This Week on TV (9/3-9/9)
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Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Award Shows, Comedy, Daytime, Games, Kids, Music, Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, Specials, Sports, Talk Shows, ABC, Bravo, Cable, FOX, HBO, MTV, NBC, Syndication, Oprah Winfrey Show,
MONDAY (9/3)
- Justin Timberlake Concert Special (HBO, 9pm): JT brings sexy to Madison Square Garden
- Kyle XY (ABC Family, 8pm): mid-season finale
TUESDAY (9/4)
- The View (ABC, check local times): Whoopi Goldberg officially joins the looney bin today
- Oprah (syndicated, check local times): Special appearance by President Bill Clinton
- The Singing Bee (NBC, 8pm): fall premiere
THURSDAY (9/6)
- Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style (Bravo, 10pm): Project Runway‘s guru revamps fashion disasters with the help of model Veronica Webb
- Sunday Night Football (NBC, 8:30 EST): Special Thursday kickoff day (New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts)
- Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? (FOX, 8pm): fall premiere
- Don’t Forget The Lyrics (FOX, 9pm): fall premiere
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Gallery: This Week on TV (9/3-9/9)
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Our TV Memos: SYTYCD, Flight of the Conchords, Scott Baio
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Posted by David L. Williams Categories: Comedy, Reality, HBO, So You Think You Can Dance, Editorial, Features,
From time to time I feel the need to pen (or type, really) a little bit of television-related correspondence, but I don’t always have the right email addresses. So why don’t I use the column inches I’m generous granted here to catch up on a few memos I’ve been meaning to write? (Don’t worry, that’s a rhetorical question.) Here goes:
To the voting viewers of So You Think You Can Dance: I’m going to ignore the fact that you actually call in and vote, though it still puzzles me, even after all the American Idol votes, that people actually do that (and I’m totally going to get dinged by one of my best friend who I think actually does vote). Anyway, I’m going to ignore that and say thank you for voting for Sabra. I liked, not loved, the show, but I really enjoyed it when Sabra danced. She just seemed more fun, more watchable than the other finalists, but I can’t give you a good reason why. Can’t tell you why anymore than I can tell you why Mary Murphy is ... like she is. I liked Sabra and she won and that’s always a nice moment when you’re watching a reality show.
Oh, also Sabra’s hair is pretty awesome, so that helps.
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Paris and a Polaroid Party
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Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Comedy, Cable, HBO, Entourage, Gossip, Rumors,
Paris Hilton partied at the Polaroid Beach House party earlier this week, a star-studded event. The guest list included a lot of Hollywood hotties, but – of all people – Paris chose to make out with Entourage star Adrian Grenier. He’s the one with the curly hair and somewhat pudgy face. The HBO star must have done something right – but it certainly wasn’t his hairdo that won the famous heiress over. Perhaps he used a line her learned from his cable show? Grenier’s co-star Kevin Connolly previously dated Nicky Hilton, a relationship that ended at Hilton’s insistence. Brandon Davis and Brian Grazer were also at the party, among others.
Read More | LA Times
Gallery: Paris and a Polaroid Party
HBO has just announced that their under-appreciated series, Big Love, has already been picked up for a third season. And while I dutifully watch this show and wish others would jump on board, I must admit—it really needs to improve by the time it comes up to bat again.
When I watch a show about polygamists, I want the show to focus on the polygamy angle. Unfortunately, I’m not entirely thrilled with the direction the show has taken this year. Way too much time has been spent on the compound, the family problems, the gambling venture and the annoying Rhonda. It’s time we back to the central storyline: the three wives and one husband. There is so much potential fodder there for a voyeur like me. Jealousy, time management, household duties….those subjects were only touched upon in the first season. Everytime ABC’s John Quinones does a 20/20 investigative piece on polygamists, I’m glued. I like to be a fly on the wall because I want to know if these wives truly get along with each other.
And what about the common denominator for all these women? Bill Paxton is extremely appealing as Bill Hendrickson, but his character is stretched a bit thin when he’s focused outside his immediate row of homes. Shouldn’t he be popping pills wondering how he’s going to take care of his ladies and his business? How exactly does he father all of his children equally?
Granted, storylines reminiscent of Desperate Housewives cannot be sustained over the lifetime of this series…but am I the only one who is bothered that the wives are TOO nice to each other? Yes, they argue—but where are the catfights? Big Love tries to demonstrate that polygamists are families too…but if they were just like the rest of us, would we have a reason to watch?
Read More | Variety
Gallery: Big Love Needs Big Help
Primetime Emmy Nominations Nod at Several Shows
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Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Award Shows, Comedy, Daytime, Drama, Late Night, Mini Series, Prime Time, Reality, ABC, Bravo, Cable, CBS, HBO, PBS, Amazing Race, The, American Idol, Daily Show, The, Dancing With The Stars, Entourage, Grey’s Anatomy, Heroes, House, The Office, The Sopranos, Top Chef,
The 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards have been announced, giving the biggest honors (17 nominations) to HBO’s Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. AMC’s Broken Trail just missed the top slot with 16 nominations. After a review of the best comedy, drama, reality, and variety series of the year, a look at the TV movies and mini-series, the die has been cast. Many were nominated, but few will win. Did your favorite show, movie, or mini-series get the nod from the Primetime Emmys? There’s only one way to find out.
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Read More | TV Guide
Gallery: Primetime Emmy Nominations Nod at Several Shows
This Year’s Emmy Nominations for News
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Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Award Shows, ABC, Cable, CBS, HBO, NBC, PBS,
It’s the biggest thing in television, and a great pat on the back – the annual Emmy nominations. The 28th News and Documentary Emmy Awards nominees this year were outshined by PBS, a network that received 22 nominations to CBS’s 19, ABC’s 15, and NBC with 14. PBS is in the running for the honor with Nature, POV, American Experience, and Nova. CBS garnered the largest chunk of nominations for segments of 60 Minutes, while NBC got nine of its nominations from NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams. CNN and HBO each received six nominations, with five apiece going to Cinemax and the History Channel. FOX News Channel wasn’t in the competition – the network was too busy pushing its conservative agenda. At a ceremony in New York City, the winners will be announced September 24, 2007.
Read More | Emmy Online via LA Times
Gallery: This Year’s Emmy Nominations for News
‘Extras’ to End with Special Episode
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Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, BBC, Cable, HBO, The Office,
I’m sensing a pattern here with Extras show creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Much like their smash hit The Office (the original Brit version, mind you), their latest series will end after just two seasons, but wrap things up with a special episode. Not that we should be surprised—after all, they did announce that they wouldn’t be filming a third season of the HBO series that follows film extra Andy Millman (played brilliantly by Gervais) and his escapades as he tries to make his big break. The second season looked at Andy’s sad-sack existence after he landed a role on a mediocre sitcom. Pity about this series ending, however, is that it never failed to deliver big-name cameos: Kate Winslet, Orlando Bloom, Daniel Radcliffe, Sir Ian McKellan, David Bowie, and Robert De Niro, among others. The one hour Extras special will begin shooting next month, but the specifics about an airdate have yet to be released. Carolyn Strauss, president of HBO Entertainment, said of the series, “It’s been an honor to present this hilarious series on HBO. I can’t wait to see how Ricky and Stephen will wrap up the saga of Andy Millman.”
Read More | Zap2it
Gallery: ‘Extras’ to End with Special Episode
I know that speculation about a Sex And The City movie has been brewing for some time now—but I’ve done my best to ignore all the chatter. The last time plans were squashed (reportedly thanks to Kim Cattrall’s financial demands), I put all my hopes to rest. So when the rumors recently started up again, I listened with skepticism.
And while anything could change at the drop of a hat, TVGuide.com is now reporting that production is imminent. New Line Cinema is apparently in final distribution talks with HBO. A formal announcement could be made as early as next week with filming to being in mid-September.
I’m ecstatic at the prospect of seeing my beloved ladies once again—but I’m also bit nervous. Will this show really translate well to the big screen? (We all know how the film versions of Twin Peaks and The X-Files fared). Is a made-for-HBO version the better option?
And what about the storylines? Are we better off pretending that Carrie and Mr. Big live happily-ever-after? And then there’s Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda. They were all pretty happy with their respective love lives as well. If someone has to carry on with the SATC tradition, does that mean that one of these ladies will be off hopping into bed with someone else soon?
Regardless of how it all ends, I will be there on opening night…cosmopolitan in hand.
Read More | TV Guide
Gallery: ‘Sex And The City’ Movie Buzz
Reality Recap - The Best & Worst of June
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Posted by David L. Williams Categories: Reality, ABC, FOX, HBO, MTV, NBC, Hell’s Kitchen, So You Think You Can Dance, Top Chef, Editorial, Features,
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Now that we’ve said goodbye to June and its 30 days of weddings, trips to the beach, and the slow, crippling realization that it’s still a long, long time until Lost comes back, why don’t we take a few minutes and look back at the best and worst of June reality TV? Nope, that was a rhetorical question. Yes, I know, there are lots of reasons not to look back, and yet I’m going to do it anyway.
Oh, and it doesn’t really fit here because it’s not a reality show, but Flight of the Conchords on HBO is pretty hilarious. I don’t really have enough to say about it to write a full column, obviously, but it’s definitely worth checking out. Okay, here we go…
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Gallery: Reality Recap - The Best & Worst of June
SYTYCD and John from Cincinnati: Should I Watch or Should I Go?
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Posted by David L. Williams Categories: Prime Time, Reality, Sci-Fi/Horror, Cable, FOX, HBO, So You Think You Can Dance, Editorial, Features,
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I’m typically not a fence sitter when it comes to television. Nearly every show can be put into one of two categories: “Shows I Love and Therefore Watch,” and “Shows I Hate or Ignore and Therefore Don’t Watch.” I don’t labor under the impression that I’ve invented these categories; I imagine that this is the way a lot of people watch television. I think, though, many people have shows that they’ll classify as “I’m Watching This Not Because I Love It but Because It Happens to Be On.” This, by the way, is a really lengthy title for a category and I would recommend something zippier, like, “Law & Order reruns.” Because of TiVo, I haven’t been someone who just watches whatever is on for a while.
Now my categories of viewership have subcategories like, “Awful Reality Shows I Can’t Stop Watching,” (that’d be pretty much any reality show on MTV, except for “Made”) “Brilliant Shows I Can’t Discuss With Anyone Because of Low Ratings,” (that’d be “The Wire,” and “The Thick of It,”), and “Hated Shows I Only Have Watched In Hospital Waiting Rooms,” (that’d be “According to Jim,”), but all shows will fit into one of the two major categories. That is, until now.
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