RBR (Redbox review): Silver Linings Playbook

For a film who's central character is dealing with mental illness, I felt like I was suffering from bi-polar disorder while I watched. You go through some extreme feelings as the movie unfolds, which in my case left me uncertain of how to exactly review this film. We'll begin with the movie's premise; a young man (Bradley Cooper) who's been recently released from a mental institution after witnessing his wife having an affair, tries to put the pieces of his life back together by dealing with his family's fandom of the Philadelphia Eagles and starting up a friendship with a young woman who seems to be just as unstable as he is. And of course, the film's climax involves ballroom dancing. WHAT?!? On paper, this story should not work at all. And yet, it does, thanks largely to the strong performances by the film's cast. Those performances though, can also be a source of frustration. Take for instance, Jennifer Lawrence who plays the unstable woman Cooper befriends. From a casting perspective, she seems all wrong to play this loose, morose widow. However, her performance is so engaging you stop thinking that she shouldn't be in this movie. There are several other elements about both how this film was made and the story it told that I kept wanting to alter. And yet, at each point the film wore me down with its charm and moxie. I stopped caring about its weak depiction of mental illness or the nonsensical bet that the story's climax hinges on and just enjoyed being around these characters. I'm not convinced that this is a good movie and yet it somehow feels wrong to harshly critique it. It's success both at the box office and during the awards season is proof that I'm not the only one who felt that way. If you've resisted seeing this movie thus far, stop fighting it and give it a watch. It's one of those "four-quadrant" movies that offers something for all people - young and old, men and women. It's likely you'll enjoy the viewing experience. Just don't go crazy like I did trying to figure out why you liked it because there is seemingly no good answer. Rating: ****

Mandarin play

I am waaaaay behind on my reviews, but I'm hoping to correct that starting now with my review of the first summer blockbuster of 2013.

How do you top dealing with an invading race of evil aliens? Well if you're Tony Stark, you take on an even tougher opponent - anxiety attacks. That's right, in Iron Man 3 we see the seemingly unflappable Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) struggle with internal stress after the events that took place in last summer's The Avengers. Of course, there's still evil elsewhere in the world that he has to deal with, but we'll get to that in a moment.

Perhaps realizing that there was no way to top the out-of-this-world story of The Avengers, this film takes a closer look at the man in the metal suit. This is as much a Tony Stark film as it is an Iron Man film and that's not a bad thing. In this third outing, we dig deeper into Stark's growing realization of his responsibilities whether that's to his devoted assistant/girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), his close friend Rhodey (Don Cheadle), or the American population. That onus weighs heavily on Stark who can't sleep and avoids talking to anyone about his problems. Thankfully for the audience, Stark has too much of an ego to pull a Bruce Wayne recluse act, so instead he opts to hide his fears through sarcasm and wit. Once again, Downey shines here, delivering a number of hilarious one-liners.

Downey's performance stands out here, even moreso than normal, thanks to Shane Black, who took over directing duties from Jon Favreau. Black, who also co-wrote the film, has worked with Downey before and knows how to get the most out of him. Black, who's previous credits include Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and writing the original Lethal Weapon, really makes this film his own. Aside from knowing how to write for Downey, some of the other elements in the film including the Christmas setting and the buddy cop vibe are representative of Black's style as well. While I had no problems with Favreau's work, I really liked what Black brought to the franchise.

Some Iron Man fans, however, may take umbrage with some of the decisions he made. The biggest one of all will deal with the film's central villain, The Mandarin. While this villain does not have the same pop culture recognition as other comic book villains, he is considered by many to be Iron Man's greatest foe. In the film, he's an enigmatic character with a flare for the dramatic. Played by Sir Ben Kingsley, this is one of the most interesting villains I've ever seen in a film like this. While the role isn't as meaty as say Heath Ledger's Joker, there's a lot more going on with the character than just menace. As someone who was not a reader of the comics, the creative liberties that the film takes with the character's origins did not bother me, but I can understand why some would not embrace this interpretation.

This revised Mandarin works for me because there seems to be a concentrated effort to make a character that has been in existence for several decades relevant in today's society. The villains have been a weakness to this point in the franchise, but that changes here and elevates the movie as result. This is particularly true when it comes to the film's climax. In the first two films, particularly in the second, the final battle was underwhelming and perfunctory. This time, the audience gets more bang for their buck as good vs. evil clashes in grand fashion on an oil tanker. I would probably say that the film's final act is still its weakest, but in comparison to what we got earlier in the franchise, this is a vast improvement.

If I had a complaint about the film, it's that I would have liked for the story to build more toward future films, since we know more Avengers adventures are to come. Instead, this is very much a stand-alone film. Yes, the film makes a few references to the greater Marvel universe but nothing that really gets you excited for the future or provides you a sense of what's to come. Still, as summer blockbuster fare this does nothing but deliver. You have some fine performances, a nice balance of comedy and drama, and a few exhilarating action sequences (I particularly enjoyed the Air Force One rescue scene). What more could you ask for?

At the film's end, there's the promise that "Iron Man will return" and let's hope that means for more than just another go-round with the Avengers. While I recognize that Downey Jr. isn't getting any younger and may also get tired of putting on the big metal suit, there's no one else I could ever see playing this role. He brings Iron Man to life in more ways than one. Grade: A-

Oh baby!

Vince Vaughn will be gracing the screen in just a couple of weeks with The Internship, but if that isn't good enough for you, you can also check him out here in a teaser trailer for another comedy he'll be starring in later this year called Delivery Man.

Tribe Watch '13 (Week 8)

Record: 27-22

Standing: Second in AL Central (1.5 games behind Detroit)

Well we all knew that the good times couldn't last forever. After an impressive run, the Tribe came back down to Earth this week. After an improbable win on Monday, the Indians lost both games against Detroit and then lost 3 of 4 in Boston. While the outcome wasn't desirable, I don't think there's any reason to push the panic button just yet. There's a lot of evidence to suggest that we will not have a repeat of the past two years where we get off to a great start and then absolutely collapse in the second half of the season. Even though we did lose five times this past week, our offense still did their job for the most part. I think our struggles can partially be blamed on some absolutely lousy weather this week. There was at least three games that were played in the rain, which can never be fun. If there is an area of concern, it's one that I wouldn't have thought of prior to the beginning of the season - the bullpen. Several of our losses this week were a result of our relief pitchers' inability to hold onto a lead. Vinnie Pestano has not been as effective since returning from the disabled list and closer Chris Perez left today's game with an injury. We'll need the back end of our pitching staff to pick it up if we want to continue to compete. The biggest issue is that the Indians have an extremely rough schedule over the next 3-4 weeks. If we can hold tight during this stretch, we should be ok as the remainder of the schedule is relatively light. If we go into a tailspin during the next month, it may turn into a repeat of the last couple of seasons. That rough stretch begins this week with an interesting 4 game series against our in-state rival, the Cincinnati Reds. It's interesting for the fact that the first two games will take place in Cincy and then the last two will be in Cleveland. The Tribe will then remain in town over the weekend as they take on the Tampa Bay Rays. I'm confident they'll be able to ride out this storm and remain with Detroit in that fight for first place. Regardless of outcome, I'll be watching them every step of the way. Go Tribe!

Millers Crossing

Pot comedies typically do nothing for me, but We're the Millers not only has an appealing cast (Jason Sudekis, Jennifer Aniston, Ed Helms, Nick Offerman), but also is more of a road trip movie than it is about drugs, so this has drawn my interest. This may work well during those dog days of summer. I've posted the first trailer here below.

Bill of goods

So this past Saturday marked Bill Hader's last show on Saturday Night Live. This is truly a great loss for the SNL cast. Unlike the also departing Fred Armisen, who overstayed his welcome on the show and clearly was only interested in doing skits that amuse him and spoke to his unfunny sense of humor. Anyway, back to Hader and his leaving. During his tenure, he certainly created a number of memorable characters (Stefon! Vinnie Vidici! Herb Welch!). But perhaps more impressive was his ability to impersonate several varied characters. He was really a go-to guy that instantly elevated every sketch that he was in. Hopefully he'll be able to make that difficult transition from being a not-ready-for-prime-time-player to a big star on the mainstream stage. To honor all his great work, here's a video compilation of every single one of the impressions he did on SNL.

Watch Every Impression Bill Hader Did on SNL

Tribe Watch '13 (Week 7)

Record: 25-17

Standing: First in the AL Central

Don't look now because the Indians are the hottest thing in baseball. Since April 20th they've only lost four games. This past week was another excellent outing. They split the double header on Monday against the Yankees and then also split the 2 game set in Philadelphia. As a followup they've now taken the first three games (of four) against Seattle, which included two walk off wins and then defeating Felix Hernandez on Sunday. Hernandez is now the seventh former Cy Young winner that the Tribe has beat this year and we're not even into June yet. There's not a lot to complain or be worried about with this team. If they continue to play like this, it will make for a very fun season. Obviously the pitching needs to remain strong. During this good stretch, our starters have been getting ahead of batters, which they need to keep doing. On the hitting side, it's great to see that we're not being reliant on any one hitter. Everyone is contributing. This is especially true when it comes to two-out hitting. Our offense is making pitchers work long and hard, which means getting to the bullpen that much sooner. The bottom line here is that this team is just so much fun to watch right now. This week you can see them finish off their series with Seattle today in a day game. We then see the team we'll be fighting with all season for first place, the Detroit Tigers. They come into town for a brief two game set. After that, we head out onto the road to play Boston this weekend. Boston has been playing surprisingly well this season and they beat up on us earlier this season before we started playing well. We'll be looking for revenge when we head to Beantown. As always, I'll be here to report on all the highs and lows. Go Tribe!

Fall harvest

This past week I've been posting the announcements for the fall schedules of television's networks. From a scheduling perspective, there was not a lot of shakeup, particularly regarding shows that affect me so there's not much to discuss. Along with the schedule announcements, the networks have posted trailers promoting their brand new shows. I've watched them all and I can't say that I'm overly optimistic. Most of the shows fell into one of two common traps: 1)the show has an interesting premise that feels extremely limited; you wonder how the show can sustain 22 episodes, let alone multiple seasons or 2) the show feels like a complete retread of tired setups and tropes that just make you yearn for older shows that have done the same thing much better in the past. With that said, there are a few shows that do show some promise so I'll be posting the trailer for each of them below along with links to a few others that might be decent as well.

CBS
They probably had the weakest crop of previews, but they also have the strongest crop of existing shows, so they probably don't have to worry if none of these pan out. The one that interested me the most was Hostages about a female doctor who is set to operate of the President of the United States when her family is taken hostage. She's told that she must let the President die during the operation or else her family will die. Again, I don't see how they can stretch this out into a full series, but the cast is strong and the preview suggests that there's more to the story than they're letting on here, so perhaps this could work.



Honorable mention: A new comedy called The Crazy Ones starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar. The premise here seems solid enough. The big question is how well the show can keep Robin reined in. If it's just his grating schtick constantly, it won't keep me as a viewer. If the focus is on the storytelling with his humor peppered throughout, then you might have a winner. Here's the trailer.


ABC
There's a clear winner here and it's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Even better is that they've scheduled it for Tuesdays, where there is not a lot of quality TV competition, so hopefully it has a chance of succeeding. I posted a quick trailer earlier this week, but here's a nearly 3 minute trailer that will give you a much better idea of what to expect from the show.



Honorable mention: While not everything worked in the preview for The Goldbergs, there's enough to make me think it could have a chance if it finds the right tone and voice. There's no denying it has a strong comedic cast (the older brother sticks out as a weak link). If it can tap into that Freaks and Geeks or Wonder Years vein, then this might work. Here's the trailer.


FOX
Of the previews they released, FOX probably had the best average. More than a few of their shows seemed to have promise, but on the other hand none really stood out as a sure thing. It was tough for me to pick just one as their best bet. I went with Sleepy Hollow - a new twist on the story of Ichibod Crane. From a writer/producer perspective, the show has a good pedigree. I also liked how it blended a lot of genres. The show seems to be part cop drama, part horror, part historical mystery, and part science fiction. It's tough to say right now whether this will work or not, but I'm hopeful it will.



Honorable Mention: I probably would have given it to Us & Them, a remake of the critically acclaimed British show Gavin and Stacey, but since it's not scheduled to air until "midseason", which could whenever, I decided to give the nod to Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I can't say that I always liked Andy Samberg during his tenure on SNL, but the preview for this new cop comedy made me laugh more than any other trailer. That's due largely to a seemingly solid supporting cast. If it's not surrounded by other decent shows, this may struggle to find an audience, but I'm willing to give it a shot. Here's the trailer.


NBC
Of the new dramas, The Blacklist, had the premise that intrigued me the most. James Spader is a criminal mastermind on the FBI's Top Ten list who turns himself in with the promise of helping them capture other highly sought criminals that he's worked with. No matter the role, Spader is always compelling, so it's likely most will get sucked in to the first episode based on his presence alone. Whether the show can sustain an audience, as well as a compelling narrative remains to be seen.



Honorable mention: I gotta say, there was a huge drop-off in terms of interesting previews after The Blacklist. It's so bad, that I almost don't want to mention anything else. The comedies, especially, looked rather uninteresting, which is a shame that Parks and Recreation is left to pick up their slack. If I had to point one out that might have a chance, it's The Michael J. Fox Show. The setup doesn't really hook me, but Fox is such a likable presence, that it's hard not to root for him. Here's the trailer.

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (CBS)

CBS announced its 2013 - 2014 primetime schedule today! You can check out the full announcement below:

CBS unveiled today its new 2013-2014 schedule, featuring eight new series - five comedies and three dramas - to build on the strength of America's top-rated network. Five of the new series will premiere in the fall and three at mid-season.

CBS will finish the current season as the top-rated network in viewers for the 10th time in 11 seasons, #1 in the adults 25-54 demographic and #1 in adults 18-49 for the first time since the 1991-1992 season.

For next fall, the Network is increasing its comedy lineup with four new comedies, expanding its comedy block on Thursdays from 8:00-10:00 PM and creating an encore hour for comedy broadcasts on Saturdays.

The new comedies are THE CRAZY ONES, a single-camera comedy from executive producer David E. Kelley starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar; THE MILLERS, a multi-generational family comedy from executive producer Greg Garcia starring Will Arnett, Margo Martindale, Beau Bridges and JB Smoove; MOM, an edgy family comedy from executive producer Chuck Lorre starring Anna Faris and Allison Janney; and WE ARE MEN, an ensemble single-camera comedy starring Tony Shalhoub, Kal Penn, Chris Smith and Jerry O'Connell.

Two new dramas have been scheduled for Mondays at 10:00 PM. HOSTAGES, the serialized suspense thriller from executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer starring Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott, premieres in the fall, building to a season finale in January. Soon after, INTELLIGENCE, a high-octane action drama starring Josh Holloway, Marg Helgenberger and Meghan Ory, moves into the time period for the remainder of the season.

The freshman series will be joined by 20 returning shows including NCIS, the season's most watched show; THE BIG BANG THEORY, the season's #1 comedy in viewers and demos; 60 MINUTES, the season's #1 news magazine; and ELEMENTARY, the season's #1 new drama.

The other returning series include: HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, 2 BROKE GIRLS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, PERSON OF INTEREST, SURVIVOR, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, TWO AND A HALF MEN, UNDERCOVER BOSS, HAWAII FIVE-0, BLUE BLOODS, 48 HOURS, THE AMAZING RACE, THE GOOD WIFE and THE MENTALIST.

In addition, the proven hit returning comedy MIKE & MOLLY, starring Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell; the new steamy legal drama RECKLESS; and the new romantic comedy FRIENDS WITH BETTER LIVES are set for mid-season.

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK
2013-2014 PRIME TIME SCHEDULE
(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM WE ARE MEN (N)
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS
9:30-10:00 PM MOM (N)
10:00-11:00 PM HOSTAGES (N) / INTELLIGENCE (Mid-Season) (N)

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST (NT)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

THURSDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM THE MILLERS (N)
9:00-9:30 PM THE CRAZY ONES (N)
9:30-10:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM UNDERCOVER BOSS
9:00-10:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS

SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
8:30-9:00 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST

News promo

Attention all San Diegans? Diegoians? Diegos? Everyone! Here's the newest teaser trailer for Anchorman 2. The setup is the same as the teaser that came out around this time last year, but the Channel 4 news team has some new (stupid) stuff to say.

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcment (ABC)

ABC unveiled its 2013 - 2014 primetime schedule today! You can check out the full announcement below:


Continuing to deliver some of the most compelling and heartfelt series on television, ABC is adding fourteen new shows to its established slate of programming. Paul Lee, President, ABC Entertainment Group, will unveil the network's new lineup to the advertising and media communities this afternoon at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.

"We are taking some big swings with groundbreaking shows this season, and staying close to our roots with smart and sophisticated storytelling. ABC is known for its combination of innovation and stability, and our new schedule reflects that. We're bringing back the shows that viewers have embraced and enhancing the lineup with a slate of exciting new series," said Lee.

New series for the 2013-14 season are "Back in the Game," "Betrayal," "The Goldbergs," "Killer Women," "Lucky 7," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," "Mind Games," "Mixology," "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland," "Resurrection," "Super Fun Night," "Trophy Wife" and new alternative series "The Quest."

"America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Castle," "Dancing with the Stars," "Grey's Anatomy," "Last Man Standing," "The Middle," "Modern Family," "Nashville," "The Neighbors," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal," "Shark Tank," "Suburgatory," "The Taste" and "20/20" will return.

"Dancing with the Stars" will now air from 8:00-10:00 p.m., on Mondays, integrating the performance show and results show into one night and making each episode action-packed event television.

ABC has also picked up Pixar special "Toy Story of Terror," starring the original voice cast from the hit film.

A balanced slate of new series and returning hits delivered strong results for ABC in the 2012-13 season. ABC claims 6 of the Top 20 broadcast dramas for the season in Adults 18-49, with "Grey's Anatomy," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal," "Castle" and "Nashville." ABC is the No. 1 network on Friday nights this season in Adults 18-49, growing 13% to deliver its top rating on the night in 4 years - since the 2008/09 season.

Fall premiere dates will be announced at a later time. Please note shows picked up but not listed on the schedule will debut later in the 2013-14 season.

ABC's fall primetime schedule is as follows (all times listed are Eastern);

MONDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
10:00 p.m. "Castle"


TUESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D."
9:00 p.m. "THE GOLDBERGS"
9:30 p.m. "TROPHY WIFE"
10:00 p.m. "LUCKY 7"


WEDNESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "The Middle"
8:30 p.m. "BACK IN THE GAME"
9:00 p.m. "Modern Family"
9:30 p.m. "SUPER FUN NIGHT"
10:00 p.m. "Nashville"


THURSDAY:

8:00 p.m. "ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "Scandal"


FRIDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Last Man Standing"
8:30 p.m. "The Neighbors"
9:00 p.m. "Shark Tank"
10:00 p.m. "20/20"


SATURDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Saturday Night College Football"


SUNDAY:

7:00 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Once Upon a Time"
9:00 p.m. "Revenge"
10:00 p.m. "BETRAYAL"

Lost in space

After a year long delay, we've finally gotten our first glimpse at Alfonso Cuaron's (Children of Men) new film, Gravity, starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Check it out for yourself below.

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (FOX)

Kevin Reilly, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, today unveiled the FOX primetime slate for the 2013-2014 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at the Beacon Theatre.

This season, we will strategically launch five inventive live-action comedies, four distinctive dramas, our first-ever event series, as well as some innovative new digital initiatives, across the week and throughout the year," said Reilly. "We're making the biggest investment in original programming in our history to ensure that FOX continues to engage viewers and move the culture more than any other entertainment brand."

FOX 2013-2014 SCHEDULE (All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 PM Bones (fall) / ALMOST HUMAN (new; late fall)
9:00-10:00 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW (new; fall) / The Following (midseason)

TUESDAY

8:00-8:30 PM DADS
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
9:00-9:30 PM  New Girl
9:30-10:00 PM The Mindy Project

WEDNESDAY

8:00-10:00 PM The X Factor (fall) / American Idol (midseason)

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 PM The X Factor Results (fall) / American Idol Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM Glee (fall) / RAKE (new; midseason)

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM JUNIOR MASTERCHEF (wt) (new; fall)
9:00-10:00 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW encores (fall)

Late Fall:

8:00-9:00 PM Bones (late fall)
9:00-9:30 PM Raising Hope (late fall)
9:30-10:00 PM ENLISTED (new; late fall)

SATURDAY

7:00-10:30 PM FOX Sports Saturday
11:00 PM-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF

SUNDAY

7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall)
8:00-8:30 PM THE Simpsons
8:30-9:00 PM Bob's Burgers
9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy
9:30-10:00 PM American Dad

Scheduling to be announced for the following new series slated for midseason: "Gang Related" (New), "Surviving Jack" (new), "Us & Them" (new) and "Murder Police" (new).

The final countdown is on

It's hard to believe, but we are less than two weeks from getting new episodes of Arrested Development!! And now for the first time, here's a trailer of what you can expect from Season 4. I'm going (frozen) bananas with anticipation!

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (NBC)

NBC has announced a new lineup of primetime shows for the 2013-14 season that includes popular returning series, fresh new comedies, compelling new dramas and the latest season of "The Voice."

Highlights of the year-round schedule - which will be bolstered in February on the heels of the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia - include "Believe," a new drama from J.J. Abrams and Alfonso Cuaron; the return of three-time Emmy winner James Spader in action thriller "The Blacklist"; and a comedy lineup that includes new series from "Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood" executive producer Jason Katims, Will Ferrell, Bill Lawrence, Sean P. Hayes, and a return to NBC of one of the biggest TV stars of any generation, Michael J. Fox.

The new comedy additions are "Welcome to the Family," "Sean Saves the World," and "The Michael J. Fox Show" as well as midseason comedies "The Family Guide," and "About A Boy."

The new dramas are "The Blacklist," "Ironside," and "Dracula," plus mid-season dramas "Believe," "Crisis" and "Crossbones."

NBC has also ordered dramas "Chicago PD" and "The Night Shift" and comedy "Undateable" as unscheduled midseason series.

New alternative series premiering during the 2013-14 season include "The Million Second Quiz" and "American Dream Builders." Returning to the schedule are "The Biggest Loser" and "The Sing-Off." "Food Fighters" has been ordered as an unscheduled midseason show.

Scripted series returning include "Grimm," "Parenthood," "Law & Order: SVU," "Revolution," "Chicago Fire," "Parks and Recreation" and "Community."

Pick-up decisions on "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Hannibal" are still to be made in the next few weeks.

"The Voice" will kick off its fifth season in September on Mondays (8-10 pm. ET). The current cycle of "The Voice" has been primetime's #1 show of the week on the Big Four networks, excluding sports, for four of six weeks thus far in adults 18-49.

The announcements were made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

"The overriding strategy this year was to develop enough strong comedies and dramas to take advantage of the promotional heft of the Winter Olympics and devise two schedules for the upcoming season: one for fall and a slightly different one for midseason. I'm pleased to say that our development groups - headed by Jennifer Salke (scripted) and Paul Telegdy (alternative/reality) - really delivered," Greenblatt said. "This is the most robust and highest-testing slate of new shows we have had in years."

Greenblatt continued, "And aside from our Olympics planning, we also wanted to create better flow and compatibility on each night, and deploy our strongest lead-in ('The Voice') to maximum effect.

"Sunday in the fall remains the night to beat with 'Sunday Night Football.' After football and the Olympics are over, we will launch two classy, attention-getting dramas in February: 'Believe' from J.J. Abrams, and 'Crisis' starring Dermot Mulroney and Gillian Anderson. We think it's time for big dramas again on Sunday nights. And leading into these dramas at 8 p.m. will be an exciting home renovation competition hosted by Nate Berkus called 'American Dream Builders.'

"Monday and Tuesday will again dominate with 'The Voice.' Our highly anticipated new James Spader drama 'The Blacklist' deserves to go into the 10 p.m. slot on Monday, and we're moving 'Chicago Fire,' a show we really believe in, to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays to benefit from 'The Voice' lead-in that will be at 9 p.m. in the fall. "

After the Olympics, however, 'The Voice' moves back to 8 p.m. on Tuesday so that we can launch two of our strongest new family comedies in the 9 p.m. hour: 'About a Boy' and 'The Family Guide.' Landing more comedy on the schedule is important and using 'The Voice' as a lead-in after the Olympics is the strongest way to do that.

"I believe we'll have a more compatible Wednesday line-up with three dramas: 'Revolution,' 'Law & Order: SVU' and 'Ironside,' starring Blair Underwood, which is another new show we've very high on.

"Thursday will have a family theme, starting with a two-hour comedy block from 8-10 p.m. anchored by strong stars: Amy Poehler in 'Parks and Recreation,' Mike O'Malley in 'Welcome to the Family,' Sean Hayes in 'Sean Saves the World' and the new 'Michael J. Fox Show.' Then at 10 p.m. 'Parenthood' moves in to top off the night with what I know is the best family drama on television.

"On Fridays, anchored by 'Grimm' at 9 p.m., we will have a more fun genre night with the limited-series 'Dracula,' starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers at 10 p.m. In the spring, 'Crossbones' - with John Malkovich as the infamous pirate Blackbeard - replaces 'Dracula,'" said Greenblatt.

Jordan Wertlieb, President of Hearst Television and Chair of the NBC Affiliate Board, commented, "This schedule is another example of NBC's continued commitment to restoring prime time to its traditional leadership position. I am sure the investment in partnering with some of the most recognizable names in television will be obvious and exciting to the affiliates."

NBC Fall 2013-14 schedule (New shows in ALL CAPS)

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Voice"
10-11 p.m. - "THE BLACKLIST"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser" (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. - "The Voice" (New time)
10-11 p.m. - "Chicago Fire" (New Day and Time)

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Revolution" (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: SVU"
10-11 p.m. - "IRONSIDE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation" (New time)
8:30-9 p.m. - "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY"
9-9:30 p.m. - "SEAN SAVES THE WORLD"
9:30-10 p.m. - "THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW"
10-11 p.m. - "Parenthood" (New Day and Time)

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Grimm"
10-11 p.m. - "DRACULA"

SATURDAY
Encore programming

SUNDAY
7:00-8:15 p.m. - "Football Night in America"
8:15-11:30 p.m. - "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC MIDSEASON 2013-14 SCHEDULE (New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Voice"
10-11 p.m. - "THE BLACKLIST"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "The Voice"
9-9:30 p.m. - "THE FAMILY GUIDE"
9:30-10 p.m. - "ABOUT A BOY"
10-11 p.m. - "Chicago Fire"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Revolution"
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: SVU"
10-11 p.m. - "IRONSIDE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation"
8:30-9 p.m. - "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY"
9-9:30 p.m. - "SEAN SAVES THE WORLD"
9:30-10 p.m. - "THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW"
10-11 p.m. - "Parenthood"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Grimm"
10-11 p.m. - "CROSSBONES"

SATURDAY
8-10 p.m. - Encore and specials programming
10-11 p.m. - "Saturday Night Live" (Encore)

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. - "AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS"
9-10 p.m. - "BELIEVE"
10-11 p.m. - "CRISIS"

For information on NBC new shows, click here.

Agents of change?

You'll be getting a lot of TV news from me this week as the networks announce their upcoming fall lineups. One show that we already know will be on the fall lineup is the spinoff to the Avengers franchise, focusing more specifically on the group known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Set to air on ABC, you can already get your first, albeit extremely brief, look at what you can expect from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Tribe Watch '13 (Week 6)

Record: 20 - 15

Standing: Tied for first in the AL Central

Wow, another amazing week for the Indians. Two weeks ago they were in languishing in last place and have now won 12 of their last 14 games and have now gotten into a first place tie with Detroit. The past week began with an impressive four game sweep of the A's. The series wasn't without some controversy, however. A blown call by the umpires in Wednesday's game earned national attention and potentially cost Oakland the victory in that game. Then the Indians got a big test this past weekend as they faced the Tigers in Detroit. After dropping the first game, the Tribe came back and won a couple of close games on Saturday and today. Winning close is an extremely good sign that this team can be competitive for the whole season and potentially have success if they make the playoffs. One of the things that has been so remarkable during this good stretch by the Indians is their ability to get big hits with two outs. You gotta love a team that never says die and believes they are in every game regardless of what the score is. The Indians will look to maintain their momentum as they deal with another busy week. It all begins with a traditional doubleheader tomorrow against the Yankees to make up a pair of games that were washed out a few weeks ago. The Indians will then make a brief two game visit to Philadelphia to play the Phillies. We handled the Phillies when they played in Cleveland a couple weeks ago, so they'll no doubt have revenge on their mind. Then the week will wrap up with a trip back home to play against the Seattle Mariners. Whenever we can beat up on a team managed by Eric Wedge, I take extra glee in that. Things are starting to get really exciting in Cleveland, so let's show this team that we're behind them. Despite their impressive play, the stadium hasn't been very full. Let's hope that begins to change. Go Tribe!!

O Captain, My Captain

Here's the first trailer for Captain Phillips. Based on the real life events about Somali pirates overtaking a U.S. ship. The film stars Tom Hanks and is directed by Paul Greengrass. Based on what I've seen here, they can already take all my money...I'm in.

Restarting the clock?

From EW.com

No one wanted to say goodbye to Jack Bauer, so why not have him return?

Fox is in talks to bring back Kiefer Sutherland the long-running action drama 24 for a limited run. Since the network is revving up a division that will eventually churn out event miniseries like a remake of Shogun, a revisit to the successful 24 franchise could be just the ticket.

Insiders caution, however, that talks are early. If the dream becomes a reality, the series’ longtime executive producer Howard Gordon — who reportedly pitched the return in the first place and has since moved on to Showtime’s grown-up domestic terrorism hit Homeland — would return with the show.

Though the series ended in 2010, Fox’s sister studio 20th Century Fox didn’t want to see the franchise go away. There were talks to make the series into a movie but it never took off. Sutherland has recently starred in Fox’s Touch, which is not expected to return for a third season.

Can I be Franco with you?

Between Two Ferns is back! Episode 16 features Zach Galifianakis sitting down with James Franco and a surprise musical guest.

Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: James Franco from Zach Galifianakis

Tribe Watch '13 (Week 5)

Record: 14 - 14

Standing: 3rd in AL Central (Four games out of first place)

Last week went about as well as you could hope for with a baseball team. The Indians rattled off six wins in a row before losing a close game to the Twins on Sunday. Those wins came in all forms; they won big, they won close, and they were clicking on all facets of the game. Their performance last week showed what this team is capable of. And the scary thing is that they did so without being at full strength as Michael Bourn remains out with his finger injury and Nick Swisher sat a few games with a sore shoulder. When the Indians are at 100%, this could be a competitive team with the best in the AL. However, one week is not a large enough sample size to convince me they can do this on a consistent battle. The good news, or bad news depending on how you look at it is that they'll get a chance to really prove themselves this week as they face a couple of very good teams. First, they'll play a four game set at home against the Oakland A's, who surprised everyone last year and have continued to play good baseball to start this season. Then they'll head out onto the road to play the Detroit Tigers, who currently lead the AL Central and have been just as hot as the Indians recently. Playing good baseball against those two teams will go a long way to convincing everyone that these guys are for real. Of course, pitching remains key. Last week our starters had solid starts and we'll need for that to continue or else we could be in store for a very painful week. The uncertainty makes for some very exciting baseball and I can't wait to watch it all. Go Tribe!