Stay Tuned

Breaking News: More "X Factor" Changes

2012-01-30T22:43:00.002-05:00

The “X Factor” changes just keep rolling in…

“The Hollywood Reporter” is reporting that FOX has confirmed the exit of Nicole Scherzinger as a judge.

According to one report, Nicole is leaving to concentrate on her music career with Simon Cowell’s blessing. I’m thinking Simon gave more than his blessing to her departure…

Nicole’s debut album has been delayed repeatedly, so I can understand the whole music excuse, but I’ve got to believe she saw the writing on the wall and that she knew she was on Simon’s hit list.

No word yet on possible replacements, but I’m willing to bet money that Mariah Carey is on Simon’s short list…

Photo Credit: Ray Mickshaw/FOX

Breaking News: Steve Jones Out as "X Factor" Host

2012-01-30T20:13:00.002-05:00

It's official. Steve Jones is out as the host of "The X Factor"...

Jones himself reported the news via tweet, according to "The Hollywood Reporter": "I won't be hosting next seasons XFactor which is a shame but I can't complain as I've had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show."

No word from FOX on what's next.

As I've said before, Jones is a super nice guy. But he was not cut out to host a live show. I wish him the best...

Photo Credit: Nino Munoz/FOX

"Touch" Review: Can I Ever Forgive Tim Kring?

2012-01-25T17:19:00.001-05:00

Tonight is the night Kiefer Sutherland officially returns to television…

If you missed it, here were my thoughts about the show from my “Stay Tuned” column last week. Remember that the show airs tonight (Wednesday, January 25^th) at 9 p.m., after “American Idol.” Please note that the show will run until 10:07 p.m…

At least once a week, I say to someone, “It really is a small world, isn’t it?” Sometimes it seems like we’re all connected in some way.

And that’s part of the premise of the new FOX drama, “Touch.” There are patterns and numbers that connect people and events, but only a special few can see those connections.

One of those people is 10-year-old Jake Bohm (David Mazouz), who has never spoken a word to anyone. His father, Martin (Kiefer Sutherland), struggles to take care of him and connect with him. But when Martin realizes there is a pattern to Jake’s strange actions, he discovers that Jake has been communicating with him after all.

The pilot shows us the stories of several different people that seem completely unconnected. But by the end of the hour, they all come together in a really cool way. And then Jake begins a new “roadmap” for his dad and his social worker, Clea (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) to follow.

To say the show is fascinating would be an understatement. And it’s great to have Sutherland back on television with a chance to show a more sensitive side. But my enthusiasm for the show is tempered by the presence of a particular person behind the scenes—creator Tim Kring.

Kring is the man who gave us “Heroes,” the NBC drama whose spectacular flameout is the stuff of TV legend. And that’s what I fear with “Touch.” I’m afraid that the show will completely hook me and then break my heart by crashing and burning—just like “Heroes” did. And the fact that the “Touch” pilot has a real “Heroes” first season vibe to it really doesn’t help that fear.

I’m fully aware that I’m totally putting the cart before the house here and I should just enjoy the ride. But that’s how badly the decline of “Heroes” hurt. Plus, since Sutherland is one of my very favorite actors, I really want this show to succeed. If only I could read life’s patterns, I would already know how this one will all turn out.

Photo Credit: Richard Foreman/FOX

Catherine's "CSI" Goodbye

2012-01-25T17:14:00.002-05:00

Don’t forget that tonight is the night “CSI” fans say goodbye to Marg Helgenberger and her character Catherine Willows.

Elisabeth Shue will join the show next month…

“CSI” airs tonight (Wednesday, January 25^th) at 10 p.m. on CBS…

Photo Credit: Monty Brinton

Kiefer on "Touch": "I didn't want to be sitting there watching this fantastic show"

2012-01-24T23:08:00.003-05:00

Friday, I finally got the email I’d been waiting on ever since I’ve been doing this—an invitation to a conference call with Kiefer Sutherland…

And Monday, there I was on the other end of the phone with him. Granted, there were a ton of other reporters on the line with me, but that didn’t matter. His voice was coming through my phone.

Since I know you’re wondering, yes, I did ask him a question. No, I didn’t stutter, although my throat started to close up a little before it was my turn. And yes, he is just as gracious as everyone says he is. In fact, I would say he was the most courteous and respectful actor I’ve ever heard on a conference call.

Of course, it helps that he’s promoting something that he’s passionate about—his new FOX drama, “Touch.” And honestly, he does have reason to be passionate. If only Tim Kring wasn’t involved…

Here’s a look at what Kiefer had to say, via the official FOX transcript. I mean, you didn’t seriously think I was able to write during this thing, did you?

He talked about why he is back on television so soon, what he loves about the show and whether or not we’ll finally see him work with his father…

On what drew him to do the show: “It was funny. I was doing a play in New York on Broadway. I had a film that I knew I was going to go do and so I read ‘Touch’ almost reluctantly. I don’t think I was completely ready to go back to television yet. I was enjoying some of the different opportunities that I had had. I think it was around page 30, I remember going, ‘Oh, s--t,’ or I guess something you could print, ‘D—n it,’ which I just knew I would be so remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity that ‘Touch’ was. I identified with him out of the gate. There was something interesting because obviously this is very different than ‘24.’

Yet there is a real similar through line in the kind of character of the man. Jack Bauer would be faced with unbelievable circumstances in the course of a day and he would never win completely. And this guy is never going to win either. He’s never going to have the quintessential relationship of a father and a son.

And yet he perseveres and that’s a great kind of character statement and so I identified with him greatly on that and I think as a parent as well just the sense of responsibility combined with not knowing what to do all the time. Even though this is again a heightened experience, I think every parent feels that. I certainly can speak for myself and say that I have during Camelia’s pregnancy when Sarah was—for nine months I’d have these great fantasies of how I was going to be the greatest dad on the planet. And then she was born and a kind of fear came over me like none other that I’ve ever had in my life. I was confronted with the fact that I really didn’t know what I was doing and it was something that I was going to have to figure out as I went.

And I really relate to Martin on that level and just the dynamic between he and the son I just find so extraordinary. So for all of those reasons, those were the first things that grasped me.”

On whether he thinks the world really does exist with everything connected, as the show suggests: “Well, I absolutely think it does. Can one focus on every single moment of their life in this way? No, of course not, but anything as simple as someone who is late for a bus one day, all of a sudden they’re not on the bus. They’re taking up other space. They either had to get a taxi and that affects the taxi driver’s life.

So yes I do believe that there is a cause and effect and a ripple effect upon everything everybody does and they have positive consequences and negative consequences. If you start to focus on the kind of minutia of that, it’s really quite extraordinary, or should I get on the elevator now or should I wait, and obviously we can’t live our lives like that. But I do believe very strongly that all of us and all of the other things in the context of our planet with Mother Nature, all of these things absolutely have a profound effect. Some of the effects that can be felt are small and some of them are very large and it was really interesting to do a show that focused on that.”

On what made him come back to TV so soon: “Well, it was a combination of things. I had an unbelievable experience on ‘24.’ We shot 198 episodes and I was as excited about shooting the 198^th as I was the first. So that experience, and I had a great relationship with Fox, both the studio and the network. And so that combined with this script, it wasn’t even really a choice anymore. It was something that I knew I had to do.

And I remember thinking about it really strongly when I was crossing the street in New York and the person who I work with Susan, I remember saying to her if we don’t do this, how are we going to feel in September watching it knowing all of its potential and how great we both think it can be. And that answered my question for me. I didn’t want to be sitting there watching this fantastic show in September if I had had the opportunity to be a part of it.

But you’re right, it certainly is a daunting thing having ‘24’ been not only the great experience on a personal level for me, but it was an incredible success. It’s nice to have that in your pocket and let it be, but this was certainly something I just couldn’t say no to, so I think it’s been a little longer than two years, but it feels a lot shorter than that now I have to say.”

On convincing “24” fans to give the show a look, even though he’s no longer playing an action hero: “I don’t know if there is convincing. I think that ultimately almost in the way that ‘24’ started, people that are initially interested, whether they’re a fan of Tim Kring or a fan of mine or like the trailer, they’ll watch it and then if they feel strongly about it, they’ll tell friends and we have to rely on that.

For me personally I feel that there is a great deal of suspense within the context of the show, even in the not knowing what the numbers are and the narrative where the audience actually knows more than the lead character. So I think that even though we’re not blowing things up, I think that there is enough excitement around the drama of this show, that people will not be that thrown by it who enjoyed ’24.’ And we really do rely on you guys telling people about it and hopefully it will be something that grows.”

On the genre the show falls into: “I’ve always felt that this was a drama. This, we’re embarking on the journey of a father trying to connect with his son and trying to have as normal a relationship as he can under the circumstances. That will always be at the heart of the show and it certainly from my perspective it would be, but it has all of those elements.

I think there is an element of science fiction. I think certainly as the show has developed, you guys have seen the first episode, which has a lot of requirements to kind of explain where the show is going. But for us in the subsequent episodes that follow, this really does have a great deal of energy, so there’s an aspect of it that I would categorize as a thriller or suspense and certainly the science fiction component as well. But at its heart it’s a drama.”

On whether guest stars will recur during the season: “The show is a procedural show. Unlike ‘24’ and unlike ‘Heroes,’ which was a serialized show, these episodes will have a beginning, a middle and an end. But it does not preclude a character who you’ve seen in one episode being able to come back five episodes down the line, and we have in fact done that. I don’t really want to say who. For the people that are going to watch it, I would like them to see that.

There also might be characters that are way in the background on an episode that will come to the forefront in another episode. But it doesn’t stop each individual episode from being its own complete little entity. And so that’s something I think Tim Kring has done a beautiful job kind of weaving in and out.”

On whether his father, Donald, might make a guest appearance: “We’re working on episodes five and six right now, but I certainly have conveyed to Tim Kring, our writer, that my father is someone who I would very, very much like to work with. My father knows of this piece and I certainly have talked to him about it. We certainly do not have a script or a story or anything like that, but it certainly is open.

I think one of the things that’s so attractive about this piece is really Tim Kring’s writing and character development. They give people an opportunity to show some stuff that they might not normally get and I would be honored to be able to do something like this with my dad.”

On working with David Mazouz, who plays his son, and forming an on-screen bond with him when his character doesn’t speak: “He’s an amazing young actor and he’s an amazing young man. He does something that is really I don’t—I think it would be impossible to try and teach an actor to do. He has very limited physical response to anything that I do. He doesn’t talk and yet I can feel his presence even if he’s not looking at me. I can always sense that he’s listening and I think that comes across to the viewer as well. That’s a real gift.

He was the first boy out of about 25 young people that I read with and I remember thinking because I was doing the play at the same time, so I could only do five or six or seven kids a day. I remember thinking wow, this kid is amazing. If the other kids are going to be like this, we’re going to find an amazing kid.

And I remember it was around the tenth kid, I was still thinking—and all of the kids I have to say were fantastic, but there was something really special with David and then obviously we should just hire the first kid. And I’m thinking around 20, I say no, the first kid was still better. And then I read with close to 30 kids and I was finally like would you guys just please hire the first kid. He was just amazing and so that bond kind of started right away.

He works a lot of hours with us, and I’ve just been completely amazed by how focused and attentive he is and interested in it. I think that’s a big thing. He’s not being made to do this. I think he actually really does enjoy it and he’s very curious about how to get better and it’s been a phenomenal experience. I really, really do love working with him.”

On his character Martin’s journey: “I think at the beginning of the story we discover Martin who has a son named Jake who in the course or our story we realize has been misdiagnosed with severe autism and in fact is actually just a truly, truly evolved human being that is years and years beyond where my character is and our society is at.

And in an effort to communicate with my son, I discover that he has this unbelievable skill set that allows him to interpret numbers and symbols in a way that kind of explain our past and to some degree predict our future and that’s where we start the show off. My journey, very much like the Chinese fable that the story is based on, which was called, “The Red Thread” and the red thread is basically a red thread that is loosely looped around the ankles of all the people that are supposed to come in contact with each other over the course of a lifetime. This thread can stretch and it can bend, but it cannot break, and somehow in our society we have broken this and my son is taking me on a journey to try and put the thread back together.”

On the actors that will play the characters that will help Martin on his journey: “I think Danny Glover certainly is a character that is explaining his son’s condition to him, and then GuGu plays the worker at Child Services that is managing Jake’s case. Those are people that will be very important. There’s Martin’s wife who was killed on the terrible day of 9/11. Even though she is not with us, I think he speaks a lot to her. Then I think a lot is going to be between Jake and his father. I think already in the first five episodes their ability to communicate has grown exponentially. Martin starts to be able to read a lot of Jake’s physicality and understand what that is and the audience does as well even though other people might not understand it in the context of our show.

But I think one of the things, one of things that moved me the most about the piece was that I felt that Martin was terribly alone; and I think that that’s going to be an aspect of the character and certainly through the piece as well. So that’s going to play into it in a large way.”

On how playing Martin is helping him mature as an actor: “I think again I kind of referred to his loneliness earlier in one of the earlier questions. That’s a tricky thing to play because I don’t want people feeling sorry for Martin, yet I want them to understand that the further he is able to communicate with his son, the more enlightened and enriched his life will be; and he might be able to move past some of the pain that he’s experienced from the loss of his wife and his son’s condition.

Those are all real subtle narratives to play. They’re not actually written. They’re tonal qualities and that’s something that I’m trying to focus on a lot with Martin and it’s also something that I felt I really learned at least how to do better through my experience on ‘24.’ I think a lot of the things that I learned were trying to focus on little small changes within Jack Bauer, whether it was from season to season or even over the course of one of those days.

What I learned in that process is something that I am trying to bring to Martin; and so that there’s a lot going on, or a lot more going on than what is simply written on the page or what one scene might simply require. That there are through lines within the context of the character that are going from episode to episode. And if we are lucky enough to do multiple seasons, that we’d connect those as well. So that’s really an extension of a technique that I really hadn’t focused on or thought of before my experience on ‘24’ and ‘Touch’ is a perfect kind of show and Martin is a perfect character to try and weave those things in.”

The special preview of “Touch” airs Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 9 p.m., following “American Idol” on FOX…

Photos Credit: Brian Bowen Smith/FOX

CNBC Looks at How Best Buy Is Fighting Back

2012-01-19T20:31:00.000-05:00

If you look around your house right now, I’m guessing you’ll find at least one thing you bought at Best Buy.

But if you’re like me, those purchases have gotten fewer and farther between thanks to places like Wal-Mart and Amazon.com. And that’s becoming a big problem for the company…

Tonight, CNBC’s Tyler Mathisen looks at how the company is fighting to stay relevant in the changing marketplace in the CNBC special, “Best Buy: The Big Box Fights Back.”

The hour is worth watching just to get a look inside Geek Squad City in Louisville, the place where items that need repair are sent. It’s also interesting to see how Best Buy was born from a simple music store.

But probably the most interesting part of the hour is seeing why the company has failed overseas. Turns out, it’s the same reason it’s in trouble here—savvy shoppers are doing more price comparing. And in China, it’s almost a sport to haggle stores for lower prices—and more often than not, the customers win. Wouldn’t that be fun here?

The one thing you won’t see during the special that I wish you would is some discussions about Best Buy’s customer service problems. The interview with CEO Brian Dunn—a guy you really want to believe in and root for—was clearly done before Christmas and the controversy over Best Buy cancelling Black Friday online orders. So all we see are the happy faces camping out in front of Best Buy stores Thanksgiving night. We don’t see the unhappy people who didn’t get the Christmas gifts they ordered. I would have liked to have heard Dunn’s response to that…

“Best Buy: The Big Box Fights Back” premieres tonight (Thursday, January 19^th) at 9 on CNBC. You can see an encore tonight at 10…

I Know You Know That "Psych" Will Be Back

2012-01-14T23:57:00.003-05:00

USA announced last week that “Psych” will return for a seventh season.

The announcement was made via a special pineapple puzzle on Twitter and Facebook.

The seventh season will consist of 16 episodes. No word yet on a premiere date.

The show will return February 29^th to air the final seven episodes of the sixth season.

Photo Credit:Alan Zenuk/USA

A&E Shares More About "Longmire"

2012-01-14T21:52:00.000-05:00

During the Television Critics Association Tour last week, A&E gave more details about its new drama series based on the best-selling series of novels by Huntington native Craig Johnson…

“Longmire” will begin production in March with a premiere date sometime in the summer. The series stars Australian actor Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bailey Chase, Cassidy Freeman and Adam Bartley.

Here’s the official description from the network press release:

“Widowed only a year, [Absaroka County, Wyoming Sheriff Walt] Longmire (Taylor) is a man in psychic repair that buries his pain behind a brave face and dry wit. Struggling since his wife’s death and at the urging of his daughter, Cady (Freeman), Longmire knows that the time has come to turn his life around. With the help of Vic (Sackhoff), a female deputy new to the department, he becomes reinvigorated about his job and committed to running for re-election. When Branch (Chase), an ambitious, young deputy decides to run against him for sheriff, Longmire feels betrayed but remains steadfast in his dedication to the community. Longmire often turns to close friend and confidant Henry Standing Bear (Diamond Phillips) for support as he sets out to rebuild both his personal and professional life, one step at a time.”

Johnson has been involved with the series every step of the way and I’m hoping to have much more about the series as we get closer its premiere…

A&E Prepares to Return to the Bates Motel

2012-01-14T21:45:00.001-05:00

During the Television Critics Association Tour last week, A&E announced a very interesting new project it has in development…

It’s a prequel to “Psycho” called “Bates Motel.” The series would show how Norman Bates’ psyche developed from childhood to his teen years and would introduce us to his mother and her lover that helped turn Norman into the serial killer we all know and love.

The project is currently only in the script development stage…

ABC Decides "Work It" Doesn't Work

2012-01-14T21:35:00.002-05:00

In a column last month, I predicted that ABC’s new comedy, “Work It,” would be gone by February.

Obviously, ABC is less patient than I am…

“The Hollywood Reporter” reported today that ABC has pulled “Work” from the schedule after only two episodes and will replace it for the time being with reruns of “Last Man Standing.”

Fans of “Cougar Town” are hoping that their fave will inherit the timeslot, but ABC has not made that announcement as of yet. I have to believe, though, that ABC will finally do the right thing, stop playing around with this lame comedies and schedule “Cougar.”

But no one has ever accused ABC of doing the right thing. If they knew how to do that, they wouldn’t have put “Work” on the air in the first place…

Photo Credit: Eric McCandless/ABC

Will I Lift My "Live With Kelly" Boycott This Week?

2012-01-07T23:27:00.002-05:00

Readers of my “Idol” blog know that I have been boycotting “Live with Regis and Kelly” for years, because of Kelly Ripa’s treatment of Clay Aiken. But I may have to lift that boycott for this week’s episodes of “Live with Kelly”…

All of Kelly’s guest co-hosts will be sports-related this week. Tuesday, Carl Edwards will sit in with her and then Wednesday, Boomer Esiason will fill the co-host chair.

Boomer needs another gig like he needs a hole in his head, but I think he would be perfect. After all, his work on “The NFL Today” has given him plenty of practice at having a co-host that doesn’t let him talk…

“Live with Kelly” airs in Huntington-Charleston on WSAZ weekdays at 9 a.m. Check local listings for the time and station in your area…

Photo Credit: Craig Blankenhorn/CBS Sports

"Glee" Gets a Surprising New Cast Member

2012-01-07T23:07:00.003-05:00

I’m really not even sure what to say about this one…

When “Glee” returns next Tuesday, we will be introduced to Roz, the synchronized swimming coach. And she will be played by…wait for it…NeNe Leakes.

Yes, that’s right. NeNe Leakes from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

I’ve heard that the role will be recurring.

“Glee” returns Tuesday, January 17^th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Your thoughts?

Photo Credit: Adam Rose/FOX

The End For Another Soap Looms...

2012-01-07T22:52:00.001-05:00

Friday, we will say goodbye to another soap opera as “One Life to Live” goes off the air…

I’ve never watched “Life,” but I am sad to see it go because I know the heartbreak the fans are feeling. This one is especially sad because from everything I’ve read and heard, “Life” is better than ever and in fact, may be the best soap on TV right now.

And don’t get me started on that whole Prospect Park disaster…

I have no idea how the show will end, but since the finale was filmed before the Prospect Park online deal fell apart, there will probably be a few cliffhangers. I’ve heard the final week of episodes pay homage to a favorite “Life” storyline as Viki (Erika Slezak) once again visits Heaven…

“One Life to Live” airs weekdays at 2 p.m. on ABC…

The End Begins For "One Tree Hill"

2012-01-07T22:30:00.003-05:00

The final season of “One Tree Hill” will begin this Tuesday and when it does we’ll meet a key character for the very first time…

Fans will finally meet Brooke’s father, Ted, in the premiere episode.

Now since I’ve never talked about “Hill” before you may be wondering why I’m bringing this up. That’s because Ted will be played by one of my very favorite actors, Richard Burgi.

The ninth and final season of “One Tree Hill” premieres Wednesday, January 11^th at 8 p.m. on The CW…

Photo Credit: Fred Norris/The CW

David E. Kelley Revives Wonder Woman...Sort Of

2012-01-07T22:04:00.002-05:00

David E. Kelley’s “Wonder Woman” pilot may have not seen the light of the day, but he’s found a way for the costume to live on…

It will appear on the body of Erica Durance in Wednesday’s episode of “Harry’s Law.” Durance is playing a woman who thinks she is Wonder Woman and she will be wearing the same sitcom Adrienne Palicki wore in the failed pilot.

The concept is made more interesting by the fact that Durance is best known for playing another DC Comics icon—Lois Lane—on “Smallville.”

“Harry’s Law” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Vivian Zink/NBC

Oprah Reunites the "Roots" Cast 35 Years Later

2012-01-07T21:56:00.002-05:00

Oprah Winfrey is celebrating Martin Luther King Day in a very special way…

Oprah welcomed the cast of the legendary mini-series, “Roots” into her home for an OWN special, “Oprah and the Legendary Cast of ‘Roots’ 35 Years Later.”

Cicely Tyson, LeVar Burton, John Amos, Leslie Uggams, Louis Gossett Jr. and Ben Vereen will share their memories of filming the mini-series that 80 million people watched in 1977.

The special will premiere Monday, January 16^th at 8 p.m. on OWN…

Photo Credit: George Burns/OWN

"The Firm" Review: NBC's Found a Good One

2012-01-05T00:35:00.002-05:00

I admit it. I rolled my eyes at the thought of NBC reviving John Grisham’s “The Firm.” But after watching the two-hour premiere, the only thing my eyes are doing is anxiously awaiting the next episode.

Don’t look now, gang, but it looks like NBC has got a good one on its hands…

The show picks up 10 years after the action of the novel/film. Josh Lucas stars as Mitch McDeere, the attorney who brought down a powerful Memphis law firm. Mitch and his family are freshly emerged from the witness protection program to reclaim their lives in Washington, D.C. But unfortunately, Mitch is not quite as safe as he thinks he is as both past threats reemerge and new threats begin to appear.

The premiere jumps right into the action with a breathtaking sequence set in Washington, D.C. But then things get a little confusing as the show goes back in time six weeks to show us what led to the opening events and then back 10 years to introduce us to some of the characters. But once the back and forth stops and we stay in the six weeks ago time frame, the show turns into a solid legal drama as Mitch wrestles with defending a client he knows is guilty.

But just as you think “Firm” is going to be your normal legal drama, we get a doozy of a twist before being zipped back to the present time for a major cliffhanger.

Lucas is perfectly cast as Mitch and Callum Keith Rennie lends solid support as his brother, Ray. And it’s great to have Juliette Lewis on TV as Tammy, Mitch’s secretary and Ray’s girlfriend.

Normally, legal dramas mix in comedy to set them apart. But “Firm” combines mystery and action with the drama and that’s a solid combination. How it’s all going to fit into that six weeks timeframe, I’m not sure. But I’m willing to stick around and find out…

The two-hour premiere of “The Firm” airs Sunday, January 8^th at 9 p.m. on NBC before the show moves to its regular timeslot of Thursdays at 10 p.m.

Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels 3/NBC

NBC Announces the Newest "Celebrity Apprentice" Cast

2012-01-04T15:18:00.002-05:00

Today, NBC finally announced the cast for “The Celebrity Apprentice”…

The men are: Arsenio Hall, Clay Aiken, Adam Carolla, Lou Ferrigno, Penn Jillette, Dee Snider, George Takei, Michael Andretti and Paul Teutul Sr. (“American Chopper”).

The women are: Cheryl Tiegs, Debbie Gibson, Tia Carrere, Victoria Gotti, Lisa Lampanelli, Dayana Mendoza (former Miss Universe), Aubrey O’Day (Danity Kane), Patricia Velasquez (model) and Teresa Giudice (“Real Housewives of New Jersey”).

As readers of my “Idol” blog know, I am a Claymate. And my husband is still madly in love with Debbie Gibson. So we’re looking forward to seeing how this one plays out.

I’m also interested to see just how long before Teresa Giudice starts flipping tables. Since the premiere is two hours, I’ll give her 65 minutes…

“The Celebrity Apprentice” premieres Sunday, February 12^th at 9 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: NBC

Is "So You Think You Can Dance" Getting an Overhaul?

2012-01-03T18:19:00.002-05:00

Fans of “So You Think You Can Dance” will see a very different show when it returns in late May…

Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe tweeted this week that FOX has cancelled the results show: #FOX have cancelled the results show so I will have to change the format of #SYTYCD. At least we have another season at the end of MAY.

Nigel has been in discussions with fans on his Twitter page ever since, but hasn’t given any specific details as of yet. The results show was down ratings-wise significantly this past season.

Photo Credit: Matthieu Young/FOX

"The X Factor" Finale Part 2: Paging Brian Dunkleman

2011-12-22T22:23:00.000-05:00

I have never hosted a show on national television. But I have seen enough competition show finales to know what a host should do when it comes to the final moments of the season—get out of the way. Unfortunately, no one shared that with Steve Jones…

WOW! How bad were those final moments of “The X Factor” tonight? I admit, I didn’t watch the entire show. After last night’s hot mess, I just couldn’t stand it. But I wanted to see who won and I tuned in for the last 20 minutes. And if I had been watching all season long, I would have felt severely cheated.

Before I start ripping the show apart, let me first congratulate Melanie Amaro. I liked Josh and Chris, but she deserved to win. I still have ZERO idea what Simon was thinking when he sent her home. I look forward to seeing her Pepsi commercial during the Super Bowl.

Now, back to the ripping…

In his conference call a few weeks ago, Steve Jones said that the director was constantly yelling in his ear telling him what to do. If that was the case tonight, then the director needs to be fired right along with Steve because the two of them did what you NEVER do in a season’s closing episode—they stepped on the winning moment.

Steve announced Melanie’s name and she went into shock. But we completely missed Simon Cowell’s joyful reaction, which would have been nice to see since we’re so used to seeing Simon’s surlier attitude. And then, just as Simon barely got his arms around Melanie, Steve started asking for them to break it up so he could talk to her and asking for Josh and Nicole to get out of the way. He never paused to let Melanie soak it all in—even for just a second. And after seeing the show’s awkward ending, when Steve approached Melanie AGAIN for a comment, it’s obvious that there was plenty of time for that pause to occur.

I totally understand that the show must move on, but there are better ways to do it. Have you ever seen Ryan Seacrest tell people to stop hugging? Have you ever seen Tom Bergeron kick people off the stage so he can talk? No, because these guys are live show pros. Even Brian Dunkleman handled it better in the first season of “American Idol.”

Maybe Simon should look Dunkleman up for next year…

So what did you guys think? Are you happy with the winner? And what do you think needs to be changed before next year?

Discuss…

And I’ll have more from Melanie after she talks to the media tomorrow…

"The X Factor" Performance Finale: I'm Still Confused...

2011-12-21T22:57:00.003-05:00

Tonight should have been the crowning moment of “The X Factor.” The moment that would make us forget all about “American Idol” and appreciate the talent and intelligence of Simon Cowell.

Instead, tonight made me realize just how different “Factor” is from “Idol.” And that’s good for “Idol” and terrible for “Factor.” I think some serious changes will need to be made before next season or the show’s stay in the states will be a short one…

But before I get to that, let me talk about tonight’s show. Because I have not been able to see the show each week, I have been unable to experience the growth of the final three—Josh Krajcik, Chris Rene and Melanie Amaro. And I honestly didn’t see any growth tonight because the show wouldn’t let us…

As they kept reminding us all night tonight, the prize here is a $5 million recording contract—a huge prize. But apparently someone forgot to tell the producers or the judges or whoever decided that one of the only two songs the finalists sang would be a duet with a star. Duets that were nowhere near the finalists’ comfort zones, keys or nowhere near any duet we’ve ever seen during an “Idol” finale.

From the minute Josh began “Uninvited,” it was bad. The key was off, the song was off and Alanis Morrisette ended up completely outsinging him. Chris had better luck with Avril Lavigne and “Complicated,” but not much. And the usually amazing Melanie had zero energy at the start of “I Believe I Can Fly” and got absolutely schooled by a sensational R. Kelly. And then the judges had to critique the duets? What?

Then instead of allowing the contestants to concentrate on their final songs, they had to come out and sing a few lines of “They Don’t Really Care About Us” to accompany Cirque de Soleil’s performance from Michael Jackson: The Immortal Tour. And that was why? That’s something you see during a two-hour finale, NOT during the final performance show. Yes, they had to fill 90 minutes, but there had to be a better way. How about letting each finalist sing three songs as the FOX press release sent out two hours before show time promised?

So how about those final performances? I thought they were all great although I was confused by Melanie’s anger. It’s appropriate for the song, but she seemed like she wanted to beat someone up after the performance and barely cracked a smile at the judges’ praise. Normally, I’m opposed to hearing a contestant sing the same song three times in a season, but Chris had no choice but to close the season out with his signature “Young Homie What You Trippin’ On?” I think it will all come down to whether Melanie’s powerful voice can overcome the emotion of Chris’ story. I think it can, but it will be close…

However, since I always root for the Ohio team, I’d love to see Josh pull out an upset…

Now back to those things that need changed. I guess Simon likes the whole gladiator arena aspect of things, but to me, it’s ridiculous. Random, fake-sounding screaming by the audience does not create energy. In fact, it deters from the performances. The screams completely stepped all over the key change in Melanie’s song that should have been her moment. Maybe that’s why she was mad…

I also don’t get the cheesy announcer announcing each contestant after his or her mentor has already introduced them. And the video montage and the opera music that goes with it? What are they going for? If they’re going for unbelievably cheesy, they’ve unbelievably succeeded. I think the show needs to dial back the theatrics and dial up the performances AND the one thing that sets the show apart from the others—the interaction between the judges.

And one other thing needs dialed up—the host. I know I said I would take it easier on Steve Jones from now on, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t state the obvious—he’s just not meant for this. If he had more energy, maybe we wouldn’t need such fake energy from the audience. And a little more interaction between host and judges could go along way as well. I think the show seriously needs to look at that before next season.

So what did you guys think? Who do you think will win? Were you disappointed with tonight’s show? Or maybe you were disappointed with the entire season?

Feel free to post a comment here or talk to me on Facebook or Twitter…

Photo Credit: Ray Mickshaw/FOX

"The X Factor" Finale: Um, What?

2011-12-21T20:55:00.001-05:00

Oh, "The X Factor." What in the world is this mess you're presenting with?

I'll have MUCH more to say later. If you want to weigh in now you can post a comment here or follow me on Twitter @angelahbentley.

Stay Tuned...

Today's Column: A Perfect Christmas Treat

2011-12-08T12:53:00.002-05:00

In today's "Stay Tuned" column, I review the new ABC Family Christmas movie, "12 Dates of Christmas" starring Amy Smart and Mark-Paul Gosselaar.

As longtime readers know, I am a HUGE MPG fan. And he is great in this.

You can read my review here.

And as for "Bag of Bones." Nope, still haven't gotten up the nerve...

Photo Credit: Christos Kalohoridis/ABC Family

Steve Jones of "The X Factor": "I'm Not Rude"

2011-12-07T11:48:00.002-05:00

Because of other obligations, I haven’t been able to watch “The X Factor” every week. In fact, I’ve only seen three or four episodes this entire season.

But every time I do see it, I have the same problem—host Steve Jones. If you follow me on Twitter (@angelahbentley), you know I’ve called him rude and proclaimed him to be “no Ryan Seacrest.”

So when FOX invited me to a conference call with him to promote “The X Factor,” my first instinct was to blow it off. But I’m glad I didn’t. Because what I discovered is that the real Steve Jones is nowhere near the one we see on TV. The real Steve Jones is funny and engaging with personality to spare. And I think the show needs to find a way to spotlight that.

There were several questions about what the hardest thing for him is and he admitted that cutting off the judges—which I hate—is the hardest part for him. Even harder than eliminating the contestants.

“It’s a hard show to do. The live element, steering the judges. It’s hard to come across as fun when you’re steering it in a short amount of time,” Jones said.

“Two hours is a long time, but we have the judges to contend with. And they speak endlessly. I relish every word these people say. But I’m the guy who has to cut them off. It’s the most difficult part of the show. People at home are enjoying what they’re saying

Everybody at home is saying, ‘Why is he stopping Simon Cowell?’ If I don’t, the show will just end and I’ll get into trouble with FOX.”

Jones said the criticism is to be expected and he can handle it. But what hurts is when people call him rude, which I’ve already admitted, I have. “I’m not and I am nice. I’m there to move the show along.”

I totally understand Jones’ opinion, but I still think there is a better way for him to steer the show. And once he figures out how to put his personality into it more, I think he might just find it. But the director and producers need to give him a little longer of a leash, in my opinion…

As for the contestants’ reactions to what he has to say, Jones said he can handle that as well. But he admits figuring out the right thing to say is something he needs to work on for the future. “I’ve got broad shoulders. If people want to vent, so be it…You can’t prepare for it. I don’t know who’s about to leave. I don’t know what’s going to come out of my mouth. [The director] is saying, ‘Move them out of the way. They can’t hug right now. Move them apart.’…It’s exciting. I enjoy the pressure.”

Most of the call was devoted to Steve himself, so we didn’t hear a lot of his opinions about the final five. But here’s more of what he had to say…

On how it’s been for him: “It’s been fantastic. It’s definitely measured up to dream job status.”

On the death threats he’s received: “It is a TV show. Everybody just chill out.”

On comparisons to Ryan Seacrest: “I’m hugely flattered. He’s a titan of the industry. The biggest host on the planet. He’s a fantastic host. I couldn’t be more happy.”

On what he likes the most about doing the show: “I enjoy hanging out with the contestants and seeing them flourish and becoming little superstars. I love watching the judges. I just don’t know what the h--l is going to be coming out of the judges’ mouths. Steering them is a challenge.”

On whether he’ll be back for season two: “I always exercise caution with these things. Really I hope I’ll be back.”

On Simon’s reaction last week to Drew being eliminated: “It was childish on Simon’s part. When he refuses to comment, it defeats the purpose of the show. That’s why I was a little bit annoyed. I want to know what that complicated man is thinking. I know he felt utterly crushed. The great Simon Cowell shut down in that moment”

On the interaction between the judges: “It’s very exciting to watch. One of the aspects that surprised me is the lack of theatrics. It’s all real. Simon was really p---ed at Nicole and Paula. It surprised me how nasty it can get. There are big egos out there. None of them wants to lose. It can get really horrible on occasion.

On how America has been doing so far: “I’m not one to argue with America. They’re all so talented at this level. Anybody leaving was going to be a shock. That’s how lucky we’ve been.”

Tonight, the final five—Melanie Amaro, Marcus Canty, Rachel Crow, Josh Krajcik and Chris Rene—will perform two songs. Tomorrow night, Lenny Kravitz and Mary J. Blige will perform on the results show.

“The X Factor” airs tonight from 8-9:30 p.m. and Thursday from 8-9 p.m. on FOX...

And the finale, by the way, is scheduled for December 22^nd…

Photo Credit: Nino Munoz/FOX

She's BA-ack!

2011-12-05T19:35:00.001-05:00

Got some fantastic news in my inbox today from CBS…

Rose is back!

Melanie Lynskey will appear on tonight’s episode of “Two and a Half Men” as Charlie’s stalker, Rose. Has she found a new target?

I hope so…

“Two and a Half Men” airs tonight at 9 on CBS…

Photo Credit: Darren Michaels/Warner Bros.

Your Faves Get Set to Return to the "Runway"

2011-12-01T23:40:00.003-05:00

“Project Runway” is hauling out its very own all-star edition this January, but without its regular stars, Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, Nina Garcia and Michael Kors.

“Project Runway All Stars” will be hosted by supermodel Angela Lindvall and judged by Isaac Mizrahi and Georgina Chapman. “Marie Claire” Editor-in-Chief Joanna Coles will serve as the mentor.

So who’s competing? Here’s the list…

· Kenley Collins (Brooklyn, NY) – Season Five, Second Runner-up

· Michael Costello (Palm Springs, CA) – Season Eight, Fourth Place

· Gordana Gehlhausen (San Diego, CA) – Season Six, Fourth Place

· Mondo Guerra (Denver, CO) – Season Eight, Runner-up

· Mila Hermanovski (Los Angeles, CA) – Season Seven, Second Runner-up

· Kara Janx (New York, NY) – Season Two, Fourth Place

· Elisa Jimenez (New York, NY) – Season Four, 10^th Place

· April Johnston (Savannah, GA) – Season Eight, Fifth Place

· Rami Kashou (Los Angeles, CA) – Season Four, Runner-up

· Austin Scarlett (New York, NY) – Season One, Fourth Place

· Jerell Scott (New York, NY) – Season Five, Fourth Place

· Sweet P/Kathleen Vaughn (Pasadena, CA) – Season Four, Fifth Place

· Anthony Williams (Atlanta, GA) – Season Seven, Fifth Place

I’m a little bummed that there aren’t more competitors from the early Bravo years, but I understand why not…

But did anyone really want to see Kenley back?

The designers will be competing for an exclusive designer’s boutique in select Neiman Marcus stores and on NeimanMarcus.com, $100,000 in techonology and office space from HP and Intel, $100,000 cash from L’Oreal Paris, a feature in “Marie Claire,” a guest editorship with “Marie Claire” and a sewing studio from Brother International.

“Project Runway All Stars” premieres January 5^th at 9 p.m. on Lifetime….

"The Closer" Celebrates Christmas AND 100 Episodes

2011-12-01T23:31:00.001-05:00

“The Closer” will celebrate its 100th episode Monday with an appearance by one of my favorite actors…

Fred Willard will guest star as Santa Jack, a man the Major Crimes Division gets involved with when a Santa’s entrance into a Christmas Village goes terribly wrong.

Remember that “The Closer” is scheduled to air its series finale sometime in early 2012.

Monday’s episode, “You Have The Right to Remain Jolly” airs at 9 p.m. on TNT…

Photo Credit: Mercedes Heinila/TNT

TNT Debuts the New "Dallas" Trailer

2011-12-01T23:24:00.000-05:00

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen. The new “Dallas” trailer from TNT…

CBS Revamps Its Morning Show...Again

2011-12-01T23:23:00.002-05:00

CBS has announced the name of its new morning show and it’s…“CBS This Morning.”

Wow, how did they ever come up with that one?

The hosts are Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill. John Miller will serve as Senior Correspondent, Rebecca Jarvis as Business and Economics Correspondent and Jeff Glor as Special Correspondent.

The new show premieres Monday, January 9^th from 7-9 a.m. on CBS…

Photo Credit: Craig Blankenhorn/CBS

FOX Announces Its Mid-Season Schedule

2011-12-01T23:01:00.004-05:00

FOX announced today its mid-season schedule and as usual it’s a tad confusing…

So let me just show it to you as FOX presented it in the press release:

MONDAY

Monday, Jan. 16:

8:00-10:00 PM ALCATRAZ (Series Premiere)

Mondays, beginning Jan. 23:

8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE (Time Period Premiere)

9:00-10:00 PM ALCATRAZ (Time Period Premiere)

Monday, March 12:

8:00-10:00 PM ALCATRAZ (Two-Hour Episode)

Mondays, beginning March 19:

8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE

9:00-10:00 PM TOUCH (Series Premiere)

****************************

TUESDAY

Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 17:

8:00-9:00 PM GLEE

9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL

9:30-10:00 PM RAISING HOPE

Tuesdays, beginning March 6:

8:00-8:30 PM NEW GIRL (encore)

8:30-9:00 PM BREAKING IN (Season Premiere)

9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL

9:30-10:00 PM RAISING HOPE

****************************

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, Jan. 4:

8:00-9:00 PM GLEE (encore)

9:00-10:00 PM MOBBED

Wednesday, Jan. 11:

8:00-9:00 PM MOBBED (encore)

9:00-10:00 PM MOBBED

Wednesday, Jan. 18:

8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part One)

Wednesday, Jan. 25:

8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL

9:00-10:00 PM TOUCH (Special Preview)

Wednesdays, beginning Feb. 1:

8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL

9:00-10:00 PM MOBBED

Wednesdays, beginning Feb. 15:

8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Two-Hour Episodes)

***************************

THURSDAY

Thursday, Jan. 12:

8:00-9:00 PM BONES (encore)

9:00-10:00 PM THE FINDER (Series Premiere)

Thursdays, beginning Jan. 19:

8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part Two)

9:00-10:00 PM THE FINDER

***************************

FRIDAY

Friday, Jan. 6:

8:00 PM-CC ET FOX SPORTS SPECIAL: 2012 AT&T COTTON BOWL CLASSIC (Live)

Fridays, beginning Jan. 13:

8:00-9:00 PM KITCHEN NIGHTMARES

9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE

***************************

SATURDAY

Saturdays, beginning Jan. 7:

8:00-8:30 PM COPS

8:30-9:00 PM COPS

9:00-10:00 PM DRAMA ENCORES

11:00 PM-Midnight ENCORES

Midnight-12:30 AM ENCORES

Saturday, Feb. 11:

8:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED SPECIAL EDITION

11:00 PM-Midnight ENCORES

Midnight-12:30 AM ENCORES

***************************

SUNDAY

Sunday, Jan. 8:

7:00-7:30 PM BOB’S BURGERS (encore)

7:30-8:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW (encore)

8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

Sunday, Jan. 15:

8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (Series Premiere)

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (Special Time)

Sunday, Jan. 22:

6:00 PM-CC ET FOX SPORTS SPECIAL: NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (Live)

10:00 PM ET/ AMERICAN IDOL (Special Broadcast; Approximate Start Time)

7:00 PT

Sundays, beginning Jan. 29:

7:00-7:30 PM BOB’S BURGERS (encore)

7:30-8:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW

8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

Sundays, beginning March 11:

7:00-7:30 PM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

7:30-8:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW

8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM BOB’S BURGERS (Season Premiere)

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

See what I mean?

According to the release, “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” will return with all-new episodes following “American Idol” in the spring. If this had been yesterday, I would have told you not to hold your breath, but “Daughter” had a good premiere last night…

Also, “Glee” and “Bones” are scheduled to return with new episodes in the spring…

The thing that really bothers me is that “Breaking In” is scheduled to follow a rerun of “New Girl.” I’m hoping they’ll find something else to put there between now and March…

In case you’ve forgotten, “Alcatraz” is the drama from J.J. Abrams starring Sam Neill and Jorge Garcia. “Touch” is the new Kiefer Sutherland drama (WOO HOO!) and “The Finder” is the “Bones” spin-off…

Photo Credit: James Dittinger/FOX

Will You "Hate My Teenage Daughter"?

2011-11-30T15:05:00.004-05:00

Don’t forget that tonight is the premiere of “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” on FOX…

Shockingly, I liked it thanks to a hilarious second episode. So watch this one to set the scene and then come back next week to laugh.

You can read the rest of my review from a recent column here.

“I Hate My Teenage Daughter” premieres tonight (Wednesday) at 9:30 on FOX…

Photo Credit: Greg Gayne/FOX

TNT Gets Ready to "Ricochet"

2011-11-30T15:00:00.001-05:00

TNT continues its Mystery Movie Night series tonight with “Ricochet”…

Based on the bestselling novel by Sandra Brown, “Ricochet” tells the story of a detective (John Corbett) investigating a corrupt judge (Gary Cole). The twist is that the detective is having an affair with the judge’s wife (Julie Benz).

For Benz, working with John Corbett was a huge thrill because she is a big fan of “Sex and the City,” in which Corbett played one of Carrie’s most popular boyfriends, Aiden.

“I was always a Mr. Big girl,” Benz told me last week. “But Aidan is adorable, cute and loveable.”

When she found out she would be working with Corbett on “Ricochet,” Benz watched “Sex and the City 2” and then gave Corbett an earful for Aidan’s behavior. “You kissed her! You kissed Carrie!” Benz told him.

Personally, I love the fact that Benz is such a fan girl herself. I think it helps her relate to the rabid fan bases of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”—two shows she is proud to have been a part of.

“It’s fantastic to be known for ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel,’” Benz said. “People still recognize me from them. New audiences are still discovering that show. It still has that following.”

Benz also gets recognized as Rita, Dexter’s ill-fated wife on “Dexter.” “People come up to me shaking. They can’t believe I’m really alive,” she said. “They’re very loyal and gracious with their time. I feel very lucky.”

As for her part in “Ricochet,” Benz loved being a part of a mystery. “Just to play a character that doesn’t reveal a lot was a challenge,” she said. “I love exploring different types of characters…It has a film noir feel to it. The story is very interesting. You can’t predict what’s going to happen. There are real twists and turns. The end is a shocking, big revelation.

Benz also appreciates TNT bringing the mystery movie back to television. “My whole family growing up. That’s how we spent time together. I love watching TV movies,” she said. “TNT is doing the right thing.”

“Ricochet” airs tonight (Wednesday, November 30th) at 9 p.m. on TNT…

Photo Credit: Skip Bolen/TNT

The Latest on James Durbin...

2011-11-28T20:43:00.000-05:00

I heard today from the publicist for James Durbin…

James released his debut CD, “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster,” November 21st on Wind Up Records.

You can see the official video for the first single, “Love Me Bad,” here.

I’m hoping to have much more later…

A Huntington Native Finds Herself In "Jeopardy!"

2011-11-28T20:35:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow night (Tuesday, Nov. 29^th), Huntington’s own Mary Redling will try her hand at “Jeopardy!”

Redling is a 50-year-old operations manager from Huntington.

“Jeopardy!” airs in the Huntington-Charleston market on WSAZ at 7:30 p.m.

Photo Credit: Jeopardy! Productions Inc.

The Prospect Park Fallout: Devastating On So Many Levels

2011-11-27T20:25:00.002-05:00

There’s a saying in the world of PR that if you want to bury something, you release it on a weekend or during a holiday…

I think that Prospect Park probably took that into consideration when they announced Wednesday afternoon that it had scrapped its plan to continue “One Life to Live” and “All My Children” online. But the timing no doubt ruined the holiday for a lot of people…

According to “The Hollywood Reporter,” the decision was made after struggles during negotiations with SAG, DGA and the other Hollywood guilds.

Here is part of the statement by Prospect Park’s Rich Frank and Jeff Kwatinez from the “Reporter” story: “After five months of negotiations with various guilds, hundreds of presentations to potential financial and technology partners, and a hope that we could pioneer a new network for the future, it is with great disappointment that we are suspending our aspirations to revive ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘All My Children’ via online distribution…It is now becoming clear that mounting issues make our ability to meet our deadlines to get ‘OLTL’ on the air in a reasonable time period following its January 13, 2012 ABC finale impossible…In the end, the constraints of the current marketplace, including the evolution and impact of new media on our industry simply proved too great a match for even our passion.”

The move online for “All My Children” had already been postponed as only two actors had signed on to continue.

Because of the lateness of the announcement and the holiday, “Soap Opera Digest,” the leading soap publication, was unable to cover the announcement. However, this week’s “Digest” does feature a story about the reluctance of some actors to sign on that cites many of the problems mentioned in the “Reporter” story.

As for the bottom line here, it’s devastating on a number of levels. First, it means that “Children” and “Life” are both truly dead. Second, it means that “Children” altered its original ending to create a cliffhanger for no reason. And third, it’s devastating for the number of “Life” actors that signed on for the online launch that will now have to find other jobs.

It makes me wish that Prospect Park and ABC had just kept their mouths shut until they were positively sure this could happen…

Photo Credit: Rick Rowell/ABC

"Surburgatory" Review: Make a Trip to the Suburbs

2011-09-28T15:36:00.003-04:00

I have to admit I snickered considerably when I saw the premise of the new ABC sitcom, “Suburgatory”: A single dad moves his teenage daughter from New York City to the suburbs.

But when I watched the premiere, the snickers turned into full-on laughs. But that’s a good thing. And “Suburgatory” is a surprisingly good show, which I ranked as #4 in my best of the fall list…

Jeremy Sisto is the dad, George, and Jane Levy is Tessa, his daughter. Tessa really didn’t want to move, but George is adamant that they need the move in order to protect her. But they both might need protection from what the suburbs have to offer. Helping Tessa navigate the ‘burbs (while she tries to snag George for herself) is Dallas (Cheryl Hines), who has a teenager of her own. In the premiere, Tessa learns about shopping and how mini-skirts can never be too mini.

The allure of this show is the sarcastic way it illuminates the ridiculous but true behavior of certain people. Also in the premiere, George visits a country club and witnesses a woman walking straight into the swimming pool because she’s too busy texting. “That happens all the time,” a member tells George.

Levy is fantastic as the snarky, but genuine Tessa. And even though he’s been playing a lot of brooding characters lately, Sisto is right at home in a sitcom playing the straight man to everyone else’s punchlines. And Hines is hysterical as the over-the-top-but-doesn’t-know-it Dallas.

I hate to say it, but ABC has done a really good thing by putting this one in between “The Middle” and “Modern Family.” It’s the perfect place and it forms a pretty solid comedy block.

And you know how much I hate when ABC succeeds…

“Suburgatory” premieres tonight (Wednesday, September 28^th) at 8:30 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Karen Neal/ABC

Pick of the Week: A Returning Fave Gets Set to Break Out

2011-09-25T14:02:00.003-04:00

There are two new shows premiering this week that I really like—“Hart of Dixie” and “Suburgatory.” But for my pick, I want to put the spotlight on a returning favorite that I think is poised for a real breakout season…

My Pick of the Week is the season premiere of “Mike and Molly.”

Last year, this show got very little love from the critics, which I never understood. I named it the third best new show of the fall season last year and probably should have ranked it higher. Yes, I had concerns that the show would take fat jokes too far, but I never felt that happened.

Now the show has the good fortune of having one of the hottest actresses in the business right now as its female lead—the fantastic, Emmy Award-winning Melissa McCarthy. So I think it’s going to be seeing a lot more love this season.

The question is whether the show can rise to the challenge and deliver funny episodes week in and week out. I thought the show lost a little steam toward the end of its first season, but now that Mike (Billy Gardell) and Molly are engaged, I think the show has a lot of possibilities. And one of those is that the show could possibly overtake “Two and a Half Men” as TV’s #1 comedy…

Oh yeah, I went there…

“Mike and Molly” premieres Monday, September 26^th at 9:30 p.m. on CBS…

Photo Credit:Sonja Flemming/CBS

This Week's Premiere Schedule

2011-09-25T13:46:00.004-04:00

Here are the premieres scheduled for this week, as the new fall TV schedules start to take shape.

New shows are marked with (*)…

Monday, September 26^th

Gossip Girl—8 PM—The CW

*Terra Nova—8 PM (2 hrs.)—FOX

*Hart of Dixie—9 PM—The CW

Mike & Molly—9:30 PM—CBS

Wednesday, September 28^th

*Suburgatory—8:30 PM—ABC

Happy Endings—9:31 PM—ABC

Thursday, September 29^th

Private Practice—10 PM—ABC

*How to Be a Gentleman—8:31 PM—CBS

Sunday, October 2^nd

America’s Funniest Home Videos—7 PM—ABC

Photo Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS

"Hart of Dixie" Review: Welcome Back, Rachel Bilson!

2011-09-25T13:35:00.002-04:00

There are very few shows that I talk as nostalgically about as my beloved “The O.C.”

So, the thought of Rachel Bilson, who played Summer, reuniting with “O.C.” creator and executive producer Josh Schwartz totally had me psyched. And after seeing the premiere of “Hart of Dixie,” I’m still psyched. It may not be to the level of “The O.C.” but it does have some serious potential. And that’s good enough for me…

Bilson is Zoe Hart, an ambitious NYC doctor whose rise to the top is stopped because of her lack of bedside manner. To get back on track, she moves to Bluebell, Alabama, to accept the job offer a kindly older gentleman has been offering her for the past four years. But when she arrives, she discovers a whole new world she’s not quite prepared for.

The show wisely doesn’t traffic in small-town Southern stereotypes. Instead, Zoe is more of the stereotype as the ambitious New Yorker who can’t survive without her lattes and cabs. She becomes friends with Bluebell mayor, Lavon (Cress Williams) and attracts the attention of local hottie lawyer George (Scott Porter), but she quickly runs afoul of Southern belle Lemon (Jaime King) and her father Brick (Tim Matheson), with whom Zoe shares her Bluebell practice. Lemon does come off a little cookie cutter, but the hour hints that there is much more to her than meets the eye…

There are several twists in the premiere that many other sites, including The CW’s own press site, have given away. But I’m not going to risk ruining things for you. However, I don’t think I’m giving anything away by saying that as the hour progresses, Zoe does start to find her bedside manner after all and the cynical New Yorker starts to fade away to reveal a more sensitive, caring person. Fortunately, Zoe is played by Bilson, who does witchy to caring better than most.

This show falls squarely on Bilson’s shoulders and she is more than capable of carrying it. I don’t think I realized just how much TV has missed her until I watched this. I’m hoping that Schwartz and his cohorts will take as good of care of her as they did when she was on “The O.C.” You know, until that hideous second season…

If you’re looking for charming, romantic, interesting drama with just a dab of real emotion, I think this is the one for you. But I’m not afraid to admit I could be a little overly influenced by a heavy dose of nostalgia…

“We’ve been on the run, looking out for fun…” Okay, I’m done now…

“Hart of Dixie” premieres Monday, September 26^th at 9 p.m. on The CW…

Photo Credit: Michael Tackett/The CW

"Terra Nova" Review: More Dinosaurs, Less Whining

2011-09-25T13:08:00.001-04:00

I already gave my impression of “Terra Nova” in my column, but basically it boils down to this:

Dinosaurs eating people, good. Teenager whining about his absent father, bad.

“Terra Nova” does look amazing, no doubt about it. But I think I had a hard time moving past the fact that the first 20 minutes—though interesting—are pretty much pointless. It’s those last 20 minutes that really make the difference and give me hope that this one will get much better as it goes along—especially if there’s less whining.

The “Terra Nova” two-hour premiere airs Monday, September 26^th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit:Brook Rushton/FOX

"Pan Am" Review: Am I Just Too Picky?

2011-09-25T13:00:00.002-04:00

I’m starting to think I’m just really picky about my TV shows. Because I was mostly unimpressed with the shows other critics tagged as the best of the fall.

Take “Pan Am,” which premieres tonight on ABC. The cast is solid and it looks fantastic thanks to the great Thomas Schlamme’s (“The West Wing”) direction. And the storylines make sense for the most part Yet, I didn’t like it.

See what I mean about picky?…

The show revolves around four Pan Am stewardesses and their lives in the Pan Am heyday of the 60s. Laura (Margot Robbie) is the newbie who has accidentally become the face of Pan Am, thanks to “Life” magazine. Kate (Kelli Garner) is her jealous sister, who is angry that Laura has infringed on her Pan Am life. Maggie (Christina Ricci) is the rebel and Colette (Karine Vanasse) is the flirt, who often flirts with the wrong guy.

Joining them on their adventures are hotshot pilot Dean (Mike Vogel) and his co-pilot, Ted (Michael Mosley). Dean is secretly dating fellow stewardess Bridget (Annabelle Wallis), who is mysteriously absent from most of the premiere.

The premiere serves mostly as a set-up as we learn more about each of the character’s lives. Because you can’t unfold a lot of drama within the confines of a plane, we get flashbacks to one of Colette’s trysts, Laura’s wedding day and several scenes that illuminate the doozy of a secret Kate is hiding. Plus, we learn more about Bridget and Dean’s relationship and the mystery behind her absence from the flight crew.

The premise of the show is a good one and it’s interesting to see the rigorous demands Pan Am puts on the stewardesses. Plus, the possibilities for good soapy drama are endless. It’s when the show tries to make itself more than what it is that it loses me.

Apparently, a 60s soap opera is not enough for the show and it tries to add international espionage to the mix. And although there is some precedent that this kind of thing actually happened aboard Pan Am flights, I find it a little hard to buy and I think it brings the whole show down.

But as I said, I’m picky. Feel free to disagree with me. Most people already have…

“Pan Am” premieres tonight (Sunday) at 10 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

"Prime Suspect" Review: Is Jane Timoney Too Tough?

2011-09-22T17:40:00.002-04:00

As any husband or boyfriend can tell you, there is a fine line between a woman being tough and being witchy.

To borrow a phrase from “Friends,” “Prime Suspect” goes so far past the line, it can’t even see the line. The line is a dot to them…

Maria Bello is Jane Timoney, a tough NYC homicide detective trying to navigate the male-dominated police world. She’s a great investigator, but she doesn’t always win friends with the way she closes cases. Plus, the other detectives think she got her job because she slept with a supervisor.

In the premiere, Jane gets passed over as the primary for a high profile case. But when something unexpected happens, she may get another chance to prove to everyone what she can do.

I never saw the original British series starring Helen Mirren, so I have nothing to compare it to, but this one just doesn’t work for me. The case in the premiere is solid. It’s the characters that bother me.

Like I said, Jane seems much more witchy than she does tough. That becomes especially apparent when she takes a little too much advantage of a tragic situation. So she’s a little tough to like. And her fellow detectives are such cartoons, it’s a little embarrassing. Plus, their NYC accents are so thick, you almost need subtitles.

Bello is fantastic and the role is a great one for her. But she’s going to need a little more to work with if this one’s going to succeed…

“Prime Suspect” premieres tonight (September 22^nd) at 10 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Patrick Harbron/NBC

"Whitney" Review: As Funny As the Promos?

2011-09-22T17:12:00.003-04:00

When the commercials first started airing for the new fall shows, the one that first caught my eye was NBC’s “Whitney.” The jokes they showed in the promos were funny.

And then I watched it and found out the jokes they showed in the promos were funny…

The show stars comedian Whitney Cummings as Whitney and Chris D’Elia as Alex. The two are happily unmarried, which seems to confuse their friends who think they should be married.

In the premiere, the two attend a friend’s wedding and Whitney gets some ideas about how to spice up their relationship that go horribly wrong…

I would define “Whitney” as a show on the verge. It’s on the verge of being something really funny and entertaining. But it’s also on the verge of being something really bad. Only time will tell which way it goes.

I think the biggest problem is Whitney herself. Like a lot of stand-up comics that move to TV, she’s not the strongest actress. And since the show revolves around her, that’s a problem. Plus, the storyline is incredibly weak and seems like it’s just something to go in between Whitney’s one-liners.

Since Whitney is also behind “2 Broke Girls,” I have to wonder if maybe she’s just better suited for behind the scenes. Or maybe she just needs to grow into it.

I’m not sure if I’ll stick around to find out…

“Whitney” premieres tonight (September 22^nd) at 9:30 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Jordin Althaus/NBC

It's Official: Kiefer is Returning to FOX!

2011-09-22T17:06:00.003-04:00

It’s official. Kiefer Sutherland is returning to FOX…

FOX just announced that it has ordered 13 episodes of “Touch.” The show will premiere in the spring.

According to the official press release, “Touch” is a drama about Martin (Kiefer), a widower and single father who is having trouble connecting with his mute 11-year-old son, Jake (David Mazouz). But things soon change when Martin discovers that Jake has the ability to “see things that no one else can and the patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events.”

The drama was created by Tim Kring (“Heroes”) and also stars Danny Glover.

Obviously, I’m excited to see this. But Kring’s involvement still makes me a little nervous. Remember what happened to “Heroes”…

Photo Credit: Lorenzo Agius

"Person of Interest": The Best New Show of the Fall?

2011-09-22T16:29:00.004-04:00

Two weeks ago, I reviewed it in my column and in last week’s column, I named it the best new show of the fall.

Tonight, you can see for yourself if I’m right…

“Person of Interest” premieres tonight at 9 on CBS. If not for the whole “Two and a Half Men” thing, I would have made it my Pick of the Week.

Yeah, it’s that good. But then, I’m pretty convinced I would watch Michael Emerson read the phonebook…

Be sure and let me know what you think…

Photo Credit: Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS

"Charlie's Angels" Review: A Bad Acting Class Brought to TV

2011-09-21T23:47:00.001-04:00

Hollywood’s constant attempts at reboots can get a little annoying. But I was willing to give ABC the benefit of the doubt thinking that maybe “Charlie’s Angels” was an idea whose time had come again.

And it may still be, but not in the form of the mess set to debut tomorrow night…

You know the story. The mysterious Charlie (who only communicates through ever present speaker phones) brings together three women to help bring down the bad guys. The difference is that these women weren’t stellar cadets at the police academy. They all committed crimes and have now been given a second chance by Charlie. There’s Abby (Rachael Taylor), Kate (Annie Ilonzeh) and Eve (Minka Kelly), who joins the angels in the premiere. They’re assisted by Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez), who in this version is a hot young guy who has a way with the ladies.

In the premiere, the angels start out with a different line-up. But when one of them dies, Abby and Kate, the remaining angels, set out to find her killer and end up teaming with Eve along the way.

The show looks so pretty at the start as the angels pull off their latest caper. But then the show attempts a storyline and the whole thing falls apart. Eve’s backstory comes out of nowhere and her connection to the case the angels were working at the beginning of the show doesn’t quite work. And the corny writing features a bunch of stilted lines like, “We’re angels. We’re not saints” and “I never thought my heart could hurt this much.” I rolled my eyes so many times I gave myself a headache.

But the biggest problem with the show is the acting. It’s terrible. Everyone looks like they’re in a bad acting class. Even the fabulous Carlos Bernard, who plays the bad guy in the premiere, comes off like a terrible actor.

Now I see why Robert Wagner walked away from playing Charlie. He probably didn’t want anything to do with this mess…

Speaking of which, I presume the voice of Charlie I heard in the screener provided to the media is a temporary one since ABC has made no announcement as to who will provide the voice. Reports are that Victor Garber is in talks to do it. I love him, so I REALLY hope he runs the other way…

Seriously, this show is that bad. I’d like to say that it will teach Hollywood a lesson about reboots, but I think we all know that’s nowhere near true…

“Charlie’s Angels” premieres Thursday, September 22^nd at 8 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

"The X Factor" Review: Will It Live Up to the Hype?

2011-09-21T16:22:00.001-04:00

So tonight’s the night. Simon Cowell returns to television in “The X Factor.” But will it live up to all of the hype?

After seeing chunks of tonight’s and tomorrow night’s two-hour episodes, I can say yes, it is. But there are some issues…

The #1 issue in the premiere is Cheryl Cole. To me, it’s pretty obvious why she was let go/walked away. She’s pretty stiff and reports that she was difficult to understand were correct. On day two of the Los Angeles auditions, they switched up the judging table and put Cheryl next to Simon. I’m guessing that was a move to try and loosen her up a little bit, but it didn’t work. From the moment, Nicole Scherzinger sits down, it’s a huge improvement. And I think Nicole is a much better as a judge than she would have been as a co-host. Steve Jones handles it fine all by himself…

The #2 issue is the audience. There are many times when it seems like someone is flashing them signs to get them to cheer at certain points. That gets a little annoying. But by the second city, they settle down considerably.

But at the heart of the show are the same components we love about talent competitions. It’s great to have Paula back where she should be—at a judging table with Simon. And L.A. Reid is a perfect foe for Simon as they find themselves on different sides on contestants more than once. When they get to the mentoring/coaching rounds and the judges compete against each other, they will be a lot of fun.

You’ll tear up more than once during this week’s episodes, as there are some great singers with great stories. And there are some bad singers too that will make your skin crawl. In fact, one nearly makes Paula throw up…

In all honesty, at this stage, there are very few differences between “Factor” and “American Idol.” But the changes will become more evident as the show continues. And I think there’s a chance that Simon is right and this show could very well blow “Idol” right out of the water.

Welcome back, Simon, we’ve missed you…

Photo Credit: Ray Mickshaw/FOX

"Men" Does Huge Numbers

2011-09-20T11:56:00.000-04:00

The numbers are in and they are huge…

“Two and a Half Men” raked in 27.7 million viewers last night, the highest rating in the show’s history.

The question, of course, is whether they will be able to sustain that momentum next week. My guess is no.

I’ve heard some people saying today that the show is all about Charlie Sheen and without him it just doesn’t work. I would argue that the show was not all about Sheen, but was instead about the chemistry between Sheen and Cryer. It’s the absence of that I miss. They had chemistry instantly. It’s pretty clear Cryer and Ashton Kutcher will have to work at it.

What did you think? Feel free to share your opinions here or on Facebook or on Twitter…

"New Girl" Review: Totally "Adorkable"

2011-09-19T22:29:00.002-04:00

The promos for “New Girl” have been calling it “adorkable.” And in all honesty, I couldn’t think of any better word to describe it myself…

Zooey Deschanel is Jess. She’s adorable, but a total dork. She makes up theme songs for herself, which she can spontaneously burst into at any time. And when she breaks up with her boyfriend, all she wants to do is watch “Dirty Dancing” over and over.

That’s the hot mess the three guys Jess moves in with are forced to deal with. And to stop the constant playing of “Dancing,” they decide to help Jess get back into the dating game. But not surprisingly, they have to help her get past her dorkiness first. And in doing so, they might discover they actually like her…

I hate to keep using the word adorable, but I have no choice. There’s no other word to describe both Deschanel and Jess. The humor is smart and the story is good. When I first read the concept, it sounded pretty lame. But it is far from it. In fact, “Girl” is the best new comedy of the fall…by far.

“New Girl” premieres Tuesday, September 20^th at 9 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Isabella Vosmikova/FOX

"Two and a Half Men": Man, Do I Take This Show Seriously

2011-09-19T22:01:00.001-04:00

So after more hype than…I don’t know what, CBS finally premiered the new “Two and a Half Men.” And I would give it a mixed review…

First, the pluses. I liked seeing Charlie’s former girlfriends at the funeral and Evelyn’s (Holland Taylor) reaction was classic Evelyn. And Jon Cryer was so good that I actually teared up as Alan said goodbye to Charlie. The John Stamos cameo was classic and seeing Dharma and Greg together again (from Chuck Lorre’s “Dharma and Greg”) was a nice surprise. And you just knew that Rose (Melanie Lynskey) would somehow be involved with Charlie’s death. Man, do I hope we haven’t seen the last of her…

I would also say that for the most part, Ashton Kutcher (Walden) was good, but I’m still adjusting to seeing him play it so straight and awkward. He’s usually the airheaded, breezy type and this is totally new. Not bad necessarily, just new. There’s clearly a lot more to explore there, so I can’t say I’m completely on board with him just yet.

Now to the minuses. I will concede that I pay WAY too much attention to this show. I blame it on the constant rerun watching. But I was disappointed with how some of Charlie’s girlfriends were depicted at the funeral. It was a “Two and a Half Men” trademark to use the same actresses over and over to play Charlie’s girlfriends, but I think they should have played who were they were the last time we saw them. In that case, Mia (Emmanuelle Vaugier) and Chelsea (Jennifer Taylor), who were ex-fiances, would never have talked about Charlie so disparagingly. And I don’t think Courtney (Jenny McCarthy) would have badmouthed him that way either. And both times Liz Vassey played Charlie’s girlfriend (Seasons 1 and 8), their relationship ended cordially. Plus, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe is so well known for playing Isabella, the Satanist, so her funeral behavior didn’t work either. I have to believe that one of them would have been sad to see Charlie gone.

But maybe that was the point. Chuck Lorre was so determined to make us not miss Charlie that he was willing to forsake the show’s very history to trash him.

Wow. I do take this show seriously, don’t I?

I will, of course, stick with it. But I’m not ready to say I’m okay with it just yet.

And for the record. I do miss Charlie. Very much…

So what did you guys think? Do you think they handled Charlie’s exit well?

My Thoughts on the Emmys: What Were the Most Squealworthy Moments?

2011-09-19T14:20:00.009-04:00

The day after the Emmys there are always countless posts on the Internet rating the night’s best and worst moments and best and worst outfits.

Here is another one of those posts…

Let me cut right to the chase and tell you what moment had me squealing the most—the appearance of Charlie Sheen. I started squealing when they showed him backstage going into the commercial break. And when he took the stage and said he wanted to address the people from “Two and a Half Men”? You could hear a pin drop in that audience.

I have to question the director and why he didn’t get a reaction shot from Jon Cryer at any point during Charlie’s presentation. I’m guessing Chuck Lorre probably told the cameras to not even think about it. I also think the Emmys writers made a huge mistake in not cutting the troll joke from Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher’s presentation. Since Charlie had made his speech to make amends, pointing out his past transgressions just wasn’t funny and Jon and Ashton came off extremely awkward.

The moment that had me squealing the second-most was Michael Bolton singing “Captain Jack Sparrow” with Lonely Island. When that song was nominated, I actually wrote on my personal Facebook page that I thought he should sing it at the Emmys, never dreaming it would actually happen. In fact, that entire Lonely Island medley was squealworthy. John Stamos as Andy Samberg? Maya Rudolph as Lady Gaga? You could see Akon laughing all the way through “I Just Had Sex.” He was probably just so stunned to be there…

My third most squealworthy moment? Melissa McCarthy winning for Best Actress in a Comedy. People had written off “Mike & Molly” all season long, so it was nice to see Melissa get the recognition she deserves. The beauty pageant bit with all of the nominees was funny too, although it did sort of infringe on Melissa’s acceptance speech a little. I would’ve loved to have heard her say something snarky in reference to the blogger who said she didn’t want to see bigger people have sex…

And my fourth squealing moment came near the end when Barry Pepper won the award for Best Actor in a TV Movie/Mini-Series for his portrayal of Bobby Kennedy in “The Kennedys.” No matter what you might think about the mini-series, Pepper was extraordinary in the role and totally deserved the award. I just wish he could have been there to accept it…

Here are some other random thoughts about last night’s show…

Jane Lynch can sing! Why doesn’t “Glee” let her sing more? The opening was a tad long and had a bad segue between the taped segment and her live entrance, but it still worked…

The Emmy Tones were just the kind of lame thing that Joel McHale would make fun of on “The Soup,” not the kind of thing he would actually be a part of. Of course, I think that was the point. They were supposed to be lame. And boy, did they succeed…

We didn’t get the usual Stephen Colbert-Steve Carell presenters pairing, but we did get Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. And it was even better. We did get the usual Ricky Gervais presentation—although on tape—and I think it was his funniest yet…

Martha Plimpton looked amazing, but what was that mini-dress Laura Linney was wearing?...

The funniest line of the night was from Kim Kardashian in “The Office” spoof: “I don’t understand that word, work? Am I saying that correctly?”…

Boo hiss to the Emmy voters for returning to form and giving “The Amazing Race” the Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Program. No way “Top Chef All-Stars” didn’t deserve that…

I thought the video montages for each category were very good, but I didn’t see any clips from “NCIS” in the drama montage. Seeing as how it’s the #1 drama on TV, probably would’ve been a good idea. Kudos, though, for including “Psych” in the comedy montage…

I found it interesting that they held the Movie/Mini-Series categories until the end. Maybe because of the movie stars like Kate Winslet?...

So good to see Paul McCrane presenting after his win for Best Guest Actor in a Drama for “Harry’s Law.” But I think the Creative Arts Emmys could have used just a tad more love…

I’m sure there were people accidentally left out of the “In Memoriam” segment. There always are. But I thought the choice of “Hallelujah” for the song to accompany it was a stroke of genius. And The Canadian Tenors sounded amazing…

I thought there was a great variety of presenters and the pairings were interesting. Plus, all of them—with the exception of Jon and Ashton—were entertaining. But did any pairing look better than Rob Lowe and Sofia Vergara? Jon Stewart was right about them making beautiful children…

What in the world was Gwyneth Paltrow wearing?...

They should consider letting Steve Levitan (creator of “Modern Family”) host next year. The moment when the director switched to his wife in the audience after he admitted his kids had walked in on them “in the act” was pretty classic…

Jane Lynch was a good host because she didn’t make it about her. She just smoothly introduced the presenters with funny jokes—often jokes that had nothing to do with them. Her best one? “People often ask me why I’m a lesbian. Ladies and gentlemen, the cast of ‘Entourage.’”…

Speaking of which, how good did Jerry Ferrara (Turtle) look last night?...

Finally, congratulations to the other big winners: Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”), “The Daily Show,” Margo Martindale (“Justified”), Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”), Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife”), Kyle Chandler (“Friday Night Lights”), Maggie Smith (“Downton Abbey”), Guy Pearce (“Mildred Pierce”), Kate Winslet (“Mildred Pierce”), “Downton Abbey,” “Mad Men” and “Modern Family.”

So what did you guys think of the Emmys? What were your favorite moments of the night?

Photos Credit: Phil McCarten/FOX

See How the "Bang" Got So Big...

2011-09-19T12:55:00.002-04:00

The new fall season not only means new shows for the broadcast networks, it also means newly syndicated shows begin their run.

One of those is “The Big Bang Theory,” which begins its run this week. If you’re a late comer to this one, you absolutely need to watch it from the beginning when it was a little more innocent and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) was still just a supporting character.

Those of us in the Huntington-Charleston area are getting an added bonus as “Bang” will follow “Two and a Half Men”—just as it originally did on CBS—on WVAH FOX 11 (“Men” airs at 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., while “Bang” airs at 7:30 p.m.).

If “Bang” is not syndicated in your area, no worries. You can also catch it from the beginning on TBS, beginning Tuesday, September 20^th at 8 p.m. “Bang” will air on TBS Tuesdays from 8-11 p.m. and Thursdays 9-11 p.m.

Photo Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS

Primetime Emmys: What Did You Think?

2011-09-19T00:11:00.003-04:00

So it’s after midnight and I should have been in bed an hour ago, so I won’t post anything about the Emmys now. I’ll just save all of my thoughts—and there are several of them—for tomorrow.

I’ll just tell you right now that I thought the show was pretty good. And at least four moments had me whooping and hollering. One of them you can guess from the picture…

In the meantime, feel free to share your Emmy thoughts. What did you think of the show? Were you happy with the winners?

Stay Tuned for more tomorrow…

Photo Credit: Phil McCarten/FOX

Pick of the Week: All Will Be Revealed?

2011-09-18T23:30:00.002-04:00

It’s taken a short hiatus, but now that we’ve entered the new Fall TV Season, it’s time to bring back the Pick of the Week.

And this week’s Pick is the most anticipated premiere of the season…

My Pick of the Week is the season premiere of “Two and a Half Men.”

CBS has kept this one locked up tight—no episode pictures on the press site, no clips in the promos, no screeners to the media. We will all see what happens together Monday night.

As the premiere has gotten closer, I’ve been feeling more and more sad about the show going on without Charlie Sheen. Originally, I was angry that Charlie had screwed everything up and thought he deserved to be punished. But reliving the show’s funniest moments through nightly rerun viewings, my anger started fading away. And now that I’m once again in love with Charlie after his appearances on “The Tonight Show” and the Emmys, I’m sadder than ever…

But I’ll still be watching…

“Two and a Half Men” premieres Monday, September 19^th at 9 p.m. on CBS…

For the rest of you who miss Charlie, remember that you can still see him Monday on the “Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen.” Roastmaster Seth MacFarlane will oversee what is sure to be the raunchiest and most raucous 90 minutes Comedy Central has ever aired.

The roast begins at 10 p.m. Be warned that there will be LOTS of foul language and crude jokes…

Photo Credit: Matt Hoyle/CBS & Warner Bros.

This Week's Premiere Schedule

2011-09-18T22:42:00.006-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the week that will set your DVRs on fire. THIS is Fall Premiere Week…

Here are the premieres scheduled for this week. New shows are marked with (*)…

Monday, September 19^th

Dancing With the Stars—8 PM (2 hrs.)—ABC

How I Met Your Mother—8 PM (1 hr.)—CBS

The Sing-Off—8 PM (2 hrs.)—NBC

Two and a Half Men—9 PM—CBS

*2 Broke Girls—9:31 PM—CBS

Castle—10:01 PM—ABC

Hawaii Five-O—10 PM—CBS

*The Playboy Club—10 PM—NBC

And if you missed last week’s premiere of “Ringer,” you can watch an encore at 9 p.m. on The CW…

Tuesday, September 20^th

Glee—8 PM—FOX

Dancing With the Stars: Meet the Cast—8 PM—ABC

The Biggest Loser—8 PM (2 hrs.)—NBC

NCIS—8 PM—CBS

*New Girl—9 PM—FOX

Dancing With the Stars (Results)—9 PM—ABC

NCIS: Los Angeles—9 PM—CBS

Raising Hope—9:30 PM—FOX

*Unforgettable—10 PM—CBS

Body of Proof—10:01 PM—ABC

Wednesday, September 21^st

*The X Factor—8 PM (2 hrs.)—FOX

The Middle—8 PM (1 hr.)—ABC

Modern Family—9 PM (1 hr.)—ABC

Criminal Minds—9 PM—CBS

Harry’s Law—9 PM—NBC

*Revenge—10 PM—ABC

CSI—10 PM—CBS

Law & Order: SVU—10 PM—NBC

Thursday, September 22^nd

*The X Factor (Part 2)—8 PM—FOX

*Charlie’s Angels—8 PM—ABC

Community—8 PM—NBC

The Big Bang Theory—8 PM (1 hr.)—CBS

Parks & Recreation—8:30 PM—NBC

Grey’s Anatomy—9 PM (2 hrs.)—ABC

*Person of Interest—9 PM—CBS

The Office—9 PM—NBC

*Whitney—9:31 PM—NBC

The Mentalist—10 PM—CBS

*Prime Suspect—10 PM—NBC

Friday, September 23^rd

Nikita—8 PM—CW

Kitchen Nightmares—8 PM—FOX

*A Gifted Man—8 PM—CBS

Supernatural—9 PM—CW

Fringe—9 PM—FOX

CSI: NY—9 PM—CBS

Blue Bloods—10 PM—CBS

Sunday, September 25^th

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition—7 PM (2 hrs.)—ABC

60 Minutes—7 PM—CBS

The Amazing Race—8 PM—CBS

The Simpsons—8 PM—FOX

The Cleveland Show—8:30 PM—FOX

Family Guy—9 PM—FOX

The Good Wife—9 PM—CBS

Desperate Housewives—9 PM—ABC

American Dad—9:30 PM—FOX

*Pan Am—10 PM—ABC

CSI: Miami—10 PM—CBS

Stay Tuned for my reviews of the new shows throughout the week, as well as my review of Ted Danson joining the cast of “CSI”…

Photo Credits: Mario Perez/CBS, John Russo/NBC, John Paul Filo/CBS

"The Playboy Club" Review: Much Ado About Nothing?

2011-09-18T01:04:00.002-04:00

Ever notice how all of these protests over the content of shows and movies usually end up being much ado about nothing?

Well that is definitely how I would describe the protests over NBC’s new drama, “The Playboy Club.” There’s nothing controversial about “Club” whatsoever. In fact, I’m still a little on the fence about whether it’s even worth watching at all…

The show quickly establishes the jazzy setting of Chicago’s Playboy Club in the 60s. The music is jumping, the bunnies are playing and the guys are paying—for cigarettes and drinks, that is. Maureen (Amber Heard), the new bunny, is attracting the attention of all the men—including ambitious attorney Nick Dalton (Eddie Cibrian). But when she accidentally murders a mob boss she attracted the attention of, she and Nick end up working together to cover up the murder.

And that’s all before the opening titles…

There’s also Carol-Lynne (Laura Benanti), the oldest bunny and Nick’s girlfriend, who constantly butts heads with Billy (David Krumholtz), the club’s manager, about how the bunnies should behave. Brenda (Naturi Naughton) is fighting against prejudice as she strives to become the first “chocolate centerfold” and sweet air-headed Alice (Leah Renee) is hiding a secret that could’ve been a real bombshell if it had been presented in a way that actually made sense…

In all honesty, “Club” was not nearly as tedious as I thought it would be. Cibrian is perfectly in his element as Nick, the gentleman with a shady edge. And Heard is perfectly cast as the girl-next-door with a little shadiness going on as well. Both of them do a good job of selling a story that is pretty unrealistic.

But the biggest problem of the show is that it can’t really decide what it is. Is it a show about the behind-the-scenes struggles of Playboy bunnies? Is it a showcase for the music and culture of the 60s featuring actors playing iconic performers? Or is it a mystery set against the world of the mob?

At this point, I’m not sure. And I don’t think the show is sure either. But I think it will need to make up its mind if it’s going to survive—especially in its tough Monday night timeslot.

“The Playboy Club” premieres Monday, September 19^th at 10 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: John Russo/NBC

"Two Broke Girls" Review: The Final Piece to the CBS Monday Comedy Puzzle?

2011-09-17T23:14:00.003-04:00

Have you ever gone to a movie that looked really funny in the promos only to discover that all of the good jokes were in the promos?

That’s the feeling I got watching the new CBS comedy, “2 Broke Girls” as I had already seen EVERY single joke in the promos. And that’s a shame, because otherwise, I probably would’ve really enjoyed it.

Maybe I just watch too much CBS…

The two girls in the title are Max (Kat Dennings) and Caroline (Beth Behrs). Max is a sharp-tongued Brooklyn waitress who doesn’t take crap from anyone—especially customers. Caroline is an heiress whose assets have just been frozen because of her father’s legal troubles. Their two worlds collide when Caroline gets a job in Max’s restaurant.

No surprise, the two clash instantly. But when Max learns more about Caroline’s life, she starts to feel sorry for her and the two realize they may be able to help each other.

There are some storyline issues like Garrett Morris’ character having absolutely no purpose and a pointless story involving Max’s boyfriend. But the show has real potential for future storylines as the girls team up to find ways to make money. And Kat Dennings is very appealing, even as she’s insulting everyone.

CBS has been looking for the final piece to its Monday comedy puzzle for a long time and I think they’ve finally found it. They just need to have a word with their promo department…

“2 Broke Girls” premieres Monday, September 19^th at 9:30 p.m. on CBS, before moving to its regular timeslot of Mondays at 8:30 p.m...

Photo Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

"The Secret Circle" Review: Have I Fallen Under Its Spell?

2011-09-14T23:14:00.003-04:00

When I first saw the trailer for “The Secret Circle,” I actually snickered a little.

I mean, it was another teenager finds out she has powers story. And I had just seen that with “The Nine Lives of Chloe King.” So imagine my surprise when I found myself being entertained…

Cassie (Britt Robertson) is a 16-year-old living a normal life until her mother dies in a horrific accident—or what she thinks was an accident (We actually see what happens). Her mother’s death sends her to live with her grandmother and that’s where things get interesting as Cassie soon finds herself as the final piece in a secret circle of witches.

But teenage witches aren’t the only thing going on here. There are also adults with hidden agendas and massive powers of their own. Think of it as the Force versus the Dark Side. And, of course, there are the beginnings of a love triangle as Cassie finds herself attracted to fellow witch (or is that warlock?) Adam (Thomas Dekker), whose longtime girlfriend is the circle’s unofficial leader. And the attraction is mutual…

The premiere wastes no time in setting up the action as Cassie loses her mother in the first 10 minutes in one of the creepiest, yet coolest, death scenes I’ve ever seen.

Coming from the team behind “The Vampire Diaries” and based on a novel series by the author of the “Diaries” books, “Circle” is meant to be a good soapy drama for young adults with a cool sci-fi edge (Think of it as “Gossip Girl” with actual witches.). And I think it succeeds on both of those—at least in the premiere. Whether it can keep it up, remains to be seen.

“The Secret Circle” premieres Thursday, September 15^th at 9 p.m. on The CW…

Photo Credit:The CW

This Week's Premiere Schedule

2011-09-11T21:41:00.004-04:00

The Fall TV season really doesn’t kick off until next week, but as usual, The CW is getting a bit of an early start. Plus, CBS is jumpstarting “Survivor” to avoid “The X Factor” premiere and NBC is using a potent season finale to jumpstart three of its shows…

Here are the season premieres scheduled for this week…

Tuesday, September 13^th

90210—8 PM—The CW

Ringer—9 PM—The CW

*Read my review here.

Parenthood—10 PM—NBC

Wednesday, September 14^th

H8R—8 PM—The CW

*In this new reality show, celebrities confront the everyday people who hate them.

Survivor: South Pacific—8 PM (90 min.)—CBS

America’s Next Top Model—9 PM—The CW

Up All Night—10 PM—NBC

*Read my review here.

Free Agents—10:30 PM—NBC

*Read my review here.

Thursday, September 15^th

The Vampire Diaries—8 PM—The CW

The Secret Circle—9 PM—The CW

*Stay tuned for my review.

It’s also important to note that “America’s Got Talent” will wrap up its season with the final performance show Tuesday at 9 p.m. and the two-hour finale Wednesday at 8 p.m. Plus, “Big Brother” will conclude its season Wednesday at 9:30 p.m.

Photo Credits: The CW & David Gray/The CW

"Up All Night"/"Free Agents" Review: Can Appealing Stars Make the Difference?

2011-09-11T21:21:00.004-04:00

Let’s face it. NBC could use some help. So they’re looking for it from likeable stars in high concept comedies.

But do they get it? Yes and no…

“Up All Night,” which has gotten A LOT of attention from the network promo department in recent weeks, stars Christina Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph. Applegate and Arnett are Reagan and Chris, two brand-new parents who are having a hard time giving up their partying ways. Rudolph is Ava, a daytime talk-show host and Reagan’s boss. She is completely clueless about the changes a baby has brought to Reagan’s life. And Chris is trying to adjust to being a stay-at-home dad.

You can’t get more likeable than Applegate, Arnett and Rudolph, but for me, it was just on the verge of being really funny. I laughed a few times—mostly at Rudolph—but it just wasn’t as laugh out loud funny as I would expect from this cast. But as I said, it’s on the verge, which means it could get better. Of course, it could also get worse…

“Up All Night” premieres Wednesday, September 14^th at 10 p.m. on NBC before moving to its regular timeslot of Wednesdays at 8…

I much prefer NBC’s other new Wednesday night comedy, “Free Agents.” However, I have a bad feeling this will be one of those shows that I love, but nobody else does…

Based on a British hit of the same name, “Agents” stars Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn as Alex and Helen, two people we know are perfect for each other but can’t seem to get it figured out for themselves. Alex is in the middle of a divorce and Helen is still grieving the loss of her fiancé. Plus, they’re co-workers. But they can’t seem to help turning to each other when they need a friend…or certain other things…

“Agents” is not laugh out loud funny, but there’s something about the main characters that I really like. Maybe I’m just a sucker for a good romance. Or maybe I’m such a fan of Hank Azaria I’ll watch him in anything. And he and Hahn, who has deserved a starring role in a show way before this, have excellent chemistry. I also like Anthony Head as their inappropriate boss, Stephen (Head played the same role in the British version.).

Like I said, this is probably this year’s show that I like and no one else does (Last year, it was “Better With You”), but I say if you like romantic comedies with heart and appealing leads, you should give this one a try…

“Free Agents” premieres Wednesday, September 14^th at 10:30 p.m. on NBC, before moving to its regular timeslot of Wednesdays at 8:30…

Photo Credits: Trae Patton/NBC & Dean Hendler/NBC

"Ringer" Review: Is It a Worthy Return for Sarah Michelle Gellar?

2011-09-11T19:38:00.003-04:00

I never watched “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” so I haven’t been jumping up and down about Sarah Michelle Gellar’s return to The CW like the “Buffy” fans have been.

But now I find myself jumping up and down a little because Gellar’s return to TV is bringing us a cool, sophisticated soap opera. And I’m a huge sucker for those…

“Ringer” stars Gellar in two distinct roles. There’s Bridget, the ex-stripper and addict struggling to stay clean, and Siobhan, who lives in the lap of luxury. Bridget is scheduled to testify at a murder trial, but fearing for her life, she runs off to spend time with her sister for the first time in six years. To Bridget, Siobhan has the perfect life. But when Siobhan mysteriously disappears and Bridget takes over her life, Bridget soon discovers Siobhan is far from perfect.

There are romantic complications, including her ice-cold marriage to Andrew (Ioan Gruffudd), step-daughter complications and mysterious men following her complications. Not to mention that Bridget is being pursued by the FBI agent in charge of the murder case she was scheduled to testify for (the always welcome Nestor Carbonell). And just when you think there couldn’t possibly be any more complications, there are.

And that’s what makes this show fun. It could just be your usual run-of-the-mill twins switch places story, but it finds a way to be so much more than that. Sarah Michelle Gellar is perfect as both twins, to whom she manages to give two distinct personalities. Plus it helps that the premiere looks fantastic and is beautifully and suspensefully directed.

You may remember that “Ringer” was originally developed for CBS, but it was decided it was more appropriate for The CW. It was a great call as the show probably would have languished at CBS since it is much more suited for The CW audience.

I may have not been looking forward to Gellar’s TV return before, but I am definitely looking forward to it now. It looks like I may have finally found a new primetime soap opera to cherish…

“Ringer” premieres Tuesday, September 13^th at 9 p.m. on The CW…

Photo Credit: The CW

DVD Review: "Conan O'Brien Can't Stop"

2011-09-07T23:30:00.003-04:00

I think you guys know that I was hooked on every single move of NBC’s late night fiasco. And even though I considered myself a member of Team Leno, I still felt for Conan O’Brien and truly admired his class in handling the situation.

But now, thanks to an outstanding documentary, we have the chance to see Conan’s anger, confusion and depression in full effect. And it’s heartbreaking and fascinating all at the same time…

“Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” follows Conan on his “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on TV Tour” from the show’s conception to the final city. And what unfolds is a compelling look inside the mind of a man who lost his dream job under the most auspicious of circumstances.

Conan is not afraid to show his anger and we see it several times during the 88+ minutes. But what is most interesting is that Conan O’Brien truly can’t stop. He complains about all the meet-and-greets, but he does them anyway. He worries that he might lose his voice, but he still insists on entertaining his assistant with jokes and songs. He is angry when he finds out he has to introduce all of the acts at Bonnaroo instead of just one, but he does it with everything he has. It’s almost like laughter is his drug and without it, he almost can’t survive…

One thing I would have liked to have seen more of in the documentary is the discussion that led up to Conan’s decision to go to TBS. I realize the documentary is about the tour, but since we see Conan emphatically say he’s not going to TBS, it would have been nice to see why he changed his mind.

If you’re a member of Team Coco, this is an absolute must-see. But even if you consider yourself a member of Team Leno—as I once did—you should watch this to see how a very funny, yet angry man made lemonade out of some pretty rotten lemons…

“Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” hits stores and online outlets Tuesday, September 13^th…

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Watch the "Auction Hunters" Use the Force This Weekend

2011-08-31T22:40:00.003-04:00

Each week, Allen Haff and Ton Jones dig through abandoned storage units to find valuable antiques and other merchandise. Their discoveries are always cool to watch, but this weekend, Allen and Ton are digging through something even cooler—the LucasFilm Archives.

As part of Spike TV’s traditional holiday weekend marathon of the “Star Wars” movies, we’ll be seeing Allen and Ton at the Skywalker Ranch as they unearth original props costumes and other “Star Wars” artifacts, including an original R2-D2, Darth Maul’s original costume, an AT-AT model and the holy grail for male “Star Wars” fans—Princess Leia’s gold bikini from “Return of the Jedi.”

Plus, the guys will be giving us an exclusive look at bonus content from the upcoming Blu-ray release of “Star Wars: The Complete Saga.”

Here’s the complete schedule:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

· 1:00 – 4:00 PM, ET/PT and 11:00 PM – 2:30 AM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999, Sci-Fi)

· 4:00 – 7:30 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002, Sci-Fi)

· 7:30 – 11:00 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005, Sci-Fi)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

· 12:30 – 4:00 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002, Sci-Fi)

· 4:00 – 7:30 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005, Sci-Fi)

· 7:30 – 10:30 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE IV A NEW HOPE (1977, Sci-Fi)

· 10:30 PM – 2:00 AM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE V THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980, Sci-Fi)

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

· 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002, Sci-Fi)

· 12:30 – 4:00 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005, Sci-Fi)

· 4:00 – 7:00 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE IV A NEW HOPE (1977, Sci-Fi)

· 7:00 – 10:00 PM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE V THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980, Sci-Fi)

· 10:00 PM – 1:30 AM, ET/PT

STAR WARS: EPISODE VI RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983, Sci-Fi)

I’m always so bummed about how they stretch these movies out so badly, but this time, I’m okay with it if we get to see Ton and Allen play with cool stuff…

Photo Credit: Spike TV

Bravo on "Beverly Hills": The Show Will Go On

2011-08-31T22:27:00.001-04:00

There was no fancy press release, just a simple email that went out today to share the news that Bravo will premiere “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” Monday as scheduled…

It was thought that Bravo would postpone the premiere after the suicide of series regular Taylor Armstrong’s estranged husband, Russell. The couple’s troubles was scheduled to be a major storyline of the show this season.

Here is the e-mail in its entirety:

“Bravo will proceed with the Monday, September 5 premiere date of ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,’” confirmed Frances Berwick, President, Bravo Media. "Given that these episodes were filmed months ago, the producers of the show taped a brief interview this week with several of the cast members to introduce the premiere. Re-editing of the episodes is still underway."

Berwick added, "Bravo has partnered with the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) to raise awareness about suicide prevention. The network will air various PSA’s during the ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.’ We will also provide additional information and resources on Bravotv.com, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline."

“Our thoughts continue to be with the Armstrong family during this difficult time,” said Berwick.

“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” premieres Monday, September 5^th at 9 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credit: Richard McLaren/Bravo

Comic Fans: Get Ready For a Whole New Universe

2011-08-30T23:21:00.004-04:00

As you guys know, I am proud to call myself a comic book geek.

And in the world of comic book geeks like myself, tomorrow is a big day. So, I hope you’ll forgive me for the non-TV post…

Tomorrow (beginning at midnight in some major cities), DC Comics will launch “The New 52” with the release of “Justice League #1.” Over the next several weeks, DC will release new number ones of all 52 of their titles.

In other words, they’re starting over…

When I first heard about this, I didn’t really like it. I’m not a fan of starting books over—especially ones in the 800s and 900s. And I was a little nervous about the changes to some of the characters, like Superman being single and the once paralyzed Barbara Gordon once again taking up the fight as Batgirl.

But after talking to DC Comics Editor-In-Chief Bob Harras and Executive Editor Eddie Berganza, I feel much better. It makes a lot of sense that if you’re going to reel in new fans, you have to give them a good place to start. And what better place than the beginning?

Harras and Berganza’s enthusiasm about the project is so infectious, I’m now completely psyched to see how this new universe spins out of the “Flashpoint” mini-series, which also concludes tomorrow.

You got a taste of the interview in my story in Monday’s “The Herald Dispatch,” but I wasn’t able to include all the juicy details, so I’m running the entire interview here.

In exchange, I hope you won’t give away the “Flashpoint” ending until after I get my copy on Friday…

Tell me just what is “The New 52.”

Bob Harras

What “The New 52” really is is just a great opportunity for fans and people who are maybe not as involved in comics to come and read about some of the greatest characters in pop culture today—Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern. We’re really just giving you a place to jump on, read about their lives, read about their adventures and get involved in all this fun here we have going on at DC Comics. It’s just a great opportunity and we have writers and artists who have really stepped up and they’re incredibly excited and the product is just—what’s coming out is amazing.

Eddie Berganza

And also since we have all sorts of new platforms to take advantage of, it’s great. It really does a lot for fans who can’t get to a comic store.

Talk a little bit more about those new platforms.

We are the first to do day and date digital release of our product the same day as old line publishing and it will really give the opportunity for people to go on their iPhone or whatever platform they have and really read our product and the story of all our characters. And it’s not…up ‘til now you had to go to a comics shop or you had to get a subscription. Now, it’s really open to everyone to get involved in comics, to get involved in DC and all the great characters. And again, it’s an incredible opportunity. It opens up the opportunity to have a more diverse line. We have horror, we have westerns, we have military. It’s really like a way to give a sampling to everybody about what comics can be.

We’re expanding on everything. We have a vampire book now, we have one set in the Dark Ages. It really is expanding what we’re doing.

What would you say to the fans who are questioning re-starting the books?

The thing is it stays on character. We’re not doing away with any of the characters. Their stories are staying intact. Batgirl, for instance, had an incident with The Joker that’s very important to us. The Green Lantern mythos, the different corps that we’ve introduced, all the different colors, that stays as well. It’s really staying true to what’s all of these characters.

I think people should realize that we are fans as well of these characters and whatever concerns that have been expressed out there is actually I think part of the great things about comics—the passion that everyone has about these characters. I think people are going to be very excited about what we’re doing, but I’m actually kind of, I’m grateful for people challenging us because it just means they care about the characters as much as we do.

So it’s not going to be a complete washout of story?

We took a lot of care looking at the history of these characters and we’ve created a timeline to express what is important in their lives as people, as characters that will still be part and parcel of the ongoing stories. So again, a lot of care, a lot of thought went into this, as well as a lot of excitement.

And it’s individual cases. In certain instances, we had one of these heroes or villains have so much baggage and now we streamlined it so you don’t have to read 60 years of comic history, you can just enjoy it. We’ve compressed everything to a five year gap of time.

Does “The New 52” come right out of “Flashpoint”?

Yes. They’re going to love it. Once they get to issue five and things are explained, they’ll see how it all comes about.

It’s actually a lot of fun.

Geoff [Johns] has done a wonderful job and Andy Kubert has done amazing things. They pretty much created a world so it’s very cool when you see how that plays out. There’s little touches of it when you had the introduction of the Frankenstein character and then you see that Frankenstein character has its own book. You saw Grifter interact with the DC characters for the first time and now that’s going to continue.

So why now?

Why not now in lot of ways. A lot of great things, a lot of fun things just came out of a meeting with writers and artists a while back sometime in 2011 and we just talked about story, we talked about characters. There was no agenda. It was really what excited you about these characters. What attracted you? What stories did you want to tell? And out of that conversation just came this sense of we’ve got these great characters here. What can we do really to celebrate that? And I know it sounds corny but in a lot of ways, this whole “New 52” really came out of that creative conversation which I really think is the best way for these events to happen.

It’s excitement and it’s really so many of the creators are so juiced up and pumped up about this. There’s no way we’re going to let go of this. The energy that’s being brought up. The books are fantastic. We’re all really excited about this.

One of the most gratifying things about this is that you see the artists and writers coming together as teams and really in some ways saying look what I can do. And the other teams going, look what we can do. You sense that excitement across the line.

Are you guys going to be out a comic store at midnight Tuesday night?

Yes I am. I don’t know if Eddie is. I’m planning a late night one night. Definitely am.

I’ll be out there.

It’s what comics are about. Exciting stories, great art and community as well.

These are the characters that inspire movies that people are nuts about. It’s nice to see that we’re going back to the source and the excitement is starting from there.

Some headlines have come out about some of the characters. You mentioned characters with baggage. Were you talking about Superman when you said that?

[Both laugh]

Were we? [laughs] For better or worse we aged him a lot. He sort of became someone’s parent. Between being married and everything else, he started to look a little worn there. So we kind of spruced him up. He’s an amazing character everybody indentifies with. We’re kind of going back to his roots. We couldn’t be happier that Grant Morrison is the one who’s sort of initiating this, which is a story that takes place five years ago the same way Geoff Johns is doing in “Justice League.” And George Perez is coming up and giving us the current time and also everything in between and people start discovering this character for the first time. I mean, see the success we had with “Smallville.” People want to know about this guy.

Bruce Wayne is once again the one true Batman.

The one true Batman, yes. We really spoke with the talent involved—Scott Snyder, Tony Daniel—and we talked to them about what is the core of the character. What attracted them to Batman and we really just sat down and we worked out these storylines and events and what you’re going to see next month, is just really getting to know Bruce Wayne, getting to know Batman and really just exploring his world and how Gotham City impacts him and how he impacts Gotham City in a new and different way. And really both of them, the first issues are amazing, I think, and kind of end on surprising notes. And I think Batman fans are going to be very excited.

Yep.

All the writers and artists have really stepped up and gotten very excited. I get everyday book maps that show the progress of the book and it shows the art for every issue and I can see just every month, the storytelling and the events and the artists working together. It’s just really nice to see and it’s exactly what comics can be—incredibly great visuals meeting with great stories. I think that’s what we’ve got going on here.

Where do you see the future of comics? Do you see them going completely digital?

I think it’s going to be a mixture of everything, I’ve got to be honest. Personally, I don’t want to give up print. I’m one of those guys who wants to read a book rather than read it on a Kindle. I’m old fashioned. Wherever people are going to be to read and look at material, we want to be there where people are to show them what we’ve got and entertain them. I think the future is very broad, very exciting.

We’re entering a point where I think it’s going to be an evolution on both sides as well with print and where we go digitally as well. I think pretty much we’re kicking it off.

Bob

It’s very exciting. It really is. I don’t mean to sound corny, but it’s a lot of fun. It’s a lot of hard work but seeing this material come in, you just go, it’s a great job. And I get to work with Eddy.

When people read “Justice League #1” Wednesday, what are you hoping they’ll say?

I’m hoping they’ll say this is what a super hero comic book can be. You know, the excitement and the energy and this is what comics are. You know, kind of magic on a page.

You guys should bottle your enthusiasm and sell it.

We want that to spread. We really want people to get back in comics…Accessiblity has been important to us. That people don’t have a lot to muddle through. They can just have a fun read.

Photos Credit: DC Comics

Behind the Skull of Geoff Peterson, the Wackiest Sidekick in Late Night

2011-08-24T22:37:00.005-04:00

Due to a change in my employment status, I have been able to stay up late. I shouldn’t but I do…

And the number one reason why is my addiction to “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.”

If you’ve never watched, do yourself a favor and tape it sometime. The show is fresher than anything else in late night—and funnier too.

Helping to create that fresh vibe is Ferguson’s sidekick, the robot skeleton known as Geoff Peterson. Geoff has a voice and his name is Josh Robert Thompson. I had the privilege of talking to him recently and what Thompson told me pretty much blew my mind. Why? Because most of what you see on “Late” is unscripted. And when you realize that, you view the show in a whole new way…

Read on to discover the evolution of Geoff, what Thompson does during the show and where else you can hear Thompson…

How did you get involved with “The Late Late Show” and how was Geoff Peterson born?

Good question. Most people don’t realize this but I’ve been on “The Late Late Show” for about five years now. I started out doing impressions on the show. I started out doing Arnold Schwarzenegger, well, then Governor Schwarzenegger, Robert DeNiro and other incidental characters as they needed them. This was all on camera. So the Arnold Schwarzenegger they’d put on this makeup or DeNiro, I’d put on the mole and I can make the face.

I’m an impressionist. I’m a voice actor and an impressionist. So you know we had fun for several years and it was a lot of fun. And then, you know the writers were always trying to find something else for me to do on the show because I was always coming up with these ideas. You know, let’s do this sketch and let’s try this and let’s do this. I just didn’t have the relationship with Craig that I do now so it was hard to kind of get the ball rolling on that stuff. And at the time Craig was not really interested in doing sketches much. I mean the guy can do the show himself. He’s amazing. He’s an incredible comedian and improv performer and host. He’s great at it. It’s a one man show. He came up with this idea of having a robot as a co-host, the idea being that the show is so cheap, which is a joke Craig makes often...We do our show out of his basement…It is a small studio…But the idea was that the show couldn’t even have a real co-host so he decided that he wanted this robot skeleton co-host. And Craig had talked for a while in his monologue about a robot skeleton army that was something that was very funny to him and I think at one point he had a skull with a flame behind it that he would hold up now and again and say something about the robot skeleton army. Anyway, basically what happened was that Grant Imahara from the show “Mythbusters” built the robot for Craig and Craig named it Geoff Peterson. And I have no idea where that name comes from but I think it’s a very funny name for a robot.

But Craig did name Geoff Peterson and the truth is that Craig did the voice of Geoff Peterson for the very first week that Geoff was on the show. And I don’t know if a lot of people know that. But Craig did this very robotic, very British voice for the character and by the end of the week it looked like the robot wasn’t going to make it much further on the show because the voice was so annoying and so grating—even to Craig—that he was already growing tired of it. Well, Craig was nice enough to think of me. It was very generous of Craig to say hey, do you want to try to do this voice? Would you like to try this voice for the robot and I said I would love to. And so, at the time there was a writer on the show named Tom Straw who was writing all the material for the robot. He was writing all these one-liners for the robot. So I got together with Tom and Tom liked the idea of doing sort of a George Takei, like a Mr. Sulu kind of voice. So in the beginning it was very [in George Takei voice] hi, how are you? Oh…It was very George Takei. In fact, it was so George Takei that everybody thought it was George Takei that was doing the voice of the robot. I spent many months trying to convince people, it’s me. Nobody believed me. Now that’s either a testament to my ability as a voice actor or you know people are just confused. I don’t know.

After Tom left, a talented writer named Bob Oschack took over Geoff writing duties and would press buttons that activated the Geoff phrases. And even now Bob does, from time to time, slip me a few one-liners that I use on the show.

So inevitably the way it would work is that I would go into the studio every couple of weeks and record a new batch of one-liners for Geoff the robot. So I was never in the studio puppeteering or operating Geoff. My work was done once I left the recording booth. And then the editors would just take five or six phrases and change them out every night and the idea being Craig would never know each night what phrase Geoff was going to say. Well of course the phrases that stuck were the ones everybody knows now and that I still continue to use like you know, “balls” and “in your pants.” This is the kind of audience that we’re appealing to. People who enjoy the balls. But, you know, it was fine for a while. Then it was the year anniversary of Geoff Peterson and we went to Vegas with the show to shoot a big sketch with Craig and Geoff Peterson and their adventures in Las Vegas. It was the first time that I was actually able to puppeteer Geoff and voice him live right there in every single scene. In other words, Geoff was no longer prerecorded. This was all happening in real time and Craig now had something that he could respond to and throw jokes at and then I could sort of come back with something. I have an improv background as well so it was really fun to play with Craig in that sense. And because of that weekend in Vegas when we shot the sketch, I said to Craig, hey man, we should try this sometime in the studio. You’ve got to understand. I’d been trying to make this happen for about six months. I’d been talking to writers. “Let’s just try it one time just to fool Craig, just to freak him out. I’ll stand there and I’ll do”…“I don’t think he’s going to go for it,” “Okay.” You know. And then I’d try again. So I just told the man himself and he said that’s a great idea. Let’s try it out. So, that’s how I came to do the character live in studio every single night. And that was a huge turning point for the character of Geoff Peterson and the show because it’s really changed the format of the show.

Ironically the robot was put there to make a statement about the show not being able to afford a real co-host. Of course now the show has a real co-host. I mean, it’s a robot, but it’s really me and every single thing that we do. Every single line of dialogue, other than the commercial break stuff that I write myself every day before I go in, all of that is improvised. It’s all made up. There’s no net, there’s no script, there’s no preparation. Craig and I talk a little bit before the show, but we don’t plan anything at all. And that’s the magic I think of what we’re doing with this character. It’s likeable television. It’s kind of like, I don’t want to make the comparison because no one could ever replace these people, but we’re getting comparisons to Harvey Korman and Tim Conway from “The Carol Burnett Show.” Or Dean Martin or Jerry Lewis or even—and to me this is the greatest—Ed McMahon and Johnny Carson. People are making these comments, people who love TV, people that are tired of how horrible television is or for whatever reason have become disillusioned by late night television. They’re really responding to this interaction between Craig and Geoff. So that’s kind of the scope of how all of this came to be.

So you don’t know anything about the tweets or the emails, that’s all on the fly?

Yeah. The only thing that I write, when we’re about to go to commercial…You know, I realize that Geoff is a robot and when you have something that’s a robot, for a voice actor, you have endless possibilities in terms of vocalization. So I always thought instead of having Geoff talk with one voice, he certainly probably has a voice database of thousands of other voices. So I started to work in my other impressions. In this case when we go to commercials I do like a 1950s, 1940s radio announcer. And I think one time I had Geoff say something like, “Don’t forget to get out your decoder rings kids for a secret message from Uncle Geoff after the break.” And Craig has no idea I’m going to say any of these things. And of course as soon as I say something like that, Craig says, “No no no you’re not giving any message to the kids” and that becomes another two or three minutes of comedy that no one could have anticipated or would expect. So in terms of writing, that’s the only thing that I write are a few lines. I’ll have my computer with me, my laptop, and during the show as Craig is giving his monologue or talking to guests I will literally be making notes preparing some ideas. I may not use everything but I’m preparing things just so I’ll have it. And of course I have a little table with all my musical instruments. I added my harmonica. I’ve got like a horn, I’ve got like a kazoo. I’m trying to build all the sounds and voices that Geoff can do and say to add to the improvisation. But yes, nothing is prepared. When we do the tweet mail segment, I have no idea what Craig is going to read or what he’s going to say. Craig has no idea what he’s going to say or read and neither do I. And I think that makes it even more special. To get people to understand that, once they fully understand that, it’s like wow. It makes it even more exciting when people are watching television like that.

So are you having as much fun as it looks like you are?

Yes. I’m laughing all the time and one of the goals on the show, much like Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. You know, Tim Conway’s [goal] on every episode of “Carol Burnett and Friends” was to make Harvey Korman break and lose it in the middle of a sketch. And he pretty much did that to Harvey every single time. And audiences love that and I think what audiences love about when an actor breaks character is that they really get the feeling that those people really are having fun. They’re really enjoying what they’re doing. “Saturday Night Live” is a good example. “Saturday Night Live,” you know in recent years, Lorne Michaels has been very serious about you shouldn’t laugh during a sketch, and I think that detracts from the fun. There are certain late night talk show hosts—I’m not going to name any names—but there are certain people that are not very good interviewers. You can tell they’re not having fun. And when they do sketches, it’s kind of like by the numbers and let’s kind of get through it so we can move on to the next thing. But with Geoff and Craig we’re always having a good time and I’m always doing my best not to laugh. And I’m certainly often making Craig laugh which I think he enjoys quite a bit.

I have to tell you this, one of the first times that I did Geoff Peterson, we did a bit where Craig would ask Geoff if he was from a certain city. So he would say we have an email here from somebody in New Orleans and he would say to Geoff, Geoff you ever been to New Orleans and for whatever reason I decided to have Geoff say, “Oh h--l yeah. I got a place there.” And Craig thought that this was the funniest thing and he decided to go with it. He said, “Really you’ve got a place there? What do you like to do there?” “You know, I like to throw beads and go swimming.” He says, “Really?” “Yeah, you should come by sometime.” And for whatever reason, this struck Craig as really funny and he could not contain himself. He actually laughed so hard, I think he laughed for about two or three minutes. And it became a huge hit on the Internet.

I was watching that night. It was hilarious.

Yeah. And that’s what I mean. The realness of that moment, the idea that two people are having real genuine fun on television. That’s fun for the audience. That bit has become classic. That bit we do all the time now, but we’ve added to it. We’ll speed it up because everyone knows what we’re going to do. So we’ll speed it up. We’ll start yelling at each other. We have no idea where it’s going to go. But anyway, it’s the idea of the unplanned moment. I mean, nobody could have ever planned that or known that was going to happen. But when it did it really resonated with everyone. And I was going to tell you that the crew and the producers of the show told me multiple times that in all the six years that Craig has hosted the show they had never seen him laugh that hard ever. And so that meant a lot to me as a comedian and as a performer. And it meant a lot to Craig too. I think it’s one of the reasons that solidified Geoff on that show. And shortly after that I became a permanent fixture on the program.

So tell me about the experience that was Paris. Because it looked really awesome.

Paris was really awesome. Having never been there before it was a helluva way to see it for the first time because in a very short amount of time we basically saw the entire city because we had to set up in front of a different landmark five times a day. It’s pretty nice. It was very cool to be doing a television show in front of the Eiffel Tower and suddenly be at a palace somewhere, you know, Versailles, or the Louvre or wherever it was. Every few hours I was suddenly somewhere else. One of my favorite moments was being on the bus with Craig. We had these segments called “On the Bus.” And Craig told me that it was actually one of his favorite things out of all the stuff we did in Paris because it was just a chance for Geoff and Craig to just sit on this bus, be driven around this beautiful city and improvise. Whatever we saw, whatever we looked at or observed, we would just talk about it and make something funny. One of the most beautiful moments for me was when Craig and I jammed together. I had my harmonica, Craig had his harmonica and we were in front of this café. And I think it ended one of the Paris shows. We had our band, a guy on piano, a guy on bass, and we just jammed. And Craig started playing this little riff on his harmonica and I followed along and it was actually very melodic and very catchy and once the credits are over and the show ended, the truth is we jammed for about five or 10 minutes because it was the last shot of the entire week. It was the very last thing we did. We’ve got Secretariat the horse running around, we’ve got people clapping. And those moments you live for as a performer because that’s real magic. And we had a lot of those moments in Paris.

So tell me the truth. When you were set up outside that book store or wherever people were gathering, were there people that were wondering, what in the world is going on there? What is that skeleton thing?

Oh yeah. We had a lot of people that you know…I can be far away from Geoff because when I operate Geoff I have a remote control device that I use. So I can be pretty far away from Geoff. And so before the camera crew got there, poor Geoff is just standing there all by himself in front of this bookstore in the middle of Paris and I decided to turn him on. Not like that, I decided to literally turn him on. Although Geoff would enjoy that for sure. I just mess with people. People got their pictures taken with Geoff. Kids wanted to talk to Geoff, which was a little disturbing. Geoff would shake peoples’ hands. I think people really enjoyed it. I think the woman who ran the bookstore was a little creeped out by Geoff, but by and large people thought it was pretty cool. It was something new and interesting happening there. It wasn’t like the usual tourist business. It was an event. And it was strange. You have this guy sitting at a foldout table with a harmonica and a horse running around and a gay robot insulting people. I mean, it’s a good time. Yeah.

What’s the inspiration for the voice of Geoff?

Well like I said, in the beginning it was George Takei, which was largely not my choice. But as Geoff has emerged into a character in his own right, now that we’re doing the show in the studio and it’s not just pre-recorded phrases, Geoff’s voice has changed. I always say that Geoff was a combination of…there’s a little bit of Snagglepuss in there, there’s a little bit of Snagglepuss in there and Floyd the barber from the old Andy Griffith show. Yeah. You know, Floyd was like, [in Floyd voice] Hey Andy…And some of the kids say that Geoff sounds like Duke Nukem, who’s a character in a popular video game series. I disagree, although Duke Nukem, one of his catchphrases is balls of steel. So I guess he says balls as well. It’s all very organic and [laughs] it depends on my voice that day. If Geoff ever sounds husky on the show that’s because I have an inability to clear my throat during the show because my microphone is live—in other words on—the entire time. I don’t have a button yet. I think I’m getting one. But I don’t have a cough button so I’ve got all this phlegm in my throat and I literally want to pay attention to Craig all of the time because if I miss any detail it might not be as funny or I might miss a golden opportunity to tell a joke. So when I do open my mouth there have been a few times when it will come out [makes phlegm sound] and Craig will be like, “What was that Geoff?” And it becomes funny. But that’s why Geoff’s voice sounds different from time to time. It’s not a technique, it’s that I have phlegm in my throat.

I have to admit the first time Geoff opened his mouth and started talking like Morgan Freeman, I thought it was Morgan Freeman and I mean that as a compliment. And I was like how did they get Morgan Freeman? And then I realized it was you. Are there any other voices you’ve got spinning around in your head that we might hear come out of Geoff’s mouth?

Yeah. First of all, I appreciate that compliment. And it’s very common. Many people have emailed me and said hey man, what’s going on with Geoff’s voice? So how does it work? Do you do Geoff’s voice and then another guy steps in as Morgan Freeman? Is it Morgan Freeman that did Morgan Freeman? And I have to explain to them no, I do the voice of Geoff. I do all of the impressions. I do the 1950s announcer guy. Any sound effect, impression, voice, phlegmy sound. Whatever comes out of Geoff Peterson’s mouth is coming out of mine. And the voices that I do—I mean, I do Arnold Schwarzenegger, I’ve done that one for years. I did Arnold Schwarzenegger on the Howard Stern show for almost 10 years and that sort of became the launching pad to get on the “Late Late Show” and do Schwarzenegger there. Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaughey is one that I’ve been desperately trying to work in. I will find a way to work that in somehow. Kevin Spacey, Sylvester Stallone. I can do pretty much anyone’s voice, because what I also do for a living is called voice matching for films. If an actor is not available either for the movie itself or for the movie trailer or for the censored version of a movie for television when they have to replace all the swear words, if the actors aren’t available, they call someone like me to match their voice. So I’ve done it for Morgan Freeman, I’ve done it for Mickey Rourke. I’ve done it for a movie called “Tropic Thunder,” where I matched all five of the principal’s voices. Tom Cruise, Nick Nolte, [in Nick Nolte voice] yeah I was talking like I was Nick Nolte…If I listen long enough I can pick up the person’s voice and I can replicate it pretty confidently. So that’s what I do. That’s another thing that I do for a living. I do it on “Family Guy” quite a bit. All of the Seth MacFarlane shows, “Family Guy,” “The Cleveland Show” and “American Dad.” I’ve done a number of celebrity impressions whenever they need them. So that is definitely something that I’m capable of doing and have for quite some time.

So I can’t let you go before you tell me about your album that you’re working on.

I have two things that I’m working on. The first album is kind of a Martin and Lewis piece with a really good friend of mine, John Mariano. He’s a guy who grew up in Queens. He’s in Los Angeles now. He’s an extremely gifted comedian and voice actor. But John and I really bonded over old television shows, vaudeville, variety programs. So I always call him my vaudeville brother from another mother. But John and I got together and started to write this album which is a throwback to the old vaudeville shows of the 50s, or the old radio shows of the 50s, really of the 40s I should say. And there haven’t really been a lot of albums like that in a while. A really good sketch album, not stand-up, but actual sketches like Cheech and Chong or Bob and Doug McKenzie. Something in that vein. We’re working on that right now and the other thing I’m working on is a solo album of my own original characters. I have a number of original characters, not impressions, that I do that are very popular and I’m going to do an entire album of that as well. And that will be part of doing a stand-up tour or show and all of those things are kind of in the works right now.

“The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” airs weeknights at 12:35 a.m. on CBS…

Photo Credit: Frederic Raglain/CBS

Follow me on Twitter @angelahbentley or on Facebook at Facebook.com/angelahbentley

Good News: "Breaking In" Lives!

2011-08-24T21:16:00.002-04:00

This is some of the best TV news I’ve heard in a long time…

FOX is renewing “Breaking In” for a second season, according to “The Hollywood Reporter.”

FOX Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly alluded to the possibility at last month’s upfront presentation. The deal was sealed, however, when other networks expressed interest in “Breaking” creator Adam Goldberg’s new project. FOX sweetened their deal by renewing “Breaking.”

I don’t care why they did it, I’m just glad they did. The show was performing well and should have never been cancelled. FOX didn’t do it any favors by waiting until April to premiere it, so I hope it gets a much better shake this time around.

Now if ABC would only consider a “V” movie…

Photo Credit: David Johnson/FOX

My Saturday Suggestion: Go Cut "Footloose"

2011-08-20T01:27:00.001-04:00

Tri-State Theater is really my pal Chuck Minsker’s territory, so I hope he’ll forgive this intrusion to tell you about the great production I saw Friday night…

The Paramount Players, the community theater group of the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland, continues to amaze me with the quality of its productions. The latest example is “Footloose: The Musical.”

For those of you who don’t know, “Footloose” tells the story of Ren McCormack and his mother, Ethel, who leave Chicago to move to the small town of Beaumont, where dancing is outlawed. Ren ends up fighting the town and its powerful spiritual leader, Reverend Shaw Moore, when he tries to get the law changed. And of course, there’s the matter of Ren falling for the reverend’s troublemaking daughter, Ariel.

I have seen the movie “Footloose” several times and I am familiar with all the hit songs from its soundtrack, but I had never seen the musical so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. There was a group of people in the packed house Friday night that snickered every time the cast started singing one of the familiar songs. I guess they thought their use was silly, but I thought they were worked in very well. It was the new songs that didn’t work quite as well.

But more on that in a minute. Let me first focus on this specific production. Director Melanie Sweeney has once again put together a solid cast filled with amazing local talent. Clay McKnight hits all the right notes—and moves—as Ren and he shares great chemistry with Samantha Bibbey, who plays Ariel. The pair’s rendition of “Almost Paradise” is gorgeous. Plus, Bibbey really conveys all of Ariel’s different sides, something I’ve always thought Lori Singer didn’t really do in the movie.

But as good as they both are—and they both are very good—they get a lot of their scenes stolen right out from under them by Steve Dyer as Ren’s dancing challenged friend, Willard and Abbie Emmons as Ariel’s friend, Rusty. Of course, sidekicks usually do get the best lines. And in this one, Rusty gets some of the best songs too (including “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”).

The ensemble was great as well with some very talented dancers, including the always sparkling Hannah Lutz as Urleen, one of Ariel’s friends. And having seen him in two productions now, I’m always impressed with the talent of Rick Payne. He beautifully plays the thankless role of Chuck Cranston, Ariel’s abusive boyfriend. In fact, he’s so good, it’s almost hard to hate Chuck…almost.

But real kudos go to Josh Jannotta, who plays the show’s other bad guy, Reverend Moore. Unfortunately, the songs written for the reverend are not quite as strong as those for the other characters, but Jannotta makes them work anyway. His song near the end of the show, “I Confess,” is a real tour de force and Jannotta wrings every ounce of emotion out of it he can. It’s the most I’ve ever sympathized with Reverend Moore in all the times I’ve seen this story.

Sweeney’s choreography is also fantastic and the singing performances were all solid (Amber Ferguson is the musical director.), backed by a great orchestra led by the incredibly talented Mark Smith. And the sets, designed by TSHD Architects and William Ferguson are beautiful.

Now, back to the show itself. The first act is incredible, concluding with an amazing melding of “I’m Free” (in perfect context) and the new song, “Heaven Help Me.” I wanted to stand up and cheer when the curtain came down for intermission. The fun continued as the second act opened with “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” but then it started to drag just a little. I could actually hear the audience wondering how long before we would hear “Footloose” again. I also didn’t care for the way the town council scene was set to music. But those feelings are not at all a reflection of the way the cast performed those scenes because they were great throughout.

And once the cast kicks off their Sunday shoes for the finale, you forget all about any problems and leave the theater dancing and singing.

There are two more times to see the show Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and if you like fun musical theater, I strongly suggest you go. Tickets are $20 and are available at the Box Office, but be sure to give yourself enough time to stand in line.

I’m already looking forward to what the Paramount Players will do next…

By the way, when you’re at the show, be sure to stop by my friend Kelli’s Sweet & Sassy Treats table and pick up some unbelievable fresh spun cotton candy or some of Kelli’s famous cake pops. That way you can cut footloose and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time…

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Arts Center

A Huntington Native Will Show His "Talent"

2011-08-16T23:08:00.004-04:00

It will be another week before we hear again from Logan's Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. but tomorrow night, you can still hear from another West Virginia native...

Huntington native J. Mark McVey and the cast of the 25^th anniversary national tour of “Les Miserables” will perform tomorrow night (Wednesday, August 17) on “America’s Got Talent."

The cast will perform the finale of the show’s first act, “One Day More.” The performance was taped during the tour’s stop in Los Angeles.

"Talent" airs at 9 p.m. on NBC...

Photo Credit: NBC

Charles Shaughnessy: "If it’s an interesting gig, sign me up whatever it is"

2011-08-11T00:10:00.005-04:00

This week’s “Stay Tuned” column is all about my joy over Charles Shaughnessy reuniting with Fran Drescher on “Happily Divorced.”

Actually, I think my joy is more about Shaughnessy doing anything…

I was one of those who swooned over him on “Days of Our Lives.” But he truly cemented his place in my heart when he showed his comedy chops on “The Nanny” with Drescher.

In anticipation of Shaughnessy’s guest appearance on “Divorced” Wednesday, August 17^th at 10:30 p.m. on TV Land, I had the chance to speak with him about his role, the continued popularity of “The Nanny,” whether he would consider a return to daytime and some very frank talk about the business in general.

He was refreshingly honest, but I was most excited to hear him say my name in that wonderful accent of his…

How did the guest spot come about?

Frannie is one of the most loyal people in this business, which is not usual. It’s not really a business that engenders a lot of that. But she has always used people that she’s enjoyed working with both in front of and behind the cameras. I got on the set this last week and it was amazing how many familiar faces there were. She has always said whenever I’m doing something I would love for you to have a part in it. So I did an episode of her other show, “Living With Fran”—a couple of those, I think. And I did a guest spot on her talk show. And then when this one came up, she just said if we can find the right character, would you do it? And I said, absolutely, just give me a holler and I’ll be there as quick as Jack Robinson. That’s how it came about and they wrote this character and said would I do it, and I was already on my way to the studio.

And it was just such fun. Certainly with a wonderful episode and a fabulously fun experience for that reason but also just great to see everyone. Lee Shallat, who directed a lot of “The Nanny” episodes and our pilot, a lot of the writing team are the same as we had, the wardrobe people, hair and makeup. So it was a real kind of family reunion. Old home week. It was a really thoroughly enjoyable week.

Had you been watching the show?

Yes, I had. My wife and I saw the pilot sort of out of loyalty I guess. And were interested to see and support Fran and Peter [Jacobsen, the show’s co-creator]. And we thought it was a good pilot. A lot of set-up information. And we thought you know, this is going to be a really hard story for them to tell because it was hard to know what the chemistry between Michael [Higgins, who plays Fran’s ex, Peter] and Fran needed to be. They can’t be lovers. They can’t be attracted to each other because of the whole point of the story and they’ve been married for 18 years. So how is it going to work? How are they going to do this each week? And how are they going to make it both funny and truthful? And lo and behold, they did. We saw the second episode, the third and the fourth and we were hooked. And they do it so well. It’s just a really cleverly constructed show each week. It’s very funny. They’ve got these great writers who make it classic sitcom jokes. I mean, it’s just really funny writing. And also terrific heart and great chemistry between the two of them. It’s an utterly charming show. It’s funny and charming. I’m a big fan.

Without giving too much away, tell me about the character you’re playing.

Without giving too much away, he’s a famous, internationally famous boss. He’s a gardener. He’s to gardens what Martha Stewart is to kitchens. He writes books and he travels around and he meets Fran at a book signing. And he seems very charming and attracted and interested in Fran. But let’s just say he turns out to be a very friendly person.

You and Fran have some incredible chemistry. What do you think the secret is to that?

You know, we…Chemistry is always like the billion dollar question. I think it’s indefinable. I think a huge amount is to do with the performers and getting onto an acting level. I think everyone assumes it has to be personal. You have to really get along. And Fran and I do get along. Don’t get me wrong. I adore Fran. She’s just the most wonderful person to work with. But I don’t think that’s necessary. There’s plenty of elements of chemistry, instances of great chemistry with couples who can’t stand each other. But there’s a kind of a vibration in the acting and the performance that works. The way each other finishes…picks up on a cue. Or the energy that you pick up on a scene and the way you kind of finish each other’s lines. The rhythms that you speak and I think that has more to do with it than anything else. It certainly helps if you get along, but I don’t think that’s necessary. It’s very indefinable. It’s an elusive thing. And people spend millions of dollars on movies and TV shows trying to find it. And it’s just when you do get it, it’s like lightning in a bottle.

“The Nanny” is everywhere on cable. What does that mean to you to know that something you did a while ago is still so popular and probably even gaining new fans?

I have to say to be completely honest, it’s a slightly double edged sword. Yes, on the one hand it’s extremely gratifying that the work that we did in those years is continuing to, as you say, I think it’s actually gaining speed. I mean there’s a whole new generation of fans. I’m certainly getting more recognized and more reaction now than I think I ever have in the past. And it’s in just about every country in the world. You could probably fly around the world and find my face. I was actually flying out of Quito, Ecuador, at the beginning of the year because my daughter was studying there. And we were flying out of Kito Airport in Ecuador and was just mobbed my security. They actually pulled me out of the line and had me go onto the tarmac to go through my case. It was the security people. It was really just a set-up to get pictures and autographs. So that’s remarkable and very satisfying. The slight downside is that first of all, it’s all cable. There’s no financial gain in all of this. You’re not going to get paid anything. And your face is very famous around the world 15-20 years younger, so it’s hard as an actor to kind of re-invent yourself and get cast in new things because you’re seen so much as this other person. Someone who’s a sitcom dad 20 years younger. So as a professional thing, it’s a little tricky. And I think this goes for a lot of people who create roles that become very identified. But it’s very satisfying. And it’s not improper. I’ve certainly done some very fun things since. I’m not saying it’s sort of the kiss of death, but it is a challenge definitely.

What else are you working on right now?

Well, I’m um…Acting nowadays, this business has become so fractured that the old days of being a TV actor or even sort of being narrowed down to a sitcom actor or a dramatic actor or a film/movie actor or a voiceover actor. That’s all gone and you kind of build a career in a sort of mosaic, a patchwork of different jobs. It’s more about jobs than building a career path. So I’ve got a lot of different things. I did a voiceover on something last week, an interactive game, I’m doing a new Tom and Jerry cartoon. It’s a sort of Robin Hood Tom and Jerry, I’m the Sheriff of Nottingham. I was doing “My Fair Lady” back east in Boston this summer which was fantastic in this beautiful theatre, the North Shore Theatre. 1500 seats in the round playing Henry Higgins which was just really fun. I guess the most high profile thing was this five episode arc on “Mad Men,” which was really fun. I’m a huge fan of that show so that was a great thrill to do that. That was a couple of seasons ago now. And then it’s just the next gig. It’s that way as an actor. You kind of just wait on the next gig and that’s how it’s always been. That’s how it was pre-“Nanny.” Before “The Nanny” came up it was pilot season and you go up for a few pilots and then suddenly you’re on a six-year show.

I love that. I enjoy that. To be an actor you’ve got to have a very particular personality and I enjoyed the not knowing exactly what I’m going to be doing in five years time. There is an insecurity to it, but there’s a kind of excitement to it.

Some of us will always remember the first time we saw you as Shane Donovan on “Days of Our Lives,” so I have to ask you, is daytime anything you would ever do again?

You know, daytime, I really enjoyed my time there and would never…Yes, daytime is a fabulous place to work. It’s kind of, I think the sun is setting. I mean, I know there are a few left and one or two might survive a bit longer. But that daytime formula is on the way out. And it doesn’t seem like it would be a great move right now. Put it that way. If a really interesting character came up on a show that seemed worthwhile, yes, it’s a job and I enjoy it. It’s a chance to do what I do. But I wouldn’t be quite as open to it as I was a couple years ago. Put it that way.

I think it’s changing. I think there’s going to be a revival of that kind of entertainment, but I think it’s going to be in a completely different format. I think it’s going to be more Internet-based. You know, PDFs and the little five minute webisodes that you can kind of follow on your handhelds and stuff like that.

This business really seems to be changing. I mean, this sitcom is on TV Land, which used to be just about reruns…

Right.

Is it trickier now because the business seems to be so rapidly changing?

Yeah, I mean, I think it’s hard to get a bead on the landscape and in a way all you can do is just sort of what comes up in front of you because I think people are trying to interpret what’s happening and it’s too hard to sort of give any reason for it. But what does seem to be happening, because it’s all driven by commerce…I mean, the truth of the matter is you can’t have a TV show unless someone’s paying for it. And the people who have always paid for it are consumers who buy products during the commercials. Or are at least exposed to products during the commercials. And that’s changing. That’s what’s changing the whole thing. And now you’ve got all these cable channels with very special audiences that are getting much smaller audiences. The audience of TV Land is much smaller than the audience of TBS. But it’s a specific audience. It’s like the Golf Channel has a specific audience, ESPN has a specific audience. So you can target those consumers and get a much better success rate so the advertisers will pay a premium because they see more results because they’re selling to more people who will actually buy their stuff. But it’s not as big an audience, not as big of money. It’s not the money you get out of 15, 20 million people watching your show so you can sell a 20 second spot for $300,000. That’s gone. Where it’s going certainly is the big payday is on its way out. But you’re getting different models—pay cable, HBO and things like that. It’s just that everyone’s trying different things. Some are trying subscriptions, some are trying all kinds of different things…You have all these different models. And it does change it.

I don’t think, it’s hard to see how it’s affected as an actor. There still seems to be a lot of work out there. There’s a lot of content out there. It’s just you have to work harder at it. You’re not paid quite as much, it doesn’t come quite as often. So you’ve got to work harder and spread your net a lot wider. But I think that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I find it fascinating quite honestly, because I think there’s also this huge increase in free stuff. A lot of creative people—actors, writers, directors—are making interesting things and then putting them up on the Internet for free. Money seems to be a little less important now than it was in a strange kind of way. On the one end you’ve got these huge mega-blockbusters making a hundred million in a week or something. But on the other end, you’ve got really talented people doing interesting little five minute webisodic shows for free. So I’m not sure where it’s headed quite honestly.

It’s just one of those things where you’ve got to hang on for the ride.

Exactly. Hang on for the ride, see where it goes and just do the work that comes up in front of you. I mean, in the end we do exactly what we’ve always done. You go on a set and you act. And that doesn’t change. That bit doesn’t change. The business around it is changing. But as an actor we shouldn’t be that involved in the business side that much anyway. Of course, you’ve got to make a living. I think that it hurts this business. I think it hurt actors that it became such a business. I think we took our eye off the ball. It was easy to take your eye off the ball when you come to Hollywood and you get a chance at making $30 million for four days work on a movie. It means a lot of people that really shouldn’t be in this business are trying to get in this business. Because they’re looking for the big payday. Because when I got in it—certainly coming from England—you got in it because this is what you want to do. And you know perfectly well that you’re probably going to be driving a taxi most of your life. I think it’s not necessarily a bad change in the landscape in the grand scheme of things. It is what it is.

If you did do another show, would you want it to be a comedy, or would you prefer it be a drama?

I absolutely don’t mind. It’s like people say would you prefer to do theater or film or TV? It’s like, it’s all different and I’d hate to give up any of it. Most dramas have an element of humor. I always like to play a character with some sort of humor. I think it’s important no matter what you’re doing. There’s a sort of humanity that has to come through. And certainly as far as a work schedule is concerned. There is nothing better than a half-hour sitcom. It’s a great way of life. When you do a one-hour drama, you’re working pretty much non-stop for nine months. You do a half-hour sitcom, it’s extremely user friendly. So from that point of view, that would be fantastic. But if it’s an interesting gig, sign me up whatever it is.

Photo Credit: TV Land