'Price is Right' celebrates 40

On Monday, the classic game show “The Price is Right” will boldly go where no game show has gone before… over the hill. As television’s longest-running game show (over 7,000 episodes), contestants of “The Price is Right” have been guessing the actual retail value of living room sets, gym equipment and BRAND…NEW…CARS... for 40 seasons under the guidance of longtime host Bob Barker (1972-2007) and current host Drew Carey.

Everyone has their own memories of watching “The Price is Right.” I think it’s safe to say that for any generation, it was the one show you always managed to watch when you were home sick from school as a kid — it’s as if Barker’s voice soothed the pain away.

For me, whenever we visited my grandmother “The Price is Right” was always on just as the clock turned 11. We’d watch it on her tiny 10-inch TV in her kitchen while we gathered for lunch, always saying how one day we’d “show them how it’s done” by getting ourselves on the show.

Lucky for me, I managed to do so. Well, I never got up on stage, but I did have the pleasure of being in the coveted studio audience. It happened by accident, really.

My friend and I had taken a vacation to California about a year-and-a-half ago — L.A. was our first stop, and we wandered around on Hollywood Boulevard for most of the first day. That’s where we were given free tickets to “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Dr. Phil” — all being taped at the same time. Obviously Dr. Phil was out — and after much debate we ended up opting for the crazy Craig Ferguson because he had better guests that day.

As we were waiting in the CBS parking lot to head into “The Late Late Show,” we saw people with the infamous “Price is Right” nametags on their shirts coming out of the building — it never occurred to us that this was the place that housed “The Price is Right” studio. We decided to ask one of the interns who was herding us in how we could score tickets to a “Price is Right” showing. We didn’t think much would come of it — assuming the shows were booked months in advance — but low-and-behold, he had two tickets available for us to “Come on down!” the next day for a taping.

Even with tickets though, we were not expecting the entire process — including the taping of the show — to last nearly eight hours. It was a long day, to say the least, but it was still worth it.

Here’s a brief rundown of how it all went down: For a 12:30 afternoon taping we were required to be in line at 6 a.m., just to make sure we got in — we had what they called ‘general admission’ tickets, where apparently they give out more tickets than there are seats in case a large group doesn’t show up. The gates opened at 8 a.m., and we filed into a line outside where we filled out a very brief survey about who we were: where we were from, why we were in L.A., etc. etc. During this waiting period we were also required to pose for a picture, so that they have us on file, (Unlike talk shows, I think the rule was we can’t be on “The Price is Right” more than once in a span of 10 years — something ridiculous like that.) and we also received our lovely yellow nametags.

After a lot of waiting, we were brought up in groups of 12 for a 1-minute interview with the announcer (Rich Fields in my case), as interns next to him judged us and took notes on whether we were deserving enough to make it on stage.

After what seemed like ages, we were brought into the colorful studio. Our first impression — as is everyone’s, it seemed — was “Wow, it’s so small.” It sure was — I thought after all that waiting, we weren’t even going to get a seat. But somehow they squeezed us all in, and the show was set.

From here, Drew came out and said hello before the cameras began rolling and Fields explained the rules. The number one rule: Don’t look to your friends in the audience for help on bidding — it takes up too much time. And how many people do you see per show doing just that? Exactly. Pretty much all of them.

Aside from the major rule that no one follows, we were told to cheer, clap and laugh a lot at Drew’s corny jokes. After an hour-and-a-half show, when that slight hopeful feeling you had before the show that you just might get up on stage goes away, you file out and find the next batch of hopefuls waiting in line for the 4 p.m. show, and ‘The Big Wheel’ spins on.

So what’s the key to getting up on stage? Either being part of a group of 15 or more — during our show, it seemed one person from every color-coded T-shirt-wearing group made it to the Contestants’ Row — or having one heck of story that you can tell in that 1-minute interview. The woman waiting in line next to us said she made it on stage when she was first pregnant with her son. Now, 18 years later, she returned with her son in hopes of making it on stage again — and she did. She made it all the way to the final Showcase where she took home a massive boat or something. It’s stories like that that make the producers go crazy… and a little bit of luck, I guess.

So here’s to “The Price is Right” — a big Happy 40th to You! And may you continue to keep us guessing for another 40 years.

FUN FACTS
• As of November 2009, the show had given away approximately $250,000,000 in cash and prizes.
• The most expensive prize ever offered was a Tesla Roadster valued at nearly $113,000.
• The record for the largest amount won in a single episode is $147,517.
• Only two people in the daytime show’s history of “The Price is Right” have guessed the final Showdown price exactly correct.

Fall TV Preview

It was an overwhelming task this year to single out a select few television shows for my Fall TV Preview; there is an overabundance of new selections being offered on every major network, and I must say, most of them surpass the not-bad category.

We’ve got shows coming out of every which era, including a reboot of “Charlie’s Angels” on ABC, NBC’s risqué “The Playboy Club,” and everyone’s favorite animated dimwits from the ’90s, “Beavis and Butthead,” return to MTV on Oct. 27.

We’ve also got plenty of returning sitcom stars gracing our presence: Tim Allen is back with ABC’s “Last Man Standing”; Christina Applegate — who played clueless teen Kelly Bundy on “Married with Children” — will be taking on the role of a first-time mother in NBC’s “Up All Night,” alongside SNL vets Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph; and we have the return of Ms. Buffy the Vampire Slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Geller, playing somewhat-evil twins on the CW series “Ringer.”

We’ve even got fairy tales with ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” starring Ginnifer Goodwin (“HBO’s “Big Love”) and Jennifer Morrison (“House”), and NBC’s “Grimm,” a tale about detectives who have the ability to see nonhuman creatures, and set out to catch the mythological bad guys.
From there you’ve got your usual cop procedural (NBC’s “Prime Suspect” starring Maria Bello), medical drama (CBS’s “A Gifted Man” with a he-can-see-dead-people twist), sci-fi time-travel (FOX’s “Terra Nova”) and (girl) buddy comedy (CBS’s “2 Broke Girls”).

And, of course, “Two and a Half Men” sans Charlie Sheen.

The start of the season is just around the corner so take a look at the plentiful group of newbies headed to your television screen and add some to your list of favorites. To get you started, here’s some choice picks from yours truly.

“New Girl” — FOX — 9 p.m. — Tuesday, Sept. 20
“New Girl” stars the ever-adorable Zooey Deschanel (“Elf,” “(500) Days of Summer”), and that should be reason enough for you to tune in. The premise of the show revolves around her character, Jess, who after a major breakup from her boyfriend, runs off to live a new life. From here, she decides to move in with three random dudes who help her learn the way to winning over a man’s heart. Deschanel’s quirky, yet charming Jess is infectious, and along the way the new boys in her life, who are more brotherly than anything, learn a little something from her, as well.

“Pan Am” — ABC — 10 p.m. — Sunday, Sept. 25
A period drama set in 1963, “Pan Am” revisits the days when stewardesses were some of the most desired women in the world, especially if you worked for the sleek, luxurious Pan Am airlines. Following four attendants, one role taken on by indie-darling Christina Ricci, “Pan Am” is out to show them, and us, the world, at a time when most women’s ambitions were pushed to the side. With “Mad Men” being as popular as it is, “Pan Am” should garner an easy following and take off without a hitch.

“American Horror Story” — FX — 10 p.m. — Wednesday, Oct. 5
So far the previews for “American Horror Story” have been vague — which makes it all the more intriguing. What we do know is a family (led by Dylan McDermott) moves into an old haunted house — unbeknownst to them — where previous residents have been doomed to death. From the creator of “Nip/Tuck,” it’s sure to push boundaries and take us on a weird and wild ride.

“The Chew” — ABC — 1 p.m. — Monday-Friday — Starts Sept. 26
Mix it up with a little daytime television with “The Chew,” which was made to fill the void left from the daily soaps. It features a number of co-hosts including Iron Chef Michael Symon and nutrition expert Daphne Oz, and aims to teach viewers every facet that revolves around food — from home entertaining to affordable meals to new food trends. If you’re any sort of Food Network lover, “The Chew” should be just your taste.

“Person of Interest” — CBS — 9 p.m. — Thursday, Sept. 22
From executive producers J.J. Abrams (“Fringe,” “Lost”) and Jonathan Nolan (screenwriter “The Dark Knight"), “Person of Interest” essentially revolves around two guys: One, an engineer (“Lost’s” Michael Emerson) who has designed software that can recognize if a person is about to be a victim or an assailant of a particular crime; and two, an ex-CIA agent (Jim Caviezal — you may know him best as Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ”) who teams up with the engineer to help track down these people and put an end to a crime that could have happened.

CBS tends to get it right when it comes to investigation shows — see “C.S.I.” — and “Person of Interest” plays off that theme. It’s a definite action show with a thriller underlining, and it’s a role that fits Caviezal well, reminiscent of his role in “Frequency” back in 2000.

“Whitney” — NBC — 9:30 p.m. — Thursday, Sept. 22
Inspired by Whitney Cummings’ stand-up, the laughs in “Whitney” revolve around her and her boyfriend, who have been happily unmarried for three years. and the questions that arise from their friends on their unconventional lifestyle

Cummings’ stand-up can be a little off-putting, but having to tone it down for sitcom television, I think Cummings will do some funny stuff here.

Time to get rollin' with 'Great Food Truck Race'

Seabirds. Hodge Podge. Devilicious. Korilla. What do these mumbo-jumbo names have in common? They are all food trucks competing in the second season of Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race.”

Along with Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Café con Leche, the Lime Truck, and Sky’s Gourmet Tacos, these eight trucks take to the road to serve up some delicious food to cities all over the United States, and to earn a $100,000 prize and the title of Best Food Truck in America.

“The Great Food Truck Race” is hosted by Tyler Florence, a chef and host of several Food Network shows including “Tyler’s Ultimate,” where he combines recipes to make the ultimate version of something — such as the ultimate Mac n’ Cheese. On “The Great Food Truck Race” Florence is out to find the ultimate food truck. Each week, whoever earns the least amount of money from that week’s sales goes home.

And as some of the teams find out, in order to win, it’s not all about the food — the teams earn money by thinking smart: Location, networking, marketing and time management are all key parts to earning the most money each week. Especially when Florence throws a wrench in the teams’ plans and calls them up with a so-called “Speed Bump,” such as not letting them cook with propane or requiring one member (out of a 3-person team) to handle all the work. It spices up the competition and provides make-or-break challenges.

There are also “Truck Stops,” where teams are given a challenge that could give them a potential advantage if they win it. Last week, for instance, the trucks took to Colorado, and were given a challenge where they needed to forage for wild mushrooms and create a dish ‘on the fly’ for a local chef to taste test. Whoever’s dish the chef liked best was rewarded with an interview on a local radio station, where they could get the word out about where their truck would be and what food they had to offer. In a city where no one knows that any of the trucks are even there, that is a big advantage.

I’ve been hooked on Food Network for most of the summer — watching plenty of cake challenges and cupcake wars to give me a whole mouthful of sweet teeth — and it was just a few weeks ago that I saw a promo for “The Great Food Truck’s” second season. As it turns out (if you have Comcast), my On Demand service was airing all six episodes of season one, and on a rainy Sunday I had myself a bit of a marathon and watched the entire season. We’re now in the fourth week of season two, but it’s a show that’s easy to catch up on and well worth your time.

What’s great about this show is the fast-paced feel of it all. It’s amazing how these on-the-go cooks (some professionally trained, others not-so-much) can create something so uniquely delicious and serve it in a fast-food manner. In the first season there was a food truck that specialized in French Cuisine. They served frog legs and escargot. I didn’t think they’d make it past the first week, but people bought it, even at $20 a pop. It’s all about coming up with something original and seeing how far you can take it, whatever setting you’re in.

And that’s the key — adapting a menu you can sell in any part of the country. Most of these food trucks usually sell in big cities like New York or Los Angeles, but as we’ll see with tomorrow night’s episode, Florence takes the gang on a trip to a tiny town in Kansas. How will the Seabirds — an all-vegan food truck — do? Will Korilla — which specializes in Korean BBQ food — win out in a place where lines may not be forming around the corner? Can Boston’s own Roxy’s Grilled Cheese bring it home?

They’ll just have to get rollin’ to find out. And you should get rollin’ to watch this delightful little show on Food Network — if not for the high-energy of the competition, then at least to salivate over the delicious dishes these food trucks have to offer.

The fourth episode of season two of “The Great Food Truck Race” airs tomorrow at 9 p.m. on Food Network.

Plenty of movies to choose from this fall

Starting last weekend and running until after Labor Day, we find ourselves in a bit of a lull when it comes to movie-going. Summer is wrapping up — students are headed back to school and vacations are coming to an end — which puts us in a damper mood and the movie studios in one as well. Last weekend’s new releases, “Conan the Barbarian,” and “Fright Night,” both underperformed; this week’s “Our Idiot Brother” isn’t getting a lot of love from critics and Paul Rudd fans alike; and next week’s “Seven Days in Utopia” is a G-rated flick about golf — I can’t see a lot of people flocking to theaters on their Labor Day weekend just to see that.

And so we wait. We wait for this three-week lull to pass. And when it does, we are in for a surprisingly great fall movie season. Here’s a list of seven movies I’m looking forward to this season — believe me, it was tough to pick and choose. And so, following my picks, there is also a brief listing of other possibilities that might interest you. Enjoy!

“Contagion”; Kate Winslet, Matt Damon; Sept. 9

Beware: If you’re not a germaphobe yet, this movie will surely put things into perspective for you. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (“Erin Brockovich,” “Traffic”), this thriller takes germs to a whole new level, when a virus wipes out millions of people worldwide in just a few days. Panic spreads as doctors try to find a cure before the whole world gets wiped out. It features Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Judd Law, and how each of their characters’ lives cross paths during this devastating time.

“50/50”; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogan; Sept. 30

A comedy about cancer — can it be done? I think it can with “50/50.” Based on the real friendship between actor Seth Rogan and a friend of his who was diagnosed with spinal cancer (and who also wrote the screenplay), “50/50” follows their friendship from the initial phases of diagnoses and throughout his treatment. It’s 50 percent comedy (using cancer to get the girls) and 50 percent drama, showcasing the real moments that cancer deals with, such as chemotherapy. It’s a nice balance, which is what makes it work.

“Young Adult”; Charlize Theron; Dec. 9

Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman, the writer and director of “Juno,” team-up again for this adult comedy starring Charlize Theron. Theron plays a successful novelist who heads back to her hometown after receiving a marriage announcement from her high school sweetheart. From here on out, she’s on a mission to regain her sense of popularity and reclaim her sweetheart. If Cody and Reitman can recreate any of the success they had with “Juno,” this is a sure thing for some gut-busting laughs. Plus, it’ll be interesting to see Theron in a comedic role.

“Drive”; Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan; Sept. 16

An intense action-thriller about a Hollywood stunt driver (Gosling) who uses his skill to take on a second job as a getaway driver. During one heist, things get out of hand and he must escape some seriously dangerous men; from here he takes you on one crazy drive. It’s dark and gritty and Gosling proves he’s more than just a pretty face.

“The Big Year”; Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Steve Martin; Oct. 14

Two words: competitive bird-watching; three laugh-out-loud stars.

“The Muppets”; Jason Segal, Amy Adams; Nov. 23

Who doesn’t love the Muppets? Actor/writer Jason Segal has been working hard to bring the lovable puppets back to life, along with director James Bobin, and he’s succeeded with their first big screen debut since “Muppets From Space” back in 1999. It’s a star-studded musical comedy that involves saving the Muppet Theater from being destroyed by an evil, empire of an oil company. “The Muppets” is a must-see attraction for both adults and children; all your favorite Muppet characters will be there — Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and even a new Muppet named Walter.

“The Artist”; Nov. 23

The first things you should know about “The Artist” is that 1). It’s a silent film, and 2.) It’s also a French film. But don’t let either of those aspects deter you! I adore silent films, particularly Charlie Chaplin films, and you should give them a chance in an age full of CGI, blow-em-up movies — it’s a nice change of pace. “The Artist” in particular was quite popular at this year’s Cannes festival. The plot takes place during the transition from silent films to talkies, and how one actor’s career comes tumbling down with the transition. It’s also a great way to learn some film history while you’re at it.

WHAT ELSE IS COMING
Sports films:

“Warrior” (mixed martial arts); Tom Hardy; Sept. 9
“Moneyball” (baseball); Brad Pitt; Sept. 23
“Real Steel” (robot boxing); Hugh Jackman; Oct. 7

Top-notch director films:
“Pearl Jam Twenty”; Cameron Crowe; Sept. 20
“J. Edgar”; Clint Eastwood; Nov. 9
“Melancholia”; Lars von Trier; Nov. 11
“Hugo”; Martin Scorsese; Nov. 23
“The Adventures of Tin Tin”; Steven Spielberg; Dec. 23
“War Horse”; Steven Spielberg; Dec. 28
“Carnage”; Roman Polanski; TBA

Animal films:
“Shark Night 3D”; Sept. 2
“The Lion King 3D”; Sept. 16
“Piranha 3DD”; Nov. 23
“Dolphin Tale”; Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd; Sept. 23
“Puss in Boots”; Antonio Banderes, Salma Hayak; Nov. 4

Documentaries:
“Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey”; Oct. 21
“Revenge of the Electric Car”; Oct. 21
“The Whale”; Sept. 16

Remakes, sequels, trilogies, etc:
“Footloose”; Kenny Wormald; Julianne Hough; Oct. 14
“Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol”; Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner; Dec. 21
“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”; Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law; Dec. 16
“Paranormal Activity 3”; Oct. 21
“Happy Feet Two”; Elijah Wood; Nov. 18

Highly anticipated:
“The Rum Diary”; Johnny Depp; Oct. 28
“The Iron Lady”; Meryl Streep; Dec. 16
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”; Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig; Dec. 21
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1”; Kristin Stewart, Robert Pattinson; Nov. 18
“My Week with Marilyn”; Michelle Williams; Nov. 4

Comedies:
“Jack and Jill”; Adam Sandler; Nov. 11
“A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas”; John Cho, Kal Penn; Nov. 4
“Tower Heist”; Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy; Nov. 4
“What’s Your Number?”; Anna Faris; Sept. 20

Kutcher vs. Danson: Who are you more excited to see return to TV?

In a TVGuide.com poll this week, the site asked “Who are you more excited to see return to TV this fall?” The choices were between Ashton Kutcher, who will be taking over for Charlie Sheen in “Two and a Half Men,” or Ted Danson, who will be taking over for Laurence Fishburne in “CSI.” Out of nearly 16,000 votes, 59 percent of people answered they’re more excited to see Kutcher return than Danson.

What’s wrong with this picture?

There is no way that people would rather watch Kutcher over Danson — I just don’t see it.

On the one hand, you have Kutcher — best known for his role as dim-witted Michael Kelso on “That ’70s Show” for eight seasons — which, I’ll admit, is a great character — and for marrying Demi Moore, a woman 16 years his senior. He also “PUNK’d” a bunch of celebrities for five years, and worked his magic in Nikon camera commercials, which was more amusing than any of his movie performances. Oh, and his biggest accomplishment yet — aside from snagging Sheen’s role — is being the first person on Twitter to have a million followers, narrowly beating out CNN. If that’s not a win, I’m not sure what is… (catch the sarcastic tone there).

On the other hand, you have Danson — best known for his 11-season stint as Sam Malone on “Cheers” — a role that earned Danson two Emmy wins and two Golden Globe wins. From there, Danson went on to a number of successful TV series — “Becker,” “Damages” and “Bored to Death” — as well as big screen performances such as “3 Men and a Baby” and “Saving Private Ryan.”

I understand that Danson has been in the game a lot longer and Kutcher still has time to prove us wrong, but at this point where Kutcher is making $700,000 an episode over Danson’s $225,000 — making Kutcher the highest paid actor on television — I don’t understand it. After all, Danson has talent, whereas Kutcher is just a pretty face.

The way I see it, people cast their votes for Kutcher because they’re more excited to see what the writers have up their sleeves for “Two and Half Men” without Playboy Sheen in the house, rather than actually being excited to see Kutcher take over their television sets. Or maybe they’re just excited to see Kutcher fail. At least that’s what I hope.

Until then, give Danson some love and check out some old episodes of “Cheers” — it’ll put more of a smile on your face than Kutcher will any day.

Get to know the charming Emma Stone

Emma Stone. Some of you may not recognize the name — after all, at 22 years old she hasn’t been in the acting game all that long. Yet, within the last five years she’s managed to be a break-out star in every role she’s taken — leading her to snag a part in next summer’s Spider-Man remake as Peter Parker’s first love interest, Gwen Stacy.

But that’s next summer. This summer Stone takes on a central role in the anticipated release of Kathryn Stockett’s best-selling novel “The Help,” released in theaters Wednesday. Stone plays Skeeter Phelan, an aspiring writer in the 1960s who decides to write a tell-all book about the life of black maids. Alongside actresses Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, Stone showcases her dramatic side, which we haven’t seen much of in her previous work. It’s a role that will surely move her out of the supporting actress category and into the spotlight.

For now, get to know Emma Stone a little better by looking back at four of my favorite performances from her.

Jules in “Superbad” (2007) — Emma Stone first showed off her acting chops in this Judd Apatow directed flick. Stone plays Jules, the love interest of man-boy Seth (Jonah Hill) in the R-rated summer hit. You can easily see why Seth would like her — Stone’s character comes across as both funny and genuinely nice, despite being portrayed as the popular girl in the film. She’s a character who’s able to hang out with the boys, and I think it’s a role that most resembles the girl-next-door aura that Stone gives off in real life.

Wichita in “Zombieland” (2009) — Wichita was just one great aspect of a fabulous movie staring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin in which zombies take over America.

Stone plays a zombie survivor, who along with her sister, are simply trying to survive, even if it means conning others to get what they need. On the way, the two girls come across Columbus (Eisenberg) and Tallahassee (Harrelson), and the four actors play off each other well. Wichita is slightly more devious than Stone’s “Superbad” persona, but still just as fun.

Natalie in “The House Bunny” (2008) — An underrated flick, I might add — “The House Bunny” stars Anna Faris as Shelley, a former Playboy Playmate who gets kicked out of Hef’s mansion for being too old. With nowhere to go, Shelley stumbles upon a socially-awkward sorority that happens to need a den mother, as well as a major makeover. Stone plays Natalie, the president of the sorority, as well as the resident geeky girl who can’t catch the boy of her dreams.

It’s hard to believe Stone could ever be the resident geeky girl — her character actually comes off quite normal among the other girls of the sorority — but Stone plays the role in a charming way, and it shows most when she’s interacting with the bubbly, yet slightly dimwitted Shelley.

Olive in “Easy A” (2010) — A new-age take on “The Scarlet Letter,” “Easy A” casts Stone as high school student Olive who gets caught in the middle of a rumor involving her losing her virginity to a college guy. Rather than trying to defend herself from everyone, Olive decides to embrace the image the rumor has created of her. From here, she starts a mock business for boys who have trouble catching the attention of girls. Olive takes their money, and in exchange the boys get to say they had sex with her, therefore boosting their popularity.

Stone’s performance outshines the storyline here — there’s a wonderful scene that will have you in tears involving Olive constantly singing Natasha Bedingfield’s “Pocketful of Sunshine” — and the one-liners she’s given are right on point, especially in the scenes opposite her overly-religious fellow student Marianne (Amanda Bynes)

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There's a doc for everybody

In terms of the TV stratosphere, I hope you’re not feeling too overwhelmed this week. I know there’s a lot going on. We’ve got Shark Week taking place on the Discovery Channel, Mob Movie week over on AMC and my favorite late night host, Craig Ferguson, has taken us all on a trip to Paris for the week. And saddled in between all of that, the fourth season of everyone’s favorite guilty pleasure, “The Jersey Shore,” debuted.

Aside from all that greatness (Admit it: You want to see “The Jersey Shore” kids make a fool of themselves in Italy just as much as the next person.), Current TV is airing a weekly segment going by the title of “50 Documentaries to See Before You Die” that I suggest you check out. It’s hosted by “Super Size Me” creator Morgan Spurlock, and focuses on documentaries released in the last 25 years. From sports (“Hoop Dreams”) to animals (“March of the Penguins”) and to global warming (“An Inconvenient Truth”) to spelling bees (“Spellbound”), this documentary series touches on them all — one of my personal favorite being Errol Morris’ “The Thin Blue Line.” And what makes it even better is Current TV is airing many of the documentaries on the list throughout the month.

I might add, that aside from the typical countdown aspect of the series, host Spurlock also tracks down and interviews some the filmmakers whose movies are on the list, as well as “characters” of the films.

For instance, in the first segment Spurlock drives out to Florida to snatch a few moments away from Billy Mitchell, a main player in the 2007 documentary “The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters” by Seth Gordon. Mitchell, at the time, held the world record for most points in the arcade game “Donkey Kong.” In the film, Mitchell is challenged by Steve Wiebe, an underdog in all aspects of life, who claims he can beat Mitchell’s high score. Throughout the film, we get an inside look at the world of competitive gaming — and just how intense it really gets.

The first hour-long segment of “50 Documentaries to See Before You Die” aired Tuesday, but don’t fret, you can find reruns playing constantly throughout the week, and practically up until the final installment premiers on Aug. 30. So take some time away from the shark-infested TV set, and sneak a peak at the realistic side of film — it’ll be well worth it

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NOTE: The next four segments of “50 Documentaries to See Before You Die” will air every Tuesday at 9 p.m. from here on out, with the last installment premiering on Aug. 30. For Comcast subscribers, you’ll find Current TV on channel 107. For all other subscribers, check www.current.com for channel listings.