tv

new and noteworthy tv: 3/22-3/28

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Idol is down to two nights a week so maybe I’ll finally start to catch up on Lost…

Monday

  • Dancing with the Stars (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Countdown to the first injury…
  • Top Gear (BBCA, 8pm) Season Premiere – More gear.
  • Nurse Jackie/United States of Tara (Show, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – The ladies return to Showtime.

Tuesday

  • Survivors (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Apparently some of the survivors are still surviving in this post apocalyptic tale.
  • V (ABC, 10pm) – After a break this special recap reminding us that we want to like this show but don’t.

Wednesday

  • Fly Girls (CW, 9pm) Series Premiere – I can’t believe an airline agreed to have their stews filmed off duty.
  • Mythbusters/Is It Possible (Disc, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – Thwarting myths and looking at science.

Thursday

  • NCAA (CBS, check local listings) – If we’re at the semis this means the brackets are almost done, right?

Friday

  • Chandon Pictures (Sund, 9pm) Series Premiere – An Australian sitcom follows documentary filmmakers/wedding videographers, hmm I think I saw this on Melrose Place.

Saturday

  • Kids’ Choice Awards (Nick, 8pm) – Kevin James hosts the latest.

Sunday

  • Bubba’s World (Fuel, 10pm) Series Premiere – Following champion motocross rider James Stewart.
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movies

oscar fun

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Well I think it was fun. It wasn’t the best show, and it never will be… I love Neil Patrick Harris and he can do no wrong, but that opening number just didn’t go anywhere good. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin played a nice game of ‘look there is (insert actor name here) (insert joke here)’ but though their pairing didn’t bring anything  greater than an individual host, and maybe not even as good as either of them might have been alone, they popped out often enough and made amusing enough comments.

The awards were relatively predictable, though I somehow lost my Oscar pool. The main highlights were the weird ‘Kanye moment’ when the Best Documentary Short winner’s off screen struggles hit the mic, Salon has some of the reported backstory. And when The Cove winners were cut short, was it because the Academy only allows limited time and a single speaker, or was it because one of the dudes pulled out a message to text Dolphin. And the drama around the memorial inclusions, they can’t include everyone but should they have included Farrah Fawcett instead of Michael Jackson?

But most importantly the fashion… no swans this year but a few hits and what I considered misses. I’m not a huge fan of the asymmetrical dress or the nude tones but Sandra Bullock was working it, love to see the best actress be in a stunner. I also dug the patterns of Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams (who I somehow kept thinking was one of the Kates). And Carey Mulligan not only worked a fun classic silhouette with a twist, but in close up you could see the little scissors and forks that the little bejeweling on her dress were made up of, adorable. As for the misses, I could have done without the overdetailed Zoe Saldana, Vera Farmiga, Jennifer Lopez, and Charlize Theron.

And if you’re so inclined check out the full list of winners at Oscar.com.

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new and noteworthy tv: 3/1-3/7

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The Olympics are done so it’s time to start tuning back into some nonathletic tv watching, procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Today (NBC, 7am) – The cast of Eight is Enough reunite!
  • Bachelor/After the Rose (ABC, 8/10pm) – Will he pick the gal everyone hates? Will it be true love? Who will the new bachelorette be? The two Bachelor fans I know will tell me the answers to those questions.
  • Rules of Engagement (CBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – This is one of those shows that isn’t bad, it just isn’t quite good and makes you wonder how Better Off Ted and others don’t get more time.
  • Law & Order (NBC, 9/10pm) – Now that we’re filling up that 10 o’clock hour again we’re just going to fill it with twice as much L&O, but I’m sort of back into this season.

Tuesday

  • Parenthood (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – I too am tired of the previews but who can resist a peek at Lorelai Gilmore and Nate from Six Feet Under being in the same family?
  • Southland (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – By season premiere what they mean is they’re actually going to air the episodes NBC didn’t bother with.

Wednesday

  • Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9/10pm) – Back to back drama with Mischa Barton and Kathy Griffin.
  • Ghost Hunters (Syfy, 9pm) Season Premiere – The 100th episode heads to Alcatraz for an ‘interactive event’.
  • The Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special (ABC, 10pm) – Stars interview stars and Oprah may be sealing the deal on taking over Barbara Walters spot on Oscar night next year.
  • The Locator (WE, 10pm) Season Premiere – There’s locating, and then there’s reuniting.
  • Nip/Tuck (Fx, 10pm) Series Finale – I haven’t watched an episode but I hear the six year run was an uneven but good one.

Thursday

  • The Office (NBC, 9/9:30pm) – Babies apparently take an hour to deliver.
  • The Real Housewives of New York City (Brav, 11pm) Season Premiere – They live in New York and I think they drink and argue.

Friday

  • Who Do You Think You Are (NBC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Genealogy celebrity style.
  • Independent Spirit Awards (IFC, 11pm) – Eddie Izzard hosts.

Saturday

  • Last chance to go out and catch an Oscar nod before they tell you what was the best.

Sunday

  • Barbara Walters Special (ABC, 8:30pm pst) – Barb is cutting this one off after 29 years, because 30 would be too predictable, so tune in for Sandra Bullock and Mo’Nique, note this is before the Oscars East Coast and whenever they end West Coast.
  • Oscars (ABC, 5/5:30pm pst) – Countdown, then the real deal, here’s to winning my Oscar pool…
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new and noteworthy tv: 2/22-2/28

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So the Olympics have another week in them, and to get your full fix on curling and hockey check out msnbc, CNBC, and USA.

Monday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35am, 3/8pm) – Speedskating, figure skating, bobsledding; Cross-country skiing; Figure skating, freestyle skiing, ski jumping.
  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) – It’s the special women tell all edition, will we get some new dirt?

Tuesday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Figure skating; Figure skating, freestyle skiing, ski jumping; Speedskating , biathlon, freestyle skiing; Figure skating, bobsledding, skiing.
  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm) – We’re finally into the semis where people sing a whole song and we can pick out who we hate like, ladies Tuesday, gents Wednesday, and the painfully dragged out results show Thursday.
  • WWE NXT (Syfy, 10pm) Series Premiere – WWE newbies are shown the robes by the veterans.

Wednesday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Men’s hockey; Figure skating, bobsledding, skiing; Men’s hockey; Freestyle skiing, bobsledding, speedskating, alpine skiing.
  • Inbetweeners (BBCA, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – The schoolmates get into some fix or another.

Thursday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05/1:30am, 3/8pm) – Speedskating; Freestyle skiing, bobsledding, speedskating, Alpine skiing; Cross-country skiing; Figure skating, freestyle skiing, Nordic combined.
  • Police Women of Maricopa (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Looks like we’re moving from Broward County to Maricopa County, Arizona.

Friday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Figure skating highlights; Figure skating, freestyle skiing, Nordic combined; Men’s hockey; Speedskating, Alpine skiing, bobsledding.
  • NAACP Image Awards (Fox, 8pm) – Tyler Perry gets the Chairman’s Award and lots o’ others are honored.
  • Live From Abbey Road (Sund, 8pm) Season Premiere – Modern stars perform a tribute to the Beatles Abbey Road Album.
  • Four Weddings (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Not three but four weddings are shown.

Saturday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05/1:30am, 1/8pm) – Biathlon, snowboarding; Speedskating, Alpine skiing, bobsledding; Speedskating, snowboarding, cross-country skiing; Snowboarding, Alpine skiing, bobsledding, figure skating.

Sunday

  • Olympics (NBC, 1:02am, 12/7/11:35pm) – Snowboarding, Alpine skiing, bobsledding, figure skating; Men’s hockey, cross-country skiing; Closing Ceremony.
  • The Marriage Ref (NBC, 10:30pm) – It’s a ‘preview’ version of the latest from Seinfeld where celebrities judge a couple’s problem.
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new and noteworthy tv: 2/15-2/21

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For those of you wondering where to catch curling, among other things, additional Olympic coverage can be found on msnbc, CNBC, and USA. Check your local listings or http://www.nbc.com/schedule/ for more info.

Monday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05am, 1/8pm) – Figure skating, freestyle skiing, luge, Alpine skiing; Snowboarding, cross-country-skiing; Figure skating, speedskating, snowboarding.

Tuesday

  • Olympics (12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Luge; Figure skating, speedskating, snowboarding; Biathlon, Figure skating, snowboarding, speedskating, Alpine skiing.
  • Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (USA, 8pm) – Woof.
  • 16 & Pregnant (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – And this week we meet a young girl who is pregnant…

Wednesday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, ) – Luge, Figure skating, snowboarding, speedskating, Alpine skiing; Cross-country skiing; Snowboarding, speedskating, Alpine skiing.

Thursday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05/1:30am, 3/8pm) – Speedskating, luge; Snowboarding, speedskating, Alpine skiing; Snowboarding, biathlon; Figure skating, snowboarding, speedskating.
  • LA Ink (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Apparently there’s a long-standing feud.

Friday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Skeleton, biathlon; Figure skating, snowboarding, speedskating; Cross-country skiing; Figure skating, skeleton, Alpine skiing, ski jumping.
  • The Ricky Gervais Show/The Life & Times of Tim/Real Time with Bill Maher/Funny or Die Presents (HBO, 9/9:30/10pm) Series/Season Premiere – Let’s hope this lineup gives some funny starting and ending with some new tricks.
  • Comedy Central Presents (Com, 11/11:30pm) Season Premiere – Tony Rock and Doug Williams perform.

Saturday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05/1:30am, 1/8pm) – Awards; Figure skating, skeleton, Alpine skiing, ski jumping;  Freestyle skiing, ski jumping, cross-country skiing; Speedskating, bobsledding, Alpine skiing.

Sunday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12/1am, 12/7/11:35pm) – Speedskating; Speedskating, bobsledding, Alpine skiing; Men’s hockey, freestyle skiing, biathlon; Speedskating, figure skating, skiing, bobsledding; Biathlon.
  • BAFTA Awards (BBCA, 8pm) – Will it be Hurt Locker over Avatar?
  • The Family Crews (BET, 9pm) Series Premiere – Terry Crews of Everybody Hates Chris shares his real-life family.
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movies

groundhog day aka oscar nominations

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Well the big ten are here and the only real surprise in Best Picture is The Blind Side. Does that mean I have to go see it?

  • Avatar
  • The Blind Side
  • District 9
  • An Education
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
  • A Serious Man
  • Up
  • Up in the Air

I do try to see the films that are nominated in the major categories (picture, director, actor/actress, screenplay) and so far am doing pretty well. I am at peace with my decision not to see animated films so I’m free on Up. Other than that I’ve been dragging my feet on Invictus, I missed The Messenger and its Netflix release date is still ‘unknown’, and The Last Station isn’t even out yet (um, it’s February).

So who will be the big winner? Avatar and Hurt Locker are tied with nine nominations each, and if you’ve been paying attention you know who I’m rooting for. The Oscars are March 7, so first I need to get objective for my Oscar pool… For the full list of nominations go to: http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees

Oh and Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow so we’re looking at six more weeks of winter. Cold weather is always a nice occasion to see a movie!

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 2/1-2/7

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A smattering of new things coming up this week, but what everyone is really focused on is Lost. Since they’ve tortured us with weirdness for the last five seasons… if I’ve come this far I’m going to finish it out even if I have to do it kicking and screaming. Oh and of course the Super Bowl, go team!

Monday

  • The BET Honors (BET, 9pm) – I think honors are sort of like awards…
  • Rupaul’s Drag Race (Logo, 9pm) Season Premiere – A new crop of ladies (?) compete.
  • Kell on Earth (Brav, 10pm) Series Premiere – And yet there are more ‘real’ people to follow around.
  • Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Show, 10pm) Season Premiere – Belle is apparently attending her book release party.
  • Ultimate Cake Off (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – This isn’t just any cake off, it’s the ultimate.

Tuesday

  • Nomination Announcement of the 82nd Academy Awards (ABC, 8:30am) – This year they’re nominating 10 for best pic, so get ready to hit the theaters.
  • Lost (ABC, 8/9pm) Special/Season Premiere – First they try to catch you up, that’s really only for the people who have been watching, if you haven’t been watching there is no catching up for the final season, then we see whether they answer any questions, smoke monster anyone?
  • 19 Kids & Counting (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – The Duggars continue to show off their brood.
  • The Michael Vick Project (BET, 10pm) Series Premiere – Hmm, this is the guy who got arrested for dog fighting?

Wednesday

  • Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials (CBS, 8pm) – A little history on the real reason people watch the Super Bowl.
  • Shear Genius (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – This would be the reality competition show where they… cut hair!

Thursday

  • Important Things with Demetri Martin/The Sarah Silverman Program (Com, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – I’m sure they both have important things to entertain with.

Friday

  • Smallville (CW, 8pm) – With no more Dollhouse to catch I suppose one could turn to back-to-back episodes, I’m sure Clark will save someone or something.

Saturday

  • Action Sports (NBC, 9am) – The Alli Winter Dew Tour brings the Toyota Championship from Mt. Snow, Vt.
  • AKC/Eukanuba National Championship (AnPl, 8pm) – Can’t wait ’til Westminster?

Sunday

  • Super Bowl (CBS, 3pm pst) – Saints vs. Colts and an ice cold beer.
  • Undercover Boss (CBS, 10pm) – Will the bosses learn a valuable lesson doing the jobs of their employees?
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new and noteworthy tv: 1/25-1/31

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Monday

  • Top Gear/Inbetweeners (BBCA, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premiere – Real life hosts race from London to Edinburgh then fictional teens entertain with school hijinks.
  • Damages (FX, 10pm) Season Premiere – Lawyerly drama.
  • Greek (ABCFam, 10pm) Season Premiere – What will the gang get up to this season?
  • State of the Union/La La Land (Show, 10/10:30/11pm) Season/Series Premiere – Tracy Ullman and Marc Wootten get their characters on.

Tuesday

  • 24/7 (HBO, 10pm) Season Premiere – NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and his team prepare for the Daytona 500.

Wednesday

  • State of the Union (Various, 6pm pst) – Obama may offer hope, or change.
  • Psych (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Shawn tackles soldierly intrigue.

Thursday

  • Live for the Moment (CBS, 8pm) – Jeff Probst hosts something inspiring.
  • America’s Best Dance Crew/Taking the Stage (MTV, 10/11pm) Season Premiere – Crews and skillz dawg.

Friday

  • Dollhouse/Kitchen Nightmares (Fox, 8/9pm) Series Finale/Season Premiere – End of the world? End of a kitchen?

Saturday

  • Miss America/Four Weddings (TLC, 8/10pm) Special Presentation/Series Premiere – What more could there be to learn on the learning channel?

Sunday

  • Grammys (CBS, 8pm) – Music and awards and whatnot.
  • SNL Sports Extra (NBC, 9pm) – Sports for the rest of us.
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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 1/18-1/24

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Midseason is rolling right out… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Life Unexpected (CW, 9pm, repeats Wed 8pm) Series Premiere – Given up for adoption Lux returns to find her birth parents and witty and adorable interactions are reported to ensue.
  • American Pickers (Hist, 9pm) Series Premiere – Two friends travel cross country in search of collectibles, garage sales, yard sales, barns…
  • The Buried Life/My Life As Liz (MTV, 10/10:30pm) Series Premieres – The latest reality installments follow a group trying to make their dreams, and maybe those of others, come true and then a teenager from Texas trying to ‘find herself.’
  • Be Good Johnny Weir (Sund, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Is Weir as sparkly when he’s not performing as a figure skater, we shall soon see.

Tuesday

  • Millionaire Matchmaker (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – She tells you what she thinks but do any of the couples really work it out, maybe that’s not really the point.
  • White Collar (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Cute criminal helping out the good guys is back.
  • Paranormal Cops (A&E, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – I’m not sure if anything paranormal actually gets cuffed.
  • Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO, 10pm) Season Premiere – Football concussions, a golfer who lost a let, and more.

Wednesday

  • Being Erica (Soap, 10pm) Season Premiere – So her therapist lets her time travel to change things?
  • Toddlers & Tiaras (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – I don’t think this requires much explanation.

Thursday

  • The Deep End (ABC, 8pm, repeats Sat 9pm) Series Premiere – More soapy young lawyers, they’re pairing it and comparing it to Grey’s if that give you any idea of tone, worth a look.
  • Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Michael Weston, the MacGyver-y ex-spy is back in business.

Friday

  • Hope for Haiti (Various, 8pm) – A fundraiser for Haiti, please check local listings as many shows are rescheduled or postponed, Dollhouse series finale currently set for next Friday.
  • Caprica (Syfy, 9pm) Series Premiere – The Battlestar prequel may not require BSG watching but you can bet fans will be tuning in.
  • Friday Night With Jonathan Ross (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Another nighttime talk show, who could ask for more.
  • Cribs (CMT, 10pm) Season Premiere – Stars pads.
  • Spartacus (Starz, 10pm) Series Premiere – Who gets Starz?

Saturday

  • SAG Awards (TNT/TBS, 8pm) – And the award goes to…

Sunday

  • Figure Skating Championships (NBC, Sat/Sun, 9pm) – Gearing up for Olympic hopes.
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new and noteworthy tv: 1/11-1/17

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The midseason shows are starting to come in, Idol alone would take up a chunk of time if I didn’t feel like I could skip most of the early auditions, how did I get sucked back in to that show again? Anyhow, procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Pizza, pork, and paprikash, need I say more?
  • Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Trav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Tony heads to Panama.
  • Fantasia For Real (VH1, 10pm) Series Premiere – If you’ve been wondering, what is Fantasia up to these days this is the show for you.

Tuesday

  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm, tues/wed) Season Premiere – We kick off the early rounds of night after night of auditions for those who just can’t get enough, and there will be some guest judges until Ellen takes her regular chair come Hollywood.
  • Southland (TNT, 10pm) – Remember that show that was canceled before they started airing the second season, well they’re starting it out from the beginning on cable, and will air at least all the produced episodes though no guarantees they’ll get anymore.
  • Blue Mountain State (Spike, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – It’s a new football comedy, maybe for those who get too upset watching Friday Night Lights.
  • Little Miss Perfect (WE, 10pm) Season Premiere – Does the girl without an entourage stand a chance in this latest pageant?

Wednesday

  • Monsterquest (Hist, 9pm) Season Premiere – Monster Sharks!
  • High School Reunion (TVL, 10pm) Season Premiere – This season the class of ’89 brings 11 folks from Las Vegas to Hawaii.
  • Leverage (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – The team hits the runway to right another wrong, with some sort of con of course.
  • Solving History (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Apparently the host of this show’s name is Olly Steeds but I keep reading it as Oily.
  • Tosh.0 (Com, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Daniel Tosh puts ‘his indelible stamp on everything crazy the Web has to offer’.

Thursday

  • First 48/Manhunters (A&E, 9/10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – Real life murders and fugitives.
  • Ace of Cakes (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Apparently there is a DIY show that some guys are visiting from to make a ‘man cave’ out of Duff’s basement, and there will still be some cakes.
  • Archer (FX, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – Spy spoof animation.
  • Project Runway/Models of the Runway (Life, 10/11pm) Season Premieres – They’re back…
  • Watch What Happens (Brav, midnight) Season Premiere – I think if you tune in something will happen.

Friday

  • Critic’s Choice Movie Awards (VH1, 8:30/9pm) – First the arrivals and then Kristin Chenoweth hosts as the awards season moves along.
  • I Shouldn’t Be Alive (AnPl, 9pm) Season Premiere – Creepy stories where people could have died but didn’t.
  • The Singing Bee (CMT, 9pm) Season Premiere – More karaoke singing competition.
  • Swamp Loggers (Disc, 10pm) Season Premiere – Swamps, logging…

Saturday

  • Alli Winter Dew Tour (NBC, 10am sat, 12pm sun) – Winter action sports hit Snowbasin, Utah.
  • Pit Boss (AnPl, 10pm) Series Premiere – I feel like making a little person/pit bull rescue joke would be un-pc…

Sunday

  • Golden Globe Awards (NBC, 7/8pm) – Ricky Gervais hosts this one for television and filmmakers from the Hollywood Foreign Press.
  • Human Target (Fox, 8pm) Series Premiere – Mark Valley puts himself between his clients and their deaths, based on a comic book, it moves to its regular timeslot on Wednesday.
  • Food Network Challenge (Food, 8pm) Season Premiere – 4 barbecue teams need to master 4 kinds of meats.
  • 24 (Fox, 9pm) Season Premiere – That guy must be very good at his job to have survived all these days, or the show could be unbelievable, nah…
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