TV

Thursday, 25 February 2010 14:26

Written by Joeprah

(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)

If you haven’t seen the show Mantracker let me be the one to fill you in. Mantracker, while it may seem lame from a cursory glance (it’s Canadian Reality TV after all), is perhaps one of the best shows on TV.

The Premise:

The show is generally set in remote areas of Canada where two contestants (the prey) have 36 hours to travel 40 kilometers (to the finish line) without being caught. The prey are hunted by the Mantracker, Terry Grant, and a guide who is familiar with local terrain. The two hunters must remain on horseback during the hunt. The prey are given a map of the area, a compass, and a head start on the foreboding Mantracker. Whatever else the prey want to carry is completely up to them.

Thursday, 25 February 2010 12:03

Written by Joeprah

TNT has been taking on a lot of cool projects lately, so it wasn't a big surprise to me that they picked up Southland. What was a surprise was that it was canned after one season on NBC. It never makes a lot of sense when a great tv show gets canceled by a network. But this just what happened to the gritty LA police drama SouthLAnd when it disappeared from NBC's lineup after the first season. Luckily - it's back on TNT, starting with the never-before-scene premier of Season 2 on March 2nd. From the beaches of Malibu to the streets of East Los Angeles, SouthLAnd will take you inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families.

Check out a preview below and check out the SouthLAnd premier on March 2 at 10/9c on TNT.

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TV Shows for Guys: Ninja Warrior

Monday, 01 February 2010 21:50

Written by Joeprah

(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)

Ninja Warrior is perhaps one the best kept secrets on television. This past Christmas, my wife asked me what I wanted--we like to exchange token little things at Christmas time. I told her, “A Ninja Warrior T-Shirt.” The only problem—there aren’t any good ones out there. There isn’t even a standard-recognized-licensed-Ninja-Warrior-shirt. We did however find one for our oldest daughter.

What is Ninja Warrior? An obstacle course that gets progressively more difficult with each level you pass. There are only four levels. Out of the nearly 2,000 participants in the ten years of the shows existence only 2 have completed the entire course. One of those completed the course during season 7 when the course wasn’t nearly as difficult as it stands today. Only roughly 200 participants have ever cleared the first stage—it’s that tough.

The show takes place in Japan—Mount Midoriyama, and I know what you’re thinking, what’s the level of competition? Is this a Japanese game show with washed up has beens being thrown to the wolves ala MXC? Not. At. All. This show draws top notch competitors from around the world. From Olympic gymnasts and decathletes to free runners and fighters, Ninja Warrior fields display serious athletic prowess.

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Tyra Banks + Joeprah?

Tuesday, 27 October 2009 09:46

Written by Joeprah

So, my life is random. Sunday night right before I was about to shut it down on the computer I decided to check my email one last time. I was glad that I did. The Tyra Banks Show emailed me and wanted to know if my wife and I would be interested in being on an upcoming show. I was like-wtf? Seriously? So, I will be documenting my adventure on Joeprah.com if you want to follow along. What to expect? Pictures, videos and awesome blog posts of course.

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TV hates all dads

Monday, 20 April 2009 00:00

Written by Apok

Dads have lost respect over the years for one reason - television. If you're anything like me, much of how you view the world has been shaped by TV.

It teaches us life lessons, and how to deal with important decisions. It shows us the importance of strong relationships, and of solving everyday problems within a half hour of it arising. I value the things tv has taught me far more than those that school or parents have.

I feel like i have a good outlook on foriegn relations, thanks to Balki Bartokomous from Perfect Strangers. I'm not intimidated by courtrooms or legal situations, thanks to Night Court. Punky Brewster taught me to be kind and generous to orphans, because they have rockin' sneakers. Alf showed me that we could adapt to any situation, and overcome our addiction to eating cats.

TV used to tell us to love dads. TV dads used to be awesome. Steven Keaton from Family Ties? Awesome dad. He had such a scholarly beard. Jason Seaver from Growing Pains? So wise. And he hosted game shows on the side. Mr. Belvedere's George Owens? Wise. Funny. All-American. Bill Cosby? With his hoagies and his jazz and his goofy faces? Who didn't want Bill Cosby as their father?

These are the dads that TV made us love and respect. This shaped our image of dads and our level of respect for them.

But then he came. I loved him. I really did. I just didn't realize the damage he was causing. Al Bundy ushered in a new era where the dad was comic relief. Where he was reluctant, bumbling, ineffective. We laughed along as he flushed his toilet, and as he formed No MA'AM. We felt bad for him when he peered out the window watching for the pizza man, knowing he would never show. We clamored for our VCRs as, in a very special episode, Sam Kinison visited him on Christmas Eve. But inside, our respect for dads was wilting.

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