Q Q Q p
0
2B - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 31, 2005
The Michigan Da
Featured Article
6-7B AWAKE
you call that a bagel? jwith Adam Rottenberg
IF IT AIN'T BROKE
0.
d u r i n g
The Weekend List
A guide t the events in Ann.
Arbor this weekend.
e x a m
w e e k
Random Student Interview
Katherine and Kate discuss board games,
cowboy hats and TS. Eliots real name.
Fast Break
Arts Break delivers to students 3
creative respite from classes,
Where It's At
Students reveal their favorite
studying spots on campus.
5 Ellen McGarrity: A Guy Thing
[Een reveals the eight. things
about guys that amuse her,
Weekend Entertainment'
a Adam Pottenberg on wy remake
sometimes fail - Plive up to ihe orHiginaL
WEEKEND
BOX OFFICE
Gross in millions of dollars
1. Guess Who (21) - What
Demi sees in Ashton: his amazing
ability to choose bad scripts.
2. Miss Congeniality 2:
Armed and Fabulous (14.5)
- Remember, Sandra Bullock also
thought "Speed 2" was a good
idea.
3. The Ring Two (13.8) -
Maybe in the third one, the creepy
little kid will battle Haley Joel
Osment.
4. Robots (13) - At least
Halle Barry can attest that being
in this is not as bad as starring in
"Catwoman."
5. The Pacifier (8.5) - This
is Vin Diesel's first comedy?
But "Knockaround Guys" was
unintentionally hilarious.
6. Hitch (4.3) - America, it's
almost been two months - please
stop going to this movie.
7. Hostage (4.1) - Dude, the
kid from "Flash Forward" is in this!
It has to be good.
8. Ice Princess (3.7) - If
anyone can make the jump from
an HBO sex comedy to a G-rated
family film, it's Comedy Central.
9. Be Cool (2.5) - At this point
in his career, Danny DeVito should
start paying people to avoid the
movies he's in.
10. Million Dollar Baby (2.3)
- Clint, we're not feeling lucky,
punk. You're movie is still on this
list.
Few showscaptvre the humor NBC decided i would be a good tt doesn't even matter how the
in the mundnebettet than idea ,to Axerieaize the British final product turned out If NBC
"The Offie'" From the sensatibn. last saminer 14t nof wanted to air "The Office," then
comipletely 4lueless and obnoxious sheckintg that the Peacock' has' it should bait aired the BBC epi-
*boss to the doe-eyed secretary turned to the Brits fqr inspiration' sodes., But NBC would never do
longing' for an escape1 the comedy .it attempted it befowe with "Men ,that because evenitoh lthe series
reso te iewe rs becauset Seh..i:..............'.........._..... was a :.c:.s among tlevision
feels reaU. The Office" is funny both faibwresi erasand Met- critics, it's British. That means
and original, a rarity on television. thant gave#hi permissiot and that an American audience would
So, why then~ do I detest "The sold the right, 'aad sgotx casting ignore itbeeause the actors sound
......?" :. :..:..e::... ..gan. The Daily Show" Steve 'different.
...:... .. .
I gessI houd larfythat a Carrel was chosen.top4a ihe Fm not saying we're all ignorant
. . :.:: : .:NBC's The e.......role. ils.casting was a.boon, American s s,....the television
- he insipids carbon-copy ve,- but he had big shoes to filnetworks programtheir schedules as
sion of the BBC original. I didnt knw.exactly what to though we are This season proved
Rieky GeTvais an4 Steven Me- expect whenthe series finally that a smart series can work but
chant created the series in 200. debuted during.what was once NBC clearly didn't get the memo,
Through.Gervais's squirm-induc- considered NBC.premier "Must Instead, it opted to play it safe and
ing hunmor David Brent became SeeTlf" Thursdaywnight. Times hope ts audience was wlilng to sit
the insipid boss that everyone have changed and the time slot is a through a listless retread.
loved to hate. He wduld tel crude shell of its former glory, neverthe- Remakes are inherently prob-
jokes, mock his coworkers and less, NBC seems tobe showing a lematie under any criteria. Films
think everyone was his best friend ot of faith in the remake by airing are frequently remade in spite of
Regardless of his behavior, some- it on Thursdays. econstant complaints o how unnec-
thing aboutthis loser was endear- Hoping for the best, I tund in. essary they are. All you need to do
ing. Gervais' portrayal of Brent Much to my dismay1 I knew every is look at the top of the box office
is the type of iconiu performance joke and every situation that was charts to realize that renakes are
equivalent of Carroll O'Connor's coming - down to the Tim char- 'all the rage - from "Guesp Who"
Archie Bunker. acter placing Gareth's stapler in to "The Ring Two" - and because
The show reached a level of Jell-O - even though this was of their profitability, they aren't
success well beyond the standard supposed to be a "new" show with going anywhere anytime soon.
scope of British television in the "new" characters. The miay have But TV reiakes don't have the
United States. Gervais won a Gold- changed the names, but literally same track record. And hopefully,
en Globe for the role in 2003. The every punch line is lifted from the the new "The Office" will fade into
Emmys gerrymandered its rules to British pilot. oblivion with the rest, while the
exclude the series, knowing full Imitation is the sincerest form original stakes its claim as a tele-
well it would win over its inferior of flattery, but this was down- vision classic. TV viewers need to
American competition, on the basis right theft. Taking character con- find that one truly inspired series
that a series needs to produce more structions and thematic ideas is on the air, even if that means tun-
than six hours of programming to one thing, however, NBC's "The ing into BBC America. Great com-
be considered eligible. Office".wanted to miimic every edy - great entertainment - can
The series ran its course - two nuance of BBC's "The Office" come from anywhere.
seasons and a two-hour special - 'without half the talent or charm.
finishing the story of the workers The sad thing is that NBC is Adam is waiting for the daywhen
at Wernhom Hogg. . expecting this to be the answer to a British college joutrnalis does a
In lieu of the heaps of critical its scheduling woes and make the remake of this column. He can be
acclaim and cultural awareness, network seem original again. reached at aronen@wnich.edu.
8 BSteve Du Bois: Deal With It
Steve ex plains how he uses his
homosexuality to his advantage.
Paper Trail
Tips n011 how to write vour
fina{term paper el.'
MAGAZINE
X X. ......................... ..................
.......................
:i
,,~ , .:
< r:
_;__:
Now you have no excuse.
The odislyah ihgnUne Shoa.se9.
we rbe at gat u:st J 399.,... i .. £.u#f k, s p rtr
Now on display at the Michigan Union U-M Computer Showcase
and at U-Go's in Pierpont Commons.
www.apple.com/education/store
vx Attention Grads:
' ' ' Hurry! Last chance to take
t :. advantage of your student discount.
DATE/TIME
NOISE REDUCTION
DATE/TIME
NOISE REDUCTION
Daily Arts Mix Tape
Writers: Christine Beamer, Emily
Fellows, Megan Jacobs, Jackie
Lamaj, C.C. Song, Amanda Shapin
Photographers: Forest
Casey, Amy Drumm, Alex
Dziadosz, Shubra Ohri, Peter
Schottenfels, David Tuman
Photo Editor: Ali Olsen
Cover Art: David Tuman
Arts Editors: Adam Rottenberg,
Managing Editor
Associate Editors: Alexandra
Jones, Melissa Runstrom
Managing Editor: Alison Go
As school winds down and
the weather gets warmer,
it can only mean one thing:
finals are approaching.
In these tense times, it's
helpful to have some ood,
calmin study music. This
mix de]livers beautiful
instrumentals suitable for
studying or just winding
down after that three-
hour marathon bubble-
filling test of endurance.
- Lloyd Cargo
1. Brulez Suivant, Suivantel
- Fly Pan Am
2. Balkanize You - Tim
Hecker
3. Hazy Paradise - Ghost
4. Victima Belleza - Savath
& Savalas
5. Frederica - Do Make Say
Think
6. 9-15-00 - Godspeed You
Black Emperor
7. Sine Wave - Mogwai
The Tout and Tame
- Tortoise
9. Rae -Autechre
10. Meditation #2 -Brian
Eno
1. Kule Kule - Konono No. 1
2. The Triumph of Our Tired
Eyes - A Silver Mt. Zion
3. Green Gross of Tunnel
- Mum
4. 5 is for Everything - Books
5: Perverted Undertone - Pre-
fuse 73
6. Expect Delays - Rachels
7. The Seasons Reverse
- Gastr Del Sol
8. Section I8 - Steve Reich
9. Hendrix With KO - Caribou
f10. My Angel Rocks Back and
Forth -Fourtet