Apost Khan interviews his longtime friend and co-star Asoka in the video sensation that has landed him in some sweet limelight.

Apost: You’ve been supporting Conan for a long time now. When did your die hard fandom begin?

Asoka: During the “Late Night” days. I use to stay up late and watch his show during high school. Could have used streaming back then. (laughs)

Apost: Yep no Hulu Plus made for some tired mornings back then.

Asoka: oh yeah! (laughs) But it was worth it. I always felt he was the funniest late night talk show host.

Apost: You were very vocal during the whole Leno conflict as well.

Asoka: We were already working on the song before that happened. We actually put it out a day or two before the conflict with Leno occurred. But like most people, I was sad to see that situation go down. But he bounced back!

Apost: So it was more of a perfect storm then? Everything happening all at once.

Asoka: Yeah, the timing was spooky. Someone working on the show actually told me that even they thought it was one of the first support videos. Which was kind of cool.

Apost: It is always good to know that the people working on the show are taking interest in what you’re doing. How did that feel, to have them reach out to you after the song came out?

Asoka: It was an honor man. I actually reached out to them and some of them responded. I didn’t think I was going to get a response. But it was a beautiful feeling. It’s just surreal, you know?

Apost: I could imagine.

Asoka: Like I’ve been watching this show for years… and the people behind the product have actually heard my music. It’s just wild. It’s a blessing.

Apost: How have other fans of the show responded to the song and video? The community as a whole.

Asoka: They’ve been really supportive. Most fans always say: Conan needs to hear this! Or This should be on Conan’s show! I love it!

Apost: Thats great to hear!

Asoka: And at this point in my career… really everything is just word of mouth. The song got thousands of hits alone on you tube and we just put out the video for it, which is in the thousands as well.

Apost: Previously we collaborated on a Mario themed music video for your Mario themed track. What draws you to create your art around things you are a fan of?

Asoka: Well basically…    As an artist, music is our expression of thought. It’s what we do, I write down lyrics almost every day. Even if it’s just a little scribble here or there. And a lot of times my music is self reflective and can sometimes be heavy. Sometimes it’s nice to just take a break and have fun with it creatively and incorporate the things that I like or am a fan off. You know. Like we grew up on Mario, most of us who were born in the 80’s. I still play Mario to this day. (laughs)   It’s a part of our culture. And the Conan song came up because I was going through some hardships and… It was a tough time in my life. But you know how they say laughter is the best medicine? That’s kind of what that was. I would watch Conan and for that one hour I would forget about every thing and just enjoy the show, and laugh.

Apost: Personally I really like that about your work. It is refreshing. Most artists seem to be too egotistical to admit being a fan of anything but themselves. I think it helps people connect with you more on a personal level.    It makes you more than a product. More than an image. It gives the fans something tangible.

Asoka: Thanks man, I appreciate that. I definitely think with social media and how things are today… We can’t pretend to be one dimensional.

Apost: I agree.

Asoka: And that’s one thing I always take pride in with my music. It’s well balanced. If I want to do a song about Mario… I’m going to do it.    If I want to do a song about what’s going on in the world. I’ll do it . I think (Joe) Budden said it best, “Music is just what feelings sound like.”

Apost: You’ve also recorded a theme song in the past for the professional wrestler Sonjat Dutt. With that as well as the Conan song and video and the Mario song and video, you are reaching out to audiences that may not be big time hip-hop fans. Is that something you were conscious of before recording those songs?

Asoka: I don’t feel that’s necessarily the case. When I do those kind of songs, I’m still reaching the hip hop heads. Just in a different market. If you like wrestling… that doesn’t mean you don’t like hip hop. You know what I mean? Some of these wrestlers are like the biggest hip hop fans. So when I do something like this, out of the ordinary, I’m just reaching hip hop fans through a different channel, a different route. I’ll give you a good example of this…  When you go to a hip hop show, everybody is passing out CDs. You get out of the club and you might have ten CDs on you.  But I can go to a wrestling show, talk to the fans, and give them my CD there. At the end of the night, I bet that CD gets heard before any of the CDs people might have gotten at the hip hop shows.

Apost: I meant that more people than just hip-hop heads would be listening to and watching those videos…

Asoka: Yeah, I definitely agree with you on that too. People who normally wouldn’t listen to hip hop might enjoy those kind of songs too, because it’s about something they enjoy as well.

Apost: Its always good to be inclusive.

Asoka: I don’t do songs like that too often, it has to be something that I REALLY enjoy and like. But as far as what you’re saying I agree. It’s just thinking outside of the box (when it comes to hip hop)

Apost: What all went into the creation of the Conan video?

Asoka: Oh man, it took me forever to do that video! (laughs)

Apost: (laughs)

Asoka: Because I do everything myself. From story boarding, to lighting, to shooting, to editing/post production… Everything! It took me almost a year to piece that video together. We had to re-shoot the video about three times because the lighting wasn’t right on the green screen. It was a learning process. But with something like the Conan video, it was always fun. I had a few friends who helped out with the video and that made it that much better. My buddy Big Santa Pimp is in the video, he’s the one doing the adlibs on there. We also had my buddy Chad dress up like The Flaming C, a character form Conan’s show. Basically Conan’s Super Hero alter ego. (laughs) And professional wrestler Colt Cabana did a shout out for Conan on there too!

Apost:  I think a lot of people take that for granted. Just how much work goes into a music video like that.

Asoka: Yeah, most definitely. The littlest things can take hours to perfect. But now… because I’m more familiar with it. I think I could do it a lot quicker. But everything was home grown on here man.

Apost:  Nice! After watching the video and seeing what a good job you guys all did, it made me want to do my own song and video for Attack Of The Show! (laughs)

Asoka: (laughs) That would be sick! I love Attack of the Show! I miss Olivia Munn though.

Apost: (laughs) Personally I I think Candice is much better!

Asoka: I hear you, but you know what I’m saying. (laughs)

Apost: Well before we wrap up. What can the fans expect on the horizon from Asoka? (Besides being featured on the re-release of my debut album “Orator Colossus” dropping in May that fans can download at www.avillain.com)

Asoka: (laughs) I actually just put out a new single with Stat Quo. It’s called “For My Soul“ and it’s off my upcoming album titled “Heart Of A Lion“ that will be out in late August. Before then, I’m thinking about wrapping up the “Before The Legend series“.

Apost: Sounds like people need to check that out ASAP. Like the cheap plug I threw in there?

Asoka: (laughs) yeah. Yeah, and that song just went into rotation on VH1! And it’s online on my website too! ReliveHipHop.com

Apost: Well it sounds like you have a bright year ahead of you. Any last words for your fans or people reading this?

Asoka: Yeah, I gotta thank the fans man! They’re as essential to what I do as the actual music! And for those that are new you can keep up with me at ReliveHipHop.com or on Twitter.com/TheAsoka or Facebook.com/Asoka213 or even on Youtube.com/AsokaTV.     And thanks for the opportunity to you guys too!

Lockdown always stands out as one of TNA’s best PPV’s year in and year out. On the heels of a quality Victory Road PPV could TNA continue its upward momentum? This month we already saw an incredible Wrestlemania. Could TNA match or top that? Lets find out.

MATCH ONE – LETHAL LOCKDOWN

This wasn’t the best match but it was a great way to start off the PPV. As usual, having this many people in a caged ring lead to the match being a bit of a cluster f***, with it being hard to tell just exactly what was going on at times. It was really entertaining after the past few months to see Garett take the brutal beating he received. That alone made this match worth watching, despite the lack of any big spots and a really weak ending. - 3 out of 5 stars

MATCH TWO – MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS VS SAMOA JOE & MAGNUS

This match turned out to be a pretty big disappointment. I was expecting the Guns to go all out in their return, but they played things really safe and conservative. Everything felt a little sloppy and disjointed. I think it is becoming clear that Sabin is the Marty Jannetty of this group. When Alex Shelley and Samoa Joe are involved in a match I expect better than this. - 2.5 out of 5 stars

MATCH THREE – ROBBIE E VS DEVON

What a God awful match. Thankfully it was mercifully quick. Without Bully Ray, Devon is unwatchable. TNA needs to realize this and stop trying to push Devon down our throats. No one buys him as a singles champion. NO ONE. You are just making the TV Title, which already held little value, look even more worthless. - 1 out of 5 Stars

MATCH FOUR – VELVET SKY VS GAIL KIM

We all know Velvet isn’t exactly the most talented worker in the business but this match was probably the best performance she has ever put on. I’ve always said that Gail Kim could carry anyone to a decent match and that holds up here. Overall a decent KO match that featured a nice high risk spot that nearly killed Gail.

Footnote: TNA needs to stop with the B.S. endings. You can have a heel go over a face clean once in a while. Not every heel victory has to end in nonsense.

- 3.5 out of 5 stars

MATCH FIVE – CRIMSON VS MATT MORGAN

For the love of God, TNA STOP PUSHING CRIMSON. He has little to no in ring ability and is about as interesting as a block of ice. He is the definition of boring and his matches serve only as a good time for a bathroom break. He is not Goldberg. Stop trying to act like he is. He shouldn’t be undefeated, he should be jobbing. - 1.5 out of 5 stars

MATCH SIX – KURT ANGLE VS JEFF HARDY

A lot of people in the IWC were critical of Angle’s comments in which he said this match would be on par with the HHH vs. Undertaker match at Wrestlemania. Well I think Angle shut those people up pretty quick as this match delivered exactly what he promised. This match had it all. False finish after false finish, finishers being traded like it was a video game and a multitude of high risks spots closed out by a crazy Jeff Hardy spot from the top of the cage. Simply put a masterpiece. – 5 out of 5 stars

MATCH SEVEN – ODB & ERIC YOUNG VS ROSITA & SARITA

This is what TNA books after a five star match? Sarita deserves better. If you don’t want to keep the KO tag titles around then just get rid of them. Turning them into a joke just hurts your product. Comedy has its place in the biz but it should not come at the expense of your championship belts. - 1 out of 5 stars

MATCH EIGHT – JAMES STORM VS BOBBY ROODE

This was a masterpiece in storytelling. Perhaps even the best booked feud TNA has ever had. This had the feel of an old school 80’s personal vendetta steel cage match. Everything was bloody. Everything had meaning. Everything built to a fantastic crescendo and ended on a picture perfect note. An almost flawless match. I really hope this feud lasts a long while. - 4.5 out of 5 stars

OVERALL

Two fantastic matches that raised the level of this PPV up to something special, only to have that specialness diminished by poorly booked, unnecessary, underwhelming bouts. TNA seems to be headed back down the right track. They just need to fix a few more things and they could be back to the level of quality they were at a few years ago.

It is funny, isn’t it, that we’ve went how long without a five star match and now we’ve received two of them in the same month. I feel a new golden era may be upon us. Or at the least I hope so.

3 out of 5 stars

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There was a ton of hype surrounding this years Wrestlemania with the return of The Rock to the WWE universe, Taker’s streak on the line in the Hell In The Cell and two excellent looking World Title matches. Did Mania live up to this insane level of hype or fall flat like last years extravaganza? Time for you to find out.

Match 1 – Shamus vs Daniel Bryan

Disgraceful and shameful booking is on full display here. You charge $65 for an event and then you book the Heavyweight Title match to end in only 18 seconds? Words can’t describe how furious the crowd I was watching this with were at the end of this debacle. What in the hell were they thinking? 18 seconds for one of the most anticipated matches of the night yet you have plenty of time for skits with Deadliest Catch captains, a racist minstrel show skit by Clay and a musical performance by a crappy meth addict looking rapper who wont even have a career in music this time next year? Epic fail WWE. Epic f’n fail. - 0 out of 5 stars

Match 2 – Kane vs. Randy Orton

Pretty much the generic definition of a basic wrestling match, albeit a bit of a sloppy one. Nothing much to say other then this is about as good of a match as you could hope for considering the participants. To be fair, the end of the match did feature a nice spot, a bit of a rarity in Kane matches. - 2.5 out of 5 stars

Match 3 – Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes

Do you remember the hilarious promo Cody Rhodes cut about Big Show being a slang term for crap, well that pretty much sums up this match. Like anything involving the Big Show, it was boring, slow paced, filled with botches and ended poorly. Side not. When exactly did it become legal to use a clenched fist? Yet another reason I despise all Big Show matches. - 2 out of 5 stars

Match 4 – Maria Menounos & Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix & Eve

You typical WWE divas match, AKA lots of botches and sloppy work, though we did see one nice high risk, top rope move pulled off by Kelly Kelly. The only other thing of note in the match was that Maria was looking pretty damn attractive. Pretty crappy overall though and having a “celebrity” with no wrestling training go over your women’s champ kind of makes the belt worthless. Maybe next time how about you book someone other than your Champion to job to a celebrity. – 1.5 out of 5 stars

Match 5 – HHH vs. The Undertaker

With the streak on the line these two really stepped things up a notch for their Wrestlemania rematch. This was hands down the best match WWE has put on since the early 2000’s. This really did have the feel of a classic Attitude Era showdown, from the storytelling, to the raw brutality, to J.R.’s excellent commentary, to the hot crowd, this was picture perfect. I came into this match expecting very little and what HHH & Undertaker gave us far exceeded what I thought was even possible. Simply said, it was a thing of old school wrestling beauty. - 5 out of 5 stars

Match 6 – Team Laurinaitis vs. Team Teddy

If you despise Santino as much as I do than I have bad news for you, you will be just as disappointed to learn as I was yet again that Santino did not die in this match. One day, I keep telling myself, maybe just maybe. I kid, though I do hate his guts. On paper this match looked like a cluster **** of awfulness, yet it some how ended up not being all that bad. There were a few nice spots, everyone, other than Otunga, got some sort of highlight in and then it was over. The end was a bit weak but at least it didn’t turn into the comical farce we all envisioned. - 2.5 out of 5

Match 7 – Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk

This match started off a bit slow and was clunky for the first quarter or so but then once the storyline aspect of the match was put on the backburner, things really started to heat up. From there we got some excellent counters and technical mat wrestling from these two future hall of famers. While this wasn’t quite the 5 star match these two are capable of putting on, it was still stellar and just a sliver of what is to come from this great feud. – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Match 8 – John Cena vs. The Rock

After sitting through a painfully embarrassing performance from Machine Gun Kelly, who really needs to be introduced to food, told about this magical thing called push ups and these other wondrous things called weights that one lifts in order to not have the body of a 14 year old starving Ethiopian child (sidebar: people please stop with the skinny jeans, enough is enough already) and then sitting though not one but two songs from the equally awful Flo Rida, we finally got to see what everyone paid for, wrestling. While perhaps over billed by WWE to the poit where even a 5 star match couldn’t even meet peoples enormous expectations this contest still delivered. False finished after false finish, finisher after finisher, and a surprise outcome all made this one of the most memorable contest in Wrestlemania history. Not the best match but still something that was pretty damn entertaining. - 4 out of 5 stars

Overall

This years Wrestlemania got off to a horrible start, with an undercard littered with sloppy, poorly booked matches, yet a sea change occurred midway through the 5 star HHH vs. Undertaker match that changed the whole tide of the event. I was conviced I’d be sitting here railing against yet another failed WWE PPV but instead I sit extolling its virtues, feeling something I havent felt in a very, very long time. Hope. Hope that this day marked a new chapter in WWE history. Hope that the disastrous PG era has finally run its course. Hope that Monday Night may be the first day in a new golden era. - Overall 3.5 out of 5

How do the ratings work?

ONE STAR = PURE GARBAGE

TWO STARS = BAD

THREE STARS = AVERAGE

FOUR STARS = GREAT

FIVE STARS = CLASSIC

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MATCH ONE – BULLY RAY VS JAMES STORM

There isn’t much to say about this one, a few punches, a superkick and then the three count. Just your basic squash match. Which is perfectly fine on Impact but when you’ve advertised a match and people are paying good money for a ppv there is a certain level of expectation that must be met. - ONE STAR out of FIVE

MATCH TWO – ZIMA ION VS AUSTIN ARIES

Austin Aries is really beginning to solidify his spot as a top tier level performer. Zima Ion on the other hand still lacks polish and has a tendency to botch moves that need to be landed cleanly to take his matches to the next level. He is good but there is a lot of room for improvement. Nothing revolutionary here but nothing glaringly bad either. Your basic X-Division match. - THREE STARS out of FIVE

MATCH THREE – MATT MORGAN AND CRIMSON VS SAMOA JOE AND MAGNUS

If you’ve seen a Crimson match before then you know what to expect…. An amazing display of epic boredom. Not even Samoa Joe could save this match from being pulled down into the abyss of suck that is Crimson. Even worse then the actual match is the horrifying fact that this whole program has been building towards a Crimson and Matt Morgan feud. I bet you all are looking forward to that feud right? I know I sure as hell am not. - ONE and a HALF STARS out of FIVE

MATCH FOUR – ROBBIE E VS DEVON

A short impromptu match that was as good as you could hope for considering the people involved. It was nothing spectacular but it was no where near as bad as you would expect though it is clear they have no idea what to do with the TV Title. – TWO STARS out of FIVE

MATCH FIVE – MADISON RAYNE VS GAIL KIM

A solid back and forth contest from the two top female wrestlers in TNA. Once again the Knockouts Division proves to be the most consistent aspect of TNA programming. I just wish Gail and Madison had been given a little more time. Give these two ten minutes longer and I think you would have an instant classic and a match of the year candidate on your hands. - THREE and a HALF STARS out of FIVE

MATCH SIX – CHRISTOPHER DANIELS & KAZARIAN VS AJ STYLES AND KEN ANDERSON

It seems as if AJ and Daniels have been in a perpetual feud for damn near a decade now. That however isn’t a bad thing as, like always, when these two set foot in the ring together great things happen. This match featured some great spots from everyone involved and lived up to the bar set by their previous encounters. – FOUR STARS out of FIVE

MATCH SEVEN – KURT ANGLE VS JEFF HARDY – MATCH OF THE NIGHT

The buildup to this match might have been a bit silly but damn did this match deliver. Easily the highlight of the show, this match saw spot after spot, false finisher after false finish and more finishers executed that a WWE 12 video game match. The only thing holding this back from Match Of The Year contention was a bit of a weak finish. – FOUR and a HALF STARS out of FIVE

MATCH EIGHT – STING VS BOBBY ROODE

Whatever your feelings have been about Sting’s Joker gimmick, this match more than made up for the ridiculous promos. It still boggles the mind how Sting can get out there and go at this high of a level at his age. TNA creative also deserves some credit for coming up with a really creative and well executed ending to the match that left both wrestlers looking strong. Bobby Roodes post match actions were also a highlight of the night, as he took his heel persona to a whole new level of ruthlessness that is must see TV for any TNA fan. – FOUR STARS out of FIVE

OVERALL

Victory Road proved to be one of the best events TNA has put on in a long time. The opening handful of contests were pretty poor but the back half of the card more than made up for that. It was also refreshing to see some clean finishes for a change. TNA had been overdosing on the B.S. endings so hopefully this marks a permanent shift toward clean endings at PPV’s.

Overall I give TNA Victory Road 2012 THREE and a HALF STARS out of FIVE and recommend it to any TNA fan.

How do the ratings work?

ONE STAR = PURE GARBAGE

TWO STARS = BAD

THREE STARS = AVERAGE

FOUR STARS = GREAT

FIVE STARS = CLASSIC

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Happy Town: I Came to Haplin for the Waters – Although the ratings were not what ABC wanted – so much so that after the third episode aired on the 12th, the remaining 5 episodes of the season were bumped until after May Sweeps – Happy Town has done an excellent job presenting itself as a bizarre and mysterious little show. I intend to stick around for the entire run, with the promise that the Magic Man will be revealed by the end, and hope to get as many answers as possible in that little space of time. Also, what is the deal with the crazy bird and the wild boar hammer?

Supernatural: Two Minutes to Midnight – In one episode, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) had to defeat and acquire the rings of the two remaining Horsemen. Though on a timeline, I still felt that both Horsemen received adequate attention, and particularly loved Death, whose resentment against Lucifer had him giving up his ring without a fight. Really, it was the only solution that made any sense – Death cannot be defeated. One day, even Sam and Dean will have to remain dead.

Bones: The Witch in the Wardrobe – Bones is like that boyfriend (or girlfriend) who keeps failing, but whom for whatever reason you keep giving chances to. And he (or she) always manages to get back in your good graces, but, if you stopped to think about it, you know he (or she) has not improved for good. This episode combined an interesting case surrounding witches with a long-awaited reconciliation between Hodgins (T. J. Thyne) and Angela (Michaela Conlin). As delightful as it was, I remain wary of the episodes remaining and am uncertain I will be back in the Fall.

The Mentalist: 18-5-4 – Another once beloved series that is sitting on my personal bubble, The Mentalist seems to ave stopped using its many resources, and focusing only on Patrick Jane (Simon Baker). Again, Jane taunted and tricked the suspects, again he used a clever ploy to reveal the murderer, and again he showed just how brilliant he is. The way things are going, why both have anyone else work the case? Jane’s doing it all, and I’m getting bored.

Stargate Universe: Sabotage – Here is one show that does continue to rise in my estimation. In Sabotage, Col. Young (Justin Louis) finally did something that made me not entirely hate him: he planned to sacrifice himself to save the rest of the crew. Granted, it was a stupid choice considering he is supposedly their best leader, but at least he did something that was worthy of respect…not that he had to go through with it. Still, Young is not a complete waste anymore, and use of the communication stones to introduce interesting and useful characters from Earth is a far more valuable use of time than what was going on before.

The Pacific: Part 9 - Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did. I’m just glad that The Pacific didn’t feel the need to show us what it was like to be in a POW camp; I guess they figured Bridge on the River Kwai covered it. In the final major campaign, we saw more raw recruits die uselessly, more because of mistakes or stupidity than by any clever tactics of the enemy. Not that I needed to see more of those clever tactics – watching one woman, holding her baby, explode because of the dynamite strapped to her chest was enough, thank you. With only one more episode in the miniseries, I can only hope that by the end I will be able to regain my sense of being whole.

Chuck: Chuck vs the Tooth –  In this episode where the Intersect wrecked havoc with Chuck (Zachary Levi)’s mind, we learnt 3 significant things. 1. Christopher Lloyd should always be referred to as Doc, 2. Daniel Shaw (Brandon Routh) may still be alive, and 3. The Intersect may end up giving Chuck permanent brain damage. Way to raise the stakes on this fantastic show, which has been renewed for a 4th season.

Castle: Overkill – The reason the love triangle between Castle (Nathan Fillion), Beckett (Stana Katic), and Demming (Michael Trucco) works so well is because all three have great chemistry. I loved watching Castle and Demming compete with their theories on who committed the murder. Even better that it turned out both were right. The tension is going to come to a head in the upcoming season finale, and I just hope I am not left with that unbearable feeling when you know you have to wait 4 months before finding out what is going to happen next!

V: Fruition – Although Anna (Morena Baccarin) has not yet devoured a gerbil, and may never do so, her lack of humanity was quite apparent in the damage she did to her own daughter, Lisa (Laura Vandervoort). I suppose there are some humans who might harm their children in a similar manner, knowing they could so easily be healed, but we would consider them equally inhuman. Luckily, it may be an act in our favour since it clearly destroyed much of the loyalty Lisa still had for her mother. She is 5th Column now, and that is a great thing! We will get to see how that plays out not only in Tuesday’s season finale, but in Season 2 as V has been officially renewed!

Glee: Laryngitis – The highlight of this week’s Glee was watching Kurt (Chris Colfer) transform himself from his confidently-flaming actual persona into a very hetero redneck. The shift in physicality, in his voice, was incredible to see. Kurt was suddenly a very different person. Apparently Glee doesn’t just allow actors to show off their singing talent, but also their versatility as actors.

So, stayed glued to the TV as your favourite shows reach their seasonal conclusions, and let me know which you will miss the most!

Happy Town: In This Home on Ice, Pilot – Although Happy Town’s ratings aren’t great, the show is certainly worth checking out. The bizarre sense of mystery which leaves you wondering what the Hell is going on in this small town is delightfully creepy. There are so many questions, and while you get the impression that you have a lot of those answers, the situation is too treacherous to be certain. What I am certain of? I’ll be watching this every week!

Supernatural: The Devil You Know – I’ll start with 5 words: Lovers  in League Against Satan. Dean (Jensen Ackles), Sam (Jared Padalecki), and Bobby (Jim Beaver) are making deals with the Demon, Crowley (Mark Sheppard), in an attempt to get the last two rings for their collection. Although we all know better than to trust a Demon, this partnership is entertaining and it works. Also, finally allowing Sam to avenge the death of his girlfriend was a perfect knot to tie to give us some sense of closure. How the rest of it will go down, who can say. After all, none of us actually expected Dean to go to Hell.

Bones: The Rocker in the Rinse Cycle – This was the worst episode of Bones ever written and filmed. The murder was buried under a pile of other storylines so that when the murderer was arrested, he barely had 3 seconds to confess as he was dragged to jail because that was all the time left for him. And, other than Cam (Tamara Taylor) dating her daughter’s gynecologist which was somewhat sweet, the rest of the plots were tiresome, repetitive, and basically irrelevant. After 3 solid weeks, Bones has plummeted to worse quality than before its 100th episode.

The Mentalist: Red All Over – What I liked about this episode was that, for once, Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) actually told his plan to the CBI team, and they were able to help him get the confession he so often seeks. What I didn’t like was that he used a little girl to get that confession. I’m just glad she wasn’t actually traumatized…though she may yet be when she’s old enough to understand that her grandfather killed her father. Also, the introduction of a Cult Leader, whom I hope will reappear often, indicates The Mentalist’s understanding that ongoing cases are necessary, and Cult Leaders make excellent villains.

Stargate Universe: Lost – Stargate Universe continues to improve and become more and more exciting. In Lost, we got to learn about Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) – his anger issues come from living with an abusive father, but, in reverence to the man his mother remembered before he changed, his father was also the reason he joined the army. The flashbacks to Earth are a much better use of time spent on Earth than anything else. Plus, the balance of luck, where Greer was rescued because he was left for dead, while Chloe (Elyse Levesque), Scott (Brian J. Smith), and Eli (David Blue) were left behind entirely because they had sought to save themselves.

The Pacific: Part 8 – The hardest thing about The Pacific is that it is based on real people who actually lived and died fighting those battles. Last week, we saw the death of Capt. Haldane (Scott Gibson), a excellent leader and a good man. That was not easy to witness. This week, John Basilone (Jon Seda), whom we’ve known and respected since the beginning of the series, finally got his wish to return to the front. He met a beautiful woman whom he loved and married, and decided to remain in the army despite finishing his term of service. Then he went to Iwa Jima, lead his men brilliantly, and was shot dead the first day. We witnessed an actor portray that ark perfectly, but the tears are a remembrance to John Basilone who was a hero, a husband, a leader, and who died.

Chuck: Chuck vs the Role Models – The first episode out of the gate after Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) and Chuck (Zachary Levi) made their relationship official, they were saddled with two spy veterans who had been married (at least 3 times) for the last 30 years. While those spies were a pain in the butt, constantly switching sides depending on which suited them best in that moment, I loved watching Sarah and Chuck debate whether that was how they wanted to end up in 30 years. Together and still in love, with some issues to work through? It could be a lot worse than that.

Castle: Food to Die For – The murder of a reality-TV-series-winning chef created an absolutely delightful mystery, but what I really loved about this episode was the tension between Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic). The decision to try to push their relationship to another level is not easy considering their working relationships, Beckett’s walls that she put up against Castle, and Castle’s past track record for long lasting relationships. Then, introduce an attractive man with who Beckett could have an easily functional relationship, and the only questions is “What should she do?” She is attracted to them both, she could pick either, but which one would leave her with the fewest regrets. Don’t think that if she picked Castle, she wouldn’t wonder what would have happened if she’d gone the other way.

Glee: Bad Reputation – OMG I love Sue (Jane Lynch). It was hilarious to see her rocking out to Olivia Newton John’s Let’s Get Physical, and even more so when she and ONJ (who guest starred) redid that music video. Glee, could you be even more fantastic? The rehabilitation of old songs that we really love, we just can’t admit it because they are SO not cool, was also a terrific idea. Now let’s just hope that we get to see a little more of Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) soon.

V: Hearts and Minds – Whose side is Chad (Scott Wolf) on? He’s not being entirely forthcoming with Anna (Morena Baccarin), claiming that his sources need to remain secret so that he can get more information, but he also (eventually) told Father Jack (Joel Gretsch) that he had passed on the information Jack had given him to Anna. At the moment, he’s obviously playing both sides, but which side is he really on? Keep watching to find out (and to try to get ratings high enough for a renewal).

Another eventful week. Upcoming are the penultimate episodes of Supernatural, The Pacific, and V. You don’t want to miss any of these fantastic shows.

Supernatural: Hammer of the Gods – Although the Trickster (Richard Speight Jr.) turned out to be an Archangel, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) were on the right track when they wanted to seek help from other gods to stop the Apocalypse. Unfortunately, even Kali (Rekha Sharma) was no match for Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino). While she escaped with Sam and Dean, Gabriel confronted his brother, and lost. A worthy death, after so many escapes, but I will miss him. And before he died…well, actually, technically after he died… he revealed to our boys how they might lure Lucifer back into Hell. Rock on.

Bones: The Predator in the Pool – While Booth (David Boreanaz) and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) have gone their separate romantic ways and are pursuing other romantic possibilities, their crime solving abilities have become far more interesting. A man was murdered and then devoured by sharks in a public aquarium, with hundreds of witnesses who saw absolutely nothing. But leave it to “King of the Lab” Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) and Clark “I’m never distracted from my work” (Eugene Byrd) to find the clue that  breaks open the case. Isn’t it delightful when forensics are used right?

The Mentalist: Blood Money – It may have been because he was betrayed, but I was thrilled beyond understanding that Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) finally suffered real consequences because of his inappropriate methods. His illegal investigation techniques let a murderer walk, and even though, in the end, they caught the man who had ordered the hit, he had been able to kill his hired man. Jane’s mistake cost a man his life…good thing that man was a psychopathic serial killer, so we don’t care too much.

Stargate Universe: Human – What could be better than a Rush (Robert Carlyle)-centric episode with guest appearance by Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks)? Watching Rush relive the memories of his wife’s death while desperately searching for the answer to the Destiny is exactly the reason I got into watching science fiction in the first place. The in depth look at his mind, the understanding of its fragility, and the strength he must have to go on all increase our love for Dr. Rush, even if he isn’t always the most well behaved. Now if only they could find a way for us to like Col. Young (Justin Louis).

The Pacific: Part 7 – Intense and stressful situations make men fast friends for life, but that isn’t saying much when their lives are likely to be cut short at any moment. To say this episode was more bloody than any other would be false, but, for the first time, we were given the opportunity to develop strong feelings for some of the men, only to be crushed shortly thereafter by their quick and pointless deaths. How many good men die in war, how many good men are lost to us so easily? The Pacific perfectly draws out the feeling that we never want to see a war like that again.

Chuck: Chuck vs the Honeymooners – Since Chuck (Zachary Levi) and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) have committed to a They Will, the show can now go forward focusing on other things that this forbidden love. But first, they had to decide whether they were going to run off together, or remain a spy couple. They had the perfect amount of passion after all those years of holding back, but even more amusing was their complete loss of it when they quit the spy life. Don’t worry, they realized their mistake and now, as a couple, they will face the dangers of the world and protect those they love.

Glee: Home – Despite its cheesiness, despite its ridiculousness, Glee is incredibly popular and it is using that popularity to send a message to all those who watch it. You are beautiful already, stop trying to change yourself to fit someone else’s bs ideas. The highlight of the episode was when Mercedes (Amber Riley), who had been starving herself, began seeing her friends dressed in food costumes. Nothing so ridiculous and fun as seeing people dressed as cakes, cupcakes and ice cream cones.

V: Heretic’s Fork – Back to bland, this week’s episode didn’t maintain last week’s achievement. For some reason, Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) seemed incapable of enumerating the bad things the V had done. Sure, it made sense when she didn’t tell her son, whom she is trying to protect by keeping ignorant, but she could say nothing to their prisoner either. And he was going to have to die already, since he had heard the use of Joshua’s name as their ally. Which just tells you how incapable this resistance is. We’re all going to be killed or enslaved by the V, so let’s get used to the idea.

And that was what happened this week. With so few episodes left of the season, which season finale are you most excited about?

Supernatural: Point of No Return – I seriously thought that Dean (Jensen Ackles) was going to say Yes to Michael, and that the last 3 episodes of the season would be spent with Sam (Jared Padalecki) trying to avoid saying yes and trying to save the planet and trying to rescue his brother. This episode was SO much better than that. Castiel (Misha Collins) was so angry and so justified in his anger, and Bobby (Jim Beaver) was not in a much better mood, but Sam had faith. Regardless of anything else, he had faith, and he was there when Dean hit absolute rock bottom to give him hope and keep him saying No.

Bones: The Death of the Queen Bee – Are we remotely surprised that Brennan (Emily Deschanel)’s only high school friend was the creepy janitor (guest star Robert Englund) who brought her dead rabbits to dissect? No more than we are by the fact that two of her classmates had committed a murder back when she was in high school, over a boy, and that one of them had now killed the other over that same boy. The peppy, cheery types can be just as creepy as those who accept their inner Morticia.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand: Kill Them All – The blood bath that concluded the first season of Spartacus made every fight scene before appear rather bland. Gladiators cut down all the wealthy Roman masters who had turned out to watch Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) and Crixus (Manu Bennett) fight to the death. They had not suspected it would be their deaths. The feeling of liberty we ourselves felt while watching the massacre is only a tribute to how well the writers rallied us to the gladiators’ cause. And, boy, was it a fun finale.

Stargate Universe: Faith – Although Stargate Universe continues to give a far better showing that it did in its first 10 episodes, I was a little confused about this week’s episode. It was very peaceful, and did a good job of showing a reconciliation between the civilian and military factions aboard Destiny, but there seemed to be a hand guiding them from a distance, which I think was intentional, but I still have not determined the purpose of it. Oh well, next week Michael Shanks will guest star, so I’m ridiculously excited!

The Pacific: Part 6 – Two weeks ago, the marines were faced with too much rain. Now, they are faced with a lack of drinkable water, and are forced to run across an airfield while parched. Which really isn’t as big a deal as the fact that they are also being shot at. Again I am amazed that any survived, or that any had the will to do the things they did. And to think, we are only watching an hour of this horror, while they spent months suffering through it.

Castle: Den of Thieves – Mob ties, disappearing partners, murder, and sexy sparring made this episode of Castle just as exciting as the one a few weeks back when Beckett (Stana Katic)’s apartment exploded. Esposito (Jon Huertas) had a partner who was murdered a few years back, only it turned out he wasn’t dead – was he working for the mob, or was he trying to prove his innocence? And what was Esposito supposed to do – help his friend, or arrest him? What a great way to remind us of just how loyal Beckett’s team is.

V: We Can’t Win –  I am back to being pleased with V, and hoping that it won’t get cancelled. Make sure you keep watching it and get those numbers up! The best part of the episode was when Joshua (Mark Hildreth) tested Lisa (Laura Vandervoort) and discovered that she was having feelings. He saw the potential in keeping her alive, even though other members of the 5th column simply wanted to see her dead. In the end, what he did was perfect. He did not tell Anna, but when Lisa confronted him about it, he told her show owed him. Very V, but a perfect way to allow her emotions to continue to develop.

Glee: The Power of Madonna – Glee gave another powerful episode, masking a discussion of important teen issues in a carnival of Madonna music. Even though I’m not entirely sure Madonna is exactly the best role model for young women, she certainly knows herself and does what she wants because she wants to. And perhaps that is the best lesson for young girls to learn? But really, the best line of the night was when Sue commented on the smell of cookies basking from the ovens of the elfs who live in Will’s hair. Loving it!

So another week of great television goes by. What was the highlight of the week for you?

Supernatural: 99 Problems – It’s hard to say that things are getting worse when the Apocalypse is already underway. Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) had to stop the Whore of Babylon from dragging more people into Hell. Castiel (Misha Collins), although very drunk, helped them out by informing them that only a true servant of God could kill the Whore. He, as a rebel angel, didn’t count, and neither did Dean, and Sam certainly fell far from the mark. But, as the fight went down, things got out of hand, and Dean ran her through. He killed her. He then proceeded to run off (or drive off) to see the love of his life, giving us the very strong idea that he is going to say yes to Michael.

Bones: The Parts in the Sum of the Whole – Most AMAZING flashback episode, possibly ever. We finally got to see Booth (David Boreanaz) and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) solve their first case together. Strangely, their relationship was completely different than expected – both were fully open to the sexual tension. It was only when things went badly between them at the end of the case that the anger so present in the premiere of the series appeared. Seeing the entire team reunited (including Zach (Eric Mulligan)) and still in their original mind sets was refreshing, and the last moments of the episode were so touching that even I almost shed a tear.

FlashForward: Queen Sacrifice – I think I am done watching this show. Although there are some really cool moments and I have a lot of questions, it just never seems to reach the potential it has. The entire intrigue of this episode, of trying to discover who the mole in the FBI is, was destroyed when one mole was caught and another was allowed to remain. That mole was Janis (Christine Woods) and I simply cannot believe this as nothing we have seen of her before makes it at all probable. But if you do want to keep reading my commentary on it, just let me know and, for you, I will comply.

The Mentalist: Aingavite Baa – Normally, nothing would be more exciting than an episode about an amnesiac who witnessed a murder. The Mentalist, however, have me far greater concern and tension when Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti) were forced to choose between each other and their place on the team. Though Rigsby chose Grace, planning to take a position at another bureau, Grace refused to allow him to do it. She ended their relationship, breaking both their hearts in the process. And mine as well.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand: Revelations – It was quite obvious from how serious everything got in this episode that next week is the season finale. Batiatus (John Hannah) has stopped hesitating to exploit every avenue to a place of power. Although his negotiations with Glaber (Craig Parker) did not go well, he still secured the Legatus’ patronage when he threatened to reveal that Ilithyia (Viva Bianca) is a murderer. He also punished Crixus (Manu Bennett) not only for causing a scene in front of guests, but likely too for the affair he had been having with Lucretia (Lucy Lawless). But Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) is no longer a subservient pup. He is ready to take his freedom, and most of the other gladiators are like to join him.

Stargate Universe: Divided – Stargate Universe continues to show great progress in giving us an interesting and science-fiction-related plot. Young (Justin Louis) has lost the faith of all the civilians on his ship, except Eli (David Blue). Rush (Robert Carlyle) and Wray (Ming-Na) staged a coup that failed. Now they all still have to live together on the ship, but since the military continues to run a dictatorship, the civilians will be forced to continue to try to show their strength, lest they be considered “unnecessary” and be removed.

The Pacific: Part 5 – Leckie (James Badge Dale) is back in the fray, fighting the Japanese on tiny little islands we’ve never heard of. The shock of watching these soldiers rush into harms way again and again, where luck more than any other factor is what allowed them to live, it hurts my heart. These brave man ran towards machine gun fire, and I can hardly believe that any of them came home, let alone that they retained their sanity.

Treme: Pilot, Do You Know What It Means – Although I do not plan of following this show, it is well worth checking out. The variety of characters bringing together a picture of the ruin that was New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina means that there will be at least one person to whom you can relate, one person whose story you can imagine being your own if a Hurricane destroyed your home. The music, the friendship, and the loss will likely weave a very powerful story, and one that deserves to be told.

Castle: The Late Shaft –  Hours before he dies, a late night host tells Castle (Nathan Fillion) that someone is trying to kill him. Although by all appearance the death was a simple heart attack, Castle persists on investigating. And the death was a murder! The sad part was the motive, a great sense of betrayal. Hard to imagine feeling so betrayed that murder is the only way to get justice. Oh, also, Castle was seduced by an actress trying to get the part of Nikki Heat in the movie. Heeheehee.

V: John May – I’m sticking with V, despite some disappointments. For instance, the big secret about Tyler (Logan Huffman) is that his dad is not his dad? Even if the tests were right, and Erica (Elizabeth Mitchell) got pregnant by someone else, there is no reason to talk about it like that. He is his dad, in that he raised and loved him. The reason the couple divorced was because the trust was gone, not because Tyler was another man’s son. Grrr.
But, I did love that Georgie (David Richmond-Peck) died rather than risk the others being captured to rescue him. And I also though Ryan (Morris Chestnut)’s story about when he became 5th Column very fitting. I’m interested in next week’s episode, and that is a good thing.

Glee: Hell-O –  Although the music was a little bit of a mishmash, only the Hello theme keeping it together, I loved the development. Stupid Finn (Cory Monteith) loses his chance with Rachel (Lea Michelle) because he can’t figure out what he wants. Rachel ends up with the lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline who is probably using her, but whom I like to think will fall for her by the end of the season anyway. Will (Matthew Morrison) is a big mess and really has to figure out his own life before anything else. And Sue (Jane Lynch) naturally managed to work her way back into the school, with the destruction of Glee club paramount!

So that’s what happened on television betwenn April 7 and April 13. Enjoy watching your series, don’t forget to comment, and if you want to discuss any of these episode (or others of these or other shows), you can always check out my blog. http://insightsofatelevisionaddict.blogspot.com/

Supernatural: Dark Side of the Moon – Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) started the episode by getting themselves killed, again. This time, however, we followed them up to Heaven, where they have apparently been many times before, although they do not remember it. In a race against the Angels, trying to send them back to Earth, Sam and Dean tried to find Joshua, who talks to God, and if his message to them – Stop trying to find God; He’s not going to help – wasn’t painful enough, witnessing all the moments in Sam’s life that made him happy (none of them were with his family) hurt Dean even more. So now the boys realize they are alone, with no God to help them out, and Dean has lost so much faith in his brother that he throughout the pendant Sam gave him when they were children, calling it worthless.

Bones: The Bones on the Blue Line – Back after months of hiatus, Bones gave us a whole lot of character development, as well as an interview between Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and a Japanese reporter that gives the hint as to why the characters are given far more attention than the forensics. The particulars of the case, as has occurred frequently of late, were nothing special, but Sweets (John Francis Daley) suffered an emotional crisis, which resulted in him deciding to live his life to the fullest – he proposed to Daisy (Carla Gallo)! Brennan also realized that the characterization in her books was far more important than she realized, and thanked Angela (Michaela Conlin) for her contributions with a check for 25% of her earnings. The writers were quite correct, so I hope from now on they contribute 25% of the script to characterization, and 75% to the case.

FlashForward: Better Angels – There was a lot of bloodshed in this episode, more than I deem necessary. When the FBI team arrived in Somalia, things did not go according to plan, and Janis (Christine Woods) only managed to save the key players by revealing the meaning of his FlashForward to the Warlord of the group holding them prisoner. Things were better after this, until that Warlord tried to kill Simon (Dominic Monaghan) and ended up dead for it. Whatever else we learned by this, it is clear that the FlashForwards are no longer true promises of the future, only possibilities. Also, Mark (Joseph Fiennes) and Olivia (Sonya Wagler) have new tensions in their relationship which are entirely their own fault. Oh, and Demetri (John Cho) helped Janis conceive a baby…The ratings of this show are reflecting its quality of late.

The Mentalist: The Red Box – Lisbon (Robin Tunney) and her team have a new boss, Madeleine Hightower (Aunjanue Ellis), and she is not so indulgent as their previous superior. Not only has she threatened Lisbon’s job if Jane (Simon Baker) misbehaves – which, indeed, is far more likely to secure his cooperation than any threats against himself – but she has also noticed the relationship between Rigsby (Owain Yeoman) and Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti). How is the team going to continue solving cases every week without Jane’s machinations – this week, he lied about the value of a ring the victim was killed to acquire? And what will the consequences of Rigsby and Van Pelt’s involvement be?

Spartacus: Blood and Sand: Old Wounds – Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) had a harder time recovering from Varro (Jai Courtney)’s death than expected, but this was because the injury Varro had given him in their last bout was badly infected. As he lay in fevered dreams, Crixus (Manu Bennett) reclaimed the title of Champion of Capua, while Batiatus (John Hannah) exacted revenge against the magistrate who had slighted him, blaming the crime on his rival, Solonius (Craig Walsh Wrightson). With the latest success of Crixus and Spartacus’ recovery, Batiatus’s dreams are all coming true…unfortunately for him Spartacus’s dreams were true too. He finally discovered that the death of his wife had been orchestrated by his master. With only two episodes of Season 1 left, who knows how much things will change before next season!

Stargate: Universe: Space: While I was highly displeased with the first 10 episodes of SGU, it has come back from its hiatus and very much impressed me! Not only did the writers get rid of any connection between our lost explorers and Earth, but we also got to meet some aliens, and witness some human interaction that wasn’t straight out of Melrose Place. If the development of the power struggles between Colonel Young (Justin Louis) and rivals Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle) and Camile Wray (Ming-Na) continues so subtly and believably, the Stargate Franchise might actually achieve the right mix of Stargate and BSG. Let’s just hope next week continues in this vein.

The Pacific : Part 4 – In Part 1, we saw our heroes heading off to war and the first battles they fought. In Part 2, one distinguished himself by becoming a war hero, while losing his best friend in the same fight. In Part 3, the soldiers got some R&R which proved to be just as stressful when relationships failed. It is no surprise that in Part 4, we got to see what happened to soldiers who suffered through such emotional trauma.  Amid the desertion and suicide, Bob Leckie (James Badge Dale) fell pray to disease and depression. Removed to a hospital, he saw other soldiers who had completely lost hope, or their minds, and realized that he just wanted to be better and back with his comrades at arms. This show continues to clearly shout just how horrid what the soldiers suffered in WWII was.

Chuck: Chuck vs The Other Guy – This week, Chuck was a highlight of awesomeness and pure delight. Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) finally admitted she loved Chuck (Zachary Levi). Chuck saved Sarah from Shaw (Brandon Routh), who went rogue and tried to kill her; Chuck was forced to kill Shaw to save Sarah, making him a real spy and earning him Sarah’s gratitude. Casey (Adam Baldwin) captured a Ring leader and used him as leverage to be reinstated, to get another Crown Vic, and to have Morgan (Joshua Gomez) turned into an NSA operative. And Chuck finally got to see the Eiffel Tower. Pure perfection.

Castle: Wrapped Up in Death – When an archeologist is found dead, crushed by a gargoyle pried off his roof, Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) need to catch his murderer…or stop the ancient curse of a Mummy that archeologist had found. Although it turned out that a man killed the victim, in order to cover up a previous murder committed at the dig site, Castle (who believed himself to have been equally cursed by the mummy) still asked a Mayan to remove the curse.  Even if Beckett could shoot any boyfriends Alexis (Molly C. Quinn) brought home, Castle still wanted to stick around and take his daughter to the Zoo.

V: Pound of Flesh – The 5th Column may be in trouble. Anna (Morena Baccarin) has devised a way to detect if a V is feeling emotions, causing Joshua (Mark Hildreth) to betray his possible allies rather than be exposed himself. The process, however, also helped him find Ryan (Morris Chestnut) and deliver a message to the 5th Column to rally. It looks like we may in fact be en route to a real fight between the Vs and the 5th Column, which would make this struggling scifi series really exciting.

There are quite a few shows you aren’t going to want to miss this week. Keep watching V and FlashForward if you want them to get renewed, and don’t miss the 100th episode of Bones. Let me know what you are thinking, and if you are looking for a more in depth look, check out my blog. http://insightsofatelevisionaddict.blogspot.com/

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