The Paintball Episode of "Community" is Still Classic Comedy

I've been rewatching "Community" in my down time lately. The show holds up. It is just as funny as the first time I saw it. The writing is top notch. The acting is great. The people this show introduced me to are pretty wonderful. I knew of, barely, Donald Glover. He is now one of my favorite pop culture icons. I also knew of Joel McHale. He really shines in this show. This was the perfect way to use his talents. Chevy Chase is Chevy Chase, but he too has his moments here. The show gave me my intro to Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Yvette Nicole Brown and Danny Pudi. They are all excellent in their own way, and they have all gone on to do some pretty great things. Oh, and please don't let me forget Ken Jeong. He is a revelation here.

Anyway, the other day while watching the initial paintball episode came on. I remembered this episode fondly. But I thought maybe it was just a different time in the world and maybe the more cynical side of me was going to rear its ugly head. I am here to say, this episode absolutely, 100 percent holds up. I found myself just as engrossed as I was the first time. Certain things would happen and it would flood back as a great memory. The episode works so well and it comes on so sudden.

The ep starts out like most "Community" episodes, but it delves into something so much different and amazing. When Jeff, McHale, goes to his car to nap, and then it says "1 hour later", it becomes something completely different. The show has the feel of a post-apocalyptic half hour. The camera changes. It looks dimmer and darker. When Jeff is walking around campus we all see people splattered with paint. He speaks to a student and the student fills him in on what has happened in the past hour. It is an amazing monologue from a bit actor on the show. From here on out it follows post-apocalyptic cliches, but does it so much better than most shows that are actually in that genre. Troy and Abed find him and take him in. They have a great talk off about what they should do. They also act like they are going to turn on one another, but never do. It is classic, but it is also hilarious. Troy and Abed are an excellent duo and they riff off one another so well. This episode is one of the best examples of their chemistry. When they meet up with the ladies in the bathroom it just gets better from there. From Troy trying to team up with Shirley, to Abed living his life through TV, to them using Pierce to get away from some intruders, to Britta and Jeff vying to help Shirley and then hooking up. It is all there and it all works to perfection. Even in the end, when everyone is out of the game except for Jeff, he doesn't have some epic speech about winning, he goes to the dean's office and demands to know why he did what he did and kind of goes nuts. It is too perfect. I also enjoyed the hell out of the way he got the dean with a paintball to the head and the dean didn't even flinch. When they see everyone cleaning up the day after the paintball game the camera goes back to normal and everything seems all normal again, except for the tension between Britta and Jeff.

This episode is so wonderful and so perfect and hits all the right notes. I actually feel like it is kind of underrated now. When it first came out it was this instant internet classic. People kept it in the consciousness for a bit, but I haven't heard much about it anymore. I'm here to try and change that the best way I can. Go watch this episode. In fact, go watch the entire series, well maybe up until Donald Glover leaves, and remind yourself how dope this show was. "Community" is a classic and it should be revered as such. And this paintball episode is perfect.

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.

Ty Watches "Grand Crew" Season Two

When "Grand Crew" came out last year with its first season I really liked it. It is a funny, quick witted and very well made show. I enjoy the actors and the writers. They all come from stuff that I listen to or watch, so I was predisposed to like the show.

The first season came and went and it was great. I enjoyed every bit of it. It got better and better as it went on. That is the sign of a very good show. When they announced a second season I was stoked. I waited and waited and it premiered at the beginning of this month. The move to Friday night worried me, but in the age of streaming the day a show comes out on a network is not as important as it once was.

I got caught up on the first four episodes of season two yesterday, and I am here to say that season two is even better than the first. The show feels sharper. The writing is even funnier. The relationships are wonderfully crafted. The cast and crew seems to really be vibing off one another. The show works. But what I noticed, the highest compliment I can give a show that I watch, it feels comfortable. Watching "Grand Crew" in this second season is like wrapping a nice warm blanket around myself in the dead of winter. The show is engaging. The storylines with all the characters are funny and thoughtful. The love connections all work. The guest stars are wonderful and people that come from other comedy things I consume. The show feels like a throwback in the best possible way. I grew up with sitcoms in the house. My parents loved and watched shows like "Seinfeld", "The Simpsons", "Curb Your Enthusiasm". These are classic sitcoms that all work in their own way. I go back and watch these shows when I want to relax and go back to that time in my life. Watching "Grand Crew" yesterday gave me that feeling. I was sitting on the love seat and I just felt comfortable with each passing episode. I never grew tired. I didn't look down at my phone. I was engaged. I was focused. And I was completely relaxed. This show is thriving. They are doing pretty much everything right. Even with classic sitcom tropes, they nail it. They went to a psychic in an episode I watched and when it turned out she was a con artist, I didn't roll my eyes. Instead I found myself laughing. I liked the route they went with the story. I liked how they involved all the characters and showed their arc's in 22 minutes. It was a new interpretation of a classic sitcom story. And that is how every episode has felt to this point. The people behind "Grand Crew" seem to have a vast knowledge of what they are doing and they are putting it to use in the best way possible.

I want this show to stick around. I want these actors to keep acting together in this scenario this show has created. I want to see more and more stuff like this on a modern sitcom. "Grand Crew" needs to stay on TV. This is a good show with a fresh take on old classic tropes. The writers are exceptional. I am going to continue to sing this show's praises because it more than deserves it. Go watch. I bet you will all enjoy it as much as I do. 

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.

Ty Watches "The Last of Us" Episode 3 "Long, Long Time"

Spoilers for anyone that has not seen the third episode of “The Last of Us”

We have started to watch "Last of Us" in my home. Many people have told us to watch and we are finally doing it. This show is incredible, but my goodness is it depressing and too close to reality. I fully believe something like this could happen, especially after how unprepared we were for COVID. I find myself depressed at times watching it because it feels too real. All that aside, the show is very well done, well written and well acted.

The first two episodes were a great way to get us into this universe, I guess it is based off a video game I have never played, but the third episode was something special. I had heard from the same people telling me and my wife to watch that this was the episode that would get us, both in good and bad ways. I also saw all the headlines when it initially aired and the hype was through the roof for me. The third episode exceeded my own personal hype, and then some.

This was a magical hour of television. I was in awe of what I was watching. I could not believe how they achieved their goal, and then took it even further. When the episode finished I told my wife that it was the best thing I have seen on tv in my entire life. We are two days removed from watching it and my feelings have not changed.

Nick Offerman played this doomsday prepper who wasn't going to leave his home when everything went down. He had a plan and he stuck to it. He had a fence around his property, he set up booby traps, he got what he needed to survive and he was living a quiet life by himself. Four years into everything a man trips and falls into one of his traps. Murray Bartlett, from "The White Lotus" and "Flight of the Conchords", played Frank. He was the person that fell. Bill, Offerman's character, helps him when he realizes he isn't infected, and expects him to leave by that night.

Frank ended up staying for the next 16 years. They fell in love. They had ups and downs like every couple. They showed each other things they had never seen before. They helped each other do things they had never done before. They made friends over the radio, most notably with Joel and Tess, the two main people from the Boston Quarantine Zone. They took care of one another. They exercised together. They painted and kept a garden together. They painted and played piano together. When Bill gets shot, Frank tends to his needs. When Frank grew ill, not infected, that needs to be said when talking about this show, Bill took care of him. They had this wonderful life together in this crazy time that this show and video game created. They found each other and they made it work. They seemed destined to find each other.

I was watching the episode and I couldn't believe how well they were showing true love. This is love. There are going to be fights, squabbles and arguments. Those will be resolved and laughed at later in life. There are going to be times when one partner has to take care of the other. They showed this masterfully in this episode. Couples are going to have their own personal preferences and styles and the way they showed them melding together was tremendous. I have never, in my life, seen a better version of true love portrayed on any medium. This was perfection.

This hour-long episode made me feel things I have never felt while engaged in pop culture. I laughed, I sobbed and I felt like it ended the best way it could have. My wife and I were puddles of emotion when it was over, but we loved what they had done. My wife can cry pretty easily at stuff like this, but it takes a lot to get me. This one got me and held me the entire time. I was consistently wiping tears from my face. My wife went through a ton of tissues. I was moved by this episode. This was perfection.

I do not know that anything will ever live up to what "Last of Us" did with their third episode. Shows like "Breaking Bad", "Better Call Saul", "The Simpsons" and "The Wire" may end up being better overall in the long run, but this episode of "Last of Us" might be the greatest episode of television that will ever exist. Even if you don't want to watch the show, or are a superfan of the video game and don't want to see a tv show about it, watch this episode. This is not in the video game, this is its own separate story and it is a masterclass in tv making history. My wife and I both said, and my dad for that matter as well, that Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman, and the writers of this episode, should win every single tv award that they possibly can for this. This was a masterpiece and I am so thankful and grateful that I got to see.

What an absolutely wonderful hour of tv. Wow, just wow. My hat is off to you all. Thank you. 

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.

Ty Watches "Party Down" Season Three

My wife and I just got caught up on "Party Down". We watched the series when it first premiered and loved it. When they announced this reboot or remake or re imagining or whatever you call it, I was a little skeptical. The main characters on the show have all gone on to have pretty solid careers. They are all working in show business in some form, mostly acting. But when the crew gets back together, good things usually happen. That was what happened with "The Simpsons Movie", and while "Party Down" is no "Simpsons", it is not a bad idea to have the original cast and crew come together.

What I liked so much about the original run of the show was the slow burn comedy style they put forth. Some episodes would go almost all the way to the end before revealing the biggest joke, and it always hit. The writers of this show have an incredible hit rate when it comes to joke writing. But they did not have to hit you over the head with joke after joke after joke. Sometimes that works, "30 Rock", but sometimes I like to wait for it and be stoked when it happens. That is where "Party Down" succeeds.

Luckily they have done the same with the first three episodes of the new season so far. There are jokes, but you really have to wait. The third episode has a great joke that ends the episode, and the wait totally paid off. I was cackling when it landed. And the actors are still doing a bang up job here in the revival, or whatever. Adam Scott is perfect in his role. I cannot picture anyone else playing this character. He is so good at it and crushes when on screen. Ken Marino may be even better, returning as Ron Donald. He is so put upon and pathetic and plays it to perfection. He is the clear comic star here and he is crushing it. Megan Mullaly and Jane Lynch have been on here and there, but when they are on they are great. They have both moved on from the catering company for different reasons, but the writers have found a wonderful way to include them here. Ryan Hansen is still crushing it as the wannabe star who is a little more dopey than he realizes. His journey so far this season has been a joy to watch. Martin Starr hasn't done too much yet, but you can tell it is coming, and the stuff he has had to work with so far he has nailed. Lizzy Caplan didn't come back for this, but the people they got to replace her have been doing very good work. Tyrel Jackson Williams is great as the person trying to be the next viral video star. He is a very funny actor and is doing great work here. And Zoe Chao is excellent as the pretentious chef who makes the craziest food I have ever heard of in my life. We also have Jennifer Garner who is superb and doing some of the best work in her career in my opinion. She is excellent in this role.

The show still has the overall feel of the original, it is just updated to modern times. They have touched on the pandemic and proud boys and superhero movies, among other things, and it has all worked to this point. After we finished the third episode last night I told my wife that I was thrilled it was back on and not much has changed. She agreed and we both said that the third episode made us even excited for what is to come.

"Party Down" was a great, underrated show when it first aired. Now it is back and as good as it was before. I'm stoked and I recommend this show for anyone. It is as well written and acted as any show on TV right now. 

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.

Ty Watches "History of the World: Part II"

I'm a Mel Brooks fan so I was stoked to watch "History of the World: Part 2" this week. I have now watched six of the first eight episodes, I will finish it off tonight, and I have some thoughts.

I went back and rewatched "History of the World: Part 1" about a week ago. There is some problematic language and stuff in that movie, as with most stuff from that era of tv and movies, but damn it did it make me laugh. Brooks may be the funniest film maker of all time. There is no other comedy director who has made me laugh as consistently as him. Even his not so good stuff, "Robin Hood: Men in Tights", has its moments. But, I was a little hesitant going into this sequel, so many years later. I also read some stuff recently that said it felt "neutered" and called it a "let down". I have gotten none of that from the first six episodes. I have been laughing very hard at what I have seen so far. It has kept my attention. I have not found myself going to my phone at all while I watch the series. I also like that they have made it a series and not a movie sequel. That was the right move.

Also, when you have Nick Kroll, Ike Barinholtz and Wanda Sykes as the leads, that is top notch comedy for me. I am a fan of all three of these people and really enjoy their other work. The writing staff is full of comedy people that I hear on many podcasts every week. I feel like this new series was made for a comedy fan like myself. The jokes are rapid fire and funny. There are very few sketches that don't make me laugh. And the ones that don't hit as hard with me still work in the flow of the show.

The other actors that they got for this are big time people, Jack Black, Pamela Adlon, Tim Baltz, Dove Cameron, Jay Ellis, Zahn McClarnon, JB Smoove, Tyler James Williams, Johnny Knoxville, his "Jackass" co stars, Mitra Jouhari, James Adomian, Zazie Beetz, Ronny Chieng, Rob Corddry, Colton Dunn, Richard Kind, and so many, many more that I could name.That is a pretty hefty cast list. It has the big names I mentioned, and also some names of people who are about to hit big. Brooks, Barinholtz, Sykes and Kroll really wanted to get some of their friends in this, and their friends are giving wonderful performances.

I am also a fan of the whole sketch thing. I think this keeps my attention even more. Some of the sketches are long running. They evolve from each episode. But I appreciate the fact that they give each sketch about five to six minutes and move on. And the sketches that they shorten are explosions of comedy. There is this commercial bit about statues that is tremendous. It has made me laugh harder than most of the stuff on the show. But it all works for me.

As I said before, this feels like it is a comedic show made for my comedic sensibilities. I feel like they decided to make this show for my generation. I don't know many other 40 year olds that have seen the original "History of the World", but I know a bunch of 40 year olds who like this show. It has the same sensibility as the original, but it is all new sketches. Mel Brooks came on the first episode and said he wouldn't do this if it was just a remake. That was a smart, smart move.

I say ignore the critics and watch this show. Each episode is about 27 minutes long and they are packed with jokes. It is very good and I hope they make more. I am a fan. 

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.  

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.

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.  

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.

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.  

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.

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.  

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.

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.  

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.

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.