Author: Will Harris (Page 94 of 261)

Will is a member of the Television Critics Association and has written for Decider.com, the Onion A.V. Club, The Dissolve, Indiewire, Rhino.com, TV Week Magazine, The Virginian-Pilot, Popdose.com, and EW.com along with writing for Bullz-Eye.com and Premium Hollywood.

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: CBS newsflash

January 14, 2009 / Will Harris

Nina Tassler, President of CBS Entertainment, just addressed us and offered up the following bits and pieces of information:

* Regarding NBC’s decision to give Jay Leno their 10 PM slot, “Our first reaction was to say, ‘Thank you.'”

* The success of importing “Flashpoint” from Canada has opened the door for CBS to explore different business models, and the network is exploring other potential situations as well.

* CBS will hopefully be doing a deal with Alex O’Loughlin and they are still trying to develop a series for him…so, basically, nothing’s really changed on that front. (She said approximately the same thing back in July.)

* John Mayer is in the final stage of negotiations to have a music / variety / sketch show on the network, though whether it will be a special, a series, or merely a pilot remains to be seen.

* She is very happy with Drew Carey on “The Price Is Right,” but when asked if we would be seeing a change in host, she said, “I hope not.” Mixed signals or just a poor choice of words…?

* She loved the concept for “The Ex List,” but it failed in its execution. “It never found its traction; it never found its pulse.”

* There will be an “NCIS” spin-off, which is only appropriate, given that that series spun off from “JAG.”

* They were extremely proud of the way it was executed and was received, but, “No, we’re not going back to ‘Swingtown.'” Sorry, Ross.

Actors, Celebrities, External Entertainment, External TV, News, TCA Blog 2009, TCA Press Tour, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas

Alex O'Loughlin Drew Carey Flashpoint Jay Leno John Mayer NCIS Nina Tassler Swingtown The Ex List The Price Is Right

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: “The Beast”

January 13, 2009 / Will Harris

You need to watch “The Beast” on Thursday night. Seriously, you really do. It’s awesome. If you’ve ever been a bit iffy about Patrick Swayze’s acting chops, you won’t be by the end of the first episode. Whether it’s because he felt an affinity for the part of an undercover FBI agent who may or may not be corrupt or because he knew he was sick and wanted to offer up the strongest possible final performance, I’ll say this for his work on the show: if it isn’t the best acting job he’s ever turned in, it’s damned close. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to score a proper one-on-one with him during his time at the TCA tour (though I did submit a series of questions to him via E-mail, which I’m still hoping to get answered), I was still very excited about the prospect of being able to see him at the panel for “The Beast” and maybe get the opportunity to ask him *a* question in person.

Of course, that opportunity didn’t present itself. As we sat in the ballroom, awaiting the beginning of the panel, Abbe Raven, President and CEO of A&E Television Networks, approached the podium and broke the disconcerting news that Swayze had checked himself into the hospital. From there, Bob DeBitetto, President of A&E Network, clarified the situation more specifically: Swayze had checked himself into the hospital this morning for observation after coming down with pneumonia. He did not make this decision, however, without making sure that certain announcements were made on his behalf.

“Patrick did want me to tell you that he is very sorry for being unable to attend this morning, but he plans to get back to promoting ‘The Beast’ as soon as he is back on his feet and feeling well again,” said DeBitetto. “Patrick also asked me to tell you that he is unbelievably proud of the work that he and the entire ‘Beast’ team have done, and he wanted you to have an opportunity to speak to the creative team behind this great show and his costar. He thanks everybody for all the outpouring of support that he has been receiving recently.”

Actors, Celebrities, External Entertainment, External TV, News, TCA Blog 2009, TCA Press Tour, TV, TV Action, TV Dramas

A&E John Romano Patrick Swayze Travis Fimmel Vincent Angell

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: “How’s Your News?”

January 13, 2009 / Will Harris

MTV’s “How’s Your News?” would seem to be a real tightrope-walk of a series. On one hand, it’s about a group of people with disabilities who have put together a news team…and if that sounds like the makings of a really good documentary, you’re right: the show sprang forth from the film of the same name. On the other hand, it’s produced by Matt Stone and Trey Parker of “South Park” fame, and once you’ve heard that, you immediately find yourself waiting for the other shoe to drop, figuring that, sooner or later, they’re gonna make fun of these people.

Except they don’t.

We were shown clips from the show, with the news team visiting various locations and interviews celebrities; their enthusiasm was downright contagious throughout the footage, and any concerns we might’ve had about these folks being treated inappropriately were quickly dismissed by their parents, who gushed about how much their kids are getting out of the experience. So, yes, it’s funny, but it’s also sweet and touching. I still think MTV is just about the worst possible place for the series, since I just can’t imagine the network’s typical demographic doing anything but mocking what they’re seeing on the screen, but, hey, it might actually get me to watch MTV for a change.

Celebrities, Documentaries, External Entertainment, External TV, News, Reality TV, South Park, TCA Blog 2009, TCA Press Tour, TV, TV Comedies

Arthur Bradford How's Your News?Matt Stone MTV South Park Trey Parker Trio

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: “T.I.’s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go”

January 13, 2009 / Will Harris

Once upon a time, I was a music critic. Now, I’m a TV critic. You’d think, therefore, that I’d be chomping at the bit to attend a panel about a reality series focusing on a rapper. You would, however, be wrong. The truth of the matter is this: I do not give a flying flip about T.I., his music, or his new MTV series, “T.I.’s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go.”

But, hey, maybe you do…and if so, fair enough, then maybe you’ll want to watch it.

The premise…? T.I., who’s a convicted felon, is preparing for possible incarceration (on charges of possession of three unregistered machine guns and two silencers and possession of firearms by a convicted felon), and he’s determined to use his remaining days of freedom to be the catalyst for change, to intervene in the lives of various individuals who might be going down the wrong road and try and set them straight. It’s a form of community service, and I’m sure it’s all very well-intentioned in the grand scheme of things, but, you know, all I really wanted to know was this: why would someone with such a successful music career do something as stupid as try to buy machine guns?

Fortunately, someone else asked that very question.

Celebrities, External Entertainment, External TV, News, Reality TV, TCA Blog 2009, TCA Press Tour, TV

T.I.T.I.'s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

January 13, 2009 / Will Harris

Although films like “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar” and “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” have made drag queens a permanent part of pop culture, having grown up in Chesapeake, VA, I have to say that I went quite some time without ever seeing one live and in person…and, frankly, I had no particular complaints about that. A few years ago, however, my wife and I were up in Washington, DC, and attended a Sunday brunch – with fellow Bullz-Eye / Premium Hollywood contributor David Medsker, as a matter of fact – which featured a drag show, and I’ll never forget it.

Ever.

But, you know, it also gave me an appreciation for the amount of effort involved for a man to transform himself into a woman and pull it off without making it feel like a complete cliche…and by that, I mean that some of these guys were gorgeous. Seriously, there’s no other way to put it. There were a couple of them where, if you weren’t actively looking for their Adam’s apple, you’d never have known they were dudes.

Now, I’m not saying I’m going to be actively watching Logo’s new reality series, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” but as soon as I heard about it, I had no hesitation whatsoever about thinking, “Yeah, okay, I can totally see the potential here.”

Unfortunately, the panel for the show wasn’t entirely as illuminating as one might’ve hoped. When the impossibly tall RuPaul emerged onto the stage, I admit to disappointment that he was not, in fact, in drag himself (though he was, however, in an impeccably tailored suit), and the disappointment continued when he seemed intent on just being a smart-ass rather than really pimping his series.

Actors, Celebrities, External Entertainment, External TV, News, Reality TV, TCA Blog 2009, TCA Press Tour, TV

Logo RuPaul RuPaul's Drag Race

Author: Will Harris (Page 94 of 261)

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: CBS newsflash

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: “The Beast”

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: “How’s Your News?”

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: “T.I.’s Road to Redemption: 45 Days to Go”

TCA Tour, Jan. 2009: “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

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