Saved by the Tube

fall casting!

2011-08-03T17:57:00.000-04:00

Between San Diego Comic-Con and the Television Critic Association's press tour, there have been loads of panels, interviews, and announcements from shows and networks over the past few weeks in advance of the fall premieres. Many of them have involved casting news. Here are some highlights.

This is probably my favorite. Charlyne Yi has been cast as the new member of House's diagnostics team. If you don't recognize Charlyne from her film Paperheart, you probably know her from Knocked Up. It's no secret that House is getting a little tired and may have lost a few fans in the great dining room drive-thru of 2010. Well, they have my attention now. Charlyne is so charmingly weird and hilarious --can't wait to see her play with Dr. House.

Michael K. Williams, better known as Omar from The Wire or Chalky White on Boardwalk Empire, will shift gears to join Community this fall. He'll play a professor of biology - the study group's chosen course this semester. Williams is a ridiculously talented actor. Regardless of the nature of his character, I'm pretty sure he will make Troy wet his pants.

Another Community addition this fall is none other than ~~Dan Connor~~ John Goodman. In one of the funniest new story concepts I've read, Goodman will play vice dean of Greendale's nationally-renowned school of air conditioning repair. Turns out this school and its dean are where all of the power and prestige of Greendale have been hiding.

You probably already heard that guest star standout James Spader will be reprising his role as Robert California on The Office. Spader, however, won't be taking over as the new Michael Scott. He is shooting straight to the top of the Sabre corporate ladder, and we'll see him on a regular basis in that capacity. The manager position is still up in the air among Jim, Dwight, and Andy. Any favorites?

Much mystery and intrigue has surrounded this character: Tammy 1. Ron Swanson's famed, dreaded, and previously unseen first wife on Parks and Recreation. She frightens the entire town of Pawnee, including the devilish Tammy 2 (Megan Mullaly). Patricia Clarkson has the gig. I have a hard time seeing the lovely Clarkson as such a terrifying figure, but that might be what makes it so fun. Looking forward to her first scene with Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe) for sure.

clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

2011-07-18T14:48:00.000-04:00

Because I couldn't bring myself to let it go, I was among those who waited and watched the final season of Friday Night Lights on NBC this spring/summer, rather than bribing a Direct TV subscriber into being friends with me or tracking down an advance copy of the DVD.

So, last week marked the end of my Friday Night Lights adventure. I'm not quite ready to share my thoughts on the last season and the series as a whole. Seems so darn overwhelming. If only Coach Taylor was here to give me a pep talk...

2011 emmy noms: glad, sad, mad

2011-07-14T16:40:00.002-04:00

The 2011 Emmy nominations were announced this morning. There's always lots to say about this often frustrating awards program, but rather than list the nominees (you can see them here), here are my reactions according to a brief, but strong range of emotions.

I'm glad that....

Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler are going out in style. Friday Night Lights for the win!
Amy Poehler and Martha Plimpton were nominated as best comedy leading ladies in Parks & Recreation and Raising Hope, rounding out a category that may be stronger than the men's side for the first time. I hope Amy wins it.
Parks & Recreation earned a first show nomination for its best season yet. Watch this show!
Cat Deeley AND So You Think You Can Dance earned nods this year. Finally.
All four Modern Family men garnered supporting actor nominations (with some reservations about that category though - see below under "mad").
Josh Charles and Alan Cumming made the cut of supporting drama actors, even though the drama category seems a little Good Wife heavy overall.
The awesome "Suitcase" (Remember it? Think back real far...) episode of Mad Men got a bunch of nominations, including writing. Elizabeth Moss and Jon Hamm (both nominated) rocked that episode.
Mad Men actually has the chance to sweep the drama acting categories this year (no one from the cast has won).
Conan beat Leno.

I'm sad that...

This will be Steve Carrell's last nomination for The Office. It's crazy that he's never won. I hope Emmy voters give him one of those (sometimes undeserved) sentimental awards. He had a great season.
It took this long for the Emmys to recognize Friday Night Lights - the best show on television.
As much as I love Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother just didn't provide the material for a nomination this year (definitely don't think Jon Cryer deserved the slot though).
Glee doesn't have my support this year (and Matthew Morrison and Lea Michelle's absences don't bother me). The show nomination slot should have gone to Community or Cougar Town or even Louis CK.
Ray Romano didn't join Andre Braugher in the supporting actor category for Men of a Certain Age. It could have boosted the show's chances for renewal. Big claps for Andre though.
Cable actors like Shawn Hatosy (awesome work this season) and Regina King from Southland aren't recognized.

I'm mad (actually angry, but that doesn't rhyme) that...

Ron Swanson is nowhere to be found. Nick Offerman killed it this season on Parks & Recreation.
Community got NOTHING. Not even in the technical categories. I realize the show caters to a specific taste, but no one can deny the talent in that cast.
Danny Pudi. Abed. Where are you?
There isn't more room in the supporting actress in a comedy series. I'd keep the nominees, especially Julie Bowen and Sophia Vergara, and add Busy Phillips and Alison Brie.
The Killing was smothered with questionable love, but my favorite character Joel Kinnaman's Holder got spongecake.
Johnny Galecki got a lead actor nod over Joel McHale. I like The Big Bang Theory, but seriously? (should be noted that Larry David wasn't eligible this year)
The amazingly talented John Noble seems destined for an annual snub for his awesome work on Fringe.

The Emmys will air on September 18th.

critic's choice winners

2011-06-20T19:00:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, I listed and reacted to the nominees for the first ever Critics Choice Television Awards by the Broadcast Television Journalist Association.

The awards presentation happened this afternoon -- if you're interested, Reelz Channel is airing the presentation in full on Wednesday night. TV Line is updating this page frequently with the full list of winners, so I won't list them all here.

But here are some of my thoughts on the winners:

Predictably, these winners feel more "fan fun friendly" than most of the more prestigious award programs.
Best supporting actor in a drama series goes to the so-very-well-deserving John Noble who seems to conduct an acting master class every week on Fringe.
Busy Phillips earns the supporting actress in a comedy award for her lovable quirkiness (and enviable ability to wear the crap out of every single shade of lipstick that they put on her) on Cougar Town. Why can't we be best friends?
Speaking of great lipstick, Mad Men's Christina Hendricks won for best supporting dramatic actress, tying with Justified's veteran Margo Martindale.
Julianna Margulies and Jon Hamm are appropriately the first couple of dramatic acting for their respective roles on The Good Wife and Mad Men (of course, Tami and Eric Taylor won in my heart).
CBS super duo Jim Parsons and Neil Patrick Harris are not surprisingly critics' darlings in the lead and supporting comedy acting categories. While I love NPH, I was rooting for Danny Pudi or Nick Offerman in that category
A little bit hilarious that Hoarders and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills tied for best (non-competition) reality series.
I really wish Cat Deeley (awards presentation host) could have presented the award for reality host to her own self (So You Think You Can Dance), but alas, it went to Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs.
While I would have squealed if best lead actress in a comedy went to Amy Poehler or Martha Plimpton, Tina Fay continues her reign. I ain't mad at you.

Some of the acting awards were a bit outside the mainstream, but there was a little predictability with the show awards: Mad Men for drama and Modern Family for comedy. Both are well-deserved, but I would have liked to see an upset in the comedy category (ahem Parks & Rec) since I didn't think Modern Family's second season was quite as strong as the first (although still really great).

Agree or disagree with the BTJA?

calling all traveling wilburys fans

2011-06-20T11:09:00.000-04:00

This is a little off of my usual topic, but if you're a Traveling Wilburys fan (and I'm a big one), you MUST go to their site today. They're streaming a 25-minute documentary on the true origin of the group - for just 24 hours! It will be up until 3am Eastern/12am Pacific tonight.

CLICK HERE

tca award nominees

2011-06-13T17:20:00.008-04:00

Last week, I posted about the first award program introduced by the newly formed Broadcast Television Journalist Association. Today, the more established, larger Television Critics Association (TCA) announced their nominees for the TCA Awards (est. 2002).

Like I said before, critics tend to recognize shows and performances that may not pull in the ratings or the prestige that we see in larger awards programs. A little pretentious? Maybe. But for me, that's what makes these fun. TCA gets more creative with their categories. Namely, acting achievements are not divided by gender or lead/support. This has a way of making the acting awards seem more hard-earned.

Here are the nominees:

Individual Achievement in Drama: Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Margo Martindale (Justified), Timothy Olyphant (Justified)

Individual Achievement in Comedy: Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Louis C.K. (Louis), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), Danny Pudi (Community), Jon Stewart (The Daily Show)

Outstanding Achievement in News and Information: If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don’t Rise, Restrepo, 60 Minutes, The Rachel Maddow Show, ESPN's 30 for 30

Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming: Amazing Race, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Survivor, The Voice, Top Chef: All Stars

Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming: A Children’s Garden of Poetry, iCarly, Nick News with Linda Ellerbee, R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour, Sesame Street, Yo Gabba Gabba

Outstanding New Program: Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones, Terriers, The Killing, Walking Dead

Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials: Cineme Verite, Downton Abbey: Masterpiece, Mildred Pierce, Sherlock: Masterpiece, Too Big to Fail

Outstanding Achievement in Drama: Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, Justified, Mad Men, The Good Wife

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy: Community, Louie, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, Raising Hope

Career Achievement Award: Steven Bochco, Dick Ebersol, Cloris Leachman, David Letterman, William Shatner, Oprah Winfrey

Heritage Award: All in the Family, Freaks and Geeks, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Twin Peaks

Program of the Year: Boardwalk Empire, Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, Justified, Parks and Recreation

A few thoughts:

Surprising, but also not surprising that Glee was completely shut out this year. Many have been unhappy with the second season, but Glee earned the coveted "Program of the Year" and "Outstanding New Program" awards last year. And Jane Lynch won the comedy performance award. Ouch.
Love that Julianna Margulies (won last year), Margo Martindale, and Amy Poehler are representing for women in the acting categories.Wouldn't mind seeing a few more ladies though -- perhaps Elizabeth Moss and Connie Britton?
Some truly awesome supporting actors dominated the comedy category: Nick Offerman, Danny Pudi, and Ty Burrell.
I know critics are largely over The Office, but I would have liked a nod to Steve Carrell's exiting performance this season. Not for nostalgia -- he was damn good in every episode.
The fact that I've only seen one of the shows (The Killing) nominated in the "Outstanding New Program" category is embarrassing (sad fact: Terriers has already been cancelled).
The comedy show category is pretty much completely spot on -- Louie and I have had our differences, but I know it belongs there. And I'm super happy for the oft-misunderstood Community and Raising Hope as well.
I love the heritage category! How in the world do you choose?!
The recognition for Friday Night Lights makes me equal parts happy, sad, and angry. Basically, I feel Smash Williams-ian about it.
Can we assume Oprah has this one in the bag?

Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson!) will host the awards presentation on August 6.

summer (new to you?) throw backs

2011-06-10T19:30:00.013-04:00

I always have overly ambitious summer viewing plans. It seems like a great opportunity to not only play catch up, but also rewatch some classic favorites as well as finally get to series that I always meant to watch.

Right now, I'm rewatching Sports Night and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip as an accidental Sorkin retrospective. I also just caught up on many missed episodes of this season's Grey's Anatomy and planning to do the same for Fringe, Chuck, Dexter, and Vampire Diaries. On my more ambitious embarrassed-for-never-seeing-these list: Deadwood, Boardwalk Empire, Battlestar Galactica and Treme.

I definitely recommend checking out the many blogs and TV sites that take on these kind of projects for summer. It's a fun way to follow along and interact with a community of people while watching -- something that's usually not possible in real time when you're watching an old show. Here are some examples:

The AV Club always has interesting retrospectives going on. These days, you can find Homicide, Veronica Mars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Adventures of Pete and Pete (!!).

TV critic Alan Sepinwall is doing a Deadwood rewind over at HitFix.

Sepinwall's podcast with Dan Fienberg's Firewall and Iceberg chose Twin Peaks as their summer project.

Boob Tube Dude's Ryan McGee is currently in the midst of Alias and Friday Night Lights, blogging frequently about both.

There are many more, so I'll add to comments as I find them. Speaking of comments, I'd like some! What are you watching this summer?

weekend reading

2011-06-10T17:30:00.000-04:00

Seemed to be an abundance of fun interviews with television personalities this week. Here's a roundup for your reading enjoyment:

Los Angeles Times: Amy Poehler on all things Leslie Knope

TV Line: Joel McHale on his "boyhood dreams" coming true thanks to Community

The TV Addict: Mike O'Malley (Burt Hummel) talks Glee and Shameless (and just generally being awesome)

Vulture TV: The lovely Christina Hendricks chats about Mad Men and her nearly-identical-to-mine TV tastes.

The AV Club: Super long (4 parts!) but interesting interview with Community creator Dan Harmon. I liked the part about women in comedy (part 2).

TV Guide Magazine: The top 20 So You Think You Can Dance contestants describe themselves.

Vulture TV: Sadly, NBC's Love Bites never lived up to the hype (currently burning off on Thursday nights), but I still love love love Becki Newton. Here's a little interview to catch up with her.

more film faces headed for TV

2011-06-09T18:07:00.000-04:00

During the upfronts a couple weeks ago, we saw many famous film faces popping up on the 2011-12 television schedule. Jim Caviezel and Oscar-nominated Taraji Henson joined CBS's Person of Interest. Leelee Sobieski will give the small screen a try at midseason on the same network with cop rookie drama The 2-2. ABC will bring us a weekly dose of Ashley Judd in Missing and Christina Ricci in Pan Am. And let's not forget Zooey Deschanel as FOX's New Girl.

Two more actors are joining the ranks. I previously mentioned NBC's midseason plan to bring The Firm to television. They have just cast Josh Lucas as attorney Mitchell McDeere, a role originated by Tom Cruise in the film. The show will pick up ten years after the events of the book as McDeere and his family emerge from hiding. In my mind, Josh will always be the Southern charming Sweet Home Alabama glass blowing Reese Witherspoon soulmate, but I'm happy with this casting decision.

In even cooler news, Danny Glover has just been confirmed to join Kiefer Sutherland's new FOX pilot Touch (which is still awaiting an official pick up for midseason). We still don't have many details about this project -- the pilot has yet to be shot. But we know Glover will play Arthur Dewitt, a professor and expert on children who possess special gifts related to numbers. He will no doubt work with Kiefer's character's autistic son, who begins to predict events before they happen using numerical patterns. The Glover addition makes me much more excited for this project.

today's goodbye to meredith

2011-06-08T18:51:00.000-04:00

For morning news programs, I think you gravitate to the network on which you were raised. That's why those morning ratings wars seem as pointless as Coke and Pepsi advertising to me -- you know what you drink and that's not going to change.

In my house growing up, The Today Show was always in the background at breakfast. These days, morning broadcast news isn't really part of my routine, but Today is still my go-to if I need some AM headlines.

This morning was Meredith Vieira's last show. It's a sad day. To me, she's a perfect morning host (and not because she's a fellow Rhode Island native!). She's warm, but smart. Funny, but not obnoxious. A skilled interviewer who (usually) avoids those emotionally manipulative morning news questions. She found the perfect balance between hard news gatherer and fluffy show host -- a balance not often mastered -- and made it look easy.

This was part of Today's send off for Meredith. A music number! It's awesome. I surprised my own self and cried.

gleeful: the littlest warbler

2011-06-06T17:23:00.002-04:00

I mean, come on. That long tie kills me.

first ever critics' choice television award nominees

2011-06-05T17:15:00.000-04:00

The Broadcast Television Journalist Association (BTJA) will hold the first ever Critics' Choice Television Awards on June 20. The luncheon awards presentation (hosted by the lovely Cat Deeley of So You Think You Can Dance) will stream live on VHI.com and be broadcast on June 22 on the Reelz Channel.

BTJA is a new group affiliated with the Broadcast Film Critics Association (not to be confused with the larger, more well-known Television Critics Association). While it appears to be designed for the relatively small group of "television critics on television," there are a some well-respected online critics, namely Matt Roush from TV Guide Magazine.

News of yet another award show isn't very intriguing in itself, but looking at the favorites selected by critics rather than, say, the Emmy voting pool (much less the ratings charts) is pretty interesting. At the very least, if this is an opportunity to give kudos to some oft-neglected quality programming, then I'm all for it.

Let's look at the nominees:

DRAMA
Many of these picks are pretty predictable -- the definition of "good drama" is usually far more widely accepted than comedy. For that reason, though, sometimes the top picks can become tiresome. Like Dexter is there just because it has to be at this point, etc. So, it's gratifying to see shows like Friday Night Lights and Fringe (John Noble!) get recognition here. Ratings shmatings. Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton are one of the best drama pairings in the history of television. Hyperbole? My blog. It will be interesting to see if other more recent critical favorites like Justified, The Killing, and The Walking Dead make any headway at the major award shows this year. I think it's fairly safe to say Game of Thrones will. Also glad to see the critics call out some specific good performances that might not come with a big show behind them -- Shawn Hatosy's work on Southland is a great example.

BEST DRAMA: Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Fringe, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, Justified, The Killing, Mad Men, The Walking Dead

BEST ACTOR - DRAMA: Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights), Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), William H. Macy (Shameless), Timothy Olyphant (Justified)

BEST ACTRESS - DRAMA: Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), Mireille Enos (The Killing), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), Anna Torv (Fringe)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - DRAMA: Alan Cumming (The Good Wife), Walton Goggins (Justified), Shawn Hatosy (Southland), John Noble (Fringe), Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire), John Slattery (Mad Men)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - DRAMA: Michelle Forbes (The Killing), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Margo Martindale (Justified), Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Chloë Sevigny (Big Love)

COMEDY
Not surprisingly, the comedy picks have a much wider range that we're used to seeing. And since "good comedy" seems so much more open to interpretation, a look at critic's picks can be fun because TV critics are so often some of the biggest TV fans. Shows like Louie and Archer aren't really my thing, but they have huge fans, so great to see them recognized. I've long been concerned that Community is too "weird" for the Emmys -- but here's proof the show (and Danny Pudi!) are critically-acclaimed. Funny, I pretty much wouldn't change a thing in any of the ultra-competitive comedy acting categories, although some supporting character love for The Office would have been nice. Yay for the first-recognized brilliance of Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson, Martha Plimpton's so-bad-she's-good mom from Raising Hope, and the hilariously under-appreciated Eden Cher from The Middle.

BEST COMEDY: Archer, The Big Bang Theory, Community, Glee, Louie, The Middle, Modern Family, The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock

BEST ACTOR - COMEDY: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Steve Carell (The Office), Louis C.K. (Louie), Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Joel McHale (Community), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)

BEST ACTRESS - COMEDY: Courteney Cox (Cougar Town), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Patricia Heaton (The Middle), Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - COMEDY: Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Ed O’Neill (Modern Family), Danny Pudi (Community), Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - COMEDY: Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), Jane Lynch (Glee), Busy Philipps (Cougar Town), Eden Sher (The Middle), Sofía Vergara (Modern Family)

REALITY
These categories crack me up. It feels like an exposition of what really goes on our televisions while we're doing laundry on a Sunday afternoon (not what Emmy voters claim to enjoy). Housewives? Love it. Hoarders? Damn you, I can't look away. Same goes for Sister Wives. As for hosts, thank goodness for some MUCH-delayed love for Cat Deeley, the best host on television. As a unit, the collection of best talk shows is kind of hilarious. Come to think of it, do we ever see Oprah at the Emmys?

BEST REALITY SERIES: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Hoarders, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Sister Wives, Undercover Boss

BEST REALITY SERIES - COMPETITION : The Amazing Race, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Project Runway, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Top Chef

BEST REALITY SHOW HOST: Tom Bergeron (Dancing with the Stars), Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance), Ty Pennington (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition), Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs), Ryan Seacrest (American Idol)

BEST TALK SHOW: Chelsea Lately, The Daily Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Oprah Winfrey Show

season finale watch: gossip girl and modern family

2011-05-26T16:44:00.000-04:00

This pairing may offend you, but bear with me. These two finales struck a chord with me because both played as if they could have been series finales. DON'T get me wrong, I hope Modern Family is around for many years to -- although I can't really say the same for GG anymore -- this is more about the writing style that both sets of writers used.

Gossip Girl
I'm not as passionate about GG's shortcomings or it's strengths as most viewers. I still find it entertaining, it often cracks me up, and I like the dresses. It's fun, escapist television for me, and I try not to over-analyze it (although the New York Magazine recaps often make my week).

So, season four was just fine with me. No big complaints, except for a few obvious ones 1) Rufus has become a full on house boy; 2) Vanessa needs to leave New York forever; 3) Jenny is unrecognizable and also needs to never come back; 4) Serena's ability to easily be forgiven (and forgive for that matter) boggles my mind.

Given the melodrama we've seen in GG finales past, I found this conclusion kind of refreshing. Sure, there were some twisty reveals -- Vanessa stealing Dan's manuscript and discovering that Charlie is a fake hired by Lily's sister. By the way, what the heck? Would Lily really not know what her niece looks like? What is her sister hiding? I'm picturing something along the lines of Jane Eyre's upstairs neighbor Bertha.

This final episode finally brought us a meaningful, dramatically romantic conclusion of Blair and Chuck. This is the first time I've ever seen them part ways for reasons that seemed to make mature sense. Claps for Chuck. I'm not silly enough to think we've seen the last of this couple. but if this was the series finale, I would have been totally satisfied. Blair gets her prince, and Chuck lets her go.

The episode was also series finale-esque for the rest of them: Serena leaves New York and falls into a promising career opportunity in her Serenian way; Chuck and Nate renew their friendship and go off to do what filthy rich, young, single men should do; Lily pays for her sins with her house boy by her side; and Dan heads to the Hamptons to write and be a brother to Eric (who seems especially pouty lately, no?)

I'm sure there will be all kinds dramatics next season, but a small piece of me wouldn't mind if that had been the end of Gossip Girl.

Modern Family
After just two seasons, Modern Family is a much younger show than Gossip Girl. And the shows have absolutely nothing in common. But this finale had a very similar conclusive tone.

The sophomore season suffered a tiny bit when writers abused some of the show's strengths -- Cam as the overly dramatic diva, for example. For me, this made some of the episodes feel like a series of hi-jinx, making some of the sentimental moments seem unearned.

That said, I laughed out loud every week, and I still can't get enough of these characters. So, while I'm definitely glad that Modern Family will be back next year, the finale was structured in a way that it could have been a series finale. Via the kids' video birthday present for Jay, we saw a great mash-up of call backs to some of the season's funniest episodes. Other great scenes that wrapped up some ongoing themes: 1) Cam mentoring Manny was a great revitalization of the Cam we love -- the unlikely sporty gay dad with a heart of gold; 2) Cam and Mitchell building a family (and actually getting along!) the way they were when we first met them; 3) Phil's boyish crush on Gloria turned upside down by the reminder that his wife is the girl of his (and his nemesis') dreams; 4) Jay reluctantly admitting that the "new Jay" is the better one, and Manny proved that sitting in his little fishing boat.

Again, can't wait to have it back, but this finale wrapped up the Pritchett/Dunphy clan for me in a way that made it okay to say goodbye for summer.

summer tv is right around the corner...

2011-05-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

** A FEW UPDATES TO THE ORIGINAL POST BELOW

Every year around this time, I'm reminded of the boat load of summer television shows. Don't people play outside anymore? (and yes, I'm fully aware of the irony of what I just wrote)

I'll be watching these again:
So You Think You Can Dance (FOX, May 26)
Men of a Certain Age (TNT, June 1)
White Collar (USA, June 7)*
Covert Affairs (USA, June 7)*
Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family, June 14)
Leverage (TNT, June 26)
Royal Pains (USA, June 29)
Rizzoli & Isles (TNT, July 11)*
Entourage (HBO, July 24) - final season

* On a probationary basis, got a little bored with these last summer.

Promising new guilty pleasures for summer:
Franklin and Bash (TNT, June 1): Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Brekin Meyer are a legal team.
Falling Skies (TNT, June 19): Noah Wylie leads a ban of alien attack survivors in Boston.
The Hot Zone (ABC, June 21): Drama about residents at a military hospital in Southern Afghanistan.

Great State of Georgia (ABC Family, June 29): New Raven-Symone comedy. Ok, I'm just curious.
Suits (USA, June 23): Another unlikely two-man team from USA, this one is of the legal variety.
Wilfred (FX, June 23): Comedy about Elijah Wood and his imaginary human/dog friend. Yup.
Necessary Roughness (USA, June 29): A Long Island divorcee becomes a therapist for an NFL team. A little curious?

I'll say I'm not watching these, but on boring, rainy summer days, I totally will:

America's Got Talent (NBC, May 31)
Wipeout (ABC, June 16)
Same Name (CBS, July 24): Celebrities trade places with "regular" people with their same names! Come on!
America's Karaoke Challenge (ABC, August 8)

I won't be watching these, but in case you're curious:
Switched at Birth (ABC Family, June 6) NEW
Memphis Beat (TNT, June 14)
Hawthorne (TNT, June 14)
The Nine Lives of Chloe King (ABC Family, June 14) NEW
Rookie Blue (ABC, June 16)
101 Ways to Leave a Game Show (ABC, June 16)
Expedition Impossible (ABC, June 21) NEW
Burn Notice (USA, June 23)
Louie (Comedy Central, June 23)
The Marriage Ref (NBC, June 26)
True Blood (HBO, June 26)
The Big C (HBO, June 27)
Take the Money and Run (ABC, June 28) NEW
Big Brother (CBS, July 7)
Torchwood (Starz, July 8)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, July 10)
Rescue Me (FX, July 12) - final season
Damages (only on DIRECT-TV, July 13)
The Closer (TNT, July 11)
Breaking Bad (AMC, July 17 TBD)
Hell's Kitchen (FOX, July 19)
Bachelor Pad (ABC, August 8)
The Lying Game (ABC Family, August 15) NEW

season finale watch: the office and parks & rec

2011-05-23T16:43:00.073-04:00

My reason for pairing these two together is more about wanting to talk about each season as a whole than drawing any parallels between the two finales. So, let's get to it.

Parks & Recreation
I really think this might be one of my favorite seasons of a show ever. As I'm sure I wrote here in the beginning, Parks & Rec started off on shaky ground for me. At first, Lesley Knope seemed too naive and annoying to watch every week, and it was hard to see the ensemble cast working cohesively. But, especially given the tricky production schedule and delayed start, season two really blew me away.

It seemed like the writers found the strongest points of each character and just kept bringing them out with more and more success. Some of my favorites this season: Tom Haverford's food nicknames, Leslie and Ann's friendship, everyone drunk on Snake Juice, Ben (Adam Scott) and his failed mayor back story, Lil' Sebastian, Rob Lowe's Chris Traeger as the boss, especially his scenes with Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson -- the burger competition comes to mind. Let's face it, pretty much anything Ron Swanson did this season.

I'd like to also thank the writers for bucking the drawn out romance tradition and putting both April and Andy and Leslie and Ben together by season's end. April and Andy's wedding in "Fancy Party" was one of my favorite episodes this season -- I did not see that coming, and I'm loving watching their weird little marriage. Leslie and Ben circling around each other during the latter half of the season was sweet when it wasn't completely awkward and uncomfortable -- traits that Amy Poehler and Adam Scott play brilliantly.

The finale set up some interesting possibilities for next season -- Leslie possibly running for public office and what they will mean for her secret relationship with Ben, Tom Haverford's high end entertainment empire, and the potential reveal of Ron's ex-wife Tammy the First? I really can't wait.

The Office
It was a big season for the office. Michael Scott's swan song. I'm going to keep my thoughts retrospective and refrain for speculating on the fate of next season and the new boss -- for now. We'll save that for fall.

Any show that's been on for seven seasons is going to lose steam, especially with critics. For me, The Office writers have worked really well to bring creative revitalization through the years -- the branch merger (who remembers Scranton without Andy anymore?), a new receptionist, the Sabre takeover, Jim and Pam's saga. There has been some really adventurous evolution of characters like Ryan and Daryl as well as seamless incorporation of recurring roles like Amy Ryan's Holly (unfortunately, I can't really say the same for Gabe -- he bores me).

All of that is to say, The Office is still one of my favorite comedies, and I was happy to sit back and watch Steve Carell's victory lap this season. Long time fans know that we initially met a very different Michael Scott -- one very similar to the UK's David Brent. While certainly entertaining, something was not quite gelling. By the second season -- probably with thanks to Carell's performance in 40-Year-Old Virgin -- the writers starting playing more to the actor's strengths and appealing more to the tastes of the American audience. Sure, Michael was still a self-centered buffoon, but all of that masked a childlike quality that craved friends and a sense of belonging -- he believed he found that at Dunder-Mifflin, and by the end, his staff and the audience realized he had.

The best part about watching Michael's progression over the years has been the subtly -- The Office of course never being a show to hit us over the head with a sappy music montage (I'm looking at you, How I Met Your Mother). Moments like encouraging Jim not to give up on Pam on the booze cruise, becoming a paternal mentor to Erin, refusing to throw the company under the bus when Jan tried to sue, and finally, his relationship with Holly. In probably my favorite proposal scene ever on television, we saw the fully grown-up Michael Scott propose to Holly. Yup, I cried.

Admittedly, I could have done without the stunt casting at the end of the season, for the same reasons that I'm not upset with NBC for keeping the show going post-Carrell. I have faith that these writers and this cast will bring us more fun next season -- now don't make a liar out of me.

season finale watch: castle and hawaii 5-0

2011-05-21T18:20:00.038-04:00

I'm actually a little surprised that these two shows stayed on my schedule this year. Nathan Fillion has always been enough to keep me watching Castle, but I never really expected to like Hawaii 5-0 as much as I do. I'll get into that a bit more below. The reason I paired the two finales together is that they both used really similar plot devices: a surprising twist followed by a traditional cliffhanger that is equal parts potentially game-changing and realistically unbelievable.

Castle
The second season of Castle disappointed me a little. It was so heavy on the Castle/Beckett romantic tension. I realize these two characters form the central relationship of the show, but it seemed like the writers were relying too heavily on that plot device for all of the dramatic moments this season. There are so many other strong aspects of the show that could be used more prominently, namely Castle's interactions with his mother and daughter, which make up some of the strongest scenes.

That said, I do think the chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic has improved. Beckett has softened and become much more relatable and likable this season. Actual smiles are a welcome change from her uber-intense disposition last year. (Special recognition also goes to the show's stylists who finally resolved what seemed like an endless line of unfortunate hair styles on Beckett.)

The finale brought a pretty unexpected twist to the resolution of Beckett's mother's murder. At least I think it was a resolution? I'm still not sure that we know the whole story. Turns out, Captain Montgomery - long time mentor and boss to Beckett - was partly responsible to the cover up of her murder. He had been living with the guilt for years and took Beckett under his wing as a rookie as a way of trying to make amends. With the guilt finally breaking him, the Captain sacrificed his life to catch the man responsible. As a relatively low profile and light-hearted character on the show, we definitely didn't see this loss coming.

If that twist wasn't enough, in Beckett's attempt to save Captain Montgomery**, she took an apparently fatal bullet to the chest. The scenes closes with her in Castle's arms as he professes his love. As TV watchers, there are two things we know 1) this is not the kind of show to kill off a main character 2) this is not the kind of show to resolve a romance in two seasons. So, as dramatic as the conclusion was, it felt a little cheap. But at the very least, these developments will mean some changes in their relationship and potentially a new Captain next season.

** I just realized that I completely mis-remembered this scene. She actually gets shot at the Captain's funeral. At the scene of his shooting in the airplane hangar, Castle carries her to safety when she tries to intervene and save the Captain. Whew. That was a brain fart.

Hawaii 5-0
As I've said before, Hawaii 5-0 snuck up on me this season. I'll admit, my attraction is pretty superficial. Great chase scenes, things blowing up, gorgeous men, beautiful scenery, and even some humor. It's just fun, entertaining Monday night television.

I even found myself getting attached to these characters, which is why the finale was pretty gut-wrenching, assuming of course you could suspend your disbelief (as you did in the final moments of Castle). The twist came in a similar way to Castle, McGarrett finally gets some answers about his father's death. Surprisingly, he figures out that his long time supporter and 5-0 benefactor Governor Jameson was indirectly responsible due to her involvement with organized crime and the ubiquitous villian Wo Fat. Of course, McGarrett doesn't go about proving his theory about the Governor in the most law-abiding way.

We end the episode with McGarrett arrested for the Governor's murder (Wo Fat framed him) by Chin who has just been reinstated as a Lieutenant with the Hawaii Police Department, believing 5-0 is now defunct. At the same time, Kono has been arrested for stealing millions from HPD (which she and McGarrett secretly did back when they needed to pay Chin's ransom earlier in the season). And Danno is the only left standing to save the crew - meanwhile, he's missing his flight back to New Jersey with his reunited family. Whew. Got all of that?

So, again we have a really dramatic, game-changing cliffhanger that -- while suspenseful and fun -- obviously does not signify the end of the 5-0. We'll see the gang back fighting the seemingly disproportionate amount of major crime for a tiny island next season.

Sidenote: Masi Oka has been upgraded to a series regular as Dr. Max Bergman next season, so expect to spend more time at the lab.

season finale watch: bones and the good wife

2011-05-20T10:24:00.161-04:00

If any of you read all of that upfronts ballyhoo below, thanks for your patience. Much of that network pomp and circumstance doesn't really interest the average TV watcher. But it was a good way to clear the blogging cobwebs after my inexcusable absence and get excited for next fall.

Now it's time to get back to some regular TV fandom as this season wraps, so I'll be posting about the finales of some of my favorites. I'll probably group them in some odd ways, but bear with me.

First up: Bones and The Good Wife.

Let me be clear that I love both of these shows for reasons that go far beyond will-they-won't-they drama. However, I'm pairing them together because both finales had some surprising developments in their respective "suspenseful relationships" that will have interesting implications for next season.

Bones

I have a soft spot for this show. Considering the violent nature of the crimes depicted and the gross out images of rotting corpses, it's funny how much I just like hanging out with these characters every week. The chemistry among the actors is some of the best on television. Emily Deschanel's deadpan performance as highly intelligent, bewildered realist Dr. Brennan (Bones) never gets old for me. I would argue that this past season has been one of the strongest in terms of Bones' journey to understand her own instincts and emotions -- told so aptly through her relationship with partner Booth.

But it's the supporting characters that make this show for me. Hodgins and Angela's little love story has been so fun to watch. And Sweets is always entertaining -- as sort of a meta-analyzer for the audience -- and so well-played by John Francis Daley. The revolving door of interns has been the perfect solution for the irreplaceable Zack (when are we going back to that story, by the way?). The second-to-last episode brought a very surprising end to the life of intern Vincent Nigel-Murray. It was such a beautifully done episode -- that musical sequence right before the sniper shooting, rotating among all of the characters was awesome. Who knew the loss of Vincent would make me cry?

All of that said, the very last scene in the finale between Bones and Booth is really the only thing that will stick with me through the summer hiatus. Bones is preggers?! An intimate moment between the two while grieving Vincent in the previous episode was definitely purposefully left open to interpretation. Many fans feel robbed of the experience of seeing them finally give in to all of that tension and just kissy face all over the place. For me, it was done perfectly. I didn't need to see the dirty deed, and I think Bones' confession coupled with Booth's elated reaction at the very end was pretty perfect (and appropriate for how this story has been told). Just enough to satisfy the 'shipper in me while still leaving the story open to many potential complications for next season. Assuming Emily and David will not actually reproduce (despite their dedication to the craft), they better find a darn cute baby to play their offspring.

Note: Many of you probably know that Emily is pregnant in real life, so the writers incorporated it into the story. That doesn't cheapen it for me though. I'm totally on board with the story. Also, Bones will take a spring hiatus in 2012 to accommodate Emily's leave.

The Good Wife

Aside from the strength of the supporting cast, The Good Wife really could not be more different from Bones in terms of tone and style. I'm putting them together mostly because they both gave me that mushy feeling at the end of the finale. There, I said it.

Really, any of the last three episodes (starting with the election night) could have been the finale of The Good Wife this season. The reveal of Kalinda's tryst with Peter was a cliffhanger that would have worked. But I'm glad they pushed on and gave Alicia the opportunity to have some really memorable confrontations with everyone involved -- both Kalinda and Peter, but also Jackie (woah). These scenes set up many possibilities for the show's return next season. We know Kalinda will keep her job at the firm, but the tension between the two women could be cut with a knife. We also know Peter is now in a position to either make Alicia's professional life miserable or relieve his guilt by secretly helping her out (can we assume that's what he was doing by mailing the bloody glove)?

My one complaint - I can't get behind how Alicia's kids are written. I can't put my finger on why. The writers often display the kids' mischievous savvy -- using social media and other means to sabotage Peter's opponents (they were really playing dirty!) and challenging Alicia's choices (both religious and political). They don't seem to ever redeem themselves or show compassion for their mother, and I find myself wanting to smack them. Is that because these are real teenagers, and we just don't often see teenagers written in a realistic way? Kids being kids in an extremely stressful situation? Maybe. But, even not knowing about Kalinda, I wanted them to be a little easier on their mom about the separation. I'm probably over-analyzing these two, but I wouldn't mind a lot more Eli Gold and less Florrick kids next season.

The finale concluded with a relationship that hasn't often taken center stage this season, but was always hovering in the background. I'm not always on board with the Will and Alicia tension -- it's not the strength of the show -- but the scene at the hotel bar was a reminder of how well the two actors play together and how the two characters bring out the best sides of each other. When I still wasn't sure which way I wanted things to go, the use of those elevator doors as a suspense-building device at the very end was brilliant. I was on the edge of my seat. I fully expected Jackie, Peter, Kalinda, Elmo, SOMEONE to be on the other side of those doors. Which made it even more satisfying when they made it into the room. Christ, Alicia deserved it. And she wasn't going to let a stupid key card get in her way.

Should be really interesting to see how this relationship impacts the next season, but with everything else in play (including cases that are becoming increasingly compelling), I have faith the writers won't get too bogged down in the relationship drama of it all.

2011 upfronts: the cw

2011-05-19T10:32:00.126-04:00

As upfronts week comes to a close, I don't want to neglect The CW. Darn if that little network doesn't have some of the longest running shows on television these days. Here are a few highlights:

Starting midseason, One Tree Hill will air a 13-episode farewell for it's ninth and final season. Thank the sweet baby.
Hellcats and Shedding for the Wedding will not be returning next season. Tissues are available at the end of this post.
Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural will all continue running on their respective nights (Monday, Thursday, and Friday).
90210 will move to Tuesdays and Nikita to Friday.

Six new shows are on the docket for next year...

Ringer

Buffy fans rejoice. This is Sarah Michelle Gellar long anticipated return to television. She plays Bridget, six months sober and starting to turn her life around when she is the sole witness to a professional hit. She flees to New York, where she Bridget reunites with her estranged twin, Siobhan. Wealthy, pampered and married to the strikingly handsome, Siobhan lives what appears to be a fairy tale life - where no one knows that Bridget exists. The sisters seem to be mending their frayed relationship, until Siobhan disappears mysteriously, and Bridget makes the split decision to take on her sister's identity. She discovers shocking secrets, not only about her sister, her marriage, and her friends. And when someone tries to kill Bridget in her sister's penthouse, she realizes she is no safer as Siobhan than she is as herself. Look for Nestor Carbonell (Lost's Richard) as Agent Victor Machado, Bridget's witness protection officer.

My take: Given SMG's history, I'll check it out, but this is another one that feels more like a movie to me.

Hart of Dixie

Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson, The OC) graduated top of her class from medical school and plans to follow in her father's footsteps and become a cardio-thoracic surgeon. But when her dreams fall apart, she accepts an offer from, Dr. Harley Wilkes, to work with him at his small practice in Bluebell, Alabama. Zoe arrives in this small Gulf Coast town only to find that Harley has passed away and left his half of the medical practice to her. The other doctor in town, Brick Breeland, is less than pleased to be sharing the practice, and his daughter, Lemon (Jaime King, My Generation), is a Southern belle who's not a fan of Zoe. She does make some friends: the mayor, former football star Lavon Hayes (Cress Williams, Friday Night Lights alum!), her bad-boy neighbor Wade Kinsella (Wilson Bethel, Generation Kill), and handsome lawyer George Tucker (Scott Porter, Friday Night Lights' Jason Street!) - who's also Lemon's fiancé. A visit by her snobby New York mother leads to Zoe's decision to stay in Bluebell for a while. Josh Schwartz (The OC, Chuck, Gossip Girl) is an executive producer.

My take: Is this Doc Hollywood played by a girl? Ehh...Scott Porter, Rachel Bilson, Josh Schwartz, and my hankering for a guilty pleasure will have my watching.

H8R

Celebrities go head-to-head with civilians who hate them to win their "haters" over. Hosted by Mario Lopez.

My take: This is not a joke.

The Secret Circle

Cassie Blake (Life Unexpected) was a happy, normal teenage girl - until her mother Amelia dies in a fire. Cassie moves in with her loving grandmother Jane in the small town of Chance Harbor, Washington - where her mother grew up. As Cassie gets to know her high school classmates, her new friends explain that they are all descended from powerful witches, and they've been waiting for Cassie to join them and complete a new generation of the Secret Circle. It's not until Cassie discovers a message from her mother in an old book of spells, that she understands her destiny. She soon realizes that darker powers are at play in the town, and her mother's death may not have been an accident.

My take: The quality of this one really depends on how strong all of the townspeople characters are, so we'll see. Why I am such a sucker for CW shows?

Reality Shows:

Re-Modeled (midseason)

Modeling industry veteran Paul Fisher is planning to bring together hundreds of small agencies around the world in a new venture called The Network. The Network will give Paul the leverage to change the industry from the inside out. He has two missions: to make sure agents in small towns no longer get screwed, and to empower models to take control of their careers and lead healthier lives.

My take: It took me a good 15 minutes to realize that this is a reality show. No thanks.

The Frame (midseason)

Ten teams of two (in existing relationships) each live in one Frame - a stripped down version of their home living space - for up to 8 weeks, with the entire world watching. Couples cannot physically see one another, but each "frame" is rigged with plasma screens & communication devices that allow for visual and verbal interaction. The teams will face outrageous challenges, punishments, head-to-head competitions, and eliminations, all while isolated from the outside world. With 24/7 web cams streaming content live, and a bi-weekly television show, audiences will vote for - and have control over - many elements of the show, from rewards to punishments to eliminations. The last couple standing will walk away with a cash prize.

My take: This feels like something out of a bad, futuristic movie. Shivers.

2011 upfronts: cbs

2011-05-18T12:20:00.050-04:00

Programming Notes:
Click here to the full list of CBS's renewals and cancellations. At the presentation, CBS was going for the strong, steady image. Which is appropriate. They made few changes to their schedule -- which earns the highest overall ratings among the broadcast networks, drawing big numbers from all age groups, which is definitely a rarity these days. So, they're only adding three new dramas and two comedies this year. Here are a few other notes:

The Good Wife is making a big move to Sunday nights at 9:00. I'll follow that show anywhere, but I'm doing a little cheer for Parenthood, which could find a better audience on NBC without that competition.
Two and Half Men with Ashton Kutcher will stay on Mondays at 9:00. No word yet on Kutcher's character. I've never watched that show and don't plan to start, but I am intrigued to watch how that shakeup will play out. It's been a long time since such a high profile character was swapped out on a sitcom. Maybe since Shelley Long on Cheers?
Apparently, it's a big deal that CSI was moved from its long time slot on Thursday to Wednesday at 10:00.
The Big Bang Theory will keep the 8:00 Thursday slot kicking off an hour comedy block with new show How to Be a Gentleman.

TV Line posted a collection of trailers for the news shows. Check them out here and/or read my little descriptions and gut reactions after the jump

New Dramas:

Unforgettable
Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace) stars as Carrie Wells, an former police detective with a rare condition that makes her remember every place, every conversation, every moment of joy and every heartbreak forever (this was on an episode of House this season. Copy cats). The only thing she can't remember are the details that would help solve her sister's long-ago murder. She's unexpectedly reunited with her ex-boyfriend and partner, NYPD Detective Al Burns (Dylan Walsh, Nip/Tuck), when she consults on a homicide case. His squad includes Detective Roe Saunders played by Kevin Rankin, who I loved in Friday Night Lights (Herc) and Trauma. She decides to permanently join the unit as a homicide detective - focusing most on the unsolved murder of her sister.

My take: Not really for me, but I think this will do a great job filling the void for Medium mourners. A good fit for the CBS menu.

Person of Interest
Michael Emerson plays a billionaire software genius Finch who teams up with a presumed dead former CIA agent Reese (Jim Caviezel) to prevent crimes using their own form of vigilante justice. Finch invented a program that uses pattern recognition to identify people about to be involved in violent crimes. Using this technology, the two use Reese's adept skills and Finch's unlimited wealth to stop the crimes before they happens. Reese's actions catch the attention of the NYPD, namely homicide detective Carter (Taraji Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). With infinite crimes to investigate, Reese and Finch find that the right person, with the right information, at the right time, can change everything. This is another J.J. Abrams production.

My take: Michael Emerson all I need to hear to at least watch the pilot. But I would like it better if Ben Linus was joined by John Locke to fight these crimes (Lost reference if you live in a hole).

A Gifted Man
Michael Holt (Patrick Wilson, Watchmen) is a doctor who lives a materialistic life thanks to his work-obsessed career and powerful and wealthy patients. But his world is rocked when his dead ex-wife, Anna (Jennifer Ehle), an idealistic free-clinic doctor and the love of his life, mysteriously appears to him. Michael's off-beat sister, Christina (Julie Benz, Dexter) is thrilled that Anna's back in her brother's life, even as an "illusion," because Michael was always a better person with her. When Anna asks Michael to keep her running, his attitude toward serving the rich and poor is turned upside down.

My take: Another great show for the CBS brand. Not my thing, but I think it will do really well with the Touched by an Angel/Medium/Ghost Whisperer sect.

The 2-2 (midseason)

Follows six diverse NYPD rookies as they patrol upper Manhattan. There's Jennifer "White House" Perry (Leelee Sobieski), a former college volleyball star and Marine MP in Iraq; Ray "Lazarus" Harper (Adam Goldberg), the oldest rookie and a former police news reporter; Tonya Sanchez (Judy Marte), from a family with a criminal history with a personal connection inside the force; Ahmad "Kiterunner" Kahn (Tom Reed), an Afghani native who fought his way to freedom; Kenny McClaren (Stark Sands), a fourth-generation police officer with qualms about joining the force; and Jayson Toney (Harold House Moore), a young basketball legend who squandered his opportunity in the NBA. It's all about them adjusting to the force and putting up with their Field Training Officer, Daniel "Yoda" Dean (Terry Kinney, Oz). This one's produced by Robert De Niro.

My take: I feel like this has been done, no?

New Comedies:

2 Broke Girls
Max (Kat Dennings) works two jobs to get by, one of which is waiting tables during the night shift at the retro-hip Williamsburg Diner. Caroline (Beth Behrs) is an uptown trust fund princess who's run of bad luck has her waiting tables there too. At first, Max sees Caroline as yet another in a long line of inept servers she must cover for, but she's surprised to find that Caroline has as much substance as she does style. When Caroline discovers Max's knack for baking amazing cupcakes, she sees a lucrative future for them, but they first need to raise the start-up money via tips at the diner. Hilarity ensues.

My take: I love Kat Denning, and the writing in the trailer is pretty funny. I'm always weary of multi-camera CBS sitcoms, and this premise my get stale, but Big Bang Theory won my heart, so I may give this one a try.

How to be a Gentleman
Andrew Carlson (David Hornsby, Always Sunny) is an etiquette columnist whose devotion to ideals from a more civilized time has lead to a life detached from modern society. Infectiously optimistic, Bert Lansing (Kevin Dillon, Entourage) is a reformed "bad boy" from Andrew's past who inherited a fitness center, but can still be rude, loud and sloppy. When Andrew's editor, Jerry (Dave Foley, News Radio), tells him to put a modern, sexy twist on his column or be fired, he hires Bert as a life coach in the hopes of learning to be less "gentle man" and more "real man." Bromance. Other funny cast members: Mary Lynn Rajskub (24) and Rhys Darby (Flight of the Conchords) playing Andrew's sister and her husband.

My take: I'm a big fan of pretty much all of the cast members, but I watched the trailer and found myself really wanting this to be a single-camera format with no laugh track. I guess CBS isn't ready for that.

2011 upfronts: abc

2011-05-17T17:00:00.004-04:00

Programming Notes:

Click here for the full list of ABC's cancellations and renewals announced last week. ABC will introduce at least 13 new shows during the 2011-12 season! Far more than any of the other networks - I think more than NBC and FOX combined. They're really going for it. Here are a few tidbits from the presentation this morning:

Given the number of midseason starts, looks like ABC wants to have new shows premiering at multiple times throughout the year.
The 8:00 hour on Tuesday will be turning into a new comedy block with two new shows - Last Man Standing and Man Up - providing an alternative to NCIS, Glee, and Biggest Loser powerhouses airing on the other networks.
Cougar Town won't be coming back until spring - in the Dancing with the Stars slot on Tuesdays at 9:00. They still have a full 22-episode order though.
Instead, renewed Happy Endings will look for a lead-in ratings boost in the coveted post Modern Family slot on Wednesdays at 9:30.
ABC Sundays are being revamped with new shows Once Upon a Time and Pan Am sandwiching Desperate Housewives. I'm looking forward to the possibility of good network TV on Sunday again.

TV Line posted a collection of trailers for the news shows. Check them out here and/or read my little descriptions and gut reactions after the jump.

New dramas:

Charlie's Angels

This one needs no description. All you really need to know is that it's set in present day Miami, and the Angels are: Abby (Rachael Taylor, Grey's Anatomy) the Park Avenue princess turned world-class thief, Kate (Annie Ilonzeh, General Hospital) the Miami cop who lost her job and her fiance for yet-unexplained reasons, and Eve (Minka Kelly, Friday Night Lights) the street racer with a past. Eve comes into the fold after Angel Gloria - a former army lieutenant and childhood friend of Eve - dies. So, we meet them when they're first starting as a trio. And of course, there's Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez, The Wire).

My take: The girl power in me wants to like this, but I just don't care about it.

Good Christian Belles (midseason)

A soapy drama set in Dallas, based on the book Good Christian Bitches. Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bibb, Popular), former high school mean girl, returns home in disgrace after her marriage ends in scandal. Amanda is nothing like the girl she was 20 years ago, and as she and her teenage kids try to adjust to their new lives, the ladies from her past alternate between sympathy and scheming. These ladies include Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) as Carlene Cockburn, Annie Potts (Designing Women) as Gigi Stopper, Jennifer Aspen (Rodney) as Sharon Peacham, Miriam Shor (Damages) as Cricket Caruth-Reilly. Some of the best character names ever?

My take: The producing credits include Sex and the City and Steel Magnolias. And I love the Cheno. But I always have a really hard time watching mean girls in action. It makes me want to curl up under my couch (no issues here).

Missing (midseason-ish)

Becca Winstone (Ashley Judd) learns that her son, Michael, disappears while studying abroad. Her CIA agent husband was killed 10 years later, so she smells danger. This is the story of Becca's trip to Europe to track him down. And turns out, she has a secret of her own-- before her husband's death, she was also a lethal CIA agent. The kidnappers realize they’ve picked a fight with the wrong woman, as she goes back to old contacts to find her son.

My take: Like many pilots I'm seeing this season, how is this not a movie? 24 for chicks?

Once Upon a Time

From a couple of Lost executive producers, this one is described as the collision between modern day and fairy tale. Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison, House) is a bail bonds collector who’s been on her own since she was abandoned as a baby. But when the son she gave up years ago finds her, everything starts to change. Henry (Jared Gilmore - Bobby from Mad Men!) is now 10 years old and believes Emma comes from an alternate world and is Snow White and Prince Charming’s missing daughter. According to his book of fairy tales, they sent her away to protect her from the Evil Queen’s curse, which trapped the fairytale world forever, frozen in time, and brought them into our modern world. Emma brings Henry back to his New England hometown Storybrooke, but soon realizes the town is more than it seems. Fairytale characters are alive, but they don’t remember who they once were. The epic battle for the future of all worlds is beginning, and Emma will have to take the lead. Some big actors in this one, including Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love) as Snow White/Sister Mary Margaret and Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty) as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.

My take: I like the idea of this, a really different path for ABC. Hard to see it finding a big audience, but I'm definitely going to check it out.

Pan Am

Set in the 1960s when air travel represents the height of luxury and Pan Am is the biggest name in the business. The planes are glamorous, the pilots are rock stars and the stewardesses are the most desirable women in the world. There’s Dean (Jonah Lotan, 24) – a cocky new pilot – the first of a new breed not trained in the war. And Maggie (Christina Ricci), rebellious bohemian turned stewardess "to see the world". There are a bunch of other stewardesses and pilots, but I don't have much more information.

My take: I feel like this and NBC's Playboy Club are the networks' attempted answer to Mad Men. The era of Pan Am is interesting to me, and the film style in the trailer is cool, but I'm worried the characters' problems will be a series of cliches.

Revenge

Emily Thorne (Emily Van Camp, Everwood) is new to the Hamptons. She’s met some of her wealthy neighbors, has made a few new friends and seemingly blends into the town. But the truth is that Emily isn’t exactly new to the neighborhood. This was actually her old neighborhood, until something bad happened that ruined her family and their reputation. Now Emily is back for revenge. Around town, you'll recognize characters played by Madeleine Stowe (We Were Soldiers), Connor Paolo (Eric from Gossip Girl), Gabriel Mann (Mad Men), among others.

My take: The trailer feels like Gossip Girl or The OC, this feels like another departure for ABC, although I guess it could be a cousin of Desperate Housewives. Not sure I'm feeling it.

The River (midseason)

Famed explorer and TV personality Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood, Star Trek) went looking for magic deep in the Amazon and never returned. Six months after he vanished, his son Lincoln (Joe Anderson, Twilight) is finally ready to bury the past when Dr. Cole’s emergency beacon suddenly goes off. At the urging of his mother, Tess (Leslie Hope, 24)), Lincoln reluctantly joins her on a search for his father. To fund the rescue, they agree to let Dr. Cole’s cagey ex-producer, Clark (Paul Blackthorne, Lipstick Jungle), film the mission documentary-style. They are joined by a mixed crew: sexy and resourceful Lena (Eloise Mumford, Lone Star), loyal mechanic Emilio (Daniel Zacapa, Resurrection Blvd) and lethal bodyguard Captain Kurt Brynildson (Thomas Kretschmann, King Kong).

My take: The special effects in the trailer seem a little silly to me. I think I only have room for a certain amount of mysterious worlds in my TV schedule, and this might be one too many.

Scandal (midseason)

Created and produced by Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice). A former White House media relations consultant, Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) defends the public images of our America's elite. Hoping to start a new chapter -- both professionally and personally -- she starts here own firm, but can’t seem to completely cut ties with her past. Slowly it becomes apparent that her staff, who specialize in fixing the lives of other people, can’t quite fix their own. Also starring Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), Columbus Short (Stomp the Yard), Guillermo Diaz (Half-Baked), and others.

My take: Since I reluctantly tend to fall for Shonda's work, and this just happens to be about my day job, I will watch, especially since it's midseason.

New Comedies:

Apartment 23 (midseason)

Midwesterner June (Dreama Walker, The Good Wife) moves to Manhattan only to lose her dream job thanks to a CEO from the Bernie Madoff school of embezzlement. Deep in debt and out on the streets, she gets hired at a coffee shop and finds new roommate Chloe (Krysten Ritter, Gilmore Girls). Chloe swindles June out of all her savings, but she and her snarky friend, James Van Der Beek (for real), soon learn that, just because June’s naïve, she isn’t stupid. June turns the tables on Chloe, who is so shocked about being scammed herself that she decides to pull June into her dysfunctional band of friends.

My Take: Watch the trailer. You will laugh. The Beek plays himself!

Last Man Standing

Tim Allen returns to ABC in this new comedy about the marketing director for an outdoor sporting goods store who drives a pick-up truck. While Mike is king of the hill at work, he’s the odd man out in a home dominated by women -- his wife, Vanessa (Nancy Travis), and their three daughters, 22- year-old Kristin, 17-year-old Mandy and 14-year-old Eve. After being a stay-at-home mom for years, Vanessa recently returned to work and was quickly promoted (much to the dismay of her primarily male co-workers). As a result of Vanessa’s increased work load, Mike is pulled into more hands-on parenting than ever before.

My take: Tim Allen is a master of this format, but the trailer is certainly not anything to write home about. The whole premise seems insulting to both genders. Done with it already.

Man Up

Three modern men try to get in touch with their inner tough guys and redefine what it means to be a “real man." Will is more interested in finding the perfect gift for his son Nathan’s (Jake Johnson) 13th birthday than in doing his job selling insurance; sensitive soul Craig (Christopher Moynihan) still pines for his college ex, Lisa; and Kenny (Dan Fogler) clamps down on his anger and asks himself, “What would Tobey Maguire do?,” when his ex, Brenda (Amanda Detmer), starts seeing a guy (Henry Simmons) who is everything he’s not and much better looking. After Craig crashes Lisa’s wedding to try to win her back, they are all faced with an opportunity to Man Up and be like their forefathers.

My take: Kind of funny trailer, but my god, do the descriptions of these guys sound boring. I guess that's the point?

Suburgatory

Single father George (Jeremy Sisto) moves with his 16-year-old daughter from New York City to a house in the suburbs (after finding a box of condoms on her nightstand). At first Tessa is horrified by the big-haired, fake-boobed mothers and their sugar-free Red Bull-chugging kids, but somehow they start to find a home there. Still sounds terrifying to me. Also starring Cheryl Hines as one of those enhanced moms.

My take: The trailer made me laugh, and the tone reminded me of Modern Family, so I'll check it out. Plus, it's Elton (Clueless), so yeah.

Work It (midseason)

With unemployment an ongoing issue and women now outnumbering men in the workforce, two alpha males realize the only way to beat the current “mancession” and land a job in pharmaceutical sales is to pass themselves off as women. Jesus, I can't even keep typing.

My take: Terrible trailer. Are they really trying to convince us that these people wouldn't be able to tell they're dudes? This would be the second ABC comedy on this list that's insulting both genders. You gave us Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town - why are you trying to dumb down ?

rejects and renewals: cbs

2011-05-17T13:11:00.005-04:00

CBS finally leaked some of their cancellations and renewals in advance of their upfront presentation tomorrow. Not quite the bloodbath we saw from other networks.

Renewed

CSI: NY

The Amazing Race

CSI*

CSI: Miami*

The Big Bang Theory

Two and a Half Men

How I Met Your Mother

Blue Bloods*

NCIS: Los Angeles*

The Mentalist*

Criminal Minds*

The Good Wife*

Hawaii Five-0*

Mike and Molly*

Rules of Engagement

Survivor

Undercover Boss

*not official, but pretty much a done deal

Canceled:

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior

The Defenders

Shit My Dad Says

Mad Love

Medium

I now watch three drama on CBS - am I getting old? The Good Wife, Hawaii 5-0, and Blue Bloods were on my schedule this year. The Good Wife had a great season and continues to be one of my favorite shows. The other two are more simple pleasures, but still fun. Hawaii 5-0 is just pretty to look at - both the boys and the islands. Blue Bloods has good heart and some great performances, especially by Tom Selleck and Donnie Walberg.

The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother are my only other CBS shows. The first was awesome this season - Mayim Bialik has been a genius addition. Her character has helped develop the female side of the cast, allowing the show to avoid falling down a path of repetition. Unfortunately, HIMYM doesn't earn the same points from me this season. I still enjoy spending time with the characters every week, but Ted is just becoming painful to tolerate. And Jennifer Morrison's guest stint fell flat. Please just bring on the mother.

Oh, and I didn't watch any of the canceled shows, but none feel like a huge a surprise.

2011 upfronts: fox

2011-05-16T17:00:00.001-04:00

Programming Notes:

For the full list of FOX's renewals and cancellations, click here. The network introduced four new comedies, three dramas, and one unscripted series for the 2011-12 season. At first glance, it looks like a conservative schedule for FOX - probably given the flood of cancellations last week. Other interesting notes:

America's Most Wanted was cancelled after 23 (!) seasons and converted to a series of specials.
House was moved to 9:00 to follow Stephen Spielberg's new dinosaur show Terra Nova.
Simon Cowell's new music competition show The X Factor will take a 1.5 hour slot on Wednesday and an hour slot on Thursday in the fall (American Idol will be there in the spring).
The Finder, a back door pilot that you may have seen disguised as a Bones episode a few weeks ago, will take over Bones' timeslot in the spring to accommodate for Emily Deschanel's pregnancy.
A new Kiefer Sutherland show called Touch is planned for a spring debut, but the pilot hasn't been shot yet, so we'll keep an eye on that one.
Steven Tyler is signed on for Idol next year, and FOX is "hopeful" that Jennifer Lopez will be back as well.

TV Line posted a collection of trailers for the news shows. Check them out here and/or read my little descriptions and gut reactions below.

New Dramas:

Terra Nova

Executive producer Steven Spielberg is behind this "family adventure" where a family travels back in time to prehistoric Earth as part of an experiment to save the human race. The family is from the year 2149 when plants and animal life are in danger of distinction. Scientists find a way to send people back in time to rebuild civilization in the past. The Shannon family joins the Tenth Pilgrimage of settlers to Terra Nova, the first colony established in this old/new land. Of course, Terra Nova is not all peanuts and roses. Scary dinosaurs and splinter colonies and internal strife. Oh my. You'll recognize Jason O'Mara (Life on Mars) playing dad, Shelley Conn plays mom/trauma surgeon, and they have three kids. In an interesting twist, mom's training as a surgeon secured them a spot in the pilgrimage, but a secret about the youngest daughter threatens their position in Terra Nova.

My take: The trailer definitely views like a Spielberg - the special effects are pretty amazing. It feels like some combination of Jurassic Park, Lost, and V. I give credit to FOX for finally putting this on the air. It's definitely a bargain, but I'm guessing it will find an audience.

Alcatraz (midseason)

A new drama thriller from executive producer J.J. Abrams. San Francisco Police Department detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones, Sons of Anarchy) takes on a homicide case and a fingerprint leads her to Jack Sylvane, a former Alcatraz inmate who died decades ago. Madsen is particularly interested in the case because both her grandfather and surrogate uncle were guards at the prison. She works the case with the help of Alcatraz expert and comic book enthusiast, Dr. Diego "Doc" Soto (Jorge Garcia of Lost!) and discovers that Sylvane is not only alive and still killing people, but hasn't aged at all! Through their investigation, it quickly becomes clear that Sylvane won't be the last prisoner to reappear from Alcatraz opening up a whole creepy world of possibilities.

My take: Could be great, could be terrible. Good to see another departure from the stale cop drama, and the historic mythology is potentially really cool. But success really depends on the quality of the writing and the performance of the main character, which I can't really judge from the trailer.

The Finder (midseason)

A one-hour procedural (case-of-the-week) about Iraq war veteran Walter Sherman (Geoff Stults, October Road), who gained a reputation for tracking down insurgents, deserters and IEDs. After an unfortunate encounter with an IED, he was left with brain damage that seemed to give him an even stronger gift for finding people and things. He starts taking on cases that regular law enforcement can't crack. He works in Key West, with the beautiful bartender Ike Latulippe (Saffron Burrows, Circle of Friends), a woman with a mysterious past and many hidden skills. She tends bar at The Ends of the Earth, which also serves as a makeshift office and home base for Walter. His other cohort is Leo Knox (Michael Clarke Duncan), once an obese lawyer who, after the deaths of his wife and children, completely reinvented himself into a gentle giant, philosopher and Walter's legal advisor.

My take: FOX inserted an mini-episode of The Finder into a recent episode of Bones. I found Stults and Duncan entertaining, but Burrows' character was awkward and over-acted. The show has potential, and I'll probably watch for a bit since I love Key West, but I don't expect to fall in love with it.

TOUCH (in development for midseason)

How's this for a description? "A preternatural drama in which science and spirituality intersect with the hopeful premise that we are all interconnected, tied in invisible ways to those whose lives we are destined to alter and impact." Yikes. Basically, Kiefer Sutherland and a band misfits - a traumatized firefighter, an Iraqi teenager, a karaoke singer, a British business man - unknowing affect each other in mysterious ways. It all comes together with Sutherland's autistic son who senses a pattern to all of it, which becomes his way of communicating with his father to figure out the meaning of all of it.

My take: Rename it Sutherland's Heroes FlashForward.

New Comedies:

New Girl

A single-camera comedy about Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel), an offbeat girl in her late 20s who, after a bad breakup, moves in with three single guys. Described "goofy, positive, vulnerable and honest to a fault" (basically every character Zooey has ever played), Jess is not used to hanging with the boys – especially at home. The three roommates, smart, sarcastic bartender Nick (Jake Johnson, No Strings Attached), social climbing womanizer, and personal trainer Coach (Damon Wayans Jr. - unless Happy Endings isn't renewed). Rounding out this group is Jess' childhood best friend, Cece (Hannah Simone, Beautiful People), a deadpan, somewhat cynical model. And there's your dysfunctional family.

My take: This show will rely a lot on the charm of Zooey and whether that will sustain or become annoying. If only to reminisce about living with my two favorite boy roommates (mojoreid!), I will watch.

I Hate My Teenage Daughter

Annie (Jaime Pressly, My Name Is Earl) and Nikki (Katie Finneran, Wonderfalls) are former high school outcasts. Annie, who was raised in an ultra-strict, über-religious household, pretty much allows her daughter to do whatever she wants. Nikki, once an unpopular, overweight social pariah, has reinvented herself as a pretty Southern belle whose top priority is providing her daughter with the childhood she never had. They have created two mean girls just like the ones who tortured them years ago. The moms quickly realize that they must, for the first time, dole out some real punishment and fix what is broken.

My take: Ugh. The trailer is as bad as the working title. This format is just stale.

Allen Gregory

A new animated comedy series that tells the story of one of the most pretentious 7-year-old Allen Gregory de Longpre (Jonah Hill). Allen Gregory considers himself intelligent, sophisticated, worldly, artistic and romantic – characteristics he inherited from his doting father, Richard (French Stewart, 3rd Rock from the Sun). The pair share a bond that is sometimes annoyingly interrupted by Richard's life partner, Jeremy (Nat Faxon, The Cleveland Show), for whom Allen Gregory has minimal respect. They live together, along with Julie (Joy Osmanski, Grey's Anatomy), Allen Gregory's adopted Cambodian sister. Allen Gregory's about to embark on his greatest challenge yet: leaving the safety of his father's homeschooling and attending elementary school with children his own age. This is the story of his journey. Other notable voices: Leslie Mann and Will Forte.

My take: I'm not a big fan of animated series, but I do love Jonah Hill and this trailer cracked me up. This may have to be my first animated experience since Daria.

Napoleon Dynamite (midseason)

An animated series based on the film, continuing adventures of an awesome awkward teenager and his quirky family and friends as they struggle to navigate small-town life in rural Idaho. The original cast from the film – Jon Heder, Aaron Ruell, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Sandy Martin, Jon Gries and Diedrich Bader – will voice their characters in the series, and many new characters will be added along the way.

My take: I love the idea of this cast getting back together. Realistically, I probably won't watch that often, but for big fans of the movie, this is pretty awesome.

New Reality:

The X-Factor

Simon Cowell's British import is finally here. We finally got to see why Simon looked so bored during his last two seasons of Idol. The format is what you expect - a nationwide tour of tryouts, a mentoring round (like The Voice), followed voting rounds with judges' input. The unique points - age range is 12 years old or over – and both solo artists and vocal groups are eligible. Judges are Cowell, Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Cheryl Cole and Paula Abdul. Prize is $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music. Hosts are Nicole Scherzinger and Steve Jones.

My take: I'll feel left out if I don't watch, but it will require some effort to carve out time for a singing competition during the busy fall TV schedule.

2011 upfronts: nbc

2011-05-16T10:00:00.002-04:00

Programming Notes:

You can see the full list of renewals and cancellations here. NBC has ordered six new pilots for the fall 2011-12 schedule - three dramas and three comedies - and another six are planned for midseason. Other interesting notes:

NBC will start a one-hour comedy block on Wednesdays
Thursday will go back to two hours of comedy followed by an hour drama
30 Rock will be held until midseason to work around Tina Fey's bun in the oven
This will be Chuck's fifth and final season - 13 episode order with the possibility of more
A primetime news magazine show with Brian Williams is in the works
Crazy ratings hit The Voice will be back midseason (they're coming for you Idol)
Holiday special The Sing Off will adapted into a weekly competition series for the fall

TV Line posted a collection of trailers for the news shows. Check them out here and/or read my little descriptions and gut reactions below.

New Dramas:

Grimm
You guess it, this one is inspired by the Grimm's Fairy Tales. Nick Burkhardt (David Guintoli, who's had guest spots in everything) is a homicide detective whose aunt informs him that his family are descendants of an elite group of hunters, also known as “Grimms,” who fight to keep the balance of humanity safe from the supernatural creatures of the world. Still with me? Nick must now shoulder the responsibility of his ancestors -- and contend with a larger-than-life mythology of the Brothers Grimm. You'll recognize some folks: Also starring: Russell Hornsby (Lincoln Heights), Bitsie Tulloch (Quarterlife), Silas Weir Mitchell (Prison Break), Reggie Lee (Persons Unknown) and Sasha Roiz (Caprica).

My take: You know I love a unique premise, but the dialog in the trailer felt like a bad CW show. Even so, I'll check it out. I'm always a sucker for pedestrian, mythical sci-fi, and the special effects look pretty cool.

Prime Suspect
Another hugely popular British series adapted for us Americans. You probably know this as the detective series made famous by Helen Mirren. Maria Bello is filling those intimidating shoes. I feel kind of blahh about that. She plays homicide detective Jane Timoney - an outsider who has just transferred to a new NYC precinct dominated by an impenetrable boys' club. Timoney has her own vices too -- with a questionable past -- and she tends to be forceful, rude and reckless. You'll recognize a bunch of faces in this one, including Aidan Quinn (always Benny to me), Brian O'Byrne (Flash Forward, Brotherhood), Kirk Acevedo, and Peter Gerety (Blue Bloods, Mercy).

My take: Something tells me this isn't really my thing, but Peter Berg (FNL creator) is directing the pilot, so I'll at least tune in for that.

The Playboy Club
Executive producer Brian Grazer (FNL, 24, Parenthood, etc) brings this new drama set in the early ‘60s at the legendary Playboy Club in Chicago. Inside the seductive world of the bunny, the epitome of beauty and service, the clientele rubs shoulders with the decade's biggest mobsters, politicos and entertainers. Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian, CSI: Miami) is one of the city's top attorneys and the ultimate playboy. With mysterious ties to the mob, Nick comes to the aid of Maureen (Amber Heard, Zombieland), the innocent new bunny who accidentally kills the leader of the Bianchi crime family. Dating Nick is Carol-Lynne (Laura Benanti, Eli Stone), an established star at the club who knows her days as a bunny are numbered and finds herself continually at odds with Billy (David Krumholtz, 10 Things I Hate About You), the club's general manager.

My take: Playboys and mobsters? Pretty sure I will love this. The film style looks pretty, but it also feels a little bit like Cibrian is doing a Don Draper impression.

Awake (midseason)
When Detective Michael Britten (Jason Issacs or Lucius Malfoy) regains consciousness following his family's car accident, he is told that his wife Hannah (Laura Allen, “Terriers”) perished but that his teen son, Rex (Dylan Minnette, “Saving Grace”), has survived. As he tries to put the pieces of his life back together, he awakens again in a parallel reality in which his wife is very much alive -- but his son Rex died in the accident. In order to keep both of his loved ones alive at one time, he begins living in parallel worlds -- in one moment, Michael and his wife debate about having another child to replace their son, while in the other reality, he is attracted to his son's tennis coach (yipes). Of course, he also returns to crime-solving with the help of two different partners -- Detective Isaiah “Bird” Freeman (Steve Harris, The Practice) and Detective Efrem Vega (Wilmer Valderrama, That '70s Show). Also starring: Cherry Jones (24) and BD Wong (Law & Order: SVU) as therapists in each respective world.

My take: I implore you to watch the trailer (link above). I can't tell if I love it or hate it. Or don't understand it. WTF? The cast is really strong, at least I know that.

Smash (midseason)
A musical drama (still with me?) about the creation of a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe -- written by the successful songwriting duo of Tom (Christian Borle, Legally Blonde: The Musical) and Julia (Debra Messing, Will & Grace). Julia recently began the process of adopting a child with her husband, but her focus is torn when she has the opportunity to write another Broadway hit. A rivalry forms for the lead role between a youthful, inexperienced Midwestern beauty (American Idol Katharine McPhee) and a stage veteran (Megan Hilty, 9 to 5: The Musical) looking for her big break. A tenacious producer Eileen (Anjelica Huston) discovers the "Marilyn" project and jumps on board with a brilliant director (Jack Davenport, Pirates of the Caribbean).

My take: I like that NBC is taking a chance on something different here. There could be an audience for a show like this, but probably a small one, which I'm not sure they're after. Also, I can't help it, I'm not wild about Debra Messing.

The Firm (midseason)
Based on John Grisham creation, “The Firm” continues the story of attorney Mitchell McDeere and his family 10 years after the events of the film and novel. As a young associate, McDeere brought down the prestigious Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke, which operated as a front for the Chicago mob -- and his life was never the same. After a difficult decade, which included a stay in the Federal Witness Protection program, Mitch and his family now emerge from isolation to reclaim their lives and their future -- only to find that past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere.

My take: Without knowing the cast members or seeing a trailer, it's hard to judge. I feel like it belongs on CBS though.

New Comedies:

Up All Night
From producers Emily Spivey (Parks and Recreation, SNL) and Lorne Michaels, this is a comedy about balancing a career, marriage and a new baby. Christina Applegate stars as Reagan, a successful public relations executive, and Will Arnett (Arrested Development) plays her supportive, stay-at-home husband. The two have just become parents – a surprise that has set their lives on a new path as responsible adults. Maya Rudolph (SNL) stars as Reagan's outlandish boss and best friend, whose whirlwind social escapades serve as constant reminders of Reagan's former carefree life. James Pumphrey (High Road) plays Brian, Reagan's socially awkward hipster assistant.

My take: It's a different camera style for an NBC comedy. It's a really good cast that made me laugh out loud a few times during the trailer, so I'll check it out.

Whitney
Whitney (Whitney Cummings, Chelsea Lately) and Alex (Chris D'Elia, Glory Daze), are a happily unmarried couple. However, after attending yet another one of their friends' weddings, Whitney realizes that she and Alex are close to relationship boredom. (ugh, this is painful) Whitney consults her close circle of opinionated girlfriends -- including Lily (Zoe Lister-Jones, The Other Guys) and Roxanne (Rhea Seehorn, The Starter Wife) -- and then snaps into action. A few awkward sexy costumes and one botched seductive evening later, the couple ends up in the emergency room. Even so, Whitney and Alex realize that while their relationship might not be perfect on paper, they really do love each other -- and that works for them.

My take: Is this a TV show or a bad romcom? The laugh track during the trailer annoyed the crap out of me.

Free Agents
Another UK import, this one is a workplace/romantic comedy about two public relations executives on the rebound. Alex (Hank Azaria) is newly divorced and can barely keep himself together while his co-worker Helen (Kathryn Hahn, Hung) thinks she has it together but is obsessed with her deceased fiancé and actually is falling apart. They drunkenly sleep together, and in the resulting sober confusion, Helen decides that they should only be friends. Alex finally agrees to start dating again, she gets jealous, and he gets cold feet, so they end up back where they started -- in a weird, awkward relationship.

My take: Another really strong cast, but I'm having visions of myself fast-forwarding through the awkwardness.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea (midseason)
Inspired by the best-selling book by Chelsea Handler, this one follows the exploits of twentysomething bartender Chelsea (Laura Prepon, That '70s Show) who is determined to live life to the fullest and make no apologies. Her friends are along for the ride but they all know it is Chelsea's way or the highway. She's surrounded by friends and co-workers: Mark (Jo Koy, Chelsea Lately) a charming bartender whose wit makes him the perfect foil for Chelsea, Shoniqua (Angel Laketa Moore, ER) a waitress who looks out for Chelsea's best interests, and close friend and fellow bartender Todd (Mark Povinelli, Water for Elephants) whose wry sense of humor that keeps her in check. Also starring: Natalie Morales (Parks and Recreation) as Ivory, Chelsea's feisty best friend as well as Handler herself, who plays Chelsea's sister Sloan, a happily married new mom who has little in common with her sister.

My take: I've always found Laura Prepon charming, but I'm unsure of her ability to deliver Handler's lines. And again, lose the laugh-track. It makes the show feel like a series on one-liners.

Best Friends Forever (midseason)
Another comedy about unhappy 20-something friends. When Jessica's (Jessica St. Clair, In the Motherhood) husband files for divorce, she flies across the country to move back in with her best friend, Lennon (Lennon Parham, Accidentally on Purpose). But Lennon's boyfriend, Joe (Adam Pally -- unless Happy Endings doesn't get renewed), has just moved into the apartment and turned Jessica's old room into his home office. Three's a crowd as Lennon struggles to find balance between her previous life with Jessica and her new life with Joe, and Jessica's reentry to single life is complicated by the unresolved feelings from an old friend, Rav (Stephen Schneider, The Funniest Movie Ever…Just Kidding).

My take: The only thing I liked about the trailer was Adam Pally, who I'm guessing (hoping) will be staying on Happy Endings.

Bent (midseason)
A romantic comedy about two people who find themselves attracted to the qualities that typically repel them. On the surface, Alex (Amanda Peet, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") and Pete (David Walton, "Perfect Couples") could not be more different. The recently divorced Alex is a tough lawyer raising her eight-year-old daughter as a single mom. She hires Pete, a recovering gambling addict and womanizer, as the contractor to re-do her kitchen. The remodeling job is Pete's last chance to prove that he is no longer a screw-up -- but he doesn't know what's about to hit him when he encounters the force of nature that is Alex -- nor does she realize that she's met her match in Pete, a man unafraid to call out her flaws.

My take: Who, in fact, is the boss?

2011 upfronts schedule

2011-05-15T18:38:00.003-04:00

** Look for CBS's renewals and cancellations blog later this week - they haven't leaked all of the dirty details yet.

As I explained, upfronts are the opportunity for networks to present their fall schedules to the advertisers. It's kind of an outdated practice, but it's an opportunity for us to get a glimpse of the new pilots that have been picked up for next year.

Here's the schedule for the week. Check back here for some quick descriptions and reactions to the new show announcements.

Monday: NBC and FOX

Tuesday: ABC

Wednesday: CBS and TNT/TBS

Thursday: CW

rejects and renewals: fox

2011-05-14T20:49:00.006-04:00

FOX has been the reigning champion of the coveted 18-49 age group for many years now, due almost exclusively to the American Idol ratings beast. This week, the network got some attention for canceling almost all of the new 2010-11 programming - everyone expected them to keep at least one given the network's history. Let's take a look at the list...

Renewed:
American Dad
American Idol
Bob's Burgers
Bones
The Cleveland Show
Family Guy
Fringe
Glee
House
Raising Hope
The Simpsons

Canceled:
Breaking In
The Chicago Code
The Good Guys
Human Target
Lie to Me
Running Wilde
Traffic Light

The only two newbies to survive this year are Bob's Burgers and Raising Hope. Never seen the former, but enjoyed Raising Hope this season. I's not winning any awards, but Martha Plimpton and Garrett Dillahunt are just so fun to watch, and the show really has a charming family heart surprisingly enough.

As for the graveyard, every other new show, plus some low-rating carryovers like Lie to Me and Human Target, were axed. The comedies pretty much failed across the board - I tried to watch both Running Wilde and Traffic Light this year hoping to like them given some great actors in the lead roles, but no dice. They just didn't click. Almost everyone expected FOX to keep at least one drama, probably Chicago Code, a spring starter which got some good attention from critics. I did enjoy Chicago Code as sort of a unique take on the cop drama, so I wouldn't mind a Southland-style pickup from a network like TNT, but I'm guessing that won't happen since it's a FOX-produced show.

The drama backbone at FOX is still anchored by House and Bones, both of which are veterans at this point. They don't pull the same high ratings these days, but are still worth FOX keeping around. For me, House struggled at bit to keep my attention this year. I wouldn't cry if next season is its last. On the other hand, I would argue that Bones has some of the strongest writing yet these days. Quick word on Fringe, which has stayed relatively steady on Friday nights and earns incredible critical acclaim for a cult-like show. I'm behind, but I'm catching up. Look for a blog about this season coming up soon.

I guess that brings us to FOX's music corner: Glee and American Idol. I still consider myself a fan of Glee, but that was a painful existence at times this year. Musically, it's always entertaining and those kids give some great acting performances - namely Kurt, Brittany, and Santana this year - but the adult storylines are boring and sometimes the show just takes on too much. I'll write a more comprehensive blog after the season finale, but it's safe to say FOX's little buzz show isn't going anywhere for a while.

Confession: I didn't watch American Idol this year. You're shocked and appalled. Though it may appear that I've been living in a hole for the past six months, I promise I'm still the same dorky TV fan. I just didn't have the time to devote to AI this year. I will say that I'm not at all opposed to the new judges panel. In fact, I'm glad the show has seen some success post-shakeup. Maybe next year.

rejects and renewals: abc

2011-05-14T11:45:00.003-04:00

Like NBC, ABC has been more of a comedy network for me this year. The network didn't have as much success with new shows as previous seasons, but the list of returning programming is still pretty solid. Here we go...

Renewed:
Dancing with the Stars
Desperate Housewives
Cougar Town
Castle
Body of Proof
The Bachelor
The Bachelorette
Grey's Anatomy
Happy Endings
The Middle
Modern Family
Private Practice

Canceled:
Better With You
Brothers and Sisters
Detroit 1-8-7
Mr. Sunshine
No Ordinary Family
Off the Map
V

ABC boasts more survivors this year than NBC. The only show I'm sort of sorry to see go is Off the Map. It was quite literally Grey's Anatomy in the jungle, but I just really liked having Matt Saracen (ok fine, Zach Gilford) on my screen. The idea of Matthew Perry and Allison Janey in a comedy together was dreamy, but Mr. Sunshine just didn't come together. It was awkward and a little painful to watch at times. Long time Brothers and Sisters fans must be bummed that the show didn't get a proper send off.

As for returning comedies, Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town stayed near the top of my list this year. They're just always fun and easy to watch. Happy Endings was a mid-season starter that grew on me this spring. Seemed like every network tried the 6-friend-sitcom format this season -- Better With You, Traffic Light, Perfect Couples -- and I was ready to reject Happy Endings straight away. But I've laughed out loud often enough - especially in the most recent episodes - that I'm glad this one survived.

This might be the first year that I've only watched one drama on ABC. I'm not sure how or when, but I just stopped watching Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. For Grey's, I just got a little bored but always meant to go back to it. And eventually I realized that Private Practice is shamelessly sad. All the time. And who needs that? So, that leaves Castle. I'm not the hugest fan of the will-they-won't-they story, but Nathan Fillion will always have a place in my DVR.

I feel like ABC can still find it's Lost Part 2. One great breakout, unique drama next year would help bring new energy to the network. We'll see what pilots come to fruition next week!

rejects and renewals: nbc

2011-05-13T10:23:00.000-04:00

Upfronts start next week - that's when each of the networks present their fall schedules for the advertisers. Over the last couple of days, we started to hear news about which shows will return and which won't be back next year. Overall, there seemed to be a whole lot of cancellations across the board.

I'll go through each of the networks' existing shows before we tackle the new shows next week. Here's the body count at NBC:

Renewed:
30 Rock
The Biggest Loser
Chuck
Community
Harry's Law
Law & Order: SVU
The Office
Parenthood
Parks & Recreation
The Voice

Canceled:
The Cape
The Event
Friday Night Lights
Law & Order: Los Angeles
Outsourced
Undercovers
Perfect Couples
The Paul Riser Show
Outlaw
Chase

I'm not shedding too many tears for NBC cancellations this year, except of course for my beloved Friday Night Lights (I'm currently milking season 5 for all it's worth - not ready to say goodbye. At. All.)

As for the remaining shows, I'm really happy the Thursday comedy block will stay intact. Parks & Recreation turned out to be my favorite comedy this year. If you watched the first season and didn't love it, I really encourage you to take a second look. With the addition of Adam Scott and Rob Lowe and the writers really hitting their stride developing Leslie, Tom Haverford, Ron Swanson, etc. some of the recent episodes have been perfection. Community's second season was amazing too. Both of them have worked perfectly with 30 Rock and The Office.

On the drama side, I don't watch much on NBC anymore. I dropped Law & Order: SVU - just getting too repetitive and not enough time in the day. Sadly, I also dropped Chuck this year. I plan to catch up this summer, but the plots were starting to feel repetitive early on, and it just didn't seem as urgent to watch every week. The new one that still has my attention is Parenthood. It's not perfect, but damn that show for making me cry almost every week. Some great performances, especially among the young actors on the show.

So, that's NBC - the network that's struggling most these days with the lowest ratings. With some new leaders at the helm going into next season, let's hope they bring some much needed resuscitation to the peacock.

can. not. wait.

2010-09-23T10:56:00.001-04:00

Harry Potter and the Dealthy Hallows. Hurry up, November 19.

fall 2010 schedule: abc

2010-09-19T17:10:00.003-04:00

Ok, the major premiere week is upon us, so I need to get going. Here's ABC...

Monday

Dancing with the Stars
11th season premieres: September 20
my take: The contestants are Jennifer Grey, Audrina Patridge, Florence Henderson, Margaret Cho, Brandy Norwood, Bristol Palin, David Hasselhoff, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Rick Fox, Michael Bolton, Kyle Massey, Kurt Warner. I won't watch, but my money's on Baby.

Castle
2nd season premieres: September 20
my take: There are many things about this show that I really liked last year - Nate Fillion is so fun to watch, and the actors that play his daughter and mother are perfect. It took me a while to come around on Beckett though (especially that bizarre hair cut). I'll keep watching for now, but I'm not interested in the back-and-forth lovey stuff between Castle and Beckett.

Tuesday

No Ordinary Family
1st season premieres: September 28
my take: It's a clever premise about a family with super powers, but has the potential to be super cheesy. I think I'll skip this. For those who like Michael Chiklis (The Commish/The Shield) and Julie Benz (Dexter), you may want to tune in. You'll also recognize Autumn Reeser and Stephen Collins (dad from 7th Heaven).

Dancing with the Stars Results

Detroit 187
1st season premieres: September 21
my take: I'm not going to complain that this is another cop show. Really, I'm not. ABC actually doesn't do many of these, so I will be fair. I think we have The Wire to thank for featuring cities other than NYC. The premise is pretty basic - a downtown Detroit precinct and all that it means. You'll recognize Michael Imperioli (who can only play gangsters and cops), but many of the others are newcomers.

Wednesday

The Middle
2nd season premieres: September 22
my take: This show is not appointment television for me, but I did catch a few episodes last season. It's actually hilarious. Between this and Modern Family, ABC definitely got it right when casting the kids. A super talented and funny trio in this show.

Better with You
1st season premieres: September 22
my take: This is ABC's only new fall comedy. Considering the booming success of Modern Family and the relatively strong numbers for The Middle and Cougar Town (all new last year), I'd say things are looking good for another outing from ABC, but I'm not immediately pulled in. Despite good cast members like Joanna Garcia and Debra Jo Rupp (mom from That 70s Show), the premise - basically two daughters and their contrasting relationships - bores me.

Modern Family
2nd season premieres: September 22
my take: I have a teeny tiny fear that Modern Family is getting over-hyped after the much deserved Emmy wins. But I don't even care. I love it and can't wait for it to come back.

Cougar Town
2nd season premieres: September 22
my take: I don't know why I was oddly embarrassed to admit this last year, but I like this show almost as much as Modern Family. The ensemble cast is hilarious. Thank god they overcame that horrendous title.

The Whole Truth
1st season premieres: September 22
my take: Another new drama for ABC. Another law drama for the world. This one stars Maura Tierney and Rob Morrow as Assistant DA and defense attorney paired against each other each week - and follows the cases from beginning to end. I'm sure it will be a solid show, but I think I will pass on it.

Thursday

My Generation
1st season premieres: September 23
my take: I feel like this could be really bad or really good. The premise is a documentary-style drama about members of an Austin, Texas high school class of 2000, which follows them 10 years later. I'm intrigued enough by the creativity of the plot to check it out. A lot of newcomers in the cast, but you'll recognize some from failed series and teen shows.

Grey's Anatomy
7th season premieres: September 23
my take: Oh why, oh why to I continue to watch it? Because it's a train wreck that you can't look away from. And last season's finale was perfect proof of that.

Private Practice
4th season premieres: September 23
my take: Anyone still watch this? I really don't have many bad things to say about it, but there is just too much on Thursday nights. Something has to give.

Friday

Secret Millionaire
1st season premieres: TBD
my take: No

Body of Proof
1st season premieres: TBD
my take: Guess what? This show is about crime. Because television viewers only love shows about crime. This one features Dana Delaney as a medical examiner, so I assume we're mostly dealing with murder crime. The kind that gets the best ratings. You'll also recognize Jeri Ryan and Geoffrey Arend (Mr. Christina Hendricks). No thanks.

Sunday

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
8th season premieres: September 26
my take: Ty is officially looking haggard these days. Can't blame him. Damn show makes me cry every time I catch a minute of it.

Desperate Housewives
7th season premieres: September 26
my take: I don't watch, but can someone give me a reason why this show hasn't retired? Possibly because of Vanessa Williams joining the cast this season? It just seems so tired.

Brothers & Sisters
5th season premieres: September 26
my take: Too much drama for me, but I know many people love this show. Heard about some pretty significant cast shake-ups, so we'll see if/how that affects the ratings.

In summary:

If you're looking for V, it's coming back in the spring.
Most looking forward to the return of: Modern Family and Cougar Town
New shows I'll check out: My Generation and possibly Better With You

fall 2010 schedule: nbc

2010-09-03T11:46:00.007-04:00

Last night, I was perusing the next week two weeks of scheduled programming on my DVR because that's what I do during my free time), and there they were....new season premieres!

It's time to get down to business and analyze the full fall schedule. In past seasons, I've broken down the schedule by day of the week, but decided to go by network this year. So, we'll do NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and CW/Misc. over the next week (premieres will start rolling out the week of 9/13). We'll look at new and returning shows, and at the end, I'll give you a rundown on what will be on my personal TV schedule this fall.

NBC

This network was my bad boyfriend last season. We were in a big fight, but now I'm back for more. Will I ever learn? He has a lot to prove with new shows this season after wiping out the 10:00 hour block last year with the Big Fat Late Night Snafu (although, there are surprisingly few new shows on the schedule).

Monday

Chuck

4th season premieres: September 20

my take: I'm so glad Chuck earned its rightful place on the fall schedule this year. However, only 13 episodes were ordered - an additional 9 are contingent on good ratings this fall. Last season was great and set up some really interesting game changers. When we last saw him, Chuck had promised sister Ellie that he would leave the CIA. What will he do? We should be meeting Chuck's mysterious mom in the near future too. If you haven't watched already, I highly recommend jumping on the Chuck train.

The Event

1st season premieres: September 20

my take: You've probably seen one of the 2,000 promos for The Event this summer. You'll recognize: Jason Ritter, Blair Underwood (playing the president), Laura Innes (ER), Scott Patterson (Gilmore Girls), and many others in a very recognizable TV cast. The premise is purposely elusive described as a "conspiracy thriller" centered around Sean Walker (Ritter) investigating the mysterious disappearance of his fiancee during which he uncovers a huge U.S. government cover-up. Based on the cast and the fact that it's not a cop or legal drama, I will check this out.

Chase

1st season premieres: September 20
my take: A Jerry Bruckheimer-produced US Marshall action drama doesn't peak my interest really. Kelli Giddish (Past Life) plays Annie Frost, a Texas Marshall. Her crew includes Jesse Metcalfe (Desperate Housewives), Cole Hauser (the redhead dude from Good Will Hunting), and Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break). I feel like this show is the perfect illustration of NBC trying to get their ER/NYPD Blue mojo back. I may check out the pilot, but I'm not really an action junkie, so this probably isn't for me.

Tuesday

Biggest Loser

10th season premieres: September 21

my take: Somewhere around season 5, this show started disturbing me. Many of the cast members do tremendous work to change their lives. But something about the game of it all - the melodrama perpetrated by NBC, throwing the weigh-ins, etc. - started to creep me out, so I don't watch anymore.

Parenthood

2nd season premieres: September 14

my take: Watch this show! This is probably my most anticipated returning show. We got a short season last spring, and I just really loved it. There are still come kinks to work out - namely the grandparent story, which seemed rushed last season. But overall, great characters, real problems, and fun to watch. My favorites are Lauren Graham and Mae Whitman - great chemistry as mother and daughter.

Wednesday

Undercovers

1st season premieres: September 22

my take: Another new show that NBC has put a lot of promo power behind. This is a Mr. & Mrs. Smith style show starring Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Steven and Samantha Bloom (decidedly less interesting than their real names). The two were the best spies in the history of the CIA, but retired 5 years ago to get married and open a flower shop. Now, they're reluctantly getting back in the game. Interesting premise, but I'm not chomping at the bit for this one either. More cops and bad guys. I'll probably watch the pilot - if only because it's directed by EP JJ Abrams.

Law & Order: SVU

12th season premieres: September 22

my take: I'm starting to think I only watch this out of habit.

Law & Order: Los Angeles

1st season premieres: September 23

my take: Why did they cancel the mothership series only to do another spinoff? Another cop show! This feels very CSI: Miami to me. Not planning to watch. If you're interested, the cast includes familiar faces like Terrence Howard, Skeet Ulrich, and Alfred Molina.

Thursday

Community

2nd season premieres: September 23

my take: Community turned into one of my favorite new comedies last season. The start was shaky, but they hit a stride and finished very strong. That paintball episode? Genius. I'm a sucker for television and film allusions, and these writers know how to do it. Joel McHale leads the pack well, but costars Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, and Alison Brie (better known as Trudy Campbell) are the bread and butter.

30 Rock

5th season premieres: September 23

my take: I'm still not really watching 30 Rock regularly. Don't hate me. I know it's good, just not appointment TV for me.

The Office

7th season premieres: September 23

my take: News of this being the last season for Steve Carrell puts the pressure on for a good finish. Luckly, Carrell (because he's classy) gave the writers enough notice to write a well-planned exit for Michael Scott. I think we're all hoping it involves Holly. I haven't decided how I feel about a post-Carrell office. This show has always been a favorite of mine, so part of me hopes it will just end on a high note and finish the series this year. At the same time, there's a whole lot of talent among the cast and writers, so it could be fun to see a rebirth with a new boss. I vote for promoting within.

Outsourced

1st season premieres: September 23

my take: The only new comedy of the fall for NBC, so there's a fair amount of pressure to live up to the Thursday night comedy block. The premise is an American novelty goods company whose call center has been outsourced to India. Newcomer Ben Rappaport plays Todd Dempsey, young middle manager who moves to India to manage the office. I feel like this could walk a very line between funny and stereotypically insensitive, no? A lot will depend on the writing and the performances, so I'm willing to give it a try.

The Apprentice

?? season premieres: September 16

my take: NBC is bringing back the original (non-celebrity) Apprentice. Not sure how I feel about this in the Thursday 10:00 timeslot, a position usually reserved for their best dramas - maybe they're dodging the competition on other networks by trying to provide a totally different option? Either way, not watching.

Friday

School Pride

1st season premieres: October 15

my take: New reality show produced by Cheryl Hines and Denise Cramsey about communities coming together to renovate their local school. The style seems very similar to Extreme Makeover: Home, so I'll probably cry.

Dateline NBC

1100th season premieres: September 24

my take: Don't care.

Outlaw

1st season premieres: September 15

my take: I really don't understand why this isn't on Thursday nights instead of Apprentice. Shouldn't they swap? The last of NBC's new fall shows, this one stars Jimmy Smits as a playboy and gambling Supreme Court justice who becomes frustrated with a flawed system, quits the job, and forms a traveling private practice to tackle the most controversial cases across the country. An interesting concept, but I'm worried it will beat us over the head with right/wrong/moral/hot button issues. Smits probably makes it worth a look though.

In summary:

Most recommended returning shows: Chuck, Parenthood, and Community
New shows I'll be checking out: The Event, Outsourced, possibly Outlaw and Chase
Between the returning and new shows, NBC is officially the law and order network this season. It might be the first time in two decades without a medical drama on this network (RIP Mercy).
With reruns on Saturdays and football on Sundays, NBC has never put anything new and scripted on weekends, staying out of the CBS/ABC competition on Sunday nights.
Looking for Parks and Recreation? Me too. Unfortunately, it was relegated to a spring start for reasons unknown (Amy Poehler's pregnancy was not a factor since they worked well into early summer to bank episodes). I will miss it this fall.

What say you? What will you be watching on NBC this fall? Any new shows tickle your pickle? Leave some comments! Fall 2010 will be the season of comments. Don't let me down!

90210

2010-09-02T17:18:00.005-04:00

Thanks to the Fug Girls for celebrating this day the way it deserved to be celebrated.

2010 primetime emmy awards

2010-08-29T19:49:00.005-04:00

Emmys are here again. Here are a few thoughts while I'm watching....

Right away, that might be the best Emmy opening ever. I loved all of it. Jon Hamm dancing on stage with the Glee kids and Hurley? Love love love.

Up first is comedy - and I'm a sucker for a montage.

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Eric Stonestreet
I could not be happier about Eric's win. His performance is really so amazing in every episode. I do think Neil Patrick Harris is still owed recognition for Barney Stinson, but I'm really glad to see Modern Family receive a much-deserved award.

Fellow nominees:
Chris Colfer, Glee
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

Modern Family goes back to back with another award for best comedy writing.

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Jane Lynch
So so so perfect. This award really couldn't have gone to anyone else this year. She did a great job with her speech and looks lovely.

Fellow Nominees:
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Man

Betty White in SNL and Neil Patrick Harris in Glee won for best guest role in a comedy yesterday. Glad for NPH, but sad Mike O'Malley didn't win for his portrayal of Kurt's dad in Glee. And Glee picked up its first award of the night for comedy director, Ryan Murphy. Well deserved.

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jim Parsons
Best Emmys ever! So happy for him. He works so hard and that character is one of the best on comedic television right now.

Fellow Nominees:
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Matthew Morrison, Glee
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Steve Carell, The Office
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

No repeat winners yet - is this unprecedented?

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Edie Falco
I'll admit that I haven't seen the show, but I've heard great things, and I'm glad to see her in another great role.

Fellow Nominees:
Lea Michelle, Glee
Julie Louis-Dreyfus, Old Christine
Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Toni Collette, United States of Tara

Brief focus on reality programming...the only award presented was Best Reality-Competition series, which went to Top Chef after what I believe was a nine-year reign for Amazing Race. It's the year of breaking streaks!

And onto drama...

First award went to writing for Mad Men. Matthew Weiner was guaranteed some hardware tonight.

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Aaron Paul
I think it's time for me to add Breaking Bad to the Netflix queue. I would have liked a last-chance trophy for Terry O'Quinn, but oh well.

Fellow Nominees:
Martin Short, Damages
Terry O'Quinn, Lost
Michael Emerson, Lost
John Slattery, Mad Men
Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Archie Penjabi
She definitely wasn't my prediction, but great to see her win. Her performance is very subtle in The Good Wife, so I'm glad she was recognized. But I still love Joanie best of all.

Fellow Nominees:
Sharon Gless, Burn Notice
Rose Byrne, Damages
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Elizabeth Moss, Mad Men

Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston
Coach Taylor would tell me to be respectful, but inside I'm kicking tires at Riggins Riggs.

Fellow Nominees:
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Hugh Laurie, House
Matthew Fox, Lost
Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Guest actor and actress in a drama series went to John Lithgow in Dexter and Ann Margaret in Law & Order: SVU. No surprises there. Best dramatic direction went to Steve Shill for Dexter.

Musical tribute to 24, Lost, and Law & Order was pretty funny. I'll admit that Jimmy Fallon is an excellent mimic.

Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Kyra Sedgwick
Tammy Taylor, you're my girl.

Fellow Nominees:
Glenn Close, Damages
Connie Briton, Friday Night Lights
Julianna Marguiles, The Good Wife
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
January Jones, Mad Men

Switching gears toward the final approach...variety, music, and comedy specials.

I have to say, that variety montage was not Leno-friendly. Not that I'm complaining. Looking back I realize how much material that situation provided for all other late night comedians except for him.

Summary of the variety awards:

Best variety special went to the Tony Awards. Bored, but really nice speech by that dude who I don't know.
Best variety direction went to Bucky Gunts for the Vancouver Olympics opening ceremony. Huge job, so more power to him. If I'm not mistaken, this is NBC's first award of the night (on its own network). Wah wah.
The Daily Show wins for variety series for the 3rd year in a row. Still glad Conan was nominated, but it was probably never going to happen.

AMEN to everything George Clooney said in his acceptance speech for the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.

Sorry, skipping the mini-series/TV movie category. Lovely, lovely. Claire Danes looks beautiful, and I definitely need to see that Temple film. Al Pacino is starting to look like a caricature of himself.

Outstanding Drama Series: Mad Men
Third consecutive year, and I can't argue with that. Still the most mesmerizing show on my TV every week.

Fellow Nominees:
True Blood
Lost
Dexter
Breaking Bad
The Good Wife

Outstanding Comedy Series: Modern Family
Yes! So happy about this one. Such a great show. Watch this show! Also, I love Manny's outfit. Pimp.

Fellow Nominees:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Glee
Nurse Jackie
The Office
30 Rock

That's it! Good job Jimmy!

nbc fall preview show

2010-08-09T17:12:00.002-04:00

Excited for fall television? Most of the shows are back in full swing taping their new seasons - yipee! We'll get into the detailed schedule in the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime, here's a handy little promotional fall preview from NBC:

south america is a long way from dillion, texas

2010-08-08T14:29:00.000-04:00

Are we ready to see Matt QB#7 Saracen in another role? Well, we're going to have to be. Zach Gilford has been cast as a series regular in a new fall show called Off the Map.

If you haven't heard about it, Off the Map is a new ABC drama coming in September by Shonda Rhimes - creator and excecutive producer of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. That's right, Shonda will have THREE medical dramas on primetime next season. For better or worse, she has pretty much cornered the market on this genre, you have to admit.

Gilford will play a plastic surgeon joining a team of doctors at medical clinic in a small town in South America. A plastic surgeon? Isn't Matt Saracen - I mean Zach Gilford - a little young to be a medical school graduate?

I wasn't particularly excited for another medical drama, but a bit more intrigued with this new addition. What say you? Ready to see him outside of Dillion?

Editor's note: That's probably not the most relevant photo for this story, but I love it. So tough.

much belated thoughts on 2010 emmy noms

2010-08-04T12:22:00.002-04:00

Since I haven't been writing about many shows lately, why not do a post about almost every show on primetime television? Here are my thoughts on the 2010 Emmy nominations (nearly a month late, but who's counting?).

Programming note: the Emmys will be broadcast on August 29th on NBC. Jimmy Fallon will host. He's no Neil Patrick Harris (last year). I've always liked Jimmy Fallon in sort of an indefinable way. I like SNL, I like the Red Sox, he seems nice and normal and cute. What's not to like, right? I don't know. I just have no interest in watching his late show. I don't find him that funny, and he always seems just a little too awestruck by all of his guests. It borders on disingenuous. Am I alone in this? I wish he had stayed out of the hosting game and just played the funny, lovable best friend in comedies for the rest of his life.

Anyway, on to the nominations...

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock has won for the last three (maybe four?) years. Time for some new blood, and that new blood is Modern Family! The best comedy BY FAR last season. I can't wait for it to come back. Glad to see Glee get a nod, although I still have trouble seeing them in the straight comedy category.

Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO
Glee, FOX
Modern Family, ABC
Nurse Jackie, Showtime
The Office, NBC
30 Rock, NBC (won last 3 years)

Outstanding Drama Series
I'm happy with all of the nominations in this category - a good variety that shows the strengths of both cable and network dramas this year. Not a surprise, but I'm happy to see Lost get some recognition for its final season. I wouldn't even mind a win even though I'm pretty sure that won't happen. Mad Men is likely to get a third consecutive trophy, and I can't argue with that.

Breaking Bad, AMC
Dexter, Showtime
The Good Wife, CBS
Lost, ABC
Mad Men, AMC (won last 2 years)
True Blood, HBO

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
I hate to say it, but I think it's time to end the reign of Jack Donaghy. I can't even remember the last non-Baldwin that won in this category. Steve Carell has never won - perhaps the recent press around his expiring contract will inspire some votes. He completely deserves it. Obvious props to the amazing Jim Parsons, but he has plenty of time to collect some trophies. And I don't think Schuester deserves it over any of these guys yet - with the exception of Monk, who just won't GO AWAY.

Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory
Larry David as Himself, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester, Glee
Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, Monk
Steve Carell as Michael Scott, The Office
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy, 30 Rock (won last 2 years)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
COACH TAYLOR FOR THE WIN!

Bryan Cranston as Walter White, Breaking Bad (won last 2 years)
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan, Dexter
Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor, Friday Night Lights
Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House, House
Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard, Lost
Jon Hamm as Don Draper, Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Lea Michele gives a Broadway-worthy performance every week, and it will probably go to one of the Showtime ladies, but I wouldn't mind a nod to Amy Poehler for a superior second season of Parks & Rec.

Lea Michele as Rachel Berry, Glee
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell, Old Christine
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, Parks And Recreation
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon, 30 Rock
Toni Collette as Tara Gregson, United States Of Tara (won last year)

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
TAMI TAYLOR FOR THE WIN!

Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson, The Closer
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes, Damages (won last 2 years)
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor, Friday Night Lights
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick, The Good Wife
Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson, Law & Order: SVU
January Jones as Betty Draper, Mad Men

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
SO happy to see a much-deserved nod to Chris Colfer. I find it impossible to choose between the men of Modern Family (leaning a little toward Ty), so I'll pick NPH. Please give him a trophy before HIMYM officially goes down the tubes (who still says that and what does it even mean?).

Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel, Glee
Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Modern Family
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Modern Family
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper, Two And A Half Men (won last year)

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Tough one! I hope Andre Braugher's nomination brings more eyes to Men of a Certain Age. That show is really so good. I wouldn't mind a repeat trophy for Michael Emerson one bit. As much as I love everything that comes out of John Slattery's mouth on Mad Men, but I don't think you can compare his work to that of Terry O'Quinn. He could use some credit for sure.

Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman, Breaking Bad
Martin Short as Leonard Winstone, Damages
Terry O'Quinn as John Locke, Lost
Michael Emerson as Ben Linus, Lost (won last year)
John Slattery as Roger Sterling, Mad Men
Andre Braugher as Owen, Men Of A Certain Age

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
I love me some Sofia Vergara, whose comedic hops may go overlooked on Modern Family. Gloria is perfection. But my heart belongs to Sue Sylvester on this one. Also, does Two and a Half Men have naked pictures of the entire voting pool?

Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester, Glee
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Modern Family
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig as Various Characters, Saturday Night Live
Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney, 30 Rock
Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper, Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Great to see some recognition for a USA show that isn't Monk. I like all of the ladies from The Good Wife and Mad Men, but I think Elisabeth Moss is most deserving this year. Amazing performances from her last season.

Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen, Burn Notice
Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons, Damages
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma, The Good Wife
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart, The Good Wife
Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris, Mad Men
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson, Mad Men

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
Stick it to 'em Conan.

The Colbert Report, Comedy Central
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Comedy Central (won last 2 years)
Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO
Saturday Night Live, NBC
The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien, NBC

Outstanding Reality Program
I'm consistently amused by Antiques Roadshow always getting nominated and relieved that Housewives are nowhere on this list. Kathy for the win.

Antiques Roadshow, PBS
Dirty Jobs, Discovery Channel
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, ABC
Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List, Bravo
MythBusters, Discovery Channel
Undercover Boss, CBS

Outstanding Reality – Competition Program
The Amazing Race has won SEVEN years in a row. Ehh why not? Keep it going.

The Amazing Race, CBS
American Idol, FOX
Dancing With The Stars, ABC
Project Runway, Lifetime
Top Chef, Bravo

Guest Roles
I won't list all of the nominations, but here's who I'd like to see win among the guest actor and actress nominees this year:

Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Robert Morse as Bertram Cooper, Mad Men
Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Elizabeth Mitchell as Juliet Burke, Lost
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Mike O'Malley as Burt Hummel, Glee
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes, Glee

pacey con!

2010-07-30T17:49:00.002-04:00

"People ask me why I do it. I do it because Pacey Witter is the greatest character in television history. Ever. Period."

- Joshua Jackson

Pacey-Con with Joshua Jackson from Joshua Jackson

herc!

2010-07-29T13:38:00.005-04:00

Hey, it's me. The underachieving summer blogger. Although it may not seem that way, my summer of television has actually been quite awesome. I am officially caught up and butt crazy in love with Friday Night Lights. Last weekend, I finished the third season. I have yet to get started on the current season though - need a little breather to collect myself.

I won't attempt a full assessment of my FNL experience quite yet, but I will be mentioning the show in upcoming posts - since I've been living and breathing it for the last two months. Oddly enough, I remember watching the first couple of episodes when FNL first premiered, and it didn't really catch me. But as my favorite TV bloggers continually praised it and rabid fan support led to the network "creativity" of marketing it through DirectTV, I knew I had to give it another shot. So glad I did.

Gross summary: I would argue that these are some of the most well written (if not the best) teenagers in the history of television. Between the photo editing, the music, and the casting, I join the chorus of fans wondering why this show doesn't have 100 Emmys. That's not even including the amazing performances by Kyle Chandler (Coach) and Connie Briton (Mrs. Coach) - finally nominated this year - and the seemingly effortless work by Zach Gilford (Matt), Adrienne Palicki (Tyra), Jesse Plemons (Landry), and pretty much everyone else, including the wonder that is Tim Riggins.

Wait! That wasn't the point of this post. I can't even help it. I could go on and on. The point was to highlight one of the smaller, great roles in FNL - that of Herc played by Kevin Rankin. The story of Jason Street could have gone to a teenage-angst-melodrama bad place. But thanks to the writing and performance by Scott Porter (6), complemented so well by Rankin, I would argue it turned out to be a near perfect story. Texas forever.

Kevin Rankin co-starred in NBC's short-lived medical drama Trauma last season. In a semi-under-appreciated show, Rankin's character stood out as the best for me. So, I was really glad to see that he will be on our TV screens again this season. According to Ausiello, Rankin has been has a Patrick Jayne's brother-in-law on the CBS drama The Mentalist. This show isn't quite appointment television for me, but I do keep it on the DVR and enjoy watching. It's clever and easy to watch with great performances from Simon Baker (Jayne). Rankin's character is a con artist womanizer, and there's a possibility for recurring status.

Happy as I am for Rankin, I will not let this hinder my mental image of Herc traveling the globe with the quad rugby team spreading wisdom and breaking hearts on an international stage.

mad men season 4 promos!

2010-06-27T11:29:00.003-04:00

It's a promo bonanza for Mad Men! I promise to start posting about non-Mad Men topics soon.

For instance, we need to talk about Friday Night Lights. I'm 4 episodes into season 1. WHERE THE HECK HAVE I BEEN THIS SHOW IS AMAZING.

All of these are character-specific and non-spoiler promos using footage from season 3. Each gives us a reminder of where we left each character last season. Who's your favorite?

General "where we left off" promo for season 4:

Don:

Betty:

Roger:

Joanie:

Pete:

Peggy:

5 more weeks!

2010-06-20T12:45:00.001-04:00

quick reference for returning summer shows

2010-06-09T17:54:00.001-04:00

We'll be getting into what's new on the television schedule this summer soon (so much!), but here's a quick guide for when to expect returning shows to premiere:

Just for fun, *** inidicates what I'll definitely be watching.

June (some happened already - sorry!)

1: Wipeout on ABC (admittedly watch this from time to time. so funny)
1: America's Got Talent on NBC (they lost me when Hoff departed)
3: Royal Pains on USA ***
3: Burn Notice on USA
6: Drop Dead Diva on Lifetime (heard this is good. anyone?)
6: Ice Road Truckers on History
6: The Next Food Network Star on Food Network
7: The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family
7: Last Comic Standing on NBC (probably tune in to see Craig Robinson do his thing)
13: Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami on E! (for real?)
13: True Blood on HBO (summer Netflix project for me)
20: Leverage on TNT ***
22: Hawthorne on TNT (this show is terrible)
24: Futurama on Comedy Central
27: Entourage on HBO (need to catch up!)
27: Hung on HBO
28: Make It or Break It on ABC Family *** (sorry, can't help it)
29: Rescue Me on FX (final season, but I need to catch up)

July

12: The Closer on TNT
13: Warehouse 13 on SyFy
25: My Boys on TBS ***
25: Mad Men on AMC *** (duh)
29: Jersey Shore on MTV

August

3: Shaq vs on ABC
9: Dating in the Dark (good god, I can't believe this is coming back)
16: Weeds on HBO (another Netflix project this summer)

a gleeful sendoff

2010-06-08T13:40:00.001-04:00

If you're using a magnifying glass, there's a lot of beef to be had with Glee. Mostly, continuity issues like Emma disappearing for multiple episodes and Quinn's pregnant belly missing for most of the season until she gives birth to a toddler who was one month premature.

However, I'm choosing to ignore all of that and just love Glee for Glee. The season finale was so fun for many reasons, including:

Journey. I mean, come on. What better way to end the season than with a giant cheeseball tribute to a cheeseball band? Don't Stop started it all. I cried.

Kurt's sailor hat.

Finn blurting out "I love you!" to Rachel before their performance. Such a teenage boy.

The girls' competition costumes. And Artie's competition hair. So dapper.

In the judges' room, when Sue realizes she cares about those kids.

Sue likening Will's hair to a briarpatch with racist Disney characters singing about the bayou.

Emma screaming at Figgins for cutting glee (although I thought Will's subsequent love profession was a little out-of-left-field)

Sue wanting hand sanitizer after shaking Will's hand so she doesn't "catch poor"

Everything about Jonathan Groff. Damn, that boy can perform.

What do we think about Ausiello's scoop about John Stamos being cast as Emma's dentist boyfriend? Weird, but I kind of love it.

nerding out for chuck

2010-06-07T21:00:00.004-04:00

I just finished re-watching the third season finale of Chuck. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - you should be watching this show.

Chuck has something for everyone:

Action: crazy kung fu fights, gun play, jumping off and out of buildings, explosions, car chases, and of course amazing hot girl fights
Music: a truly unique rock cover band called Jeffster
Comedy: from the nerds at Buy More to Colonel Casey to Chuck himself, I laugh out loud every week
Love: even if you're not a Chuck/Sarah shipper, Chuck's sister Ellie and her husband Awesome are enough to make you swoon (by the way, I'm so glad they gave Awesome and Ellie more to do this season).

Most importantly, I'm so so impressed with how this show manages to keep things fresh every season with a new surprise and twist at almost every corner. Even this year when I thought things would end neatly given an uncertain future of the show (they were somewhat unexpectedly given an episode extension), we're left with a really intriguing and mysterious set up for next season. It's always unexpected, always entertaining, and always fun. Something you really can't say about many shows these days.

Thankfully, NBC ordered 13 episodes for fourth season of Chuck next year with a good chance for an additional nine episode order (fingers crossed). So, hit Netflix or Hulu this summer and watch the first three seasons. It would be such a fun summer DVD show. I promise you won't regret it.

rebirth

2010-06-05T19:05:00.003-04:00

My absence is inexcusable. Millions of readers have wept daily without my television ramblings.

Okay, slight overstatement. But I do apologize to those who stop by from time to time only to find a grossly neglected blog during arguably the most exciting part of the television season - May sweeps, season/series finales, network upfronts, and the start of summer series.

I'll be starting up again this week with some thoughts on the end of a few important shows (LOST) and seasons as well as a look at what's new for the summer and what to expect from the networks in the fall.

If Britney can come back from this, the blog can recover.

how did i not know about this?

2010-04-30T10:50:00.002-04:00

...or did I know about this and think it was a dream? Allison Janney has a secret role in the May 11th episode of Lost called "Across the Sea". Two of my favorite things coming together. A mild explosion just occurred in my brain.

Thanks to Will Keck at TV Guide Magazine for the juicy tease story about Allison's role in one of the last episodes of the series. Read it!

Not too spoilerly highlights from the article...

No one's officially saying what role she'll be playing in the episode.

This episode should provide a lot of answers about Jacob, Man in Black, and their histories.

The writers practically (and geniusly) wrote this part for her not expecting her to do it.

She went out of her way to make her schedule work. Seriously, how awesome is Ms. Janney?!

a peek at lowe on parks & rec

2010-04-29T10:26:00.000-04:00

Thanks Ausiello for this first glimpse of Rob Lowe on Parks & Recreation. I'm super excited for him to join the show. I've been loving this season, but I do think they could use some fresh blood. The effort to fit Ann and Mark into each episode is starting to seem awkward (Paul Schneider is leaving the show, so I assume a breakup is looming). Hopefully, Lowe and fellow newcomer Adam Scott will only enhance a show that has secured a spot among my favorite comedies.

For a little scoop from Ausiello: But Lowe’s character, Chris Traeger, will be brought in to fix Pawnee's budgest crisis. He will win everyone over with his “very optimistic, positive, forward-thinking” attitude, according to EP Michael Schur. Sounds a lot like our friend Miss Knope.

best food ever

2010-04-22T13:15:00.004-04:00

I'm not necessarily a lover of food shows. I never took to Top Chef like I thought I would. But two things excite me about Best Food Ever, the new food series from TLC: John Goodman and sandwiches.

The series, premiering May 3rd with an episode entirely devoted to sandwiches (which, let's face it, is the best thing about having opposable thumbs), will feature popular dishes and restaurants from across the country.

And John Goodman narrates.

Mr. Goodman, if you know what's good for you, you'll visit Flo's Clam Shack in Newport, Rhode Island. Order steamers, clamcakes, and chowder. Dipping is encouraged.

missed connections documentary

2010-04-19T11:51:00.001-04:00

Not TV-related really, but this sort of fascinates me.

conan's big news

2010-04-12T13:16:00.003-04:00

He found a home!

Conan has signed a deal for an 11:00 show 4 nights a week on TBS*. Not many people saw that coming! Rumors of FOX or possibly a premium cable spot have been swirling for weeks. Here are some of the latest details on the TBS deal.

Having not yet read any of the reactions or analysis from smart people who know about this stuff, I think I like it. TBS has been re-branding as a comedy network for the past couple of years, and we've seen some decent programming come out of it (My Boys being a favorite of mine). I've never seen George Lopez's new show (now moving to midnight after Conan), but this seems like a solid pairing, and Lopez has been building some momentum for late night on TBS for the past few months.

I also think there's an advantage to the 11:00 timeslot versus 11:35 for Leno and Letterman. Among the young audience especially, viewership of late night local news is dwindling. Personally, I'd much rather hop over to Conan right after my 10pm shows. I'm not likely to stay awake through the later programs anyway (still love you, Kimmel).

Twitter, blogs, and entertainment news will be all abuzz with this news today. Feel free to post your thoughts here!

*special thanks to Memphis Steve

props to southland's shawn hatosy

2010-04-05T17:07:00.003-04:00

I watch a lot of television. All kinds. I can rely on many shows to deliver noteworthy moments every week - shows like Mad Men and lately Modern Family make me want to post clip after clip on this blog.

Other shows fall further below the radar with actors who will likely never receive golden statues, but still deserve recognition for some great performances. Shawn Hatosy's performance in last week's episode of Southland called "What Makes Sammy Run?" was one of those for me.

If you don't know, Southland was a discarded NBC cop series dropped by the network for being "too gritty" but quickly picked up by TNT. Although it remains to be seen if the show will live to see a third season, TNT proved to be a good home for their second season.

There are a few kinks with the characters and storytelling that need to be worked out, but this show has something special that many cop dramas haven't since the days of NYPD Blue and Homicide. The stories written and performed for Ben McKenzie (Officer Ben Sherman) and Michael Cudlitz (Officer John Cooper) have been particularly strong.

All of that said, nothing has moved me more than Shawn Hatosy's performance as Detective Sammy Bryant last week. There were no monologues or action scenes, nothing too crazy, but just damn good, subtle dramatic acting. I won't give too much away, but these scenes involved a young boy who has appeared continually throughout the series. He's a kid living in a gang-ridden neighborhood in a family with a deep history of crime and gang activity. Detective Bryant is trying to save this kid from that life by encouraging his other interests, which include reading books that most young boys wouldn't go near. It's a sad ending for this kid (though not the one you would expect) and the raw emotion and grief that Bryant feels is beautifully played by Hatosy. It's the kind of scene that sweeps you up and gets your heart racing.

I've been a fan of Hatosy's since his performance in the Farrelly brothers' comedy Outside Providence, which took place in the area where I grew up. Shawn, if Saved by the Tube was handing out little golden statues, there'd be one with your name on it. Made of chocolate.

Check out "What Makes Sammy Run?" on the TNT site, which has full episodes available. TNT also runs repeats quite often if you want to catch up on this season. That episode alone has me on board for season three. What say you, TNT?

lost: the package

2010-03-30T22:33:00.004-04:00

Like many, I have very mixed feelings about The Package being Desmond. On one hand, I'm glad to see him and see how he fits into the final chapter as well as how he fits into sideways world. It's always been clear that Desmond plays a critical role in the mystery and history of the island. But on the other hand, I'm sad for Penny and Charlie left behind on that houseboat! I hope I'm not wrong in assuming Widmore's people didn't hurt them in the process.

So why is it that Widmore brought Desmond back to the island? Is he one of the candidates? (I'm sure I should know that by now) Is Widmore even concerned with/aware of this concept of candidates? If UnLocke is trying to get all of them off the island, is Widmore trying to keep them on?

The kidnapping of Jin brought him even further away from Sun (on the island, although he was kidnapped in both worlds) Reunite these two already! So frustrating! However, the geophysicist's interest in his mapping of the magnetic fields on the island makes me think that we'll be looking further into this aspect of the island, which I like. Moving away from the heaven/hell mythology into the scientific mystery of the island continues to peel the onion giving us more answers (hopefully).

As for the sideways story, Jin and Sun not being married and dating in secret certainly presented a very different reality for them. How Juliet setting off the bomb made that happen, along with Jack having a son, Sayid's girl marrying his brother, Sawyer becoming a cop, etc. is really fascinating. With six (SIX!) episodes left, I'm ready to start learning what this alternate universe is intended to teach us.

So, we know Kate and Claire are not candidates. I'm not surprised about Claire seeing as she's taken quite a different path from her friends. But why not Kate? What's different about Kate? She never died and came back to life, she came returned to the island with the others, she's been with the gang all along. What's the deal?

Just a few observations from a devoted, but a relatively clueless Lost viewer.

Note to ABC: Get rid of that stupid V countdown clock. So distracting and annoying.

really, i couldn't love this more

2010-03-29T17:50:00.001-04:00

Mayim Bialik as a "potential love interest" for Sheldon Cooper? The confusing and troubling idea that Sheldon Cooper is something other than asexual? Possible recurring role?

YES, PLEASE.

Visit Ausiello for more.

much delayed thoughts on richard alpert

2010-03-28T13:19:00.002-04:00

The long awaited Richard Alpert back story! I have to say, immediately following episode, I was a little disappointed. But as I've thought about about it, there's more to like than I initially realized. Some of my disappointment was probably due to the high expectations. I really wanted this episode to bring a lot of answers, but it ended up confirming a lot of what we already know. Regardless, Nestor Carbonell had a performance of a lifetime.

Here's what we learned:

The island is essentially a Hellmouth. Or is it? This theory of the island as a gateway to hell or some kind of purgatory has been floating around since season one. I like that we got more clarity from Jacob and his wine bottle metaphor, but I'm still hoping the root of Lost isn't only in this heaven/hell concept. There's a lot of science there - between the Dharma project and Widmore's obsession - not to mention time travel and Daniel Farraday. That needs to be factored in
Given the physical prowess he displayed fighting Richard, it's pretty clear that Jacob probably let Ben kill him. Did he decide it was time for the candidates to figure it out in a Jacob-less island?

Here's what I'mstill wondering:

Richard was not forgiven for his sins by that priest and ended up on the island. I think we can find examples of the theme forgiveness of sins (on different levels) for all of the Losties. Is their behavior on the island supposed to earn them this forgiveness?

If this is a Hellmouth, why can people be killed? Does this mean they pass on to whichever afterlife awaits them? Is that why women can't have babies?

Again, if this is a Hellmouth, where did the Oceanic 6 go when the returned home? Was that some kind of test for the candidates? If so, did they pass by coming back? I guess we still don't know if Kate is a candidate.

Has Ben grown up in a Hellmouth? That certainly explains a lot. What about others who lived in the Hellmouth, but grew up and moved on like Eloise Hawking and Widmore?

What about Desmond punching in the code in the hatch? Was that also come kind of test?

At the end, was Isabelle telling Richard to let go and die? I didn't understand what she was releasing him from, but I sort of think it's time for Richard to take a good long nap.

Perhaps most importantly, can we trust Jacob's explanation of things? Richard certainly doesn't seem to anymore.

A few other bits to note:

Are we supposed to believe that, after 150 years, Richard can dig up that necklace on the first try? I can't even remember which underpants I'm currently wearing.

The actor playing the original Man in Black definitely appeared to be a doing a Terry O'Quinn impersonation this time, right? I'm sure that was an intentional direction, and I liked it.

Cheesey as it was, I definitely cried during the Ghost moment between Richard, Isabelle, and Hurley.

Per the opening scenes, we now know Sun is the Kwon on the candidate list.

a tale of two brunettes

2010-03-15T14:50:00.003-04:00

Sarah Shahi, formerly of one of my favorite shows - Life (RIP), will star in yet another new USA drama called Facing Kate. The show has been picked up for 11 episodes in a addition to a 90-minute pilot scheduled to air sometime in summer or fall. The show is paired with USA's other new female-led show Covert Affairs staring Piper Perabo.

Facing Kate features a top litigator (Shahi), who's frustrated with bureaucracy and decides to become a mediator. Other cast members listed on IMDB include Ethan Embry (so good in his recent House guest role) and Michael Trucco (Battlestar Galactica).

I really liked Shahi as Dani Reese in Life, but I worry that she really relied on Damian Lewis for chemistry in that role. It will be interesting to see how she fairs as the lead. (THR)

Speaking of chemistry, People is reporting that Mr. George Clooney's lady friend Elisabetta Canalis will have a 5-episode role in season five of Leverage, scheduled to begin this summer. If you don't watch this little heist show, you should. I swear, it's the best kept secret.

I'm not too familiar with Canalis' background, but she'll be joining a very talented bunch, so I have high hopes for her. Hopefully, this role will do more for her than that unfortunate red satin situation from Oscar night.

There's a joke about heists and Ocean's 11 and Clooney and girlfriends somewhere in there. I don't have the brain power.

parks and rec casting news

2010-03-14T14:22:00.005-04:00

Thursday nights have become such a happy time. For three reasons: Community, Parks and Recreation, and The Office. As much as I love the ABC comedies this season, NBC's nose dive into the abyss is greatly helped by these three comedies (30 Rock also great, but I don't watch as religiously).

The Office has been a favorite for a long time. Though I'm starting to see the end of the road for Dunder Mifflin, this season (especially with the addition of Kathy Bates!) has been great. And Community gets funnier every week - Abed and Troy are particular favorites.

But the point of this post is to update you on some cast shake-ups at Parks and Rec. While the show struggled a little bit during the first season, they have really hit their stride this year (the show has already been renewed for a third season). I'm loving Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, and Aubrey Plaza's work. Amy Poehler is a given - her scenes with Nick Offerman's Ron Swanson have been great lately.

A few weeks ago, you may have heard that Rob Lowe will be joining the cast later this season and will stay on at least into the beginning of next season. I love this. Personally, I think Rob Lowe is at his (non-Sam Seaborn) best in comedy, especially this dry style of awkward humor. I can't wait to see him in Pawnee.

Lowe will also be joined by Adam Scott, another addition to the cast beginning later this season. You'll recognize Scott from many roles in movies like Step Brothers, Knocked Up, Leap Year, and most recently in HBO's Party Down. He's hilarious. Supposedly, the two will play a pair of government specialists sent to Pawnee to help the town through some tough times.

Unfortunately, these two new additions come with the news that Paul Schneider will be leaving his role as Mark Brandanawicz. Mixed feelings here. During the first season, it seemed like Mark would serve as Leslie's unrequited love. I was glad they moved away from that, but as Ann's boyfriend this season, there hasn't been much for him to do (not very much for Ann either come to think of it). I like Schneider as an actor, but it seems like a good idea for him to move on. Apparently, all partings are amicable, and we probably have not seen the last of Brandanawicz.

glee news

2010-03-13T13:26:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, Paley Fest featured a Glee panel (for the non-geeks among us, this is the annual television festival put on by the Paley Center).

As excited as I am for the return of Glee, I've really tried to stay spoiler-free during this hiatus. Not that Glee is particularly plot heavy, but I love experiencing the music and guest star surprises during each episode, so I'm trying to steer clear of casting news, etc.

But of course, we need a few tidbits to hold us over until the show's return on Tuesday, April 13. Here are a few fun moments and very light spoilers from the panel:

Unlike some of the other panels, almost the entire cast (I think Lea was missing?) and all three co-creators were on the panel, garnering the festival's largest audience to date.

There will be an episode in season two with original music.

The role of Sue Sylvester was specially written for Jane Lynch. Best decision ever made in the history of pilot writing.

Kurt will have a boyfriend in this coming spring season.

Amber Riley (Mercedes) tried out for American Idol and didn't even make it to the judges.

Two words: Joss Whedon

Four letters: AC/DC

If you want all the dirty detailers, a few bloggers came through with really comprehensive reports:

The Futon Critic

Watch with Kristin

Ausiello Files

coming up in march

2010-03-02T10:57:00.007-05:00

March is a welcome friend for those of us who have fallen victim to an ungodly amount of snow this winter. But March also means some new television and the return of some favorites (and not so favorites).

Here's what's new this month. Anything look interesting to you?

Parenthood (NBC, March 2)

Unless you live in a hole, you've seen the promos for NBC's new family dramedy Parenthood. I've read some very mixed reviews from the critics, but I'm definitely keeping an open mind. Lauren Graham and Coach back in my life is nothing to complain about. Although, I'd prefer this show at 9:00 - up against The Good Wife and White Collar at 10:00 is tough for me.

Marriage Ref (NBC, March 4)

There was a preview premiere after the closing ceremonies, but I missed it because I was in Olympic mourning. Anyone watch? This isn't typically my kind of show, but looks kind of entertaining. I may tune in this week.

Players (Spike, March 2)

Half hour comedy about two brothers who run a sports bar. One brother (Matt Walsh of Daily Show fame) is a free-spirited guy who is living out his fantasy of owning a bar. The other brother (Ian Roberts) is more uptight trying to keep the focus on the bar turning a profit. Probably won't make my schedule, but I'm intrigued after reading that the script is mostly improvised (the first of many Curb copies, I'm sure).

The Pacific (HBO, March 14)

One of those times when I really wish I would buck up and pay for premium channels. I've heard really good things about this one. Produced by Hanks, Spielberg, and Goetzman, you really can't go wrong. It's a 10-part miniseries about the Pacific Theater of WWII. I'm already adding it to the Netflix queue.

Sons of Tucson (Fox, March 14)

I feel like this show has been "coming soon" forever. Three young boys hire a conman to act as their father when real dad goes to prison. This show has the potential to be darkly hilarious - similar to Malcolm in the Middle - but a lot is riding on the writing, since the plot is so twisted.

Justified (FX, March 16)

Just learned about this one, and I'm pretty intrigued. An hour-long procedural drama about a US Marshall with a cowboy complex (played by the great Timothy Olyphant from Deadwood). He's reason enough to check this out.

Ugly Americans (Comedy Central, March 17)

If any network can make this work, it's Comedy Central. An animated comedy about a social worker who helps creatures like vampires, mermaids, and zombies adjust to normal life in New York City. I'm sensing all kinds of double entendre.

Returning in March:

Gossip Girl (March 8) - Billy Baldwin comes in as Serena and Eric's daddy!

90210 (March 9) - I never watched the first half, but this will be summer trash for me.

Melrose Place (March 9) - A lot hinges on the ratings for the second half of the season.

Celebrity Apprentice (March 14) - A small part of my really wants to see Cyndi take on Sharon.

Nurse Jackie (March 22) - I really need to catch the first season on DVD.

United States of Tara (March 22) - Here's hoping more viewers tune in to this award winner.

10 Things I Hate About You (March 30) - I'm just going to say it. I loved this show.

V (March 30) - They REALLY need to bring it for me to care about this show's return.

FlashForward (March 30) - Ugh, I just don't know.

some casting news

2010-03-01T15:20:00.008-05:00

A few casting bits from the past few weeks that seemed worth mentioning...

I'm still only one season two of my way-overdue ride on the Gossip Girl train, but I loved the news that Billy Baldwin was cast as Serena's estranged daddy. (Ausiello)

NBC has decided to push back its remake of the legendary British series Prime Suspect. Apparently, they have yet to find a star to match the perfection of Helen Mirren. Hmm... Debra Winger looks interesting in her upcoming Law & Order guest spot. Too young? (TV Guide)

The Office's Craig Robinson (Daryl) will be the new host of Last Comic Standing on NBC. I keep forgetting about this show, but usually find it to be fun summer entertainment. Congrats Craig! (THR)

Really looking forward to seeing Cynthia Watros (Libby from Lost) in her upcoming arc as Wilson's first wife on House. (Ausiello)

ABC's pilot Freshmen about three first-year Members of Congress who share a DC rowhouse has a new addition: Ben Lawson from The Deep End. He showed some promise in the short-lived series. Assume the Aussie will plan an American here? (THR)

William Shatner has been cast in the Shit My Dad Says pilot. I had wanted a no-name actor in this role, but it should be pretty hilarious to see Shatner spew out those lines. (THR)

Durmot Mulroney has been cast in the aforementioned Rockford Files pilot for NBC. Hmmm... I was looking for someone a little more...butch? Quirky? He may surprise us. (Variety)

One of my very favorites, Becki Newton (Amanda from Ugly Betty) was cast in a fall pilot called Love Bites for NBC. Fingers crossed the role is worthy of her awesomeness. Becki will be joined by Jordana Spiro (another favorite from My Boys on TBS) as the only other series regular - not sure what that means, but I certainly hope it doesn't mean the end of My Boys! (THR)

goodbye vancouver

2010-02-28T14:37:00.004-05:00

Though I haven't written about the Olympics over the last two weeks, that doesn't mean I wasn't glued to every second. Every Cris Collinsworth emotional back story, every unlikely (and otherwise unimportant) rivalry, every victory and every devastating loss that I suddenly found myself caring about.

The Olympics are great. If for no other reason than to remind us of the ridiculous talent on this planet. So, here are a few closing thoughts on Vancouver 2010:

Vancouver 2010 was the year of pretty athletes. Between Vonn, Mancuso, Lysacek, Rochette, Virtue, Moir, Ohno, Miller, and just about every bobsled brakeman I could see, it was just a ridiculous pile of pretty.

There's a lot of Lycra involved in just about every winter Olympic sport. Hey, it keeps them warm.

I could do without Mary Carillo's "learn about Canada" segments. More Collinsworth.

He's absolutely amazing, but I'm worried Shawn White isn't as nice anymore.

What are the chances Apolo Ohno has Bob Costas' job in 2010? (first, lose the soul patch)

The US athletes were not only the most decorated, but the best dressed in the games. Although, I'm not sure if I approve of the faux-denim snow boarding pants.

Favorite NBC commentators: Scott Hamilton (figure skating), Dick Button (figure skating), Jonny Moseley (skiing), Ted Robinson and Andy Gabel (short track), Dan Jansen (speed skating). Obviously, I'm a fan of the former athletes.

Question: Are you supposed to put your hand over your heart during the US National Anthem? Or is that just the pledge of allegiance? Someone needs to make a ruling and share it with all future Olympic gold medalists.

Least favorite commentators: Sandra Bezic (figure skating) who's always bitchy, and whichever bobsled commentator kept using the phrase "cat fight" to describe a disagreement between a female German bobsled driver and her former brakeman.

Favorite couple: You gotta love the Olympic love stories. My favorite this year was the Chinese couple that took gold in pair skating - Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo.

Best gold medal presentation: Ice dancing couple Virtue and Moir. They looked like they were having so much fun up there busting out "Oh Cananda"!

The closing ceremonies were such a hoot! I always think of them as so boring and somber. What a fun way to close it out by displaying all that is funny and talented about Canada. Gotta love any country that will make fun of itself on an international stage.

Looking ahead to Sochi 2014, the Georgian Olympic team has very a good point here.

lost connections: the substitute and lighthouse

2010-02-26T09:17:00.003-05:00

Work, travel, and an Olympics trance has left this blog shamefully neglected through the month of February. This is unacceptable, I know. But, I will make up for it in these last days of the month, I promise.

First, a BIG blog on Lost. The last two episodes - "The Substitute" and "Lighthouse" - have been all about revealing connections between the Lost cast of characters. All of this coming together to (hopefully) start bringing us some answers as the conclusion quickly approaches. I still haven't come to terms with that. Let's look at some of those connections...

Starting with connections we see in the "The Substitute":

In new LA, Locke comes home to his lovely Helen, who's planning their wedding! How amazing does Katey Segal look? Just when I thought Locke's new life looked quite nice, he's fired from his grim cubicle job. Back in new LA, Locke runs into Hugo, who coincidentally owns Locke's former company. Always lovable, Hurley offers him a job through the temp agency he also owns. And that brings us to Rose! She's running the temp agency, and she's just as awesome off island. The interaction among all three of them is all about what the island took away from them - Locke's situation due to his disability, Hurley's fortune due to his luck, and Rose's outlook on life due to her cancer.

Most importantly, Locke has another connection in new LA. In his a new job as a substitute health teacher he meets NONE OTHER THAN WHINY, NERDY BEN LINUS, EUROPEAN HISTORY. How perfect is the character of new LA Ben Linus? It's exactly what I would imagine non-island Ben to be doing when he grew up.

We learn about the connection among "the candidates" as described by Smoke Monster Locke. After he recruits Sawyer for his mission to the cave, we discover the names of the candidates written all over the wall. We are to believe that the uncrossed names are the remaining candidates: Shephard, Reyes, Jarrah, Kwon, Locke, Ford. What about Kate?

Of course, this is all linked to the connection between Jacob and the man in black (now Smoke Monster Locke). In the cave, they find a balance - made equal by one black rock and one white rock. I think the symbolism is fairly obvious. Jacob and the man in black (now Smoke Monster Locke) where maintaining some sort of equilibrium on the island. By killing Jacob (and throwing the white rock into the ocean), the man in black has tipped the scale in his favor.

On the beach, a new pack has emerged: Ben, Frank, Sun, and Ilana. I imagine we'll start to see more about the significance of their connection. They bury Locke's body and head to the temple where Ilana promises Sun she will find Jin if he's alive. Ben's eulogy for Locke was very touching. Sorry I murdered him. Beautiful words

And now the connections in this week's "Lighthouse":

This time, we see Jack's life in new LA, and this story mostly revolves around the connection with his surprise son David. Throughout our time with Jack, we've seen the theme of paternity. A constant struggle with his feelings of responsibility over the fellow survivors. Most obviously, his reason for being on Oceanic in the first place - bringing his father's body home. These feelings are what eventually bring him back to the island. The connection between Jack and his young son is obviously strained until Jack is able to convince him that he could never fail in his eyes, and he just wanted to be part of his life - words he never heard from his own father. But what if Christian's treatment of Jack was preparing him for the island all along? When we will know the true history behind Christian's connection to that island?

David brings us to perhaps the most surprising connection of the episode - Jack running into Togan at the piano concert. A fellow father with similar worries for his young son - both men are leaders on the island with the well-being of their followers resting on their soldiers. There is definitely a kinship between the two men - now we see this on and off the island.

We also have a brief connection to Claire when she is mentioned in Christian's will. I expect we'll see more of Jack getting to the bottom of this mystery in new LA.

The first connection we see on the island this week is the psychic one between Hurley and the seemingly dead Jacob, who needs Hurley to help "someone find this island". We later learn this was all about helping Jack better understand his place on the island. As a way of convincing Jack to join this journey, Jacob instructs Hurley to tell him: You have what it takes. Something Jack never heard from his father. During their way, Jacks says: "I came back here because I was broken, and I was stupid enough to think that this place could fix me." What if it's his job to fix the island?

During Jack and Hurley's journey, we have small connections to the other survivors coming across Shannon's abandoned inhaler and Kate herself. The obvious rift between Jack and Kate at this point is tough to watch - it's obvious Kate agreeing to follow Jack's plan to detonate the bomb was her last time following him (at least for now). She has her own mission now - to connect with Claire.

When Jack and Hurley arrive at their destination - a never-before-seen lighthouse, we see the connection between the candidates presented in a different way - as degrees on a compass. It seems Jacob used this as some sort of tool for find and tracking the candidates.

Back in the jungle, Claire has been scrapping around surviving for the past three years. Looking very Rousseau-like indeed. She has been disconnected from the rest of the survivors all these years - namely Aaron - until she finds Jin. She helps free him from an animal trap. But apparently, she's built up quite the reputation among the temple people. And she claims that Christian (her father) and her "friend" told her that the temple people have her baby. Jin tries telling Claire the truth about Aaron - that Kate was caring for him for the past three years - but after she kills another one of the temple people, he decides it's best to lie for now and try to get them back to the temple.

Questions:

What's the ultimate purpose of the candidates? Are they supposed to keep going until only one is left? Is the last one Jacob's successor?
Did Smoke Monster Locke choose Sawyer or was coming upon him in Dharmaville a coincidence?
Who was the young boy that Smoke Monster Locke chased into the jungle? Was he one of the kids at the temple? We know Richard couldn't see him, but Sawyer could. He has blood on his hands, but we assume it isn't his.
Will Ilana collecting some of Jacob's ashes have any significance?
By leaving the island, is Smoke Monster Locke trying to use Sawyer as some kind of vessel to return to the real world? What will they find when they get there?
Which Kwon is a candidate? Should we assume Jin since Sun didn't time travel with the others? But Kate did, why isn't Kate a candidate? Or Rose or Bernard?
What about Jack discovering a scar that he doesn't seem to remember having? Will we start seeing more clues of island life among those in new LA?

lost: what kate does

2010-02-09T11:06:00.003-05:00

After only just recovering from last week, we have another episode of Lost to grapple with...

The Island

Sayid came back to life only to be electrocuted by the scary Asian man (who I think we learn is named Togan?). Sayid doesn't understand why he's being tortured when he doesn't have any secrets. Well Sayid, not all torture is about secrets. And apparently, he failed the test.
Grieving Sawyer left the temple people and his friends. Why did the temple hippie call him "Ford"? How does he know his real last name?
We're obviously seeing parallels in Kate's story - she's escaping and running in both "universes."
I'm glad Togan got Jack to admit that people were injured and killed helping him - although it's clear her lives with that burden every day. Maybe now he will show some grief over Juliet's death. I thought it was very strange that we didn't see that from his last week, given how close they were before he left the island.
At the same time, Sayid's unwavering trust in Jack is pretty incredible considering it's Sayid.
Jin challenges Kate "Once you catch up with Sawyer, then what?" and Kate responds "I guess we'll figure that out together." From the beginning, this has been Kate's struggle, stay and work out the situation with Jack or run and be free to handle things on her own with Sawyer.
Kate going back to Dharmaville gives us a little insight into the time period. Looks like they definitely are back to present day. Seeing Sawyer in that moment of grief was definitely a wake up call - this is not the same guy who jumped off the helicopter for her.
Pretty heartbreaking to watch Sawyer's grief and regret for asking Juliet to stay on the island, so he wasn't alone. He's never thought he deserved to be happy. Did we know he was planning to propose?
Togan turns out to be a real sweetheart. After a semi-friendly conversation with Jack, he knees him in the balls and tell him Sayid's pill is poison. Did I miss when Jack swallowed it?
We learn that Sayid's body has been "claimed" meaning he will soon be overtaken. How do they know? Because it happened to Jack's sister! Claire!
Meanwhile, poor Jin got beat up when trying to make it back to the temple like a good boy. And who saves him? Claire! But we don't yet know who "claimed" her. She definitely has a Rousseau looks about her, but that's unlikely. Christian? That would be messed up. Eloise Hawking?

Los Angeles Re-do

Kate being so mean to Claire was hard to watch after everything they did for each other on the island, but Kate made up for it. Interesting that she's looking for Claire in new Los Angeles, just like she's trying to do on the island.
Should I recognize the house where the almost-adoptive mother lives? I feel like I should.
Pretty amazing that Kate ends up helping Claire have her baby, just as she did on the island. It will be interesting to see if they keep going with these parallels during major moments in their lives.
Ethan! Notice they call him Dr. Goodspeed? Does that mean Horace was he daddy in the off-island world as well? I guess we don't really know how/if the Dharma Initiative took place in the new reality.
Looks like that may be it for Kate and Claire's relationship in new Los Angeles, but I think Kate accomplished her goal - she made sure Aaron is with his mother.

Memorable quotes:

Kate: Let me go, I will bring him back. And I can make him stay.
Translation: Sawyer loves freckles.
Jack: Kate, you sure you want to go out there alone with this people?
Translation: Don't let Sawyer touch those freckles.

Hurley: You're not a zombie, right?
Sayid: No, I'm not a zombie.

Hurley: Yea, see private talks kinda freak me out because they usually lead to me having to do something I don't understand.
Miles: We'll be in the food court if you need us.

Kate: I'm sorry, I never should have followed you.
Sawyer: Which time?

POST THOUGHT:
I think Kate played Jack, right? She made it seem like she was going to "take care" of Sawyer and bring him back to the group, while Jack should stay and take care of Sayid. They had a little moment, but she was really going to escape to go find Claire. She totally played him.

some fun casting news

2010-02-08T14:09:00.004-05:00

A few fun casting announcements that I've noticed recently...

Ausiello Files is reporting that Sheryl Crow will join the cast of Cougar Town in a major recurring role playing Grayson's new girlfriend. I've never seen Sheryl act, but I sort of love this. Hoping she has some chops. Grayson's character is becoming one of my favorites on this surprisingly fun and entertaining show.

Ausiello also spilled the news that Henry Winkler has been cast as Hank and Evan's estranged dad on Royal Pains, set to return this summer. This was a fun little show for me last summer, and I'm glad it's coming back. Also glad they cast someone with comedy skills because the humor between Hank and Evan's characters is what keeps this show from becoming too hero-sweet. Winkler is signed on for a recurring role, but not sure how many episodes. Ready for summer yet?

One more from Ausiello, who seems to be my Scoop Master today, Christopher Lloyd has been cast in a guest spot on Chuck. I can absolutely see him fitting in with this quirky cast. Lloyd will play Chuck's therapist in the 16th episode. I love it already. Anyone see last night's episode?? Steamy! The fans seem to be up-in-arms about Chuck and Sarah finding new crushes, but I don't mind. Gotta mix things up a little.

Last, but certainly not least...this one's been out for a while. West Wing darling Allison Janey has been cast in Matthew Perry's new comedy pilot Mr. Sunshine. Perry plays the manager of an aging San Diego stadium facing a mid-life crisis, and Janney will play his boss, who runs the stadium. I love the idea of these two in a comedy together. Mr. Sunshine is based on an idea by Perry, who wrote the script with Alex Barnow and Marc Firek. Let's hope we don't lose this one to the pilot graveyard in the sky.

new to me: supernatural

2010-02-06T11:37:00.005-05:00

Lately, I've been really into discovering older shows that are new to me. On my schedule recently has been the cult-classic Firefly and Gossip Girl, which (gasp) I had never seen before, via Netflix. I'll write about them soon. Thanks to syndication on TNT, a little show called Supernatural just came into my life as well. At the beginning of January, TNT started airing Supernatural weekdays at 10:00am ET from the beginning. I've been DVRing and catching up when I have time. I just finished season one. I'm in love.

Supernatural is one of those shows that I always knew I should be watching. I like the actors from their previous projects, great endorsements from my favorite bloggers and writers, a CW show with science-fiction/mythical tendencies. They basically had me at hello. But it took me a while to get on the train because I always wanted to start from the beginning, but never seemed to get it to the top of the Netflix queue. So, thanks TNT for airing the repeats in order.

Right now, the show is in its fifth season on CW, and going strong from what I hear. Although I did read a rumor that Eric Kripke (show runner) intended for the show to run for five seasons. Not sure where that stands.

After the first season, I'm hooked. For those who haven't seen it, the basic premise is two brothers who hunt supernatural bad guys. As young boys, they lost their mother to a nasty demon and spent the rest of their childhood following their dad's quest to hunt and kill all demons, vampires, evil spirits, reapers, and the like. At first, I was afraid hunting supernatural monsters wouldn't be my cup of tea. I suffer from a combination of the inability to suspend my disbelief for television and complete 'fraidy cat syndrome.

But I got over that pretty quickly thanks to the great writing. Their ability to bring humor to each weekly hunt while also drawing in mythical stories and legends from various cultures throughout history, almost has me believing.

Here are a few of my favorite things:

Sam Winchester. The younger brother played by Jared Padalecki, who the enlightened among you will recognize as Dean from Gilmore Girls. I was worried that I would have a hard time seeing Jared in a different role, but this is exactly what he needed as an actor. He's been able to do brilliant things with this role that we never got to see on GG. Sam is considered the "rebellious" child, abandoning the life of hunting in favor of going to college and living a normal life. But after the mysterious death of his girlfriend at the hands of a demon and disappearance of his father, Sam is convinced by his brother to rejoin the hunt. Often, he acts more from a place of personal revenge, then fighting evil, which has him butting heads with his brother and father.

Dean Winchester. It's official, I have a new television crush, and his name is Dean Winchester. Jensen Ackles' brooding good looks could have lead this character into melodramatic cheese territory, but instead, he's pretty hilarious and fun to watch. As the older brother, Dean is loyal to his father and protective of his brother - sometimes to a fault. Although he's older, Dean is definitely the more vulnerable of the two brothers - hidden behind a tough persona and what often seems like a stronger instinct for hunting (Sam relies more on books and evidence). He is motivated by the mission to destroy evil - programmed into him by his dad.

Dad Winchester. Having only seen the first season, which has an unfortunate ending for John Winchester, I'm not sure how big of a role the boys' dad plays in the rest of the series. As usual, Jeffrey Dean Morgan was a great cast for this role. Dad Winchester provides the inspiration and direction for most the Winchester hunts, as the boys carry on their father's tradition. Episodes with all three of them are great examples of how well-written the men are in this show. The father-son moments are realistic (to the extent you can say that when the characters are chasing demons) without going over-the-top. His clashes with Sam are some of the best scenes in season one.

Music. It's obvious Erik Kripke puts a lot of thought into the soundtrack of this show and possibly projects his love of good rock onto Dean? And the Impala doesn't hurt.

A few things that bug me... the weekly damsel in distress. Whether she's the victim, the victim's sister, or just a townie, there is almost without fail a hottie involved with each case for Dean and/or Sam to charm. If not for the funny writing, this would get old quickly. Also, where is their luggage? They always seem to have different clothes, but the trunk if full of monster weapons and nothing appears to be in the back seat. Also, so many significant facial lacerations and no scars? Haha...these are all silly things, but they plague me.

Bottom line: glad I finally got around to watching this show and looking forward to catching up. Any closet Supernatural fans reading the blog? If so, post your thoughts in comments. I'm sure I haven't done the show much justice having only watched the first season.

LOST is back

2010-02-02T21:37:00.006-05:00

I'm only nine minutes in, and I've already said "what the f*uck?" about seven times. WHAT IS THE FOOT DOING UNDER THE WATER?

I don't know if it was unflattering light, but Jack looked about 20 years older in that plane bathroom.

Kate is deaf in a tree.

Kate saw Sawyer and Jack lying on the ground, and she went to Jack first. Anyone else catch that?

Back on the plane, Hurley believes he's the luckiest guy alive. Bizarro world?

Back on post-bomb island, Sayid really made out worst in this situation. You get shot hoping a bomb will save you, and the bomb doesn't even do you the favor of a quick death?

JULIET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jacob? Oh right, Hurley sees dead people.

I forgot that pre-island Jin was an asshat.

Boone, Frogurt, Locke. Who wouldn't want to sit in that row?

Back on the beach, Sun is still stuck with those yahoos. Why doesn't she ever get to jump around through time?

And Ben trips over dead Locke. Poor Ben. Jokes on you again.

If they don't get Baby Juliet out of that well, I may shut off this television.

Lovely to have you back, Charlie. Even if your lips are blue.

Sawyer nickname #1: Flight Attendant called Earhart

The yahoos try their darndest to shoot New Locke. Guess what they get instead? SMOKE MONSTER!!!...and his name is NEW LOCKE.

Okay, killing Juliet like that was NOT COOL. Why didn't they just leave her in the hole? We said our goodbyes last season. That was just mean. And what the heck did she have to tell James?

They got Greg Grunberg to voice Caption Norris! Nice touch.

And they all get off the plane in LA. First hour down. Breathe.

Finally, all the post-bomb islanders wash the blood off their faces. As always. Kate's hair looks fabulous.

Trying to figure out how I would react if the airline lost the body of one of my family members. I'm a pretty patient traveler, but that crosses a line.

Everyone seems to be buying Hurley's belief in Jacob's instructions for saving Sayid. Doesn't seem the best idea when they are captured by yet another armed island group. This crew seems to have ties to the temple.

Is it bad that seeing Juliet in the promo for V makes me angry?

Good to see that Kate can hold her own off island. That cop went down like a piles of bricks...in the ladies bathroom no less.

And of course she gets a little help from pre-heartbreak, charming Sawyer. I miss him.

Imagine if they went through all of that only to have the temple people shoot them? Luckily, Hurley thought quickly and presented the elusive guitar case, which contains a message hidden in a wooden cross that appears to list their names and instructions to save Sayid. Or else.

Sun chooses not to help Jin get out of a sticky, shady situation at the airport and pretend she doesn't speak English. This is putting a damper on my anticipation of their reunion.

Sayid gets a temple baptism, but it doesn't save him. We say goodbye to another of the original Oceanic survivors. Sort of.

Kate really should have drop-kicked Frogurt for that cab.

With the news of Jacob's demise, the temple people are freaking out to protect themselves from New Locke/Smoke Monster. (P.S. How psyched is Terry O'Quinn that he's now playing the Smoke Monster instead of boring Locke?)

Of all the second-time-around fliers, the only two who made a real connection were Jack and Locke. Interesting.

New Locke beats up Richard and carries him off into the sunset. What will happen to him?

And Sayid is alive! Quick someone dunk Juliet in that temple pool!

Questions:

If Juliet was right that "it worked" then does that mean there's currently two of all the Oceanic folks?
Did plane Jack notice something wasn't right? What about that blood on his collar? Is this something I'm not remembering from the first time?
Pretty sure that Rose is wearing a different color shirt on the new flight. What does this mean?
Who was the woman with the temple people who claimed to be on the "first flight" with them?
What year are they in?
Is Juliet really dead?
Why are the temple people dressed like hippies at King Richard's fair?
WHY WAS THE FOOT UNDER WATER?

LOST is back!

a word about ugly betty

2010-01-31T17:56:00.002-05:00

Last week, you may have heard the news that ABC has decided to cancel Ugly Betty. It's sad. Putting aside any argument about why the show is canceled - ABC's lack of commitment to a solid timeslot, some problems with the writing last season, etc. - it's just sad news.

I've loved Ugly Betty from the start. When this show debuted in 2006, there was really nothing else like it. While we've started to see more original and quirky comedy-drama crossovers, Ugly Betty still stands out as an original. From the writing, to the costumes, to the music, to the set design, it's a pleasure to watch every week.

Mostly, I will miss these characters. I will miss seeing them every week. I'm sad I won't get to see how high school turns out for Justin or how Mark and Amanda will continue to torment Betty until those three find themselves running their own magazine one day.

Ugly Betty has done a wonderful job of depicting a family, writing all sorts of alternative lifestyles in a fun, but respectful and realistic way, and showing true growth of characters, which doesn't happen on television very often.

The show probably isn't going down in any award show history books - although America Ferrera and Vanessa Williams were both rightly recognized multiple times - I'm truly sad to see these characters go. Thankfully, writers have been given fair warning to tie things up, so let's enjoy the last eight episodes.

Also, this is one of the funniest things I've ever seen:

new show review: life unexpected

2010-01-30T17:07:00.001-05:00

While I'm on the subject of show's I think I will like (see below), let's talk about Life Unexpected. If The Deep End was a show I was supposed to like, Life Unexpected was a show I was basically required by law to like. I really had no choice in the matter.

Prior to actually seeing the show, I knew three things: critics were comparing it to Gilmore Girls (an untouchable show in my book), executive producer/director Greg Fleder was involved (whose work I loved on October Road), and the show deals with an adolescent's experience in the foster care system, a story I feel goes grossly untold in this country.

Knowing all of this, I did my best to keep an open and cautious mind watching the first two episodes. Afterall, a show about a 16-year-old girl in foster care who tracks down her parents seeking a signature for emancipation only to find a home seems a little schmaltzy, no?

Thankfully, good characters and strong writing keep this show on the right side of the dangerous schmaltz line. 16-year-old Lux is played by Brittany Robertson, a young actor who you'll recognize from shows like Swingtown and movies like Dan in Real Life. A lot rests on Robertson's shoulders to play this character in a way that's both realistic and likable. She's does it with ease.

Lux was given up for adoption at birth by Cate Cassidy, who (at 15) was told she would find an adoptive home easily. Unfortunately, Lux had a heart condition that had her in and out of surgery until the age of three - a much more difficult age to find an adoptive home, especially with a medical condition. She's been in and out of foster homes ever since. We meet her the day before her 16th birthday when she's about to apply for emancipation from the system. Before doing so, she needs a signature from her birth parents. Not trusting the system to obtain these signatures in a timely fashion, she goes in search of her parents on her own.

First, we meet Baze or Nate Bazile played by Kristoffer Polaha, who's had roles in a handful of short-lived series and guest appearances on shows like Mad Men. Baze never knew Cate went through with having the baby after getting her pregnant in the backseat of his van after the prom. Baze has a bit of a Peter Pan complex living with his two best friends above a bar that he owns and operates. Lux showing up at his door is a huge surprise, but he handles it relatively well and tries to help her out by contacting Cate (Shiri Appleby, who you'll also recognize from a bunch of things like ER and Roswell).

Cate is a local radio personality, co-hosting a morning show with her fiancee (Kerr Smith of Dawson's Creek fame), who's more than disturbed to hear from Baze in the middle of her show one morning. When she finds the reason for his call, her world is turned upside down with the news that Lux never found a family. It's apparent that Cate never got over giving her up, dealing with some trust issues of her own.

In the first two episodes, we see this odd little family come together. Cate and Baze convince Lux (and the courts) to let them share custody (Lux living with Cate) for the time being. Lux deals with learning to trust, leaving her plans to move in with her best friend and boyfriend - thereby abandoning the family she built for herself in order to take a chance on a "real" family.

Cate and Baze certainly have their issues (made more complicated by their decision to drunkenly sleep together the night they find out about Lux), but they are able to put aside their differences and residual feelings aside to try to do the right thing for Lux. It's pretty apparent that Lux will often play the role of adult in their life together.

We still have a lot to learn about the characters, and also whether or not this show will find an audience, but I have high hopes for both. Call me a hopeless optimist.

Check it out Mondays at 9:00 on CW.

new show review: the deep end

2010-01-29T13:53:00.004-05:00

As an avid television fan, I usually have an idea of whether or not I will like a new show. ABC's The Deep End (Thursdays at 8:00) has all the ingredients of what often constitutes a winner in my book. I'm a sucker for an ensemble cast and plots that combine both serial and case-of-the-week storytelling. As a bonus, The Deep End has some of my favorites like Tina Majorino (Veronica Mars, Napoleon Dynamite) and Matt Long (Jack & Bobby). All of that said, this one just didn't come together for me.

Sterling is a major law firm in Los Angeles with a new crop of junior associates. We start with the four new associates interviewing with Rowdy Kaiser the recruitment associate (played by the brilliant Norbert Butz, better known as the original Fiero from Wicked). The four are pretty predictable: Addy Fisher (Majorino) the awkward, wholesome hard worker with a heart of gold, Dylan Hewitt (Matt Long) the handsome do-gooder boy nextdoor, Liam Priory (Ben Lawson) the British cocky ladies man, and Beth Bancroft (Leah Pipes) the privileged over-achiever.

Cut to three months later, they're all fretting about "The Prince of Darkness" who we learn is senior partner Cliff Huddle (Billy Zane). He is married to fellow senior partner Susan (Nicole Ari Parker), and chair partner Hart Sterling (Clancy Brown) is returning after a long leave of absence due to his wife's illness, during which he left Cliff in charge.

As for the cases:

Cliff sticks Dylan with a pro bono case that Hart forced on them (because first day junior associates always get their own cases). It's a birth mother versus her mother-in-law who is suing for custody of her grandson (baby daddy died). Dylan defies Cliff's attempts to settle the case due to mother-in-law's local power and wealth, and does the right thing to restore custody to the mom. Aww.

Liam accidentally gives a prospective client the impression that he's Jewish, a secret that's only revealed when the client comes across a very un-Jewish part of his anatomy.

Addy tries balancing the demands of multiple senior partners getting arrested in the process. When she finally stands up for herself, Susan takes her on as a mentee.

Meanwhile, Beth is tasked with helping an old CEO hand over the reigns to a new guy only to find out he has Alzheimer's disease. She must decide whether to close the deal or reveal that the poor old man has no idea what's going on. She turns to her father for advice. A cut throat, rival attorney played by the wonderful Tom Amandes (Everwood, Eli Stone). In the end, Beth opts to screw the old man and makes the deal for the firm.

Through it all, we learn a little about the firm. Hart is taking the reigns back from an very reluctant Cliff who has steered the firm in a much more money-hungry and power-seeking (but also more successful) direction. Hart exerts his authority by showing Rowdy the recruiting associate the error of his recent ways and hiring a fifth first-year associate, Malcolm Bennett (Mehcad Brooks).

At one point, Cliff threatens to set Dylan on fire, throws a stack of paper at him, and tells him he will make sure he "never practices law again" if he doesn't make sure his client's 6-year-old son is given over to his grandmother. Oh, and he's having an affair with paralegal Katie. Sorry, I just barfed cliche.

In the end, Hart and Cliff agree to co-lead the firm. Beth gets it on with Liam in their office, Dylan gets it on with Katie in her apartment, and Cliff is on his way to get it on with his wife at a hotel, but not before dropping by Katie's apartment. And scene.

The problem is, I can't decide what I like and don't like. It's all so uneven. To me, a pilot's task is to introduce you to the characters and show you that they've got a story to tell. By the end of the episode, I was just left... blahh.

Despite all this, I decided to give the show a second chance with the next episode. Sometimes pilots can be tricky due to all the rewriting, network influence, etc. It was very evident that too many writers were involved - or seemed to be - because of the unevenness of the plot and characters. So...episode two. Plus, it's directed by Timothy Busfield, so how could I not?

Essentially, two cases and two love stories were presented. In the first case, Beth assumes second chair with Cliff in a faulty product lawsuit against Beth's high-powered attorney father (played again by Tom Amandes, who's underused here). Pipes was okay as Beth, but I felt thrown into her daddy issues with little background. An unevenly dramatic ending that I didn't end up caring about. The second case involved Addy accidentally taking on a medical marijuana clinic as a client. I really like Addy - probably my favorite character because Majorino plays her with such ease and authenticity - but this story line was completely lost on me. First, the clinic owners tried to pull a fast one on Addy by sending her a batch of marijuana in order to hide it from the feds. Then, Hart claimed the marijuana was his in order to protect the firm - but also to show his support for medical marijuana, I think? In the end, Addy figured out a way to get Hart's charges dropped and fired the client. I didn't understand the point of it.

As for the "love" stories, we learn Cliff not only had an affair with Katie but promised her a job at the firm. But she broke up with him and slept with Dylan. For fear that she would find out, Cliff told Susan about the affair. Susan then transferred Katie to their office in Montana. Got all that? Care? Neither do I. Although, judging by the inappropriately sentimental goodbye between Katie and Dylan at the end of the episode, I think the writers wanted us to care.

Second love story involves Liam's quest to relive his first kiss - a standard to which he holds every new woman. In an effort to help, Addy tells all the women in the office to kiss him throughout the day. Seriously, all day. All over the office. This is a place of business, is it not? I rarely get insulted by the way women are written on television, but this was both insulting and ridiculous. In the end, turns out Liam's dream kiss came from Beth, not that he would let her know that, and not that we care. Liam's character seemed to have potential, but again, I'm left with very little.

I'm disappointed because I could have used a fun new show, but looks like this just won't be it for me. It feels like they've taken everything that has worked in successful series past - Grey's Anatomy's torrid love stories, Boston Legal's quirky cases, etc. and tried to make something new - but it just ended up feeling like a recycled imitation.

new show review: human target

2010-01-23T14:26:00.008-05:00

FOX aired the pilot of new action drama Human Target a few times this week as well as the second episode on Tuesday. The show will find a home on Tuesdays at 9:00 from now on.

This isn't really my kind of show - based on a DC Comics graphic novel and comic book series - but I'm giving it a look because I like Chi McBride (Pushing Daisies, Boston Legal). He plays Winston, partner to main man Christoper Chance played by Mark Valley. Valley seems to be the leading man who can never hold onto his own show - you'll recognize him from soaps, Boston Legal, and a brief stint on Fringe.

The two work as team - Chance is a private security contractor/body guard, and Winston is his business partner. Basically, Vance integrates himself into his clients' lives in order to protect them from a threat. His past is a mystery, which we expect will be revealed over time.

We meet them when they're hired to protect a woman who's in charge of a major public transportation project in California (fancy fast train). Someone tried to blow up her car. The train's maiden voyage is tomorrow, and Vance will need to tag along with her, posing as her interpreter in order to get the guy to reveal himself. Meanwhile, Winston helps gather and transmit info to Vance from the office.

In comes additional team member, hired gun Guerrero. He's played by Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach from Watchmen). Vance wants to bring him into the job because of his coercive investigation expertise, but Winston has strong reservations. But he steps in to help in his own quirky, creepy way. He's interesting to watch on screen, but goodness is he funny looking.

During the process, Chance acts like some combination of Dr. House and Jack Bauer. He identifies a poisoned drink by the cubed rather than crushed ice cubes.

Vance's clever observations makes the killer think he's been caught. So, he pulls a bunch of emergency breaks, which, mixed with the speed of the train, will cause the who thing to explode. Naturally.

The fun begins when the killer tracks them down and chases Chance and his charge all the way down the train - Chance getting shot in the bullet proof vest a few times along the way. This also involves a pretty cool fist fight in an air shaft - must have been really cool/impossible to shoot.

In the end, Chance does his part to protect train lady from the assassin (really tough fight - effects are pretty cool), then comes back to warn everyone of the impending train explosion. Train lady saves the day with her knowledge of the train. She loads everyone into last car, which has backup breaks. In an unfortunate twist, train lady's husband tries to trap her and Chance out of the breaking car. The coolest part comes when Chance rigs a harness system and uses the wind force to para(shoot) them straight out of the train.

Guerrero does his part to solve the underlying mystery behind train lady's death threats. Turns out, she had an affair and the husband wanted her dead for the train building bonus money. There you go kids, cheaters never win. In a bizarre sentimental moment between Chance and train lady - complete with Casablanca-style music - he takes her wedding rings as payment. I didn't understand it.

During the last scenes, Chance flashes back (or forward?) to guarding Danny Glover and blowing up a car. This is either a mystery that will unfold or a preview of next week's episode.

As a leading action man, Valley is good but not great. Not yet anyway. He definitely has potential, but is coming across a little too stiff. He will need to show a more humanism for viewers to get attached and root for him. Winston and Guerrero are fun to watch, but it's still not clear what Winston actually does.

With all the returning and new television on this spring - not to mention the Olympics - I think I will skip this one. But if anyone has a strong argument for keeping it on the DVR, post in the comments!

see you later, conan

2010-01-22T22:18:00.003-05:00

It's a sad night. I've stayed out of the back and forth about Conan/Leno/NBC over the past few weeks. Though, I've made no secret of my feelings about NBC's decision to broadcast The Jay Leno Show in the 10:00 hour. For me, those feelings are more about my preference for good dramatic and comedic scripted programming during that hour. I was worried that this move signaled a bigger shift for television - one that's been happening over time for the past 10 years, a shift away from quality scripted programming on the major networks.

For all the resources (though dwindling) and talent surrounding NBC, there's so much potential. The decision to keep Jay on for fear of losing his audience came at the cost of good programming, and more importantly tonight, at the cost of a really good late night television host.

A lot can be said about the poor business decisions made by NBC in the past year or so. Their indecision and lack of confidence that kept Jay in a slot that didn't end up pulling the right ratings and also impeded Conan's chances. NBC made one huge mistake - they underestimated the intelligence of the audience. Sure, we're numbers, sure that translates to dollars. But they forgot that we're also a collective brain, a brain that can be influenced by even the slightest move. They failed to recognize or take advantage of that. Most of us saw keeping Jay as a lack of confidence in Conan, and for those who weren't familiar with Conan's Late Show, his hands were tied from the beginning.

All of that said, this situation made for some of the best late night television in recent years. Great performances on all networks taking advantage of this comic gem - Jimmy Kimmel dressed as Leno for an entire episode? Genius.

Not to get mushy, but Conan's final words summed up why I write this blog. There's a lot of cynicism about what "watching TV" means. Some may say television is a lesser medium, one that fails to stimulate your brain or inspire creativity. Others just look down on it from the high horse. Many others are caught up in talking about how modern television is doomed. I couldn't agree less. I love television, and I embrace that. Watching the award shows over the past couple of weeks, showed me just how much talent and creativity is streaming into this medium - perhaps now more than ever. So, I'm going to continue celebrating it on this here blog.

Mr. O'Brien:

"All I ask is one thing. And I'm asking this particularly of the young people who watch. Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism. For the record, it's my least favorite quality. It doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard, and you're kind, amazing things will happen. I'm telling you, amazing things will happen."

"Tonight we're going to have a lot of fun on television. That's what we're going to do."

Thanks for a great show Conan, I'm sure we'll see you later.

hope for haiti now

2010-01-22T22:05:00.002-05:00

Tonight's telethon was an amazing event. I know there are so many humanitarian emergencies and crises going on in the world, and those deserve our attention every day, but we often lose sight of that. Hopefully, the generosity shown tonight will be a reminder for the people in Haiti and all over the world that people do care.

That said, Jennifer Hudson (she looks amazing!), Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake/Matt Morris, and Jay Z stole the show for me.

www.hopeforhaitinow.org
www.oxfamamerica.org

what to watch this week

2010-01-18T21:20:00.002-05:00

I've been out of the loop for a few days, but there's still a lot to look forward to this week on television. Sometimes, a little escapism is just the ticket.

Here are some highlights of what's premiering and returning this week:

Monday

All the regular shows are back, including Chuck. Watch Chuck!
New series Life Unexpected is premiering on CW. Look for a review of the first episode coming up this week.
24 continues its 2-night season premiere on FOX.

Tuesday

American Idol auditions continue with Chicago.
Southland continues on TNT with the second episode of the first season. I'm not going to tune in until the new episodes begin, but this is a good way to catch up if you haven't watched before. It's worth a look.
White Collar returns from the break on USA. Anyone else dying to know what's going on with that suspicious cliff hanger?

Wednesday

American Idol auditions continue in Orlando.
Did anyone watch the new season premiere of Leverage last week? Check it out. It's still one of my favorites.
New series Human Target premieres on FOX. You may have seen the "preview event" on Sunday night, which is repeating on Tuesday. An hour-long action drama about a unique private contractor/security expert/bodyguard who integrates himself into his clients' lives and eliminate the threat by becoming the human target. Not sure if I'm going to watch this one. Chi McBride playing the best friend is my only motivation.

Thursday

Vampire Diaries and Supernatural return on CW. I started to get into Vampire Diaries before the break, but I'm still only watching online. Thursday nights are too busy!
The Office returns with a potential buyer coming to check out Dunder Mifflin.
Burn Notice season premiere on USA.
New series The Deep End premieres on ABC. You may have seen one of the 1,000 previews - an hour-long drama about a batch of newbies at a law firm. As far as I know, it's only running for six weeks. Look for a first episode review later this week.

Friday

Dollhouse series finale on FOX. I never took to this one, but sorry for those who did. RIP.

Saturday

If you're not sick of award shows yet, the Screen Actors Guild Awards will air on TNT and TBS.
Also, US Figure Skating competition. Get ready for the Olympics!

Those are the highlights. Enjoy!

nbc's post-leno schedule

2010-01-14T15:31:00.003-05:00

Although the fate of NBC late night is still unclear (the latest rumor says Conan's last night will be 1/22), the network just released the post-Olympic/post-Leno primetime schedule if you're interested. The overall lineup isn't stellar, but the the 10:00 slot seemed pretty easy to fill:

MONDAY
8:00 Chuck (already back with new episodes, loving the season so far)
9:00 Trauma (originally thought cancelled, this will be back from the dead beginning March 8)
10:00 Law & Order (returns March 1)

TUESDAY
8:00 The Biggest Loser (the ratings powerhouse already started the spring season)
10:00 Parenthood (finally premiering March 2, hope the 10:00 timeslot will help, not hurt)

WEDNESDAY
8:00 Mercy (already back with new episodes, still surprisingly liking the show more and more)
9:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (repeats in this timeslot beginning March 3)
10:00 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (back to its rightful home beginning March 3)

THURSDAY
8:00 Community (back with new episodes tonight - Jack Black guest stars)
8:30 Parks and Recreation (back with new episodes tonight - Will Arnett guest stars)
9:00 The Office (returns January 21)
9:30 30 Rock (back with two new episodes tonight, James Franco gues stars)
10:00 The Marriage Ref (new reality show, premieres March 4; sneak preview February 28)

FRIDAY
8:00 Who Do You Think You Are (reality show explores ancestry of celebs premieres March 5)
(Friday Night Lights will take over the 8:00 slot on April 30)
9:00 Dateline NBC (begins March 5)

SUNDAY
8:00 Minute to Win It (reality competition show premieres March 14)
9:00 The Celebrity Apprentice (premieres March 14)

how i met your mother's 100th episode

2010-01-12T13:49:00.002-05:00

Last night was the 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother. While this series got off to a slowish start, I'm glad to see it has come so far. Many would say HIMYM's success is due to Neil Patrick Harris' resurgence/illustration of one of the funniest characters on television right now - and that isn't wrong. But the cast also works really well as an ensemble. Cobie Smulders - who we were all a little dubious about in the beginning - is shining these days.

I usually don't look to critique HIMYM because it's a fun show with quirky stories that's consistently entertaining. It's just good fun. So, for the 100th episode, I was perfectly happy to sit back and watch Barney's hilarious struggle between girls and suits. Some of the best comedy acting by NPH this season - hoping they'll use this as a showcase to the Emmy voters. The musical number was hilarious and brilliantly showed the talent of this guy - as well as the other characters. How about that conversational baritone from Marshall??

All of that was so fun, as was Robin's astute observation that hot female bartenders benefit from "circumstantial hotness." So very true. I'm going to say the same for those beer promoter girls who pass out tchotchkes and free beer at bars wearing tiny referee uniforms.

That said, my issue with this episode comes with my beef with the show overall. The problem of the title. On one hand, I love the How I Met Your Mother concept. The narration works really well for telling stories in a fun and different way - flashbacks, montages, etc. And the concept has worked well to keep the suspense going about Ted's love life.

The problem is, sometimes (like last night) it takes away from more than it adds to Ted's storyline. Some of the best Ted episodes were back when he was chasing after/dating Robin. Early on, we found out she wasn't the mother, but it was still fun watching Ted at his best - fighting for true love, which he's a complete sucker for. The later seasons brought more clues about the mother - yellow umbrella, etc. - to build anticipation. With the exception of Sarah Chalke's arc (which didn't really do much for me, or for Ted for that matter), all of Ted's potential love interests have been short-lived and seemed pointless as soon as we find out she's not the mother.

I would have loved more from last night's guest appearance by Rachel Bilson. She and Josh Radnor had great chemistry, but the story seemed rushed with not much pay off (save for a few tidbits about the mother). Stretching their story out a bit more would have given Ted more to do. Sorry, but I just don't get as much from his adventures with teaching and architecture.

I have faith that the showrunners have a great plan for finally introducing the mother, so I'll stop questioning the strategy. But I wouldn't mind seeing her now, rather than later, so we can see more Ted Mosby at his best.

For fun, here's a video of the making of "Girls vs. Suits":

nbc, our problem child

2010-01-11T12:09:00.004-05:00

NBC had quite a busy day at the Television Critics Association gathering yesterday. Thanks to religious Twittering and posting from the trusty critics, I was able to gather the top headlines, plus a few fun tidbits from other sources...

As you've no doubt heard by now, The Jay Leno Show will be bumped from the 10:00 timeslot as of February 12 (Olympic opening ceremonies). Instead, Jay will shift to 11:35, pushing Conan to 12:05 and Fallon to 1:05. This obviously lets even more air out of Conan's tires. No word yet on his reaction or plan for the future.

Plans to fill the 10:00 timeslot after the Olympics are still ongoing...most likely 2 hours of drama, a new reality hour, and more Dateline.

Jerry Seinfeld's new reality series Marriage Ref will premiere right after the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Aren't the closing ceremonies like 3 hours long? They'll probably bump Conan for that too.

NBC is ordering 18 new pilots this year, which is a huge number (obviously, only a handful make it to air).

Potential fall projects highlighted at TCA include: J.J. Abrams' espionage drama Undercovers (his first time directing a pilot since Lost), David Tennant-led legal dramedy Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, remakes of Prime Suspect and Rockford Files, David E. Kelley's legal drama Kindreds, Jerry Bruckheimer action-procedural drama Chase, an hour-long romantic comedy (since those always work) called Love Bites, and an untitled Adam Carolla comedy.

They're also putting many eggs into the Parenthood basket, which will finally come to the small screen on March 1st.

The future fate of Heroes is up for discussion, but it looks possible that Law & Order will have another season.

David Hasselhoff's replacement on America's Got Talent will be Howie Mandel. Dislike. Is there something about this guy that I just don't see?

According to Hollywood Reporter, NBC's new drama Day One, which was originally scheduled for a half-season run this spring, then cut to a four episode mini-series, is now relegated to a 2-hour backdoor pilot with no plans for further episodes. Oh well. They probably realized it looks too much like FlashForward, which isn't exactly killing in the ratings.

Watch with Kristin has some fun scoop about The Office. Kathy Bates will be guest staring as the CEO of the company that bought out Dunder Mifflin. I love the idea of Kathy mixing with the Scranton folks.

NBC's upfront presentation for fall 2010 will take place on May 17th. Mark you calendars!

Thanks to Televisionary for great updates from NBC's TCA presentation.

what to watch this week

2010-01-11T11:09:00.003-05:00

As much as it doesn't feel that way outside on the east coast, spring television season is approaching full swing. Here are some highlights of what's premiering and returning this week:

Monday

Chuck regular season premiere. If you didn't watch the 2-hour season opener last night, catch it on Hulu today! (and read my summary below)
House returns a little early to compete with the Chuck premiere.
How I Met Your Mother is back with the 100th episode, which includes a musical number.
Big Bang Theory is back...oh and so are those other two CBS comedies and CSI: Miami.
Fringe is airing a special un-aired episode following House. Take a look!
Castle returns with guest star Alyssa Milano.
Men of a Certain Age continues its run on TNT. Anyone else really liking that show?

Tuesday

Southland premieres on TNT. They'll be showing all episodes from the beginning, including those unaired on NBC.
American Idol season 9 starts with 2 hours of Boston auditions. Look out, this might be the last time we see Simon judging auditions with the news that he'll be bringing The X Factor to FOX this year.

Wednesday

The second half of Leverage, season 2, premieres on TNT. Glad to have them back on Tuesday night, which is actually becoming less of a barren TV wasteland.
American Idol continues premiere week with an hour of auditions in Atlanta.
CBS is all new with Old Christine, Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds, and CSI: NY returning.

Thursday

Bones is back with an episode called "The X in the File". Hmmm.
Fringe returns after Bones. Let's hope for some good ratings this spring.
Parks & Recreation returns with guest star (and Amy's husband) Will Arnett. Love him!
Community and 30 Rock also return on NBC.
Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice 2-hour crossover will involve the Grey's docs bringing Addison and friends in to help save a baby.
The Mentalist returns with new episodes. If you watch, read this.
New animated half-hour spy comedy Archer premieres on FX.
Project Runway season 7 premieres. NYC, Michael, and Nina are back. Thank god.

I'm sure I missed a few, but those are the highlights. Enjoy!

chuck's back!

2010-01-10T21:03:00.003-05:00

It's the two hour premiere of Chuck tonight, and we finally see what our favorite reluctant spy is going to do with his fancy new powers. I'll be blogging a bit while I watch tonight, so bare with me while I try to contain my excitement. If this is your first time watching Chuck, welcome and enjoy!

Tonight's premiere is split into two parts:

"Chuck vs. the Pink Slip"
We jump right in with Chuck help captive by scary ambiguously Polish bad guys on which he practices some impressive fight skills under the guidance of The General in his ear piece. As I suspected...this is just a training session. But it seems that Chuck is living up to his potential as the new intersect agent, so The General is ending his training. Love seeing her offscreen, by the way.

Cut back six months, Casey instructs Chuck to tell Ellie that he want on a last minute trip to Europe. He will spend 6 months training to be the new intersect agent (a mission originally intended for Bryce). Sarah is not happy about Chuck becoming a real spy because he'll be in it for the rest of his life. She proposes running away together telling him to meet her in Prague where she will be waiting with fake IDs and train tickets. He accepts.

Now back from fake Europe trip/training facility, Chuck is in Ellie and Awesome's living room with no Sarah in sight. He tries calling her, and we see her in a pool in some exotic location with a mysterious man and no intention of taking Chuck's call. Hmm.

Product placement #1: Honda. Product placement #2: The Olympics on NBC.

Hold the phone. That was a commercial! I was totally fooled.

Anywho, Chuck is spending quite a bit of time on Awesome and Ellie's couch growing a very long beard. He still looks pretty though. During a failed incognito mission to Buy More to replenish his cheeseball supply, Chuck runs into Emmett and the boys. The boys inform him that Sarah has been back working at the yogurt shop. Trying to investigate, Chuck comes across Casey packing up his things in The Castle. Casey is on his way to join Sarah for a mission. Casey is curious about what happened between Chuck and Sarah...but no details are shared yet.

Chuck finds them on their mission and tries proves himself to The General by helping. We finally see Sarah - turns out that exotic pool location was part of a mission. Casey, and especially Sarah, are not accepting Chuck's offer to help. But of course, he's flashing away. The new kung fu flashes are super fun - and impressive. Even more impressive are his new intersect guitar skills!

Unfortunately, Chuck did more harm that good for the mission and quickly ends up on back on the couch. The laziness is interrupted by Morgan, recently canned from Benihanna (Anna took off with the prep chef), and Morgan brings Chuck to his current living space in the Buy More studio room.

EMMETT SHOT...in the eye! By the assassin that Chuck flashed on during the mission. I did not see that coming.

Sarah comes to the Buy More to say goodbye to Chuck...only to be met by the assassin and his men. Of course. Chuck is knocked out and later wakes up in some sort of cell with the assassin. After an ass beating, Chuck passes out and remembers what happened with Sarah six months prior. Turns out, they did meet on that train platform in Prague. Sarah brought the fake IDs and smooches for Chuck, but he chose to become the intersect agent instead. He didn't chose Sarah. It's a bummer, but I actually support the decision (I'm sure Chuck would appreciate that).

Alas, Sarah is locked in the adjoining cell. Chuck's turbo flash comes to good use, and he frees them both...turns out they're in Mexico. And it's Casey to the rescue! Nothing like seeing Casey brandishing a machine gun...from a helicopter no less. Sometimes I forget that this show has some of the best action scenes on television right now.

Back at The Castle, the trio meets with The General via videocast. She informs them that Operation Bartowski is back in action. Only Chuck is excited about this news.

So, Chuck and Casey (and Morgan!) are back at the Buy More. Ellie and Awesome are moving to the apartment across the courtyard, so Morgan moves in with Chuck. Sarah reminds Chuck that he needs to keep his feelings in check now more than ever (rejection). Casey begins training Chuck on the physical aspects of his new intersect. And all is right with the world.

Great music in this episode...topped off with a little "Eye of the Tiger"!

"Chuck vs. the Three Words"
And now... another hour of Chuck! Looks like this one will focus a bit more and just what's going on between Sarah and Chuck. Goodness.

Fatefully, Chuck and Sarah end up at the same club on their night off. Sarah with friend and colleague Karina, who we met last season. And Chuck with Morgan. (Incidentally, I'm slightly concerned about what Chuck's hair is doing this season. It's a lot of volume.)

Turns out, Karina is part of their new mission. She's pulling a fake engagement with an arms dealer, and they have to bring him down.

Back at Buy More, Big Mike is back in charge. I'm actually quite happy Emmett is gone (RIP). And poor Morgan is pining over Karina. Jeff and Lester dare Morgan to invite her to his housewarming party.

(While I myself have little need for the gratuitous underwear scene with Sarah and Karina, I hope it pulls in some good ratings among the 18-34 male audience.)

Back on the mission, the trio goes undercover for Karina's engagement party. Chuck gets to show off more of his fancy turbo flash skills dodging a complex laser light alarm system. All the while, trying to get Sarah to talk to him about their friendship/relationship...to explain that he didn't chose being a spy over her. Of course, she's hearing none of this since he's locked in an air tight closet while she's outside fighting bad guys. I hate when that happens. After nearly running out of air in the closet, Chuck falls into Sarah's arm telling her he loves her, then passing out. The guy cannot catch a break.

Back at The Castle, Chuck is recovering and Sarah is questioning whether Chuck will be safe given their emotional complications. Unfortunately (or fortunately), The General is not letting her quit. So, the two commence fight training. And Sarah isn't giving in and letting Chuck talk about his feelings. Girl is cold as ice.

Later that night, at Morgan's housewarming party, Karina shows up with her arms dealer fiance, who now knows she's a spy and promises to kill Chuck. Jeff and Lester unsuccessfully challenge the henchmen to a chugging contest...and pass out (drugged). It's the trio to the rescue, and we see Casey and Sarah starting to trust Chuck and his new flashes. Though Sarah still leads in the ass kissing, Chuck comes through in the clutch to appeal to the arms dealer's broken heart.

In the end, we realize the computer that the team recovered from the arms dealer has more significance than the realize. The General wants to tell them about it...but a higher power isn't letting her.

And we learn that not only does Morgan have a fancy way of displaying his sneaker collection, he also scored with Karina...on Star Wars sheets no less! Go Morgan.

Back at The Castle, Karina leaves Sarah with a flashdrive... a video of Chuck trapped in the air tight closet earlier confessing his reasons for leaving Sarah at the train station in Prague. He wanted to put aside this feelings to do something for the greater good to protect his friends and family...and because he loves her, since she's the one that taught him what being a spy is all about.

Aww.

it's official, i'm a person

2010-01-07T14:09:00.001-05:00

I didn't get to watch the People's Choice Awards on Tuesday night. They're usually pretty entertaining and a good publicity opportunity for actors, but not as prestigious as some other award programs (whether you even consider that to be warranted). But I looked at the list of winners, and I think it's pretty much official, I'm a person.

I hate to admit it, but looking the TV categories ONLY, if I had to chose from the list of nominees, I agree with almost every winning pick. Does that make me average? I don't think I like that.

Favorite TV Drama
House AGREE
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Grey's Anatomy
Lost
NCIS

Favorite TV comedy
The Big Bang Theory AGREE
Desperate Housewives
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Two and a Half Men

Favorite TV Drama Actor
Hugh Laurie AGREE (Emmy voters take note!)
Kiefer Sutherland
Mark Harmon
Matthew Fox
Patrick Dempsey

Favorite TV Drama Actress
Katherine Heigl AGREE (only if I have to pick from this list)
Anna Paquin
Blake Lively
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Mariska Hargitay (sorry Mariska, it's getting boring)

Favorite TV Comedy Actor
Steve Carell SEMI-AGREE (would have loved a JP or NPH win, but Michael Scott will always have my heart)
Alec Baldwin
Charlie Sheen
Jim Parsons
Neil Patrick Harris

Favorite TV Comedy Actress
Alyson Hannigan DISAGREE (not that I don't love Lily)
America Ferrera
Amy Poehler (I picked Amy here, but hopefully this is just the beginning for Lesley Knope)
Eva Longoria Parker
Tina Fey

Favorite TV Obsession
True Blood DISAGREE (only because I don't watch it. blasphemy)
Dexter (unimpressed by this category, but this would be my pick)
Gossip Girl
The Hills
The Secret Life of the American Teenager

Favorite Competition Show
American Idol DISAGREE (so 2008)
Dancing with the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance (I'm all about SYTYCD)
Survivor: Samoa

abc's new wednesday

2010-01-06T15:24:00.006-05:00

ABC already had my heart with Modern Family on Wednesdays, anything else is icing on the cake. Cougar Town has been a surprising nice addition to my schedule too. While The Middle isn't really my cup of tea, I'm very happy to see Ugly Betty taking its rightful place in the 10:00 slot after lingering far too long on dreaded Friday nights.

As I've written before, Betty suffered some bumps and bruises last season, but season four has come together really well. With some great guest stars (Kristin Johnson!), good balance between Betty's family and work, long anticipated eyebrow waxing, and of course Marc & Amanda, the show seems to be gelling this season. Unfortunately, not many got to see it on Friday nights. If you've ever been a fan of the show, I suggest catching up on Hulu and reserve your Wednesday nights for the foreseeable future.

Tonight, ABC's lineup is all new, and they're bringing out some big guns for the occasion. On The Middle, Brooke Shields will guest star as a trashy neighbor. Modern Family has Benjamin Bratt appearing as Manny's absent papa. And Cougar Town will reunite Monica and Phoebe with Lisa Kudrow playing Jules' snarky dermatologist. All that topped off with a fun crossover - Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson will reprise his role as Betty's lovelorn orthodontist.

In the meantime, check out The TV Addict's great interview with Betty showrunner Silvio Horta where he shares thoughts on last season, Friday nights, and plans for the future.

[Moment of silence for Eastwick, the previous owner of ABC's 10:00 slot. I really wanted to like you, but it just never came together. Sorry they messed up your finale.]

the beek on mercy

2010-01-05T12:06:00.004-05:00

Dawson's Creek has long come and gone, but I still have love for Mr. James Van Der Beek. He'll always be Dawson to me. Imagine my delite with Ausiello Files reported Beek's upcoming recurring role on Mercy.

I'll have to put my lingering Dawson aside, however, as Beek will play a very different character. Liam West is the hospital's new ICU chief, who's described as cocky, womanizing and manipulative. He will undoubtedly bump heads with the nurses. And according to Ausiello, he's hiding a deep, dark secret and there's even a possibility he could become a regular character.

I almost wrote off Mercy early in the season when it seemed like the show was relying too much on Ronnie's love triangle. I wasn't interested in watching a will-they-won't-they soap opera between Ronnie and her Army doctor at the expense of some good storytelling about the hard work of nurses. Thankfully, a little tweaking brought a greater emphasis on strong patient cases (kudos to Elizabeth Moss for a stellar guest role) and Ronnie's family (especially the perfect Peter Gerety as her father facing Alzheimer's disease).

Although I still can't help thinking of Beek as a teenager, it will be interesting to see how he fits in to the chemistry of the show as bossman to this ensemble of characters, especially the oddly compelling Dr. Harris (James LeGros is doing a great job playing what seemed like a predictable character, who is now becoming difficult to hate).

I hope Beek will bring in some new viewers, so Mercy can get some solid ratings for the second half of the season.

adam carolla's unlikely fan (me)

2010-01-04T11:54:00.006-05:00

Fresh from a lovely 12-day vacation, it's back to the real world. Luckily, that involves the return of television for a new 2010 season. Midseason premieres, new shows, award shows, new pilot announcements for the fall...it's all coming down the pike (is it pike or pipe?..I never know).

Will little television during my vacation, I spent some down time listening to backlogged podcasts. My new favorite: The Adam Carolla Podcast. I know, I'm even a little surprised myself. At the height of the Jimmy Kimmel/Adam Carolla Man Show and Loveline, I was slightly too young to watch (or appreciate) late night television, but I always thought of Adam as one of those "funny dudes" with a reputation for crass, sarcastic rant humor who popped up from time to time. I recently subscribed to the podcast - which Adam starting doing last year after leaving a long-time morning radio gig in LA.

The podcast - usually daily interviews with various comics, entertainers, etc. for 60-90 minutes - is actually hilariously entertaining. This is based mostly on the fact that Adam is intelligent. Gasp. The intelligence of a host/interviewer is vastly under-rated. Thankfully, Adam tells a good story, gives a good rant, but more importantly, he seems to equally entertain/be entertained by his guests.

I often don't agree with him politically (though probably more often than I would care to admit) and some of his more, shall we say, racially-themed rants make me cringe, but I honestly love listening to this guy. So much so that I'm starting to think of him as a friend. Is that unhealthy? When you starting talking to your iPod, and your iPod doesn't respond...

Anyway, according to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC has ordered a new single-camera comedy pilot starring Adam from Universal Media Studios, BermanBraun and Jackhole Industries (Adam's company with Jimmy Kimmel). At this point, all we know is that Adam will play a recently divorced contractor trying to rebuild his life.

The pilot process is a long and arduous one (Adam tried last year with a comedy for CBS that didn't pan out), but such an early order is a good sign. NBC will pick up 18 pilots this season - 10 dramas and 8 comedies - but only a handful make it to air. I'm really glad NBC is staying the course with the single-camera comedy - ABC has been getting a lot of attention for their recent foray into this format, but NBC really deserves the credit (yea, I said it) for pioneering stuff like The Office, 30 Rock, and now Parks & Rec and Community.

Looking forward to (hopefully) seeing what the Ace Man brings to television comedy, but hope that doesn't replace the podcast. Go on over and subscribe on iTunes.

american idol 2010 schedule

2009-12-23T15:03:00.002-05:00

Since the last season of American Idol, I commenced an affair with my new love So You Think You Can Dance. Between the talent, entertainment, and host Cat Deeley, I don't think I'll even look at Idol the same way again. But don't worry, I'll be watching.

Fox just released this schedule for the 9th season. There a few changes this season.

Major change: Paula out, Ellen in. But Ellen won't be joining until Hollywood Week (when the real competition begins). Until that time, we'll have guest judges during the audition rounds, including Joe Jonas, Mary J. Blige, Katy Perry, NEIL PATRICK HARRIS and KRISTIN CHENOWETH.

Minor change: Rather than last year's top 36 format - 3 random groups of 12 from which the top 12 were chosen - we're going back to the top 24 system with 2 groups: 12 girls and 12 guys. This tightens up the small stage portion a bit.

Here's the full schedule:

Tuesday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM) Boston Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:15 PM) Atlanta Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Jan. 19 (8:00-9:00 PM) Chicago Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM) Orlando Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Jan. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM) Dallas Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Jan. 27 (9:00-10:00 PM) Los Angeles Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM) Denver Auditions Episode
Wednesday, Feb. 3 (9:00-10:00 PM) “The Road to Hollywood” Auditions Episode
Tuesday, Feb. 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 1
Wednesday, Feb. 10 (9:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 2
Tuesday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 3
Wednesday, Feb. 17 (9:00-10:00 PM) Hollywood Round, Part 4, Top 24 Announced
Tuesday, Feb. 23 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, Feb. 24 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 12 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, Feb. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM) First Results Show, Two Males and Two Females Eliminated
Tuesday, March 2 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 10 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, March 3 (8:00-10:00 PM) Top 10 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, March 4 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show, Two Males and Two Females Eliminated
Tuesday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM) Top 8 Female Semifinalists Perform
Wednesday, March 10 (9:00-10:00 PM) Top 8 Male Semifinalists Perform
Thursday, March 11 (8:00-9:00 PM) Results Show, Two Males and Two Females Eliminated; Finalists Revealed
Tuesday, March 16 (8:00-10:00 PM) Two Finalists Perform
Wednesday, March 17 (9:00-10:00 PM) Results Show, Winner Revealed

merry marathons

2009-12-22T14:46:00.000-05:00

Variety just published a story conveniently listing marathons that different networks are running on Christmas. Here's a summary:

TBS: A Christmas Story

I have to admit, this is not my favorite Christmas movie. I don't even really like it. I've never understood the obsession. Give me It's a Wonderful Life any day.

FX: Night at the Museum

I caught this on an airplane once. It's certainly not a classic, but I understand it's a crowd pleaser.

Fox Movie Channel: Home Alone

Classic. Every family should watch every year.

AMC: White Christmas (eve), National Lampoon's Christmas (day)

This is a great combo. I have a huge soft spot for White Christmas. Watching at least twice every season is a requirement for me. It never gets old. And National Lampoon's is an obvious choice.

Spike TV: Bad Santa

On my list of the worst movies of all time. I don't understand the appeal.

A&E: Criminal Minds

Interesting choice. Ho ho ho.

MTV: Parental Control/Teen Mom combo

Very educational for families gathering for the holidays, I'm sure.

VHI: Celebrity Fit Club

Also educational? Umm.

new LOST trailer

2009-12-21T14:43:00.000-05:00

Still no new footage, so don't fear spoilers. I still can't believe it's the last season. How will they possibly answers all of the questions? Who's excited?

top 2009 shows: throwing my hat into the ring

2009-12-20T15:06:00.000-05:00

There are many lists of top shows of 2009 and top shows the decade floating around these days. I love to read them. You see many similarities among the lists - especially the critically acclaimed shows. But each list is a little different with outliers popping up to show us that each television viewer is unique.

I'm a little intimidated by the decade list, although I may try it. For now, here are my TWO top ten lists for scripted shows in 2009:

Top 10 Returning Shows of 2009

Here are my favorite scripted shows this year - not necessarily ranked as my all-time favorites, but these are the shows that made the most out of their seasons this year.

Mad Men: An obvious choice for one of the most critically acclaimed shows in cable history. Personally, this show makes me think more than any other. Cliche, I know. But everything about it is smart, pretty, and fascinating.

Chuck: This show just makes me laugh without fail, and I feel like the characters are my friends. So glad NBC is putting some effort into promoting season three.

Lost: As the series winds to a close, season five was an awesome precursor to the final season.

The Big Bang Theory: The characters of this show - most obviously Jim Parsons' Sheldon - made this comedy appointment television for me and welcomed sitcoms back into my life.

How I Met Your Mother: I was a late bloomer among HIMYM fans, but now I'm along for the ride.

House: Fans have had mixed emotions about casting decisions madeby House writers over the last couple of seasons, but fall 2009 brought possibly the best performances by Hugh Laurie to date.

Dexter: Bringing in John Lithgow this season was a brilliant move for a game-changing shocker of a season.

Greek: A little out-of-left-field, but Greek is easily the best teen/young audience show on television right now. I'm addicted.

The Office: Admittedly, The Office is getting a little grey around the ears, but between Michael's lady troubles, the Pam/Jim wedding, and the rise of Andy Bernard, I still love it.

The Mentalist: A new discovery for me in 2009. If I'm going to watch a crime procedural, this is the top choice. They kept it fun in 2009.

Top 10 New Shows of 2009

Scripted shows that premiered during the spring, summer or fall 2009 seasons.

Modern Family: I've gone on about this show many times, so I'll just say thanks for the smart, family comedy that makes everyone feel a little less crazy.

Parks & Recreation: 2009 started a little rough for Ms. Knope and friends, but subtle changes in the show have made it one of the funniest comedies.

Glee: What can I say? There's nothing like it. I would watch all day.

The Good Wife: Thanks for bringing a smart, interesting woman to network television.

Castle: Richard Castle is one of the most refreshingly and effortlessly well-played characters on the networks these days.

Community: Another show with a rocky start, but as the writers continue to bring out the best in these actors, the show gets more and more entertaining.

The Vampire Diaries: I've never been on the vampire train, but this one's got me. It's a little silly in the grand tradition of WB/CW, but sometimes a little silly drama is just what you need.

White Collar: As I've said before, Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay are a match made in heaven.

Leverage: If you're a sucker for a good heist, this would be my #1 DVR-and-save-for-a-rainy-day recommendation for 2009.

Better off Ted: I'll admit, the second season hasn't been that good for me so far, but I do think this show deserves a spot on the list. If only for Portia DeRossi's hilarious performances.

Enough superlatives and declarations for you?

Bonus List: 6 favorites that sadly met an untimely demise in 2009

Pushing Daisies
Eli Stone
Samantha Who?
The Unusuals
Privileged
Life

omg

2009-12-17T15:01:00.002-05:00

Thanks to The Live Feed for posting this first and drawing my attention to it. The CW has presented the following clip as their "OMG Moment of the Year." Please watch. I cannot stop laughing. I'll admit to watching One Tree Hill back in their high school days, but haven't seen it in years. Seriously, cannot stop laughing. Oh Chad Michael Murray.

2010 screen actors guild awards

2009-12-16T10:35:00.002-05:00

This doesn't show much creativity on my part, but I may as well list the SAG award nominees while I'm at it. The SAGs are generally considered more prestigious among actors - for obvious reasons.

The cool thing about these awards - created solely for the recognition of the acting performances - is the ensemble cast awards. A complete show can deserve an award BECAUSE of a great ensemble cast, but the reverse is not always true. For example, I would argue that Dexter deserves recognition for a being a very high-quality show, but doesn't necessarily deserve the ensemble cast award. While there are great actors, it's essentially a one-man show. Meanwhile, Modern Family might not be an immediate pick for best all-around comedy, but the cast is nearly perfect working as an ensemble. Make sense?

The award ceremony will be broadcast on TBS and TNT on January 23rd. Here are the primetime television nominees with my favorites in bold. There are film categories as well, you can see the full list here.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Simon Baker, The Mentalist
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Drama Series
Patricia Arquette, Medium
Glenn Close, Damages
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Charlie Sheen, Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Toni Collette, United States Of Tara
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures Of Old Christine

Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Drama Series
The Closer
Dexter
The Good Wife
Mad Men
True Blood

Outstanding Performance By An Ensemble In A Comedy Series
30 Rock
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Glee
Modern Family
The Office

Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor In A Television Movie Or Miniseries
Kevin Bacon, Taking Chance
Cuba Gooding, Jr., Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
Jeremy Irons, Georgia O'keeffe
Kevin Kline, Great Performances: Cyrano De Bergerac
Tom Wilkinson, A Number

Outstanding Performance By A Female Actor In A Television Movie Or Miniseries
Joan Allen , Georgia O'keeffe
Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Ruby Dee, America
Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens
Sigourney Weaver, Prayers For Bobby

Fun fact: The great Betty White will be receiving a lifetime acheivement award.