Survivor Week 3- Call Me Big Poppa

This week's Survivor was filled with plenty of more cringe-worthy moments regarding Brandon and his struggle with faith and evil. Fortunately for us, Upolu won immunity so we got to spend more time over at Savaii camp, which gave us plenty of Cochran time. Cochran is so enjoyable. I really hope he sticks around. At the end of the night it was the chubby, gay Richard Dreyfuss heading to redemption island to meet up with Christine.

On the fantasy side of things, everything stayed the same in the Champions League, as it look like Jaydon and myself are on our ways to catching Larry and his crew of idiots. Mags falls further and further behind and seems to be out of contention at an extremely early stage of the game.

Down in the developmental league, a lot of things changed hands. Jack and Marsh jumped back up the ladder with their plethora of Upolu members. Meanwhile, Rizzo was hurt badly by Mark's elimination, but there is a long season ahead.

Let's take a look at the scores...

Champions League

Larry

Brandon -24: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= -12
Rick -44: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= -32
Christine -27: Duel Win (+10)= -17
Dawn -19: W3 (+4)= -15

Last Week -114: Team Total= -76

Jaydon

Ozzy -59: W3 (+4)= -55
Whitney -69: W3 (+4)= -65
Cochran -23: Votes (-4), W3 (+4)= -23
Edna -13: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= -1

Started at -164: Team Total= -144

Dan

Albert -59: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= -47
Mikayla -19: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= -7
Jim -59: Votes (-4), W3 (+4)= -59
Semhar -33: Duel Loss (-10)= -43

Started at -170: Team Total= -157

Mags

Coach -44: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= -32
Elyse -139: W3 (+4)= -135
Keith -139: W3 (+4)= -135
Mark -139: Votes (-24)= -163

Started at -461: Team Total= -465



Free Agents
Sophie +7: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +19
Stacey -1: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +11

Developmental League

Jack

Albert: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +12
Whitney: W3 (+4)= +4
Coach: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +12
Edna: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +12

Week 3= +40, Team Total= +80

Tippy

Ozzy: W3 (+4)= +4
Cochran: Votes (-4), W3 (+4)= 0
Elyse: W3 (+4)= +4
Sophie: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +12

Week 3= +20, Team Total= +76

Marsh

Mikayla: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +12
Rick: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +12
Dawn: W3 (+4)= +4
Christine: Duel Win (+10)= +10

Week 3= +38, Team Total= +64

Rizzo

Keith: W3 (+4)= +4
Mark: Votes (-24)= -24
Brandon: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +12
Jim: Votes (-4), W3 (+4)= 0

Week 3= -8, Team Total= +36



Free Agents
Stacey: Immunity (+8), W3 (+4)= +12
Semhar: Duel Loss (-10)= -10

Terra Nova 101 Review- A Family Is Five

Taylor- "Together we are at the dawn of a new civilization...no pressure."

Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, and FOX's Terra Nova. What do they all have in common? Sure, they are all projects that Steven Spielberg is attached to, but more importantly to me, they are all epic in scale and in idea.

When you mentioned Terra Nova to anyone prior to the series premiere, the immediate response was "Oh that Dinosaur show?" Or "Jurassic Park for television?" While Terra Nova is not Jurassic Park, it shares that one shiny detail: dinosaurs.

In no way does the inclusion of dinosaurs make a series great - or even watchable for that matter - but it does have a way of getting the audience's attention. It got mine from the jump off, and as "Genesis: Part 1" began, I was only sucked in further and further as the episode went along.

Anything apocalyptic in nature is sure to have me on the edge of my seat. So when the series kicked off, and the world as we knew it was on the verge of destruction, my eyes opened wider. The futuristic elements are great, with all of the technological advances, but add that to the ridiculously historic atmosphere that the show turns to after the first half hour or so, and it is a recipe for success.

To read the rest of my review of last night's Terra Nova series premiere, head over to TV Fanatic.

Terra Nova 101 - "Genesis: Part 1"
Review
Recap
Quotes

Terra Nova 101 - "Genesis: Part 2"
Review
Recap
Quotes

Weekly Comedy Rankings- Why Is The Rum Ham Gone?

So earlier this week our good friend Jaydon came up with the idea to do weekly comedy rankings on Friday of each week of the upcoming television season. His idea was to do it on Twitter, and yesterday that is what the two of us did. I'd love to get more people involved if we continue doing it, but in the meantime, I'm going to start documenting the results here on the blog.

Unlike my Bi-Monthly Power Rankings, these Weekly Comedy Rankings will only take that week's episode into account. So if Community has an absolute dud of an episode in a given week, I don't keep it near the top of my list simply because it is still my favorite current comedy. In addition to simply rankings the shows, Jaydon also had the idea to give an MVP and funniest moment award, so we'll do that as well.

Feel free to join the fun on a weekly basis on Twitter with the hashtag #WeeklyComedyRankings or #WCR. For now, let's take a look at the debut edition of the rankings from both Jay and myself...

Dan

1. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - "The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore"
2. Modern Family - "When Good Kids Go Bad"
3. The Office - "The List"
4. Modern Family - "Dude Ranch"
5. Community - "Biology 101"
6. iCarly - "iCan't Take It"
7. Up All Night - "Cool Neighbors"
8. Parks and Recreation - "I'm Leslie Knope"
9. New Girl - "Pilot"
10. Raising Hope - "Prodigy"
11. The Big Bang Theory - "The Skank Reflex Analysis"
12. The Big Bang Theory - "The Infestation Hypothesis"
13. Two and a Half Men - "Nice to Meet You, Walden Schmidt"
14. Whitney - "Pilot"

MVP of the Week was Phil Dunphy of Modern Family. Funniest moment was a ties between Stanley Hudson's "shove it up your butt" on The Office, and anything new Lilly said on Modern Family.

Jaydon

1. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - "The Gang Goes to the Jersey Shore"
2. Modern Family - "Dude Ranch"
3. The Office - "The List"
4. Parks and Recreation - "I'm Leslie Knope"
5. Community - "Biology 101"
6. Archer - "Heart of Archness: Part II"
7. Modern Family - "When Good Kids Go Bad"

MVP of the Week was Phil Dunphy of Modern Family. Funniest moment was a tie between anything to do with the Rum Ham on It's Always Sunny, and Perd Hapley's interview on Parks and Rec.

The Office 801 Review- Such A Right-Sider

Stanley- "It might be easier if you take a deep breath, lift from the knees, and shove it up your butt!"

This was the first season premiere of The Office without Michael Scott, and, simply put, that is not a good thing.

"The List" did a lot of things well, but at the end of the day Steve Carell created such an iconic character - with an aura that will be extremely difficult to replace - that there's really no way to compete with what The Office once was.

It's a new era, but it's one that still has promise. Andy Bernard was a great choice as the new regional manager. Let me clarify: Andy was a great choice by the people of The Office because he is similar enough to Michael that the fabric of the series won't have to change all that much, but he's also different enough that it won't be all repeats stories... like it might have been with Deangelo Vickers.

On the other hand, Andy was a terrible choice as regional manager for Robert California. The dude put losing their biggest client as number-three on his to do list!

To read the rest of my review of last night's The Office season premiere, head over to TV Fanatic.

The Office 801 - "The List"
Review
Recap
Quotes

Survivor Week 2- Blonde Dark Horse

In this week of Fantasy Survivor, Jaydon managed to pass me out in the Champions League thanks to Savaii winning immunity and Ozzy finding a hidden idol. Meanwhile, Mags continues to bring up the rear with his massive hole to attempt to climb out of. Larry remains in first, but he and I have already lost one player each. I have faith in my girl Semhar to beat Christine in the first Redemption duel and score my squad some points before she heads off to greener pastures. As always, I really like Jay's team, with the front-running Ozzy and the dark horse Whitney. The fact that the country singing star hasn't had much screen time yet is a good sign that her time to shine will come.

Down in the Developmental League, both Tip and Riz leap-frogged Marsh and Jack with the immunity challenge victory by Savaii. I like Jack to comeback to the top in this league, again holding the key of Whitney, but also having what seems like a very savvy Albert on the squad. He has only spoken up once, but at last night's tribal he seemed very wise. That type of quiet confidence may get him a long way in this game.

Let's take a look at the scores...

Champions League

Larry

Brandon -26: W2 (+2)= -24
Rick -46: W2 (+2)= -44
Christine -11: Votes (-16)= -27
Dawn -29: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= -19

Last Week -112: Team Total= -114

Jaydon

Ozzy -79: Found Idol (+10), Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= -59
Whitney -79: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= -69
Cochran -33: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= -23
Edna -11: Votes (-4), W2 (+2)= -13

Started at -202: Team Total= -164

Dan

Albert -61: W2 (+2)= -59
Mikayla -21: W2 (+2)= -19
Jim -69: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= -59
Semhar -33: on redemption

Started at -184: Team Total= -170

Mags

Coach -46: W2 (+2)= -44
Elyse -149: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= -139
Keith -149: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= -139
Mark -149: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= -139

Started at -493: Team Total= -461



Free Agents
Sophie +9: Votes (-4), W2 (+2)= +7
Stacey +9: Votes (-12), W2 (+2)= -1

Developmental League

Tippy

Ozzy: Found Idol (+10), Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= +20
Cochran: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= +10
Elyse: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= +10
Sophie: Votes (-4), W2 (+2)= -2

Week 2= +38, Team Total= +56

Rizzo

Keith: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= +10
Mark: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= +10
Brandon: W2 (+2)= +2
Jim: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= +10

Week 2= +32, Team Total= +44

Jack

Albert: W2 (+2)= +2
Whitney: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= +10
Coach: W2 (+2)= +2
Edna: Votes (-4), W2 (+2)= -2

Week 2= +12, Team Total= +40

Marsh

Mikayla: W2 (+2)= +2
Rick: W2 (+2)= +2
Dawn: Immunity (+8), W2 (+2)= +10
Christine: Votes (-16)= -16

Week 2= -2, Team Total= +26



Free Agents
Stacey: Votes (-12), W2 (+2)= -10
Semhar: on redemption

Survivor 2302 Review- Faithfully Challenged

Coach- "When it comes to friends, you can never have too many."

Brandon Hantz, the nephew of now famous former Survivor Russell Hantz, has all of his uncle's worst qualities, and none of the good ones.

Russell was conniving in a charming way. He was disruptive in a fun-loving way. And he was just dumb enough to make his evil behavior seem sincere. In "He Has Demons" Brandon proved to be annoyingly conniving, disgustingly disruptive, and so unintelligent and oblivious to his surroundings that at times I thought I was in some sort of dream state.

During the first few days Brandon waxed on and on about how he was never going to let anyone know he was Russell's nephew, but at the start of episode two, he told Coach immediately. He even used God and his faith as his reason for revealing his secret to Coach, but then sneakily made sure that the Dragonslayer kept that nugget of info on the DL. Yeah, God wants you to share your secret with Coach, but nobody else.

It only became worse from there, as his odd and disturbing obsession with Mikayla hit new strides. The dude claims she is using seduction on all the men, but unless the editors are doing an absolute number on us, she seems to be standing around most of the time just like everybody else.

To read the rest of my review of last night's Survivor, head over to TV Fanatic.

Survivor 2302 - "He Has Demons"
Review
Recap
Quotes

Emmys- Live Blogged

Last night I live blogged the 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards over at TV Fanatic. It was pretty hectic, and extremely disappointing at times, but it turned out to be a full success. Check some of it out below, and then head over to TV Fanatic for the rest and a full list of winners.

7:57 I have switched over to FOX for a little Red Carpet before the show starts and it is Jane Lynch in a tux. It has begun!

8:01 What I wouldn't do to live in that gigantic tv building!

8:03 Is Jane Lynch making fun of Big Bang Theory for having a laugh track?

8:05 Roger Sterling trying to watch tv through his 1965 phone? Hilarious.

8:09 Jane Lynch attempted to make a joke about Betty White's age, but the audience was too prepared to cheer for her for the joke to land. Oh well.

8:14 After hearing Fallon's pretend speech, I really want Late Night to win even more! What could he do for an encore?

8:16 And the winner for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy is...Julie Bowen of Modern Family. I didn't see this upset over Jane Lynch and Betty White, but her two submitted episodes were pretty great showcases for her. She should thank Sofia Vergara.

8:19 And the winner for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy is...Ty Burrell of Modern Family. The Dunphy family doing well so far tonight! This wasn't a surprise as he had a great season. Hard to imagine Mod Fam not taking home best series after this start huh?

To read the rest of my Emmys Live Blog, and to see a list of all last night's winners, head over to TV Fanatic.

Survivor Week 1- Expansion Pack

John- "Survivor's not meant to be a comedy routine."

I wonder if ESPN or Yahoo would sell me whatever they use to run their fantasy football systems, because this is starting to get more difficult. Yes that's right, we are expanding here at the Quiet Pool Perspective. This year we will have multiple Fantasy Survivor Leagues! This fall the Champions League will feature the household names you know so well; myself, Larry, Mags and Jaydon. The Developmental League will feature Rizzo and Jack, regular Fantasy American Idol contestants, as well as new players Marsh and Tippy.

Each league will pick from the entire Survivor cast, with Champions using an auction format and Developmental a standard snake draft. Each year it seems that those that are in no contention to win, have no reason to care by the end of the season. Not true for the Champions League anymore, as whoever comes in last place will be relegated to the Developmental League the following season. If you win Developmental? You're coming up to the Big Leagues!

After the auction finished just a day before the season premiere last night, it was clear that Mags would be the early favorite to earn relegation next spring. The dude paid 150 points for three separate players, leaving in a 500 point hole to start the season. Of his three overpriced players; a girl, a guy with a pacemaker, and a chubby, gay, old, Richard Dreyfuss look-a-like. I don't like his chances.

I set out wanting to get Albert, Whitney, and Jim. I ended up with Albert, Mikayla and Jim, so I thought I was in good shape. With my final pick of the auction, I selected Semhar, who is already at Redemption Island. She was the worst, so I'm hoping she leaves soon, and I can pick up Sophie, who seems to be in a nice alliance with the core of the Blue Tribe.

Larry spent the least, and with three members of the Blue Tribe, is out to an early lead in the Champions League. 15-time champion Jaydon spent a little bit more for his team, but it could end up paying dividends as Ozzie is already winning challenges.

The first ever Developmental League draft went smoothly with Ozzie unsurprisingly going first overall to Tippy. Now I don't want to seem biased here because he's my bro bro, but how did the rest of you guys let Jack get Coach in the third round? Afraid his former contestant status was gonna get him ousted early? And better yet, Marsh how did you pick a chick second overall? I know they have a history of going far and winning, but I think you dropped you must have dropped your man card somewhere in Vermont. It seems to be working so far though, as Marsh and Jack are out to an early lead with three Blue Tribe members a piece.

Before we get to the scores, here's a look at the rules and regulations in case you were curious...

Points for Advancing each week: 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 16, etc.
Win Reward Challenge: Group: 4, Individual: 10
Win Immunity Challenge: Group 8, Individual: 20
Duel Win: 10
Duel Loss: -10
Make to Merge: 8
Votes against you: -4
If you get chosen to sit out you get none of those challenge points.
Find Hidden Idol: 10
Successfully Use Idol at Council: 20
Unneeded Use of Idol at Council: -10
Cause Jeff to Stop Challenge: -10
Exit the Game Due to Health: -20

...and now the scores.

Champions League

Larry

Brandon -35: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= -26
Rick -55: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= -46
Christine -20: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= -11
Dawn -30: W1 (+1)= -29

Started at -140: Team Total= -112

Dan

Albert -70: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= -61
Mikayla -30: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= -21
Jim -70: W1 (+1)= -69
Semhar -1: Votes (-32)= -33

Started at -171: Team Total= -184

Jaydon

Ozzie -90: Reward (+10), W1 (+1)= -79
Whitney -80: W1 (+1)= -79
John -30: Votes (-4), W1 (+1)= -33
Edna -20: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= -11

Started at -220: Team Total= -202

Mags

Coach -55: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= -46
Elyse -150: W1 (+1)= -149
Keith -150: W1 (+1)= -149
Mark -150: W1 (+1)= -149

Started at -505: Team Total= -493



Free Agents
Sophie 0: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9
Stacey 0: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9

Developmental League

Marsh

Mikayla: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9
Rick: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9
Dawn: W1 (+1)= +1
Christine: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9

Week 1= +28, Team Total= +28

Jack

Albert: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9
Whitney: W1 (+1)= +1
Coach: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9
Edna: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9

Week 1= +28, Team Total= +28

Tippy

Ozzie: Reward (+10), W1 (+1)= +11
John: Votes (-4), W1 (+1)= -3
Elyse: W1 (+1)= +1
Sophie: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9

Week 1= +18, Team Total= +18

Rizzo

Keith: W1 (+1)= +1
Mark: W1 (+1)= +1
Brandon: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9
Jim: W1 (+1)= +1

Week 1= +12, Team Total= +12



Free Agents
Stacey: Immunity (+8), W1 (+1)= +9
Semhar: Votes (-32)= -32