I wish all my "there's nothing good on TV" moments ended with finding a new and amazing TV show to watch, instead of my usual giving up and watching another Simpsons episode that you've seen a hundred times over.
Last night while channel surfing, I decided to turn to a new show called jPod, that is unfortunately only running on the CBC channel in Canada and to my surprise, that show turned out to be the next great thing in gaming related shows.
The Canadian made show is based on the best selling book, jPod by Douglas Coupland and is also produced by Mr. Coupland as well. The show follows the life of Ethan Jarlewski, a game programmer for a company called Neotronic Arts, which resembles -- but in no legal way is -- Electronic Arts, even though both companies are based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The show centers each episode on Ethan and his fellow game programmers (who all happen to have last names starting with the letter J) as they all work in their little office pods on their upcoming game, BoardX, which features a turtle named Dwight. (It was called Jeff in the book, but they changed it for the show.)
This show has so many geek/gamer references I almost wanted to start crying at how perfect it was. Each character could easily be the people I know from this site. I wish I had been watching this show from the beginning, but I guess I'll just have to wait for reruns to catch up on early episodes.
For all those non-Canadians who are reading this article right now and want a chance to see the show, can thankfully download full episodes on the CBC website.
The people who can tune in to CBC, can tune in Tuesdays at 9:00pm EST.
Please for the love of games, watch this show because I couldn't stand the thought of another good TV show getting canceled. I still haven't recovered from the evil cancellation of Carnivale. I want a closure for the storyline, damn it!!!
For a real good laugh, check out the fake website for Neotronic Arts and look at the careers section.
Contest:
8:29 PM on 01.23.2008
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The answer can never be "yes."
That said, I picked up all the references and in-jokes, but i never really laughed.
I think the problem is that the main character is not very likeable.
i actually watched my 1st episode of this last nite too. i have to say its entertaining, sometimes a little forced, but it has very good production values all around. the cbc has been cranking out hits for a long time i dont know who wouldnt like the cbc. i know its been pretty shit sometimes, especially Royal Air Farce, who the hell watches that.
Allen Thicke was hilarious, funny to see him playing that type of role. The scenes at the game company were very cheesy and so is the whole show, but I like it the way it is.
Pros:
Dude grows pot
Alan Thicke is in it...that is all
It has video games
Mo-cap sex is hawt
It's got an indie vibe to it
Cons:
The music sucks
The characters are all waaaaay too divided into extremes
The acting seems mediocre to good
No one plays Lair, 2007's game of the year.
I'd watch it, but then again I'd watch Colette participate in a piggyback race through Rhode Island by carrying a heavily intoxicated and incorrigible Ron Workman. Actually, can we make that into a show?
And from the trailer, the show looks even worse than that.
Shit to be a Brit.
God I love the CBC...
NOTE: INADVERTANT SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK MAY FOLLOW
The show is sort of getting better. I have to say the difference from the book sort of disappoint, namely one character I hate so much more in TV form, namely Kaitlin.
Seriously, I hate her so much. But perhaps that comes from the lack of Evil Mark. Kam Fong is too likable, some of the things that are getting changed seem to be for the worse. And Ellen who is a very minor character in the book is getting shipped off to China presumably. Which if you read the book makes absolutely no sense for the rest of the basic inane office plot. So I assume Coupland is either going in a completely different direction, or he will shoehorn the plot into this some way or another.
The humor is forced, the characters for the most part are uninteresting and shallow, and the only good part, which is the office banter and hijinks, is what the show LEAST focuses on. And even that barely wrestled a smile off my jaded, bitter lips.
To sum it up: DO NOT WANT.
I'm sold.
Crappy to hear that its a mini series. The CBC site didn't have a great amount of information on it, plus my computer kept freezing when I tried to watch the video. Stupid computer.
However, he lacks a J in his name.
THIS IS EPIC WIN!
Or Canadians who don't have cable (and can't get good enough reception for CBC). :p
I remember seeing adverts for this when out or at my parents' house. Like a few other people said they didn't make me want to watch the show at all. I suppose I'll give it a shot though.
Bull. I'd already watched the first two episodes before this article was posted. (And am listening to the book in e-book form as well, in order to note differences.)
I must watch this show.
Shit to be a Brit.
http://savejpod.ca/uncategorized/the-jpod-mini-series-myth/
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