#187 Crossing The Streams Gets Weird (Bonus Ep40) – Great TV binge watching suggestions!

CTS Announcer 0:01

Looking for your next TV show or movie to binge? Well buckle up, grab the remote and settle into your couch for this special edition of crossing the streams. We're here to help you tune in and get the most out of those 50 monthly streaming channels you're currently paying for. So without any further ado, here's your host of crossing the streams. Jeff Dwoskin

Jeff Dwoskin 0:29

Hey, oh, it is I Jeff Dwoskin your host of classic conversations and you're a special tour guide through this bonus episode of crossing the streams. What is crossing the streams? Well glad jazz. It's where we answer the universal question. I just finished watching something on TV. What should I watch next? You need TV binge watching suggestions. We got your back, you've come to the right place on our YouTube channel. We have over 95 hours of full episodes of crossing the streams. We're live every Wednesday at 9:30pm Eastern time you can join us live and chat along with us or as I'm feeling you're doing at this moment. You're just sitting waiting for this podcast stream to feed you a bonus episode and here we are we will not disappoint. We have segments from Episode 472 and 95 heads right we're going back to Episode Four. Whoo. We got three shows for you today dark Weird Al Yankovic story and bad Santa kicking off Christmas with bad Santa. We're gonna start this bonus episode off talking about the TV show dark from our Live episode number 72. Ron lipid take it away. We're gonna talk about dark.

Ron Lippitt 1:41

Yeah, so our so this is another Netflix algorithm. I seem to be hooked on that week after week. You know, I mentioned this to the group that I was gonna be watching this program. And I believe it was Bob Phillips, who's not with us this evening. One half of the

Jeff Dwoskin 1:55

he didn't die. He's just not with us.

Ron Lippitt 1:57

He had mentioned I believe it was Sal, I believe it was body that mentioned that he tried and couldn't get through it. I have to say it's three seasons show on Netflix each episode 45 minutes long first seasons 10 episodes, and then two more seasons, each with eight episodes. And this tells the story of a fictional town in Germany called Winden. That built a nuclear reactor that had a disaster in 1986. That was kept under wraps. And nobody knew really what ended up happening that caused an explosion to happen. But what they also didn't know is that the show explains how it opens up a time space wormhole underneath the area where the power plant was built cave that the locals know about. And in this wormhole, depending upon where you go through this wormhole, you either advance 33 years into the future, or 33 years into the past. And so the show is it begins in 1986. A third of the show is envision 2019 and others third of the show is in 1953. So already it's a complicated show to follow. There's a tremendous number of flashbacks and flash forwards. And I don't know about you guys, but shows with a lot of flash forwards and flashbacks. You have to be really careful with those otherwise you could lose your audience you don't know, you know, you lose track of what's going on complicating this even further is the fact that there they are following four major character arcs, which are actually family character arcs, the town is trying to solve two murders or two mysterious disappearances of children in 1986. And of course, what's your find out and this is not wrecking anything, what you find out is that they weren't murdered, they disappeared into the wormhole. And what you find out that comes through that shocks everybody, because these kids are not dead. Where are they are the better question yet? When are they? And that's really it opens up just this incredible green blasting conversation around space and time. And the idea of wormholes, which by the way, is a very real thing. And the idea of black holes and white holes and the idea of does the past and the future and the Presidents all exist at the same time. Right? And that's where you get into the whole concepts of the metaverse and all this stuff that we've I think we've addressed in other shows, on crossing the streams. The show itself, though difficult to follow, especially early on, it gets its act together very quickly. And I will tell you, this show is a masterpiece. It is an absolute thought provoking freaking roller coaster that asks all kinds of provoking questions that you don't really know the answer to. And if you can get through the first three or four episodes I promise you, it's going to take you to a place that you're gonna be thinking about for a long time afterwards. There is a season two and three. I haven't watched it yet. My understanding is that they're even stronger than season one. Again, this is a German show, so it is German subtitles. I did attempt excuse me in English Subtitles In the original German I did attempt to watch it with dubbed and yeah, we've already discussed this and we

Jeff Dwoskin 5:07

decide that yeah just family flashforward and flashbacks? Yes. So it's basically this is us with, with with wormholes.

Ron Lippitt 5:15

It's with wormholes. Exactly right there is there is some nudity, there is some violence, it is definitely an R rated watch. But that being said, it's not that extreme. I mean, it's more it's more thought provoking. It's there's no gratuitous anything in the show. I'll also tell you, there's very little in the way of special effects on the show. And I say that as a compliment. This is a conceptual show. It's a cerebral kind of show. And the acting is fan tastic. The casting is fantastic the scene and set up and the fact that they somehow have access for real to a nuclear power plant to shoot this thing is pretty amazing. I am really, really impressed by it so impressed that even though I watched the first series first season rather for our review today, and crossing the streams, I'm actually going to force time to watch the second and third seasons because I legitimately am thrilled with my fine and I want to see what's going to happen. It's only three seasons, which is fantastic. It ends let me be clear about that. It's three seasons and it's done it so it's a quick watch. The other thing I'll just mention earlier and crossing the streams I would say probably maybe 20 or 30 episodes ago I reviewed a another German period piece called Generation war which is a world war two fantastic piece in German again with the subtitles one of the star characters from that show, which I absolutely loved is one of the star characters also in dark took me a couple episodes to realize that holy crap that's one of the Nazis from generation four. It's It's amazing when you recognize people, you know, foreign people speaking foreign languages and other and other types of shows. So it's pretty cool. There's good stuff happening in Europe, you guys. I think that's,

Jeff Dwoskin 6:54

I talked about before subtext.

Ron Lippitt 6:57

Yep. And Netflix seems to date Netflix produced it. Netflix owns the rights and yet again, I think they did a great job but it's not for everybody. I think it's if you're not if you're looking for these people that are looking for humor, are you looking for action? Are you looking for special effects? This is not for you. But if you're looking for a thought provoking something that's going to take you on a ride with something that I think is conceptual and pretty interesting. Give this one a shot. I think you'll really appreciate it.

Jeff Dwoskin 7:23

Carmen says it sounds dark Carmen. How

Tim Beisiegel 7:25

are you up Carmen? So Ron, just make sure I understood you. You said that it's it's spoken German with English subtitles Correct? That's right.

Ron Lippitt 7:32

Did you find that difficult to follow? Because I had a problem with subtitles i don't in fact, we've talked about this a lot and you know in other episodes in the You have minute on we talked a lot about I think it at the time squid game came up and there had been a debate about do you watch that in the original, you know, do the dubbing apparently the dubbing is is decent. By some standards. I found the dubbing to be absolutely unwatchable like destroying the show. So I again, this is I'm talking about squid game now but I I just as a general sense don't agree with dubbing if you don't get a sense for the characters themselves, you're not listening to their true voice. You can't hear their own inflections it's like you're losing a giant chunk of the of the of the sense of the show and when you do dubbing Okay, so

Jeff Dwoskin 8:21

I agree we have subtitles on now for everything. I watched the first hour of the Batman and I gotta tell you subtitles helps when Batman is like us Yeah, yeah. Oh, lies with us. Yeah,

Ron Lippitt 8:37

yeah, they need they need 40 to spray water I mean to keep me awake for the Batman but that's another story. Yeah, guys check check it out. Watch watch the first couple episodes you'll get a sense for it and I would love to hear your opinion on

Jeff Dwoskin 8:48

it All right, sounds like another algorithm winner for Ron Lippitt that was dark up next we're kicking December off with bad Santa this is from Live episode four where we did our very first Christmas episode when we started crossing the streams way back when take it away. Ross

Howard Rosner 9:08

Yeah, so bad Santa Bad Santa is a movie I remember when it came out. It was very, you know, not majorly reviewed, didn't have a ton of buzz and went to see it on a whim and just died laughing the entire time it It's Billy Bob Gordon. Obviously I swear to God, it's the role he was born to play no question. He is so perfectly in the role the gist of the movie if you haven't seen it, II and his partner, a little person, have a Santa elf team that year after year, go to various towns, malls department stores, play Santa in itself and then steal a bunch of money and then find a new place to do it the next year. He's a drunk with very little positive prospects in his life. The end interplay between the two of them is great. It's also got it's the last movie role for John Ritter. In fact, the movie was dedicated and to his memory. It's also it's a great movie. There are some lines that are that are absolutely absolutely hysterical and superb the kid which that's what he's called in the movie is in the credits as the kid is one of the weirdest but funniest characters you'll find. In a movie The security guard played by the late Why am I forgetting his name? Back from the oceans who have his pretty Mac? Bernie Mac his characters great. My favorite scene in the movie without question is where he gets drunk. Santa gets struck Billy Bob and passes out and Bernie Mac and Marcus have a conversation about getting him out to the car Bernie Mac takes tells him to get him out to the car and he says draw me a friggin map about how I'm sick. I'm three foot tall. Like Leonardo da Vinci. Draw me a map Leonardo da Vinci of how I get him out to the car. It's just a really raw movie. But then there's also some touching parts of it too, which make you feel for the character a little bit. It is like the movie we discussed last week vacation when with apt came off. It is a great movie with an absolutely atrocious sequel, that was a disaster. But it's really good. If you want a seriously adult, don't show it to the kids. To show to the kid, in case you are unaware, and you probably you probably figure that out in the first five minutes of the movie, but it's it's a great movie, and definitely an adult movie. In fact, I remember watching it with Ron and Jeff on a whitewater rafting trip in our cabin, and in the middle of summer, and all of us laughing our asses off because it's just it's one of those movies. That's really funny. But when you're really slap happy with a group of people, it's 10 times funnier. And that was one of those moments so Ross was is would you

Ron Lippitt 12:10

put this top five in your all time Christmas holiday movies? Oh,

Howard Rosner 12:14

yeah, no question. It's no question. It's probably top three in all time comedy movies. Jeff's choice alphas I'm sure got to be number one. And then Christmas vacation which we discussed last week is probably number two and then band Sans is right there. Yeah, it's it's a great fun watch. And just I was watching it the other night it was on and it was late at night and I couldn't sleep and I ended up watching it and just my wife is like we shot up laughing out loud. At the scenes with Marcus the scene when they try and teach the kid how to protect himself in the boxing ring is also another great one. So yeah, amazing. I cannot recommend it enough. But again, do not let your kids

Jeff Dwoskin 13:01

watch. Couple of things. One is Have you guys seen bad moms are bad moms Christmas so that moms and moms is good. Yeah, right. And then bad ones because I we watched it recently. It's one of those movies that I would never watch with my kids but my kids are seeing 50 times. It's like it's so I think they watch these movies. But oh my goodness. Alright, so we got a couple of things so superfan Aaron says What? No Jingle All the Way Aaron it was in the top 10 We wanted of course Jingle All the Way. That's the one I think we're Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying to get that. Right. And then

Howard Rosner 13:36

hang around till next Christmas, Erin. And we'll do it for sure.

Jeff Dwoskin 13:39

Yeah, we'll do that next

Howard Rosner 13:41

episode 56.

Jeff Dwoskin 13:44

And we'll have Aaron you'll be on and you can talk about Yeah, all the way. And then and then the good news. Casey Ryan plot Mr. Rosner fantastic flex he's convinced he's convinced he's gonna be watching I think he's gonna rewatch or

Howard Rosner 13:59

not being able to convince Stacy Ryan plot last week my choice I'm glad that I convinced him this.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:04

You gotta you gotta Dwoskin save if I remember correctly.

Howard Rosner 14:09

I think I'm to two for three for four with our episodes for Casio right?

Jeff Dwoskin 14:17

All right, get into the holiday spirit. Join us live every Wednesday 9:30pm. Eastern time throughout December South Emilio usually has some amazing Christmas rom coms that he talks about during the live show. But right now, as promised, we're the Al Yankovic story, find it on Roku. Find my review right here. Take it away me. Let's talk about weird the Al Yankovic story. Have you guys seen this? We've seen I have not. I haven't seen it. Michael and I have seen it so awesome. It is streaming for free on the Roku channel. I think you can get a Roku something.com. I mean, they basically want you to see this movie, and it's totally free and it's You can find it if you Google I, I think I've even seen weird owl joke about. Yeah, I'm

Mike White 15:05

sure you have a torrent of questions. Yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin 15:08

And so the documentary talks about his life. It's starring Daniel Radcliffe. It's the first indicator that this is not a normal documentary, Daniel Radcliffe stars as Weird Al VaQ, a much more handsome man than the real one himself. So the beauty of this documentary is that it's surreal like most documentaries that are I think, strive for accuracy, this one aimed for maybe 20 25% accurate. And that's the beauty of it. That's that was what they kind of reveled in and what they really were going for. Let me just say growing up Weird Al Yankovic was by far one of my favorites. I love to wear it out. And he would take over MTV, I mean, every time he would come out with a new album, I mean, weird out was moments for me. I was Billy Joel, Elton John, classic rock and weird owl. And so I've always enjoyed him, right. I've seen I've seen him in concert. But the one thing about where now that he's always joked about is he has no, like, there's no drama in his backstory at all. He was he wasn't an alcoholic. He never was rock bottom. He never right. You know, we happen to have very supportive parents. There's been some tragedies in his life, but after the fact that of becoming famous, so he just had a sick, he was just a normal person with a very successful career, who just happened to be really good at what he did. So making fun of that, and itself, the documentary recreates a visionary version that led to that weird hour that we know. And so they just made up all the drama that you would need and most of it, these type of stories, his parents were against him, you know, it's father as a backstory of also of playing an accordion and, and having his heart broken and dreams crushed. And we didn't want that for a sign. It's like, that's what they did do or that's, yeah, they blow that. No, that's what they do they Okay, I'd say the one thing that was true, if you watch the movie, this won't ruin anything as the guy coming to the door with the accordion. That part's true. I mean, that wouldn't be the one thing you would think is true. But there's Rainn Wilson is brilliant as Dr. Demento document, Dr. Demento was a real is a real person was very instrumental in in Weird Al's career in life and mentoring. There's a whole thing with Madonna and this. Which

Mike White 17:33

way was it? Evelyn? Rachel would?

Jeff Dwoskin 17:37

Yes, she. Yeah, yeah,

Mike White 17:40

she does a great job. She's got the voice and some of the mannerisms.

Howard Rosner 17:45

I think she's great. She's a great actress. Oh, yeah,

Mike White 17:47

he was unrecognizable, as Madonna as well. She

Jeff Dwoskin 17:51

was hardcore, everything you'd want from 90s Madonna, they kind of fabricate a hilarious or 80s Madonna 80s 90s core Madonna, like what we all think of his, but it may just created a whole backstory for them. I think there was one thread of truth, which is, it was her idea or like a surgeon. And then the other thing that was true from the movie is that there is a such a thing as a Yankovic bomb that if he does one of your songs, your you will see a rise in your own album sales. I totally recommend this movie 1,000% My wife who is not a weird fan, she does not like him. But she's, you know, now the thing was rolling during this movie Good. And sometimes more than I was. And it was just like, it really caught her off guard, I think how much she really, really, really enjoyed the movie. And there's just tons of unnecessary, hilarious cameos of people playing people. And it's just, it's just, I can't say enough about it. It's such an enjoyable, like I said, like hour 47, something like

Mike White 18:58

that. Yeah, something like that. Yeah, it moves along very quickly. And they show their hand very early on that this is all completely made up. But it just gets more and more and more absurd as it goes along. I mean, the whole thing of how he is determined to write original songs. And when he finally writes this amazing original song and some kid named Michael Jackson comes along and parodies that. Yeah, I could see why he was so mad about it. And then I mean, I remember when he got shot. So that was really rough.

Jeff Dwoskin 19:37

Oh, my God, was his resurgence running with scissors. And is that been 20 years?

Mike White 19:42

It has been Yeah, that was because the second begins. I believe

Jeff Dwoskin 19:45

that what was the one what was his most recent one? No, no, he had won in 2011. And I must say, right, even that was 10 years ago, Amish paradise

Howard Rosner 19:53

was a huge research niche for him. Yeah,

Jeff Dwoskin 19:57

well, right. Right. But I mean, but not too long ago he had He came out with an album. It was all digital and it was like it kind of blew up he became his videos were huge again. What were Yeah,

Mike White 20:07

it did videos for almost every single song on that album. I think there was word of

Jeff Dwoskin 20:11

that. That was Oh, was that our pocket? Apocalypse?

Mike White 20:15

I think it might be. I mean, I used to like you, Jeff. I used to collect them. I used to have them on vinyl. I had the special order the very first one because it wasn't being carried at my local record store. And I was like, no, no, I have to have this and yeah, let's still have the the old record and it's even got in the run out groove that it's got little messages inside of there, like using accordion go to jail. always eat your spinach was one of them. So yeah, I used to love weardale. So anything that he's involved in, I mean, I don't think that this will be as much of a classic to me as UHF but I also saw UHF when it was out so that holds a very special place in my heart. But I am so glad whenever owl does anything that hits with people, it just makes me so happy. It's never one of those like Well, I'm a true fan. I've been with them since the beginning because it's just like no I want more people to enjoy weird owl and that he's getting out there even more. It's just fantastic.

Howard Rosner 21:12

One of my favorite moments in my lifetime with Mr. Dwoskin was you and I watching UHF for the first time on VHS I think and the supplies joke are great

Jeff Dwoskin 21:26

moments. I say that's myself. I think

Howard Rosner 21:30

badgers We don't need no stinking badgers.

Mike White 21:34

I would love when he's yelling at the guy with this stupid hat. Kevin McCarthy kick the ridiculous thing off and he just kills his mustache off instead.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:46

Why did you have some favor? I have my think my favorite weird ow songs I mean I have a lot I eat it was I think always one of my wise money the Beverly Hills belly one is great. The Money For Nothing one. Yeah, Brian Kaiser Amish paradise is classic.

Mike White 22:02

Oh, yeah. I mean even like his his latest, like, white nerdy and that was frickin fantastic. Yeah, word crabs is a great great for it is great. And that party with the CIA? The Miley? Miley Cyrus parody. Yeah, I mean, yeah, he was just knocking him out or what was the instead of what Royals foil and it's him as a conspiracy theorist?

Jeff Dwoskin 22:25

Yeah, I think that was the whatever that was that was hit the last album. I think he's always

Howard Rosner 22:32

true to the music. That's one of the key things. Yeah, you know, he's he's very faithful to the actual original news.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:38

Interesting, too. He always would ask, like I read the prints turned him down four times. There was that infamous Coolio thing that kuliah before being set straight that he was happy and realize he had made a mistake taking issue with it. And that they how how good it actually was. I think Gump I heard they didn't like that line. I think I think that gets to a point to or they're like, Oh, weird. I was doing so then if you didn't like this just didn't like it. Right? I think I think is hit ratio, though. Is is so high. It's so nice. Like nirvana. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I can't remember. I

Howard Rosner 23:15

think I lost on Jeopardy might have been the first one that I remember.

Mike White 23:19

That video was fantastic.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:21

I mean, you know, that helps 3d album wear it out?

Howard Rosner 23:24

Well, especially because back in those days, I mean, Greg kins Jeopardy was like, only MTV, heavy rotation. So that was a big, you know, parody. So I rewatched

Mike White 23:35

the video for eat it today. And it's just so spot on. Even the actors like I need to go back and watch them side by side because the guys that play the gang members, like especially the one who like kinda leans back, he's got the big sunglasses, the way they straighten a lot. He looks so much like the guy that was in the original animal to the point where I'm like, Is that the guy you know?

Jeff Dwoskin 23:56

I think the other thing I was pointing out to my wife because we're coming home and weird Allah taken over, I think the ad station on CRS or something and he has an amazing vocal range he takes Yeah, to be like when you even doing like, like a surgeon, he even though it's a male voice, he had a very Madonna sounding voice when he's saying it like he could get into that, right. I don't know what the words are register or whatever it is. But it was the album I was thinking of as Mandatory Fun. In 2014, where he came out and did all these new out new things, and he kind of blew up again, I can't believe that it's been six, seven years. Well,

Mike White 24:36

his band is amazing that they can sound like so many different things and you've got a camera or if it's jam Bermuda shorts or who it is. It's doing the guitar solo that was parroting Eddie Van Halen doing the guitar solo and beat it and he's hitting, you know, he sounds just as good to me.

Jeff Dwoskin 24:54

They're all amazing. And he's, if you see him live, it's an amazing live experience. And so supposedly the Carnegie Hall he did like 170 Some tour thing just recently ended in Carnegie Hall. And that was supposed to be amazing, like amazing. But he does he does. When you see him live, he does a lot of the songs full but then he does met melodies match.

Mike White 25:18

Those maps that he does are amazing. Oh, because

Jeff Dwoskin 25:20

he has to because now he has so many songs. Yeah, we hit so he hits like a bunch of them. He did a full on the one with American Pie, which is the story of The Phantom Menace.

Mike White 25:32

So good, so much

Howard Rosner 25:34

better than the movie itself. And I've become a big fan of the Dan band over the years, which is, you know, the Dan bands in is the band with the random swearing in some of the Todd Phillips movies hangover at the wedding and old school at the wedding Starsky anoche the guy that always you know, the famous, their biggest song is Total Eclipse of the Heart, where he's just swearing for no reason. They're another band that's so good, musically. When you see like, if you watch their live clips on YouTube, they're so good musically. And then he throw you know, they throw in the swearing out of nowhere, and it just adds a nice little parody touch to it. So pretty cool.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:16

Very cool. Very cool. And interestingly enough that this when weird out does AES the original artists get what's called I guess, mechanical license. And so that's how the royalties are paid to the original composers for the sales of his because he is using their music so that's interesting so I Well yeah, I definitely find is on the Roku channel streaming for free. I think you can get it on the web and anywhere they want you to see this movie. What's your favorite Weird Al song? Everyone's got their favorite Weird Al song tweeted. Sad Jeff Dwoskin show? Let us know I want to know. Well, you've got a lot of homework. Yeah, Weird Al Yankovic story, you got dark and bad Santa, so much for you to do. I don't know. I don't want to keep you any longer. Go hop on the couch, grab your remote, cross your own streams. And I'll see you next time.

CTS Announcer 27:11

Thanks for listening to this special edition of crossing the streams. Visit us on YouTube for full episodes and catch us live every Wednesday at 9:30pm Eastern time. Now turn this off and go watch some TV. And don't forget to tell your family yeah, I'll be busy for a while.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai