The Good: Between Sandra Bullock, UP, Jeff Bridges and The Cove (Best Feature Documentary), it’s hard to argue with the winners. Also hard to argue with — even though frequent contributor to theTVaddict.com Aleks Chan tried — were hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Whose sharp-witted one-liners were the only thing keeping this TV Addict awake throughout the majority of the poorly-paced and massively disappointing telecast. [Read more…]
Search Results for: family
Review: The Oscars
By: Aleks Chan
Other than the delightful surprise of The Hurt Locker’s Best Picture win, THE 82ND ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS proceeded as expected. Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Mo’Nique, and Christoph Waltz all took home trophies as expected. The awards show, still as bloated, uneven, and draggy as it has been the past few years, failed to be offset by hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, who after a strained, set ‘em up, knock-it-down opening bit, were largely absent from the ceremonies.
And after denying it in the press, Neil Patrick Harris (who should have been anointed host) gave another musical opening performance that wasn’t as spectacular as his Emmy number, but was perfectly pleasant, if shouty (forgive me, American Idol is back). Navigating what proved to be an elaborate stage setup, Harris, along with gracious, luminous acceptance speeches from Mo’Nique and Kathryn Bigelow, were among the show’s brighter moments, however few there were. Tina Fey and Robert Downey Jr.’s presentation for Best Original Screenplay was fun, concise, but respectful – all things Oscar night should be more of.
Zach Galifianakis Hosted SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (And We’ve Got Your Good, Bad & Ugly)
The Good: It doesn’t take much for The Hangover star Zach Galifianakis to make us laugh (Said the actor during his understated opening monologue, “I’ve been in Canada, opening for Miles Davis.” Only to quickly follow that that up with… “Kilometres Davis.”) Which is why — combined with the-never-not-funny mockery of Kathie Gifford and Hoda Kotb’s fourth hour of the TODAY SHOW, the always sharp Seth Meyers manning the Weekend Update Desk, and a digital short that had Galifianakis weaving his way in and out of NBC properties such as the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, 30 ROCK and LAW & ORDER — added up to a better than average episode of SNL.
Faces to Watch: SONS OF TUCSON Star Frank Dolce
Move over Atticus Shaffer, there’s a new kid in town.
Meet Frank Dolce. Who after spending almost a year stealing scenes playing Michael, the titular character’s sidekick in the Tony Award winning musical Billy Elliot, can soon be seen in FOX’s newest comedy SONS OF TUCSON.
Revolving around the Gunderson family, Dolce plays know-it-all-middle-son Gary, who along with his older brother Brandon (Matthew Levy) and younger brother Robby (Benjamin Stockham) concoct a scheme to ‘hire’ a dad (Tyler Labine) when their real one is sent to prison.
“Frank was actually the first named mentioned,” explained executive producer Todd Holland of his young star. “In their interview to be hired, [Casting Directors] Nikki Vallo and Ken Miller said ‘We just came back from Broadway, saw Billy Elliot and Frank Dolce was amazing, he’d be great as Gary.’ It really was destiny.”
A destiny that Dolce is only too happy to be apart of.
Review: PARENTHOOD
By: Aleks Chan
With its sprawling cast of familiar faces and its headline making production troubles, I was somewhat predisposed to like PARENTHOOD, NBC’s second remake of the 1989 Ron Howard film of the same name, which starred Steve Martin and Dianne Wiest. This version, headed by Howard, Brian Grazer and Jason Katims (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS), has suffered a string of unfortunate setbacks: Programming executive Nora O’Brien died on the set from a possible aneurysm, and star Maura Tierney (ER) had to drop out after being diagnosed with breast cancer. The latter pushed the drama into midseason, with GILMORE GIRLS’ Lauren Graham taking the role in her stead.
The Bravermans are the kind of affluent, purpely-blue-tinged clan that has become standard in this type of show – an almost hierarchal adherence to placing all romantic and emotional entanglements in a tax bracket decidedly much higher than the bulk of its viewers. There are fine performances abound and though there is little to differentiate this show from the boundless other family melodramas currently on air or to have ever aired (BROTHERS & SISTERS quickly come to mind), it remains a likeable, if uninspired hour that easily outranks NBC’s current drama lineup. (A feat possibly made less impressive knowing that this includes HEROES and MERCY.)
TV Ratings: Sunday February 28, 1010 (NBC’s Olympic Coverage goes out on Top)
Time | Network | Show | Rating | 18-49 |
---|---|---|---|---|
8PM | NBC | Winter Olympics 2010 | 22.09 | 5.7/5 |
CBS | Amazing Race 16 | 10.30 | 3.1/8 | |
ABC | Extreme Makeover: HE | 6.40 | 1.8/5 | |
FOX | The Simpsons (R) | 5.41 | 2.4/6 | |
8:30PM | FOX | Cleveland Show (R) | 5.08 | 2.3/6 |
9PM | NBC | Winter Olympics 2010 | 21.86 | 5.6/13 |
CBS | Undercover Boss | 13.65 | 4.5/11 | |
ABC | Desperate Housewives | 10.91 | 3.6/9 | |
FOX | Family Guy (R) | 5.81 | 2.8/7 | |
9:30PM | FOX | American Dad (R) | 4.73 | 2.2/5 |
10PM | NBC | Winter Olympics 2010 | 19.44 | 5.3/14 |
CBS | Cold Case | 9.89 | 2.5/6 | |
ABC | Brothers & Sisters | 8.16 | 2.7/7 | |
10:30PM | NBC | The Marriage Ref (Premiere) | 14.47 | 4.8/13 |
TV News: By the Numbers
The number of twitter followers Conan O’Brien has attracted since joining the popular social media tool a mere two days ago.
The number of seconds it took for Conan O’Brien to amass more twitter followers than us. Really, not bitter at all.
The dollar amount of Ellen’s rumoured AMERICAN IDOL wardrobe allowance.
The cost of your average pantsuit at Macy’s.
Today’s TV Addict Top 5: Reasons Why We’re Counting Down until the Olympic Closing Ceremony
“I Believe”
While there’s no denying that “I Believe,” the CTV anthem for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games performed by sixteen year old phenom Nikki Yanofsky is as beautiful as it is addictive (see above video). There’s also no denying that getting called out for humming the theme song in public on more than one occasion is somewhat embarrassing. More embarrassing still, we’re this close to downloading the song on iTunes.
PARENTHOOD
What do you get when you combine the direction of Thomas Schlamme (THE WEST WING, SPORTS NIGHT) with the writing of Jason Katims (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) and a seemingly never-ending string of commercials reminding us that March 2nd at 10PM on NBC marks the return of Lauren Graham and Peter Krause to television? One very exciting TV Addict.
Erika Christensen Talks PARENTHOOD
On Tuesday March 2, NBC will finally give fans a reason to tune into the network at 10PM. That reason: PARENTHOOD. The ensemble drama (starring Lauren Graham!) from Ron Howard (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT) and Jason Katims (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) that chronicles the very large, very colourful and very imperfect Braverman family. One of whom, Julie Braverman, a successful corporate attorney and not-so-successful Mom played by the delightful Erika Christensen (Traffic) was kind enough to take some time during the recent Television Critics Association Press Tour to discuss what it’s like playing a career driven mom, what brought her back to television and how she successfully managed to avoid the pitfalls of young Hollywood.
Up until now, fans probably know you best from movies such as Traffic and Swimfan. What brought you back to TV?
Erika Christensen: The less obvious answer is that it’s a totally different lifestyle and I’m the kind of actor that doesn’t want vacation. To be happy, I need to keep moving, working and I think it’s really fascinating to get this opportunity to live and grow with a character that lives and grows alongside of you in this parallel TV universe. The obvious answer is great material and earlier this year I decided I was going to look into TV. The pilot script for PARENTHOOD was unreal and when I read it, I immediately said, “this is the one!”
TV Ratings: Wednesday February 24, 2010
Time | Network | Show | Rating | 18-49 |
---|---|---|---|---|
8PM | FOX | American Idol | 21.71 | 8.1/22 |
NBC | Winter Olympics 2010 | 16.85 | 4.1/11 | |
CBS | New Advetures of Old Christine (R) | 4.37 | 1.1/3 | |
ABC | Modern Family (R) | 3.94 | 1.2/3 | |
CW | Life Unexpected (R) | 1.05 | 0.4/1 | |
8:30PM | ABC | The Middle (R) | 3.98 | 1.4/4 |
CBS | Gary Unmarried (R) | 3.36 | 0.9/2 | |
9PM | FOX | American Idol | 23.90 | 9.2/23 |
NBC | Winter Olympics 2010 | 21.15 | 5.7/13 | |
CBS | Criminal Minds (R) | 7.27 | 1.8/4 | |
ABC | Modern Family (R) | 4.52 | 1.7/4 | |
CW | Gossip Girl (R) | 590,000 | 0.2/1 | |
9:30PM | ABC | The Middle (R) | 3.54 | 1.4/3 |
10PM | NBC | Winter Olympics 2010 | 20.43 | 5.9/16 |
CBS | CSI: NY (R) | 7.89 | 1.7/5 | |
ABC | Cougar Town (R) | 3.31 | 1.4/4 | |
10:30PM | ABC | Cougar Town (R) | 2.67 | 1.1/3 |