Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Fall TV Preview

We're coming up on the return of the network television shows, hoping that an actors strike doesn't impact this season the way the writers strike did last year.  No need to worry about that yet, I suppose, so let's take a look at what awaits us starting in September.  As always, I ignore Reality tv.

-Monday, Sept. 1

I'll be watching the two hour season premiere of Prison Break (because I can't quit this show even when I want to.)

SPOILER ALERT ON PRISON BREAK

If somehow you haven't heard, Sara is back and apparently wasn't beheaded.  I'm not that shocked.  I always assumed that she would be back as I heard her talking about in interviews how she would be off the show for bit while she had her baby.  I am interested in seeing how they bring her back, however.

SPOILER ALERT OVER

Others might be excited about the return of Gossip Girls on the CW or the return of One Tree Hill on the same station.

-Tuesday, Sept 2

The premiere of the CW's big hope 90210.  Yeah.

-Wednesday, Sept 3

The return of Bones on FOX.  (I still don't get how Angel can walk around in sunlight.  I thought Angel destroyed that ring after Oz gave it to him.)

-Tuesday, Sept 9

The two hour premiere of Fringe, the new show from J.J. Abrams, and along with Dollhouse, the front runner for Josh's Choice for Best New Show of the Season Award.  I can't wait for this show.
Also, the new show called Privileged on CW.  Doesn't really scream out to me.

-Wednesday, Sept 10

The return of Til Death and the premiere of Do Not Disturb on FOX.

-Tuesday, Sept 16

The return of Hugh Laurie as House (a show I really need to start watching.)

-Thursday, Sept 18

The return of Smallville and Supernatural on the CW.  Hopefully this season of Smallville is better then the last.  Come on Clark.  The exit of Lex and Lana has me a little worried though, not going to lie.

-Sunday, Sept 21

An interesting thing tonight.  The CW leased out thier Sunday night lineup to an independent company, Media Rights Capital who are producing the shows CW will be showing including two that premiere tonight, Valentine and Easy Money.

-Monday, Sept 22

Now things really get going.

CBS premieres Big Bang Theory, the greatness that is How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, the new comedy Worst Week Ever, and the return of CSI: Miami.

ABC brings back Boston Legal for its last season (supposedly).

NBC premieres an entire night of Heroes, hopefully having figured out it's recent slump.

-Tuesday, Sept 23

CBS gives us their Psych knock off The Mentalist in between the return of NCIS and Without a Trace and NBC presents the return of da-DAH (my written interpretation of the Law and Order musical intro) Law & Order:SVU.

-Wednesday, Sept 24

Knight Rider rides again on NBC, but my bet is not for long.  Speaking of NBC, the Seinfeld curse continues to be beaten by Elaine in The New Adventures of Old Christine to be followed by new series Gary Unmarried on CBS, who will then give us the returns of Criminal Minds and CSI:NY (if anyone cares).  Meanwhile, ABC brought back Lipstick Jungle for some reason.

-Thursday, Sept 25

My Name is Earl and The Office each get hour long premieres followed by the premiere of the final season of ER, which honestly probably should have happened about 10 years ago, on NBC.
ABC shows the premieres of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatamy.

-Sunday, Sept 28

The return of our favorite animated shows on FOX, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad.

Also Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters on ABC and Cold Case and more President Palmer kicking A** on The Unit on CBS.

-Monday, Sept 29

Chuck returns and Life, last year's third place finisher in Josh's Choice for Best New Show of the Season, is given a Heroes lead-in in order to maximize its viewership on NBC, although that lead-in didn't work for Journeyman, last year's winner of Josh's Choice for Best New Show of the Season.

-Wednesday, Oct 1

ABC owns the night with the premieres of Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money.  Oh yeah, Private Practice will be shown in between them.

-Friday, Oct 3

Ghost Whisperer, new show The Ex-List, and Numb3rs premiere on CBS.  Everybody Hates Chris and The Game return to the CW.

-Monday, Oct 6

Samantha Who returns to ABC.

-Thursday, Oct 9

Kath & Kim joins the NBC comedy lineup.  Time will tell if it keeps the Thursday lineup at must see comedy level like last year (we miss you Scrubs, but maybe you're in a better place, one that recognizes your greatness).

CSI (the original one) returns on CBS followed by the series premiere of Eleventh Hour.  ABC premieres the new show Life on Mars.

-Monday, Oct 13

The new Christian Slater show, My Own Worst Enemy takes over Journeyman's slot.  Hopefully it will do better.

-Tuesday, Oct 14

The return of America's Next Top Prophet, Eli Stone!!!

-Friday, Oct 17

Two hour premiere of Crusoe on NBC.  The previews during the Olympics have me intrigued.

-Thursday, Oct 30

The return of Liz Lemon and 30 Rock.

-Sunday, Nov 2

Bob Saget returns to sitcom-ville in Surviving Suburbia on MRC's Sunday night lineup on the CW.

So, there you have it, the premieres of network television's scripted shows this fall.  As always, times are subject to change.  The networks aren't very good at sticking to plans.

Until Next Time, For ABC's full fall schedule, click here, For CBS's here, For NBC's here, For FOX's here, and for the CW's here.  Enjoy.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I heard about this, but I got excited despite myself.  So, as with any other STAR WARS movie, my friends and I found ourselves at Rave for the midnight premiere.
Unlike for Indiana Jones (and I hear for Dark Knight, but I wasn't able to make that one) the line was non existent.  Clearly the majority of the STAR WARS community hadn't been sucked in as I had by the trailers.

Their loss.

Sure it isn't live action, but I thought the animation was pretty good.  The story is different from the main Episodes, but it's very good and it is a lot more action oriented.  The interplay between the characters is very good, like classic STAR WARS good.  And it is a pleasure to see a heroic Anakin and not either the young (some might say annoying, but what 6 year old isn't?) Anakin or the emo (some might still say annoying) Anakin or the evil (some might still say annoying, and I'm beginning to wonder if people have something against Hayden) Anakin.  We've heard about heroic and cool General Anakin Skywalker, but we hadn't seen him yet.  Until now.  (Plus, he wasn't even voiced by Hayden, so there's that).

His new Padawan was a very interesting addition.  There was great interplay between her and Sky Guy (as she called him, one of her many fun nicknames, although R-twoie got on my nerves a little bit, but I did enjoy imagining that R2's beeps and boops were cursing at her every time she used it).

I'm really looking forward to the new animated series that this leads into, and after all that was the point. 

Mainly, the film was a lot of fun.  Good, old fashioned STAR WARS fun.

A couple other little points I noticed... it seemed like the general of the Droid Army that Kenobi and Skywalker were fighting at the beginning of the movie was totally putting on a fake Sean Connery accent, and it seemed like Ziro the Hutt, Jabba's uncle, had a bit of a Cartman (from South Park) accent going.  In fact I called him Cartman the Hutt in my head.  "Screw you guys, I'm going to take over the Hutts."

Until Next Time, I loved Stinky the Hutt, not even going to lie.  "He's really sick.  He's turning every shade of green except for the one he's supposed to be!"