
Alicia recently got me hooked on the show Better Off Ted, which is a half-hour comedy on ABC now in its second season. It’s a very funny show, surprisingly clever and edgy, and I’ve been wondering why it took me so long to get into it. The thing is, the marketing for this show has been virtually non-existent… and on top of that, the show name is terrible.
“Better Off Ted” sounds like a sitcom about some divorced guy trying to re-enter the dating world (oh wait, that’s Gary Unmarried). It reveals nothing about the show’s main premise, which is that it is a workplace comedy set in a wacky research and development firm called Veridian Dynamics. Fringe meets The Office is the description I’m sticking with, although it’s not in a mockumentary format. Basically it’s what I always hoped Eureka would be, and it’s something that fans of Futurama might dig as well. Series creator Victor Fresco started his career writing for ALF… need I say more?!!
Given how many geek-centric shows there are out there right now, you’d think ABC would want to capitalize on that demographic, but very few geeks seem to know that this show even exists. This week I read some rumours that the show is on the verge of cancellation (apparently not for the first time) and, of course, I’m not surprised. But I still wanted to do my part to get the word out on this show before it’s too late. So if you’re looking for a new half-hour comedy to add to your weekly schedule, give it a try! You can see full episodes and clips on the official site.
And if you’re already a fan, visit SaveBetterOffTed.com, and pre-emptively sign the petition. It probably won’t help, but it will make you feel better!



I finally got around to playing the first Uncharted game just a few weeks ago, and I was hooked. But the sequel takes it to a whole other level. It builds on the solid framework of the original and creates something truly amazing. A seamless blend of action and intrigue, exploration and puzzle solving, with no stopping in between. Almost every scene introduces something new and unexpected. Stunning environments and first-rate voice acting help you grow attached to the characters. Definitely deserving of all the Game of the Year Awards that it has been winning, and the #1 must-play game of 2009.
There aren’t a ton of great comic book-based video games out there (mostly because they are all cheap tie-ins to movie franchises), but this blows virtually all of them out of the water. It molds Metal Gear Solid stealth mechanics with a violent and innovative combat system. The dark, eerie atmosphere and beautiful art design immerse you in Batman’s world, while the creative bossfights make it a joy to cut through his rogue’s gallery of villains. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Batman: Arkham Asylum is to Batman video games what The Dark Knight was to Batman movies.
An unabashed tribute to Super Metroid, this Xbox Live Arcade game is the unofficial 2-D sequel I’ve been waiting for ever since Metroid: Zero Mission. Although the game isn’t the most original thing in the world, it does have a decent story (based on a book by Orson Scott Card) and it adds some 3-D elements to what is otherwise very familiar 2-D gameplay. Plus, as an XBLA release, there aren’t many other 2009 games that offered the same amount of value for the money.











