Sure, Maria Sharapova was eliminated from whatever tennis tournament they are currently playing. But her imagine will continue to linger in the endless loop of commercials she is currently appearing in. But what are these poor kids going to do?
Monday, June 5, 2006
Don't Be So Glum
Sure, Maria Sharapova was eliminated from whatever tennis tournament they are currently playing. But her imagine will continue to linger in the endless loop of commercials she is currently appearing in. But what are these poor kids going to do?
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Pilot Watch: Still more NBC & Fox miscellany
Catching up on links: Back on Thursday, I made some half-serious (Mickey Rourke) and some not-so-serious (Matt LeBlanc) suggestions for new "Law & Order" actors, plus a breakdown of Katie Couric's final "Today" show. The day before, I did a quick look back at Katie's morning career.
Ordinarily, anything Katie would have been written by Matt, our TV news expert, but he's slowly easing himself back. Today he has another column, this time on what he think is the greatest show in TV history, "Deadwood." (Starting today, Matt's blog begins "Deadweek," with one or two entries every day about the show and its characters by various contributors.)
And now onto the pilots. The usual caveat: these are not reviews. Too many things are going to change between now and when these things air. These are just first impressions. Thoughts on "The Black Donnellys," "20 Good Years" and "'Til Death" after the jump...
"The Black Donnellys"
Who's In It: Olivia Wilde, Kirk Aceveda and a bunch of young unknowns in the title roles.
What It's About: Four Irish brothers move in and out a life of crime in a drama created by "Crash" screenwriters Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco.
Pluses: "Crash" and "Million-Dollar Baby" had their detractors, but Haggis and Moresco were also responsible for one of the great unsung crime dramas of all time: "EZ Streets." While some of the details have changed, this is essentially them redoing it with Haggis' new Oscar clout. Same use of Celtic music on the score, a wildly unreliable narrator who could be the idiot kid brother of Sammy Feathers, same grand, gothic command of fairly dense material. (Though overall, the show's much easier to follow than "EZ Streets" was.)
Minuses: "EZ Streets" had Joe Pantoliano giving the performance of his career (even better than his Ralphie Cifaretto) at its center, plus great supporting turns by people like Carl Lumbly, Debra Farentino and Jason Gedrick. The four newbies playing the Donnelly brothers could turn out to be big stars in time, but they're not there yet. (Making it harder to judge is a big twist at the end suggesting the performances we see from episode two on will be very different from the ones in the pilot.)
"20 Good Years"
Who's In It: John Lithgow, Jeffrey Tambor
What It's About: When an arrogant surgeon (Lithgow)turns 60, he realizes he needs to enjoy life while he can and recruits his nebbishy best friend (Tambor) for a lot of carpe diem'ing.
Pluses: Lithgow and Tambor, two of the funniest, hammiest human beings alive. (Much as Spinal Tap was called "one of England's loudest bands," this is one of NBC's loudest sitcoms.) They sell a lot of material that probably shouldn't work, and they're fearless in pursuit of a laugh. Lithgow appears several times in a banana hammock, and it's as horrifying and funny as you might imagine. Plus, Tambor's playing a judge again, like he did on "Hill Street Blues." Any chance he'll wind up in drag within a few episodes?
Minuses: You need a real tolerance for loud, broad comedy, and even then, I wonder how far the two leads can carry this show on their back. A bit disappointing to see Tambor back to playing a dweeb after showing so many different sides on "Arrested Development."
"'Til Death"
Who's In It: Brad Garrett, Joely Fisher, Eddie Kaye Thomas, some young woman playing Eddie's wife.
What It's About: A bitter long-married couple befriend the newlyweds who move in next door.
Pluses: More evidence that comedy is about salesmanship. Garrett and, to a lesser extent, Fisher, manage to milk several laughs from fairly hacky material, sometimes with just the right grimace or sigh before delivering the punchline.
Minuses: Much, much much selling is required. Thomas' character is named Woodcock, and if you don't find that hysterically funny at face value, you're going to have to suffer through a half-dozen or so Woodcock jokes in the pilot alone.
Ordinarily, anything Katie would have been written by Matt, our TV news expert, but he's slowly easing himself back. Today he has another column, this time on what he think is the greatest show in TV history, "Deadwood." (Starting today, Matt's blog begins "Deadweek," with one or two entries every day about the show and its characters by various contributors.)
And now onto the pilots. The usual caveat: these are not reviews. Too many things are going to change between now and when these things air. These are just first impressions. Thoughts on "The Black Donnellys," "20 Good Years" and "'Til Death" after the jump...
"The Black Donnellys"
Who's In It: Olivia Wilde, Kirk Aceveda and a bunch of young unknowns in the title roles.
What It's About: Four Irish brothers move in and out a life of crime in a drama created by "Crash" screenwriters Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco.
Pluses: "Crash" and "Million-Dollar Baby" had their detractors, but Haggis and Moresco were also responsible for one of the great unsung crime dramas of all time: "EZ Streets." While some of the details have changed, this is essentially them redoing it with Haggis' new Oscar clout. Same use of Celtic music on the score, a wildly unreliable narrator who could be the idiot kid brother of Sammy Feathers, same grand, gothic command of fairly dense material. (Though overall, the show's much easier to follow than "EZ Streets" was.)
Minuses: "EZ Streets" had Joe Pantoliano giving the performance of his career (even better than his Ralphie Cifaretto) at its center, plus great supporting turns by people like Carl Lumbly, Debra Farentino and Jason Gedrick. The four newbies playing the Donnelly brothers could turn out to be big stars in time, but they're not there yet. (Making it harder to judge is a big twist at the end suggesting the performances we see from episode two on will be very different from the ones in the pilot.)
"20 Good Years"
Who's In It: John Lithgow, Jeffrey Tambor
What It's About: When an arrogant surgeon (Lithgow)turns 60, he realizes he needs to enjoy life while he can and recruits his nebbishy best friend (Tambor) for a lot of carpe diem'ing.
Pluses: Lithgow and Tambor, two of the funniest, hammiest human beings alive. (Much as Spinal Tap was called "one of England's loudest bands," this is one of NBC's loudest sitcoms.) They sell a lot of material that probably shouldn't work, and they're fearless in pursuit of a laugh. Lithgow appears several times in a banana hammock, and it's as horrifying and funny as you might imagine. Plus, Tambor's playing a judge again, like he did on "Hill Street Blues." Any chance he'll wind up in drag within a few episodes?
Minuses: You need a real tolerance for loud, broad comedy, and even then, I wonder how far the two leads can carry this show on their back. A bit disappointing to see Tambor back to playing a dweeb after showing so many different sides on "Arrested Development."
"'Til Death"
Who's In It: Brad Garrett, Joely Fisher, Eddie Kaye Thomas, some young woman playing Eddie's wife.
What It's About: A bitter long-married couple befriend the newlyweds who move in next door.
Pluses: More evidence that comedy is about salesmanship. Garrett and, to a lesser extent, Fisher, manage to milk several laughs from fairly hacky material, sometimes with just the right grimace or sigh before delivering the punchline.
Minuses: Much, much much selling is required. Thomas' character is named Woodcock, and if you don't find that hysterically funny at face value, you're going to have to suffer through a half-dozen or so Woodcock jokes in the pilot alone.
Friday, June 2, 2006
The Weak Ender
Ping! The college baseball playoffs have started and this is the time of year that Cal State Fullerton alumni can be proud of their alma mater (and not pretend that they went to USC).That goes double for super fan Kevin Costner.
The K-Dawg has become college baseball�s top fan, the King of Ping if you will. But now he is facing some stiff opposition for a pair of competitors who might be best described as the Queen of Schwing.
Pamela Anderson has become the super fan of Pepperdine and the Malibu resident has become a fixture at regular season games. The K-Dawg, conversely, only shows up to mug for the ESPN cameras during the playoffs.
Anderson has become such a fan of the Waves; you almost expect a sex tape with the vixen and catcher Chad Tracy (son of Jim) to surface at any time. And while Anderson has made a habit of taping herself during sex, her partners were willing unlike the masseuse the K-Dawg allegedly performed a lewd sex act in front of.
You really have to feel for the Titans fans here. First Pepperdine defeated Cal State for the College World Series title in 1992. Now Anderson is quickly becoming the face of College Baseball. If Anderson ever makes a $1B blockbuster where she plays a gruff but likeable loner in a post-apocalyptic world, Titans fans will have nothing to hold on to.
- The Angels have pulled one of the biggest bait-and-switches in the history of shaddy business. Angels Stadium of Anaheim has a Hooters inside of the facility. But it is staffed by Aramark workers. Let�s say they are not Hooters girls. Some aren�t even girls. And be honest, Hooters food sucks. It does, especially the wings. Not having the endowed, would-be Waves fans working the shop just makes it worthless. It�s just another over-priced concession.
- The Twins are wearing patches with No. 34 on it to honor the late Kirby Puckett. It would have been more fitting to have a patch depicting an electrical cord�the object he used to choke his ex-wife. Allegedly.
- The NBA playoffs have turned into a big bummer. The last three games have featured a desperate home team (Phoenix, Detroit, Dallas) blowing out a disinterested opponent. So much for the NBA being back. That was quick.
- Eric Gagne has returned from his injury. Where are those conspiracy theorist who will claim that Gagne was secretly suspended for using steroids, but was allowed to cloak it with an injury? The Dodgers did just play their 50th game.
- Dirk Nowitski�ball hog.
- A poster on Cal State Fullerton�s message board noted that the Waves got to go to Pamela Anderson�s house for lunch on Friday. Not a bad gig. The K-Dawg had a screening of For Love of the Game at Omaha a few years ago. Yeah, totally even.
AND FINALLY
Anybody else finding the Spelling Bee a little disturbing? Like ESPN couldn�t find more hours of Bonds-on-Bonds to run. There is something wrong about watching these little kids getting traumatized on national television that is a little perverse. Not to be one of those guys who wants second place trophies and participation ribbons handed out, but this is a little over the line. Those poor kids are going to be ridiculed by their peers.
Some might argue that these kids will be perceived as heroes just for being on TV. Sure How much ribbing do Peyton Manning and Alex Rodriguez take for failing on the world�s biggest stage? Seriously, nobody remembers who won the thing two years ago, but they sure remember that kid who fainted on stage. Yeah, this is really a good idea. Maybe ESPN should really ramp up its coverage and show a kid�s first visit to the orthodontist or optometrist.
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