I was trading emails with a friend who also watches America's Next Top Model, and she raised a good point - this may have been the most boring season (er, cycle) so far. For the record, CariDee English proved most fierce in taking the title, making her the second champion from the heretofore unknown model breeding ground of North Dakota. And while she's not the dullest of the winners - paging Naima Mora! - the overall run of shows was not particularly interesting.
Why? Well, I've got some theories.
Too much crazy - while Tyra stated in a previous cycle that she didn't want to have each year's group include a bitchy African-American, she's never managed not to cast someone for that role. This time it was Monique, who didn't do quite as well as past archetypes Robyn, Eva, or Camille as far as the modeling went, but she out-classed them all in the crazy. Part of it was hidden by the usual narcissim and immaturity that these contestants have by the truckload, but when she started rubbing things related to her private area on other contestants and their stuff, she vaulted way over the line and into crazy country. Seriously, I hope she's getting some help.
Anyway, she got the gate pretty early in the competition, and while she was clearly not the best contestant there, I have to think that the folks running things decided that she needed to go quickly.
Not enough crazy - that being said, without Monique the best the show could come up with was all of the contestants hating on Melrose, who combined Lisa's know-it-all tendencies with a frustating ability to take good pictures. This season was much less catty, and not a single skank ho poured beer on anyone's weave.
Speaking of beer...
Not enough substances - while I'm not generally in favor of using alcohol as a production tool, it certainly does liven things up a bit. This season was particularly devoid of drunken model wannabes, though it seems like more of the contestants this time around were under 21.
Given how little we saw of the contestants smoking, I wonder if the CW is tighter about showing this than UPN was (thinking it'd be a legacy of the WB and their focus on teen viewers). Then again, the one season where I really remember a lot of contestants smoking was season five, whcih is also the one that (to my mind) included the most drinking.
Not enough final episode - one hour isn't long enough for the finale. There's plenty of stuff between the Cover Girl shoot, the final runway show, the two judging and elimination sessions, and whatever other background stuff that's there to go to 90 minutes or two hours. I say this with a little trepidation, fearing that they'd go the American Idol finale route, where they try to put two pounds of content into a half-ton bag. Heck, make it two separate one-hour episodes, even.
Not enough follow-up - Brooke blew off graduation for the show. Anchal has crippling insecurity based on her past appearance. Michelle might be gay. CariDee tried to kill herself once. All interesting topics of varying seriousness, all fodder for some in-depth TV. Unless you're this show, in which case there's no examination, just labeling that's useful for categorizing - and perhaps eliminating - contestants. On the other hand, coming out or discussing your suicide attempt on national TV probably isn't something that Michelle or CariDee were looking for, so the show isn't necessarily at fault.
Not enough change - really, the show is getting a little formulaic, from the initial winnowing process to the makeover (and the contestant who cries over her hair) to the interview and acting portions to the trip abroad and the go-sees and such. I'd really like to see them mix it up in the future, even if it's just to re-order some of these common elements.
The real wrench in the works for the next season is the lack of writers, given that the producers fired them after they went on strike related to getting representation from the Writers Guild of America. So it may not be the best time for them to shake things up, content-wise. So we may be in for more snores.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Friday, December 08, 2006
What Was That? Good and Bad Edition
Playing some catch-up on TV, and came across both the good and bad of TV shows that make you ask, "What was that?"
Good: Gordon Ramsay's F Word. It's part cooking show, part restaurant reality show, part talk show, and wholly odd. The gist of things (to the extent I can tell) is that Ramsay has a new restaurant called The F Word, in which he has two contestants square off as assistants for the meal prepared during the show. At the end, he picks one of the two to continue on. I'm still not clear what the last remaining contestant will get, though I assume it's some sort of regular job in one of Ramsay's kitchens.
The meal this week was a sauteed mushrooms in pasta starter which looked great and a venison with a red wine-chocolate sauce that seemed a little over the top. For dessert, Ramsay passes on the show's competition to go head-to-head with a celebrity to make dish of the celebrity's choice. On the episode I saw, some kid from Eastenders went with rhubarb crumble, and lost pretty soundly with his simple version.
Inbetween all the food, Ramsay spends some time chatting with a food critic, and they talk about the food and such, with their discussion leading to a variety of pre-taped segements, such as Ramsay teaching a woman who doesn't cook how to make a fish pie and the critic embarking on a quest to raise his sperm count (for reasons which, thankfully, don't seem to have anything to do with food).
As you can imagine, the focus here is more on Ramsay the celebrity than as the chef, most obvious in the way that the recipies are given scant notice (and even then are played with an obnoxious musical background that also serves as the show's theme song). But it's still kind of fun, in an odd way. I don't think the show will win Ramsay many converts, but as someone who enjoys his other shows, it's entertaining.
Also, for all the use of The F Word, Ramsay swore very little.
Bad: Show Me the Money, the cacophonic mish-mash hosted by William Shatner. Did you ever see the Friends episode where Joey is trying out to be the host of a game show called Bamboozled, whose rules are so arcane that they aren't figured out until right before his audition? Or the recent episode of How I Met Your Mother where Barney wins money on a game involving cards, changing seats, a money wheel, and guessing which woman is holding a jelly bean? If so, you've gotten a pretty good introduction to Show Me the Money, which seemed to be making up rules as it went along.
Here's the best I could figure out: the contestant gets to choose from among three questions starting with the same word (they can pass the first two but then must take the third, a concept that upon its initial description made it sound like the contestant could only pass on two questions in total). The contestant gives and answer, and then picks one of 13 dancers (yes, dancers), who opens a scroll to show the question value (or a stopper card, which apparently ends things). We then find out if the contestant's answer is right or wrong, and the question amount is added or subtracted to their total. Once the contestant gets six correct or incorrect answers, the game is over.
I think.
I will say this - the questions are a little harder than 1 vs. 100, and they do not present multiple choice answers. On the other hand, there is so much noise and distraction that it's hard to tell exactly what I'm supposed to be focusing on at any one time. Throw in the rube they found to be the first contestant - a fey Oklahoman who brought his "murse" on stage with him - and there's a level of stupidity to this show that is breathtaking. And considering how well Boston Legal seems to be going, I'm unsure why Shatner got himself involved with this train wreck. Maybe he misses the flash set and ability to dress up that he had when he was on Iron Chef USA.
Anyway, I don't even know if this show is even still airing. There's a small, evil part of me that hopes so.
Good: Gordon Ramsay's F Word. It's part cooking show, part restaurant reality show, part talk show, and wholly odd. The gist of things (to the extent I can tell) is that Ramsay has a new restaurant called The F Word, in which he has two contestants square off as assistants for the meal prepared during the show. At the end, he picks one of the two to continue on. I'm still not clear what the last remaining contestant will get, though I assume it's some sort of regular job in one of Ramsay's kitchens.
The meal this week was a sauteed mushrooms in pasta starter which looked great and a venison with a red wine-chocolate sauce that seemed a little over the top. For dessert, Ramsay passes on the show's competition to go head-to-head with a celebrity to make dish of the celebrity's choice. On the episode I saw, some kid from Eastenders went with rhubarb crumble, and lost pretty soundly with his simple version.
Inbetween all the food, Ramsay spends some time chatting with a food critic, and they talk about the food and such, with their discussion leading to a variety of pre-taped segements, such as Ramsay teaching a woman who doesn't cook how to make a fish pie and the critic embarking on a quest to raise his sperm count (for reasons which, thankfully, don't seem to have anything to do with food).
As you can imagine, the focus here is more on Ramsay the celebrity than as the chef, most obvious in the way that the recipies are given scant notice (and even then are played with an obnoxious musical background that also serves as the show's theme song). But it's still kind of fun, in an odd way. I don't think the show will win Ramsay many converts, but as someone who enjoys his other shows, it's entertaining.
Also, for all the use of The F Word, Ramsay swore very little.
Bad: Show Me the Money, the cacophonic mish-mash hosted by William Shatner. Did you ever see the Friends episode where Joey is trying out to be the host of a game show called Bamboozled, whose rules are so arcane that they aren't figured out until right before his audition? Or the recent episode of How I Met Your Mother where Barney wins money on a game involving cards, changing seats, a money wheel, and guessing which woman is holding a jelly bean? If so, you've gotten a pretty good introduction to Show Me the Money, which seemed to be making up rules as it went along.
Here's the best I could figure out: the contestant gets to choose from among three questions starting with the same word (they can pass the first two but then must take the third, a concept that upon its initial description made it sound like the contestant could only pass on two questions in total). The contestant gives and answer, and then picks one of 13 dancers (yes, dancers), who opens a scroll to show the question value (or a stopper card, which apparently ends things). We then find out if the contestant's answer is right or wrong, and the question amount is added or subtracted to their total. Once the contestant gets six correct or incorrect answers, the game is over.
I think.
I will say this - the questions are a little harder than 1 vs. 100, and they do not present multiple choice answers. On the other hand, there is so much noise and distraction that it's hard to tell exactly what I'm supposed to be focusing on at any one time. Throw in the rube they found to be the first contestant - a fey Oklahoman who brought his "murse" on stage with him - and there's a level of stupidity to this show that is breathtaking. And considering how well Boston Legal seems to be going, I'm unsure why Shatner got himself involved with this train wreck. Maybe he misses the flash set and ability to dress up that he had when he was on Iron Chef USA.
Anyway, I don't even know if this show is even still airing. There's a small, evil part of me that hopes so.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Making a List
Just in time for the holidays, TVLand is making a list - of the top 100 catch-phrases in TV history, just in time to make a special out of it. And to get idiots on the Internet to talk about it.
With most lists of this type, my biggest reservations are for the most current entries. While I still enjoy How I Met Your Mother - even though with the removal of Ted's future kids, it sounds like future Ted is talking to himself - I don't think that "Suit up!" is necessarily in the top 100. It's more deserving than "Tell me what you don't like about yourself" from Nip/Tuck, which is both not that catchy and way too generic. I'm also not sure how William Shatner screaming his own character's name on Boston Legal cracked the list, even if it is funny.
(I'd also note that "Welcome to the O.C., bitch" would be better on a list of top 100 TV phrases turned into mocking or ironic restatements.)
Not surprisingly, the better catch-phrases from the current aren't from scripted prime-time programming. "The tribe has spoken" and "You're fired!" both fit pretty well; "Here it is, your moment of Zen" less so based on not being that catch-phrasey.
Not surprisingly, the '70s is most represented on the list with 26 entries. Saturday Night Live has six entries. And odd repeat is "Hey hey hey," which is in from both Fat Albert and What's Happening. They're said differently, of course, but it's funny seeing them next to each other like that. Throw in "Heh heh" from Beavis and Butthead and you get the feeling that the list should have been arranged chronologically.
With the given list, I'm going to guess that "Do you believe in miracles?" will top the list once it's presented in order. Also not much of a catch phrase, but memorable nevertheless. My dark horse is "I want my MTV"; it not only became a catch-phrase of sorts, it also marks a generational change in how entertainment was presented (for better or worse).
Anyway, suggestions for replacements are welcome. To start, I would happily replace any of the current clunkers with "Whoa nelly!" or some other oft-repeated nugget from Keith Jackson.
With most lists of this type, my biggest reservations are for the most current entries. While I still enjoy How I Met Your Mother - even though with the removal of Ted's future kids, it sounds like future Ted is talking to himself - I don't think that "Suit up!" is necessarily in the top 100. It's more deserving than "Tell me what you don't like about yourself" from Nip/Tuck, which is both not that catchy and way too generic. I'm also not sure how William Shatner screaming his own character's name on Boston Legal cracked the list, even if it is funny.
(I'd also note that "Welcome to the O.C., bitch" would be better on a list of top 100 TV phrases turned into mocking or ironic restatements.)
Not surprisingly, the better catch-phrases from the current aren't from scripted prime-time programming. "The tribe has spoken" and "You're fired!" both fit pretty well; "Here it is, your moment of Zen" less so based on not being that catch-phrasey.
Not surprisingly, the '70s is most represented on the list with 26 entries. Saturday Night Live has six entries. And odd repeat is "Hey hey hey," which is in from both Fat Albert and What's Happening. They're said differently, of course, but it's funny seeing them next to each other like that. Throw in "Heh heh" from Beavis and Butthead and you get the feeling that the list should have been arranged chronologically.
With the given list, I'm going to guess that "Do you believe in miracles?" will top the list once it's presented in order. Also not much of a catch phrase, but memorable nevertheless. My dark horse is "I want my MTV"; it not only became a catch-phrase of sorts, it also marks a generational change in how entertainment was presented (for better or worse).
Anyway, suggestions for replacements are welcome. To start, I would happily replace any of the current clunkers with "Whoa nelly!" or some other oft-repeated nugget from Keith Jackson.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Arrivederci, Roma
For reasons that I still do not completely comprehend, the wife decided to include The Bachelor: Rome in our viewing when the new season started. I don't recall her being particularly interested in the show in the past (she's not watched it regularly, at least) and I've never watched the show.
Until now, of course.
I will admit that, as with pretty much any unscripted show, it's hard not to get pulled into choosing favorites. But it's also not hard to see why this concept has seen better days. I'm already sick of the sheer artifice of it all, from the dates that are either so busy or so over the top that it's hard to see where anyone is making a real connection, to the rote rites of the rose ceremony. I also don't find the bachelor, an Italian "prince" who grew up in the US and speaks Italian about as well as I do, to be that interesting. From looking at past bachelors, that's not surprising; there's a bland sameness to them all.
In this series, there's also been the use of that unscripted favorite, bringing back a particularly unsavory contestant for future hijinx. In this case, it's a Houston "socialite" who always wears a tiara and thinks that, because she's rich and from a privileged background, that she's perfect princess material. It doesn't help her case that she constantly looks stoned and (in an odd juxtaposition) acts like she's off her meds. I fear that she's going to become the next Bachelorette. Not that it'll matter, as I'll fry our DVR rather than let the wife record it (not that I think she would, she can't stand this contestant, either).
Anyway, I'm not sure what ABC is getting out of the continued existence of The Bachelor. They're getting reasonable female demo numbers (and growth out of Wife Swap - but how could they not grow out of that?), but in all the show looks like the middle of a crap sandwich.
Of course, What About Brian got a full-season order. I imagine they're using a liberal amount of mustard to get this sandwich down.
Until now, of course.
I will admit that, as with pretty much any unscripted show, it's hard not to get pulled into choosing favorites. But it's also not hard to see why this concept has seen better days. I'm already sick of the sheer artifice of it all, from the dates that are either so busy or so over the top that it's hard to see where anyone is making a real connection, to the rote rites of the rose ceremony. I also don't find the bachelor, an Italian "prince" who grew up in the US and speaks Italian about as well as I do, to be that interesting. From looking at past bachelors, that's not surprising; there's a bland sameness to them all.
In this series, there's also been the use of that unscripted favorite, bringing back a particularly unsavory contestant for future hijinx. In this case, it's a Houston "socialite" who always wears a tiara and thinks that, because she's rich and from a privileged background, that she's perfect princess material. It doesn't help her case that she constantly looks stoned and (in an odd juxtaposition) acts like she's off her meds. I fear that she's going to become the next Bachelorette. Not that it'll matter, as I'll fry our DVR rather than let the wife record it (not that I think she would, she can't stand this contestant, either).
Anyway, I'm not sure what ABC is getting out of the continued existence of The Bachelor. They're getting reasonable female demo numbers (and growth out of Wife Swap - but how could they not grow out of that?), but in all the show looks like the middle of a crap sandwich.
Of course, What About Brian got a full-season order. I imagine they're using a liberal amount of mustard to get this sandwich down.
When Smart Turns Stoopid
I'm two or three weeks behind on Studio 60, having just watched "The Wrap Party" over the weekend. I was stunned in this episode to find that a show from alleged genius Aaron Sorkin would have two of the stupidest moments on TV this season, both involving the character Tom Jeter giving his parents a tour of the studio:
1. During his discourse, we learn that Tom's parents have never heard of the Abbott and Costello routine "Who's on First?" It also appears that they've never heard of Abbott and Costello. Way to use the least amount of straw to create your men, Sorkin.
2. At an especially exasperating moment of the tour, when Tom says they're standing in the middle of the "Paris Opera House of American comedy," his dad shoots back "your brother Mark is standing in the middle of Afghanistan!" While I can believe that the dad would disapprove of Tom's job - especially when his brother is getting shot at halfway across the world - having it come out this was is just ridiculous.
There was also a bludgeon of a subplot involving a blacklisted writer, which I can marginally forgive thanks to Eli Wallach's performance. If this episode is indicative of how the show is a metaphor for itself - something that's "smart" and will "save" TV - I will happily sign off on whatever Endemol gameshow NBC has waiting in the wings to replace it.
1. During his discourse, we learn that Tom's parents have never heard of the Abbott and Costello routine "Who's on First?" It also appears that they've never heard of Abbott and Costello. Way to use the least amount of straw to create your men, Sorkin.
2. At an especially exasperating moment of the tour, when Tom says they're standing in the middle of the "Paris Opera House of American comedy," his dad shoots back "your brother Mark is standing in the middle of Afghanistan!" While I can believe that the dad would disapprove of Tom's job - especially when his brother is getting shot at halfway across the world - having it come out this was is just ridiculous.
There was also a bludgeon of a subplot involving a blacklisted writer, which I can marginally forgive thanks to Eli Wallach's performance. If this episode is indicative of how the show is a metaphor for itself - something that's "smart" and will "save" TV - I will happily sign off on whatever Endemol gameshow NBC has waiting in the wings to replace it.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
UnListed
I finally got around to watching the one episode run of Fox's The Rich List last night, and while it wasn't the horror show I expected, I can't say I'm going to miss it.
I did like the premise - two teams of two strangers each "bid" on the number of entries they can correctly provide for a list (such as "Tom Cruise movies"). The team whose bid is accepted by the other team must then meet their bid. Failure to do so gives a win to the other team, the team that wins two out of three goes on to the actual Rich List, where for every three items they can name from a list, they get a certain amount of money (with an error earning you nothing).
So while the premise was fine, everything else was either derivative, actively annoying, or both. In the former case I'd put the set, the music, and the lighting, which was all taken from the new game show playbook of space age over-dramatic hyperkinetic nonsense.
Falling in the both category was the host and the contestants. The host, an Anglo-Irish presenter named Eamonn Holmes, had an Irish accent of someone who is trying not to have one. He'd have been better off in full brogue. His attempts to inject drama into the proceedings fell flat, though that was only partially his fault.
Which leads us to the contestants, who fall into that slightly dopey category that's all the rage now. This works on shows like Deal or No Deal because of the time spent talking to and working on the contestant. It's easy to milk drama out of contestants when you spend time messing with their head, and then introducing family, friends, and celebrities to do the same. When you've got minimal chatter along those lines, the dopiness of the contestants stands out. This is a problem when the show is more knowledge-based.
Anyway, if you didn't see it you didn't miss too much. Though it'd still be better than the continued foisting of The O.C. on the public.
I did like the premise - two teams of two strangers each "bid" on the number of entries they can correctly provide for a list (such as "Tom Cruise movies"). The team whose bid is accepted by the other team must then meet their bid. Failure to do so gives a win to the other team, the team that wins two out of three goes on to the actual Rich List, where for every three items they can name from a list, they get a certain amount of money (with an error earning you nothing).
So while the premise was fine, everything else was either derivative, actively annoying, or both. In the former case I'd put the set, the music, and the lighting, which was all taken from the new game show playbook of space age over-dramatic hyperkinetic nonsense.
Falling in the both category was the host and the contestants. The host, an Anglo-Irish presenter named Eamonn Holmes, had an Irish accent of someone who is trying not to have one. He'd have been better off in full brogue. His attempts to inject drama into the proceedings fell flat, though that was only partially his fault.
Which leads us to the contestants, who fall into that slightly dopey category that's all the rage now. This works on shows like Deal or No Deal because of the time spent talking to and working on the contestant. It's easy to milk drama out of contestants when you spend time messing with their head, and then introducing family, friends, and celebrities to do the same. When you've got minimal chatter along those lines, the dopiness of the contestants stands out. This is a problem when the show is more knowledge-based.
Anyway, if you didn't see it you didn't miss too much. Though it'd still be better than the continued foisting of The O.C. on the public.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Tritter is the new Vogler
I can't say I'm particularly thrilled about the current House plot line where police detective Michael Tritter (played by David Morse) is investigating House for his practices relative to Vicodin. To me it's playing off very much like the first season story Edward Vogler story line. Or at least an attempt to do that story line better.
There are some differences between Tritter and Vogler. Tritter has the power of the state to back his menace; the ability to freeze Wilson's bank accounts or send House to prison take things up a notch from getting fired. Tritter is also much more of a House-like character, between the overuse of medication (nicotine gum rather than Vicodin) and the shared belief that everybody lies.
I suppose this should make me more interested, in that we get to compare House battling a law enforcement variant of himself. But to me, it's playing more like the bully versus bully confrontation that marked the Vogler plot. I know that they need to run stories like this to give some foil to House that he can't run roughshod over, but I'd like a little more nuance.
(Unrelated note: David Morse is from Hamilton, Massachusetts, one town over from where I grew up. He may be the most famous Hamilton native ever.)
There are some differences between Tritter and Vogler. Tritter has the power of the state to back his menace; the ability to freeze Wilson's bank accounts or send House to prison take things up a notch from getting fired. Tritter is also much more of a House-like character, between the overuse of medication (nicotine gum rather than Vicodin) and the shared belief that everybody lies.
I suppose this should make me more interested, in that we get to compare House battling a law enforcement variant of himself. But to me, it's playing more like the bully versus bully confrontation that marked the Vogler plot. I know that they need to run stories like this to give some foil to House that he can't run roughshod over, but I'd like a little more nuance.
(Unrelated note: David Morse is from Hamilton, Massachusetts, one town over from where I grew up. He may be the most famous Hamilton native ever.)
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Lost getting lost
Given the slow pace with which Lost forwards its plot, it's hard to have more than a week off between episodes, as the momentum built over time by new episodes dissipates quickly.
You can imagine, then, how things are going to go after tonight, as the next new episode will air in February 2007. In its place (for now, at least) ABC is airing the new Taye Diggs drama Day Break, which is like the movie Groundhog Day, but with more homicide and shots of the lead not wearing a shirt.
I know ABC is hoping that Lost's audience will be interested in this novel show, and follow it to wherever its new home will be, but is it smart to take one of your top shows off the air for months when there are other nights whose programming is languishing (hello, Monday).
There's also the problem of the shrinking Lost audience, which is down significantly from this time last season. After waiting all summer for new episodes that only started airing last month, will viewers tolerate what amounts to an Indian summer for the show? I will, because I'm a sucker. ABC better hope there are plenty of suckers in the Lost audience.
You can imagine, then, how things are going to go after tonight, as the next new episode will air in February 2007. In its place (for now, at least) ABC is airing the new Taye Diggs drama Day Break, which is like the movie Groundhog Day, but with more homicide and shots of the lead not wearing a shirt.
I know ABC is hoping that Lost's audience will be interested in this novel show, and follow it to wherever its new home will be, but is it smart to take one of your top shows off the air for months when there are other nights whose programming is languishing (hello, Monday).
There's also the problem of the shrinking Lost audience, which is down significantly from this time last season. After waiting all summer for new episodes that only started airing last month, will viewers tolerate what amounts to an Indian summer for the show? I will, because I'm a sucker. ABC better hope there are plenty of suckers in the Lost audience.
Friday, October 20, 2006
New on TV: 1 v. 100
New from the folks who brought us Deal or No Deal is this game show that takes a variant on the whole "wisdom of crowds" thing. One contestant answers trivia questions, and if they answer correctly, they get money for each member of the "mob" - the 100 people referenced in the title - that got the question wrong. The money - and theoretically the question difficulty - goes up by round. Contestants also have two "helps" - one allows the contestant to see how many people in the mob gave the same answer, the other allows the contestant to talk to two individuals in the mob, one of whom picked the right answer and one who did not.
The contestant can opt to walk after each round, and if they get a question wrong, the money they earned is distributed to all the remaining mob contestants. Folks in the mob get to carry over from contestant to contestant, creating an opportunity for a mob member to become a semi-regular. Ken Jennings was in the mob last week (and I assume will be in there tonight); make sure to tune in next week when King of LaPlaca James Dinan will be in the mob!
No one is going to mistake this show for Jeopardy! or Millionaire. The questions seem secondary to playing on the emotions of the contestant (and even the mob, which is quite excitable), which underscores its ties to Deal or No Deal. My concern is that I'll have the same reaction to this show as I did to Deal - initial interest followed by apathy when the episodes get repetitive.
Bob Saget is fine as host. Can't say much more than that.
All in all, it's a decent hour of entertainment for Friday night. I'd be happier if it were on another night, but I'd rather not have NBC use it like Deal, so I'll live with it.
The contestant can opt to walk after each round, and if they get a question wrong, the money they earned is distributed to all the remaining mob contestants. Folks in the mob get to carry over from contestant to contestant, creating an opportunity for a mob member to become a semi-regular. Ken Jennings was in the mob last week (and I assume will be in there tonight); make sure to tune in next week when King of LaPlaca James Dinan will be in the mob!
No one is going to mistake this show for Jeopardy! or Millionaire. The questions seem secondary to playing on the emotions of the contestant (and even the mob, which is quite excitable), which underscores its ties to Deal or No Deal. My concern is that I'll have the same reaction to this show as I did to Deal - initial interest followed by apathy when the episodes get repetitive.
Bob Saget is fine as host. Can't say much more than that.
All in all, it's a decent hour of entertainment for Friday night. I'd be happier if it were on another night, but I'd rather not have NBC use it like Deal, so I'll live with it.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
New on TV : Six Degrees
The title pretty much gives you the premise of Six Degrees - a sextet of New Yorkers have their lives intertwine in ways unexpected and (in some cases) unknown as the living embodiment of the "six degrees of separation" between any two people. What it doesn't do is explain how implausible this set up can get.
For example, take the new friendship of Whitney (Bridget Moynihan) and Laura (Hope Davis). They meet at a nail salon, discover that they both attended the same concert over a decade ago, and now they're BFF. I don't doubt that some sort of relationship can come from this sort of chance meeting, but what they've developed in one or two episodes would, in real life, take months.
I have a similar issue with most of the new connections on the show, to varying degrees. The budding romance between a public defender (Carlos, played by Jay Hernandez) and a former client (Mae, played by Erika Christensen) seems the most normal, while the working relationship between Whitney and the recently dried out photographer Steve (Campbell Scott) is bizarre at best. The individual story lines don't suffer from this that much, and a couple are quite interesting, such as the frosty relationship between limo driver Damian (Dorian Missick) and his thug brother.
But it's all acted pretty well, so if the writing can make better sense out of these relationships I think there's room to improve. Given how badly it's bleeding viewers out of Grey's Anatomy, it had better improve soon.
For example, take the new friendship of Whitney (Bridget Moynihan) and Laura (Hope Davis). They meet at a nail salon, discover that they both attended the same concert over a decade ago, and now they're BFF. I don't doubt that some sort of relationship can come from this sort of chance meeting, but what they've developed in one or two episodes would, in real life, take months.
I have a similar issue with most of the new connections on the show, to varying degrees. The budding romance between a public defender (Carlos, played by Jay Hernandez) and a former client (Mae, played by Erika Christensen) seems the most normal, while the working relationship between Whitney and the recently dried out photographer Steve (Campbell Scott) is bizarre at best. The individual story lines don't suffer from this that much, and a couple are quite interesting, such as the frosty relationship between limo driver Damian (Dorian Missick) and his thug brother.
But it's all acted pretty well, so if the writing can make better sense out of these relationships I think there's room to improve. Given how badly it's bleeding viewers out of Grey's Anatomy, it had better improve soon.
Monday, October 16, 2006
New on TV: Heroes
After watching the pilot, I had to agree with the points made in the TeeVee review of the show. I am happy to say that the show has improved over the last couple of episodes, as the show has becomes less expositionally-focused and the characters have become more fully developed.
That doesn't mean I've become that much more interested in them. I still find Milo Ventimiglia's character irritating, and I'm fairly bored with Ali Larter's character. The revelation that one of the heroes is the adopted daughter of the guy who is hunting the heroes has spiced up that story line a bit, though as the TV Without Pity recapper has noted, there's a little bit too much subtext in their father-daughter relationship to sit comfortably.
Hiro, the Japanese time-and-space bending office worker is still the most enjoyable of the bunch. I was pissed at the show for putting what might have been the most ham-handed product placement in TV history in his story-line, but we've moved through it for now (though I assume several glamor shots of said product in future episodes). The mind-reading LA cop has also become a fave, and for pretty much the same reason as Hiro. He's confused at his new ability, but he embraces it - perhaps a little too much, as it seems like he's gotten himself into some trouble.
I'm still not quite on board with some of the overblown narration, which is very reminiscent of Revelations (not surprisingly, as some of the staff from that miniseries is on this show). I'm hoping this will become more sensical as we move forward, but I'm steeling myself for an entire season of proto-mytho-scientific mumbo jumbo to open and close episdoes. I'm trying not to take it out on the narrating character, Mohinder Suresh (the son of a professor who was trying to create an algorithm to find and track down people with heroic changes), but it's hard. His new, chrirpy sidekick isn't helping, either, nor will the eventual discovery that she's working for the bad guys.
Anyway, for X-Men lite this isn't a bad show. Just a little dour for the start of the week.
That doesn't mean I've become that much more interested in them. I still find Milo Ventimiglia's character irritating, and I'm fairly bored with Ali Larter's character. The revelation that one of the heroes is the adopted daughter of the guy who is hunting the heroes has spiced up that story line a bit, though as the TV Without Pity recapper has noted, there's a little bit too much subtext in their father-daughter relationship to sit comfortably.
Hiro, the Japanese time-and-space bending office worker is still the most enjoyable of the bunch. I was pissed at the show for putting what might have been the most ham-handed product placement in TV history in his story-line, but we've moved through it for now (though I assume several glamor shots of said product in future episodes). The mind-reading LA cop has also become a fave, and for pretty much the same reason as Hiro. He's confused at his new ability, but he embraces it - perhaps a little too much, as it seems like he's gotten himself into some trouble.
I'm still not quite on board with some of the overblown narration, which is very reminiscent of Revelations (not surprisingly, as some of the staff from that miniseries is on this show). I'm hoping this will become more sensical as we move forward, but I'm steeling myself for an entire season of proto-mytho-scientific mumbo jumbo to open and close episdoes. I'm trying not to take it out on the narrating character, Mohinder Suresh (the son of a professor who was trying to create an algorithm to find and track down people with heroic changes), but it's hard. His new, chrirpy sidekick isn't helping, either, nor will the eventual discovery that she's working for the bad guys.
Anyway, for X-Men lite this isn't a bad show. Just a little dour for the start of the week.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Did anyone notice?
I didn't notice this, but the CW has more or less swapped their Sunday and Monday night line-ups. Everybody Hates Chris, All of Us, Girlfriends, and The Game move to Monday, while Runaway and 7th Heaven will follow the America's Next Top Model re-run on Sunday.
I don't think this will make a tremendous difference. I'm not sure if the sitcoms will make a dent opposite the tough CBS line-up, and the dramas move into one of the tougher two hour blocks on TV. What will make a difference will be better programming, though I think that's going to be a long-term issue.
I don't think this will make a tremendous difference. I'm not sure if the sitcoms will make a dent opposite the tough CBS line-up, and the dramas move into one of the tougher two hour blocks on TV. What will make a difference will be better programming, though I think that's going to be a long-term issue.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
New on TV: Jericho
I was home on Columbus Day, and while flipping around discovered that CBS had episodes of various shows for viewing through Comcast's On Demand service. The only new show on offer was Jericho, and they thoughtfully had all three episodes available. So, like a sucker, I watched them.
This isn't a very good show. It's not the fault of the actors, nor is it for lack of a good (if derivative) idea. They could very easily have come up with a solid if unexciting drama in the vein of NCIS or The Unit.
But what keeps Jericho down is some very stupid writing. For example: in a town of 5000 where everyone seemingly knows everyone else, how is it that a main character doesn't realize that the two guys in the sheriff's car are bascially strangers? And why is pretty much everything that happens telegraphed by some character (for example, a guy who says "I hear something!" when there is a very audbile something happening that was planned for in a previous scene)? And why does Pamela Reed, an actress of some repute, only get to repeat the same three lines and hug family members?
There is room for some complexity with the characters, but we mostly get stereotype, from the prodigal son returned (Skeet Ulrich doing his best Jack Sheppard impersonation, minus some of the rage) to the city slicker stuck in town to the loser teenager in love with a pretty, popular girl. They'd better start developing some backstory to these people, otherwise it's going to get duller in a hurry. As annoying as the flashbacks can be on Lost, you get a clear indication of their usefulness when compared to this show, where conflicts and feelings have, to date, been depicted in one dimension.
Not that I'm going to stop watching. I'm a sucker for shows like this. Heck, I'm still watching Vanished, so you can see the depths of my problem.
(Full disclosure: I worked on and off with the mother of Sprague Grayden (who is in the cast) when I was substitute teaching. Though based on what I've written, I think the idea of a conflict of interest is pretty well shot.)
This isn't a very good show. It's not the fault of the actors, nor is it for lack of a good (if derivative) idea. They could very easily have come up with a solid if unexciting drama in the vein of NCIS or The Unit.
But what keeps Jericho down is some very stupid writing. For example: in a town of 5000 where everyone seemingly knows everyone else, how is it that a main character doesn't realize that the two guys in the sheriff's car are bascially strangers? And why is pretty much everything that happens telegraphed by some character (for example, a guy who says "I hear something!" when there is a very audbile something happening that was planned for in a previous scene)? And why does Pamela Reed, an actress of some repute, only get to repeat the same three lines and hug family members?
There is room for some complexity with the characters, but we mostly get stereotype, from the prodigal son returned (Skeet Ulrich doing his best Jack Sheppard impersonation, minus some of the rage) to the city slicker stuck in town to the loser teenager in love with a pretty, popular girl. They'd better start developing some backstory to these people, otherwise it's going to get duller in a hurry. As annoying as the flashbacks can be on Lost, you get a clear indication of their usefulness when compared to this show, where conflicts and feelings have, to date, been depicted in one dimension.
Not that I'm going to stop watching. I'm a sucker for shows like this. Heck, I'm still watching Vanished, so you can see the depths of my problem.
(Full disclosure: I worked on and off with the mother of Sprague Grayden (who is in the cast) when I was substitute teaching. Though based on what I've written, I think the idea of a conflict of interest is pretty well shot.)
Monday, October 09, 2006
New on TV: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
It's got an all-star cast, strong writing, top-shelf directing, and is likely the tightest show on TV, never mind among new shows
So why am I still on the fence about Studio 60?
There are some minor things - I'm not a huge Amanda Peet fan, for example - but I think it boils down to three things:
1. The hyper-focus on religion. While I have no doubt that religion is a major issue in the TV industry, the three episodes that have aired so far have been very focused on religious issues, from the sketch that precipitated everything ("Crazy Christians," which we never get to see) to the resultant problems with affiliates that seem to have righted themselves by the second episode helmed by Matt and Danny (the writer and director played by Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford). The focus even spreads into other sketches that we see, such as "Science Schmience," a game show parody about the clash of science and religion. Which leads to my second point:
2. The show within a show doesn't seem that funny. We don't get to see to much of the actual Studo 60, but what they've shown is less than appealing. Take the sketch mentioned above; it has six contestants in order to include all major religions, but when have you seen a Jeopardy-style game show with six contestants? It doesn't help that the host is basically giving science lessons while asking questions. It's over-written and not worth the laughs the audience is giving.
Then there's the cold open from Matt and Danny's first show, a rewriting of some Gilbert and Sullivan. While I'm glad that Aaron Sorkin was able to get his G&S fixation out of the way early, it wasn't all that funny. It was amusing, which I suppose is fitting for G&S, but not the sort of funny we're built up to expect. There's also a new recurring sketch based on commedia dell'arte, which just seems strange.
3. I'd like more about the actual show and its cast and crew, and a little less about the NBS executives. Steven Weber does a good job as the network chairman, and even though I don't care for Amanda Peet, she's doing a decent job as the new NBS president (even though she was a little too omniscient in the pilot). But I'd rather have more development on plot lines involving the cast and crew. We're getting some of this - one of the leading cast members is Matt's ex-girlfriend, and there's a rift between Matt and the show's less quality-focused writers (though that seems to be coming to an end), but I'd like more. I suppose that will come with time.
I'm going to stick with the show, as there is a lot going for it. I just hope Sorkin et. al. make the show a little less focused on issues and more on the people.
So why am I still on the fence about Studio 60?
There are some minor things - I'm not a huge Amanda Peet fan, for example - but I think it boils down to three things:
1. The hyper-focus on religion. While I have no doubt that religion is a major issue in the TV industry, the three episodes that have aired so far have been very focused on religious issues, from the sketch that precipitated everything ("Crazy Christians," which we never get to see) to the resultant problems with affiliates that seem to have righted themselves by the second episode helmed by Matt and Danny (the writer and director played by Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford). The focus even spreads into other sketches that we see, such as "Science Schmience," a game show parody about the clash of science and religion. Which leads to my second point:
2. The show within a show doesn't seem that funny. We don't get to see to much of the actual Studo 60, but what they've shown is less than appealing. Take the sketch mentioned above; it has six contestants in order to include all major religions, but when have you seen a Jeopardy-style game show with six contestants? It doesn't help that the host is basically giving science lessons while asking questions. It's over-written and not worth the laughs the audience is giving.
Then there's the cold open from Matt and Danny's first show, a rewriting of some Gilbert and Sullivan. While I'm glad that Aaron Sorkin was able to get his G&S fixation out of the way early, it wasn't all that funny. It was amusing, which I suppose is fitting for G&S, but not the sort of funny we're built up to expect. There's also a new recurring sketch based on commedia dell'arte, which just seems strange.
3. I'd like more about the actual show and its cast and crew, and a little less about the NBS executives. Steven Weber does a good job as the network chairman, and even though I don't care for Amanda Peet, she's doing a decent job as the new NBS president (even though she was a little too omniscient in the pilot). But I'd rather have more development on plot lines involving the cast and crew. We're getting some of this - one of the leading cast members is Matt's ex-girlfriend, and there's a rift between Matt and the show's less quality-focused writers (though that seems to be coming to an end), but I'd like more. I suppose that will come with time.
I'm going to stick with the show, as there is a lot going for it. I just hope Sorkin et. al. make the show a little less focused on issues and more on the people.
Friday, September 29, 2006
New on TV: Ugly Betty
I wasn't planning on watching this, but the wife wanted to, and it is on before Grey's Anatomy. So we tuned in, and the best I can say is that the show has some promise.
America Ferarra does a nice job as Betty, staying just enough to the right side of the line where her clueless optimism is both funny and endearing. Vanessa Williams is appropriately over the top as a vindictive magazine exec gunning to take down Betty's boss (the mag's editor in chief). I'm also a fan of Betty's fashion-loving pre-teen nephew, just because his interest in fashion is so unusual. There's also a good recurring cameo by Salma Hayek as an actress in an actual telenovela.
The show keeps several touches that point to its beginnings as a telenovela, and for the most part balances soapiness with humor. What I didn't care for was the fairly predictable plot - the magazine needs an idea for a major cosmetics ad, and guess whose idea saves the day? - though if the show keeps going, I'd expect things to get better here. At least I hope it does, as the wife liked it and I guess we'll keep watching.
America Ferarra does a nice job as Betty, staying just enough to the right side of the line where her clueless optimism is both funny and endearing. Vanessa Williams is appropriately over the top as a vindictive magazine exec gunning to take down Betty's boss (the mag's editor in chief). I'm also a fan of Betty's fashion-loving pre-teen nephew, just because his interest in fashion is so unusual. There's also a good recurring cameo by Salma Hayek as an actress in an actual telenovela.
The show keeps several touches that point to its beginnings as a telenovela, and for the most part balances soapiness with humor. What I didn't care for was the fairly predictable plot - the magazine needs an idea for a major cosmetics ad, and guess whose idea saves the day? - though if the show keeps going, I'd expect things to get better here. At least I hope it does, as the wife liked it and I guess we'll keep watching.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
New on TV: Vanished
I finally got around to watching the first episode of this new Fox drama that combines Without a Trace and The DaVinci Code when a US Senator's wife disappears, and the last person she was with - a guy posing as a concierge - is found dead with a cryptic tattoo on his hand that was inked after he died. Spooky!
The pilot was sufficiently engrossing, though I did have a nit to pick regarding the FBI agent in charge. He's on his first big case since losing a kidnapping victim; the captor was shot by a sniper, and rather than run to him to make sure he didn't release the button that would set off the victim's explosives-laden vest, the agent runs towards the victim. With predictably firey results. That doesn't make the guy seem like the super-agent he's supposed to be.
I have a more significant issue with Rebecca Gayheart's reporter character. I assume she's supposed to be annoying, but perhaps not that annoying. I can only hope she takes it down a notch in future episodes. I'd be OK if she disappeared altogether.
I'll keep recording episodes, but don't feel compelled to watch them in any hurry.
The pilot was sufficiently engrossing, though I did have a nit to pick regarding the FBI agent in charge. He's on his first big case since losing a kidnapping victim; the captor was shot by a sniper, and rather than run to him to make sure he didn't release the button that would set off the victim's explosives-laden vest, the agent runs towards the victim. With predictably firey results. That doesn't make the guy seem like the super-agent he's supposed to be.
I have a more significant issue with Rebecca Gayheart's reporter character. I assume she's supposed to be annoying, but perhaps not that annoying. I can only hope she takes it down a notch in future episodes. I'd be OK if she disappeared altogether.
I'll keep recording episodes, but don't feel compelled to watch them in any hurry.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
New on TV: Standoff
The Fox plan worked: I hung around after House to watch Standoff, a drama about a pair of hostage negotiators who are partners in more ways than one.
The leads are good - Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt actually have some chemistry together - but the supporting cast is very one-dimensional, from the hard-ass boss to the Hostage Rescue Team leader who has unblinking faith in peace through superior firepower. There's even a Chloe O'Brien knock-off, who is sadly less socially awkward. It doesn't help to have this show on after House, given how it pales in comparison.
I'm not sure how long they can keep up the main conflict in the show - the problems that arise when you're emotionally attached to someone with whom you are supposed to have an objective work relationship - and if the promos are any indication, they may be trying to get around this by blowing a lot of stuff up in future episodes. I'm also not sure if there's enough variety in hostage situations to make for compelling watching each week. But I'll probably stick around, at least for a while.
One review I read said this would be the first drama cancelled this season. Not sure it's that bad, and being on after House should help with ratings (it did last night, as Standoff won its timeslot, though it only retained about 75 percent of the House audience and wasn't up against much). There's some talk that Vanished may be the first to go, which really makes me want to get started on the four episodes I've got on my DVR.
The leads are good - Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt actually have some chemistry together - but the supporting cast is very one-dimensional, from the hard-ass boss to the Hostage Rescue Team leader who has unblinking faith in peace through superior firepower. There's even a Chloe O'Brien knock-off, who is sadly less socially awkward. It doesn't help to have this show on after House, given how it pales in comparison.
I'm not sure how long they can keep up the main conflict in the show - the problems that arise when you're emotionally attached to someone with whom you are supposed to have an objective work relationship - and if the promos are any indication, they may be trying to get around this by blowing a lot of stuff up in future episodes. I'm also not sure if there's enough variety in hostage situations to make for compelling watching each week. But I'll probably stick around, at least for a while.
One review I read said this would be the first drama cancelled this season. Not sure it's that bad, and being on after House should help with ratings (it did last night, as Standoff won its timeslot, though it only retained about 75 percent of the House audience and wasn't up against much). There's some talk that Vanished may be the first to go, which really makes me want to get started on the four episodes I've got on my DVR.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Bringing Out the Dead
Now that the entries are set and the new shows are set to begin in earnest, here's how I went for my entry into the Alison LaPlaca Open TV dead pool:
Happy Hour - It's been the virtually unanimous leader in "show most likely to get the first axe" among all the things I've read, and with its anonymous cast and very vague plot description, it seems like a sure goner. So much so that I put it in my top spot, where I'd get the most points for it being cancelled.
The Class - Probably a little risky to put it here, given how the Monday lineup on CBS can buoy an otherwise crappy show - hello, Out of Practice - but with The King of Queens returning in January, there will five shows and only four slots. What are the odds that this show, with its bizzare plot device of an elementary school class reunion, will take out How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, or The New Adventures of Old Christine?
Men in Trees - It's quirky, but I'm not so sure that quirky will work on Friday nights. And I'm not sure that many people are sold on Anne Heche.
What About Brian - Not only does this show have the longing to be cancelled The Bachelor as its lead-in, it also has to go against the most hyped show of the season, Studio 60. I can't help but think of this as Jake in Progress 2.0.
King of Queens - I'm under the impression that the show is ending this season, but wasn't able to find a lot of corroborating evidence. So I'm hedging a bit by putting it in the middle of the pack.
Justice - The way I look at it, there are enough lawyer-type shows out there that at least one has to fail. For all of the talk that Justice will give us the behind-the-scenes look at state of the art criminal defense, it has an incredibly generic title, ads, and only Victor Garber for star power. Which, in comparison to James Woods in Shark and most of the cast of Boston Legal, isn't much. And did I mention that it's up against Lost?
According to Jim - In the 2001-02 competition, two shows thwarted me by not getting cancelled. One was Reba, whose treatment by the nascent CW makes me wary. The other was According to Jim, whose continued first-run presence is a little mind-boggling. I figure the time is ripe for it to go. I'm also hoping that the combination of House, Gilmore Girls, and the family-friendly Friday Night Lights will help.
Notes From the Underbelly - I'm normally against chosing shows that will debut in mid-season, as there's no guarantee that they'll see the light of day. Given that this show was supposed to debut in the fall, I went with it as the change suggests that the show isn't good enough to start now, but is on some level considered good enough to air. Just so they don't improve the show enough to avoid cancellation.
Help Me Help You - I feel badly about going with this one, as I still give Ted Danson a bit of a free pass due to Cheers. I'm also a little leery that this will go all Becker on me and air for at least twice as long as necessary. On the other side, I take some solace from the network not feeling like the show was strong enough to start the hour.
Twenty Good Years - This rounds out my entry, and I'm not sure about choosing this at all given the odd mystical power John Lithgow's overacting seems to generate. I don't particularly think that Arrested Development fans will seek out Jeffrey Tambor, and I think the demographic for this show will work against it. But I'm still nervous.
Five of my shows (Happy Hour, The Class, Men in Trees, What About Brian and Notes from the Underbelly) were among the top 10 overall selections from all entrants. And the five shows I didn't choose that were in the top 10?
Til Death, the newlywed versus oldiewed Fox sitcom starring Brad Garrett. Fox has hyped this show tremendously, and I don't think they're going to let go too easily. But it wouldn't shock me if it got the heave-ho at the end of the season.
The Knights of Prosperity, formerly Let's Rob..., which is a sitcom built around a bunch of guys who are going to rip off Mick Jagger. It was hard to pass this show up based on premise alone, not to mention the lack of success for shows based around thievery, but I figured it was just different enough to sucker people in. I mean, if According to Jim can go six seasons, this show can go two.
Brothers and Sisters, the troubled ABC drama starring Calista Flockhart. If it were going anywhere but the post-Desperate Housewives slot, I'd think Dead Show Walking. But it may just eke out enough viewers who are waiting for their significant others to finish with Sunday Night Football.
Jericho, the CBS drama where a town tries to sort our where they stand after seeing a mushroom cloud go off in the distance. It wants to pull of a Lost vibe, but may turn out to be more like Invasion. Not sure if the time slot will help or hurt - if it can survive Dancing With the Stars it may just make the season and beyond.
Ugly Betty, the telenovela-derived ABC show backed by Salma Hayek. I'm not sure this wil work, either, but it's leading off ABC's Thursday power play. Getting to be the show before Grey's Anatomy suggests a certain amount of confidence, as does moving the show from Friday.
Happy Hour - It's been the virtually unanimous leader in "show most likely to get the first axe" among all the things I've read, and with its anonymous cast and very vague plot description, it seems like a sure goner. So much so that I put it in my top spot, where I'd get the most points for it being cancelled.
The Class - Probably a little risky to put it here, given how the Monday lineup on CBS can buoy an otherwise crappy show - hello, Out of Practice - but with The King of Queens returning in January, there will five shows and only four slots. What are the odds that this show, with its bizzare plot device of an elementary school class reunion, will take out How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, or The New Adventures of Old Christine?
Men in Trees - It's quirky, but I'm not so sure that quirky will work on Friday nights. And I'm not sure that many people are sold on Anne Heche.
What About Brian - Not only does this show have the longing to be cancelled The Bachelor as its lead-in, it also has to go against the most hyped show of the season, Studio 60. I can't help but think of this as Jake in Progress 2.0.
King of Queens - I'm under the impression that the show is ending this season, but wasn't able to find a lot of corroborating evidence. So I'm hedging a bit by putting it in the middle of the pack.
Justice - The way I look at it, there are enough lawyer-type shows out there that at least one has to fail. For all of the talk that Justice will give us the behind-the-scenes look at state of the art criminal defense, it has an incredibly generic title, ads, and only Victor Garber for star power. Which, in comparison to James Woods in Shark and most of the cast of Boston Legal, isn't much. And did I mention that it's up against Lost?
According to Jim - In the 2001-02 competition, two shows thwarted me by not getting cancelled. One was Reba, whose treatment by the nascent CW makes me wary. The other was According to Jim, whose continued first-run presence is a little mind-boggling. I figure the time is ripe for it to go. I'm also hoping that the combination of House, Gilmore Girls, and the family-friendly Friday Night Lights will help.
Notes From the Underbelly - I'm normally against chosing shows that will debut in mid-season, as there's no guarantee that they'll see the light of day. Given that this show was supposed to debut in the fall, I went with it as the change suggests that the show isn't good enough to start now, but is on some level considered good enough to air. Just so they don't improve the show enough to avoid cancellation.
Help Me Help You - I feel badly about going with this one, as I still give Ted Danson a bit of a free pass due to Cheers. I'm also a little leery that this will go all Becker on me and air for at least twice as long as necessary. On the other side, I take some solace from the network not feeling like the show was strong enough to start the hour.
Twenty Good Years - This rounds out my entry, and I'm not sure about choosing this at all given the odd mystical power John Lithgow's overacting seems to generate. I don't particularly think that Arrested Development fans will seek out Jeffrey Tambor, and I think the demographic for this show will work against it. But I'm still nervous.
Five of my shows (Happy Hour, The Class, Men in Trees, What About Brian and Notes from the Underbelly) were among the top 10 overall selections from all entrants. And the five shows I didn't choose that were in the top 10?
Til Death, the newlywed versus oldiewed Fox sitcom starring Brad Garrett. Fox has hyped this show tremendously, and I don't think they're going to let go too easily. But it wouldn't shock me if it got the heave-ho at the end of the season.
The Knights of Prosperity, formerly Let's Rob..., which is a sitcom built around a bunch of guys who are going to rip off Mick Jagger. It was hard to pass this show up based on premise alone, not to mention the lack of success for shows based around thievery, but I figured it was just different enough to sucker people in. I mean, if According to Jim can go six seasons, this show can go two.
Brothers and Sisters, the troubled ABC drama starring Calista Flockhart. If it were going anywhere but the post-Desperate Housewives slot, I'd think Dead Show Walking. But it may just eke out enough viewers who are waiting for their significant others to finish with Sunday Night Football.
Jericho, the CBS drama where a town tries to sort our where they stand after seeing a mushroom cloud go off in the distance. It wants to pull of a Lost vibe, but may turn out to be more like Invasion. Not sure if the time slot will help or hurt - if it can survive Dancing With the Stars it may just make the season and beyond.
Ugly Betty, the telenovela-derived ABC show backed by Salma Hayek. I'm not sure this wil work, either, but it's leading off ABC's Thursday power play. Getting to be the show before Grey's Anatomy suggests a certain amount of confidence, as does moving the show from Friday.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Oh-fer
The Emmys were handed out last Sunday, and my viewing ended when Conan O'Brien's Billy Crystalesque romp through current TV shows ended. I actually watched more day-after coverage on Inside Hollywood than actual awards show (not sure how I got stuck watching that much Inside Hollywood, either).
In any case, I went back and checked out my Emmy wish list and found that not a single choice I made actually won an award. If this were keno, I think I'd win something. Not that my choices were particularly scientific, but you'd think I'd blunder into one win.
Wasn't surprised that The Office won, but was suprised that 24 did. I do like the show, but I'm not convinced it's the best drama on TV (looking back, it was the lone nominee I didn't mention when I was talking up House). As for the major individual awards, meh. Tony Shalhoub is the new David Hyde Pierce, apparently.
In any case, I went back and checked out my Emmy wish list and found that not a single choice I made actually won an award. If this were keno, I think I'd win something. Not that my choices were particularly scientific, but you'd think I'd blunder into one win.
Wasn't surprised that The Office won, but was suprised that 24 did. I do like the show, but I'm not convinced it's the best drama on TV (looking back, it was the lone nominee I didn't mention when I was talking up House). As for the major individual awards, meh. Tony Shalhoub is the new David Hyde Pierce, apparently.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Bring Out Your Dead
Please hie thyself over to the 2006-07 Alison Laplaca TV Dead Pool. Deadline is the end of the month. Which reminds me, I need to get my entry in...
Welcome to the new season
The new TV season officially kicked off last night, as Fox started Prison Break and Vanished on their 2006-07 campaigns.
Not that I watched either of them. I never got into Prison Break, and recorded Vanished. So no report on the latter show until tomorrow at least, as they've got another episode on tonight.
One new show (from the summer) that we've been watching is Property Ladder on TLC. I'm not sure how this is different from Flip This House!, having not watched that show, but I think it's the people doing the flipping, who on Property Ladder are generally not professionals.
You can imagine how that goes. In all the episodes I've seen, the people doing the work go over budget, past their deadline, and have to skimp in at least one area that they planned to change (thankfully, it's usually landscaping or outdoor improvements rather than, say, replacing rotten beams). The host is apparently a veteran flipper, and she's kind of a jerk. Her advice is usually spot-on, though, but she's a little too smug for my taste.
The episodes I've seen have all been for houses in California or Florida, so if you're looking to buy in either state, you may want to see if your house has been on the show. If it was, odd are good the plumbing was put in by the dope who flipped it and his minimally-qualified drinking buddy.
Not that I watched either of them. I never got into Prison Break, and recorded Vanished. So no report on the latter show until tomorrow at least, as they've got another episode on tonight.
One new show (from the summer) that we've been watching is Property Ladder on TLC. I'm not sure how this is different from Flip This House!, having not watched that show, but I think it's the people doing the flipping, who on Property Ladder are generally not professionals.
You can imagine how that goes. In all the episodes I've seen, the people doing the work go over budget, past their deadline, and have to skimp in at least one area that they planned to change (thankfully, it's usually landscaping or outdoor improvements rather than, say, replacing rotten beams). The host is apparently a veteran flipper, and she's kind of a jerk. Her advice is usually spot-on, though, but she's a little too smug for my taste.
The episodes I've seen have all been for houses in California or Florida, so if you're looking to buy in either state, you may want to see if your house has been on the show. If it was, odd are good the plumbing was put in by the dope who flipped it and his minimally-qualified drinking buddy.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Worldwide Leader in What?
I've now had the chance to see two of the ESPN-created tournaments that they were hoping would extend the viewership brought on board by their World Series of Poker coverage.
The first involved dominos. ESPN Deportes has apparently been showing tournaments for a while, and someone in Bristol thought it was time to see if the practice would work for non-Hispanic viewers. It didn't, which isn't surprising given that the game isn't exactly a mainstay of Anglo households. There was also little time to show each player's rack and discuss strategy, which would be really helpful. About the only thing of interest was the possibility of violence between teammates when one blew a play.
Not that anyone came to blows, but they were rare shows of emotion.
Then there's the World Series of Dart, whose artifice is underscored by the lack of competition between the pros who've come over from Britain and the amateur Americans. Not that some of the Yanks aren't good, but when there's an obvious talent gap it makes for less than stellar TV. Heck, even the color guy and the on-site announcer were Brits. Still, it's a little more accessible than dominos, given that most people have, at some time in their lives, played darts.
Sadly, my favorite ESPN-created event, the Great Outdoor Games, is on hiatus for 2006. The network is giving it the once-over and plans to re-launch in 2007 with dazzling new events and such. By which I assume they mean sucking the life out of it.
And while I'm on the subject of ESPN's programming genius, word came today that Harold Reynolds got the hook from the network, and thus leaves Karl Ravech as the last sane man on Baseball Tonight. No word on why he got the gate, but if Michael Irvin could keep his job after his troubles, what did Reynolds have to do to lose his?
Update: according to the folks at Deadspin, the unofficial reason for HR's canning was sexual harrassment. Which isn't cool. But if you can get caught with blow, plea out, and still keep your job, you'd think the bar would be set much, much higher for getting fired.
The first involved dominos. ESPN Deportes has apparently been showing tournaments for a while, and someone in Bristol thought it was time to see if the practice would work for non-Hispanic viewers. It didn't, which isn't surprising given that the game isn't exactly a mainstay of Anglo households. There was also little time to show each player's rack and discuss strategy, which would be really helpful. About the only thing of interest was the possibility of violence between teammates when one blew a play.
Not that anyone came to blows, but they were rare shows of emotion.
Then there's the World Series of Dart, whose artifice is underscored by the lack of competition between the pros who've come over from Britain and the amateur Americans. Not that some of the Yanks aren't good, but when there's an obvious talent gap it makes for less than stellar TV. Heck, even the color guy and the on-site announcer were Brits. Still, it's a little more accessible than dominos, given that most people have, at some time in their lives, played darts.
Sadly, my favorite ESPN-created event, the Great Outdoor Games, is on hiatus for 2006. The network is giving it the once-over and plans to re-launch in 2007 with dazzling new events and such. By which I assume they mean sucking the life out of it.
And while I'm on the subject of ESPN's programming genius, word came today that Harold Reynolds got the hook from the network, and thus leaves Karl Ravech as the last sane man on Baseball Tonight. No word on why he got the gate, but if Michael Irvin could keep his job after his troubles, what did Reynolds have to do to lose his?
Update: according to the folks at Deadspin, the unofficial reason for HR's canning was sexual harrassment. Which isn't cool. But if you can get caught with blow, plea out, and still keep your job, you'd think the bar would be set much, much higher for getting fired.
Friday, July 07, 2006
This is why I don't generally care about the Emmys
So this year, new rules were put in place during the process of selecting Emmy finalists, in the hopes of making the nominations more open and less prone to the "nominee for life" status that seems to follow some actors and shows.
The result? There were some nominees that we would likely have not seen - Denis Leary for Rescue Me and Kyra Sedgewick for The Closer stand out - but for the most part, there was a sad familiarity to the acting nominees.
Part of this comes from shows taking their final bows - The West Wing, Malcolm in the Middle, Will & Grace, and Six Feet Under were all well-represented shows that have closed their doors. Stockard Channing managed a nod for her work on Out of Practice, though I think voters may have seen her name and just assumed she was up for The West Wing.
Combined with the return of The Sopranos and some new-found love for 24, the biggest losers this time around were Desperate Housewives and Lost, neither of which was tabbed for outstanding show and only generated one regular acting nomination for Alfre Woodard's directionless turn as Betty Applewhite on Housewives.
Not that either show lived up to its first-year performance/hype. But it's still pretty surprising.
Not that the news was all bad for ABC - Grey's Anatomy picked up 11 nominations. And while I keep saying I don't really care about the Emmys, I will be vexed beyond repair if Chandra Wilson doesn't win. Miranda Bailey completely kicks ass.
So who else would I give Emmys to, based on the nominees?
Supporting Actor, Drama - Gregory Itzin, 24. His Nixon for the 21st century was a fantastic melding of megalomania and insecurity.
Supporting Actor, Comedy - Will Arnett, Arrested Development. This isn't even close for me, though not watching Entourage means I can't assess Jeremy Piven's performance.
Supporting Actress, Drama - Chandra Wilson, fools!
Supporting Actress, Comedy - I can't think that Woodard's performance was the best on here - not her fault, really - so I'll go in the unexpected direction and go with Jaime Pressly on My Name is Earl.
Lead Actor, Drama - A win for Denis Leary and Rescue Me would be nice. Lead Actor, Comedy - Steve Carrell, The Office. To be fair, it's the only show for the nominees that I watch regularly.
Lead Actress, Drama - Allison Janney, The West Wing. For all my carping earlier, I still loves me some C. J. Cregg. Sorry.
Lead Actress, Comedy - Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback. Because, really, with the other choices, I'll take the HBO show I've never seen.
Outstanding Drama - House. It has no shot, between a possible send-off award for The West Wing, the buzz for Grey's Anatomy, and the return of The Sopranos, but for me House is the best of the five (though again, no HBO makes me less than an authority on The Sopranos). It's just a shame that Hugh Laurie didn't get a nod.
Outstanding Comedy - Arrested Development. Yup, I've drank the Kool-Aid. I can only hope that, if it does win, the orchestra plays "The Final Countdown" while the cast ambles to the stage.
The result? There were some nominees that we would likely have not seen - Denis Leary for Rescue Me and Kyra Sedgewick for The Closer stand out - but for the most part, there was a sad familiarity to the acting nominees.
Part of this comes from shows taking their final bows - The West Wing, Malcolm in the Middle, Will & Grace, and Six Feet Under were all well-represented shows that have closed their doors. Stockard Channing managed a nod for her work on Out of Practice, though I think voters may have seen her name and just assumed she was up for The West Wing.
Combined with the return of The Sopranos and some new-found love for 24, the biggest losers this time around were Desperate Housewives and Lost, neither of which was tabbed for outstanding show and only generated one regular acting nomination for Alfre Woodard's directionless turn as Betty Applewhite on Housewives.
Not that either show lived up to its first-year performance/hype. But it's still pretty surprising.
Not that the news was all bad for ABC - Grey's Anatomy picked up 11 nominations. And while I keep saying I don't really care about the Emmys, I will be vexed beyond repair if Chandra Wilson doesn't win. Miranda Bailey completely kicks ass.
So who else would I give Emmys to, based on the nominees?
Supporting Actor, Drama - Gregory Itzin, 24. His Nixon for the 21st century was a fantastic melding of megalomania and insecurity.
Supporting Actor, Comedy - Will Arnett, Arrested Development. This isn't even close for me, though not watching Entourage means I can't assess Jeremy Piven's performance.
Supporting Actress, Drama - Chandra Wilson, fools!
Supporting Actress, Comedy - I can't think that Woodard's performance was the best on here - not her fault, really - so I'll go in the unexpected direction and go with Jaime Pressly on My Name is Earl.
Lead Actor, Drama - A win for Denis Leary and Rescue Me would be nice. Lead Actor, Comedy - Steve Carrell, The Office. To be fair, it's the only show for the nominees that I watch regularly.
Lead Actress, Drama - Allison Janney, The West Wing. For all my carping earlier, I still loves me some C. J. Cregg. Sorry.
Lead Actress, Comedy - Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback. Because, really, with the other choices, I'll take the HBO show I've never seen.
Outstanding Drama - House. It has no shot, between a possible send-off award for The West Wing, the buzz for Grey's Anatomy, and the return of The Sopranos, but for me House is the best of the five (though again, no HBO makes me less than an authority on The Sopranos). It's just a shame that Hugh Laurie didn't get a nod.
Outstanding Comedy - Arrested Development. Yup, I've drank the Kool-Aid. I can only hope that, if it does win, the orchestra plays "The Final Countdown" while the cast ambles to the stage.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
The Long Hot Summer
Even with the great increase in first-run summer TV programming, I find that I'm sticking to some familiar shows rather than trying the new (such as NBC's much advertised Windfall) or getting into returning shows like Rescue Me or The Closer. Rather, we've been focusing on similar troika as last summer:
* Last Comic Standing, which I care even less about now than I did during their ill-advised third season (which pitted finalists from the previous two seasons against each other). Out of the 12 finalists picked by a judging panel of Garry Marshall, Tim Meadows, and the rebarbative Kathy Griffin, I think I agreed with 3 of their selections.
It didn't help that they went from 40 semifinalists to 12 finalists in just two shows, showing 20 comics an episode. Even with the short interview segments, I can't say I built much interest in any of the finalists, even the ones I liked.
* The Gordon Ramsay double-dip of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares on BBC America and Hell's Kitchen on Fox. I sincerely hope there are more than the four episodes shown in the first run of the former show, as it's much more entertaining than the "reality" of Hell's Kitchen. Though that's entertaining enough, even if this year's crop of wannabes isn't quite as interesting as last summer's group.
* So You Think You Can Dance?, which is collateral damage from the wife's viewing. I've taken a NASCAR approach and watched mainly for the dancers who screwed up, which will be sadly reduced now that they've set their final 20. More time on the computer for me.
I've also taken in some of The History Channel's The Revolution, which is OK (it'd be better if it incorporated more graphics, like Battlefield Britain, and less of the re-enactment with voice-over that's the mainstay of History Channel shows). Otherwise, it's been World Cup, the Tour de France, and random catching up with DVR stuff (where I learned that I had seen the pilot for How I Met Your Mother and that The Apprentice finales are getting worse, which I may discuss in more detail if I can get motivated to do so this long after the fact).
* Last Comic Standing, which I care even less about now than I did during their ill-advised third season (which pitted finalists from the previous two seasons against each other). Out of the 12 finalists picked by a judging panel of Garry Marshall, Tim Meadows, and the rebarbative Kathy Griffin, I think I agreed with 3 of their selections.
It didn't help that they went from 40 semifinalists to 12 finalists in just two shows, showing 20 comics an episode. Even with the short interview segments, I can't say I built much interest in any of the finalists, even the ones I liked.
* The Gordon Ramsay double-dip of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares on BBC America and Hell's Kitchen on Fox. I sincerely hope there are more than the four episodes shown in the first run of the former show, as it's much more entertaining than the "reality" of Hell's Kitchen. Though that's entertaining enough, even if this year's crop of wannabes isn't quite as interesting as last summer's group.
* So You Think You Can Dance?, which is collateral damage from the wife's viewing. I've taken a NASCAR approach and watched mainly for the dancers who screwed up, which will be sadly reduced now that they've set their final 20. More time on the computer for me.
I've also taken in some of The History Channel's The Revolution, which is OK (it'd be better if it incorporated more graphics, like Battlefield Britain, and less of the re-enactment with voice-over that's the mainstay of History Channel shows). Otherwise, it's been World Cup, the Tour de France, and random catching up with DVR stuff (where I learned that I had seen the pilot for How I Met Your Mother and that The Apprentice finales are getting worse, which I may discuss in more detail if I can get motivated to do so this long after the fact).
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Rating Next Season
So I went to give an ordinal ranking for each of the networks for their upfronts, and came to discover that I couldn't name a number one.
There were a couple that stood out as not winning. NBC would have come in last given how they changed everything around scant weeks after their original presentation. Fox was also on my lower end, as I wasn't keen on their new shows and they apparently had the worst presentation ever (as reported by Aaron Barnhart over at TV Barn).
I had the CW in the middle, given that they're only premiering one new show, and it seems like a decent fit. Putting Everybody Hates Chris on at 7 and sticking a re-run of America's Next Top Model at 9 is a cop-out, though (thanks to King of LaPlaca James Dinan for pointing that out).
For all the mocking, I do have ABC as one of the better upfronts given that they seem to have the more interesting new shows. It's just that there are so many other, less interesting ones in their new lineup as well. CBS gets lumped in here, too, as they've put together a good new night on Sunday and have some interesting new show ideas, even if they aren't particularly original. I don't know if a mushroom cloud or James Woods will differentiate Jericho or Shark from Lost or any of the lawyer shows, but they've at least got a hook.
There were a couple that stood out as not winning. NBC would have come in last given how they changed everything around scant weeks after their original presentation. Fox was also on my lower end, as I wasn't keen on their new shows and they apparently had the worst presentation ever (as reported by Aaron Barnhart over at TV Barn).
I had the CW in the middle, given that they're only premiering one new show, and it seems like a decent fit. Putting Everybody Hates Chris on at 7 and sticking a re-run of America's Next Top Model at 9 is a cop-out, though (thanks to King of LaPlaca James Dinan for pointing that out).
For all the mocking, I do have ABC as one of the better upfronts given that they seem to have the more interesting new shows. It's just that there are so many other, less interesting ones in their new lineup as well. CBS gets lumped in here, too, as they've put together a good new night on Sunday and have some interesting new show ideas, even if they aren't particularly original. I don't know if a mushroom cloud or James Woods will differentiate Jericho or Shark from Lost or any of the lawyer shows, but they've at least got a hook.
Friday, May 26, 2006
NBC 2006/07 Schedule - It's New to You!
I was slowly working towards a recap of all the upfronts, but then NBC had to go and blow up its 2006/07 schedule. King of LaPlaca James Dinan gives a pretty good synopsis, but I wanted to take a night-by-night look at the revamp.
Sunday stays the same.
Monday sees Medium get pushed off to midseason so the Peacock can start things off with Deal or No Deal, Heroes, and Studio 60. And while Monday at 10 is an easier set of shows to go against than Thursday at 9 (What About Brian? and CSI:Miami versus CSI and Grey's Anatomy), Studio 60 I can't help but think that having a game show and another new drama as your lead-ins isn't going to bode well. Then again, with the other airing of Deal or No Deal moving into Studio 60's Thursday at 9 slot, this may be the only night it gets any viewers.
Tuesday opens as planned with Friday Night Lights but then double-dips L&O with Criminal Intent and SVU back-to-back. That's a lot of the criminal justice system in one night, and forces a choice between D'Onofrio/Noth and Laurie at 9 pm. That's not fair.
Wednesday swaps the sitcoms and The Biggest Loser, letting the weight loss show take the brunt against Lost and Criminal Minds. Kidnapped moves into the 10 pm slot, and might do OK there if anyone is around to watch.
Thursday only has that Studio 60 for Deal or No Deal. I just get the sense that this is going to be a painful night for NBC regardless.
Friday sees the early return of Crossing Jordan, followed by Las Vegas and L&O: Original Recipie. That might actually do OK versus the CBS shows, though it does feel like L&O is getting the brush-off.
Saturday, really, who cares. NBC isn't trying, and neither is anyone else.
There's a deck chairs on the Titanic feel to all this moving. Sure, Studio 60 gets a better time slot, but given that the other networks have stronger shows in the two hours prior to it, the move doesn't exactly guarantee success. The rest of the moves don't do much for me either way, although it does seem like NBC is cedeing the middle of the week a bit. I'm all for counter-programming, but you still need to offer something reasonably compelling. Just throwing something different up there isn't the best way to find success.
Sunday stays the same.
Monday sees Medium get pushed off to midseason so the Peacock can start things off with Deal or No Deal, Heroes, and Studio 60. And while Monday at 10 is an easier set of shows to go against than Thursday at 9 (What About Brian? and CSI:Miami versus CSI and Grey's Anatomy), Studio 60 I can't help but think that having a game show and another new drama as your lead-ins isn't going to bode well. Then again, with the other airing of Deal or No Deal moving into Studio 60's Thursday at 9 slot, this may be the only night it gets any viewers.
Tuesday opens as planned with Friday Night Lights but then double-dips L&O with Criminal Intent and SVU back-to-back. That's a lot of the criminal justice system in one night, and forces a choice between D'Onofrio/Noth and Laurie at 9 pm. That's not fair.
Wednesday swaps the sitcoms and The Biggest Loser, letting the weight loss show take the brunt against Lost and Criminal Minds. Kidnapped moves into the 10 pm slot, and might do OK there if anyone is around to watch.
Thursday only has that Studio 60 for Deal or No Deal. I just get the sense that this is going to be a painful night for NBC regardless.
Friday sees the early return of Crossing Jordan, followed by Las Vegas and L&O: Original Recipie. That might actually do OK versus the CBS shows, though it does feel like L&O is getting the brush-off.
Saturday, really, who cares. NBC isn't trying, and neither is anyone else.
There's a deck chairs on the Titanic feel to all this moving. Sure, Studio 60 gets a better time slot, but given that the other networks have stronger shows in the two hours prior to it, the move doesn't exactly guarantee success. The rest of the moves don't do much for me either way, although it does seem like NBC is cedeing the middle of the week a bit. I'm all for counter-programming, but you still need to offer something reasonably compelling. Just throwing something different up there isn't the best way to find success.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Upfronts: The CW
So what did the merger of The WB and UPN bring? Mostly what people had speculated on for the last couple of months, but some surprises as well. Rather than try to list shows that were canned, moved, and added, I'll do this recap night by night. It's easier that way.
SUNDAY presents a sitcom block that shows that UPN is gone but not forgotten. Everybody Hates Chris leads off the night, while All of Us, Girlfriends,and The Game rounds things out. The Game is a sitcom about the wives of NFL players, though it being a sitcom means it'll be no Footballer's Wives. Interestingly, it stars Tia Mowry, but not Tamara.
A rerun of America's Next Top Model caps the night.
UPN's "urban comedy" strategy lives on, and may even succeed now that some of the lesser lights have been dimmed.
MONDAY brings a pretty big surprise - the return of 7th Heaven, which aired its series finale this season. Having this established show around will certainly help. It's paired with Runaway, which stars Donnie Wahlberg and Leslie Hope as parents of a family that's on the run until Wahlberg can prove he didn't kill a co-worker. This comes to us from Darren Star, unusual given that his shows are usually sudsier.
TUESDAY gives us a pairing that was talked about quite a bit when the merger was announced - Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars, which avoided the axe again. I could think of worse things than Lauren Graham and Kristin Bell back-to-back. How this will actually work will be something to see.
WEDNESDAY could be the most vacuous night on TV next season, as the lead hour will be shared by America's Next Top Model and Beauty and the Geek. There's some crossover potential right there. The second hour is taken by One Tree Hill, about which I only know that it stars pretty young people.
THURSDAY brings back Smallville and Supernatural, which were paired on the WB this season with good results.
FRIDAY brings WWE Smackdown! over from UPN. SATURDAY has no network programming, which is probably just as well given the anemic attempts by the other networks to program it. Might as well throw the affiliates a bone.
The other surprise was news that Reba got a last-second reprieve, although it doesn't appear on the schedule. Not sure where it would go at this point, though Monday after 7th Heaven makes sense. They also announced a mid-season show called Hidden Palms about a kid whose family moves to Palm Springs after his father commits suicide. After living there a year, they begin to learn that there are secrets, you don't really know your neighbors, etc. I'm guessing Kevin Williamson is tweaking some Sex, Love & Secrets scripts for this one.
SUNDAY presents a sitcom block that shows that UPN is gone but not forgotten. Everybody Hates Chris leads off the night, while All of Us, Girlfriends,and The Game rounds things out. The Game is a sitcom about the wives of NFL players, though it being a sitcom means it'll be no Footballer's Wives. Interestingly, it stars Tia Mowry, but not Tamara.
A rerun of America's Next Top Model caps the night.
UPN's "urban comedy" strategy lives on, and may even succeed now that some of the lesser lights have been dimmed.
MONDAY brings a pretty big surprise - the return of 7th Heaven, which aired its series finale this season. Having this established show around will certainly help. It's paired with Runaway, which stars Donnie Wahlberg and Leslie Hope as parents of a family that's on the run until Wahlberg can prove he didn't kill a co-worker. This comes to us from Darren Star, unusual given that his shows are usually sudsier.
TUESDAY gives us a pairing that was talked about quite a bit when the merger was announced - Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars, which avoided the axe again. I could think of worse things than Lauren Graham and Kristin Bell back-to-back. How this will actually work will be something to see.
WEDNESDAY could be the most vacuous night on TV next season, as the lead hour will be shared by America's Next Top Model and Beauty and the Geek. There's some crossover potential right there. The second hour is taken by One Tree Hill, about which I only know that it stars pretty young people.
THURSDAY brings back Smallville and Supernatural, which were paired on the WB this season with good results.
FRIDAY brings WWE Smackdown! over from UPN. SATURDAY has no network programming, which is probably just as well given the anemic attempts by the other networks to program it. Might as well throw the affiliates a bone.
The other surprise was news that Reba got a last-second reprieve, although it doesn't appear on the schedule. Not sure where it would go at this point, though Monday after 7th Heaven makes sense. They also announced a mid-season show called Hidden Palms about a kid whose family moves to Palm Springs after his father commits suicide. After living there a year, they begin to learn that there are secrets, you don't really know your neighbors, etc. I'm guessing Kevin Williamson is tweaking some Sex, Love & Secrets scripts for this one.
Upfronts: FOX
While it's a little less confusing than last year, the FOX schedule for 2007-08 is again broken down into fall 2006 and spring 2007 components thanks to baseball and Rupert Murdoch's evilosity. It's not as bad as it sounds.
GONE - To the surprise of absolutely no one, Arrested Development was formally axed. It was also the official end of the road for Bernie Mac, Stacked, Free Ride, and Kitchen Confidential.
MOVED - American Dad and The War at Home swapped time slots. Woo hoo. Nanny 911 goes to Friday, keeping the time slot warm for Bones, which will move there from its Wednesday time slot in January 2007. A couple of the new shows will also move in January, but I'll get to those... now.
And if you see the schedule and can't find your favorite show, don't freak. American Idol, 24, King of the Hill, and The Loop are all back in January.
NEW - Your new offerings:
Vanished - the wife of a US Senator from Georgia goes missing, and in trying to find her a variety of conspiracies and mysteries are encountered, building a web of intrigue that will be familiar to Monday night viewers of Prison Break and/or 24, whose spot Vanished will take for the fall. Monday night, high-concept conspiracy drama and FOX all seem to go together, so I'm not going to bet against this one.
Standoff - A pair of FBI hostage negotiators become involved, and when it becomes common knowledge it changes the way they work and the cases they are assigned. Ron Livingston plays one of the negotiators. It'll be on Tuesdays at 8 in the fall and move to Monday at 8 for 2007. The description is pretty blah, and I don't know how well it will work on Monday unless it turns out one of them is also dating the President as a cover for overthrowing the government.
Speaking of blah descriptions, Justice follows a group of lawyers who handle controversial, high-profile cases. Stars Victor Garber, who will have to do something to keep this from getting lost in the sea of all the other lawyer-based dramas out there. It'll air Wednesdays, moving from 9 to 8 in 2007, though I wonder if Bones will find itself back there before all is said and done.
Thursday throws two new sitcoms at us. 'Til Death is about an idealistic newlywed couple that moves next door to longer-married - and thus cyncial - couple. Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher star (as the older couple, I assume) in this show that, to my eye, is Everybody Loves Raymond with a tweak of relationships.
The other show, Happy Hour, is about two guys - one blinded by love, the other damaged by it. The only thing that makes this stand out is that it's set in Chicago. I've not heard of any of the cast. Adios.
The only announced show to debut in January 2007 is The Wedding Album, which follows wedding photgrapher and his assistant as every week they shoot a new wedding and, I have to assume, encounter a variety of problems, issues, etc. Two surprises in the cast - Connie Stevens and America's Next Top Model cycle 3 winner Eva Pigford. So much for modeling.
This will air after Bones in the projected line-up, which is odd. They don't seem particularly compatible.
New at mid-season will be the sitcom Winner, where Lenny Clarke plays a 40something guy musing on his neurotic past circa-1994. I'll stake a claim here that this will replace Happy Hour. They could then move this and 'Til Death to Friday and lead in for The Wedding Album. Bones would go back to Wednesday, and the Thursday hole can be filled by On the Lot, an unscripted show from Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg which calls to mind Project Greenlight.
The other new unscripted show is Duets, a singing competition for pairs that will fill spots in the fall as baseball dictates.
Overall, I'm actually a little disappointed in this slate of new shows. Usually FOX has at least one show in the bag that makes you stop and think - either in wonder or incredulity. Vanished might have been that show - in 2003. None of the shows would look out of place on any other network's schedule, which is either a sign of FOX's maturation or a new-found timidity. This doesn't mean that these shows won't turn out well, just that they won't be all that unique.
GONE - To the surprise of absolutely no one, Arrested Development was formally axed. It was also the official end of the road for Bernie Mac, Stacked, Free Ride, and Kitchen Confidential.
MOVED - American Dad and The War at Home swapped time slots. Woo hoo. Nanny 911 goes to Friday, keeping the time slot warm for Bones, which will move there from its Wednesday time slot in January 2007. A couple of the new shows will also move in January, but I'll get to those... now.
And if you see the schedule and can't find your favorite show, don't freak. American Idol, 24, King of the Hill, and The Loop are all back in January.
NEW - Your new offerings:
Vanished - the wife of a US Senator from Georgia goes missing, and in trying to find her a variety of conspiracies and mysteries are encountered, building a web of intrigue that will be familiar to Monday night viewers of Prison Break and/or 24, whose spot Vanished will take for the fall. Monday night, high-concept conspiracy drama and FOX all seem to go together, so I'm not going to bet against this one.
Standoff - A pair of FBI hostage negotiators become involved, and when it becomes common knowledge it changes the way they work and the cases they are assigned. Ron Livingston plays one of the negotiators. It'll be on Tuesdays at 8 in the fall and move to Monday at 8 for 2007. The description is pretty blah, and I don't know how well it will work on Monday unless it turns out one of them is also dating the President as a cover for overthrowing the government.
Speaking of blah descriptions, Justice follows a group of lawyers who handle controversial, high-profile cases. Stars Victor Garber, who will have to do something to keep this from getting lost in the sea of all the other lawyer-based dramas out there. It'll air Wednesdays, moving from 9 to 8 in 2007, though I wonder if Bones will find itself back there before all is said and done.
Thursday throws two new sitcoms at us. 'Til Death is about an idealistic newlywed couple that moves next door to longer-married - and thus cyncial - couple. Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher star (as the older couple, I assume) in this show that, to my eye, is Everybody Loves Raymond with a tweak of relationships.
The other show, Happy Hour, is about two guys - one blinded by love, the other damaged by it. The only thing that makes this stand out is that it's set in Chicago. I've not heard of any of the cast. Adios.
The only announced show to debut in January 2007 is The Wedding Album, which follows wedding photgrapher and his assistant as every week they shoot a new wedding and, I have to assume, encounter a variety of problems, issues, etc. Two surprises in the cast - Connie Stevens and America's Next Top Model cycle 3 winner Eva Pigford. So much for modeling.
This will air after Bones in the projected line-up, which is odd. They don't seem particularly compatible.
New at mid-season will be the sitcom Winner, where Lenny Clarke plays a 40something guy musing on his neurotic past circa-1994. I'll stake a claim here that this will replace Happy Hour. They could then move this and 'Til Death to Friday and lead in for The Wedding Album. Bones would go back to Wednesday, and the Thursday hole can be filled by On the Lot, an unscripted show from Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg which calls to mind Project Greenlight.
The other new unscripted show is Duets, a singing competition for pairs that will fill spots in the fall as baseball dictates.
Overall, I'm actually a little disappointed in this slate of new shows. Usually FOX has at least one show in the bag that makes you stop and think - either in wonder or incredulity. Vanished might have been that show - in 2003. None of the shows would look out of place on any other network's schedule, which is either a sign of FOX's maturation or a new-found timidity. This doesn't mean that these shows won't turn out well, just that they won't be all that unique.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Upfronts: CBS
Not surprisingly for the most-watched network, there are very few changes in store for next season. It's good to be the king.
GONE - It was a tough year for sitcoms, as Yes, Dear, Still Standing, Courting Alex, and Out of Practice all got cut. Previous drama cancellations Threshold and Love Monkey were also officially put to rest.
MOVED - The most notably changed night is Sunday as CBS will put forward an 8-11 block of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and Without a Trace. This has potential to take some steam out of ABC.
How I Met Your Mother will lead off Monday at 8, which seems a little early (though I assume it'll move to 9 for 2007-08).
While it's not a move, it was interesting that New Adventures of Old Christine and The Unit made the new schedule. Maybe mid-season really is TV's second-best season.
NEW - Three dramas and one sitcom will debut in the fall:
The Class is the sitcom, about a group of twentysomethings who haven't seen each other since third grade and are reuinited at a suprise party. Meh.
Smith, a drama about a gang of high-stakes thieves, will close Tuesday nights. Cast includes Ray Liotta and Virginia Madsen. Not sure if this will succeed where Heist did not.
Jericho is the new show Wednesday at 10 pm. A mysterious mushroom appears in a Kansas town (Jericho), and the townspeople fear the apocalypse as they lose contact with the outside world. Fungus is the new aquatic alien, apparently. If you ever wondered what happened to Gerald McRaney and Skeet Ulrich, wonder no more! They'll be here - but for long?
Shark moves into Without a Trace's Thursday spot. It stars James Woods as a high-profile Hollywood defense attorney who switches sides to lead a group of inexperienced prosecutors. Jeri Ryan co-stars, so the Trek crowd may help with ratings. Though I don't think we'll see her in spandex. At least until sweeps.
I'm actually more interested in the two mid-season dramas - Three Pounds, about a brain surgeon who is losing function in his own brain, and Waterfront, starring Joe Pantoliano as the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island who is trying to clean up his crooked ways. You know Buddy Cianci is getting paid for this.
Overall, I'm guessing CBS stays on top. The only day I'd be worried about is Tuesday, but I think they'll be able to keep it together one way or another.
GONE - It was a tough year for sitcoms, as Yes, Dear, Still Standing, Courting Alex, and Out of Practice all got cut. Previous drama cancellations Threshold and Love Monkey were also officially put to rest.
MOVED - The most notably changed night is Sunday as CBS will put forward an 8-11 block of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and Without a Trace. This has potential to take some steam out of ABC.
How I Met Your Mother will lead off Monday at 8, which seems a little early (though I assume it'll move to 9 for 2007-08).
While it's not a move, it was interesting that New Adventures of Old Christine and The Unit made the new schedule. Maybe mid-season really is TV's second-best season.
NEW - Three dramas and one sitcom will debut in the fall:
The Class is the sitcom, about a group of twentysomethings who haven't seen each other since third grade and are reuinited at a suprise party. Meh.
Smith, a drama about a gang of high-stakes thieves, will close Tuesday nights. Cast includes Ray Liotta and Virginia Madsen. Not sure if this will succeed where Heist did not.
Jericho is the new show Wednesday at 10 pm. A mysterious mushroom appears in a Kansas town (Jericho), and the townspeople fear the apocalypse as they lose contact with the outside world. Fungus is the new aquatic alien, apparently. If you ever wondered what happened to Gerald McRaney and Skeet Ulrich, wonder no more! They'll be here - but for long?
Shark moves into Without a Trace's Thursday spot. It stars James Woods as a high-profile Hollywood defense attorney who switches sides to lead a group of inexperienced prosecutors. Jeri Ryan co-stars, so the Trek crowd may help with ratings. Though I don't think we'll see her in spandex. At least until sweeps.
I'm actually more interested in the two mid-season dramas - Three Pounds, about a brain surgeon who is losing function in his own brain, and Waterfront, starring Joe Pantoliano as the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island who is trying to clean up his crooked ways. You know Buddy Cianci is getting paid for this.
Overall, I'm guessing CBS stays on top. The only day I'd be worried about is Tuesday, but I think they'll be able to keep it together one way or another.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Upfronts: ABC
It's worse than I thought: ABC will spring 15 new shows on us next season, with some sort of change every night of the week.
GONE - It might be easier to list the shows that didn't get canned. Notables here include Monday Night Football, Commander in Chief, Less than Perfect, Invasion, and Primetime Live (somewhat surprisingly, though I assume it could return to fill holes).
MOVED - Grey's Anatomy to Thursday at 9 is the biggie. I can't even begin to predict how this will play out, between CSI, NBC's Studio 60 and the CW's Supernatural, which is expected to land here as well. I tend to think Grey's Anatomy will do OK on its own - it's turned out to be better than the increasingly cartoonish Desperate Housewives - but it's a crowded night.
What About Brian survived the cut (shades of Jake in Progress?) and will team up with Supernanny, Wife Swap, and for reasons unknown to science, The Bachelor to make up for the loss of testosterone on Monday.
Dancing With the Stars will lead off Tuesday and Wednesday nights, while George Lopez and According to Jim will move together to lead off Wednesdays after the dancing ends. That's a hell of a way to repay J. J. Abrams.
NEW - Speaking of Abrams, he'll have a new show on Thursday at 10. Six Degrees follows six New Yorkers who are brought together again after an initial meeting. The reunion is under strange circumstances (of course), and they become friends. Cast includes Hope Davis, Bridget Moynihan, and Campbell Scott. This whill hopefully move a little faster than Lost while retaining its mystery.
Speaking of Lost, it will lead out to The Nine, a show about people who experience a "twist of faith" related to being held hostage during a failed bank robbery. Lots of familiar faces here - Chi McBride, Timothy Daly, and Scott Wolf.
OK, I'll never get through all of these at this rate. The shorter version:
Brothers & Sisters should not be confused with Sons & Daughters, though I can't keep them straight. Calista Flockhart headlines this drama about a family dealing with the loss of its matriarch. It gets to follow Desperate Housewives, which suggests it'll be around for at least a whole season.
Let's Rob... is a sitcom based around a guy (Donal Logue) who plans a heist to get money so he can open a bar. Mick Jagger is guesting in the pilot, which is about the best thing I can say about it at this point. It runs Tuesday at 9, and is followed by Help Me Help You, marking Ted Danson's re-return to sitcoms. It sounds like Dear John, but from the shrink's point of view.
Thursday 8-9 is the home of Big Day - a show about planning a wedding starring Wendie Malick and Marla Sokoloff. It is followed by Notes from the Underbelly, wherein a woman who doesn't want kids becomes pregnant - and she and her husband decided to keep that fact hidden from their friends. Expect the secret to get out one way or another around February sweeps - assuming the show makes it that long (ditto for its lineup-mate).
Betty the Ugly kicks off Friday - it's a show about a woman hired as an assistant to a guy based on the idea that she's unattractive enough that he won't hit on her. I'm sure that sounded better when it was pitched. It is followed at 9 by Men in Trees, which stars Anne Heche as a relationship coach who decides to stay in Alaska when she's snowed in after finding out her fiance cheated on her. So I take it I'm not supposed to thank God it's Friday anymore?
There's a whole slew of midseason shows, too, most of which haven't been positioned yet (though you can guess where they might go - hello Friday!). They include:
Daybreak, starring Taye Diggs as a policeman who has to prove that he did not shoot the state's attorney.
Traveler, about two guys who pull off some sort of rollerblading stunt in a NYC museum and are arrested as terrorists when the museum is bombed shortly thereafter. If that makes sense to you, you can be an ABC programming exec. Stephen Culp makes us all wish he was still playing Rex van de Camp by appearing in this.
In Case of Emergency, where friends from high school are reuinited - in the ER. Lots of recognizable names here - Lori Loughlin, David Arquette, Kelly Hu, Jonathon Silverman. That may cut both ways.
There are also three unscripted replacements, of which I'll specifically mention Set For the Rest of Your Life, where a couple plays to win regular checks for life... but at what amount? This will replace Dancing With the Stars on Tuesdays when that show ends, thus effectively stranding Boston Legal.
Do you get the feeling ABC will be trotting out 15 new shows for 2007-08? OK, it's not all that bad - Six Degrees, The Nine, and Brothers & Sisters all have a chance, thanks to some good time-slotting. The Tuesday night comedies may prove durable, as both Logue and Danson kept Grounded for Life and Becker going longer than anyone expected.
But there's still a lot of suck, much of it at the start of hours. That doesn't help the later shows at all. Friday is pretty much a lost cause, and Monday is uninspiring.
All in all, a more interesting schedule than what NBC presented yesterday, but with more risk.
GONE - It might be easier to list the shows that didn't get canned. Notables here include Monday Night Football, Commander in Chief, Less than Perfect, Invasion, and Primetime Live (somewhat surprisingly, though I assume it could return to fill holes).
MOVED - Grey's Anatomy to Thursday at 9 is the biggie. I can't even begin to predict how this will play out, between CSI, NBC's Studio 60 and the CW's Supernatural, which is expected to land here as well. I tend to think Grey's Anatomy will do OK on its own - it's turned out to be better than the increasingly cartoonish Desperate Housewives - but it's a crowded night.
What About Brian survived the cut (shades of Jake in Progress?) and will team up with Supernanny, Wife Swap, and for reasons unknown to science, The Bachelor to make up for the loss of testosterone on Monday.
Dancing With the Stars will lead off Tuesday and Wednesday nights, while George Lopez and According to Jim will move together to lead off Wednesdays after the dancing ends. That's a hell of a way to repay J. J. Abrams.
NEW - Speaking of Abrams, he'll have a new show on Thursday at 10. Six Degrees follows six New Yorkers who are brought together again after an initial meeting. The reunion is under strange circumstances (of course), and they become friends. Cast includes Hope Davis, Bridget Moynihan, and Campbell Scott. This whill hopefully move a little faster than Lost while retaining its mystery.
Speaking of Lost, it will lead out to The Nine, a show about people who experience a "twist of faith" related to being held hostage during a failed bank robbery. Lots of familiar faces here - Chi McBride, Timothy Daly, and Scott Wolf.
OK, I'll never get through all of these at this rate. The shorter version:
Brothers & Sisters should not be confused with Sons & Daughters, though I can't keep them straight. Calista Flockhart headlines this drama about a family dealing with the loss of its matriarch. It gets to follow Desperate Housewives, which suggests it'll be around for at least a whole season.
Let's Rob... is a sitcom based around a guy (Donal Logue) who plans a heist to get money so he can open a bar. Mick Jagger is guesting in the pilot, which is about the best thing I can say about it at this point. It runs Tuesday at 9, and is followed by Help Me Help You, marking Ted Danson's re-return to sitcoms. It sounds like Dear John, but from the shrink's point of view.
Thursday 8-9 is the home of Big Day - a show about planning a wedding starring Wendie Malick and Marla Sokoloff. It is followed by Notes from the Underbelly, wherein a woman who doesn't want kids becomes pregnant - and she and her husband decided to keep that fact hidden from their friends. Expect the secret to get out one way or another around February sweeps - assuming the show makes it that long (ditto for its lineup-mate).
Betty the Ugly kicks off Friday - it's a show about a woman hired as an assistant to a guy based on the idea that she's unattractive enough that he won't hit on her. I'm sure that sounded better when it was pitched. It is followed at 9 by Men in Trees, which stars Anne Heche as a relationship coach who decides to stay in Alaska when she's snowed in after finding out her fiance cheated on her. So I take it I'm not supposed to thank God it's Friday anymore?
There's a whole slew of midseason shows, too, most of which haven't been positioned yet (though you can guess where they might go - hello Friday!). They include:
Daybreak, starring Taye Diggs as a policeman who has to prove that he did not shoot the state's attorney.
Traveler, about two guys who pull off some sort of rollerblading stunt in a NYC museum and are arrested as terrorists when the museum is bombed shortly thereafter. If that makes sense to you, you can be an ABC programming exec. Stephen Culp makes us all wish he was still playing Rex van de Camp by appearing in this.
In Case of Emergency, where friends from high school are reuinited - in the ER. Lots of recognizable names here - Lori Loughlin, David Arquette, Kelly Hu, Jonathon Silverman. That may cut both ways.
There are also three unscripted replacements, of which I'll specifically mention Set For the Rest of Your Life, where a couple plays to win regular checks for life... but at what amount? This will replace Dancing With the Stars on Tuesdays when that show ends, thus effectively stranding Boston Legal.
Do you get the feeling ABC will be trotting out 15 new shows for 2007-08? OK, it's not all that bad - Six Degrees, The Nine, and Brothers & Sisters all have a chance, thanks to some good time-slotting. The Tuesday night comedies may prove durable, as both Logue and Danson kept Grounded for Life and Becker going longer than anyone expected.
But there's still a lot of suck, much of it at the start of hours. That doesn't help the later shows at all. Friday is pretty much a lost cause, and Monday is uninspiring.
All in all, a more interesting schedule than what NBC presented yesterday, but with more risk.
Upfronts: ABC (Prologue)
Apparently, the people at ABC hate us. They'll be premiering 12 new shows in the fall (and have at least three more on tap for later in the year), and none of them will be replacing According to Jim. The horror.
I've only seen the press release on this, so I'll have a fuller post later. The big news is that Grey's Anatomy is moving to Thursday at 9, putting a shot across the bow of CBS.
A fuller report is coming.
I've only seen the press release on this, so I'll have a fuller post later. The big news is that Grey's Anatomy is moving to Thursday at 9, putting a shot across the bow of CBS.
A fuller report is coming.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Upfronts - NBC
It's that time of year again - the networks present their 2006/07 lineups in the hopes of generating good buzz and ad sales. NBC led off with a presentation this morning.
GONE - You knew that The West Wing and Will & Grace were done, but joining them will be several other shows, with no big surprises: Joey, Inconceivable, Surface, Conviction, Teachers, Heist, The Book of Daniel, Most Outrageous Moments, E-Ring, and Three Wishes.
MOVING - My Name is Earl and The Office will move up to the lead hour on Thursday while Law & Order: Criminal Intent moves to Friday at 10 pm. Scrubs, Crossing Jordan, and The Apprentice will all return at mid-season (Trump will highlight NBC's Sunday coverage after NFL coverage ends, meaning we only get one dose a year, thankfully).
NEW - Seven new shows on tap. They are:
Heroes - ordinary people learn that they've developed superpowers. It stars Adrian Pasdar, Milo Ventimiglia, and a host of people I've never heard of. It airs Monday at 9, and might work well with Medium. Deal or No Deal starts the night (and will only be on twice a week, nice restraint NBC).
Friday Night Lights - based on the book and/or movie, it's about a central Texas town and the high school football team it loves a little too much. Kyle Chandler plays the head coach. Let's hope this stays closer to the source material and doesn't veer into Varsity Blues territory.
That will air Tuesday at 8, and will be followed by Kidnapped, which is not based on the Stevenson novel. Rather, it follows a kidnapping case from start to finish. Cast includes Dana Delany, Timothy Hutton, Jeremy Sisto, Delroy Lindo, and Mykelti Williamson. Think Murder One meets Without a Trace.
Wednesday gives us a new sitcom block with 20 Good Years and 30 Rock. NBC goes back to the well with John Lithgow in 20 Good Years as he and Jeffrey Tambor star as two guys who figure they only have "20 good years" left and plan to live life accordingly. I assume part of that plan is egregious over-acting.
30 Rock stars Tina Fey as the head writer of a sketch comedy show who has to deal with a tempermental star and difficult executive producer. Similarities to SNL or Kilborn-era Daily Show are likely intentional.
Personally, I think this show might go better with The Office and 20 Good Years could pair up with My Name is Earl for some life-changing fun. We'll see.
The SNL appropriation continues on Thursday with Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a drama about life behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show. The cast is chock full of familiar faces: Matthew Perry, D. L. Huglhey, Amanda Peet, Steven Weber, and Brad Whitford among them. The real question: with a sitcom and a drama about sketch comedy on tap, will people be burned out before getting to watch NBC's actual sketch comedy show?
ER continues in its Thursday at 10 slot (it was rumored to be moving), but will be replaced at mid-season by The Black Donnellys, a drama about four brothers and their deepening involvement with organized crime. Paul Haggis is involved, so hopefully this will be more like EZ Streets and less like the crap he did earlier in his career. ER will return late in the season.
The two other new shows will show up on Sunday once football is over. Preceding Trump will be America's Got Talent, a variety show competition set in Las Vegas that will find the country's best singer or dancer or juggler or something. I smell a Shields and Yarnell comeback!
Post-Trump we have Raines, which is sadly not about Audrey or her dead husband from 24. Instead, Jeff Goldblum goes all Ghost Whisperer on us and partners up with a murder victim to find the killer. Luis Guzman is involved, and while he's very funny, the TV shows he appears on tend to get canned. I'm going to bet on that here, too.
Oh, almost forgot The Singles Table, which will show up at midseason to help fill holes. It's about a bunch of singles who are put at the same table at a wedding. They become friends, yadda yadda yadda, and then the show gets cancelled.
From my limited vantage point, the only shows that really pique my interest are the SNL-derived ones. And even then, I don't think I'd be interested in more than one of them.
GONE - You knew that The West Wing and Will & Grace were done, but joining them will be several other shows, with no big surprises: Joey, Inconceivable, Surface, Conviction, Teachers, Heist, The Book of Daniel, Most Outrageous Moments, E-Ring, and Three Wishes.
MOVING - My Name is Earl and The Office will move up to the lead hour on Thursday while Law & Order: Criminal Intent moves to Friday at 10 pm. Scrubs, Crossing Jordan, and The Apprentice will all return at mid-season (Trump will highlight NBC's Sunday coverage after NFL coverage ends, meaning we only get one dose a year, thankfully).
NEW - Seven new shows on tap. They are:
Heroes - ordinary people learn that they've developed superpowers. It stars Adrian Pasdar, Milo Ventimiglia, and a host of people I've never heard of. It airs Monday at 9, and might work well with Medium. Deal or No Deal starts the night (and will only be on twice a week, nice restraint NBC).
Friday Night Lights - based on the book and/or movie, it's about a central Texas town and the high school football team it loves a little too much. Kyle Chandler plays the head coach. Let's hope this stays closer to the source material and doesn't veer into Varsity Blues territory.
That will air Tuesday at 8, and will be followed by Kidnapped, which is not based on the Stevenson novel. Rather, it follows a kidnapping case from start to finish. Cast includes Dana Delany, Timothy Hutton, Jeremy Sisto, Delroy Lindo, and Mykelti Williamson. Think Murder One meets Without a Trace.
Wednesday gives us a new sitcom block with 20 Good Years and 30 Rock. NBC goes back to the well with John Lithgow in 20 Good Years as he and Jeffrey Tambor star as two guys who figure they only have "20 good years" left and plan to live life accordingly. I assume part of that plan is egregious over-acting.
30 Rock stars Tina Fey as the head writer of a sketch comedy show who has to deal with a tempermental star and difficult executive producer. Similarities to SNL or Kilborn-era Daily Show are likely intentional.
Personally, I think this show might go better with The Office and 20 Good Years could pair up with My Name is Earl for some life-changing fun. We'll see.
The SNL appropriation continues on Thursday with Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, a drama about life behind the scenes of a sketch comedy show. The cast is chock full of familiar faces: Matthew Perry, D. L. Huglhey, Amanda Peet, Steven Weber, and Brad Whitford among them. The real question: with a sitcom and a drama about sketch comedy on tap, will people be burned out before getting to watch NBC's actual sketch comedy show?
ER continues in its Thursday at 10 slot (it was rumored to be moving), but will be replaced at mid-season by The Black Donnellys, a drama about four brothers and their deepening involvement with organized crime. Paul Haggis is involved, so hopefully this will be more like EZ Streets and less like the crap he did earlier in his career. ER will return late in the season.
The two other new shows will show up on Sunday once football is over. Preceding Trump will be America's Got Talent, a variety show competition set in Las Vegas that will find the country's best singer or dancer or juggler or something. I smell a Shields and Yarnell comeback!
Post-Trump we have Raines, which is sadly not about Audrey or her dead husband from 24. Instead, Jeff Goldblum goes all Ghost Whisperer on us and partners up with a murder victim to find the killer. Luis Guzman is involved, and while he's very funny, the TV shows he appears on tend to get canned. I'm going to bet on that here, too.
Oh, almost forgot The Singles Table, which will show up at midseason to help fill holes. It's about a bunch of singles who are put at the same table at a wedding. They become friends, yadda yadda yadda, and then the show gets cancelled.
From my limited vantage point, the only shows that really pique my interest are the SNL-derived ones. And even then, I don't think I'd be interested in more than one of them.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Not Surprising, Surprising, Most Surprising
Not Surprising - Sara getting the boot on America's Next Top Model. We knew she was toast when Nigel actually said Jade looked like a model. Pair that with Sara's continued awkwardness and it wasn't that much of a stretch.
(As an aside, Tyra made more comments about Danielle's accent, and next week the girls film a Cover Girl spot. Perfect set-up to engineer a Joanie-Jade final. Bastards. I'm still not sure how they expect Danielle to change how she's talked her whole life in the space of a few weeks. Clearly, there aren't any linguists or speech therapists on the judging panel.)
Surprising - Chris Daughtry getting the boot on American Idol. Considering I had him going out sixth this shouldn't have been that surprising, but after Katherine McPhee forgot some lyrics the night before, I think everyone (including her) thought she was going home.
This is probably a winning by losing scenario, as Chris is probably more suited to fronting a band than going solo. Especially with the twaddle the winner usually has to record.
The McPhee-Hicks final is still possible, though if it comes to pass I think it'll be a coronotation for the twitchiest Idol yet.
Most Surprising - the DVR didn't tape the last minute or so of Lost (thanks, Comcast!), so I didn't get to see if Libby ratted out Michael or not. I've been brought up to speed, though I'm sure it'll get shown in the previouslies next week.
(As an aside, Tyra made more comments about Danielle's accent, and next week the girls film a Cover Girl spot. Perfect set-up to engineer a Joanie-Jade final. Bastards. I'm still not sure how they expect Danielle to change how she's talked her whole life in the space of a few weeks. Clearly, there aren't any linguists or speech therapists on the judging panel.)
Surprising - Chris Daughtry getting the boot on American Idol. Considering I had him going out sixth this shouldn't have been that surprising, but after Katherine McPhee forgot some lyrics the night before, I think everyone (including her) thought she was going home.
This is probably a winning by losing scenario, as Chris is probably more suited to fronting a band than going solo. Especially with the twaddle the winner usually has to record.
The McPhee-Hicks final is still possible, though if it comes to pass I think it'll be a coronotation for the twitchiest Idol yet.
Most Surprising - the DVR didn't tape the last minute or so of Lost (thanks, Comcast!), so I didn't get to see if Libby ratted out Michael or not. I've been brought up to speed, though I'm sure it'll get shown in the previouslies next week.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Meanwhile, on The Apprentice
I've been pretty happy with this season of The Donald's "interview" for a new apprentice. I'm not thrilled with the number of marketing-related tasks (perfect for product placement, but boring), but there does seem to be a return to more moments in the suite, which is good to see the contestants outside of tasks and boardroom. The rewards are still pretty useless to see; I don't think I needed to watch a song get written by committee for Burt Bacharach, who is probably still trying to sort out how he got roped into doing it.
The firings have been pretty satisfying, especially the one for dictator-in-training Andrea. I suppose there's the positive that Andrea knew she was a bossy boots, but on the other hand her constant passive-agressive approach to things and her "surprise" whenever someone said something negative about her were pathetic. I'm sure if she read this she'd comfort herself by noting that her net worth is higher than mine. She seemed to find comfort in that at times.
Next week we have a reshuffling that gets the teams back to men versus women. Based on past experience, the task will be something "manly" - selling power tools or beer or something - that they'll screw up in amazing fashion.
I should also take this opportunity to note that the use of Ivanka and Donald Jr. as assistants rather than George, Bill, or Carolyn has actually gone pretty well. We've only seen Jr. once, and Ivanka two or three times, but they fit in pretty well. Neither are as acerbic or witty as George and Carolyn, but they can hold their own. It was also kind of cute to see them interact with their dad after Andrea's firing. Just another loving family cutting loose dead weight.
The firings have been pretty satisfying, especially the one for dictator-in-training Andrea. I suppose there's the positive that Andrea knew she was a bossy boots, but on the other hand her constant passive-agressive approach to things and her "surprise" whenever someone said something negative about her were pathetic. I'm sure if she read this she'd comfort herself by noting that her net worth is higher than mine. She seemed to find comfort in that at times.
Next week we have a reshuffling that gets the teams back to men versus women. Based on past experience, the task will be something "manly" - selling power tools or beer or something - that they'll screw up in amazing fashion.
I should also take this opportunity to note that the use of Ivanka and Donald Jr. as assistants rather than George, Bill, or Carolyn has actually gone pretty well. We've only seen Jr. once, and Ivanka two or three times, but they fit in pretty well. Neither are as acerbic or witty as George and Carolyn, but they can hold their own. It was also kind of cute to see them interact with their dad after Andrea's firing. Just another loving family cutting loose dead weight.
Mutilation! Part 2
Finally saw the episode of America's Next Top Model where Danielle goes back to the dentist to get her gap closed. It didn't get closed all the way, so it kind of worked out for Danielle. She still has a bit of a gap, but now the judges can't harp on the gap as why she can't be a top model. Instead, they're harping on the way she talks. Which is somewhat understandable, but also unfair. I don't think you can expect someone to change the way they talk at the drop of a hat.
Also unfair is that they've now sent Nnenna and Furonda home while keeping Jade around. I assume that's for TV purposes, but she's pretty much worn out her welcome. There are only so many weeks in a row you can see someone that conceited proclaim their humility before you hope they get hit by a bus. Or, as they're in Thailand now, stepped on by an elephant (sadly, the photo shoot involving elephants did not result in this).
Somewhat related, is it me or do all of the "My Life as a Cover Girl" spots involve Nicole's time at Fashion Week? Wasn't that a while ago? I suppose it's better than when Naima went to that Walgreens.
Also unfair is that they've now sent Nnenna and Furonda home while keeping Jade around. I assume that's for TV purposes, but she's pretty much worn out her welcome. There are only so many weeks in a row you can see someone that conceited proclaim their humility before you hope they get hit by a bus. Or, as they're in Thailand now, stepped on by an elephant (sadly, the photo shoot involving elephants did not result in this).
Somewhat related, is it me or do all of the "My Life as a Cover Girl" spots involve Nicole's time at Fashion Week? Wasn't that a while ago? I suppose it's better than when Naima went to that Walgreens.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
OK, James Heller driving into the Pacific, I can see that. Sort of. But last night's Lost ending? That came from way out of left field. It was the sort of ending that made the weeks of slowness almost worth it. Almost.
That and they had the Hanso Foundation commerical, complete with phone number. I just tried calling it (1-877-HANSORG, if I remember right), and it was busy. Or is that part of the game?
That and they had the Hanso Foundation commerical, complete with phone number. I just tried calling it (1-877-HANSORG, if I remember right), and it was busy. Or is that part of the game?
This is Why I Don't Gamble (Much)
Two weeks in a row, my American Idol prognostication comes a cropper. Not that I'm upset; I'd much rather have Elliot and Chris in than Paris or Pickler.
I still think it's going to be a McPhee-Hicks final, but I'd not put any money on it.
I still think it's going to be a McPhee-Hicks final, but I'd not put any money on it.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
From the hatch to the cellblock
Michelle Rodriquez has apparently opted for five days of jail time rather than 240 hours of community service as part of her DUI sentence (she pled guilty). It's an interesting choice, which I figure cuts less into her free time outside of shooting Lost. I suppose she can also term it research and start looking for roles where she can play a female convict.
Given that she'd previously pleaded no contest to a 2004 DUI charge in California, I hope she's not researching the role of a reckless drunk. I also hope for her sake that the Hawaii case doesn't constitute a parole violation in California. Otherwise, Ana Lucia's going to have to get kidnapped by the Others for a while.
For what it's worth, fellow Lost actor Cynthia Watros also pled guilty to her DUI (both were pulled over within 15 minutes of each other), and got a prize package of a fine, alcohol assessment, counseling, and a 90 day licence suspension.
Remember: it's OK to hang loose, but perhaps not so literally.
Given that she'd previously pleaded no contest to a 2004 DUI charge in California, I hope she's not researching the role of a reckless drunk. I also hope for her sake that the Hawaii case doesn't constitute a parole violation in California. Otherwise, Ana Lucia's going to have to get kidnapped by the Others for a while.
For what it's worth, fellow Lost actor Cynthia Watros also pled guilty to her DUI (both were pulled over within 15 minutes of each other), and got a prize package of a fine, alcohol assessment, counseling, and a 90 day licence suspension.
Remember: it's OK to hang loose, but perhaps not so literally.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Halfway There
We're now down to six finalists on American Idol, going into tonight's show featuring love songs as taught by Andrea Bocelli.
There's a sentence I never expected to type.
Anyway, as we get closer to ending our annual death march, here's my pick for how the final six will go down:
6. Chris Daughtry - he's probably the contestant with the most potential to jump right into the industry, but he's not really an Idol-type performer, last week's rendition of "What a Wonderful World" notwithstanding. He's more of a Rock Star-type performer, and the show's non-rock orientation is going to be his undoing, as he has not taken the Bo Bice route of singing and appearing more like a typical show contestant.
Daughtry's been in the bottom three a few times, and I don't think he'll hang on.
5. Elliot Yamin - unlike some contestants, his difficult background (medical) hasn't been overly played-up (either by choice or by Fox wanting to build sympathy for others). He sings pretty well, but is lost a little bit in all the extra crap that surrounds this "singing contest." He has kind of a soul edge to his vocals, which I think works well for him, but only to a point.
4. Paris Bennett - Paris Bennett, meet Tamyra Gray and Latoya London. This is about the point in the competition where African-American women with powerful voices get shown the door (Fantasia notwithstanding), regardless of their actual talent. She might get past this, given how she was pretty much anointed as a finalist at her audition, but I'm going to go with history here.
3. Kellie Pickler - proof that pathos, peroxide, and pulchritude can make up where the singing drops off. There's no reason why she should still be in this competition, other than voters who sympathize with her heavily-hyped backstory and those who think she's purty. There's always one contestant who goes much farther than talent suggests, and this time around it's Pickler.
2. Katherine McPhee - she's attractive and can sing, which probably explains some of Simon Cowell's very positive comments the last few weeks. I think he'd much rather have to promote Katherine than...
1. Taylor Hicks - he seems like he's going to win. He's not been in the bottom grouping, and he tends to lead the DialIdol rankings (a web-based autodialer that measures the busy signals for each contestant, assuming that busy=lots of votes). I'd originally wanted him to win, thinking that there was no way he'd win. Now I'm almost hoping he doesn't win, as I don't know if I can stand future performances full of his spasmodic jerking. Be careful what you wish for, I suppose.
There's a sentence I never expected to type.
Anyway, as we get closer to ending our annual death march, here's my pick for how the final six will go down:
6. Chris Daughtry - he's probably the contestant with the most potential to jump right into the industry, but he's not really an Idol-type performer, last week's rendition of "What a Wonderful World" notwithstanding. He's more of a Rock Star-type performer, and the show's non-rock orientation is going to be his undoing, as he has not taken the Bo Bice route of singing and appearing more like a typical show contestant.
Daughtry's been in the bottom three a few times, and I don't think he'll hang on.
5. Elliot Yamin - unlike some contestants, his difficult background (medical) hasn't been overly played-up (either by choice or by Fox wanting to build sympathy for others). He sings pretty well, but is lost a little bit in all the extra crap that surrounds this "singing contest." He has kind of a soul edge to his vocals, which I think works well for him, but only to a point.
4. Paris Bennett - Paris Bennett, meet Tamyra Gray and Latoya London. This is about the point in the competition where African-American women with powerful voices get shown the door (Fantasia notwithstanding), regardless of their actual talent. She might get past this, given how she was pretty much anointed as a finalist at her audition, but I'm going to go with history here.
3. Kellie Pickler - proof that pathos, peroxide, and pulchritude can make up where the singing drops off. There's no reason why she should still be in this competition, other than voters who sympathize with her heavily-hyped backstory and those who think she's purty. There's always one contestant who goes much farther than talent suggests, and this time around it's Pickler.
2. Katherine McPhee - she's attractive and can sing, which probably explains some of Simon Cowell's very positive comments the last few weeks. I think he'd much rather have to promote Katherine than...
1. Taylor Hicks - he seems like he's going to win. He's not been in the bottom grouping, and he tends to lead the DialIdol rankings (a web-based autodialer that measures the busy signals for each contestant, assuming that busy=lots of votes). I'd originally wanted him to win, thinking that there was no way he'd win. Now I'm almost hoping he doesn't win, as I don't know if I can stand future performances full of his spasmodic jerking. Be careful what you wish for, I suppose.
Mutilation!
Last week's episode of America's Next Top Model featured a trip to the dentist to get the contestants some teeth whitening. It is likely not a coincidence that this trip took place in the same season where two of the contestants have noticable dental appearances: one "snaggletooth" and one Lettermanesque gap. Both women had the opportunity to "correct" their problem.
Joanie, the contestant with the snaggletooth, took the offer. Ten hours, four extractions, and a bunch of filing later, she was fitted with veneers that give her a "perfect" smile. Danielle, who has the gap, passed on making a change.
Not surprisingly, Tyra and co. approved Joanie's change, and pretty much told Danielle she'd not win if she didn't get her gap fixed. Apparently, there's never been a top model with gapped teeth (I suppose this woman doesn't count).
Also not surprisingly, Danielle makes a return trip to the dentist in this week's episode.
I'm not sure what I dislike more about this turn of events - the Extreme Makeover vibe, or the push to alter physical appearance. The show usually does a decent job on topics like plastic surgery and the like, and I suppose cosmetic dentistry isn't on the same level as a boob job, but I'm still not comfortable.
Joanie, the contestant with the snaggletooth, took the offer. Ten hours, four extractions, and a bunch of filing later, she was fitted with veneers that give her a "perfect" smile. Danielle, who has the gap, passed on making a change.
Not surprisingly, Tyra and co. approved Joanie's change, and pretty much told Danielle she'd not win if she didn't get her gap fixed. Apparently, there's never been a top model with gapped teeth (I suppose this woman doesn't count).
Also not surprisingly, Danielle makes a return trip to the dentist in this week's episode.
I'm not sure what I dislike more about this turn of events - the Extreme Makeover vibe, or the push to alter physical appearance. The show usually does a decent job on topics like plastic surgery and the like, and I suppose cosmetic dentistry isn't on the same level as a boob job, but I'm still not comfortable.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Lost Weekend
After spending a fair amount of time this weekend catching up on stuff on the DVR, I have to say I was mostly underwhelmed. The lineup:
* The National Geographic Channel special on the Gospel of Judas, the restoration of which was partially funded by the NGS. I can only hope that the article in the latest issue of the magazine is less repetitive and dull than the special, which seemed like 40 minutes of material stuffed into 120 minutes of show. It was very disappointing.
* "Requiem," the episode of The West Wing that seemed like it was going to focus on the passing of Leo McGarry but spent a lot of time on transition issues. The best parts of the episode focused on Leo and on interplay between original cast members, which should have gotten the entire hour. The subplot on the Speaker of the House election could have waited a week.
* Sticking with the executive branch, the return of Commander in Chief was as disappointing as Aaron Barnhart's review indicated. I imagine it's a short list of shows that have a lead win a Golden Globe and still get cancelled in its first year, but there's a real chance that list will grow. Which is too bad; they're wasting a good cast.
* The first two episodes of Thief, a new FX drama starring Andre Braugher. It may still grow on me, but I had a lingering feeling that I was missing something as I watched.
* Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy both had clip shows last night. Why are they still doing this? I can perhaps forgive the latter show - they need to educate folks who've started watching since the Super Bowl - but Housewives? That's just padding.
On the plus side, we did catch up with 24, which is still implausibly delicious, and we got to see Ace Young get the boot on American Idol, which was a long time coming, even if Kellie Pickler was more deserving of the boot after her admitted butchering of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered." Oh, and playoff hockey on OLN has been pretty good, especially as their second game "bonus coverage" seems to be taken right from the CBC - logo and all.
* The National Geographic Channel special on the Gospel of Judas, the restoration of which was partially funded by the NGS. I can only hope that the article in the latest issue of the magazine is less repetitive and dull than the special, which seemed like 40 minutes of material stuffed into 120 minutes of show. It was very disappointing.
* "Requiem," the episode of The West Wing that seemed like it was going to focus on the passing of Leo McGarry but spent a lot of time on transition issues. The best parts of the episode focused on Leo and on interplay between original cast members, which should have gotten the entire hour. The subplot on the Speaker of the House election could have waited a week.
* Sticking with the executive branch, the return of Commander in Chief was as disappointing as Aaron Barnhart's review indicated. I imagine it's a short list of shows that have a lead win a Golden Globe and still get cancelled in its first year, but there's a real chance that list will grow. Which is too bad; they're wasting a good cast.
* The first two episodes of Thief, a new FX drama starring Andre Braugher. It may still grow on me, but I had a lingering feeling that I was missing something as I watched.
* Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy both had clip shows last night. Why are they still doing this? I can perhaps forgive the latter show - they need to educate folks who've started watching since the Super Bowl - but Housewives? That's just padding.
On the plus side, we did catch up with 24, which is still implausibly delicious, and we got to see Ace Young get the boot on American Idol, which was a long time coming, even if Kellie Pickler was more deserving of the boot after her admitted butchering of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered." Oh, and playoff hockey on OLN has been pretty good, especially as their second game "bonus coverage" seems to be taken right from the CBC - logo and all.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
If they ever have a Grey's Anatomy prequel
They should cast Paris Bennett from American Idol as a young Dr. Miranda Bailey. Paris would need to work on her voice (too high) and mannerisms (not nearly ass-kicking enough), but the look is there.
I can't say anyone else would be cast, though Seacrest could play someone who falls ill from too much spray-on tan.
I can't say anyone else would be cast, though Seacrest could play someone who falls ill from too much spray-on tan.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Participatory Fooling
If you've got a minute, head over to teevee.org and check out the TeeVeePedia, their TV-flavored spoof of Wikipedia. Not only is it funny, but there are several opportunities to add and edit stuff youself.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Idol Finalists
OK, we finally caught up to the show where they named the 12 finalists. Looking at how they performed, I'd have to say the most baffling decision was Bucky Covington over Geddeon McKinney. Not that either were gangbusters, but at least Geddion sang in a tolerable fashion.
I was also surprised at how overblown Ayla Brown's crying was. Well, maybe not surprised given how most of the rejected contestants are stage kids enough to put on a brave face. And also not surprised given the way media likes to crank things up to generate sales/ratings. Still, the way it was played up I was expecting a breakdown.
Further disappointment came at the much-reviled Brittenum twins being in the audience. Hope they weren't supposed to be on house arrest. Or maybe I do; a parole violation should keep them from making later "surprise" appearances.
I do know who the first two cuts are (obviously, given previous posts on Kevin Covais), and I'm still waiting for the first "surprise" cut. I'm hoping for Ace Young, as I really didn't need a cleaned-up version of Constantine Maroulis. Heck, I don't even need the original one.
I was also surprised at how overblown Ayla Brown's crying was. Well, maybe not surprised given how most of the rejected contestants are stage kids enough to put on a brave face. And also not surprised given the way media likes to crank things up to generate sales/ratings. Still, the way it was played up I was expecting a breakdown.
Further disappointment came at the much-reviled Brittenum twins being in the audience. Hope they weren't supposed to be on house arrest. Or maybe I do; a parole violation should keep them from making later "surprise" appearances.
I do know who the first two cuts are (obviously, given previous posts on Kevin Covais), and I'm still waiting for the first "surprise" cut. I'm hoping for Ace Young, as I really didn't need a cleaned-up version of Constantine Maroulis. Heck, I don't even need the original one.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
The Internet Just Doesn't Work
So after getting all sorts of national attention, you'd think that the power of VotefortheWorst.com would be at its height, right?
Apparently not, as Kevin Covais was eliminated last night. Let the conspiracy theories begin.
Apparently not, as Kevin Covais was eliminated last night. Let the conspiracy theories begin.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Bat the Brat
Good: Bravo's next season of Celebrity Poker Showdown will be at Harrah's in New Orleans, with the $1 million pot going to hurricane-related charities.
Bad: Phil Hellmuth replaces Phil Gordon as the poker expert. I don't think I could listen to his whiny ass for two hours. Sorry, Bravo. Nice work keeping Foley on, though. Call me when you hit the trifecta and bring in Phil Ivey as co-host.
Bad: Phil Hellmuth replaces Phil Gordon as the poker expert. I don't think I could listen to his whiny ass for two hours. Sorry, Bravo. Nice work keeping Foley on, though. Call me when you hit the trifecta and bring in Phil Ivey as co-host.
Democracy Just Doesn't Work
For anyone annoyed by the packaged hypefest that is American Idol, be sure to check out VotefortheWorst.com, a Web site dedicated to furthering the fortunes of the finalist adjudged the worst of the group. For this season, they've tabbed Kevin Covais, whose resemblance to the title character of Chicken Little and willingness to go along with the joke nabbed him the "honor."
The site claims "victories" for the finals runs of Johnathan Stevens and Jasmine Trias in season 3 and Janay Castine and Scott Savol from last season. Hard to say how much impact they really had, as the first two had a "cute" factor helping them (Johnathan with the moms, Jasmine with the teenaged boys), and Savol wasn't that bad of a singer (with him, it was everything else). But with the publicity the site's gotten of late, I would not be surprised if they get more help with pushing Covais deep into the finals.
The site seems primed to replace Covais with Kellie Pickler if he fails, which seems like a cheat given how much the show has pushed her as a finalist. I would suggest Bucky Covington, who doesn't have the Idol "look" (i.e. he looks like an average person) and is not among the best singers.
There should be some sort of Internet-led vote hall of fame for Covais, Kemal Ataturk (who won Time's Person of the Millenium on-line vote) and Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf (an Internet vote-in for People magazine's list of the most beautiful people.
The site claims "victories" for the finals runs of Johnathan Stevens and Jasmine Trias in season 3 and Janay Castine and Scott Savol from last season. Hard to say how much impact they really had, as the first two had a "cute" factor helping them (Johnathan with the moms, Jasmine with the teenaged boys), and Savol wasn't that bad of a singer (with him, it was everything else). But with the publicity the site's gotten of late, I would not be surprised if they get more help with pushing Covais deep into the finals.
The site seems primed to replace Covais with Kellie Pickler if he fails, which seems like a cheat given how much the show has pushed her as a finalist. I would suggest Bucky Covington, who doesn't have the Idol "look" (i.e. he looks like an average person) and is not among the best singers.
There should be some sort of Internet-led vote hall of fame for Covais, Kemal Ataturk (who won Time's Person of the Millenium on-line vote) and Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf (an Internet vote-in for People magazine's list of the most beautiful people.
I'll Tell You What
I'm pretty happy to read that Fox has ordered more King of the Hill for next season. As much of an afterthought as it appears to be on the Fox schedule, it's at least the equal of The Simpsons, which will now spend two more seasons churning out episodes that will make second-rate entries appear brilliant.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Unexpected Catch Phrase Creep
The school I work at held a career fair yesterday. The heading on the flying advertising the event?
"Suit up!"
For all the success How I Met Your Mother has had this season, I wasn't expecting that. I figured the dating lemon law that Barney came up with would make the jump to real life first.
Speaking of Barney, there was a recent episode that gave more of his back-story, and now I'm confused. I was under the impression that Ted and Barney knew each other in college, but this episode mentioned how Barney used to be some hippie-type until his girlfriend left him for a guy who inspired Barney's current persona. Ted didn't seem to know Barney was like this, or at least the episode didn't explain that he did. This strikes me as more of a continuity problem than the Belle & Sebastian thing, but given how closely I follow the show (i.e. not that close) I may be mistaken as to how Ted and Barney originally met.
"Suit up!"
For all the success How I Met Your Mother has had this season, I wasn't expecting that. I figured the dating lemon law that Barney came up with would make the jump to real life first.
Speaking of Barney, there was a recent episode that gave more of his back-story, and now I'm confused. I was under the impression that Ted and Barney knew each other in college, but this episode mentioned how Barney used to be some hippie-type until his girlfriend left him for a guy who inspired Barney's current persona. Ted didn't seem to know Barney was like this, or at least the episode didn't explain that he did. This strikes me as more of a continuity problem than the Belle & Sebastian thing, but given how closely I follow the show (i.e. not that close) I may be mistaken as to how Ted and Barney originally met.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Whammied
I don't have much to say about Peter Tomarken's death in a plane crash yesterday. Bad enough to have it happen, worse that it was a volunteer medical flight (not exactly being how you'd want to get paid back for charity).
If you've not seen Big Bucks, the special about the Press Your Luck "scandal" involving Michael Larson's memorization-abetted windfall, I'd suggest checking the GSN listings. It's sure to be re-aired in the coming days, and is pretty interesting.
If you've not seen Big Bucks, the special about the Press Your Luck "scandal" involving Michael Larson's memorization-abetted windfall, I'd suggest checking the GSN listings. It's sure to be re-aired in the coming days, and is pretty interesting.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Fox: All Idol All the Time
OK, that's a bit of an exaggeration; I think there are still a couple of days where American Idol isn't on Fox's schedule. For now.
Long-time readers of the main blog know I've had an Idol thing from the start, and have recapped episodes in reasonable detail (which explains why I have so few long-time readers). That's waned over the last couple of seasons, and continues to now, given how the show has become predictable in its approach and how its "stars" haven't quite lit up the music world as predicted, Kelly Clarkson notwithstanding.
(NOTE: I know Carrie Underwood is doing pretty well, but mostly within the country genre. If she ever crosses over to pop success, we'll talk.)
This season kicked off with seven audition stops, which were good for about a month of shows that increasingly cover the bad and ugly rather than the good. For next season, I expect nine audition stops that'll provide show material through the end of February.
Then it was "Hollywood" week (though they seem to be closer to Hollywood now than the season they spent the week in what looked like a Century City warehouse), where they pared 175 contestants to 24. There's been some inflation in the number of semi-finalists, too. I figure next year it'll be 28, taking the semifinals through April.
I did watch a reasonable amount of the shows about Hollywood week, and was aghast at the amount of screen time given to Derrell and Terrell Brittenum, a set of twins who, unlike every other set of twins to audition, were sent through to the next round together. It doesn't help that they are incredibly obnoxious drama queens whose attitude far outpaces their talent. The saving grace, as you may have heard, is that they were both picked up for a variety of felonies of the fraud and identity theft varieties.
You can look for them in the upcoming CourtTV series Prison Idol.
Anyway, from watching the shows for Hollywood week this year it seems like there was less everything - less time seeing people sing, less time showing the conflicts when contestants were preparing for group singings, etc. Not sure if that's a factor of the number of contestants, the filler material of the contestants playing tourist, or commercials. Probably all three.
But now we're down to 16, as 8 semifinalists have been cut. No real surprises yet, other than one contestant's Maxim photos coming too late to save her from a brutal first week of competition. People to look out for:
* Kellie Pickler, who is a combination of Carrie Underwood (looks) and Fantasia Barrino (home state and tragic back-story). The show spent a lot of time hammering away at her background, so she's likely a lock for the finals.
* Taylor Hicks, who stands out not only for his head of prematurely greying hair but for being Ray Charles reincarnated, down to the body sway. He's my favorite because he's so incongruous.
* Paris Bennett, who may be a little too comfortable given that her grandmother is some well-known gospel singer (OK, not well-known to me, but Randy Jackson freaked out a bit in a fanboy way when he saw the grandmother at the original audition). Paris can at least sing.
* Ace Young, who I learned today is dating Essence Atkins, who I'd never heard of, a fact easily explained by her being a lead on the UPN sitcom Half & Half. He's apparently been on the show and even sang a little. He's like Constantine from last year, but with better grooming and less leering (and, thankfully, less eye makeup).
* And, finally, Ayla Brown, who I've saved for the end given that she's a local, from Wrentham (best known, probably, for its outlet mall). In many ways she's the anti-Pickler, both in looks (Brown has, fittingly, darker hair and skin tone) and background - she went to private school and landed a basketball scholarship to Boston College. On top of that, her mom is a local TV news reporter and anchor, while her dad is a state senator and likely lieutenant governor candidate.
(This led to a funny moment during the show where they reduced the field to 24, where they showed Seacrest asking Brown's father a question, but cut his response with an abrupt edit, apparently in fear of having to give other candidates equal time.)
"Conventional wisdom" (which applies to this show how?) suggests she won't win, but the judges seem to be warming to her. I'm still on the fence, given that her dad's a Republican and she's joining up with that school in Newton.
So there you go. A post almost as long and tedious as an episode of the show.
Long-time readers of the main blog know I've had an Idol thing from the start, and have recapped episodes in reasonable detail (which explains why I have so few long-time readers). That's waned over the last couple of seasons, and continues to now, given how the show has become predictable in its approach and how its "stars" haven't quite lit up the music world as predicted, Kelly Clarkson notwithstanding.
(NOTE: I know Carrie Underwood is doing pretty well, but mostly within the country genre. If she ever crosses over to pop success, we'll talk.)
This season kicked off with seven audition stops, which were good for about a month of shows that increasingly cover the bad and ugly rather than the good. For next season, I expect nine audition stops that'll provide show material through the end of February.
Then it was "Hollywood" week (though they seem to be closer to Hollywood now than the season they spent the week in what looked like a Century City warehouse), where they pared 175 contestants to 24. There's been some inflation in the number of semi-finalists, too. I figure next year it'll be 28, taking the semifinals through April.
I did watch a reasonable amount of the shows about Hollywood week, and was aghast at the amount of screen time given to Derrell and Terrell Brittenum, a set of twins who, unlike every other set of twins to audition, were sent through to the next round together. It doesn't help that they are incredibly obnoxious drama queens whose attitude far outpaces their talent. The saving grace, as you may have heard, is that they were both picked up for a variety of felonies of the fraud and identity theft varieties.
You can look for them in the upcoming CourtTV series Prison Idol.
Anyway, from watching the shows for Hollywood week this year it seems like there was less everything - less time seeing people sing, less time showing the conflicts when contestants were preparing for group singings, etc. Not sure if that's a factor of the number of contestants, the filler material of the contestants playing tourist, or commercials. Probably all three.
But now we're down to 16, as 8 semifinalists have been cut. No real surprises yet, other than one contestant's Maxim photos coming too late to save her from a brutal first week of competition. People to look out for:
* Kellie Pickler, who is a combination of Carrie Underwood (looks) and Fantasia Barrino (home state and tragic back-story). The show spent a lot of time hammering away at her background, so she's likely a lock for the finals.
* Taylor Hicks, who stands out not only for his head of prematurely greying hair but for being Ray Charles reincarnated, down to the body sway. He's my favorite because he's so incongruous.
* Paris Bennett, who may be a little too comfortable given that her grandmother is some well-known gospel singer (OK, not well-known to me, but Randy Jackson freaked out a bit in a fanboy way when he saw the grandmother at the original audition). Paris can at least sing.
* Ace Young, who I learned today is dating Essence Atkins, who I'd never heard of, a fact easily explained by her being a lead on the UPN sitcom Half & Half. He's apparently been on the show and even sang a little. He's like Constantine from last year, but with better grooming and less leering (and, thankfully, less eye makeup).
* And, finally, Ayla Brown, who I've saved for the end given that she's a local, from Wrentham (best known, probably, for its outlet mall). In many ways she's the anti-Pickler, both in looks (Brown has, fittingly, darker hair and skin tone) and background - she went to private school and landed a basketball scholarship to Boston College. On top of that, her mom is a local TV news reporter and anchor, while her dad is a state senator and likely lieutenant governor candidate.
(This led to a funny moment during the show where they reduced the field to 24, where they showed Seacrest asking Brown's father a question, but cut his response with an abrupt edit, apparently in fear of having to give other candidates equal time.)
"Conventional wisdom" (which applies to this show how?) suggests she won't win, but the judges seem to be warming to her. I'm still on the fence, given that her dad's a Republican and she's joining up with that school in Newton.
So there you go. A post almost as long and tedious as an episode of the show.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
OlympicsWatch: The Ads
OK, I stopped doing the day by day listings because they wound up restating a large portion of the day's events rather than focus on one or two. That and I got bored with it. Sorry.
But sticking with the Olympics, watching has allowed me to see some of the top-rated Super Bowl ads, as companies have been getting some extra life out of them. Having now seen the Bud Light "magic fridge" ad, it appears that the ads for Super Bowl XL were as forgettable as the game itself. I really didn't miss anything by skipping most of the first half.
As for new ads, the bulk of them are pretty forgettable, too. They mostly play off of the usual Olympic themes of striving for goals and success, and whether they be inspiring or "humorous," there's not much about any of them that gets me going. There are two that bear special mention, though:
1. The Chevrolet ad where a guy, the middle man of three spelling out "USA," gets frozen in a pond. Now, the decision to skip medical treatment in lieu of Weekend at Bernie's style hijinx is one thing. But towards the end of the ad, someone makes a sno-cone out of scrapings from the frozen guy's torso.
I didn't know Chevy was pro-cannibalism.
2. There's a DHL ad with Dan Jansen that shows him falling a lot as a backdrop for their "Olympic Spirit" award. Towards the end of the ad, Jansen is shown standing at the door to his home, watching a DHL delivery guy almost slip, and then take a header trying to walk up his snow and ice-covered drive. Jansen's response? "I know what that feels like."
Yes you do, Dan. So why don't you cart your ass out to the garage and break out the snowblower or some sand or something, rather than stand there like a jackass while some guy fractures his coccyx trying to bring you a package.
But sticking with the Olympics, watching has allowed me to see some of the top-rated Super Bowl ads, as companies have been getting some extra life out of them. Having now seen the Bud Light "magic fridge" ad, it appears that the ads for Super Bowl XL were as forgettable as the game itself. I really didn't miss anything by skipping most of the first half.
As for new ads, the bulk of them are pretty forgettable, too. They mostly play off of the usual Olympic themes of striving for goals and success, and whether they be inspiring or "humorous," there's not much about any of them that gets me going. There are two that bear special mention, though:
1. The Chevrolet ad where a guy, the middle man of three spelling out "USA," gets frozen in a pond. Now, the decision to skip medical treatment in lieu of Weekend at Bernie's style hijinx is one thing. But towards the end of the ad, someone makes a sno-cone out of scrapings from the frozen guy's torso.
I didn't know Chevy was pro-cannibalism.
2. There's a DHL ad with Dan Jansen that shows him falling a lot as a backdrop for their "Olympic Spirit" award. Towards the end of the ad, Jansen is shown standing at the door to his home, watching a DHL delivery guy almost slip, and then take a header trying to walk up his snow and ice-covered drive. Jansen's response? "I know what that feels like."
Yes you do, Dan. So why don't you cart your ass out to the garage and break out the snowblower or some sand or something, rather than stand there like a jackass while some guy fractures his coccyx trying to bring you a package.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
OlympicsWatch, Day 8
Top event for me is the US-Sweden semifinal in ice hockey. It'll be shown live tomorrow morning, looks to be around 11 am EST. There'll be curling at various times throughout the day, US women versus Russia earlier in the morning, men later in the day.
The sliding sports also come to the fore as we get two man bobsled and skeleton in the afternoon and in prime time. Also in prime time Lindsey Jacobellis tries to break the streak of hyped Americans going without medals when she competes in this snowboard cross that I've never heard of until now.
Oh, and there'll be ice dancing, too. Woo hoo.
The sliding sports also come to the fore as we get two man bobsled and skeleton in the afternoon and in prime time. Also in prime time Lindsey Jacobellis tries to break the streak of hyped Americans going without medals when she competes in this snowboard cross that I've never heard of until now.
Oh, and there'll be ice dancing, too. Woo hoo.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Bored-room
Among the announcement of the contestants for the upcoming "season" of The Apprentice was the nugget that Carolyn and George, who have been assisting Trump in selecting his new hireling, will be stepping out for some number of episodes this season for two new helpers - Donald Trump, Jr. and his sister Ivanka.
This is the sort of idea that, if a team on the show tried it, would land them in the boardroom. Though I can at least see why Junior is in, he being the likely heir to Trump's yooge holdings. As for Ivanka... well, let's just say I hope to be surprised.
Now let's just hope they spice things up this season by having at least one challenge that isn't related to marketing. Wouldn't that be nice?
This is the sort of idea that, if a team on the show tried it, would land them in the boardroom. Though I can at least see why Junior is in, he being the likely heir to Trump's yooge holdings. As for Ivanka... well, let's just say I hope to be surprised.
Now let's just hope they spice things up this season by having at least one challenge that isn't related to marketing. Wouldn't that be nice?
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