TV Quote: The Game Continues

"Dead is dead is dead...Yes, everything I've seen, heard and read...Jon Snow is indeed dead."

--Statement by HBO programming president Michael Lombardo said at the Television Critics Association press tour last Thursday discussing the fate of Jon Snow. He also noted Game of Thrones may go on for eight seasons.

I like what KiaEclipse100 stated on the TV.com website in response to this quote:

I reallywish they would stop it with the Jon Snow thing. Come on. If he was really gone they would say "Jon Snow is dead and not coming back." Instead, they just keep saying, "Jon Snow is dead." No one is questioning if he's dead. He's obviously dead. We all think (KNOW) he's going to be brought back. It's getting a little frustrating actually. Just say nothing at all! And why can't the HBO President just say that he's not privvy to all the major storylines and wants to be surprised just like the rest of us instead of putting in his own two cents? 

Very true. We know HBO has no problem playing with the plot, but I would hope George R.R. Martin determines the fate of Jon Snow and not HBO. 

Summertime Boredom? Not with Wet Hot American Summer

If you did not see the film Wet Hot American Summer back in 2001, called a "cult classic" but some and a dud by others, you are not alone.  I watched it the other week and thought the movie had a number of highs and plenty of lows as it poked fun at all the camp movies that preceded it.  However, the best part was seeing so many top actors and actresses together before they became the stars they are today, including Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, and Bradley Cooper.

Well, they are back tonight on Nexflix in Wet Hot American Summer:  First Day at Camp, but this time they are playing their teenage characters at a point before the last movie, making the scenario more goofy.  It will be fun again to see them all together.  But wait, there's more, because additional cast members include Jason Schwartzman as well as Jon Hamm and John Slattery (with Mad Men over, I guess their summer schedule was free). 

It is clear they are all having fun and we are along for the ride.  This is not great comedy or high cinema.  It is more of a guilty pleasure that many will share with you.  Check out this trailer and start your binging tonight.  

Late Comer: The Review Returns

Comedy Central's series Review returns tonight for a second season.  I am late to to this series and still catching up, but the idea that the main character could still be alive for additional episodes is amazing given all the horrible stunts he has had to perform on behalf of his audience.

If you are new to the show, it is basically about a fictional television show where the host of the show Forrest MacNeil, played by Andy Daly, will reenact any idea put forward by his viewers.  For instance, these are just a few of the things he was asked to do in the first season:

-- Demonstrate drug addiction,
-- Create a sex tape,
-- Sleep with a celebrity,
-- Act out road rage, and
-- Quit his job.

As you might imagine, these experiences wreak havoc on his personal life, and you hate the fact that it is all so enjoyable to watch.  You cannot help but sit on the edge of your seat and shake your head at the courage and foolishness wrapped up in one host.  And Andy Daly is great in this role.  In a review of the first season, Indiewire noted: 

It's the dad-like squarishness of Daly, who created and executive produces "Review," that solidifies the series and makes it so uncommonly entertaining.

The first season premiered in March 2014 and contained nine 30-minute episodes filled with plenty of danger and laughs.  While I am surprised he survived to see another day, I will be watching to see what happens next. 

Colin Morgan and Humans

If you have not watched AMC's Humans yet you are missing an excellent tale of humanity versus technology.  Humans has three key stories in an alternative London where robots (1) replaced the mother in a stressed family, (2) became Pinocchio to a robot scientist, and (3) escaped to become something greater than the sum of the parts - conscious. As the series progresses, we are seeing the three story-lines come together.

Actor Colin Morgan, who plays Leo, is the leader of the last group and he seems to be losing the battle as the series continues.  His character also has a mysterious past, being the presumed dead son of the robot creator.  He discussed his character in a recent interview with Access Hollywood, noting Leo is a loner:
 

A big part of why he is the way he is and his psychological makeup is because I guess he has an intense loneliness because he is quite literally the only thing like that in the world. So he is very isolated in that respect. Because of the way he is and because of those wires inside him, it's more important and it's vitally important for him to hold on to his synthetic family that he has, and because I think his hope of belonging and his chance of feeling a sense of belonging within the human world feels a bit impossible. And so I think his drive and his determination comes… as a direct result of the type of technology that's inside him.

 

Spoiler alert - don't read on if you don't want to know too much yet.  But the quote above cites "wires" and "technology that's inside him," indicating Humans is about more than robots.  It might even have some cyborgs.  And concerning that bit about robot consciousness, the series shows us that other robots have already successfully integrated into the human world without the humans knowing it.  Yes, another layer on an already complex story.  That's what I like about the show.  The broken characters are often the humans and not the robots, and the role of humanity versus technology is not so apparent as the story continues.

 

Its a great story at a time when we fear losing ourselves to this new world of ours.  And like USA Network's Mr. Robot, there are many ways to tell the tale.  Tune in and catch up.  

Cancelled Shows at FX and Showtime

You know the airwaves are full to plenty to watch when two series involving well known actors cannot get a second season.  First, FX has canceled The Comedians starring Billy Crystal after one season.  Before the show premiered, executive producers Ben Wexler said:  

All I can do is hope it fits well in the TV comedy landscape. Your goal is to fit into the comedy landscape and also to not fit into it. I think that the shows that transcend, there is no sister show like it.

Well, apparently it did not fit into the comedy landscape and there is no sister or brother - the family is gone.

On Showtime, Happyish starring Steve Coogan has also been canceled after one season.  The series never received much praise, so the single season is not surprising.  In discussing his character on the show during an interview, Mr. Coogan stated: 

We like and celebrate people who are failures, who are frustrated and malcontented and haven’t achieved what they wanted to achieve.

Well, I guess that means we should celebrate that the show failed after one season.  Or should we be happy we had at least one season with Steve Coogan?  I prefer the latter response, and I hope to see him in films again soon.

Good News for History Buffs

With the questionable history surrounding Spike's recent Tut miniseries, I am glad that AMC has renewed Turn: Washington's Spies for a third season.  American history is filled with plenty of well-documented stories that can keep viewers entertained while also teaching them a thing or two.  

In an earlier discussion with Interview magazine, English actor Jamie Bell noted his amazement that America was created at all: 

What surprises me, to be honest with you, because it so important—and it should be; independence was born—is that people don't know how it came about. They don't actually understand that Washington was really getting his ass handed to him almost daily by the British. If the British had just pursued him and actually stamped him out, they would have won. There were several times when all Britain had to do was keep pressing, but for some reason, England went, "No, we'll wait. We'll just chill here for a second." It's just so English.

And yet a spy ring helped to turn things around (as well as a few battles here and there, of course).  Intrigued?  I suggest you take a look at the show for yourself.  You will not be disappointed. 

Tut on TV

Are you ready for a summer epic? Spike's mini-series Tut, starting tonight (July 19th), will provide three days of distraction if you need it.  What could be better than a young pharoah marrying his sister and attempting to hold his kingdom together while being attacked from within?  The cold, dead mummy comes to life in this new series.

USA Today noted how the show writers could create a new story without the bother of facts:

We know little about Tut's life beyond the famous items from his tomb — one of which, that glittering gold mask, shows up in the second of Tut's three parts, just to remind us who we're talking about. Free of an historical record they might otherwise be accused of trashing, writers Michael Vickerman, Bradley Bredeweg and Peter Paige are free to invent as they choose.

Hence, you might as we watch Outlander or Poldark, which as fictional pieces might teach you even more about the period represented than Tut.  That's maybe what I will do and skip this new series for now.

The Emmys and Tituss

A world with no Tituss Burgess in it? Unthinkable, and luckily not likely given his recent Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Filming for season two will start shortly.

In an interview with E! online, Tituss admitted "I was exhausted and ready to hang it up."  Then the series appeared and the rest is history. 

Tituss is one of a number of nominations coming from the series. Co-star Jane Krakowski was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and both show-creator Tina Fey and end of season guest Jon Hamm are up for Outstanding Guest Actor/Actress in a Comedy Series.  Watching the two of them in the final few episodes was pure fun and brought back memories of their time together on 30 Rock. Wouldn't it be strange if Hamm gets an Emmy for these episodes rather than his superb acting in Mad Man?

Netflix should be thanked for ensuring Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt made it to television after a questionable start. Quality comedy series are hard to find these days.

Looking for Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll?

Yes, another new summer show to keep you busy.  Don't bother enjoying the sunny days.  You don't have time. This new FX show, Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, stars Dennis Leary as a washed up rocker assisting a new up-and-coming artist.  Take a look at the trailer (you will learn more about this new artist) and then read up on the show below:

Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll centers on “Johnny Rock” (Denis Leary), lead singer of a legendary early 90’s New York band called The Heathens. Known for living up to their name, the band partied so long and so hard that even Keith Richards thought they needed to slow things down. The Heathens were on the brink of becoming famous for their kickass live shows and the release of their highly anticipated first album. Until they broke up. The same day the album dropped. Because lead guitarist Flash (John Corbett) found Johnny in bed with his wife. So the band became legendary for all the wrong reasons - like self-destructing sooner than any group in rock-n-roll history. 25 years later, the only thing bigger than Johnny’s ego is his prostate. The drugs he really needs now aren’t cocaine and marijuana – they’re Crestor, Cymbalta and Cialis. He’s out of work, out of money and out of show business options. That’s when a massively talented young singer named Gigi (Elizabeth Gillies) shows up - with a burning desire to be famous, a throwback appreciation for The Heathens’ only album, and a stack of cash big enough to bring the whole band back into the studio. Only this time, SHE’S the lead singer and Johnny’s just a behind-the-scenes songwriter. John Ales, Bobby Kelly and Elaine Hendrix round out the rest of this dysfunctional rock-n-roll family. The race is on to see who gets famous first - and for what reason.

The Hollywood Reporter had a positive review of the new series, noting:

And at its best, the show is a rare and vibrantly realistic look at aging and questions of whether you lived the life you meant, whether you found happiness or not, how you deal with the indignities of a youth-obsessed culture and your own frustrations with (or acceptance of) the ravages of fading beauty, health and relevance.

TV Land Tonight: Impastor & Gaffigan

Two new shows premiered tonight on TV Land, one about a fake minister and the second about an overstretched dad.  Both have promise.

Impastor is about a good-for-nothing gambler who takes a chance on a new life after the death of a good Samaritan who happens to be a gay minister.  Much like the earlier show Banshee, where the main character assumes the identity of a law man, the main character in Impastor gets a chance to start anew.  Starring Michael Rosenbaum, who reminds me of Christian Slater's younger brother, the series has the standard stock characters, but you can see how the tension of being a "gay" celibate minister in the small town will have its temptations.  

The second show, The Jim Gaffigan Show, has a pale, chubby, red-headed, bearded, man-child comedian as its main character?  Sound familiar?  Well, this Louis CK look-alike is happily married, has five kids in a two-bedroom NY apartment, and does clean comedy.  It's just as well Louis is off the air so that we can turn to Jim for a few more laughs, and the show delivers by poking fun at the weirdness of "normal" New Yorker behavior. 

I enjoyed the pilots of both shows, but like the other new TV Land show Younger, I am not sure I have time for all these new series.  They are fun, but not must-see TV.  Even so, I am glad they are there to watch at my leisure in the future.  

Update: TV Land has approved both shows for a second season, so if you like either of the two new series you are lucky given the number of comedies that fail each year. 

Mission to Pluto

With the historic arrival of the New Horizons spacecraft at Pluto on the outer edge of the solar system, a few programs are providing you with the background story, mission details, and hopefully some terrific images.  You can check out the National Geographic Channel's Mission Pluto tonight (July 14th) or PBS's NOVA special, Chasing Pluto, tomorrow night.  It should be a fun and educational ride.

Vikings in San Diego

Today is the last day of Comic-Con in San Diego, and I expect a lot of the panel discussions and various trailers to make their way into the public realm.  One of the trailers viewed this past week was season four of the History Channel's Vikings.  The scenes portray more adventures in England and France as the vikings attempt to solidify their hold while also jockeying for power back home.  Ragnar is now an international leader needing to fight on multiple fronts.  

Last seasons battle for Paris was amazing to watch.  The techniques of the Parisian war machine was sufficient to wipe out any foe, yet Ragnar's band learned from their mistakes and outsmarted the French in the end.  Only Game of Thrones has attempted anything like the battle in recent memory, which is saying a lot.  Clearly the History Channel is not afraid to invest in this series.  I just hope the vikings stick around for awhile, which is not something the English and French want to hear. 

And don't forget the Vikings fans.  This video shows a small part of the fan base for this show.  You can catch the rest of them at your local medieval fair.  

More Horror from Last Week: Zoo and Scream

If you still need some new shows for the summer, you might want to check out CBS's Zoo or MTV's Scream.  Both shows premiered on June 30th.

Zoo has a surprisingly good cast for a surprisingly bad idea.  The cast includes James Wolk from and Billy Burke who try to add some gravitas to this story by author James Patterson, yet it seems like a Noah's ark version of the unfortunate Sharknado series.  We are asked to believe that animals all over the world have eye problems that initiate their attempt to wipe out mankind.  I am starting to think a vampire plague or zombies makes more sense. 

And then we have Scream, a continuation of the teenage bloodfest films, but this time with the slaughter spread out over multiple episodes.  I was doubtful about Bates Motel, and that worked, yet I have to remain doubtful again.  I cannot remember the body count from the first episode, or should I say headcount, but the series could run out of victims after the first 10 episodes.  And now that it has been renewed for a second season (odd, I know), they better start transferring kids into the high school.  I always do wonder what type of parents want to live in such towns.  Someone needs to call child services. 

Sometimes bestselling books and films do not translate well on the smaller screen.  I would redirect viewers to MTV's Teen Wolf if you want wild animals and high school horror all in one place.  

Update:  I guess there will still be a few teenagers left at the end of season one since a second season of Scream has been approved.  

 

Dramas Underway: UnREAL and Stitchers

Two new dramas appeared last month - UnREAL (June 1) and Stitchers (June 2) - that you may want to know about, though I only recommend the first one.

Lifetime's UnREAL is a scripted drama about the unscripted reality industry. In this case, the reality show is another iteration of The Bachelor where woman fawn over the male and scratch at each other.  And while I am not one to watch reality shows, this drama is similar to the earlier hit The Newsroom in that it shows the sausage-making behind the sausage, though in this case the production is better than the product.  The show is dark and distasteful at times, but it also draws you in. 

Here is Lifetime's summary of the show:

Set against the backdrop of the hit dating competition show "Everlasting," "UnREAL" is led by flawed heroine Rachel Goldberg (Appleby), a young producer whose sole job is to manipulate her relationships with, and among, the contestants to get the vital dramatic and outrageous footage that the program’s dispassionate executive producer, Quinn King (Zimmer), demands. What ensues is an eye-opening look at what happens in the outrageous world of unscripted television, where being a contestant can be vicious and being a producer a whole other reality.

Stitchers is a new ABC Family show that seems to take one episode from Fringe and turn it into a weekly series.  The first episode started out fine, though I was getting a headache from the camera angles, but it quickly went downhill when the main character was placed in a vat of water (sound familiar) to get into the head of a dead man and the banter of the quirky team assisting her made the plot line laughable.  What should have been snappy one-liners was simply too painful to watch.  Nice try, but this did not work for me.   

Here is ABC's summary of what you can expect (it sounds so much better than what you really get): 

"Stitchers” follows Kirsten (Emma Ishta), a young woman recruited into a covert government agency to be ‘stitched’ into the minds of the recently deceased, using their memories to investigate murders and decipher mysteries that otherwise would have gone to the grave. Working alongside Kirsten is Cameron (Kyle Harris), a brilliant neuroscientist whose passion for the program is evident in his work. The secret program is headed by Maggie (Salli Richardson-Whitfield), a skilled veteran of covert operations, and includes Linus (Ritesh Rajan), a socially immature bioelectrical engineer and communications technician. Kirsten’s roommate, Camille (Allison Scagliotti), a gifted computer science grad student, is also recruited to use her skills to assist Kirsten in her new role as a ‘stitcher.’

As I noted,  check out UnREAL for some fun and only stop by Stitchers if you want to see a train wreck in the making. 

Cancelled Programming: Pageants, Dukes, and More

One cannot be surprised with the cancelation and then reorganization of the Miss USA pageant given the ignorant anti-immigrant comments of Donald Trump. While Reelz may have saved the program from the pull-out of Univision and NBC, the comments may have irreparably destroy the beauty pageant for now.  And now Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama have pulled out of the Miss Universe pageant.  Words, particularly foolish words, have consequences.

Other cancelled or pulled shows include NBC's biblical story A.D. as well as American Odyssey, both after only one season.  It seems even a good storyline provided by God is not enough to save a show.  

And finally, following another controversy, TV Land has dropped the old CBS show Dukes of Hazzard from its television line-up.  It would appear the shootings in South Carolina and growing concerns about the Confederate flag were too much for the TV network.  I think this was probably an over-reaction.  The show may be dangerous, but only to one's mind because of bad writing and lousy acting.  I expect cooler heads will prevail at some point.

The Return of the McCarthy Family

Speaking of Boston shows, I was happy to hear the last four episodes of the canceled The McCarthys will be broadcast tonight (July 4th) and July 11th on CBS.  The series was canceled back in February after 11 episodes had been broadcast.  I look forward to the last episodes and the finishing of the season.  

I don't know why the networks play these games of dumping the final episodes, as they did with Red Band Society as well, but at least we get to see the full season.  And why is it CBS is not even announcing these last episodes of The McCarthys on their website?  I am still waiting for the missing last episode of Surviving Jack (though it was shown in New Zealand) as well as iTunes carrying any of the episodes.

Here is some information of the last four episodes from various sources:

- Episode 12 - Gerard's Engagement Party (July 4th):  Gerard misses his own engagement party when he gets on the wrong Boston Harbor cruise ship, so Marjorie is forced to bond with her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. Meanwhile, Sean hits it off with Katrina's mother; and Arthur judges Jackie for how her baby was conceived. 

-  Episode 13 - Cutting the Cord (July 4th): The McCarthys make a family bet to see who can be independent the longest, after they realize they have become too dependent on one another. Meanwhile, Jackie hides her pregnancy when she goes on a date.

- Episode 14 - Family Therapy (July 11th):  The family crash Ronny's therapy session and air their grievances about one another.

- Episode 15 - End Games (July 11th):  In the last episode, the McCarthy siblings each try to prove they are responsible enough to be appointed executor of their parents' will.

Summer Comedies: Spoofs, Moms, and Gay Barbers

If the drama and horror premiering this summer is too much for you, then you might want to try some of the new comedies from the past month.  For instance, last week  (June 23) Comedy Central broadcast a new comedy Another Period that spoofs America's super wealthy from early last century, showing that not every upper crust household was as well run as Downton Abbey.  The series includes some talented actors and actresses, including Christina Hendricks from Mad Men and Jason Ritter from Parenthood, but most of it is wasted in skits that go a little too far.  Here is a trailer with some highlights of the Bellacourt family from Newport, Rhode Island.

Another comedy that started last month is Odd Mom Out on Bravo. 

Premiering on June 8th, this show is about a "regular" mom trying to make her way in New York's Upper East Side when the rest of the woman are over-privileged monsters.  Think of it as Girls, but 10 years later.   It has some funny moments, such as when the main character Jill Weber (played by Jill Kargman) has to decide if she wants "Von" in her name, with all the trappings that can provide.  It shows that Under the Dome is a real thing with these women, and they like the isolation.  

Finally, if you are looking for a simple comedy that may remind you of Cheers, but with scissors, check out TBS' Clipped, which premiered June 16.  Here you get a group of Boston barbers and their boss throwing one-liners at one another all day, two potential lovers fighting their feelings (aka Sam and Diane), and a gay Norm married to a local cop.  The close contact of the characters, mean boss, and ongoing banter also reminded me of Taxi.  

TV-Watching Statistics

Last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its 2014 American Time Use Survey.  And how did Americans spend their leisure time in 2014?  Here are some results:

-- On an average day, nearly everyone age 15 and over (96 percent) engaged in some sort of leisure activity such as watching TV, socializing, or exercising. Of those who engaged in leisure activities, men spent more time in these activities (6.0 hours) than did women (5.2hours).

--  Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time (2.8 hours per day), accounting for more than half of leisure time, on average, for those age 15 and over. Socializing, such as visiting with friends or attending or hosting social events, was the next most common leisure activity, accounting for 43 minutes per day.

I am not surprised that we spend about four times as much time with the television as friends.  I am surprised networking via the Internet with friends was not on the list.  But my suggestion is you invite friends over to watch a great show.  That way you can kill two birds with one stone.