MID-Season-Part 1

It’s that time of year again when TV networks replace what didn’t work in the first four months of the year with brand new shows. I was going to wait until all the shows had a chance to air but then I would be waiting till mid march and with what I have seen so far I couldn’t wait any longer. Let me start out with Alcatraz. A new series Monday on fox at 9 brought to us but J.J. Abrams, yes the same guy who gave us Alias, Lost and most recently Fringe. Alcatraz stars Sarah Jones as Police Detective Rebecca Madsen, Sam Neil as Emerson Hauser, Parminder Nagra as Lucy Banerjee and Jorge Garcia, yes Hurley the unlucky lottery winner from the still missed Lost as Diego “Doc” Soto.

            Alcatraz is about as the title says the prison on an island on the San Francisco coast. The series I would say is a sci-fi, police, mystery, procedural. Like Lost there are already questions to be answered, unlike Lost there is a new bad guy to capture in each episode, so far.

My favorite idea behind the series is that it uses Alcatraz, a real place and adds a fictional story that sounds as if it could of happen. In book lingo I think it would be in the historical fiction section. The plot goes that in 1963 when the prison closed all the inmates were sent to other facilities but there’s a catch 145 five of them didn’t make it to their real destination and just disappeared. It is about 50 years later and the missing are retuning looking as if they never left, they haven’t gotten any older and are still doing what they did before the entered The Rock. It then becomes the job of this off the grid team to track them down and stop them anyway they can before anyone finds out.

My favorite character so far is Doc who is a comic book store owner/writer, Professor and Civil War historian; you know my type of guy.

If you haven’t yet, check out this intriguing new series.

Favorites of 2011

Just got a final x-mas card yesterday so it's not too late to put out my list that every other TV critic has written. My top ten were
10. Revenge
9. The Glee Project
8. Homeland
7. Doctor Who
6. Downton Abby
5. American Horror Story
4. True Blood
3. Community
2. The Walking Dead
1. Torchwood: Miracle Day

A Taste of Romance-Hallmark movie channel

A fancy high end French resturant owned by a single work driven female named Sara and a new run by firefighters burger joint with a single father named Gill in charge, looks like a recipe for romance right?

   It should be but there are problems that have to be dealt with first-A compition between the two resturants, loneliness, and the death of a wife and mother. Turns out the the young girl, Hannah really likes Sara from the moment she meets her. I mean she makes sweet pretty desserts and can teach her to speak french, what's not to like? Her father on the other hand is still morning his wife who died of cancer and changes his career from firefighter to cook because of a fear of death.

  Like with all the hallmark movies all this affects there relationships with all those who love and care about them.
  Can Sara make her resturant a success?  Will these two oppisites find love?
       Find out when you watch A Taste of Romance

How I Met Your Mother-46 minutes

Happy 150th episode to How I met Your Mother! Marshall and Lily are moving to the suburbs, how is this going to affect the gang you ask?

Barney loves the idea and decides to take charge, while Ted doesn't know what to do without his best friend. HIMYM is in its 7th season and is the best dramedy on TV. As I teased this weeks episode had our gang of 5 and Kevin separated for the first time in a long time and the story goes...

   In the suburbs expected parents Marshall and Lily are making their old house a new home with some unwanted help by Lily’s newly reacquainted father (Chris Elliot). The lights go out and he plays with Marshall's head, who now has to move around in the darkness to find the fuse box, something he has never had to worry about before.

  In the city the new gang led by Barney end up at a strip club much to Robin and Kevin's distain where they run into Lily's doppelganger a Russian Stripper named Jasmine and her large, scary boyfriend. Can the two halves of the gang make it through the night? You can watch or re-watch on-line to see what happens.

           Although one of the HIMYM crew came to my sister's wedding a while back I am no way affiliated with this fun, great series.

The 69th Golden Globes 2012

Last year I was one of the few who thought Ricky Gervais was funny and did a good job hosting this particular awards show, this time around he seemed to hold back some but was able still able to stay on target. When I watch award shows I watch from the time E! Television gets themselves set up on the red carpet through the entire show (No matter how long they may go over) to all the post show analysis on ALL the entertainment shows the next day.

The Golden Globes are what I would call an odd award they are given out by The Hollywood Foreign Press and no one really knows who they are but they care about film so you have to thank them if you win. They I would add are also the most fun award. It is TV and Film stars sitting together in a fancy hotel ballroom where all the nominees, presenters and invited guests get to drink and mingle. This year was no different and it is cool to see Mr. Spielberg chatting with Brad Pitt or Meryl Steep hanging out with Michelle Williams, both winners (just to name some of the people who were there) this year the was even a cute dog (from The Artist) in the mix. Each award show have there own special award for the Globes it is called The Cecil B Dimille Award and this year it was given to God himself The magnificent Morgan Freeman. The award always includes a montage of clips from the recipitant films, and this year when I watched those clips like Shawshank Redemption, Glory, Bruce Almighty, March of the Penguins (voice) and even something from the Electric Company I was reminded that my mom is right Mr. Freeman is one of the best and that this award was truly deserved. I know most people find award shows long and boring and they may even be a little jealous that Hollywood likes to pat themselves on the back but I enjoy ALL OF THEM. With the Oscars just over a month away I say bring them on!

Eulogy for One Life to Live

  
I know we haven't had the best relationship, I only started watching you when Michael Easton joined the cast (after Port Charles got canceled, go figure) and I haven't really been paying attention for the past couple of years because I really didn't like what was happening with the story but the last thing I wanted was for you to end.
     One last time I will raise a glass to the characters that lived in and passed through Llanview, PA. from Asa and his Buchanan boys to Dorian and her Kramer girls, to the doctors at the hospital to the entire police force, the staff at the Sun and Banner to the staff of the Buenos Diaz diner and all those hanging out in Angel Square. From stories that included D.I.D. (Viki/Niki and Jess/Tess) to teen pregnancy and gay rights through your 43 years you'd tackled all the issues. There were characters I hated (Todd Manning) ant those that I loved (David Vickers and Bo Buchanan). Everyday was a new adventure with fights, friendship and love. Every character will forever stay in my heart.
     In the end I never fell as close to you or loved you as I did with All My Children*  but that doesn't mean I won't miss you as much. If we truly only get ONE LIFE TO LIVE then I am glad I got to spend some of mine with yours.
THANK YOU Ms. Agnes Nixon for the two most wonderful Soaps there ever was!!!

        *=For everything I said about my love for The Soap Opera see blog

Blog within a blog-movies airing on cable

Saturday night at 8 and 9 a handful of cable premium channels aka HBO, Showtime and Starz air a premiere of a recent film. Tonight I unexpectedly got to watch a small Helen Mirren movie marathon. First I watched the new version of Arthur starring Russell Brand and who knew who knew that brand could do a romantic comedy and be good at it he was not only his fun and funny self but I thought he was actually pretty sweet I know who knew!? The movie wasn't great but the performances kept me entertained if Brand as the always drunk man child was the first but the was also Mirren's role as his long time nanny Hobson, she was very sweet and the only person in Arthur's life that cared about him and their relationship was unexpectedly nice to watch then there was Jennifer Garner who I have love  since her Alias days and to see her as an evil only out for the money fiancée was very enjoyable I never wanted the guy to get the sweet girl more speaking of the good love interest because you know all rom coms have one I thought Greta Gerwig whom I have yet to seen in anything was really good, she was sweet, funny and nice as the character of Naomi Quinn I believe we could be friends. Arthur's and Naomi's first date was very cool I wouldn't mind having the scene happen to me in real life one day. As I said in the beginning this film turned out to be better then expected and I would watch it again next time I happen to flip by it while channel surfing.
the other Helen Mirren film I caught in the same night was Red, I movie about retired CIA agents who are thrown back into action unlike Arthur I did want to see this one and it too was funny and fun to watch, I missed the first ten minutes so I don't know why the CIA wanted them dead but with actors like Mirren, Bruce Willis, John Malkovich and Morgan Freeman you don't really need to know the answer and just let them do what they do best. I will watch the whole movie next time it comes around.

Film review-Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

When the credits rolled on the last Sherlock film starring the magnificent Robert Downey Jr as Holmes and the incredible Jude Law as Dr.Watson I couldn’t wait to see the “this movie was made with a sequel in mind” sequel and here it is, when we left off Professor James Moriarty had yet to be seen by the audience his presence was there but his figure was hidden in the shadows, this time we finally get to see why these two characters are ideal foes, in this film we quickly learn that there have been bombing being blamed on anarchist all over Germany, France and England, Moriarty is planning to start a World War, years earlier then it is going to happen and Holmes is the only one that knows, can he and Watson,  who is suppose to be on his honeymoon stop him in time?

To me this film like the one before isn’t necessary about the plot I know I am going against what I have said many time in the past about a good story makes a great film but this time it is all about Sherlock, Watson and Moriarty who they are in literature and pop culture, which means casting was the most important piece of the film’s puzzle, I have to say Robert Downey jr. and Jude Law have perfect chemistry and work well off one another, if there is no other reason to see this movie that would be it but I also love the look of the film the 19^th century landscape through the eyes or Director Guy Richie and crew including the production designer, cinematography and costume designer makes every detail fantasy and dreamlike yet still set in reality as the places, people, horses and cars pass by,  also this time around our two detectives have new and enjoyable actors to watch and help them out, there is a gypsy woman (newcomer to Americain film Noomi Rapace) who gets caught up with the trouble that Holmes seems to always bring with him and she fits right in with the guys helping and fighting right beside them whenever she can, Sherlock’s brother Mycroft (Stephen Fry) is also introduced in A Game of Shadows and is almost as nuts as Sherlock, I also have to admit here that when the first film ended I was wondering who would play Moriarty  and according to my search there were rumors that it was going to be Brad Pitt I like Pitt but in the end I’m so glad they went with a actor (Jared Harris) who I’ve rarely seen and only know from the TV series Mad Men  and I LOVED hating him.

Back to the story and director once again there are a couple of sequences and scenes worth mentioning, including a fantastic chase through the woods as the good guys are being shot at and surrounded by explosions all around them, and all the fights including the one at Watson’s bachelor party which seemed to go on and on were well done and enjoyable to watch.

So if you want to see a fun, buddy, action, comedy movie go see Sherlock Holmes: A Book of Shadows.

TV NOTE: There is also a new TV series just called Sherlock that is British but takes place TODAY that is really worth checking out if you haven’t already the first season is on DVD and the second on TV this side of the pond in May we hope.

Open note to ALL TV networks

Please as mid-season starts up and before you cancel anything else this season please read and take note…

1. Don’t cancel a series before it even has time to build up an audience. - take it from someone who knows and watches over 30 hours of TV a week. There is a lot to watch and it takes some time for viewers to decide what they like and if they want to stick with the series. No more canceling shows after only airing two episodes! Give each at least the first season, three would be better but I know budgets are tight but this brings me to point number
2. The rule of NCIS! I know in the  ratings for the first couple of seasons of NCIS were low, hell even I admit I didn’t give it a try until the third season but that is my point and now it has been number one for the past few years! Giving a show a year or two gives it a chance to find itself and viewers. Sure NCIS may not get nominated for any awards and critics don’t talk about it as much as they should but you don’t care about that, right? Anyway NCIS is a good show with good stories and a wonderful cast and it got a chance to prove itself. Don’t ALL series deserve the same chance? And finally we come to
3. RATINGS! RATINGS! RATINGS!!! I know ratings are the most important aspect in deciding whether to cancel or not to cancel? You must know by now that they way people watch TV has changed drastically since the whole ratings system began. Viewers and their families don’t always have the time to sit around at 8 and watch TV. Ever since the VCR was invented people have learned how to live their lives and still watch their shows. Now between our DVRs and on line there is so much time to watch what we want when we want. Every weekend I catch up with what I missed as I watch and delete  my way through my DVR.

These are just a few ideas from someone who loves and cares about her's and all TV shows. GIVE THEM A CHANCE!

Thank you for taking the time to read.