Review: Justified - Season 1 (TV)

A Modern Day Western

Justified is my favorite show on TV at the moment. I would actually say this is one of the best shows that has been on TV in the past five years. I know I just got done praising AMC's Breaking Bad, but FX's Justified is a different breed of animal. The show revolves around a U.S. Federal Marshall named Raylan Givins. After a shooting takes place in Miami (the best opening five minutes of a TV show ever), he is sent to his birth-state of Kentucky. Hijinks ensue, all of which will leave you on the edge of your seat anticipating the next moment. The show is written well, full of action and witty dialogue. There is never a dull moment, whether it be a shootout or a conversation during a stakeout. This is due to one of the best casts of characters on a single show I have seen in a while.

Raylan is played by Timothy Olyphant, a badass actor who is just starting to get his due. You might recognize him from his role in Die Hard 4 or Deadwood. He plays on hell of a cowboy so it is fitting he is playing a modern day reincarnation of one. Raylan can be best described as a mix between Han Solo and John McClain. He has a shoot first, ask questions later vibe mixed with lots of whit and charm. After the first episode it is made clear the man knows how to handle pressure. Raylan has so many complex relationships in the show I cannot begin to describe them all but here is a short list:

Raylan vs. outlaw father Arlo
Raylan vs. Boyd Crowder (Who I will get into in a moment)
Raylan vs. His ex wife
Raylan vs. his current squeeze
Raylan vs. Boyd's Father Bo

Keep in mind this is just Rayland's major season-long relationships. Now the main antagonist of the show is Boyd Crowder, who goes through some major changes in the first few episodes that leaves you guessing the rest of the season on the character's intentions. This is done so well because of the fantastic acting of Walton Goggins, who some might recognize from The Shield.

Rating 5/5- "It's The Bee's Knees!"

The show is an easy recommendation to anyone who likes action, westerns, drama, or any good television period. The show does slow down a bit it the middle and sidetracks of the main story-line but only for three or four episodes, and they are still great ones to watch! FX just started Season 2, and it is looking to best Season 1 at the moment. Check it out next time you have a easy weekend or your sick with nothing to do, you won't regret it.

"Fire in the Whole!"

Reviews(Music): The Devil Wears Prada and Queens Club

icAlright everyone I have two music reviews for today! I will make them all pretty short, the CDs are just EPs so they will not take too long. Anyways sorry it has taken so long to get some non-food reviews up. First up.....

The Devil Wears Prada- Zombies EP

So I have listened to The Devil Wears Prada (TDWP) for a while, although I still don't know how I feel about them. They definitely have some talent and have been able to make some catchy metalcore/screamo songs. Unfortunately they have yet to really make a whole album that grabs me. They decided to have a little fun between their records and release a concept EP called Zombies. Can you guess what it is about?! That is right, it's about zombies! When I heard the idea I thought "a metal band doing a zombie concept album? Tight!". Problem is, I feel like it could of been a lot more than what it is.

 I'll start with the bad. The lyrics are boring and generic. They had an opportunity to tell a cool story or show some sort of emotion but the lyrics are like their subject matter, lifeless. Good thing you can not really understand what the heck the singer is shouting anyway! If you are going to write lyrics with zombies do something like Showbread and their song "George Romero Will Be At Our Wedding".

This record does have its positives though. The music itself is raw and hard. This is a different TDWP, and they show it from the get go. It is much more metal, much less screamo then their past albums. The vocals are much more of a growl than the shout they used to be. There is also less whining (what they consider clean vocals) then in past albums. The guitars are good, nothing special. The drums are fantastic , fast a chaotic yet precise. The album has a very creepy atmosphere thanks to some great sound effects such as gun shots, radio PSAs, and even heavy breathing of someone running away. Also I am a sucker for good cover art and theirs is pretty badass. Very eerie and dead looking.

Overall I like the direction these guys are headed and am excited to see where they take it, especially applied with good lyrics. This EP is a fun little distraction in the meantime but is overall forgettable.

Rating- 3/5 "It's Just Meh"

Queens Club- Friendly EP


I have one big problem with Queens Club. They seem to be lost finding their sound. Right now they seem to be a mix between pop/punk and Indie, but they do not mix them very well. The first three tracks on this EP are upbeat musically, with good rhythm and tempo. The last two are acoustic versions of two of my favorite tracks from their last album. The guitars and drums are solid. Very upbeat, fast paced, and quirky. They seem to be very sporadic in the direction but always keeping things moving. The bass is awesome, very noticeable and almost steals the show with some good grooves. The vocals are what kill me. They just sound like the vocalist is falling asleep or just woke up. There is no oomph. Very dull and does not match their overall sound. The vocals are those of an Indie band while the instruments are more along the lines of a band like Jonzetta. The acoustic songs are solid. They do something most bands avoid when doing acoustic covers and that is change the structure of the song. I really enjoy it and they are solid renditions.

Until Queens Club finds their sound, I just can not get into them. They have a few bright moments here and there but overall they are just do not offer anything that separates them from every other quirky new band. I cannot complain about the album too much though because it is free on there facebook. Check it out if you like free music and need some new tunes, otherwise I cannot really recommend it.

2/5- "It's Not Worth It"

Review: Whataburger Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich

Looks like Whataburger read my their last review on The Smidview because they brought back the Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich. This is one of my absolute favorite chicken sandwiches in fast food and was pretty excited to see it back. This probably does not leave much question of what I am giving this sandwich but hey, maybe I will surprise you!

What I got: The Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich (on Texas Toast) Combo

This is the perfect example of a seasonal item that needs to be on the menu all of the time! The sandwich itself is made with things that are always on the menu. It is just three chicken strips, BBQ sauce, and two pieces of Monterey jack cheese on either Texas Toast or a toasted bun. Simple, but oh so good. I cant really go into a whole lot of detail though because of its simplicity. The chicken strips are typical strips, maybe even a little too breaded. The BBQ sauce is sweet and tangy, which makes sense being it is Honey BBQ sauce. As you can see in the picture, they give you plenty as well. The Monterey jack cheese is not really very flavorful but comes through on texture. It ads some good smoothness to it and blends well with the BBQ sauce. I chose to get it on Texas Toast because if I am going to eat greasy Whataburger I am going all out. The toast was buttery and golden brown but really really greasy. Not a very big surprise though. This meal is definitely not for the health conscious.

Rating: 5/5 -"It's the Bee's Knees"

Sorry, no surprises This is one of my absolute favorites. I plan on getting this a few more times before they take it away from us again. Damn seasonal fast food gods.

P.S. I will start getting some other reviews that are not food related up soon.