Sofa Dogs

Paul Elard Cooley, Horror author and podcaster for Shadow Publications joins the show. In this edition, we discuss many aspects of the Horror film genre, including some specific titles that we like, and others we don't. This is the first half of the podcast. It's been divided into two parts, due to our original running time of over two hours!00:02:22 - The great debate begins. Rob Zombie's version of Halloween and his work in general is discussed.00:08:53 - The Evil Dead Trilogy comes up.00:12:58 - John talks about the documentary, Halloween: 25 Years of Terror.00:19:19 - Supernatural versus psychological.00:26:07 - John makes a point to list off his positive opinions of the remake. Paul questions the swaying nature of nostalgia. The remake of Dawn of The Dead is discussed.00:32:08 - The vampire craze is among us, and doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon.00:41:24 - The differences and similarities between horror films of today and those of old. The Saw franchise and the term, "torture porn" is dissected.00:51:31 - Nothin' but love for the delightful, Julie Benz. It's brief, but there it is. :)00:56:06 - If it's Halloween this year, it must be something else more worthy and fitting of the tag line.00:58:50 - Paul recommends Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. 01:42:01 - Back to Rob Zombie's Halloween. Lots more discussions to come in part 2 of this episode.The following artists can be heard in this episode:Rob Zombie, White Zombie, Primitive Radio Gods, Face To Face, Nine Inch Nails, Danny Elfman, Talking Heads, Echo & The Bunnymen, Johnny Cash, Bauhaus, Alice Cooper, Charlie Clouser, The English Beat, Shriekback and Brother Cane.

Ray, from The Dollhouse Podcast joins in on this commentary for "Needs". In the eighth episode from season one of Dollhouse, Echo and her fellow actives mysteriously awaken to find some semblance of their original selves intact. Unfortunately, their memories are still very fuzzy, having no idea where they are or how they got there. They must band together in order to escape the Dollhouse and try to return to their former lives. Meanwhile, Paul Ballard discovers a chip in his phone that may lead him to Caroline.Please join Paul and I as we discuss disturbing dreams, telegraphing the story, the importance of foreshadowing and the pros and cons of Dr. Saunders' "experiment". Remember to listen for my preemptive countdown before starting the episode on your DVD.NOTE: Coincidentally, I was in the middle of editing this podcast, around noon of November 11th, 2009 when I heard the sad, yet unsurprising news that Dollhouse had been canceled.

After more than two years away, Susie Richards returns to the podcast! This time, we take a look at the original horror classic, Halloween. John Carpenter's influential masterpiece has affected horror films and audiences alike for generations, resulting in many sequels and even remakes over the years, but we won't get into that right now.Please join us, as Susie and I discuss pacing, the nature of evil, how modern horror stacks up to more traditional methods and sadism versus suspense. Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the film on your DVD.NOTE: Due to some minor, technical difficulties, the episode cuts off at the end, before we get the chance to say goodbye. Don't worry though, because we were pretty much finished by then, and you didn't miss anything big.Happy Halloween!!!

Will Ritchie returns, with television on the brain and werewolves in his heart, or something. NOTE: This episode is very late, due to occasional moments where Will's audio is lacking in quality. I spent weeks trying to fix it as best I could. Sorry for the inconvenience. Please enjoy!00:02:00 - Will has been in a podcast Coma for months. He sheds some light on why.00:08:05 - Will has been a TV fiend, lately. They discuss The Mentalist and True Blood. This leads to the lamentation of a lack of any werewolf-themed shows. The original Fox series, Werewolf is mentioned.00:13:23 - Will talks about Big Wolf On Campus.00:16:34 - Glee + Kristin Chenoweth = Heaven!00:24:02 - Will and John talk about the oddity that is the Tuesday night TV wasteland.00:27:31 - John recommends David Goyer's new conspiracy thriller series, Flash Forward.00:30:32 - Will is feeling generous and wants to give John a TV.00:33:01 - We heart Dollhouse. Just sayin'. This leads to talk of Smallville.00:40:00 - Halo ODST results in a fun, mini-reunion for Firefly. Video games are discussed.00:49:29 - Do you have a Collector's mentality? We do.00:58:40 - Marshal loves this show so much, he sends not one, but two emails. Yeah, THAT'S why he did it. Alias is discussed.01:11:24 - Marshal expresses Canadian pride by recommending the werewolf film, Ginger Snaps. Check it out!01:16:27 - Will closes out the show by sharing his love for Bradley Cooper. The man is everywhere, and we couldn't be happier!The following artists can be heard in this episode:Quentin Tarantino, Amber Riley & The Glee Cast, Earlimart, Caviar, Four Star Mary, Hot Chip, The Martinis, Portishead, Alexi Murdoch, David Bowie, Splashdown, Massive Attack, Coldplay, The Crystal Method, AC/DC, Adam Merrin, Bishop Allen, Juliana Hatfield, Venus In Furs and Idlewild.

In "Echoes", the seventh episode from Dollhouse's first season, a viral epidemic breaks out at a college campus. As Echo investigates, memories of Caroline shed more light on The Rossum Corporation. Jenn from The Dollhouse Podcast joins me for this commentary as we discuss show continuity, similarities to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's, "Band Candy" and the comedy stylings of Olivia Williams.Please remember to listen for my preemptive countdown before starting the episode on your DVD.

The new season of Dollhouse starts this Friday, the 25th! To celebrate, I thought I'd try a little experiment. During the Central Time Zone broadcasts of the new episodes, I will be on Skype, ready to chat with fellow Dollheads, LIVE! Ideally, we'll mostly be talking during the commercial breaks, discussing the episode as it unfolds on TV. It's like an expansive Watch Party, except spread out over the internet, through voice chat. If you would like to be an Active in this Engagement, simply log in to Skype on Friday nights, on or before the time the episode goes to air and search for my user name: john.pavlichKeep in mind, that due to Skype's capabilities with voice conferencing, space is limited and participants will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. If you request to be added to the call a couple minutes before the broadcast at 9pm Eastern/8pm Central, it will be easier to work out any technical difficulties that may possibly occur. I'm excited for season 2 of Dollhouse and I hope to hear from you on Friday night!

The thrilling (read: boring) conclusion to this two-part, Dragon*Con special with Jenn from The Dollhouse Podcast!00:03:47 - John takes advantage of some sound advice on podcasting and acquiring guests. Once again, the call goes out to Heather Stewart, Neha Tiwari, Elisabeth Rappe, Alex Albrecht, Dan Trachtenberg, Jeff Cannata and David Chen.00:07:10 - Finally, John and Jenn talk about the Dollhouse panel with Felicia Day. 00:10:49 - Jenn tells the origin story behind how the panel came to be.00:17:01 - John laments not having a firewire port on his computer and not being able to spend quality time with his fellow Dollhouse podcasters.00:19:14 - Having no money to give to his favorite actors, John instead makes a personal mix CD to give out, with varying levels of success. He tries his hand at networking by passing out business cards for the podcast, also with similar results.00:27:07 - James Marsters agrees, "Tim Minear is great." Jenn mentions her husband and a certain pretty, floral bonnet.00:30:11 - Everyone should follow Julie Benz on Twitter, particularly for awesome recipes and dinner ideas.00:33:23 - Felicia Day has awesome/familiar taste in music.00:37:04 - John got his Buffy DVDs signed ("Thanks again, Felicia!"). One down, at least a dozen to go.00:40:45 - The calculations are in. All things considered, Dragon*Con was a success!00:44:23 - Jenn shares her first initial exposure to Serenity and the works of Joss Whedon.00:49:27 - John talks about how he tries to spread the word of Firefly.00:56:08 - Plans are already being kicked around to return to Dragon*Con next year.01:03:31 - Consolation prizes are always appreciated.The following artists can be heard in this episode:Patton Oswalt, Metric, Sonic Librarian, Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen, Primal Scream, Cassettes Won't Listen, Dianogah, Slicker & Telefon Tel Aviv, Slowdive, Jan Johnston, Liquid State, Dirty Vegas and Stars.

In this two-part special episode, Jenn from The Dollhouse Podcast stops by to share in the epic, annual experience known as Dragon*Con!00:05:35 - The origin story behind John getting a ticket to Dragon*Con, thanks to the giant heart with arms, also known as Lisa Tobias.00:07:56 - Lisa has to bow out of the Con. John is sadness incarnate.00:16:25 - The Con Gods are battling John at every turn. Even laundry becomes a casualty of war.00:22:33 - John is unable to buy autographs and photos at the Walk of Fame. Here's why.00:27:36 - How young is too young to expose your child to the Buffyverse and horror films in general?00:31:14 - Con Crud is approaching. Meanwhile, John talks about getting his Pre-Registration badge, bad cell phone reception and getting lost.00:37:41 - John has amazing family and friends, just F.Y.I.00:45:14 - Appreciation goes out to Kim, Crystal, Larissa, Suzanne, Paul and Nathaniel for their support and generosity.00:48:33 - Nathaniel and his Hybrid car to the rescue! John is able to get a bit of cash from the very patient and helpful bank.00:51:05 - The Comicon edition of Dollhouse suffers battle damage in Atlanta. 00:53:10 - If you snore loud enough to bring about a zombie apocalypse, please consult your doctor.00:58:24 - Thievery should be punishable by cactus whip. Just sayin'.01:01:50 - John wants to implant video recording technology into his eyeballs. This just in: The Dr. Horrible and Buffy Sing-Along events are amazing! Tell your friends!The following artists can be heard in this episode:Jon Ehrlich & David Boreanaz, Liam Howlett, Devics, The Cure, Blink 182, Missy Elliott & Ludacris, Luna, Aerosmith, The Fray, Aimee Mann, Queen, Coldplay, The Dandy Warhols, Spoon and The Original Cast of Once More With Feeling.

After a five month hiatus, Couch Surfing returns to the Sofa Dogs podcast! Nick Jimenez joins the celebration for a jam packed episode, filled with over two hours of content.00:07:00 - Nick recommends The Goods as at least a solid rental comedy, but he loved Funny People to bits.00:20:35 - John sings the praises of the short-lived series, The Middleman.00:22:34 - There's also warm nostalgia for Parker Lewis Can't Lose.00:29:48 - John enjoyed The Guild's music video, "Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?", NIck, not so much.00:32:48 - Hot Tub Time Machine sounds like a potentially wacky love letter to the 80s'. We are so there. This leads into a discussion of the Internet Movie Database and the Top Ten Films of The Decade.00:45:02 - Catching up on ancient emails, Hayden has a theory about Geek By Night. John and Nick try their best to clarify some things.00:53:03 - Nick advises towards patience on the internet, while lamenting how podcasting can sometimes feel like work.01:12:32 - Marshal has finished the Dead Like Me franchise and loved it, but did not care for the film.01:19:32 - John is still occasionally giving Alias a chance, having watched a handful of episodes from season 3. It didn't go over well but the episode, "Conscious" was amazing.NOTE: Feel free to stop the podcast here, as there's much internet drama ahead. It's understandable to tune out at this point.01:23:42 - The last email of the episode first requires some back story, concerning Geekshow.us and the death of John Hughes.01:27:14 - Kristen Stewart or Kat Dennings? Do you care?01:38:59 - It's apparently not common knowledge that Drag Me To Hell made a nice chunk of change. Some are even in denial about such news.01:47:54 - John weighs the pros and cons of big, sensational summer blockbusters, like Transformers 2.01:57:40 - John has hate mail. Confusion sets in as he tries to understand the minds of those who write such bile.02:09:02 - Nick closes things out with some positive recommendations of his favorite podcasts.The following artists can be heard in this episode:Telefon Tel Aviv & Danny DeVito, Metric, Staind, Taxi Doll, Flo Rida & Katy Perry, Eminem, The Submarines, The Martinis, MC Lars, Joe Strummer, Stars, 12 Rounds, And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Glasvegas, Beck, Charles Ives, Groove Armada, Owen Pallett, Peace Orchestra, Gary Chang, Young MC, Army Navy, Hugh Harris, Tears For Fears, INXS, Radiohead, Phil Collins, Splashdown, Beirut and Dianogah.

Now that the DVDs are finally here, I resume commentaries for season one of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. In the sixth episode "Man On The Street", Paul Ballard comes face to face with Caroline for the first time, sort of. During this particular engagement, she takes on the personality of Rebecca Mynor, wife to wealthy internet mogul, Joel Mynor (played with heartbreaking sincerity by comedian, Patton Oswalt). As soon as Boyd takes Echo away, Paul and Joel have a meeting of the minds about the need to pursue a fantasy and the justification for that need.Back at the Dollhouse, someone is abusing Sierra, sexually. An investigation leads first to Victor, but then down a more disturbing path. Meanwhile, Agent Ballard retreats back home to lick his wounds, after having come so close to rescuing Caroline, but failing to keep her within his grasp. Luckily, his friendly neighbor, Mellie (the delightful Miracle Laurie) is there as a willing consolation prize. If you can't be with the one you love, then love the one you're with.Please join me for this jam-packed, game-changing episode written by Joss Whedon. I discuss obsession versus nobility, the importance of geography and physical space within a fight scene and Patton Oswalt's truthful, satisfying brand of stand-up humor. All this and more as I try to fight off drowsiness from painkillers, while recovering from Kidney Stones.From this point on concerning Dollhouse, please listen for my preemptive countdown before starting the episode on your DVD.

Nick Jimenez returns to talk about the film, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. The story concerns two teenagers falling in love, dealing with their past relationships and the search for an elusive band in the unpredictable streets of New York's nightlife. Please join Nick and I for our commentary as we discuss our opinions on contemporary relationships, "finding today's John Cusack", young love, "selling a soundtrack" and how the film stacks up to "teen" films of previous generations.Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the movie on your DVD.

In "Credit Where Credit's Due", the second episode from season one of Veronica Mars, Weevil's Grandmother is arrested for credit card fraud. Eli confesses to the crime in order to get her out, but Veronica has a sneaking suspicion that both members of the Navarro family are innocent. Could it all have something to do with Logan's new girlfriend and one of Weevil's biker boys? A few grand in stolen money says it just might. Please join me as I discuss school dress codes, the beauty of shooting by firelight, red herrings and the infamy of Paris Hilton. Remember to listen for my preemptive countdown before starting the episode on your DVD. 

It's the first ever (as far as we know) fan commentary for Joss Whedon's web-friendly sensation, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog! The story concerns an ambitious super-villain (Neil Patrick Harris) who's obsessed with the Evil League of Evil, his crime-fighting nemesis (Nathan Fillion) who's obsessed with, uh, himself and the bright, big-hearted activist (Felicia Day) who's caught between them. On top of all that, there's singing! Really awesome singing! With words and everything!Please join Nick Jimenez, Will Ritchie and myself as we bring up Stephen Sondheim, Depeche Mode, Once More, With Feeling and appoint Felicia Day as the spokesperson for frozen yogurt! After all, it's about time this delicious treat had some solid representation, right? Remember to listen for my preemptive countdown before starting the program.By the way, the hammer is my podcast. :) 

Veronica Mars is and was not only a smart and satisfying teen drama, but also an outstanding, contemporary murder/mystery. From creator Rob Thomas, the show dealt with the seedy underbelly of Neptune High School and its wealthy inhabitants. While also embracing its hard-boiled detective roots, Veronica Mars also defied convention by following the crime-solving exploits of the plucky, young female sidekick (delightfully played by Kristen Bell), giving the proceedings a fresh, new perspective.Please join me as I take a look at the very first episode, discussing "Pilot-itus", style versus substance and mystery shows of the past. This is just the beginning. Similar to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I will be making my way through every episode of the entire series' three seasons.Remember to listen for the preemptive countdown before starting the episode on your DVD.

Rising from the ashes like a Phoenix, or a Firefly into a glorious state of Serenity, the Sofa Dogs podcast will be returning to the internet by next week. I've purchased a refurbished computer from an ebay store, and it has shipped today. If all goes well, it should arrive within this week, just in time for the season finale of Dollhouse. :) After the Mothers Day holiday weekend, the podcast will begin to get back into a regular schedule. At the same time, I will be attempting to transfer essential files and programs from my previous hard drive, over to my "new" computer. Thanks to everyone who have continued to keep the numbers strong during this extended period of down time. Big things are coming for the podcast and this site, so stay alert! :) -John Pavlich