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Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012
'Smash' ambitious, entertaining look at Broadway (02/09/12)
The fresh-faced ingenue stands alone on the stage, radiant in the spotlight. As the orchestral music swells, her jaw relaxes, her lips open, and from a place deep within her comes a sterling, beautifully tuned voice. It's the product of endless rehearsal and study and vocal coaching, sure, but at the very core of that lovely voice is the raw, real talent of a young woman who has dreamed of this moment since she first caught the performance bug so many years before. ...
'Luck' worthy of a big bet (02/02/12)
David Milch and Michael Mann are -- taken separately -- two of the more dynamic forces in film and television. Milch, with his unique, intricate writing style, has been a creative force in television for a few decades now. From his breakout work on the grandfather of modern police dramas, "Hill Street Blues," to his breakthrough efforts, with another all-time great cop show in "NYPD Blue" and the acclaimed revisionist Western "Deadwood," Milch's bonafides are enviable...
Some Best Picture nominees not easy to see in a theater (01/27/12)
It's too early for me to make any picks for this year's Academy Awards. I have the list of nominees in front of me; sure, there are names on it I don't recognize and a few usual suspects that make what seem to be annual appearances, but I'm waiting for a few more of the guild awards to be announced before I make my (semi-)educated guesses...
'Alcatraz' full of shadows, not much substance (01/19/12)
When a television network wants to produce a show about shadowy conspiracies filled with mysterious figures whose motives range from opaque to obtuse, there's only one producer to call: J.J. Abrams. You've read his name in this column before; in the last decade he has had at least a hand in the creation of shows like "Lost," "Alias," "Fringe" and this season's "Person of Interest."...
Skip out on 'Work It' (01/13/12)
ABC's new Tuesday night entry "Work It" is horrible. In fact, it's so remarkably thorough in its horribleness, it must stand as something of an achievement. Not a proud one, but an achievement nonetheless. I can't remember the last time I watched a sitcom -- or any scripted series of any sort -- that made me cringe as much as this one. ...
Fourth 'Mission' the best of all (01/05/12)
In the seconds leading to the opening credits of the new "Mission Impossible" film, subtitled "Ghost Protocol," Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt -- while being sprung from a prison during a riot -- tells one of his associates, "Light the fuse," as the instantly-recognizable theme music begins to wind up. It's a clever, self-aware touch, leading into the familiar match strike that opened the TV series and the other big-screen stories...
Downey makes new 'Holmes' worth seeing (12/28/11)
I remember going to see the first of the recent "Sherlock Holmes" films in a theater, looking forward to seeing how Robert Downey, Jr., would accord himself. Downey is widely considered one of the better actors of his generation; even when he's starring in special effects-laden extravaganzas (which seems to be all the time nowadays), his charisma and live-wire energy makes him pop off the screen as much as the CGI...
My top 5 of 2011 (12/22/11)
Every year, TV writers and critics and other pundits put together their top ten lists of their favorite shows of the year, some hoping to stir and spin conversation at the end of the year, some just up against a deadline and needing to write something -- anything -- to fill column inches...
One last letter to Santa (12/15/11)
Dear Mr. Claus, By my calendar, the mutually agreed-upon twenty-five-year moratorium on our having written communications expired Monday of this past week; I'll thank you again for allowing it to end without much protraction (and for rescinding the request that I take care of your attorneys' fees). ...
What kind of movie fan is on your list? (12/09/11)
Movies on DVD and Blu-ray disc are, generally speaking, well-received by the ones being gifted. And why not? Most people are movie fans -- with some more fanatical than others -- and when you take a little time to peruse the offerings available in stores or on-line, it's usually not terribly hard to find the right match for each person on your list...
'The Muppets' is a triumphant return (12/01/11)
I was five years old when the original Muppet movie -- called "The Muppet Movie," oddly enough -- came out; I remember my parents packing all four of us Blomstedt kids into the car to go see it. Soon after, the cheery, quirky -- and even surprisingly poignant -- soundtrack was an essential part of our family's traveling music, too...
Attention shoppers (11/23/11)
The earliest, wildest days of the Christmas shopping season are upon us once again. Yes, the time has come for seemingly endless middle-of-the-night queues that ring the perimeters of retail sales oases from coast to coast. For the bull-rush of bargain-desperate crowds, trampling fallen promotional brochures like so many crisped-by-Autumn leaves. ...
Giving thanks (11/17/11)
It's hard to believe that we're approaching the holiday season again. The older I get, the earlier and earlier it seems that Thanksgiving and Christmas come up on the calendar. I know, I know -- I'm still a young whipper-snapper, at least that's what I'm told by some folks; that doesn't change the fact that I'm noticing that the march of time seems to be accelerating into something of a jog, if not a full-on sprint just yet...
NBC launches 'Grimm' crime drama (11/11/11)
Portland police detective Nick Burkhardt is seeing some very strange -- and frightening -- sights these days, and not just because he and his partner Hank Griffin have just returned from the scene of a young woman's gruesome murder inside a wooded city park. ...
Winners and losers so far this fall (11/03/11)
We're only a few weeks into the new fall TV season, but there's been more than enough triumph and tragedy so far to make a spin around the dial for a quick overview of what's working -- and what isn't -- thus far this year. WINNER/LOSER: CBS' "2 Broke Girls" is this year's ultimate good news-bad news example. ...
Fairy tales come alive on 'Once Upon a Time' (10/27/11)
The world of fairy tales was once almost the exclusive dominion of Disney animation. Over the years, the fantasies that we all know (well, more or less) have been re-imagined in any number of ways, but not many of those alternate versions have caught on with audiences. That hasn't stopped studios from trying, though; there are two Snow White films in production right now, for example, one with "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart in the lead role...
Pair of new comedies fall flat (10/20/11)
ABC's recent comedy success has spawned several attempts this season by the network to build upon that young - but already surprisingly strong - foundation. A couple of weeks ago, I praised the very funny "Suburgatory," a show which has started strong in the slot between "The Middle" and "Modern Family" on Wednesday nights...
Trash becomes treasure in two differing sports movies (10/13/11)
There are a pair of sports movies playing in theaters right now, "Moneyball" and "Real Steel." The films couldn't be any more different: one of the films tells the fact-based story of how the general manager of the Oakland A's took a series of personal and professional risks in an effort to change the business of baseball, the other is a fantasy about a near-future America where human-commanded robots engage in vicious, limb-to-limb combat to satisfy a blood-thirsty crowd. ...
Two new comedies have divergent returns (10/06/11)
Comedy is beginning to hit its stride on the networks this fall. Only a handful of years ago, the sitcom was out of favor across broadcast lineups as programming departments aimed to find their Next Big Thing by flooding the marketplace with reality-competition shows, multiple versions of pre-sold brand name shows and attempts to repackage the Latest Big Thing's concept...
Two new dramas fail to meet expectations (09/30/11)
The new network television season rolls on with the addition of several new dramas on Thursday night. I watched two of them -- "Person of Interest" (which airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBS) a dark crime procedural-with-a-twist, as well as ABC's update of "Charlie's Angels," which airs at 7 p.m. -- and I'm sorry to report that both are rather disappointing, no matter what the expectations might have been...
Trio of new fall sitcoms premiere (09/21/11)
A number of new sitcoms line the landscape of fall schedules on the major broadcast networks. I have been able to catch a few of them, but not all (I missed this past Monday night's premiere of CBS' "2 Broke Girls," a show I will endeavor to get back to as soon as possible). ...
Emmy predictions, you heard it here first (09/15/11)
This Sunday, FOX presents the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, starting at 7 p.m. This year's race for some of the big prizes has likely resulted in some close votes, as a number of first-time nominees with recognizable names are pitted against a host of returning favorites. Without further ado, here are my picks: who will win, who should win and who could play the spoiler...
Film festival workshop this Saturday morning (09/08/11)
Over the past few months, I've had the distinct privilege of helping to put together the first-ever Fox-NET Film Festival, which I think is one of the most exciting events to come to McCook in years. If you haven't heard about the festival yet, it starts Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, and features four days of extraordinary non-fiction films produced by Nebraska's own NET Television, as well as an additional world-premiere documentary, created by the McCook's own Divine Productions...
'Our Idiot Brother' sweet but slight (09/01/11)
The new feature film "Our Idiot Brother" is a sweet-natured but slight comedy that benefits from a delightful central performance from Paul Rudd and a few very funny scenes, but doesn't quite manage to wrap itself up satisfactorily as the third act plays out...
Wishing for some new 'old' TV-on-DVD sets (08/25/11)
As a TV consumer with both a long memory and a varied, yet voracious, appetite, I'm never surprised to find myself remembering pleasant viewing experiences from the past. Some of them are fuzzier around the edges, sure (and occasionally in black-and-white), but these memories of programs past are sure to remind me of two things: 1) I have watched/am watching/will continue to watch a great deal more television than most anyone I know, and 2) I kinda wish that more of these shows were readily available for viewing today.. ...
Two shows I'm looking forward to - and two that I'm not (08/18/11)
Ah, the promise of a new fall TV season. Having announced the titles in the late spring, the broadcast networks have slowly begun the rollout of promotional material for their new crop of series set to premiere starting in September. There's anticipation in the air, the hope for a new out-of-the-box sensation - something that will grab on to a wide audience's imagination and attention span, then settle in for a solid five or six seasons, followed by success on home video, sales to a hungry international market and a long life in syndication, providing the kind of ancillary revenue stream that ultimately defines the term itself. ...
Audiences invited to area theatrical productions (08/10/11)
My mom likes to tell a story about a 2 or 3 year-old version of me, playing out some elaborate imagining I'd developed in the living room of my grandparents' house, while a crowd of older relatives watched and laughed and even participated here and there, thanks to my occasional cajoling...
Real cops vs. fake robbers on 'Take the Money and Run' (08/04/11)
If you've read my column with any regularity, you probably know that I'm always on the lookout for a good crime drama. My favorites, shows like "NYPD Blue," "Hill Street Blues" and "Homicide: Life on the Street," were as much about the intricacies of being a police officer -- and, sometimes, being a criminal -- doing his or her job on a day-to-day basis as they were about the crimes being committed or solved...
2011 Emmy Awards: the actors (07/28/11)
Last week, I dedicated this space to a first look at this year's Emmy nominees for both outstanding comedy and drama series, as well as the finalists for the movie/miniseries prize, plus the nominees in the outstanding reality-competition and variety series categories. I'm continuing with my Emmy award preview this week by offering a look at the lead and supporting actor and actress categories, which contain a mix of familiar faces, along with a few intriguing newcomers...
2011 Emmy nominations: a first look (07/21/11)
The television industry prepared to take its yearly turn in the award season spotlight, as the nominations for the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced last week. HBO led the way with 104 nods, while CBS topped the broadcast networks with 50 mentions...
'Horrible Bosses' a hilarious adult comedy (07/14/11)
I've noticed that theatrically-released comedies tend to mirror a single generation's maturation process. Pleasant, G- and PG-rated family comedies fill the cineplexes until someone makes a more grown-up comic take on the genre, usually a turn towards less-genial wisecrackery and a little more bodily function humor. ...
New USA series needs therapy (07/07/11)
USA Network has, in recent years, developed into a strong provider of top-notch escapist fare, especially during the long summer months. USA's shows tend to be the equivalent of what the publishing industry regards as "excellent beach reading," which is generally interpreted to mean that the content might be lighter than air, but there's still something compelling about it...
'Cars 2' an improvement on the first model (07/01/11)
I had fun watching "Cars 2." And yes, in case you were wondering, I liked it better than the first one. Quite a bit more, to tell you the truth. I felt that the 2006 original was a beauty to look at, but felt oddly cold and distant. Even with its paean to life in small-town America, I never felt anything more than that I was watching a feature-length demonstration of Pixar's technical expertise. ...
New TNT drama could be among the best shows of 2011 (06/23/11)
The first images seen in TNT's new drama series "Falling Skies" (airing Sunday nights at 9 p.m.) are glimpses of children's drawings, as you hear their voices talking of the wide-awake nightmares they have witnessed with their own eyes. The horrors in the images are mingled with their small, sad voices; some are choked with tears, some are opaque with shock. These are children of war...
Pair of new summer shows premiering Tuesday (06/16/11)
Last summer, ABC tried out a fairly aggressive programming strategy, one that featured a sizable number of scripted series. Unfortunately for the network, most of them failed to generate any heat whatsoever. Their one moderate success was the Canadian-produced cop drama "Rookie Blue," which pulled in enough of an audience in the U.S. ...
Several excellent titles released on DVD this week (06/09/11)
There are a trio of very good releases on DVD and Blu-ray this week; one is a top-flight re-imagining of a classic Western, while the other two are full-season sets of a pair of TV's most popular and acclaimed hour-long dramas. Any one of them would likely make an excellent choice for a Father's Day gift -- or even perhaps as a present to those gentlemen who are not yet fathers (hint, hint)...
Movie's anniversary sparks drive-in memory (06/02/11)
I read an article on the Los Angeles Times website on Tuesday that gave my movie-loving heart a shot of reality, courtesy of good ol' Father Time. June 12, 2011, marks the 30th anniversary of the release of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." I can almost hear a bunch of you shaking your heads in disbelief, so do what I did: lean back in the seat you're in (as far as you can without hurting yourself and/or others, anyway) and let that fact settle...
More fall TV line-up previews (05/25/11)
Picking up where I left off last week, I have some early previews of new shows that will be airing this fall on CBS and The CW. There are a couple of interesting-looking shows in the mix this upcoming season on this pair of networks, plus another two or three that could be not-so-noble failures...
Networks will announce fall schedules next week (05/11/11)
Starting next week, the broadcast networks will unveil their fall programming lineups in what is known as an upfront presentation, or upfront, for short. These are really more for the advertisers than the general public -- after all, they're primarily showcases that allow the networks the chance to sell significant chunks of their ad time before the new season starts. ...
Remarkable, engrossing 'Speech' now on video (05/04/11)
When you are a person of affluence and influence, perceived as a social better within not only your corner of the world, but the remaining corners as well, there must be an immense pressure to not only fill that part, but be perfectly fitted to it. Any weakness - whether real or fabricated, physical or spiritual - has to be either rooted out or patched over, otherwise that failing - no matter its severity - ultimately becomes the fatal flaw that ends you, be it socially or economically or, well, whatever. ...
'Incredibles' Blu-ray is just that (04/27/11)
One of the best movies of the last decade has finally made its way on to Blu-ray disc: Disney /Pixar's "The Incredibles." It's hard to believe that this Oscar-winning animated feature took as long as it did to finally see a high-definition format release, but the wait was worth it. ...
ABC saying goodbye to pair of long-running soaps (04/20/11)
ABC announced the cancellation of two of their three daytime serials last week. "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" will be off the schedule in September 2011 and Jaunary 2012, respectively, while "General Hospital" is safe (at least for now). The news of the cancellations didn't necessarily surprise me as they'd been rumored for several months before the official announcement, but it did disappoint me a little bit. ...
Fox, ABC roll out more midseason comedies (04/15/11)
As the 2010-11 TV season winds down, the networks are moving the last of their regular inventory onto the prime-time schedule, hoping that something they've held back might connect with an audience. Fox and ABC have new half-hour comedies airing on Wednesday nights, hoping to keep viewers after the credits roll on their most successful shows ("American Idol" for Fox, "Modern Family" on ABC)...
Oscar-nominated indie drama well worth seeing (04/06/11)
"Winter's Bone," available on DVD from Lionsgate, is a truly tough, hard-scrabble film about tough, hard-scrabble people, but it's also as deeply touching and soulful a motion picture as I have seen in some time. There isn't a moment in the movie that rings false, not one single scene or performance or line of dialogue that takes you out of the drama...
Satellite radio channel offers classic programs (03/24/11)
My wife and I purchased and installed a satellite radio receiver in our car just before a Christmas time trip to Texas. We'd made that trip once before -- albeit in separate vehicles -- when she first moved to Nebraska, and we both agreed that we needed more listening options than we'd get by playing roulette with the radio dial, not only crossing our fingers that we'd find a station that the two of us would like, but also one that would maintain a fair-to-decent signal over more than a 50 mile stretch of highway. ...
And now, a (bad) word from our sponsor... (03/17/11)
As fellow TV travelers riding our varied cushions as we wing our way around the dial (okay, that's more than enough of that), you and I have probably seen more than our fair share of advertising, from the simple to the elaborate, the surprisingly entertaining to the deadly dull...
ABC's 'Detroit 1-8-7' deserves better (03/09/11)
I've noticed a troubling trend when it comes to certain shows on ABC -- almost every year, they seem to marginalize, then cancel, the ones that I really like. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's a personal attack; the programming executives there are undoubtedly far too busy with their day-to-day business to dedicate an iota of attention toward li'l ol' me...
New CBS crime thriller an unpleasant copy (03/02/11)
If the drama department at CBS has done one thing extremely well over the last decade, it's been their ability to develop a successful -- and extremely repeatable -- formula for a hit hour-long crime drama. I know I'm simplifying the equation here, but it does boil down to this: take a law enforcement team numbering a half-dozen or so, put them in office environs, surround them with technology that Batman and James Bond would envy and let them loose on the bad guys...
Oscar night: my picks (02/24/11)
Starting at 7 p.m. this Sunday night -- and ending sometime around Labor Day weekend -- the motion picture industry will hand out its top honors at the 83rd Academy Awards. I don't know for sure who will be leaving the Kodak Theatre with Oscar statues in hand, but I have a few decent guesses -- and a bunch of outright ones, too...
Some more of my favorite things (02/17/11)
As I've found myself pressed for time this week, I've decided to do another column in a handy-dandy list form - this time I'm naming three of my all-time favorite TV shows now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Nothing I'm listing is in any particular order, by the way; where they appear on the list solely depends on when they wandered out of my subconscious, hit the neurological highway and took the off-ramps to my fingers, speaking metaphorically (and rather sloppily at that). ...
'Red Riding' resolution resolved (02/11/11)
I wasn't joking when I resolved to start watching the DVDs I've purchased, then neglected. And I certainly wasn't joking when I said that I'd begin the process by watching the trio of British crime dramas that are collectively known as "Red Riding." I had the full intent of watching them -- you know, when I got around to it...
Some of my favorite TV and movies of 2010 -- in no particular order (02/11/11)
For my first column of 2011, I decided to make one last list, one to close out the year just past. I thought I'd cover some television programs I really liked, plus highlight a few movies that I also enjoy -- some I've mentioned before, some I haven't. (Please indulge my occasional redundancy; some things just bear repeating.)...
New Fox crime drama pits cops against corruption (02/10/11)
The earliest TV crime dramas were, in essence, cut from the same cloth as the Westerns that aired around them -- clear black-and-white delineations of good and evil. On shows like "Dragnet" or "The Untouchables," the heroes were generally square-jawed, honorable men who sought justice. ...
'Mr. Sunshine' review: No more Mr. Nice Guy? (02/03/11)
It's hard to fathom now, seeing the star he's become, but there was a time when Matthew Perry was often recognized as one of those dependable performers who deserved a shot at a leading role in a series, but on those occasions that he was given a chance to carry that mantle, the show didn't succeed...
Legal drama, relationship comedy come off NBC's bench (01/27/11)
NBC, which has been struggling in the ratings race for the last several years (excluding the runaway success of "Sunday Night Football"), is continuing to try to find a show that will click with audiences. Two new series have joined their lineup: a law drama from one of TV's most-lauded writers, plus a new Thursday night comedy...
New midseason TV: superheroes, jungle docs and a burger joint (01/20/11)
The second half of the 2010-11 television season has begun with a number of new series on the major networks. There will be more to come; some better, some worse. (And, to bring up another inexorable fact, some of the better ones will die on the vine, while some of the lousy ones will become smash hits -- or at least resemble them.) Here's my look at three of these new series: two of them dramas, the other a comedy...
My resolution? Actually watching some of the movies I buy (12/30/10)
Around this time of year, most folks are plotting their New Year's resolutions -- those sentence-long self-improvement promises to toss out the cigarettes, lose those last ten pounds and/or keep the checkbook balanced, while leaving the credit cards in the wallet...
Candy or coal? What TV shows are getting in their stockings (12/30/10)
'Tis the season to make a list and check it twice in the entertainment review. The year has featured some memorable moments, for better or worse, on television. I'm doling out some stocking stuffers to various elements -- good and not-so-good -- that found their way onto screens this year...
ABC's Wednesday night comedy trio now 'must-watch' (12/30/10)
One of the pleasures of the 2010-11 TV season so far has been watching the growth of a number of ABC's Wednesday night programs. While I still can't say the entire three-hour block keeps me from changing the channel (the new sitcom "Better with You" -- which airs at 7:30 p.m. ...
Taking stock of some new fall shows (10/02/09)
With the bulk of the new fall series taking to the air in the last couple of weeks -- along with most of the returning shows too -- I thought it might be a good time to talk about what's working, what isn't and what really isn't around the dial (or what I've seen, anyway). Call it a stock report, if you will, of new shows to buy, hold or sell...
Fall TV preview: Dramas (09/04/09)
The broadcast networks will trot out new hour-long dramatic fare this fall. Is there another hit in the bunch? The networks hope so -- and each of them hopes they are the one to have it. Last year's strike-recovery season was a disappointing one on so many fronts, but the drama field was perhaps the most affected. ...
Fall TV preview: Comedies (08/14/09)
If there was ever an opportune time for a big, crowd-pleasing television comedy to come along, it might just be now. A half-hour (or more, to be honest) of hearty laughs on primetime TV every week would certainly lighten moods from coast to coast and border to border...
Summer TV: The good, the bad and the really, really bad (07/31/09)
I know. I should be getting outside during the summer. The arguments for doing so are numerous, mostly relating to things such as sunshine, fresh air, the potential for human contact. Mostly though, I hear that there's nothing on except for shows I've either already seen at least once, or programs that I didn't want to see the first time (and neither did anyone else)...
A little brother who isn't so little (06/26/09)
I'm trying to avoid the more maudlin aspects of life in my column. I promise. No one wants me to get back to writing about TV -- the good, the bad and the ho-hum -- more than me. It's just that I've been distracted. Mother's Day. Father's Day. And for my latest diversion, well, my little brother is getting married next week, so you'll have to indulge me, just once more...
From a son to his father on Father's Day (06/19/09)
(Preface: Since I wrote something about my mom for Mother's Day, I don't want my dad grousing about not getting "equal time" on his day. So here you go, Pop.) My dad's Superman in my universe, and I mean it. He is a brave, intelligent and good-hearted man -- my hero, really -- and I am frequently amazed that he continues to put up with me and my shenanigans...
Pondering the 'Wearable Towel' (06/12/09)
There's an exchange of dialogue from an episode of "The Simpsons" that goes a little like this (forgive me if it's not verbatim): Belle (in a voice that's mostly suspicion, with just a hint of revulsion): "Mr. Simpson, are you wearing a paper bag?" Homer (in a voice that's rather matter-of-fact, yet can't quite hide the defiance): "I seem to have misplaced my pants."...
Summer TV: USA's 'Burn Notice' is back (06/05/09)
Summer TV, in recent years, has become a rather fertile ground for top-quality programming on the cable side of the dial. While the major broadcast networks ceded their schedules to reality shows, schedule cast-offs and repeats during the dog days, channels such as AMC, FX, TNT and USA started rolling out original series, and a significant number of them connected, critically and commercially...
I'm up for 'Up' (05/29/09)
As a 34- (going on 35-) year-old man, I am not supposed to be giddy with anticipation for nearly anything in this life, especially for something as silly as a movie. Social mores state that it simply isn't done -- I'm to be emotionally collected at 34 (going on 35). Controlled. Colorless, even. My joys are to be limited to grown-up things, and kept to myself...
Upfronts and the long view (05/15/09)
Throughout the next week, the broadcast networks will be holding their upfront presentations, announcing their fall programs to the world at large. This used to be an event that was nothing more than a marketing tool for the television industry, and it was kept fairly hush-hush. ...
From a son to his mother for Mother's Day (05/08/09)
I have a really excellent mom. To some people, that probably sounds simplistic, perhaps to the point of being childish. To others, it might sound like hyperbole. But it's true. My mom -- well -- she's a really excellent mom. And I don't feel this way just because she's my mother, and my mind is filled with sunny, greeting-cardish recollections of days past, seen through an affectionately skewed lens...
Things I thought about while typing (05/01/09)
I'm jumping on to the bandwagon of the "random thoughts" column this week. Why? Two reasons: number one, I'm very sleepy; number two, all of my thoughts tend to be -- well -- random. And thirdly, I'm very sleepy. Matter of fact, this could just be a vivid, old-pizza-induced dream that I'm having ... which would explain a lot...
Whose bubble is going to burst? (04/24/09)
In the next few weeks, the broadcast television networks will firm up their fall schedules, hoping to find the next big hit -- or, failing that, at least one or two minor successes that will propel their ad sales on an upward trend. Many shows that are currently on the air will not see another season; such is the nature of the industry...
TCM marks 15 years (04/17/09)
There are few things on television that can be accurately deemed as indispensable. Turner Classic Movies, the 24-hour cable channel, is one of those rarities. Now in its 15th year, it stands alone on the pay television landscape as a constant purveyor of art and culture and history, providing its viewers a chance to once again see the world through the lenses of filmmakers that can legitimately be called greats...
Two new cop shows: Are they arresting? (04/10/09)
I admit freely that I'm a fan of cop shows. From the various permutations of "Dragnet," to the revolution that was "Hill Street Blues," to the upheaval in the form by "NYPD Blue," to the myth-shatterer that was "The Shield," the behind-the-badge stories hold a level of fascination for me that few other genres possess...
Don't discount the discount racks (03/27/09)
Used to be that the cheap movies in the aisle displays at your friendly neighborhood Alco or Wal-Mart store were -- for lack of a better term -- the cheap movies. I can remember perusing racks full of titles in the public domain. A few are fresher in my mind than others, and not just because they were the eight different versions of "It's A Wonderful Life."...
Free video-on-demand box offered (03/06/09)
There are several different companies attempting to bring video-on-demand (VOD) services to a larger number of American households, harnessing the power of the World Wide Web to bring it to TV screens everywhere. The Roku set-top box, for example, costs 99 dollars, and allows you to download movies and TV shows through Amazon.com, while electronics manufacturer LG has announced a flat-panel monitor combined with a Blu-Ray player that streams programming from Netflix's Internet site, so long as you're a subscriber to the company's mail-order movie rental service.. ...
'The Simpsons' to run through 2011 (02/27/09)
Not many television shows make it through a full season, never mind 20 of them. But that is exactly what Fox's "The Simpsons" has managed to do. In fact, Fox has just announced that they are going to order another two seasons of the comedy, making it the longest-running scripted program in network television history, passing the legendary TV Western "Gunsmoke," and adding 44 episodes to the series lengthening total. ...
Is the 'Snuggie' the death of regular blankets? (02/20/09)
By now, I'm sure that 99 percent of you have heard of the "Snuggie," which appears to be the end result of the intensely intricate lab work of cross-pollinating downy-soft fleece blankets (or, if you prefer, Fleeceus comforterae, in genuine faux-Latinspeak) and the miracle invention that is the shirt sleeve (which has no faux-Latinspeak translation, at least none that I could make up off the top of my head; apologies all around). ...
Giving my first real Valentine's Day gift (02/13/09)
I'm pushing myself away from the TV this week (well, no, not the whole week; that'd be silly) because I'm really quite excited about something monumental that I did a few days ago. I bought my fiancee a Valentine's Day gift. It's supposed to be a surprise, so I can't just blurt out what it is in this particular space. ...
Catching cold and catching up (02/06/09)
As I write this, my left temple is generating a dull throb. My sinus cavity is alternating between clogged and arid, with each state providing its own special kind of unpleasantness. The rising, spiraling sensation of a sneeze comes on, then fades away with no such relief or release -- all "ah," no "choo," if you will. ...
Super Bowl Sunday: New American holiday? (01/30/09)
For almost every calendar day, there is an observance. Some of these observances are the very definition of obscure (January 26th's Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, for example, or July 22nd's Health, Happiness with Hypnosis Day, for another), while others are a little more elevated than rest (Arbor Day, anyone?), but the pinnacle of scheduled observances is the holiday...
'Lost' is back, and it's about time (01/23/09)
Wednesday nights just got great again. The fifth season of "Lost" debuted on ABC on Jan. 21, and delivered another pair of fiercely entertaining, spectacularly produced hours that put most of the rest of primetime television on notice -- a prime example of what TV can accomplish when everyone behind the scenes, including network executives, break the shackles of the ordinary and willingly take big (and bigger) risks...
End of the road for analog, but first the potholes (01/09/09)
It's going to happen. Television's analog-to-digital broadcast transition is on, and going full-force. Local stations to broadcast networks, coast to coast and up and down the dial, are advising viewers to prepare themselves for the next major technological advance to hit our living rooms. ...
Sesame Street -- Brought to you this year by the numbers 4 and 0 (01/02/09)
Here's some news to make my generation feel the chill of age in our bones: "Sesame Street" celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. (Or as Count Von Count might say: "40! 40 anniversaries!" and then give a cheery "ah-ah-ah" to the answering flash of lightning and crash of thunder.)...
Resolving resolution (12/26/08)
I've never been much for New Year's resolutions. Oh, sure, I appreciate the idea of setting a goal or two for personal betterment -- I mean, who doesn't look in the mirror and see those parts of themselves that could use a good tweaking or even outright replacement -- but appreciation only goes so far. A person must actually take the step of deciding which goals need setting, then setting said goals, and finally, with something approximating wholeheartedness, willfully attempt to reach them...
One opinion on TV's best and worst of '08 (12/19/08)
It's been a quick December, hasn't it? Here we are, less than a week until Christmas, and another week beyond that will be the start of a brand new year. Between fulfilling my duties here at the paper and finishing my Christmas shopping and singing in the McCook choir a couple of weeks ago and -- well, sleeping -- I've had precious little time to keep myself caught up on my voluntary TV beat. ...
Leno's post- 'Tonight Show' move a sign of (prime) times to come? (12/12/08)
A few days ago, NBC announced -- with some fanfare -- that long-time "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, who was rumored to be on his way to another network, would not only be staying at NBC, but in fact, be given a new prime time series. Leno's new show will launch this upcoming fall, and while there hasn't been any hint of what it will be, one thing is known: It will run at 9 p.m. every night, five nights a week...
Concert something to sing about (12/05/08)
I've noticed something during rehearsals for the McCook Community Choir's annual Christmas concert: the choir loft at the McCook Methodist Church is awfully crowded. But that's the only thing remotely "awful" about it. There are 30-plus of us, standing shoulder to shoulder, four rows deep. ...
Thanks for the journey (11/28/08)
This is the time of year when we begin to look at our corner of the world and take stock of our blessings, of the people and places and things for which we are most thankful. As for myself, I have many blessings. I'm thankful for my constantly supportive family. I'm thankful for the young woman who has come into my life and made every day better. I'm thankful for the job opportunity I was given this year by this newspaper...
'Pushing Daisies' RIP (11/21/08)
My heart sinks around 9:30 every Thursday morning. Sometimes it's at 9:45, sometimes it's at 9:15, but mostly it's closer to 9:30, give or take a minute or two. You see, that's when the Nielsen ratings for one of my favorite shows, ABC's "Pushing Daisies," usually scroll past my eyes -- and the prognosis they bring with them for one of television's most entertaining shows is not good. Not good at all...
Will they have a Monopoly on board game films? (11/14/08)
I'm not the Gazette's movie guy, I know, but I saw something movie-related on an industry Web site that I frequent that I found -- well -- astonishing. Universal Pictures is teaming up with toy manufacturer Hasbro to make a movie version of the board game "Monopoly," according to the Hollywood Reporter, a leading entertainment business publication...
Election night 2008 -- or was it 3008? (11/07/08)
As the years have passed, the broadcast and cable news outlets have slowly begun developing new and better ways to disseminate information to the masses, as well as gather that information for themselves. In recent years, that has led to use of live-blogging, instant messaging, and even webcams to communicate with the masses. ...
'30 Rock' just hitting its stride (10/31/08)
"30 Rock" returned to NBC (Thursdays at 8:30 p.m.) firing on all cylinders creatively, and brings along its multiple Emmy wins. Star Tina Fey, who also created and writes for the show, has been on her own rocket ride, thanks to a hit summer movie, then Emmys for writing and acting on the series, and most recently, her immensely popular impersonation of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. ...
Palin's SNL appearance a big hit, but why? (10/24/08)
Last week's appearance by vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live" helped the show reach a dizzying height. (And, no, it wasn't Alec Baldwin repeatedly referring to Palin as "Tina.") "SNL" achieved an astonishing 14-year high in the Nielsen ratings; enough people watched the episode to make it the third most-watched program on all of television, including prime time series...
Show is its own worst enemy (10/17/08)
Spy fiction sinks or swims based on the audience's ability to buy into the premise. My favorite of the James Bond pictures, "Goldfinger," has such a wacky plot that if you dedicate even a minute thinking about it, you'd laugh it off. But the telling is crisp and exciting, and there's wit and spirit in the performances. ...
Test driving some imports (10/10/08)
Importing and retrofitting foreign-developed concepts isn't a new thing in the television business. A sizable chunk of Seventies comedies were based on British series -- "Sanford and Son," "Three's Company," even one of the most acclaimed sitcoms in American television history, "All in the Family."...
Survey says: The games networks play … (10/03/08)
It's safe to say that any of the broadcast networks would like to have the kind of success ABC had at the beginning of this century with "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" While we're some years past its peak, you can't forget that the show was a cultural phenomenon and ratings juggernaut until it burned out -- thanks to overexposure -- and dragged a short-sighted network to the basement as quick as it carried it to the penthouse. ...
Emmy show will go down in history -- for all the wrong reasons (09/26/08)
Steve Martin presented his former boss Tommy Smothers with a long overdue writing Emmy last Sunday night, prefacing the award with his typically droll comments, spiced with flashes of his absurdist humor. Martin may have had my favorite line of the night; when talking about how excited he was about being at the ceremony, he said that it fulfilled a childhood dream for him. "I would rush home from school, get dressed up, and play '60th Annual Emmy Awards,'" Martin deadpanned...
Emmys: Who oughta win (09/19/08)
It's an inexact thing, picking these. It's not even like comparing apples to oranges; in most cases, it's much more akin to comparing apples to staplers. (For example, while an apple could double as a paperweight, would you want to drink a tall glass of stapler juice?...
Returning network series have work cut out for them (09/12/08)
A new fall season usually means large amounts of change across the broadcast landscape, but that's simply not the case this year. Most of the network schedules are carbon copies from last fall; they include a significant batch of series that had their seasons cut short because of the prolonged writers' strike...
Jeremy Blomstedt
The Entertainment Center