Friday, February 29, 2008

So Long quarterlife

quarterlife couldn't make the transition to TV. The show premiered on Tuesday to only 3.1 Million viewers. According to the Hollywood Reporter, it was the NBC's "worst time period performance in at least 17 years," and it was summarily canceled on Thursday. Tough love for a show that was supposed to be the gifted lovechild of TV and the Internet.

So why didn't it work? No one likes to watch people similar to themselves, especially when those people are insecure, awkward, and downright annoying. If they do watch, the time period needs to be at least 10-20 years removed so the audience can look back at just how endearing their neuroses were. (See: The Wonder Years, Happy Days, That 70's Show, Freaks And Geeks)

The show's creative team must not understand the meat of my generation. We're bigger than your 44 minutes in primetime will allow. My generation is in an uncertain world. We're mobile, we're excited (mostly hopped up on energy drinks and breakfast cereals), we're curious, we're tech savvy and we're just like everyone else...except we can navigate the internet and still remember how VCRs work. Presenting us in a better light may not garner viewers, but your plan didn't work out so well either.

Text us if you need some help on your next project.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Breaking News: Scrubs May Move To ABC




According to The Hollywood Reporter, ABC is currently in talks with ABC Studios, (Scrubs' the production company) to order 18 more episodes of the quirky medical sitcom; great news for the fans since the show was set to end its run this spring.

NBC isn't letting the show go that easy and is currently in negotiations of their own.

With Samantha Who, Ugly Betty, Pushing Daisies, and potentially Scrubs, ABC is rebranding itself as an alternative to dry comedy on NBC, goofball comedy on Fox and unfunny comedy on CBS. (Too soon?)

This is something to get excited about. I'll update when there's more information available.

Are We Just Bearing Witness To Miley Cyrus' Genius?


Miley Cyrus ate few ounces of ketchup on Leno last night. The video described it as chugging, but it's closer to a long squirt than the maple syrup shenanigans from Super Troopers.

I wonder how the PR Machine at Disney will spin this. Does this show that Miley is a daredevil...of the tame variety? Does it show she's just a kid who likes to have fun? Or maybe she just enjoys ketchup.

I don't know what you're up to Miley Cyrus, but you're a teen queen of the best kind. You sing to sold out crowds, you have your own television show, you present at The Oscars and you drink condiments on late night talk shows. How do you do it? How do you do it?

M*A*S*H Revisited


It's the 25th Anniversary of the last episode of M*A*S*H. The finale still holds the number one spot for the most watched program ever on American television. If you've never seen it, the Hallmark Channel is re-running it in early March.

I've only seen a handful of episodes, but the few I caught were sharp, clever and good humored, especially in the face of the subject matter.

Imagine a show in 2008 that took a look at the Vietnam War. With 1000 channels, the internet, apathy and general divisiveness, it wouldn't make it. It would get pushed onto CBS or A&E, left to rot on Friday or even worse Saturday nights. Without a gimmick or a special guest star, it probably wouldn't get picked up for the rest of its inaugural season. Too edgy. Not sexy enough. Too soon.

And it would be just fine, but there's nothing else like it anymore...yet. I'm holding out hope that people can fall in love with scripted television again. We're waiting on you Aaron Sorkin.

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/28-3/1


I'm going to be gone over the weekend, but here's what I'm making time for:

Watching:
Lost ABC 9/8C - Thursday
Celebrity Apprentice NBC 9/8C - Thursday
SNL With Host Ellen Page NBC 11:30/10:30C - Saturday

Recording:
American Idol Fox 8/7C - Thursday
Breaking Bad AMC 10/9C - Sunday
Your Mama Don't Dance (Series Premiere) Lifetime 9/8C - Saturday
Oprah's Big Give (Series Premiere) ABC 9/8C - Sunday

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Is Rosie At It Again?


I used to love Rosie O'Donnell's late '90s talk show and it was refreshing to watch some excitement during her stint on The View, but this is a horse of a different color.

Though it's incredibly early yet, there are rumors that O'Donnell and Fran Drescher are teaming up for a family sitcom.

Both ladies are funny in their own right, but they possess very different strengths. Drescher is a great physical comedian and compelling longform joke or storyteller. O'Donnell is in your face, on the spot, fast. That type of comedy is tough to translate to a scripted television show, especially when she has to compete with another actress. Ideally O'Donnell would produce or develop the pilot and let Drescher take the lead.

To make this show work, they're going to need strong writing, a non-traditional sitcom format and an amazing concept. Drescher and O'Donnell have strong industry ties, but if those things were easy to come by, wouldn't they both still be on TV in the first place?

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/27


Watching Tonight:
America's Next Top Model CW 8/7C
Project Runway Bravo 10/9C
Reno 911 Comedy Central 10:30/9:30C

Recording For Later:
American Idol Fox 8/7C
Head Case Starz 10/9C
Hollywood Residential Starz 10:30/9:30 C

The Day I Pissed Off The David Archuleta Fans


I wrote a post a few weeks ago about Hollywood Week on Idol. Nothing too crazy, pretty much in the same vein as all of my posts; sarcastic, critical, but all-in-all just writing down a few notes. Not exactly an essay. Like most posts, no one commented and I moved on. But this week a reader posted the following:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for hating on David! It'll make it so much easier to laugh at you when he succeeds!! Oh, and by the way, he has a paralyzed vocal chord, unlike you, who sits at home and judges black people and prodigies. Guess ur another 1 2 add 2 my "Hataz" list!!!!


There are a lot of things interesting with this comment but we will try to keep it to a minimum.
  • I'm aware of the throat condition. I put "sounds" in bold and italics to make you aware that a singer doesn't have to sound like he has one. (Satchmo, Tom Waits and Bob Dylan excluded)
  • If David Archuleta is a prodigy, then there are a lot of prodigies running around high school show choirs across the nation. Don't use the word lightly. If you enjoy his music, great. But a prodigy? Really? Even you may argue that word was a little strong.
  • It's hard to take offense to someone who writes with numbers and uses unnecessary Zs. I felt your intensity though.
  • And oh yeah, I'm Black.
So I had a good laugh, went to bed and moved on. But this week, edubTV became enemy number one for David Archuleta fans. Thanks to some sort of message board or blog search, I've received 8 more anonymous comments from fans telling me I'm a freak, a lazy bum, I can't hear, etc. The Archies are obviously a very passionate group of people. A little nuts but what good group of fans aren't? You cant say they don't care.

The only thing? I actually don't. If David Archuleta walks away with an American Idol victory, there's no bad blood with me. I'm not even watching the show in real time or voting. What power do I possess to shift this competition? Absolutely zero.

So why this post? I am fascinated by the outpouring of unflinching support for American Idol contestants. Fans of all ages are following these people to the ends of the earth. While I fully support having a strong cause to fight for, does anyone else think it's alarming that some have chosen teenage/twenty-something singers?

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/26


Watching:
Out tonight, so I'll probably miss everything. Thank heavens for online television and DVR. Maybe I'll watch the end of A Raisin In The Sun. Apparently I wasn't the only one tuning in.

Recording For Later:
quarterlife (Series Premiere) NBC 10/9C
Rob & Big MTV 10:30/9:30C
American Idol Fox 8/7C

Taking A Look At Quarterlife


quarterlife was an "internet sensation," much like Flea Market Montgomery and that chuby kid with the lightsabre. But there was something different about these webisodes. It had the production quality of a television show and the creative genius (Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick) to give it credibility. Now the little web show that could is premiering tonight on NBC.

What's it all about? quarterlife follows a group of twenty-somethings as they traverse the confusing, hopeful, hilarious and sometimes frightening years between 20 and 30. The main character, Dylan (of the girl variety, very 21st century) is a video blogger and her posts guide the story. Herskovitz and Zwick were the people behind My So Called Life and thirtysomething so despite the kind of so-so premise, the show probably won't be half bad.

You can get in on quarterlife now. Check out the six webisodes already made online and hang out in the quarterlife webspace. There are message boards, social networking and everything else TV executives think our generation enjoys. The show premieres tonight at 10/9c but will run on Sundays after that.

This could be very interesting. What web junk is going to make the leap to TV next? I'm holding out hope for this kid.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Follow-Up: Extended Sex & The City Trailer


Ahhhh! The full trailer is on the web and the movie is starting to make some sense. As you previously read, I am pretty pumped and I was hardly a fan of the show. After seeing the trailer, I may even see it opening weekend. This hilarious post from Scanner means that I probably won't be alone.

I think I'm so interested because the show is still so recent. There is usually such a big lag between TV shows and their film counterparts. It's been less than 5 years since SATC went off the air and these ladies are still in our hearts and living rooms. TV also has an element of realism for me and when shows end I imagine the characters get to keep on going with their wacky adventures, we're just not privy to it. This movie gives us that chance to check in on them.

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/25


Watching:
I'm going to try and get through A Raisin In The Sun ABC 8/7C

Sean Combs is putting his acting hat on the line and I want to see if he's any good. Plus Phylicia Rashad is in it and she's too bad ass. I hope she breaks out in an intense speech about why it's never right to lie, (complete with finger pointing and sassy head movements.)

Jon & Kate Plus 8 TLC 9/8C

Recording:
Nothing tonight. With Prison Break over with, I'm kind of slowing down until April.

Something Funny On Kimmel? Really?

There's actually comedy brewing over at Jimmy Kimmel Live. Matt Damon and Kimmel's main squeeze Sarah Silverman made this hilarious video a few weeks back to celebrate the show's 5th Anniversary. If you don't watch the show regularly, here's the backstory on why it's pretty funny.




Not to be outdone, Kimmel put together a response to the video and premiered it last night after the Oscars. Jimmy's is funny, but Sarah's had shock value. But don't take my word for it.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/24


Watching:
The 80th Annual Academy Awards ABC 9/8C
Breaking Bad AMC 10/9C


Recording For Later:
The L Word Showtime 9/8C

Three Cheers For Joanna Kerns


I don't usually watch the Today Show because Ann Curry gives me the willies but yesterday morning I flipped it on to see the tail end of a Growing Pains reunion interview. Whaaa? So random. Who's appearing tomorrow? JJ from Good Times?

Anyway, the interview mentioned that Joanna Kerns (Maggie Seaver) is essentially the only cast member still working in the business. (Supposedly Tracey Gold is still working, but mostly on her next cocktail...too soon?) Kerns acts every so often and recently appeared as the cut and dry mother in Knocked Up. But her bread and butter is directing TV shows.

She's been behind the camera on the following shows in recent years alone:

  • Psych
  • Men In Trees
  • Army Wives
  • One Tree Hill
  • Joan of Arcadia
  • Felicity
And that's not even the whole list, which you can see here. Kerns is now one of my new favorite TV ladies. She was a role model on Growing Pains as a successful working Mom in a male-dominated profession and now she's doing it again, this time in real life. Now if only she could de-crazy Kirk Cameron.

Friday, February 22, 2008

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/22

Watching:
Nothing new tonight, just catching up on some of my recorded TV.
Girlicious
Jon & Kate Plus 8
Last night's Lost

Recording For Later:
Monk (Season Finale) USA 9/8C
Amnesia (Season Premiere) NBC 9/8C

The Party Never Stops...Even When You Want It To


Thanks to two afternoon meetings I decided to start work a bit late and instead stayed at my apartment and enjoyed the spoils of Lifetime.

After some Golden Girls, a nap and some breakfast, I watched what will forever be (in my mind anyway) a cinematic epic, The Party Never Stops. It's a Lifetime movie about a girl named Jesse who leaves her single mother and little sister at home while she goes off to college. She's a shy runner who likes to keep her head in the books. Too bad her roommate Shanna is a bad influence. They drink, they wake up tired, they hook up with random dudes, she drives drunk, a video goes all over the internet of her flashing people at Spring Break,etc. Essentially the typical college experience you'd read about in Nagging Mom magazine. I don't want to ruin the movie for you but let's just say trouble ensues when Mom does some internet searches and learns about the dangers of binge drinking.

My favorite moments were the slow-motion montages of the partying. The flashing lights and thumping music really showed how dangerous drinking is in the most subtle way possible. I'd love to see the creative mastermind behind that!

Oh and the quotes! I started writing them down they were making me laugh so hard. Here are a few of my favorites.

  • Jesse writing in her journal, "I can't believe I got so wasted on our date that I slept with him. Who does that?"
  • Jesse writing in her journal again, "I slept with someone I didn't even know. Which is sick. "
  • Shanna: "Toto we are not in Kansas anymore." Jess "You're funny when you catch a buzz."
No Jess, no she isn't.

For the first hour of the movie, the humor came from me thinking The Party Never Stops was really old. It looked dated, the language was over-the-top, the acting was piss poor, the school, everything. Then I discovered it came out in 2007. I had a whole new perspective on the comedy from that point on.

I know I probably shouldn't be laughing, as the subject matter really is serious. But honestly, I don't see how anyone in their right mind could watch that movie without chuckling to the point of excess. It's like eating one Lays chip. Impossible.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/21


Watching:
Lost ABC 9/8C
Celebrity Apprentice NBC 9/8C

Recording:
American Idol (Results Show) FOX 8/7C
Is anyone else sad that every single result show this season is going to be an hour long? Ridic.

Breaking Free From The Norm


I just got around to watching the season finale of Prison Break last night. While critics (especially those who don't watch the show) will say its gotten implausible or crazy this season, I've enjoyed its twists and turns.

Monday's finale was no exception. It was fascinating, suspenseful and brought all of the characters, and viewers to their breaking points. The episode finished off with a Spanish song that was so piercing and agonizing I almost had to put it on mute, but yet I couldn't turn away. Television hasn't captivated me like that in a long time It was borderline intoxicating. I had to turn off the TV and sit in silence for a few moments before I could continue.

Maybe my defenses are low after suffering through so much reality and shitty TV for the past 100+ days, but Monday night's season finale of Prison Break was truly exceptional. It made me a believer in Fox again, and made me even more excited that writers are back to work.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/20


Watching Tonight:
American Idol FOX 8/7C
America’s Next Top Model (Season Premiere) CW 8/7C
Project Runway Bravo 10/9C

Recording For A Rainy Day:
Supernanny (It turns out Wendy Wilson from Wilson-Phillips has uncontrollable children. I hope she doesn’t “hold them down and make them cry.”) ABC 9/8C
What Perez Says...About Divas (It’s on 8,000 times this week. It’s high time I watch.) VH1 9/8C

It's Like Year-Round School


...and we know how well that turned out.

NBC is taking a new approach to television scheduling and presenting a "year-round" season. Summer and early winter are usually hometurf for re-runs and essentially a television wasteland. No longer. Instead, the "endless season" will provide new shows all-year round. No more Sept-November, late-February to May set-up.

From the TV Blog on NY Times.com

“Programming should be like a good wine,” Mr. Rutman said. “Put it on the air when it’s ready.” A year-round schedule will provide “more opportunity for trial” of new shows by viewers, he said, adding: “Some will stick. Some won’t.”

This could backfire. If the networks have more time to test out new material, inevitably more bad material will slip through the cracks. And sometimes I'd prefer to watch the old stuff. Case in point, NBC has already ordered a second season of American Gladiators. While the show isn't half bad, I'd still rather watch old 30 Rock.

But it could work...maybe. And I hope it does. More shoes, all year-round, no downtime? Sign me up.

OMG ANTM!


Cycle 10 of America's Next Top Model premieres tonight! I usually only watch the show while I'm hungover in its marathon form on VH1 but after missing all of cycle 9, I'd like to get in on the ground floor. It's been too long since I've seen young, bitchy girls back stab each other. Not that all models are mean by nature, but I do think a majority of them are hungry and tired so they're a bit more likely to get a case of the grumpies.

Wondering what some of the Top Models have been up to since they left Tyra's loving embrace? Entertainment Weekly put together a slideshow with some of the fan favorites. (Naima's in a band with her boyfriend. He looks exactly like you think he would.) I'll post the link when I get a hold of it.

And sidenote: For the reality-TV minded ladies out there without DVRs, where will your loyalties lie tonight? Will you watch the Top 12 women sing for their lives on American Idol or will you watch the premiere of ANTM? Between tonight's TV choices, and picking a presidential candidate, it's been a hard year for the fairer sex so far.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/19

Watching:
American Idol Fox 8/7c
Oprah (They're talking to guy who turned blue!) CW 9:30c

Recording For Later:
Parking Wars A&E 10/9c
Rob & Big MTV 10:30/9:30c

Smart TV? Says Who?


Because they weren't too busy solving the worlds problems, the geniuses (geni?) over at Mensa released their list of the 10 Smartest Shows of all Time.

Chairman of Mensa International Jim Werdell told the NY Post, "They tended to be shows that dealt with issues in the world and, from my perspective, that's considered smart."

That's all fine and good until you check out the list.

1. "M*A*S*H"
2. "Cosmos"
3. "CSI"
4. "House"
5. "The West Wing"
6. "Boston Legal"
7. "All in the Family"
8. "Frasier"
9. "Mad About You"
10. "Jeopardy!"

I don't know how Mad About You cracked the top 50, let alone the top 10. That's coming from a fan of the show no less. West Wing and M*A*S*H are superb choices that make the list at least a little bit legit.

Let's dish about who they left off.

  • Sports Night
  • Lost
  • The Office (BBC)
  • Arrested Development
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm
  • The Mole
There are so many others but the post would never end. If anyone thinks of anymore, please leave a comment. Not to knock Mensa as I'm sure they quantified every show ever and made that list, but while they were compiling and computing they forgot to watch some of the good stuff.

Monday, February 18, 2008

What I'm Watching Tonight - 2/18


I'd love to keep up with this everyday but life will probably get in the way. Let's just see what happens and hope for the best.

Watching Live (Possibly A Little Delayed)
Prison Break (Season Finale) Fox 8/7 Central
My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad (Series Premiere) NBC 9/8 Central
Lockup: Raw MSNBC 11/10 Central

Recording & Saving For When Things Get Sparse
Jon & Kate Plus 8 TLC 10/9 central
Welcome To The Captain CBS 8:30/7:30 Central
And sadly, I can't resist recording Girlicious (Series Premiere) CW 9/8 Central

Howard Cosell She Is Not


I may have been snowed in at Mom & Dad's last night, but the season finale of American Gladiators kept things pretty hot, (though still not hot enough to avoid crappy cliches.)

Two hours of yelling, (potential) 'roid rage, homo-erotic outfits and nerf guns made for a banner evening. The icing on the cake came when my mother woke up from her near hibernation like slumber to share her witticisms and color commentary with my father and I. Here are a few of her gems:

" That guy, (eventual Gladiator champion Evan Dollard) looks like he's on speed. Somebody check his waterbottle."

"Why do the white people always win the games?"

"Do you think Hulk Hogan's doo-rag has that blond hair sewn to the edges?"

"Justice (Tall, Black Gladiator with a 1987 movie-villan hair cut) must have gotten into this show to legally assault white people."

Let's just say I wouldn't have minded if she kept sleeping. Though her constant questions and criticism were no match for the excruciatingly annoying post-competition jabber between the contenders and hosts Leila Ali and Hulk Hogan. It would've taken a few hits in the head with that joust stick to make that portion, (or perhaps the whole evening), tolerable.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Lighten Up It's Just Fashion


The Writer's Strike started nine days prior to the premiere of Project Runway. I've realized one critical voice has yet to weigh in on this season's contestants...SNL.

Christian's Flock of Seagulls inspired hairdoo, the way Jillian never opens her mouth all the way, Ricky's crying, etc. It's the stuff Saturday Night Live was made for! And if I remember correctly, they've never done a Project Runway spoof. GE may not appreciate the humor in making fun of the sister network but too damn bad.

SNL returns to late night on February 23 with host Tina Fey. It's going to be a Tivo-worthy episode to begin with, but a little Runway love would send it over the top.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Twosomes For Two Hundred


It's the 200th post! Like the 100th, I've decided to ring it in with another unnecessary list. This time around, it's my top 3 1980s television twosomes.

  • Larry Appleton & Balki Bartokomous of Perfect Strangers
    • What can be said that hasn't already been written about by the top media scholars...I guess a lot. Why do I love them? Nothing says 1980s comedy like funny accents, hijinks, and cousins from far, far away. Plus Larry was from Wisconsin.
  • Murphy Brown & Eldin Bernecky of Murphy Brown
    • He never finished painting her house, he had shaggy hair, and eventually he took care of that little bastard baby of hers (too soon?). She confided in him, spit him some of the show's best one liners and we are all better for it.
And the winner of the first annual edubTV top 1980s TV Twosome is...
  • Punky Brewster & Henry Warnimont of Punky Brewster
    • Henry was super old when he found Punky. I always wondered why he didn't have a harder time securing that adoption. They kind of cleared it all up in the pilot episode. I think that custody battle would've raged on for years. The show may not have been as lighthearted, but much more true to life. I guess we can't all be The Wire.

Take A Bow Girlfriends


Girlfriends, the long-running CW comedy featuring an all-African American cast, was officially canceled this week after an eight season run. The show is a casualty of the strike, as CW is only finishing production on shows that are coming back next season.

Girlfriends is not a great program by any means, on the LOL-O-Meter I'd say it's a 5. (To calibrate it, Two & A Half Men is a 3, 30 Rock is a 9.) But it's a shame it's not getting the proper send-off that an 8 season long show deserves. It had a giant fan following for a CW sitcom and people will surely be glad to see it go.

And during Black History Month for crying out loud.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Will I Watch This? Yes

Am I embarrassed? Yes

This news is quickly making its way around the internet and I thought I'd throw in my two cents. Fox just ordered a pilot based off the Japanese game show, Hole In The Wall. How do you play? There's a giant wall coming towards you and your job is to contort yourself in the right shape so the wall will pass through you. Don't get in the right shape and the wall pushes you into a pool of water.

I know, I know, it's ridiculous. But watch this clip from the Japanese version below.



Why will I watch? Because I can't wait to see how they "Fox" this up. Will the water have sharks in it? Will the holes in the wall be sexual positions? Will Randy Jackson make an awkward and forced appearance? Plus the novelty of dry people falling into pools of water never wears off.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

It's Over!

The Writers Strike is officially over.

The NY Times TV Blog whipped up this strike timeline in case my daily, weekly, and then not-so weekly updates weren't enough.

And if you missed the press conference announcing the deal, you can check that out too.

It's been a long 100 days. Now it's time to let the nation heal. Let's make comfort foods and vow to never watch Moment of Truth ever again.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

It's Hollywood Week!


It's Hollywood Week on American Idol. Who will make the Top 24?

Let's dish. First, my favorites!

Jeffrey Lampkin: He looks like a giant Raisinette, but who am I to judge? His voice isn't that good either. Why do I like him? He sang about pie, cake and chocolate swirls. Combining music and food is the way to instant stardom.

Syesha Mercado: She's sassy, she has adorable heels, a great voice and pop appeal and her name will scare White people. My favorite so far.

Not My Faves:

Michael Johns: He's a Michael McDonald wannabe, and Australian no less. Same thing with Carly Smithson. She's at least losing the accent a little bit. Question: If an Australian wins Idol, will the terrorists win? Potentially. Plus Johns is one of those cute guys who knows he's good looking. Worst quality ever.

David Archuleta: He's a Ryan Pinkston doppleganger who sounds like he has a throat condition. And those compliments are going to his little 16-year-old head. I didn't think he was so great, and only 30% of that is 16-year-old me getting jealous. This guy is going to be the next Diana Degarmo. What happened to her? Exactly.

Monday, February 11, 2008

MTV: Enough Is Enough

MTV needs to be stopped.

Their next bright idea is a talent competition for celebrity children. The famous spawn compete to see which one of them is the best rock star.

Are you kidding me? If this is making it through the idea wringer, I have a few ideas of my own for MTV's next celebrity inspired hit.

  • Celebrity Pet Match: Celebrity pets fight to the death. Vote with your cell phone to decide who's going in to the ring next.
  • Hollywood Feed Bag: Young starlets compete in eating challenges. The first person to make it to a healthy weight wins.
  • Jail House Rock: Celebrities coach teams of dangerous inmates at California's super max prisons. Which ones will rise to stardom? Which ones will end up shanked?
Don't act like they're any worse than what we already have. Is it so wrong that I just want music videos back? Or at the very least...Austin Stories.


Sunday, February 10, 2008

Ni Hao Kai-Lan!


As a tie-in with Chinese New Year, Nick Jr. premiered their new show, Ni Hao Kai-Lan. Similar to Dora The Explorer, the show has been in the works for nearly four years. But to keep up with our changing world and global economy, instead of Spanish this little darling teaches the kiddies Mandarin.

I recorded an episode of the show and as I watched, I did the following:

  • Said the following in Chinese: 1, 2, 3, hello, goodbye, jump, grandpa, and tiger
  • Participated in a dragon boat race
  • Helped a jumping monkey get a boat off of a pagoda
  • Learned what to do when someone gets mad..in song no less
  • Hung out with my friends ( a monkey, a tiger, an abstract hippo and a koala)
  • Tickled the sun
  • Did a dance for a giant dragon
It was a cute show and Kai-Lan is a lot less demanding than Dora. Less yelling about saying stuff along with the TV. Much more inviting, and welcoming. Plus that stupid computer interface is off the screen.

Kai-Lan laughs a bunch and told me she made her heart feel super. Usually you need to put out to get that kind of compliment from someone. Not from Kai-Lan though. It was a fun half-hour, and it's refreshing to see children of other ethnicities getting a seat at the Nick Jr. table.

If she can cross over with the parents, Dora will have to take a backseat for awhile.

Reason # 1,312, 789 Why...


I'm glad the Writer's Strike is almost over.

Tonight, for two hours, NBC is airing a little special called The 100 Most Outrageous Moments of All Time.

What does that even mean? Caught on tape? Moments with animals? In Black History? In Pop Culture? And who's deciding these moments? Is there a scale of outrageousness?

You'd really have to hate music with an undying passion to want to avoid the Grammy's so much as to sit through that special. Or you'd just have to have a high threshold for obnoxious clips/pain.

In my mind, the only thing that could be on a countdown of that title would be 100 clips of mega-superstar Jem, of Jem & The Holograms. As you will recall, she was truly, truly, truly outrageous.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

I Finally Saw "The Wire"


I finally saw The Wire at the suggestion, (no urging), of my friend Aleem. I was also motivated by this article from The Onion.

To avoid being the fodder for other novelty newspapers, I went to Aleem's to watch the show on DVD. It was exactly what they said it would be: Abrasive, complex, intense, etc. While it was interesting to watch, and probably some of the best television I've seen in this strike-zone, I wasn't convinced.

Aleem will chalk it up to only seeing two episodes. Purists will say I shouldn't have watched it in a room with a bunch of people, including a few chatty ladies. But they way I see it? It's Hill Street Blues with more drugs, drinking and "fucks." Not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but I am going to need more convincing before I start bowing down at its feet like everyone else in the free world...at least those with HBO.

Strike Babies!

Two of my favorites actresses recently announced that they're preggers.

Mary Lynn Rajskyb (That's Rice-Cub) of 24 fame is due at the end of the summer. I hope she has a girl and names it Terry Schematic Rajskyb. That would be a fitting tribute. Chloe is what Rajskyb is known for, but her role as the female lead in Kirk's short film on Gilmore Girls is why she'll always have a special place in my heart.



Beating Rasjskub to the punch is Angela Martin, Angela on The Office. She's due in May and if The Office is coming back this spring with a few episodes, it will be interesting to see how they cover that up. I know they did it on Seninfeld, Cosby and other programs, but Angela is really short and very thin. She's going to need to hold a really big cardboard box all the time.

There's A Deal On The Table!


This may be my Kennedy moment. Where was I when the WGA and the AMPTP came to a tentative deal? Taking a nap at my parents' house. I may have to work on my story. Anyway, the biggest struggle is over. Click here to check out the finer points of the deal.

Guild members still need to vote on the agreement, but this is looking way up. Pie in the sky up. The optimism is contagious. TV Guide even put out this handy-dandy guide of when your fav shows are coming back.

I'm waiting with baited breath because it's not over till it's over. (And I'm trying to do cool things so I can have a compelling story to tell my grandkids about this whole mess.)

Almost Famous

I'm in Entertainment Weekly...okay the website.

And maybe I'm talking about movies...that I haven't even seen.

But it's a start. Closest thing I've had to stardom.

So watch out world. edubTV is on to big things.

(Thanks for the sighting Mike!)

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Ask Elizabeth, But Only If You Have To


Everyday I find another reason to get down on my knees and thank the good lord for GMail. Today is no exception.

While checking my messages today I saw a sponsored advertisement for a website called Ask-Elizabeth. It's a resource for tween and teen girls to learn more about peer pressure, body image, friendships, health, boys, etc. They can ask anonymous questions and swap stories with girls everywhere. And you'll never guess which beacon of Girl Power is bringing this site straight to browsers everywhere...Elizabeth Berkley.

Yes, that Elizabeth Berkley, Jessie " Caffeine Addict, oil-derrick bound, long-skirt cheerleader" Spano from Saved By The Bell. You may also remember her from a little movie called Showgirls. Nothing says "I am committed to making a positive impact on young girls around the world" like a DVD Box set that comes with pasties.

I may joke, but I do applaud Berkley for devoting so much time to this endeavor. Resources for young ladies have come a long way since Gurl (Remember that anybody? You may have checked your first e-mail on it while you read your Delia's catalog). Anyway, it's just funny that young women are looking to Elizabeth Berkley for guidance. Jessie Spano may have been a better choice. At least she got into Stanford.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Brave New Planet


Things are changing at Animal Planet and it's all starting with the logo. Gone is the distinguished elephant, replaced by a "funky" more wild font (at least circa Wordperfect 1993).

The logo ties in with their switch from cute and cuddly to ravenous and fierce. Think sharks ramming boats, lions eating gazelles, and 10-hour blocks of Meerkat Manor. I guess domesticated animals just aren't cutting it anymore.

And yes, this means the Puppy Bowl is old news. What's this world coming to?

Hot Hot Heat - Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!


The producers of Big Brother are just as sleazy and gross as you think they are. Apparently, the house won't have air conditioning this year, so the contestants (all single this time) will be more inclined to take off their clothes.

I wish I were making this up. There are some days when it's really hard to be a TV fan. I've been laughed at, called lazy, and suffered through two years as a Com Arts major with film geeks judging my choice of medium the whole time. The producers of Big Brother are not making my fandom any easier. Television shows are like a loaf of bread. If one slice goes bad, the whole thing gets thrown out (unless you're cheap or courageous). Please producers. Stop this. We can all do better.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Super Tuesday Showdown


My state didn't vote today but I still enjoy watching the returns from today's Super Tuesday elections. More than the data, stats, numbers, etc are the gimmicks, glossy hair cuts and power ties. Indeed, I just like watching the coverage for coverage sake. Let's break it down.

I'm devoting a few minutes to all of the major news nets and then doing a side by side comparison. Click the image to enlarge.

The victor tonight? ABC News. Who knew Diane, George and Charlie made such a great team? I guess everyone who loved Good Morning America 5 years ago.

Monday, February 4, 2008

No Deal! Please!


Deal or No Deal is kind of ridiculous. I never sat through an entire episode before, and tonight I learned just why.

There are 26 cases in the game and because it's sweeps (I know it's easy to forget without new shows) 10 of those cases have $1 Million in them. Great odds huh? But do those odds warrant 90 minutes of this crap?

My favorite part: Tonight's episode features Becky, an elvish looking woman (they've made fun of her height several times. We get it, she's petite!) with 5 kids whose father currently commutes 16 hours each weekend just to see his grandchildren. She wants to win the money so he can finally retire. Becky's mother is optimistic she will walk away with the money because she's been through so much adversity and " she can do this." How surviving traumatic events correlates to picking random suitcases on a stage I don't know. But according to Mama Elf it does.

I won't tell you how it ends, but I know one thing is true: Between the Patriots losing yesterday and me committing 90 minutes to this tripe, the terrorists are having a banner week.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

What To Do When The Strike Ends

The Writers Strike is almost over. What are you going to do first when it ends?

It's been a long time to go without new TV. I just hope this doesn't affect The Mole coming back this summer.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

They Don't Call It Super For Nothing

Mandi Bierly over at PopWatch, posted this handy guide on things to watch instead of the Super Bowl tomorrow. While her list is great, I've composed one of my own.

Here are a few reasons why you should get over yourself and watch the flippin' Super Bowl.
  1. Tom Brady. Hate him for being kind of sketchy and amazingly talented, but you can't argue with his face.
  2. Watching Justin Timberlake get hit in the junk by a mailbox. Over and over again.

3. Tom Petty may in fact die of old age during the half time show. (Sidenote: I understand Janet was scandalous, but does every performer from now on need an AARP membership to get backstage? Get over it people!)

4. Ryan Seacrest is reporting live from the red carpet. There's someone who misses award season. I wonder if he'll whip out his Gladiators 2000 jersey to fit in with the atheletes?

5. Because the game is better than the movie would've been.

Have fun tomorrow! I'm bringing cupcakes to the party. GIRL ALERT!

Crash Into Starz


I hate the movie Crash. If someone gave me several million dollars and told me to make a movie about race in America, I could have made that movie. It wasn't enlightening, it didn't make me think, and it certainly did reveal any truths about being a minority in America. This could be because I spent almost 23 years as a person of color, or it could just be because the movie sucked.

Since the movie isn't popping up as much On Demand, I haven't been able to whip out my Crash rant for awhile...until now. Starz is turning Crash into a TV show.

This is Starz' first foray into television. Unlike HBO and Showtime, Starz held out on TV and invested their money in better movies, usually earlier than the other premium channels. So if making Crash was risky in the first place, now it's being done by amateurs.

Apparently the show wont be all about race relations or car accidents that teach people life lessons. While this is wonderful to hear, I have to wonder if this TV adaptation is really an adaptation at all. As long as it's not so hokey and ridiculous, I'm willing to give it a try.

Friday, February 1, 2008

O-No!


Because OWN isn't scary enough, sculptor Daniel Edwards made this freaky piece called The Oprah Sarcophagus. She's curvy, she's bronze and she's nude. It's too much to bear and not necessarily a flattering depiction of Oprah. I'm sure she'll have Edwards. "taken care of" by the end of the week.