What's The Deal With...!? [Part I]

This post is devoted to exploring the intricacies of the age-old question...

What's The Deal With...!?
[Part I]

• ...movie commercials stating that a new movie is playing "only in theaters"!? With the exception of Stephen Soderbergh's movie Bubble (which was simultaneously released last January in theaters and on DVD), is there really mass confusion as to where a new movie will be available to watch? When I hear Miami Vice is coming out this week, I'm not running to Blockbuster to rent it, or turning on HBO to watch it. I'm pretty sure the whole movie industry has been up and running long enough for people to remember that new movies are released in movie theaters, and nowhere else (and straight-to-DVD movies play no part in this, because nobody with a brain actually cares about the release of American Pie: Band Camp or Cruel Intentions 2).

• ...Post Raisin Bran and Kellogg's Raisin Bran!? Do we really need two versions of the EXACT same cereal? I'm certainly not a supporter of monopolistic entities, but I'm willing to live in a society where only one company has exclusive control over the bran cereal market.

• ...the songs I Fought The Law and Authority Song!? In case you don't know what I'm referring to here, let me show you with sample lyrics from each song. Here's a well know line from I Fought The Law : "I fought the law and the law won, I fought the law and the law won (etc.)." Now, here's the chorus of Authority Song : "I fight authority, authority always wins. I fight authority, authority always wins (etc.)." Notice anything...odd? Yep, they are the same damn song! I don't know which song came first, but you can't just change the tense of a song and call it a new song! Someone clearly has a lawsuit coming their way.

• ...the depressing nature of the TV show Mad About You!? I hate to put down this show because I used to watch it all the time when it was a current show. But, someone has to point out that this was actually one of the most depressing comedy television series ever made. Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser's characters were CONSTANTLY bickering about useless problems (rather than humorously ranting about them, like the cast of Seinfeld) and, if my memory is correct, I'm pretty sure that the series finale involved the two of them suffering a heated divorce and than fast forwarding 20 or so years ahead, when they are older, and seeing them meet up just as friends. Good lord, that's depressing!