Your TV Tour Guide

Reviews - Grandfathered and The Grinder

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 03:05:00 +0000

FOX premiered two new comedies tonight, Grandfathered and The Grinder. Is this double dose of G-named shows a hoot or should one or both be given the boot?

What’s the fastest way to put the brakes on a cruise-controlled bachelor lifestyle? Fatherhood? Guess again. Television icon John Stamos (“Full House,” “ER”) stars in a new comedy about the ultimate bachelor who discovers he’s not only a father, but a grandfather.
Successful restaurateur and man-about-town JIMMY MARTINO (Stamos) is used to being the most suave, most handsome and most single person in the room. All that changes with the surprise appearance of Jimmy’s adult son, GERALD (Josh Peck, “The Mindy Project”), and his baby daughter, EDIE. Now Jimmy has to unlearn a lifetime of blissful selfishness and grapple with the fact that he went straight from single to grandfather in six seconds flat.
Keeping tabs on Jimmy is Gerald’s mother and Jimmy’s former girlfriend, rocker chick-turned-mother SARA (Paget Brewster, “Criminal Minds,” “Community”). Equally concerned about how Jimmy will manage these new developments is Jimmy’s restaurant family, especially assistant manager ANNELISE (Kelly Jenrette, “Audrey”) and chef RAVI (Ravi Patel, “Super Fun Night”).
- See more

Kudos to FOX for putting two men who seemingly never age and who have had great staying power on the small screen over the years back-to-back in two comedies that have both received very positive early reviews and buzz. John Stamos and Rob Lowe have worked in both comedy (Full House, Parks and Recreation, respectively) and drama (ER, The West Wing and Brothers & Sisters, respectively), so there's no lack of swagger and experience heralded by both leading men. And did I mention both have aged so well? So how are their new shows?

GRANDFATHERED - THE LOWDOWN

Successful restaurateur and man-about-town Jimmy Martino (Stamos) is used to being the most suave, most handsome and most single person in the room. All that changes with the surprise appearance of Jimmy's adult son Gerald (Josh Peck, The Mindy Project) and his baby daughter Edie. Now Jimmy has to unlearn a lieftime of blissful selfishness and grapple with the fact that he went straight from single to grandfather in six seconds flat. Co-starring Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds, Community) as Gerald's mother Sara, Kelly Jenrette (Frisjy Dingo) and Ravi Patel (Super Fun Night) as Jimmy's co-worker's Annalise and Ravi, and Christina Milian (East Los High) as Edie's mother Vanessa. (Synopsis courtesy of FOX.com).

Stamos will always first and foremost be Uncle Jesse from Full House to me - and coming next year I get to see him in the role once again when Fuller House debuts on Netflix - and it's funny that once again he's playing a character that suddenly has an instant family thrust upon him. He's of course, reluctant at first, but undoubtedly he'll warm up to the idea over time. It may take longer now, being that he's learned he's not just a father, but a grandfather (a GILF, as many, many ads and promos have touted). This is a man who plucks out grey hairs by the strand and is a hit with the ladies young and old alike, definitely a happy-to-be-single bachelor.

There were some funny bits - an employee called Jimmy grandpa and was immediately slapped; the house band broke into "Cat's in the Cradle" upon father and son's first meeting; Sara's line "You look great, by the way. Deal with the Devil really paid off."; and a disastrous first foray in babysitting. There is charm in this show, and Stamos plays discomfort well without it being too offensive or even unlikable. You're rooting for him to come around and embrace his new family. With Brewster, it took me a while to warm up to her doing comedy - she was so good on Criminal Minds that the jump to Community was a jolting one for me - and it may take a bit here, too ... she's just not a comedy actress to me. This less-punchy role seems a better fit for her, though, and I like the cast overall (and man, is there a lot of background work - Central Casting, call me!). Not a bad start.

THE GRINDER - THE LOWDOWN

This new comedy follows two brothers: one a spotlight-grabbing actor who plays TV’s most popular lawyer and the other, a real-life, small-town attorney who has yet to find his spotlight. Dean Sanderson, Jr. (Lowe) spent eight seasons playing the title role on the hit legal drama “The Grinder.” When his series ends, he decides to move back to his hometown of Boise, Idaho, where his brother, Stewart (Fred Savage, The Wonder Years), is poised to take over the family law firm. Despite having no law degree, no license to practice and no experience in an actual courtroom, Dean’s charisma and flair for the dramatic make him absolutely certain he has something to contribute to the firm. Co-starring Mary Elizabeth Ellis (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Stewart’s wife Debbie, Hana Hayes and Connor Kalopsis as their kids Lizzie and Ethan, William Devane (24: Live Another Day) as Dean and Stewart’s father Dean, Sr., and Natalie Morales (Parks and Recreation) as a counselor in the firm. (Synopsis courtesy of FOX.com).

Let me first add a "welcome back to acting, Mr. Savage." Savage has spent most of his adult years behind the camera as a director (2 Broke Girls, Modern Family), but a conversation with another father at his daughter's school led to an invitation to step back in front of the lens, and it's a fun role for him - he's plays uptight and stressed really well and very comically. And Lowe is perfect as an egotistical, overconfident blowhard. He really developed his comic chops on P&R, and he wears this new role like a well-tailored suit. I love the relationship of the brothers and enjoyed the pilot very much. Gotta feel for Stewart, who is clearly #2 in his father's eyes. I hope he gets moments to shine out of the shadow of his brother and prove he's the real deal.

Both shows give you people to root for, which is always something good for new programs. Women do take a backseat in both shows, delegated to supporting characters, but it is what it is. These shows center on these particular men, and I think it's a strong pairing that I hope FOX keeps together for the duration of the season. I'm on board for both.

BOTTOM LINE: Grandfathered and The Grinder are GO!

Grandfathered and The Grinder air Tuesdays at 8pm and 8:30pm on FOX.

Reviews - Blood and Oil and Quantico

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 06:04:00 +0000

ABC premiered two new dramas tonight, Blood & Oil and Quantico, launching them after the return of the fantasy drama Once Upon a Time. Are both worth adding to your DVR season passes?

THE LOWDOWN
Billy and Cody Lefever (Chace Crawford, Gossip Girl, and Rebecca Rittenhouse, Red Band Society) dream of a new life and move Bakken, North Dakota, the home of the biggest oil discovery in American history. They’re soon pitted against a ruthless tycoon Hap Briggs (Don Johnson, Miami Vice) and his wife Darla (Amber Valleta, Revenge), who force them to put everything on the line, including their marriage. Co-starring Delroy Lindo (The Chicago Code) and India de Beaufort (Jane By Design, One Tree Hill).(Synopsis details courtesy of ABC).

Bakken may be the hottest boom town - where "you either have two jobs or two homes" - but it's not without it's tensions, danger and debauchery. The Lefevers are definitely fish out of water that are going to have to learn to bite very quickly to survive and thrive, especially against the Briggs family, which includes son Wick (Scott Michael Foster, Chasing Life), who has a hot head, a screw-you attitude, hates stepmom Darla and is a lifelong disappointment to his father.

When they began promoting B&O, I was sure this was going to be the new Dallas (or new new Dallas - really liked the return they did a couple of years ago that ended too soon and with no proper ending) with warring families, wealth from oil, lots of sex and sneering, but it's not. Dallas was bigger, this is grittier. And Johnson ain't no J.R. Right away he doesn't seem like the bad guy. He seems to genuinely care about the oil business and doing it right and not so much about amassing crazy money. But that is just my first impression. I won't be surprised if that changes. Too bad the show doesn't take place in Texas - Crawford is making the most of his natural Lubbock accent. Valleta made me feel like she is trying to channel Robin Wright's House of Cards character (her look, too), but with none of her bite. Foster plays the bad boy well enough, if not a little too strong and predictable.

Promotion has said B&O will help fill the void left by last year's Revenge finale for those of us her were fans, but I'm not there right off the bat with this show as I was with Revenge, which had a great start right out the gate. This pilot is a slower burn, which isn't a bad thing. Definitely not what I expected going in. Had some plot points that I called a mile away, which always disappoints (Billy and Cody are buried in debt, are risking everything, so of COURSE she learns she's pregnant), but the ending had some spark. Ultimately I'll probably give it a handful of episodes before committing or dumping, but it didn't wow me.

BOTTOM LINE: Could be slicker.

THE LOWDOWN

Meet the FBI's newest recruits - including Alex Parrish (Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra), Ryan Booth (Jake McLaughlin, Believe), Nimah Anwar (Yasmine Al Massri, Crossbones), Shelby Wyatt (Johanna Braddy, UnREAL), Simon Asher (Tate Ellington, The Mindy Project) and Caleb Hass (Graham Rogers, Revolution) - entering the intense training program at Quantico. They are the best, the brightest and the most vetted, so is it possible one of them could be the mastermind behind the biggest terrorist attack on NYC since 9/11? Co-starring Miranda Shaw (Aunjanue Ellis, NCIS: Los Angeles). (Synopsis details courtesy of ABC).

Unlike its lead-in, Quantico had a great start with a really strong introduction of its various lead characters, especially Chopra, who was given a fantastic monologue showing off her character's incredible profiling ability. The pilot jumps back an forth from the present day explosion at the fictional Grand Central Terminal in downtown New York to the first day of training in Langley nine months earlier. The show sets up the conspiracy chasing right away, with Parrish being called on to give intel on her classmates to determine the terrorist within her own.

This show is a little Grey's Anatomy, a little Rookie Blue, probably a mutt of several other ensemble procedurals. There's a nice, diverse balance of men and women leads, and how cozy that their characters live in coed dorms at Q - no chance there's going to be any hooking up this season, is there? (Check the first one off - Parrish and Booth got it on big time in his car just an hour or so after meeting). There was a fun montage of each recruit - per an assignment from their instructors - investigating each other, from searching each other's rooms, to calling various sources to, checking them out on social media. I particularly like the motivation behind the Wyatt character - her parents were on one of the planes hijacked on 9/11 and she carries a piece of the plane with her everywhere.

And of course they teased that each may have something to hide - that is, after all, the key plot point.

We've seen Quatico portrayed in snippets before in movies like Silence of the Lambs and Rush, but it's cool to spend more time with the recruits as they are trained over a period of time. I understand the need for the attack and the conspiracy - it raises the stakes - but I think I'd like the show if, like Grey's Anatomy, we just followed the training and all the relationships, challenges, successes and failures that happen within the Q walls. But so far I like the show - hell of a twist at the end of the first episode - and am interested to see where it leads and who the bad guy or gal turns out to be (and if it will be by season's end).

BOTTOM LINE: Has arrested my interest.

Blood & Oil and Quantico air Sundays at 9pm and 10pm on ABC.

Review - Scream Queens

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 03:55:00 +0000

The latest show from Ryan Murphy - the man behind the most diverse roster of shows, from Popular to Nip/Tuck, The New Normal to Glee, and American Horror Story, which debuts AHS: Hotel next month - is FOX's Scream Queens, featuring an impressive cast, including one of the most famous screen SQs, Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween), Emma Roberts (an AHS alum), Lea Michelle (a Glee alum), Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine), and Oliver Hudson (Nashville, Rules of Engagement), among many others. It's been promoted as a horror-comedy, but does the pilot slay the competition in this new TV season?

THE LOWDOWN
The girls of Kappa House, the most sought-after sorority at Hollace University, is dying for new pledges, but only the silver spooned elite are considered. Not if Dean Cathy Munsch (Curtis) has anything to say about it. She is determined to force Kappa to consider all campus girls, much to the chagrin of Kappa leader Chanel Oberlin (Roberts), who rules her house and sisters with a designer-dressed fist. Both and all are about to get a rude awakening as a devil-clad killer begins wreaking havoc across campus. Created by Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. (Synopsis details courtesy of Fox.com).

I'm glad Curtis still embraces and revisits the horror genre after all these years (loved that she did the original Halloween, then returned 20 years later in Halloween H20 to battle Michael Myers once last time). And Roberts has made quite a career of playing the ultimate mean girl (eat your heart out, Regina George!). Both leading ladies come from acting pedigree (Curtis' parents are Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, Roberts' dad is Eric Roberts, and of course there's Aunt Julia), but it's nice how they've made names for themselves on their own.

Now, onto the show, which Fox premiered in a two-hour debut. Loved it! It's sharp-tongued, well-shot, moves at a great pace and features really great performances, establishing well-rounded characters from all classes. It feels like an amalgam of the creators' various shows, particularly Glee and AHS, but also feels like it drew inspiration from classics like Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Mean Girls and Heathers (less classic but still entertaining, Jawbreaker).

Roberts really has the uber-bitch persona down - she puts Cordelia Chase to shame. And how the hell does she spout dialogue that fast?

Her minions (The Plastics, who?), including a nice bit of stunt casting in Grammy winner Arianna Grande, are vapid, glorious Stepford sisters.

I like that Michelle isn't playing another Rachel Berry but is now a neckbraced nerd. Everyone plays their parts to perfection, from the dredges of the pledges to ludicrous family members. There isn't much racial diversity in the cast but there is some, including Niecy Nash (Reno 911!), Nasim Pedrad (Saturday Night Live) and Keke Palmer (90210). The girl destined to challenge Chanel the most is Grace Gardner, played by Skylar Samuels (The Nine Lives of Chloe King). Should be a true battle royale as the season progresses.

Did I mention how I love the cinematography? As expected, there's no lack of death in the premiere and to be sure they are both funny and jaw-dropping, with plenty of screaming girls to go around. Bloody good fun!

Bottom Line: This killer new horror-comedy is a Scream.

Scream Queens airs Tuesdays at 9pm on FOX.

The girls of Kappa House are dying for new pledges. SCREAM QUEENS is a new killer comedy-horror series from award-winning executive producers Ryan Murphy (“Glee,” “American Horror Story”), Brad Falchuk (“Glee,” “American Horror Story”) and Ian Brennan (“Glee”).
Kappa House, the most sought-after sorority for pledges, is ruled with an iron fist (in a pink glove) by CHANEL OBERLIN (Emma Roberts, “American Horror Story: Freak Show,” “Scream 4”). But when anti-Kappa DEAN CATHY MUNSCH (Jamie Lee Curtis, “Halloween,” “A Fish Called Wanda,” “True Lies”) decrees that sorority pledging must be open to all students, and not just the school’s silver-spooned elite, all hell is about to break loose, as a devil-clad killer begins wreaking havoc across the campus.
An over-the-top, biting satire, SCREAM QUEENS is part black comedy, part slasher flick and a modern take on the classic whodunit, in which every character has a motive for murder…or could easily be the next victim.
SCREAM QUEENS has an all-star cast, including Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis, Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Lea Michele (“Glee”), Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine,” “Zombieland,” “August: Osage County”), Nasim Pedrad (“Mulaney,” “Saturday Night Live”), Oliver Hudson (“Nashville,” “Rules of Engagement”), Skyler Samuels (“American Horror Story: Coven”), Keke Palmer (“Akeela and the Bee,” “Masters of Sex”), newcomer Billie Lourd, Diego Boneta (“Rock of Ages”), Glen Powell (“The Expendables 3”), Lucien Laviscount (“Episodes”), Niecy Nash (“Getting On,” “The Soul Man”), pop superstar and actor Nick Jonas (“Kingdom”) and Grammy Award nominee and actress Ariana Grande.
- See more at: http://www.fox.com/scream-queens#sthash.z0pdpguU.dpuf

Review - Life in Pieces

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 04:17:00 +0000

CBS premiered its new ... sitcom (?) ... Life in Pieces tonight, giving it the very coveted post-Big Bang Theory time slot. It's got a terrific cast and promotes the comedy of a quirky family dynamic, but how was it?

THE LOWDOWN
One Big Family. Four Short Stories. Life In Pieces introduces the Short family (get the pun?) and their sometimes awkward, often hilarious and ultimately beautiful milestone moments as told by its various members, including middle sibling Matt (Thomas Sadoski, The Slap, The Newsroom), who may have found true love in co-worker Colleen (Angelique Cabral, Enlisted); youngest brother Greg (Colin Hanks, Dexter) and his wife Jen (Zoe Lister Jones, New Girl), who are overwhelmed by the birth of their first child; and eldest sibling Heather (Betsy Brandt, Breaking Bad) and her husband Tim (Dan Bakkedahl, Veep) who are facing a bad case of Empty Nest Syndrome. Their parents are smother-with-good-intentions Joan (Dianne Wiest, Law & Order) and John (James Brolin, Castle, Hotel), the gregarious patriarch who's searching for ways to soften the blow of turning 70. As the family's lives unfold in four short stories each week, they try to savor these little pieces of time that flash by but stay with you forever, because these moments add up to what life's all about.(Synopsis details courtesy of CBS.com)

When I first started watching the pilot, I immediately thought "wow, this kinda looks and feels like Modern Family." Apparently I'm not alone: when I googled the show to see if it's by the same creators (it's not), I found that many, many others feel the same thing, except that this isn't as funny or good. I'm not a fan of Modern Family - though I do appreciate that it's a very good and popular show - so I started doubting that I'd care for LIP. But I came around to Parks and Recreation having not liked The Office, which to me felt like similar shows, so I continued to watch with an open mind.

Nice always to see Hanks, especially since he's resembling his awesome dad more and more, but they're playing their characters very broadly with a lot of big, exaggerated and a bit too much facial expressions. Though I did appreciate their story, which covered what happens the days after you give birth - the destruction of the woman's nether-region, the lingering pain and a clever remedy. But just as you start to get into the story, it's gone, not to be seen again this episode. Being only a 30-minute comedy, you're just getting a quick five-minute taste - great for those with short attention spans but not for me. I'd rather know we'd revisit at least once more per episode.

I'm glad Brandt gets to loosen up and have some fun, having run the dramatic gauntlet handed to her throughout Breaking Bad's run. It was an interesting premise to have John celebrate his 70th birthday by throwing a funeral for himself. Nice to have Brolin back on TV - kind of the reverse-Hanks, here the father instead of the son (Josh).

There were some really good minor characters, including Susan Park, Greg and Jen's doctor, and Riley Bodenstab, Heather and Tim's son's (Niall Cunningham) college-visit buddy. I assume in future episodes various family members will cross over into each other's stories as they did in the funeral scene, but it's possible it may only happen in the fourth story. Not sure I'm willing to come back to find out. Didn't love it, didn't really like anyone, which does not make for a long-viewing relationship. Actually just makes me miss Parenthood - which I highly recommend watching on Netflix.

Bottom Line: My like for this new comedy is short. Very short.

Life in Pieces airs Mondays at 8:30pm on CBS (until NFL football is over, then it moves to Thursdays).

Emmys 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 04:52:00 +0000

The 67th Emmy Awards were held tonight with some new winners that well-deserved the prize (Jon Hamm, Mad Men, Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer) as well as some previous winners taking home additional trophies to great glee (Allison Janney, Mom, Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black - for which she is only the second person in history to win Emmys in two categories (comedy, drama) playing the same character; Ed Asner was the first for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Lou Grant). There were a few not-unexpected disappointments (Tatiana Maslany for Orphan Black, Amy Poehler for Parks and Recreation), but overall it was a very satisfying range of winners.

The evening saw a nice first hosting by Andy Samberg, including a brilliant opening musical film about his catching up on all that is on TV (welcome to my life and love!) and later a clever spoof of a key Mad Men moment. And it was so great to see Tracy Morgan's return - predicted by Jimmy Kimmel at last year's Emmys. HBO and cable in general were big winners. A few quick comical bits added some chickles to the awards show, but the montage of shows that ended this year was devastating given that it showed pretty much the endings to all of them - spoiler alerts, people!!

Anyway, congratulations to all the winners!

Drama Series - Game of Thrones (HBO)

Comedy Series - Veep (HOB)
Limited Series - Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Variety Talk Series - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Variety Sketch Series - Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central)
Reality-Competition Program - The Voice (NBC)

Lead Actor in a Drama - Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)
Lead Actress in a Drama - Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)
Lead Actor in a Comedy - Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon)
Lead Actress in a Comedy - Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie - Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie - Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Supporting Actor in a Drama - Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Supporting Actress in a Drama - Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Supporting Actor in a Comedy - Tony Hale, Veep (HBO)
Supporting Actress in a Comedy - Allison Janney, Mom (CBS)
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie - Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie - Regina King, American Crime (ABC)

Directing, Drama Series - David Nutter, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Directing, Comedy Series -Jill Soloway, Transparent (Amazon)
Directing, Variety Series - Chuck O'Neil, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Directing, Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special - Lisa Cholodenko, Olive Kitteridge (HBO)

Writing, Drama Series - Game of Thrones (HBO)
Writing, Comedy Series - Veep (HBO)
Writing, Variety Series - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)

Welcome to Fall TV!

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 06:12:00 +0000

Hideeho, Tourists! I'm baaaaaack!

I took the summer off and caught up on a lot of shows id heard much buzzing about, including Empire and Daredevil, and also caught up on the new season of Orange is the New Black and enjoyed new seasons of summer fare like Suits, Rookie Blue, Rizzoli & Isles and Under the Dome (farewell, Domesters).

So I welcome you all back with my first review of the new season, tonight's premiere of the new NBC variety series Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris.

THE LOWDOWN
Five-time Emmy Award and Tony Award-winner Neil Patrick Harris hosts this live one-hour variety show where anything can happen. Week to week the show will feature appearances by A-list stars, stunts, comedy skits, incredible performances, mini game shows, audience giveaways and hidden camera pranks.
Based on the wildly popular British hit Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, this genre-busting format and its fearless star will make for one of the best nights ever on TV, week after week.

Now I love me some NPH. He is a singular talent and can host pretty much anything. I'm not the biggest fan of variety shows, though, certainly not for a whole hour. It's clear Neil is having a blast and he's got the clout to get pretty much anyone to come by. Episode one featured Reese Witherspoon, Gloria Gaynor and Carson Daly and had Neil going undercover to prank the judges of The Voice in a segment called "Undercover." He and Reese went head-to-head in a climbing competition 15-stories high that ended in a zipline to the finish in a segment called "Neil vs. ...". The audience joined in the fun as Neil played with them in video segments, a nationwide karaoke sing-along and an in-studio game show with amazing prizes.

We know Neil is an amazing magician, but I get frustrated when I don't know how they do the tricks, so I was indeed frustrated how he managed to seem to appear at a football game and the WEDDING of a chosen couple in the audience - a couple who later were presented with a fantastic honeymoon to Antigua. Even more frustrating? They weren't seemingly ecstatic. More like "Oh, that's neat" was their reaction. Same with a lucky audience member who was "randomly" selected to play a fast-paced trivia game with the chance to win up to 16 prizes including a new car and other great stuff. When she won 7 awesome prizes - including the friggin car - her reaction was "Yay." I mean, I've seen people react with more enthusiasm, excitement and gratitude on Ellen. So what's the real story? How much is pre-planned? Guess that's the magician's secret. Also, when he was in disguise on The Voice, he didn't really change his voice so it still sounded like him, and the wig and beard hid him somewhat, and he even sang and, while faking bad singing, still sounded just like himself ... and all the judges (Pharrell Williams, Gwen Stefani, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton) didn't recognize him? Uh huh.

Basically, not a big fan of BTE. It's quite a hodgepodge of stuff, ending with a grand production number that is just too much. I appreciate that Neil has a great showcase for himself and his awesomeness, but I would rather see him back on a scripted show and back to hosting award shows.

Bottom Line: Not the best viewing time ever for me.

Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris airs Tuesdays at 10pm on NBC.

I'm On Board with Empire

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 05:48:00 +0000

Though summer means many of my shows are gone for months, it does allow for the opportunity to catch up on ones that were missed in the vast ocean of programming. One such show I've been binge watching this week is FOX's breakout hit Empire.

THE LOWDOWN

Music titan Lucious Lyon (Terrance Howard, Wayward Pines, Law & Order), diagnosed with a debilitating disease, is determined to groom on of his three sons - Andre (Trai Byers, 90210), Jamal (Jussie Smollett, On Our Own), and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) - to take over and run his multi-tiered company, Empire (think a modern take on King Lear). He must also contend with the return of his wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson, Person of Interest), who has been released from prison after serving 17 years for drug dealing. Cookie wants her cut and to be a part of her sons' lives once again.

This show is definitely engaging with plenty of drama, back-stabbing, infidelity, homosexuality, intense relationships, and definitely sass. Henson is fantastic as Cookie, a woman who can elevate you to your best if she's on your side and cut you down if she's not.

Howard and Henson have great chemistry, both when they/re loving and fighting. The supporting cast is also quite good, particularly Byers, Smollett and Gray - very believable as brothers.

Also fantastic is the music. Rap and hip hop are not my usual cup of tea, but I definitely am looking to download some of the songs featured. I like that the television landscape includes shows like Glee (sadly, now gone), Nashville and Empire that weave new music seamlessly into the storytelling.

Empire's pace is fast and a lot happens in each episode, which I like a lot. There's a great twist at the end of the season that changes the game and sets up an interesting future. Empire has great guest stars, including Judd Nelson, Naomi Campbell and Gabourey Sibide, and looks to feature many music artists (Courtney Love had a nice two-ep arc; Snoop Dog also dropped in) in seasons to come.

I'm glad I gave Empire a look and will greatly anticipate its second season.

Empire returns to FOX this fall and is currently available on Hulu.

Farewell, Glee

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 06:55:00 +0000

Alas, another of my series leaves the airwaves.

I loved Glee right from the start. It had a great pilot episode, was well cast, covered a terrific variety of songs from all genres (including some amazing mash-ups), and really captured realistically much of the issues and angst felt by teenagers, both who do and don't fit the norm.

Overall, Glee had a strong run, adding in along the way talented new regulars like Darren Criss, Chord Overstreet, though it weakened when the original kids graduated from the fictional McKinley High in Lima, Ohio and a group of new kids were brought in to carry on the show choir torch, still led by choir director Will Schuster (Matthew Morrison) and tormented by perpetual villain Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch). The new kids were talented, for sure, but just like Saved By The Bell: The New Class, they just didn't capture the magic and gelling of the originals.

The show then tried to live two lives by following primary characters Rachel (Lea Michelle), Artie (Kevin McHale), Kurt (Chris Colfer), and Mercedes (Amber Riley) on their adventures in NYC, while still keeping roots in Lima

Eventually for its final season, almost all of the original cast - including Santana (Naya Rivera), Brittany (Heather Morris), Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), Puck (Mark Salling) and Quinn (Dianna Agron) appeared throughout, wrapping up by bringing us full circle in last night's series finale: hour one took us back to the formation of the original glee club and showed us how this group of misfit kids came together despite their differences and perceptions of each other (six years later, the now-adult actors actually pulled off playing their younger selves really well). Hour two took us to the future to see where they ended up five years later.

I appreciated how Glee tackled issues like bullying, homosexuality, low self-esteem, cliques, and death, among others. Especially poignant was how the death of star Cory Montieth was handled following his passing from drug abuse. It was a fitting, touching tribute to the young actor. I always wrestled with the Sue character - how truly hateful and monstrous she could be and wasn't even a character you loved to hate, but they would throw in occasional moments that showed she did have a heart, so I overall felt divided with her. But there were enough positives to make you accept any negatives that come with any long-running series.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this show and I will truly miss it. Its characters, its music ... its glee.

Adieu.

Review - iZombie

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 08:03:00 +0000

I preface this review with saying I am a huge fan of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars, two shows the CW's new series iZombie has been compared to early on. Is it as fun and entertaining as those predecessors? Let's see ...

THE LOWDOWN

iZombie, developed by Rob Thomas (creator, Veronica Mars) and Diane Ruggiero (writer on VM) is a loose adaptation of thecomic book series of the same name created by Chris Robertson and Michael Allred and published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. It stars Rose McIver (Masters of Sex) as Olivia "Liv" Moore, a medical student who, in a wrong-place-wrong-time scenario, becomes a zombie during an outbreak at a party. Her new hunger for brains comes in handy when she finds she's able to see the memories of those she consumes, as well as the skills and abilities they possessed in life - a talent she uses to help solve their murders with the help of the medical examiner Ravi (Rahul Kohli) and police detective Clive (Malcolm Goodwin, Breakout Kings). Also stars David Anders (Once Upon a Time, The Vampire Diaries, Alias) and Molly Hagen (Herman's Head).

First, this show has an awesome opening title sequence that brilliantly compartmentalizes Liv's zombie origin and current position in life, done in comic-book graphics. Second, even though this is yet another show with much voice-over by the lead character, it's not surprising here, given that Thomas did the same thing with VM. It works strongly in both cases since both female leads have such a sassy and snarky disposition.

The similarities between iZombie and Veronica Mars are actually numerous: the aforementioned spunky, intelligent, sleuthing lead female, the terrible-thing-happening-at-a-party (SPOILER!! - Veronica was drugged and raped at a party she went to; Liv ... was killed and became a zombie), the pop culture references, the fast, quippy dialogue ( love the line "So you are what you eat isn't just a bitchy thing my mother says about fat people").

I like the physical transformation they've created for Liv, from normal, healthy-palor and dark blond hair to albino-like white hair and colorless skin (above is just post-death). It's weird to her family and friends but not so weird you'd suspect she's the living dead. Unlike the typical zombie we've some to know from Romero films, The Walking Dead, etc., Liv is fully functional, has all her faculties and fits in to society like a normal person ... she just happens to live for brains (hey, at least she mixes them with noodles and hot sauce).

I really liked the pilot and this show definitely fits into the CW's landscape, which features other other-wordly creatures like angels, demons and monsters (Supernatural), vampires (The Vampire Diaries), superheroes (Arrow, The Flash) and virgins who get pregnant (Jane the Virgin). Tee hee.

Having Liv work in a morgue is a smart move, giving her an endless supply of food and also a convenient outlet for her new gift. The supporting characters are ok, but it's McIver's show, hands-down, though I anticipate more of Anders, who I hear is going to be the Spike of this show (loved his arc on Buffy). I'm definitely on board for more iZombie.

BOTTOM LINE: This show has bite!

iZombie airs Tuesdays at 9pm on the CW.

Farewell, Parks and Recreation

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 02:48:00 +0000

Another massive binge-watch pays off!

Admittedly I resisted NBC's Parks and Recreation for most of its seven-season run. Frankly, I'm not usually a fan of this type of comedy (workplace-documentary style a la The Office). Even when a good friend of mine began recurring, I still didn't watch. But when a lull in the regular TV season came along and I had the chance to binge on a series, I chose P&A and I'm so glad I did, especially since I was able to catch up just in time to enjoy the last few episodes (series finale aired last night) right along with everyone else.

This perky ensemble comedy features a family of delightful, rich, fully-realized characters who work in the Parks Dept. of Pawnee, Indiana, led by the eternally positive public servant pistol Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live), along with steadfast man's man Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman, Children's Hospital), hustling entrepreneur/mogul wannabe Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari, Bob's Burgers), perpetually sarcastic and apathetic April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza, Portlandia), loser boyfriend-turned sweet-hearted goof Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy, The O.C.), fitness-obsessed optimist Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe, Brothers & Sisters), accountant and finely butted Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott, Tell Me You Love Me), nurse and Leslie BFF Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones, Web Therapy), sassy diva Donna Meagle (Retta) and sweet, bumbling, butt-of-every-joke Gary Gergich (Jim O'Heir).

Over the course of the show this loveable group tackles highs and lows, successes and failures, job changes, marriage, children and more, all under the loving eye of Leslie, who was determined to have all her dreams and the dreams of those she loves come true and stay endlessly positive, even when her beloved town repeatedly let her down. It only made her work harder and made her simultaneously annoying and endearing, a feat accomplished to perfection by Poehler.

I wasn't won over right away but I stuck with the binge, determined to make it through, It turned in season three when Scott and Lowe joined the cast. That's when it really gelled and came alive for me, and I started to heartily laugh out loud consistently, eagerly anticipating each next episode.

I'm so happy the show was given a final season to properly wrap things up, which they did so cleverly, first by time-jumping ahead to the year 2017 to see where everyone was at, then, in last night's finale, jumping ahead again to various years in the future (2019, 2022, 2025) to see how they each progressed in their lives while still keeping in touch with each other.

Thanks to Hulu and I think also Netflix for having the entire series available to those of us who came to the P&A party late and to revisit again and again. If you're like me and haven't watched, please set aside time to visit Pawnee and its kooky, adorable members of the Parks Dept. You'll be glad you did!

Review - The Odd Couple

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 05:36:00 +0000

Why, CBS, Why?

On the eve when in my opinion one of the worst sitcoms on TV finally ends (good riddance Two and a Half Men!), CBS opts to premiere the remake of The Odd Couple, sufficiently filling Men's god-awful shoes.

THE LOWDOWN (though probably not necessary to most people)
This latest version, based on Neil Simon's 1965 play of the same name, stars Matthew Perry (Friends, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) as sportscaster and eternal slob Oscar Madison, and Thomas Lennon (Reno 911!, Sean Saves the World) as uptight neat freak Felix Unger, two former college buddies who become unlikely roommates after the demise of their marriages. It’s not long after Oscar lets Felix move in that Oscar fears he’s made a monumental mistake. However, despite how exasperated they make each other, these mismatched friends agree they can help each other move on from their divorces and somehow make their crazy living arrangement work.

Personally, I have a long history with The Odd Couple. I watched the original TV version starring Tony Randall as Felix and Jack Klugman as Oscar - which was incredibly funny and well-played.

I watched the movie starring legends Jack Lemmon as Felix and Walter Matthau as Oscar - that brought stage to screen.

And I starred in the female version of the play in high school (the characters became Florence (me) and Olive). It's a great premise and made for some fun comedy ... in those other versions. Here it's sad, a little desperate, completely unoriginal, unnecessary and a waste of the talent of its cast.

Yep, it's really terrible.

To see talents like Perry, who is trying waaaaay to hard and is completely miscast (he co-created this version, so he no doubt got to choose his role), Lennon (who is more believable but doing really nothing original), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) - maybe she'll come back to Greendale when this monstrosity goes away? - and Dave Foley (News Radio, Hot in Cleveland) just stagnant in this crap ... ugh.

The pilot literally slam-packs the play into 22 minutes, even using lines directly pulled right from the script (I should know, I spoke and reacted to them when I did the play!). Lennon has adopted his version of Felix's sinus-clearing honk, but ultimately no one can beat Randall's. The disarray of Oscar's apartment we first see in the pilot's opening scene looks forced and unauthentic (hanging shirts randomly about does not a true slob make).

I could go on but frankly, I'd rather not waste any more time on this debacle. Hopefully this new-old Odd Couple will have a mercifully short life and free up the cast to do better things (Yvette, Community! Matthew, another Studio 60!). If you can find it, the Randall-Klugman series is so much more worth watching, as is the film.

The Odd Couple airs Thursdays at 8:30pm on CBS.

(If I had half a TV I'd use that. This whole one is generous.)

Review - Better Call Saul

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 07:38:00 +0000

Many a successful series has tried to continue magic created by spinning off a regular or popular character into their own show. Some have succeeded (The Jeffersons and Maude came from All in the Family, Mork & Mindy from Happy Days, Frasier from Cheers, Xena from Hercules, The Flash from Arrow, multiple Law & Orders,CSIs and NCISs from the originals), some not (A Different World (The Cosby Show), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (Criminal Minds), some of the aforementioned Law & Orders and CSIs). So when AMC announced that it was spinning off Bob Odenkirk's sleazy, fast-talking lawyer character Saul from the Brilliant Breaking Bad into his own series, I personally wondered if the character could carry a show on his own. I mean, it's a great supporting character that added a lot to BB, but is it an interesting enough one with enough individual story to carry on as the lead? Tonight, we got to see.

THE LOWDOWN

Created by Vince Gilligan (who also created BB), Better Call Saul is a prequel to BB, taking us six years before Saul became Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) lawyer. When we meet him, he's not yet Saul, but instead is Jimmy McGill, a small-time public defender searching for his destiny, and, more immediately, hustling to make ends meet.

Working alongside, and often against, Jimmy is "fixer" Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), the popular hitman introduced in BB. The series tracks Jimmy's transformation into Saul Goodman, the man who puts "criminal" in "criminal lawyer" and "the guy who knows a guy who knows a guy ... who knows a guy." The series co-stars Michael McKean (Smallville, The X-Files), Rhea Seehorn (Franklin & Bash), Patrick Fabian (Big Love), and Michael Mando (Orphan Black).

The pilot opened with a beautiful black-and-white vignette. At first you're not sure of the time period because of the music played and vague close-ups, but eventually we see its a modern day mall, specifically a Cinnabon. We see a balding, bespeckled, mustached man making the rolls and doing his job. He looks like any average joe. But knowing the show we're watching, we know it's actually Saul, in his new, unflashy, mundane life as Joe Nobody, having had to ditch his old persona for his own freedom and safety after the events that happened in BB's final season. As we later see him in his sparse little home, we see that he still longs for his old life as he watches an old tape of his Better Call Saul cemmercials. Man, the guy has a sad existence.

But then we're taken back to an undisclosed year (a time when VHS still existed) where we see Saul, or Jimmy, in his lawyer years, feeling like the king of the courtroom, showcasing with confidence and bravado. No denying we're in for a fascinating trip from A (Jimmy) to B (Saul and his current life). The series has already been picked up for season 2, so we'll get pretty far on that path).

Odenkirk lives and breathes this character and it shows. You kinda wanna shower after contact with him - I mean, the desperation alone - but you also feel for the guy (he drives a piece of crap car and his office is in the back of a manicure shop, for cripes sake!). I love the way the show is shot (at least the pilot, which was helmed by Gilligan). There's a particularly brilliant car accident shot from inside the car that makes you feel shaky like it happened to you.

While this isn't Breaking Bad - a must-see series for anyone and everyone - it does have a draw that makes you want to take the ride to see just how Saul's progression came about and all the ups and downs that will inevitably be involved, though seriously, how can things be any lower for him at time we first meet him here? There were so many surprises in BB you never saw coming, you can trust in Gilligan and his team to continue that brilliance here, though maybe in a different way. For that reason, and for its great cast, I'll commit to this 10-episode run and look forward to the unfolding of Saul's story.

Better Call Saul airs Mondays at 10pm on AMC.

Review - Fresh off the Boat

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 07:02:00 +0000

ABC premiered its latest family comedy tonight, Fresh off the Boat. Certainly seems like the right network for it seeing as how ABC has the most family-centered sitcoms on the air right now, most f them big successes including Modern Family, The Middle, The Goldbergs and most recently, Black-ish. From what I know, this seems like the Asian version of the latter, and since I didn't really care for that one, I wondered how I would feel about this. So what did I think?

THE LOWDOWN
In Fresh off the Boat, it’s the '90s and 12 year old, hip-hop loving Eddie Huang (Hudson Yang) just moved to suburban Orlando from DC’s Chinatown with his parents Louis and Jessica (Randall Park, seen recently in the infamous movie The Interview playing Kim Jong Un, and Constance Wu). It’s culture shock for his immigrant family in this comedy about pursuing the American Dream. Co-stars Ian Chen and Forrest Wheeler as siblings Even and Emery.

Going in, I was pretty sure this sitcom was going to be full of Asian stereotypes, which would be a shame, being that this is the first Asian family-focused show that I can name as ever existing on TV (there aren't that many Asians on air/recently on air I can actually name en masse, save Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park on CBS' Hawaii Five-0, John Cho on the recently cancelled Selfie, Margaret Cho on the recently ended Drop Dead Diva and Jadyn Wong on CBS' Scorpion, to name a few).

Right off the bat I felt like I was watching an Asian version of The Goldbergs: a period piece (TG takes place in the 80s, this in the mid-90s) with voice-over from the center-focus kid as an adult (TG, it's Adam, here it's Eddie) as he describes what life in his family was like (both shows coincidentally are based on their real respective childhoods). Eddie's adult self sounds like a rap-gangsta wannabe, which they establish by showing younger Eddie's hip-hop fascination (complimented by the show's soundtrack).

Mom Jessica is the only one with a thick Asian accent and there are no Asian-typical names (though they apparently have them by birth, as shown when Eddie's teacher attempts to introduce him to the class, brutally slaughtering the pronunciation ... the clan seemingly opts for easier American names), so they're not playing up the stereotype nearly as much as the forced attempt to portray suburban neighborhood moms who cluster together in a brightly-dressed cult-like manner (we first meet them as they roll by in their daily group rollerblading outing, giant smiles and aweness over their new ethnic neighbors - guess there really aren't a lot of Asians in Florida). Of course Jessica jumps right in to make an effort to fit in, despite hating every minute of it. Can't say she's necessarily a character to root for. I have more respect for TG's Wendy McLendon-Covey's smothering Beverly (she is who she is and apologizes for and conforms to nothing). I do appreciate Jessica's tendency to be passive-aggressive with Louis, but it's not funny enough.

Part of the story involves Louis fulfilling his dream to own a western-themed restaurant. See, that's supposed to be funny too, I think ... what could be more fish out of water? What's funnier than a fish-out-of-water element, right? Here, it's not so much. Also, I've never been to DC's Chinatown, but as portrayed here it supposedly is very close to life in China, as we are shown when Jessica goes shopping at a very clean, quiet grocery store but yearns for the Taiwanese markets that "made her feel so calm" - to which we cut to a jam packed market full of people shouting all at once while clutching and grabbing for the surrounding food. Obviously mom is not happy with the Americanization of her family.

Guess that's why they call this Fresh Off the Boat? Because it's such a culture shock for the family, even though they didn't move directly from Taiwan, but just from a different part of America? Title would make more sense with the former.

I do respect the message given to us at the close of the pilot episode, about why Louis uprooted his family to their new home and wants to stick it out despite their initial obstacles (Jessica's displeasure (the humidity is murder on her hair), the change in culture, Eddie being bullied at school (the show actually had a classmate call him c**nk - pretty bold considering the severity of that word). After Eddie fought back and Louis and Jessica defended his actions to the principal, Louis laid it out for his family:

"I'm sorry for what happened to Eddie but it's going to make him stronger. In fact coming to this new place, it's going to make us all stronger. I came down here and opened a wild west restaurant because this is the wild west! A lawless land only for the bravest of families. There is opportunity here to make a better life for our family. Things were okay for us in DC, but I want more than okay for us."

Can't argue with that. Two episodes aired tonight, and the second brought Jessica more into the forefront, establishing that she is her own kind of smother (ABC really loves that character trait). Still didn't win me over. I guess there's room for only one type of this show for me, and it's The Goldbergs, which I highly recommend. But if you like family comedy, ABC certainly has plenty to go around, and you may enjoy this show more than I did. I welcome you to give it a shot (but really, The Goldbergs is funnier.)

Fresh Off the Boat airs Tuesdays at 8pm on ABC.

Farewell, Parenthood

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 07:05:00 +0000

Many a television series have I seen end their runs, and I've definitely shed a lot of tears over quite a few finales that have been done well. But having been with NBC's brilliant Parenthood from the very start and having watched this final season unfold knowing a little of what they had in store for us, I must say I had a full box of tissues at the ready and warned people seeing me tomorrow morning that I'd likely have very puffy eyes from bawling over the finale. *sniff* I wasn't entirely wrong. I certainly cried. But I also laughed and sighed and was thoroughly uplifted.

First, let me know advise, nay, BEG you all to go back and watch Parenthood - based on the 1989 Ron Howard film starring Steve Martin - from episode one (seasons 1-5 are available to stream on Netflix) because it is one of the best family dramas ever done. A terrific, solid cast of veterans became the Bravermans, including Craig T. Nelson (Coach), Peter Krause (Six Feet Under), Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls), Monica Potter, Bonnie Bedelia, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, Joy Bryant, Sam Jaeger, Mae Whitman, Ray Romano (Men of a Certain Age) and a great group of young actors (Max Burkholder, Savannah Paige Rae, Miles Heizer, Tyree Brown, Sarah Ramos, and Xolo Mariduena) we've watched grow up before our eyes. Full of humor as well as drama, you truly feel like you're watching a real family deal with a slew of issues and problems but also laugh, celebrate and triumph together. Breast cancer, sex, marital problems, Asperger's, the poor economy, pregnancy (unexpected and later-in-life), homosexuality, adoption, bi-racial relationships, bullying, PTSD, and finally, death - this show has tackled it all with precision, perfection, realism and heart.

*sniff* *nose blow* *sniff*

I'm not going to go into detail about what happened in the finale, except to say that it was exceptional - funny, sad, heartwarming and capped brilliantly, taking a cue from the amazing Six Feet Under finale (which I'm sure made Krause smile) by ending in a similar way: a montage giving us a look into the future to see how the Braverman clan grows and where each branch goes in their respective lives.

I am so glad NBC stuck with this series despite never being a ratings darling, and gave it a chance to have a proper ending. It's a gift I and many other fans are grateful for. I can't stress enough how good Parenthood is, consistently episode to episode. I will truly miss my nights with the Bravermans, and hope many more people discover them and join the extended family of fans that I'm proud to be a part of.

Adieu, Parenthood. I *sniff* miss you already.

Congratulations, Golden Globe Winners for TV

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 04:55:00 +0000

Congratulations to all of tonight's winners in the TV categories at the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards!

Drama Series: The Affair (Showtime)

Comedy Series: Transparent (Amazon Originals)

Actor, Drama: Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (Netflix)
Actress, Drama: Ruth Wilson, The Affair (Showtime)
Actor, Comedy: Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent (Amazon Originals)
Actress, Comedy: Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin (The CW)
Actor, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TV: Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo (FX)
Actress, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for TV: Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable Woman (Sundance TV)
Supporting Actor: Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart (HBO)
Supporting Actress: Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey (PBS)

On a side note, kudos to The CW not only for their first win (go, Gina!) but also for the early renewals of Supernatural, The Flash, Arrow, The Vampire Diaries and Jane the Virgin (also Reign and The 100)!

Review - MARVEL's Agent Carter

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 05:11:00 +0000

On the big screen, Marvel can seemingly do no wrong. On the small screen, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has gained momentum and seems to finally be coming into its own with stronger, more exciting storylines and action.

Now, during S.H.I.E.L.D's winter hiatus, ABC is re-introducing us to Peggy Carter, the beautiful-but-tough-as-nails S.H.I.E.L.D. agent we first met in Captain America: The First Avenger in Marvel's Agent Carter. I love me a strong female character who kicks ass in any capacity, so how does Peggy measure up?

THE LOWDOWN
It’s 1946, and post WWII peace has dealt Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) a serious blow as she finds herself marginalized into a desk job when the men return home from fighting abroad. Working for the covert SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve), Peggy must maintain a tripe life, balancing mundane administrative work, her phone company operator cover story for those in her personal life, including roommate olleen (Ashley Hinshaw (True Blood), and action-packed secret missions for her boss Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper). Also co-stars Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire), Lyndsy Forseca (Nikita), Kyle Bornheimer (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Meagen Fay (Malcolm in the Middle), and Bridget Regan (Jane the Virgin).

The great thing about Marvel owning their own stuff is that they can use it in any way they see fit, so I loved seeing the footage of Captain America in various scenes from The First Avenger in a nifty opening montage, showing Peggy's life then and now and how she's coped (or not?) with the loss of her (potentially) great love Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), who (SPOILER ALERT!) seemingly died at the end of the film (Of course he was found frozen in ice decades later, awakened and later reunited with Peggy and shared a sweet relationship with her in her final, elderly years).

Before Agent Carter, there was another spy series that centered around a formidable woman, Alias, starring Jennifer Garner, which, at least in its first couple of seasons, was awesome (and recommended by me for binge-watching), with terrific action sequences, lots of costume changes, bits of humor and wit, and of course tension as Garner's Sydney Bristow tackled with not getting caught in her double life.

Agent Carter has many of these same elements, and Atwell is good in the role. She wears the style of the 40s well, red lips and all. The character definitely fights an uphill battle daily against most of her male colleagues as they demean and degrade her importance and relevance, and you feel for her and root for her to stay strong, which she does. I like that we get to meet the man who inspired Howard's son Tony Stark's (played by Robert Downey, Jr. in Iron Man and The Avengers) computer attache Jarvis - here he's Howard's butler Edwin Jarvis (James D'Arcy, Broadchurch), who is a bit of a prim-and-proper comic sidekick for Peggy.

I wish I could say I loved the pilot, but I didn't have as much fun or get pulled in as much as I'd hoped to. Admittedly, while I acknowledge this is still within a comic book-esque universe, the supernatural elements thrown in kind of seemed out of place here. And honestly, though the character of Peggy Carter is one to admire as a strong woman in a very-much man's world and one that makes sense to have a series created around, I just don't think she works well as the lead focus of a series, but rather as she was originally established - the companion, the supporting character ... in the case of the Marvel Universe, as Steve Rogers' femme fatale. I can name other female spy series that work better, at least for me - the aforementioned Alias, the CW's Nikita, and USA's recently cancelled Covert Affairs.

Since this is a short-lived series, and because it may set up important information within the Marvel Universe films and on S.H.I.E.L.D., I'll watch it in its entirety and hope that I get into it more. But it falls short of being a winner and must-see draw for me.

Marvel's Agent Carter airs Tuesdays at 9pm on ABC.

Golden Globe Nominations

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 21:47:00 +0000

Right on the heels of yesterday's announcement of the Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, we are presented with those for the Golden Globes. This list has some similarities to the SAGs but also some differences. Nice to finally have the CW break into the race in an acting category (Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin) - long overdue ... Supernatural's Jensen Ackles should have been nominated years ago. There are some new contenders, like Showtime's The Affair, FX's Fargo, and Amazon's Transparent. American Horror Story: Freak Show only scored two nomination (Jessica Lange and Kathy Bates). But where are deserving candidates like Bellamy Young from ABC's Scandal, Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany or pretty much anyone from NBC's Parenthood or USA's Suits? No noms for The Walking Dead, Justified or Sons of Anarchy either. But hey, who'd have thought ABC's Modern Family would ever fail to make a list? And really, is anyone watching Showtime's Nurse Jackie ... Edie Falco never fails to get nominated, ever, yet I never see or hear anything about the series!

Anyhoo, here are the TV nominations:

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
The Affair (Showtime)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
The Good Wife (CBS)
House of Cards (Netflix)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES - DRAMA
Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Ruth Wilson, The Affair
Robin Wright, House of Cards

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TV SERIES - DRAMA
Clive Owen, The Knick
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
James Spader, The Blacklist
Dominic West, The Affair

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Girls (HBO)
Jane the Virgin (CW)
Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Silicon Valley (HBO)
Transparent (Amazon Studios INSTANT VIDEO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TV SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Louis CK, Louis
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Ricky Gervais, Derek
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

BEST MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV
Fargo (FX)
The Missing (Starz)
The Normal Heart (HBO)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
True Detective (HBO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable Woman
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Frances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge
Frances O'Connot, The Missing
Allison Tolman, Fargo

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV
Martin Freeman, Fargo
Woody Harrelson, True Detective
Matthew McConaughey, True Detective
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart
Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak Show
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Allison Janney, Mom
Michelle Monaghan, True Detective

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV
Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Colin Hanks, Fargo
Bill Murray, Olive Kitteridge
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

SAG Award Nominations

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 22:30:00 +0000

Seasons Greetings, TV Tourists, and welcome to award season!

Wish I could say, as I always do, that there would be new additions to the roster of new TV nominees for the Screen Actors Guild Awards, but aside from Tatiana Maslany's well-deserved nom for her many roles in BBC America's Orphan Black and Viola Davis' on ABC's How to Get Away With Murder, it's pretty much same-old-same-old, which makes for a rather mundane celebration (but yay HBO's Game of Thrones, The Big Bang Theory and Orange is the New Black!). Maybe someday things will change, but until then, here are the (usual for the most part) nominees:

DRAMA ENSEMBLE
Boardwalk Empire
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
House of Cards

COMEDY ENSEMBLE
The Big Bang Theory
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Modern Family
Orange is the New Black
Veep

DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Woody Harrelson, True Detective
Matthew McConaughey, True Detective
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

DRAMA ACTRESS
Claire Danes, Homeland
Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Robin Wright, House of Cards

COMEDY ACTOR
Ty Burell, Modern Family
Louis CK, Louie
William Macy, Shameless
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

COMEDY ACTRESS
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

TV MOVIE OR MINISERIES - MALE ACTOR
Adrien Brody, Houdini
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: His Last Vow
Richard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge
Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart
Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo

TV MOVIE OR MINISERIES - FEMALE ACTOR
Ellen Burstyn, Flowers in the Attic
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable Woman
Frances McDorman, Olive Kitteridge
Julia Roberts, The Normal Heart
Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful

STUNT TEAM
24: Live Another Day
Boardwalk Empire
Game of Thrones
Homeland
Sons of Anarchy
The Walking Dead

The Screen Actors Guild Awards air Sunday, Jan. 25 on TNT and TBS.

TV Storytime!

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 01:27:00 +0000

Greetings, TV Tourists!

I had a little time on my hands the other day and decided to write a story incorporating most of the current TV show titles in it as possible. Enjoy!

ONCE UPON A TIME there were 2 BROKE GIRLS, Callie and Sally, who lived modestly - no SUITS to their name - in a little SLEEPY HOLLOW in the woods. Life had not been easy for them; actually, it had been a veritable SHARK TANK, but rather than seek REVENGE against their misfortune - which would feel like an ARROW to their hearts - they dreamed about being happy, singing on the moon, DANCING WITH THE STARS and living in a CASTLE in the sky.

One day they decided to expand their horizons and go on an adventure. They traveled from GOTHAM to NASHVILLE (though it was a little too HOT IN CLEVELAND for their liking). But a STALKER following them separated them (as the actions of CRIMINAL MINDS will often do).

Callie got help from a DOCTOR WHO brought her to THE RED BAND SOCIETY, who taught her how to be a SURVIVOR.

Sally set out on a series of COVERT AFFAIRS, eventually meeting a FAMILY GUY who she married. Alas, PARENTHOOD eluded them for years. Not even reading GREY's ANATOMY cover to cover gave them a medical explanation. They pursued a SUPERNATURAL method after finding a series of VAMPIRE DIARIES in an occult bookstore, but THE FLASH of dark magic they encountered - it felt like a SCORPION bite - had them reconsidering that course of action before it became a public SCANDAL. Besides, they'd rather run through life than join THE WALKING DEAD!

So they posted a SELFIE of them content as a happy couple online. Callie saw it and ran an AMAZING RACE to reunite with her.

When they saw each other at last, they couldn't believe how good they looked - either could be AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL! But they came to the conclusion that would put THE BIG BANG THEORY to shame:

If they ever set out on a journey again, they would have one of MARVEL'S AGENTS OF SHIELD as an escort and have HAWAII FIVE-0 on speed dial!

(Those last two were challenging to work in. MADAM SECRETARY was too much of a stretch!) :)

As always, Happy Viewing!

Congrats on #200 Supernatural ... and Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 06:38:00 +0000

Supernatural's 200th episode aired tonight, and, as it has been called for months, it truly was a love letter to the fans. And it was awesome!

This show loves to go meta, and has done so numerous times with hilarious results, and tonight definitely earned its place on that mantle.

An all-girls high school produced a musical stage version based on the Supernatural books, written by Carver Edlund, as introduced in the Season 4 episode "The Monster at the End of This Book." (For those out of the know, Chuck Shirley (the aforementioned Carver, his pen name, played by Rob Benedict), a prophet of the Lord, was the author of the Winchester chronicles - aka Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean's (Jensen Ackles) lives - which were published as a series of books which have a massive cult following - another nod to Supernatural's dedicated, passionate fan base).

Turns out the goddess Calliope is a fan of Supernatural as well, and has come to enjoy the show and, after the curtain falls, eat the author (guest star Katie Sarife). She's the Monster of the Week, but second fiddle to all the in-jokes, easter eggs and overall nods to the long-running series.

There are some wonderful brotherly moments - reminders of why we the fans love the show - some true belly-deep LOL moments and a great jaw-dropping surprise at the end.

Thanks to the PTBs at Supernatrual for a truly terrific 200th ep. And congrats to the cast and crew for an amazing run. Here's to the next 200!

Supernatural airs Tuesdays at 9pm on the CW.

BTW, also celebrating 10 seasons this year are CBS' Criminal Minds and ABC's Grey's Anatomy. 2005 was a hell of a year for new TV!

Thoughts - Supernatural Season 10 So Far

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:13:00 +0000

After last season's incredible, shocking finale - Dean (Jensen Ackles) becomes a demon after he dies thanks to the Mark of Cain - I couldn't wait to see what happens this season. It was a long summer waiting, relieved by a little sneak peak at Comic-con in July. I was thrilled Ackles would be directing another episode, in this case the episode where Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean have a major confrontation after being initially separated at the season's start.

Brief catch-up: Sam brought Dean's body back to their bunker and was determined to find a way to bring him back (they do it a lot, so there was no reason to doubt), starting with Crowley (Mark A. Sheppard). But Crowley was a step ahead, talking to Dean about his new life as a demon, and our last shot is of Dean's new demon black eyes.

Cut to the premiere, which brings us weeks later. Dean had taken off with new BFF Crowley for a life of drinking, karaoke and general debauchery.

All he left Sam was a note telling his bro to let him go (yeah right). Sam began a dark journey to find Dean and bring him home to cure him (yep, they learned how to cure demons at the end of season 8). Crowley really came to Dean to establish the perfect Hell (he's the King of it) but Dean was happy just being his new freely evil self. Crowley soon realized he couldn't contain Dean and went to give him back to Sam, who managed to capture his rogue brother, bring him home and begin the treatment.

Cut to last night. The big confrontation. It was a rather tense hour and Dean said things to Sam that may have repercussions later. But unfortunately what I was hoping would happen when the season started - that the writers would find a way to keep Demon Dean around and have him still be the good Dean we've come to know and love - some kind of balance - didn't. Instead Sam managed to cure Dean by the end of the hour. Only episode 3 and we've brought everything pretty much back to normal.

It's too quick, too easy a fix for me, and too soon. I was hoping for more. They have hinted of future complications, being that Dean still carries the Mark, and they introduced who is to be the likely Big Bad for the season, but I just wished we could have stayed on the other path for longer. But you know I love me some Dean-and-Sam-back-in-action-together ... action, and the season is still very young, but that's just my thoughts on last night's developments.

Supernatural airs Tuesdays at 9pm on the CW.

The New TV Season So Far

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 04:47:00 +0000

Greetings, TV Tourists!

So we are several weeks into the new TV season and most of the new shows have premiered and are at least a couple of episodes in. I've been able to watch most of the pilots and first eps and surprisingly I'm actually sticking with a great deal of them as they continue to draw me into their onscreen families and storylines.

Stand-outs for me include:

Also still-worth-coming-back-to:

Then there's one losing ground with me:

Had high hopes, but when I'm writing or doing other stuff while it's on, it's never a good sign.

And I've dropped:

Not that it's not good, and I am a big Shonda Rhimes fan, but with all I'm watching, something had to go, and this was the first one I felt no pangs over missing.

Of course, I still have all the shows that have returned! Just a few include:

And more.
Yeah.
I watch a LOT of TV.
But hey, at least I get to share it with you!

Happy continued viewing, Tourists!

Review - American Horror Story: Freak Show

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 05:33:00 +0000

Just in time for Halloween, the latest incarnation of FX's American Horror Story saga has premiered, and man, whoever thinks this anthology series can get any more twisted, cross any more lines of insane freakiness or just get any more f**ked up doesn't know this show's pedigree ... or penchant for addictive viewing.

THE LOWDOWN

Like its predecessors, American Horror Story: Freak Show focuses on a specific group of people in a particular place and time (well, actually Asylum covered two time period, but some of the same characters in each, but I digress). Here it's 1952 in the sleepy hamlet of Jupiter, Florida. We're taken into the world of a small time carnival, run by Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange) and its assorted attraction of "curiosities", including a two-headed woman (Sarah Paulson), a three-breasted woman (Angela Bassett), a bearded lady (Kathy Bates), a strong man (Michael Chiklis, The Shield, No Ordinary Family), and others. Their arrival in town coincides with the strange emergence of a dark entity that savagely threatens the lives of townsfolk and freaks alike, embarking them on a desperate journey of survival amidst the dying world of the American carny experience.

With each of the AHS series, one thing I've always loved - and envied - is that the same actors get to return each time to play entirely new characters. It's an actors dream, like a nationally televised community theatre troupe. And those actors are among some of the best, embracing full force whatever is thrown at them. I mean, do you think Paulson would ever have imagined she'd play a woman with two heads? But I have no doubt these folks are having a blast. This season is rumored to be Lange's last, but how can she walk away from a show that allows her to be such a broad array of characters - it's seriously never the same show twice ... except in its aforementioned twisted sicky goodness.

Additionally returning for another round are AHS first string players Evan Peters, Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) and Emma Roberts, with others who could pop up unexpectedly.

And joining the Freak Show cast - appropriately so - is 20-year-old Indian actress Jyoti Amge, who is the world's shortest woman, standing a mere 2'6" tall.

From moment one Paulson's dual-headed character says it all:

"Dear Diary: it was a Saturday, the third of September that the world as I had known was forever doomed. The shadows that had sheltered me were banished by the blinding light of scrutiny. I knew I was about to enter the gates of Hell, but like the inescapable pull of gravity, there was nothing I could do about it."

*insert shudder here*

I really liked the original AHS, didn't care for the second, Asylum, and my favorite was the last, Coven. I both know what and what not to expect from the series, and so far I'm intrigued by Freak Show, especially watching the actors embrace their respective oddities, which so far are created masterfully by both make-up and CGI. The cinematography is very Kubrick-esque, which definitely works for the genre. I particularly like how a split-screen is used to differentiate which Paulson sister we're focusing on, and Paulson's brilliance at making them so distinct in their differing personalities (but it looks like it was rather uncomfortable for her, having to slant her head to the side much to accommodate the addition of a second head ... even writing that is so WTF!)

As always, you can count on the opening title sequence to be unsettling, and this gets that job done in spades. The score is equally chilling and includes a lot of maddening, taunting versions of carnival music. And naturally you have to have a killer clown. A creepy, dirty, horrifying, disturbing, frightening, did I mention creepy? clown. I hate clowns, and now I really, REALLY hate them. This guy is terrifying and I am so very very glad he's not chasing me (though he might be tonight in my nightmares).

*insert really big shudder here*

I'm not going to say more ... this show definitely can speak for itself and frankly, I don't have the words. All I can say is, it's wicked creepy good viewing - with the lights completely on!

BOTTOM LINE: Be afraid, be very afraid ... of missing this show!

American Horror Story: Freak Show airs Wednesdays at 10pm on FX.

Review - The Flash

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 03:38:00 +0000

The CW's The Flash is one of the new shows I have been anticipating the most. The Flash is my favorite DC character (Must See: the animated show Justice League, with Smallville's Michael Rosenbaum perfectly voicing the character). Plus this particular Flash was cleverly and well introduced last season in an episode of Arrow, another great CW show which begins its third season tomorrow. And its been getting great buzz. So does it live up to the hype?

THE LOWDOWN

The Flash tells the story of Barry Allen (Grant Gustin, Glee, 90210), a brilliant but awkward CSI investigator in Central City who while on a visit to S.T.A.R. Labs gets struck by lightning while standing next to a particle accelerator. The result: he is endowed with super speed. His life is saved by S.T.A.R. Labs scientists Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker, Justified, Necessary Roughness), Cisco (Carlos Valdes) and lab boss Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh, Trust Me, Eli Stone, Ed). Together they help Barry begin his rise to becoming his city's masked guardian/protector.

Unlike his green hooded neighbor, Barry doesn't become a brooding vigilante, but rather embraces his new powers with enthusiasm and joy and has hope that he can make a positive difference (he and Batman would so not hang out together socially).

Of course, this is a superhero origin story, so there almost always has to be some element of tragedy, and so goes it here - Barry's mother was murdered when he was a boy and his father Henry (clever casting: John Wesley Shipp, who played The Flash on TV in the early 90s) has been falsely accused and imprisoned for the crime.

Barry was raised by his foster father, Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin, Smash, Law & Order) and foster sister Iris (Candice Patton, The Game). Interesting fact: there are two main Flashes in the DC universe, Barry Allen and Wally West. To see Barry's foster family is named West makes me wonder if Wally will be worked in somewhere down the line (Wally was the Flash featured in the animated Justice League).

The Flash still has the snazzy red suit, though it more resembles Daredevil's in color. Alas, another voiceover narrative - just gonna be a given with most shows now, huh? - but I do appreciate Gustin's gusto (heh) in telling his character's story. I kind of see Barry as the Peter Parker of the DC world, a nerdy, awkward, super smart science geek misfit, least likely to become a superhero, but does, and an awesome one at that. I love the pacing of the banter, delivered so naturally by the cast. Gustin is adorable and immediately likeable and credible in the lead role. The fact that he has a crush on his foster sister could be creepy if done wrong, but here it's done right because Iris senses it but doesn't call him on it or make him feel bad, she just supports him and treats him with sisterly love and respect.

The pilot reshows Barry's accident that we watched on Arrow last season early on, then immediately and seamlessly jumping ahead nine months to the moment he wakes from his coma. Again, the pacing here is excellent as Barry is quickly filled in on what happened to him and others around him (the storm cloud that struck Barry also struck others, hence - like the meteor shower on Smallville (another great CW show ... man, I've loved so many of the net's programs!) - leading to the creation of other superbeings, many of which will become Barry's future nemeses.

I liked watching Barry's reaction to his new powers - he freaks out at first, takes a quick run, then simply says "Awesome." He's okay letting his new lab friends right in on the news and enlists them to help him find out just what he can do. It's refreshing ... the hero having a support time right off the bat instead of the drawn out who's-gonna-discover-the-secret-first? scenario. The effects are done really well, opting to use slow-motion as the way to show us Barry's point of view (everything slows down for him, even though he's moving hundreds of miles per second). And did I mention Gustin's adorable? There's also a very "cool" cameo by Arrow's Stephen Amell ...

I don't want to give away too much more, because I think you should check this fun, funny, action-packed series for yourself. Yes, I know, there are a lot of comic hero shows on right now, but this is a great addition to that, and I think the CW was smart not to overload one night with both this and Arrow, but rather makes The Flash the new lead-in for Supernatural, leaving The Originals to lead in to Arrow on Wednesdays, again not overloading like shows on the same night, but keeping the other vampire show, The Vampire Diaries, on Thursday. What can I say ... I think the CW gets it right a lot.

BOTTOM LINE: New episodes of The Flash can't air fast enough for me!

The Flash airs Tuesdays at 8pm on the CW.

It's Almost Here ... Supernatural Season 10!

noreply@blogger.com (Your TV Tour Guide) — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 05:09:00 +0000

You should know that as I write this, I have a very big smile on my face. To think that my most favorite show is going into its tenth season ... squee! Plus I'm watching an awesome retrospective/recap special - aptly titled A Very Special Supernatural Special - on the CW.

QUICK LOWDOWN

Supernatural was born a horror story and has become so much more. Ultimately it's about the Winchester brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki, Gilmore Girls) and Dean (Jensen Ackles, Dawson's Creek, Smallville), and their never-ending battle against evil. Over the years they have fought demons, angels, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, a lot of urban legends, and even each other. They've both died and come back countless times, they've been to heaven, hell, and purgatory. It's been equally scary, dramatic ... and hysterical. Supernatural has some truly funny episodes, especially the meta ones (where real-life stuff is worked in, like the Supernatural conventions that take place around the world, or when Sam and Dean are sent to an alternate universe where they are seen by everyone as the actors Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles).

All of these elements wouldn't be as amazing as they are without those guys, who have fantastic bro chemistry on and off screen (they're both Texas boys). Throw in a fantastic roster of characters played by gem actors like regulars Jim Beaver, Misha Collins and Mark A. Sheppard and guests like Felicia Day, Richard Speight, Jr., Osric Chau, Rob Benedict, Chad Lindberg, Marc Pelligrino, Sebastian Roche, James Patrick Stuart, Lauren Cohan, Alaina Huffman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Curtis Armstrong, Kim Rhodes, Kurt Fuller, Mitch Pileggi, Alona Tal, Julian Richinsgs, DJ Qualls, Fredric Lehne, Travis Wester, A.J. Buckley, Steven Williams, Alaina Huffman, Katie Cassidy and Genevieve Padalecki (yep, true love - and later two boys - was born behind the scenes of the show), and you've got a formula for greatness.

Let's not forget one more very important character:

Dean's 1967 Chevy Impala.

I have been with show since day one. After I saw a terrific pre-series teaser on the KTLA Morning News, I knew it was a show I had to give a look at. I liked it for the first few episodes, but it was a little episode called "Home" that made me a bonafide fan - and forever Dean Girl (more on that in a minute).

Those first few season renewals were nerve-wracking. Sometimes it wouldn't be renewed until the very last minute, and it was agonizing. But the WB and later the CW kept it alive, and THANK YOU for that. Then there was regular talk that creator Eric Kripke had a five-year plan for the show and was likely leaving after that fifth season. So whether the show would continue on beyond him was, again, sweat-inducing. But it did continue.

What followed were a few seasons with some very strong storylines and episodes but also quite a few not-so-much. The show got to be very angel heavy, the Winchesters were fighting and defeating some incredibly big bads a little too easily, and I, a true fan, began to waiver ... and hated myself for it. But I stayed loyal and true and had faith that my beloved show would find its way again.

And I think it has, if last season's finale is any indication.

Two words: Demon Dean.

I've watched a few sneak peeks and promos and the Supernatural panel at this year's Comic-Con gave us a full exclusive clip of an advanced episode (directed by Ackles, who has directed three previous episodes), and all of it has made me so friggin excited for the new season. It's looking to completely reinvigorate the series and take us on an awesome - and knuckle-clenching - new ride.

I'm so psyched!! Is it tomorrow yet??

Supernatural Season 10 premieres tomorrow in its regular time slot, Tuesdays at 9pm on the CW.

And, a little postscript ...