TBS and TNT Plan a Cool Line-Up For Hot Summer Nights

Before long, we'll be into the lazy hazy and hot days of summer. Sure, there will be fun in the summer sun, but there will also be evenings spent in air-conditioning watching television, too! At least, that's my plan.

Keeping up with providing new and original programming, both TNT and TBS have new and returning original series slated for us. If you have basic cable, you've got both of these networks. And, if you haven't been checking them out lately, you really should do so. They're not just running repeats, y'know!

TBS, the Very Funny Network, has a new series, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, June 6, at 9 PM ET/PT. Tyler Perry is best known for Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion. I got a bit of a sneak peek at this show and I admit I identify with the lead character's take on children. Just based on that, I'll be giving the show a shot. Anything which can make me smile is a good thing, right?

On Tuesday, July 17, at 9 PM ET/PT, another original series will premiere -- The Bill Engvall Show. Again, I got a sneak peek. It's of the dysfunctional family genre but with the twist of the husband being a family counselor for a living. Once again, the sneak peek made me smile, so I'll be checking this show out, too. Although, looking at the day and time, it may be up against Big Brother. Uh-oh. It's a good thing I can record shows, eh?

My Boys, my favorite current sitcom outside of How I Met Your Mother, returns with new shows on Monday, July 30, at 10 PM ET/PT. The show is current, cute, witty, and has a great cast. What? You have never seen it? Sheesh... watch it. If you liked Sex in the City and Friends, this one is a shoe-in although it's not quite like either show.

Over at TNT where they know drama, I admit to being a Law and Order rerun addict. But, like TBS, they're in the original show game, albeit drama rather than sitcoms.

On Monday, June 18, at 9 PM ET/PT, The Closer returns for its third season. This heart-pounding, yet not without a sense of humor, crime drama is a must see for me. It's well-written, keeps the pace, and boasts an excellent cast. Watch it and you just might get hooked on it!

Following The Closer season premiere on June 18, a new series makes its debut. Heartland is a medical drama starring Treat Williams as a surgeon who will take any risks to save his patients in the organ donor world. I'm not always too keen on medical dramas, but I enjoy Treat Williams, so I'll have to give this show a look-see at the very least.

On Wednesday, July 18, at 10 PM ET/PT, another new original drama premieres on TNT. Saving Grace stars Holly Hunter as a "cynical police detective facing a personal crisis of divine proportions." Hmmm... the sneak peek I had of this one is definitely intriguing. The series looks quirky, fast-paced, and exciting.

On Sunday, August 5, the limited series The Company makes has its premiere. It will be aired two hours a night, three Sundays in a row. Starring Michael Keaton, Alfred Molina, and Chris O'Donnell, it portrays the events of the Cold War from both the CIA and KGB perspectives. This show looks like an intelligent, well-produced event rather than mere television fodder. Again, I'm sure to check it out.

'American Idol 6' - The Final Six Rock to Bon Jovi

Shot through heart and it's too late, Chris is gonna go away (go away)...

Yes, rockers and rockettes, it was Bon Jovi night on American Idol! I'm ready to put on my Slippery When Wet CD to annoy my neighbors. But, instead, I guess I'll write this entry as the thunder rumbles outside.

Jon Bon Jovi was his usually cool self. I think I'd like that guy no matter what he says or does. He also ages so well and remains eye candy despite the fact that he's no spring chicken anymore. He gave the contestants the main advice of "make the song your own." Well, one contestant went above and beyond in making it his own and I think that performance was the shining star of the whole night.

Phil Stacey was up first this week singing "Blaze of Glory." While it's not my favorite Bon Jovi song at all, it is one that's special to him. He's been singing it for fifteen years. He nailed it and got the show off to a good start. But I have to admit I wasn't all that enamored with it, possibly because of the song itself, possibly because watching Phil sing doesn't thrill me. Maybe I should have just listened.

Randy called it Phil's best performance ever except for country week. Paula thought it was the best opening all season for the show, although Simon balked at that. Simon said the performance was "okay" but had no authenticity. He said it was like a bad actor playing the role of a rock star. Simon also doesn't think it's enough for him to last next week. I agree a bit with Simon's call on this one.

Jordin Sparks said her mother grew up on Bon Jovi... which makes me feel so old. Ack. I was already a full-fledged adult when they hit big. She chose a very tough song for a seventeen-year-old girl. She sang "Livin' on a Prayer" with really big hair this week. Hmmm... she didn't do horribly, I didn't think. But I think the performance was a bit of a letdown. She was so out of her genre and element. I think her past will keep her in the competition, though.

Randy did four "yo's" and three "check it outs." Sometimes that's a good thing, this time not so much. He called the performance "interesting" and said the verses were rough -- "not your best." Paula told her she went for it and she's hot. Simon started with "cue the boos." He said she looked like something out of the Addams Family, that she was shrieking and out of control, and terrible. Eep.

LaKisha Jones sang "This Ain't a Love Song." Jon was excited about how she would do and thought it was her opportunity to shine. And, it was definitely the return of her powerhouse performance ways. That said, I think LaKisha is losing her magic for me. She runs hot and cold. While she did very well tonight, I wasn't all that moved.

Randy shouted that LaKisha's back and that she blew it out of the box. Paula gushed. Simon said he could actually kiss her for that. She rose to the challenge and nailed it. She did kiss Simon. @@ I certainly wasn't as excited as the judges were about the performance and I think her chances of remaining in the competition are iffy.

Oh, but then there was Blake Lewis. Jon worried that he was taking too big of a risk with a very popular song that folks don't like to see messed with... "You Give Love a Bad Name." Yes, he Blake-ized it, he beat-boxed it, he sported dark hair. And, he brought the house down with his version. I think it's the most original version of any song any season on the show. Yet he was true enough to the song enough to carry it off. This was my favorite performance of the season and makes me wish I had recorded the show so I could re-watch it. Amazing! What I also found interesting is how much more confidence he seems to emit when he's in his element doing his thing.

Randy gave two "check it outs" and gave it the award for the most original song version ever on the show (it was). Paula said it was amazing (it was). Simon said half will love it and half will hate it, but it was the right thing to do and will keep him in the competition.

Chris Richardson was up next singing "Wanted Dead or Alive." He mentioned Chris Daughtry doing the song last year. Heck, give me him again. Chris wasn't quite as nasally as he often is, but he still did those Timberlake-type dance moves like he's in a boy band or something. He didn't listen to Jon's advice to pick up on the blues note for the song and smiled a lot through the performance, hamming for the cameras. I think he bought his ticket home, six-string on his back.

Randy said he liked it, but didn't seem overly enthusiastic. Paula sidestepped saying it was such a great night. (Say what?) Simon said he did as much as he could with it and was iffy about his possibilities of staying on the show.

Melinda Doolittle, way out of her element, closed the show with "Have a Nice Day." That one was a bit of a surprise for me, but I can't connect Melinda with too many Bon Jovi songs. She nailed it. I'd still prefer to see Jon Bon Jovi performing the song, but she got into the spirit and she rocked the house. When she was working with Jon, he told her she just joined the band -- he's thrilled with her. He told her to treat the song like she was taking it to church, but I have to admit I didn't see that much of that. What I saw was a great performance and perfect vocals. I also got a kick out of her trying to give the index/pinkie fingers rock salute.

Randy thought it was a great performance. Paula called her a rock star and said the game was on. Simon likened her to a young Tina Turner and said she was vocally in a different league from the other contestants. Woo!

So, who will be going home? We lose two this week and the votes from last week and this week are added together. I think Chris is a definite goodbye. The other two I think are on thin ice are LaKisha and Phil. What do you think?

TV Newsy Bits - Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Phew, rainy April is behind us and hopefully May will indeed bring flowers instead of showers!

But, no matter the weather, there's always something to watch on television. I think back to the days when I had four networks to choose from and wonder what I did with my time. Oh, I read a lot and there was no such thing as time spent online. The times have changed, though. I still read a lot... I think I exchanged sleep time. Uh-oh!

Here are the TV Newsy Bits I found while perusing that Big Bad Internet, as well as some personal TV Newsy Bits observations and thoughts:

• Tonight is Bon Jovi night on American Idol. I'm psyched! Hey, I live in Jersey, what can I say? I'll be posting about tonight's show late this evening and would love to read your thoughts about how the contestants perform.
• I'm still hooked on BET's showing of The Wire, now into season two. But, and it's a big BUT... they cut it down to an hour an episode. Now, when they aired the episodes at 90 minutes, they got in the content of the hour-long HBO shows which air without commercials. Yeah, there was a commercial overload with the BET first season, but now we're missing content. I've been going to the HBO The Wire website reading up on each episode in their recaps to see what I've missed. Grr. What's worse is that I've been reading ahead, too. Shame on me!
• BuddyTV has an exclusive interview with Danny and Oswald, the most recently Philiminated team from The Amazing Race 11: All Stars. Oh, my... could Eric be gay? They seem to think so! Yikes! Not only is there a transcript, but there's also an MP3 file of the interview.
• In ex-American Idol news, Constantine Maroulis has joined the cast of the soap The Bold and the Beautiful. (Which is he? Bold or beautiful?) And, as you may have heard already, Jessica Sierra has been arrested for assault and drug charges. Hmmm... isn't it about time for Corey Clarke to be in another publicity brouhaha?
• Newsday (out of New York) has a thought-provoking article on race and the possible finalist scenario for American Idol 6. Will talent win out no matter the race of the contestant? After all, it is a singing contest. Right?
• Inside Pulse has an interview with castoff Edgardo Rivera from Survivor 14: Fiji. Ah, Edgardo... we hardly got a chance to know you. Edgardo thought if he could get in the final three with Alex and either Mookie or Dreamz, he'd win hands-down. He also wants to apologize for some of the things he said about Cassandra. It's too bad that Edgardo didn't align with that group instead of the Four Horsemen. He would have made it a lot further in the game.

'Heroes' - "String Theory" - A BulletPoint Report

Oh my gosh, I don't think I've ever experienced a show which keeps me as riveted to my seat as this one. I swear, you blink and you miss out on something crucial. Now, I wasn't invited to the big Spider-Man 3 premiere in the city tonight, but I think Heroes was probably more entertaining. And, but of course, who cares about the red carpet stuff, anyway?

Tonight's episode brought us five years into the future. Gulp. It's not a pretty world, not at all. Since the present Hiro and the future Hiro are both in the episode, I'll refer to them as Hiro and Future Hiro respectively. I guess we should also keep in mind that anything which happened in tonight's episode is subject to change if the past is changed.

Here's the skinny, not necessarily in the order shown on the show:

• Hiro and Ando were in the future Isaac's studio after half of New York City was destroyed.
• They were confronted by Future Hiro who insisted Hiro shouldn't be there.
• "I scare me." -- One of the best lines of the night from Hiro.
• As they look at the timeline on strings in the studio, both October 4 and "save the cheerleader" stand out.
• Future Hiro thought Sylar had exploded and that Hiro had killed him the day the bomb exploded.
• Hiro said he hadn't killed him.

• Future Hiro told him that he had to go back and kill him the day after the election (Nathan).
• Nathan Petrelli is President and has Parkman (mind-reading ex-cop) and the Haitian working as Homeland Security.
• The government has decided that heroes (those with powers) are terrorists and must be rounded-up.
• Parkman and the Haitian burst into Isaac's studio and capture Hiro, but Future Hiro and Ando escape.
• Future Hiro said only Peter Petrelli is strong enough to fight the Haitian and they must find him.
• Ando and Future Hiro went to a nightclub in Las Vegas where Peter's girlfriend works.

• Oh? His girlfriend is Nikki, no Jessica about her. No DL, no Michah, either.
• Peter's weird haircut is gone, but he bears a scar on his face which resembles the one on Omar in The Wire.
• Peter's not interested until they mention stopping Sylar may change the world he sees now (five years in the future).
• Nathan is pushing for gathering all the heroes and killing them, telling the nation it was an attempt to cure them, but failed. Extinction, he calls it.
  
• His advisor, Suresh Mohinder, claims that would be genocide.
• Nathan argued the powers are out of control -- he used the example of a kid who sucked all the oxygen out of his school classroom and killed all his fellow students.
• When Mohinder reminded him that he (Nathan) has powers, Nathan said he could only fly. That's not dangerous to others.
• Meanwhile, Mr. Bennet (Horn-Rimmed Glasses, HRG) has set up a service to help relocate heroes... sort of like witness protection.
• When Future Hiro and Ando approach Bennet, he agrees to help them because they reminded him Hiro told Peter to "save the cheerleader, save the world."
• Suresh and Parkman were checking out the timeline. Suresh said October 4 is the day he had his father's ashes and met Peter Petrelli. He realizes that Hiro wants to go back to change the future. Suresh determined that each string of the timeline is a person. One breaks in the past, it changes the future.
  
• Parkman has turned into a real creep, in my opinion.
• Claire, with brown hair, is now a waitress in a diner in Midland, Texas, going by the name of Sandra.
• She's in love and plans to be married to a boy who doesn't know her past.
• HRG shows up at the diner and urges her to leave.
  
• Before she can (planning then to elope), Parkman shows up and takes her back to Mrs. Petrelli's house in NY.
• Nathan meets her at the house. But he ISN'T Nathan! It's Sylar! He's killed Candace and taken on her morphing powers! Oh, no! Sylar is the President!
• He went for Claire's brain, but we didn't see her die and, if she did, that could change if the past is changed.
• In NY, Parkman was frustrated and beating Hiro because he wouldn't (couldn't) tell him anything from the past five years.
• But... HRG ratted out Future Hiro and Ando in Las Vegas to Nathan! ACK. Apparently, he had an agreement to "give him the big ones."

• Parkman realizes there are two Hiros and that Hiro is being truthful.
• Nathan directs Suresh Mohinder to kill Hiro with an injection.
• Peter Petrelli saved Future Hiro and Ando from Parkman and they escape.
• Ando was saddened when Peter told him he died in the explosion. Future Hiro had refused to tell him.
• Pete thinks that Hiro wants to save Ando when he goes back.
• Suresh knows that if Sylar is killed five years ago, millions of lives would be saved.
• Pete told Nikki he's going with them. He said he was the bomb and killed them all, not Sylar. He must help Hiro.
• As Nathan is giving a five-year anniversary speech in NY, he announced a new treatment for the "terrorists" - one which will cure them. (Kill them.)

• The Haitian was assigned to help Mohinder give Hiro the shot to kill him. Mohinder pulled a fast one and gave the Haitian the shot instead so Hiro could escape.
• Meanwhile, Future Hiro, Ando, and Peter were trying to rescue Hiro.
• When Parkman radioed Nathan to tell him the Haitian was down, Nathan flew away... in front of the whole crowd and world attention.
• Parkman shot Future Hiro in the back, stunning Hiro. "I'm dead."
• Nathan morphed back into Sylar. He and Peter got into a super-fight in the hallway. Who will win? I dunno.
• Hiro and Ando time-traveled back to NYC to save the world.

Episode overload alert, eh? I can't wait until next week! If I left something important out, let me know. I may have blinked.

'The Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - Ep. 12 -or- "The Teletubbies Go To War"

Well, the spoilers I linked to some time back called it right. I was so hoping they would be foilers deliberately posted to lead us astray. As we head into next week's finale, I noticed Phil Keoghan's intro was decidedly different tonight.

"Which of the four remaining teams will be eliminated tonight?"

We last left the teams in Macau, China. The Beauty Queens, Dustin and Kandice, were in first place while Oswald and Danny, Team ChaCha, were marked for elimination due to their last place status. If they don't arrive in first place during this leg, they stand to suffer a thirty-minute penalty.

From the Pit Stop, teams had to fly to Guam where they would then head to Andersen Air Force Base. They would then have to select a military escort and climb the control tower on the base to receive their next clue.

Oh, but we know, getting through the airport and getting the best flight is often more trying than the actual destination's challenges! Sure enough, the Beauty Queens faced down Eric and Danielle as one said, "You look buff in your white shirt." Eric just glowered. There's no love lost there even though he seems to be on the ChaCha Warpath at this time.

While in the taxi, Mirna turned on the odd fake accent once again. She then smugly declared, "The right accent makes all the difference in the world." I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just not the globe-trotter she is. Maybe it's because my high school French teacher told me I had a bad American accent. I just don't get it. After all, if the driver can speak and understand English, why? Why?

Charla and Mirna, Eric and Danielle, and the Beauty Queens all ended up on the first flight to Guam, set to connect in Tokyo. Oswald and Danny made a different flight, but with the same connection in Tokyo if they could make it in 45 minutes. Much to the chagrin of Eric, they made it.

The teams would have bunched up at the Visitors Center anyway as it didn't open until 7 AM. Once they climbed the tower (Charla wanted to know where the elevator was... I would, too), the clue led them to a Detour. Both tasks had to do with the United States Air Force. The first one was Care Package -- teams would have to load a 500-pound care package of food and supplies, then go in a cargo plane to the air drop, then return. The other task was Engine Care -- teams would have to scrub a huge B-52 and only receive the next clue after it passed scrutiny from the Sergeant.

I was stunned that only Charla and Mirna chose the Care Package! If I were there, I would have gone for the humanitarian deed. It sounded like a lot more fun and probably easier than scrubbing a whole plane.

Dustin and Kandice found out there's "no charming the sergeant." No-sirree-Bob, that guy was all business. I'm surprised the teams ever got his approval. Meanwhile, Charla and Mirna sort of irked their Air Force guy by tossing the goods into the box. "Don't just throw things like they're garbage!"

Once they loaded the box and got aboard the cargo plane, the fun began. "I feel like we're Top Gun!" They got to see the package dropped at its destination and experienced zero gravity as the cargo plane nose-dived.

I'm not sure how thrilled the airmen were when Mirna asked them to please go faster as they're in a race. I don't think I'd be pushing them too much, but then again... I don't think I'm as pushy as Mirna. That, of course, is probably a good thing. They ended up landing after the last team (Team ChaCha) had finished the plane, but it didn't seem like there was a big time gap there.

The clue at the completion of the Detour directed them to drive 21 miles to the US Naval Base. Again, they had to have an escort. Dustin and Kandice complimented their female sailor on her cute uniform and nails.

The Roadblock, Search Far and Wide, was kind of cool, I thought. One member of each team had to locate a hidden officer using a handheld GPS unit. Dustin did best of the girls as Mirna and Danielle seemed hopelessly lost for ages. Charla kept touching the face of the GPS and Danielle kept hitting the side buttons. Once Oswald got going, he seemed to really know what he was doing. Was there hope? Would there be hope?

Nope. If he hadn't walked right by his hidden soldier a dozen times, maybe he would have made it, maybe not. You couldn't really tell how edited the timing was at that point.

Dustin completed the task, then Danielle. Charla squeaked by Oswald in radioing, tossing her smoke grenade, then getting her helicopter ride back to from whence they came. Oswald saw her running in her camouflage gear and said, "Oh, no. The Teletubbies go to war!" It didn't look like anything short of all the other teams getting totally lost and driving into the ocean would save the ChaChas as Charla landed before Oswald.

The Pit Stop at Fort Soledad would be the telling moment... and it was sure to tell what I'd rather not hear. Here's the order of arrival:

1. Dustin and Kandice - Each won an all-terrain vehicle.
2. Eric and Danielle
3. Charla and Mirna
4. Danny and Oswald... Philiminated. (Sigh)

So, my favorite team is out of the running. They took it well and said they hope Mirna and Charla win. As much as I like the guys, the team I'd like to see win out of the remaining three would be Dustin and Kandice. No all -female team has won the race before and only one all-female team has ever made it in the Final Three. And this year we have two teams. If Mirna wasn't as grating on me with her rudeness, fake accents, condescending ways, poor treatment of Charla... I could cheer them on. But Mirna just turns me totally off. Eric and Danielle were never originally a team and Eric's sexist ways irk me. At least Dustin and Kandice don't whine and they're generally a strong team.

As for Guam, it was an interesting destination for the leg. It brought back memories for me as a friend of mine was stationed there at the Naval Base after his tour in Vietnam. He told me when he first got there, he'd see lights and hear noises coming from somewhere in the distance. When he asked, he was told, "That's just Gorco." So, he pictured a monster dinosaur in his mind. It was actually GORCO - Guam Oil Refining Company. No, not as exciting as a monster dinosaur, but Gorco made a good name for a cat years later.