Fall TV Report: Returning Favorites (Thursday)

I know I'm a little behind, but I'll do my best to catch up over the next couple of days. Please note that my comments and grades are based solely on these shows' season premiere episodes.

Community: This show really tries hard, but can never seem to put the pieces together to make a truly awesome show. There are always elements in each episode that seem like they would be exceptionally funny and yet the execution is lacking. Having Betty White come in as a new instructor was a nice touch, but it really seemed like a wasted opportunity relegating her to potty humor and physical comedy. I stick with this show because it's clear they are working hard to make quality TV, but they just can't quite get it right. Grade: B-

30 Rock: Here we have the complete antithesis of Community. This show just breezes by on its formula and reliance on big name guest stars - all of which produces typically fun episodes, but are never memorable. Given the talent found on this show, it would be interesting to see if they really tried hard. Instead, they just seem happy to be on the air, so they continue to produce the status quo. Since the show is often funny, they can get away with it, but occasionally I would like to see them work outside of their comfort zone. Grade: B-

The Office: Knowing that this is Steve Carell's last season, this show easily could have phoned it in and they still would have generated good ratings. Thankfully that doesn't appear to be the case. They absolutely knocked it out of the park with this opener. While Michael was of course at the forefront of the episode's main story, the entire cast was well used and each got some decent screen time. I often scoff when I hear returning shows trying to plug their new season by claiming they have a renewed energy, but it appears these guys weren't lying. I have very high hopes now for this season after what I saw in that opener. Grade: A

The Big Bang Theory: Moving to Thursday nights doesn't seem to have phased this show at all. In fact, they've moved into a comfortable routine with their storytelling. Time will tell if that's a positive or not. If they are too reliant on some of their recurring jokes, it will wear out its welcome. If they find ways to keep things fresh, this show will likely shift from cult favorite to mainstream success (based on the first episode's ratings, I'd say it's well on its way to getting there). I like the idea of Mayim Bialik as Sheldon's not-girlfriend, but I wish they would have given her more to do in this episode. Then again, I love Penny so much that I didn't mind her presence on their 'date'. Nothing amazing here, but a typically good time. Grade: B

Fringe: People are sure missing the boat if they are not watching this show. It's a shame too many people write it off as sci-fi, because it's so much more than that. At its core, it's a family drama and a better one than most shows that bill themselves as family dramas. This show just has the ability to also seamlessly blend in the sci-fi stuff as well. It's an interesting storytelling device they are choosing to use this season by alternating between the two universes each episode. I fear I many not enjoy the alternate universe episodes (like the opener was) as much, just because there are so many more unlikeable/evil characters that dominate each episode; which is weird considering so many of them are the same actors that we've come to know and love in our universe. Despite the more depressing nature of the opener, they set the seeds in motion for another exciting season and I can't wait to see how it unfolds. Grade: A-

Nepotism deleted scenes

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Muted response

Looks like those fat cats in Washington finally got one right. From USAToday.com...

Legislation to turn down the volume on those loud TV commercials that send couch potatoes diving for their remote controls looks like it'll soon become law.
The Senate unanimously passed a bill late Wednesday to require television stations and cable companies to limit the volume of commercials and keep them at the level of the programs they interrupt.

The House has passed similar legislation. Before it can become law, minor differences between the two versions have to be worked out when Congress returns to Washington after the Nov. 2 election.

Ever since television caught on in the 1950s, the Federal Communication Commission has been getting complaints about blaring commercials. But the FCC concluded in 1984 there was no fair way to write regulations controlling the "apparent loudness" of commercials. So it hasn't been regulating them.

Correcting sound levels is more complicated than using the remote control. The television shows and ads come from a variety of sources, from local businesses to syndicators.

Managing the transition between programs and ads without spoiling the artistic intent of the producers poses technical challenges and may require TV broadcasters to purchase new equipment. To address the issue, an industry organization recently produced guidelines on how to process, measure and transmit audio in a uniform way.

The legislation, sponsored by Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., requires the FCC to adopt those recommendations as regulations within a year and begin enforcing them a year later. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., is the driving force behind the legislation in the House.

In for a Penny, in for a pound

Check out this funny video promoting the cast of The Big Bang Theory's appearance on The Late Late Show tonight with Craig interviewing to be the gang's new friend.

Fall TV Report: Returning favorites (Monday)

How I Met Your Mother: I made no bones about it last season that I felt this show had lost its way. A lot of the sharp humor that defined the show was gone and the stories veered away from the creative and into a more pedestrian sitcom. Worst of all, the primary story of the show was by and large ignored. I figured the show would take a downward spiral from here, but that prediction may have been premature. I was pleasantly surprised with the opener. Both the actors and the writing seemed to have a renewed sense of energy about them. And from what I've read by the show's creators, they have made a pledge to be more on task this season and finally give its viewers some answers. For now, I'm back on board with the show and once again eager to see who the titular mother will end up being. Grade: B+

Chuck: A rather ho-hum start for a show that usually is full of fun and energy. One of the most notable things was the lack of the ancillary characters like Ellie/Awesome and Jeffster. There was just too much Chuck and Morgan, which I know is a key pair, but has never been my favorite. I much prefer Chuck's interactions with Sarah and Casey. I do like how the government has taken over the Buy More and that should provide a lot of interesting scenes and story points this season. I also think the introduction of Chuck's mom (Linda Hamilton) was fine, but time will tell how that storyline will play out. Lastly, I do want to credit the writers for throwing in so many wonderful pop culture references like Seinfeld's Vandalay Industries or having guest star Dolph Lundgren utter his famous phrase, "I must break you". Grade: B-

Kid-ding around

I hope you're not getting tired of Inception trailer posts, because I have another gem. This time it is kids who have recreated the infamous trailer and I gotta say it's quite impressive. I wish I have that much imagination/editing equipment when I was younger.

Getting the band back together?

Here's some very interesting news for all of the Lost fans out there...

Forget Rizzoli & Isles: Are you ready for Linus & Locke? In news that could cause the Lost fan base to have a synchronized aneurysm, Vulture hears that last week, J.J. Abrams and frequent collaborators Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec (Alias, Mission: Impossible 4) began pitching a comedic drama to the networks that would have Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn — a.k.a. Benjamin Linus and John Locke/Smokey — playing former black-ops agents.

The idea of Emerson and O'Quinn reuniting isn't completely new: In February, the duo told TV Guide that they were looking to put together a post-Lost TV project for themselves; the rumors were revived again last month when Emerson repeated his hopes for a new show while doing publicity for the Lost full-series DVD collection. Still, all the talk seemed to be in the realm of "maybe one day." Turns out plans for a show are very real and very active — and the involvement of Abrams and other Bad Robot types means there's a really good chance the project will soon find a home.

As always with all things Abrams, details are sketchy, but insiders said the potential show — which we've heard carries the working title Odd Jobs — would have a dose of humor. It's not clear whether Appelbaum and Nemec will include any elements of an idea floated by O'Quinn last winter that had the two former Lost-mates serving as suburban hit men.

Put up your dukes

Here's another trailer for you. This time it's David O. Russell's The Fighter starring Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams. Based on what I saw here, I think Christian Bale may finally earn that elusive Oscar nomination.

Fall TV Report Card - Survivor: Nicaragua

Since Survivor returned earlier than everything else, it gets its own post. Last night, we saw season 21 kick off and they've decided to do old vs. young this year. That created an interesting dynamic right from the start since the older tribe seems to have a lot more likeable players, but I'm not sure how they will do in the challenges. The young tribe seems to be consisting of mostly dumb, yet cocky contestants. It is tough though to make any real impressions about anyone in just the first episode. The other new addition this year is this Medallion of Power, which gives the tribe that possesses it the opportunity to have an advantage in challenges. I'm not sure if I like this twist. If it's so powerful, then it's going to make the challenge uncompetitive, which doesn't make for compelling tv. And if a tribe opts not to use it, then what's the point of it? I also wasn't crazy how discovering the clue for the Hidden Immunity Idol was a result of blind luck. You should have to earn those.

OK, now for some quick takes on some of the standout castaways:
Jimmy Johnson - I'm sure he'll be a polarizing figure for many fans, but I have to respect that the guy is a true Survivor fan and this was not a case of stunt casting. His social game could take him far, but it appears he may have trouble holding up physically.

Marty and Jimmy T. - Both guys seem like big personalities and neither one appears to want Jimmy Johnson around for very long, which I don't get. They're likely to cause a lot of fireworks in their camp. If they can get over their jealousy of Jimmy and focus on more pressing tribe issues, they could turn out to be assets. Somehow, I don't think that will happen though.

Jane - Good for her for learning how to make fire before the show and then actually succeeding once she got there. She seems to be very plucky and is very sympathetic. I hope she's able to stick around.

Holly - appears to be the best strategist on her tribe. She tried to make an early alliance with Wendy, but eventually recognized her flaws and made the right move come tribal council. If anyone could go far on the older tribe, it's her.

Yve - Don't really know much about her or her gameplay, but I was stunned to see she was on the older tribe. She looks great for someone over 40!

"Fabio" - Seems like he'll be providing the comedic relief for the season. Most will likely keep him around for a while just for entertainment reasons.

Kelly B - You'd love to see her overcome the adversity of being an amputee and do well in this game. However, based on the first episode it seems that none of her tribemates have any intentions of keeping her around for a while. Her best chance will be if there are enough other horrible people on her tribe that they need to be voted out before her.

NaOnka - Speaking of horrible people, she appears to be one. Can Survivor ever cast a young black woman that isn't loud, ignorant, and antagonistic? Not looking forward to her spats with her tribemates.

Shannon - I can't tell whether his insulting remarks will tend to be comical or offensive. Either way, he'll likely stick around for a while given that he'll be a physical asset for his team.

Brenda - Already looked impressive by finding the Medallion of Power in the first episode. She seems to have the right blend sweetness and cutthroat behavior to have her succeed. I'll make her my early favorite to win it all.

Overall, while this season will most likely feel like a let down after the past two Russell-fueled awesome seasons, Survivor has a formula that works year-in and year-out and I would imagine it will be no different this time out. Grade: B+

Whirlwind Tour

So here's the first trailer for The Tourist. There's no denying this has appeal based on its star power, but does anyone else feel like this is the third time we've basically seen this movie this year after Killers and Knight and Day? Given that neither of them were very successful with critics or at the box office, I wonder why the studio would fast-track this film and have it come out this year. Let's hope this offers enough variety to make it worthwhile.

NMR: Cop Out

A total misfire here. I don't know how such talented people could produce such a loser, but they did. None of director Kevin Smith's unique style appears in this film. Tracy Morgan's antics are more grating than hilarious. And Bruce Willis seems completely bored out of his mind. I really think it was a mistake to cast him here since all it does it urge the audience to compare this lousy performance to Willis' prior great cop roles. This comedy about a pair of mismatched cop partners out to solve a crime involving a stolen baseball card tries to make fun of the cop film cliches, but ends up being just a poor man's version of classics like Beverly Hills Cop or 48 Hours. The film lacks compelling villains and fails to give the story any sense of urgency. There are a few stray laughs here or there, but for the most part this thing just plods around from scene to scene until it reaches its inevitable conclusion. Do yourself a favor and just watch The Other Guys instead. Rating: **

Critic proof

I was disappointed when At the Movies was cancelled last month after its 30 year run in various formats going back to when it first started with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. Well it appears that the show's disappearance won't last for very long. Earlier this week Roger Ebert announced that At the Movies will be returning home to public television next January. The show will feature two new critics, but Ebert himself will have a segment on the show where he will use a computer to speak for him (he lost his lower jaw after a bout with cancer a few years ago). The trademark thumbs up/down will also be back. All in all it seems like a good show and one that is still needed, even in today's day and age when everyone is a critic. Below is a short video highlighting what we can expect when the show premieres next year.

NMR: Unthinkable

This was a straight-to-DVD release, which was kind of baffling given the star power in it. Michael Sheen plays a terrorist who claims he has set bombs in three unnamed cities and will set them off unless his demands are met and Samuel L. Jackson plays an interrogator with unorthodox methods of getting answers. Carrie Anne Moss is also along for the ride as an FBI agent who is uneasy with Jackson's tactics. Most of the film plays like an episode of 24, only more gritty and not as engaging. The film runs out of steam as it reaches its climax, only to then provide an ending that is meant to be thought provoking, but instead reeks of desperation with its 'shocking for the sake of shocking' approach. For a straight-to-DVD release, this isn't that bad, but I can also understand why it never found its way into theaters. Rating: **1/2

Here we go

After months of speculation, the first trailer for Clint Eastwood's latest film, Hereafter has finally arrived and it looks like it has Oscar buzz already surrounding it.

It's (maybe) the most wonderful time of the year!

Back to school time has finally happened for me. I started back up at Wright State on Tuesday, which has yielded mixed results. There have been a lot of headaches thus far, more than usual, which has been frustrating. However, these frustrations have yet to weaken my resolve and I still absolutely love teaching. Being in the classroom still gives me a thrill and I hope that never disappears. Anyways, this post is primarily a means of saying that posts maybe be fewer and farther between than they were over the summer. I'll still do my best though to share any or all thoughts I have on the stuff I normally talk about on here.

Penn pal

Between Two Ferns is back - this time Sean Penn drops by to talk with special guest host Seth Galifianakis!

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Sean Penn from Between Two Ferns

All Better

Are you a Better Off Ted fan? Well if you are, you may or may not have realized that there were two episodes from its second season that never aired...until now. While ABC has decided not to show them on TV, there are several ways that you can access these shows. Alan Sepinwall from hitfix.com explains...

Hey, remember those two "Better Off Ted" episodes that weren't aired before ABC canceled the show, and that were going to air in June if the NBA Finals didn't go to a Game 7? Well, unfortunately, the Lakers and Celtics just wanted to keep playing and playing, and ABC never rescheduled the episodes, and with the new TV season about to begin in a few weeks, it doesn't look like they'll air anytime soon in this country. (Both aired in Australia a few weeks ago.)

But there is now a legal means of seeing both, as they were released to iTunes this morning. (One of them is also on Amazon's video on demand service.) UPDATE: And if you're a Netflix subscriber, you can stream both of them.

So go enjoy your last rush of Veronica, Lem, Phil and company. Haven't had a chance to watch yet myself, but hopefully there's a Veridian Dynamics commercial or two in there.

Heading in the Right direction?

Here's an early look at some of the big changes you can expect to see in the upcoming 39th season of The Price is Right to pricing games both new and old.