Category Archives: Network Television
AGT Results Recap: Tuesday July 3
The CMYKs’ Monday Performance
A less-than-stellar crop of acts were facing elimination on last night’s results edition of America’s Got Talent. This whole season has been a disappointment and the performances are not really getting better. Even though four of the 12 acts were advancing, it seemed not even four of them deserved it. Once again, an average act looks fantastic against relatively poor competition. This continues to be the case this season.
The first result featured Michael Nejad, Shanice and Maurice, and Nikki Jensen. It really wasn’t hard to know that Shanice and Maurice would be the ones making it to the Top 24. They were clearly the best of out the three. However, that says very little about their actual talent. They were adequate on a night when Jensen’s singing went downhill and Nejad was horrible. They got lucky this time.
AGT’s First Night of Live Performances: How did they Stack Up?
Edon
America’s Got Talent began its live shows last night and there really wasn’t much to be excited about. This season has clearly been a disappointment. Subpar talent got through Vegas and is now performing for America’s vote. Some of the acts were mildly entertaining, but I don’t know if four of them deserve to go through. Acts that would face a tough elimination against serious talent in past seasons are now simply the best of the mediocre. The show opened with an unnecessary half hour “countdown” with audition footage and outtakes. It served to remind the viewer just how lackluster this season has been. The performances didn’t start until 9pm.
Distinguished Men of Brass
The group performed a marching band style rendition of “Crazy In Love.” Once again, they were sloppy and disorganized. Howie said they had to take it beyond a marching band or a halftime show. Unfortunately for them, the act is pretty much a marching band and not much more. There is no way they can win the competition and I’m surprised they got through Vegas. Then again, the selection in Vegas was never good anyway. This act is not horrible enough to eliminate, but the competition is probably over for them.
Andy Griffith Dead at 86
Griffith as Sheriff Taylor
Andy Griffith died today at the age of 86. He is best known for playing Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show and Ben Matlock in Matlock.
The first time America met Andy Taylor was on The Danny Thomas Show, which served as a backdoor pilot to The Andy Griffith Show. In honor of Griffith, below is the opening scene of that episode of The Danny Thomas Show.
What is your reaction to Andy Griffth’s death? Share your thoughts in the comments.
NBC’s Remaking the Sound of Music
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron
For some bizarre reason, NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt has decided to approve a live broadcast of The Sound of Music play. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Greenblatt says, “There used to be a tradition of broadcasting musicals live back in the 1950s, and we’re thrilled to do it once again with a musical that has been a family classic for five decades.”
Smash executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will produce the live play. Zadan and Meron say they do not intended to remake the film version of The Sound of Music because that would be “artistic blasphemy.” No word yet on who will be in NBC version of The Sound of Music or when it will air.
Least Shocking News of the Day: Savannah Guthrie Replaces Ann Curry
Savannah Guthrie, who co-anchored today’s episode of Today with Matt Lauer, has officially been announced as Ann Curry’s replacement. She has been with NBC chief legal analyst and will continue to be in that position. The only thing that has changed at NBC is that Ann Curry is no longer co-anchor of Today. At least, the final chapter of Curry’s Today show saga has been written and everyone can move on.
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Censorship on Broadcast Channels
The Supreme Court recently ruled in further policing the content on broadcast television, saying the the Federal Communications Commission has standards for indecency that are too vague. This essentially means that the FCC is being asked to place more specific restrictions on TV’s content. Network television stations are only fined after something is deemed indecent. They do not need to be further censored and deciding what should be censored after the fact is unfair. Also, censoring network television at all isn’t needed.
In this day and age, when free expression is so valued and uncensored content is so readily available, a move like this seems counterproductive. An instance known as a fleeting expletive or a fleeting image has happened many times in recent history. This excuses accidental indecent material on live television. The exception no longer exist. Janet Jackson’s well-known “wardrobe malfunction” and cursing on live award shows will no longer be protected, even if accidental. Any nude scene, such the one in a 2003 episode of NYPD Blue, will now face harsher penalty.
AGT Asks Viewers to Standby in Vegas
The All Ways
I didn’t know what to expect for Wednesday’s episode of America’s Got Talent. On the one hand, the first night of Vegas performances were terrible. I’ll never understand why the judges were willing to let 25 of the acts go to New York. On the other hand, Tuesday’s episode proved that the show is capable of getting better. Day three in Vegas was mixed. Some acts were impressive and some acts were a disappointment but none of the acts were amazing. The meager selections of The Top 48 this season leave a lot to be desired.
The magic acts were first. Magicians have never been great on the show and now they are definitely below average. Hawley Magic started with a cheap looking levitation trick, but made it through anyway. The most impressive act of this category was Jarret and Raja, but that is not saying much. The magic acts this season are for the most part unexciting. They have never been great, but even compared to the sub-par acts this season has had, the standard of magic is low.
Ann Curry Leaves Today
It’s official. Ann Curry has left Today, but not NBC. This morning’s show was Curry’s last as co-anchor with Matt Lauer.
USA Today reports that Curry’s new multi-year contract will have her traveling the world with a seven-person crew. She will also produce specials and segments for all of NBC’s news programs as well as be a fill in anchor for the Nightly News. Her new official title is Anchor-at-large and NBC national/international correspondent.
I think that the new position fits Curry better because she prefers hard news. I just wish the official announcement that she was leaving Today this morning came before the show aired, since I missed Ann saying goodbye. However, NBC has posted the video up on MSNBC.com.
Despite rumors that Savannah Guthrie will be Today‘s new co-anchor, NBC still has not announced Curry’s replacement.
What do you think about NBC decision?
AGT’s Second Night in Vegas
Tom Cotter
I was really not looking forward to Tuesday’s America’s Got Talent. After a very disappointing showing on Monday, I didn’t really have any expectation that it would get better. Fortunately, I was wrong. Tuesdays performances were not great, but it was a considerable improvement compared to these awful last few weeks.
The show opened with the magic category. First up was mind reader Eric Dittelman. He was entertaining in his initial audition, but also very intimate. His act seemed a bit small for Vegas. It still might be. As the judges agreed, he’s not a great showman. Nonetheless, overall he was impressive. At this point, the show was already far better than the first night in Vegas. Next up was one of my favorite acts, escape artist Nate Horseman. He was a bit better in his initial audition, but watching him escape from a glass box underwater was still exciting to watch. On the plus side, there might have been higher risk for serious damage, but escaping from a straightjacket is still more exciting. Both Dittelman and Horseman will get a chance to further prove themselves in New York.
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.
Wait! What's A Dial? 