The Sub.Standard

In Plain Sight

July 17 . 2008 – 10.39 am

We’re about halfway through the summer, but the regular fall TV season probably won’t be starting for real for a couple of months (only CBS has announced its premiere schedule as far as I can tell).  So, how should your TiVo busy until then?  I’ll give you a few suggestions over the next week or so.

…Click to continue reading “In Plain Sight”

By may the pop be with you | Posted in Reviews, TV | Comments (0)

This Week In Jesus: American Idol worship edition

April 11 . 2008 – 12.10 pm

The biggest story by far for Jesus watchers this week comes to us from American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back” show, which aired Wednesday evening. Aside from the fact that they stole the church’s long-forgotten idea of taking care of orphans and widows (well, I can’t say they stole it, since the church threw that idea away long ago) by raising millions of dollars for needy children, the real story for TWIJers came in the very last performance, in the waning moments of the show. [At this point, I am NOT going to mention that my Tivo didn’t actually catch the performance since the show ran late and it came on after 9 pm at which time my infallible Tivaliscious friend switched to the show I had set to record at 9…I’m not going to mention it because my relationship with my Tivo is pretty important to me and I would never do anything to hurt it…I heart you, Tivo!]What happened in the last few minutes of the telecast was a simple little performance that was almost unexplainable from a conceptual standpoint.

…Click to continue reading “This Week In Jesus: American Idol worship edition”

By i got your pop right here | Posted in Movies, Music, TV, This Week In Jesus | Comments (0)

Tivo turns 9 this month. Happy Birthday, best friend!

March 11 . 2008 – 12.04 am

Tivo logoIt was March of 1999 when the very first Tivo rolled off the assembly line and changed TV watching forever. It’s hard to qualify just how big of an advance it actually was. In my head, I know it wasn’t as big as the introduction of the color TV set, but my heart of hearts is telling me that it’s the biggest thing to happen to TV since the remote. IRG, it’s certainly the biggest advance during generation Y’s collective lifetime.

For those of you who think Tivo and a plain-jane DVR is the same, you’re missing the boat, as Tivo offers several features not available in most knockoff DVR models, and its incredibly intuitive UI (user interface) makes using another DVR feel like trying to play the latest Chris Brown CD with a 1988 8-track machine.

…Click to continue reading “Tivo turns 9 this month. Happy Birthday, best friend!”

By i got your pop right here | Posted in Tech | Comments (0)

TiVo Selling Out?

November 28 . 2006 – 12.54 pm

People are competing for our eyeballs. We all are aware of that, but it always helps to be aware of the ways in which people are trying to be clever and unobtrusive as they sink their product pitches into our psyche. Product placement in television and film is old hat. Last week, two shows (oddly enough, the similarly themed “Studio 60″ and “30 Rock”) included story lines where the offer to use product placement in their programs was perhaps the hugest ethical dilemma the producers could have faced. Screw, in the name of tolerance, any of the moral questions that get raised. But try to put Snapple on my show and I’ll pitch a hissy like you’ve never seen. Don’t sell me out, beeotch! Hilariously, “30 Rock” used their entire opening segment to place a Snapple product in every shot. Well done, wink-winkers and nudge-nudgers. Give me more of that. 

But don’t give me this.

…Click to continue reading “TiVo Selling Out?”

By its just pop | Posted in TV, Tech | Comments (0)