Have a Nice Fall! TV Preview

Now that summer is on the wane and the days are getting shorter, there's only one thing that can keep my spirits from sinking away with the sun. Yes, the Fall TV season. I still miss the days when Fall was "the" TV season and the big three (okay, only three) networks would roll out their sneak peak preview nights (for primetime and Saturday morning cartoons).

This September boasts a whopping 109 primetime premiers. So kiddies, that means its time to buckle down and learn how to program that DVR. Of course, not even a professional watcher like me can keep up with that many shows (I'm still expected to show up at work sometimes), so I've narrowed down the list to a more manageable sixteen.

September 1: Surviving Disaster (Spike)

Want to know the best way to survive a shark attack, plane crash or hostage crisis (other than never leaving your home)? A former Navy SEAL promises to take us through elaborate survival methods step-by-step to increase our chances. Of course, if he's so smart, why won't he tell us how to survive an economic meltdown?

September 9: Glee (FOX)

This show premiered all the way back in May and everyone was quick to pronounce this High School Musical derivative (macho jock and nerdy girl just have express themselves through song) an instant hit. The premier episode was very enjoyable indeed, but I have my doubts that the show will find an audience. It would have improved its chances if FOX had paired the show with American Idol, but then again, it might do very well with...

September 9: So You Think You Can Dance (FOX)

Back for its sixth season, this show takes young dancers from all over the country and really tests their adaptability and artistry. I most enjoy seeing which dancers will perform best outside of their speciality genres. And anyway, there's no way I'm going to subject myself to watching Tom Delay strut his stuff on Dancing with the Stars. My eyes! My eyes!

September 9: America's Next Top Model (CW)

There's a reason this show is the CW's best rated. When you take a houseful of starving models and force them to compete for a lucrative contract (or a sandwich), there's going to be drama. And if it seems as if this show is on 24/7, that's because it is. They're already on their 13th cycle even though they've only been on the air since 2003.

September 10: Vampire Diaries (CW)

Based on the popular series of books by L. J. Smith, Vampire Diaries is part supernatural thriller and part teenage nighttime soap (think Dawson's Creek with fangs). At the center of the story are two vampire brothers, one good and one evil. And naturally they're both fighting for the fair Elena's soul (and knickers). It looks like a well crafted and interesting show, but we'll see if this show (along with True Blood and Twilight) push us to our vampire saturation point.

September 12: Robin Hood (BBC America)

Let me start by saying, BBC America is quickly becoming my favorite network. The shows are smart, original and everyone has accents! Now I haven't seen the first season of this show, but after seeing the previews for season two I've added it to my Blockbuster list. As dark, gritty and dramatic as they come, this version of Robin Hood is equal parts political intrigue and swashbuckling adventure. And finally seeing someone give government corruption a sound thrashing is a pleasure indeed.

September 14: The Jay Leno Show (NBC)

Truth be told, I'm not a big Leno fan. He's pleasant enough, but not worth staying up past my bedtime for. But I am fascinated by NBC's grand experiment (some say folly). They've canceled all of their 10 P.M. weeknight dramas and will be showing only Jay instead. Cheaper to produce than your typical hour-long drama, the show if successful, may cannibalize the audience of their late night talk shows. And if a flop, leave them with a five-night hole to fill. I may not watch the show much, but you can bet I (and the other networks) will be paying close attention.

September 15: The Biggest Loser (NBC)

This is one of those shows that I find both inspirational and mortifying to watch. I feel great watching these people work so hard to regain the health and self esteem they've lost. I also feel bad that it has to be a competition where the weakest ones get cut from the team (takes me right back to 4th grade gym class). Maybe I wouldn't feel so bad if I didn't eat a bowl of ice cream while I watched. Maybe, but we'll never know.

September 17: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)

If you haven't caught this show, you've missed four seasons of a rude, crude, black comedy (if you like that sort of thing - and I do). Basically it's about a group of lazy losers and the other lazy losers that put up with them. The good news is, if you pull a few all nighters, you can catch up on past episodes here.

September 17: The Office (NBC)

I never miss The Office. From Pam and Jim's sweet office romance, to Michael's cringe-inducing social blunders, every episode is comedy gold. It's not a ratings powerhouse, but the show has won Emmys, Screen Actor's Guild, Golden Globe and Webby Awards. It's even been honored by the Peabody Awards. Now starting their sixth season, this is one of those rare shows where the quality of the writing and performances has stayed strong and steady over its entire run. So, you'll know where I'll be Thursday nights. Is that sad?

September 21: Big Bang Theory (CBS)

One of the few shows that could drag me over to CBS, The Big Bang theory has crackerjack writing and painfully hilarious performances. If you're a geek at heart or just love geeky humor, you'll be in good company with these nerdy characters. Besides, it's a great show to watch while you're working on your model of the Enterprise (not that I do that sort of thing...).

September 23: New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' sitcom has just gotten better with age. As her Old Christine character gets more manic and outrageous, the show gets funnier. She's been compared to Lucille Ball and that's not a bad comparison to make. A strong supporting cast lead by the arid wit of Wanda Sykes makes this my other CBS favorite. I keep wishing they'd build a strong night of comedy around this show (start by keeping it with Big Bang and How I Met Your Mother), but do they listen? Nooooo.

September 23: Cougartown (ABC)

Courtney Cox returns to network television with this stupidly named, but promising sitcom about a 40-something mother returning to the singles game. The preview I watched made it look pretty fun and it's nice to see a show starring a woman over 25, but I think the title alone is going to get people rolling their eyes. Well, I'm going to give it a chance. You can check out the preview here and let me know if you think this cougar will stay or just get spayed.

September 27: FOX's Sunday Night Animation Domination

FOX welcomes its new Family Guy spinoff, The Cleveland Show to its Sunday night animation lineup. Since Cleveland is one of Family Guy's drier and more underused characters, I'm curious to see where this is going to go. It joins The Family Guy in its eighth season and The Simpsons in its 21st (yikes I'm old) season. Ready for a blast from the past? Check out the very first Simpsons shorts from the 1989 Tracey Ullman Show where they got their start.

Did I miss any new shows that you want to recommend to me and my other readers? Leave a comment and let us know.

Summer TV Heats Up

With 54 new and returning shows premiering in August, there's bound to be something to keep you entertained on those nights when it's just to hot to sleep. This is especially true if you're a fan of reality series. A few new shows sound particularly hopeful, while returning favorites are a welcome respite after the summer's entertainment dry spell.

Below are the ten shows I'm most looking forward to checking out, but if you want to see a list and description of all 54 shows, I've included a link at the end of the article.

August 4th: Addicted to Beauty (Oxygen)

This show looks as shallow, vapid and repulsive as its cast of Medi-Spa employees with their botox-laden foreheads, trout-pout lips and ability to create drama from the utterly mundane. In short, it's destined to be the kind of hideous train wreck of self absorption that you can't stand to watch but can't bear to turn away from.

August 6th: Police Women of Broward County (TLC)

This 10-part docudrama series follows a group of four florida police women as they face gang busts, car chases and undercover sting operations, but the drama doesn't stop at the end of the shift. After years of watching strong women law enforcement officers on Cops, this show may not shine a new light on womankind, but it's got to be an improvement on The Real Housewives of dot-dot-dot.

August 7th: Monk (USA)

Now in its 8th and final season, this show is formulaic with a capital "f." But that hardly matters when you have a show this consistently entertaining due to the charming performance by Tony Shalhoub. That's why he's been nominated for an Emmy Award seven years in a row. Besides, I'm old enough now that I can admit that I like a nice little murder mystery. Monk is my generation's Matlock.

August 9th: Comedy Central Roast: Joan Rivers (Comedy Central)

Not for those with tender ears, these Comedy Central Roasts are bleep-riddled cavalcades of smut and depravity. And they are not to be missed. This year, Queen of the D-List, Kathy Griffin is roast master general for comedy legend and plastic surgery pioneer Joan Rivers.

August 9th: America's Best Dance Crew (MTV)

If you've watched America's Got Talent only to be convinced "no, it does not," you really need to watch America's Best Dance Crew. Now in its 4th season, this show boasts the most amazing live performances by young urban dance groups you'll ever see. Their acrobatic flips, turns and faultless timing will have you gasping and cheering. Even better, it'll make you believe that yes, America does so have talent (just on a different show).

August 16: Mad Men (AMC)

Now, I've never really gotten into this show myself, but I know enough people that sing its praises that I can safely recommend it. Oh, and it did snag another 16 Emmy nominations this year. Including Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor and Outstanding Lead Actress. So, its pretty safe to say that if I ever gave this show a real chance I'd probably decide that it's... outstanding.

August 17: Flipping Out (Bravo)

The star of this reality series isn't just tortured by his obsessive-compulsive behavior. He make sure everyone around him is tortured by it. And while its sometimes painful to watch this professional house flipper flip out over the littlest thing (like how much ice is in his soda), I can't deny that the homes he remodels are works of art. And I am curious to see what he's going to do now that the housing market is kaput.

August 20: Project Runway (Lifetime)

This is the premier I've been waiting all year for! The 6th season of this show was tied up in courts for over a year while Bravo and Lifetime fought for the rights to air the new season (Lifetime won and Bravo retaliated with the lukewarm rehash Fashion Show). This year they've moved the Project Runway from New York to Los Angeles which should bring a different flavor to the challenges and the fashions. The question is, with a location change, network change and after sitting on the shelf for over a year, will there still be an audience? I'll let you know.

August 23rd: What Would Brian Boitano Make? (Food Network)

Olympic gold medal figure skater (and South Park punch line) Brian Boitano is a surprisingly fun and easygoing cooking show host. He plans meals and parties for family and friends and gets tips and lessons from moms, chefs and even the Internet. This show puts Brian's showmanship to good use and the Internet sneak peeks illustrate that even a serious meal should include a hearty helping of fun.

August 26: Top Chef (Bravo)

So this season we have two chefs from my own hometown of Seattle competing against chefs from L.A., New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia and even France. This show is the most serious and challenging of the cooking competition shows, but this year I'll really be watching to see how my home girls do.

So not a bad bunch of shows to premier a month before the "real" season begins in Fall. Let me know if any of these shows strike your fancy (or just chill you to the bone). If there's a show you think I should check out, be sure to let me know in the comments section. And be sure to check back for my picks of the upcoming Fall TV Season soon.

Complete List of August Premiers

Emmy Noms and Bombs

As a dyed in the wool videophile, it pains me to admit that I always bomb at guessing who's going to win at the Emmy Awards. The terminal flaw in my precognitive skills seems to be that I always pick who I want to win, not who I think the academy will choose.

So this year I'm going to try something different and I'm going to include both picks. This way I might (might) just get a few right. Mind you, my picks will be from my favorite categories, so you'll have to argue amongst yourselves who'll win the Best Actor Emmy in a Dramatic Series (they're all downers as far as I'm concerned).

Dramatic Series: The show that I want to win is ABC's "LOST." This show is a twisting, turning, maddening mind trip. It eschews the usual formulas you typically find in dramatic series and really tries (and succeeds) to take us places we've never been before. The show that I think will win is AMC's "Breaking Bad." It's got drugs, cancer, violence and (very dark) humor. Personally, I find this show too painful to watch, but I suspect Academy voters can't get enough of it (last year it received four nominations and won two).

Comedy Series: The show I would really love to see win year is HBOs "Flight of the Conchords." This is the fictionalized story of a real comic-rock duo and their attempt to make it big in New York. These guys are the epitome of lovable losers, but their imaginative and hilarious songs shine an pleasurably painful beam on their (and our) human weaknesses. Of course, I think the Academy will choose NBC's "30 Rock" and I can't really blame them. It's leading this year with a whopping 22 nominations and it did (deservedly) win Best Comedy Series last year. This is the show that made NBCs Thursday night "must see TV" again, so I can't feel bad if they're rewarded for it.

Supporting Actor: My pick is Michael Emerson from ABC's "LOST." He plays the role of Benjamin Linus. And let me just say that after watching this character, and this actor's performance for three years, I still can't decide whether he's a good guy or a bad guy. If that's not Emmy-worthy, I don't know what is. However, I think the Academy just might choose William Shatner for his third win in this category. His characterization of Denny Crane on ABC's "Boston Legal" is truly riveting. And since the show is no longer on the air, this is their last chance to reward it.

Actor, Comedy Series: Oh please, let it be Jim Parsons from CBS's "Big Bang Theory." He plays Sheldon the "king of the nerds" on this hilarious show by the creators of the unwatchable 2-1/2 Men (I know, I know, people love that show, I just can't figure out why). "Big Bang Theory" makes up precisely 33% of all the shows I watch on CBS, so that's gotta count for something. That said, I think they're going to give it to Alec Baldwin of NBC's "30 Rock." And he deserves it. His razor sharp delivery is the icing on an already stellar cast.

Actress, Comedy Series: I have a tie here. I can't decide between Juia Louis-Dreyfus for CBS' "New Adventures of Old Christine" or Christina Applegate of ABC's "Samantha Who." On one hand, Julia carries that entire show with masterful skill and with hilarious results. On the other hand, Christina's "Samantha" was a refreshingly nice show about a bad girl trying to rebuild her life the right way - and she was canceled before her time. On the other-other hand, Tina Fey is going to win for "30 Rock," so my indecision is doesn't matter a fig.

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Now this time, I want a "30 Rock" actor to win. I think Tracy Morgan's maniacally self-absorbed performance is sheer genius. The more I watch him, the more I love him. Of course, I won't mind when the academy gives the award to Neil Patrick Harris for his role on CBS' "How I Met Your Mother." After all, he is hosting the Emmy Awards this year, and if they don't give it to him, he might just end the show there.

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: My pick for this category is Kristin Chenoweth for "Pushing Daisies" on ABC. She plays the love-lorn Olive Snook. One of the best parts about having this Broadway star on show show was that she'd occasionally break into glorious song. And again, this show was killed before its time so I hope the Academy shows ABC the error of its ways. But... no surprise here, I think they'll give it to Jane Krakowski of 30 Rock. Yeah, yeah, she's awesome. The cast is awesome. The show is awesome. I guess that's why I think the Academy is going to reward them with all the Emmys.

Okay, those are my picks. Who do you wish would win - and who do you think is going to win. And which show would you like to give a shout out to? You can school me in the comment section below.

The 61 Emmy Awards will air live on September 20th. See the complete List Of Emmy Nominations here.

The End of TV's Summer Dry Spell

Lets face it. With very few exceptions, Summer is a television wasteland. I guess they think we're supposed to go outside or something. As if.

Not that Summer was a complete loss. Fox's one episode of Glee and ABC's (balls ahoy!) Wipeout are great, but not nearly enough to hold me over until the Fall season begins. Well, we can all be thankful that the summer's heat is driving us back inside just in time for the networks to premier a whole slate of summer shows for us.

As a matter of fact, there are 29 shows premiering this month. But even yours truly can't manage to watch 29 new shows this month (I do have a life, you know), so here's my pick for the most promising new shows and returning favorites for July.

July 12: Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime)

A "spirtited" comedy about ditzy model who returns to earth to inhabit the body of a plus-sized attorney. Starring Brooke Elliott and co-starring the super snarky Margaret Cho as her loyal assistant (Cho's the real reason I'll be checking this show out).

July 15: Michael and Michael Have Issues (Comedy Central)

Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black (both of the hilarious but short-lived series Stella) combine ironic commentary and comedy sketches on pop culture and hot-button topics. These guys are dark and dry and can't keep a show on the air - so check them out while you can.

July 19: Ace of Cakes (Food Network)

It's season seven (can you believe it?) for Chef Duff and his quirky troupe of cake decorators. This reality series follows the crew each week as they create the most amazing custom cakes you've ever seen. Yes, it's food porn - but with a plot.

July 19: HGTVs Design Star (HGTV)

What makes this design competition so entertaining is watching the the competitors take identical rooms and challenges and seeing the totally different vignettes they create. Oh yeah, and the super bitchy melt-downs.

July 21: Hell's Kitchen (Fox)

British chef Gordon Ramsey turns up the heat on his already hot temper and foul mouth to forge a winning chef. This show is at its best when Chef Ramsey loses it and just rips these (often arrogant) wannabe chefs a new pie hole.

August 9: Joan Rivers Celebrity Roast (Comedy Central)

The queen of the D-List, Kathy Griffin hosts the Comedy Central roast of comic legend and plastic-surgery addict Joan Rivers. If you haven't seen these roasts yet, be warned, the roasters are filthy, ruthless and balls-out hilarious.

Check back soon for the upcoming August premiers. And if there's a new show premiering you think I should check out, be sure to leave a comment below.

Cancelation is Hereby Canceled

Thanks to our fascination with movies, TV and all things celebrity-related, most of us know how the TV production process works. Based a strong pitch or pilot episode, a network agrees to buy a certain number of episodes which they promote, air and sell commercial time for. And as is often the case, a show can have a rabid fan base and be a critics darling, but if it doesn't stack up in the ratings (the measurement used to show viewership and decide how much commercial time costs) it's canceled by the network and disappears forever. Or does it? 

Syndication often brings new life and invigorated audiences to canceled shows. That's precisely how Star Trek evolved from a poorly rated TV sci-fi series to 11 motion pictures, 5 new televisions shows (including a Saturday morning cartoon) thousands of books, magazines and comics. Now the combination of reruns and DVD sales are showing networks that "cult classics" can deliver an audience given time and exposure.

Family Guy was the first series to have been given a second life based on DVD sales. FOX first canceled the poorly rated series in 2000. It brought it back briefly only to cancel it again in 2002. Then it was given a third life in 2005. Now with new episodes airing on FOX, syndicated runs on multiple networks and DVD sales, the show that could not find an audience won't go away.

Futurama was Matt Groening's follow up to his hit, The Simpsons. But due to FOX's penchant for pre-emting the show, moving it in the schedule and airing new episodes erratically, its ratings dropped from 19 million viewers to 6.5 over three years. Is there a lesson to be learned here? Not by any network I know. Presciently, Groening began shopping the series around before FOX finally dropped the ax. In 2002 the episodes were picked up by Cartoon Network for it's late night Adult Swim program block.  In 2005 Comedy Central boldly purchased the syndication rights to the series to begin running after Cartoon Networks contract expired in 2008. They also began producing three straight to DVD films. Now Comedy Central has announced that it has purchased 26 new episodes of Futurama to begin airing in 2010. Now that's what I call network support!

So, the next time your favorite critically acclaimed ratings victim gets canceled (you hear me Pushing Daisies and Samantha Who?) just keep your hopes high and your eyes open. Because these days, cancelation does not necessarily mean the end.

Insider's Look at the Emmy Awards

Get a special behind-the-scenes look at the 46th Annual Northwest Emmy Awards. Join me on the red carpet, on the stage and behind the scenes as Jones Advertising attends the glittering event. How tongue-tied did I get on stage? See for yourself in the latest episode of Watch It! TV. 

Sure It's A Hit. But Is It Star Trek?

Anyone who's known me for more than five minutes knows that I'm a big Star Trek fan. Truth be told, my devotion to the sci-fi classic isn't just overblown, it's downright Shatneresque. 

So when my friends heard that there was a new Star Trek movie coming out they asked, was I excited to see it? Did I think it was going to be good? Was I going to be first in line? I didn't know how to answer any of these questions because frankly, I was scared. And I had plenty of reasons.

I had heard rumors that director J.J. Abrams was not a Star Trek fan, was not following established canon and was intending to update the movie for a wider audience (meaning 13 year old boys). Great. So he was planning to "fix" my all-time favorite show the same way like-minded directors fixed other cult classics like Lost In Space, Wild Wild West, Bewitched, The Avengers and of course, Transformers. Now I know, the Transformers movie was a huge hit and made a ka-jillion dollars. That doesn't mean it wasn't a steaming pile of crap characters, tired plot-points and blurry computer graphics (and I'm trying to be nice here).

I stalled almost two weeks after Star Trek came out before seeing it. In that time I read every review, grilled friends and scanned the message boards (yes, I visit Star Trek message boards - I'm not proud). Finally, I was ready to see it for myself. And... hey Mikey, I liked it! But is it Star Trek? Well, maybe not exactly, but J.J. came pretty darn close.

**Spoilers follow**

The first thing they did right was to create an alternate timeline. Me (and my fellow nerds) know James T. Kirk and crew inside and out. We've devoured TV, movies, books, comics and cartoons. We know their past, their future, their favorite foods and tastes in women. Creating a new timeline allows for a Star Trek that's both familiar and new at the same time.

They also did a good job selecting and directing the actors. Most of them look enough like the original actors to satisfy true fans. But more importantly they all understood and conveyed the spirit of the characters. 

Best of all, J.J. remembered that Star Trek isn't about space. It's about the human condition (as viewed from space). The story (like all good Star Trek) uses external crises to force our characters to confront their own internal conflicts and flaws.

One thing J.J. didn't seem to understand is that Kirk and Spock aren't a duo and McCoy shouldn't be demoted to irascible sidekick. The three men are parts of a greater whole. Kirk's courage and determination need Spock's logical mind and McCoy's deep feelings to function as a commander. (J.J., you use OZ reference all the time. Courage-heart-brain, get it?). McCoy had some nice character moments in the movie, but I don't think he served his character's true purpose.

The only other negative I feel worth mentioning is the Enterprise. The exterior was okay (yes, just okay), but the bridge looked an overly-lit hair salon and the engineering deck looked like a crummy old factory (which is exactly where they filmed it). 

Okay, one other thing. J.J., can you back off on the lens flares a little? It's one thing to give a movie a distinctive look, but not every scene needs to have bands of light splitting them in two.

See? That wasn't so bad. All in all a good film adaptation of a beloved TV classic. And let's face it. Even if it had stunk I'd still buy a ticket, a DVD, a Blu-Ray copy, pick up the comics, magazine and see the sequels. After all, I'm just your average nit-picking, detail-obsessed, line-quoting lunatic... in other words, a Star Trek fan.

What did you think? Did J.J. and crew make the best Trek ever or did he miss the target? Leave a comment and let me know.