Monthly Archives: June 2012
AGT’s First Night in Vegas
Archer Ben Blaque
America’s Got Talent began Vegas Week last night and there really was no reason to be optimistic about this season. It has been a disappointment. There have been many acts that were terrible and not even remotely entertaining. Most of the acts that made it through to Vegas were only average.
The hour opened with the crowd of acts scrambling as they were told that they would be split into three groups: the judge’s favorites, the standbys, and those who weren’t on either list. The acts in the last group would not perform in Vegas and would either be sent home right away or sent straight to the New York rounds. This was very repetitive, as the acts were shown on camera all saying basically the same thing that they had a good performance at the auditions and they hope they make it through. This did not hold my attention at all and the time could’ve been used to give the acts more screen time.
Weekly Update: June 25
On Thursday, FX will run a marathon of Charlie Sheen’s favorite Two and a Half Men episodes. It will lead up to the series premiere of Anger Management.
Jennifer Hudson will have a multi-episode on Smash next season.
Alex Trebek is recovering from a heart attack.
TMZ reports that NBC will pay Ann Curry 10 million to leave Today.
Maura Tierny gets a recurring role on The Good Wife.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg likes HBO’s Girls.
Previewing The CW’s Fall Season
Since The WB’s merge with UPN in 2006, The CW has not fared very well. Some of its solid hits remain, such as Supernatural, but many of the shows that have premiered since the merger are gone. Now, the network has a strong presence online. Of all the networks, The CW seems the least reliable. Maybe it’ll get lucky this fall.
Arrow
This Action/Adventure drama revolves around billionaire Oliver Queen. Queen returns to his hometown of Starling City after having been stranded on an island for five years and presumed dead. After struggling to mend the relationships of those he left behind, Queen creates the persona of Arrow, a vigilante committed to protecting the city. I am really not sure what to make of this show. Character development will be a must. If it is simply Arrow saving the citizens of Starling City multiple times, it could get boring. Aside from that, the premise and casting of this show seems poorly executed. Oliver Queen was already a main character on Smallville. Justin Hartley’s portrayal was brilliant. This show’s continuity will be reworked and Queen is now being played by Stephen Arnell. I do not understand why this is not a direct Smallville spinoff. I’ve seen The Green Arrow before. Arnell isn’t as good as Hartley. I don’t think this show is going to last too long.
The Newsroom Needs a Newsflash
Last night, after much anticipation, Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom finally debuted on HBO. I really wanted to like this show because, even though I know he can be preachy, I like Aaron Sorkin and his previous two shows about the behind-the-scenes of television. Both Sports Night and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip were their own shows, The Newsroom appears to be a rehash of Studio 60 with the only difference being the former takes place in a newsroom and the latter is about a late night sketch comedy show a la Saturday Night Live.
If I had never seen Studio 60, I would probably love The Newsroom. Instead, I spent all hour and fifteen minutes of the first episode wishing people would stop comparing everyone they find bland to Jay Leno, thinking Sam Waterston needs a hair cut and makes an awkward drunk, and searching for anachronisms and incorrect facts. Seriously, I was trying to determine if the cell phones used in the show were actually available in 2010 because the show lost my interest within the first 15 minutes.
NBC Uses a Video Without Permission
In 2009, The Jay Leno Show used an amateur comedy video that it had found on YouTube without permission. Despite the fact that Leno did not ask permission, Brian Kamerer and Travis Irvine were initially happy that he had used the video on his show. All that changed when NBC decided to take the duos video down because of copyright infringement. Yes, you read that correctly. NBC, which could be accused of copyright infringement for not paying or asking to use a video, took down the original posting of a video it essentially stole from Kamerer and Irvine due to copyright infringement.
I am not saying Jay Leno should not have used the video. In fact, anything that gives more exposure to up-and-coming comedians is a good thing, especially since late night talk shows rarely feature stand up comedians nowadays. However, NBC had no right to use the video without asking permission or compensating Kamerer and Irvine and definitely went to far with taking the video down.
The CBS Buzz Tour May Come to You
Fox is not the only network to have a summer tour. The “CBS Buzz Tour” is also visiting various cities giving prizes, previews, and photo opportunities to CBS fans. Alex Boylan from The Amazing Race and Burton Roberts from Survivor: Pearl Islands will engage viewers online with “Inside Buzz” webisodes, blogs, and contests on CBS.com as they travel around the country.
The tour dates that have been announced are: (* marks dates that are before the official kickoff)
Saturday, June 30: Boston (WBZ) at the CBS Scene restaurant at Patriot Place*
Sunday, July 1: Boston (WBZ) at the Charles River Esplanade*
Wednesday, July 4: Kickoff during the “Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular” (10-11pm)
Fox Takes New Girl On The Road
New Girl, the Fox sitcom starring Zooey Deschanel, is hitting the road with “The New Girl True American Bus Tour.” The tour will feature the party school bus that Jess borrowed for Schmidt’s birthday and will visit various cities all over the country. At each stop, fans will be able to watch exclusive videos and various New Girl merchandise, such as Jess’s signature glasses and New Girl T-shirts with logos and catchphrases from the show. Some of the catchphrases available on the shirts are “Pink Wine Makes Me Slutty” and “Schmidt Happens.” You will also be able to reenact the New Girl‘s opening theme song in a photo, eat Jess’s cupcakes, and play “douchebag jar” pong for prizes.
The tour is in Atlanta this weekend. Here is the schedule: (Keep in mind the schedule may change.)
FRIDAY, JUNE 22 (ATLANTA)
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Live Appearance on “Good Day Atlanta”
11:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Brewhouse Café
401 Moreland Avenue Northeast
NBC May Replace Ann Curry on Today
Despite being with Today since 1997, Ann Curry has only co-hosted the NBC show for a year. However, The New York Times reports that Curry is on the way out and may be gone before the Olympics, if not as early as next week. Once she leaves Today, Curry may become foreign correspondent for NBC.
Prior to Ann Curry’s takeover as co-host to Matt Lauer, Today had been number one in the ratings for 17 years. Since Curry moved from the news desk, Today and ABC’s Good Morning America take turns, almost on a weekly basis, as the highest rated morning show.
While I feel bad for Curry because she is apparently losing her dream job, I hope she because a foreign correspondent because she is better suited for that role, especially since some reports say that some aspects of daytime television clash with her journalistic sensibilities.
Will you miss Ann Curry? Let us know in the comments!
Futurama Returns to Comedy Central
Futurama opened its seventh season with two episodes on Wednesday night. Using futuristic settings to bring a satirical commentary on current popular culture, the show seems as good as ever. In its second season on Comedy Central, it seems more likely than ever that it will enjoy success for years to come.
Spoiler Alert!
The hour opened with a hilariously overblown red alert from Professor Farnsworth summoning the Planet Express crew. As it turns out, he installed a new soda machine. The crew was thrilled. This opening scene was very enjoyable and loyal to the usual dynamic of the group having disproportionate emotional reactions to what is happening around them. This seemed from the start like it was going to be a great episode.
CBS Hilariously Throws Stones At ABC’s Glass House
CBS unsuccessfully tried to get a court to block the premiere of ABC’s Big Brother-esque reality show The Glass House. While the premiere of The Glass House was only watched by 4.7 million viewers, that hasn’t stopped CBS from sending out a press release that is one big jab at ABC.
Here is the press release in it’s entirety:
06.20.2012
CBS ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT OF “DANCING ON THE STARS,” AN EXCITING AND COMPLETELY ORIGINAL REALITY PROGRAM THAT OWES ITS CONCEPT AND EXECUTION TO NOBODY AT ALL
Los Angeles, June 20, 2012 – Subsequent to recent developments in the creative and legal community, CBS Television today felt it was appropriate to reveal the upcoming launch of an exciting, groundbreaking and completely original new reality program for the CBS Television Network.
The dazzling new show, DANCING ON THE STARS, will be broadcast live from the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and will feature moderately famous and sort of well-known people you almost recognize competing for big prizes by dancing on the graves of some of Hollywood’s most iconic and well-beloved stars of stage and screen.
Wait! What's A Dial? 