TV Meme Day 6: My Favorite Episode of My Favorite Show

There are too many amazing episodes of Spongebob to just pick my one definitive favorite without feeling like I left something out. Thus, I present to you, my TOP 5 episodes of Spongebob, of ALL TIME!

5. Whale of a Birthday

In this episode, Spongebob goes on a shopping spree buying everything Pearl wants for her birthday, while Mr. Krabs decorates the Krusty Krab cheaply for her. It's a hilarious episode, with so many laugh-out-loud moments, such as "It's a...girl?" and Squidward singing the Boys Who Cry song. So funny.

4. F.U.N

This is just a classic. Plankton and Spongebob becoming friends and the actual F.U.N song in the show is, for fans of Spongebob, one of the most important topics in the show's history. :P

3. The Camping Episode

Spongebob and Patrick go camping with Squidward in this notable episode. When I first saw it, I fell in love, especially with the "Campfire Song Song" that they sing. Which I would embed a clip of, but it's impossible to find a good one. So...sorry everyone. :)

2. Krusty Krab Training Video

This is a great episode because of how unique it was. Being presented as the actual Krusty Krab training video, it's just amazing. From the "HOOPLAH" guy to "People Order Our Patties" to the fakeout ending, this episode is probably one of the most memorable of them all.

1. Band Geeks

This episode is easily my favorite of all time. When Squidward tries to put together a band to show off to his arch-nemesis, the rather unintelligent citizens of Bikini Bottom attempt to work together to help him. Every moment of this episode is hysterical, and it's structured so well. The end, in which Spongebob and the others play a rock concert, is just classic.

That was really difficult. On some other day, there could be five completely different choices...I can think of five more that I love right now but I shall refrain. I think the strongest season of Spongebob was its Fourth, though only a couple from that season are on this list, I pretty much love every episode from it.

I Want YOU...

...to go vote in the Logline Challenge contest! We've only got two days left to vote and there's a tie so far so go read the pitches and vote.

That is all.

Double Indemnity (1944)

There's this feeling that you get when you're watching an absolutely brilliant performance. It's not always possible to describe the aspects of the performance that make it great, but you know that it is simply because...it is. That's how I felt about Barbara Stanwyck's performance in the 1944 classic, "Double Indemnity", a film I'd known about for ages but just finally got to watching.

In the film, Fred MacMurray plays Walter Neff, an insurance agent who becomes enamored with a client's wife, Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck). Phyllis expresses a mysterious interest in buying her husband accident insurance, and Walter, in an effort to woo Phyllis (who is unhappy in her marriage), encourages her to buy the policy and kill her husband. However, though the murder goes smoothly, things end up falling apart. The story is being narrated by Walter himself, who is recording his testimony in his boss's office.

"Double Indemnity" is a great noir that is, for the most part, extremely thrilling and entrancing. The story just wraps you in from the very beginning and the sharp dialogue keeps you going. Another great thing about the movie is that it perfectly balances the crime with the romance with the investigation to create a perfect piece of noir. As aforementioned, Stanwyck delivers a mind-blowingly good performance. She knows exactly how her character should change throughout the movie and does it perfectly - her mannerisms are impeccable and you can feel this woman through every scene she's in.

However, Stanwyck does such a wonderful job that the movie flounders a bit when she is not present (which is a surprisingly large chunk of time). Fred MacMurray gives a decent performance but he just doesn't elevate the material the way his co-star does, and even the exciting performance by Edward G. Robinson as Keyes couldn't make me stop wanting Barbara back.

Additionally, movies that utilize narration are always a little bit hit-or-miss with me. In this case, I was not completely convinced by it - it just didn't seem right that Neff would be describing his past two or so weeks in such grand detail especially (SPOILER ALERT) with his arm having been shot. Clunky narration like that is extremely bothersome at times. However, the ending did do a pretty good job of making up for it.

"Double Indemnity" is quite a thrilling piece of cinema, though in the end it didn't quite do as much for me emotionally as I thought it would. However, even though the film had its faults, Barbara Stanwyck gives an absolutely mesmerizing performance that should be considered one of the best of all time.

8/10
(so close to being a seven but Stanwyck was just too good for that)

TV Meme Day 5: A Show I Hate

To be honest you guys, I'm really at a loss with this one. I don't watch enough TV for there to be a definitive show that I absolutely despise.

Now, I know what you're going to say... "But Robert! I thought you hated Glee! You complain about it all the time!" And while it is true that I rant about all the probs I have with Glee, you guys also probably realize that I do enjoy the show, quite a bit, and I watch it every week despite my cantankerousness about it.

Sure, there are shows that I can't stand to watch, but they're mainly Disney Channel Originals, like..."Wizards of Waverly Place" and "Hannah Montana". And I watched one episode of "J.O.N.A.S." or whatever that show with the Jo-bros was called, and it was absolutely despicable.

I also really cannot stand "Ed, Ed, and Eddy" that was (is?) on Cartoon Network...but there's a lot of horrendous shows up there too. Nickelodeon has gone super downhill in the past few years, the only good show on there these days is "Spongebob" though I also find myself laughing at "iCarly". I don't enjoy it, but I laugh. ;)

But even through all of those shows, there's not one that I want to single out and crush (which I could do for any of them, believe me) because...they didn't do anything wrong except be what they are for their target audience. That sounds hypocritically moral but what can I say? Sure, there's shows I dislike, but hate is such a strong word.

Think of me as the kind of person who is able to find enjoyment in even the worst of entertainment...mainly because I laugh at it so hard.

2009: The Official Top Ten

Finishing off my reminiscences upon 2009, I'm doing my official top 10 of last year. I did a huge post on this earlier this year on my other blog, but I consider it somewhat premature since at the time I hadn't seen a lot of amazing films from the year. Anyway, here you go!

10. Fantastic Mr. Fox
9. An Education
8. Avatar
7. Coraline
6. Up
5. In The Loop
4. The Hurt Locker
3. The White Ribbon
2. (500) Days of Summer
1. Inglourious Basterds

Comment below on your faves from 2009!

TV Meme Day 4: My Favorite Show Ever!

When thinking of television shows that I'd call my "favorite", there is one that easily takes the cake, and that show is Spongebob Squarepants. Seriously, people! :P

A huge part of the reason that I love Spongebob is because I'm the PERFECT age to have fallen in love with the show. I was an impressionable 7 when the show premiered in 1999 (I actually vividly remember watching the first episode), and as I grow up, the show seems to as well.

I'm not going to describe what Spongebob is about, because you should all already know. :) But, it's just an amazing show. The hilarious cast of characters, like Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, and plankton, led by Mr. Squarepants himself of course, is always irresistibly charming. And, Tom Kenny's voiceover work for Spongebob is probably one of the most influential voice-acting jobs ever.

One of the most impressive accomplishments of Spongebob is that it appeals to such a wide audience. I know that not find it funny, but it's a show that appeals to adults with wry and subtle mature humor, while its colorful jokes and characters appeal to even the youngest of kids. As I said before, it's a show that "grew up with me" - I can really watch any episode and find something new to laugh at every time.

Not to mention the fact that I've often noticed discreet social commentary in episodes of Spongebob. For example, the "Grandma's Kisses" episode is an interesting look at familial-social relationships, and the episode "Jellyfish Hunter" takes an unforgiving look at what is certainly a parallel to factory farming. Whether these messages are intentional or not, they still exist and add an entirely new dimension to the hilarity.

Perhaps Spongebob Squarepants seems like an immature choice for my FAVE SHOW EVER OMG but I absolutely can NOT deny that it is. I've loved it ever since I first saw it ten years ago and I'm sure that I'll continue loving it for years to come.

TV Meme Day 3: Favorite New Show

This most recent season of television has been a particularly enjoyable one for me - I've started watching more TV than ever (is that a good thing? lol) and found some wonderful shows. Two of the shows that I've loved this season, Glee and Modern Family, have already been written about by Andrew and Luke, so I'm going to write about an equally enjoyable and altogether fantastic show - Party Down.

I discovered Party Down when I watched the video of AFI's Top 10 Television Programs of the year. I saw a clip of Jane Lynch, and I knew I had to start watching. PD follows the Party Down catering company, which consists of a cast of interesting characters -the team leader, Ron (Ken Marino); a former actor, Henry (a hilariously deadpan Adam Scott); the quirky wannabe comedian Casey (Lizzy Caplan); the rather unintelligent actor Kyle (Ryan Hansen); and a sci-fi screenwriter, Roman (Martin Starr, you know, from Adventureland!).

In each episode, the crew is working at some kind of party that acts as a catalyst for the crazy characters to do all sorts of hilarious things. For example, in the recent "James Ellison Funeral" episode, Henry and Casey must keep the funeral family unaware of the identity of a mistress of the deceased and her son, who appear uninvited to the funeral - all the while, Kyle hopelessly tries to learn the blues. It may sound like too much to handle, but the show weaves it all together perfectly.

While the show is often laugh out loud hysterical, it also never shies away from being melancholy at times as well. All of the characters live really screwed up, hopeless lives and while they could have become stupid caricatures, the show treats them like the humans they are - imperfect, but who isn't? The cast, especially my faves Lizzy and Adam, all do miracles in their performances.

I haven't even gotten to mention the actresses that bring in probably the most laughs - Jane Lynch, who sadly had to leave due to her commitment to Glee, was always perfect as Constance Carmel. Megan Mullaly, who was hired to replace her, is hilarious as the single mom Lydia, and I've loved her character so much. Always so funny.

Sadly, it doesn't look like Party Down will be able to carry on much longer - Adam Scott, who drives the show, is no longer going to be a recurring character next season, and Ryan Hansen is going to be in a new show on NBC that could effect this one. However, though the fate of Party Down is unsure, it is certain that the episodes that it's given us so far are always going to be a perfect piece of TV, whether the team is catering a birthday party or an orgy. I just love this show!

What be-eth your favorite new show this season? Do you watch Party Down? Comment belowww!