I'm not sure I'm a big fan of the Golden Globes on a Monday night. There are certain things that should stay on Sunday nights even if Desperate Housewives' tremendous success seems overwhelming, and awards shows are one of them. Basically, the Monday broadcast threw me off and made it difficult for me to fully commit my attention to it because spending three hours of a weekday evening on one program proved more difficult than on a Sunday. That, and I really missed Medium! In any event, here's a look at the show's interesting, predictable and surprising moments along with the winners.
It was good to see some of the more deserving nominees actually win! I know it rarely happens with these awards shows. It was good to see Lost win for best drama, although I was sure Grey's Anatomy had that one all sewn up. I was surprised to see that the Hollywood Foreign Press association is still under Desperate Housewives' spell when it was once again named best comedy. Although, they weren't so enamored as to give the Globe to any of the series' main actresses - Mary Louise Parker walked away with the best actress in a comedy award for her role on Weeds. Is anyone else starting to get the sinking feeling that Marcia Cross is about to become the next Susan Lucci? I was very surprised (and a little disappointed) to see Steve Carell win for best actor in a comedy over both Jason Lee and Zach Braff. Geena Davis' win for best actress in a drama was somewhat surprising considering the fact that Commander In Chief has only been on the air for half a season (shouldn't there be a rule that in order to be nominated your show has to have completed a full season?), but she did deliver one of the better speeches of the night. Hugh Laurie's win for best actor in a drama was well deserved, and he also gave one of the best speeches. Here's a breakdown of the rest of the broadcast:
Most Awkward Walk to the Stage to Accept an Award: Sandra Oh after winning for best supporting actress for Grey's Anatomy. Could they have put her in a less convenient location? The poor girl had to weave in between tables for what seemed like 10 minutes just to reach the stage and accept her award. I know the table seating allows for a more relaxed atmosphere, but it also makes it nearly impossible to reach the stage if you're not sitting in the front.
Best Fake Story During An Acceptance Speech: Geena Davis' story about a little girl who came up to her before the awards and said that because of her show Commander In Chief, she wants to be president someday. Davis then followed the story with "Well, that didn't actually happen, but it could have."
Best Speech Written by Someone Other Than the Winner: Steve Carell's wife wrote his speech for him and she was sure to include a line that had him thanking her and saying how she sometimes wishes he would call when he was going to be late.
Most Gracious Winner: S. Epatha Merkerson once again walked away with this honor. Her tearful and genuine gratitude toward NBC for employing her for 16 years and her comment that her role in Lackawanna Blues was her first leading role in a movie made us all realize how powerful dreams can be and the importance of never giving up.
Overall, it was an interesting night filled with better-than-usual speeches and a few surprises. For a full list of all the winners (movies included), click on over to the Globes' official site. What did you think about the winners? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
About Last Night... NBC captured the first hour of the night with the first hour of its Golden Globes coverage, followed by hour 3 of Fox's 24 and ABC's Wife Swap. At 9, NBC stayed in front with the second hour of its Golden Globes coverage, followed by hour 4 of Fox's 24 and CBS comedies Two and a Half Men (r) and Out of Practice (r). The final hour of the night went to NBC for the final hour of its Globes coverage, followed by CSI: Miami (r) on CBS and The Bachelor: Paris on ABC. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - The fifth season of Fox's American Idol kicks off with the audition phase of the competition. Over on WB, Lorelai accidentally finds out about April and tries to be supportive on Gilmore Girls.
@9 p.m. - Back-to-back Scrubs episodes on NBC highlight the hour. At 9, Cheryl Hines guest stars as Dr. Cox's sister who comes to town for her nephew's baptism. At 9:30, JD mistakes an elderly woman's statement and it leads to her requesting Dr. Cox over him.
@10 p.m. - It's the premiere of the CBS dramedy Love Monkey starring Tom Cavanaugh as a single record executive navigating the dating scene in New York City. Over on NBC, a college student is accused of abandoning a newborn on Law & Order: SVU. Michael J. Fox returns to ABC's Boston Legal.
QUICK CUTS
*ABC is halting production of its new Heather Graham comedy Emily's Reasons Why Not according to TVGuide.com. The show opened to mediocre ratings last week and ABC pulled it this week for a rerun of the premiere of The Bachelor. The network is still planning to air new episodes starting January 23rd according to its official web site for the show.
*Ellen DeGeneres is returning to primetime, but don't worry she's not quitting her day job. She and brother Vance DeGeneres are teaming up to create a new family comedy for the WB. The twist - some of the perspective will come from the family's pets. Ellen will provide the voice for the dog. No word on when and if the show will get officially picked up.
*And finally, this season is the last for Fox's Malcolm in the Middle and That 70s Show. The network announced the decisions in a press release touting its spring offerings. In the release, Fox refers to Malcolm as being in its "seventh and final season." The show moves to Sundays starting January 29th. That 70s Show will air its 200th and final episode this May. Also having its last season is the WB's 7th Heaven. The network officially announced that the family drama will not return for an 11th season due largely to budget concerns.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the Scrubies and thoughts on Law & Order: SVU. Plus, all the latest television news!
Don't forget to help Veronica Mars with the $4,000 Shower Campaign! Click HERE for details
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Monday, January 16, 2006
'Globe'-trotting, 'Case'-solving and 'Desperate' DUI Defending!
Welcome to the jam-packed Martin Luther King Day edition of Pass the Remote! Jumping right in with tonight's broadcast of the 2006 Golden Globe Awards on NBC, it's time for some fearless predictions. This awards show combines both television and the big screen into one wacky, unpredictable broadcast, but I will only be addressing the main television categories. Here are those categories and my thoughts on who will win and who should win. Tomorrow, I'll have a full breakdown of the show including all of the winners and interesting moments.
BEST ACTRESS, Television Comedy or Musical
Marcia Cross, "Desperate Housewives"
Teri Hatcher, "Desperate Housewives"
Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives"
Eva Longoria, "Desperate Housewives"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"
Prediction: Marcia Cross will win and should win
BEST ACTOR, Television Comedy or Musical
Zach Braff, "Scrubs"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Jason Lee, "My Name Is Earl"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"
Prediction: Jason Lee will win, Zach Braff should win
BEST ACTRESS, Television Drama
Patricia Arquette, "Medium"
Glenn Close, "The Shield"
Geena Davis, "Commander In Chief"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Polly Walker, "Rome"
Prediction: Kyra Sedgwick will win, Patricia Arquette should win
BEST ACTOR, Television Drama
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Patrick Dempsey, "Grey's Anatomy"
Matthew Fox, "Lost"
Wentworth Miller, "Prison Break"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24"
Prediction: Wentworth Miller will win, Hugh Laurie should win
BEST TELEVISION SERIES, Comedy
"My Name is Earl"
"Everybody Hates Chris"
"Weeds"
"Curb Your Enthusiasm"
"Desperate Housewives"
"Entourage"
Prediction: My Name is Earl will win, Everybody Hates Chris should win
BEST TELEVISION SERIES, Drama
"Prison Break"
"Rome"
"Lost"
"Grey's Anatomy"
"Commander In Chief"
Prediction: Grey's Anatomy will win, Lost should win
So there you have it. Do you agree with my picks, or do you think others will win? Leave a comment with your picks and you can catch the actual winners tonight on NBC starting at 8 p.m. EST.
Onward now to last night's intriguing hour of Cold Case. I kind of like it when they give us cases that aren't very clear cut because there really isn't a bad guy. I know these types of cases have to be hard on the family members of the victims, but they play very well to the gray area that seems to exist in most real life cases. Just pick up any newspaper or tune in to any TV newscast and you'll see what I mean. Cases aren't always black and white, and last night's teen suicide/not suicide was an excellent example of that murky gray area that lingers over many of them. Trevor didn't kill himself, but he wasn't exactly pushed either. The ironic part of the entire story was that he was trying to prevent another student's suicide attempt. While struggling to keep Boris from jumping, Trevor fell off the roof to his death. The hard part about cases like this is that there is no closing satisfaction as there is with the more cut and dry "bad guy" cases. I walked away feeling down about the truth surrounding Trevor's death and Boris' accidental involvement in it. The look on Lilly's face after Boris finally told the truth seemed to sum up my feelings about the case - it was now closed, but it certainly didn't feel resolved emotionally. There was a bit of emotional satisfaction in the closing moments when Trevor's parents finally met and embraced Dawn and also when Jeffries pledged to go after Dawn's stepfather for abusing her. Overall, an interesting episode that delved into high school dynamics without the usual tired storylines and cliches, and managed to surprise us along the way.
Everyone has a breaking point, even those who seem to have everything together after suffering the loss of a husband, an engagement to his killer, the realization that you watched said killer kill himself and a son's blackmail. It seems that Bree has hit that breaking point on Desperate Housewives. But instead of screaming and getting it all out or staying in bed all day while drowning in her own depression, Bree decides to handle this breaking point in her usual prim manner - she drinks wine, and a lot of it. In fact, she drinks so much while at lunch with a smitten detective, that she lands herself in jail for a DUI after said lunch. I loved how the other woman in the holding cell thought she was an escort and wanted to know how much she makes an evening! The irony was beautiful! Bree's life wasn't the only one falling apart. Lynette's jealousy issues resurfaced when she learned that Tom wanted to remain fertile in case something were to happen to her (he would still have options). She allowed the jealousy to take over and demanded he get a vasectomy. When he didn't go through with it, she learned that he is unhappy with his life and he quickly shut her out. Susan's antics with Dr. Ron and Gabby's nudity troubles provided some great humorous moments to balance out the heavier Lynette and Bree storylines. Overall, this seemed to be the type of episode that sets up some interesting future storylines.
About Last Night... Fox took the lead for the first hour of the night with the ending moments of football and the first hour of the return of 24, followed by Cold Case on CBS and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC. At 9, ABC took over with Desperate Housewives, followed by Fox's second hour of 24 and CBS's Sunday movie. The final hour of the night went to ABC's Grey's Anatomy, followed by CBS's movie and NBC's Crossing Jordan. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC broadcasts the 2006 Golden Globe Awards live from Hollywood. Over on Fox, it's the two-hour conclusion of the four-hour season premiere of 24.
@10 p.m. - ABC's The Bachelor: Paris narrows the field down even further when he has only 8 roses to hand out.
QUICK CUTS
*Fox is moving Malcolm in the Middle back to Sunday nights starting January 29th. The show's Friday night slot will be filled with reruns of The Bernie Mac Show beginning this week. No word on why the network decided to make the switch. Look for Malcolm in the Middle to occupy the 7 p.m. EST slot on Sundays when the show returns January 29th on Fox.
*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (season 2) to hit shelves tomorrow along with Doogie Howser, M.D. (season 3) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show (season 3). For the full list of releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the Golden Globes Edition with all the winners, moments and everything else Globes. Plus, all the latest television news!
Don't forget to help Veronica Mars with the $4,000 Shower Campaign! Click HERE for details!
BEST ACTRESS, Television Comedy or Musical
Marcia Cross, "Desperate Housewives"
Teri Hatcher, "Desperate Housewives"
Felicity Huffman, "Desperate Housewives"
Eva Longoria, "Desperate Housewives"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"
Prediction: Marcia Cross will win and should win
BEST ACTOR, Television Comedy or Musical
Zach Braff, "Scrubs"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Larry David, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Jason Lee, "My Name Is Earl"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"
Prediction: Jason Lee will win, Zach Braff should win
BEST ACTRESS, Television Drama
Patricia Arquette, "Medium"
Glenn Close, "The Shield"
Geena Davis, "Commander In Chief"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"
Polly Walker, "Rome"
Prediction: Kyra Sedgwick will win, Patricia Arquette should win
BEST ACTOR, Television Drama
Hugh Laurie, "House"
Patrick Dempsey, "Grey's Anatomy"
Matthew Fox, "Lost"
Wentworth Miller, "Prison Break"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24"
Prediction: Wentworth Miller will win, Hugh Laurie should win
BEST TELEVISION SERIES, Comedy
"My Name is Earl"
"Everybody Hates Chris"
"Weeds"
"Curb Your Enthusiasm"
"Desperate Housewives"
"Entourage"
Prediction: My Name is Earl will win, Everybody Hates Chris should win
BEST TELEVISION SERIES, Drama
"Prison Break"
"Rome"
"Lost"
"Grey's Anatomy"
"Commander In Chief"
Prediction: Grey's Anatomy will win, Lost should win
So there you have it. Do you agree with my picks, or do you think others will win? Leave a comment with your picks and you can catch the actual winners tonight on NBC starting at 8 p.m. EST.
Onward now to last night's intriguing hour of Cold Case. I kind of like it when they give us cases that aren't very clear cut because there really isn't a bad guy. I know these types of cases have to be hard on the family members of the victims, but they play very well to the gray area that seems to exist in most real life cases. Just pick up any newspaper or tune in to any TV newscast and you'll see what I mean. Cases aren't always black and white, and last night's teen suicide/not suicide was an excellent example of that murky gray area that lingers over many of them. Trevor didn't kill himself, but he wasn't exactly pushed either. The ironic part of the entire story was that he was trying to prevent another student's suicide attempt. While struggling to keep Boris from jumping, Trevor fell off the roof to his death. The hard part about cases like this is that there is no closing satisfaction as there is with the more cut and dry "bad guy" cases. I walked away feeling down about the truth surrounding Trevor's death and Boris' accidental involvement in it. The look on Lilly's face after Boris finally told the truth seemed to sum up my feelings about the case - it was now closed, but it certainly didn't feel resolved emotionally. There was a bit of emotional satisfaction in the closing moments when Trevor's parents finally met and embraced Dawn and also when Jeffries pledged to go after Dawn's stepfather for abusing her. Overall, an interesting episode that delved into high school dynamics without the usual tired storylines and cliches, and managed to surprise us along the way.
Everyone has a breaking point, even those who seem to have everything together after suffering the loss of a husband, an engagement to his killer, the realization that you watched said killer kill himself and a son's blackmail. It seems that Bree has hit that breaking point on Desperate Housewives. But instead of screaming and getting it all out or staying in bed all day while drowning in her own depression, Bree decides to handle this breaking point in her usual prim manner - she drinks wine, and a lot of it. In fact, she drinks so much while at lunch with a smitten detective, that she lands herself in jail for a DUI after said lunch. I loved how the other woman in the holding cell thought she was an escort and wanted to know how much she makes an evening! The irony was beautiful! Bree's life wasn't the only one falling apart. Lynette's jealousy issues resurfaced when she learned that Tom wanted to remain fertile in case something were to happen to her (he would still have options). She allowed the jealousy to take over and demanded he get a vasectomy. When he didn't go through with it, she learned that he is unhappy with his life and he quickly shut her out. Susan's antics with Dr. Ron and Gabby's nudity troubles provided some great humorous moments to balance out the heavier Lynette and Bree storylines. Overall, this seemed to be the type of episode that sets up some interesting future storylines.
About Last Night... Fox took the lead for the first hour of the night with the ending moments of football and the first hour of the return of 24, followed by Cold Case on CBS and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC. At 9, ABC took over with Desperate Housewives, followed by Fox's second hour of 24 and CBS's Sunday movie. The final hour of the night went to ABC's Grey's Anatomy, followed by CBS's movie and NBC's Crossing Jordan. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC broadcasts the 2006 Golden Globe Awards live from Hollywood. Over on Fox, it's the two-hour conclusion of the four-hour season premiere of 24.
@10 p.m. - ABC's The Bachelor: Paris narrows the field down even further when he has only 8 roses to hand out.
QUICK CUTS
*Fox is moving Malcolm in the Middle back to Sunday nights starting January 29th. The show's Friday night slot will be filled with reruns of The Bernie Mac Show beginning this week. No word on why the network decided to make the switch. Look for Malcolm in the Middle to occupy the 7 p.m. EST slot on Sundays when the show returns January 29th on Fox.
*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (season 2) to hit shelves tomorrow along with Doogie Howser, M.D. (season 3) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show (season 3). For the full list of releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the Golden Globes Edition with all the winners, moments and everything else Globes. Plus, all the latest television news!
Don't forget to help Veronica Mars with the $4,000 Shower Campaign! Click HERE for details!
Friday, January 13, 2006
The Stars Go 'Dancing' and 'Earl' does Fast Food!
It was a strange Thursday night. The usual fare was either on a seriously long break (see Alias and Everwood, both of which will return in March) or caught in reruns after only one new episode last week (why CBS? Why?). This left room on my crowded Thursday night schedule for Dancing with the Stars and My Name is Earl. I had caught bits and pieces of the former last week during its premiere, so last night was the first time I saw some of the celebrity dancers. Overall, I thought most of them were pretty good, but I'm certainly no expert. Wrestler Stacy Keibler and her partner Tony Dovolani were the stand-out couple of the night and were rewarded as such with two perfect 10s and an almost perfect 9. Stacy has such grace and fluidity that I can't imagine her not going to the final two, at least. I did a little research on Ms. Keibler, and it seems that prior to wrestling, she trained in ballet, tap and jazz. She was also a Baltimore Ravens cheerleader, so it isn't all that surprising to see her lighting up the dance floor. Here's the question of the evening, who is Giselle Fernandez? When she and her partner came out, I wasn't sure which was the celebrity and which was the professional dancer, which I guess is a compliment to Giselle's dancing abilities. Whoever she is, she's incredibly flexible! Did you see her dance-ending split? Okay so after a little research, I've discovered that Giselle is a journalist who has won 5 Emmy Awards. As much as I would like to criticize Master P's performance, I won't because the guy deserves some props for coming on the show and filling in for his injured son Lil Romeo. The man is definitely better built for basketball, but he is improving, so he gets points for that as well. Who do you think has the talent to go all the way? Leave a comment with your thoughts.
My Name is Earl is funny much in the same tradition as Scrubs, Arrested Development and Everybody Hates Chris, which makes me wonder why this show gets so much buzz and the others do not. Out of the aforementioned list, I find Earl to be the least funny and yet, it gets the most critical and media attention. Don't get me wrong, Earl is lots of fun and definitely deserves its place as one of the best comedies on television, and last night's episode further confirmed it. Earl's stint as a fast food worker was great. I love Joy because she is a walking parody of all the misconceptions people have about women like her. I've read the complaints that this show furthers stereotypes about people from the South, but I think the complainers are missing the mark. The show seems to be mocking the people who believe these misconceptions, that's why it's so outrageous and over-the-top. Joy embodies this more than any other character on this show. I just loved when she drove up to the drive-thru and there was Earl working the register! The scene that followed was classic as Joy tried to get Earl to "hook them up" with free food. That mustache net was hysterical! The funniest, laugh out loud moment of the episode, though, came when Earl and Randy returned the wallet, and the man's totally-too-tan wife emerged from the tanning bed. Randy's frightened "what is it Earl?" had me cracking up. This was only the second episode of this show that I have seen (the other being the Christmas episode), and I must say that both were very well done, kind of like the tanning bed woman last night.
About Last Night... ABC captured the first hour of the night with Dancing with the Stars, followed by a CSI repeat on CBS and NBC comedies Will & Grace and Four Kings. At 9, CBS took over with another repeat of CSI, followed by ABC's last half hour of Dancing with the Stars and Crumbs. NBC comedies My Name is Earl and The Office combined for third. The final hour of the night went to NBC's ER, followed by CBS's Without a Trace (r) and ABC's Primetime. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - We find out who gets the boot on the special 1 Hour edition of the Dancing with the Stars results show on ABC.
@9 p.m. - Annabeth works to tie a suspect to a crime after the judge throws out his statements on CBS's Close to Home. Over on ABC, the sister of a high school senior convicted of murdering a college girl eight years ago asks the National Justice Project to take up his case on ABC's In Justice.
@10 p.m. - USA kicks off the 4th season winter premiere of its hit show Monk. Over on CBS, the team uncovers an elaborate card counting scheme on Numb3rs.
SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - Lilly reopens the 1994 case of a teenager whose death was originally ruled a suicide on CBS's Cold Case. Over on Fox it's the first two hours of the four-hour season premiere of 24. The second half will air Monday night.
@9 p.m. - Susan meets an attractive doctor and Bree gets arrested on ABC's Desperate Housewives. Over on NBC, Law & Order: Criminal Intent celebrates its 100th episode with an episode featuring original characters Goren and Eames as they track a master murderer and his gang.
@10 p.m. - Macy's downward spiral continues as he is pulled over for a D.U.I and his integrity begins to be questioned on NBC's Crossing Jordan. Over on ABC, Grey's Anatomy returns and Izzie is charmed by a patient who needs a heart transplant.
QUICK CUTS
*In a move that doesn't sound too promising, ABC is preempting new comedy Emily's Reasons Why Not along with returning comedy Jake in Progress this Monday for an encore of last week's Bachelor: Paris premiere. Both shows would have faced fierce competition from NBC's broadcast of The Golden Globes. Emily opened in fourth place last week with only 6.23 million viewers, but Jake fared even worse with only 5.58 million viewers. Both Wife Swap and The Bachelor: Paris will air new episodes in their respective timeslots. Both Emily and Jake are expected to return January 23rd.
*And finally, Fox will air a special two-hour (four episode) season finale of Arrested Development on February 10th. The network is not saying whether the ratings-troubled comedy will return for another season or not, but both ABC and Showtime have expressed interest in picking it up. The season finale will feature star Jason Bateman's real-life sister Justine Bateman as a woman who may be Michael's (Jason Bateman) half sister.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for Cold Case (I'm thinking grunge-rock for the soundtrack, it just sounds that way from the year and topic), Desperate Housewives (Bree in horizontal prison stripes??), and a special Golden Globes preview. Plus all the latest television news!
Don't forget to help Veronica Mars with the $4,000 Shower Campaign! Click HERE for details!
My Name is Earl is funny much in the same tradition as Scrubs, Arrested Development and Everybody Hates Chris, which makes me wonder why this show gets so much buzz and the others do not. Out of the aforementioned list, I find Earl to be the least funny and yet, it gets the most critical and media attention. Don't get me wrong, Earl is lots of fun and definitely deserves its place as one of the best comedies on television, and last night's episode further confirmed it. Earl's stint as a fast food worker was great. I love Joy because she is a walking parody of all the misconceptions people have about women like her. I've read the complaints that this show furthers stereotypes about people from the South, but I think the complainers are missing the mark. The show seems to be mocking the people who believe these misconceptions, that's why it's so outrageous and over-the-top. Joy embodies this more than any other character on this show. I just loved when she drove up to the drive-thru and there was Earl working the register! The scene that followed was classic as Joy tried to get Earl to "hook them up" with free food. That mustache net was hysterical! The funniest, laugh out loud moment of the episode, though, came when Earl and Randy returned the wallet, and the man's totally-too-tan wife emerged from the tanning bed. Randy's frightened "what is it Earl?" had me cracking up. This was only the second episode of this show that I have seen (the other being the Christmas episode), and I must say that both were very well done, kind of like the tanning bed woman last night.
About Last Night... ABC captured the first hour of the night with Dancing with the Stars, followed by a CSI repeat on CBS and NBC comedies Will & Grace and Four Kings. At 9, CBS took over with another repeat of CSI, followed by ABC's last half hour of Dancing with the Stars and Crumbs. NBC comedies My Name is Earl and The Office combined for third. The final hour of the night went to NBC's ER, followed by CBS's Without a Trace (r) and ABC's Primetime. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - We find out who gets the boot on the special 1 Hour edition of the Dancing with the Stars results show on ABC.
@9 p.m. - Annabeth works to tie a suspect to a crime after the judge throws out his statements on CBS's Close to Home. Over on ABC, the sister of a high school senior convicted of murdering a college girl eight years ago asks the National Justice Project to take up his case on ABC's In Justice.
@10 p.m. - USA kicks off the 4th season winter premiere of its hit show Monk. Over on CBS, the team uncovers an elaborate card counting scheme on Numb3rs.
SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - Lilly reopens the 1994 case of a teenager whose death was originally ruled a suicide on CBS's Cold Case. Over on Fox it's the first two hours of the four-hour season premiere of 24. The second half will air Monday night.
@9 p.m. - Susan meets an attractive doctor and Bree gets arrested on ABC's Desperate Housewives. Over on NBC, Law & Order: Criminal Intent celebrates its 100th episode with an episode featuring original characters Goren and Eames as they track a master murderer and his gang.
@10 p.m. - Macy's downward spiral continues as he is pulled over for a D.U.I and his integrity begins to be questioned on NBC's Crossing Jordan. Over on ABC, Grey's Anatomy returns and Izzie is charmed by a patient who needs a heart transplant.
QUICK CUTS
*In a move that doesn't sound too promising, ABC is preempting new comedy Emily's Reasons Why Not along with returning comedy Jake in Progress this Monday for an encore of last week's Bachelor: Paris premiere. Both shows would have faced fierce competition from NBC's broadcast of The Golden Globes. Emily opened in fourth place last week with only 6.23 million viewers, but Jake fared even worse with only 5.58 million viewers. Both Wife Swap and The Bachelor: Paris will air new episodes in their respective timeslots. Both Emily and Jake are expected to return January 23rd.
*And finally, Fox will air a special two-hour (four episode) season finale of Arrested Development on February 10th. The network is not saying whether the ratings-troubled comedy will return for another season or not, but both ABC and Showtime have expressed interest in picking it up. The season finale will feature star Jason Bateman's real-life sister Justine Bateman as a woman who may be Michael's (Jason Bateman) half sister.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for Cold Case (I'm thinking grunge-rock for the soundtrack, it just sounds that way from the year and topic), Desperate Housewives (Bree in horizontal prison stripes??), and a special Golden Globes preview. Plus all the latest television news!
Don't forget to help Veronica Mars with the $4,000 Shower Campaign! Click HERE for details!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
'Lost' in a Cloud of Black Smoke! Plus, the $4,000 Shower Campaign!
I must say that I have enjoyed learning the back stories of all of the characters on Lost, but last night's study of Mr. Eko is by far my favorite. Maybe it's just the veiled similarities to the wonderful Hotel Rwanda, but this story really caught my attention and forever endeared me to Eko. His story was tragic yet inspiring, and at its core, it was a story about an amazing bond between brothers. The opening scene from his past showed him step in and shoot the local priest in order to spare his brother from the trauma of having to do it, and the last scene showed a mourning Eko embracing his brother's body and then reciting the 23rd Psalm (which was also the name of the episode). In fact, the entire episode was about his quest to find his brother on the island after seeing that Charlie had found one of the Virgin Mary statues filled with heroin that Eko had tried to transport. Since there are no coincidences on this show, there's obviously a reason why Eko and his brother both crashed on the same island. Unfortunately, Eko's brother did not survive his crash, but his actions did cause Eko to be a better person and aspire to live the life that he did. We learned that everything that happened to Eko and his brother led to his 40-day vow of silence and the engraved stick that he carries. In the 23rd Psalm, which deals with the internal struggle with death, it references a "rod" and "staff" that comforts during the struggle.
And now to that mysterious cloud of black smoke. This isn't the first time that one of the characters has seen something strange with others present. Kate kept running into that black horse, Boone saw Shannon's death, many of the characters have seen polar bears, and so on. When Boone saw Shannon's death, Locke told him that it (meaning the island's "security system") makes people see what they want to see. There appeared to be images floating around in that black smoke, like visions of the people Eko had lost. It definitely raised a lot of questions, but then what doesn't on this island? Take for instance last night's revelation/question raiser with Michael and "Walt" talking further on the computer. Where is "Walt," and why does he have access to a computer? Is this just more of the island "security system" allowing you to see what you want to see? When Jack looked at the screen, it was blank, meaning either Michael had exited out of the conversation or it was never there in the first place. What was "Walt" trying to tell Michael? The shot cut out before we could read the entire sentence. And why has Charlie been going back and forth to the plane to collect more statues? I hope he doesn't head back down the drug route.
Shifting gears now to an interesting fan campaign. What is a $4,000 shower and how does it relate to Veronica Mars? Fans of the show have organized a campaign, through the web site Mars Investigations, around a story that creator Rob Thomas told in a recent interview with upn.com about the prospect of a third season. He apparently installed a $4,000 shower into the office bathroom saying, "Now I wouldn't spend four grand putting in an office shower if I didn't think we were going to be there for three more years." The prospects are sounding good, but it's never a good idea to become too complacent as fans, so the site created the $4,000 Shower Season 3 Campaign. It's a movement to get another half a million people to watch the show by May. You can click HERE to learn how to spread the word to get more people to watch. In addition to getting more viewers, you can also let UPN know that you are watching (since not all of us have Nielsen boxes). Marsinvestigations.com has simplified this process as well. The site created a postcard for you to fill out, print out, and send to the important decision makers at UPN. Each postcard will be numbered, and the site will keep track of how many are created (and hopefully sent). So, the campaign is on! Now's the time for the call to action to let UPN know that you're watching and loving Veronica Mars. Positive reinforcement never hurts, so start sending those postcards!
About Last Night... ABC won the first hour of the night with its clip show Lost: Revelation, followed by CBS comedies Still Standing and Yes, Dear and NBC's E-Ring. At 9, ABC continued its winning streak with a new episode of Lost, followed by CBS's Criminal Minds and NBC's The Biggest Loser. The second hour of UPN's premiere of South Beach landed the network in last place for the hour and was down 33% from Veronica Mars' numbers (based on its last new episode). The final hour of the night went to both CBS and NBC as the two networks tied with CSI: NY and Law & Order, respectively. ABC's Invasion landed in third. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - The remaining nine teams compete in the quickstep and rhumba on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
@9 p.m. - WB kicks off another season of Beauty and the Geek with 8 geeks and 8 beauties. Tonight, the beauties pick their geeks and gear up for the first quiz. Over on NBC, Earl and Randy try to return a stolen wallet when they learn that the missing wallet cost two newlyweds their honeymoon. ABC premieres its new comedy Crumbs staring Fred Savage, Jane Curtain and William Devane at 9:30.
@10 p.m. - Ray is put in an uncomfortable position when his young former girlfriend comes into the hospital with serious abuse-related injuries on NBC's ER.
QUICK CUTS
*UPN is teaming up with Grammy-winning recording artist Alicia Keys to develop a drama based on her experiences growing up in New York City's Hell's Kitchen. The coming-of-age show will follow a young girl from a biracial family. Keys, who was born to a white mother and black father, will serve as executive producer of the series. UPN has given a script commitment to the series. If it is picked up, it will join the network's current celebrity-inspired show Everybody Hates Chris.
*And finally, rocker Jon Bon Jovi will make an appearance in an upcoming episode of NBC's The West Wing. He'll play himself while he performs is new song "Welcome to Wherever You Are" during a rally for the fictional presidential candidate Sen. Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits). The episode will air March 26th on NBC.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on Dancing with the Stars (can you get over Stacy Keibler? Who knew a professional wrestler could be so graceful) and My Name is Earl (yes, I've neglected this show in the past, but there's no new CSI to keep me from it tonight). Plus, all the latest television news!
And now to that mysterious cloud of black smoke. This isn't the first time that one of the characters has seen something strange with others present. Kate kept running into that black horse, Boone saw Shannon's death, many of the characters have seen polar bears, and so on. When Boone saw Shannon's death, Locke told him that it (meaning the island's "security system") makes people see what they want to see. There appeared to be images floating around in that black smoke, like visions of the people Eko had lost. It definitely raised a lot of questions, but then what doesn't on this island? Take for instance last night's revelation/question raiser with Michael and "Walt" talking further on the computer. Where is "Walt," and why does he have access to a computer? Is this just more of the island "security system" allowing you to see what you want to see? When Jack looked at the screen, it was blank, meaning either Michael had exited out of the conversation or it was never there in the first place. What was "Walt" trying to tell Michael? The shot cut out before we could read the entire sentence. And why has Charlie been going back and forth to the plane to collect more statues? I hope he doesn't head back down the drug route.
Shifting gears now to an interesting fan campaign. What is a $4,000 shower and how does it relate to Veronica Mars? Fans of the show have organized a campaign, through the web site Mars Investigations, around a story that creator Rob Thomas told in a recent interview with upn.com about the prospect of a third season. He apparently installed a $4,000 shower into the office bathroom saying, "Now I wouldn't spend four grand putting in an office shower if I didn't think we were going to be there for three more years." The prospects are sounding good, but it's never a good idea to become too complacent as fans, so the site created the $4,000 Shower Season 3 Campaign. It's a movement to get another half a million people to watch the show by May. You can click HERE to learn how to spread the word to get more people to watch. In addition to getting more viewers, you can also let UPN know that you are watching (since not all of us have Nielsen boxes). Marsinvestigations.com has simplified this process as well. The site created a postcard for you to fill out, print out, and send to the important decision makers at UPN. Each postcard will be numbered, and the site will keep track of how many are created (and hopefully sent). So, the campaign is on! Now's the time for the call to action to let UPN know that you're watching and loving Veronica Mars. Positive reinforcement never hurts, so start sending those postcards!
About Last Night... ABC won the first hour of the night with its clip show Lost: Revelation, followed by CBS comedies Still Standing and Yes, Dear and NBC's E-Ring. At 9, ABC continued its winning streak with a new episode of Lost, followed by CBS's Criminal Minds and NBC's The Biggest Loser. The second hour of UPN's premiere of South Beach landed the network in last place for the hour and was down 33% from Veronica Mars' numbers (based on its last new episode). The final hour of the night went to both CBS and NBC as the two networks tied with CSI: NY and Law & Order, respectively. ABC's Invasion landed in third. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - The remaining nine teams compete in the quickstep and rhumba on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
@9 p.m. - WB kicks off another season of Beauty and the Geek with 8 geeks and 8 beauties. Tonight, the beauties pick their geeks and gear up for the first quiz. Over on NBC, Earl and Randy try to return a stolen wallet when they learn that the missing wallet cost two newlyweds their honeymoon. ABC premieres its new comedy Crumbs staring Fred Savage, Jane Curtain and William Devane at 9:30.
@10 p.m. - Ray is put in an uncomfortable position when his young former girlfriend comes into the hospital with serious abuse-related injuries on NBC's ER.
QUICK CUTS
*UPN is teaming up with Grammy-winning recording artist Alicia Keys to develop a drama based on her experiences growing up in New York City's Hell's Kitchen. The coming-of-age show will follow a young girl from a biracial family. Keys, who was born to a white mother and black father, will serve as executive producer of the series. UPN has given a script commitment to the series. If it is picked up, it will join the network's current celebrity-inspired show Everybody Hates Chris.
*And finally, rocker Jon Bon Jovi will make an appearance in an upcoming episode of NBC's The West Wing. He'll play himself while he performs is new song "Welcome to Wherever You Are" during a rally for the fictional presidential candidate Sen. Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits). The episode will air March 26th on NBC.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on Dancing with the Stars (can you get over Stacy Keibler? Who knew a professional wrestler could be so graceful) and My Name is Earl (yes, I've neglected this show in the past, but there's no new CSI to keep me from it tonight). Plus, all the latest television news!
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Just What is a Scrubie? The 'People' have Spoken! And CBS Gets Dethroned!
Ahhhh, it's the sweet sound of J.D.'s narration, Elliot's highpitched-uncomprehendable upset voice, Dr. Cox's awesome zingers, and Turk and Carla's sweet bickering. Yes, Scrubs is finally back on my TV, and even better, we've been getting a 2fer every week! Scenes like the one between Carla/Elliot and Dr. Cox/Jordan in the bar cement this series as one of television's funniest. And why doesn't the Academy, the Hollywood Foreign Press, or SAG ever recognize the incredible acting and writing on this show? This is a question that will continue to haunt me (along with why don't the same groups ever recognize Veronica Mars, Everwood, Gilmore Girls or Kathryn Morris). But, I digress. I'm psyched that Elliot is back at Sacred Fart (how great was Dr. Kelso's reaction to J.D's prank?), and I just loved how she got her job back. She was so determined to do it herself, so she ended up using Dr. Kelso's indiscretion to her advantage, thus getting her job back herself. Last night's outings were hysterical, but here is a list of some stand-out lines (and the premiere of a new weekly feature!):
The Scrubies
(Each week, I'll compile a list of some of the best lines from that week's Scrubs episodes. Those that make the list earn themselves a "Scrubie." Think of it as the Emmy of the Scrubs world since the Emmy of the TV world refuses to recognize the clever writing)
"She has no...off...button." Dr. Cox when describing to Jordan why she should not engage Elliot in conversation during the aforementioned bar scene
"Maybe they'll put it in Almost Magazine." Dr. Cox to Turk after hearing him say that he got through half the hypnosis surgery without the patient feeling a thing
"Bottom line, if you're thinking about knocking up a homeless woman, I'd do it this weekend." Dr. Kelso after announcing that due to budget cuts, the hospital will be closing the mobile pregnancy unit
"Jerk-off of the year? No, bastard of the year. No, don't you tell me. Guy-I-despise-so- much-I'd-pay-someone-to-kill-you-and-leave-you-by-my-bed-so-when-I-woke-up-I- could-roll-over-and-punch-you.....of the year." Dr. Cox after hearing about Dr. Kelso's award
"And....we're back." Dr. Kelso to the rest of the group after Dr. Cox's above comments
"You go do that and I'll go find God, quit drinking, get in touch with myself emotionally and we'll meet back here at half past impossible." Dr. Cox to J.D. after he decides to find something nice about Dr. Kelso for his introduction speech
"It's an idiot handle." Janitor after seeing J.D. with the coffee pot's handle stuck around his wrist
If you have any lines from last night's two episodes that you would like to nominate for a "Scrubie," leave me a comment and I'll publish them in a future edition. I'll be doing this feature for all future episodes as well, so be sure to send in the great lines you hear on this clever comedy. Also, be sure to leave a comment with any other thoughts you may have about last night's episodes.
Shifting gears from hysterical to full blown depressing now with last night's Law & Order: SVU. For a show that is usually emotionally charged, this was a banner episode for our poor emotions! First a a young girl is kidnapped, then we learn that she has leukemia and desperately needs medical help, then the whole money/kidnapped child exchange goes awry, we learn that the kidnapper is her older cast-out-of-the-family brother (who by the way, has a serious drug problem), which culminates in an intense scene at the father's bank where said brother holds the bank at gun point while robbing it, the father ends up shot (by his son), and the son tries to take his own life with the suicide-by-cops method. Good thing Melinda Warner was there to shoot him in the leg before he went out guns blazing into a street full of cops. I'm glad she has that Air Force training! I have to say, though, no one actually died in this episode, so I guess things could have been a lot worse. I am not a fan of the "tandem episodes," (episodes where either Elliot or Olivia is MIA, so called because the show actually shoots two episodes in tandem - one featuring Liv and the other Elliot - to save time/budget), but the featuring of Warner's character made up for the lack of Olivia. Warner has been a vital part of the Law & Order franchise, but she has never gotten her due time, so last night was a welcomed gift. Actress Tamara Tunie is excellent in the role, and she gave Warner the right amount of emotion as she went through the rollercoaster that unfolded last night.
As promised back in November (when the last new episode aired), I'm providing links to TVGuide.com's recap of last night's Gilmore Girls. Click HERE to access it.
About Last Night... CBS captured the first hour of the night with NCIS, followed by ABC comedies According to Jim and Rodney and NBC's Fear Factor. At 9, Fox's House claimed the top position, followed by a tie between ABC's Commander In Chief and CBS's broadcast of the People's Choice Awards. Back-to-back new episodes of NBC's Scrubs landed in fourth behind the tie from ABC and CBS. The final hour of the night went to Law & Order: SVU on NBC, followed by Boston Legal on ABC and the People's Choice Awards on CBS. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - JT and the team encounter bio-terrorism on NBC's E-Ring. Over on ABC, Lost plays catch up with a re-telling of the events of the first and second seasons of the hit show. UPN premieres its new nighttime soap South Beach, which stars Vanessa Williams and counts Jennifer Lopez as one of its executive producers, with a two-hour episode.
@9 p.m. - ABC's Lost returns with an episode that delves into Mr. Eko's past as he interrogates Charlie about the Virgin Mary statue. The WB goes behind the scenes of the casting of the new Beauty and the Geek with this casting special.
@10 p.m. - ABC's Invasion returns as Russell confronts Mariel about her strange behavior since the hurricane. Over on NBC, it's a case of vigilante justice on Law & Order.
QUICK CUTS
*The People have spoken, and they think Earl is a scream and everybody still loves Raymond. This according to the 32nd Annual People's Choice Awards last night on CBS. NBC's My Name is Earl won favorite new comedy, Fox's Prison Break landed the favorite new drama award, CSI won for favorite drama, CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond for favorite comedy, Fox's American Idol for favorite reality competition and ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for favorite reality show (other). In the TV acting categories, Jennifer Garner won favorite female star (Garner also won favorite female action star in the movies category) and Ray Romano took home favorite male star. The Tonight Show's Jay Leno won favorite night talk show host and Ellen DeGeneres won favorite daytime talk show host (DeGeneres also took home an award for favorite funny female star). To see the complete list of winners, visit USA Today.
*It looks like fans of UPN's Veronica Mars will have to wait an extra week (WARNING: link is very spoilerish) to catch the next new episode. UPN's decision to air two hours of new soap South Beach tonight and a repeat of Veronica next week (which was supposed to be the first new episode) pushed the next episode's airdate back to January 25th. When the show does return, look for formerXena: Warrior Princess Lucy Lawless to guest star as an FBI Agent, which confirms the scoop from Neptune Site that I posted here last month.
*And finally, it's Nielsen Wednesday! For the first time this season, CBS is NOT the ratings victor. ABC, fueled by its college football BCS coverage, landed the the number one spot in total viewers. The alphabet network was led by the Rose Bowl (#1), Rose Bowl Pregame (#3), Desperate Housewives (#4), NFL Playoffs (#5), NFL Pregame (#7), Fiesta Bowl(#9), and Orange Bowl (#10). CSI (#2), CBS's NFL Postgame (#6), and Without A Trace (#8) rounded out the top 10. For the full list of the top 20 shows last week, click on over to USA Today.
And with that, I have completed my 100th edition!!!! I can't believe it has been 100 editions of Pass the Remote already! Thank you so much for reading, commenting, critiquing and everything else you guys have brought to the table for the last 100 editions. I'm looking forward to the next 100! And you can look forward to tomorrow with thoughts on tonight's first new episode of Lost since November and all the latest television news! Be sure to tune in then!
The Scrubies
(Each week, I'll compile a list of some of the best lines from that week's Scrubs episodes. Those that make the list earn themselves a "Scrubie." Think of it as the Emmy of the Scrubs world since the Emmy of the TV world refuses to recognize the clever writing)
"She has no...off...button." Dr. Cox when describing to Jordan why she should not engage Elliot in conversation during the aforementioned bar scene
"Maybe they'll put it in Almost Magazine." Dr. Cox to Turk after hearing him say that he got through half the hypnosis surgery without the patient feeling a thing
"Bottom line, if you're thinking about knocking up a homeless woman, I'd do it this weekend." Dr. Kelso after announcing that due to budget cuts, the hospital will be closing the mobile pregnancy unit
"Jerk-off of the year? No, bastard of the year. No, don't you tell me. Guy-I-despise-so- much-I'd-pay-someone-to-kill-you-and-leave-you-by-my-bed-so-when-I-woke-up-I- could-roll-over-and-punch-you.....of the year." Dr. Cox after hearing about Dr. Kelso's award
"And....we're back." Dr. Kelso to the rest of the group after Dr. Cox's above comments
"You go do that and I'll go find God, quit drinking, get in touch with myself emotionally and we'll meet back here at half past impossible." Dr. Cox to J.D. after he decides to find something nice about Dr. Kelso for his introduction speech
"It's an idiot handle." Janitor after seeing J.D. with the coffee pot's handle stuck around his wrist
If you have any lines from last night's two episodes that you would like to nominate for a "Scrubie," leave me a comment and I'll publish them in a future edition. I'll be doing this feature for all future episodes as well, so be sure to send in the great lines you hear on this clever comedy. Also, be sure to leave a comment with any other thoughts you may have about last night's episodes.
Shifting gears from hysterical to full blown depressing now with last night's Law & Order: SVU. For a show that is usually emotionally charged, this was a banner episode for our poor emotions! First a a young girl is kidnapped, then we learn that she has leukemia and desperately needs medical help, then the whole money/kidnapped child exchange goes awry, we learn that the kidnapper is her older cast-out-of-the-family brother (who by the way, has a serious drug problem), which culminates in an intense scene at the father's bank where said brother holds the bank at gun point while robbing it, the father ends up shot (by his son), and the son tries to take his own life with the suicide-by-cops method. Good thing Melinda Warner was there to shoot him in the leg before he went out guns blazing into a street full of cops. I'm glad she has that Air Force training! I have to say, though, no one actually died in this episode, so I guess things could have been a lot worse. I am not a fan of the "tandem episodes," (episodes where either Elliot or Olivia is MIA, so called because the show actually shoots two episodes in tandem - one featuring Liv and the other Elliot - to save time/budget), but the featuring of Warner's character made up for the lack of Olivia. Warner has been a vital part of the Law & Order franchise, but she has never gotten her due time, so last night was a welcomed gift. Actress Tamara Tunie is excellent in the role, and she gave Warner the right amount of emotion as she went through the rollercoaster that unfolded last night.
As promised back in November (when the last new episode aired), I'm providing links to TVGuide.com's recap of last night's Gilmore Girls. Click HERE to access it.
About Last Night... CBS captured the first hour of the night with NCIS, followed by ABC comedies According to Jim and Rodney and NBC's Fear Factor. At 9, Fox's House claimed the top position, followed by a tie between ABC's Commander In Chief and CBS's broadcast of the People's Choice Awards. Back-to-back new episodes of NBC's Scrubs landed in fourth behind the tie from ABC and CBS. The final hour of the night went to Law & Order: SVU on NBC, followed by Boston Legal on ABC and the People's Choice Awards on CBS. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - JT and the team encounter bio-terrorism on NBC's E-Ring. Over on ABC, Lost plays catch up with a re-telling of the events of the first and second seasons of the hit show. UPN premieres its new nighttime soap South Beach, which stars Vanessa Williams and counts Jennifer Lopez as one of its executive producers, with a two-hour episode.
@9 p.m. - ABC's Lost returns with an episode that delves into Mr. Eko's past as he interrogates Charlie about the Virgin Mary statue. The WB goes behind the scenes of the casting of the new Beauty and the Geek with this casting special.
@10 p.m. - ABC's Invasion returns as Russell confronts Mariel about her strange behavior since the hurricane. Over on NBC, it's a case of vigilante justice on Law & Order.
QUICK CUTS
*The People have spoken, and they think Earl is a scream and everybody still loves Raymond. This according to the 32nd Annual People's Choice Awards last night on CBS. NBC's My Name is Earl won favorite new comedy, Fox's Prison Break landed the favorite new drama award, CSI won for favorite drama, CBS's Everybody Loves Raymond for favorite comedy, Fox's American Idol for favorite reality competition and ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for favorite reality show (other). In the TV acting categories, Jennifer Garner won favorite female star (Garner also won favorite female action star in the movies category) and Ray Romano took home favorite male star. The Tonight Show's Jay Leno won favorite night talk show host and Ellen DeGeneres won favorite daytime talk show host (DeGeneres also took home an award for favorite funny female star). To see the complete list of winners, visit USA Today.
*It looks like fans of UPN's Veronica Mars will have to wait an extra week (WARNING: link is very spoilerish) to catch the next new episode. UPN's decision to air two hours of new soap South Beach tonight and a repeat of Veronica next week (which was supposed to be the first new episode) pushed the next episode's airdate back to January 25th. When the show does return, look for formerXena: Warrior Princess Lucy Lawless to guest star as an FBI Agent, which confirms the scoop from Neptune Site that I posted here last month.
*And finally, it's Nielsen Wednesday! For the first time this season, CBS is NOT the ratings victor. ABC, fueled by its college football BCS coverage, landed the the number one spot in total viewers. The alphabet network was led by the Rose Bowl (#1), Rose Bowl Pregame (#3), Desperate Housewives (#4), NFL Playoffs (#5), NFL Pregame (#7), Fiesta Bowl(#9), and Orange Bowl (#10). CSI (#2), CBS's NFL Postgame (#6), and Without A Trace (#8) rounded out the top 10. For the full list of the top 20 shows last week, click on over to USA Today.
And with that, I have completed my 100th edition!!!! I can't believe it has been 100 editions of Pass the Remote already! Thank you so much for reading, commenting, critiquing and everything else you guys have brought to the table for the last 100 editions. I'm looking forward to the next 100! And you can look forward to tomorrow with thoughts on tonight's first new episode of Lost since November and all the latest television news! Be sure to tune in then!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Allison Learns the Art of Distraction! Plus, How Deep will 'Surface' Go?
Usually on Medium, Allison's visions are clues to solving some sort of crime -- whether it has been committed already or not -- but last night's episode deviated a bit from this norm. Instead of providing clues, these visions about Ariel were actually in place to distract Allison from the dreams that she was having at night. A familiar evil spirit from last season made another appearance, but instead of "whispering" into the ears of doctors to kill their young female patients, this spirit had now evolved to using a butcher at a local grocery store. As he told Allison, too many women go to female doctors now and the female doctors don't listen to his whispers. The opening dream of the episode clued Allison in to the butcher plot, but she was soon distracted by a new vision that involved Ariel. The spirit led Allison to believe that he was whispering into the ear of Ariel's crush's father, who just happened to be a doctor. Believing that Ariel was in danger, Allison assaulted the doctor and wound up in a jail cell overnight because there weren't any judges available on Sundays. She commented that the next time she decided to commit a crime, she'd be sure not to do it on a Sunday. In the end, the whole misunderstanding was revealed as such, the real victim was saved with not a moment too soon, and Ariel crush's moved on to a seventh grader. It was creepy, though, that the spirit was able to communicate and influence Ariel as he did, proving once again that this show is the master at looking at both the positives and the negatives of Allison's ability.
If you were watching last week's Surface, then you probably noticed that the promo at the end of the episode advertised that there were only four more episodes left for the season. This left many viewers wondering what was going on with the show since NBC supposedly picked it up for a full season. A lot of NBC programs have been shuffled a bit because the network is airing the Olympics next month, but Surface will not return when the network's coverage ceases, leaving the show with only 15 episodes instead of the usual full season 22. Along with the four (now three) more episodes, the promo also promises that all of our questions will be answered by the end of the season (which seems a lot more plausible now given last night's shocking revelation). So, what gives? Is Surface's future survival endangered? The show does decently well in its Monday night slot, usually finishing third. That doesn't sound too impressive, but in the context of the current NBC, it's not too bad. Had the show been on CBS or Fox, you can almost guarantee that it would not have made it as far as it has because those networks are both flourishing in the ratings. NBC is down, but certainly not out, which means that bubble shows like Surface, which get a decent but not earth-shattering audience, are most likely on the endangered list when it comes to a second season. Furthermore, NBC's decision to hold the show to 15 episodes coupled with its decision to end its first season before the Olympics, and not bring it back after, does not bode well for its continued success. Digging the knife in a little further is this from TV Guide columnist Matt Roush in his column Ask Matt:
About Last Night... CBS captured the first hour of the night with its comedies King of Queens and How I Met Your Mother, followed by ABC's Wife Swap and NBC's Surface. At 9, CBS stayed on top with comedies Two and a Half Men and Out of Practice, followed by NBC's Las Vegas and Fox's House. The final hour of the night went to CBS's CSI: Miami, followed by Medium on NBC and the premiere of ABC's The Bachelor: Paris. For more on last night's ratings, click on over to Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Sherilyn Fenn guest stars as Luke's old flame and mother of his newly discovered daughter on WB's Gilmore Girls. Over on CBS, the team rushes to save two of their own on NCIS.
@9 p.m. - Jessica Simpson kicks off the 32nd Annual People's Choice Awards live on CBS. Over on NBC, it's back-to-back episodes of Scrubs. First up, J.D. struggles with turning 30 years old. In the second episode, he's asked to introduce Dr. Kelso at an awards dinner, but finds it difficult to think of something nice to say about him.
@10 p.m. - M.E. Warner gets caught in a kidnapper's deadly game on NBC's Law & Order: SVU. Over on ABC, the firm defends a wealthy man (guest star Michael J. Fox) with cancer who uses his influence to his advantage in a promising anti-cancer drug test.
QUICK CUTS
*NBC's upcoming coverage of the Winter Olympics will be the most extensive ever. The network, along with its partners (USA, MSNBC and CNBC), will air 416 hours of programming from Torino, Italy next month. The coverage will also be simulcast in HDTV on either NBC HD or Universal HD, a change from the 2004 Summer Olympic coverage which found the HD broadcasts delayed behind the initial broadcast. Opening ceremonies begin Friday, February 10th.
*And finally, it's T minus 7 weeks until the premiere of the next edition of CBS's The Amazing Race! The network announced yesterday that the glob-trotting reality series will return to the small screen on Tuesday, February 28th with its usual two-hour premiere. Gone will be the teams of four families and in their place will be the usual twelve teams of two. And yes Race fans, the competition will return to its normal around-the-world-in-thirty-days roots (no more extended tours of the 50 United States).
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the premiere of the weekly Scrubs feature (how can I not discuss one of television's funniest comedies) and thoughts on Law & Order: SVU. Plus, all the latest television news!
If you were watching last week's Surface, then you probably noticed that the promo at the end of the episode advertised that there were only four more episodes left for the season. This left many viewers wondering what was going on with the show since NBC supposedly picked it up for a full season. A lot of NBC programs have been shuffled a bit because the network is airing the Olympics next month, but Surface will not return when the network's coverage ceases, leaving the show with only 15 episodes instead of the usual full season 22. Along with the four (now three) more episodes, the promo also promises that all of our questions will be answered by the end of the season (which seems a lot more plausible now given last night's shocking revelation). So, what gives? Is Surface's future survival endangered? The show does decently well in its Monday night slot, usually finishing third. That doesn't sound too impressive, but in the context of the current NBC, it's not too bad. Had the show been on CBS or Fox, you can almost guarantee that it would not have made it as far as it has because those networks are both flourishing in the ratings. NBC is down, but certainly not out, which means that bubble shows like Surface, which get a decent but not earth-shattering audience, are most likely on the endangered list when it comes to a second season. Furthermore, NBC's decision to hold the show to 15 episodes coupled with its decision to end its first season before the Olympics, and not bring it back after, does not bode well for its continued success. Digging the knife in a little further is this from TV Guide columnist Matt Roush in his column Ask Matt:
My understanding is that this reduced order has to do with budget-cutting at NBC in a year of steep ratings and economic decline, and also because the Olympics and mid-season inventory have reduced the need for new episodes. But it's also just as likely a sign that the network is cutting its losses with this show. (The Book of Daniel is another show caught in the crunch. It went from an initial order of 13 episodes to the pilot plus seven.) It's too early to know if Surface will be renewed. I wouldn't count on it, but we won't know for sure until we see how NBC fares during the post-Olympics mid-season and with its development crop for next fall.So, it looks like it's a waiting game for this show. My only hope is that we do learn all that's going on at the end of this season in case the show is left off NBC's Fall 2006 schedule. Either way, we'll see how things pan out on the show in three episodes and how they pan out for the show sometime this Spring when the networks announce their new schedules. Stay tuned!
About Last Night... CBS captured the first hour of the night with its comedies King of Queens and How I Met Your Mother, followed by ABC's Wife Swap and NBC's Surface. At 9, CBS stayed on top with comedies Two and a Half Men and Out of Practice, followed by NBC's Las Vegas and Fox's House. The final hour of the night went to CBS's CSI: Miami, followed by Medium on NBC and the premiere of ABC's The Bachelor: Paris. For more on last night's ratings, click on over to Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Sherilyn Fenn guest stars as Luke's old flame and mother of his newly discovered daughter on WB's Gilmore Girls. Over on CBS, the team rushes to save two of their own on NCIS.
@9 p.m. - Jessica Simpson kicks off the 32nd Annual People's Choice Awards live on CBS. Over on NBC, it's back-to-back episodes of Scrubs. First up, J.D. struggles with turning 30 years old. In the second episode, he's asked to introduce Dr. Kelso at an awards dinner, but finds it difficult to think of something nice to say about him.
@10 p.m. - M.E. Warner gets caught in a kidnapper's deadly game on NBC's Law & Order: SVU. Over on ABC, the firm defends a wealthy man (guest star Michael J. Fox) with cancer who uses his influence to his advantage in a promising anti-cancer drug test.
QUICK CUTS
*NBC's upcoming coverage of the Winter Olympics will be the most extensive ever. The network, along with its partners (USA, MSNBC and CNBC), will air 416 hours of programming from Torino, Italy next month. The coverage will also be simulcast in HDTV on either NBC HD or Universal HD, a change from the 2004 Summer Olympic coverage which found the HD broadcasts delayed behind the initial broadcast. Opening ceremonies begin Friday, February 10th.
*And finally, it's T minus 7 weeks until the premiere of the next edition of CBS's The Amazing Race! The network announced yesterday that the glob-trotting reality series will return to the small screen on Tuesday, February 28th with its usual two-hour premiere. Gone will be the teams of four families and in their place will be the usual twelve teams of two. And yes Race fans, the competition will return to its normal around-the-world-in-thirty-days roots (no more extended tours of the 50 United States).
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the premiere of the weekly Scrubs feature (how can I not discuss one of television's funniest comedies) and thoughts on Law & Order: SVU. Plus, all the latest television news!
Monday, January 09, 2006
'Cold Case' Relives Springsteen's 'Glory Days!' And a Kiss isn't Just a Kiss to Lynette
Isn't it fun having new episodes of our favorite shows again? I mean, the hiatus is nice because we're all entirely too busy to catch new episodes during the holiday season (and thus the reason for the hiatus), but it's a welcome change when they do return. I guess absence truly does make the heart grow fonder! This was certainly the case last night with my love affair with Cold Case. I was once again skeptical of the single-artist soundtrack idea because I haven't been the biggest proponent of this device in the past, but I thought it worked nicely here. Of course being a huge Veronica Mars fan, I couldn't help but notice right off the bat that Meg was back! I mean it wasn't actually Meg (since she died on Veronica in the last new episode). Once again actress Alona Tal played a character in love with someone who was really in love with someone else. Except, poor Meg didn't live long enough to actually marry the person in love with someone else. It was good to see Meg again, though. Show creator and executive producer Meredith Stiehm wrote this episode and according to the article in the January 1st-8th edition of TV Guide, she actually wrote the episode to the lyrics of the Bruce Springsteen songs she wanted to use. It was an interesting experiment and it really served the show well. I thought the device worked best in the flashback where Clem decided to help Petey steal cars in order to get enough money to help May. The flashback was done so well that it didn't even require dialog because the lyrics from Springsteen's "Stolen Car" told the story. Director Mark Pellington (one of the series' stand-out directors) did an excellent job treating the flashbacks as music videos. I thought this was another episode where the resolution made sense and I wasn't left scratching my head.
Regarding the scoop last week from TV Guide that I covered here, it seems the wheels have been put into motion. I think this case had everyone on the team thinking about second chances. Stillman decided it was worth it to try and patch things up (piece by piece) with his ex-wife starting with dinner. May claimed that she and Clem tried to go back, but they learned that you couldn't, but I don't think she truly believed that idea. If things had turned out differently for Clem, I think he and May would still be happily together. This episode was really about the choices we make to follow the dreams we have when we're young and the lasting effects they have on our overall happiness. Sally and Clem found that the happiness they had with each other faded when the real world stepped in. I think the case left Lilly wondering what might have been if she and this "motorcycle man" had actually walked up those steps at the courthouse instead of sitting outside on them for hours. How would her life be different? It's hard to picture our sensible, by-the-book Lil running off with someone she had known two weeks and almost marry him, but when you hear the part about how they sat on the steps and never entered the courthouse, it makes sense. It sounds like she was running away from a life that was more than likely suffocating her, but the sensible side in her realized marrying a virtual stranger wasn't going to fix anything. The closing shot of her in bed looking over the photos was more than likely (based on the TV Guide scoop) a bit of foreshadowing of future episodes. It will be interesting to see where this journey takes her.
Dear Lynette,
"You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss."
I really wanted to send these famous lyrics from "As Time Goes By" to our poor stressed out Lynette last night. We've seen the jealous side of her in the past. Anyone remember her antics that led to Tom losing/quitting his job and staying home with the kids? So yeah, my girl Lynette has some issues when it comes to the security of her marriage. I get where she was coming from, but she knows Gabby better than to think that she would "hit on Tom" by carrying out that silly stunt that she pulled. I loved Lynette's little experiment to even the score by using Carlos. Gabby certainly changed her tune when she found herself in Lynette's shoes, though. Of course, if Lynette had known the can of worms she was about to open she never would have evened that score. Speaking of plans to even scores, Gabby's idea to allow Carlos to have an affair in order to keep him from judging her has disaster written all over it! Other musings regarding last night's episode:
- I was really glad that Andrew's blackmail plot didn't pan out as he had hoped. Not that I agree with Bree's behavior regarding Andrew's relationship, but there's just something wrong about blackmailing your mother.
- Is it just me, or is Zach getting stranger? I feel like he's about to break at any point in time from under this nice facade (and yes, I do have the sinking suspicious that it is, in fact, a facade).
- And why is the Applewhite storyline so lackluster? It has such potential, but it seems to always fall flat. Susan's little bump that exposed the body set up an interesting situation, but overall, this storyline is the only one that hasn't improved lately. I'm holding out hope that it will in subsequent episodes.
About Last Night... CBS claimed the first hour of the night with its mix of the last 45 minutes of 60 Minutes and the first fifteen minutes of Cold Case, followed by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC and Fox comedies The Simpsons and The War at Home. At 9, ABC took over the lead spot with Desperate Housewives, followed by the end of Cold Case and the beginning of CSI: NY (r) on CBS and NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent. The final hour of the night went to ABC's Grey's Anatomy (clip show), followed by NBC's Crossing Jordan and the end of CSI: NY (r)/beginning of CSI: Miami (r) on CBS. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Laura and Rich become fugitives and Laura receives a mysterious internet message from someone who claims to know where the creatures came from on NBC's Surface. ABC Family's hit summer show Wildfire returns for a second season.
@9 p.m. - Heather Graham returns to television (after a multi-episode arc last season on NBC's Scrubs) in her own sitcom Emily's Reasons Why Not on ABC, followed by the second season premiere of John Stamos' Jake in Progress. Over on NBC, chef Wolfgang Puck makes a cameo on Las Vegas as his restaurant opens at the Montecito.
@10 p.m. - Allison has a frightening vision that shows her daughter in the clutches of someone from one of her past cases on NBC's Medium. Over on ABC, it's the premiere of The Bachelor and this time the romance competition takes place in Paris.
QUICK CUTS
*CBS is releasing the identities of the 16 contestants that make up the next installment of its hit reality series Survivor. They consist of a yoga instructor, a retired astronaut, airline pilot, and registered nurse to name a few. The show, which is about to enter its 12th season, will travel back to Panama where it has already traveled for its Pearl Islands season, but this season will bring many changes to the show. The contestants will be divided into four teams instead of the usual two during the first episode and the game is installing a new device: Exile Island. Every episode, at least one player will be sent to a remote location where they will have to fend for themselves, but there will be a hidden immunity idol on the island that, if they find it while in exile, can be used for future eliminations. Survivor: Panama -- Exile Island premieres February 2nd on CBS.
*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! The first season of Lifetime's long-running Strong Medicine finally makes it way to store shelves tomorrow along with Viva La Bam (seasons 4 & 5) and The Flash (the complete series). For the complete list of releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on Medium (is all as it appears to Allison in her dream about Ariel?) and some thoughts on the future of Surface (hint: it isn't sounding too promising). Plus, all the latest television news!
Regarding the scoop last week from TV Guide that I covered here, it seems the wheels have been put into motion. I think this case had everyone on the team thinking about second chances. Stillman decided it was worth it to try and patch things up (piece by piece) with his ex-wife starting with dinner. May claimed that she and Clem tried to go back, but they learned that you couldn't, but I don't think she truly believed that idea. If things had turned out differently for Clem, I think he and May would still be happily together. This episode was really about the choices we make to follow the dreams we have when we're young and the lasting effects they have on our overall happiness. Sally and Clem found that the happiness they had with each other faded when the real world stepped in. I think the case left Lilly wondering what might have been if she and this "motorcycle man" had actually walked up those steps at the courthouse instead of sitting outside on them for hours. How would her life be different? It's hard to picture our sensible, by-the-book Lil running off with someone she had known two weeks and almost marry him, but when you hear the part about how they sat on the steps and never entered the courthouse, it makes sense. It sounds like she was running away from a life that was more than likely suffocating her, but the sensible side in her realized marrying a virtual stranger wasn't going to fix anything. The closing shot of her in bed looking over the photos was more than likely (based on the TV Guide scoop) a bit of foreshadowing of future episodes. It will be interesting to see where this journey takes her.
Dear Lynette,
"You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss."
I really wanted to send these famous lyrics from "As Time Goes By" to our poor stressed out Lynette last night. We've seen the jealous side of her in the past. Anyone remember her antics that led to Tom losing/quitting his job and staying home with the kids? So yeah, my girl Lynette has some issues when it comes to the security of her marriage. I get where she was coming from, but she knows Gabby better than to think that she would "hit on Tom" by carrying out that silly stunt that she pulled. I loved Lynette's little experiment to even the score by using Carlos. Gabby certainly changed her tune when she found herself in Lynette's shoes, though. Of course, if Lynette had known the can of worms she was about to open she never would have evened that score. Speaking of plans to even scores, Gabby's idea to allow Carlos to have an affair in order to keep him from judging her has disaster written all over it! Other musings regarding last night's episode:
- I was really glad that Andrew's blackmail plot didn't pan out as he had hoped. Not that I agree with Bree's behavior regarding Andrew's relationship, but there's just something wrong about blackmailing your mother.
- Is it just me, or is Zach getting stranger? I feel like he's about to break at any point in time from under this nice facade (and yes, I do have the sinking suspicious that it is, in fact, a facade).
- And why is the Applewhite storyline so lackluster? It has such potential, but it seems to always fall flat. Susan's little bump that exposed the body set up an interesting situation, but overall, this storyline is the only one that hasn't improved lately. I'm holding out hope that it will in subsequent episodes.
About Last Night... CBS claimed the first hour of the night with its mix of the last 45 minutes of 60 Minutes and the first fifteen minutes of Cold Case, followed by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC and Fox comedies The Simpsons and The War at Home. At 9, ABC took over the lead spot with Desperate Housewives, followed by the end of Cold Case and the beginning of CSI: NY (r) on CBS and NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent. The final hour of the night went to ABC's Grey's Anatomy (clip show), followed by NBC's Crossing Jordan and the end of CSI: NY (r)/beginning of CSI: Miami (r) on CBS. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Laura and Rich become fugitives and Laura receives a mysterious internet message from someone who claims to know where the creatures came from on NBC's Surface. ABC Family's hit summer show Wildfire returns for a second season.
@9 p.m. - Heather Graham returns to television (after a multi-episode arc last season on NBC's Scrubs) in her own sitcom Emily's Reasons Why Not on ABC, followed by the second season premiere of John Stamos' Jake in Progress. Over on NBC, chef Wolfgang Puck makes a cameo on Las Vegas as his restaurant opens at the Montecito.
@10 p.m. - Allison has a frightening vision that shows her daughter in the clutches of someone from one of her past cases on NBC's Medium. Over on ABC, it's the premiere of The Bachelor and this time the romance competition takes place in Paris.
QUICK CUTS
*CBS is releasing the identities of the 16 contestants that make up the next installment of its hit reality series Survivor. They consist of a yoga instructor, a retired astronaut, airline pilot, and registered nurse to name a few. The show, which is about to enter its 12th season, will travel back to Panama where it has already traveled for its Pearl Islands season, but this season will bring many changes to the show. The contestants will be divided into four teams instead of the usual two during the first episode and the game is installing a new device: Exile Island. Every episode, at least one player will be sent to a remote location where they will have to fend for themselves, but there will be a hidden immunity idol on the island that, if they find it while in exile, can be used for future eliminations. Survivor: Panama -- Exile Island premieres February 2nd on CBS.
*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! The first season of Lifetime's long-running Strong Medicine finally makes it way to store shelves tomorrow along with Viva La Bam (seasons 4 & 5) and The Flash (the complete series). For the complete list of releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on Medium (is all as it appears to Allison in her dream about Ariel?) and some thoughts on the future of Surface (hint: it isn't sounding too promising). Plus, all the latest television news!
Friday, January 06, 2006
Werewolves in Vegas? Plus a 'Trace' of a Difficult Reality
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? Maybe that's why CSI loves to play on the unusual so much. Last night's outing was no exception as this show continued to present an intriguing case without taking itself too seriously. I think this is what I enjoy the most about CSI, its ability to tell murder stories in a light manner without coming across as nonchalant or flippant. There's a fine line there, but the show manages to skirt it and rarely cross it. It's a nice balance to the heavier, more emotional crime shows that I watch (see Cold Case and Without A Trace - which we'll get to later). Having said all of this, I do think that CSI might have skirted said line a little too closely last night. There were times when the overly hairy victim and his twin sister were treated a little too much like circus freaks for my comfort, but there were also more compassionate moments - like Catherine's interaction with Allison - that somewhat balanced it out. Although, I'm sure these more compassionate moments were thrown in the mix in order to minimize the "circus freak" overtones. Of course with any episode of CSI, there is always the humorous moment that reminds you that you really shouldn't take the show too seriously because they certainly don't. Last night's moment came after the killer admitted he killed Hayden because his sister was going to marry him. When Grissom asked him why he used the special-made silver bullet, the killer replied that he thought it was appropriate (and keeping with werewolf folklore). You've gotta love a show with a sense of humor!
See, we need shows like CSI to give us a more light-hearted look at crime because there are shows like last night's Without A Trace that love to give us the required dose of depressing reality for the evening. I found last night's episode to be very moving, which surprised me because it seemed to be headed right into cliche land fast. You know the story, kid from the streets goes good and tries to change the neighborhood he grew up dodging bullets in, only to be sucked back into that world of drugs and gangs in order to save those still in and so on. This episode was on the express train to this overused, cliched storyline when it suddenly hit the brakes (and not a moment too soon). Not only was the missing paramedic trying to clean up his old neighborhood, but he was also hiding a dark secret. Cole was all too familiar with getting roped into the gang life as a young adult. He ran with current gang leader Orlando when they were teenagers, and he was responsible for a young man's death. He and Orlando jumped out as the young man walked home from school and shot him dead in the street as part of their commitment to the Tombs gang. Turns out, that young man was the local preacher's son and Cole wanted to make sure that the preacher, whom he now volunteered with to help young men stay out of gangs, knew that he was responsible for his son's death. Cole had run away in order to help one of those young men escape the gang life, but Orlando caught up to him before the FBI, and a shoot-out ensued, leaving both Cole and Orlando dead. The only positive thing to come out of the whole story was the young man who Cole was trying to save. He ended up landing on his feet. This was a very strong outing, despite its seemingly weak start.
About Last Night... The return of Dancing with the Stars landed ABC on top at 8 p.m., followed by a rerun of CSI on CBS and comedies Will & Grace and Four Kings on NBC. At 9, a new CSI led CBS to victory, followed by the second hour of ABC's Dancing with the Stars and NBC comedies My Name is Earl and The Office. The final hour of the night went to CBS's Without A Trace, followed by NBC's ER and ABC's Primetime. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Find out which of the professional dancers/stars pairs gets eliminated on the Dancing with the Stars results show on ABC.
@9 p.m. - NBC premieres its controversial Book of Daniel with a special two-hour episode. The show stars Aiden Quinn as a minister who talks with Jesus. Over on ABC, it's the timeslot premiere of In Justice (the show premiered last Sunday). On CBS, Close to Home returns with a new episode. Annabeth tries to find the person responsible for the murder of a surgeon's wife.
@10 p.m. - Don and the FBI investigate the death of one of their own who was working undercover as a gang operative on CBS's Numb3rs. USA network begins airing reruns of Fox's hit medical drama House.
SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - It's an all Bruce Springsteen episode of CBS's Cold Case as Lilly and the team investigate the 1988 case of four high school friends brought in for questioning after one of them is found dead (NOTE: THIS EPISODE IS SCHEDULED FOR AN 8:30 P.M. START INSTEAD OF 8 PM). Over on NBC, it's time for the vice presidential debate on the return of The West Wing.
@9 p.m - Lynette lets jealousy get the better of her and her friendship with Gabby after she finds her in a compromising position with Tom on ABC's Desperate Housewives.
@10 p.m. - A snowstorm traps Jordan and Woody in a haunted bed and breakfast on NBC's Crossing Jordan.
QUICK CUTS
*HBO is serving up some good news for its hit western Deadwood. The cable network is close to announcing that it wants a fourth season of the show, and the third season hasn't even started yet. The show centers around a lawless mining town in what is now South Dakota. Season 3 of Deadwood is set to premiere this June on HBO.
*And finally, the college football fan in me just has to cover this story. Wednesday night's airing of the national championship Rose Bowl drew over 35 million viewers for ABC. It was the most watched college bowl game since Nielsen started the electronic database 15 years ago. For the record, the Texas Longhorns beat the USC Trojans 41-38.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for Cold Case (you know you're dying to know about this mystery person in Lil's life!) and Desperate Housewives (what will go down between Tom and Gabby?)! Plus, all the latest television news!
See, we need shows like CSI to give us a more light-hearted look at crime because there are shows like last night's Without A Trace that love to give us the required dose of depressing reality for the evening. I found last night's episode to be very moving, which surprised me because it seemed to be headed right into cliche land fast. You know the story, kid from the streets goes good and tries to change the neighborhood he grew up dodging bullets in, only to be sucked back into that world of drugs and gangs in order to save those still in and so on. This episode was on the express train to this overused, cliched storyline when it suddenly hit the brakes (and not a moment too soon). Not only was the missing paramedic trying to clean up his old neighborhood, but he was also hiding a dark secret. Cole was all too familiar with getting roped into the gang life as a young adult. He ran with current gang leader Orlando when they were teenagers, and he was responsible for a young man's death. He and Orlando jumped out as the young man walked home from school and shot him dead in the street as part of their commitment to the Tombs gang. Turns out, that young man was the local preacher's son and Cole wanted to make sure that the preacher, whom he now volunteered with to help young men stay out of gangs, knew that he was responsible for his son's death. Cole had run away in order to help one of those young men escape the gang life, but Orlando caught up to him before the FBI, and a shoot-out ensued, leaving both Cole and Orlando dead. The only positive thing to come out of the whole story was the young man who Cole was trying to save. He ended up landing on his feet. This was a very strong outing, despite its seemingly weak start.
About Last Night... The return of Dancing with the Stars landed ABC on top at 8 p.m., followed by a rerun of CSI on CBS and comedies Will & Grace and Four Kings on NBC. At 9, a new CSI led CBS to victory, followed by the second hour of ABC's Dancing with the Stars and NBC comedies My Name is Earl and The Office. The final hour of the night went to CBS's Without A Trace, followed by NBC's ER and ABC's Primetime. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Find out which of the professional dancers/stars pairs gets eliminated on the Dancing with the Stars results show on ABC.
@9 p.m. - NBC premieres its controversial Book of Daniel with a special two-hour episode. The show stars Aiden Quinn as a minister who talks with Jesus. Over on ABC, it's the timeslot premiere of In Justice (the show premiered last Sunday). On CBS, Close to Home returns with a new episode. Annabeth tries to find the person responsible for the murder of a surgeon's wife.
@10 p.m. - Don and the FBI investigate the death of one of their own who was working undercover as a gang operative on CBS's Numb3rs. USA network begins airing reruns of Fox's hit medical drama House.
SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - It's an all Bruce Springsteen episode of CBS's Cold Case as Lilly and the team investigate the 1988 case of four high school friends brought in for questioning after one of them is found dead (NOTE: THIS EPISODE IS SCHEDULED FOR AN 8:30 P.M. START INSTEAD OF 8 PM). Over on NBC, it's time for the vice presidential debate on the return of The West Wing.
@9 p.m - Lynette lets jealousy get the better of her and her friendship with Gabby after she finds her in a compromising position with Tom on ABC's Desperate Housewives.
@10 p.m. - A snowstorm traps Jordan and Woody in a haunted bed and breakfast on NBC's Crossing Jordan.
QUICK CUTS
*HBO is serving up some good news for its hit western Deadwood. The cable network is close to announcing that it wants a fourth season of the show, and the third season hasn't even started yet. The show centers around a lawless mining town in what is now South Dakota. Season 3 of Deadwood is set to premiere this June on HBO.
*And finally, the college football fan in me just has to cover this story. Wednesday night's airing of the national championship Rose Bowl drew over 35 million viewers for ABC. It was the most watched college bowl game since Nielsen started the electronic database 15 years ago. For the record, the Texas Longhorns beat the USC Trojans 41-38.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for Cold Case (you know you're dying to know about this mystery person in Lil's life!) and Desperate Housewives (what will go down between Tom and Gabby?)! Plus, all the latest television news!
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Happy New TV Year! Pass the Remote is Back with a Heaping Helping of Fresh Scoop!
I hope you all had fabulous holidays and are looking forward to another new year packed with (hopefully) wonderful television moments. The TV gods decided to bless us early with new episodes of some of our favorite shows this week (thanks NBC!), and from what I have seen, it looks like '06 is going to rock the remote control right out of out hands! Just because this blog was on hiatus the past couple of weeks, doesn't mean that I wasn't reading and catching up on all the latest scoop on your favorite shows. Here are a few things that you might have missed during the hiatus (be warned, though, there are spoilers ahead):
Relationship Anew or Renew? TV Guide is reporting in its January 1st-8th edition that Sunday's episode of CBS's Cold Case will have a scene that leads to a new relationship for our unlucky-in-love Detective Lilly Rush. Or is that a relationship renewal? Star Kathryn Morris hints in the article that this new relationship might be with someone from Lil's past. Either way, she promises that we will learn a surprising fact about our dear detective. Maybe Lil will finally have some success in her personal life to go along with all that professional success!
Feeling a Bit Lost? You're probably not alone, which is why ABC is airing a two-season recap of its hit show Lost next Wednesday before the new episode. The hour long special will linearly trace the events of the first 48 days (seasons 1 and 2) on the island for both the fuselage survivors and the tallies. The special airs Wednesday, January 11th at 8 p.m., followed by a new episode at 9 p.m. on ABC.
I Spy a Reunion! That's right, TV's favorite spy caper, ABC's Alias, has another trick up its sleeve when it returns in March. Look for the dearly departed Weiss (Greg Grunberg) to make an appearance in an episode that finds the gang locked in the CIA headquarters according to Spoilerfix.
Desperately Seeking an Explanation! Lynette catches Tom and Gabby in a not-so-friendly pose in the January 8th episode of ABC's Desperate Housewives. But is all as it seems? You never know with this show. I hope it's all a big misunderstanding because I have been enjoying the Gabby-and-Carlos-get-along(sorta) storyline. Plus, does Lynette need another thing to stress about?
Are you looking forward to all these upcoming storylines? I'm psyched about Lil's possible new/old love! I'm dying to find out what's going on between Tom and Gabby, and it's going to be a long wait for March's Alias return!
About Last Night... ABC took the first hour of the night with its coverage of the Rose Bowl, followed by NBC's The Biggest Loser: Special Edition and CBS comedies Still Standing (r) and Yes, Dear (r). At 9, ABC continued its dominance with the second hour of its college football coverage, followed by CBS's Criminal Minds and the second hour of NBC's The Biggest Loser. The final hour of the night went to ABC and its Rose Bowl coverage, followed by CBS's CSI:NY (r) and NBC's Law & Order (r). For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - ABC kicks off the second season of its summer hit Dancing with the Stars. Lisa Rinna, Tia Carrere, and George Hamilton are among the stars hoofing it up this time around. Over on NBC, Will & Grace kicks off the two-hour comedy block with a new episode followed by new comedy Four Kings.
@9 p.m. - The CSI team investigates the death of a man covered in body hair with a werewolf appearance on CBS. Over on NBC, the comedy continues as My Name is Earl moves to its new night, followed by fellow new-night comedy The Office.
@10 p.m. - The FBI searches for a paramedic who goes missing after treating a gang member on CBS's Without a Trace. Over on NBC, Abby continues to ponder whether she's ready for a baby and Neela and Kovac help a religious teen weigh her pregnancy options.
QUICK CUTS
*Some early bad news for NBC's Book of Daniel. Two affiliates (one in Indiana and one in Arkansas) have dropped the series before it even aired an episode. Both cited viewer concerns for the reason behind the drop. The show stars Aiden Quinn as a minister who is addicted to prescription drugs, has a gay son, and regularly talks to Jesus. It has also received protest from the conservative group American Family Association, which believes that the show "mocks Christianity." Book of Daniel premieres this Friday on NBC.
*DirecTV subscribers will soon be able to view some FX programs before they air and Fox viewers will get second chances to view episodes from two pivotal series. The network signed an exclusive deal with the satellite provider to allow subscribers to download episodes of FX's The Shield and Rescue Me up to two days before they air for $2.99 an episode. Fox viewers will soon be able to download episodes of Prison Break and 24 for six to seven days after the original broadcast for 99 cents an episode. The services will launch later this year, and only DirecTV subscribers who own the new digital video recorders will be able to take advantage of the deal.
*And finally, ABC's Boston Legal leads the pack of television nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The legal show earned four comedy nominations (with acting noms going to James Spader, Candice Bergen and William Shatner), followed by fellow ABC show Grey's Anatomy, which landed three in the drama categories (including leading nods for Patrick Dempsey and Sandra Oh). Other drama contenders for best ensemble cast include The Closer, Lost, Six Feet Under and The West Wing. Joining Legal in the comedy category for best ensemble cast are Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Desperate Housewives, Everybody Loves Raymond, and My Name is Earl. The awards will be announced on the live broadcast on January 29th on TNT and TBS.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the return of CSI (werewolves?) and Without A Trace! Plus all the latest television news!
Relationship Anew or Renew? TV Guide is reporting in its January 1st-8th edition that Sunday's episode of CBS's Cold Case will have a scene that leads to a new relationship for our unlucky-in-love Detective Lilly Rush. Or is that a relationship renewal? Star Kathryn Morris hints in the article that this new relationship might be with someone from Lil's past. Either way, she promises that we will learn a surprising fact about our dear detective. Maybe Lil will finally have some success in her personal life to go along with all that professional success!
Feeling a Bit Lost? You're probably not alone, which is why ABC is airing a two-season recap of its hit show Lost next Wednesday before the new episode. The hour long special will linearly trace the events of the first 48 days (seasons 1 and 2) on the island for both the fuselage survivors and the tallies. The special airs Wednesday, January 11th at 8 p.m., followed by a new episode at 9 p.m. on ABC.
I Spy a Reunion! That's right, TV's favorite spy caper, ABC's Alias, has another trick up its sleeve when it returns in March. Look for the dearly departed Weiss (Greg Grunberg) to make an appearance in an episode that finds the gang locked in the CIA headquarters according to Spoilerfix.
Desperately Seeking an Explanation! Lynette catches Tom and Gabby in a not-so-friendly pose in the January 8th episode of ABC's Desperate Housewives. But is all as it seems? You never know with this show. I hope it's all a big misunderstanding because I have been enjoying the Gabby-and-Carlos-get-along(sorta) storyline. Plus, does Lynette need another thing to stress about?
Are you looking forward to all these upcoming storylines? I'm psyched about Lil's possible new/old love! I'm dying to find out what's going on between Tom and Gabby, and it's going to be a long wait for March's Alias return!
About Last Night... ABC took the first hour of the night with its coverage of the Rose Bowl, followed by NBC's The Biggest Loser: Special Edition and CBS comedies Still Standing (r) and Yes, Dear (r). At 9, ABC continued its dominance with the second hour of its college football coverage, followed by CBS's Criminal Minds and the second hour of NBC's The Biggest Loser. The final hour of the night went to ABC and its Rose Bowl coverage, followed by CBS's CSI:NY (r) and NBC's Law & Order (r). For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - ABC kicks off the second season of its summer hit Dancing with the Stars. Lisa Rinna, Tia Carrere, and George Hamilton are among the stars hoofing it up this time around. Over on NBC, Will & Grace kicks off the two-hour comedy block with a new episode followed by new comedy Four Kings.
@9 p.m. - The CSI team investigates the death of a man covered in body hair with a werewolf appearance on CBS. Over on NBC, the comedy continues as My Name is Earl moves to its new night, followed by fellow new-night comedy The Office.
@10 p.m. - The FBI searches for a paramedic who goes missing after treating a gang member on CBS's Without a Trace. Over on NBC, Abby continues to ponder whether she's ready for a baby and Neela and Kovac help a religious teen weigh her pregnancy options.
QUICK CUTS
*Some early bad news for NBC's Book of Daniel. Two affiliates (one in Indiana and one in Arkansas) have dropped the series before it even aired an episode. Both cited viewer concerns for the reason behind the drop. The show stars Aiden Quinn as a minister who is addicted to prescription drugs, has a gay son, and regularly talks to Jesus. It has also received protest from the conservative group American Family Association, which believes that the show "mocks Christianity." Book of Daniel premieres this Friday on NBC.
*DirecTV subscribers will soon be able to view some FX programs before they air and Fox viewers will get second chances to view episodes from two pivotal series. The network signed an exclusive deal with the satellite provider to allow subscribers to download episodes of FX's The Shield and Rescue Me up to two days before they air for $2.99 an episode. Fox viewers will soon be able to download episodes of Prison Break and 24 for six to seven days after the original broadcast for 99 cents an episode. The services will launch later this year, and only DirecTV subscribers who own the new digital video recorders will be able to take advantage of the deal.
*And finally, ABC's Boston Legal leads the pack of television nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The legal show earned four comedy nominations (with acting noms going to James Spader, Candice Bergen and William Shatner), followed by fellow ABC show Grey's Anatomy, which landed three in the drama categories (including leading nods for Patrick Dempsey and Sandra Oh). Other drama contenders for best ensemble cast include The Closer, Lost, Six Feet Under and The West Wing. Joining Legal in the comedy category for best ensemble cast are Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Desperate Housewives, Everybody Loves Raymond, and My Name is Earl. The awards will be announced on the live broadcast on January 29th on TNT and TBS.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the return of CSI (werewolves?) and Without A Trace! Plus all the latest television news!
Friday, December 23, 2005
2005: The Best TV Year Ever? Highlighting all the Year's Bright Spots
As TV viewers, we have all been blessed this past year. Blessed with so many wonderful, engaging, and quality shows that we often find that there are too many and too few hours to catch them all. There have been incredible performances on the small screen this past year along with some touching, scary, intense and just plain amazing moments. Let's take a moment to reflect back on the best of television 2005. Here are the rules: all entries came from network television only (cable is a whole different ballgame) and are from the current season so far (there would be far too many if I went back to last season as well). OK, here we go...
2005's Best Primetime Moments
*Michael Gets an IM (Lost) - This has to be one of the most shocking moments in this show's history, which is riddled with shocking moments. Michael sits down at the computer in the mysterious hatch and suddenly, a message appears from none other than Walt!
*Wallace Returns (Veronica Mars) - Proving that this show never ceases to catch us off guard, Wallace returned right when Veronica needed him the most. It was a surprise, and a very welcomed one with that.
*Lilly Loses Control (Cold Case) - In an episode from earlier this season, Lilly was faced with a case that she never solved and it led to the death of three more Bubley brothers. She was so ridden with guilt and anger that she spent most of the episode in a complete emotional meltdown, a rare event for a character that guards her emotions like she does her cases.
*Bright Helps Hannah (Everwood) - In a touching and well played scene, Bright talked Hannah through her self esteem issues by locking her in the bathroom until she finally saw herself the way he does. Scenes like this cement this series as one of television's finest.
*The Map (The Amazing Race: Family Edition) - In one of the most exciting finishes in the history of this show, two neck-and-neck teams rushed to put together a puzzle-like map of North America so they could race to the finish line. The two teams finished within seconds of each other, and we were all reminded why this show is leaps and bounds above its competition.
*The Reunion (Lost) - After thinking that their loved ones were dead, the survivors of flight 815 learn that they weren't the only ones who survived the crash. The "tallies," joined with Michael, Jin, and Sawyer, finally meet up with the rest of the survivors on the beach. It was a three hanky event.
*Vera Baby Sits (Cold Case) - One of this show's more touching personal moments. Tough talking Vera got straddled with a baby for a day and fell asleep with the little guy in one of the interrogation rooms until Lilly entered with a child services agent in toe. It seems Vera had grown attached and was sad to see the baby go, so sad that he filled out adoption papers in the episode's closing moments.
*Mom's Back (Alias) - Leave it to Alias to give us one of the season's most shocking moments so far. We find out that behind all this Prophet 5 babble is none other than Irina Derevko, Syd's mother! Kudos to everyone for keeping Lena Olin's appearance a secret and providing one of 2005's most shocking TV moments.
*Rat Saw Bus (Veronica Mars) - Keith's discovery of a dead rat under one of the seats of the ill-fated bus was both shocking and puzzling. What does the rat have to do with the crash? Wouldn't be all love to know! No worries, Veronica will figure it out in due time.
2005's Best TV Performances
*Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars) - Kristen's navigation through Veronica's complicated emotions for Duncan and Logan this season has been flawless. She has the continued ability to make us laugh one moment and cry along with her the next.
*Anthony LaPaglia (Jack Malone, Without A Trace) - Anthony always turns out a top notch performance, but his work in the recent episode in which Jack's father dies is some of his finest. He managed to convey Jack's anger, sadness, relief, and love for his father in that final scene where his father passed without saying anything more than a too-late "I love you."
*Mariska Hargitay (Olivia Benson, Law & Order: SVU) - Another consistent performer, but her work in this season's episode involving a child that might have been/might not have been kidnapped was outstanding. We felt conflicted about whether to believe the little girl and elated when things turned out okay right along with Olivia.
*Chris Pratt (Bright Abbott, Everwood) - This has been a big season for Bright. He found out his girlfriend doesn't believe in premarital sex, almost dumped her for that reason, realized that he loved her, found out she was moving to live with her mom, then found out she was staying until the end of the school year, and most recently, helped her deal with her self esteem. Pratt has managed to turn the stereotypical school jock into a lovable character that keeps growing with each new episode.
*Jason Dohring (Logan Echolls, Veronica Mars) - We've seen a more emotional side to Logan this season as he deals with losing Veronica, the impact of the revelation that his father killed his girlfriend because he was sleeping with her too, and those infamous tapes. It has given Jason a chance to shine, and he has risen to the occasion perfectly.
*Kathryn Morris (Lilly Rush, Cold Case) - With Lilly still reeling from her experience with George last season and her sister's bang-up trip through town, Kathryn has shown us the beauty of subtly this season. We've quietly watched Lilly come unraveled, all leading up to her meltdown during the Bubley case. Since then, she's subtly shown us a more controlled Lilly, and she does it all with the perfect finesse.
2005's Best Shows
*Everybody Hates Chris (UPN) - the funniest comedy on television
*Law & Order: SVU (NBC) - best of its franchise because it has the most heart
*Without A Trace (CBS) - this show gets props for coming back from the mediocrity it had fallen into last season. Proof you can't keep a good show down for long.
*Lost (ABC) - TV's most literature-like show is having an incredible sophomore season
*Everwood (WB) - this show is having its most consistent season yet, with each episode turning into a classic
*Cold Case (CBS) - TV's best procedural because it blends character development and the cases perfectly is continuing the tradition this season with compelling storylines both on and off the Case.
*Veronica Mars (UPN) - It's a rare show that continues to get better and better with each passing week, but Veronica does it with one of television's most talented writing staffs.
Those are my picks for 2005's best moments, performances and shows. What are yours? Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts on 2005.
Making its final appearance until next year's holiday season...
It's a Wonderful Life - This is the second airing this season of this holiday classic. Saturday 8 p.m. NBC
Arthur's Perfect Christmas - This animated show finds Ellwood City in a flurry of holiday activity, but things aren't going as planned for Arthur. Saturday 8 p.m. PBS
A Christmas Story - Young Ralphie works to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB Gun is the perfect Christmas gift, but he keeps hearing that he'll "shoot his eye out!" Saturday 8 p.m. (marathon starts at 8 and runs for 24 hours) TBS
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Jonathan Taylor Thomas stars in this holiday movie about a college student who sets out on a trek home to win back his girlfriend. Saturday 9 p.m. ABC
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - This is the animated holiday classic based on the famous Dr. Seuss book. Saturday 10 p.m. Cartoon Network
Finding John Christmas - Valerie Bertinelli stars in this 2003 movie about a woman who searches for her brother and finds a newspaper photographer and an angel. Sunday 9 p.m. CBS
A Rugrats Kwanzaa - Little Susie learns about honoring the legacy and where greatness comes from after Aunt T arrives at the Carmichaels. Monday 8:30 p.m. Nickelodeon
QUICK CUTS
*The cast of ABC's Lost has the distinguished honor of being named Entertainment Weekly's "Entertainer of the Year." The magazine called the group of actors "treasured islanders" on a show that is "one of the biggest cult breakouts since The X-Files." The cast beat out Steve Carrell (# 2) and Naomi Watts (# 3) to claim the prime position.
*And finally, fans of the popular sci-fi drama Battlestar Galactica can get an early inside look at the show courtesy of iTunes. The special, Sci Fi Inside: Battlestar Galactica, will premiere on SCI FI Channel on January 2nd, but you can catch it on iTunes now. The special is the first program to be broadcast on the music program before hitting the traditional television airwaves.
That's all for today and 2005! I'm on hiatus for a couple of weeks to enjoy the holiday season with family. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday filled with good times and good people. Be sure to catch up on shows like Veronica Mars (Wednesdays, 9 p.m. UPN) during this short rerun season. Thank you all so much for your comments, suggestions, corrections and readership. Be sure to tune in on Thursday, January 5th, 2006 for the latest edition of Pass the Remote. This New Year should bring plenty of new TV moments, fabulous performances and most important, brand new episodes of all your favorite shows! Pass the Remote will be there for all of them, so be sure to come back on January 5th! Happy Holidays!
2005's Best Primetime Moments
*Michael Gets an IM (Lost) - This has to be one of the most shocking moments in this show's history, which is riddled with shocking moments. Michael sits down at the computer in the mysterious hatch and suddenly, a message appears from none other than Walt!
*Wallace Returns (Veronica Mars) - Proving that this show never ceases to catch us off guard, Wallace returned right when Veronica needed him the most. It was a surprise, and a very welcomed one with that.
*Lilly Loses Control (Cold Case) - In an episode from earlier this season, Lilly was faced with a case that she never solved and it led to the death of three more Bubley brothers. She was so ridden with guilt and anger that she spent most of the episode in a complete emotional meltdown, a rare event for a character that guards her emotions like she does her cases.
*Bright Helps Hannah (Everwood) - In a touching and well played scene, Bright talked Hannah through her self esteem issues by locking her in the bathroom until she finally saw herself the way he does. Scenes like this cement this series as one of television's finest.
*The Map (The Amazing Race: Family Edition) - In one of the most exciting finishes in the history of this show, two neck-and-neck teams rushed to put together a puzzle-like map of North America so they could race to the finish line. The two teams finished within seconds of each other, and we were all reminded why this show is leaps and bounds above its competition.
*The Reunion (Lost) - After thinking that their loved ones were dead, the survivors of flight 815 learn that they weren't the only ones who survived the crash. The "tallies," joined with Michael, Jin, and Sawyer, finally meet up with the rest of the survivors on the beach. It was a three hanky event.
*Vera Baby Sits (Cold Case) - One of this show's more touching personal moments. Tough talking Vera got straddled with a baby for a day and fell asleep with the little guy in one of the interrogation rooms until Lilly entered with a child services agent in toe. It seems Vera had grown attached and was sad to see the baby go, so sad that he filled out adoption papers in the episode's closing moments.
*Mom's Back (Alias) - Leave it to Alias to give us one of the season's most shocking moments so far. We find out that behind all this Prophet 5 babble is none other than Irina Derevko, Syd's mother! Kudos to everyone for keeping Lena Olin's appearance a secret and providing one of 2005's most shocking TV moments.
*Rat Saw Bus (Veronica Mars) - Keith's discovery of a dead rat under one of the seats of the ill-fated bus was both shocking and puzzling. What does the rat have to do with the crash? Wouldn't be all love to know! No worries, Veronica will figure it out in due time.
2005's Best TV Performances
*Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars) - Kristen's navigation through Veronica's complicated emotions for Duncan and Logan this season has been flawless. She has the continued ability to make us laugh one moment and cry along with her the next.
*Anthony LaPaglia (Jack Malone, Without A Trace) - Anthony always turns out a top notch performance, but his work in the recent episode in which Jack's father dies is some of his finest. He managed to convey Jack's anger, sadness, relief, and love for his father in that final scene where his father passed without saying anything more than a too-late "I love you."
*Mariska Hargitay (Olivia Benson, Law & Order: SVU) - Another consistent performer, but her work in this season's episode involving a child that might have been/might not have been kidnapped was outstanding. We felt conflicted about whether to believe the little girl and elated when things turned out okay right along with Olivia.
*Chris Pratt (Bright Abbott, Everwood) - This has been a big season for Bright. He found out his girlfriend doesn't believe in premarital sex, almost dumped her for that reason, realized that he loved her, found out she was moving to live with her mom, then found out she was staying until the end of the school year, and most recently, helped her deal with her self esteem. Pratt has managed to turn the stereotypical school jock into a lovable character that keeps growing with each new episode.
*Jason Dohring (Logan Echolls, Veronica Mars) - We've seen a more emotional side to Logan this season as he deals with losing Veronica, the impact of the revelation that his father killed his girlfriend because he was sleeping with her too, and those infamous tapes. It has given Jason a chance to shine, and he has risen to the occasion perfectly.
*Kathryn Morris (Lilly Rush, Cold Case) - With Lilly still reeling from her experience with George last season and her sister's bang-up trip through town, Kathryn has shown us the beauty of subtly this season. We've quietly watched Lilly come unraveled, all leading up to her meltdown during the Bubley case. Since then, she's subtly shown us a more controlled Lilly, and she does it all with the perfect finesse.
2005's Best Shows
*Everybody Hates Chris (UPN) - the funniest comedy on television
*Law & Order: SVU (NBC) - best of its franchise because it has the most heart
*Without A Trace (CBS) - this show gets props for coming back from the mediocrity it had fallen into last season. Proof you can't keep a good show down for long.
*Lost (ABC) - TV's most literature-like show is having an incredible sophomore season
*Everwood (WB) - this show is having its most consistent season yet, with each episode turning into a classic
*Cold Case (CBS) - TV's best procedural because it blends character development and the cases perfectly is continuing the tradition this season with compelling storylines both on and off the Case.
*Veronica Mars (UPN) - It's a rare show that continues to get better and better with each passing week, but Veronica does it with one of television's most talented writing staffs.
Those are my picks for 2005's best moments, performances and shows. What are yours? Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts on 2005.
Making its final appearance until next year's holiday season...
It's a Wonderful Life - This is the second airing this season of this holiday classic. Saturday 8 p.m. NBC
Arthur's Perfect Christmas - This animated show finds Ellwood City in a flurry of holiday activity, but things aren't going as planned for Arthur. Saturday 8 p.m. PBS
A Christmas Story - Young Ralphie works to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB Gun is the perfect Christmas gift, but he keeps hearing that he'll "shoot his eye out!" Saturday 8 p.m. (marathon starts at 8 and runs for 24 hours) TBS
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Jonathan Taylor Thomas stars in this holiday movie about a college student who sets out on a trek home to win back his girlfriend. Saturday 9 p.m. ABC
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - This is the animated holiday classic based on the famous Dr. Seuss book. Saturday 10 p.m. Cartoon Network
Finding John Christmas - Valerie Bertinelli stars in this 2003 movie about a woman who searches for her brother and finds a newspaper photographer and an angel. Sunday 9 p.m. CBS
A Rugrats Kwanzaa - Little Susie learns about honoring the legacy and where greatness comes from after Aunt T arrives at the Carmichaels. Monday 8:30 p.m. Nickelodeon
QUICK CUTS
*The cast of ABC's Lost has the distinguished honor of being named Entertainment Weekly's "Entertainer of the Year." The magazine called the group of actors "treasured islanders" on a show that is "one of the biggest cult breakouts since The X-Files." The cast beat out Steve Carrell (# 2) and Naomi Watts (# 3) to claim the prime position.
*And finally, fans of the popular sci-fi drama Battlestar Galactica can get an early inside look at the show courtesy of iTunes. The special, Sci Fi Inside: Battlestar Galactica, will premiere on SCI FI Channel on January 2nd, but you can catch it on iTunes now. The special is the first program to be broadcast on the music program before hitting the traditional television airwaves.
That's all for today and 2005! I'm on hiatus for a couple of weeks to enjoy the holiday season with family. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday filled with good times and good people. Be sure to catch up on shows like Veronica Mars (Wednesdays, 9 p.m. UPN) during this short rerun season. Thank you all so much for your comments, suggestions, corrections and readership. Be sure to tune in on Thursday, January 5th, 2006 for the latest edition of Pass the Remote. This New Year should bring plenty of new TV moments, fabulous performances and most important, brand new episodes of all your favorite shows! Pass the Remote will be there for all of them, so be sure to come back on January 5th! Happy Holidays!
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Ringing in the New Year with New Shows to Fill Your Primetime Resolutions!
2005 is almost nothing more than a distant memory and 2006 is quickly beating down our doors. With the advent of the new year brings the advent of the new shows. Here's a preview of what to expect:
DRAMAS
In Justice - (ABC) Kyle MacLachlin stars in this legal drama as a corporate lawyer who decides to give back to the community by starting a foundation that works with the wrongly convicted. Premieres Sunday 1/1 at 10 p.m. and then moves to Fridays at 9 p.m. starting 1/6
The Book of Daniel - (NBC) Aiden Quinn stars as a father, minister and Vicodin addict who sees Jesus regularly. Premieres Friday 1/6 at 9 p.m. and then moves to 10 p.m. the following week.
South Beach - (UPN) Vanessa Williams costars in this new nighttime soap centered on the ultra-glam and hip South Beach of Miami. Premieres Wednesday 1/11 at 8 p.m.
The Evidence - (ABC) The alphabet network takes a bite out of the procedural pie with this crime drama that opens each episode with a montage of evidence collected during an investigation, and then rewinds to show us how it got there. Rob Estes stars and Martin Landau costars (so this is why they killed Jack's father on Without A Trace!). Premieres spring 2006
The Unit - (CBS) Scott Foley and Robert Patrick star in this look at a gung-ho Special Forces Unit. Premieres March 2006
Conviction - (NBC) Dick Wolf's (Law & Order) latest legal drama promises to focus more on the characters and less on the Law. This one focuses on a group of young assistant district attorneys led by Law & Order: SVU's Stephanie March reprising her role as ADA Alex Cabot. Premieres spring 2006
Windfall - (NBC) Luke Perry stars in this drama about 20 friends who share a $386 million lottery jackpot. Premieres spring 2006
The Bedford Diaries - (WB) Gilmore Girls' Milo Ventimiglia stars in this college show about a class on sexual behavior that requires students to videotape their thoughts on their sexual lives. Premieres spring 2006
What About Brian - (ABC) Barry Watson stars as the odd man out in his group of friends who are all either married or about to be married, and oh yeah, he's in love with his best friend's fiancee. Premieres March 2006
COMEDIES
Four Kings - (NBC) Seth Green stars in this comedy from the Will & Grace helmers. In the show, four childhood friends move in together when one of them inherits a sprawling Manhattan apartment. Premieres Thursday 1/5 at 8:30 p.m.
Emily's Reasons Why Not - (ABC) Heather Graham stars as Emily, a woman who makes a list of reasons to avoid bad romantic choices. Based on the novel by Carrie Gerlach. Premieres Monday 1/9 at 9 p.m.
Crumbs - (ABC) Fred Savage stars as a prodigal son who returns home to Connecticut after a failed run in Hollywood. Also stars Jane Curtain and William Devane. Premieres Thursday 1/12 at 9:30 p.m.
Courting Alex - (CBS) Jenna Elfman stars as an attorney who works alongside her father (Dabney Coleman). Ed's Josh Randall stars as her love interest. Premieres Monday 1/23 at 9:30 p.m.
Sons and Daughters - (ABC) The troubled and crazy members of a family try to make it through life. Premieres winter 2006
The New Adventures of Old Christine- (CBS) Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars as a single mom who's termed "Old Christine" after her ex-husband starts seeing a younger woman by the same name. Premieres March 2006.
The Loop - (Fox) The tales of a corporate wunderkind in Chicago who lives with his three friends, one of whom is his lifelong crush. Premieres spring 2006
Misconceptions - (WB) Jane Leeves stars as a mom who tracks down her daughter's test-tube father and then gets stuck with him. Premieres spring 2006
Love Monkey - (CBS) Tom Cavanagh stars in this dramedy about a Manhatten foursome who trade tales of their dating lives. Premieres Tuesday 1/17 10 p.m.
Pepper Dennis - (WB) Rebecca Romijn plays a journalist who comes undone emotionally and professionally after she meets the station's new anchorman (Cold Case's Josh Hopkins). Brooke Burns also stars. Premieres spring 2006
Free Ride - (Fox) A twentysomething moves back in with his parents. Premieres spring 2006
Modern Men - (WB) Jane Seymour stars as a life coach who helps three single guys navigate the dating scene. Premieres spring 2006
Teachers - (NBC) The story of a middle-school teacher who plays by his own rules. Premieres spring 2006
So, there's a peek at what new shows you can look forward to in the next few months. Which ones sound intriguing and which leave you scratching your head? And are you planning on catching any of them? Leave a comment with your thoughts on the new crop.
About Last Night... (on hiatus - like your favorite shows - until 2006 when reruns cease)
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC continues with its week-long game show experiment Deal or No Deal. Over on UPN its the last night of the network's Everybody Hates Chris*mas week. Tonight, Chris gets stuck at the Laundromat with Drew and Tonya in this repeat from earlier this season.
A Christmas Story - Young Ralphie works to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB Gun is the perfect Christmas gift, but he keeps hearing that he'll "shoot his eye out!" 8 p.m. TCM (Turner Classic Movies)
QUICK CUTS
*Actress Christina Ricci will guest star in an upcoming episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. Not much has been released about her role, other than the information that she'll play a character that enters Seattle Grace "not as a patient but in a life-and-death situation." Ricci's appearance will highlight an already high profile episode of the medical series. Her episode will air immediately following the ratings-heavy Super Bowl on ABC. Look for the episode air on February 3rd.
*And finally, a follow up to a report earlier this week regarding the passing of actor John Spencer. The Hollywood Reporter erroneously reported that Spencer's Leo McGarity appeared in the future glimpse that NBC's The West Wing showed in a flash-forward scene from earlier this season. Upon further review, Leo was not shown in the scene, which somewhat uncomplicates the conundrum that the industry trade paper presented. Writers of the hit show plan to meet after the holidays to discuss how to handle the actor's death.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the special Pass the Remote Year End Wrap-Up Edition! All the best shows, stars, and moments of the season thus far! What and who will top the lists? Tune in tomorrow and find out! Plus, get all the latest television news!
DRAMAS
In Justice - (ABC) Kyle MacLachlin stars in this legal drama as a corporate lawyer who decides to give back to the community by starting a foundation that works with the wrongly convicted. Premieres Sunday 1/1 at 10 p.m. and then moves to Fridays at 9 p.m. starting 1/6
The Book of Daniel - (NBC) Aiden Quinn stars as a father, minister and Vicodin addict who sees Jesus regularly. Premieres Friday 1/6 at 9 p.m. and then moves to 10 p.m. the following week.
South Beach - (UPN) Vanessa Williams costars in this new nighttime soap centered on the ultra-glam and hip South Beach of Miami. Premieres Wednesday 1/11 at 8 p.m.
The Evidence - (ABC) The alphabet network takes a bite out of the procedural pie with this crime drama that opens each episode with a montage of evidence collected during an investigation, and then rewinds to show us how it got there. Rob Estes stars and Martin Landau costars (so this is why they killed Jack's father on Without A Trace!). Premieres spring 2006
The Unit - (CBS) Scott Foley and Robert Patrick star in this look at a gung-ho Special Forces Unit. Premieres March 2006
Conviction - (NBC) Dick Wolf's (Law & Order) latest legal drama promises to focus more on the characters and less on the Law. This one focuses on a group of young assistant district attorneys led by Law & Order: SVU's Stephanie March reprising her role as ADA Alex Cabot. Premieres spring 2006
Windfall - (NBC) Luke Perry stars in this drama about 20 friends who share a $386 million lottery jackpot. Premieres spring 2006
The Bedford Diaries - (WB) Gilmore Girls' Milo Ventimiglia stars in this college show about a class on sexual behavior that requires students to videotape their thoughts on their sexual lives. Premieres spring 2006
What About Brian - (ABC) Barry Watson stars as the odd man out in his group of friends who are all either married or about to be married, and oh yeah, he's in love with his best friend's fiancee. Premieres March 2006
COMEDIES
Four Kings - (NBC) Seth Green stars in this comedy from the Will & Grace helmers. In the show, four childhood friends move in together when one of them inherits a sprawling Manhattan apartment. Premieres Thursday 1/5 at 8:30 p.m.
Emily's Reasons Why Not - (ABC) Heather Graham stars as Emily, a woman who makes a list of reasons to avoid bad romantic choices. Based on the novel by Carrie Gerlach. Premieres Monday 1/9 at 9 p.m.
Crumbs - (ABC) Fred Savage stars as a prodigal son who returns home to Connecticut after a failed run in Hollywood. Also stars Jane Curtain and William Devane. Premieres Thursday 1/12 at 9:30 p.m.
Courting Alex - (CBS) Jenna Elfman stars as an attorney who works alongside her father (Dabney Coleman). Ed's Josh Randall stars as her love interest. Premieres Monday 1/23 at 9:30 p.m.
Sons and Daughters - (ABC) The troubled and crazy members of a family try to make it through life. Premieres winter 2006
The New Adventures of Old Christine- (CBS) Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars as a single mom who's termed "Old Christine" after her ex-husband starts seeing a younger woman by the same name. Premieres March 2006.
The Loop - (Fox) The tales of a corporate wunderkind in Chicago who lives with his three friends, one of whom is his lifelong crush. Premieres spring 2006
Misconceptions - (WB) Jane Leeves stars as a mom who tracks down her daughter's test-tube father and then gets stuck with him. Premieres spring 2006
Love Monkey - (CBS) Tom Cavanagh stars in this dramedy about a Manhatten foursome who trade tales of their dating lives. Premieres Tuesday 1/17 10 p.m.
Pepper Dennis - (WB) Rebecca Romijn plays a journalist who comes undone emotionally and professionally after she meets the station's new anchorman (Cold Case's Josh Hopkins). Brooke Burns also stars. Premieres spring 2006
Free Ride - (Fox) A twentysomething moves back in with his parents. Premieres spring 2006
Modern Men - (WB) Jane Seymour stars as a life coach who helps three single guys navigate the dating scene. Premieres spring 2006
Teachers - (NBC) The story of a middle-school teacher who plays by his own rules. Premieres spring 2006
So, there's a peek at what new shows you can look forward to in the next few months. Which ones sound intriguing and which leave you scratching your head? And are you planning on catching any of them? Leave a comment with your thoughts on the new crop.
About Last Night... (on hiatus - like your favorite shows - until 2006 when reruns cease)
~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC continues with its week-long game show experiment Deal or No Deal. Over on UPN its the last night of the network's Everybody Hates Chris*mas week. Tonight, Chris gets stuck at the Laundromat with Drew and Tonya in this repeat from earlier this season.
A Christmas Story - Young Ralphie works to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB Gun is the perfect Christmas gift, but he keeps hearing that he'll "shoot his eye out!" 8 p.m. TCM (Turner Classic Movies)
QUICK CUTS
*Actress Christina Ricci will guest star in an upcoming episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. Not much has been released about her role, other than the information that she'll play a character that enters Seattle Grace "not as a patient but in a life-and-death situation." Ricci's appearance will highlight an already high profile episode of the medical series. Her episode will air immediately following the ratings-heavy Super Bowl on ABC. Look for the episode air on February 3rd.
*And finally, a follow up to a report earlier this week regarding the passing of actor John Spencer. The Hollywood Reporter erroneously reported that Spencer's Leo McGarity appeared in the future glimpse that NBC's The West Wing showed in a flash-forward scene from earlier this season. Upon further review, Leo was not shown in the scene, which somewhat uncomplicates the conundrum that the industry trade paper presented. Writers of the hit show plan to meet after the holidays to discuss how to handle the actor's death.
That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the special Pass the Remote Year End Wrap-Up Edition! All the best shows, stars, and moments of the season thus far! What and who will top the lists? Tune in tomorrow and find out! Plus, get all the latest television news!
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