A sneak peek at the next episode of The Cleveland Show.

In this week’s Kaleidoscope, I wrote about the classic, cult-y ’60s TV show The Prisoner:

I can’t speak for the remake premièring on Nov. 15 (AMC, 8 p.m.), but there are few shows like the cult ’60s British TV show The Prisoner , now available on DVD. Created by and starring Patrick McGoohan, The Prisoner follows a defected secret agent who is taken to an ostensibly idyllic island called The Village, where his name is replaced by a number and he’s not allowed to leave. Exploring themes of identity and free will, The Prisoner is a milestone; television has rarely been so deep or engrossing.

As I said above, I couldn’t vouch for AMC’s remake, starring ultimate badass Ian McKellan and Jesus/Jim Caviezel. The six-day miniseries premiered yesterday with the first two episodes. It was awful. Like, laughably so. There are similarities in style and structure to the original McGoohan series but adds fast cuts and editing tricks that make it look like film school project. McKellan can’t be taking this thing seriously, camping it up as the mysterious and powerful 2 (unlike the series, McKellan’s 2 stays the same). But his arch line delivery also doubles as the show’s few highlights, especially in the face of ridiculous and unnecessary character development (yo, what’s up with 1112, McKellan’s son? If his sole purpose within the series is to pout his lips and have fabulous cheekbones, he’s doing a stellar job).

That being said, I will most likely watch tonight’s installment because I’m a glutton for punishment/find the entire thing hilarious. Any of you guys watch it? What did you think?

AMC is certainly no villain in this situation, if only because they are awesome enough to post the entirety of the original series online. Seriously, watch this. First episode below:

Sesame Street officially enters middle age tomorrow, marking 40 years on the air. If that milestone doesn’t give you the warm and fuzzies, I don’t know what will. Their birthday also marks the beginning of their new season, featuring First Lady Michelle Obama, Cameron Diaz and In The Heights creator/performer Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Like most children with access to a TV, I was all about the Street. Some 21 years after I initially saw it, I still often find myself singing this:

To mark the occasion, take a gander at an excerpt from Michael Davis’ Street Gang, about the landmark show’s long run.

So I showed you mine, now show me yours. Any Sesame Street skits that stood out to you? I’m also a huge fan of the B52’s Kate Pierson (in Muppet form!) and REM singing “Furry Happy Monsters” (want more music? Hecklerspray has a fun list of his top 10 musical performances. It skews recent but is still great). And pretty much anything the Count was involved with (1 ah ha ha ha, 2 ah ha ha ha ha — gets me every time!). I could go on … Share your favorite Sesame-flavored moments in the comments.

Remember last week when we got crazy excited about Frank Reynolds (aka Danny DeVito) flashing around a copy of the City Paper, Carolyn Huckabay’s cover story on T. Desiree Hines to be exact, on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia? We promised we’d give you the goods when the episode went up on Hulu. Without further ado, lower the lights and check CP out:

Also, if you saw last night’s episode, it’s in your best interest to visit dicktowel.com. Like, now.

On Friday, our True Blood re-capper extraordinaire Kristen Humbert told you about themed pumpkin templates for the fang banger in all of us. Girly was also kind enough to send her own version of Eric Northman, played by the oh-so-beautiful Alexander SkarsgĂĄrd.

Kristen’s Eric	Alexander’s Eric

What do you all think? See some any other excellent pumpkins? My landlord’s kids had a pretty sweet Phillies pumpkin, which didn’t give off the right karma but was still a stellar job.

Click For More »

CampBlood.org

Hey True Blood fans, it’s your friendly episode-recapper here (speaking of Anna Paquin…).

Lacking in pumpkin carving inspiration? Your design doesn’t have to suck … unless you want it to.

Check out these True Blood pumpkin templates, courtesy of CampBlood.org and Andy Swist. If you’re ambitious enough, you can populate your porch with Bon Temps.

I’ll be trying my hand at an Eric Northman gourd. I’m worried about getting his unsettling stare just right – check back to see my progress.

Also, these True Blood paper dolls from Andy are amazing.

Frank Reynolds is a City Paper reader! In the beginning of last night’s ep, “The Gang Wrestles for the Troops,” the titular gang sits around the bar watching old Hulk Hogan videos while Frank, aka Danny DeVito, flashes Carolyn Huckabay’s cover story on trans musician and activist T. Desiree Hines:

She knew that Mississippi would be the death of her.

Which is why, on the morning of August 28, 2001, T. Desiree Hines was leaving. She packed a suitcase full of skirts and dresses, carefully applied her makeup and prepared to take a taxi to Jackson-Evers International Airport, where she’d catch a 6:45 p.m. flight to Washington state by way of Memphis. She’d spent the last 21 years living, uncomfortably, in a male body. She was ready to be a full-time woman.

Leaving the stranglehold of the South may have been the single most significant moment of Desiree’s life, but it was only the second most significant moment of that particular morning.

UPDATE: Here’s a quick screenshot, courtesy of CP reader Jen Walker/Lucinda Lunacy (thanks!):

Hines is also, coincidentally enough, mentioned in this week’s Agenda lead and Art Phag because of her screening of classic horror flick Nosferatu. Unfortunately for those who missed our star turn, Hulu is on an eight-day delay with the episodes, but here’s a preview. Along with our solid cameo, it was totally fucked up; one of those eps where by the end, your mouth is agape in horror and you don’t burst out laughing until the end credits start to roll. I thoroughly enjoyed. We’ll stick up the new episode when Hulu does:

RELATED: Ex-It’s Always Sunny actress spills the beans

RELATED: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Live @ Tower Theater, 9/17 (8 p.m.)

RELATED: Q&A with Rob McElhenney of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia

jordan.nonsociety.com

Reid

Jordan Reid isn’t bitter … anymore. The actress took to her Web site last week to publicly discuss her role in the development of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, from its nascent stages, as the original Sweet Dee.

A fresh-faced college grad straight off the bus in L.A., Reid knew no one expect old flame Rob McElhenney (aka Mac). They rekindled their romance and started to create a show based around four L.A, TV actors looking for their big break. Miraculously, FX picked up their DIY pilot, which evolved from It’s Always Sunny on TV to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and gave them the cash to turn it into a real TV show. And that’s when things went south for Reid:

Around that time, my relationship with Rob began to unravel, and I started to sense that I was on unsteady footing on the set, despite our “all for one” pact. I was surprised to learn that Rob, Glenn and Charlie had all been made executive producers, while I simply remained the lead actress. I went very quickly from being at the center of the project to standing on the periphery, and…truth? It felt like it had everything in the world to do with my gender. To me, FX felt like a cigar-smoking, whiskey-drinking old boys’ club. I was welcome when I was the girlfriend of the creator, and once I wasn’t…well…I was persona non grata – and my role in creating their new pet project was forgotten.

So Reid was booted out in favor of Kaitlin Olson, who married McElhenney last year. Reid says she’s gotten over it, but she’s still gotta feel burned over the entire thing. Here’s what annoys me: She says that she thinks she was squeezed out because of her gender, but she admits that it was her own meekness that prevented her from asking for a showrunner credit, which would have saved her job. More important is the role she would have played on It’s Always Sunny. Sweet Dee is an integral reason why the show works. Rather than relegate the lone female to straight man status (like most sitcoms), Sweet Dee/Olson is just a ridiculous as the rest of the boys. Olson is also fantastic at what she does, as evidenced by her freakout scene in “The Waitress is Getting Married,” or when she sings “Runaway Train” to the hitchhiker in “The Gang Hits the Road,” or this:

h/t Videogum and Caitlin

RELATED: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Live @ Tower Theater, 9/17 (8 p.m.)

It was awesome, a strange clash of two good things you never imagined appearing  in the same unphotoshopped frame. Video 1 is Stephen fucking Colbert interviewing John fucking Darnielle. Video 2 is the live performance of “Psalms 40:2″ with, of course, Peter Hughes on bass and Jon Wurster on drums. Apparently, if you were in the studio it was even worlds-collidier, as Colbert and Darnielle sang “The Year” together (according to the Village Voice’s blog). Somewhere there’s video of this and I am going to see it if it kills me.

It’s nearly October, so you know what’s coming: a whole lot of Edgar Allan Poe-is-ours-damnit bravado. In keeping with that spirit, take a look at this WHHY short on how Philly inspired some of Poe’s best works. (And remember, that little fact is the basis of our argument that Poe belongs here — so stick to it when your friends from Baltimore try to press this issue. He only died there! Big whoop!) Also, congrats to executive producer Trudi Brown and everyone else involved in this video; it recently won a 2009 Mid-Atlantic Emmy under the Historic/Cultural Features category.