Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Is Idol over?....and RIP Myron Cope

Greetings true believers........

Oh my Goodness.......Idol last night bordered on sheer torture....until the obvious front runner, David Archuleta appeared at the end. The previous singers seem light drunk frat boys next to this kid. The cojones to take a John Lennon classic, and make it your own is truly incredible. He didn't miss a note....and the girls were doing a Kentucky Freak Out whenever he appeared. We still have 20 kids........and I don't see how Archuleta can lose.



And rest in peace Myron Cope. If you've never heard of him, I wouldn't be surprised. He was color guy for the Pittsburgh Steelers radio broadcasts.....and his unique style of broadcasting made him a favorite among the Steeler nation....which I'm a member of. Besides that, he created and marketed the Terrible Towel......an enduring symbol for the team. I wish his family my condolences.

Monday, February 18, 2008

When your Favorite Shows Return

Hello all. Well the Strike is finally over!!!!!! Here is a list of when your favorite shows will return (If at all). Thanks to Televisionista Blog for the following!-

The latest rumors on the post-strike return of "Private Practice," "Prison Break," "House," "Gossip Girl" "Bones," "Women's Murder Club" and many other shows.

PRIVATE PRACTICE: The freshman medical drama is not expected to return with new episodes this spring. The Kate Walsh-fronted series will however be back with at least 13 new episodes next season, as will the rest of ABC's Wednesday night line-up ("Pushing Daisies" and "Dirty Sexy Money"). Surprisingly, "Women's Murder Club" may get canceled.

PRISON BREAK: Hollywood press reports FOX won't be ordering additional episodes of "Prison Break" this season - next Monday the drama concludes its current 13-episode arc. The show has gone down over 15% in the ratings this year.

HOUSE/BONES: Furthermore, the network now appears to be inching towards not ordering additional episodes of "House" this season (which has already run out of fresh installments) and "Bones" (the procedural has 4 episodes left in the can).

SMALLVILLE: The CW's veteran drama is now critical to survival of the young network. Following a series of flops and declining ratings, "Smallville" has become CW's top rated scripted hour, keeping eyeballs tuned into the struggling network on lucrative Thursday nights.

The show will have 3-5 new episodes beyond the original 15 pre-strike episodes, increasing the season total to 18-20 episodes. 3-5 new episodes are also expected for its lead-out "Supernatural" which filmed 12 pre-strike episodes, so its season total will be 15-17 episodes.


BLOCKBUSTER TV DRAMAS/DRAMEDIES: Tube's greatest hits like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives," will be coming back with at least 4-7 new episodes this spring.

CSI and other CBS procedurals: Hit CBS crime dramas are expected to follow the same pattern of other blockbuster TV series - they will be back this spring with 4-7 new episodes.

These shows help keep the Eye network on the top of the ratings (in total viewers, not among adults 18-49, that is), so expect to see more of "CSI," "CSI: Miami," "CSI: New York," "Without a Trace," "NCIS," "Numb3rs," "Criminal Minds" and "Cold Case."

HEROES: NBC's sci-fi drama from the producer Tim Kring was originally planning to open a new arc titled "Villains" in early 2008. Since the studio would probably not be able to film more than 3 new episodes this season, NBC is expected to delay the return of the drama till September, when season 3 launches. Next season may however contain more than the standard 22-23 episodes.


UGLY BETTY: ABC's sophomore comedy would come back this spring for 4 additional episodes, bringing the season total to 17. Executive producer Silvio Horta has said to Entertainment Weekly the writers would however have to tweak the planned storylines as they were originally mapped out for a 23-episode season. 13 episodes have aired thus far.

GOSSIP GIRL: The CW's teen drama based on the series of bestselling books is expected to return in late April with the at least 6 more episodes. Under that scenario, the struggling network may extend its official TV season into the summer. "Gossip Girl" was the first freshman drama to receive a full-season pickup last October.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: Given its half-hour format and well-established production, CBS' flashback-laden comedy might (along with the network's top sitcom "Two and a Half Men" and its lead-out "The Big Bang Theory") return for as many as 7 new installments this spring. 11 episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" have aired so far.

24: This is a really tricky one. As you may have heard, 8 episodes had been filmed prior to the strike. Since bringing the show back for an abbreviated season is impossible due to its 24-hour format, the drama will most probably return in January 2009, which means the strike may have cost both fans and people who produce the series an entire season.

SAMANTHA WHO: The single-camera comedy starring Christina Applegate is expected to return March 24, following a new cycle of "Dancing with the Stars." 12 episodes have been filmed, 9 have aired through early December, the remaining 3 episodes will kick off the new batch. As many as 6 new episodes could be filmed this spring, bringing the season total to 18.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: The second season of "Friday Night Lights" (including last week's 15th episode) will be released on DVD April 22, and would therefore have no additional episodes. The show's future remains up in the air.

TO GET CANCELED: Shows like "Bionic Woman," "Journeyman" and "Big Shots" are not coming back with new episodes this spring and they are expected to get canceled when the new fall grids are announced in May.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

End of an Era- HBO's Inside the NFL Gone


I have to tell you.....when a network decides to cancel a series......it should give warning. A notice so fans can prepare for the last show.....and give a proper goodbye.

Last night.....I sat down to watch Inside the NFL on HBO......their final one of the season to see the peerless NFL Films highlights from Super Bowl 42. During the tease....Bob Costas says that, and much more coming up on the final Inside the NFL. Wait........I'm thinking he's got to mean final of the season right!.....RIGHT? But he would have said season finale, and my fears were realized when they announced this was indeed the final episode ever. Not a good week for co-host Cris Carter....missing the cut for the Hall of Fame.....AND losing his one TV job.

First....let's go back 30 years. I'm a young pup who loves two things besides his family......the Pittsburg Steelers and the NFL. I live in Missoula Montana, and my family just got HBO. What a channel....movies, kids shows......and this little show about the NFL, Inside the NFL. In those days....Thursday nights were set aside to see the highlights from that weeks game. But it just wasn't a highlight show, they got into the guts of the NFL......and gave insight that was not found anywhere. And the highlights from NFL Films....with the music and the booming voice......help make change football from a game, to myth.

The two hosts, Len Dawson and Nick Buoniconti, made the show work. Hall of Famers and Super Bowl Champs alike, they were two different gentlemen, who gave there insight to the game, and had fun doing it as well. I will always have mucho admiration to those two.

The show's lineup changed as time went on. Their first addition was Cris Collingsworth....who for me, played for the hated Cinncinati Bengals. So I of course hated him. But he grew on me, and is one of the best in the broadcast game. CRAZY ex-coach Jerry Glanville was added. Making the show almost a free for all when he was on screen. Dan Marino came on. Then five years ago, Len and Nick were bumped for new host Bob Costas....and co host Cris Carter.

Having a habit for 30 years is hard to drop. On their last show last night, they had the class to bring Nick and Len back to give proper closure to the show they built.

HBO's decision stems from the number of NFL shows, and the network making the show obsolete. Well I disagree. No show was able to get away with frank talk like INFL was able to do It is a shame.

As for me. I am glad I was able to say goodbye. With the Sopranos gone....and Inside the NFL shoved under the bus. I'm cancelling HBO for the first time in many a moon.

Thanks Len, Nick, Jerry, Cris x 2, Dan, and Bob for a great 30 years.

J

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Giants beat Pats....fail to beat MASH




Greetings True Believers!

What a Super Bowl we had last weekend......and TV sets were tuned all around America....making Super Bowl 42 the most watched sporting ever. With an astounding 97.5 million people watching. That makes it the number 2 show OF ALL TIME. Behind only, the immortal MASH finale, Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.

What is staggering.....is no one thought the MASH finale would even be closely challenged. With 106 million viewers....the Giants/Pats tilt missed by 8.5 million folks......but conventional wisdom was that number would never be even sniffed at. What would have happened if it was Cowboys/Pats......or Favre and Green Bay/Pats.....the number could have been even closer.

The nice thing is.....after about a decade of crummy Super Bowls.....we've had our fair share of thrilling ones since the Rams beat the Titans in Super Bowl 34.

Ahhhhhhhhh.........I guess we have the draft in April to look forward to.


J