Game of Thrones Reaction Episode 6

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Hop aboard the Drogon bandwagon while there's still room. Here's all of Ankit's and Frank's takeaways from a wild episode.

Game of Thrones Reaction Episode 4

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Who won the over/under Jon-Sansa hug length pool? Ankit and Frank bring you all the reaction from Episode 4, including the plotting up north, the scheming down south, and the scorching out east. Enjoy it all, but especially Ankit's strangely homoerotic comments!

15 Shows That Piss Me the F*ck Off

One of the problems with watching as many TV shows as I do is that, after a while, they all start to disappoint you. It's a fact of life, too much of anything is never good for you. TV shows are no exception. Remember Prison Break season 1? How awesome was that? Remember Prison Break season 4? If you were lucky (or had an IQ north of 80) you never saw it. You hit the eject button somewhere between seasons 2 and 3. I don't have an eject button. Once I start a show, I get emotionally attached to one thing or another and its nearly impossible for me to stop. I'm like vintage Kobe in the fourth quarter. Do I care that I've shot 4-36 so far? Maybe a little. Am i going stop shooting? Fuck no. What am i supposed to do? Pass to Smush Parker?  

Showing Off Its Feathers

Why NBC's sports coverage is the best in the business

Stoke City's home field, the Britannia Stadium, is located in a city called Stoke-on-Trent. It's perhaps the most British-sounding name for a place you can come up with, at least without having the phrase "shire" somewhere in there. Oh wait, the city is in a county called fucking Staffordshire, so I guess that quota is taken care of. Two Mondays ago it was the site of the most British of competitions, a crucial game in the Barclays Premier League between Stoke and Tottenham Hotspur. And while the game itself was immensely enjoyable for a Spurs fan like myself, the American interlopers at the Britannia Stadium that night also made for an intriguing story line.

In truth, most of NBC Sports' on-air soccer talent is British, but the color commentator for that game was the very American Kyle Martino. He was joined by the spectacular Arlo White, who managed to excel at play-by-play, halftime commentary, and saying "Kyle" with the indignation of Eric Cartman simultaneously. It was a marvelous telecast, and despite its overwhelming Britishness, it helped cement NBC's place as the top sports coverage team in the United States.

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For those of you not on board the soccer bandwagon just yet, let's turn to a sport you probably do watch. My life as a football fan may be over, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the mastery of the production team responsible for Sunday Night Football. It's no accident that SNF's time slot's stock has soared in recent years, while ESPN's Monday Night Football has lagged behind with lackluster games and relatively lackluster ratings. It's amazing how quickly analyst Cris Collinsworth will catch something, and how quickly NBC's production team has the replay angle showing exactly what he's talking about.

Unlike CBS' Phil Simms, who can't finish a thought, and unlike FOX's Troy Aikman, who repeats the same thought over and over again, you can actually learn a thing or two about the game from Collinsworth's commentary. And for whatever reason, his partner Al Michaels always seems like a magnet for big time competition. NBC's last two Superbowls: XLIX (49), in which the Patriots beat Seattle on Malcolm Butler's last-minute, game-clinching interception. And XLVI (46), in which MARIO MANNINGHAM. They missed out on David Tyree, but had this game a year later. Sometimes this stuff takes a little bit of luck, but I guarantee you that if something crazy happens in a football game, the average fan wants Al Michaels on the call.

He believes, but NBC Sports' awesomeness is no miracle

When the game goes to halftime, SNF viewers are greeted by Bob Costas, the greatest warrior poet of our time. Some may roll their eyes or raise their fists at his melodramatic style, but you can't deny that his version of a halftime show is far more entertaining and interesting than any of its counterparts. You might disagree with the point behind his oration, most conservative-minded football fans probably do. But at least he's giving you something to disagree with. That's much better than the halftime shows on the other channels, which essentially provide 15 minutes for the average fan to take a shower or rub one out, or both if he's feeling ambitious.

Great sports coverage has to start from the top down when you're looking at a gigantic company like NBC. And at the very top of the totem pole, the channel's NFL coverage obliterates all of its competition. It's a super-talented crew that's super-passionate about its game. It's an infectious attitude that spreads to both its viewers and its entire coverage team.

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Let's backpedal to global football for a second, and we can see this excellence extends far beyond the actual game coverage. Let's examine a show that has, perhaps more than anything else, worked tirelessly to raise soccer profile in the United States. It's a show that's been operating out of a glorified broom closet and has still swept up the attention of GFOPs across the country. For any bald deniers out there who don't know what I'm talking about, it's time to discuss the Men in Blazers.

By presenting the game of soccer in an accessible, inventive, and humorous way, the Michael Davies-Roger Bennett duo has captivated a whole new audience of soccer fans. Once they moved to NBC Sports, they fostered a synergistic relationship with the channel's Premier League coverage. Both have gained popularity as a result. It was a real savvy decision to bring the Men in Blazers on board just as their Premier League coverage started to develop. But it was even smarter to not meddle in their show.

Rumors are Rebecca Lowe does this every pre-show for good luck

On paper, the Men in Blazers shouldn't work. It's two British guys with absolutely no playing experience attempting to explain a sport that was on the fringes of popularity here in America as recently as five years ago. They each had successful careers before undertaking the show, but very little of it involved them being in front of the camera. It has the always coveted time slot of 11 p.m. on a Monday, which is bumped back even further this time of year thanks to the Stanley Cup Playoffs (more on those later). Conventional wisdom was stacked against them, but that's helping them in a way. They have pushed their "sub-optimal" brand to maximum heights.

In reality, these are two incredibly gifted talk show hosts, even if you would never hear them admit to it. Davies is one of the most passionate and enthusiastic hosts in the business, and Bennett can turn a trite analogy into a hilarious punchline like no one else can. It's a running theme within the entire NBC Sports umbrella; if you sit back and let talented talkers do their thing, you're going to be pleased with the results.

No matter the sport, the announcers and analysts on NBC seem to be a cut above the rest. We've already mentioned the likes of Costas, Michaels, Collinsworth, White, and Martino, but that talent school extends far beyond coverage of the two footballs. Mike "Doc" Emrick and the NHL go together like Sidney Crosby and lameness (yes, that was cheap shot, and so was this). For all the crap Pierre McGuire gets, I've learned a great deal about hockey from him. He makes the game very accessible to casual fans, like yours truly, who tend to just tune in for the postseason. When that tandem is calling games for the United States this fall in the newly-minted World Cup of Hockey, it could be a bit of a coming-out party for the sport.

My golf knowledge is also limited, but one thing I know for certain is the awesomeness of David Feherty. You probably don't need to make too many guesses to figure out what channel recently hired him. NBC golf coverage has been at the top of the totem pole for a while now. CBS can't even figure out how useful Protracer is. Swooping up Feherty is the best possible variation of the rich getting richer.

The executives there aren't resting on their laurels either. They've been taking advantage of the trickling ESPN talent drain for years and have the phenomenally successful Dan Patrick Show as a result. Soon Mike Tirico will call the Peacock his employer, which opens up a whole different series of questions for both his old and new channels. For my money, that puts at least three of the top five all-around broadcasters in the business at NBC, which is almost unheard of in an era when TV broadcasting rights keep getting diluted. It often seems difficult to make a well-rounded sports broadcast, but when you have the right people, the equation is far simpler.

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Their formula isn't that complicated, but that makes the answer relatively simple. NBC Sports reigns supreme, and there isn't that much competition standing in its way. While CBS stays stuck in the 20th Century and ESPN keeps tripping over itself, the Peacock has perfected the balance between broadcasting tradition and cutting-edge innovation. It holds the tightest grip on America's obsession (the NFL), while also providing fans tastes of the up-and-comers (the Premier League, the NHL, even rugby for crying out loud).

No matter what your favorite sport is, you should hope NBC has its rights, or gets them very soon. It's guaranteed to make you like it even more.

Broad City: The First Sitcom to Actually Get NYC

Even if it's not immediately apparent, Broad City has two meanings. The first is obvious. It's a show about two young women (broads) who are, to an extent, trying to get their lives together. But there's also the broadness of New York City. Of all the sitcoms that have been set in the Big Apple, this show is one of the few that actually utilizes the city as a character. Even though I haven't seen much of it, I can already tell it's going to be one of the most enjoyable shows I've ever watched.

Five Reasons I'm Worried About the Best Show

Yes, for all the shit it got last year, Game of Thrones is still the best show on television. Even though some scorn was well-deserved, it still holds the title belt with its combination of quality drama, unabashed entertainment, and widespread viewership. But that doesn't mean last season's bumps in the road won't be a sign of further slippage. So with just ten days until the Season Six premiere, here are just a few things that have me slightly worried about where we could be headed.

Better Call Someone Else

How to adjust when your lead character is your least compelling character

We first encountered Saul Goodman somewhere along season two of Breaking Bad. On a show that was becoming increasingly violent and depressing (this was right around the time Jesse was relapsing with his then-girlfriend), Bob Odenkirk's performance was a breath of fresh air. It was his character who helped lift that show's spirits through its darkest times. He was more than comic relief; Saul Goodman was a comic necessity. And he became such a necessity that creator Vince Gilligan was convinced he needed a show all its own.

The Madness to the Method

The one thing scripted drama can learn from unscripted chaos

A lot of people have been talking about the wild ending to Sunday night's Texas A&M-Northern Iowa game in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. But since I couldn't watch that one, let's instead use the game that got Northern Iowa there as an example. I'm sure most people missed it since it happened on a Friday night, but the Panthers game against Texas (sans A&M) was just as wild.

The Key to the Kramer

We're nearly 60 posts in here at the Mafia. And while I'm surprised we've made it this far, I'm perhaps even more surprised that I haven't used this forum of ours to talk about Seinfeld. More than 20 years after its peak, the show still holds up as one of the best sitcoms ever, and as a model for countless attempts to duplicate the format. As is the case with many good shows, Seinfeld's success was in its simplicity. But there was one character who served as a counter-current, who pushed back against the normalcy and mundaneness of all the others. Even if you've never watched the show before, there's a good chance you know who I'm talking about.

James Franco Wears Adult Diapers

Review of 11.22.63's "The Kill Floor"

Spoiler Alert: If you've already seen the episode or you just don't care, read on. If not, be warned for massive spoilers.

Save JFK, Save the World: A Review of 11.22.63

A Look at Alternative History Through the Eyes of a History Teacher

Episode 1, or “The Rabbit Hole”, of the HULU original series 11.22. 63 starts out rather emotionally, as we first see a man reading a story about his experience with his father murdering his whole family in front of his adult education class. With James Franco leading the class, he gives the man an A-plus on his story. It's a curious start to the series because from the beginning, I didn’t have any idea what the story is about. I didn’t do any research. I just heard it was a good series, so naturally, I tuned into the show. I found what 11.22.63 meant soon enough when Franco’s character, Jake Epping, enters an old-school diner and is convinced to walk into a mysterious closet by the manager/owner.

Inside the Ford Bronco

Ryan Murphy's Unintentional but Compelling Case Against the NFL

Let's begin with two statements that, while not undeniably true, can be reasonably assumed. First, O.J. Simpson murdered Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. And second, Ryan Murphy does not have an agenda against the National Football League. Despite a certain notorious not guilty verdict, the second one might actually be a tougher buy. How the hell am I supposed to know what Ryan Murphy thinks? This is the same guy who turned actress Jane Lynch into a singer and singer Lady GaGa into an actress.

The Penultimate Problem

I've already written and talked about Amazon's opening batch of The Man in the High Castle episodes. So you already know my mostly positive views on it. What you don't know as much about (unless you watched it for yourself) is the sharp drop it suffered from towards the end. It didn't take away from my enjoyment as a whole, but the season finale did practically nothing to keep me on the hook for season two. Instead of holding out any suspense, it tied a bow on almost every relevant plot thread. But it's worth nothing. If they had just ended the season an episode earlier, my outlook for the show would be totally different.

Sympathy for Swastikas

The Man in the High Castle will have you seeing differently

The goal of a showrunner is very challenging, but it's in no way complex. It all comes down to creating relatable and likable characters. And you must do this regardless of who they are and the situations they've been put in. How can you expect someone to commit hours of his or her time to a bunch of people they don't particularly like? Likable characters are critical to show's success; everything else is just gravy.

Binge Watchers' Peer Pressure

I didn't want to watch Making a Murderer. I held out for a while, and after finally caving and watching the first episode, I still didn't want to watch Making a Murderer. I held out for another couple days by distracting myself with J. Cole's awesomeness. After caving yet again and plowing through four more hours, I still don't want to watch Making a Murderer. But I will. Not because I particularly want to, but because I have to.

Cole's World and His Remarkable Concert Documentary

What was your home address growing up? You don't have to say it out loud, I'm not trying to steal your identity. Just think of it to yourself, and then let in all the associated feelings that come with it. Think about the thrilling highs and the crushing lows from you childhood. Or the quirks in your neighborhood that gave you comfort and the ones that made you wary. All these sensations come to life when you listen to 2014 Forest Hills Drive, and in J. Cole's new concert/documentary series on HBO, he opens up about his.

So Spake Martin

THE WINDS OF WINTER IS NOT FINISHED! 

 

So Spake George R. R. Martin. He published these words just after midnight on Saturday, and the entire internet had heard about it shortly afterward.

The Crossover Episodes We're All Dying to See

On Monday's podcast, my esteemed colleague Ankit mentioned a crossover episode in the works between two of the BBC's finest shows, Sherlock and Luther. It's a hand-in-glove fit. The two shows will blend perfectly together because they share a similar style, tone, and most importantly, subject matter.

We riffed on a few half-brained ideas on the episode, but I figure it's time to flesh things out. So here are a few more ideas now that I've actually given it some thought.

Washington's Game of Thrones: Comparing Presidential Hopefuls to Your Favorite GoT Characters

The Iron Throne and the White House are in a very similar state of flux right now. We know it's only a matter of time before someone else is occupying both, and because primary season has still not begun, both fields are insanely wide open with confounding characters. And perhaps most alarming of all, there's only one good solution for each (we'll get to that later).
So if you're a Game of Thrones junkie looking to learn a bit about our political landscape, or a political junkie who got lost on the deeeeeeeeeep web, have we got a treat for you! Your official Thrones Character/Presidential Candidate Comprehensive Comparison starts with where we stand now...

Everyone and Their Mother Should Watch Arrow

If you  asked me five years ago one thing I would never do again? I would've told you that I will never again watch the CW. The only show I really that ever really caught my eye was One Tree Hill (fuck you, its a great show). But then, in 2014, something magical happened; they launched The Flash. Next to the caped crusader, Flash is my guy. I think I saw some Justice League cartoon once as a kid and was just taken aback by his nonchalance swag. God I love characters that give 0 fucks.

So you can already book it that I'm going to watch every episode of that series, that much I expected before even watching the pilot. What I didn't expect was me getting hooked on the show that runs alongside it, my new favorite ongoing TV show, Arrow.