best, books

best books of 2007

5 Comments

tree of smokeSo I tend to read mostly fiction so that’s what I’ve culled as far as folk’s favorites. This keeps a nice tally on more books to stack in my ever growing ‘to read’ pile. Perhaps if I turned off the tv a little more frequently I’d make more progress. In alphabetical order by author, *denotes favorite/#1 pick.

  • Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman – PW
  • Lost City Radio by Daniel Alarcón – LA
  • The House of Meetings by Martin Amis – LG
  • Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski – LA, PW, SK
  • Away by Amy Bloom – LA
  • The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano – Am, LA, NYT, PW, WP
  • The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke – PW
  • Five Skies by Ron Carlson – LA
  • The Yiddish Policeman’s Union by Michael Chabon – LA, SK
  • Finn by John Clinch – WP
  • Twenty Grand: And Other Tales of Love and Money by Rebecca Curtis – LA
  • The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies – BG
  • Falling Man by Don DeLillo – Am, BG, LA, PW
  • The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz – Am, JR, LA, LG*, PW
  • The Empress of Weehawken by Irene Dische – LA
  • The Last Cavalier by Alexandre Dumas- WP
  • The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander – LA
  • The Gathering by Anne Enright – Am, BG, LA
  • Zeroville by Steve Erickson – LA
  • Then We Came to the End: A Novel by Joshua Ferris – JR, LG, NYT
  • Twilight by William Gay – SK
  • Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen – SK
  • The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid – PW 
  • The Ghost by Robert Harris – SK
  • Returning to Earth by Jim Harrison – PW
  • The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey – PW
  • Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill – PW
  • The Archivist’s Story by Travis Holland – PW
  • A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – Am*, LG
  • Body of Lies by David Ignatius – PW
  • A Free Life by Ha Jin – JR
  • Tree of Smoke: A Novel by Denis Johnson – Am, BG, LG, NYT, PW, SK, WP
  • No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July – LG
  • Bowl of Cherries by Millard Kaufman – PW
  • The God of Animals: A Novel by Aryn Kyle – Am
  • What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman – PW
  • The Complete Stories by David Malouf – PW
  • Them by Nathan McCall – PW
  • Remainder by Tom McCarthy – LA, PW
  • On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan – BG, JR, WP
  • Red Rover by Deirdre McNamer – LA
  • The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu – Am
  • The Collected Stories by Leonard Michaels – LA
  • The Gravedigger’s Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates – JR
  • The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell – Am
  • Be Near Me by Andrew O’Hagan – PW
  • Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O’Nan – JR
  • Out Stealing Horses: A Novel by Per Petterson – JR, LG, NYT
  • Surveillance by Jonathan Raban – PW 
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling – LG, SK
  • Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo – Am, LA, SK 
  • Shakespeare’s Kitchen by Lore Segal – JR
  • Jamestown by Matthew Sharpe – LA, PW
  • Like You’d Understand, Anyway by Jim Shepard – LA, LG
  • The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver – JR, LG
  • The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva – PW
  • The Terror by Dan Simmons – JR, SK
  • Beyond Reach  by Karin Slaughter – PW
  • Man Gone Down by Michael Thomas – NYT
  • White Walls: Collected Stories by Tatyana Tolstaya – PW
  • Cheating at Canasta: Stories by William Trevor – BG, LA
  • Hollywood Station by Joseph Wambaugh – SK
  • The Shadow Catcher: A Novel by Marianne Wiggins – LA, PW

Am – Amazon, BG – Boston Globe, LA- LA Times, NYT-New York Times, JR – Jennifer Reese for EW, LG – Lev Grossman at Time, PW – Publisher’s Weekly, SK – Stephen King for EW (read in 2007), WP – Washington Post

Continue Reading

tv

next week 12/31

4 Comments

Monday

  • Dick Clark’s Primetime/New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (ABC, 10pm/11:35pm) – Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest count it down with Mylie Cyrus and Fergie among others.
  • New Year’s Eve Live (Fox, 11pm) – Cat Deely counts it down with some partiers and performers.
  • New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly (NBC, 11:35) – Carson counts it down with Lenny Kravitz and Alicia Keys.

Tuesday

  • Tournament of Roses Parade (8/11am, Check Your Local Listings) – The floats they are a covered with flowers…
  • Bowl Games (Check Your Local Listings) –  I went to a college without a football team so I didn’t even care then.
  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Ok we did just have one of these but this one is apparently pairs.
  • Just for Laughs (ABC, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – This is the second season of this hidden camera prank show.
  • According to Jim (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Is this show still on?

Wednesday

  • Wife Swap (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – More family care bordering on child abuse as pageant family and feminist family collide.
  • Law & Order (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – The gang returns with another cast shuffle and more cases ‘ripped from the headlines.’
  • Super Nanny (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – The nanny saves a family caring for 3 year old twins.
  • Late Night Talk Shows (Check Your Local Listings) – As it stands the gang will be back on the air, so far with only Letterman’s company (that owns his and Craig Ferguson’s shows) negotiating a deal with the writers while the rest of the crews will be winging it.

Thursday

  • Celebrity Apprentice (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Fourteen ‘celebrities’ take their turn getting fired.

Friday

  • 1 vs 100 (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – I don’t really get this show but Barry Williams from the Brady Bunch and Dawn Wells from Gilligan’s Island are stopping by.

Saturday

  • New Hampshire Presidential Debates (ABC, 7pm) – Back to back debates showcase the republican and democratic candidates.

Sunday

  • American Gladiator (NBC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Ok there is a part of me that really wants a ridiculous remake of this show about regular folks competing against ‘gladiators’ to be a success but I won’t watch.
  • Cashmere Mafia (ABC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Lucy Liu and three successful gal pals deal with work and life, I’m sure whilst sipping cocktails and wearing good clothes.
Continue Reading

best, tv

my top tv of 2007

8 Comments

daisiesSo we’ve seen other’s picks for the top tv, but what about me? Well I think if you’ve read any of these posts you have an idea… But what you may not know is that although I seem to be comfortable spouting my opinion, if I actually have to quantify something as ‘The Best’ or ‘Top Ten’ I am immediately concerned that I have forgotten something or will change my mind the moment I write something down, which I often do, I mean tv does change with each episode… So I’m throwing down ten items in alphabetical order and I reserve the right to change my mind.

And of course one should recall that I don’t get real cable so my lack of endorsement for certain cable shows, well isn’t really a lack of endorsement.

  • Chuck (NBC) – This show isn’t more than it is, a funny action romp, but what it is, it does really well and I find myself looking forward to it each week, it’s not so much about a regular guy being pulled into the spy world as it is the spy world being pulled into the regular guy’s life and the situations with spies and with the regular folks each tend to amuse and entertain.
  • Dirty Sexy Money (ABC) – Again, I think folks tend to not give enough credit to a campy drama done well. These characters (and actors) are not only their stereotypes done to excess but also typically a subtle twist, I am entertained by the weekly trouble they get themselves into as well as finding out what who killed Dutch.
  • Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – So an HBO show? Yes I was up to date since I was at an HBO watcher’s house when it premiered, and I really can’t do this show justice with a description but the New Zealand comedy satire folk singing duo trying to make it in New York, randomly breaking into music video song stylings is super funny.
  • Heroes (NBC) – Well I warmed up to this show over the season last year and though disappointed with the start of this season, found myself yet again drawn into the cast that blurs the line between using their abilities for good or evil and how you can’t tell most of the time which is which as they try to save the world, or not.
  • Lost (ABC) – It’s been so long since I’ve seen this that I almost didn’t put it on the list, but it continues to entertain with a formula that seemed impossible telling character stories through past and present, from an island that is as full of mysteries as it is new characters.
  • Pushing Daisies (ABC) – The best new show of the year according to many, and I can’t not delight in it myself, I do give special credit for people who try to push things, and their 360 approach to the tone is wonderful, they’ve had some fantastic guest stars and episodic mysteries but managed to keep the right focus on the core cast with the ultimate can’t-be-together couple of Chuck and Ned.
  • The Riches (FX) – Another unbelievable premise that just keeps me on the edge of my seat as this Traveler family pretends to be the Riches (folks who were killed in a car accident), and how they continue to keep afloat and keep out of the way of the other Travelers who wish them ill (to say the least) and their internal struggles along the way… it kept me tuned in.
  • Samantha Who? (ABC) – This is my favorite new comedy and with the dearth of funny out there I think that’s not only entertaining but important. It’s a combination of Christina Applegate really getting a vehicle that suits her great combination of funny, dorky, attractive, bitchy and sweet in her own special way and of course the writing and the great supporting cast don’t hurt with special shoutouts to Jean Smart and Sookie and surprisingly Barry Watson.
  • Saving Grace (TNT) – You know I’m not sure this is actually one of the best shows but Holly Hunter and her screwed up character are like a car wreck you can’t look away from and her struggle with the angel trying to save her and her friends and family… well I just can’t look away.
  • 30 Rock (NBC) – This show has edged out my previous vote of funniest show How I Met Your Mother (which I still find quite funny) and it found it’s place as the dysfunctional staff of a late night sketch comedy show spouts hilarity on more levels than I can catch if I’m not paying attention, and has been funny each and every time I sit down to watch.

I also didn’t officially list, but wanted to give a special shout out to two shows that I have adored that ended their run in 2007 Gillmore Girls and Veronica Mars, oh how I do miss these sassy gals.

Continue Reading

best, tv

top tv of 2007

2 Comments

30 rockSo if I’m sharing end of the year best lists I would be remiss not to throw down a little tv. The problem is it seems like a strange time to do a best tv list. So though midseason shows may be getting the short shrift we’ve probably seen enough of things to give it a go.

  • Andy Barker, PI (NBC) – GF
  • Battlestar Galactica (SciFi)- MSN, SK
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – TV
  • Big Love (HBO)- GF, JP, GG, MA*, MSN
  • The Bronx is Burning (ESPN) – TV
  • Brotherhood (Show) – GF, MR
  • Brothers and Sisters (ABC) – SAT
  • Burn Notice (USA)- KT
  • Californication (Show)- GG, MR
  • Chuck (NBC) – SAT, TV
  • The Colbert Report (Comedy) – JP
  • CSI (CBS)- KT
  • Damages (FX) – DB, GG, MA, SK, TV
  • Desperate Housewives (ABC) – KT
  • Dexter (Show)- AFI, DB, SK, MR, SAT*
  • Dirty Sexy Money (ABC) – GF, TV
  • Entourage (HBO) – GG
  • Everybody Hates Chris (CW) – AFI
  • Extras (HBO) – GG, SAT
  • Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – GF, JP, SAT
  • Friday Night Lights (NBC)- AFI, DB, JP, KT, MA, MR, MSN, SAT, SK
  • Frisky Dingo (Cartoon) – KT
  • Gossip Girl (CW) – TV
  • Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – GG, SAT
  • Heroes (NBC) – DB
  • House (Fox)- GG
  • Kid Nation (CBS) – JP
  • Life (NBC) – KT
  • Life of Ryan (MTV) – KT
  • Longford (HBO)- AFI
  • Lost (ABC) – DB, JP, MA, MR, SK
  • Mad Med (AMC) – AFI, DB, GF, JP*, MA, MR*, GG, MSN*, SAT, TV
  • Nip/Tuck (FX) – DB
  • The Office (NBC) – JP, MSN
  • Planet Earth (Discovery) – GF, JP, MR, MSN
  • Pushing Daisies (ABC) – AFI, DB, GF, JP, MA, MR, GG, SAT*, TV
  • The Riches (FX)- JP, SAT
  • Samantha Who? (ABC) – TV
  • The Sarah Silverman Program (Comedy)- JP
  • The Shield (Fx) – JP, MA, MR, MSN
  • Sopranos (HBO) – AFI, DB, GF, JP*, KT, MA, MR, MSN
  • Tell Me You Love Me (HBO) – AFI, JP, KT
  • Top Chef (Bravo) – JP
  • 30 Rock (NBC)- AFI, DB*, GF*, JP, KT*, MA, MR, GG, MSN
  • The Tudors (Show) – GG, MR
  • Ugly Betty (ABC) – AFI, MA, SAT
  • The War (PBS) – JP, MR, MSN
  • Weeds (Show) – JP, MR, SAT
  • Yo Gabba Gabba! (Nick) – JP


AFI – American Film Institute, DB – David Bianculli on Fresh Air, GF – Gillian Flynn for EW, GG – Golden Globe Nominations, JP-James Poniewozik at Time (new and returning), KT – Ken Tucker for EW, MA – Michael Ausiello for TV Guide, MR-Matt Roush at TV Guide, MSN,  SAT-Satellite Awards, SK-Stephen King for EW, TV – TV Guide

* denotes top pick. I’ll update this list as new critic’s picks become available.

Continue Reading

tv

next week 12/24

No Comments

Monday

  • It’s a Wonderful Life (NBC, 8pm) – It’s Christmas eve what else are you going to watch?
  • Dr Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – Well I guess you could watch this…

Tuesday

  • Walt Disney World Christmas Parade (ABC, 10am) – Ah the magic kingdom…
  • Yule Log (9am, Check Your Local Listings) – See the crackling fire while listening to a tune or two…

Wednesday

  • Kennedy Center Honors (CBS, 9pm) – Honoring of Leon Fleisher, Steve Martin, Diana Ross, Martin Scorsese and Brian Wilson.

Thursday

  • Family Television Awards (CW, 9pm) – 9th annual family friendly honoring.

Friday

  • The Singing Bee (NBC, 8pm) – This one features TV show theme songs.

Saturday

  • Samantha Who? (ABC, 8pm) Mini Marathon – For those of you who missed an ep or two, or egads all, of this delightful sitcom, enjoy a little rock block.

Sunday

  • At the Movies Ebert and Roeper (ABC, Sat/Sun, Check Your Local Listings) – I stopped watching this show because they give away too much of the movies but this one’s their annual top ten.
  • Amazing Race (CBS, 8pm) – They’ll keep racing, it’ll be amazing.
Continue Reading

tv

holiday gossip

1 Comment

blair skateWell the debutantes are coming to Gossip Girl, or coming out as the case may be… And the Grand Dame Grandma Vanderwoodsen came to town for the occasion. As she threw insinuations of an impending death in order to get Serena to the event, she was throwing barbs at the new beau Dan. Blair of course was in her element but who was her escort of choice? Some prince was thrown aside as Boring B realized what he was missing. Blair had suddenly became more appealing, aka happy, as she’d been hooking up with Chuck. But Chuck is happy playing second fiddle to no man. He gets Boring B to embarrass himself and Blair with some fisticuffs at the ball, have to say we’re repeating some OC themes, but you can’t go wrong with a classic.

And who won out between the mama Humphhrey’s art opening and the young Humphreys desire to attend the gala. Little Humphrey finagled an invite to volunteer but the Humphrey folks were having none of it. So of course she snuck out and got the ‘I’m disappointed in you speech.’ And as for our boy Dan, when Grand Dame tried to convince him that he’d be nothing but an uncouth memory to Serena he decided to go to the ball himself. But when Dan confessed Grand Dame’s attempt to buy him out of the event by buying out Dad’s gallery showing of Mom’s work the truth didn’t ring true with Serena and she sent him packing.

Of course the truth cycle seems to be a quick one in this version of New York. Serena found out it was Grand Dame doing the manipulations and mom stepped in and helped bring Serena and Dan back together. And Blair quickly learned that Chuck was behind the jealous fight manipulations and she finally gave her virginity to Boring B. Well not so much her virginity, since Chuck wasn’t giving that back. So slighted Chuck took off to dad’s island or somewhere, and turns out Boring B took off to visit as well. Now Blair’s left waiting for the truth to come out and ruin her reunion. I should remind those who might have forgotten we first met Chuck trying to force himself on Little Humphrey so his bad boy ways aren’t all sass.

But that wasn’t the only thing Blair was left to worry about. Daddy was coming to town for Christmas, but little did she know he was bringing the man he ran off to France with. And as Blair kept trying to separate Dad for a little quality time Frenchie hooked Blair’s mom up with some financier they met at the ice skating rink. Before Blair caused him to crash and go to the hospital of course. But Dad made up with Blair, and though he won’t be moving back to NYC any time soon, Blair does have a room waiting for her on the new French vineyard.

Did all Christmases work out so well? Serena and Dan ended up trading very sweet gifts under their $50 budget and managed to throw in a little doing it for free. This was all in an attempt to outdo Dan’s former flame. She gave the best present ever, submitting his story to the New Yorker Top 20 Under 20, and having it accepted (ok I have to pause here to remind myself that this is a fictional show and they can say anything they want and remind myself that I didn’t even submit a story to the New Yorker so it’s not like I’m being one upped by a bad television show’s leading man).

But alas all can’t end cheery now can it. The Humphrey’s are giving up the reunion tour and Mama Humphrey’s going back to wherever she was. Maybe she realized she was too young to have actually given birth to Dan, what is he 20 and she’s like 32? But I am mixing up fact with fiction again. So when Papa Humphrey left the chocolate chip pancakes behind so mom could say so long to the kids, whose doorstep did he end up on? Well Mrs. Van of course. But she was too busy getting proposed to by Chuck’s dad whilst Serena and brother Van sat with mouths a gaping. We have two eps left to find even more drama but unfortuantely you’ll have to entertain yourself some other way until the New Year.

Continue Reading

best, movies

must-see movies of 2007

2 Comments

no countryTis the season for tv repeats, end of the year Top Ten lists, and leaving your house to go to the movies. For those folks who screen movies early, here is a compilation of what some are calling the Best of 2007, including nominations from awards and such. Those marked with an * are winners, or number ones, the cream of the crop some might say.

Who is getting the most votes? Who do you agree with? Take a look and see. I’ll update the list as new picks are out and some time in 2008 I will have seen enough movies to feel like I can do my own little top ten list.

  • Across the Universe – GG
  • After the Wedding – RS
  • American Gangster – CCA, GG, PT, RR
  • The Assassination of Jesse James – BM, LS, MLS, MSN, NBR, SFFCC
  • Atonement – CCA, GG, MLS, MSN, NBR, NYFCO, PH, PT,  RC, US
  • Away From Her – DE, Sat
  • Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead – AFI, MLS, NYFCO, OG, PT, RS, SAT, TV
  • Beowolf – RC
  • Black Book – RS, TV
  • The Bourne Ultimatum – NBR
  • Breach – RS, SK
  • The Bucket List – NBR
  • Charlie Wilson’s War – BM, GG
  • Children of Men – SK
  • Dan in Real Life – MLS, RS
  • The Darjeeling Limited – NYFCO
  • The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – AFI, BM, CCA, DE, DGA, MSN, NYFCO*, TV
  • Eastern Promises – GG, PT, SAT, TV, US
  • Flanders – MLS
  • 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days – AOS*, LS
  • Golden Door – MLS
  • Gone Baby Gone – RR, SK
  • Grace is Gone – DE
  • The Great Debaters – GG
  • Great World of Sound – GA, TV
  • Grindhouse – OG, PH
  • Hairspray – GG, SAT, US
  • The Host – PH
  • I’m Not There – AOS, GA, LS, MSN, NYFCO, OG*, PT, US
  • In the Valley of Elah – RC, RS, SK
  • Into the Wild – AFI, AOS, CCA, DGA, GA*, PT, MSN, NBR
  • Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis – OG
  • Juno – AFI, CCA, GG, NBR, NYFCO, PH, PT, RR, SAT, US
  • Killer of Sheep – RC
  • The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters – PH
  • The Kite Runner – CCA, NBR
  • Knocked Up – AFI, AOS, LS, PH, PT, SAT, US
  • Lady Chatterley – LS
  • Lars and the Real Girl – NBR, SAT
  • Little Children – RC, SK
  • The Lives of Others – BM, OG, SK
  • The Lookout – RR, SAT, SK
  • Margot at the Wedding – GA, MSN, SAT
  • Michael Clayton – AFI, CCA, DE, DGA, GG, NBR, NYFCO, OG, PH, RR*, RS*, TV
  • A Mighty Heart – US
  • The Namesake – GA
  • No Country for Old Men – AFI, BM, BSFC, CCA*, DE, DGA, GG, LS, MLS, MSN, NBR*, NYFCC, NYFCO, PH, PT*, RC*, RR, RS,  SAT*, SK*, US
  • No End In Sight – DE, LS, OG, RC
  • Once – BM, OG, RR
  • Paprika – TV
  • Paris Je T’Aime – RR
  • Persepolis – BM, DE, LS, NYFCO, RC
  • Ratatouille – AFI, AOS, BM, DE, MSN, PH
  • Redacted – MLS
  • Revolution Summer – MLS
  • The Savages – AFI, AOS, BM, DE, PH, RS
  • Shoot ’em Up – Sat
  • Superbad – OG, RR
  • Sweeny Todd – AOS, BM, CCA, DE, GG, NBR, NYFCO, PT, RC, US
  • Terror’s Advocate – AOS
  • There Will Be Blood – AFI, AOS, CCA, DE, DGA, GG, LAF*, LS*, MSN, NYFCO*, PT, RS
  • 3:10 to Yuma – SAT, SK
  • 12:08 East of Bucharest – AOS
  • 28 Weeks Later – SK
  • Waitress – RC, MLS
  • The Wind That Shakes the Barley – TV
  • Zodiac – LS, MSN, OG, RR, TV, US

AFI – Boston Society of Film Critics, BM – Bob Mondello on All Things Considered/NPR, CCA-Critics Choice Awards Nomineess, DCFC-DC Area Film Critics Association, DE – David Edelstein for Fresh Air/NPR, DGA – Director’s Guild of America, GG-Golden Globe Nominations, GA-Gotham Awards, SK-Stephen King (seen in 2007), LAF- LA Film Critics, MLS – Mick LaSalle for SF Chronicle, NBR – National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, LS – Lisa Schwarzbaum for EW, MSN, NYFCC-New York Film Critics Circle, NYFCO – New York Film Critics Online, OG – Owen Gleiberman for EW, PH – Peter Hartlaub for SF Chronicle, PT – Peter Travers for Rolling Stone, SAT – Satellite Awards, SFFCC – San Francisco Film Critics Circle, RC-Richard Corliss-Time, RR – Richard Roeper for Ebert and Roeper, RS-Richard Shickel-Time, TV – TV Guide, US-US Weekly

Continue Reading

tv

next week 12/17

No Comments

Monday

  • Clash of the Choirs (NBC, 8pm – m-th) Premiere – Some songsters take some choirs and get them geared up to let loose like only a choir can do.
  • Duel (ABC, 8pm – m-f and sun) Premiere – Six part series of game shows where people compete against each other in some sort of trivia.

Tuesday

  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 9pm) Season Finale – The final weigh in will tell us who has won the most by losing the most.
  • Saving Grace (TNT, 10pm) Season Finale – Didn’t I just write about this show coming back?

Wednesday

  • A Holiday Celebration at Ford’s Theater (ABC, 10pm) – Apparently this is an annual event where the first family watches some folks like Wynonna perform.
  • Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns (CBS, 8pm) – Just can’t get enough of that snowman.

Thursday

  • CSI (CBS 8/9pm) – On a night of mostly repeats you can get reacquainted with this season’s opener of the miniature killer taking Sara.

Friday

  • Home for the Holidays (CBS, 8pm) – This one has Fergie, James Blunt and Sheryl Crow singing to raise awareness for foster care.
  • The Next Great American Band (Fox, 9pm) Season Finale – No matter what, those Clark Brothers have a great career ahead of them!

Saturday

  • Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (ABC, 8pm) – Jim Carey helps bring this children’s book to life.
  • Elf (CBS, 8pm) – Will Farrell is endearing and funny in this fish out of water tale of an elf hitting the real world.

Sunday

  • Elmo’s Christmas Countdown (ABC, 7pm) – Celebs and muppets, how could that be bad?
  • Story of Santa Claus (CW, 8pm) – An animated telling of Nicholas Claus.
Continue Reading

tv

who is…

4 Comments

saleisha…America’s… Next… Top… Model?

Well we were down to four and I of course was wrong, but only about the first cut. They kept Jenah as her modeling abilities outshone the stiff yet eager Bianca. It was a close call but Jenah did win the challenge afterall, making a traditional Chinese outfit her own, and won not only a traditional outfit of her own but model walk tips with Miss Jay.

And at the photo shoot when they did a group shot it was Bianca who didn’t stand out… each of the judges picking one of the other girls as the one they felt shined. The girls were warriors trying to make it to the other side on the Great Wall of China, Saleisha had the best shoot and the best shot, but Chantalle, no slouch in the shoot herself, stood out the most in the group.

So then it was down to three… I love the finale because it happens so fast, narrowing to two from the Covergirl commercial and photo shoot and then one taking the win by walking in a fashion show. Jaslene (last year’s winner) popped by to give the gals a pep talk as they prepped for their first task.

Saleisha had some issues, forgetting her lines and seeming stiff but ended up with a clean take with ‘a smile in her eyes’ and a great photo. Chantal had a great sense of sincerity in her shoot, and though her technique was imperfect, she ended up with a good commercial take and a good photo. Jenah took a beautiful sweet photo but the judges thought her commercial looked like she was making fun of it.

The three girls had to pick who they thought was the best and worst choice to win, and as Saleisha and Chantal each picked themselves to win they both picked Jenah as the one who shouldn’t because of her attitude. Jenah broke down when trying to explain how she was misunderstood and didn’t think she was better than anyone just because she tried to be strong and had more of a laid back attitude. Though the judges thought her breakdown was a breakthrough, they picked Chantal first, Saleisha second, and then sent Jenah home.

Now for the two girls left the issue was that they both seemed more commercial, but could they be high fashion? So in the fashion show near the hidden city they had to work it. They both looked gorgeous of course and as they strutted down the runway three times with quick changes, who stole the show? Well we all know the answer to that. Chantal had a beautiful body but overall seemed too stiff, and hilariously the long train on her gown tripped one of the extras on stilts, while Saleisha looked like a true top model.

And though I don’t care now that it’s done, I can’t wait until the next cycle, and hope Saleisha can do a better job on the ‘My Life as a Covergirl’ commercials. And here’s hoping Paulina can bring a spark in replacing Twiggy. With the writer’s strike continuing indefinitely we may have more of America’s Next Top Model sooner than we’d expect. There could be worse things.

Continue Reading

tv

could it get more darling?

1 Comment

dsm fatherOr less darling as it turns out… since we were finally ready for the other shoe to drop on the unknown paternity of the kids on Dirty Sexy Money. And yes of course the brattiest, spoiledest, and the one who hates Nick the most, is in fact his brother. Brother Father Brian isn’t a Darling.

This wasn’t his only shock as the custody hearing for his own son went quickly, since he was arrested for attempted bribery. Out on bail, Brother Father is given a 6 month suspension. Infidelity and bribery don’t look that good to the parish and though he’s given a track back to god, is that the right path for him? So who does he turn to for guidance after much prayer? Apparently God told him to go work for Tripp. And to get out of that stuffy Father collar. Does this mean I can’t call him Brother Father and I have to remember his name?

Politico brother Patrick wraps up his stay in the hospital and apparently wifey wants to withdraw her arrangement for his seeing Carmelita. Either mistress or career. So he told her it would be career, but of course he told Carmelita he couldn’t give her up. Now he and wifey are getting back on track, and Carmelita thinks she’s being followed. And perhaps she was, because while the driver had her under surveillance for Pat she disappeared. And Patty seems broken up about it, or does he?

And Jeremy’s attempt to be a normal boyfriend led him to turn to Mrs. Nick. When she turned down his request to use their apartment as his ‘poor’ shack he rented a studio that he had a decorator trash appropriately. But alas the new gal doesn’t mind that he’s poor, just that he has no goals, which is in fact the case. But rather than show her the real, real him, he’s keeping the lie alive and borrowed some nudes from Mrs. Nick’s gallery to pretend to be a starving artist. Too bad the new ladyfriend wants him to paint her now. When he finally comes clean she’s of course livid about his lying.

And when Mrs. Nick gets a taste of what it’s really like to get caught up in the Darling schemes by trying to get the artist to help Jeremy out, she ends up smoking pot and having him kiss her. Of course she told Jeremy not to do it again… (she loves Nick and is way too old for him, but then again so is the woman he’s trying to woo). And she got fired for making the art smell like pot. When she and Nick talked, apparently the solution to being unemployed is to have another kid. I don’t get it, but they’re both thrilled.

And what of Miss Juliet the lovely who in real life has been spending time in outpatient rehab… well apparently her not being on the show was written in by her being on Karen’s honeymoon. And she brought back a boy toy. And as he agrees to stay indefinitely, and not to be taken care of, she agrees that he should be her first. Lest we forget she’s a virgin. I don’t get it, he doesn’t seem that hot or charismatic, but whatever.

And when Nick confided that Simon Elder’s latest request was for family financial records, Tripp agreed to supply them, or at least some sort of them. Tripp then got on the phone to a mysterious recipient to have them find out what Elder was after. Could Karen, who is now sleeping with Elder, be doing it under the guise of surveillance, or is that vice versa? Well yes, but their agreement is that she not get emotionally involved and she seems to be slipping when Elder introduces him to his ex, who he is still close with, and she ‘approves’ (yeah I didn’t quite get it), Karen got all choked up…

And we got to get a glimpse of Nick’s dad Dutch in a flashback… with the role cast does that mean we’re ready for him to not really be dead? Did we find a body in the watery crash? I think not. We should have three more episodes left, but as they sprinkle the repeats you can catch the pilot this Wednesday to get introduced, or reintroduced, to the characters properly.

Continue Reading