TV Geek Out 78: Oscars Chat

The Academy Awards are almost always a mixed bag, but for many a movie and TV geek, they're a must-see event. TV Geek Out Geeks Perry and Dana got together to discuss this year's Oscars telecast, which had a whole new crew of producers, who reimagined the show and recruited blockbuster leading man Hugh Jackman as the host, rather than the traditional comedian types of years past. Jackman wowed the audience with his singing and dancing skills, which, though well-known to Broadway fans, were a surprise to many viewers. Did all of these changes work? Was the show a success? Were the winners deserving of their golden statuettes? Dana and Perry hash it all out and suggest a comedy pairing that could take the Oscars by storm if the producers are smart enough to snag them for next year.

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 77: 30 Rock, "Retreat to Move Forward"

Sure Don Geist may have kept Jack waiting for his dream job, but that’s not going to stop our favorite Scheinhardt Wigs executive from making a big splash at the company’s annual “Retreat to Move Forward.” This episode meets with mixed reactions from TV Geeks Dana, Heather, and Perry, but how bad can any show be when Liz Lemon breaks out her flawless Sling Blade impression?

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TV Geek Out 76: The Office, "Prince Family Paper" and "Stress Relief"

The TV Geek Out Geeks work overtime to talk two episodes of The Office. Starting off, a conversation about “Prince Family Paper” prompts an examination of Michael Scott’s moral failings, as well as a heated debate about Hilary Swank’s hotness. Then, geeks Heather, Perry, and Dana continue the water-cooler talk with a breakdown of “Stress Relief” -- the one-hour post-Super Bowl episode that features pyromanic Dwight, emotionally troubled Pam, and digital pirate Andy.

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 75: Fringe, "Safe"

With less than a month until Fringe returns (yay!), TV Geek Out Geeks Dana and Heather resume their coverage of the show's exciting first season. Picking up with "Safe," the last episode of 2008, they discuss the many new developments in this suspenseful cliffhanger installment. Broyles' "Just when you thought things couldn't get any weirder" exclamation should be the catchphrase for the show! In "Safe," we get bank robbers walking through vault walls -- with one getting stuck! -- in order to steal what turn out to be the components of a teleportation device/time machine! Also, the side effects of sharing consciousnesses are further revealed, when Olivia starts mistaking John Scott's memories for her own. The Geeks freak out over the return of Mr. Jones and let their geek flag fly with an explanation of the Fibonacci sequence.

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 74: Lost, "316"

The TV Geek Out Geeks take on a Lost episode sans Perry with their discussion of "316." Though the episode divided some fans, Heather and Dana were both giddy over its complexity and deepening of the show's mythology. A new Dharma station -- the Lamppost -- in L.A.! An awesome Dharma history lesson from Ms. Hawking! Ben at his snarkiest! The return of Capt. Frank Lapidus! The return of most of the Oceanic 6 to the island much sooner than expected! Numerous plot threads were left tantalizingly hanging, and the Geeks have an excellent time speculating over the events that were left out. They also take on some fans' complaints about the episode's emphasis on religion, discussing the show's depiction of the struggle between science and faith, as played out through its characters. They even play TV character matchmaker, suggesting the perfect brainy man for the scholarly Eloise... Any guesses?

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 73: Gossip Girl, "Gone With the Will"

As hinted by its title, "Gone With the Will" was a truly epic Gossip Girl episode. Long-lost siblings, sinister uncles, breakups, reunions, disastrous brunches -- "Gone With the Will" had them all and then some. In fact, it might have had almost too much going on, in keeping with the show's frustrating habit of burning through characters and plot twists before they've really had time to shine. However, this also means that TV Geek Out Geeks Dana and Heather had plenty to geek out about, from Chuck's literal and figurative lack of will power to Jenny's random rattail braids.

Check out our discussion here.

TV Geek Out 72: House, "Let Them Eat Cake" and "Joy to the World"

In a little early spring cleaning, Dana wraps up TV Geek Out's coverage of House episodes from 2008, with discussions of "Let Them Eat Cake" and "Joy to the World." While treating a sick fitness expert who secretly lost her weight thanks to a gastric bypass surgery, Kutner also drags Taub into his shady scheme involving selling medical advice and second opinions via the internet -- using House's name -- in "Let Them Eat Cake." House is no fool, though, and the two eventually get their just deserts. And in "Joy to the World," Cuddy's baby fever is finally rewarded with a prospective newborn adoptee... but only after the child's teenage mother dies from eclampsia after clandestinely delivering her baby and leaving it seemingly dead in an abandoned building. Sound especially bleak? Well then it must be the Christmas episode of House! On the lighter side of things, House confuses nice with evil again when he attempts to be genial with his patients (on a bet from Wilson, of course), convincing a devout young man that his financée has had an immaculate conception, rather than being unfaithful.

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 71: Dollhouse, "Ghost"

Joss Whedon's long-awaited new show, Dollhouse, hit the airwaves recently, and the TV Geek Out Geeks got together to hash out their thoughts on the series premiere, "Ghost." Does Eliza Dushku have enough range for the constantly changing, challenging role of Echo? Is the show too dark and creepy to lure any but the most devoted Whedon fans? Is the selling of the series being botched by the infamously short-sighted Fox network? The critical response has been mixed, and so were the Geeks' opinions.

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 70: Lost, "This Place Is Death"

Lost took a trip in time to Rousseau's late-'80s backstory, now with added Jin, in the ominously titled "This Place Is Death." The smoke monster also made a dramatic return, prompting the TV Geek Out Geeks to ponder the nature of Smokey, from its fascinating array of sounds to the way it moves, kills, and transforms people. Locke took a plunge into the "underworld," leaving Sawyer with only a rope to hold on to, and did some vital repair work on the donkey wheel of time, but not before sustaining a brutal compound fracture and having a nice chat with Ghost Christian... or was that Jacob? The big news was Charlotte's death, though, and the fascinating expositional ramblings that preceded it. The L.A. story wasn't half bad, either, with Ben giving Jack and Sun a talking-to and Ms. Hawking's relationship to Faraday being confirmed by Desmond. The Geeks shed some tears for Dr. C.S. Lewis, geek out over the awesomeness of Jeremy Davies, clamor for a map of the island, and much more.

Check it out here.

TV Geek Out 69: 30 Rock, "Flu Shot"

Leave it to 30 Rock to find the funny side of rationed health care, hypocrisy and elitism with "Flu Shot." Liz wants to be liked by The Girlie Show's crew -- and for one brief, sneezing moment when she turns down the flu shot offered her, she is -- but not as much as she wants to go to St. Bartleby's to eat soft-serve ice cream on the beach while wearing dark socks. Meanwhile, Jack wants to take Elisa out on the town, but the fact that she works at night hinders those plans (but only for a moment). With the return of Dr. Spaceman, zombie-like flu-ridden coworkers, a fabulous montage of Jack and Elisa's night out and a very awkward dance courtesy of Liz Lemon, "Flu Shot" offered plenty of healthy discussion for the TV Geek Out Geeks.

Check it out here.