Tag / Big Bang Theory

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Travelling The 50 States – California

Over my 47 years, I’ve done my fair share of travelling across these United States.  I thought it would be an interesting experiment go look back at those trips to each of the 31 states I have visited (62% isn’t bad, is it?) and see if, and when, I may be returning.  Working in alphabetical order, we start today with the 31st state to be added to the Union: California.

State: California
Joined the Union: 1850
Visits: 11

With eleven visits between 1998 and 2019, the Golden State is the state I have visited the most, outside of those I have lived in and/or attended college.

My first visit was in 1998 to attend Comic Con International in San Diego.  I went early, spending the entire week and enjoying some pre-Con time checking out the sights, including the San Diego Zoo.

I returned the following year for Labor Day weekend, but this time up to the San Francisco Bay area, to visit my old friend Scott, who had moved out there after graduating to work at AMD.  What I remember from that trip is my first Giants/Phillies tilt at the former Candlestick Park, my first trip to the toilet that at the time was called Network Associates Coliseum, and a car trip over the Golden Gate Bridge.

I returned to San Diego for Comic Con in 2000 and 2003.  I don’t remember much of the 2000 trip, but the 2003 trip included my one visit to the former Jack Murphy Stadium to see the Padres face the Diamondbacks.  At the Con, I managed to see many of the stars (or, at least, bit players) from Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Smallville, and Tru Calling.

With the Cubs coming off their first division title since 1989 and a new stadium opening in San Diego, my friend Pete and I planned a trip for the Cubs mid-May road trip.  We attended all three games at PETCO Park, which the Cubs swept, while also taking in the local sights and the ambience of the Elephant and Castle bar in our hotel. Continue reading →

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A New Era

Nearly 9 months after the death of Alex Trebek, Sony Pictures Television has found their new hosts (yes, hosts) for Jeopardy!.  Mike Richards, who became the executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune for the 2020-2021 season, has been named the host of the daily syndicated version of the show.  Richards, who guest hosted for two weeks at the end of February and into March, had previously hosted the 2012 revival of The Pyramid for Game Show Network and was the executive producer of The Price is Right and Let’s Make A Deal for over a decade before joining Sony in 2020.

In addition to Richards, Mayim Bialik will host primetime and spinoff series, including the upcoming Jeopardy! National College Championship set to air on ABC next year.  Bialik, the former Blossom and Big Bang Theory star, guest hosted for two weeks at the end of May and the beginning of June.

When word first leaked of Richards getting the job, complaints about harassments lawsuits during his time at The Price is Right surfaced, along with him seemingly having lied about the circumstances around his guest hosting stint.  A skeptic might say the Bialik move was an attempt to head off criticisms of yet another white man gaming the system to get a job, although I also wonder how much someone like Bialik would be interested in the main gig, given her other commitments.

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #6

6 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 artists in my iTunes library.  Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact and expanded the count down to the Top 200..  It’s been 3 years, so I figured it was time to take yet another look at my Top 200 artists, based on the number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2021.

We continue today with the musical comedy duo that takes the sixth spot on our charts.  Comedians Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci combine forces and take the stage as Garfunkel and Oates.

 

 

#6: Garfunkel and Oates
iTunes stats: 933 plays
Previous ranking: #4

Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci, performing as Garfunkel and Oates since 2007, see a slight drop down the charts despite increasing their play total by 78%, an increase of 410 listens.  Those were spread amongst 49 songs from 5 different releases, including one Christmas single.  Similar to last week’s entry, I’ve had plenty of exposure to the duo over the years, including a television show and a concert or two, at Abbey Pub and the House of Blues.

The first show, at Abbey Pub in 2013, had the girls came out and do their thing, mixing banter between themselves with their comedic songs.  In addition to the “hits” from their existing albums, they performed some of their newer songs, including Bernadette’s Song, which they wrote and had debuted on The Big Bang Theory the night before, and God’s Loophole, an exciting ditty about anal sex.  Once the show finished, both Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci came out to sign autographs and take pictures.  I got their autographs on my tickets and got my picture taken with both of them.

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Midseason Review – Thursdays

old-tv-set1We wrap up our look back at the new fall season’s offerings with Thursday night, traditionally the busiest night of the week for my television viewing habits.

7:00

Grey’s Anatomy – The medical drama enters its 15th season.  A few departures at the end of last season means there will be some new (and one old) face coming to the hospital this season.

For reasons, I’ve only seen the season premiere so far.  I’ll need to catch up sooner rather than later.

The Big Bang Theory – With the NFL moving on to other networks, the show returns to Thursdays for its 12th, and final, season.

Nothing really more to say at this point, as we wind down towards the end.

The Good Place – I haven’t watched the show since the middle of season 2, so who knows if I’ll even come back to it.

I’m guessing this was a cut and paste error, since I most certainly have been watching the show.  With the 3rd season wrapped up and a new status quo on deck for next year, I’m looking forward to see where it goes next.

8:00

Station 19 – I never got around to watching the Grey’s spin-off last spring, but still have most of the episodes on the DVR.  If I find the time, maybe I’ll go back.

Yep, still haven’t seen it.

8:30

Murphy Brown – The gang, led by Candice Bergen, return to see if they can recapture the magic from the show’s original run.

No, they cannot capture the magic.  It’s almost like these shows came to an end for a reason back in the day.

9:00

Continue reading →

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2018: The Year In Music

I managed to see 4 different concerts last year, across 3 states. This is the story of those shows.

The first show was in Las Vegas back in March.  In conjunction with the IBM Think conference, the Barenaked Ladies were performing on the beach at Mandalay Bay.  IBM had hooked one of my co-workers up with a cabana for the show, due to her being a legitimate superfan of the band, which the rest of us got to crash.  The group cycled through their hits, including the theme song to The Big Bang Theory, which was a nice surprise. I don’t think you could ask for much more out of a free show attached to a tech conference.

The next night, there were two shows going on.  We had our choice of Train or The Chainsmokers, and I went with option 2.  The show was at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and it was not quite what I was expecting.  In my defense, I am an old and thus was not up to speed on the nature of the Chainsmokers, so I should have been more familiar with the type of music the band would be performing.  While the two guys I were with decided to bail after a half hour or so, I decided to stick it out and was genuinely entertained, if not in the manner I was expecting.  I can’t say it is something I would want to see again, but I’m glad I did so at least once.  And, hey, you can’t beat the price.

In August, Pearl Jam came to Wrigley Field for 2 shows and I attended the first one.  It’s been a long time since I considered myself a Pearl Jam fan, and the show, while entertaining, certainly dragged for long periods between songs that I knew.

Finally, in October, I traveled to Boston to, on top of Angelina related things, see Garbage at the House of Blues.  The 20 Years Paranoid tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of Version 2.0, had played in Chicago the week before, but I’ve already done that a time or 5.  With Game 1 of the World Series taking place across the street at Fenway Park, Garbage put on another fine show, ripping through the entirety of their second album, along with some covers and special treats.

And that does it.  Time will tell what 2019 has in store and I look forward to finding out.

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2018 New Fall Season – Thursdays

old-tv-set1Thursday night is traditionally the busiest night of the week for my television viewing habits. Here’s what’s on the slate for this season.

7:00

Grey’s Anatomy – The medical drama enters its 15th season.  A few departures at the end of last season means there will be some new (and one old) face coming to the hospital this season.

The Big Bang Theory – With the NFL moving on to other networks, the show returns to Thursdays for its 12th, and final, season.

The Good Place – I haven’t watched the show since the middle of season 2, so who knows if I’ll even come back to it.

8:00

Station 19 – I never got around to watching the Grey’s spin-off last spring, but still have most of the episodes on the DVR.  If I find the time, maybe I’ll go back.

8:30

Murphy Brown – The gang, led by Candice Bergen, return to see if they can recapture the magic from the show’s original run.

9:00

Continue reading →

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CBS Upfronts

Everything old is new this season at CBS, which will have 5 reboots on the air this fall.  The week starts with 3 new shows on Monday night: The Neighborhood, about a white family from Michigan that moves to LA and ends up with Cedric the Entertainer as their neighbor, Happy Together, starring Damon Wayans Jr. and Amber Stevens West as a happily married couple who begin to reconnect with their younger, cooler selves, and Magnum P.I., a modern take on the classic show with Jay Hernandez taking on Tom Selleck’s role.  Bull moves from Tuesday to close out the night.

FBI, starring Missy Peregrym and Jeremy Sisto, is sandwiched between two editions of NCIS on Tuesdays.  Wednesday night stays exactly the same.  Thursday, freed from the NFL, stays mostly the same, with The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and Mom, followed by a rebooted Murphy Brown and season two of S.W.A.T.  Friday stays exactly the same.  Sunday adds God Friended Me, about an atheist that gets a friend request from God on social media.

On tap for midseason, along side returning favorites Elementary, Instinct, Man With A Plan, and Life, are The Code, which taps the underrepresented area of legal law, The Red Line, about 3 Chicago families dealing with loss, and Fam, a comedy about a woman whose perfect life is thrown asunder when her sister moves in.

Gone and never to be seen again are 9JKL, Kevin Can Wait, Living Biblically, Me, Myself, & I, Scorpion, Superior Donuts, Wisdom Of The Crowd, and Zoo.

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Midseason Review – Thursdays

old-tv-set1Time for our look back at Thursday nights, which has traditionally been the busiest night of the week for my television viewing habits.

7:00

Grey’s Anatomy – The medical drama enters its 14th season, which is astounding considering the number of remaining original cast members.  After the hospital blew up at the end of last season, some changes are bound to be afoot.

Things just keep chugging along at Grey Sloan Memorial.

The Big Bang Theory – The show returns to Thursdays in early November, following the midpoint of the NFL season.

The dynamics have been a little off due to Melissa Rauch’s maternity leave, so hopefully it gets back on track when she’s back full time.

Gotham – I haven’t watched the show since the middle of season 2, so who knows if I’ll even come back to it.

Yeah, I think I’m done.

7:30

The Good Place – After the shocking reveal at the end of last season, Ted Danson and Kristen Bell return to heaven.  Or hell.

I have strong feelings for this show.

Young Sheldon – Is too much Sheldon a bad thing?  CBS hopes not, as this spinoff of The Big Bang Theory goes back to Sheldon’s childhood in Texas.  Will it work?  Only time will tell.

I watched the first episode and saw no reason to return for more.

8:00

Arrow – The team goes through another shakeup after the events of last season.

The strains are starting to show for the original of the CW DC superhero shows.

9:00

S.W.A.T. – Shemar Moore returns to CBS with this update of the 70s show (and 2003 film).

Yeah, I didn’t even bother checking in on this one. Continue reading →

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Midseason Review – Mondays

old-tv-set1We continue our annual look back at my thoughts on the new fall season plus any new offering coming soon on Monday nights.

7:00

The Big Bang Theory – Once again, The Big Bang Theory moves back to Mondays until late October to accommodate the NFL.  With Sheldon’s proposal to Amy at the end of last season, this year looks to be shaking things up a bit.

I’ll save my comments for Thursday.

Supergirl – With her boyfriend banished from Earth, Supergirl decides to focus on being a hero and push aside her “human” side.

Supergirl has continued to entertain.

8:00

The Gifted – FOX brings a new entry in the superhero fold, this time in the world of the X-Men.

I’ve gotten through a few episodes so far, but most of the first season is waiting on the DVR.

9:00 Continue reading →

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2017 New Fall Season – Thursdays

old-tv-set1Thursday night is traditionally the busiest night of the week for my television viewing habits. Here’s what’s on the slate for this season.

7:00

Grey’s Anatomy – The medical drama enters its 14th season, which is astounding considering the number of remaining original cast members.  After the hospital blew up at the end of last season, some changes are bound to be afoot.

The Big Bang Theory – The show returns to Thursdays in early November, following the midpoint of the NFL season.

Gotham – I haven’t watched the show since the middle of season 2, so who knows if I’ll even come back to it.

7:30

The Good Place – After the shocking reveal at the end of last season, Ted Danson and Kristen Bell return to heaven.  Or hell.

Young Sheldon – Is too much Sheldon a bad thing?  CBS hopes not, as this spinoff of The Big Bang Theory goes back to Sheldon’s childhood in Texas.  Will it work?  Only time will tell.

8:00

Arrow – The team goes through another shakeup after the events of last season.

9:00

S.W.A.T. – Shemar Moore returns to CBS with this update of the 70s show (and 2003 film). Continue reading →