Arts

TV Preview | Fall TV offers some excitement, but mostly standard fare

Although some networks have already started rolling out new shows, the fall TV season officially begins Sept. 20, when viewers will be introduced to over twenty new series and reintroduced to their old favorites. This year's crop of new shows is not quite as impressive as last year's — there are no standouts like "Modern Family" or "Glee" — but there are definitely some promising (and not-so-promising) prospects, and the Daily has the rundown:

Samuel Adams brings Octoberfest from Germany to Boston

Just As I Am' chronicles prolific works of Boston-based artist

The Sword swings true for 'Warp Riders'

Pop princess coasts on the strength of 'California Gurls'

The success of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," released last month, is undeniable. The first week the album was out, it sold 192,000 copies and debuted at number one on the Billboard chart.

Poignancy marries quirky charm in Boston production of 'Spelling Bee'

Boston is not a city to miss a beat. In fair Beantown, one can find live music, the latest in the art scene, cutting edge movie festivals and wonderful live theater. There was once a time when Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" was in vogue but nowadays, it is clever, quirky, hilarious and touching pieces, like Boston native William Finn's "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," that the country has fallen in love with.

Emmy Featurette | 2010 Emmys surprise by rewarding the deserving

The Internet has for the past few weeks been aflutter with journalists and bloggers analyzing this year's Emmy Awards race and taking turns to predict the winners. Those prognosticators learned on Sunday night whether or not their predictions were true when the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were broadcast on NBC.

Summer Wrap-up | Simple, catchy beats dominate summer tunes

Summer radio is always a hypnotizing and repetitive merry-go-round of ups and downs, veterans and newbies, new classics and big flops. But as the summer winds down, the Daily is here to help parse the major trends that defined everyone's Summer 2010 mixtapes.

Soak up some sun with outdoor events in Boston

After what feels like an eternity of hibernating indoors in the winter cold, a few much-needed months of flip flops, sunshine and warm weather are finally here. So break out a pair of Lady Gaga shades, put on a sundress and make the most of summer by taking in a few of the fun outdoor events Boston has to offer this time of year. From drive-in movies and ice cream novelties to kayaking and picnics, Boston is the ultimate summer playground.

Summer TV features cops, comedians and ... nudity?

The summer TV landscape has become increasingly competitive and interesting since original cable programming began competing with major networks. This summer features an extensive lineup of new series from every corner of the industry. Here are just some of the shows premiering this summer — both on broadcast and cable networks — that are worth keeping an eye on.

Zach Drucker and Chris Poldoian | Bad Samaritans

Graduation is upon us. Well, not exactly "us." We're only rising juniors, so we still have plenty of time to figure our lives out. You seniors, on the other hand, need to make some snap decisions. Where do you want to work? What do you want to do? Where do you want to live? What type of antidepressants do you want to take? Anyway, we're here to tell you that there's nothing to worry about. Just become an actor! The pay is great (unless you're not actually an actor, but a waiter), and it's super easy to get a movie role. You don't even need a drama degree! Here are some Hollywood life lessons.

Jason Slavick redefines Boston theater

Starting a theater company isn't easy. Beneath the surface of Boston's polished theater district is an entire world of up-and-coming artists trying to make their mark.

Caryn Horowitz | The Cultural Culinarian

I am a list maker. The only way that I can organize my thoughts is by writing them all down using the Stickies on my Mac. I have to-do lists, lists of books I want to read and movies I want to see. Instead of deleting things I accomplish, I just strike them out — meaning, for better or for worse, I have lists of things that date back to 2006, when I first got my computer the month before I came to Tufts.

Warm weather brings new album releases

With summer just around the corner, the United States prepares for an active musical season of summer tours, festivals and hotly anticipated album releases. Having already investigated the largest of the summer music festivals in a previous Weekender feature, the Daily decided to focus instead on the top records slated for release this summer.

Upcoming summer movies offer something for everyone

Summer is a time for Slip 'n Slides, Arizona Iced Tea and, best of all, adrenaline-pumping action flicks and raucous comedies. Here is a list of 10 movies to see this summer when you aren't scrambling to find a job and give your life direction.

Mitchell Geller | Slings and Arrows

A man named V.K. Krishna Menon once spoke for eight hours in front of the United Nations Security Council. Strom Thurmond filibustered Congress for one day and 18 minutes straight. William Henry Harrison died from pneumonia contracted while giving a 90-minute speech in an ice storm.

A Nightmare on Elm Street' reboot adds nothing to franchise

The trailer for "A Nightmare on Elm Street" gives every horror movie fan exactly what he or she is looking for. The adept viewer may even recognize Jackie Earle Haley's raspy voice as the menacing Freddy Krueger and remember his creepy−but−cool performance as Rorschach in the film "Watchmen" (2009). Haley's distinctive growl on a brutal snatch of dialogue — "Why are you screaming? I haven't even cut you yet" — allowed even the most diehard horror fan to think this remake would have the potential to revitalize a franchise worn down by countless generic and forgettable sequels.

Happy Town' riddled with eeriness, fails to grab interest

To promote its new drama−mystery series "Happy Town," ABC has been using the arch slogan, "Don't let the name fool you." On Twitter.com last week, Sam Simon (one of the creators of "The Simpsons") quipped, "Hey, ABC, if your promo has to be, ‘Don't let the name fool you,' maybe ‘Happy Town' isn't such a good name." The show, which attempts to create intrigue from a vague murder mystery and random suspicious behavior, fails to live up to any of the sly disquietude its name attempts to evoke.

Mitchell Geller | Slings and Arrows

I know very little about Minnesota.

Fifteen months in studio result in 'High Violet'

The members of indie−rock band The National can't agree on anything. For its upcoming fifth album — "High Violet," due out May 11 — the band did more than 80 takes on one song alone. But this attention to detail and obsession with finding the perfect sound makes "High Violet" a reverberating masterpiece.