Archive for October 22nd, 2007

Tonight on the TiFaux: Four Out of Five Networks

Tonight I’m taping shows on NBC, CBS, ABC, and the CW. If 24 were back on (and not sucking), that would bring it up to five out of five. Facts you didn’t know you didn’t need!

kristen.jpg

Kristen Bell joins the cast of Heroes tonight! The only frustrating thing is that she won’t be in every scene, a la Veronica, and with Heroes’ track record of cramming a lot of plots into one episode, we probably won’t see much of her at all. But exciting, nonetheless.

Less exciting every week: Chuck. It’s still on the list, but barely.

And then there’s The Only Show I Watch on CBS (Yes, That Includes Viva Laughlin, Ugh; I Will Explain Later): How I Met Your Mother.

Aliens in America continues to impress, though the sitcom-y situations are a little tiresome, even with the cross-cultural satire aspect of the show.

The pilot of Samantha Who? was very promising, especially the first five minutes and any scene involving Jean Smart. Let’s give it a chance, together.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming: Alec Baldwin returns to the hot seat on Inside the Actor’s Studio. In general I think Inside the Actor’s Studio is an extended erotic massage for celebrity’s fragile egos, but Alec probably has some interesting things to say.

3 comments October 22nd, 2007

Reality show quiz time

CMT has rounded up a to star in Good Country — a show that will feature the shared living space hysterics of The Real World with the country competition of Nashville Star with the amateur hour cringes of Celebrity Duets. To be hosted by Joe Rich of Big and Rich, a country band. He’ll pick the winner after six weeks of competition.

In any case, you (probably) know the drill. Below, you’ll find three possible contenders for the cast. One is correct. See if you can pick the right one.

Get them all right and you will receive a high five from me. But you’ll have to find me. And identify me. And explain to me that you read TiFaux and that you got them all right. If it’s worth it to you, feel free to claim your prize.

Celebrity Fit Club alum: Tiffany, Carnie Wilson, Gunnar Nelson

80s rock singer: Steve Perry, Dee Snider, Sammy Hagar

American Idol loser: Diana DeGarmo, Bo Bice, Melinda Doolittle

Smoldering singer: Julio Iglesias, Jr., Ricky Martin, J.C. Chasez

Brady Buncher: Christopher Knight, Maureen McCormick, Florence Henderson

Urban singer: L.L. Cool J, Nas, Sisqo

New Edition member: Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill

Click the jump to find out the answers.

Click to continue reading “Reality show quiz time”

2 comments October 22nd, 2007

Damages

damages.jpgThis weekend I took F/X up on its offer of a day full of Damages, and I don’t regret it. Damages has a few little quirks that become even more obvious when an entire season is viewed over a two-day period, but overall it’s an intense, engrossing show, and I can’t wait to see the final resolution tomorrow.

One of the reasons I think it works so well (and I’m sure I’m not the only one saying this) is because it’s essentially a show about two women. It would have been different — and probably really bad — if the Glenn Close character and the young lawyer she corrupts were both men. This way the show can be about women and power and ambition and balancing relationships and work, in addition to a murder mystery involving a corrupt businessman.

The set-up seems at first like the drama version of The Devil Wears Prada: ruthless and successful boss tortures/mentors/uses young, innocent subordinate. And in a lot of ways I think that’s a good comparison. Glenn Close’s character, Patty Hewes, doesn’t care about you, her insignificant employee. It’s a mistake to think that she would care about you just because she’s a woman. The young lawyer makes that mistake over and over again, treating Patty like a friend rather than a terrifying boss, which she never would do if Patty was a man. This allows Patty to do her job even better than she did before: Her subordinates are practically asking to be manipulated and used. She can do whatever she likes, and it usually works.

Of course, now that the season is wrapping up, Patty’s having to face some consequences for her winner-takes-all philosophy. And frankly, that makes me a little sad, and a little scared. I don’t like a powerless Patty; she’s supposed to be the one who gets things done, not has things done to her. And I’m scared because I think Patty likes being in this position even less — and that does not bode well for Young Blackmailing Associate. (BTW, shouldn’t Y. B. A. have learned that blackmailing is totally not awesome by now?) In a show where we’ve come to expect major reversals, I don’t think Patty has been beaten down — not by a long shot.

Overall, the acting is superb (in addition to Glenn Close, Ted Danson and his lawyer are particularly great), the writing is high above average, and the twists are fun to predict. And there are great, dramatic, original female characters — proof it can be done.

2 comments October 22nd, 2007

The More You Know: Polyethylene edition

This “edition” brought to you by the random word generator.

2 comments October 22nd, 2007


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