Worst Teenage Nuclear Panic Movie Of All Time

Charlie Jane Anders — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:31:18 PDT

If you get overwhelmed, feeling like you're living through one of the craziest times in history, it's worth dipping back into the era of Mutually Assured Destruction for a reality check. Here's the most ridiculous scene from The Manhattan Project, the 1986 movie better known as "the dumber version of War Games." Watch in horror as John Lithgow and Frasier's Dad chew the hell out of the scenery while they talk about nuclear war. It's all because a plucky teenager has built his own nuclear bomb, with the help of Sex And The City's Cynthia Nixon.

It all starts because nuclear weapons researcher Lithgow wants to impress the kid's mom, so he invites the kid to see "the sexiest laser in the world." Ewww. You know, we have a word for grown men who invite teenage boys to see their sexy lasers. I think it's the same word we use for guys who tell teenage boys their home-made nukes are "very pretty" and beg to be allowed to touch them. Anyway, later the kid breaks, with Nixon's help, and steals some plutonium, replacing it with dish soap. (Of course!) He wants to build his own nuke so he can win the science fair. Yeah.

I think what actually puts this sequence so far over the top is the part where the snotty teenager lectures Lithgow about the meaning of M.A.D. — right after Frasier's Dad has given him the "we're all sons of bitches" speech. When he talks about how they're all complicit in nuclear destruction, it sounds just like when he told Frasier to stop throwing away his half-eaten anchovy pizza in that one episode. [IMDB]

Must See: Third Rock From The Sun

charliejane — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:35:40 PDT

Must-see TV shows are futuristic classics that shouldn't be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That's why we've rated them 1-5 on the patented "crunchy goodness" scale.

Title: Third Rock From The Sun
Date: 1996-2001

Vitals: Four aliens come to Earth and take human form to study us. Along the way, they fall in love and become obsessed with our zany culture. And sit on the roof a lot.

Famous names: John Lithgow, Kristen Johnson, French Stewart, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jane Curtin, Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner

Crunchy goodness: 4

Elevator pitch: It's like Mork times four — and one of them is a badass chick!

Life lesson: It's frighteningly easy for an alien like Dick (Lithgow) to fit in in academia.

Stunt casting: Curtin as Dick's colleague and eventual love interest. As the main non-alien character on the show, she brings a lot of comic timing and, weirdly, great dignity.

Entering 3rd Rock...

io9: john lithgow

Worst Teenage Nuclear Panic Movie Of All Time

Must See: Third Rock From The Sun