After a few weeks off (my fault... don't ask), we're back in the swing of things, talking about everything going on this March on TV. This week, Jason Hughes, Danny Gallagher and Allison Waldman join me to talk about:
All the new shows that have started this month. 'Parenthood,' 'The Pacific,' 'Justified' and 'Minute to Win It' are discussed (we're especially flummoxed at why 'Parenthood' isn't at all funny),
How Leno returned to 'The Tonight Show' and no one cared,
What we think the Conan tour is going to look like,
The return of 'Breaking Bad,' 'United States of Tara,' and 'Nurse Jackie,' (Warning: spoilers abound during this discussion),
'Modern Family' is batting a thousand in its first season for perfect, seamless celebrity cameos. We've had Shelley Long, Benjamin Bratt, Elizabeth Banks, and perhaps the best and most bizarre of them all, Edward Norton as Spandau Ballet's bass player. All of them have fit perfectly, and none has really felt like sweeps stunt.
Over at TV Guide, William Keck is trying to find out who else might be popping in on the sitcom. Last week, he talked to Eric Stonestreet about who should play his character's mother next season (his choice is Delta Burke from 'Designing Women'). This week, he asked Sofia Vergara who should play her character's mom, and she chose legendary Italian actress Sophia Loren.
This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com, or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479. Your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.
This week we have spoilers for: 'Bones,' Castle,' 'Chuck,' 'Desperate Housewives,' 'Fringe,' 'Glee,' 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'How I Met Your Mother,' 'Lost,' 'NCIS,' and 'The Big Bang Theory.'
After speaking to Vince Gilligan at the press tour, the folks at AMC were eager to get online writers a chance to talk to the entire 'Breaking Bad' cast. So, later on that day, about a half-dozen reporters sat with Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Bob Odenkirk and Anna Gunn to talk about the show's intense second season and what's coming up in season three, which debuts Sunday at 10PM ET.
The most interesting tidbits came from Cranston, which makes sense; not only is he the show's Emmy-winning star, but he has also directed a number of episodes, including the season three premiere. When I asked him about the next-to-last episode of season two, a moment that I've dubbed the show's "holy crap" moment, he had an interesting response.
(S01E10) Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did 'Archer' just get sentimental on us for a split second? It was an almost stealthy move. Sure, the season finale wrapped up with Mallory calling her son an ass but it was... sweet. Considering the whole super-spy nature of the show, the rest of the finale wasn't very action-packed. Instead, the focus remained on Archer and Mallory's relationship and the sick, twisted world of ISIS office romances. I think the picture accompanying this post pretty much sums that part up.
Overall, though, this was one of my favorite episodes from the series so far, with a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. And I'm sure you didn't realize we needed a new "Schwing!" but let's pretend that's what "Sploosh" (with the little hand motion) is going to be.
You know what? This show looks pretty good. From this clip, it looks like Betty White is as funny as ever, and Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, and Jane Leeves are likable actresses too. Plus the writing doesn't seem horrible like a lot of sitcoms. I don't know what TV Land would consider a "hit," but this looks like fun. It debuts in June.
[via TV Guide Magazine]
Flash forward to 2011 and you'll probably see that 'FlashForward' isn't on ABC's schedule. That's the only thing that one can think after last night's episode. The show returned after several months off the air and was greeted by a huge yawn from viewers. It got the lowest ratings yet, down 10% from the last episode that aired.
In happier news (well, for NBC, not ABC), 'The Marriage Ref' is actually getting better ratings-wise. It was up 8%. I watched last night's episode with Jason Alexander, Martha Stewart, and Cedric The Entertainer and I didn't hate it. I see now what they're going for, and it's entertaining to a point (depending on the celebs they get and the marriage problems presented). It just doesn't seem like a show I can watch every week, and I bet a lot of viewers have that feeling.
(S01E19) "Congratulations, you failed a class so easy that people passing in the hallway get a contact credit."
Utilizing their setting on a college campus has allowed 'Community' to seamlessly stream in guest stars without ruining the flow of the series. This week, Jeff took another stab at a "blow-off" class, bringing us the incomparable Tony Hale as the ethereal instructor of Beginning Pottery, not to mention Lee Majors as the sailing teacher.
While Jeff was able to get Abed and Annie to join him in pottery, Pierce, Troy and Shirley instead took to the high seas ... of the parking lot, when they signed up for a sailing class. Jeff's journey was one in which he had to learn that being the "cool guy" doesn't necessarily mean he's good at everything. The lesson came from a not-so-surprising source: the resident expert on not being good at things.
I never really saw her as the host of the show anyway, did you? I mean, we got a kick out of the way she acted as a judge on 'American Idol,' all loopy and confused and weary, but being the host of a show is a completely different thing. Though it would have fun to see her try it for a while. I also wonder if there's a place for 'Star Search' in this age of 'Idol,' 'America's Got Talent,' 'So You Think You Can Dance?' and the coming American version of Cowell's 'The X Factor.'
Maybe Cowell and his team have convinced Abdul to be a judge on 'The X Factor.' That way it can be 'American Idol 2.'
Yeah, I know, yet another medical drama. It seems we have a lot every pilot season (and every fall season). CBS' 'Three Rivers' died rather quickly and 'Miami Medical' hasn't even premiered yet (it starts in April) and now we're hearing about this one. Maybe CBS likes to have replacement medical dramas on the shelf in case one happens to fail in the ratings.
I think every network has to have at least one medical show on their schedule every season. TV law. At least this one sounds a little bit different than one based at one particular hospital. It's about a team of medical pros who go around the country in a mobile unit and help people.
How about a show where a team of doctors treat patients over the Internet? Sure, a TV show about people looking at a computer screen for an hour sounds boring, but you can have them sit in different chairs each week.
It's rare when you hear about a casting and just say to yourself, "Oh, perfect." Well, that happened today. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Beau Bridges is going to be Dermot Mulroney's father on NBC's new 'The Rockford Files.' It's not just that Bridges, older brother of Oscar winner Jeff Bridges, is a terrific actor; he's really right for the role.
In the original 'Rockford Files,' Noah Berry, Jr. played Rocky, Jim's father, who served as both Jim's buddy and foil. They hung out together and understood each other. Rocky had been a truck driver and had a no-nonsense, clear vision of things.
He'd give Jim advice or just voice his opinion, often in a wry way. Presumably in NBC's version, which 'House' creator David Shore is overseeing and also involves 'The Office's' Steve Carell as executive producer, Beau Bridges as Rocky will be the same kind of guy.
(S06E19) It's starting to feel like Sabre's purchase of Dunder-Mifflin was just the jumping-odd point the writers needed to bring the Scranton branch dynamic back to something that feels like the old days. For the second week in a row, we have an episode that felt very much like the ones from the first couple of seasons -- without the Jim/Pam drama -- with the entire office interacting with each other and a large amount of mistrust floating about. And it made for one of the funniest episodes in years.
With sales being king at Sabre, the sales staff was letting their elevated status go to their heads. This brings about some interesting character aspects we haven't seen much of. Phyllis, for instance, gets to take her status out on Michael, who's embarrassed her any number of times, and Angela, who she just plain hates. Andy walks out of a tedious Michael-called meeting. Stanley actually looks like he's doing work. It's amazing how a high commission can motivate even the most sedentary salesperson, huh?
There might be only a certain age group that remembers the TV shows 'Daniel Boone' and 'Davy Crockett' (part of 'Disneyland'), two shows that were really popular with kids in the 50s (it was a long time before video games and Facebook). The star of those two shows, Fess Parker, has died at the age of 85 in California.
Parker had a rather successful run in the movies too, appearing in such classics as 'Old Yeller,' 'The Kid From Left Field,' and the killer ants flick 'Them!,' which still freaks me out today. A lot of the films/shows that Parker appeared in were Disney films. He also starred in the short-lived TV version of 'Mr. Smith Goes To Washington' and episodes of 'Burke's Law' and 'The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.'
For the past several years, Parker had his own winery and wine label and hotel in Santa Barbara. After the jump, the theme songs to 'Davy Crockett' and 'Daniel Boone.'
Mia Maestro, formerly of the television show 'Alias,' has been cast in the new ABC television show 'Cutthroat.' The show is about a Beverly Hills widow and soccer mom who doubles as a drug cartel leader. Yes, ABC will be broadcasting their own version of 'Weeds.'
Seriously, the creator of 'Weeds' should consider litigation for copyright infringement. However, there will likely be enough differences between this program and 'Weeds' for any judge to dismiss it. For example, Mary-Louise Parker's character seemed more an "accidental" drug dealer due to circumstances whereas the description of 'Cutthroat' insinuates that Mia Maestro's character is quite intentional in her career choice. There is even a third series on television with a similar theme, AMC's 'Breaking Bad.'
Copycat programming is no stranger to television and has been around for a long time. The biggest example in my mind is 'The Addams Family' and 'The Munsters.' What other programs have been out there that have been copies of one another?
(S07E09) Collier Strong makes his seasonal 'Project Runway' appearance to pimp out the L'Oreal makeup. Luckily, we're finally at the halfway point with only eight designers left. I can finally distinguish between all the contestants. This week they were paired up and had to use the culture, architecture, and trends of an area in Manhattan to create a day and night look for only $300.
Chinatown - Anthony & Maya East Village - Jay & Mila Upper East Side - Amy & Jonathan Harlem - Emilio & Seth Aaron
All of the places have very distinct aesthetics, yet somehow Amy & Jonathan manage to botch the idea of a high-class, pale color paired with black.
(S04E15) "This is an exciting time for NBC. Not 'Friends,' 'Seinfeld,' 'ER' exciting, more like 3-D episodes of 'Merlin' exciting.' - Jack
I wonder if NBC killed off Don Geiss (that's him in the Han Solo-like cryogenic freeze thing above - another 'Star Wars' reference) because of Rip Torn's real-life problems? Sure, this episode was probably filmed before his latest escapade, but similar things had happened in the past, and maybe they didn't want to have to have him come back on the show now and then. Then again, Geiss had a lot of health problems in the past and almost died once already, so maybe his death was already in the works. And it certainly works as a sign that things are changing at NBC now that GE has sold it to Kabletown.
(S02E19) How do you guys feel about Jerry? As amusing as it is to see Leslie, the moral center of the show, make fun of someone, the whole "ridiculing Jerry 24-7" thing makes me kind of uncomfortable. He acknowledges that he gets made fun of, but unlike PIerce on 'Community,' he doesn't seem in on the joke at all.
Mark pops in toward the end of this episode to make a good point: Leslie's problem is that one of her employees would make up a story about a mugging because he's afraid of his co-workers' reactions. With that said, "What would you do for a Klondike bar? Kill your wife?" was pretty freakin' hilarious.
After a few weeks off (my fault... don't ask), we're back in the swing of things, talking about everything going on this March on TV. This week, 
Here's tonight's TV lineup (all times Eastern).
(S01E19) "Congratulations, you failed a class so easy that people passing in the hallway get a contact credit."
Just a few days ago Allison told you about 
Before everyone gets too excited, no, this isn't 'Return To Jericho,' so please hold your nuts (wait, that didn't come out right ...). But 
It's rare when you hear about a casting and just say to yourself, "Oh, perfect." Well, that happened today. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that 
(S06E19) It's starting to feel like Sabre's purchase of Dunder-Mifflin was just the jumping-odd point the writers needed to bring the Scranton branch dynamic back to something that feels like the old days. For the second week in a row, we have an episode that felt very much like the ones from the first couple of seasons -- without the Jim/Pam drama -- with the entire office interacting with each other and a large amount of mistrust floating about. And it made for one of the funniest episodes in years.
There might be only a certain age group that remembers the TV shows 
Mia Maestro, formerly of the television show 
