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)"

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.
  

'Heroes' - "Fight or Flight"

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 didn'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.

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"