Monday, 4/30
Barney "comes on down" and is a contestant on The Price Is Right on an episode of How I Met Your Mother. Knowing the show is high-quality, you should know this is no mere stunt... (CBS, 7 pm CST).
Hiro and Ando teleport five years into the future on Heroes. I'm a total sucker for alternate reality episodes of TV shows and issues of comic books. I've got to watch this show in the summer... (NBC, 8 pm CST).
Tuesday, 5/1
After a two-month hiatus, Veronica Mars returns with a four episode mystery-- and big hopes of getting renewed for next season. (CW, 8 pm CST).
Brando; TCM. 7 pm CST. Special.
A look at Marlon Brando's work and the influence he had on actors. The final part of this special airs Wednesday at the same time.
And, hopefully, my friend Monica still reads this blog because Jon Bon Jovi mentors the final five on American Idol (FOX 7 pm).
Wednesday, 5/2
Perfect Housewives; BBC America. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Britain's Martha Stewart, Anthea Turner, mentors two people each week on the art of homemaking.
American Masters; PBS. 8 pm (check local listings). Season Premiere.
Profile of Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun.
And Jon Bon Jovi takes the stage tonight on American Idol (FOX 8 pm).
Thursday, 5/3
TV Guide and My Name is Earl are running a "scratch and sniff" promotion. Get your sniff card in the current TV Guide and then scratch when the numbers pop up on Earl. (NBC, 7 pm).
And the "backdoor" pilot of next years' Grey's Anatomy spin-off airs tonight (ABC, 8-10 pm) where Addison visits sunny California and gets offered a job. I don't watch the parent show, but I'll be tuning into the spin-off next season. Check out this cast: Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Paul Adelstein, Taye Diggs, and many more I can't remember offhand. If it didn't have the Grey's connection, you could almost expect a show with this level of talent to fail, but it's spinning off one of the hottest shows on TV right now, so I think it'll be just fine.
Friday, 5/4
Bandits vs. Smokies; CMT. 8:30 pm. Series Premiere.
TV Guide describes this as Cops mixed with America's Funniest Home Videos. I bet I can describe it in just one word: sh**.
Saturday, 5/5
Mad TV does a riff on Brit & K-Fed's divorce. I think Mad has been weak this season, but Ike Berenholtz's K-Fed imitation has been a high point. (FOX 10 pm).
Saturday Night Live has its "best of 2006" clip show tonight. I wonder if they have enough laughs to fill a whole 90 minutes. Well, 3 minutes are a lock. Four words: dick... in... a... box. (NBC, 10:30).
TV Guide Channel airs Finale Fever (7 pm), a look at the upcoming finale season.
Sunday, 5/6
Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation; NBC. 8 pm. Special.
A look at the last decade this show was funny.
The Amazing Race: All Stars (CBS, 7 pm) has its last leg tonight.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
TV odds and ends
So who's the cursed one? Nathan Filion, who many fans and critics believe is a completely capable leading man, but whose Firefly crashed and burned. Or Tim Minear, whose Wonderfalls and Firefly didn't even get air all thirteen of their episodes?
Maybe they're both cursed: Drive got the axe already. It aired, what, four episodes?
NBC.com revealed that Studio 60 will return on May 24, the day after the May sweeps officially ends. Bad news: it's missing sweeps (then again, maybe that's good news) and that NBC didn't make a big deal of its return.
ABC gets the "WTF are they thinking? award" this spring with it's shoddy treatment of Men in Trees by keeping it off the sked so it can air Notes From The Underbelly and October Road, two shows I just couldn't bring myself to keep watching. The thing is: Men In Trees has already been renewed, so it's not as if it's not strong enough to air now. But the plan is to use the episodes in the can next fall, so at least we'll get an extended season of Trees next year.
ABC did a similar move to Boston Legal a few years ago, and it worked. The only thing is, Boston Legal was bumped because the show that was tried out in its spot became a hit. The show: Grey's Anatomy. Not quite October Road or Underbelly.
[adult swim] had its upfront this week. The first news: as of July, it's airing seven days a week (Friday night was a regular Cartoon Network night-- like kids that age should be up watching TV at midnight).
On June 17, the Robot Chicken maniacs are airing a special Star Wars episode. And they got The Man himself, George Lucas, to lend his voice for the episode. You have to give Lucas credit for having a sense of humor about his creation. He's been pretty open about his love of some of the satires that have come down the pike-- especially the last few years.
Lucy, The Daughter of the Devil is finally getting a tryout as a series this summer. I watched the pilot last summer and thought it had potential.
Shows which will have another season: Morel Orel (yes!), Frisky Dingo (best news ever, but I don't know how they'll clean up the mess from Season One), Robot Chicken (a slam dunk), The Boondocks (brilliant), Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law (could never get into it, but I'll watch), Metalocalypse (killer!), The Venture Brothers (already knew it, but it's good to hear again), Squidbillies (meh), Assy McGee (double meh), Aqua Teen Hunger Force (duh...), Saul of the Molemen (I think I vomited a little in my mouth), Tim and Eric Awesome Show (I'll need a bucket for the vomit now).
You'd think the [adult swim] news would be the happiest thing I heard all week, but newsarama.com broke the news that made me happiest. Joss Whedon was so impressed with Bryan Lynch's writing on the Buffy-verse Spike comic book Shadow Puppets that he decided Lynch was the guy to help him launch an Angel Season Six miniseries.
I was kinda torn about the news at first. Here you have one of my all-time favorite television shows ever being brought back after what I thought was a fitting (if controversial) series finale and make it into a comic book. (Nothing wrong with comics; it's just not the same as the show though). But Whedon said the series will be what the plan was for Angel if it hadn't gotten cancelled. So I have to be all over it.
Unfortunately, IDW holds the rights to the Angel-centered comics, and their issues run an appalling $3.99 each, so I'll probably wait for the trade paperback(s) that reprint the planned 12-issue series (not that $4 is gonna crunch me, but I've pretty much been forced to drop every comic I read-- I'm down to about 1-1/2 a month-- so I can't justify blowing my cash on the most expensive books on the stands).
And if you need a little reminder, here's a pic from the final scene of Angel (minor spoiler alert-- just 'cause you know who's standing at the end-- doesn't mean one or more don't fall by the end credits, though):
Maybe they're both cursed: Drive got the axe already. It aired, what, four episodes?
NBC.com revealed that Studio 60 will return on May 24, the day after the May sweeps officially ends. Bad news: it's missing sweeps (then again, maybe that's good news) and that NBC didn't make a big deal of its return.
ABC gets the "WTF are they thinking? award" this spring with it's shoddy treatment of Men in Trees by keeping it off the sked so it can air Notes From The Underbelly and October Road, two shows I just couldn't bring myself to keep watching. The thing is: Men In Trees has already been renewed, so it's not as if it's not strong enough to air now. But the plan is to use the episodes in the can next fall, so at least we'll get an extended season of Trees next year.
ABC did a similar move to Boston Legal a few years ago, and it worked. The only thing is, Boston Legal was bumped because the show that was tried out in its spot became a hit. The show: Grey's Anatomy. Not quite October Road or Underbelly.
[adult swim] had its upfront this week. The first news: as of July, it's airing seven days a week (Friday night was a regular Cartoon Network night-- like kids that age should be up watching TV at midnight).
On June 17, the Robot Chicken maniacs are airing a special Star Wars episode. And they got The Man himself, George Lucas, to lend his voice for the episode. You have to give Lucas credit for having a sense of humor about his creation. He's been pretty open about his love of some of the satires that have come down the pike-- especially the last few years.
Lucy, The Daughter of the Devil is finally getting a tryout as a series this summer. I watched the pilot last summer and thought it had potential.
Shows which will have another season: Morel Orel (yes!), Frisky Dingo (best news ever, but I don't know how they'll clean up the mess from Season One), Robot Chicken (a slam dunk), The Boondocks (brilliant), Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law (could never get into it, but I'll watch), Metalocalypse (killer!), The Venture Brothers (already knew it, but it's good to hear again), Squidbillies (meh), Assy McGee (double meh), Aqua Teen Hunger Force (duh...), Saul of the Molemen (I think I vomited a little in my mouth), Tim and Eric Awesome Show (I'll need a bucket for the vomit now).
You'd think the [adult swim] news would be the happiest thing I heard all week, but newsarama.com broke the news that made me happiest. Joss Whedon was so impressed with Bryan Lynch's writing on the Buffy-verse Spike comic book Shadow Puppets that he decided Lynch was the guy to help him launch an Angel Season Six miniseries.
I was kinda torn about the news at first. Here you have one of my all-time favorite television shows ever being brought back after what I thought was a fitting (if controversial) series finale and make it into a comic book. (Nothing wrong with comics; it's just not the same as the show though). But Whedon said the series will be what the plan was for Angel if it hadn't gotten cancelled. So I have to be all over it.
Unfortunately, IDW holds the rights to the Angel-centered comics, and their issues run an appalling $3.99 each, so I'll probably wait for the trade paperback(s) that reprint the planned 12-issue series (not that $4 is gonna crunch me, but I've pretty much been forced to drop every comic I read-- I'm down to about 1-1/2 a month-- so I can't justify blowing my cash on the most expensive books on the stands).
And if you need a little reminder, here's a pic from the final scene of Angel (minor spoiler alert-- just 'cause you know who's standing at the end-- doesn't mean one or more don't fall by the end credits, though):
God, I miss that show...
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Quickie Movie Reviews
On Saturday, I watched Meet the Robinsons. Gotta say it was better than I expected.
The story follows an orphan who created (inadvertently) a time machine. It gets stolen, and a boy from the future arrives to help him retrieve it. The two flee back to the future where the orphan meets the odd Robinson family. They have an adventure, face their enemy, and deal with the fallout.
I found the film creative and entertaining enough for an adult (although I picked up on "the secret" pretty early on). The voices were the characters as opposed to easily recognized actors saying characters' lines. The animation was great. And it didn't talk down to kids. My 3 & 4 year olds liked it enough, and I would imagine any school-age kid would enjoy it as well.
Last night, the movies were all for me:
The first of my double-feature was Hot Fuzz. I liked Shaun of the Dead (a prior movie by the same talents) even though I'm not a fan of zombie movies (don't hate 'em, just am not interested), so I figured this one would be right up my alley.
In this film, Simon Pegg plays Nicholas Angel, the greatest police officer in London. He graduated at the top of his class, has earned countless commendations and awards, and his arrest record is 400% higher than any other office on the force. In other words, he's making everyone else look bad. So he is made a sergeant and send to a rural town that hasn't experienced any crime in 20 years. He's assigned the police chief's buddy-cop movie loving son (Nick Frost) as a partner, and they patrol the quiet countryside. Then the town undergoes a rash of accidents...
The movie is a mix of British mysteries and America shoot-'em-ups. Whereas I thought Shaun of the Dead was funny, Hot Fuzz was just amusing. There's nothing wrong with that, but I wanted to laugh more. It was also pretty slow at first, and the ending (the obligatory massive gun battle) went on a little too long.
But being a big fan of BBC America, it was great to see so many familiar faces on the big screen.
And the movie poster kicks ass.
And, finally, I actually paid money (albeit only $4) to see Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Film For Movie Theatres. If you haven't seen the [adult swim] show, this is most definitely not a good entry point. Like the free-flowing Dadaist TV series, this film was all over the place. The show has a fervent fan base (small as it is), so they were probably having nerdgasms galore watching this, and I'm happy for them.
I, on the other hand, find the show funny but am not a huge fan and believe the ten-minute episodes on [adult swim] are about the perfect length. But the movie is just under 90 minutes, so it was hard to keep the flow going throughout. Just like the TV show, there was little plot holding it all together. Even worse: I didn't feel there were any more great lines in the entire film as there are in any given episode of the show.
I will give writers/directors/creators Matt Maiellaro and Dave Willis credit for making the film in the same style and tone as the TV show. If you love the show, you should love the film. It was cool to see the guys not sell out-- even though the move will probably kill any hope for big box office. But then, rumor has it that the film wasn't even really greenlit. Maiellaro and Willis told the Cartoon Network execs that they had already begun making a movie, and they were allowed to continue since money, time, and energy had already been expended on it.
It was great to hear the voices again, particularly Dana Snyder as Master Shake. He's the highlight of the show as far as I'm concerned (he's the biggest dick, and gets the best lines). Dave Willis voiced Meatwad a little bit smarter than on the show, but his Carl (my second favorite character) was terribly underused (although his comment that his new "ZuBaz"-ish pants were made out of a material that wicks the sweat off his balls was the film's best line). And Carey Means did his usual great work as Frylock.
So anyway, check out the series at night on [adult swim] to get a feel for what this whole thing is all about, and if you love it, watch the film on DVD (I doubt the film will be in theatres much longer).
It, too, has a great poster:
So in the span of four days, I saw almost as many movies as I saw in the entirety of 2006. And Spider-Man 3 hasn't even opened yet...
Monday, April 23, 2007
A Comedic Perfect Storm
Somehow I lucked into watching the best episodes of the season of three comedies tonight. All in a row. I barely escaped with my life.
First off was the "Manic Monday" episode of Entourage. The main storyline followed Ari's descent (or is it ascent) into humanity. After last week's uncharacteristic protection of Lloyd, and this week's inability to fire an underperforming employee, Ari came to the realization that he is turning into a wuss. His therapist said he is actually making strides toward becoming a productive member of society, something that just makes him bristle in self-loathing.
His therapist goes on to tell him that he can continue on and improve his life or go back to being the ass she's seen him as for over a year.
Next scene: Ari, giddy as a school-girl, walks through his office and finds the underperforming worker in a conference room bragging about how well his eye surgery went. So Ari asks if he can do an eye test and grabs a marker and writes on the flipboard "Get the F*** out!" For added measure, Ari reiterates to the man (at the top of his voice, in case his hearing was as bad as his eyes) that he is fired and warns everyone else that goofing off will get them fired as well.
Not many actors could give the story the punch that Jeremy Piven did. He was all over the map: cocky, unsure, funny, compassionate, and he hit every feeling perfectly. Add to it Ari's characteristic body movements, and it made for the perfect episode.
After that, I watched the "My Big Fat Sober Wedding" episode of The New Adventures of Old Christine. Now, this isn't my favorite comedy, but I don't think it gets the credit it deserves. I think Julia Louis-Dreyfus is pretty underrated (at least buzz-wise) on the show. She really proved she deserves the Emmy on her mantle for the show with this episode.
Christine and the gang go to a wedding of a college buddy that had a crush on her. She elected herself to be the designated driver mainly to prove to the others that she can abstain from drinking at a reception. Let's just say it doesn't go well.
The whole episode showcased everything good about the show: the overly-vain Christine gets a boost and then the rug gets pulled out, Matthew finds himself doing the exact wrong thing, Richard keeps saying the wrong thing, the "Barbisms" (my favorite tonight was when she tells the bride she hasn't gone by the nickname "BJ" since college "for various reasons").
But the spotlight deservedly fell on Louis-Dreyfus, and the great writing allowed her plenty of opportunities to shine.
Finally, the repeat of the bunch. I hardly ever watch the same episode of any (non[adult swim]) show twice. I've got way too many other options and limited time. But I had to re-watch the "Robin Sparkles" episode of How I Met Your Mother.
Robin refuses to go to the mall with the others, so, naturally, they pry to get the reason out of her. The (always great) writing took us on a little journey of twists and turns: was she married at a mall, did she do porn at a mall, what could it be?
Turns out it was much more embarrassing: she was a teen pop star that gave performances at malls (think Debbie Gibson). The revelation and reactions by the rest of the cast were perfect enough, but the show went one step further: they actually filmed a video with Cobie Smulders dressed in the teenage '80s garb of a mall pop star singing her "minor" hit "Let's Go To The Mall".
Right there, you've got a great episode. But why not add a little something to it to make the episode, as Barney would say, "Legendary"?
While Robin hid her secret from the others, Marshall and Barney had a storyline of their own: the ever-escalating slap-bet. First Marshall got a slap in (with his great post-slap answer to Barney's astonishment at the size of his hand: "Dude, you've seen my penis..."). Then Barney got a rapid three-slap in on Marshall. Then it was all Marshall, with the finale of him actually knocking Barney off a chair with a slap-- and the threat of four more slaps to come.
Brilliant. This show has the best plotting and story beats of any comedy out there, and the cast gets tighter by the week. It's a crime the show is on the bubble (CBS would be morons to renew Rules of Engagement and not this).
So, there ya go. Three fantastic episodes of three great comedies-- and none are on NBC on Thursday.
And they say the comedy is dead...
First off was the "Manic Monday" episode of Entourage. The main storyline followed Ari's descent (or is it ascent) into humanity. After last week's uncharacteristic protection of Lloyd, and this week's inability to fire an underperforming employee, Ari came to the realization that he is turning into a wuss. His therapist said he is actually making strides toward becoming a productive member of society, something that just makes him bristle in self-loathing.
His therapist goes on to tell him that he can continue on and improve his life or go back to being the ass she's seen him as for over a year.
Next scene: Ari, giddy as a school-girl, walks through his office and finds the underperforming worker in a conference room bragging about how well his eye surgery went. So Ari asks if he can do an eye test and grabs a marker and writes on the flipboard "Get the F*** out!" For added measure, Ari reiterates to the man (at the top of his voice, in case his hearing was as bad as his eyes) that he is fired and warns everyone else that goofing off will get them fired as well.
Not many actors could give the story the punch that Jeremy Piven did. He was all over the map: cocky, unsure, funny, compassionate, and he hit every feeling perfectly. Add to it Ari's characteristic body movements, and it made for the perfect episode.
After that, I watched the "My Big Fat Sober Wedding" episode of The New Adventures of Old Christine. Now, this isn't my favorite comedy, but I don't think it gets the credit it deserves. I think Julia Louis-Dreyfus is pretty underrated (at least buzz-wise) on the show. She really proved she deserves the Emmy on her mantle for the show with this episode.
Christine and the gang go to a wedding of a college buddy that had a crush on her. She elected herself to be the designated driver mainly to prove to the others that she can abstain from drinking at a reception. Let's just say it doesn't go well.
The whole episode showcased everything good about the show: the overly-vain Christine gets a boost and then the rug gets pulled out, Matthew finds himself doing the exact wrong thing, Richard keeps saying the wrong thing, the "Barbisms" (my favorite tonight was when she tells the bride she hasn't gone by the nickname "BJ" since college "for various reasons").
But the spotlight deservedly fell on Louis-Dreyfus, and the great writing allowed her plenty of opportunities to shine.
Finally, the repeat of the bunch. I hardly ever watch the same episode of any (non[adult swim]) show twice. I've got way too many other options and limited time. But I had to re-watch the "Robin Sparkles" episode of How I Met Your Mother.
Robin refuses to go to the mall with the others, so, naturally, they pry to get the reason out of her. The (always great) writing took us on a little journey of twists and turns: was she married at a mall, did she do porn at a mall, what could it be?
Turns out it was much more embarrassing: she was a teen pop star that gave performances at malls (think Debbie Gibson). The revelation and reactions by the rest of the cast were perfect enough, but the show went one step further: they actually filmed a video with Cobie Smulders dressed in the teenage '80s garb of a mall pop star singing her "minor" hit "Let's Go To The Mall".
Right there, you've got a great episode. But why not add a little something to it to make the episode, as Barney would say, "Legendary"?
While Robin hid her secret from the others, Marshall and Barney had a storyline of their own: the ever-escalating slap-bet. First Marshall got a slap in (with his great post-slap answer to Barney's astonishment at the size of his hand: "Dude, you've seen my penis..."). Then Barney got a rapid three-slap in on Marshall. Then it was all Marshall, with the finale of him actually knocking Barney off a chair with a slap-- and the threat of four more slaps to come.
Brilliant. This show has the best plotting and story beats of any comedy out there, and the cast gets tighter by the week. It's a crime the show is on the bubble (CBS would be morons to renew Rules of Engagement and not this).
So, there ya go. Three fantastic episodes of three great comedies-- and none are on NBC on Thursday.
And they say the comedy is dead...
Sunday, April 22, 2007
And now for the worst...
Normally, I like to give my recommendations of the best TV has to offer. There's just so much out there, it's sometimes hard to find the really good stuff without some help.
But once in a while, I need to spout off on the worst that's out there.
I've already written about my disdain for MTV and VH1 shows. They're so Godawful, I've banned the networks from my weekly premieres posts.
This week, I saw (parts of) two shows that I just can't go without telling you to avoid them at all costs.
First is the syndicated "entertainment news" show The Insider. What a pile of crap this is. The episode I stumbled on mentioned Alec Baldwin's tirade on his daughter for damn-near ten minutes in a half-hour (multiple reports as well as countless "when The Insider returns, see who Alec Baldwin was ranting on" and then playing the clip over and over.
It's tragic that the show has to be such garbage. It actually has a number of good people on the show who somehow got roped into this gig and have turned into sensationalistic regurgitators of useless pop non-events.
Truly awful. Pat O'Brien really should sit and watch himself on this show and then justify to a court why he hasn't taken his own life yet. Don't laugh, Lara Spencer, you've certainly fallen on hard times after Good Morning America, yourself.
Next, I was watching an episode of Fuse's The Whitest Kids U'Know, which I've found to be pretty funny. It's a sketch show in The Kids in the Hall and The State vein. Some skits are good, some bad, some hilarious, some "too much". So I start playing the episode, and there's a funny skit about a show that just has people with great asses dancing in front of a music video. There are judges with names like "Honey" and "Precious" and a useless host that said the more the dancers took off, the better their odds of winning the competition and more money. It was a total rip on the moronic competition shows that are all over the airwaves taken to the next extreme.
Except it wasn't a skit. My DVR Scheduler recorded what was supposed to be The Whitest Kids U'Know, but was actually an episode of Pants Off Dance Off. I actually watched this crap for five minutes before I realized that something was wrong (namely, the skit was too long for the normal format of the show and none of the main actors were on it yet). This was an actual show. Unbelievable.
So, hey, avoid these shows if you value your time and intelligence.
Just consider this a public service I am offering my loyal readers.
But once in a while, I need to spout off on the worst that's out there.
I've already written about my disdain for MTV and VH1 shows. They're so Godawful, I've banned the networks from my weekly premieres posts.
This week, I saw (parts of) two shows that I just can't go without telling you to avoid them at all costs.
First is the syndicated "entertainment news" show The Insider. What a pile of crap this is. The episode I stumbled on mentioned Alec Baldwin's tirade on his daughter for damn-near ten minutes in a half-hour (multiple reports as well as countless "when The Insider returns, see who Alec Baldwin was ranting on" and then playing the clip over and over.
It's tragic that the show has to be such garbage. It actually has a number of good people on the show who somehow got roped into this gig and have turned into sensationalistic regurgitators of useless pop non-events.
Truly awful. Pat O'Brien really should sit and watch himself on this show and then justify to a court why he hasn't taken his own life yet. Don't laugh, Lara Spencer, you've certainly fallen on hard times after Good Morning America, yourself.
Next, I was watching an episode of Fuse's The Whitest Kids U'Know, which I've found to be pretty funny. It's a sketch show in The Kids in the Hall and The State vein. Some skits are good, some bad, some hilarious, some "too much". So I start playing the episode, and there's a funny skit about a show that just has people with great asses dancing in front of a music video. There are judges with names like "Honey" and "Precious" and a useless host that said the more the dancers took off, the better their odds of winning the competition and more money. It was a total rip on the moronic competition shows that are all over the airwaves taken to the next extreme.
Except it wasn't a skit. My DVR Scheduler recorded what was supposed to be The Whitest Kids U'Know, but was actually an episode of Pants Off Dance Off. I actually watched this crap for five minutes before I realized that something was wrong (namely, the skit was too long for the normal format of the show and none of the main actors were on it yet). This was an actual show. Unbelievable.
So, hey, avoid these shows if you value your time and intelligence.
Just consider this a public service I am offering my loyal readers.
A Must-See If You Can
Okay, I named HBO's Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel one of my Ten Best of 2006. The latest episode, which is airing all month, will help it get on the 2007 list as well.
The show opened with a look at Stephon Marbury's attempt at curbing the violence of inner-city youth and the beatings and deaths of kids-- for their f-ing shoes! Marbury created a line of basketball shoes with his name on them that cost $14.98 as opposed to the $150-200 other name stars' shoes cost. He even wears them on the court during his own games just to show kids that they hold up. I think it's ridiculous that basketball shoes cost in the triple digits. Of course, when Nike and its ilk pay people millions and millions of dollars to put their names on their shoes, I guess we can see why they cost so much. And kids hurt and kill other kids just to steal the shoes off their feet.
The next feature was a heartbreaking look at baseball star Jeff Reardon's post-career life. He retired from pro ball in 1994. He dealt with his son's drug abuse and made the wrenching decision to send him to a school in his senior year that would pretty much keep him in lock-down so he couldn't use. His son graduated and was attending college and looked like he had turned his life around. But then he died of an overdose. Reardon fell into severe depression (even to the point of attempting suicide) and eventually had to be put on heavy medication. An illness added to his meds which caused him to go into a delusional state where he robbed a jewelry store 16 months ago. He was found not-guilty by reason of insanity. Since then, he has had electroshock treatments, which have helped him some, but also caused him to lose memories of his life. He is on the road to recovery, but he admits he still hasn't come to grips with his son's death-- even after years.
The third feature was an inspirational look at horseback riding therapy for kids with severe disabilities. It was amazing to see the progress kids with spina bifida, autism, blindness and other problems had after riding on horses. I've heard of the program before, but I have to admit, I thought it was one of those ritzy-titzy things celebs like to jump on board with to get their names out there without really helping. I was wrong. While this feature had no mention of celebrities in it, I did see the worth of the program.
And even more amazing is one of the goofballs from FOX NFL Sunday, James Brown, was the reporter on the piece. His interaction with a severely disabled little girl made me see him in a whole other light (one of a serious, and compassionate reporter).
The last feature was a look at little league kids undergoing a very serious shoulder surgery because they are being taught to throw pitches they should not be attempting due to the strain they cause on their growing bodies as well as the massive number of pitches they're allowed to throw in a day. It was scary to see the pressure these kids are put on by parents and coaches who really don't know any better. Doctors are putting the word out and one of the Little League organizations listened and have changed their rules to limit the amount of throws a youngster can throw in a period of time.
Finally, Gumbel took the floor to give a brief monologue about civility. He mentioned how Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones, and Mike Nifong all had gotten "spanked" for atrocious behavior in recent weeks, and that it was a step in the right direction because people need to be punished for their outrageous actions. He said it was a good start down the road of civility to people each of us should have.
After writing the features out, it was interesting to see how this episode played out against others I have watched religiously the past year. The show always starts with an uplifting story about how a young player is trying to do good things for those around him. The second usually shows a person's post-career fall (more by bringing a story to light-- and to show the struggle-- as opposed to glorifying it). The third is a look at something that you may not have heard of and needs recognition; usually having to do with young people. The fourth is a "look back" at a previous piece and how things have gotten better or worse since it aired. Finally Gumbel gives a monologue about his thoughts on current issues (my favorite, and his most notorious, was when he told the new NFL commissioner he needs to ask Pete Rozell where NFL Players Union head Gene Upshaw's leash is; that was totally hardcore).
So if you get HBO, it's a must see show. Even if you (like myself) don't like sports all that much.
And the thing is: HBO doesn't air sports other than boxing. It's a crime that FOX Sports, ESPN, or the major networks, who all carry professional sports, don't air any shows that have the hard-nosed look at sports like HBO does.
The show opened with a look at Stephon Marbury's attempt at curbing the violence of inner-city youth and the beatings and deaths of kids-- for their f-ing shoes! Marbury created a line of basketball shoes with his name on them that cost $14.98 as opposed to the $150-200 other name stars' shoes cost. He even wears them on the court during his own games just to show kids that they hold up. I think it's ridiculous that basketball shoes cost in the triple digits. Of course, when Nike and its ilk pay people millions and millions of dollars to put their names on their shoes, I guess we can see why they cost so much. And kids hurt and kill other kids just to steal the shoes off their feet.
The next feature was a heartbreaking look at baseball star Jeff Reardon's post-career life. He retired from pro ball in 1994. He dealt with his son's drug abuse and made the wrenching decision to send him to a school in his senior year that would pretty much keep him in lock-down so he couldn't use. His son graduated and was attending college and looked like he had turned his life around. But then he died of an overdose. Reardon fell into severe depression (even to the point of attempting suicide) and eventually had to be put on heavy medication. An illness added to his meds which caused him to go into a delusional state where he robbed a jewelry store 16 months ago. He was found not-guilty by reason of insanity. Since then, he has had electroshock treatments, which have helped him some, but also caused him to lose memories of his life. He is on the road to recovery, but he admits he still hasn't come to grips with his son's death-- even after years.
The third feature was an inspirational look at horseback riding therapy for kids with severe disabilities. It was amazing to see the progress kids with spina bifida, autism, blindness and other problems had after riding on horses. I've heard of the program before, but I have to admit, I thought it was one of those ritzy-titzy things celebs like to jump on board with to get their names out there without really helping. I was wrong. While this feature had no mention of celebrities in it, I did see the worth of the program.
And even more amazing is one of the goofballs from FOX NFL Sunday, James Brown, was the reporter on the piece. His interaction with a severely disabled little girl made me see him in a whole other light (one of a serious, and compassionate reporter).
The last feature was a look at little league kids undergoing a very serious shoulder surgery because they are being taught to throw pitches they should not be attempting due to the strain they cause on their growing bodies as well as the massive number of pitches they're allowed to throw in a day. It was scary to see the pressure these kids are put on by parents and coaches who really don't know any better. Doctors are putting the word out and one of the Little League organizations listened and have changed their rules to limit the amount of throws a youngster can throw in a period of time.
Finally, Gumbel took the floor to give a brief monologue about civility. He mentioned how Don Imus, "Pacman" Jones, and Mike Nifong all had gotten "spanked" for atrocious behavior in recent weeks, and that it was a step in the right direction because people need to be punished for their outrageous actions. He said it was a good start down the road of civility to people each of us should have.
After writing the features out, it was interesting to see how this episode played out against others I have watched religiously the past year. The show always starts with an uplifting story about how a young player is trying to do good things for those around him. The second usually shows a person's post-career fall (more by bringing a story to light-- and to show the struggle-- as opposed to glorifying it). The third is a look at something that you may not have heard of and needs recognition; usually having to do with young people. The fourth is a "look back" at a previous piece and how things have gotten better or worse since it aired. Finally Gumbel gives a monologue about his thoughts on current issues (my favorite, and his most notorious, was when he told the new NFL commissioner he needs to ask Pete Rozell where NFL Players Union head Gene Upshaw's leash is; that was totally hardcore).
So if you get HBO, it's a must see show. Even if you (like myself) don't like sports all that much.
And the thing is: HBO doesn't air sports other than boxing. It's a crime that FOX Sports, ESPN, or the major networks, who all carry professional sports, don't air any shows that have the hard-nosed look at sports like HBO does.
Premieres and Notables April 23-29, 2007
Monday, 4/23
The "Robin Sparkles" episode of How I Met Your Mother airs at 7 pm on CBS. Oh, yeah-- it's also the episode that introduced the slap bet.
Here are some sample quotes from the episode that should whet your appetite:
"It's already 'slap o'clock'."
"I wish it was porn; it'd be less embarrassing."
"This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen."
"The '80s didn't come to Canada until, like, '93."
"Looks like someone suffered from premature e-slap-ulation."
"Just to be clear: you wanted everyone to go to the mall... Today?"
"That's one."
How much more can I talk this show up? Watch this episode, which is up there with the best so far this year, and see what you've been missing.
Hannah Montana; Disney. 6 pm CST. Season Premiere.
Season Two of the show that answers "Whatever happened to Billy Ray Cyrus?"
So, do you think the mullet was that bad now?For a larger look at this picture, go here: http://www.imdb.com/gallery/granitz/5342/Lov_11270766_400.jpg.html
Cities of the Underworld; History. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A look at the history of places beneath city streets.
Heroes; NBC. 8 pm CST. Return.
The final five "chapters" of season one begin for NBC's most-buzzed about new show of the year. And then NBC will squander the lead-in with:
Real Wedding Crashers; NBC. 9:01 pm. Series Premiere.
Wedding guests are Punk'd when the brides and grooms allow this prank show to turn their wedding receptions into what will look like disasters.
Tuesday, 4/24
Most Extreme; Animal Planet. 7 pm. Season Premiere.
Season Five launches with looks at squids, beetles, and others.
Wednesday, 4/25
Bill Moyers' Journal; PBS. 8 pm (check local listings). Season Premiere.
After thirteen years away, the show returns with a look at news coverage leading up to the Iraq War. (And an hour-and-a-half is all it will take?)
Thursday, 4/26
NBC's comedy block (7-9 pm; no B.S. weird times, finally) sounds promising:
Earl goes back to school to get his G.E.D. on My Name is Earl.
A large shipment of paper with an obscene imprint gets sent out to a high school on The Office. No worries: Michael's on the case.
Sean Hayes guest-stars as Kenneth the Page's country cousin on the season-ender of 30 Rock.
And the much-hyped 2-part guest stint of Keri Russell episodes starts tonight.
Sunday, 4/29
Predator vs. Prey; Animal Planet. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
The first episode features grizzly bear vs. elk.
And on Entourage (HBO, 9 pm), Drama lives in fear after he insults Ultimate Fighter Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell in a parking lot. I'm sure Turtle's got his back...
Roy Rules
Something odd happened last night: SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE was actually pretty amusing. Here's a clip of the night's video clip (posted on YouTube by wings1914-- just trying to give credit for a change).
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