Posted Feb 6th 2009 2:33PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: OpEd, Lost, Celebrities, Reality-Free
I'm a sucker for time travel shows. I loved it when
Star Trek did it (all of the
Star Trek shows did it, several times) and
Back to the Future is one of my favorite films. So I'm really enjoying
Lost this season, with it's time-tripping and skipping. But I have some problems with it, and so does
Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings.
Jennings mentions on his blog that he thinks the writers have actually answered too many questions, which isn't a complaint that you hear from
Lost fans too often. He thinks if they had left more plot questions, some of the things that happened in previous seasons "could now be explained as the actions of Future Juliet or Future Sawyer or somebody."
Jennings thinks it's smart that the show has the rule that you can't change what happened, because if something happens a certain way it will always happen that way. But I think the show is breaking that rule here and there.
Continue reading Ken Jennings thinks Lost is making a mistake this season
Posted Feb 6th 2009 2:01PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: Watercooler Talk, Celebrities, Casting, America's Got Talent
Back at the very end of August, it was announced that NBC's
America's Got Talent was renewed for a fourth season. When I wrote about this renewal, I included a few ideas to revamp the series because even if
AGT is one of the most popular summer shows, it doesn't mean we like everything about it!
Let's go down memory lane and remind ourselves of the first suggestion I wrote in that post:
- Change the host. Jerry Springer reads the teleprompter way too much. Also, his interactions with the contestants are sometimes painful to watch because Springer doesn't know what to tell them or how to act around them.
Could it be that the show's Powers That Be read my post? (Please don't burst my bubble here and let me think for a few seconds that I actually played a part in making my suggestion come true.) AOL announces today that
Jerry Springer is leaving AGT!
Continue reading America's Got Talent seeking new host
Posted Feb 6th 2009 1:04PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Programming, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free
There can be no question about the demographic that The CW is trying to market to. It has just picked up the rights
to create a show based on The Vampire Diaries series of books. Obviously, this is assuming that The CW will still be around at the actual time of broadcast.
I can see it now: some executive noticed the success of the movie
Twilight with tween girls (that key demographic I was mentioning) and said to his/her assistant: "find me a book like
Twilight but was released beforehand so nobody will sue us." Of course, it helps that
The Vampires Diaries has been re-released since the success of
Twilight and became a best-seller.
Of course, The CW has already has some experience with series based on books (
Gossip Girl comes to mind), so this is probably paint-by-numbers as far as they're concerned. I can only laugh ironically because this is the same network (albeit with a different name) that canceled
Angel.
Posted Feb 6th 2009 12:00PM by Mike Moody
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, TV on DVD, Battlestar Galactica, Reality-Free
Here's more proof that Sci Fi Channel loves nerds – and their money. A limited edition "uncut and unrated" version of the
Caprica pilot will be released on DVD April 21. That means fans can get an early look at the
Battlestar Galactica prequel series starring Eric Stoltz and Esai Morales, which is slated to premiere on Sci Fi in 2010. The DVD list price is $26.98, according to Sci Fi. Great news, right? It gets better.
Because of the early DVD release, fans might get a chance to influence the development of the series. In a release, Mark Stern, Executive VP of Original Programming for Sci Fi, says the DVD release "affords the creative team an unprecedented chance to get viewers feedback before production on the
Caprica series begins this summer."
Continue reading The cool thing about Caprica premiering on DVD is ...
Posted Feb 6th 2009 11:05AM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: News, Interviews, South Park, Reality-Free
Matt Stone and Trey Parker are the modern day equivalent of a young Orson Welles arriving fresh off the boat to Hollywood, only with a lot less farting and jokes about having an ass the size of a mid-sized sedan. That part of Welles' life doesn't parallel Matt and Trey's until post-
Touch of Evil.
The creators of Comedy Central's
South Park have a rare, carte blanche contract to write, produce, star and create just about whatever they want. If they think it's cool or funny or particularly meaningful, that's enough fuel to get things burning.
One of those projects found its way to the small screen, a weekly travel news show called
How's Your News?, which premieres on MTV this Sunday at 10:30 PM ET. It features a band of handicapped reporters talking to celebrities and on-the-street schmoes about anything that's on their minds. It started as a series of short films and turned into a critically acclaimed documentary. Stone told me that this time, the ambition and imagination that fueled this project came from its true stars.
Continue reading Matt Stone: The TV Squad Interview - VIDEO
Posted Feb 6th 2009 10:13AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Episode Reviews, Reality-Free, Burn Notice
(S02E12) "That's the thing about spies. You never know who they are." -- Michael
Michael Westen with money troubles? Boy, now you really know how bad the economy is when a burned super spy has to dig up a job to keep himself in Armani suits. Actually, I thought it was a refreshing change of pace that Michael actively pursued an assignment rather than just wait for somebody to come along -- to Sam or Madeline or Fiona -- who needs help that seemingly only Michael can provide.
What was weird is that for much of the episode, the case was much less important than the subtext between Fiona and Michael. This is an interesting development and so different from other classic TV pairings. Watching Fiona and Michael you don't wonder if they'll ever do it, because they've done it. No, you wonder what the heck does it mean and how do they deal with the emotions stirred up by Fiona's near death and Michael's reaction to possibly losing her?
Continue reading Burn Notice: Seek and Destroy
Posted Feb 6th 2009 9:45AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, OpEd, Grey's Anatomy, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E14) "Use it wisely." - Owen to Mark about.... well... you know!Fun fact: The day following the airing of "
Stairway to Heaven," the top Google searches where for expressions like "penile fracture" and "broken penis." Thankfully, after getting treatment and not using his tool for a few days, Mark is back in shape! I must admit seeing Owen and Mark quickly enter and exit the exam room to check on it was probably the most hilarious scene of the week. Yes, in my book it was funnier than those scenes with the man who had something (why couldn't they tell us what in the end?!?) lodged in his behind. It wouldn't surprise me if people research that latter case on Google today to find answers as to what was lodged where it didn't belong!
Continue reading Grey's Anatomy: Beat Your Heart Out
Posted Feb 6th 2009 9:02AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free
In the immortal words of Lennon and McCartney, all you need is love. That's especially true for the Hendrickson family of Utah, also known as
Big Love. The polygamist clan that's been the center of more complicated stories than most daytime dramas has taken hold and
HBO has given Big Love a fourth season renewal.
The Tom Hanks produced series recently returned to HBO after an extended lay-off -- thanks in part to the Writers Strike -- and it's come back stronger than ever. I know for me, it's one of the main reasons I haven't dropped HBO.
Continue reading HBO is big on Big Love
Posted Feb 6th 2009 1:30AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: OpEd, 30 Rock, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S03E10) "He gets a golf magazine, so you know he's not gay or poor." - Jenna, about DrewWhen I saw the promos for this episode, I audibly groaned. A subplot with an actor on a Telemundo soap opera who just happens to be a dead ringer for Jack? Alec Baldwin wearing a uniform and doing an accent? Ugh, I didn't think it would work at all, and with all of the over-the-top surreal subplots that have been on the show this season, I thought this would be the worst one of all.
But you know what? The subplot worked.
Continue reading 30 Rock: Generalissimo
Posted Feb 6th 2009 1:07AM by Jay Black
Filed under: OpEd, The Office, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S05E14) Last week's episode of
The Office was kind of like a one-night stand that happens after way too much drinking: good for what it was, but ultimately unsatisfying.
Tonight's episode is like finding the girl you're going to marry. And then realizing that she's rich. And also that she believes that Han shot first.
In a return to form not seen since Paul Crewe came back into the game in
The Longest Yard, tonight
The Office found its way back to that perfect old- school alchemy of discomfort, satire, and heart. Oh, and Creed. Lots of Creed ...
Continue reading The Office: Lecture Circuit
Posted Feb 5th 2009 10:37PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Smallville, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S08E14) Why did the creators of
Smallville need to give us yet another melodramatic separation with Lana that was fundamentally no different than the first one? Couldn't they have done something different?
So now we've meet the
Smallville universe's version of the
Toyman, who has appeared in several previous television versions of Superman (including the immortal
Challenge of the Super Friends). This version of Winslow Schott is the overweight, hipster Toyman, with colored, circular glasses and sideburns.
Great Krypton! Lana and Clark had super-sex! They even broke the bed. At least now we know for certain that Clark won't be a virgin when he eventually gets together with Lois.
Continue reading Smallville: Requiem
Posted Feb 5th 2009 8:02PM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: Spoilers Anonymous, Reality-Free
This is
Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at
TV Squad where we supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our
tips form or by emailing us at
tvsquad at gmail dot com, or call and leave a message at
(775) 640-8479. Your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.
This week we have:
90210, Desperate Housewives, Gossip Girl, Kyle XY, Lost, Smallville and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)Continue reading Spoilers Anonymous
Posted Feb 5th 2009 7:01PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Reality-Free
It looks like Nickelodeon is getting a little further into the games business by releasing both
SpongeBob SquarePants, iCarly and
Dora The Explorer learning games for the iPhone. They will be available later this year.
My question is this: do children of that age really use the iPhone or iPod Touch that much? Most of the people I know who own one or the other are adults or at least teenagers. While I can see some market for
SpongeBob SquarePants (which has some adult crossover appeal), I just don't see the grown-ups buying
iCarly or
Dora.
Continue reading SpongeBob on the iPhone
Posted Feb 5th 2009 6:36PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Celebrities, Reality-Free
Mike Nelson is a good guy. And he has
always seemed like a
reasonable guy to me. But now I think he's lost it a little.
For the entire month of February, the
Mystery Science Theater 3000 host/head writer is going to eat
nothing but bacon. That's right, nothing but bacon for an four weeks. Make sure you have your best suit dry cleaned for the inevitable funeral in March.
OK, maybe he'll survive like Morgan Spurlock did, though Spurlock's whole experiment was rather lame and misleading, in my opinion. But eating nothing but one of the most incredibly unhealthy foods (the fat! the grease! the salt!) for an entire month? I'm not too sure about that. He'll be drinking liquids, but most of them are alcohol (and water). No veggies or fruits for an entire month. Wow, even if you ate nothing but pizza for an entire month you'd at least get dairy and fiber and maybe some veggies. Mike will be keeping track of his progress (with bacon photos!)
at Rifftrax.
Godspeed Mike. Godspeed.
Posted Feb 5th 2009 6:07PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Late Night, TV Royalty, Video, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free
Watching this interview that Jimmy Kimmel did with John Cleese the other night (after the jump), and near the start of the interview, Cleese mentions that the real last name in his family is "Cheese," not "Cleese." At first I thought this was some sort of absurdist humor by Cleese, but after doing a little checking around the online world, I found out that it's true. I wonder how many big Cleese/Monty Python fans like me never ever knew that little piece of trivia.
This is actually a great interview with Cleese, because both Cleese and Kimmel seem to get along well and they're both quick on their feet. Kimmel was sick that night so he immediately gives Cleese some antibacterial lotion, Cleese jokes about how many times he's been married (three times, all Americans - his wife passed away last year), and the comic even gets in that one of the things wrong with Kimmel is that he's overweight.
Cleese is also on Twitter, so you can keep up with him that way if you're a fan.
Continue reading John Cleese's real last name is Cheese?! - VIDEO
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