Yes, we can

February 2, 2008 at 3:15 pm | Posted in Gossip, Movies, TV News | 1 Comment

Gawk at celebrities in Will.I.Am’s new Vote (for Obama) video.

Why I don’t care about the strike

January 3, 2008 at 7:14 pm | Posted in Friday Night Lights, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, TV News, Veronica Mars | 1 Comment

As a self-proclaimed television aficionado, you’d think I’d be more upset about the writers strike.  Let’s face it, aside from the So You Think You Can Dance fetish, I’m pretty much only interested in scripted television.  I should be crying my eyes out.  But while I’m following the strike coverage religiously (Deadline Hollywood Daily, dudes), I’m perfectly content to miss out on the 2008 season.  Doesn’t bother me at all.  So what’s going on here?

1. A really weak pilot season.  None of the year’s new shows were particularly thrilling.  The only ones I still watch regularly are Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies, and I sort of want to love those shows more than I actually do, you know?  I loved Mad Men, but it finished its run mid-fall.  My parents adore The Big Bang Theory.  It’s cute, but I don’t need to watch it every week.  They’re more into it, I decided, because they don’t know any super geeks.  I do, so watching fictional geeks is considerably less thrilling.  So, yeah.  Big yawn to the new shows.  And I have extremely low expectations for the ones yet to air (The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Cashmere Mafia, whatever).

2. No exciting cliffhangers.  As for the other shows I watch, I’m happy to press the pause button on their current plotlines.  In previous years, I was into heavily serialized shows like Veronica Mars, Alias and Lost.  I would’ve been irate if the networks put Logan in jail or left Vaughn caught in the throes of some Rambaldi device and then left me hanging for months on end.  But this year, I don’t really have a must-see heart-pounding drama.  I love Friday Night Lights, but c’mon, it’s just football.  Heroes is the only show around with life-or-death stakes, and I hate to point this out to you, but Heroes is mediocre.  It’s exciting occasionally, and some of the people are pretty, but it’s never awesome.  So, yeah, Heroes going off the air for months?  I’ll survive.

As for the softer dramas — Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty — no big cliffhangers there either.  Sure, McDreamy is flirting with the new nurse, but we the viewers know a stupid plot twist when we see one.  It’s not like Meredith has her hand stuck in Bomb Guy’s chest.  Now there’s a cliffhanger!  Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever be as emotionally involved with Grey’s Anatomy again, even if they taped Christina to the front of a speeding train or something.  You can’t top Bomb Guy.  It’s fourth season, the show’s peaked.  It’s all downhill from here.

There’s nothing crazy going on with the half-hour comedy romantic subplots, either — and that’s the Catch-22 with comedies.  They’re more accessible to viewers, but people won’t skip happy hour to go home and watch except in two situations: the show’s attained cult social status, or some folks on the show are about to make out.  Romantic tension is key.  For example, 30 Rock is my favorite show.  I’m obsessed.  But I’m willing to DVR it.  Last season, DVR was unacceptable; I had to watch in real time — because Floyd and Liz were going to hook up.  Same thing with Jim and Pam on The Office: they’re together now, so we can all take a deep breath and relax.  I can even relax all the way to 2009.  As long as I’m assured these shows will come back eventually, I’m happy.

3. College basketball.  I mostly watch ACC games during the regular, and this means I’m woefully underinformed when March Madness rolls around.  When it comes to the Big East, I’ll end up picking teams with stupid mascot names for my bracket, crap like that.  Because normally I’m watching too much TV already to have time for SportsCenter — but this year, there won’t be any good TV to get in the way!  It’s all college hoops all the time, baby!  (Apologies for channeling Dickie V.)

4.  The writers are right.  

5.  The Wire.  I’ve never seen it!  I’m going to rent it!  I’m pretty excited about it!

I watched the return of the late shows last night — loved that Conan seemed to play by the rules; while clearly there was planning about what went on the air, it didn’t seem as “written” as the Leno material did.  And Dave was fantastic, continuing to publicize the writers strike while keeping the material hilarious.  Hey, I guess that’s what professional writers are good for!

In case you’re curious

December 13, 2007 at 5:41 pm | Posted in Friday Night Lights, Grey's Anatomy, Harry Potter, Movies, TV News | Leave a comment

Obviously, I’ve taken a little break from posting.  And by “little,” I mean “over three months.”  Don’t hate, I’ve been busy.  But here’s a quick rundown on where I’m at these days:

Television: Man, this WGA strike sucks, huh?   Just give the writers their internet residuals and let’s be done with it.  Still in love with Friday Night Lights, 30 Rock, House, and The Office.  And South Park!  Honorable mentions to How I Met Your Mother and Pushing DaisiesScrubs has been unusually weak, but I still won’t miss an episode.  Grey’s Anatomy and Ugly Betty are fine, I guess.  Favorite new show that I actually don’t watch much: Dirty Sexy Money.  Most of the new shows were pretty zzzzzzz, right?  Chuck‘s okay but despite Zachary Levi and Captain Awesome, I don’t watch that very often either.  Sad that sexy Michael Vartan’s show was cancelled, and also sad that Rob Thomas couldn’t turn it around.
Movies: Loved Atonement, No Country for Old Men and Michael Clayton.  Really liked Enchanted, Gone Baby Gone, and American Gangster.  Thought Casey Affleck was awesome in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, but the rest was totally overrated and snooze-inducing.

And what else?  Celebrity gossip has been totally boring lately.  I’m sick of Britney (though I’m down with Gimme More) and I need a break from Lindsay.  I kind of want to make out with Shia LaBoeuf, which is, frankly, a surprising turn of events.

So, that’s all for now, but I’ll get back into the swing of things in January.  Hopefully with something interesting to say!  But no promises.

Fall pilots: Lipstick Jungle, The Sarah Connor Chronicles

August 30, 2007 at 6:40 pm | Posted in TV News | Leave a comment

I’m taking a look at the fall’s new shows, and here are two to avoid like the plague: Lipstick Jungle and The Sarah Connor Chronicles.I was dubious about Lipstick Jungle initially because of the cast: Brooke Shields? Lindsay Price? These are not actresses who’ve built up a lot of career goodwill. The plot: the problems of fancy women with fabulous jobs. Sex and the City managed to make privileged women bemoaning their lives without seem charming and relateable. On Lipstick Jungle, the women seem like ineffectual whiners, completely lacking in the stellar leadership skills we’re told that they possess. I turned this off within ten minutes.

Here are the problems with The Sarah Connor Chronicles: the new Sarah Connor is far less badass than the original. She’s wearing a skirt in the opening scenes, a skirt that is completely unsuitable for ass-kicking. They’re going for a tense, foreboding atmosphere, but it seemed more like a parody of the original instead of a continuation. And the Terminator who appears in the first few minutes is laughable. Seriously, I laughed out loud. He looks completely stupid. Thomas Dekker makes a good John Connor, but I still had to turn this one off early, too.

I’ll try to watch both shows in full to see if my opinions need to be revised, but ugh, the thought is so depressing. In the meantime, might I suggest that you try Friday Night Lights this fall instead? The DVDs just came out, and there’s a money-back guarantee if you don’t like them.

Shane Sparks speaks

August 26, 2007 at 10:01 pm | Posted in So You Think You Can Dance, TV News | Leave a comment

So You Think You Can Dance‘s hip hop choreographer extraordinaire Shane Sparks talks with Television Without Pity about dance, Danny, and Dominic.

Lacey’s getting some lovin’

August 21, 2007 at 11:18 pm | Posted in Gossip, So You Think You Can Dance, TV News | Leave a comment

BIG So You Think You Can Dance gossip in Kristin Veitch’s latest spoiler chat.  It’s chock-full of spoilers for other shows, so I’ll just spill the news: Lacey and Hok are dating.

Wow, I definitely didn’t see that coming!

Veronica Mars, the hero

August 20, 2007 at 6:48 pm | Posted in TV News, Veronica Mars | Leave a comment

Kristen Bell is joining the cast of Heroes this season for a multiple episode arc. I hope she gets to make out with Peter Petrelli. I also hope that this doesn’t interfere with her rumored appearance in Legally Blonde: The Musical.

Updated: Kristen Bell said she’s doing at least 13 episodes this season in an interview with TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello, and (hurray!) also didn’t rule out doing Legally Blonde.

They show up in the darndest places

August 19, 2007 at 8:10 pm | Posted in So You Think You Can Dance, TV News | Leave a comment

Suffering from So You Think You Can Dance withdrawal?  Same here.  But hey, remember how Sabra and Allison were in High School Musical?  I spotted Jaymz from season two in High School Musical 2 — he was playing a lifeguard, and even had a couple lines.  Yay!  I always liked him.

If you’re extra bored, here’s a video of Britney Spears and ‘N SYNC performing at the MTV Video Music Awards to keep you entertained.  If you look hard, you can spot Wade Robson to Brit’s left at the 1:13 mark.  I bet Dan Karaty’s in there somewhere, too.

The So You Think You Can Dance 2007 finale!

August 17, 2007 at 2:19 pm | Posted in So You Think You Can Dance, TV News | 4 Comments

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the actual finale of So You Think You Can Dance! Get ready for dancing, awkward banter, and lots of filler — the best of reality television!

First off, Cat appears looking absolutely stunning in a mauve dress, except for some seriously misplaced tulle around the midsection. It looks like a ferret is hugging her waist. I don’t get this silhouette at all, fashion designers of the world. And next year, I seriously hope the wardrobe people stop dressing Cat like she’s preggers.

But enough of this, on with the show! The top twenty are back, dressed all in white. See kids, they didn’t get eliminated, instead they just went to Dancing Heaven. They’re introduced in elimination order, i.e. from least to most liked. Ashley, Ricky, Faina and Jimmy do lame twirls, kicks and hip shimmies, puttng little to no effort in. Jessi feels up Jesus. Wow, I did not miss her at all. Shauna and Cedric do some coordinated stuff, and it’s very cute. Not as cute as Anya and Hok, who do some ballroom moves, then Hok drops to the ground and breakdances. Jaimie and Kameron also do some partnering, and Jaimie does her fancy splits. Sara and Dominic b-girl and b-boy, respectively. Pasha drums on Lauren’s butt and they goof around adorably. Then our top four strut their stuff. They look foxy as usual.

Cat assures us that there’s no padding in tonight’s show. In other words, Cat is a big fat liar. All the judges are here — Mia, Shane, Wade (the camera guy screws up Wade’s close-up, ha), Dan, Mary and Nigel. Where’s Shankman? Stuck down in the audience, since let’s face it, he’s only here to remind us that Hairspray is still in theaters. Cat asks the judges to sum up the season in a sentence each — boring. Shane says that the caliber of dancers is so improved that all the good dancers who didn’t come to auditions last year will show up for next season. Ouch! If you were in last year’s bottom ten, you’ve gotta be hating yourself right about now. Anyway, the dancers are good, diverse and they’re also really nice people. Nigel then uses his time to point out Paula Abdul in the audience, who, as a singer, is an awesome dancer. She acts crazy as usual. introduce Clare from last season in the audience, with her baby. The baby that ruined her dreams of becoming a danceketeer. I’m just saying.

Continue Reading The So You Think You Can Dance 2007 finale!…

Veronica Mars goes Legally Blonde?

August 16, 2007 at 3:22 pm | Posted in TV News, Veronica Mars | 1 Comment

TV Guide’s Michael Ausiello reports that Kristen Bell might take over the lead in Broadway’s Legally Blonde. Four words: I am so there.

Pasha and Lauren dish

August 16, 2007 at 3:18 pm | Posted in So You Think You Can Dance, TV News | 1 Comment

The So You Think You Can Dance finale is just hours away! While you wait, here’s TV Guide’s interviews with runners-up Pasha and Lauren.  Lauren’s interview clears up one mystery — Sabra and Dominic are not dating.  He’s got a girlfriend.  There’s also a show preview from the L.A. Times (who knew Neil needed a brain?)

So You Think You Can Dance (August 15, 2007)

August 16, 2007 at 12:58 am | Posted in So You Think You Can Dance, TV News | 1 Comment

It’s here! THE FINALE IS HERE! Well, the pseudo-finale anyway, because the results show is tomorrow. But still — one of tonight’s four dancers will become America’s Favorite Dancer. (Benji’s like: “only the Favorite Dancer of 2007, thank you very much.”) This is super dramatic, yo.

Intro time: the top four strut around, all looking extremely attractive. No uggos in America’s Favorite Four!

You may be shocked to discover that I don’t like Cat’s dress. It’s gold. Beaded. With capped sleeves. Yeesh. Cat reminds us that all the contestants will be dancing with everyone else tonight, and then actually pronounces the word “judges” with her regular British accent! Dang, this episode is so great already.

Also great — Dan Karaty’s on the panel. I like his critiquing. Nigel sums up the season for us: stronger contestants, higher standards, et cetera. Cat comments that Mary looks gorgeous, and I am happy to report that both hair and outfit look super classy. Well done, Murphy. Then, just to ruin the moment, she screams. And then instantly redeems herself by calling Nigel, and I quote, an “English muffin.” Next, we get a clip show of everyone’s best moments. This is actually a treat, since we get to see parts of the four’s original auditions. Observation: Sabra’s afro used to be quite sizeable.

But let’s get on with the dancing. First up, all four are doing a Broadway routine with God of Dance Tyce Diorio. Rehearsals appear to go very smoothly. They’re dancing to a song from Cabaret called “Mein Herr,” and even though I know that musical’s set in Germany, I’m still wondering if we’re about to see some Springtime for Hitler. Neil kicks off the number by pirouetting while dressed like a mime, and the others push chairs on to the stage. It’s super slinky, super jazzy, and quite fun. There’s a brief kick line, lots of jazz hands, and they conclude by running over to the judge’s table and pose. Nigel loved it, but wants Lacey to focus on her partner more. He’s got nothing bad to say about Danny. Same with Sabra and Neil. Dan advises the folks to “take it to another level” if at all possible. Um, thanks Dan.

More pre-recorded footage: Cat’s doing sit-down chats with all the finalists. Lacey got conned into dancing by her parents, who bribed her with Barbie dolls. We get a slidehow of adorable baby pictures with Benji, then embarrassing ballroom photos, then super scary photos of Lacey in hair school. She loved doing the samba with Danny, and hated her solo from a few weeks back. We hated it too, Lacey. However, she said she kept forgetting her moves, which I empathize with. Back on stage, Lacey does tonight’s solo, and I’m pleased to say it’s really improved. It’s got a cool entrance, cool music (Daft Punk), and she works in some of her mannequin freezes throughout. She concludes by falling off the stage into the arms of some dudes. Way to step up your game, Lace! Nigel gets on her case again about the lack of emotional honesty. Mary demonstrates by some honesty by telling Lacey how much better she is when she’s with a partner. Dan’s nice, and calls her “pure entertainment.” Benji and his dad make an appearance with the electric sign.

Continue Reading So You Think You Can Dance (August 15, 2007)…

Who’s gonna win?

August 14, 2007 at 7:24 pm | Posted in So You Think You Can Dance, TV News | 2 Comments

The So You Think You Can Dance judges are just as anxious as we are to hear who the big winner will be.  Shankman agrees with me: Sabra and Danny are where it’s at.  Mary’s sad that Pasha’s gone.  Shane’s gone from a Danny-hater to a Danny-appreciater.  Read more about what the judges have to say here.

Interviews with interesting people

August 14, 2007 at 12:51 am | Posted in Grey's Anatomy, Movies, TV News, Veronica Mars | Leave a comment

Superbad, starring Arrested Development‘s George Michael, is coming out this Friday.  It’s going to be HILARIOUS.  Read Entertainment Weekly’s interview with the creators and stars here and here.

And when you’re done, head over to E! Online for their interview with Chris Lowell, late of Veronica Mars, who will be playing the surfer/receptionist (and possible midwife?) on the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff Private Practice.

So You Think You Can Dancers are kinda weirdos

August 14, 2007 at 12:38 am | Posted in So You Think You Can Dance, TV News | Leave a comment

Danny Tidwell wants to lick Sabra’s feet. Other tidbits from People’s So You Think You Can Dance photo shoot here.

TV Guide also has interviews with Sara and Dominic.

Next Page »

Blog at WordPress.com.
Entries and comments feeds.