Monsters of Television

In case you missed it, House, MD was finally renewed after some minor squabbling and some folks taking some pay cuts. Here to discuss what that means for us, the audience, are Matt and Nick

Matt: SO. Finally. Season 8.

Nick: The only thing really surprising is how long it took to get there.
It’s not like they were going to cancel House. Even if Donal Logue was on it.

(Which, I think is in the TV rulebooks that, if Donal Logue makes an appearance, the show has to be cancelled)

Matt: So what would happen if he were to be on a show with Summer Glau?

Nick: That episode would never make it to air.

Although there would be leaked photos of Summer Glau.

Matt: Mmmm. I’m okay with this.

Nick: And if that episode was written by Tim Minnear, well, that would have to be burned.

Read more »

“You are freaking out the invalid.”

Can you speak up so the bear can hear you?

Right out of the gate in 2011, ABC Family laid the calendar year’s premieres of Greek and Pretty Little Liars and, while some of our academic critic cohorts watch and review Greek, Matt and I are of different stock and shifted our attention to the lyin’ ladies of Rosewood instead. Previously on Pretty Little Liars, Aria continued her illicit relationship with a teacher, Emily conceded to be in lesbians with Maya, and Hanna got hit by a car after recognizing who she thought was “A.” Oh, and there was the tragedy of a side character dubbing her birthday party “Camp Mona,” complete with labeled SWAG and signage, but only kept reminding me of Who’s the Boss?

This week the show decompressed a little, going over the facts and processing the new information. Matt and I did the same upon the finishing the episode.

Read more »

“What happened to Chloe?”

Nick listens up as Matt talks about Smallville, how it’s operating its last season, some hunches on surprises in store, and the fates of those so important to its teen drama days. Nick feels it’s like Passions except more legitimate. He doesn’t use those exact words though in case Matt has laser beam eyes or blue kryptonite lying about.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“That’s really funny, Cougartown, but you’re Cougartown and I’m not going to watch you.”

As the ABC comedy block is about to start for Wednesday night on the East Coast, listen in as Matt and Nick discuss if Modern Family lives up to the hype and what the best comedy on television is for the season thus far. Matt walks a fine line as he proposes one of the most reviled shows on Monsters to be a contender.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“Dude, do the right thing.”

Somebody call the wahmbulance! Matt and Nick harken back to two weeks ago to briefly discuss the Mad Men finale before using the deftness of its narrative craft to chastise Chuck for being a bunch of wusses when it comes to pulling the trigger on plot points. Is it fair to compare Mad Men and Chuck? Not really. Do we unfairly use it against Chuck anyway? Of course. We never said we were fair people.

Also: Dexter Season 4 spoiler at 3:41. You’ve been alerted!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“I think [Thirteen] has a better chance of getting with Taub.”

Sad that there’s no new House today? Us, too (kinda)! Listen in while Matt and Nick discuss some of what is making (or breaking) season 7, from Huddy to Thirteen’s annual departure to Joan of Arcadia joining the cast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“What was that accent?”

And just barely slipping in before the witching hour on Halloween (on the West Coast anyway) are some thoughts on this week’s Halloween episodes. Some of the things we reference:

• Evel Knievel is has, in fact, passed.
• Matt is not the only one lazy enough to be three-hole punched.
• Sofia Vergara might have been influenced by some mid-90s television.
• Maybe the writers on Chuck still live in fear of the Chuckpocalypse.
• Smallville does love them some horror episodes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“I don’t even want to listen to us talk for that long.”

So we decided it was time to podcast.

The West Coast contingent of Monsters of Television (Matt and Nick) have decided to team up and let you hear us speak the things you sometimes deign to read. Is that something you asked for? No. But we felt you didn’t need to. We saw it in your eyes.

The plan is this: we put out a podcast about some shows premiering that evening so that we can reflect on last week and look forward to this week. Everything will be brief (well, brief-ish) and cut up nicely so you don’t have to stare down the barrel of yet another hour-long podcast. Here: we even made an introduction for you.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download