Pajiba

Is it possible that Superman Returns was much better than we remember?

You mean YOU assholes, there's no WE here.

"Sherlock" was great, again, but I'd never be smug about it, that'd be pointless.

CagePotato did a tribute to Jim Norton, the DJ in the video. He is an awesome stand up comic who gets beat up by all of his MMA guests. Check it out.

hxxp://www.cagepotato.com/mma-video-tribute-jim-nortons-nine-most-painful-interviews/

Maka: It's a story for another day, another time.

Not to make light of the SOPA/PIPA issue, but I wish Wikipedia would do a month-long black0out. I'd really like to go through just one term where students actually have to do real research for their papers.

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

Also, I don't know how much petitions actually work, but sign this because why not.

Fuck SOPA.

I would personally do everything within my power to block any site that has copyrighted material, extend copyright terms, and destroy free speech in this country and abroad if you would sic Gina Carano on me.

It would strike me that the blacklist is really a VIP invite, disguised as a smackdown challenge. One might consider an Occupy Sundance strategy - I don't think they can win, provided you simply show up and take the high ground.

And I don't think Mrs Robinson (it has to be, am I right?) would mind shivering in the cold for a few days. Some fellas surely would offer to warm her up.

Those Wonder Woman Cheerleaders...thoughts...in my head...so wrong...must get out...Polanski...pyramids...

I can't help it. I was built this way.

Can you self report to the Megan's Law website? After that little mental excursion, I really feel like I should.

Pajiba got blacklisted from Sundance? I was always under the impression you guyes were a bunch teddybears in real life. OK, lawyer teddybears, but still, blacklisted? What did you do? Steal Robert Redford's toupee?

Banned from Cannes? Why? Do tell. Did you say too many nasty things about Gwyneth Paltrow?

Zooey Deschanel might have worked on the 2008 campaign. My friend gets personalized Christmas and birthday cards from the president.

I get Obama cards too. I think pretty much anyone who signs up to help and provides an email gets them.

Of course not everyone gets the special video that Betty White got: that was fun.

Amen to that PaddyDog... my students had to use books today.

What's wrong with Cracker Barrel? I LOVE them. Of course, I live in the NE, so I've no basis for comparison for homestyle Southern cooking.

On second thought, don't tell me. I prefer to keep eating in blissful ignorance.

I don't know where you've got to with Downton Abbey in the US but over here the backlash started during series (or season as you would say) 2. I quite enjoyed series 1 even if it was soapy nonsense but series 2 wasn't very good really and the Christmas special was so boring....

Downton Abbey: I think British critical opinion was "it's not very good". I think the British public didn't give a toss.

Sherlock: I...can't even begin to describe how awesome that was. I'm so thankful I get BBC. I loved the first season. The second season - episode one was brilliant, episode two was okay for Sherlock but fantastic when compared with most things on TV. I don't think I'm quite ready to talk about episode three yet, except to say that it was devastating and that Martin Freeman is a much better actor than people give him credit for. Wow.

Okay, so the British critics didn't like Downton Abbey because it's essentially a soap masquerading as a serious drama, but this myth that has suddenly emerged that the British public also hate it is ridiculous. Seasons One and Two of DA are the highest rated show in the drama category on British TV in the past 10 years. The Christmas special even beat out Eastenders for the number-one most watched spot (once DVR ratings were in), and ITV has already commissioned Season Three. So they can pretend all they want that they're above it all and the Yanks are just idiots for going all smushy over pretty dresses in a stately home, but the reality is quite the opposite.

Please! we must know the whole Sundance banishment
story. i hope it's not another just another
noodle incident

PaddyDog, the top rated TV shows last year in the UK were The X Factor, The Royal Bloody Wedding, Strictly Come Dancing, Britain's Got Talent, and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. So I wouldn't say the great British public has a phenomenal track record of connecting with quality shows. I mean, we're entirely responsible for the success of Baywatch for crying out loud (seriously, look it up when Wikipedia's back).

In general, wherever you are, sh*te rises to the top of the TV ratings and no country can avoid it or claim to be above it.

The big difference has been in the critical acclaim sent Downton's way in the US while it is conspicuous by its absence in the UK. This could be because British critics are snobby and can't recognize quality drama that has mass appeal or it could be because American critics pretty much fall into the trap that Simon Schama explains in the article.

Keven:

I agree with you about the tastes of the British public (and don't beat yourself up too much about Baywatch, the Germans have some heavy responsibiity there too), but literally everything I read lately has something about how the average Brit in the street is laughing at those silly Americans for loving Downton Abbey and I immediately think of pots and kettles.