The Top 5 - The Best of the Best of Pop Culture for the Week of November 9, 2008

November 10, 2:29 PMPop Culture ExaminerDominic Patten

Yes, Yes, I know for many of you - well, those of you that hadn't quite caught on that Lindsay Lohan is at the very least bisexual, and are blown away by her admitting it to US Weekly - it's either all about the Latin Grammys on Thurdsay or it's all about the Bond this week, James Bond that is. But out the all encompassing universe that is Quantum of Solace (which you can check out the Top 5 take on by clicking here) there is at least another half a dozen or so delights you might want to get down with this week so please allow me to introduce myself, I'm Dominic Patten, and while I may or may not be a man of wealth and taste, I do have a few tips (and even Q-Tips if you click here) on what to make sure you have on your Google Map while searching for directions on the best of the best of Pop Culture this week ... and sorry for being a little late, it's a long story involving bats and vultures.

Click here if you missed last week's Top 5, there's always time to catch up

1. BLOOD SUCKER - If you are one of the millions into the Stephenie Meyer's books than you probably already have your fangs and talons out for the movie adaptation of Twilight that is coming to the big screen everywhere on November 21. You've likely picked up the soundtrack with its predictable tune by Meyer's fave Muse. However as you wait for those creatures of the darkness and night, might I turn your attention to HBO's True Blood, which is far from sucking Recently renewed for a second season, the cable series details the comes, goings and transformations of co-habituating vampires, humans and others in the fictional Louisiana town of Bon Temps. Lead by X-Men star Anna Paquin, True Blood, after a slow start, has really started to get the blood pumping as its season has progressed. I know it's jumping the Top 5 gun, but this coming Sunday is the beginning of the two episode finale and if you like sweaty, smoldering sexuality and Deep South intrigue, with a bit of morality and existentialism thrown in for fun, True Blood is for you, not just at twilight, but dust to dawn. Check out more about True Blood here

2. ELECTION WITHDRAWAL - Is your skin itching for some campaign insider nuggets? Do you need just one more attack ad to help you make it through the night? I know the feeling, Barack Obama is the President-Elect and while it is wonderfully historic, it doesn't make getting off that cable TV electoral drip any easier. But have no fear, the Republican Party is here to help you out. Actually more specifically, the GOP Governor's Annual Conference, which is being held from November 12 to 14 in lovely Miami, Florida. Now as a former Floridian, I'm always big on boasting the Sunshine State, but my bias aside, this is where the action is gonna be.  In what has been a terribly organized and dry transition, you can bet the cable news networks will be all over this as those values keggers and those fun boys like pollster Frank Luntz and The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol will do their thing for the Governors So get your political party hat on and get ready for Campaign 2012 to begin this week ... Oh yeah, it looks like Sarah Palin's gonna be there and you know that means the pundits will be out in force to see what the gift that keeps on giving has to say and to whom she says it. Find out more about the 2008 Republican Governor's Convention here 

3. GET YOUR DIGITAL D&D ON - Or at least the closest thing possible in this video game era of ours. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Expansion Pack is coming out on November 13 and the fact of the matter is with this addition, good on either your Mac or PC, you'll be Death Knighting along the Grizzly Hills, the Howling Fjord and Dragonblight by the time the box it comes in hits the floor. If you aren't a fan, you know the names already have you sucked in. Learn more about the Expansion Pack here and bock off your Thursday night and maybe the rest of the year. 

4. THE FUNNYMAN IS BACK - That man who brought us Mork, wished us a Good Morning from Vietnam and got a few Good Will Huntings in there between laughs is back. Robin Williams has been a bit AWOL of late, but one of the world's funniest human beings surprised a bunch of London School of Economics students on Saturday night with an onstage set. What's Williams doing in London, you say. Getting ready to tread the U.K. boards for the first time in 25 years this Wednesday for We Are Not Amused. The show is for one of Prince Charles's charities and will be broadcast on British TV later this week. If Williams isn't enough for you, Rowan "Mr. Bean" Atkinson and John Cleese are going to be there for the one night, one time only show as well.  Follow this, it could be the sign of stateside performances and a tour to come.  Learn more about We Are Not Amused here. 

5. DOWN HOME DELIGHTS  - You don't just need a new cowboy hat and fresh spittle to enjoy country music, all you need is ears ... especially for the good stuff. This Wednesday, you'll need your eyes peeled on the TV as the Country Music Association Awards are broadcast on ABC at 8PM on November 12 live from Nashville. Now if you are a Kenny Chesney fan, it's looking pretty good for your boy to win a truckload of awards again this year. However, as any fan of country music knows deep in their heartbroken chest, never count out the underdogs. While you wait for Wednesday’s show, you could always pick up the new Taylor Swift album, Fearless, out on November 11. Teenage love lost and the resulting redemption never had such twang.

That's the week that's gonna be ... get busy.