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?
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 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 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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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...
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...!
