Looking at the upcoming recordings my DVR has for the next two weeks, I thought I should point out those shows that I don't have in my Premieres posts (that, I'll admit, I steal from TV Guide).
The Discovery Channel is airing eight eps of Planet Earth from 8 am to 4 pm Sunday, 5/20. I've said enough about the show, now it's your turn to do your part.
On Saturday, 5/20, from 2 am to 4 am, BBC America is airing the "Monday", "Tuesday", and "Wednesday" episodes of Worst Week of My Life. Sorry to say I don't know if it's the first or second season (first season was the week before the wedding, second was the week before the new baby), but it doesn't matter. It's a really funny (if silly) show about a man who tries to do the good and right thing but it seems as everything is conspiring against him as he progressively screws things up. The acting is great, and it also stars one of my favorite British actresses: the talented-- and beautiful-- Sarah Alexander. Check it out; I'll try to keep my eyes open for the rest of the week (Thurs-Sun) in case that airs in the future.
One of the best things about the summer is the lack of new shows on the major networks. Time to start expanding your viewing to the other 200+ channels you get. I'd start with BBC America and at least try out the [adult swim] stuff (I'll admit-- the new stuff is too "out there", but there are some good things) and then move on to other things that may interest you. You should also spring for the extra $10 or whatever and get HBO. They've got buttloads of new stuff coming up this year. And their percentage of quality programming is crazy-high.
There are a lot of "hidden gems" out there that are just waiting for you to find them (although, if you read-- and take advice from-- this blog, you're a leg up on others).
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Creed Thoughts
In The Office finale, Creed mentioned that he had a blog. He gave an address a little too fast, so I figured it was probably just a plot point. But then, NBC does like to get it's web stuff out there (remember http://www.thetoddtime.com/ ?). Then Ryan said it was a hoax that he did to Creed because the stuff he wanted to write was too out there, so then I knew it was just a plot point.
But wait-- Creed really does have a blog on nbc.com. My friend, Brian, found it and sent me the link. Check it out, it's great. And it ties into the beach party episode. It also doesn't have any video (unlike thetoddtime.com), so even Old Man can enjoy:
http://blog.nbc.com/CreedThoughts/
But wait-- Creed really does have a blog on nbc.com. My friend, Brian, found it and sent me the link. Check it out, it's great. And it ties into the beach party episode. It also doesn't have any video (unlike thetoddtime.com), so even Old Man can enjoy:
http://blog.nbc.com/CreedThoughts/
Quick Fall Schedule Notes
I'm extremely anal-retentive, so I actually make an Excel spreadsheet of the Fall Schedules when I learn of them. But it's a huge help when I have to plan for what I'm watching as well.
And it gave me some interesting thoughts as I made up the one for this Fall:
CBS is sitting on its heels. During the week, the only new shows are in the timeslots of new shows (that failed) last year. Big Bang Theory takes the place of The Class, Cane takes the place of Smith (and 3lbs), and Kid Nation takes the place of Jericho. Yeah, they're one of the higher-rated networks right now, but ask NBC how sitting on your laurels works. They're still suffering for not looking to find the next Friends and ER when they should have been.
Speaking of NBC, there's only one night there isn't some sort of change: Sunday, since football takes up the whole night. (Saturday doesn't count-- that's a dead night for the networks.) You can also see how much has been put on Heroes. Three of their four new shows have some sort of sci-fi thing going on (enhanced humans, time travel). Their shows all looked good from the clips, but we all know how little the networks actually regard something that is extra-human/sci-fi.
ABC is not losing the "buzz-factor" it had over other networks (Lost, Housewives, Grey's) without a fight. They're debuting eight shows this Fall (the most). You know they're hoping people talk about Private Practice like they do Grey's, and, from what I've heard from critics who sampled pilots, Pushing Daisies will have Lost type buzz. They're taking a huge chance with Wednesday nights with all-new shows airing all night (again pinning hopes on Grey's fans to watch Practice).
FOX, as usual, has a light Fall (since their big hits: Idol and 24 debut in January). Lots of changes as nothing stuck last year (except 'Til Death, which probably got a reprieve because they're hoping it'll mesh with Back to You).
And The CW is actually debuting this season since last season was a UPN/WB mash-up that didn't have time for a pilot process. They're debuting six new shows and keeping the "hits" in place. But will Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars fans give the network a chance? Gilmore was on its last legs, and Mars never had decent ratings, but fans are pissed both shows are now over. And fans of those shows were extremely loyal. And what they've got doesn't interest me (a mid-'30s male) too much other than Reaper (a "genre" show in the Buffy vein).
Frankly, I'm not really excited about any of the shows (like I was for Heroes last year and Prison Break the year before). There are some that look good, but nothing must-see yet. Of course, once I learn more and read the preview articles in the newspaper and magazines, things will pop, but I kinda miss having that one show I waited all summer for.
And I'm curious as to what happened to the big buzz pilot (other than Private Practice): the Americanized Football Wives. For that matter, what happened to the Americanized Life on Mars? Both shows are BBC hits that have done well for BBC America.
Anyway, if you want a look at the schedule all put together, e-mail me at teameckblog@charter.net, and I'll send the Excel file back.
And it gave me some interesting thoughts as I made up the one for this Fall:
CBS is sitting on its heels. During the week, the only new shows are in the timeslots of new shows (that failed) last year. Big Bang Theory takes the place of The Class, Cane takes the place of Smith (and 3lbs), and Kid Nation takes the place of Jericho. Yeah, they're one of the higher-rated networks right now, but ask NBC how sitting on your laurels works. They're still suffering for not looking to find the next Friends and ER when they should have been.
Speaking of NBC, there's only one night there isn't some sort of change: Sunday, since football takes up the whole night. (Saturday doesn't count-- that's a dead night for the networks.) You can also see how much has been put on Heroes. Three of their four new shows have some sort of sci-fi thing going on (enhanced humans, time travel). Their shows all looked good from the clips, but we all know how little the networks actually regard something that is extra-human/sci-fi.
ABC is not losing the "buzz-factor" it had over other networks (Lost, Housewives, Grey's) without a fight. They're debuting eight shows this Fall (the most). You know they're hoping people talk about Private Practice like they do Grey's, and, from what I've heard from critics who sampled pilots, Pushing Daisies will have Lost type buzz. They're taking a huge chance with Wednesday nights with all-new shows airing all night (again pinning hopes on Grey's fans to watch Practice).
FOX, as usual, has a light Fall (since their big hits: Idol and 24 debut in January). Lots of changes as nothing stuck last year (except 'Til Death, which probably got a reprieve because they're hoping it'll mesh with Back to You).
And The CW is actually debuting this season since last season was a UPN/WB mash-up that didn't have time for a pilot process. They're debuting six new shows and keeping the "hits" in place. But will Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars fans give the network a chance? Gilmore was on its last legs, and Mars never had decent ratings, but fans are pissed both shows are now over. And fans of those shows were extremely loyal. And what they've got doesn't interest me (a mid-'30s male) too much other than Reaper (a "genre" show in the Buffy vein).
Frankly, I'm not really excited about any of the shows (like I was for Heroes last year and Prison Break the year before). There are some that look good, but nothing must-see yet. Of course, once I learn more and read the preview articles in the newspaper and magazines, things will pop, but I kinda miss having that one show I waited all summer for.
And I'm curious as to what happened to the big buzz pilot (other than Private Practice): the Americanized Football Wives. For that matter, what happened to the Americanized Life on Mars? Both shows are BBC hits that have done well for BBC America.
Anyway, if you want a look at the schedule all put together, e-mail me at teameckblog@charter.net, and I'll send the Excel file back.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Premieres, Finales, and Notables May 21-27, 2007
And the official 2006-2007 TV season comes to a close on Wednesday (coinciding with the Lost and American Idol. Coincidence?)
Monday, 5/21
Season Finales:
24; FOX 7-9 pm CST. Jack's worst day (at least according to fans) finally ends.
Heroes; NBC 8pm.
The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman; ABC, 8:01.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent; NBC. 9 pm. The last new ep airing on NBC (next season will first-run on the USA Network).
Tuesday, 5/22
Season Finales:
NCIS; CBS. 7 pm.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; NBC, 9 pm.
Boston Legal; ABC, 9:01 pm.
Dancing With the Stars; ABC, 7-9:01 pm
And an oddity: Law & Order: Criminal Intent also airs tonight at 8 pm. Don't know if it's a repeat of Monday's ep, or if it's a Part 2. If you're a fan, it won't hurt check it out tonight just in case.
Series Finale:
CW killed fans (so soon after Gilmore Girls' non-renewal) when it didn't renew Veronica Mars. The last ep airs tonight from 7-9.
Hey! A new show:
On the Lot; FOX. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
A movie-making competition brought to you by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg. Actors and directors you've actually heard of judge the creations.
Wednesday, 5/23:
Season Finales:
Hustle; AMC, 9 pm
And the little shows that could: American Idol (FOX 7-9; although the last five minutes is really all you need to watch) and Lost (ABC, 8-10).
Thursday, 5/24:
Season Finale:
Penn & Teller: Bull!; Showtime, 9 pm.
So You Think You Can Dance; FOX. 7 pm. Season Premiere.
John Safran vs. God; Sundance. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Safran hosts a look at religion in the world today. This week: Muslims in England.
Friday, 5/25
Take a break from the finales and premieres with a Star Wars marathon on Cinemax. All six movies play in order, beginning at 2 pm.
Saturday, 5/26
Season Finales:
Robin Hood; BBC America. 8 pm
Wild At Heart; BBC America. 9 pm
The Wire fans may want to check out BET at 7 pm as it airs David Simon's pre-The Wire look at Baltimore's drug underworld in the 6 part mini-series that aired on HBO in 2000.
Sunday, 5/27
Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee; HBO. 8 pm. Special.
HBO adapts Dee Brown's history of the Indian nation's hardships in the 1800's. This movie got lots of good buzz from critics, many of whom said it was essential viewing. And it's so odd that HBO doesn't do an excellent job, I'd check it out even without the critical endorsements.
USA runs an 18-hour Monk marathon, beginning at 8 am.
Monday, 5/21
Season Finales:
24; FOX 7-9 pm CST. Jack's worst day (at least according to fans) finally ends.
Heroes; NBC 8pm.
The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman; ABC, 8:01.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent; NBC. 9 pm. The last new ep airing on NBC (next season will first-run on the USA Network).
Tuesday, 5/22
Season Finales:
NCIS; CBS. 7 pm.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; NBC, 9 pm.
Boston Legal; ABC, 9:01 pm.
Dancing With the Stars; ABC, 7-9:01 pm
And an oddity: Law & Order: Criminal Intent also airs tonight at 8 pm. Don't know if it's a repeat of Monday's ep, or if it's a Part 2. If you're a fan, it won't hurt check it out tonight just in case.
Series Finale:
CW killed fans (so soon after Gilmore Girls' non-renewal) when it didn't renew Veronica Mars. The last ep airs tonight from 7-9.
Hey! A new show:
On the Lot; FOX. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
A movie-making competition brought to you by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg. Actors and directors you've actually heard of judge the creations.
Wednesday, 5/23:
Season Finales:
Hustle; AMC, 9 pm
And the little shows that could: American Idol (FOX 7-9; although the last five minutes is really all you need to watch) and Lost (ABC, 8-10).
Thursday, 5/24:
Season Finale:
Penn & Teller: Bull!; Showtime, 9 pm.
So You Think You Can Dance; FOX. 7 pm. Season Premiere.
John Safran vs. God; Sundance. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Safran hosts a look at religion in the world today. This week: Muslims in England.
Friday, 5/25
Take a break from the finales and premieres with a Star Wars marathon on Cinemax. All six movies play in order, beginning at 2 pm.
Saturday, 5/26
Season Finales:
Robin Hood; BBC America. 8 pm
Wild At Heart; BBC America. 9 pm
The Wire fans may want to check out BET at 7 pm as it airs David Simon's pre-The Wire look at Baltimore's drug underworld in the 6 part mini-series that aired on HBO in 2000.
Sunday, 5/27
Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee; HBO. 8 pm. Special.
HBO adapts Dee Brown's history of the Indian nation's hardships in the 1800's. This movie got lots of good buzz from critics, many of whom said it was essential viewing. And it's so odd that HBO doesn't do an excellent job, I'd check it out even without the critical endorsements.
USA runs an 18-hour Monk marathon, beginning at 8 am.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Upfront Clip sites
Links to clips to ABC's new shows.
Pushing Daisies looks good. I dig the casts of Private Practice and Big Shots. Eli Stone looked okay. And Miss Guided just may the ABC show I'm looking forward to the most.
Check out the other clips, but prepare to be underwhelmed:
http://abc.go.com/fallpreview/schedule
And here's CBS's new shows. (Sorry, but it's on InnerTube and has commercials-- boooooooo, CBS!). I thought ABC's clips were uninspired, but CBS' takes the cake. Check out Kid Nation as that's the only one that even looks vaguely interesting.
And Big Bang Theory? Oh poor, poor Johnny Galecki... What has your agent gotten you into? CBS cancelled The Class for that piece of sh**? I'm praying it's better than what I just saw.
http://www.cbs.com/innertube/player.php?cat=all&vid=&format=&auto=0
Pushing Daisies looks good. I dig the casts of Private Practice and Big Shots. Eli Stone looked okay. And Miss Guided just may the ABC show I'm looking forward to the most.
Check out the other clips, but prepare to be underwhelmed:
http://abc.go.com/fallpreview/schedule
And here's CBS's new shows. (Sorry, but it's on InnerTube and has commercials-- boooooooo, CBS!). I thought ABC's clips were uninspired, but CBS' takes the cake. Check out Kid Nation as that's the only one that even looks vaguely interesting.
And Big Bang Theory? Oh poor, poor Johnny Galecki... What has your agent gotten you into? CBS cancelled The Class for that piece of sh**? I'm praying it's better than what I just saw.
http://www.cbs.com/innertube/player.php?cat=all&vid=&format=&auto=0
CW Sked
And, finally, CW:
Following is The CW's 2007-2008 prime-time schedule.
Monday
8-8:30 pm Everybody Hates Chris
8:30-9 pm Aliens in America
9-9:30 pm Girlfriends
9:30-10 pm The Game
Tuesday
8-9 pm Beauty and the Geek
9-10 pm Reaper
Wednesday
8-9 pm America's Next Top Model
9-10 pm Gossip Girl
Thursday
8-9 pm Smallville
9-10 pm Supernatural
Friday
8-10 pm Friday Night SmackDown!
Sunday
7-7:30 pm CW Now
7:30-8 pm Online Nation
8-9 pm Life is Wild
9-10 pm America's Next Top Model
And the link to the press release:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Look-Hottest-Fall/Cw-Announces-Fall/800015383
Following is The CW's 2007-2008 prime-time schedule.
Monday
8-8:30 pm Everybody Hates Chris
8:30-9 pm Aliens in America
9-9:30 pm Girlfriends
9:30-10 pm The Game
Tuesday
8-9 pm Beauty and the Geek
9-10 pm Reaper
Wednesday
8-9 pm America's Next Top Model
9-10 pm Gossip Girl
Thursday
8-9 pm Smallville
9-10 pm Supernatural
Friday
8-10 pm Friday Night SmackDown!
Sunday
7-7:30 pm CW Now
7:30-8 pm Online Nation
8-9 pm Life is Wild
9-10 pm America's Next Top Model
And the link to the press release:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Look-Hottest-Fall/Cw-Announces-Fall/800015383
FOX Sked
And FOX... Remember, the net has two seasons: before American Idol and after American Idol. Why they announce the 2008 sked now is beyond comprehension, since they always make changes before January...
FOX Prime-time Schedule Fall 2007:
Monday
8 pm: Prison Break
9 pm: K-Ville
Tuesday
8 pm: New Amsterdam
9 pm: House
Wednesday
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm: 'Til Death
9 pm: Bones
Thursday
8 pm: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9 pm Kitchen Nightmares
Friday
8 pm: The Search for the Next Great American Band
9 pm: Nashville
Saturday
8 pm: Cops
8:30 pm Cops
9 pm America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 pm: Mad TV
12 am: Talk Show with Spike Feresten
Sunday
7 pm: The OT (NFL post-game)
8 pm The Simpsons
8:30 pm: King of the Hill
9 pm: Family Guy
9:30 pm: American Dad
FOX Prime-time Schedule Beginning January 2008:
Monday
8 pm: K-Ville (January)/Prison Break (Spring)
9 pm: 24
Tuesday
8 pm: American Idol
9 pm: House
Wednesday (January)
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm ’Til Death
9 pm: American Idol
Wednesday (Spring)
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm: The Return of Jezebel James
9 pm: American Idol Results Show
9:30 pm: 'Til Death
Thursday
8 pm: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9 pm: Canterbury's Law
Friday
8 pm: Bones
9 pm: New Amsterdam
Saturday
8 pm: Cops
8:30 pm: Cops
9 pm America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 pm: Mad TV
12 am: Talk Show with Spike Feresten
Sunday
7 pm: King of the Hill
7:30 pm: American Dad
8 pm: The Simpsons
8:30 pm: Family Guy
9 pm: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
FOX Prime-time Schedule Fall 2007:
Monday
8 pm: Prison Break
9 pm: K-Ville
Tuesday
8 pm: New Amsterdam
9 pm: House
Wednesday
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm: 'Til Death
9 pm: Bones
Thursday
8 pm: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9 pm Kitchen Nightmares
Friday
8 pm: The Search for the Next Great American Band
9 pm: Nashville
Saturday
8 pm: Cops
8:30 pm Cops
9 pm America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 pm: Mad TV
12 am: Talk Show with Spike Feresten
Sunday
7 pm: The OT (NFL post-game)
8 pm The Simpsons
8:30 pm: King of the Hill
9 pm: Family Guy
9:30 pm: American Dad
FOX Prime-time Schedule Beginning January 2008:
Monday
8 pm: K-Ville (January)/Prison Break (Spring)
9 pm: 24
Tuesday
8 pm: American Idol
9 pm: House
Wednesday (January)
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm ’Til Death
9 pm: American Idol
Wednesday (Spring)
8 pm: Back to You
8:30 pm: The Return of Jezebel James
9 pm: American Idol Results Show
9:30 pm: 'Til Death
Thursday
8 pm: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
9 pm: Canterbury's Law
Friday
8 pm: Bones
9 pm: New Amsterdam
Saturday
8 pm: Cops
8:30 pm: Cops
9 pm America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back
11 pm: Mad TV
12 am: Talk Show with Spike Feresten
Sunday
7 pm: King of the Hill
7:30 pm: American Dad
8 pm: The Simpsons
8:30 pm: Family Guy
9 pm: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
And the press release link:
CBS Sked
Sorry I'm behind.
Here's what CBS plans to do this Fall.
The following is the 2007-2008 CBS Television Network Prime-time schedule:
MONDAY
8 pm How I Met Your Mother
8:30 pm The Big Bang Theory
9 pm Two and a Half Men
9:30 pm Rules of Engagement
10 pm CSI: Miami
TUESDAY
8 pm NCIS
9 pm The Unit
10 pm Cane
WEDNESDAY
8 pm Kid Nation
9 pm Criminal Minds
10 pm CSI: NY
THURSDAY
8 pm Survivor
9 pm CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
10 pm Without a Trace
FRIDAY
8 pm Ghost Whisperer
9 pm Moonlight
10 pm Numbers
SATURDAY
8 pm Crimetime Saturday
9 pm Crimetime Saturday
10 pm 48 Hours: Mystery
SUNDAY
7 pm 60 Minutes
8 pm Viva Laughlin
9 pm Cold Case
10 pm Shark
And here's the press release link:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Look-Hottest-Fall/Cbs-Announces-Fall/800015251
Here's what CBS plans to do this Fall.
The following is the 2007-2008 CBS Television Network Prime-time schedule:
MONDAY
8 pm How I Met Your Mother
8:30 pm The Big Bang Theory
9 pm Two and a Half Men
9:30 pm Rules of Engagement
10 pm CSI: Miami
TUESDAY
8 pm NCIS
9 pm The Unit
10 pm Cane
WEDNESDAY
8 pm Kid Nation
9 pm Criminal Minds
10 pm CSI: NY
THURSDAY
8 pm Survivor
9 pm CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
10 pm Without a Trace
FRIDAY
8 pm Ghost Whisperer
9 pm Moonlight
10 pm Numbers
SATURDAY
8 pm Crimetime Saturday
9 pm Crimetime Saturday
10 pm 48 Hours: Mystery
SUNDAY
7 pm 60 Minutes
8 pm Viva Laughlin
9 pm Cold Case
10 pm Shark
And here's the press release link:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Look-Hottest-Fall/Cbs-Announces-Fall/800015251
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Upfront Odds and Ends
CBS made an early announcement that How I Met Your Mother got a third season (kickass!!!). After last night's finale, I'm more in love with this show than ever.
CBS also announced that Jericho is not coming back. Neither is Close to Home (serves them right for killing off Christian Kane's character) or The Class.
It also announced it is picking up Viva Laughlin (A BBC import), Moonlight (featuring a vampire P.I.), Cane (Jimmy Smits stars in the rum-running "Latin Sopranos"), and Swingtown (about swingers in the '70s). I guess they're actually trying get away from the crime investigations a little.
We'll see what the CBS sked looks like tomorrow at their official presentation.
In CW news, Smallville, Supernatural, One Tree Hill, Girlfriends, and The Game join Everybody Hates Chris and get renewed. And that's it for All of Us. Of course, the show everyone is waiting on, Veronica Mars, wasn't announced. We should know sometime by the end of the week.
As expected, no one laughed at ABC's Geico-inspired Cavemen trailer. Expect this show to(probably deservedly) get kicked around by every critic and magazine until it ultimately gets cancelled (I predict in mid-October).
And ABC's Pushing Daisies gained tons of buzz. Michael Ausiello watched the pilot and loved it (he's got usually good taste-- even if he's a little too obsessed with some shows).
CBS also announced that Jericho is not coming back. Neither is Close to Home (serves them right for killing off Christian Kane's character) or The Class.
It also announced it is picking up Viva Laughlin (A BBC import), Moonlight (featuring a vampire P.I.), Cane (Jimmy Smits stars in the rum-running "Latin Sopranos"), and Swingtown (about swingers in the '70s). I guess they're actually trying get away from the crime investigations a little.
We'll see what the CBS sked looks like tomorrow at their official presentation.
In CW news, Smallville, Supernatural, One Tree Hill, Girlfriends, and The Game join Everybody Hates Chris and get renewed. And that's it for All of Us. Of course, the show everyone is waiting on, Veronica Mars, wasn't announced. We should know sometime by the end of the week.
As expected, no one laughed at ABC's Geico-inspired Cavemen trailer. Expect this show to(probably deservedly) get kicked around by every critic and magazine until it ultimately gets cancelled (I predict in mid-October).
And ABC's Pushing Daisies gained tons of buzz. Michael Ausiello watched the pilot and loved it (he's got usually good taste-- even if he's a little too obsessed with some shows).
The ABC 2007 Schedule
MONDAY:
8:00 pm Dancing with the Stars
9:30 pm Sam I Am
10:00 pm The Bachelor
TUESDAY:
8:00 pm Cavemen
8:30 pm Carpoolers
9:00 pm Dancing with the Stars the Results Show
10:00 pm Boston Legal
WEDNESDAY:
8:00 pm Pushing Daisies
9:00 pm Private Practice
10:00 pm Dirty Sexy Money
THURSDAY:
8:00 pm Ugly Betty
9:00 pm Grey's Anatomy
10:00 pm Big Shots
FRIDAY:
8:00 pm Men in Trees
9:00 pm Women's Murder Club
10:00 pm 20/20
SATURDAY:
8:00 pm Saturday Night College Football
SUNDAY:
7:00 pm America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00 pm Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00 pm Desperate Housewives
10:00 pm Brothers & Sisters
Two half-hour comedies... Amazing.
Here's the official (and lengthy) press release:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Look-Hottest-Fall/Abc-Announces-Fall/800015029
Here's what I've touted before: Michael Ausiello's minute-by-minute account of the ABC presentation:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/700000049
8:00 pm Dancing with the Stars
9:30 pm Sam I Am
10:00 pm The Bachelor
TUESDAY:
8:00 pm Cavemen
8:30 pm Carpoolers
9:00 pm Dancing with the Stars the Results Show
10:00 pm Boston Legal
WEDNESDAY:
8:00 pm Pushing Daisies
9:00 pm Private Practice
10:00 pm Dirty Sexy Money
THURSDAY:
8:00 pm Ugly Betty
9:00 pm Grey's Anatomy
10:00 pm Big Shots
FRIDAY:
8:00 pm Men in Trees
9:00 pm Women's Murder Club
10:00 pm 20/20
SATURDAY:
8:00 pm Saturday Night College Football
SUNDAY:
7:00 pm America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00 pm Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00 pm Desperate Housewives
10:00 pm Brothers & Sisters
Two half-hour comedies... Amazing.
Here's the official (and lengthy) press release:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Look-Hottest-Fall/Abc-Announces-Fall/800015029
Here's what I've touted before: Michael Ausiello's minute-by-minute account of the ABC presentation:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/700000049
The NBC Upfront trailers
I checked out the trailers of the new shows on nbc.com.
Journeyman: looks as good as it sounds on paper.
Lipstick Jungle: good cast, blah trailer.
Chuck: It looks better than I had even hoped.
Life: Had no interest in the show until I saw the trailer; love the humor.
Bionic Woman: I knew I'd check it out, but this looks real interesting.
Here's the link to the videos:
http://www.nbc.com/Fall_Preview/video/#mea=103740
And here's what Matt Roush (the critic I tend to agree with most) thinks about the skeds of both ABC and NBC:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Roush-Dispatch/700000048
Journeyman: looks as good as it sounds on paper.
Lipstick Jungle: good cast, blah trailer.
Chuck: It looks better than I had even hoped.
Life: Had no interest in the show until I saw the trailer; love the humor.
Bionic Woman: I knew I'd check it out, but this looks real interesting.
Here's the link to the videos:
http://www.nbc.com/Fall_Preview/video/#mea=103740
And here's what Matt Roush (the critic I tend to agree with most) thinks about the skeds of both ABC and NBC:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Roush-Dispatch/700000048
Monday, May 14, 2007
NBC Sched 2007-2008
Not a lot of time here, but I thought it was my duty to put what little I could in a post.
Here's the NBC schedule for next season per the upfronts today.
NBC PRIME-TIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007-08 *New programs in CAPS (with the exception of "ER")
MONDAY
8-9 pm Deal or No Deal
9-10 pm Heroes
10-11 pm JOURNEYMAN
TUESDAY
8-9 pm The Biggest Loser
9-10 pm CHUCK
10-11 pm Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
WEDNESDAY
8-9 pm Deal or No Deal
9-10 pm BIONIC WOMAN
10-11 pm LIFE
THURSDAY
8-8:30 pm My Name Is Earl
8:30-9 pm 30 Rock
9-9:30 pm The Office
9:30-10 pm Scrubs
10-11 pm ER
FRIDAY
8-9 pm 1 vs 100/THE SINGING BEE
9-10 pm Las Vegas
10-11 pm Friday Night Lights
SATURDAY
8-9 pm Dateline NBC
9-11 pm Drama Series Encores
SUNDAY (Fall 2007)
7-8 pm Football Night in America
8-11 pm NBC Sunday Night Football
SUNDAY (January 2008)
7-8 pm Dateline NBC
8-9 pm Law & Order
9-10 pm Medium
10-11 pm LIPSTICK JUNGLE
And for details, here's the whole press release:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Look-Hottest-Fall/Nbc-Announces-Fall/800014976
Here's the NBC schedule for next season per the upfronts today.
NBC PRIME-TIME SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2007-08 *New programs in CAPS (with the exception of "ER")
MONDAY
8-9 pm Deal or No Deal
9-10 pm Heroes
10-11 pm JOURNEYMAN
TUESDAY
8-9 pm The Biggest Loser
9-10 pm CHUCK
10-11 pm Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
WEDNESDAY
8-9 pm Deal or No Deal
9-10 pm BIONIC WOMAN
10-11 pm LIFE
THURSDAY
8-8:30 pm My Name Is Earl
8:30-9 pm 30 Rock
9-9:30 pm The Office
9:30-10 pm Scrubs
10-11 pm ER
FRIDAY
8-9 pm 1 vs 100/THE SINGING BEE
9-10 pm Las Vegas
10-11 pm Friday Night Lights
SATURDAY
8-9 pm Dateline NBC
9-11 pm Drama Series Encores
SUNDAY (Fall 2007)
7-8 pm Football Night in America
8-11 pm NBC Sunday Night Football
SUNDAY (January 2008)
7-8 pm Dateline NBC
8-9 pm Law & Order
9-10 pm Medium
10-11 pm LIPSTICK JUNGLE
And for details, here's the whole press release:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Look-Hottest-Fall/Nbc-Announces-Fall/800014976
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Premieres, Finales, and Notables May 14-20, 2007
Monday, 5/14
Season Finales:
Everybody Hates Chris; CW, 7:00 CST
How I Met Your Mother; CBS, 7:00. Ted & Robin have a secret, and Barney spends the entire reception of Lily and Marshall's wedding trying to pry it out of them. And the episode ends on not only a cliffhanger, but a cliffhanger to a sentence.
All of Us; CW, 7:30.
Two and a Half Men; CBS, 7:30.
The Game; CW, 8:00.
CSI: Miami; CBS, 9:00.
And the series finale of The King of Queens; CBS, 8:00 (1 hour).
Tuesday, 5/15
Season Finales:
Bullrun; Spike, 9:00.
Driving Force; A&E, 9:00.
And what was a season finale up until two weeks ago when it became a series finale: Gilmore Girls; CW, 7:00.
Wednesday, 5/16
Season Finales (I'm betting a couple are series finales; they just don't know it yet):
According to Jim; ABC, 7:00.
Thank God You're Here; NBC, 7:00.
Bones; FOX, 7:00.
Crossing Jordan; NBC, 8:00.
Medium; NBC, 9:00.
America's Next Top Model; CW, 7:00.
Criminal Minds; CBS, 8:00.
CSI: NY; CBS, 9:00.
Thursday, 5/17:
Season Finales:
The Office; NBC, 7-8 pm. Michael, Jim, and Karen are up for a promotion. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the person introduced this year, the actress without a long-term commitment to the show as well as the one who shot a pilot this spring will get the promotion (Karen). But then, the show has thrown a wrench into things before. And for those of you into the whole thing: Jim & Pam's relationship is addressed in some fashion.
Scrubs; NBC, 8-9 pm. J.D. has to decide if he wants to pursue Elliot or reconcile with Kim.
Smallville; CW, 7:00. Someone major dies. I'm gonna suspect it's not Clark, not Lana, and not Lex. Poor, poor Chloe...
Ugly Betty; ABC, 7:00.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; CBS, 8:00.
ER; NBC; 9:01.
Supernatural; CW, 8:00.
And a notable: Lost: The Answers (ABC, 9:07) is a clip show which summarizes the goings-on of the castaways and The Others before the big finale next week (where at least five people die).
Friday, 5/18:
Season Finales:
America's Funniest Home Videos; ABC, 7:00. This show still has seasons? I thought they just repackaged the crap from years ago...
Instant Star; The N, 7:00.
Law & Order; NBC, 9:00.
Numb3rs; CBS, 9:00.
And a premiere:
National Bingo Night; ABC, 8:00. God, that hurt my fingers to type. Seriously, ABC expects people to tune in to other people playing f-ing BINGO!!. And it probably will find some audience. Don't watch this crap. When you do, the networks think it's okay to air this garbage.
Saturday, 5/19:
Season Finales:
Mad TV; FOX, 10:00.
Saturday Night Live; NBC, 10:30.
Talk Show With Spike Feresten; FOX, 11:00.
And if you missed out on Heroes, The Sci-Fi Channel is airing 21 episodes (almost the entire season) starting at 9:00 am in preparation for the season finale on Monday, 5/21.
Sunday, 5/20:
Season Finales:
King of the Hill; FOX 6-7. The 11th season ends. Wow, I remember when it premiered...
The Simpsons; FOX, 7-8. The 4ooth episode. Amazing.
Desperate Housewives; ABC, 8:00.
Family Guy; FOX, 8:00.
American Dad; FOX, 8:30.
Brothers & Sisters; ABC, 9:02.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; ABC, 6:00 & 7:00.
Blood Ties; Lifetime, 9:00.
Grey's Anatomy; ABC, 8:00.
Season Finales:
Everybody Hates Chris; CW, 7:00 CST
How I Met Your Mother; CBS, 7:00. Ted & Robin have a secret, and Barney spends the entire reception of Lily and Marshall's wedding trying to pry it out of them. And the episode ends on not only a cliffhanger, but a cliffhanger to a sentence.
All of Us; CW, 7:30.
Two and a Half Men; CBS, 7:30.
The Game; CW, 8:00.
CSI: Miami; CBS, 9:00.
And the series finale of The King of Queens; CBS, 8:00 (1 hour).
Tuesday, 5/15
Season Finales:
Bullrun; Spike, 9:00.
Driving Force; A&E, 9:00.
And what was a season finale up until two weeks ago when it became a series finale: Gilmore Girls; CW, 7:00.
Wednesday, 5/16
Season Finales (I'm betting a couple are series finales; they just don't know it yet):
According to Jim; ABC, 7:00.
Thank God You're Here; NBC, 7:00.
Bones; FOX, 7:00.
Crossing Jordan; NBC, 8:00.
Medium; NBC, 9:00.
America's Next Top Model; CW, 7:00.
Criminal Minds; CBS, 8:00.
CSI: NY; CBS, 9:00.
Thursday, 5/17:
Season Finales:
The Office; NBC, 7-8 pm. Michael, Jim, and Karen are up for a promotion. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the person introduced this year, the actress without a long-term commitment to the show as well as the one who shot a pilot this spring will get the promotion (Karen). But then, the show has thrown a wrench into things before. And for those of you into the whole thing: Jim & Pam's relationship is addressed in some fashion.
Scrubs; NBC, 8-9 pm. J.D. has to decide if he wants to pursue Elliot or reconcile with Kim.
Smallville; CW, 7:00. Someone major dies. I'm gonna suspect it's not Clark, not Lana, and not Lex. Poor, poor Chloe...
Ugly Betty; ABC, 7:00.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; CBS, 8:00.
ER; NBC; 9:01.
Supernatural; CW, 8:00.
And a notable: Lost: The Answers (ABC, 9:07) is a clip show which summarizes the goings-on of the castaways and The Others before the big finale next week (where at least five people die).
Friday, 5/18:
Season Finales:
America's Funniest Home Videos; ABC, 7:00. This show still has seasons? I thought they just repackaged the crap from years ago...
Instant Star; The N, 7:00.
Law & Order; NBC, 9:00.
Numb3rs; CBS, 9:00.
And a premiere:
National Bingo Night; ABC, 8:00. God, that hurt my fingers to type. Seriously, ABC expects people to tune in to other people playing f-ing BINGO!!. And it probably will find some audience. Don't watch this crap. When you do, the networks think it's okay to air this garbage.
Saturday, 5/19:
Season Finales:
Mad TV; FOX, 10:00.
Saturday Night Live; NBC, 10:30.
Talk Show With Spike Feresten; FOX, 11:00.
And if you missed out on Heroes, The Sci-Fi Channel is airing 21 episodes (almost the entire season) starting at 9:00 am in preparation for the season finale on Monday, 5/21.
Sunday, 5/20:
Season Finales:
King of the Hill; FOX 6-7. The 11th season ends. Wow, I remember when it premiered...
The Simpsons; FOX, 7-8. The 4ooth episode. Amazing.
Desperate Housewives; ABC, 8:00.
Family Guy; FOX, 8:00.
American Dad; FOX, 8:30.
Brothers & Sisters; ABC, 9:02.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; ABC, 6:00 & 7:00.
Blood Ties; Lifetime, 9:00.
Grey's Anatomy; ABC, 8:00.
Media Watch Friday & Saturday
And the completion of my tracking of my media devouring for the week:
Friday:
Finished listening to the audiobook Star Wars: Cloak of Deception.
Finished the 300 graphic novel.
Finished the trade paperback of Superman: Up, Up and Away.
Listened to Sammy Hagar's Standing Hampton.
Watched Scrubs; "My Conventional Wisdom"; 5/10.
Watched American Dad; "When a Stan Loves a Woman"; 4/29.
Saturday:
Listened to The Lion King Broadway Musical soundtrack. Like three times... (my kids just got it, and we were in the car a lot).
Read the intro to The Cheater's Guide to Baseball.
Watched Boston Legal episodes (finished 1/9, and the entire 1/16 & 1/30 episodes).
Roundup:
All in all, a pretty light week (was pretty busy Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday). I also listened to music, which doesn't happen very much. But you can kinda get an idea of what I watch/read in a typical week, and why I am such an excellent judge of media. :)
Friday:
Finished listening to the audiobook Star Wars: Cloak of Deception.
Finished the 300 graphic novel.
Finished the trade paperback of Superman: Up, Up and Away.
Listened to Sammy Hagar's Standing Hampton.
Watched Scrubs; "My Conventional Wisdom"; 5/10.
Watched American Dad; "When a Stan Loves a Woman"; 4/29.
Saturday:
Listened to The Lion King Broadway Musical soundtrack. Like three times... (my kids just got it, and we were in the car a lot).
Read the intro to The Cheater's Guide to Baseball.
Watched Boston Legal episodes (finished 1/9, and the entire 1/16 & 1/30 episodes).
Roundup:
All in all, a pretty light week (was pretty busy Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday). I also listened to music, which doesn't happen very much. But you can kinda get an idea of what I watch/read in a typical week, and why I am such an excellent judge of media. :)
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Han Solo's torture
Lametastic84 posted this clip on YouTube. The joke is funny, if stretched a little too far.
10 Things I Hate About Commandments
Here is an extremely well done 1:18 long clip that poses the question: what if THE TEN COMMANDMENTS was a teen comedy.
Friday, May 11, 2007
NBC Makes it (Almost) Official
Michael Ausiello reports that a well-placed mole at NBC has confirmed that Scrubs will be back for a final 18 episode season on the network.
Rumor has it that if NBC pulled the plug on the show, ABC would have picked it up (the network actually produces the show) for the last season.
If NBC doesn't make it official soon, we should know the fate of the show next week at upfronts.
I'm going to try really hard to keep up with upfronts and report as I can. But you can always check tvguide.com, click in the news and views section, and then click on Michael Ausiello. He's always got the scoop as he reports on upfronts (in a usually comical manner).
Rumor has it that if NBC pulled the plug on the show, ABC would have picked it up (the network actually produces the show) for the last season.
If NBC doesn't make it official soon, we should know the fate of the show next week at upfronts.
I'm going to try really hard to keep up with upfronts and report as I can. But you can always check tvguide.com, click in the news and views section, and then click on Michael Ausiello. He's always got the scoop as he reports on upfronts (in a usually comical manner).
Media Watch: Tuesday Through Thursday
Part Two of what I watch/read in a week.
Tuesday:
The Showbiz Show With David Spade; 5/3
How I Met Your Mother; "Something Borrowed"; 5/7
The New Adventures of Old Christine; 5/7
Moral Orel; "Repression"; 5/6
An hour of the audiobook Star Wars: Cloak of Deception.
About 35 minutes of a My Chemical Romance CD my friend lent me.
Wednesday:
Sherrybaby DVD
A few entries in The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived
An hour of the audiobook Star Wars: Cloak of Deception
Free Comic Book Day edition of Amazing Spider-Man "Swing Shift"
Free Comic Book Day edition of Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century
Justice League of America #8
Justice Society of America #5
Thursday:
Finished The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived
Listened to an hour of the audiobook Star Wars: Cloak of Deception
Read a chapter of Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Exile
Read the first chapter of the 300 graphic novel
The Office; "Beach Games"; 5/10
My Name Is Earl; "The Trial"; 5/10
Reno 911; 5/6
Tuesday:
The Showbiz Show With David Spade; 5/3
How I Met Your Mother; "Something Borrowed"; 5/7
The New Adventures of Old Christine; 5/7
Moral Orel; "Repression"; 5/6
An hour of the audiobook Star Wars: Cloak of Deception.
About 35 minutes of a My Chemical Romance CD my friend lent me.
Wednesday:
Sherrybaby DVD
A few entries in The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived
An hour of the audiobook Star Wars: Cloak of Deception
Free Comic Book Day edition of Amazing Spider-Man "Swing Shift"
Free Comic Book Day edition of Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century
Justice League of America #8
Justice Society of America #5
Thursday:
Finished The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived
Listened to an hour of the audiobook Star Wars: Cloak of Deception
Read a chapter of Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Exile
Read the first chapter of the 300 graphic novel
The Office; "Beach Games"; 5/10
My Name Is Earl; "The Trial"; 5/10
Reno 911; 5/6
Thursday, May 10, 2007
NBC Stops Playing the Waiting Game
Every season, there's one show that every critic loves. Usually, the show suffers from bad ratings and disappears.
This year, that show was Friday Night Lights. Eyes are on NBC's upfronts next week, where we'll see if it gets renewed.
But they decided not to make us wait. tvguide.com's Michael Ausiello reported a mere three hours ago that NBC has renewed the show for next year-- for a full 22 episode season!
This year, that show was Friday Night Lights. Eyes are on NBC's upfronts next week, where we'll see if it gets renewed.
But they decided not to make us wait. tvguide.com's Michael Ausiello reported a mere three hours ago that NBC has renewed the show for next year-- for a full 22 episode season!
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Iron Man?
Iron Man was the first superhero I wished I could be. The armor was just too cool. Way, way back, in my earliest years of reading comic books, Iron Man was the one I had to read first when I bought a few comics.
I "grew out" of the character when he was handled so poorly (pretty much the '90s until today). Now, after the "Civil War" storyline Marvel did last year, Tony Stark's pretty much a dick.
So I'm looking forward to what I hope is "my" Iron Man for the upcoming film (especially because the direct to DVD animated movie was booooring).
This picture of the movie armor was on ew.com, so I hope it's legit. 'Cause it kicks all kinds of ass...
Media Week: Sunday and Monday
In the past week, I've had exchanges with two of my friends about the sheer amount of media I devour in a typical day. One friend of mine just came out and said "Do you ever just do nothing?" And I, honestly, don't. It's pretty sad.
My other friend got to hear about my dilemma when I have the house to myself for a few hours. Do I watch something in the living room on the DVR (which needs to be cleaned out from time to time) on the big TV? Do I go downstairs to my Fortress of Solitude and watch a tape or DVD while I straighten out my collections? Do I try to catch up on the few websites I stay up on? If I'm on the computer, can I watch something on the TV in the other room? Should I bring the small TV/VCR to the computer room, so I can surf/blog while something's on I can watch?
So yeah, I don't ever really shut down.
So this (and subsequent posts for the week) will kinda lay out what I watch/read in a week. I know I talk TV most of the time, but I am more rounded than that.
For the record: I'm not going to list the websites (tvguide.com, newsarama.com, and the library website) or the magazines I read. And I skim the daily paper, but I usually knock it out in a half-hour, so it's not like I read more than dozen articles a day.
Anyway, here goes. It's, actually, pretty light so far.
If I know the episode title, I'll include it. The dates are when the ep aired:
Sunday, May 6
Ugly Betty, "Secretaries Day", 5/3
Bronx Bunny, 4/25
Desperate Houswives, 5/6
Brothers and Sisters, 4/29
A chapter of Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Exile.
Monday, May 7
The trade paperback Batman: As The Crow Flies
The first story in the trade paperback Superman: Up, Up and Away
Listened to about an hour's worth of the audiobook of Star Wars: Cloak of Deception.
Watched the DVD of Casino Royale
My other friend got to hear about my dilemma when I have the house to myself for a few hours. Do I watch something in the living room on the DVR (which needs to be cleaned out from time to time) on the big TV? Do I go downstairs to my Fortress of Solitude and watch a tape or DVD while I straighten out my collections? Do I try to catch up on the few websites I stay up on? If I'm on the computer, can I watch something on the TV in the other room? Should I bring the small TV/VCR to the computer room, so I can surf/blog while something's on I can watch?
So yeah, I don't ever really shut down.
So this (and subsequent posts for the week) will kinda lay out what I watch/read in a week. I know I talk TV most of the time, but I am more rounded than that.
For the record: I'm not going to list the websites (tvguide.com, newsarama.com, and the library website) or the magazines I read. And I skim the daily paper, but I usually knock it out in a half-hour, so it's not like I read more than dozen articles a day.
Anyway, here goes. It's, actually, pretty light so far.
If I know the episode title, I'll include it. The dates are when the ep aired:
Sunday, May 6
Ugly Betty, "Secretaries Day", 5/3
Bronx Bunny, 4/25
Desperate Houswives, 5/6
Brothers and Sisters, 4/29
A chapter of Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Exile.
Monday, May 7
The trade paperback Batman: As The Crow Flies
The first story in the trade paperback Superman: Up, Up and Away
Listened to about an hour's worth of the audiobook of Star Wars: Cloak of Deception.
Watched the DVD of Casino Royale
ABC's Bold Move
Fans, creators, and the network did the impossible: they pulled off a win-win-win for Lost.
Producers of the show had wanted ABC to agree to an end point. This would allow them to tell the story they wanted to tell.
ABC didn't want one of their cash cows to just up and leave when money and ratings were to be had.
Fans wanted some comfort that the show still had a direction.
On Monday, ABC announced that Lost would be back for three more, shortened, seasons. The sixteen episode seasons would run from February to May without repeats.
It's a big move for the network. And it's showing a potential shift in network thinking, allowing a show to run shorter seasons without interruptions.
I don't watch the show (yet), but I find the move encouraging. The producers can now put the pieces in place to tell the story they want to tell. The fans can continue to watch without feeling the show is spinning its wheels. And the network has three more seasons of the show with an easy way to schedule it.
Producers of the show had wanted ABC to agree to an end point. This would allow them to tell the story they wanted to tell.
ABC didn't want one of their cash cows to just up and leave when money and ratings were to be had.
Fans wanted some comfort that the show still had a direction.
On Monday, ABC announced that Lost would be back for three more, shortened, seasons. The sixteen episode seasons would run from February to May without repeats.
It's a big move for the network. And it's showing a potential shift in network thinking, allowing a show to run shorter seasons without interruptions.
I don't watch the show (yet), but I find the move encouraging. The producers can now put the pieces in place to tell the story they want to tell. The fans can continue to watch without feeling the show is spinning its wheels. And the network has three more seasons of the show with an easy way to schedule it.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
This Week's Notables Addendum
This week has a few notables I didn't point out because TV Guide didn't have them. Thank goodness for the DVR scheduler...
Easily enough, they all air on Saturday, May 12.
The fourth episode of Green Wing airs on BBC America Saturday from 4-5 am . I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was a bit upset that the network hasn't been airing it regularly, but I did recommend recording the first three eps that aired. And 'cuz I got yer back, I'm telling you about the fourth.
And it's a good one. It's Joanna's birthday, and she thinks the hot IT stud gave her a gift, and it was actually from lower-than-geek Dr. Statham. Plus, it is revealed that Guy has rated all the women in the hospital, and Caroline is mad she didn't rate higher.
Also on Saturday, from 6am-11am, the Sundance Channel will air the entire third (and final) season of Slings and Arrows. I haven't watched it yet, but I was hooked from the first episode of the series, especially with Paul Gross' work. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen.
Finally, I don't want to hype it beyond all expectations, but I really believe the "Return of the King" episode of The Boondocks that is airing on Saturday on the Cartoon Network/[adult swim] from 10:30-11:00 pm is one of the best half-hours of television I watched all last year-- and if I was pinned down, I would rank it as the one of the best I've ever seen.
It's kind of an alternate history episode that poses the question: what would Martin Luther King, Jr. think of the state of African Americans today. When the ep first aired, I had just finished a book written by a reformed Crips (or was it Bloods?) member who related his life story, and what he had learned from many stints in jail. One of his main arguments about why black people can never get ahead is because they are held down by whites-- something I would agree with. I'm not sure if it's true on a small, personal level, but I do believe on a large corporate or government level, it's true. But I also felt that argument was missing something.
This Boondocks episode fills in the blanks a bit when it's pretty laid out there that black people cause as much damage to themselves as any other race does. King's reaction to how some party members at a rally are acting really doesn't pull any punches. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but I was shocked initially, and then the point of the scene hit me right between the eyes. Too bad not enough people watched it; or that most of the ones that did, won't "get it" (sort of what Dave Chappelle realized about peoples' reactions to The Chappelle Show). It's a very good story interlaced with profanity and the "N-Word" as well as jokes (the show is a comedy after all). But, like shows such as Chappelle's Show and South Park, the heart of the story can be missed when all people see are the jokes.
And the episode was also a great tribute to the man who had done so much for African Americans-- and Americans in general. And that was the whole point to the episode. No one has really done a good "holiday episode" about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (when this episode first aired), and, sadly, no one probably ever will. Especially since The Boondocks set the bar so high.
This episode gets my highest recommendation. If you tried Boondocks and didn't like it, give this episode a try. The tone is a little different from the other episodes, and it's worth trying again for.
And if you haven't tried the show-- shame on you! Are you not reading what I'm writing? Do I do this for nothing?
Easily enough, they all air on Saturday, May 12.
The fourth episode of Green Wing airs on BBC America Saturday from 4-5 am . I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was a bit upset that the network hasn't been airing it regularly, but I did recommend recording the first three eps that aired. And 'cuz I got yer back, I'm telling you about the fourth.
And it's a good one. It's Joanna's birthday, and she thinks the hot IT stud gave her a gift, and it was actually from lower-than-geek Dr. Statham. Plus, it is revealed that Guy has rated all the women in the hospital, and Caroline is mad she didn't rate higher.
Also on Saturday, from 6am-11am, the Sundance Channel will air the entire third (and final) season of Slings and Arrows. I haven't watched it yet, but I was hooked from the first episode of the series, especially with Paul Gross' work. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen.
Finally, I don't want to hype it beyond all expectations, but I really believe the "Return of the King" episode of The Boondocks that is airing on Saturday on the Cartoon Network/[adult swim] from 10:30-11:00 pm is one of the best half-hours of television I watched all last year-- and if I was pinned down, I would rank it as the one of the best I've ever seen.
It's kind of an alternate history episode that poses the question: what would Martin Luther King, Jr. think of the state of African Americans today. When the ep first aired, I had just finished a book written by a reformed Crips (or was it Bloods?) member who related his life story, and what he had learned from many stints in jail. One of his main arguments about why black people can never get ahead is because they are held down by whites-- something I would agree with. I'm not sure if it's true on a small, personal level, but I do believe on a large corporate or government level, it's true. But I also felt that argument was missing something.
This Boondocks episode fills in the blanks a bit when it's pretty laid out there that black people cause as much damage to themselves as any other race does. King's reaction to how some party members at a rally are acting really doesn't pull any punches. I don't want to ruin it for anyone, but I was shocked initially, and then the point of the scene hit me right between the eyes. Too bad not enough people watched it; or that most of the ones that did, won't "get it" (sort of what Dave Chappelle realized about peoples' reactions to The Chappelle Show). It's a very good story interlaced with profanity and the "N-Word" as well as jokes (the show is a comedy after all). But, like shows such as Chappelle's Show and South Park, the heart of the story can be missed when all people see are the jokes.
And the episode was also a great tribute to the man who had done so much for African Americans-- and Americans in general. And that was the whole point to the episode. No one has really done a good "holiday episode" about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (when this episode first aired), and, sadly, no one probably ever will. Especially since The Boondocks set the bar so high.
This episode gets my highest recommendation. If you tried Boondocks and didn't like it, give this episode a try. The tone is a little different from the other episodes, and it's worth trying again for.
And if you haven't tried the show-- shame on you! Are you not reading what I'm writing? Do I do this for nothing?
Premieres and Notables, April 7-13, 2007
Sorry it's been so long-- rough week. And I've got to do this post quick-like...
Monday, 5/7
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, 7:30 CST) and Girlfriends (CW, 8:30) have their season finales.
Tuesday, 5/8
George Lopez (ABC, 7:00), The Unit (CBS, 8:00), and Tori & Dean: Inn Love (Oxygen, 9:30) all have their season finales.
Wednesday, 5/9
Jericho (CBS, 7:00) has a death in its season finale, and the 100th ep of Mail Call (History, 10:00) is also its season finale.
Thursday, 5/10
NBC continues it's "supersized" Thursday. Earl's self-improvement the past few weeks may take a bad turn on the season finale of My Name Is Earl (NBC, 7:00). Michael takes the crew on a staff outing at Lake Scranton and creates a competition to find his successor (he's being considered for a corporate position; why would he think he wouldn't get it?) on The Office (NBC, 7:40). And on Scrubs (NBC, 8:20), J.D. runs into a pregnant Kim, who, if you remember, told J.D. she had a miscarriage.
Without a Trace also wraps up its fifth season tonight (CBS, 9:00). Part One of the Supernatural (CW, 8:00) season finale airs.
Traveler; ABC. 9:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Two friends pull a prank at an NY museum. A bomb goes off in the museum the same day. Now the two are on the run from the FBI, and their only alibi has disappeared-- and he might have set them up in the first place.
Friday, 5/11
P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy (HBO, 11:00), Ghost Whisperer (CBS, 7:00), and Close to Home (CBS, 8:00) have their season finales.
Saturday, 5/12
My Friends Tigger and Pooh; Disney. 9:00 am. Series Premiere.
Christopher Robin didn't make the cut in this CG animated series. Now, the human of the group is a six-year-old girl named Darby.
Sunday, 5/13
Survivor: Fiji (CBS, 7-10:00) picks the latest winner in its season finale, and Seventh Heaven (CW, 7:00) has its second (and final) series finale.
Monday, 5/7
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, 7:30 CST) and Girlfriends (CW, 8:30) have their season finales.
Tuesday, 5/8
George Lopez (ABC, 7:00), The Unit (CBS, 8:00), and Tori & Dean: Inn Love (Oxygen, 9:30) all have their season finales.
Wednesday, 5/9
Jericho (CBS, 7:00) has a death in its season finale, and the 100th ep of Mail Call (History, 10:00) is also its season finale.
Thursday, 5/10
NBC continues it's "supersized" Thursday. Earl's self-improvement the past few weeks may take a bad turn on the season finale of My Name Is Earl (NBC, 7:00). Michael takes the crew on a staff outing at Lake Scranton and creates a competition to find his successor (he's being considered for a corporate position; why would he think he wouldn't get it?) on The Office (NBC, 7:40). And on Scrubs (NBC, 8:20), J.D. runs into a pregnant Kim, who, if you remember, told J.D. she had a miscarriage.
Without a Trace also wraps up its fifth season tonight (CBS, 9:00). Part One of the Supernatural (CW, 8:00) season finale airs.
Traveler; ABC. 9:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Two friends pull a prank at an NY museum. A bomb goes off in the museum the same day. Now the two are on the run from the FBI, and their only alibi has disappeared-- and he might have set them up in the first place.
Friday, 5/11
P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy (HBO, 11:00), Ghost Whisperer (CBS, 7:00), and Close to Home (CBS, 8:00) have their season finales.
Saturday, 5/12
My Friends Tigger and Pooh; Disney. 9:00 am. Series Premiere.
Christopher Robin didn't make the cut in this CG animated series. Now, the human of the group is a six-year-old girl named Darby.
Sunday, 5/13
Survivor: Fiji (CBS, 7-10:00) picks the latest winner in its season finale, and Seventh Heaven (CW, 7:00) has its second (and final) series finale.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Premieres and Notables April 30-May 6, 2007
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.
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.
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).
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
I Can't Even Explain This One
Check out this link to a 2 minute video starring Will Farrell and "Pearl":
http://sjl.funnyordie.com//v1/view_video.php?viewkey=3efbc24c7d2583be6925
http://sjl.funnyordie.com//v1/view_video.php?viewkey=3efbc24c7d2583be6925
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Premieres and Notables April 16-22, 2007
Monday, 4/16
FOX's Drive moves to its regular night and time (7 pm CST).
CBS' How I Met Your Mother repeats the "Crazy Eyes" episode (7 pm CST).
Wednesday 4/18
Head Case; Starz. 10 pm. Series Premiere.
Alexandra Wentworth plays a psychologist with a celebrity clientele in this 15 minute/episode series.
Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Standup; Starz. 10:15 pm. Series Premiere.
A stand-up comedy showcase with an incredibly long title.
Setup; Speed. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Amateur drivers going around in circles. Exciting...
Thursday, 4/19
Steve Carell's finest performance on The Office so far repeats at 7:30 when Michael returns from vacation and word gets out he went with Jan.
Norm McDonald guest stars on My Name is Earl (7:00).
In another great nod to superheroes past, "Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter guest stars on Smallville as Chloe's mother.
Friday, 4/20
Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter; WE. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Because the world was clamoring for a reality series about such a woman.
Saturday, 4/21
Apparently Scarlett Johansson didn't learn that the show SUCKS her first time, so tonight she has a second stint as host of Saturday Night Live. I think she's talented, but that show manages to quash the talent of anyone unfortunate enough to agree to be a host (Piven, Lee, Carell, Cook).
Spring Watch; Animal Planet. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
Six-part series that tracks the development of spring.
The Real Deal; TLC. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
A series that shows how to renovate and resell real estate. It is sooo going to be "season pass"ed on my DVR...
The States; History Channel. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Ten-part series exploring the history and lore of the United States. Sounds cool. The first ep focuses on California, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Kansas, and West Virginia.
The War at Home (FOX, 6 pm) has its season finale. Considering the lead just shot a pilot for next year, I'm guessing we may be able to call this the "series finale".
Planet Earth repeats on the Discovery Channel from 8 am to 5 pm and then airs the last two episodes at 7 & 8 pm. After that is an hour-long special about the making of the series.
FOX's Drive moves to its regular night and time (7 pm CST).
CBS' How I Met Your Mother repeats the "Crazy Eyes" episode (7 pm CST).
Wednesday 4/18
Head Case; Starz. 10 pm. Series Premiere.
Alexandra Wentworth plays a psychologist with a celebrity clientele in this 15 minute/episode series.
Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Standup; Starz. 10:15 pm. Series Premiere.
A stand-up comedy showcase with an incredibly long title.
Setup; Speed. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Amateur drivers going around in circles. Exciting...
Thursday, 4/19
Steve Carell's finest performance on The Office so far repeats at 7:30 when Michael returns from vacation and word gets out he went with Jan.
Norm McDonald guest stars on My Name is Earl (7:00).
In another great nod to superheroes past, "Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter guest stars on Smallville as Chloe's mother.
Friday, 4/20
Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter; WE. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Because the world was clamoring for a reality series about such a woman.
Saturday, 4/21
Apparently Scarlett Johansson didn't learn that the show SUCKS her first time, so tonight she has a second stint as host of Saturday Night Live. I think she's talented, but that show manages to quash the talent of anyone unfortunate enough to agree to be a host (Piven, Lee, Carell, Cook).
Spring Watch; Animal Planet. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
Six-part series that tracks the development of spring.
The Real Deal; TLC. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
A series that shows how to renovate and resell real estate. It is sooo going to be "season pass"ed on my DVR...
The States; History Channel. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
Ten-part series exploring the history and lore of the United States. Sounds cool. The first ep focuses on California, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Kansas, and West Virginia.
The War at Home (FOX, 6 pm) has its season finale. Considering the lead just shot a pilot for next year, I'm guessing we may be able to call this the "series finale".
Planet Earth repeats on the Discovery Channel from 8 am to 5 pm and then airs the last two episodes at 7 & 8 pm. After that is an hour-long special about the making of the series.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Monday, April 09, 2007
Some MOTHER scoop
TV Guide's Matt Webb Mitovich interviewed How I Met Your Mother co-creator and exec producer Carter Bays today.
I love that show, and the interview was great. I forgot Barney still has three slaps coming to him.
Here's the link:
http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Interviews-Features/Article/default.aspx?posting={DA5FB4D2-86ED-49E8-BE20-C49C69551A71}
I love that show, and the interview was great. I forgot Barney still has three slaps coming to him.
Here's the link:
http://www.tvguide.com/News-Views/Interviews-Features/Article/default.aspx?posting={DA5FB4D2-86ED-49E8-BE20-C49C69551A71}
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Sometimes It's Good to Be Right
I don't like awards and awards shows very much. The biggest reason is the pool of nominees is so shallow. It's a complete crime that Buffy the Vampire Slayer never got a major award nomination. The stodgy voters don't open their minds that something as unanimously well-received by the critics (who actually watch the shows) as Battlestar Galactica may be something worth checking out.
But there are a few organizations who go out of their way to shine a spotlight on the less-noticed. One of those is the George Foster Peabody Awards. The Peabody's are taken pretty seriously because the recipients of the award know the people giving it know what they're doing (unlike, say, the Golden Globes, or the nearly laughable Emmys).
This year's list of winners of the 66th Annual Peabody Awards include:
The Office. An NBC comedy that has found its own voice beyond its predecessor (which also won a Peabody).
Friday Night Lights. Probably the most universally praised new show among the critics I read.
Ugly Betty. Harmless, cartoony show with heart that breaks barriers. You've got middle-class Latinos, rich white people, powerful black people, at least one gay person, a trans-sexual, and on and on. But the race/lifestyles play no part in the show. The characters just are. They're people.
Scrubs. A show in its sixth year that is still fresh. It's actually taking more chances as it gets older. Not many shows can make one laugh one minute and then nearly cry (and it's not forced or sappy) the next like this one can.
And the biggest surprise to me (that it was recognized): the "Return of the King" episode of [adult swim]'s Boondocks, which I consider one of the best half-hours I watched last year, and ranks among the best episodes of any show I've ever watched. It's absolutely brilliant. And it's animated. On a "rebel" nighttime network. And the Peabodys still found it. I hate when critics write this, but it's deserving: Bravo, Peabodys!
Here's a link to all the award winners from the official site. As you can see, they hit all formats and all venues from the networks, to cable, to local:
http://www.peabody.uga.edu/news/pressrelease.asp?ID=142
And if you like your information in news release form, here's that link:
http://www.peabody.uga.edu/news/pressrelease.asp?ID=143
But there are a few organizations who go out of their way to shine a spotlight on the less-noticed. One of those is the George Foster Peabody Awards. The Peabody's are taken pretty seriously because the recipients of the award know the people giving it know what they're doing (unlike, say, the Golden Globes, or the nearly laughable Emmys).
This year's list of winners of the 66th Annual Peabody Awards include:
The Office. An NBC comedy that has found its own voice beyond its predecessor (which also won a Peabody).
Friday Night Lights. Probably the most universally praised new show among the critics I read.
Ugly Betty. Harmless, cartoony show with heart that breaks barriers. You've got middle-class Latinos, rich white people, powerful black people, at least one gay person, a trans-sexual, and on and on. But the race/lifestyles play no part in the show. The characters just are. They're people.
Scrubs. A show in its sixth year that is still fresh. It's actually taking more chances as it gets older. Not many shows can make one laugh one minute and then nearly cry (and it's not forced or sappy) the next like this one can.
And the biggest surprise to me (that it was recognized): the "Return of the King" episode of [adult swim]'s Boondocks, which I consider one of the best half-hours I watched last year, and ranks among the best episodes of any show I've ever watched. It's absolutely brilliant. And it's animated. On a "rebel" nighttime network. And the Peabodys still found it. I hate when critics write this, but it's deserving: Bravo, Peabodys!
Here's a link to all the award winners from the official site. As you can see, they hit all formats and all venues from the networks, to cable, to local:
http://www.peabody.uga.edu/news/pressrelease.asp?ID=142
And if you like your information in news release form, here's that link:
http://www.peabody.uga.edu/news/pressrelease.asp?ID=143
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Premieres and Notables April 9-15, 2007
Monday, 4/9
Thank God You're Here; NBC. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
An improv comedy contest hosted by David Alan Grier and judged by Dave Foley. Those two men are enough to get me to watch, but if they aren't for you, the contestants tonight are: Wayne Knight, Jennifer Coolidge, Joel McHale, and Bryan Cranston. Recommended.
Falcon Beach; ABC Family. 6 pm. Season Premiere.
I know nothing about this show.
Wednesday, 4/11
'Til Death, Friday Night Lights, and Top Design all sign off for the season tonight.
Shear Genius; Bravo. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
As if Bravo didn't have enough crap reality shows, they're adding one about a hairstyling competition. Ooooooo...
And one of my all-time favorite shows, Green Wing, is airing the first three episodes of the nine-ep first season from 2:00am -5:00 am (technically on Thursday morning). I've complained before about BBC America's scheduling (airing some eps, but not others), but I'll keep my eye out for the remaining six eps. This is an insane show. And it's accessible to an American audience. This is the show (even more than The Office) that convinced me that BBC America is one of the best networks on the air.
The premise is similar to Scrubs: doctors having surreal adventures. But the FFC doesn't have a role in cable, so they go much farther than our friends on NBC can. The first ep ends with a doctor using a ski pole to force an especially large "loaf" she pinched down a clogged toilet. Hilarious.
I recommended this show a while back in a previous post. You can check it out here: http://teameck.blogspot.com/2006/08/episodes-of-note-coming-up.html
Thursday, 4/12
Notes From the Underbelly; ABC. 9:01 & 9:31 CST. Series Premiere.
This show was universally derided when previews went out last year. Expect ABC to burn off these episodes as soon as they can. I'll watch a few eps just to see if it's really as bad as every review I read said it was.
Now for something that actually should be funny: My Name is Earl finally has a new episode after a month and a half (7 pm NBC).
And ABC is getting ready for the home-stretch with its big hits. Ugly Betty (GREAT show) and Grey's Anatomy (huge fan base show I don't watch) are both having clip shows to bring viewers up to speed as each begin their final airing of new episodes for the season next week.
Friday, 4/13
Stargate SG-1; SciFi. 7 pm CST. Return.
The final 10 eps of the series begin.
Stargate Atlantis; SciFi. 8 pm. Return.
Painkiller Jane; SciFi. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
This series, based on a cultish comic I've never read, follows a DEA agent who finds out she is indestructible, but not impervious to pain.
Sunday, 4/15
100 Biggest Weather Moments; Weather Channel. 7 pm. Mini-series.
A five-part look at the big weather moments. I don't even know what to say about a list that puts the devastating Hurricane Katrina with the Wizard of Oz tornado.
America at a Crossroads; PBS. 8 pm. Mini-series.
An 11 documentary look at the post 9/11 world.
Drive; FOX. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
A probably typical crap FOX show (this time about a mysterious cross-country road race). But it does star the very underrated Nathan Fillion, so it's worth a look.
Ari's beleaguered assistant, Lloyd, gets his chance to shine on Entourage. Lloyd rules. And Turtle and Drama go trolling for ladies at a dog park. I'm
sure that will end well for them.
And I'll make my second recommendation to check out Planet Earth Discovery, DiscoveryHD, and Science Channel all air episodes throughout the week). Even if nature documentaries don't do it for you, you CANNOT deny how amazingly beautiful this show is. I'm way behind (I'm only on the second ep), but I refuse to watch the show unless I know I can sit in front of the TV and take it all in, uninterrupted.
Thank God You're Here; NBC. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
An improv comedy contest hosted by David Alan Grier and judged by Dave Foley. Those two men are enough to get me to watch, but if they aren't for you, the contestants tonight are: Wayne Knight, Jennifer Coolidge, Joel McHale, and Bryan Cranston. Recommended.
Falcon Beach; ABC Family. 6 pm. Season Premiere.
I know nothing about this show.
Wednesday, 4/11
'Til Death, Friday Night Lights, and Top Design all sign off for the season tonight.
Shear Genius; Bravo. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
As if Bravo didn't have enough crap reality shows, they're adding one about a hairstyling competition. Ooooooo...
And one of my all-time favorite shows, Green Wing, is airing the first three episodes of the nine-ep first season from 2:00am -5:00 am (technically on Thursday morning). I've complained before about BBC America's scheduling (airing some eps, but not others), but I'll keep my eye out for the remaining six eps. This is an insane show. And it's accessible to an American audience. This is the show (even more than The Office) that convinced me that BBC America is one of the best networks on the air.
The premise is similar to Scrubs: doctors having surreal adventures. But the FFC doesn't have a role in cable, so they go much farther than our friends on NBC can. The first ep ends with a doctor using a ski pole to force an especially large "loaf" she pinched down a clogged toilet. Hilarious.
I recommended this show a while back in a previous post. You can check it out here: http://teameck.blogspot.com/2006/08/episodes-of-note-coming-up.html
Thursday, 4/12
Notes From the Underbelly; ABC. 9:01 & 9:31 CST. Series Premiere.
This show was universally derided when previews went out last year. Expect ABC to burn off these episodes as soon as they can. I'll watch a few eps just to see if it's really as bad as every review I read said it was.
Now for something that actually should be funny: My Name is Earl finally has a new episode after a month and a half (7 pm NBC).
And ABC is getting ready for the home-stretch with its big hits. Ugly Betty (GREAT show) and Grey's Anatomy (huge fan base show I don't watch) are both having clip shows to bring viewers up to speed as each begin their final airing of new episodes for the season next week.
Friday, 4/13
Stargate SG-1; SciFi. 7 pm CST. Return.
The final 10 eps of the series begin.
Stargate Atlantis; SciFi. 8 pm. Return.
Painkiller Jane; SciFi. 9 pm. Series Premiere.
This series, based on a cultish comic I've never read, follows a DEA agent who finds out she is indestructible, but not impervious to pain.
Sunday, 4/15
100 Biggest Weather Moments; Weather Channel. 7 pm. Mini-series.
A five-part look at the big weather moments. I don't even know what to say about a list that puts the devastating Hurricane Katrina with the Wizard of Oz tornado.
America at a Crossroads; PBS. 8 pm. Mini-series.
An 11 documentary look at the post 9/11 world.
Drive; FOX. 7 pm. Series Premiere.
A probably typical crap FOX show (this time about a mysterious cross-country road race). But it does star the very underrated Nathan Fillion, so it's worth a look.
Ari's beleaguered assistant, Lloyd, gets his chance to shine on Entourage. Lloyd rules. And Turtle and Drama go trolling for ladies at a dog park. I'm
sure that will end well for them.
And I'll make my second recommendation to check out Planet Earth Discovery, DiscoveryHD, and Science Channel all air episodes throughout the week). Even if nature documentaries don't do it for you, you CANNOT deny how amazingly beautiful this show is. I'm way behind (I'm only on the second ep), but I refuse to watch the show unless I know I can sit in front of the TV and take it all in, uninterrupted.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Best... Druggie... Ever
On Tuesday, Keith Richards admitted snorting more than the white stuff that he is usually linked to.
"The strangest thing I've tried to snort?" Richards was quoted as saying in the magazine NME. "My father. I snorted my father.
"He was cremated, and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow. My dad wouldn't have cared. ...It went down pretty well, and I'm still alive."
Awesome.
Of course, the next day, Richards said he was just joking. But one must remember, he's been dealing with the press for over forty years. It's not as if he thought the comments wouldn't be released to the public. So why make it up?
I'll bet he didn't and realized he better do some damage control. At least I'm hoping he's just playing the "joke" card.
"...Grinding him up with a little blow." "...It went down pretty well."
Classic.
"The strangest thing I've tried to snort?" Richards was quoted as saying in the magazine NME. "My father. I snorted my father.
"He was cremated, and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow. My dad wouldn't have cared. ...It went down pretty well, and I'm still alive."
Awesome.
Of course, the next day, Richards said he was just joking. But one must remember, he's been dealing with the press for over forty years. It's not as if he thought the comments wouldn't be released to the public. So why make it up?
I'll bet he didn't and realized he better do some damage control. At least I'm hoping he's just playing the "joke" card.
"...Grinding him up with a little blow." "...It went down pretty well."
Classic.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Mid-season Disasters
There's very good logic about why mid-season replacement shows don't catch on (except in rare instances): if they were so good, they'd premiere in the Fall.
This season is no exception as shows are getting axed left and right.
The Black Donnellys will air, at max, two more episodes before it goes to that place where mobsters disappear to.
The Wedding Bells won't make it past this Friday, where it will likely air its last episode. FOX says it'll come back, but it'll be just to burn off what was filmed if it comes back at all.
Six Degrees gets the ax effective immediately. It's target audience (18-45 yr olds) wouldn't even tune in. It scored a 1.1 in the demographic (which, if I understand things correctly, translates to just over a million people). In the ultimate insult, Wife Swap REPEATS will air instead.
And the pathetic (or, as Matt Roush describes it: "vomitous") October Road gets a little reprieve. It was going to be pulled after four eps, but it's now just going to take a week off and then finish out its six-episode run. I so wanted to like the show, but the acting and writing are just dreadful; I mean just f-in' painful to watch. Poor Laura Prepon, who is the only good thing on the show...
And Seventh Heaven gets "non-renewed" for a second time. This time, it'll stay dead.
[Note: I have to give credit to Matt Roush for streamlining the info I just gave above. The link to his dispatch, where he describes things in more detail, is right here:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Roush-Dispatch/Midseason-Madness-End/800012096]
This season is no exception as shows are getting axed left and right.
The Black Donnellys will air, at max, two more episodes before it goes to that place where mobsters disappear to.
The Wedding Bells won't make it past this Friday, where it will likely air its last episode. FOX says it'll come back, but it'll be just to burn off what was filmed if it comes back at all.
Six Degrees gets the ax effective immediately. It's target audience (18-45 yr olds) wouldn't even tune in. It scored a 1.1 in the demographic (which, if I understand things correctly, translates to just over a million people). In the ultimate insult, Wife Swap REPEATS will air instead.
And the pathetic (or, as Matt Roush describes it: "vomitous") October Road gets a little reprieve. It was going to be pulled after four eps, but it's now just going to take a week off and then finish out its six-episode run. I so wanted to like the show, but the acting and writing are just dreadful; I mean just f-in' painful to watch. Poor Laura Prepon, who is the only good thing on the show...
And Seventh Heaven gets "non-renewed" for a second time. This time, it'll stay dead.
[Note: I have to give credit to Matt Roush for streamlining the info I just gave above. The link to his dispatch, where he describes things in more detail, is right here:
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Roush-Dispatch/Midseason-Madness-End/800012096]
Monday, April 02, 2007
Prison Break "Sona"
I wanted to write this spoiler-free, but I just can't. So if you haven't watched the ep yet, stop reading. I read a number of newsgroups/blogs/etc, and no one got everything right. So watch the finale in innocent bliss and then come back.
So, was that a crazy-ass episode or what? I give the creators credit for not killing everyone (which was what sounded like the plan was for the most part most of this season). By not killing everyone, and from some quotes by actors in various things I read, the show is pretty wide-open for next fall.
First, there's C-Note. He wasn't in the last few eps, but that doesn't mean he can't play a role somewhere down the line.
Bellick is still alive and in jail. I think he and T-Bag will hook up at some point.
T-Bag was cut loose by, presumably, The Company, and while it looks as if his story ended (and it very well could have), can you let a vile character like Theodore Bagwell (and a fantastic actor like Robert Knepper) just go away?
Kellerman does the right thing, and pays the price in what looks like an execution-style murder. But, in a show where blood flows freely, we didn't see any body. Is it possible the killers killed the guard instead of Kellerman? Yeah it's possible, and Paul Adelstein's interview in TV GUIDE left open the possibility that Kellerman is not done yet. Of course, Adelstein is also cast in the Grey's Anatomy spin-off, so maybe Kellerman really is dead. It's not as if the spin-off isn't gonna get picked up. But then, maybe Adelstein's character gets killed or isn't a regular cast member of the show, so he can still make appearances on Prison Break. I, for one, wouldn't mind. I was impressed by his work this season.
Mr. Kim: dead. Like it could go any other way.
Who is "Padman"? I thought he was mute, but he spoke at the end. And while I disliked the whole Company storyline, I admit I am intrigued about why he wants Schofield alive.
Sucre: at death's door. I'm happy he's still around (he was one of the most-predicted to die people in the Season One finale). He will be the link to the outside that Bellick has for a while.
Lincoln: free man. How does that change things for him? Will it matter because you know he's going to try to get his brother help.
Sara: Had a moment of perfect bliss and then lost it. And she killed Mr. Kim, which will (I hope) haunt her for a while. She's the most innocent of all the remaining characters, so I want the killing to torment her. It only adds salt to the wound that Michael is now lost to her again. Sarah Wayne Callies is pregnant in real life, so she won't be seen in the first few episodes next Fall. Rumor has it she will be kidnapped, which will keep her storyline on the back burner until she gives birth and can return to work.
Mahone: Thank God they didn't kill him. Not only that, he is now linked to Schofield as he too is in Sona. They will need to work together although I anticipate an extremely mistrustful relationship there since Schofield set him up-- and caused him to break ties with his ex-wife after almost reconciling. Maybe Mahone won't team-up with Schofield; he may just want to completely break him.
Schofield: Had it all (the money, a free brother, the girl) and then lost it. And then he gets sent to Sona for taking the fall for Sara. And the tattoo does him no good in this new environment.
And the show again will revolve around a Prison Break. Nice.
So, was that a crazy-ass episode or what? I give the creators credit for not killing everyone (which was what sounded like the plan was for the most part most of this season). By not killing everyone, and from some quotes by actors in various things I read, the show is pretty wide-open for next fall.
First, there's C-Note. He wasn't in the last few eps, but that doesn't mean he can't play a role somewhere down the line.
Bellick is still alive and in jail. I think he and T-Bag will hook up at some point.
T-Bag was cut loose by, presumably, The Company, and while it looks as if his story ended (and it very well could have), can you let a vile character like Theodore Bagwell (and a fantastic actor like Robert Knepper) just go away?
Kellerman does the right thing, and pays the price in what looks like an execution-style murder. But, in a show where blood flows freely, we didn't see any body. Is it possible the killers killed the guard instead of Kellerman? Yeah it's possible, and Paul Adelstein's interview in TV GUIDE left open the possibility that Kellerman is not done yet. Of course, Adelstein is also cast in the Grey's Anatomy spin-off, so maybe Kellerman really is dead. It's not as if the spin-off isn't gonna get picked up. But then, maybe Adelstein's character gets killed or isn't a regular cast member of the show, so he can still make appearances on Prison Break. I, for one, wouldn't mind. I was impressed by his work this season.
Mr. Kim: dead. Like it could go any other way.
Who is "Padman"? I thought he was mute, but he spoke at the end. And while I disliked the whole Company storyline, I admit I am intrigued about why he wants Schofield alive.
Sucre: at death's door. I'm happy he's still around (he was one of the most-predicted to die people in the Season One finale). He will be the link to the outside that Bellick has for a while.
Lincoln: free man. How does that change things for him? Will it matter because you know he's going to try to get his brother help.
Sara: Had a moment of perfect bliss and then lost it. And she killed Mr. Kim, which will (I hope) haunt her for a while. She's the most innocent of all the remaining characters, so I want the killing to torment her. It only adds salt to the wound that Michael is now lost to her again. Sarah Wayne Callies is pregnant in real life, so she won't be seen in the first few episodes next Fall. Rumor has it she will be kidnapped, which will keep her storyline on the back burner until she gives birth and can return to work.
Mahone: Thank God they didn't kill him. Not only that, he is now linked to Schofield as he too is in Sona. They will need to work together although I anticipate an extremely mistrustful relationship there since Schofield set him up-- and caused him to break ties with his ex-wife after almost reconciling. Maybe Mahone won't team-up with Schofield; he may just want to completely break him.
Schofield: Had it all (the money, a free brother, the girl) and then lost it. And then he gets sent to Sona for taking the fall for Sara. And the tattoo does him no good in this new environment.
And the show again will revolve around a Prison Break. Nice.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Premieres and Notables; April 2-8, 2007
Geez, it's been a week already? Sorry I went a week without writing anything (I hope not too many people took their own lives due to the wait). I had all the time in the world to write last weekend (wife & kids were gone a few hours on Sunday), but my lovely cable connection was down for 48 hours. No internet, no cable. Thankfully, most of my Sunday shows repeat during the week, so I didn't miss too much. But I did miss the third ep rerun of Frisky Dingo (I'm taping them all), which enraged me to no end.
Damn you, Charter Communications!
BTW: if your cable or ISP goes down, make sure you complain and get a credit. They screw you too much when the service works, let alone charging you for when it doesn't.
Okaaaay, the week beginning tomorrow:
Monday, 4/2
The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman; ABC. 8:45 pm CST. Season Premiere.
No princes, no actors... This time, the bachelor is a Navy medical officer. I got nothin' else...
Also, The SciFi Channel has been airing Star Trek: Enterprise in four-hour blocks every Monday for months, and the episode on Monday at 9pm ("The Expanse") is the set-up for one of the most exciting TV seasons I've ever watched. This second-season finale paved the way for the ambitious third season of the very underrated show. A probe destroys a large part of earth (including most of Florida) and kills millions of people. The Enterprise is charged with finding out where the probe came from and do what it can to stop the inevitable invasion. The entire third season (which begins reairing next Monday) has this as the conflict: one starship alone against an incredibly advanced civilization Hell-bent on destroying Earth.
Prison Break's season finale airs. I'll admit, this season hasn't been as exciting (or claustrophobic) as last season, but seeing all the pieces come together the past few weeks was a rush because I have NO idea what's going to happen.
I can make predictions, though (remember-- I know NOTHING): T-Bag and Bellick end up together in prison. Sucre breaks them out (so T-Bag will disclose where Maricruz is). T-Bag tells him where Maricruz is and then escapes, with Bellick right behind. Sucre finds Maricruz dead (or maybe doesn't find her at all). He then goes after T-Bag.
Kellerman is shot and killed before he can testify on Sara's behalf; Sara ends up getting 12 years in the clink.
Michael finds Mahone and Lincoln, and attempts to talk Mahone down.
Mr. Kim also shows up, and as he orders the two brothers to be killed, Mahone shoots and kills him and then is killed himself.
Now, I'll go out on a limb: One of the brothers takes a bullet in the firefight. Linc makes the most sense as his story is coming to a close, but wouldn't it be a shock if Schofield goes down...?
Next season: Bellick and Sucre team up to hunt down T-Bag. The surviving brother works to get Sara out of prison. C-Note is needed for some reason or another and since Mahone is dead, he doesn't have to stay in Witness Protection.
The thing is about this show: none of what I wrote above will happen. They'll find a better way to tell the story.
I'm just happy the conspiracy storyline will end (damn! I didn't predict how that would happen: hmmm-- okay: Kellerman's first words on the witness stand after he takes the oath and says who he is, is: "Lincoln Burrows is innocent." and goes on to explain the conspiracy, but gets killed before he implicates anyone specifically).
Creator Paul Scheuring said over half the remaining cast will survive to next season, which is a greater number than expected.
Tuesday, 4/3
Deadliest Catch; Discovery. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
The third season of the risky crab fishing reality show begins.
The Shield; FX. 9 pm. Season premiere.
The sixth, and penultimate season begins with Vic on the rampage to find the person responsible for the death of a teammate. And he's going to be shocked when he finds out who it is. I've slipped on watching the series after the second season (I have the DVDs and tapes waiting to be watched), and I've heard each season is better than the last. Highly Recommended.
Wednesday, 4/4
In Performance at the White House; PBS. 7 pm (check local listings). Season Premiere.
Thursday, 4/5
NBC is doing its "super-size" nonsense again. Thankfully, the folks at The Office and Scrubs (as well as Earl) add actual worthy content-- unlike shows of yesteryear (Friends, Will & Grace). Speaking of The Office, the first new ep in a few weeks shows what happens now that Roy knows about Jim and Pam's kiss. And a new Scrubs has a person leaving the staff. Alas, Earl is a repeat, but it's a good one guest-starring Christian Slater and also has Randy seeing people as if they were Claymation characters.
Friday, 4/6
P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy; HBO. 11 pm. Season Premiere.
Because when I think of "bad boy", I think of "P. Diddy".
Standoff; FOX. 7 pm. Return.
What do this show's producers have on FOX? Pictures of FOX execs in compromising positions, possibly?
The Office's Jenna Fischer is a guest (along with Entourage's amazing Jeremy Piven) on The Tonight Show. She's there to talk Blades of Glory, but you just know Jay will ask about her TV show as well.
Saturday, 4/7
If Friday's Piven appearance on The Tonight Show isn't enough for you, the Saturday Night Live he hosted in January repeats Saturday. As SNL has done for my other favorites the past few years, it manages to make him just as unfunny as the rest of the cast (will NBC PLEASE just take this show out back and put it out of its misery already?)
It's puppypalooza on WE:
America's Cutest Puppies; WE. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Adventures in Doggie Daycare; WE. 8:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Sunday, 4/8
In probably the biggest night of the year since American Idol premiered, we get the final episodes of the season and the series of The Sopranos on HBO at 8 pm. Highly Recommended.
As icing on the cake, we also get the second half of the third season of Entourage on HBO at 9 pm. And the second layer of icing on top of that icing is the fact that not only are Vince, E., Drama, Turtle, and Ari coming back to our TV sets, but the new episode also has Carla Gugino's debut as Vince's new agent (Ari screwed up big-time, so Vince fired him last summer). Highly Recommended. [If you want to see what the buzz is about, most major retailers are selling the first 2 DVD seasons (as well as Tuesday's Season 3 Pt 1 DVD set) for less than $25 this week.]
I also want to make a recommendation that you check out new eps of Planet Earth on the Discovery Channel on Sundays (and try to catch the repeats all during the week on the Discovery Network Channels). I caught the first fifteen minutes of the premiere a few minutes ago and had to shut it off because I couldn't sit and watch it. It is AMAZING! Camera crews set up all around the world over five years and took absolutely breathtaking shots. I haven't missed the High Def channels I cancelled last year until this show. Something that looked as good as it did on my regular connection would be crazy-good in HD. Highly Recommended.
Damn you, Charter Communications!
BTW: if your cable or ISP goes down, make sure you complain and get a credit. They screw you too much when the service works, let alone charging you for when it doesn't.
Okaaaay, the week beginning tomorrow:
Monday, 4/2
The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman; ABC. 8:45 pm CST. Season Premiere.
No princes, no actors... This time, the bachelor is a Navy medical officer. I got nothin' else...
Also, The SciFi Channel has been airing Star Trek: Enterprise in four-hour blocks every Monday for months, and the episode on Monday at 9pm ("The Expanse") is the set-up for one of the most exciting TV seasons I've ever watched. This second-season finale paved the way for the ambitious third season of the very underrated show. A probe destroys a large part of earth (including most of Florida) and kills millions of people. The Enterprise is charged with finding out where the probe came from and do what it can to stop the inevitable invasion. The entire third season (which begins reairing next Monday) has this as the conflict: one starship alone against an incredibly advanced civilization Hell-bent on destroying Earth.
Prison Break's season finale airs. I'll admit, this season hasn't been as exciting (or claustrophobic) as last season, but seeing all the pieces come together the past few weeks was a rush because I have NO idea what's going to happen.
I can make predictions, though (remember-- I know NOTHING): T-Bag and Bellick end up together in prison. Sucre breaks them out (so T-Bag will disclose where Maricruz is). T-Bag tells him where Maricruz is and then escapes, with Bellick right behind. Sucre finds Maricruz dead (or maybe doesn't find her at all). He then goes after T-Bag.
Kellerman is shot and killed before he can testify on Sara's behalf; Sara ends up getting 12 years in the clink.
Michael finds Mahone and Lincoln, and attempts to talk Mahone down.
Mr. Kim also shows up, and as he orders the two brothers to be killed, Mahone shoots and kills him and then is killed himself.
Now, I'll go out on a limb: One of the brothers takes a bullet in the firefight. Linc makes the most sense as his story is coming to a close, but wouldn't it be a shock if Schofield goes down...?
Next season: Bellick and Sucre team up to hunt down T-Bag. The surviving brother works to get Sara out of prison. C-Note is needed for some reason or another and since Mahone is dead, he doesn't have to stay in Witness Protection.
The thing is about this show: none of what I wrote above will happen. They'll find a better way to tell the story.
I'm just happy the conspiracy storyline will end (damn! I didn't predict how that would happen: hmmm-- okay: Kellerman's first words on the witness stand after he takes the oath and says who he is, is: "Lincoln Burrows is innocent." and goes on to explain the conspiracy, but gets killed before he implicates anyone specifically).
Creator Paul Scheuring said over half the remaining cast will survive to next season, which is a greater number than expected.
Tuesday, 4/3
Deadliest Catch; Discovery. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.
The third season of the risky crab fishing reality show begins.
The Shield; FX. 9 pm. Season premiere.
The sixth, and penultimate season begins with Vic on the rampage to find the person responsible for the death of a teammate. And he's going to be shocked when he finds out who it is. I've slipped on watching the series after the second season (I have the DVDs and tapes waiting to be watched), and I've heard each season is better than the last. Highly Recommended.
Wednesday, 4/4
In Performance at the White House; PBS. 7 pm (check local listings). Season Premiere.
Thursday, 4/5
NBC is doing its "super-size" nonsense again. Thankfully, the folks at The Office and Scrubs (as well as Earl) add actual worthy content-- unlike shows of yesteryear (Friends, Will & Grace). Speaking of The Office, the first new ep in a few weeks shows what happens now that Roy knows about Jim and Pam's kiss. And a new Scrubs has a person leaving the staff. Alas, Earl is a repeat, but it's a good one guest-starring Christian Slater and also has Randy seeing people as if they were Claymation characters.
Friday, 4/6
P. Diddy Presents the Bad Boys of Comedy; HBO. 11 pm. Season Premiere.
Because when I think of "bad boy", I think of "P. Diddy".
Standoff; FOX. 7 pm. Return.
What do this show's producers have on FOX? Pictures of FOX execs in compromising positions, possibly?
The Office's Jenna Fischer is a guest (along with Entourage's amazing Jeremy Piven) on The Tonight Show. She's there to talk Blades of Glory, but you just know Jay will ask about her TV show as well.
Saturday, 4/7
If Friday's Piven appearance on The Tonight Show isn't enough for you, the Saturday Night Live he hosted in January repeats Saturday. As SNL has done for my other favorites the past few years, it manages to make him just as unfunny as the rest of the cast (will NBC PLEASE just take this show out back and put it out of its misery already?)
It's puppypalooza on WE:
America's Cutest Puppies; WE. 8 pm. Series Premiere.
Adventures in Doggie Daycare; WE. 8:30 pm. Series Premiere.
Sunday, 4/8
In probably the biggest night of the year since American Idol premiered, we get the final episodes of the season and the series of The Sopranos on HBO at 8 pm. Highly Recommended.
As icing on the cake, we also get the second half of the third season of Entourage on HBO at 9 pm. And the second layer of icing on top of that icing is the fact that not only are Vince, E., Drama, Turtle, and Ari coming back to our TV sets, but the new episode also has Carla Gugino's debut as Vince's new agent (Ari screwed up big-time, so Vince fired him last summer). Highly Recommended. [If you want to see what the buzz is about, most major retailers are selling the first 2 DVD seasons (as well as Tuesday's Season 3 Pt 1 DVD set) for less than $25 this week.]
I also want to make a recommendation that you check out new eps of Planet Earth on the Discovery Channel on Sundays (and try to catch the repeats all during the week on the Discovery Network Channels). I caught the first fifteen minutes of the premiere a few minutes ago and had to shut it off because I couldn't sit and watch it. It is AMAZING! Camera crews set up all around the world over five years and took absolutely breathtaking shots. I haven't missed the High Def channels I cancelled last year until this show. Something that looked as good as it did on my regular connection would be crazy-good in HD. Highly Recommended.
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