Community Returns to NBC: All You Need to Know About Community

I don’t know anyone who watches television that would say, “Oh Community?  None for me, thanks.”  But maybe you just somehow missed the train the past 4 seasons.  Or maybe you need a refresher before the season 4 premiere on Thursday.  Or probably you just find my writing charming and clever.  Either way but it should mostly be the third reason,  here’s everything you need to know about our favorite Greendale crew.

Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review 1/19-1/25

Look, a lot of things happened this week.  I know what you guys really want to talk about, but we really have to address some things first.  Important things.  Like Doctor Who important.

Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review 1/11-1/18

So I’m sure you are either tired of hearing about the Golden Globes or forgot they happened already.

But bear with me whilst I do a brief recap told mostly in video and picture form.  There weren’t any really horrible moments that didn’t involve Anne Hathaway or Claire Danes, so I’ll just run you through my favorites/first five I could think of. Read More

A Shameless Plea: Watch Cougar Town

I love Cougar Town.  Please hear me out.  I know, the title sucks.  No one is arguing that.  But other than the shit title, what do you really know about the show?  You might say, “Well, its about cougars.”  This is the point where steam comes out of my ears, I slap you in the face with a fish and yell, “NO ITS NOT YOU STUPID FACE. YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING.” Then I apologize and get you the alcoholic beverage of your choice.

Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review 12/21-12/28

The end of the year is my least favorite time for pop culture.  TV shows go on hiatus.  News outlets are only doing their “Best Of’s” and not reporting any news.  Though unless you count what Demi Lovato is getting her mom for Christmas as ‘news,’ there really isn’t anything to report as people are spending time with their stupid families instead of working.  The only good thing to come out of all this is the movies released on Christmas Day.  But you can really only see one on Christmas.  So then you get a huge backlog of movies you have to see and spend $13 per ticket (in New York- I hear there are magical places that charge less than $10 for a movie ticket but I don’t believe they exist) to see. But you can’t really afford to see them because you just dropped a ton of cash on DVD box sets for the whole family.  Hang on, I need a cookie.
Read More

12 Beers of Christmas | Day 8- Shiner Cheer

When you’re from Texas, you’re not just from Texas. Being from Texas is more like a lifestyle than a classification. We almost all get the state outline tattooed somewhere on … Read More

12 Beers of Christmas | Day 4- Southern Tier’s 2XMAS

“…with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads…” If by sugar, he means malt, and by plumbs, he meant prunes. If he means stomach instead of head and drunken stupor instead of visions, then he must have bellied up at The Beer Trappe on Saturday night as Southern Tier’s 2XMAS joined the tap rotation. By the way, what the crap is a sugarplum?

Read More

TV Shows You Really Should Be Watching

I know we all only have so much time in the day.  We hit the grind all the live long day and seemingly only have a few minutes to ourselves before we hit the hay and start the process all over again.  But if you find yourself in need of something to do on a certain night of the week, I suggest filling the time void with some good old fashioned television.

You might think I’m crazy with the following list of TV shows, but please hear me out on these shows you should be watching but probably aren’t. Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review

Prin Kate is Pregs

I can’t even be bothered to write whole words about this as it really isn’t that interesting.  The married couple who have an obligation to an entire country to maintain the family line have conceived a child!  Who would have thought.

Read More

How to be Conversant in ‘Lost’

As much as I try, even I can’t watch all the television there ever was. Personally, I despise the moments where I admit I haven’t seen a show and the person I’m talking to freaks out. “How can you claim a television obsession and have never seen [Insert title]?!?!”  I’m sure you have also had a moment like this  and I’m here to help. Here’s everything you need to know to have a conversation with someone about Lost.  [SPOILER ALERT]- I would think this is obvious, but I just wanted to cover my bases. Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review 10/12-10/19

Walking? Dead

Any concerns of this season being boring (the main complaint from last season) were totally erased in the first episode. VAGUE SPOILER ALERT: I’m going to try to not go into specifics, but there will be hints of what happened in Sunday’s season premiere so if you really don’t want to know- skip ahead. First and foremost, all children are accounted for and now bear arms. That’s enough to improve this season leaps and bounds over where were last year. Goddamn Sophia. Any way, the last five minutes of the premiere had me in convulsions. I needed my smelling salts because I nearly went into full on lady vapors. I wouldn’t say I screamed per se, but sounds of shock and horror were emitted from my mouth. This episode was one of, if not the best episode of the series. Holy leg hack, batman. If you fell off last season, watch this premiere and get back on board. It’s a fun ship. I mean, I’m there. Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review 10/5-10/12

Bad News Human Beings

NBC has announced the premiere of Community has been postponed.  The network has actually been doing well this season (which is a change for them) and they said they want to continue heavily advertising their shows they still believe in new shows.  I know this isn’t the case as they would be insane to pay for shows they have no intention of airing, but if I were to sneakily cancel a show this is how I would do it.  And to be fair, in saying they want to continue to support their new shows, they also said that the postponement will allow them to focus on Community if/when they decide to do that. Read More

GABF Fancy Cork Route

Contributed by Cori Flinchbaugh the Draft Wench

Ok, so you’re going to the Great American Beer Festival but there are now over 2,000 beers to choose from, what do you do? I usually suggest to first timers to pick a beer style or two (IPA, Belgian, Porters or Stouts, Fruit Beers, Sour Beers) and stick to it.

If you don’t know what style to choose or are looking for something fun and different, a friend and I came up with “Fancy Cork Night.”  We go around and drink only beers that come in 750 ml bottles (Russian River has smaller ones too) usually with a fancy cork and cage. These beers are typically “Seasonal/Specialty or Sour.” It’s kind of like a delicious scavenger hunt.

Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review 9/21-9/28

So I’m pretty sure we’re all over the Emmy’s at this point.

Many of you may be thinking, “Oh yeah, I forgot that just happened.”  And I don’t blame you because they were a total snooze.  Here are the only important parts:
Read More

Cincinnati Brew Fest Recap

As we often encourage, one of our PorchDrinking followers wanted to join us on the porch. So when Jason Behler requested to share his take on this year’s Cincinnati Brew Festival we were more than happy to give him the floor. Please welcome his contribution! Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review for 8/24-8/31

My dreams are coming true

Pop Culture Week in Review for 8/17-8/24

Upfront apology—this is a bit sad. Today, in my regular podcast listening I found out that comedian Tig Notaro was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I would like to first (well, I guess, second) say that I don’t know this woman. I find her absolutely enjoyable but I don’t actively follow her career. That said, when I heard she was diagnosed, it was as if a close friend or relative of my very own had been given this news. I know a lot about her from the various podcasts she’s done and she’s had a string of really, really awful things happen in her life. Notaro was hospitalized with pneumonia that developed into a bacterial infection and lost 30 pounds. A few days after she was released from the hospital, her mom died after falling and hitting her head. Then, her girlfriend broke up with her. And now she has cancer. Oh, and all that happened in the last FOUR MONTHS. I just cannot understand how all that can happen to one person. I’m a little ball of emotion right now but I highly encourage you to check out her comedy and laugh through sadness.
Read More

Emmy Nominations – For Drama categories, they sure are boring

Best drama

Boardwalk Empire Breaking Bad Downton Abbey Game of Thrones Homeland Mad Men

This is an extremely tough category. While I really think Justified and Sons of … Read More

Emmy nominations – Comedy … kind of

Hey y’all. I know you have all been dying in anticipation for my Emmy nomination reactions. Since they are abundant and I’m going to be on vacation this week, I’m … Read More

Pop Culture Week in Review

You guys. I hate to be such a downer so early in the week, but Chumbawamba is breaking up.  Let’s analyze their statement, shall we?

We felt we’d got to … Read More