Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The Office Interview- What the Cast Wants From the Set
With The Office coming to an end in May, the cast of the long-running NBC sitcom including Ed Helms, Rainn Wilson, Craig Robinson, Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski reveals to show staff what mementos they want to keep from the sitcom's set. While not a hit on the level of Seinfeld, The Office and its nine season-long run has eclipsed the lifespan of dozens of other sitcoms on network television.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Shakopee, Mayor Brad Tabke make SNL tonight
Who ever writes the B 108 radio skit for SNL definitely knows what is going on in Shakopee, MN. In what I think is the skit's second appearance of the fictional radio station's morning show bit featuring Bobby Moynihan and Taran Killam as obnoxious morning DJs, they play up typical Minnesota stereotypes such as sporting a Minnesota Timberwolves jersey (nobody actually does that except Timberwolves team members) and mentioning that it's crazy cold.
Tonight, though, as I flipped back to NBC after tying with my Roku box during a commercial break and returning late, I caught a mention of Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke on the B 108 SNL skit.
I know that the video will probably be on Hulu or YouTube tomorrow but I am damn curious about the rest of the skit because, well, it was about Minnesota and more specifically Shakopee.
UPDATE: Here is the video
Tonight, though, as I flipped back to NBC after tying with my Roku box during a commercial break and returning late, I caught a mention of Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke on the B 108 SNL skit.
I know that the video will probably be on Hulu or YouTube tomorrow but I am damn curious about the rest of the skit because, well, it was about Minnesota and more specifically Shakopee.
UPDATE: Here is the video
Thursday, January 17, 2013
30 Rock - the best one-liners
While the NBC comedy 30 Rock comes to an end in two weeks, the past eight years of the critically acclaimed sitcom have given viewers a heaping helping of hilarious one-liners. Below are some of the best from the better part of a decade of 30 Rock.
'Good God, Lemon, your breath! When did you find time to eat a diaper you found on the beach?' – Jack
'Miss Lemon, your eyes look like my uncle’s after he would drink from the air conditioner' – Kenneth
'I like when a woman has ambition. It's like seeing a dog wearing clothes' – Jack
'Factories provide three things this country desperately needs: jobs, pride, and material for Bruce Springsteen songs' – Jack
'Ugh, I hate January. It's dark and freezing and everyone's wearing bulky coats, so you can do some serious subway flirting before you realize the guy is homeless' – Liz
'Good God! Lemon, those jeans make you look like a Mexican sports reporter!' – Jack
Liz : Why are you wearing a Tux?
Jack: It's after six, what am I, a farmer?
Jack - We are lovers.
Liz - Ew, I only like that word when it comes between meat and pizza.
Tracy on what he saw during his childhood - "A pack of wild dogs took over and successfully ran a Wendy’s!"
Hazel: What's your problem?
Kenneth: Oh my, well, my parents were technically brothers -
"I felt scared, confused like a dog in a sidecar after it comes off the motorcycle" - Tracy
Jack: I have an actress problem.
Jenna: Okay. Don't try to move the body yourself.
Jenna: Tracy, I need your input
Tracy: I cannot do that. I am a married man. But most importantly, I find you very unattractive
Jack: Jack Donaghy....playing with himself. IT'S A JACK-OFF
Dammit, while 30 Rock seemed to hit a low point last year and maybe during the previous season, it has somewhat redeemed itself and the antics of Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy will be missed. Hopefully Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin continue on producing great comedies somewhere.
'Good God, Lemon, your breath! When did you find time to eat a diaper you found on the beach?' – Jack
'Miss Lemon, your eyes look like my uncle’s after he would drink from the air conditioner' – Kenneth
'I like when a woman has ambition. It's like seeing a dog wearing clothes' – Jack
'Factories provide three things this country desperately needs: jobs, pride, and material for Bruce Springsteen songs' – Jack
'Ugh, I hate January. It's dark and freezing and everyone's wearing bulky coats, so you can do some serious subway flirting before you realize the guy is homeless' – Liz
'Good God! Lemon, those jeans make you look like a Mexican sports reporter!' – Jack
Liz : Why are you wearing a Tux?
Jack: It's after six, what am I, a farmer?
Jack - We are lovers.
Liz - Ew, I only like that word when it comes between meat and pizza.
Tracy on what he saw during his childhood - "A pack of wild dogs took over and successfully ran a Wendy’s!"
Hazel: What's your problem?
Kenneth: Oh my, well, my parents were technically brothers -
"I felt scared, confused like a dog in a sidecar after it comes off the motorcycle" - Tracy
Jack: I have an actress problem.
Jenna: Okay. Don't try to move the body yourself.
Jenna: Tracy, I need your input
Tracy: I cannot do that. I am a married man. But most importantly, I find you very unattractive
Jack: Jack Donaghy....playing with himself. IT'S A JACK-OFF
Dammit, while 30 Rock seemed to hit a low point last year and maybe during the previous season, it has somewhat redeemed itself and the antics of Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy will be missed. Hopefully Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin continue on producing great comedies somewhere.
Monday, November 19, 2012
University of Maryland joining Big Ten making today Black Monday
With the University of Maryland Joining the Big Ten (currently an ACC member) and Rutgers - a founding member of the Big East conference - set to follow this east coast migration to the Big Ten, the most academically prestigious NCAA conference (outside of the Ivy League schools) will have 14 members and be on par in terms of membership with the SEC. But to think that this is all about academics is insane. It's all about the next big NCAA football broadcast deal for the Big Ten.
The Big Ten's football games are currently aired on ABC, ESPN and the conference's own Big Ten Network which is the conference's true cash cow and bringing in a couple of east coast schools and getting potentially millions of homes into the Big Ten Network fold means millions of additional dollars per year from cable subscribers who may or may not care about receiving the Big Ten Network but will pay for it anyhow as a part of their expanded basic cable package.
The other part of this addition to the Big Ten is that is a subtraction of schools from other NCAA athletic conferences -- this time the ACC and the Big East. This round of NCAA conference alignment -- with the Big Ten again leading the charge as they did two years ago in picking up the University of Nebraska from what seemed a certain-to-crumble Big 12 conference -- will more than likely be the end-game that sports rubes have had wet dreams about for years.
With the ACC losing Maryland, they'll likely pick up the University of Connecticut from the certain-to-collapse Big East who will go member shopping for anyone desperate enough to sidle up alongside the likes of Temple, the University of Central Florida and the Middle-Bronx College of Culinary Arts (not an actual college that I know of). This move, too, will make the ACC look shaky and have other conferences -- mainly the Big 12 who currently has ten member universities and the greedy SEC who stands at 14 member universities -- looking to pick off an ACC member or two who would welcome the greener pastures of the Big 12 or SEC despite the hefty $50 million exit fee from the ACC.
The Big Ten expansion to 14 schools will also make the Pac 12 (which appropriately has 12 member universities in western states as far east as Colorado) look towards Texas, Texas Tech, the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University as they want ot hit the somehow magical number of sixteen members first for bragging rights, if nothing else.
The NCAA conference landscape will again change entirely all for the almighty television dollars from ESPN, Fox and ultimately from the pockets of cable television subscribers who seem ready to consume anything shown to them on their charged-to-their-credit-card 70" LED HDTV set they picked up on Black Friday/Thursday after waiting in line outside of Walmart for 8 hours rather that socialize with their extended family who they see once each year.
Let's not look ahead to Black Friday but instead remember today -- Monday, November 19, 2012 -- as Black Monday, the day which truly showed us the college athletics isn't about competition on the field, court or ice but instead that it's about competition for cable subscribers and advertising dollars.
The Big Ten's football games are currently aired on ABC, ESPN and the conference's own Big Ten Network which is the conference's true cash cow and bringing in a couple of east coast schools and getting potentially millions of homes into the Big Ten Network fold means millions of additional dollars per year from cable subscribers who may or may not care about receiving the Big Ten Network but will pay for it anyhow as a part of their expanded basic cable package.
The other part of this addition to the Big Ten is that is a subtraction of schools from other NCAA athletic conferences -- this time the ACC and the Big East. This round of NCAA conference alignment -- with the Big Ten again leading the charge as they did two years ago in picking up the University of Nebraska from what seemed a certain-to-crumble Big 12 conference -- will more than likely be the end-game that sports rubes have had wet dreams about for years.
With the ACC losing Maryland, they'll likely pick up the University of Connecticut from the certain-to-collapse Big East who will go member shopping for anyone desperate enough to sidle up alongside the likes of Temple, the University of Central Florida and the Middle-Bronx College of Culinary Arts (not an actual college that I know of). This move, too, will make the ACC look shaky and have other conferences -- mainly the Big 12 who currently has ten member universities and the greedy SEC who stands at 14 member universities -- looking to pick off an ACC member or two who would welcome the greener pastures of the Big 12 or SEC despite the hefty $50 million exit fee from the ACC.
The Big Ten expansion to 14 schools will also make the Pac 12 (which appropriately has 12 member universities in western states as far east as Colorado) look towards Texas, Texas Tech, the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University as they want ot hit the somehow magical number of sixteen members first for bragging rights, if nothing else.
The NCAA conference landscape will again change entirely all for the almighty television dollars from ESPN, Fox and ultimately from the pockets of cable television subscribers who seem ready to consume anything shown to them on their charged-to-their-credit-card 70" LED HDTV set they picked up on Black Friday/Thursday after waiting in line outside of Walmart for 8 hours rather that socialize with their extended family who they see once each year.
Let's not look ahead to Black Friday but instead remember today -- Monday, November 19, 2012 -- as Black Monday, the day which truly showed us the college athletics isn't about competition on the field, court or ice but instead that it's about competition for cable subscribers and advertising dollars.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Hulu users show their Jay Leno hatred
Hulu's user demographics must vary greatly from those who watch network television in its traditional format or else tripe like Jay Leno wouldn't be on TV - and even Brett Favre can't get me to watch that crapfest. But it is and this list is just one page (out of four) of the tags Hulu users have attached to episodes of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
terrible
horrible
pieceofshit
jerk
washed up hack
bad
wherethefluckisconan
anti-comedy
retirement home entertainment
don't watch this
awful
banality of evil
leno sucks dick
f u c k l e n o
go away jay
gabe's fave
unfunny
no calss
dirtbag
teamconan
imwithcoco
old
joke stealer
hack
we miss conan
betrayer
backstabber
bland
safe jokes for grandma
benedict arnold
judas
not funny at all
unwatchable
must not see tv
depressing
douchebaggery
humorless chin
unfortunate
fail
sellout
failure in the eyes of johnny carson
no good
oprah'sbitch
craptastic
bigjaw
matlockish
complete bull
questionable
washed up
classless
untalented
cry baby
turdsandwich
die in a fire
sad
turd ferguson
stupid
will not watch
rapist
i'm with coco
i want coco
scab
circlecirclecircle
i am old and thus i love jay leno
Check out the rest of the tags and enjoy another 17 years of Jay Leno in late night.
And, seriously, what's with the obligatory American flag lapel pin? Are you running for president Jay?
terrible
horrible
pieceofshit
jerk
washed up hack
bad
wherethefluckisconan
anti-comedy
retirement home entertainment
don't watch this
awful
banality of evil
leno sucks dick
f u c k l e n o
go away jay
gabe's fave
unfunny
no calss
dirtbag
teamconan
imwithcoco
old
joke stealer
hack
we miss conan
betrayer
backstabber
bland
safe jokes for grandma
benedict arnold
judas
not funny at all
unwatchable
must not see tv
depressing
douchebaggery
humorless chin
unfortunate
fail
sellout
failure in the eyes of johnny carson
no good
oprah'sbitch
craptastic
bigjaw
matlockish
complete bull
questionable
washed up
classless
untalented
cry baby
turdsandwich
die in a fire
sad
turd ferguson
stupid
will not watch
rapist
i'm with coco
i want coco
scab
circlecirclecircle
i am old and thus i love jay leno
Check out the rest of the tags and enjoy another 17 years of Jay Leno in late night.
And, seriously, what's with the obligatory American flag lapel pin? Are you running for president Jay?
Monday, September 17, 2012
Tracy Spiridakos - NBC's Revolution
Tonight marks the debut episode of NBC's high-concept drama Revolution. With a mostly unknown cast, the breakout character is Charlie (played by Canadian actress Tracy Spiridakos pictured below). A precocious and strong-willed young woman who, fifteen years after all forms of power in the world cease to exist, sets out from her home on the east coast of the Republic of Monroe (the former United States) on a quest to find her uncle (who supposedly knows about the mysterious blackout and possibly how to turn the power back on) in a now-decimated and crumbling Chicago only to be met by warlords and unsavory characters along the way on her journey. There is a kidnapping, murder, sword fights, a bow and arrow toting heroine (Charlie) and a multi-layered conspiracy of sorts which should make for a highly watchable series.
While I have only seen the pilot episode of Revolution which airs tonight at 9 PM Central on NBC, I can say that, already, Revolution has pacing issues. Tonight's pilot episode feels like it could have a feature length film instead of a 44 minute television episode. There is a ton of story packed into the first episode which hopefully sets up for equally entertaining and well-told future episodes instead of putting the brakes on the speed of the storytelling in an effort to fill an additional 12 episodes with a watered-down storyline.
Tonight's debut episode of Revolution is a must-see, though, because if the consistency of the storytelling stays at an entertaining level and continues to be fast-paced, you run the risk of trying to play catch-up later in the season. Unfortunately, I feel that Revolution will run through the meat of its story in one season where mysteries will be uncovered but there will be no resolutions. Regardless, it should be an entertaining ride while it lasts.
While I have only seen the pilot episode of Revolution which airs tonight at 9 PM Central on NBC, I can say that, already, Revolution has pacing issues. Tonight's pilot episode feels like it could have a feature length film instead of a 44 minute television episode. There is a ton of story packed into the first episode which hopefully sets up for equally entertaining and well-told future episodes instead of putting the brakes on the speed of the storytelling in an effort to fill an additional 12 episodes with a watered-down storyline.
Tonight's debut episode of Revolution is a must-see, though, because if the consistency of the storytelling stays at an entertaining level and continues to be fast-paced, you run the risk of trying to play catch-up later in the season. Unfortunately, I feel that Revolution will run through the meat of its story in one season where mysteries will be uncovered but there will be no resolutions. Regardless, it should be an entertaining ride while it lasts.
 |
| Tracy Spiridakos, starring as Charlie in NBC's new drama "Revolution" poses here for GQ in a suggesting that her covered but topless body is one of only a handful of reasons to watch the futuristic post-armageddon series. |
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Frank Ocean - MTV VMA performance
Frank Ocean, whose music sort of defies genres, first made a splash in the music world a few weeks ago when it was announced that the mellow singer with R & B underpinnings announced that he was bisexual. Tonight, though, marked what I can only assume was his live television debut. While he didn't perform the song I am most familiar with, Lost, he has garnered all sorts of buzz from his MTV VMA performance of Thinking About You.
Frank Ocean makes his network television debut Saturday, September 15th where he will be the musical guest on the season debut of NBC's Saturday Night Live. The smart money is on Frank Ocean performing both Lost and Thinking About You.
Frank Ocean makes his network television debut Saturday, September 15th where he will be the musical guest on the season debut of NBC's Saturday Night Live. The smart money is on Frank Ocean performing both Lost and Thinking About You.
Revolution - full episode premiere
While the first episode of the NBC drama Revolution won't premiere for over a week, the pilot episode of the sci-fi drama set fifteen years from now in a world where all forms of energy vanished, you guessed it, fifteen years ago; the first full episode is available below:
Ambitious in concept, I am curious whether or not Revolution will be this year's The Event or Terra Nova or if it will actually catch on given its post-The Voice 10 PM eastern/9 central time slot.
Don't let the fact that the lead character is a strong-willed female with a bow and arrow lead you to believe that this is a television version of The Hunger Games because this is as far from that particular movie as you can get.
Revolution and its multiple layers of conspiracies will either give NBC some much-needed recognition in a world where network television is regularly being eclipsed by equally well crafted cable dramas or this series will wither away by mid-November and slip from our memories.
I, for one, have strong hopes for what I think is either the strongest or second strongest drama to hit the networks this fall.
Ambitious in concept, I am curious whether or not Revolution will be this year's The Event or Terra Nova or if it will actually catch on given its post-The Voice 10 PM eastern/9 central time slot.
Don't let the fact that the lead character is a strong-willed female with a bow and arrow lead you to believe that this is a television version of The Hunger Games because this is as far from that particular movie as you can get.
Revolution and its multiple layers of conspiracies will either give NBC some much-needed recognition in a world where network television is regularly being eclipsed by equally well crafted cable dramas or this series will wither away by mid-November and slip from our memories.
I, for one, have strong hopes for what I think is either the strongest or second strongest drama to hit the networks this fall.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Minneapolis - St. Paul daytime TV schedules
Minneapolis - St. Paul daytime TV schedules
WUCW Channel 23
8:30 AM Inside Edition
9:00 AM The Jeremy Kyle Show (NEW SERIES)
10:00 AM Jerry Springer
11:00 AM Maury
12:00 PM Judge Mathis
1:00 PM We the People With Gloria Allred
1:30 PM We the People With Gloria Allred
2:00 PM The People's Court
3:00 PM Dr. Drew's Lifechangers
3:30 PM Dr. Drew's Lifechangers
4:00 PM The Steve Wilkos Show
5:00 PM Maury
6:00 PM Family Feud
6:30 PM Family Feud
WUCW channel 23 adds only one new series to its daytime line-up -- The Jeremy Kyle Show -- while tabloid "news" magazine show "Inside Edition" gets thrown to the dogs with an 8:30 AM timeslot in a vote of no confidence.
KARE Channel 11
7:00 AM Today
11:00 AM KARE 11 Today
12:00 PM Days of our Lives
1:00 PM Rachael Ray
2:00 PM The Doctors
3:00 PM The Dr. Oz Show
4:00 PM KARE 11 News at 4pm
4:30 PM Jeopardy!
5:00 PM KARE 11 News at 5
5:30 PM NBC Nightly News
6:00 PM KARE 11 News at 6
6:30 PM Entertainment Tonight
KARE 11 sees absolutely no changes to its daytime lineup as the Minneapolis TV station begins its daytime lineup with five solid hours of talk / news.
WFTC Channel 29
8:00 AM Law & Order: Criminal Intent
9:00 AM America's Court With Judge Ross
9:30 AM America's Court With Judge Ross
10:00 AM Judge Judy
10:30 AM Judge Judy
11:00 AM Judge Joe Brown
11:30 AM Judge Joe Brown
12:00 PM Divorce Court
12:30 PM Divorce Court
1:00 PM Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2:00 PM The Wendy Williams Show
3:00 PM The Ricki Lake Show (NEW SERIES)
4:00 PM Everybody Loves Raymond
4:30 PM Everybody Loves Raymond
5:00 PM The Simpsons
5:30 PM Family Guy
6:00 PM Two and a Half Men
6:30 PM The Big Bang Theory
WFTC (My 29) channel 29 adds only "The Ricki Lake Show" to its daytime schedule which is otherwise littered with court shows, a couple of Law & Order: Criminial Intent repeats and a mish-mash of sitcom / animated comedy repeats. I've now gone about five years since even stopping my TV's remote on WFTC.
KMSP Channel 9
7:00 AM FOX 9 Morning News at 7AM
8:00 AM FOX 9 Morning News at 8AM
9:00 AM FOX 9 News: Morning Buzz
10:00 AM Anderson Live
11:00 AM The Wendy Williams Show
12:00 PM The Ricki Lake Show
1:00 PM TMZ
1:30 PM Dish Nation
2:00 PM Anderson Live
3:00 PM Judge Alex
3:30 PM Judge Alex
4:00 PM Judge Judy
4:30 PM Judge Judy
5:00 PM FOX at 5
5:30 PM FOX at 5:30
6:00 PM FOX at 6
6:30 PM TMZ
KMSP (FOX 9) channel 9 has a court show-heavy schedule much like its sister station WFTC. They also air both The Wendy Williams Show and The Ricki Lake Show which can be seen at different times on WFTC channel 29. They do, though, add the revamped Ander Cooper talker "Anderson Live".
KSTC channel 45
7:00 AM 45 News Morning
8:00 AM 45 News Morning
9:00 AM America's Funniest Home Videos
10:00 AM Roseanne
10:30 AM Roseanne
11:00 AM Coach
11:30 AM Coach
12:00 PM Steve Harvey
1:00 PM To Be Announced
1:30 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
2:00 PM The Andy Griffith Show
2:30 PM The Andy Griffith Show
3:00 PM That '70s Show
3:30 PM That '70s Show
4:00 PM Frasier
4:30 PM Frasier
5:00 PM Rules of Engagement
5:30 PM Rules of Engagement
6:00 PM The King of Queens
6:30 PM The King of Queens
Unless you're in love with sitcoms fom 15-20 years ago, KSTC channel 45's daytime television schedule isn't for you. With the only new programming being KSTC's rehashing of Minneapolis / St. Paul news for two hours to begin the daytime schedule and Steve Harvey's talk show, KSTC seems targeted to a few generations older than myself.
KSTP channel 5
7:00 AM Good Morning America
9:00 AM Live! With Kelly
10:00 AM The View
11:00 AM 5 Eyewitness News Midday
12:00 PM The Chew
1:00 PM General Hospital
2:00 PM Katie
3:00 PM Twin Cities Live
4:00 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
4:30 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 4:30
5:00 PM 5 Eyewitness News Live at 5
5:30 PM ABC World News With Diane Sawyer
6:00 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 6
6:30 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 6:30
By the time September 10th happens, it will be official that Live! with Kelly (Ripa) will be paired with Michael Strahan and his huge gap between his front teeth. The only big addition to KSTP channel 5's daytime television schedule is Katie Couric's new daytime talk show which bumps ABC's last daytime soap, General Hospital, an hour earlier.
WCCO channel 4
7:00 AM CBS This Morning
9:00 AM The Jeff Probst Show
10:00 AM The Price Is Right
11:00 AM The Young and the Restless
12:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Noon
12:30 PM The Bold and the Beautiful
1:00 PM The Talk
2:00 PM Let's Make a Deal
3:00 PM Dr. Phil
4:00 PM The Ellen DeGeneres Show
5:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Five
5:30 PM CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley
6:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Six
6:30 PM Wheel of Fortune
CBS affiliate WCCO makes only one change to its daytime television schedule. With Anderson Cooper's talk show out, The Jeff Probst Show takes over the 9:00 AM slot on the Minneapolis station.
WUCW Channel 23
8:30 AM Inside Edition
9:00 AM The Jeremy Kyle Show (NEW SERIES)
10:00 AM Jerry Springer
11:00 AM Maury
12:00 PM Judge Mathis
1:00 PM We the People With Gloria Allred
1:30 PM We the People With Gloria Allred
2:00 PM The People's Court
3:00 PM Dr. Drew's Lifechangers
3:30 PM Dr. Drew's Lifechangers
4:00 PM The Steve Wilkos Show
5:00 PM Maury
6:00 PM Family Feud
6:30 PM Family Feud
WUCW channel 23 adds only one new series to its daytime line-up -- The Jeremy Kyle Show -- while tabloid "news" magazine show "Inside Edition" gets thrown to the dogs with an 8:30 AM timeslot in a vote of no confidence.
KARE Channel 11
7:00 AM Today
11:00 AM KARE 11 Today
12:00 PM Days of our Lives
1:00 PM Rachael Ray
2:00 PM The Doctors
3:00 PM The Dr. Oz Show
4:00 PM KARE 11 News at 4pm
4:30 PM Jeopardy!
5:00 PM KARE 11 News at 5
5:30 PM NBC Nightly News
6:00 PM KARE 11 News at 6
6:30 PM Entertainment Tonight
KARE 11 sees absolutely no changes to its daytime lineup as the Minneapolis TV station begins its daytime lineup with five solid hours of talk / news.
WFTC Channel 29
8:00 AM Law & Order: Criminal Intent
9:00 AM America's Court With Judge Ross
9:30 AM America's Court With Judge Ross
10:00 AM Judge Judy
10:30 AM Judge Judy
11:00 AM Judge Joe Brown
11:30 AM Judge Joe Brown
12:00 PM Divorce Court
12:30 PM Divorce Court
1:00 PM Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2:00 PM The Wendy Williams Show
3:00 PM The Ricki Lake Show (NEW SERIES)
4:00 PM Everybody Loves Raymond
4:30 PM Everybody Loves Raymond
5:00 PM The Simpsons
5:30 PM Family Guy
6:00 PM Two and a Half Men
6:30 PM The Big Bang Theory
WFTC (My 29) channel 29 adds only "The Ricki Lake Show" to its daytime schedule which is otherwise littered with court shows, a couple of Law & Order: Criminial Intent repeats and a mish-mash of sitcom / animated comedy repeats. I've now gone about five years since even stopping my TV's remote on WFTC.
KMSP Channel 9
7:00 AM FOX 9 Morning News at 7AM
8:00 AM FOX 9 Morning News at 8AM
9:00 AM FOX 9 News: Morning Buzz
10:00 AM Anderson Live
11:00 AM The Wendy Williams Show
12:00 PM The Ricki Lake Show
1:00 PM TMZ
1:30 PM Dish Nation
2:00 PM Anderson Live
3:00 PM Judge Alex
3:30 PM Judge Alex
4:00 PM Judge Judy
4:30 PM Judge Judy
5:00 PM FOX at 5
5:30 PM FOX at 5:30
6:00 PM FOX at 6
6:30 PM TMZ
KMSP (FOX 9) channel 9 has a court show-heavy schedule much like its sister station WFTC. They also air both The Wendy Williams Show and The Ricki Lake Show which can be seen at different times on WFTC channel 29. They do, though, add the revamped Ander Cooper talker "Anderson Live".
KSTC channel 45
7:00 AM 45 News Morning
8:00 AM 45 News Morning
9:00 AM America's Funniest Home Videos
10:00 AM Roseanne
10:30 AM Roseanne
11:00 AM Coach
11:30 AM Coach
12:00 PM Steve Harvey
1:00 PM To Be Announced
1:30 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
2:00 PM The Andy Griffith Show
2:30 PM The Andy Griffith Show
3:00 PM That '70s Show
3:30 PM That '70s Show
4:00 PM Frasier
4:30 PM Frasier
5:00 PM Rules of Engagement
5:30 PM Rules of Engagement
6:00 PM The King of Queens
6:30 PM The King of Queens
Unless you're in love with sitcoms fom 15-20 years ago, KSTC channel 45's daytime television schedule isn't for you. With the only new programming being KSTC's rehashing of Minneapolis / St. Paul news for two hours to begin the daytime schedule and Steve Harvey's talk show, KSTC seems targeted to a few generations older than myself.
KSTP channel 5
7:00 AM Good Morning America
9:00 AM Live! With Kelly
10:00 AM The View
11:00 AM 5 Eyewitness News Midday
12:00 PM The Chew
1:00 PM General Hospital
2:00 PM Katie
3:00 PM Twin Cities Live
4:00 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
4:30 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 4:30
5:00 PM 5 Eyewitness News Live at 5
5:30 PM ABC World News With Diane Sawyer
6:00 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 6
6:30 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 6:30
By the time September 10th happens, it will be official that Live! with Kelly (Ripa) will be paired with Michael Strahan and his huge gap between his front teeth. The only big addition to KSTP channel 5's daytime television schedule is Katie Couric's new daytime talk show which bumps ABC's last daytime soap, General Hospital, an hour earlier.
WCCO channel 4
7:00 AM CBS This Morning
9:00 AM The Jeff Probst Show
10:00 AM The Price Is Right
11:00 AM The Young and the Restless
12:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Noon
12:30 PM The Bold and the Beautiful
1:00 PM The Talk
2:00 PM Let's Make a Deal
3:00 PM Dr. Phil
4:00 PM The Ellen DeGeneres Show
5:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Five
5:30 PM CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley
6:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Six
6:30 PM Wheel of Fortune
CBS affiliate WCCO makes only one change to its daytime television schedule. With Anderson Cooper's talk show out, The Jeff Probst Show takes over the 9:00 AM slot on the Minneapolis station.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Early premiere of NBC's "The New Normal"
As part of NBC's efforts to save themselves as a television network and build some buzz ahead of the crowded month of September full of new and returning series premieres, NBC is continuing to roll out the pilot episodes of its new series. Today brings us "The New Normal", a series centered around two gay men (starring Justin Bartha) and their efforts to add to their family. The show is already gaining some attention by the NBC affiliate in Salt Lake City, Utah refusing to air it due, apparently, to the inclusion of two gay characters (did they also refuse to air Will and Grace?)
Following the extended Labor Day Weekend, NBC will release the pilot episode of their new drama Revolution.
Following the extended Labor Day Weekend, NBC will release the pilot episode of their new drama Revolution.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Kelsey Soby - Fox 9 Minneapolis - Dance-Off videos
Apparently every Friday, towards the end of the Fox 9 Morning News the anchors / personalities / staff pull out their best or worst dance moves for the Fox 9 Friday Dance-Off segment. Having never seen this live as I am well in to my work day by that time of the morning I have found a number of Fox 9 Friday Dance-Off video compilations - most of which feature traffic reporter Kelsey Soby who has the best moves by far of the morning news team at KMSP-TV.
Is Kelsey Soby the traffic reporter in Minneapolis / St. Paul who is easiest on the eyes? What about her dance moves - good, bad, other? And what about the Fox 9 Morning News program as a whole? Does it need more dancing to fill out the 5 and half hour-long program?
Is Kelsey Soby the traffic reporter in Minneapolis / St. Paul who is easiest on the eyes? What about her dance moves - good, bad, other? And what about the Fox 9 Morning News program as a whole? Does it need more dancing to fill out the 5 and half hour-long program?
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Was Julia Child a sex symbol?
As a child I remember seeing various cooking shows on PBS featuring Julia Child. While she would have been 100 years old yesterday, she never seemed that old to me. I never paid much attention to the female chef but I do remember thinking that she had a strange accent and prepared strange foods. Those were my observations as a five year-old trapped inside on a weekend during our painfully long winters during my childhood.
Maybe I thought that Julia Child prepared strange food because I was five years old. Maybe I thought that the food that Julia Child was preparing was weird or strange because it was actually strange food.
Many years later I have to wonder about the venerable Julia Child. What was she like off-camera? Was she just another person going about her life on Earth? Or was Julia Child viewed as a sex symbol? Sex symbols 30 or 50 years ago were far different than our modern-day sex symbols. A woman with a healthy body and curves was fit to be considered a sex symbol in those days. Now I only remember Julia Child as seeming old -- I know she wasn't always old unless the had some sort of Benjamin Button disease -- but at some point Ms. Child was a young twenty year-old who had likely flawless skin, a young body and a burgeoning talent (cooking) that she would parlay into a multi-decade long career.
In the early part of the 1900s, a woman who could cook and please a man with hearty meals was likely viewed as sexy. She provided what a man wanted after whatever he did during his long day of work. Those scenes were portrayed in cheesy black and white family sitcoms in the 1950s and 1960s but the meals served were definitely up to the standards of Julia Child.
French cuisine was Julia Child's specialty and she honed those skills for well over a decade before landing in her very own TV show featuring the tall chef preparing her favorite French cuisine for viewers.
While I cannot find much in the way of photos prior to Julia Child's rise to popularity in the early 1960s I will have to stand by my question of whether or not Julia Child was a sex symbol.
Maybe I thought that Julia Child prepared strange food because I was five years old. Maybe I thought that the food that Julia Child was preparing was weird or strange because it was actually strange food.
Many years later I have to wonder about the venerable Julia Child. What was she like off-camera? Was she just another person going about her life on Earth? Or was Julia Child viewed as a sex symbol? Sex symbols 30 or 50 years ago were far different than our modern-day sex symbols. A woman with a healthy body and curves was fit to be considered a sex symbol in those days. Now I only remember Julia Child as seeming old -- I know she wasn't always old unless the had some sort of Benjamin Button disease -- but at some point Ms. Child was a young twenty year-old who had likely flawless skin, a young body and a burgeoning talent (cooking) that she would parlay into a multi-decade long career.
In the early part of the 1900s, a woman who could cook and please a man with hearty meals was likely viewed as sexy. She provided what a man wanted after whatever he did during his long day of work. Those scenes were portrayed in cheesy black and white family sitcoms in the 1950s and 1960s but the meals served were definitely up to the standards of Julia Child.
French cuisine was Julia Child's specialty and she honed those skills for well over a decade before landing in her very own TV show featuring the tall chef preparing her favorite French cuisine for viewers.
While I cannot find much in the way of photos prior to Julia Child's rise to popularity in the early 1960s I will have to stand by my question of whether or not Julia Child was a sex symbol.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
ABC's 2012-13 TV schedule
ABC seems to be following the lead of rival NBC in adding more comedies on similar nights to its schedule. Going head to head with "The Voice" on both Monday and Tuesday nights should prove to be interesting but I tend to think that those two shows have audiences in vastly different age groups and the sandwich of reality-comedy-drama on Tuesday will probably spell doom for both "Happy Endings" (which I truly love) and "Don't Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23" which is growing on me this year. Their fortunes may change when paired with a new duo of comedies in the first hour of primetime after Christmas but the damage may already be done by that point.
On the drama front, "Last Resort" sounds like the best of the new ABC drama offerings.
MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00 p.m. “Castle”
In January:
8:00 p.m. “The Bachelor”
10:00 p.m. “Castle”
TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show”
9:00 p.m. “Happy Endings”
9:30 p.m. “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23”
10:00 p.m. “Private Practice”
In January:
8:00 p.m. “How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)”
8:30 p.m. “The Family Tools”
WEDNESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “The Middle”
8:30 p.m. “Suburgatory”
9:00 p.m. “Modern Family”
9:30 p.m. “The Neighbors”
10:00 p.m. “Nashville”
THURSDAY
8:00 p.m. “Last Resort”
9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m. “Scandal”
FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Shark Tank”
9:00 p.m. “Primetime: What Would You Do?”
10:00 p.m. “20/20”
In November:
8:00 p.m. “Last Man Standing”
8:30 p.m. “Malibu Country”
9:00 p.m. “Shark Tank”
10:00 p.m. “Primetime: What Would You Do?”
SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Saturday Night College Football”
SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time”
9:00 p.m. “Revenge”
10:00 p.m.“666 Park Avenue”
On the drama front, "Last Resort" sounds like the best of the new ABC drama offerings.
500 feet beneath the ocean's surface, the U.S. ballistic missile submarine Colorado receive their orders. Over a radio channel, designed only to be used if their homeland has been wiped out, they're told to fire nuclear weapons at Pakistan.
Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) demands confirmation of the orders only to be unceremoniously relieved of duty by the White House. XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) finds himself suddenly in charge of the submarine and facing the same difficult decision. When he also refuses to fire without confirmation of the orders, the Colorado is targeted, fired upon, and hit. The submarine and its crew find themselves crippled on the ocean floor, declared rogue enemies of their own country. Now, with nowhere left to turn, Chaplin and Kendal take the sub on the run and bring the men and women of the Colorado to an exotic island. Here they will find refuge, romance and a chance at a new life, even as they try to clear their names and get home.
MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00 p.m. “Castle”
In January:
8:00 p.m. “The Bachelor”
10:00 p.m. “Castle”
TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show”
9:00 p.m. “Happy Endings”
9:30 p.m. “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23”
10:00 p.m. “Private Practice”
In January:
8:00 p.m. “How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)”
8:30 p.m. “The Family Tools”
WEDNESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “The Middle”
8:30 p.m. “Suburgatory”
9:00 p.m. “Modern Family”
9:30 p.m. “The Neighbors”
10:00 p.m. “Nashville”
THURSDAY
8:00 p.m. “Last Resort”
9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m. “Scandal”
FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Shark Tank”
9:00 p.m. “Primetime: What Would You Do?”
10:00 p.m. “20/20”
In November:
8:00 p.m. “Last Man Standing”
8:30 p.m. “Malibu Country”
9:00 p.m. “Shark Tank”
10:00 p.m. “Primetime: What Would You Do?”
SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Saturday Night College Football”
SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time”
9:00 p.m. “Revenge”
10:00 p.m.“666 Park Avenue”
Monday, May 14, 2012
FOX fall 2012-13 schedule
The FOX fall 2012-13 schedule has been officially released and while I like that three of their four comedies on Tuesday night (I've never been a fan of "Raising Hope") either sound or are truly solid shows and their Monday night schedule of the veteran "Bones" and newcomer "The Mob Doctor" should be a solid duo ("The Mob Doctor" stars Jordana Spiro previously of "My Boys" on TBS) I don't like the network's extremely heavy reliance on singing competitions.
American Idol did produce legitimate singers who went on to have solid careers - about 7 years ago - but the show is growing old. Ryan Seacrest must be on autopilot by this point and the judges are still a bunch of has-beens - only now they're has-beens who have nothing bad to say to the contestants. Seriously, most of these contestants need a heavy dose of reality - they will never amount to music stars. Sorry to dash your dreams Idol contestants but this show is all about the ratings now - making a star out of someone isn't even on the back burner, it's still in the box in a warehouse nearing its expiration date.
As for The X-Factor, that show is a non-starter. If it produces a legitimate, everyone knows this person's name kind of star, I'll shave my head, eyebrows and legs and wear a dress for a month because I know it won't produce a household name type of singing star. It just doesn't happen anymore. FOX's heavy reliance (3 hours each week nearly every week of the TV season?!?) will eventually knock them down. At least I hope so. But the tastes of the television viewing public are utter garbage so this trash sticks around.
Anyhow, below is the FOX fall 2012-13 schedule. Again, their timid slate of three new shows for the fall season is solid and should put them in second place behind CBS once again.
MONDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM THE MOB DOCTOR (new)
TUESDAY:
8:00-8:30 PM RAISING HOPE
8:30-9:00 PM BEN AND KATE (new)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (new)
THE GOODWIN GAMES (new) joins in midseason.
WEDNESDAY:
8:00-10:00 PM THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL (midseason)
THURSDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE
FRIDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM TOUCH
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (fall)
HELL’S KITCHEN returns in midseason.
SATURDAY:
7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall)
COPS returns in midseason.
ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF (new) will join late-prime in 2013.
SUNDAY:
7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
American Idol did produce legitimate singers who went on to have solid careers - about 7 years ago - but the show is growing old. Ryan Seacrest must be on autopilot by this point and the judges are still a bunch of has-beens - only now they're has-beens who have nothing bad to say to the contestants. Seriously, most of these contestants need a heavy dose of reality - they will never amount to music stars. Sorry to dash your dreams Idol contestants but this show is all about the ratings now - making a star out of someone isn't even on the back burner, it's still in the box in a warehouse nearing its expiration date.
As for The X-Factor, that show is a non-starter. If it produces a legitimate, everyone knows this person's name kind of star, I'll shave my head, eyebrows and legs and wear a dress for a month because I know it won't produce a household name type of singing star. It just doesn't happen anymore. FOX's heavy reliance (3 hours each week nearly every week of the TV season?!?) will eventually knock them down. At least I hope so. But the tastes of the television viewing public are utter garbage so this trash sticks around.
Anyhow, below is the FOX fall 2012-13 schedule. Again, their timid slate of three new shows for the fall season is solid and should put them in second place behind CBS once again.
MONDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM THE MOB DOCTOR (new)
TUESDAY:
8:00-8:30 PM RAISING HOPE
8:30-9:00 PM BEN AND KATE (new)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (new)
THE GOODWIN GAMES (new) joins in midseason.
WEDNESDAY:
8:00-10:00 PM THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL (midseason)
THURSDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE
FRIDAY:
8:00-9:00 PM TOUCH
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (fall)
HELL’S KITCHEN returns in midseason.
SATURDAY:
7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall)
COPS returns in midseason.
ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF (new) will join late-prime in 2013.
SUNDAY:
7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
NBC 2012-13 schedule - plenty of comedy
Rather than cram their dozen of so comedies into two nights of no-repeat laughs, NBC has opted to scatter their comedy-heavy lineup over four nights...
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”
10-11 p.m. – “REVOLUTION”
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “The Voice”
9-9:30 p.m. – “GO ON”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE NEW NORMAL”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”
WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “ANIMAL PRACTICE”
8:30-9 p.m. – “GUYS WITH KIDS”
9-10 p.m. – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
10-11 p.m. – “CHICAGO FIRE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “30 Rock”
8:30-9 p.m. – “Up All Night”
9-9:30 p.m. – “The Office”
9:30-10 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”
10-11 p.m. – “Rock Center with Brian Williams”
FRIDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “Whitney”
8:30-9 p.m. – “Community”
9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
SATURDAY
Encore programming
SUNDAY (Fall 2012)
7- 8:15 p.m. — “Football Night in America”
8:15-11:30 p.m. — “NBC Sunday Night Football”
SUNDAY (Post-football/Winter 2013)
7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
8-9 p.m. – “Fashion Star”
9-10 p.m. – “The Celebrity Apprentice”
10-11 p.m. – “DO NO HARM”
(New shows in ALL CAPS)
I’m more than a little surprised that NBC has opted to hold back so many shows and is seemingly throwing “Community” to the wolves with a terrible Friday night slot following a totally incompatible “Whitney”. While “Whitney” may have improved towards the end of its first season, its style is drastically different from that of “Community” which centers around a niche form of absurdist humor and borderline fantasy. “Whitney” is a straight-forward relationship sitcom with a studio audience providing the laugh cues. Two different animals here.
There were a whole host of comedies and dramas I would have rather seen and with their Thursday night lineup aging and the entire network in need of an overhaul, I was favoring my schedule which I threw together as the series pick-ups were announced.
MONDAY
8 PM COUNTY/The Voice (2 hours)
9 PM DO NO HARM
10 PM HANNIBAL/Smash
TUESDAY
8 PM Whitney/The Biggest Loser (1 hour)
8:30 PM GUYS WITH KIDS
9 PM 1600 PENN/The Voice Results (1 hour)
9:30 PM Up All Night
10 PM Parenthood
WEDNESDAY
8 PM BAD GIRLS
9 PM NOTORIOUS
10 PM Law & Order SVU
THURSDAY
8 PM ANIMAL PRACTICE/Community
8:30 PM NEW NORMAL/30 Rock
9 PM GO ON/The Office
9:30 PM SAVE ME/Parks & Recreation
10 PM REVOLUTION/CHICAGO FIRE
FRIDAY
8 PM THE FRONTIER/Who Do You Think You Are?
9 PM Grimm/READY FOR LOVE
10 PM Dateline
SUNDAY (after NFL season)
7 PM Dateline
8 PM Harry’s Law
9 PM The Apprentice (2 hours)
10 PM
Generally speaking, NBC is going to burn out viewers by running “The Voice” twice in one television season. They are throwing away the 10 PM drama hour on Thursday by placing the horribly-rated newsmagazine “Rock Center” there and are doing themselves no favors by opting to continue “The Office”, contrary to previous reports, with no end date in sight. The show is a shell of its former self and while I still love it and the bulk of their Thursday comedy line-up, it’s obvious that it isn’t drawing viewers at decent levels so it’s time to cut bait and start the Thursday comedy season early with a slew of new comedies as I proposed in my well thought out schedule.
What are your thoughts? Which shows would you have kept or axed or liked to have seen included? Save Me 1600 Penn Next Caller Guys With Kids Animal Practice New Normal Go On Do No Harm Chicago Fire Revolution Infamous
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”
10-11 p.m. – “REVOLUTION”
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “The Voice”
9-9:30 p.m. – “GO ON”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE NEW NORMAL”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”
WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “ANIMAL PRACTICE”
8:30-9 p.m. – “GUYS WITH KIDS”
9-10 p.m. – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
10-11 p.m. – “CHICAGO FIRE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “30 Rock”
8:30-9 p.m. – “Up All Night”
9-9:30 p.m. – “The Office”
9:30-10 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”
10-11 p.m. – “Rock Center with Brian Williams”
FRIDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “Whitney”
8:30-9 p.m. – “Community”
9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
SATURDAY
Encore programming
SUNDAY (Fall 2012)
7- 8:15 p.m. — “Football Night in America”
8:15-11:30 p.m. — “NBC Sunday Night Football”
SUNDAY (Post-football/Winter 2013)
7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
8-9 p.m. – “Fashion Star”
9-10 p.m. – “The Celebrity Apprentice”
10-11 p.m. – “DO NO HARM”
(New shows in ALL CAPS)
I’m more than a little surprised that NBC has opted to hold back so many shows and is seemingly throwing “Community” to the wolves with a terrible Friday night slot following a totally incompatible “Whitney”. While “Whitney” may have improved towards the end of its first season, its style is drastically different from that of “Community” which centers around a niche form of absurdist humor and borderline fantasy. “Whitney” is a straight-forward relationship sitcom with a studio audience providing the laugh cues. Two different animals here.
There were a whole host of comedies and dramas I would have rather seen and with their Thursday night lineup aging and the entire network in need of an overhaul, I was favoring my schedule which I threw together as the series pick-ups were announced.
MONDAY
8 PM COUNTY/The Voice (2 hours)
9 PM DO NO HARM
10 PM HANNIBAL/Smash
TUESDAY
8 PM Whitney/The Biggest Loser (1 hour)
8:30 PM GUYS WITH KIDS
9 PM 1600 PENN/The Voice Results (1 hour)
9:30 PM Up All Night
10 PM Parenthood
WEDNESDAY
8 PM BAD GIRLS
9 PM NOTORIOUS
10 PM Law & Order SVU
THURSDAY
8 PM ANIMAL PRACTICE/Community
8:30 PM NEW NORMAL/30 Rock
9 PM GO ON/The Office
9:30 PM SAVE ME/Parks & Recreation
10 PM REVOLUTION/CHICAGO FIRE
FRIDAY
8 PM THE FRONTIER/Who Do You Think You Are?
9 PM Grimm/READY FOR LOVE
10 PM Dateline
SUNDAY (after NFL season)
7 PM Dateline
8 PM Harry’s Law
9 PM The Apprentice (2 hours)
10 PM
Generally speaking, NBC is going to burn out viewers by running “The Voice” twice in one television season. They are throwing away the 10 PM drama hour on Thursday by placing the horribly-rated newsmagazine “Rock Center” there and are doing themselves no favors by opting to continue “The Office”, contrary to previous reports, with no end date in sight. The show is a shell of its former self and while I still love it and the bulk of their Thursday comedy line-up, it’s obvious that it isn’t drawing viewers at decent levels so it’s time to cut bait and start the Thursday comedy season early with a slew of new comedies as I proposed in my well thought out schedule.
What are your thoughts? Which shows would you have kept or axed or liked to have seen included? Save Me 1600 Penn Next Caller Guys With Kids Animal Practice New Normal Go On Do No Harm Chicago Fire Revolution Infamous
Thursday, March 22, 2012
NBC's Bent is their best sitcom since Community
The first two episodes of NBC's late-season apparent comedy burn-off of "Bent" - starring Amanda Peet and created by Tad Quill (last year's poorly received "Perfect Couples") are in the books and were actually very solid. In a short conversation with MPR's Bob Collins via Twitter last night, he stated that the show's dialogue pacing made something by Aaron Sorkin seem like a slow southern drawl.
To me, "Bent" has an obvious romantic comedy slant to it. The tense romantic chemistry between stars Amanda Peet and the contractor working on her remodeling project -- David Walton -- makes for plenty of awkward and truly funny moments. Throw in the rather adorable and precocious child of Amanda Peet's character played by Joey King and Jeffrey Tambor who stars as David Walton's booze-swilling father who plays piano at an upscale department store while struggling in his dream to become an actor and there are plenty of excellent scenes playing up the sentimental humor and outright gut-busting moments.
"Bent" should be given a true chance. It's time period -- featuring back-to-back episodes stuck at 8 PM C/T on Wednesdays on NBC do the series no favors but NBC also launched a certain single camera sitcom entiled "The Office" in a less-than-favorable Tuesday 8:30 PM timeslot at this exact time of the year with a six episode run for its first season and "The Office" went on to run for at least eight seasons and is still NBC's highest rated sitcom.
"Bent", while not a workplace comedy, could easily be the next relationship-centric single camera comedy to be a cornerstone for NBC while shows like "30 Rock" and "The Office" come to the end of their lifespans.
Check out "Bent" as it sticks to its back-to-back episodes the next two Wednesdays at 8 PM and 8:30 PM C/T the next two weeks.
What others are saying:
Hitflix says:
The New York Times says:
The Los Angeles Times says:
To me, "Bent" has an obvious romantic comedy slant to it. The tense romantic chemistry between stars Amanda Peet and the contractor working on her remodeling project -- David Walton -- makes for plenty of awkward and truly funny moments. Throw in the rather adorable and precocious child of Amanda Peet's character played by Joey King and Jeffrey Tambor who stars as David Walton's booze-swilling father who plays piano at an upscale department store while struggling in his dream to become an actor and there are plenty of excellent scenes playing up the sentimental humor and outright gut-busting moments.
"Bent" should be given a true chance. It's time period -- featuring back-to-back episodes stuck at 8 PM C/T on Wednesdays on NBC do the series no favors but NBC also launched a certain single camera sitcom entiled "The Office" in a less-than-favorable Tuesday 8:30 PM timeslot at this exact time of the year with a six episode run for its first season and "The Office" went on to run for at least eight seasons and is still NBC's highest rated sitcom.
"Bent", while not a workplace comedy, could easily be the next relationship-centric single camera comedy to be a cornerstone for NBC while shows like "30 Rock" and "The Office" come to the end of their lifespans.
Check out "Bent" as it sticks to its back-to-back episodes the next two Wednesdays at 8 PM and 8:30 PM C/T the next two weeks.
What others are saying:
Hitflix says:
... It is snappy, and funny enough when it needs to be. It is acutely aware of all the will-they/won't-they clichés and enjoys letting Pete, Alex and Ben be aware of them, too. And it has absolutely terrific chemistry between Walton and Peet, the kind that can't be manufactured — even though I've seen many, many unfortunate series try. It's not perfect, but it's also not particularly bent.…
The New York Times says:
... Sometimes it’s best not to think too hard and just embrace the idiocy. If you’re able to bring that mind-set to “Bent,” a screwy comedy NBC introduces on Wednesday night, you’ll have a pretty good time. …
The Los Angeles Times says:
... it is all very well done. If the characters are not particularly original, neither do they come off as artificial. The dialogue is 75% banter, but it is crisp and tart, and the actors make even the ripostes you can predict sound spontaneous.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Awake might be NBC's best series this year
NBC has, since the demise of Seinfeld, Friends and E.R., been a network struggling to find a hit series and be a cornerstone for the network and "Awake" - beginning March 1 - may very well be that hit series to save NBC from being relegated to an over-the-air version of a lowly cable channel. "Awake" is a well-written and well-acted drama featuring a detective who, after a traumatic injury, is living dual realities in parallel worlds. Don't let the sci-fi angle of that description scare you off. At its heart, "Awake" is a solid police procedural that just happens to have a sci-fi twist. Think of this series like FOX's "Alcatraz" but better lit and on a network desperate to save itself.
While the series premiere is nearly two weeks off, NBC wants to share this rare gem of a series with the world early. Below is the pilot episode of "Awake".
"Awake" debuts Thursday, March 1st at 9 PM central on NBC.
While the series premiere is nearly two weeks off, NBC wants to share this rare gem of a series with the world early. Below is the pilot episode of "Awake".
"Awake" debuts Thursday, March 1st at 9 PM central on NBC.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Episode One of The River on ABC - worth watching
Yes, The River on ABC is a limited run (8 episodes) series but after watching the first two episodes last night I have to say that I am intrigued by the story which The River has to tell. It has elements of Lost, The Blair Witch Project, The Shining and Paranormal Activity to it. It's a found-footage concept which may or may not have been overdone in recent years but still works because viewers know that there is likely an endpoint to The River.
The central story is about the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Emmet Cole who, for over 20 years, was the central star of a fictional nature show in which his family was heavily featured. A film crew, along with Cole's son, wife and a longtime childhood friend of Dr. Cole's son meet in the Amazon River in an attempt to locate and rescue Dr. Emmet Cole.
The River's major flaw, unfortunately, is bad acting. The British actor playing Dr. Cole's son is brutal in the delivery of his sometimes forced and cheesy lines. But what is lost in the bad acting is made up for in the suspense. Oh, sure, we see a glimpse of the spirit-like being or monster which is likely responsible for the mayhem in this uncharted area of the Amazon River but unlike Lost, which made viewers wait for what seemed like forever for an explanation or even a glimpse of the smoke monster, The River gets right down to business -- knowing that they have a mere eight hours to wrap the story up.
I wouldn't worry about The River on ABC being drawn out beyond its initial eight episode run because its lackluster ratings last night seem to indicate that it's a one and done. So sit back and enjoy the suspense which The River has to offer. It settles in to its permanent timeslot next Tuesday at 8 PM central on ABC.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Madonna Superbowl halftime show
To summarize the Madonna Superbowl halftime show in one word is easy: bland. Madonna's career has now spanned four decades and the best she could do was put on a Superbowl halftime show which left me reaching for my remote and actually asking my wife to flip back to the Lifetime movie which I had pried her away from. And how in the holy hell did the hacks who make up schlock-rap due LMFAO get a spot alongside Madonna. It was a contrast of polar opposites. On one hand there's Madonna who is a legitimate performer with 30 years of experience and on the other hand there's LMFAO who are relative flashes in the pan. They've had two pop hits in the past calendar year and will likely be forgotten in five, hell, two years but they get to duet with Madonna for a few seconds because they guest on a track on Madonna's new CD? I could make my hair look entirely stupid and wear spandex too but I don't have a spot during the Superbowl halftime show with Madonna, do I?
All told, a Superbowl show featuring a recording artist who has a storied and deep career is the norm. We'll never see a Superbowl halftime show in my lifetime featuring a hot and now artist or a rising star in the music world. Instead we're subjected to an artist or band with a deep catalog of tracks because the Superbowl is about mass appeal. If it were anything else it would have all the popularity of the Puppy Bowl.
By the way, anyone know who won the Puppy Bowl? I was working.
All told, a Superbowl show featuring a recording artist who has a storied and deep career is the norm. We'll never see a Superbowl halftime show in my lifetime featuring a hot and now artist or a rising star in the music world. Instead we're subjected to an artist or band with a deep catalog of tracks because the Superbowl is about mass appeal. If it were anything else it would have all the popularity of the Puppy Bowl.
By the way, anyone know who won the Puppy Bowl? I was working.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Annie Stensrud of KEYC-TV in Mankato nabbed for DWI
Annie Stensrud -- Mankato, Minnesota's favorite nationally-known newscaster -- is back in the news again. After her early-December slurred speech newscast, the KEYC-TV weekend anchor has been off the air. But this morning she made headlines again in Mankato by being arrested for a probable cause DWI near her North Mankato home by Nicollet County authorities.
When, just weeks after a newscast that went viral due to her apparent drunk performance, you land yourself in the pages of the local newspaper for doing something (drinking and driving) which you adamantly denied in a statement released by your employer (being drunk at work), there is the makings of a pattern.
Annie Stensrud obviously has a problem. Maybe she has had a relationship turn sour and is using alcohol as a coping mechanism. Maybe there has been a death in the family which has hit her particularly hard.
Whatever the case, her original excuse of a reaction to cold medication doesn't seem to hold up given today's DWI arrest.
Maybe there's something more to the story. Check out her reporting reel/resume below and witness just how strong of a reporter she was in her days working for KAAL-TV in Austin, MN
When, just weeks after a newscast that went viral due to her apparent drunk performance, you land yourself in the pages of the local newspaper for doing something (drinking and driving) which you adamantly denied in a statement released by your employer (being drunk at work), there is the makings of a pattern.
Annie Stensrud obviously has a problem. Maybe she has had a relationship turn sour and is using alcohol as a coping mechanism. Maybe there has been a death in the family which has hit her particularly hard.
Whatever the case, her original excuse of a reaction to cold medication doesn't seem to hold up given today's DWI arrest.
Maybe there's something more to the story. Check out her reporting reel/resume below and witness just how strong of a reporter she was in her days working for KAAL-TV in Austin, MN
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