CBS has announced their lineup for the fall season.  New shows are in bold.

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE
9:00-9:30 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN
9:30-10:00 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: MIAMI

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE

WEDNESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
8:30-9:00 PM GARY UNMARRIED
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: NY

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GHOST WHISPERER
9:00-10:00 PM MEDIUM
10:00-11:00 PM NUMB3RS

SATURDAY
8:00-9:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THREE RIVERS
10:00-11:00 PM COLD CASE

New CBS Fall Show Descriptions

ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE is a comedy starring Golden Globe Award winner Jenna Elfman as Billie, a single woman who finds herself “accidentally” pregnant after a one-night stand with a much younger guy, and decides to keep the baby… and the guy. A newspaper film critic, Billie is barely surviving a humiliating breakup with her charming boss, James (Grant Show), who’s still trying to resume their relationship. Suddenly expecting a child with her “boy toy,” Zack (Jon Foster), Billie and Zack make an arrangement: to live together platonically. Billie’s party girl best friend Olivia (Ashley Jensen), and Abby (Lennon Parham), her conventional, younger married sister, eagerly look forward to the new addition and offer their own brands of advice and encouragement. But when Zack and his freeloading friends, including Davis (Nicolas Wright), start to turn her place into a frat house, Billie isn’t sure if she’s living with a boyfriend, a roommate, or if she just has another child to raise. Lloyd Braun, Gail Berman, Gene Stein and Claudia Lonow are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Pamela Fryman directed the pilot.

Sean’s Take: It almost sounds like a reversal of her hit show Dharma & Greg, except this time she’s the semi-responsible one.  Whatever, it’ll probably last a couple seasons.

NCIS: LOS ANGELES is a drama about the high stakes world of undercover surveillance at the Office of Special Projects (OSP), a division of NCIS that is charged with apprehending dangerous and elusive criminals that pose a threat to the nation’s security. By assuming false identities and utilizing the most advanced technology, this team of highly trained agents goes deep undercover, putting their lives on the line in the field to bring down their targets. Special Agent “G” Callen (Chris O’Donnell) is a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld. His partner is Special Agent Sam Hanna (LL COOL J), a former U.S. Navy SEAL who has seen action in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and a surveillance expert who uses state of the art monitoring equipment to look out for those in the field and feed them crucial information. Both Callen and Hanna report to Special Agent Lara Macy (Louise Lombard), the OSP team leader responsible for directing the operations and making life-or-death decisions. Assisting the team is Special Agent Kensi Lo (Daniela Ruah), the exceptionally bright daughter of a slain Marine who lives for the adrenalin rush that comes with undercover work, and Operational Psychologist Nate Getz (Peter Cambor), adept at getting into anybody’s head, profiling the target and monitoring agents’ states of mind before, during and after missions. Armed with the latest in high tech gear and sent regularly into life-threatening situations, this tight-knit team relies on each other to do what is necessary to protect national interests. Shane Brennan (”NCIS”) is the executive producer for CBS Television Studios.

Sean’s Take: Like the endless CSI shows, I am sure this one will have no problem finding an audience.

THE GOOD WIFE is a drama starring Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies as a wife and mother who must assume full responsibility for her family and re-enter the workforce after her husband’s very public sex and political corruption scandal lands him in jail. Pushing aside the betrayal and crushing public humiliation caused by her husband Peter (Chris Noth), Alicia Florrick (Margulies) starts over by pursuing her original career as a defense attorney. As a junior associate at a prestigious Chicago law firm, she joins her longtime friend, former law school classmate and firm partner Will Gardner (Josh Charles), who is interested to see how Alicia will perform after 13 years out of the courtroom. Alicia is grateful the firm’s top litigator, Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), offers to mentor her but discovers the offer has conditions and realizes she’s going to need to succeed on her own merit. Alicia’s main competition among the firm’s 20-something new recruits is Cary (Matt Czuchry), a recent Harvard grad who is affable on the surface, but will use any means to ensure that he, not Alicia, secures the one full-time associate position that’s available. Fortunately, Alicia finds an ally in Kalinda (Archie Panjabi), the firm’s tough in-house investigator. Gaining confidence every day, Alicia transforms herself from embarrassed politician’s scorned wife to resilient career woman, especially for the sake of providing a stable home for her children, 14-year-old Zach (Graham Phillips) and 13-year-old Grace (Makenzie Vega). For the first time in years, Alicia trades in her identity as the “good wife” and takes charge of her own destiny. Tony Scott, Ridley Scott, Robert King, Michelle King, Dee Johnson and David Zucker are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

Sean’s Take: Good cast, but it will need strong scripts to survive.  Sounds mildly interesting, though.

THREE RIVERS is a medical drama that goes inside the emotionally complex lives of organ donors, the recipients and the surgeons at the preeminent transplant hospital in the country where every moment counts. However, dealing with donor families in their darkest hour and managing the fears and concerns of apprehensive recipients takes much more than just a sharp scalpel. Leading the elite team is Dr. Andy Yablonski (Alex O’Loughlin), the highly-skilled workaholic lead organ transplant surgeon, whose good-natured personality and sarcastic wit makes him popular with his patients and colleagues. His colleagues include Dr. Miranda Foster (Katherine Moennig), a surgical fellow with a rebellious streak and fiery temper who strives to live up to her deceased father’s excellent surgical reputation; Dr. David Lee (Daniel Henney), a womanizing surgical resident who’s broken as many hearts as he’s replaced; Ryan Abbott (Christopher J. Hanke), the inexperienced new transplant coordinator who arranges the intricately choreographed process of quickly and carefully transporting organs from donor to patient; Dr. Sophia Jordan (Julia Ormond), the head of surgery and a dedicated medical professional; and Pam Acosta (Justina Machado), Andy’s no-nonsense operating assistant and best friend. In this high stakes arena, in which every case is a race against the clock, these tenacious surgeons and medical professionals are the last hope for their patients. Carol Barbee, Curtis Hanson and Carol Fenelon are the executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

Sean’s Take: The same plot each week?  I mean, yes, it works on shows like CSI, but each week being orgna donation?  This sounds like it would get boring pretty darn quick.

New CBS Midseason Show Descriptions

ARRANGED MARRIAGE is a series that brings the tradition of arranged marriages, which is still practiced successfully by many cultures throughout the world, to the U.S., where it is virtually an inconceivable option for most single Americans. Three adults who are anxious to get married, but who have been unsuccessful in their own search for a mate, choose a life-altering path. They rely on their closest family and friends, those who love and know them best, to choose someone for them to marry based on shared goals, values, experiences and the commitment to make it work. The series intimately documents these three arranged marriages, starting with the first meetings of the families and the wedding day; and then follows the couple through the day-to-day joys, challenges, and emotional tumult that results from their arranged union. Emmy Award nominees Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth are executive producers for Magical Elves Inc.

Sean’s Take: … ugh.  I hope this flops just on the concept.

THE BRIDGE is a drama about a tough and dedicated police officer who is voted to become the police union’s dynamic leader. To serve the public as well as his 8,000 fellow officers, charismatic Frank Leo (Aaron Douglas) battles criminals on the street, corruption in the ranks and his own bosses. On the force is his able partner and confidante Tommy Dunn (Paul Popowich), who rides with Frank across the bridge that spans the divide between the rich and the poor in the area they patrol; Staff Sergeant Bernie Kantor (Frank Cassini), a voice of reason and moral sounding board; Jill (Inga Cadranel), a detective with a lot of attitude who is moving up the ranks; Billy (Theresa Joy), a young female cop who is determined to prove herself to the guys; and Ed Wycoff (Michael Murphy), the shrewd Chief of Police. Abby St. James (Ona Grauer) is a sharp prosecutor who begins working with the police union, and shares a mutual attraction with Frank. In his new position, Frank Leo takes on the politically-motivated department brass… and makes many powerful enemies in the process. Craig Bromell, Adam J. Shully, Laszlo Barna, Alan Di Fiore and Robert Wertheimer are executive producers for E1 Entertainment, 990 Multi Media Entertainment Company and Jonsworth Productions in association with CTV and CBS Television Studios.

Sean’s Take: Cop shows are having a hard time of it lately, not sure how this will do to be honest.

MIAMI TRAUMA is about a team of expert surgeons who work at one of the premiere trauma facilities in the country, where only patients with life threatening injuries are treated. Dr. Matthew Proctor (Jeremy Northam) is new to the trauma team, after a tour of duty in a MASH unit during the Gulf war. Dr. Eva Zambrano (Lana Parrilla) is a workaholic surgeon who is more comfortable in her scrubs than she is out in the real world. Dr. Christopher Deleo, “Dr. C.,” is a playboy who thrives on the high-stakes of trauma medicine and is, by his own description, a genius redneck. Dr. Serena Warren (Elisabeth Harnois) is fresh out of medical school, and head nurse Tuck Brody (Omar Gooding) keeps the doctors on track and the patients’ families updated in this chaotic corner of the medical profession. Together, this team of doctors excels in the “golden hour,” the 60 minutes after being critically injured, when a patient’s life hangs in the balance. Jerry Bruckheimer, Jeffrey Lieber and Jonathan Littman are executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution.

Sean’s Take: So… it’s yet another medical drama.  These are hit and miss shows, no clue what this one will do.

UNDERCOVER BOSS is a new reality series that follows high level corporate executives as they slip anonymously into the lowest level jobs within their companies. Once undercover, they’ll get their hands dirty with the rank and file, find out what their employees REALLY think of them and discover how smoothly their companies are REALLY run. In the process, these senior executives learn about themselves, the perception of their company and the spirit of their work force. Stephen Lambert is the executive producer for Studio Lambert, Ltd.

Sean’s Take: Sounds like it could be interesting, but feels more like a cable show than a network show.

Sean’s Overall Take on CBS

They’re sitting pretty at number one, why should they take risks?  This is actually the most sensible schedule we’ve seen yet.  Not sure why they moved The Big Bang Theory, but other than that, a solid schedule.

NBC had their turn at the new season announcements today, and… well… it was interesting.

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. “Heroes”
9-10 p.m. – “TRAUMA”
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. “The Biggest Loser” (two-hour edition)
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. “PARENTHOOD”
9-10 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. “SNL WEEKEND UPDATE THURSDAY” (multi-episode run)
8:30-9 p.m. “Parks and Recreation”
9- 9:30 p.m. “The Office”
9:30-10 p.m. “COMMUNITY” (moves to Thursdays 8-8:30 p.m. after multi-episode run “30 Rock” returns)
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. “Law & Order”
9-10 p.m. “Southland”
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. “Dateline NBC”
9-10 p.m. “TRAUMA” (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY
7- 8:20 p.m. “Football Night in America”
8:20-11 p.m. “NBC Sunday Night Football”

NBC MID-SEASON 2010 SCHEDULE

(2010 WINTER OLYMPICS preempt regularly scheduled programming from February 12-28)

*New programs in UPPER CASE

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. “Chuck” (season premiere)
9-10 p.m. – “DAY ONE”
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

TUESDAY
8-9:30 p.m. “The Biggest Loser” (90-minute edition) 9:30-10 p.m. “100 QUESTIONS”
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. “MERCY”
9-10 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

THURSDAY
8- 8:30 p.m. “COMMUNITY”
8:30-9 p.m. “Parks and Recreation”
9- 9:30 p.m. “The Office”
9:30-10 p.m. “30 Rock”
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. “Law & Order”
9-10 p.m. “Southland”
10-11 p.m. “THE JAY LENO SHOW”

SATURDAY
8-9 p.m. “Dateline NBC”
9-10 p.m. “Southland” (encore broadcast)
10-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (encore broadcast)

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. “Dateline NBC”
8-9 p.m. THE MARRIAGE REF
9-11 p.m. “The Celebrity Apprentice” (season premiere; two-hour edition)

This is normally where I break down the new show descriptions and give you my take on each one, but seeing as NBC did not see fit to provide official descriptions, I guess I won’t be doing that.  I will say that you can see that when you actually see The Jay Leno Show on the schedule, you see just how much it has impacted the traditional schedule: Shows are all shifted around, others are canceled (Medium got canceled and snapped up by CBS all in the same breath), it looks like an abstract painting of a schedule as opposed to an actual one.  NBC is making a huge gamble on moving Jay Leno into prime time, and I have already written about how I expect it to do badly.  There is no way they will cancel it, but boy are they going to be scrambling to figure out how to make up for it.  

I have no clue what to make of the fact they have consigned Saturday nights to repeats.  It’s like they said “Why should we bother?”  In short, NBC is currently in fourth place iamongst the major networks, and with this schedule I hope they like that spot.

It’s time for ABC to do their presentation for next season.  As always, new shows are in bold.

MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars” (two-hours)
10:00 p.m. “Castle”

TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Shark Tank”
9:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars the Results Show”
10:00 p.m. “The Forgotten”

WEDNESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Hank”
8:30 p.m. “The Middle”
9:00 p.m. “Modern Family”
9:30 p.m. “Cougar Town”
10:00 p.m. “Eastwick”

THURSDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Flash Forward”
9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m. “Private Practice”

FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Supernanny”
9:00 p.m. “Ugly Betty”
10:00 p.m. “20/20″

SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Saturday Night College Football”

SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
9:00 p.m. “Desperate Housewives”
10:00 p.m. “Brothers & Sisters”

“The Bachelor” will air Monday nights from 8:00-10:00 p.m. following the run of “Dancing with the Stars,” and “Scrubs” and “Better Off Ted” will air at 9:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively, following the run of “Dancing with the Stars The Results Show.”  “LOST” will return at an undetermined time during the season.

New ABC Show Descriptions

“COUGAR TOWN”

Courteney Cox stars as a recently divorced single mother exploring the honest truths about dating and aging in our beauty and youth obsessed culture.

“Cougar Town” stars Courteney Cox as Jules, Christa Miller as Elle, Busy Philipps as Laurie, Dan Byrd as Travis, Brian Van Holt as Bobby, Josh Hopkins as Grayson and Ian Gomez as Andy.

The series is from ABC Studios. Bill Lawrence is executive producer/writer/director, Kevin Biegel is writer/co-executive producer, and Courteney Cox and David Arquette are executive producers.

Sean’s Take: While not my cup of tea, this might have some longevity to it.  It’s a timely issue in our society as women are owning their sexuality much later into life than they used to.  Might go to a second season, I’m not sure yet.

“THE DEEP END”

Each year one of LA’s most prestigious law firms recruits four young lawyers from the finest law schools worldwide. The only way for these first-years to survive is to support each other even as they compete against one another in the cutthroat arena of high-end law. Sex, greed, romance, betrayal it’s all part of being a first year associate at Sterling Law.

“The Deep End” stars Matt Long as Dylan Hewitt, Ben Lawson as Liam Priory, Tina Majorino as Addy Fisher, Norbert Leo Butz as Rowdy Kaiser, Leah Pipes as Beth Bancroft, Billy Zane as Cliff Huddle, Sherri Saum as Susan Oppenheim and Clancy Brown as Hart Sterling.

The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. David Hemingson is executive producer/writer. The pilot was directed by Michael Fresco.

Sean’s Take: I don’t know why, but I’m getting a real Dirty Sexy Money vibe off of this one.  Any time ABC tries to focus on “sex” and “greed” they pretty much bungle the job.  It just isn’t who they are.

“EASTWICK”

Three very different women find themselves drawn together by a mysterious man who unleashes unique powers in each of them, and this small New England town will never be the same. The series is based on the popular movie “The Witches of Eastwick” and on the novel of the same title by John Updike.

“Eastwick” stars Rebecca Romijn as Roxie Torcoletti, Lindsay Price as Joanna Frankel, Jamie Ray Newman as Kat Gardener, Paul Gross as Darryl Van Horne, Sara Rue as Penny, Veronica Cartwright as Bun, Johann Urb as Will, Jon Bernthal as Raymond and Ashley Benson as Mia.

The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Maggie Friedman is executive producer/writer. The pilot was directed by David Nutter.

Sean’s Take: … no, no and NO.  It worked as a movie, it will not work as a television series.  I am just boggled how this even got past concept to pilot.  Bad, bad, horrible idea.  If this makes it past six episodes I’ll be shocked.

“FLASH FORWARD”

When a mysterious event causes the entire world to black out, humanity is given a glimpse into its near future, and every man, woman and child is forced to come to grips with whether their destinies can be avoided or fulfilled.

Adapting award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer’s revolutionary novel, executive producers David S. Goyer (visionary co-writer of “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”) and Brannon Braga (”24,” “Star Trek: Enterprise”) invite you to embark on a journey to answer the question, “if you knew what your future held, what would you do?”

“Flash Forward” stars Joseph Fiennes as Mark Benford, John Cho as Demetri Noh, Jack Davenport as Lloyd Simcoe, Sonya Walger as Olivia Benford, Courtney B. Vance as Stan Wedeck, Brian O’Byrne as Aaron Stark, Christine Woods as Janis Hawk, Zachary Knighton as Bryce Varley and Peyton List as Nicole.

The series is from ABC Studios. David S. Goyer is executive producer/writer/director. Brannon Braga is executive producer and co-wrote the pilot. Other executive producers are Marc Guggenheim, Jessika Goyer, Vince Gerardis and Ralph Vicinanza. Guggenheim will be the showrunner, along with Goyer.

Sean’s Take: It was a novel, and you think you can take it to series length?  Maybe a mini-series, but an ongoing serial?  Seems like another one of those “would have worked in another format” deals.

“THE FORGOTTEN”

From executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer comes a crime show in which a team of dedicated amateurs work on cases involving unidentified victims. After the police have given up, this group must first solve the puzzle of the victim’s identity in order to then help catch the killer. They work to give the deceased back their names, lest they become — The Forgotten.

“The Forgotten” stars Rupert Penry-Jones as Alex, Reiko Aylesworth as Linda, Michelle Borth as Candace, Bob Stephenson as Walter, Anthony Carrigan as Tyler and Rochelle Aytes as Detective Grace Russell.

The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television. Mark Friedman is executive producer/writer, Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman are executive producers, KristieAnne Reed is co-executive producer and Danny Cannon is executive producer/director.

Sean’s Take: I don’t know on this one.  Jerry Bruckheimer is the man behind the CSI franchises, so he knows how to rope an audience, but it feels a bit too much like Cold Case from CBS to me.  And the group being amateurs feels a bit odd.  Don’t know on this one, not sure there has been much like it, will have to hook viewers pretty quickly to go long.

“HANK”

Kelsey Grammer stars in this timely comedy as Hank Pryor, a titan of industry who suddenly finds himself out of work, almost out of money and around a wife and kids for whom he’s never made much time. Despite his recent setbacks, however, Hank is confident he’s on the road back to the top. He knows he is destined to return to greatness. And he is just not the greatness he imagines.

“Hank” stars Kelsey Grammer as Hank, Melinda McGraw as Tilly, David Koechner as Grady, Macey Cruthird as Maddie and Ryan Wynott as Henry.

The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with McMonkey Inc., Grammnet Productions, Werner Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. It is written by Tucker Cawley. Tom Werner, Tucker Cawley, Kelsey Grammer and Mike Clements serve as executive producers. The pilot was directed by James Burrows.

Sean’s Take: This is either going to be a huge hit or a huge flop, there is no middle ground on this one.  For it to be a hit, it would require people to want to revel in what has happened to the real titans of industry in the USA as of late.  However, that could also be its undoing as people watch TV and movies generally to forget the miseries of real life.  I love Kelsey Grammer, but this concept is going to walk a real tightrope with viewers on how much they want to visit this subject this soon after all of the economic issues.

“HAPPY TOWN”

Haplin, Minnesota, “Happy Town,” is approaching almost a decade of peace after being riddled for years by unsolved kidnappings. But in the wake of this small town’s first crime in seven years, some dark truths are being revealed about some familiar faces. They say every town has its secrets that doesn’t even begin to describe Happy Town.

“Happy Town” stars Geoff Stults as Tommy Conroy, Lauren German as Henley, Amy Acker as Rachel Conroy, Dean Winters as John Haplin, John Patrick Amedori as Andrew Haplin, Sarah Gadon as Georgia Bravin, Jay Paulson as Larry Root Beer’ Rogers, Robert Wisdom as Roger Hobbes and Sam Neill as Merritt Grieves.

The series is from ABC Studios. Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg are executive producers and co-writers. The pilot was directed by Gary Fleder, who is also an executive producer.

Sean’s Take: Again… series length?  What is up with ABC and the mini-series length show concepts going to full series?  My feeling is pretty much a disaster here.

“THE MIDDLE”

The Hecks are a middle class family living in the middle of Indiana, just trying to keep their heads above water. Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars as a wife and mother of three in a comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations.

“The Middle” stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Eden Sher as Sue, Atticus Shaffer as Brick and Charlie McDermott as Axel.

The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline are executive producers/writers and Werner Walian is producer. The pilot was directed by Julie Anne Robinson.

Sean’s Take: Eh.  Standard sitcom fare, very bland and middle of the road.  This is the network that kept According To Jim on the air for eight seasons, this one will probably last for some time.

“MODERN FAMILY”

Today’s American families come in all shapes and sizes. Shot from the perspective of an unseen documentary filmmaker, this comedy takes a modern look at the complications that come with being a family in 2009.

“Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay, Sofa Vergara as Gloria, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron, Ty Burrell as Phil, Julie Bowen as Claire, Sarah Hyland as Haley, Rico Rodriguez as Manny, Nolan Gould as Luke and Ariel Winter as Alex.

The series is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television. Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd are executive producers. The pilot was directed by Jason Winer.

Sean’s Take: I liked this show when it was called Sherman Oaks (except the filmmaker played a role in that).  Could be funny, will have to see an episode before I pass final judgment.

“SHARK TANK”

From Mark Burnett, executive producer of “Survivor” and “The Apprentice,” and Sony Pictures Television comes “Shark Tank,” an exciting new reality show that gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to make their dreams come true and become successful and possibly wealthy business people. But the entrepreneurs must first try to convince five tough, multi-millionaire tycoons to part with their own hard-earned cash and give them the funding they need to jumpstart their ideas.

In these trying economic times, it’s difficult for an individual possessing a dream or even a working small business poised for growth to get a loan for a risky venture. Whether it be an imaginative enhancement for an existing product, a family recipe that has all the ingredients to become a profitable culinary treat, or the latest technological gadget that could take the world by storm, most of these dreams die an early death because no one dared take a financial chance on someone with an unproven and oftentimes outrageous proposal. Many of these people now see “Shark Tank” as their last chance at success. Some have been laboring on their ideas for years or even decades, have invested large amounts of money, and are being pressured to throw in the towel by friends and family. Others have simply never had access to the means to live out their dreams, until now.

Enter the Sharks of “Shark Tank” Barbara Corcoran (Manhattan real estate titan), Kevin Harrington (king of infomercials), Robert Herjavec (technology tycoon), Daymond John (fashion mogul) and Kevin O’Leary (venture capitalist) five multi-millionaires who lifted themselves up by their bootstraps to make their own entrepreneurial dreams come true and turned their ideas into empires.

Each week ambitious entrepreneurs from across the country will present their breakthrough business concepts, products, properties and services to the panel of ruthless investors. Their goal is to convince these merciless moguls to invest their own dollars in the concept. Convincing real-life millionaires to part with their own money is no easy task, because when the idea is poor, the Sharks will tear into the ill-prepared presenters and pass on the idea with a simple, “I’m out!” — sending them running for the exit.

But these Sharks aren’t just out for blood, they too have a goal: to own a piece of the next big idea. Entrepreneurs will be asked to give up a percentage of their companies’ equity to the Sharks in order to get the investment they need. But when the Sharks hear a really top-notch idea, and more than one of them wants to sink their teeth into it, a war between them will erupt. Then the once-desperate entrepreneur can rejoice when the Sharks reveal their true interest in the product and bid up the price of the investment.

Sean’s Take: Well, this is based on the British show called Dragon’s Den.  If they do it in limited “cycles” like other reality shows, it may work.  I love the original version, but how many times has a USA network screwed up a British concept?

“V”

“V” is a re-imagining of the 1980’s miniseries about the world’s first encounter with an alien race in which the aliens call themselves The Visitors, and have a seemingly friendly agenda that may or may not be a cover for something more malevolent.

“V” stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Erica Evans, Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols, Joel Gretsch as Father Jack Landry, Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie Stevens, Logan Huffman as Tyler Evans, Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, with Morena Baccarin as Anna and Scott Wolf as Chad Decker.

The series is produced by HDFilms in association with Warner Bros. Television. Scott Peters is executive producer/writer and Steve Pearlman and Jace Hall are executive producers. The pilot was directed and executive produced by Yves Simoneau.

Sean’s Take: Could be great, could be horrible.  The V mini-series was great, V: The Final Battle was okay, V: The Series was a complete train wreck.  This is a “re-imagining”, but I am sure the basic concepts will stay intact, but lets just hope there is no “star child” malarky to mess the whole thing up.

Sean’s Overall Take on ABC

I know I didn’t do this with the Fox line-up, but there is something really glaring at me in ABC’s schedule: Wednesday night is all new.  I’m not sure I can ever remember a network taking a gamble like that.  There is no proven show to anchor the night, and that is a huge risk for them to give it a go.

Also, moving Ugly Betty to Friday nights is a bad sign this show is on its last legs.  Friday’s are like the graveyard of the television schedue, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see it go for a limited run this year.

It looks like ABC is going to stir things up this year, and I’m not so sure they’re doing it in the right way.

The Fox schedule for next season is out, and unlike last year, there are more than two new shows on the way..

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM LIE TO ME

TUESDAY
8:00-10:00 PM SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Performance Show

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Results Show
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE

FRIDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM ‘TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE

SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM THE OT (NFL post-game)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

FOX PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: MIDSEASON 2010 (All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM 24

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Performance Show
9:00-10:00 PM PAST LIFE

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Results Show
9:00-10:00 PM HUMAN TARGET (January) / GLEE (spring)

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE

FRIDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM ‘TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE

SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
7:30-8:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM SONS OF TUCSON
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW

New Fox Show Descriptions

GLEE

McKinley High School’s Glee Club used to be at the top of the show choir world, but years later, it has turned into a haven for misfits and social outcasts. But at McKinley, things for the Glee Club are about to change. From Ryan Murphy, the creator of “Nip/Tuck,” comes GLEE, an uplifting comedy musical series with biting humor that features a soundtrack of hit music from past to present. The show follows an optimistic high school teacher as he tries to refuel his own passion for singing while reinventing the school’s glee club and challenging a group of underdogs to realize their star potential. WILL SCHUESTER (Matthew Morrison) has offered to take on the Herculean task of restoring McKinley’s Glee Club to its former glory with the help of fellow teacher and germaphobe EMMA PILLSBURY (Jayma Mays). It’s a tall order when the brightest stars of the club include KURT (Chris Colfer), a nerdy soprano with a flair for the dramatic; MERCEDES (Amber Riley), a dynamic diva-in-training who refuses to sing back-up; ARTIE (Kevin McHale), a geeky guitarist who spends more time avoiding bullies than chasing girls; and TINA (Jenna Ushkowitz), an awkward girl who needs to suppress her stutter before she can take center stage. Will’s only hope lies with two true talents: RACHEL BERRY (Lea Michele), a perfectionist firecracker who is convinced that show choir is her ticket to stardom; and FINN HUDSON (Cory Monteith), the popular high school quarterback with movie star looks and a Motown voice who must protect his reputation with his holier-than-thou girlfriend and head cheerleader, QUINN (Dianna Agron), and his arrogant football teammate, PUCK (Mark Salling). Driven by his secret past, Will is determined to do whatever it takes to make Glee great again, even though everyone around him thinks he’s nuts. He’s out to prove them all wrong from his tough-as-nails wife TERRI SCHUESTER (Jessalyn Gilsig) to McKinley’s scheming cheerleading coach SUE SYLVESTER (Jane Lynch) to an ber-hip world that thinks jazz hands and sequined tuxedos litter the road to infamy rather than pave the way to Hollywood dreams.

Sean’s Take: Well, the promos look funny, but I get a distinct “I pitched this as a movie, no one bought it, so I’m going to try it on television” vibe from it.  Not sure how you carry this concept out as a full series.  I don’t picture it lasting, but I do see a cult following for it.

THE CLEVELAND SHOW

THE CLEVELAND SHOW is a new animated series that follows everyone’s favorite soft-spoken neighbor, CLEVELAND BROWN (Mike Henry), to his hometown in Virginia as he settles down with his high school sweetheart, her unruly kids and his own 14-year-old son, CLEVELAND JR. (Kevin Michael Richardson). Many years ago, Cleveland was a high school student madly in love with a beautiful girl named DONNA (Sanaa Lathan). Much to his dismay, his love went unrequited, and Donna wound up marrying another man. Cleveland once told Donna he would always love her, and if this man ever done her wrong, he’d be there when she called. Well, this man done her wrong. Donna’s husband ran off, leaving Donna with a teenage daughter and a young son. Now she’s open to Cleveland and has offered him another chance at love. Unattached after the Loretta-Quagmire debacle and true to his word, Cleveland joyously reunites with Donna, and he and Cleveland Jr. move to Virginia to join their new family. Once in Virginia, there are a few surprises in store for Cleveland, including ROBERTA (Reagan Gomez-Preston), a rebellious new stepdaughter; RALLO (Henry), his new 5-year-old stepson who loves the ladies; and a collection of neighbors that includes a loudmouth redneck, LESTER (Richardson); a hipster wanna-be, HOLT (guest voice Jason Sudeikis); and a religious pair of talking bears, TIM (Seth MacFarlane) and his wife ARIANNA (guest voice Arianna Huffington).

Sean’s Take: Did we really need a spin-off from Family Guy?  More importantly, did we need a spin-off of one of the least used characters from Family Guy?  What’s even odder is that Fox already ordered a second season of it without one episode having aired yet!  This one is just totally beyond me.

BROTHERS

Starring Michael Strahan (”FOX NFL Sunday”) and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell (”Ed,” “Veronica’s Closet”), BROTHERS is a new half-hour comedy about a former NFL hot shot who learns that even though you can always go home again, the trip back might be tougher than you think. MIKE TRAINOR (Strahan) seemingly has it all he’s a good-looking, wealthy and recently retired NFL player living the high-life in New York City, but he’s about to get sidelined. When Mike gets a phone call from his MOM (CCH Pounder, “The Shield”) who orders him home to Houston, he quickly realizes the more his life has changed, the more his family has stayed the same. His brother CHILL (Daryl “Chill” Mitchell), whose life was altered drastically after a car accident left him in a wheelchair, is struggling to keep his restaurant afloat with the help of his loudmouth associate, ROSCOE (Colton Dunn, “MADtv”). The dynamics between Mike and Chill are the same as when they were kids, and their sibling rivalry hasn’t lessened with age. If they can stop their bickering, put aside their differences and learn to be teammates, the brothers might just turn out to be each other’s biggest asset. Copy/pasted from The Futon Critic Wedged between Mike and Chill are their parents. Their father, whom everyone refers to as COACH (Carl Weathers, “Rocky”), is the local high school football coach and the conservative, opinionated alpha male of his clan. Coach thinks he runs the show, but really it’s Mom who calls the shots. Saucy, stern and a schemer, she is the mastermind of the family. And when she learns that Mike’s business manager took off with all his money, she orchestrates a plan to keep Mike in Houston, save Chill’s restaurant and bring the family back together under one roof again all without anyone realizing what she’s up to. Mom’s plan helps Mike realize that his family however dysfunctional they may be is the only family he’s got. And although he may not have a penny to his name, as long as he’s surrounded by people who love him, he’ll always be a rich man.

Sean’s Take: This show holds zero interest for me, but I oddly see it doing “okay” in the ratings.

THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)

Emmy Award-winning actress, comedian and author Wanda Sykes returns to FOX to host the innovative and irreverent new Saturday late-night series, THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title). The high-energy one-hour show will feature biting commentary on topical issues and heated panel discussions with recurring personalities. The series’ unique format will highlight Sykes’ outspoken comedic perspective on current events and will also allow her to leave the studio to shoot segments in the field.

Sean’s Take: It’ll be on late night Saturdays… if Mad TV could exist in that slot through 14 seasons, I’m pretty sure this will be good for a few years at least.  Don’t get me wrong, I think Ms. Sykes is funny, I just can’t imagine this show needing to do much to stay on the air.

HUMAN TARGET

It takes a brave, selfless man to make himself a “human target” in order to save the lives of those in danger. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, HUMAN TARGET is a full-throttle action drama centered on CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Mark Valley, FRINGE), a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect. Call him what you like, because for Chance, it’s about one thing only: saving his clients’ lives. When there is an unusual or imminent threat that can’t be solved through “normal” means of protection, Chance is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients’ lives to become the human target. If you’re a corporate manager whose disgruntled employee has gone violently off the deep end, Chance is your new auditor. If you’re the president of a bank who’s been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller. During each job, Chance, assisted by his business partner WINSTON (Chi McBride, “Pushing Daisies”) and hired gun GUERRERO (Jackie Earle Haley, “Watchmen”), puts himself directly in the line of fire as he races against time to save his client, while unraveling the truth behind the mission. With every new danger, Chance’s dark history will also unravel. Does anyone know who Christopher Chance really is, or what secrets lay buried in his past? What would make a man willingly become a HUMAN TARGET?

Sean’s Take: I really have no clue.  I imagine a full season at least, but beyond that, I just really don’t know.

PAST LIFE

Have you ever experienced deja vu or met someone you thought seemed familiar? Do you believe in karma, fate or love at first sight? From writer David Hudgins (”Friday Night Lights”), and inspired by the book “The Reincarnationist” by M.J. Rose, comes PAST LIFE, a new drama series about an unlikely pair of past-life detectives who investigate whether what is happening to you today is the result of who you were before. DR. KATE MCGINN (Kelli Giddish, “All My Children”) is not your typical psychologist. Confident, outspoken and highly educated, she works at The Talmadge Center for Behavioral Health in New York City, a world-renowned institute dedicated to the study of the science of the soul. After experiencing a past-life regression in her 20s, Kate became a believer in reincarnation. Using regression therapy and her natural gift for reading people, Kate helps solve the mysteries of her troubled clients who suffer from present-day problems caused by past-life traumas. She believes there are levels of consciousness and explanations for human behavior that science can’t begin to explain. Accustomed to skeptics, but not bothered by them, Kate is an unapologetic believer and a force of nature who marches to the beat of her own drummer. Her partner, PRICE WHATLEY (Nicholas Bishop, “Home and Away”), is a different story. A former NYPD homicide detective, pragmatic and cynical, Price is a damaged soul who constantly battles grief and guilt over the accidental death of his wife. Price feels that Kate, though not certifiable, certainly operates on the fringes of science. It’s a volatile relationship, but with Price’s solid detective skills, and Kate’s penchant for out-of-the-box thinking, together they make a formidable, if somewhat dysfunctional, team. A fast-paced emotional thrill ride, each episode finds Price and Kate working with their colleagues to unravel a new mystery involving the past-lives of their clients. DR. MALACHI TALMADGE (Richard Schiff, “The West Wing”) is Kate’s mentor and the center’s namesake, an avuncular but gruff elder statesman who is a legend in the field of cognitive research. DR. RISHI KARNA (Ravi Patel, “Scrubs”) is the rookie of the group, a baby-faced therapist from Calcutta who loves bad American TV, Cuban jazz and driving everyone crazy.

Sean’s Take: … so, you found a different way to package Bones.  Oh well, if CBS can have 50 procedural cop shows, why not let Fox have a bunch of “male/female team solves crimes while one is a sorta looney doctor, and the other one is a down-to-earth cop type” shows.

SONS OF TUCSON

In the tradition of “Malcolm in the Middle” and “The Bernie Mac Show,” SONS OF TUCSON is a family comedy about three brothers who hire a charming, wayward schemer to stand in as their father when their real one goes to prison. What begins as a business relationship evolves into something more complex and compelling: a family unlike any we’ve ever seen. The three brothers find their dad-for-hire, RON SNUFFKIN (Tyler Labine, “Reaper”), at the local sporting good store. Ron will be forced to draw on a wide array of skills and a vast bag of tricks as he steps into the patriarch role to take care of the boys of the Gunderson family. ROBBY GUNDERSON (Davis Cleveland, “How I Met Your Mother”), 8, is a loose cannon who doesn’t respond well to authority; GARY GUNDERSON (Frank Dolce, “Doubt”), 11, is a bright and street-savvy leader who is every bit the con man his father is; and BRANDON GUNDERSON (Troy Gentile, “Entourage”), 13, is a gentle free spirit who simply goes along for the ride. MAGGIE MORALES (Natalie Martinez, “Saints & Sinners”), Robby’s second-grade teacher and the object of Ron’s affection, might just be the only stable figure in the lives of this quirky quartet. While SONS OF TUCSON is grounded in the day-to-day challenges of a single-parent home, nothing in the Gunderson household is quite what it seems. An ongoing chess match between Ron and the boys will keep both parties on their toes, as neither side can afford to give up too much power or independence.

Sean’s Take: Okay, seriously, half of the new shows on Fox this year sound like the type you see in a comedy skit about how weird TV has gotten.  A show about a stand-in dad?  What the heck?!?  Not only that, they stuck it in the middle of their Sunday night animation line-up.  Okay, yeah, that makes sense.

The best news is that Dollhouse is list on Friday nights, but I will be really surprised if it makes it past this initial 13 episode order.

It’s true folks, Dollhouse is getting a second season.

The official announcement won’t happen until Monday, but sources are saying a thirteen episode order has been placed.  If you’re concerned about it being only thirteen, don’t be.  Television networks normally order that number, see how things are going, and then they’ll order “the back nine” to brign the total to 22, the length of a normal television season.  Those nine aren’t a certainity, though, so don’t think that these being ordered will get us a full season for sure.

Apparently Joss Whedon had to promise to lower the budget to get the show considered.  This was due to the fact that some believe this is the lowest rated show to ever get a renewal.  It was only when Fox added in DVR viewings, online streaming and anticipated DVD sales, they decided to gite another go.

The sad thing is, the final episode of season 1 could have almost acted as a series finale, so it’s difficult to imagine where they are going to take the story next, but at least we get to find out!  For once Fox is taking a risk, and it’s about time considering their track record with canceling shows.

So… welcome back to the Dollhouse.

Justin Timberlake returned for his third time hosting Saturday Night Live, and, well, “Dick In A Box” got a sequel.

This is the first time Timberlake has returned to host since we got the infamous “Dick In A Box” sketch that caused such a stir.  I really didn’t know if they would try to do a follow-up, but try they did, and they succeeded, albeit in a different way. For whatever reason, Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake seem to work together amazingly well, we’re just all lucky enough to enjoy the results.

Doing a direct follow-up probably would have been a disaster, but using the same characters in a totally different situation that is just as disturbing as the original turned out to be the way to go.  It seems the two have been in jail for five months, and they get out just in time for Mother’s Day and realize they haven’t gotten any gifts for them. Well, they come up with a plan that is best left to the video.

Yes, that was Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson as their moms.

In case you’ve never seen the original, here it is via YouTube so any one in the world can watch it. Enjoy.

Ever since the week of September 28, 1987, there has been a question that has plagued this planet: Who is the best Star Trek captain?

The week of September 28,1987 was when Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered in syndication, and since that time there has been no more hotly debated topic amongst Star Trek fans who the best Captain is.  The problem, as I see it, is everyone’s favorite has always come down to emotion.  They base their love of a particular Captain on which one they grew up with, or that they know the best.  I’ve always tried to approach it more as, “Which Captain would I actually follow into a battle?”, and that is exactly how I have put this list together.

First I will give you the Captains in chronological order by the show’s timeline, and then I’ll get down to the nitty gritty at the end.  Enjoy!… and try not to kill me for my rankings!

Capt. Jonathan Archer, Enterprise

While Enterprise was the fifth, and final, Star Trek television series, it was actually the first in the timeline as it takes place towards the beginning of the United Federation of Planets (UFP).

Capt. Archer seemed very confused about what it meant to be a Captain through out the run of his series.  He went from a wide-eyed explorer who loved the stars to a commanding officer who was willing to make morally questionable command decisions as the series went on.

Perhaps it could be chalked up to the fact the UFP was still in its infancy, and they hadn’t set down a lot of rules yet, such as “the prime directive”, but he just seemed to never fully understand what it meant to be a captain, and never had that “take no guff” air of command about him without swinging to the extreme ends of the pendulum.

Capt. James T. Kirk, Star Trek: The Original Series

Oh, Kirk. He was the first exposure so many people had to the world of Star Trek, and so they judge everything since by the standards he set.  And oh what standards those were!

The problem with Capt. Kirk is that he was an adrenaline junkie.  He never met an alien he didn’t want to shoot or sleep with.  Diplomacy?  What the heck is that?!?  It’s hard to say how good he was as an actual officer, but there is no question that his crew was loyal to him, and would have followed him any where he went.  Course, that may have lead them into an even worse problem, but who cared at that point?

Of all the Captains, Kirk was clearly the most ‘by the seat of his pants’ one in the history of the franchise.  He seemed to luck into solutions to situations more than actually solving them, or he would end up leaving it to his crew which always seemed far more capable than him.  He was clearly a product of the time frame this show was made in, but that carried over to the movie franchise, so I’m not sure that can even be used as a defense.  He was a decent Captain, just probably not the best.

(Please note this is all based on William Shatner’s performance in the role, I have not seen the new movie yet, but from what I know, it would have to be almost considered a seperate character)

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation

If Capt. Kirk wasn’t your introduction to Star Trek, then it was Capt. Picard, and then he’s the one you judge everyone else by.  However, unlike Kirk, he actually seemed like an actual Captain.

Unlike his predecessor (in the history of Star Trek, 70-some years separated Picard and Kirk, so I mean as characters), Picard was truly a commander.  He was enough of a diplomat that he would be called upon to serve as the arbitrator in peace negotiations, but he was a man of action when needed, and at that he was a brilliant tactician.

One thing the UFP (yes, really the show’s writers) did between the original series and this one was to make the rule that the Captain of a starship couldn’t go on “away missions”.  This eliminated a lot of the potential for Picard to go all Kirk on an alien race (”Should I sleep with it or kill it?!?”), and that was all left to his second in command, Cmdr. Riker.

I think Picard brought a certain elegance to the rank, and it wasn’t just Patrick Stewart’s Shakespearean training, it was that the writer’s realized a Captain shouldn’t be so much of a cowboy, but someone that people would actually want to follow into battle.

Capt. Benjamin Sisko, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Capt. Sisko is a tough one to talk about because he was in such a different situation than any other commanding officer in the history of the series.

While he did start off at the rank of Commander at the beginning of the series, he was promoted to Captain later in the series.  No matter what his rank was, he was still the top ranked officer on Deep Space Nine and on the U.S.S. Defiant.   While this was actually my personal favorite of the five series, I have to call it as it is, and Sisko was always more of a glorified dock manager than a “Captain”.  Yes, there were moments that you could say were Captain like, especially when fighting the Dominion, his primary job was to keep the station running smoothly, which was essentially a seaport.

I think if he had been out running around the galaxy like all of the other Captains he would have proven himself a very capable Captain, but going simply by what we saw on screen, he just didn’t really have the opportunities the others did.

Capt. Kathryn Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager

Voyager was the series I was personally most disappointed with because they missed an oppurtuinty to have the ship come home with pipes sticking out at odd angles in the hallways, plates missing from the hull and so on.  Instead the ship came home looking like it had regular servicing at a Starbase, and a glorious oppurtunity to show a less than shiny Starfleet vessel was totally missed.

That aside, Janeway was probably the Captain with the most weight put on her shoulders.  70,000 light years from home, a crew made up of Starfleet regulars and Marquis renegades, and yet she kept them together until they found an eventual way home.  If this wasn’t a true example of someone acting like a Captain, being a true leader of people, I don’t know what is.

While the show may not have been the best, it was actually the best they ever did at showing a Captain under trying circumstances.  It doesn’t mean she was the overall best, but it certainly shot her up my personal rankings.

Conclusion

So, what is my personal final list?  Well, I’ll tell you this, I based it on command experience shown, and not on which series I liked the most, or which I watched first.  Basically, I tried to remove all emotion from the list, so I know this will be a ranking that gets much disagreement, but it’s how I did it.

1. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation
2. Capt. Kathryn Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager
3. Capt. James T. Kirk, Star Trek: The Original Series
4. Capt. Benjamin Sisko, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
5. Capt. Jonathan Archer, Enterprise

So, there you have it, probably not the way most people would rank them, but I explained how I reached my conclusions, and I truly doubt you could find any two Star Trek fans who agree 100% on the order.

If you enjoyed this list, you may also like Who Is The Best James Bond & Who Is The Best Doctor Who.

***MAJOR SPOILERS***

Continue Reading ->

Bea Arthur has passed away at the age of 86.

A long time stage actress, Ms. Arthur came to be best known in the 1970’s when she was was cast as Edith’s (Jean Stapleton) cousin, Maude Finley, on the hit series, All in the Family.  Maude was a very liberal woman who proved the perfect foil for Archie’s (Carroll O’Connor) old world views on races, women and everything else under the sun.  Though she was already 50-years-old at the time, ABC took notice of her performance on the show and decided to spin her off into her own show, simply entitled Maude.

Maude was a hit series in its own right, and propelled Ms. Arthur even more into the national spotlight when her show started tackling serious issues such as alcoholism. However, it was when her character had an abortion that the series took on a life of its own as it was the first time it had been mentioned in a television series since it had become legal. Protests were launched against the show, but it only seemed to make it that much more of a “must watch” series.

That series came to an end in 1978 when Ms. Arthur opted to leave the show.  By this point she was a household name, and due to her unusual height (5′9″) and exceptionally deep voice, she got a lot of work in guest appearances on various series.  It was in 1985 when she joined a new series entitled The Golden Girls with Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty. This series once again broke new ground as all four leads were older women, and she was once again propelled into another hit series.  She stayed with that show, now a basic cable rerun staple, until 1992.  The show continued one more year without her under the name The Golden Palace, but without Ms. Arthur it just couldn’t succeed.

Since the end of that series her work has been very sporadic, but she was still an iconic television figure never needing an introduction.

She passed away at her home, surrounded by family, of an unspecified form of cancer.

Thank you for many great years of very entertaining television, Ms. Arthur.

It has been a year since I tackled the subject of the Dancing With The Stars band, and it seems I need to do it again.

Back on April 15th of 2008 I took on the subject of the Dancing With The Stars band, and Harold Wheeler, the band conductor and arranger.   In the year that followed, this has been a rather large hot bed for comments that bring my intelligence into question.  The comments questioning the placement of my head in my rectal area aside, one commenter, Jeff D, made a point that actually got through to me and made me rethink my opinion on this whole matter a bit.

These arrangements are made for a standard “Big Band” format. That fits BALLROOM dancing.

And therein is the problem I believe.  Well, at least most of it.  This show has attempted to take popular songs from many different genres, and they leave it to the band to try to make them fit a format they were never built for.  I still hate the singers, but this one comment (notice the comment didn’t insult my intelligence, amazing how much further that will get someone) really made me rethink my stance on the actual band.  For instance, does anyone think The Clash were ever meant for ballroom dancing?  No, they weren’t.  Yet there was one of their songs a few seasons ago, being tormented to the point of painful, but I now hate it a little less because I finally see what was being done to it.

I still have problems with what seems like random changes in the tempo of songs that even seem to throw the dancers off their step.  And as for the singers… the singers are a whole different matter that just make me cringe.  I’m sure they’re fine for certain styles of singing, but a lot of times they just seem totally ill suited for what they are being asked to sing on the show.

Now, there is one point where I do still have to wonder about the band and Jeff D’s comment (I’m not attacking him, it is just something specific I thought of), and that is when the band tackles songs by the band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.  Songs by this group seem to be a favorite on this show, popping up at least 3 to 4 times thus far.  For those of you unfamiliar with them, they are a California band deeply entrenched in the 1940’s swing era style of music, and you may have seen them in the movie Swingers some years ago.  You would think a band that plays in swing style wouldn’t need any “corrections”, but yet, there they are when the Dancing With The Stars band plays them.  It’s usually just a slight tempo change, but it is still a change.

Sure the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy issue is a small one, and I’ll forgive it, and I will say the commenter changed my mind a bit.  The producers are the ones who choose the music each week, and perhaps it is time someone, namely Harold Wheeler, sat them down and said, “You really think this song is a good choice for this show?  Sure it’s popular, but it doesn’t even come close to fitting the style we need.”  I doubt this will ever happen, but I can dream of a day where I stop cringing when I hear them twist another of my favorite songs in to some unrecognizable mess that makes me cringe.

As for the singers… my problems with them have nothing to do with the arrangements, but more so that they are being asked to sing songs that they have never attempted that particular style before in their lives.  What better time to try it out than on live TV?

One last note, in my original post I made a comment about my love of the version of the song “Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge.  Many people have argued in the comments that it is a horrible arrangement, but seeing as the original band, The Police, had to sign off on its use, I’m guessing they didn’t think it was so horrible.  In that particular case, yes, the song was significantly changed, but I felt the arrangement fit the context of the song’s subject matter far better.  It is a song about prostitution after all, and the guttural, growling version that plays in the movie makes a whole lot more sense than Sting’s original ascending vocals that have almost a melancholy tone to them. Yes, that is my opinion, as are all posts on this blog, and it is the one I’m sticking to on that particular case.  I’ll give a small victory to the commenters on the overall feelings on the main thrust of the article about the band, but I will never surrender my love of that particular version of that song.

The Susan Boyle phenomenon rolls on, and currently shows no signs of slowing down either.

Sure there have been a lot of Internet sensations, but quite often they are of the mean or mocking nature, so it’s actually nice to see something uplifting like Susan Boyle’s performance on Britain’s Got Talent being the video everyone passes around this week.

I think it is even more amazing that someone who appeared on a nation specific show is popping up everywhere, showing just how global anything placed on the Internet can be.  As she is making the rounds of the USA television shows, she has now appeared on Larry King Live last night in what is one of her lengthiest interviews over on this side of the Atlantic.  She appeared with one of the judges from Britain’s Got Talent, Piers Morgan, and talked about what that performance was like, and what the future holds for her.  As an added treat, in the second video at 2:25 mark, you can hear her sing a snippet of “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic, sans musical accompaniment, and even impresses Mr. Morgan again with her abilities.

Also last night on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon did a sketch based around her original performance, and while she does not appear in any new footage, it is quite an amusing little take on just how everyone is reacting to her and her talents. (Sorry, but the video is not available outside of the USA)

Make sure to check out SusanBoyleFandom.com for all of the latest Susan Boyle relate news!

Finally we get to hear Susan Boyle, the 47-year-old who wowed the judges and audience on Britain’s Got Talent, sing a second song to prove if her performance was a fluke or not!

As I said yesterday, hearing Ms. Boyle sing a second song was going to be the key to figuring out if it was somehow a fluke when she sang  ”I Dreamed A Dream”.  The good news is, a second song has surfaced and… she’s the real deal folks!

The Daily Record located a 1999 charity CD that had only 1,000 pressings, and on it Ms. Boyle performs “Cry me A River” and… wow, just… wow.  This woman is a true talent, and I am so thrilled to finally hear her sing a second song so we at last know if it was just some weird oddity when she sang on Britain’s Got Talent the other night.

As The Daily Record is claiming exclusivity on the track, these copies may disappear, but I will try to keep an eye on them.  Thanks to The Inquisitr for the idea of posting two different copies right off the bat to try to make sure you can hear this amazingly rare recording.

And, oddly enough, a copy from a Japanese website.

Make sure to check out Susan Boyle Wowing the judges on Britain’s Got Talent and her appearance on The Early Show.

Make sure to check out SusanBoyleFandom.com for all of the latest Susan Boyle relate news!