Take A Look At The Emmy Finalists

For the first time, the folks over at The Emmys decided to let the fans in on the process and released the top 10 finalists in the Outstanding Comedy and Drama categories.

There's no voting or fan favorite or anything. They just want you to know who the heavy hitters were before the list gets narrowed down to five official nominees. It's kind of a neat idea.

Here are the lists. I took the liberty of highlighting my picks for you.

Outstanding Comedy Series Finalists

• Curb Your Enthusiasm
  
• Entourage
  
• Family Guy
• Flight of the Conchords
  
• The Office
• Pushing Daisies - Great new show but it's a little soon to compete with the big boys.
• 30 Rock
• Two And A Half Men - Why God Why?
  
• Ugly Betty
• Weeds
  

This drama list is loaded with good stuff. I don't envy the Academy at all.

Outstanding Drama Series Finalists

• Boston Legal
• Damages
  
• Dexter
  
• Friday Night Lights
  
• Grey's Anatomy
• House
• Lost
  
• Mad Men
• The Wire

Guess, wonder, hypothesize, etc. All of the nominees will be announced on July 17.


Photo: HeroesTheSeries.com

Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's 1972!

ABC is putting its chips in the BBC basket and making a re-make of a popular British drama for the fall season. Life on Mars follows a police officer in the prime of his career. Too bad he gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1972. Is he dreaming? Is he in a coma? Or could this really be happening?

It's a little less "out there" than Pushing Daisies and more creative than Eli Stone. My concern is that people are little worn out on the whole "time-traveling" thing. Journeyman didn't do so well and it's one of the most troubling aspects of LOST.

But check out the trailer and see for yourself. Do you think it can survive? One thing helping it out? It's got the post-Grey's Anatomy time slot. If you can't make it there, you can't make it anywhere.

Week In Review

A few of the highlights from this week in TV...basically things I forgot to mention or didn't have time for.

-Pushing Daisies was superb. It was bold, romantic and very funny. Ned's (Lee Pace, pictured with Anna Friel) sincerity is so refreshing. I had forgotten how many conniving, vindictive and genuinely annoying people there were on television. Ned and the rest of his cast of quirky characters reminded me that I shouldn't lower my expectations.

-Degrassi premiered last night on "The N," Nickelodeon's solution to teenagers. This Canadian teen drama is in its 7th season and last night's episode featured teen drinking, a blind date, threats of violence via podcast, a visit to a graveyard and oh yeah, a stranger rape. These kids are seniors in high school. More happened to them in 55 minutes than my entire 4 years at JMM. The show's tagline " It Goes There," has never been more true.

-Prison Break is off to a good start. If you're not into it now, it may be too late. DVD it...pronto.

That's all for now. Next week should be sweet with new shows on MTV and Discovery Health. Hot!