The Golden Age of Hipper Than Thou CD Fetishization Begins Now
Remember when our parent all claimed records were way better than CDs? Now, we can tell our kids that CDs are way better than these silly digital files.

An Industry Split in the Comcast/NBC Universal Deal
The Director’s Guild of America and the Writer’s Guild of America have diverging viewpoints on whether the Comcast/NBC Universal merger is a good idea. Both sides have valid points, but I can’t help but think too much consolidation is a bad thing. I mean, I still can’t get Comcast Sports NW in the northwest unless I subscribe to Comcast cable, so I can’t help but think that putting Comcast in charge of NBC will eventually mean less access to NBC on other cable/satellite providers.

Your Ex-Boyfriend, Pop Culture, and You
This blogger started watching True Blood with her ex, and kept the show after she dumped him. What about you: what new tastes did you pick up from your exes, and which things can you never watch or listen to again?

Television Review: Memphis Beat
It was nice to see Earl back on the screen, even though Earl looked weird in a sport coat. And, yes, I am implying that Jason Lee’s new character needs a little work before it is distinct from Earl, other than the different look. Did you watch Memphis Beat? If so, did you like it? I’m not sold yet, but I’m also finding myself much more discriminating about my television shows these days.

Sage Professor Blends Pop Culture and Academia
Why did they not have classes like this when I was in college? I mean, I took some great classes, such as Media Theory and Criticisim and Women, Minorities, and the Media. And my State and Local Politics class somehow got co-opted into All Malcom X, All the Time (the movie came out that term). But, I never got to take a class where I could discuss current popular literature, let alone anything with sci fi, fantasy, or supernatural elements.

TV Review: The Gates
I finally caught an episode of Pretty Little Liars, but I missed The Gates this week. I am going to have to get more comfortable watching my TV shows online, because nothing seems to work with my schedule, and I know it’s just going to get worse after the baby is born. Anyway, I know our loyal reader Katie was not blown away by the gates, but I’d love to know what the rest of you thought of it. Or if you even bothered to watch yet another vamp show.

Amanda Bynes: Is Her Retirement Real?
So, this is the weirdest story of this week. Who retires on Twitter?

True Blood Stars Maintain Their Sexy Reputations
Ryan Kwanten is releasing a sex guide, and Alexander Skarsgard will star in Battleship. When I first heard about Battleship, I decided that Hollywood was much too desperate for new ideas. But, if Eric Northman is there, so am I.

Supernatural News

The Winchester Brothers Get Animated in Alleged Supernatural Concept Art
I like the Sam concepts, but Dean doesn’t quite work for me. But, I’m not really the target, as I’m not a big anime fan.

Supernatural Lead Actors Voicing Two Episodes of Anime Adaptation
More on the anime show. Everything is so up in the air with these details that it is hard to know what it true. But, I think it would be great of the boys provided their voice talent–good for the anime series, and good for the boys’ earning power.

Early Look: Supernatural Season 5 Blu Ray and DVD
Looks like there will be some fun special features on the disc set. Are you going to replace your older DVD sets with the new Blu-ray editions as they are released? Or will you just keep them and switch to Blu-ray with this season?

Also, there are some spoilers coming out, so visit the spoilers page if you want to know.

Related Posts:

• Pop Culture Roundup, June 17
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 13
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 27
• Pop Culture Curmudgeon, May 21. Special Upfronts Edition.
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13

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Superfan Lindsay Lohan Not Wanted on True Blood
Schadenfreude? Yes.

Sam Raimi Circles Wizard of Oz Prequel
Well, it’s probably not the worst idea. (A remake of Arthur is the worst idea.)

Game Changer? Paramount & Red Box Enter Pact to Release Day and Date in the Sell-Through Market After 10-Month Test
Well, that title, possibly the longest ever, sums it up. The execs at Paramount realized that Red Box is not the reason for poor DVD sales. People who would buy won’t be affected by the availability of rentals. Hopefully, the other studioes will follow suit and will craft the same agreements with Netflix.

Pretty Little Liars Bucks the Trend, Retains 100% of Its Premiere Audience
I admit it: I haven’t watched Pretty Little Liars yet. And I don’t know why. It looks like I will love it.

Feminism and Pop Culture
This looks like a book I will enjoy. I’ll have to check to see if we have it at our library.

Supernatural News

Could Jensen Ackles or Nina Dobrev Win an Emmy?
Well, I don’t think any of us expect such a thing to happen, but it is nice to see the network get behind its popular shows and campaign for them to get an Emmy nod.

Teen Choice Awards 2010: Supernatural Nominated as Best Fantasy/Sci Fi TV Show
This is an award that is a little bit more likely. Visit the post for a link to the voting–you can vote once per day.

Supernatural: Confirmation that Jensen Ackles Is Directing an Episode
It’s always fun to see the results when a star moves behind the camera.

Related Posts:

• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 13
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 27
• What Will You Be Watching This Summer?
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13

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Royal Pains
I enjoyed this show last summer, and I expect this seasons to give me more of the same: frothy fun and funny situations. And it starts June 3, which is only a few days away.

True Blood
True Blood will be back June 13, and I can’t wait.

You know I don’t like to be spoiled, so I’m not watching any promos or reading any episode guides, but if you like that sort of thing, check out this page and this one.

Rookie Blue
I like Missy Peregrym, so I’ll give this show a chance. I’m not a huge fan of cop shows, though, so it will take either a really great show or a really boring summer to keep me around. This one premieres June 24.

What Else?
Most of what I’ve seen is reality crap, so I’m thinking I’ll be watching a lot of reruns and DVDs this summer. I’m hoping they will play all of the Vampire Diaries so I can get caught up. I watched the first few episodes, but then I started watching Flash Forward instead. Probably not the wisest choice I’ve ever made, but you know how it is.

What shows will be lighting up your TV screen this summer?

Related Posts:

• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13
• What Summer Shows Are You Looking Forward To?
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 17
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 3

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• TV Stories
• Supernatural
• Random Stuff

TV Stories

Lo Bosworth Talks about Reality of The Hills on Bonnie Hunt
This is an interesting look at what is actually real on reality TV.

GLAAD: Newsweek Articles Sends a Damaging Message
The flap over whether an openly gay actor can play straight heated up again this week with the publication of the essay “Straight Jacket.” Do you think an actor’s personal life affects your ability to suspend your disbelief? I think it does in most cases. If it doesn’t work, it’s a problem with their acting, not their personal life.

I still hold Harrison Ford in low esteem because of his comments that no one would believe Anne Heche as a straight woman when she was cast as his lead in Six Days, Seven Nights. I mean, people believe her when she plays someone who isn’t insane. (She did have a nervous breakdown. And it’s been long enough that it’s funny, right?)

Supernatural

Supernatural Episode Recap: Two Minutes to Midnight
Just in case you don’t remember what happened last week.

First Finale Look: Vampire Diaries and Supernatural
I can’t believe it is already the season finale tonight! Here’s a little preview of what is to come.

Swan Song Finale Clip
A clip from tonight’s episode.

Sneak Peek #2: Supernatural 5.22 “Swan Song”
And another.

Joe Schreiber Talks Supernatural, The Unholy Cause
Another piece on the newest SPN tie-in novel.

Exclusive Interview with Jim Beaver
Beaver talks about the reasons Supernatural has stuck around so long and his other projects.

Random Stuff

Goodbye, Sookie
When is it time to break up with a series? I’ve talked about this before, and I think it is perfectly okay to stop reading or watching a series when you realize it no longer brings you joy.

Related Posts:

• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 3
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 27
• What Will You Be Watching This Summer?
• Pop Culture Roundup, April 29

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• Flash Forward: March 18 (Only 2 short days)
• The United States of Tara: March 22 (6 days)
• Supernatural: March 25 (9 days)
• True Blood: June 13 (89 long days)

What shows are you awaiting?

Related Posts:

• My Fall TV Viewing Schedule
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13
• Pop Culture Roundup, February 11
• Pop Culture Roundup, February 4

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Anyway, here are the links from the past week that I found interesting and amusing.

• Random Pop Culture Stuff
• TV Stories
• Supernatural

Random Pop Culture Stuff

Men at Work Stole Tune in 80s Hit “Down Under” from “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree”
The lovable guys from down under could end up owing a lot of money to the company who owns the copyright to this song (no, not the person who wrote it or even the descendants of the writer, some company). They are asking for 60% of the total royalties earned since the release of the song.

Colin Firth: By Anyone’s Measure, a Leading Man
This is a nice interview of Firth by NPR, focusing on his Oscar nomination and the role that earned it for him.

Why Are There So Few Female Film-makers?
In this Guardian article, Kira Cochrane explores the issues that keep women out of the director’s chair. She provides an interesting history of the treatment of women in popular cinema that made me think back to a paper I wrote in college comparing the lesbian characters in lesbian cinema with those in mainstream film. I always meant to gussy it up and submit it to an academic journal, but I never got around to it. Perhaps one day, I will revisit the topic with a longer-term focus.

TV Stories

Scoop: Heroes Star to Play Alcide’s Sister on True Blood
The casting announcements for season 3 of True Blood are coming fast and furious. This article includes links to the other recent additions to the cast, including Alfre Woodard as Lafayette’s mom. (Have I mentioned lately how happy I am that Lafayette didn’t die at the end of season 1?)

Lost Faces a New Reality in the Final Season Premiere
Need a little help with Tuesday’s season premiere? Ryan at Zap2it has detailed and understandable recaps each week.

Supernatural

The Hardy Boys Are Both, Like, Stuck in this Suckfest
Demian at Television without Pity gives the best recaps. Useful if you missed the last episode, and great fun to read in full even if you didn’t.

Inside the Supernatural 100^th Episode Party
How many times over the years did we worry that our awesome show wouldn’t make it until 100 episodes? But it did, and this is your TV Addict-sponsored look at the party.

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Supernatural: Scifi Series Spins Bible Stories into a Final Fantasy
An interesting look at the mythology of Supernatural and the Bible.

Lost and Supernatural: Have They Become the Same Show?
Maureen Ryan looks at the parallels between Lost and Supernatural. I was thinking the same thing when I was watching Tuesday’s Lost premiere.

Supernatural: Preview of Episode 5.13 “The Song Remains the Same”
Get ready for tonight’s episode with a synopsis and a clip.

Supernatural Countdown Number 12: Driver Picks the Music
More of the countdown of all that is awesome about Supernatural, with some clips of the most effective and fun uses of music on the show.

Related Posts:

• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 27
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13
• Countdown to New Shows: Spring 2010
• Pop Culture Roundup, February 11

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What summer shows will lure you out of the sun and fun? What will you completely ignore?

Related Posts:

• What Will You Be Watching This Summer?
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 17
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 3

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After watching the cliffhanger of True Blood last night, though, I was reminded of the worst part of getting hooked on an HBO series: the horribly long hiatus. We have to wait until summer 2009 to find out how the cliffhanger elements play out.

* Spoilers follow *

At least seven months to find out what is up with Mary Ann. Seven months to find out where Sam is going with all that money. Seven months to find out just how annoying a newly created vampire with a Christian chip on her shoulder can be. And seven months to find out whether my wonderful Lafayette is dead, knocked out, or turned into a vampire.

I think I will have to read the entire series of books by Charlaine Harris. I don’t know if I can stand to wait so long to find out what is up.

Related Posts:

• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 17
• What Will You Be Watching This Summer?
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13
• Countdown to New Shows: Spring 2010

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Related Posts:

• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 17
• What Will You Be Watching This Summer?
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13
• Countdown to New Shows: Spring 2010

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Here’s my question for those of you who have read the first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Dead Until Dark. Should I wait until this season of True Blood is over before I read the book?

Related Posts:

• Pop Culture Roundup, June 24
• Pop Culture Roundup, June 17
• What Will You Be Watching This Summer?
• Pop Culture Roundup, May 13
• Countdown to New Shows: Spring 2010

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