Monday, May 21, 2007

'Heroes' - "How To Stop An Exploding Man" - A BulletPoint Report

Jackie's TV Blog, Heroes

Well, it was the big season finale tonight. In retrospect, I think this is one of the few shows which hooked me right off the bat.

Each week I sat mesmerized by the happenings with nary a moment to relax in between the thrills and chills. I'm going to miss this show.

I thought the ending of tonight's show was a bit different from what I had expected, but it was fitting. Ah, but that's later. Here's what happened on the show...

  • The voice of Mohinder Suresh opened the show saying wise, pithy, and prophetic kinds of things. Make him shut up, please.
  • The show started by tying up the loose ends on the dead folks from the last chapter.
  • DL regained conciousness.
  • Nikki asked why he took the bullet as he could have just allowed it to phase through him.
  • We asked the same question.
  • No on got an answer.
  • Linderman remains dead.
  • Thompson, Bennet's ex-boss from Primatech, also remains dead.
  • Mohinder, Bennet, and Parkman are still in the Kirby Plaza Tower.
  • Molly reminded Parkman he once promised to keep her safe from the Boogeyman (Sylar).
  • Parkman told her that no one would hurt her.
  • Bennet, with some persuasion from Parkman and Mohinder, decided that she could remain alive and actually help them by finding Sylar.
  • Bennet told Mohinder about Thompson, the corrupt organization he wasHEROES Finale - Hiro working for, and how he (Bennet) is a good guy.
  • They kiss (not literally) and become buddies once again.
  • Meanwhile, Hiro talked with his father.
  • Hiro wants to find Ando; his father thinks his destiny, his mission, is more important.
  • Hiro respectfully refuses - "I won't abandon my friend." He goes off looking for Ando.
  • Sylar is still at Isaac Mendez's studio. He's not happy with Peter Petrelli paintings.
  • Nathan's mother told him that Linderman is dead.
  • When Nathan seemed to waver, she reminded him the plan wasn't just Linderman's.
  • "The world will need me after the explosion. This changes nothing," said Nathan.
  • Back at the Kirby, DL doesn't think he can make it and told Nikki to go find Micah and return.
  • Claire and Peter called Bennet to tell him that Ted (Nuclear Hands Dude)HEROES Finale - Molly Pinpoints Sylar Sprague was dead.
  • Bennet and Peter both agree that Sylar, in addition to Peter, absorbed Sprague's power.
  • Bennet told Peter that he would locate Sylar as soon as they fix the tracking system (Molly).
  • Molly had a bit of a relapse, but was "fixed."
  • She pinpointed Sylar's location on a map. Bennet recognized it as Isaac's studio.
  • But he couldn't tell Peter that because...
  • Peter led Claire to Nathan and his Mom, telling her he trusts Nathan.
  • Claire ends up going off with Nathan and his Mom.HEROES Finale - Peter Watching Peter
  • Peter passed out on the street.
  • He awakened watching himself back nursing Mr. Deveaux.
  • And... his mother is talking to Charles Deveaux!
  • Deveaux is in on the whole thing. They're discussing which son to use to save the world.
  • Mom Petrelli thinks Nathan is the one because Peter was so iffy.
  • Deveaux told her that Peter had heart, compassion and hope -- he was the one.
  • It turns out that Deveaux can see the invisible Peter and talks to him once they're alone.
  • "You had the power all along," Deveaux told Peter (sounding a lot like the Wizard of Oz). "You just needed to know how to use it.
  • Back at Isaac's loft, Ando arrived with the sword to kill Sylar.HEROES Finale - Mr. Deveaux
  • Sylar sneaked up on him and stuck him on a wall, telling him he didn't want his brain.
  • But then Hiro arrived to save the day! Or, at least, to save his best friend.
  • Sylar taunted Hiro about freezing time.
  • "Can you do your little trick quicker than I can do mine?"
  • ZOOM - Hiro did it. He and Ando are back in Japan at their workplace.
  • Hiro told Ando that he taught him the meaning of bravery, but he (Ando) must remain behind.
  • Back at the Kirby, Candice is playing her illusion tricks.HEROES Finale - Sylar Sneaks Up On Ando
  • Nikki found the right room, but Candice is done up like Jessica and Micah is laying dead on the floor.
  • Then it was Jessica's turn to save the day.
  • She appeared in broken glass and told Nikki that she was stronger and it wasn't Jessica (Candice).
  • Nikki went a bit Jessica on Candice and rescued the alive Micah.
  • Back to Claire -- she jumped out of a tall building to escape from Mom Petrelli and Nathan.
  • "Let her go," said Mrs. Petrelli.
  • Bennet came across Peter who was still down on the street.
  • He told Peter he'd take Claire's place with the gun if Peter can't control the radioactive hands.
  • Bennet said he owe Pete. And, more importantly, he told him to call him Noah. Noah, eh?
  • All of the heroes are working their way towards Kirby Plaza.
  • Peter and Sylar face off.
  • "Didn't I kill you once before?"
  • "Didn't take," said Peter.
In the end, it wasn't any one hero who stopped Sylar. Parkman tried to shoot him, only to have Sylar stop the bullets and send them back into Parkman. Nikki, with her new-found strength, whopped him with a pole from a parking hydrant. Hiro ran him through with his sword. So, it wasn't the duel of powers that we expected between Peter and Sylar, not at all.

And, we're not even sure Sylar is really dead. One of the last scenes had his blood (no body) running into a drain with a cockroach scurrying in it.
HEROES Finale - Dead Sylar?
What about the explosion? Well, Peter's hands did go crazy and he couldn't control the power. Claire tried to shoot him as planned, but couldn't do it. Then Nathan saved the day. He arrived and flew Peter away and we saw an explosion. Why couldn't Peter fly himself away? Maybe he can't concentrate on flying when he's exploding? Can't Peter live through the explosion? Ted Sprague couldn't blow himself up, after all.

And, what of Hiro? After running Sylar through with the sword, it seems Sylar slung him back into the past where he's surrounded by armored men on horses.

Um. Okay.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Sneak Peek: Tyler Perry's 'House of Payne' on TBS

I'm sure this show will have an audience, but I'm not quite as sure that the audience will include me.

Tyler Perry is popular these days, yet his work isn't always my cup of tea. When I saw some brief clips of Tyler Perry's House of Payne in a promo package from TBS, I thought I would give the show a try. I might still, but only for new TV fodder that I haven't seen before over the summer months.

I was sent a screener for the first episode, or a reasonable pre-release thereof. While the show has a fine cast, cute kids, a curmudgeon-uncle and a wise and loving aunt... there's one character which sort of turned me off.

Why do movies or TV shows feel they must create odd huge (fat or just plain tall) women characters out of men? I never enjoy that kind of role in a show, but I know that it's often done and done successfully on a commercial level. Aren't there enough huge, weird, intimidating and such women who are actually women? It could be just me, but whenever I see that sort of "man playing big weird woman" role and the humor surrounding it, I feel it's a bit off-putting or sophomoric. Or something.

And, I realize that it's Tyler Perry in the role for this one. But, that's not enough to make me enjoy it. The show has some clever writing and the rest of the cast is enjoyable, but I'm just not seeing this one atop my personal summer favorites list. However, if you enjoy that sort of humor and Tyler Perry, definitely check it out.

The series premiere is Wednesday, June 6 at 9 PM ET/PT. You can look in on the website for all kinds of stuff House of Payne-related.

'Lost - The Answers' - The Un-Special

Jackie's TV Blog, Lost

They hyped it up. They pimped it out. They promised us... answers.


Due to its odd starting time on Thursday night (10:15 PM here), I opted to watch The Wire on BET and record this Lost "special." I thought I'd watch it today and share with the readers here all of the exciting news.

Um.

Well.

It was a show entirely composed of clips from the episodes we've watched before. Two producers (Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelhof) of the show dramatically would state things like "the show is about who they were, who they are, and who they will become" (regarding the characters) or "the monster processes memories of the people" (duh, even in the first season we got that much) or "the whole island is a magic box" or "the characters are all linked together" or... and it goes on and on.

If you wanted a quick series recap of clips which played important parts to the series thus far, this would be the show for you. That it was hyped as a special which might provide more answers or insight into the series was downright wrong. Heck, maybe even mean-spirited! About the only "new" news (and it's actually old news) the producers gave is that the characters aren't ghosts, are living and breathing, and aren't in Purgatory. That's all way old.

They confirmed it was Desmond who crashed Flight 815 with electro-magnetic waves when he didn't enter the code in on time. They confirmed that Hurley thinks he's unlucky. They explored Roger WorkMan and commented on Sawyer partying alongside Ben's dead father.

Lost, you disappointed me with this special. Next time you do a recap clips show, bill it as such. Don't tell me it's a special and I'll learn all kinds of stuff from the esteemed producers. Just don't do it.

And, make the finale this Wednesday enough to make me want to come back as a viewer next FEBRUARY when the show returns. I'm really not too sure you're doing this scheduling thing right!

Pants in Bloom - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - May 21-25

Late Show with David Letterman The subway series has the Yankees down two games to the Mets. But, more important... will Dave's guests score a home run this week?

Here's the list:

  • Monday, May 21 - Rudy Giuliani, Mike West and his Cra-Z-Boy Chair, and music guest Jesus & Mary Chain.
  • Tuesday, May 22 - Charles Barkley, Seth Rogen promoting Knocked Up, Michael Martin Murphey (CD is Heartland Cowboy: Cowboy Songs, Vol. 5)
  • Thursday, May 24 -Al Gore pushin' his latest endeavor, a book entitled The Assault on Reason, comedian Jim Short.
  • Friday, May 25 - Kevin Spacey (Broadway's A Moon for the Misbegotten) and Alexis Bledel (I'm Reed Fish).

Yes, you're seeing things right. According to the official website, there is no Wednesday this week. But, according to the AOL TV Listings, Wednesday does indeed exist --

  • Wednesday, May 23 - Stupid Pet Tricks, Rosie Perez and musical guest Dr. Dog.

Who's sleeping on the job at the show's website, eh?

Saturday, May 19, 2007

'American Idol' - Simon Cowell Reacts to Melinda Doolittle's Ouster

Jackie's TV Blog, American Idol

A blog reader (thanks, Justene!) asked if I had heard anything about Simon Cowell's reaction to Melinda Doolittle being voted off the show this week. Well, I surely found some reaction and I'm here to tell y'all...


In this Orlando Sentinel article, Simon voiced his disappointment with the voting, yet optimism for the upcoming winner. When asked if he thought Melinda lost due to her looks, he said, "I hope not," he says. "I think her age may have played a factor, not her looks. We have a lot of teenage voters." Cowell thinks the teenaged voters voted for Jordin rather than Melinda.

As for his thoughts on Blake, he called him a "brilliant entertainer, but not a fantastic singer." He thinks the opposite is true of Jordin -- "She is a great singer. On a negative, she hasn't done one performance I can remember as a wow."

Both contestants will have to sing a ballad this week, which could very well be a bit rough on Blake. Cowell stated in the article that he hopes that Blake will also do a Bon Jovi song. After all, one of his best performances to date was "You Give Love a Bad Name."

In other Idol News, the New York Daily News has an interview with the finalists, Jordin and Blake. They're both in it to win it. After last week's "old" comment from Simon, Jordin vows that she'll sing something more "youthful" this week.

They'll be singing three songs each this week -- one from the ongoing songwriting competition, one of their own choosing, and one they've sang on the show before. (Heh... can we say "shot through the heart and it's too late...?")

Another article which caught my interest came from PostStar.com - Melinda probably deserved better. Yeah, she probably did, I say. The article's written by a Los Angeles Times columnist and provides some insight into what we didn't see on Wednesday night as we either cussed our TV sets or jumped with joy. Should the voting system for the show be changed? Hmmm...

One quote in particular within the article linked above is perfect to close this entry: "But as we know now, 'Idol' has gotten too big to produce just one superstar a season. Melinda Doolittle belongs to the world now."

And, for me, that makes the world a bit better place.