Dealing with Funny Business Four years ago, television insiders were rocked by a fear that the half-hour comedy genre was on its final legs. The field that was once defined by “I Love Lucy,” “Three’s Company” and “Cheers” could not hold an audience. Take, for example, the case of NBC’s powerhouse block of “Must See [...]
Just because Halloween is behind us doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy some fall treats. I visited four Chapel Hill bakeries to test out their seasonal goodies. Sugarland Although none of the items at Sugarland are “seasonal” per say, a lot of their items feature fall flavors. I tried the carrot cake cupcake, which turned out to [...]
Halloween Costumes on the Cheap For Halloween this year, I am dressing up as Mary Ann from Gilligan’s Island. My costume is a checkered shirt, denim shorts and plain Keds. The total cost of my outfit was $4—I just had to grab a $4 shirt from Goodwill to complete the look. The key is to think [...]
Throwing a Halloween party this year or just want to get pumped before walking to Franklin Street? This playlist will get you in a frenzied, frightful mood. Rob Zombie: Dragula Gnarls Barkley: The Boogie Monster Iron Maiden: The Number of the Beast Michael Jackson: Thriller Iron Maiden: Fear of the [...]
Autumn is my favorite time of year. The weather is finally cooling off, the leaves are all changing into gorgeous reds and oranges, and best of all, HALLOWEEN! One of my fondest memories of autumn is carving pumpkins with my family. We’d all go to our local produce farm, pick out the biggest and baddest [...]
Tuesday: Sci Fi Exploration After years of attempting to debut a successful science fiction pilot, the Big 5 networks seem to have accepted defeat at the hands of cable television. Viewers proved they are not interested in the sci fi fare offered by broadcast networks – “Reaper,” “Journeyman,” “Bionic Woman,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor [...]
Watching TV: Procedural Dramas In October 2000, CBS debuted the pilot of a show called “CSI,” and from there the modern procedural drama bracket was born. Any TV show that solves a case on a per-episode basis – be it a medical anomaly, a legal scuffle or a postmortem analysis – is considered a “procedural [...]
A message from Doc Sonya, your resident TV guru. Dear readers, Last month, I expressed my concern that television is failing our entertainment demands. I may have outlined a few suggestions to reinvigorate it… with vampires. However, ignorant TV insiders chose to ignore my inspired suggestions. The imbeciles leave me little choice but to break away from [...]
As a journalist, I interview people with diverse opinions. Opinions I do not always agree with. But regardless of whether I agree, my job is to listen to and record those opinions without interjecting my own. I think more people should take this approach, allowing different groups and individuals the chance to voice and defend [...]
In case you missed the signs around Lenoir, you can eat from The Q Shack in Lenoir Mainstreet on Tuesdays and Fridays. Born and raised in North Carolina, I consider myself to be somewhat of a barbecue expert. The Q Shack has quickly become one of my favorite joints. They serve three different types of barbecue: pork, [...]
