Does anyone else have the feeling that the better the quality turns out to be, the less likely Fox will be to keep it?

of course. The best reviewed shows are rarely the most popular. Dollhouse isn't suffering from too many raves, though... so far.

To be fair, Viva Laughlin only lasted half as long as Wonderfalls. The cancellation axe's speed can sometimes be a mercy.

Though really, I think Viva Laughlin was pretty much cancelled as soon as Hugh Jackman got down off that craps table.

I forget, was that before or after Melanie Griffith sang? 'Cause that would have killed the show dead unless she was also sleeping with Les Moonves. And he was deaf.

Before. Melanie singing ensured that the masters would be burned, I think...

From way back; One of my "Forever!!1" Tv episodes is H:LOTS "Three Men And Adena" and it's not even my favorite...my favorite is my favorite because I am a freak. "3 Men" noteworthy because it feels like the first time every time. Like this time Timmy's gonna get his man and be Okay, though of course... The last scene of my very favorite ep is fuckin' eerie now, since Ms. Shelley was murdered and she says"If it happens to me, it's good to know you're out there," (shudder)

This one's for Ple and Victor.

Hermanos! The devil has built a robot!

********

Neutron contra los Automatas de la Muerte (1960) !
(Neutron versus the Death Robots)

Probably the best thing about Los Automatas de la Muerte is that it affords us ample opportunity to really savor the wonder and strangeness that is Neutron's nemesis, Dr. Caronte. As perfect a specimen of a hysterical megalomaniac as you could ask for, Caronte prowls his vast laboratory in an outfit that bespeaks of a certain career ambivalence, equal parts wrestling togs and surgeons scrubs, affectionately leading his freaky uni-browed dwarf assistant Nick by the hand as he proclaims and declaims in a booming voice about his various dastardly designs.

Caronte needs lots of human blood in order to keep alive the collection of talking, disembodied brains, harvested from captured scientists, from whom he hopes to learn the secrets of the much coveted Neutron Bomb (which, as far as I can understand, is not a bomb that just kills Neutron, but more like a regular bomb, only better somehow). To do this he will use his army of Death Robots, a bunch of faceless, ape-like zombies in coveralls that Caronte appears to, um, bake in giant pizza ovens.

Now, granted, there's not a lot here that we haven't seen before (well except for the robots being baked in pizza ovens, which is... well, holy shit), but the fact is, when something like this is done right, you really feel like you're watching a maniacal villain in a wrestling mask having a conversation with a roomful of disembodied brains harvested from kidnapped scientists for the very first time.

And, what I'm saying is, Los Automatas de la Muerte really does it right. This is quite a well made film, exhibiting all of those qualities present in the most well appointed and technically proficient of the early lucha films: Rich black and white photography, moody night-for-night shooting, and camera work that makes the most of some impressive and atmospheric set designs - basically the same Film-Noir-meets-Universal-monster-movie look we see in great early Santo films like Santo en Museo de Cera and Santo contra las Mujeres Vampiro. On top of that, the action in Los Automatas de la Muerte is virtually nonstop - and always outlandish.

My favorite scene has got to be the one in which a fleeing Death Robot, on the brink of being captured by Neutron and his pals, commits suicide by pulling off his own head. But there's a lot of competition in that department, especially when you have so many scenes featuring little freaky Nick scurrying around and barking orders at the Death Robots in a screechy, overdubbed voice (there really is something genuinely disturbing about the little dude). Happily, the film ends on an uncertain note, cluing us in that Dr. Caronte and Nick will be back for the next installment (cluing us in further is the fact that the next installment is called Neutron contra el Doctor Caronte, so duh). That I'm actually looking forward to that, despite all of my initial ambivalence, is a testament to the amazing, life-transforming power of Neutron contra los Automatas de la Muerte.

From The Lucha Diaries

Here's a direct link to the review: [link]

And I'm bummed that the DVD available doesn't have English subtitles...

Unless I'm mistaken, today's our girl's 12 anniversary.

Happy Birthday, Buffy. t /Dru

Hmmm, time for a special Buffy Birthday rewatch of Surprise & Innocence, perhaps.