Television

Is Miss Farrell Crazy on Mad Men?

I've become an obsessed viewer of Mad Men this season, catching each episode on its first Sunday night airing and hitting the web afterwards to read reactions. The best place to do this is the blog of New Jersey Star-Ledger television critic Alan Sepinwall, who posts an extremely long critique of each episode that attracts hundreds of interesting comments. For several weeks, Sepinwall's readers have been increasingly critical of Suzanne Farrell, the outspoken young teacher who is Don ... (read more)

2009/10/27

Last Day to Enter Television Death Pool

Today's the last day to enter the Ted Marshall Open Television Death Pool, a contest to predict the shows most likely to be cancelled during the fall TV season. To play, you must predict 10 comedies, dramas, games shows or news programs on the five major networks -- ABC, CBS, CW, FOX and NBC -- that will be cancelled by Aug. 31, 2010. Last year I finished in a tie for 24th place by picking eight shows that went to their doom: ER (NBC) 90210 (CW) Opportunity Knocks (ABC) The Mentalist (CBS) Life ... (read more)

2009/08/31

Richard Corliss Makes Excuses for Michael Jackson

Before Michael Jackson's death Friday, I wasn't aware that I had any affection left for the King of Pop. Like millions of others, I grew up watching Jackson and the rest of his family grow up. Janet Jackson's my age, and when she played Penny as a 10-year-old on the sitcom Good Times, I was in love. I decided to save myself for her -- not that she appreciated it -- until I finally gave up at age 18. I'm not the only one who still had some affection for Jackson, but the extent of the tonguebath ... (read more)

2009/06/27

It Takes Diff'rent Strokes

Monty Propps, a 36-year-old Brit who creates video mashups, has re-edited the Diff'rent Strokes opening with new music. The music was composed by Chris Young for the 1982 horror flick The Dorm That Dripped Blood. The mashup is more frightening than the actual trailer for that film. ... (read more)

2009/04/16

Disclosing Paid Placements on a Blog

Mel Cooley: "I didn't come here to be insulted!" Buddy Sorrell: "Oh, where do you usually go to be insulted?" Last month I called out Dave Winer for selling a paid placement in Radio UserLand that was never disclosed to his users. This sparked a tempest in a TechMeme in which Mike Arrington dropped the hammer on Winer, declaring that his credibility was permanently shot by the secret deal. I am now obligated, under enemy of my enemy is my friend rules, to extend to Arrington my warm hand of ... (read more)

2009/04/12

ABC Cancels 'Life on Mars'

ABC has cancelled Life on Mars, the surreal crime drama that dropped a New York cop 35 years into the past, reports Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly: Multiple sources are confirming that ABC has canceled my beloved Life on Mars. Per an insider, the network recently advised the show's producers that it would not be ordering a second season. The heads-up will allow them to make this year's season finale a series finale, thus leaving no questions unanswered. And unlike Pushing Daisies, ... (read more)

2009/03/03

eHarmony's Tanyalee Does Not Oppose Gay Marriage

Tanyalee Pearson, one half of the eHarmony TV commercial couple I wrote about in January, has posted a comment on Workbench: I would like to inform you that My husband Joshua wrote a blog about prop 8 back in Oct. She also wrote a longer response on a blog devoted to eHarmony: This post we oppose gay marriage, Now first off ... Joshua wrote the whole prop 8 back in oct. I tanyalee did not write the comment, I do love my husband, I have a lot friends that are gay, I love them all, they all are ... (read more)

2009/03/02

eHarmony Couple Joshua and Tanyalee Oppose Gay Marriage

Joshua and Tanyalee Pearson are newlyweds in Redding, Calif., who met through the online dating service eHarmony and married 10 months later. The telegenic boutique owner and "geeky chemist" have become the greatest TV commercial supercouple since Jared Fogle and a six-inch turkey sandwich. Jared scares me, but after seeing their commercial hundreds of times I've become attached to Joshua and Tanyalee. They got married pretty quickly, but who am I to argue with 29 factors of compatibility? The ... (read more)

2009/01/16

Jeff Bridges Visits the Dentist

The actor Jeff Bridges passes along a fish tale I hadn't heard before, concerning a fisherman in Wichita, Kan., who saw a basketball behaving oddly in a lake: It turned out to be a flathead catfish who had obviously tried to swallow a basketball which became stuck in its mouth!! The fish was totally exhausted from trying to dive, but unable to because the ball would always bring him back up to the surface. Bill tried numerous times to get the ball out, but was unsuccessful. He finally had his ... (read more)

2008/11/24

NBC Cancels 'My Own Worst Enemy'

NBC has cancelled the new Christian Slater spy drama My Own Worst Enemy and the returning series Lipstick Jungle, according to Live Feed: NBC's expectation for the return of Lipstick was modest, but Enemy was considered an important show. A spy thriller with a grown-up budget inspired by the Bourne movies, Enemy received NBC's coveted post-Heroes time period. That valuable Monday hour of scheduling real estate has become less worthwhile in recent weeks, however, as Heroes shed viewers -- ... (read more)

2008/11/13

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