My plan to blog about the Upfronts! as they occurred was thwarted by the project with a nefarious impending deadline. Yesterday, all things were moving right along at a steady pace when it turned into a bit of a clusterfrick (in honor of Scrubs, even though I still think it should've ended two seasons ago). I am currently taking a break from it because if I don't, I might lose my mind and I need what's left of it to finish this motherfricker.
So, I got sidetracked by life and the need to pay bills, damn life and bills. But I fully intend to finish what I started, and start what I need to finish. Did I mention I'm working on little sleep and gallons of caffeine? Well, this may not be as funny as I though then, but I do offer a little laughter in place of my rambling about 2009-2010 television schedules.
Courtesy of FishbowlLA:
Are Unemployed Writers Turning To Amazon.com For Creative Outlet?
According to television execs, we're supposed to be excited Excited EXCITED. Because it's Upfronts! week. Didn't ya know?!?! Was that a 'meh' I heard? Yeah, thought so.
I know, I haven't been around for a while. Actually, I've written several posts just in the last week that I haven't made public because I wanted to proof (and edit out some rambling--I know, hard to believe). But it's time for the Upfronts! Which means very little but the network execs like to think the Upfronts! are thrilling and imperative to the world spinning right round, even though all the confetti-tossing is really to attract ad moola that will hopefully trickle down and keep them employed and out of personal bankruptcy. So the thrill is really just for network honchos to show their competitors what big money they can draw for mediocre programming on as little budget as possible. Huzzah for Hollywood! But it does offer a chance for tv-geeks to rant and rave about what the evil networks are doing to their precious couch-tater time. So I am going to jump back into blogging, despite being on deadline for a project, and post to my heart's content since it's time for the Upfronts! Upfronts! Upfronts! Well, except for NBC which had it's Infronts? two weeks ago (blogged about it but wanted to edit a tangent about Chuck, which got picked up this weekend! Yay for announcements made two weeks after the Infronts? to try and upstage the Upfronts! Silverman, you are so you.)
So, here is FOX's 2009-2010 lineup. Pairing Bones with Fringe makes superb sense, although Fringe is still opposite NBC's funnies and my Thursday-night-addiction, Supernatural, so still won't be watching it live (and still have to catch up on a lot of season one). Bones got two seasons. I've never really been a big fan although I do watch from time to time. It often falls flat for me and I don't see the chemistry between Boothe and Bones (think I'm just not a big fan of Emily Deschanel), but good for David Boreanz. Let's see, what else do I care about? They canceled The Sarah Connor Chronicles which is lame because the show really improved after limping along early on in the season, at least the finale was spectacular. And, as someone pointed out somewhere on a message board (don't recall, sorry), with Terminator:Salvation coming out this summer it would be perfect promotion for the show. I always hoped Sci-Fi (oh, wait, is it Sy-Fy?) would give it a good home after BSG ended. Let's see, what else? Dollhouse was picked up, which I am ambivalent about. I'm a big goofy fan of Whedon shows (Firefly has ended up being my favorite with Angel and Buffy respectively following, probably because I can still see Angel in syndication every morning on TNT), but I just cannot get behind the premise of this show, for many reasons, or believe Eliza Dushku can carry it on her shoulders. It's just often subpar, and that's disappointing. But Whedon shows do often get better with time, so maybe it will improve, I just don't know if I'll ever be on board. Alan Tudyk was the best thing I've seen on the show as Alpha, truly enjoyable to watch, but was that the actor or the show? And how often could he be back since ABC is going to pick up V?
As for the newbies, I have to do a little research, considering how FOX likes to yank shows that I enjoy. FOX did add six shows to the lineup, four pilots in addition to Glee and The Cleveland Show. I'm really interested in Human Target, FOX's attempt to cash in on graphic novels. As I recall, Mark Valley hasn't been lead in a show since (the truly underrated and unwatched) Keen Eddie. Add Chi McBride and Jackie Earle Haley, I'll give it a shot.
I was going to talk about season finales here too, but I kind of said all I wanted to say already about FOX's. I gave up on 24 a few episodes ago, although I will probably watch the finale to see how it ends, what happens with Alameda, how it sets up for the next season. A show I used to never miss for fear of not being able to catch up, now I have no trouble just jumping in whenever I wish. I guess my Lost:Don't Give a Rat's Rectum theory works for other shows as well.
So I had this New Year's goal (not a resolution, those are doomed) to post more often. And I have had many thoughts about noteables in pop culture for 2009, but a month ago, my Nana died. I wanted to post about the Golden Globes, the return of 24, the Bryan Fuller curse and Pushing Daisies' demise, my confusion and repulsion regarding Jay "PrimeTime" Leno (excellent decision as always, Zucker). But I couldn't post about anything until I wrote about my grandmother, and until this week, I wasn't ready.
Two years ago, I was putting plans to move into motion when Nana was struggling with chemo for stage four metastatic colon cancer. I started helping take care of her when needed and my plans took the back burner. Partially by choice, partially not, it just kind of happened.
Caring for my grandmother during this time was not easy. More than anything, it could be emotionally draining. Her short-term memory wasn't good before cancer, but was nonexistent after "chemo brain." She couldn't remember what she had for breakfast, but could tell you detailed stories about her childhood. She was always stubborn, and that certainly didn't fade with illness. She often felt very lousy, but when she was feeling good, she always had a twinkle in her eye. She loved to sing, any song that popped into her head, from hymns to Sinatra to "Old McDonald." She told stories and had a silly sense of humor. She devoured potato chips and honey buns, but still being quite the lady, applied lipstick several times daily. As hard as it was watching Nana decline, as hard as life already was during that time, I am grateful I was there for it. I got to know my grandmother in a whole new light. We formed a new relationship, a new bond. After grieving for so long prior to her death, I'm now also grateful she is no longer suffering. But I still miss her every day. And I guess I'm grateful for that too.
After she went into the nursing home, we developed a goodbye routine when I visited. At the end, because I usually say "see you later" instead of goodbye, Nana started replying "alligator." It tickled me so much, I kept the rhyme going. She would always sing-song "crocodile" in a high pitch, and then just giggle at her silliness. Even on days when Nana was so ill she couldn't speak, I'd say it for her and she would smile when I said her parts. That rhyme will never be the same for me.
See you later, alligator. After while, crocodile. Farewell, Margie Nell.
I still don't know what I'll be doing tonight, if I am hanging out with my dvd collection or heading out for a bit. Either way, I will not watch even five minutes of MTV's Very Miley New Year's Eve. Not ten seconds while channel surfing. Not to ruthlessly mock it. Not to play a drinking game. No no no no. If I were being forced at gunpoint to watch Miley (It's Miley! Thanks, Joel McHale.) ring in 2009 from the MTV studios with her closest BFFs that she just met, I would take that bullet. Suck it, Hannah Montana. Go. Away. Everyone over the age of twelve agrees your fifteen minutes were up months ago. Well, except for your father, a career vampire who is enjoying the ride on your designer coattails. (By the by, I remember when you had a teeny-tiny little forgettable role in Big Fish and you were called Destiny).
Actually, I am feeling very hopeful today. I know it may not seem like that after that opener, but I am. Things have been crap-crap-crappy for a while, one reason I had to neglect my blog, and it is one of the least festive holiday seasons I've ever had. But things are looking up. Just need a little patience. And nothing like the fresh start of a new year to add to that feeling of hope and promise. I even plan to find a way to get back to blogging because I really miss it (and I'm sure my audience of five will agree that life is not right without my blabbering about TV shows). So, in the spirit of things, a lovely New Year's quote:
Dean Winchester:
Well,
I think I learned a valuable lesson: Always take down your Christmas
decorations after New Year's, or you might get filleted by a hooker
from God.
Sam Winchester: I'm laughing on the inside.
There really aren't a lot of movie and TV quotes to choose from about New Year's. So, I went with the one that made me laugh the most during my quick search. Who better than the brothers Winchester? Supernatural rocked in 2008.
Happy New Year!
Linus: I've learned there are three things you don't discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.
HBO populates its comedy pilots (THR)
Just stumbled on this little lovely in my feeds. HBO is casting new comedy pilots (gee, things have shifted significantly with the changing of the guard, will be interesting to see the direction of new programming, although I'm still waiting to see oldies like Big Love and Flight of the Conchords).
Jason Dohring landed an HBO show, Washingtonienne (no, I haven't read the book, but I know of it, and it's author, and, um, yeah, this should be interesting). Sure, he was great as Josef on Moonlight, a non-woobified extreme "mature" vamp version of Veronica Mars' Logan Echolls, but not always on his game. I could never tell if that was him or the script, if he was working as best he could with what was he was given (with that show, I lean to the latter). Shannon Sossyman landed a role on How to Make it in America, someone I never really enjoyed but found her to be better on Moonlight. With her, I always wondered if she had improved as an actress or if I just expected so little, she didn't disappoint. Eh, who cares. That show is done (thankfully). Kate Burton also joins Dohring in Washingtonienne. I really loved her as Ellis Grey on Grey's Anatomy and thought her character, whether physically present or not, added a fabulous dynamic to that show (for me, it also helped that she caused great distress for Meredith) back before I lost interest in even snarking on it and gave up being a glutton for Shonda Rhimes' punishment. I just saw Empire Falls again and she did so much with that role.
- Gossip Girl was delicious this week. But the promos, featuring Kaitlin "Oh crap!" Cooper just made me too giddy. And I thought I was excited to see Melinda Clarke on Chuck last week. I always thought that Willa Holland and Autumn Reeser (on Pushing Daisies the same week as Missy Pyle) revitalized The O.C. Although, for me, it also may have had something to do with killing off Marissa too.
- So Nicole Richie was heinous on Chuck. She wasn't completely unwatchable in the beginning, but got worse as the show progressed, although the catfight was badass. I found it cute in the beginning that the radio DJ was talking about a Heather Chandler, got a hearty chuckle from that, until I realized they named Richie's mean-girl character after her. Hell, why not call her Regina George instead? Not charming. Such tributes need to be subtle and better crafted. That was worse then Agents Angus and Young on Supernatural last week (one of these days I want someone to call the Winchesters out on that, or at least blink twice at it, they aren't the only ones who listen to classic hard rock). When writing such "tributes," I consider it a gift to those who pick up on it, who know the genre well enough to get the joke, not to be hammered over the head with it.
- I still have the same issues with Pushing Daisies but an Emerson Cod episode featuring Debra Mooney as his mother? Golly gee, just for me? I still miss Everwood (although not enough to ever watch Brothers and Sisters, unless they had maybe cast Gregory Smith or Chris Pratt as the new Walker). Emerson and Olive always have the best lines, and Chi McBride sells every "Hell no!" no matter how many times he says it. My favorite Emerson-ism this week, and possible new mantra: "I've chucked my chagrin overboard." That show always plays so well with language in the diaolgue, I am often awe by the beauty of how a phrase is turned, repeating lines with dorky glee. I hope it gets at least a partial script order if not the back nine.
I haven't caught up with Fringe yet. Or a few others I'm saving for a lazy Sunday. On Saturday, I am helping S make a Halloween costume for Foo, and that's not as wackadoo as it sounds. Prize: free doggy daycare. And that is still not wackadoo because (a) Foo is a happier, more chill puppy when she has a day or two of daycare training a week and (b) the prize is basically freaking cash-money (otherwise Foo could just go as her badass-self). In this economy, dressing up a dog for an hour or so in a rad costume that creatively uses materials already on hand, totally worth it. Plus, her costume is going to rock socks.
I'm in the mood to chat TV. I still don't feel as if I have immersed myself enough in all things television in order to really discuss as I usually do. But I feel the need to blog, and I don't feel the need to blog about anything else right now. So here it goes, The Good, The Bad(Ass), The Ugly on my idiot box:
The Good
Holly on The Office. Amy Ryan is awesome, that's not news. But she's perfection as the yin to Michael's yang (that's what she said). I love Ryan the Temp Receptionist. I'm tired of the Dwight-Angela-Andy storyline. And I thought The Proposal was lovely and that the out-of-the-blue reality of it taking place in a gas station parking lot on a lunch break made it more romantic then any schmaltzy scene could have accomplished. It just worked. Score one for the writers.
I still like Greek. I can't help it. It's escapist TV with likeable characters and good writing. Maybe not so much in terms of story because how deep can you explore the Greek life on a college campus? But the pacing and the wit, the dialogue and one-liners (Clark Duke delivers some real gems) combine to make an enjoyable show.
Okay, I was really reluctant to watch True Blood, especially after suffering through Moonlight, regardless of HBO and Alan Ball. It took about three episodes for me to really care about it, but it has grown on me. Yes, seeing Alexander Skarsgard on my television again, even rarely with that heinous wig and "Kermit the Frog" voice (TM Jacob on TWoP), dose provide incentive to keep tuning in. I don't love all of the B-characters, Tara has grown on me, Lafayette rocks, hate Jason, and I waffle about Sam, but I realized once they killed Gran, and my jaw hit the floor at the end of that mediocre episode, I was hooked on this campy wants-to-be-offbeat-but-not-quite show. Who knows if I'll stick around for season two, but right now, I at least want to find out the identity of the serial killer.
I have been reluctant to get into another JJ Abrams show. Mostly because they all start to feel the same (the score really doesn't help that), although not like David Kelley writing the same storylines into every single show he pens (you cannot have the same weekly tale on Picket Fences and Ally McBeal and The Practice and think people will not notice). I like Fringe, love the cast, but I haven't gotten heavily invested in it yet. And because of my past with Abrams' shows (the lost seasons of Lost, the frustration with Alias), I probably won't dig too deep. I'm taking my new Lost-approach: don't give a rat's ass about the minutia and it will continue to be enjoyable.
Chuck won me over last season. Just a fun show for a Monday evening. Fun is the watchword for Chuck. Zachary Levi remains as adorable as ever. I still don't see huge sparks between Sarah and Chuck. I love the relationship between Chuck and Ellie, Captain Awesome is more awesome, and even Morgan is not as grating. I won't start about Agent John Casey because Adam Baldwin cracking wise as a G-man every week on my television makes me so giddy, I might start gushing.
I like The Mentalist, don't love it. I am really not a fan of Robin Tunney's (even pleased with her demise on Prison Break before I stopped watching seasons ago). But give me Simon Baker (kooky and cool) and Owain Yeoman (skeptical and cool), I cannot resist. My Simon Baker swoon has been mentioned before, and I watched The Guardian, Smith (should've gotten another chance), and then there was Yeoman on Kitchen Confidential (also stellar as Eric Kocher in Generation Kill too), so how am I supposed to resist this one? It's decent, enjoyable, kind of predictable but not yet as obvious or bland as The Closer. And Simon Baker smiles more in one episode than he did the entire span of The Guardian. Did I mention Simon Baker? Sigh.
The Bad(Ass)
This week on Gossip Girl, Blair threw her purse at Serena's head after outing her murder to the Dean's reception at Yale, all because Serena showed up at Rory Gilmore's former stomping grounds and Blair's dream school, and eventually stole her answer to the Dean's stupid parlor game, courtesy of sh*t-stirring Chuck (that should be his full name because (a) that's all he does and (b) he does it so damn well). Does it get any better than that? Oh wait, it does because now there's a bromantic triangle between Chuck, Nate, and Dan that is much more interesting than any other triangle that ever involved Vanessa and as much yay! as an old episode of Smallville. And all while Dan's little self-righteousness was exposed along with his abs after Chuck sent the angry Skull & Bones boys after fake-Nate, tying boxer-clad Danny Boy to a statue on campus. Danke, Chuck. This season got off to a good start, meandered a bit with the Lord and Duchess crap, but quickly returned to form. And I just found out that my friend S is now hooked too! Unlike Veronica Mars, I had nothing to do with this one, no dvd marathons, no obsessive chattering about it (hard to believe, I know). She alerted me last week with a one line e-mail: "I am obsessed with Gossip Girl." And on that day, leelee's heart grew three sizes.
Supernatural has somehow become one of my favorite shows. I've always liked it, usually recorded and watched it, but thanks to the CW starting its season of shows early, and the cliffhanger of Dean being stuck in Hell last season, I got hooked this season. I like the new Ruby even less than I liked the old Ruby, um, not so much (I watched half an episode of Wildfire once, and it was more than enough, horrible show, horrible acting, horrible horribleness). And I haven't read any forums or posts or visited any sites where fangirls may be going wild in happiness or anger because I am not interested in that point of view. I just watch. And enjoy, more and more every week. This week's bizarre black and white tribute to monster movies was weird, strange, and yet still awesome.
What is going on with Don Draper? This season on Mad Men, he's become a little less sympathetic for me but maybe it's because the women of the show are the true shining stars. And that's the point. I still do not look forward to a finale. The season just flies by too quickly.
How much fun is Michael Imperioli having on Life on Mars? I know, all of the actors are probably having a blast on that show. Harvey Keitel is obviously making the most of his time on the small screen. But every time Imperoli shows up, he just seems to be having so much fun. It has to be a nice change of pace after six seasons of playing Tony's little cousin Chirstopha.
The Once Bad(Ass) Sometimes Good But Maybe Ugly
I cannot get into Dexter this season. I don't know why. Well, Rita drives me crazy, now more than ever (every time Julie Benz gives that shy Rita-smile, I want Darla to snap Rita's neck), and Deb annoys me again, so that doesn't help at all. I noticed my interest began to wane last season and thought it would pick back up this season. Michael C. Hall is reason enough to watch. He's just too-too-too amazing, regardless of what I think about the stroylines.
Same goes for Pushing Daisies. Well, I know what my problem is with it. I've known all along. I don't see a single sizzle of a spark of chemistry between Chuck and Ned. Never have. And the fact that Ned pined for Chuck so much after she moved out of the apartment, Do Not Care. They have fabulous "best friend chemistry," I just see no romantic chemistry, very rarely and hardly at all, if ever. I like all the actors, but I love Chi McBride and Kristin Chenoweth and Swoozie Kurtz the most, and I think it's tough to fall for a show when the B-characters often outshine the leads. I always wondered if this show would be able to sustain an audience weekly with it's whimsical wit. I think the Tim Burton-esque charm may be starting to wear off from the fantastical MotWs and the cracks in the show are starting to, well, show. But it makes smile and usually laugh, so I keep watching.
Every time I watch Heroes, I end up losing interest about half way through, and doing something else, get on-line, read a magazine, make a phone call. Now, I'm catching up on G4 later in the week because I realize I got distracted while watching. I was really excited about the premise for this season, really inerested in the villians-themed episodes. I still need to watch lats week's episode, which I heard is an improvement, so we'll see. I want to like it, I really do. But for every character I like, there is one I hate, and not in a love-to-hate kind of way. I also think it is still a skosh overrated and always feel a bit detached from it, like it lacks the necessary bit of heart every show needs, regardless of genre. Eh, next week, I could feel the opposite.
The U-G-L-Y
Okay, 90210 ain't got no alibi. I know, there's talk that it will be better now that the Gilmore Girls pedigree has joined the writer's room, but I just don't see how it's possible. I tried it again, twice, on nights when nothing was on and I needed to noodle out on the couch to something mindnumbing. The characters are boring. The acting is often bland (Tristan Wilds, I hope you are making serious bank on this show because you are much better then it will ever allow you to be). The stories are recycled. And the Jessica Walter abuse (now bumped to recurring) just makes me ache for the snark of Lucille Bluth. It's like One Tree Hill without the Days of our Lives storylines. Which, actually, may make it more boring than OTH.
And those gone but not forgotten . . .
I was a fan of Life last season, but I haven't gotten into it yet. Damian Lewis is the only real draw at this point, I never really latched onto much else, but he's enough with that performance. I was hoping Donal Logue would help, but I don't really care for his character much, which is truly disappointing.
I'm glad that The Sarah Connor Chronicles got the back nine last week because I miss watching it, just haven't caught up with this season's episodes yet. I guess I don't fit any "average" audience demographic since I have trouble choosing between TSCC, Gossip Girl, and Chuck. It seems like for once, the networks programmed shows against each other without incredibly overlapping core demographics, and yet I watch all three of them. Sigh.
If you read Defamer, you've seen the posts featuring bizarre Craigslist ads. My favorites are job ads for the entertainment industry, although the freaktastic pervy combo job/personal ads are the bestest. I actually snark on offbeat or off-the-wall job postings in e-mails to friends, did so long before I ever found Defamer actually, but now I have this lovely blog.
Hooters Magazine Seeks Columnists
"The HOOTERS Man is serious about having fun, and buys HOOTERS Magazine because it is an entertaining alternative to other men’s magazines."
Because the HOOTERS Man (don't you love the caps?) isn't interested in skipping over those "metrosexual" articles written in magazines like Maxim just to see Jessica Biel or Jessica Alba or Jessica Simpson tugging at her bra strap while wearing teeny-tiny booty shorts, thirty pounds of eyeliner, and five-inch stilletos. Plus, he needs something other than a skin mag to keep in the john for company.
Wait a minute. Hold the phone. What does the HOOTERS Man want to read about? I'm not saying they are illiterate. I'm sure they possess the ability to read because how else could they judge the way the H and the S of a t-shirt spans a waitress' rack. But there is a magazine that includes actual written content, thought-out articles, not just blocks of type saying "HOOTERS. NASCAR. BUDWEISER." next to the Waitress of the Month serving beer and hot wings? (Yes, I'm being stereotypical, but I'm from the South, I'm not speaking out of the realm of possibility here.) Wow, I know that there are books written solely to be read while on the toilet (thank you, Harriet Carter catalog), but I had no idea there was a leg of the magazine industry devoted to it. Guess I've been out of the magazine game for too long. And yet, that doesn't bother me considering my last boss in that industry would've subscribed to HOOTERS, stopping by my desk every morning with it under his arm to remind me that if he got any phone calls while in the bathroom, I should knock on the door and yell through it. Um, yeah, no. First, you get no phone calls that are that important, especially since you spend two-thirds of the day with your feet on your desk, the other third in the bathroom. Second, this magazine is not a stepping stone on my path, I started sending resumes my first week here, so it's really not worth it to me to do absolutely anything to impress my boss. Finally, that's why message books and voicemail were invented. Not. Gonna. Happen.
