Review: Chiller, New Horror Network

I wanted to make sure I really sampled this new satellite station before reviewing it, and I've come to the appropriate conclusion:

This is my new favorite channel on TV (until there's the ANTM TV, then all bets are off). Any station that airs Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Night Gallery, Friday the 13th: The Series, Twin Peaks, Monster (it has it's moments, but not the greatest), and starting next week Freddy's Nightmares, plus plenty of horror films (including Abbot and Costello Meet the Mummy - the only of those films I have not seen before).

It's not perfect, but it's as close to perfect as any network launch I've ever seen. The commercials are either for Chiller itself or a few smaller ads that don't bug too much. There is editing to account for 30/60 minute formats of the modern age (most apparent in Hitchcock, but those were 27 + minute episodes aired when there was just the intro and closer commercials, so naturally there would be cuts).

All I'm waiting for is some original programming to hit the station. A reality show would be great (Brain Blast!: The Blair Witch Project meets The Amazing Race: Teams of three race around scary locations all over the world to complete challenges, one team killed off (not really, but that would be the gimick, like on Monster House with the gallows) each challenge; I should send a letter, that's brilliant).

This is run by the same company that made Sci-Fi, and so far it seems to have improved tenfold over the Sci-Fi launch. Hopefully they won't start making awful awful movies every week (actually, awful horror films are far more enjoyable than awful Sci-Fi, so write away, Chiller).

Review: X-Play: The Musical

I'll say it right now: I have nothing but good things to say about the long-standing institution of video game wisdom: X-Play. Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb are funny, intelligent, and so natural on camera that you can't help but love them for it.

In a total display of geeky fandom, I will now review the second best episode of X-Play ever: The recently aired X-Play: The Musical.

The plot is familiar for anyone who knows plots: The devil offers a deal to Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb that they can't refuse: X-Play: The Official Game. Once they sign the contract, Adam and Morgan think they will live the good life, until they get to play the finished product. It turns out the game is utterly unplayable for two reasons: one - it's only for Dreamcast (the horror), and two - it's the spawn of Satan and believes that Adam and Morgan are it's parents, constantly crying out for love. Adam and Morgan make the difficult decision to give the game a horrible, horrible review, and they all live happily ever after, except for everyone who dies.

The original songs are extremely impressive - while all of the titles are clever plays on classic show tunes, including A Game is Born and Gamer's Lament, the songs are true to the world of musical theater without being stolen from musical theater. Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb do perfectly competent jobs with the singing, especially since those songs are actually pretty tricky to sing. The production values are top-notch, even if the hired dancers aren't always in step, and all of your favorite bit players - mine's Drunk Link - make appearances in the episode.

The fact that the show is willing to do a musical episode shows that Adam and Morgan still have fun making this show, no matter how many times they mention hating the network, their lives, their work, and each other. It truly is a joy to watch a TV musical episode that isn't just a blatant gimmick to get people to turn in (like, say a musical episode of Scrubs starring a non-singing Stephanie D'Abruzzo (if you're going to cast one of Broadway's brightest stars, why would she not be singing in every damn scene...)) that actually works as an encapsulated musical.

Should I hate myself for enjoying this? What do you think?