Looks like some big changes in store for the Eye Network...
CBS released its fall 2010 schedule in anticipation of its presentation to advertisers this afternoon in New York. CBS ordered four dramas (Hawaii 5-0, Defenders, Blue Bloods, and the Forest Whitaker starrer Criminal Minds 2, which is set for a midseason debut) and two comedies (Mike and Molly, $#*! My Dad Says) for fall and canceled Ghost Whisperer, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried, Cold Case, Miami Medical, Accidentally on Purpose, and Numb3rs.
CBS Corp Chairman Leslie Moonves told reporters Wednesday that he was “surprised that you were surprised” about the cancellation of shows like Whisperer and Old Christine. Ratings for the latter comedy, in fact, were trending downward, Moonves said, and “not headed in the right direction. It’s not the right place to be for the No. 1 network. This is about improving time periods.” Later, CBS’ head of scheduling Kelly Kahl quipped that it was all about the “network circle of life.”
The net execs said it felt like the right time to move to Survivor from Thursdays to Wednesdays given the show’s continued strength, and they reassured reporters that the promos for Sh#* My Dad Says won’t really employ the expletive; the voiceover will say “bleep” (yes, reporters were actually concerned about that). Moonves also said he was glad he didn’t have to sell advertisers on the notion of a “One and a Half Men” comedy since Charlie Sheen closed a new deal to stay with the hit show.
* — denotes new show
MONDAY
8 p.m . How I Met Your Mother
8:30 Rules of Engagement
9:00 Two and a Half Men
9:30 Mike and Molly *
10:00 Hawaii Five-0 *
TUESDAY
8 p.m. NCIS
9:00 NCIS LA
10:00 The Good Wife
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. Survivor: Nicaragua
9:00 Criminal Minds
10:00 The Defenders *
THURSDAY
8 p.m. The Big Bang Theory
8:30 $#*! My Dad Says *
9:00 CSI
10:00 The Mentalist
FRIDAY
8 p.m. Medium
9:00 CSI: NY
10:00 Blue Bloods *
SATURDAY
8 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
9:00 Crimetime Saturday
10:00 48 Hours
SUNDAY
7 p.m 60 Minutes.
8:00 The Amazing Race
9:00 Undercover Boss
10:00 CSI: Miami
Thursday, May 20, 2010
A Megamind is a terrible thing to waste
Here's the first full trailer for the new animated feature, Megamind. Let's hope the quality of the film matches the talent of the voice cast and this isn't a case of weak story being masked by big name actors.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Fall schedule announcements (ABC)
ABC released its fall 2010 schedule in anticipation of its presentation to advertisers this afternoon in New York. New series for the 2010-11 season are Better Together, Body of Proof, Detroit 1-8-7, Happy Endings, Mr. Sunshine, My Generation, No Ordinary Family, Off the Map, Secret Millionaire, and The Whole Truth. ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson told EW that V will be back midseason in the Dancing with the Stars Results Show slot, behind the network’s other high-concept show No Ordinary Family.
“It was a Sophie’s Choice,” McPherson said about his decision to renew V and cancel FlashForward. “In the end, FlashForward didn’t engage audiences like we hoped. For V, I get more anecdotal calls and emails than any other show on the schedule. A huge part of rebuilding the network is about taking chances. Some shows just don’t work out.”
MONDAY
8:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars
10:00 p.m. Castle
TUESDAY
8:00 p.m. No Ordinary Family
9:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars the Results Show
10:00 p.m. Detroit 1-8-7
WEDNESDAY
8:00 p.m. The Middle
8:30 p.m. Better Together
9:00 p.m. Modern Family
9:30 p.m. Cougar Town
10:00 p.m. The Whole Truth
THURSDAY
8:00 p.m. My Generation
9:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy
10:00 p.m. Private Practice
FRIDAY
8:00 p.m. Secret Millionaire
9:00 p.m. Body of Proof
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. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00 p.m. Desperate Housewives
10:00 p.m. Brothers & Sisters
Descriptions of the dramas:
Body of Proof Stars Dana Delany as a medical examiner, determined to solve the puzzle of who or what killed the victims of an accident that ended her career as a neurosurgeon.
Detroit 1-8-7 stars Michael Imperioli in this drama offering an insider’s glimpse of Detroit Police’s Homicide Unit.
My Generation A documentary-style dramedy about a disparate group of high schoolers from Greenbelt High School in Austin, Tex. preparing for graduation, then revisited 10 years later.
No Ordinary Family Michael Chiklis stars as the patriarch of a family that goes from ordinary to extraordinary.
Off the Map From executive producers Shonda Rhimes and creator Jenna Bans, this drama focuses a tiny town in the South American jungle which has one understaffed, under-stocked medical clinic.
The Whole Truth Rob Morrow stars in this legal drama that tells story from perspective of both the defense and prosecution.
Comedies:
Better Together A marriage comedy that stars JoAnna Garcia.
Happy Endings Elisha Cuthbert stars in this series about how a couple’s break-up will complicate all of their friends’ lives and make everyone question their choices.
Mr. Sunshine Matthew Perry stars as Ben Donovan, the self-involved manager of a second-rate San Diego sports arena who begins to re-evaluate his life on his 40th birthday.
Alternative series
Secret Millionaire A one-hour alternative series that follows some of America’s wealthiest people for one week as they leave behind their lavish lifestyles, sprawling mansions and luxury jets, conceal their true identities, and go to live and volunteer in some of the most impoverished and dangerous communities in America.
“It was a Sophie’s Choice,” McPherson said about his decision to renew V and cancel FlashForward. “In the end, FlashForward didn’t engage audiences like we hoped. For V, I get more anecdotal calls and emails than any other show on the schedule. A huge part of rebuilding the network is about taking chances. Some shows just don’t work out.”
MONDAY
8:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars
10:00 p.m. Castle
TUESDAY
8:00 p.m. No Ordinary Family
9:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars the Results Show
10:00 p.m. Detroit 1-8-7
WEDNESDAY
8:00 p.m. The Middle
8:30 p.m. Better Together
9:00 p.m. Modern Family
9:30 p.m. Cougar Town
10:00 p.m. The Whole Truth
THURSDAY
8:00 p.m. My Generation
9:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy
10:00 p.m. Private Practice
FRIDAY
8:00 p.m. Secret Millionaire
9:00 p.m. Body of Proof
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. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00 p.m. Desperate Housewives
10:00 p.m. Brothers & Sisters
Descriptions of the dramas:
Body of Proof Stars Dana Delany as a medical examiner, determined to solve the puzzle of who or what killed the victims of an accident that ended her career as a neurosurgeon.
Detroit 1-8-7 stars Michael Imperioli in this drama offering an insider’s glimpse of Detroit Police’s Homicide Unit.
My Generation A documentary-style dramedy about a disparate group of high schoolers from Greenbelt High School in Austin, Tex. preparing for graduation, then revisited 10 years later.
No Ordinary Family Michael Chiklis stars as the patriarch of a family that goes from ordinary to extraordinary.
Off the Map From executive producers Shonda Rhimes and creator Jenna Bans, this drama focuses a tiny town in the South American jungle which has one understaffed, under-stocked medical clinic.
The Whole Truth Rob Morrow stars in this legal drama that tells story from perspective of both the defense and prosecution.
Comedies:
Better Together A marriage comedy that stars JoAnna Garcia.
Happy Endings Elisha Cuthbert stars in this series about how a couple’s break-up will complicate all of their friends’ lives and make everyone question their choices.
Mr. Sunshine Matthew Perry stars as Ben Donovan, the self-involved manager of a second-rate San Diego sports arena who begins to re-evaluate his life on his 40th birthday.
Alternative series
Secret Millionaire A one-hour alternative series that follows some of America’s wealthiest people for one week as they leave behind their lavish lifestyles, sprawling mansions and luxury jets, conceal their true identities, and go to live and volunteer in some of the most impoverished and dangerous communities in America.
Park your butt down and watch this!
So I've tried to make a few comments on here about how much the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation has improved this year. As it nears the end of its second season it has really hit its stride. I was dismayed to see that NBC has decided to save this show until midseason next year. However, if the rumors are true and they're doing this in order to move it into the 9:30 slot after The Office, I'm cool with that. Anyways, in order to help improve its ratings I'll use this site to promote it as much as I can. Today, you can give the show a chance by checking out this extra long producer's cut of last week's penultimate episode for season 2.
Heavy mettle
I apologize for not getting this review up last week in a more timely fashion. However, by waiting, I've actually had a chance to see it again, which has allowed me to gain more perspective on the film.
Iron Man 2 picks up fairly soon after the initial film, with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) relishing the fact that he's become a beloved superhero and sustained world peace. Meanwhile, a Russian named Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) begins to develop his own suit in order to exact revenge on Stark because his their fathers used to work together until Stark's dad had Vanko's deported. The suit Vanko develops has electric whips attached making him into the villainous Whiplash. That would be a perfectly fine setup to a comic book movie, however, in this film that is just one of many stories going on.
In addition to Whiplash seeking revenge against Stark, there are plot points involving the government wanting Stark to hand over the Iron Man suit, a rival weapons manufacturer named Justin Hammer (played oily by Sam Rockwell) trying to develop his own weaponized suit, Nick Fury's further attempts to recruit Iron Man into S.H.I.E.L.D., and Stark worrying over the fact that the Iron Man suit is poisoning his blood and could kill him. Trying to sort out all of these issues was dizzying during my first viewing of it. It becomes a little bit more clear my second time out, however, it doesn't take away from the fact that none of these stories actually get the proper development that they deserve.
What is perhaps even more troubling is that despite all that is going on, most of it feels pretty frivolous. There is no real sense that the story or franchise has advanced much once the film is over. While it is certainly a fun ride throughout, I did wish that there had been a bit more gravity or significance to the events that unfolded.
What ultimately allows this film to overcome its bloated story and maintain its fun is the superb cast, led of course by the phenomenal Downey Jr. It's really a shame that for so long Downey was largely ignored and/or underappreciated by audiences. For the past few years, he has consistently delivered fantastic performances that make you not only believe the characters being portrayed, but also allow you to see how much fun Downey is having playing them. Once again, he completely embodies Tony Stark and all of the flaws that are associated with the character. Thankfully he doesn't have to worry about carrying the show here as he has a lot of great actors to play off of. Gwyneth Paltrow once again proves that she should remain a redhead in all of her roles. It softens her and makes her so much more likeable than she is in any of her other films. Rockwell and Rourke do well in their baddie roles and each have an opportunity to have great scenes with Downey along the way.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention a couple of other newcomers here. First, there is Scarlett Johanson, who works at Stark Industries, but may be involved in more than meets the eye. She may have been included for pure eye candy, especially in the scenes where she has to wear a catsuit, but when you look as good as her, you'll never hear my complain. Don Cheadle is also in this film, replacing Terrence Howard in the role of James 'Rhodey' Rhodes. The film does a nice job of slyly acknowledging the change. However, it ultimately was a lateral move. Cheadle didn't really add anything new to the character, but didn't detract from the film either.
Does the film belong on the same level of superhero sequels like The Dark Knight? Absolutely not. However, it works perfectly well as a big blockbuster summer movie. It has a lot of action (although the final conflict here, just as in the first Iron Man, deserved to be longer) and plenty of laughs as well. It's excellent escapist fare, even if it doesn't quite match up with the first film. Where Iron Man had the advantage of providing something new, this one merely gives us more of the same. At this point, it probably does no good making a recommendation for this film. I'm sure everyone has already made up their mind as to whether or not they will see it. However, for those that have already watched it, I can tell you that I definitely did enjoy it more on the second viewing. This is particularly true if you're a comic book fan as there are many Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the film that are geeky fun. All in all, Iron Man 2 may not be as sharp as the original, but it possesses all of the elements to be a successful franchise for years to come. Grade: B
Iron Man 2 picks up fairly soon after the initial film, with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) relishing the fact that he's become a beloved superhero and sustained world peace. Meanwhile, a Russian named Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) begins to develop his own suit in order to exact revenge on Stark because his their fathers used to work together until Stark's dad had Vanko's deported. The suit Vanko develops has electric whips attached making him into the villainous Whiplash. That would be a perfectly fine setup to a comic book movie, however, in this film that is just one of many stories going on.
In addition to Whiplash seeking revenge against Stark, there are plot points involving the government wanting Stark to hand over the Iron Man suit, a rival weapons manufacturer named Justin Hammer (played oily by Sam Rockwell) trying to develop his own weaponized suit, Nick Fury's further attempts to recruit Iron Man into S.H.I.E.L.D., and Stark worrying over the fact that the Iron Man suit is poisoning his blood and could kill him. Trying to sort out all of these issues was dizzying during my first viewing of it. It becomes a little bit more clear my second time out, however, it doesn't take away from the fact that none of these stories actually get the proper development that they deserve.
What is perhaps even more troubling is that despite all that is going on, most of it feels pretty frivolous. There is no real sense that the story or franchise has advanced much once the film is over. While it is certainly a fun ride throughout, I did wish that there had been a bit more gravity or significance to the events that unfolded.
What ultimately allows this film to overcome its bloated story and maintain its fun is the superb cast, led of course by the phenomenal Downey Jr. It's really a shame that for so long Downey was largely ignored and/or underappreciated by audiences. For the past few years, he has consistently delivered fantastic performances that make you not only believe the characters being portrayed, but also allow you to see how much fun Downey is having playing them. Once again, he completely embodies Tony Stark and all of the flaws that are associated with the character. Thankfully he doesn't have to worry about carrying the show here as he has a lot of great actors to play off of. Gwyneth Paltrow once again proves that she should remain a redhead in all of her roles. It softens her and makes her so much more likeable than she is in any of her other films. Rockwell and Rourke do well in their baddie roles and each have an opportunity to have great scenes with Downey along the way.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention a couple of other newcomers here. First, there is Scarlett Johanson, who works at Stark Industries, but may be involved in more than meets the eye. She may have been included for pure eye candy, especially in the scenes where she has to wear a catsuit, but when you look as good as her, you'll never hear my complain. Don Cheadle is also in this film, replacing Terrence Howard in the role of James 'Rhodey' Rhodes. The film does a nice job of slyly acknowledging the change. However, it ultimately was a lateral move. Cheadle didn't really add anything new to the character, but didn't detract from the film either.
Does the film belong on the same level of superhero sequels like The Dark Knight? Absolutely not. However, it works perfectly well as a big blockbuster summer movie. It has a lot of action (although the final conflict here, just as in the first Iron Man, deserved to be longer) and plenty of laughs as well. It's excellent escapist fare, even if it doesn't quite match up with the first film. Where Iron Man had the advantage of providing something new, this one merely gives us more of the same. At this point, it probably does no good making a recommendation for this film. I'm sure everyone has already made up their mind as to whether or not they will see it. However, for those that have already watched it, I can tell you that I definitely did enjoy it more on the second viewing. This is particularly true if you're a comic book fan as there are many Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the film that are geeky fun. All in all, Iron Man 2 may not be as sharp as the original, but it possesses all of the elements to be a successful franchise for years to come. Grade: B
Monday, May 17, 2010
Fall schedule announcements (FOX)
As will be the case all week, the schedule and all commentary are courtesy of EW.com
"Fox will add three new dramas and four new comedies to the schedule next season that is “designed to be aggressive, not just to maintain.” Talking with reporters today in anticipation of the network’s presentation to advertisers in New York, Entertainment President Kevin Reilly touted the network’s new “modern-day Dallas” in Lonestar that stars Jon Voight (24) and talked about the coup in scoring Keri Russell (Felicity) for the comedy Running Wilde that also stars Will Arnett. He also announced that Fox will air a special episode of Glee when the network airs the Super Bowl next year.
As usual, the conversation veered toward American Idol and its future without judge Simon Cowell. ”Auditions don’t begin until September, so we do have time,” explains Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice. ”There is no bigger question for the summer.”
By far, the network’s most ambitious project for next season is Terra Nova, a high-concept drama from the auspices of Steven Spielberg, ex-Fox Chairman Peter Chernin, agent-turned-producer Aaron Kaplan and scribe Brannon Braga (24). The prehistoric, time-traveling drama is in pre-production and has yet to be cast but Reilly says they’ve already hired the production designer from Avatar to work on the special effects (the show will feature dinosaurs). Because of the size of the production — it is expected to shoot in Hawaii — the show has yet to earn a time slot on the midseason schedule.
Finally, Fox did not say what it plans to do on Saturdays now that it has canceled The Wanda Sykes Show.
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM House
9:00-10:00 PM Lonestar (new)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Glee
9:00-9:30 PM Raising Hope (new)
9:30-10:00 PM Running Wilde (new)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Lie to Me
9:00-10:00 PM Hell’s Kitchen
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Bones
9:00-10:00 PM Fringe
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Human Target
9:00-10:00 PM The Good Guys
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM America’s Most Wanted
SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM The OT (NFL post-game)
8:00-8:30 PM The Simpsons
8:30-9:00 PM The Cleveland Show
9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy
9:30-10:00 PM American Dad
Fox midseason schedule
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM House
9:00-10:00 PM Lonestar / Ride-Along (new)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:30 PM American Idol performance show
9:30-10:00 PM Running Wilde (new) / Mixed Signals (new; spring)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM Raising Hope
8:30-9:00 PM American Idol results show
9:00-10:00 PM Glee
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Bones
9:00-10:00 PM Fringe
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Human Target
9:00-10:00 PM Kitchen Nightmares
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM America’s Most Wanted
SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM The Simpsons (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM American Dad
8:00-8:30 PM The Simpsons
8:30-9:00 PM Bob’s Burgers (new)
9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy
9:30-10:00 PM The Cleveland Show
Here are descriptions of the new shows:
Raising Hope A single-camera family comedy from Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl) about a family that receives an unexpected new member into their already flawed household. Stars Cloris Leachman and Martha Plimpton.
Running Wilde A romantic comedy starring Will Arnett as an immature playboy trying to win the heart of his childhood sweetheart, played by Keri Russell.
Lonestar From the creators of Party of Five, this Texas-based soap opera about big oil families stars Adrianne Palicki and Jon Voight.
Bob’s Burgers A new animated series about a man, his family and a burger joint.
Terra Nova A time-traveling drama back to prehistoric earth from executive producers Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga and David Fury (it has yet to be scheduled).
Ride-Along A Chicago-based cop drama starring Jason Clarke. It’s from Shawn Ryan (The Shield)."
"Fox will add three new dramas and four new comedies to the schedule next season that is “designed to be aggressive, not just to maintain.” Talking with reporters today in anticipation of the network’s presentation to advertisers in New York, Entertainment President Kevin Reilly touted the network’s new “modern-day Dallas” in Lonestar that stars Jon Voight (24) and talked about the coup in scoring Keri Russell (Felicity) for the comedy Running Wilde that also stars Will Arnett. He also announced that Fox will air a special episode of Glee when the network airs the Super Bowl next year.
As usual, the conversation veered toward American Idol and its future without judge Simon Cowell. ”Auditions don’t begin until September, so we do have time,” explains Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice. ”There is no bigger question for the summer.”
By far, the network’s most ambitious project for next season is Terra Nova, a high-concept drama from the auspices of Steven Spielberg, ex-Fox Chairman Peter Chernin, agent-turned-producer Aaron Kaplan and scribe Brannon Braga (24). The prehistoric, time-traveling drama is in pre-production and has yet to be cast but Reilly says they’ve already hired the production designer from Avatar to work on the special effects (the show will feature dinosaurs). Because of the size of the production — it is expected to shoot in Hawaii — the show has yet to earn a time slot on the midseason schedule.
Finally, Fox did not say what it plans to do on Saturdays now that it has canceled The Wanda Sykes Show.
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM House
9:00-10:00 PM Lonestar (new)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Glee
9:00-9:30 PM Raising Hope (new)
9:30-10:00 PM Running Wilde (new)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Lie to Me
9:00-10:00 PM Hell’s Kitchen
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Bones
9:00-10:00 PM Fringe
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Human Target
9:00-10:00 PM The Good Guys
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM America’s Most Wanted
SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM The OT (NFL post-game)
8:00-8:30 PM The Simpsons
8:30-9:00 PM The Cleveland Show
9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy
9:30-10:00 PM American Dad
Fox midseason schedule
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM House
9:00-10:00 PM Lonestar / Ride-Along (new)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:30 PM American Idol performance show
9:30-10:00 PM Running Wilde (new) / Mixed Signals (new; spring)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM Raising Hope
8:30-9:00 PM American Idol results show
9:00-10:00 PM Glee
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Bones
9:00-10:00 PM Fringe
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM Human Target
9:00-10:00 PM Kitchen Nightmares
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM America’s Most Wanted
SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM The Simpsons (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM American Dad
8:00-8:30 PM The Simpsons
8:30-9:00 PM Bob’s Burgers (new)
9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy
9:30-10:00 PM The Cleveland Show
Here are descriptions of the new shows:
Raising Hope A single-camera family comedy from Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl) about a family that receives an unexpected new member into their already flawed household. Stars Cloris Leachman and Martha Plimpton.
Running Wilde A romantic comedy starring Will Arnett as an immature playboy trying to win the heart of his childhood sweetheart, played by Keri Russell.
Lonestar From the creators of Party of Five, this Texas-based soap opera about big oil families stars Adrianne Palicki and Jon Voight.
Bob’s Burgers A new animated series about a man, his family and a burger joint.
Terra Nova A time-traveling drama back to prehistoric earth from executive producers Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga and David Fury (it has yet to be scheduled).
Ride-Along A Chicago-based cop drama starring Jason Clarke. It’s from Shawn Ryan (The Shield)."
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Will 8 be great?
For those of you who haven't made it out to see Iron Man 2 yet (by the way, I have and I promise to get my review up asap) here's the trailer for J.J. Abrams' new project, Super 8. Even though, it looks similar to Cloverfield, it supposedly has nothing to do with it. Regardless, it looks like it'll probably be another thrill ride for all movies fans to enjoy.
Fall schedule announcements (NBC)
So this is the week when the networks unveil their fall schedules and we start things early with NBC's lineup. Here's the schedule, plus additional comments from EW.com:
Insiders are confirming that the following NBC schedule — which the trades got a hold of this AM — is legit. The highlights? 30 Rock moving to 8:30, Parks and Recreation being held to midseason, and the romantic anthology Love Bites landing the Thursday at 10 pm perch.
MONDAY
8-9 p.m: Chuck
9-10 p.m: The Event (new)
10-11 p.m.: Chase (new)
TUESDAY
8-10 p.m.: The Biggest Loser
10-11 p.m.: Parenthood
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m.: Undercovers (new)
9-10 p.m.: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
10-11 p.m.: Law & Order: Los Angeles (new)
THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m.: Community
8:30-9 p.m.: 30 Rock
9-9:30 p.m.: The Office
9:30-10 p.m.: Outsourced (new)
10-11 p.m.: Love Bites (new)
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m.: Who Do You Think You Are?/School Pride (new)
9-10 p.m.: Dateline NBC
10-11 p.m.: Outlaw (new)
SUNDAY
7- 8:15 p.m.: Football Night in America
8:15-11:30 p.m.: NBC Sunday Night Football
SUNDAY (midseason)
7-8 p.m.: Dateline NBC
8-9 p.m. – Minute to Win It
9-11 p.m. – The Celebrity Apprentice
Held to midseason: Parks and Recreation, plus new comedies Friends With Benefits, The Paul Reiser Show, Perfect Couples, as well as new dramas The Cape and Harry’s Law.
Insiders are confirming that the following NBC schedule — which the trades got a hold of this AM — is legit. The highlights? 30 Rock moving to 8:30, Parks and Recreation being held to midseason, and the romantic anthology Love Bites landing the Thursday at 10 pm perch.
MONDAY
8-9 p.m: Chuck
9-10 p.m: The Event (new)
10-11 p.m.: Chase (new)
TUESDAY
8-10 p.m.: The Biggest Loser
10-11 p.m.: Parenthood
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m.: Undercovers (new)
9-10 p.m.: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
10-11 p.m.: Law & Order: Los Angeles (new)
THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m.: Community
8:30-9 p.m.: 30 Rock
9-9:30 p.m.: The Office
9:30-10 p.m.: Outsourced (new)
10-11 p.m.: Love Bites (new)
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m.: Who Do You Think You Are?/School Pride (new)
9-10 p.m.: Dateline NBC
10-11 p.m.: Outlaw (new)
SUNDAY
7- 8:15 p.m.: Football Night in America
8:15-11:30 p.m.: NBC Sunday Night Football
SUNDAY (midseason)
7-8 p.m.: Dateline NBC
8-9 p.m. – Minute to Win It
9-11 p.m. – The Celebrity Apprentice
Held to midseason: Parks and Recreation, plus new comedies Friends With Benefits, The Paul Reiser Show, Perfect Couples, as well as new dramas The Cape and Harry’s Law.
Wahoo Wrap-Up (Week 6)
Record: 15-20, Third in the American League Central
Sorry I never got around to doing a weekly recap last week. Then again, the way the Tribe was playing then didn't exactly inspire me to write much (at least nothing positive). Thankfully, the news is much better this week as the Indians managed to take two out of three in each of their last two series and have won 5 out of their last 7 games. It certainly helped that we played the Royals and Orioles, two of the AL's worst teams. Still, the way we won those games was positive and hopefully it will help motivate the team to keep up their winning ways. One of the nice things that has developed is the offense from guys like Austin Kearns and Russell Branyan; a couple of guys who weren't expected to do much but have provided some pop in the offense as well as some senior leadership for the young guys. It's a shame guys like Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner aren't doing it, but as long as someone is, I'm happy.
This week things will get a little bit tougher. We wrap up the current road trip with a two game stint against the best team in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays. Then it is back home for series against the Royals and the Reds. We just beat up on the Royals so hopefully we can do it again at home. As for the Reds, we usually play our cross-state rival competitively, but their pitching has been very good this year, so our bats will really have to pick it up if we want to win against them. Right now, I'm just trying to stay positive about the team, which is the most we can hope for from anyone. And as always, Go Tribe!
Sorry I never got around to doing a weekly recap last week. Then again, the way the Tribe was playing then didn't exactly inspire me to write much (at least nothing positive). Thankfully, the news is much better this week as the Indians managed to take two out of three in each of their last two series and have won 5 out of their last 7 games. It certainly helped that we played the Royals and Orioles, two of the AL's worst teams. Still, the way we won those games was positive and hopefully it will help motivate the team to keep up their winning ways. One of the nice things that has developed is the offense from guys like Austin Kearns and Russell Branyan; a couple of guys who weren't expected to do much but have provided some pop in the offense as well as some senior leadership for the young guys. It's a shame guys like Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner aren't doing it, but as long as someone is, I'm happy.
This week things will get a little bit tougher. We wrap up the current road trip with a two game stint against the best team in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays. Then it is back home for series against the Royals and the Reds. We just beat up on the Royals so hopefully we can do it again at home. As for the Reds, we usually play our cross-state rival competitively, but their pitching has been very good this year, so our bats will really have to pick it up if we want to win against them. Right now, I'm just trying to stay positive about the team, which is the most we can hope for from anyone. And as always, Go Tribe!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
TV's Grim Reaper begins to rear his ugly head
As season finales begin to air, it's once again time for fans to wait with bated breath to see what fate lies for their favorite shows. Well even though fall schedules won't be announced for another week or so, decisions on some shows have already been made.
The big announcement yesterday was that Heroes has been cancelled. This is bittersweet news for me. Like so many people, I fell in love with this show in its first year and then continued to be baffled with each successive year as it failed to reclaim that magic and turned into a overstuffed and convoluted mess. It was getting embarassing watch it try so hard and fail miserably. It's probably best that NBC just decided to be done with it. There are some rumors that they may give the show a 2-hour movie to wrap things up, but if I were NBC I would just opt to spend the money elsewhere.
Another show that felt the ax this week was Better Off Ted. This one actually hurts a little bit more since this show was still producing great TV. It just had the unfortunate situation of being on ABC - the network where good sitcoms go to die. If this had been on a different network, I feel it would have had a better opportunity to nurture and develop a fan base. Let's just hope the talented people from the cast are able to find other work quickly.
Lastly, some good news - Chuck has been renewed!! The little show that could has somehow survived and will get a fourth season. Right now, NBC has only ordered 13 episodes, but they did that last year and then ended up ordering more after being pleased with the quality of the episodes, so let's hope that happens once again this year. This show is so much fun and has a great cast. I'm glad to see they're having the opportunity to expand the show and allow the characters to grow instead of running around in circles, never answering questions. Since they creators now they could always be cancelled at the drop of the hat, they just go for broke to make sure they don't leave the audience hanging. I can't wait to see what's in store for Chuck and the Buy More gang next season.
For updates on the statuses of all of your favorite TV show, I would recommend going here. They'll give you the lowdown of who gets cut and who is granted salvation.
The big announcement yesterday was that Heroes has been cancelled. This is bittersweet news for me. Like so many people, I fell in love with this show in its first year and then continued to be baffled with each successive year as it failed to reclaim that magic and turned into a overstuffed and convoluted mess. It was getting embarassing watch it try so hard and fail miserably. It's probably best that NBC just decided to be done with it. There are some rumors that they may give the show a 2-hour movie to wrap things up, but if I were NBC I would just opt to spend the money elsewhere.
Another show that felt the ax this week was Better Off Ted. This one actually hurts a little bit more since this show was still producing great TV. It just had the unfortunate situation of being on ABC - the network where good sitcoms go to die. If this had been on a different network, I feel it would have had a better opportunity to nurture and develop a fan base. Let's just hope the talented people from the cast are able to find other work quickly.
Lastly, some good news - Chuck has been renewed!! The little show that could has somehow survived and will get a fourth season. Right now, NBC has only ordered 13 episodes, but they did that last year and then ended up ordering more after being pleased with the quality of the episodes, so let's hope that happens once again this year. This show is so much fun and has a great cast. I'm glad to see they're having the opportunity to expand the show and allow the characters to grow instead of running around in circles, never answering questions. Since they creators now they could always be cancelled at the drop of the hat, they just go for broke to make sure they don't leave the audience hanging. I can't wait to see what's in store for Chuck and the Buy More gang next season.
For updates on the statuses of all of your favorite TV show, I would recommend going here. They'll give you the lowdown of who gets cut and who is granted salvation.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wheee!
So news came out today that there are plans to make a movie based on the computer game Roller Coaster Tycoon. Now if this was being produced by WWE Films, I might claim copyright infringement since back in the day I actually created a WWE-themed amusement park on that game (complete with rides like the Rings of Saturn, The Worm, and the Rattlesnake). But since it isn't, I hope they turn the film into a thriller and have the tycoon character open up his park with his rides only half build like in the video below (Note: You will probably enjoy the video better on mute). Now that's a movie!
It's all part of the plan
We finally have a trailer for The Adjustment Bureau, a film I'm excited about that was originally set to open in July, but sadly has now been pushed back to September.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
NMR: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
This will probably only be remembered as the last film that Heath Ledger did. That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if it gets a few more people to check it out. Directed by Terry Gilliam, this is another trippy piece of eye candy that is equal parts engaging and frustrating. Gilliam's directing style is an accquired taste and when it works like in a film like The Fisher King, it's rewarding and when it doesn't it can turn into a noisy mess, like with The Brothers Grimm. Here he deals with some interesting themes involving religion, mortality, and temptation. When it sticks to its narrative, I really enjoyed the film. I particularly appreciated Tom Waits' work as the Devil. However, Gilliam can't help but attack the viewer with as many visuals as possible causing the film to frequently veer off course. One aspect that was seemless to the film was the use of substitute actors to fill in for the scenes Ledger had not completed before he passed away. Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law all fill in at various time in the movie, but it's never awkward. It's tough to explain here, but trust me it works. In general, this is a mixed bag but definitely worth a look if you want to see Ledger's final (and once again great) performance or if you tend to enjoy Gilliam's work. Grade: B-
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Wahoo Wrap-Up (Week 4)
Record: 10-14, 3rd in AL Central
Maybe I should stop doing these posts on Sunday considering it seems the Tribe loses on this day each time. Then again, it's not like they're winning a lot on the other days either. The road trip finished on a bitter note as the Angels hit a walk-off bunt (yes, you read that right) to beat us in a game we should have won. We then only managed to get 1 out of 3 against the Twins to begin this homestand. The good news is that our offense seemed to perk up once we got back to Cleveland. Unfortunately the starting pitching wasn't as strong. Not to mention that the Twins are just a better team than us right now.
This week the homestand continues as we take on Toronto and Detroit. Toronto has strong together a couple of wins thanks to playing an injured Oakland team, but they are not what I would consider a formidable opponent. I would really like to see us take at least two of three from then. Then it's our old rivals, the Tigers. They have been red hot lately and played well against us at Comerica Park. If we want to have any chance of making a move in the AL Central, we're going to have to start defeating divisional opponents. Let's hope that begins this weekend. I'll be back with another recap next Sunday. Until then, let's go Tribe!
Maybe I should stop doing these posts on Sunday considering it seems the Tribe loses on this day each time. Then again, it's not like they're winning a lot on the other days either. The road trip finished on a bitter note as the Angels hit a walk-off bunt (yes, you read that right) to beat us in a game we should have won. We then only managed to get 1 out of 3 against the Twins to begin this homestand. The good news is that our offense seemed to perk up once we got back to Cleveland. Unfortunately the starting pitching wasn't as strong. Not to mention that the Twins are just a better team than us right now.
This week the homestand continues as we take on Toronto and Detroit. Toronto has strong together a couple of wins thanks to playing an injured Oakland team, but they are not what I would consider a formidable opponent. I would really like to see us take at least two of three from then. Then it's our old rivals, the Tigers. They have been red hot lately and played well against us at Comerica Park. If we want to have any chance of making a move in the AL Central, we're going to have to start defeating divisional opponents. Let's hope that begins this weekend. I'll be back with another recap next Sunday. Until then, let's go Tribe!
Reynolds wrapped
Check out the trailer for the film, Buried, set to come out in September and starring Ryan Reynolds. The premise is spooky enough, but it's hard to say yet if this will be cool or just come off cheesy. If done right, it could be a more effective Phone Booth. If not, it may be the most uncomfortable two hours you spend in a theater.
NMR: A couple of Critchton's
Courtesy of Netflix's instant view, here's a pair of reviews for two films based off of Michael Critchton novels.
Netflix: I remember loving the book and then ended up never seeing the movie because so many people said it was bad when it came out in 2003. Now a few years removed I thought I would give it a chance and it turns out those people were exactly right. This movie seemed to completely fail at grasping what made Critchton's books so great in the first place - the science. This film barely touches on the time travelling aspects and seems content to be a run-of-the-mill period action thriller. While annoying, I may have let it slide had the action and/or acting been any good, but neither were here. Paul Walker is his usually wooden self and the rest are just as boring, if not annoying in their performance. The movie is so dull it felt like time was standing still for me. The only bright spot was seeing David Thewlis, who is better known now as Prof. Lupin in the Harry Potter series. Rating: **
Rising Sun: This one started off promising enough in its exploration of the American/Japanese business culture within the context of a murder. However, it quickly becomes a standard cop thriller and then eventually devolves into a non-sensical mess. A major flaw here is that the film never makes the audience invested in finding out who the killer is. While I've never read the book, I have a feeling all of this made better sense there. This film seemed to have a lot of corporate influence on it as the elements of action and tension are ramped up, but cause the film's story to suffer greatly. It's always a treat to see Connery on the screen, but even he couldn't do enough to make this better than mediocre. Rating: ***
Netflix: I remember loving the book and then ended up never seeing the movie because so many people said it was bad when it came out in 2003. Now a few years removed I thought I would give it a chance and it turns out those people were exactly right. This movie seemed to completely fail at grasping what made Critchton's books so great in the first place - the science. This film barely touches on the time travelling aspects and seems content to be a run-of-the-mill period action thriller. While annoying, I may have let it slide had the action and/or acting been any good, but neither were here. Paul Walker is his usually wooden self and the rest are just as boring, if not annoying in their performance. The movie is so dull it felt like time was standing still for me. The only bright spot was seeing David Thewlis, who is better known now as Prof. Lupin in the Harry Potter series. Rating: **
Rising Sun: This one started off promising enough in its exploration of the American/Japanese business culture within the context of a murder. However, it quickly becomes a standard cop thriller and then eventually devolves into a non-sensical mess. A major flaw here is that the film never makes the audience invested in finding out who the killer is. While I've never read the book, I have a feeling all of this made better sense there. This film seemed to have a lot of corporate influence on it as the elements of action and tension are ramped up, but cause the film's story to suffer greatly. It's always a treat to see Connery on the screen, but even he couldn't do enough to make this better than mediocre. Rating: ***
Friday, April 30, 2010
How about some hot Coco (news)?
Each day seems to bring us some new information regarding Conan O'Brien's new gig this November on TBS. Here's a summation...
-It's been confirmed that Conan will be staying in LA. Currently, they're trying to procure a lot near the Lopez Tonight set. I can't say I'm happy about this, but it's probably the more pragmatic decision.
-According to music legend Al Kooper who knows many members of Conan's band, he claims that band leader Max Weinberg will not be coming back when Conan starts his new show. If he's to be believed, the rest of the band will remain in tact, it's just Max who's not returning. It would be sad to see Max go, but there are enough other funny guys in that band (ie La Bamba) that seeing Max go wouldn't be the end of the world. You can read Kooper's interview where he makes these claims here.
-Finally, if you haven't heard, Conan can finally break his silence starting tomorrow (May 1) and will do it formally on Sunday when he's interviewed on 60 Minutes. It's sure to be an interesting piece, so be sure to tune in if you're curious about what he has to say about NBC and Jay Leno.
-It's been confirmed that Conan will be staying in LA. Currently, they're trying to procure a lot near the Lopez Tonight set. I can't say I'm happy about this, but it's probably the more pragmatic decision.
-According to music legend Al Kooper who knows many members of Conan's band, he claims that band leader Max Weinberg will not be coming back when Conan starts his new show. If he's to be believed, the rest of the band will remain in tact, it's just Max who's not returning. It would be sad to see Max go, but there are enough other funny guys in that band (ie La Bamba) that seeing Max go wouldn't be the end of the world. You can read Kooper's interview where he makes these claims here.
-Finally, if you haven't heard, Conan can finally break his silence starting tomorrow (May 1) and will do it formally on Sunday when he's interviewed on 60 Minutes. It's sure to be an interesting piece, so be sure to tune in if you're curious about what he has to say about NBC and Jay Leno.
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