Top TV Musicals

I rewatched one of the things on the list below and it got me thinking [again] about how much can be done on a TV budget. Its also amazing to note how talented writers and directors/producers are, that these pools of talent end up forming, and its a credit to the medium of television, that most fans are so hooked that they fully embrace the idea of a musical episode. So here are a few choice musical episodes of TV shows

8. Oz - Variety

Darkly comic prison drama...doesn't really go with a musical does it? Does Oz prove me wrong...honestly, not really. Its still a pretty good show though, from what I remember anyhow

7. 7th Heaven- Red Sox

When a show pulls out a musical in season nine, chances are its in trouble, trying too little too late. Unfortunately this is the case here, with a cheesy episode of valentines songs. Even if my beloved Jessica Biel was in it, it wouldn't help.

6. Xena - The Bitter Suite

There's something weirdly enjoyable about this monstrosity. The singing is given no explanation, and everything is camp and cheesy, and maybe its for that very reason, that it works. The cast are clearly having a ball, and Renee O'Conner has a decent set of pipes , even if everyone else's singing is kind of ropey

5. Greys Anatomy - Song Beneath the Song

 
This one is just plain weird. It was apparently in the works since day one, but it took till season seven to convince the network. Whilst out of the show's normal context, the singing is pretty good, especially from Ramirez. The lack of original songs is something of a let down though

4. Scrubs - My Musical

 
Scrubs has always had a strong vein in absurdism, which lends it the perfect legs to support a musical. Unfortunately its let down by the casts inadequate singing ability, especially, Sarah Clarke. A 22-minute episode also seems quite short to fit in a variety of songs and a decent plot, so I'm cutting it some slack...mind you, another entry on the list manages it just fine

3. Ally McBeal - Ally McBeal: The Musical, Almost

Before Scrubs, the show to go to if you wanted absurdist asides, was Ally McBeal. Its has had several songs during its run, so it makes sense that there's a musical episode. The tone fits in perfectly, and a decent plot makes for a fitting series finale

2. Even Stevens - Influenza the Musical

The wacky kids show that launched Shia La Boeuf, also produced this musical oddity. A bout of flu starts causing musical hallucinations and hilarity does indeed ensue. The songs are catchy and sweet and the comedic tone is perfect

1. Buffy - Once More with Feeling

To this day, its still the gold standard; the yardstick to which all other TV musicals are held. The episode featured original, catchy tunes in a variety of styles, and at least half the cast had professional voices, but none of this is the reason its at number one. What makes it so good is the way the random singing is perfectly explained in the plot, and the songs all serve a purpose in progressing that plot, as well as the characters. A demon is brought forth which makes people burst into song, causing all the main characters to profess the secrets they've been harbouring. The human drama it creates is fantastic

I have to give special credit to Popular, which had a musical number during the season one finale, and to Glee, which does it day in, day out.

Film of the Year 2012.. the Long List

We're nearing the end of 2012..and possibly the end of civillisation? No, probably not.
Even so, its time to produce a list of the most likely films to end up in contention for FOTY 2012. Some I havnt seen yet, some arent even out yet, but these are the most obvious choices. Obviously its still anyone's game, and a complete outsider might take the crown, but realistically, these are the main contenders:

Rampart

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Ruby Sparks

Cosmopolis

Argo

Life of Pi

Django Unchained

Cloud Atlas

Wreck-it Ralph

The Hobbit

Unrealistic Movie Conventions

Sorry its been a while since the last post, I've been pretty busy recently, and the blog post frequency is slowing down. I've got more ideas coming up soon, but in the meantime this ought to tide you over. Silly, pointless, unrealistic things people do in movies, time and time again

Picking Locks
The principle of lockpicking is that you use one instrument to put tension on the internal barrel of the lock, whilst using another to press the individual pins until they click into place. Sometimes custom tools can do both things at once, if they are built for a specific lock, and if the lock is kind of crappy. This principle has been around for decades, coupled with numerous blogs and books on lockpicking, yet when you watch most Hollywood films, somehow somebody always manages to pick a lock with just one piece of wire. Its forgivable in a ludicrous, cheesy action film, but not in a espionage film, or one purporting to some degree of realism. So if you're ever locked away, be warned, a single hairpin is unlikely to be much use

Phone Calls
You know that feeling, when you have to make a call. You scroll down to the right name, press the call button, wait for that pause while your phone gets its act together, and then wait for the phone to ring a few times before someone picks up. Well people in films don't have that problem. Apparently everyone is on speed dial, because one touch connects you straight through. And I'm not sure what network they're on, but its connected straight away! I guess their friends are just waiting by the phone for someone to call.

Driving
I'm not a great driver, for a number of reasons, but I am well aware of safe driving habits. Characters in films...not so much. Nobody ever puts on a handbrake when they park, and when using an unfamiliar car, nobody in the history of Hollywood has ever adjusted their seat and mirrors. In fact, most film characters turn to their passenger whilst in the middle of conversation, presumably using some form of divine telepathy to see the road without actually looking at it

Hacking
Hacking requires time and patience. There are certain developer tools required, and code compilers, and often specialist hardware is needed, to get access to hard coding. This is all of course, unless you're a movie hacker, in which case a laptop with no software in it is fine. A few key strokes here and a few keystrokes there..BOOM! You've been hacked.... Ridiculous.

Bomb Squad
Surely it goes without saying that 'cut the red wire' is perhaps the stupidest thing the action film ever came up with. Most bombs don't have a crazy array of countermeasures with gas and prisms and motion detectors etc. Most Bombs are amateur and thus unstable, and this is the main problem. And obviously...the colour of the wire doesn't matter at all, its all about whats connected to where and why.

Bathroom Door
Most ordinary people are taught to lock the door when they go to the bathroom, for the sake of privacy if nothing else. Its something you learn when you're young, and a habit you never get out of..unless your life is a movie. Look out for it next time you watch a film..you'll be surprised how often a character walks into somebody else in the bathroom, the door having inexplicably been left unlocked

Hotwiring a car
The number of times in films its just a case of bashing the plastic below the wheel and connecting the wire together until they spark..it almost makes you think you could do it. Except that the plastic is actually quite solid, and needs screwing off. And the wire aren't bare, so they need stripping. And unless the car is 25+ years old, there's probably an immobiliser. Don't even get me started in the Silm Jim

Sex
If you're having sex, and you don't want to conceive, you use protection or at least birth control..right? Nope..wrong Apparently. As screen characters, you can have impromptu sex with anyone, and somehow not end up pregnant