Hilarious 'Whose Line is it Anyway' returns
I first saw it on Comedy Central.
A large, balding man who looked somewhat familiar - "Was he Friar Tuck in Kevin Costner's 'Robin Hood' flick?" - was singing a song about his underthings.
"Too tight. Too tight! I got the underwear on, it don't feel alright, it's too tight!"
That was Michael McShane, playing a game called "Song Styles" on the must-see British series "Whose Line is it Anyway," an improvisational competition of sorts between four professional comedians.
When the original version ended in 1998, ABC launched a version of its own with host Drew Carey that ran until 2007 and featured a core cast of three funnymen: Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles.
Carey's moved on to the Showcase Showdown, but Brady, Mochrie and Stiles are back with new host Aisha Tyler (CBS' "The Talk") as "Whose Line" begins a 10-episode revival at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, on WGN Channel 9 as part of The CW's summer lineup. Tuesday's premiere will feature two back-to-back episodes with guest performers Lauren Cohan ("The Walking Dead") and Kevin McHale ("Glee").
<b>Welcome back, Will</b>
It's not a laugh riot, but HBO's "The Newsroom" does have its share of quick quips and stinging wit, courtesy of acclaimed writer Aaron Sorkin.
The second season of Sorkin's hit launches at 9 p.m. Sunday, with Jeff Daniels back behind the desk as Will McAvoy, the outspoken prime-time host on a 24-hour news channel. McAvoy and his behind-the-scenes cohorts are fictional, but the stories they cover are real; last season's thrilling premiere focused on the April 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and how that important story evolved into a historic one as the night went on.
The first season ended with events in August 2011; when will Season 2 take place? Whenever it is, there will be some new faces in the cast, including Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden ("Pollock") and comedian Patton Oswalt.
You can catch up on the first season with HBO GO on your computer and other devices, or you can add the discs to your Netflix queue.
<b>Groovy and gory</b>
The ad campaign for April's remake of "Evil Dead" was very effective, maybe a little too effective in my case - I was so freaked out by the trailers that I couldn't bring myself to see it in theaters!
But the horror comes home Tuesday on Blu-ray, DVD and video on demand, so we can snuggle up to our loved ones if the tale of an abandoned cabin, a demonic force and the young people it possesses gets too scary.
The original 1981 version of "Evil Dead" is still a delight after all these years thanks to the breathless, inventive camerawork of director Sam Raimi ("Oz the Great and Powerful") and the pliable presence of cult hero Bruce Campbell. You can relive the groovy gore instantly on Netflix, and add the very funny sequels ("Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn" and "Army of Darkness") to your queue.
Ÿ <i>Sean Stangland is a Daily Herald copy editor, a tireless consumer of pop culture and a hopeless nerd. He writes about television and digital entertainment every Friday.</i>