Ty Watches "The Death and Life of Lamar Odom"

I have found that I enjoy watching the "Untold" docu series on Netflix. I'm a sports fan and I have always found it interesting to get some backstory from people who were there, or even better, from people who lived the experience. It is so much better when the person or people in the story happened to talk about it. You know that they are going to tell you just a little more than someone retelling it from their perspective. And now that Netflix has a whole category dedicated to the "Untold" series, it is so much easier for me to turn one on during the day.

Yesterday I watched "The Death and Life of Lamar Odom". When I was younger I used to watch Odom play basketball and was kind of amazed at how easy he made the game look on my tv screen. He was such a fluid and exceptional athlete on the basketball court. I even remember following him during his two years playing college basketball at Rhode Island. He was great then, parlayed that into being the fourth overall pick in his draft class and had a memorable NBA career.

But he is probably more remembered for what this doc focused on.

He married Khloe Kardashian, won a few titles with the Lakers, had a reality show and then had a very bad week at a brothel in Las Vegas. Everyone, including me, thought he wasn't going to make it out of that coma. For people who may not know, Odom went to a brothel one day, stayed there for a week, and the final day he was there he overdosed on drugs and had to be rushed to the hospital. He would eventually come out of the coma and he is still alive today. But when he was overdosing I guess he said he had twelve strokes and six heart attacks. That is wild. This doc focused on that night and his relationship with Khloe Karhdashian. Sure, they talked about his first fiance, the kids they had, his NBA career, but the crux of everything was the brothel and his and Khloe's relationship. This was where the doc got a little tedious to me. The last 50 or so minutes were all about this stuff. And I get why. This is the salacious details that documentaries like this crave. You want to see the downfall and where they may be today. But I prefer the stuff that leads up to all of that. I loved the first 40 minutes of the doc. This was where they focused on his basketball career. This was where we learned about his childhood. This was where we got to see him play on the fun Clippers teams with Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson. We also got to see his short time on the Heat. But when he was traded to the Lakers, and especially when he met Khloe Kardashian, this was when his life took a massive turn and this was when the documentary became a bit too much for me.

I didn't really know how to feel when I was watching. I'm a Lamar Odom fan, but he did this to himself. I get it, addiction is a disease. It's a problem and it can take over your entire life. People with addiction need real help. But when someone gets this involved, I put the majority of the blame on them. And Odom is a true, true addict. And it's not just drugs with him, he is also a sex addict. But, while watching, I never felt for him. I never wanted to reach out and help him get help. I was just watching him self-destruct, and that felt gross to me. As for Khloe Kardashian, I have never been a fan of the whole Kardashian thing. They're just not my vibe. They're reality tv people with no real skill or use to me. I'm not knocking what they do, they have found their niche and they're capitalizing on it. Good for them. They just aren't my cup of tea. And in watching Khloe retell her side of the story, I felt nothing for her either. It felt hollow. Some of it felt fake to me. I just didn't buy everything. And when the movie ended, I just kind of let it go and moved on with my day. After a lot of documentaries I find myself thinking more and more about them. That didn't happen with this doc. It came and went. I felt nothing. The news, for the most part, wasn't all that new to me and wasn't the news that I like to read or hear about. It was a wild ride, that's for sure, but it just didn't do much for me.

It felt like a bit of a letdown from "Untold", which for the most part, tells interesting and riveting stories. This one just didn't work for me.

Also, Happy Birthday RD. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere"

I believe that I may have watched 2026's best horror movie yesterday. I was scrolling through Netflix and I came across a preview for a newer documentary titled "Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere". The preview was enough to pique my interest, and with a runtime of 90 minutes, the decision to press play was easy. I also went into the movie knowing it was going to make me upset and angry, but sometimes it is good to get those emotions out. So after pressing play I found myself so angry for the next 90 minutes, I was giving my tv screen the finger when certain people showed up that I vehemently disliked.

For people that may not know, "Inside the Manosphere" shows the life of four of the most controversial and bigoted male influencers currently on the internet. I didn't bother to learn their actual names or internet handles because I despised them so very, very much. I hesitated even doing a review because this could be another way for these monsters to keep themselves relevant for another week on the internet. As I was watching I found myself worried for Theroux's safety, and the safety of random people simply walking by these scumbags on the street. What made this documentary so abhorrent and scary to me was the sheer fact that these are real people who exist in the real world and have found a way to "thrive" simply by putting content on the internet. The ease and fake glamour that comes with internet fame has made me very discouraged as of late, and this movie only furthered my distaste for influencers. These people acted and said the exact stuff I figured they would, and it still made me very angry when they would do it. There was one guy that, no matter what he said, he would always button it with, "and that's a fact". Even if he was saying some wild stuff, he always ended it with that statement. He would say some vile stuff about his wife or someone on the internet, and then finish it with that stupid statement. It infuriated me. This one influencer was talking to some fans, who Theroux would meet up with later, and they were saying that depression was not real. They said it was all manufactured. Then Theroux got onto the topic of family and the same guy who said depression wasn't real told Theroux that his brother died via suicide. That is one of my biggest issues with people who have this line of thought. They contradict themselves within sentences.

There was this other toxic influencer who was making his money degrading women on his awful podcast. He would bring women on from the street just to demean them. And when Theroux pushed and talked to his girlfriend, the toxic influencer was getting so upset that he told his girlfriend to leave, and would not do any further interviews with Theroux unless it was all set up by him. In a surprise to no one, that guy's girlfriend broke up with him. He also had the dumbest calculator he would use on his show to try and prove some kind of fact that doesn't exist. This guy was a truly awful piece of work.

There was another one of these bozos that was banned from pretty much every platform, except for X. This goes to show you how awful that platform has become. X is all about spewing hate speech and getting clicks. It is the worst of the worst when it comes to these types of platforms. But this idiot was thriving on X with his dumbass "political" view videos. This moron was so out there on conspiracy theories that it frustrated me so much whenever he would open his mouth. But the worst thing about this guy, there was a moment during the doc when he was walking down the street and a bunch of young teens, probably 14 or 15, were starstruck when they saw him. It is so upsetting that some of the youth today find solace in idiots like this toxic influencer on the internet. And it was clear that these are the only fans this guy gets because these kids' brains have not fully formed yet, and they are just looking for someone, anyone that talks like they do.

The worst of all was this one guy who was a walking contradiction. He clearly has bi polar disorder and I'd love for him to get help. He really, really needs it. He would talk about not being a "sheep", but then do whatever his followers told him to do. He would constantly talk over or louder than Theroux, and then claim he had "won" the argument. He would bemoan an adult film star in one scenario, but in another he would promote OnlyFans models on his personal site. And he was also involved in horrible investments and he would con his dummy followers by having them invest money as well, and he would pocket a profit from that. Oh, and he was on the run from the police in England. But the funniest thing that Theroux caught on camera was when this dumbbell was talking to his mom and she chastised him, made him clean a spot on his rug and told him to get her juice. He did all of this while calling her mommy.

"Inside the Manosphere" really scared me because people like the morons interviewed in this movie have this weird pull over, mostly, young kids today. These "guys" are toxic and the worst kind of role models young kids can have. They don't think of consequences or have any issues with the terrible things they say and do on the internet. I'm sure they're all very unhappy individuals who have had to resort to doing these things because they are so money obsessed. But the sheer fact that this new world, and social media have unfortunately given them a platform, they are making money hand over fist and they continue to spew hate speech all over the internet. This movie will anger you and make you wish these people never ever found any kind of fame. It is a bummer and I wish people like these monsters never achieved any sort of fame. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Better Late Than Never on "The Platform"

I was out to coffee with my brother and my dad the other day and the two of them kept talking about this movie called "The Platform". Well, that's the name in English. But they were both giving it very positive reviews and remarks. They were talking so much about it so I asked them what the deal was with this movie. I wanted to know why they liked it so much. What made it work. Instead of giving me a breakdown, my dad told me to watch it that day when I got home.

So I did. I fired up Netflix, set it up to the English dub and watched it all unfold for the next 90 minutes. And they were correct. This was a very good, very unique movie. And before people get mad, I know the English dub is the "improper" way to watch a foreign movie, but I didn't feel like reading subtitles, I don't know Spanish and I just wanted to enjoy my time watching the movie. Anyway, as I watched this movie it all started to make sense as to what they were talking about. The whole premise of this movie is that people are put into rooms that are numbered. And each day food is lowered down from room to room on a platform and the people in the rooms have a certain amount of time to eat the food that is on the platform. So, if you are on one of the first 20 or so floors, you're eating ok. But as the platform goes further down, food gets more scarce until there is none left. The movie tells us the story of one of the people in these rooms, and how they try to survive the ordeal. But the movie goes into much, much more detail than that. I have been thinking about it since I finished on Tuesday. I have been batting around the idea of, is the place they're all in, for lack of a better term, jail? Or is it hell? Or something totally different? The people in the movie will talk about "getting out" in a few months. So does that definitely make it jail? Who's to tell. They also talk about what some will do to stay alive and eat. The main character's first roommate talks about why he does some of the things he is driven to do. He is clearly out of his mind, but he thinks that what he is doing is the proper thing to survive. Each month they get transported to a new room. Sometimes they go higher, making it all the way to the 6th floor. But other months they end up in the dregs, going as low as room 171. This is where all the mind games and tricks come into play. We also come to realize that some people are there voluntarily, while others are there for committing a crime or doing something wrong. The main guy is doing six months there so he can get a degree. But his first roommate threw an air conditioner out of his room that struck a passerby and ended their life. This brings the jail or hell question back into play. But the movie starts to take on a whole new level when the idea of a child is introduced. The main character has a roommate at one point who tells him that no one under 16 is admitted. But there is another person there who claims to be looking for their child. For a bit there's even a question if this kid exists. The "mom" does horrible things to a dog, and the dog's owner tells the main character that this "mom" is just a wannabe actor. But then some other stuff happens that makes me think the kid is real. Watch the movie if you want to know if the kid is real or not. But all the way through the movie many other things pop up. I put myself in that scenario and think, what would I resort to in this situation. You aren't allowed to hold onto food on the levels or else the people in charge will do something to the room, be it make it very hot or very cold. They show the kitchen staff throughout the movie, and they seem to truly care about the food they are putting on that platform. This led me to ask questions like, do they know where the food is going, do they like their job, do they know about the people? All of that came to mind while watching.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. I was engaged throughout and wanted to see more. They did make a sequel, which I will eventually watch. I thought that this was a solid movie with some really interesting conundrums. I say to definitely check this movie out if you have Netflix. It is well worth your time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Love Death + Robots" Volume 4

I finished the fourth installment of "Love Death and Robots" yesterday. I was a little tepid going into the newest season due to some poor online reviews. But, I'm here to say, I really enjoyed this season. I felt like this season just continued what has made this show so cool and unique and unlike anything else on tv. I am a little surprised at the hate on the internet, but maybe I shouldn't be. People always want something to gripe about, and they use the internet as their soapbox to put their opinions that they should keep to themselves. That is unfortunately the world we live in today.

Anyway, I really liked this season. I finished it in two days because the episodes are so short and to the point. I found myself engaged in each episode. I really liked the whole marionette Red Hot Chili Peppers premiere. It was pretty cool to see a one song performance put into the world of "Love Death and Robots". I like that they went back to the miniature well with the second episode. I also liked the whole story of the alien invasion and how prone to guns and violence humans can be. "Spider Rose" was brutal and sweet. It made me want to get another pet too. I really appreciated how "400 Boys" was kind of a callback to "Attack the Block". They got some of the same people to do voices for the episode and the story was similar, except the aliens here were much different. And this episode was pretty damn violent. "The Other Large Thing" was funny and also showed how reliant we are on technology and robots. I also like that they got a few big names to do voices, and that the humans in this episode speak gibberish. It was a good look at how life could be if we get to this place. "Golgotha" was maybe the weakest episode for me, but I still found things I liked about it. I like that they did the animation and mixed it with real life people. They treaded water in both areas and they did a solid job in the end. I'm also a Rhys Darby fan, so anytime I get to see him onscreen is a good deal for me. "The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur" was rad. It was dark and bleak. It was bloody and gory. It had the best story for me all season. This might have been my favorite. "How Zeke Found Religion" was equally violent and dour as hell. It showed the true brutality of war, even if it was a hyperized version of the war. And while bleak, I found this one to be the best of the whole season. It wasn't my favorite, but it was the best. "Smart Appliances Stupid People" told us how some of the machines in our homes feel. This one had the most famous people doing voice work. It was my favorite animation. And it was funny as hell. I like when "Love Death and Robots" does a funny episode. While it is still dark, it is nice for them to take a break from all the bleakness. And "For He Can Creep" was so cool and so unlike other stuff on tv right now. I thought it was a fascinating look at how we rely on animals in our lives to take care of us. I also really enjoyed the animation here. It was old timey with some newer updated things.

All in all I thought they did a good job continuing how great of a show it is. I disagree with the online hate. I highly recommend this season and this show. It is good through and through. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

It's Time for Us to All Forget About "The Liver King"

I have just recently watched "The Liver King" on Netflix. This is part of their docuseries Untold. I enjoy the whole Untold series. I like the in-depth look they take into the stories they are telling us. I knew nothing of this person, but I saw the picture of him on my screen, watched the preview and decided this was a topic I wanted to learn more about.

Apparently this so-called "Liver King" is some internet influencer. I guess he lives what he calls an "ancestral lifestyle". From what I could gather, this means eating raw meat, living off the land and lifting weights. I'm sure there's more to it than that, but that is what I took from the hour long documentary. Right from the start I despised this "Liver King". He talks like a snake oil salesman mixed with a wannabe motivational speaker and add on a bit of a used car salesman. That is what this dude reminds me of after watching the show. He talks about the land and getting off the phone and being with your family. But, in the very next scene or sentence he is filming something on his phone or telling the viewer a story about how he would spend twenty hours a day learning how to "be on film", and being away from his family. This dude is constantly filming on his phone. He is in a loop of always making content. He has, essentially, forced his family into this world of being content creators. He is always on his phone or one of his family members' phones. He loves being the center of attention. He wants fame. He wants the eyeballs on him at all times. This is not an "ancestral" way of living. He craves the spotlight and he makes no bones about it. He appears on podcasts and does his own content constantly. He also claimed to never take steroids, which is absolute nonsense.

Well, about halfway through all of this, as is with most of the internet famous nowadays, he gets exposed. He, of course, takes steroids. He packages his product in plastic containers. He consults with doctors about how to get steroids. He is not this "ancestral" being that he claims to be. It was almost cathartic for me to see this idiot get taken down a few pegs.

Therein lies my whole problem with the modern world and what accounts to "fame" these days. While this guy got exposed as the liar I knew he was from the jump, Netflix still gave him a platform. He still has "talent" agents. He still gets to tell his side of the story. You don't have to be talented to get famous anymore. All you have to do is spout off at the mouth and say some straight nonsense that some idiots will believe and follow. This guy is a multimillionaire and he fooled people all along the way. He is not "ancestral". He is not pure. He claims to have mental health and self esteem stuff, but that feels like a crutch from this liar and snake. He does crazy shit online and he gathered a following, which I'm sure he still has to this day. We need to stop putting people like this on a pedestal. He is a steroid abuser who lied to millions of people and made more money than most of us could ever dream about having. I dislike this dude very much for a myriad of reasons, but I'm also annoyed by big companies letting him tell a story. He needs to fade into oblivion and give the right people their proper platform.

I'm glad I watched, but I'm angered that even I am writing a piece about this "Liver King" because that still makes him mildly viable. Watch it if you want, but then forget about it immediately. That's my plan. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Cunk on Life"

A week or so back I wrote about the character Philomena Cunk, played by Diane Morgan. I adore this character. I loved "Cunk on Earth". It is one of the funnier series I've watched on Netflix. I wanted more Cunk material, and Netflix recently released "Cunk on Life", a 70 minute long documentary that is very similar, if not the same, as "Cunk on Earth".

This time around it was one long extended episode masquerading as a movie. It started the same and had the same vibe to it. But, after 22 minutes, the documentary just kept going, and I loved it. This is one of the best short movies to come out in 2025. Like I said, it has all the elements of the show that I like, it's just an extended version. They still did chapters, but with each new chapter the movie kept going. Cunk was there asking her questions, as straightforward as possible, and the experts were trying to answer them to the best of their ability. And these questions were riotous. When she talks to the sex expert, and the faces she makes and the stuff she says about her ex, I was howling. When she is looking at paintings and talking about how much she dislikes them, and then asking a question to the expert, who we don't know is on screen until they're spoken to, genius. When she goes on and on calling DNA d and a, and the expert has to constantly correct her, that was a dynamite bit. And some of the scenes that she had actors come on and shoot that seemingly lasted forever, I'm thinking of Thomas Hubble and his wife being intimate, it was the best kind of squirming in my chair humor. All along though, and the thing I adore about Cunk, she kept a straight face. She never broke. She has to know that what she is saying ois outrageous, but she just plows ahead, and it is all the better for it.

I really loved this movie. My only true gripe is that I wanted it to be longer, but that isn't the British way when it comes to content. I feel like they just want to give you a tiny little taste, and then have you begging for more. And I like that. I don't always need my appetite to be sated by shows and movies. I can sit and think about all the hilarious stuff Philomena Cunk can do in the future. And Diane Morgan may very well be done with this character. Maybe this was the last we will see of Philomena. And if that's the case, what a way to go. I mean, she has cornered the market on cringe interviews. She has surpassed Ali G. She is better than anyone at "The Daily Show", which is a show I also adore. She does this better than anyone in the game. I do hope this doesn't pigeonhole her, but there are much worse outcomes for someone who works in television and movies.

"Cunk on Life" is brilliant and a must watch for fans of her work. I was late to Morgan's stuff as Cunk, but I'm glad I found it and was told by friends and family to watch. Watch this movie, but also watch her other work. Morgan is one of the better minds working in comedy tv and movies right now, and "Cunk on Earth" and "Cunk on Life" more than prove that. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Aaron Rodgers: Enigma"

During the holiday break my family, all of my family that is, went to stay at a nice cabin in a local town to celebrate. During the down times I'd sit and watch tv with my dad. One show we came across was "Enigma" on Netflix. This is the three part documentary series about Aaron Rodgers. It tells the story of his time in the NFL, his injuries, recovery and how he spends his free time.

I've made no bones about my feelings for Rodgers. I despise him. I loathed him when he was the QB for the Packers, was bummed when they drafted him and the whole deal with him now makes me sick to my stomach. This show does the job of showing that side of him, but they glorify him. From moment one I was angry watching this. There's a ton to make you gruffled and angry, but his whole attitude and demeanor is enough to make people dislike him. The way he speaks, how he talks about himself and the people around him is gross. He is always calling himself a "perfectionist". He calls football a "craft". When he goes on his ayahuasca retreat, more on that in a minute, it is the most cliche nonsense you will ever hear in your life.

Now, full disclosure, I only watched one and a half episodes. I had to call it midway through the second one because it was making me visibly angry to my family. I went and played pickleball to wash the taste of this terrible show out of my mouth. But, what I did see, what I gathered from almost two hours of tv, Aaron Rodgers is a prick. I think my dad said it best when he said, "Aaron Rodgers is going to die an angry, sad and lonely person". That is the best way to put it. When he talks on this show it is all about him and all about his wants and needs. He backtalks trainers. He explains away why he can't have any romantic partners. He makes mentions to his family in the past tense. He "thanks" them for treating him like he was soft when he was a kid. When he has people over to watch games with him, we never see them and it is never any of his teammates or people he works alongside with. During the ayahuasca retreat, he is there solo. No one wants to come with him. When they're in a big drum circle, he seems like he is lonely. When they go into the tent to sweat out their toxins, explaining that they're using nature's medicine, which is nonsense, I go run outside to sweat out a cold, he doesn't interact with anyone outside of the tent. He doesn't let people in because he seems to know that he will push them away. There was a scene where he went to a doctor and he basically ran the show. Everyone around was telling him that he wasn't going to play that year, but he kept insisting. His insistence looked like such a heavy weight that one of the people he was with just sighed and kind of gave in. They didn't want to fight anymore. That is how some people deal with toddlers, but Rodgers is a fully grown adult. I found him to be miserable and boring. When he and RFK went on a hike together and talked politics it was one of the dumbest conversations to ever be recorded. RFK and Aaron Rodgers are two of the dumbest, wannabe smart guys around. When that moment happened, that was a telling sign to me that I wouldn't be finishing this show. I found it abhorrent and thought it was glorifying this mean and gross person.

I don't know what Rodgers goal was with this show because all it did was make me angry. My dad said it best and I couldn't agree more with his sentiment. Rodgers is a miserable person who will have no one to yell at or tell what to do when he is out of the limelight. I do not recommend this show. Not at all. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Now "KAOS" is the Cancel Victim of More Dumb Reality TV

Welp, another tv show that I enjoy bites the dust. It was announced yesterday, I didn't see until today, that Netflix cancelled "KAOS". They gave that show one season. They gave it eight measly episodes. And now it has been canned, and I don't know why.

This show had potential, this show had a great cast, this show was unique and different. I loved what I saw and was excited for where they could take it in season two. The whole cast was stellar, but the reason why I started watching was Jeff Goldblum. He was magnetic as Zeus. He was childish and violent. He was mean. He was vindictive. Goldblum played this role perfectly. If his portrayal of Zeus wasn't enough to keep this show on air, I have to assume it was a longshot at best to stick around after one shortened season.

I am sitting here today trying to figure out what went wrong, why Netflix made this decision. With "That 90's Show", while I was annoyed, some reasons made sense. The audience for that show are people my age. We watched "That 70's Show", so "That 90's Show" was nostalgic for us. The problem, my generation doesn't watch too many sitcoms. We are all about documentaries or crime shows now. Me, and a few of my friends, we're the exception. We watched the hell out of "That 90's Show" and wanted more. We didn't get our way, and Netflix moved on. It is a bummer, but I get it. "KAOS" is not a sitcom. There is no studio audience. There are no corny jokes. The cast is all in, and they know what they are doing with the material. It just doesn't make sense to me that they would give up on another quality show so quickly. The way the season went, started with a bang, no real lull and excellent ending that left the show open to many more seasons, it was strong all the way through. But I guess Netflix didn't see that. All the actors on the show were giving their all, and I found myself attached to every major character's story. When one story would shift into another one, I instantly found myself heavily involved in what was going on with that person. Be it a god, a political person, a mortal or a centaur, I wanted to know everything about that person. I watched the series in two sittings. I watched four episode blocks in two different days. I couldn't get enough of it. But Netflix just axed it.

I thought maybe Netflix would get rid of a bunch of shows, but it seems like the two biggest, and most notable new shows they let go of are "That 90's Show" and "KAOS". I wish I could say the same for a show like "Love is Blind" on Netflix, but nope, they have a new season and they even have versions in other countries now. It seems like they can continue to make more and more reality tv shows, but good material that is different and exciting, like "KAOS" is kicked to the curb.

This bums me out. I wish, and want streaming networks to give these cool shows more of a shot. Unfortunately it seems like that is not the case. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

"That 90's Show" is Cancelled for More Dumb Reality Television

I read earlier today that Netflix has cancelled "That 90's Show" after two seasons. This bums me out.

I really enjoyed that show. A buddy of mine told me to watch it when it first aired and I did and I loved it. I was a big fan of "That 70's Show" when it first aired. I watched it from start to finish. I stayed even after Topher Grace left. I was all in. I was getting to that level with "That 90's Show". I could totally relate to the kids on the show because I grew up in the 90's. When I watched "That 70's Show", I watched it for the kids, but I wasn't born until 1982. Growing up in the 90's, it was so much easier for me to understand because I lived through it. I got all the goth stuff. I knew every show they were referencing. The clothes were what I wore from time to time. It was great. I also related so much more with Red and Kitty in the new version of the show. I got what got them so upset. It made total sense. I have young kids now, but I see them interacting with my parents, their grandparents. My kids' grandparents aren't as mean as Red or lively as Kitty, but they show the same kind of tough love and real love. I loved the show for that.

All of "That 90's Show" was so much more in my personal wheelhouse. I was fully in on this show. But Netflix is killing it, and I don't know why. I don't get it. I don't know what the end game is for them. If I sit back and think about it, Netflix, like so many other streaming companies, are veering more towards reality TV, and that stinks. Reality TV doesn't cost all that much, you can do a bunch of seasons and people will watch that stuff no matter what. There seems to be a reality show for everyone. Want sports, watch "Quarterback" or "Receiver". Want dating shows, there's too many to name. Want cooking competitions, the possibilities are endless. There are far too many reality TV shows out there now, and they are killing narrative shows. Writers are going to be obsolete at this rate, and it is a bummer. Comedies are going to be nonexistent, except for standup specials. Hard dramas may last a little longer, older people seem to enjoy them, but they won't be around as long as reality shows. Along with writers, directors will be few and far between. Creative people are going to get pushed out for reality TV yes men and women and there will be a certain few who remain because they know how to film reality TV, but the good, lesser known directors and writers are going to get squeezed out. As are the young up and coming actors. The kids in "That 90's Show" were great. They were funny, had good timing and seemed to have really good chemistry. But they don't have people behind them, that I know of, like Jenna Ortega has behind her. People will push so much harder for Barry Keoghan over any kid on this show. The Jonas Brothers will get more bit roles than these kids. And reality TV "personalities" are going to be everywhere.

Some streaming network or TV network needs to let these shows develop for longer than two seasons. They need to see what they have before they just move on because the numbers aren't to their liking at first glance. I did read that the people behind "That 90's Show" are shopping it out, hoping someone else takes a chance on it. I hope some network does because they have a true nostalgic hit on their hands. I want less reality TV and more original series. Networks need to stop giving up on them so easily. I want original content so much more than mind dumbing reality TV. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Sign Stealer"

I was on the fence about watching the new Netflix doc, "Sign Stealer". I am, as you all know, a super fan of Michigan football. They're the only sports team that I truly love. I care deeply about the outcome of each game. It is a problem, I've been working on it for a long time and have gotten better, but I still care. Some would say too much. So, the idea of a doc that focuses on Michigan's "scandal" from their title winning season seemed like a bad idea. But I read some reviews of it from people that I like, and they said it wasn't all that bad. I am also a big fan of the whole "Untold" series that Netflix does. It is a nice mix of true crime and sports. I like to watch stories about both those things. So, probably against my better wishes, I tuned in to "Sign Stealer" yesterday.

As I sat down to watch I tried to have an open mind. I wanted to hear everyone's side of the story. I wanted to hear from Connor Stalions himself. This is the first time he has spoken about the whole thing since the story broke. But, it was hard for me to tamp down my love for Michigan football while I watched. Look, the whole idea of "Untold" on Netflix is to reveal hard hitting, real life journalistic stuff. The next "Untold" I'm going to watch is about the murder of Steve McNair. I've also seen them take on the Manti Teo catfishing incident, a crime boss buying his son a hockey team, these are real criminal acts.

The whole thing behind "Sign Stealer" is about a low level employee deciphering signals from other teams, a custom that most high level division 1 football teams do. This is not a crime. This is not even fully illegal. It is a gray area, but still, not illegal. The only illegal thing being done, according to the dumbass NCAA bylaws, is advanced in person scouting. What the hell does that even mean? Can low level coaches go to college football games just as a fan? Can they invite friends and family? Can they just be regular fans? I guess not, according to this one rule. I agree that what Stalions did was shady, but he was not the reason that Michigan got better at football. It was nice to see Mike Barrett talk about this on the record. He was there. He put in the work. He made himself a better player and a better leader. So to hear his side of the story was enlightening. Then you have this new person in this that I truly hate, Brohio, talking about how "shady" and "upsetting" this whole situation became for him as a fan and a message board moron. The fact that he calls himself that, that he would lend his "intelligence" on this matter and expect people to take him seriously is the funniest thing to come from this doc. In the end, what I read prior to watching the doc said that if you're a hater or a fan, there is nothing in this that will change your mind. Fans of other schools are going to claim that this lays it all out there and the sanctions should be coming. Michigan fans are going to say it is no big deal, because it is no big deal. For Netflix and "Untold" to take this low level issue and make it akin to true crime docs was unnecessary. But, they need to strike while the iron is hot on this topic, before it fizzles into nothing.

What we watched in "Sign Stealer" will not change the outcome of last season, and the last three years of Michigan football. They are the reigning champs. They've beaten the university of Ohio State fair and square three years in a row. Teams had a chance to beat Michigan after Stalions was let go, and they still couldn't do it. Michigan will keep their trophy, keep their titles and keep all their wins over the past three years. I guess you can watch this doc if you want, but there is nothing in here that will change your mind either way. Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Go Watch "Godzilla Minus One"

If you have a Netflix subscription in the United States then you can now watch the film “Godzilla Minus One”. If you have already seen “Godzilla Minus One” then you can watch it again. Either way what I am telling you to do is go watch “Godzilla Minus One” right now.

This is not going to be a review of “Godzilla Minus One”, I am going to save that for Ty when he gets back from vacation. What I am going to try and do is show my appreciation for a gem of a movie and hope to convince everyone, especially the people turned off by the pressence of Godzilla, to see this incredible movie.

“Godzilla Minus One” is one of the best movies I have ever seen that deals with survivors guilt. That guilt is not only felt by the main character, it is felt by the country of Japan post world war. All of the characters live with this guilt and deal with it in very different ways. Failed kamikazie pilot Shikishimi watches almost everyone around him die and he gets to live. Shikishimi’s fellow cremen on the mine hunting boat all have different war experiences. The kid is upset he was too young to fight. The Doc and Captain are bitter that the imperial Japanese government were so willing to throw away young mens lives for a losing cause. The engineer despises Shikishimi’s cowardice at first, but comes to realize that living is the greatest reward. Even Noriko tells Shikishimi that her parents told her to survive no matter what. She has lost everything but knows survival is the only thing left.

These stories sound depressing as hell. This is where “Godzilla Minus One” shines. The Doc’s speech after someone asks if his Godzilla killing plan is a “suicide mission” is amazing. The speech the Doc gives is poignant, heartfelt, and inspiring. He wants no one to die and he will not ask that of his men. The pleas of the kid to join the fight and the captain turning him down is heartbreaking and touching at the same time. The final moments of the Godzilla killing mission is equal parts horrifying, sad, and triumphant. You will experience all three of those feelings in the span of one minute. The last sequence and scene of this two hour movie is probably my favorite ending to a movie since “Babe”. The emotional payoffs in a movie like “Godzilla Minus One” do not come around very often is what I am saying.

I need to also talk about the big guy himself. I enjoy the recent American Godzilla movies. They are pure dumb enjoyment. The action is cool and the story is ridiculous. “Godzilla Minus One” is nothing like those movies. This Godzilla is a terrifying monster. The big lizard brings nothing but destruction and despair. The action sequences with Godzilla are loud, scary, and mesmerizing. The visual effects Oscar was very well deserved for “Godzilla Minus One”.

I hope I intrigued you enough to go out and experience not just the best movie of 2023, but honestly one of the best movies of the 21st century. I saw “Barbie”, “Oppenheimer”, and all the big films last year, none of them are as great as “Godzilla Minus One”. Do you think I’m just a fanboy and delusional? Well prove me wrong, go watch “Godzilla Minus One” and see the greatness for your self.

RD

RD Kulik is the founder and Head Editor for SeedSing.com

Support us on patreon.

Ty Watches "Love, Death, and Robots"

RD and I were having a conversation the other day and he brought up the Netflix series, "Love, Death and Robots". This was not the first time I had heard about this show. Nick Wiger talks about it quite a bit on his many podcasts. I have heard some friends bring it up. I have read about it before. But, it wasn't until my brother was talking about it, he hasn't seen it to the best of my knowledge, that I finally felt intrigued to actually watch the show. RD has, for the most part, been a good barometer for me when it comes to good tv or movies. I trust his opinion. So, after we talked about it, and I was sitting down folding clothes, that is when most of my tv watching is done, I decided to give "Love, Death and Robots" a try.

I was immediately hooked. From the first episode I saw, episode one of the third volume, I wanted to watch more and more. I couldn't figure out why Netflix decided to start me on the third volume, but then I read some stuff. I guess "LDR" gives you four episodes they think you'll like based on what you have watched before. I also read that they just start you with the most recent stuff. Either way, the first episode of the third volume was all I really needed to get hooked. It was three robots, who looked familiar to me from seeing stuff on the internet, trolling around the remains of humanity. All the people were gone, but buildings and the like were still there. The robots checked it out, made some jokes, poked fun at the human race and the episode was over. I couldn't believe it was over and done within ten minutes. Then I looked up some other episodes and the usual run time is anywhere from six minutes to twenty-two minutes. This was another feather in its cap. I love content that doesn't drag. "LDR" tells a story very quickly. They get you in and out asap. And there is nothing really left to the imagination. They tell a well thought out, full tale.

After the first episode I saw I thought they may all have a funny tilt to them. Some do, but the stories cover a wide variety of genres. There's comedy, sci fi, drama, horror, brutal wars being fought, zombies, AI gone awry, there are so many more that I will not name right now. I love that. "LDR" doesn't have to stay in one lane. They go for it in any genre. And each episode is animated differently. The amount of work that goes into each episode is amazing. And it comes off beautifully. The David Fincher directed episode "Bad Travelling" is a work of art in the horror genre. "Jibaro" is one of the coolest, and most colorful things I've seen. And each episode is different and cool and offers almost everything to any watcher. "LDR" reminds of a Quibi version of "Black Mirror". They tell the horrors and the ills and even some of the good about technology and the future.

I cannot recommend this series enough. It is one of the most inventive things that tv has ever given us. I will most likely finish it all within the next week, which will only make me want to see more. Go check this show out. It is masterful. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

"Swamp Kings" is a Disappointing Waste of Time

I recently just finished the Netflix miniseries "Swamp Kings". For those that do not know, "Swamp Kings" is about the five year run of the Florida Gators football team under Urban Meyer. Everyone knows my feelings on Meyer. He is a scumbag, a cheater and a punk. I have never liked him and I never will. The only upside to my household not getting Fox anymore is that I don't have to listen to him call Big 10 games. So when I decided to tune into this four part docuseries, I thought it would be an eye opening affair. I thought they would point out the good and the bad of this Gators run. Unfortunately they did not do that.

This show was, for all intents and purposes, a mastubatory fascination for Meyer, Tim Tebow and the Florida football team from 2006-2010. This was all about how great of a coach Meyer was for the team. How he molded these young boys into men. How his methods were exactly what this talented but undisciplined team needed. How he made a name for himself and changed the game of college football. Pretty much all the good and none of the bad. They barely mentioned the amount of arrests that happened under his eye. They didn't talk about the recruiting tactics he used. They only mentioned Aaron Hernandez's name once, calling him a "top recruit". They portrayed his barbaric methods as something new college coaches should aspire to. It was, for lack of a better word, gross. I couldn't believe all the stuff that was left out about him.

I have to think he was a producer on this show and would only allow it to air if it made him look great. Urban Meyer definitely had a moment as a top college football coach, but he also had some serious problems that this show just decided to not air. It was so bad that when they talked about his tenure with the Jaguars in the NFL, they said he "stepped down" as head coach. He was fired after 14 games because he was so ill fitted for the NFL. Tim Tebow was looked at as some kind of deity in this thing. They talked about him like he was the greatest college QB of all time. They had their chances to talk about him kind of getting off scot free sense he was a white QB winning titles, but they barely touched on that. A few of his teammates made comments about how they felt slighted, how Tebow got all the love, but the show was quick to get off that topic and move on to something else. Tebow also spoke like he was trained to sound wistful. He had this quiet tone that I found quite annoying. He talked as if he was this person who changed the college game. He would mention a fight between him and a teammate and give it a button along the lines that it helped both him and the teammate. Stuff like this made his teammate a better player. I found it quite odd that he didn't go into any kind of detail about how he felt about the arrests and issues, being that he is so religious. He sat down and openly praised Meyer at every turn. It was frustrating.

They did a decent job of portraying this team as one of the better college units of all time. They won two titles in three years. They had a Heisman winner. They had a bunch of NFL players. And they beat really good teams. But they never talked about the true issues that this team had. They barely touched on the arrests. There was one moment in one episode where they started to talk about it, but it was a three or four minute chunk in a 45 minute long episode. I thought they would do a full 45 minutes just on that topic. They didn't though. They kept it incredibly bland.

This could have been a salacious docuseries. They could have done all the good stuff and peppered in the bad. They could have dedicated entire episodes to the issues. They could have dug deeper. They went the opposite direction. "Untold" is meant to make you angry and disgusted with what you are seeing. This one was a miss though. They didn't dig at all. They let the bad stuff slide. It felt like the people behind "Swamp Kings" figured we knew all the bad stuff so they were just going to show the good. Skip this unless you are a college football fan like me. This is not worth your time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Muscles and Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators"

Yesterday I finished the Netflix mini series , "Muscles and Mayhem". This five episode series is about the rise and fall of the excellent gameshow, "American Gladiators".

I loved this show as a kid. RD and I have mentioned the show many times on the podcast. I was hooked. I would watch every morning in the summer before heading out to hang with my friends. I craved this show. I loved the competition, the personalities and watching the wild and crazy games they created. "Muscles and Mayhem" goes very in depth about all of this, and so, so much more.

The series starts out introducing the viewer to the very early days of this show and just how out there this idea was. There were injuries, long set changes, crowds getting bored waiting, gladiators coming and going, all kinds of issues. But when they brought on the right people, the show thrived. The behind the scenes stories of the people behind the show, that was fascinating. There were some certified weirdos who made "American Gladiators" one of the top shows on TV in the early 90's. There were a bunch of smart people who knew what they were doing as well.

The show, as expected, spent most of its time talking to the former gladiators. This was very eye opening. This was something I'm glad 40 year old me watched. They talked sex, drugs, alcohol, steroids, HGH, sexuality, it was all there and all done very well I thought. I like hearing all the real stories from the real people behind it all. It is always good to get their side because they lived it. The way they went into steroid use was fascinating and very eye opening. I mean, we all knew they were using steroids, but to hear how they got them, how they hid it, how the network and sponsors dealt with it, that is the stuff I like when I watch docu series like these. I also liked to hear about the dating, or attempts to date, that each gladiator had with one another. I enjoyed seeing what they did when they tried to venture out from the world of "American Gladiators". It was great to see some of the original people fight for what they thought was rightfully theirs when it came to merchandising and the like. It was great to hear how the gladiators were raised, where they came from and how they ended up on that show. I liked seeing some of the gladiators I forgot about and remembering them for some of the wild stuff they did. I totally forgot about the live tour they went on. To see that come to fruition, and to see the behind the scenes stuff on the bus, that was some of the better content this whole series had. It was nice to meet some of the competitors and to hear their stories of how they ended up on the show and what it was like while there. I was also very pleased to see what they are all up to now, both competitors and gladiators.

This series felt like it was made for someone like me. I am very happy my dad told me about this and showed me some of the show when I was hanging out with him the other day. I cannot recommend this series enough, especially for people who watched this show when they were younger. It is an excellent watch. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "The Outlaws"

Since my daughter had her sleepover on Friday night we pushed our date night to Saturday. It was my wife's turn to pick the movie and she chose "The Outlaws".

This is a newer movie on Netflix. I had heard of it because I am a big "Workaholics" fan and I listen to "This Is Important" every week. Adam Devine, as expected, was promoting the hell out of the movie. I read some reviews that weren't too kind, but that stuff doesn't really push me either way. If I want to watch a movie, or my wife wants to watch a movie, we usually watch it together. We will decide for ourselves if it is a good movie or not, but more importantly, if we like it or not.

On the surface "The Outlaws" wasn't the best movie I have ever seen, nor was it the worst. I felt the critics' reviews that I read were a little too harsh. This wasn't a movie trying to send a message or give you hope or optimism or make a statement. The movie was clearly made to have fun and hopefully make a little money. Adam Devine is the lead and I feel like critics simply like to slam him. He seems like an easy mark for critics. But the guy is clearly having a great time making this movie and this role is in his wheelhouse. He is really good at playing these put upon dudes that just want to have fun in life. He really embraces that part and that is not different here. Nina Dobrev, while not the best actor, does a fine job in this movie. She doesn't get to do much, but she does just fine with the little bit she is given. Blake Anderson is in here for a minute and he is very funny. Richard Kind and Julie Hagerty play Devine's parents and they are both hilarious. They made me laugh more than anyone in this movie. Lil Rel Howery and Laci Mosley are Devine's co workers and they both play very well off one another and they are making jokes seemingly every second. Some land some don't, but you never know what works if you don't take the chance. Dean Winters has a bit part and is okay. Lauren Lapkus would have been better served with a bigger role, but she nails the comedy in her few scenes.

The best part of this okay movie was Ellen Barkin and Pierce Brosnan. They are Dobrev's folks. They don't come around much. But they want to be at the wedding. Or so they say. They are really big deal bank robbers and they rob the bank that Devine is the manager for. They do this to help their daughter, but they also owe a debt to the villain, very well played by Poorna Jagannathan. She was probably the best part of the movie if I sit and think about it. Brosnan and Barkin really nail the comedy, the action and the puts and falls of being lifetime criminals. Brosnan is a pro. I expect nothing less from him. I haven't seen Barkin in a while, but she was more than up to task for this role.

"The Outlaws" isn't going to win any awards. I don't think that was the goal. But this is an entertaining enough 90 minutes. I was never bored. I laughed. Sure there were some clear issues, but I was never taken out of the moment by said issues. It is a fine movie that is kind of perfect to have on in the background. It did the job. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

"Love is Blind" Is No Longer Worth Your Time

My wife is very much into the show "Love is Blind". I used to be into it as well, but the last season was boring, dull and filled with all the cliche things that dating shows now have. I barely watched any of this new season. My wife would put it on and I'd sink into my phone or the Switch or would just read. I would pop in and out to give a rude remark, but I stopped doing that after a while because it was no good for anyone.

This newest season came and went without much of any impact on, or even my wife honestly. She seemed into the season, but not like she was before. But she was ready for the reunion. A lot of people were. She set up her whole night so we could watch this live event at 7pm our time. We ate dinner early. She got cleaned up early. I got the kids cleaned up and sent them downstairs to watch tv together so they wouldn't bother my wife. She sat down, started to do her nails and went to turn on the livestream a little before 7pm.

There was a problem. I'm sure most of you know about the problem that occured. Netflix's live stream crashed. People couldn't get on the stream. Twitter was ablaze, so was Facebook. People were angry. For real angry. My wife was annoyed, but not so angry. But it kept stopping right at 25 percent. We saw the number on the screen and the spinning red circle and it never got past 25 percent. After a while my wife gave up. She waited about an hour and called it. I respect that about her. She wasn't going nuts, yelling about it, going online to complain. She waited as long as she deemed necessary and then watched other shows. She was content to wait until Monday. I didn't care either way. I got to watch the NBA playoffs, so I was pumped about that. But I did promise I'd watch the reunion with her on Monday.

And we did.

We watched for about an hour. The reunion special, this supposed massive live event that was riddled with problems, was 90 minutes long. That is far, far too long for any reality dating show reunion. None of these people are that important and the advice that they give out is god awful. I mean, why would any reasonable person take advice from these numbskulls is beyond me. But the people on the internet promised this reunion was "the most explosive one yet" and "incredibly revealing" and "endlessly watchable". It was none of that. And this is not just cynical old me talking. My wife kept stating how bored she felt. She kept asking for more. She wanted the tea to be spilled. She likes that stuff when it comes to reality shows. None of that happened. There was nothing shocking or explosive or revealing. It was dummies talking to other dummies about nonsense. I also find it disgusting that the people who go on these shows always complain about being filmed constantly and that things are taken out of proportion. They agreed to be on this show. Hell, they auditioned for it. They wanted the screen time, the supposed fame that comes with reality tv. They did not have to do this at all. Millions of people a day do not go on reality dating shows. So I have zero sympathy when they complain about how they look on tv. I have zero time for that.

I think what was most annoying about this whole "reunion event" was how boring and simple it was. There was no levity to it. There was nothing shocking or explosive. I cannot believe this is what crashed Netflix. Reality dating shows are a waste of time. I am getting to a point where most reality shows are of no consequence at all. They don't hold the weight they once did. I guess all of us are a bit more cynical now. But this "live" reunion was an absolute waste of time.

I want that 90 minutes back. It is my fault for watching I suppose. But, if you haven't watched, don't waste your time. It is nothing. Nothing but a bore.  

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "That 90's Show"

When it was announced that they were rebooting "That 70's Show" I was skeptical. I loved that show. It was appointment viewing when I was younger. I fell in love with the characters, the setting and the story. I followed that show all the way until the bitter end, which was not great. So, as I said, a reboot taking place in the 90's had me on edge a bit. I watched the promos, read interviews with the cast and crew and they all assured fans that it was going to pay homage, but not be the same. I was still on the fence.

Recently my best friend said he binged it in a night. That is high praise coming from him. He doesn't binge a lot, and for him to watch all ten episodes in a day is a feat. Then my folks binged it. It took them two days, but still, that is a good sign coming from them. Last week I decided it was my turn to watch.

I was still reticent going into it but coming out, this show works on every level. Obviously I'm speaking of "That 90's Show". I am all in on this new series. It is a reboot, but things have changed in a good way here. There are cameos, of course. Eric and Donna are in an episode together and Donna shows up a few more times. Kelso and Jackie are here but only for the briefest of cameos. And Fez is, it looks like, going to be around, but that is cool with me because I enjoy Fez. But the people they kept from the original series, the true stars, are Red and Kitty.

For me I always gravitated towards Red when the show first aired. He was funny and reminded me of my dad just a little bit. I liked his curmudgeonly attitude, but they always cut it with sweet moments here and there. And Kitty is a delight. She is so bouncy and happy and wants to make everyone around her happy. She opens her home to everyone and everyone is her best friend, even if it is just for a moment. That is exactly how they are in the new series. They are older but they still have fun. They still let their grandkid and her friends hang out in the basement. They still have a tremendous amount of love for one another. They both still have their moments and it comes off as excellent as it did in the original series. I couldn't be happier with the way these actors reprised these classic characters. The writers and producers did a bang up job to keep Red and Kitty essentially the same, just aged a bit.

The new kids are fantastic. That is what this show is supposed to be about anyway. It is the way these kids grew up in this little town in Wisconsin in the 90's, just like the original, only that took place in the 70's. That is what makes this show so much fun to watch. I am a child of the 90's. I was younger than the kids in the show at the time, but not by much. I was 13 in 95, they are all either 15 or 16. It is easy to relate. I remember doing things that they did on the show. My friends and I hung out in my basement when I was in high school. I lifted too much like the jock. I was kind of aloof like the young Kelso. I wanted to party with my friends. It is all there and it all works so well. One aspect from the original series I was afraid they were going to screw up was when they all get high and sit in the circle. Not only did they not mess it up, it brought back nice memories of me cracking up while watching it the first time. This all works. They hit a homerun here. Putting it on Netflix was a genius choice because they can be a little more crass with the humor. The "live studio audience" doesn't bug me one bit.

I am all in on "That 90's Show". It has already been picked up for a second season and they added 6 more episodes. Go watch this show, especially if you were a fan of the original. This is how reboots should be done. What a great show. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Operation Flagrant Foul"

Yesterday I watched "Operation Flagrant Foul". This is one of the new Untold documentaries on Netflix. I am a big fan of the Untold series on Netflix. They do cool, interesting sports stories that I may not have been aware of, or even heard of before. That being said, I am well aware of the Tim Donaghy fiasco.

For people who may not know, Donaghy was arrested and sentenced to prison for gambling on professional basketball. To make matters worse, he was a professional referee. To make matters even more worse, he bet on games he was personally reffing. It was all bad when you really think about it.

What I enjoyed about this doc was the backstory we got. Donaghy has a very interesting past, one that I was unaware of when this story first popped. He was married, had kids, had good friends, was a highly rated ref, he lived a relatively normal life as a pro ref. He made some questionable calls as a ref, but he did pretty much everything by the book. He even called stuff on Michael Jordan when that was very much frowned upon. There is a great part in the doc when Donaghy recalls calling traveling on MJ. He called it, and after calling it, while walking down the court Phil Jackson approached him. He yelled at Donaghy and Donaghy told him that he got the same memo that everyone got. Jackson said he gets it, but pointed to Jordan and said, "you don't call it on that guy". That was a fascinating look into the NBA at that time. The NBA has always favored stars, and this was when it seemed to be at its highest. From there Donaghy went about his job. Then a few of his childhood friends, who considered themselves professional gamblers, contacted Donaghy about certain NBA games.

From there on out it got nuts. Donaghy would call other refs to see when they were working. He would look at the schedules and check out the crews for each game. He would contact ref friends and try to get info on certain games they were calling. He started out with his childhood friends, but from there it grew. He was making big money. He was able to buy things for his wife and kids that he was never able to do before. He was living life being rich. He was getting a taste of the supposed good life, and he liked it. He gambled on 47 games and won 37 times. That is too close of a coincidence. It is too fishy. I knew he gambled on games but I did not know it went this deep. It was getting bad enough that he started to get scared. He was afraid that he was going to get caught. But he didn’t stop. Then one of his buddy's said the FBI contacted him. The FBI had contacted him a few times actually. This was when Donaghy knew he was in trouble. He decided he had to confess. When he did he got majorly screwed over by some people, maybe some people named David Stern, RIP. The whole Stern situation was revealing. I did not realize how much of a boss he actually was when he was the commissioner of the league. It was as close to the mob as anything I have seen in a movie. I also found it pretty eye opening that the three main guys of this movie seem to still be lying constantly. They cannot stop themselves. They just vomit words out of their mouths until they believe what they are saying. It is crazy.

All in all this was a solid doc. I knew some of the stuff, but some other stuff was news to me. I like when I can learn something new about a story I thought I knew everything about. I recommend this to fans of basketball, especially fans my age. It was pretty cool.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.  

Ty Watches "Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist"

I recently finished the Netflix two part documentary on Manti Teo called "The Girlfriend who Didn't Exist". It was fascinating.

I remember living through all of this. I am an avid college football fan as you all know. This story was everywhere in 2012. but I knew of Teo before all of this. He was a major recruit. Every big team wanted him. When it was down to USC and Notre Dame I just assumed he'd pick USC. Hell, I thought he would go to BYU, since he is Mormon, before he'd go to Notre Dame. But in the end, he picked the Fighting Irish. I was stunned and so were many other people. But he kept getting better and better every year. He could have left after his junior year and been a high first round draft pick. But he came back. Then he played very well. Then Notre Dame kept winning games. Then his grandma died. Then, on the same day, so did his online girlfriend. It was all a lot. But he kept playing and playing well, and his team was winning.

Right before the Heisman ceremony, he was a finalist, the whole online girlfriend thing exploded. According to the doc, Teo knew about the news before the Heisman trophy was given out. I did not know this. This was all news to me. But after the ceremony, before the BCS title game, the story broke everywhere. Deadspin was the first to report it and then everyone jumped on board. Teo was giving interviews to Katie Couric with his folks. The person that catfished Teo was going on Dr Phil's show to show him how he did it all. Then it was on every news report everywhere. This was not just sports broadcasts, it was national news. CNN, MSNBC, local news stations, I mean it was EVERYWHERE.

This is where the doc became truly fascinating to me. All the stuff beforehand, the football and the girlfriend and his family life, it was all out in the open. But after the fact, after he found out he was being catfished, that was when it became truly nuts. Teo started to suffer from panic attacks and true anxiety. He said that football used to be his outlet, that he could let it all go when he walked out there. But after all the shit hit the fan he was not the same. He tried too hard. He had to prove he wasn't just the guy that got catfished. He wanted to show he could still be an elite level linebacker. But he was too in his head. He was thinking too much. He wasn't just playing the game. It became a problem. And seeing him interviewed, hearing him talk about that time in his life, I felt for him. That had to be absolutely brutal for him to live through. I found myself thinking, as gross as it may sound, about how much money he lost by falling to the second round. He had to reprove how good he was. He had to start all over again. That is not fair. Teo was one of the best defensive college football players to ever step on the field. He had all the tools coaches craved. He was a great locker room guy. His teammates and coaches all like him. There was hardly anything to dislike about Teo. I am a lifelong Michigan fan, and I even found myself rooting for Teo. Let me make this clear, I rooted for Teo, not Notre Dame. And to see the lady who catfished him, she was a man at the time, but she is now transgender, to show a little remorse, but not much, kind of made me flinch a bit. This person was taking advantage of someone who was listening and helping them out with their issues. She could have stopped at any time, but she kept going. I get that she was confused at the time and trying to find out who she really is, but she took this way, way too far. I get that Teo forgave her and he has moved on and is living as normal a life as he can. But she could have been a bit more remorseful or showed some kind of regret. I don't know, I expected more I guess.

All of that being said, this two part doc was incredible. Again, I remember this whole thing so vividly, but this doc gave me so much more info, and new info at that. I cannot recommend it enough. It is a fascinating watch, and not just for sports fans. There are tons of real life stories in this and it is great. Check it out.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.  

Ty Watches "Trainwreck: Woodstock '99"

Recently I watched the three part documentary series on Netflix about Woodstock 99. I have watched other stuff on this very same topic, but this felt a bit more in depth. This was more involved. They had interviews with festival goers, security workers, background workers and the two main producers. I was fascinated by everything I watched.

The three episodes were built around each day of the festival. And it was awesome. I very much enjoyed hearing about this horrific time from the perspective of the people involved. I liked the interviews with the artists, but it was the people involved in the background and the fans that made this a fascinating watch. It was harrowing to listen to them talk about those three fateful days in 1999.

As I watched, and got more and more into the doc, I started to wonder about how I would have reacted. I think this is why this worked so much for me. I am endlessly fascinated by the mentality that goes into these people deciding when and why to go over the edge. What is the limit that someone will go past? When is enough enough? When do you decide to loot and riot and burn stuff down? All of this has had me thinking since I finished the show. These people were clearly taken advantage of by the people who ran the festival. They price gouged, they had them in an open air force base in the dead of summer, they didn't give them adequate cleaning facilities, it was all bad. The festival goers deserved better. But the festival goers also deserve a good amount of the blame as well. They got angry and acted on their most animal of impulses. They took advantage of women. They did awful things to unsuspecting people. They drank until they couldn't see or think straight. They did copious amounts of drugs. They did the actual tearing apart of the festival grounds. They started the fires. They lost it and took it out on everyone else. They were, mostly, rich, privileged white kids who were not getting their way so they acted on it. And they took it way, way too far.

There is blame to be thrown everywhere. But back to my train of thought from before. What would I have done had I been at Woodstock 99. I most likely would not have gone because the acts were not my cup of tea. I like Rage Against the Machine. I enjoy the idea of a band like Bush. I enjoy some Red Hot Chili Peppers songs. But the rest of the bill was rough. Bands like Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, Korn, that is not my cup of tea. But let's just say I went. I like to imagine that, after day one, I would have left. In the best of conditions I usually like to leave a show early to beat traffic. From what I watched and heard, this would have been an utter nightmare for me being at Woodstock 99. I have OCD and like to stay clean. I have sanitizer always at the ready and enjoy cleaning and washing things. That was not viable at Woodstock 99. It was also brutally hot. I love being outside, but the air condition is so, so, so much better. I mean, I can stand the heat for a run or going for a walk or hike. But if I were in a crowd of 250,000 people in that heat, no thank you. I am also straight edge. I do not drink or do drugs. I have never, and at this point, most likely will never do those things. I also get pretty aggravated when I'm surrounded by a big group of stoned or drunk people. That is another mark in the cons column for me. I also do not enjoy being in large crowds for longer than an hour or two. A football game is fun, or even one concert. But three days worth of shows with that many people would have been a disaster. And finally we have the whole idea of camping. I am not a camper. I do not like it at all. I am a city kid through and through. I love the luxuries of not having to camp. The whole idea of camping would have been a big stopping point for me. So, in looking back at all this and thinking about how I would have reacted, I do not think I would have even gone. I think I would have skipped the whole thing. I would not have been involved in any of the horrific events that took place at Woodstock 99. It would have been terrible.

I do recommend watching this three part series. It was very informative and very interesting.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.