Star Trek Into Darkness breathes even more life into the franchise

As a child, there weren’t many weekends when I didn’t enjoy syndicated episodes of the original Star Trek series.  Both it and Star Wars were a way of life.  I was eight or so when The Next Generation premiered, and it furthered my love of Trek.  Although as I grew into adolescence I cared less and less about both science fiction and fantasy.  They just weren’t cool.  Then one thing happened that I thought put the nail in their coffin:  The Star Wars prequels.

Although I watched all three of them, they turned me off of sci-fi completely.  For years, there were no films or books in the genre I cared about.  George Lucas was akin to a Saddam Hussein or Adolph Hitler in my eyes.  He still is, truthfully, but there is now hope.  

The hope I speak of is J.J. Abrams.

An unexpected journey back to Middle Earth

Expectations weren’t very high when I popped The Hobbit:  An Unexpected journey into the DVD player last night.  After all, Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which is amazingly ten years old at this point, is easily the best fantasy movies ever made.  How can you ever top that?  To tell the truth, you can’t.

That becomes my biggest gripe with the first edition of The Hobbit.  The books were totally different works, as The Hobbit was made for a younger audience and reflects that, while The Lord of the Rings is quite serious and tells of a serious war for the future of Middle Earth.

The problem becomes that The Hobbit is a roughly 300 page book without the exquisite detail found in J.R.R. Tolkien’s other works.  Also, with the lighter tone there is only one option to extend it.  Basically, they’ve combined it with aspects of The Silmarillion, a dense work of Tolkien that reads more like medieval literature than a fantasy novel.

You can tell when they’re moving back and forth between the two very different works.  One second you are seeing something completely goofy and seemingly out of place, while the sequences from The Silmarillion lend a darker tone to the story.  Frankly, although the story is mostly derived from The Hobbit, the lighter toned scenes just seem quite out of place.  

More blame can be attributed to the short original work being stretched into three movies of three hours each.  Two movies would have been a stretch, but in a way it still works.  Jackson’s Middle Earth is a living breathing place, and I’m thankful to be a visitor yet again.

The story also crawls at the start, but once the fantastic action scenes and top rate cinematography take over, the pace quickens greatly.  I was left excited about the next edition, which thankfully debuts next month.

Quality:  7/10

Rewatchability:  8/10

Cena, Bryan to win at tonight's Hell in a Cell pay-per-view

My initial introduction to journalism was in the world of pro wrestling as a manager, referee, commentator, and booker/promoter for Texas’s Coastal States Wrestling Association and Louisiana’s Thunder Pro Wrestling.  Quickly, I’m going to offer my belief on how tonight’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view will turn out.

Curtis Axel vs. Big E. Langston

This match may not be happening, as I read earlier today that Axel has a legit injury.  This is a great move for Axel, who has petered on WWE television during recent weeks.  My belief is that this match would have been a win for the hilarious Langston, it was going to be through a disqualification as the big man hasn’t made his true impact on the WWE yet.

Rhodes Bros. vs. The Shield vs. The Usos

As a fan, I’m not into tag team matches that much.  In promoting they’re good for the talent because less in-ring time leads to less chance of injury, which is why you see so many tag team main events on the weekly live shows.  Amazingly, the tag division is going quite well for the federation currently, and there is a lot of talent in the ring for this one.  At the end of the match, look for the Rhodes brothers to come out on top.

A.J. Lee vs. Brie Bella

Lee is, quite frankly, a promoter’s dream as far as female talent goes.  She’s talented in the ring, cute, has charisma/stage presence, and a following.  The Bella Twins, from what I see as a non-fan of the Divas division, have one of those, a following.  Tonight, simply having a following could very well be enough due to the recent success of the Bella tv show on the E! channel.  In the backstage politics of professional wrestling, each respective twin dates main event level WWE talent in Daniel Bryan and John Cena, which makes their winning a little more likely.  Personally I’d book Lee to win, but this could honestly go either way.

C.M. Punk vs. Ryback and Paul Heyman

To use the vernacular of the WWE, I’m a Heyman guy.  He is a wrestling genius and solely responsible for some of the greatest wrestling moments in the past 30 years.  C.M. Punk, along with Daniel Bryan, are the two greatest assets to the WWE right now.  Sadly, Punk is paired with the increasingly-boring Ryback in the cell with the hope of there being a quality match produced.  Due to the fact that Punk is in the cell, I have a little faith.  This match is going to end with Ryback incapacitated, and Punk finally getting his hands on Heyman.

John Cena vs. Alberto del Rio

For children, this will be the match of the night.  I’m not into Cena, but can fully understand why he is at the main event level.  A match like this is only set up for Cena’s return.  Thankfully, that return involves him winning the title from a more deserving del Rio, instead of being thrown into the mix of the World Title with Bryan and Orton, he gets to compete for the lesser title.

Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton

I’m looking forward to this one.  As I’ve stated before, Bryan is the current shining star of the WWE.  He has the crowd in his favor, extreme amounts of in-ring talent, and an entertaining, although rehashed, storyline.  This one should be the match of the night with Bryan winning the title yet again.  Just be sure to expect further shenanigans from the McMahon family afterward.  

The Geeky DJ's SummerSlam preview

Once again it's time for the WWE's second biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam.

Personally, I feel that this year's card is much stronger than WrestleMania, and the WWE actually had a few interesting story lines developed coming into this big event.

So, sit back and enjoy my ideas on how this one should play out.

U.S. Championship:  Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Rob Van Dam

It's no secret that I believe ECW was the greatest United States based wrestling organization ever.  Its combination of well-developed storyline and interesting booking style changed the industry.  There also isn't much dispute to the fact that Rob Van Dam contributed greatly to that success.  His nickname was "The Whole Fuckin' Show" and in most cases, that's exactly what he was.  However, his performance outside of the hallowed halls of that dirty bingo hall in Philadelphia hasn't been as impressive from what I've seen.  Of course, you should keep in mind I didn't see much of him post-ECW.  I fail to understand why the WWE have picked him up on this current run with no real plans to use him.  He has recently been meandering from match to match, with no feud or even hope of one in the pipeline.

Dean Ambrose and The Shield, on the other hand, have been going strong since their debut last year.  They have consistently had feuds with main eventers and upper mid-carders.  Their faces are staples on Raw.  

This is also a dark match, scheduled for an hour before the official air time for the PPV.  There is no way Van Dam gets the title here.  The Shield will reign supreme.

Prediction:  Dean Abrose retains The United States title.

Natalya vs. Brie Bella

For those not in the know, the WWE recently launched a television show centered around the Divas on cable television.  I haven't seen it and won't.  Although the women of the WWE have consistently become better workers over the past decade, I just don't care.  I understand they need to advertise their new product, so there is two divas matches on the card for Summerslam.

Brie is apparently one of the bigger stars on the show form what I can gather.  Natalya is simply filling space in the ring for this one.

Prediction:  Brie Bella

Mutoh meets with TNA

Throughout my life, I've been a big fan of Keiji Mutoh, or "The Great Muta" as many know him.

The innovative Japanese wrestler, who has worked for both New Japan and All Japan pro wrestling companies in Japan, as well as WCW in the United states, is a true legend that is currently heading up the Wrestle-1 promotion.

It thrilled me to see a picture of him meeting with Jeff Jarrett of TNA wrestling for an undisclosed reason on Rajah.  One can only hope that a talent sharing agreement was reached and that we will see some Japanese talent headed stateside.

Trailer released for SyFy's cosplay reality series

Yes, I'm critical of both SyFy and reality television, but the network has released a trailer for their upcoming series Heroes of Cosplay and it doesn't look horrible.

The premiere is August 13 and I'll definitely see it eventually as I'm horrible at actually remembering to watch weekly shows.  I do wonder how cosplayers feel about this show.

Living legends square off in wrestling ring

Japanese wrestling, or puroresu, is quite different than what you get in America.  I was browsing YouTube today when I came across this gem that puts the living Tiger Masks (I, III, and IV) vs. Ultimo Dragon, Jushin "Thunder" Liger, and The Great Sasuke.

Every person participating in this match is a living legend in the wrestling business, despite you having never heard their name.  Take a few moments and enjoy the difference.

YouTube video features cosplayers from Comic-Con

YouTube user Sneaky Zebra has a treat for everyone in a video of cosplayers from this year's San Diego Comic-Con.

I'm going to make it there, eventually. 

Want to see a Dredd sequel? Help make it happen

Admit it, 2012's Dredd wasn't a bad movie.  In fact, it was the comic book adaptation that such a great comic book franchise deserves.

However, it didn't do well in the cinemas, but has attained quite a following upon its home release.

So well, in fact, that a good many of us want a sequel and an official petition is circulating.

Sign it.  Karl Urban is on board, and I hope to see him return as judge, jury, and executioner.  

Boxing...where are you?

What has happened to boxing?  It seemed that as I was growing up in the 80s, the sport was just more...prominent.  It was there.  You had access to the sport that wasn't a disappointing sixty dollar pay-per-view.

The premise is simple.  Two men walk into the ring and square off.  One wins either by knockout or decision.  However, in execution by two professionals, it becomes a true sport.  It becomes the "sweet science." 

Back then, I believed that the guys on top were truly the best out there.  It wasn't hard to do.  As a third grader, Mike Tyson was the scariest guy on the planet to me.  He decimated opponents with these amazing flurries of hard, fast punches.  Like many people my age, I became a huge fan, helped along greatly by Mike Tyson's Punch Out on the Nintendo.

Remember this guy?  He didn't bite ears or cameo on The Hangover.  He won fights. 

Tyson wasn't the only fighter out there.  Michael Spinks, Marvin Hagler, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Evander Holyfield were all names that you actually got to see fight.  There were stories and we saw brief videos of past greats such as  Muhammed Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman.  I saw them at greater lengths later thanks to ESPN Classic. 

That just doesn't happen today.  Sure, you have the ever-popular stars such as Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but do they even begin to compare?  Seriously, what's a Klitschko? 

Wladimir Klitschko

I can't tell you, because I'm not dropping sixty bucks to find out.  And from the looks of it, not many other people are either.



Yes, I do have a basic understanding of how the sport works now.  I don't care.  Bring boxing back to the masses, please.  

Can we finally admit that 3D television is dead?

Upon reading that the BBC is putting its two-year 3D pilot program on hold, one must think that 3D television must be on the brink of dying, if it isn't dead already.

Admittedly, I'm no fan of 3D.  Of course, I was intrigued by Avatar.  The story itself wasn't great, but one could tell immediately the effort that went into the visual.  Next up in 3D was Alice in Wonderland, which failed to entertain completely.  It took me several years to try a film in 3D again, which was the recent Star Trek:  Into Darkness.  I walked away disappointed.  Not in the film itself, but in the lack of progress when it comes to developing the technology.

Not only is the BBC doing away with 3D and the movies are stagnant, but ESPN has dropped their content as well. 

With no content being produced, both consumers and retailers should take note.  Unless you want to drop extra money on 3D BluRay, this format is thankfully dead.

Bring on 4K.

Jim Kelly dead at 67

I've read from numerous places that martial artist Jim Kelly has died at the age of 67.

For those not in the know, he co-starred with Bruce Lee in the greatest martial arts film "Enter the Dragon." He also starred in a number of 70s blaxploitation films such as Black Belt Jones and "Three the Hard Way."

RIP to one of the greats. 

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" turns 25

When I was a kid, my parents weren't big movie fans. They never went to the theater, which means a trip was extremely rare for my little brother and I. Our only hope was to visit my aunt when she happened to be going. Until the age of twelve, there were maybe eight visits to the theater, only two being with my mother. Absolutely none with my dad. One of those was to see Dick Tracy when we were stuck in Arkansas with nothing to do. The other movie we saw together was "Who Framed Roger Rabbit."

It struck quite a chord with me. I'm of the age where the classics were still in heavy rotation and cartoons still ruled Saturday mornings. Tex Avery, Walt Disney, and Chuck Jones were names I saw often. Of course it wasn't until much later that I actually knew two two of them actually were. Everyone knows Disney. Everyone.  Of any age.

What kid wouldn't be enamored with a world where the humans coexist with cartoon characters? It also sparked two other life-long loves: Classic Hollywood and the film noir genre.

Admittedly, I didn't fully understand the movie at seven years of age. However, I have seen this one multiple times in the years since, and it seems to have grown up with me. Many of the jokes a child simply don't get. As I aged, this one began to be one of those rare films that offer something for everyone. The old time cartoon schtick keeps kids easily entertained, while the story and jokes are more adult oriented.

This is one of the best "animated" films ever. EVER.


My mom absolutely hated it. 

Deadpool and Harley Quinn make The Notebook look interesting

Artist Marco D'Alfonso has done the unthinkable in making The Notebook look like an interesting movie. 

The duo are shown having a loving moment while being showered in The Joker's blood.

Hollywood should really make this happen, as The Joker and Quinn's insanity makes a great match with Deadpool's sarcastic humor.  At the very least we deserve a graphic novel. 

Harrison Ford set to return as Han Solo?

With multiple sites reporting it, Harrison Ford may be a lock to return to the Stars Wars universe as Han Solo in the upcoming Episode VII according to Ann Oldenburg at USA Today.

If true, this development will add even more excitement to the upcoming seventh Star Wars movie, which will take place what has to be years after the conclusion of the original trilogy. 

Ford has stated in previous interviews that he believes the character should have died at the end of Episode VI, but has apparently had a change of heart. 

Very little information on the upcoming film exists, except for the fact that J.J. Abrams will direct.  These little developments add hype to the film franchise, which previously alienated many viewers with the prequels.

XBox 360 touted as superior entertainment console

According to Engadget and PlaystationLifestyle, Microsoft Senior Vice President of the Interactive Entertainment Business Yusuf Mehdi has touted the Xbox 360 as the superior entertainment console. over Sony's Playstation 3.

Of course a lot of this is for PR purposes, but they are bold statements, considering the driving force behind the non-gaming entertainment for each console is the use of Netflix.  It becomes even more interesting when you learn that Netflix's favored development platform and majority of users come from the PS3. 

What say you?  Which console is your favorite for entertainment and for what reasons?

Doctor Who art impresses

 

Deviantart user Samkaat has created a masterpiece in this portrayal of the tenth Doctor from the beloved Doctor Who series.

The artist calls this a piece from "that period when the show was actually good."  However, is Matt Smith that bad?  Sure, David Tennant is the best thing that happened to the show, ever, but Smith also makes quite the interesting Doctor.

El Loco serves up stylish Star Wars, Star Trek art

Tumblr user El Loco, has presented to us several pieces of stylish, interesting  pop art.  Above and below are two of his pieces based on Star Wars.

Just for good measure, enjoy a bit of his Star Trek art.

Where can I get these posters?

Grand Theft Auto V delayed, will release Sept. 17

In what is hopefully the worst news you will hear today, Rockstar Games have delayed Grand Theft Auto V from its initial March release until Sept. 17.

The official release states:

We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you, but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time. GTAV is a massively ambitious and complex game and it simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require.

To all Grand Theft Auto fans, please accept our apologies for the delay, and our promise that the entire team here is working very hard to make the game all it can be. We are doing all we can to help ensure it will meet if not exceed your expectations come September – we thank you for your support and patience.

Polish is always good, right?

Disney to promote "Lone Ranger" during Super Bowl

Disney is planning a 90-second spot for their upcoming film "The Lone Ranger" during the Super Bowl on February 3.  At a cool $4 million per 30-second spot, that means Disney is dropping an astounding $12 million to present this one to what will hopefully be their future audience.

With what is reported to be a $250 million budget, the studio must hope that Depp's star power will keep this afloat.  The film also stars Armie Hammer, Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Ruth Wilson, and Helena Bonham Carter.  Suspiciously absent is Tim Burton.

If you're a huge fan of the ranger, or can't get enough Johnny Depp playing weird, quirky characters, the film debuts on July 3.  

Nicholas Cage shown in "Superman Lives" costume

In what is surely the funniest photo you will see today, Nic Cage is shown in what could have been his "Superman Lives costume, had the project actually been made.

Thankfully, what would have been the Spider-Man 3 of Superman films (yes, even considering Superman III and IV), wasn't made.

Artist illustrates Golden Book version of The Hobbit

Let's face it.  We all grew up with the fantastic Golden Books.  Unfortunately, we didn't have this one.

Artist Rosemary Travale has brought the fabulous words of J.R.R. Tolkien to life in her very on "Little Tolkien Book."

They were illustrated while putting together a school portfolio.  She wants to have more done, but is quite busy at the moment.  However, if you follow her blog she has said they will be posted as needed.  

Star Trek names and roles offered by chartgeek

Chartgeek.com has offered this chart for all of us to browse and use, which shows the various positions held throughout the main Star Trek universe.

As someone fairly new to the series, it is a huge help due to the fact that outside of The Original Series and The Next Generation, I had no idea who these people were.

Hope you enjoy it.

Rob Liefeld's "ICON" screenplay tells story of early Image Comics days

In what is the funniest (to me, anyway) news one can possibly read today, it appears that Rob Liefeld took three entire days out of his busy foot-drawing schedule to pen a screenplay about the early days of Image Comics.

It sounds too good to be true, but dreammoviecast.com even has some samples from the Oscar worthy work of genius for your approval.

Guess we now know what he is doing since quitting DC suddenly.

Also lofty are Liefeld's casting picks, of which I've provided a few:

John Cho as Jim Lee

Chris Pine as Rob Liefeld

Christian Bale as Todd McFarlane

Also impressive is Rob's previous battle with Batman writer Scott Snyder.  Apparently a lot has changed in the comic book industry since I stopped reading over 15 years ago.  Rob Liefield's art, however, hasn't.

BestofNetflix: Chinatown

I like rating and talking about movies.  It's unexplainable why, but it's something that I've done for a long time.  However, there are few that get a full five stars from me, as I consider it nearly impossible to make a perfect film.  I was delighted to see that one of those films, Chinatown, has been made available on Netflix.

For those who have never heard of this masterpiece, let me fill you in.  Jack Nicholson stars as Jake Gittes, a private investigator who is set up by someone impersonating the wife of an important engineer for the Department of Water and Power for the city of Los Angeles.  I'm vague because, if you haven't seen this movie before, one shouldn't know too much of the plot.

I consider Chinatown to be one of the greatest examples of acting, directing, and screenwriting ever committed to film.  There are plenty of plot twists, interesting characters, and true intrigue.  All of which are elements missing from any number of movies following the 1970s.

Honestly, give this one a try.  Of the many people I've recommended Chinatown to, few have ever said they didn't like it.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull gets honest trailer

Today, I was reading at Comic Book Movies when I came across this posting for an honest Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull trailer.

I'm sure many walked out of the theater disappointed.  If only advertising could be this truthful.

Batman comic answers how villains attain costumes

DeviantArt user TerminAitor recently put pen to paper, providing us with his unique spin on how Batman's villains get their varied and unique costumes.

The well-drawn and fun to read fan-comic takes on a good question considering life has to be much harder for a Two-Face or Joker.

BestofHulu: Community

Do you like great writing, hilarious hijinks, and a plethora of pop culture references?  Then Community is definitely for you.

The sitcom centers around what begins as a Spanish study group at the fictional Greendale Community College.  Joel McHale, well known as host of The Soup, plays a disbarred lawyer who becomes leader of the group.   The cast also features Gillian Jacobs as a liberal activist, Yvette Nicole Brown as a dedicated mother/divorcee/Christian, Allison Brie as the young overachiever, and comedic veteran Chevy Chase as a bored millionaire.  However, my favorite duo in the show is easily Troy and Abed, played by Donald Glover and Danny Pudi, who bring more true laughs with their geeky demeanor than anything envisioned in The Big Bang Theory.  The cast is rounded out by Jim Rash, who plays the overly enthusiastic campus Dean, and Ken Jeong, an insane Spanish teacher who eventually hopes to become part of the group.

Since its 2009 debut the show has been plagued with low, but very dedicated viewership.  My initial viewing of the pilot back then left a lot to be desired.  However, I picked the show up on Hulu Plus after the urging of a friend, and in the two months since my viewership began, it will easily be hailed as one of the best shows I've ever seen.  Also, one of the few shows I've watched from start to finish.

Despite Dan Harmon leaving after the conclusion of the third season, fans are hopeful to see it return beyond the upcoming fourth season, which has a debut of February 7 at 8 p.m. EST on NBC.  Watch it, love it, and remain hopeful that there will be six seasons and a movie.

Schwarzenegger's film return flops

From what I'm reading, Arnie's return to the movie industry, "The Last Stand" has completely tanked in the United States.

Jee-woon Kim's American debut and Schwarzenegger's millionth mindless action flick took in a measly $1.9 million on Friday.  The four day weekend total is expected to be somewhere around the $6.6 million mark.  That rates it at number nine in this week's box office reports.

Maybe he can get a lead role in The Expendables 3.

I just waved down the limo to say congrats!

In order for my eventual wedding day to be a success, this must happen.

IDW does it right in regards to the Ghostbusters

Image from the "New" Ghostbusters

In my absence from reading comics, a new company was started.  I know literally nothing about them at this point other than that IDW Publishing seem to create comics from any number of licensed properties.  My introduction is through their Ghostbusters title.

Despite them doing a Doctor Who comic, anything Ghostbusters I'm going to gravitate toward first.  After reading the first three issues, I'm feeling no disappointment.

Let me throw a little bit of the story out there.  Gozer has returned.  That says enough right there.  Of course I don't want to spoil it too much, but so far the story is revolving around a third traveler, a potential lawsuit by the Stay Puft marshmallow company, the return of Walter Peck, and a kidnapped Ray Stanz.

When I was younger, most licensed comics were quite obviously done for children.  The characters are drawn in a cartoonish way, but the ghosts are truly magnificent.  It is also good to see that these books are done for what is an obvious adult demographic.  Most children don't even know who the Ghostbusters are at this point, right?

After reading through these issues, I'm going after the "New" Ghostbusters.  As I've said before, I know nothing of the story, but if I enjoy it half as much as I have seeing the further adventures of Peter, Ray, Egon, and Winston there won't be much disappointment.

DC's "New 52" freshens up the comics industry

Once upon a time, back in the 1990s, comic books played a large part in my life.  It actually began in 1988, when Tim Burton's Batman hit the screen.  Being eight or nine years old and living in a small Louisiana town, one didn't have access to a newsstand or comic book store.

A few years later was when the world of comics opened up.  Although none were local, there were several options for intermittent comics in the surrounding areas that my mom frequented due to visiting family, doctor's appointments, or shopping.  Other opportunities were presented in the form of my mother and father's love of flea markets.

Within months, the names Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane became just as important in my life as George Lucas and Stephen King.  The stories of Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker became my new Indiana Jones and Luke Skywalker.

The trend continued for several more years.  Image Comics began after seemingly everyone's favorite artists wanted more control over their work.  The addiction grew.

Eventually, my interest wavered.  Going out with friends became the norm, and of course Magic: The Gathering received some interest.

Sure, I'd  read a few comics in the meantime.  The magic was just gone...until recently.

I happened upon some random article on Reddit regarding 52 new titles for DC Comics.  It was a move in the right direction.

My readings began with "Night of the Owls" in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's new Batman series.  The art and story were both fantastic.  Francis Manapul's work on The Flash is truly captivating.    There's still a long way to go, and a lot of titles I want to try out, but I'm looking forward to it for the first time in a good long while.  I'll keep everyone updated on what I'm reading, especially since I'm looking forward to Batman's "Death of the Family."

Strangely enough, despite my early love of Marvel Comics, I have no interest in the books they're putting out.  Everybody says to try out DeadPool, but I'm just not sure.  I already have plenty to read.

BestofNetflix: Fawlty Towers

As there is entirely too much time on my hands, I'm going to start doing short reviews of my favorite items on Netflix streaming and Hulu Plus.

Although Netflix has grown its streaming catalog greatly in the past few years, one won't find a better and classic British comedy series as this.  Hopefully, they keep it around a while and it isn't one of those "here today, gone tomorrow" series.

Monty Python funnyman John Cleese stars as Basil Fawlty, the bumbling owner of a hotel named Fawlty Towers in Torquay, U.K.  Rounding out his rude character are his bossy and hard-to-please wife Sybil (Prunella Scales), maid Polly (Connie Booth), and Spanish waiter Manuel (Andrew Sachs).

The plots range from Basil trying to move up in social status and placing the hotel in a much higher regard than it should be.  He deals constantly with his wife, maid, and waiter in the most hilarious of situations.  However, his misanthropic behavior toward the guests is the star of the show.  In my personal favorite episode, the manner in which he treats a group of German guests is one of the single most comedic moments in any sitcom.  Ever.  I'm not going to ruin it by putting a video up here, but everyone has Netflix at this point, right?  Give it a try.