"The Small Screen Podcast" is back for Episode 43. During this episode, Kristal and I talked about the CASTLE, WEDDING BAND and BONES, along with various new items like THE KILLING possibly living on... Read More...
Even a fan of HAPPY ENDINGS like myself has to admit that Season 3 has not been as strong out of the gate as Season 2, but I'm confident that "Boys II Menorah" was the show's first step towards recapturing what made last year so good. Read More...
After last week's emotionally draining episode, THE WALKING DEAD eased up on the gas just a bit with "Say the Word," but that didn't make it any less entertaining... for the most part. Read More...
The new promo for White Collar's fourth season knows exactly how to sell the show; put Matt Bomer in a bathing suit and get him all wet. Boom, done! Check it out for yourself...
Now, there's obviously more to White Collar than just Bomer's abs, and it looks like Season 4 will spend a lot of time on Neal and Mozzie as fugitives which I'm all for. Don't get me wrong, I dig the show's original concept, but having Peter chase after Neal around the world could be a lot of fun. I just hope they don't catch him after the first episode and everything goes back to normal.
When Scrubs moved from NBC, and I got hooked on Castle, I started watching ABC more than any other network, and the trend's continued mostly due to Happy Endings and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (which are coming back!) I bring this up because for the first time in while, I don't care for any of ABC's new offerings, so the time I spend watching the Alphabet may be drastically reduced, but we'll just have to wait and see.
666 Park Avenue
So, it's a supernatural soap opera in a haunted apartment building? No thanks.
The Family Tools
I did find myself laughing a few times during the trailer, but this show's destined for a short lifespan since Kyle Bornheimer's involved. Poor guy can't catch a break.
How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)
I'm a big Sarah Chalke fan (except for when she's dating Ted or Bobby or the guy who bangs pies), so I'll probably check out a few episodes of How to Live With Your Parents. It feels very on-brand for ABC, but I'm curious about why it's going to be on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays.
Last Resort
You'd think I'd be all about a show about nuclear submarines starting its own nation, but I'm really not. I just have to come to terms with the fact that Shawn Ryan doesn't make shows that are targeted at me as a viewer.
Malibu Country
I'm glad that ABC's bringing back a lighter version of TGIF since traditional, multi-cam, family sit-coms are rare, but that doesn't mean I'm going to watch it. It's safe to say that I'll probably be skipping Malibu Country (even though I might still watch Last Man Standing.)
Nashville
This is probably the only new ABC show that interests me, mostly because Nashville looks like what Smash should have3 been. If I can give the latter an entire 15 episodes, then I'm sure I can give Nashville a few shots.
The Neighbors
This is the show that's getting the plumb post-Modern Family spot? Seriously? Now, I know that I should reserve judgment until I actually see an episode or two, but really?
Red Window
I still have no idea what this show's about. Skip.
There's also Zero Hour, but for some reason ABC's made the trailer private, so I couldn't post it here. I will if it becomes available.
FOX's has also officially unveiled its 2012-2013 schedule, and has provided trailers for the five new shows gracing its line-up.
Ben & Kate
From the looks of it, FOX is going to take a run at the single-cam, family comedy that's become synonymous with ABC with Ben & Kate and The Goodwin Games. Well, I suppose sibling comedy is more accurate, but I digress. This one has potential, but I got a creepy rom-com vibe from the trailer which was a little off-putting since it's supposed to be about siblings. Weird.
The Mindy Project
Speaking of rom-coms, one of the buzziest shows of the new season may also be one of the weakest because I was not impressed by the trailer for The Mindy Project. It just felt too cliched and worn out, and we haven't even seen a full episode yet. I like Mindy Kalling, but this one could be problematic.
The Mob Doctor
For me, the key to whether or not I'll be watching The Mob Doctor will be its format. If it's a heavily serialized crime drama, then I could be all-in. If it's another edgy procedural with some mildly interesting overarching elements, then I might have to pass.
The Following
The way I feel about The Mob Doctor is pretty much the same way I feel about The Following, but the idea of a cult of serial killers is inherently more intriguing than a doctor for the mob.
The Goodwin Games
I disliked the concept of The Goodwin Games the second I read it, but I think that had more to do with the fact that I'm tired of being screwed over by How I Met Your Mother. After watching this trailer, I'm more inclined to give this one a shot because it seems like it has the right amount of humor and heart which is always a winning combo.
With NBC's Upfront essentially in the books, it's time to take a look at the crop of new shows that it's offering viewers next season. The following are trailers for the upcoming fall series. If you want more about what's in store for mid-season, check out NBC's official site.
Animal Practice
For some reason, I'm getting a Scrubs with animals vibe from this trailer, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I'll definitely give it a shot (mostly because of the monkey), but I'm not going to have high hopes for it.
Chicago Fire
We already know that people are going to ship Chase and Mason Lockwood, so they might as well just cut out the subtext and have them hook up by the end of the pilot. Seriously, this one could have potential, but my interest will depend on what else is on at 10/9c on Wednesdays.
Go On
It' Matthew Perry at his Matthew Perry-iest, but that's always something I can get behind. From the looks of it Go On's a little more accessible than Studio 60 and Mr. Sunshine, which is a good thing, but it feels like it should be a 60-minute dramedy instead of a 30-minute sitcom. Maybe NBC's trying to replicate Showtime's success with this new format.
Guys with Kids
Since I'm a fan of Jimmy Fallon, I really wanted to like Guys with Kids, but I was underwhelmed by the trailer. There's a chance that I'll try it out just to be sure, but I won't be holding my breath.
The New Normal
Ryan Murphy and Ali Adler's new show also feels like it should be an hour long dramedy based on the trailer alone. I'll admit that I found myself laughing at most of the jokes, but it has a semi-serious tone that could be confusing. Plus, all of the familiar Glee faces made me wonder if I was watching a spec trailer for a spin-off. Odds on how long it takes before Matthew Morrison shows up as one of the guy's exes?
Revolution
Not gonna lie, I was intrigued by the Revolution trailer even though it looks like Falling Skies without aliens or The Walking Dead without zombies. These kind of post-apocalyptic shows can be wildly hit or miss, and I'm betting that Revolution's the latter, but it could be the surprise breakout of the year.
I know that the trailer for the return of NBC's Community has been online for a few days now, but this is what happens when you take a few days off.
Some parts look really good, but there was too much Dean Pelton (so what if he's an Oscar winner) and Chang for my liking. Ah well, I'm just glad that Community will be back for a few weeks. Yay for smug self-congratulatory humor!
The holidays took up most of my time, so I wasn't able to keep up with TV news as much as I'd like. One bit that broke during my break was Starz's new trailer for Spartacus: Vengeance which highlighted its trademark violence an sex, but it also gave viewers a pretty good idea of what the new season is going to bring:
Pretty crazy stuff, right? I'm just glad that the wickedly delightful Ilithya is back and will have to face Lucretia which should make for some juicy scenes. I can't wait!
I don't know how I missed this new promo for the return of USA's White Collar, but it did its job because I'm even more excited to have Neal Caffery, Peter Burke, and Mozzie back on my TV screen. It feels like it has been way too long. It's just a bummer that it will be going head-to-head with Justified. What's a TV addict supposed to do?
Man, Friday nights are going to be crazy packed in 2012.
Starz announced that Season 2 of its Spartacus franchise will be premiering on January 27 and will be another addition to the genre fare that can be found at the end of the week (Chuck, Nikita, Fringe, Supernatural, and maybe Grimm).
For those unfamiliar with Spartacus, it's a re-imagined look at the classic tale of the leader of the slave revolution during the Roman Empire. By "re-imagined", I mean it has a heck of a lot more blood and sex than the Kirk Douglas version of the story, but that's what makes the show work. It's the guiltiest of all guilty pleasures, but it's also a pretty good show from top to bottom. Check out the featurette to get an idea of what this show has to offer...
Now, I know a lot of fans are still unsure about Liam McIntyre replacing the late Andy Whitfield, but the new footage didn't scare me off. I think we need to give him a fair shake before making up our minds. Regardless, I can't wait for Vengeance to debut.
I've only been watching the Emmys regularly for a few years now, but the on-going trend seems to be kicking-off the show with a musical number. Here are the last four memorable performances:
2007: Stewie & Brian Griffin (FOX)
The Family Guy number kicked off the 2007 Emmys, and it's still somewhat decent although I could've done without some of the lower-brow jokes. Then again, it's Family Guy. What do you expect?
2009: Neil Patrick Harris (CBS)
In my opinion, NPH truly kicked off the trend (although I know I'm wrong about this assertion), and it's hard to top his Broadway-style opening number. Plus, I like how it's well executed without being overly produced. Still one of the best awards show moments to date.
2010: Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
It's only been a year, but it's hard to remember a time when it was actually OK to like Glee. The musical dramedy took the world by storm, so it was only natural that the Emmys would riff on one of TV's biggest shows. For my money, Fallon's "Born to Run" sketch brilliantly combined music, comedy, and pop culture which made it a phenom in its own right.
2011: Janey Lynch (FOX)
I've already shared my thoughts on Lynch's opening number, and while it does have its moments, it cannot stand up to NPH or Fallon's. Sorry Sue, but that's how Cos sees it.
Honorable Mention - 2008: Josh Groban (ABC)
I don't know when Groban's medley of TV theme songs took place during the 2008 telecast, but it's impressive none the less. Too bad for him it took place during one of the worst Emmy shows ever.
WINNER: While it's hard to say no to NPH (who should host every awards show from now til the end of time), I'm going to have to give Jimmy Fallon the win, and it has nothing to do with my Glee bias. "Put Down the Remote" may be a better performance, but "Born to Run" has it all.
Previews for the upcoming fall television season are coming out fast and furiously, and the most recent one that caught my eye was the Season 4 promo for Sons of Anarchy.
I caught up on SoA in a few weeks, so I didn't have as much of an adverse reaction to last season's Sons in Ireland arc, but I do have to admit that it didn't pack the same punch as the first two outings. From the looks of the video, the Sons may be back to their old ways, which could result in a comeback season...
I'm entertained by SoA, but I'm not sure if it's going appointment viewing. Since it's premiering next week to beat the rest of the fall debuts, I'll probably check out the first few episodes of Season 4, but it really has to wow me to keep me around regularly. Then again, I don't have a 10p/9c show on Tuesday nights, so it very well may fill the void.
I may not always get the appeal of Community, but I do know that Donald Glover has become the unsung MVP of the show...
So many critics complained that Nick Offerman was snubbed by the Emmys, but the real crime was leaving Childish Gambino off the short list for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy. Damn you Modern Family!
I know that I'm in the minority (although majority is more technically accurate based on ratings), but I like Community when I think I should love it. All of the crazy antics, pop culture references and riffs should be right up my alley, but the show comes off like it's trying too hard.
Now, I still like the show and find it mostly funny thanks to the combination of Donald Glover, Alison Brie, and Dani Pudi, so I'm definitely going to be checking in on Thursday nights. That being said, the first promo for the new season has me feeling luke-warm.
The first promo for Season 3 of Glee has been released, and it doesn't really share that much information which I suppose is fine...
It's interesting to see the slushie be replaced with a dodge ball, but maybe it's a good idea since there's been an outbreak of slushie attacks in real high schools.
Other Stray Observations:
Mike taking the bullet for Tina...nice!
Santana and Brittany are Cheerios again? Yippie. At least they didn't have Quinn join the squad again...yet.
Glad to see Beiste get some face time.
Blaine's out of his Dalton blazer, which may confirm his move to McKinley, and that's the one move that would make me consider giving up on this show. We'll have to see how they pull this one off.
Emma's looking cuter than ever.
I kinda miss seeing Sam around.
I'm starting to have some minor reservations about Season 3, but I'm still excited for the premiere in spite of them.
This is a few weeks old, but I just had to share it:
I have to admit that Liam McIntyre as Spartacus is starting to grow on me. Unfortunately, I have a feeling most fans will not give him a chance and have already written him off. I get that fans are loyal to Andy, and I respect that, but he's not even the real Spartacus. Everyone knows Kirk Douglas is Spartacus...
This fall, FX will get back into the Ryan Murphy game with American Horror Story, and it seems like people are already primed to hate it mostly due to Nip/Tuck and/or Glee. Now, I give Murphy a lot of crap because of The Glee Project, but I still kinda root for him, so I want AHS to be somewhat successful. That being said, I know very little about it, and the "clues" that have been coming out aren't helping either...
Creepy, right? It's obvious that AHS will have more in common with Nip/Tuck (a show I'm not really a fan of, than Glee) so I don't know how many episodes I'll watch, but I will definitely be giving it a shot.
Anne Hathaway is an interesting celebrity. I think that she's extremely cute and charming, but for some reason I'm rarely ever interested in watching her movies. Obviously, The Dark Knight Rises (and her phantom guest spot on Glee) will change all of that, but the kick-ass rap that she debuted on Conan is also pretty convincing.
The idea of Mercedes getting a boyfriend has been kicked around for some time, and today news broke that the role has officially been filled by LaMarcus Tinker.
Those familiar with Friday Night Lights and Cougar Town will recognize LaMarcus as either Dallas or Kevin respectively. He's pitch perfect as the big, cuddly bear type, and I'm excited that he's going to be joining the show because he can pull of drama and comedy.
This blog is just a collection of incoherent ramblings and musings from yours truly. I don't claim to be a real blogger, just someone who likes to rant about TV.
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