Thursday, November 01, 2007

'Dancing With the Stars' - Fall 2007 Season - Blog Discussion Post Two

Due to popular request, I'm putting up an additional DWTS blog discussion post for the remainder of the season as the comments in the other one were getting unwieldy.

The official show website is here.

This season's original discussion post can be found here and I invite you to bring over any ongoing discussions you wish from the older post.

The original blog discussion post is located here.
AOL's feature page for Dancing With the Stars is right here.
The TV Squad reviews for the show can be found here.
The SirLinksAlot page for the show is here (lots of great links).

TV Newsy Bits - Thursday, November 1, 2007


Oh, look what I got! Look what I got! Thanks to my TV Squad gig, I received a screener copy of The Amazing Race 12 season premiere today! And, but of course, I dropped what I was doing to watch it immediately after the FedEx man left. My lips are sealed; I can't be bribed. I'll be posting a review of the season premiere Sunday evening on TV Squad. But I'll say one thing -- the magic is back! Set the Sunday 8 PM ET/PT hour aside for an amazing good time.

In other TV Newsy Bits:
  • Around 8 PM ET tonight I'll be setting up a Survivor 15: China East Coast Updates post which I'll update throughout the show with the major happenings. My full show review will be posted on TV Squad late this evening.
  • I have a few posts up over on TV Squad you might wish to peek at -- my Kid Nation review from last night and spoilers for the upcoming Survivor 16. With the latter, if you don't want to know, don't go. It's filming now, so no boot spoilers just location and all stars or not kind of stuff.
  • At this time it's still uncertain whether the WGA (Writers Guild of America) will call for its members to strike. If it does, the most immediate shows impacted will be shows such as Letterman, Leno, SNL, and such. They don't have shows filmed ahead and rely on a staff of writers. The first show postponed due to a possible strike is Heroes: Origins according to news sources.
  • This blog will not be affected by any strike. I'd hold out for more pay here, but ... um ... well, I do have my day job because writing can't support me in the jetsetting way of life I love so much. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)
  • I'm postponing my final installment on the TAR12 teams until tomorrow evening due to time issues today. But, who knows? Maybe I saved the best for last!
Today's music non-sequitur:
We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance
And if your friends don't dance
They're no friends of mine.
-- "The Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats

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

Continuing on with the teams we'll be seeing starting this Sunday, November 4, I'll cover the next four in this entry. If you click on the TAR12 link you see at the bottom of the post, it will bring up all of my posts about the show. Um ... I think that would be one here now. But there will be more even though I'll be writing the reviews of the show for TV Squad this season. An introductory teams post is over on TV Squad and Part One of the teams can be found here. Without further ado ...

Shana and Jennifer, an actress and a legal assistant, seem like they might take a page from Evil Beauty Queens Dustin and Kandice. They're beautiful (eye candy for the guys) and blonde. On the promos for the season, we've seen these two promise to use flirting and their looks to get ahead.

Shana has a back up career plan -- she also recently finished chef school. (Maybe we'll see her on Top Chef next!) She thinks she's loyal, compassionate, and competitive. She also has a lot of traveling experience.

Jennifer is also well-traveled, but thinks she's more meticulous in comparison to Shana. They both think they have the experiences and competitiveness to win it all. They could very well be a strong team.

Brother and sister team Azaria and Hendekea should prove to be my own personal triumph against misspelling names ... or a huge failure. I'm so hoping Hendekea has a nickname. Henny maybe? Originally hailing from New Orleans, he remains there while she moved out to California.

In the CBS bio, she says she's dainty. Dainty? Can you be dainty on The Amazing Race? Should you even think of daintiness? Yikes!

Both siblings seem to have it on the ball in the brains department, but the bio hints at underlying problems with sibling rivalry. He's the older one and tended to pick on her when she was younger. My brother probably would have picked on me to
o had I thought I was dainty. I guess we'll see how they do.

Lorena and Jason have more typical jobs for reality show contestants than do many on TAR -- a bartender and a wedding videographer, respectively. Both act, too. (Surprise, surprise.) Compared to Azaria being a facilities engineer and his sister an aerospace engineer, Lorena and Jason have reality show careers, eh?

They're a dating couple who met at a bar three years ago. They live together, but rarely see each other due to conflicting work schedules. And, they're yet another dating team who claim to be using the race to see if they really belong together. Haven't we seen enough of those?

They have cultural differences to overcome, too. Oh, well. He thinks he's courageous and volatile. She's extremely jealous when it comes to him. I don't know. If they bicker too much or call each other "babe" through gritted teeth when the love just ain't there -- they can be out early for all I care!

I think Nicolas and Donald are going to be an interesting team to watch -- he's very young (23) and he's old (68), a grandson and grandfather. I'm talking young and old in terms of running the race, not in "real life." One's tall, one's short. They look so different from many of the perfectly matched kind of teams that I want to cheer these two on from the start.

Nicolas thinks he's reliable, competitive, and goofy. Yes, goofy. I like goofy at times -- as long as he isn't just silly! Donald likes to tell his grandson what to do and thinks that while Nicolas may know maps (he's been a pilot since the age of 17), he possesses street smarts and experience.

I hope Donald is in good shape. I think I want this team to last far into the race because I'm going to enjoy them. I think so, anyway.

The final installment on the teams will be posted tomorrow evening. Are you ready?

[Team images used here © CBS]

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.