Daniel's TV Blog

Better Off Ted
It's too bad, I really liked this show. I'm not a big fan of narrated shows, but this worked much like Malcolm In The Middle did. Ted was the only sane person in a really crazy corporate environment. The episode where they had to all swear at each other because of a memo typo was brilliant.


Scrubs
I think this is the third time this show was canceled. Maybe this time it will stay dead.

Ugly Betty
Flashforward didn't just kill my hopes for a great new TV show, it also killed Ugly Betty by taking its time slot. I think this show should have had one more season.

Cold Case
The only thing I know about this show is the MadTV skit:

CBS has a knack for having shows on for 7 seasons and still nobody I know has ever seen one episode.

Gary Unmarried
I never really watched this.

The New Adventures of Old Christine
I watched the first season until TiVo conflicts forced me to drop it. I think it is most successful post-Seinfled show. Let's see how The Marriage Ref does. I still can't believe it was renewed

Numb3rs
It looks like they knew this was going to be the last season since the cast already had new shows lined up before the official annoucement.

Ghost Whisperer
It's her cursed-blessing:

ABC is in talks this week to pick it up mid-season so it may not be all that dead. I can hear it whispering to me

Dollhouse
Like any Joss Wedin show is going to make it these days.

24
I stopped watching it this season because it was too violent.

Heroes
The first season was the best but then they just never built on the character strengths since then. The final season with the movable carnival was rather confusing.

Law & Order
Canceled after 20 seasons was quite a surprise. SVU continues on in its 12 season and Criminal Intent in its 9th. Then there were Crime & Punishment and Trial By Jury which have since gone away. It will be replaced with Law & Order: LA which is their first location based show taking a page from CSI and NCIS.

Labels: Better Off Ted, The Ghost Whisperer, Ugly Betty

OK so I'm still trying to fully parse out and understand the new fall season announced this week. It doesn't help that I'm still on the road and don't have a consistent schedule. PS, tomorrow I have 10.5 hours of driving, ugh! But there is one pattern I have noticed: Friday at 9:00. Every network has moved one of the shows I watch to Friday at 9:00. Well, FOX already had Dollhouse at that time slot and that is currently the only show I watch then. But in addition to Dollhouse (which I'm very happy was renewed) there is:

• Southland on NBC. Moved from Thursday at 10 for the nightly Jay.
• Medium on CBS. Transfer from NBC. This show makes more sense on CBS anyway but pairing it with The Boob Whisperer seems a bit much.
• Ugly Betty on ABC. Are they trying to kill this show? It had such a great Thursday night time slot at 8:00 which is perfect for comedies. They are replacing it with Flashforward. Although that does look really cool, a time twisting mystery drama does not belong at 8:00 on Thursday.

Since I had to drop Betty this year thanks to the DISH vs. KOMO battle, I'll probably drop that show altogether now. It's season finale is tomorrow. I won't be watching. Southland is one of my new favorite shows.

Labels: Medium, Southland, Ugly Betty, upfronts

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

For the two seasons of Ugly Betty, they have used the Seattle skyline as establishing shots. I imagine this passes by without many people noticing. Of course I saw it right away. I don't know why they are using Seattle shots instead of New York shots. My guess is there is some sort of cross-editing with Grey's Anatomy which does take place in Seattle. Ugly Betty, like most shows, is filmed in L.A. They usually do a good job of making the show look like it takes place in New York. Next season they will actually film the show in New York. I think that's a bad idea. Ugly Betty has this rich wonderful look with bright colors. Without the bright and more direct L.A. sunlight, the exterior shot will look a little more depressing like Law and Order. I'm sure post production will still take place in L.A. so I don't think we've seen the last of the Seattle skyline in Ugly Betty.

I found the finale to be funny and frustrating. Betty's "difficult choice" is not really that difficult. She could move to Tucson, thousands of miles from her family and dream job to live with Henry who will be constantly distracted by his child and baby mama. Or she can go to Rome with hot Gio paid for by Daniel and then return to her family and Mode just in time for the new fall season. It's clear what she'll do.


Other new developments included insta-child Daniel Jr., Wilhelmina and Mark return to Mode, and Hilda hooking up with hot Coach Ranger Guy. I call him Ranger Guy because that's what I called him on Invasion since I could never remember his character name.

Labels: Ugly Betty

The season premiers of rival time slot sophomore comedies had a great common joke that worked great for both shows: Fatty Fatty Fat Fats. On Ugly Betty, stick figure receptionist Amanda got chubby over the summer after she found out her real mother was the now deceased Fey Summers. This means her ex-boyfriend Daniel might be her half-brother. Icky! Fat reveal: Amanda stands up from behind the receptionist desk to expose her huge bottom.
The best joke: Wilhelmina sees just Amanda fat but and says, "Hi Betty."

Over on the Peacock network, 30 Rock returned with one of the funniest episodes of the season. Jenna returned from Hiatus with 30 extra pounds after working on Mystic Pizza, The Musical all summer. She ate 32 slices of pizza a week. Fat reveal: Jenna's make-up tarp thingy is removed while she talking to Liz. The best joke: while wearing a ill fitting outfit with large vertical stripes she exclaims, "It's Visual Trickery!"

I'm glad I have two TiVos so I can watch both.

Labels: 30 Rock, Ugly Betty

Ugly Betty premier is tonight. If you don't remember last season, the big cliffhanger was Santos getting shot trying to get to Justin's musical performance of West Side Story. Alexis and Daniel got in a car accident on a dark deserted curvy road in the middle of Manhattan. Wilhelmina got Brandford to propose and is planning their wedding. Claire Meede breaks out of the prison transfer vehicle and was last seen running down the street in chains. Christina and Amanda got locked in the love dungeon where they discovered that Amanda was actually Fey Sommers daughter. Is Brandford her father? Is Daniel her brother? Eww. And finally, Charlie announced she's preggers with Henry's baby and the two left New York FOREVA!

But he'll be back. Both Henry and Clair are joining the cast full time this season, which starts tonight. I'm hosting the season premier party and everyone is welcome. Well, not everyone.

Labels: Ugly Betty