My hometown Yanks and Bosox decide the season this weekend at Fenway. Nothing like a season-ending series between these to rekindle my hatred of the Sox.
Geez, they win a World Series for the first time in about 80 years and we're supposed to stop Earth from spinning, just for them. Enough with Stephen King essays the heartache of being a Sox fan. Boo-friggin-hoo. We've won 26. When you catch up, let me know.
"Here's the pitch to Bucky.... it's a long drive and it's over the Green Monster in left..."
Friday, September 30, 2005
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
First week
Now that most of the new and returning shows have had their season premiere, a look at the ratings after week #1:
-Total Viewers:
CSI (CBS, season premiere: 29.02 million)
Desperate Housewives (ABC, season premiere: 28.36)
Lost (ABC, season premiere: 23.47)
Criminal Minds (CBS, Thursday 10 p.m. preview: 19.57)
CSI: Miami (CBS, season premiere: 19.21)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC, season premiere: 18.98)
Survivor: Guatemala (CBS: 16.98)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC, season premiere: 16.82)
Invasion (ABC, premiere: 16.43)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC: 16.41)
60 Minutes (CBS, season premiere: 16.35)
NFL Monday Night Football (ABC: 16.10)
NCIS (CBS, season premiere: 15.48)
Destination Lost (ABC: 15.27)
My Name Is Earl (NBC, premiere: 15.25)
Two and a Half Men (CBS, season premiere: 15.04)
ER (NBC, season premiere: 14.37)
Cold Case (CBS, season premiere: 13.68)
House (Fox: 13.64)
Out Of Practice (CBS, premiere: 13.18)
Crossing Jordan (NBC, season premiere: 13.08)
Law & Order (NBC, season premiere: 13.03)
Medium (NBC, season premiere: 12.69)
Las Vegas (NBC, season premiere: 12.49)
Ghost Whisperer (CBS, premiere: 11.25)
Surface (NBC, premiere)
Numb3rs (CBS, season premiere: 11.18 each)
How I Met Your Mother (CBS, premiere: 10.94)
Dancing With the Stars: Dance-Off (ABC, 10.91)
CSI R (CBS, Wednesday: 10.75)
-Total Viewers:
CSI (CBS, season premiere: 29.02 million)
Desperate Housewives (ABC, season premiere: 28.36)
Lost (ABC, season premiere: 23.47)
Criminal Minds (CBS, Thursday 10 p.m. preview: 19.57)
CSI: Miami (CBS, season premiere: 19.21)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC, season premiere: 18.98)
Survivor: Guatemala (CBS: 16.98)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC, season premiere: 16.82)
Invasion (ABC, premiere: 16.43)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC: 16.41)
60 Minutes (CBS, season premiere: 16.35)
NFL Monday Night Football (ABC: 16.10)
NCIS (CBS, season premiere: 15.48)
Destination Lost (ABC: 15.27)
My Name Is Earl (NBC, premiere: 15.25)
Two and a Half Men (CBS, season premiere: 15.04)
ER (NBC, season premiere: 14.37)
Cold Case (CBS, season premiere: 13.68)
House (Fox: 13.64)
Out Of Practice (CBS, premiere: 13.18)
Crossing Jordan (NBC, season premiere: 13.08)
Law & Order (NBC, season premiere: 13.03)
Medium (NBC, season premiere: 12.69)
Las Vegas (NBC, season premiere: 12.49)
Ghost Whisperer (CBS, premiere: 11.25)
Surface (NBC, premiere)
Numb3rs (CBS, season premiere: 11.18 each)
How I Met Your Mother (CBS, premiere: 10.94)
Dancing With the Stars: Dance-Off (ABC, 10.91)
CSI R (CBS, Wednesday: 10.75)
Serious cinema
Now that the Toronto Film Festival has ended, all the award-contending films are screening here in town. So far, I've been impressed.
"Good Night, and Good Luck" is terrific. Directed by George Clooney -- who also co-stars -- its a look at Edward R. Murrow and his influential news program, "See It Now." Both he and the show railed against Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the height of the Communist scare and blacklisting in the States.
Murrow is played by veteran character actor David Strathairn, who's poised, stoic presence makes him an Oscar nom in my book. One of the best performances of the year, in one of the best movies of the year.
Speaking of Oscar noms for best actor, Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a front-runner in the category for his portrayal of Truman Capote in "Capote." Some people like the movie a lot more than me, but his perf is unquestionably great.
More to come soon...
"Good Night, and Good Luck" is terrific. Directed by George Clooney -- who also co-stars -- its a look at Edward R. Murrow and his influential news program, "See It Now." Both he and the show railed against Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the height of the Communist scare and blacklisting in the States.
Murrow is played by veteran character actor David Strathairn, who's poised, stoic presence makes him an Oscar nom in my book. One of the best performances of the year, in one of the best movies of the year.
Speaking of Oscar noms for best actor, Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a front-runner in the category for his portrayal of Truman Capote in "Capote." Some people like the movie a lot more than me, but his perf is unquestionably great.
More to come soon...
Monday, September 19, 2005
Emmy reaction
And the Emmmys wonder why they don't get the respect that Oscar does.
People make fun of the Golden Globes but at least they have the guts to select new shows and performers and be a bit forward thinking.
Nobody's a bigger "Raymond" fan than me but "Desperate Housewives" was the most talked about show in TV this year and it should've been rewarded as such with best comedy. (Though it's really not a comedy but that's another rant for another time.)
And don't even get me started on William Shatner and James Spader. If there was any justice in the world, "Deadwood's" Ian McShane should've won. But when he didn't, he should've let loose a classic Al Swearengen expletive to let the whole audience know how robbed he was.
People make fun of the Golden Globes but at least they have the guts to select new shows and performers and be a bit forward thinking.
Nobody's a bigger "Raymond" fan than me but "Desperate Housewives" was the most talked about show in TV this year and it should've been rewarded as such with best comedy. (Though it's really not a comedy but that's another rant for another time.)
And don't even get me started on William Shatner and James Spader. If there was any justice in the world, "Deadwood's" Ian McShane should've won. But when he didn't, he should've let loose a classic Al Swearengen expletive to let the whole audience know how robbed he was.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Horrible vs. terrible
I was having a discussion with someone talking about which event is worse: the 9/11 attacks or Hurricane Katrina.
What do you think? Why?
What do you think? Why?
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
All hail Caesar!
After only three episodes, HBO renewed "Rome" for a second season.
This was really a no-brainer for HBO, considering all the money it spent on production and marketing (over $100 million). Even if the numbers were poor, which they're not, the network would want to give it a second season to appeal to as many viewers as possible — and save face.
The ratings so far have been pretty good, but not "Sopranos"-level good. That's OK, though, as the viewing audience remains a bit more diluted than even a couple of years ago. And with "Desperate Housewives" dominating Sunday night viewing, HBO can't expect huge numbers anymore.
When talking to HBO about ratings, the network is always quick to point out that, unlike broadcast networks, they look at culmulative numbers -- viewers totaling up during an entire week, the when the episode is run 3 or 4 times. To just look at the Sunday premiere of a new episode, especially in the time where "Housewives" is so dominant, isn't particularly fair.
Are you watching? I've been enjoying it. I don't think it's in the realm of "Sopranos," "Deadwood" or "The Wire," but it's certainly compelling.
Here's the HBO official release:
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2005 - HBO has renewed its epic drama series ROME for a second season, it was announced today by Carolyn Strauss, president, HBO Entertainment. Production of the 12-episode second season will begin next March, with the debut set for 2007.
"Although the first season of ROME is just underway, we're affirming our support for this exciting and ambitious series by preparing for a second season now," noted Strauss. "I'm delighted that critics and subscribers share our enthusiasm for the show."
The initial episodes of ROME have inspired legions of critical praise. TV Guide hailed it as a "feast for the eyes" and a "ripping good story," as well as a "shamelessly enjoyable historical romp." USA Today called ROME "as extravagant, enticing and chaotic as Rome itself," adding, "you may never want to leave." The Washington Post described the series as "ravishing and wickedly shocking," and "a feast for the senses that includes generous portions of food for thought."
Chronicling the fall of a republic and the rise of an empire, the 12-episode first season of ROME kicked off Aug. 28 on HBO. New episodes debut Sundays (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT); throughout the series run, the previous week's episode will air Sunday (8:00-9:00 p.m.), leading into the debut of that week's new episode.
A co-production between HBO and the BBC, the first season of ROME began shooting in Rome in March 2004, with production for the series based at Rome's Cinecittà Studios. Among the actors starring in the first season are Kevin McKidd ("Kingdom of Heaven") as Lucius Vorenus, Ray Stevenson ("King Arthur") as Titus Pullo, Ciarán Hinds ("Road to Perdition") as Gaius Julius Caesar, Kenneth Cranham ("Gangster No. 1") as Pompey Magnus, Polly Walker ("Patriot Games") as Atia of the Julii, James Purefoy ("Vanity Fair") as Mark Antony, Tobias Menzies ("Foyle's War") as Marcus Junius Brutus, Lindsay Duncan ("Under the Tuscan Sun") as Servilia of the Junii, Indira Varma ("Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love") as Niobe, Max Pirkis ("Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World") as Gaius Octavian and Kerry Condon ("Angela's Ashes") as Octavia of the Julii.
This was really a no-brainer for HBO, considering all the money it spent on production and marketing (over $100 million). Even if the numbers were poor, which they're not, the network would want to give it a second season to appeal to as many viewers as possible — and save face.
The ratings so far have been pretty good, but not "Sopranos"-level good. That's OK, though, as the viewing audience remains a bit more diluted than even a couple of years ago. And with "Desperate Housewives" dominating Sunday night viewing, HBO can't expect huge numbers anymore.
When talking to HBO about ratings, the network is always quick to point out that, unlike broadcast networks, they look at culmulative numbers -- viewers totaling up during an entire week, the when the episode is run 3 or 4 times. To just look at the Sunday premiere of a new episode, especially in the time where "Housewives" is so dominant, isn't particularly fair.
Are you watching? I've been enjoying it. I don't think it's in the realm of "Sopranos," "Deadwood" or "The Wire," but it's certainly compelling.
Here's the HBO official release:
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12, 2005 - HBO has renewed its epic drama series ROME for a second season, it was announced today by Carolyn Strauss, president, HBO Entertainment. Production of the 12-episode second season will begin next March, with the debut set for 2007.
"Although the first season of ROME is just underway, we're affirming our support for this exciting and ambitious series by preparing for a second season now," noted Strauss. "I'm delighted that critics and subscribers share our enthusiasm for the show."
The initial episodes of ROME have inspired legions of critical praise. TV Guide hailed it as a "feast for the eyes" and a "ripping good story," as well as a "shamelessly enjoyable historical romp." USA Today called ROME "as extravagant, enticing and chaotic as Rome itself," adding, "you may never want to leave." The Washington Post described the series as "ravishing and wickedly shocking," and "a feast for the senses that includes generous portions of food for thought."
Chronicling the fall of a republic and the rise of an empire, the 12-episode first season of ROME kicked off Aug. 28 on HBO. New episodes debut Sundays (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT); throughout the series run, the previous week's episode will air Sunday (8:00-9:00 p.m.), leading into the debut of that week's new episode.
A co-production between HBO and the BBC, the first season of ROME began shooting in Rome in March 2004, with production for the series based at Rome's Cinecittà Studios. Among the actors starring in the first season are Kevin McKidd ("Kingdom of Heaven") as Lucius Vorenus, Ray Stevenson ("King Arthur") as Titus Pullo, Ciarán Hinds ("Road to Perdition") as Gaius Julius Caesar, Kenneth Cranham ("Gangster No. 1") as Pompey Magnus, Polly Walker ("Patriot Games") as Atia of the Julii, James Purefoy ("Vanity Fair") as Mark Antony, Tobias Menzies ("Foyle's War") as Marcus Junius Brutus, Lindsay Duncan ("Under the Tuscan Sun") as Servilia of the Junii, Indira Varma ("Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love") as Niobe, Max Pirkis ("Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World") as Gaius Octavian and Kerry Condon ("Angela's Ashes") as Octavia of the Julii.
The new TV season
As a purveyor of much of the new TV season in advance, several folks have asked me what are the best new shows are to watch this fall.
The short answer is … there's nothing all that compelling. That's a lot different from last year, when you could easily tell that "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" were standout hits from the pilot.
Interestingly, with TV being a copycat business, you'd think that the networks would try to imitate "Housewives" but what happened is that the supernatural elements of "Lost" became the element that everyone wanted. There's something like 4 or 5 new shows dealing with the spooky.
There's ABC's "Invasion," CBS' "Threshold" and "Ghost Whisperer," NBC's "Surface" and WB's "Supernatural." Of those "Invasion" and "Threshold" are best but nothing that really makes you salivate, waiting until the next episode.
Other non-scary dramas that have potential include Fox's "Prison Break" and ABC's "Commander-in-Chief." I really wanted to like this Geena Davis as president series but I think it comes off as a cheap "West Wing". But I'll watch the first few episodes to see if I can be swayed.
For the first time in countless years, comedies are better than dramas this fall, in terms of new shows. I highly recommend UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris" and CBS' "How I Met Your Mother." Both made me laugh, which isn't easy to do.
Not as good as the top two, but not bad are Fox's "Kitchen Confidential" and NBC's "My Name Is Earl." NBC, which fell in the toilet last year, really needs a hit and is counting on "Earl" as a savior.
The short answer is … there's nothing all that compelling. That's a lot different from last year, when you could easily tell that "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" were standout hits from the pilot.
Interestingly, with TV being a copycat business, you'd think that the networks would try to imitate "Housewives" but what happened is that the supernatural elements of "Lost" became the element that everyone wanted. There's something like 4 or 5 new shows dealing with the spooky.
There's ABC's "Invasion," CBS' "Threshold" and "Ghost Whisperer," NBC's "Surface" and WB's "Supernatural." Of those "Invasion" and "Threshold" are best but nothing that really makes you salivate, waiting until the next episode.
Other non-scary dramas that have potential include Fox's "Prison Break" and ABC's "Commander-in-Chief." I really wanted to like this Geena Davis as president series but I think it comes off as a cheap "West Wing". But I'll watch the first few episodes to see if I can be swayed.
For the first time in countless years, comedies are better than dramas this fall, in terms of new shows. I highly recommend UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris" and CBS' "How I Met Your Mother." Both made me laugh, which isn't easy to do.
Not as good as the top two, but not bad are Fox's "Kitchen Confidential" and NBC's "My Name Is Earl." NBC, which fell in the toilet last year, really needs a hit and is counting on "Earl" as a savior.
My bad
Geez, I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted. What kind of self-respected blogger can I be??? Vacation, busy at work, school starting, blah, blah, blah … no excuse.
Sorry for the delay. I'll post a couple of choice items now...
Sorry for the delay. I'll post a couple of choice items now...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)