So if anyone caught the series premier of the new TBS reality show King of the Nerds, then you saw an hour of the biggest egotistic nerds hand-picked by producers, competing against each other for some homespun title.  So now nerds are in the same ranks as the subhuman life forms known as Jersey scum and teen parents.  But those are reality shows, where it doesn’t take much to manipulate how egotistic and air-headed they look when they do it all by themselves.  And that’s not the focus here, oh no.  Reality shows are a thing of the early 2000’s now.  What’s actually popular to watch on television these days are campy sci-fi and fantasy dramas, along with some sitcoms.

This may be a bit late to bring it up, but in the wake of another reality show that makes people look worse than they really are (which isn’t much contrast), it’s time I talk about some good television for once.  Last month, TV Guide and TV.com have tallied votes for all around for best television shows from different genres.  Surprisingly, The Big Bang Theory is one of the best sitcoms of all time.  And it’s a show about geeky roommates and their hot neighbor going through everyday life with their social awkwardness and one character’s eternal grudge against Wil Wheaton.  Despite confusing terminologies, it actually works.  Going down the lists, best sci-fi show, with the lead character making it on the cover of TV Guide, is Doctor Who.  Best drama, Sherlock.  Best animated series, in a landslide, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.  And there are other runner-ups such as Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead.

My point with this little spiel is that people don’t run television, it’s ratings and fandom that do.  People truthfully love a good, scripted, campy drama with some action, ingenuity, wittiness, and a little magic.  Because fans want to know how two brilliant British gentlemen will save the day one episode at a time.  Because fans want to see that gratuitous sex expected from an HBO show.  Because fans can’t get enough of watching ponies.  So in essence, it’s the fans, with their guilty pleasures and yearning to escape from reality, who rule television.  That, and good story writing and plot development that make a good show.  And this includes ponies, for odd reasons I won’t divulge just yet…


-"Demon" Matt Little

A waiter in California was surprised to receive a pre-printed card in lieu of a tip, which blamed the President's fiscal policy for his inability to compensate for proper service.  I hope he plans on only visiting restaurants one time, otherwise, I would recommend that he start acquiring a taste for From-Unda-Cheese. 

Honestly bro... If you feel like you can't afford to tip, then sit at home and eat ramen and gas station burritos, and see how the rest of us really live.
 
- Harry Dunne

Just when you thought the people at Nintendo and Game Freak ran out of colors and precious gems, they did it again.  Nintendo has introduced WORLDWIDE today the next generation of the popular franchise: Pokemon X and Pokemon Y. 

Since the beginning, they’ve used Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, Ruby, Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl, Black, and White.  Now they’ve taken a bold step by naming their latest titles after English letters, or perhaps it’s the chromosomes that determine gender if you go that deep thinking about it.  But with a new title in a new generation, there will of course be new and interesting things to expect.  So what do we know so far?

The new titles will now be on the Nintendo 3DS, meaning it can handle new and dynamic 3D graphics and gameplay.  And this is a huge step considering their steady advancements after each game and each generation.  And by dynamic gameplay, I mean that everything, even the movements, are more third-dimensional, as well as an even more dynamic battle system.  When you see the gameplay, it feels a lot more like the later Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games the way Pokemon should feel.  So say goodbye to that same style of feeling like you’re playing off a map, much like the earlier Zelda games.

Ah, and of course the new Pokemon!  I wonder what they’re like.  Let’s see, so far the starting Pokemon consist of a fire fox (ha-ha), a water frog, and a grass… I want to say it’s a badger, or some kind of muskrat.  I certainly hope their evolved forms look badass, because I miss the days of a badass fire-breathing dragon.  And then there are the new “legendary” types, the uber strong and hard to obtain Pokemon, that act as the mascots to the game.  In the past, there have been legendaries that shape the weather, created land and ocean, control time and space, super-charged dragons representing ideals and truths, and even a “God.”  So how does a giant bird and a stag, like something majestic off of a Miyazaki film, top the others in terms of being “legendary?”  Hard to say so soon, but I sure hope there will be better looking ones.  Because with Pokemon that look like ice cream cones, chandeliers, and a buffalo with an afro, it shows that they are running out of neater ideas. (In my opinion though, afros are cool)

So look forward to over 800 creatures to catch and collect later this year in October.  Why so soon?  Because for the first time, Nintendo will be releasing localized copies EVERYWHERE in roughly the same time, with Europe and Australia likely getting theirs last.  That means everyone will get their copy and not have Japan spoil everything to us and rubbing in our faces. 

And PETA, if you’re reading this, you can make your complaints by posting a comment.  With that said, I’m going to think about how that fire fox would look ravishing wrapped around my neck…


-"Demon" Matt Little