Ty Watches "Dave" Season Two Finale

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Earlier this week I wrote about the episode of "Dave" entitled "Enlightened Dave" that was a masterpiece. Last night I watched the season two finale, and while not on the level of "Enlightened Dave", this was such a perfect way to wrap up this bizarre season of TV. This finale also puts "Dave" in the upper echelon of great television during what seems to be a golden era of television.

This show is simply perfect. The way it has matured in twenty short episodes is absolutely fascinating and wonderful. I had a totally different idea of how this show was going to be, and I'm glad it has gone in this other direction. I, like most Lil Dicky fans, thought the show was going to be a full blasted comedy. There is comedy in it, but this is much more emotional and dramatic and a show about being an adult in the music business nowadays. The theme song from season one asks questions like, "don't you want to know who I am/don't you want to meet the guy behind the guy/do you want to know what the industry is like/what a strange life I have", that is what this show has become. "Dave" is a behind the scenes look at a egotistical, fanatical, workaholic, self destruction rapper. But the two seasons have shown him grow and accept things and come to terms with people in his life and be happy with where he is and it has been amazing to watch.

All of the plotlines came to a head in the season two finale. I'm not going to spoil too much because everyone, and I mean EVERYONE should be watching this show. We see this growth though. He is being a selfish asshole for much of the finale. He is only looking out for himself and blaming everyone around him. It is never his fault. He is not to blame. But then he and GaTa have this humongous verbal argument where GaTa shares all of this with Dave. He puts it all on the line. He lets him know what an asshole he is being to everyone around him, but especially him, who always has his back no matter what. GaTa is always there for Dave, and for a long time, Dave has not returned the favor. This enlightens him. I think Dave starts to realize what a dick he is being to all his people. We then see him prepping for his appearance at the VMA's, the whole episode kind of revolves around this performance, and we see the change. His ex texts him good luck. He wants to respond, but he just gives her text a thumbs up. I saw that as a sign of him letting go. Then he meets his manager and producer backstage and all three of them have a real heart to heart. There are some jokes in there, but there is also love and acceptance and tears. Then we see GaTa, we haven't seen him since their fight, and he is tearing up. Then it is revealed that he is at the show with Dave to perform with him. Dave is finally giving GaTa the shine he so rightfully deserves. It then shows them on tour together, and they both seem to be genuinely enjoying their time on stage. It ends on a happy note. It ends with Dave and GaTa hugging and smiling and seemingly on the up and up.

I felt a sense of relief and joy watching the finale. I loved it. I hope it comes back for a third season. As I said up top, "Dave" is one of the best shows currently on TV, and I think it can only get better. I love, love, love this show. I cannot recommend it enough. "Dave" is a masterpiece.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Dave" Delivers an All Time Great Episode

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This season of "Dave" has been weirdly awesome. I like how totally off track and different they have gone. The season was filmed during the start of the pandemic, and it shows. It also shows how prepared and safe they were while making this season. I loved the first season of the show too. I believe that I had it on my best of list. The second season wraps up this evening, but last week's episode is what I want to talk about today.

I think it might be the best 40 minutes of TV I have watched this year. This episode ranks up there with the "Teddy Perkins" episode of "Atlanta", or "Behind the Laughter" on "The Simpsons". Those are two of my favorite TV episodes of all time. I think I like this more than the first season of "Dave" episode where we found out that GaTa is bipolar. This was one of the most perfect written and acted episodes this show, and many others for that matter, could ever wish for.

For those that may not watch or know, this season has been pretty much all about how Dave is having severe writer's block. He got his record deal near the end of season one, and this season has focused primarily on his past and how hard it has been for him to come to grips with making a full length LP. It has been exquisite and the penultimate episode was a perfect encapsulation of all the troubles he has had all season. It starts out with him going to a very swank house in LA which we come to soon realize is Rick Rubin's place. Then from there it is a crazy sci fi/comedy/horror hybrid that was wonderfully bizarre. From the people who work for Rick Rubin, to the deprivation tank to the visions and to the finality of the episode, it was a mind f in all the best ways. When he deals with Rubin's people, I actually believed that these are the type of people Rubin would hire, and I absolutely adore Rick Rubin. I have written about my love for him and how I think he is the greatest producer of all time. He is also a super weirdo. Then the whole thing with the tank, and where the episode goes from there, it was awesome. We think he walks out because he is the type of person who cannot focus if he isn't the center of attention or if he isn't cracking jokes. But then we soon realize he is still in the tank and the stuff he is seeing are all visions while he is out. We see him take advantage of people like GaTa. He has a vision where he is working in a restaurant, and when he cannot come up with food to cook, GaTa literally lets him cook parts of his body. It shows their relationship to a T. He uses GaTa for support, and GaTa will do anything for his best friend. We see him talk to his girlfriend from season one and fully come out and take responsibility for their breakup. He talks to his mom and lets her know how he is sorry for using her. But near the end, that was when this episode got epic. We see a twin of Dave, but this twin is bald and wearing a diaper. And when I say bald, he doesn't even have eyebrows. But this twin is there to help him realize that he is trying too hard to maintain his online persona. He is trying too hard to be what others want him to be. He is being too tough on himself. He is using his friends but not in a way that is helpful for all of them. This twin starts to play him a beat and a song and you can see the real Dave getting hyped. He keeps asking him to send him the music and the bald twin keeps telling him that he doesn't need to send him anything because he is him. All this stuff is already inside of him. I loved it. I didn't fully understand the anteater, and maybe it was just there for the joke, but even that kept my attention. And when the bald twin goes down and starts to gurgle water, and then real Dave does, then we all know that this is a vision from inside the deprivation tank. When real Dave comes to, he runs to the studio and starts to record the song that he heard while he was tripping. The camera then pans back and we see the back of Rick Rubin just nodding his head.

I absolutely loved the way they showed Dave getting out of his own way and proceeding to record his album with which he has struggled with all season long. I'm pumped to see where they go with the finale tonight. But I think this episode from last week will stay with me for a long, long time. What a triumph.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches the 2020 Olympics

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With the Olympics all wrapped up I want to talk about my experience watching this year.

I never pay too much attention to the Olympics if I am being honest with myself. I watch basketball in the summer games, I like gymnastics because the people are so athletic and more recently I have gotten into track and field, pretty much since I became a runner. It is the same with the winter Olympics. I watch very few sports with snowboarding and skiing being the lone exceptions. But this year I found myself super into the Olympics.

I turned it on from day one and it was on pretty much everyday until the games wrapped up. I found myself really into swimming early on. Then I was devouring skateboarding, which was rad. I watched fencing and table tennis on a different day. I got super into highboard and synchronized diving. I was watching water polo. I followed the men's and women's gymnastics teams. I watched more volleyball than I have ever seen. I watched basketball, more on that later, because I love it so much. I'd say I tuned in to about 85-90 percent of the competitions. I do not know why either. It wasn't the lack of fans because I saw that in the NBA bubble and most pro sports last year. I seemed to latch on early this year and that seemed to be the key.

I think another reason why this resonated so much was because I did not think it was going to happen. I thought that the organizers were going to pull the plug at the last minute because of rising COVID cases all over the world. But when they started, I watched and watched and watched. I think it hit me so well this year because of the lack of sports in summer. I like baseball, but not MLB. I'm not a soccer fan. And there are only so many articles I can read on college football teams opening their fall camps. So these Olympics hit me at the exact right time. We also got some really interesting and neat personal athlete stories. I followed Simone Biles every step. I side with her and I am so happy that she took care of mental state over everything else. The super young skateboarders were so cool and seemed so thrilled to be in the Olympics. The diver from Britain that also knits was one of my favorite people in the games. There was the Cambodia gentleman who was adopted by an American man who was a diver and that story was so heartwarming. Seeing Katie Ledecky do what she does and then laugh at reporters when they asked if she was going to retire was stupendous. Watching Team USA baseball and softball come so close to gold was pretty amazing. Table tennis has some wild competitors and they are as focused as any other athlete I have ever seen. There was that crazy last second wrestling move that won gold. The marathon was astounding to watch. Seeing Alyson Felix become the most decorated female track runner was super impressive. Seeing all the field events and being blown away by what the athletes did will always stay with me. I was hooked.

With all these sports it should be no surprise that basketball was my big time winner. The women's team dominated like they do. They are so much further ahead than any other country in basketball. The viral picture of Diana Taurasi holding the ball up high and laughing in the gold medal game is so pure and so cool. Seeing Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe embrace after Bird won her fourth gold medal was joyous. The women's basketball team rules. And so does the men's team. I was hard on them after France beat them in league play. I was worried. I did not think they had it in them to turn it around. I was getting annoyed at the complaints. Then they found their groove. When they came out and demolished Iran they looked like a different team. They were more confident and better coached. They started to coalesce. KD turned it on and became unstoppable. Bam Adebayp became a defensive force. Draymond Green looked more like himself. Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard started to hit big shots. Jrue Holiday was the backcourt stopper they needed. Devin Booker and Khris Middleton were knockdown shooters. It all started to groove. They still had moments of concern, mainly letting teams stay in games a bit too long, but in the end they always pulled away. After dismantling Iran they beat the Czech and cruised by Spain. I was nervous for Australia, but they made easy work of them. Then it was France again for gold. The game was tighter than I wanted it to be, but in the end they won. KD became the men's all time leading scorer and Team USA won gold for the fourth straight time. I was wrong to doubt them and I'm glad they got the gold.

This was a good Olympics. I liked the stuff I watched and was floored by how much of it I was into and willing to watch. My hat is off to the people who put it all together . This could have been a disaster, and it is not without its bad moments, but they were able to get it done and accomplish a major feat.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "FBOY Island"

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You'd think I would have learned by now. You'd think I would know when to stop myself. You'd think I would know better. But yet I continue to expose myself to horrible reality dating television shows. My wife was out of town earlier this week and at nighttime, when we usually watch shows together, I found myself going back to older sitcoms I liked. I watched "The League" and "Workaholics" with regularity. But since she is home, and she is not that big a fan of those shows, I usually let her pick what we watch. Well last night that meant I watched a show called "FBoy Island" on HBO Max.

I had no idea what this show was. I have never heard of it. I figured I was done with any reality dating show after seeing "Too Hot to Handle". Hell, I figured most people were done with reality dating shows after reading reviews of "THTH" and "Sexy Beasts". That is clearly not the case. My wife said that some of her work friends had told her about this show and she wanted to check it out. I also read, after we watched, that HBO Max claimed this show had one of the highest streaming numbers since HBO Max has been in existence.

My simple one word question for this show, why it is on, why this was made, why is it being watched so much is, why? Why do we constantly let stuff like this keep getting made. I understand that reality TV is so much cheaper and easier to do, but at this point the people involved are just so goddamn lazy. I mean, "THTH" puts a bunch of idiots in a house and tries to entice them with money to not physically express their attraction to one another. "Sexy Beasts" is a rip off of a British dating show where they have people go on blind dates in movie makeup. At least these shows have some semblance of a narrative. It is a stupid narrative, but it is there nonetheless. But "FBoy Island" is just stupid and insidious and boring and unfunny and absurd and flat out dumb.

This is, by far, the worst of any of these new COVID era dating shows that I have seen. It bums me out that Nikki Glaser is involved with this show too. I like her. She is a very funny comedian. She has proven to be a solid actor. She even tried to be on "Dancing with the Stars". She is a Saint Louis native. This show, "FBoy Island", is so beneath her. She does not need to do this. I'm sure the pay is good and it let her go on a trip to the Cayman Islands during the ongoing pandemic, but she is way too talented to host a shit show like this. In the premiere episode she was making solid jokes, but the moronic contestants didn't get them, probably because they are not smart enough, and it was a waste. Then the show is 1 hour long. I mean come on. That is 59 minutes and 59 seconds too long. To sit there, and I watched the whole thing, for an hour and just watch these idiots be idiotic, it was such a slog. This show needs to be, at most, 20 minutes long.

Let’s talk about the contestants. They got what I would describe as the worst of the worst. These people are just trying to get their 15 minutes of fame. They have no substance. There is nothing to like about them. When they would flash their jobs next to their names things like "exotic dancer/realtor" or "influencer" or "cbd entrepreneur" or "childcare/tik tok" or "fridge delivery man" would pop up and I would constantly yell, "THAT ISN'T A JOB!!!!!!". I was so enraged by this. I was furious at this whole show. Everything about it is so dumb. It is the worst type of TV show in the country. These are truly awful people who should never be given a platform to have millions of people hear them talk.

I have to ask, have we learned nothing since 2016? Did we all just forget about the horribleness of 2016? When that horrific monster was somehow the "president"? Now that we have an actual good guy in the White House, why hasn't reality dating TV made the change? I know that is a detour, but come the hell on. This show is filled with people that probably voted for that monster, or did not vote at all. All these "F Boys"(fuck boys for those that do not know) are truly the douchiest of all the douchebags. As for the supposed "nice guys", they seem pretty terrible too.

"FBoy Island" is terrible. I do not recommend this show. I will not be watching anymore of it. I don't even care to know what "Limbro" is, which is where they dropped off the first F boy that was kicked off the show. This show is so, so, so, so bad. Don't waste your time.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Watches "Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage"

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Last night I watched the new HBO documentary "Woodstock 99: Peace, Love and Rage". I have some thoughts.

I watched a few of the trailers before it was released and was interested in watching based on those. Then I saw some of the people being interviewed and was even more inclined to watch. But then I saw Bill Simmons and his company The Ringer were the producers and that kind of threw me off. I do not like Bill Simmons, I think The Ringer is a toxic workplace and it hires toxic men to work there. I am not a fan. In spite of all that, I still watched the movie.

I was 17 when this festival happened, I remembered it being a trainwreck and I have always wanted to watch a documentary that talked about how bad it truly was for everyone involved. And the movie starts out fine. It is your typical doc, but they had some neat little music cues and I even learned some things I did not know about the original Woodstock. I was interested for sure. And when they got into the actual festival, doing stuff like showing the bands perform, showing the destruction early on, showing the heat and the lack of food and water, it all kept my attention. It was as bad as I remembered hearing. To see the stuff some of these people did in the first two days was disgusting. The amount of nudity was gratuitous. I'm no prude, but this was too much. The majority of the bands were trash. We are talking Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Moby, bands and artists like that that I never listened to. And when they got to some good bands, or even bands I listened to back then, they barely showed them. There was one clip of Wyclef Jean, who I used to love. I barely heard any of Rage perform. Jewel didn't even get her singing voice in the movie. Tragically Hip was just shown performing. It was a drag. This was where my taste for the movie started to wane. Between the crazy amount of male and female nudity and the bad music, I was kind of bored.

Then they started to show and talk about how the attendees started to trash the place. This made my stomach turn. Seeing all the trash littered everywhere was vile. When they talked about the septic tanks not working and the people trashing the porta potties, I literally got sick to my stomach. I was eating some ice cream at the time and I had to put it down when the festival goers started to slide and play in the sewage. It was awful. From there the movie just dove into a milquetoast retelling of Woodstock 99. They showed the rioting, talked about the massive amounts of unreported sexual assaults, talked about some of the attendees that died, showed the promoters being total assholes, but none of it felt resolved while I was watching. It was talked about and then moved on from. It felt kind of unfinished. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know why these white privileged dickheads did the horrific things that they did. Why did they feel fine doing this stuff? Why were they not afraid? One of the festival goers said that had this been a hip hop festival he thinks the police would have treated them differently. They could have talked about that for so much longer. They didn't even touch on it except for the one quote. I guess I just wanted them to dig a bit deeper into the real seediness of this whole ordeal.

All in all the documentary was okay but not without its flaws. I think my generation probably wanted to see a bit more, but maybe younger people, the Coachella and Lollapalooza crowds nowadays will see this movie differently. The movie was just fine. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad. I will not watch it again, but I do not feel like I wasted my time watching it now. It was a strong C movie for me.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Summer of Soul"

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I finally got around to watching "Summer of Soul" on Hulu, and it was awesome. I really wish I hadn't waited so long to watch it.

For those that don't know, "Summer of Soul" is a documentary that was the equivalent of Woodstock with R&B and soul acts. It was dubbed "black Woodstock". I never knew about this, and many other people didn’t as well, because they never released the footage of the festival until now. Questlove of The Roots directed the movie, and he did one hell of a job. The people he got to talk about it ranged from super famous musicians to festival goers to political workers to fans of the music. It was an excellent array of people that really knew their stuff.

My favorite interviews were from the people that attended the show. To see their faces now, to see them reflect and remember, to hear them talk about the joy that this brought, it was magnetic. I have been to many shows and a few festivals, and that experience is something I will never forget. Even at bad shows or festivals, which I am not a fan of, I always have a snapshot in my mind of the day. So to hear these people talk about something as amazing as this festival must have been, those are the memories worth keeping and sharing with anyone that will listen. I adored listening to these people talk.

I loved the music as well. The people that played this were some of the best to do it. Mahalia Jackson could sing. Even when she was ill she was out there belting away like no one else could at the time. Mavis Staples hung right there with her though. When those two sang Dr Martin Luther King's favorite song, after an emotional and powerful speech from Jesse Jackson, I teared up. Those two are amazing. A 19 year old Stevie Wonder kicked off and ended the movie, and holy cow is he incredible. I am already a fan, but seeing this made me love him and his music even more. I also got a good sense of his early activism. BB King slayed guitar like I always expect him too. Even some of the acts I didn’t know or haven't listened to, I really dug their music. I do like Gladys Knight and the Pips, and seeing her in a 60's outfit dancing and having a great time made me like her more. Nina Simone gave a very strong and impassioned performance that I will always think about every time this movie is brought up in conversation.

Besides the music and listening to the people that were there talk about their memories, what I loved most was how comforting and jovial and happy and peaceful everything was during the four weekends this went on. There were no fights or problems. Nothing was destroyed or burned. Everyone was treating others with respect. That doesn't happen nowadays, and it sure as hell hasn't happened since they tried to do Woodstock in 1999. People back in the 60's, with everything that was going on back then, knew how to act responsibly. I appreciated that aspect. I like that Questlove showed everyone having a good time. Even when they did the whole section on the moon landing, I sided with the festival goers. They did things the responsible and correct way.

I loved this movie. I think that is obvious. I wish I knew about this festival sooner, but better late than never. I recommend "Summer of Soul" very much. It is top notch.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Rethinks "Loki" After the Season One Finale

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Last week I wrote about the show "Loki", and how it just isn't hitting me like it is some others. I also said in that piece that I was going to finish the first season and make my decision based on the finale if I were to watch season two.

Now before I go further, this is going to be spoiler heavy. There is no way to talk about the finale of "Loki" without spoiling some big time things. I wanted you to know that going forward. So if you haven't watched yet, stop reading now, then come back and read this after you watch the finale.

Okay, that is out there. The finale of "Loki" turned me back into a fan. I will be watching season two now. The finale came up big and it was a great forty minutes of television. I was very pleased with how they ended the season, and where they could possibly go in season two, which has already been confirmed. While I still do not think it is as good as "WandaVision", and I still haven't seen "Falcon and Winter Soldier", "Loki" really came through in this finale. By the way, no show has been as good as "WandaVision" was for me. That show is an instant classic. But "Loki" did a good job setting up their big new villain, and the cliffhanger has me definitely wanting to watch what happens next.

The whole episode focused on Loki and Sylvie, a Loki variant, getting to the main timekeeper. I kept hearing people talk about how this was going to transform the show. This was going to be what made it great. When we finally get to the person it appears to just be a crazy, delusional man. He is spouting weird theories and keeps talking nonsense, or so it seems, to Sylvie and Loki. But his quiet craziness seemed suspect. Then he was able to react well before either person tried to kill him. He knew what was going to happen well before it happened because he wrote all the code for time. He is the timekeeper. He created all things and knows all things. We come to find out that there are thousands of him all across time and the world. He is everywhere. He is Kang the Conqueror.

This was a humongous reveal. I didn't know who he was at first, but my son explained who he was, and I got to tell you, he is a bad, bad dude. He kept telling Sylvie and Loki about all these things that he could do, and he gave them two options. He explained his whole plan, how he invented the timeline, how there were so many others of himself and how this would never stop, unless they took over. He gave them the option to become the official timekeepers. He said they could run everything and create whatever lives they wanted for themselves. Or they could kill him and cause all the other Kang's to come forth and wreak havoc on every single timeline.

Loki wants to take over, but Sylvie doesn't. She wants revenge for being taken so young by the time cops, and she wants blood. There is this great scene where Loki thinks he has talked Sylvie into taking over, they kiss and then Sylvie pushes Loki through a time portal and proceeds to stab Kang. He smiles as she does this and says, "see you soon". It was chilling.

At the end Loki runs into Mobius, played by Owen Wilson, and another time cop and they have no idea who he is. They ask him who he is and that he needs to go back to his cell because he is clearly crazy in their eyes. Loki then looks over at the world outside and there is a big Kang statue. The end.

This is so scary and was such a cool way to end the season. I also want to point out how incredibly awesome Johnathan Majors was as Kang. He was electric. He played this crazy bad villain so well. He was so eerily quiet and stoic. He never really lost it on the two of his pawns. He laid things out, told them exactly what would happen and never, ever chewed the scenery or over played it. Majors was so awesome and I am so excited to see what he does with this role in the MCU.

"Loki" won me back. Getting Majors was a huge deal for me, as I am a very big fan of his work. The finale was so perfect in setting everything up for another season of the show. They did it. They put their best foot forward when I wanted them to do it most. Now let's get ready for season two. I want to see what Kang the Conqueror has in store. I bet it is terrifying and will make for great TV. I'm pumped.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Ty Watches "Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail" Season Premiere

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The newest season of "Miracle Workers" premiered on TBS this past Tuesday. I love this show. I have sung its praises on the website. I think it is a super interesting and unique way to make a show. I like the subject material very much the first two seasons, and I like how they skewered said subjects. Simon Rich has proven himself very capable of broad humor, and "Miracle Workers" may be his best creation yet. The cast is dynamite, the writing is superb, the directing is top notch and I don't mind having to wait a year or two for each season. This show is so different from everything else on TV right now, so writing and filming it has to take a good amount of time. Add on the pandemic and that must have made it harder to get done. But the third season premiere was just as good as the first two, and it has me pumped for what is to come this third season.

This time around they tackle the Oregon trail. I remember playing this game on a computer when I was in elementary school. I loved it. I have tried to find that high again on my iPhone or Xbox, but it is not the same. I need that floppy disk and those super old school graphics. What "Miracle Workers" did in the premiere was give me that feel. The set was super old school. It looked like a western from the 50's. The clothes are very of the time. The actors actually look like the people in the game. I heard words like dysentery and plague and complaints about not enough crops. They mentioned all the walking that needs to be done. They talk about how long the journey will be and how they will lose people along the way. In the town in the beginning they are losing people to disease left and right and they even make a joke about being six feet apart. Someone in the town gets cholera and the reverend wants everyone to stand six feet apart at the funeral. They don't and another person dies during the service. It was timely, but also how it probably was back in Oregon trail times. I also appreciate that the writers and actors talk and act like modern people. They dress how people dressed back then, they use what people would have used, they live the life but they talk like people I know. They make funny modern jokes. Geraldine Viswanathan, who is awesome, portrays this the best of all the actors. She is really great on this show, and this should definitely lead to more starring roles for her. I think that this is my favorite part of the show. They are putting modern day people in crazy situations that actually happened in history. I always wonder how I would act during ancient times, they did that in season two, or how I would work if I worked in a "heaven" type of place, season one. And I would always talk about my strategy of how I would have done things had I been alive during the Oregon trail computer game.

I love this show. I cannot recommend it enough. I'm pumped it is back. People need to start watching this show so they can do more and more of this. "Miracle Workers" is a fresh Tv show that deserves so much more love than it is currently getting. Check it out. It is so worth your time.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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"Too Hot to Handle" is Increasing the Dumbening of America

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A week or so ago I wrote about one of the worst shows I had ever seen called "You, Me and My Ex". I believe it has been cancelled, but full disclosure, I have not returned to it since I wrote that piece.

Well that blog was a bit premature. My wife and I found another show that may very well be the worst thing that I have ever witnessed. And I do not know what is wrong with me because I finished the entire season of this show. I watched all ten episodes, all the while saying how dumb it was and how dumb it was making me.

The show is called "Too Hot To Handle". We came across it one night while scrolling through Netflix. I like to see what their top rated shows are for the week, and "Too Hot To Handle" was number one. The first episode did hit in all the right ways too. I had such high hopes for this show. We started on season two, but when they got to the point of the show, I was reeled in.

For those that do not know, "Too Hot To Handle" invites ten young single people to an island retreat and tells them that they are on a dating/party show. They all get to the spot and they are free to let loose. They are given free alcohol, they are invited to party and get to know one another and just to have a good time. But there is a countdown clock in the lower part of the TV screen and when that clock strikes the contestants can not have sex, they cannot kiss, they cannot self gratify, basically they cannot do any physical stuff except cuddle. When they revealed this news the shock was great. It is like watching the trainwrecks on "American Idol". It is akin to any person that is floored by some very unexpected news. I found it quite hilarious actually. That was why I got hooked. And for two or three episodes they kept up the stupidness. These people were breaking rules left and right. They were doing stupid stuff on the regular. Even when they thought they did nothing wrong, the cameras would show them what they did, and the shock on their faces was so goddamn funny. But then the show turned into this schmaltzy, ridiculous self discovery show. All the while those people who were finding out new things about themselves are the dumbest, most egotistical, self involved morons. I was stunned at how so many people could be that into themselves. They would constantly look at themselves in the mirror. They spoke as if they were the most important people in the world. They acted almost offended if one of the other people wasn't into them. They complained endlessly about how horny or how blue their balls were. It was so dumb. Then it all got serious and self introspective and even more absurd. The dudes talked to their penises. The women had these inane meetings where they let out all their anger. The show brought on "experts", and these scenes were so unnecessary. The shows just got more and more boring when the people on it stopped being lame. I did not care at all about the relationships they built. I don't even care to know if any of them are still together. I thought when they would have "deep conversations" that it was the dumbest people talking that I have ever heard. My kids are nine and five and they have way, way, way more common sense than the people on this show.

This show is the epitome of what is wrong with our country. I will never ever understand how this show was number one on Netflix for a short amount of time. "Too Hot To Handle" is the stupidest thing I have ever watched. I do not recommend it to anyone ever. This is quite possibly the worst show that is on TV. The fact that it is coming back for a third season is laughable. There is much better content to watch, so avoid this show with all of your might. You will thank me in the long run. What a terrible show.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"Loki" Is Not For Me

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My family is fully caught up on "Loki". I think the season finale is tomorrow, according to the internet, which seems fast. I thought they would do eight or ten episodes, but it seems that they chose six. That is fine. I think "WandadVision" was only six or eight episodes, and while I haven't yet watched "Falcon and Winter Soldier", I'm pretty sure that is less than ten. Maybe this is what Disney + is going to do with their series. Again, they can do whatever they want with these properties. I think I prefer longer seasons of TV. That is just me.

Before I go further in this blog there are two things I want to touch on. One, this is going to be spoiler free. I do not want to spoil anything for the people that are waiting to binge the whole thing. I get that that has become a way to consume TV. I have done that with many shows, and I am glad that those shows were not spoiled for me. I also made sure to stay away from anything on the internet about those shows, and that works. So no spoilers for "Loki". Second, I want to say that "Loki" is a good show. It is visually beautiful. The writing is very solid. The acting is superb. To get a guy like Richard E Grant to be in one single episode, that speaks volumes to the acting chops on this show. "Loki" is a very good show that is deserving of all the acclaim it is currently getting.

Now this is where it turns for me now. This is where I may make some people upset. I am sorry, but I did say that it is a good show. I am having a difficult time getting into it though. I have found it kind of boring. I do not think it has lived up to the hype that was built up prior to its release. Every episode has one thing that grabs me, then the rest is kind of dull. I do not fully know what it is yet, but "Loki" is starting to lose me as a watcher. I am going to finish this season because I am a completionist. I don't know if it is my OCD or whatever, but I will watch the rest of this season. I may not come back for a second season if they have another one. And again, this show is good, but it is not breaking through for me. The season stories are all too similar. I do not recognize or spot the easter eggs. I find myself kind of bored during the action scenes. When they introduce new characters I don't really care either way what happens. I am struggling to get super into the story. I think, in my mind, I thought "Loki" was going to be as good as "WandaVision". It is not. "WandaVision" is a once in a lifetime classic TV show. The fact that they are most likely not going to do anymore makes it even more classic. "Loki" doesn't have that oomph, that get up, that need to give it my full attention. Not yet at least. Maybe the finale will totally flip me and turn me into a super fan, but I don't think that will happen. When I find a show that I like, that I want to keep watching, it usually grabs me within two or three episodes. I'm not there yet on "Loki", and they have had five come out so far.

I want to reiterate once more that I can recognize that "Loki" is a good quality show. I will not deny anyone that claims as much. But for me it just isn't hitting right now, and if I were to guess, I most likely will not come back for season two if they do one. It just isn't compelling me to come back.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "I Think You Should Leave" Season Two

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I have now watched season two of "I Think You Should Leave" twice now.

It is wonderful. I knew I was going to like it, but I did not know how it would hold up to the greatness of season one. I am done second guessing everyone involved with that show. They are in Donald Glover territory for me. They can do no wrong. They are at the top of the comedy sketch game, and it isn't even close at the moment.

This new season is darker than season one, but damn if it isn't as funny. I also appreciated that they did not bring back anything from season one. I know they took two years off, and they could write new stuff in that time, but on other shows they will bring back popular sketches in a new season. "ITYSL" season two did not do that, at all. This was all fresh, and it is all going to be as memorable. They could've easily brought back the baby showcase they had, with Barley Jarivs, but they didn't. Instead they had Sam Richardson dress in a gold suit and a wig and bring out some "buff boys". The sketch is just as funny and works just as well. They do bring Santa Claus back, but in a much, much darker scenario. That whole sketch involving Santa is fantastic and so well written. Those may be the only "crossovers" that people can point out, but they are very different from season one.

The rest of season two had me in stitches. From start to finish, it just works so well. I loved the sketch that opened episode three with the professor going out with some former students to a restaurant. Tim Heidecker is back, but in a different role, and that sketch takes some dark turns, but damn it if I wasn't cracking up. Bob Odenkirk shows up and that sketch is truly wonderful and uncomfortable. I want to go to Dan Fashes T Shirt store now so I can fight over some ugly button up shirts. I wonder if Jami Taco is still out there stealing lines in local plays in his home city. I wonder if Karl Havoc, who has the absolute best site gag in the whole season, has come to terms with what his show is going to be. I wonder if the guy with the fedora with flaps in the back still has his hat and dice. Also, the attorney reading the text thread in that scene is pure gold. I would buy the hot dog vac that Robinson's character is selling. I would watch "Coffin Flop" if it were on TV. I want to donate to the company that helps guys cover up dripping pee on their pants. It is all so wonderful.

I mentioned Richardson making his return, and he is dynamite. So is Connor O'Malley. He is in two sketches and they are wonderful. I mentioned the pee drip one, but his other sketch is fantastic, and he isn't the focal point. He and his wife are fighting, but Robinson tries to lighten the mood by doing the Blues Brothers dance. It is uproarious. I also really enjoyed the guy talking about how he used to be an asshole and eating sloppy steaks. John Early makes a great appearance in his one sketch. I could literally go on and on and on.

This show is really, truly one of the best things on TV right now. This season will be as quotable and memorable as season 1. There will be meme's if there aren't already. Robinson and Zach Kanin are in a total sweet spot and they are capitalizing on it right now. I saw someone else proclaim that Robinson was too good for "SNL", and they are right. Nothing on "SNL" right now is even remotely as funny as what "ITYSL" is giving us. This show is wonderful and I am so happy it is back for me to watch over and over again. I suggest you watch it too.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Tim Robinson is Awesome

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Before I sit down to watch season 2 of "I Think You Should Leave", which I am going to do after I write this, I want to talk about how great Tim Robinson is.

He is the man. I was a fan of his when he was on "SNL". I still remember his Gary Busey impression and it makes me laugh very hard to this day. He was one of the first guys I saw on "SNL" that did oddball comedy. His humor was niche and I was on board with him right away. I do like the "weird" people on "SNL". Kyle Mooney is my current favorite cast member. I loved The Lonely Island guys before they were big. Norm McDonald is the best news anchor in my opinion. Tim Robinson fits right in there with all of those guys.

Then when he and Sam Richardson, another one of my favorite current actors, did "Detroiters" on Comedy Central, that was a home run. I adored that show. I wrote about its greatness a few times on the site. It was funny and original and so well written. It should have lasted much longer than the two seasons it got. That show was a hit.

Then two years ago we were graced with the beautiful mess that is "ITYSL". The first season of that show is one of the funniest things to ever be on TV. I have watched that first season at least half a dozen times. The episodes are only about 12 minutes long, but they pack in so many gut busting jokes along the way. I still constantly quote stuff from the first season. My wife, who has never seen the show, knows about some of the more popular jokes. I laugh every time I see a motorcycle on the street. My son always does a bottle flip, and if he flinches I tell him he has to marry his mother in law. He also likes to dab, and thinking of the guy from that skit dabbing makes me cackle. I call poop mud now. I want somebody to try and prank me with a whoopee cushion just so I can go into a tirade on how smelly my farts are. I laugh thinking about a guy fighting with a magician on stage after his wife berates him. I talk about Christmas coming early all the time now, and if no one gets the joke I act all annoyed and upset. I will give my kids a hard time if they eat all my fully loaded nachos I make at home. The show is endlessly quotable and forever memorable. I cannot wait for season two.

The fact that this show has caught on, that so many people adore it, shows the true genius of Tim Robinson and his writing partner Zach Kanin. They know good, quotable jokes. They know what their fans will love. They just get it. I was bummed when Robinson left "SNL" and when "Detroiters" wasn't picked up. But those were all stepping stones to the greatness Robinson had inside of him and he was able to put it out there on his own terms with his own team on "ITYSL". This show is right up there with the best stuff on TV. It is better than most major network comedies at the moment. I love "Always Sunny" and "Dave", but "ITYSL" makes me laugh much harder than both of those shows do. Robinson was given a real shot by Netflix, and he is cashing in in a major way. I cannot wait to see what they bring back and the new material they have for season 2. With Robinson at the helm I know it will be great. He is hilarious and so is "I Think You Should Leave".

Now it is time for me to devour season 2.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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"You, Me, and My Ex" is Adding to the Dumbening of Us All

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20th Century Fox

I have talked about a good amount of shows I have watched on TLC.

It is painful.

TLC used to be a real channel. It used to legitimately teach people things. I would watch stuff on TLC and feel like I was actually learning. It was like school. Now TLC is just a cesspool of ridiculous reality TV. And yes, I still watch. I am getting a bit bored by some of the shows my wife and I watch. "90 Day Fiance" is becoming way too repetitive. So are the offshoot shows from the "90 Day" world. Another wild show we watch is "Seeking Sister Wife", where a married couple is looking to add another wife, which is surprisingly boring. I also find myself getting openly mad at the people on these shows. They are the worst of the worst in reality TV. They are starved for attention, and TLC is giving them an avenue to act like the wild and gross people they are.

The most recent show my wife had me sit down to watch takes the absolute crap cake. I wrote a while back about a show TLC had called "Hot and Heavy" that was nuts, this new show is worse. There have been things like "Sex Sent me to the ER" and "My 600 lb Life" that are flat out dumb. But this new show, "You, Me and my Ex", is the absolute worst reality show I have ever seen. This is the most scripted, contrite and stupid thing. When we watched the pilot, which will be the only episode I watch, I said to my wife that I wish I was a fly on the wall when this show was pitched. I wanted to see how wild that room was. I wanted to see if they just figured that fans of TLC will literally watch ANYTHING. I wanted to see if they all laughed. I wanted to see the people at TLC that actually think this show was a good idea. I wanted to be there for it all. I wish the higher ups at TLC would think about new shows, for at least five minutes, before greenlighting everything.

The "premise" of this show is about a few couples that live with their exes. Pretty straight forward. But then there is all this added drama. The fights are all very fake. The people on the show clearly just want to be on TV, to be seen. Their stories are insane. The fact that anyone would allow this to happen, and then film it, is crazy. I cannot believe it. I would never, ever want to live with one of my wife's exes. So I sure as hell would not want it filmed either. And the way this show tries to make us feel bad for the people on this show, I mean it is the most cliché thing I have seen. One guy had a bad illness, another couple broke up because they cheated on each other and the final couple is a bisexual guy with his former boss. It is so cliché, so hackey and so stupid. Watching this show I kept thinking about the principal's speech in "Happy Gilmore". You all know the one. Where he says, "all of us listening to you are all now dumber", that's the speech I'm talking about. That is how I felt during "You, Me and my Ex". I felt pretty god damn stupid after watching. I was not engaged or enlightened. I did not learn anything. I was just annoyed and angry.

This show is terrible and I do not recommend anyone watch it. I would also like TLC to go back and try to do something, anything that teaches their viewers. I'm sure they won't, but one can hope.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Dave" Season Two Premier

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Season two of "Dave" premiered this past Wednesday. I watched the first two episodes yesterday. I'm here to tell you how great they are today.

Full disclosure, I am a fan of this show. I knew of Lil Dicky due to listening to rap music. So when the real Lil Dicky, Dave, announced he had a TV show coming out, I was intrigued. I figured the show was going to be goofy and silly like his rapping. I was wrong. There is silly and goofy stuff, but there is also serious and deep stuff on this show. The episode where he and his girlfriend break up is heart wrenching. Seeing him deal with what he perceives to be shortcoming in bed where eye opening. The episode with his hype man GaTa talking about his bi polar was one of the most moving things I've ever witnessed. This show has levels. It was one of my top five shows after its first season of the year. Obviously I was stoked for season two, and the first two episodes did not disappoint.

To kick off the season we find Dave in Korea shooting a K Pop music video for the first single off his upcoming album. He got a record deal during season one, and now we find him working on it. What I loved about this first ep so much was how stressed and nervous Dave and his crew were. The episode made me nervous. It was like watching "Uncut Gems". There is so much that happens, and it all happens so fast. I also like the fact that they talk about getting likes and posts on social media. The music industry, hell probably every industry, is so reliant on social media now, so for "Dave" to talk about that, it was a home run. Hell, he got his notoriety mostly due to the internet. I loved it when he had to get a selfie with a K Pop star. I loved it when his intern told Dave he didn't follow him and you could see the hurt in Dave's eye. I loved watching GaTa acting like his stuff was all top of the line on the internet, and then when they got off the phone we realized it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. I was so impressed with how they skewered the fascination and need of the internet and social media. It was fantastic. We also come to realize that Dave has some serious writer's block right now, and his album isn't even close to being done. Hence the stress involved in the episode.

In the second episode we see Dave reconnecting with his buddy Els who left to go on a major tour in season one. He is back in LA and he is having a party. Dave is still struggling making music, but he will not let on with his record company. He is also doing some serious procrastination and he is getting high constantly. Dave gets an invite to Els' party, and he is pumped. Once he gets there though he realizes how things have changed. GaTa is having a blast because he likes the party lifestyle. Els' ex girlfriend is happy to be at a club. Els is big time now, and he shows it right in front of Dave. And all Dave can do is grovel and feel sorry for himself. He eventually leaves the party, realizing he isn't as important as he once was, and hits on a younger girl that he brings back to his fancy new house. I loved the way this episode ended because it gave us two scenarios. It let us decide what we wanted the ending to be. In both endings he plays the autotune music he did in season one with his ex-girlfriend, obviously trying to recreate that moment in time, and it doesn't work how he hoped. In the first ending we see him send the girl off and go to get high and pleasure himself, only to be attacked by the ants he has in his house. He crashes through a window and we do not know if he is okay or not. The other ending shows him giving in and hooking up with the girl. That is where the show leaves us, the two of them going to his room. It was such a cool, unique way to end an episode. I'm still trying to figure out which one was the real ending.

"Dave" is a very good, very original show. I'm very excited to see where they go with the rest of this season, but I know it will be good. This show has more than earned the benefit of the doubt. Go watch this show. It's very good.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Loki" Episode One

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Last week my wife and I sat down and watched "Loki". I read some headlines that talked about how good the premiere was, that it was one of the better shows on TV, that the actors were all very committed to the material and that it is going to change the way Marvel does TV. I thought Marvel had already done that with "WandaVision", but hey, pretty much everything Marvel does, I like. I am a fan. There are very few Marvel properties that I do not like. I even think the second "Thor" movie gets too much hate. So all these headlines just made me want to watch "Loki" more. I have grown to enjoy his character in every iteration since "Infinity War". He has gotten more fun, he's funnier, he's wittier and Tom Hiddleston has made him a likeable villain.

When we watched the first episode we made sure we had it nice and quiet so we could really focus on what was happening. I really enjoyed how they premiered this show. They did so many things that I like. They gave us flashback scenes. When the episode opened with the scene from "Endgame" where they are trying to return the tesseract, that was rad. I liked seeing all of that go down through Loki's eyes. And he was every bit as mischievous as I hoped. He stole the tesseract, he used it and he traveled in time. From there the show takes quite a turn. Loki gets caught, he cannot use his powers and he is in what looks like a jail. We then meet Owen Wilson's character, who is some kind of time traveling detective. We find him in 16th century France investigating a crime. He then comes back to TVA, the jail-like facility and sits in on Loki's trial. It was pretty wild to see Loki continually trying to use his powers. He couldn't get them to work because this TVA place has stuff to stop people who have powers from using them. He is sentenced to be put to death, but Owen Wilson gets him out of it. They have a chat and this is where we learn what this season of this show is going to be about. Loki is shown images of his crimes. He clearly has some regrets. He is then told that his whole life is planned out for him by the people at TVA. They even show him how his loved ones die, either because of him or outside sources. He gets to a point where he gets away from the people controlling his powers only to see how he died in "Infinity War". At this moment he realizes there is not much he can do to change anything. He has pretty much accepted his fate. Wilson finds him and tells him why he kept him alive, what he needs from him. Spoiler alert, he needs Loki to capture other Loki's. There is what seems like an army of Loki's through time messing things up and trying to become king. It was pretty dope to see that final scene where the TVA police travel to Oklahoma in the 19th century, get caught by this timeline's Loki and to see a Loki in a cape walk away with one of their time traveling devices.

I'm pretty pumped to see where the show goes from here. Marvel has aced the whole TV thing with "WandaVision" and "Falcon and the Winter Soldier", and I am sure they will with "Loki" if the first episode is any indication of how the rest of the season will go. I have high hopes, but I am sure they will surpass them all. "Loki" is great. If you have Disney + I highly recommend checking it out.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Last Chance U: Basketball"

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As I said earlier this week I am catching up on shows and movies I have wanted to watch, but wanted to wait until I got home. One such show is the newest season of "Last Chance U". I have watched every season of this show. It is a very cliché sports show. It has all the usual drama, the big ups and downs, the messy stories and I love it all. It is my jam. When I watch a show or movie about sports that is what I have come to expect. What made this most recent season of "Last Chance U" even better was the fact that they switched from football to basketball.

I love basketball as you all very well know. The football seasons were fine and all, but having a basketball team as the story, that ruled. With a basketball team you can focus more on almost everyone on the team. At the very least you can focus on all the starters, not just the stars of the team. With the football version they really focused on QB's and skill receivers. There were very few defensive players, hardly any O or D lineman and almost no love for the assistant coaches. It was the "important" players and the head coach. With this basketball season we got multiple stories from about seven of the twelve players on the team, and we learned all about the head coach, but also his two assistants. They each had full episodes or big, big story arcs in multiple episodes. And as for the other five or six kids on the team, I knew at least one or two things about them. That was awesome. As for the "highlighted" players this season, their stories were even more compelling than any of the football players. In watching any season of "Last Chance U" you understand that most of the players on the team are at these community colleges because they couldn't make grades to go D-1, they transferred there, they got cut from their original choice, they lost their scholarship, all of those stories are at the forefront. That is why it is called "Last Chance U". This season is no different in that regard, but the stories are way, way better.

The stories involve a player losing both his parents and has to survive on his own or a five star recruit that has a real, real bad temper or a great player, the LA County's top player, who didn't get the grades or the quiet kid that couldn't cut it in high D-1 so he is returning to community college to bump up his stock. Even the kids that do not get all the shine, we get similar stories of why they are at this particular school. As for the coaches, this is the best, most relatable group that this show has ever had. These guys are not dopey cliché filled coaches that just curse and yell and scream at players. These guys actually care about these kids and care about moving them along in their college careers. The head coach is a weird dude, but with every episode I grew to like him more and more. He is a good guy who really, truly wants the best for these kids. He also feels like he is in the exact right place for him. He could have taken other jobs at some high level schools, but he likes where he is, and I feel like he will be there for the long haul. The assistants are great as well. He has his lead assistant that is the level headed one. He calms everything down. He is the voice of reason. He does the grunt work, but he never complains. He seems to really like this job and, much like the head coach, wants to stay. The other assistant, he is a great and relentless recruiter. His backstory was very intense as well. But he is still there, he is still doing it and he cares a lot.

This new season of "Last Chance U" is the best, by far, that they have done yet. I hope they stick with basketball. It is so much better because you really get to know the players and the coaches since there are less by the number of players allowed on the team. And the way this most recent season ended, with the pandemic coming into full effect right near the end, it was gut wrenching. I am so impressed by this season and I cannot wait for more. Hopefully they get to film another season. I don't know yet because community college basketball postponed the 2021 season, but maybe, just maybe they can get some kind of season in. That would be great. I sure hope so. "Last Chance U" took a chance with the switch, and boy did it pay off. This was a gem. Now I hope we get more.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches the Kid's Show "Bluey"

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As many of you know I can be pretty hard on the shows my kids watch. I'm not a fan of many of them, namely "PJ Masks". The ones I do like, like "Teen Titans Go!" or "Yo Gabba Gabba" has many things for the adults watching. I just prefer when watching these shows with my kids when they have something for the adults to enjoy. I appreciate when the creators of the shows put in stuff like that strictly for the parents.

When my daughter told me recently she wanted me to watch a new show with her, a show called "Bluey", I had my doubts. My son has been watching more shows that I am on board with because he is nine now and his tastes are different, and in my opinion, better. My daughter is still pretty young, five, so the shows she likes are still pretty rough for me. She loves "Teen Titans", but she would prefer to watch "PJ Masks" or "Puppy Dog Pals" or that Ryan kid on YouTube. I am not a fan of those shows. She has been getting into some superhero stuff that revolves around strong female characters, and "My Little Pony" is pretty good, so that has been a nice reprieve. But I was still on the fence about "Bluey", and then I watched it with her.

I love love love this show. It is so well made, the animation has a sweet throwback look and it is an Australian show, and a little unknown fact about me until now, I usually like most things Australian. I think it is a mixture of the accent and all the cool looking trails and mountains and greenery that country has. I'm down with Australian for sure. It is on my bucket list of places to see in my lifetime. And while "Bluey" has the accents, that is the only real Australian thing about it. They say certain phrases that I do not get, which I am sure is an Australian thing, but that is about it.

The show is centered around a four person family made up of dogs. The family is made up of all blue heeler dogs, I think, and that breed is rad. They are rambunctious and playful and imaginative, and the show shows that tenfold. Bluey herself is a very energetic and very playful big sister. She always thinks of games to play and when she plays them she plays them rough. But so does her little sister Bingo. Bingo is younger, her voice shows that, but she is just as playful. She does have more moments of clarity or sadness, but she always ends up having fun with her family. The mom and dad are both working dogs, and their jobs are a touch of genius from the writers. The mom is a police dog, and according to some research, she is a drug sniffing dog. They never actually say that on the show, but it is implied. And she works hard and also is heavily involved in her family's life as well. The dad is an archaeologist, or more proper, a dog that sniffs and searches for bones. He is more of an at home parent, constantly being the adult figure in the home in most episodes. Which leads me to what I like most about this show. The show is about using your imagination and being playful, but it is also about family and how important it is to be close and enjoy one another's company. I love that message. In every episode of "Bluey" the family is always together. Even if it is just the dad at home during the day, mom comes home and they all enjoy some quality family time. Bluey also seems to learn a lesson in most episodes that revolve around being nice to her little sister and why it is important to spend time with her. I have been working on that with my own kids, so it is nice to have "Bluey" as a response to why I want my kids to play together. I also appreciate that each episode is about 11 minutes long. That means that my kids and I can watch three or four before it is time to do something else. It is also a perfect amount of time to keep my five year old's attention.

I cannot say enough good things about this show. I highly, highly recommend it to any parents out there, both new and old, that have kids that are still young. "Bluey" rules. Now I am going to go watch an episode with my daughter. I think you should too.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Relax Morrissey

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Since we have been living with my folks I have not been able to stay as up to date on my regular TV shows. We still get to watch some from time to time. But, I have not seen one of my Sunday night shows in awhile. That means I have missed a good four or five episodes of "Bob's Burgers" and, most importantly, "The Simpsons".

Missing so much "Simpsons" is a bummer. I know I will catch up when we get back home, which should be in two weeks hopefully. But still, I miss my usual ritual of watching after having a real nice Sunday night dinner with my family. I especially am bummed for missing the most recent episode. I heard all about it, and I have been reading all the aftermath that has occurred since it aired. I am a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch, I adore Flight of the Conchords and Bret McKenzie and I have never listened, or wanted to listen, to any Morrisey music. So all the stuff I saw and heard prior to its airing had me excited. I like when "The Simpsons" does stuff like this. I like when they make fun of an aging star, especially one that clearly cannot take a joke. So for them to go at Morrisey, and it remains to be seen for me if it was purposeful, I was totally on board. I am even more on board after seeing how he reacted, and all the stuff he has said since. I guess he wasn't too pleased and said some things. I believe he called the writers hurtful and racist. I even saw that he was going to pursue a lawsuit, but he doesn't have the money to do it apparently. That is so goddamn funny to me. Morrissey seems pretty holier than thou, that he takes himself far too seriously, that he thinks he is above criticism, that he thinks he can say whatever he wants but no one else can, basically he seems like a real downer. He seems like a guy that would be a real drag to simply talk to. He seems like no fun. He is the real life version of Debbie Downer.

This isn't the first time, nor the last I imagine, that "The Simpsons" has gone after a famous person like this. They did this to George Bush, and he seemed to take it in stride. They also made fun of Gerald Ford in that very same episode, and I didn't hear Ford complaining about it at all. Those are two presidents. They made Michael Jackson out as a humongous white person that resided in an insane asylum. He didn't say a word. There was an episode with a ton of pro athletes, including guys like Yao Ming, Tom Brady and LeBron James, and they did their own voices. They had no problem poking fun at themselves. Even famous people that are total recluses, like Jasper Johns. He wears a bag over his head, he makes jokes at his own expense and he has been on more than once. If Jasper Johns can take the joke, why does Morrissey think he is above the poking fun that has been a cornerstone of "The Simpsons"?

I think it is plain and simple, and I have already mentioned it. He is a sad sack of a human being. He is a bummer. He is an asshole. He is miserable. He is no fun to be around. I'm sure the people in his circle thought this episode was hilarious, but they have to make a big fuss or else Morrissey will be upset. I would go as far to think that even his fans found it kind of funny. But not Morrissey. He has to be the wet blanket. He has to be the lone dissenting voice. He has to make a fit. He has to be the child.

I am so excited to watch this episode now, and I am prepared to laugh and laugh and laugh. And while I am rolling on the floor, I will think about how Morrissey wanted to file a lawsuit, but that he doesn't have the money to do it. That is the funniest part of this whole thing to me. He was once a star, once an uber famous person, and now he cannot even afford to file a suit. That is a riot. As for "The Simpsons", I hope they continue to do what they do best and skewer pop culture. I know they will, and it makes me even happier knowing that this means they will probably go after Morrisey again, possibly soon. One can hope.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Superstore" Series Finale

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My wife and I decided we were going to watch "Superstore" about two months ago. We were looking for something new, something we hadn't watched yet, and we wanted it to be light and funny.

I had heard good things about Superstore, I am a big Colton Dunn fan and Justin Spitzer, the creator of the show, did some very wonderful things on the American "Office". So we started it and we couldn't stop watching. One episode a night turned to two, then three, then we were clocking five or six a day. Since she has been working from home, we would watch an episode during lunch, then one at dinner with the kids, then sometimes four more after they went to bed. The episodes are 22 minutes long, so we could blow through five or six a day with ease we found out quickly. In doing this we got caught up very fast. We found ourselves waiting to watch new episodes on Hulu very fast. We got to a point where we could watch it in real time if we wanted. We still opted for Hulu.

“Superstore” was so well done. It was funny, but also poignant. The way they tackled issues, issues that come from working in a big business with big corporate people that may or may not even know who their employees are, it was done very well with much needed humor. The stuff with unions and strikes, that was relatable. Having a character being undocumented, and going through his journey, that was eye opening. The inter store politics and fights and hook ups, I loved it all. I found the show so easy to watch because it was so well made. They even tackled systemic racism and the pandemic nearly perfect. Their racism episode was dynamite. The way they handled the last season, all of which was during this pandemic that is still raging, was very well done. My family finally decided we were ready to finish the show a few days back. They had their series finale and we were putting it off because I did not want to stop watching. I know I can always go back, but I will never get the first time viewing ever again.

So we sat down and watched the two part finale. I loved it. I think the way they tied everything up, the way they pretty much finished everyone's story, it felt right to me. For people that watch the show, they know what I am talking about. Glenn reopened his hardware store and hired Mateo and Cheyenne. That was so fitting for so many reasons. Jonah and Amy got back together after Amy quit and moved back home. I was hoping this was going to happen, they were the best couple, and they should have ended up together. The show made us wait, but it was worth it. Dina took over the fulfillment center that Cloud 9 turned into, and hired her five best workers. She had Marcus and Sandra and Justine among the five, and it was nice to see them all still together. Dina also ended up with Garrett, which was super fitting. Hell, they may even beat out Jonah and Amy as the best couple. Garrett's speech that he gave, as the original Cloud 9 was closing, that was a perfect summation of the greatness of this show and I loved the moments they replayed for all of us to see and remember. It was so fitting that Garrett gave the speech too. I liked seeing everyone's interview when they first got their jobs at the store. I like the flashback stuff. I like seeing the characters before they became the people the show wanted them to become. And that barbeque scene at the very end, where everyone is together was so sweet and made me optimistic for the first time in a long time during this pandemic. They were all together hanging out, having fun, their kids were playing together, they were eating food together. It made me opine for the time before COVID when we could do it. It also made me realize that we will get to that point someday soon, hopefully.

I thought this was a great way to end such a great show. I will miss it. I will also most definitely be watching the Cheyenne and Bo spinoff show that is apparently in the works. "Superstore" was an under the radar show that I think will find a great second life on streaming services. It will become like "Friends" or "The Office" when more people, younger people, find it. "Superstore" was a classic, and it ended almost perfectly. I was very pleased with it all.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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A Shout Out to All the Soap Opera Actors

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We are entering week three of living with my folks. Our house is still being worked on, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. They placed concrete where the new room will be, they were putting up 2X4's everywhere, and there is only one big excavator in our yard, as opposed to the three that were there last week. They're moving along. And I am not complaining about living with my mom and dad. We are close, my wife gets along with both my parents swimmingly and my kids adore their mimi and papa. It is getting to a point where it is fine, but I would still rather be in my home. Unfortunately, for the time being, that isn't on the table.

One interesting thing I have noticed in these two plus weeks is the shows my folks watch during the day. I usually do not have the TV on during the day until my son gets home from school. But both my parents are retired, and they like TV. In the morning it is news or "The Middle". Side note, as soon as I get back in my home, I am going to watch the entirety of "The Middle". That show is solid, at least the bits and pieces I have seen thus far. But every weekday at 1pm both my parents watch "General Hospital". And if they are not home at 1, they record it and watch later. I have never been much for soap operas. It is not my thing. It is too dramatic and silly and wild and ridiculous. The stories are like what you see on "Maury Povich", but with beautiful people. This is not to say that I am some kind of fancy TV watcher who only likes "real" TV shows. I watch mindless reality TV. I am all in on "90 Day Fiancé" because it is so trashy. I love cartoons. One of my all time favorite shows is "Aqua Teen Hunger Force". I like weird, absurd TV. I am not above soap operas, they are just not for me.

In watching these shows, well they only watch "General Hospital", I have a newfound appreciation for the actors on the show. I have to assume they know how ridiculous the plot lines are, how insane some of the stories can be, how funny some of the conclusions are, but they all commit. I remember when James Franco was on "General Hospital" because I would go back and watch only his scenes on YouTube. And you know what, the character he played, named Franco, is still on the show, someone else plays him now, and all the actors act like it is totally normal. I respect that. They could make weird inside jokes about it, but they don't. They just all accept the fact that "Franco" is still on the show, even though it is some random actor. And for the actors, this has to be a plum gig. I'm sure they get paid very well, they get to do wild and crazy things, they get to chew as much scenery as one can imagine and they can stretch their acting legs. Yes, it is crazy, but if you are trying to break into Hollywood, what better way than to start out on a soap opera. Or, if you are someone who has achieved James Franco level fame, why not take a chance to do something different? Or if you are an older actor, some of the people on this show look familiar to me as far back as when I was in my 20's and they are still on, why not stay with a job that you are comfortable with, and one where you can make a nice living? My mom has even informed me that this show wins all kinds of daytime Emmys. I think award shows are lame, but when shows win, that usually means they have some kind of value, some level of achievement in Hollywood. It is nothing to scoff at, that is for sure. And my parents follow the many different storylines like I did when I watched "The Wire" or "Breaking Bad". They are just as involved. I asked my dad about a week back to explain the show to me, and he went on a 15 to 20 minute long speech, telling me the entire plot of the show over the whole year. He may act like he doesn't like the show, but he at least pays attention, and that says something to me about this show.

So while I am not a fan of soap operas, and will most likely not revisit them when we get back in my house, I do respect and appreciate what the people who make shows are doing. They have a tried and true method, and it has never stopped working. That is important.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.