(photo by Adam Bouska)

Jane Espenson (@janeespenson) is a television screenwriter whose work includes “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Torchwood,” and “Game of Thrones.” Her legendary blog, a resource for aspiring writers, is archived at janeespenson.com. She is currently a producer on ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” and a web series she co-created with Brad Bell called “Husbands,” which is raising funds on Kickstarter for its second season.

Brodie, Gene, and Libby talk with Jane about linguistics, science, archaeology, serialized television, and moving up the ranks of the writing world.

Shakeytown Radio Minute: TV Tuesday (16:45)

Helium’s “Magic Box” opens what is supposed to be a Tuesday talking about television, but becomes complaining about television critics. We try not to spoil “American Horror Story,” “Dexter,” “Burn Notice,” and “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.” Plus, an embarrassing story related to “Portlandia.”

“The King Of TV” Paul Goebel is an actor, comedian, and host of “The Paul Goebel Show” podcast. He was TV Land’s Ultimate TV Fan, the TV Geek on “Beat The Geeks,” and the chef who did something unsavory with your French toast in “Not Another Teen Movie.” On this episode, we discuss the boob tube, anger issues, animal rights, and Morrissey’s racism.

Also, the music of the Misfits.

Last Comic Standing – Season 7 Episode 2: New York

So I just realized that I might not have a lot to say about Last Comic Standing. I’m holding my breath, waiting for it to suck, waiting, waaaaaiting. I’m worried that the show will go to hell and make me hate it. So far, I’m disappointed at my lack of disappointment.

Judging seems competent and fair, bordering on helpful even. The requisite crazy bashing is kept to a minimum and mostly quick cuts/montages. Ventriloquist acts and outer borough/bridge-and-tunnel goombahs took the beating tonight. Aside from one inexplicably nude comic, it was pretty painless.

The only New York contestant I’ve met personally is Mike DeStefano. He’s raw and honest, and tremendously funny. There were a couple of other standouts like Kurt Metzger, who killed with his audition joke about Cash 4 Gold and his showcase Michael Jackson bit. Jesse Joyce did a joke about running over monkeys in Malaysia that is as funny and as horrifying as it sounds.  I honestly cannot remember much else. I hate to say this, but knowing of a lot of the LA comics made the NYC audition and showcase lackluster. I’ll take ownership of that.

With the format being near perfect, the comics being largely decent, and the misery of humiliating the crazies kept to a minimum, these reviews might get a little boring. But the alternative is excruciating to think about. Please NBC, no big changes, eh?

- Gene George

SPOILER ALERTS:

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Last Comic Standing – Season 7 Premiere

Apparently, NBC went to comedians and comedy nerds and asked for ideas on how to make Last Comic Standing not just another shitheel-filled trainwreck of a reality series. Then, they apparently took all those suggestions AND USED THEM. Yeah, that’s right, they have judges that comics respect, know, and give a fuck about.

Judges such as Andy Kindler, who looms large as a comedy advocate/gadfly, a comic’s comic. Kindler’s a masterful standup with an act that turns backflips around conventional joke structure.

Natasha Leggero, a fixture in the Los Angeles alternative comedy scene for years, now coming into her own.

Rounding the panel out is Greg Giraldo, veteran standup and Comedy Central Roast regular.

This is a panel I can get behind. The judges this season are offering good, solid, real world comedy advice, aside from the occasional silliness. Kindler’s absurd costuming and joke notes were highlighted in a notable montage. When Leggero seemed to be channeling Paula Abdul’s touchy-feely American Idol “You’re a strong person” shtick, Giraldo called her on it IMMEDIATELY.

Craig Robinson hangs around and mostly acts like Craig Robinson, which is fine. Robinson’s in queue interaction with Paul Goebel Show co-host Jim Bruce (discussing Charlie Chaplin - “He’s dead!”), and his exit interview with semi-finalist Tiffany Haddish, were quite funny. The cold open with Robinson at a piano openly mocked some of the weaknesses of LCS’ previous seasons, touting that this season will be “Different, so different.”

The only problem I have with the show is the illusion that the people waiting in line outside the Improv are actually somehow auditioning. I’m pretty sure the fix is in and the unwashed masses are only admitted when they’ll do something truly crazy or stupid. I haven’t confirmed it with my friends on the show, but given the lineups for the “Auditions” and “Showcases,” both could have passed for lineups at Comedy Death Ray at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.  Seriously. Between Cathy Ladman and Laurie Kilmartin ALONE there’s like 50 years of standup experience.

Add folks like…

• Jimmy Dore, radio personality, standup, host of the successful podcast Comedy and Everything Else, as well as live show Pop & Politics
• James Adomian, character comic extraordinaire and Comedy Death Ray Radio regular
• Chip Pope (a.k.a. R.O. Manse), a writer and comic legend
• Chris Fairbanks!
• Rob Delaney?!
• COMEDY’S RON BABCOCK?!

Maybe I’m jaded because I have seen most of these comics in person, and in some cases performed with them. I guarantee none of them waited for two days in the rain for their audition.

That obvious conceit aside, the show has a LOT of talent on it. I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops. The rumor is that the show is going to go in a less ridiculous direction, but time will tell.

- Gene George

SPOILER ALERTS:

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