Midseason TV report (Sundays)

Let's close out the year with a look at the final day of TV recaps, Sunday.

The Amazing Race: This easily was the worst cycle of this show in quite a while. While still heads and tails above most reality shows, TAR stumbled a bit this season as a result of some poor casting. There were very few likeable teams this time around. Even worse, most of the teams were terrible at playing the game. I've never seen so many misread or misunderstood clues in one season. The locales were nice, but then again, the show always does a nice job of finding unique places each time that truly represent this beautiful planet. The show will return again next spring and I'm hoping they'll have a better group of racers next time out.

The Simpsons: 20 years in, the show is what it is. It can't possibly be as good as it was in its glory days, but it seems they've brought some fresh blood in to help things feel fresh again. This season has had some ups and downs, but each episode still manages to yield some laughs from me. I particularly liked the most recent episode that involved Mr. Burns buying a basketball team. It was nice to see a full episode devoted to a character outside of the family. This show has created this wonderful world of characters, yet has reduced most of them to one-note jokes. Here's hoping with the new writers, new aspects of these fun characters will be explored.

Family Guy: You know, considering the fact that this show didn't return with new episodes after the strike ended last spring, you would have thought they would have had a ton of episodes brimming with good ideas coming into this new season. Instead, the show seemingly became even lazier, not even trying to cobble coherent plots together. If the pop culture references worked, then the show remains amusing, otherwise it's just a muddled mess. The standout episode of the season had to be the Surfin Bird episode, which I go back and forth on as to whether it was the funniest thing ever or the most annoying half hour of television ever made.

American Dad: It seems apparent that either Seth McFarlane has put most of his focus on this show or has much more capable running this one than Family Guy because it continues to be a much better show with intelligent humor and clever plotlines. Consider this had the stigma of being the bastard son of Family Guy for so long, it's funny to see how it has surpassed it in quality now. The biggest problem area for this show is Roger, who is great in small doses but grating when he takes over the show. It will be interesting to see how this show's quality is affecting once Seth's third show, The Cleveland Show makes it's debut next year.

Looks like my New Year's resolution will have to be to read more

To read more about Time Warner customers losing so many of these popular cable channels, read this.

Midseason TV report (Thursdays)

I was thinking this would wrap up my TV reviews, but then I realized I watch quite a few shows on Sundays as well, so I'll do a post for them in the next few days. By the way, don't think I forgot about Wednesdays; I didn't, there's just nothing decent on that night.

My Name is Earl: I'm beginning to consider giving up on this show. It's not that the show is bad, but compared to so many other sharp, intelligent sitcoms out there, this sticks out like a sore thumb. Each episode makes you feel nice with their uplifting themes, but I just don't find myself laughing a whole lot. All of the main characters have become stale and whenever they try to give the characters new developments, it never is for the better. The highlight of the show is still Jaime Pressley's Joy, who continues to find new levels of being hilariously trashy. If the networks try and squeeze anything else on this night, this is likely the first to go.

Kath and Kim: I gave the show a look and for some reason have stuck with it. The show really isn't very good or funny, but I can't seem to give it up. Part of it is that I know there is potential there because of the funny cast. The other part is that train wreck mentality where you know what you're watching is horrific, yet you can't look away. Along with Earl, this one needs to shape up quickly if it has any chance of surviving on my DVR.

The Office: This season has definitely been an improvement over the unnecessarily dour season 4, but still has not returned to complete greatness. I think I've resigned to the fact that the show simply cannot live up to the awesomeness that was season 2. That season focused on the nuances of working in a dull office, whereas now, too much focus is on the characters and their relationships. There have certainly been some highlights though, including the development of Michael and Holly's relationship. I hope she can return at some point down the line. I also have enjoyed how they've thrown these potential stumbling blocks in front of Jim and Pam, yet have resisted to have them breakup over some cliched conflict. I'll be looking forward to seeing what they do with the post-Super Bowl slot in a few weeks. The early reports sound like we'll be in for a big treat.

30 Rock: I think the praise and accolades have hurt this show a bit. Not that I think the writers or stars are getting big egos, but rather it has caused them to try and create episodes that abandon the show's original concept in order to generate more viewers to justify in remaining on the air. There were too many episodes thus far stuffed with guest stars and there was hardly any time spent on the TV show that the characters work on. The highlight for me this season was the subplot involving Kenneth and Tracy trying to film an appropriate ending to Night Court. In an episode focused on Jennifer Aniston's appearance, seeing the reunion of Harry Anderson and Markie Post was the real treat for me. This show remains funny, but they need to start remembering what brought them to the dance.

Survivor: This was not one of my favorite seasons. Of course, it would have been tough to top the crazy and exciting Fans vs. Favorites season, but this one came in way under expectations. This is mostly to blame on a lousy cast. Anyone that was remotely interesting was booted early and we were left with a handful of unworthy or egotistical characters. It became difficult to root for anyone near the end, however I was thrilled to see that Bob won as he proved himself out there. Unlike their last visit to Africa, locale wasn't a major issue this time. True, there wasn't a whole lot of water, but they made up for that with the beautiful jungles and wildlife, which I'm sure looked amazing in HD. Having watched every season, I know that some are better than others, so I'll definitely be looking forward to seeing what they have in store for us when they travel to Brazil next season.

CSI: We knew going into this season that Grissom wouldn't be sticking around and as sad as that is, I think the show has done a wonderful job of depicting how this job has broken him down. Most of the cases themselves have been nothing extraordinary, but Grissom's performance has been top notch. I would love to see him actually get some recognition come awards season, something that typically eludes him being on a serial show like this. I really enjoyed the cliffhanger episode that introduced Laurence Fishburne. The Dick and Jane killer was very interesting and Fishburne character already has enough mystery surrounding him to make us curious about him. I may not always get to this show immediately on Thursday nights, but it never fails to entertain me whenever I do get around to watching the episodes.

Man-datory viewing?

I Love You, Man has a stellar cast and the trailer seems funny, but opening in March makes me worry this may not be as good as it seems. Still, check it out and see if you can tell whether this will be a winner or not.

Midseason TV report (Tuesday)

House: While the show still doesn't feel the same with these new doctors, things are slowly improving. I'm at least to the point where I accept them as House's new team, even if I still don't like them as much as the original trio. When the episodes are straightforward cases, things are fine. What I don't like is when the episodes try and delve into these new doctors' personal lives. I liked the House/Wilson 'breakup' that began the season, but felt they could have done more with it. And as for the ongoing issue of Cuddy wanting a baby; how she finally got one was done in a too far-fetched and unrealistic manner. Ultimately the show remains about everyone's favorite cranky doc, and he remains as good as ever, which keeps me turning in every week.

Fringe: This is the only new show that I've watched, so it may not seem like much to say it's the best new show this season, but I am truly enjoying this show. It has a great combination of science fiction, cop drama, and comedy. I love all of the inventive fringe sciences that are explored each week on the show, like the episode where a group of bank robbers had figured out a way using sound waves to walk through walls. The other strength of the show is the cast. Usually it takes a season or two before a cast really gels together, but the actors on this show banter with each other like they've been working with each other for years. Given that J.J. Abrams is behind the show, there is some mythology here, but it's not too deep yet that you couldn't start watching this show now and pick up what's going on. They do a good job of still making each episode as self contained as possible. If you haven't checked out this show, do so when it returns in January.

Adamantium pandemonium

Here's the first full trailer for next summer's Wolverine prequel...



After seeing it, I've only have one thing to say: Gambit!!!

Midseason TV report (Mondays)

I've been neglectful in my commentary on my favorite TV shows this fall, so I've decided this week to give a summation of my feelings on these programs now that most of them are on break over the holidays.

The Big Bang Theory - This is quickly becoming one of my favorite sitcoms, which I know isn't saying much given the crop of comedies out there, but this show truly has become something special. To think that a year ago, I wasn't even watching it; I regret waiting so long to come on board. The writers have done a wonderful job fleshing out these characters. They're real people who still remain funny as well. And while the regular cast is great, I'd just like to add how much I enjoyed Sara Rue's recent arc as Leonard new girlfriend. I hope they intend to bring her back again as she's been a nice addition to the cast. My only concern is that the show doesn't turn into The Sheldon Show. He's had a lot of exposure thus far this season, which has been fine. But if the writers aren't careful, it could get out of hand. Still, this show consistently produces the laughs and is a great way to start the night.

How I Met Your Mother - The season has been a bit uneven so far. When it's on, it's as good as any other sitcom out there right now. But sometimes it flounders into sitcom cliches and cheap laughs, which is disappointing. I think the most frustrating thing is that most of the characters have been stuck in neutral for most of the season. I truly think the producers never thought the show would last this long. It's becoming particularly cruel to the fans to keep making us become invested in Ted's love interests only to learn they aren't the mother. They'll get to a point where they'll reveal the mother and the person won't be able to stack up against the previous contenders. On the plus side of things, I've liked how we've gotten to know more about Robin. Whenever they deal with her Canadian roots, it's comedy gold. Finally, I'm disappointed we've gone so long without Barney being slapped by Marshall. There have been a couple of great opportunities to do it that have already gone by. Let's hope the writers haven't forgotten about this plot detail.

Chuck - No sophomore jinx here as this show continues to be a fun romp. You can't really provide the show with a lot of superlatives, but the show is able to consistently entertain me, while naturally progressing their stories. I like how we're moving forward with the Fulcrum story and how they're getting closer to realizing Chuck is the intersect. I also think that the Chuck and Sarah relationship is progressing at the level it should. A lot of the fun of this show though comes from the surrounding cast of characters. Ellie and Awesome are just great and seeing more of the Buy More staff has been great; although Anna has been somewhat underutilized lately. The show has also had some great guest stars including Tony Hale's annoying Emmitt, Gary Cole as Sarah's con artist dad, and Reginal Veljohnson (Carl Winslow!!) showing up this week to play a cop who's also Big Mike's cousin. It may not be the best show out there, but it rarely disappoints.

Heroes: Oy, where to begin with this one. I could do a whole rant/post just on this show alone, but I'll try to be as succinct as possible. This show was all over the place this year from a narrative perspective and proved that it does not have the same caliber of people working on it than on a show like Lost when it comes to planning and storytelling. Each episode as a whole can be exciting to watch, but when you then look back and try to make sense of everything your head begins to hurt. There are just too many plot holes and continuity errors to ignore. In addition, it seems they can't seem to figure out what their audience wants. Characters that are cool or interesting are quickly killed off, while some of the dumbest characters ever written for television remain on the show 3 years later. Again, not to make comparisons to Lost, but when fans hated Nikki and Paulo, they were killed off and when they enjoyed Desmond and Ben, they found ways to make them a part of the regular cast. The one postive about Heroes is that they have set up their next chapter in a manner that seems like it could be an interesting plotline. Plus Bryan Fuller, one of the intelligent people working on the show back in Season 1, is back and helping to right the ship. The premise of the show remains solid, so if they can begin to figure out how to write compelling, episodic television, they may be able to win some of their fans back.

Price is Right history

What should have been a significant moment, however, was a bit marred. Turns out the guy got his bid from someone in the audience who is a big nerd over at Golden-Road.net who had the prizes' prices memorized. While not illegal, it certainly takes the fun out of it. Apparently, there was a 45 minute tape delay between when the contestants gave their showcase bids and when they revealed the actual retail prices. The delay was for Standards and Practices to make sure their hadn't been any cheating. So the long lag time, plus the knowledge of how he got that price I think diminshed Drew's reaction when he revealed the price. In reality, Drew should have been going crazy over this as I was when I first saw it. It's a shame it turned out that way, but it's still a pretty good moment, nonetheless.

Riding the bullet train

I just saw Wanted through Netflix, but decided to do a full review anyways since it's still a major release from this year and because I gyped everyone out of full reviews for The Rocker and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

This was a film that just never generated much interest from me earlier this year. I'm not sure if it was the generic title, vague plotline, or underwhelming cast, but nothing about this screamed 'must-see summer film'. However, it did moderately well at the box office, so I figured I would see if I was off the mark on this one or if it was another example of the stupidity of America.

Wanted is based off a comic book, but unless you're really a hardcore comic book nerd, you're probably unfamiliar with the story. The plot centers Wesley Gibson (played by James McAvoy), an office drone who is suddenly recruited into a group of assassins called the Fraternity, who tell him that his recently deceased father had been a member of the group. Morgan Freeman plays Sloan, the leader of the fraternity and Angelina Jolie is Fox, the assassin assigned to train Wesley.

Sadly, the acting here isn't of a high caliber. I felt McAvoy was miscast here as he was neither convincing as the downtrodden working for the weekend employee nor as the badass assassin he becomes. McAvoy underplays both roles to the degree that you never get emotionally wrapped up in what he's doing or what's happening to him. Freeman and Jolie are fine, but these are both roles that are so familiar for them, they could play them in their sleep. In the end, nobody's performance in the film feels very inspired.

Some inspiration and creativity could also have been needed for the film's story. Every plot point from the movie feels like a retread from other better action films. You pretty much know where the story is going from the beginning. About the only unique thing about the film from a story perspective is the Fraternity's magic loom, which informs the assassins of their next target. However, as you can probably tell just from reading that sentence, that plot point is more silly than creative.

It appears that all of the creativity needed in the story was instead invested in the action sequences. This is an adrenaline-fueled film that provides several action scenes not found in most films of the genre. Even without the luxury of a big screen or high-definition, I was impressed by the visual style of the film and the way in which the stunts were depicted. Sure, most of the action defies the laws of gravity and plausibility, but sometimes that is ok. It's nice to have that escape from reality and just be amazed by the inventiveness of the scenes unfolding before your eyes.

Now there have certainly been some other films recently that have just tried to go all out with their action and violence, but this one does it more successfully I feel. Unlike a film like Shoot 'Em Up, where the violence just seemed so senseless and depressing, Wanted succeeds at turning their action scenes into an art form. I feel most will be like me and marvel at the lengths these Fraternity members go in order to complete the kill.

I'm going to go ahead and give this one a mild recommendation. I think you have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy it, but if you are, you should have a lot of fun watching the gun play and car chase scenes. This may not have the most original story, but unlike so many other films that suffer from a lack of creativity, I wasn't bothered by it. The film is like a 4th of July fireworks display; sure, they may not offer anything new each time, but you can't help and watch them every year and appreciate their sheer beauty. And in that sense, I guess that makes it the perfect summer movie. Looks like my first impressions aren't always right. In this case, I'm glad I was wrong. Grade: B-

Moroccan Christmas deleted scenes

Clip #2



Clip #1

NMR: Triple threat

Managed to get in a few Netflix movies over the past few weeks...

Confidence: This was a film with a decent cast that somehow received little attention a few years back. This is your typical con movie. They tell you right up front that they're con men, so you know that whatever is happening in the movie is all part of a con too. From that perspective, the film is a disappointment because you feel like you're always two steps ahead of it when it should be the other way around. However, the acting is solid here, especially Dustin Hoffman playing a sleazy mob boss. If you enjoy these types of films, give it a rent; otherwise, there's nothing special here. Rating: ***

Jackass 2.5: I was looking for something short that I could watch through Netflix online and this fit the bill. This consists of a series of stunts that the guys couldn't fit into Jackass Number Two. While a couple of the bits are typical Jackass fun, like Human Golf Tee, it's clear why most of the stuff didn't make the cut. If you're a true Jackass fan, you've probably seen this already and if you're not, then there really isn't any reason for you to watch this. Rating: ***

Bad News Bears: This is the 2006 remake starring Billy Bob Thorton. This has a handful of decent laughs, but this is a surprising faithful remake to the original, which leaves it devoid of many surprises. I'm not sure who this is meant for, which was proven by the fact that not a lot of people saw in the theaters. If it's on TV, it's entertaining enough to keep on. But there's no real reason to seek it out, especially if you've already seen the original film. Rating: ***

Real Life Mario Kart

MARIO KART (REMI GAILLARD)
by nqtv

This was cute, but had the potential to be so much better.

Wanna see my Golden Globes?

Golden Globe nominations came out today as the awards season is now in full swing. While there were no major surprises, it's hard to read much into the Globes since they do the goofy split of films into drama and comedy categories.

The nominees for Best Drama were: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Revolutionary Road, and Slumdog Millionaire

The nominees for Best Comedy/Musical were: Burn After Reading, Happy-Go-Lucky, In Bruges, Mamma Mia!, and Vicky Christina Barcelona

An eccelectic mix if ever there was one. I still think this is a wide open race right now, but at least we're beginning to see who the familiar faces are going to be when it comes time for the Oscars.

To see the full list of nominees, go here: 2008 Golden Globe Nominees

Terminator Salvation trailer

I'm not sure what to make of this one yet. I've never been a big fan of the Terminator franchise, but adding Christian Bale as John Connor instant improves the credibility of this film. I'll probably see this, but I doubt this will be an opening weekend viewing for me. What do you think?

Cleveland sports roundup

I haven't talked much about Cleveland sports lately since things have been so dreary, but there's finally some good news to share.

Wood expected to sign two-year deal with Tribe

So it looks like the Indians have got themselves a closer for next year. I'm cautiously optimistic about this deal. Wood was great as a closer for the Cubs last season, but has been known to have injury problems. If he can stay healthy, I think this is a very good move for the Tribe and helps bolster the back end of that bullpen.

Sabathia to accept Yankees' offer

I know this isn't really Indians' news, but I wanted to talk about it anyways. I am really disappointed to hear this. Not just for the fact that the Yanks got a really good pitcher, but because it seems like this was a move done out of greed. C.C. has talked about nothing but playing back in his home state of California and in the National League so he can bat. Last I checked, New York doesn't meet either of those criteria. I know the economy is tough, but for C.C. to forego his dream for big money is disappointing. And it sickens me to see so many people struggling financially, yet Steinbrenner can give out $160 million like it's nothing. Ugh.

Browns eye Schottenheimer for 2009

Speaking of disappointing, the Browns certainly have had a disappointing season. And as a result there is a lot of talk of Romeo Crennel getting fired at the end of the year. While I can understand that move, I don't necessarily think Romeo deserves to get fired. If anyone deserves to go, it's GM Phil Savage. But if Romeo does go, I'm very interested by this news of Marty ball possibly returning to Cleveland. I think he got the shaft out in San Diego and could possibly provide the spark that this team needs. I know a lot of the new, inexperienced coaches have done well in the NFL this year, but I think Schottenheimer is a proven commodity that could take the talent that is on this team and turn them back into winners. But again, this is all speculative at this point, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Finally, I just want to applaud that Cleveland Cavs for their fine start to this NBA season. I typically don't cover the Cavs because I am not a big fan of pro basketball, but you have to be impressed with this 9 game winning streak where they are just crushing their opponents. I'll enjoy it now, but we need them to play like this in the playoffs before I'm truly convinced. Let's face it, if we have even the slightest chance of keeping Lebron, it's going to take us being a championship-caliber franchise. For now, let's just hope they keep this up.

Heroes' saving hero?

I reported a couple weeks ago about Pushing Daises' Bryan Fuller returning to Heroes later on this season. For those unsure about the move or curious as to what impact he'll have, here's an interview he conducted with EW, which reveals his analysis of Heroes' season thus far and what changes they're looking at making.

Exclusive interview with Bryan Fuller

Reading his comments, makes me very hopeful that they still have a chance to right this ship and bring the show back to the promised land.

The Surplus deleted scenes

Clip #3



Clip #2



Clip #1

Gentlemen, start your projectors

The Oscar race is officially underway as the first major awards were handed out last night. The National Board of Review announced winners in several categories. In addition to the individual winners, they also list a top ten, which for some reason, doesn't include their winner for best film; so I guess you can consider it a top eleven list. Anyways, the winners are listed below. From the looks of things, this year is going to be very wide open.

Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
Best Actress: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, Milk
Best Supporting Actress: Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Foreign Language Film: Mongol
Best Documentary: Man on Wire
Best Animated Feature: Wall-E
Best Ensemble Cast: Doubt
Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: Viola Davis, Doubt
Best Directorial Debut: Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Best Original Screenplay: Nick Schenk, Gran Torino
Best Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire and Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Spotlight Award: Melissa Leo, Frozen River and Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression: Trumbo

Top Ten Films:
Burn After Reading
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Defiance
Frost/Nixon
Gran Torino
Milk
Wall-E
The Wrestler

Don't adjust your set!

So this week on Price is Right, it's been the infamous "purple wheel" episodes. Apparently, they accidentally painted it purple while the show was on a taping break. They had a week's worth of episodes with this funky wheel before painting it back. When I heard about it, I thought it would look terrible, but it's not that bad. I'm still glad they decided to change it back though. Check it out for yourself below.

As Daisies wilts, Heroes creative staff gets Fuller

From comingsoon.net:

"Pushing Daisies" creator/executive producer Bryan Fuller is close to a two-year overall deal with Universal Media Studios, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Fuller will rejoin the UMS-produced drama "Heroes," which he left after the first season to launch ABC/WBTV's "Daisies," and will develop new projects for the studio.

Fuller, who is wrapping post-production on the final episodes of "Daisies'" 13-episode second-season order, is expected to officially come on board "Heroes" starting with Episode 20.

His exact role on the sci-fi drama has not been determined, but he is expected to play a key role in the writers room alongside "Heroes" creator/executive producer/showrunner Tim Kring.

This is definitely good news. I never watched Daisies, so I'm not really mourning over its cancellation. And Fuller definitely is a creative mind and his return can only help the struggling Heroes. Suddenly, I have a reason to continue watching the show.

New Office webisodes: The Outburst

Episode 1:


Episode 2:


Episode 3:

Summer leftovers

I've been away from the blog too long, so I'm going to try and make up for that with a post explosion today. First up is a pair of short movie reviews for a couple of movies I saw recently.

The Rocker: I actually saw this as part of my 5 movies in 5 days stunt a few weeks ago, but I just never got around to posting a review for it. Now with so much time passed, it will only get a mini-review. This is an amiable film that really doesn't break any new ground. Rainn Wilson does a nice job as Robert 'Fish' Fishman, a hair metal band drummer who gets kicked out of his band right before they hit it big. Now he's middle-aged and still trying to rock out, this time with his nephew's high school band. This one has neither the sweetness nor the rock appreciation that a film like School of Rock had, nor the edgy comedy of the Apatow films. You can see how everything will play out, but you don't mind since the story works. Although I will admit that the comeuppance that Fish's old band receives at the end of the movie doesn't seem plausible or realistic. I think the best part of the film for me is that a lot of it takes place in Cleveland and they show several scenes involving the city landscape. I wish I could have been at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when Rainn was filming his scenes there. This one probably isn't worth actively renting, but when its eventually on cable and its a rainy Saturday afternoon, you may want to give it a look. Grade: C+

Journey to the Center of the Earth: This one I caught as I was flying back from San Diego. If you're unfamiliar, it's the modern update of the classic Jules Verne story; this time with Brenden Fraser, his nephew, and a cute tour guide somehow finding their to the center of the Earth and then trying to find a way to come back home. Again, this film is not terrible, but not great either. Then again, I probably didn't get the full experience of the film. This film is clearly designed to be seen in 3-D. Not only did I not see it in 3-D, but I didn't even see it on a regular size screen. A lot gets lost on that tiny airplane screen. And watching a film meant for 3-D on anything but, can be really annoying. Especially when they do things like spit or throw something at the camera that you can tell was meant to utilize the technology but just looks dumb if you watch it in 2-D. Fraser is good in these visual-laden adventure films, but the other two actors don't provide a whole lot. Kids will probably really enjoy this, but I thought they didn't do enough to fully explore the landscape of the mythical center of the Earth. I'm glad the film did well though since they went out of their way to set up a sequel at the end of this film. I think with the 3-D format becoming so popular lately, that film will almost certainly get made. If you didn't see this one yet, try and find a way to see it in 3-D; otherwise you can probably skip it. Grade: C