Thursday, October 30, 2008

Finally

Up to the title card on Grey's Anatomy. Finally. This is shaping up to be a great episode. I mean... great. There's in-hospital drama in the form of Shephard and Sloan versus Hunt. Romcom beats with Cristina's attempts at avoiding him (ducking around corners... using Lexie as a human shield so he doesn't see her...). Relationship drama between George/Lexie and Izzy/Alex. Professional ambition (Chief Webber is finally prepping Bailey to be the new Chief when he retires). Moral objections to what Hunt is doing with the pigs is sure to ensue.

And then there's the curious case of Callie/Hahn... I really don't know what to make of that whole "glasses" speech and the "I'm gay, I'm so gay!" declaration. Um, yeah, Callie went running.

And if downgrading the hospital to a Level Two Trauma Center was just a 5-episode machination to bring Kevin McKidd's character on fulltime... I'm actually on board.

So, there you have it.

Bravo, Grey's Anatomy.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

TV Movie to Feature Movie... how's HSM3 doing?

So a bit over a year ago, HSM2 shocked-ish the ratings world with a then-record-smashing 17.2 million viewers and something like an 80 share in female kids/tweens. And with all of the "viewing parties" there was really no tracking exactly how big it was. The date of the movie premiere was also considered "genius" as it was a Friday night after many kids are back from summer camps and before they go to school.

Then Disney decided the third installment wouldn't be seen for free on TV, but people would have to pay (what Box Office Mojo claims in 2008 is) an average of $7.08 per ticket to see it. Oh, and it came out towards the end of October when kids are still in school.

So the question is... how many would show up?

Estimates for Friday are in. $16.9 million That's 2.387 million people based on average ticket prices. That's certainly a decent sized audience immediately going out to buy for something they used to get for free. Oh, and of course we have no idea what Saturday and Sunday (with their matinees) will bring. In fact, I have a feeling that the kiddie matinees are going to be huge.

The only thing that's going to stop HSM3 from reaching Iron Man and Indiana Jones 4 is that it doesn't cross over very well to adult audiences. However, I suspect it's going to get pretty close. After all, the teenage girl repeat audience is largely responsible for Titanic's $600M domestic take (that film, however, had massive crossover appeal, huge drama, and a cartload of Oscars). Repeats of the original HSM and HSM2 continue to put much on The CW to shame for sheer audience size (certainly for repeat audience size)... so there's definitely going to be some longevity in HSM3. The question is how much. And we talking about a film that plays in the Top 5 through the winter holidays? Or will November 21st's Twilight take a, er, chunk of the teen audience away?

BTW, Saw V for about $14 million, and certainly won't catch HSM3 because horror movies typically have their best day on Friday (date night). So it'll go down a bit tomorrow, and severely on Sunday.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

30 Roxor

So, next week's season premiere of 30 Rock is now streaming on NBC.com. Go watch! It's not the height of the show's hilarity (we've all heard the 11/6 episode with Oprah - wait, you heard she's guesting on the show, right? no? really? - is an absolute riot). But it is funny. Uneven, but funny. And so much fun.

The great thing about this show, and let's face it, all sitcoms, is repeatability. I don't watch episodes of Grey's Anatomy more than once. Ever. But I'm still watching repeats of South Park, The Simpsons, Futurama, and Family Guy. I've sat through a Big Bang Theory repeat and guffawed along and the better episodes of How I Met Your Mother often get multiple plays.

Anyway, my point is that I've watched episodes of 30 Rock multiple times... and despite having seen the premiere already, will be more than willing to laugh along with the jokes again (and catch new ones) when it premieres next week.

And good call by Broadway Video and Tina Fey managing to get her onto this week's SNL: Weekend Update Thursday.

Be the dubs... Grey's was fun tonight! Straight-forward, moderately interesting surgical case reflecting on the doctors' lives. Remember the days when this was the norm, and you cared more for the characters?

Finally... quote of the evening!

Michael Scott: "It squeaks when you bang it. That's what she said!" (regarding a toy gavel)

Monday, October 20, 2008

Previously On Heroes

Previously on Heroes: stupid people did stupid things for no reasons other than their own stupidity.

Also, the show now considers Sylar a "hero". And the previously on keeps referring to bad guys as "the Villains" like they were a gang or League of Evil or some such thing.

And now, Heroes continues.

Zzzzz.

I swear to god, if this weren't the episode that supposedly Papa Petrelli showed up and did shiz, I wouldn't even bother sarcastiblogging about it.

Eh, I actually don't care enough to keep typing.

Damn That Mother Chucker

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Viewing Schedule

I'm considering cutting several shows from my current schedule. None that I truly love, but ones that I've fallen out of love with and still watch because I haven't been able to let go yet.

- American Dad (far too miss on the hit-or-miss spectrum)
- Entourage (just not fun any more... Hollywood is so over it)
- Terminator (clearly headed to cancellation)
- Big Bang Theory (I don't love it... but I do find it incredibly funny and that's a rarity on TV these days... so this is really a question of "is the 30 minutes of time worth the price of several guffaws?")
- Samantha Who (simultaneously not funny enough and not endearing enough, despite the charms of Applegate and Smart)
- 90210 (because... really)
- Fringe (hyped disappointment that I feel I ought to be addicted to but am definitely not)
- Janice Dickenson Modeling Agency (it's like soft core gay porn... which is a good thing... but is that worth the hour?)
- Pushing Daisies (clearly headed to cancellation... and it's whimsical and candy-colored and has delicious dialogue wordplay but dramatically it's such a non-started and doesn't interest me any longer)
- Private Practice (I watch because of a deep love for Addison... who changed when she moved from Seattle to LA - don't we all - and this is probably not making it to a third season though it'll be around all year whether on Wednesdays at 9pm or Thursdays at 10pm)
- Dirty Sexy Money (clearly headed to cancellation)
- Life on Mars (wasn't wowed by the pilot, though it was infinitely better than the original US pilot... so I'm probably gonna give it another episode or two... but should I bother?)

Weigh in and come to any show's defense (or offense against it) if you care to.

Et tu, 90210 2.0?

Jessica Walter has been removed from the regular cast for the back half of the season, and will only recur. I know they haven't exactly figured out how to incorporate her (read: haven't really tried) but she remains the best thing going for this show. This is depressing news.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

JGarn

I don't usually watch The Rachel Zoe Project (after all, it's only a 6 week run... and, um, so much else to watch!)

Anyway, I heard Jennifer Garner was gonna be on this week. And, um... can she provide running commentary about the ins and outs of Hollywood for every reality show? Hi-lar-ious.

I miss JGarn. Can she stop reproducing and get back onto my silver or small screen on a more regular basis?

Monday, October 13, 2008

My Name Is Travis, and I Have an Addiction

And its name is Gossip Girl. Seriously. How did this show sneak up and become so wildly addictive? I must've been suffering withdrawals last week when it wasn't on. While I'm not sure how I feel about the kinda-sorta "all our main characters are going to get into Yale!" of it all.

But... anything to have an A-plot about Blair versus Serena this good is worth it. I mean... damn. DAMN. Also... during the Dean's reception the orchestra was playing an instrumental version of Muse's "Time Is Running Out". Love it! Also love that Blair continues to dream in Audrey Hepburn movies. And Chuck versus Nate! And sorta Nate versus Dan! And Chuck versus Nate! And Chuck VERSUS SKULL AND BONES!

But... OMFG BLAIR VERSUS SERENA! NO HOLDS BARRED! SHE RIPPED THE BOW OUT OF BLAIR'S HAIR!

Only Jenny and her plodding fashion job travails fell semi-short. I mean, that was transparent.

Viewers please note... these shenanigans are not necessary to get into an Ivy League school. Just some combination of good grades, good boards, good essays, good recommendations, and a good interview. We did it! And not everyone at Ivy League schools is a trust fund kid (though there definitely are plenty...)

Also, Heroes is on season pass cancellation watch. Episodes remaining: 1.

Meanwhile... brava to Christina Applegate for going so balls to the wall on Samantha Who? post-double mastectomy. The show's not that funny, but it is amusing and she's just magnetic.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Heil to the Chief

Grey's Anatomy would be a lot better show than it is if they got rid of the bumbling chief. Last night he was just terrible. He has no reason to be on the show, but he takes a moral high ground on every issue and is constantly wrong. He should've retired at the end of season three when the show's plot gave him an opportunity to do so. Asshat. You want to know why Seattle Grace has fallen to #12 in the rankings (and, um... stupidest plot point every, why would I want to watch a show about a hospital that is in the same city as a BETTER hospital and thus won't be getting the best surgeries?) well, look no further than the chief.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

It's all wrong.

ANTM: Wrong! Lauren Brie? Really? She of the "Top 5 ANTM Photos Ever"? Gone with SEVEN GIRLS REMAINING? She didn't have much of a big personality... but whatever! I mean, really, of working high fashion models, how many really have "signature" walks and poses? Hm? Sheena isn't going much of anywhere in the fashion world until someone pays for her augmented breasts to get removed. Anyway.

Project Runway: Wrong! Or at least sorta wrong. We don't get a great look at the collections in the first part of the finale, but the glimpses we saw, I really wish Jerrell had made it to the official section of Bryant Park (he obviously still showed his collection). What glimpses we got had that regal, colorful, shiny, assymetrical flair. I just don't see Korto's collection winning in anything resembling the state we saw some of the pieces (which was the furthest from the designers returning to NYC, so who knows). That wedding dress was bad. Anyway, based on the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses, Leanne and Kenley totally deserved to show their collections, so... sorta wrong. But, y'know, I loved a lot of Korto's designs, so whatevs, all bets off. Unfortunately for all of them, nothing is gonna stand up to Christian Siriano's collection.

South Park: Wrong! Because it's so right. Even though the show has already riffed on Speilberg and Lucas for their changing and remastering of their classic films (6 years ago in "Free Hat"), this episode was right on the money with the B-plot repressed memory most of the characters had of Indiana Jones getting raped by the two directors during Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Seriously. Cartman/Butters A-plot of Cartman having nightmares about the Chinese Olympics opening ceremonies and the Chinese taking over the world. ROFL.

Pushing Daisies: Wrong... because I think it's time to start getting detached from this whimsical, nonsensical, colorful mess. It will probably be 5th place in the timeslot in A18-49, and by November it might be behind ANTM in viewers (okay, that's a stretch... but who knows! After all, this is a world where Heroes is so bad - and it is - that it's tying HIMYM in the demo on Mondays... OMG Heroes is so bad...)

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Behind...

Thanks to weekend activities, I'm behind in TV viewing (just watched Dexter... better than the premiere... still have Mad Men to watch eventually) and probably won't get caught up until... this weekend? Still haven't watched last week's Bones. And didn't record Terminator tonight so I could get the CBS comedies and Chuck (thank you, CW, for not having new Gossip Girl this week).

Sigh.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Relaunch

I can't wait to see tomorrow's ratings... will ABC be able to successfully relaunch its semi-successful Wednesday night lineup from last season?

I suspect mixed results, and potentially disastrous ones.

Private Practice will be tops of the ABC hours, but at the most a 4 in the demo (and thus losing in viewers and demo to the horrible Criminal Minds). Pushing Daisies will be lucky to breach a 2.5, as viewers gave up on it last season. Dirty Sexy Money is my question mark. Addition of Lucy Liu to the cast might help (and I love that sultry "so many secrets..." tag on the DSM ads) and I've heard amazing things about its creative direction this season (as well as a death coming up in episode two that will make me sad... but I'm not telling!) Plus, the competition is far less at 10pm than at 8pm (even if I'll be shocked if Knight Rider even does a 2 in the demo).

Speaking of... I can't wait to see how far NBC's lineup tanks. America's Got Talent will be pretty stable, but Knight Rider and Lipstick Jungle? Please.

Also Gary Unmarried. I will be quite surprised if it holds up week-to-week (and not because of increased competition, as ABC had the special DWTS which will undoubtedly do better than the Pushing Daisies premiere). Quite surprised.

I personally welcome the ABC dramas back because with the exception of Bones (which I am not recording tonight, as Hulu is a far better online player than The CW's) all I'd been watching on Wednesdays were reality programs (and next week, the diversion that was Top Design gives way to South Park).

Show reactions... relative to expectations, the opinions are these.

Pushing Daisies brought back its particularly brand of whimsy, no more and no less than I'd recalled. The partially-new, partially-not opening was a good intro to any new viewers, and they wove the various cliffhangers in throughout so it wasn't overload right off the top. The mystery of the week was, also, whimsical and weird and just so convolutedly strange in the way that defines the show's you-love-it-or-you-hate-it affect. Grade: B.

Private Practice was unexpectedly dramatic, following an opening few minutes that reminded us of the relationship status of all our main caricatures. In fact, this episode brought in things like issues! And drama! That kind of superseded the nonsense that is Oceanside Wellness' incestuous dodecahedron! It was some much appreciated gravitas (shudder). Though the baby storyline, I think, was far more effective than the HIV-positive teenager storyline. One of two ain't terrible, though! And a company dealing with financial troubles... hm, I wonder if we're going to be seeing a lot of that soon (and hopefully less of what occurred on How I Met Your Mother's adequately funny but terribly timed episode featuring a plot where a bank took over a local hamburger stand). Grade: A- (remember, this is all relative... I think it was the best PP episode yet, but that's not saying much, y'know?)

Dirty Sexy Money. Eh. Now sure what to think. It didn't really draw me back into the world of the Darlings until the very end. Which I guess is why they opened with the tired-and-true teaser and flashback to 48 hours prior. Grade: C.

New Series Update

Fringe: I was going to drop it, but I rather enjoyed last night's episode (now that I've watched it... thanks, Jewish holidays). I still find Walter Bishop far less entertaining than the show wants me to find him in all his crazy. I'm glad they've toned down the barf-inducing gross-out factor that plagued the post-pilot episode (and also are telling better stories than the sleep-inducing episode from last week).

The Mentalist: Episode two was big ol' pile of meh. Not as fun as House is even when House is doing mind-numbingly formulaic episodes. And I get my cute banter crime procedural quota filled by Bones. I've been convinced to give it one more episode, but that's it (though I may delay that last episode until the season gets a bit further along and the networl allows them to go break from a formula they're only now establishing... so if they ever get back to the Red John story, someone let me know k thx).

90210: I'm still watching... but now that Brenda is gone and Kelly is temporarily gone... I'm not sure why. The sole diversion in the Wilson family is the oft-absent Tabitha, and the only moderately compelling new characters Hot Teacher and Troubled Jock (whose "special" older brother added a somewhat interesting dimension). I could give a rat's ass about Naomi's family woes... they really needed more of her being deliciously bitchy before they tried to make us like her. The whole Adriana thing bores to tears. Though I did enjoy Jessica "Weight Issues" Stroup's character, Silver, talking about "normal looking girls" being brainwashed into looking like models by the fashion industry.

I think those are the only new shows I'm watching this (fall) season... and they're all on Tuesdays! Le. Sigh.