Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2009 > February
February 2009
This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
‘Brothers & Sisters,’ 8 p.m. on ABC — In a two-hour episode, the Walker family has a baby and a near-death (or possibly actual death) experience. Photos on the Web site indicate Kitty’s husband, Sen. Robert McCallister, is felled by something. Heart attack? Assassin’s bullet? We know not.
‘Flight of the Conchords,’ 9 p.m. on HBO — Bret and Jemaine just keep getting funnier. The lads encounter the prime minister of New Zealand, and then Jemaine gets mixed up with an Art Garfunkel fanatic.
Monday
‘24,’ 7 p.m. on Fox — It’s two hours instead of one this night, so set your DVRs accordingly. Dubaku’s schemes look mild compared with the plans of Dubaku’s boss, General Juma. Agent Bauer and Agent Walker continue their high-wire act, teetering between love and loathing. Maybe we’ll learn the fate of President Taylor’s husband.
“Bachelor: Season Finale,” 7 p.m. on ABC — If you’re a fan of this show, this is the big reveal.
‘Rules of Engagement,’ 8:30 p.m. on CBS — If you liked this relationship sitcom before it was canceled last season, maybe you’ll like the spring’s revival. In the second season opener, Audrey promises not to divulge Russell’s secret love of Broadway musicals in exchange for free theater tickets.
Tuesday
‘American Idol,’ 7 p.m. on Fox — Austin’s Kendall Beard performs in tonight’s third group of 12 finalists. If she makes it, she’ll be in the top nine performers. And even if she doesn’t, she could have a shot at a spot in the Top 12 when the wild card “sing-off” takes place next week.
‘My Music: My Generation, The ’60s,’ 8:30 p.m. on PBS — Baby boomer alert. Relive your glory days of free love and fast music with a romp through the folk rock, rhythm and blues and pop hits from 1965 to ’69.
Wednesday
‘MonsterQuest,’ 8 p.m. on History Channel — If you haven’t discovered this creepy series, it’s time you did. Everybody needs a little ick and ew in their lives, right? Tonight, an urban legend came true during the 1930s when New York City workers find swarms of alligators living beneath the busy streets. Now modern herpetologists and explorers search for alligators in the sewers of New York.
‘Make Me a Supermodel,’ 9 p.m. on Bravo — The new batch of sweet (and sour) 16 aspiring models come to compete for the supermodel crown in New York. Hunky Tyson Beckford hosts.
Thursday
‘Ugly Betty,’ 7 p.m. on ABC — This usually charming little saga has been up and down this season, but it seems to be getting back on track. Betty isn’t as pathetic as she was, and Wilhelmina has re-sharpened her well-manicured claws. Plus, the romance between Betty’s father and his new girlfriend plays well.
‘CSI,’ 8 p.m. on CBS — William Petersen’s departure wasn’t fatal to this long-running crime show. In fact, it got a boost when Laurence Fishburne joined the cast as Dr. Raymond Langston. In this episode, Nick (George Eads) weaves together three murder cases that took place separately at a motel during one year.
Friday
‘20/20,’ 8 p.m. on ABC — Entertainers Siegfried and Roy perform at a charity gala and talk about their career and Roy’s recovery after that near-fatal tiger attack. The attack was caught on tape, but we hope it’s not replayed.
‘21 Sexiest Beach Bars,’ 8 p.m. on Travel — Getting ready for spring break? If so, check out this hour, which gallops through beachside watering holes around the world that cater to the hot-to-trot set.
Saturday
‘Dumb & Dumber,’ 8:30 p.m. on TBS — It’s the movie that launched a thousand seriously stupid flicks, but if you need to wind up the week with mindless fun, this might do the trick. Jim Carry and Jeff Daniels star as a couple of idiots chasing a girl across the country.
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Austin TV stations to share news video
Austin’s local TV stations are jumping into pool coverage. It’s a sign of the sagging economy in general and the state of TV news and journalism in particular.
Early this week, news seeped out of KXAN that the NBC station would soon begin sharing video of standard events such as news conferences with Fox-owned KTBC. By the middle of the week, all five local stations, including News 8 Austin, were on board for pool coverage.
An invitation has been extended to Univision’s KAKW, but the station hasn’t officially signed on yet.
The group, including Univision, will meet next Wednesday to finalize the plan and iron out details.
“We all have limited resources, so it comes down to choice. Do you cover this or that?” said Frank Volpicella, news director of KVUE. “This arrangement allows us to cover more and to cover enterprise journalism, stories that are unique for our viewers. It’s not a big cost savings for us. The big value is we’ll be able to get more video.”
In the early going, the partnership will apply to daytime weekdays only. News directors and assignment editors will agree on an event to be covered and shared, and a photographer from one station will be sent to cover it. The pool shots will then be distributed to all the stations, and each newscast would write and air its own stories. Occasionally stations might send their own reporters to the event covered by the pool photographer.
Sharing news video is not unheard of in Austin. Stations have pooled coverage of trials from time to time. Other TV markets around the country have been doing it for years, as have network news divisions. Pool coverage of political conventions, speeches and press conferences is standard operating procedure these days.
But this is the first time all of our competing local news operations have joined hands in an official capacity.
“We’re all competitive, but there was a deep sense of camaraderie and respect that we all have,” Volpicella said. “We all are faced with choices, and there are lot of news conferences in this town, especially during the legislature, that happen at the same time or within a half-hour of each other. We can’t be everywhere at once.”
Not everyone champions this idea. Jim McNabb, former Austin TV news reporter, producer and manager, believes pool coverage can be a slippery slope leading to further homogenization of the news.
“If all the local media are reporting from the same stuff, I believe that the consumer/user/viewer of broadcast journalism may be losing something of great value,” McNabb said in his NewsMcNabb blog. “I do have faith in some of the journalists in this market who will ensure that the important work of (getting) information to the audience is being done. Some, however, may be lazy. Some stations may simply take the rote sound bites of the day to fill the news hole.”
“Idol” does the right thing
Nick Mitchell, the weird dude with the nerdy alter- ego, got what he deserved on last night’s “American Idol” results show. He got bumped.
Voted through the the Top 12 were Allison Iraheta, 16; Kris Allen, 23; and Adam Lambert, 26.
Mitchell, you may recall, is the strange guy with the alter-ego Norman Gentle. We didn’t like him one bit. He made our skin crawl, and he took up valuable space on the show.
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Dump Nick from “Idol” … please! And Seinfeld gets real
If Nick Mitchell, the weird dude with the nerdy alter-ego, makes it through to the next round on “American Idol” tonight (at 7 on Fox) , I’m going to scream. Loudly.
Then I’m going to do a lot of ear-plugging, eye-covering and la-la-la-ing to get through the next round.
This guy is just plain strange, no matter what kind of spin you put on it. Prancing around with his headband, shorts and humongous glasses, he belted out something from “Dreamgirls,” but it wasn’t what anyone would call a singing performance.
I know these jokesters are kept around for comic relief. And sometimes viewers vote for them to mess with the credibility of the competition. How else to explain Sanjaya?
But Nick “Norman Gentle” Mitchell is taking up valuable space in the top spots now, and he’s got to go.
On tonight’s results show, three will be chosen to move on … and the only one I’d put money on to make the cut is 16-year-old belter Allison Iraheta. She’s awesome.
Seinfeld gets real
This is what happens when you wrap up one of TV’s all-time iconic comedies at an early age.
Jerry Seinfeld is heading back to NBC with something different, to avoid comparisons with the classic. But could it ruin his reputation?
The new unscripted show for NBC is titled ‘The Marriage Ref,” and it plans to have comedians and other funny-minded celebrities listen to grumpy couples explain their gripes about their spouses and decide which side is right. No premiere date yet.
Seinfeld, now 55, has been married for almost a decade and apparently thinks this will be hilarious. I have my doubts.
Since “Seinfeld” ended its heralded run in 1998, the star has done standup, guested on “30 Rock” and made the big flop-of-a-flick “Bee Movie.”
“Seinfeld” left him filthy rich, so he doesn’t have to work. Maybe he’s just bored.
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Andy Richter joins Conan on “Tonight,” The CW picks early renewals
When Conan O’Brien takes over NBC’s “Tonight Show” in June, Andy Richter, his former sidekick on “Late Night,” will be with him.
Andy won’t be perched in the chair next to Conan, but he will be seen in sketches and other comedy bits. And he’ll be the show’s official announcer.
It’s hard to imagine we won’t see quite a bit of O’Brien and Richter together. Richter was the guest on O’Brien’s final “Late Night” show last weekend, and the two men have definite comic chemistry.
After leaving “Late Night” in 2000, Richter tried to launch a solo career in sitcoms, including “Andy Richter Controls the Universe,” “Quintuplets” and “Andy Barker, P.I.” None of them clicked, so he went on to do a string of guest shots on other series and appeared in a few movies.
But he’s been itching to return to TV in the role that suits him best: sidekick.
CW renews series early
The CW is crafting its fall schedule ahead of schedule, renewing a half a dozen of its most buzz-worthy shows. “Supernatural,” “Smallville,” “One Tree Hill,” “Gossip Girl,” “90210” and “America’s Next Top Model” have been given the go-ahead.
Spinoffs of “Melrose Place” and “Gossip Girl” also will likely join the CW’s fall schedule.
The broadcast networks traditionally announce their falls series in May.
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KXAN’s Chris Willis back on the air soon
Next week, KXAN’s morning news team will be back together — at long last.
At various times over the past couple of months, anchors Chris Willis and Sally Hernandez have been (a) on medical leave or (b) vacation. Both are fine now and plan to reunite just in time for the March sweeps.
Readers/viewers have been concerned, especially because Willis has been missing for so long. Good reason: He recently had the second of two hip replacements. Gulp. We feel for him.
“I’ve been trying to respond to the viewer e-mails through my KXAN account, but because I’m recovering at home and out of the office, it’s been kinda tough,” Willis wrote today. “I had my second hip replacement surgery on the 28th of January. My first one was a year earlier. Years of sports and degenerative arthritis finally caught-up with me.
“I’m planning on returning to work (on the air) next Tuesday. Poor Sally has had to carry the load by herself. And David Scott has been great this week, filling in for Sally while she was on vacation. Feel free to update your readers. I’m chomping at the bit to get back at it. Believe me … I’ve got two boys, ages 3 and 14 months, so I need to get back to work so I can get some rest!”
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Must-see Obama on TV again tonight, Oscars rebound a little
President Obama may turn out to be the most televised commander-in-chief ever.
Prime-time primary debates, campaign speeches, four-day inauguration coverage, prime-time press conferences and now a prime-time address to the joint houses of Congress. He’s everywhere.
Tonight at 8, President Obama will try to lift America’s spirits with hope for economic recovery and make his case to senators and representatives for even more legislative action.
All of the broadcast and cable news networks are carrying the speech live, followed by lots and lots of talking-head analysis.
Among the broadcast networks, only NBC plans to cover the speech and then immediately switch back to “regularly scheduled progarmming.” The others all plan extensive opining.
And much more Obama TV is coming.
The new administration has announced plans for regularly televised press conferences, although the networks may not be willing to turn over chunks of prime time every time after the newness wears off.
But the Obama president with the gift for oratory likely will be much more of a must-see president than we’ve ever had.
Oscars rebound … but not much
Preliminary Nielsen ratings for Sunday’s Academy Awards on ABC show that ratings have ticked up a little from last year’s historic low.
ABC averaged a 16.9 rating/26 share in prime time, which is up about 9 percent from last year’s 15.5/24. More accurate, full national ratings will be available later today.
Fox was second for the night, with NASCAR coverage. CBS came in third, followed by NBC and the CW.
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Speedy Oscars spark highs & lows
All things considered, Hugh Jackman did a fine job hosting the Academy Awards last night.
His opening number wasn’t exactly Billy Crystal quality, but the little duet with Ann Hathaway was a nice surprise. Enthusiasm and charm carried Jackman through most of the bumpy spots.
The pace of the Oscars was definitely swifter than usual. That’s always a plus. Anything under four hours is considered brisk by Oscar standards. This year’s festivities wrapped up before 11 p.m. (CT), which means East Coasters could actually go to bed Sunday night rather than Monday morning.
The “Slumdog Millionaire” tidal wave was evident from the get-go, and seeing all those ecstatic, fresh faces bound up to the stage just never got old.
When Jennifer Aniston and Jack Black stumbled through their presentation of the animation awards, the camera operator gave us what we had hoped for — shots of Brad and Angelina watching her from the first row. Did Aniston actually grin and wink at Brangelina? It appeared so. And Angelina definitely smiled big right back.
Ben Stiller mimicking Joaquin Phoenix’s bizarre appearance on David Letterman was guffaw-producing in my house. But I got the creepy feeling that not everybody in the Kodak Theater knew what Stiller was doing.
The biggest technical collapse of the evening centered on the in-theater big screen above the stage. The studio audience obviously could see the screen, flashing things like the in memoriam tributes, but the images should have been telecast separately to the home audience. Shooting a video image of a video image never works out.
The goal in streamlining the show and adding performances by people like Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens was to lure younger viewers — and, in fact, to lure a lot more viewers than last year’s lowest-rated ceremony.
We won’t know the national ratings for a day or so, but maybe with the economy tanking and more people home doing free stuff, Oscar will get a boost.
KXAN’s digital signal cracks up
Ticked off viewers inundated NBC station KXAN over the weekend when the signal began freezing, pixilating and generally driving people crazy.
Initially KXAN’s chief engineer Mark Dunham and his techno gang thought the problem only affected satellite customers. But then they saw the cracked picture on their station monitors. They believe a piece of equipment failed, and they believe it is now fixed.
The station sent the following e-mail to those who had contacted the station:
Viewers,
We have isolated the problem causing the recent signal issues with KXAN-DT. Please e-mail us back if these problems persist.
Some HD TV’s and converter boxes will drop a digital channel if it detects problems momentarily, so if you still cannot see 36.1 please re-scan for the digital channels and we will return. Also, we will be replacing a piece of equipment today as a permanent fix to last week’s problem and that will cause another short interruption today.
Mark Dunham, Chief Engineer KXAN Austin News
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“The 81st Academy Awards,” 7:30 p.m. on ABC — The ceremony is just the tip of the all-day, groaning iceberg. E! has fashion and celebrity stuff from 1 p.m until 7 p.m. And ABC has a half-hour “red carpet” show at 7 p.m., leading into the awards. But if you don’t want to overdose on Oscar, just tune in at 7:30 when host Hugh Jackman opens the show.
Monday
“A Class Apart,” 8 p.m. on PBS — “American Experience” presents this hour-long documentary about the landmark Hernandez vs. Texas civil rights case that challenged discrimination against Mexican-Americans.
“Fashion Police: The 2009 Academy Awards,” 9 p.m. on E! — Many of the top-notch celebs race into the Academy Awards at the last minute, bypassing all the red-carpet oglers. This snarky review of Sunday night’s Oscar fashions celebrates the highlights and disasters.
Tuesday
“State of the Union,” 8 p.m. on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, MSNBC — President Obama, who has spent the past month juggling the economic crisis and about a dozen other pressing issues, goes before the joint houses of Congress tonight to deliver a status report … and possibly a pep talk.
“Nip/Tuck,” 9 p.m. on FX — If you haven’t caught your favorite plastic-surgery drama in a while, here’s where we are: Christian is still battling breast cancer and preparing for the worst, and Liz is preparing for a wedding.
Wednesday
“Criminal Minds,” 8 p.m. on CBS — Anyone who enjoys gruesome crime shows already knows about this one. Each week the writers try to top themselves with revolting murders and torture. Even cannibalism comes and goes. Tonight the FBI profilers hunt for a female serial killer who has been taking down powerful executives.
“When Weather Changed History,” 8 p.m. on The Weather Channel — OK, weather nerds, this one’s for you. And it’s pretty darn spectacular. “Super Outbreak” chronicles a 24-hour period in April 1974 when a toxic mix of hot and cold air in the South and Midwest spawned 148 tornadoes.
Thursday
“Kath & Kim,” 7:30 p.m. on NBC — My twentysomething son and his girlfriend talked me into giving this comedy another shot. I hated the pilot, but shows have been known to evolve, for better and for worse. The kids were right! The wacky mother-daughter duo are both ridiculous and hilarious.
“Docubloggers,” 7:30 p.m. on PBS — KLRU’s original series that turns over programming to local video and filmmakers tonight features a “Best of …” episode about the “wiener dog races” in Buda. Short legs, floppy ears, can’t lose.
Friday
“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” 7 p.m. on Fox — Trying to keep up with this show, in the unhappy early-hour time slot on Fridays, is a challenge. But sometimes it’s worth the effort. Tonight Sarah tries to deal with a serious nightmare problem. She’s haunted, pure and simple, so she enters a clinic where even stranger things happen. Is Skynet using the clinic for brain-mapping?
Saturday
“Finding Neverland,” 7 p.m. on Oxygen — Looking for a good movie to watch at home? This is it. Johnny Depp is masterful as writer J.M. Barrie, the British author who penned “Peter Pan.” Kate Winslet plays the object of his affection, with Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman rounding out the superb cast.
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Oscar overkill arrives Sunday … Time Warner kills TV Guide
It’s time for Oscar over-kill.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the Oscars. I’ve been watching them since I was about 4. My grandmother used to let me play dress-up in her hats and big fake jewelry so I could pretend to attend the ceremony. She even had a red bath mat for me to walk on while she took flashbulb photos.
Over the years I’ve kept up both the enthusiasm and the habit of watching the increasingly bloated TV coverage.
But who in their right mind is going to tune into E’s six-hour pre-ceremony show Sunday afternoon from 1 to 7 p.m.? It’s gotten as over-the-top as the Super Bowl — with even less reason to do so.
Here’s my semi-sane plan this year for the Academy Awards:
Tune in at 7 p.m. for just a little red-carpet coverage on ABC. If I’m reading the network’s press material right, we won’t have to slog through Samantha Harris and Billy Bush this time. Instead, we’ll have the subdued, fashion-savvy Tim Gunn (“Project Runway”) to ogle the celebrities. He’ll be paired with the always appropriate Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America.”
When the awards get underway at 7:30 p.m., host Hugh Jackman should provide amusing entertainment. He sings, he dances, he quips. And he’s a cute Aussie. What’s not to like? Maybe he’ll even succeed in moving things along.
But probably not. We can expect the show to lumber well past 10 p.m. — and more likely closer to 11 p.m. It’s too much, but it’s a tradition that millions of people look forward to, so just relax and enjoy.
Where’s the TV Guide Channel?
As many Time Warner customers have noticed, TV Guide Channel is gone. The cable company dropped it recently from Cable Channel 7 and informs viewers who click to the channel that listings are available through T-W’s on-screen and online guide.
“We are continually evaluating our programming and making changes based on the interest of our customers,” said Central Texas Time Warner exec Stacy Schmitt. “Our customers are continuing to ask for more HD channels, and dropping this channel allows us to add more HD. We did launch Bravo HD, Sci-Fi HD, USA HD, and CNBC HD on Monday.”
So that’s the explanation. Any of you TV Guide fans OK with this?
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A good first trio of winners on “Idol”
Two out of three — not bad, right?
Last night’s “American Idol” results show revealed the three top vote-getters who will advance to the Final 12. I predicted soulful Alexis Grace would make it, along with the fabulously talented (and high-fashion bespectacled) Danny Gokey.
I also thought raspy-voiced Jackie Tohn would make it, but that didn’t happen. Taking the third place was the roughneck from Jasper, Michael Sarver.
Next week another dozen will perform, and three more will be picked. Austin’s Kendall Beard is scheduled to perform in the final group, two weeks from now.
The nine castoffs from last night may not be gone for good. After the nine top vote-getters are chosen, the also-rans will get a chance to fill the final three spots in what Fox is describing as a “wild card round” on March 5.
Does that mean the perpetually sobbing Tatiana Del Toro could resurface?
Technically yes, but she probably didn’t do herself any favors last night when she dissolved into tears and never even congratulated the trio who got good news. Bad sport, annoying drama queen … not a good combo.
Anoop Desai, on the other hand, could correct his spotty performance and, with his winning personality, return to shine again. Let’s hope so.
For those of you already sick of hearing about “Idol,” I promise not to continue weekly obsessions in this blog. I just thought it would be fun to assess the new selection plans and see how the show handled them.
So far, so good. Lots of superb talent in Season 8, and the quartet of judges has blended together nicely — so far.
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Top 3 “Idol” vote-getters revealed tonight
Voting results are revealed on tonight’s “American Idol” (7 p.m. on Fox) in the new and confused roll-out of Top 12 finalists.
The first dozen of three groups in the Top 36 performed last night. Three top vote-getters will be unveiled tonight.
The next two groups of a dozen will perform over the next two weeks, and then there will be some sort of “sing-off” among the leftovers to determine another final three contenders.
Thus the Final 12. Got that? I know, it’s weird, but presumably after tonight, it will be more clear. Or not.
Last night’s performances started off with a bang, morphed into a horror and then wound up with a beautiful boom.
Danny Gokey, who could have chosen a better song than “Hero,” nevertheless had the audience on its feet and three of the four judges swooning. Simon Cowell, of course, was the lone hold-out, but he was just trying to be different.
Among the women, bluesy Jackie Tohn and soulful Alexis Grace were terrific. Simon pronounced Alexis (the one with the splash of pink in her hair) “a little dark horse” to win the competition.
But there was another surprise: Ricky Braddy, who turned in an impeccable performance. Who knew? I don’t remember even noticing him during the Hollywood rounds.
The bad news? Anoop Desai, one of the cutest, most talented contestants, did poorly. He was off-key and ahead of the band most of the time. But I bet he’ll make it anyway. He’s a crowd pleaser.
Tatiana, the hysterical one from Puerto Rico, wasn’t as bad as I wanted her to be, but she can’t seem to decide on a persona. Last night she was Little Miss Sweetie, which actually didn’t play well.
Flat-out bombing were Ann Marie, Stevie (truly painful to hear), Stephen and Casey (also painful).
Who’s going to make the Top Trio tonight? The wild whim of voters cannot be over-estimated, but if I ruled the world, the top vote-getters would be Danny, Alexis and Jackie.
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First voting on tonight’s “American Idol”
The first group of 12 contestants performs tonight on “American Idol” (7 p.m. on Fox) and, for the first time in Season 8, viewers get to vote.
In fact, viewers get to vote earlier this season than previous seasons.
Instead of two groups of 12 (divided into guys and gals), now we have three groups of 12, with guys and gals mixed in each group.
The two-hour warbling spectacle will be followed Wednesday night by the results.
Can I just say, regardless of talent, I hope all the wannabes who cry constantly get voted off. Seriously, I cannot stand the hysterics of Tatiana and Nathaniel. They completely creep me out.
There’s enough talent in the pool of 36 that we don’t need to suffer through the embarrassment of watching these two.
Yes, they both have lovely voices, but that’s not enough. It’s a long season, and we need to be able to watch the show without feeling like fingernails are scratching down a blackboard. Tatiana and Nathaniel are fingernails.
Austin’s Kendall Beard is still in the mix, so you can root for her if you care about the home team.
But there are already some definite standouts in Season 8.
Danny Gokey, for example, is the total package: great voice, nice guy, amazing story. He’s the one who was recently widowed and came to the contest with his best friend, Jamar Rogers, who got booted off last week.
Jackie Tohn’s big bluesy voice is terrific. And Anoop Desai has a soulful voice paired with a totally delightful personality.
Check out who’s performers in Group 1 and pick an early favorite.
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Homer in HD … Secret Service Agent returns to “24”
If “The Simpsons” looked a little more sparkly than usual last night, that’s because the long-running animated comedy trotted out its first high-definition episode.
The HD era was ushered in with a new opening that included Bart writing “HDTV is worth every penny!” on the blackboard and the revelation that Maggie is worth $486.52 when she’s scanned through the grocery store checkout.
About two dozen scenes flashed by in the new opener, concluding with the traditional home couch gag. The new HD version had the Simpsons chasing the couch all over the world and into outer space.
Animation looks spectacular in HD, and “The Simpsons” looks especially fabulous. Mmmmmmm …. Homer in HD.
Agent Pierce returns to “24”
On tonight’s edition of “24” (8 p.m. on Fox), a familiar face resurfaces.
Remember Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce? He protected President Palmer and then President Logan and then First Lady Martha Logan. He wound up having a relationship with Martha, so maybe we’ll see her again. Or not.
Agent Pierce, played by veteran actor Glenn Morshower, is re-introduced tonight as a trusty guardian for President Taylor’s troubled (and troublesome) husband.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“King of the Hill,” 7:30 p.m. on Fox — Austinite Mike Judge’s final season of this animated sitcom is better than ever. In tonight’s episode, Hank accompanies his boss to the National Propane Gas Convention. Temptations ensue.
“Oliver Twist,” 8 p.m. on PBS — A “Masterpiece Classic” adaptation of Charles Dickens’s 1837 novel. The young orphan flees a cruel workhouse for the dirty streets of London, where he falls in with a nefarious gang. The shrewd Artful Dodger, menacing Fagin and vicious Bill Sikes lead Oliver deep into a criminal life.
Monday
“The Bachelor,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Fans of this dating show take note: We’re getting down to the wire. Single dad Jason takes the final three women on overnight dates in New Zealand, and one (sniff, sniff) is sent packing. Two hours of torture.
“Dogs 101,” 8 p.m. on Animal Planet — The hour-long show checks out past presidential dogs. Will this help the Obamas choose a First Pup for Sasha and Malia? Maybe.
Tuesday
“Frontline,” 8 p.m. on PBS — “Inside the Meltdown” examines factors that have led to our sorry economic state, the worst such crisis since the Great Depression. Gulp.
Wednesday
“Lie to Me,” 8 p.m. on Fox — I didn’t want to like this show, but I do. Tim Roth, as the human lie detector, is fantastic. The team tries to prevent the assassination of a South Korean ambassador at a state wedding. Love the real photos of alleged liars (we’ve seen Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, among others.)
“CSI: New York,” 9 p.m. on CBS — If you’re an analog-only viewer and haven’t hooked up your converter box, you may be out of luck tonight. KEYE made the DTV switch at midnight last night. But if you’re up and running: Stella and her date find themselves in the middle of a crime scene when the corpse of the mayor falls from the ceiling as balloons drop at a charity fundraiser.
“American Masters,” 8 p.m. on PBS — Actor Ron Rifkin narrates this look at director-choreographer Jerome Robbins, who transformed Broadway with shows such as “West Side Story’’ and “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Thursday
“Texas Monthly Talks,” 7 p.m. on PBS — Roy Spence, co-founder of Austin’s GSD&M Idea City, talks about launching the famous ad agency in 1971 with five enterprising friends.
“ER,” 9 p.m. on NBC — The long road to a 15th season finale continues with yet another blast from the past. Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) returns, presumably after wandering through the African wilderness all these years.
Friday
“13: Fear Is Real,” 8 p.m. on the CW — If you’ve been watching this under-the-radar reality show, this is the finale. If not, well, never mind. Tonight the remaining three contestants face the final “execution ceremony,” where one will survive and be awarded $66,666. Doesn’t seem like nearly enough money to go through such humiliation.
Saturday
“The Bridges of Madison County,” 7 p.m. on LMN — Yes, the 10-hanky romantic weeper from 1995 is sappy. So what? Memoirs tell a deceased woman’s children of her four-day affair in 1965 with a photographer on assignment. Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep will rip your heart right out of your chest.
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“Dollhouse” dud … Letterman’s best quip
“Dollhouse,” Joss Whedon’s latest creation, arrives on Fox tonight at 8.
Don’t expect to be as swept away as you might have been for previous Whedon creations — like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” and “Firefly.”
Based on the first episode, it doesn’t feel like “Dollhouse” has found its focus.
Eliza Dushku stars as Caroline, a mysterious young woman who has gotten herself into some kind of fix that only a British woman named Adelle DeWitt (Olivia Williams) can remedy.
Sign on the dotted line, and Caroline becomes a member of a group of for-hire “activitsts” who work out of a spa-like facility called (you guessed it) the Dollhouse. Caroline also becomes Echo, a silly name that has some sort of symbolic meaning.
There’s lots of explaining in the premiere and not much story or action. Pretty people abound, as you’d expect from a Fox show.
Echo’s first assignment is to be a kidnap negotiator; later she’ll be a midwife. And so on and so on. The “dolls” in the Dollhouse are hired by wealthy clients who have chosen to go outside the law to solve various problems.
Will Joss-ites embrace the concept? Perhaps more importantly, will they be home on Friday nights to watch “Dollhouse?” Seems unlikely, but DVRs make anything possible.
Quip of the week
You’ve probably heard, if you missed seeing it live, that Joaquin Phoenix blew up big-time on “The Late Show with David Letterman” Wednesday night.
Bearded and hiding behind dark glasses, Phoenix appeared distracted, disheveled and, well, non-responsive.
Letterman, to his credit, attempted to open him up, but Phoenix either didn’t respond, responded rudely or just planted a wad of gum under the host’s desk.
Toward the end of the excruciating appearance, Letterman lobbed the quip of the week: “I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight.” Well done, Dave.
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“Survivor” debuts with Austin’s Joe Dowdle, KEYE-ex Nanci Wilson heading for KXAN
Joe Dowdle, a 26-year-old real estate broker from Austin, is one of the 16 castaways the new season of “Survivor: Tocantins — The Brazilian Highlands.”
He will join one of the competing tribes when the 18th season premieres tonight at 7 on CBS.
Dowdle is a University of Texas graduate and an official member of the Texas Cowboys, a service organization that acts as “ambassadors” for the school.
In his “Survivor” statement, Dowdle says he thinks he’ll win the competition because he is “dedicated, goal oriented” and plans to use a “persuade-and-evade” strategy to make alliances and win challenges.
We’ll keep track.
Nanci Wilson headed for KXAN
Nanci Wilson, who recently resigned from KEYE, will join KXAN when her six-month non-compete clause expires.
She will be heading up the NBC affiliate’s investigative team, which is similar to what she was doing at KEYE.
Good for KXAN and good for Austin news hounds. Now if KXAN would just pick up ex-KEYE capital ace Keith Elkins …
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“Idol” musings … ABC News on Campus expands
Last night’s two-our results show was excruciating, wasn’t it?
“American Idol” whittled its talent pool from 50 to 36, with the survivors called before the four judges to learn their fate.
Austin’s Kendall Beard made it. That’s good news.
But so did the annoyingly hysterical Tatiana Del Toro. Who cares if she can sing? If we’ve got to slog through all that screaming and crying, well, I don’t care if she sounds like Aretha Franklin. I can’t stand her.
Loyal blog readers know that every season, including the current Season 8, I vow to not get so wrapped up in this silly singing stuff that I’m glued to the TV two nights a week.
It’s embarrassing, and it’s not like I’m one of those tweeny-boppers who squeal over the prospect of voting on my shiny pink cell phone. Seriously, I’m a seasoned TV critic.
But apparently I’ve failed — again — to stay away. Last night I actually teared up (shoot me now!) when best friends Danny Gokey and Jamar Rogers got separated. The judges picked Danny to stay, Jamar to go. I cried. I’m sorry.
Kicking Jamar off and keeping sobbing silly-boy Nathaniel Marshall seems like a capital offense.
Next week we’ll begin whittling down to the dozen contenders who will actually perform live with viewers voting. It gets real serious real soon. I’ve got to get a better grip.
ABC News on Campus expands
ABC News on Campus, a partnership with the University of Texas and four other top journalism schools to mentor college students, has launched the new and improved ABCNEWSONCAMPUS.com.
The network is expanding the submission process beyond the current bureaus — which also includes Arizona State, Syracuse, University of Florida and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — to universities around the world. The new website will include a “Roving Reporter” section that to give students the chance to pitch and possibly produce a story under the guidance of ABC News.
The new ABCNEWSONCAMPUS.com showcases two other new features: “One Hot Dish” and “Indie Rock.” “One Hot Dish” focuses on campus cuisine, with recipes created by students and weekly cooking segments hosted and produced by students. The “Indie Rock” section focuses on the collegiate indie rock music scene.
In the five months since its inception, ABC News On Campus has generated hundreds of original student-reported and produced stories. Covering local and national breaking news and features, students have provided content for “Good Morning America” and “World News,” “ABC News Radio” and ABC’s broadband news channel.
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KEYE wins Your A-List poll for best newscast
“The Ron and Judy Show” topped our Your A-List poll for best local newscast.
KEYE, our CBS affiliate with evening news anchored by long-time vets Judy Maggio and Ron Oliveira, raked in 50 percent of readers’ votes.
In second place, with 41 percent, was KTBC’s Fox 7 News, anchored by Loriana Hernandez and Mike Warren.
Finishing a distant third and fourth were Austin’s top-rated stations, according to Nielsen: ABC affiliate KVUE (4 percent) and NBC affiliate KXAN (3 percent).
Also receiving votes in the A-List poll:
News 8 Austin (Time Warner Cable) with 1 percent
KAKW (Univision) with < 1 percent
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Hooray for Stump! And get ready for new “Dancing”
Hooray for Stump! The 10 year-old Sussex spaniel who won best-in-show at the “Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show” last night was a crowd favorite that prompted squeals and cheers similar to beagle-boy Uno’s victory last year.
USA’s coverage of the two-night canine extravaganza had its moments of glory, but, as usual, the cable net packed the six hours with so many of the same Pedigree commercials you want to boycott the brand forever.
Doggie expert and eloquent analyst David Frei did his usual fine job, paired this year with Westminster first-timer Mary Carillo. Loved her … she was clearly enjoying herself and reacted to some of the weirder looking dogs just like the rest of us.
“So what’s the hair-to-dog ratio on a Pekingese?” she chuckled as last night’s Peke waddled past the cameras.
Of course we watch the Westminster dog show to ooh and aah over the sleek and huge pure-breds, as well as the fluffy-cute toys and terriers. But we also watch for the odd-lookers, the ones with too much skin, too much hair and other humorous traits. We wonder, as Carillo did, what a Pekingese would look like shaved.
Unlike most awards shows, Westminster always finishes on time — and usually in a swirl of woof-woof excitement. Stump didn’t leap up and howl, as Uno did last year, but he carried his crown with dignity and distinction. Big woof.
Another strange bunch of stars heading for “Dancing with the Stars”
ABC announced its cast of hoofers yesterday for the new season that arrives March 9.
Don’t you think pro Julianne Hough and her singer-songwriter boyfriend Chuck Wicks have a bit of an unfair advantage? There are other couples in the mix, but none of them paired with each other.
Jewel and her bull-rider husband Ty Murray have signed on for Season 8, but they will compete against each other. And newly engaged professional dancers Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff are in the mix, but not paired together.
Athletes usually have an advantage. This time around we’ll have big ol’ NFL-er Lawrence Taylor and teensy-weensy Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson. At 17, Shawn will be the youngest “Dancing” competitor ever … and the shortest.
B-list actor/reality stars include Denise Richards, Gilles Marini and Steve-O. And the list includes singers Belinda Carlisle and Lil’ Kim, “Access Hollywood” anchor Nancy O’Dell and computer wizard Steve Wozniak. The latter likely will be the first to go. He seems like stunt casting.
Last and definitely not least is film and TV actor/comedian David Alan Grier (currently on “Chocolate News”), who is my pick for the season’s surprise winner. I just have a feeling he’s going to hit the floor with a flourish and wipe out the competition. Two snaps.
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The presidential press conference debut, Night 1 at Westminster
President Barack Obama’s first press conference wasn’t as fun or combative as political junkies prefer, but maybe that’s more a reflection of the serious economic times in which we find ourselves than the prez-press chemistry.
I think Obama smiled exactly once and tended to reply in long-winded fashion in order to make all the points he aimed to make about the economic stimulus package. After 45 minutes, it became a bit of a snoozer.
Helen Thomas, the dean of the White House press corps until George W. Bush banished her to the back of the room for her hard questions on the Iraq war, was in the front row last night and asked one question.
Obama maintained tight control throughout, which wasn’t the most entertaining way to exchange questions and answers with the press. White House reporters are said to be miffed that the president insists on having a list of reporters to call on, thus rendering the rest of the pack little more than an audience.
The shut-out status of the non-questioning reporters may have accounted for why one woman in the front row jiggled her foot and played with her hair throughout. A couple of guys in the middle of the room appeared to nod off a couple of times, and others whispered to neighbors.
Let’s hope these shows get better. If they don’t, it’s doubtful all the broadcast and cable networks will carry them.
Westminster Night No. 1
Boy, that was an unattractive bunch of group winners last night, wasn’t it? Of course my favorite group is up tonight — the sporting dogs.
But except for the Scottish deerhound in the hound group last night, the other winners were overly-groomed weirdos. My apologies to owners of standard poodles who insist on carving puff-balls into their poor pooch’s behinds and pulis, those rasta-haired dogs that just look unkempt and sad.
TV host David Frei, as always, was splendid in explaining each breed and even allowing himself to poke fun at a few of the sillier ones — he let slip that the French bulldog had “a face like a water buffalo.”
A new addition to the coverage was Mary Carillo, a former pro tennis who is one of the sport’s best TV analysts. She didn’t even try to hide her glee at Madison Square Garden, enjoying every single parade of pups in every single category. Her excitement was contagious — even during the always-odd non-sporting group, with many of the aforementioned weirdos.
Best-in-show is tonight, with the canine action starting at 7 on USA and staying there until 10 p.m. No more switching channels midstream.
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Grammy complaints … Dog show delights
The Grammys: Complaint No. 1
CBS tapped almost every one of its series stars to announce a lifetime achievement award winner or make some other announcement. Seriously, what does the cast of “CSI: Miami” have to do with music? Nada. Let’s save all those walking promos for another time and place.
The Grammys: Complaint No. 2
The days of performance variety and lots of awards bestowed at the Grammys are long gone. Most of the categories were done before Sunday night’s telecast, and the showcased performers last night all tended to be pop, rap and a hint of country-rock.
The Grammys: Complaint No. 3
It’s possible that more commercials could have been crammed into the three-hour plus telecast, but I don’t see how. One performance was followed by an ad, then one award was be followed by an ad and so on and so on until the final Grammy Award trickled out for Best Album to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (“Raising Sand”).
The Grammys: Complaint No. 4
Boy, the fashion spectacle just didn’t live up to previous Grammys. Was Jennifer Hudson wearing a lobster bib or what?
Maybe next year the show will be better. I always watch the Grammys because it helps me stay semi-current on genres like rap that I don’t normally listen to, but I need a little more edge and excitement next time. Where’s the thrill.
It’s pup night … at last!
On a much happier note, the “Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show” gets underway tonight at 7 on USA and then bounces over to CNBC at 8 p.m.
Hounds, terriers, non-sporting and herding groups trot out tonight. Tomorrow night the rest of the competition arrives (all on USA, starting at 7 p.m.), with the evening capped off by the crowning of Best in Show.
Love the lady judges in their sequined dresses and sensible, rubber-soled flats, don’t you?
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“The 51st Annual Grammy Awards,” 7 p.m. on CBS — The sometimes outrageous festivities in Los Angeles honor excellence in the recording industry. Katy Perry, Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, the Jonas Brothers, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood and Lil’ Wayne are among those who are scheduled to perform.
Monday
“Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show,” 7 p.m. on USA, continues at 8 p.m. on CNBC — The 133rd edition of the classy canine carnival opens in New York’s Madison Square Garden. The hound, terrier, non-sporting and herding groups compete tonight.
“American Experience: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln,” 8 p.m. on PBS — The film takes a look at America’s first (and sadly not the last) assassinated president two months after Lincoln’s second inaugural address. “Fashion Police: The 2009 Grammy Awards,” 9 p.m. on E! — Celebrity fashion highlights, lowlights and disasters at the Grammys. Expect a nightmarish hoot, as always.
Tuesday
“Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show,” 7 to 10 p.m. on USA — The sporting, working and toy groups are judged, followed by that all-important best-in-show crowning. There may never be another champ like Uno, the Central Texas beagle who won last year, but we’ll be pulling for our favorite contender. Go pointers!
“Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Get in the mood for Saturday’s heart holiday with Charlie and the Peanuts gang.
Wednesday
“American Idol,” 7 p.m. on Fox — We’re winnowing down to the Top 36 contenders tonight in a 2-hour episode from Hollywood.
“Top Chef,” 9 p.m. on Bravo — It’s the last supper, and the final five chefs go to extremes to impress the judges before the finale. Fire and maybe even a bit of brimstone.
Thursday
“The 40th NAACP Image Awards,” 7 p.m. on Fox — Halle Berry and Tyler Perry host a celebration of the accomplishments of African Americans working in music, TV, film and literature. Jennifer Hudson and Seal are scheduled to perform.
“Burn Notice,” 9 p.m. on USA — We sometimes forget this is on, but it is and it’s still very good. Tonight a federal agent returns to Miami to force Michael to hand over blackmail material, and the two enemies must work together during a bank robbery.
Friday
“Friday Night Lights,” 8 p.m. on NBC — It’s been two weeks since our last reminder. Tonight Cash’s dark side comes to light for a stunned Tyra, and Coach Taylor makes a painful decision in the quarterback war.
“O Brother, Where Art Thou?” 7 p.m. on WGN — George Clooney is hilarious in this 2000 Coen Brothers film about a lawman who tracks three escaped convicts in 1930s Mississippi. Allegedly based on Homer’s “The Odyssey,” but really, not so much.
Saturday
“Sleepless in Seattle,” 7 p.m. on Oxygen — Need a romantic movie for Valentine’s Day? This 1993 offering stars Meg Ryan as a Baltimore newswoman and Tom Hanks as a Seattle widower. The two are tricked into romance by the guy’s super-cute, motherless son.
“Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre,” 7 p.m. on History — Not feeling the love? Check out this documentary about the bloody Chicago bootlegging war of 1929, when Al Capone’s gang slaughtered seven of Bugs Moran’s gang. Pop some corn and enjoy.
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Austin’s Ben McKenzie returning to series TV in “Southland”
The last time we chatted up Austin actor Ben McKenzie he was filming an untitled pilot for NBC and taking an impressive solo turn in the independent film adaptation of Dalton Trumbo’s novel “Johnny Got His Gun.”
Now we have good news for all of the TV fans who fell in love with McKenzie as the brooding cutie on Fox’s “The O.C.”
His new NBC series, now titled “Southland,” is scheduled to debut Apr. 9. I haven’t seen a preview yet, but the cop show comes from multiple Emmy winner John Wells, whose credits include “ER,” “Third Watch,” “The West Wing” and “China Beach.” So it must be good.
McKenzie plays a rookie L.A. cop, conveniently named Ben — Ben Sherman. Michael Cudlitz (“A River Runs Through It”) plays the no-nonsense vet assigned to train him, which apparently will be tough enough that the rookie wonders if he’s cut out for L.A.P.D.
NBC describes the series as “a raw and authentic look at the police unit in Los Angeles … a fast-moving drama that will take viewers inside the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families.”
McKenzie was born and raised in Austin and played football for the Austin High Maroons (back when he was Ben Schenkkan). He earned a degree in foreign affairs and economics from the University of Virginia.
His dreamed-of New York stage career was cut short after the attacks of Sept. 11, but Hollywood made him a star when he landed “The O.C.” He also received good notices for his work in the movies “Junebug” and “88 Minutes.”
We can’t wait to see our Ben in blue.
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Austin TV stations mulling: DTV delay or not?
The federal government’s decision Wednesday to push back the deadline for broadcast TV’s digital conversion from Feb. 17 to June 12 is wreaking havoc on local stations around the country.
In Austin, CBS affiliate KEYE announced on its Wednesday night newscast that it would adhere to the original Feb. 17 deadline and drop its analog signal at that time.
But on Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission informed local stations that they had to file a notification by midnight Monday to make the switch on Feb. 17, and that request could be denied.
Meanwhile, PBS station KLRU plans to drop its analog signal on Mar. 31, while Fox-owned KTBC and Univision’s KAKW are holding off until the new June deadline.
Final plans are still pending for NBC affiliate KXAN. ABC affiliate KVUE did not respond to several requests for information about the timing of its digital switch.
“We’re ready, and we think it’s confusing to viewers to push it to June,” said KEYE general manager Amy Villarreal, who plans to file a request with the FCC on Monday to keep the February deadline. “I’m conscious of the rest of the market and that we all need to help out viewers, but we think it’s time.”
Mark Rodman, KTBC’s general manager, said his station is “pleased that through the actions of Congress and the Obama administration, American consumers will be given additional time to prepare for the digital television transition.”
Cost as well as confusion are major factors in stations’ desire to turn off analog signals sooner rather than later.
Most broadcasters have been simulcasting analog and digital signals for months if not years. In preparation for the switch, which was mandated by the government to free up analog signals for emergency operations and commercial auctions, the stations have devoted hours and hours of promotion and outreach education efforts.
“It’s a significant amount of money,” Villarreal said. “The electric bill alone (for the analog signal) is $20,000 a month.”
PBS stations such as Austin’s KLRU, which operate on viewer contributions and government assistance, face even more dire economic constraints. PBS executives have said they could be out as much as $22 million if they have to run both analog and digital signals until June.
“We didn’t budget to go later,” said KLRU general manager Bill Stotesbery. “It costs us thousands of dollars a month to keep analog going.”
Stations nationwide are wrestling with the delay. Salt Lake City, Spokane and several TV markets in West Virginia have kept the Feb. 17 deadline, with all the stations in those cities agreeing on the same course of action.
According to the National Association of Broadcasters, 143 TV stations already have made the switch, and 60 more likely will follow suit by Feb. 17. More than 200 additional stations have notified the FCC that they want to shut off their analog signals on the original date.
The delay was intended to give consumers more time and resources to prepare for the switch. When analog signals are cut off, viewers with older analog TV sets that receive programming over-the-air with an antenna will need to buy a converter box, get a new digital TV or hook up to a pay service such as cable or satellite.
An alarm sounded among some consumer groups and politicians when the federally funded program to distribute the $40 coupons for converter boxes ran out of money. Since then, more than 3.3 million consumers have been placed on a waiting list for the coupons. Without coupons, converter boxes cost $40 to $75.
Nielsen Media Research estimates that more than 6 million U.S. households are unprepared for DTV.
A recent survey by the Texas Association of Broadcasters found that about 6,000 households, or 1 percent of the 667,670 TV households in the Austin viewing area are unprepared for DTV, with an additional 6,000 households waiting for coupons.
In November about 11 percent of Austin homes were unprepared, so considerable progress has been made.
FCC advisors and broadcasters agree that the best advice for consumers caught up in the confusion is to prepare now.
If you have cable or satellite service, you don’t need to do anything. If you receive programming on an older TV set with an antenna, you need a converter box, a new digital TV or a hookup to pay service. If you can’t afford a converter box, apply for a $40 coupon now and use it before it expires in 90 days.
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The Blago Road Show on Letterman, Amy Poehler gets titled
When will the obnoxious Blago Traveling Road Show end?
The media circus known as former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich continued Tuesday as the big-haired guy yapped it up with CNN’s Larry King and CBS’s David Letterman. He previously has dropped in on “The View,” “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “Today.”
“Why are you here? Seriously, why are you here?” Letterman asked on last night’s “Late Show.”
Blago, perched on the edge of his chair through most of the chat, continued to insist he’s done nothing wrong and told Dave the whole impeachment and pending criminal trial thing are “just one big misunderstanding.”
For those who somehow managed to miss all this, the impeached former governor is facing federal charges that include allegations that he tried to sell President Obama’s U.S. Senate seat. Wire taps made public weeks ago featured Blago, using very salty language, certainly seeming to imply exactly that.
On the day of his impeachment, Blago rambled in a nationally televised plea of innocence to Illinois legislators, who promptly voted unanimously to send him packing.
“The more you talked and the more you repeated your innocence, the more I said to myself, ‘Oh, this guy is guilty,’ ” Letterman said to raucous laughter from the audience last night.
There are rumors that Blago hopes to land a book deal and possibly a TV talk show when the dust settles. Please, no.
Amy Poehler’s new show finally gets a title.
After months of being dubbed “The Untitled Amy Poehler Project,” the former “Saturday Night Live” star finally has a name for new sitcom: “Parks & Recreation.” And it has a premiere date: Apr. 9.
Although it is being created by Greg Daniels and Mike Schur, executive producers of “The Office,” it is not a spinoff of that show.
“Parks & Recreation” stars Poehler as a worker bee for a municipal parks and rec department in Indiana who sees her job as the first step toward a career in politics. The show will use the same faux documentary style as “The Office.”
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Super ratings for Super Bowl … Love brewing on “24?”
The ratings for Super Bowl XLIII weren’t as big as last year’s contest between the Patriots and the Giants, but the Steelers and the Cardinals managed to grab more than 95 million viewers.
That makes the 2009 Super Bowl the third-most watched program in American TV history. The top-rated show is the 1983 finale of “MAS*H,” which grabbed 106 million viewers.
At least one reason why last year’s Super Bowl beat this year’s edition is the home teams’ market size. Boston and New York are much bigger than Phoenix and Pittsburgh.
Love brewing on “24?”
“24” prompts a good deal of heart-pounding, but most of the excitement has to do with pending disasters. Last night’s episode on Fox was typical in that regard.
But something’s brewing between Jack and lovely freckle-faced Renee. With only so many hours in this action-packed day (24 to be exact), it’s unlikely that an entire episode of the pressure-packed show will be devoted to romance.
But maybe just a lingering smooch between shootings. Why not? These two are already oozing chemistry.
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KEYE’s Nanci Wilson resigns
KEYE announced today that long-time investigative reporter Nanci Wilson has resigned “to make a change in her personal life and pursue other interests,” according to the release.
Wilson did not respond to our request for details, but she says this in KEYE’s announcement:
“I’ve had wonderful opportunities to tell stories that needed to be told. They were stories no on else would tell, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to make a difference.”
Wilson has won many awards, including an Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative journalism, two Texas Emmys and a Texas AP award.
Wilson, who has worked for KEYE for seven years, began her career as an anchor at KXII in Sherman. She went on to produce and anchor Texas Entertainment News (a statewide syndicated program) and report for CBS.com, The News of Texas and KVUE.
Wilson’s reports reflect a deep love of digging through piles and piles of information — a rarity in today’s shrinking TV journalism. She was awarded a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship to study clinical data and evidence-based medicine at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
And she was one of only a few journalists invited to participate in the National Judicial College’s course, Media and the Courts. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Criminal Justice Journalists and is a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors group.
We wish Wilson well and hope to hear from her soon about exactly where she’s going and what “other interests” she’s pursuing.
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Sunday re-cap: Super Bowl good, post-game bad
To re-cap: Super Bowl game good, post-game bad.
I’m sure the 5-hour pre-game extravaganza was awful, too, but the whole pre-game afternoon can easily be skipped.
For anyone hoping to see the heavily promoted hour-long episode of “The Office” after the game, the wait was ridiculous.
The Steelers were crowned by 9 p.m., Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, dressed in a suit, had departed soon after.
But Bob Costas and company just couldn’t bring themselves to say goodbye. By the time they did, around 9:40 p.m., prime time was nearly over.
If NBC really hoped to dump 90 million viewers from the Super Bowl into “The Office,” they could have done so a lot earlier.
We had been warned that the super-ads in the Super Bowl might not be as super as usual, thanks to the sagging economy. But they turned out to be pretty darn good — with funny trumping maudlin at every turn. That’s a good thing.
I loved Bridgestone Tire’s Potato Head family spot. Pepsi’s spoof of the 1980s TV show “MacGyver” and Conan’s Swedish ad for Bud Light both were hilarious. And the animation for Coke’s “Heist” commercial was simply brilliant.
Half-time with The Boss could have used more music, better sound and fewer fireworks.
While some of NBC’s in-house promotions were intriguing, I bet millions of viewers today are officially sick of tonight’s Monday night lineup — “Chuck” in 3D and the return of “Heroes” and “Medium.” The spots were excessive, although some of them were better than the shows have ever been.
The episode of “The Office,” not surprisingly was terrific. Dunder Mifflin safety officer Dwight set the building on fire to get his colleagues to pay attention to the rules. As a result, Stanley had a heart attack, and a pet cat got tossed through the ceiling. Sorry, but both instances were hilarious.
Called on the carpet by corporate bosses, Dwight snappishly replied, “I’d just like to say for the record that I didn’t kill anyone. Stanley was attacked by his own heart.”
At least NBC, which has been sagging historically low in the ratings this season, got the chance to remind people the network still has programming. Will they come back tonight? We’ll see.
