Jump the Blast #20 & #21 - Falling Skies & White Collar

It's the final edition of Jump the Blast, so here comes a double-bill courtesy of regular reader David H. The first is taken from the pilot of sci-fi drama FALLING SKIES, with Ben Mason (Noah Wyle) flung through the air after an alien "mech" takes a shot at him. A well-timed jump, arms nicely spread apart, so he'll live to fight invading ETs another day. Perfect.

And finally, David's next submission comes from the season 1 finale of WHITE COLLAR, where notorious thief Neil Caffrey (Matthew Bomer) is about to get on a plane to escape the police, only for it to explode--along with his dreams of starting another life with his girlfriend. I particularly like the way the explosion appears to bend Caffrey's spine slightly, although the "jump" becomes more of a forward stumble in the end.

And that's it! I think 21 submissions since January is enough. I may revive this feature again someday, you never know, but not if I find something more popular. A huge thank you to the handful of people who submitted screengrabs over the past six months—specially Laura Schumacher, who was almost keeping the whole feature alive these past few months. It's a shame more people didn't get involved and e-mail me screengrabs, but also understandable. I hope it was in some way entertaining for everyone. It certainly helped plug a few gaps whenever there was a slow news day or nothing worth reviewing on TV. Um, like today!

If you want to take a look at all the Jump The Blast moments, simple click this link for a trip down memory flame...

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Jump the Blast #19 - White Collar

Laura Shumacher's eye for explosions has come in handy once again, with this submission from the season 2 finale of WHITE COLLAR. The images above highlight a situation where master thief Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) and some bad guys looked inside a warehouse containing stolen Nazi art, only to find the loot's on fire and about to explode. That's some classic flame-avoidance, right there.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screenshot and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #18 - Memphis Beat

It's Jump the Blast time again, with another submission from Laura Schumacher, who screengrabbed this moment from the season 2 premiere of MEMPHIS BEAT. In the scene, detective Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee) and a colleague narrowly avoided getting cooked when a runaway suspect's trailer exploded. Good poses, wild hair, gritted teeth, guns... it's a fine jump the blast moment, no mistake about it.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screenshot and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #17 – 'Rush'

Laura Schumacher's becoming a one-woman army when it comes to submitting screenshots for my semi-regular Jump the Blast feature. Her latest picks come from the third season premiere of Australian action drama RUSH, where a car-bomb explodes while the cops are clearing the area. As you can see, actor Rodger Corser does an admirable job protecting that bystander from the blast.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screenshot and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #16 - 'Burn Notice'

This week's Jump the Blast comes from Burn Notice's TV prequel "The Fall Of Sam Axe", brought to my attention by regular reader Laura Schumacher. This isn't a show I watch, but Laura explains that this moment occurs during a scene where Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) blows up a Colombian clinic. Unfortunately, there was a curious delay on his remote detonator, but as he went to set it off manually, the bomb went off. I hate it when that happens.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #15 - 'Breakout Kings'

This week we have a Jump the Blast submission from reader Bhavin Mandora, taken from A&E's new series BREAKOUT KINGS. This screengrab shows the week's escapee "successfully blowing up a symbol of the oppressive American Government's communications in honor of his hero Carl Hunts." It doesn't make much sense to me, but it's a tough-looking guy walking away from a fiery spectacle, which is what we want. And it's got me thinking: why aren't there more women "jumping the blast"? If you have a good example to share, follow the instructions below:

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #14 - 'Die Hard' & 'Die Hard 2"

A double-bill Jump the Blast this week, courtesy of reader Mark Fawcett. The two examples he submitted come from the first two DIE HARD movies, starring Bruce Willis as unlucky cop John McClane. Both screengrabs are classic shots from their respective movies: DIE HARD, showing McClane leaping off the Nakatomi Plaza tower block, avoiding a big explosion with a fire hose wrapped around his waist; and DIE HARD 2, with McClane escaping an exploding passenger jet by triggering the ejector seat. The man spends his life avoiding blasts! If you see him, be aware of any flammable material close by, because they're twice as likely to blow up...

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #13 - 'The Mechanic'

After a lull, we're back with another Jump the Blast screengrab! This one comes from the Jason Statham-starring remake of THE MECHANIC, spotted by regular contributor Laura Schumacher. The image shows Statham's hero nonchalantly walking away from a gas station, which has been set alight by a villain's cigarette. There's not much jumping here, but The Stat's too cool for that kind of physical exertion -- even when his life's in danger. Swoon, ladies?

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #12 - 'Chuck'

How's this for something different? We've had our fill of people avoiding explosions, so now we've moved onto porcine action heroes! In CHUCK's recent episode "Chuck Versus The Muuurder", a piggy nicknamed 'Kevin Bacon' avoided becoming roasted when a fireball ripped through the air vent he was trotting down. The swine.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #11 - 'Alarm für Cobra 11'

I've never heard of Alarm für Cobra 11, but it's an action-packed German crime drama suggested by Laura Schumacher. As you can see from the images above, the show is obsessed with the whole Jump the Blast cliche. It's been airing since 1996, so the characters have become dab hands at avoiding seriously yellow explosions. Above is a collage of some particularly impressive fireball-dodging antics; below is a trailer for the series, if you're interested:

It helps if you understand German!

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #10 - 'Wolverine'

We have a new submission today, sent in by Jemmerzem. Great to seee more of you taking part in this meme now! This screengrab is a classic example of a "Jump the Blast" moment, from the movie WOLVERINE, where the eponymous character (Hugh Jackman) nonchalantly walks away from a scene of total, fiery carnage. I guess a leather jacket and adamantium skeleton is good protection from the searing heat of that fireball he's caused! Does it get any cooler? Maybe if they'd added some Apache helicopter gunships in the background...?

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #9 - 'The Cape'

It's our second submission from regular reader Laura Schumacher, who's setting a great example with this meme. Hopefully more of you will join in the fun! Laura's screengrab comes from NBC's cheesy superhero drama THE CAPE, and is a typical action shot of the hero (Vince Friday) avoiding an explosion by diving over a parked car. The leaping over a vehicle earns an extra point, but I also like the grimace on Faraday's face. His titular cape didn't even get singed!

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #8 - 'Bones'

We have our first reader submission for Jump the Blast, kindly sent in by regular Laura Schumacher. This shot comes from an episode of Bones, showing Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) narrowly avoiding becoming woodland toast. Unfortunately, Laura can't offer much in the way of context, or an episode title, but maybe you can enlighten us about exactly what's going on here? Anyway, Boreanaz jumped the blast, that's all we care about.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #7 - 'Human Target'

'HUMAN TARGET' - "Marshall Pucci"

It's the second Human Target offering in this meme already! This one comes from the recent season 2 finale and it's probably THE archetypal "jump the blast" visual; a badass walking away from a large car explosion, without turning back to look, in sweet slow-motion. It's so cliche, I love it. The badass in question is Guerrero (Jackie Earle Haley), the goat-faced assassib who's just dealt with a rogue CIA agent who dared threaten the life of his young son.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #6 - 'Human Target'

'HUMAN TARGET' - "Communication Breakdown"

Here's a shot from a recent episode of Fox's action-adventure drama Human Target, showing bodyguard Christopher Chance (Mark Valley) and his partner Ilsa Pucci (Indira Varma) escaping the wreckage of their private jet, moments after it crashed in the South American jungle after getting hit by a RPG. The classic "hero-and-girl run away from a downed plane sequence", just as its leaking fuel is ignited. Only, those are clearly two stunt doubles. Huh.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #5 - 'The Green Hornet'

'THE GREEN HORNET'

A timely addition to this ongoing meme, as THE GREEN HORNET is released nationwide across the US and UK today. The above screengrab comes from the film's trailer -- during a scene when the villain, Chudnofsky (Inglourious Basterd's Christoph Waltz), detonates a bomb behind him. Sorry I can't be any clearer, and I have no intention of watching this movie anytime soon. Still, Waltz, flanked by two burly henchmen, does movie villains proud with his refusal to grimace at the fact his back's taking more heat than a grilled beefburger.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #4 - 'Breaking Bad'

#4: 'BREAKING BAD' 3.1 - "No Mas"

Here's a great action shot from the season 3 premiere of AMC's BREAKING BAD, "No Mas", showing that year's villains, "The Twins", torching the truck that carried themselves and other illegal immigrants into the US from Mexico. Predictably, these tough guys like to walk away from their explosive handiwork without even giving the inferno an over-the-shoulder glance. Trivia: actor siblings Louis and Daniel Moncada genuinely managed to stroll away from this inferno without so much as wincing. Kudos.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping/walking away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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Jump the Blast #1-3 - 'Community', 'I Am Number Four' & 'Chuck'

I started a halfhearted meme on Twitter recently, screengrabbing shots from movies and TV shows that feature people jumping away from explosions. This clichéd shot seems to appear in most action sequences; sometimes delivered tongue-in-cheek, but often with utter seriousness. So, I've repurposed this Twitter idea to be a recurring feature for DMD in 2011. I hope you enjoy these occasional finds:

#1: 'COMMUNITY' 1.23 - "Modern Warfare"

In the revered "paintball episode" of NBC sitcom COMMUNITY, Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) escaped a giant explosion of green paint by making a dive to safety, clutching a massive paintgun. Added kudos for wearing a Bruce Willis-style dirty vest.

#2: 'I Am Number Four'

In the trailer for upcoming movie I AM NUMBER FOUR, they can't resist having a shot with a sexy woman (I think it's Teresa Palmer) walking away from a gigantic house explosion. Notice how she's wearing cool shades and doesn't appear too concerned by the possibility of getting lanced by a fiery piece of wooden debris? She's that cool.

#3: 'CHUCK' 4.7 - "Chuck Versus The First Fight"

In this excellent episode of NBC's spy-comedy CHUCK, super-spy Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) and super-nerd Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) narrowly avoid being turned to toast, after Chuck's mom and villainous Timothy Dalton planted a bomb in the Bartowski family home. The obvious greenscreen adds to the chintzy charm.

Have you noticed a shot in a film, trailer, advert, or TV show that features someone jumping away from an explosion of some kind? If so, why not email me a screengrab and you can be credited in the next installment of "Jump the Blast".

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