Father’s Day, Rocks of Ages, The Killing and Fall TV 2012-2013

First of all Happy Father’s Day to my daddy and the daddy’s everywhere.

I saw “Rock of Ages” last night, if you grew up in the 80’s, loved the hair metal music, then this movie is for you. The plot is nothing new, dreamers in Hollywood looking for their big break, set against a boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy gets girl back formula. But that isn’t why I went I went for the music, nothing beats Def Leopard, Poison, Guns and Roses and Whitesnake. The highpoint of the film is Tom Cruise, his performance as Stacee Jax (a cross between, Axl Rose/Vince Neil, actually every 80’s band singer) is fantastic, Cruise commits 100% to this role, and his singing is awesome. He is a rock star!

Anyone who has ever doubted Cruise’s ability needs to look no further than comparing his performance in MI4 to this to solidify his talent and movie star status. Game over Cruise wins.  There is a a lot of crazy stuff that goes on in the move, none of which I will give away. You must see this movie.  Long Live Rock and Roll.

The Killing

Rumor has it we will finally find out who killed Rosie Larsen tonight, do we still care.  Most of you don’t, ratings have been down this year and renewal is not likely. It’s a shame, the show had a good cast, but its creator and writers just couldnt pull it off, they had too many red herrings and inconsistencies. The show revealed the members of the 10th floor meeting last week, while they may be involved I think the person who put Rosie in the trunk has yet to be revealed.  Could it be Aunt Terry, or after all of this Richmond, or the mother.  

Fall Tv Schedule

I know it’s only June, but I am already looking forward to the new Tv Season, the networks released their schedules, below is a list of the shows I will be watching and possibly discussing in this space.  For the new shows I will watch the pilot and possibly one of two episodes before I decide if they get a season pass on the DVR.

Sunday

Once Upon A Time, Revenge, The Good Wife and new entry 666 Park Avenue. 

Monday

Bones, 2 Broke Girls, Castle, new shows Mob Doctor and Revolution

Tuesday

Mathew Perry’s new sitcom Go On, Hart of Dixie, and new medical drama Emily Owens, MD

Wednesday

My new guilty pleasure, Nashville starring Connie Britton, also new Arrow and Chicago Fire and returning champ Supernatural

Thursday

Returning Champs, Vampire Diaries, Person of Interest, Scandal. Glee and The Big Bang Theory. New entries, Elementary and Beauty and The Beast

Friday

Fringe and Blue Bloods

What about you? Have you mapped out your fall tv picks? What are you going to watch or pass on?

Related articles

• Five Reasons To See ‘Rock Of Ages’ (moviesblog.mtv.com)
• ABC Fall Shows: The Worst New Comedies On TV? (huffingtonpost.com)
• For Father’s Day, See TV Dads Who Make Us Grateful For Our Own (huffingtonpost.com)
• JOE ELLIOTT – “When Kurt Cobain Came Along And Tried To Kill Off The ’80s, He Wasn’t Trying To Kill Off DEF LEPPARD” (bravewords.com)

2012-2013 TV Season

The networks have announced their 2012-2013 TV seasons, at the end of this post is a link to the best overall posting about the upfronts compliments of Television Without Pity.

Here is what I will be making room for on my DVR

NBC

Go On – Mathew Perry plays a sports radio host who is trying to come to terms with the death of his wife, he attends a grief support group. I know the premise sounds lame, but the trailer sold me. And I am a big Mathew Perry fan, I  will always love the Bing.

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Revolution – Do you remember when that special was on last year based on that book, called After Humans, well this show is sort of like this only the humans are still here but all the technology is gone. I don’t know about you but it certainly plays on a big fear we all have today. We have become so dependent on our smartphones and computers.   It’s from Erik Kripke (creator of  Supernatural), one of my all time favorite shows,  J.J. Abrams and Jon Favreau so I will check it out, but I am not sure if I will stick it out. As much as I love Billy Burke, I just don’t know about this one.

Chicago Fire – Stars Jesse Spencer (Chase from House) and Taylor Kinney (Mason from The Vampire Diaries), based on the trailer I am tuning in for two things, hot guys and hot special effects. It pretty much looks like every other show about everyone dating and screwing everyone at their place of work, Grey’s Anatomy, ER, take your pick. Like I said I am in it for the scenery.

CBS

Elementary – Modern Day Sherlock Holmes, I know BCC is already doing that with Sherlock staring Benedict Cumberbatch, but hey its too British for American audiences and I am sure we can do it better.  Yeah, we will see about that. What this version lacks in originality it makes up for in casting Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock and Lucy Liu as Watson. The trailer pulls you in, so I will be checking it out. I realize I don’t need another murder of the week procedural but maybe this one will surprise me.

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ABC

ABC is offering up a lot of new shows this season but only one looks interesting enough to talk about, Nashville starring Connie Britton.

Britton plays a fading country star, she is pitted against the much younger Hayden Panettiere. It looks like a Country Strong ripoff without the suicide.  Could this be this season’s guilty pleasure, I’m gonna have to tune in to find out. BTW excellent supporting cast Eric Close and Powers Boothe.

abc-upfront-2012-because-one-s.php

The CW

Arrow – Based on DC comics Green Arrow,(they dropped the Green part from the title ) and not staring Justin Hartley, ( he has another show), this Arrow comes in the form of Stephen Amell as billionaire Oliver Queen back from the dead and ready to fight for the little guy. Katie Cassidy (formerly of Melrose Place) plays his x. The trailer is hot, and looks dark and gritty, I am in.

 

Beauty and The Beast – Ok, I know all I did was complain about Kristin Kreuk when she was on Smallville, she couldn’t act, she was bland, blah blah, and I doubt she has gotten better, but I am curious to see if the rest of the cast (like the Smallville cast, Alison Mack and Michael Rosenbaum ) will be enough to rinse the bad taste from my mouth. The trailer looks good, and The CW knows how to bring the pretty and the epic romance. But it’s lead in is TVD, and the level of epic romance on that show is hard to compete with. Kristn plays a NY cop (big stretch), and the beast isn’t too beastly looking (please look at the picture)  If your beast isn’t ugly, and is easy to  fall in love with doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of the story about loving what’s on the inside.

The Carrie Diaries – Based on the book of the same name, we meet up with high a school agee Carrie Bradshaw, her mother has just died and she is starting an internship in Manhattan where she meets Larissa a writer for Interview magazine and so begins here new life. The show is set in 1984, I can’t wait for the fashions and the music. It is a mid-season replacement, so we will have to wait until January to see how it all began.

Emily Owens, M.D – Stars Mammie Gummer ( Meryl’s daughter) frequent guest star on The Good Wife as a surgeon who is trying to prove herself at a Denver hospital, it also stars Justin Hartley as her love interest.  I know hospital shows are a dime a dozen, but this one seems to have a nice comic tone and is more charm than medical.

and finally Cult – This is also a mid-season replacement, and I will admit I am only on board, because Matthew Davis (Alaric from The Vampire Diaries ) is in it. Here is the premise, a scripted TV show about a cult leader, that people start taking seriously and following as a real cult leader. Alaric’s brother gets caught up in the craziness. It’s a show in a show concept, which may be too hard too follow for the average CW viewer. The couldn’t even keep up with Ringer.

cw-upfront-2012-recycling-all.php

Fox

nothing caught my eye, I guess fox has seen better days

Here is a link to the full rundown for every network, including Bravo, TNT, USA, SyFy etc, etc

Television Without Pity Upfronts

Related articles

• Photo Flah: SMASH Cast Performs at NBC Upfronts! (tv.broadwayworld.com)
• How Did TVGuide.com Fare in Guessing Which Pilots Would Get Picked Up? (seattlepi.com)
• ABC First Look: Check Out Connie Britton’s Nashville, Scott Speedman’s Last Resort and More! (eonline.com)
• Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of ABC’s ‘Nashville’ and ‘Red Widow’ (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• TV’s coming attractions (salon.com)
• Hayden Panettiere: ABC Upfront with Connie Britton! (justjared.com)
• The Four New TV Shows We Can’t Wait To See (newsroom.mtv.com)
• ABC’s Series Pick-Ups: Reba McEntire Comedy & Connie Britton Musical Drama (hollywood.com)
• Looking at the 2012-13 TV Season (itairose.com)
• TV Previews: ABC’s ‘666 Park Avenue’, CBS’ ‘Vegas’ and ‘Elementary’ (slashfilm.com)

TV Season Half Way Thru – Let’s Discuss

We are halfway thru the 2011-2012 TV season, so I thought now would be a good time to share our thoughts on where we are so far.  Did the shows you were psyched for let you down? What shows looked like they were going to fail but totally surprised you? 

Shows that lived up to my expectations

2 Broke Girls – I had high hopes for this show,a sassy chick comedy. It took a few episodes but I am sold. The jokes are pretty raunchy, and the premise is pretty thin, but Kat Dennings and Beth Behers make it work.  What still isn’t working for me is Oleg, the cook. I wish he was a little more Mel from Alice and a lot less pervy.

American Horror Story – A big fan of Ryan Murphy‘s Nip/Tuck days (until the Carver), I had high hope for this show, not to mention the strength of a cast including Connie Britton and Jessica Lange and Mr. Murphy delivered. This is by far the most creative and daring show on basic cable. 

Once Upon A Time – I don’t know why, I mean it is a pretty silly sounding premise, but I knew this would be good. From the writing, to the acting to the outstanding production values this show has delivered as expected.  Robert Carlyle and Lana Parilla would be nominated for Emmy’s if it wasn’t such a political mess.

Ringer – I expected a good noir thriller, with many twists and turns and that is what I got. What makes Ringer more successful in my eyes is, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and they move the plot along at a quick clip.

Shows that surprised me

A Gifted Man – I have to admit the premise sounded pretty cheesy. Egotistical doctor gets schooled by the ghost of his saintly x-wife, but Patrick Wilson makes it work and the show is watchable. I hope it gets a second season there is a lot of potential, and a lot of room to grow these characters and the storylines.

Hart of Dixie – I was on board from the beginning, but I am genuinely surprised at how much I am loving this show.  The writers have come a long way since the pilot, and are giving as much time and attention to fleshing out the supporting characters and relationships as their leads.  More George and Wade, more Lavon and Zoe friendship, and for the love of god give Lemon a few more layers. Shrill,, shriller, shrillest is not depth.

Homeland – Actually I would say this show completely blew me away. (No Pun intended).  Claire Danes is flat-out amazing, I hope she is recognized later this week at the SAG Award nominations and next fall at the Emmy’s.  Since this comes from the creators of 24, I would not put it past them to blow up Sgt. Brody in the finale.  Just like Jack Bauer Carrie can have a new foe every season.

Revenge – I thought this would be fun, a return to the days of Dallas and Dynasty. But this is far more advanced, and polished.  Thank you for the best guilty pleasure since, birthday cake and ice cream.

Suburgatory – The premise, a basic fish out of water story. What makes this one different, the cast, Jeremy Sisto and Jane Levy are great as our fish. But Cheryl Hines and Carly Chaikin as mother and daughter Dallas and Dalia steal the show.

Shows that disappointed, and I wouldn’t miss if the got cancelled

Grimm – Sorry, it isn’t settling, the characters, the stories, it just doesn’t work.

Secret Circle – nothing to say, please go away now.

Related articles

• My world of television (nediunedited.wordpress.com)

Wednesday – What you should watch.

It’s Wednesday, hump day, usually a day of joy for Revenge is usually gracing my TV screen. But not tonight.

Revenge is not on tonight!!!  BOOOOO!!! Stupid Country Music Awards

Actually all of ABC’s Wednesday night line up is wiped out. I can’t wait to see if the ratings the CMA’s pull down compare to what ABC has been pulling down with it’s comedy block plus Revenge over the past few weeks.

This is your chance to check out the truly creepy, and brilliant American Horror Story. 

American Horror Story

Episode: Piggy Piggy

Constance gets Violet’s assistance with Tate; Ben helps a new patient confront his fears.

 

 

Related articles

• American Horror Story (theriseofbutterflies.wordpress.com)
• American Horror Story Renewed for a Second Season (dreadcentral.com)

Wednesday 10/26 Tons to watch

Feast or Famine, Tuesday was famine, Wednesday is a feast.

Thanks Zap2it for the Listings

This week the Top Spot goes to American Horror Story, I tuned in because it was Ryan Murphy the genius behind Nip/Tuck and Glee.

I stayed because this is one heck of a creepy, weird show with a great cast. Dylan McDermott, the totally awesome Connie Britton, Frances Conroy and Jessica Lange.  Come on, a show called American Horror Story has an episode Titled Halloween, the week of Halloween. love the kitsch.

 Check it out I am not wrong about this one. Preview and a Sneak Peak Below

My love affair with Revenge continues, I think I may have a breakdown when it goes on hiatus after November Sweeps.

The Rest

Suburgatory

Episode: Halloween

Tessa’s costume reminds the kids at school of a recently departed neighbor; George tries to convince Dallas that Halloween is fun; Dallas’ husband returns from a business trip

 

Modern Family

Episode: Halloween

 Claire prepares to make the Dunphy house spooky for Halloween; Cameron does not like the holiday because of a traumatic childhood experience; Jay and Manny tease Gloria about her accent.

 

Happy Endings

Episode: Spooky Endings

While Brad and Jane are house-sitting in the suburbs, the rest of the gang attends a warehouse party.

 

Ringer

Episode: It’s Gonna Kill Me, but I’ll Do It

 Bridget, as Siobhan, heads to the Hamptons with Andrew, Henry and Gemma; Henry intends to rekindle his affair with Siobhan; Gemma receives unsettling news

Related articles

• American Horror Story Is #1 Series Premiere In FX History (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
• Two New American Horror Story Cast Members – One’s a Real American Beauty! (dreadcentral.com)
• American Horror Story Makes Halloween That Much Creepier! (perezhilton.com)