Cool Site Recommendation: Television Without Pity

TWOP

Are you a TV fan? C’mon, it’s okay to admit it, you’re among friends. Guilty pleasure, perhaps?

If so, this is the site for you. I recall the day I stumbled upon it back in 2001, when I was doing a search for sites about Big Brother 2. (I realize by typing that how pathetic it sounds). Once I found it, I was hooked forever, and it is a site I visit daily.

This advertiser supported site boasts some of the coolest forums you will ever see, covering topics on all things TV, with the emphasis on snark. The name is apt, as very few topics are off limits. The boards show a community of members who show an amazing breadth of intelligence, humor, and snarky comments, which provides an addictive time consuming pastime. Be careful, however, if you decide to become a member and join in the fun: the boards have some very strict rules, and failure to adhere to these results in warnings and bans. Trust me, I speak from experience here. Read the FAQ, and when you’re finished, read ‘em again.

What sets it apart form other sites, though, are the Recaps. A number of shows are in rotation for which the staff provide long, detailed, recaps of each episode. While these are extremely useful if you’re trying to catch up on missed viewings, you will love reading them even if you’ve watched. The writers are outstanding, and the recaps are gold. (Personal fave: the amazing Miss Alli). Reading these talented scribes tear down Reality shows is about as much fun as you can imagine, but it’s also insightful to read how shows like 24 or Battlestar Gallactica are dissected.

I suppose the highest praise I can muster is that I’ve actually taken up watching shows based on them being recapped by TWoP. I now would not dream of missing The Amazing Race after reading the boards and recaps. It’s even sweeter when you begin to watch a show, then find out it has joined the rotation on the site.

If you love TV, or if you love yelling at your TV, this is the best place to visit. What are you waiting for?

Cool Site Recommendation: RetroCRUSH

From time to time I will run brief notes about some of my favorite sites...starting with this one.

A Feast for your nostalgic tastes

Time to hip you to one of my favorite destinations on the internets, RetroCRUSH.

The site features all kinds of cool stuff to trigger memories of things you probably thought you’d forgotten about, and brings them vividly back to your brain. They also manage to blend in contemporary things like reviews of current movies, which makes this one of my favorite stops for all things disposable and wonderful about popular culture.

What really made this one of my faves was the introduction of their very own podcast. Webmaster Robert Berry, whose unique voice sounds like a cross between a grown-up version of Yogi Bear’s pal Boo Boo and well, someone else, is your host. Robert takes you through a cool audio tour of the retro world, playing vintage audio clips, interviews with forgotten stars (like one of the Landers sisters!). listener voice mails (some of which are truly bizarre, thanks to what appear to be drunken dialers), and other aural treats. The fact that Berry is an entertaining listen makes it all the more enjoyable.

If pop culture is your thing, you owe it to yourself to check out Retrocrush. Even if it isn't the site is an absolute gas, and worth a few moments of your time.