Wednesday, October 31, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, October 31, 2007


Happy Halloween! A scarecrow amidst the cobwebs in Plainfield, NJ. I used layers to make the background black and white while keeping the scarecrow's colors. It's not my best work, but the sentiment is there! Happy birthday wishes go out to my brother Russ!

Normally I don't work Wednesdays, but I've been working odd hours this week. So, instead of the ongoing Bon Jovi concert crowds in the new Newark arena (I believe there are ten concert dates) messing up my NJ Transit train commute -- today I got NJ Devils fans and the Halloween party people in costume heading to the big parade in Greenwich Village. I just wanted to get home. You know it's bad when I saw two different train conductors I know and the first thing we did was roll our eyes and sigh. But I'm home and they're still working. My sympathies go out to the late shift conductors tonight.

In TV Newsy Bits:
  • I'll be watching and reviewing tonight's Kid Nation episode for TV Squad -- I'll post the link once it's done.
  • Buddy TV has an interview with Goth couple Vyxsin and Kynt who will be on The Amazing Race (coming this Sunday!).
  • I should be receiving an overnighted copy of the season premiere of TAR12 for my TV Squad duties tomorrow. I'll tell you if I enjoyed it or not, but I won't spill any beans until my review on TV Squad Sunday night. Heh.
  • I should be finishing the look at the teams here tomorrow. I've had a bit of a rough week and I'm running behind.
  • Now, this isn't necessarily my cuppa, but I received this promo: "Would you like to see Big Brother 8's Jessica and Eric compete on The Amazing Race? Join the fan campaign to get them cast on the show! Fans are flooding CBS with letters and woobies to show our support for Team Jeric. To get involved, please visit the fan campaign website for information, updates, funny promo videos, and exclusive pictures of Team Jeric with Woobie in New York and Kansas. Also, here is the campaign video to inspire you." -- if you're interested, go for it!
  • FearNet.com has a new online series called Buried Alive. I won't have time to check it out until way late tonight, but since it's Halloween and seems fitting, I thought I'd share.
Today's music non-sequitur:
And still the raven remains in my room

No matter how much I implore
No words can soothe him
No prayer remove him
And I must hear for evermore
--"The Raven" by Edgar Alan Poe as sung by Alan Parsons Project

Monday, October 29, 2007

'Heroes' - "The Line"

Heroes - NBC
Hmmm ... I'm wondering if the chapter name -- "The Line" -- has to do with the old saying "toeing the company line." I would think so as the meaning behind it is loyalty to the company even if the company's actions may be wrong. Although, after tonight, could the Company have good in mind?

Nah, I think it's a ploy. I don't trust the Company minions. Here's the skinny on what went down in the episode (chapter):

Peter and Caitlin

In the bar where Mickey was murdered by Elle, Peter and Caitlin talk about going to Montreal (as in the painting Peter Isaac'd). Peter doesn't want her to go with him, but she's insistent. She wants to kill the woman who killed her brother.

They opened the episode and closed it, not to be seen in between. In the closing of the episode, they're in Montreal at the very location they were in the painting. They enter what looks to be some sort of studio only to find a note to Peter from someone named Adam -- "We were right about the Company. The world is in danger." Peter doesn't remember an Adam (neither do I, but that's beside the point).

Peter and Caitlin embrace and end up doing a Hiro. They've transplanted themselves to June 14 (Flag Day), 2008 in an abandoned Times Square, NYC. Well, at least that was the date on the evacuation notice Peter found. That's where the show ended, but a lot happened to others in between.

Claire and West

While Claire's advocate Meg voted for her to become a cheerleader, Debbie (that so-and-so) said no. Claire seems to have issues with cheerleader captains. So did I, but I tended to scoff cheerleaders in general back in my high school days.

Claire told West that she had told her father that she was on the cheerleader squad and that she wasn't allowed ot date at all. West suggested she do something to Debbie to get her on the squad. She tried talking to her only to be turned down and laughed at.

Since Debbie the So-and-So was drinking, they came up with a way to humiliate her in public. I believe it was West's idea. He dressed in black garb like a robber
, flew in and picked up Claire while she was talking to Debbie. He then dropped her, killing her (but we know she'll heal), and went after Debbie. Debbie called the police to report it, Claire appeared alive, Debbie got canned from the squad and Claire is on. I don't care. I still don't trust West.

West told Claire that parental guidance is a non-issue when you can fly. I think he's going to try to really test Claire's bond with her parents. He reacted strangely when she mentioned parents. Does he even have any? He was in Louisville (if memory serves) when the "man with the horn-rimmed glasses" kidnapped him. Hmmm...

Monica, Mohinder Suresh, Molly, Niki, and Bob at the Company

Lots went down at the Company in Hartsdale, NY, this episode. Mohinder did
indeed bring Monica (Micah's cousin) there. They had her watching gymnasts and learning the moves. But then Bob wanted Mohinder to inject her with a serum (the Ashanti serum) which would remove her powers, but might have other effects, too. Of course, Bob says it's all for the greater good. Mohinder almost did it, but ended up going to Bob telling him he quit after calling HRG. He wants to take Molly with him and leave.

Oh, my. Bob did a quick
turnaround. He apologized to Mohinder, telling him how hard it's been -- 30 years, a lot has changed, they've overstepped their bounds, he's so valuable to them, a bigger danger exists, blah-blah-blah. So, Mohinder stays, Molly stays.

Bob ended up bringing Monica back to her house, giving her an iPhone with all kinds of videos she can study, and telling her there's a lot of good she can do in New Orleans. Say what? I just know the Company is evil! How dare he act good!


He gave Mohinder a new partner -- Niki (or could it be Jessica?) toeing the company line. No more misunderstandings. Mohinder just looked confused. So did
I.

HRG and the Haitian in the Ukraine

Yep, they're in Odessa and we aren't talking Texas. We're not talking a
management training meeting in Tulsa like he told Claire, either. They're seeking the remaining Isaac paintings from a Company dude whose name is Etan (I think). He was HRG's mentor in the Company.

HRG knew right where to hit him trying to get the paintings. First he had the Haitian erase Etan's memories of his wife and honeymoon. Then he went for the memories of the daughter when Etan finally told him what he wanted to know.

Etan tried to convince HRG to come back to the Company, telling him it had changed. HRG didn't fall for the company line. He made it look like a burglary and
shot him dead to cover his tracks. He and the Haitian then examined the paintings -- number 8, of course, might put a chill down his spine.

"You'll condemn yourself to hell," Etan cried as HRG aimed the gun at him.
BANG
"I know," HRG said.

Yikes, I say.

The Wonder Twins and Sylar

They're nearing the US border. Alejandro doesn't like Sylar and the feeling's
mutual. Sylar likes Maya's "delicious" power. He told Maya that he had special powers, but they all went away. He wants to be special again. As they cross the border, Sylar got Maya to use her powers to knock of the border patrol guys calling them "fake police."

Alejandro fussed that she was a killer because of him (Sylar). She told him that they needed Gabriel (Sylar) to get to Dr. Suresh. Alejandro told her he wouldn't give her his hand the next time and he'd let Gabriel die. Sylar told him that Maya is his own shiny new toy and he'll kill Alejandro.

Okay.

Hiro in 1671 Japan via Ando in present day Tokyo

I like Ando, but it makes no sense to have him read the scrolls. Make that stop.


Yaeko (the swordsmith's beautiful daughter), Kensei, and Hiro attack the camp of White Beard to rescue the swordsmith only to discover that the swordsmith told them how to make guns. Of course, guns didn't exist in Japan in 1671, so Hiro had to make sure the guns get destroyed. They must save Japan!

Then Hiro blew it. As danger surrounded them, he teleported Yaeko and himself away. She then realized it was him she had fallen in love with, not Kensei. It was Hiro with the flower petals! (Well, duh.) Hiro, poor lovelorn guy, kissed her. He's so in love and he knows it's an impossible love as he must get back to his
own time and she must fall for Kensei.

The really bad thing is that Kensei saw them kiss. Uh-oh. Hiro told him he had fallen in love with her, but it just can't be -- it would be the only kiss, there would be no more.

Oh, but Kensei didn't believe him and still had his old greed in mind, probably heightened because he knows he can't be killed. He kidnapped Yaeko and knocked out Hiro.

Gulp.

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, October 29, 2007


It's time to play find Roofus the Cat! If you don't see him, click on the image and it will enlarge. I'd say he's coming from one of the apartments in the building, but all of the windows are closed. He must have been sleeping on the bay window roof or one of the fire escapes. I can't help but wonder what happened to the cat who used to curl up with him late last winter on the bay window roof. Alas, the life of a feral cat, especially one between roof and a busy city street, isn't long.

I know an elderly man who runs a car lot nearby puts out food for the strays, but unless they're spayed and neutered, the cycle will go on. That said, I don't think Roofus is "catchable" as he's several stories off the ground and doesn't seem to interact with humans at all.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:
  • I apologize for not posting yesterday. I was having Blogger and gmail issues. I'm still not getting any notifications when comments are made, but at least I seem to be able to post an entry.
  • I'll be watching Heroes tonight and posting a review later on -- stop back and comment if you watch the show!
  • I told you how Court TV is changing its name to truTV (gak). Now they have a new tagline for the brand name change -- "Not reality. Actuality." I like the tagline better than the new name for the channel.
  • A possible TV writers strike may come this Thursday. Since the shows I review for TV Squad are reality shows, my paid blogging efforts won't be affected. According to this AOL TV News article, some shows pushed their production schedules ahead to get more episodes finished, but some didn't. I guess we'll know more as time goes on. Although I'm not too keen on unions on the whole, I agree with the actions in this case. Often the writer is the poor stepchild in a television show. And, as a writer myself, I know that freelancers and contractors need some sort of organization to protect them as we're all individuals out here.
  • In poking around AOL Television, I also noticed their Halloween page. Cool. I think the television show whose Halloween episodes I always enjoyed the most was Rosanne. I caught one late last night and wouldn't mind a marathon solely of the Halloween eps for Halloween itself.
Today's music non-sequitur:
St. Peter, don't you call me
Because I can't go ...
I owe my soul to the company store.
-- "16 Tons" written by Merle Travis, popularized by Tennessee Ernie Ford

Saturday, October 27, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, October 27, 2007

A goose enjoying calm waters in Westfield, New Jersey. When I was young, you didn't see many geese around. Nowadays, they're considered a nuisance around here. Yes, they're messy. But I still enjoy seeing them. Some months back a couple of geese set up housekeeping on the lawn of a church near my apartment. Whenever services were held, they'd chase any parishioners who didn't feed them. The geese mysteriously vanished after a month of Sundays.

I have Stephen King's It on in the background as I write this. I really should have written about Pennywise the Clown (as played by Tim Curry) for that TV Squad article. But, if it seems like this is very disjointed, blame the clown.

Last night's Bon Jovi concert in the new stadium in Newark wreaked havoc on commuting and I got home from work almost two hours later than planned. Grr. As a result, I ended up watching The Next Great American Band (for two hours), writing it up for TV Squad because I filled in for the regular writer, then I conked out.

Oh ... and I had to turn word verification back on -- I spent almost an hour yesterday removing comments left by a spambot. I don't think we need Viagra or suffer from erectile dysfunction. I'm sorry, but I had to do it.

In TV Newsy Bits:
  • That review of The Next Great American Band is here.
  • Buddy TV has a slew of interviews up -- Ebony Morgan from America's Next Top Model, Lacey Conner from Rock of Love and of more interest to me -- Sherea Lloyd from Survivor China.
Argh, It is drawing me in. I must watch.

"I'm the killer of worlds, the eater of children. We all float down here. Don't you want to float, too?" - Pennywise the Clown

Thursday, October 25, 2007

'Survivor 15:China' - East Coast Updates - 10/25

The show has started here on the East Coast. As important events occur, I'll update this post. My full show review will be posted on TV Squad later tonight. Please feel free to leave comments -- I love to get your impressions as the show airs!

UPDATE -- Reward: Fei Long won and kidnapped James. They get to go to an island for a tea room visit.

UPDATE: James gave Todd the hidden Immunity Idol clue (after Todd approached him and offered to save him with it). It is in the bat etching on that frame which they keep showing. Amanda (who knows about it) and Todd were working to get it when Frosti jumped in to help. Now they have to trust Frosti. Todd gave James the idol and said they (ZH) must lose immunity and save himself. The plan is for him to vote off Jaime and get the second idol, too.

UPDATE: Immunity - gross food week - despite plans, Zhan Hu won Immunity.

UPDATE: Sherea is voted out (spoilers had it right).

My review of this episode should be published on TV Squad before midnight (ET).

'The Amazing Race 12' - The Teams - Part One

Similar to how I've been doing Survivor this season, my actual show reviews of The Amazing Race 12 will be over on TV Squad. I asked to review the show a while ago not expecting it to air until January. But, thanks to the demise of Viva Laughlin, we have TAR12 heading our way in about a week and a half. The premiere date is Sunday, November 4, at 8 PM ET/PT. While I'll be writing the reviews for TVS, I'll have East Coast updates and other miscellaneous show-related posts here on this blog.

Let's start with the teams!

Oh, my! Why, they're a Goth couple! I believe this is indeed a first for TAR. Kynt and Vyxsin are what they call themselves although I sincerely doubt those were the names given to them at birth.

They're best friends (and possible doppelgangers) who have been dating on and off for three years and they're determined to keep Louisville (KY) weird. Hmm ... maybe they should move to Austin? Or they could go all the way and move to New Jersey. In Louisville they might be bucking up against the status quo.

They enjoy shopping, dancing, and doing each other's hair. Um, okay. Both are
worried that their make-up routine might be impacted while on the race. They're both MySpace addicts, not a surprise to me at all. They follow SciFi conventions and have an "us against the world" stance. If nothing else, these two are going to differ a lot from any previous teams we've seen on the show. Kynt is the guy, Vyxsin the gal.

Jennifer and Nathan are a bit less unusual when it comes to dating couples. They're both athletic, couldn't stand each other when they first met (always a good start to a relationship, right?), and tend to break up a lot. I guess this will be our token bickering couple of the season? They both claim to have dominant personalities and both claim to be stubborn.

I may have nightmares of Jonathan and Victoria. Ew. Hopefully these two are a bit better as a couple. Physically, it looks like they could have it made in the shade in comparison to some of the other teams.

But, the big question is ... will they work together well as a team? Nathan describes himself as "one cool dude." I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much. Uh-oh. I might already not be liking him.

Ronald and Christina are a father/daughter team. You know, I'd like to see one of these teams win it all someday. It's something I would have loved to have done with my own father.

He's amongst the older racers this season, but at 58 he's nowhere near the oldest. I'm liking the age span for the teams -- I just wish a show like Big Brother would vary the ages in the same manner!

He's a self-proclaimed workaholic while his daughter wants him to stop and smell the roses. But I notice she has degrees from both Princeton and Duke, so she might do well to heed her own advice. I think I'm going to like this team.

I'll be adding installments to the team listing in the upcoming days prior to the season premiere. I also have an introductory post to the teams up over on TV Squad.

Are you ready for The Amazing Race?

[All TAR 12 images ©CBS and used here solely for review purposes.]

Off Topic - Roofus the Cat


You can click on the image for a larger version. I hope it explains a bit more about Roofus the cat.

TV Newsy Bits - Thursday, October 25, 2007

This is the only actual phone booth I've seen in years, located outside an old Verizon building in Westfield, NJ. Yeah, I messed with my photo with photo editing software to make it look spookier. In its own way, it's spooky enough -- the door is missing, some of the plexiglass panes are gone, it's covered with graffiti, but the phone itself still has a dial tone.

Could it be a phone to lives gone by? What kind of phone calls has the phone been witness to over the years? Mobsters talking about their rub-outs? (After all, it's New Jersey, y'know!) Bruce Springsteen lost after exiting the Turnpike? (Yeah, I doubt that!) Did Superman change his clothes there once? (Maybe, you never know!) People discussing their triumphs, their failures, and their grocery lists. Only the phone knows and it ain't talkin'.

In today's TV Newsy Bits (and a bit o' Bloggy Bits):
  • Graphic artist and my blogging buddy Zoetawny is back online after her computer woes. Although she's in the area affected by the California fires, she's safe and well. Yay! (And welcome back, you've been missed!)
  • My Kid Nation review is up over on TV Squad ... a teary episode last night, but I'm really getting into watching these kids.
  • Speaking of Kid Nation, although I'll reply via email to a question posed, I'll bring it up here as well, because it's not the first time I've had the question asked. Yes, Guylan is a boy. If you notice, he's referred to as "he" by other kids on the show and on the CBS website page he has, it's very obvious. That long hair seems to be throwing lots of folks off -- but he's a boy, I tell you! His nickname is G-man.
  • Scrubs returns tonight at 9:30 PM ET/PT in most areas and the network has a plethora of stuff going on for show fans -- there's the Widgets blog, the live-blogging on the official NBC show blog, and even a YouTube video from the executive producer of the show.
  • When Survivor starts up tonight, I'll get an East Coast update post going updating the important events as the show airs here. My full review of the episode will be posted late in the evening over on TV Squad. As always, comments will be welcome on the update post -- I hope James squeaks through tonight!
  • I'm not sure if it's a good marketing campaign as I can't remember what company the commercial is for (not a good thing, I don't think) -- but I'm loving the car commercial with the man singing "Rock me gentle, rock me slowly..." as first a squirrel drops in singing, then two birds, then a wolf. The look on the man's face when the wolf gulps a bird is priceless as is his initial reaction to the squirrel's appearance. Alas, though ... while entertaining as all get-out, it's probably not a good ad campaign as it doesn't reinforce the product recognition.
  • I'm home today and on WGN, the Homicide: Life on the Street episode is the one with Lily Tomlin again "The Hat." No matter how many times I see it, I'm easily dragged in to watch again.
  • TV is its own fantasy world and it's spawning virtual TV which seems a bit odd, but life itself is odd. So there. ABC Family has Rush'd -- with an online interactive series born of Greeks. Last night I noticed that C.S.I.: NY has its own interactive Internet "Second Life" show going on. Although my day job and writing gigs take up so much time, I know I won't be bored the next knee surgery. (Mind you, it's not scheduled at this time, but is indeed inevitable.)
Today's music non-sequitur:
Operator, oh let's forget about this call

There's no one there I really wanted to talk to
Thank you for your time
Oh you've been so much more than kind
And you can keep the dime.
-- Jim Croce "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)"

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, October 24, 2007

A lone streetlight lights up one of the few trees with any color this autumn during early morning drizzle. I took this photo this morning in Plainfield, NJ. We had a record-breaking wet spring, but have been quite dry since with way above normal temperatures. As a result, this year's fall foliage is stunted (leaves still green) or leaves basically turning brown and dying early without the gorgeous colors I love so much.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those blog readers and friends in southern California. When I was young, I lived for a few years there. One of my most vivid early childhood memories from that time was watching the mountains burn fueled by the Santa Ana winds. The latest is so much worse than anything I've ever seen. I hope everyone is safe.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:
  • I have a brief introduction to the teams of The Amazing Race 12 set to be published shortly over on TV Squad. I'll be giving some more details here on the blog tomorrow. It sounds like an interesting cast.
  • I'll also be writing my review of Kid Nation for posting on TV Squad later tonight.
  • Oh, and not that it's all about me, but TV Squad writers got together and wrote about the scariest TV characters ever for a big Halloween post. My entry is here, but you can start here.
  • I received a few new emails from Wireless -- they're inside sort of viral clues to Heroes. When I have some time tomorrow, I'll check them out and report my findings.
  • I know that many of the Dancing With the Stars fans who hang out here weren't overly thrilled with Mark Cuban, but you might be interested in his blogging about being on the show -- it offers a neat insider kind of behind the scenes aspect. And, of course, I have to say that if it wasn't for Mark Cuban, I probably wouldn't be a blogger for TV Squad. He was the financial backing for the creation of Weblogs, Inc.

Monday, October 22, 2007

'Heroes' - "Fight or Flight"

Heroes - NBC

Now, mind you ... I'm not saying that I don't enjoy the show this season. I do. I wouldn't watch anything else in the 9 PM slot on Monday nights. But, that said, I think it's lost a bit of the amazing mesmerizing magic it held for me in its first season. I'm not sure what the problem is -- it's coming across as very disjointed this season. They're flipping from character to character and back again with no rhyme or reason.

Anyhow, here goes ...

Mohinder Suresh, Molly Parker, Matt Parkman (Brooklyn)
Molly is still all but comatose. Mohinder insists that Matt go ahead to Philadelphia to find his father -- the reason behind Molly's condition. He says that in nightmares you can fight or take flight. He think Matt owes it to Molly to go.

Mohinder calls HRG (who's with the Haitian) to tell him how sick Molly is. Mohinder wants to bring her to his boss at "The Company" as he thinks that they'd be the only ones who can save her. HRG is against the idea, but Mohinder does it anyway.

Mohinder, Molly, and Bob the Boss (The Company in NYC)
Bob the Boss, who reeks of a young Richard Deacon in my mind (Lumpy Rutherford's father in Leave it to Beaver) is thrilled Mohinder has brought in Molly ... as we could have guessed. Where's Mohinder's mind?

Bob tells Mohinder he has to go out in the field, handing him a taser gun. Reluctant to leave Molly behind, Mohinder stalls long enough for Jessica (of Jessica/Niki fame) to rant through and almost kill Bob with her powers. Mohinder uses the taser to bring her down.

Next thing you know, she's back to being Jessica and is in bed being consoled by Bob -- "Multiple personality disorder is a terrible thing." After he left the room, Mohinder tried to free her, but Jessica refused to go. She thinks The Company is her only help to be normal again.


Monica Dawson and Micah (New Orleans)
Although she was quick to stop the robber at her workplace, Monica refused to ID the guy to the cop even though he said she should step up and be a hero. She told her co-worker friend that she didn't know how she did what she did and she's still on the "I was meant to be someone better" kick we saw last week.

When she returned home, Micah was playing the piano. She said no one had played it since her mother died. She also said she didn't know how to play, but then went all piano fingers crazy after watching Micah for a bit. Micah, smart little dude that he is, figured out her power. He showed her how he can control the television, then it dawned on her that the
tomato roses and karate kick to the robber were learned with the power. Micah called it "copycat" and showed her it in the 9th Wonder comic book.

Micah and Monica went out to test her powers. She always wanted to Double Dutch, so she did it in style after watching a few minutes. Her eyes almost developed a tear-shaped outdent as she took in the how-to.

Alas, later when she answered the doorbell, it was Mohinder with the taser gun to bring her back to The Company. "You have questions? I have answers?" (What is going on with him?)

Peter Petrelli, Caitlyn, Mickey and Elle (Cork, Ireland)
Peter still hasn't opened the box and has become totally smitten with Caitlyn (am I spelling her name right this time?).

Caitlyn is sure that someone must be looking for him -- family or friends.

Oh, yeah someone is looking for him, but she's neither a family member or a friend.

So, we're introduced to a new anti-hero (I think I'll call the bad ones that from now on) -- Elle. She's looking for Peter and we first see that she has a lightning fingers power. Um, okay.

Mickey had heard that an American girl was searching for Peter, so he told him to go to Caitlyn's flat. When Elle met up with him in the bar, Mickey told her he didn't recognize the picture of Peter. She thinks otherwise. She uses her
lightning fingers to weld the lock on the door shut, then works him over trying to get information about Peter. She ended up killing Mickey.

As she called someone on the phone explaining that Peter was in Cork, she admitted killing Mickey. She said first that she had to use persuasion and d
idn't understand what the big deal was. Then she sighed and said into the phone, "Okay, I'll come home, Daddy." (Who's your daddy?)

Meanwhile, in the flat, Peter and Caitlyn finally opened the box. They found Peter's passport, a ticket to Montreal, and a photo of Nathan and Peter. Peter still has no memory of his prior self.


Peter saw a canvas and his old Isaac painting power took him over. He painted a picture of a couple near a corner. The street signs were in French, thus making them think Montreal is a must.


When they went to the bar, they found that Mickey had been murdered. That actually ended this episode, but not the way I'm writing it!

Ando (Tokyo) and Hiro & Co. (1671 Japan)
This was a lot of flipping back and forth and much ado about nothing (except the very end of the segments) to me. Ando took Hiro's scrolls passed through the sword to a man for reading. Hiro had pretty much been telling the story of what he was doing, so they went back and forth from the guy reading them to Hiro doing. Very odd.

At the very end of the segments, the scroll was unreadable. In the Hiro relating scene, Hiro, Kensei, and Yaoko find out they have to face an entire army.

Matt Parkman, Nathan Petrelli, and Matt's Dad (Mainly Philadelphia)
Matt met up with Nathan who thought he wanted another round of interrogating his mother. Instead, Matt told him about Molly and his father. Nathan initially didn't want to go with Matt, especially not used as a cargo jet, but he did.

They found the apartment and busted in as cops ... or something. Parkman's father had a picture bit of himself from that group shot, also bearing the red "Godsend" symbol across his face.

Matt should have remembered his father was a con man. Duh, Matt. The father gave a story about his own life being in danger and how the group tried to save the world, but some used their powers for evil. (I'm sure he was one of them.)

He too can read minds, so he could block (and hurt) when Matt tried to read his. He told them the power develops further, then offered to show Matt something from "the old days" which might help him.

He led Matt to one room where the doors automatically locked. Nathan tried to rescue him, forcing open a door. Then it was akin to an LSD experiment gone
horribly wrong from that point on.

The door Nathan chose led him to the roof of the DeVeaux building overlooking a destroyed Manhattan. He met up with his mirror monster, who is indeed him. They fought. The mirror monster Nathan said, "You are no hero. You want ignorance! I am you!"

Matt ended up in a jail where the guards spoke gibberish. A baby appeared, then his wife. They argued, then she left. He started fighting with the guard trying to break free.

The fight scenes flipped back and forth between the two places and two people rapidly, then all but melted into one -- Matt and Nathan were fighting in Matt's father's decrepit apartment. When they woke up, it was then they realized they couldn't trust the con man dad. (Duh.) They know why he was "the nightmare." Plus, they have a picture of Bob with the "Godsend" red symbol.

Um. Okay. At least there weren't any Wonder Twins tonight.

'The Amazing Race' Starts Soon! - CBS Press Release

Originally, Amazing Race 12 was scheduled for a winter into spring run, but with the cancellation of Viva Laughlin, we're getting it early!

Here's the press release from CBS:

FIVE-TIME EMMY AWARD-WINNING "THE AMAZING RACE" RETURNS FOR ITS 12TH EDITION ON SUNDAY, NOV. 4, 8:00-9:00 PM

"The Amazing Race 12" Spans 50,000 Miles Including First Time Visits to Ireland, Lithuania and Croatia

THE AMAZING RACE, winner of five consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Competition Series, returns for its 12th edition on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Nov. 4 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT).

Editors Note: THE AMAZING RACE replaces "Viva Laughlin" which has been pulled from the schedule. A rebroadcast of CSI will air in the Sunday (8:00-9:00 PM) time period on Oct. 28.

“If there ever was a season that I consider one of the best, it’s this one," said Bertram van Munster," executive producer, director and co-creator of THE AMAZING RACE. "It’s insanely funny, fast-paced and dramatic all at once. Teams are in hot pursuit of one another at every location and its reality television at its nail-biting best."

This season, teams will travel approximately 50,000 miles, covering five new countries including Ireland, Lithuania and Croatia.

In its 11 previous editions, broadcast in several time periods, THE AMAZING RACE has averaged more than 10 million viewers and a 4.1/10 in adults 18-49.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman and Hayma Screech Washington are the executive producers for Bruckheimer Television and Earthview Inc. in association with ABC Television Studio and Amazing Race Productions. THE AMAZING RACE was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri. Phil Keoghan hosts.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Sunday, October 21, 2007

I've decided his name must be Roofus. His fellow roof companion cat (four stories up) seems to have vanished, but Roofus still watches the birds daily from his perch in the sky. I believe he's part of the group of feral cats living in the area near the train station. That isn't the best of life a cat can have, for sure. A few months ago one of the feral cats in that area was diagnosed with rabies and a gang of big-headed strays roam the night.

I can't save them all -- I have my own two elderly cats saved from that sort of life as kittens. As I watch Roofus, I don't think he could ever adjust to a home. He comes and goes from the roof at will apparently getting up there through a condemned building on the block. Oh, well. I think the roof is safer for him than the city streets. Unlike my own cats who would probably fall off, he seems to know its boundaries. After all, I first spotted him and his companion about a year ago.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:
  • Has Grey's Anatomy jumped the shark? This news article explores that very possiblity.
  • I was watching last night's rerun of Without A Trace on CBS. The key missing character was played by the same young man who plays West this season on Heroes. Uh-oh. I think type-casting has affected my mind. I wanted him to remain vanished without a trace.
  • Ellen DeGeneres took a few days off after the big Iggy Dog fiasco. I don't think she wanted the death threats to the folks at the dog rescue and I'd imagine she's horrified at how everything has gone. Me? I still think that while rescues do fantastic work, sometimes things should be looked at on a case by case basis rather than no shades of grey. My own family always had pets when I was very young. None of us kids ever would have harmed any size pet -- they were a part of our family.
  • I watched The Next Great American Band on its premiere night this past Friday. I think I'll be following the show as my Friday night television watching is a bit of a vast wasteland. This coming Friday (10/26) I'll be sitting in to review the show for TV Squad for the regular writer as he'll be on vacation. After that, I think I'll be reviewing it weekly here. Anyone interested?
  • Letterman's in reruns this week. Grr.
  • Survivor's most recently ousted Aaron was interviewed by Fans of Reality TV. He said he was cast because he happened to meet someone who asked him to try out for the show. He seems to think that Amanda and Todd are the true Survivor fans of the game.
Today's music non-sequitur:
"The reason you're cool is because you're from the old school.
All the critics love you in New York."
-- Prince "All the Critics Love You in New York"

Friday, October 19, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Friday, October 19, 2007

Yes, be considerate -- a good motto, a good way of life. The incongruous part of it all is that this is New Jersey, a NJ Transit train to be more precise. NJT has a new politeness campaign starting up, but I don't think it will make a huge difference.

I'll still end up being surrounded by the party crowd in the evenings heading towards the city. That woman who speaks loud Mandarin Chinese yelling into her cell phone will still sit in back of me no matter where I sit. Some fool will still put a full cup of coffee on the floor as if expecting it to remain upright. People will still put their nasty feet up on seats or even worse, take their shoes off. Someone will still have their iPod so loud I can hear the tinny sounds from half a car away. Me? Nope, I don't do any of those things. I occasionally sit with train friends, but we talk using "indoor voices." I be considerate.

Random mention: I'd be willing to coach the Yankees next year for only four million dollars. Have your people call my people and we'll get it done.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:
  • As a tribute to the recently deceased Deborah Kerr, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will be airing From Here to Eternity and Separate Tables starting at 8 PM ET/PT this Sunday night.
  • The folks over at Morty's TV have recent interviews with Daniele Donato and Evel Dick Donato from Big Brother 8. Beware -- the language is a bit rough on Dick's interview. One interesting thing to note on that one is that he said he has a DUI arrest in the past, but has never been arrested for domestic abuse (which was plastered all around the Internet). Both of these interviews are really long. Grab a cup of coffee and get to reading!
  • Yahoo TV should be your new home for Seinfield stuff -- you can watch complete episodes, vote for your favorites and more.
  • Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit premieres tonight at 10 PM ET/PT on the DIY network. That's Burt Reynolds and, remember ... you can enter to win a classic Trans Am.
  • Buddy TV has two interviews which will be of interest to many of the readers here. Wonder Twin Alejandro from Heroes, Shalim Ortiz, is one of them although I'm not too keen on the characters. The other interview is with Taylor Kitsch of Friday Night Lights.
Today's music non-sequitur:
"Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?

It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer"
--
The Beatles "Paperback Writer"

Thursday, October 18, 2007

'Survivor 15: China' - East Coast Updates 10/18

The show has started here on the East Coast. As it airs, I'll update this post with important events. Please refresh the page for the latest.

Um ... so far, no important events, but it has started! ;-)

UPDATE: Messages came by boat -- each tribe picked two from the other tribe who will compliment them. Fei Long chose Sherea and Frosti. Zhan Hu didn't think. They didn't realize they would lose two of their own -- chose James and Aaron thinking they'd have seven people and would vote out Aaron.

UPDATE: Immunity Challenge -- Fei Long won, but it was thrown by Zhan Hu by Jaime and Peih Gee. They want to vote out either Aaron or James thinking their end game will be stronger after the merge.

UPDATE: Aaron is voted out.

My review of the episode is up over on TV Squad.

TV Newsy Bits - Tonight's 'Survivor 15: China' - Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007

This is a photo I took a while ago, but some folks said it passed by too quickly in the video in which I used it. If you click on it, it should enlarge. I took it on a very narrow side street in Chinatown, Manhattan.

As per my usual practice, I'll be posting an East Coast Update post for tonight's Survivor: China shortly after the show starts here in the NYC area. Folks are welcome to drop by and visit in the comments once I get the post up. It looks like a good show tonight! My full review of the episode will be posted on TV Squad later this evening, but the important events will be updated almost live right here. So, stop on back!

In other TV Newsy Bits:
  • You can check out my latest review of Kid Nation on TV Squad. (I swear one of these days when I typo it as TV Squid, I'm going to leave it be!)
  • Sigh ... Joey Bishop died. When I was younger, I used to like to stay up late watch his show in which Regis looked like the kid he was at the time. Joey Bishop had been the last living member of the Rat Pack. Another era gone by.
  • Entertainment Weekly (on the stands tomorrow) will have an interview with American Idol Carrie Underwood. You can check out the interview at their sister site ew.com.
  • Court TV's series Murder by the Book will be returning with an all new group of authers on Monday, November 5, 10 PM in most time zones. The latest authors set for this second season are: Joseph Wambaugh (an old favorite police procedural author of mine), Sandra Brown, David Balducci (yes!), Harlan Coben (yes!), Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Linda Fairstein, Nick Santora, and Linda Gage. Authors returning from last year are Lisa Scottoline, Faye Kellerman, and Jonathan Kellerman. I enjoy this series a lot as I'm a mystery buff in my reading habits. The authors each examine a case for their episodes.
  • For any House fans out there, Buddy TV has an exclusive interview with Omar Epps and Jennifer Morrison.
Don't even THINK of parking here, but come on back to talk about tonight's Survivor!

Today's music non-sequitur --
"I know all too well the world takes a daily beating,
Please don't talk about murder while I'm eating."
-- Ben Harper

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

TV Newsy Bits, Bloggy Bits, Too - Wednesday, October 17, 2007


Fish gotta swim.

While it's probably one of the worst-composed photos of mine I'll ever post, it's the principle of the thing. There I was standing atop a boulder at the water's edge in Mindowaskin Park (Westfield, NJ) when a group of fish came to me as if I had called them there for a meeting. I told them my woes as they listened attentively but showed no emotion. They're probably more worried about being frozen in the upcoming winter than they are about my issues.

What kind of fish were they? I haven't a clue. They looked a bit like bullheads but are a lot smaller than the ones I remember from my childhood pond fishing days in upstate New York. These guys were about five to six inches long tops and would only be considered a meal if you're starving on Survivor.

In keeping with the thought of "fish gotta swim" -- AOL had more layoffs yesterday and more expected into December according to what I've read. I've had ties to AOL for about fifteen years as a member, AOL Community Leader, blogger, and more recently writing for Weblogs, Inc. My thoughts are with my friends in the company and those who left the building yesterday. AOL Journals Editor Joe Loong is amongst the dismissed. Joe was instrumental in supporting my blogging efforts at AOL Journals as he featured my Adventures of the 2-Faced Baseball and helped me with issues on my first Big Brother blog. Joe, you'll be missed on AOL, but a man with your mad skillz is going to be a great catch for someone. Fish gotta swim.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:
  • I have a sadistic side to me. Yesterday, I looked forward to Richard Simmons being on Letterman most of the day. Yes, Dave is mean to him, but he keeps coming back. The segment didn't disappoint me at all and it wasn't quite like watching Paris Hilton almost cry a few weeks ago.
  • I finished watching my season three DVD of The Wire after a marathon most of the night session last night. Oh, I know I'm so far behind the real world on the show, but I'm not going to spring for HBO just to watch it. Although I've been watching it on BET and I thought they were getting it okay, the DVDs are another world -- no blaring trashy chat line ads and seeing bits that were cut out in editing for BET make the show so much better. Rawls was in a gay bar? Oh, my! This show has moved into my top slot of favorite TV shows ever.
  • Are you following the Ellen Degeneres Doggie Drama? Although I usually miss the show because I'm working most weekdays, this story caught my eye. I'm on Ellen's side of the battle. She rescued the dog, spent a lot of money on the vet and training, but it didn't get along with her pets already residing with her. I think she did the right thing by finding a loving family for the dog and the rescue place now has a huge black mark, as well as a bad reputation, for taking the dog from that loving family. You idiots ... the dog had a family and a home. Now it's got a kennel and staff once again. What are you thinking?
  • AOL TV news has an interview with Floyd Mayweather, booted from last night's Dancing With the Stars. I actually briefly caught his performance the other night as I was channel surfing. I don't know if by not watching the show regularly it gives me a different perspective and I didn't see any of the other dancers (I was just passing through, y'see). But I thought he looked stiff at times and very much the amateur. Oh, I couldn't do any better, I know. But as I watched the bit I watched, I thought of my love for So You Think You Can Dance. I think I prefer to watch young'uns who aspire to be dancers than so-called celebrities on a dance show. Of course, your mileage may vary, but his performance didn't make me want to continue watching the show.
  • How cool is this? I was just interrupted by the FedEx Man. The good folks at TBS just sent me a neat and spiffy battery-operated Frank TV wall clock and a promo reel on DVD for the show. Frank is Frank Caliendo and I'll report back on the promo. Right now I want to figure out where I'm going to put the clock!
Today's music non-sequitur --
Histories of ages past
Unenlightened shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity

'Tis then when the hurdy gurdy man
Comes singing songs of love
-
Donovan "Hurdy Gurdy Man"

Monday, October 15, 2007

'Heroes' - "The Kindness of Strangers"

Heroes - NBC
Although some important events happened on tonight's episode, it wasn't the edge of my seat excitement I've grown accustomed to while watching Heroes. Oh, I was entertained enough and, as I said, there were some crucial parts which moved the story along. There was no Peter, although Nathan and his mother were there. There was no Hiro, although there was the picture of his father. There was Micah and no Niki.

The Bennets (Butlers) in California
Coincidentally to Claire getting interested in West, her dad told her she may not date any boys. West convinced her to go out with him, telling her he'd fly her anywhere. She lied to her parents, telling them she was going to go to the library. Instead they flew to the top of the Hollywood sign on the hills.

West caught her as she went to leap off the sign saying he knows she has the power, but he never wants to see her hurt. He told her she should tell her dad a credible lie as the library was closed by the time they returned -- something else she was forbidden to do, but not a boy. So, she told him she tried out for cheerleading and was celebrating with the girls. Ho-hum.

The real thing of interest which happened with the Bennets was the Haitian showing up to tell HRG that he had to leave to go to the Ukraine. We don't know why, nor do we know what he'll say to his family about his absence.

Nathan, Mrs. Petrelli, Matt Parkman in NYC
Nathan met up with his sons Monty and Simon (great names) while sporting his beard, but looking more sober. He was told to leave the school area. But he was able to tell them that he's coming home before he went.

Next he showed up at the hospital where Parkman and his partner were getting ready to charge his mother with the murder of Kaito Nakamura (Hiro's father). They said her wounds were self-inflicted. She's ready to carry the weight of the charge even though she didn't kill him. She knows Parkman can read her mind and told him to let it go -- the only way out is to confess and if she doesn't, people like them would be in more danger.

Parkman and Nathan talked. Parkman told Nathan all about his powers and what his (Nathan's) mother "told" him. Parkman also told him all about his wife and all. Ho-hum. Nathan tried to talk her out of it, but she just told him to get into a program because she didn't want to lose another son.


Nathan told Parkman that his father didn't like Kaito, but his mother was a friend. They have the full picture of all of the "older generation" heroes. In the picture there's Linderman, DeVeaux, Mrs. Petrelli, Kaito, Mohinder's new boss whose name is Bob, and ... Parkman's father! I'll be mentioning that again soon.

Nathan saw the monster Nathan in the mirror and punched it, bloodying his
knuckles. He's determined to make things right for the dead Pete (who's very much alive over in Ireland).

Micah at the Dawson home in New Orleans
His cousin Damon (?) Dawson is a bully, but the older sister Monica is sweet to him. The children were displaced by Katrina, lost their parents (I assume) and
are living with their grandmother, Lt. Uhura. Er, Mrs. Dawson?

Micah blows his promise not to use his powers when he rigs pay-per-view on the TV for a wrestling match Damon is desperate to see. He gets in the good graces of Damon, at least for now.

While we didn't really see anything out of the grandmother, it turns out that
Monica has powers of her own. All she needs to do is see something on television and she learns it. First it was making the tomato roses from the show the grandmother was watching, but then it was body-slamming a robber at the fast food place where she works.

Does she know about Micah's powers? I'm not sure. Monica seems to be a bit down on herself -- she thinks that she's selfish because she wants to leave the city while others are working to rebuild it.

I know that the grandmother must have some sort of power of her own!

Maya, Alejandro, Derek, and ... Sylar in Mexico
The Wonder Twins and Derek the car thief (from Jersey) found Sylar in the middle
of the road looking very dead. Ah, but no! He told them he had been walking for three days and they have a new passenger in Claire's stolen car. He calls himself Gabriel Gray -- his original name, at least the Gabriel part. I can't recall if his last name was Gray. "Gabriel, just like the angel."

They told him they're headed to New York and Maya showed them the book by Dr. Suresh. Heh, Sylar's eyes lighted up at that! He knew they had to either have powers or a link to them. He told them he could introduce them to the doctor (who's long dead).

While stopped for a bit, Derek saw the wanted poster for the Wonder Twins. Thinking Sylar is normal, he turned to him. That sealed the hero connection for Sylar. He told Derek he'd stall them while he (Derek) called the police. Now, this didn't make sense to me. Like Derek, the car thief escaped felon would call the police for any reason!

But Sylar, as we could have guessed,
confronted Maya about the poster. She admitted that it was them although Alejandro told her not to. When Sylar told them Derek already called the cops, Maya got into the start of her black-blood eyes murder bit which made Sylar feel intense pain. Alejandro calmed Maya down and Sylar was fine ... but they didn't know Derek was dead inside the building as the three drove away.

Mohinder Suresh, Matt Parkman, and Molly in NYC
Molly is still having her dreams. Well, nightmares. Matt is obsessed with finding his father since he found the picture of him and plans to use Molly to do the deed -- after all, she's the Walker Locating System or whatever that was.


Parkman told Mohinder that his father left him when he was 13, giving him $120
and he never saw him again. His father was a criminal who stole a lot of money from a lot of people.

It turns out his father is more than just a mere thief or thug. He's the man of
Molly's nightmares. Although seeing the picture made her scream and refuse to help, she acquiesced and did her Molly thing.

He's in Philadelphia. But, fine, now Molly is in a state of shock and crying thro
ugh her thoughts for Matt Parkman to help her.

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, October 15, 2007


Nothing fancy, just a chipmunk who thought I wouldn't shoot him if he remained still. I shot him anyway ... with my camera. Photo taken at Mindowaskin Park in Westfield, NJ. (Where the park scenes for the TV show Ed were filmed.)

In today's TV Newsy Bits (and a bit o' Bloggy Bits):
  • How are you folks doing with the comments in the Dancing With the Stars discussion post? Too many? Need a new discussion post?
  • I'll be posting my Heroes recap/review later tonight and encourage show fans to stop back to visit.
  • Entertainment Weekly and its website EW.com have an exclusive interview with Jorja Fox from C.S.I. -- she is indeed leaving the show citing both personal and professional reasons. It sounds like she wants more time to do what she wants to do family-wise and in other acting pursuits. As long as William Petersen isn't leaving, I'm okay with the news.
  • Buddy TV has an exclusive interview with Joshua Gomez of Chuck.
  • I had an exclusive interview with one of the chipmunks, but he decided he should refuse to comment. I'm not sure if it was Alvin, Theodore, or Simon.
Today's music non sequitur --
"Pleased to meet you,
Hope you guessed my name
What's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game." - Mick Jagger/Keith Richards "Sympathy for the Devil"

Sunday, October 14, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Sunday, October 14, 2007

A man waiting on the train into Manhattan on an autumn day. Taken at the Plainfield, NJ train station.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:
  • Continuing to support my The Wire addiction without HBO, I've purchased seasons 1-3 on DVD and have my pre-order in for the fourth season which is expected to be released in December. Although I won't be seeing season five for a long, long time, I find it interesting that the theme song ("Way Down in the Hole" originally written by Tom Waits) for next season will be sung by Steve Earle who plays the recurring role of Waylon on the show. I've heard his version, but I like the 5 Blind Boys from Alabama (first season) and Tom Waits (second season) much better.
  • I watched the new show Life on NBC in a repeat last night. It kept my interest. I'll have to check it out in its regular time. I like that the networks are often putting repeats of shows aired earlier in the week on Saturday nights. Life didn't initially catch my eye when I read about it and, if not for the Saturday repeat, I might not have ever watched it.
  • The second episode of The Next Iron Chef is on the Food Channel tonight. The contestants are to create a simple culinary dish in their own style. Now, if I were there, I'd go with salmon patties. Okay, you know why I'm never on a cooking show, eh?
The return of today's music non sequitur --

This Broadway's got
It's got a lot of songs to sing
If I knew the tunes I might join in
I'll go my way alone
Grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown in New York City

Subway's no way for a good man to go down
Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown
And I thank the Lord for the people I have found
I thank the Lord for the people I have found.
--Elton John
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters"

Saturday, October 13, 2007

'Friday Night Lights' Blog Discussion

Due to popular request, here it is! Your own place to discuss the show Friday Night Lights! Please feel free to hang out in the comments area and talk about FNL with fellow show fans.

The official website for FNL can be found here.
TV Squad's FNL posts can be found here. (No, not written by me, but you might want to check out the reviews anyway.)

Bookmark this post or look it up in the blog search or come by via the link on the sidebar ... enjoy!

Friday, October 12, 2007

TV Newsy Bits - Friday, Oct. 12, 2007


It's just a duck. A duck at the park. It refused to catch fish for me, but was willing to eat bread crumbs.

Here are the TV Newsy Bits for today --
  • If you live in the vicinity of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and you're a fan of The Office -- I have cool news for you! The Office Convention will be held the weekend of October 26-28. You can find out more about it here, but it sounds like quite the event. Al Roker will be there reporting for The Today Show, even.
  • If you're a soaps fan, you might want to check out the exclusively on the Internet show Coastal Dreams. It takes things a step further and provides interactivity the TV soaps just can't do.
  • Reality News Online has an interview with Dave Cruser, cast off of Survivor China just last night. Whoa, he's one smug dude. But I noticed that a commenter here on this blog ("Survivor" I believe was the blogger name used) called his nudity in that one challenge exactly right. "Unless it’s your orientation, having a crazy naked guy running at you is definitely going to make you think twice. And it did. If you have a naked guy running at you, you’re going to be that much less ready. Hence the skipping to make things jiggle."
  • I still think Dave was annoying, but I think I'd be personally peeved more at Sherea -- especially if I had to work harder to cover her slacking.
  • The Celebrity Spider has an expanded promotional bit on next week's Heroes -- mild spoilers within.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

'Survivor 15: China' - East Coast Update 10/11

This post will be updated as the show airs here in the east -- major events including the boot.

So far, just Sherea and Dave fighting in one camp while Courtney and Jean-Robert go at it in the other.

Cool rewards challenge! Both tribes had to meet at Tribal Council for it, don't think it's a double ouster tonight. Fei Long won -- get a fisherman to teach them to fish, spices, vegies, and they kidnap Dave. Dave? That's odd.

Dave gave Todd the clue. Todd's racking them in, eh?

Another cool challenge for Immunity and Fei Long wins.

Dave was voted off after much discussion -- it was between him and Sherea. He voted for Sherea, but it seems the rest voted for him to go.

UPDATE - My review of this episode is up at TV Squad. Come visit!