John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged comedy · everything

www.theringer.com

The 100 Best TV Episodes of the Century - The Ringer

The Ringer updated its 2018 ranking of the 100 best TV episodes of the century to reflect seven years of new television, a period during which streaming services fundamentally changed how shows are made and consumed. The revision added 27 new episodes while maintaining the original list's commitment to representing television's full range of genres rather than limiting itself to prestige dramas. The methodology remained consistent: staff submitted favorites, with one episode per show allowed and only episodes released after July 2018 eligible for inclusion or replacement.

Permalink televisionfilmrankingsdrama

Apple Music - Web Player

www.bbc.com

Digger review: Tom Cruise takes the 'biggest risk of his career' in this 'love-it-or-hate-it' folly ★★★★☆

Directed by Alejandro G Iñárritu, *Digger* is an intentionally bizarre and politically uncompromising eco-satire in which Tom Cruise transforms himself into a bloated, grotesque Texas oil baron whose drilling operation causes a catastrophic iceberg to drift toward Europe, forcing a bumbling US government to respond. The film combines heavy-handed satire about environmental destruction and bureaucratic incompetence with two significant high-concept twists that reframe the entire narrative, making it a divisive "love-it-or-hate-it folly" rather than a prestige picture designed to win awards. Though audiences will likely be divided by its excessive style and sometimes exhausting runtime, *Digger* represents Cruise committing to an unconventional artistic vision with the same ambitious intensity he brings to his action films.

Permalink filmcomedyreviewsclimate

apple.news

Apple Music - Web Player

Sugalumps by Flight of the Conchords on Apple Music

Plays from YouTube. Nothing is loaded from Google until you press play.

Flight of the Conchords' second album turns genre parody into its own art form, with targets specific enough to land but songs sturdy enough to survive without the reference points. The piece singles out the Black Eyed Peas, R. Kelly, and Sting send-ups as proof the duo skewer with affection rather than contempt, treating "Too Many Dicks (On the Dance Floor)" as the album's purest distillation of that fond mockery.

Permalink musiccomedy

screenrant.com

8 Near-Perfect Time Loop Movies That Do Something Different

A rundown of eight time-loop films that twist the familiar Groundhog Day formula in distinct ways: The Endless traps each character in their own separate, coexisting loop as a metaphor for nostalgia's pull; Palm Springs and Happy Death Day complicate the trope with a community of loopers and a mortal, unmasking-the-killer stakes clock, respectively; Donnie Darko and The Matrix Reloaded obscure or truncate the loop's mechanics entirely; and Timecrimes, Primer, and Run Lola Run push the concept toward slasher paradox, hard-science realism, and kinetic videogame-like momentum. Worth keeping as a quick reference for how differently the subgenre can handle repetition, memory, and stakes beyond the standard "same day, personal growth" template.

Permalink filmhorrorcomedysci-fi

www.rollingstone.com

From Turd Ferguson to the Moth: Norm Macdonald’s Most Memorable TV Moments

Norm Macdonald, the deadpan comedian who died at 61, built a legendary career on presenting everyday absurdities with pragmatic understatement rather than exaggeration, delivered in his distinctive nasal voice while maintaining the persona that everyone around him had lost their minds. The piece highlights memorable moments across his three decades in comedy, including his spot-on impressions (Letterman, Bob Dole), iconic SNL sketches (Celebrity Jeopardy's "Turd Ferguson," the gang war bit "Cobras vs. Panthers"), his nearly three-minute shaggy-dog story about a moth at a podiatrist, his deliberate bombing at the Bob Saget roast to satirize celebrity roasts themselves, and his charming on-air flirtation with Courtney Thorne-Smith. Throughout these clips and appearances, Macdonald demonstrated an unmatched ability to build comedy through patience and timing, often finding humor in the audience's confusion or discomfort rather than relying on obvious punchlines.

Permalink televisioncomedy

www.buzzfeed.com

18 Of The Best British TV Shows To Watch Right Now

A listicle compiling 18 British television shows recommended by readers as underrated or lesser-known gems, spanning multiple genres including dramas, comedies, and crime thrillers. The shows listed range from dark psychological pieces like *In My Skin* and *The Fall* to comedies like *Outnumbered*, *Peep Show*, and *Friday Night Dinner*, with brief descriptions noting what makes each worth watching.

Permalink televisiondramacomedyrecommendations

lifehacker.com

25 of the Best Hulu Original Series You Should Be Watching

This Lifehacker roundup by Ross Johnson highlights Hulu’s strongest original programming, arguing the platform’s output reaches far beyond headline hits to include bold dramas, comedy, animation, and genre fare. The list surveys recent and legacy titles—from sci‑fi prequel [[Alien: Earth]] and legal drama [[Reasonable Doubt]] to suburban thriller [[Paradise]] and true‑crime adaptation [[The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox]]—alongside lighter entries like sitcom revival [[King of the Hill]], workplace comedy [[Deli Boys]], queer ensemble [[Mid-Century Modern]], teen fantasy [[Spellbound]], and family animation [[The Bravest Knight]]. Johnson emphasizes standout performances, creative showrunners, and Hulu’s appetite for both serialized prestige and smaller, risk-taking series, recommending viewers explore beyond the platform’s buzzy hits to discover diverse voices and unexpected gems. It mixes 2024–25 releases with older favorites while flagging renewals and binge‑friendly picks.

Permalink televisiondramacomedyentertainment

eddieonfilm.blogspot.com

Edward Copeland on Film...and more: Comic Training, Sir!

This retrospective essay celebrates *Stripes* as a quintessential early-1980s comedy that channels the anarchistic spirit of SNL-era comedies through Bill Murray's deadpan performance and his chemistry with Harold Ramis as two directionless men who enlist in the Army to get their lives together. The piece traces the film's development from its origins as a Cheech and Chong concept, analyzes the brilliance of Murray's comedic choices and subtle physical humor, and credits director Ivan Reitman with casting Warren Oates as the perfect authoritarian foil and allowing improvisation on set to enhance the comedy. While acknowledging the weak final act set in an Eastern Bloc country, the author argues that the film's strong first two-thirds, witty dialogue, and ensemble cast make it one of Murray's finest comedies, though its premise feels dated in contemporary times when military service lacks the whimsical appeal it had during the Cold War.

Permalink filmcomedy1980sclassics

kottke.org

www.youtube.com

www.fanfiction.net

Look, Chloe, try 2 stop laughing sohard at this. Chloe.

This is a comedic Twilight fanfiction where a bored Bella gets drunk playing strip poker with Emmett and Jasper while Edward is away hunting, leading to a compromising scene when he returns home early. The story uses humorous nicknames for the characters (like "Soulja Boy" for Jasper) and is told from multiple perspectives, with this section showing Bella's drunken antics and the brothers' panicked reaction to Edward's arrival. The piece plays on the contrast between Bella's typically serious character and her uninhibited drunk behavior for comedic effect.

Permalink comedyhumor

www.fanfiction.net

Big Man on Campus, a Twilight fanfic - FanFiction.Net

This is a Twilight fanfiction set in a college AU where Bella and Edward go on their first date at a rented Italian restaurant, discovering they share a love of Debussy and enjoying witty banter with a jealous waitress. The story captures their chemistry through small romantic gestures and comfortable silences, ending with Bella returning to her dorm smitten but adhering to her rule about not kissing on first dates. It's a lighthearted take on the canonical romance, reimagining the characters as college students navigating early dating dynamics.

Permalink romancecomedy

www.youtube.com