The Next Food Network Star

No, I'm not really going to do a blog on the Next Food Network Star -- although the show is entertaining no matter how melodramatic and pathetic the contestants are.

I'm going to be frank -- with the two or three people who unwittingly visit this blog-- I haven't been watching much television this summer. True, Swingtown was supposed to be the highlight of my summer, but I haven't watched an episode. What has happened? Where have my television energies gone? I think they were sucked up my MSNBC and maybe by a little CNN every once in a blue moon.

I solemnly promise to be back in the television game by the fall, and if I can't get back into the swing of things, then something has gone terribly awry. Please tell Kieth Olbermann to let me out of the bubble they call cable news -- I'd really like my primetime network back.

Tvhapster and Tvhipster, please wish me luck.

Oh yeah, and leave us some comments. We would like to know how much this blog has brigtened your stellar, rosy red day.

Sam I Am

Samantha Who? is back and what a gem it is! The break did it some good as it returns more charming than ever. I know a show has captured me when I laugh out loud multiple times throughout and wear a smile in between the laughs.

Speaking of gems, Jennifer Esposito has really been standing out to me lately. She plays the character of Andrea with an airy likability and loving nature that lights up the screen.

What's especially nice about this show is it's decision to make the friendships trump the relationships. In a way it brings us back to the cattiness of girls in high school and the inevitable discovery we make when we find that there's more to life than our menial problems that seemed astronomical at the time.

Samantha Who? always brings a lovely message, delivered in the most creative of ways. Samantha is given a second chance, the rare opportunity to start fresh, yet she uses it to make peace with her past. She's the poster child for character growth and redemption. The character is endearing and with her she brings hope for the future. She proves that people have the ability to change and use free will to get what they want, or at least try to.

I'm less happy a few states over in Scranton, PA. The much buzzed about dinner party was a letdown to say the least. The Michael/Jan fight was a bit too over the top and I feel like they could have done more with Dwight/Angela. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy Jenna Fischer's reaction shots to Jan's accusations of her former "relationship" with Michael. This comes as no surprise, considering that I often find reaction shots to be the strongest aspects of shows. Sometimes it's what's not said that says the most.

Oh and just a quick note about Wisteria Lane. I'd say they should just put the show out of its misery and kill it, but it already feels dead to me.

The Mainstream Media

Tonight, I'm going to slip away from our normal discussion of dramatized television and focus in on our main stream media. The CNNs, MSNBCs and FOXnews channels.

I'm getting tired, alas weary, of the cable-news networks. When reporting on the vacation of a presidential candidate becomes public fodder, dare I say, we've gone too far!

The days of real news reporting are over, instead we are left with a bunch of people who know nothing of what they speak, and only peddle what they want or think they want us to hear.

Political pundits who spend no time in the real world, and all their time discussing the banal mini-wars between campaigns. McCarthy, the blue-stained dress, the Judas comment. The news dismisses these ridiculous arguments but then goes out of its way to report on it. And it's not just a 5 minute quip, it's hour of hashing and re-hashing till we just cannot take it anymore. Report the real issues. I know it's boring, but it's a hell of a lot more truthful than watching Obama sitting on a deck-chair in the Virgin Islands. I mean come on, I like the guy, but really? I thought PerezHilton and TMZ had a hold on scum-bucket news reporting.

So what are the best ways to counter the ever popular cable news? I guess you should write them, harass them with a barrage of emails or threaten to boycott their advertisers. OR, you can be like me -- you watch it daily and then find refuge at a bunch of politically slanted blogs.

I'd suggest that 'new' news comers avoid it like the plague. Stop watching now, you might only have days, hours or mere moments before you get sucked in. Only bad things can come out of watching the news daily. Thanks to the strike, this has been my sentence. May we pray that Swingtown brings us all out of this rut that we call 'the mainstream media'.

Melodramatic? I think not.

TvHipster may want us to believe that people do not speak from the heart when they talk about, "liberty and death and all that", but let me tell you: THEY DO. Melodramatic, I think not. Not that any of us actually knows, but John Adams probably spoke with the same intensity and veracity that we've witnessed from many powerful present day leaders.

I'd like to pose a question to our well-respected, articulate TvHipster. How should they have approached such a scene? Should it have lacked the fiery intensity or maybe it would have been better if the words blumbled out of his mouth?

John Badams?

"Utterly fantastic"?

Well, those wouldn't exactly be the words I'd use. It was good, and a welcome respite from the months of re-runs that we've all been subjected to, but I had a few problems with it.

Occasionally, it felt a bit melodramatic. Those speeches they gave during the Continental Congress felt a tad to overdone. Yes, they were great words, but did everyone scream about liberty and death and all that? I don't know, man.

The creators and producers meant for the miniseries to be as realistic as possible, and some of those moments felt inorganic to me.

Paul Giamatti is pretty good though. He changed his voice. I love when actors do that. Love it.

John Adams

Impressed. Indeed. More to come.

The John Adams miniseries kicked off tonight. Utterly fantastic, ultimately destined to be amazing in the weeks to come. A small spec of hope for the coming weeks, where re-runs splatter the airwaves. Also, here's to hoping it gets a little more pg-13 in the coming weeks. You know where I'm going...

April 3rd 2008

The NBC Thursday night lineup will be heading our way on April 3rd. I'd put up a promo video, but I can't find one.

Little add-on, a side note. Let me share some tender sediments, for a just a bit. All I ask for is your eyes, and some much needed social banter. (we have very little comments, almost none)

SNL. It has seen better days, years, months and so on. Tonight had a few moments of mention -- well maybe just one. As much as I respect Tina Fey, I must say that tonight she pwned. Yes, very much so.

"Bitch may be the new Black, But Black's the new President, Bitch!" I'm not sure if there were that many bitches, but I think it gets the point across. This might be a great point, but on this blog we do not make any political endorsements of any way, shape or form. Although, we strongly suggest that you reconsider voting for Monica Lewinky's x-boyfriend's wife.

SNL is slowly wooing me back into its good, yet unfunny graces.

...If only there was more on television to actually write about...(please come back television, please!)