- MTV
MTV wears new, hilarious 'Pants' well
BY BRIANNE JOHNSON
MTV gives viewers exactly what they need and revisits the neglected realm of scripted television with Thursday night’s fist-pump-free “I Just Want My Pants Back.”
Notebook: 'Cougar Town' is the best show you're not watching
- ABC
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
“Cougar Town” isn’t about Courteney Cox vying for studly 20-somethings. It’s about a close-knit group of adult friends — dubbed the “Cul-de-Sac Crew” — who have a lot of fun and drink a lot of wine.
Barnes is back and as frenzied as ever on 'Paralytic Stalks'
- Polyvinyl
BY KATIE STEEN
Hey, psych majors: This album’s for you! Of Montreal’s latest LP, Paralytic Stalks, is almost an hour’s worth of Kevin Barnes singing, chatting, chanting and shrieking about his bouts of depression. Enjoy!
Leaving nostalgia behind on Dr. Dog's latest effort
- ANTI-
BY GEOFF MARINO
Dr. Dog has long been derided as a lonely bit of ’60s nostalgia floating in an ocean of 21st century musical innovations. However, Be The Void doesn’t give anyone opportunity to engage in such criticism.
NBC brings a 'Smash' hit to television
- NBC
BY PROMA KHOSLA
NBC’s midseason headliner “Smash” is everything “Glee” isn’t and it’s probably many things “Glee” aspired to be. The plot is simple: 24-year-old Karen Cartwright (“American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee) wants to make it big on Broadway.
'Chronicle' brings excitement and originality back to the superhero genre
- 20th Century Fox
BY AKSHAY SETH
Unlike many of the tastelessly boring superhero adaptations released this past year (our glowering eyes are trained squarely on you, “Green Lantern”), “Chronicle” is entertaining and meaningful.
Complicated plot drowns star-studded 'Big Miracle'
- Universal
BY ARIELLE ACKERMAN
Director Ken Kwapis delivers another moderately heartwarming tale about an animal rescue with far too many subplots in his latest film, “Big Miracle.”
Exploring and expanding musical horizons with WCBN
- Adam Glanzman/Daily
BY GEOFF MARINO
WCBN prides itself and values the community aspect it can provide. Unlike Internet music sites, in which the listener interacts with a computer, WCBN wants to foster the experience of communal music listening.
Kring crafts muddled but promising pilot with 'Touch'
- FOX
BY PROMA KHOSLA
The main characters in “Touch” are Martin Bohm (Sutherland) and his 11-year-old son, Jake (newcomer David Mazouz). The strained relationship between Martin and Jake is the greatest victory of the pilot.
Powerful vocals can't hide shallow core on Del Rey's debut effort
- Interscope
BY KATIE STEEN
The transfixing nature of Lana’s vocals isn’t enough to carry Born to Die. The album is unashamedly produced, incorporating orchestral flourishes, innumerous sound effects of incoherent yelling and a hip-hop backing in almost every song.
- ABC
'Revenge' brings depth and deftness to soap format
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
“Revenge” takes everything that makes a soap opera gripping — the cliffhangers, the complicated relationships, the snappy dialogue — and injects less common attributes of the genre: careful storytelling and subtle character work.
Jacob Axelrad: Trent Reznor deserves a spot next to movie-music legends
BY JACOB AXELRAD
Winning an Oscar isn’t necessary to show that the hard-edged style of Reznor can do wonders for the movies as well as a 100-piece symphony.
- Epic
The Fray's scars tell no stories on latest effort
BY GREGORY HICKS
It might be time for The Fray to swallow its pride and get songwriting or production assistance from a reputable name. The band needs to organize its priorities if it anticipates continuing to work in the music industry.
Lauren Caserta: Learning the importance of process in East Asian calligraphy
BY LAUREN CASERTA
Many East Asian practitioners consider the process of creation just as important as the piece of art that takes shape, turning the actions of writing, gardening or even serving tea into carefully choreographed displays.
- CBS Films
Daniel Radcliffe returns in refreshing and chilling 'The Woman in Black'
BY SEAN CZARNECKI
Adapted from the Susan Hill novel of the same name, “The Woman in Black” forgoes blood thrills, machetes and whatever creative weapon Hollywood can dream up.
Lack of context means no triple crown for HBO's 'Luck'
BY KELLY ETZ
From the first scene of Hoffman in jail through roughly the next hour, the lack of explanation leaves the viewer in an unfamiliar terrain with no idea how to navigate through the politics — both upfront and backdoor — or the bewildering jargon.
Canterbury House to offer 24-hour improv-music fundraiser
BY LAUREN CASERTA
Tonight, the International Society for Improvised Music will pull together some of Ann Arbor’s most talented musicians for a fundraiser as unpredictable as the songs the artists will create on a whim.
University of Michigan Symphony Band to play at Hill
BY DHRUV MADEKA
At the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, no band is more competitive for undergraduates than the University Symphony Band, which will be showcasing its talent for the first time this year tonight at Hill Auditorium with four pieces.
