By Chris Ryall
Last week, I tried something different in this space. Instead of listing 6-10 shows per day, I instead focused on just one. It was mostly just an attempt to do something different after 150+ weeks of sameness. And then I got all this mail telling me that the new format was better, and that the other columns were occasionally too much to take in. (A random sampling of said comments shows up in this week's MAIL SHOOT column.) So now I'm wondering if I've been over-acheiving all these weeks. I always figured that if you only wanted, you know, a couple listings a day and some random, not-funny comments, you'd be reading Entertainment Weekly instead. But if the consensus is that it was all too much before, I'll try a variation on last week's shorter list and see how it goes. If nothing else, the break in format will keep things fresh, and force me not to rely on the same jokes over and over, right? Well, we'll see. Depends how many Nazis are on the History Channel this week.
So here, for the week of October 10, you're going to get one recommendation and one not-recommendation for each day:
Monday, October 10
Recommended:
WEEDS -- 10 PM, Showtime
Season Finale: I'm not applauding the show so much for its portrayal of suburban, pot-smoking (and -dealing) moms. Rather, it's somehow nice to see Kevin Nealon prove that he's not just the "former big white stiff from SNL." Nealon, who's sucked the comedy out of sitcoms in his day, always seemed like he was capable of a bit more than that, he just needed a good role to let him show it. The show overall is hit or miss, but Nealon, and especially Mary-Louise Parker, make it worth a look.
NOT Recommended:
LAS VEGAS -- 9 PM, NBC
I know you can look at this show with its bright lights and attractive cast and flashy camera work and James Caan (hmm... one of these things is not like the others) and think that I'm way off, that this show's actually good fun. And we need more fun on TV, Chris, right? Nah, you're wrong. This is the kind of show that's so weightless, you forget what you're watching while you're watching. Yeah, there're some pretty people on the show, but it's the same as dressing up a plate of Chinese food--it might look good, but it sure won't be appetizing. Not that network TV is often full of deep thought, granted, but I'll let those of you who like the show ponder this--watch tonight's episode and see if you can tell the difference between the acting caliber of the show's regulars and the guest-stars, the Pussycat Dolls. I kind of doubt it.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Viggo Mortensen (R)
The Late Show with David Letterman: Orlando Bloom
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Kiera Knightley, Jim Norton, The Killers
The Jimmy Kimmel Show: Mike HJones
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: TBD
The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Dominic Monaghan
Last Call with Carson Daly: Soulive
Tuesday, October 11
Recommended:
THE OFFICE -- 9:30 PM, NBC
I know EARL is the flashier show, getting more of the hype and critical praise. But THE OFFICE is the better show, for many reasons. Foremost is that the show has transcended the British version and become fully its own show now. Ricky Gervais' excellent show aside, this version of THE OFFICE has continued to distinguish itself in so many ways. Steve Carrell is a perfect frontman for the show, more unlikeable than Gervais's character, and yet more pathetic, too. But really, this has become Jim (John Krasinski)'s show. Beset by awful co-workers (Rainn Wilson's "Dwight Schrute" the best of the worst), Jim carries on his quiet flirtation with the perfectly cast office secretary Pam (Jenna Fischer), bringing a nice sweetness into a show that is so good about staying on this side of mean-spiritedness. But mostly, it's recommended because it's damned funny. All things considered, it's been more consistently funny than EARL, Chris Rock's show or even CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM thus far.
NOT Recommended:
AMAZING RACE -- 9 PM, CBS
Remember THE BRADY BUNCH? Which episodes of that show sucked the most? (No, you're not allowed to answer "all of them.") Right, the ones where they added Cousin Oliver to the show. "Cousin Oliver" is almost as synonymous with a bad TV show move as "the Fonz jumping the shark." And yet... producers feel the need to mess with shows, adding unwanted or overly precious (read: annoying) kids. And you'd think a reality show, a multi-Emmy Award-winning reality show at that, would be immune from such lapses in logic.
So why is it we have AMAZING RACE: FAMILY EDITION this season? The show seemed fine (if mostly uninteresting to me) as it was. There was something about watching mostly fit people run around in different countries and have to work together and adapt to each other's strengths and weakenesses. We knew that the physical tasks would eventually lead to some strife, and that was, mostly, interesting. But bringing kids onto the show... yes, it increases the strife, but not in an interesting way--we already know that there will be bickering on all sides. A televised version of "are we there yet"? Let's hope Emmy voters are actually awake enough next year to send a signal that this just wasn't a good idea.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Jeff Garlin (R)
The Late Show with David Letterman: Woody Harrelson
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Duane "The Rock" Johnson, Josh Flitter, Clint Black
The Jimmy Kimmel Show: TBD
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: TBD
The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Dennis Hopper
Last Call with Carson Daly: Alyson Hannigan, Jason
Gore, Sean Paul
Wednesday, October 12
Recommended:
MYTHBUSTERS -- 9 PM, Discovery
I'm not entirely crazy about the show's success. Not for the same selfish reasons as music fans, who want their favorite band to remain their favorite band. Rather, I liked the show better when it was more quaint. I still really enjoy watching Jamie and Adam debunk rumors, but now, their need to "MacGyver" various contraptions is made easier by their deeper pockets. There was something charming before, watching them poke around scrapyards and try to build what they needed our of scrap. Now, they just go to Acme, or whoever, and are set up a bit too quickly. Plus, their female assistant doesn't add much to the show.
Wait, you're saying--isn't this supposed to be a recommendation? It definitely still is. The show's still a lot of fun to watch, mostly for the chance to see the two effects guys try to prove old myths to be right or wrong (who knew that the old "inflatable raft as a parachute from a plane" trick from an old INDIANA JONES movie could actually work, in perfect conditions?). But also because I'm in love with ballistics gel. Really, I can't get enough of seeing them use ballistics gel on this show. I need to get me a chunk of that gel. As long as they keep using the gel, and keep beating the crap out of Buster, their crash-test dummy, I'm still in.
NOT Recommended:
THE APPRENTICE: MARTHA STEWART -- 8 PM, NBC
I'm not picking on Martha because she bugs me... she just has the luck of the draw of airing a day earlier in the week than Trump's tired version of THE APPRENTICE. But neither one is recommended for anything other than a long break. Another trick that networks love to do, other than adding kids to shows that don't need them, is beating a concept to death. There's a whole college course on how badly ABC mishandled their goldmine of WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? by airing it 17 times a week. And now NBC seems determined to kill the APPRENTICE franchise. None too soon, really--the show was tedious after season 2. Mostly because season 3 started about six weeks after the previous show's finale. And now there's Martha, out to further bury the concept. See, the thing Donald Trump has going for him is that he's laughable--he's boastful and arrogant and obnoxious, but somehow funny. Martha might be the first three, but she has no real such redeemable feature on this show. Even her smiles feel like there's someone just off-camera holding up a big "smile, Martha!" cue card. And that forced catch-phrase at the end... do us all a favor, Martha, and write yourself one of your little notes on your way out.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Dr. Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for
Disaster Preparedness (R)
The Late Show with David Letterman: Howard Dean
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Kevin Bacon, Kristen Bell, Trisha Yearwood
The Jimmy Kimmel Show: 3 Doors Down
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: TBD
The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Joe Mantegna
Last Call with Carson Daly: Cheryl Hines
Thursday, October 13
Recommended:
CSI -- 9 PM, CBS
You'd think I would've watched this show more. After all, I'm the publisher at the comic company that does CSI comics, and served as editor on a few CSI books in the past. But I just never had much interest in the show, or in any police procedurals, before. I tried, and about halfway through, I'd just be bored or flipping around. I just figured the show wasn't for me, and if I needed a CSI fix, well, I could work on the comics.
It took Quentin Tarantino to get me to watch the show. And even then, I TiVo'd last season's finale... and then never got to it. I finally caught a repeat of it, a couple weeks ago, and decided I'd at least give it a look. The nice thing was, it had some QT-esque touches, but for the most part, didn't feel like it was overwhelmingly "Quentin." Mostly, it was just a good episode. And with word that the show would pick up from where that finale left off, I figured I'd give it a look this season. And you know... it's a pretty solid show! Catherine's surgically altered mouth is a bit hard to look at, but the show has so far held my attention, and has me wanting to see more. I know I'm a few years behind the rest of the world in this case, but there's only so much TV I can take. It's not like I write about TV every single week or anything. Now, if only the producers would consider trying a spin-off of this show...
NOT Recommended:
E.R. -- 10 PM, NBC
NBC's really taking it on the chin from me this week, eh? Well, I do like THE OFFICE and EARL, anyway. Why? Because they feel fresh. Which makes it the exact opposite of this show. With medical shows now offering updated takes on an old formula (one partially pioneered by E.R., I'll admit that), programs like SCRUBS, HOUSE and even GREY'S ANATOMY make this show seem ever more tired. And I can't imagine that adding THIRD ROCK's Kristin Johnson to the show is going to help matters any.
Dishonorable Mention:
Sorry, I have to single out one more show today:
SHOWBIZ SHOW WITH DAVID SPADE -- 10:30 PM, Comedy Central
Hey, David, TALK SOUP called--they'd like their format back. I know, that reference is pretty dated. Just like the feel of this show. Spade, you're too old, too afraid to say anything biting about anyone but easy targets (a Star Jones joke? Wow, you're cutting edge, man), and too derivative of the funnier E! show, THE SOUP (or whatever they call it now. Anyway, it's funnier, because that show's host, John Henson, is also funnier). Just when I thought you couldn't get more annoying than you are on those Capital One commercials, Davey boy...
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: George Clooney (R)
The Late Show with David Letterman: TBD
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Kirsten Dunst, John Leguizamo, Santana
The Jimmy Kimmel Show: (R)
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: TBD
The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson: TBD
Last Call with Carson Daly: David Banner
Friday, October 14
Recommended:
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA -- 10 PM, Sci Fi
This show would get extra points if it were only a little bit interesting. Did you ever actually see an episode of the original '70s show? I did. I saw a lot of them, actually. And even at the impressionable age of 8 or 9, I realied that the show was pretty bad. So the fact that this show, a redo of a STAR WARS rip-off/parody, is actually maybe the best sci-fi show on the air right now is quite a testament to what they've all managed to do here. And the Ceylon Warriors are much hotter now, which also never hurts.
NOT Recommended:
HOT PROPERTIES -- 9:30 PM, ABC
I think we all agree that the only day of the week worse than Friday for TV programming is Saturday. But still, the second-worst day of the week for TV doesn't mean that networks don't have to even try. And yet ABC thinks they're being so risque by offering up a sitcom that seems determined to make every lame breast joke in existence? Every week? I get the feeling that this is one of those cases similar to when a doctor from, say, Bangladesh, comes to this country and settles for driving a cab, just to be here. Sofia Vergara, a talented enough, and yes, big-breasted, Colombian actress who's capable of more, settles for a show this bad, just as a way to make a real "in" in Hollywood? This is bad all around. Luckily, I don't think it will actually be around long, so Vergara will be free to try again. After she fires her agent.
The Late Show with David Letterman: TBD
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Tim Allen, Rod Stewart
The Jimmy Kimmel Show: Rodney Carrington
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: TBD
The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Jamie Callum
Last Call with Carson Daly: Maggie Grace, Idewild
Saturday, October 15
Recommended:
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD: NECROPOLIS -- 7 PM, Sci Fi
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD: RAVE TO THE GRAVE -- 9 PM, Sci Fi
If you're wondering how these shows could get tonight's recommendation, well, read the titles again. How could they not be recommended? See, the second movie, it's all about college students who take drugs that turn them into zombies. Unsubtle anti-drug statements, barely masked in the guise of a horror movie. Oh, yeah... the only way this could get any better is if there's a third movie in the works, called RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD: MANSQUITO FIGHTS BACK!
NOT Recommended:
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- 11:30 PM, NBC
Best of David Spade (R)
Wait, you're thinking... didn't this show get a recommendation last week? What could have gone so wrong in a week?
I'll tell you. I had time to reflect on the fact that Horatio Sanz was given the co-anchor slot on "Weekend Update." I guess Colin Quinn's at least happy with this fact, because he's now only the second most incoherent news anchor in the show's history. Horatio wouldn't be credible reading an optometrist's eye chart. The guy's first lines of the season were something like "yeah, Steve!" as he cheered on host Steve Carrell. And he almost butchered those lines, reading them off a cue card. His sense of timing is terrible, his ability to read even worse... really, I'm not kidding that I think Tina Fey set out to make herself irreplaceable by having this oaf put in her spot. Obviously Lorne will pay anything to get her back off maternity leave as soon as possible... but why do the rest of us have to suffer while she's away? If you ever needed a reason to watch MAD-TV, that reason's name is Horatio.
Sunday, October 16
Recommended:
WALKER, TEXAS RANGER: TRIAL BY FIRE -- 9 PM, CBS
Yep, that's right. I just recommended a movie where Chuck Norris and company return to CBS for a two-hour movie of basic plotting, over-acting and quick-cut karate kicks. Why? Well, not only did I used to love Chuck's movies in the '80s (just try telling me that LONE WOLF MCQUAID isn't any good... just try.), but this movie means something more than just Chuck being back on TV--it means 120 minutes of fresh cannon fodder for Conan O'Brien.
NOT Recommended:
EXTRAS -- 10:30 PM, HBO
It's not that this show's not recommended, really... it's just so far not living up to my admittedly high expectations. I know there are far worse shows to not recommend tonight, and after giving a thumbs-up for a Chuck Norris TV-movie, I'm bound to cause some arched eyebrows here, but I'm mentioning this one because it's capable of being much more than it is. You've got Ricky Gervais, and a show that looks at the "background" in movies--can't miss, right? So far, it's been not a whole lot more than celebrities like Kate Winslet being "ironic" and acting as themselves, if they were actually annoying and over-bearing. Ben Stiller's work as an egocentric jerk was particularly off-putting, since we've all seen Stiller play a variation on this role in funnier (and unfunnier) movies.
Again, this isn't a bad show, but I want it to be more than it is, which is, basically, a less-funny half-hour than the HBO show that preceeded it. And I just got through with that with the (recommended) ENTOURAGE and (not recommended) THE COMEBACK. I just expect more from ya, Ricky.
All show times Pacific Standard Time and all opinions are bound to get yelled at for not loving EXTRAS.
Chris Ryall
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