On Gear Live: Samsung S95C: The OLED TV You Can’t Afford (to Ignore!)

Grey's AnatomyDisney announced on Monday that ABC.com’s trial run of free TV episodes streamed online has been a success.  The episodes included 30-second advertisements, and, apparently, an online exit survey from the first week of the trial showed that 87 percent of respondents could remember the products advertised in the ads.  Execs are so pleased that a reworked version of the current site will appear in the Fall.  In fact, not only did the free episodes outperform the $1.99 ABC episodes offered on iTunes, but actual televsion viewership increased rather than decreased during the trial period.  The trial run will still end on June 30 as originally planned.  As much as I like the iTunes model, I can see why this is working.  Like my mom says, “If it’s free, it’s for me!”

Read More | Reuters

Advertisement

Rescue MeOkay, so I’ve previously accepted that has succumbed to soap opera antics in order to maintain ratings this season. They’re no longer a gritty real-life fire fighter drama. They took things a step too far this week, and I’m not referring to the homosexual blow jobs (I actually applaud them for taking on that story line). Tommy Gavin, after a ridiculous amount of emotional trauma in his life, goes to discuss his divorce settlement with his ex-wife, and in the heat of the moment, throws her down on the couch to prove his manhood. She struggles, fights back, and after accepting that she is currently being raped, sits back, enjoys it and orgasms? What kind of message is this sending?! It’s one thing to portray sex with an ex, but this was a huge step backward in our attitudes about domestic violence. Did this bother anyone else? Let me know your thoughts…

 

Read More | Cinemablend

Here’s something new – a sitcom for the WB that the network didn’t pick up can be viewed on YouTube. Kind of an interesting way to get a glimpse at something that didn’t make it, and in this case wasn’t good enough even for the WB. Who knew they were so discerning in their sitcom choices?

The show is called, interestingly enough, Nobody’s Watching, about two friends who think they can do better developing a sitcom than what’s currently available. The fictitious WB execs hook the boys up with their own show, complete with a sitcom set to live and work on and their own studio audience. The show was created by Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence and two Family Guy writers, so it’s got a pretty good pedigree. Take a look – it’s not great, but it showed some potential.

Read More | YouTube

Angelina Jolie“Angelina Jolie: Her Mission and Motherhood” on Anderson Cooper 360 was such a refreshing celebrity interview. Gossip magazine fans may have been disappointed by the lack of discussion and pictures of Brad and the new baby, but her choice to focus on the horrific conditions around the world that she is devoted to fighting brought me to tears. Compared to Britney Spears in tears last week over too much media attention, Angelina chose to use that media power to change the world. It may be a little sad that we as an American public need a celebrity name attached to a news show in order to bring our attention to world hunger, genocide, and the AIDS crisis, but what will define us now is what we choose to do about it. Angelina is an inspiration, as a celebrity, but more importantly, as a human being.

Read More | Waleg

The ApprenticeDespite lower ratings for season 5 of The Apprentice versus previous seasons, NBC just can’t say “no” to The Donald. Season 6 will feature the back-stabbers…er…contestants in Los Angeles, and is set to air in January. The future of the reality franchise seemed uncertain given the declining ratings, however Trump told Daily Variety that NBC has given the go-ahead for a 7th season. Presently, NBC and Trump are scouting locations, with the leading contenders being Las Vegas or Miami. According to Trump, the decision will be made in the next two months.

Read More | E! Online

Esai Morales Joins VanishedPenelope Ann Miller and Esai Morales are the two latest members to sign on for Fox’s new drama Vanished.  It’s a show based around the strange circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the wife of a prominent Senator and the search for her whereabouts. Miller (Carlito’s Way) will play the Senator’s first wife, while Morales of NYPD Blue fame will keep his badge and play the leader of the FBI team that will head up the case.  You’ll also find Joanne Kelly, John Allen Nelson, Gale Harold and Ming-Na on the cast of Vanished.  If you like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation you’ll probably like Vanished because it’s created by the same man Josh Berman.  Fox plans to air Vanished Monday nights at 9 PM ET this fall.


TNT's The CloserThe Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick, has made a big splash kicking off the summer television season.  First, its second-season premiere was commercial free.  Second, it was a good show.  And third, it blew away the competition with 8.3 million viewers, the most-watched scripted series ever on basic cable.  Historically, “the only thing that’s owned by broadcast is scripted series,” says TBS and TNT’s chief operating officer Steve Koonin to USA Today. “Now, with The Closer, Nip/Tuck and Monk, that’s not true anymore.”  Just to put into perspective just how many viewers watch The Closer try this on for size: the show had an audience that matched HBO’s biggest series, The Sopranos.

Joining TNT, USA, and FX in the scripted game are Spike!, ABC Family, E! and TBS.  All four have several scripted dramas shows that could hit your TV as early as this fall.

Read More | USA Today

If you have only one hour a week to cram in all of your pop culture, VH1’s Best Week Ever is your saving grace. They manage to take all of the top stories, gossip, and television that everyone has been talking about, and still manage to surprise us with fresh one-liners.

This past week they took on Britney’s Matt Lauer interview, the “gay” Superman debate, Ann Coulter’s media blitz, and Janice Dickinson. They’ve collected some of today’s funniest comedians, with the occasional celebrity contributor (who knew Kelly Pickler was funny!?) to dissect everything that people were talking about his week.

Airing Friday nights at 10pm (and replayed constantly, for all of you with a social life), you’ll have enough fuel for small talk during your week-end cocktail parties and Sunday brunches. This really is the Best Show Ever! Visit their website, and you can help decide what they skewer next week.

 

Read More | VH1

LOSTNow here’s one I love – all of the Lost theories organized on one site. I’ve spent countless hours of my life searching the Internet for clues and speculations to make sense of the mysteries surrounding Lost. There are a multitude of sites out there, as well as message boards where anyone and everyone sounds off on their latest idea. According to the Lost-Theories.com site, speculation is organized by associating theories with characters, events, themes, location, and even other theories. Visitors can even rate the theories for overall rating, creativity rating and likelihood rating. Honestly…how do people find the time?

Read More | Lost-Theories.com

Hurley on LostJorge Garcia, who plays Hugo “Hurley” Reyes on the ABC show Lost, has just reportedly signed a deal to appear in a movie.  Garcia will playing alongside Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick in the holiday movie Deck The HallsUnited Press International reports that Garcia’s character will be “a colorful character in town who is constantly bothering Broderick’s character.”  It sounds like the feel good holiday movie or one that’s been done a thousand times before.  Garcia has two movies on his resume: The Good Humor Man and Little Athens


Advertisement