tv – Page 90 – procrastinationchronicles.com

next week 6/23

June 20, 2008 No Comments

Monday

Hard Times at Douglass High (HBO, 9pm) – A follow up on no child left behind.
Wimbledon (ESPN2 m-f, NBC s-su) – Can Federer get back in the groove and repeat his victory over Nadal, or will someone else get in the game?

Tuesday

BET Awards (BET, 8pm) – DL Hughley honors achievements in sports, music, and entertainment.
Celebrity Family Feud (NBC, 8pm) – Celebrities like Ice T, the Rivers, and Wayne Newton guess the most popular answers.
Wipeout/I Survived a Japanese Gameshow (ABC, 8/9pm) Series Premiere – Contestants compete in a crazy obstacle course and seem to wipe out in a big tub of mud and then japanese game show… who knows.

Wednesday

Baby Borrowers (NBC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Teenage couples take care of babies, while apparently the real parents live next door.
Farmer Wants a Wife (CW, 9pm) Season Finale – Farmer picks a wife.
Shear Genius (Bravo, 10pm) Season Premiere – I’m going to go with hair cutting competition.

Thursday

Hopkins (ABC, 10pm) – This six part documentary takes a look into the lives of some of the staff at Johns Hopkins.

Friday

Glaad Media Awards (Bravo, 8pm) – Celebrating the representation of the gay community in the media.
Dance Machine (ABC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Each episode features six folks from real life dancing it off.

Saturday

Eli Stone (ABC, 10pm) – Catch the first of Eli Stone, what turned out to be a fun show of a lawyer who follows his visions to help folks.

Sunday

US Olympic Track Trials (NBC, 7pm) – Run, jump, throw.
US Olympic Swimming Trials (NBC, 8pm) – Can Michael Phelps compete in everything?

Well after three episodes of In Plain Sight (USA) I’m not that interested but so far I’m not quite giving it up. It’s not a bad show, it’s just not really a good show. If it weren’t summer it’d be a no brainer and be gone. It’s got pretty much standalone episodes and it’s not that hard to follow which is great for filling in the spare time.

This hard as nails Federal Marshall does whatever it takes to take care of her folks in witness protection. Each episode seems to start with the before witness protection scene and then jumps forward to the present where things are for some reason or another going awry. She’s surrounded by her laid back partner and her odd ball boss at work and her drunk and criminal mom and sister at home. The problem? The episodes aren’t quite suspenseful and the characters aren’t quite interesting. But I’m sticking with it for maybe one more episode, at least until some other summer favorites start.

The Closer (July 14, TNT) is a straight up formula show that I tend to enjoy a little more. Kyra Sedgwick is hired on to head a special investigative police unit because what she lacks in personal and interpersonal skills she makes up in detective skills with her specialty being the interrogation. She’s definitely quirky in an entertaining way. I like her struggles with the political systems, her peers can’t stand her, the relationship with her boss is complicated by a long ago affair, and she’s winning over her resentful staff. And of course she struggles with other agencies, her current beau is an FBI guy.

Saving Grace (July 14, TNT) has another strong lead, Holly Hunter. Grace has a guardian angel but don’t be afraid this is going to turn into a touched by an angel soft show. Grace tries to keep her distance from her family barely dealing with the loss and abuse of her childhood while wrapping herself up in her work as a do it at all costs cop. Of course she drinks like a fish and seems to sleep with everyone inside and outside of work. So what about the angel? Well Earl, who’s got some personality himself, is there to challenge her thinking and of course try to get her headed in the right direction. Grace tries to piece together Earl’s deal with her and with another criminal he visits, while Grace’s crime lab pal analyzes things he’s left behind.

I was also won over to Burn Notice in reruns. I joked with someone after originally watching the pilot that they tried to cram in everything an ex spy show might be about but somehow got it all wrong. Well after a few more episodes I came to enjoy the cheese factor almost as much as our protagonist’s cap toothed smile. Trying to figure out who ‘burned’ him, he’s been set up and ousted, he’s paired up with his ex and an old washed up spy buddy to take on random cases. What I think I like about this show, besides the campy action and humor, is how he gets pretty macgyver, more of a lethal macgyver, but at some point in the show taking whatever he’s got and making it work.

I do like some formula shows to fill the downtime but even in the off season I can’t quite bring myself to order them on dvd (too busy with Dexter and BStarG). So I pick up some of the shows I don’t like all that much during the regular season like Criminal Minds or CSI (never CSI: Miami) and I even watch reruns of L&O or L&O: SVU (on network and on at almost all hours of the day on cable). I’ve also started catching the delightful characters and banter on earlier Bones on TNT.

I also spend some time poking around and using tivo searches, there’s tons of stuff on cable to watch in reruns or even catch the shows straight through. For example Jake 2.0 is doing a marathon on 6/20 starting at the start at 8am on SciFi and you can catch the X-Files pilot episode on 6/20 on SciFi at 2am. There’s not much new to watch but my tivo always seems to be full.

next week 6/16

June 13, 2008 No Comments

Monday

Middleman (ABC Fam, 8pm) Series Premiere – Based on graphic novels a grad student gets wrapped up in weird occurrences.
Resolved (HBO, 9pm) – Doc that follows some high school debating.
Intervention (A&E, 9pm) Season Premiere – This follows different individuals through their addiction and hope for recovery.
Weeds (Show, 10pm) Season Premiere – I hear she sells pot.
Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Show, 10:30) Series Premiere – Follow a london high class call girl through both her working and non working times.

Tuesday

AFI’s 10 top 10 (CBS, 8pm) – Showing the 10 best films of 10 different genres.
America’s Got Talent (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – David Hasselhoff is one of the judges, last year I think they picked a ventriloquist.
Tori & Dean (Oxy, 10pm) Season Premiere – Did they give up on the Inn?

Wednesday

Black Gold (Tru, 10pm) Series Premiere – This is apparently like the Deadliest Catch, it’s a tough job.

Thursday

Penn & Teller: Bullshit (Show, 10pm) Season Premiere – I think that one guy still doesn’t talk.
America’s Best Dance Crew (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – If you like a dance show…

Friday

Daytime Emmy Awards (ABC, 8pm) – So why aren’t the daytime emmys shown during the daytime?
Camp Rock (Disney, 8pm) – This is something along the lines of High School Musical targeting that great tween audience.

Saturday

AST Dew Tour – Panasonic Open (NBC, 11am also Sun 10am – check your local listings) – The action sports tour kicks up again with skateboards, dirt bikes, fmx and more.
US Olympic Gymnastic Trials (NBC, 8pm also sat 1:30pm and Sun 7pm) – Get ready to ramp up for the olympic seasons, as I understand it these strong tiny people just try to stick it.

Sunday

US Olympic Diving Trials (NBC, 12pm – also sat 12:30pm) – No splash = good.
Two Coreys (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – From the previews it looks like they keep putting them together and making them fight.
Inspector Lewis (PBS, 9pm check local listings) Season Premiere – Masterpiece brings some murder investigations.

Times noted are pst, some sporting events are live so check your local listings.

reality detox

June 10, 2008 No Comments

I made a decree a few years ago that I wasn’t adding any more reality television, I just watch too much television and I can be easily sucked into nearly anything. I also decided that I’d be dropping a few of the regulars, ANTM obviously made the cut, Survivor and American Idol did not (I did tune back into AI this last season but that’s it, I’m pretty sure). I watched my first full episode of the Bachelorette just to be able to contribute to the conversation of what kind of guy I thought was cute (of that lot, Graham, but not just because he’s super hot).

I tried not to sample too much of the new options that they trotted out over the years though I was a big fan of Rock Star: INXS/Supernova. Last year when I expanded my television from network to basic cable my channel surfing led me to review a show or two more. After some sampling, Project Runway is a keeper, I love the personalities but it’s the clothes each week that kept me coming back. Rock of Love stayed on the tivo for the first season but I couldn’t stay on the train wreck through season two.

Last season I was so indignant about the new show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew that I almost didn’t watch the first episode. Now I knew Dr Drew was a real Dr, I had listened to Loveline on KROQ back when it started and was Dr Drew and the Poorman, but I didn’t realize he was an addiction specialist. I still had my doubts as I thought reality had sunk to a new low. But you can tell where this is heading, I was addicted.

Sure there was a train wreck aspect to things, but I was again surprised at how I came to be interested in the lives of people who I really couldn’t care less about. When Jeff Conaway left we all thought he was going to die when he checked out, and were frustrated that Chyna was having trouble even identifying/admitting what her problem was, and we all hoped that they would make it. Dr Drew and the staff really appeared to want to help these people and seeing them struggle with the filmed/celebrity aspect of the show was a challenge that I wonder how it will change in the next season.

And you can tell where this is leading, there is a next season. Casting is confirmed as: Jeff Conaway (back after back surgeries to give it another go), Sean Stewart (reality specialist and son of Rod/Sons of Hollywood), Amber Smith (model/actress?), Rodney King (from back when reality made people famous), Nikki McKibbon (this year’s American Idol), Steven Adler (this year’s rocker from Guns n Roses) and Tawny Kitaen (Actress?). And we also have Gary Busey (this year’s Baldwin sharing his path to sobriety – 13 years sober from his cocaine addiction?).

I assume this means they’ll be checking in now, but we won’t see shows until around October. Does that mean to fill this summer I should watch more Denise Richards or Living Lohan? The answer to that is no.

next week 6/9

June 6, 2008 No Comments

Monday

Greek (ABC Fam, 8pm) Season Finale – I think they might be going into season three still in the same college year, that’s the way to keep them in school forever.
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (HBO, 9pm) – A doc on the director, his films, and yes his fleeing the US after pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old, including a new interview with the victim.
Nashville Star (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Billy Ray hosts what I can only assume is a country style american idol.

Tuesday

Independent Lens: Cool School (PBS, 11pm – check local listings) – Looking back on story of curator Walter Hopps and the Ferus Gallery art scene launching artists in the 50-60s.

Wednesday

Celebrity Circus (NBC, NBC, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – Seven ‘celebrities,’ including now famous for being on reality tv Christopher Knight among others, learn some fine circus tricks.
Men in Trees (ABC, 10pm) Series Finale – Looks like the gang sends off the series with a talent show, can’t wait, ok won’t watch.
Top Chef (Bravo, 10pm) Season Finale – I guess we pick the chef who is tops.

Thursday

Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D List (Bravo, 9pm) Season Premiere – Rolling into season four we follow Kathy Griffin and her D list adventures in this unscripted show.
Bill Engvall Show/My Boys (TBS, 9/9:30pm) Season Premieres – A guy and his family/a girl, four guys, and a sports bar – let the humor begin. (They are replaying one of last season’s eps of BES on CBS on Mon/8pm)

Friday

Battlestar Galactica (SciFi, 10pm) Season Finale – I’m only on season one on dvd so who knows what’s going on at this point with the space caravan and the cylons.

Saturday

Dana Carvey: Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies (HBO, 10pm) – Carvey’s first HBO special in a while has him making the jokes and doing the impressions.

Sunday

Tony Awards (CBS, 8pm) – Whoopi Goldberg hosts, and she’s supposed to be wearing something designed by Runway’s Christian, I haven’t hit the NY Broadway scene this year so can’t comment on the plays.
TV Land Awards (TVLand, 9pm) – If you don’t want to watch the Tonys but you still want an award show…

sports, tv

french open

June 5, 2008 1 Comment

So we are at the second of the four annual Grand Slams, the major tennis tournaments throughout the year, Australian, Wimbledon, and US Open being the other three. The surfaces vary somewhat in the four slams, and the French is the only major on clay. The clay courts are slower making it harder to hit a winning shot and typically favor those who move well with the signature slide.

The men’s field is lining up as expected. Three time French winner Nadal (ranked 2) trying to make it four. He’s got to knock out Djokovic (3) in the semis, and Djokovic won the Australian and has been proving himself a worthy opponent throughout the year. But Nadal is a master on clay and he’s expected to face Federer (1) who just has to take out Frenchman Monfils on his side for them to repeat last year’s final.

But will it be a true repeat or does Federer have a chance to take his one unclaimed slam? I have to admit that I think Federer is such a great player overall that he deserves to get this under his belt. But this might not be the year, he had a slow start due to of all things mono, but he seems to be back where he needs to be.

The women’s field started pretty wide open this year with former French winner and overall number one Justine Henin retiring prior to the start of the whole shebang (no one is quite sure why she retired, no more oomph?). Sharapova won the Australian and inherited the first rank but clay isn’t her surface and she just never got in the zone. And the still potentially great but sporadic Williams sisters got knocked out as well.

So who do we turn to? Up and comer Ivanovic (2) defeated Jankovic (3) in what turned out to be a Serb semi and will face Safina (13), the winner over Kuznetsova (4) in the Russian semi. We didn’t have a previous French winner in the bunch and Kuznetsova was the only one to have previously won a slam with the US Open, but her play is just too sporadic. I have to admit I like the favorite Ivanovic, she’s just sort of adorable, not only quite pretty but she always seems perky and happy and has been proving herself with a steady rise. Ivanovic also takes over the number 1 rank by reaching the finals over the rest of the lot.

NBC network coverage (times noted are PST) and full coverage at http://www.rolandgarros.com/

Friday 10am -Men’s Semis
Saturday 6am – Women’s Final
Sunday 6am – Men’s Final

summer drought

June 2, 2008 1 Comment

Aside from continued reality and game shows, is there anything new coming this summer? Well if you have cable you’re not without hope, and there’s even one or two for you network kids… Here’s a couple of things I’m mostly looking forward to:

Sunday, June 1
In Plain Sight (10 p.m., USA) Series Premiere – This premiered last night though I have yet to watch, and it does repeat throughout the week (yeah for cable repeats), but I miss a good fresh procedural so I’m excited to see Mary McCormack as a US Marshall dealing with folks in witness protection.

Tuesday, June 3
30 Days (Fx, 10pm) Season Three – I actually have yet to catch this show but I’m intrigued by the premise, ‘Supersize Me’ guy (and other designated folks) walks the walk in this reality take on 30 days in the life of people from minimum wage workers to white supremacists to coal miners.

Thursday, June 5
Swingtown (CBS, 10pm) Series Premiere – I’ve read some good and bad of this show about a couple who moves into a swinging 70s neighborhood, it’s either an interesting look at the 70s sexuality and politics or it’s just trashy and superficial, either way could be worth a look.

Fear Itself (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – This could be as dreadful as last season’s ‘Masters of Science Fiction’ but they’ve got some good talent lined up to do standalone episodes, and perhaps they might even be scary, so probably inconsistent but maybe some gems.

Thursday, July 10
Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) Season Two – I’ve been catching up on this in repeats and though I initially dismissed this ex spy guy as a stiff and predictable, I found the camp and the characters grew on me, fluffy is fine for summer.

Thursday, July 11
Flashpoint (CBS, 10pm) Series Premiere – I have no reason to expect this to be any more than a burned off summer series but I give network stuff a chance during the summer, so this Emergency Task Force drama is worth a shot.

Monday, July 14
The Closer/Saving Grace (TNT, 9/10pm) Seasons Two – Here are a couple of leading ladies who know how to entertain, Kyra Sedgewick is a deputy chief running a special unit cracking down on crime making things happen with her interrogation skills while Holly Hunter is a cop who won’t stop fighting crime unless she’s getting drunk, sleeping with inappropriate men, or talking to her special guardian angel, I can’t wait.

Sunday, July 27
Mad Men (AMC, 10pm) Season Two – I initially skipped this show as the thought of watching a show about advertising… lets just say I get enough of that in my day job, but folks they are a raving, so much that I’m tempted to check it out. Fortunately they’re doing a season 1 marathon 7/20 12pm.

Tuesday, July 29
Eureka (Sci Fi, 9pm) Season Three – I caught this show in the first season and was entertained by this secret super scientist community, it’s quirky characters, and the hijinks that ensue, while of course the not super scientist sheriff needs to help keep it all together.

Other summer series:
Charlie Jade (June 6, SciFi, 8pm), Army Wives (June 8, Life, 10pm), The Bill Engvall Show/My Boys (June 12, TBS, 9/9:30pm), The Middleman (June 16, ABC Fam, 8pm), Monk/Psych (July 10, USA, 9/10pm), Stargate Atlantis (July 11, Sci Fi, 10pm), The Cleaner (July 15, A&E, 10pm), Weeds/Secret Diary of a Call Girl (June 16, Show, 10/10:30pm), Primeval (Aug 9, BBC, 9pm)

For most of the rest you’ll have to wait ’til fall but for those of you who asked: Dexter season three premiere is currently scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 28, with season two now available for download on iTunes and on dvd Aug. 19. And Flight of the Conchords isn’t scheduled until 2009 though the dvd for season one is out. And of course these dates may change, I’ll continue to check in on premier dates on ‘next week’ posts.

next week 6/2

May 30, 2008 No Comments

Monday

Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – I assume this is like where they looked for the new leads in Grease.
The Mole (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – It’s reality, it’s a competition, does anyone care?

Tuesday

30 Days (FX, 10pm) Season Premiere – Morgan Spurlock returns to 30 days in the lives of others starting with coal mining.

Wednesday

She’s Got the Look (TVLand, 10pm) Season Premiere – Ladies over 35 do their own version of ANTM.

Thursday

NBA Finals (ABC, 6pm/pst) – The series starts tonight.
Fear Itself (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – A host of directors, actors, and writers create episodes for this series of suspense and horror shows.
Swingtown (CBS, 10pm) Series Premiere – A new couple moves to a Chicago suburb where the 70s are in full swing.

Friday

French Open (NBC, 10am/pst and s/su 6am/pst) – Wrapping up another fortnight of tennis following ESPN2 coverage throughout the week.
Charlie Jade (Scifi, 8pm) Series Premiere – A rogue PI deals with mysteries and parallel universes.
Meerkat Manor (Animal, 9pm) Season Premiere – Last season’s posters made the meerkats look like the sopranos, I haven’t seen any this season.

Saturday

America’s Best Dance Crew (MTV, 2/4:30pm) – The casting special is followed by some performances, the real competition starts on Thursday.
Sybil (CBS, 8pm) – Not sure that Sally Field’s multiple personalities need to be revisited in an update but here it is.

Sunday

When We Left the Earth: The Nasa Missions (Disc, 9pm) – This special presentation kicks off the multi part series.
L&O: Criminal Intent (USA, 9pm) – Returning from strike hiatus as Vincent D’Onofrio returns from a break, probably because Big is promoting Sex and the City.
Army Wives (Life, 10pm) Season Premiere – I got the impression this was wives of people in the army, but maybe it’s women in the army who are wives… maybe it’s both.
This American Life (Show, 10pm) Season Finale – Ira’s talking to guys named John Smith.

new gossip…

May 26, 2008 No Comments

Everything new is old again… or vice versa. Serena jumps back into her old habits when the times they get tough. Lying, getting sloppy drunk, and going home with random guys. Well who doesn’t turn to alcohol in times of turmoil? And once the alcohol starts flowing judgement apparently goes out the window. On the plus side, the old Serena brought the gang back together again, Chuck, Nathan and Blair to the rescue! And what about Dan, well once he was able to confront our little S she fessed up to cheating on him. Not true but anything was better to say than the truth she thought.

And the truth? Well before S split town, partner in crime little miss Georgina tried to catch S with a nice little sex tape. But the guy who was the intended costar did one line too many… so G convinced S to leave the scene of the supposed crime. Of course S stuck around long enough to see his dead body hauled out, so she split to boarding school. And we all thought her sleeping with B’s boring boyfriend Nate was her worst crime. Ok we didn’t, but I could still use a few more skeletons in the closet.

So Serena’s crime was finally outed and with the help of mom she approached the parents of cokehead. She thought she could go back and pick up the pieces with Dan but alas, Georgina pretending to be Sarah had other plans. Dan didn’t sleep with her, ‘but he might as well have.’ And though Serena was willing to forgive if not forget, but Dan just couldn’t manage it. It wasn’t what she did, it was all the lying.

S wasn’t the only one lying. B got Dan in on the act setting up G for a little family reunion of her own. Apparently this caper was the latest in a long and tawdry line of mistakes… selling her champion horse for coke among others. Off to some sort of boot camp for her, thanks to B doing a little research on the ‘best’ place for her.

Oh and the eldest Humphrey Rufus is heating things up between he and the eldest Vanderwoodsen, soon to be Mrs. Bass. When she ran into Rufus she let a kiss turn into a night. But she was ready to get married and she and Rufus seem to have agreed that if they hadn’t made it work yet she wasn’t willing to bet on a longshot. So down the aisle she went. And how romantic the wedding was, enough so that Chuck pledged his love to Blair and she agreed to give it a go.

So what’s old is new again for summer. Jenny’s back to sewing, and will be trying to be into good graces with the Waldorfs, except this time it’s an internship with Blair’s mom. Blair is jetting off to Europe with members of the Bass staff, but being stood up by Chuck, who is choosing to keep to his bad boy ways. Dan is hanging out with Vanessa in Brooklyn, though neither of them wants to talk about their splits with Serena or Boring B, who just so happen to be being alone together for the summer. And Rufus is touring with his 90s band.

I can only hope they continue to come up with good stuff to gossip about next season. One thing I like about this show is how fast they keep the dirt coming, but that usually works best for the first season. So until next year I can always revel in the start of it all with the replay of the pilot tonight.

next week 5/26

May 23, 2008 No Comments

Monday

The Andromeda Strain (A&E, 9pm – also Tues, 9pm) – Miniseries based on the Michael Crichton novel starring Benjamin Bratt, Andre Braugher, and Eric McCormack.
Wildfire (ABC Fam, 9pm) Series Finale – I think wildfire is a horse.
Denise Richards: It’s Complicated/Living Lohan (E!, 10/10:30pm) Series Premieres – In case you wanted to see what was going on behind the scenes with either of these women.
The Paper (MTV, 10/10:30) Season Finale – Big confrontation in the newsroom, or the classroom, or something.

Tuesday

According to Jim (ABC, 8/8:30pm) Season Finale – Not only is this show still on, it’s renewed for next season.

Wednesday

Stanley Cup Finals (NBC, 5pm/pst) – Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Redwings, Game 3 is on Wed, with Games 4/5 scheduled for Sat/Mon.
Men in Trees (ABC, 10pm) – Returning from strike break, for those who enjoy, enjoy it while it lasts.

Thursday

Lost (ABC, 9pm) Season Finale – Ok I’m like three behind on this, time to catch up.

Friday

Scripps National Spelling Bee (ABC, 8pm) – The kids, they spell.
Sarah Jane Adventures (Scifi, 8/8:30pm) Season Finale – There’s an adventure.

Saturday

French Open (NBC, 10am pst sat and sun – also ESPN2 coverage weekdays starting 5/27) – It’s the big clay court tennis tournament, will Nadal add another win to his list, or will Djokovic or Federer take him out?
Saturday Night Fights (CBS, 9pm) – Includes heavyweight bout with Kimbo Slice and James “Colossus” Thompson, I don’t know who’s favored but Kimbo needs a tough nickname.
Dead at 17 (Life, 9pm) – Original telefilm of a woman, her son, his death and of course secrets.
Heat Stroke (SciFi, 9pm) – Not to be outdone on telefilms, a model and a soldier try to fight alien created global warming.

Sunday

Million Dollar Password (CBS, 8pm) Series Premiere – My friend and I used to make up words and play this when we were bored, Regis hosts and it looks like Neil Patrick Harris as one of the first celebrity word givers.
The Tudors (Show, 9pm) Season Finale – Old school courtly drama.
In Plain Sight (USA, 10pm) Series Premiere -Mary McCormack plays a US Marshall for the witness protection program.
Next Food Network Star (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Folks compete to get their own cookster show.

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