Grid Effect

We apologize for the confidence inspiring snippet at the end of yesterday’s post in which we eluded to some potential links. We were hurried just to finish the responsibilities at our day job so Grid Effect had to take a backseat. This is to make amends, as it should be more than plentiful.

To follow up on our Weeds post from earlier today: here’s a brief interview with Justin Kirk, who plays Andy Botwin. It’s good to see someone actually talk to this guy out of character. For all we knew he was a ghost, or a robot. Or a ghost that posed as a robot. Either way, has he been a part of or acted in anything else that anyone is aware of? We haven’t seen or heard of anything, so we’re not ruling this out as a total ruse by the LA Times…Damn you, liberal media!

In case you weren’t able to figure it out on your own, The Daily Show didn’t merely set up and elaborate backdrop in studio, but they actually sent Rob Riggle to China for the Olympics. If you watch the show and didn’t pick up on this, I should probably tell you that when you add two and two together, it makes four. I know, some people will try and convince you it equals five, or three, or 238,000. But no, four is the answer you are looking for.

Friday Night Lights has hired some new members to the cast. Supposedly they move to Dillon because it is such an affluent community with endless job growth that everyone in the state is migrating towards. Also, they are bringing a freshman son with them to compete with Saracen for the QB-1 spot, because alleviating any pressure from Matt Saracen’s shoulders would be like not riding a malnourished racehorse with atrophied legs. It’s there, it has to be tortured.

Also joining Friday Night Lights this season, some actress from Deadwood will play Matt’s estranged mother from Oklahoma, if that’s not the actress who played Calamity Jane we’ll be disappointed. Also, if you didn’t know already, everything that happens with this series makes headlines. Jason Katims could give Kyle Chandler a playful noogie, and whatever paper is in Austin would be all over it.

More from the LA Times, this article concerning Mad Men and their take on high blood pressure. Apparently some doctors have been sequestered and agreed that the series is not accurate in their portrayal of the condition. I want and expect this series to be as accurate as possible, but does it have to be nitpicked over every single, minute detail? I was on a website the other day, and some of the commenters were complaining that the day The Defenders episode aired that was featured on Mad Men, couldn’t have possibly been the same day the show aired in 1962. I know The Sopranos for the most part wasn’t using historical or real life events inside a fictional work to move the plot, but it was never critiqued to the point that they were bringing in medical professionals to explain how Tony’s panic attacks were unrealistic. By the time the fourth or fifth season rolls around, I fear for the editors on Mad Men, who may have to deal with their own bout of panic disorders.

Speaking of Mad Men, one of my favorite aspects of the series — since every character is so well-developed and multi-faceted — is having virtual unknowns like Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss playing lead roles, thus making it easier to separate them from other characters they may have done if, say, Jason Bateman had taken the role of Don Draper. Now comes the news that Colin Hanks will guest star on the series, and unless he has a bag over his head or is in black-face, its going to be impossible to watch this episode and not be distracted by the kid from Orange County.

They kiiiinnnda look alike.

Trent Reznor might be coming to HBO, and we can assure you that the sacrifice of small animals will not be scarce, making all of his fans glee with delight. Actually, we imagine his backstage persona is more akin to that of Alice Cooper in Wayne’s World moreso than any decadent and depraved scenario we could imagine.

Bruce Springsteen is speculated to be the Superbowl halftime show in 2009. This is good, finally I have something to look forward to in the next six months. Apparently part of the evidence is Stevie Van Zandt has booked a party at the Hard Rock, because no one just attends the Superbowl to get drunk in overpriced venues. Nope, everyone, even the piss drunk fans stumbling from one watering hole to the next are there for work. Obviously they could be performing (it would be a recommended selection), but the rush to get the scoop on something so innocuous seems insane.

And finally, this kind of blew my mind: Brandon Young, who played the buttoned down, straight-laced, ambitious news reporter Mike Fletcher on The Wire, is focusing on his rap career. If this guy is a legitimate rap artist, then he is probably the next Brando. Not to overstep my boundaries or anything, but I’m probably more suited for a rap career than Fletcher ever was.

Back tomorrow with links or network preview or something.