The guy’s reaction is too good! Well done, Directv. Excellent marketing team responsible for dis. I has it, too.

In its third season on AMC, Breaking Bad is acted with perfect realism, has inventive and engaging dialog (read: writing), and is pushed to the screen with intense emotion and on-point direction. Though I’ve also seen the first two seasons, Breaking Bad has become one of my all time favorite television shows. Set in the southwest, Breaking Bad (no spoiler here, these revelations are exposed in episode one of season one) is a story about a high school chemistry teacher who falls on hard times and begins cooking the purest, most perfect form of crystal meth seen in recent history. The story winds around his troubles, disasters, self-discoveries, and all-out drama that seems to dog his every step.

A true drama, Breaking Bad is the classic edge of your seat production model where each episode is perfectly balanced and hooks the viewer into the next. Of the people I’ve talked to about the show, many have heard “good things” about it but few have actually seen it. Take my advice: rent the first disk of season 1 and drink in all the goodness (and foulness) that is Breaking Bad. You won’t be disappointed.

You won’t find any plot spoilers in this muse but I have some observations about the general tempo and fabric of the movie. Speaking of tempo, they sell you the whole seat but you only need the edge. The plot is rolling almost immediately and doesn’t let go until the end credits slip past. That isn’t a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination and is a successful formula for any sci-fi flick.

They have changed the fabric of the Star Trek universe. Gone are the clean lines and pristine engine rooms of the past. The new Star Trek adds a Battlestar Galactica feel with beaten up shuttle craft, engine rooms the size of warhouses, and weapons that rip a man open. Though it takes a moment to grapple with, I happened to like the different texture of the universe.

My last comment centers on the characters. The cast seems rock solid with only one exception: Pavel Chekov. Too hammed, too over the top; however, the rest, from Spock to McCoy have been faithfully reproduced with fascinating mix of homage to the past while updating everyone for the new look.

All in all, I must say the movie left me wanting more and it certainly sets the stage for future adventures. I rate the movie a solid 8 out of 10. Very good but a few convenient plot points keep it from getting a 9. Enjoy.

When I saw the tease trailer for The Happening I was interested. It looked like the classic, post-apocolyptic flick with a little horror mixed in for good measure. And, although Mark Wahlberg isn’t exactly a fabulous actor, I’ve enjoyed movies like, Three Kings, The Italian Job, and Invincible. Honestly, he makes a far better action star than his portrayal of a high school science teacher. So, this Tuesday I rented The Happening on the first day of release. Errrrr, mistake.

Now, fair warning, this will contain a spoiler but the bottom line is The Happening isn’t. Get it? Yeah, the premise is people start randomly killing themselves for no apparent reason. They shoot, stab, and toss themselves off tall building, all with a resounding finality but it does little to build the suspense. Initially the reports claim this is some sort of chemical attack by terrorist but as you ponderously endure the plot, it becomes evident the enemy isn’t some radical Islam sect, or a splinter group of Russian communists.

Nope, the plants (i.e., the trees, shrubs, and grass) start releasing a toxin which inhibits the self-preservation instinct of people thus causing to act on latent feelings of suicide. The reason? Because the Earth is giving man a warning… Allow me to spend money so you don’t have to. Bottom line: don’t bother.

As I mentioned before, The hosts (pictured left to right) Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond create a wonderful combination of chemistry I seen few rival on US TV, let alone globally. They are down to earth, died in the wool, gear heads who genuinely laugh at each others jokes. What’s more, I recently found a way to see more of their shows. A lot more.

I was currently restricted by the BBC America but recently discovered a friend who has season 4 onward and is letting me watch them at my leisure. I’m just a nutter for this show now. I cannot get enough… I’m watching about two episodes a day and I just don’t have time to do that with school, and other responsibilities. But I don’t care. The wit, the passion, the cars. It all combines into one helluva viewing experience. I think, most of all, having this decent and witty look at my homeland is also warming to the soul. I’m hooked. You should be too. If you want more information on the show, check out their website.

Basic premise of the show, regular housewife is forced into a tough situation and starts dealing weed in the suburbs. It is a dark comedy, full of moments where you think, “oh, that is just so wrong!” but you keep watching. The casting is perfect. The character development on-point, and the dialog is what keeps you coming back, week after week. But the joy of watching is the series right now is because you can rent the entire season, one shot, one viewing, move on. No enduring the weekly wait between episodes. You just get it, like a hose-pipe in the face. But well worth the ride. (Rental fees are quite low as well.)

I strongly recommend you start with season one and work forward from there. Quite hilarious. Quite disturbing, well worth the price of admission. No voilence, mostly perfectly timed comedy. Don’t miss this one. Seriously. Oh, and let me know (via commenting in this thread) about your opinion of the show. I’m curious.