With the new season of Lost coming to the UK much earlier than predicted, I decided to get a jump on the commentaries and record some before the DVD is even out. Foolhardy? Maybe. Courageous? Not really.

Join me as I struggle through my extensive (and hard to read) notes on the season 3 premiere, A Tale of Two Cities, in which Jack, Kate and Sawyer discover that The Others really just wanted to be their friends all along. And what better way to start a new friendship than with imprisonment, intimidation and a spot of behavioural conditioning. It gets even better next episode: they get to do some heavy lifting too!

This commentary comes in two delicious flavours to maximise the chances of it actually synching up with the episode. You only need download the version specific to your region as the content is identical:


Notes:
LOSTCasts: A Tale of Two Cities - lots of interesting observations and conjecture on the episode
Screencap of the Hydra logo at Wikipedia

The forum can now be reached at the much easier to remember forum.sofadogs.com and likewise the website at www.sofadogs.com.

Right on time, John and Brandon deliver another in absentia Buffy commentary. The episode in question, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, is a season 2 highlight which sees Xander channel the very best of The Average White Band as a love spell goes awry. Join the guys as they attempt to solve the greatest ethical conundrum posed in the entire 7 season run: if you were Xander, would you unwrap Buffy?

Fall TV mini-update: I just saw the pilot episode of Standoff and quite enjoyed it. Perfect timing then for Fox to order another 3 scripts and bring the running tally for season 1 to 19 episodes. Here's hoping they make it to 22...

Been watching any of the shows we talked about in the Fall preview? Find out how they're all fairing as the networks begin pruning their schedules of dead weight while trying to resuscitate those shows that just might make it to Spring.

Confession: poor choice of microphone plus sore throat does not good audio quality make.

Notes:
ABC.com (Six Degrees, The Nine)
CBS Innertube (Jericho, Smith)
Fox On Demand (Standoff, Vanished)
NBC.com Video (Kidnapped)

Al, Bill and David Watch TV
FireflyTalk
The 9th - A Heroes Podcast
Two Girls and a Podcast

In perfect time for me developing a sore throat, here comes a dusty volume from the archives to save the day. Although House of the Dead was the first commentary Brandon appeared on that was posted to the website, he and John actually recorded two Buffy tracks for season 2 episodes some time beforehand. To spare my vocal chords for the week I present the first of these, recorded for episode 3 of season 2, School Hard, in which a certain peroxide blonde makes his first appearance. And to think they were going to kill him off before the end of the season...

Take 2 of the Tom & Stu show sees us leapfrog 5 episodes (I doubt anything important happened in them...) to get to the Lost: The Tail Section season 1 recap episode, also known as The Other 48 Days.

The microphone merry-go-round continues as we employ our newest headset mic with super-duper in-built noise reduction. Still, audio is a bit on the rustly side (not least because I rustle my fair share of paper).

Notes:

Lostpedia: 'car in the background' goof screen cap (judge for yourself!)

In an effort to mix up the voices you're hearing, for next week I'll be digging up 1 of 2 Buffy commentaries John and Brandon recorded some time ago . We were holding them back to be released in chronological order (they're for School Hard and Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered) but, hey, if this isn't the time to make use of spare episodes I don't know when is.

Against all odds I managed to convince my brother Tom to join me for a tour de stade of episode 1 of Lost season 2. Given that we haven't recorded a joint commentary for nearly a year, and the fact that the recording setup was different to what I usually use (which isn't that great in the first place...), the sound quality is not the greatest. Also, since I'd forgotten about 75 percent of this episode takes place in the dark, we tend to drift into general season 2 chat and therefore there are spoilers abound for the entire season.

[Scottish accent]Enjoy the show, brother.

Notes:
The Official Lost Podcast
Official Lost Podcast archive at dharmasecrets.com
Lost 'Hatch' Counter-Strike Source Map (video tour)

Kicking off a new series of special episodes on cancelled shows is John Doe, the story of the guy who knows everything except who he is. Plus: News on Smith, Heroes, Eureka, Kidnapped and Standoff. This ep is a Stu solo effort, so slack may need to be cut...

Notes:
John Doe @ SciFi Channel
'John Doe's Secrets Revealed'
'EW Solves TV Cliffhanger Mysteries!'

Other links:
Brilliant But Cancelled
OzPod
Two Girls and a Podcast
WhedonCast

In the second episode of Titus, called Sex With Pudding, Christopher fears that Erin is cheating on him. Things go from bad to worse when he learns that she's actually being sexually harrassed, by her Lesbian Boss! The show continues to turn sitcom convention on its head and tackle fresh, new areas of the human condition with hilarious results. Some stuff even gets set on fire!

Important News: I regret to inform the loyal listeners (all six of you), I will be absent from Sofa Dogs for at least a month. Recent money troubles have forced me to cancel my internet service. On the bright side, the show will still be around. Full hosting duties will be in the far more capable hands of my partner in crime, Stu. You can direct all questions and comments to him through sofadogs@hotmail.com and as always, keep those iTunes reviews coming. They're very much appreciated. Also, the Sharecrow site has a new Top 10 section. I've recently discovered that Sofa Dogs is in their list of popular downloads, so a big thank you to those of you responsible.

Finally, I wouldn't normally do this, but if you folks would like to contribute a small donation to this site, you can do so at my paypal account through kungfubear@msn.com. I hope you enjoy the show while I'm away and I hope to be back soon, putting you all to sleep again. :)

Warm and fuzzy love,
John

There was really no contest for the first non-Whedon show to get the review treatment. Yes, it's Gilligan's Isla...no, wait...it's not Gilligan's Island? Okay, our producer informs me it is in fact Lost, but I think you can see why I'd be confused...

In this first of (probably) four parts, we make our way through the highs (35,000 feet, sipping on vodka miniatures) and lows (sea level, juggling day-to-day survival and father issues) of episodes 1 through 6 of the first season.

Notes:
WhedonCast
OzPod
PodCulture
Fanboy Smackdown
The Official Lost Podcast

In this super-extended nearly-100-minutes-long episode, John also shares his thoughts on some of the new Fall shows that have premiered recently: Jericho, Six Degrees, Smith and Heroes.

Almost five months after recording our first joint commentary for Out of Gas we return to the series that started it all with Ariel, the only episode for which neither one of us have recorded a commentary.

Dear Diary. Today I took River to have a brain scan in a super-secure yet strangely dark Alliance hospital. The crew stole lots of shiny medicine and Jayne sold us out. It was the best day ever!

Notes:
Notes on currency in Firefly
Ariel Ambulance Rescue

In this very special episode, I was fortunate enough to attend a midnight screening of The Monster Squad at The Denton Movie Tavern, as part of their Friday Night Frights. It was apparently the only remaining 35 milimeter print in the country! The film's star, Andre Gower was there to introduce the screening and he answered questions from an inebriated audience.

It just so happens that I brought my camera with me and I've recorded the event for all to enjoy. Andre was even nice enough to sign autographs and take pictures with fans, and this was probably around 2 AM! What a guy! The picture of Andre, Brandon and myself was taken in very little light. One of these days, my stupid ass will remember to use the lamp on the front of the camera. :) Thanks goes out to Stuart Duncan for somehow making the image presentable. Thanks also to my dear friend Brandon Ortega, for his help in getting to and from the screening and making it a fun time. You sir, rock!

Special thanks goes out to John Gray and Paul Salfen for putting together an unforgettable evening, and also to Andre Gower for taking the time to come all the way out to Texas, for sharing such wonderful stories with us and basically just for being awesome. See, it's officially in writing now, so that makes it true!

Note: Alcohol was being served at this event, so the crowd was very loose and rowdy. Fair warning for those easily offended, this podcast does contain some explicit language.

House Of The Dead is a lame, generic and cheap-looking movie based on a popular video game. You know what that means. Yup, it was directed by Uwe Boll. Brandon Ortega and I sit down for some commentary, having never seen the flick before. There's no way we could sit through this garbage twice. Hell, it was enough of a struggle the first time. In any event, Brandon and I keep the conversation alive and there are many laughs to be had with this obvious joke of a movie.

Note: The first countdown to begin the DVD failed, so just wait for the second one before pressing play on your remote. We hope you enjoy the show.

Completing the trifecta of Fall TV shows is our discussion of the CBS line-up. Only three shows caught our eye this time around: Jericho, Shark and Smith. Mmm...one word titles.

Notes: As it turns out, the full premiere episode of Prison Break available at TV.com only works for those in the US. And for said lucky citizens, they also have the full Vanished pilot.

Part 2 of our Fall TV odyssey sees us tackling new shows from NBC and FOX. In other words, fifty percent of the shows on today's podcast have already been cancelled. ZING! Oh yeah, I went there.

Shoutouts: Two Girls and a Podcast

With the Fall Season upon us, Stu and I take a look at the new batch of television shows the major networks have to offer. First, we'll be giving early impressions of the new programs from ABC. We'll read a synopsis for each show and give our reactions to the various trailers and video clips we've seen. The titles we will cover in this podcast are Day Break, Six Degrees, The Nine, Traveler and Help Me Help You.
We encourage you to chime in with your opinions in the comments section, or you can leave us an e-mail at sofadogs@hotmail.com
Also, you can subscribe to our show for free at iTunes and write your own user review. We'd love to hear from you!

My first celebrity interview is Jonathan London, co-host of Geekdrome. In addition to podcasting, he's also a music video director, an award winning filmmaker and a Mexican wrestler. :)
During our Q&A session, we talk about the importance of mood regarding independent cinema, the return of Super Action, the diminishing distance between box office and DVD release dates and how this could affect the future of the movie theater experience.
I'd like to thank Jonathan for being so generous with his time and for sharing his thoughts. His short film, Gay By Dawn is available on DVD.
More information on Jonathan London can be found here.
Don't forget to visit Geekdrome for your weekly reviews of movies, trailers, comics and video games!

In the long line of prematurely cancelled shows on Fox, I take a look at Wonderfalls. It's a fantastical and clever existential comedy about a young woman who lives in a trailer park and "works" at a Niagara Falls gift shop. Her aimless life takes a startling turn when inanimate objects start talking to her and telling her to do things. These actions affect her and those around her in hilarious and unexpected ways. It's the creative brainchild from the producers of Firefly and Dead Like Me, starting with the pilot episode, Wax Lion.

This is the second half of our season one review for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Stu and I go over the remaining six episodes as we discuss the good, the bad and even dispense some trivia about the show. Sofa Dogs, the finest example of quality edu-tainment. At least, that's how we see it. Perhaps we're blinded by the eyes of love. Bring us back down to reality by sharing your thoughts in the comments section.

Today's promo is for Stargate Louisville.

Based on the Hellblazer series from Vertigo Comics, Keanu Reeves is John Constantine, an investigator of the occult and the supernatural. When demons start crossing over into the realm of the living, John has to track down the spear of destiny and stop the Devil's Son from bringing Hell on Earth. With a severe case of lung cancer and a history of sin, John must struggle for acceptance into Heaven and to escape eternal damnation. The things a guy's gotta do to stay in God's good graces. :)

My commentary for the episode, Safe is anything but. I bring up the topics of Buffy, The Village, Dogma and even my big, comfy couch. There's no telling what I may ramble on about. Please throw caution to the wind and join me in my delusion that I'm interesting. :) This was recorded on the 29th of March, in the year of our Joss, 2006.

The professionalism continues as I babble through the episode, Shindig. Darkman, Cowboy Bebop & Brisco County Jr. all get honorable mention. I marvel at the pretty sets and costumes, while praising the big, squishy brain with arms that is Jane Espenson.

Completing the first disc in the Firefly Box Set, I'm back with the episode, Bushwhacked. In this commentary, I make comparisons and references to Event Horizon, Hellraiser and South Park. Obscure pop culture, a shout out from my telephone and the occasional seconds of dead air prove that I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm like a trained ape, without the training.

The fun continues, as I record a commentary for The Train Job. This time around, I have notes and I've fixed my microphone. Actually, I fixed myself. In my previous commentary, I was too close to the equipment. I've since learned to restrain myself from making out with my mic.

Hey, folks. I've decided to post my current batch of Firefly commentaries. These are my very first recordings. They can also be found at www.bigdamncommentaries.com
I'm a Browncoat and a fan of all works by Joss Whedon. This commentary for the Firefly pilot is the first in a series which will cover the whole show and finish with the movie.

Thought we'd extracted maximum mileage from Season 1? Think again! John and I continue our Buffy adventure with a semi-coherent jaunt through episodes 1 to 6. That's right folks - no DVD commentary this week, although we do recommend watching your favourite episode along with the mp3 to try and take the edge off our inane 'analysis'...

The giggle-free promo featured in today's podcast is for Two Girls and a Podcast.

Stu and I return to finish up the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the season finale, Buffy must finally face The Master and ultimately die, as is written in the Slaying For Dummies textbook. Meanwhile, Xander takes a page from Dating For Dummies and asks Buffy to the dance. Three guesses on how that one turns out. This episode has everything. Drama, adventure, suspense, romance and fruit punch mouth.

Stu and I are back once again, with a vengeance. Okay, that's a lie. I mean, we are back, but certainly not in a vengeful fashion. We'll be saving that for when one of our fellow podcasters gets shot, or when one of them is left at the altar on their wedding day. Yeah, whichever one of those comes first.
Anyway, today we'll be discussing Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight. This is the eleventh episode from Buffy's first season.
Apparently, if you ignore someone long and hard enough, they really do go away! Neat!

P.S. Have A Great Summer! :)

In the Season One pilot episode Dad's Dead, Christopher Titus is worried that his father may have passed on. You see, Ken has been in his room for four days straight....without getting a beer! It's the groundbreaking, autobiographical and hilarious sitcom that introduced a massive audience to the brilliance that is Christopher Titus....for three years.

Well hey, it was on Fox, after all. :)

P.S. I recorded this commentary at the butt crack of dawn, so keep that in mind while listening.

Stu and I wax philosophical about Nightmares, the tenth episode from Buffy's first season. Everyone's worst fears are materializing, and it might just have something to do with a little boy named Billy, seen wandering around the halls of Sunnydale High. Within this episode, we learn some stuff like: Clowns are scary. Singing in an Opera is hard. Being buried alive really sucks. And, if you find a candy bar on the ground, you should definitely eat it without question. Notes: The Buffy and Angel Trivia Guide can be found at www.restlessbtvs.com

Seeing as John is time-zone impaired right now (i.e. he's probably asleep), I've decided to tackle the arduous task of writing this episode's summary myself. Hmm....ok. It needs to be witty, insightful, informative - nothing short of a tour de force.

Um...

We talk about The Puppet Show. John's phone rings halfway through. Mimes and puppets are scary. - Stu

Notes: The voting site where you can help rank all 144 Buffy episodes, mentioned this commentary and last, can be found at www.rankitall.com

Today is Joss Whedon's birthday! Stuart Duncan and I celebrate by tackling the 8th episode from Buffy's first season, I Robot, You Jane. Willow begins an online relationship with a stranger, who turns out to be a centuries old demon attempting to break free from imprisonment. What did he do to become banished into the pages of an old textbook, and later the internet? Well, you know those tags on mattresses that read, "Do Not Remove"? He cut one of them off! That's right, this guy is dangerous. Will Buffy be able to destroy the demon and save her friends? Will we see a relationship grow between Giles and the new computer-science teacher, Miss Calender? Why does the demon Moloch dress himself up to look like a cross between The Predator and a rejected villain from the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers? And why does Sunnydale High have web-cam access? Join us, as we attempt to answer these questions, and more. It's Morphin' Time!

In this modern remake of the H.G. Wells classic story, Tom Cruise runs from a giant Green Screen. You see, space aliens showed up here thousands of years ago and buried their 3-legged Imperial Walkers deep underground. Now, they're popping up all over to well, suck, basically. I'm not just being mean, either. They show up to drain us of our precious life juice. But hey, that's what happens when gas prices keep going up. Of course, if everyone accepted Scientology into their lives, we would be the ones sucking....sucking money from the aliens' wallets. Okay, I'm done with all the biting.

After contributing so much time and effort into these podcasts, I've decided to make Stuart Duncan an official member of the Sofa Dogs team. What does that mean, exactly? Well, almost nothing. It's not like he really wins anything significant. No shiny badge or membership card. No special certificate or cool tattoo. Not even a crappy football phone. But, he does hold the title of having the most co-hosted episodes (3 at this point). I guess, depending on how you look at it, that's either really awesome, or kind of sad. :)
Anyway, in this installment, Stu and I discuss Angel, the seventh episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's first season. Buffy is developing feelings for Angel. Unfortunately, Angel's dark and mysterious past threatens to expose his true nature, ultimately putting Buffy's mother in grave danger. Meanwhile, the Master calls upon three warrior vampires to seek out and destroy the Slayer. Either that, or they're just looking to fill the fourth spot at Poker Night.

Allen Coe makes a surprise return to the show. Taking a break from the string of Joss Whedon related material, we discuss the second episode from the fourth season of Boy Meets World. In Hair Today, Goon Tomorrow, Cory is going through a bad hair phase and is unhappy with his own appearance. In an effort to cheer him up and prove that looks aren't everything, his girlfriend Topanga purposefully butchers her own hair. Meanwhile, oldest brother Eric dreams of becoming the first Good Looking Detective, instead of getting a real job. It's sweet, silly Disney entertainment. Ah, to be a kid again. As always, feedback is very much appreciated and encouraged in the comments section.

Through the wonder of computer technology, I'm joined once again by special guest, Stuart Duncan. In Buffy's sixth episode from Season One, The Pack, Xander is possessed by a Hyena at the Sunnydale zoo. Hyenas are dog-like, nocturnal mammals mainly found in Africa and southern Asia. They are carnivorous scavengers feeding chiefly on carrion, with powerful jaws, relatively short hind limbs and coarse hair. They are famously known for their distinct bark, which often sounds like laughter. So, basically, Xander is the same as he ever was.

In Season One's fifth episode, Never Kill A Boy On The First Date, Buffy tries to uphold her duty as The Slayer while dating a dull, stale loaf of bread named Owen. Meanwhile, The Master begins his plans to open a Day Care Center for the Wayward Youth of Sunnydale. Is there enough room in Buffy's life for school, slaying and the occasional post-pubescent fantasy? Join me in this commentary and find out. If we're lucky, Angel might even show up to brood at Buffy while wearing some more cool clothes.

In the fourth episode of Buffy's first season, Teacher's Pet, Xander is seduced by a substitute teacher at Sunnydale High. She's beautiful, she's mysterious and she eats bugs.... Um, yeah, bugs. So please join me as I talk about the authority of a substitute teacher, the trend of student/faculty intimacy and how at this point, Angel is only good for supplying Buffy with some boss threads. Again, I appreciate all forms of feedback, so please drop me a line and for the love of Joss, tell your friends about Sofa Dogs!

Today, I will be commenting on The Witch, the third episode in the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Someone is using witchcraft to clear away the competition in the Cheerleading Tryouts. Who could it be? Is it the new alternate, Amy Madison? Joy, the Senior Cheerleader? The Denver Broncos? Mystery awaits at Sunnydale High, so break out the DVD and cue up the iPod as I discuss witches and continuity errors aplenty.

Part 2 of the pilot for Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Harvest. In this episode, I discuss the evolution of the series and my likes and dislikes of the first season. As always, suggestions and feedback are welcome and encouraged.

Part 1 of the pilot for Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Welcome To The Hellmouth. Starting here, I will attempt to provide commentary on every episode of the entire series. Today, I'll examine the show's humble beginnings. If anyone has suggestions for what I should discuss in later Buffy episodes, please make them known in the comments section.

In this very special episode of Sofa Dogs, I'm joined by fellow Browncoat, Stuart Duncan. We discuss the Firefly episode Out Of Gas via transatlantic audio commentary. Other episodes relating to Firefly can be found at www.bigdamncommentaries.com  As always, feedback and suggestions are welcome.

In this episode, Keith Kinney and I discuss the Firefly episode, Our Mrs. Reynolds. Deception, trust, love and cross-dressing all get equal air time. As always, feedback and episode suggestions are encouraged.

In this episode, Keith Kinney and I sit down and discuss the Firefly episode, Jaynestown. Themes of symbolism and endorsements for Mudder's Milk run rampant. Commentaries for previous episodes of the Firefly series can be found at bigdamncommentaries.com. As always, feedback is appreciated and suggestions for future episodes are welcome.

This is the second half of the Jaws audio commentary. Allen continues to drink himself stupid, while a loud, elusive weed whacker tries to hog the mic.

Welcome to the first episode of Sofa Dogs. My good friend, Allen Coe and I sit down to record our first audio commentary. Today in the DVD tray, the 1975 classic Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg. It's about three men who share a boat, get drunk and go hunting a big, animatronic shark named Bruce. Due to the film's extensive running time of 2 hours and 6 minutes, this podcast has been slashed in half. We encourage you to watch the film along with us, so if you pause your DVD the moment this ends, you should be able to pick up right where you left off when starting the second episode. So please join us, as I parrot my trivia notes while Allen attempts to drink his own body weight in beer. We appreciate all forms of feedback and suggestions for future commentaries are also welcome.