Yes, I’m a sucker for clever titles.  Welcome to I Queue where every week I’ll be talking about the things I’ve been watching through Netflix, Hulu or other means.  Be sure to check out blogs about media watching under the I Queue category and while you’re here check out all the great stuff from Team Hellions.

But back to me.

Ms Hellions and I got rid of cable a couple of months ago in order to save money and we haven’t had to look back since.  Most of the shows we enjoy are available within a week at most on one of the many legal sites.  However, we aren’t even worried about those shows right now.  Netflix and Hulu are helping us to discover things that have been out there for years and yet somehow we never watched them.  There are thousands if not millions of hours of glorious programming out there to be discovered.  With all that being said, lets get to what we’ve watched this week!

One more thing.  We do the 3 discs at a time (unlimited) plus unlimited streaming on Netflix.  Our Hulu account is Hulu Plus through PS3.  OK, onwards!

The Benson Interruption.

This show is hit and miss, and thakfully only six episodes.  Now if the show was more hit I would be excited for more episodes.  The premise is that Doug Benson, he of much weed smoking and influenced humor, sits on stage and interrupts his stand up comedian friends at hilarious intervals.  The amount of joy in each segment is directly related to how much one enjoys the stand up guest.  There are three guests per episode and of course all Doug all the time.  I’m already a fan of guys like Adam Corolla, Brian Posehn, and Chris Hardwick (episodes 1, 2, and 3 respectively) so these routines were a delight!  I’m one of the few people on the planet (from what the interwebs tell me) who love Bob’s Burgers so it was a great surprise to discover Eugene Mirman on episode 4.  The Tweet-Off contest that Doug has with (almost) every guest will no doubt increase your following list.  On the down side, if the routine bombs then the show drags.  Cheap Seats was an amazing show but the Sklar Brothers didn’t bring their A game to this recording.  I’ll say this is a perfect end of the evening show.  Throw it on just before bed, have some relaxing laughs, and pass out.

Mentally I’m jumping from Cheap Seats to its father, Mystery Science Theater 3000!  I’m trying to work my way through all of the episodes available on Netflix in addition to the Rifftrax options on Hulu.  Elise is a big fan of Mike and tolerates Joel which means I’m running through all of the Joel episodes on my own.  This week included Hercules Unchained and Hercules Against the Moon Men.  My God, the Moon Men one had me crying.  The extended sandstorm scene did give a “deep hurting” but Joel and the ‘Bots made it one of the funniest things I’ve ever had the privledge to view.  However, the Robot vs the Aztec Mummy episode is exhibit one for bestowing sainthood upon the crew.  The two title characters don’t even fight each other until the last 5 minutes of the movie!  If you can even call it a fight.  The robot doesn’t even exist until the last 15 minutes.  Oh, its a painful painful film spun into gold by the Rumpelstiltskins of Rifftrax.

Over on Hulu Plus we’re making our way through Black Books.  I’ve watched the first episode of this show dozens of times in a desire to watch all 18 episodes in order, only to abandon the project.  Now, many years after the first time we’re one episode away from completion.  What a brilliant show.  Bernard, Manny and Fran.  That’s it.  Three person cast and every episode becomes a favorite one.  Each character is damaged and horrible in their own ways, yet insanely loveable.  As a collector, I’ve owned things for years only to then read/watch it at the “right time”.  With the collapse of the retail juggernaut that was Borders, there are certain episodes I had never before seen, that ring quite close to home now.  The corporate greed that is the big box book store (with Simon Pegg!), the skewed desire of small shops to compete with those same big boxes, its closer to truth than an eleven year old British comedy has any right to be.

Reader requests!

I opened this up on Twitter and Facebook for people to tell me what they are watching and suggestions for me.  Lets see what the fans have to say:

Elise is currently going through Fringe and if we’re lucky she’ll start writing something up here as well.  But she is enjoying the hell out of it and whipping through episodes at a blistering pace.

The Paragon of Virture, Team Hellion member The Educator, suggested Pawn Stars.  Pawn Stars is hit and miss with me.  I recently watched the infamous Transformers episode.  My geeky heart cried in pain.  They do have some amazing things show up in the store, and it can be mesmerizing.  But there’s also a lot of obviously set up bits and some strained acting.  My enjoyment of the episode is dependant on what items are found.  See also, American Pickers.

The Sexy Archeologist suggested both Entourage and Ducktales.  I’ve tried Entourage and I couldn’t give less of a shit.  And I’ll say this publically, decades from now Ducktales will still hold up as a brilliant show and Entourage will be forgotten.

Elise’s mom suggested Dateline ID.  The watching of any true crime shows in this house is under the control of the moon.  As in, if its dark out I’m not watching anything like that.  In related news, UFOS, ghosts and all paranormal things are not real when its night and I’m trying to sleep.

Finally, our friend Laura says she’s watched 9 to 5 and some “black and white Sherlock Holmes movie lately”.  9 to 5 was one of the first comedies I watched when I was younger and instantly knew I was not old enough to be watching this.  Nor was I old enough to get many of the references.  But there was a cute little cartoon segment for no reason!  Of course, years later I rewatched it and the reason for that cartoon was made clear.  Dark but great film.  Also, anything Sherlock Holmes is usually good.  I’ll suggest the recent BBC series Sherlock and also the cult classic Young Sherlock Holmes.

That’s all for this week!  I’ll watch lots more before next Tuesday and look forward to you sharing your views and viewing with me.