I'm not sure why I didn't watch Lost during the season. Time slot, other commitment, disinterst in Gilligan's Island meets Lord of the Flies, who knows? But after the buzz built and I heard from more than a couple people about the show's quality, I figured I'd use the summer to see if I should believe the hype.
Turns out I should believe a goodly portion of the hype. What makes it difficult at times, though, is that the things that make it most interesting can also work against the show in a significant way.
The first few episodes have been split between the present, where we see the survivors of the plane crash cope with their new situation, and flashback, where we've gotten backstory on both the crash and selected survivors. The focus has generally been on a character a week, which makes you look forward to who'll be next, but also can slow an episode down. Take the most recent one I watched, where we got the skinny on the island's Korean couple, Jin and Sun. After weeks of only getting subtitles, it was great to learn about them, but the story wound up taking time away from an important decision that seems to have split the survivors. While that will undoubtedly be examined in detail later, I'd have liked to have had more up front discussion than "beach or cave?"
I am also glad that the air of mystery about the island is being maintained at a reasonable level after healthy doses early in the show (having a polar bear crop up on a tropical Pacific island was genius). I'll be interested to see how this goes for the rest of the season, as too much of this mythology sort of stuff can get tiresome (hello, X-Files).
Talk about the show suggests a bit of a drop-off in the latter part of the season, with a season finale that, of course, doesn't answer nearly as many questions as we'd like. It doesn't help that I've been exposed to some of what happens at the end via recaps and accidental reading. On the other hand, I at least get to look for it now, which I guess is something.
If you haven't been watching, well, catching up would be difficult. There's too much carry-over from week to week. Find a friend who's been watching or read the recaps over at TV Without Pity. It's not a perfect solution, but it'll get you up to speed.
The acting is pretty good across the board, though I especially like Terry O'Quinn's soft-shoe Colonel Kurtz (come to think of it, 'Colonel' was a nickname Quinn's character had).
For the nitpickers, you'll probably find things to grouse about. The feasability of having all these actors grow the sort of body hair (and BO) actual castaways would have is pretty low (not without serious compensation, at least), and you have to wonder how these people have survived for a week on leftover airline food and bottled water (OK, there was one boar, and there's some fishing going on, but it seems like they're getting off easy). Don't sweat it. I'm sure there's a website you can complain about these things on.
Just not this one. Well, you could comment, but expect to get mocked.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Sunday, July 10, 2005
New on TV: The 2005 Tour de France
While most people follow this at arm's length, do yourself a favor and watch the actual race coverage on OLN. You'll get cycling and some nice shots of the French countryside to boot.
Live daily coverage starts at 8:30 am EDT (except on off days), and is repeated during the day. The race is called by a pair of Brits who are also former riders: Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen. They know the sport very well (certainly better than the average sports guy), and they're pretty good about explaining things as the stage moves along.
Prime time coverage starts at 8 pm EDT (9 pm PDT), but with Al Trautwig and Bob Roll, an American who is a former pro cyclist. I don't watch much of their coverage, but what I've seen is OK. Roll has a unique style that may not be to everyone's liking, but I get a bit of a chuckle from him.
All four appear on the pre-race show, which kicks off the morning coverage. If you're around, give them 10 minutes rather than Kate or Charlie or whoever.
The coverage isn't as Lance-centric as you'd imagine (though the promotion is), which is a good thing. Not that they ignore Lance when he's not front and center; he gets a number of mentions. But they do focus on a number of riders, both those involved in the day's stage and the ones vying for the overall title. You'll even get into the sprint and "king of the mountain" competitions, which add a little spice to the coverage.
They use French TV for the visuals, which is fine. Occasionally Phil and Paul have to fill when there's a shot of some local landmark, but they handle it well.
Live daily coverage starts at 8:30 am EDT (except on off days), and is repeated during the day. The race is called by a pair of Brits who are also former riders: Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen. They know the sport very well (certainly better than the average sports guy), and they're pretty good about explaining things as the stage moves along.
Prime time coverage starts at 8 pm EDT (9 pm PDT), but with Al Trautwig and Bob Roll, an American who is a former pro cyclist. I don't watch much of their coverage, but what I've seen is OK. Roll has a unique style that may not be to everyone's liking, but I get a bit of a chuckle from him.
All four appear on the pre-race show, which kicks off the morning coverage. If you're around, give them 10 minutes rather than Kate or Charlie or whoever.
The coverage isn't as Lance-centric as you'd imagine (though the promotion is), which is a good thing. Not that they ignore Lance when he's not front and center; he gets a number of mentions. But they do focus on a number of riders, both those involved in the day's stage and the ones vying for the overall title. You'll even get into the sprint and "king of the mountain" competitions, which add a little spice to the coverage.
They use French TV for the visuals, which is fine. Occasionally Phil and Paul have to fill when there's a shot of some local landmark, but they handle it well.
New on TV: The Princes of Malibu
Hell no, I didn't watch it. It'd take a paying gig - and a good one - to get me to tune in to this.
So Bruce Jenner's post-Olympic career: Can't Stop the Music, the infomercials, and two layabout sons. Way to peak early.
So Bruce Jenner's post-Olympic career: Can't Stop the Music, the infomercials, and two layabout sons. Way to peak early.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Hellish 'Heaven'
Had my first exposure to Carrie Underwood's first single, that "Inside Your Heaven" song that both she and Bo performed on the American Idol finale.
It's still horrible. It's not Underwood's fault, unless she wrote or arranged the song. It could very well be the worst "official" American Idol champion single of the four, though I can't recall whatever it was Fantasia recorded.
It's still horrible. It's not Underwood's fault, unless she wrote or arranged the song. It could very well be the worst "official" American Idol champion single of the four, though I can't recall whatever it was Fantasia recorded.
Bag Job with the Stars
After six weeks where Dancing with the Stars went (to me at least) from being of no interest to reasonably entertaining, the show threw it all away in the last half-hour of its finale when the three judges handed out a perfect score to Kelly Monaco (General Hospital). Not only was this the only perfect score for the entire competition, but it was the first time any of the judges handed out a full 10 points.
Of course, Monaco would go on to win the whole thing, which shouldn't irritate me as much as it does. Suffice it to say, the result does nothing to further the idea that ballroom dancing should be an Olympic-level sport (though, to be fair, the fans don't get to vote on who wins medals).
This turn of events made the finale of Beauty and the Geek - where a Newlywed Game-style Q&A game decided who won the cash - seem like the pinnacle of competition when it went into a tie-breaker. Even the disclaimer at the end about how parts of it were edited and/or re-shot didn't detract from things, at least in retrospect.
Next week we get "the aftermath," a reunion show which I find a little dubious (given that the show itself was only six weeks long). But maybe we'll find out if Urkel-in-training Richard ever made out with his partner.
Of course, Monaco would go on to win the whole thing, which shouldn't irritate me as much as it does. Suffice it to say, the result does nothing to further the idea that ballroom dancing should be an Olympic-level sport (though, to be fair, the fans don't get to vote on who wins medals).
This turn of events made the finale of Beauty and the Geek - where a Newlywed Game-style Q&A game decided who won the cash - seem like the pinnacle of competition when it went into a tie-breaker. Even the disclaimer at the end about how parts of it were edited and/or re-shot didn't detract from things, at least in retrospect.
Next week we get "the aftermath," a reunion show which I find a little dubious (given that the show itself was only six weeks long). But maybe we'll find out if Urkel-in-training Richard ever made out with his partner.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
I have a life?
Precious little from TV to mention, as I spent the vast majority of the weekend doing things other than burning my retinas. I will note, though, that I think I stayed at a hotel with the worst TV system ever. Showtime instead of HBO and MSG instead of ESPN? Why?
I won't even go into the movie ordering process, which involves the TV, a card reader, and the phone. Not that we ordered any; I just thought it was oddly complex.
I did see about a minute and a half of MTV's Live 8 coverage, and while I didn't think it was possible, it does appear that the channel's current crop of hosts has even fewer skills with regards to covering live events than past presenters. They should have just let the concert footage roll without comment.
Coming in a close second in the incompetency department was the female co-host whose name I didn't catch on the CBS coverage of Boston's fireworks. Harry Smith was fine, but she was trying a little too hard to generate excitement. She'd have fit in well with those Wheel of Fortune contestants who yell "woo hoo!" every time they find a letter on the board. The broadcast was also a little odd in their choice of music to play over the fireworks. I know the "whatever" concept is popular, but when you segue from Aerosmith to Selena to Creed something has gone horribly wrong.
I won't even go into the movie ordering process, which involves the TV, a card reader, and the phone. Not that we ordered any; I just thought it was oddly complex.
I did see about a minute and a half of MTV's Live 8 coverage, and while I didn't think it was possible, it does appear that the channel's current crop of hosts has even fewer skills with regards to covering live events than past presenters. They should have just let the concert footage roll without comment.
Coming in a close second in the incompetency department was the female co-host whose name I didn't catch on the CBS coverage of Boston's fireworks. Harry Smith was fine, but she was trying a little too hard to generate excitement. She'd have fit in well with those Wheel of Fortune contestants who yell "woo hoo!" every time they find a letter on the board. The broadcast was also a little odd in their choice of music to play over the fireworks. I know the "whatever" concept is popular, but when you segue from Aerosmith to Selena to Creed something has gone horribly wrong.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
On the plus side, no Vanilla Ice
I seem to have been hallucinating during last week's episode of Hit Me Baby 1 More Time. I heard that the winners from past weeks would return, that there'd be a couple of surprises, and we'd wrap this thing in some sort of gala fashion. Instead, we got another regular episode.
Five performers, ten songs, one confused viewing audience. Good job, NBC! I can't imagine why you guys nose-dived this past season.
Anyway, we wound up getting music from Juice Newton, Shannon, Animotion, PM Dawn, and Missing Persons. PM Dawn won (which seemed right), breaking the streak of the last act winning (given that it was Missing Persons, not that big of a surprise). Animotion gets the Stop Hitting Yourself prize for worst performance, as they creaked through their hit "Obsession" and absolutely crapped on Dirty Vegas's "Days Go By."
While I thought the male singer in Animotion looked like the love child of the stylist guy who stars in Bravo's Blow Out and Joe Isuzu, the wife nailed it when she commented that the woman in the group came off like Molly Shannon playing the woman from Animotion. Who knows, maybe it was Molly Shannon?
Given the stress on this being the season finale, we can likely look forward to more of this crap in the near future. Given the barrel-scraping put in for this episode (neither the wife or I could place Shannon until the host mentioned her hit song, "Let the Music Play"), I don't know how far they can take this without bringing in groups who make '80s compilations because no one can find their members to deal with royalties.
Thinking along those lines, though, my dream second season premiere would feature The Scorpions, The Outfield, Aztec Camera, Haircut 100, and Gino Vanelli. Who would be in yours?
Five performers, ten songs, one confused viewing audience. Good job, NBC! I can't imagine why you guys nose-dived this past season.
Anyway, we wound up getting music from Juice Newton, Shannon, Animotion, PM Dawn, and Missing Persons. PM Dawn won (which seemed right), breaking the streak of the last act winning (given that it was Missing Persons, not that big of a surprise). Animotion gets the Stop Hitting Yourself prize for worst performance, as they creaked through their hit "Obsession" and absolutely crapped on Dirty Vegas's "Days Go By."
While I thought the male singer in Animotion looked like the love child of the stylist guy who stars in Bravo's Blow Out and Joe Isuzu, the wife nailed it when she commented that the woman in the group came off like Molly Shannon playing the woman from Animotion. Who knows, maybe it was Molly Shannon?
Given the stress on this being the season finale, we can likely look forward to more of this crap in the near future. Given the barrel-scraping put in for this episode (neither the wife or I could place Shannon until the host mentioned her hit song, "Let the Music Play"), I don't know how far they can take this without bringing in groups who make '80s compilations because no one can find their members to deal with royalties.
Thinking along those lines, though, my dream second season premiere would feature The Scorpions, The Outfield, Aztec Camera, Haircut 100, and Gino Vanelli. Who would be in yours?
A dynamite June
TNT made history this month, becoming the first ad-supported cable network to outdraw two on-air networks. Granted, those networks are UPN and the WB, but pretty amazing nonetheless. Especially when you consider how much of TNT's prime time schedule consists of Law & Order reruns.
Redlined
Looks like one of the 250 or so new unscripted series for this summer may never see air. ABC has pulled Welcome to the Neighborhood based on complaints that the show gave a little too much space to discrimination based on race and sexual orientation.
The premise of the show was that three different families in Austin, Texas would get to choose their new neighbors. The families vying for that honor come from a variety of backgrounds (including a large Hispanic family, two men with an adopted African-American son, and a couple that met at a Wiccan ceremony), which apparently didn't always sit well with the generally white and conservative families making the selection. Later episodes supposedly showed that the families would grow to accept these differences, but the concern was that in the weeks leading up to that, discriminatory content would be out there unrepudiated.
There was also concern from conservative and religious groups that the show would suggest that people who fall into those groups tend towards discrimination. Kudos to ABC for managing to offend everyone!
No word on if they'll rework the show and bring it back later, though I have to think they will. They've advertised it enough to make never showing it a complete waste of time and money.
The premise of the show was that three different families in Austin, Texas would get to choose their new neighbors. The families vying for that honor come from a variety of backgrounds (including a large Hispanic family, two men with an adopted African-American son, and a couple that met at a Wiccan ceremony), which apparently didn't always sit well with the generally white and conservative families making the selection. Later episodes supposedly showed that the families would grow to accept these differences, but the concern was that in the weeks leading up to that, discriminatory content would be out there unrepudiated.
There was also concern from conservative and religious groups that the show would suggest that people who fall into those groups tend towards discrimination. Kudos to ABC for managing to offend everyone!
No word on if they'll rework the show and bring it back later, though I have to think they will. They've advertised it enough to make never showing it a complete waste of time and money.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
A blind 'i'?
In a move that will affect dozens of TV viewers, PAX will be changing its name to i starting this Friday. The move is reflective of a new programming strategy that will mix PAX/i originals with other independent and/or syndicated shows. For those who like their PAX straight up, all PAX programming will continue on one of its digital cable channels (wait - PAX has digital cable channels?).
As hard as it might be to believe, this is a positive move for PAX, given that it should bring more original programming into a prime-time schedule that is heavy on reruns of Diagnosis Murder and Early Edition. It also will help scotch rumors that the network was going with an all-pay format, which is just what we would have needed - more infomercials.
Of course, the announcement and name change doesn't impact the core issue with PAX - not enough coverage (it only reaches 84 percent of households) and not enough interesting programming. I'm sure Doc and Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye have their champions, but I've not met one.
As hard as it might be to believe, this is a positive move for PAX, given that it should bring more original programming into a prime-time schedule that is heavy on reruns of Diagnosis Murder and Early Edition. It also will help scotch rumors that the network was going with an all-pay format, which is just what we would have needed - more infomercials.
Of course, the announcement and name change doesn't impact the core issue with PAX - not enough coverage (it only reaches 84 percent of households) and not enough interesting programming. I'm sure Doc and Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye have their champions, but I've not met one.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Full of character(s)
Just in case you stumbled upon here and don't read my main blog, you should wander on over to Craig Barker's blog where he's running a tournament for the greatest TV character (from 1975 to date).
While I would argue with some of the seedings, it's a fun exercise and a good look into what makes a given character appealing (or not). So go vote!
While I would argue with some of the seedings, it's a fun exercise and a good look into what makes a given character appealing (or not). So go vote!
Monday, June 27, 2005
Binary Star
The Next Food Network Star wrapped up last night, with the winner being a pair of guys from Chicago named Dan and Steve, whose new show, Soup to Nuts, will start airing in September in the network's "In the Kitchen" block.
I can't say I'm thrilled with the result. Their on-air personae is a little forced, with a number of their quips sounding rehearsed. They also seem to still have some issues to work out regarding balancing cooking and entertaining. It would behoove them to watch tapes of Two Fat Ladies, I think.
On the plus side, the other finalist, a woman named Deborah, was much more irritating. I had a hard time cottoning to her high energy persona, which didn't always come off as genuine (she has an acting background/interest which may be at fault here). She also seemed to get by on personality when her cooking wasn't great; consider that at one point she couldn't tell how many minutes pork chops should cook.
The voting was interesting, as the 90 minute finale allowed for voting for about a half hour during the show. I'd almost have rather had another episode with just the finalists and their mini-show pilots, as it was a little rushed to have two eliminations, the pilots, the voting, the results, a contestant reunion and favorite outtakes all in one show.
The results were announced by Emeril Lagasse, who seemed very uncomfortable. He also seemed to tip the results, as he mostly focused on Dan and Steve, paying Deborah very little attention until after the results were given. Very strange.
All in all, I didn't think this was a bad series, though in the end I don't think they came up with a "star." Or even two.
I can't say I'm thrilled with the result. Their on-air personae is a little forced, with a number of their quips sounding rehearsed. They also seem to still have some issues to work out regarding balancing cooking and entertaining. It would behoove them to watch tapes of Two Fat Ladies, I think.
On the plus side, the other finalist, a woman named Deborah, was much more irritating. I had a hard time cottoning to her high energy persona, which didn't always come off as genuine (she has an acting background/interest which may be at fault here). She also seemed to get by on personality when her cooking wasn't great; consider that at one point she couldn't tell how many minutes pork chops should cook.
The voting was interesting, as the 90 minute finale allowed for voting for about a half hour during the show. I'd almost have rather had another episode with just the finalists and their mini-show pilots, as it was a little rushed to have two eliminations, the pilots, the voting, the results, a contestant reunion and favorite outtakes all in one show.
The results were announced by Emeril Lagasse, who seemed very uncomfortable. He also seemed to tip the results, as he mostly focused on Dan and Steve, paying Deborah very little attention until after the results were given. Very strange.
All in all, I didn't think this was a bad series, though in the end I don't think they came up with a "star." Or even two.
Speaking of Bravo
Am I the only one who misses its old, pretentious line-up? While I was never a huge fan of Five Star Cinema and high doses of Cirque du Soleil, it was at least different. Unlike Bravo's current slate of celebrity poker, NBC re-runs, and second (third?) tier unscripted programming.
I hope James Lipton has a nice, long contract.
I hope James Lipton has a nice, long contract.
New on TV: I Want to be a Hilton
Except for the involvement of the Hilton clan, I Want to be a Hilton would be another unremarkable entry into the morass of unscripted TV programming. Not that the Hiltons save the show. Their name makes the show's presence more notable in the morass, but doesn't save it.
The premise is straight out of Unscripted 101: two teams compete in challenges, with the members of the winning team safe from elimination for the week. The losers meet with the host to hash over their failure and get someone removed. The actual mechanics of the thing - team names, meeting location, method by which someone is removed from the show - could have been whipped up by a handful of interns told to come up with things befitting a show involving high society.
The contestants are, unsurprisingly, a truckload of buffoons. I think we're supposed to revel in their lack of sophistication, though there are precious few moments where it actually leads to entertainment.
Production values are what you'd expect. I suspect the Hilton name was able to lure some known guest judges into the mix, as I can't imagine what would get Tyler Florence or Ted Allen involved otherwise. OK, in Allen's case there is the NBC-Bravo relationship, as reruns of this show air on Bravo. I'm also concerned that they've waited all the way to the second episode to bring in Paris and Nikki. To me, that's an admission that the show is a little weak, and needs the kids to perk things up.
The Bravo re-runs are the only way I'd watch this show regularly, given that it's on opposite House in its first-run time slot. Even so, it'll need a run of very slow weekend mid-afternoons to get me to follow the series.
The premise is straight out of Unscripted 101: two teams compete in challenges, with the members of the winning team safe from elimination for the week. The losers meet with the host to hash over their failure and get someone removed. The actual mechanics of the thing - team names, meeting location, method by which someone is removed from the show - could have been whipped up by a handful of interns told to come up with things befitting a show involving high society.
The contestants are, unsurprisingly, a truckload of buffoons. I think we're supposed to revel in their lack of sophistication, though there are precious few moments where it actually leads to entertainment.
Production values are what you'd expect. I suspect the Hilton name was able to lure some known guest judges into the mix, as I can't imagine what would get Tyler Florence or Ted Allen involved otherwise. OK, in Allen's case there is the NBC-Bravo relationship, as reruns of this show air on Bravo. I'm also concerned that they've waited all the way to the second episode to bring in Paris and Nikki. To me, that's an admission that the show is a little weak, and needs the kids to perk things up.
The Bravo re-runs are the only way I'd watch this show regularly, given that it's on opposite House in its first-run time slot. Even so, it'll need a run of very slow weekend mid-afternoons to get me to follow the series.
Saturday, June 25, 2005
An ad that I hate
McDonald's has an ad now for some new salad that's in this crappy faux poetry slam style that really chafes. I don't know which line irritates me more, the "oranges of the mandarin persuasion" or "I have achieved salad inner peace" (or something like that; it's so stultifying stupid that I can't remember it after just seeing the ad).
Between this and the animated "fruit buzz" ad, I am clearly not loving McDonald's. Bring back Mayor McCheese.
Between this and the animated "fruit buzz" ad, I am clearly not loving McDonald's. Bring back Mayor McCheese.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Tiffany must be pissed
For the third time in four shows, the act that went last on Hit Me Baby 1 More Time was voted through to the finals. To be fair, though Thelma Houston probably was the best of the five last night. Glass Tiger, Club Nouveau and Greg Kihn were all mediocre at best, and Billy Vera turned in a really unfortunate cover of Jesse McCartney's "True" that negated a solid piano-only version of "At This Moment."
Listed as performing but not actually appearing were the Baha Men. Apparently, the dogs just wanted to stay on the couch.
The best part of the show, though, was the wife and I mocking the host's accent. Got to keep entertained somehow.
Listed as performing but not actually appearing were the Baha Men. Apparently, the dogs just wanted to stay on the couch.
The best part of the show, though, was the wife and I mocking the host's accent. Got to keep entertained somehow.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
A top 10 list of sitcom cliches? Isn't that cliched?
The folks over at MSN wrote up the ten most-tired sitcom cliches. They are:
Character meets someone who looks just like them. Not sure how much of a cliche this is, given that after their most recent example, Friends, the shows they note for this "cliche" are The Addams Family and Bewitched. The Friends example is only half accurate, as having Lisa Kudrow play identical twins is different than Ross having a doppleganger named Russ.
It's a stupid plot move - skewered pretty well on Seinfeld with the Bizzaro Jerry and friends - but perhaps not common enough to be a cliche.
Misunderstandings based on hearing part of a sentence. The whole wacky hijinx from eavesdropping idea is pretty lame. Good call.
Butlers who talk back I'm not sure butlers are common enough to warrant cliche status. One of the shows given as an example is Benson, which I'd disagree with given that Benson isn't exactly a butler on that show (he was on Soap, a show where a butler that talks back would be one of the least unusual characters).
Given that Seinfeld managed to skewer this idea, perhaps it's widely enough known to be a cliche. But I'm skeptical.
One character, two dates. Yeah, not good.
Add a baby or other child. I'd agree here as well, but have to note that one of the examples - Roseanne - is inaccurate. I don't think the change in who played Becky was a ratings grab as much as a contract issue. Also, how do you not reference cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch here?
Baby birthing in unusual places. Again, probably not a cliche (especially when one of the shows listed as an example, 7th Heaven, isn't a sitcom), but it is hokey.
Stuck in a clip show. Characters are stuck somewhere, turns into a clip show. Clip shows in general are bad, not just the ones using the captivity of the characters as the device for the clips.
Fake illness to meet celebrity. OK, the two examples given are Diff'rent Strokes and The Brady Bunch. Is it a cliche when the examples are more than 20 years old?
Characters you don't see. Personally, I don't mind this one. The Wilson thing was a little tired on Home Improvement, but there are a number of characters we never saw - Carlton on Rhoda, Maris on Frasier, and Vera on Cheers, for example - whose appeal certainly wasn't hurt by not appearing on camera. As a recurring device, I have no problems with this.
Cross dressing. A bad idea generally.
An OK list, but hurt by poor examples and some weak entries. Suggestions to strengthen cliches or include new ones are welcome.
Character meets someone who looks just like them. Not sure how much of a cliche this is, given that after their most recent example, Friends, the shows they note for this "cliche" are The Addams Family and Bewitched. The Friends example is only half accurate, as having Lisa Kudrow play identical twins is different than Ross having a doppleganger named Russ.
It's a stupid plot move - skewered pretty well on Seinfeld with the Bizzaro Jerry and friends - but perhaps not common enough to be a cliche.
Misunderstandings based on hearing part of a sentence. The whole wacky hijinx from eavesdropping idea is pretty lame. Good call.
Butlers who talk back I'm not sure butlers are common enough to warrant cliche status. One of the shows given as an example is Benson, which I'd disagree with given that Benson isn't exactly a butler on that show (he was on Soap, a show where a butler that talks back would be one of the least unusual characters).
Given that Seinfeld managed to skewer this idea, perhaps it's widely enough known to be a cliche. But I'm skeptical.
One character, two dates. Yeah, not good.
Add a baby or other child. I'd agree here as well, but have to note that one of the examples - Roseanne - is inaccurate. I don't think the change in who played Becky was a ratings grab as much as a contract issue. Also, how do you not reference cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch here?
Baby birthing in unusual places. Again, probably not a cliche (especially when one of the shows listed as an example, 7th Heaven, isn't a sitcom), but it is hokey.
Stuck in a clip show. Characters are stuck somewhere, turns into a clip show. Clip shows in general are bad, not just the ones using the captivity of the characters as the device for the clips.
Fake illness to meet celebrity. OK, the two examples given are Diff'rent Strokes and The Brady Bunch. Is it a cliche when the examples are more than 20 years old?
Characters you don't see. Personally, I don't mind this one. The Wilson thing was a little tired on Home Improvement, but there are a number of characters we never saw - Carlton on Rhoda, Maris on Frasier, and Vera on Cheers, for example - whose appeal certainly wasn't hurt by not appearing on camera. As a recurring device, I have no problems with this.
Cross dressing. A bad idea generally.
An OK list, but hurt by poor examples and some weak entries. Suggestions to strengthen cliches or include new ones are welcome.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Thankfully, they've not asked if anyone considered Dave Chapelle
One of the small things that's annoyed me about The Next Food Network Star: the use of the term "giving notes" when the judging committee critiques the contestants. I realize it's the correct term, especially as two of the committee members are programming execs, but it's a term guaranteed to irritate anyone who liked a show that was eviscerated by suits.
I keep hoping that Sam Donovan will appear and give everyone a lesson on TV tubes. Probably too much to ask.
I keep hoping that Sam Donovan will appear and give everyone a lesson on TV tubes. Probably too much to ask.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Stop hitting us already!
It was not a pleasant night on Hit Me Baby 1 More Time. Perhaps not as bad as the first week, but not as good as last week. There are a number of reasons:
1. Another stupid result - Irene Cara won despite having her new group, Hot Caramel, sing with her. Meaning that two thirds of the cover song (something by Anastacia) was performed by younger singers with more range.
2. Obvious vocal tracking, or at least moreso than past weeks. It was also more obvious that there were musicians out there who were playing instruments that weren't being heard.
3. No Night Ranger - the program listing promised Night Ranger. We got Howard Jones instead. He was actually pretty good, but clearly wasn't going to perform "Sister Christian."
4. Odd crossover covers. Cameo doing Bowling for Soup's "1985." Wang Chung doing Nelly's "Hot in Herre." Sophie B. Hawkins doing some sort of lounge/cabaret version of Five for Fighting's "100 Years."
4a. Sophie B. Hawkins. She's goofing on moonbeams or something. Very odd.
But will I watch next week. Yes. Why? Because I'm an idiot.
1. Another stupid result - Irene Cara won despite having her new group, Hot Caramel, sing with her. Meaning that two thirds of the cover song (something by Anastacia) was performed by younger singers with more range.
2. Obvious vocal tracking, or at least moreso than past weeks. It was also more obvious that there were musicians out there who were playing instruments that weren't being heard.
3. No Night Ranger - the program listing promised Night Ranger. We got Howard Jones instead. He was actually pretty good, but clearly wasn't going to perform "Sister Christian."
4. Odd crossover covers. Cameo doing Bowling for Soup's "1985." Wang Chung doing Nelly's "Hot in Herre." Sophie B. Hawkins doing some sort of lounge/cabaret version of Five for Fighting's "100 Years."
4a. Sophie B. Hawkins. She's goofing on moonbeams or something. Very odd.
But will I watch next week. Yes. Why? Because I'm an idiot.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Get paid for being shallow or socially inept!
As I learned at the end of last night's episode of Beauty and the Geek, they're casting a second season. Go to the WB website if you think you have the right stuff (or the lack thereof).
The episode itself was similar to last week. Geek love may be blooming again, though the hype likely overestimated the level of attraction. We are also getting an intra-geek conflict, as Richard (the white Urkel) is now gunning for the geek who sent him to the Elimination Room. On the other hand, Richard did get a kiss on the lips from the eliminated beauty (his first!), so perhaps he should be thankful.
The episode itself was similar to last week. Geek love may be blooming again, though the hype likely overestimated the level of attraction. We are also getting an intra-geek conflict, as Richard (the white Urkel) is now gunning for the geek who sent him to the Elimination Room. On the other hand, Richard did get a kiss on the lips from the eliminated beauty (his first!), so perhaps he should be thankful.
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