10 Things I Hate About You: New and Old

So the new ABC Family TV series 10 Things I Hate About You starts on Tuesday. I’m skeptical of this show.

The commercials seem to claim that this is the “best new show of the summer,” but let’s be real here: I was someone who saw the original in the theaters. Loved the original. Still do. In fact, I’m watching it today on the CW.

It surprised me that it was being aired on the CW and not ABC Family itself. What better way could you advertise your new series–the spinoff of the movie–except by showing the movie itself?

Unless…

Unless, of course, the series is not nearly as good as the movie, and you’d realize it watching them back to back. And personally, I think that’s going to be the case.

I’ve noted before that they should have just made an original high school TV series about two opposite sisters. I mean, the movie was based on Taming of the Shrew (that’s Shakespeare, people) and had such clever jokes in it. Humor that easily moved along a two-hour movie, but could it really be a series without the freshness getting old?

And look who’s shoes your standing in! I mean, Julia Styles? Joseph Gordon Levitt? And, of course, Heath Ledger. I’m sure the new Patrick Verona is thrilled to have the role, but that’s really hard to live up to. Add in the fact that they’ve really narrowed down the characters to make them one-dimensional for the series, and you’ve got one unhappy fan sitting here.

Personally, I’m all about the movie. And I’m very hesitant about the series. I will probably still check it out. For two reasons: 1) to see if I’m right and 2) to have something to write about later in the week. And who knows, maybe it is the best new series of the summer.

Let’s just hope it’s nothing like Secret Life. Please, please, let it be nothing like Secret Life.

Happy July 4th!

Happy Independence Day, Americans! And who’s better to tell us about it than Sam the Eagle?

So here’s the Muppet, helping you out with your July 4th festivities.

Did I share this last year? I can’t remember. But it’s fun, and I like it. Especially when the Swedish Chef starts chasing around the chicken to cook it. And the hot dogs in the background. And the buffalo. Because what represents America better than hot dogs and buffalo?

Anyway, enjoy the 4th. I’ll be celebrating tonight, watching the Boston fireworks in person. Hope you’re doing something equally fun! And if not, check to see what networks are airing the Boston fireworks. They’re usually televised.

Decisions, dilemmas, and Ally McBeal

I’ve been waiting a while for this.

Finally. FINALLY. They are releasing Ally McBeal on DVD–in the the U.S. region. England has been taunting me from across the great blue for years, as they had the entire series out and available for purchase when I was there in 2002. When would the U.S. catch up already?

Well, they finally are. Amazon has officially posted pre-orders for two Ally McBeal box sets. Two, you ask? Yes. You can either buy the season 1 box set, or you can just jump in feet first and get the entire series.

I liked this show at its conception. It was cute and inventive. Of course, it did premiere in the ’90s, at the same time when it was “sex sells” more than the usual amount, so when it became all about the escapades in the bedroom (or say, the car wash?), I was turned off a little. But then Billy died and Robert Downey, Jr. came on the scene. And then there was Bon Jovi…

You have to admit, season 6 was good. And really, every season had its standout episode. It was great. Plus, even Hayden Panettiere made an appearance on the show. Before she was a cheerleader.

So I’ll reiterate. I’ve been wanting this for a while now. But to have to decide now whether I’ll go all the way with the series…

Here’s the issue: I’m going to want to get the entire series. But I’m one of these people that tends to need to watch the entire series in the time period allotted before returns, just in case there’s a flawed disk. And that’s a lot to watch. So maybe individual sets would work. And it wouldn’t be that much saved money.

But I know I’m going to want to get the entire series, and who knows how long it will take for them to release all six seasons individually? Granted, I don’t actually know the release dates for those sets on pre-order, so the complete series could still be a bit off.

Sigh. It’s a hard decision. I might just have to wait to see how this might recession is going–or more likely, see how these things are packaged. As I learned from my NewsRadio complete series, sometimes the packing sucks. I mean, that’s a spindle with ten disks on it. It sucks. What if Ally did that?

I’d hope they wouldn’t. There’s been such neat packaging as of late–like Gilmore Girls. That was cute. Full House looked like it might be cute, too. Perhaps that really will be a deciding factor.

Anyway, if you have suggestions, please do let me know. I’m really excited about the release, and if anything, I’ll post the dates on Twitter if I don’t do a post here. And you know, I just heard that Barry White song on the radio the other day.

You’re my first, my last, my everything.