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Submitted by Ross.
So it looks as if the WGA is heading back to work after a three month strike. The real question is do you care?
If you're anything like me, this strike hasn't affected you in the least. Of course I might be the exception to the rule (that's what my mother tells me). With all the alternative programing available to a geek like myself I haven't had to interact with people during the strike. Or you just could have watched TLC for three months.
For those of you who do care, it might not even matter that the writers are heading back to work. According to CNN sitcoms could be airing in a month, but for many dramas it might be a case of diminishing returns and the season canceled.
Did the strike get you go to other sources to find something to watch such as Netflix, iTunes, IPTV or Bittorrent? I would expect that there was a measurable increase of users of these other services during this WGA strike. I wonder if these people who went elsewhere will go back once the programing returns?
More importantly, will the strike make people realize how much of what is on television really not worth watching?
If Mr. Bean had a love child with Wile E. Coyote it would be Bernard the Bear. Bernard stars in a series of shorts from Spanish animation studio BRB.
Bernard is made up of equal parts Mr. Bean's social ineptitude and Wile E. Coyote's physical slapstick. He is self centered, petty and can always make a situation worse. Certainly not a childhood role model but most of the time he gets his comeuppance for his less than shining behavior. I think that's where the underlying message is, what goes around comes around.
Moral soap boxing aside, I have not laughed out loud at a cartoon like this since the classic WB's. Also another aspect about Bernard I like is the subtle actions and
facial expressions for the characters. It shows the strength of the
animators when they can convey so much emotion with no dialog. And finally there is something that appeals to my inner child me about an animated character being physically injured so often. Bernard could certainly give Homer Simpson a run for his money.
You can see more Bernard on Veoh.
One of my favorite shows is back...well sort of. Ashes to Ashes is a more of a follow up than a sequel to Life on Mars.
As Life on Mars took place in 1973 and drew on all the good (music, muscle cars, fashion styles) and the bad (racial stereotyping, police brutality, fashion styles) of the time, Ashes to Ashes does the same but in 1981. This time with a new lead character Alex Drake from 2008 who may or may not be in a coma, insane or a time traveler. Got it? I sure hope so because Netflix doesn't seem to have series 1 or 2 of Life on Mars.
Helen Rumbelow reviews the premiere episode and I think she has it right when she says don't compare Ashes to Mars. To me It's like Star Trek TOS and The Next Generation. Both have strengths and weakness and it's all right to like them both. Of course neither Kirk or Picard drove an Audi Quattro.
Half the fun of Life on Mars was the characters it had developed and I'm really looking forward to catch up with them for a little 1980's nostalgia.
I jokingly said with being out the loop the this last week, "oh watch the iPhone get released or something". Well it wasn't the iPhone, but now we (Canadians) can spend too much on television just like our neighbors to the south.
Of course this being Canada you can buy Hockey on iTunes. I just would have thought that they would have nice cover art for the Stanley Cup Classics. It looks very 1996 I think.
Bell satellite has a free preview of Disney Playhouse for the next month or so.
It has the usual stuff that I've seen on any number of the other kids channels. What caught my eye was a new Winnie the Pooh series called My Friends Tigger & Pooh.
They seem to have changed out Christopher Robin for a girl named Darby. Not a big deal, but I'd hate to Christopher Robin's agent.
I know that they are trying to open the demographics of the show by including a girl but it's like replacing Piglet with a dinosaur because studies say kids love dinosaurs. But if they were going to drop a character Christopher Robin
They have a contest to promote the launch of the channel here in Canada but (say it with me) excludes residents of Quebec.
This current Writers Guild strike feels a lot like the 1994 Baseball strike. If you were a Montreal Expos fan you'll know what I mean.
The LA Times has broken it down by network at what point you can expect your favorite shows to go into reruns. Just pretend that it's between sweep weeks and you won't notice a thing.
Those of you who are fearful of actually interacting with family members here are some alternatives to our beloved television.
Joost is now in open beta and will let you watch what you want when you want, just be sure to have a nice fat connection. And not actually want to watch everything.
Revision3 has tech centric programing but you can download the shows and watch it on that media center extender you hopefully already have. I personally have a Media Center PC with TV out.
And there's quality humor programing on Youtube.
Another route you could take is flash games on the intertubes.
Desktop Tower Defense
Gogo Happy Smile
Yahoo Free Games
Luckily or unluckily reality television will not be affected since there are no scrips and or on air talent involved in creating those show.
]]>The BBC site has released some more photos.