DC: 'Flashpoint' No. 5 review

The final issue of the "Flashpoint" mini-series arrived in stores today.

And in a lot of ways it's not an end to "Flashpoint," but a bridge to the DC new 52 universe.

Spoiler are ahead so fair warning.

In the span of the first four issues of "Flashpoint" and all of the tie-ins it was heavily implied that the Reverse Flash was the villain of the series. It was his fault all this happened and Barry Allen had to stop him.

In a swerve move that would make a "Lost" fan clap, the true "villain" emerged...

Allen, the Flash!

In his previous attempt to go back in time and save his mother from getting murdered, he inadvertently caused the entire "Flashpoint" universe to happen.

To fix everything he travels back in time to the point where he was about to save his mother and stops himself.

He is then caught in between... somewhere... and sees three different time streams. A mysterious stranger says that long ago history was shattered into three timelines to weaken the world for "their impending arrival."

Allen can fix everything, but at a cost.

What the cost is and who is about to arrive is unknown. I smell a crossover event next summer.

I'm fine with all these new things and changes because I have a certain level of patience. I know Geoff Johns has a plan and I'm cool with letting him stretch.

Though, I can see where people might be a bit upset about "Flashpoint." Yes, they made a huge deal about finding Superman and he shows up at the last possible second, kills a character and is in the comic for about a page and a half.

There is a moment at the end, which I won't spoil, that is worth the full price of the comic and then some. I love the way Johns wrote this particular scene and it will be a crowd favorite for sure.

DC: Buying 'Justice League' No. 1 online

One of the big points of the DC relaunch was the ability to buy comics online the same day they are out in stores.

That is a huge step forward, especially for people no where near a comic store.

This also opens up comics to a heck of a lot more people. Especially people with tablets and iPads.

Stephanie and I decided that she would buy the new "Justice League" No. 1 in the comic store (4 Color Fantasies btw) and I would buy it online just to see how it works.

In our video interview with 4 Color Fantasies co-owner Chris Brady (to be posted soon) a brand new fact came to light.

If you go to your comic store's website and they have a link to the online comics, they get paid for that! I was, in some ways, leery of buying my comics online because it felt like I was taking money away from the shop I would normally go to.

Here's the main reason I want to buy comics online: I can get them on my lunch half hour, read them and be back to work. Boom. Nothing else.

Thankfully my online DC Comics purchases are going to a shop that truly deserves them.

Here are some videos I made showing how easy it was to get "Justice League" No. 1 online:

Jane Lynch brings the funny to the Emmys

As one of the stars of "Glee" Jane Lynch is known as the tough as nails Sue Sylvester. However, when she hosts the 63rd Primetime Emmys on Sept. 18, she will be much nicer than her famous character.

"I’ll say Jane Lynch will be nicer than Sue Sylvester," she said in a conference call. "Sue Sylvester would make the show explosive and you would walk away with a show you would never forget if it were Sue Sylvester, but it might be kind of war like and angry and violent. I think a show with Jane Lynch would be a lot nicer and easier to digest."

Since the actress is often asked to do such over the top comedy for her roles, she wasn't that worried about hosting the show.

"What I’m concerned about is I do well and don’t make a fool of myself. I trust my writers and everybody working on the show knows what they’re doing," she said. "I’ve worked with this crew on the Emmys last year, the Do Something Awards. Every time I’ve done an awards show, it’s the exact same crew. They know what they’re doing so I really feel like I’m good hands."

"I want it to be interesting and funny and also serve the purpose of the show, which is to honor television and people in it, and make sure we keep the eye on that. But the little bites that we get to do something fun and funny, I feel responsible that those need to be entertaining," she said.

Lynch has also enjoyed working with reality TV producer extraordinare Mark Burnett, who is producing this year's telecast.

"He has just been the best producer. There are things that creatively we wanted to do, and he said, 'Just do it,' and our people at Fox worked very well with Mark," she said. "We’re getting everything we want, and it’s just great. Not that we need like billions of dollars, but they have been really great in okaying our material and our little bits that we want to do."

Lynch is also nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy, but her hosting duties have prevented her from being too nervous about the award.

"My nerves will mostly be focused towards doing the show. It’s almost a relief not to have to think about having been nominated," she said. "I’m very, very honored to be nominated and especially honored to be in the group that I’m in. I think they’re just amazing actresses and there’s such good television."

Although she knows a few of the show's previous hosts, she hasn't gotten any advice from them.

"I know Neil (Patrick Harris), and Ellen (DeGeneres), and Jimmy (Fallon), and Jimmy sent me flowers, but nobody has given me any tips," she said.

Lynch has made it clear that Sue and her track suits won't be making an appearance, but what else will viewers definitely not see?

"I probably won’t wear a tracksuit. I probably won’t do an elaborate dance number—what else won’t happen? I hope you won’t be bored," she said.

Lynch knows hosting award shows can be tricky, but she has big goals to make this year's Emmys memorable.

"I’d be lying if I didn’t say that, 'I want it to be the best award show ever,'" she said. "It’s such a coveted spot, and it’s like the biggest evening in television, so you want to do it justice."

"The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmys" air on FOX Sunday Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m PT.

Better late than never: 'The Beaver'

"The Beaver" was a film that I wanted to see since I first saw the trailer a long time ago.

But, alas it never played in theaters anywhere around me. Or remotely close.

So it was a pleasant surprise to see it at the local Redbox Friday.

Here is my SUPER spoil sport review.

Warning, thar be spoilers ahead.

"The Beaver" stars Mel Gibson... wait, one slight editor's note here. I won't talk about Gibson's personal/TMZ-ish troubles here.

Anywho, Gibson stars as a severely depressed toy executive whose life is falling apart. His marriage is in shambles, his older son hates him and he can barely get out of bed.

After his wife, played by Jodie Foster, who also directs, kicks him out he goes to stay in a hotel. In a dumpster he finds a beaver puppet and for some reason takes it back with him. After trying, and failing, to kill himself (twice, with the beaver puppet on) the puppet starts talking to him.

Not in a crazy, the beaver is actually real way, but Gibson's character is talking in an Australian accent. He quickly utilizes this as a coping mechanism to help him in his life.

Suddenly, he's not depressed anymore. He's playing with his younger son, paying attention to his wife and even has a multi-million dollar idea at work.

Here's where the movie lost me. From all the trailers it looks like a dramedy. Yes, the subject matter of depression isn't funny, but there are comedic moments in the film. The trailers also give off the feeling that the beaver is just a coping mechanism and that's all.

But, it's not.

And here come the spoilers, and my problem with the film, the beaver isn't just a coping mechanism... he actually 100 percent believes the beaver is real. Like he has a knock down, drag out fight with the beaver.

Seriously.

And the way he finally gets rid of the beaver is shocking and not in a good way. It literally made me go "this man isn't depressed, he's totally insane. Like, should not be around kids insane."

Let's just say the way he gets the beaver off his arm is a real BUZZkill.

There is a whole subplot with his older son, played great by Anton Yelchin ("Star Trek") who realizes he's just like his father and hates him for it, and his love interest played by Jennifer Lawrence. I was bored out of my mind during these scenes, even though the actors are great. I wanted to see Gibson, not a teen angst film.

My advice? Skip it, head to MovieSpoiler.com and see what you're not missing.

DC new 52: On the bubble

Now that Tim and I have discussed our must haves from the DC relaunch, it's time to talk about the comics that are on the bubble. These are the titles that we're interested in but not sure that we just have to have them.

Stephanie:

1. "Nightwing"-This was on Tim's must have list and it's on my maybe list for the same reasons. I'm really interested to see how they transition Dick Grayson back to Nightwing after being Batman. For me this one is very close to being a must have.
2. "Static Shock"-I've always enjoyed the world that Static Shock lives in. Superhero universes aren't usually that diverse so seeing a story full of minorities was cool. In the relaunch, Static is moving to New York to make him more integrated with the rest of the DC universe.
3. "Justice League International"-Booster Gold and Batman working together, leading a team of superheroes. It sounds like an awesome '80s sitcom, and a book that could be highly entertaining.
4. "Fury of Firestorm"-Though Firestorm isn't a story I've had any previous interest in, I'll read almost anything Gail Simone writes. I'd like to see where she takes these characters.
5. "Batman & Robin"-This choice will probably surprise Tim because my dislike of Damian Wayne is well documented, but I'm really interested to see how Peter J. Tomasi writes the father/son relationship between Bruce and Damian. The clashes should offer a new take on an old character.

Tim:
The reasons these are on my maybe list is because I basically can't buy every 52 issues. These are the top of the list for digital ones that drop in price later on and if I have a few extra dollars laying around.

1. "Batgirl" - Much like with "Nightwing," I am curious how we are going to see Barbara Gordon get from crippled back to Batgirl. Plus, I agree with Stephanie, anything Gail Simone writes turns to gold. Can we get a new 52 "Secret Six" next?
2. "Aquaman" - The character has been kicking butt since coming back in "Blackest Night," plus Geoff Johns is writing and Ivan Reis is illustrating? Score.
3. "Grifter" - An odd duck choice for sure. I have fond memories of reading "WildC.A.T.S." years ago and always thought Grifter was a cool character. Introducing him to the DC Universe is going to be cool, especially with any Batman interactions.
4. "Justice League Dark" - Great cast of characters including Deadman, John Constantine and Zatanna. Plus, having Peter Milligan writing isn't shabby either.

New 'Dancing with the Stars' cast is almost unwatchable

"Dancing with the Stars" announced the cast for its 13th season last night and despite reports that they wanted actual stars on the show this time, the cast features only a few real stars.

In order of interest, the new cast is:

• Ron Artest-LA Laker and fascinating personality. The only reason to watch.


• Carson Kressley-Stylist, TV host and fashion designer. Carson is a hilarious, likable guy and seeing him ballroom dance will be enjoyable.


• Chaz Bono-LGBT activist and son of Sonny and Cher. I have nothing but respect for anyone who shares the most private experience of their lives so bravely. Also, Cher might show up. By the way, don't make him dance to Cher.


• JR Martinez-"All My Children" actor and motivational speaker. An Iraq war veteran, soap star and all around nice guy, I will legitimately root for him and maybe even call in.


• Ricki Lake-Talk show host and original Tracy Turnblad. Come on who won't chant "go Ricki" when she's dancing.


• Chynna Phillips-Wilson Phillips singer. Who doesn't want to see her dance to "Hold On?"


• Hope Solo-U.S. women's soccer team goalie. There may be just enough goodwill left to help keep her in the competition.


• David Arquette-"Scream" actor trying to negotiate some good publicity following his divorce.


• Elisabetta Canalis-Actress? George Clooney's ex-girlfriend who will need a strong performance and popular partner to make past the first week.


• Rob Kardashian/Kristen Cavallari-Reality TV stars. Rob is the least talented Kardashian, so that's saying something.


• Nancy Grace-Talk show host/horrible person. My dislike for Grace runs deep and I know I'm not alone, so why would the producers have her on the show. I hope she gets voted off in the first week or even better drops out and never makes it on the show.

Really "Dancing with the Stars?" Nancy Grace and Rob Kardashian. How many no's did you guys have to hear before you got to those names. I could maybe write off Kristen Cavallari since you have a token reality star every season, but I cannot get past Nancy Grace.

If it wasn't for Ron Artest and Carson Kressley this season would be completely unwatchable. Frankly, I may just skip the show altogether and watch their performances the next day.

Ugh, seriously, Nancy Grace. Wow. Just wow.

DC Comics new 52 top choices

DC's realunch of 52 of its most popular titles is about to roll out. With that in mind Tim and I decided to list the books we're most excited about adding to our collections.

Stephanie

1. "Action Comics"-Grant Morrison is one of the most prolific comic writers working today. His ability to build a story, especially origins. His take on Superman's well known history should be extremely interesting. It doesn't hurt that Rags Morales is doing the artwork for this book either.
2. "Justice League"-It's no secret that we're big fans of Geoff Johns, so the idea of he and Jim Lee teaming up to tell the story of Earth's greatest heroes is irreistable, "Justice League" is also the headlining series for the relaunch, therefore it's a must have.
3. "Batgirl"-Gail Simone is my favorite comic book writer. No one does emotional storytelling like her. Simone's talent combined with the return of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl will make for a truly compelling book.
4. "Green Arrow"-Though it may not be the most talked about title, I've always had a soft spot for Green Arrow and can't wait to see where JT Krul takes the character.
5. "Wonder Woman"-Despite DC's inability to get a movie made, she's still the best female superhero ever. Rebooting her story gives the company a chance to give the Amazonian warrior back her place as one of the big three.

Tim

1. The "Green Lantern" books. The cool thing about the relaunch is that certain books are essentially keeping their current storylines intact. I've been emotionally invested in the "Green Lantern" universe for years, so it's going to be great to see the storylines stick around. Especially with Sinestro as Earth's new Lantern and Kyle leading a team of the different colored corps.
2. "Justice League" obviously.
3. "Justice League International." Booster Gold leading a JL team with Guy Gardner and Batman? Sold!
4. "Nightwing." I am really interested to see how they transition Dick Grayson from Batman back to Nightwing. And with a new outfit.

Stick with us as we'll also talk about books we're on the fence about and books that we won't be getting at all. We'll also have reviews of "Flashpoint" No. 5 and the new "Justice League" No. 1 come Wednesday.

MTV VMAS pay tribute to Amy Winehouse

On an otherwise underwhelming, at times boring Video Music Awards, MTV offered a superb tribute to the late Amy Winehouse.

It began with Winehouse's good friend Russell Brand speaking of their first meeting. He recounted how he thought she was just this crazy girl he knew, until he heard her voice.

"That incredible, extraordinary voice coming from that crazy person, a person I knew would wander stinking of the booze, a loopy, loose cannon person. I thought, how can that be coming out of her," he said.

Unlike most eulogies, it was a frank, warts and all discussion of Winehouse's battle with addiction and how that often contradicted her genius songwriting and vocals.

Brand then introduced the legendary Tony Bennett, who showed a video of he and Winehouse recording a duet for his upcoming album. The footage, shot in March, displayed the talent that the singer was capable of when she focused on her craft. It was a stark reminder of what music fans have truly lost.

Then R&B singer Bruno Mars performed an uptempo, doo-wop tinged version of Winehouse's "Valerie."

While I was prepared to see someone like Adele or Lady Gaga perform for the late singer, it turned out Mars was the perfect choice. His doo-wop soul sound is reminiscent of Winehouse and you could see them singing together if she were still alive.

His performance provided one of the night's genuinely nice moments and concluded a pitch perfect tribute to an artist who we didn't get enough time with.

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Bruno Mars

'Doctor Who:' 32 minutes to live, someone get the top hat and tails

After waiting through the entire summer and a 24 hour marathon, "Doctor Who" fans can rejoice at the return of their favorite timelord.

When we last saw the swash-buckling timelord he was off to find Rory and Amy's kidnapped daughter Melody, who we now know grows up to be future companion River Song.

The hour began with Rory and Amy forgoing a telephone and calling The Doctor via crop circle. He hadn't found Melody yet, but wasn't worried because they now she becomes a kickass action hero.

The out of nowhere, we met the Ponds life long juvenile delinquent mate Mels. A little weird since she'd never been mentioned or shown before, but Steven Moffat has a reason for everything, and her name is Mels so she's probably important.

Her introduction included flashbacks of a young Amy and Rory, which were so endlessly adorable they could have lasted the whole episode. Unfortunately, Mels ended up shot by Hitler and regenerated into, wait for it, River Song. However, she's still Melody and doesn't know who River is. And oh yeah, she's programmed to kill The Doctor.

After some clever flirting between the two, she succeeded in giving The Doctor a poisonous kiss before escaping into 1930s Berlin. By the way, did I mention the time traveling justice robot operated by miniature humans. They're the Teselecta and it's important later.

With only 32 minutes to live The Doctor does what anyone would do, he tracks down his assassin and tries to save her, while dressed in top hat and tails with a sonic cane.

After finding Melody, Amy and Rory were taken by the Teselecta, which took on Amy's form. Karen Gillan was fantastic as robot Amy, as was Rory's reaction to being stuck inside a giant robot replica of his wife.

It turns out Melody is the greatest war criminal of all time, because she killed The Doctor in Utah in 2011. However, The Doctor knows who she becomes so he gets Amy to save her, then gets Melody to save her parents and him.

Sadly, Amy and Rory must leave their daughter in the best hospital in the universe since they have too much fore-knowledge of her life.

This episode was a fun time travelling adventure and also full of heart-breaking decisions. It was a great way to welcome the audience back into The Doctor's confusing, emotionally draining, action-packed, never boring world.

The extra pieces:

• The momentary glimpse of Rose, Martha and Donna showed that The Doctor still carries around guilt about screwing them up. Although I'm sure they don't see it that way.


• The Doctor downloaded the Teselecta's files, so now he knows about his death. Though he doesn't know Amy and Rory know.


• Despite being titled "Let's Kill Hitler," the Nazi leader only showed up for a few minutes, then was put in a cupboard.


• Rory is really becoming a badass; punching Hitler, riding motorcycles, staring down death.


• Moffat answered questions about the Silence, Melody/River, the regenerating little girl from the premiere, but...


• Moffat created all new questions about how Melody becomes River and what is the question that the Silence fears will be answered.

Just when you think you're starting to figure things out, Moffat creates all new problems that blow your theories out of the water.

Next week the trio helps a young boy overcome his fears in what looks like a cary episode. I'll have to watch with the lights on.

Best part of Marvel panel at D23

I just remembered I shot this, good memory, eh?

This was what played at the start of the Marvel Comics panel at the D23 Expo last weekend.

And, turned out, was the best part of the entire panel.

Enjoy.

(And yes, the sound was horrible... 98 percent their fault.)

Inscaped for Aug. 25

Nick Ashford 1942-2011

Though many fans may not know the name Nick Ashford, they certainly know his music. With his wife and partner, Valerie Simpson, Ashford co-wrote popular songs for Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Chaka Khan and Diana Ross.

Ashford died at the age of 70 Monday in a New York hospital after battling throat cancer.

Some of the duo's biggest hits include "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "You're All I Need to Get By," "I Don't Need No Doctor" and "I'm Every Woman."

Ashford & Simpson were also a successful recording duo in their own right. They are most famous for the 1984 hit "Solid (As a Rock)."

Ashford and Simpson were married for 38 years and have two daughters.

Popular music would not have been the same without the talent and influence of Nick Ashford.

D23 expo: So that happened

After all the excitement and build up to the D23 expo, it pains me to say that it wasn't quite as mind-blowing as the first one in 2009.

While the event was still fun and entertaining, some of the logistical issues got in the way of a good time.

Perhaps the biggest news to come out of the three day Disney convention was the much anticipated Avengers footage. Marvel specifically skipped comic-con to save the big reveal for D23. In hindsight that may have been a mistake.
While the Disney crowd gave the film's stars a hero's welcome, the buzz may have been stronger post comic-con than it has been post D23.

Tim was one of the lucky few to get into the studio presentation and was in full geek out mode as he described the footage in detail.

In one scene Nick Fury confronts a captured Loki, who is being held in a cell in the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. In the other clip, Tony Stark describes his team to Loki saying they have two assassins, a demigod, a living legend who actually lives up to the legend and of course The Hulk.
It sounds awesome and makes May seem too far away. Hopefully, Marvel will release the clips online soon, so the rest of the world can geek out.

The movie studio panel also included the first look at character drawings from "Monsters University." In the prequel Mike and Sully are in college learning how to become the Monsters fans know and love.

Billy Crystal was on hand to talk about returning to Monsteropolis with John Goodman and Steve Buscemi. Producers said the film will feature all the college cliches like jocks, nerds and goths.
The other big highlight was the appearance of The Muppets to promote their upcoming film. Kermit the Frog and writer/star Jason Segal previewed new clips and delighted crowds with classic Muppet humor.
It was an especially nice moment since Muppets creator Jim Henson had been honored as a Disney Legend the day before. Henson's son and daughter accepted on his behalf, with his son Brian performing a musical number accompanied by his puppet friends.

Also honored as Disney Legends were TV personality Regis Philbin, Disney princess voice actresses Linda Larkin, Lea Salonga, Anika Noni Rose and Jodie Benson.

Joining the expo for the first time was Marvel Comics. Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada gave fans a history lesson on how the company was started, where some of its most popular characters came from and how they decided to develop "The Avengers" franchise.

Though it was interesting, the time could have been better served by promoting upcoming projects like "Ultimate Spider Man #1," the Richard Storm "Castle" graphic novel or maybe reshowing "Avengers" footage for those he didn't see it the first time.

For fans only familar with the films the studio produces, it was a wasted opportunity for Marvel to make a big splash its first time at the expo.

Overall it was a fun experience for die hard Disney fans to see everything they wanted in one place, however, event organizers were unprepared for the large number of attendees and the lack of preparation made for a hectic expo.

As of right now the D23 expo is scheduled to return in 2013.

D23 expo photo wrap up

Here are some photos of what could be seen around the D23 expo.

Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence of ABC Family's "Melissa and Joey" met fans in the D23 Welcome Center.

Wilmer Valderama and Sean Astin greeted young fans of "Handy Manny" and "Special Agent Oso."

Broadway star of "Rock of Ages," Constantine Maroulis introduced everyone to Rock Star Mickey.

The "Carousel of Projects" gave fans a preview of upcoming attraction like Disney California Adventure's Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and Buena Vista Street's Carthay Circle Theater.

Guests also had a chance to give back at the VoluntEars booth, where they could plant trees, decorate compost boxes and put together disaster kits.

Disney Channel fans waited in line for hours to see the stars of "Shake It Up," "Lemonade Mouth" and "Phineas and Ferb."

Inscaped for Aug. 18

Surprises at D23 pt. 1

Last year at the big Disney D23 Expo, there were a load of surprises at the movies panel.

I think people were actually shocked to see John Travolta walk out to talk about "Old Dogs."

Especially after the tragic death in his family. And it turned out to be an unforgettable moment, because you could just feel the love and support from the audience. He did look touched by the response.

Johnny Depp also making an unannounced entrance as Capt. Jack was a highlight.

One of my favorite moments was the Muppets coming out and singing.

And that's where I think we might be in for another surprise.

Details were just announced for "The Green Album," which is a collection of Muppets songs redone by famous artists.

There are two bands that are mega popular that do covers on the release: Weezer and OK GO.

I checked and Weezer is on tour in Canada the dates of D23, but OK GO do not have a single show or anything listed for those dates.

Is it possible to have a live, unannounced performance of "The Muppets Show Theme" right there on stage?

I sure hope so.

Plus, it makes up for last year's live, unannounced performance from Miley Cyrus.

D23 Expo preview

There's only one event Tim and I get more excited about than Comic-Con and that's D23.

The D23 Expo is like comic-con, except it's all Disney. With the release of the complete schedule it's time to preview some of the most anticipated events of the convention.

One of the most exciting presentations of the weekend is the Walt Disney Studios panel that features all the company's upcoming big releases.

Obviously we're very excited about "The Avengers," but there will also be previews of "John Carter," Pixar's "Brave" and Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie" with stars and producers of those films scheduled to appear.

There is also a question if executives will discuss the company's recent production halt of "Lone Ranger." Last time, Johnny Depp showed up in character as Capt. Jack Sparrow, so maybe that will be how the studio deflects attention from the story since it's already announced "Pirates 5."

It was just two years ago at the inaugural D23 Expo that Disney announced it was making a new Muppets movie. Now the film is scheduled to come out Nov. 23. At the first expo, the Muppets appeared on stage singing "Rainbow Connection," and I can't lie, it melted my cold robot heart and made me cry a little bit. It will be interesting to see what happens this year when Jason Segal joins his furry co-stars on stage.

For Disney theme park aficionados, the company has several panels scheduled that focus on resort projects. There is a main panel in the arena, and also presentations on Disney California Adventure's "Buena Vista Street" and "CarsLand," Walt Disney World's "Fantasyland" expansion and new Art of Animation hotel.

Though the construction is public and hard to hide, this is a chance for fans to get an up close look at what the finished products will be and hear about upcoming projects.

New 'Doctor Who' teaser video

BBC America has released a short prequel teaser video to the upcoming midseason premiere "Let's Kill Hitler."

In the clip Amy has left a message on The Doctor's answering machine asking for news about her kidnapped baby. The look on his face as he listens is heartbreaking.

"Doctor Who" returns to BBC America on Aug. 27 at 9 p.m.

Inscaped for Aug. 12

We had some "fire alarm" issues, so the video is going up late.

In all honesty, Stephanie was trying to cook a cheesy pita and started a mini-fire. Everything at Inscaped HQ is fine.

'Doctor Who:' The best of Matt Smith

The best of The Doctor continues with "The best of Matt Smith."

Following David Tennant was a near impossible feat, however Smith managed to charm fans instantly with a young fresh take on The Doctor. In one and a half seasons he's already established himself as more than capable of carrying on tradition of "the mad man in a box."

It was extremely difficult to narrow his best moments down to five, so feel free to let me know what I missed in the comments.

1. "Hello, I'm The Doctor" in "The Eleventh Hour"
With a nod to history, Smith faces his first alien nemesis, saves the world in 20 minutes with no TARDIS or sonic screwdriver and made fans immediately fall in love with him.



2. Defeating the Silence in "Day of the Moon"
Only The Doctor could trick an enemy into inciting its own demise for decades and flirt at the same time. Smith brings a charm and sexiness to the character that wasn't there before.



3. Confronting all his enemies in "The Pandorica Opens"
No one competes with The Doctor in a crisis. This was never more true than when he is outnumbered and has nothing to lose. This moment is on par with battle speeches from "Henry V" and "Braveheart."



4. The Star Whale in "The Beast Below"
As much as The Doctor loves Humans, he sort of hates them at the same time. Here he has to decide between a beautiful, extinct creature and a ship full of people. In his second episode, Smith displayed the contempt the Eleventh Doctor sometimes has for Humans.



5. The Doctor and his TARDIS in "The Doctor's Wife"
As much as The Doctor loves his companions, at the end of the day, he's a boy and his box. "The Doctor's Wife," written by the awesome Neil Gaiman, finally gave him a chance to talk to the TARDIS, his best friend and lifetime companion.

'Doctor Who:' The best of David Tennant

We continue our best of The Doctor series with "The best of David Tennant."

Tennant is arguably, the most popular Doctor ever, so picking his five best moments was very difficult. Seriously, where do you start, all his episodes were so memorable. Feel free to let me know what moments you think I left out in the comments.

1. The Doctor saves Wilf in "The End of Time"

Tennant's death was going to be emotional no matter what, but having him rage against it instead of going out gracefully was inspired. It gave the actor one last chance to show the full exxtent of his talent. This is Tennant at his absolutely best.

Note: This clip features a score not in the originally aired version, but the rest of the scene is as it should be.



2. The Doctor says goodbye in "The End of Time"

Before his regeneration, the Tenth Doctor takes one last stroll down memoy lane and visits all his companions. Though he has no lines in this scene, Tennant tells viewers everything they need to know with just facial expressions. It offered a nice bit of closure for the characters.



3. "I'm a timelord" in "Voyage of the Damned"

The Doctor is at his best in a world ending crisis. He takes over and lets any aliens involved know he's in charge. In this scene from the Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned" the ship has just been hit by meteors and is threatening Earth. It one of Tennant's most swoon worthy moments.



4. Cassandra takes over in "New Earth"

One of Tennant's best qualities as The Doctor was his comedic skill. It's on full display here, as Cassandra transfers her consciousness into The Doctor and Tennant is brilliant.



5. The fury of the timelord in "The Family of Blood"

The Doctor doesn't like it, but sometimes he has to do bad things for good reasons. He carries the weight of that with him throughout the universe. He tries alternatives but sometimes the aliens don't give him a choice. That's what happened to the Family of Blood.



Honorable Mention: The Tenth and Fifth Doctors meet up.

It's no secret that Tennant is a serious "Doctor Who" fanboy, so he must have been over the moon to do a special with Fifth Doctor and (future father-in-law) Peter Davidson. Towards the end you get the sense that he's not really acting and means every word.

'Doctor Who:' The best of Christopher Eccleston

To celebrate the return of "Doctor Who" on Aug. 27, BBC America is showing a number of specials featuring the best of the Eleventh Doctor, the companions and the monsters.

Before that happens let's take a look back at the best moments of Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor. His Doctor was still feeling the effects of the time war and was very angry. It's a sharp contrast to David Tennant and Matt Smith's more tempered, fun Ten and Eleven.



In the first series' fifth episode "Dalek," fans get their first glimpse at the true amount of pain The Doctor carries around from the time war. He meets up with the last Dalek in existence and all the emotions he's been suppressing come out. Eccleston was great at showing the angry warrior side of The Doctor.



The Doctor's regenerations are always extremely emotional, but this was the first one of the new show, so it had to explain to new fans exactly what it means when The Doctor regenerates. Eccleston beautifully portrays The Doctor's sadness at leaving Rose and all the adventures he thought they would have.



Once again Eccleston pulls out all the stops playing The Doctor's fury at having to face an enemy he sacrificed everything to defeat. What stands out here is his conviction as he defies an obviously superior force. It's a nice set up for what we'll see from his successor.



The Ninth Doctor doesn't display a lot of emotion, but when he has to send Rose away, the true depth of his feelings for her are shown.



The Doctor and Rose don't get in a lot of arguments, actually this may have been the only one, but it's a doozy. Like most longtime couples, all the pent up feelings come out and it is revealed what The Ninth Doctor really thinks about humans at this point in his life.

These scenes represent just a fraction of Eccleston's work in the first series. He is often overshadowed by his counterparts, but when you think about he is responsible for the success of the relaunch. He had to portray The Doctor in a way that would satisfy old school fans, while simultaneously bringing something new to the series. By the way, he did it brilliantly.

'Green Lantern 2' can be made

Let me start this by saying that I did truly enjoy "Green Lantern." And I do, with all my geeky heart, want to see a sequel.

There are still a few more foreign countries that haven't got "Green Lantern," but the numbers are still not good.

The reported budget for the film was $200 million. It has made back about $160 million so far. That is not good news.

But, Warner Bros. seems keen to still make a sequel.

And here's how I think they can do it.

First, hire someone who has a good amount of experience with CGI. While Martin Campbell is one of my favorite directors, "Green Lantern" needed someone else.

OK, don't knock me for saying this... but how about the Strause brothers? They are the ones who made "Skyline."

Granted "Skyline" was bad, like horrible bad, but that was all due to one sole reason: the script. And they had nothing to do with the script.

Numbers support my reasoning. "Skyline" had some seriously impressive special effects and it's reported budget was just $10 million. Something is seriously wrong with the world and the industry when a $10 million dollar film looks better than a $200 million one.

It's because these guys know special effects. Imagine what they could do with a $75 million budget?

Great looking films can be made for much less than $200 million.

With all its faults, "Sucker Punch" was made for a reported $82 million. Robert Rodriguez's first three "Spy Kids" movies each cost less than $40 million. Timur Bekmambetov has made three visually impressive films each under $100 million.

Warner Bros. needs to also realize that "Green Lantern" doesn't need to be on Earth. The entire movie should be in outer space, which means all green screen backgrounds. That right there would save a ton of money on location shooting.

Cut Blake Lively out of the film completely. Maybe throw a cameo in, but the character of Carol Ferris is not essential to a sequel. This second film should be about the fall of Sinestro and his battle with Hal. Play off the alien Green Lanterns and get some good actors to voice them. No need for A-list people, just great voices. Throw Mark Hamil a bone, that man can voice ANYTHING.

Want to add another character? Have the Guardians double up on Lanterns as they've done in the comics and introduce another human Lantern. John Stewart works great. Get a great character actor to play him. Someone like Idris Elba. Heck, give rapper Common the job he was supposed to get in the never made "Justice League" movie.

Come on Geoff Johns, DC Comics and Warner Bros. this can be done.

Just be smart about it. Us geeks have faith in you.

Syfy cancels 'Eureka,' loses last of its identity

Though Syfy announced last week that it was ordering a six episode sixth season of "Eureka," the network has now changed its mind and decided to cancel the series after its fifth season.

The show, which premiered in July 2006, is one of Syfy's most popular original scripted programs.

It tells the story of a town full of geniuses and the catastrophes their scientific projects routinely cause. It's a unique sci-fi comedy that features an outstanding cast led by star Colin Ferguson.

It its statement the network said "after a painstaking consideration, we have made the difficult business decision to not order a season six of 'Eureka.'"

Judging by the current slate of programming on Syfy, this is the only painstaking business decision they've made lately.

What makes this really sad, is that this officially puts the nail in the coffin of what was once a truly unique and fun channel to watch.

Hopefully, the network gave producers enough warning that they can give the series the kind of wrap up it deserves.

Batman fans, calm the heck down

"The Dark Knight Rises" doesn't come out until basically a year from now.

And I think Warner Bros. has been pretty cool giving us some bits of scoop.

First we got a glimpse of the presumed villain of the film Bane, played by Tom Hardy. I know it's just a teaser image, so I'm not going to complain. I even think it looks interesting.

Next we got the teaser trailer for the film:



People are saying it sucks because we don't get a lot of footage. What are they expected? This is a TEASER trailer after all. Plus, anyone remember "The Dark Knight" trailer for 2008?



Compared to this one, we get to see a lot more footage.

And the final bit (so far) is the first look at Anne Hathaway's "Catwoman" character.

Granted the eye gear and head look nothing like the Catwoman from the comics (or anything else for that matter), but we have no clue what context that photo is taken in.

It could be the very start of the film or near the end? We also have no clue if she wears something else in every single other scene she's in.

I think director Christopher Nolan has earned some well-deserved patience and respect. He knows what he's doing. He made two awesome Batman films after the franchise was almost destroyed by one of the worst movies ever made.

How about we wait until the full trailer is released before we make a choice here?

That just means we'll have to wait a good nine months...

Happy 100th birthday to Lucille Ball

Aug. 6 is the 100th birthday of Lucille Ball. Hallmark Channel will be airing a "I Love Lucy" marathon to celebrate. Picking the best episode of the television classic is like picking the best gold bar in Fort Knox. However, here are a few suggestions listed in chronological order.

"The Fur Coat" - Ricky buys a fur coat to use in the show and Lucy thinks it's hers. After some shenanigans Lucy tricks Ricky with a fake coat. It makes the list for Ricky's reaction as Lucy seemingly cuts up a real mink coat. Classic Lucy and Ethel scheming.

"Pioneer Women" - Lucy is attacked by a loaf of bread. Enough said. It's one of my all-time favorites.

"Lucy Does a TV Commercial" - Another all-time favorite has Lucy doing the Vitameatavegamin commercial. She ends up drunk off the medicine she's pitching and hilarity ensues. There is no greater display of Lucille Ball's comic genius. I dare you not to fall over laughing.


"Job Switching" - Lucy at the candy factory is one of the most memorable moments in television history. But, what makes this episode so funny is Ricky and Fred trying to cook dinner. This episode cannot be watched enough, it's that funny.


"Lucy Goes to the Hospital" - Ricky, Fred and Ethel trying to get Lucy to the hospital to have the baby is one of the most hilarious scenes in TV history. It is fall off the couch hysterical.


"Lucy Changes Her Mind" - Lucy constantly changing her order at dinner is one of the series' funniest scenes ever. Another brilliant display of Ball's comic genius.


"Harpo Marx" - Lucy impersonates Harpo Marx, to Harpo Marx. It's comedic gold.

"Lucy Hates to Leave" - The Ricardos are moving to the country, but not yet. All their furniture is in the Mertzes apartment. This episode is a team effort as the physical comedy on display by the cast is textbook perfect.

"Lucy Does the Tango" - Lucy hides eggs in her clothes, then you can guess where it goes from there. This episode has one of the longest stints of audience laughter ever heard.


"I Love Lucy" is the template for every TV comedy that came after it. There are so many hilarious episodes that I left off the list. I suggest everyone settle in and watch the marathon this weekend or buy the DVD set of the complete series.

Inscaped for Aug. 4

Meet the new Inscaped correspondent

Stephanie and I will both be at the D23 convention in a few weeks.

But, it's a big place with lots to see and do.

And quite frankly the two of us couldn't cover everything.

We need a little help, especially with the Disney Channel stuff. I think Stephanie and I are a little out of the age demographic.

My 10-year-old niece Zoe? Perfect.

Zoe will be at the convention and has enthusiastically agreed to cover Disney shows like "So Random," "Fish Hooks" and "Shake it Up!"

She'll also be around to talk about other cool things she finds as well.

Finally! Agent Coulson gets some love

Of all the things I love about Marvel's "Avengers" movies, one of my favorites is Agent Coulson. He has to constantly put up with all the superhero craziness that surrounds him and keep his cool at the same time.

His scenes in "Thor" were perfect. So it's no surprise that he's finally getting some love in his own short film titled "The Consultant." The movie explains Tony Stark's cameo at the end of "The Incredible Hulk." There will also be a film that bridges "Iron Man 2" and "Thor" titled "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer."

"The Consultant" will available on the "Thor" blu-ray DVD, out Sept. 13.

Ultimate Spider-Man breaks racial barriers

While comics have come a long way in terms of minority superheroes, the list of A-list, top tier characters of color is still short. That's why the announcement that the new Ultimate Spider-Man would be a half-black/half-Hispanic teenager named Miles Morales is such a major one.

It's true that characters like Storm, Black Panther and Nick Fury have been popular for years, however, having a hero like Spider-Man be a minority is a big deal.

Marvel isn't offering any details about Miles' origin just yet, but his appearance in "Ultimate Fallout #4" is sure to create lots of interests and sales in the upcoming "Ultimate Spider-Man #1," which is out the same month as DC's giant relaunch.

Remembering the coolness of MTV

There was time about 25 years ago when MTV was the coolest channel in the world. First of all, not everyone had cable, so if you did like my family, you were considered very cool. This was extremely helpful to me and my brother, because we had an endless supply of people wanting to be our friends.

The shows were awesome, like "Remote Control," "Just Say Julie," "Club MTV" and "This Week in Rock." The personalities were the height of cool including, Downtown Julie Brown, Kurt Loder, comedienne Julie Brown, Nina Blackwood, John Norris, Dr. Dre, Ed Lover, Fab 5 Freddy and yes, Carson Daly.

My first memories of MTV are the daily top 10 they used to show every morning. For like a month straight Beastie Boys "Fight For Your Right to Party" was number one. I still love hearing that song.

Then they started playing Michael Jackson regularly and I was hooked. I, like many young girls of the time, was desperately in love with Michael, so seeing his videos non-stop was a dream come true.

Just when things couldn't get any better, Madonna appeared on the scene and I discovered a life long role model. No one was cooler than Madonna.

These icons coupled with constant streams Pat Benatar, Duran Duran, Prince, Bon Jovi, Billy Idol and The Police made a dorky tomgirl feel like one of the cool kids.

I pretty much watched 24/7, driving my father crazy, entered every contest and dreamed of becoming an MTV VJ.

The annual Video Music Awards became event viewing for me. I had VMA parties and religiously recorded all the best performances.

Though my interest slowed down as I got older, I still enjoyed early seasons of "The Real World," "TRL" and the network's increased public service.

However, when MTV started showing fewer music videos and more reality shows I stopped watching. Occasionally something surprising will pop up and I'll see remnants of the channel I once loved. But for the most part, those days are over and it makes me sad to know my niece and nephew will never experience MTV in its glory days.

I want my MTV!