My Space Classics: My entire review of Dr. Horrible's Internet Premiere

What did I think of Dr.Horrible when it came to my computer nearly five years ago. From my old MySpace blog:

From My Space, July 2008:

Waiting for Dr. Horrible

I did have to the chance to see Dr. Horrible early this morning after I got off my overnight shift at my radio station. I thought the site would be there in the morning.

Then I find out it crashed along with Whedonesque. Holy Internet Musical, Batman! This new idea from Joss Whedon made you and the Joker almost moot...until this weekend rolls around, of course.
Still, the crash of the site is excellent news for iTunes. I am sure a lot of people are buying part one at two dollars a pop, and will do the same for the other two parts as well. I'd do that, but my iPod is audio only. I'll have to really consider upgrading to a video iPod soon.
This should also make DVD sales jump very high once people can take that route, like me. It's also good news for a group called J!nx, who has made Dr. Horrible t-shirts. I got the logo shirt, because Nathan's face on one of the designs looks a bit too creepy. I just hope my shirt gets to my house by next Tuesday so I can take it with me to Comic-Con. I hope someone can start making Dr. Horrible hats, too.
All this excitement over an internet musical has to get the notice of someone in the Big Media. If people can make a website explode over a little musical, imagine what they can do for a "lost episode" that's web exclusive. That would work for shows like Lost, Heroes (maybe revive the Origins arc this way), Stargate: Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica...or even Doctor Who. As for regular dramas or sitcoms, I am not too sure. They can make webisodes, like Rescue Me and The Office, but I'm not too sure about full episodes unless they are wilder than the TV-MA ranking. Al this just proves that once again, Joss is on to something...bringing new meaning to independent producing.
Now, can someone give the website some Cybernetic Growth Hormone?

Down with Captain Hammer!!

That guy is the Sean Hannity of super heroes!
However, his duet with Penny (Felicia Day) was quite romantic..and this whole musical is great. Neil, of course, brings humanity to an evil villain who just wants to be loved. He'd give up the Evil League of Evil for Penny's friendly touch.
I gotta say...I never expected Nathan Fillion to be a musical leading man. Too bad he isn't in Mamma Mia as one of the three "fathers". Hopefully he can find himself in musicals, just like Lucy Lawless. Maybe we can have Serenity the musical! All you need is the soundtrack.
As for Miss Day, I do remember her singing in the HBO movie, Warm Springs. Yep, that movie on FDR's life before he became president included Day as one of the wheel-bound patients being able to show her musical talents.
Bring on parts two and three...then the DVD!

Mamma Mia! This is the musical to see! (Sorry, Meryl)

For those who think the musical based on Abba songs is in trouble if they let Pierce Brosnan sing, rest assure that Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog has everything you need in a clever good vs. evil musical.
After we see the Doc's stunned look that Penny can be so easily swept off her feet by Captain Pen--I mean Hammer, we get a lovely duet between Penny and the Doc, "I Cannot Believe My Eyes", where their views of the world may conflict but their voices are well-matched. We see that Captain Hammer is indeed the Sean Hannity of superheroes, when he shows some reluctance to shake hands with the homeless or with geese. But show off on one of those paddle boats? He lives for that.
We also see the Doc's freeze ray caper fizzled out because his blog's popular with Hammer and the cops. A few clicks of the mouse could have fixed that. Now, Bad Horse, the Thoroughbred of Sin (great name for a race horse), wants nothing less than death and assassination from the Doc, or he can kiss the Evil League of Evil good-bye.
Meanwhile, he seems to be bonding with Penny thanks to Pinkberry, until Captain Hammer brags about how he's been able to get Penny that building for her shelter, thanks to his fist..and a pen, of course. Once he brags about how he'll bring Penny to his place, and present his hammer, which is also his penis, suddenly assassination sounds like a great idea to the Doc.
His song of new purpose, "Brand New Day", followed by his dream of recreating the climax from the Buffy episode, "Fear, Itself", with Hammer as Gachnar, wraps up part two.
Leave it to Joss and his brothers and friends to come up with a musical where we root for a mad scientist whose evil is genuine--as is his love for the Lovely Damsel. Does that trump the need to please a Thoroughbred of Sin, even if it means knocking off the least super of superheroes since Puma Man? Well, that's what part three is for. Maybe she'll be evil in the end, or just smarter than the two main guys. Now that's an ending.
Just a reminder that this musical will have its own panel late Friday night, but it's up against the major awards at the Eisners. I just wonder if the cast will be at the late-night showing, If so, it will be wall-to-wall fans there.

We should have seen this coming, but it was still cool

Well, we have seen all three parts of the Dr. Horrible saga...the first internet musical that also could have made a good comic book. This is exactly what this was..a comic book story with music. 

We were all right up there with the Doc, who was all set to take down Captain Hammer, who is what would happen if Fox News invented a super hero. The doc was all set to show us the truth, of how the world really was, and how he just might be a hero after all.
Well...let's just say the Doc has to deal with how it all turned out, especially with the points he did prove. I don't want to reveal the ending, but it's something that wouldn't surprise those who are familiar with Joss' work.
The third part centers on Captain Tool, I mean Hammer, about to get a statue for helping the homeless. He's the darling of the media, while fans wear shirts with his face to show their devotion. We also learn that David Fury should have been in Mamma Mia instead of Pierce Brosnan (as far as vocal abilities are concerned). He and Marti Noxon also make an ideal L-A TV anchor team, probably the noon news. Anywho, Captain Hammer makes his big speech about his great deed, and his sexual relationship with Penny, then sings a song about how everyone can be a hero (but not quite like him). As the audience waves their arms in time with the tune, Doc Horrible interrupts with his freeze ray..which actually works. He gives his song about how people are like sheep, and that the world isn't all sweetness and light. While it's not as upbeat as the Captain, his lyrics are much better. This all leads to a showdown where shocking truths are revealed, and a new day has begun.
Again, I won't say what happens, but I have this question for Dr. Horrible, after all that has happened...
Happy Now?
Well, one look at him at the very last second, and you'll know the answer.
It's a brilliant ending to something that just may revolutionize the internet's role in entertainment, or at least get the process going.
All three parts will be shown at Comic-Con next Friday, and I'm guessing it's going to be packed. It may even be cooler than the MST3K reunion. It's already cooler than Mamma Mia!

 

Rainn Wilson is Super in San Francisco

With tons of superhero fans looking for a movie to see after the first day of Wondercon, what would be better than one about a short-order cook who loses his wife to a drug dealer, and decides to become a superhero to bring her back?

Sounds like a fine, upstanding commercial project.
Now, add James Gunn, then Rainn Wilson, Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler and Ellen Page, plus a dash of Nathan Fillion.

There. you have Super, a superhero movie that clearly is not for everyone. In fact, Super has split the critics, but it has found an audience for those who want something a bit different.
Friday night's 7:30 showing at the Landmark Embarcadero was two-thirds full, but the crowd really enjoyed the action, especially Wilson telling crime to shut up, with a wrench in his hand

Now, this movie is very violent, and not just with Wilson and his wrench. Even in the credits, there's a lot of blood. In fact, the only superhero who could be traditional is the Holy Avenger, played by Fillion. He is the inspiration that convinces Frank, the cook, to become a superhero. Fillion is incredibly cheesy as the Bibleman/Heteroy-type hero shown by a religious channel. The guy who plays the villain is kinda creepy, too. Just check the credits.

What also stunned me about this movie is Ellen Page, as a comic book store clerk who becomes Frank's kid sidekick. She was a superhero once, namely in X-Men 3, Here, though, she enjoys being Boltie a bit too much, and gets way too close to Frank...in her costume.

Overall, this is a twisted superhero/revenge story, but there is heart as well. See Frank recall how he met a married Sarah, who was a recovering drug addict working with him. You can see why he'd do all this for her.

After the movie, Rainn talked about the film, and how it is an underdog story, compared to all the other superhero movies coming this year. He also said he'd like to get Page on The Office next year.

Super will be adding more screens through this month, and will also be available through on-demand cable the end of the month.

OK, after Kate Bennett throws Richard Castle to jail....

Fans of Castle may already know that he'll start season three as a murder suspect. It goes without saying he'll clear his name and will probably figure out who did it before the cops do. Still, the damage will be done: he'll have serious trust issues with Kate Bennett for years. After all, if she's eager to arrest him for anything, it's obvious he thinks he'll never be good enough for her. Any sexual fantasies he's got for her will wind up in his books. She may even arrest him for that, too.

Also, he'll be busy with a movie adaptation, Alexis dating and a serial killer Kate can't catch. They won't have any time for failing to connect romantically.
As a veteran of past romance shows where the male and female leads try to connect, but do a terrible job at it (from Cheers to Moonlighting), I suspect Castle is stuck in this track, It's not like Friends, where Ross did win Rachel after all, The Closer, where Brenda Johnson did marry her beau, or The Office's Jim and Pam.

That being said, what can we expect on Castle for the next five years?
First, I'm guessing when Kate does corner the serial killer that will taunt them all season, the killer may be about to kill her. Then Castle saves her, and she gets mad at him because he never stays in the police car after telling him to. However, Castle gets shot with a serious wound. He recovers, but she's so mad she doesn't visit him at the hospital.

The experience inspires him to write a third book where Nikki (Kate) and Jamison Rook (Castle) battle a serial killer. The only difference: Jamison is also shot, but dies. This would serve two purposes: it means a lonely life for Nikki Heat for another book or two, and it forces Castle to stop living out his sexual fantasies in his books.
The book is well-received, but fans are upset Jamison is dead. They eventually get over it when Castle explains he's just aiming the Nikki Heat series towards a new direction. He does think about a Jamison Rook prequel, but doesn't mention it.
However, a really crazy fan expresses her anger over losing Rook. She kidnaps.....Kate Bennett, thinking that Kate told Castle to kill Jamison because everyone thinks those scenes are really her and Castle. The fan demands that Kate confess this, or at least admit she loves Castle, but just can't tell him because she doesn't think it would work out. Surprisingly, Kate does just that, or just enough. Kate's rescued, and she asks Castle why he killed Jamison. He repeats the "new directions" explanation, and that is that. The fan sees this, and starts to think she kidnapped the wrong person.

So, when will Kate figure out the truth? I am guessing another obsessive fan will approach her, but only to ask Kate if Castle killed Jamison because he doesn't think he's good enough for her. Kate asks this other woman if that means it's her fault, and the other fan backs off. Still, Kate thinks she's got to confess her feelings, but never does because of another case or something.

After that, well, maybe Castle will once again save Kate when she doesn't want him to, and that finally does it. The producers should realize that if you take too long in pairing up Kate and Rick, the fans will get bored, if not upset, about it.
After all, if they want to see a pretty couple exchange banter but never have sex because they don't want to try, they can watch Bones. If Hawaii 5-0 gets much more successful against Castle, Nathan Fillion may have to rethink his comments on G4 about why Kate and Rick should never get together.
Two words, Captain....The Closer. And besides, Wash and Zoe were interesting as a well-armed married couple....

UPDATE: Just had to admit that I was right that someone wound up getting shot at the end of season three...and it was Kate. Not only that, it was Castle who said those magic words. I will not guess about what will happen next until the ComicCon panel on the show. Of course, I'll be 99 percent wrong...but what I speculated could have happened..maybe. Except I'm not part of the show's writing staff, so what do I know?

Of Nathan and Watchmen

I have a DVD-R of interviews of Nathan Fillion when he was promoting Waitress and Desperate Housewives. He looks so different back then, trying to get the non-Whedonistas to see how cool he is. He made progress, of course, and Dr. Horrible also helped.

Well, it looks like he finally has. Since he is now in an ABC mid-season show called Castle, he has the power of a network behind him. He's is actually touring, from Jimmy Kimmel Live to The View. I skipped his appearance on Good Morning America because I am usually asleep by then. His appearance on Kimmel on March 4 was the better one. I had some doubts about his haircut, and the velour jacket, but he was a hit otherwise. They talked about how he's become a big Comic-Con hit, and how people were dressing like him. He was also concerned when they look better than him, but I have never seen that happen. He was also surprised someone brought him a homemade Capt. Hammer doll. On The View, they totally ignored Firefly/Serenity, and talked about when he was on One Life To Life and that show about Housewives. They did have a clip from Dr. H, and actually gave copies of the DVD out to the crowd. That's fairly impressive, and I hope some are sent to Emmy voters who better give this DVD the honor it deserves....somehow.

Naturally, I will be doing recaps of Castle starting next week, but they won't be as detailed as my recaps for Dollhouse. I just wonder if Castle will really be any good, especially if they plan to keep the female cop he follows as bitter as possible. If we find out, however, that she's convinced he NYPD hates her because she doesn't play ball (despite the fact she gets results anyway), that is a good reason. It's like my concern on how Dollhouse makes Paul Ballard look even dumber than Barney Fife. It's only going to get worse for him after he meets Echo (trust me), and I would hope he eventually finds someone who does believe him...and who isn't an Active. Then again, that may happen well after Laurence Dominic tries to oust DeWitt as head of Dollhouse so he can get rid of Echo and kill Ballard for his peace of mind.

Meanwhile, I got some good news about seeing Watchmen in Imax. As you know, I was lucky enough to get a ticket to a midnight screening at Wondercon, then got turned away because I was part of the evil press. Well, the movie will be at my local Imax theater in downtown Sacramento in a month. Since I have 15 bucks in gift certificates lying around, I will be using them. So, it works out.

As far as reaction goes, the movie has narrowly earned "fresh" status at Rotten Tomatoes, which is the same as a passing grade. The fans seem to be split over whether the movie should be made at all. What's also interesting is that they have different reasons: the casting, Dr. Manhattan's anatomy, changing the ending, what's in and what's out, being too faithful to the series, and whether it has any significance to now. I just know about the first issue, and plot lines I have read from other articles. Now, we are not expecting this to be Dark Knight to the 5th power, or even more fun than Iron Man. Watchmen is what it is, and maybe it should have been split in half, as they plan to do with the movie version of the last Harry Potter book. The fact is, Hollywood wanted more comic book movies, and took on the ultimate comic book series. No matter what, and this also goes to the Twilight movie series, they will get our money. There is enough of an audience who want to see Watchmen on the screen, and they will be coming. If sales are consistent, or there is repeat business, then Watchmen is a success, whether people thought it was unfilmable or not. If it experiences a big fat drop in sales in its second week, like Twilight did, then we'll be getting some "told-ya-so" chanting. There will also be others who think the real version won't be available until the director's cut DVD...which is coming either in the fall or Comic-Con (guess which date makes more sense). No matter what, I will be seeing this in Imax next month.

Dr. Horrible's Hidden Sequel

By now, evil visions of evil, along with the usual sugarplums, have been dancing around the heads of Whedonistas since their copies of the Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog DVD arrived from Amazon this week. The classic tale of a villain and the girl he dreams about may not be typical Yuletide fare, but the fact that it exists at all may be a miracle in its own right.

Not only that, it comes with its own built-in sequel called "Commentary: the Musical." It's not enough to invent an Internet musical, but to also add a spin to the classic commentary track where the actors, writers, director and such talk about how they came up with this scene or that scene. No one every tried to set this typical DVD extra to music...until now.

Once you hear "Commentary," though, you get the idea the play is not the thing. It's really about how getting such a project off the ground and into our computers can be a pain, but a pain worth suffering. They also admit a commentary set to music is a cheesy gimmick...

Moments like these sell DVD's
We need to sell more
We've only sold four (yeah, four per minute!)

So is the idea of DH itself: An Internet musical is a wacky idea that's zany! Where did it come from? (Nathan Fillion: It came from pain!)

This is followed by a song that summarizes the Writer's Strike from last year. This basically led to the creation of Dr. Horrible. The song is so peppy, SAG members may be inspired to strike for better wages, too. Too bad some don't want to strike because the economy's becoming one big hellmouth. The unsung bit players make their own song so someone sings about them, while Felicia Day refuses to talk about the "process", but will sing about it and squeeze in a plug about her web sitcom. Through all of this, the songs have nothing to do with the images of Dr. Horrible...until Nathan has his song of how he's "Better than Neil". It's no accident it comes just as Captain Hammer makes his first appearance..or is it?

Zach Whedon, brother of Joss, then comes in with a sexy rap that's cooler than Jay-Z, or Kanye West. Then, Simon Helberg, who played Moist, DH's sidekick, sings the song that would have been in the musical if there was time. Let's just say, there should have been a director's cut with Moist. After Nathan sings about Ninja Ropes, and whether Ninjas can survive in space, the "unsung" bit players sing again about how important they believe they are. Then, Maurissa Tancharoen, one of the musical geniuses behind DH, sings about why she didn't get the part of Penny...which leads into a commentary of why there's few Asians on TV and movies.

Even Joss gets into the act about what commentaries do, and that takes an interesting turn. Soon, Neil Patrick Harris is all alone, and takes musically takes advantage of that...until it's too much. The song actually reminded people of "Rose's Turn", the finale from Gypsy. However, the gang reunites for the finale, which sums up the real purpose of a commentary that's so legendary, the guys from Cinematic Titanic may be left in awe...

Hope you had fun
'Cause now we're done
You've listened to every word
Seeing it through
Makes each of you
A huge f**king nerd

But you're unfazed by the maze of crazed malaise
The lazy phrasing betrays how well this pays
So here's a toast to who suffered most
While we coasted through this


This is followed by a guy who sings with a lisp, but is also one of the "unsung" cast members. He'll be known as the guy who sings through the closing credits.

Of course, if you want the traditional commentary where the cast and crew talk about boring stuff about scenes and music and how it all came together, the DVD has that, too. I haven't gotten to that, but I will maybe before I toast the New Year. I still need some time to see the traditional Christmas fare, even if I have to cheat and see them through the weekend.

I also looked at the ELE applicants who made the DVD. My faves were Mr. Terrible with his witty song, and L'Enfant Terrible because she's from San Francisco and is really cute. I looked at some of the "Dishonorable Mentions" on YouTube, and whoever said DIE-Ronic and The Cutinator were shafted may have had a point. The Top Ten usually had two advantages: good special effects or good songwriting skills. That helped Mr. Terrible get right to the top, and The Reverend is a logical choice for Crank Yankers if they ever revive that show.

Now, if I wanted to get into the Evil League of Evil, I'd be an "evil" guy whose crimes avenge other acts that are even worse. I would be the Couch Potato, and unleash his wrath against terrible programming decisions. I would build a 50 foot pie filled with coal, and launch it at the ABC offices in Burbank, while yelling, "Merry Christmas from the Pie Hole, you @#!!&&%%$ dickweeds!!"

Yes, I watch Pushing Daisies, even if ABC denies it exists. Any questions?

Captain Hammer becomes Jessica Fletcher..or maybe David Addison

It doesn't make up for its blasphemous treatment of Pushing Daisies, but at least ABC is getting that guy with the tight pants, Nathan Fillion, back on the air.

The Futon Critic announced ABC will put Castle in the old Boston Legal time slot of Mondays at 10 PM next March. If nothing else, it's one way to get people away from CSI: Miami...but might have tough competition from Medium if NBC gets that show back to replace My Own Worst Enemy.

Practically everyone is not aware of this, but I have reviewed the three-minute trailer/summary of the pilot for Whedonopolis. The article includes a link to the three-minute trailer/summary of the pilot. I still say the best change the producers can make for the show is improve the relationship between Castle and the cop who doesn't like it when he helps her...yet everyone else likes the idea. Add some more details about Castle, like maybe a connection with law enforcement in his family or something, and you have something. It's got to be more than a retread of Murder, She Wrote and Moonlighting...especially since it's both.

You know, WonderCon takes place a week before this show begins, and there's that fanatical Browncoat audience who'd like to see Nathan hammer those bad guys. Maybe the organizers should get him back for a third visit.

It's all a matter of priorities

Well, we got some Whedon-releated news today. One of which sounds really bad, and the other less so.
First, the Hollywood reporter has announced that Fox will start Dollhouse just in time for February sweeps. One problem...the premiere date is Friday the 13th. It's safe to say the Whedonistas are NOT happy about this. I had expected Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles to stay on Monday as a lead-in to 24, since it's seen as part of the strategy to revive the Terminator movie franchise. Now, it will be a lead-in to Dollhouse on Fridays. Maybe Fox is hoping the Sci-Fi Channel crowd will head towards Fox with this line-up. Most, though, think this is Fox burying two shows alive, then saying "hey, we thought people would be so excited they'd even watch TV on Fridays." The other way this works is that people tape both shows on TiVo, then watch it on the weekend. This would boost the number of real viewers. If Fox is hoping technology will make both shows more attractive and popular, then it looks like a genius, and finally Joss Whedon's best friend. Otherwise, the only network Joss will trust is his own...and iTunes.

The other bit of news is that ABC has reduced he number of episodes for Nathan Fillion's show Castle from 13 to ten, but that is because it's got a lot of mid-season shows it wants to release. I just hope they improve from the pilot, especially the female detective who's supposed to find him attractive because everyone else does. They just better not put the show on Wednesdays...in Pushing Daisies' time slot.

Murder He Wrote?

People have known about this for a week or so, but this is the trailer for Nathan Fillion's next TV triumph...we hope, called Castle. He plays a mystery novelist who is the unwelcome assistant to a New York PD detective played by Stana Katic, who had been on Heroes and will be in the next James Bond movie.


Now, this trailer is a condensed version of the pilot in less than three minutes. It shows Nathan as a respected author but also a rascal....maybe way too much David Addison in there, too. He does have friends and a daughter to keep him grounded. Smoe have suggested that this is ABC's knock-off of Bones, except Booth isn't always on the make with Dr. Brennan. Here, you get an idea of what happens if he is. Not a good idea.

If this goes to a full season, they should dump the romantic angle between Fillion and Katic because it's just too annoying. He can still "do research", but with different detectives. He should also show he has some background in criminal investigation, despite that "Lord Godiva" episode that's pointed out. Maybe his dad was a cop or attorney, and he couldn't quite cut it in such a job, and that writing books was the next best thing.

Well, we'll see what happens once ABC gives the greenlight to this show. They filmed a pilot, at least.

How to be Dr. Horrible's Henchman

From MySpace...

During the end of day 2 of Comic-Con this year, hundreds of people filled Room 6A to see Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog on the big screen. It's an honor that falls on very few internet shows. Naturally, it was a big hit, and I noticed people trying to come up with their own ways of audience participation. Some spoke key lines in the movie while they're being said, but most just sang along with the music.

There was also a bit of audience participation at the "Once More With Feeling" showing, including fake Sunnydale police traffic tickets. So, how can you add audiecne participation to a showing of Dr. Horrible?

I have some ideas...

ACT I

When it opens with the Doc's evil laugh, you laugh, too.
When he mentions the letter of condemnation from the Deputy Mayor, hold up a piece of paper that could be the letter.
During the Freeze-Ray song, wave a small box of detergent like they sell at the laundromat.
When you see the cowboys sing the Bad Horse song, wear a Western hat and wave it around.
Wave a toy hammer when Captain Hammer shows up, and yell out "Balls" at the end of that act.

ACT II

I was thinking that when we first see the doc in disbelief that Penny is seeing Captain Hammer, you say or sing "Is she really going out with him?"
Yell out with him "I have a Ph. D in Horribleness."
When he says it again, say with Moist, "Is that the new catchphrase?"
When the doc says, "Oh, look at my wrist", you do the same.
When the doc becomes big at the end of the act, stomp around like Godzilla

ACT III

Chuckle along with the female anchor when she says "It's a good day to be homeless"
When one of the Hammer fans holds up his picture, you do the same. Repeat when the fan holds up his hair and his dry cleaning bill.
When Captain Hammer signs "Your real home is in your chest", sawy "Awww.."
When they get to the last stanza of his song, start waving your arms
When the doc has his evil laugh after he blasts Captain Hammer with the freeze ray, laugh with him.
When the doc is hit by a defrosted Captain Hammer, say "Owww."
After Hammer gets slightly injured after the death ray blows up, call him a crybaby.
Gasp loudly when you see Penny injured.
During the doc's closing song, sing the refrain "everything you wanted"
When the groupie holds up the doc's photo, do the same.
When Dr. Horrible enters the meeting room of the Evil League of Evil, do your best Bad Horse Death Whinnie.

Now, these are just prelminary ideas. I'd like to hear from others on what props they'd use in a Dr. Horrible sing-along.

Then again, Nathan had his own ideas when he was part of a sing-a-long at DragonCon recently . Check out this YouTube link.