Category Archives: Site News

Four Mafia Shows You Just Have To Watch

Posted on February 19, 2018 by

There are huge amounts of mafia themed TV shows

Crime fiction has always been a popular genre. After all, it gives you all you could ever want in a drama: complex plotlines, conflict, heroes and villains and plenty of action. Mafia-themed shows are one of its most popular sub-genres, inspired by The Godfather trilogy of films which took $249,175,314 at the box office (over $1 billion in today’s money).

There are many possible reasons for the appeal of the mob. Many depictions of the way the mafia works show them getting exactly what they want – even being treated like royalty by everyone from restaurant maitre d’s to corrupt police chiefs. It might be power that’s generated through fear but who, secretly, wouldn’t also like to have that influence in the world? The fact that it’s also a secret society with its own rituals and bonds of honour also makes the mafia all the more interesting and cryptic, ruled as it is by the principle of “omerta” and which has its origins in the organisation’s Italian roots.

From murder mystery parties to video games, there are lots of places we can get a fix for our mob-session. But TV shows are what we love at TV Is My Pacifier, so here’s our pick of the best mafia-themed shows to ever grace the screen.
 
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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs: Return of the Western

Posted on February 13, 2018 by

With the Coen brothers’ latest venture coming to Netflix later this year, an anthology series set in the wild west and starring Tim Blake Nelson, now seems as good a time as any to step back and look at what exactly makes the Western genre so dang popular. Whether it’s long shots of the mountain ranges in the background, the sheer manliness of the cowboys helping the poor folk around them, or a tense showdown with revolvers that feels even more suspenseful than a game of Russian Roulette. The Western has endured throughout the years and with good reason!

Starting in 1903 with The Great Train Robbery, the Western proved an immensely popular new type of film that gained solid ground throughout the first few decades of its existence, becoming increasingly popular and getting a sizeable boost after World War II with John Wayne standing proud as an icon of American manliness and assertiveness. It’s estimated that in the fifty years between 1910 and 1960 that about 25% of all films made featured cowboys, and the TV landscape looked much the same in broadcasting terms.

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Jennifer Aniston May Have Been Joking, But is a Friends Reunion Really Possible?

Posted on February 8, 2018 by

Source: Friends via Twitter

Friends is one of the best and most popular sitcoms of all time, and despite the show last airing in May 2004, it is still on television all around the world as reruns remain popular to this day. For years, there have been suggestions and rumours about a Friends reunion, and there was recently a fake Friends movie trailer that went viral on the internet. Jennifer Aniston’s recent comments have only led to more speculation that there could be a Friends reunion soon. Speaking on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, the 48-year-old American actress, who played the role of Rachel Green on the 1990s and 2000s sitcom, said when asked if a new series of Friends was possible: “Anything is a possibility, Ellen. Anything! I mean, George Clooney got married.”

Since Friends last aired in 2004, there have been several notable and successful sitcoms, such as How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and Two and a Half Men, but there is still room for a new series of Friends. After all, Fuller House – which is a sequel to Full House (1987-1995) – is already three seasons old and is not showing any signs of slowing down. Given the popularity that Friends enjoyed – the last episode was watched by over 50 million people, and that was before the social media age – a new series is certainly going to be a huge hit – if written well and executed properly.

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Chuck Lorre Hints at The Big Bang Theory/Young Sheldon Crossover

Posted on January 27, 2018 by

The Big Bang Theory may potentially be looking to end its series, but Young Sheldon is still very much in its infancy and already enjoying a lot of success. The original series is the no.1 comedy in terms of viewership, while Young Sheldon is the no.1 new comedy. The problem with a crossover is the 30-year time difference between the two shows. So it would be a tricky task indeed to transport characters from a small Texas town three decades earlier to modern-day Pasadena. That doesn’t mean that adult versions of Young Sheldon characters couldn’t show up at all, of course.

Lorre says no

Being a spinoff show, Young Sheldon has a lot to thank its predecessor for, so it would be a treat to see a crossover between the two series before The Big Bang Theory drifts off into the sunset. Chuck Lorre, creator of both shows, had previously insisted that a crossover would be unlikely to happen. Fans shouldn’t be too surprised to see some of their favourite Young Sheldon characters make the occasional appearance in Pasadena, however.

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The Casino On The Small Screen – The Most Memorable Gambling Scenes in Television

Posted on January 19, 2018 by

Image source: Pexels

Over the years, the casino and gambling in general have featured in a wide array of television series, appearing in various titles, from cult classics such as Friends to animated fan favourite The Simpsons. This is partly because the world of gambling is extremely easy to incorporate into most scenarios and the fact that the pastime is often both peculiar and exhilarating in equal measure means that it translates to the small screen incredibly well. With that being said, there are dozens of examples of TV series dedicating entire episodes to gambling and the casino. Below are eight of our favourite scenes which serve to illustrate the added value that gambling has when incorporated properly.

The Simpsons

It’s possible that The Simpsons has referenced gambling and the casino more than any other animated show, which would make sense, as it’s the longest running series of its kind. From the very first episode, where Homer rescues Santa’s Little Helper from the greyhound track to Homer and Ned being tricked into getting married in Las Vegas, there have been a number of classic moments relating to the casino, but the episode that perfectly encapsulates everything good, bad, or indifferent about gambling is Season 5 Episode 10. The aptly named “How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Legalise Gambling” is intended to be a satirical look at Las Vegas, focusing on the panic which sweeps Springfield when plans for a casino to be built within the town are approved.

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