It says something about this season of American Idol that the most genuine and surprising moment was its most important one. I won't get into the meaning of David Cook's upset of presumptive Idol David Archuleta, but rather how this made the rest of the season look by comparison.
For all the talk of this being the most talented group of finalists ever (which, of course, is said every year), it was certainly the least interesting group of finalists ever. I never felt like there was a specific performance that stood out. While people on the show still talk about Fantasia's rendition of "Summertime" or, on the flip side, Sanjaya's attempt at "You Really Got Me," there's nothing in this season that we'll talk about in the same way.
I think too that having a group that was so professional didn't help, either. The emergence of new talent is one of the few genuinely interesting aspects of the show, especially when it takes a bit of a sideways turn (Soul Patrol!). This season, contestants were fully formed, and rarely grew (or shrank) before us.
And with the ratings taking a dip from past seasons, it's an open question whether viewers were disinterested in this group or in the show as a whole. Either way, it's probably time for a change. Which leads us to:
MAKING IT BETTER: American Idol
Herewith are five suggestions for pumping some life into the franchise:
1. Fewer wacky auditions, more Hollywood - I've never enjoyed the Bataan death march of wacky auditions. There's a thick dark line between the truly entertaining awfulness and the poor saps the show sets up for a fall, and the more Fox jumps over it the more obvious it is that they're milking things.
I'd take a couple hours of audition coverage and move it to Hollywood. There's more drama there, and there'd be a greater opportunity to even out coverage time among contestants.
2. Shake up the judging panel - the predictability of this group was more evident than ever this season. From Randy's continued focus on pitch problems to Simon's negativity to Paula taking up residence on Neptune, the judges added even less to the show this season than usual.
Rather than give them some input on voting, a la Dancing With the Stars, I'd suggest rotating judges out for certain weeks, or even rotating Randy or Paula out for a full season (or more). One of the few fresh things about America's Next Top Model's judges has been the transition from Janice Dickinson to Twiggy to Paulina Porizkova, each of whom has brought something different to panel. My suggestion: replace Paula with Toni Braxton, who is somewhat less crazy than Paula and could use the work.
3. Introduce a number to vote against a contestant - set up a toll number where viewers would call and select from a menu the contestant they want to vote against. These votes would be subtracted from each contestant's vote total. Donate money from these calls to Idol Gives Back to give the negative a positive spin.
4. Restrict the use of instruments - rather than have half of the contestants rooted behind an instrument, give them four chances to play along over the course of the finals. And to make things more interesting, they can only use the same instrument in three of the four performances.
5. Take a season off - it may be time to give America a breather and let the talent pool refresh a bit. So rather than get all new contestants next season, go back and open things up to any contestant who made it to Hollywood but was not a finalist. Bring back Frenchie Davis, the Brittenum twins, and that kid this year who always wore a tie. Fans always have a couple of favorites who didn't make the finals, so this may reinvigorate the fan base a bit.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Upfronts - Fox
Fox introduced five new shows, two of which will likely be the most talked-about going into the season, given who's involved.
What's gone? - no real surprises, as most of last season's new shows were cut.
What's back? - Kitchen Nightmares and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles are back. Marginal surprises both, as the former wasn't as good as the BBC original, and the latter didn't quite have the ratings Fox was hoping for.
All the older shows are back, with Bones and House moving in 2009 when American Idol comes back. Kudos (for now) to Fox for cutting the Idol results show to a half-hour, but I fear it'll bloat back to an hour given the "to be announced" slot that's currently after it.
24 will also be back in the fall with a two hour prequel of season 7, whetting our appetites for another crazy day with Jack Bauer.
What's new - Five shows, two with notable creators. Dollhouse comes to use from Joss Whedon of Buffy fame. It focuses on people who are being used by a shadowy organization for a variety of missions, after which the agents have their minds wiped clean and reprogrammed for their new mission. Buffy alum Eliza Dushku stars. As it's the lead show from 24, expect a quick hook if it can't deliver ratings.
The other notable show is Fringe, J.J. Abrams' latest show to involve an airplane flight turned sinister. In this case, the flight arrives at its destination (Boston, woo!), but all the passengers and crew have died in grisly fashion (first mystery - how did the plane land?). This sets of an investigation that's more than it seems, etc. Joshua Jackson (known to most as Pacey from Dawson's Creek is the most notable cast member, playing the son of a mentally unstable genius who becomes part of the investigation.
From what I've read the pilot for the show cost $10 million, so it better be pretty damn good. It should help that Fringe will follow House and Idol during the year.
Fox's latest sitcom to avoid seems to be Do Not Disturb, a hotel-based show starring Jerry O'Connell. Between the DOA Welcome to the Captain and O'Connell's flop turn on Carpoolers, this sounds probelmatic from the go. It'll follow Til Death on Wednesdays, though both follow Bones, which makes this an odd night (and one that will likely disappoint if the shows do all get transplanted to Friday in 2009, though I expect this one to be gone by then).
Secret Millionaire will follow Hell's Kitchen on Thursdays in 2009. It will take rich people and move them into less affluent areas, where they'll try to live on minimum wage and become involved in their communities. At the end, they'll decide what people or groups are worthy of getting some of their fortune. It's like an ambush version of Oprah's Big Give, but with it being on Fox I somehow expect that it will explot the poor more than help them.
Sunday's animation block brings two new shows - Sit Down, Shut Up is about the staff at a high school whose personal lives come before the kids. It's from the Arrested Development folks, so this may be pretty interesting. The other offering is The Cleveland Show, which puts Cleveland from Family Guy moves from Quahog to Stoolbend, Virginia to reunite with an unrequited love. It can't be worse than American Dad, even with the likely hillbilly jokes.
Prognosis? - Fox will do fine with its existing shows, and I figure at least one of the new high-profile dramas will do well, though both may stick if fans of other Whedon/Abrams shows come along. I'm less high on any of the comedies, though the animated shows should both last for the season at least. I'm a little irritated that Bones may get shunted to Friday, though I expect something will get canceled to open up a spot somewhere else.
What's gone? - no real surprises, as most of last season's new shows were cut.
What's back? - Kitchen Nightmares and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles are back. Marginal surprises both, as the former wasn't as good as the BBC original, and the latter didn't quite have the ratings Fox was hoping for.
All the older shows are back, with Bones and House moving in 2009 when American Idol comes back. Kudos (for now) to Fox for cutting the Idol results show to a half-hour, but I fear it'll bloat back to an hour given the "to be announced" slot that's currently after it.
24 will also be back in the fall with a two hour prequel of season 7, whetting our appetites for another crazy day with Jack Bauer.
What's new - Five shows, two with notable creators. Dollhouse comes to use from Joss Whedon of Buffy fame. It focuses on people who are being used by a shadowy organization for a variety of missions, after which the agents have their minds wiped clean and reprogrammed for their new mission. Buffy alum Eliza Dushku stars. As it's the lead show from 24, expect a quick hook if it can't deliver ratings.
The other notable show is Fringe, J.J. Abrams' latest show to involve an airplane flight turned sinister. In this case, the flight arrives at its destination (Boston, woo!), but all the passengers and crew have died in grisly fashion (first mystery - how did the plane land?). This sets of an investigation that's more than it seems, etc. Joshua Jackson (known to most as Pacey from Dawson's Creek is the most notable cast member, playing the son of a mentally unstable genius who becomes part of the investigation.
From what I've read the pilot for the show cost $10 million, so it better be pretty damn good. It should help that Fringe will follow House and Idol during the year.
Fox's latest sitcom to avoid seems to be Do Not Disturb, a hotel-based show starring Jerry O'Connell. Between the DOA Welcome to the Captain and O'Connell's flop turn on Carpoolers, this sounds probelmatic from the go. It'll follow Til Death on Wednesdays, though both follow Bones, which makes this an odd night (and one that will likely disappoint if the shows do all get transplanted to Friday in 2009, though I expect this one to be gone by then).
Secret Millionaire will follow Hell's Kitchen on Thursdays in 2009. It will take rich people and move them into less affluent areas, where they'll try to live on minimum wage and become involved in their communities. At the end, they'll decide what people or groups are worthy of getting some of their fortune. It's like an ambush version of Oprah's Big Give, but with it being on Fox I somehow expect that it will explot the poor more than help them.
Sunday's animation block brings two new shows - Sit Down, Shut Up is about the staff at a high school whose personal lives come before the kids. It's from the Arrested Development folks, so this may be pretty interesting. The other offering is The Cleveland Show, which puts Cleveland from Family Guy moves from Quahog to Stoolbend, Virginia to reunite with an unrequited love. It can't be worse than American Dad, even with the likely hillbilly jokes.
Prognosis? - Fox will do fine with its existing shows, and I figure at least one of the new high-profile dramas will do well, though both may stick if fans of other Whedon/Abrams shows come along. I'm less high on any of the comedies, though the animated shows should both last for the season at least. I'm a little irritated that Bones may get shunted to Friday, though I expect something will get canceled to open up a spot somewhere else.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Upfronts - CBS
Hard to believe, but the Eye will premiere more shows next season than ABC. Of course, it's only by one, and CBS isn't clogging its schedule with dancing.
What's gone? - Buy your peanut futures now, as Jericho is once again canceled. I do not expect another miracle save. Shark takes the ultimate sophomore slump, while first-year shows Cane and Moonlight either were strike casualties or weren't that good, depending on how you want to spin it.
What's back? - No major surprises here, though the mid-season return of Rules of Engagement puts the last nail in the coffin for my dead pool entry. Some of the dramas look like they've moved, but I can't say I watch much CBS to know for sure. Nothing looks egregious, though I'm not sure that The New Adventures of Old Christine is strong enough to lead off on Wednesdays.
What's new? - Three hours and two half-hours. The hours:
The Mentalist is about a celebrity psychic turned detective who uses his powers of observation to ferret out killers. Like Ghost Whisperer, but with smaller boobs. It's on between NCIS and Without a Trace, which I suppose makes sense given the crime-solving aspects of all three shows.
Eleventh Hour follows a governmental special advisor who investigates "scientific crises and oddities." So it's The X-Files without Scully. But it's on after CSI, so it should get some viewers.
The Ex-List is about a woman who decides that her future love interest is actually a guy from her past, so she goes through the titular list to find him. It stars Elizabeth Reaser, better known as Rebecca/Ava from Grey's Anatomy. It's on after Ghost Whisperer, setting up a femme-friendly Friday that Numbers doesn't seem to fit into. Unless Rob Morrow is the CBS analogue of Patrick Dempsey.
The half-hours:
Worst Week is about a guy who causes problems every time he's around his girlfriend's parents, who don't care for him (for obvious reasons). Nothing special here, though if Kurtwood Smith can bring Red Foreman to the present day, I'm in for at least a couple of episodes. It's the last show in the Monday comedy block, and should already be picking out gifts for Two and a Half Men's lead-in.
Project Gary features a couple who, now divorced after 15 years of marriage, must work around each other as they raise their kids and get back into the dating game. DEAD POOL ALERT: the show stars Jay Mohr and Paula Marshall, which means it may just get canceled during the first commercial break of the first episode.
Oh, there's also the new mid-season drama Harper's Island, where a destination wedding turns into a murder investigation. Who has a destination wedding on an island that had a serial killer run amok, even if it was seven years ago?
Prognosis - Meh. CBS is as CBS does. I don't expect anything to really take off or tank, though I don't have a lot of faith in any of the new shows.
What's gone? - Buy your peanut futures now, as Jericho is once again canceled. I do not expect another miracle save. Shark takes the ultimate sophomore slump, while first-year shows Cane and Moonlight either were strike casualties or weren't that good, depending on how you want to spin it.
What's back? - No major surprises here, though the mid-season return of Rules of Engagement puts the last nail in the coffin for my dead pool entry. Some of the dramas look like they've moved, but I can't say I watch much CBS to know for sure. Nothing looks egregious, though I'm not sure that The New Adventures of Old Christine is strong enough to lead off on Wednesdays.
What's new? - Three hours and two half-hours. The hours:
The Mentalist is about a celebrity psychic turned detective who uses his powers of observation to ferret out killers. Like Ghost Whisperer, but with smaller boobs. It's on between NCIS and Without a Trace, which I suppose makes sense given the crime-solving aspects of all three shows.
Eleventh Hour follows a governmental special advisor who investigates "scientific crises and oddities." So it's The X-Files without Scully. But it's on after CSI, so it should get some viewers.
The Ex-List is about a woman who decides that her future love interest is actually a guy from her past, so she goes through the titular list to find him. It stars Elizabeth Reaser, better known as Rebecca/Ava from Grey's Anatomy. It's on after Ghost Whisperer, setting up a femme-friendly Friday that Numbers doesn't seem to fit into. Unless Rob Morrow is the CBS analogue of Patrick Dempsey.
The half-hours:
Worst Week is about a guy who causes problems every time he's around his girlfriend's parents, who don't care for him (for obvious reasons). Nothing special here, though if Kurtwood Smith can bring Red Foreman to the present day, I'm in for at least a couple of episodes. It's the last show in the Monday comedy block, and should already be picking out gifts for Two and a Half Men's lead-in.
Project Gary features a couple who, now divorced after 15 years of marriage, must work around each other as they raise their kids and get back into the dating game. DEAD POOL ALERT: the show stars Jay Mohr and Paula Marshall, which means it may just get canceled during the first commercial break of the first episode.
Oh, there's also the new mid-season drama Harper's Island, where a destination wedding turns into a murder investigation. Who has a destination wedding on an island that had a serial killer run amok, even if it was seven years ago?
Prognosis - Meh. CBS is as CBS does. I don't expect anything to really take off or tank, though I don't have a lot of faith in any of the new shows.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Upfronts: The CW
A few changes to report on at the WBUPN, most of which will not concern you unless you are under 25, deeply into fashion, or a media business nerd.
What's out? - Girlfriends is the oldest show to get the hook, while Beauty and the Geek gets the hook at least one season too late. Aliens in America is also toast, a bit of a strike casualty I think. Then there are all the generically-named shows like CW Now and Online Nation that no one could tell apart.
What's back? - Among last year's new shows, Gossip Girl and Reaper managed to stick, with the latter coming back in midseason. Gossip Girl will team with One Tree Hill on Monday, Smallville and Supernatural will hold down Thursday, while Everybody Hates Chris and The Game are banished to Friday.
What's new? - Tuesday brings one of the more talked about shows with 90210, a return to the teens of West Beverly Hills High, hopefully with actors whose ages are closer to 20 than 30. Jennie Garth will have a recurring role, the only link to the original. It's paired with Surviving the Filthy Rich, the story of an Ivy-educated journalist who gets fired and becomes the tutor/nanny for a rich family's girls. It's based on some chick lit book I've never heard of, which isn't a shock as I'm not exactly in the genre's target demo.
Wednesday will pair America's Next Top Model with Stylista, another Tyra Banks reality show which lands on the other side of the camera as it seeks to find an up and coming editor for Elle.
Sunday's lineup will no longer be reruns (Friday gets an encore of ANTM, though), but instead will feature shows from Media Rights Capital, an independent producer of movies, TV and new media content. The announcement pushed the idea that this allows the CW to focus on weeknights, with an emphasis on Friday as an important night for "retailers and marketers with a weekend product push." Friday night seems a little late to push things for the weekend, but I'll allow them their spin. I'm sure the CW's inability to program Sunday in the past has nothing to do with this.
Prognosis? - Great, if you're a 14 year old girl. 90210 may intially bring in some parents who remember the original, but I'm not sure there'll be enough nostalgia to keep them around. Thursday and Friday seem like the nights with the most potential for a diverse audience, but I don't think they can compete on either night (though Friday is pretty much a wash for everyone). I don't expect this lineup will see the CW break out of netlet status, but it's going to really work for the CW's core viewers.
What's out? - Girlfriends is the oldest show to get the hook, while Beauty and the Geek gets the hook at least one season too late. Aliens in America is also toast, a bit of a strike casualty I think. Then there are all the generically-named shows like CW Now and Online Nation that no one could tell apart.
What's back? - Among last year's new shows, Gossip Girl and Reaper managed to stick, with the latter coming back in midseason. Gossip Girl will team with One Tree Hill on Monday, Smallville and Supernatural will hold down Thursday, while Everybody Hates Chris and The Game are banished to Friday.
What's new? - Tuesday brings one of the more talked about shows with 90210, a return to the teens of West Beverly Hills High, hopefully with actors whose ages are closer to 20 than 30. Jennie Garth will have a recurring role, the only link to the original. It's paired with Surviving the Filthy Rich, the story of an Ivy-educated journalist who gets fired and becomes the tutor/nanny for a rich family's girls. It's based on some chick lit book I've never heard of, which isn't a shock as I'm not exactly in the genre's target demo.
Wednesday will pair America's Next Top Model with Stylista, another Tyra Banks reality show which lands on the other side of the camera as it seeks to find an up and coming editor for Elle.
Sunday's lineup will no longer be reruns (Friday gets an encore of ANTM, though), but instead will feature shows from Media Rights Capital, an independent producer of movies, TV and new media content. The announcement pushed the idea that this allows the CW to focus on weeknights, with an emphasis on Friday as an important night for "retailers and marketers with a weekend product push." Friday night seems a little late to push things for the weekend, but I'll allow them their spin. I'm sure the CW's inability to program Sunday in the past has nothing to do with this.
Prognosis? - Great, if you're a 14 year old girl. 90210 may intially bring in some parents who remember the original, but I'm not sure there'll be enough nostalgia to keep them around. Thursday and Friday seem like the nights with the most potential for a diverse audience, but I don't think they can compete on either night (though Friday is pretty much a wash for everyone). I don't expect this lineup will see the CW break out of netlet status, but it's going to really work for the CW's core viewers.
Upfronts - ABC
Remember when ABC took the pasta approach to programming and threw a dozen or so series against the wall to see which one or two would stick? Well, those days are over, at least for now (or they've transplanted that approach to summer, given the 392 reality shows they appear to be launching). Only four new shows have been announced for next season, so if you liked something ABC had on this year, you'll probably get to see it next year.
What's gone - Unless, of course, you liked any of the following: Men in Trees, Women's Murder Club, Big Shots, Carpoolers, Cavemen, Notes from the Underbelly, Cashmere Mafia, Miss/Guided, October Road or Oprah's Big Give. Not much to miss there, but I thought that Miss/Guided was worth a renewal, at least moreso than According to Jim, which continues to taint my dead pool.
What's back? - Of the established shows returning, Eli Stone is the only real surprise, surviving its mid-season launch to get picked up for next year. Also coming back - though not to its original network - is Scrubs, which will make its ABC debut at mid-season.
And as much as I didn't like to see Jim return, I'm downright puzzled about The Bachelor coming back. It should have been put to pasture a long time ago.
What's new? - Not much, as ABC only announced two new shows for the fall and two for mid-season. For the fall, we'll get Opportunity Knocks a reality/game show where the show surprises a family at home and then quizzes people on how well they know each other. Meh. The other fall show is the US version of Life on Mars, a British drama where a current-day cop is transported back to the 1970s. I'd always meant to watch this when it was on BBC America, and will probably give its American cousin a go.
For mid-season, there's The Goode Family, a Mike Judge-animated show about a family that tries to, well, do good (by recycling and the like), with humorous unintended consequences. We'll see. The other show is an untitled "beauty pageant unlike any you've ever seen," from the genius pairing of Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks. How this escaped the CW I'll never know.
Prognosis? - Good. ABC didn't mess with Sunday or Thursday at all (other than putting Life on Mars on after Grey's Anatomy, which can't hurt), and Monday and Tuesday still have Dancing With the Stars to bring in viewers. Wednesday is the biggest test, as ABC will get to see if Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money can build on their strike-shortened seasons.
What's gone - Unless, of course, you liked any of the following: Men in Trees, Women's Murder Club, Big Shots, Carpoolers, Cavemen, Notes from the Underbelly, Cashmere Mafia, Miss/Guided, October Road or Oprah's Big Give. Not much to miss there, but I thought that Miss/Guided was worth a renewal, at least moreso than According to Jim, which continues to taint my dead pool.
What's back? - Of the established shows returning, Eli Stone is the only real surprise, surviving its mid-season launch to get picked up for next year. Also coming back - though not to its original network - is Scrubs, which will make its ABC debut at mid-season.
And as much as I didn't like to see Jim return, I'm downright puzzled about The Bachelor coming back. It should have been put to pasture a long time ago.
What's new? - Not much, as ABC only announced two new shows for the fall and two for mid-season. For the fall, we'll get Opportunity Knocks a reality/game show where the show surprises a family at home and then quizzes people on how well they know each other. Meh. The other fall show is the US version of Life on Mars, a British drama where a current-day cop is transported back to the 1970s. I'd always meant to watch this when it was on BBC America, and will probably give its American cousin a go.
For mid-season, there's The Goode Family, a Mike Judge-animated show about a family that tries to, well, do good (by recycling and the like), with humorous unintended consequences. We'll see. The other show is an untitled "beauty pageant unlike any you've ever seen," from the genius pairing of Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks. How this escaped the CW I'll never know.
Prognosis? - Good. ABC didn't mess with Sunday or Thursday at all (other than putting Life on Mars on after Grey's Anatomy, which can't hurt), and Monday and Tuesday still have Dancing With the Stars to bring in viewers. Wednesday is the biggest test, as ABC will get to see if Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money can build on their strike-shortened seasons.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Upfront 2008 - NBC
Combine a sputtering economy and a writer's strike which limited the number of pilots, and you have what's shaping up as a lame upfront season. NBC didn't help matters by ditching the traditional upfront presentation, going instead with smaller presentations in April they called "infronts" and by having something today called the NBC Universal Experience. I'm assuming cotton candy and pony rides are involved.
In any case, if this is any indication, NBC may have been smart to lay low. The basics:
Who's gone? - Las Vegas leads a slew of new shows (like Bionic Woman and Journeyman) and game show/reality offerings (like 1 v. 100 and The Singing Bee) into the abyss. It'll also become more clear tomorrow if Scrubs is done or finally moving to ABC.
What's back? - Everything you'd expect, plus Lipstick Jungle. ER is back for what is being called its final season. Finally.
Oh, and The Apprentice is back, too. No word on it being its last season, unfortunately.
What's new - Nothing that looks likely to get the Peacock out of fourth place. For scripted shows there's the trio of Merlin, Kings and Crusoe, all of which seem like they were stolen from Sci-Fi. None sound particularly compelling, though Merlin may pick up some cult TV fans with the casting of Colin Morgan (from Dr. Who) and Anthony Head of Buffy fame.
The most notable hour-long show is probably My Own Worst Enemy, which stars Christian Slater as a man whose two personalities - one a dull suburbanite, the other some sort of genius secret agent who can kill with his teeth - begin to cross over into each other. I'm thinking there'll be less interest in the concept than in Slater's involvement.
The other two hour-long shows are The Listener about a paramedic who can read thoughts (pass - I'll wait for Matt Parkman to get back to work on Heroes) and The Philanthropist, which is about a billionaire who uses his money and connections to directly help people. This show originally involved Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson of Homicide fame, but both have left the show due to the network moving the focus of the show away from social issues to more escapist plots. At what point do these two just stop trying to work with NBC?
For sitcoms, there are two options: an as-yet untitled spin-off of The Office and the US version of an Australian show called Kath & Kim. The former doesn't seem to actually involve any characters from The Office; it's more of a spin-off for Greg Daniels. The latter stars Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as a mother-daugter pair who are now living together after the daughter gets divorced. Snore!
There's lots of reality junk, too, from a show that seems like it's been ripped off from BBC America's Last Restaurant Standing to a show that seems to follow the day to day exploits of Howie Mandel. That has to be a joke, right?
I will say I have some interest in Who Do You Think You Are?, which will take a new celebrity each week and look at their family tree for interesting stories. It may only appeal to geneaology nerds like me, but I'll take it over Ryan Seacrest's new show looking for momma's boys.
Prognosis? - It's hard to make this call without seeing the other networks, but I have a feeling there won't be night that NBC won't be getting its ass handed to it. Monday and Thursday look like the nights where things will go least poorly, though the post-football Fantacrap Sunday (Merlin, Medium, Kings) may be different enough to pull in some viewers.
In any case, if this is any indication, NBC may have been smart to lay low. The basics:
Who's gone? - Las Vegas leads a slew of new shows (like Bionic Woman and Journeyman) and game show/reality offerings (like 1 v. 100 and The Singing Bee) into the abyss. It'll also become more clear tomorrow if Scrubs is done or finally moving to ABC.
What's back? - Everything you'd expect, plus Lipstick Jungle. ER is back for what is being called its final season. Finally.
Oh, and The Apprentice is back, too. No word on it being its last season, unfortunately.
What's new - Nothing that looks likely to get the Peacock out of fourth place. For scripted shows there's the trio of Merlin, Kings and Crusoe, all of which seem like they were stolen from Sci-Fi. None sound particularly compelling, though Merlin may pick up some cult TV fans with the casting of Colin Morgan (from Dr. Who) and Anthony Head of Buffy fame.
The most notable hour-long show is probably My Own Worst Enemy, which stars Christian Slater as a man whose two personalities - one a dull suburbanite, the other some sort of genius secret agent who can kill with his teeth - begin to cross over into each other. I'm thinking there'll be less interest in the concept than in Slater's involvement.
The other two hour-long shows are The Listener about a paramedic who can read thoughts (pass - I'll wait for Matt Parkman to get back to work on Heroes) and The Philanthropist, which is about a billionaire who uses his money and connections to directly help people. This show originally involved Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson of Homicide fame, but both have left the show due to the network moving the focus of the show away from social issues to more escapist plots. At what point do these two just stop trying to work with NBC?
For sitcoms, there are two options: an as-yet untitled spin-off of The Office and the US version of an Australian show called Kath & Kim. The former doesn't seem to actually involve any characters from The Office; it's more of a spin-off for Greg Daniels. The latter stars Molly Shannon and Selma Blair as a mother-daugter pair who are now living together after the daughter gets divorced. Snore!
There's lots of reality junk, too, from a show that seems like it's been ripped off from BBC America's Last Restaurant Standing to a show that seems to follow the day to day exploits of Howie Mandel. That has to be a joke, right?
I will say I have some interest in Who Do You Think You Are?, which will take a new celebrity each week and look at their family tree for interesting stories. It may only appeal to geneaology nerds like me, but I'll take it over Ryan Seacrest's new show looking for momma's boys.
Prognosis? - It's hard to make this call without seeing the other networks, but I have a feeling there won't be night that NBC won't be getting its ass handed to it. Monday and Thursday look like the nights where things will go least poorly, though the post-football Fantacrap Sunday (Merlin, Medium, Kings) may be different enough to pull in some viewers.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Three Guys a Girl and a Singing Place
We're down to the final four contestants on American Idol (you can thank me later for not writing about contestants five through 24):
David Archuleta has been the once and future Idol pretty much from the start. He's not been in the bottom group at all, and will likely not face elimination until the finals. He's a 16 year old who likes to sing inspirational songs, so he gets love from pre-teens and grannies alike. Or at least those who aren't sick of his weekly dose of hope, love and dreams. That and his sometimes irritating naivety may be the only thing that can do him in.
Odds of winning: 1 to 4
Jason Castro is living proof that you can wear dreads and live in Texas without someone named Joe Jack trying to beat you to death with a tire iron (although he's from what looks to be a Dallas exurb, which may not have as many good ole boys as it once did). I'm not a fan of the dreads, but they do draw attention away from his nose, which is a point for those who say that things grow bigger in Texas.
Castro is a bit of a hipster doofus, appealing to the Jack Johnson crowd with his penchant for performing only with his acoustic guitar (or, once, a ukelele). His performances are often compared to late-night dorm sing-alongs or other settings which suggest a certain herbal mood enhancement. He winds up in the bottom group on occasion, thanks to a limited vocal range and the occasional odd song selection (his choice of "Memories" during Andrew Lloyd Webber week stands out). I can't see him making it past next week, and am a little surprised he outlasted a couple of the more recently-dispatched women.
Odds of winning: 25 to 1
David Cook is this year's rocker, though he's only about 70 percent as rock (or as pretentious) as Chris Daughtry. He's also taking the Blake Lewis/Chris Sligh approach by rearranging songs to fit his style, though not hitting the Lionel Ritchie-as-Coldplay depths thanks to mostly using existing arrangements (such as Chris Cornell's version of "Billie Jean"). And, like Daughtry, he's the finalist who could put out an album next week if he had to.
Unlike Daughtry, Cook will make the finals. And even though he'll probably lose, I think he'd be happy with continuing the Daughtry comparison through his debut album, at least.
Odds of winning: 8 to 1
Syesha Mercado is the last female contestant standing, which is pretty impressive for someone who has no discernible personality. She's pleasant enough, and fits the traditional diva role well enough, but otherwise she's a bit of a cipher. We know she acts a bit, and can mimic a crying baby pretty well, but beyond that it's like a shadowy government agency has deleted her past.
Mercado is also the last African-American contestant standing, so if you put much stock into gender or ethnic voting blocs you can make the argument that she'll be in the finals. I don't think that'll happen, but you never know. Not that making the finals would help her, as Archuleta is a better diva than she is.
Odds of winning: 11 to 1
David Archuleta has been the once and future Idol pretty much from the start. He's not been in the bottom group at all, and will likely not face elimination until the finals. He's a 16 year old who likes to sing inspirational songs, so he gets love from pre-teens and grannies alike. Or at least those who aren't sick of his weekly dose of hope, love and dreams. That and his sometimes irritating naivety may be the only thing that can do him in.
Odds of winning: 1 to 4
Jason Castro is living proof that you can wear dreads and live in Texas without someone named Joe Jack trying to beat you to death with a tire iron (although he's from what looks to be a Dallas exurb, which may not have as many good ole boys as it once did). I'm not a fan of the dreads, but they do draw attention away from his nose, which is a point for those who say that things grow bigger in Texas.
Castro is a bit of a hipster doofus, appealing to the Jack Johnson crowd with his penchant for performing only with his acoustic guitar (or, once, a ukelele). His performances are often compared to late-night dorm sing-alongs or other settings which suggest a certain herbal mood enhancement. He winds up in the bottom group on occasion, thanks to a limited vocal range and the occasional odd song selection (his choice of "Memories" during Andrew Lloyd Webber week stands out). I can't see him making it past next week, and am a little surprised he outlasted a couple of the more recently-dispatched women.
Odds of winning: 25 to 1
David Cook is this year's rocker, though he's only about 70 percent as rock (or as pretentious) as Chris Daughtry. He's also taking the Blake Lewis/Chris Sligh approach by rearranging songs to fit his style, though not hitting the Lionel Ritchie-as-Coldplay depths thanks to mostly using existing arrangements (such as Chris Cornell's version of "Billie Jean"). And, like Daughtry, he's the finalist who could put out an album next week if he had to.
Unlike Daughtry, Cook will make the finals. And even though he'll probably lose, I think he'd be happy with continuing the Daughtry comparison through his debut album, at least.
Odds of winning: 8 to 1
Syesha Mercado is the last female contestant standing, which is pretty impressive for someone who has no discernible personality. She's pleasant enough, and fits the traditional diva role well enough, but otherwise she's a bit of a cipher. We know she acts a bit, and can mimic a crying baby pretty well, but beyond that it's like a shadowy government agency has deleted her past.
Mercado is also the last African-American contestant standing, so if you put much stock into gender or ethnic voting blocs you can make the argument that she'll be in the finals. I don't think that'll happen, but you never know. Not that making the finals would help her, as Archuleta is a better diva than she is.
Odds of winning: 11 to 1
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