new and noteworthy tv: 12/21-12/27

Moving forward ‘next week’ posts are now being titled ‘new and noteworthy tv’ with the full date range. The content will still include things that are technically new -and/or- noteworthy and might not already be in your queue. And although the procrastinator doesn’t endorse everything, procrastinator picks will still be underlined just to give you a heads up on what might be worth a watch, which over the holidays probably won’t be much.

Monday

  • The Sing-Off (NBC, 8pm) – I’ve somehow found myself having watched this enough to know and actually care a little who wins this a cappella challenge.
  • I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – Linus and Lucy’s brother rerun hangs with Snoopy and Spike.
  • Little Chocolatiers/World Chocolate Championship (TLC, 9/10pm) – Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate.

Tuesday

  • Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) – Where are the big fat losers now?
  • Carrie Underwood (Fox, 8pm) – We’re visiting her all-star holiday special again.
  • Melrose Place (CW, 9pm) – What I might be more intrigued by is the pilot of the original series but if you missed the first of this remake, and for some reason want to know these new kids from the start here’s your chance.
  • Christmas at the White House (ABC, 10pm) – The Oprah visit, will Obama still give himself a B+ when it airs again.

Wednesday

  • A Home for the Holidays (CBS, 8pm) – Faith Hill and others entertain and raise adoption awareness.
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – Boris Karloff narrates again, and again.

Thursday

  • Prep & Landing (ABC, 8pm) – In case you missed the first few airings.
  • Raising the Bar (TNT, 8/9/10pm) – They’re running through them ’til they’re done.
  • The Vampire Diaries (CW, 8pm) – Already seen Twilight New Moon and want to see more longing glances from the undead, here’s your chance to return to the pilot and wonder what all the fuss is about.

Friday

  • Til Death (Fox, 8-10pm) – It’s another mini marathon, at least it’s Christmas so you probably have better things to do.
  • SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas (NBC, 8pm) – Skits new and old are coming to you one more time.

Saturday/Sunday

  • Plan for a crowded weekend at the theaters.
Continue Reading

next week 12/14

New and notable in the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Jennifer Hudson: I’ll Be Home for Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – Singing, and, well I guess singing is enough.
  • The Sing-Off (NBC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Nick Lachey hosts the battle of the a cappella singers, will four nights of this make up for no Glee?
  • Bank of Hollywood (E!, 10pm) Series Premiere – Looking for someone to bankroll their causes.

Tuesday

  • Golden Globe Nominations (NBC, 8am) – Let the competitions begin.
  • A Charlie Brown Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – Or just buy the soundtrack.
  • Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live (Fox, 9pm) – Cook along with Gordon, assuming you have the ingredients on hand.
  • Psychic Kids/Paranormal State (A&E, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Psychics and ghosts.

Wednesday

  • Prep & Landing (ABC, 8pm) – Still finding random things to fill the Hank slot.

Thursday

  • SNL: A Very Gilly Christmas (NBC, 8pm) – Hopefully mostly clips and very little Gilly.

Friday

  • Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns (CBS, 8pm) – The first is apparently from 1969 and the second from 1995, progress?

Saturday

  • Alli Winter Dew Tour (NBC, 12pm and Sun 1pm) – Coming to you from Breckenridge Colorado.
  • Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa/WWE Tribute to the Troops (NBC, 9pm) – Muppets again and then fighting to entertain the fighters.

Sunday

  • Kendra (E!, 9pm) Season Premiere – Moving to Indianapolis and preparing for baby.
Continue Reading

they’re laughable

communitySome of the tv critics I read were discussing the best comedies, and with the rare success of a few new shows this season the conversation has more to talk about. Although I’ll save official end of year rankings I thought I’d follow Tuned In’s lead and talk a little about some of the comedies I’m watching and why.

  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – This show grew on me last season and although it’s still basically a make fun of the geeks (or academic geniuses) show, Sheldon is the funniest geek around, and pretty Penny makes a decent straight man for them to play off of.
  • Community (NBC) – Joel McHale’s character might be a little too smug, but I have to say I like it, and though the rest of the hodgepodge Spanish study group characters aren’t as well developed yet I like the way they are going, and they make me laugh pretty consistently bringing out new sides of each other.
  • Cougar Town (ABC) – This show started off a little rough with Cox as the bumbling new single mother (reminds me a bit of Old Christine), but her inappropriateness is getting more natural and the supporting cast is all pretty amusing.
  • Glee (Fox) – I don’t know that I would normally characterize this a comedy but its hour stories have some hilarious as well as touching moments, soapy drama, and very fun musical numbers, it is about a glee club after all, though we’re all ready to get rid of the wife.
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – Although Barney alone would make this show worthwhile it’s a good ensemble piece with some nice layered characters, and the contrived storytelling to Ted’s future kids allows for some creative uses of info in the flashback stories, and I don’t care who the mother is.
  • The Middle (ABC) – Heaton is funny heading her slightly odd family muddling through life in middle America, although it’s gotten a little repetitious with the weekly struggles I’m still checking in.
  • Modern Family (ABC) – The documentary style show mixes three related and disparate families, father with new young hot Latin wife and son, uptight daughter with her geeky trying-to-be-hip husband and father of three, and the gay son with partner and newly adopted baby (my favorite), though I think the uptight couple could use a dose of balance the characters are rich and mix well for funny.
  • The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) – Maybe not quite as funny as it used to be but I still think Julia Louise Dreyfuss can do self deprecating and physical comedy better than most with her slightly pathetic (but funny) circle of friends and family.
  • The Office (NBC) – This show is still bringing some funny but it’s dropping down a few pegs for me, not at all due to Pam and Jim finally getting hitched which seems to be working well, but maybe it’s because Jim’s matured and there’s really only so believably inept Michael can be as ‘the best branch manager’ after all these years, but the characters are all still good and it’s got some layers that can keep it going.
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – The Office meets small town politics and Amy Poehler is the new Michael, a bit over the top, and although this show often doesn’t make me laugh quite as much during the show, thinking back I always remember tons of funny lines and moments.
  • 30 Rock (NBC) – More episodes than not I  laugh a lot, and this show may have the most quotable one-liners for me (with Modern Family chasing), and although only Liz and Jack seem to be somewhat real characters, the ridiculous supporters help bring about situations in the behind the scenes sketch comedy show with topical humor like nobody’s business.
  • Two and a Half Men – I used to laugh at the Odd Couple style comedy of these mismatched brothers and one of their part time kids but the crass humor has run its course and the kid just gets older, though I’ve yet to reject it from the queue.
Continue Reading

next week 12/7

New and notable for the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special (Fox, 8pm) – It’s a variety show!
  • Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (ABC, 8pm) – He’s making a list…
  • The Closer (TNT, 9pm) Season Premiere – Brenda and Fritz are back, and here’s betting Brenda will get to the bottom of some new dead folks.
  • Men of a Certain Age (TNT, 10pm) Series Premiere – Ray Romano, Scott Bakula, and Andre Braugher star in this new character drama about men in mid-life, it’s getting pretty good buzz.

Tuesday

  • Charlie Brown Christmas/Prep & Landing (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – Obama pushed this from last week.
  • Better Off Ted (ABC, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – The stuff they invent is wackier than the people who are involved in inventing it, funny enough just for the fake commercials.
  • Outer Space Astronauts (Syfy, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – It’s a sci fi sitcom, or are they syfy sitcoms now?
  • Teen Mom (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – Real stories of four teenagers navigating parenting.

Wednesday

  • Shrek the Halls (ABC, 8pm) – You can share Shrek’s chaotic Christmas.
  • Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009 (ABC, 10pm) – They’re apparently sticking with the word ‘fascinating’.
  • Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… (Sund, 10pm) Season Premiere – The season starts with Bono and the Edge.

Thursday

  • Michael McDonald (PBS, 9pm) – This Christmas: A Soundstage Special Event.

Friday

  • Yes, Virginia (CBS, 8pm) – NPH lends his voice to this animated holiday special though I don’t think that’s enough to make me tune in.
  • Mobsters (Bio, 10pm) Season Premiere – This week is on the Westies Irish mob in NY.

Saturday

  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/The Flight Before Christmas (CBS, 8/9pm) – Reindeer, reindeer & squirrels.
  • Video Game Awards (Spike, 8pm) – I’ll unpack my atari for the occasion.
  • Ghost Intervention (TLC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Mediums check into haunted houses.

Sunday

  • The Jacksons (A&E, 9/10pm) Series Premiere – Really?
  • Christmas at the White House (ABC, 10pm) – Perhaps cutting back the decor budget could be put toward healthcare or jobs?
  • Keeping up with the Kardashians (E!, 10pm) Season Premiere – How many of those Kardashians are there anyhow?
Continue Reading

next week 11/30

New and notable in the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Shrek the Halls (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – Green things.
  • Intervention/Hoarders (A&E, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – The latest of the real folks with real issues.
  • Pawn Stars (Hist, 10pm) Season Premiere – What will folks pawn this season?

Tuesday

  • Presidential Address (Various, 8pm) – Getting out of Afghanistan?
  • Charlie Brown Christmas/Disney Prep & Landing (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – More holiday fun.
  • Best Thing I Ever Ate (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – Let’s start with the best holiday dishes.
  • Scrubs (ABC, 9/9:30pm) Season Premiere – Though last season felt like the series finale they’re coming back for more, though this season they’re switching to med school and focusing on a new crew, rumor has it there’s still some funny.
  • Britain’s Missing Top Model (BBCA, 9pm) Series Premiere – I’m not sure this title is conveying what they want but it’s women with disabilities competing.
  • I’m Pregnant and… (Health, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – They start with a couple of pregnant ‘recovering’ heroin addicts.
  • Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (CBS, 10pm) – The Black Eyed Peas, Heidi Klum, and lingerie.
  • The Bad Girl’s Club (Oxy, 10pm) Season Premiere – Living together and…?

Wednesday

  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (CBS, 8pm) – Will Rudolph save the day?
  • Christmas in Rockefeller Center (NBC, 8pm) – Jane Krakowski and Zachary Levi host.
  • The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! (CBS, 9pm) – LL Cool J hosts more Black Eyed Peas and others.
  • Dog the Bounty Hunter/Steven Seagal Lawman (A&E, 9/10/10:30pm) Season/Series Premiere – First bounty then the martial artist takes us along on his job as Louisiana deputy sheriff.
  • Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura (Tru, 10pm) Series Premiere – I want Jesse to be the one to disprove mind control.
  • Launch My Line (Bravo, 11pm) Series Premiere – This might be kind of like Project Runway.

Thursday

  • Ace of Cakes (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – More cakes!
  • BBQ Pit Masters (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Teams compete for $40k in the Smokin’ in Mesquite BBQ Championship in Nevada.
  • Jersey Shore (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – More ‘real’ folks in a house.

Friday

  • Dreams Come True (ABC, 8pm) – A celebration of Disney animation.
  • Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (NBC, 8pm) – The muppets better take care of those letters to Santa.
  • Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (CW, 9pm) – You’d think Grandma would learn.
  • Monk (USA, 9pm) Series Finale – Something tells me he’ll wrap up his wife’s death.

Saturday

  • 1000 Ways to Die/Manswers (Spike, midnight/12:30am sun) – More important dude fun.

Sunday

  • I Survived… (Bio, 9pm) Season Premiere – I’m glad they survived but I really don’t want to hear the gruesome.
  • Alice (Syfy, 9pm & Mon 9pm) Miniseries – Gotta look forward to any revisionist of Alice in Wonderland.
  • Shatner’s Raw Nerve (Bio, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – First Rush Limbaugh then Regis Philbin.
Continue Reading

next week 11/23

So for a slightly delayed look at what’s new and notable for the week

Monday

  • General Hospital (ABC, 3pm) – James Franco starts his guest stint as ‘Franco’…
  • Find My Family (ABC, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – I’m assuming there is some looking for families.
  • Diners, Drive-ins & Dives (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Less stuffy foodies enjoy.

Tuesday

  • Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure (ABCFam, 7pm) – How uplifting.
  • How the Earth Was Made (Hist, 9pm) Season Premiere – Shouldn’t this show run Monday to Saturday and rest on Sunday?
  • Jon Dore Television Show (IFC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Should I know who Jon Dore is?
  • Dinner with the Band (IFC, 11pm) Series Premiere – Shouldn’t this be drinking with the band?

Wednesday

  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) – Where are they now?

Thursday

  • Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade (NBC, 9am) – Matt, Meredith, and Al host.
  • The National Dog Show (NBC, 12pm) – Doggies!
  • Road to Punkin Chunkin/Punkin Chunkin (Sci, 8/9pm) – Yes, they huck pumpkins.
  • Beyonce: I Am Yours (ABC, 9pm) – Who doesn’t need to see more of Beyonce and her tour?
  • NBC’s People of the Year (NBC, 9pm) – I’m on pins and needles wondering who they will name.
  • Paul McCartney (ABC, 10pm) – Good Evening New York.

Friday

  • Shameless (Sund, 8pm) Season Premiere – British comedy of the lowbrow variety I understand.

Saturday

  • Build it Bigger (Sci, 8pm) – Can Las Vegas get any bigger?

Sunday

  • 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert (HBO, 8pm) – Folks pair up and perform, US, Mick Jagger, Black Eyed Peas… Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel… you get the picture.
  • Soul Train Awards (BET, 9pm) – Get your groove on.
Continue Reading

next week 11/9 & 11/16

A special bonus double new and noteworthy in the weeks ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • CSI-crossover (CBS, Mon, Wed, Thurs) – Laurence Fishburne follows a case across the country mixing the skills of Miama, Vegas, and NY.

Tuesday

  • Sesame Street (PBS, check local listings) Season Premiere – Will Big Bird move off of the street, will Elmo and Telly find Bo Pee’s cow, will… oh they’ll all be good.
  • e2 Design (Sund, 8pm) Series Premiere – First week is a look at green buildings in NY.
  • Table for 12 (TLC, 8/8:30pm) Season Premiere – Camping, drama camp and karate for the big family.
  • In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts (ABC, 10pm) – Interviews with country stars including Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, and Carrie Underwood.
  • Full Throttle Saloon (Tru, 10pm) Series Premiere – Watching a biker bar might not be the same without the cocktails, though you can always drink and watch.

Wednesday

  • CMA Awards (ABC, 8pm) – Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood host this year’s awards.
  • Ghost Hunters Academy (Syfy, 10pm) Series Premiere – The ghost hunters take a gang of aspiring hunters.

Thursday

  • Science of the Movies (Sci, 8pm) Season Premiere – How do they do it?

Friday

  • 24/7 (HBO, 9:30pm) Season Finale – A special night and time for Pacquiao and Cotto.

Saturday

  • Super Dave’s Spike-tacular (Spike, 11pm) Series Premiere – Super Dave Osbourne starts off this ‘mockumentary’ in a mini with explosives.

Sunday

  • WWII in HD (Hist, 9pm) Series Premiere – A 10-part series with accounts from 12 people who served.
  • The Prisoner (AMC, 8/9pm) – A remake of the 60s series with Jim Caviezal and Ian McKellen.

Monday

  • Mystery Diagnosis (Health, 10pm) Season Premiere – I guess this is like health life House.
  • Chef Academy (Brav, 11pm) Series Premiere – A Brit, Jean-Christophe Novelli, is launching a new culinary academy in LA.

Tuesday

  • Merry Madagascar (NBC, 8pm) – Santa apparently puts down where the gang from this animated flick are.

Wednesday

  • ANTM (CW, 8/9pm) – America’s Next Tiny Model is revealed and the season finale is followed by a special ‘revealed’ episode.
  • In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts (ABC, 10pm) – Janet Jackson gets the spotlight treatment.

Thursday

  • Terror in Mumbai (HBO, 8pm) – An examination of the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai with survivors, law-enforcement, and a gunman.
  • World Magic Awards (MNT, 8pm) – Robert Wagner and Jill St. John host.

Friday

  • Happily Ever Faster (TLC, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – Life at a Las Vegas wedding chapel.

Saturday

  • Sit Down, Shut Up (Fox, 11:59pm) Series Finale – For those who are interested in this animated series that never quite caught on.

Sunday

  • Tough Love (VH1, 7:30pm) Season Premiere – Eight new women get the cold hard facts, or at least one guy’s theory, on why their love life isn’t all that.
  • American Music Awards (ABC, 8pm) – Awards, performances, and fancy outfits.
  • The Haunted (AnPl, 10pm) Series Premiere – A look at things like whether an office is being haunted by monkeys.
Continue Reading

next week 11/2

New and notable in the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • For the Love of Ray J/I Want to Work for Diddy (VH1, 9/10pm) Season Premiere – Are you really interested in people who be Diddy’s bitch or Ray J’s partner?

Tuesday

  • V (ABC, 8pm) Series Premiere – We’re kicking off the remake where the visitors arrive, it may start peacefully but something tells me there will be drama to be found.
  • By the People (HBO, 9pm) – A look at the election of Barack Obama from primaries on.
  • Kathy Griffin (Brav, 9pm) – Griffin does her stand-up bit.
  • Tabatha’s Salon Takeover (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – She’s taking over Chicago’s less than finest.

Wednesday

  • Most Daring (Tru, 9/10pm) Season Premiere – Professionals and amateurs get into terrible situations.
  • Tyler Perry’s House of Payne (TBS, 9/9:30pm) Season Premiere – Curtis retires, Miranda goes missing…
  • Flowers Uncut with Jeff Leatham (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Floristry fun.

Thursday

  • The Real Housewives of Orange County (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – I have stayed away from ever watching an episode of the ‘real’ ladies in any local.

Friday

  • Ancients Behaving Badly (Hist, 9pm) Series Premiere – This stop Caligula.
  • Ghost Adventures (Trav, 9pm) Season Premiere – Visiting a former mental asylum always has promise.

Saturday

  • Legend of the Seeker (Synd, 4pm) Season Premiere – I don’t know what this show is but Cordelia Charisma Carpenter is guest starring.
  • Cats 101 (AnPl, 9pm) Season Premiere – Who knew there were so many kinds of cats.
  • Wanda Sykes Show (Fox, 11pm) Series Premiere – She makes me laugh when I’ve seen her elsewhere so curious to see her hang out in late night.

Sunday

  • Brothers/American Dad/Family Guy/Cleveland Show (Fox, 7-10pm) – Fox shakes up their lineup a bit tonight and includes three eps of Family Guy including the 8:30 presentation of Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy show which mixes animation and live action.
Continue Reading

shutting down the dollhouse?

eliza-dushku-dollhouse-2Friday night was one of the better episodes that we’ve seen of Dollhouse. I’m most intrigued when they explore issues of morality and identity. And I have to say eps with Sierra and Victor interest me more than completely Echo-centric ones. And I am always glad not to see Mellie, though sadly I think we haven’t seen the last of her.

Unfortunately ratings were at their lowest to date. The show will be pulled for November sweeps but they’ve announced the schedule for back to back episodes to air in December (2 per night!). They’ve announced at least through ep 10 but we’re we’ll have to stay tuned to see when the final 3 will follow. Fortunately, although getting the back 9 and certainly renewal look dubious, Fox has agreed to air all of the originally contracted 13 episodes. And since Joss knows the storm is coming he can hopefully leave fans with a tiny bit of satisfaction for what will undoubtedly be the final ep.

So what went wrong? The show seemed to get off to a slow start last year and it wasn’t until the second half of the season that it really felt like it hit its stride. First off of course is the unusual premise of an organization that hires out reprogrammable humans (who agree to give up their personal identities for 5 years), which certainly covers the standard prostitution angle but also tries to dabble in all specializations. Unfortunately this isn’t the sort of show that seems to attract new viewers along the way and the standalone episodes (Echo’s problem assignment of the week) tended to be the least interesting. There’s also the problem that Dushku perhaps wasn’t quite up for the complete absorption into the different characters, but she’s grown on me a little.

The organization itself is interesting, (though one wonders if the security is slipping with all the issues they have) but  character development is a little tough when half of your characters are blank slates (between assignments they are ‘wiped’). They have been able to balance that with some actual development as well as enough back story to keep things going. And not all the characters are ‘actives’, and although there’s a bit of a power struggle for blah between Boyd and Ballard these days (Echo/Dushku’s current and former handler), fortunately Topher and DeWitt have stepped up as did Dr Saunders who sadly is off shooting something else somewhere.

So what else is there to do but put it on season pass and enjoy it while it lasts. And as an extra bonus when it comes back in our next two episodes we’ll get a special appearance by Summer Glau (of Firefly and Terminator fame!). Grrr. Argghh.

Continue Reading

next week 10/26

New and notable in the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Cake Boss (TLC, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – Who wouldn’t want to propose with a cake ring in a cake shop?

Tuesday

  • It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – This year the great pumpkin will come, plus some bonus cartoon, it also kicks Hank out of the Wed at 8 spot.
  • Hip Hop Awards (BET, 8pm) – Mike Epps hosts from Atlanta.
  • The Little Couple (TLC, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – Will there be a baby?
  • Monica (BET, 10pm) Series Premiere – More reality with R&B singer who is apparently working on her fifth album.
  • Scream 2009 (Spike, 10pm) – Quentin Tarantino is among those attending the sci-fi and fantasy awards show.
  • Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO, 10pm) Season Premiere – Starting with a look at elimination of sports programs from public schools.

Wednesday

  • World Series Game 1 (Fox, 7:30pm, check local listings for full series) – Best of 7?
  • Monsters vs. Aliens (NBC, 8pm) – Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space follows up on the movie.
  • Friday Night Lights (Dir, 9pm) Season Premiere – The season returns for another shot on DirectTV, the fans demand it, with re-airings on NBC in 2010.

Thursday

  • The League (FX, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Fantasy football brings dudes together for some funny, at least that’s the plan.

Friday

  • Halloween on Ice (Hall, 8pm) – Is it gonna be scary?

Saturday

  • Sports (ABC, NBC, Fox, various) – Catch Game 3 of the World Series or some college ball, and that’s without even hitting cable.

Sunday

  • Sex Rehab with Dr Drew (VH1, 10pm) Series Premiere – Thank god my cable was cut off and I won’t be tempted to check out just one episode…
  • Styl’d (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – Five aspiring stylists compete to style.
Continue Reading