The first time we see a Free City of Essos, far from the territories subject to the Iron Throne, we learn that the area surrounding its gates is called the ‘Garden of Bones’, so named for all those denied access to Qarth, left to die outside its walls.

More grim still, is that Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones  takes that title for its name as well.   Viewers everywhere seemed to agree, the episode proved this world is becoming almost unbearably dark.   The name ‘garden of bones’ juxtaposes an implied beauty or serenity — life — with the reality of death, the physicality of death; all that remains after life is gone, and Sunday was all about coming to terms with death.

Keep Reading »

Ah yes, the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards for Television are coming up. For those of us who are complete and total anglophiles, the list of nominees dropped today, much to my delight and suspicion. Why suspicion? Well, since 2005, I’ve a vested interest in the classier cousin of our Emmy.

You see, Benedict Cumberbatch was nominated for a BAFTA for  Hawking in 2005. And lost. Try and imagine senior-in-high-school me flipping tables and ripping pages out of library books in my rage. I didn’t actually do any of that, but I seriously considered it. Surely, I thought to myself, they won’t make that mistake again. His next nomination was for  Small Island, for Best Supporting Actor. And he lost.  His next was for Sherlock.  And he lost. His next was for film, for Best Supporting Actor in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.  And he lost. If he loses this time, you’ll probably end up seeing my lovely face on TV. On the 11 o’clock news. When I’m in a bell tower surrounded by a lot of guns and ammo.

For the list of nominations, hit the jump!

Keep Reading »

Lest you hath fucking forgotten, there is more Arrested Development  coming to this world. It’s easy to forget, since after the announcement that the show was being revived by Netflix nothing much has been heard. Friends, fear not. It is coming. Hungry for more details? Show creator  Mitch Hurwitz can sate your needs.

Keep Reading »

“What is Dead May Never Die” is the pledge of the men of the Iron Islands.   When they undergo this ‘baptism’ by saltwater in their adolescence, they are ‘drowned’ in the waters in homage to the old tradition — Ironmen were literally drowned, then resuscitated, and having suffered that little ‘death’, they style themselves as dead men, unable to be killed on the battlefield.

Theon Greyjoy bathed in saltwaters at the climax of Sunday’s episode of  Game of Thrones, and made the choice to betray the North, and his foster brother, Robb Stark.

Keep Reading »

This is it kids.   This is the final stretch; the season finale of Justified.   Our dear friend Raylan has been through a lot these past few weeks.

Keep Reading »

If only this 2D fighting game was real. It ain’t. Nothing more than a gorgeous interpretation by artist  Dynamaito. So hot.

This is the week everything could go wrong for a heavily serialized show like Game of Thrones.   It’s the second episode of a second season; a show can knock an audience on its ass one year with a perfect storm of timing, talent and spectacle, and then lose it all during the hiatus.   A shoddy premiere can rest on the laurels of its fans’ frothing anticipation and still come away with merit.

We’re pretty fortunate then, that we got the premiere we did, and the second episode to prove shit’s still on track.   The immense task of adapting Martin’s ‘song’ is somehow, somehow still staying faithful to its source text.   Ponder that, and marvel at it after every episode.

Keep Reading »

The pieces are in place.   The guns are primed.   The powder keg is lit.   The shit is going down on Justified.   Take off your Stetson, throw your boots on a table, sit back and stay a while.

Keep Reading »

Trey Parker and Matt Stone have never been ones  to shy away from examining the absurdities of powerful institutions–religion being one that offers much fodder for inspired tomfoolery. South Park episodes that take a closer look at dogma typically deliver the goods in some capacity–be it a witty insight or riotous commentary–and last episode “Jewpacabra” was no exception thanks mainly to Cartman’s extended dream sequence that puts the destruction of Egypt in Exodus into an appropriately brutal light. Take a look after the jump.

Keep Reading »

I’ve been doing recaps of True Blood  for several seasons now, and when I came across this teaser I had a moment where I realized I needed to stop doing them. Nary a moment later I decided a better action would be to drink during them, and write in a state of drunken belligerence that will always segue into “Jessica makes me want to splooge slop sprung party”, so that’s what I’m going to do.

Hit the jump for the trailer.

Keep Reading »