Eclectic Pop

“The Spoils of Babylon” is a mini-series spoof aimed at ridiculing the grand spectacles that were the epicallly melodramatic mini-series of the 70’s and 80’s. As a fan of those series, I know that on the other side of their entertainment value, there's a lot of material ripe for parody.

Going in with the background knowledge of the original series, the inside jokes would seem an easy catch and with a cast that includes Kristen Wiig and Tim Robbins, among others, it seemed to be a great comedic opportunity.

Want to watch a TV show about two narcissists who start an affair? “Betrayal” follows a husband and wife who do just that for no discernible reason and destroy their respective spouses’ and children’s lives. Instead of dealing with the consequences of their actions, the series postures Jack and Sar…

Aaron Guzikowski’s script is unsettling, dark and eerie, a boldly nuanced study in vigilantism, violence as a means to an end and how far someone is willing to go in the pursuit of following the faith of their convictions.

“Prisoners” delves into the disturbing disappearance of two young girls on Thanksgiving Day. A creepy van had been sighted earlier in the day, the girls wanting to play around it. Within an instant the quiet lives of a quaint suburb are upended and every event before and after the kidnapping is met with sinister suspicions and thrust under microscopic scrutiny.

While I was not able to see the entire show, Eclectic Pop has narrowed down the best and worst from what was seen at the 2014 Grammy Awards.

Sugar + the Hi-Lows' breathy retro opus is ear candy pleasure, beyond belief, a delicate wisp of romance that is intoxicatingly heartfelt and dreamy. Off of their 2012 self-titled debut album, “I’ve Got You Covered” is a husky soliloquy that basks in a sweet melodious reverie which, is further enriched with the vocal performance of Trent Dabbs and Amy Stroup.

Their voices intertwining with beautiful symmetry that accentuates every divine lyric they perform. Everything about this song is a serving of serene excellence. Its lyricism delves into the tender conversation of a consoling paramour, offering their unwavering support.

Bursting onto the scene with high-octane energy and surging with the ferocity of a gilded bygone era, Boardwalk Isabella is a rising, independent rock band hailing from the United Kingdom, formed in Devon, to be exact. Created in 2011 by singer-songwriter James C Hughes, the former bassist of New Wave, he has since amassed a group that includes Nathan Porter on lead guitar and Sarah Devonshire and Marie Thorpe as backing vocalists.

Director Scott Cooper’s follow-up to the Oscar winning “Crazy Heart” is in a word, mellow. As the story unfolds it makes its intentions clear, it is in no hurry to get anywhere, fast. While there is something to be said for a meditative approach to storytelling, there comes a point when that style becomes distracting to the overall narrative. It borders on an attempt to camouflage a lack of content.

Two women (Naomi Watts and Robin Wright) who have grown up together, spending every day in each other’s company in an idyllic paradise, face the future as middle-age sets in, and life without their respective sons becomes immanent. For typical mothers, this would be a time to transition into focusi…

Overview: Season 3 saw the gang from Storybrooke heading to Neverland to retrieve Henry from the evil clutches of Pan. Meanwhile, Ariel emerged from the sea, Tinkerbell from Neverland, while our band of heroes made life-altering sacrifices.

Overview: The highly (emphasis on highly) fictionalized account of the rise of Mary, Queen of Scots and her engagement to the Prince of France. “Reign” is “Gossip Girl” meets “Game of Thrones” with a twist of “Legend of the Seeker” thrown in for good measure.

Overview: The series introduced high school student Stephen (Robbie Amell) as he came to terms with his telekinetic abilities, the results of human evolution. As Stephen dealt with the common travails of teenage life, he developed a crush on his older mentor Cara (Peyton List) and befriended other members of the tomorrow people, an underground refuge for the gifted.

Overview: Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) returned to Starling City at the behest of Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) and Diggle (David Ramsey) after, spending the season break, brooding over the death of his best friend, Tommy. Laurel (Katie Cassidy) became an alcoholic, while unbeknownst to her, Sarah (Caity Lotz), her wayward backstabbing sister had returned from the grave.

Plus, Barry Allen (the eventual Flash) came on the scene and Oliver’s mother Moira (Susanna Thompson) answered for her crimes.

Overview: Klaus (Joseph Morgan) moved to New Orleans to reclaim his throne from ex-acolyte, Marcel (Charles Michael Davis). His siblings, Elijah (Daniel Gillies) and Rebekah (Claire Holt) followed suit and all had to deal with threats from the local coven of witches who tried to kill, Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin), the mother of Klaus’ baby.

ABC was smart to only produce "Killer Women" for 8 episodes. There is no way it could last any longer. The current order is pushing credulity. “Killer Women” stars “Battlestar Galactica” alum Tricia Helfer as a guns blazing, Texas Ranger out for justice. Well, this show is about twenty years too late.

If it was 1990, when series like “Walker, Texas Ranger” were ruling the airwaves, this would have been a smash. Sadly for “Killer Women” audiences are expecting more from their television series.

Josh Holloway’s return to television is the sole reason to give this, yet another network procedural, a chance. The set-up is strikingly similar to that of NBC’s now departed, cult hit “Chuck”. In the case of “Intelligence”, instead of an ordinary man having access to top secret knowledge imbedded in his brain, is an intelligence agent (Josh Holloway). His gift comes via a super-computer chip that allows him to have his abilities, where in the case of “Chuck”, it was due to an accidental download.

"The Best Offer" starring Geoffrey Rush  From Giuseppe Tornatore, the director of “Malena”, comes an art caper starring Geoffrey Rush (“The Book Thief”), Jim Sturgess (“Cloud Atlas”), Donald Sutherland (“The Hunger Games: Catching Game”) and newcomer Sylvia Hoeks.

Rush plays the eccentri…

Overview: The second season of “Nashville” finally embraced itself for the nighttime soap, it was always meant to be. Deacon (Charles Esten) and Rayna (Connie Britton) tried to put the pieces of their lives back together after they survived the car crash at the end of last season. Juliette (Hayden Panettiere) continued to lie, cheat and do whatever else she needed, to stay on top. 

Scarlett (Clare Bowen) and Gunnar (Sam Palladio) are broken up, for reasons that are unknown. All the while, rising star Will (Chris Carmack) is coming to terms with his sexual orientation as his career begins to take flight.

Doodah Farm is the rambunctious band, behind such boisterous tunes as “Round the Clock” and “Twenty 1”. In this interview they discuss what inspires them, some of their goals, and give some background on how the band came together.

Eclectic Pop Presents: An exert from Andy Mcmillin's review of the upcoming film, "Mariah Mundi". Andy is an expert in the medieval and a good friend of Eclectic Pop's. You can follow her on twitter @pinkiecat75

"It’s Saturday, after the holidays, and taking a break from…