Tuesday Trainwreck - The Reason Why Elizabeth Berkley Doesn't Have A Career Anymore

1995 was a crazy year. The European Union was still forming, the Space Shuttle docked with the Mir space station for the first time, and people were setting off bombs in Oklahoma City. And there was also some court case about an ex-football player named O.J. But all that was trumped by a singular motion picture release. One film that changed the world as we know it. A mere 128 minutes that redefined everything that we thought we knew. That film - that epic - was none other than Showgirls:

In case you hadn't figured it out by now, that was my sarcastic voice. I know, it sounds a lot like my regular voice. Anyway, some genius decided that it was time to re-release Showgirls on DVD - again - so here we are, with cannon fodder.

For those of you that were living under a rock back in the year of our Yahoo!, let me break down the movie for you. Showgirls tells the story of Elizabeth Berkley trying to find work after Saved By The Bell came to a close, and she was passed over for The College Years. Undaunted, Liz bravely makes her way to Las Vegas, desperate to prove that it doesn't take a huge rack to make it in Sin City, as long as you're willing to show off what you've got. Her efforts are stymied by the incumbent slut on stage, but after pulling a Tonya Harding on the competition, and with a little help from that guy from Twin Peaks, she becomes the next big thing. Take that Tiffani-Amber Thiessen!

For some unknown reason, this flick has actually become a cult classic over the years. Personally, I think that a lot of people just have really bad taste, or haven't discovered how much more entertaining other diversions can by, like watching paint dry or needlepoint. Or maybe it's just all those guys that grew up watching SBTB can't enough of seeing Jessie's knockers on screen, and thinking about what might have been if only they had been cast over Mario Lopez as her high school love interest. Don't worry guys - he didn't touch her either. He was much too busy rubbing suntan lotion on Mark Paul Gosselarr to notice her.

Besides, everyone knows that the first season of SBTB was the best, before Jessie and Kelly showed up, when Hayley Mills taught a young Zack and Screech how to be men in this dog eat dog world. Wait, what were we discussing again?

Tuesday Trainwreck - Ghostbusters? Oh, Those Ghostbusters

Before you start sending those angry emails or leaving some flaming comments, read the article first. It's not about the Ghostbusters that we all know and love. Those were the four guys living in the firehouse, battling the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, and watching the game with Slimer. No, these are the "other" Ghostbusters. You know, the "fake" Ghostbusters, also known as Filmation's Ghostbusters:

Filmation's Ghostbusters tells the tale of two dudes and their pet monkey (look at the picture if you don't believe me) charged with temporarily ridding the world of ghosts and goblins. They hung out in some wacky headquarters, and drove a car that could not only fly, but talk. I think the monkey talked as well, albeit in a primate accent. They battled the forces of Prime Evil, a half robot/half ghost creature bent on taking over the world with his demon army. Sounds like someone I know.

The Filmation guys were essentially the jobbers to what were billed as The Real Ghostbusters, the animated series based on the movie from the 1980s. In reality, though, Filmation's Ghostbusters (previously known as The Original Ghostbusters) was not a direct ripoff. It was based on a 1970s live action TV series. Much like most TV in the 1970s, it was terrible, which is why no one remembers it.

Though the TV series that Filmation adapted did predate the movie, and wouldn't have technically infringed on its rights, they did make one change. The original series was called The Ghost Busters - Filmation made it one word and released the series on the heels of the movie, in an attempt to capitalize on its supernatural success. They even beat the movie-based cartoon to air. Of course, all this didn't sit well with the laywers, and an expensive, pointless legal battle ensued. In the end, we were still left with two series, but they had specific names - Filmation's Ghostbusters and The Real Ghostbusters.

Nauseating legal battles aside, this series was awful. The comedy was slapstick at best, the plots were thinner than ecotoplasm, and the characters were annoying. In retrospect, though, I don't recall liking either series that much, but this one is definitely the worst of the two.

At the end of the day, this series was just a lame attempt to cash in on a franchise no one remembered by playing off a currently popular franchise that everybody loved. The truth is, had this cartoon had the opportunity to stand alone, it may have held up to the test of time a little better. Then again, a talking monkey and a robotic ghost a rarely a recipe for success.

I Hope They Give Her A Skimpy Costume

Believe it or not, the CW drama Smallville, the show about Superman's coming of age, is still on the air. At this point, I'm not sure who's watching it. Don't get me wrong - the show started off great. But it's been a tough road over the years. The mythos of the Man of Steel is long and detailed, so there's only so much that can be done before you start stepping on toes and pissing people off. The other side of that is the show has spent many seasons doing nothing - story arks that go on for half the year are conveniently wiped out just before the point of no return, which usually doesn't sit well with the more general, non-comic fan part of the audience.

For the past couple of years, the formula for keeping the show going has been to involve other DC characters in the mix. Lois Lane became a regular, and we've seen guest appearances by Aquaman, The Flash, Green Arrow, and a few other lesser heroes that no one really cares about. They even started the Justice League, which was really lame.

And word has just dropped that it'll be more of the same next season. In an official press release, it was announced that Supergirl would be joining the cast. There have been multiple back stories for this character, but the one they're going with is that she's Clark's cousin from Krypton, and she has all of Kal-El's abilities. The distinction is important - this means she can fly, something that Clark has yet to do in the series. If you ask me, it's about time he started. Flying is the coolest part of being Superman. Well, that and the x-ray vision.

The release doesn't mention who'll be playing the role, but it should be a hottie. Supergirl has been portrayed by some foxes over the years, and is usually drop dead gorgeous in comic form.

Despite the "boring" persona that many attribute to the character, Supergirl has always been one of my favorites. There's just something about a hot chick that can bend steel - know what I mean? I don't think this will be anywhere near enough to please the dissolving fan base of the show, but I'm sure as hell happy about the announcement. I wonder how long it will be before someone pitches a show about Black Cat or Black Canary...

CBS Now Resumes Your Coverage Of World War III

The TV viewing audience is a vocal bunch. When something pisses them off, they tend to raise a little hell about it. Sometimes that's a bad thing. I mean, be honest - in retrospect, was another season or two of Roswell really a good idea? But sometimes, the crazy viewers who won't take no for an answer get it right. And that was the case with Jericho.

For those of you that haven't been acquainted, Jericho tells the tale about a town struggling for survival in a post-apocalyptic America. It's a powerful premise, and something that hasn't really been seen on TV before. So, as expected, it generated a lot of pre-season buzz last fall. Whether the show lived up to that buzz, however, is a matter of opinion.

The show started fairly strong - the premise was enough to hook most people. Unfortunately, it got a little sappy around mid-season, and some viewers started to lose interest. That's too bad, because despite the down-turn in action, the writing and acting were still top notch. However, that change isn't what caused the most significant loss in viewers - the three month hiatus took care of that.

In their infinite wisdom, the CBS execs decided that they wouldn't "over saturate" the public with too much Jericho. So, instead of airing the series between the months of December through February, they aired crappy specials, mid-season junk, and cheap reality TV in its place. When Jericho finally returned, many viewers had lost track of the show, and just didn't get back into it. The worst part? The final episodes of the season were some of the best. Each show was filled with real tension and serious issues that kept you wanting more. This was truly the best show of the season that no one was watching.

As a result of the lackluster ratings for the second half of the year, CBS canned the show just before announcing this year's fall lineup. But the Jericho faithful held strong, and to show their support, sent nuts to the CBS offices (because they were nuts to cancel the show - get it?). And, much like it did for the original Star Trek series back in 1967, the campaign worked. Earlier this week, CBS officially announced that Jericho would return as a mid-season replacement due to the support of the viewers.

This is good news for a deserving TV show. In this day and age, good TV is hard to find. But Jericho consistently delivers. Look for this one when it returns for season 2. And if you missed any of season 1, consider picking up the DVD box set when it's released, probably later this year.

As a grateful viewer, thanks to everyone that helped to bring back one of my favorite shows of the season. Now if we could just kill that stupid Heroes spin-off scheduled for next season...

Note - Speaking of returning from the dead, some of you may have noticed a distinct lack of posts on the Playground this week. This was not a planned absence, but sometimes, recess does get cancelled. I'm happy to report that the troubles are over, however, and things should return to normal first thing next week. We're already planning some double features to make up for the lack of them this week, so don't worry - the kidd always delivers. Thanks for hanging in.

Give Your Computer All The TV It Can Handle

At least, that's the theory. You know that fancy digital cable feed that brings all 37 HBO channels into your house (and Spice, of course)? Well, it doesn't play well with your PC. See, the cable industry thinks you're a pirate, and that, if given the chance, you will make it your life's mission to upload as much of that digital cable feed to the internet for other pirates to download and enjoy. And because of that, they hate you and want to make your life a living hell.

Enter CableCards - the solution to the set top box dilemma. Sort of. In theory, the CableCard is supposed to allow you to use the tuner built in to your TV and recording devices to actually - get this - watch and record TV, without a pesky cable box and cable box rental fee screwing things up. But there are a few catches.

First, you need a cable card for every device that you want to watch and/or record TV on. Second, those cards aren't free - you rent them from your provider, just like the box. Third, the cards don't support interactive services like video on demand, so if you're a VOD junkie, you'll still need a box. And, last but not least, the stupid things don't really work that well.

Case in point - people have been waiting for CableCard tuners to come to the PC for some time, so users of Microsoft's Windows Media Center could watch and record their digital cable feeds. Well, the devices are finally poised to come to market, but as a report on Engadget shows us, these things aren't necessarily ready for prime time.

The guys tried to setup two separate installations. One went by the book, and was quick and easy. The other? After two days, the CableCard still wasn't working properly. And this wasn't with Joe Blow trying to install it - this was with big-wigs from MS and Time Warner Cable on hand. Good show guys.

Thanks to their piracy fears, studios and IP holders have made the simple act of watching and recording TV needlessly complicated. Does anyone remember the day when you took something out the box, plugged it in, and it just worked and did everything that is was supposed to? Yeah, neither do I, but my grandpa tells me those days were awesome.

Oh, and for those of you still scratching your heads and pretending like you aren't really a nerd, the picture above is ATi's CableCard adapter for Vista PCs. Don't lie - you knew all along.

If A 13 Year Old Downloads A Song From Kazaa, The Terrorists Win

The war on drugs is apparently over. The war on crime? Done. The war on the West Nile virus? Killer bees? Dr. Phil? All finished. I don't know if we actually won any of them, but I can tell you this - America is now facing a greater threat than all of those combined, and it's going to take a collective effort to overcome it. Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourselves - the war against attempted copyright infringement has begun!

Wait, really? That's it? That's the big one? Okay, whatever.

While we were all busy watching American Idol and playing the Halo 3 beta, America fell behind every other country in everything. We're not the smartest, we're not the best dressed, and we're not producing anything of value. Except for movies, TV, music, and video games, and even some of that is questionable. So, there's a big effort to keep your cheap, thieving hands off of anything you didn't overpay for.

Enter Alberto Gonzales (aka Gonzo), Attorney General of the U.S. He's decided that copyright infringement is so significant, that even attempting it should result in jail time. Let's think about some of the other crimes out there that you can get arrested for merely attempting, and not committing: Speeding? No. Littering? No. Possessing an illegal weapon? No. Drug trafficking? No. Let's just cut to the chase here - we're talking about crimes along the lines of murder and manslaughter, which is just a fancy form of murder. That's right - if you even think about uploading a song to the internet, you might as well just try and kill somebody.

The level of ridiculousness here is astounding. What the hell is Gonzo thinking? Are we that desperate to put people in jail? Is a bootleg copy of Elf really worth all that much? Could this country get any more screwed up?

Time and time again, laws are put on the books that make it more difficult for honest, paying consumers to enjoy their media. And this is just another one of them. The world doesn't come to an end when some kid downloads a Britney Spears single off the internet (god knows why you would want to, but that's a subject for another article). The "old men" in Washington need to crawl out of their coffins and get in touch with the real world, and stop listening to the MPAA, RIAA, and all the other billion-dollar lobbyists buying their own laws. It's crap, and it has to stop.

For more information about what you can do to turn the tides, check out the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit group that's actually on our side. This country used to be the greatest land in the world, but things are slowly changing. Sure, this doesn't seem like much, but when freedom is taken away one piece at a time, you don't notice it. Yet soon enough, we'll all be left with nothing.

Tuesday Trainwreck - How Did This Show Stay On The Air So Long?

I have to warn you - unspeakable evil lies within this post. The horrors which you are about to witness could leave you shaken, scarred, and tormented for the rest of your life. Those with weak constitutions should turn back now, as I can't be held responsible for the grim fate that awaits you should you proceed to read this article. And for those who choose to proceed, all I can say is, abandon all hope, ye who enter here:

Oh, the humanity! The horror! The bad writing and rigid acting! Damn you God! Why have you forsaken us? Ah,...I think I've made my point. And what happened to the fat guy?

I thought long and hard about what I should write for this article, but finally I came to the conclusion that Wings speaks for itself. It's a terrible, terrible show that should never have seen the light of day, and that's about it. But, for some reason that I'll never be able to wrap my brain around, people watched it. And some of those people are going to buy this DVD. Hell, this is the fourth season, so odds are someone out there bought the first three. Hopefully, that bad decision by some poor, unfortunate soul won't reflect harshly on the rest of us.

So let me just say this before moving on - don't buy this. That's it - that's all I've got. I'm not going to beg or plead with you. If you decide not to take my advice, enjoy you're stay in hell. The rest of us will be there eventually.

But that leaves us with the rest of this article, so let's kill some time. How about a song? Let's go with "Misty Morning, Albert Bridge" by The Pogues:

I dreamt we were standing

By the banks of the Thames

Where the cold grey waters ripple

In the misty morning light

Held a match to your cigarette

Watched the smoke curl in the mist

Your eyes, blue as the ocean between us

Smiling at me

I awoke alone and lonely

In a faraway place

The sun fell cold upon my face

The cracks in the ceiling spelt hell
Turned to the wall

Pulled the sheets around my head

Tried to sleep, and dream my way

Back to you again

Count the days

Slowly passing by

Step on a plane

And fly away

I'll see you then

As the dawnbirds sing

On a cold and misty morning

By the Albert Bridge

Now wasn't that nicer than talking about Wings? Yeah, I thought so. Thanks Pogues. This musical moment was brought to you by the Atomic Playground. Because we care.

Don't Have Enough Simpsons Crap? Then Get Yourself An Official Simpsons-Themed Xbox 360

You knew it was only a matter of time before two of the biggest franchises in the world - The Simpsons and Microsoft - got together. And here they are, going totally next gen on you with a Simpsons-themed Xbox 360.

Engadget is reporting that as part of a movie tie-in deal, Microsoft is producing a limited run of 100 Simpsons 360s to give away as promotional items. So, that means the only way you'll ever get your grubby little hands on one of these bad boys is through the power of eBay. Another downside - the console is only the premium version, not the elite.

Frankly, this doesn't surprise me one bit. The Simpsons have whored out their name to just about every product under the sun, so a video game console - something that has nothing to do with the series, unless you count that one Christmas episode - should come as no surprise. Still, it's a nice piece, and should be a great centerpiece in 100 lucky people's collection. Until they all brick with the three red lights of death, that is.

Happy 420 From The Atomic Playground!

Once again, that most special of days is upon us. No, not Christmas or Guy Fawkes Day, it's 420. For those of you that don't know what today is, you really need to find out. For the rest, I hope you've already enjoyed the day a few times, if you know what I mean.

This is the first 420 for the Atomic Playground, so we're celebrating in style. Too bad we won't remember any of it tomorrow.

And if you're groovin' at home tonight, you should tune in to a special night of 420 programming hosted by our friends at G4. Check out special 420 editions of Attack of the Show! and X-Play. AOTS is coming to you straight from Amsterdam, where it's 420 every day of the year, and X-Play will follow with a one hour special. Then, it's the greatest 420 movie of all time, and a Playground favorite, The Big Lebowski.

So from everyone here at the Chronic (I mean Atomic) Playground, Happy 420!

Oh, and in case you were wondering what the official 420 theme song is, wonder no more:

And The Violence Continues - Bomb Threat At G4 TV Studio

It's difficult to make a joke about a bomb threat, especially considering the kind of violence that this week began with. So, despite the graphic, let's just cut to the chase. A bomb threat was issued this morning at the G4 TV Studio in Los Angeles, a favorite network of gamers and gen x/y'ers, and home to such shows as Attack of the Show! and X-Play. The story was broken earlier today by our friends over at Destructiod.

Thankfully, it appears to have been either a hoax or a misunderstanding, and there don't seem to be any injuries related to the scare. Nonetheless, our thoughts are with all our friends at G4 today.

This was just the latest in a series of bomb threats this week, most of which have been targeted at college campuses. Honestly, I think the public at large has been through enough, and especially the kids at these schools. There's no point in terrorizing innocent people like this, so the idiots behind it need to grow up, pull their heads out of their asses, and get a life.

Michael Douglas Fans Rejoice - The Box Set You've Been Waiting For Has Arrived!

DVD sales are a billion dollar industry. Hollywood is making money faster than they can count it off of these things. But movies on DVD aren't the big seller - TV is. A few years back, someone finally had the idea to start releasing TV series on DVD, and consumers started eating it up. It was a great decision for everyone, only now, things are starting to get out of hand. It seems that just about every TV series is starting to get the DVD treatment. Even those that don't need it, such as The Streets of San Francisco.

For those of you too young to remember, which would probably be everyone reading this, the show starred an old Karl Malden and a young(er) Michael Douglas, a pair of cops trying to clean up the crime ridden streets of San Fran. Hence the title. Malden played the vet, trying to keep the brash Douglas in line, as they solved such capers as "I Left My Rice-A-Roni in San Francisco", "A Trolley Car Named Desire", and "Gangs of the Golden Gate". Yes, it was truly...a really boring hour of television.

So here's a message to Hollywood - just because a show is old, that doesn't make it a classic. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of great old shows out there that deserve a nice box set for us to drop $40 bucks on, but this crap is not it. If you're gonna release crap, give us some In Search Of... with Leonard Nimoy. That's some crap that we can all enjoy.

Tuesday Trainwreck - What's So Hard About Bending Air? Look, I'm Doing It Right Now

A couple years back, anime (aka Japanimation) became huge in the states. Thanks to it, we have such gems as Pokeman and Yu Gi Oh - however the hell you spell that. But apparently, all that authentic Japanese anime wasn't enough for Nickelodeon. Yes, the network does still exist, and it's more craptacular than ever. And they're bringing us pseudo-anime in the guise of Avatar - The Last Airbender:



Now I admit, I don't know that much about the series. In fact, I hadn't even really heard of it until seeing a review of an Avatar game over on X-Play. But I can tell you this - it's stupid. Apparently, some kid gets frozen in snow, and wakes hundreds of years later to find the Earth taken over by the forces of fire. So, Avatar starts bending air in order to defeat them. Yeah, I don't get it either. I mean, I'm no scientist, but doesn't pushing air into a fire just make the fire stronger?

As I mentioned earlier, this isn't even real anime anyway. This stuff was created right here in the U.S. Okay, it was probably made in Indonesia or something, but that doesn't make it anime, cause it was conceived here in the states. So even die-hard anime fans need not apply for this stuff.

Short story shorter, don't even bother getting started on this one. While the show does seem to have a loyal fanbase, it's just a group of guys that were oxygen deprived due to all the air bending going on around them, so they don't know any better. What's your excuse? Exactly. Go bend something else. I don't really care what, just do it with style. You know, like Beckham.

An Ipod It Ain't

Apple is one of those companies that you either love or hate. They have die-hard fans that will defend them to the end, and harsh critics that wouldn't piss on Steve Jobs if he were on fire. But, no one can deny the fact that they put out some nice looking products.

This weekend finally saw the release of Apple TV, once known as iTV. The box, originally promised to be released in February, quietly went on sale at Apple stores across the nation and on the website, and the Apple faithful started snatching them up like they are the second coming. But looks aside, just how useful is this thing anyway?

Before purchasing this box, you need to ask yourself a few things. Do you use iTunes religiously, purchasing both music and movies, and shun all other online services? Do you like having only a few options available to you (the as simple as possible approach)? Is Apple white your favorite color? Do you wish you had a black turtleneck collection? Answer no to any of the above, and this thing is a pass.

Apple TV is essentially just an extension of iTunes. To use it, you must have iTunes running on a computer at all times, and you must have your entire library of music and movies accessible to it, which means that if iTunes won't play it, Apple TV won't play it. Also, you have to have a widescreen TV to use this. Despite that, the HDTV support is fairly limited right now, as all the movies on the iTunes store are optimized for the video iPod. I'm sure that will change in time, but for now, you're limited to grainy movies and a few trailers.

The interface is slick, but simple - power tweakers need not apply. Of course, that isn't Apple's target audience. They're looking to get Joe Sixpack to purchase this device, and to that end, they've managed to make something that's accessible to just about anyone that can configure a home network.

My verdict? Do you really care? Odds are you've already made up your mind on this box, perhaps on hype alone. The truth is, this is a decent unit, but for the price, you're not getting much. I'd say wait for the Netgear Digital Entertainer if you're looking for more flexibility and support, or an Xbox 360/MCE combo if you like a somewhat "walled garden", but are itching for some HD content now. In the end though, it all comes down to one question - are you a Mac guy, or a PC guy?

Tuesday Trainwreck - Go Master Someone Else's Universe

It's Tuesday, and you all know what that means - it's time for a new round of movie, music, and video game releases. So, we here at the Atomic Playground (and by we, I mean me) have decided to start a new feature. No, we're not going to tell you the best new release to spend your hard stolen money on. There are plenty of other, more reputable sites that are willing to do that. Instead, we're going to tell you which one to avoid like the plague. That's right - every week, we'll tell you which piece of trash to pass on, so you can put your cash toward more useful things like smokes and that shampoo to get rid of those crabs. May I present, the Tuesday Trainwreck:

Everyone remembers He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, right? It was a hell of a show. In fact, when I was about four, it was probably my favorite show. Sure, the characters were stupid and the plots as thin as Kate Moss (zing!), but it was a fun show. So why did it get the crown in the first ever Tuesday Trainwreck? See, this is not the original He-Man. This is The New Adventures of He-Man. Yes - the gay one.

At some point, a few big wig execs decided there was still money left in the franchise, and that the defender of Grayskull just need a fresh new image. Enter new He-Man. He's fab-u-lous. What had been a trippy-fun cartoon in the original incarnation just became a lame attempt to push product. These shows were little more than a half hour commercial for an action figure no one wanted. Basically, there were no redeeming qualities at all.

This is Vol. 2 of the DVD release - Vol. 1 came out a few months back. For those of you that were suckered into buying it, you have my condolences. Don't make the same mistake twice with Vol. 2, just to be a completist. Trust me, it's not worth it. Instead, wait for the release of the Cartoon Network series that ran about 6 or 7 years ago. It was actually a decent modern interpretation of the old cartoon, and only suffered due to the lack of marketing knowledge by the folks at Mattel. If anyone can drive a franchise into the ground, it's them.

So Skeletor junkies, resist the temptation and just pop in a DVD from one of the old box sets. You'll enjoy the half hour much more.

Comic Con NY - Cause East Coast Geeks Need Love Too

For years, east coast comic book geeks have had to haul a$$ all the way out to San Diego just to get their X-Men and Incredible Hulk fixes at Comic Con. But all that changed last year, with the introduction of New York Comic Con. East coast comic freaks were thrilled, as it meant less money spent traveling, and more money spent on a life size bust of Black Cat (money well spent).

The second annual New York Comic Con took place this past weekend at the Javits Center in NYC, and it was bigger than last year. All the major players in the comics, movies, and toy world were there, including Marvel, DC, Amok Time, Mattel, and Lions Gate (full list here). You see, Comic Con isn't just about comic books - it involves all the major entertainment players. Over the years, the big companies have realized just how much money there is to be made in the comic universe. Unfortunately, that's meant that we've had to suffer through such mediocrity as Daredevil and Elektra, but good things, like the Spiderman movie franchise, have also come from it.

Some big news this year revolved around the 10th anniversary of the Buffy The Vampire Slayer TV show. Much of the cast, but not Gellar, showed up for a panel on Saturday, to interact with the fans and sign autographs. Some other notables at this year's convention included Stan Lee (wouldn't be a Comic Con without him), Stephen Colbert, Jason Mewes, and Hayden Panettiere - probably the first time a hottie TV cheerleader was within 10 feet of a comic book.

Notable by his absence was Kevin Smith, unless he was hiding somewhere in the back. Smith has been very involved in the comic book world over the years, although he's never really had as much time for it as the fans would like.

Unfortunately, Hasbro was too tied up with Toy Fair to have any major Transformers announcements at the show, but there's still plenty of time for more news to drop between now and July. But Comic Con International (in San Diego) will be in the end of July, after the Transformers movie release, so a large presence there probably isn't a good bet.

Check out all the details about this year's NY Comic Con at the official website here. And truthfully, that stuff I said about one or the other show is nonsense. You're not a true fan unless you hit both. So save those pennies, and sell that autographed hardcover copy of The Watchmen if you have to, but be sure to make it to San Diego this summer, and NYC next winter. Cause you never know when a hot TV cheerleader is going to be at the Con.

Musicals Are Lame - Unless They're About Video Games

I think most guys would agree with the general consensus here on the Playground - musicals are for wussies. But as it turns out, some musicals are okay, as long as they're about a topic near and dear to our hearts. And that was the case this past Monday, when X-Play debuted their musical episode, X-Play The Musical (not the most original title, but hey, at least you know what you're getting).

The X-Play musical sets the premise of Adam and Morgan making a deal with the devil in order to make the best video game in history (and get money, fame, and superpowers in the process). But as with all deals with the devil, things go horribly wrong, and the game is a disaster (it's a Dreamcast exclusive, no less). In the end, the devil makes off with the cash, and Adam and Morgan go back to what they're good at - ridiculing the work of others.

The singing and dancing in this epic are top notch - X-Play is never one to skimp on a theme episode. The truth is, they really made this work (and this is coming from someone who's all-time least favorite Simpson's episode is All Singing, All Dancing, so there's no bias here).

Those of us familiar with the show have come to expect great things from the X-Play bunch, and it's great to see that they're still delivering after all this time. That being said, I'm not hoping for another musical episode anytime soon - one is plenty for me. But hey, keep the fresh ideas coming!

In case you missed it, head over to the X-Play The Musical Episode page to find a future airing. And if you just want more, hit the feature page right here for some downloads and behind the scenes goodness.

Aqua Teen Terrorism

By now, you've probably heard about all the commotion in Boston the other day associated with the marketing blitz for the upcoming Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie. But just in case, here's the lowdown:

Turner Broadcasting (the parent company of Cartoon Network) hired a firm to hang light boxes (essentially Light Brites) on buildings and structures in 10 major cities around the country, depicting characters from the series and upcoming movie. The characters were the Mooninites, two small square guys who like to give "the finger" to people. A Boston resident spotted one of these devices hanging from the underside of a bridge the other day, and notified the authorities. This is where things got out of control.

The authorities, fearing the item could be a terrorist bomb, closed off the area and detonated the device. When reports of similar devices started coming in from around the city, areas of Boston were shut down in fear of a wide-spread attack. Of course, as it turns out, it was all just a big misunderstanding. Once all of this came out, Turner Broadcasting issued an apology, and disclosed the locations of all the other signs in the country.

Now here's the rub - Boston officials have arrested the two men who hung the signs in Boston, and they now face criminal charges. Further, the city is looking to hold Turner Broadcasting accountable for the financial cost of the investigation to the city.

Now first things first - the person who initially reported the sign to the authorities is in no way to blame for all of this. That person simply saw a suspicious-looking object on a bridge, and correctly notified the authorities. The blame for this whole fiasco lies with the Boston authorities. Upon investigation of the first "device", they should have realized that it was just an industrial-strength Light Brite, and let everyone know that there was nothing to worry about. Instead, they were so afraid of nothing that they blew the whole incident out of proportion.

My guess is that the mayor and city officials realize how poorly they handled this situation, and just don't want to own up to it. So, to save face, they're pointing blame at anyone and everyone they can. A simple apology from Boston city officials would go a long way in putting this all behind us.

Now I'm not saying that this wasn't a stupid move by the advertising department over at Turner Broadcasting. They should have notified city officials ahead of time, and perhaps even investigated the need for any permits to hang the devices. But that doesn't excuse the overblown response from Boston city officials in this matter.

And what's the best part of this whole saga, you ask? Well, it's two-fold: First, the devices were hung in 9 other major U.S. cities, including New York, LA, and San Francisco, and no one there over-reacted to them. In fact, some people stole them for their homes or businesses, or to re-sell on eBay. Second, the signs were hanging in Boston for 2-3 weeks before this whole incident happened...2-3 weeks!

The simple truth is, the fear of terrorism has been so ingrained in everyone by the government that we're all jumping at our own shadows. We need to all just relax and evaluate each situation for what it is, without jumping to conclusions. Not everything that happens in this country is terrorism related.

There's one thing that can't be overlooked about all this, however - this whole incident has meant great publicity for Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Something tells me the series' ratings are going to go up a notch or two in the coming weeks...