Call us nostalgic for MELROSE PLACE, but there’s something not quite right with Rob Estes being cast as the Mills family patriarch/West Beverly High’s principal. I mean what’s next? Heather Locklear playing a West Bev teacher who gets a little too cozy with one of her students. Wait… that actually isn’t a bad idea!
Archives for May 2008
FOX Reduces Commercial Breaks, Do You Care?
At Thursday’s FOX upfront presentation, the network announced it will air two new drama series — J.J. Abrams’ FRINGE and Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE — with dramatically reduced commercial breaks.
“It’s a simple concept and potentially revolutionary,” Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Liguori said. “We’re going to have less commercials, less promotional time, and less reason for viewers to use the remote. We’re going to redefine the viewing experience.”
And while this TV Addict applauds Liguori’s attempt to ‘redefine the viewing experience’ for FOX viewers, there’s just one problem. The TV Addict, for the most part, doesn’t watch commercials.
Yet I’m a realist, and in the interest of ensuring the television industry’s survival, I thought I’d offer up three easy tips for advertisers hoping to keep my hand off the fast forward button.
Jenny’s TV Guide: Friday May 16
Friday marks (sadly) the series finale of Moonlight at 9/8c and the season finales of the Ghost Whisperer at 8/7c and Numb3rs at 10/9c. It’s also the 2-hour season finale on a special night of America’s Funniest Home Videos on ABC at 8/7c.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you about CMT’s countrified (and probably funnier/less emotional?) version of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Mobile Home Disaster at 9/8c. It takes deserving families and makes their dreams come true. Each week, the design team, which includes a contractor, designer and two carpenters, hits the road to turn one lucky family’s world upside down. Lead by comedic host, John Caparulo, the Mobile Home Disaster team surprises a family, sends them on a journey and in just four short days transforms their home into the crown jewel of the neighborhood. The family is the envy of their friends and family as everyone comes together for the big reveal of the family’s new home.
Also on tonight: [Read more…]
TV Talk From Fellow TV Addicts
Each week the TV Blog coalition — of which theTVaddict.com is proud to be apart of — highlights some of the best TV news and views from around the web. For the latest news that’s fit to print, simply click the link below.
The TV Addict Meets Jennie Garth
As exciting as it was to meet the cast of GOSSIP GIRL and ONE TREE HILL at Tuesday’s CW UpFront Party, the biggest thrill of the night was hands down getting the opportunity to actually talk to my teenage obsession and the actress that for better or worse got this TV Addict hooked on television — Jennie Garth [Kelly Taylor]
Not surprisingly, the original BEVERLY HILLS 90210 star couldn’t have been cooler, revealing that she was incredibly excited to return to the show that made her career.
Needless to say, not wanting to completely freak her out, I refrained from reminiscing about her classic pool scene with Dylan and whether or not there’s a chance she… err I mean Kelly ended up with Dylan or Brandon!
You Be the Critic: UGLY BETTY, GREY’S ANATOMY, THE OFFICE, SMALLVILLE & SUPERNATURAL
Since frequent theTVaddict.com contributer ‘C.T.’ took the words right out of my mouth by saying that last night’s episode of “LOST Rocked,” I’m going to move on and simply mindlessly ramble about some of my other Thursday favorites.
UGLY BETTY finally brought the funny back by reuniting Marc and Amanda (“Marc and Amanda! We’re so funny together; everyone says so.”), putting Christina/Willi’s baby on the back-burner and having Gio step up and tell Betty, “I don’t want to be the rebound guy. I want to be THE guy.” Needless to say, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves. No, we don’t want to be Betty’s guy, but we’re more than happy to never see the borefest that is Henry again. To paraphrase one of our generations great thinkers Paris Hilton [remember her?], Betty & Gio HOT, Henry NOT! In fact, here’s hoping that when UGLY BETTY moves to New York next season, the production ‘forget’ to tell Henry. Who’s with me?
As for GREY’S ANATOMY, I know I sound like a broken record — or busted Mp3 for all the young’ins out there — but Shonda Rhimes and Co. continue to hit it out of the park by offering up the perfect mix of hilarity and emotion. There was the absolute tear inducing story-line courtesy of brain tumor lady and her not-so-imaginary boyfriend. Hilarity thanks to the ‘new and improved’ Dr. Sloan, not to mention Christina’s continual descent into madness. Plus the obligatory Meredith/Derek melodrama allowing this TV Addict the opportunity to write the line I’ve been waiting all morning to type out, “I guess the bloom is off the rose!” (Zing!). Yes Meredith and Derek belong together, but am I the only TV Addict feeling somewhat bad for poor Rose? I mean Nurse Rose got exactly what she feared from day one — a heart broken courtesty of McDreamy. So cliché! Which is something GREY’S ANATMY usually abhors. See Dr. Hahn’s best rant of the night when the Chief tried to convince her to operate on his mentor, “I’m sorry is this going to be a story about how you were a struggling black med student who wanted to be a surgeon but no one would give you chance. And Walter Tapley gave you that chance and mentored you and without him you wouldn’t be where you are today?”
Channel Surfing with C.T.
When LOST rocks, it rocks. And last night… yup, the ship was definitely swayin’. Best moment of the episode? Sun earning her “pimp” card by telling her dastardly dad that she’d bought his company out from under him. In other news, the show did something I love and that too few programs have the ability to do these days: take a single basic storyline and divide it into several segments involving numerous characters and then build each individual plot to a cliffhanger. Will the boat explode? Will Ben sacrifice himself in order to help Locke become a hero? When the heck did Kate become such a great tracker? (Um, okay, let’s forget that last question… although it’s a valid one.)
Listen up, ’cause I’m only going to say this once: Thanks, you rapid worshippers of the Winchester boys, for using your powers for good by rallying to humble me into giving SUPERNATURAL a second look. If you hadn’t, I’d have missed a heck of a season, not to mention last night’s literally kick-ass finale. From the fantastic use of music (particularly Kansas’ “Carry On My Wayward Son”) to the fast-and-furious one-liners (my personal favorite? Dean referring to Ruby as “our slutty little Yoda”), this was a roller coaster of a ride made all the more emotional by the fact that you people got me to care about the Winchesters almost as much as they care for one another. Yes, the “Lillith in the suburbs” scenario was a little too reminiscent of one of my all-time favorite TWILIGHT ZONE episodes, but homages are one of the things this show does best. In fact, that final scene — with evil forces having gotten their “hooks” into Dean — reminded me of something right out of one of fav fright flicks, HELLRAISER. Yup, you fans totally reeled me into this show… heck, I’ve even kinda sorta maybe gotten used to that put-on voice Jensen uses.
First Look: Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE
Considering I have yet to watch BUFFY or ANGEL [summer project, I swear], this TV Addict is the the first to admit that I’m embarrassingly late to the Joss Whedon party. That said, following my too-little-too-late love affair with FIREFLY on DVD, I promised myself I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
So with that in mind, theTVaddict.com presents this first look at Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE, set to take FOX by storm in January.
Thanks to ROTW for the Tip!
First Look: J.J. Abrams’ FRINGE
Don’t get me wrong, I worship the ground J.J. Abrams walks on and have the utmost respect for writers Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci. But is ‘from the writers of TRANSFORMERS” really the way FOX wants to promote FRINGE — their most buzzed about new fall show? I mean we all saw TRANSFORMERS and let’s face it, I’m not so sure the writing was the film’s selling point.
For more first look photos from FOX’s FRINGE, [Read more…]
The TV Addict Meets Blake Lively
At yesterday’s CW Up Front, GOSSIP GIRL star Blake Lively could not have been more accommodating to the hundreds thousands of fans, reporters and media buyers wishing to pose with her. And yes, I know what you’re thinking, “Who needs Penn Badgley!?!”
Photo Credit: Casey Fatchett