jack bauer makes illegal u-turns all the time with no repercussions, but keifer sutherland can't - especially when his blood alcohol level is above the legal limit as it was yesterday when he was pulled over by the cops.
it was like 1:35 in the morning and he was taken down to the hollywood police station and booked for a misdemeanor dui. he was released on $25 000 bail and his court date is oct. 16
premier week has officially begun on nbc and monday night (last night) we got two new show premiers: Chuck and Jouneyman.
Chuck: i was looking forward to this one and it was exactly what i expected. it was funny and quick and had some action all in a nice fun package. i really want to see where this one goes however. i'm hoping for an interesting through story for the series, as opposed to the more episodic type stuff where each episode is its own individual thing and the grand story arc isn't as important (ala CSI). from what i could tell from the pilot, i think that the through story could be there.
Journeyman: this one, however, looks to be episodic which is disappointing. i wasn't looking forward to this show at all. some guy takes trips back in time, and there is an ex-love-of-his-life, blah, blah blah!! it sounded corny and didn't interest me.
then i watched it and as it was coming to an end i had changed my mind. the relationship thing wasn't corny and he spent a bunch of his time dealing with this other guys life that he had changed on his first trip back.
then it ended and he had done what he had had to do in that guys life (make sure he didn't kill his family so that his son could become a boy genius doctor and safe a bunch of lives) and that was it for that story line. the way it ended they make it seem like each episode will involve him going back and effecting some change or fixing something so that things can work out well in the future. hmmmmmmm, can you say Quantum Leap?????
Quantum Leap was a great show, and yes it was very episodic in that pretty much each episode could be watched without having seen the one previous, but they were interesting and focused on the fixing of the past. at Journeyman it seems like they can't decide what they are doing. there is what seems to be a through story about the ex-lover (and the fact that she might not have actually been killed in a plane crash is an interesting development) and i expect they will get into how, and why, he is doing the time travel thing. however, because of all that, the actual fixing the past part felt very superficial and to easily accomplished. there was no drama or real conflict there.
now, they can also go the route of making the grand story arc the focus and the each-episode-travel-fixes secondary. they just have to pick one, because they don't look like they can have both. but, i like to give shows a chance, so it will remained tivo'd for at least a couple more episodes and we shall see how it develops.
that was the cry that rang out among the 39 other kids as 8-year-old jimmy decided to leave bonanza city after just 4 days on cbs's Kid Nation.
ya, i know this thing premiered last week and the second episode is tomorrow, but i just got to it yesterday and wanted to just say a few things about it.
i was actually really looking forward to this one. something about the survivor-meets-lord of the flies concept appealed to me. and what do i think after just one episode? i kind of enjoyed it. the kids are great (well, at least some of them are) and i found myself trying to see what i would have done if i had been on such a show back when i was between 8-14 years old.
the personalities and characters are interesting and whoever was doing the casting over at cbs should get a pat on the back. its also funny how even with all the divisions and personality clashing, at least so far they seem to be better at getting along and working things out then grown ups are on their reality shows.
i would have loved for it to be real hardcore, with no adult host and really just let them try to organize themselves and create systems and such, without the show providing the lead. but that might be a little too lord of the flies and not very doable with kids of that age. however, barring that, i am looking forward to see how the whole class system plays out and how that leads to conflict among groups.
on a side note: i can't remember all their names, but there was that one instant where that big kid actually physically shoved that michael kid (one of the town council). i am surprised that the big kid didn't get kicked off the show for that. i am pretty sure that there are strict rules about any kind of physical violence towards other players on all the other reality shows and i would have assumed the same here. - i'm not saying that i think he should have been (as long as he doesn't make a habit of it), but i was just curious about any rules regarding that kind of thing.
watchin' and commentin'
- caroline (the blond waitress from new york)
- the complete ignorance and disrespect she had for the buddhist welcome ceremony was sad
- if she can't control that attitude and those obviously miss-i'm-so-superiour-to-you faces she keeps making then she is going to get her cute little ass kicked off pretty quick.
i mean, haven't these people seen the show before? you don't alienate yourself from the group like that. and come on: we all know the odds are you are going to have to go to your camp wearing only the clothes on your back (that means wear a bra and don't wear 20 pound boots or high heels). and speaking of things you don't do...
-aaron
- mr. i'm-going-to-be-the-leader-but-subtly. that is a very fine line to walk my friend, and we will see how that goes for him
- james (the gravedigger)
- this guy seems great. honest and genuine and quiet and built like a frickin' brick house. he seems like he might be a little to trusting, but he also seems aware that the whole strategy/socializing part is what he needs to work on, and being aware of that is a big plus for him.
they are giving out flint already. crappy. i still think they should make them have to go without filnt for at least a week if not more. make then have to make their own fire. its possible to do so stop making it so easy for them.
see ya chicken
frasier, i mean kelsey grammer, is back on tv and after 20 years or so he is finally playing a different character (besides those great side show bob episodes on The Simpsons).
last night fox premiered Back To You, starring kelsey and Everybody Loves Raymond wife patricia heaton. i actually don't have that much to say about it besides, 'it was okay'. there were some funny laugh out loud moments, and the supporting cast seems funny - especially the great fred willard. it is a solid sitcom without standing out as anything great - unlike the three sitcoms the two stars have worked on before: Cheers, Everybody Loves Raymond and Frasier. now those were three great comedies.
for now i'm gonna keep it on the good 'ol tivo, but i wasn't particularly drawn in by the storyline, and unless things change it looks like it might turn into a watch-it-if-i-catch-it-and-i'm-not-watching-anything-else-but-if-
not-then-no-big-deal. only time, and a couple more episodes, will tell.
grade: at this point B-
the new tv season has begun and we will be looking at it all as it unfolds over the next few weeks. but for now we have gotten started with the season premier Prison Break and the seriese premier of K-Ville - both on fox on monday nights.
i have been a fan of Prison Break during its first two seasons and was looking forward to the new season, and the premier didn't disappoint.
michael scofield found himself in a panamanian prison at the end of last season and that is where he starts this one - along with some other recognizable characters. and as we find out by the end of the episode, he has been put there in order to help someone escape. SWEET!!!
Prison Break isn't known for its brilliant dialogue or depth of character. it is a cool, fun, exciting show that hooks you and doesn't let go and the season opener lived up to expectations. sure there are some generic characters in the prison and predictable story developments, but that is all moot. the show is fast and intense and i am looking forward to a good season.
as for K-Ville, i wasn't as impressed. the show has some action and such, but the detective/'mystery' part of the show was really not that interesting. what i liked was the characters and the dealing with a post-katrina new orleans and how the city is still so far from what it once was even these years later.
its easy for us to go about our lives and forget about it now that the telethons are over and it isn't in the news all the time, but the people that it effected are still dealing with the repercussions and will be for probably a lot longer.
pilots aren't always the best way to judge a show, so i will keep it on my tivo for now and see where it goes.
Prison Break
grade: B+
K-Ville
grade: B- (but could go up or down and will be adjusted after i check out a few more episodes)
i've posted about Last Comic Standing a fair bit over the last month or two, but i wanted to just say that this has been the worst season ever. now, let me also just say that it is still lone of my favorite reality shows since i love stand-up comedy. however, compared to previous seasons this one ranks the lowest.
first off they truncated the show and had fewer challenge rounds then usual. but, most important was the fact that the comedians weren't as good this season. especially the ones we ended up with in the last few.
i thought they left some really funny people out of the top 20 - i can't think of their names right now, but there were a few that should have been in the top 10 that didn't make it - but moving on from there, my faves in the top 10 were: doug benson (great timing and delivery), that short british guy and amy shumer (although by the end she seemed to be running a little short on material. but she has only been doing this for about 4 years) - ralph harris had one very funny night and then one not so funny night. gerry dee is good and has some quality material also, but then last night he got kicked off and now we are left with jon reep and lavell crawford.
these guys are ok, but not top-2 material. and it really showed last night when they were down to their last bits (since they have been using their best stuff in previous challenges and routines). reep had a few good lines with the snoring thing, but it wasn't great and lavell felt like he had just run out of steam. lavell has had some great lines and bits in the show, but sometimes his stuff feels like he is making it up on the spot and it isn't great. i have no problem with a big fat guy making big fat guy jokes, but at least bring something new to it or take a witty angle on it. and sometimes he does and i was cracking up, but lots of lavell's stuff is so well tread we have heard things like it before and we can finish the joke before he does.
maybe we have been spoiled in the past with some really good comics like: john heffron, anton boldon, gary gullman... now those guys are funny and do some smart, quality stand-up.
anyway, like i have said in previous posts, there have been some very funny episodes this season, but these last 4 with just the stand-up and eliminations have been pretty average.
holy crap!!!! they just finished round 2 (the numbers and logic round) and wow this is a great match so far. only 3 seconds separate them and did you see how many questions they are answering even once their clocks get under 10 seconds left?
- jennings and ogis are both great, but i can't see jennings losing now that he made it through the math round and kept it so close. also, with that new current knowledge round he shoudl be able to gain some time since that is not really ogis' best subject (although he probably devised some sort of brain function to help him with that stuff)...
- and i was right on. round three went to jennings big time with him banking 48 seconds. that was huge
- and it's over folk - ken jennings is the Grand Slam champ and deservedly so.
- it would have been fun if it had been closer going into the final round, but three of the first four rounds were really close and it was a good match overall.
