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Archive for January, 2011

Hulu Labs Preview: ‘The Morning After’

January 17th, 2011 by Andy Forssell SVP of Content

At Hulu, we pay a lot of attention to what users say about us, and how Hulu fits into your lives. For many of you, we know that Hulu has become an important way to catch up on current TV — the place to go when you missed last night’s episode of Glee, 30 Rock, or Modern Family. And when we read the discussions boards on Hulu.com and tweets from our users, it’s clear to us that enjoying Hulu is about more than any one show. It’s also about how your favorite shows relate to the rest of what is going on in pop culture.

Part of the fun is connecting the dots … TV, movies, web video, Twitter … what’s hot, what’s trending, and what‘s over. Lately, our users have been asking us for a quick and fun way to stay current on the latest in pop culture. We looked far and wide for a show that struck the right balance between being entertaining and being informative, but we just couldn’t find something that hit the mark.

So today, we are previewing The Morning After, a new initiative from Hulu Labs designed to help our users stay current on the water cooler chatter of the day. Hosted by Brian Kimmet and Ginger Gonzaga, and available daily Monday through Friday on Hulu.com and Hulu Plus, The Morning After is a smart, daily shot of pop culture to help Hulu users stay up to date — all in less than five minutes.

In developing The Morning After, we were inspired by shows like The Big Show with Olbermann and Patrick, which blended the love of sports with brainy cultural references that easily move from emotional to funny in one segment. The Morning After aspires to be that kind of show, but for all things pop culture.

To build The Morning After, we selected Jace Hall and the very talented team at HDFilms, a production company devoted to creating extremely high quality content spanning multiple media. When we saw the caliber of work produced by HDFilms, we knew they were right the production team for this project.

We consider this our “preview” period for The Morning After. It’s a chance for us to develop and evolve the show with your input. So please let us know what you think. We’re at on email or @TMAonHulu on Twitter, and we’re looking forward to your feedback.

Andy Forssell ()
Senior Vice President, Content & Distribution

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Exit Strategy: Seven Ways Michael Scott Could Leave ‘The Office’

January 17th, 2011 by Ben Collins Assistant Editor

Well, it’s time to start clutching your World’s Greatest Boss mugs and begin crying loudly in a corner. Not only is Michael Scott leaving The Office, but he’s leaving the show about a month before the end of its season.

Deep breaths. It’s going to be okay.

Remember, as Michael once said, “Don’t ever, for any reason, do anything to anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what, no matter where or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you’ve been ever. For any reason whatsoever.”

Sure, that doesn’t make any sense. But feel free to construe it as something positive about his departure. We’re sure he’s going to leave in a dignified and respectable manner.

Yep, that was a joke.

But his exit will be a calculated one, Office head writer Daniel Chun told E! Friday.

“He will earn the ending he gets. I think there are multiple plausible endings for him. He could get fired, he could get promoted, he could decide to quit it all and go to Hollywood. He could find love or he could crash and burn romantically. He’s poised for a number of things but the thing that’s a promise is that he will deserve what he gets.”

With that said, here are our guesses for how he’ll leave Dunder-Mifflin. — Ben Collins, Assistant Editor

Holly breaks up with her fiancé to be with Michael. They move back to Nashua, marry in a MacGruber-themed wedding, and raise three infinitely quirky, gaffe-prone children.
Odds – 10,000,000:1

Glad we got that out of the way. Admit it: You’re rooting against this while simultaneously hoping it happens with every fiber of your being.

It would be perfect: Holly is the only woman who makes sense of Michael’s impossible demeanor. It allows him the opportunity to have kids, which he’s wanted since he welcomed cameras into his Scranton office. And it would give hope to all of humanity that even the Michael Jordan of relationship failures will eventually find his long-lost, sexy Scottie Pippen.

It would also make too much sense. Even if we hope it doesn’t.

One of Ryan’s ridiculous startup concepts proves relatively profitable; Michael’s secret share in the company lets him retire.
Odds – 112:1

A social networking site that pumps disgusting liquids into your waterbed. Jet skis for dogs. How-to books for how-to books. All of these ideas are awful. All of these ideas are slightly better than temp-turned-sales guy Ryan’s WUPHF.com.

Something involving Creed, loose cattle, a hand dryer, and a debilitating injury.

Odds – 40:1

Is it possible that they’d kill off Michael? Would we cry if this took place? Better question: Would everyone in the world cry if this took place? This would be the national equivalent of drinking a tub of hot sauce while watching the end of The Notebook and Field of Dreams simultaneously.

Maybe that Friday would be a national holiday.

Parkour accident.

Odds – 275:2

Self-explanatory when you see the Dunder-Mifflin team in action.

Michael gives a long, involved speech that he’s certain will unite a nation and dramatically announces his departure. To everyone but Michael, the speech means nothing at all.

Odds – N/A

Wait, this has already taken place?

Ousted by David Brent (Ricky Gervais) in international Sabre merger and subsequent shakeup.

Odds – 150:1

A man can dream.

Befriends crime-fighting dog; saves Scranton from Gabe’s underground narcotics and terror organization; disappears mystically, a beautiful crusader of the night, into the vast nothingness. No one asks questions.

Odds – 2:1

The Top Dog ending is the leader in the clubhouse.

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January Jumpstart

January 15th, 2011 by Editor

The team at Exercise TV shares their workout tips in this guest blog post for Hulu. As always, check with your physician before beginning any new exercise routine.

While your New Year’s resolutions may have already come and gone, Exercise TV is here to remind you that it only takes 10 minutes a day to jumpstart your workout (and those resolutions). This four-week program maximizes both time and variety, so you can have the body you want all year long.

Week 1
Need a jumpstart this year? Easy! Start moving. Contrary to popular belief, sweating will actually give you even MORE energy in the end. Thankfully, you don’t need to work out to exhaustion in order to benefit from the energy burst and fat burn. Just 10 minutes counts! This week, we’re going to focus on the glutes.

  1. Try Bootylicious Buns with trainer Stephanie Vitorino. Bottoms up!
  2. Dance Jam Calorie Burn is sure to get you sweating and feeling the burn in your legs, abs and obliques long after you’ve finished. Not to mention … it’s fun!
  3. Daily 100: Sit down, stand up 100 times (or just make sure to do it 100 times through the entire day)! Just before your bottom touches the chair, stand up and then sit back down again and again!
  4. No time to work out? Squeeze your glutes together to get a little extra burn at work, in the car, cooking dinner, or even at the movie theater.

Week 2
For the second week of your jumpstart, the goal is to get moving. Even if you “don’t have time to work out,” you can probably find 10 minutes for exercise in your busy day. This week, we’re adding strength training exercises to your routine.

  1. Sexy Legs will strengthen and sexify your gams, glutes and core.
  2. Take it to the next step with 10 Minute Buns and Thighs, sculpting your booty and legs with that good pain that makes you want to come back for more.
  3. Daily 100: Jumping jacks for 100 reps. It’s a great, back-to-basics leg toner that gets you burning calories and your metabolism pumping.
  4. No time to work out? Vacuum! The push and pull motion targets the chest. Really get into the movement and you’ll feel the difference.

Week 3
Don’t give up on your Jumpstart to fitness! On your third week, focus on your arms while making sure to do a total-body burn too. And have fun with it. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore.

  1. Pilates Core Sculpt workout will help you get that slim pilates shape with sexy cut muscles that make you stand out in a crowd
  2. The ABC’s of Hip Hop is a fun and sassy way to get fit while learning a few moves for the dance floor!
  3. Daily 100: Plank. It’s the top of a push-up, but then you just hold it there — for 100 seconds.
  4. No time to work out? Shovel snow. The weight against the shovel forces your arm muscles to really engage. No snow? Scrub the shower! Get into it, make it sparkly clean, and tone your arms while you’re at it!

Week 4
The final week of 10-minute workouts are the beginning of a fit mindset and healthy habits that will keep your body in check all year long! This week, you’ve gotta get into those abs. Of course, sexy abs aren’t just about crunches; you’ve got to get in some cardio to burn the fat off, too.

  1. Check out Standing Abs, a no-crunch way to define your core without ever laying on the floor!
  2. For a dynamic eight-move circuit that will burn serious fat fast, the Espresso Workout is a must.
  3. Daily 100: Skip. Yes, just like when you were in grade school. Skipping is a great cardio workout. Swing your arms, engage your core and skip!
  4. No time to work out? Seated Ab Squeezes. Big fast exhale through your nose and squeeze your stomach. Yes, you’re engaging your abs and slowly but surely toning… at the office, in the car, anywhere.

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Final Golden Globe Awards Predictions: Lots of ‘Likes’ for ‘The Social Network’

January 14th, 2011 by Gregory Ellwood HitFix.com

Yes, it’s that time of year again. A time in Hollywood where the worlds of movies and television become one, thanks to the incredible magic of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Whether the HFPA’s 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards are really a bellwether for the more prestigious Academy Awards honestly depends on the year. This season? Not so much, but it’s an excellent opportunity for stars from the big, small, and even smaller screens to celebrate each other’s work, drink, and be merry.

(Well, at least until a little over two weeks from now when they do it all over again at the SAG Awards.)

As in past years, the battle for best picture has come down to the power and influence of two men: uber producer Scott Rudin and longtime awards maestro Harvey Weinstein. With True Grit bizarrely left in the cold having received zero nominations, Rudin is pushing his critics’ wonder The Social Network. On the other side of the battlefield, Weinstein is firmly behind this year’s audience favorite, The King’s Speech. Occasional collaborators (“never say never” with these two), but usual competitors, the New York-based movie men are two of the fiercest awards season campaigners around. And when there are only 80 or so voters for the Globes to influence as opposed to approximately 6,000 for the Oscars? Well, we’d suggest getting out of the way of their crosshairs.

The TV categories are always incredibly difficult for even the most seasoned television experts to pick. That’s mostly because a majority of the HFPA voters cover the movies and not TV, but since they can all vote for the winners, it leads to some interesting and sometimes perplexing picks. In theory, acclaimed shows such as Modern Family and Mad Men should dominate the winner’s circle. This Sunday evening, however, that might not be the case.

With that in mind, check out this pundit’s predictions for the 68th Annual Golden Globes.

Movies
Best Picture – Drama
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network

Winner: The Social Network
Upset Contenders: The King’s Speech
Lowdown: If you speak to some HFPA watchers they will tell you that Network is going to win. If you speak to other HFPA watchers they will tell you that Speech will win because Harvey Weinstein knows how to schmooze them better than anyone else in town. It’s close for sure, but when it comes down to it, more than anything, the HFPA do not like to be embarrassed. And considering almost all the other critic’s groups in the country have picked Network for best picture, they should do the same.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids are All Right
Red
The Tourist

Winner: The Kids Are All Right
Upset Contenders: Alice in Wonderland
Lowdown: A pretty dreadful list of contenders with Kids being the only worthy awards picture in the bunch. However, word is the HFPA love Alice in Wonderland, and there is a very slim chance they go with Disney’s $1 billion hit.

Best Actor – Drama
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter

Winner: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
Upset Contenders: Jesse Eisenberg, Social Network; James Franco, 127 Hours
Lowdown: If you’re an HFPA member and voting Network for picture, you have to make sure to reward King’s Speech and this is where the organization tries to make everyone happy. The very deserving Firth is pretty much a lock here, but if the Network love is legit, Eisenberg could sneak in — or their longtime admiration for Franco could find him an unexpected winner, as well.

Best Actress – Drama
Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman, The Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Winner: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Upset Contenders: None
Lowdown: This is pretty much set in stone. The HFPA adore Kidman, but did not like Rabbit Hole. That pretty much seals the deal for Portman.

Best Actor – Musical or Comedy
Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland
Johnny Depp, The Tourist
Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version
Jake Gyllenhaal, Love and Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack

Winner: Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland
Upset Contenders: Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version; Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack
Lowdown: Another miserable category this year, but it does allow the HFPA to reward Johnny Depp one more time (he’s got nine nominations and only one win so far). If for some reason Depp doesn’t win, it will be because there was more support for Giamatti or Spacey than expected. Like, a lot more.

Best Actress – Musical or Comedy
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Emma Stone, Easy A
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right

Winner: Annette Bening, The Kids Are Alright
Upset Contenders: Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right; Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs
Lowdown: Pretty much Bening’s to lose. Anne Hathaway is the biggest competition, but the members were not big fans of Love and Other Drugs (as evidenced by the dramedy not making the Best Picture – Musical or Comedy category).

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Winner: Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Upset Contenders: Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Lowdown: Awarding the Globe to Leo allows the HFPA to reward The Fighter, which they are big fans of. Weaver would be the only nominee who could really surprise here.

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech

Winner: Christian Bale, The Fighter
Upset Contenders: Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
Lowdown: As much as they’d like to sympathetically bring cancer survivor Douglas to the stage (which would make for great TV, by the way), it’s going to be hard for them to ignore Bale. Again, they don’t like to be embarrassed. Eighty people can form one pretty insecure group.

Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David O. Russell, The Fighter

Winner: David Fincher, The Social Network
Upset Contenders: Christopher Nolan, Inception
Lowdown: Fincher will win, but if there is a prevailing feeling monster hit Inception needs more recognition, Nolan could sneak in.

Best Screenplay
Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids are All Right
Christopher Nolan, Inception
David Sieber, The King’s Speech
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

Winner: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Upset Contenders: Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours
Lowdown: Pretty much a slam-dunk for the former West Wing creator, but the HFPA also loved 127 Hours and Boyle in particular. This may be the only category where they can recognize the picture.

Best Animated Feature
Despicable Me
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3

Winner: Toy Story 3
Upset Contenders: Um, no.
Lowdown: Just book it. Although we wouldn’t want to be anywhere near the Disney/Pixar table if DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon wins instead.

Best Foreign Language Film
Biutiful
The Concert
The Edge
I Am Love
In a Better World

Winner: I Am Love
Upset Contenders: The Concert
Lowdown: Tougher call than in previous years, but critical acclaim and Tilda Swinton’s amazing performance should bring I Am Love the statue. However, the Weinstein’s The Concert could be a possible upset player here too.

Best Original Song
“Bound to You,” Burlesque
“Coming Home,” Country Song
“I See the Light,” Tangled
“There’s a Place For Us,” Dawn Treader
“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me,” Burlesque

Winner: “You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me,” Burlesque
Upset Contenders: I See the Light, Tangled
Lowdown: “You Haven’t” songwriter Diane Warren was repped by longtime publicist Ronni Chasen, who was murdered last month in an attack that left most of Hollywood in severe shock. Add in the Cher factor, and only “I See the Light” could upset the Burlesque ballad.

Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat, The King’s Speech
Danny Elfman, Alice in Wonderland
AR Rahman, 127 Hours
Hans Zimmer, Inception
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network

Winner: Hans Zimmer, Inception
Upset Contenders: Alexandre Desplat, The King’s Speech
Lowdown: One of the few places they can reward Inception. It’s also quite deserving and Zimmer was also a client of Chasen’s (it sounds callous, but sometimes it’s just how these things work out).

TELEVISION
Best TV Series – Drama
Boardwalk Empire
Dexter
The Good Wife
Mad Men
The Walking Dead

Winner: Boardwalk Empire
Upset Contenders: Mad Men
Lowdown: The HFPA love Martin Scorsese. The HFPA love HBO. As good as Mad Men was last season, the new kid on the Boardwalk should take home the gold Sunday night.

Best Actor in a TV Series – Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House

Winner: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Upset Contenders: Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Lowdown: Rule #1 when predicting HFPA TV voting: If there’s a movie star in the field it’s a good bet they’re gonna win. Why? Well, most of the membership don’t cover television, but just film. So, when they get a chance to vote for all the categories they tend to go with what they know. That usually leads to some classy, if not surprising picks. In this case, Buscemi over previous winners Jon Hamm and Michael C. Hall.

Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Piper Perabo, Covert Affairs
Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Winner: Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Upset Contenders: Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Lowdown: In an even less competitive category than last year, Margulies wins again.

Best TV Series – Comedy
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
The Big C
Glee
Modern Family
Nurse Jackie

Winner: Glee
Upset Contenders: Modern Family, 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory
Lowdown: It’s close between Glee and Modern Family, but we just think the HFPA can’t get enough of those singing and dancing teenagers.

Best Actress in a TV Series – Comedy
Toni Collette, The United States of Tara
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Lea Michele, Glee

Winner: Laura Linney, The Big C
Upset Contenders: Toni Collette, The United States of Tara or Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Lowdown: If you follow the HFPA’s unspoken movie star rule then Linney or Collette should win. We think being the new kid on the Showtime block gives Linney the edge.

Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matthew Morrison, Glee
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Winner: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Upset Contenders: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Lowdown: Are the HFPA really going to honor Baldwin for this role for the fourth time in five years? It makes more sense that Parsons breaks through and duplicates his Emmy win.

Best Supporting Actor – Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Scott Caan, Hawaii Five-0
Chris Colfer, Glee
Chris Noth, The Good Wife
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
David Strathairn, Temple Grandin

Winner: Chris Colfer, Glee
Upset Contenders: Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family; David Strathairn, Temple Grandin
Lowdown: Here’s the thing, somebody’s got to be the first group to recognize Colfer. We say the HFPA are that group. Just a hunch.

Best Supporting Actress – Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Hope Davis, The Special Relationship
Jane Lynch, Glee
Kelly MacDonald, Boardwalk Empire
Julia Stiles, Dexter
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Winner: Kelly MacDonald, Boardwalk Empire
Upset Contenders: Sofia Vergara, Modern Family; Jane Lynch, Glee
Lowdown: We’re taking the Boardwalk train and going with Kelly MacDonald. It’s a hunch, but we’d also not be surprised if Lynch repeated her Emmy win here.

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Carlos
The Pacific
Pillars of the Earth
Temple Grandin
You Don’t Know Jack

Winner: The Pacific
Upset Contenders: Carlos; You Don’t Know Jack
Lowdown: Let’s be clear, the HFPA may love Carlos and it’s a credit to the organization’s overall taste that it made the cut, but they do not want to embarrass Pacific producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. It’s that simple.

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for TV
Hayley Atwell, Pillars of the Earth
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin
Judi Dench, Return to Cranford
Romola Garai, Emma
Jennifer Love Hewitt, The Client List

Winner: Claire Danes, Temple Grandin
Upset Contenders: Um, no.
Lowdown: Just book it (and she’s winning the SAG Award for this one too).

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for TV
Idris Elba, Luther
Ian McShane, Pillars of the Earth
Al Pacino, You Don’t Know Jack
Dennis Quaid, The Special Relationship
Edgar Ramirez, Carlos

Winner: Al Pacino, You Don’t Know Jack
Upset Contenders: Edgar Ramirez, Carlos
Lowdown: Former Cecil B. DeMille and 14-time nominee and two-time winner Pacino should repeat his Emmy Award win here. However, there is a slight chance Ramirez upsets so the HFPA can claim they were one of the few orgs to actually recognize Carlos in some way.

Gregory Ellwood is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of HitFix.com. After almost a decade or working for Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox, he left the dark side to become a journalist. In the years since, he got sucked into the Oscar beat and has written for MSN, The Los Angeles Times and Variety. Follow Ellwood’s Awards Campaign blog here on HitFix.

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Prepare for a ‘Dragon Ball Z’ Attack

January 14th, 2011 by Editor

On Saturday, the iconic anime series Dragon Ball Z launches on Hulu with the first 15 episodes from the show, available with subtitles or dubbed in English, with fresh episodes rotating in on a regular basis. To introduce — or, in some cases, reintroduce — us to the eye-popping series, FUNimation copywriter Aaron Anderson wrote us a guest blog entry.

Entertainment is escapism. We fall in love with television shows, movies, comics, and manga because it’s a blast to fantasize about strange, far-away worlds where the unthinkable is an everyday occurrence. That, in a nutshell, is the magic behind the international phenomenon that is Dragon Ball Z. Any scenario you can dream up can likely be found in one of the 291 mind-blowing episodes of DBZ. This is, after all, a show where heroic mortals fall in love with high-tech androids and produce impossibly implausible offspring. Yup. It happens.

When they asked me to blog about the reasons to love Dragon Ball Z, I spent the next couple of days communing with the hardest of hardcore Dragon Ball Z fans. I discoursed with the devoted men and women who’ve watched every episode of every installment of the franchise. I looked for old-school Otakus who decorate their dwellings with Super Saiyan figurines. And last but not least, I sought the wisdom of wild-eyed, spiky-haired dreamers who are doggedly determined to live their lives according to the code of Goku. Their collective reasons for loving DBZ filled 14 legal pads, seven external hard drives, and a supercomputer named Earl. It was a literal barrage of fanboy gushing. Tears were shed, hugs were exchanged, and Kamehameha Waves were blasted into the night as we howled at the moon.

But enough about my decent in to Dragon Ball hysteria, let’s get down to business. The following is brief rundown of the most popular answers for why fans love Dragon Ball Z. Here we go!

Action! If you want an endless supply of martial arts mayhem and bombastic battles, Dragon Ball Z is what you’re looking for. This show is all about fighting. If the characters aren’t actually fighting, you can bet they’re immersed in grueling training for an upcoming fight against an opponent more powerful than anything our world has ever seen. Goku and the Z-Fighters battle dinosaurs, alien warriors, seemingly-indestructible androids, and a host of other bad guys that would leave ordinary men shaking in their boots. But not these heroes. In DBZ there is always a way to power up or an amazing new technique to master. This is a big part of the magic that makes the show so addictive.

Heroes and Villains! Simply put, Goku is the greatest hero the world has ever known. Forget about those other comic book chumps because they’ve got nothing on Goku and the Z-Fighters. No matter how bleak the outlook may be, Goku never gives up fighting for all that is good in the universe. Not even death can stop this legendary warrior from unlocking the secrets of his mysterious origins and attaining a level of power that strikes fear into the heart of the vilest villains. Speaking of those villains, nefarious ne’er-do-wells such as Vegeta and Piccolo give the show an extra kick and an edginess that resonates with fans of all ages. These cocky, smack-talking villains get increasingly more powerful as the show goes on, and sometimes, they even defeat the heroes — which is a nice change of pace from typical good versus evil plotlines. Furthermore, a particular villain’s story arc doesn’t always end with his — or her — defeat. Sometimes, losing is just the beginning of the adventure for a DBZ bad guy.

Endless Possibilities! There is no such thing as impossible in the DBZ universe. Death is not the end. Time travel is a reality instead of a science fiction fantasy. Pigs can talk AND shift their shapes. Dinosaurs walk the Earth. Heroes grow stronger by training in special rooms with increased gravity. Entire buildings can be carried around in your pocket thanks to the advance technology of the Capsule Corp. And as if that weren’t enough, any wish you could dream up can be granted by the awe-inspiring powers of the seven magic Dragon Balls.

Space Ninjas for the Win! This is what it all boils down to. Action aficionados of all backgrounds love ninjas. It’s a proven fact. They also love space. The unprecedented genius of Dragon Ball Z is the combination of space AND ninjas. We’ve got ninjas fighting on Earth, ninjas fighting in space, ninjas fighting in the future, ninjas fighting in the past, and ninjas fighting in otherworldly realms that may not even exist on this plane of consciousness. These ninjas fight anywhere, anytime, and against any foe. It’s nothing short of amazing.

To close this demented DBZ diatribe, I’d like to borrow the words of one particularly enthusiastic fan who said: “the show is about karate men that fly around in space and shoot out energy beams from their hands. No concept is better than this.” Well said, sir. I must concur. No concept could ever be better than this. — FUNimation copywriter Aaron Anderson

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