tv week critics poll...

The last of the July 3rd Firework Photos.. tomorrow we move to the big day...

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A new feature at TVGuy debuts today.. yes, it's the Monthly Poll... I know Americans love a good poll... and now only the timeliest and most thought provoking questions will be featured here at TVGuy...

That's right, questions that challenge the soul, dazzle the mind and nourish the spirit of TVGuy readers everywhere!!

We'll start by... er... hold on.. phone is ringing...

(answering phone)

(arguing)

(losing argument)

(hanging up phone)

Umm.. apparently the "Thought-Provoking, Game-Changing, World-Influencing" Questions have been replaced at Corporate for ones about TV, Snack Foods and Movies... I apologize...

So answer away! Or not. It's really up to you...

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As a programming reminder, VH1's 2007 World Series of Pop Culture began this week with episodes each day thru Thursday...

TV's Todd and Matt came over to the TVGuy Mansion last night to plow through three episodes... wanted to see how we would have done against the Incredible Friendless Losers 16 teams that actually made the program... (we went to Chicago in January to attempt to make the show.. we passed the first round - written test - but did not get called back... so of course we are bitter....)

Anyway, not to dwell too much more on this.. but I can sum this experience up in about 5 quick hits...

1. By "Playing along" last night we surmised that we would have perhaps beaten 3 of the 6 teams... not too shabby...
2. I know nothing about music. I mean.. nothing. At all. If it's Pre 2001, I'm doomed..., or anything in the Hip-Hop Culture... I know nada.. zip...
3. Turkey Meatballs and Cocktail Weiners make excellent group appetizers... mmmm...
4. The teams that made the show... I have a comment for you and I don't want you to take it the wrong way... but you're not nearly as quirky, funny, good-looking or interesting as you think you are. This goes for Every Single One Of You.
5. They replaced the "interviewer position" from last year... it was the lovely Lisa Guerrero... now it's two dolts who were on the program last year and have no competence whatsoever in the television arena... just brutal to watch...

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The semiannual TVWeek Critics Poll has been released... the nation's TV Critics (you know, you guys can ask me one of these years... I'm just sayin'...) rank their top 10 shows and then the results are put into a Top 25 format...

without further ado... over the past 6 months, the best 25 shows on Network Television are...

(these are Series... the excellent "Planet Earth" is in a different category altogether...)

TV Week Summer Critics Poll 2007

Rank / Show / Network / Last Year's Rank

1. The Sopranos HBO n/a
2. Lost ABC 6
3. Friday Night Lights NBC 6
4. The Office NBC 3
5. Ugly Betty ABC 4
6. Heroes NBC 2
7. 30 Rock NBC 13
8. The Shield F/X n/a
9. Grey's Anatomy ABC 4
10. The Tudors Showtime n/a
11. The Riches F/X n/a
12. Entourage HBO n/a
13. Battlestar Galactica SciFi 9
14. American Idol FOX n/a
15. House FOX 11
16. Boston Legal ABC n/r
17. The Daily Show Comedy Central 14
18. Rescue Me F/X 12
19. Desperate Housewives ABC n/r
20. Rome HBO n/r
21. Everybody Hates Chris CW 3
22. CSI CBS n/r
23. Brothers and Sisters ABC 24
24. Veronica Mars CW 21
25. New Adventures of Old Christine CBS n/a

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Look, I know that with new technology comes difficult new concepts and philosophies... the world is changing by the minute, and it's tough to keep up sometimes...





















but we can all agree that "ATM Machine" means "Automated Teller Machine machine"... right?

I even saw a version of that sign at Midway Airport in Chicago...























Other examples of Redundant Acronym Phrasing (RAP) include...

>>DAT Tape (Digital Audio Tape tape)
>>IRA Account (Individual Retirement Account account)
>>LCD Display (Liquid Crystal Display display)
>>PIN Number (Personal Identification Number number)
>>UPC Code (Universal Product Code code)

I don't know why, but "ATM Machine" bugs me more than the rest...

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Our 2007 Super Duper Mega Excellent Motion Picture Cashpalooza Update is in...

1. Pirates 3: $910,641,000
2. Spider-man 3: $883,000,000
3. Shrek 3: $578,765,000
4. Transformers: $246,000,000
4. Ocean's 13: $233,000,000
5. Fantastic Four 2: $206,000,000
6. Knocked Up: $113,000,000
7. Live Free or Die Hard: $116,000,000

867. Hostel Part II $17,609,452 (in theaters only 28 days.. maybe Americans aren't as dumb as we originally thought...hopefully this will prevent a "Part III" from ever occurring..)

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Margaret: Command of trivia is one of the things that attracted me to Cliff. That... and his manners...
--"Cheers" (NBC)