Hello, and welcome to everyone's favorite weekly outspoken, slightly unhinged, stream-of-consciousness, brutally-honest, ad-critiquing review feature:

I come to you folks tonight in a rather interesting mood.  Tonight I'm glad about two things:  A federal appeals court decision, and This Film is Not Yet Rated.  First, in the time since my last liveblog, a federal appeals court threw out the fine against cbs for nipplegate at the superbowl.  I agree wholeheartedly with this and, to paraphrase lewis black, they should have because I watched that game and I know that no one couldve possibly seen ANYTHING because they cut away so fast.  The theory that the appeals court went off of (that the FCC was going against their past actions) is outstanding, and I hope it stands as long as possible...no matter what the Parents TV Council wants to happen.

Also, I'm in the process of watching This Film is Not Yet Rated.  Its a documentary I mentioned in the PG-13 horror discussion.  I'm loving it.  One thing, for example, is that the MPAA doesnt like sex.  It really doesnt.  It hates it more than violence.  You may think that PG-13 is a rating a movie gets when it has no violence.  No, PG-13 tends to mean no blood....hence how Dark Knight gets PG-13, not R.  Sex though can send them around the bend.  See the R rated Sin City and its high powered bloody violence vs some originally NC-17 movies that may have violence but only get notes on sex.  That and they're such a secretive group, you wouldnt believe it.  I highly recommend it, but its a bit tough to see.  Blockbuster wont rent it as its critical of them.  Netflix does though.  Why do I mention it here?  Because Mary Harron's interviewed in it about what she went through with the originally NC-17 American Psycho.  She says they had no comments on the violence at all (Chainsaw and axe murder).  They just didn't like threesome.  Interesting no?

And now, Mary Harron, directing tonight's ep.  I have high hopes for this because it seems like this plays to her strengths with how she examined the 80s culture in American Psycho in the context of a horror movie.  I think she'll be able to balance a social structure well in this in the same way, and I'm hoping I'm right.

And now onto the liveblog:

0959PM:  God Kath and Kim seems so arrested development-y.  Must watch.

1000PM:  Ok, so we're doing the flashbacky thing again.  Well at least there probably won't be nausea inducing pointless quick-cuts this week.  And I imagine the whole eps a flashback so that wont be as confusing as last week.

1001PM:  A Rue-Morgue Radio review of Hellraiser for its 20th anniversary release once said that it and Nightmare on Elm Street have staying power because they are based around domestic disturbance at their core.  I agree with them on that.  And I'm hoping that'll apply here.

1003PM:  We're having licensd background music in this ep?  that's new.

1004PM:  Lead actor looks like Justin Long probably will in about 10 years.  Just a thought.  And that was possibly the least tensioned opening of the series.  That may not be a bad thing here.  I mean we're talking Mary Harron.  American Psycho was a horror movie, but it wasn't only a horror movie.  I have faith in her.

1005PM:  I probably shouldnt like that chainsaw ad nearly as much as I do.  And I am so buying Harold and Kumar 2 on dvd next tuesday.  NPH forever.

1006PM:  Did he just.....BRENDAN, ITS THE 21ST CENTURY, NOT THE 20TH.  God I have such a bad feeling about this Mummy sequel.

1008PM:  I'm really really going to like this.  As has been well documented here, I have a thing about family values people.  And it's not a good sign folks that the furnishings are still there. 

1008PM 2:  OH RIGHT, Superman Brandon Roush is the star.  right......totally forgot.

1009PM:  Man thats a creepy realtor.  Seriously.

1010PM:  Personal conduct agreement?  I love a horror movie based in the horror of some societal norm.

1011PM:  MY GOD you're a creepy woman.  This is very stepford wives-esque thus far.  I have to see that movie at some point.

1012PM:  Can't stop thinking someone's gonna fire a gun and Roush is gonna jump in front and deflect it.....and you know what else this is similar to?  Family from Season 2, right down to a main character played by someone known for something else (George Wendt in that case).  The horrors of suburbia are always fertile ground.

1013PM:  The Faybors....the next-door neighbors.  My god I am so thankful I don't have any of those.  I try to keep separate from the downstairs apartment.

1014PM:  You pay whatever you want?  What happens if you choose not to pay?  I imagine itd violate the personal conduct agreement.

1015PM:  WOW These people are waaaaaaay too cheerful.  Which I imagine is the point.  nice atmosphere from all that.

1015PM 2:  See, this is how you insert commercial breaks into a show without breaking tension.  By having a general feeling of unease that you slowly amp up.

1016PM:  Lost Boys 2.  Yep.  It's real.  And apparently it tells us just how much Corey Feldman's soul is worth.  Whatever it cost him to agree to make the unnecessary sequel.

1018PM:  OH look.  A combination of about 80 other better shows into a possibly awful reality show called "america's toughest jobs".  God can you just feel the bottom of the reality idea barrel being scraped?  Now they're remaking THEIR OWN SHOWS.

1019PM:  Lol.  He looks like a waiter with that shirt.

1020PM:  Coooooooooooooool.  Status quo and the breaking of it are always welcome.  And nice fake out on the leg there.  that was great and darkly humorous.

1021PM:  What the.....awesome!  Although that was a terrible "Oh no" by brandon routh.  He can act better than that.  I think.

1022PM:  I wonder what he's watching?  the first one i mean.  Is it like when they used Imprint footage in Screwfly solution or did they actually film that?

1022PM 2:  Feels like a touch of Disturbia.  Not bad, since they arent HITTING YOU OVER THE HEAD WITH IT like in Eater.

1023PM:  Well DUH of course hes sensitive, you're not having a kid implies he cant give you one.  Of course he doesnt want to tell everyone.

1024PM:  This meeting is so creepily done.  This feeling of unease is very nice.  Now im thinking a blend of the horrors of suburbia and big brother.

1025PM:  God this is a great movie without an ounce of blood.

1026PM:  The fade out is very interesting here.  It's much better than the quick cut to black in every other episode.  It fits with the slow build of tension I'm seeing.  This is maybe the best episode i've seen yet.  Unless something inexorably dumb happens.

1031PM:  This really is amazingly creepy.  DONORS?  wooooow.

1033PM:  "you make it sound like a zoo".  Nice.

1033PM 2:  Ding ding ding.  First literal mention of civil liberties.

1034PM:  Where do I know that woman with the kid from the beginning from....

1034PM 2:  Complete freak?????  she doesnt CATCH THAT?

1035PM:  Nice change on Phil there.  Nice fakeout earlier too regarding his whereabouts.

1036PM:  Friend of mine just aimed me about how much this is like Hot Fuzz.  Again, absolutely right.  Again, good because I wouldve never caught that, so its subtle.

1036PM 2:  Given the choice of seeing Stepbrothers tomorrow, I've instead chosen to take two friends to see The Dark Knight (second time for me).  I think I made the right call.

1037PM:  HEY speaking of the Dark Knight....trailer.   And now I will make this pencil disappear.....

1039PM:  Also badly need to see christian slater in this new show.  Awesome.  My Own Worst Enemy looks great.

1040PM:  .......something's not right here.

1041PM:  Wow....I've heard fetuses can look like aliens...but that one, wow.

1042PM:  OOOOH!  NICE DICHOTOMY THERE.

1042PM:  God I love the creepiness and the "one of us" ness of this.

1043PM:  See this is what Spooked failed at.  It started its slow burn too late.  This, on the other hand, is a perfect build to this climax.

1045PM:  Again.  I know she's passed out just now,  but you don't notice that THAT'S what they're worried about?

1047PM:  Oh that is outstanding.  Are you seeing those kids PTCers?  Any of this seeping into that thick skull of yours?

1049PM:  Tell me this isn't great.  And notice how that fade out plays into the idea of going under the influence of that stuff.

1052PM:  YES!  WIN.

1053PM:  You know, I like the way this episode also has an undercurrent of Reality TV and its suburban populace popularity.  Its a nice possibly unintended sidepoint.

1054PM:  Is that a hockey stick?  And also, nice music on this chase.

1054PM 2:  and this is where we came in.

1055PM:  Oh that's just evil.

1056PM:  AND THATS JUST ICING ON THE CAKE, that line.

1057PM:  This oughta be an interesting shot......

1058PM:  Oh wow that is such an unexpected ironic shot.  I cannot believe they went in that direction.  That is brilliant.

1059PM:  I don't remember who directed Skin and Bones, but I think that's next week.

Overall:  This is the best mostly non-violent ep of the series and, for me, the best overall.  Harron nails how to portray just the abject creepiness of the society and fills the episode with just enough twists, turns, and tension to produce a great ep that could be made into a full-length movie probably quite well.  A great episode with generally good acting  (Roush messes it up a few times, but isnt distracting at all).  I highly recommend this ep to anyone.  I mean even the commercial transition type fit into the style of the episode.  A brilliant short from beginning to end.

Until next time, this is Crypticpsych saying....God, I'm glad my lease isn't that complicated.