TV Mad Man

Olympics are ending, television is coming back, new episodes, new stars, and new shows will be entering the airways this week and beyond.

Closing Ceremonies – 7/6c on NBC I have been for the last two weeks mostly glued to the Olympics, for better or for worse, and tonight the 2010 games end and the countdown to London begins. NBC coverage can be frustrating to us on the west coast but I have enjoyed the talent and events they play at certain times. I can only hope that tonight’s event is co-hosted by the wonderful Mary Carillo like previous years, but have been unable to confirm that. Following the 3.5 hours is…

The Marriage Ref – 10:30/9:30c on NBC What looks like a hilarious program in a special sneak preview. The Marriage Ref is from Jerry Seinfeld, and features a panel of celebrity judges that range from Tina Fey to Maddona who judge actually couples problems. A 30 minute preview with Jerry Seinfeld, Alec Baldwin, and Kelly Ripa airs after the ceremonies, and a fine comedian Tom Papa serves as the “Ref.” At first I was hesitant of this new concept series, but throughout the weeks I have come around. It will settle into its regular time slot, Thursday at 10/9c.

Brothers and Sisters – 10/9c on ABC Family drama will be very present on the site this week thanks to NBC’s new family series Parenthood, but the staple right now is still going over on ABC, and while the season of Brothers and Sisters has had its highs (Kitty’s cancer) and the low’s (Justin’s school life), I am still enjoying this year the most since Season 2 and tonight’s episode is no different. Whenever Nora and Holly (Sally Field and Patricia Wettig) get together you do not know what to expect and fans of the battling duo will be very happy tonight along with the political side as Kitty and Buffy (Cheryl Hines in a perfect southern role) as that becomes a staple in the series to come. The biggest draw for many however is the return of Gilles Marini, who plays Sarah’s french lover Luc who we saw last week as the artist of the painting that Sarah received without knowing. He is a gem on the program and I hope he continues to be a bright light (SPOILER ALERT: Gilles will become a series regular next year, so we will be seeing a lot more of him.)

I, as much as its seems every person in the states, know about the craze and watched most of it of The Hills, The City, and the MTV reality show princess most recently on MTV’s smash hit Jersey Shore. But as the CW puts it, their new reality entry premiering March 10th after Top Model, is “what happens when you give the people from Jersey Show money.”

High Society follows New York socialite Tinsley Mortimer as she tries to be an “upstanding” woman in the fashion and City community. I am as much as anybody getting sick of reality shows taking over my screens, but only when they try so hard for me to hate the “characters on screen. I get the feeling through the clips (Will post a full review in early March), that Tinsley is not one of those girls but maybe her pals or enemies are.

Another unique aspect of High Society, is that we will not only be meeting Tinsley’s friends but also her family including her sister, and her mother that might think Tinsley is making a big mistake. The family is not as I said without the friends which include some crazy guys like Malik So Chic, a very stylish gay male, and Paul, the “party guy.”

Tinsley is of course in the fashion community and like my favorite Whitney Port over at MTV’s The City, she is trying to launch her own line, and working for a powerful fashion firm. I don’t know about the rest of you but I love the workplace reality and especially when there is great drama to go with it.

We will all she is Tinsley is worth following on a crowded Wednesday night premiering at a special time 9:30/8:30c on March 10th, then on March 24th High Society will move to its regular time at 9/8c to precede its companion Fly Girls.

It is once again Tuesday and that means for me Idol and especially Lost. Tonight’s installment entitled “Lighthouse,” revolves around the shows techniacal lead, Jack Shepherd (Matthew Fox). Although he has never been my favorite character, I could never imagine the show without him, and here are some of his most shining moments.

1. Through the Looking Glass (Season 3) Easily the best finale the show has ever done, and it gets better the more you watch it. The imfauous “we have to go back” flashforward revealtion was a treat, and to watch Jack in such a terrible state, showed both his and Matthew Fox’s venerability. Just a courageous and revealing episode.

2. Man of Science, Man of Faith (Season 2) After the fan outcry of not knowing what was in the hatch, we got answers and the battle between Jack and Locke really begun. Two powerful characters that learned just so much from each other even if they do not realize it.

3. White Rabbit (Season 1) Jack’s first real flashback episode that introduced us to Christian both on and off the island with Jack’s vision and troubled past.

4. Tale of Two Cities (Season 3) This episode maybe was not Jack’s best but it did introduce us to my favorite character Juliet, and the romance between Jack and Juliet in the Hydra was imminent from the start.

5. The Hunting Party (Season 2) Middle of season 2 was not the best time for Lost, but this hour has somehow stuck in my head for the odd reason of the flashback story of Jack losing Sarah, gaining a patient, and having a heart.

What do you think of my list? Anything you would change? Most of all, what did you think of tonight?

I believe no show on ABC this year has been been discussed so much regarding the quality, descions, and story, but its what they say, they are talking about it. FlashForward, is an epic sized series about what happens after the world goes black for over two minutes and everybody sees the future on April 29th, 2010. That date is still to come as is the second half of the series which returns with a two hour episode on March 18th, but that has not stopped a DVD of the first 10 hours to be released this Tuesday, so new and old fans alike can look at the series one more time before the return.

The 2 disc set is nicely packaged with all the episodes in a menu screen similar to that of the faboluous LOST sets and there are bonus features as well to keep you behind-the-scenes folks happy, with a nice piece on the making of the pilot as well as a terrificly put together look at the remaning 12 episodes. The features are as follows:

CREATING A CATASTROPHE: THE EFFECTS OF A GLOBAL BLACKOUT
Go behind-the-scenes of the pilot and discover what went in to creating FlashForward’s most iconic scene, the freeway disaster.  Through interviews with David S. Goyer and his production team we go on the set to see how destruction is developed and explosions are executed.

FLASHFORWARD: A LOOK AHEAD
Be the first to get a “FlashForward” with this exclusive look at the teaser to episode 111.

“COULD”
A look at the second half of FlashForward Season 1, narrated by Dominic Monaghan.

FlashForward in my mind has had a bumbling past, but I remaining optismistic, unlike others, of the second half, especially in the wonderful supporting cast of Sonya Walger, Christine Woods, Jack Davenport, Zachary Knighton, Peyton List, and one of my favorites Dominic Monaghan. The series asks the question of fate and future, and I am just intrigued by that alone. Check out the disc set that also features a coupon on the first season DVD that will be released in the summer, out on Tuesday!

Check out these fun little recaps that FOX made for 24. As always, check out new episodes at 9/8c Mondays.

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