Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined

NBC’s Merlin Has Potential But Not Quite There Yet

Walt — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:07:57 +0000

Merlin the new NBC series premiered last night. This latest version of takes an interesting twist on the story of Merlin and Arthur as teenagers in Camelot. In this series Uther Pendragon (Arthur’s father rules Camelot) and has banished all magic from the Kingdom. Arthur is already heir apparent, and a spoiled ass (to use the term from the show). Morgan le Fey is Uther’s ward instead of Arthur’s evil illegitimate half-sister. Guenevere is Morgan’s maid. Merlin is of all things Arthur’s man servant. Interesting, but definitely a far cry from the traditional story of King Arthur (more on this later).

If you read my previous post about Merlin you’ll know I had some misgivings about this show. Now that I’ve seen it, not all of them were unfounded. I was surprised to find that I liked the twist on the story that this show takes. I think that the story arc they are setting up has some great potential. The acting and special effects were surprisingly good with one exception. Anthony Head (aka, Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who is the one famous, veteran actor in the cast gave a very weak performance. He just can’t pull off the sinister King role. The anger, the authority, and the honeyed words you can tell were intended by the script just didn’t seem to come naturally to him. As for the script, this is unfortunately the weakest part of the show. Good acting, good special effects, decent scenery and costumes, but the plot and dialog of the individual episodes leaves a bit to be desired. More than anything else, if Merlin hopes to succeed on a major network, it needs better writing.

The plot and the dialog of the two episodes which aired last night was trite and obvious at best. To some extent the characters even failed to meet the minimum standards for stereotypical characters they were. If you are a fan of SciFi/Fantasy TV Merlin is no BattleStar Galactica or Farscape (these are the two shows in this genre which in my mind have set the gold standard). They were definitely more with the hack writing quality of the early Xena/Hercules episodes. Hercules and Xena never appeared on a major network. I hate to say it but I think even I could have done better and as you can see by this post I’m not the greatest writer in the world.

So, what the bottom line? Despite my complaints about the scripts, I’m going to give this show a chance. It has potential and what looks to be a decent story arc. I also liked watching Xena and Hercules so as long as I keep my expectations low it should be OK. My fear is that this lower standard will not be sufficient to garner enough rating to keep the show on a major network. Plus my son liked it. So we will probably watch it together. Stay tuned, I’ll probably post again about Merlin after a few more episodes. My recommendation is watch if you get a chance or DVR it but I wouldn’t make this an appointment show yet.

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

Merlin Comes to NBC

Walt — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:44:20 +0000

It seems that in its desperation to garner at least some ratings NBC has decided to compete with the SciFi Channel and other cable networks in the realm of b-movie quality fantasy programming. NBC’s new show Merlin will start in a few weeks. Here is how NBC.com describes Merlin:

Merlin is a new drama series that updates the story of the infamous sorcerer of Arthurian legend for a new audience. The mythical city of Camelot, in a time before history began; a fantastical realm of legendary beasts and mysterious people; a dangerous world in which magic has been banned by the ruthless tyrant, Uther Pendragon.

Now don’t get me wrong I was a big fan of Hercules, Xena, etc. back in the day. I think what surprises me though is that one of the major networks is airing this program. If you told me it was going to be on SciFi, the CW, or USA I probably wouldn’t have blinked an eye. Merlin seems even a step farther into this genre than even The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

I’m actually looking forward to watching Merlin though. If it’s well written and given a sufficient budget Merlin actually could have a chance. I know my son will want to see it too. I’m trying not to get my hopes up since the last show like this I was looking forward to, The Legend of the Seeker, is a complete debacle (please cancel it and stop ruining the story, please, please please). The only thing which might be worse is if I like it, which of course is the kiss of death. If I show any interest at all, Merlin will probably be canceled after three episodes. Especially as, with the exception of Anthony Head (a.k.a., Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the cast is mostly young unknown actors.

Merlin premieres on Sunday June 21st at 8/7c. I’ll be watching and hoping.

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

NBC’s Merlin Has Potential But Not Quite There Yet

Massive Dynamic

Walt — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:11:55 +0000

When I first started watching FOX’s Fringe I wasn’t that impressed. It seemed like a watered down version of the X-Files. Fringe was to the X-Files what Bones is to CSI. I’m glad I stuck with it though because after the first few episodes once they started to get into the real story arc my interest began to pick up. Fringe has now become one of the only shows I won’t miss each week. As I spent a little time poking around the web reading about the show, I stumbled across the Massive Dynamic web site. If you’re not familiar with the show Massive Dynamic (a bad take off on General Dynamics) is the evil megacorporation responsible for all of the scientific nightmares roaming the streets of Boston. Even though it doesn’t really give you any more info about the show, I thought it was pretty cool so I figured I’d post a link to the site.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

Angels & Demons Has A New Poster

Matt — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:50:30 +0000

Tom Hanks is back and apparently surrounded by dangerous red robes in the next installment of Dan Brown’s religious thrillers with “Angels & Demons.” The movie hits theaters on May 15, 2009 so you can expect a lot more trailers and TV commercials as we get closer. Here is the latest poster for the film (you can find the first one here).

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

Should Alexis Grace Have Been Saved?

Walt — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:29:04 +0000

Alexis Grace was the third contestant to be sent home from this season of American Idol. The question of the night was should the judges have saved her from elimination this week?

Its my personal opinion that the producers just made too many changes to the format this year. Some of them I like some of them I’m not so crazy about. In either case they made way too many for one season. That however is a topic for a whole other post. The one change that they made for the 2009 season which concerns us here is the new rule which allows the judges to save one contestant who got voted off. When it was announced that Alexis Grace was going home, this was the first time the judges seriously considered using this rule. I think they should have saved her.

OK, hear me out. I know that Alexis probably wasn’t going to win the whole thing but she really deserved to stay longer than Michael Sarver. The judges are only allowed to save some one before we get to the top 5. It is unlikely that anyone who wasn’t going to make to the top 5 would win anyway. So really its a question of who deserves to stay longer. Alexis Grace was a way better singer than Michael Sarver. I like the guy. I’ve been rooting for him but lets be honest he’s going home next week (and probably should have gone home this week). Alexis had a much better chance of making it deeper into the competition than Sarver ever did.

The other reasons I would have liked her to stay have less to do with their actual singing ability. The top ten now consists of only 3 women and 7 guys. I think its a little too early to be that lop sided. The main reason I think they should have saved her was because of the Idol tour. Only the top ten contestants get to go on the tour which means Sarver gets to go and Alexis doesn’t. Like I said while I like Sarver, Alexis Grace is far more entertaining and a better singer. Of the two I would rather go see a concert with her instead of him (Sorry Mike). Well and lets be honest, Alexis is way easier on the eyes than Sarver.

That’s just my two cents. It doesn’t matter now anyway. Congratulations to Sarver for making it another week. We’ll we see what happens next week.

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

Kings On NBC Premieres Sunday, March 15th

Matt — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:46:12 +0000

Here’s a new series that I’m very excited about: “Kings” on NBC. The series premieres this Sunday, March 15th at 8pm and looks to be a solid drama set against the backdrop of a fictional, but near-America world that brings a modern retelling of the Biblical story of David and King Saul.

Check out the “Kings” series preview below and take a look at the “Kings” pilot review over here. I don’t think this is a show you’ll want to miss.

“From executive producer Michael Green (NBC’s “Heroes”) comes a riveting new drama about a modern day monarchy. “Kings” is a contemporary re-telling of the timeless tale of David and Goliath. This series is an epic story of greed and power, war and romance, forbidden loves and secret alliances — and a young hero who rises to power in a modern-day kingdom. King Silas Benjamin (Ian McShane, “Deadwood”) is the well-entrenched king of Gilboa, whose flag bears a divine butterfly symbol. Gilboa has its capital in Shiloh, a clean new city that is unspoiled by time or litter. Silas must deal with the tensions rising between Gilboa and neighboring nation Gath. When several prisoners of war are taken, a young soldier, David Shepard (Chris Egan, “Eragon”), defies orders and crosses enemy lines to save them. Unknown to David, the soldier he saves is Jack Benjamin (Sebastian Stan, “The Covenant”), the son of the king. From that day forth, David’s life will never be the same.

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

Jason Street’s ‘Friday Night Lights’ Swan Song

Matt — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:53:34 +0000

I freely and shamelessly admit that I am one of the 4 + million (and falling) viewers that tune in each week to “Friday Night Lights.” Based on a 2004 film by the same name, “Friday Night Lights”, is an NBC drama about a small town Texas high school football team. The series has been struggling to find an audience for the past 2.5 years and against all odds is currently in the middle of its third season.

There’s just something so appealing about this slice of life drama, despite its cliché-ridden plotlines and sometimes outrageous southern stereotypes. This show is all about the ensemble cast, including Kyle Chandler (”Early Edition”), and Connie Britton (”24″), Janine Turner (”Northern Exposure”) and a cast of relative unknown Texas-based young talent. I love a show that doesn’t rely too heavily on star power, focusing rather on storylines and character arcs.

The show also paints a slightly more realistic portrayal of small town Texas. This past week was my first opportunity to view “Friday Night Lights” in all of its High-Def glory, with my recently-purchased new High Def TV. As soon as I set up the new TV and TV stand, I hit up my TiVo queue, starting with “Friday Night Lights.” The bright blue Dillon, TX sky never looked so good! Anyway, last week’s episode said goodbye to former series regular Scott Porter as the wheel-chair ridden former-Quarter Back Jason Street.

When the show started in 2006, Street was a major player, starting out the season with a catastrophic injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Since the first season though, Scott Porter’s Jason Street has been used less and less, before disappearing altogether. Returning in Season 3 in a guest-starring capacity (instead of season regular), Street’s arc just came to a conclusion, as his character prepares to move to New York City to start a career as a Sports Agent and father to his son.

According to Porter on Entertainment Weekly’s PopWatch blog, he got the call in June that his character was becoming a guest star. “It was a punch in the gut, I was upset, angry, but then I really started to think about it,” he said. “I really feel like we had painted Jason into a corner by cutting off from so many of the characters on the show over the first two years. There was no other way out.”

I’m sure this news had to have stung, especially given how integral a part of the show Jason Street’s character was from the beginning. His injury put the spotlight on a bunch of other cast members, including the replacement QB, Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) an underdog who quickly became a fan favorite. Well, all good things must come to an end and Porter has accepted his fate. If nothing else, his burgeoning film career seems to be taking off with past roles in high profile pictures like “Music & Lyrics,” “Prom Night,” “Speed Racer” and upcoming roles in 3 major studio releases allowing Porter to showcase both his comedic and dramatic chops.

All in all, Jason Street’s exit was bittersweet. While it’s sad to see him go, for the character, it was the perfect ending. Over the past two years, we’ve seen Jason Street at his lowest - depressed as a result of his crippling injuries and now at his best - employed and as a happy father and good boyfriend. This is definitely one of the most well-written dramas on prime time television today, and while the chances of a 4th season are quickly dwindling, fans can still hope.

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

Terminator Salvation - New Poster Released

Matt — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:37:05 +0000

Easily one of the most excitable movie topics for this summer is “Terminator Salvation.” Despite having my initial concerns over the attachment of McG as the director (seriously, he’s a little old to be professionally using that kind of name) the nearing product of T4 looks incredible. Here are the 3 new posters for “Salvation” released together:

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

Jack Bauer To Live Another 24

Matt — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:49:11 +0000

Rejoice, fans of Jack Bauer in FOX’s serial action-drama “24″. It looks like Jack and his chaotic, terrorist filled life will live to fight at least another day.

Executive producer Howard Gordon has just confirmed the eighth season is most definitely coming—and soon!

Says Gordon, “We’re gearing up for a May start date. I’m with the writers now just putting our heads together, coming up with an idea. Unless we fail to come up with an idea that’s satisfactory, you’ll see an eighth season.” Holler!

And if that weren’t exciting enough, Annie Wersching is confirmed to return next season, which might mean some lovin’ for Mr. Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), except that Gordon also teased a shocking death—could it even be Jack Bauer finally kicking the bucket?

There’s still even talk about a big-screen adaptation of the “24″ franchise, though I’m not convinced it’d have anywhere near the same feel in just two hours of action. Both the movie deal and even Sutherland’s involvement in the eighth season are still up in the air, though I can’t imagine a “24″ episode without their main man.

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined:

Kanye West Defends Chris Brown’s Assault On Rihanna

Matt — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:40:28 +0000

Looks like you don’t have to be very bright to sell tons of albums and be a half-decent music producer after all. Kanye West, who lets something dumb tumble out of his mouth anytime it is open, has one up’d himself with a plead to his audience to lighten up on Chris Brown for that whole “beating the crap out of Rihanna” thing.

In the style of Storytellers episodes, VH1 filmed [Kanye] West — known for his outspoken personality — as he played his songs in an intimate setting and shared tidbits with the audience about how they were written. His controversial comments ended up on the cutting room floor, but not for political reasons, executive producer Bill Flanagan told Reuters.

“Can’t we give Chris a break?” West said to the crowd regarding Brown’s arrest for allegedly beating his girlfriend, Rihanna “I know I make mistakes in life.”

In case you missed how badly Brown beat Rihanna, you can see the post-battle pic here. The idea that people shouldn’t criticize Brown for beating Rihanna to shreds is ridiculous. Then again West also wanted to remind the audience that OJ wasn’t such a bad guy either, except for that whole double homicide thing. Seriously, Kanye?

Source: US Magazine

This content brought to you by Wild Bluff Media.

---
Related Articles at Wild Bluff Media : Entertainment Examined: