By: Vlada Gelman
Summer is typically a quiet time for TV watchers, but thanks to the proliferation of cable shows and broadcast networks burning off episodes, this summer was not without entertainment and some surprises. Below are the moments, actors, shows and realizations that surprised me this summer.
The supporting cast of NURSE JACKIE: Yes, Edie Falco is fabulous, but for me, it’s the people surrounding Jackie who make the series, especially Merritt Wever, Eve Best and Peter Facinelli. Each one adds something unique and unexpected to the show. Wever is absolutely hilarious. Best, who has the most amazing laugh, is the perfect juxtaposition to Jackie. Facinelli takes what could have been a jackass character and makes him a lovable doofus. I’m surprised and delighted that NURSE JACKIE has introduced me to Wever and Best. In a way, it feels like I’m also discovering Facinelli for the first time. I’ve seen and enjoyed him before in different movies and TV shows, but I’m pretty sure his shirtless chest did most of the acting in Fox’s short-lived FASTLANE.
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By: CT
In the classic flick The Big Chill, Jeff Goldblum’s character, who labored for People magazine, worked under an edict to not write any article longer than the average American could read during the average crap. Apparenty, NBC is now going to be operating under orders to not try and sell the average American on anything that can’t be easily summed up in 30 seconds or less. So says, basically, Angela Bromstad, NBC’s president of primetime entertainment.
Yesterday, she told the Television Critics of America that KINGS basically failed because it was “a little too high brow and too difficult to sell in a 30-second slot.” She went on to say “It doesn’t mean we’re not looking for big ideas. They have to be big ideas that the audience can grab on to.”
For the record, let us fill Mr. Bromstad in on the real reason KINGS failed. While the big problem was marketing, it wasn’t the concept of the show or the inability of the audience to understand so big a concept so much as NBC’s apparent inability to actually figure out what they had and how to sell it. In the weeks before KINGS debuted, the network’s advertising campaign was scattershot at best. Despite having a potentially iconic image in the orange butterfly flag — which could easily have become the next Dharma Initiative logo — NBC failed to capitalize on the symbol. By simply plastering the symbol everywhere with a catchy tagline (”You will obey!”, or perhaps “Submit or die!”) they could have generated a word-of-mouth buzz that would have gotten people talking.
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I ain’t gonna lie: Each and every summer, I become an addict and BIG BROTHER is the drug I crave. So of course, I tuned in last night for the season premiere. I had high hopes that the much-touted “mystery guest” would turn out to be Janelle, one of the most-loved houseguests in memory. But in the end, we wound up with musclehead moron Jessie. CBS’s bio of the guy calls him “the all American boy next door” but in reality the guy is an egotistical hothead with more issues than Entertainment Weekly. Early faves? While it’s hard to say since the opening hour didn’t offer a whole lot of insight into the houseguests, hottie Jeff came off as a pretty decent guy, while brainy Michelle would win my “first impression” rose if this were THE BACHELOR. Something tells me Chima is going to get annoying real quick and that Laura’s boobs — sure to be featured in men’s magazines from coast-to-coast — will be much discussed in chat rooms.
If there’s one show that I’m extremely distressed about the cancellation of, it has to be KINGS. While the first episode left me somewhat cold, it quickly found its footing and became a fascinating blend of almost lyrical dialogue, operatic storytelling and dynamic acting, particularly on the parts of Ian McShane and and Susanna Thompson as King Silas Benjamin and his queen, Rose. If you want to see television at its finest, go to NBC.com or Hulu.com and watch the episode titled “The Sabbath Queen”, in which secrets come to light during a blackout in the kingdom. It saddens me to no end that this show will soon conclude it’s run — although I’m glad to know that it will, reportedly, have a satisfying conclusion — so as to make room for yet more reality television. One recent twist in the story that came out of left field was the off-screen death of socialite-turned-Minister Of Information Katrina Ghent (played by the gorgeous Leslie Bibb, who seems to be popping up all over the place recently). The rivalry between Katrina and the queen was one of the highlights of recent episodes, so I was saddened by the character’s departure.
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If there was a silver-lining to last night’s curious decision by HBO to withhold new episodes of TRUE BLOOD and HUNG from the schedule in lieu of the July 4 holiday weekend, it was that it gave this TV Addict some much needed time to catch up on four episodes of KINGS.
And catch up we did. Which is why we find ourselves taking a page from King Silas Benjamin (A man, who we’re fairly certain has yet to let an episode go by without some kind of pronouncement, press conference or proclamation) this morning by making an announcement of our very own: If you’re not watching KINGS — and judging form the show’s abysmal ratings, that’s 98% of you reading this — you’re missing out on the most intriguing, complex, and scandalous series of the summer.
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1. ELI STONE makes its long awaited return to ABC this Saturday with a road trip (10PM, ABC)
2. A blackout gives David and Michele some much needed alone time on KINGS (8PM, NBC)
3. Unlike Twilight, TRUE BLOOD it’s a vampire love story adults don’t have to be embarrassed too about (9PM, HBO)
4. A younger, better looking version of MERLIN welcomes viewers to The OC Camelot B*tch! (8PM, NBC)
5. The premiere of KILLER HAIR, a TV-movie based on the bestselling books by Ellen Byerrum, on the Lifetime Movie Network. Think MURDER, SHE STYLED. (8PM, LMN)
Remember way back in March when NBC unveiled KINGS amidst much fanfare… only to quickly shuffle it off the schedule to make room for such high quality fair like reruns of HOWIE DO IT, the Heidi/Spencer national embarrassment that is I’M A CELEBRITY… GET ME OUT OF HERE and of course more DATELINE, the newsmag that’s never met a story it couldn’t turn into a terrifying ‘IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!’
Well, this Saturday at 8PM, KINGS returns and here with a personal message to those who’ve been waiting patiently for the return of the king is the creator himself, Michael Green, who emailed theTVaddict.com just moments ago:
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Just in time for NBC to send KINGS to television’s exile equivalent (Saturday night at 8PM, starting April 18), Macaulay Culkin will make his very own return from a self-imposed career exile by playing Andrew Cross, nephew of the King Silas Benjamin.
Here with your first look is theTVaddict.com, more of which can be found after the jump.
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Good News: NBC has committed to airing the remaining eight episodes of KINGS first (and most likely only) season. Bad News: On Saturday night, with the peacock network announcing today that due to disappointing ratings, the series will be replaced by yet another installment of DATELINE. [Source]
Good News: Yesterday, network president Dawn Ostroff announced that for the first time, the CW will launch original programming during the summer months. Bad News: Rather than take a page from the early days of FOX’s playbook that had the fledgling network make a name for themselves by airing original episodes of BEVERLY HILLS 90210 in the summer up against virtually zero competition, the CW will be offering up two pointless reality TV shows that nobody will watch. [Source]
Good News: In a valiant effort to differentiate his new 10PM talk show set to premiere this fall, Jay Leno has revealed that he’ll lose his trademark couch and desk. Bad News: Yet still keep the same old tired OJ jokes he’s been treading out for over a decade now. [Source]
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:
KINGS (8PM NBC, CityTV in Canada)
Dear Prince Jack, there are far easier ways to tarnish David’s heroic image than a night out on the town. Just ask this guy.
THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY (8PM HBO)
Lady detectives, this we gotta see!
FAMILY GUY (9PM FOX, GlobalTV in Canada)
When he’s unable to get his question answered at Quahog’s STAR TREK Convention, Stewie does what so many of us Comic Con nerds attendees only wish we thought of first: Builds a transporter and beams the entire cast of “The Next Generation” into his bedroom.
AMERICAN DAD (9:30PM FOX, GlobalTV in Canada)
FYI: Seth Macfarlane’s far less popular animated series may not have the entire cast of “The Next Generation,” but Patrick Stewart does lend his voice, alongside Amy Sedaris, Meg Penner and Carolyn Gilbert-Lawson.
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WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:
THE SIMPSONS (8PM FOX, GlobalTV in Canada)
Continuing FOX’s penchant for celebrating holidays late (see: Halloween in November), tonight’s adventure has the Simpsons traveling to Ireland five days after St. Patrick’s Day. Cue obligatory Homer Simpson epitaph, “D’oh!”
KINGS (8PM NBC, CityTV in Canada)
Remember friends, if this show gets cancelled and replaced with a third hour of CELEBRITY APPRENTICE, you only have yourself to blame. We’re just sayin’
BIG LOVE (9PM HBO)
In what is sure to be a BIG season finale, expect BIG surprises (courtesy of an unexpected visitor for Nicki), BIG potential cast changes (when Sarah reveals her future plans *cough*cough*movie career*cough) and a BIG cliffhanger (which may-or-may-not have to do with Bill’s plot to vanquish Roman and the Greenes once and for all.)
AMERICAN DAD (9:30PM FOX, GlobalTV in Canada)
Steve and his friends sabotage a stuck-up kid’s bar mitzvah (as this TV Addict’s inner-thirteen-year-old Jewboy cheers!)
BROTHERS & SISTERS (10PM ABC, GlobalTV in Canada)
Justin is suspicious of Ryan’s interest in Rebecca. Ditto.
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