Archives for February 2015
For Canadian Eyes Only: What’s New to CraveTV, Netflix Canada and Shomi this March 2015
With the war for your streaming dollar heating up thanks to Crave TV and Shomi’s recent entry into the Canadian streaming market, Bell Media (CraveTV) and Rogers/Shaw (Shomi) have been very quick to tout their new and exciting offerings. As such, theTVaddict.com thought we’d create this helpful post to highlight what’s new on CraveTV, Netflix Canada and Shomi this March 2015. [Read more…]
AMERICAN IDOL Recap: The Girls Rock Detroit!
Last night was the girls’ turn with the ‘Idol’ speed round. Who was up to the task? Read on to find out.
Lovey James Sang “Love Runs Out” by One Republic
Keith Said: It got better and better as the song went on.
J-Lo Said: That was awesome.
Harry Said: I thought you did a really strong job.
The Verdict:
Lovey straight can’t sing. She was flat the entire time on this performance and never felt in the moment. Too much effort displayed just to look like she was actually present.
As the song went on, she did come alive a little bit, but her voice certainly never got to where it needed to be.
Grade: D+
Adanna Duru Sang “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne
Keith Said: You showed so much of your capabilities.
J-Lo Said: You have so much talent.
Harry Said: That was the best I ever heard you sing. You dangerous.
The Verdict:
Adanna took a fun little pop number and turned into an old-school diva torch song. This isn’t the type of song that seems like it can be slowed down the way she did it, but Adanna really made it work with a towering command of the stage and complete control of her vocal.
From its ballad beginnings, she took it full bore into a searing rock ballad to close the performance. She was close to giving a complete performance in a space of only 90 seconds. That’s really impressive.
Grade: A-
Alexis Gomez Sang “Gunpowder & Lead” by Miranda Lambert
Keith Said: You didn’t look comfortable playing the guitar.
J-Lo Said: I loved it. I love you.
Harry Said: It sounded like you were imitating the record.
The Verdict:
Alexis looks like a Portland hippie, sings like she should be in a beer bar in Tennessee and has the background of SoCal Mexican. She’s a walking contradiction that certainly makes her unique.
At least it should. Instead, she’s just about as generic a country sing as you can be. She sounds solid enough, but there’s just nothing different about her down to the point that she just sounds like she’s doing an impression of a country singer. A decent impression, but an inauthentic one all the same.
Grade: C+
Joey Cook Sang “Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban
Keith Said: It was fantastic. That’s what artists do.
J-Lo Said: That was all the best things about you.
Harry Said: You sound like if Keith and I had a baby.
The Verdict:
There was a girl on the show about half-a-decade ago who was probably the most talented person who ever performed on this show. Her name was Lilly Scott. She did things like play a mellotron while making Beatles songs all her own. She was totally unique, had a brilliant voice and should have won except that she was a little offbeat.
To call Joey the poor woman’s Lilly Scott is really not even close to far enough. She’s the dirt-poor penniless version of Lilly Scott and I’m getting insanely tired of how proudly weird she is. If she was really weird she’d just be weird, she wouldn’t announce it every chance she gets.
Also, she can’t play the accordion and she can’t sing. So there.
Grade: D
Katherine Winston Sang “Safe & Sound” by Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars
Keith Said: Gorgeous tone. I thought it was really nice.
J-Lo Said: It’s captivating. You have a magical quality to your voice.
Harry Said: You’re a phenomenal vocalist, but I question the song choice.
The Verdict:
Katherine has a very strange voice. It’s certainly not made for pop music, or country music, or really any type of music you hear on the radio. It sounds more like what you’d expect some mythic choir to sound like. The voice of the clouds. It’s almost not there.
It’s definitely cool that her voice is so unique, but I don’t see how it fits in this competition. This certainly wasn’t the right song for her vocals, and I don’t think there’s really one out there for her to choose.
Grade: C-
Shannon Berthiaume Sang “Who Knew” by Pink
Keith Said: Pink’s songs are really challenging vocally.
J-Lo Said: You are a phenomenal singer and you have to start believing that.
Harry Said: You’re so green. That novelty is going to wear off.
The Verdict:
It’s long been an adage on this show to never do Whitney, Celine or Mariah because they’re just far too superior of vocals for anybody to compare. Pink is unfairly kept out of that conversation: She’s one of the premier vocalists of her generation and to match her soaring rock voice is an extraordinary task for anybody to attempt.
Shannon certainly wasn’t capable of taking it on. There was an attitude to her voice that matched the song choice, but that was about it. She didn’t have anywhere near the vocal prowess to really handle the number and seemed overmatched the entire time. Don’t do Pink, ladies.
Grade: D
Loren Lott Sang “Note to God” by Charice
Keith Said: You’re giving everyone a run for their money.
J-Lo Said: That was a very brave performance.
Harry Said: That was powerful.
The Verdict:
Loren Lott says she’s an actress.
She’s either not very good at playing a singer or she’s really good at playing a bad singer who picks terrible songs.
So she’s either doomed or destined to become the second former ‘Idol’ contestant to win an Oscar. Either way, she should be a former ‘Idol’ contestant very soon.
Grade: D
Shi Scott Sang “Umbrella” by Rihanna
Keith Said: I don’t know that you really got me with that song choice.
J-Lo Said: I don’t know that they got the best of you.
Harry Said: You’re extremely talented, but it wasn’t the right song for you.
The Verdict:
Shi is just awesome. She has an incredible voice but has no idea how to sing with it. She couldn’t find the rhythm, melody or pitch of this song for a second but her voice still sounded amazing and she’s a completely compelling figure on stage.
I mean, she basically gave a heavy metal vocal to a symphonic arrangement of a pop/hip-hop song and seemed like she was going to have a nervous breakdown in the middle of the song.
What a beautiful catastrophe.
Grade: B-
Maddie Walker Sang “Love Gets Me Every Time” by Shania Twain
Keith Said: That’s not a really great song to show the strength of your voice.
J-Lo Said: I didn’t know if it was the right song for you to wow America.
Harry Said: It was a nice good solid performance.
The Verdict:
If Alexis was a decent impression of a country singer, then Maddie is just a dull one. There’s nothing compelling about her vocal or stage presence. She just strolled around the stage delivering a mundane vocal without any great moments or anything interesting going on at all.
Just completely boring and generic. Why can’t the show that produced Carrie Underwood get a single solid female country singer anymore?
Grade: D+
Sarina-Joi Crowe Sang “Mamma Knows Best” by Jessie J
Keith Said: That was the perfect balance of loose and tight.
J-Lo Said: I think you just rivaled Jessie J on that song.
Harry Said: You look great. You sound great. That was really really strong.
The Verdict:
Sarina was not on my radar at all going into the audience vote shows, but after one performance she’s become the biggest female blip. This girl has unreal and isn’t afraid to show them off. Yes, she becomes a little over-reliant on runs, but she handles them with such ease and confidence that they don’t seem at all excessive.
The judges made her go through Hollywood Week four times before they finally allowed her on the show. Maybe they were just waiting long enough to give her a chance to win. She’s definitely got the chops to go the distance.
Grade: A
Jax Sang “Bang Bang (Baby Shot Me Down)” by Nancy Sinatra
Keith Said: I love what you do. I thought that was killer.
J-Lo Said: We’re so lucky to have you in the competition this year.
Harry Said: Seeing you is going to be a fun thing to watch.
The Verdict:
So Jax appears to want to court a lot of comparisons to Lana Del Rey, and choosing a Nancy Sinatra song is the easiest way to put her squarely in that lane. Shrewd move.
People will say that this is a backhanded compliment, but she’s better than Lana Del Rey. She’s got a bigger range and more confidence in her voice despite a very similar tone and delivery. Her stage persona is totally different, but that’s not what she’s going for. She wants that offbeat but big vocal distinction and she totally nailed it in her first go.
Grade: B+
Tyanna Jones Sang “Lips Are Movin” by Meghan Trainor
Keith Said: Don’t be afraid to tell the band to play in a slightly higher key.
J-Lo Said: That voice is just from God himself.
Harry Said: I safely put you in the ridiculously talented category.
The Verdict:
One of my least favorite contestants this year singing one of my least favorite songs of the past five years by one pop music’s most detestable artists. Plus, Tyanna couldn’t stay in tune and went pitchy on every verse. Yes, she found some cool moments in the chorus, but undid those with unnecessary runs that she couldn’t really sing.
She’s destined to annoy me for weeks to come.
Grade: C-
Predictions:
As I mentioned last night, this first round is really about making an impression. It doesn’t really matter if it’s good or bad, as long as America remembers you. Those they forget don’t get the votes, and here’s who I think America will forget this week:
Lovey James
Katherine Winston
Shannon Berthiaume
Shi Scott
Shi not so much because she was unmemorable, but because the judges savaged her so badly that she won’t get many votes.
So there are exceptions to the rule. Unfortunately, Shi seems like this year’s exception.
Check back next week to see how I did with my predictions and for recaps of the top eight boys and girls.
Morning Static: HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, SUPERGIRL, EMPIRE & More!
• Pilot Watch: ‘Community’s’ Danny Pudi to Topline NBC’s ‘Strange Calls’
• Video: ‘How to Get Away With Murder’ Set to Return for Season 2
• Super News: ‘Arrow/Flash’ Spinoff Series to Feature Atom & Firestorm
• ‘House of Cards’ Season 3 Early Reviews: Slow to Start
• More Super News: CBS’ ‘Supergirl’ Enlists Chyler Leigh, David Harewood
• Scoop: Castle Casts 24 Vet Reiko Aylesworth, Housewives’ Ricardo Chavira
• Jack Davenport To Co-Star In HBO’s Sarah Silverman Pilot; Kerri Kenney Also Cast
• Showrunner Scoop: The Good Wife Bosses on Alicia’s Struggle, Avoiding Love Triangles and Kalinda’s “Emotional” Exit
• Review: CBS’ ‘Battle Creek’ no ‘Breaking Bad 2: Electric Boogaloo,’ but that’s okay
• Free At Last! ‘Newsroom’s’ Alison Pill Boards ABC’s Jenna Bans Thriller
• Publicity Stunt: ‘CSI’ Goes Worldwide For Shot At The Guinness Book Of Records
• Review: ‘American Crime’ and ‘Secrets and Lies’
• Music To Our Ears: Glee Adds Broadway Star Andrew Rannells for Series Finale
• Let the Promo Blitz Begin: ‘Daredevil’ Motion Poster Teases Bare Knuckle Battles
• Cash Cow: Fox considering an Empire concert series
• Groan: Kardashians sign massive $100 million deal with E!
• The Business of Show: TiVo buys Aereo name, auction fetches under $2M
• Ouch! YouTube: 1 Billion Viewers, No Profit
• On ‘Downton Abbey,’ Beware the Fish Mousse
• Opinion: Modern Family Shows How to Do Product Placement Right
On TV Tonight: Friday February 27, 2015
NET | 8PM | 8:30PM | 9PM | 9:30PM | 10PM | 10:30PM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Last Man Standing | Cristela | Shark Tank | 20/20 | ||
CBS | The Amazing Race 26 | Hawaii Five-0 | Blue Bloods | |||
CW | Hart of Dixie | Whose Line Is It Anyways? | ||||
FOX | World’s Funniest Fails | Glee | ||||
NBC | The Night Shift (R) | Dateline NBC | ||||
MISC | House of Cards Season 3 (Netflix) | 12 Monkeys (Syfy) King of Nerds (TBS) | Helix (Syfy) Banshee (Cinemax) Vice Special Report (HBO) |
First Look: WGN America Unveils Provocative SALEM Season 2 Key Art
Press Release: In anticipation of the season two premiere of WGN America’s breakout hit supernatural thriller “Salem,” the network has released key art featuring Salem’s deadliest witch Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery), along with Tituba (Ashley Madekwe), Anne Hale (Tamzin Merchant) and Mercy Lewis (Elise Eberle). Season two of “Salem” will debut on Sunday, April 5 at 10pm ET/9pm CT. [Read more…]
Mark Your Calendars: CBS Sets Summer Schedule
Press Release: CBS today announced premiere dates for its lineup of original summer programing that includes the new drama ZOO, returning event series UNDER THE DOME and EXTANT, and the summer reality hit BIG BROTHER. [Read more…]
Morning Static: AMERICAN HORROR STORY, SUPERGIRL, ARROW & More!
• Bar-Hopping With Kyle Chandler: ‘Friday Night Lights’ Star on His “Dark, Evil” Period, Comedy Dreams and Return to TV
• The Business of Show: The midseason’s winners and losers
• Pilot Watch: ‘Hemlock Grove’s’ Dougray Scott to Co-Star in ABC’s ‘Quantico’
• Funny Business: Comedian Tig Notaro Offers to Host 2016 Oscars in Hilarious Open Letter to Academy
• Awesome Sauce: The FBI Watched The Finale Of ‘Parks And Recreation’ And Issued An Official Response On Twitter
• Milestone: Deborah Norville Celebrates 20 Years at ‘Inside Edition’
• WOW: Lady Gaga To Act Gaga In AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL
• Cord-Cutting Picks Up: 1.4 Million U.S. Households Tuned Out Pay TV Last Year
• American Horror Story: Hype Machine
• Who Knew? The One Thing About “Downton Abbey” You’ve Never Noticed Before.
• Seconded: The Women of Pawnee Ruled Parks & Recreation ‘Til the Very End
• Super News: ‘Supergirl’ Actress Promises A Hero That ‘Everyone Will Root For’
• Pilot Trend: Networks Borrow From Beyond Our Borders
• Mark Your Calendars: Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist celebrates its 20th anniversary with a live show
• RIP: ANTM’s Mirjana Puhar Dead at 19
• Post Mortem: Arrow Bosses on Oliver’s Decision, A.T.O.M.’s Future and More
• The Walking Dead’s Season Finale Will Be Supersized – Find Out How Long It Will Be
• Nickelodeon Upfront: 3 New Scripted Series From Nick Cannon, Tatiana Rodriguez
• 10 Shows That Will Probably Be Canceled, Even If They Don’t Know It Yet (2015 Edition)
• Pilot News: James Brolin Joins CBS Family Comedy Life in Pieces
• ‘The 100’ creator: ‘Nobody will guess’ what the City of Light really is
• Family Focus: Netflix Acquires ‘Inspector Gadget,’ ‘Danger Mouse’ Remakes
• Interview: ‘Battle Creek’ star Josh Duhamel discusses his character’s secrets and lies
• Opinion: Why the BBC licence fee should be scrapped
• Showrunner Scoop: ‘House of Cards’ Creator on Season 3 Obstacles, Netflix Leak and Killing Characters
• Newsworthy: Why Bill O’Reilly Won’t Suffer Same Fate as Brian Williams
• Family Matters: Raven-Symone to play Dre’s gay sister on Black-ish
• Pilot Watch: Adam Rodriguez To Co-Star In ABC Pilot ‘Runner’
AMERICAN IDOL Recap: Detroit Rock City?!
In a very cool concept, ‘Idol’ went on the road to Detroit last night for the first ever live votes show outside of Los Angeles.
The pre-taped episode also played a little bit like an ‘Idol’ speed round as contestants rushed onto the stage with very little introduction and the judges limited themselves to about one sentence apiece. It was so quick it almost felt like we just got the highlight snippet of each contestant’s performance rather than the whole thing.
So while we don’t have a tremendous amount to off of, here’s the breakdown of what we got to see.
Adam Ezegelian Sang “I Wanna Rock” by Twisted Sister
Keith Said: I love it when you do those heartbreaking ballads.
J-Lo Said: It’s crazy. It’s very contagious.
Harry Said: You had a great time and the fact that you can really sing makes it work.
The Verdict:
Adam goes straight to the Caleb Johnson well with a selection that would fit better on your local Classic Rock station that it does on a contemporary stage. It worked for Caleb, so I guess it’s worth a shot.
Adam, however, doesn’t quite have the control or poise of Johnson. Instead, he leaps around the stage like a rodeo clown on PCP and howls like a serial killer rather than actually singing. Caleb showed us last year that this type of act can really succeed on ‘Idol’, but I think Adam’s a little too manic to capture that same level of success.
The Grade: D+
Michael Simeon Sang “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” by Michael Bolton
Keith Said: I thought the performance was really good.
J-Lo Said: I really enjoyed it.
Harry Said: You need to sing in tune. The pitch got off.
The Verdict:
What the hell? I mean what the hell? Why would somebody under the age of 50 even consider singing this song, let alone actually doing it?
There’s a lot of reasons to not go the Bolton route. First, his music is awful and makes the singer look awful in turn. Second, he’s got a huge voice that nobody can live up to. Third, it’s an instant ‘Office Space’ joke comparison.
Simeon doesn’t help matters with a completely out-of-tune performance during which he got down on one knee as awkwardly as an old arthritic trying to tie his shoe. This whole thing almost felt like he was forced to sing this song in some sort of hostage scenario. Weird stuff.
The Grade: D-
Savion Wright Sang “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train
Keith Said: I don’t know about that song choice.
J-Lo Said: You have the most beautiful smile.
Harry Said: It started unfocused, but focused more as it went on.
The Verdict:
Savion chooses another entry in the pantheon of garbage songs, but, unlike Michael, reworks the song and actually makes it enjoyable.
If it weren’t for the fact that he sang the same idiotic lyrics as the Train original, I wouldn’t have recognized this song at all. Savion turns it into a refreshing bit of reggae soul and has a lot of fun with the tune. His voice isn’t the best by any means, but his overall talent is certainly enviable as demonstrated by the way he commanded the stage and made a dreadful song into a fun original.
The Grade: B
Mark Andrew Sang “The Weight” by The Band
Keith Said: That’s a perfect song for your voice.
J-Lo Said: Your vibe is so right now.
Harry Said: If you keep singing songs like that, you’ll be in a zone not many others can be in.
The Verdict:
Mark has a really big soul voice. I’ve called him this season’s Joe Cocker because there always seems to be a male belter, and he’s definitely it.
That’s why this song choice is so peculiar. He does all right with it, but there’s just not much to it. It’s basically a little sing-a-long that required very little range and offered even less in the way of moments for Mark to let his vocals shine.
Mark can certainly do a lot, but it was hard to tell with this performance.
The Grade: C
Trevor Douglas Sang “Best I Ever Had” by Gavin Degraw
Keith Said: The song got on top of you.
J-Lo Said: This was an okay day.
Harry Said: The vocal wasn’t as good as the performance.
The Verdict:
Trevor’s definitely loving being on the ‘Idol’ stage. He’s got enough energy to orbit seven Paula Abduls and seems to think he has the charisma to control the tweeny girls in the audience.
Maybe he does. I don’t know. What I do know is that he rushed through this song and I could barely understand the lyrics he was singing. It was like he was trying to fit a fifteen minute workout into 35 seconds with the uncontrolled speed at which he did everything from furiously whipping at his guitar to how he raced through the vocal so quickly it was impossible to even judge his singing.
Somebody tell this kid ‘Idol’ isn’t a race.
The Grade: D
Clark Beckham Sang “When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge
Keith Said: That was killer, man.
J-Lo Said: Goosies all day.
Harry Said: You really are talented.
The Verdict:
It’s a shame this guy won the Molly DeWolf Swenson Scale and doomed his chances of winning the actual show, because he’s got some real chops. Previously, he seemed like a guy who needed the piano, but he stepped out to the mic on this tune and just absolutely nailed the vocal while showing the poise and stage presence of somebody who’s taken over 25,000-seat rooms before.
Clark has a very impressive range and a tone that’s uniquely his without impeding a classic quality vocal the way many singers on this show seem hell-bent on doing. What can I say? There’s a reason he’s my favorite.
The Grade: B+
Rayvon Owens Sang “Jealous” by Nick Jonas
Keith Said: Falsetto was a good thing to show.
J-Lo Said: It needed a little more edge.
Harry Said: I thought it was strong.
The Verdict:
OK. So this song has one thing going for it. There’s really only one reason to listen to this song. There’s really only one requirement for singing this song. The moment where the falsetto hook hits on “I Still Get Jealous”.
Rayvon couldn’t hit the note. He reached for it. He strove for it. It was out of his vocal range. So far out that he got overwhelmed by the backing track when he tried to sing the hook of the song.
All that being said, why did he choose this song?
The Grade: D+
Daniel Seavey Sang “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
Keith Said: It’s interesting hearing your voice tackle that song.
J-Lo Said: You’re just too much.
Harry Said: There’s some great talent up here. Nice job, man.
The Verdict:
This kid is so freaking weird. His stage presence is that of the kid in the ‘Bad Luck Brian’ meme and he doesn’t look like he should be doing anything except getting stuffed into lockers in an 80s high school sitcom.
Then he sings and he has this amazing voice. It’s such an easy-flowing and pure soul/pop voice that it seems like he should be a big star and then you remember that he’s the kid from a really embarrassing family portrait from Sears.
In other words, this kid creeps me out.
The Grade: B
Riley Bria Sang “Homeboy” by Eric Church
Keith Said: I can’t wait to hear more.
J-Lo Said: I feel like you belong here.
Harry Said: You remind me so much of Keith. I’m going to start calling you Keith Suburban.
The Verdict:
This show seems hell-bent on reminding us that Riley once played with Keith Urban as though that makes him a country star automatically without any further proof required.
I need a little more than that and a lot more than Riley showed me. The kid may be able to play a little guitar but he cannot sing. He simply cannot sing at all. He has a weak voice and can’t find the pitch. His vocal performance was barely up to the standard of somebody singing along to the radio in their car, let alone for the ‘Idol’ stage.
I thought he was the weakest vocally of any of the boys, and it wasn’t really close.
The Grade: D+
Quentin Alexander Sang “I Put A Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Keith Said: You haven’t even made a record yet and that was like a Grammy performance.
J-Lo Said: That’s performing to me. It was perfect.
Harry Said: You have a different presentation all the way across the board.
The Verdict:
Quentin turned this classic into a trippy slow burn that felt like it was from the darkest performance Sly and the Family Stone ever gave. Searing, raw, soulful and different, Quentin made his 90 seconds into the most captivating of the night and really announced himself as somebody completely new and different who seems poised to make a very big mark on this season.
I know he’s already my most anticipated performer for next week.
The Grade: A
Nick Fradiani Sang “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
Keith Said: Perfect song choice for your voice.
J-Lo Said: That was definitely one of the best.
Harry Said: Nice job.
The Verdict:
Nick won’t let anybody forget that he’s the oldest dude in this competition and that he’s been playing small gigs with his band for almost a decade. He doesn’t need to keep harping on that because it really shows. It’s very clear that he’s meant to play in a small band and be very good at it.
He’s not a star. He’s not a spectacular singer. He’s just a really good bar band frontman. I hope the show helps him make a living at it for a long time because he definitely deserves it; he’s just not anything close to being an “Idol”.
The Grade: C+
Qaasim Middleton Sang “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
Keith Said: You killed it, man.
J-Lo Said: You make we want to get up there and dance with you.
Harry Said: You left everything on the stage.
The Verdict:
Somewhere there’s a cruise ship for seniors where the entertainment does nothing but sing really watered-down contemporary pop hits for the AARP set in a way that won’t be too edgy as to upset them.
Get Qaasim a gig on that cruise ship because that’s exactly what he did here.
The Grade: D+
Predictions:
In this first round it’s more about when you go rather than how well you do. A compressed hour makes that a little bit less of a factor, but those who lead off the show always have a tougher time getting through than do the closers.
That’s because it’s harder for voters to remember them and being memorable is even more important than when you perform and it’s definitely more important than how well you do. At least at this stage in the game.
That makes this prediction pretty simple to me. Here’s who’s going home:
Michael Simeon
Savion Wright
Mark Andrews
Rayvon Owens
Remember their performances? Neither do I.
On TV Tonight: Thursday February 26, 2015
NET | 8PM | 8:30PM | 9PM | 9:30PM | 10PM | 10:30PM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Grey’s Anatomy | How to Get Away with Murder | ||||
CBS | The Big Bang Theory | The Odd Couple | The Big Bang Theory (R) | Mom | Victoria’s Secret Swim Special | |
CW | The Vampire Diaries (R) | Supernatural (R) | ||||
FOX | American Idol | Backstrom | Archer (FX) | |||
NBC | The Slap | The Blacklist | Allegiance | |||
MISC | Vikings (History) Portlandia (IFC) |