Survivor

Post image for TV Fall ’09: The Complete Review — What is coming back
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Part 1 of 3

    Following last year’s lead, it is now time for “the inevitable fall preview post that is on every TV blog!“
    As always, it will be split into three parts (returning show, new shows, network talk)
    No hazardous predictions this year seeing as I’m can’t seem to see very far.
    Now, let us begin.

    Back in all their glory; That, they are (not).


    - Suvivor — Season 19 (premieres Sept. 17): A new season with a “treasure island” theme. Let’s pray that we’ll get a more interesting game than what we’ve been having for the past couple of years. I hope you love the Samoas because the 2010 edition was filmed back-to-back on the same location.
    - How I Met Your Mother — Season 5 (premieres Sept. 21): Suit up! It’s time to go back in the game. Neil Patrick Harris is hosting this year’s Emmys so perhaps the show will garner more viewers. We should get finally this season some definite info on how Ted met his soon-to-be-wife…
    - Two and a Half Men — Season 7 (premieres Sept. 21): Oh God, not this again.
    - The Big Bang Theory — Season 3 (premieres Sept. 21): I was very reticent at the idea of watching this stereotypical show. But then I saw the first two seasons and liked it, a lot. It was much better than I expected it to be! The show was also renewed for two more seasons. Hopefully this year won’t be a crapfest.
    - CSI: Miami — Season 8 (premieres Sept. 21): Put on your sunglasses. Utter a lame one-liner. You’re now ready to enjoy some terrible acting on your TV.
    - NCIS — Season 7 (premieres Sept. 22): Not on my watch(list).
    - The New Adventures of Old Christine — Season 5 (premieres Sept. 23): Nothing clever to say here.
    - Gary unmarried – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 23): What the hell?! This was renewed?
    - Criminal Minds — Season 5 (premieres Sept. 23):
    - CSI: NY — Season 6 (premieres Sept. 23): I’ll probably check out the season premiere just to see the conclusion of last year’s cliffhanger (Hey, I had to prepare for that interview).
    - CSI: — Season 10 (premieres Sept. 24): The show that wouldn’t die. I’m however dying of boredom when I’m watching this.
    - The Mentalist – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 24): I’ll save you some time here: Go watch Psych instead.
    - Ghost Whisperer – Season 5 (premieres Sept. 25): I don’t have to whisper to tell everyone how mediocre this series is.
    - Medium – Season 6 (premieres Sept. 25): How well will Medium fare with the network switch? Tune it to find out.
    - Numb3rs — Season 6 (premieres Sept.25): This endless equation continues for CBS thanks to great numbers. In the ratings.
    - Cold Case — Season 7 (premieres Sept. 27): Obviously CBS doesn’t consider Cold Case “cold” enough to be classified. Ha. Ha. Ha. Get it?


    - Heroes — Season 4 (premieres Sept. 21): Will my eyes heal once I gauge them out?
    - Law & Order: SVU — Season 11 (premieres Sept. 25): Sorry peeps, I’m not interested.
    - Parks and Recreation – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 17): Given that the first season got funnier by the episode, I’m looking forward to this one.
    - The Office — Season 6 (premieres Sept. 17): Last season was pretty weak to say the least. I’ve heard good things about the upcoming episodes however, so cross your fingers.
    - 30 Rock — Season 4 (premieres Oct. 15): Although a great show, I still feel that it’s The Sopranos of comedy (regarding its hype).
    - Southland — Season 2 (premieres Oct. 23): The pilot didn’t really impress me (and I’m not that big on cop shows). There’s also this little Friday slot problem and the show being pushed back a month. Doesn’t show confidence…
    - Friday Night Lights — Season 4 (premieres Oct. 28 — On Direct TV): The third season was much better than its second. It also opened the show to a whole range of new possibilities. Perhaps we’ll see the beginning of a two-season arc (the show having been renewed for two more years).


    - Castle – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 21): Despite Nathan Fillion being on it, the show never really clicked with me.
    - Grey’s Anatomy — Season 6 (premieres Sept. 24): Perhaps this year the onscreen drama will be more interesting than the backstage one.
    - Desperate Housewives — Season 6 (premieres Sept. 27): The show can’t keep its 5-year leap momentum for long. I wonder how they’ll try to reinvent themselves this time around.
    - Brothers & Sisters — Season 4 (premieres Sept. 27): I stopped watching the show two seasons ago. And, speaking of…
    - Private Practice — Season 3 (premieres Oct. 1): …I gave up on this one last year.
    - Ugly Betty — Season 4 (premieres Oct. 9): I’m assuming this is most likely the last season given its great schedule placement.


    - Bones — Season 5 (premieres Sept. 17): Nothing to add here.
    - Fringe – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 17): Answers shall be given. In that parallel universe where we’re not currently residing.
    - ‘Til Death — Season 4 (premieres Sept. 18): You’re kidding me, right?
    - House M.D. — Season 6 (premieres Sept. 21): As stated last year, I dropped out after a season and a half. The one good thing about House however is that his one-liners are funnier than Caruso’s.
    - Dollhouse – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 25): The biggest surprise of last season was probably the renewal of Dollhouse. Epitaph One, despite its greatness and “bonus episode” aspect, was pretty much a game-changer that will be hard to play out organically inside the upcoming season. I wouldn’t hold my breath (again) for a third season. FOX putting it behind ‘Til Death and Brothers signals the end.
    - The Simpsons — Season 21 (premieres Sept. 27): That other show that wouldn’t die.
    - Family Guy — Season 8 (premieres Sept. 27): Their Emmy nom was so underserved. Go check out instead the early seasons of The Simpsons or, better yet, Futurama.
    - American Dad — Season 5 (premieres Sept. 27): Still average.
    - Lie to Me
    – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 28)
    : I won’t lie to you, I don’t care about this show. Even if it has Shawn Ryan as its showrunner.


    I shan’t comment since I neither watch nor care about The CW shows.

    - 90210 – Season 2 (premieres Sept. 8)
    - Supernatural — Season 5 (premieres Sept. 10)
    - One Tree Hill — Season 7 (premieres Sept. 14)
    - Gossip Girl — Season 3 (premieres Sept. 14)
    - Smallville — Season 9 (premieres Sept. 25)


    - Dexter — Season 4 (premieres Sept. 27): I’ll sum up this upcoming season in two words: John. Lithgow.
    - Californication — Season 3 (premieres Sept. 27): The move to NYC should mix things up a bit. I wonder how all of this will play out.


    - Sons of Anarchy — Season 2 (premieres Sept. 8): I’m not really interested in the show, though I’ve heard great things about it.
    - It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia — Season 5 (premieres Sept. 17): Almost a year after the fourth season’s finale are we getting this fresh batch of episodes. About time I say.
    - Nip/Tuck — Season 6 (premieres Oct. 14): Funny how the last two seasons were shot at the same time yet we won’t get a series finale until 2011…

    Whew, that was a long first part.

    There won’t be any script review tomorrow; instead you’ll have another kind of review with part deux of this wonderful list (albeit with new shows this time).


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    Post image for Cast Off

    Cast Off

    by Alex on February 27, 2009

    in News

    Lots of stuff to catch up on, like how FOX ordered another 2 seasons of The Simpsons (duh).
    The same goes for CBS and Survivor.

    Some casting news also with American Dreams’ Brittany Snow starring in the Gossip Girl spin-off set in 1980 Los Angeles. Jericho’s Shiloh Fernandez also join the cast with Breaking Bad’s Krysten Ritter.
    The backdoor pilot airs May 11.

    Speaking of CW shows, big changes over at 90210 with the departure of both showrunners Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, the new showrunner being Rebecca Rand Kirshner Sinclair.

    A few ABC, CBS, and NBC pilots also bring in some peeps.

    First ABC with Empire State adding John Adams’ David Morse and The O.C./Damages’ Michael Nouri to the cast. See Cate Run is also in business with Friday the 13th’s Ben Feldman, and Monarch of the Glen’s Lloyd Owen joins Inside the Box.

    CBS’ Washington Field will be lead by K-Ville’s Cole Hauser, and NBC’s Trauma will have Miracle at St. Anna’s Derek Luke.

    FOX’s Walorsky got put on hold due to casting problems.
    The same goes for ABC’s Planet Lucy, Funny in the Farsi, and CBS’ Confessions of a Contractor, although for them the hold was linked to unrespected contingencies.

    Everything is starting to shape up it seems…


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    Post image for Is NBC killing television?

    Yesterday’s Leno-primetime announcement shakeup led to various online articles on the subject.
    Such as an article by the co-writer of Leno’s autobiography (yes, I know that doesn’t make much sense) on “how Leno won again.“
    EW is also explaining the 101 on why NBC is doing the move.

    Still, the move is clearly a gut-punch to fellow TV writers as Shawna points out.
    Temp X has also a post up explaining how NBC is actually run by aliens.
    Don’t be fooled by their moronic attitude!

    Meanwhile, ABC is also considering merging TV divisions.

    This leads me to this shocking question:
    Is NBC killing television?

    Or rather: Are Dumb and Dumber slowly destroying original content?

    The merge-move and Leno in primetime makes perfect sense business-wise.
    After all, it cuts cost, and the show will most likely do better than what is currently on at 10PM.
    But is it a good entertainment-move?
    Me think not.
    Is NBC really going to destroy the 10PM slot because of their failed shows from this fall?
    Sure, “E.R.” will be gone soon, and so will be “L&O:SVU”. “Enemy” is out and the rest of the shows are sadly pointless.

    But stop blaming all your problems on crappy shows.
    And stop replacing said crappy shows by even worse shows!

    Making new with old is good for some stuff, but faking new with old is far from creating “new” content.

    Be original for frak’s sake!

    If everyone would pull a Zucker, and every network would simply remove dramas from the 10PM slot, original primetime content would be swallowed by clones of clones of clones of shit.

    How did CBS become number one?
    By making “The Golden Girls 2: Touched by a David Letterman”?

    No, by banking on some island-reality-show and a revolutionary procedural.
    I’m not saying find the next great cash cow or cool reality hit.
    This craze is gone.

    Don’t hang on to the past, look towards the future.
    For instance, find original stuff that can successfully make the bridge between TV and the Internet.
    Don’t just dump money on “Nude Dance Competition with Your Pets XI”.

    To be honest, The Leno Show will probably do well, but don’t think that means we want more talk-shows in primetime instead of solid drama.

    Think with your brains, not with your wallet.

    I have faith that CBS will pull out “CSI: My Ass”.
    I’m hoping though that FOX/ABC will wake the fuck up and seize this great opportunity to be the underdog; bringing alternative, groundbreaking content to this 10PM slot.

    Don’t ruin this for us, guys.
    Please.


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    CBS is clearly embracing online video content.

    After last week’s deal with YouTube, the Eye has launched today its own “social viewing rooms”.

    The “Watch & Chat” section is still in Beta.
    I just tested it with Survivor.
    For now, it seems that you cannot create your own viewing room, and only 2 are available for a given show. It probably will change when the fully fledged version of the social room is launched later this year.
    People join the room and are given the ability to chat, and also sorta interact on the video. You can throw for instance a tomato at the video, or even an Intel logo (gasp!). Think WLM winks but put on screen.
    Also throughout the episode (about one every 5 minutes) is a little quiz question about the show.
    Soon to come are polls and more interaction.

    Still, I’m not yet ready to give up my HD Survivor (or for that matter any other HD CBS show) for some basic interactive features.

    CBS is definitely trying to gain online momentum by offering somewhat original interactive options to its viewers.
    Whether or not it will succeed in bringing home a solid viewer base…
    Well, we’ll have to wait and see.

    Since we’re talking about CBS and Survivor, we must talk about Jeff Probst.
    Heard about that new show he’s trying to bring to the network?
    It’s called Live Like You’re Dying and it seems to be a “Make a Wish” for adults, on TV.
    Terminally ill patients will have the opportunity to live “the last adventure of their life”, living out their personal dream.

    As you might expect, opinions are starting to diverge on whether or not the show should exist at all, let alone be broadcast on national television for the world to be entertained by.
    I for one think it should not be put on TV.
    It’s one thing to make a foundation and help people fulfill their dreams, it’s another to put it on prime-time for entertainment value.
    Although an idea to erase that “entertainment purpo$e” side of the show would be to give all the money acquired by the ads shown during the program to a charity.

    The pilot should be shot around January (after Survivor’s 18th season’s filming is over) for a TBD air date.


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    Post image for The tribe has spoken

    The tribe has spoken

    by Alex on September 26, 2008

    in News,TV Analysis


    How awesome was last night’s 2-hour (!) Survivor Season Premiere?
    Okay, it wasn’t that great I admit. Forests and stuff suck on Survivor, but still.
    Survivor in High Def? I’m in 100%.
    HD for this show makes things so much more enjoyable.
    Even the crappy credits were great.

    The challenges seemed pretty repetitive though, and all took place on the same huge plain with hills.


    I hope they change the location once in a while because otherwise, it’s going to get real old real fast.
    Notice the Emmy-wining jogging made by Probst on the lower left corner there.

    Exile Island (why Island exactly?) has a nice new twist this year were you have a choice between Comfort (this week, an apple) or a Clue for the wherabouts of the Hidden American Immunity Idol (James!).

    I must agree with Probst on one thing. It seems that this year’s castaways are the dumbest survivors ever.
    The choices made during the team selection?
    Eliminating one of the strongest component of the team first?
    Nominating a 26-year old guy, and the one that raced selfishly ahead at the first challenge to get immunity for himself, as the team leader?
    Partying over being Number 2?
    Not finding the Idol with the easiest clue ever?
    Regretting having chosen the Clue rather than Comfort?
    Wow.

    Next week, Sugar is going to need a Kleenex according to Probst.

    I also just learned two things:
    First, Wendy and Lisa are preparing a freakin’ OST for Heroes! I love Original Soundtracks (Giacchino et McCreary ftw), and I also like a lot Heroes’ music.
    It won’t be like that crappy mix-tape that came out earlier this year, it will be real original music!
    The other news is that the first ax has been freed, therefore canceling the first show this fall. That was fast! It won’t come as a surprise to you that the network that canceled this show was…wait for it…FOX!
    Oh, and the show I’m talking about?

    Do Not Disturb.

    So much play on words one could make…


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