Daniel's TV Blog

Last night was the debut of A Steven Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of all. It had everything a great Christmas special should have: special guests, rustic mountain location, random song and dance numbers, a bear attack, a mistletoe inspired kiss, and Santa.

You see Steven was up at his rustic mountain cabin and trying to get down to New York to record his fabulous holiday special with Elvis Costello. Unfortunately we gets trapped by a wild bear. They are godless killing machines you know. Luckily the bear didn't stop Toby Keith, John Legend, and Jon Stewart from dropping by to sing a song. I watched it last night and then scanned through it again this morning to watch the songs. If you missed it, you can get it on Amazon or iTunes. Oh look, mistletoe. Well this is awkward.

Labels: Steven Colbert

It was no surprise to me that Shane Mercado had the best week ever this week. I saw his Single Ladies video everywhere this week.


Here are other recent Best Week's of Ever winners
11/14/08 The Pregnant Man, Thomas Beatie
11/07/08 Oprah Winfrey (Not Obama)
10/31/08 Mario Lopez
10/24/08 Undecided Voters
10/17/08 Joe The Plumber
09/26/08 Disappointment - For both the failing economy and David Blaine's retarded dive of death or rather the tepid bungee jump of diminished expectations.

And if you noticed the quick clip of Sarah Palin and the turkey slaughter interview in this week's episode, here's the full youtube segment. I suggest turning the sound of because I can't stand the sound of her voice any more.

Labels: Best Week Ever

Pushing Daisies was on the air for one year, one month, two weeks, four days, and eighteen hours when ABC decided not to order any additional season two episodes. This renders the show dead and cancelled. It kind of died last year after the writers strike cut the season down to nine episodes. It was brought back to life for a second season. But now it will stay dead forever. I'm very saddened by this. After LOST, Pushing Daisies is my favorite show on TV right now. To add insult to injury, the 13th and last episode of the season ends with a rather significant cliffhanger which will never be resolved on camera. The creator has said the story will continue in comic book form. This is not satisfactory enough for me. In addition to my beloved Pushing Daises, here are the other shows axed by the networks so far this season.

• Dirty Sexy Money (ABC) - I've enjoyed this show. It should have been the next Dynasty but it never caught on.
• Do Not Disturb (FOX) - I never watched it. Was this even on? Is Jerry O'Connell the new kiss of death.
• Easy Money (CW) - Part of CW Sunday night gamble. There's too much else on Sunday for this network to have any chance.
• Eli Stone (ABC) - I've been sandbagging this season. I think I'll delete them all tonight.
• The Ex List (CBS) - Some crazy show about a crazy women who takes what a fortune teller told here seriously. No wonder no one took this show seriously.
• Lipstick Jungle (NBC) - Who says TV is only for women these days? I think if you make a show that doesn't appeal to the gays, it will fail.
• My Own Worst Enemy (NBC) - NBC heavily advertised this but it still didn't survive. I prefer fun spies like Chuck or nice spies like Burn Notice. Edward is a really bad guy so it was hard for me to like the show.
• Opportunity Knocks (ABC) - How does a game show fail? ABC found a way.
• Valentine (CW) - Also part of the CW Sunday. I think it was about cupid or something lame.

• There's no mystery. If you want mystery, watch LOST. There's always something we don't know. We seem to know too much with Heroes. Last week's big surprise, Claire's mom caused the train crash fire from the pilot. And really, was she traveling on a 1930's train? Modern cargo is transported in shipping containers, not box cars. Lame.


• The characters aren't interesting anymore. For good characters watch Chuck, where everyone is a spy, or Boston Legal, where everyone is a lawyer. I don't care about Mohinder or Hiro or Nathan or Matt anymore. Claire and Peter are getting tired as well. A season with just Syler and Noah hunting down villains would have been great.


• Does anybody stay dead? Peter and Nathan's dad returning as the head villain was ill conceived. Linderman is back in Nathan's mind. That was never really explained. Although I'd just prefer they not kill characters. It's too easy to kill characters.


• The comic relief isn't funny. Hiro thinking he is ten years old is week? Lame. For humor, go watch 30 Rock or Big Bang Theory.


• There's no action. No car crashes, no stunts, no foot chases. There's the occasional defenestration but very little action. For action, watch Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles or 24, which returns next week.

I've been a bit distracted this week with the election and all. Both my Tivos are getting rather full.

Last night was a really good episode of Ugly Betty. (1) They had the best line of the season: "I always blackmail people when I'm nervous, it's just kinda my goto." Wilhelmina said that to the new Meade CFO. (2) The new CFO is super hot. You may remember him as the super sexy Captain Gault, the captain of the freighter on LOST. (3) There was a great tender moment between Amanda and Betty and a tender moment between Betty and Wilhelmina. (4) Amanda's party poster, "The Roof, Friday, Are You on the List?" led to the best montage I've seen in a while. (5) And finally, the awkward scene between Justin and Wilhelmina. They bumped into each other at the after party and she gave him the funniest look. I want him working at Mode!

I really hope this is the episode they submit for Emmy consideration.

Labels: Ugly Betty

Last week Jon Hamm, the star of Mad Men, was the host of SNL last week. SNL has been better this year than it has in many years. And it's not just the political stuff. It is the awesomely weird and funny skits like this one.

Tonight is new again with host Ben Affleck. I don't know what he is promoting.

Labels: Saturday Night Live