19 posts tagged “veronica mars”

So, I took a break for August. Well, I didn't so much take one as it just kind of happened. I've been writing and editing more lately, and that means I want to write and edit and read even less for kicks and giggles. I started a few posts but didn't get a chance to make them public (although I vowed not to revise-revise-revise any more or delete posts nearly finished, so I will make them public). To get back to posting regularly, here's another pop culture List of Lasts.

Last movie at a theater: The Dark Knight. I wanted to see it the week it came out, but that didn't happen. So I waited a bit and made it a Matinee Escape. So what can I say that hasn't been covered by everyone else in the Free World (although, evidently, it's not doing as well in Japan)? Heath Ledger went above and beyond and he elevated this character, this film, this genre. Check. Christian Bale is the best Batman ever. Check. Even though his over-compensating batvoice takes me out of the moment and makes me want to smack him in the batmask. Check. Maggie Gyllnehall was so much better than Katie Holmes could ever have hoped to be. Check. Okay, on that note, I was also grateful to see Maggie Gyllenhall (who I generally like as an actress but don't love because I've become annoyed by her simpering although it was still fabulous to see a film where her bare breasts don't deserve a co-starring credit) playing Aaron Eckhart's love interest instead of Mrs. Tom Cruise. After watching Thank You for Smoking many times, I don't think I could sit through that lack of chemistry again. And although I do love me some Aaron Eckhart, I felt his Harvey Dent was kind of hollow in spots, but then maybe that's the point. Or maybe Heath Ledger's Joker was just so powerful it sucked all possible depth from the atmo on set. My only real complaint was that it felt a bit too long but I am not sure where even ten minutes could have been cut, unlike The Incredible Hulk. So, yes, it really was all that and a bag of butter drenched popcorn, and is not only a great superhero flick, but also just a good film. Yet I think I enjoyed Marvel's Ironman more, which I wish I could blame on how I gravitate more toward Marvel's characters, but to be honest, it's all about Robert Downey Jr., no use denying it.

Last movie on the cable: On a Clear Day. A little British film starring Brenda Blethyn. Peter Mullan plays Frank, a Scottish metal worker who is laid off and decides to swim the English Channel in order to deal with his frustrations and depression brought on by unemployment. As he starts to train with the help of friends, it is obvious he also needs to work on strained relationships with his family, especially his son, a stay-at-home dad with twin boys. It's a lovely story, and if you have a deep abiding love of little UK films like I do, definitely check it out. 

Last episode of Insomia is a Bitch Theater: Bret Michaels now "hosts" the new infomercial for Time-Life's "Hard & Heavy" CDs comprised of "152 of the hardest and heaviest hits from artists like Poison, Whitesnake, Alice Cooper, Heart, Kiss and many more!" Oh yeah, bang your heads to the hardest and heaviest Top 40 songs Time-Life would pony up cash to pay for licensing rights. But that's not all, it gets worse! The nine-CD set includes a disc of cheesy power ballads that made fourteen-year-old girls in 1989 swoon and/or roll their eyes (I'm here to testify, sad but true). But, wait, it gets even worse! The set also comes with an "exclusive" bonus DVD "Hard & Heavy Confidential with Bret Michaels" featuring  masterpieces that changed the world including "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and "Something To Believe In," played live and acoustic in the Time-Life studio. With no audience. Just Bret with a camera crew. Because that's totally natural (as if, you need twenty skanks who didn't make the cut at the podunk Hooters and thirty cases of Bret Brew for it to be natural!). I don't know what my favorite part of the infomercial is: Bret playing his soulful tunes like he's rehearsing for Rock of Love 3: Team Syphilis vs. Team Gonorrhea; the co-hostesses trying not to ask him if he gets his hair extensions from India or Mattel; or the testimonials about how this unbelievably awesome CD-set truly rocks at parties thrown by white Midwesterners knocking on 40!

Last scripted TV show: Mad Men. Because I do love it, but it is the only new show on (until tonight--I've missed Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass). The second season seemed to start a little slowly but it matched the pace of Don's life, how it had changed as he tried to reform his bad hubby ways, so it felt necessary and natural. I geek out over character development and the writers manage to give each character in a very large cast dimension. What I truly adore about it is that just when you think you've figured out how one character ticks, you find out he/she actually tocks, which adds a startling dose of realism while maintaining creativity.

Last time I watched the finale of Generation Kill : That would be last night when the repeat of the final episode aired. Even though the final two were maybe my least favorite episodes of the series, it still owned me. (As did Jacob's recaps on TWoP, and GK ended just in time to get him back to analyzing the kids of the UES--I love recappers who make it worth reading even if you've seen the episode). It's the best description I have for David Simon's shows. And when I talk about geeking out over character development, well this show is a prime example. It may have been about First Recon's experience at the start of (the later named) Operation Iraqi Freedom, but it was truly about characters. First, let me say, I do realize that these stories are based on one reporter's perception, which has been through many filters, from article to book to screenplays, so everything may not be 100% accurate. But no tale is ever completely accurate based on someone's perception of events. Unless it was recorded and then just transcribed, it never will be. It's not like we watch John Adams and wonder where they found transcriptions of the conversation between Adams, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson about the draft of the Declaration of Independence. It's called writing. And creative license. Just stay as true to the story as possible, get fabulous technical advisors, and tell the tale. If it's wrong, folks will speak out. However, many say it's as close to the actual experience of being in Iraq as possible for a television show. So it's based in reality, and not in a James Frey "Well, maybe it wasn't a million little pieces" way, or the non-reality of the unreal lives portrayed on shows like The Hills. Anyway, I've read several blogs or recaps along the way and it seems difficult to relay what happened in some episodes and keep it interesting. Although not as stagnant and bored as those waiting-waiting-waiting in Jarhead,  these guys were often waiting for a mission, or on the way to their mission, or having their mission changed, etc. But this is where character development comes into play. This story wasn't just about the mission, it was about the men carrying it out, the men giving the orders, and the dynamic between them, how they coped, how they worked, how they lived. And when they are in the middle of a mission, it all clicks into place, even when it seems all is going to Hell fast. I found it truly fascinating and enthralling, and although there are characters who shined, I still liked watching the characters who pissed me off for being assholes, idiots, and cretans because it still felt very true. And seven episodes was the perfect length to tell this tale without characters outstaying their welcome and the impact of it being lessened. Is GK as good as HBO's previous war mini-series Band of Brothers? Yes, but the two are so different in terms of storytelling, purpose, intent, events, culture, and character, they really shouldn't be compared. It's not quite like comparing apples and oranges, more like an M1 Garand to an M16.

Last time I grumbled about GK's Alexander Skarsgård being in True Blood: That would be every time I see the promo. I was planning on catching the first episode of Alan Ball's new show because I have a love-hate relationship with Six Feet Under and I generally like vampire tales (nope, haven't read the books though). Even though reviews for the pilot are wretched. Even though it sounds like it wants to be campy but doesn't stretch enough to accomplish it. Even though Anna Paquin is supposed to have a Southern accent worse than Kyra Sedgwick's in The Closer. So, I didn't exactly have high hopes for it. But now, dammit-to-hell, they cast Alexander Skarsgard. Yes, he is oh-so-pretty, but his talent as an actor is what makes him magnetic, so damn watchable. He's Stellan Skarsgård's son, for Pete's sake. Remember my Paul Walker Principle? Pretty doesn't matter in the long run if there are no acting skills to back it up. Skarsgård sweats skills.

Last book: I just started the Generation Kill book. Since I had already read the articles, I waited until the show was complete. I actually have a couple books going, but that's the last added to my pile. How long it will take to finish, who knows? I still have Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince only half-read (but in my defense, I figured out with Azkaban that I prefer to read them a few months prior to the movie premiere, and, well, it looks like this one may be half-read for a while now).

Last magazine: This week's Entertainment Weekly. So predictable, I know. Eh it let's me bring up Michael Ausiello's blurb about the possibility of a Veronica Mars movie. Or Mars 2.0. Which is kind of a misnomer considering she was proudly Mars 2.0 in season one, going from Veronica the Sweet to Badass P.I. Veronica. Anyway, I'm divided about the idea of a movie. I loved the show, even though the intensity of my love faded with each season. I still adore season one, can handle season two until previous plot points were retconned or forgotten, which takes me to tolerating season three because I clung to the hope that maybe in the next episode those characters would stop acting out-of-character and the show would be the little Noir show it once longed to be. Oh, and would stop retconning important events from the first season. Grrrrr. Sigh. Grrrrr. So, the prospect for a movie still has me hoping it could be badass again but history tells me it might be otherwise. Doesn't matter, I'm a glutton, so I'll pay to see it even if it is crap. However, knowing that Rob Thomas wants to keep it in Neptune, with the same characters and the crime-solving on the Hearst campus, really does help (although at this pace, by the time it gets made, will the young 'uns still look like college students?). Because the VM:FBI pitch was painful to watch and did not resemble the spirit of the show. And the idea that Veronica would make it in the FBI, with her run-ins with the law, issues with authority, and problems following rules, regulations, and laws, felt very unrealistic to me. I like her better dealing with the seedy side of Southern California.

So life has been kind of kerflooey. I have a few posts in progress that I hope to make public before they are pointless. Because of the kerflocity of my life, I decided last Friday afternoon that I needed a Matinée Escape (see my profile), aka an ME because it's all about me! When I require a Matinée Escape, there is no denying it, I must go to the cinema asap. Which is why I saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall on opening day. I started a review but I'm not in the mood right now to edit my rambling about why Jack McBrayer and Jonah Hill are unnecessary filler even though I do love me some Kenneth the Page (as for Jonah, well, my friends know I only refer to him as JFH and guess what the F stands for!). I will not comment yet on the abuse of The Rudd.

Anyway, I don't hate on Apatow flicks. Like that mysterious chocolate in the middle of a Whitman's sampler, I am usually surprised by how much I like the soft, chewy, possibly nougaty center. Unless it's coconut, or Talladega Nights. So it's not one of the greatest comedies of the decade (is Richard Roeper crushing on Jason Segel too?), but I really enjoyed it, a good movie experience. Quite simply, I love it but I am just not in love with it. Actually, it may be the other way around, visa versa that last statement. I will forever hold it in high regard, though, for the dinner conversation that included a meta joke about Sarah Marshall's murder-by-cell-phone movie. I laughed so hard my eyes began to tear when Kristen Bell gave her very same "metaphor for technology's role in modern life" song-and-dance from the Pulse press junkets. Now that was a crap ME.

It really was inevitable then that I drag out my Freaks and Geeks dvds this week. Apatow, Segel, Linda Cardellini's break up with Segel supposedly part of the Sarah Marshall composite. I couldn't stop myself from visiting Nick Andropolis, his infatuation with Lindsay, the humiliation of being dumped by her mother, and, of course, Lady L.

Freaks and Geeks - Lady

Freaks and Geeks - Breaking up

Freaks and Geeks-Lady L

"So I guess we broke up, huh?"

And to spread the heartbreak wealth, here's my favorite Veronica Mars break up scene featuring Kristen Bell. Hmm, I may be dragging out my season one dvds now that I've tripped down that memory lane.
 

Jackie Moves On - S2, Ep 21

Not to leave Mila Kunis out in the lurch, here's a clip of Kelso trying to woo Jackie back with song in season two of That'70s Show. Although I adored the show in those early seasons, I really wasn't in the mood to spend a lot of time in Point Place, so this will have to do for a break up related scene.

With that rebel Jeff Zucker behind the monster truck wheel at NBC, the peacock network released it's lineup for the 2008-2009 season this week, a good six weeks before the traditional upfront presentations that Zucker has decided to shun (he's calling it an "infront," har-har). And since entertainment chief Ben Silverman is his navigator, that means there's some good, a lot of bad, and definitely some ugly on the roster. Aw, come on, it's been a while for the GBU, I can't help myself.

The Good
Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose! For real, ya'll. NBC's deal with DirecTV is official for Friday Night Lights. As much as I knock Silverman, he did make season three happen. Kudos, Benji. Next season, thirteen episodes featuring the Dillon Panthers will appear on DirecTV's subscriber based 101 channel in the fall and then on NBC in 2009. Jason Katims hopes to get writers to work as soon as possible with production slated to begin in July. Well, barring a SAG strike. But this is good news, so let's not visit the recent breakdown between AFTRA and SAG.

ER will say goodbye after fifteen seasons. Finally.

Ian McShane is set to star in Kings, a show about "exploration of the timeless David vs. Goliath struggle." It will be strange to see Swearengen not swear on the telly.

Donal Logue is joining Life when it returns. Damien Lewis and Donal Logue. Redheads Rule! (not that I'm biased or anything)

Heroes and Chuck are still partnered as the pitch perfect antidote to my Monday blues.

Silverman's fave 30 Rock got a full season renewal. It even won a Peabody this week, so added to the awards it has garnered already this is not a real surprise, just good news.

The Bad
Knight Rider got a pickup. Consider kudos retracted, Silverman.
 
Scrubs is done at NBC after this season. That's a little sad but not the big bad. The badness actually concerns rumors that ABC may pick it up. I love Scrubs (watched so much I know dialogue) but isn't it time to end? Unless the remaining episodes at NBC can't send it off properly, just let it flatline already. Please, before I lose all luh-ove for it. Not even pitch perfect Dr. Cox and Turk can balance out the annoyance that has become JD any more. Doesn't Braff have a movie to direct with an "adult contemporary alternative" soundtrack featuring at least one whiny British dude, loads of acoustic guitar, and Imogen Heap? (And I say that as someone known to indulge in the guilty pleasure of whiny British dudes, acoustic guitar, and Imogen Heap).

A new mother-daughter sitcom called Kath & Kim starring Molly Shannon and Selma Blair. Does Molly Shannon look old enough to play Selma Blair's mom? That can't be their relationship, right? Eh, not generally a fan of either, especially Blair's wooden delivery.

Thursday Night Live, an extra special dose of political satire leading up to the elections. Really, the time we already spend together not laughing isn't enough? Let's take a guess as to what we'll see. Lots of Darrell Hammond doing spot-on impressions. Plenty of  Amy Poehler. Seth Meyers trying to crack wise. And an extra dose of Samberg's SNL Digital Shorts. Yeah, only if there is a change in the balance of Kristen Wiig and Kenan Thompson appearances. She is a comedic goddess. Can't say the same for Good Burger.

Camelot? Merlin? Crusoe? Why does "original" programming seem to be such a turn-off for NBC?

The Ugly
Lipstick Jungle was renewed. I caught a repeat of it on Bravo late one Sunday night while trying to fall asleep. Twenty minutes and the Zs came easily. Not even for the love of Andrew McCarthy would I watch it again. And after I saw Pretty in Pink when I was eleven, I spent an entire Sunday night dinner at my grandparents staring at his picture in Teen Tiger Bop Beat Magazine. I also saw Fresh Horses and Mannequin in the theater. That's some stalkerific tween devotion right there.

They are planning a spin-off of The Office. Why? Duh, to mess with a good thing, of course! So do they consider the spin-off of a remake "original"? If you're interested in details, including a Will Arnett rumor (NBC, you evil bastards!), here you go. I only skimmed because I refuse to acknowledge it exists until production starts (lalalalala, I can't hear you!). Avoidant much?
 
In other telly news . . .

A little while ago, I read that Rob Thomas was developing a pilot for ABC in addition to Cupid Redux and writing the Recycling 90210 pilot (maybe "creative conservation" is an unclear-on-the-concept effort by the networks to go green). It is a go, according to E!'s TV Diva Kristin Dos Santos. This one is the remake (three makes you Remake Rob, my friend) of an hourly from New Zealand called Outrageous Fortune. The big news, though, is that Kristen Bell is in talks to star. Yeah, yeah, what about Heroes and Gossip Girl? Well, she isn't signed for too many episodes as Elle next season and she can literally phone in her XOXOs, right? In addition to KB, Rene Russo is rumored to be up for the role of her mother. Love her, she's smart, sometimes goofy, and can kick serious ass. Hmm, that sounds like casting perfection. Okay, Remake Rob, once again, I am your bitch, which is a good thing since it seems you are fighting for primetime domination.

CBS greenlit another series starring the lovely Simon Baker. Well, I guess being canceled twice doesn't mean squat when it comes to a contract. First The Guardian and then Smith, two CBS shows I enjoyed and not just for the Australian eye candy that is Simon Baker. (We won't mention how many times I've caught Something New on the HBOs or how I wish there was video on-line of The Daily Show interview during his scruffy summer hiatus talking about how he doesn't wear deodorant because he drinks so much water his super-hydrated sweat doesn't give off toxic fumes and I didn't bat an eyelash at the absurdity of it because his grin hypnotized me). Jonny Lee Miller was in Smith, too, heh. Anyway, The Mentalist is about a guy "who uses his special gifts to help the police as an independent detective." So a little like Psych without the yuk-yuks, I'm guessing. And Owain Yeoman. Sure, fine, whatever, I dig mysteries and, from time to time, like to wade in the shallow end (will it be paired with Moonlight?), so I'll check it out.

 'Cupid' Takes Wing Again [Zap2it]

Yesterday, I wondered what happened to the Cupid remake with the news of Rob Thomas helming a Beverly Hills 90210 spinoff for The CW. So, if I ask about it on my blog, I shall receive? Maybe I should've mentioned a new car or a trip to Scotland or winning lotto numbers, too.

Cupid Goes to Los Angeles is still in the works at ABC after all. Basically, it is Rob's concept and he was already attached to the project with his development deal at that network, so he will be running that show instead. He may still write the pilot for West Beverly High, Class of 2012, though. Wow, updating two shows from the '90s. With NBC's penchant for bringing back '80s shows, next fall is going to be like a TV acid flashback.

For the love of Joe E. Tata, who pitched this idea? I first read about it this morning thanks to The Hollywood Reporter, e-mailed it immediately to a friend (the reply to my "NOOOOOO!" involved a wish for a "Who shot Brenda?" storyline), and bookmarked it to post later. In the meantime, it spread across the Interwebs faster than Bret Michaels' STD o' the week:

Veronica Mars Mastermind Rob Thomas to Oversee The CW's Proposed Beverly Hills 90210 Sequel? [AICN]

Casting The Upcoming '90210' Spinoff [Defamer]

Veronica Mars Creator to Spinoff '90210' for The CW [Zap2it]

90210 Hell, Yes: Series Spinoff Led By . . . Mars Boss Rob Thomas? [Watch with Kristin]

A real 'Beverly Hills, 90210' Spinoff (as opposed to 'Dancing with the Stars') [EW's Popwatch]

Really, Dawn Ostroff, is this how you plan  to make The CW a a contender with the big bad broadcast networks? Are we following in Ben Silverman's footsteps down memory lane? Of all the alphabet networks, NBC may not be the one to model for success right now.

90210: The New Class? The richie-rich-kid soap niche can be considered done and done by The CW's very own Gossip Girl at the moment, and on the heels of Josh Schwartz's The O.C. too. Is there a need for a new generation of West Beverly High teens, complete with random Ian Ziering guest spots? I cannot believe that question is even being asked. With Rob Thomas at the wheel, this has a shot at being strangely awesome, but it just sounds like a Hidden Palms disaster (not to compare Rob Thomas to Kevin Williamson, heh). Of course, either way folks will at least tune in to the pilot, so there you go. I bet Thomas has at least half a dozen original projects in the works that would be better choices to produce, the operative word being original. And this negativity comes from a gal who holds the zip code hijinks close to her heart because it sparked her TV-snark. By the third season, the weekly lunch table 90210-dish had turned into 90210-massacre. Twenty straight minutes of snark, sigh.

Aw, Rob, I understand that a gig is a gig, an opportunity begets more opportunities. But what happened to the development deal and Cupid redux at ABC? Oooh, "Who shot Brenda?" could work for Noir-90210, and there would be so many suspects, it would last forever just like the original! Anyway, shoot the pilot, if it's a real stinker that still gets picked up, claim a case of David Greenwalt's Moonlight-exhaustion. And if you need a gal who can give you the complete scoop on the original (without the Dylan McKay/Logan Echolls compare-and-contrast) while simultaneously making a killer pot of coffee, fixing the copier, answering the phone, proofing pages, and creating gift baskets, you know where to find me. Don't worry, I won't listen to "Losing My Religion" on repeat if you don't call.

And with the end of the writers' strike comes pilot season. This tidbit came across in TVtracker.com's little piece of marketing e-mail sent to lure me into subscribing. Still not sold on a sub, but gee thanks, I love free stuff!

Seems Diane Ruggiero (executive producer for Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas' go-to-gal, and scribe of my favorite episodes) is attached as Executive Producer/Showrunner to a CBS "pilot pick up" called Mythological X (20th Century Fox). Jonathan Levin is also listed with an EP credit.

Logline: A dramatic series based on an Israeli series about a woman who tracks down all of her exes after a psychic tells her that she has already met the man she is going to marry."

02/28/08 ETA: Zap2it reported this today, not really any more details about Ruggiero's project. There are details about a few other CBS pilots including an adaptation of a UK show called Ny-Lon that originally starred Rashida Jones

So, here's a review of the DVD set that goes on sale this Tuesday.

TV Squad: Veronica Mars season three DVD review

Veronica Mars - The Complete Third Season

1 comment

I haven't been impressed with the features of Veronica Mars' season collections so far. The first season's release sans extras was disappointing although understandable in the rush to get DVDs on the shelves to hook new viewers before season two. It's still my favorite DVD set, period. Season two's extras weren't anything super-special except for some of the deleted scenes. For VM's swan song, though, there's an entire bonus disk including the season four FBI-pitch featurette and commentary from Rob Thomas and supervising producer Dan Etheridge. Reviewer Keith McDuffee says:

For me, in fact, the third season was so disappointing that I wasn't going to even bother completing my DVD collection for the series.

Now that I've gotten to take an early look at the Veronica Mars season three DVD set, I'm going to say that if you were also thinking of not grabbing this set, you may want to reconsider. . ."

Clickety-click the link above for details about all the additional features.

There's no doubt that I am going to complete my VM collection. But since I wasn't thrilled with a lot of season three, I'm okay with waiting to get the DVDs, at least until the Thanksgiving sales. It's bargain hunter's pride. What can I say, I have a rep to protect, heh. Or it will be at the top of my Christmas list, if I can wait that long. I'm a little more interested in scoring the set now knowing the features are better, though. And I miss VM so much I am embarrassingly excited to see Kristen Bell finally show up on the lackluster Heroes.

ABC Has New Love for 'Cupid'

Wha, how, huh? Rob Thomas had hinted at some interesting developments with his ABC development deal (would link but don't remember where I read it). Working out the kinks for a pilot in development is tricky so that's a good reason to keep details on the downlow. Working out the kinks for a remake of a show that said network canceled in the '90s, mind-boggling

I loved Cupid. Jeremy Piven when he was still charming, the lovely and talented Paula Marshall, quirky comedy, snarky lines, was Trevor an actual god or just had a god complex that compelled him to match mates? Sounds like everything but the premise will be retooled, from cast to location (because there aren't enough shows set in L.A. already?).

This just confuzzles me. Yeah, there's no denying it has a great premise and the network's current climate is more conducive to Cupid. The target audience for many of ABC's shows does seem to skew more female (amazingly, According to Jim only skews to Cavemen, and vice versa). I'm not saying that only gals watch Cupid or romantic comedies, or that all of ABC's series fit into that category, or that all women enjoy this genre, because I know that's not the case. (Politically correct much?) A glimpse at their Fall programming and it appears to be one network niche the alphabet network aims to claim. NBC is dipping its toes in the sci-fi pond. CBS cultivates crime and mystery dramas. The CW obviously tries to grab the young 'uns. FOX, well, I guess they try to land anyone watching House or American Idol? (so Wonderfalls fans, don't get your hopes up.) I still find it odd that after many meetings with Thomas, execs returned to a show that didn't last an entire season. Will it work the second time around? I'll definitely check it out. Will Cupid's resurrection get great press for ABC regardless of success? Well, duh.

So, RT will be running a show again. Many in the Veronica Mars fandom questioned Thomas' showrunner skills in season three when all seemed to derail for the little show that could. Some even go as far as refusing to watch any future work he produces. I didn't like the direction it took and would like to completely forget some storylines, but I also didn't think it was a colossal failure that landed solely on his shoulders. True, RT was the big boss, but running a show is a really tough gig. Huge mistakes were made but, as I have recently been reminded in real life, we grow by learning from mistakes. It's sad they were made, however with the ratings VM had, it was lucky it lasted long enough for mistakes to be made; too bad time ran out before the wrongs could be righted. I'm willing to give a Rob Thomas show another shot, see how he handles a show now that he's had one last three seasons. I'd like to see what he's learned.

I'm going to give this whole brevity thing a whirl, but don't expect miracles overnight. So this one may be shorter, but it's Friday and Sunday, not the biggest nights for the networks. Here we go:

Friday

The New Kids

Luckily, Moonlight debuts on CBS a week earlier than Friday Night Lights. I feel that Joss Whedon's Angel took the Forever Knight-ish concept in such a fabulous direction, there was no need to revisit it so soon. Moonlight screams canceled-after-four-episodes disaster. Retooled, recast, rescheduled, and promoted with a cheesy faux-interview with a vampire (wink-nudge, get it? Marketing genius, I tell you!), critics only very recently got to review the new pilot. The news, she ain't good. David Greenwalt took over and promptly ditched showrunner duties due to "exhaustion." Caused by "ginormous headache and general pain in the ass"? The-sneaky-bastards-that-be (looking at you, Joel Silver.You know you love it.) hooked the VM audience by bringing in Jason Dohring as a fanged one with supreme wealth. Please, give him loads of worthy snark. In interviews, Dohring invoked (by way of publicists, I'm sure) the name of Logan Echolls, one of my favorite characters created for television. Dirty trick, dude (give the publicist a raise.) So that's a long meandering way of me saying I expect it to disappoint, don't hold much hope it will get better, but I am still going to check it out. And engage in my own MST3K-style commentary.

On ABC, Women's Murder Club. Well, I know nothing other than Angie Harmon and Dead Like Me's Laura Harris are in the cast. Ugh, Brett Ratner is executive producer. Oh, right, Joe Simpson, the man responsible for Jessica and Ashlee still getting work and being hounded by the paparazzi he alerts, also has some connection that garnered a production credit. That should be enough.

The Old Gang

I did not want to watch Friday Night Lights but dammit-to-hell,  Bravo! sprang a marathon on me one Saturday afternoon last Spring. Hello, we've met, I'm a marathon whore. It's charming, what can I say. Sorry, Dohring, but Kyle Chandler won me over many moons ago as Jeff on Homefront so he's got seniority. Plus, I have to see how the college players respond to his mood ring-like follicles of extreme emotion. A show that centers around Friday night football airing on Friday nights during football season seems riskier than a two-point conversion though.

I just cannot believe Ghost Whisperer is on season three. Just had to say that. Hey, maybe Moonlight does have a shot on CBS then?

Sunday

The New Kids

Nada. Besides the musical produced by Hugh Jackaman on CBS, Viva Laughlin, in late October. Speaking of shows that spell disaster. . . Still grateful Rob Thomas didn't take the gig to run this baby. My loyalty is shaky as is, bud.

The Old Gang

Dexter. Dexter. Dexter. Not as overlooked as The Wire, true, but why do the Emmy voters not see how amazing Michael C. Hall is? That's criminal. He was so damn good as David on Six Feet Under, but Dexter is in a whole other league. The promos featuring INXS' "Devil Inisde" are kind of a weird way to link it with Brotherhood, though. 

I may have thrown up a little when I heard Nathan Fillion joined Desperate Housewives. I haven't watched since mid-season one after the hype-smoke cleared to reveal irritating characters and stupid stupid plotlines. At least he's hitched to Dana Delaney, and I hope will only hang out with the Scavos. Maybe at least one scene with the new gay couple on Wisteria Lane? When I watched daytime schlock many many moons ago, One Life to Live was a flavor of the month and Tuc Watkins (Beggars and Choosers, you deserved a longer life) and Nathan Fillion's characters had such an entertaining hate-hate relationship.

VM Count: 2; For the week: 9. Oh hell, let's make it an even 10. John Enbom, another VM writer and half of the Klembom writing team, is working on The Sarah Connor Chronicles which FOX  pushed to early 2008 now. Yeah, that works. Okay, I'm done with those now. Promise.

Okay, Fall, you and I do not have a good relationship. Your arrival means the farewell of my bestest buddy, Summer, as well as shorter days, dead leaves, and drab colors that I cannot wear. (Just because pumpkins are harvested this season, must we dress like them?) And you're pals with Winter, which does you no favors because it gives me cold days, no leaves, no flip flops, and seasonal affective disorder. But Fall, you do also bring newbies for the small screen. And provide an excuse to eat candy and watch horror flicks called Halloween. For those gifts, I cannot hold a grudge.

Since the upfronts last May, shows have been retooled and recast, scheduled and promoted. And in the next few weeks, based merely on a handful of viewers that actually have Nielsen boxes, some will be declared a screaming success while others may struggle to get a full season pickup or, worse, get the axe. And as well all know, quality is not always a deciding factor. At least this season I don’t have to hold my breath to see if Veronica Mars got decent numbers in it's target demo. Sigh. (Let's see how many times I manage to bring it up this week. Count at the end!).

This season I am on the hunt for a new favorite. I also retired Grey's Anatomy as my cheesy-soapy-goodness, and  Private Practice is definitely not in the running. Hmmmm, so many shiny new shows (check out the Futon Critic's guide, it rocks). I didn't even watch any online because I want to see the debuts live. Let's take a look at what Monday and Tuesday offer.

Monday

The New Kids

ABC's amnesiac comedy Samantha Who? has some great actresses in its cast including Christina Applegate (Samantha), Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito, and Melissa McCarthy. Chicks with serious comedic gifts. When it premieres in October, it doesn't have an easy time slot against Heroes. I'll probably record to watch later.

Have you heard about Chuck? I haven’t seen a single ad for it. In the last two minutes. NBC is really promoting this bad boy. Josh Scwhartz created it, Zachary Levi stars, and VM's Phil Klemmer contributes his talents to scripts. Oh, and Adam Baldwin too. Yeah, I'm there. This is supposed to be a breakthrough role for Levi. I don't doubt it. His Kipp and Andrea Parker's Lydia were the only reasons I rarely tuned in to Less the Perfect even though Sara Rue is incredibly charming. Speaking of charming, I read an interview with him during Perfect that confirmed why I adored such a snitty character; it's the actor. So I'd watch it even without the hype.

The peacock network's time traveling Journeyman doesn't grab me but I am intrigued. Eh, that's alright. I really don't need or want to watch three hours of telly in one night.

Big Bang Theory on CBS. Kaley Cuoco got another primetime gig. Nope.

K-Ville debuted last week and the buzz is not good. Reviving the buddy-cop show in the era of procedural crime dramas. Setting that show in an area that is still in such turmoil two years after a devastating disaster. That adds up to quite the programming gamble. But I just found out a friend of a friend got a callback for it so here's hoping FOX doesn't yank it after only a few episodes. coughDrivecough. Such a nasty habit, FOX.

The Old Gang

Heroes was renewed. With the skyrocketing ratings and the mostly deserved hype, it really was touch and go for a nanosecond. Whew, I'm glad I caught up on the show before last season's finale. Kristen Bell and Alias' David Anders joined the cast for season two's superpower hijinks. And even though they will not be sharing scenes (based only on casting info.), Veronica Mars and Sark on the same show! Sneaky, sneaky, NBC. Because although I really enjoy Heroes, I still don't get the hype, but now resistance is futile.

Prison Break, you completely lost me at T-bag's severed hand reattachment at a vet's office. Oy. Best of luck in your Panamanian prison adventures, boys.

I like How I Met Your Mother. It's not appointment TV, but I dig it from time to time. In the season premiere, Mandy Moore and Enrique Iglasias guest as Ted and Robin's respective rebounds.

Tuesday

The New Kids

Cavemen. Carpoolers. Cashmere Mafia. Fact: I will not watch ABC on Tuesday nights.

Cane. Sorry Jimmy Smits and Nestor Carbonell,  I only have room for one cheesy-soapy-goodness drama and your soap about a family of Cuban-American sugar moguls is most likely not it. I prefer some crazy with a dash of funny to be key ingredients so I'm betting on ABC's Dirty Sexy Money instead, but more about that in the next installment.

The CW's Reaper has gotten the stamp of approval as best new comedy from critics. Kid's soul was sold to the Devil by his parents before he was born. Turning twenty-one means kid must fulfill his destiny as Satan's bounty hunter. The premise could go very wrong, so it impresses me that it evidently has done the opposite. Kevin Smith directed the pilot. Bret Harrison gets to show off his comedic chops as the lead, Sam. And Twin Peaks' Leland Palmer, Ray Wise, is expertly cast as the Devil. Even without my Tuesday Mars Fix, it looks like it will be the same bat time, same bat channel on Tuesdays for me. Sneaky, sneaky, CW bastards.

The Old Gang

Here's the rundown on those returning that I will not be watching:
Bones. Despite David Boreanz, I just can't watch Emily Deschanel.
House. Despite the fabulous Hugh Laurie, I've been over the formula since season two.
L&O: Special Victims Unit. Despite Christopher Meloni, I'm two blocks past over for L&O anything.
Nip/Tuck. Despite devilish Julian McMahon, I stopped caring three seasons ago.
NCIS and The Unit. Despite, well, nothing, never seen them, don't watch CBS much.

So Tuedays will actually be a free night to get actual things accomplished with a little Reaper break. Good to know. That's why I plan ahead. Because it looks like Wednesdays are a goner. . . .

VM count: 4