TV

Because video games.

A few weeks back, I made my feelings on Spike TV's annual Video Game Awards show via Twitter, where I pretty much just said that I think it's a straw man show, an empty husk of an award designed to get Geoff Keighley more exclusives. Interestingly, Keighley took the time to respond to my comments in a calm and kind manner and likewise, I laid bare my many issues with the shows that have been produced up to this point. Keighley listened, and simply asked me to watch this year's show with an open mind. So I'm going to, alongside a few fellow writers this Saturday when the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards air on Spike. I have no idea if the show will finally head in a positive direction, or be yet another train wreck, but I'm going to watch and hope for the best. And also live-tweet the whole thing. Hopefully you will enjoy that.

Elsewhere on television, there are a lot of good, potentially entertaining things. No, I'm not even kidding. It's actually a pretty great weekend for TV. Crazy, right?

	Chuck Friday at 8PM - NBC - Zachary Levi directed this episode! Since he's been given the thankless task of hosting the aforementioned video game awards, I figured I'd just give him the shout out here.
	The Onion News Network Friday at 10PM - IFC - The year in review! Also, if you haven't read this interview with Suzanne Sena, AKA Brooke Alvarez, you rather ought to.
	Boss Friday at 10PM - Starz - Season finale. Oh, right, this show. I guess it's done now. Did anyone watch it? Anyone? Bueller...?
	Snowmageddon Saturday at 9PM - SyFy - This is a movie in which a mystical snow globe (seriously!) causes dire worldwide consequences every time it is shook. SyFy originals, oh how I have missed you!
	Once Upon a Time Sunday at 8PM - ABC - People keep bitching at me to mention this show, so I am doing so. There, are you happy?
	The Simpsons Sunday at 8PM - FOX - A Christmas episode! Set in the future! Bart and Lisa have kids! Okay!
	The Amazing Race Sunday at 8PM - CBS - Season finale. In which the final three teams race to the finish line in...Atlanta, GA? Really? That seems like sort of an anticlimactic locale, but okay! Whatever.
	CSI: Miami Sunday at 10PM - CBS - The team investigates the seedy underbelly of...child pageants! It's going to take a lot of Horatio Cane sunglasses removals to top the It's Always Sunny episode based on the same thing, but I'm willing to watch him go for it!
	Bag of Bones Sunday at 9PM - A&E - A two part horror series starring Pierce Brosnan as a grieving author (naturally) who befriends a widow, her young daughter, and also the ghost of a blues musician. You know what? I bet this is actually better than that description makes it sound. Let's give it a chance.
	Boardwalk Empire Sunday at 9PM - HBO - Season finale! Nucky's trial is coming up, which I imagine means big things. This has already been picked up for another season, so don't worry if there's a cliffhanger. We'll be getting more.
	Luck Sunday at 10PM - HBO - Finally, the much-awaited debut of Michael Mann's new HBO series, starring Dustin Hoffman as a down-and-out gambler looking to get back into the game. Mann directed the pilot, and the presence of Hoffman in a TV show is, frankly, insane. There is no way I do not watch this.
	Hell on Wheels Sunday at 10PM - AMC - I'm finally pretty much caught up on this show, and honestly, I do not understand anyone's issues with it. Yes, it's not Deadwood, and it's not really trying to be. For what it is, it's pretty great. Treat it as such, and enjoy accordingly.

No mention of Dexter?

I keep meaning to watch Hell on Wheels. That will have to wait as I'm in the middle of this season of Sons of Anarchy. Goddamn is that a good show!

I'll check out the VGAs, but man I wish I had HBO. I need to have a roommate conference to see about getting on that train.

I keep meaning to watch Hell on Wheels. That will have to wait as I'm in the middle of this season of Sons of Anarchy. Goddamn is that a good show!

I'll watch the VGAs but I really hope the Dudr Bro douchbaggery is less this year heres a nice lil link to Jeff Greens Blog on last years VGAs

I get with a channel like SPIKE they have to have some of that crap but man I would love to see those DICE awards instead. O well ZOMG TRAILERZZ GUYZ

Other than its just UFC 140 for me

Nah, Alex, you're...right about the VGAs. It's the same issue GameStop has, full of corporate shenanigans and punching the consumer in the stomach while saying "POWER TO THE PLAYERS" or whatever other vapid, friendly catchphrase to make it all okay.

Alex I think Geoff needs the open mind and know that the VGA's are complete nonsense.

Haha, thanks for mentioning Once Upon a Time, for now the bitching will cease. For now.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this VGA stuff turns out, Alex. Also, you could not have picked a more perfect header image (despite my love for Tenacious D-era Jables).

No mention of Dexter, Alex? I would like to check out Hell on Wheels.

@teh_destroyer said:

No mention of Dexter, Alex? I would like to check out Hell on Wheels.

They never mention Dexter!

The VGAs have been getting a little bit better every year with each year bring more legitimization to the choices for the categories. And I respect Keighley a fair bit for his "The Final Hours Of" series which contain some of the best games journalism I've read. I think its kind of awkward that some of the nominees are announced before they are actually released but its not that bad.

There is guaranteed to be some cringe worthy moments and most of the game reveals are probably going to be pre-rendered or live action trailers but at least we seem to finally be past the point where Shia Labeouf and Megan Fox win for the crappy Transformers tie-in game just because there is the remote possibility they might show up for their award. The acting categories this year look fine and they were the only problematic categories last year, actually there might have been a "Fueled by Dew" category last year...

The VGAs are ...decent. They certainly acknowledge some good stuff. Granted, it's the same stuff that already has mainstream attention from the usual outlets - Gamestop, Wal-Mart, Amazon...and your Game Informers, IGN, etc. Basically, they lavish the same games with awards that all places also do. So they're ignoring, like, 96% of the video game at large, which is a shame. And they do sink to lower levels in an attempt to get celebrities to pop in from time to time. So it still sucks. But it doesn't offend me like the first two VGAs did anymore.

Mostly though, just ignore 'em and watch the trailer premieres the next day on the internet. We have come to terms VGAs - this is our agreement.

Although last year's trailers were all obvious sequels to said uber-mainstream titles. Mass Effect 3? Okay. Big surprise. Don't give a shit. I hope they found more interesting games to reveal than that. Bioware's new Command & Conquer, Sony's The Last of Us, etc. There should be SOME good stuff here this year.

A Christmas episode! Set in the future! Bart and Lisa have kids!

That describes about 27 episodes of the show.

"Bart and Lisa have kids!"

...With each other?

just out of curiosity, because i've never seen them, why is the VGA so terrible?