 reasons for straight dudes to watch Glee…

Reason #3 
Reason #2

and finally, the number 1 reason…

Heather Morris ‘out-Britneys’ Britney Spears…

Booyah.]

Big Love: Series Finale (Spoilers…like, major ones)

HBO ended the fifth and final season of Big Love on Sunday. The hit show about a family of fundamentalist Mormons in Utah. What drew interest of course, was the polygamy angle of the show. This was a great show with several villains and white knights. Filled with unusual murders throughout the series, and both funny and serious twists and turns these five seasons. I especially enjoyed actors like Harry Dean Stanton who played an excellent role as “The (self) Chosen One” of Juniper Creek. And though the Big Love‘s biggest star was Bill Paxton, in reality, the series was always more about the wives. That didn’t change in the finale.

Continue reading Big Love: Series Finale (Spoilers…like, major ones)