Which would be fine if they did that, but to me they always come across as 'we're right, and anyone that disagrees is an ass'.

And no, never liked that Simpsons, here. I always thought Futurama was the superior Groening show.

I prefer Futurama* over the Simpsons, but I still like the Simpsons. I'm only watching at C4 speed, so I don't know what the most recent episodes have been like, but it still makes me laugh.

*New DVD out tomorrow, hurrah!

'Family Guy' and 'American Dad!' have easily usurped the Simpsons for me.

I still love The Simpsons, though that's probably because I haven't seen many of the last six seasons...

American Dad is my favourite animated show at the moment.

I really don't like American Dad! I think it's the exclamation mark in the title. And Family Guy is just awful these days.

South Park is probably my favourite these days, though Futurama does edge closer and closer with each DVD film.

South Park is always a winner & yes, Family Guy has become very poor indeed. It took me a while to get into American Dad, but Stan Smith is fast becoming one of my favourite characters ever.

I'm with Rua on this one. Stan Smith is a wonderful creation, with the added benefit of his jokes relating to his circumstance.

I agree that Stan is a good character, but I just don't like anything about the rest of the show. It just seems so hollow and having one character doesn't save the show, in my opinion.

BBC set for very Gromit Christmas - Yay!

Cool. I was just checking Wikipedia and as I couldn't remember who Sally Lindsay was and was surprised to see that Sally "is also understood to have designed the Saltash tunnel in Cornwall."

You learn something new everyday.

Maybe not . . .

I was wondering when they were going to show it. It's been scheduled for ''late 2008'' for months. Cannae wait.

Woo! I'm cracking out the Wensleydale as we speak.

Very big yay! I love Wallace and Gromit.

Stallone, Li, Statham

Hasn't King of the Hill been cancelled several times before? The past few seasons all seemed to end with it being canned.

Also, huzzah for Wallace and Gromit.

Very happy to hear about this.

I've been watching more of it than Family Guy lately, so I'm pretty much on that side of the fence too.

I think it may well have been the golden turd mini-movie sequence that set the seal on my decision.


Anyway. Arise, Sir News! and Fact me 'til I fart!

Having watched the first two episodes of the new season of Family Guy, I must say I'm back on board. The cutaways seem less intrusive and the show is (so far) as highly entertaining as it was during the classic third season.

The Surfin' Bird episode is especially funny.

Lois, I'm gonna ask you this only once: Do you, or do you not, know about the bird?


I haven't watched American Dad since about halfway through Season 2.

Really?

I thought the first four including Surfin' Bird (which basically hung entirely on the old comedy premise of repeating something until it becomes funny) were just awful. The fifth episode The Man With Two Brains had at least some decent laughs, so there is some hope.

Which reminds me, I saw that episode where Homer catches Apu cheating. It must be one of the first Simpson's episodes that tried to emulate Family Guy. There were a number of things that I noticed but the one I remember and which you reminded me of was when he walks backwards all the way home when he first sees them.

I thought it would split opinion, but yeah I was most amused. I have spoken to other people who hate it and hate the song even more, but such is the way of these things. I'm humming it now.

I just found it extremely funny the way Peter was trying to work in ways of jumping into the song.

We shall agree to disagree.

That was funny.



Oh completely. I also like the song, when The Ramones do it.

That's probably one of my favourite recent-ish Simpsons moments. I'm not sure why.

I'm also not sure if they were trying to emulate Family Guy, especially since it was made at a time when they consciously avoided jokes that might be similar to Family Guy jokes, as evidenced by the lack of cut away gags that used to be used reasonably often in the early years of the show.

Phoo Action cancelled at 11th hour
Not fussed, personally I thought the pilot was a bit toss.

It looked like it would really suit some type of animation.

Ben Shephard taking over The Krypton Factor

It's just so wrong

^ I am still excited at its return!!
Tennat Skull revealed as real
That's actually a sweet story.

How have I only just found out that Sky Sports' Jeff Stelling is going to be the new host of Countdown? This is the funniest thing I've heard all day. Especially as, HE TALKS; LIKE this. AS if he HAS no, control OVER his. SENtenCES!

If he died in 1982,


- the birds must have had a feast!

Why? I mean, I remember when Paxman took over as the host of University Challenge, the howls of derision that anyone other than Bamber Gascoigne should do it. And that worked out ok. Give the guy a chance, I say.

However, if they bring back 'Blockbusters' and anyone but Bob Holness is hosting it, I'll be miffed.

Yes, I'm a hypocrite.

Interesting. When we saw it I did wonder, because it didn't look like your typical stage prop.

Because Ben Shephard is far too cheerful, I think he'll change the whole mood of what made it so good which was that people took it really seriously.

Apparently the X-Factor final is being shown in Vue cinemas across the country live on the big screen. Who in the world would pay money to watch that?

Now that's more like a top 100 films list.

There's a lot I haven't seen. I'm a bit surprised at Johnny Guitar getting in at 22, Rabbit must have been on the judging panel.

Hah! In your face Star Wars!

The Party is a surprising, albeit welcome inclusion. And a deserved placing for Night Of The Hunter too.

Probably the same people who will buy the single just because it's the X Factor. Tossers!

And the Highwayman's choice straight in at number 7.

Good list.

Can't argue with that.

A French list and no Jerry Lewis!

By a chance of fate Johnny Guitar is on tv now. It's entertaining, and different enough but it's really a glorified B-Movie. I'd rather have that in the list than a lot of the Empire type films.

BBC recomissions Coming of Age. Even though it is dire.
And only popular on iplayer due to morbid curiosity.

'Pulling' gets cancelled, and that pile of stinking, rancid, putrid shit gets another series??

I am fucking livid.

Groening supports Simpsons 'terror' episode.
The plot to that sounds quite similar to one American Dad did several years ago.

I'm betting it won't be anywhere near as funny though.

I wasn't sure where to put this but here is an interesting page: Top 50 Movie Special Effects Shots

Makes for good reading, especially as it's not amount how iconic a shot is but more about their technical acheivements.

Interesting list (thank God S*** W*** wasn't top) but Harryhausen should be a lot higher, and nothing on the list from The Thing, American Werewolf, Scanners and/or The Howling is ridiculous.

I was surprised that American Werewolf wasn't on there but their argument is that they are pioneers or flawless pieces of sfx, not necessarily the most memorable. Maybe from the point of view of a sfx person these 50 are particularly difficult to do as well as they have been done in these films. Even so, American Werewolf's transformation is stunning.

Very interesting read, the number one there is well deserved I think.

Well all are outstanding examples of make-up effects (perhaps less so Scanners) and all released over one 12 month period. If American Werewolf hadn't come out so soon after Howling it could have easily been accused of ripping it off. And in the space of a year Rob Bottin surpassed his Howling work on The Thing. It was 12 months when two of the best make-up artists ever - Bottin and Rick Baker - took their craft to new, groundbreaking levels. Seems very strange to ignore all of them.