Blogulator Radio 73: Mental Gasps

Click here to witness a very sleep-deprived married couple
try to speak coherently about a bunch of new TV shows they
watched recently.

It's pilot season! And because Chris and Jerksica like to binge on both television and judging, they have watched nearly a dozen new shows that have aired on the major networks so far this fall and would like to share their opinions about them with you. There are three sitcoms they both genuinely like that they've discussed already and check back in on a few episodes into their debut seasons (including FOX's The Mindy Project at the top of their list), an unfortunate handful that neither Chris nor Jerksica have any affection for (such as NBC's confusingly lauded Revolution, the dreadful Ryan Murphy "comedy" The New Normal, and much more), and finally a number of shows they disagree on. There's some that Jerksica enjoys much to the bewilderment of Chris (*cough cough* Animal Practice) and some that Chris is a sucker for despite Jerksica's constant eye-rolling (like the ABC dramas Nashville and Last Resort). And last but not least they check in on some of their favorite returning shows that have premiered recently, especially NBC's Parks & Recreation and the surprisingly well-retooled New Girl and Up All Night. So yes, there is a lot going on here. Buckle up.

0:00-12:33 New Shows Chris & Jerksica Like
12:33-27:57 New Shows Chris & Jerksica Dislike
27:57-39:12 New Shows Upon Which Chris & Jerksica Have Mixed Opinions
39:12-50:25 Returning Shows Chris & Jerksica Like

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Blogulator Radio 70 - "Damian Lewis's Face"

Click here to find out why Amy Poehler and Julia Louis-
Dreyfus are awesome. Also, why Damian Lewis's face is important.

Chris and Jerksica semi-reluctantly watched the Emmys this week, along with the rest of the TV-loving world. And also like the rest of the TV-loving world, they have some opinions about it. They discuss the competency of the broadcast itself, some un-televised awards they care about because they're nerds (Best Main Title Theme or Best Main Title Design anyone?), and you know, who won (yay for Homeland! boo for Modern Family!) and who got snubbed (sob! sob! for Parks & Recreation and Community!). It's what you've come to expect from an awards round-up netcast, but with at least 70% more talk about Damian Lewis's large and discomforting face.

Blogulator Radio is brought to you in part by Netflix, where you can stream your favorite TV shows and movies from your TV, computer, or many other devices as often as you want for just 7.99 a month. Start your free two week trial today and help support independent netcasting. For up to the minute updates all up in your upness, be sure to subscribe to Blogulator Radio via iTunes or RSS.

Apparently We’re All Friends with Rob Lowe: Guest Post by Laura Knepper

Editor's Note: This is the first in what may or may not become a series of reviews of TV-related books. If you're interested in guest reviewing a book written by a TV star, writer, director, etc. contact Chris and Qualler at chrisandqualler@gmail.com. Big thanks to Laura for kicking it off!

Dear Rob, thank you for sharing your stories with us—your friends. Now that we’re besties, maybe we can tell you some of our stories. Maybe even one of them would be on par with your coming-of-age-making-8mm’s-with-other-childhood-stars-chronicles. But that seems unlikely. We found out quickly what an awesome and occasionally troubled [read: drunkenly fun and silly] life you’ve led. Those baby blues have suited you very well.

What I now know is that reading books written by celebrities is always truly fascinating. It really puts us normal people in our place. It reminds us how we don’t do joint venture capital pet projects, don’t ride in private jets, and don’t have drinks with Andy Warhol (as if we even could now…). But despite Lowe’s unintended name dropping and status-imbibing, he attempts matter-of-factness as best as someone that good looking can.

Lowe tried to cultivate a world of normality around his everyday friends—Sarah Jessica Parker, Janet Jackson, Tom Cruise, Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, The Penn brothers. The truth is, these people all had amazing lives, are often swelteringly front-page worthy, and have won lots of shiny awards. The last award I won was not even close to shelf worthy (but thanks, Mom). The average reader may find Rob’s stories slightly patronizing.

Shoving aside the celebrity of it all, Rob Lowe manages to tell some pretty good and often ironic stories. He grew up as an outsider (no pun intended) out of Ohio and later Malibu, California. Picked up as a teen star by Francis Ford Coppola under grueling and demanding conditions, Lowe went on to be a member of what eventually unfolded as the brat-pack: a star studded youthful cast of the 80’s banded together in multiple movies, getting paid loads of cash, and getting in the pants and/or dreams of many tweeny boppers (to Lowe’s dismay, once on a home video camera). Trying to shake the image and stigma, Lowe went years with no solid leads and working on the liberal campaign trail. His then-new sobriety and grounding landed him a wife and two kids—a sliver of what us normal people can actually relate to.

This second wind caught him up in the career opportunity of a lifetime on The West Wing. A teeny weeny show suspected of great things only by a select few and suspected of making only six episodes by a great many—until it aired and won more Emmy’s than Charlie Sheen has hookers. Lowe’s luck has landed him in a weird variety of more comedic side roles in Tommy Boy, Austin Powers, and Parks & Recreation (literally, my personal favorite).

If he had been cast in Footloose prior to shattering his knee during the dance try-out, maybe he’d have had a much different career (6 Degrees of Rob Lowe, anyone?), but it would be indisputable to say he didn’t work hard to get to where he’s at now, teen foibles included. Look for Lowe’s name under the production lines these days, that’s where you’ll likely find him.

Laura Knepper is a friend of The Blogulator as well as the founder of LKc Style, an affordable personal shopping company exclusively for men's clothing. Click the link to find out more.