Container Top
Homes   Jobs   Cars   Shopping


Archive for the ‘Television’ Category

"Idol": Ladies Night

Wednesday, February 21st, 2007

The women kick in the men's teeth, after the jump …

(more…)

More "Closer" on DVD

Wednesday, February 21st, 2007

Here's the official word: Cable television’s critically acclaimed series The Closer returns to DVD when Warner Home Video (WHV) releases The Closer: The Complete Second Season on May 29, 2007. The four disc collection features all 14 episodes from the series’ second season, along with bonus material, and will retail for $39.98 SRP. …
In the show’s second season, challenges both personal and professional await Brenda as her relationship with Fritz (Jon Tenney) elevates to a whole new level, her mom (Frances Sternhagen, ER, Sex and the City) comes to visit and Kyra Sedgwick’s real-life husband Kevin Bacon directs her in the season finale. …
Bonus features on the DVD set include the featurette, Breaking Down the Closer, a gag reel and deleted scenes.

"Dancing With the Stars" Cast

Wednesday, February 21st, 2007

Ian Ziering gets a big advantage, Heather Mills moves on after Macca, and more, after the jump …

(more…)

"Idol": Guys' Night

Tuesday, February 20th, 2007

What was that cackle from Paula, Simon makes a bad fat joke and other notes, after the jump …

(more…)

"Idol": Down to 24

Wednesday, February 14th, 2007

It's time for the elevator ride, after the jump …

(more…)

Snowy "Idol" Night

Tuesday, February 13th, 2007

The piles are above the ankle, more is coming and the snowblower has already given up. But we're inside watching "Idol." Immediate shocker, after the jump …

(more…)

Thursday Viewing: "Survivor," "Office," "Grey's"

Friday, February 9th, 2007

Night of the nonstop nicknames and other stuff, after the jump …

(more…)

New "Idol" Podcast

Thursday, February 8th, 2007

Malcolm X Abram and I talked about the last of this season's audition shows — and about what could lie down the road.

Listen here.

Subscribe here.

Good Morning, "Idol"

Thursday, February 8th, 2007

Last night I was at a screening of "Music and Lyrics." More about that in a later post. For now, let's take a look at "American Idol," after the jump …

(more…)

"American Idol" Tuesday (With Update)

Tuesday, February 6th, 2007

San Antonio, and some guy who thinks he sounds like Billy Idol and Ozzy, after the jump …

(more…)

Super Bowl Sunday

Sunday, February 4th, 2007

Colts. Bears. Talking lions. K-Fed. Katie. Dave and Oprah. Rainy night in Florida (and on CBS camera lenses). Prince rules. More after the jump ...

(more…)

"Grey's Anatomy," A Little "Earl"

Thursday, February 1st, 2007

Notes about the wonders of Kate Burton, after the jump …

(more…)

"Idol" Wednesday

Wednesday, January 31st, 2007

Olivia Newton-John makes her second appearance as a guest judge on a reality show in a week. First contestant has so many sound effects with his moves that it feels like a segment on "Funniest Videos." Which is not a bad comparison, considering how he sang….

(more…)

"American Idol": The Greatest City in Alabam'

Tuesday, January 30th, 2007

Well, we're in Birmingham, famous both for "Idol" finalists and for being the subject of the Randy Newman song cited above. (Check out the "Good Old Boys" album, notable also for "Louisiana 1927," which has become a post-Katrina standard.) First contestant tries "Unchained Melody" and has them calling for security when she refuses to quit singing …

(more…)

Proposals: "Friday Night Lights," "Grey's Anatomy"

Monday, January 29th, 2007

Caught up with a couple of things, and wedding bells were ringing in both of them. "Grey's Anatomy" even offered two proposals (neither answered yet) as part of an episode that seemed at least partly designed to tidy up some storylines. Not did it stabilize the McDreamy-Meredith relationship (and with some nice talk about what a relationship is), the clinic seemed a way to settle what Izzie does with her money and — although it hasn't been explicit — what the Chief will do after he retires. Sure, the failure of his marriage suggests that he may un-retire. But the Chief can remain part of the cast if he's running the clinic, too, and that leaves open the battle to succeed him.

And what of those two proposals? Beats me. And it may beat the writers, too, if the rumors about T.R. Knight wanting out of the show are true.

As for "Friday Night Lights," it continues to make the argument that it's one of the best dramas on TV right now. Not best new. Best, period. In last week's episode, I liked the way we were reminded — more than once– that the coach both carries his share of insecurities and is a hard-head. I also liked the way the show didn't feel the need to have the coach offer his QB an explanation of game strategy. (Something like, "The play was a good idea, but it was probably going to work only once, so we had to save it as a surprise when we needed it most. …") Of course, this show doesn't feel the need to have any explain motivations or ideas; we'll figure it out as we see what they do, pretty much the way we have to do with people in everyday life. At the same time, though, when words matter to them, they have pretty great words — look at Smash and his family, or the coach and Smash in the diner.

I have no idea where that show's marriage proposal will lead, except that it could be wrapped in trouble. But so could the ones on "Grey's" — or on any show that begins making wedding plans as the turmoil of ratings sweeps looms.