I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Raising the Bar, Trauma, The Office, Nurse Jackie, Sons of Anarchy, and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
- After checking out the clip of tomorrow’s all new Raising the Bar (10:00 on TNT), one can only hope that Chris Hansen is involved somehow:
- NBC.com recently released promos for the upcoming shows, head over there to check them all out. Below is the one for Trama, the show I am most looking forward to:
- NBC has been compiling a bunch of The Office lists, the latest being The Best of the Accountants head over to NBC.com to check those out are watch the video below to see what the cast thinks is the best:
- Next Saturday is July 4 so expect a bunch of marathons. Over on Showtime startring at 8:00 the network is showing all the Nurse Jackie episodes. Granted I am not sure if two hours can constitute a marathon.
- The new season of Sons of Anarchy is coming in September and to get ready for the return, there is going to be a Sons of Anarchy Ride Free or Die Tour that will be traveling the country offering fans the chance to experience a replica of the notorious SAMCRO clubhouse complete with official show props. The exhibit will also includes sneak peeks at the new season, customized giveaways and prizes. For tour stops visit FXNetworks.com. Also the first season will be out August 19 on DVD and Blu Ray.
- For those that wanted to know who won I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! but didn’t want to sit through the whole episode, check out the clip below:
- Also, be on the lookout this week as I may have a little something extra special to give to some lucky reader.
There seemed to be less drama surrounding the Upfronts this year because it seemed like everything was leaked to be canceled or renewed sometime last week or before. But those last minute decisions have proved to be entertaining. CBS called NBC dumping Medium “inexplicable” which made NBC point out that Medium had smaller ratings than two shows (Without a Trace and The Unit) they canceled which CBS retorted that Medium had better ratings than five it renewed (Chuck, Law and Order, Southland, 30 Rock, and Parks and Recreations). Hilarious.
But line of the week goes to My Name Is Earl creator Greg Garcia who responded when asked about not making it on the NBC lineup; “It’s hard to be too upset about being thrown off the Titanic.” Classic. But it may be a soft landing for Earl as it may be picked up by Fox. Note to Fox: I have not watched anything on your channel since the series finale of Arrested Development; if you pick up My Name Is Earl, I will take you off the parental block on my television.
Garcia isn’t the only one to be burning bridges as Jimmy Kimmel brought his gas can to the Upfronts. The big difference is Kimmel is still standing on his bridge. To the ABC advertisers, Kimmel said, “You don’t need an upfront, you need therapy.” Did someone forget to tell Kimmel these are the people that pay his salary? He then went on to say of the new shows, “We’re going to cancel about 90% of them,” he said. “Everyone is full of (expletive deleted).” I am assuming Kimmel saw the V reboot preview clips that are laughably bad or Flash Forward which looks as good as V but without the unintentional comedy. And the current ABC line-up didn’t go unscaved when Kimmel offered, “Next year on Grey’s Anatomy, your product could kill Dr. Izzie. It just depends on how much you want to pay.”
In other network news, apparently The CW still exists (albeit down to nine hours of programming a week). Who knew? But anyways. Here is what I will be (tentatively) be watching this fall.
Mondays 8:00 – How I Met Your Mother (CBS) 8:30 – Accidentally on Purpose (CBS) 9:00 – Trauma (NBC) 9:30 – The Big Bang Theory (CBS) 10:00 Castle (ABC)
Oh, CBS, why do you smite me? The TBBT/HIMYM was a nice combination, I know you totally ruining that by putting a crappy new show and the unwatchable Two and a Half Men in-between. I sure TBBT will get an extra 3-4 million viewers at 9:30 than 8:00, but shouldn’t CBS care more that they are inconveniencing me? I guess I will give Accidentally on Purpose a chance to bridge HIMYM and Trauma but I have a feeling that I will end up just flipping to whatever crappy show on VH1 during that half hour instead. At least when Chuck returns after the Olympics, I can watch that at 8:00, HIMYM on tape delay at 9:00 then TBBT at 9:30. And much like last season, I will most likely be watching Castle via the internet. The first season was moderately enjoyable and the cliff hanger should make things interesting.
Tuesdays The day continues to the least interesting day on the TV schedule. I blame karaokers, has been’s and never were’s. And seriously, Jay Leno chews up five hours a week and NBC still devotes two hour blocks to The Biggest Loser and Donald Trump? Wouldn’t they get better rating if they were one hour and just a longer season?
Wednesdays 8:00 – Parenthood (NBC) 8:30 – Gary Unmarried (CBS) 9:00 – Modern Family (ABC)
Modern Family sounds like just a replacement for According to Jim except gayer. But it does star Al Bundy (who I assume isn’t part of the gay couple), Carol Vessey, and the token hot chick from Let’s Rob Mick Jagger (who I wouldn’t mind if were part of the gay couple), so hopefully it will be at least watchable.
Thursday 8:00 – Survivor (CBS)
Remember Thursdays were the biggest logjam of the week? Not so much for me anymore. I may turn into Weekend Update during the Survivor commercials, but how entertaining can that be in a non-election year?
Friday, Saturday, Sunday I got nothing. At least until NBC comes to its senses and gives an ax to Southland and puts Friday Night Lights in its place.
Midseason Chuck (NBC; Mondays at 8:00) Lost (ABC) I may also give Day One (NBC, Mondays at 9:00) and Mercy (Wednesdays at 8:00) a chance but will be on a short leash or reserved for Hulu.
Over the past two years, I have killed Ben Silverman for ruining NBC with bad decision after another and batting an abysmal .000 when it comes to new shows (it is safe to now put Southland in the fail column after losing almost half its viewers in a month). I am sure yesterday’s Infronts will get more run for what was absent (Chuck, My Name Is Earl, Law and Order; but note the press release says “Additional series pickups announced May 19”), but some of the new shows at the very least interesting. Here are the five shows that may get my eye this coming fall (or Spring 2010, or possibly that Summer because NBC won’t be revealing their summer also until May 19).
1. Trauma: I am not a medical fan and don’t recognize anyone in the cast (aside from Puff Daddy, not the real one, the one from the Biggie Bio-pic), but this has me intrigued for one reason: Peter Berg, the guy that gave us Friday Night Lights, so the guy knows about scouting unknown talent. And the preview looks epic. Maybe almost too epic as it looks movie type expensive which means if it doesn’t get a lot of viewers and fast, it will be gone soon. Check out the preview below and be on the lookout for Buddy Garrity (supposedly Kevin Rankin, who you may know better as Herc is in the cast but I didn’t spot him in the preview):
2. Parenthood: I wasn’t at all interested when I heard they were doing another attempt at Parenthood. That was until they started casting some really likeable actors including Peter Krause (Sports Night), Maura Tierney (News Radio), Craig T. Nelson (The Incredibles), Dax Shepard (Idiocracy), Bonnie Bedelia (okay, I have no clue who she is), Monica Potter (Trust Me), Erika Christensen (Traffic) and Sarah Ramos (American Dreams). From the promo below, you can also spot Sam Jaeger (Eli Stone) and Mae Whitman (her?). And the behind the scenes people are also pretty solid with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer from Arrested Development producing along with Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights) who also handles the writing.
3. Community: Break out star alert: Danny Pudi. Plus the show stars Chevy Chase (American Vacation) and comes from some of the directors of Arrested Development. Plenty of laughable moments in the preview below:
4. Day One: Here is a show that can go either way, it is from Jesse Alexander whose credits include Heroes, Lost and Alias so we or more likely looking at something that is high concept but low reward. Plus there is a Hayden Painietere look-a-like in the cast in the form of Addison Timlin (if she wears a cheerleader outfit I am certainly not watching (wait, did I just write that?)). And all the Jericho comparisons are not helping (the title refers to the day after a catastrophic event). But the show stars the enjoyable Julie Gonzalo who looks like she is going back to her Veronica Mars long blond hair as opposed to her more recent short brunette locks on Eli Stone. No promo yet (it won’t premiere until 2010), but here is an interview with Gonzalo:
5. Mercy: Again, not a fan of the medical fair, but Mercy doesn’t focus on doctors, but instead the nurses. And it stars Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and someone who apparently isn’t Tisha Arnold. The lead manages to have only one entry on her resume. But she does grab someone’s nose in the clip below, so that is a plus. Mercy also has producers, writers, and directors with shows like Friday Night Lights (anyone spotting a trend), Pushing Daisies, and Rescue Me on their resumes. Check out a clip below:
Also on the slate for the peacock network is 100 Questions which looks like it wants to be the new Friends, but if watch the preview you will instantly notice the laugh track which is never a good sign for a sitcom. Also expect reality shows from Jerry Seinfeld (as a marriage councilor), Tony Robbins (helping people threw challenges) and Lisa Kudrow (tracing a person’s family tree). Then this winter is the Vancouver Olympics. And of course don’t forget the Jay Leno hour.
