sports, tv

next week 4/7

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Monday

  • NCAA Men’s Championship (CBS, 9pm) – Didn’t we already talk about this, I think this is really it, if not I won’t talk about it again anyhow.
  • Samantha Who? (ABC, 9:30pm) – Post strike premiere as Samantha has to move back in with her ex, and his new gal, to keep her apartment.

Tuesday

  • NCIS (CBS, 8pm) – Post season strike premiere as they show, secrets, and stakeouts, and murder.
  • Just for Laugh (ABC, 8/8:30pm) Season Finale – I don’t think I’ve ever watched this real world prank/gag show.
  • The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo (HBO, 10pm) – Rape survivor makes a documentary on victims and rapists.
  • Secret Talents of the Stars (CBS, 10pm) – Sixteen ‘celebrities’ compete with secret talents.
  • Boston Legal (ABC, 10pm) – Post strike premiere as they continue to mix crazies and the law.

Wednesday

  • Idol Gives Back (Fox, 7:30pm) – The celebrities and the idol gang gives back by making you want to give money.

Thursday

  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm) – Special Night as another one of the gang gets the boot, Kristy Lee Cook anyone?
  • 30 Rock/The Office/Scrubs/ER (NBC, 8:30-11pm) Post strike premieres, what are you looking forward to most, I’d say 30 Rock.

Friday

  • The Sarah Jane Adventures (SciFi, 7:30pm) – This is a Dr Who spin-off reportedly for kids as our title character is a social worker for aliens.
  • Miss USA (NBC, 9pm) – Donny and Marie host so it’s gotta be good.

Saturday

  • The Memory Keeper’s Daughter (Life, 9pm) – This adaptation of the bestseller is fleshed out with Dermot Mulroney, Gretchen Mol, and Emily Watson.

Sunday

  • Desperate Housewives (ABC, 9pm) – Post strike premiere as the women of Wisteria Lane continue being desperate.
  • Rock of Love (VH1, 9pm) Season Finale – Brett chooses his lady from the latest stripperesque bunch.
  • Dirt (FX, 10pm) Season Finale – Courtney continues to deal with tabloids and personal drama.
  • Eli Stone (ABC, 10pm) – Special night as Eli continues with visions of the earthquake.
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best, tv

my top tv of 2007

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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.

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best, tv

top tv of 2007

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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.

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tv

my schedule

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Well almost everything has started and until they cancel more stuff, move stuff around, or we get to midseason changes. Here is where things seem to be settling in for me for watching, or at least tivo backlog. (I do try to narrow things down to no more than two shows per time slot.)

Monday

  • 8pm NBC – Chuck (CBS – How I Met Your Mother)
  • 9pm NBC – Heroes (CBS – Two and a Half Men/Samantha Who?)

Tuesday

  • 8pm Fox – Bones
  • 9pm Fox – House (CW – Reaper)
  • 10pm NBC – L&O SVU

Wednesday

  • 8pm ABC – Pushing Daisies (CW – ANTM or in repeats Sun 9pm)
  • 9pm CW – Gossip Girl (NBC – Bionic Woman)
  • 10pm ABC – Dirty Sexy Money

Thursday

  • 8/8:30pm NBC – My Name is Earl/30 Rock
  • 9/9:30pm NBC – The Office/Scrubs (ABC – Grey’s Anatomy)

Friday

  • 10pm CBS – Numb3rs

Sunday

  • 5pm CW – (encore) Girlfriends
  • 10pm ABC – Brothers and Sisters

And for a full grid of the current listings check out a couple of sites that I find helpful:

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tv

next week 10/14

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We’re almost done…

Sunday

  • Samantha Who? (ABC, Mon 10/5, 9:30pm) – Pilot. Christina Applegate wakes from a coma not knowing who she is, but maybe that’s a good thing as she starts to discover the not so nice gal she was.

Monday

  • The Price is Right (CBS, Mon 10/15, check your local listings) – I’ve never been a real watcher but Drew Carey taking over seemed noteworthy.

Thursday

  • Viva Laughlin (CBS, Thurs 10/18, 10pm – preview, second ep as official premiere on 10/21, 8pm) – Pilot So this is the one where they sing along to popular songs whilst dealing with gambling and at least one murder mystery…

Friday

  • Next Great American Band (Fox, Fri 10/19, 8pm) – Pilot American Idol but for bands, I am mildly interested in this, was initially into Idol and was a big fan of Rock Star, shouldn’t stick with it but maybe worth a glance.
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tv

new fall tv

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It’s time. Let’s see what folks are saying about new fall television. Of the critics picks these are the names that seem to come up.

  • Aliens in America (ew) – CW, Mon 10/1, 8:30pm
  • Back to You (ew, ms, tv) – Fox, Wed 9/19, 8pm
  • Bionic Woman (ew, a, tv) – NBC, Wed 9/26, 9pm
  • Cane (ms, tv) – CBS, Tues 9/25, 10pm
  • Chuck (a, tv) – NBC, Mon 9/24, 8pm
  • Dirty Sexy Money (a, ew, ms, tv) – ABC, Wed 9/26, 10pm
  • Gossip Girl (a, tv) – CW, Wed 9/19, 9pm
  • Journeyman (ms) – NBC, Mon 9/24, 10pm
  • K-Ville (tv) – Fox, Mon 9/17, 0pm
  • Private Practice (tv) – ABC, Wed 9/26, 9pm
  • Pushing Daisies (a, ms, t, tv) – ABC, Wed 10/13, 8pm
  • Reaper (ew, ms, tv) – CW, Tues 9/25, 9pm
  • Samantha Who? (ms) – ABC, Mon 10/15, 9:30pm

(a) AOL – Fall Best New Shows, (ew) Entertainment Weekly Pick, (ms) Newsweek/MSNBC – Fall Preview, (t) Time – What to Watch for Fall Arts Preview, (tv) TV Guide – Shows With Buzz (buzz doesn’t necessarily equal best)

Touted as perhaps the worst shows – Viva Laughlin: preposterous murder mystery with folks singing over pop songs at key plot points. Big Shots: four good actors but this ‘sex and the city for men’ show is reportedly painfully bad. Cavemen: updating the bad ad concept of cavemen in society being discriminated against, really?

So I can’t predict what my new favorites will be (I do try to watch all new comedies and dramas) but here’s what I’m most looking forward to:

  1. Bionic Woman – For nostalgia sake alone I’m looking forward to this. The show is getting a serious update by the creators of Battlestar Gallactica (I haven’t seen but hear nothing but great things). Though not sticking strictly the old plot Jamie Sommers is getting bionic and of course being asked to put her new abilities to use, expect more conflict with the government agency that rebuilt her and more personal struggle.
  2. Pushing Daisies – I’ve actually heard the most positive buzz about this show. What if you could touch someone to bring them back to life but with your next touch they’d die again? Well of course you’d help a PI solve murders. And of course you’d bring a woman you love back to life and never be able to touch her again. It’s got a good cast and supposedly a great look. It’s being touted as things like whimsical and delightful so it probably won’t be for everyone but it’s definitely worth a watch.
  3. Dirty, Sexy, Money – Ok so this title is almost so over the top it’s good but it wasn’t until I started hearing positive things about this satire that I started to believe that they might be doing it right. The return of Peter Krause (of HBO’s 6 Feet Under – though I’m only on about season 4 of on dvd) as a reluctant attorney to a powerful and of course scandalous family headed by Donald Sutherland.
  4. Gossip Girl – So not only is it done by Josh Schwartz (the creator of the OC that at least started with an excellent dose of wit and sudsy drama) but the VO of blogger/narrator is being done by our beloved Veronica Mars’ Kristin Bell. It’s based on a series of books set in uber elite New York private school so hopefully they’ll have enough fodder to keep it lively for at least a couple of seasons.
  5. Chuck and Reaper – Ok these both just feel similar to me. Likable guy gets thrown into unusual situation. Chuck (also by Schwartz) has been described as The Office meets Alias. Can’t beat that, right? A computer nerd (Less Than Perfect’s Zachary Levi) gets all of America’s intelligence downloaded to his brain. And in Reaper the guy (Brett Harrison of Grounded for Life and The Loop) has to be bounty hunter for Satan since his parents sold his soul to the devil, with the first episode being directed by Kevin Smith. Both are being touted as smart and funny so hopefully at least one of them’s a keeper.

Of the others…

Sitcoms – With sitcoms I’ve learned to adopt a wait and see stance but Back to You and Samantha Who clearly have potential with the casting of Frasier and Mrs. Ray Romano as newscasters and the adorable Kellie Bundy as amnesiac. And I guess Aliens in America could be amusing bringing a Pakistani foreign exchange student to small town America to focus on high-school misfits.

Dramas – Cane has good casting including Jimmy Smits and Hector Elizondo in this Cuban-American family/business drama but I’ve seen about a million previews and am not all that excited. Journeyman shows a man going back in time to change something and again just no real pull yet. K-Ville is a cop show set in New Orleans but I haven’t really heard anything else about it. And Private Practice’s Grey’s spin-off backdoor pilot wasn’t astounding, but we’ll see what they do with it.

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