Clicky

On Announcements: Contest: Win a trip to New York, $1,500 shopping spree, more!

Melrose Place Premieres with a Shriek: Review

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Drama, Prime Time, The CW, Editorial, Gossip, Video


The CW’s premiere of , the new version, did everything it was supposed to do…even if it did rely upon a few shopworn plot ideas to do it. There was much less shock factor and much more slick appeal than what was to be expected. But at the end of the episode, enough loose ends were left hanging to keep audiences coming back for more.

To sum it up, ’s acting was bad, Sydney’s part was pretty small and the blonde girl? Completely unlikable so far - but definitely a diva worth hating.

Click to continue reading Melrose Place Premieres with a Shriek: Review


Advertisement

Review: Hitched or Ditched

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Prime Time, Reality, The CW, Gossip

Hitched or Ditched

In the midst of between-season re-runs and in place of 90210, The CW managed to sneak in a new reality show. And thus, premiered last night with its pilot, “Bastards Out of Carolina.” Relationships, the possibility of marriage (or a public dumping), family drama and episode titles this titillating? Yeah, it was pretty much a given that this one was going to be good.

In this starter episode, viewers were introduced to the first in a season-long line of couples. For this showing, Hitched or Ditched presented us with CeLisa and Travis. She’s a 26 year old nanny, he’s a 32 year old building contractor. At the top of the episode, they were presented as a couple that’s very much in love…but. She thinks he’s got commitment and jealousy issues; he thinks she’s too much of a wild child and can’t seem to fully trust her. When CeLisa told the cameras that she feels her biological clock “ticking, ticking, ticking,” I felt a shiver of dread.

Like, no wonder the dude’s afraid of marriage.

Click to continue reading Review: Hitched or Ditched

Read More | The CW

Reviewing FOX’s Fall: A Glee-ful Premiere?

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Comedy, Music, Prime Time, FOX, Gossip, Video


will feature rather prominently on FOX’s fall schedule, appearing in the coveted spot right behind the So You Think You Can Dance results show. The network is throwing every promotional trick they can muster at the series, with the early post-Idol premiere serving as the biggest treat in the campaign.

So, was it worth the hour of programming?

The opening was promising enough: fast-paced, flashing scenes at a sunny high school. An energetic, cheerleader-heavy intro ended with the coach’s angry face and witty one-liner - perfectly setting the tone for the rest of the episode.

Click to continue reading Reviewing FOX’s Fall: A Glee-ful Premiere?

Read More | FOX

Paris Hilton’s My New Obsession

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Reality, MTV, Editorial

Paris Hilton

Last night saw the premiere of Paris Hilton’s new MTV reality show (which has been getting buzz for months). Hilton chose “sixteen girls and two boys” to become her potential platonic party partner for . I expected that I would hate it…but I just can’t escape the magnetic pull of unoriginal, fairly bad reality TV. That’s right, I said it - I’m an MTV fan.

I was instantly under the spell of Hilton’s friend search, a premise itself which is obvious malarkey. Casting is already under way for the second season, so I’m guessing no true best friendships were forged during this first one. Or perhaps , like me, can see the immediate potential of a show filled with good-looking twenty-somethings (most of whom seem as dense as bricks) that hero-worship the vapid Miss Hilton. It’s so far out of actual reality, it’s just crazy enough to be reality TV.

Click to continue reading Paris Hilton’s My New Obsession

Read More | MTV

90210 Premiere: A Second Opinion

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Drama, Reality, The CW, Editorial, Gossip

90210

Okay - it’s been 12+ hours now since , and I think I’ve had a proper amount of time to digest that premiere. And while my impressions of the show haven’t changed since last night night, it’s taken me a while to quickly summarize why I was left disappointed:

90210 wants to be what Gossip Girl already is.

After reading a list of reviews today - including the one written by my TV Envy colleague - I felt there was still room to offer an opposing opinion.

In general, most of the critics agreed that the show was much better than feared. I mean - should we have expected more from a show that didn’t offer any previews? No. But should we have expected more from a network that already offers quality catty fare? Yes.

Click to continue reading 90210 Premiere: A Second Opinion


The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Review

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Drama, Kids, Prime Time, ABC, Cable, Editorial

Amy

The compelling promos, tons of press and Seventh Heaven association might have been enough to rope me into watching the premiere of ABC Family’s , but it was the mere presence of Molly Ringwald in the cast which sealed the deal. And so it was that last night during prime time, I found myself watching cable instead of network TV. I don’t think it was a mistake.

Rollicking pop music kicked off the top of the episode, which immediately plunged its viewers headlong into teen pregnancy. Seriously, the main character Amy (played by Shailene Woodley) was barely introduced (as a marching band member) before she was in the restroom staring at the positive results from a home pregnancy kit. No time wasted here on introductions.

Actually, it felt more than a little forced. The audience was given no time to connect with this character in any way before BAM! she’s knocked up. And then, the beginning credits rolled.

Click to continue reading The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Review

Read More | ABC Family

Celebrity Feuds Win for NBC

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Games, Prime Time, Reality, NBC, Editorial

Celebrity Family Feud

The first ever spin-off of , a game show which itself was originally a spin-off, premiered last night on NBC. Very few changes to the standard show format, along with celebrities and much larger cash prizes helped NBC pull down promising ratings for this summer show.

Feud first began airing in 1976 with host Richard Dawson at the helm. His charm, slightly chiding nature and constant kissing quickly cemented him as one of TV’s best-loved hosts. In those early days, owned the show, which was canceled by the network in 1985.

The show was born again on in 1988, this time with petite Ray Combs holding center stage. This version was officially canceled in 1993, but continued as a syndicated version (amid some host troubles) until 1995. The show would not return again until 1999 on FOX as a daytime syndicated spot. Nine years of set changes and host changes have kept Feud on FOX ever since, with re-runs always available on GSN.

Click to continue reading Celebrity Feuds Win for NBC

Read More | NBC

Review Lost’s Future in Chronological Order

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Drama, Prime Time, ABC, Lost, Video

Have you been struggling to piece together ‘s flash-forwards this season? Are you still trying to remember what happened just two weeks ago? Well, then you’re in luck.

Some kind person out there has nicely compiled all of this year’s off-island segments into a comprehensible piece. This brisk 8.5 minute clip might save you hours of needless frustration before Thursday’s two-hour finale.

Read More | New York Magazine

Paradise Hotel 2: Why, God, Why?

Posted by Jacci Lewis Categories: Late Night, Reality, Cable, FOX, Editorial

Paradise Hotel

I think it is just good policy to be leery of any reality show that airs first run episodes at 1 a.m. (okay, 10 p.m. Pacific… but still).  After a 4-year hiatus, FOX’s is back, though demoted somewhat to MyNetworkTV and the channel.

America managed to pick up the pieces and move on after the first season of Paradise Hotel ended without the promise of another. So why, you may ask, is the show coming back now?

There was a time when shows like Paradise Hotel, Love Cruise and Temptation Island seemed edgy and provocative (well, sort of). Americans were still in the dawn of the high shock-value, low morals era of reality TV. Now, at least in my opinion, we’ve all seen too much. Somewhere between Flavor of Love and Pants Off Dance Off, skeevy people who will do anything for their proverbial 15 minutes of fame have lost what little political capital they had.

Still, I’m not too proud to admit I love trashy reality TV as much as the next guy, so I was more than willing to give Paradise Hotel 2 a look-see. I confess, waiting up until 1 a.m. to watch the show made me feel a bit shameful and lecherous. The “TV-Mature” rating didn’t help either (a less-steamy version of Paradise Hotel 2 airs on at 9 p.m. ET).

Click to continue reading Paradise Hotel 2: Why, God, Why?


Advertisement