Category: TV Reviews

Review: Kure Kure Takora


dictatoroctupusKure Kure Takora (or, Gimme Gimme Octopus, as it’s known in English) is a 1970s Japanese kids’ series of something like 260 short films, each about 3 minutes long, give or take. It’s one of the most surreal things I’ve ever seen on TV. (Kids totally get the best media…)
So, the show. It’s… hard to describe. The title character is an octopus who goes around saying “Kure Kure!” at everything (which means “Gimme Gimme!”/”I want it!”), and his best friend/partner in crime (literally…) is a peanut or a Squash (“Chombo”, I think is his name). Both Takora and Chombo are in love with a weird narwhal thing. Law in their weird little sound-stage village is kept (sorta…) by a badger who’s the sherriff – though, strangely for a kids’ show, Takora and Chombo are usually on the wrong side of the law, stealing from guys who look like they might be Sea Cucumbers?
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Review: Pink Lady & Jeff

Pink Lady (TV series)

Image via Wikipedia


Jeff Altman‘s one of those folks who tends to just pop up all around but you never seem to notice him. I’m not really what you’d all an Altman fan (his use of soft-focus and his sound design drives me nuts, but the former’s just because I’ve got really poor eyesight anyway… wait, wrong Altman!), but he’s interesting to look about in just the way he pops up everywhere.
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Review: Archer, Season 1

Intertitle from the FX television program Archer

Image via Wikipedia





Last winter, I ended up getting really sick with the flu; I stayed home from work for almost a week and barely even left my bed, let alone my apartment.  This was not exactly what you’d call fun, but one good thing came from this.  In the few hours I was awake, I’d spend time watching things on Netflix’s Instant Streaming.  I caught up with a few things I’d wanted to see but didn’t have time before — David Cross and H. Jon Benjamin’s Freak Show for one (which was OK, but not as good as I hoped it’d be) and a show I’d heard quite a bit about but never seen, Archer.

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Review: Xavier: Renegade Angel

Xavier: Renegade Angel

Image via Wikipedia

When Wonder Showzen was cancelled, many people wondered what’d be PFFR’s follow-up to it — and they were probably expecting another sketch-comedy show, perhaps with a similar hook.  Instead, they got the intentionally-poorly-CG’d Xavier: Renegade Angel, a 15 minute program on [adult swim]. The Cheap-Sims-knockoff-looking show at first didn’t really even feel much of anything like Wonder Showzen, and I don’t believe it ever found the same audience, but it might just be more rewarding.
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Real Bad Things (HBO's "True Blood" Season One On DVD)

[Purchase DVDalt]

Each episode hits the ground running, taking up the action at the exact point where the previous episode left off. Neither character, nor viewer, is allowed even a moment to orient themself, or to find a safe perch, psychically speaking. Welcome to Bon Temps, Louisiana. Welcome to the world of True Blood.

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Anime Review: Chrono Crusade

[Purchase Series]

There have been numerous stories that take an unusual view of the war between Heaven and Hell and those who fight that war. Some are focused more on their interpretations of the Divine Mission, some more on action and some more on the supernatural.

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TV Review: Whale Wars

Season 1 on Animal Planet. Season 1 marathon airing Friday 4 pm e/c, Season 2 coming Summer 2009. Season 1 DVD releases Feb. 10, 2009.

Whale Wars has harpooned my heart and drawn me in. It has everything a tree hugger could want: vegan pirates, passionate animal lovers throwing stink bombs at whalers, environmental dangers, chase scenes, cute animals, hostage situations. It’s a very intense experience! I’ve watched and re-watched this entire series and I now wish to encourage others to watch it too. There is a marathon airing this Friday (Dec. 26, 2008) at 4 pm e/c. Season 1 is also being released on DVD in February 2009, with Season 2 docking next summer.

Whale Wars is about the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s efforts to stop Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. The Sea Shepherds use direct action to intervene in illegal poaching of whales and other marine animals. They are made up entirely of volunteers, some experienced, some not. They have a variety of non-violent methods that they use to deter the whalers, including stink bombs, rotten butter, prop foulers, etc. Continue reading →

TV Liveblogging: Some Episode Of Monk

I’ve always wanted to liveblog a show. And this might end up being a recurring thing. So here it goes! I’m watching the Monk marathon on USA tonight.

I like Monk OK, but I haven’t seen hardly any episodes. So I haven’t seen this one, most likely.

 

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Review: The Pick-Up Artist

The Pick-Up Artist is a new reality show on VH1 (Monday nights, then repeated ad-nauseum) starring a man named “Mystery” who is a “Master Pick-Up Artist”. He’s on a mission to turn some geeks into into smooth operators. Or nice guys into jerks, depending on how you look at it.

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