 I’m not surprised, of course, but nor am I any less sorry about it. CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler just released the following statement: “The March 25th episode of Jericho will be the series finale. Without question, there are passionate viewers watching this program; we simply wish there were more. We thank an engaged and spirited fan base for keeping the show alive this long, and an outstanding team of producers, cast and crew that went through creative hoops to deliver a compelling, high quality second season. We have no regrets bringing the show back for a second try. We listened to our viewers, gave the series an opportunity to grow, and the producers put a great story on the screen. We’re proud of everyone’s efforts.” Clearly, the fact that I stopped blogging the show had absolutely no effect on its low ratings, but I still feel bad about it. (It was one of those situations where circumstances prevented me from blogging one week, and it just snowballed.) These episodes of Season 2 were consistently strong, powerful, and packed with both plot development and action, but, ultimately, if America would rather watch lesser programming, that’s their choice. It’s the wrong choice, of course, but you know what Doris Day sang: “Que Sera, Sera.” Do I think the Sci-Fi Network will consider picking it up for a third season? No, not really. I mean, I’d love it if they did, but when a show has been rescued from oblivion once and still can’t get its ratings up, you’re clearly dealing with a situation that isn’t going to be remedied by moving the program to another network. But at least you can’t say the series didn’t go out the same way it began: with a bang. Filed under: TV and News and TV Dramas and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 5 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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As everyone knows, ratings are the lifeblood of a television series. “Jericho” was cancelled at the end of last season, but a grassroots effort saved the show. The series is in the middle of its six-episode second season, and the ratings are just so-so. For the first four episodes of the second season, “Jericho” is averaging 6.4 million viewers as compared to an average of 8.0 million viewers over the last 10 episodes of last season. There’s no telling what CBS would consider a “win” here. Given the effect of the writers’ strike, it’s difficult to guess what kind of numbers the execs see as a baseline for renewal. There was a pretty big twist at the end of last week’s episode, and without giving anything away, it would seem that things are going to be pretty hectic in “Jericho” the next two weeks. Filed under: TV and TV Dramas and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: None Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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First off, if you didn’t see last week’s write-up, there’s a perfectly good reason for that, but to find out what it is, you’ll have to click here. Are you back? Excellent. Let’s move on, then, shall we? Hey, everybody, Dale’s back! I always thought the guy was a little squirrelly because, well, he is squirrelly. But, wow, the guy’s really grown up over the course of the past few months. One trip to Missouri, and he’s become a man. And by “man,” I mean he’s actually about one evil look away from being a full-fledged bad-ass. I think I’ve said it before, but, seriously, you don’t want to be around that guy when he’s finally fed up. Y’know, I’ve heard some people say that D.B. Sweeney is too damned likable to accept as the devious Goetz, but, personally, I think the combination of this against-type performance and a disconcertingly dark second season of “Jericho” makes him exceptionally off-putting in the role…which I mean as a compliment, if that wasn’t evident. Jake’s hatred of Ravenwood is understandable, given his history with the organization in Iraq, but it doesn’t take long for the majority of the town to turn against them when they start screwing with Dale’s shipments of the Hudson River Virus vaccine. (More on that in a moment.) Hey, everybody, Jimmy’s back! Or, to put it another way, “Narc, narc, who’s there? Jimmy!” Not that we should’ve expected him to anything other than tell Beck what he knew about Sarah Mason, but what wasn’t expected was the way Hawkins decided to handle the situation: by bursting into Beck’s office and saying, “You’re killing my investigation!” It’s actually a good ploy, given how readily Hawkins has had lies spill forth from his lips during the course of the series, but in this case, it’s for the greater good, as he attempts to pick and choose bits and pieces of the facts at his disposal in order to sway Beck into realizing that the government isn’t telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It’s a slippery slope he’s treading, but Major Beck’s conversation with Thomas Valenti was clearly sufficient to sway Beck into believing Hawkins’ story. And as long as we’re speaking of Beck, I like him a little more each episode, especially after the scene with him and Heather in the waning minutets of the episode Hey, everybody, Dr. Dhuwalia’s back! The guy’s not a very good liar, though, and he’ll clearly break under pressure at the drop of a hat. Still, I love the character, so I’m glad to see him return. Plus, even though he’s got the kind of loose lips that sink ships, the whole issue with the virus made for great drama, from the transmission Heather received that clarified just how bad things had gotten to the tension-racked scenes in the warehouse. So Bonnie’s going the Kerouac route and hitting the road with Jennings & Rall, eh? Well, we did get our first full-fledged CBS’ing of Season 2 with the way the music swelled during the front porch conversation between Stanley and Bonnie, but we also got a bit of heretofore-unrevealed information about how Stanley and Bonnie lost their parents, and I’m sure fans - like, say, myself - enjoyed getting those details. It’s nice to see that the cute girl from J&R seems to have some scruples; at least it looks like Bonnie will be in good hands. So who’s this mysterious person on the other end of the line from Hawkins…? Time, as they say, will tell… Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and Reviews and TV Dramas and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: None Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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You know, you’d think it would be awesome to get advance screeners of TV shows…and, okay, yeah, for the most part, it IS pretty awesome. But there’s one problem with it: you forget when shows are actually on. That, in case you were wondering, is why this entry is mysteriously appearing in the archives almost a week after the episode originally aired. Not that you’d know this without my telling you, since it’s actually been backdated to seem as though it was posted more or less on time, but I feel guilty enough about the ruse that I felt I needed to acknowledge it upfront. There, now that’s out of the way. Now, let’s talk about how happy I am about the way “Jericho” is continuing to maintain this seriously dark tone. It didn’t start dark, of course. The lighthearted breakfast scene with Stanley and Mimi was funny, thanks to Stanley’s well-intentioned but poorly-phrased observation, “That’s probably the most boring story I’ve heard in months.” It seemed a bit odd that the President’s team needed to land their helicopter in Stanley’s front yard to ask if “Condor” could make his speech on the front porch of the farmhouse. What, couldn’t they go through channels with the military instead of using the Whirlybird Express? But let’s stay on our original topic and keep talking about the Stanley / Mimi relationship. Once again, Stanley has proven to be a lunk-headed sweetheart, accidentally putting his foot in his mouth about who Mimi might invite to the wedding, then trying to backpedal by seeing if he might be able to use Jennings & Rall to find some of Mimi’s family. Last season, they might’ve CBS’ed things by miraculously discovering her mom or even a long-lost cousin, but not so this year: even with the resources of J&R, it’s a big ol’ goose-egg on the family front. It’s depressing, but I applaud the producers for not shoehorning in a happy ending. Okay, back to the Presidential visit. Y’know, I realize that they were trying to show that the President’s men weren’t screwing around with their security measures, but it seemed a little over the top when one of them snapped at the local sheriff, “Sir, nobody told you to move.” Really? Not any respect for local law enforcement…? Hawkins’s buddy, Chavez, got busted in his guise as Lieutenant Parker, which I think we all figured would happen sooner than later. I definitely like this new relationship between Hawkins and his wife, but I still find it weird that we haven’t heard so much as a whisper about their kids so far. By episode’s end, of course, Chavez was out of custody and on his way to Texas, but not before stepping up the mystery about this Project Boxcar. As a Democrat, it probably won’t surprise you that I snickered at the suggestion that the new government would immediately attempt to rewrite the textbooks in order to make it look like America screwed up by not attacking the Russians during the Cuban-Missile Crisis and by pulling out of Vietnam too early. Do I really think the Republicans would do something like that? Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t think so. But, then again, Bush got elected to a second term by riding on his post-9/11 high, so what do I know? Okay, enough personal politics. How about the situation with the journalist? From “okay, I’m in” to “okay, I’m dead” just a few short hours. Now that’s what I call an effective cover-up. Again, though, I was shocked that he met his end as quickly as he did; I’d really anticipated that that plot thread would go on for several episodes. I guess this is another case of a short season paying off in terms of rapid-fire plot progression; there’s definitely no moss growing under anyone’s feet this time around. At least Writer Boy managed to leak the info to Jake about the progression of the Hudson River virus. As things wrap up, Gray leaves for the constitutional convention in Cheyenne and grants Eric the status of interim mayor, and we get the return of the dastardly Goetz. Yep, he’s made good on his ominous assurance from Season 1 that Ravenwood would be called in to help the U.S. Government put the nation back together again. Boo, hiss, etcetera. Can’t wait for next week. Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and Reviews and TV Dramas and TV Action and External TV and Jericho Comments: None Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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Yeah, I know, I already declared “Jericho” to be back in my preview of Season 2. But now the show’s made the declaration itself during the opening credits of last night’s season premiere…in Morse code. The resulting ratings must’ve made a lot of people really, really happy: it scored first with adults 25-54 as well as tying for first (with NBC) with adults 18-49. Not too shabby. The bigger question, of course, is whether or not the show can maintain that ratings momentum. If it doesn’t, however, it won’t be the fault of the onscreen goings-on…or, at least, that’s my perception after watching Episode 2.1. When we last left the population of Jericho, they were engaged in battle with the people of New Bern. Instead of leaping back to the concluding moments of Season 1, however, we jump into a tête - à – tête between the leaders of the two sides – Jake Green and Phil Constantino – and get our first look at a scruffier, scarier looking Skeet Ulrich. I realize the fear of cancellation was rough on all of us, but, really, he’s looking a bit bug-eyed, don’t you think? Anyway, the talks between the two sides are moderated by Esai Morales, who plays this season’s major new character…and that pun was totally not intended, even if the name of Morales’s character is Major Edward Beck. As Beck stands by, we’re treated to a quick wrap-up of how the battle between Jericho and New Bern came to its conclusion…namely, via military intervention. There have been complaints that Morales doesn’t come across tough enough for the role he’s playing, but he seemed plenty gruff to me when the situation called for it. Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and Reviews and TV Dramas and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 2 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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Okay, it’s a week ’til the second season of “Jericho” premieres. Time to really start getting excited… As regular readers of Premium Hollywood know, we’ve been fans of “Jericho” from the get-go. Yes, we laid it on the line and acknowledged when we didn’t love everything we were seeing – both myself and John Paulsen went so far as to channel our inner Stephen Colbert, each of us putting the show on notice at one point or another – but when the series came back from its network-imposed midseason hiatus, it came back with all thrusters firing. Naturally, CBS then proceeded to cancel the series….and, just as naturally, the show’s fans rebelled. Defying the law of averages, the fans won: CBS reversed its decision and renewed “Jericho” for a second season. Yes, it’s shorter this time around, earning only a seven-episode shot at Round 2, but based on what I’ve seen, the crunch has worked in the show’s favor. I was fortunate enough to get the show’s executive producer, Carol Barbee, on the phone for a few minutes, and she offered up quite a lot of scoop about the upcoming season…and although I did make sure to follow CBS’s requests to keep mum about certain specifics within the episodes, you should be forewarned that there are still plenty of small spoilers sprinkled throughout. (Also, I promise that there’s less of me talking as the conversation progresses; she just asked my opinion, so I felt obliged to give it!)
Bullz-Eye: Hey, Carol, how are you? Carol Barbee: I’m good! How are you? BE: Battling a cold, but hanging on. It’s a pleasure to speak with you; I think we spoke for about five seconds during the TCA Press Tour. CB: Yeah, that sounds about right. (Laughs) BE: Well, CBS has sent me six of the seven episodes in Season 2 of “Jericho,” and from what I’ve seen, my first reaction is that, for as much as I already loved the way the show had taken such a significant upswing at the end of Season 1, it looks like you even managed to fix the few problems I still had with it! CB: Oh, wow, I’m so glad to hear that! BE: I have to be honest that circumstances have kept me from putting in the second disc, with episodes 4 – 6, but… CB: (In a hushed voice) Oh…! BE: …but now that I’ve finished the first three episodes, I’m chomping at the bit to watch them! CB: Well, at some point, I want to hear the problems that you think we fixed, because that’s really good to hear. BE: Okay, well, granted, a lot of those problems were well on their way to being fixed as the second half of the first season found the show evolving. Like, I know there was a whole lot of talk about how the show would be partly like “Little House on the Prairie,” and it had definitely begun departing from that. Which was good, because, y’know, with a premise involving nuclear bombs going off in the United States, it just seemed like it should’ve been a darker show. CB: Yes, thank you! BE: And I’m sure that, with its new 10 PM timeslot, that’s going to help with that. CB: Yeah, I think so, too. BE: Did you ask for the later timeslot for that reason, or was that something the network just gave to you? CB: It was luck of the draw. I mean, honestly, it depended on what their new shows did, so we could’ve been on Sundays at 8 PM or Tuesdays at 10 PM or Fridays at 9 PM. So we were prepared for anything. But we’re thrilled to be a 10 o’clock show. I think we are a darker show, and I think that’s the right place for us. BE: I know that Season 2 was originally going to take place in Jericho, Cheyenne, and New York, but how did the direction of the season change when you got a smaller episode order than you’d anticipated? Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and News and Interviews and TV Dramas and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 9 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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People, I have seen the first three episodes of Season 2 of “Jericho,” and let me say this as someone who spent Season 1 as both a fan and a detractor of the show: virtually every major problem I had with the show during its first season has been rectified. I know, that’s the kind of claim that leaves you thinking that I’m hip-deep in hyperbole, but I’m telling you, I am in no way kidding you.
I’m not going to play King of All Spoilers, so don’t come here looking for gossip on that front, but I will say that the show has lost virtually all vestiges of its early attempt to be a modern-day “Little House on the Prairie.” It’s been streamlined to just the most key characters, focusing on the darker side of things, including much more focus on the politics of the post-bomb America; it’s now about 75 - 80% action or intense, dramatic conversations, and even the occasions when we venture into domesticity with Stanley and Mimi, we find a storyline which is set to dovetail into other goings-on. You can check out a clip from the season premiere here (or here), but keep your eyes pealed to Premium Hollywood, as I’ve just had a very nice conversation with executive producer Carol Barbee about the upcoming episodes, and although I’m still keeping mum about certain secrets, we found some sufficiently evasive phrasing that allowed us to discuss some of what you can expect in Season 2. In the meantime, remember this: whether you’re a fan of the show, an occasional viewer, someone who liked the premise but didn’t like the execution, or just someone who’s curious about this series that was rescued from cancellation by having fans send bags of peanuts to CBS, you owe it to yourself to tune in on Tuesday, Feb. 10th, at 10 PM. “Jericho” is back, baby. In a big, big way. Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and TV Dramas and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 1 Comment Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
 In these dark days, with the writer’s strike continuing along unabated, new episodes of scripted television are getting harder and harder to come by. For the most part, our favorite series have either run all of the episodes that were finished before the strike or, if their respective networks are really stingy, they’re still holding on to one or two episodes, to dole out as the need arises. There are, however, a few exceptions to that rule, and we’re here to spotlight those series that still have at least half a dozen new episodes on deck. We’re not going to pretend that we here at Bullz-Eye are actually fans of every single one of these shows, but we are fans of scripted comedy and drama, and as steadfast supporters of the writers in this strike, we’d like to think that watching even the worst of these shows is still better than having reality series like “America’s Top Dog” or “Farmer Takes a Wife” shoved down our throats. Start programming your TiVo by clicking here. Filed under: TV and News and TV Comedies and TV Dramas and TV Action and Lost and External Entertainment and External TV and The Wire and Jericho and Battlestar Galactica and TV Sci-Fi Comments: None Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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Given that the TV season generally runs from September to May, it always feels a little strange doing a year-end wrap-up of the best in television, since you end up bringing in bits and pieces from two separate seasons. Still, between the second half of the 2006 – 2007 season and the first half of the 2007 – 2008 season, we’ve certainly been given plenty of material to work with. Six of our most prolific TV writers have provided their opinions of both the best and the worst that the small screen has had to offer, and while they do occasionally concur on a show, it’s a safe bet that no two people on the Bullz-Eye staff have identical season pass lists on TiVo. Head over to the homepage by clicking here, but don’t forget to swing back by to offer your own opinions! Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and News and Reviews and TV Comedies and TV Dramas and TV Action and Lost and The Office and External Entertainment and External TV and The Wire and Heroes and Jericho and Battlestar Galactica and TV Sci-Fi and Reality TV and Reaper and Journeyman and Friday Night Lights Comments: None Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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NBC may not be King of the Nielsen Ratings just yet, but we know good television when we see it, and the Peacock has returned in full force with a dominating presence that includes the top three shows and five of the top six. HBO, on the other hand, is experiencing the opposite, with the departure of “The Sopranos,” “Deadwood” and “Rome.” Add to that the fact that our list features a whopping 10 new entries — five of which are freshmen — and you’ve got one heck of a Power Rankings shakeup. Much of this has to do with so many shows being on hiatus until next year, but whatever the cause, it’s nice to see some much-needed change to a usually familiar lineup. And, hey, don’t miss the list of our favorite shows which are currently on hiatus (and are therefore ineligible for the Top-20), our farewell to “The Sopranos,” and our stable of Honorable Mentions. Check out the list here, then come back and let us know how we did…or if we missed any of your favorites! Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and News and Reviews and TV Comedies and TV Dramas and TV Action and Rome and Lost and South Park and Prison Break and The Office and 24 and The Shield and The Sopranos and Rescue Me and Deadwood and External Entertainment and External TV and The Wire and Heroes and Jericho and Battlestar Galactica and TV Sci-Fi and Reaper and Journeyman and Friday Night Lights Comments: 2 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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…courtesy of the solo panel by CBS President of Entertainment Nina Tassler… * “The Amazing Race” and “The New Adventures of Old Christine” will not return until mid-season. * Tony Scott will be directing the season premiere of “Numb3rs.” * Finally, three seasons into “How I Met Your Mother,” we will finally begin to get some hints as to who the hell “your mother” actually is. * The season premiere of “Cold Case” will be an all-Nirvana episode, so I guess that means the case in question must take place in the early ’90s, presumably in Seattle. (Tassler hadn’t actually seen the script yet.) * Jake, the half-man on “Two and a Half Men,” will be starting junior high. * Writer P.K. Simonds, late of “Party of Five,” will be re-teaming with Jennifer Love Hewitt and become co-runner of “Ghost Whisperer” with John Gray; apparently, Simonds and Gray are reinvigorating the series by creating a new mythology which indicates that main characters Jim and Melinda didn’t choose the town of Grandview but, rather, vice versa. (I don’t know what this means; I don’t watch the show. I’m just spreadin’ the info.) * There will be a “C.S.I.” / “Without A Trace” crossover this year, with William Petersen and Anthony LaPaglia appearing on each others series…and to alleviate the possibility of missing one half or the other, the episodes will air on the same night. * On “C.S.I.: Miami,” Horatio Cane will discover that he has a biological son…and although this isn’t confirmed yet, Premium Hollywood is going out on a limb and predicting that Caine’s tip-off to his child’s identity is his red hair and stilted acting skills. * They are in talks with Drew Carey to host “The Price Is Right,” but, then, they’re in talks with several people to host “The Price Is Right.” * There is, at least in Tassler’s eyes, no reason to expect that “NCIS” will change dramatically in this, its first season with Don Bellisario at the helm. “It’s the natural evolution of a show that you groom your writers on your staff to take over the mantle so you can move on to develop other shows. It’s time that Don developed another show for us which is what we’re looking to do. The look of the show is not going to change, and it’s, again, a part of changes that happen on virtually — in many of the show. Personality aside, it’s time for Don to do something else for us, and the show will go on. It’s in very capable hands.” * The network has been in talks with Rosie O’Donnell about a show. Some show. Don’t know what show. But definitely some show. * Tassler conceded that the lengthy hiatus between the two half-seasons of “Jericho” “maybe…wasn’t good for the show.” Y’think…? * Oh, and here’s what Tassler had to say about the whole Mandy-Patinkin-leaving-”Criminal Minds” thing: “Mandy came to us and came to me and asked to be released from the show, and we were able to accommodate that request on his part. And right now, it’s a personal issue. And, you know, I think the show is accommodating his needs. The creative on the show is very strong. The stories, as we know about the audience on ‘Criminal Minds’ — people come to that show for the ‘E ticket,’ you know, that white-knuckle ride that they’re going to get every week. And in the legacy of ‘ER’ and ‘Law & Tassberg couldn’t (or wouldn’t) provide any insight as to why Patinkin chose to make his departure from the second CBS series of his career. “I can only hope in the very near future that Mandy himself will be able to answer those very questions. I do not mean to sound like I’m avoiding the question. It is a personal issue. I wish I could say more. I just — I don’t feel that this is the forum in which I’d like to have that conversation.” What about the fact that the CBS press release said it was “creative differences,” not “personal issues”? “Well, I think ‘creative differences’ is a euphemism for ‘personal issues,’” said Tassberg…and then winked! Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and News and Gossip and Interviews and TV Comedies and TV Dramas and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho and TCA Press Tour and Fall TV Preview Comments: None Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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First things first: when we arrived at the “Jericho” panel, we were greeted with a bag on our chair from NutsOnline, including a bag of nuts and a t-shirt which proudly trumpeted the company’s role in saving “Jericho.” How cool is that? God bless those guys for their dedication… * No-one on the panel - producer Carol Barbee and cast members Skeet Ulrich, Lennie James, and Ashley Scott - had any reason to believe the show would return. Even when the “nuts” campaign began, they really only had the slightest inkling of hope that it might work. * The producers pitched the plot of the second season to the network, and CBS was quite happy with it. It originally was going to take place in Jericho, Cheyenne, and New York, which would have been revealed to have been survived, but things are being switched up a little bit now. They’re burning through ideas more quickly and having to compress the action more than they otherwise might have, since they’ve only got a 7-episode commitment at the moment, but they’re happy with how things are progressing. * Skeet was beside himself with the news of the reprieve, calling as many of the cast members personally as possible to let them know about the show’s having been saved. “I love giving people shocking news,” he said, with a grin. * The season opener will be a “big tent,” to help people understand the world of the series if they’ve never seen it before, but time will have passed since the season finale, so it’ll be new information for everyone, old and new viewers alike. But don’t worry: the big cliffhanger will be paid off. You’ll get the scoop on what happened with the battle, and then it’ll time-jump ahead. * It was always the plan that Johnston Green would die, because his arc was tied directly to Jake’s arc, for the son to replace the father. It maybe happened sooner than had originally been planned, but when the season end came around, the opportunity arose, and the producers took it. * Production schedule: they will start shooting this Monday, and, all things being equal, they’ll be finished shooting all 7 episodes by end of September. * Random observation from me: fucking hell, I had no idea that the dude who plays Robert Hawkins was British! * At the end of Season 1, right before the battle, Stanley said he was going to ask Mimi to marry him; it doesn’t exactly go down quite as easily as all that, but they do end up engaged, which is the big personal story of the new season. The bigger story, however, is that Hawkins and Jake will go on a mission to save the world. (Oh, no, not again!) * The new government from Cheyenne has come in to stop the battle between Jericho and New Bern and are helping Jericho to rebuild, getting them their water and electricity back. There are revenge killings going on between the two cities, however, as lingering vestiges from the battle. * It’s Barbee’s sincerest hope that everyone in the cast will be back. Titus Welliver, however, they wanted back, but scheduling prevented that; as a result, there’ll be another character coming in to fill the void left by Col. Robert Hoffman. Sprague Grayden will definitely be back as Heather. The budget was cut, says Barbee, but they’re trying to do their best to be creative in order to still deliver a quality product. Will Gerald McRaney be back in a flashback? “We’ll see,” says Barbee. “We loved him. But, right now, it’s not planned for these 7 episodes. We’ve pretty well got those laid out already.” Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and News and Gossip and TV Dramas and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho and TCA Press Tour Comments: 4 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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But not yet. Sorry, just trying to start raising the excitement level a little bit. But here’s what’s going to be going on:
I’ll be attending the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour, which takes place at the Beverly Hilton from July 10th - 26th. Actually, I won’t be able to arrive ’til the 12th, so, unfortunately, I’ll miss the panels on the 10th and 11th, which are spotlighting the upcoming season for PBS, and, because of my flight time, I’ll also miss the first panels of the day on the 12th itself, so I won’t be able to tackle the new shows on Lifetime and FX…and, yeah, I know you don’t care that much about the Lifetime panels, but I’m sure you’re as bummed as I am about missing out on the FX stuff. Fortunately, I should still be able to get a transcript of the panels; I just won’t be able to score any one-on-one time with any of the actors. Below, I’m going to list the shows I’m going to be trying to get the inside scoop on. If you’re particularly interested in my finding out about a specific series, please leave a comment to tell me which show (or shows), and I’ll do my best to get as much info as possible, as well as to speak with individual actors and actresses if the opportunity presents itself. I’ll be blogging the tour on a daily basis, so be sure to check back every day starting on the 12th! And, now, the shows…and be forewarned: there are a LOT of them! Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and News and Interviews and TV Comedies and TV Dramas and TV Action and Documentaries and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho and TCA Press Tour and Reaper Comments: 14 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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Hallelujah! CBS has seen the light; they’ve agreed to make seven more episodes of “Jericho.” You can check out the letter from CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler in the above link (clearly, my favorite part is the P.S.), but kudos to our regular reader, MrP, for keeping us in the loop on this info. Filed under: TV and News and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 5 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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Well, if we’re using the stats based on how many shows have been cancelled versus how many shows have been put back on the air after they were cancelled, then the realistic answer would have to be, “Probably.” But, then again, I’m one of the people who participated in the “Save ‘Angel’” campaign after it teetered on the brink of cancellation at the end of Season 4. Now, since I’m the proud owner of that show’s 5th season on DVD, that’s proof enough for me that, yes, sometimes making your opinions known to the network really does make a difference…and, as such, the very least I can do for “Jericho” is to trumpet the details of the various campaigns that are being established to try and save it from permanent destruction. Merrick, a regular contributor to Ain’t It Cool News, has put together a hell of post for that site where he does the same thing…which means that mine will inevitably pale in comparison, especially since most of what I’m going to post comes straight from his text. But since we’re all working toward the same means, I hope he won’t mind… * Click here to sign the petition to save “Jericho.” * Click here to visit Jericho Lives, a site that’s dedicating itself to keeping the show alive. * Click here to check out the “Nuts” campaign, its name inspired by the defiant cry from the show’s season finale. I think those are the biggies…though if you’ve never watched the show and want to find out what it’s all about before committing to anything, the Wikipedia entry for the series is decidedly comprehensive. All I’m saying is, it can’t hurt to try, and it won’t take much of your time, either. So let’s all keep our fingers crossed, shall we? Filed under: TV and News and TV Dramas and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 7 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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Okay, fine, we’d like to think that no-one out there is so completely obsessed with “Jericho” that they’d actually rationalize that it’d be reasonable payback to actually drop an A-bomb on CBS for cancelling the show…but, hey, I dropped a few F-bombs in CBS’s general direction, if that counts for anything. Of course, I also offered them at least a thousand thank-yous for their decision to renew “How I Met Your Mother,” so, as you can see, I’m having a little turmoil over my feelings toward the network. So CBS has revealed what the 2007 - 2008 season has in store for its viewers, and rather than wallow in sorrow, let’s just see if they’ve got anything that help us through the process of mourning “Jericho.” MONDAY Again, despite our annoyances with them, let us at least sing the praises of CBS for keeping the consistently hysterical “How I Met Your Mother” on the air; “The Class,” however, did not make it beyond its freshman year (you knew I’d make that joke, didn’t you?), so it’s now been paired with “The Big Bang Theory.” “THE BIG BANG THEORY“ is a comedy from the Emmy Award nominated Co-Creator and Executive Producer of “Two and a Half Men” Chuck Lorre, about brainy best friends Leonard (Johnny Galecki, “Roseanne”) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons “Judging Amy”), who can tell you anything you want to know about quantum physics, but when it comes to dealing with everyday life here on earth they’re lost in the cosmos. Neither fully understands that scientific principles don’t always apply in matters of the heart — until they meet their sexy new neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco, “8 Simple Rules…”), a friendly screenwriter/waitress from the midwest who also happens to be newly single. She quickly makes an impression on the other members of Leonard and Sheldon’s geek squad — Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg, “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”), who portrays himself as the Casanova of Cal Tech, and fellow whiz kid Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar, “NCIS”), who is rendered speechless around anyone unprepared to converse about the Theory of Relativity or other scientific jargon. The chemistry between this gaggle of geniuses and a delightful damsel is about to undergo a stimulating series of inter-personal experiments. Multiple Emmy Award winner James Burrows (”Will & Grace”) directed the pilot. Lorre and Bill Prady (”Gilmore Girls,” “Dharma & Greg”) are executive producers for Warner Bros. Television. Okay, there’s potential here, since everyone knows that geeks = funny…but, then, I’m a geek, and we always prefer to laugh at ourselves. (It’s so much less painful than when others laugh at us.) Otherwise, Monday night remains essentially unchanged; it’s “Two and a Half Men,” “Rules of Engagement,” and “CSI: Miami.” Hey, look, another excuse to link to seven minutes of David Caruso’s best (read, “most groan-inducing”) one-liners! Filed under: TV and Actors and Actresses and News and TV Comedies and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 15 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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…if your world was revolving around “Jericho” coming back for a second season. Yep. CBS officially dropped the cancellation bomb. I’m not saying I didn’t see it coming. I’m just saying that I’m not happy about it, and I hope that the networks learn that this whole splitting-a-season-into-halves concept isn’t worth the resulting loss of ratings. Even CBS’s chief scheduling executive, Kelly Kahl, admitted, “We lost a lot of steam,” adding that “I know we had loyal viewers…but the show sort of lost its engine and wasn’t performing.” That’s because fans will always come back to a show they love, but the on-the-fence crowd has an attention span that’s barely an hour long; mild interest doesn’t turn into legitimate fascination when a show vanishes for two months. No mention of a TV movie to wrap up the loose ends, either. Damn. That really, really sucks. If anyone knows people affiliated with the show - and it’s worth asking, since you never know who reads these things - have them drop me a line at WHarris (at) Bullz-Eye.com; I’d really like to know what Season 2 would’ve looked like…and I know there are at least a few others out there who share my curiosity. Filed under: TV and News and TV Dramas and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 3 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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So the episode begins with the townsfolk of Jericho preparing to take a stand against the invading hordes from New Bern (who looked to already be plenty well-equipped with about a dozen trucks full of men before Phil Constantino said, “Let’s go get the rest of them”), and Heather not actually dead after all…but pretty damned close to it, based on the looks of the car wreck she just barely managed to survive. What a way to begin the season…but hopefully not series…finale of “Jericho.” I know I’ve said this several times over the past few weeks, but, man, it’s gonna be a damned shame if the show doesn’t come back, given how incredibly good it’s gotten at the tail end of this season. I’m notoriously optimistic, but even so, after this week, I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to suggest that the producers have finally found their groove. The tension of Hawkins being traced by Thomas Valenti provides a nice counterpoint to the Jericho / New Bern warfare, and, also for the first time ever, Hawkins’ wife actually contributes something to a discussion rather than just moaning about what an awful husband she has. The tank finally makes its reappearance, and - finally! - the U.S. Military rears its head! Oh, wait, never mind, check out the flag. This might be the military, but it ain’t the US Government…or, at least, not the same one that was around in those lazy, hazy pre-bomb days. Filed under: TV and TV Dramas and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 8 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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(Anyone recognize the subject line...? Without Googling the lyrics, I mean...) Again with a great episode? Wow, you'd think the producers of "Jericho" wanted to come back next season or something... So, basically, Phil Constantine is a dick. He sends over a lackey (was he actually his son, or did he just use "son" as a generic term?) with a walkie talkie, so that there's a line of communication between Jericho and New Bern, then says, "Turn over this, this, and this, or we're kicking the living hell out of your town." And when Mayor Anderson refuses, it's Mortar Time! So Mr. Mayor sends Stanley and a bunch of dudes over to New Bern to ambush 'em...and, whoops, Stanley's basically the only one who makes it back. As if the bombs weren't bad enough, given that Gail Green was caught in one of the explosions, this was really rough stuff. Suddenly, Grey Anderson begins to have a major emotional freak-out...and, frankly, who can blame him? He's just sent a bunch of townfolk to their death...! The Mexican stand-off was a great, tense moment; I don't care how many times you see it done in movies and on TV, you just can't beat a Mexican stand-off for tension... Filed under: TV and TV Dramas and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 8 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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Damn. Why wasn’t this show as good at the beginning as it is now? Maybe the producers are panicking a little bit about the uncertainty of a second season and have decided to pull out all the stops. Whatever the case, this week continues “Jericho”’s roll of excellent episodes. This was a very Green-heavy week - Jake and Eric are still in prison, Johnston finds out about it and goes after them, and Gail gets a lot of face time both as a result of her work in the hospital and her sketchy relationship with Eric’s girlfriend, Mary - but, of course, Hawkins gets some face time as a result of having gone with Jake to rescue Eric, and we also visit with Dale and Skylar for a bit, too. The Greens I gotta say, I spent a decent amount of the episode not entirely sure that Eric was going to still be among the living by the time the closing credits rolled; I really liked the way they kept things uncertain on that front. I’m also consistently amused by the fact that, although Jake’s clearly the bad boy of the family, his dad is clearly still the biggest badass in the gene pool; Gerald McRaney has been consistently impressive with the way he walks that line between being a good ol’ boy and being a guy you’re rather intimidated by. I have to say, though, that what I wasn’t overly impressed with was the return of Maggie; she seems a lot less witty and entertaining now than she did in her initial appearance. As far as Gail and Mary, I’m glad that they didn’t just provide an automatic reconciliation and an instant happy ending; that it’s taking awhile for them to have some respect for each other actually feels rather realistic. Hawkins Actually, I guess he doesn’t necessarily need his own individual write-up here, since his appearances were all tied in to the Greens, so I’ll just say that, as an agent, I would’ve expected him to be a bit more skeptical about Maggie’s story when she came running up to them. But whatever. Dale and Skylar Damn. Dale’s just got the look of one of those guys you’d describe as “quiet, kinda kept to himself a lot” after he’s done something really, really awful…and he’s only getting more bitter. That whole “you and me against the world” attitude is gonna get him killed soon. I just sense it. Meanwhile, Skylar’s becoming more and more sensitive since the incident with the Mayor about trying to declare her parents dead. How long ’til they come back? Because you know that at least one of them will. You just KNOW it. Anyway, next week looks to be another nice, dark episode as well. New Bern vs. Jericho, winner takes all. All I’m saying is, they better wrap this shit up in the season finale, because if there’s no second season, I’m gonna be pissed if things end in a cliffhanger… Closing note: I went to the show’s Wikipedia entry to confirm the name of a character, and, um, did anyone else realize that the morse code you hear when the show’s title card pops up is different each week? There’s a separate Wikipedia page for each episode, and they indicate what’s been said in code. This week’s was “We Pledge.” Is this information being posted elsewhere, or is there just a morse code expert out there who’s writing up the entries each week…? Either way, it’s a pretty cool maneuver by the producers, and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to become aware of it. Filed under: TV and TV Dramas and TV Action and External Entertainment and External TV and Jericho Comments: 5 Comments Digg this! Add to Del.icio.us |
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