Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
When it rains, it pours (in a good way)
In an awesome update to my "Castle" post the other day, ABC announced that they have ordered two extra episodes of the show bringing its total from 22 to 24.
Normally a full season is 24 episodes, so this is a good sign.
It's also a good sign because the next possible step is to renew it.
Now, ABC could pull a fast one and renew it any day now. Or, more likely, wait until the summer or even later to announce if it's coming back.
But, with them just cancelling "Ugly Betty," the odds are looking better every day
Normally a full season is 24 episodes, so this is a good sign.
It's also a good sign because the next possible step is to renew it.
Now, ABC could pull a fast one and renew it any day now. Or, more likely, wait until the summer or even later to announce if it's coming back.
But, with them just cancelling "Ugly Betty," the odds are looking better every day
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
'American Idol' so far
Last night "American Idol" aired its audition episodes from Los Angeles and the lackluster talent sparks the question of whether "Idol" has finally peaked.
Traditionally LA and New York provide an abundance of talent because of their entertainment heavy communities. However, like many of the other cities this season LA was a disappointment.
Los Angeles only yielded 24 golden tickets out of 11,000 applicants. Previous cities Chicago and Orlando also provided a dismal number of trips to Hollywood. So, has "American Idol" finally run out of undiscovered talent or are the truly talented choosing to skip the reality show route.
Let's be honest, the majority of those who make it to Hollywood week will be cut within the first two days. That leaves about 50 singers who have something special and out of those 50 only 24 get to sing live on national television and only 12 will get to the coveted finals.
With odds that slim I understand why some singers might decide to go it on their own. There's no denying that "Idol" will give many of these competitors the biggest break they've ever had, but, it's still quite a longshot.
Tonight the show is in Dallas with Neil Patrick Harris and Joe Jonas as guest judges. Of course I can't wait to see NPH, but I'm still waiting to feel any sort excitement for this season.
For me the competition doesn't really start until Hollywood week, however, the audition shows have given me very few acts to root for. I suppose the only thing that's keeping me interested is the anticipation of Ellen DeGeneres's appearance during the Hollywood rounds.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Checkmate!
By now, everyone knows I'm a little geeky when it comes to entertainment. And one of my geekier habits is my love to box office and television rating numbers.
And yes, I am aware of the joke that all journalists hate math. I 100 percent agree with that statement.
Lately I've been off with box office numbers because I am more than annoyed with "Avatar" fever. Much like fair weather fans in sports, I am sick of "Avatar" fans. Side note: When I found out "The Hurt Locker" won Best Picture at the PGAs over "Avatar" I jumped up and clapped.
Anywho...
Another known fact is how much we here at Inscaped love, LOVE "Castle." And I have been borderline obsessing over the television ratings for the show.
The great news is that with every passing week the ratings are going up! Most shows go down (cough"Heroes"cough).
A great site for ratings is TVbythenumbers.com and I check it out every day. So I was super jazzed when I came across this article today:
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/01/26/tv-ratings-fox-wins-night-castle-sees-highs-chuck-steady/40154
Yes, "CSI: Miami" was a repeat and some of the viewers might have switched over. It's not like they're going to watch Leno. But, numbers are numbers. And ABC needs hits. "Desperate Housewives" is down, "Brothers and Sisters" is down. "V" and "Flash Forward" not doing so great.
ABC needs a show that they can flaunt to advertisers and say "Look at these ratings! They climb every week." Add to that the fact that ABC makes "Castle" gives it even more of a reason to keep around. Sometimes networks make shows and other networks air those same shows.
Oh, looky looky. Just as I was typing this I came across a happy press release from ABC: http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/01/26/at-10pm-abc%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9ccastle%e2%80%9d-hits-series-highs-in-key-adult-and-men-demos/40219
Booyah.
And yes, I am aware of the joke that all journalists hate math. I 100 percent agree with that statement.
Lately I've been off with box office numbers because I am more than annoyed with "Avatar" fever. Much like fair weather fans in sports, I am sick of "Avatar" fans. Side note: When I found out "The Hurt Locker" won Best Picture at the PGAs over "Avatar" I jumped up and clapped.
Anywho...
Another known fact is how much we here at Inscaped love, LOVE "Castle." And I have been borderline obsessing over the television ratings for the show.
The great news is that with every passing week the ratings are going up! Most shows go down (cough"Heroes"cough).
A great site for ratings is TVbythenumbers.com and I check it out every day. So I was super jazzed when I came across this article today:
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/01/26/tv-ratings-fox-wins-night-castle-sees-highs-chuck-steady/40154
Yes, "CSI: Miami" was a repeat and some of the viewers might have switched over. It's not like they're going to watch Leno. But, numbers are numbers. And ABC needs hits. "Desperate Housewives" is down, "Brothers and Sisters" is down. "V" and "Flash Forward" not doing so great.
ABC needs a show that they can flaunt to advertisers and say "Look at these ratings! They climb every week." Add to that the fact that ABC makes "Castle" gives it even more of a reason to keep around. Sometimes networks make shows and other networks air those same shows.
Oh, looky looky. Just as I was typing this I came across a happy press release from ABC: http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/01/26/at-10pm-abc%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9ccastle%e2%80%9d-hits-series-highs-in-key-adult-and-men-demos/40219
Booyah.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
The shows you should be watching, but aren't
I watch a lot of TV and when I say a lot I mean way more than the average viewer. Granted most of it is work related, but some of it I'm just addicted to.
Not all of these shows are unknown, some of them you may have heard of and some you may not, but what they all have in common is that they're great shows that more people should be watching.
"Leverage"-A fantastic TNT show about a group of con artists and thieves who use their various to skills to help others. They usually tackle some rich criminal or corporation who's too big for the justice system.
Why you should watch: The amazing chemistry between the cast, who work together like an ensemble who've been doing this for years. Every character feels authentic, which is a testament to great acting and solid writing, both of which are hard to find in today's TV climate.
"Community"-The quirky comedy about the goings-on at a ridiculous community college.
Why you should watch: Two words, Joel McHale. I mean really, who doesn't love Joel McHale? He brings all the snarky goodness of "The Soup" to his role of disgraced lawyer Jeff Winger. The show also features a hilarious supporting cast, who play some of the most disturbing yet entertaining characters on TV. Also the only thing still funny on NBC Thursday nights.
"Legend of the Seeker"-A syndicated fantasy action show that follows the adventures of Richard Rahl as he fights against evil in his home kingdom. The show is based on Terry Goodkind's "The Sword of Truth" novels and is rich with sword fights and magic.
Why you should watch: It's a fun way to spend an hour. With it's beautiful background and touching love story between Richard and Kahlan, the show will remind viewers of the classic syndicated days of "Hercules" and "Xena." It's also slightly cheesy and knows it.
"Demons"-A British scifi show that takes the legend of Van Helsing and turns it on its ear. The show follows Van Helsing's great-grandson Luke as he fights all sort of monsters and creatures while trying to have a semblance of a normal 18 year old existence.
Why you should watch: This is British TV star Phillip Glenister's third hit in a row and its clear from the first moment he's on screen why he's so popular. Here he plays Luke's godfather and mentor Rupert Galvin and again he uses the perfect mix of charm and intimidation to lure the audience in. The show airs on BBC America on Saturday nights.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Karma perhaps?
Entertainment Weekly is reporting that celebrity-for-no-reason Heidi Montag-Pratt's debut CD not only flopped, but flopped HARD.
It sold an amazing 650 copies (downloads, it was a digital only CD)!
I bet her equally fame starved husband probably bought a majority of them.
And those sales weren't even enough to break the Billboard top 200.
Is it also hilarious that her CD is titled "Superficial?" That's like me naming my CD "Nerdy!"
And to further punish you, here's a single:
It sold an amazing 650 copies (downloads, it was a digital only CD)!
I bet her equally fame starved husband probably bought a majority of them.
And those sales weren't even enough to break the Billboard top 200.
Is it also hilarious that her CD is titled "Superficial?" That's like me naming my CD "Nerdy!"
And to further punish you, here's a single:
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Nerdy... and awesome
I love the Web site Woot.com. They sell a unique item every day. Most days it's just one item, sometimes they sell dual packs and some days they sell a ton of products in 24 hours.
They also have a shirt site, shirts.woot.com. What the site does is holds weekly contests with different themes. Then people submit designs under that specific theme and then visitors to the site vote for the best. The top vote getters are then sold on the site.
I have purchased three shirts on Woot. Two of them have been worn on the show; the red "Apathy Coalition" one and the Halloween "scare badges." shirt.
A couple of weeks ago I saw they had an interesting offer. It was a random shirt for $6.66. I had no clue what I was getting, just a random shirt they would grab and throw into a box. But, for that price and no shipping, I couldn't pass it up.
Recently, I got the package and here's the design, which I love:
They also have a shirt site, shirts.woot.com. What the site does is holds weekly contests with different themes. Then people submit designs under that specific theme and then visitors to the site vote for the best. The top vote getters are then sold on the site.
I have purchased three shirts on Woot. Two of them have been worn on the show; the red "Apathy Coalition" one and the Halloween "scare badges." shirt.
A couple of weeks ago I saw they had an interesting offer. It was a random shirt for $6.66. I had no clue what I was getting, just a random shirt they would grab and throw into a box. But, for that price and no shipping, I couldn't pass it up.
Recently, I got the package and here's the design, which I love:
At first I didn't get it. My niece didn't get it either. It wasn't until my brother (who has a 2-year old son) figured it out in a split second.
Just think of the children's show "Blue's Clues" and you'll get it. Unfortunately I can't wear it on the show because of the green in the dead guy's sweater. It's a no go with the green screen we use.
Still. Nerdy and awesome.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
I may burst into song
In what is quite possibly the best news I've heard in a very long time, Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Neil Patrick Harris is about to sign a deal for a guest spot on the upcoming Joss Whedon directed episode of "Glee."
That is simply a dream come true for a nerd like me. My love of NPH is no secret, so the idea of him re-teaming with Whedon for an episode of "Glee" gives me chills.
As excited as I may be, I am also cautiously optimistic because CBS still has to approve the deal. But, can you imagine how awesome it will be to have NPH, Whedon and the "Glee" cast all working together.
If you listen closely you can hear my screams of joy, you can also hear Tim rolling his eyes in disgust.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Golden Globes wrapup
So "The Golden Globes" show has come and gone and, of course, no real surprises.
As far as results, Stephanie got 11 right and I got 12 right. Out of 20. So we both technically failed.
Here's what Stephanie had to say about the show:
Ricky Gervais was funny but not as funny as I was expecting. It seemed like he was holding back a little bit. The Mel Gibson line was hilarious and the shameless plugs were great, but I still wanted more.
The best speeches of the night were Mo'Nique who was very gracious and Robert Downey Jr. who was hysterical.
For the most part none of the winners surprised me or made me feel genuinely happy until "Glee" won. I was also really excited for Robert Downey Jr. because he deserves to get a little recognition for the last couple of years he's had.
Overall the show didn't have the usual fun atmosphere that we've come to expect from the Globes. I don't know if this is because of what's happening in Haiti, which is far more important than any award show, or because the Golden Globes have become less important as more award shows pop up on the calendar.
I'd have to agree with her on almost every point. I don't agree with the Mo'nique speech. Both Mo'nique and Christoph Waltz knew they were going to win, they've won almost every freaking award coming up to this. I also loved Mo'nique's speech at the Critics Choice Awards where she said Lee Daniels was the best director out there. Yeah, 'cause she's worked with some of the greats like Jessy Terrero and Don Michael Paul.
Google it people.
Funny note. Mo'nique was in Daniel's other film "Shadowboxer" and she played a character named... Precious.
On a separate note, you think NBC was bashed enough last night? Jeez. It was a bloodbath.
As far as results, Stephanie got 11 right and I got 12 right. Out of 20. So we both technically failed.
Here's what Stephanie had to say about the show:
Ricky Gervais was funny but not as funny as I was expecting. It seemed like he was holding back a little bit. The Mel Gibson line was hilarious and the shameless plugs were great, but I still wanted more.
The best speeches of the night were Mo'Nique who was very gracious and Robert Downey Jr. who was hysterical.
For the most part none of the winners surprised me or made me feel genuinely happy until "Glee" won. I was also really excited for Robert Downey Jr. because he deserves to get a little recognition for the last couple of years he's had.
Overall the show didn't have the usual fun atmosphere that we've come to expect from the Globes. I don't know if this is because of what's happening in Haiti, which is far more important than any award show, or because the Golden Globes have become less important as more award shows pop up on the calendar.
I'd have to agree with her on almost every point. I don't agree with the Mo'nique speech. Both Mo'nique and Christoph Waltz knew they were going to win, they've won almost every freaking award coming up to this. I also loved Mo'nique's speech at the Critics Choice Awards where she said Lee Daniels was the best director out there. Yeah, 'cause she's worked with some of the greats like Jessy Terrero and Don Michael Paul.
Google it people.
Funny note. Mo'nique was in Daniel's other film "Shadowboxer" and she played a character named... Precious.
On a separate note, you think NBC was bashed enough last night? Jeez. It was a bloodbath.
Friday, January 15, 2010
New episode up... and an editor's note
We ran out of time during the show to talk about our Worst TV of the Year.
Tim - "House"
Stephanie - "The Office"
In a cruel twist of fate, last year during our Best of 2008 Awards, I named "House" as the best and Stephanie named "The Office" as her best.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Golden Globes predictions
Predictions only represent what we think will win, not what we're rooting for because obviously we have no rooting interest in "30 Rock."
Movies
Best Picture Drama- Stephanie: “Avatar” Tim: "Up in the Air"
Best Actress Drama- Stephanie: Carey Mulligan Tim: Sandra Bullock
Best Actor Drama- Stephanie: George Clooney Tim: Same
Best Picture Comedy- Stephanie: “The Hangover” Tim: Same
Best Actress Comedy- Stephanie: Meryl Streep-“Julie & Julia” Tim: Same (maybe not same movie)
Best Actor Comedy- Stephanie: Robert Downey Jr. Tim: Matt Damon
Best Supporting Actress- Stephanie: MoNique Tim: Same
Best Supporting Actor- Stephanie: Christoph Waltz Tim: Same
Best Animated Film- Stephanie: “Up” Tim: Same
Best Director- Stephanie: James Cameron Tim: Bigelow
Best Screenplay- Stephanie: Quentin Tarantino Tim: Jason Reitman
TV
Best TV Drama- Stephanie: “True Blood” Tim: "Mad Men"
Best Actress TV Drama- Stephanie: Glenn Close Tim: Juliana Marg.
Best Actor TV Drama- Stephanie: Jon Hamm Tim: Hugh Laurie
Best TV Comedy- Stephanie: “Glee” Tim: Same
Best Actress TV Comedy- Stephanie: Tina Fey Tim: Same
Best Actor TV Comedy- Stephanie: Alec Baldwin Tim: Same
Best Supporting Actress TV- Stephanie: Jane Lynch Tim: Same
Best Supporting Actor TV- Stephanie: John Lithgow Tim: Same
Movies
Best Picture Drama- Stephanie: “Avatar” Tim: "Up in the Air"
Best Actress Drama- Stephanie: Carey Mulligan Tim: Sandra Bullock
Best Actor Drama- Stephanie: George Clooney Tim: Same
Best Picture Comedy- Stephanie: “The Hangover” Tim: Same
Best Actress Comedy- Stephanie: Meryl Streep-“Julie & Julia” Tim: Same (maybe not same movie)
Best Actor Comedy- Stephanie: Robert Downey Jr. Tim: Matt Damon
Best Supporting Actress- Stephanie: MoNique Tim: Same
Best Supporting Actor- Stephanie: Christoph Waltz Tim: Same
Best Animated Film- Stephanie: “Up” Tim: Same
Best Director- Stephanie: James Cameron Tim: Bigelow
Best Screenplay- Stephanie: Quentin Tarantino Tim: Jason Reitman
TV
Best TV Drama- Stephanie: “True Blood” Tim: "Mad Men"
Best Actress TV Drama- Stephanie: Glenn Close Tim: Juliana Marg.
Best Actor TV Drama- Stephanie: Jon Hamm Tim: Hugh Laurie
Best TV Comedy- Stephanie: “Glee” Tim: Same
Best Actress TV Comedy- Stephanie: Tina Fey Tim: Same
Best Actor TV Comedy- Stephanie: Alec Baldwin Tim: Same
Best Supporting Actress TV- Stephanie: Jane Lynch Tim: Same
Best Supporting Actor TV- Stephanie: John Lithgow Tim: Same
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
NBC - 'Never Been Cheaper'
So now that Leno is out of primetime, NBC announced some of its "new" shows starting soon...
Funny stuff.
A remake of "The Rockford Files."
A remake of "Prime Suspect." Cue Stephanie getting pissed.
A new undercover spy show from JJ Abrams.
A new legal drama from David E. Kelley.
A relationship reality show from Jerry Seinfeld.
And maybe another "Law and Order" in the works... possibly Los Angeles. Abbreviate the city and take away "and Order." Got it?
No wonder "Heroes" creator and showrunner Tim Kring still has a job. No one at NBC likes new, creative ideas.
Funny stuff.
A remake of "The Rockford Files."
A remake of "Prime Suspect." Cue Stephanie getting pissed.
A new undercover spy show from JJ Abrams.
A new legal drama from David E. Kelley.
A relationship reality show from Jerry Seinfeld.
And maybe another "Law and Order" in the works... possibly Los Angeles. Abbreviate the city and take away "and Order." Got it?
No wonder "Heroes" creator and showrunner Tim Kring still has a job. No one at NBC likes new, creative ideas.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
While I was working...
I never thought about being isolated until yesterday when I got off of work at 7 p.m. and was sitting at my computer at home reading through a bunch of breaking entertainment news.
And then today, a good half hour.
This isn't even counting the Leno and "American Idol" news Stephanie was blogging about yesterday.
I decided to do a quick run through of all the news that broke while I was at work for the past few days:
1. "Spiderman 4" no more. Yesterday it was reported by many sources that Sony was going to reboot the "Spiderman" films to Peter Parker back in high school because of creative differences with "Spiderman 4." So, no more Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire or whoever. If this saves us from Anne Hathaway as Vulturess, then whatever is fine with me. Whoever wrote the script and stood by the script deserves not to have a job then.
2. The Writer's Guild of America announced its nominees and "Star Trek" is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. First the Producer's Guild, now this! Those Oscars chances are really starting to improve now. Also got a nomination for the National Editors awards.
3. Stuart Townsend off "Thor" due to creative differences. I love when people have "creative differences" with pre-existing characters that have been around for decades.
4. DC Comics announced a new weekly series set to debut after "Blackest Night" called "Brightest Day." And the image with the press release looks a lot like a White Lantern ring to me! Spoiler alert maybe?
5. Deadline.com has a great story about Conan O'Brien fighting back against NBC, great read: http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/conan-obrien-resigning-tonight-show/
6. Peter Sarsgaard apparently is getting paid really well to go back on his word. Movieline is reporting that he's up for the secondary villain role in "Green Lantern" as Hector Hammond.
http://www.movieline.com/2010/01/peter-sarsgaard-walks-back-no-comic-book-villains-pledge-for-green-lantern.php Great casting though, makes up for Blake Lively as Carol.
7. Armond White vs. Keith Olbermann? Guess which side I'm on.
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2010/01/white_vs_olberm.php
Whew, OK, enough Internet for now. Back to normal life for a while.
And then today, a good half hour.
This isn't even counting the Leno and "American Idol" news Stephanie was blogging about yesterday.
I decided to do a quick run through of all the news that broke while I was at work for the past few days:
1. "Spiderman 4" no more. Yesterday it was reported by many sources that Sony was going to reboot the "Spiderman" films to Peter Parker back in high school because of creative differences with "Spiderman 4." So, no more Sam Raimi, Tobey Maguire or whoever. If this saves us from Anne Hathaway as Vulturess, then whatever is fine with me. Whoever wrote the script and stood by the script deserves not to have a job then.
2. The Writer's Guild of America announced its nominees and "Star Trek" is nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. First the Producer's Guild, now this! Those Oscars chances are really starting to improve now. Also got a nomination for the National Editors awards.
3. Stuart Townsend off "Thor" due to creative differences. I love when people have "creative differences" with pre-existing characters that have been around for decades.
4. DC Comics announced a new weekly series set to debut after "Blackest Night" called "Brightest Day." And the image with the press release looks a lot like a White Lantern ring to me! Spoiler alert maybe?
5. Deadline.com has a great story about Conan O'Brien fighting back against NBC, great read: http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/conan-obrien-resigning-tonight-show/
6. Peter Sarsgaard apparently is getting paid really well to go back on his word. Movieline is reporting that he's up for the secondary villain role in "Green Lantern" as Hector Hammond.
http://www.movieline.com/2010/01/peter-sarsgaard-walks-back-no-comic-book-villains-pledge-for-green-lantern.php Great casting though, makes up for Blake Lively as Carol.
7. Armond White vs. Keith Olbermann? Guess which side I'm on.
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2010/01/white_vs_olberm.php
Whew, OK, enough Internet for now. Back to normal life for a while.
Monday, January 11, 2010
'Idol's' loss is 'X-Factor's' gain
At a Television Critic's Association press conference today FOX announced that Simon Cowell would be leaving "American Idol" at the end of the ninth season to bring "The X-Factor" to the States.
For the uninitiated "The X-Factor" is a singing competition in the style "Idol" except that the contestants are split into four categories, boys, girls, over 25s and groups, and mentored by the judges.
The show is a huge hit in the UK and its biggest star discovery so far is Leona Lewis. The format also allows the competitors to perform with stage effects and backup dancers, giving the audience more of a production.
Like its predecessor "Pop Idol," "American Idol" is beginning to feel a bit predictable and staged, so transitioning to "The X-Factor" like they did in England seems the next natural step.
I'm a huge fan of "American Idol" and can't wait for its premiere tomorrow night, but I love "X-Factor" and the news that it will finally be in America is thrilling.
I also don't think "Idol" can survive without Simon. Oh sure people will still watch but there will be a giant hole in the show because Simon is irreplaceable.
For the uninitiated "The X-Factor" is a singing competition in the style "Idol" except that the contestants are split into four categories, boys, girls, over 25s and groups, and mentored by the judges.
The show is a huge hit in the UK and its biggest star discovery so far is Leona Lewis. The format also allows the competitors to perform with stage effects and backup dancers, giving the audience more of a production.
Like its predecessor "Pop Idol," "American Idol" is beginning to feel a bit predictable and staged, so transitioning to "The X-Factor" like they did in England seems the next natural step.
I'm a huge fan of "American Idol" and can't wait for its premiere tomorrow night, but I love "X-Factor" and the news that it will finally be in America is thrilling.
I also don't think "Idol" can survive without Simon. Oh sure people will still watch but there will be a giant hole in the show because Simon is irreplaceable.
NBC's Leno-Conan conundrum
So NBC is planning to take Leno off of 10 p.m. and move him to 11:35 p.m. for a half hour and then start Conan at 12:05 a.m. and Jimmy Fallon at 1:05 a.m.
Wow, there are so many things wrong with that plan I almost don't know where to begin.
How about we start with the fact that Leno isn't funny. That's right I said it, he's not funny. Everyone seems to be looking for reasons why the show failed. Well let me tell you, it's because it's a bad show.
The jokes aren't funny, the sketches are lame and Leno is a terrible interviewer. The only reason his ratings were strong in the past is because NBC had a better primetime lineup and he always booked big name guests.
Now that the shine has come off of NBC it has exposed Leno's show for the subpar program it has always been.
Once you take Leno out of the equation you need to address the Conan side of this. If I were Conan I would already have FOX or ABC or even HBO on the phone. NBC has treated him terribly during this entire situation starting with the fact that they never really seemed to want to give him "The Tonight Show" to begin with. Maybe they should have just paid him off back then and left their late-night lineup alone.
However, they give him "The Tonight Show," he packs up his family and moves them to California only to have NBC say "oh by the way we're giving Jay a nightly show at 10 and you're still not No. 1."
That's ridiculous.
And now they're still coddling Jay at Conan's expense by shuffling the decks yet again. It's like NBC has a checklist of ways to mess up this situation and they're checking them off one at a time.
Make bad scheduling decisions, check. Treat talent terribly, check. Do everything publicly in an awkward manner, check.
The other casualty of this ridiculousness is Jimmy Fallon, whose show is starting to find its rhythm and has gotten consistently better since its premiere. How will his ratings hold against the increasingly popular Craig Ferguson and established Jimmy Kimmel.
At this point NBC should let Leno go off and enjoy retirement and try to salvage their relationship with Conan because he is the future of their late-night brand, and it's time they started acting like it.
Wow, there are so many things wrong with that plan I almost don't know where to begin.
How about we start with the fact that Leno isn't funny. That's right I said it, he's not funny. Everyone seems to be looking for reasons why the show failed. Well let me tell you, it's because it's a bad show.
The jokes aren't funny, the sketches are lame and Leno is a terrible interviewer. The only reason his ratings were strong in the past is because NBC had a better primetime lineup and he always booked big name guests.
Now that the shine has come off of NBC it has exposed Leno's show for the subpar program it has always been.
Once you take Leno out of the equation you need to address the Conan side of this. If I were Conan I would already have FOX or ABC or even HBO on the phone. NBC has treated him terribly during this entire situation starting with the fact that they never really seemed to want to give him "The Tonight Show" to begin with. Maybe they should have just paid him off back then and left their late-night lineup alone.
However, they give him "The Tonight Show," he packs up his family and moves them to California only to have NBC say "oh by the way we're giving Jay a nightly show at 10 and you're still not No. 1."
That's ridiculous.
And now they're still coddling Jay at Conan's expense by shuffling the decks yet again. It's like NBC has a checklist of ways to mess up this situation and they're checking them off one at a time.
Make bad scheduling decisions, check. Treat talent terribly, check. Do everything publicly in an awkward manner, check.
The other casualty of this ridiculousness is Jimmy Fallon, whose show is starting to find its rhythm and has gotten consistently better since its premiere. How will his ratings hold against the increasingly popular Craig Ferguson and established Jimmy Kimmel.
At this point NBC should let Leno go off and enjoy retirement and try to salvage their relationship with Conan because he is the future of their late-night brand, and it's time they started acting like it.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
New episode up... and more top movies
The other day I posted my list of films from No. 11 on. When you watch the above video you'll see the top five.
So, here is the rest of the top ten (along with the rating:)
6. "Away We Go:" A-
7. "The Hangover:" A-
8. "Fantastic Mr. Fox:" A-
9. "Monsters Vs. Aliens:" A-
10. "Sherlock Holmes:" A-
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Not the worst, not yet the best
Filmed our "Best of 2009" show today where we listed our top five movies of the year along with the worst movie of the year.
I don't want to spoil the results, but did want to spend a little time to talk about the films that happen to fall in the middle. Not in the top ten, but also not the worst films of the year.
In light of me being a big nerd, it is not a surprise that I keep meticulous records of the movies I see. And Yahoo movies helps a lot with that by having a system in place to rate and rank movies.
The top five will be seen in the next episode tomorrow, the rest of the top ten in a blog after that.
So, here are all the movies I've seen this year that just missed the top ten and the crushing defeat of last place (With the grade ranking):
11. "Observe and Report:" A-
12. "Public Enemies:" B+
13. "Avatar:" B+
14. "Sunshine Cleaning:" B+
15. "State of Play:" B+
16. "The Proposal:" B+
17. "Capitalism:" B
18. "The Blind Side:" B
19. "Green Lantern: First Flight:" (Straight to DVD) B
20. "Gamer:" B
21. "I Love You, Man:" B
22. "The Girlfriend Experience:" B
23: "The Men Who Stare At Goats:" B-
24. "Ninja Assassin:" B-
25. "Surrogates:" B-
26. "The Informant!:" B-
27. "Inglorious Basterds:" B-
28. "Watchmen:" B-
29. "Night at the Museum 2:" B-
30. "Wolverine:" C+
31. "Friday the 13th:" C+
32. "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies:" C+
33. "The Box:" D
I don't want to spoil the results, but did want to spend a little time to talk about the films that happen to fall in the middle. Not in the top ten, but also not the worst films of the year.
In light of me being a big nerd, it is not a surprise that I keep meticulous records of the movies I see. And Yahoo movies helps a lot with that by having a system in place to rate and rank movies.
The top five will be seen in the next episode tomorrow, the rest of the top ten in a blog after that.
So, here are all the movies I've seen this year that just missed the top ten and the crushing defeat of last place (With the grade ranking):
11. "Observe and Report:" A-
12. "Public Enemies:" B+
13. "Avatar:" B+
14. "Sunshine Cleaning:" B+
15. "State of Play:" B+
16. "The Proposal:" B+
17. "Capitalism:" B
18. "The Blind Side:" B
19. "Green Lantern: First Flight:" (Straight to DVD) B
20. "Gamer:" B
21. "I Love You, Man:" B
22. "The Girlfriend Experience:" B
23: "The Men Who Stare At Goats:" B-
24. "Ninja Assassin:" B-
25. "Surrogates:" B-
26. "The Informant!:" B-
27. "Inglorious Basterds:" B-
28. "Watchmen:" B-
29. "Night at the Museum 2:" B-
30. "Wolverine:" C+
31. "Friday the 13th:" C+
32. "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies:" C+
33. "The Box:" D
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
No new 'Spider-Man'
A few shows back we talked about how filmmakers wanted John Malkovich to play Vulture and Anne Hathaway to play a new character called Vulturess in "Spider-Man 4." The studio didn't like that, they wanted Hathaway to be Black Cat.
Well now the two sides have reached an impasse and production on the film has been halted.
Honestly I don't think we need another Spider-Man movie. The third one was not very good and it's beginning to feel redundant. However, I am impressed to see a studio interested in using already established characters instead creating new ones just for the sake of it.
Perhaps the filmmakers should take another look at their plans and decide what's best for the movie and the franchise as a whole.
The big consequence of this is that now there's a big hole in the schedule for May 2011. It will be interesting to see what film steps up first to fill it.
Well now the two sides have reached an impasse and production on the film has been halted.
Honestly I don't think we need another Spider-Man movie. The third one was not very good and it's beginning to feel redundant. However, I am impressed to see a studio interested in using already established characters instead creating new ones just for the sake of it.
Perhaps the filmmakers should take another look at their plans and decide what's best for the movie and the franchise as a whole.
The big consequence of this is that now there's a big hole in the schedule for May 2011. It will be interesting to see what film steps up first to fill it.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Good day for scifi
The Producers Guild Award nominations were announced today and nerds apparently rule!
Three out of the 10 nominees are science fictions films ("Star Trek," "District 9" and "Avatar") plus an animated film ("Up".)
And if I want to be a smart arse, a fantasy film "Inglorious Basterds."
This is big, big news. Not only does it validate science fiction as a true art form in way, but it also paves the way for a few, if not all of these films to grab a nomination come Oscar time.
Imagine everyone's shock on nomination morning if the words "Star Trek" and "Best Picture" are spoken together?
I'd die a happy man that morning.
The other films nominated are:
"An Education" - No interest in seeing.
"Invictus" - My father loved it, I can wait for DVD.
"The Hurt Locker" - Out on DVD next week and is waiting in my Netflix queue.
"Precious" - Want to see, but don't want to sit through. Seems like a hard one to watch.
"Up in the Air" - Saw it a few days ago, check out the next episode for my thoughts.
That also means I've seen five of those films nominated, which is a good percentage for me come awards time.
I can also say, that keeping in mind my absence of seeing "The Hurt Locker," that one of these films is my favorite movie of the year and two others could be in my top five list.
Also check out the next episode of "Inscaped" for more in depth coverage of this, as well as the first part of our Best/Worst of 2009 show. We are splitting the show into two weeks, first up is movies!
Three out of the 10 nominees are science fictions films ("Star Trek," "District 9" and "Avatar") plus an animated film ("Up".)
And if I want to be a smart arse, a fantasy film "Inglorious Basterds."
This is big, big news. Not only does it validate science fiction as a true art form in way, but it also paves the way for a few, if not all of these films to grab a nomination come Oscar time.
Imagine everyone's shock on nomination morning if the words "Star Trek" and "Best Picture" are spoken together?
I'd die a happy man that morning.
The other films nominated are:
"An Education" - No interest in seeing.
"Invictus" - My father loved it, I can wait for DVD.
"The Hurt Locker" - Out on DVD next week and is waiting in my Netflix queue.
"Precious" - Want to see, but don't want to sit through. Seems like a hard one to watch.
"Up in the Air" - Saw it a few days ago, check out the next episode for my thoughts.
That also means I've seen five of those films nominated, which is a good percentage for me come awards time.
I can also say, that keeping in mind my absence of seeing "The Hurt Locker," that one of these films is my favorite movie of the year and two others could be in my top five list.
Also check out the next episode of "Inscaped" for more in depth coverage of this, as well as the first part of our Best/Worst of 2009 show. We are splitting the show into two weeks, first up is movies!
Friday, January 1, 2010
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