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Must See HDTV for the week of March 24th: The Walking Dead, Psych, Fez, Louis CK on SNL
March Madness rolls on this weekend with the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games, but with our billion dollar brackets already destroyed, what else is there to watch? The Academy Awards Best Picture nominee march continues this week with the release of The Wolf of Wall Street on Blu-ray (how can Leo not have an Oscar?) and Continuum S2, while on TV The Walking Dead wraps up its fourth season, Helix reaches its first season finale and Louis CK brings his talents to Saturday Night Live. We'll have to put our DVRs to work on Saturday though, since Hannibal Burress' special is airing on Comedy Central around the same time. Before all that however, we'll bid a final farewell to USA's Psych, which is airing its series finale this week after eight seasons (and a movie?). For games there's no next-gen exclusive blockbusters this week, but PlayStation owners can cross buy a port of Fez across Vita, PS3 and PS4. Check after the break for trailers plus our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and gaming.
Must See HDTV (February 25th - March 3rd)
Among the usual returning shows we have a few all new entries, including two new Comedy Central series as well as ABC's Red Widow conspiracy drama. For something we truly have not seen on TV before, Syfy is tossing in Robot Combat League, while ESPN does its part with a couple of 3D broadcasts planned. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames. Robot Combat League If you were an avid Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots player or a huge fan of the movie Real Steel, Syfy's latest reality / game show is probably made for you. Robot Combat League is hosted by wrestler Chris Jericho and features competitors strapped into suits that translate their movements to eight-foot-tall robot avatars that actually do the fighting. Not sold? Take a peek now with not only a trailer embedded after the break, but also the first two episodes in their entirety (also viewable on the site in a larger window here). It's different, to say the least, and there's $100,000 on the line to make things interesting. (February 26th, Syfy, 10PM) Psych One of our favorite shows returns for its seventh season as Shawn and Gus continue to operate their fake psychic detective agency. As always, we expect a number of nostalgic 80s and 90s throwbacks, complete with guest stars from the era. The show has managed to operate in a basic cable niche in a way network shows like Community don't get the chance to, although if you're not into its particular comedic flavor, it's unlikely to change gears at this point. Check out a trailer after the break. (February 27th, USA, 10PM) MLS A new season of MLS kicks off this weekend, and for US soccer fans all 20 matches will be aired ESPN channels, with 18 of them on Sundays for a more consistent -- and potentially subbing in for that other football -- schedule. Notable this season is that this is the first time the soccer league will be in 3D, with plans for seven live broadcasts, plus an eighth that will be tape delayed. There are also plans for international matches, the All-Star game and the playoffs, dates and times TBD. The Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls game this weekend will be the first in 3D, check the schedule for the rest. (March 3rd, ESPN 2 / ESPN 3D, 7:30PM)
Netflix, NBC Universal content deal brings Battlestar Galactica, SNL and more to Watch Instantly
Just in case a throwaway mention of a streaming-only subscription for US customers wasn't enough, an agreement adding plenty of recognizable content from NBC to its Watch Instantly service might help Netflix distract from a recent string of PR gaffes. Starting next week, cable shows from the media giant's stable like Psych, Battlestar Galactica and others, episodes from the most recent seasons of NBC shows including The Office and 30 Rock will be available. Not good enough? Why not throw in every season of Friday Night Lights and Saturday Night Live, with new eps of SNL added the day after they air for the next three years. Seems like a win/win to us, with many hours of new content for Netflix while NBC cashes a fat check for old seasons of Monk and Law & Order:SVU -- as much as we love Tony Shalhoub as a neurotic private investigator, those DVD boxed sets just weren't moving like they used to. The only question left is whether HD streaming for any of these is on deck, until we hear back just check out the full press release after the break.
First seasons go on sale on the PlayStation Store
The US PlayStation Video Store is having its "First Season Summer Sale." From now until September 17th, you'll be able to download episodes from the first season of 30 Rock, Battlestar Galactica, Eureka, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Psych and The Office for only 99 cents each in SD. (HD episodes are $1.99 each, and will only work on the PS3.)
Crackdown shows up in Psych, writers obviously not familiar with video games
Video games often find their way into other forms of media, with cameos of upcoming software in vampire shows or how our consoles will one day rise up and destroy us all. In nearly every instance, TV show and film writers prove they aren't familiar with how games work or ditch logic for a silly premise. During the August 28 episode of Psych, we saw it happen again. When faux psychic detective Shawn Spencer (James Roday) visits his father (played by Corbin Bernsen, above) for advice, we find the retired officer red-eyed and fixated on the console, waving a plastic toy gun as the game's controller. Although the game isn't named, we can see it's Crackdown, which Bernsen's character claims "lets you feel like a cop, without all the guilt after you shoot someone." It's a funny cameo that weaves itself nicely into the episode's story, but goes a little crazy with the wacky video game accessory. Besides, everyone knows Crackdown 2 uses no controller and will be completely mapped to a player's body when Natal hits stores* in 2010. Check out a clip of all the episode's video game related gags after the break. *We kid. We hope. [Thanks, PsychOut]
HDTV Listings for August 7, 2006
What we're watching: Kyle XY is gone, but we have another interesting series making the jump from cable to network television, USA's detective comedy Psych. Airing in high definition tonight on NBC, this one definitely warrants a look and is normally one of my favorite SD shows. If it's funny enough to watch in 480i, you know we'll be tuning our HDTV in. Also tonight are The Closer and Saved as usual while ABC brings back One Ocean View, hopefully that will stick around longer than The One: Making a Music Star did.Finally, just to show our Canadian friends there are no hard feelings, Canadian Bacon is on HDNet.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.Update: Ugh. Forget we said anything, it appears Psych is merely an ugly upconvert of the original 480i broadcast, albeit natively widescreen. Ugly pixels and artifacting abound. Avoid like the plague.
Psych pilot free on iTunes
Hey all you free loading Americans out there (which including yours truly) the iTunes Music Store has a free goodie for you (and yes it is US only, don't shoot the messenger). You can download the pilot of the USA Network's newest show 'Pysch.'I don't know how long this will last, so get to downloading whilst the downloading is good!Thanks, Philip.
