Somehow that time has come once again — the time to pack up our winter clothes, put our things in storage and say goodbye to our dear old Dartmouth. For those of us who won’t be taking classes, studying abroad or interning at a high-profile company, this coming summer break may seem daunting. It might feel impossible to fill up so much time with just your bucket list, which is somehow always forgotten after about a week. Tube Talk is here to help! The new season means new shows and from the looks of it, the networks are rolling out plenty of material to keep you occupied while figuring out your plans to go skydiving or extreme rock climbing. We’ve rounded up a diverse list of the 10 most promising shows sure to fit everyone’s small-screen cravings this summer. For the Nostalgic Comedian “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” — July 16 at 8 p.m. on The CW That’s right, the beloved comedy show that ran for eight seasons on ABC before calling it quits in 2007 is coming back. Unlike many unsuccessful remakes, the original cast members — Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady and Colin Mochrie — will return with Aisha Tyler ’92 replacing Drew… Read more »
The sounds of a more musical lecture filled Moore Theater on Tuesday afternoon, as social activist and musician Bernice Johnson Reagon and her daughter Toshi Reagon performed as a part of the Montgomery Endowment lecture series. Bernice Johnson Reagon, who was involved in the civil rights movement and founded the a capella group Sweet Honey in the Rocks in 1973, is interweaves music and social activism. Her repertoire, which opened with “Steal Away to Jesus” and “There Is A Balm in Gilead,” lyrically explored past and current injustices in American society. These songs, with their significance in the struggle against slavery and legal segregation, made music an important and powerful medium for Reagon from a young age. She stressed the importance of the sit-in movement in fighting for equality even in the face of violent opposition. In the second half of the performance, Reagon sang “Joan Little,” which she wrote after the 1974 case of Joan Little, who killed a prison guard to defend herself against sexual assault. That event prompted Reagon to help empower women through her music. “Joan Little” opened the door for other women to come into the movement, she said. The mother and daughter pair covered a diverse… Read more »
As spring comes to a close, many beloved TV shows are saying farewell for now as their finales wrap up another season. In this Tube Talk, we round up the finales that should be on your watch list and look back at the past seasons of these selected shows. While critical acclaim has lagged for some, others have been boosted into stardom by fans and critics alike. Be sure to mark your calendars for these five spring finales you won’t want to miss…. Read more »
This weekend the Hopkins Center for the Arts will show four of the best and most recent films from the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, a biannual African film festival known as FESPACO. FESPACO is part of the Hop’s Best in Show series, which has screened selections from five acclaimed international film festivals. Ranging in genre from indie romance to neo-noir heist, the shows will take place in the Loew Auditorium of the Black Family Visual Arts Center, beginning April 19 at 7 p.m. Jeffrey Ruoff, chair of the film and media studies department, suggested this festival be included in the Best in Show program after visiting the festival himself in 2007. “FESPACO is the king of African cinema,” Ruoff said. “It is a tremendous showcase for African and North African cinema.” For the majority of students and faculty, this is the only opportunity they will have to see these movies as African films are not as widely distributed as those from America, Europe and Asia. “Because of where we are based, it’s rare to see the latest and best cinema from Africa,” Ruoff said. “These films unfortunately don’t play at the Nugget or at our multiplexes, and… Read more »
There are the shows that everyone seems to be tuning into each week, think “Girls” and “Modern Family,” and then there are those that, for some reason, hardly anyone is watching. Although these shows may not attract the big ratings and viewers of others, many are just as good, if not better. Maybe you’re looking for something new to spice up your television-time, or perhaps more mainstream options have left you unfulfilled. Have no fear! Tube Talk is here with four of the most underrated TV shows you need to start watching now. “Up All Night” — NBC, 2011-present, 35 episodes Reagan Brinkley (Christina Applegate) is one of the best talk show producers in the business, working for and alongside her best friend Ava Alexander (Maya Rudolph). Meanwhile, Reagan’s husband Chris (Will Arnett) stays at home with their newborn baby Amy, having given up his mediocre job as a lawyer so Reagan could further her career. Somehow the Applegate, Arnett and Rudolph lineup wasn’t able to draw enough views during this sitcom’s two seasons, and it seems that the show may not be returning for a third season. However, that doesn’t cross “Up All Night” off the list. Although it… Read more »
Before tackling Animal House’s take on college administration (a theme that must be of interest to us all as Dartmouth prepares for the presidential transition in July), I’d like to consider the pause inserted quietly between the behemoth juxtapositions of Delta and the Administration “Bvilding.” Often overlooked, the scene in which Delta brother Boone unconvincingly comforts his dissatisfied girlfriend Katy nevertheless acts as one of the most applicable moments in Animal House to modern life at Dartmouth. Or at least to anyone familiar with the age-old Dartmouth tradition of consoling friends moping over the un-dateability of guys they meet in basements over FoCo brunch. Every one of those tired complaints emerges here: frat brothers are immature (Boone charms Katy merely by pouting, it seems). They value bro-bonding over campus romance — as soon as Boone proposes a weekend at Katy’s parents’ place, she automatically assumes the trip will include Boone’s frat buddies riding along to “empty my parents’ liquor cabinet,” and she’s not entirely wrong. Boone says, “It’s just going to be you and me…and Otter and another girl.” (For more on Animal House’s fascinating homosocial bonds, visit the previous Analyzing Animal House post). We can’t forget narcissistic, either. While… Read more »