"Between Two Ferns" Is Still Comedy Gold

Recently I have been going back and watching a ton of older "Between Two Ferns" shorts. I watched most when they came out and I have seen the movie multiple times.

I am a longtime fan of this little talk show. I think it was the fact that Zack Galifinakis was the host and that Scott Aukerman had his hand in a lot of the business, even directing the movie. It also had a ton of comedy people I really like attached to it. And add on the fact that it was a Funny or Die product, it felt like it was made with my comic sensibility in mind. Earlier today I was watching a blooper reel of some of the stuff from the movie and it made me laugh even harder. It also made me sit back and think about how much fun this show had to be to make.

For people that may not know, "Between Two Ferns" was a talk show that Galifinakis hosted on public syndication in a small town in North Carolina. He got celebrities to come in and he would roast them with his questions. The movie was the same thing with a story that the viewer followed. It is a simple yet hilarious premise. And when I say Galifinakis would roast the guests, I mean he ROASTS them. There is some very, very funny stuff that has happened on this show. Go back and watch the Paul Rudd stuff from the movie. It is classic. You can go back and watch the show when it first started and look at the way they go after Jon Hamm. The Matthew McCoungahy stuff is gold. When they had Barack Obama on he roasted Galifinakis more than he could roast him. They did a full sit down with Oscar nominees one year and the stuff that came out of that is genius. I love it all. The movie was a great way to get a bunch of people on and do what felt like a "best of" as well. It was a good decision to let them make a movie so you could pack in all kinds of new interviews that would for sure go viral.

That is what made me sit back today and look at the brilliance of the show this afternoon. To be able to get these questions off and keep a straight face has to be nearly impossible. I cannot even fathom how many takes just to get through a short interview. The blooper I saw with McCoungahy today featured him laughing the entire time. They had another on with David Letterman where neither he nor Galifinakis could keep it together. So to be able to do a show like this, to get something that is ready to view for the public and that comes off like there were not multiple takes, that takes a good amount of work and it impresses me very much. I love going back now and watching the older episodes and thinking about how much fun it was to make them. The Jerry Seinfeld and Cardi B episode is great. Seinfeld gets made fun of over and over and over again and just sits there taking it. And then Cardi B comes on and Galifinakis is sweet and nice. He makes Seinfeld the butt of even more jokes. Seinfeld is one of the world;s best stand ups and he is such a pro that he knows how to not mess up on film. The same could be said for the Steve Carrell episode. Even when he acts like he is mad and goes hard at Galifinakis, Galifinakis gives it right back to him and they were able to get enough to make a full episode. That is amazing. I love the Brie Larson interview and how uncomfortable it gets. But then you watch outtakes and you can see Larson is having a damn good time. I guess it impresses me when these comedy people get together and make something wonderful while having the time of their lives. I know it isn't something I could do so I like watching people more talented than me pull it off like the pros they are.

I am glad that "Between Two Ferns" is back in my life. Go watch it if you haven't yet. 

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 White Lotus" Seasons 1 and 2

Over the past couple weeks my wife and I have been watching "White Lotus". A bunch of people we know have told us to watch and we finally decided it was time. The show is very good. It is worth the hype. It is all very well deserved. I look forward to watching a new episode every night. We are almost caught up and that bums me out. We are going to watch "Last of Us" next, but I still find myself wanting more "White Lotus". Everything about the show works very well but the one thing I want to point out today is the cringe factor that makes this show next level awesome. I will be spoiler free, don't worry, but the time has come for me to talk about this show in some kind of form, and this, the cringe factor, is perfect.

We have two episodes left in season 2. We are just about caught up. What I noticed last night when we watched was a conversation between two of the couples in season 2 talking at dinner. They were talking about sexual escapades of the past and the whole time I was uncomfortable. I'm not a prude, not by a long stretch. But to see how this whole conversation unfolded, I looked over at my wife and said how uncomfortable I was just watching this all go down. There was alcohol involved, some indiscretions were alluded to and the way the husband of one couple and the wife of the other were batting the words back and forth was a masterclass in cringe. The way they spoke made me shudder. The way the husband was rubbing her leg under the table made me turn away. When she smiled at him after pulling her leg away made me wildly uncomfortable. Everything about it made me want to stop watching. But I couldn't stop. I am so into it that I do not care how uncomfortable it makes me feel. I want to see how this all gets wrapped up. I want to see what happens next. I want to see how this resolves.

The cringe is a credit to this writing staff and the creators of this show. They take these glamorous areas of the world and put these supposedly happy and glamorous people in there, and they make it get very, very weird. It takes me aback to see how miserable and crummy these beautiful people can be. It shows their true colors. I know this is a fictional show but I have fully given in and look at them as real people. The way Aubrey Plaza handled this as Harper, her character on the show, is a wonderful example of how great an actor she is. And it is not just her character this season. This show has been doing this for two seasons now. Everytime Jennifer Coolidge speaks I get queasy. She is amazing on this show and she is the shining star. But everytime she speaks with Jon Gries, or Belinda from season 1, or Portia or the friends she made in Italy, she is the cringiest of cringe. And it is wonderful and uncomfortable to watch. The stuff with Albie and his dad and the sex worker this season is an achievement in making the viewer uncomfortable. To know what they know about each other is wild. Michael Imperioli and F Murray Abraham have some of the worst father son conversations in the history of talking. Every interaction in season one with the newly married couple is wildly hard to watch, especially when his mom shows up on their honeymoon. Steve Zahn does a masterclass in cringe factor throughout season one. Murray Bartlett is my favorite character to date and his whole journey in season 1 is wildy uncomfortable. The stuff with Albie and Portia makes me terribly uncomfortable. I could go on and on and on. But I think this is my favorite part about this show.

The show is amazing and everyone should be watching it, especially for the cringe factor. I'm in awe of how they put this across on screen and I cannot wait to watch more tonight. "White Lotus" is an achievement in making cringe television and it should be celebrated for that, among many other things. What a great television show. 

Ty

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

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"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" is Still Comedy Heaven

I read recently that the show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" may be coming back. I'm excited by this news because I loved that show so very much. When I first moved out and moved in with my brother I watched a good amount of Adult Swim because I had sleeping issues. Adult Swim used to calm me down and I found some great stuff on there. "Aqua Teen" hit differently though. It spoke to me more than any other show I had watched to that point. I loved the absurdity and weirdness of the show. I also liked how darkly comedic it got at times too.

As the show went on the creators went further and further with their comedy. I even saw the movie they made in theaters on opening weekend. Ask my wife. I took her, more liked begged her, to see it that weekend. I loved it, she was not as big a fan. Then I kind of just forgot about the show. Life happened really. I got married, bought a home and we started to have kids. I was either too tired or too busy to stay up and watch Adult Swim anymore.

Then the news that it may be coming back had me trying to find "Aqua Teen" streaming somewhere. Luckily for me I have HBO Max and they have all the Adult Swim stuff. I have been going through "Aqua Teen" all over again for the past week. I'm currently on season 2 and I am here to say that this show holds the hell up. It is still as absurd as I remember it being. The characters hold the same weight for me as they did back then. Master Shake is still as loud and arrogant and hilarious as before. Meatwad is tiny and silly and loves to dance, and still cracks me up. Frylock is smart and runs the house, but he also has his moments. Frylock is more of the dark comedy that I enjoy so much about this show. And Karl is still, by a wide margin, the funniest one on the show. I often think the writers decided to write how they would act if they grew up in New Jersey and lived next to this madness. Like, they got over the fact that they live by food that is sentient and the character of Karl has just accepted his fate. It is one of the best written TV characters of all time. Full stop. I will debate this with anyone anytime at any place.

Then we have the auxiliary characters. These are the ones that show up from time to time but are not regulars like Karl. The Mooninites are rude and mean and are a bad influence on Meatwad. Wayne the Brain is one of the best one off TV characters. I adore characters like Rabbot, the leprechauns that are not actually leprechauns, Ol Drippy, Dr Weird, MC Pee Pants and Sir Loin, Happy Time Harry and Oog, among many, many more.

I also like the animation of the show. It is old school and modern with how they went about creating it and the characters. I like how smooth it all looks. I think it is hilarious and well written and a very well done show. I know it is odd and not for everyone, but it is definitely right up my alley.

I am so glad I found it streaming, that it still holds up and that they may be making new episodes. I know there is a newer movie, which I will be watching soon enough, but I want to get caught up on all the old episodes. I recommend you do the same too, if you can. 

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 "That 90's Show"

When it was announced that they were rebooting "That 70's Show" I was skeptical. I loved that show. It was appointment viewing when I was younger. I fell in love with the characters, the setting and the story. I followed that show all the way until the bitter end, which was not great. So, as I said, a reboot taking place in the 90's had me on edge a bit. I watched the promos, read interviews with the cast and crew and they all assured fans that it was going to pay homage, but not be the same. I was still on the fence.

Recently my best friend said he binged it in a night. That is high praise coming from him. He doesn't binge a lot, and for him to watch all ten episodes in a day is a feat. Then my folks binged it. It took them two days, but still, that is a good sign coming from them. Last week I decided it was my turn to watch.

I was still reticent going into it but coming out, this show works on every level. Obviously I'm speaking of "That 90's Show". I am all in on this new series. It is a reboot, but things have changed in a good way here. There are cameos, of course. Eric and Donna are in an episode together and Donna shows up a few more times. Kelso and Jackie are here but only for the briefest of cameos. And Fez is, it looks like, going to be around, but that is cool with me because I enjoy Fez. But the people they kept from the original series, the true stars, are Red and Kitty.

For me I always gravitated towards Red when the show first aired. He was funny and reminded me of my dad just a little bit. I liked his curmudgeonly attitude, but they always cut it with sweet moments here and there. And Kitty is a delight. She is so bouncy and happy and wants to make everyone around her happy. She opens her home to everyone and everyone is her best friend, even if it is just for a moment. That is exactly how they are in the new series. They are older but they still have fun. They still let their grandkid and her friends hang out in the basement. They still have a tremendous amount of love for one another. They both still have their moments and it comes off as excellent as it did in the original series. I couldn't be happier with the way these actors reprised these classic characters. The writers and producers did a bang up job to keep Red and Kitty essentially the same, just aged a bit.

The new kids are fantastic. That is what this show is supposed to be about anyway. It is the way these kids grew up in this little town in Wisconsin in the 90's, just like the original, only that took place in the 70's. That is what makes this show so much fun to watch. I am a child of the 90's. I was younger than the kids in the show at the time, but not by much. I was 13 in 95, they are all either 15 or 16. It is easy to relate. I remember doing things that they did on the show. My friends and I hung out in my basement when I was in high school. I lifted too much like the jock. I was kind of aloof like the young Kelso. I wanted to party with my friends. It is all there and it all works so well. One aspect from the original series I was afraid they were going to screw up was when they all get high and sit in the circle. Not only did they not mess it up, it brought back nice memories of me cracking up while watching it the first time. This all works. They hit a homerun here. Putting it on Netflix was a genius choice because they can be a little more crass with the humor. The "live studio audience" doesn't bug me one bit.

I am all in on "That 90's Show". It has already been picked up for a second season and they added 6 more episodes. Go watch this show, especially if you were a fan of the original. This is how reboots should be done. What a great show. 

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 "Paul T. Goldman"

I just finished the Peacock series "Paul T Goldman". I loved it. I heard about the show when Jason Woliner was guesting on "Comedy Bang! Bang!" I love that podcast and I am a fan of Woliner's. The fact that he had a new series piqued my interest for sure. I loved his shows like "Eagleheart" and "Last Man on Earth". He did some "Nathan For You" episodes. He directed the reboot of "With Bob and David". He directed the second "Borat" movie. The guy does comedy, comedy that I like and I have been a fan for some time now. After listening to "CBB" I did some research on the new series. I was immediately interested in the show.

For people that may not know, "Paul T Goldman" is a show about a guy who claimed to be married to a madame of a big time sex worker ring and how she took his money. The twist of all of this is, Goldman played himself. Woliner wanted to do the story, he wanted to get it out there so we all could get our eyes on this wild story. He agreed to let Goldman, who's real name is Paul Finkleman, play himself. So the series follows this story based on a book that Goldman wrote called "Duplicity" Throughout the six episode run we see Goldman recreating the scenes in the book with real actors and directors. The only thing unchanged is the words that Goldman wrote and the fact that he is playing himself. The actors that they got to work on this show are real actors. There are some big names involved in this show. Frank Grillo is in an episode. Melinda McGraw plays the madam. W Earl Brown plays the supposed "pimp". Dennis Haysbert has what turns out to be a cameo. Paul Ben-Victor plays a mob boss. I mean, these are working actors who have been in some big time shows and movies. I have to believe this is due to Woliner's name being attached. And they all appear opposite Goldman.

Goldman is a weird dude. That much is on display from the start. He continually tells everyone to laugh at his story while constantly claiming it is true. At times I feel bad for him but that will switch quickly to me not liking him at all. He seems desperate. He wants to be liked. He doesn't leave people alone. He makes stuff up in the book and when he is asked about it by Woliner, he tries to change the subject. He is rude to his first wife. He claims his son is unhappy when he is clearly happy. He treats people poorly and that makes me not believe his story. People he hired, PI's lawyers, the FBI, they all end up leaving him when it becomes too much. The show is presented as a true crime series, but it is funny. When he shows it to a focus group they all make fun of him and flat out do not like him. There are times when it looks like Woliner has had enough. He wants to be done with it. And without him, this would've never been made. Goldman reminds me of an even less certain Tommy Wiseau. Wiseau has at least owned the fact that his movie is trash. Goldman is so delusional that he doesn't seem to realize how outlandish all this sounds. I am leaving out main points because I think people should watch this show for many reasons.

The story is nuts. Goldman is a wild television character that will be talked about for years. It has Woliner's signature all over it. It is a very well done show. Check it out. It is worth your time. 

Ty

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

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"Reboot" Adds to the List of Great Shows Canceled Too Soon

A ton of tv shows and some movies are being canceled left and right lately. This is a disturbing first world trend. There has been finished stuff, fully completed, that will not see the light of day. People went and worked on these shows, movies, whatnot and they will not see their hard work come to light. There have been plenty of movies and shows that were about to go into production that were shut down with no warning. That stinks.

I was stoked about the "Workaholics" movie, but that isn't happening at the moment. Paramount Plus shut it down a few weeks before they were going to begin filming. I think the problem is, there is too much content. There are too many choices. Every network and streaming service and website seems to have new content going up by the hour. And most of that content is "reality" tv stuff. These shows are cheap, they don't need actors and can be done almost anywhere. It is a problem. It stinks. There is no creativity. Nothing is new. It's a bummer.

One such show that just got the axe is "Reboot". I devoured the first season. I thought this show was very well done. It was a neat concept. It worked in the modern television era. It was a spoof of a remake. That is money in the bank. There are reimaginings, reboots, remakes galore now. "Reboot" jumped on that idea and made it their own. Rachel Bloom had this wonderful idea and made it come to life. Bloom is a genius comedy writer. She had this show and she made it her own. I love the idea of taking a goofy sitcom from the 90's and making it grown up. These actors are real people with real problems. The cast of the show was spot on as well. Johnny Knoxville was great as the stoner goofball who gets into network nonsense. Keegan Michael Key was perfectly cast as the wannabe dramatic actor who took this role thinking it was just a starting point. Calum Worthy was great as the child star who grew up in a bubble and had to live in the real world now. And Judy Greer, such a pro and underrated in my opinion, was just great as the female lead who made some interesting choices while on the original running of the sitcom. To see them come back to this show, this new idea for their old show, was awesome. Key had no luck in landing any real roles. He was subjected to helping out his girlfriend with her wildly successful playwright career. He was over helping and over sharing at all the wrong times. Knoxville was trying to clean up his act, he had gotten sober, but he was still making other poor choices. Worthy still acted like a kid and still seemed to live in his bubble. He was hilariously inept. And Greer was simply the best. She married a prince who cheated on her and she was trying to find her way back to fame. And we had Bloom who perfectly took on her role as the daughter of the original creators show. She wanted to make this show to show him how horrible of a father he was. Who played her father you ask? Paul Reiser. And he was exceptional. This show was excellent. The first season was funny and touching at the same time. The actors were great. The writing was spot on. I loved all the scenes in the writers room. Those were special. This show may have been ahead of its time. Hulu gave up on it too soon.

All these cancellations need to slow down. These networks and streaming services need to give them time to grow and get a bigger audience. "Reboot" was excellent and deserved more time. What a bummer. Give these shows a real chance. Be more like FX. 

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 "MILF Manor"

I mentioned a show awhile back that I was upset was being made, but said I would most likely watch it. That show is "MILF Manor", and I did in fact watch it last night. My wife recorded it, I was doing dishes and she mentioned that we had a surprise TV show to watch. I did not know what she was talking about because I had already forgotten about it. When I finished the dishes she showed me the show on our DVR and I just sighed and then laughed. She smiled and asked if I was ready. I was and we watched it.

This show is bad. It is very, very bad. I wanted it to be so much like "MILF Island" from "30 Rock". Unfortunately only one contestant got the memo of how absurd the whole thing is. Everyone else had some kind of story. One contestant spoke of her dead daughter. That was sad and felt unnecessary. Another lady talked about meeting her husband so young and "not being ready" for marriage. It just gave off vibes of a show that is actually trying to be a legit dating show. Again, this show has eight self proclaimed MILFs and they expect to meet young men that they can date, and, ugh, fall in love with.

When it is revealed, very early on in the pilot episode, that the men on the island are their sons, it doesn't land like it should. TLC didn't do this supposed "twist" justice. They just kind of played it off and moved on way too fast. Again, all eight of the women on the show have sons, ranging from 20 to 30, who like older women. They even ask a mother son duo about the show and they act as if this is all news to them. They are "shocked" by the fact that they are on the same island. I guess they each thought they were going on different dating shows on the exact same island. How stupid do you have to be? These people aren't that good at acting either. They don't sell the fact that they maybe knew what was going on before filming began. It is obvious when you see them doing interviews together. And after the whole mess of the meet and greet, they have their first challenge. This was some Oedipus level shit thought up by the masterminds behind this show. They had the moms wear blindfolds and made them feel up each male contestant. If they guessed which one was their son, they got the nicest room. Whoever guessed which body was their son's first got the nicest room. And each room got worse from there on down. Not that the rooms are bad, they just get less fancy the further down you finish. I mean, the whole idea of a mom not only feeling you up, but seven other young dudes. Come on, that is wild. I told my wife there is no way I would be comfortable with this if I were somehow duped to be on this show. And then to see these moms act the way they did, it is not a good look. They get way too drunk too fast. They openly hit on other moms' sons with no regard. The things that come out of some of their mouths are gross. I am as sex positive as it gets, but to hear a mom say that she has an "extremely high libido", knowing her son is going to watch, that is no good. To watch this one mom, the only one I feel got the memo about this show, tried to kick her son out of their room so she can have sex with another dude, and then tell her son to "stop cock blocking me", that was a bridge too far.

This show is bad. They do not have much of a story to go on. They are taking themselves far too seriously, especially considering the material. I am curious to see how long this show lasts, but I cannot imagine it will be around for more than a season. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't make it a full season. "MILF Manor" is bad, and what is worse, they aren't in on the joke. They think this is a real dating show, and not some messed up experiment being done by TLC. Oh well, let's see where it goes from here. 

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" Season Two

I just finished watching season two of "Last Chance U: Basketball". This show is right up my alley. It hits all the marks for the sports fan inside of me. It is very cliche, very formulaic, very easy to follow, and I adore every second of it. This is the type of TV I'm interested in watching daily. This show goes down like a wonderful milkshake. It is comfort food. The cast of characters is great. The stories are nice. The way it unfolds makes it a fun watch. The editing is done very well. This show works on every level.

A while back I wrote about my love for the movie "Hustle". That movie and this show are the same thing for me. The only difference is "Last Chance U" is about real people. I am an avid college sports fan, I love basketball and I like to watch, if you will, "how the sausage is made". I like seeing high level college basketball, but at the bottom level. This show is about JUCO basketball players who may only have one or two more shots left to do something with the sport they say they love.

What I think I enjoy most about this show is how unabashed it is at showing us the true colors of the people involved. The coach is hardheaded, at times mean and demanding, but he also truly cares about these kids. He wants them to move on to bigger and better things. His staff is great as well. They are the level headed ones. They are the ones who console the kids when they get upset or angry. They also dream of bigger and better things for themselves.

What makes this show, why it is a joy to watch, is seeing the players and hearing their stories. It is fascinating because you get a real sense of why they are at this level and not playing high D-1 basketball, or even professionally somewhere. The kids they highlight all have had wonderful high school careers. A lot of the featured players were marginally high level recruits. They had D-1 offers, some went D-1, but they ended up at this JUCO for a variety of reasons. This season we saw a kid who didn't have the grades, another kid who was a D-1 player who transferred out of two schools and ended up at JUCO because of an injury, there is a kid whose father was an NBA player and he is living in his shadow. There are a number of reasons why these kids end up here. But when you watch the show and see how they act, and react to different scenarios, it all makes sense. I have told my son a million times that all the kids who play, and start, at D-1 schools were the stars of their high schools team. And the kids on the bench were also the stars of their high school teams. That is the same here. These kids were studs in high school. But now they have to actually work and fight for playing time. They have to out hustle others. They have to play system basketball. For some players it works. Other players, not so much. There is one kid in this season who has all the talent in the world. He is hyper athletic, can score at will, can create and do amazing things on the floor. He was stuck on the bench all season. He did not play defense, he would not show up to practice, he would gripe and complain on the bench. When asked to play system basketball, he was lost. But there was another player, a smaller, not as athletic player. But he ended up starting. He was an excellent defender. He was a pro at running the offense. He took charges all the time. He played with heart. That is why he got the spot. There are two big men on the team. One is the former D-1 player, who happens to be 7'1. The other player was lightly recruited, didn't get a ton of offers and has autism. He was the starter because of his never ending motor. This is what the show shows us. They want the viewer to see all the work that goes into finding the best way to build a team. I love that about "Last Chance U".

Watch this show. It is a sports fan's dream. It is exactly what I want put of a sports show. This is good TV. Check 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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2022 Top Five - Television

Day three of my best of 2022 countdown features tv. TV has been pretty incredible this year. There are a ton of good shows with great writing, excellent casting, wonderful storylines and networks are giving the creators time to figure it all out. TV is in a very good place right now. Let's hope it continues.

Before I get into my top five I have some honorable mentions. "Abbot Elementary" is wonderful. It might be the funniest show on TV right now. All the accolades are more than deserved. Quinta Brunson is a genius. "Righteous Gemstones" had an amazing season with a great story arc from Eric Roberts. John Goodman also took on a bigger role this season and totally nailed it. I cannot wait to see where they go with the next season. "House of the Dragon" was worth the hype as well. I do not care that it had a dark hue, I don't care that the dragons were not fully featured yet and I don't care about internet nerds complaining about nonsensical plot points in a fantasy world with dragons. "House of the Dragon" created a new, unique world in the "GOT" universe. I'm ready for season two. And finally "Bluey". This is the best kids show on TV. It has surpassed "Yo Gabba Gabba" for me. I love the length of episodes, 10 minutes, the storylines, the character arc and the fact that the dad is usually the one home with the kids. It is easy for me to relate. "Bluey" is an achievement. I do, really quickly, want to shout out "Joe Pera Talks With You". I was told by many people to watch this show and I finally started last week. I have already finished the series. It is a perfect Adult Swim show but it also has heart and soul. Joe Pera did something different and it worked. I love this show. Okay, to the countdown.

At number 5 I have season four of "What We Do in the Shadows". This show continues to get better and better. Each episode is funnier than the last. The vampires are even more hilarious than ever. The Laszlo and Colin Robinson storyline all season was beautiful and heartfelt. Also, the way Berry pronounces words, it is a thing of beauty. Nandor had a nice arc with his genie this season. And Nadja had a great arc with her nightclub. Guillermo also got to stretch his legs a bit more and it was a homerun. "WWDITS" is on a hot streak and I do not see it stopping anytime soon. It may be the best comedy on TV.

At number 4 I have "The Bear". I mean, this show is amazing. The way they show food and the world of food was incredible. "The Bear" made me hungrier than any show on any cooking network. But it was the performances and choices this show made all season that put it on my list. Every actor does their job with aplomb. They all have juicy moments and they all succeed, and then some. As for the choices, there is one episode in particular that stands out. They did a 17 minute long ep that is all one shot and it is of the restaurant going down due to not being ready. It is a masterpiece. I have watched it multiple times and I love it even more with each view. "The Bear" is incredible and season two cannot come soon enough.

At number 3, closing out my run of shows on FX, I have the last two seasons of "Atlanta". Now, I think this is the best show on TV, but it isn't number 1 because I liked a few other shows a bit more. But "Atlanta" gave us two seasons and closed out the series to perfection. In season three the show took us overseas and it was a trippy joy ride. We got to see our four main characters go through some crazy situations. Darius saw Tupac get murdered. Paper Boi was in jail and had a crazy drug trip. Van went through all kinds of emotions and bludgeoned a dude with a baguette. And Earn had to deal with all kinds of nonsense being a manager overseas. He also had a crazy cold in the premiere. The final season had them back in Atlanta, but it was still as wild as ever. From the season four premiere, which saw Van and Earn get into some kind of alternate universe where they saw a bunch of exes, to Darius trying to figure out if his whole life was real or in a deprivation tank, it was great. Paper Boi also got a farm and had a conversation with Soulja Boy. Van and Earn reunited. The sushi restaurant was a great ep. And the scavenger hunt that Paper Boi went on was nuts. "Atlanta" had as fulfilling a series finale as a TV show can have. I will always adore this show.

At number 2 I have "The Rehearsal". Nathan Fielder is a genius. He is on a whole other level as a comedian and creator. What he did with "The Rehearsal" would have made Andy Kaufman proud. He showed the best and worst in people. The show started as one thing but ended as a totally different thing. It was a masterclass. I cannot fathom how much work went into making all of these scenarios happen. I am in awe of the work that Fielder has done with this show. I am on pins and needles to see what he does next. But "The Rehearsal" is going to go down in history as an all time great.

And at number 1 I have the final season of "Better Call Saul". As fulfilling and gratifying as the series finale of "Atlanta" was, "BCS" surpassed it. The final season was an achievement. It lets the actors do their thing. They got meaty scenes and everyone brought out their best effort. Rhea Seehorn was phenomenal. It is criminal that she never got an award for her work on this show. And Bob Oednekirk got to do his best oh shucks down on his luck, but totally knows that he is conning people character. Saul Goodman was a big part of "Breaking Bad", but I was skeptical on how they would do a show based on him. Not only did they do it, they made one of the best dramas of all time. As for the series finale, I believe it is the best series finale that has ever been made. It was perfect.

There you have it, my top five shows of 2022. Come back tomorrow for my top five sports moments of the year. 

Ty

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

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"MILF Manor" Looks Terrible, and I Will Watch It

So I guess TLC is now just ripping off "30 Rock". I was scrolling through Google news last night and saw a new show that made me audibly guffaw. I then saw that the AV Club made the very same "30 Rock" joke that I just did(I wanted to give them their due credit). Anyway, TLC has a show coming out in January called "MILF Manor".

You read that right.

My wife and I had to immediately watch the trailer after I told her what I had just read. As we clicked on the link, I could not believe what my eyes were seeing. This show looks utterly ridiculous. It is pure nonsense. I swear, the powers that be at TLC are not even trying anymore. They are throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. I mean, this show is going to be insane. The preview shows all these mom's, who are as plastic as it gets, talking about their "extremely high libido". They are saying things that make me cringe. It is crazy. I am sex positive and all about sexual freedom, but that stuff happens behind closed doors. That is not my business, as it should not be. So for these "moms" to be doing it on national tv, it is wild. Then they show silhouettes of young guys. The guys are working out, surfing, hanging out at a pool and these "MILFS" are all for it. They cannot see anything but a shadow mind you. Then the preview says, "with one big twist", and all these "MILFS" faces drop. It is pretty clear that the dudes there are their son's and all these other "MILFS" will be boning down with these ladies' kids. It is too much.

TLC has gone too far. They don't even have original ideas anymore. Seriously, go back and watch the "30 Rock" episode with "MILF Island". It is the same thing. The only difference is the guys on "MILF Island" are eighth graders. That is the joke. It is such a nonsensical plot, and what better a show than "30 Rock" to bring that across. But someone at TLC, some higher up, some person in charge either doesn't know about this or doesn't care. "MILF Manor" is "MILF Island", except it is going to try to take itself seriously. It is going to try to be a dating show. They are going to try and have heartfelt moments. It is going to be a mess.

What makes me most angry at myself, I know I will watch, at the very least, two episodes of this show. I feel like I have to see this insanity to believe it. I want to see how it unfolds. I want to sit on my couch and openly bash the contestants to my wife. It is like a trainwreck that I cannot look away from. I hate myself for knowing this, but it is true. I am not going to lie and say I won't watch this. That isn't true. But this is a bad idea. This is not good television. I understand that reality shows, especially reality dating shows, are cheap. But this is too far. People who compete on shows titled "MILF Manor" do not need their 15 minutes of fame.

I wish I didn't care enough to write a blog about it today, but I haven't stopped thinking about the trailer since we watched it. I am part of the problem. I wish we had more creative people out there making cool and unique stuff. Shows like "The Bear" or "Atlanta" or "Joe Pera Talks With You". But we are talking about TLC here. This is the same channel that has given us "90 Day Fiance" and "Seeking Sister Wife" and "1,000 LB Sisters", all of which I have watched before. TLC is not about "learning" anymore. They are an entertainment channel. TLC is porn for dummies. It is akin to MTV still calling themselves "Music" television. It is just a name now. The name has nothing to do with the content. "MILF Manor" is going to be a tirefire. I do not think it will last a full season. And I am going to watch it. That is the most upsetting thing to 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 "Big Mouth" Season Six

Yesterday I finished season six of "Big Mouth". "Big Mouth" is the best show on right now that touches on puberty. Puberty, and growing up for that matter, is a pain in the butt. It is an awful time in your life. It is awkward and gross and disheartening. It is all bad. It is a necessary evil, but it is still very, very evil. "Big Mouth" puts that forth tenfold. They do not shy away from anything.

Everything touched on in the show, I have found a relatable time in my life. That was what drew me to the show in the first place, and that is what keeps me coming back. I remember thinking when it first came out that it would maybe be sustainable for two, three seasons. But they are now in the sixth, and they keep finding fresh ways to talk about this awful time in your life. And while it is still fresh, it is also more of the same. And I mean that in the best possible way. It is like being reacquainted with an old friend. It may feel awkward and weird at first, but then after a minute or so, it is just like the old times. I found myself right back in it after the first episode of the new season. It was great to see all these characters I have gotten to know over these six seasons.

Season six did touch on some new ideas. We got to meet Nick's grandpa and find out about his dad's athletic past. The sport was nipple twisting, but it was still pretty funny to see how they dealt with strained relationships. Andrew had to deal with a breakup of his own and his parents fighting. I like that they gave Andrew a little more of a storyline than just being a pervert. He showed a little growth. I like that. The whole scenario he was involved in in the finale was nuts also. It was wild. Jessi dealt with a new step sister, becoming friendly with her stepmom and finding out that even parents have real feelings too. Missy met and started to date a religious kid. He also happens to be asexual, and the way the writers put that across on screen was pretty rad. They handled it very properly. I also enjoyed the return of Nathan Fillion. Jay grew and found out more about himself just like Andrew. The only difference is that they kept him as gross as ever, but that works with Jay. He is supposed to be the gross one. He is the one we all look at and laugh about, but we all knew someone like him when we were growing up. I also enjoyed the hormone monsters having a baby and then introducing a few new hormone monsters from their spin off show, "Human Resources". There was far more singing this season, a lot more stuff outside of school and even some tech talk. The Apple brooch episode was phenomenal.

I adore "Big Mouth". I have said it before and will say it many more times, but this should be shown to every kid that is currently going through puberty. This show knows how to tackle it better than any show now or in the history of TV. "Big Mouth" is a special show that happens to be very well done. The writing is tremendous. It is at the top of the list. Go watch this show everyone. It is worth it.

Ty

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

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Season Three of "Love is Blind" is One Season too Many

As you all may have heard on a recent X Millenial Man podcast, I enjoy reality dating shows. As much as I wish I did not like them, they always seem to suck me in. I get invested and I want to see how they end. I also like to do further research and see if the couples are still together after filming ends.

One such show that came into my life at the start of quarantine was "Love is Blind". Netflix dropped the first season maybe only a month or two into quarantine and it grabbed me. The whole concept of the show is to see if love is truly blind. There are two dorms of the opposite sex. They have twelve men and 1twelve women living in these dorms and they date members of the opposite sex. But while they are on these dates they cannot see each other. They have pods and they can talk for hours on end, but they do not get to see what each other looks like. It is a very simple premise, but the way the show is made, it is very watchable. The first season also came at a perfect time. I was watching anything to take my mind off of COVID and this was a great distraction. It was perfect.

I enjoyed the first season so much, so when the second season came out you better believe I was tuning in. While still solid, the second season started to show its cracks. The show became more focused on looks. The show started to show its vanity. The contestants did not look like people we see in the world everyday. The cast was more beautiful, more vain, more into themselves and it became tougher to watch. But I still found stuff to hang onto. I still found myself rooting for and against some of the couples. I still had an opinion. It still held weight with me. I was still invested. I was so deep in this season that when the reunion was aired I openly yelled at my TV at some of the things these people were saying.

My wife and I recently watched the entirety of the third season. This may be it for me. The show has lost all of the good will it had garnered in the first two seasons. The contestants are as vain as ever. They care far too much about looks. They care far too much about others. None of these couples should be together or stay together. None of it works. They are too plastic, too fake, not real at all, they are all caricatures of everyday people. It is fully a farce now. It is not even close to what we consider reality tv anymore. I get that reality tv is almost as staged as basic cable comedy or drama, but this is taking it even further. The conversations these contestants have, both in and out of the pods, are asinine. They make no sense. The people involved go from one major point to the next, contradicting themselves all along the way. At multiple points I heard people say stuff like, "there is no way I can marry this person", only to end up marrying them. Or they will say to their SO, "I cannot envision my life without you", and then break up with them. It is maddening.

This season also makes women look insane. The people involved do not do a good job of putting women in a good light. They make them look nuts and drunk and spineless and mean and vindictive. I am fully on the side of the women throughout this entire season. They are right. The men are wrong. They are assholes. They are immature little babies. They blame everyone but themselves. They are ugly inside and out. "Love is Blind" season 3 tries to prop these men up and they fail spectacularly. I did not like a single male contestant on this show. I could not even find little things I liked about any of them. They are all awful. The women, while not being held up to as big a standard, can all do far, far better than the dudes they ended up with. In particular Zenabe. She is so, so, so much better than Cole. Cole is a monster. He gaslights people. He makes people feel bad about themselves. He asked his girlfriend if she were bi polar at one point. I mean, he is a scumbag. And when Zenabe goes off on him, that was probably the only point that I cheered during this season.

Season three of "Love is Blind" is a mess. The show has fallen off. It has lost its way. It has given in to reality tv dating show tropes. I never took it seriously to begin with, but now it is a total farce. The show does not work like it did in early 2020. The jig is up. The show does not have that oomph it once had. I do not know if I will be tuning in to season four at this moment. Season three was so bad and mean and gross that it may have lost me as a viewer. Time will tell I suppose.

Ty

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

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Where are the Good Thanksgiving Centered Television Shows and Movies?

While walking past my wife's home office this afternoon I noticed some turkey stuff on her screen. As I got a closer look it was tv actors in turkey outfits or eating turkey. I asked what they were doing and she said they were having people put down their favorite movies or tv shows centered around Thanksgiving. It seemed like a relatively normal thing that offices do.

After looking at her screen for a minute I went for a run, and then my wheels started to turn. I think a lot when I am out on my own running. So I started to think of tv shows or movies that I enjoy centered around Thanksgiving. I have not seen "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" from start to finish in my lifetime. I remember my mom really liked a movie called "Home for the Holidays", which is solid but also very depressing. "Thankskilling" is also a solid option, but that is a movie that is so bad it is good, and I wouldn't necessarily call it a "Thanksgiving" movie.

My mind wandered to tv shows. There are a lot of tv shows that show a Thanksgiving, or feature a turkey, but no show has a real "Thanksgiving" episode in my mind. And let me be clear, these are tv shows that I watch. I've never seen "Friends". I stopped watching "New Girl" after two seasons. I do not watch a whole lot of regular channels tv programs. But I do watch a ton of "Simpsons". I was racking my brain. They have the episode where Homer is Mr Burns' prank monkey, but that is more of a Christmas episode. It centers on Homer being Santa in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. They also have other episodes that feature a turkey, but again, Thanksgiving is not the holiday being celebrated. I noticed someone on my wife's computer put the episode of "Seinfeld" on there where Newman imagines Kramer as a turkey. But this is not a Thanksgiving ep at all. This is all about Kramer using butter as sunscreen and shaving cream and he sits outside for too long. He also stays in his hot tub too long. There is not even a mention of any holiday within the twenty-two minutes. The closest I can think of a tv show that fully features Thanksgiving is "Bob's Burgers". They have full eps dedicated to the holiday. But, even within these shows, it is all about Bob's joy of cooking the meal. They do not give thanks. There is no real fighting. They do not have turkeys everywhere. The episodes are wonderful, some of my absolute favorites, but they do not scream out Thanksgiving like other shows do with other holidays. Hell, even a show like "The League", which is all about football, barely even mentions the holiday outside of one episode in a late season. I mean, look at a show like "The Office". Their Christmas episodes are legendary. I could say the same thing about "The Simpsons''. Outside "Treehouse of Horrors' ', they tackle Christmas the best. Back to "The Office '', they did a Valentine's Day episode that was classic. "Parks and Rec" also had some really excellent Valentine's Day episodes.

I just do not get why Thanksgiving does not get the love on the shows I watch. But please, tell me some good Thanksgiving stuff you all watch. I want to know what to seek out, what I should be watching this time of year. I am going to remedy my lack of seeing "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", but I need more recommendations. I want more as well. Enlighten me everyone. Tell me what to seek. Thanks in advance.

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 "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law"

Over the past week my wife and I started and finished the first season of “She Hulk”. It took me an episode or two, but I ended up loving this show. It is funny. It is very well written. It is well acted. The fourth wall breaking is wonderful. It’s like the popular mockumentary shows with a superhero as the star.

I also really enjoyed the cameos once I bought in to the fact that they were going to do this as fan service. As I said, it took me a few episodes, but I loved the addition of Hulk. He was important to help push along Jen Walter’s story. He was the reason she got the Hulk ability, and we needed that full first episode to get us to the finish line. I also like Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk. He’s great. But after that first episode he only shows up here and there. It’s not overkill.

I think Tatiana Maslany was the best choice for Walters/She Hulk. She is so funny. She is relatable. She’s a great actor. She brings a unique voice to the MCU. I love that she got this role and she absolutely crushed. I can’t wait to see where she goes with this character from here.

Maslany’s co stars were wonderful. Her assistant at work was a great best friend at the office. The derpy guy they with with at the new office was great comic relief. Tim Roth, as The Abomination, was so funny. His story arc was fantastic as well. Jameela Jamil was so excellent as the influencer who happened to get minimal super powers. The addition, minor spoiler, of Daredevil really helped push the story along. The actors are wonderful.

I really liked the stuff they touch on in the stories. The trials and tribulations of women are at the forefront. They talk about walking home alone at night, getting hit on at work, trying to find good dates online, and so many other things, and they handle it so perfectly. The show got better and better with each episode. I found myself getting more and more into it with each new episode. I loved the tags on a few episodes, but I was also stoked they didn’t do it at the end of every episode. The finale was also a stroke of genius. They really turn the MCU on its head.

“She Hulk” is an excellent show and everyone should check it out. It’s got excellent performances, great writing and cool storytelling. Check 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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An Ode to Jillian Bell and Her MVP Performance on "Workaholics"

I am rewatching "Workaholics" for the, what seems like, millionth time. I love this show. It is one of my all time favorites. I enjoy the comedy, like the acting and think it is one of the funniest shows of all time. Everyone on it is very good at their roles. But there is one actor who I think may be the unsung hero of it all. That actor is Jillian Bell.

Jillian Bell plays Jillian on the show and she is the best scene stealer and quite possibly the funniest person on the show. Every time she shows up I find myself laughing harder than normal. I did not notice this until very recently. On this most recent rewatch I am going through and doing my own personal best of. I pick out a few episodes when I turn it on that I love. These ones always hit. And whenever Jillian Bell shows up I get pumped. I was watching one yesterday and it really hit home how great she is.

In this particular episode TAC, the company they work for, is selling a new female based product. All of the male salesmen are horrible at their jobs so they get replaced by the women. The women crush it, mainly Jillian. The success goes to Jillian's head and she starts to treat Blake like an object. Seeing her go from such a sweet, nice person to this mean and vindictive salesperson is a masterclass. She is so funny and scary. When she reveals her tattoo, that whole scenario is magic. When she exclaims, "I need my first cup of coffee ever", I laugh harder each time. She does such a great job.

It is not just that one episode. When she runs for snack manager, that is a classic for fans of this show. When she tells the boys about a promotion, and the way she just blindly goes about her day, genius. When she and Blake get a cat and co parent, oh man, that is some kind of wonderful. When she helps out the guys with their backyard wrestling, that is awesome. I love when she has to take over the office because Alice is sick and it is a disaster. And only someone like Bell could pull this off so well. Her timing, the way she plays this character, her comedy, the line delivery, it is all top notch. I find myself constantly impressed.

I have seen a ton of other stuff that Jillian Bell has been in, and it is all good. I adore "Brittany Runs a Marathon". It is one of the few movies that have made me cry, and that is due to Bell's performance. She is awesome as the villain in "22 Jump Street". It is a true tour de force villain role for her. "Sword of Trust" is an indie favorite of mine, and she is great. "Idiotsitter" is a highly underrated comedy and she was clutch on that show. She is probably the only funny part in "Fist Fight". I loved her in "The Night Before". Bell is a great actor. But it is her work on "Workaholics" that introduced me to her and it is my favorite thing she has done. I do want to see her new movie, "I'm Totally Fine", but I do not think it will be better than "Workaholics".

Seriously, go check out Jillian Bell’s work on this show. She is amazing and really took this role and ran with it. Anyone that can deliver a line, "I'm looking like a boss though, in head to toe Costco" is going to have a special place in my heart. Jillian Bell crushed it as Jillian on "Workaholics".

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 "Atlanta" Series Finale

I just watched the series finale of "Atlanta". This is one of the best shows that has ever been on TV. I was thrilled how they ended it. It did not have to be some hoity toity everyone getting together one last time for a love fest. They were all together, as they should be, but it was not a final type thing.

Looking back one can see that this was not a typical series finale. This was like any other episode of the series, and I mean that in the best possible way. This finale centered on Darius, a superb LaKeith Stanfield, and his day inside a deprivation tank. Or maybe the whole thing was all in his mind. We may never know. And I love that. I am a big fan of movies like "Inception" and that was what this finale ended up being. Spoiler alert, but the ending is up to us, the viewer.

Seeing the day through Darius' eyes was great. We got to go on a ride with him, and he is one of the more fun people in the show. We got to go through his ups and downs. Darius has always been a guy that does his own thing, but we got to meet an old friend of his. This scene was rad. We got to see he had a brother that he still talks to, even though he has, most likely, passed away. That scene was powerful. We also got to see him get real in a situation that was totally messed up. This was all wonderful.

Paper Boi, Van and Earn all had a day all their own that was wild as well. The whole Popeye's thing and going to the black owned sushi restaurant was fantastic. I could not take my eyes off Paper Boi and his journey through the day. Brian Tyree Henry was outstanding throughout the entire series. This episode showcased his talents tenfold. He was dynamite.

Donald Glover and Zazie Beetz had little to do, but they each had their own time to shine throughout the 4 seasons of the show. And in the little time they had in the finale, they crushed. Earn telling Darius that this was all real was great. Seeing how scared Van was while they were getting a swift talking to in the sushi restaurant was some excellent facial acting. I bought how scared she seemed.

I was blown away by how good the finale was, and how great this whole series was. I was finding myself getting closer to the end and saying, "I don't want this to end". I have not had that feeling much about most shows. When "Lost" ended, I was cool with it. I liked "Game of Thrones", but when it was done I moved on. I was ready for both "Parks and Rec" and "The Office" to finish. This finale was better than another favorite of mine, "Brooklyn 99".

Looking back "Atlanta" did things that not many other TV shows have done before. I found myself constantly thinking about episodes after I watched them. Certain episodes, like "Teddy Perkins" and all of season three stayed with me like a horror movie that I enjoyed. This show confused me in all the best ways. There was stuff that I just could not figure out, but reading and searching about it made it that much more enjoyable when it all came into focus. I will forever adore this show. Donald Glover created something that will be a classic. This show will go down in history as one of the best ever.

I, obviously, could not recommend this show more. "Atlanta" is an all time great. Thank you to everyone that worked on this show. Not only Glover, But Zazie Beetz, LaKeith Stanfield, Brian Tyree Henry, Hiro Murai, Stepehn Glover and countless other genius individuals, thank you all forever. "Atlanta" rules.

Ty

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

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After All These Years, "The Simpsons" Still Make Great "Treehouse of Horrors"

Last night my wife and I got around to watching the last two new episodes of "The Simpsons". Our son has been begging us to watch them. He has seen them a bunch and loves them. He joined us last night.

The first one though, entitled "Not It", is a Treehouse of Horror Story. I do not know that they have ever done this before. I have been watching this show from the jump and this is the first time I have seen them do something like this. It was cool. I am afraid of clowns. I believe I have mentioned this before. But this "Not It" episode was rad. I enjoyed the hell out of it. But it was scary. There were moments I had to look down. The animators made Krusty very creepy. He looked like Pennywise. It was frightening. It was also funny though. They made fun of Krusty. They shot him down. Krusty also made some jokes. It kind of took the edge off. It made it a little less scary. But there were still moments. When Krusty would show up and frighten them as kids, that made me jump. The ending of the episode, before they defeat Krusty was definitely scary, and gory too. I was taking my eyes on and off the screen the full 30 minutes. But I loved the episode. I thought it was very well made. The movie "It" scarred me when I was young, so I have not watched the new movies. My wife has. She enjoyed them and she said that the writers did a very good job making a parody. She was trying to figure out who each character was in the movie from the show. She said a lot of it was right out of the movie. When they showed that Moe was famous, she immediately pointed out that he was doing the Bill Hader part. I think she was impressed how they pulled it off. She also just watched the movies last week, so it was fresh. "Not It" was a very solid, very good episode of "The Simpsons". Doing a Treehouse of Horror Story episode makes me want more and I kind of wished they had done this in the past. Better late than never I suppose.

The actual "Treehouse of Horror" episode was one of the best I have seen in some time. I have never been the biggest fan of these episodes, but I do find them enjoyable. I also liked the original ones. I liked how they tried to be legit scary. And they usually pulled it off. That was how this new "Treehouse of Horrors" episode was. This was legit scary. The first story was like "The Babadook". They called it "The Pappadook", and it was genuinely frightening. Marge goes full on as the mom from "The Babadook". She continuously attacks Maggie. I can see why my kids were so scared by what they saw. There were very few laughs, and I think that was on purpose. I really liked how dark they went with it. The second story was the anime that they had been promoting. This one was a little more lighthearted, but it also had some heavy stuff going on. Lisa gains the power from a book to off the people she chooses. This episode was pretty heavy with the story telling. It was almost too real. It was wild. And when Lisa learns who found out her secret, it got really real. I was nervous for Bart for a second. But Lisa did the right thing and all was good. What I found most impressive was the animation in this story. It was rad. I was amazed at how they did it all. It was great. The third story was a "Westworld" take. It was my favorite of the night. The way the story unfolded, and what we saw at the end was awesome. I love how the Homer robot gained sentience and got the rest of the family involved. He picked certain robots that he wanted to work with. I also liked all the separate worlds they created and how they showed them all. I also think it was really cool how they got the Ralph robots to come at them continuously, and how they used old gadgets to fight them off. And when they pulled away, after they escaped, the twist was dynamite. When we saw Linda Belcher, and then the camera panned back and we saw all the other worlds they created, that was eerie and very neat. This "Treehouse of Horrors" was one of the best in a while.

These two episodes back to back make me respect this show even more. They are still doing things that nobody else can do. And they do it the best. I love "The Simpsons".

Ty

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

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"30 Rock" is the Funniest Television Show Ever

My wife and I like to watch TV before bed. A lot of people do this. We keep it on after we fall asleep. We put on a sleep timer, but very rarely do one of us stay up to hear the TV shut off. We alternate which shows we pick before bed. We usually pick comedies that we have seen a bunch. It is like comfort food.

The show we are watching now is "30 Rock". This has to be the 10th or 11th time we are going through this show. I did not watch when it was airing in real time, but I knew of it. I think my folks probably watched it. We all love Tina Fey, so when she left "SNL" to do "30 Rock", I'm sure my folks were pumped. And even though I did not watch it in real time, as mentioned before, I have seen it a ton. I have watched it from start to finish many, many times. And I am here today to tell you that I think "30 Rock" might be the funniest show that has ever been on TV.

"30 Rock" is not my favorite show, that is "The Simpsons". And there are other shows I like more, but there is something about the writing on this show that makes me laugh harder with each watch. This show is filled with jokes. My wife read something a while back saying that "30 Rock" has the most jokes per minute in television history, or something like that. And I fully believe it. We are in season four right now and I find myself constantly chuckling at random things on this show.

I do have to say, "30 Rock" is one show that I have made it to the TV shutting off before I go to sleep. That is because I am laughing all the time. For example, we were watching an episode last night where some of the writers take advantage of Kenneth by making up a religion. Kenneth is bringing them a pizza and says, "the pizza needs to be served by a blonde virgin", and smiles and points at himself. It was fantastic. I was howling. And that is how this entire show is made up. In season one, or maybe two, Tracy Jordan talks about a Halloween parody he made and the show cuts to him singing one line from "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah". Not only is that genius, but they ended up making an entire song due to the popularity of this five second clip. When Tracy proclaims, "it is a show within a show! My real name is Tracy Morgan", I cannot help but crack up. I also walk around quoting that all the time. When Tracy's wife gets her own reality show, "Queen of Jordan", and says "HAM", it is perfect. Tina Fey wrote some incredible stuff for Alec Baldwin. One line that has always stuck out for me is when Jack is explaining how he climbed his way to the top stating, "that is why I worked the day shift at that graveyard and the night shift at the Day's Inn". I mean come on, that is next level brilliant.

In the end it is Liz Lemon, the way Tina Fey wrote her, that is as iconic a comedy character as it gets. She has all the juicy lines. She crushes the comedy. The line reads are a stroke of genius. I love every single thing about Liz Lemon. When she gets her own talk show and sings, "you're a star/you're on top/somebody bring me some ham", that is one of the funniest songs ever. When she tells Jack about "lizzing", the way she explains it is amazing. The way she and Pete play off one another is some of the best chemistry I have ever seen between friends and coworkers on TV. The stuff with her boyfriends, namely Dennis Duffy and Jon Hamm is so incredible. I mean, Liz Lemon is a genius character for TV.

I didn't even mention Jenna or Grizz and Dot Com or Dr Spaceman or the multiple people Will Forte has played on the show. And then you get the cameos. Everyone from Al Gore to Pee Wee Herman have shown up here and there.

I have found with each watch I gain even more respect for "30 Rock". It is such a great television show. It will go down as a classic. It is comedy television at its absolute best.

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 "Reboot"

Monday night my wife and I started the show "Reboot" on Hulu. I was listening to "Comedy Bang! Bang!" and Rachel Bloom was the main guest. I did not know she was on the podcast, but I do enjoy her comedy and she mentioned that she was on this show. I had heard about it because I am a Keegan Michael Key fan, but I never really registered watching the show. But after seeing some of Key's press stuff, and then hearing Bloom on "CBB" only further pushed my interest in the show. It also helps that Steve Levitan, who created "Modern Family", created this show as well. So we decided it was time and we tuned in.

We watched the first two episodes and I was hooked. My wife told me yesterday that she was thinking about the show at work all day, so we went ahead and watched the next two episodes that were available. We got caught up on all four eps last night. This show is great. It is funny and insightful and smart and witty and well acted and just fantastic. I was telling my wife on Monday night how well casted this show is too. Keegan Michael Key is perfect for the male lead. He plays his character so well. He thinks he is a better actor than he actually is. I love the scene from the first episode when they show him auditioning for the role of a gangster. It is incredible. Key plays this type of character so well. Judy Greer is equally as wonderful as the female lead. Greer is in seemingly everything, but now she has a chance to shine in a starring role, and she is nailing it. I enjoy every minute she is on screen. Johnny Knoxville is almost too perfectly cast as the former drug addict turned comedian turned actor twice over. Knoxville is my favorite person on the show. He is so funny. He is out of his element in the real world. He is even better on the show. I adore Knoxville in this show. Calum Worthy plays the former kid actor turned adult. He is a total fish out of water. He still acts like a little kid. He still brings his mom, more on her in a minute, to set everyday. He is very fun. Rachel Bloom plays the creator of the show. She is so good. I totally buy everything about her in the show. She just brings it and she is crushing right now. Paul Reiser is the original creator of the show, and Bloom's dad. Reiser is amazing here. He is having something of a career resurgence. Reiser has always been a good actor but it feels like he is bringing it even harder as of late. The rest of the cast is solid as well. Everyone they got to play bit parts is totally nailing it. They are crushing it. The writing is top notch as well. While not on the level of "30 Rock", this show has a ton of jokes in each episode. They also get some drama in there as well. There are some notable heartfelt moments here. I also like the look and feel of the show. It is very reminiscent of early "Modern Family", when that show was at its best.

I definitely recommend this show. It is so good on so many levels. Check 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 "House of the Dragon"

The other night my wife and I started "House of the Dragon". We watched "Game of Thrones", my dad was talking up this new show and it is a prequel, so we were pretty easily on board. It did not take much convincing for us. But we did put it off for a bit due to life. My son plays football everyday, my daughter plays soccer and my wife works all the time. For those, and so many other reasons, we could not start the show until Monday.

That being said, we have already watched three of the five episodes available on HBO Max. The show is good. There has been some dope dragon action so far. The characters are pretty well written. The actors are doing a great job to this point. I am fully in on the parts of the story that I understand. I like the easter eggs they have placed here and there. It is cool to hear some names from "GOT" taking place in this world almost 200 years before. It is crazy and violent and gory and nuts. I like it a lot.

The show is also very confusing. I do have a hard time following other story plot points. That is my fault too. There is so much going on that it can be hard for me to keep track. I'm also not nuts about all the politicking that is going on. I wasn't a fan of all the meetings in "GOT", and in "HOTD" they do about the same amount. There is a good amount of time spent talking about who is king, who will be the heir to the throne, people going behind other people's backs,just a lot of shadiness. I understand the importance of it all, but it can be a bit much at times. The violence can also go a bit overboard as well. I have seen a ton of heads caved in, half of other people's body's cut up, eyes gouged out and sword cuts. I think as I get older my stomach gets queasy easier. I can't handle some of the stuff I could when I was younger. But all in all this show is very well done.

The story, the one I understand, is interesting. The time jump in episode three didn't affect me as much as I thought it was going to. I read there is another time jump, involving 10 years with new actors taking over, but so what. That is how these shows should work. I have loved all the dragon stuff too. I think that might have been my favorite thing about "GOT", and in this show, that is the story of the main family. I also like seeing some actors I recognize from comedies doing more serious stuff. The main guy, the king, is in most of the Simon Pegg and Nick Frost movies. I've seen him play any number of comedic roles. But seeing him in "HOTD" has been cool. Rhys Ifans, who was in "The Replacements" and a "Spiderman" movie, is the hand to the king. He is his top assistant basically, and he is devious as hell. It is very cool to see him do this kind of role. The girl who plays the young princess is awesome. She is badass and powerful and under control. She is like a less crazy Danerys. I also really enjoy the cast not being filled with white people. It is pretty dope to see a melting pot of characters in this world. I also think it is hilarious that people are mad about this, even though this show is in no way real at all.

I'm excited to see where this show goes from here. I can only imagine it will get more and more crazy, and I like that. I also have to think there is going to be so much more dragon content, and that is what I'm here for. "House of the Dragon" is very good and has potential to be great. Check it out if you haven't yet.

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