Best Television Shows

Archive for June, 2009

Dear Gasmi,

This is it! Part two of the joyous reunion between the New Joisey housewives. It’s also the longest infommercial evah for a book!

I think it’s safe to say the Kevin Maher is doing something nice for Miss Thang…

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Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Video, Reality-Free

I think we can all agree that 94% of all Sci-Fi Channel original movies are really lame. But their original series are usually pretty good, and Warehouse 13 is no exception. This new preview below gives the most extensive look yet at what the show is about, who the characters are, and what their new assignment is. Two words: “America’s Attic.”

Check the link above. You can ask caretaker Artie about the show, which starts July 7.

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Filed under: OpEd, Commercials, Reality-Free

My wife was watching a Lifetime movie that I’ve already forgotten the title of the other day. What I can’t forget, however, is that during every single commercial break of this two-hour movie there were at least two different commercials for various feminine hygiene products. I understand that the Lifetime demographic is the right audience for these ads but at the same time don’t you think there’s a limit to how often a woman wants to think about her most intimate area’s cleanliness while watching a movie?

The women I know actually have quite a wide variety of interests beyond yeast infections and Vagisil. In fact, those things almost never come up in conversation. I don’t even think Lifetime should stop airing the commercials, because I’m told it’s important stuff, but let’s throw some variety in there, too. If Spike TV was airing condom commercials twice a break in the middle of the day I’d think they were obsessing a little bit too. You care. That’s sweet. We get it, now how about reminding me of what really matters. McDonald’s has “Hugo” size drinks for a dollar!

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Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Video, Reality-Free

You can talk all you want about the best thing about the web: keeping friends and family connected, shopping, maps to help you get where you are going, making money. But I think the best thing about the web is that someone actually takes the time to upload episodes of short-lived 80s TV show.

Case in point: It’s Your Move, the NBC sitcom that starred a teenage Jason Bateman and Married…with Children’s David Garrison. The opening is pure cheese, but the writing was a notch above typical sitcom fare. Here’s the first episode (parts 2 and 3 after the jump – more episodes here). Bateman’s first little speech has a really funny payoff, and he always had great timing. River Phoenix shows up in this episode too.

Continue reading Jason Bateman once starred in a funny sitcom (way before Arrested Development)

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Filed under: Other Reality Shows, OpEd, Watercooler Talk, Celebrities

According to the New York Daily News, Jon and Kate Gosselin have decided to go in media blackout mode as they figure out their divorce. On the show’s page on the TLC web site, the couple released a statement that mentions why they’ve stopped talking to the media:

“During this very difficult time we will be working to focus solely on the needs of our family. This includes no longer commenting publicly or reacting to media stories and speculation. Our goal is to do the very best for our children and that will be done as privately as possible.”

They’ve even gone so far as to file their divorce in a court that will keep their records sealed. Unfortunately, it all feels like a bunch of “too little too late” moves. If they’re trying to protect the children, why did Kate and Jon spend the last four months talking to magazines like People for months on end? Why did they announce their split in front of 10.6 million gawkers (including me)? Why in the hell did they even start their show to begin with?

Continue reading Jon and Kate stop talking to the media, about five years too late

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Filed under: Late Night, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free

If you were on Twitter last week the day Michael Jackson died, you also might have seen the rumors that Jeff Goldblum had fallen on a movie set in New Zealand and died (there was also a rumor that Harrison Ford had died but that wasn’t true either). Last night Stephen Colbert broke the news to fans, only to have Goldblum show up himself to dispute the report.

The funniest part is the live news report from New Zealand about Goldblum dying. I’d love to hear the answer as to why they said the police had confirmed it! (Video also here.)

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Filed under: Industry, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free

Were you charmed by the first sweet and funny season of My Name is Earl? Me too. And did you just about give up on the show after it eventually lost most of its charm and became a depressing, unfunny raunch fest? Me too. That’s probably why I’m not too excited about Earl creator Greg Garcia’s new show.

Fox just picked up Garcia’s untitled single-camera comedy. The show will revolve around a young man raising an infant, the result of a one-night stand with a death row inmate, with the help of his dysfunctional family. Garcia tells Variety that his new characters will be “the same type of people” we saw in Earl and that they’ll inhabit a world not unlike Earl’s hometown of Camden.

Count me out if the show will rely on the same mean-spirited bathroom and gross out humor we saw in the last few seasons of Earl. Hopefully, Garcia will deliver something fun, fresh and clever instead of rehashing the same crude jokes and stories that got his old show cancelled.

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Filed under: Reality-Free

Wheel of Fortune isn’t the only TV show that can have a million dollar payday.

A woman who brought in some carved Chinese jade to PBS’ Antiques Roadshow probably didn’t know how valuable her inheritance was. The jade is worth $1 million, and it’s the highest price given to an item on the show. She got the jade from her dad, who bought it in China when he was in the military in the 1930s or 40s. The episode won’t be shown until next year.

I once sold something on ebay and got $40.

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Filed under: Programming, OpEd, Celebrities, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free

Good news for all you Chris Kattan fans. The Saturday Night Live veteran has snagged a regular role in the new ABC single-camera comedy The Middle. He will play a car salesman alongside series star Patricia Heaton.

Based on what I’ve read, this sounds like one of those safe, non-controversial, family comedies that the networks love and I loathe, such as According To Jim and Two and a Half Men (nowadays I prefer sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory). As a result, I doubt we’ll be seeing characters such as Mango make an appearance (that and the fact he’s on a competing network to NBC and would likely be sued for doing so).

And here I thought Kattan would end up like one of those obscure SNL celebrities like Garrett Morris or Rich Hall. In a tough economy, he’s got a job. More power to him.

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Filed under: Daytime, Video, Celebrities

Look, we have just about as good an idea as you as to what happens on the eleventh fourth hour of the Today show. Hoda Kotb (who won a Peabody Award) and Kathie Lee Gifford (who is loud) sit together, morning after morning, drinking, chatting, and generally swishing about in a televisual escapade that brings into the mix – among other things – Facebook, “cougars,” breast cancer, and wine. Needless to say, we will be first in line when they invite a studio audience (although the appeal of hearing camera men laugh at Kathie Lee’s menopausal delirium stands very well on its own).

Considering that we don’t get to watch the show as often as we’d like, we very much appreciate being steered by The Soup toward a clip taken from a segment on Today called “I Got Played.”

Continue reading Kathie Lee & Hoda play a game – Is this real life?

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