Television is going through a homogenization. It’s been going on for years, but it is a process that is becoming increasingly and exponentially worse. The problem, I believe, lies in the archaic Nielsen ratings.

The Nielsen ratings, though theoretically and scientifically sound, is fundamentally flawed in that it relies on information from the lowest common denominator of the American public. Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, refers to these kinds of people as Induhviduals. These are the people that watch “According To Jim” and “The War At Home”.

Induhviduals do not watch quality programming for the simple explanation that they cannot understand or appreciate it. Since these induhviduals are the target of all television ratings research, the business behind the art naturally shifts towards the mindless and inane. Shows that make an effort to be intelligent and captivating are left in the dust in favor of “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?” Obviously not, America.

When Arrested Development was cancelled, many were outraged, though few were surprised. It is no secret that Fox is notorious for slash and burn techniques, looking for the newest overnight sensation. CBS, however, has traditionally been a conservative network, and I have praised it often over the last couple years for really coming forth and producing consistently entertaining fare. The network that could do no wrong in my eyes, has done wrong.

A good show requires a very careful combination of many different variables including thoughtful scriptwriting, engaging characters, and a certain X factor that keeps you coming back week after week, willingly sitting through commercials instead of TiVo-ing the program because you just can’t wait to see what happens next. These shows are rare.

A show that can make a grown man cry is even more rare. Yet, when Gerald McRaney’s character Johnston Green, with his final breath, delivers his final thoughts to his sons, it requires every effort not to. “Jericho” is a show not without it’s flaws, but still so beautifully crafted that one can easily become emotionally attached to the characters.

The flawed business of art has no room for shows such as these. They don’t appeal to the lowest-common-denominator of America. CBS hopes that “Kid Nation”, a reality show that sets kids loose in an abandoned town a la “Lord of the Flies” will be a fine replacement for “Jericho”. Shame on you, CBS. Shame.

Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out Of Hell 3: The Monster Is Loose” will be released tomorrow. If you value the advancement of your personal cultural enlightenment, the realization of all your testosterone-driven rock-and-roll fantasies, and the edification of your very soul, you will purchase it first thing tomorrow morning, just as I will be doing.

That is all.

Yeah, so I’m totally drunk right niow… I saw Just Friends… and it made me want to drink… so i had two bottles of wiune and four jack daniels mix thingies.

goddamn eruyan reuynolds movie makes the movie i just shot look like a fucking cliff notes to just friends… fuck iut.  god damn ryan rewynolds.  i can’t type.  fuck it.  i’m going to bed.

damn.

Marty lost. 

I haven’t watched RockStar: INXS since the beginning, but the last six weeks or so have made me happy inside.  Marty’s original song “Trees” has been stuck in my head and my CD player ever since he first premiered it.  And he lost…

When I heard the decision, I jumped up and swore at my television set very vigorously.  The words were vulgar.  The passion was immense.  I was mad.

J.D. does have the performance and even writing style that more closely matches who and what INXS has been historically, so I kinda understand the decision.  But I’m still saddened.

I hope Marty gets a chance to do a solo album right.  I’d love to hear a studio version of “Trees.” I’ve no doubt the whole endeavor will rock greatly.  I’ll never be able to watch American Idol again.

I just got done watching “Night of the Living Dead.” Again.  I can’t get enough of the whole Romero series (Night, Dawn [78], Day, Land) and the more I watch them, the deeper the messages seem to get, or at least more personal.  At the very least, they make me THINK.

Today in Feature Film Writing we had to speak for a little bit about a character in literature, cinema, whatever that we tend to associate with.  Although my choice of Riley from Land of the Dead wasn’t that profound (or maybe obvious) compared to other choices (Jean val Jean from Les Mislerables, etc.), the more I think about his situation, the more I find myself thinking about my situation.

The moment in Land of the Dead that sticks out the most is when Riley, Charlie and Slack are in prison and Slack asks Riley what his story is.  His response is “I don’t have a story.  Nothing bad ever happened to me.” The guy is in prison, and he is still able to say nothing bad ever happened to him.  He is in a world overrun with walking dead, and he is still able to say nothing bad ever happened to him.

This speaks to me on so many levels, believe it or not.  On one level, I see awful things happen around me all the time.  This world isn’t in the greatest state.  People die of cancer, people watch their neighborhoods wash away in a matter of minutes, etc.  But nothing bad has ever happened to me, and while I may not necessarily think about it regularly in those terms, I do tend to look at the glass being half full.  At least, I try to.

Going deeper, I see the whole scenario as even a possible representation of spirituality.  The dead are those who’ve yet to find Christ and those alive in Christ must fend off the onslaught.  If this is the case, then, how do I reconcile that with the fact that in the Dead series, the humans tend to be enemies.  All this crap about zombies happen, but in every movie, humans turn on each other, and in the end, humans are the end of other humans.  I can’t remember the exact line, but in Dawn ‘78, a priest says something along the lines of “In a world where the dead are coming to life, we must stop killing or lose the war.”

Are we as Christians cannibalizing our own?  It’s not a thought one likes to think about.  I certainly don’t.  But what comes to mind at this point is the Brennan Manning statement (used by dc Talk on the Jesus Freak album) that “the number one cause for athiesm in the world is Christians...” Good intentions can only go so far, but if we’re not acting in love for one another, and I mean true RESPECTFUL love, we’re going to lose the war.  Love and respect seems to have been lost, and outrageous fundamentalist efforts, while well intentioned, seem to have the opposite effect from what is desired.

I’m almost certain that’s not the statement Romero was going for, even in the slightest.  It really isn’t even a direct thought stemming from the movie, just the result of long, drawn-out, and partially scattered thinking on the nature of human vs. human activity in a world full of zombies.

Wow.  “From Justin To Kelly” is on ABC Family right now.  It’s almost over and I’ve watched nearly the entire thing with a really morbid fascination.  This movie is so awful, I can’t think of how to describe it without using some REALLY vulgar terms.  There simply aren’t words (within the bounds of civility) that can describe how bad this movie is.

So I’ll stop.

“You don’t have a lot, but it’s all that you’ve got and you can turn it into more than it seems...” - Meat Loaf

Have you ever done something, seen something… experienced something that gives you that same feeling you get when you meet the most awesome girl in the world? Or guy, for you ladies out there. I’ve had that feeling twice in the last couple months. I’m not sure whether it’s the lack of girls making me feel that way lately (’cause it has been a while since a girl has messed up my head in a good way), or just a deeper appreciation for the simple things in life.

Tonight, that thing was The 40 Year Old Virgin. Yes. You read that right. The 40 Year Old Virgin was such an amazing movie, I feel like I’ve met the most amazing girl in the world. And it’s not a girl. And it’s not a gay thing. I’m not talking about the people in the movie. I’m talking about the movie itself. Seeing that movie has made me happy. It’s as raunchy as you’d expect an R-rated movie entited The 40 Year Old Virgin to be, but the ending is beautiful, AMAZING and FUNNY AS HELL. I laughed so hard that James says he was embarassed to be sitting in my proximity.

I have that feeling though. That feeling like I need to go on Oprah and jump all over her furniture and scream “I’m in love!” But it’s not a person. And I think that this might all be a little bit weird. Even for me. This feeling isn’t even really directed towards the movie or anything or anyone in particular. I just have that deep feeling of happiness now, mere moments after seeing it.

This feeling is familar. It reminds me of the after-effects of the most amazing dream I’ve ever had. Back when I was on the set of the movie, I went to sleep one night and dreamt that I ran into the first girl who ever rejected me (there have been several… they’re the rule, not the exception) and she didn’t recognize me, so I Casanova’d her into falling for me before the alarm clock woke me up and burst the most amazing, beautiful bubble I’ve ever been in. For a week afterwards, I felt like I was walking around on a cloud, even though it was just a dream. I didn’t meet a new girl. My subconscious just created one and gave her a real past. I didn’t fall in love with the fantasy girl or any girl for that matter… But I felt like I had.

As for the movie, I really associated with Andy. His friends remind me of Sam and Alvy, my roommate and his best friend from Freshman year, who both swore they’d get me “high, shit-faced and laid” by the end of said year (We’ve since moved on in separate paths). The movie of my life hasn’t ended yet, but I look forward to the day I can turn to my wife and sing “When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars...” and we both know exactly what I mean and we can burst into a full-fledged chorus of “Let the Sun Shine In.”

I know God has someone out there for me. I can’t wait until He brings her into my life. Someday… Someday…

I love this feeling, though… And I know it won’t last, and I don’t know what will bring it on again next, but I do hope that next time… it’ll be a lady.

I like ladies.

Just got back from seeing Four Brothers. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, although that might just be because it followed up an entire day of playing GTA San Andreas. Those Ballas and Vagos can su........ er… yeah… Anyway, regarding FB I wasn’t completely satisfied with the climax but I’m not going to rant about it here and ruin the movie-going experience of one who should happen upon this blog. Except for Sunny. This one’s not for you. Overall it was really good though. I liked it.

I do feel the need to rant, though… My rant is simple: Gas prices suck. Driving back from the theater, I saw that the price at the CHEAP gas station (RaceTrac or RaceWay or whatever it is here in Waco) was at TWO DOLLARS AND THIRTY NINE CENTS! I just filled up on Sunday for $2.15… What the heck?

Wow. That was a weak rant. Oh well.