As I sit typing I’m already sipping on my 3rd energy drink of the day. Why so tired you ask? Simple, last night was the first full Wednesday of the new season and it kept me up…late. Of course since I have TiVo I could easily have saved some of the shows for weekend viewing but I was way too jacked up when the night started to even think of that as an option. Here’s a quick look at my night and my reactions:
7pm- Settle in with a Cheesy Beefy Melt from those ad wizards at Taco Bell to enjoy episode two of America’s Next Top Model. Once again we’re in that reality show stage where there are just too many contestants to get a true feel for any of them but thankfully Model makes up for that by hitting us with Tyra’s insanity. I must say I was disappointed when she inflicted a smoking ban on this cycle. I mean I look towards these vapid, model wannabees to tell me what’s cool and what’s not and if they can’t smoke how will I ever know if that’s cool. Damn you Tyra.
8pm- After trying the new Dance Dance Revolution Game for my Wii briefly (awesome by the way), I settle in for episode two of Gossip Girl. I still love the show but I worry that some of the depth I saw in week one might be short lived. After the first episode I found myself feeling for both Serena and Blair but I thought the writers painted Blair with a much broader brush this week as she became the revenge bent bitch. One thing that worked on The OC was that the baddies all had human qualities and depth (except for poor Oliver) and I’m hoping Josh Schwartz will keep that up on Gossip Girl. Between the exquisite Reaper (catch the replay of Tuesday’s premiere tonight or you’ll be sorry) and Gossip Girl, The CW could be in for a great year.
9pm- For the first time since the season started I actually found myself doubting whether Hung will win Top Chef. The judges flat out told him they don’t see him as a chef! Wow that’s like someone saying they don’t see Britney as a trainwreck. I think Casey might have this in the bag unless Hung finds his soul. Loved Dale’s comment about how he’s never cooked for cowboys but he’s slept with a few. With CJ gone someone had to bring the funny.
10pm- Daily Show has Jamie Foxx and a great series of jokes on the UN meeting so I end up watching the whole thing and then Colbert comes on and he’s got his new Emmy nemesis Tony Bennett so I watch that too.
11pm- Decide to go ahead and watch Dirty Sexy Money and end up being very happy that I did. The cast is all top notch especially Peter Krause and Donald Sutherland. I laughed a lot and did not expect the potential murder mystery of the lead character’s father to be such an attention grabber. I also love that Todd from One Life to Live played the dad in the flashbacks, that guy can act and needs to escape daytime TV.
11:40pm- Watch Real World and Newport Harbor with my finger on the FF button. The Sydney house is truly a powder keg just waiting to explode. Isaac continues to be one of the most entertaining people on TV…reality or otherwise. Meanwhile, Newport Harbor is winding down and so I think is The Real Orange County. I appreciate the producers’ attempt to revive the show by moving out of Laguna Beach but I think the fact is they caught lightning in a bottle when they cast Lauren, Kristen, and Stephen back in season 1 and no matter how hard they try that magic is gone (although still alive in The Hills). This cast is pretty boring and makes me long for the annoying shrills of Cammy and Kendra from last year. Oh well, one more ep and it’s done.
12:15am- Against my better judgment I open a third beer, light a cigarette, and watch Bionic Woman. I hate it when critics are right and man did they nail this show. The lead character isn’t even the most interesting bionic woman on the show. That status goes to Katie Sackoff’s rogue bionic woman (think Faith from Buffy before she reformed) who steals the show and has you more interested in her then the boring old bartender and pseudo mom who winds up with the latest bionic technology flowing through her body. The show has promise but unless they make Jamie Summers more interesting or make the rogue agent the star then it will go down quickly against the likes of Private Practice and Gossip Girl.
12:50am- Finally roll into bed and despite ending the evening on a sour note with Bionic Woman; I’m pleased with the night. I think I could schedule an afternoon nap on Wednesdays and make this work but then I remember it’s only going to get worse when next week South Park and The Sarah Silverman show return. TV Night in America is going to kick my ass.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
First Impressions: When Good TV Meets A Bad Mood
Say what you will about Americans tendency to be slaves to the boob tube but I tend to believe that TV suffers and celebrates along with us. Take last night for example. I was a lousy, annoyed, borderline mean muthafucker when I settled in for the first Monday of the new season. I got stuck at work late which then put me behind schedule for stopping by my globetrotting mother’s condo and then visiting my nursing home bound grandmother to deliver her booze and chocolate. If everything would have gone as planned I would have gotten home safe and sound but instead I got stuck in a torrential down pour, which in and of itself is fine but when some jerk forces you out of your lane and into a puddle the size of a small lake (I think I saw Steve Zissou swim past) your mood tends to sour. On top of that after leaving said puddle your car starts puttering like the New Orleans Saints offense and you know your day is officially shot. So to say I was grumpy when I sat down in my recliner would be an understatement. So take these thoughts with a grain of salt.
Chuck: First show of the night and I think the best. Adam Baldwin steals the show as a mean ass NSA agent hunting down the title character after he absorbs a litany of government secrets. The show was funny, had a great chase sequence and set up a couple of ongoing mysteries that will have me coming back.
Heroes: Ok guys you might be able to avoid the sophomore slump. The “four months later” gimmick has been done but I liked what I saw. The new murder mystery has got my attention (I guarantee its going to look like Christopher Eccelstien’s invisible man is the killer but my money says that’s just a red herring). My complaints are two fold. First, it took 20 episodes last year for our heroes to meet up and unite and I honestly can’t stand to wait another season for that to happen again (although the final scene phone call was encouraging). Second don’t force new characters down our throat. I get 15 minutes of the two Hondurans but not a single glimpse of Nikki, DL, and Micah, what gives?
How I Met Your Mother: All I could concentrate on was the same third laugh I heard come through on the laugh track after each joke. I really want to like this show but I’m sorry it’s just too forced. I’ll give it another week because of my mood. I did enjoy all the tramp stamp jokes though.
Journeyman: At this point I was having a full on pity party so I saved this on TiVo and went straight for…
The Hills: When you’re feeling down you can always go to the folks that have everything and still struggle through life. I took more pleasure then I should watching Spencer crap all over Heidi’s wedding plans and Jason play bad boy all over Lauren one last time (hopefully). I did feel sorry for Whit Whit though as she got steamrolled by C List rock stars.
Tonight we’ve got the premiere of Reaper my most anticipated new show and that’s it, so here’s hoping I’m over my $600 car repair for their sake…
Chuck: First show of the night and I think the best. Adam Baldwin steals the show as a mean ass NSA agent hunting down the title character after he absorbs a litany of government secrets. The show was funny, had a great chase sequence and set up a couple of ongoing mysteries that will have me coming back.
Heroes: Ok guys you might be able to avoid the sophomore slump. The “four months later” gimmick has been done but I liked what I saw. The new murder mystery has got my attention (I guarantee its going to look like Christopher Eccelstien’s invisible man is the killer but my money says that’s just a red herring). My complaints are two fold. First, it took 20 episodes last year for our heroes to meet up and unite and I honestly can’t stand to wait another season for that to happen again (although the final scene phone call was encouraging). Second don’t force new characters down our throat. I get 15 minutes of the two Hondurans but not a single glimpse of Nikki, DL, and Micah, what gives?
How I Met Your Mother: All I could concentrate on was the same third laugh I heard come through on the laugh track after each joke. I really want to like this show but I’m sorry it’s just too forced. I’ll give it another week because of my mood. I did enjoy all the tramp stamp jokes though.
Journeyman: At this point I was having a full on pity party so I saved this on TiVo and went straight for…
The Hills: When you’re feeling down you can always go to the folks that have everything and still struggle through life. I took more pleasure then I should watching Spencer crap all over Heidi’s wedding plans and Jason play bad boy all over Lauren one last time (hopefully). I did feel sorry for Whit Whit though as she got steamrolled by C List rock stars.
Tonight we’ve got the premiere of Reaper my most anticipated new show and that’s it, so here’s hoping I’m over my $600 car repair for their sake…
Thursday, September 20, 2007
First Impressions: Gossip Girl, Kitchen Nightmares, and new Dropkick CD
Gossip Girl: Ok I love love love this show. I mean I thought I’d like it when I wrote about it earlier this week for my Fall TV Preview but boy did this show knock my socks off. Voice over narration can often be clunky and annoying but I found my ears perking up for every little tidbit from Gossip Girl and it wasn’t just because Veronica Mars provides said voice. The narration was an especially effective way to introduce the cast of characters. The show started strong out of the gates thanks to the narration and the immediate chemistry between the “it” couple of the show. Seriously, any show that has you cheering for a couple like Serena and Dan after 1 episode holds incredible promise in my book. Like The OC, I also enjoyed that the teen’s parents were actually interesting and seem to have potential for their own story lines. CW I think you’ll have a hit on your hands once word of mouth starts going.
Kitchen Nightmares:Sad to say that on the strength of Gossip Girl and the buzz on Bionic Woman this will be the first show to go off my schedule and that’s too bad because last night’s premiere was pretty entertaining. Like Gordon Ramsey’s other show, Hell’s Kitchen, the food is secondary to the drama. I’ve seen the UK version of the show and in that, Ramsey spends a lot of time with the chef’s perfecting their cooking where as here he spent more time as a family counselor, and a bad one at that. Last night’s restaurant in question was straight out of The Sopranos especially if Artie Bucco gained 150 pounds of muscle, and grew a spine. Hopefully the US version will follow its UK counterpart and do follow up episodes 6 months to a year down the line however I’m guessing Ramsey’s stale act and the high level of competition (did I mention the Grey’s spin-off is also in this time slot) will kill this show early. Oh and one final gripe to the producers, please don’t recycle the over dramatized music from Hell’s Kitchen on here again.
Dropkick Murphy’s- The Meanest of Times: One of the highlights of 2007 was standing in the balcony of the Avalon Ballroom as the Dropkick’s took the stage on March 16th in Boston, Mass. I had seen the band over half a dozen times prior to that night but that was something I’ll never forget. Their latest album brings back memories from that night and captures everything about the band I love. There are punk covers of traditional folk songs, including the rousing Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya and (F)lannigan’s Ball featuring guest vocals from Spider Stacy of The Pogues and Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners. Then there are the originals that make you want to dive into the pit like Famous for Nothing and Breakdown. There’s even a song that’s tailor made for the rumored prequel to The Departed (a film that utilized the Dropkick’s Shipping Off to Boston in spectacular fashion) called The State of Massachusetts which features the meanest mandolin work I’ve heard in years. The last two Dropkick albums have taken some time to grow on me but this one grabbed me right off the bat and will be in heavy rotation for weeks to come.
Kitchen Nightmares:Sad to say that on the strength of Gossip Girl and the buzz on Bionic Woman this will be the first show to go off my schedule and that’s too bad because last night’s premiere was pretty entertaining. Like Gordon Ramsey’s other show, Hell’s Kitchen, the food is secondary to the drama. I’ve seen the UK version of the show and in that, Ramsey spends a lot of time with the chef’s perfecting their cooking where as here he spent more time as a family counselor, and a bad one at that. Last night’s restaurant in question was straight out of The Sopranos especially if Artie Bucco gained 150 pounds of muscle, and grew a spine. Hopefully the US version will follow its UK counterpart and do follow up episodes 6 months to a year down the line however I’m guessing Ramsey’s stale act and the high level of competition (did I mention the Grey’s spin-off is also in this time slot) will kill this show early. Oh and one final gripe to the producers, please don’t recycle the over dramatized music from Hell’s Kitchen on here again.
Dropkick Murphy’s- The Meanest of Times: One of the highlights of 2007 was standing in the balcony of the Avalon Ballroom as the Dropkick’s took the stage on March 16th in Boston, Mass. I had seen the band over half a dozen times prior to that night but that was something I’ll never forget. Their latest album brings back memories from that night and captures everything about the band I love. There are punk covers of traditional folk songs, including the rousing Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya and (F)lannigan’s Ball featuring guest vocals from Spider Stacy of The Pogues and Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners. Then there are the originals that make you want to dive into the pit like Famous for Nothing and Breakdown. There’s even a song that’s tailor made for the rumored prequel to The Departed (a film that utilized the Dropkick’s Shipping Off to Boston in spectacular fashion) called The State of Massachusetts which features the meanest mandolin work I’ve heard in years. The last two Dropkick albums have taken some time to grow on me but this one grabbed me right off the bat and will be in heavy rotation for weeks to come.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Fall TV Preview: Wrap Up and Looking Ahead
So we’ve covered all the new and returning shows worth your time in the past week and I thought I’d give the cliff notes for those of you too lazy to scroll down and present a quick look at what we can expect mid-season.
Top 5 Returning Shows
1. 30 Rock (7:30pm CST Thursdays on NBC)
2. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (9pm CST Thursdays on FX)
3. Friday Night Lights (8pm CST Fridays on NBC)
4. Heroes (8pm CST Mondays on NBC)
5. The Office (8pm CST Thursdays on NBC)
Top 5 New Shows
1. Reaper (8pm CST Tuesdays on The CW)
2. Pushing Daisies (7pm CST Wednesdays on ABC)
3. Bionic Woman (8pm CST Wednesdays on NBC)
4. Gossip Girl (8pm CST Wednesdays on The CW)
5. Chuck (7pm CST Mondays on NBC)
Mid Season Shows
Lost (ABC): Due back in February at 9pm CST on Wednesday (rumor is that will change). Lost begins its 48 episodes swan song with new cast members, new back stories, and apparently new front stories.
24 (FOX): Jack Bauer and company apparently realized that the show lost some mojo last year so their changing it up by getting Jack out of LA and into DC where he’ll be joined by Jeanne Garofolo and cast of stereotypical Middle Eastern terrorists this January.
Jericho (CBS): The littlest big show that could returns this winter for 7 episodes. Look for it to pick up shortly after last year’s cliff hanger “town war” as it tries to justify a full season order for next Fall.
The Amazing Race (CBS): Word on the street is that one of the best reality shows on TV has already wrapped a season that’s just waiting in storage until CBS decides it needs it. I’m guessing it could be a month or so into the season given the look of some of their new shows. By the way shouldn’t we be talking about naming the Best Reality Competition Emmy after the Race as its never lost in the category since it was created.
The IT Crowd (NBC): The Soup’s Joel McHale stars in this British remake that’s set to debut this winter. Let’s hope its more Office then Coupling.
Top 5 Returning Shows
1. 30 Rock (7:30pm CST Thursdays on NBC)
2. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (9pm CST Thursdays on FX)
3. Friday Night Lights (8pm CST Fridays on NBC)
4. Heroes (8pm CST Mondays on NBC)
5. The Office (8pm CST Thursdays on NBC)
Top 5 New Shows
1. Reaper (8pm CST Tuesdays on The CW)
2. Pushing Daisies (7pm CST Wednesdays on ABC)
3. Bionic Woman (8pm CST Wednesdays on NBC)
4. Gossip Girl (8pm CST Wednesdays on The CW)
5. Chuck (7pm CST Mondays on NBC)
Mid Season Shows
Lost (ABC): Due back in February at 9pm CST on Wednesday (rumor is that will change). Lost begins its 48 episodes swan song with new cast members, new back stories, and apparently new front stories.
24 (FOX): Jack Bauer and company apparently realized that the show lost some mojo last year so their changing it up by getting Jack out of LA and into DC where he’ll be joined by Jeanne Garofolo and cast of stereotypical Middle Eastern terrorists this January.
Jericho (CBS): The littlest big show that could returns this winter for 7 episodes. Look for it to pick up shortly after last year’s cliff hanger “town war” as it tries to justify a full season order for next Fall.
The Amazing Race (CBS): Word on the street is that one of the best reality shows on TV has already wrapped a season that’s just waiting in storage until CBS decides it needs it. I’m guessing it could be a month or so into the season given the look of some of their new shows. By the way shouldn’t we be talking about naming the Best Reality Competition Emmy after the Race as its never lost in the category since it was created.
The IT Crowd (NBC): The Soup’s Joel McHale stars in this British remake that’s set to debut this winter. Let’s hope its more Office then Coupling.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Fall TV Preview 2007: Thursdays
If Wednesday is the night of a million shows that could be good, Thursday night is the night of shows we know and can trust to be good.
THURSDAY MUST SEES
30 Rock, 7:30pm CST NBC: After Sunday night’s Emmy award for Best Comedy I’m more convinced then ever that this show will not be on the air after this year. Let’s face it, very few quality shows make it beyond a year or two on network TV and 30 Rock is of the highest quality. Arrested Development was a critical darling just like 30 Rock and within one season of winning the Emmy they were cancelled. All I can say is enjoy it while you can and for god’s sake spread the good word. It would be a shame for the amazing work that Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, and Tracey Morgan to be ignored. NBC is trying everything to help the show too which should be commended. They even got Jerry Seinfeld to guest on the season premiere. I can just see it now, “What’s the deal with Muffintop? Is it a food or a dance song?” Premiers October 4th
The Office, 8pm CST NBC: Maybe there’s hope for 30 Rock after all. I remember when The Office first had its initial 6 episode run I was convinced it was too smart for network TV. Now the show is entering its fourth season and seems stronger then ever. Not only is it an adequate performer in the ratings but somehow the writers have managed to come up with enough original episodes that more then double the output of their British counterpart. Of course they may have jumped the shark last year with Pam and Jim finally making the love connection but other developments like an unemployed Jan and new corporate boss Ryan the temp offer a warehouse full of new funny for this year. Premiers September 27th
Scrubs, 8:30pm CST NBC: Ok now I realize there’s definitely hope for 30 Rock. Scrubs has been a rating winner and loser, has been on more nights and times then Britney’s VMA performance, and has constantly been threatened to get the ax, however here we are at season 7 and the show is bowing out on its own terms. Last year was a bit of a slip when compared to creative highs of seasons 4 and 5 but I’ve got a feeling Zach Braff and company will make sure Sacred Heart Hospital goes out in full fantasy sequence glory. Premiers October 25th
Survivor: China, 7pm CST CBS: Say goodbye to the super diverse cast of the last two seasons and hello to a rare land locked installment of Survivor. While the cast is a little more white bread the show promises new changes to the game which somehow they always pull off masterfully. Obviously China is an interesting setting in and of itself and did I mention there’s a former WWE women’s wrestler. Premiers September 20th
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 9pm CST FX: I’ve already pleaded with you people to watch this show so just watch it already. Any show that has a cameo from Alvin from The Cosby Show has got to be celebrated! Premiered September 13th
THURSDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
My Name is Earl, 7pm CST NBC: Earl seemed to hit a creative funk last year. The familiar trap of overdoing the guest stars and gimmick episodes plagued the second season which ended with Earl in jail and without his list. Still the performances of the entire cast are always stellar and the promise that Crabman’s witness protection past will be explored is enough to keep my interest…for a while. Premieres September 27th
THURSDAY MUST SEES
30 Rock, 7:30pm CST NBC: After Sunday night’s Emmy award for Best Comedy I’m more convinced then ever that this show will not be on the air after this year. Let’s face it, very few quality shows make it beyond a year or two on network TV and 30 Rock is of the highest quality. Arrested Development was a critical darling just like 30 Rock and within one season of winning the Emmy they were cancelled. All I can say is enjoy it while you can and for god’s sake spread the good word. It would be a shame for the amazing work that Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, and Tracey Morgan to be ignored. NBC is trying everything to help the show too which should be commended. They even got Jerry Seinfeld to guest on the season premiere. I can just see it now, “What’s the deal with Muffintop? Is it a food or a dance song?” Premiers October 4th
The Office, 8pm CST NBC: Maybe there’s hope for 30 Rock after all. I remember when The Office first had its initial 6 episode run I was convinced it was too smart for network TV. Now the show is entering its fourth season and seems stronger then ever. Not only is it an adequate performer in the ratings but somehow the writers have managed to come up with enough original episodes that more then double the output of their British counterpart. Of course they may have jumped the shark last year with Pam and Jim finally making the love connection but other developments like an unemployed Jan and new corporate boss Ryan the temp offer a warehouse full of new funny for this year. Premiers September 27th
Scrubs, 8:30pm CST NBC: Ok now I realize there’s definitely hope for 30 Rock. Scrubs has been a rating winner and loser, has been on more nights and times then Britney’s VMA performance, and has constantly been threatened to get the ax, however here we are at season 7 and the show is bowing out on its own terms. Last year was a bit of a slip when compared to creative highs of seasons 4 and 5 but I’ve got a feeling Zach Braff and company will make sure Sacred Heart Hospital goes out in full fantasy sequence glory. Premiers October 25th
Survivor: China, 7pm CST CBS: Say goodbye to the super diverse cast of the last two seasons and hello to a rare land locked installment of Survivor. While the cast is a little more white bread the show promises new changes to the game which somehow they always pull off masterfully. Obviously China is an interesting setting in and of itself and did I mention there’s a former WWE women’s wrestler. Premiers September 20th
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 9pm CST FX: I’ve already pleaded with you people to watch this show so just watch it already. Any show that has a cameo from Alvin from The Cosby Show has got to be celebrated! Premiered September 13th
THURSDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
My Name is Earl, 7pm CST NBC: Earl seemed to hit a creative funk last year. The familiar trap of overdoing the guest stars and gimmick episodes plagued the second season which ended with Earl in jail and without his list. Still the performances of the entire cast are always stellar and the promise that Crabman’s witness protection past will be explored is enough to keep my interest…for a while. Premieres September 27th
Monday, September 17, 2007
Fall TV Preview 2007: Wednesdays aka TV Night in America
Before I get into the numerous shows that will be populating Wednesday nights let me say thank god for TiVo, iTunes, and streaming web videos. Without these tools it would be impossible to partake in all the possible goodness of Wednesday nights. Of course some of these shows might turn out to be duds. Others could get moved to a new night and some will probably be cancelled out right. Until that happens though he’s an extremely long list of all the dramas, comedies, and reality shows that are making Wednesday…TV Night in America!
WEDNESDAY MUST SEES
Pushing Daisies, 7pm CST ABC: For someone who considers themselves agnostic, I sure do love me some shows with religious overtones. One of my favorites of the last few years was the short lived Wonderfalls where a 20-something was given good deeds to perform via talking inanimate objects. The show’s morality plays were always tempered by humor and human drama which is why it worked so well. Now we’ve got Daisies from the same creator and once again he’s exploring morality as the lead character has the ability to bring people back from the dead with one touch…and kill them again with a second. The show was just today named by critics as the best new show of the season and ABC certainly seems to be all about pushing it so maybe this will last longer then the 6 episodes Fox aired of Wonderfalls. Premiers October 3rd
The Sarah Silverman Program, 9:30pm CST Comedy Central: Maybe Sarah went a little overboard at the VMAs when she called Britney’s kid the “cutest little mistakes ever,” then again this is the woman who in the first season of her sitcom slept with God. Season two promises more borderline comedy and after the remarkably good first season you can color me excited. While Silverman is certainly the center of the show, her supporting cast really made the show work on a consistent level last year especially Brian Posein. Premiers October 3rd
Project Runway, 9pm CST Bravo: FINALLY! Good god if the 4th season of my favorite reality show had taken any longer to air I might have forgotten all the fashion knowledge I’ve picked up the first 3 years. After “bad boy” Jeffrey was crowned the season 3 champ, Heidi went of to birth another Seal cub, Tim Gunn went off to enjoy his new found fame, and Nina and Michael went back to their real jobs for an extended period of time. Thankfully wheel barrows full of money from Bravo have brought them all back for another year of creative challenges and nail biting eliminations. You can preview some of the new designers/contestants at BravoTV.com but I think I’ll hold off and wait to see who’s got style and who’s just plain freaky. Premiers November 14th
WEDNESDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Gossip Girl, 8pm CST The CW: The second new Fall show from OC creator Josh Schwartz is based on a popular series of young adult books that follows a group of New York socialites in training as they grow up with martinis, drugs, and promiscuous sex. While The CW claims to have toned down the material for TV so as not to encourage “bad behavior” expect plenty of boundary pushing. Kristen Bell provides the voice over narration for a show that looks to be a mix of The OC and Cruel Intentions. I’m a sucker for teen melodrama so sign me up. Premiers September 19th
Bionic Woman, 8pm CST NBC: When you look at the title of this show your first thought is most likely, “Why the hell would NBC remake a sub par 70’s TV show?” However that was the reaction when NBC and Sci Fi premiered the reimagined Battlestar Galactica five years ago and now Galactica is the best drama on TV. Following that success NBC has recruited the some of the same creators to spearhead a new Bionic Woman which promises a lot more grit and darkness extending even to the title character’s new brunette hair do. Not sure if lightning can strike twice but I’m damn hopeful that this will be another improvement upon the original. Premiers September 26th
Dirty Sexy Money, 9pm CST ABC: All hail the return of the prime time soap. Peter Krause of SportsNight and Six Feet Under stars in this mystery driven sudster as a lawyer who takes on a rich eccentric family for clients. Donald Sutherland plays the patriarch of the family and we’ve got another Baldwin on TV sighting as Billy plays one of the many siblings. Krause is one of my favorite actors and as long as the show doesn’t take itself too seriously, this could be a keeper. Premiers September 26th
South Park, 9pm CST Comedy Central: Definitely not appointment TV for me but still worth checking out when it replays later in the week, South Park begins its 11th season with more of the same social commentary that bites both the right and the left. Creators Parker and Stone recently signed on to keep doing the show for another 3-5 seasons so Cartman and crew will be offending and entertaining for years to come. I’m guessing Britney and OJ better watch their backs when this season begins. Premiers October 3rd
WEDNESDAY GUILTY PLEASURES
America’s Next Top Model, 7pm CST The CW: Oh Tyra what kind of crazy whacked out photo shoot will you come up with next? This year starts out at sea and one can only hope one of the would be models falls overboard. Easily the most accessible of all reality competitions, Model always entertains whether on purpose or on accident. Premiers September 19th
Kitchen Nightmares, 8pm CST FOX: Chef Gordon Ramsey does this show in the UK where he almost seems like a real human being when compared to his Hell’s Kitchen persona. Unfortunately it looks like Fox has ratcheted up his act for the new US version which means more of the same ranting and raving. Still, the concept of Ramsey helping a restaurant in need is appealing. In the end though if Bionic Woman and Gossip Girl live up to their potential this will be the first casualty on my Fall schedule. Premiers September 19th
Ultimate Fighter, 9pm CST Spike: This is what ESPN’s The Contender should be. The fighters are cut off from friends and family while they go through a competition that emphasizes the actual fights versus the reality show aspect. Of course locking a bunch of testosterone enhanced freaks in a house does inevitably lead to some great moments as well. This show has made me in to a casual UFC fan and I recommend it to anyone who’s curious about the sport. Premiers September 19th
WEDNESDAY MUST SEES
Pushing Daisies, 7pm CST ABC: For someone who considers themselves agnostic, I sure do love me some shows with religious overtones. One of my favorites of the last few years was the short lived Wonderfalls where a 20-something was given good deeds to perform via talking inanimate objects. The show’s morality plays were always tempered by humor and human drama which is why it worked so well. Now we’ve got Daisies from the same creator and once again he’s exploring morality as the lead character has the ability to bring people back from the dead with one touch…and kill them again with a second. The show was just today named by critics as the best new show of the season and ABC certainly seems to be all about pushing it so maybe this will last longer then the 6 episodes Fox aired of Wonderfalls. Premiers October 3rd
The Sarah Silverman Program, 9:30pm CST Comedy Central: Maybe Sarah went a little overboard at the VMAs when she called Britney’s kid the “cutest little mistakes ever,” then again this is the woman who in the first season of her sitcom slept with God. Season two promises more borderline comedy and after the remarkably good first season you can color me excited. While Silverman is certainly the center of the show, her supporting cast really made the show work on a consistent level last year especially Brian Posein. Premiers October 3rd
Project Runway, 9pm CST Bravo: FINALLY! Good god if the 4th season of my favorite reality show had taken any longer to air I might have forgotten all the fashion knowledge I’ve picked up the first 3 years. After “bad boy” Jeffrey was crowned the season 3 champ, Heidi went of to birth another Seal cub, Tim Gunn went off to enjoy his new found fame, and Nina and Michael went back to their real jobs for an extended period of time. Thankfully wheel barrows full of money from Bravo have brought them all back for another year of creative challenges and nail biting eliminations. You can preview some of the new designers/contestants at BravoTV.com but I think I’ll hold off and wait to see who’s got style and who’s just plain freaky. Premiers November 14th
WEDNESDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Gossip Girl, 8pm CST The CW: The second new Fall show from OC creator Josh Schwartz is based on a popular series of young adult books that follows a group of New York socialites in training as they grow up with martinis, drugs, and promiscuous sex. While The CW claims to have toned down the material for TV so as not to encourage “bad behavior” expect plenty of boundary pushing. Kristen Bell provides the voice over narration for a show that looks to be a mix of The OC and Cruel Intentions. I’m a sucker for teen melodrama so sign me up. Premiers September 19th
Bionic Woman, 8pm CST NBC: When you look at the title of this show your first thought is most likely, “Why the hell would NBC remake a sub par 70’s TV show?” However that was the reaction when NBC and Sci Fi premiered the reimagined Battlestar Galactica five years ago and now Galactica is the best drama on TV. Following that success NBC has recruited the some of the same creators to spearhead a new Bionic Woman which promises a lot more grit and darkness extending even to the title character’s new brunette hair do. Not sure if lightning can strike twice but I’m damn hopeful that this will be another improvement upon the original. Premiers September 26th
Dirty Sexy Money, 9pm CST ABC: All hail the return of the prime time soap. Peter Krause of SportsNight and Six Feet Under stars in this mystery driven sudster as a lawyer who takes on a rich eccentric family for clients. Donald Sutherland plays the patriarch of the family and we’ve got another Baldwin on TV sighting as Billy plays one of the many siblings. Krause is one of my favorite actors and as long as the show doesn’t take itself too seriously, this could be a keeper. Premiers September 26th
South Park, 9pm CST Comedy Central: Definitely not appointment TV for me but still worth checking out when it replays later in the week, South Park begins its 11th season with more of the same social commentary that bites both the right and the left. Creators Parker and Stone recently signed on to keep doing the show for another 3-5 seasons so Cartman and crew will be offending and entertaining for years to come. I’m guessing Britney and OJ better watch their backs when this season begins. Premiers October 3rd
WEDNESDAY GUILTY PLEASURES
America’s Next Top Model, 7pm CST The CW: Oh Tyra what kind of crazy whacked out photo shoot will you come up with next? This year starts out at sea and one can only hope one of the would be models falls overboard. Easily the most accessible of all reality competitions, Model always entertains whether on purpose or on accident. Premiers September 19th
Kitchen Nightmares, 8pm CST FOX: Chef Gordon Ramsey does this show in the UK where he almost seems like a real human being when compared to his Hell’s Kitchen persona. Unfortunately it looks like Fox has ratcheted up his act for the new US version which means more of the same ranting and raving. Still, the concept of Ramsey helping a restaurant in need is appealing. In the end though if Bionic Woman and Gossip Girl live up to their potential this will be the first casualty on my Fall schedule. Premiers September 19th
Ultimate Fighter, 9pm CST Spike: This is what ESPN’s The Contender should be. The fighters are cut off from friends and family while they go through a competition that emphasizes the actual fights versus the reality show aspect. Of course locking a bunch of testosterone enhanced freaks in a house does inevitably lead to some great moments as well. This show has made me in to a casual UFC fan and I recommend it to anyone who’s curious about the sport. Premiers September 19th
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Fall TV Preview 2007: Tuesdays and Fridays
As I close up the blog for the weekend thought I’d leave you folks with a double shot preview. In all honesty these days had to be combined since they’re so thin. Tuesday nights suffered a big loss when the ”in its prime” Veronica Mars and the “past its prime” Gilmore Girls left our airwaves however the most exciting new show of the year gives the night hope. Friday wasn’t even going to get a mention (along with Saturday) but then NBC got all literal on our ass forcing me to talk briefly about it.
TUESDAY MUST SEES
Reaper, 8pm CST The CW: This is THE new show of the season. Its got so much going for it I’m not sure where to start. There’s the premise: A teen discovers that his parents sold his soul to the devil (literally) and now he works as a bounty hunter for Lucifer catching evil doers that have escaped from an overcrowded hell. There’s the cast: star waiting to happen Bret Harrison (Grounded for Life) and a guy who’s got plenty of experience playing evil, Leland Palmer himself Ray Wise. There are the creators: two women (sadly a historical first for the genre) who got their start on shows like Buffy and The X Files. There’s the director of the pilot: Dick and fart joke director Kevin Smith who supposedly imbues the pilot with his trademark wit and heart, although he says that was already in the script which gives one even more faith. There’s the network: CW is desperate to find a new hit and they’re putting a lot of money and effort into making sure Reaper has every opportunity to make it. In short there are a ton of reasons this show should make it but then again look at the fate of the show its replacing…Veronica Mars. Premieres September 25th.
TUESDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
nip/tuck, 9pm CST FX: Unfortunately I’m a late comer to this deliciously self indulgent show. I started watching mid-way through season 3 and after last years, at times laughable, season 4 I was truly sorry to have missed the wildly popular and critically acclaimed first two seasons. Still this show is a lot of fun. At its heart the show features a beautiful love story between doctors Troy and McNamara and their friendship is still the core of the show. Despite moving their practice to LA expect to see a lot of the same folks making the commute from Miami including Sean’s estranged family and guest stars like Rosie O’Donnell (ugh, I hate to admit it but she was actually good on here last year). Expect plenty of gross out surgeries, sexual misadventures, and I’m just guessing here, plenty of trippy dream/fantasy sequences of which the show has really fallen in love with. Premiers October 30th.
FRIDAY MUST SEES
Friday Night Lights, 8pm CST NBC
Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the reason TiVos were invented…Fridays. How NBC could possibly think that moving a struggling show to the graveyard that is Friday night is a good idea is baffling to me, but now that the damage is done let’s make the best of it and TiVo the shit out of this diamond in the rough show. I’ve written before about how last year I overlooked this show on the schedule last year but after watching the premiere I was hooked. The mix of sports drama and a family soap works to perfection and there are few shows that look stylistically better. I was shocked by how last season ended and really thought it was a swan song for the series since most things were wrapped up nicely but the new season already has some promising drama. The season starts 8 months after the title game, convienantly just in time for the new football season, and finds the players adjusting to a new coach while dealing with their newfound success from winning the championship the state championship. I’m a pessimist when it comes to the life of this show so I plan to enjoy it while I can. Panther pride, baby, Panther pride. Premiers October 5th
TUESDAY MUST SEES
Reaper, 8pm CST The CW: This is THE new show of the season. Its got so much going for it I’m not sure where to start. There’s the premise: A teen discovers that his parents sold his soul to the devil (literally) and now he works as a bounty hunter for Lucifer catching evil doers that have escaped from an overcrowded hell. There’s the cast: star waiting to happen Bret Harrison (Grounded for Life) and a guy who’s got plenty of experience playing evil, Leland Palmer himself Ray Wise. There are the creators: two women (sadly a historical first for the genre) who got their start on shows like Buffy and The X Files. There’s the director of the pilot: Dick and fart joke director Kevin Smith who supposedly imbues the pilot with his trademark wit and heart, although he says that was already in the script which gives one even more faith. There’s the network: CW is desperate to find a new hit and they’re putting a lot of money and effort into making sure Reaper has every opportunity to make it. In short there are a ton of reasons this show should make it but then again look at the fate of the show its replacing…Veronica Mars. Premieres September 25th.
TUESDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
nip/tuck, 9pm CST FX: Unfortunately I’m a late comer to this deliciously self indulgent show. I started watching mid-way through season 3 and after last years, at times laughable, season 4 I was truly sorry to have missed the wildly popular and critically acclaimed first two seasons. Still this show is a lot of fun. At its heart the show features a beautiful love story between doctors Troy and McNamara and their friendship is still the core of the show. Despite moving their practice to LA expect to see a lot of the same folks making the commute from Miami including Sean’s estranged family and guest stars like Rosie O’Donnell (ugh, I hate to admit it but she was actually good on here last year). Expect plenty of gross out surgeries, sexual misadventures, and I’m just guessing here, plenty of trippy dream/fantasy sequences of which the show has really fallen in love with. Premiers October 30th.
FRIDAY MUST SEES
Friday Night Lights, 8pm CST NBC
Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the reason TiVos were invented…Fridays. How NBC could possibly think that moving a struggling show to the graveyard that is Friday night is a good idea is baffling to me, but now that the damage is done let’s make the best of it and TiVo the shit out of this diamond in the rough show. I’ve written before about how last year I overlooked this show on the schedule last year but after watching the premiere I was hooked. The mix of sports drama and a family soap works to perfection and there are few shows that look stylistically better. I was shocked by how last season ended and really thought it was a swan song for the series since most things were wrapped up nicely but the new season already has some promising drama. The season starts 8 months after the title game, convienantly just in time for the new football season, and finds the players adjusting to a new coach while dealing with their newfound success from winning the championship the state championship. I’m a pessimist when it comes to the life of this show so I plan to enjoy it while I can. Panther pride, baby, Panther pride. Premiers October 5th
Fall TV Preview 2007: Mondays
MONDAY MUST SEES
Heroes, 8pm CST NBC: Watching season one DVD a few weeks back reminded me why I love this show. Sure the finale was a bit of a let down but I’m still jazzed to see what happens to Hiro in ancient Japan and who all lived or died. The addition of Sark from Alias and Miss Veronica Mars herself are the latest testaments to how much the producers care about keeping its geek audience. With this season ending early this spring to be replaced by Heroes: Origins, the new stand alone spin off show, this could be the year of Heroes even more so then last. Premieres September 24th.
MONDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
How I Met Your Mother, 7pm CST CBS: Here we have a classic example of a word of mouth show that desperately needs more mouths. After debuting to poor ratings its initial year this ensemble sitcom picked up a ton critical raves in its second season mostly thanks to the cast including Jason Segel (he of many Judd Apatow productions), Alyson Hannigan of Buffy fame, and of course Doogie himself, Neil Patrick Harris. Yet as the show gets ready for season 3 this tale of young adulthood is still struggling to find an audience. It seems like a slam dunk with the geek cred cast and the complex (for a sitcom) storyline of the main character’s journey towards finding his baby’s mama. Sounds like a show tailor made for me, but I’m one of the many who’s avoided it. Now after catching a couple of repeats and reading a lot of good reviews I’m committing myself to giving the show a serious go. Hope I can get past the laugh track. Premieres September 24th.
Chuck, 7pm CST NBC: The first of two new shows for OC creator Josh Schwartz falls on NBC’s night of sci-fi. Chuck sounds like a lighter toned Alias where the hero is a computer nerd who all of a sudden finds himself in the middle of the espionage game when his brain downloads a bunch of spy stuff. I loved The OC but this will be interesting to see how Schwartz does with a show that sounds completely different. I wouldn’t write him off though, after all we tend to forget the JJ Abrams who brought us Alias and Lost started out by creating sweet little Felicity. Premiers September 24th.
Journeyman, 9pm CST NBC: I’m not so confident in this time traveling, butterfly effect themed show but the premise of a happily married man discovering the ability to go back and save his first love who died before they made it to the alter is certainly one that strums my geek strings. The early buzz is strong but after Chuck and Heroes even I might be geeked out. Then again we should all enjoy this drama renaissance in TV for every moment we can. Premiers September 24th.
MONDAY GUILTY PLEASEURES
The Hills, 9pm CST MTV: Its already been back for a month but I’ve said it once and I’ll say it a million times more The Hills is the best guilty pleasure on TV today. The duo show effect of Lauren and Heidi’s split has kept the show fresh and the return of Beachers Lo and Jason bring the funny and the drama. Premiered August 13th.
The Salt N Pepa Show, VH1: What if you threw a reunion reality show and no one came? The early word on this attempt to reunite the original ladies of rap it that the three of them (don’t forget Spinderella) were in negotiations for months before the show came to fruition. One has kept busy doing The Surreal Life, the other DJ-ing celebrity roasts, and the other found Jesus. Should make for high drama and hopefully some nice retro moments. Premiers October 15th.
Heroes, 8pm CST NBC: Watching season one DVD a few weeks back reminded me why I love this show. Sure the finale was a bit of a let down but I’m still jazzed to see what happens to Hiro in ancient Japan and who all lived or died. The addition of Sark from Alias and Miss Veronica Mars herself are the latest testaments to how much the producers care about keeping its geek audience. With this season ending early this spring to be replaced by Heroes: Origins, the new stand alone spin off show, this could be the year of Heroes even more so then last. Premieres September 24th.
MONDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
How I Met Your Mother, 7pm CST CBS: Here we have a classic example of a word of mouth show that desperately needs more mouths. After debuting to poor ratings its initial year this ensemble sitcom picked up a ton critical raves in its second season mostly thanks to the cast including Jason Segel (he of many Judd Apatow productions), Alyson Hannigan of Buffy fame, and of course Doogie himself, Neil Patrick Harris. Yet as the show gets ready for season 3 this tale of young adulthood is still struggling to find an audience. It seems like a slam dunk with the geek cred cast and the complex (for a sitcom) storyline of the main character’s journey towards finding his baby’s mama. Sounds like a show tailor made for me, but I’m one of the many who’s avoided it. Now after catching a couple of repeats and reading a lot of good reviews I’m committing myself to giving the show a serious go. Hope I can get past the laugh track. Premieres September 24th.
Chuck, 7pm CST NBC: The first of two new shows for OC creator Josh Schwartz falls on NBC’s night of sci-fi. Chuck sounds like a lighter toned Alias where the hero is a computer nerd who all of a sudden finds himself in the middle of the espionage game when his brain downloads a bunch of spy stuff. I loved The OC but this will be interesting to see how Schwartz does with a show that sounds completely different. I wouldn’t write him off though, after all we tend to forget the JJ Abrams who brought us Alias and Lost started out by creating sweet little Felicity. Premiers September 24th.
Journeyman, 9pm CST NBC: I’m not so confident in this time traveling, butterfly effect themed show but the premise of a happily married man discovering the ability to go back and save his first love who died before they made it to the alter is certainly one that strums my geek strings. The early buzz is strong but after Chuck and Heroes even I might be geeked out. Then again we should all enjoy this drama renaissance in TV for every moment we can. Premiers September 24th.
MONDAY GUILTY PLEASEURES
The Hills, 9pm CST MTV: Its already been back for a month but I’ve said it once and I’ll say it a million times more The Hills is the best guilty pleasure on TV today. The duo show effect of Lauren and Heidi’s split has kept the show fresh and the return of Beachers Lo and Jason bring the funny and the drama. Premiered August 13th.
The Salt N Pepa Show, VH1: What if you threw a reunion reality show and no one came? The early word on this attempt to reunite the original ladies of rap it that the three of them (don’t forget Spinderella) were in negotiations for months before the show came to fruition. One has kept busy doing The Surreal Life, the other DJ-ing celebrity roasts, and the other found Jesus. Should make for high drama and hopefully some nice retro moments. Premiers October 15th.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Fall TV Preview 2007: Welcome and Sundays
Yes folks the leaves are turning, the pigskin is being tossed around, and Bush just ended his annual vacation which can only mean one thing…new TV season. For the next week or so I’ll take you through my Must Sees, Shows Worth Checking Out, and Guilty Pleasures for each day of the week for the new Fall season. I’ve got to say there aren’t that many new shows that I’m super jacked for so this is looking very much like a wait and see type of season. Let’s start with Sunday, traditionally a light day, and work forward.
SUNDAY MUST SEES
The Simpsons, 7pm CST FOX: Maybe it’s the good vibes I got from the movie but I’ve got to tell you that for the first time in years I’m super excited for new Simpsons episodes. While the show has gotten back in my good graces the last couple of seasons, its been far from appointment TV. Still you gotta think that some ideas that couldn’t fit in the movie might leak into this year and the promise of Spider Pig stopping by makes me salivate like Homer thinking about bacon grease. Premieres September 23rd.
Family Guy, 8pm CST FOX: Did the show take a dip last year? Yes. Might the gags be running old? Yes. Does the show have the staying power of The Simpsons? No. Will I still watch? Hell’s to the yes. While some eps were misses last year, the hits were awesome. Brian and Meg’s ill fated dalliance and the season finale both had me roaring in joy and pain. Plus its hard for me not to watch it as I still feel so thankful that it was resurrected in the first place. Premieres September 23rd.
SUNDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Sunday Night Football, 7pm CST NBC: When NBC took over Sunday nights from ESPN last year they thankfully didn’t take over their schedule. The old Sunday night games were usually only of interest to hard core football fans and fantasy nerds like myself but now NBC has a schedule that’s more reminiscent of Monday night games. Sure Al Michaels sounds like he’s auto pilot and John Madden has gone legitimately crazy but like the old Monday night games, that’s part of the fun. Premiered September 9th.
Viva Laughlin, 7pm CST CBS: This could either be the breakout show of the season or the first one cancelled. Laughlin is a musical but done in the vein of Moulin Rouge where the characters sing pop hits from yesteryear. The show follows a casino manager set to open a new place when his main investor is murdered. Drama and song ensue. Wolverine is executive producing and plans on making a few appearances on the show which is already on its second show runner. Still haven’t heard a rave or a boo on this one but the concept of a murder mystery soap set to music in a run down Nevada town is one I’ll take a gamble on. Premieres October 18th.
SUNDAY GUILTY PLEASEURES
None yet, but I’m sure VH1 has some new CelebReality trash just waiting to be rolled out once Rock of Love is over.
SUNDAY MUST SEES
The Simpsons, 7pm CST FOX: Maybe it’s the good vibes I got from the movie but I’ve got to tell you that for the first time in years I’m super excited for new Simpsons episodes. While the show has gotten back in my good graces the last couple of seasons, its been far from appointment TV. Still you gotta think that some ideas that couldn’t fit in the movie might leak into this year and the promise of Spider Pig stopping by makes me salivate like Homer thinking about bacon grease. Premieres September 23rd.
Family Guy, 8pm CST FOX: Did the show take a dip last year? Yes. Might the gags be running old? Yes. Does the show have the staying power of The Simpsons? No. Will I still watch? Hell’s to the yes. While some eps were misses last year, the hits were awesome. Brian and Meg’s ill fated dalliance and the season finale both had me roaring in joy and pain. Plus its hard for me not to watch it as I still feel so thankful that it was resurrected in the first place. Premieres September 23rd.
SUNDAY SHOWS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Sunday Night Football, 7pm CST NBC: When NBC took over Sunday nights from ESPN last year they thankfully didn’t take over their schedule. The old Sunday night games were usually only of interest to hard core football fans and fantasy nerds like myself but now NBC has a schedule that’s more reminiscent of Monday night games. Sure Al Michaels sounds like he’s auto pilot and John Madden has gone legitimately crazy but like the old Monday night games, that’s part of the fun. Premiered September 9th.
Viva Laughlin, 7pm CST CBS: This could either be the breakout show of the season or the first one cancelled. Laughlin is a musical but done in the vein of Moulin Rouge where the characters sing pop hits from yesteryear. The show follows a casino manager set to open a new place when his main investor is murdered. Drama and song ensue. Wolverine is executive producing and plans on making a few appearances on the show which is already on its second show runner. Still haven’t heard a rave or a boo on this one but the concept of a murder mystery soap set to music in a run down Nevada town is one I’ll take a gamble on. Premieres October 18th.
SUNDAY GUILTY PLEASEURES
None yet, but I’m sure VH1 has some new CelebReality trash just waiting to be rolled out once Rock of Love is over.
Woo Hoo News of the Day
Jon Stewart has once again been tapped to host the Academy Awards! Any year that Whoopi doesn’t do it is a godsend, but when its someone who breathes fresh life into a stale show that’s something to look forward too. What does the star of Half Baked and Death to Smoochy have in store for us this year? Will he spurn Clooney in bed for Damon? Tune in Sunday February 24th on ABC to find out.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Rock, Flag, and Eagle: An Impassioned Plea
On this day where we our thoughts are turned towards the tragedy of years past I’d like to take a moment to ask you the readers to help prevent another tragedy from occurring. Please watch, rent, and buy Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, whose new season begins Thursday night at 9pm CST on FX and whose first two seasons just came out on DVD last week, so that it does not get cancelled.
While I know the potential cancellation of a basic cable sitcom hardly equals the tragedy of 9/11, it would be a tragedy none the less. The show is run by its 3 stars and offers some of the most obtuse and subversive comedy on the tube today. Obtuse and subversive, sound like huge contradictions but the beauty of the show is that they pull this contradiction off. Like All in the Family, South Park, and The Office, the Philly gang finds a way to makes us laugh at the characters ignorant shenanigans while holding up a mirror up to our own biases, plus there’s a bunch of physical humor that will leave you weeping. The show is centered around a brother and sister and their two friends who own the most unpopular bar in south Philly. Thankfully the lack of patrons at the bar allows these people the chance to engage in some of the most ludicrous, depraved, and idiotic behaviors ever to grace the small screen. One needn’t look any further then some of the titles to get an idea of what the show is about, such as “Dennis and Dee go on welfare”, “Mac bangs Dennis’ mom”, “The Gang Goes Jihad” and “Charlie Gets Crippled”.
Only 17 episodes made up the first two seasons so the DVD set offers a way to get into the show without being overwhelmed. While the comedy is brilliant over both years you can see the show grow in technical aspects and in the type of guest stars they can pull in. Season 2 saw the addition of Danny DeVito to the cast which at first seems odd but he quickly fit right in cussing and offending left and right. There are some great extras on the set including a good behind the scenes doc and commentaries from the gang that are as self effacing as the show itself.
Adding DeVito last year was due to pressure from the network and while it worked out the show still is in ratings hell. FX commits to a lot of great and fresh TV like Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me but like all channels their after ratings and profits so when the new season starts Thursday this little show is going to need all the help they can get. So I ask all of you to take a little of whatever patriotic passion you might be feeling today and throw it over to a show that embodies everything that’s great about America (and everything that’s bad too). In the words of one its characters, FX needs to be shown that this show is “gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass, Gonna kick some ass in the USA, Gonna climb a mountain, Gonna sew a flag, Gonna fly on an Eagle, gonna kick some butt, gonna drive a big truck, gonna rule this world, Gonna kick some ass, Gonna rise up, Kick a little ass, ROCK, FLAG AND EAGLE!”
FX Thursdays 9pm CST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
While I know the potential cancellation of a basic cable sitcom hardly equals the tragedy of 9/11, it would be a tragedy none the less. The show is run by its 3 stars and offers some of the most obtuse and subversive comedy on the tube today. Obtuse and subversive, sound like huge contradictions but the beauty of the show is that they pull this contradiction off. Like All in the Family, South Park, and The Office, the Philly gang finds a way to makes us laugh at the characters ignorant shenanigans while holding up a mirror up to our own biases, plus there’s a bunch of physical humor that will leave you weeping. The show is centered around a brother and sister and their two friends who own the most unpopular bar in south Philly. Thankfully the lack of patrons at the bar allows these people the chance to engage in some of the most ludicrous, depraved, and idiotic behaviors ever to grace the small screen. One needn’t look any further then some of the titles to get an idea of what the show is about, such as “Dennis and Dee go on welfare”, “Mac bangs Dennis’ mom”, “The Gang Goes Jihad” and “Charlie Gets Crippled”.
Only 17 episodes made up the first two seasons so the DVD set offers a way to get into the show without being overwhelmed. While the comedy is brilliant over both years you can see the show grow in technical aspects and in the type of guest stars they can pull in. Season 2 saw the addition of Danny DeVito to the cast which at first seems odd but he quickly fit right in cussing and offending left and right. There are some great extras on the set including a good behind the scenes doc and commentaries from the gang that are as self effacing as the show itself.
Adding DeVito last year was due to pressure from the network and while it worked out the show still is in ratings hell. FX commits to a lot of great and fresh TV like Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me but like all channels their after ratings and profits so when the new season starts Thursday this little show is going to need all the help they can get. So I ask all of you to take a little of whatever patriotic passion you might be feeling today and throw it over to a show that embodies everything that’s great about America (and everything that’s bad too). In the words of one its characters, FX needs to be shown that this show is “gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass, Gonna kick some ass in the USA, Gonna climb a mountain, Gonna sew a flag, Gonna fly on an Eagle, gonna kick some butt, gonna drive a big truck, gonna rule this world, Gonna kick some ass, Gonna rise up, Kick a little ass, ROCK, FLAG AND EAGLE!”
FX Thursdays 9pm CST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, September 09, 2007
The VMAs are Dead to Me
A couple of years ago I lamented the MTV Video Music Award ceremony that originated from Miami's basketball arena. The VMAs have always been my favorite award show next to the Oscars and part of the fun was the mix of style and class. Call me an idiot but there was something very cool about Eminem rolling with a whole crew of Slim Shaddies through Radio City Music Hall. The Miami shows (there were two) seemed like a sham of the classic VMAs but after tonight's show they seem classic.
Faced with sagging ratings the ad wizards at Viacom apparently decided to overhaul the show this year. Instead of holding it in a theater or arena they held it in a casino, The Palms, to be exact. They also reduced the number of awards and introduced fake categories like Quadruple Threat of the Year. The performances were played out in various suites in the hotel and sounded like crap. Obviously this is meant to appeal to the intimacy the MySpace generation feels with their stars but whoever decided this is probably the same type of folk that figured that Just Say No would keep kids of drugs. It was asinine and poorly executed.
Of course despite my venom there were some cool moments like:
*Brit Brit might have lip synced poorly and had some ass dimples but she put on a good show and damn if I don't like the new song. It's Britney bitch!
*Justin Timberlake accepted awards by asking MTV to play more videos and to stop showing so much reality TV which was especially poignant after accepting one award from the cast of The Hills.
*Cee Lo singing Darling Nikki with Foo Fighters made my inner Prince beem.
*I don't know who Chris Brown is but his dance show was the bomb yo!
*Linkin Park actually gave the show some real live musical energy.
*Kid Rock and Tommy Lee got in a fight...that's pretty cool.
*Holy crap Dr Dre looked like he ate Barry Bonds and all his roids but damn it was cool to see him get respect.
One other thing MTV promised in the face of sagging ratings was that this show would never be replayed. All I can say to that is Thank You MTV!
Faced with sagging ratings the ad wizards at Viacom apparently decided to overhaul the show this year. Instead of holding it in a theater or arena they held it in a casino, The Palms, to be exact. They also reduced the number of awards and introduced fake categories like Quadruple Threat of the Year. The performances were played out in various suites in the hotel and sounded like crap. Obviously this is meant to appeal to the intimacy the MySpace generation feels with their stars but whoever decided this is probably the same type of folk that figured that Just Say No would keep kids of drugs. It was asinine and poorly executed.
Of course despite my venom there were some cool moments like:
*Brit Brit might have lip synced poorly and had some ass dimples but she put on a good show and damn if I don't like the new song. It's Britney bitch!
*Justin Timberlake accepted awards by asking MTV to play more videos and to stop showing so much reality TV which was especially poignant after accepting one award from the cast of The Hills.
*Cee Lo singing Darling Nikki with Foo Fighters made my inner Prince beem.
*I don't know who Chris Brown is but his dance show was the bomb yo!
*Linkin Park actually gave the show some real live musical energy.
*Kid Rock and Tommy Lee got in a fight...that's pretty cool.
*Holy crap Dr Dre looked like he ate Barry Bonds and all his roids but damn it was cool to see him get respect.
One other thing MTV promised in the face of sagging ratings was that this show would never be replayed. All I can say to that is Thank You MTV!
Saturday, September 08, 2007
So You Wanna Be A Rap Superstar?
MTV’s Celebrity Rap Superstar is a trainwreck, yet I can’t help but watch. By taking a group of celebrities that basically amounts to a reunion of various VH1 CelebReality shows, MTV has once again found gold…evil soul sucking horrible gold. As an old school hip hop fan the show is painful on two levels. First of all, it’s very hard to see The Hill’s Jason and Kendra from E!’s The Girls Next Door literally murder songs I love. Second how sad is it that legendary rappers like Too Short and MC Lyte have to slum this low to get a paycheck. On the other hand its fun to see the celebs murder the songs and really have it from the judges made up of DMC, Da Brat, and DJ Big Boy. Also as much as it pains me to say it, I’m enjoying seeing some of the celebs actually bringing some game. Shar Jackson (who technically is not a celebrity but rather a baby’s mama) has been amazing the first two weeks. Countess Vaughn is cute as a button and rocks the mic. Even Sebastian Bach has won me over a bit. The show also has a feeling of chaos that only MTV could pull off. Host Kevin Hart often looks like he just wants to get the fuck out of there and must have footprints on his back from all the folks that have talked over him. Thursday night Redman, coach of first to go ex-NFLer Jamal Anderson, thrust his mic into Hart then threw a jersey into the crowd and muffled a few obscenities on his way out. I’m guessing it was something like, “Thank god that’s fucking done but damn it was kinda fun in sick way.” My thought exactly Red, my thoughts exactly.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Quick DVD Review: The Office Season 3
For this review I will be handing out and taking away Schrute bucks to the things I liked and didn’t like about the recent release of The Office season 3 on DVD.
$40 Schrute Bucks to the commentaries which are still fresh, funny, and insightful after 3 years. It was especially fun to hear director Harold Ramis join the cast on a couple.
-$4 Schrute Bucks for the lack of Steve Carrell presence in the commentaries. I know he’s busy making himself in to the next huge Hollywood star, but the producers should have really tried to schedule around him.
-$15 Schrute Bucks for teasing us with the Joss. One of the highlights of season 2 for me was the episode Joss Whedon directed and even when it aired I salivated over the prospect of a commentary or interview on DVD. Well my hopes were misplaced because the “interview” only lasts about a minute and while it’s full of Jossy goodness it just leaves you wanting more. Good news is that I hear he’s coming back to direct another one this year.
-$2 Schrute Bucks for the gag reel. While I like the gag reel feature as a whole, I’ve got to take this opportunity and beg those responsible to stop showing them to temp music and filling them with people making funny faces. Just give us the flubs and the physical humor.
+$3 Schrute Bucks for the inclusion of both the Emmy intro and the 2006 Fall Primetime Preview on the bonus materials. In case you missed it last year, Conan O’Brien made a brief pit stop at Dunder Mifflin on his was to the Emmys which was part of the highlight of the show. The Preview was given to sponsors and advertisers last year and feels almost like a mini episode. Look for a great Toby moment stuck in there for all to see.
+$1 Schrute Buck for the full video for Lazy Scranton. Why only a buck? While it’s great to see the whole version but after watching it you realize how much better it is watching the cast watch it.
-$1 Schrute Buck for the Dwight Schrute Music Video. On one hand it’s funny but on the other hand you realize this was just a piece of corporate advertising that the ad wizards at NBC/Universal put together last year to grab new viewers.
+$1 Trillion Schrute Bucks for the show itself. Now well past its British predecessor, our US Office really has hit full steam. The tales of twin Dunder Mifflins went on for the perfect amount of time. The addition of Karen (Rashida Jones) made the Jim and Pam will they won’t they a-thon much better and of course the rest of the cast chipped in. Especially nice to see in season 3 was the further development of the warehouse guys and Jan Levinson (formerly Jan Levinson Gould). While I was once very concerned that the show would be over kill after two years and 28 episodes, season 3 soothed those fears and now I am now eager for season 4..
$40 Schrute Bucks to the commentaries which are still fresh, funny, and insightful after 3 years. It was especially fun to hear director Harold Ramis join the cast on a couple.
-$4 Schrute Bucks for the lack of Steve Carrell presence in the commentaries. I know he’s busy making himself in to the next huge Hollywood star, but the producers should have really tried to schedule around him.
-$15 Schrute Bucks for teasing us with the Joss. One of the highlights of season 2 for me was the episode Joss Whedon directed and even when it aired I salivated over the prospect of a commentary or interview on DVD. Well my hopes were misplaced because the “interview” only lasts about a minute and while it’s full of Jossy goodness it just leaves you wanting more. Good news is that I hear he’s coming back to direct another one this year.
-$2 Schrute Bucks for the gag reel. While I like the gag reel feature as a whole, I’ve got to take this opportunity and beg those responsible to stop showing them to temp music and filling them with people making funny faces. Just give us the flubs and the physical humor.
+$3 Schrute Bucks for the inclusion of both the Emmy intro and the 2006 Fall Primetime Preview on the bonus materials. In case you missed it last year, Conan O’Brien made a brief pit stop at Dunder Mifflin on his was to the Emmys which was part of the highlight of the show. The Preview was given to sponsors and advertisers last year and feels almost like a mini episode. Look for a great Toby moment stuck in there for all to see.
+$1 Schrute Buck for the full video for Lazy Scranton. Why only a buck? While it’s great to see the whole version but after watching it you realize how much better it is watching the cast watch it.
-$1 Schrute Buck for the Dwight Schrute Music Video. On one hand it’s funny but on the other hand you realize this was just a piece of corporate advertising that the ad wizards at NBC/Universal put together last year to grab new viewers.
+$1 Trillion Schrute Bucks for the show itself. Now well past its British predecessor, our US Office really has hit full steam. The tales of twin Dunder Mifflins went on for the perfect amount of time. The addition of Karen (Rashida Jones) made the Jim and Pam will they won’t they a-thon much better and of course the rest of the cast chipped in. Especially nice to see in season 3 was the further development of the warehouse guys and Jan Levinson (formerly Jan Levinson Gould). While I was once very concerned that the show would be over kill after two years and 28 episodes, season 3 soothed those fears and now I am now eager for season 4..
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Quick DVD Review: 30 Rock Season 1
Here’s another show I pimped hard all last year, from encouraging everyone to stick with it threw the slow paced first eps, to celebrating the 10 Emmy nominations it received this summer. It was with great expectations that I awaited the latest step in 30 Rocks evolution, the DVD release. Yesterday was the day and after picking up the set I was thrilled to get home and take it all in…again. That’s really the type of show 30 Rock is, the kind where you want to rewatch episodes three or four times just to memorize a joke or a line. Tina Fey has created the best sitcom since Arrested Development and watching some of the episodes last night it’s a great example of how some shows don’t hit all the high notes right out of the gate. In the first couple of eps the show moves at a snails pace and none of the actors seem comfortable. Then all of a sudden Tracey Morgan starts playing everything a little crazier, and the rest of the show falls in line. The great thing about setting a show in the TV industry is that you open yourself up to a variety of guest starts either playing themselves or parodying someone else they know. How much you want to bet the Will Arnett’s character evolved from dealing with the Fox suits during Arrested? Once the show hits its mark the season flies by. The DVD extras are a bit of a letdown. The commentaries are all solo except for the one with Lorne Michels and his son Henry. I would’ve loved to hear one with Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey or maybe more episodes with just Tina period. Her commentary is the real star of the extras. Otherwise there are a few deleted scenes, a gag reel that’s moderately funny, a couple of over indulgent behind the scenes pieces and a mock talk show with Kenneth the Page. I’d love to have a sit down interview with Lorne and Tina about how the show came about and how they had to sell it to NBC when TV God Aaron Sorkin had already sold a similar show to them. Still the extras make you smile and laugh and the real star of the set is the show itself which comes across here in all its muffin-top glory.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Hills Thought of the Week
Quick notes on last night's ep...when the hell did Jen become the voice of reason and secondly how desperate is that girl to be on TV? I completely expect her to show up to breakfast with LC and/or Audrina before the series is over. Of course next week is J-Day when the original bad boy of Laguna, Jason comes back to tear out Lauren's heart and ours as well. Can't wait!
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