Sunday, January 14, 2007

'The Apprentice: L.A.' - Ep. 2 -or- "How to tank a show in two episodes"

The ApprenticeI think the 24 fans had a better TV night than Apprentice fans. At least, I hope they had a better time than this Apprentice fan. I should speak for myself, after all.

Here's the idea - move the show to Los Angeles, go more shallow than need be, send a team of mainly women to the Playboy mansion as an exciting reward, talk about how great your body is, think pink, and call it a show. The great body bit was Trump. He's known for his abs and pecs, right?

This season is seriously flawed and it's just the second episode! Now, I know I watched the premiere. In that premiere, the teams had no names. I know they didn't. The caption on the screen referred to "Heidi's team" or "Frank's team." Tonight, with no discussion, the teams suddenly have names as if they had them all along. What's up with that? Heidi's team is Kinetic while the losing team is named Arrow.
Dearest Daddy
When the teams met Trump and the Trumpette (Ivanka) at Palisades Park, what the heck was with Ivanka? She looked all goth-gone-Beverly Hills with a with an odd black outfit and raccoon make-up. The task this week was to design, manufacture, and model a bathing suit line for Trina Turk. It wants to bring the Valley Girl out of me. Oh, the task itself is very "California" and it's technically a challenging job. But to saddle the winners with a trip to the Playboy mansion and a meeting with Hugh Hefner? Gag me with a spoon... please.

On the Arrow team, Nicole became the Project Manager while Heidi retained her position on the Kinetic team. Just like last week, it was very obvious which team was having problems. On Arrow, Carey threw himself into the task; he always wanted to design. Michelle spoke up against his teensy pink bikini brief shorts for men, and the guys on the team rolled their eyes, too. But Carey was adamant and persuasive. Carey, who's gay, was obviously thinking the gay market, but not the big picture. And, the mens' suit line is what killed their bid to win the task.

It's off to the boardroom for Arrow! And, off to the Playboy mansion for the overwhelmingly female Kinetic team. Oh, joy, joy... bunnies everywhere, with their little ears and tails, and Hugh telling his rags to riches story to anyone who'd listen. Don't get me wrong. I respect his success, but he's not someone I'd kowtow to, not at all.

One point I made last week was actually brought up while at the mansion. I said that the new "twist" of the Project Manager remaining the same on the winning team didn't give the others on the team the chance to shine. Sure enough, almost the same words came from Marisa while at the mansion. Envy is growing roots.

In the boardroom, Carey tried to put the target on Michelle (who is the only one who really spoke up about not liking the teensy suit). When polled by Trump, most thought Carey was responsible for the loss, with a smattering of Michelle and one vote for the Project Manager. Trump made it clear it was the teensy pink suit which killed their chances to win, but thinks his own body is so great that he could get away wearing it just like Carey did while modeling it on the runway. Yeah, right. Carey actually did look good in it. Just the thought of Trump's pasty skin against the pink is frightening to me, say nothing about the teensy factor. (Take that as you will.)
Carey
Nicole chose Michelle and Carey for the boardroom, but it was obvious that the firing choice was actually between Nicole as PM or Carey because he designed and pushed the suit. In the end, it was "Carey, you're fired." I kind of wonder how he would have done if he stayed longer. And, though I get the reasoning, I think that Nicole should have done more to control the team. Michelle and others definitely didn't care for the suit and she turned a blind eye to them.

Just a few random notes to end this:
  • I'm going to keep a running tally of how often Frank says the phrase "at the end of the day." Last week he said it three times, this week once.
  • When Frank told Trump he had to sleep outside because he's claustrophobic, Trump replied, "Don't worry about it. You'll be back in the Bronx very soon anyway." I guess he's out of the winning picture, eh?
  • Trump actually said the words, "I have a great body." Feh. If he had said, "I have a great ego" - well, that would be believable.
  • Next week some sort of "ultimate bombshell" is supposed to happen in the boardroom. Okay, save the show Trump Boy!
Dollar bills, y'all...

TV Newsy Bits - Sunday, January 14, 2006

What a night it's going to be for true television fans tonight, eh?

NBC has a new Deal or No Deal airing at 7 PM ET/PT, then a new Grease (whatever - that's something which is very low on my interest scale), followed by The Apprentice: L.A. (which I'll be recap/reviewing late tonight) and wraps up the night at 10 PM with the return of Crossing Jordan. I used to watch that show, but it's been gone so long I fear I forgot what last happened on it.

At 8 PM ET/PT, there's the highly anticipated by many two-hour season premiere of 24 on FOX. Another two hours will follow tomorrow night starting at 8 PM ET/PT.

CBS has new episodes of Cold Case and Without a Trace starting at 9 PM ET/PT. ABC is airing new episodes of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters for its evening primetime block. And, don't forget - if you're a Jay Leno fan, he's a guest on HGTV's Living with Ed tonight at 10 PM ET/PT. We've gone from famine (repeats) to an overwhelming feast of new shows... and I'm just talking about a few networks.

In other TV Newsy Bits:
  • Not having HBO with my cable, I've missed a show I keep hearing about - The Wire. I caught an episode of it last night on BET. It immediately snagged me. It's created and written by David Simon, the writer who's responsible for Homicide: Life on the Street. It's that same rough edge Baltimore he knows so well. I chatted with him once at the New York is Book Country Book Fair. I like his books. Now I like The Wire.
  • CBS has an article in which Matthew Fox (Lost) talks about his dark side. [I'll refrain from discussing my own dark side for the sake of the general public.]
  • The New York Post has an article about wild times in the depravity dorm of American Idol. Heh.


Pants for Progress - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - Jan. 15 - 19, 2007

Late Show with David Letterman Goodness, they've changed the official website for the Late Show with David Letterman, mostly for the better. But, instead of faulty listings of the upcoming guests, they now have extensive video clips and such available for the past week's guests. Since they didn't even list Madonna on their upcoming guests last week, maybe they're better off to just focus on recaps from the past week.

As for me, it's off to the TV listings to see whom I'll be seeing on the show this week.
  • Monday, Jan. 15: Actress Amy Sedaris, magician Jason Randall and, get this, the musical guest is America with Ryan Adams. The show sounds interesting - I like Amy Sedaris. And, though I thought them to be defunct, America (if it's roughly the same group) was a part of my growing-up music. Somewhere around I have them on vinyl... or maybe 8-Track. ;-)
  • Tuesday, Jan. 16: Actor Paul Newman, racing star SĂ©bastien Bourdais and Diana Ross is the musical guest. I don't know about the race car driver, but I surely want to see Paul Newman and, to a lesser extent, Diana Ross.
  • Wednesday, Jan. 17: Ohh! Terri and Bindi Irwin (Steve Irwin's wife and daughter) are scheduled. No one else is listed, but I'm sure they won't be the only guests for the evening. Dave is great with kids and Bindi is a neat little girl, so this should be another fine show.
  • Thursday, Jan. 18: Actor Harry Shearer is the lone guest listed. Um. Okay.
  • Friday, Jan. 19: Dan Rather, actress Tricia Helfer and musical guest Todd Barry performs.

Well, I'm more impressed by the shows through Wednesday night, but it's an all-new no-repeat week on Letterman.

And, that's a good thing indeed.

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - The Castaways, Part 2

Are you ready to learn more about the next five castaways we'll see on Survivor 14: Fiji? And, but of course, my impressions of them? I'd love to read your first take on them in the comments, too!

I'm listing the castaways male/female/alphabetically as I go along and the first five were explored in this entry. I'm looking at the official CBS Survivor 14: Fiji website and gleaning information from their bios and favorite lists. Let's see if I can get a true handle on the upcoming excitement before the season premiere on February 8 at 8 PM ET/PT!

Here's the second group of five, this time leading off with a woman (roar):

Jessica deBenAlthough she lists her home as Los Angeles, Jessica is originally born and raised in New Orleans, LA. She attended Millsaps College in Mississippi, the University of New Orleans, and Tulane University... yet no degree is listed for her.

Currently working as a fashion stylist and make-up artist in California, from her bio page: "deBen describes herself as ambitious, warm and unbreakable. Her hobbies include portrait painting, jogging, hiking, kayaking, biking and eating pancakes at The Griddle Café."

She's currently single and her birth date is April 25, 1979. [I wonder if all these "currently single" folks weren't always single.]

Heading to her Favorites list to get the real skinny on her:

  • She lists Pac-Man in her video games, as well as X-Box. Maybe there's a resurgence in Pac-Man that I just don't know about. Another Monopoly player - must be a prerequisite or that's one of the only board games folks can come up with under pressure.
  • At least she mentions Survivor as one of her favorite TV shows, as well as A&E True Crime and VH1's Fabulous Life Of...
  • Heh, her music choices are foods! Red Hot Chili Peppers and Black Eyed Peas! (Yes, I know they're not really foods.) She also likes Aaron Neville.
  • Leaning towards women authors, she lists Ayn Rand, Daphne Moore, and Anne Rice. Hmmm...
  • Her favorite snack foods are fairly healthy choices (rice cakes and SmartFood popcorn), but she lists good junk food, too.
  • Non-alcoholic beverage is Kool Aid Tropical Punch Sugar Free? I believe that's a first that Kool Aid has made the list.

Okay, my take on her... I can't put my finger on it, but I think Jessica could be a contender. Winner of it all? I don't know. She's familiar with the show, which isn't the same for some of the others this season. And, something is just telling me she's a pretty tough gal. Of course, I could be totally off-base. I guess we'll see!
Dre HerdNow, if I were a young man named Andria, I think I'd want to be called "Dre," too. I try to keep in mind that John Wayne's real first name was Marion.

Dre seems to be the "school of hard knocks" graduate in this season's cast. Growing up homeless in the projects (despite the fact that seems a bit contradictory) of Wilmington, North Carolina, Dre turned to sports and cheerleading. He's also into boxing, basketball, stunting (?), tumbling, and more.

From his bio page: "Herd describes himself as humorous, energetic and intelligent. Describing his perfect day, he says, "When everybody is happy all day... that's a perfect day."

Although he seems to be single, he's the proud father of two boys - aged 2 and one-month old. The younger may have aged by now. His birth date is December 15, 1981.

Onto his favorites to see the "real" Dre:

  • Oh, a chess player. A strategical game which involves thinking many moves ahead. That's a good game for a Survivor contestant to enjoy.
  • Another clean linen aroma lover.
  • He lists Underdogs as his favorite sports team. I'm thinking that means he roots for the underdogs. They aren't an actual team of some sport, right? I'm not always the most knowing when it comes to sports.
  • He does not list Survivor as his TV show choice - only Seinfeld.
  • Shel Silverstein and Stephen King make his authors list.
  • Yet another Fruity Pebbles eater.
  • Water is his favorite non-alcoholic drink. He listed no favorite alcoholic drink.

Oh, my. I'm really not sure of his chances. He has some interesting favorites, but he's not a fan of the show itself. Will that hurt his chances? Or, perhaps, maybe it's better to go in fresh? Although he's the "hard knocks" entry, I get the feeling he's on the upbeat side, not bitter. He's a cheerleader, after all. He's athletic, enjoys being happy, and likes chess. I think he could possibly make it far - after all, he survived the mean streets, what's Fiji but a new challenge? Save the cheerleader; save the world. (Yes, I want my Heroes back!)


Liliana GomezLiliana grew up in Oxnard, the second eldest of eight siblings. (How much do you want to bet she got stuck babysitting a lot?) When she was 11, she lived a year in Guadalajara, Jalisco, exploring her cultural roots.

She served the country in the Marines for eight years and also worked with handicapped children. Although currently a loan officer, she would like a future in entertainment.

From her bio page: "She describes herself as strong, stubborn, confident, goofy and a witty gal. She is most proud of her sense of family and her burning fire for life." She's single and her birth date is April 5, 1981.

Peeking into the inner psyche of her Favorites list:

  • No favorite games listed at all. Hmmm... maybe a Marines thing?
  • She enjoys hiking and playing soccer, softball, and football.
  • Yet another castaway who doesn't list Survivor at all in her TV shows. She enjoys Heroes, Oprah, and MTV3.
  • I think she may have the record for saying "no favorite" in so many categories.
  • Chocolate chip cookies and Gatorade make her list, as do Mojitos, wine, and tequila.
  • V for Vendetta is her favorite movie while she lists no authors or books.

Well, I just don't know. She's definitely a tough woman. You can't be in the Marines for that long worried about breaking a fingernail. She likes Heroes (which, to me, is a plus). But how well does she know the people-manipulation aspect of Survivor? I think that's what will make or break her on the show. I'm sure she could handle any challenge thrown her way, but the interaction may do her in.

Earl ColeAlthough his name is Earl, he's nothing like the character in that television show. He's also not a native of California even though it's listed as his home. Earl was raised in Kansas City, Kansas. He went onto the University of Washington in Seattle and received a National Scholastic Achievement Award, then relocated to California.

From his bio page: "He also enjoys playing chess, hiking, watching movies, billiards and playing basketball. He considers himself to be very intelligent, creative, athletic and confident, with a witty sense of humor. He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)." Yet another April birth date (so far, the majority have been born in that month, but it could be the luck of the draw in how I'm listing them) - April 9, 1971. He seems to be single with no children.

Hitting his Favorites for more insight:

  • Ah, good... a multiple choices lister. None of this "no favorite" or one-word answers to everything.
  • He lists many games, both video and board. Gamers tend to think ahead to make their moves.
  • Once again, no Survivor listed in his TV choices, though he lists Grey's Anatomy, The Wire, Family Guy, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Hmmm... all good choices, but no Survivor?
  • The Bible is one of his favorite books.
  • Yet another Fruity Pebbles eater. [I don't think I've ever eaten Fruity Pebbles in my lifetime. Is it that good? Where are the Coco Puffs fans?]
  • Pom juice? Whazzat? Pomegranate, maybe?

What do I think of Earl? He seems a very intelligent guy, but he's yet another who may not be all that familiar with the politics of the show. Although he's a successful businessman, he might find out he's not in Kansas anymore. He's one I'll have to hold off my guessing on until I see him in action on the show. Something is telling me he might play the people a bit wrong and that could lead to an early boot. Prove me wrong, Earl.


Lisi LinaresI'm getting tired of typing "Los Angeles." All I can think is that they must have done some heavy recruiting in California. But, knowing that I used to live in the Los Angeles area and I was never really "from" L.A., keeps my faith alive.

Sure enough, Lisi is originally from Miami and spent time living in New York City, too. She has a rather interesting job - a customer service rep for a psychic service company. Huh. I wonder if there's really a need or do the psychics predict customer service issues and pro-actively solve them?

From her bio page: "In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog. Her favorite sport is tennis. She describes herself as creative, intelligent, smart, observant and fun. She believes her resourcefulness and humor will help her do well on SURVIVOR." She's single, living with her Scottish terrier, George. Her birth date is June 9, 1970.

Checking her Favorites:
  • She likes Pac-Man. [It must be a new fad of retro-games, I guess. I've been playing Millipede and Pong lately. I should stop fussing.] Her board game choice is retro-back-to-childhood, CandyLand.
  • Her favorite outdoor activity is "hiking with dogs." That sounds like some sort of nature movie on Animal Planet.
  • Again, Survivor is not listed as a favorite TV show! She only mentions Breaking Up with Shannen Doherty. [Feh.]
  • No favorite books, but likes magazines listing Wired, Newsweek, and The Economist.
  • Kashi cereal and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups both make her list.
  • She gave a lot of one-choice answers.

For some reason, I'm finding her a bit perplexing just looking at the available information. She's probably not all that familiar with the show and I'm just not getting great vibes on her. I could be wrong, but I predict an early boot. No, I'm not psychic.

Stay tuned for the next five castaways! And, of course, please feel free to share your first takes on these folks, too!

Friday, January 12, 2007

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - The Castaways, Part 1

Phew, my source was spot on. I panicked last night when I couldn't find anything anywhere about the Survivor 14: Fiji castaways set to be revealed this morning on The Early Show. And, then they were there. The official CBS Survivor website has also been updated with photos, interviews, and other neat information. The premiere is Thursday, February 8 at 8 PM ET/PT.

I'm taking a peek at each of the new castaways, but there are too many for one entry. I decided to break things down to the old boy/girl/boy pattern alphabetically. Although this entry may look very heavy in one ethnicity, it's a diverse cast and the luck of the boy/girl/alphabetical draw. Once I get the cast entries all together, I'll link them to each other... maybe even list them on the sidebar for easy reference. It'll take me a few days to get them all listed. Any predictions I'm making here are based solely on their bios and it's very possible I'm totally wrong.

The First Five Castaways
Survivor: Fiji - Alex
Although he's now living in Los Angeles, Alex is originally from Columbia, South America. Ohhh, a Harvard Law degree and a member of the Harvard Boxing Club.

From his bio page: "He enjoys boxing, running, basketball, weight-lifting, painting and yoga. He recently spent a week climbing Mt. Whitney. He describes himself as assertive, witty and personable."

He seems to be single (no spouse listed) and his birth date is April 20, 1978.

But, to me, the real dirt comes out in the Favorites list on the bio page. Here are a few things which caught my attention:
  • Under "scents" he listed laundry soap. [Is Survivor going to be the right place for that?]
  • He lists Survivor, as well as Entourage and Family Guy, in his favorite shows. [If I were on the show, I'd certainly list it, too!]
  • Rocky III made his movie list, not surprising in view of his boxing.
  • His literature choices are intriguing - The Count of Monte Cristo and The Alchemist.
  • While his cereal choice is very healthy (Smart Start), his junk food choices are Cheez-Its, Oreos, and KitKat bars. I like his junk food.

My overall thoughts? Attorneys historically don't do well on the show. He seems in good physical shape and, without a doubt, he's a smart man. His chances will most likely depend on being not perceived as a threat and his people skills. I give him a "maybe" as far as making it well into the game.
Survivor: Fiji - Cassandra
Unlike many who list Los Angeles as their home, Cassandra was born and raised there. She has been employed by the University of California for 23 years. Currently she manages the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. Very impressive indeed.

From her bio page: "Franklin's hobbies include skiing, traveling and shopping. She describes herself as fun, warm and giving. She is very proud of her family..."

She's very involved in many worthy causes and her love of family really shines in her bio. She's roughly still a newlywed - married two years to husband Clif. Her birth date is April 19, 1964.

Checking out her Favorites:

  • Interesting... while others answer with many words, most of hers are a single word. I'm sure that says something about her. Reserved? Basic? I don't know.
  • She likes Monopoly (board game choice) and Pac-Man (video game choice). Monopoly often makes the board game choice, but many of the castaways are often too young to truly appreciate Pac-Man. Or, if older, they've gone onto more current games. Hmmm...
  • She likes home decor and cooking TV shows, but doesn't list Survivor or any show by name at all.
  • She likes all snack foods, but has no favorite alcoholic drink.

Well, I'm not sure what to make of Cassandra other than she sounds like a really nice woman and a good person from the heart. She likes to ski, but doesn't seem really into outdoors endeavors. Although anyone who likes all snack foods should have some spunk, I don't think she'll make it far into the season - perhaps midway?
Survivor: Fiji - Anthony

Anthony was born and raised in Compton, then headed to Yale in New Haven, CT. While at Yale, he participated in plays and sketch comedy shows. (Yes, Survivor could use a comedian.) His current job is finding expert witnesses for court trials.

From his bio page: "Robinson enjoys gaming--live action role-playing (dressing up in costumes and reliving an era or genre), video games and poker. He also enjoys dancing, juggling, roller hockey, watching movies and creating his own movies. He describes himself as friendly, dorky and intelligent."

Anthony is single and his birth date is June 25, 1974. Oh, but what about his Favorites? What will they reveal?

  • True to the form of most castaways, he lists multiple choices.
  • He likes video games. He really does. And we're not talking decades-old Pac-Man.
  • Survivor, Lost, and M.A.S.H. make his TV list. [Good choices, I say!]
  • Singing in the Rain made his movies list, amongst others.
  • He's a Twinkie eater, but can be forgiven for that because he also likes Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
  • He likes Pringles. [Pringles is often a sponsor of the show. They'll like that.]
  • Nice music choices including jazz and old school R&B.

Now, unless he's clowning around too much, I think I'm going to like this guy. Or, at least enjoy watching him on the show. Any guy who can describe himself as "dorky" usually is nice. His chances? I think he might do pretty well. I'm not getting Sole Survivor vibes from reading about him, but I don't think he'll do too shabby.
Survivor: Fiji - Erica
Erica was born in Lake Charles and received her Bachelors in Mass Communication from Grambling College in Louisiana. After college she moved to New Orleans, but Hurricane Katrina forced her to relocate back to Lake Charles, then to Baton Rouge.

From her bio page: "She describes herself as subtle, confrontational and outgoing. Her hobbies include writing, reading and spending time with her family. Her favorite sports are football and soccer."

Note the word "confrontational." That could be entertaining! She's currently single and her birth date is December 11, 1979.

Her Favorites should give some insight:

  • She should get together with Alex - she likes the smell of fresh linen. [I'd be so weird if I were to do this favorite list - scents would be cookies baking, autumn leaves burning, coffee brewing.]
  • She has no favorite video game, but lists Monopoly like so many others.
  • Under both Sports and Outdoor Activities, she lists the same things - soccer and jogging.
  • Survivor did not make her TV list. Forensic Files and Flavor of Love did. [Set your red flags now.]
  • What's in a Ketel One Dirty Martini? That's her favorite, but I'm so not a martini drinker and I'm clueless.

I think I'm just confused by Erica. I have no clue how she'll do at all. She looks like she might be a tough contender. But she also doesn't seem familiar with the show and admits she's confrontational. I'll abstain from guessing exit or win until I see just how confrontational she really is.
Survivor: Fiji - Boo
"Me and you and a Survivor named Boo... travelin' and livin' off the land."

Boo was born and raised in Layfayette. He's a construction worker by day and manages the bar he owns by night. Not only that, but he used to be a crawfish farmer! He has a Bachelors from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette.

From his bio page: " He enjoys participating in mixed martial arts fighting and Olympic lifting. He describes himself as strong-willed, outgoing and adventurous. He considers himself to be a cerebral athlete, a great problem solver and strong both mentally and physically."

He's single (or they just aren't talking) and his birth date is June 21, 1972. His bio is short and to the point, hopefully his Favorites will tell us a bit more.

  • Uh-oh. One word answers for the most part, like Cassandra.
  • His favorite scent? FOOD.
  • Another old video game favorite - Asteroids.
  • When you link a few of his favorites together, it's an odd combination... The Shawshank Redemption (movie) and Queen (music). He likes Fruity Pebbles and Sports Illustrated.
  • He's a milk drinker. Milk does a body good, y'know.

Well, well, well... other than the fact that he's a grown man called Boo, he looks like he could be a powerhouse on a physical level. That often doesn't help much with speed or balance challenges. Just looking at the bio, he seems a bit sheltered as far as being out and about in the world. Is he the male eye candy for the show? Will he make it to the end? I think he could make it quite a ways, but once again, I'm not getting Sole Survivor vibes.

So, there are the first five. I think it's going to be another interesting season!

Survivors ready?

Update: My take on the next five castaways.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Thursday, January 11, 2006

It's Thursday and that means that a new episode of Ugly Betty is on tonight up against Armed and Famous (the second episode, also new). Not too hard a decision, eh? Ah, but then add NBC's My Name is Earl and The Office (both new episodes) to the mix and you just might have a dilemma!

At 9 PM ET/PT on ABC there's a new Grey's Anatomy and I'd like to remind everyone that we have a blog GA discussion post ongoing right here. I don't review or recap that one, but by popular request folks are welcome there to gather and discuss the latest or anything Grey's. Also in the 9 PM slot, a rerun of C.S.I. and new episodes of Scrubs and 30 Rock on NBC, as well as a new episode of The O.C. on FOX.

At 10 PM ET/PT CBS has a rerun of Shark while new episodes of Men in Trees and E.R. are airing on ABC and NBC.

In actual TV Newsy Bits today:
  • Our friends at BuddyTV have an exclusive interview with the recent Survivor 13: Cook Islands winner, Yul Kwon.
  • My HGTV contact told me that Jay Leno will be on Living with Ed this Sunday evening (10 PM ET/PT in most areas). The "Ed" in question, of course, is Ed Begley, Jr. He also shared a bit of Jay Leno/Ed Begley, Jr. trivia with me: "Jay Leno used to do stand-up with Ed back in the 1970s. When Jay heard Ed was doing a green show, he wanted Ed to see his new strides to become green. Jay is going to put a solar system in his shop in the next year. Jay also has several electric cars and a steam power engine, all technologies from the early 1900’s that are today being used again." It isn't easy being green (credit: Kermit), but the environment likes it!
  • For those who missed the news, actress Yvonne De Carlo, perhaps best remembered for her role as Lily Munster in The Munsters, died at the age of 84. She was a well-known (and beautiful) movie star prior to the series playing such roles as the wife of Moses in The Ten Commandments.
  • Celebrity Spider has linked some of the preview clips for the 24 premiere.
  • Armed and Famous Gives Muncie Police Department Surprise Thank You Gift

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - Inside Scoop

One of the great things about blogging is you develop an extended network. You gather sources. Feeling much like Deep Throat with not as much at stake, I'd like to share with you some information which has been given to me from someone who knows one of the castaways who will be on the upcoming Survivor 14: Fiji.

The Unknown Castaway has not revealed anything vital such as the order of elimination or winners, but has told some interesting tidbits. Keep in mind, I can't verify this. So you may wish to file under rumors or foilers instead of spoilers.
  • The new season will be introduced on Friday's The Early Show with the website going up around the same time.
  • The Unknown Castaway was asked about the possibility of doing an All Stars version in the future.
  • Two tribes start out the season and many of the castaways were not all that familiar with the show from past seasons.
  • The Unknown Castaway spent at least one night on Exile Island.
  • The snakes there are very poisonous and if bitten, they have to get to a hospital within 12 hours. That treatment was a four-hour flight away from where they were stranded.
  • The Unknown Castaway has a tendency to swear and there were retakes (probably of confessionals). I bet we see bleeping, too.
  • The season was filmed entirely in HD. The cameras weighed 65 pounds each and had to be carried everywhere. The cameramen would do things like walk backwards up rocky terrain to film them.
  • They were never left alone. The film crew was always there, but wouldn't talk to them.
  • Those who are voted off stay at nice accomodations -- sort of like a paid vacation, snorkeling and all.
  • Those on the jury don't have it as nice as the ones voted off before the jury. They basically just get to clean up, but have no neat side trips.
  • The challenges were age-friendly to older castaways.
  • For the finale, each castaway is paid $3,000 and can bring up to three family members. This is done so that most (if not all) will show up.

Shhh... don't tell anyone.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Tonight's Television - Wednesday, January 10, 2007

As I write this, I have The Sopranos on A&E playing next to me on my library TV set. Since I don't have HBO, this is the first time I've seen the show. Interesting show -- I can see why it's so popular. I'm getting a kick out of the local references although my own Jersey neighborhood is a bit removed from any Italian roots. But there is a nearby Jersey Pork Store. I took the shot here before they repainted the sign and touched up the pig.

Having not seen this show before, it's reminding me of a movie I've seen in the past. Since this is the beginning of the series, it's in the analyst phase. I doubt that continues throughout the series, does it? Anyway, it's reminding me of the movie Analyze This with Robert DiNiro and Billy Crystal. I'm not sure which came first, the movie or this series.

Right now it's a bit overkill as they're running two back-to-back episodes, but I'll probably be taping or watching future episodes.

Earlier tonight I broke down and watched Armed and Famous. That's an odd concept for a rather odd result. The "celebrity" choices were a bit strange. I found it amusing that Jack Osbourne may be the most "normal" and well-adapted one. Maybe Muncie is a bit different, but I fear Wee Man would get tossed around like a ball here in my town and most of the criminals never watched C.H.I.P.S. I'll admit that I'll probably watch the show again if it's not up against something I really want to see. It gave me a few laughs and was like scarfing junk food for the mind for an hour. Not quite Godiva chocolate, but maybe Reese's Pieces or Jujubes.

CBS is running behind schedule due to the President's speech. So, I'll probably be taping at least the latter part of Letterman tonight as well as Craig Ferguson after him -- Masi Oka from Heroes is scheduled for the Late, Late Show. No way can I stay up that late to watch and make it to work in the morning. Argh.

If Money (and Time) Were No Object - TV on DVD

Oh, if money and time weren't so restrictive! It's a horrible quandary, isn't it? There are so many great television shows on DVD these days, but some are cost prohibitive and all would be very time-consuming. After all, some of the series I'd love to own on DVD took me several years to watch in the first place! Yes, they're consolidated into one nifty handy-dandy package, but still...!

I can dream, though. And, in my dreams, I have a huge wishlist. Now, I'm not even mentioning the movies I'd like to own. I'm just talking television on DVD here.

Number One on that wishlist is the entire series of Homicide: Life on the Street. I currently own the DVD set of the first two seasons, but that's not enough. I want the Complete Series Megaset! I wonder what the difference is between the Complete Series Megaset and the Complete Series Seasons 1-7 is other than over $150. The latter is nearly $400. Yikes. Dream big, I say, since neither is logical in my budget. Hey, it's only money and a couple of solid days worth of time without accounting for sleep to watch it all, but I just can't justify it. To this day, I think that show was one of the best-written and acted crime dramas ever on television. I have my two seasons and I watch the show on WGN (cable) whenever I'm home on a weekday, but that's not cutting it. I want it all!

Another police-related show I really enjoyed has its first season available on DVD and, at a much more reasonable price. Barney Miller. Yep, that one could be a go. I'm not seeing it so much these days on television after the reruns over-saturated the market some years back.

What I'd like to know is why they have DVDs of shows like Hart to Hart (eh) and Gidget, but no original The Fugitive? I'm talking the one from the 60s with David Janssen. There's a series I'd be lusting after just as much as my Homicidal lust. I remember sneaking to the stairway to watch through the railings late Tuesday nights when I should have been in bed. It was an odd show for a small child to enjoy, but I was addicted.

TJ Hooker is on DVD and no The Fugitive? What kind of TV world is this? At least I can understand why The Time Tunnel is available (and, yeah... I'd like that one).

I would like to own the DVD of the first season of Saturday Night Live. Where I was living at the time refused to air the first show as it was too controversial, but viewers spoke up and it became a part of my life. Today it's not the same. But those first few years were so new and fresh that I'd like to relive the magic. This time, sober and adult and all. Hmmm... maybe the same magic won't be there! Oh, well, still I'd like to buy it.

I'd like to collect Lost on DVD if for no other reason than to go back and clue-check stuff. Owning it would be like having my own personal Lost encyclopedia -- something which can be sort of necessary to watch the show and pick up on everything.

I'd like to own some shows I haven't seen as I have only basic cable; The Sopranos, The L Word and The Wire come to mind. Heck, I've seen them shooting some of the street scenes for The Sopranos, but I've never seen the show itself.

I'd like the entire Mary Tyler Moore Show just because. From her move to Minnesota to Tipperary, I want it all.

One thing I'd love to see packaged on DVD is Letterman's years on the old NBC show Late Night with David Letterman. They've packaged Johnny Carson's funniest bits from his long run - I want Letterman's from that era. He was zany and whacky and I just loved it.

What shows would you like to own (if not for money and time)? Or, what shows on DVD don't exist, but you think they should?

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Important TV Dates - Mark Your Calendars

I'm not listing these in any particular order, not chronological, not even alphabetical. I'm just in a random kind of mood, I guess.

Heroes - NBCHeroes will return at 9 PM ET/PT on Monday, January 22. Are you on the list? The show certainly makes my list. If you want to check out some preview sneak peek videos, head over to the NBC Heroes website. If you missed an episode, they are also streaming all previous episodes there if your connection can handle it. You can even read the online graphic novel adaptation at the site. What are you waiting for? The cheerleader was saved, but what about the world?

American Idol has a two-night four-hour premiere -- Tuesday, January 16 and Wednesday, January 17. Two hours each night starting at 8 PM ET/PT. Right now on the official AI website, they have videos of some of the auditions held this past summer. No, you won't see me on there. I refuse to be on the list.

No date has been announced for Survivor 14: Fiji, but CBS has indicated it will premiere in February. In past seasons, it's usually around the time of the SuperBowl. Likewise, no date has been announced for The Amazing Race 11: All Stars, but that usually starts two or three weeks after Survivor.

24 (which I don't watch but many of you do) will air at 8 PM ET/PT on Sunday and Monday, January 14 and 15 in a two-night four-hour premiere much like fellow FOX show American Idol. The official FOX 24 site has some neat links to cool stuff like Stephen King's take on the new season. Huh. I guess he was on the list and got to see it ahead of time!
Lost - ABC
Lost will find its way back to our television sets at the new hour of 10 PM ET/PT on Wednesday, February 7th. They promise 16 new episodes in a row. Should we faint now? The ABC Lost site has lots of newsy bits and some sneak peeks available.

The O.C. will air its last episode on February 22.

Dancing With the Stars will have a March debut, no date announced at this time. Spring 2007 is as close as I can get with the new season of The Bachelor, but it's slated to appear.

Jericho (CBS) returns on February 21 at 8 PM ET/PT. Their website has ongoing tidbits for those who are missing the show. Right now the focus seems to be on who's spying on the spies.

Monday, January 08, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, January 8, 2007
















Well, the big Newsy Bit is that today is the first anniversary of this blog! Yep, it all started (at least on this one) a year ago with a post about a show which went away very quickly. Looking back on that month, I have the start of TV Newsy Bits and wrote a lot about American Idol.

Since that time, this blog has had well over a million page views and I've lost count of the comments. The loyal readers have been many and I appreciate each and every one of you! (Even if we disagree about shows...) And now graphic artist Zoetawny gave TV Newsy Bits a flatscreen TV! It's not quite the $70,000 one I saw in a TV bit from the gadget gathering in Las Vegas, but it's still very special.

Here's what I found out and about on the Internet in the way of actual TV Newsy Bits:

  • The Survivor Phoenix site takes a very close look at the released promos for the upcoming Survivor 14: Fiji.
  • Reality News Online have a new interview with James (of Tyler and James), one of the co-winners of the recent Amazing Race.
  • According to Celebrity Spider and other sources, Ugly Betty is now on iTunes. I'm enjoying the show, but once Survivor returns...
  • TV Tattler from AOL has an interesting interview with Ashton Kutcher for your reading enjoyment.
  • Oh. And now Rosie said more about Donald. They're becoming like Groundhog Day.

Hey What's on TV Tonight?

Finally, we're getting some new shows and new episodes!

Tonight at 8 PM ET I'll be watching the new episodes of How I Met Your Mother and Class. It's the former which holds the attraction for me. I tend to wash my dishes or read while Class is on, occasionally glancing up. For those who don't like the legendary Barney, there's a new Deal or No Deal on at the same time on NBC. I've never made it through that show at all. A new Wife Swap is slated for ABC at the 8 PM time slot.

At 9 PM, CBS has a new episode of Two and a Half Men followed by yet another new episode of The New Adventures of Old Christine at 9:30. NBC has a Heroes repeat in the slot while ABC is airing a new Supernanny. I'll probably stick with CBS for the hour. I got my Heroes fix the other day with a mini-marathon. Now, if it were a new episode, Heroes would win my attention hands down.

At 10 PM, there's a new C.S.I.: Miami on CBS. I rarely, if ever, watch the show. I just can't watch David Caruso - he makes my head tilt to the side or something. NBC has another Heroes repeat - "Fallout." I may re-watch it. I haven't decided yet. ABC has a new episode of What About Brian on. I'll pass on that, thank you.

Of course, the late night market is always Letterman for me, but Jay Leno is new tonight, too.

What are your TV plans?



Sunday, January 07, 2007

'The Apprentice: L.A.' Season Premiere -or- "I don't like the way you talk."

Let me preface this with saying, "I don't like Donald Trump." I never really did like him, but his latest publicity fiasco isn't going to stop me from watching the show. I've watched it since the first season. Hey, I don't even like the corporate world much. But I usually enjoy this show despite myself.

One thing I didn't do this season was check out the website prior to the season premiere. I usually do that to get a handle on the names with the faces and such. But this season, I went in blind to anything but first impressions or what I get from the candidates from watching the show itself.

Go figure... the two candidates I decided I liked the least ended up in the boardroom and the one I thought should go, did. But I'm getting ahead of myself here, aren't I? There are a lot of changes this season which need to be addressed before anyone gets fired.
  • The Los Angeles location instead of New York City. Now, I enjoyed the NYC location as I know the area so much better. I moved away from the L.A. area after first grade. I don't remember much more than mountain fires and Disneyland. Due to the location, unlike filming in winter in NY, lots of bugs were flying around. Perhaps one will fly into someone's mouth?
  • No more Carolyn as she's "no longer with the company" as they say. Unless I missed the news, George is still a lawyer on Trump's staff, but not on the show. Instead, there's dear daughter Ivanka and, in the beginning, an empty chair to accompany her on the board with Daddy Trump. I won't be surprised if Donald Jr. doesn't show before the end of the season, but he wasn't in the premiere.
  • The Project Manager of the winning team remains the same as long as the team is winning. I'm not sure how much I like this change. It's going to affect the dynamics of the other team members who might not get the chance to step up to the plate if one team keeps trumping. (I couldn't resist.)
  • The winning Project Manager fills the empty chair in the boardroom and discusses who will be fired with Trump and Ivanka. Odd move, that one.
  • The winning team stays in a luxurious house overlooking the valley, all amenities you could imagine.
  • The losing team stays in Tent City. Everything is outdoors, including their showers. They're close enough to peek at the Have's pool and hear them, but they're the Have Nots.
  • There's a butler named Otto.
  • One of the candidates, Angela, was a winter Olympics gold medalist.
With bugs buzzing about their heads, Trump first assigned the whole mob the task of building a huge tent without telling them the losers would be living in it. During the task, they ran amok until one of the women, Heidi, spoke up as she was familiar with camping and tents. Then this really loud excitable boy Frank just took over. Even Trump, who's way too loud for such a teeny mouth himself, told Frank to tone it down. Oh, and Martin, who wears striped suits with checkered shirts (red and white like a picnic tablecloth) and differently patterned tie, decided he was the supervisor and didn't do much at all.
Ivanka Trump
Right off the bat, I didn't like either Frank or Martin. Martin also, upon first meeting Trump during introductions, asked about going to the bathroom. Can you just see my eyes rolling? @@

From the tent-building, Trump met up with the candidates in the boardroom and asked them who they thought took over the task and displayed leadership. Heidi and Frank were chosen by their peers as the leaders and became the Project Managers getting to choose their teams. Martin was the last chosen despite his high opinion of himself.

Teams then went off to run a car wash - the team earning the most money would win. Heidi's team played it right. They enlisted two shirtless guys in a mainly gay area to hold up cardboard signs touting a free lunch (hot dog) with a car wash. They went for quantity more than quality - get the cars in and out as quickly as they could. They ended up backlogged, but the whole team really hustled and worked hard.

With Frank's team, I don't know what the hell was going on. Frank and Aaron went off to make flyers for handing out on a busy street? Duh, guys. They wanted to push detailing vehicles for $100. Now, if I decided to have an impromptu wash of my car, it wouldn't be a full detailing. The team didn't work together at all.

What surprised me was that Heidi's team didn't win by a huge margin. Less than a hundred dollars separated the winners from the losers. The winners got to go off to dinner with Donald Trump at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant Spago. Trump told the losers they'd have to build another tent and live outdoors while the others moved into their fancy digs.

Excitable Boy Frank got all excited and Martin thought he got shrewd and psychological as both campaigned against each other in the tent talks before the boardroom. I expected Frank to thump his chest and, by golly, he did! All their actions really did was to conceal any faults others might have had and make them larger targets for the rest of the team. Silly boys.
Martin
In the boardroom, most of the candidates seemed to think the Frank or both should go. If it was time for a double firing, I'm sure both would be gone. Ivanka is sounding more like Dad as she talks - her voice seems to be lower even. She's pursing her lips. We better watch her hair! She came across as quite surly at times... to the point of telling Martin, "I don't like how you talk." Huh? Say what? What kind of reasoning is that? If she's going to mention that, she should have mentioned the checkered shirt business, right?

Even though Excitable Boy lost his composure on a major basis, it was still Martin who heard the words...

"Martin, you're fired."

A good choice, but I don't think Frank's long for the show. Passion is a good thing, but self-control in stressful situations is a much better thing.

A few random closing thoughts after this week:
  • I think that the man named Tim looks like Fred Savage.
  • A perfect pot calling the kettle black scenario happened - Trump to candidate Stefani in the boardroom - "You're very vicious... oh, but you're a lawyer." Reality check. Trump isn't a lawyer.
Dollar bills, y'all...

Tonight, Tonight... Sunday, January 7, 2007

Okay, I know this isn't a television screen cap. But a dandelion in New Jersey in January is a rare sight. I took this shot yesterday when the temperatures climbed into the 70s (F).

Weird, weird weather.

However, television might be even a bit weirder. Earlier, while flipping stations, I came across the movie Lake Placid on AMC. I had no clue what I was watching, never saw the movie in its theater run, and only went to the TV listings when I saw Betty White feeding a cow to a monster crocodile. When I saw that bit, I had to find out. Weird movie, I say. Weird. Evil Betty White!

The latest season of The Apprentice will be starting in a few minutes here on the East Coast. I'm going into this season blind, not even having read the show's website. All I know is the California location instead of here in the NYC area and the fact that the losing team will reside in a tent while the winners will live in the life of luxury. I'll be taking my notes and posting an entry about the show either very late tonight (hate that 11 PM ET end time) or sometime tomorrow. Whether I do full reviews/recaps on it this season depends on how I take to it tonight.

Will you be watching The Apprentice: LA?

Pimpin' the Pants - Guests on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' This Week Jan. 8 - 12, 2007

Late Show with David Letterman A blog reader asked about a band she saw on the repeats during the holidays. Just in case my answer was missed as it was an older entry, here we go again - the band in question is Robert Randolph and the Family Band. It wasn't their first appearance on the show; Letterman's where I discovered them some time ago even though the band has local roots. If you like steel guitar and want to rock the house, they're the band who will do it for you. Their latest CD is Colorblind and both music and video streams are available on their site.

Who does The Dave have on his guest list this week?
  • Monday, Jan. 8: David Arquette (now on the new sitcom In Case of Emergency) and American Idol ex-finalist Jennifer Hudson who's creating a lot of buzz with her role in the movie Dreamgirls.
  • Tuesday, Jan. 9: Penelope Cruz (Volver), Gary Muledeer and musical guest Ben E. King. I'm already humming "Stand by Me" as I write this...
  • Wednesday, Jan. 10: Peter O'Toole (Venus) and Marc Maron.
  • Thursday, Jan. 11: Julianne Moore (appearing in the play The Vertical Hour) and musical guest Hold Steady whose CD is Boys and Girls in America.
  • Friday, Jan. 12: John Witherspoon

Hmmm... I get the guest list from the Late Show website, but this list doesn't look all that complete at this time. While I know that Letterman thinks a lot of John Witherspoon, I doubt he's the only guest that night. If you just can't get enough of the Donald Trump/Rosie O'Donnell fiasco and missed Trump's appearance this past Friday night, there's a clip available on the show's website for you.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Mean Man Trump on Letterman Tonight

Yes, Donald Trump is going to be on The Late Show with David Letterman tonight. The Apprentice is a show I watch and write about, but Trump's latest feud with Rosie O'Donnell has really turned me off. It's one thing to mimic someone, but another to call a person fat, disgusting, a slob and more.

Bad Donald.

I found a cute little Flash Rosie/Trump fight game online, but I can't get it to embed properly here. You can play it yourself at the IGN website. I don't know. When I'm Trump, Rosie wins. When I'm Rosie, Trump wins. I guess I was meant to be neither, huh?

That could, of course, be a very good thing.

(Although I wouldn't mind my bank account being a bit like either!)

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Oh, What Shows Will I Watch Tonight? Thursday, Jan. 4, 2006

Last night I checked out The Knights of Prosperity and In Case of Emergency, two new ABC sitcoms in the 9 PM ET/PT time slot. While I didn't fall absolutely in love with either show, I'll be giving both another shot. I liked how Mick Jagger actually played along in the former show and it's a WorldWide Pants (Letterman) Production headed up by ex-Late Show head writer (I believe he was in that position) Rob Burnett. Because I enjoy Letterman stuff so much, I want the show to succeed.

Tonight, Ugly Betty, a new episode, just started and I've recently found the show in repeats. It's cute for being ugly. In the 9 PM hour, I'll be watching C.S.I. - the much ballyhooed departure of Grissom. What they're not promoting in the promos is that he'll be returning to the series. At least, I believe that's the plan. William Petersen is off to do a play, if rumors are right. There's a new Shark and a new ER on at 10 PM, but I probably won't watch either show. I just can't get into Shark and I got out of ER a few seasons back. Perhaps I shouldn't admit this, but I'll probably be watching Animal Precinct on Animal Planet at that hour. Then my night will wrap up with David Letterman. His show, mind you, not Dave himself.

Oh... if you're into The O.C. - tonight is a new episode at 9 PM ET/PT and the show's been canceled. So, get it while you can!

TV Newsy Bits - Thursday, January 4, 2006

Happy Thursday to everyone! Yes, I have your TV Newsy Bits hot, or at the very least, warm off the presses. These are entertainment-related news stories I found throughout the Internet which caught my interest. And, as they caught my interest, I'm sure most will catch your interest, as well.
  • This one is a hoot - CANOE -- JAM! Television: New reality show plops white rappers into South Bronx to battle for $100,000 - Ice, Ice, Baby...!
  • Although casting for Big Brother 8 won't be finalized for months, the Jokers Updates site decided to take matters in their own hands and give advice to applicants. Hey, woo the Internet! No grey sweatpants everyday, no diva white robes every day. And, most importantly, don't give shout-outs to your parents while in a sexual act.
  • Reality News Online has posted an interview with Rob and Kimberly from Amazing Race 10. Like others before them, they think Peter was edited to make him look worse than he really is. They liked Tom and Terry. No marriage announcements, but Rob and Kimberly are still a couple.
  • Reality TV Magazine has confirmed that Jonathan Baker and Victoria Fuller will not be in the upcoming Amazing Race 11: All Stars. They mention other teams which will be on the show (previously mentioned right here).
  • In other quasi-Amazing Race news, previous winner Reichen Lehmkuhl is suing blogger Perez Hilton for writing unflattering statements about him. Yipes. Isn't Reichen soooo good-looking? (Covering my bases here.)
  • Reality TV Magazine has the latest scoop on what some of the past American Idol contestants are doing - Bucky now has a record deal, Mandisa is writing a book and more.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

WCBS News Wishes Another to the Cornfield?

Beware - this article is regionally focused unlike most of my entries here. If you're in the NYC viewing area, you may be interested in reading on. If you're not, it may be a bunch of odd news. But, then again, it's odd news going on...

Last spring I wrote about the changes on the early pre-The Early Show news show on the local CBS affiliate - WCBS, Channel 2 out of New York City. I liked that show as it was, craziness and all, to have on in the background as I readied myself for work. I liked Shon Gables, Dave Price, Mario Bosquez, Vanessa Alfano and the others. I liked Dance Fridays and a bit of zany tomfoolery to start out my day. Ah, but WCBS had a better idea. They took anchor Maurice Dubois from the evening news, thrust him in the early morning slot and imported a woman from somewhere in the Midwest to co-anchor. They would have a proper newscast! No more tomfoolery!

While Price continued on in his The Early Show job, the others may as well have been victims of Anthony Fremont in The Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life" - wished to the cornfield never to be seen again. Yes, Shon Gables had an appearance on The View (which I missed). But, where oh where is Mario Bosquez? Is he still in the cornfield? Will he emerge someday to grace my television screen once again? I see Vanessa Alfano sometimes on the old UPN station, now My9 or something to that effect. But she's still in the cornfield, perhaps escaping now and then for a glimpse on my set.

In December, WCBS wished another news anchor to the cornfield - Roz Abrams, a local NYC news fixture for decades. Like Mario, supposedly she's still employed by them, but nowhere in sight. Cornfield, I say! With her disappearance, I wasn't too saddened. For me, Roz just didn't do it. I swear she sat around practicing cutesy looks instead of being a news anchor. Replacing her with Dana Tyler was a good move.

Earlier, the two co-anchors of the noon newscast vanished into the cornfield and sportscaster Chris Wragge replaced them, along with yet another import. Cindy Hsu occasionally emerges from the cornfield as a correspondent on stories, but I fear the day it will be permanent cornfield for her.

The latest to be sent to the cornfield is Audrey Puente, the meteorologist doing the weather on the early morning and noon shows. Some weather-dude from California with teeny glasses is in her place. Gak. Like the others, she's supposed to be still on contract.

But I hear all the cries from the cornfield...

Hey, What's on TV Tonight? Wed., January 3, 2007

Even though my favorite shows aren't around tonight, there is still a reason to spend at least a portion (perhaps a substantial one) in front of the television this evening.

Of course, I may have a book going at the same time during the 8 PM primetime hour. There's a new King of Queens followed by a repeat of Two and a Half Men on CBS. I could check out which episodes of Law and Order: SVU and Without a Trace are on cable stations. I'll see what my mood is at that hour.

At 9 PM, I will be checking out the new series The Knights of Prosperity with Donal Logue on ABC. A group of working joes scheme to rob Mick Jagger's apartment and Mick is even playing a role in the opening episode. So, I'll give it a shot. It's followed by another new sitcom, In Case of Emergency. The latter isn't sounding overly interesting to me, but I'll see. Maybe I'll just tape Knights and watch Criminal Minds on CBS - I've been liking that show more each time I see it. CM is a repeat, but since I've only recently started watching the show, it'll be new to me.

At the 10 PM hour, I'm not getting the "must see" feeling from anything I see in the listings. There's a new Medium on, but I've never been able to get into that show. I've seen the C.S.I.: NY and have no overwhelming urge to watch it again. Perhaps I'll see if the Animal Precinct episode is one I've already seen. Or, better yet, the Rosanne episodes running for the hour on Nickelodeon are ones I haven't seen since they originally aired (or maybe not at all in the case of one).

I know that at the 11:30 talk show hour, I'll be watching Letterman with a cautious eye to flip my attention to Leno when I see Masi Oka (Hiro Nakamura on Heroes) appear on the latter. I have a TV near my computer in my "library," but another in sight in the living room I can have running simultaneously set on mute. When the Masi segment shows, I'll concentrate on that as he's supposed to give a peek at future episodes of Heroes.

Oh, and then I suppose I'll hit the sack. What are your TV plans for the night?

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Any Big Brother fans out there? Yeah, I know you're there. I found a site with a "where are they now" article - a lot of it is basic research, but there are tidbits on Eddie McGee, Will Kirby, Jun Song, Drew Daniels, Lisa Donahue, Maggie Ausburn, and the beloved (cough) Mike Malin. The site itself, TV Robot, is a bit odd. Much of the information is via Google and Wikipedia searches and, from what I've seen so far, most the articles (one per major show, more for a few) are credited to the same writer. Oh, it's definitely better than me doing all the research, though! Interesting site... sort of like a specialized search engine on caffeine.

TV Robot has another article researched from many sources regarding the upcoming Survivor 14: Fiji.

TV Robot also punched up an AOL page I recently linked in this blog regarding Survivor "where are they now." Hmmm... although they don't link (and should link) their source, at least they mention it. I didn't compare the AOL page and theirs side-by-side, but it looks like they added some of their own personal opinions in addition to AOL's previously released information. Hmmm... not sure I like that approach to things. If anyone sees anything of mine on there, please let me know. Regurgitated material without properly linking the source tends to annoy me.

Not TV-related, but just an odd note - in NYC this week there are a bunch of taxis covered with fur and bearing horns (not the noisy horns they love to honk so much, but bull horns). They're doing it to promote some rodeo-type event at Madison Square Garden. Yeah, it's fun until some pedestrian gets gored in the crosswalk!

Monday, January 01, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, January 1, 2007

A new year is here and new shows are finally on the horizon!

The Apprentice: L.A. will premiere next Sunday night, January 7. It'll be a 90-minute show at 9:30 PM ET/PT. For me, it's going to be a bit weird to not have it coming out of New York City. And, even though Trump has disgusted me with his behavior in the stupid Rosie O'Donnell feud, I'll be watching the show. The new location and new twist with the "haves" and "have nots" sounds intriguing.

American Idol starts up again on January 16 and 17. I'll be there. Or, actually here. No, I refuse to sing in public and you can't make me!

I watched the preview of Living with Ed today on HGTV. That will be airing Sunday evenings at 10 PM ET/PT through February 4. I found the show a fun peek into the eco-friendly ways that I'm certain to not abide by in my own life. (I live in an apartment building in Jersey. My landlord would freak if I stuck solar panels up!) I like the relationship between Ed Begley Jr. and his wife, Rachelle. This show is one I think you should definitely give a look-see.

On Wednesday night, January 3, this Letterman fan (me!) will be watching or taping The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to see a sneak preview of upcoming Heroes. My favorite hero, Hiro, played by Masi Oka, will be on the show. Sorry, Dave, I promise not to like his show on a regular basis. On January 22nd, Heroes returns. Are you on the list? (Although I found "Save the cheerleader; save the world" so much catchier a phrase!)

Yesterday and today I found myself tuning into the SciFi Channel at all sorts of odd hours. Why? Well, it was The Twilight Zone marathon. I know I've seen all of the episodes at some time or another over the years, but there are still some I haven't seen since childhood. Although I didn't catch "The Living Doll" episode, which I really wanted to see again, at least I caught the one with Anthony (Billy Mumy) wishing people to the cornfield and making three-headed gophers. That's a good thing he done, ain't it?

Now I have the Heroes mini-marathon on NBC... just a taste for what's to come! Hey, maybe the future me has a sword. You never know.

2006 - The (TV) Year That Was - My Favorite Shows

















What a year it was in television, eh? Hits, misses, a lot of somewhere in betweens...

I've been pondering my favorites and, if I had to list them in some sort of order, the Number 1 television show experience for me would be Heroes. I've become addicted to the show from the character of Hiro to the tagline "Save the cheerleader; save the world." I've been a lifelong comics fan of sorts (falling in and out of the medium at times) and I find this show exciting and mesmerizing. Like a graphic novel unfolding before us, I can't wait to see the latest chapter. Kudos to Heroes! I'm not sure where the story is going, but I'll be joining it for the ride.

My Number 2 choice is more for the entertainment value than the storyline... American Idol. Call me shallow, I don't care. I never miss an episode of the show from auditions through the finals. I'll admit I've never bought a record by any of the chosen Idols, but that's beside the point. I have my secret crush on Simon Cowell (shhh!) and love to watch his reactions throughout the show. 2006's finalists were a great mix of talents and not-so-talented, perhaps more talented than myself, but does Covais ring a bell? Crooners, rockers, country and western - AI has it all. I'll be watching the new season to see if they can top last season's entertainment value rating with me.

The Amazing Race 9 (spring 2006) rolls in at the Number 3 slot in my rankings. With the exception of the Family Edition (8), this show has long been a favorite of mine. In 9, the winners were the ones I loved to watch all season long, unlike the latest season. In the latest season (10), I was ambivalent about who won in the end, so that keeps the season from ranking high on my favorites. I still liked the show, mind you. But I like it better when the winners are ones I cheered on throughout the season. BJ and Tyler of season 9 absolutely rock!

Those would be my Top Three shows, but many more made the ranks of my Top Ten. (Okay, seven more.) I'm not sure how I'd rank them. The latest season of Survivor has been one of my all-time favorites - I hope they keep such a diverse cast on the shows without separating the tribes by race. I'm still hooked on C.S.I. and the Law and Order shows. I'm still hooked on Lost although I'm leery of their actual plots and whether they're going to tie up loose ends and plot holes.

Although "all stars" versions of reality shows aren't tops with me, I thoroughly enjoyed Big Brother 7: All Stars except for Mike Boogie winning it all. I didn't like him in his season and he wouldn't have even made the show if not for Will Kirby. However, if that was the price to pay for watching another season of the Evil Dr. Will on the feeds and on the show, it was a price well justified. After all, I was entertained.

I'm iffy on Jericho, so my personal jury is still out with that one. I've recently discovered the joys of Ugly Betty and Criminal Minds, but so recently that I can't place them on a list of favorites.

If I had to name a favorite sitcom of the year, I'd say How I Met Your Mother is... wait for it... legendary! I definitely like it best when Marshall and Lily are a couple, but I fear this show would lose its bite without Neil Patrick Harris as Barney. He makes the show or, more accurately, the character of Barney makes the show. Suit up and sit down to watch it if you're not already a fan!

My favorite animal show (yeah, I have those) is Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet. The ongoing intro by Sean Astin is a bit much show after show, but the meerkats are intriguing and addicting to watch. The show is realistic in that the life and death of the meerkats is only documented and they don't interfere with the course of nature. Nature, of course, can be cruel at times. I find it sad when they actually give the various meerkats names and then they're carried off by hawks or killed by rival meerkat gangs, but that's life. This show is still a hit with me.

What were your favorites in 2006?

Happy New Year!


I want to take a moment to thank everyone for a fantastic year with this blog. I started it up just about a year ago - the first week of January 2006. In that time, the sitemeter has recorded well over a million pageviews and that's a lot for a mere blog.

Of course, a good portion of those visits came during the Big Brother Live Feeds Reports days, but that's not unexpected. However, many folks stayed around after the feeds ended and I appreciate you all!

Graphic artist Zoetawny has loaded the New Year for us and I've got a few articles in the making for the day.

May 2007 bring you all happiness, love, prosperity and, of course, good television! And, thank you once again for your loyal readership and comments!