Possibly one of THE most anticipated TV shows of the Fall, GOTHAM premiered this week on FOX to a mixed reaction from fans. While DC Comics' characters have been successful in recent years from the highly popular Smallville(2001-2011)to the current series Arrow (2012-) , even more shows from DC will premiere this Fall including The Flash(CW) and Constantine (NBC). Set in the Batman universe and loosely based on the short-lived DC comic books series Gotham Central (2003-2006), Gotham is basically a cop show set around the events of Bruce Wayne's (David Mazouz) parents murder, but the future Caped-Crusader is not the main character. Instead, the show focuses on Police Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) as he works with his partner Detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) as they try to clean up the streets of Gotham as organized crime and corruption plague the city as two rival crime bosses vie for control.
In the style of Smallville (Superboy/Superman), Gotham is essentially a prequel in that it tells more about the origins of the hero we have all come to know so well, namely Batman. While focusing more on the cop drama in the city and less on the origin story, the show has a lot of work to do in getting fans to follow it. While trying to desperately include plenty of fan-service (albeit too much) the show includes cameos from several other Gothamites and characters from Batman's would-be rogues gallery. Aside from the usual characters such as Gordon, Bullock there is of course Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee), Bruce Wayne's loyal butler. Along with a few familiar (and not so familiar faces) there is the criminals Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett-Smith) and Carmine Falcone (John Doman), while Falcone has appeared in the Batman comics for years Fish Mooney is a completely original character created for the TV series, much like Harley Quinn who was created for the 1990's Batman Animated Series and was soon incorporated into the comics. One of the major would-be villains who make an appearance is Oswald Cobblepot, (Robin Lord Taylor) aka The Penguin, as a much skinnier incarnation of the Batman villain. Other characters who make an appearance and have some, if very little to the story in the beginning is Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), Edward Nygma/The Riddler (Cory Michale Smith) and even a young Ivy Pepper/Poison Ivy (Clare Foley). While Batman as a character has one of the biggest cast of characters in the comic book it seems very difficult that the show will be able to address the origins of all these characters. The fact is, the show seems to have almost too many characters, especially those introduced in just the first pilot. While the show seems promising and hopes to draw in Batman and comic book fans alike, the show seems to be off to a somewhat rocky start, putting too much into the first show and insinuating tat the entire show will be focused on solving the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne in yet another re-working of the origin. Whereas the comics has its own origin, which has been changed and rewritten so many times, including the latest revamping of the character in 2011 as part of DC's New 52. The original character Joe Chill who was featured briefly in the Christopher Nolan movies seems to not be included in this shows story. All in all, Gotham seems to be less of a comic book based show and more of a CSI-like cop drama, complete with overly-melodramatic characters and action. As a Batman fan I was excited to see it, however after watching the pilot episode I was somewhat undecided to what the future of the show might hold and if the show will become as popular as Smallville or suffer the fate of previous Batman show attempts like Birds of Prey (2002-2003), only the fans and ratings will tell...GOTHAM airs Monday nights on FOX 8/7c.
It's Comic-Con time again! The International Comic Con happened in San Diego this weekend and bringing with it even more previews and news of some of the biggest pop-culture events coming in the next few years! Hollywood and TV have dominated Comic-Con over the last decade and there is no lack of big announcements from movies and TV projects. Last year I posted about the upcoming events announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2013, so I thought I would follow up with this years events. CHERNOBOG'S BLOG PRESENTS: Comic-Con 2014: Top 10 Upcoming Events! Enjoy!
#10 Interstellar (2014) - Christopher Nolan directs a new science-fiction epic starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway where a group of explorers discover a wormhole in space that allows them to travel the furthest reaches of space.
#9 Godzilla 2 (2017?) - Director Gareth Edwards unveiled his plans for the sequel to this years Godzilla reboot and rumors circulate of the appearances of even more kaiju monsters!
#8 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - Director George Miller previewed his new Mad Max reboot/sequel starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron.
#7 Wonder Woman (2017?) - DC has announced that the Amazon warrior, played by Gal Gadot, will finally make it to theaters despite her failed TV series. Wonder Woman will soon join Batman and Superman in a rumored Justice League movie!
#6 The Walking Dead: Season 5 (October 2014) - The remaining survivors have made it to "Terminus" and it's not what they expected!
#5 Ant-Man (2015) - Director Peyton Reed brings the newest Marvel hero movie to the screen (after Edgar Wright dropped out), starring Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man, and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym.
#4 Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) - Director Zack Snyder returns with a DC heroe extravaganza with Henry Cavill reprising his role as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, also rumored as Aquaman, Jason Mamoa!
#3 DC Comics TV Series (2014) - While Marvel has dominated the big screen, DC has taken over the small screen with continuing their highly acclaimed Arrow series with Season 3, and announcing the premieres this Fall for three more DC inspired titles including Gotham, The Flash, and Constantine!
#2 The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) - The finale to Peter Jackson's (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) Hobbit Trilogy comes to an epic conclusion with the dwarves battling to reclaim the Lonely Mountain as fending off all of Middle Earth from their home and Bilbo caught up in the middle of it all!
#1 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) - Director Joss Whedon returns to direct the sequel to his 2012 superhero epic! The team lead by Nick Fury including Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye, with new additions Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), (and possibly The Vision!) reunite to battle Ultron (James Spader/Andy Serkis?)!
The horror/thriller genre is on the rise on prime-time Cable TV with the success of series like The Walking Dead and American Horror Story. The newest series,The Strain, which premiered Sunday, July 13th on the FX Network, is based on the horror/thriller novel series written by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan.The Strain explores the age-old vampire genre with a modern virus-outbreak twist. It promises to be the newest Sunday night thrill, possibly even competing with the return of AMC's The Walking Dead in October. When a Boeing 777 from Berlin to New York goes dark on the runway at JFK airport, the authorities contact Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll), the head of the CDC team in New York City to investigate. Along with his partners Nora Martinez (Mia Maestro) and Jim Kent (Sean Astin) the team find all but four out of over 200 passengers alive on the plane that died from an unknown biological agent. The team also discover a strange, large, carved, wooden box in the cargo hold filled with soil. The only explanation come from the supposed ravings of an elderly pawn-shop owner named Abraham Setrakian (David Bradley) with talk of vampires! In the next 24 hours Dr. Goodweather and his team will come face-to-face with the most virulent plague in the history of the world that threatens to destroy the entire human race!
Writer/director Guillermo del Toro and author Chuck Hogan serve as both co-creators, executive producers and writers for The Strain, also co-writing the pilot script for the show, which was also directed by del Toro. Emmy Award winning writer and producer Carlton Cuse (Bates Motel, Lost) serves as executive producer and writer. The Strain is a "high-concept thriller" based on the trilogy of books which have already gained popularity and even a series of comic book adaptations from Dark Horse Comics. Director Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to the vampire genre with his films such as Blade II (2002) and Cronos (1993) and bringing the new virology element to the vampire myth. So far, the show follows the books fairly closely however there are a few added elements to the characters as well as the plot and a somewhat lack of attention to the solar eclipse which occurs in the beginning of the first book yet has little to no mention in the first show other than a brief glimpse of an advertisement in the airport. The casting for The Strain compliments both their book versions as well as their comic book adaptations. While the surprising casting of Sean Astin as Jim Kent, a somewhat minor character in the book, may reveal a possible stronger role in the TV series. The major focus of the virus outbreak is on the mysterious "blood worms" which appear in much of the shows promotional material, which from a fan's point-of-view of the books, appear much bigger than they seemed in the books. The brief yet satisfying glimpse of 'The Master', the head vampire, is equally impressive and terrifying along with the character of Eldritch Palmer (Jonathan Hyde) is a perfect match. With the modern setting of the series mixed with the fascination of vampires provides a fresh view on the vampire genre which has been redundantly dominated by the more teenage/sparkly variety of vamp from the popularity of the Twilight books and movies, as well as in TV with shows like The Vampire Diaries and it's spin-off The Originals. As a fan of the books and comics, I've been looking forward to the premiere of The Strain for quite a while now, and upon seeing the Pilot, I have no doubt that this series will soon take off and add a whole new level of terror and anticipation to Sunday prime-time! The Strain has spread...
With the popularity of current paranormal primetime TV dramas on the rise like the CW's ongoing series Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, the unlikely channel WGN America begins airing new original programming beginning with SALEM. Salem is in fact a Supernatural hour-long TV drama focusing on witches and witchcraft and drawing its inspiration from the historical events occurring in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. However, the show is not without it's own dramatic license in perpetrating the widely-held belief that there were in fact witches in Salem and as it does so through the very graphic depiction of witch-like activities, not to mention it's overuse of nudity, sexuality and violence on level with Game of Thrones to increase their ratings. The show stars Shane West as John Alden Jr., having returned to Salem long after being thought killed during the French and Indian Wars having learned that Salem is suffering a witch hysteria led by the Reverend Cotton Mather (Seth Gabel) and his once beloved Mary (Janet Montgomery) is now married to the wealthy landowner George Sibley (Michael Mulheren). With her servant/confidant Tituba (Ashley Madekwe) they have concealed the fact from John that she was pregnant and in a bizarre ritual aided by Tituba, "got rid of" the baby. As conspiracy, panic and fear spread through the town John tries to find out the dark truth behind these witch hunts! While the shows' premise holds some fascination within the genre of horror/supernatural/witchcraft, the flagrant historical inaccuracies of the characters and events only further add to the false history and myth of one of early America's darkest and most mysterious periods in history and is a mockery to those 20 real people who died because of it. I have always held a great fascination with Salem and the Witch Trials and have even visited the site myself and while the story still resonates within popular culture from the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller which is also a fictionalization of those events holds more truths than this new TV show from the writers of Terra Nova and the director of Girls.
It's been 14 years since Matt Groening's Futurama debuted on March 28, 1999. After being cancelled by Fox back in 2003 and following four popular direct to DVD movies, Comedy Central picked up the show in 2009 and has kept it running to it's 10th season. Sadly, this week is the premiere of the Series Finale entitled “Meanwhile,” on Wednesday, September 4th, at 10:00pm ET/PT on Comedy Central. We'll all miss the wacky sci-fi-esque adventures of Fry, Leela, Bender and the rest of the crew of the Planet Express but you can be sure to see them on reruns and DVD for years... To celebrate the final episode CHERNOBOG'S BLOG Presents: The Top 10 Futurama Episodes! Enjoy...
#10 "A Fishful of Dollars", Aired: 4/27/99 - When Fry discovers he has over 4 billion dollars in his savings account he goes money crazy and buys a rare can of anchovies, now a rare and extinct delicacy. The evil Mom company conspires to steal it for use in cheap robot oil.
#9 "Fry & the Slurm Factory", Aired: 11/14/99 - Fry becomes addicted to Slurm, a popular soda and wins a contest (a la Willy Wonka) to tour the Slurm factory where he learns a terrible secret!
#8 "Reincarnation", Aired: 9/8/11 - 3 shorts feature Futurama in 3 different animation styles including old-timey cartoon. anime, and 8-bit video-game.
#7 "Bender's Game", 4-Part Episode/Movie, 4/26/09 - The Planet Express crew are trapped in a fantasy- game world created by Bender's mind.
#6 "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings", Aired: 8/10/03 - In an effort to win Leela's love, Fry makes a deal with the Robot Devil to become a gifted musician.
#5 "Parasites Lost", Aired: 1/21/01 - When Fry eats an egg-salad sandwich from a gas station vending he becomes stronger and smarter from ingesting "intelligent worms".
#4 "Less Than hero", Aired: 3/2/03 - Fry and Leela become superheroes after using a "miracle cream" from Dr. Zoidberg and form a crime-fighting team with Bender.
#3 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before", Aired: 4/21/02 - Fry and the crew are put on trial for traveling to the forbidden planet of Omega 3 to retrieve all 79 episodes of "Star Trek" with the heads of the original cast members (except for Scotty!) and battles a nerdy energy being.
#2 "Roswell That Ends Well", Aired: 12/9/01 - During a supernova explosion, Fry uses the Planet Express' microwave which sends the crew back to Roswell, New Mexico in the year 1947 where they are mistaken for a UFO!
#1 "The Luck of the Fryrish", Aired: 3/11/01 - Bad luck sends Fry in search of his boyhood good-luck charm, a seven-leaf clover, stirring memories of rivalry with his older brother, Yancy.
I was a child of the 1980's, and while there were many popular cartoons and action figure properties like Transformers, He-Man and Thundercats, there was one that I was particularly obsessed with and that was G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. By the time I was seven years old I had just about every G.I. Joe action figure and vehicle (I even had the aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Flagg!), not to mention an avid collector of the Marvel comic books! With the release of the popular Hasbro action figures and the Marvel comic book, Sunbow and Marvel Productions developed a 95-episode series (1983-1986), to follow the success of the toy line. When the show premiered in 1983, it began with the 5-episode mini-series in which Cobra developed the M.A.S.S. device to steal a satellite. With the second mini-series in 1984: "The Revenge of Cobra", Cobra creates the Weather Dominator and wreaks havoc on the world. With the success of the two mini-series, they began production with the first season of G.I. Joe with 55 episodes. They began the second season in 1985 with the 5-part "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!" which introduced the Cobra Emperor: Serpentor. As the series was coming to a close, in 1987 they produced G.I. Joe: The Movie which was a direct to video release which was syndicated later on TV hosted by non-other than Sgt. Slaughter himself! While DIC Entertainment tried to bring the cartoon back in 1989, it lasted only 2 short seasons until 1991. In celebration of the March 28th release of the film G.I. Joe Retaliation next week and as this year also marks the 30th Anniversary of the premiere of the animated series, CHERNOBOG'S BLOG proudly presents: Top 10 Best G.I. Joe Episodes, "Yo Joe!"
#10 "Cold Slither" (Ep.#151) - Destro and Cobra Commander gets Zartan and the Dreadnoks to form a rock n' roll band called "Cold Slither" to perform music with subliminal messages in an attempt to take control of the minds of the masses. But G.I. Joe puts a stop to Cobra's plan by forming their own band called "The Average Joe Band" to counteract Cobra's message!
#9 "Lights! Camera! Cobra!" (Ep.#119) - Cobra infiltrates a Hollywood studio where they are filming "The G.I. Joe Story"!
#8 "Memories of Mara" (Ep.#145) - G.I. Joe finds a nuclear submarine called the Nerka, and rescue a crew being held captive by Cobra. Also Shipwreck falls in love with Mara, a woman with blue skin who has been genetically modified by Cobra to be the first of many "aquatic commandos".
#7 "Cobra's Creatures" (Ep.#111) - Cobra uses a special weapon called "Hi-Freq", a mind control device to take over the minds of all animals in the world, including Mutt's dog Junkyard!
#6 "The Traitor" (Ep.#s 146-147) - G.I. Joe designs a new armor treatment that's impenetrable to laser fire and missiles. Dusty is accused of being a traitor and selling secrets to Cobra!
#5 "Nightmare Assault" (EP.#224) - Doctor Mindbender invents a machine that turns the Joes' dreams into nightmares, but Lowlight is the only person who can help them overcome their fears.
#4 "The Viper is Coming" (Ep.#129) - Barbecue keeps getting phone calls from a man who calls himself "The Viper", which sends the Joes on a wild goose chase to find this mysterious man.
#3 "Sink the Montana!" (Ep.#208) - At the decommissioning ceremony for a battleship the U.S.S. Montana. Cobra recruits retiring Admiral Lattimer, former Captain of the Montana and betrays the Joes!
#2 "There's No Place Like Springfield" (Ep.#s154-155) - Shipwreck passes out trying to escape after a Cobra assault and wakes up six years later in a place called Springfield, with Mara as his wife and a daughter named Alfea but soon discovers they are synthoid copies made by Cobra!
#1 "Worlds Without End" (Ep#s 136-137) - Cobra steals a matter transformer which sends the Joes into an alternate reality where Cobra rules the world!
What began in 2008 as an animated feature film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars sparked a phenomenal TV series that has lasted for five action-packed seasons on Cartoon Network! Sadly, after the season five finale, it was announced that Lucasfilm canceled 'Clone Wars' thus ending the epic story that took place between the Star Wars films Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. While the Clone Wars has become a big part of the Star Wars prequels storyline, the most significant aspect of the show has always been the relationship between Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) and his new padawan Ashoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein). Female fans both young and old had gravitated to this headstrong, young heroine as she became one of the most popular Star Wars characters in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. The biggest problem, however has always been the question of: what happened to Ashoka before the events of Episode III? Although considering what happened at the end of the series (No Spoilers!), it is still unclear what her fate is to be. Unlike previous attempts to bring the episodic nature of The Clone Wars to TV, like in the short lived 2003 Clone Wars maxi-series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky, the latest Clone Wars animated series featured a new level of detailed computer animation along with a cast of exceptional voice actors like James Arnold Taylor, to bring the show to life.
Shortly after the shows 100th episode, it was announced via a recent Google+ live video podcast with director Dave Filoni and voice actors Ashley Eckstein and Matt Lanter that season five would bring some major events and big changes to the story. With the return of Darth Maul as well as deciding the fate of Ashoka Tano, the end of season five brought many surprises. While The Clone Wars show has always appealed more to younger Star Wars fans even old-school fans like me have enjoyed it. Within it's first season I knew this show was something special and I enjoyed it every Friday night on prime time and then later on Saturday mornings. With the recent purchase of Lucasfilm by Disney Corporation, along with the news of new Star Wars movies directed by J.J. Abrams, as well as Disney's involvement with the annual Star Wars Weekends which the Clone Wars has been a big part of since 2008, it is unclear what the future will hold for the Star Wars franchise. With rumors spreading about Episode VII and the possibilities of a Star Wars live action TV show it seems as though a new chapter in the Star Wars franchise is just beginning but in the words of Master Yoda: "Clouded, the future is..."
Today marks the end of an era as X-Play, G4TV's only original television program devoted to video games and gaming, says goodbye with it's final episode. Originally known as "GameSpotTV" (1998-2001) and then "Extended Play" (2001-2003) which premiered on July 4, 1998 on what was then ZDTV which became TechTV and then turned into G4. Hosted by Adam Sessler, who until 2011, was the last remaining TV personality from the ZDTV days, the show was renamed "X-Play" in 2003 and got a new co-host: Morgan Webb. For almost 15 years and over 1300 episodes, X-Play has brought it's viewers honest and sometimes brutal reviews of video games in an industry dominated by over-franchised sequels and tons of mediocre games. With it's unique blend of journalistic honesty and comedy X-Play has been THE number one TV show on video games and gaming. I myself have been a long-time fan ever since I first saw "Extended Play" on TechTV with Adam Sessler. For years X-Play has been my only preferred source for video game news and reviews. I have always enjoyed their many original comedic episodes too. I will miss many of the delightful and colorful characters which appeared on various X-Play episodes over the years like Shad Grimgravy, Morgan VonWebb, Crazy Adam, Adam 2.0, Slippy the Fish, and who could forget Drunk Link. Along with their many movie and game parodies such as the Star Wars episode, the zombie episode, the "Breakfast Club" episode, the "Saw" episode or the "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" episode, along with many celebrity parodies featuring Patrick Stewart, Roger: The Stan Lee Experience and even Arnold Schwarzenegger. X-Play's final show paid tribute to some of the best moments of the show and even auctioned off several rare video game collectibles on Child's Play Charities.
With it's last show airing on January 23, 2013 along with "Attack of the Show" it won't be long until G4 will be rebranded as the "Esquire Channel". Until then, G4 will be running reruns of X-Play and Attack of the Show along with it's tedious showings of the dregs of overly-syndicated TV show reruns including Heroes, Lost, COPS, Campus P.D., Cheaters, and Knight Rider, not to mention G4 movies. The future of video games and gaming maybe uncertain and unfortunately we will have to face that future without X-Play. "Everyone plays!"
The Big Bang Theory, Season 6 premiers on Thursday, September 27th! Since Season One aired in 2007, The Big Bang Theory has become THE nerdiest show on TV! When a group of friends and fellow University scientists living in California meet an attractive new neighbor, she shows them how little they know about life outside of their nerdy, socially-awkward little world! The group including: Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) and of course Penny (Kaley Cuoco) have all kinds of nerdy adventures about life, love and the universe! After five hilarious seasons the cast has added a few new friends including Howard's new fiancee Bernedette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) and Sheldon's "girl/friend" Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik). With the last season featuring huge milestones and special guest stars such as the voice of Leonard 'Spock' Nimoy and an appearance by Professor Stephen Hawking, not to mention Howard's marriage to Bernedette before he rocketed off to the International Space Station! CHERNOBOG'S BLOG is Proud top Present, in celebration of the premier of The Big Bang Theory's sixth season: The Big Bang Theory - Top 10 Episodes! Enjoy!
#10 The Zarnecki Incursion (Season 4, Ep., Aired: 3/31/11) - Sheldon's World of Warcraft account is hacked and the gang team up to find the culprit! Funniest Moment: Sheldon confronts the thief brandishing a Klingon bat'leth!
#9 "The Middle-Earth Paradigm" (Season 1, Ep., Aired: 10/29/2007) - Penny puts on a Halloween party and Leonard almost gets in a fight with her muscular ex-boyfriend! Funniest Moment: Sheldon tries to explain his costume as The Doppler Effect.
#8 "The Staircase Implementation" (Season 3, Ep.22, Aired: 5/17/10) - Leonard recounts the story of how he came to live with Sheldon to Penny. Funniest Moment: Leonard experiments with a new kind of rocket fuel and almost destroys the apartment, if not for Sheldon, who puts it in the elevator thus saving their lives!
#7 "The Justice League Recombination" (Season 4, Ep.11, Aired: 12/16/10) - The guys dress up as the Justice League of America for a New Year's Eve party/contest at Stewart's comic book store with Zack as Superman and Penny reluctantly as Wonder Woman. Funniest Moment: The gang, dressed as superheroes, witness a carjacking and consider helping but then slowly walk away.
#6 "The Transporter Malfunction" (Season 5, Ep. 20, Aired: 3/29/12) - Penny buys Leonard and Sheldon vintage Star TrekMEGO transporters to make-up for freeloading. Sheldon has a decision to make to open or not to open and play with his despite hearing the voice of Leonard 'Spock' Nimoy telling him to. When he finally relents, he breaks his and tries to switch his with Leonard's! Funniest Moment: A Gorn scares Sheldon in his dream after he talks to his Spock toy.
#5 "The Nerdvana Annihilation" (Season 1, Ep., Aired: 4/28/08) - After the gang buy a life-size replica of The Time Machine online, Leonard considers getting rid of all of his collectibles. Funniest Moment: The gang pretend to move forward in time while Leonard turns on the time machine.
#4 "The Excelsior Acquisition" (Season 3, Ep.16, Aired: 3/1/10) - Following the events of "The Adhesive Duck Deficiency" (Season 3, Ep.8, Aired: 11/16/09), Sheldon is fined for running a red-light when he took Penny to the emergency room. Problem is, he has to appear in court the same day that Stan Lee will appear at the comic book store! Funniest Moment: Sheldon and Penny appear at Stan Lee's front door for an autograph!
#3 "The Precious Fragmentation" (Season 3 , Ep.17, Aired:3/8/10) - The gang find "The One Ring!" from The Lord of the Rings at a garage sale and each of them compete for ownership. Funniest Moment: Sheldon sees himself as Gollum when he finally gets the ring!
#2 "The Einstein Approximation" (Season 4, Ep.14, Aired: 2/1/10) - Sheldon has a psychotic break while trying to wrestle with an equation. Funniest Moment: When Sheldon is hiding from Leonard in the ball-pit! "Bazinga!"
#1 "The Pancake Batter Anomaly" (Season 1, Ep., Aired: 3/31/08) - Sheldon is sick and the gang try to avoid him at a theater with a "Planet of the Apes" marathon! Funniest Moment: Leonard tries to navigate his apartment blind while Howard guides him with a webcam.
After the success of director Tim Burton's Batman films (Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992)) on September 5, 1992, Fox Kids aired one of the best and most beloved animated series in the last twenty years: Batman: The Animated Series! From 1992 to 1995, Batman was the most popular animated series on Saturday morning sparking a renewed interest in Batman, especially for kids. By its third season in 1994, the show changed its name to The Adventures of Batman & Robin, (although originally, the show never featured a title until then which was very unusual for an animated series) as Robin (Loren Lester) was featured more prominently in the show, along with Batgirl (Melissa Gilbert). The show's remarkable creative team which included writer/producer Paul Dini and artist/producer Bruce Timm helped to create the unique, dark/deco, style of the show. Some of the best and well-known voice actors like Kevin Conroy (Batman), Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (Alfred), Bob Hastings (Commissioner Gordon), Adrienne Barbeau (Catwoman), Richard Moll (Harvey Dent/Two Face), Paul Williams (The Penguin), Ron Perlman (Clayface) and of course Mark Hamill (The Joker), also added to the shows quality and immense success.
When the series ended after three seasons, The WB Network aired a continuation with The New Batman Adventures (1997-1999) featuring a slightly different animation style including a younger Robin (Tim Drake) with Dick Grayson as Nightwing. The show's success also led to a spin-off: Batman Beyond (1999-2001), a futuristic Batman animated series and the creation of Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000) later the highly popular Justice League (2001-2004) and Justice League: Unlimited (2004-2006) animated series on Cartoon Network. To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Batman - The Animated Series, CHERNOBOG'S BLOG PROUDLY PRESENTS: My Top 10 Favorite Episodes! (Note: These Top 10 episodes focus only on the original run of the Batman Animated Series with some commentary)...Enjoy!
#10 "Trial" (Aired: 5/16/1994) - Many of Batman's deadliest villains including Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and The Mad Hatter kidnap Batman and put him on trial at Arkham Asylum for creating them with The Joker as the judge! With Janet Van Dorn (Stephanie Zimbalist), a shrewd attorney representing him, she proves that they in fact created themselves without Batman's help! I was always excited when the show involved the infamous Arkham Asylum, where all of Batman's villains resided at one time or another. It was always a popular location in the comics and was even later featured as part of the highly popular video game Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009).
#9 Perchance to Dream" (Aired: 10/19/1992) - Bruce Wayne wakes up to discover his parents are still alive, he's engaged to Selina Kyle (a.k.a. Catwoman) and someone else is impersonating Batman! Soon he discovers he is trapped in a dream world created by The Mad Hatter (Roddy McDowall). This was a very different episode giving us a look into what Bruce Wayne's life would be like if his parents had never been murdered and he had never become Batman. You really feel for Bruce when he finally accepts his new life and just want him to be happy but feel just as frustrated when he does realize that it's all a dream.
#8 "Dreams In Darkness" (Aired: 5/3/1993) - Batman is exposed to The Scarecrow's (Henry Polic II) fear toxin, driven insane, Batman is locked up in Arkham Asylum, where he is haunted by terrifying visions of his parents' murder. This was a considerably frightening episode full of disturbing imagery, especially seeing Batman at his weakest point tied in a straight-jacket! The Scarecrow was another one of my favorite villains, and was usually the most frightening. This wasn't so however in his first appearance in the episode "Nothing To Fear" (Aired: 9/15/92) where the Scarecrow's mask was very simple. In "Dreams In Darkness" we are introduced to Scarecrow's new mask which is much more shocking, featuring a distorted burlap face with jagged teeth and straw hair.
#7 "Night of the Ninja"/"Day of the Samurai" (Aired:10/26/92 & 2/23/93) - These two episodes go together perfectly as they both feature the ninja Kyodai Ken (Robert Ito), who was once Bruce Wayne's rival while he trained in the martial arts in Japan under Yoru Sensei (Chao Li Chi). In "Night of the Ninja" Ken tries to destroy the Wayne fortune and ultimately kidnaps him and reporter Summer Gleeson (Mari Devon). Wayne cannot reveal his martial arts talent while Summer watches without a little help from Robin. In "Day of the Samurai" Ken kidnaps a student of Yoru Sensei and challenges Batman to a duel on the slopes of an active volcano. However Ken believes he has an edge as he has learned an ancient, forbidden martial arts technique that can kill with a touch! I have long had a fascination with Japan and the Samurai ever since I saw the Sean Connery/James Bond movie You Only Live Twice (1967) with my Dad. Since then I have been a fan of the Japanese samurai and Jidaigeki/Samurai films, especially those of Akira Kurosawa (i.e. Seven Samurai and Yojimbo). Batman has always had both a certain ninja appeal to his character (as in the movie Batman Begins (2005), he trains in a ninja style with the League of Shadows under Ra's Al Ghul.) But in "Day of the Samurai" Kyodai Ken says to Batman "You would've made a good ninja." Batman replies: "I would prefer to be a Samurai!" Also, the addition of using real Japanese dialogue added to the episode's atmosphere.
#6 "Tyger, Tyger" (Aired: 10/30/1992) - Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Adrienne Barbeau) is kidnapped by Dr. Emile Dorian (Joseph Maher), a mad scientist experimenting with cats, who transforms her into a real Cat-woman! When Batman tracks her to the doctor's island to rescue her, he has to battle the doctor's favorite creation: Tygrus (Jim Cummings), a huge humanoid-cat creature! This episode always fascinated me. Batman had several episodes dealing with animal transformation particularly with the character of Man-Bat ("On Leather Wings" and "Terror In the Sky" or Woman-Bat) and even werewolves ("Moon of the Wolf"). This episode had a very strong Island of Dr. Moreau vibe which I loved and seeing Catwoman in her feline form thrilled me! The reference to and the excerpt from the poem "The Tyger" by William Blake also added a special touch of class to the episode.
#5 "The Demon's Quest" (Aired: 11/3/1992) - Written by Dennis O' Neil and based on his story "Daughter of the Demon" (Detective Comics #232, June 1971). When Robin and is kidnapped, Ra's Al Ghul (David Warner) reveals himself to Batman/Bruce Wayne and embarks on a world-wide quest to rescue him and his daughter Talia (Helen Slater). Batman was unaware that Ra's Al Ghul was the one responsible for the kidnapping and wished to test Batman to see if he was worthy of becoming his heir. Batman denies and later foils Ra's megalomaniacal plot to destroy the world using the power of the Lazarus Pits which has granted him longer life. Ra's Al Ghul quickly became my favorite Batman villain and I sought out older stories including "Tales of the Demon" by Dennis O'Neil, who also became my favorite Batman writer. This episode has such an epic feel, right out of the comics it is almost like the original story somewhat condensed. The climactic sword duel between Batman and Ra's Al Ghul is a particularly exciting moment!
#4 "Almost Got 'Im" (Aired: 11/10/1992) - The Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Poison Ivy and Killer Croc gather to play Poker and reminisce about the times they "almost got" Batman. This is a delightful, although very far-fetched episode. It allows for an interesting look at the villains in an almost normal but comical setting. The only one who doesn't get a vignette is Killer Croc (Aron Kincaid) whose very short story always makes me laugh:
Killer Croc: "He [Batman] was getting closer... Closer...!"
Poison Ivy: "And?"
Killer Croc: "I threw a rock at him!"
[Awkward Silence as they all stare at him.]
Killer Croc: "It was a big rock..."
Harley Quinn
#3 "I Am The Night" (Aired: 11/9/1992) - During a botched stakeout, Commissioner Gordon (Bob Hastings) is shot by Jimmy "The Jazzman" Peake (Brian George). Meanwhile Batman helps a young drifter named Wizard (Seth Green) turn his life around. This was a very emotionally powerful episode. We see Batman at his ultimate low having failed Commissioner Gordon and basically throwing a fit, even smashing his own equipment with outbursts of rage! As he contemplates whether or not being Batman is actually helping the police he comes the closest to actually quiting. Gordon recovers and Batman has a renewed outlook on his purpose.
#2 "The Laughing Fish" (Aired: 1/10/1993) - Based on "The Laughing Fish" and "Sign of the Joker", (Detective Comics #475-476, Feb./Mar. 1978), The Joker chemically enhances all the fish in Gotham, luring Batman into a death-trap with a Great White Shark! This episode features Harley Quinn (a.k.a. Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Arleen Sorkin) who was created specifically for the show and was first introduced in the episode "Joker's Favor" (9/11/92) as Joker's hench-wench, who quickly became a fan favorite and soon appeared in the regular Batman comic books, achieving her own title.
#1 "Beware the Gray Ghost" (Aired: 11/4/1992) - During a series of bombings, Batman/Bruce Wayne is reminded of a TV show from his childhood: "The Gray Ghost". When he tracks down the star, Simon Trent (Adam West), now a has-been actor, Batman teams up with his child-hood TV hero to bring a the mad bomber to justice! This has always been my favorite episode, most obviously for the reason that Adam West, the Batman of the '60's made an appearance (who I instantly recognized). The fact that it always spoke to my love of nostalgia, I have always related to it. I can always see myself when it shows a flashback of a young Bruce Wayne watching "The Gray Ghost" on the floor in front of the TV, clutching his Gray Ghost action figure and wearing a Gray Ghost hat and cape.
PERSONAL NOTE: The Batman animated series came at a perfect time in my life when I was growing up. I was already a big Batman fan, having seen reruns of the older 1970's Batman and Super Friends and '80s Super Powers cartoons and of course, I enjoyed the "Batman" (1966) TV show starring Adam West. I distinctly remember seeing the 1989 Batman movie on or around my 10th birthday and from then on I was a Bat-fan for life! I began collecting the Batman comic books and when the new animated series aired, I was extremely excited. I felt that the '90s animated series was MY Batman, and I have enjoyed it for many years. I even own all 4 of the DVD volumes and still watch them to this day. See you next time fellow Bat-Fans, "same bat-Time, same Bat-Channel"!
NOTE: Be sure to check out the wonderful book Batman: Animated by Paul Dini and Chip Kidd! LINKS: Watch full episodes of Batman: The Animated Series on The WB.com, Batman: The Animated Series is currently airing late-night on The Hub cable channel.
I just wanted to share this image from my favorite episode of "The Big Bang Theory" I got from http://www.tbs.com/shows/bigbangtheory/, Episode #54 "The Einstein Approximation"! I just recently got into the show and it has quickly become one of my favorites. Since I don't regularly watch sitcoms "Big Bang Theory" has all the nerdy bits I love and relate too! I have so much in common with the main characters that it's almost scary, particularly Sheldon and all his eccentricities. Bazinga! Be sure to watch new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/!
I remember spending ALOT of my teenage years in front of the TV during the 1990's and there were so many great shows to watch! While some are fondly remembered by fans, there are many who disappeared into obscurity remembered only in obscure Internet postings (such as this blog!). Anyway, I've already reviewed the Top 10 90's Cartoons in the past so I was surprised that I hadn't done TV shows yet SO here it is CHERNOBOG'S BLOG PRESENTS: TOP 10 1990's (Non-Animated) TV SHOWS! I hope some of you remember these shows as fondly as I did and maybe I sparked your memories a little while you're sitting there reading this and say "Yeah, i remember that show..." Enjoy!
#10 America's Funniest Home Videos (1989-Current) - While the show actually still exists in it's current incarnation as simply AFV on ABC, the original show in the 90's hosted by non-other than Bob Saget is considered classic! Taking it's inspiration from the candid camera shows of the 70's this show let everyday idiots...I mean, regular people send in videotapes (remember VHS!) of their family videos often doing something incredibly stupid, moronic, and sometimes downright dangerous. Long before MTV's Jackass, AFV brought us laughter of the most sadistic kind as we watched every nutshot with glee! Thank you AFV, now excuse me while I try to water-ski without skis! Favorite Episode: Every one with a nut-shot! LOL
#9 Saved by the Bell (1989-1993) - Ah, High School...brings back so many memories: the wedgies, the swirlies, the social isolation and merciless peer pressure! Saved by the Bell was the perfect 90's high school, and for someone like me who was foolishly awaiting to enter this world and be the next Zack Morris or Slater, I would inevitably end up as Screech. The show originally began as "Good Morning Miss Bliss" (1988-1989), a Disney Channel original about a Midwestern middle school teacher (Haley Mills) and her crazy class. A year later the show was changed to Saved by the Bell and set in a California high school! Zack and Screech stayed but a whole new cast emerged. Later a "New Class" (1993-2000) would emerge briefly and most of the original class would experience their "College Years" (1993-1994) before dropping out of school permanently. Favorite Episode: "Mystery Weekend", 12/21/1991 - The students participate in a murder mystery party at a hotel.
#8 Dinosaurs (1991-1994) - What do you get when you mix Disney with Jim Henson and Jurassic Park...you get Dinosaurs! Think every other family sitcom whether it be All in the Family or The Simpsons, set them in a fictionalized prehistoric world where Dinosaurs wore clothes and had TV, and you've got one of the most original and bizarre TV shows ever! Who could forget the hilarious catchphrases of the Baby like "Not the Mamma!" and "I'm the baby, gotta love me."...apparently we did. http://disneydvd.disney.go.com/dinosaurs-the-complete-first-and-second-seasons.html Favorite Episode: "A New Leaf", 2/5/1992 - Robbie brings home a "happy plant" which everybody gets addicted to in this tongue-in-cheek drug episode.
#7 Millennium (1996-1999) - F.B.I. profiler Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) has the ability to see inside the
mind of serial killers. He joins the Millennium group, a team of former law
enforcement officers who believe crime is increasing as the millennium
approaches. This was the second show from "X-Files" creator Chris Carter,
although the show did not last as long as it's predecessor (only 3 seasons) it
was an interesting and often suspenseful show with a highly original
concept...that is, until Y2K didn't happen! Favorite Episode:
"Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me", 5/1/1998 - Four demons trade stories at a donut
shop on how they corrupt human souls.
#6 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1996-2003) - While having very little to do with the 1992 movie starring Kristy Swanson and
Luke Perry, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the TV series became an
increasingly popular show during the late 1990's and sparked the career of
actress Sarah Michelle Gellar. The show was an ingenious combination of occult
action and teenage drama from the mind of creator Joss Whedon. The show also
spawned a spin-off in 1999 with Angel, a vampire cursed with a soul,
(1999-2004) starring David Boreanaz (Bones). Favorite Episode:
"Halloween", 10/25/1997 - Buffy and her friends buy costumes and a cursed
costume shop where they turn into whatever they are wearing!
#5 Babylon 5 (1994-1998) - While criticized by many of being a Star Trek Deep Space 9 rip off, babylon 5 was a very unique sci-fi show. The creation of writer and producer J. Michael Straczynski, Babylon 5 was a huge 5-mile long space station that was the center of trade and diplomacy in the galaxy. While the first season revolved around Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare) it wasn't until the second season when John Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) was introduced and became the lead in the show. Favorite Episode: Day of the Dead, 3/11/1998 - Written by Neil Gaiman and featuring Penn & Teller, the story revolves around the Brakiri holiday of the Day of the Dead, where the dead come back to life for one day.
#4 Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1989-1999) - We all love bad movies...and MST3K enjoyed making fun of them! While the show technically featured films in every episode, the show was insanely popular featuring Joel (later Mike) and his robot companions, Tom Servo, Crow and Gypsy are trapped on a space station and forced by evil scientists to watch bad movies! (What a concept!) Favorite Episode: The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962) - A mad doctor keeps his girlfriend's head alive after she is decapitated in a car crash!
#3 Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996) - Based on the 1950's EC horror comic books published by Bill Gaines, Tales
from the Crypt aired on HBO in 1989 and soon became immensely popular
spawning a children's animated series: Tales from the Cryptkeeper (1993),
and two major movies including Demon Knight (1995) and Bordello of
Blood (1996)! The horrific host of the show was the Cryptkeeper, an
animatronic puppet based on the comic book storyteller, voiced by John Kassir.
After seven scary seasons the show featured some of the most talented Hollywood
directors and producers such as Robert Zemekis and Richard Donner; and actors
including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joe Pesci, Demi Moore, Michael J. Fox, Malcolm
McDowell, John Rhys Davies, Whoopi Goldberg, Dan Aykroyd, Christopher Reeve,
Kirk and Eric Douglass AND Tom Hanks just to name a few! http://www.warnervideo.com/talesfromthecryptdvd/ Favorite
Episode: "The Secret", 7/31/1990 - A rambunctious orphan is adopted by a
rich, childless couple who spoil him and turn out to be vampires, but the jokes
on them because the kid is a werewolf!
#2 The X-Files (1993-2002) - F.B.I. Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovney) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson)
search for the truth as they investigate strange murders, monsters, alien
abductions and government cover-ups! Created by Chris Carter, The X-Files
became a pop-culture phenomenon in the 1990's and spawned two major films
including X-Files: Fight the Future (1997) and The X-Files: I
Want to Believe (2008). Favorite Episode: "The Host", 11/23/1994
- When a body is found in the sewers Mulder and Scully investigate and discover
the killer is a Fluke-Man! http://www.xfiles.com/
#1 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) - Although a spin-off of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) which began in the '80's Deep Space Nine was a unique show all it's own. The creation of Gene Rodenberry protegee Rick Berman, DS9 was set on an old Cardassian space station near a wormhole where all manner of aliens ended up. Orbitting around the planet of Bajor, inhabited by the Bajorans, who were basically the Jews of the Alpha quadrant, have finally freed themselves from Cardassian (like space Nazis) rule and have to cooperate with the Federation to maintain peace in their sector. Led by Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), the first Black Star Trek Captain, DS9 became the central point of many interstellar conflicts including the Dominion War. http://www.startrek.com/page/star-trek-deep-space-nine Favorite Episode: "Far Beyond the Stars, 2/11/1998 - Sisko sees visions of himself as a science fiction writer in the 1950s.
Sunday nights have been the best nights of the week on TV as two of my favorite shows aired back-to-back on AMC, The Walking Dead (also Talking Dead) and Comic Book Men! Last week, we finally got to see the long awaited finale to The Walking Dead Season 2 on AMC! This season has been amazing; full of intense moments, confrontations, a drastic loss of cast members and truths revealed! After the group escaped the city and the CDC destruction (end of season one), they make it to the country and are stranded along a deserted highway full of abandoned cars. As they encountered a literal herd of "walkers", little Sophia became separated from the group and was lost in the woods. Suddenly Carl, Rick's son, is shot by a hunter (Otis) who takes them to a farm owned by Herschel and his family. Fortunately Herschel is a doctor (veterinarian?) and is able to save his life with the help of Shane and Otis getting supplies from a nearby infested hospital. However Shane, shoots Otis in the leg and leaves him for dead. While the group desperately searches for Sophia they take refuge on his land, although Herschel is somewhat reluctant to let them stay. Meanwhile, Tensions between Rick and Shane increase and Daryl searches tirelessly for Sophia. After searching for her long and hard for days (and at least 4 episodes!), the group discovers that Herschel has been hiding walkers (including some of his ex-family members) in his barn and the group proceeds to exterminate them ultimately revealing to their surprise that Sophia is one of them! (SPOILERS!)
Later Rick, Ben and Herschel encounter a group of hostile survivors and as they escape, they stop to rescue one of the would-be attackers, a young man named Randall. Herschel takes pity on him and takes him back to the farm to heal his wounded leg. While Shane and Rick debate Randall's threat to the group they plan to either set him free or execute him. Shane soon takes matters into his own hands, kills Randall and then plans to betray Rick but he then kills Shane, who then turns into a walker, Carl shoots Shane just as a hoard of zombies begin to overtake the farm. As the group fight for their life, they realize the farm is lost and most of them escape as the farm burns. Andrea is separated from the group and encounters a mysterious, sword-wielding stranger as Rick and the rest of the group are about to discover a prison where they can take refuge!
This season has been accompanied by a live talk show, Talking Dead, hosted by Chris Hardwick a great show with the cast and crew of The Walking Dead along with special guests such as Scott Ian, Dave Navarro and Kevin Smith! If you haven't been keeping up with the comic books too, then you are missing out on the whole Walking Dead experience! While the show does not follow the comic exactly, many of the characters and plot situations are similar. Although season two has just ended I can't wait for Season 3, we get to see Michonne, the prison, and The Governor! This Fall!
Happy Halloween!!! While television shows in the late 1950's and 60's like the original "The Twilight Zone" (1959-1964) and "The Outer Limits" (1963-1965) paved the way for shows like "Dark Shadows" (1966-1971) and "Kolchak: the Nightstalker" (1974-1975) in the 70's . They would soon give rise to even more horror and Sci-Fi TV shows in the 80's and 90's. Since I grew up watching many of these shows, this Halloween Chernobog's Blog looks back at some of the scariest modern TV shows in the last 30 years and present my list of the Top 10 Scariest Modern TV Shows. Enjoy!
#10 Freddy's Nightmares (1988-1990) - A short lived TV series based on the ORIGINAL "Nightmare on Elm Street" films starring Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund). A horror anthology hosted by Freddy himself, the show was somewhat disappointing to many fans, playing on the more campy side of Freddy's character making him into more of a Cryptkeeper type. While the show had a few memorable episodes with early appearances by now major stars such as Brad Pitt, Freddy's Nightmares are now more like a bad dream you can't quite remember after waking up. Favorite Episode: "The Art of Death", 3/12/1989 - A cartoonist's creation called The Phantom comes to life!
#9 Friday the 13th: The Series (1987-1990) - While loosely based on the "Friday the 13th" film series the show had nothing to do with hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhies. The show revolved around two young owners of an antique store (which they inherit from their uncle) who try to recover cursed items from their store. While the show lasted for three seasons there were several episodes with decent stories and interesting plots revolving around these various cursed items. Favorite Episode: "Tales of the Undead", 11/25/1988 - A comic book monster comes to life and kills a shopkeeper!
#8 Tales from the Darkside (1983-1988) - "Tales from the Darkside" was a horror anthology series very reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone" with a little "Tales from the Crypt"-like story structure that would always end with a twist! The show lasted for four seasons and even sparked a major movie in 1990, which featured three stories and starred actors such as Steve Buscemi and Christian Slater! Favorite Episode: "The Word Processor of the Gods", 11/25/1984 - A struggling writer's computer has the power to grant wishes!
#7 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) - While having very little to do with the 1992 movie starring Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the TV series became an increasingly popular show during the late 1990's and sparked the career of actress Sarah Michelle Gellar. The show was an ingenious combination of occult action and teenage drama from the mind of creator Joss Whedon. The show also spawned a spin-off in 1999 with Angel, a vampire cursed with a soul, (1999-2004) starring David Boreanaz (Bones). Favorite Episode: "Halloween", 10/25/1997 - Buffy and her friends buy costumes and a cursed costume shop where they turn into whatever they are wearing!
#6 Millennium (1996-1999) - F.B.I. profiler Frank Black (Lance Henriksen) has the ability to see inside the mind of serial killers. He joins the Millennium group, a team of former law enforcement officers who believe crime is increasing as the millennium approaches. This was the second show from "X-Files" creator Chris Carter, although the show did not last as long as it's predecessor (only 3 seasons) it was an interesting and often suspenseful show with a highly original concept...that is, until Y2K didn't happen! Favorite Episode: "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me", 5/1/1998 - Four demons trade stories at a donut shop of how they corrupt human souls.
#5 The X-Files (1993-2002) - F.B.I. Agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovney) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) search for the truth as they investigate strange murders, monsters, alien abductions and government cover-ups! Created by Chris Carter, The X-Files became a pop-culture phenomenon in the 1990's and spawned two major films including X-Files: Fight the Future (1997) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008). Favorite Episode: "The Host", 11/23/1994 - When a body is found in the sewers Mulder and Scully investigate and discover the killer is a Fluke-Man! http://www.xfiles.com/
#4 Masters of Horror (2005-2007) - Anchor Bay and Starz produced two seasons of hour-long horror anthologies directed by some of the best names in horror from John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, Mick Garris and Stuart Gordon. Some of the most original and horrifying stories came from this short-lived series which would quickly be released to DVD for many more to enjoy and be horrified! Favorite Episode: "The Black Cat", 1/19/2007 - Based on the tale by Edgar Allan Poe, directed by Stuart Gordon (Reanimator, Dagon) and starring Jeffrey Combs (Reanimator) as Poe himself! http://www.mastersofhorror.net/
#3 The Walking Dead (2010-Current) - Based on the graphic novel by Robert Kirkman, the series premiered on AMC on Halloween 2010 and has since become one of the most popular and most terrifying TV show ever. Sherrif Rick Grimes has to find and protect his family as they try to survive a zombie outbreak! Favorite Episode: "Guts", 11/7/2010 - As Rick and the others try to escape Atlanta, they try to blend in with the "Walkers" and cover themselves in gore. http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead
#2 Supernatural (2005-Current) - Sam (Jared Padelecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester hunt monsters, ghosts, vampires, demons and rogue angels! They have both been to Hell and back (literally!) and even prevented the apocalypse! Favorite Episode: "Nightshifter", 1/25/2007 - Sam & Dean search for a shape-shifter in a bank with the aid of Ronald (Chris Gauthier), a paranoid conspiracy-theorist, when they become surrounded by a SWAT team! http://www.cwtv.com/shows/supernatural
#1 Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996) - Based on the 1950's EC horror comic books published by Bill Gaines, Tales from the Crypt aired on HBO in 1989 and soon became immensely popular spawning a children's animated series: Tales from the Cryptkeeper (1993), and two major movies including Demon Knight (1995) and Bordello of Blood (1996)! The horrific host of the show was the Cryptkeeper, an animatronic puppet based on the comic book storyteller, voiced by John Kassir. After seven scary seasons the show featured some of the most talented Hollywood directors and producers such as Robert Zemekis and Richard Donner; and actors including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joe Pesci, Demi Moore, Michael J. Fox, Malcolm McDowell, John Rhys Davies, Whoopi Goldberg, Dan Aykroyd, Christopher Reeve, Kirk and Eric Douglass AND Tom Hanks just to name a few! Favorite Episode: "The Secret", 7/31/1990 - A rambunctious orphan is adopted by a rich, childless couple who spoil him and turn out to be vampires, but the jokes on them because the kid is a werewolf! http://www.warnervideo.com/talesfromthecryptdvd/
