Television Premieres and Notables: November 4-10, 2013

Monday, 11/4

Mike & Molly; CBS. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.


Tuesday, 11/5

The Chase; GSN. 7 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

On New Girl (Fox; 8 pm CST),  Damon Wayans returns for an ep or two as Coach, the character that he played in the pilot, but had to bow out of due to his Happy Endings commitment.


Wednesday, 11/6

Beverly Hills Pawn; Reelz. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.


Thursday, 11/7

Inside the Actor's Studio; Bravo. 7 pm CST. 19th Season Premiere.


Friday, 11/8

Storage Wars New York; A&E. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.


Sunday, 11/10

Ax Men; History. 8 pm CST. 7th Season Premiere.

Superman vs Batman -- Pete Holmes Show

Awesome Costume

Henri Pt 4: L'Haunting

The Snowman and the Snowdog DVD review

Hey-- look at that: a review!

I was sent a copy of the new DVD The Snowman and the Snowdog, so, yeah, I'll review it.

The long-awaited sequel to the 1982 short animated film based on Raymond Briggs' children's book  is told in much the same style as the original. Hand-drawn, hand-colored, and without dialogue, this short (about 30 minutes) film has a timeless, magical quality about it.

A young boy finds a hidden box in his bedroom and uses the contents to make a snowman and a snowdog companion. One night, the snowman and snowdog come alive and take the boy on an adventure.

So, as I mentioned above, there is no dialogue and no words at all aside from a song, but the storytelling and music are so wonderful, that none are needed. We feel the boy's pain at being lonely, and we feel his excitement at going on this magical trip.

It also can't be dismissed that this film is hand-drawn. No insult intended to computer animation, but this film had a certain soul about it because hands touched each frame. The animators lovingly recreated Briggs' style with colored-pencils filling in the lines that computer-rendered animation just wouldn't be able to capture.

Along with the film is a 40 minute documentary about making it interspersed with details about Briggs' sometimes difficult life. This was actually a fantastic extra as it really gave viewers a look into what goes into making even a 30 minute animated feature. It probably wouldn't surprise an animation enthusiast, but I hope people who don't know the process-- such as kids-- will gain an appreciation for what goes into it.  I think Briggs also has an interesting story, and it really informs us of why much of his work is tinged with sadness.

So is it worth the $10 it retails for?  Well, I'm pretty cheap, and I think it's a bit much for just over an hour of content.  BUT-- I remember how many times a young child will ask to watch the same thing over and over, and even if a parent only pulls it out every few months, that $10 is a good return on investment because I don't see kids or parents getting tired of it. This is a story that I think offers more with repeat viewings.

If you have young children-- or remember the original fondly-- this is a good pick-up to add to your collection.

Television Premieres and Notables: October 28- November 3, 2013

Monday, 10/28

Wild Grinders; Nicktoons. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Independent Lens; PBS. 9 pm CST (check local listings). 15th Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 10/30

Hoarding: Buried Alive; TLC. 9 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.


Thursday, 10/31

The Returned; Sundance. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A French series about a group of men, women, and children who do not realize they've been dead for a number of years.


Saturday, 11/2

Misfits; Logo. 12 am CST. 4th Season Premiere.

Littlest Pet Shop; Hub. 10 am CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Flipping Vegas; A&E. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

It Takes a Choir; USA. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Sunday, 11/3

Lego Friends; Disney. 8 am CST. Series Premiere.

Walking Dead Sing-along

This is pretty brilliant.
If you aren't into curb-stomping or zombie head mutilation, you may want to pass...

Day of The Doctor trailer

I really dig this one. The BBC really knows how to get us excited for the 50th...

Love all the Easter Eggs in it.

Television Premieres and Notables: October 21-27, 2013

Sooo, we're hip-deep in the new TV season.

My very brief thoughts:

Mom: great cast; lazy writing. Gave it three eps and dropped it.

The Blacklist: wanted to like it; Spader is great. But I barely even looked up when the second ep was on; couldn't tell you anything about it. Ain't no one got time for that. Done.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: You'd think a show "spun-off" from a billion dollar film would have a bigger budget... But Clark Gregg is holding the rapidly-gelling cast together so far, and he hits the moments he needs to in order to keep the plots going, so I'm sticking with it. I think it's just going to get better.

The Goldbergs: This is my favorite new show of the season. I find it tremendously entertaining.

The Crazy Ones: A quiet comedy. Not great, but solid.

Sean Saves the World: I couldn't get fifteen minutes into it. The laugh track was distracting-- and just enhanced the fact that the show is not funny.

The Michael J Fox Show : I like the small moments that keep this show going, and MJF still has that charisma that made him such a well-loved star.

Super Fun Night: I'm sticking with it for now, but don't find it all that funny or charming yet. But I see potential...

The Neighbors: Not a new show, but one that barely got a second season-- and grabbed the chance by the throat. Every episode is killing it. The ladies are getting more A-Plots, and that's been a good thing. This is my favorite comedy right now.


Anyway: what's new this week?


Monday, 10/21

At Midnight; Comedy Central. 11 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A new, nightly, game show hosted by The Nerdist himself: Chris Hardwick.
I know nothing beyond that...


Tuesday, 10/22

Ravenwood; ABC Family. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Pretty Little Liars gets a spin-off...

American Hoggers; A&E. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.

House Hunters; HGTV. 9 pm CST. 79th Season Premiere.
HTF is this show on its 79th season? Do they count a season as four weeks?


Wednesday, 10/23

Duck Dynasty (A&E; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.

Restaurant Impossible; Food Network. 9 pm CST. 7th Season Premiere.


Thursday, 10/24

Project Runway All Stars; Lifetime. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.


Friday, 10/25

Grimm; NBC. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Dracula; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers stars as the titular vampire, who is posing as an American entrepreneur in 19th century London while trying to hunt-down the group who made him what he now is.


Sunday, 10/27

The Doctors Revisited; BBC America. 7 pm CST. Special.
Get acquainted (or reacquainted) with David Tennant's Tenth Doctor before next month's 50th Anniversary episode where he returns to team up with Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor and John Hurt's mysterious Doctor-Who-Can-Not-Be-Called-"Doctor".

Austin & Ally; Disney. 7:30 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: October 14-20, 2013

Tuesday, 10/15

Real Husbands of Hollywood; BET. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 10/16

Nature; PBS. 7 pm CST (check local listings). 31st Season Premiere.


Thursday, 10/17

Reign; CW. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
In 16th Century France as Mary, Queen of the Scots moves into the country for her arranged marriage to Prince Francis and all sorts of crazy adventures begin.

Big Bad Wood; Nat Geo. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Crews if tree choppers work the Greater Boston area.

White Collar; USA. 8 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

Rehab Addict; DIY. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.

Rampage: Redemption; Spike. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Friday, 10/18

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; Disney. 8 am CST. 5th Season Premiere.

Access 360 World Heritage; Nat Geo.  5 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

The Birthday Boys; IFC. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A new sketch comedy brought to us by the UCB.


Saturday, 10/19

The Graham Norton Show; BBC America. 9 pm CST. 14th Season Premiere.
With Harrison Ford, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jack Whitehall.

Dancing on the Edge; Starz. 9:05 pm CST. Mini-series Premiere.
Drama about a 1930s London jazz band.


Sunday, 10/20

Toy Hunter; Travel. 7 pm CST. Halloween Special.

Feel the GRAVITY

So, yeah, I'm woefully "behind" on reviewing the things I've watched/read, but once in a while I have the overwhelming need to write about something I recently witnessed.

This one is about the film GRAVITY. I saw it on a big screen; not IMAX big (and I have heard only good about seeing it in IMAX), but still larger than normal-- and in 3D. 

I saw it Friday and liked it so much I saw it again Saturday.

Fantastic! The acting was great, the direction was mesmerizing, and the effects were mind-blowing. I knew Clooney and Bullock could bring it, and I've been a fan of Alfonso Cuaron since I saw CHILDREN OF MEN (which resides as my #4 favorite movie on Flickchart), but I don't think my eyes have ever seen what I saw in this film done as well as it was here. My mind cannot even comprehend how they did those things (I hope the Blu-Ray release is decked out with making-of footage; I don't believe knowing the how will affect my enjoyment of it in the future).

It was absolutely amazing; just stunning on so many levels. And, yeah, some parts were scientifically inaccurate, but it didn't matter. The film was telling a nice, tight (90 minutes) story about survival, and it did it wonderfully. Just let it hit you.

And let it hit you on the big screen with speakers all around you. This is a huge-scale movie told from the point of view of a single character. The 3D isn't obnoxious, and it may not even be mandatory, but I found it really brought something to my enjoyment of the film. I'd recommend doing a gigantic screen and in 3D.

There are so many more things I'd like to say, but I hope anyone who watches it for the first time has the same sense of surprise I had (I really didn't know what it was about other than Bullock's character gets separated from her shuttle in space and is floating away at a high speed). This is a very realistic story, so don't think it's sci-fi. It just happened to be set in space (high-Earth orbit space).

Television Premieres and Notables: October 7-13, 2013

Monday, 10/7

Crash & Bernstein; Disney XD. 6:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Hart of Dixie; CW. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

At 7 pm CST, AMC gives everyone another chance to see The Walking Dead from beginning to end. The pilot airs at 7, and then for the next few hours and continues for the rest of the week.
This is your chance to catch every episode before Sunday...

Beauty and the Beast; CW. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Dream School; Sundance. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Tuesday, 10/8

The Biggest Loser; NBC. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Supernatural; CW. 8 pm CST.9th  Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 10/9

Arrow; CW. 7 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
This series ended up hitting its stride in the back-half of its first season; I expect it to continue very nicely this year.

The Tomorrow People; CW. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A man thinks he's going crazy-- but he's really gaining super-powers.

Full Circle; DirecTV.  8 pm CST. Series Premiere.

American Pickers; History. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.


Thursday, 10/10

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland; ABC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Saturday, 10/12

Vanilla Ice Goes Amish; DIY. 9 pm CST. Series premiere.
The title says it all...

Pearl Jam Twenty; VH1. 9 pm CST. Special.
Cameron Crowe's documentary about the band.


Sunday, 10/13

America's Funniest Home Videos; ABC. 6 pm CST. 24th Season Premiere.

The Walking Dead; AMC. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.
The wait is over. After last season's finale, life is a bit different for our little family.
There's a lot of new cannon fodder to kill off, the walkers become a more dangerous threat, and there's a threat that has been held-over since last season that could strike at any time.
This is the show I have to watch every new episode of before I go to bed. It's my favorite one airing (even if I admit, it's not the best show I watch, it is the most unpredictable-- and that is a joy that I don't feel often anymore).
The Wire alert: Chad "Cutty" Coleman becomes a series regular and now Larry "D'angelo" Gilliard Jr joins up as well.

The Talking Dead; AMC. 9:01 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Comic Book Men; AMC. 11 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: September 30-October 6, 2013

Monday, 9/30

We Are Men; CBS. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A guy who was left at the alter moves into an apartment building with three other men who are all about the ladies.

Ancient Aliens; History. 8 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.

RuPaul's Drag Race: The Lost Season Ru-Vealed; Logo. 8 pm CST. Season (Ru)Peat.
Logo is showing the first season again with special extras and pop-up info.


Tuesday, 10/1

Wolfblood; Disney Channel. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A teen girl has a secret: she is a wolfblood.
I don't know what that means, but it sounds serious.


Wednesday, 10/2

Ironside; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Blair Underwood stars as the wheelchair-bound cop who still knows how to dangle a man off a building and kick other types of ass.
I saw the pilot, and while Underwood was his usual good self, the plot was a lot of "seen it already". That'd be a procedural for you...

Top Chef; Bravo. 9 pm CST. 11th Season Premiere.


Thursday, 10/3

The Vampire Diaries; CW. 7 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

Welcome to the Family; NBC. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A girl who barely graduated high school tells her valedictorian boyfriend that she's pregnant.
The families meet, and they're not fond of each other.
The pilot was a little forced, but the cast should be able to hold it together until the writing catches up.
This one has potential.

The Millers; CBS. 7:31 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Will Arnett plays a TV reporter who inspires his parents to get a divorce after he got one himself.
Mom and pop (Margo Martindale and Beau Bridges) split up, and mom moves in with him.
Hilarity ensues.
Well, hopefully hilarity. I'm expecting mildly amusing at best.

Sean Saves the World; NBC. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Sean Hayes stars as a divorced dad whose teenage daughter moves in.
Another one I don't have high hopes for.

The Originals; CW. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
The Vampire Diaries gets a spin-off.

Scandal; ABC. 9 pm CST. 3nd Season Premiere.

North Woods Law; Animal Planet. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.


Saturday, 10/5

Jessie; Disney. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.


Sunday, 10/6

Alaska: The Last Frontier; Discovery. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Halloween Wars; Food Network. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Why's it always have to be "wars"? Can't these food shows have kerfuffles instead?

Witches of East End; Lifetime. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: September 23-29, 2013

Here it comes...


Monday, 9/23

The Pioneer Woman; Food Network. 4 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.

How I Met Your Mother; CBS. 7 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.
The final season begins. And we have seen The Mother.
Now we get to meet her.
The last couple of seasons have been weaker, but this season will take place during the weekend of Barney and Robin's wedding (with flashbacks and flashforwards), so I have some optimism the show can get back to its peak (I always was a sucker for their non-linear episodes).

The Voice; NBC. 7 pm CST. 5th Cycle Premiere.

2 Broke Girls; CBS. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Mom; CBS. 8:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Anna Faris and Alison Janney star in this show about a recovering alcoholic who moves herself and her kids into her recovered addict mom's house.

Castle; ABC. 9 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.

Hostages; CBS. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Dylan McDermott stars as an FBI who is agent blackmailing a doctor played by Toni Collette into botching a surgery she is performing on the President. The storyline of this 15-episode series has been promised to end completely by the season finale, and if the show is renewed, it will "reset" and tell another story next year.

The Blacklist; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
James Spader plays an FBI Most Wanted criminal who turns himself in in order to catch the criminals that aren't even on the Fed's radar.


Tuesday, 9/24

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ABC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Joss Whedon brings (and directs the pilot) us this series set in the cinematic Marvel Universe where Agent Coulston (he lives!) leads a group on non-powered (misfit) agents tasked with investigating odd things happening around the globe.
This is the series I'm most looking forward to this new season. Whedon can't run the day-to-day, but it sounds like his fingerprints are all over the series, and that's a good thing for me.
And Coulston is back. I've loved Clark Gregg since The New Adventures of Old Christine, and I think Agent Coulston is the part he was born to play: the extremely-capable everyman that the Marvel movies have utilized so well until his untimely demise in The Avengers (sorry, but if you haven't seen it by now, it's your own fault).

NCIS; CBS. 7 pm CST. 11th Season Premiere.

NCIS: Los Angeles; CBS. 5th Season Premiere.

The Goldbergs; ABC. 8:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Creator Adam F. Goldberg brings us this series based on his childhood in the '80s. I've liked the previews I've seen, and with Jeff Garlin and Wendi McLendon-Covey as the parents, I have faith this could turn out to be a good one.



Trophy Wife; ABC. 8:31 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Malin Akerman plays Bradley Whitford's third wife, and his first and second wives are still in the picture.

Lucky 7; ABC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Seven gas station employees win the jackpot, and their lives experience the ups and downs of being suddenly rich.
The Wire alert: one of the seven is played by Isiah Whitlock Jr. ("Sheeeeeeit.")

Person of Interest; CBS. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
This "procedural" keeps things progressing so well that there's always a thread that runs between episodes.
Case in point: Amy Acker (yes!) and Sarah Shahi (yes! yes!) are now series regulars.

Chicago Fire; NBC. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Fangasm; Syfy. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Seven fans move to L.A. to intern at Stan Lee's Comicaze Expo.


Wednesday, 9/25

The Middle; ABC. 7 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

Revolution; NBC. 7 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Back in the Game; ABC. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Maggie Lawson plays a former softball star who moves herself and her no-so-athletic son back in with her former baseball-standout father (played by James Caan).

Modern Family; ABC. 8 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

Criminal Minds; CBS. 8 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; 15th Season Premiere.

Nashville; ABC. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; CBS. 9 pm CST. 14th Season Premiere.


Thursday, 9/26

Shark Tank; ABC. 7 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

The Big Bang Theory; CBS. 7 pm CST. 7th Season Premiere.

Parks and Recreation; NBC. 7 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.

Grey's Anatomy; ABC. 8 pm CST. 10th Season Premiere.

Glee; Fox. 8 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.
I hope Blaine's a senior this year, so he can graduate, and I can stop watching...

The Crazy Ones; CBS. 8:01 pm CST. Series Premiere,
David E. Kelley created this show that stars Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar as father and daughter owners of an ad exec firm; he fears he's becoming irrelevant, she fears he's losing his mind.

The Michael J. Fox Show; NBC. 8:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.
MJF plays a news anchor who is returning to the job after he learns to manage his Parkinson's well enough to do so.
The Wire alert: Wendell "Bunk" Pierce is in the cast as Fox's boss.

Two and a Half Men; CBS. 8:31 pm CST. 11th Season Premiere.
Angus T. Jones talked some shit about his show, and now his character is off to college.
But how will the show replace the "half"? By having Charlie's illegitimate daughter show up.
She's a hard-drinkin' lesbian and loves chicks as much as Charlie did.
I doubt that even this show is crass enough to consider a lesbian half a man. I'm just sayin'...

Elementary; CBS. 9:01 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Parenthood; ABC. 9:01 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.
The little show that could already got renewed for a full season.


Friday, 9/27

Undercover Boss; CBS. 7 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

Masterchef Junior; Fox. 7 pm CST.
I hope Ramsey doesn't take it easy on those kids.
They need to learn.

Hawaii Five-0; CBS. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.

Blue Bloods; CBS. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.


Saturday, 9/28

Saturday Night Live; NBC. 10:35 pm CST. 39th Season Premiere.


Sunday, 9/29

Winx Club; Nickelodeon. 12 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.
 
Once Upon a Time; ABC. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

The Simpsons; Fox. 7 pm CST. 25th Season Premiere.
 
Making Monsters; Travel. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Bob's Burgers; Fox. 7:30 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.

Revenge; ABC. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

The Good Wife; CBS. 8 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

Family Guy; Fox. 8 pm CST. 12th Season Premiere.

Homeland; Showtime. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

American Dad; Fox. 8:30 pm CST. 10th Season Premiere.

The Mentalist; CBS. 9 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.

Eastbound and Down; HBO. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.

The Masters of Sex; Showtime. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan play sex research pioneers Masters and Johnson.
It's on Showtime, so expect to see some tit-tays...

Betrayal; ABC. 9:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A married man has an affair with a married woman. Hilarity ensues.
This is another case of a cable-sized (13 ep) season, so expect the thrills and WTFs to come fast and furious.

Hello Ladies; HBO. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Stephen Merchant, co-creator of The Office and Extras, co-created this series about a web designer who is trying to make his way through the dating scene.

Television Premieres and Notables: September 16-22, 2013

Since Fox loses much of October due to baseball, they are starting the Fall season a week early. Get ready-- here comes the new stuff!


Monday, 9/16

The Queen Latifah Show; Fox. 4 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Dancing With the Stars; ABC. 7 pm CST. 17th Cycle Premiere.

Bones; Fox. 7 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.

Sleepy Hollow; Fox. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Revolutionary War soldier Ichabod Crane is transported to modern times and has to team-up with a detective to battle the Headless Horseman.


Tuesday, 9/17

Dads; Fox. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi stars as the sons in this show from Seth MacFarlane which many critics are predicting will be the first show cancelled this season.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine; Fox. 7:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.
If you've seen any episode of any program on Fox since May, you've seen the commercials. I'm not a fan of Andy Samberg-- but I do know Andre Braugher will bring it. Hopefully the writing will firm-up a little (the commercials were amusing, but not hilarious), and it'll find its feet sooner rather than later.

New Girl; Fox. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

The Mindy Project; Fox. 8:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
If you gave up on this show early-on last year, it got better.
You may want to give it another shot.

Frontline; PBS. 9 pm CST (check local listings). 32nd Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 9/18

Survivor; CBS. 7 pm CST. 27th Cycle Season Premiere.

Big Brother (CBS; 8:30 pm CST). Season Finale.
After watching almost every episode of every previous season, I was able to skip or sleep through a number of episodes this season.
This show is losing its grip on my summer watching, finally,

Key & Peele; Comedy Central. 9:30 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.


Thursday, 9/19

The Million Second Quiz (NBC; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.


Friday, 9/20

Last Man Standing; ABC. 7 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Dog With a Blog; Disney. 7:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

The Neighbors; ABC. 7:31 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.
This show wasn't great-- but I did find it hilarious at least once or twice an episode.
The concept is an eye-roller, but the execution is fantastic. Give it a shot.

Shark Tank; ABC. 8 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

The Hollow Crown; PBS. 8 pm CST (check local listings). Mini-series Premiere.
Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, and Patrick Stewart are just three of the British actors you'll be seeing in this massive adaptation of Shakespeare's Richard II, Henry IV (pts I & II), and Henry V.


Sunday, 9/22

65th Primetime Emmy Awards; CBS. 7 pm CST. Special.
I've stopped watching awards shows because they get it wrong at least as many times as they get it right.
But host Neil Patrick Harris may get me to DVR it...

Dexter (Showtime; 8 pm CST). Series Finale.

Television Premieres and Notables: September 9-15, 2013

Monday, 9/9

The Million Second Quiz; NBC. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Ryan Seacrest hosts this game show I couldn't tell you anything about.

Mistresses (ABC; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.


Tuesday, 9/10

So You Think You Can Dance (Fox; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.

Snake Salvation; Nat Geo. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Sons of Anarchy; FX. 9 pm CST. 6th Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 9/11

Regular Show; Cartoon Network. 5 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

The X Factor; Fox. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Royal Pains (USA; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.


Thursday, 9/12

Burn Notice (USA; 8 pm CST). Series Finale.


Friday, 9/13

Haven; Syfy. 9 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.


Saturday, 9/14

Cops; Spike. 7 pm CST. 26th Season Premiere.

Raising McCain; Pivot. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Sunday, 9/15

Liv and Maddie; Disney. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Foyle's War; PBS. 8 pm CST (check local listings). Season Premiere.

The Newsroom (HBO; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.

The Great Santini Brothers; History, 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Alaska State Troopers; Nat Geo. 9 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: September 2-8, 2013

Monday, 9/2

Fast N' Loud; Discovery. 8 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

The Writer's Room (Sundance; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.

Turn & Burn; Discovery. 9:05 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Summer Camp (USA; 10:05 pm CST). Season Finale.


Tuesday, 9/3

My Big Fat Revenge; Oxygen. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Top Gear; History. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.

Luther; BBC America. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Cold Justice; TNT. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Brickleberry; Comedy Central. 9:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 9/4

Futurama (Comedy Central; 9 pm CST). (2nd) Series Finale.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia; FXX. 9 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.
Remember to delete your old DVR "season pass"es and set it to record the show on its new network.

The League; FXX. 9:30 pm CST. 5th Season Premiere.
See above.

Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell; FXX. 10 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Ditto-- but this one's airing nightly instead of weekly.


Thursday, 9/5

Wilfred (FX; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.
This show moved into serious WTF territory. I don't mind a break at this point...


Friday, 9/6

Hello Ross; E!  9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Ross Matthews gets his own talk show. I'll check it out; I find him silly and charming, and his exuberance is infectious.


Saturday, 9/7

Cupcake Wars; Food Network. 7 pm CST. 9th Season Premiere.


Sunday, 9/8

Boardwalk Empire; HBO. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: August 26-September 1, 2013

Monday, 8/26

Get Out Alive With Bear Grylls (NBC; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.

Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives; Food Network. 8:30 pm CST. 18th Season Premiere.

Longmire (A&E; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.


Tuesday, 8/27

Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.

Storage Wars Texas; A&E. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.

Drunk History  (Comedy Central; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.


Wednesday, 8/28

The Unexplained Files; Science. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Wheeler Dealers; Velocity. 8 pm CST. 10th Season Premiere.

Cheer Perfection; TLC. 8:30 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Patrick Dempsey: Racing Le Mans; Velocity. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Thursday, 8/29

Hollywood Game Night (NBC; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.


Friday, 8/30

Cracked; Reelz. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Saturday, 8/31

Who the (Bleep) Did I Marry? Investigation Discovery. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: August 19-25, 2013

Monday, 8/19

Teen Wolf (MTV; 9 pm CST). Mid-season Finale.


Wednesday, 8/21

Surviving Evil; Investigation Discovery. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Not My Mama's Meals; Cooking Channel. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.

Modern Dads; A&E. 9:30 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Friday, 8/23

Ghost Adventures; Travel. 7 pm CST. 8th Season Premiere.


Sunday, 8/25

Deadline: Crime With Tamron Hall; Investigation Discovery. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
I think Invest. Disc. just makes up new show names; they all sound the same to me.

Television Premieres and Notables: August 12-18, 2013

Well, it looks like TV Guide finally gave up on trying to get me to renew, as I didn't get an issue last week (my subscription-- which I've had for about twenty years-- ran out in April). So now I have one less resource for these weekly posts. But the TVG sub was just too much to pay for this little project as I've found the magazine next to useless for about three years or so (pretty much after I made the last payment on my four year re-sub).

But I'm gonna keep tryin' to get as much info out as possible.


Monday, 8/11

Mythbusters Breaking Bad Special; Discovery. 9 pm CST. Special.
With special guests: creator Vince Gilligan and star Aaron Paul.


Tuesday, 8/13

Doomsday Preppers; National Geographic. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Face Off; Syfy. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Thursday, 8/14

The Pitch; AMC. 10 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.


Friday, 8/15

Say Yes to the Dress; TLC. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Ghost Adventures; Travel Channel. Season Premiere.


Sunday, 8/18

Whodunnit? (ABC; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.

True Blood (HBO; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.

The Great Food Truck Race; Food. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: August 5-11, 2013

Next week sure will have to work hard to beat this week.

I finished The IT Crowd from BBC (via Netflix). GREAT series that has that slightly "off" British sensibility.

I also finished the Netflix-exclusive fourth season of Arrested Development. I liked it, but found binging wasn't as fun as watching 2-3 episodes at a time, so I stretched my watching out over the past few months.

Watched Dogma for the first time since it was in theatres. Liked it back then; respect it now. It's a shame it caught so much flak in the religious community as I think it really was respectful of the belief in religion-- even if it did it via showing the hypocrisy that organized religions suffer from. ...And a lot of dick jokes.

Sammy Hagar released a new single ("Knockdown Dragout") from his upcoming album. Had a little Kid Rock and a lot of Joe Satriani, and that's a good thing. Sounds like The NFL Network will be using it this season, so good for him. Guys his age are retiring, and he's killin' it right now-- celebrating 40 years in the business as well as getting attention he hasn't had since his Van Halen days.

And just a few hours ago, BBC announced that Peter Capaldi will be the next Doctor Who.  I'm not a giant Doctor Who fan, but I do enjoy it, and I think it's awesome that the BBC is making it such a social media/geeky event.  This is a production company/network that knows how to treat its fans right (except for the stupid-expensive DVDs).  Fifty years of Doctor Who is a huge deal-- and it's just getting more and more popular.
And it's hard to imagine that in fifty years and over 700 television episodes, only eleven (soon to be twelve) people have been The Doctor. I don't know Capaldi's work well, but he held himself very well in the short interview today. I am looking forward to seeing what a more mature and dignified actor will bring to the role (not a knock on Smith; but older U.K. actors-- I'd say "British", but I know he's Scottish-- just have a gravitas about them).
And now we have to wait until Christmas to see a glimpse of him in his new role...

Okay... on to the premieres...

Monday, 8/5

The Bachelorette (ABC; 7 pm CST). Season Finale.

The Fosters (ABC Family; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.


Tuesday, 8/6

Hard Knocks; HBO. 9 pm CST. 8th Season Premieres.

The Legend of Shelby the Swampman; History. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Wednesday, 8/7

Broadchurch; BBC America. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Detectives investigate a murder of a young boy in a small town.
And the review I read said this 8-episode season will solve the murder-- and won't use last-second gimmicks to pull the rabbit out of the hat.
It stars David Tennant, who is a heck of an actor. I caught the last half-hour of his run as The Doctor today, and it had me crying like a baby. I didn't even need to see how it all happened again; Tennant had it all in his performance. A guy who knew he was dying saying goodbye-- in a very Tenth Doctor way-- and then declaring "I don't want to go" before his body gives out. Just powerful stuff.
I can't wait to see what he brings to this new role.
And another Who connection: Arthur Darvill has a role as well.


Friday, 8/9

Magic City (Starz; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.

Strike Back; Cinemax. 9 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.


Saturday, 8/10

The White Queen; Starz. 7 pm CST. Series Premiere.
This 10-episode series follows the pre-Tudor Plantagenets family, who were crazy-dysfunctional.
And because it's Starz, expect plenty of sex scenes...

Hell on Wheels; AMC. 8 pm CST. 3rd Season Premiere.
Sometimes the show is a little "too much" (too much of a lot of things), but stars Anson Mount and Common are just damn great to watch. And after last season's deaths, it'll be interesting to see what they do with who's left.


Sunday, 8/11

Marvel's Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. Disney XD. 10 am CST. Series Premiere.
Then Hulk, She-Hulk, A-Bomb, Skaar, and Red Hulk all live and fight bad guys together.
If it's anything like the comics, they could end up being more dysfunctional than The White Queen.
...But I wouldn't count on any sex scenes...

Breaking Bad; AMC. 8 pm CST. Mid-season Premiere.
It's been nearly a year, but technically, it's the rest of the final season.

Low Winter Sun; AMC. 9:04 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A cop kills a dirty cop-- and then gets caught in the Detroit underworld while trying to cover it up.
I've heard good things-- and AMC has a pretty good track record for original dramas. You should check it out.

Talking Bad; AMC. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
AMC brings this Talking Dead-style show to Breaking Bad's last few episodes.

Television Premieres and Notables: July 29- August 4, 2013

Monday, 7/29

The Writer's Room; Sundance. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Members of various television writing teams discuss their process.
The premiere's subject is Breaking Bad.


Tuesday, 7/30

Nikki & Sara LIVE; MTV. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.

The Profit; CNBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Wednesday, 7/31

Capture; The CW. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.
A wilderness-survival reality series where teams also need to capture/eliminate their opponents.

Through the Wormhole With Morgan Freeman (Science Channel; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.


Thursday, 8/1

The Awesomes; Hulu. Series Premiere.
An animated series about a young superhero who needs to recreate the team his father quit.

Hatfields and McCoys: White Lightning; History. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Friday, 8/2

Tanked; Animal Planet. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Saturday, 8/3

Zero Hour (ABC; 8 pm CST). Series Finale.

Too Cute! Animal Planet. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Psychic Tia; A&E. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Sunday, 8/4

Secret Millionaire; ABC. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.

The Killing (AMC; 8 pm CST). Season Finale.

Falling Skies (TNT; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.

Shark After Dark; Discovery. 10 pm CST. Series Premiere.
This Shark Week nightly show discusses sharks of something. I don't know...

This is funnier than the whole 2012 season of HIMYM...

Television Premieres and Notables: July 22-28, 2013

Monday, 7/22

Breaking Pointe; The CW. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Supermarket Superstar; Lifetime. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Tuesday, 7/23

The Vineyard; ABC Family. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Web Therapy; Showtime. 10 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Wednesday, 7/24

Spell-Mageddon; ABC Family. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Top Chef Masters; Bravo. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Joe Rogan Questions Everything; Syfy. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Thursday, 7/25

Childrens Hospital; [adult swim]/Cartoon Network. 11 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Saturday, 7/27

America's Cutest Dog; Animal Planet. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Sunday, 7/28

Unforgettable; CBS. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Television Premieres and Notables: July 15-21, 2013

Tuesday, 7/16

Whose Line is it Anyway? The CW. 7 pm CST. Season Premiere/Series Return.
Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles, and Colin Mochrie are back-- and Aisha Tyler replaces Drew Carey as host.

Covert Affairs; USA. 8 pm CST. 4th Season Premiere.

Suits; USA. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.


Thursday, 7/18

Project Runway; Lifetime. 8 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Showville (AMC; 9 pm CST). Series Finale.

The slice we deserve...

Television Premieres andf Notables: July 8-14, 2013

Monday, 7/8

Get Out Alive With Bear Grylis; NBC. 8 pm CST. Series Premiere.

Warehouse 13 (Syfy; 9 pm CST). Season Finale.


Tuesday, 7/9

Betty White's Off Their Rockers (NBC; 7:30 pm CST). Season Finale.

Drunk History; Comedy Central. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Based on the YouTube series where comics act out historical conversations given by drunk people.


Wednesday, 7/10

Moone Boy; Hulu. sometime today. Series Premiere.
A ten-year-old in Ireland manages his days with the help of his imaginary friend (played by co writer Chris O'Dowd).

The Bridge; FX.  9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Diane Kruger and Demian Bichir star as detectives investigating a dead body found on a bridge between the U.S. and Mexico.

Camp; NBC. 9:01 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Thursday, 7/11

Orange is the New Black; Netflix. today. Series Premiere.


Hollywood Game Night; NBC. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.


Saturday, 7/13

Being Human; BBC America. 9 pm CST. Season Premiere.

Bounty Hunters; CMT. 9 pm CST. Series Premiere.
Bill Engvall, Jeff Foxworthy, and Larry the Cable Guy voice the title characters in this animated series.


Sunday, 7/14

The Newsroom; HBO. 9 pm CST. 2nd Season Premiere.

Jesus-- I'm stayin' away from Facebook