From The Onion, via IO9:

"ABC sources reported that the series will transplant the evil black cloud from the island of Lost to the suburbs of Chicago, where it works as a sports radio host, surrounded by "a whole new group of crazy characters." Actress Lea Thompson has signed on to play the monster's long-suffering wife, who must put up with her husband's screwball antics while raising the couple's two rambunctious children, Tanner and Smoky, Jr... Lost producer Jack Bender has confirmed that the smoke monster will no longer be part of his show's regular cast. However, ABC has promised that Where There's Smoke will feature a number of guest appearances from Lost regulars. Sources said the pilot episode will feature an appearance by actor Michael Emerson as a slobby houseguest named Benjamin Linus who overstays his welcome, much to the chagrin of the smoke monster's wife."

So so close, Josh...

Seconding gngr_bxcttr's acclaim here - though it gets mildly embarrassing when strangers see me giggling on the streets while I'm walking to work. I've just bought a Boxcutters t-shirt, by the way - can't wait!! I will wear it at Continuum 5 and pimp the podcast!

josh, check this shirt out :
http://shop.lostateminor.com/collections/t-shir...

worship at the altar of awesomeness!

luv all of the boxcutters work by the way - listening each week makes sitting in peak traffic bearable.

cheers
gngr_bxcttr

Why is Josh always so mean to Brett?

I've met Josh and he seems to be a lovely fellow. I've never met Brett, so for all I know, he might be a total prick but that is certainly not at all the impression I get from listening to the podcast.

Brett is often the voice of quiet reason that speaks simple truth while Josh and John are busy positing their flippant (and sometimes laboured) 'bon mots'.

Come clean Mr Kinal, is there some there some dark truth we need to know about Brett, or are you just lashing out because you are still bitter about the fallout from your disastrous stewardship of the Ten Network in the 1990's?

Dr Pebo,
The University of Qld.

I can't believe you chaps did a segment on Films About TV without mentioning the most devastating, prescient, insightful and thought-provoking film about TV of all time: The Running Man. I had another look at this 80's-tastic Ah-nold cheesefest a few weeks ago, and it was like watching a documentary. Less memorable than Robocop in it's humorous and blatant satire of the media, but still worthwhile. I'm still wondering why 'Most Dangerous Game'-style hunt-and-kill events like this aren't actually on TV for real by now. Hasn't society gone enough to the dogs for genuine murder-as-entertainment on TV to become standard? Well, if it does catch on anywhere, I'm tipping Japan to be the first country to do it. As Marc said in this episode, they sure love their pseudo snuff films.

On a total tangent, I had the pleasure of being in Japan recently (more reports on that to come, maybe) and a visit to porno store was most enlightening. I'll spare you the grisly details in this public forum, but it was not only the biggest porn DVD shop I'd ever seen, it was the biggest DVD shop of any kind I'd ever seen. Five whole floors in one building of nothing but thousands and thousands of porn DVD's. Made me dizzy. Okay, tangent over.

By the way, thanks for that beautiful reading a few episodes ago of my earlier email about TV nostalgia. I wasn't expecting that. I only got back from Japan a week or so ago and was catching up on the shows I'd missed and suddenly I hear Brett's sonorous tones enunciating my words. Most flattering.

I can't believe I heard Josh say something good about Kenneth Branagh. Next he'll be singing the praises of Andie MacDowell.

Someone take his temperature please.

Hi All

Interesting to hear about the Brits doing Wallander, what with the Swedish version recently screening on SBS on Sunday nights. Sounds like it's a slightly different take.

It's a shame the Scandinavian stuff on SBS doesn't get much mention anywhere. Unit One and Eagle: A Crime Odyssey (from Denmark) were both absolutely terrific. Wallander (the Swedish one anyway) was a bit more plodding, I thought. As you mentioned, it's interesting to see police procedurals from within a different cultural context.

Will have to check out Kenneth's version.

Andy

The first thing that came to mind when you were talking about how TV is depicted in movies was the movie Series 7: The contenders. it was a movie pretending to be a finale episode of a reality tv show where random people on the street are given guns and made into contenders, then they have to hunt each other down last man standing style. It was such a cynical depiction of television. ironically the idea was started before reality tv became big.

Extras, thanks. I must watch that. I have it, but don't know why I never bothered. Thanks.

Hi Bolden! I was thinking of the finale to Extras, the one-off last hurrah that aired (in the UK) as a Christmas special.

Andy Merchant (Gervais) is now a celebrity while Maggie (Ashley Jensen) has basically given up. There's a scene near the end where Andy is in the Big Brother House (or Generic House, I can't remember) and he has a moment of clarity. I may be a big Jesse, but there's a scene near the end that made me cry both times I watched it - I don't think it'll have the same impact out of context of the rest of the story, but I think it's still agreat moment from Gervais.

Not sure how spoilery this is, but here's a link to that scene on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQAr_AjZt-E and I recommend watching the whole thing.

John, what was the Ricky Gervais Christmas special you speak of? In the Big Brother house?