So LOST Without You
As I said yesterday, I was immeasurably excited in the hours leading up to last night’s season premier of LOST. The season two finale gave some of the answers that we were desperately seeking (namely, that entering the numbers into that computer actually did something) and left enough in the air to leave fans drooling for more. The first episode of season three set the table for what should be a fascinating, satisfying season, but the show itself left a lot to be desired. My quick thoughts after the jump (obvious spoiler alert); I encourage everyone to share their thoughts in the comments.
Quick Bits
Some short thoughts for those things I don’t have enough to say about to make it worth a full post.
Sam’s Town, the new album from The Killers, is a massive disappointment. Talk about a sophomore slump. The title track is half decent, the lead single “When You Were Young” is great, but the rest of the album abandons the brilliant dance pop of Hot Fuss and opts instead to sound like early Bruce Springsteen filtered through terrible speakers. Stream it for yourself at Napster, then go buy “When You Were Young” from iTunes, and forget that the rest of the album even happened.
Weird Al Yankovic’s new offering, Straight Outta Lynwood, is funny, but no Bad Hair Day. You should especially listen to “White and Nerdy” and “Trapped in the Drive Thru,” and get “You’re Pitiful” from his site. James Blunt loved it and gave it his blessing, but his record company put the kibosh on it. Too bad.
LOST returns tonight. I can’t quite explain how excited I am.
Yakkity Yak
Welcome to Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Come on in, it’s safe. No, we promise there are no Huns here out to kill you. Mongolia is known for its unique architecture, fascinating indigenous animals, and words that are really hard to spell, even when anglicized. But enough about this country that we really really promise you won’t get killed in. In the heart of Ulan Bator is the Hotel Mongolia, which served as the second pit stop…in a racearoundtheworld. Last week, teams raced from Seattle to Beijing, where they learned that slow and steady, at least in the first leg, got you nothing but trouble, as Bilal and Sa’eed were Philiminated quicker than a Cleveland Browns’ quarterback getting sacked and Vipul and Arti couldn’t overcome their total lack of directional fortitude and were more compassionately Philiminated. Who will get their heads chopped off (but not by Mongols! We swear!)…next?
Funny Business
Do you remember when The West Wing used to be good? Back in those early seasons when Sam, Josh, Toby and CJ were the heavy hitters; the Josh/Donna relationship was still “will they/won’t they/just kiss already damn it;” and, most importantly, when Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme were still at the helm? They left around season four, and The West Wing turned into simply one of the better shows on television instead of the “you must watch this” behemoth it was when it first started. Sorkin and Schlamme made their return to the small screen on September 18th with Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and if the first two episodes are any indication, they’ve picked up right where they left off.
Allah vs. Early Philimination
Welcome to Beijing, China. The capital of the People’s Republic, Beijing is also a destination city for business and culture. It is also part of the country that brought us the story that was adapted into Disney’s Mulan, which furthered the career of Donny Osmond, but we won’t hold that against them. On the edge of Beijing is the Great Wall of China, the only man-made object visible from space. Well, that and BJ and Tyler’s egos. At this section of the Great Wall was a rope climb, at the top of which was the first pit stop…in a racearoundtheworld; one that Phil promises us will be full of surprises.