Super Frat

The Wire is about the police of Baltimore, but also the city itself. This decaying, urban landscape is the home of drug dealers and a department of cops so caught up in bureaucracy so thick that the good cops get punished and the bad ones just keep getting promotions. As we’ve all experienced, politics is a part of the workplace, but never more so in a police department where one minute you’re hunting bad guys and the next minute you need to cover for the mayor.

The central character is McNulty, a detective that’s too smart and cares too much for his own good. McNulty’s character arc as his own worst enemy is both fascinating and tough to watch. I remember that when The Wire first aired, a lot of fans complained about Season 5 and its ending. I am not among them. Sure, in some ways it pulls too many elements together to wrap it, but I found it to be fairly satisfying.

One of the great things about The Wire is how characters come into the show, leave and then return. It feels very organic, as opposed to most television shows where you know certain characters are never going to leave or get hurt because they are too important to the central cast.

If you’re looking for a great series to watch, this is it. There’s a reason it was talked about and the great cast members went on to star in shows like The Walking Dead and A Game of Thrones. No thread is left unraveled at the end and some great concepts are thrown in the mix on top of just a generally great cop show.

I give the Wire 10 out of 10 keggers. Do not miss this.

└ Tags: A Game of Thrones, actors, Baltimore, Binge Watch, cast, cop show, HBO, keggers, McNulty, Omar, rating, review, Season 5, Super Frat, television, The Walking Dead, The Wire, Tony DiGerolamo

1 Comment

Feb04

Twitter in Focus: Mo Mandel

by tonyd on February 4, 2015 at 12:01 am

Hey Bros!

Welcome to Twitter in Focus where media comes to die! Today’s contestant is Mo Mandel of Barmageddon. He’s funny on the show, let’s see what he’s tweeting.

@momandel

January 26th: “Me and my writing partner. ”

Awwww. Puppy!

January 26th: “Hey #Snowmageddon, stop hacking the title of my tv show!”

And no one wants to see you remodel a snow storm.

January 28th: “I’m performing in TACOMA WASHINGTON Thurs-Saturday. http://tacomacomedyclub.com/ ”

Seems like a lot to do. Doing stand up and hosting a TV show.

January 29th: “Getting a neck tattoo is like paying to only be able to fuck one type of girl for the rest of your life.”

Yeah and it must hurt like a bitch on top of that.

January 29th: ”

I reorganized the magazine rack. “

Stop making trouble, Mo.

January 29th: “Tacoma Comedy Club tonight through Saturday.”

He’ll be here all week, folks!

January 30th: “”You were super funny. I wish I wasn’t so high so I could remember some of your jokes.” -The best compliment I’ve received in months.”

Ha!

January 30th: “Suge Knight is the OJ Simpson of rap people.”

Does that make Eminem the Leslie Neilson?

January 30th: “Im in Tacoma and people keep telling me the most famous glass blower in the world is from here. More famous than that guy from Burning Man?!”

There are famous glass blowers?

January 30th: “Watching the #TerryBradshawRoast on ESPN 2. I think it was filmed late night @TheComedyStore because no one is laughing.”

I’m not sure who this insults more.

January 30th: “Okay, @JimNorton just saved the #TerryBradshawRoast.”

No surprise. He’s pretty genius. I think he may be the Gilbert Gottfried of the Terry Bradshaw Roast.

January 30th: “Yeahhhhh @reesewaters! #TerryBradshawRoast #50Mason“

No idea. Guess I should’ve been watching.

January 30th: ““@pattonoswalt: @momandel Oh, Mo. Dear, sweet innocent Mo…” I’ll take that as a yes and that you want to get a bowl of Pho together.”

Pho with Mo! Wednesdays!

January 31st: “Either it’s really foggy in Seattle today or this legalized weed thing is being taken to the extreme.”

Ba-dum-dum! Keesh! He’ll be here all week, folks!

January 31st: “As long as Katy Perry’s titties don’t deflate, am I right?! #SuperBowl“

They didn’t and that’s why I missed the shark.

January 31st: “I like how we changed the word “Elitist” to “Foodie.””

Now what do we call the “Fat Elitists”?

February 1st: “

Sounds like a challenge! “

And that’s why PETA now pickets Mo Mandel shows.

February 1st: “The only thing sexier than a girl whose into sports is a slightly hotter one who isn’t. #SuperBowl tweet”

As Tosh says, you gotta plow a four to appreciate a seven.

February 2nd: “I’m usually proud to be Jewish but a Hassidic teenager just zipped by me on a Segway.”

Is that Kosher?

February 2nd: “No longer sure if it’s worth trying to keep up with the Kardashians.”

Just let them pass and soon they’ll be gone.

5 hours ago: “

They’re about to make some gigantic babies. “

Jesus Christ. Is there any other point in history that we can celebrate in this country other than World War 2?

Okay, let’s rate Mo’s tweets. A few plugs, but pretty responsive. Would’ve like to hear more behind-the-scenes about the show, but it’s all good. I give him a 9 for Mustness, a 7 for Style and an 8 for Insanity. That’s an overall score of 8. Follow Mo.

And if you have a suggestion for Twitter in Focus, email me here.

└ Tags: Barmageddon, Chelsea Lately, comedian, comedy, ESPN, funny, Gilbert Gottfried, host, humor, Jim Norton, Mo Mandel, rating, review, Super Frat, Terry Bradshaw Roast, Tony DiGerolamo, tweet, Twitter in Focus, World War 2

1 Comment

Feb02

Webcomic Review: Lunarbaboon

by tonyd on February 2, 2015 at 12:01 am

Webcomic: Lunarbaboon

Creator: Chris Grady

Format: Multi-panel, usually four or more, some color

Updates: About three times a week

Genre: Comedy, autobiographical

Themes: Fatherhood, family, work

Characters: Lunarbaboon, his son and wife

Archive: Begins July 9, 2012

I’ve been following Lunarbaboon off and on for at least a year on the Reddit r/webcomic boards where the creator usually posts with yours truly and everyone else in webcomics. Lunarbaboon (read “Lunar Balloon” for a long time in my mind for some reason) is a light, funny comic about a family of three. Although the creator calls the main character a half-man/half-monkey trying to make sense of it all.

Grady’s work has a nice arc to it artwise. You can see it develop if you start in the archive and work your way to the current day. He plays with color, dabbing it here and there as he needs, although the strip itself really isn’t in full color. It’s more like a Sin City comic with one extra color thrown in to draw your attention to things.

Once in a while, the humor dips into some sad or a little dark, but for the most part it’s funny in kind of a homey, cozy way. It’s no wonder he has many fans on Reddit and no doubt elsewhere. If I had any complaint, it would be that Grady’s updates aren’t 100% consistent and I’m a fan of the navigation buttons, rather than the five strips per page that his current Tumblr-like layout uses. These are minor qualms, however. Grady has a unique and funny voice that should definitely be in your bookmarks.

Previous Reviews

Stupid Snake

Fowl Language

Holding Pattern