First Taste: Catch The Throne tracks from Wale and Big Boi

For those unfamiliar, HBO announced they would have a mixtape called 'Catch The Throne' in honor of "Game of Thrones" season 4.  And the first two songs tell me this might be a must have for the cross section of hip-hop and Thrones fans. Let's start with Wale's track. He obviously is not too hurt that Rick Ross left him off his newest album. I mean he is the number two guy in the MMG clan, right? The number two always get left off the album. I like this from Wale as he at his best when the beat is unique and not his own. Big Boi rips it up too with his 'Mother of Dragons.'  The beat is terrifying like you are expecting the dragons to descend then he hypes up my girl Dany which is fantastic. I think this mixtape has ton of potential.

Skirting Social Media TV Spoilers

"I watch too many television shows."  A phrase almost everyone has uttered at least once in their lifetime. Television is so good right now that it is nearly impossible not to have too many television shows to watch. It caused me to break up with some (RIP The Following) as well as take me forever to catch up on. It also does not help when new, great television shows keep coming out (Looking directly at you, True Detective). Additionally, Netflix provides the problem where the entire season is released in fall swoop. We have too much great television and that's not a bad problem.

This leads many people to get all uptight about spoilers. Social media is an interactive place where you want to talk about everything and anything in the immediacy.  I am at the point with spoilers that if they are not big ones, I have grown to expect them and not really be disappointed especially if I see them 24 hours after the show aired.  If they do not openly state what happens in the plot, it is not really a 'spoiler', but House of Cards is the first show where I am almost forced to watch in the coming weeks because I have a direct fear at some point this week the season will be ruined for me. Usually I can avoid social media for a night, but I really cannot for a full week or more . 

I do not have premium cable meaning I usually wait until the wee hours of the night to watch these shows through various means. At some point last spring, I realized there is no way I could watch Game of Thrones and be on social media of any sort. I had to watch the night of or first thing in the morning if I wanted to avoid any sort of spoilers. Thrones might be the most tweeted about show with things getting ruined in the process. Without spoiling anything for those whom are catching up by April, season three, episode nine justified my decision that I am avoiding all social media when Thrones is on television. It made my life easier and not full of disappointment.

Currently, True Detective has nearly reached Thrones status. I need to be fully awake for that show as it is slow moving meaning if I watch it too late in the night, I will doze off at certain slow points (I am sure this is a crime in some states).  But like Thrones, I watch it later in the night meaning social media during the eight to eleven hour leads me to scroll quicker than usual with tweets. With the Olympics, NFL Playoffs and NBA All-Star Game, it has been easier to avoid spoilers with this show versus others yet the last three episodes will probably get a social media shutdown given sports are pretty much over Sunday night. Further, everyone having their own theory on what is actually happening in this show meaning there will be a lot more discussion about being right and such.  

As for House of Cards, it is my own fault. Being up early for USA-Russia on Saturday morning plus not having work until about four or so. Marquette did not get going until three meaning I had time to knock out maybe three or four House of Cards episodes. Instead, I caught up on Girls and House of Lies which I was two episodes behind on both of them. The biggest problems with Cards dropping right now is we are in-between a bunch of shows I am watching on a weekly basis. When I viewed the first season, it was in the middle of the summer when next to nothing was on television giving me pretty much free range to start watching it. With a pretty open weekend along with a day off tomorrow, it appears time to watch House of Cards to avoid getting everything ruined.

So far, we only have one sorta spoiler, but it is nothing serious at this point. But it appears as more people watch the whole season, the more stuff will leak out. It is time to clear the schedule and watch Cards because the best way to avoid spoilers is watch the damn thing.

Charlie.   

Tap's Trailers: Game of Thrones Season 4

OH HELL YEAH. Let me say it again, OH HELL YEAH.  Someone asked me this weekend 'What's your favorite television show?' And I think it is officially Game of Thrones. I am definitely thinking about going back and watching the first three seasons before we get to April. It is the only show that I stay off social media all night before I watch it. It is also the only show I make time no matter what time it is to watch and enjoy. If you have not watched it, I highly recommend it. The show has everything, but the best part of it, no character is safe. Not one of them which makes it great. Thrones season 4 looks like we are in for a bloodbath and a hell ton of deception. Would not have it any other way.

Charlie.