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On TV Envy: The Oprah Winfrey Show to End in 2011

Wanda Sykes Show Already Sinking?

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Comedy, Late Night, Talk Shows, FOX, Gossip, Video


doesn’t give its new shows a lot of time to find their footing, and it seems that even Wanda Sykes might have feet made of clay. The network’s new Saturday night treat, The Wanda Sykes Show, is receiving some pretty dismal reviews. You might want to tune in before it’s too late.

Entertainment Weekly found the opening monologue to be a “scattershot,” boring event, peppered with “cliché” pro-Obama jokes. The Sykes show closed with a panel discussion, in which participants were allowed to sip at alcoholic beverages. The possibilities here are endless, but somehow it still stayed sedate.

I really rather miss Mad TV.

Read More | Entertainment Weekly

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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


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

NBC Tries to Remake Aussie Hit

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Comedy, Prime Time, NBC, Video

Kath & KimNBC’s will premiere tonight at 8:30 pm EST. And though the new series featuring Selma Blair and Molly Shannon (a comedy duo who should be perfect together) is being touted as a “sitcom following a dysfunctional mother-daughter duo and their adventures in middle-class suburbia,” the reviewers are taking a decidedly less lighthearted stance. The Boston Herald called the series a “problem child,” while zap2it said the first two episodes were “pretty laugh-free.” This is not the sort of response a comedy featuring two such gifted actresses should receive.

The series was a huge hit in Australia, which pretty well guaranteed it would find a home on American shores eventually. NBC picked up the remake baton and cast Blair as Shannon’s spoiled, thick-as-a-brick daughter (though the two are actually separated by only eight years in age). plays Kath, spandex-wearing and man-hunting, to Blair’s Kim, a celebrity-obsessed, would-be trophy wife.

Click to continue reading NBC Tries to Remake Aussie Hit

Read More | LA Times

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.

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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


‘Lipstick Jungle’ Premiere

Posted by Jacci Lewis Categories: Drama, Prime Time, ABC, Cable, HBO, NBC, Editorial

Lipstick Jungle

Remember those perfume ads back in the 1980’s for Parfums decoeur ‘Designer Imposters’? They went something like “if you like Giorgio you’ll love Primo!, if you like Opium you’ll love Ninja” or the more recent enticement, “If you like Juicy Couture you’ll love Yeah Baby.”  It’s human to want a whiff of luxury at a bargain price - too bad the end result usually stinks.

NBC’s reminds me of those ‘Designer Imposters’. The show, starring Brooke Shields, Kim Raver and Lindsay Price,  premiered last night.

If you’re confused and could have sworn Lipstick Jungle stars Lucy Liu and two other chicks, you’re only half wrong.  That show is on ABC and is called .

Lipstick Jungle has the right pedigree. It’s based on a novel by Sex and the City author and its parallels to that hit HBO series are unmistakable until you scratch the surface.

Lipstick’s plot centers around three powerful Manhattan women who tread in dangerous waters of sex, lies and betrayal. At least, I think that’s what the plot is supposed to be. What I saw seemed more like a Lifetime movie for women than a glossy Primetime sex drama.

Click to continue reading ‘Lipstick Jungle’ Premiere


HBO’s Tell Me You Love Me: In Love With Controversy?

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Drama, HBO, Gossip

HBOWith HBO’s gritty new drama, Tell Me You Love Me, the dramatic message is supposed to be about feeling. But the new series is telling me something different – HBO isn’t trying to create good drama…it’s a cable network trying to create good hype. In this business, hype is generally all you need. The series is scheduled to premiere Sunday at 9 pm ET, and early reports expound on the graphic sex scenes that strongly pepper the first episode. The show is really about relationships (isn’t everything) and relies on character interaction of all sorts – not just sexual action. Viewers will delve deeply into the lives of 20-something chef Jamie (played by Michelle Borth), who is engaged to Hugo (a very likely-sounding name attached to the character portrayed by Luke Kirby). Carolyn, a lawyer in his mid-30s that’s played by Sonya Walger, and her real-estate investor husband Palek (Adam Scott) will struggle with keeping their marriage alive as they (unsuccessfully) continue to attempt pregnancy. Ally Walker plays 40-something stay-at-home mom Katie, who no longer has sex with her husband Dave (Tim DeKay). These relationships revolve around the offices of Dr. May Foster (Jane Alexander), a couples therapist in her 60s who still enjoys great sex. (Here’s hoping HBO doesn’t get too showy with those scenes, right?) Despite the sort of boring plot (a therapist’s office…how original for HBO) and obvious attempt to target several demographics at once, some critics are lavishing early praise on the ambitious HBO drama.

Read More | CNN

A Thumbless Ebert & Roeper?

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Syndication

Roger EbertFor nearly 30 years, has been sealing his movie reviews with a signature Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down.  Unfortunately, potentially-heated contract negotiations between Ebert and his distribution company have forced (temporary?) changes to the program.  Now both sides are pointing fingers at those allegedly responsible for pulling the digits.

Viewers of the most recent episode may have noticed a slight change in the program.  No thumbs!  Richard Roeper and his guest co-host made their opinions on such movies as The Nanny Diaries and Resurrecting the Champ as clear as possible without a ‘pointed’ summary.  (For the record—they disliked both films).

Disney-ABC Domestic Television claims the renowned critic put the copyrighted move on hold during negotiations (Ebert and the estate of the late Gene Siskel hold the rights to the critiquing method).  But through a statement posted on his website, Roger denies making that request.  In addition, he says that Disney (as of 8/24) had not gotten back to him after what he feels was an ‘offensively low’ offer.

As most you already know, health problems have kept Roger Ebert from fronting an episode of the show for over a year.  But he has been contributing in other ways and still posts through his own site.  I just pray that the distribution company isn’t trying to take advantage of his current status during their contract talks.  But then again—they wouldn’t do something like that, would they??

Read More | RogerEbert.com

Lost: Through The Looking Glass - David’s Top Five of Awesomeness

Posted by David L. Williams Categories: Drama, Prime Time, Sci-Fi/Horror, ABC, Lost, Features

Lost Season FinaleWow!  Just … wow!  A few days later and my mind, she is still blown.  That was everything a should be: great acting, terrific twists, the wrapping up of plot threads that were developing throughout the season, and the introduction of ideas that will surely carry through the rest of next season, if not the rest of the series.

If you’ve remained a loyal fan, and, really, if you’re reading this, chances are that you have, think on your friends who have given up on the show and pity them.  You are the smart one.  And you, like the show, are awesome.  Here’s five examples of awesomeness from an episode many people are calling Lost’s best ever (and I’d have a hard time disagreeing):

BEN GETS BEATEN: A lot.  Like a lot, a lot.  Now, we’ve seen Ben get hurt before, but that was back before we knew who he really was.  He was just poor pathetic Henry Gayle then.  Since we’ve seen a season’s worse of his machinations, when Jack just started wailing on him, I yelled an obscenity at my TV followed by the word, “Yeah!”  (This was a nice parallel to last season’s finale when Ben showed up on the dock while Jack, Kate, Hurley, and Sawyer were being held hostage and I yelled that same obscenity followed by the word, “No!”) 

Michael Emerson has put on an acting clinic this whole season, going from confident in his power but frightened about his injury to this scared, desperate animal trying to do everything he can to hold onto the little power he has left.  He’s one of the best villains on television, and to see him take a beating (by Jack and Rousseau) was so, so satisfying. 

Too bad it looks like, for once, he may have been telling the truth.  But more on that later.  Ben getting beaten up was awesome.

Click to continue reading Lost: Through The Looking Glass - David’s Top Five of Awesomeness


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