TV Mad Man

Big night for NBC and the rest of the networks, see whats on the plate…

The New NBC Comedy Night w/ Perfect Couples, Parks & Recreation, More… – Starts 8/7c on NBC

WE ARE BACK!! NBC’s almost perfect comedy line-up returns tonight, super sized! I will go show by show to chronicle what to watch. First up is Community, which re-launches tonight with Malcolm Jamel-Warner as Shirley’s ex-husband. This show is on a streak of funny, much like ABC’s Cougar Town, I highly recommend, but you might want to check out after that, as Perfect Couples debuts at 8:30/7:30c. The comedy surrounds 3 couples, each in a different stage of marriage/dating with stars Olivia Munn, Christine Woods, and more. I have seen three episodes, and while their is some charm, it is painfully unfunny.

Tune back in however at 9/8c, when Steve Carell’s final episodes of The Office begin, it won’t be long until we are Michael-less, but the real highlight of NBC comedy is the return of Parks and Recreation, the painfully funny look at local government through the eyes of Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) is on the top of its game with new stars Rob Lowe and Adam Scott, I have seen six episodes of the new year, and each episode is so good in its own way. 30 Rock and Outsourced finish the night off and think  you know which one to tune out (hint: the latter).

Royal Pains – 9/8c on USA

The crew in the Hamptons is back tonight for a winter run (sounds weird for such as summer show), and the premiere focuses on the aftermath of Hank’s father’s revelation and some needed medical help at a golf course with guest stars Tom Cavanaugh and Amy Sedaris, fun ensues in a classic episode.

American Idol – 8/7c on FOX

Did you watch yesterday’s premiere with new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler? Well, ratings tell us a lot of you did but not as many as previous years. I enjoyed the new panel quite a lot as they focused more on the good than the bad last night, and lets hope that continues. What I don’t want to continue, the auditions, I want to hear the live singing!

Fairly Legal – 10/9c on USA

USA network continues after Royal Pains, with its newest dramedy, this one with a very fun female lead. Life‘s Sarah Shahi, stars as Kate Reed, a young lawyer turned mediator at her dead father’s firm, where she must battle her step-mom, her boyfriend, and unruly clients. This is by far not USA’s best outing in original fare, but is certainly one I am seeing through, having seen three episodes (including the pilot and finale), Sarah shines as Kate, she is infectiously fun, happy, and all around awesome. She is one to watch, as well as this fine show that showcases that wonderful talent.

The Good Wife – 10/9c on CBS

Easily in the top 5 of my new favorite shows, The Good Wife is able to bridge the gap between procedural and quality drama. The acting, story, and creative spark by everyone involved is spectacular and after a month hiatus returns tonight with one episode, then another week off. In this episode entitled, “Doubt,” Gary Cole’s Kurt comes back into life of Diane, while Alicia defends a college student.

Gary Cole and Christine Baranski on "The Good Wife"

Southland – 10/9c on TNT

After the miraculous revival of this docu-LA cop drama, the five new episodes have aired and tonight the sixth and final episode of the second season airs tonight. The ratings have been okay, but DVR has been strong, and there is a good chance for another year on TNT. The finale delves into the search for a impersonating rapist that the team is following.

Lost – 9/8c on ABC

DESSSSSSSSS! Oh, how I have missed the “brotha” and finally in tonight’s episode entitled “Happily Ever After,” we learn more about this special character.

American Idol – 8/7c on FOX

I just wanted to mention that I was so upset that Didi Benami was voted off last week while the terrible Tim Urban was left standing. Didi had a unique and special voice in easily one of the worst years ever. One thing that could turn this year around, a just announced guest mentor spot by Adam Lambert to happen next week!

Since I am officially caught up with current television (minus me watching for the first time House and Supernatural), I thought it would be a good time to tell you my thoughts for each show, and I would love to hear what you think! Check back tomorrow for the comments on programs from the second half of the week.

Castle – There is only good news for the comedic procedural that has seemingly integrated itself into the ABC brand like no other. Castle is climbing in the ratings and for once beating CSI: Miami in the demos which isn’t heard of in the 10PM timeslot on Mondays. The other good news is even in repeats the show performers better than any other ABC drama which means that new viewers are coming in through repeats.

Now creatively the show has been strong. Becketts’s backstory with her mother’s death has really been front and center for a couple weeks and it almost puts a “Monk” like layer to the story that gives me more of a personal connection. The case-of-the-week seemingly are just avenues to provide fun dialogue between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic and I love those two together along with Castle’s mom and daughter who put a smile to your face. Well done ABC, and Castle returns with new episodes on Match 8th.

How I Met Your Mother/The Big Bang Theory – Now to a show that has not been on top of their game this year in Mother. The majority of the episodes have felt off and not true to the series with repeating stories for Robin, Lily and Marshall playing way in the background, and no progress with Ted. The 100th episode earlier in 2010 was solid and provide some new information on the title story but in order for me to really care, you must continue it and that has not happened. Very uneven but its 9:30 counterpart on Monday has been anything but.

Big Bang has not provided memorable moments like it should but it has never fallen to the bad column this year. The humor is endless, and each of the characters seem to be showcased in different ways each week. Both comedies return to CBS Mondays on March 1st.

Chuck- Chuck vs. the Mask sure was a controversial one. In the hour, the producers featured both Chuck and Sarah move on to new relationships and I was not okay with it. It was not necessarily the realationship, it was the way it was went about. Kristin Kreuk is a great actress and I was very happy to see her character Hannah take a larger role but for the past two hours she is being used in a role that is starting to hate Chuck and I do not enjoy that. I wanted Hannah to come in to the Buy More as just a fun, quirky girl, that can play with everybody and for her and Chuck to really form a bond. As far as Chuck and Sarah, as long as they are still friends with each other and sociable I could care less if Sarah jumps on board Shaw’s bandwagon.

Chuck is a show that even in the heaviest of stories has come out as a comedic and fun drama but for a couple weeks now that seems to be never present except for the great pairing of Ellie and Morgan and if this season they don’t find out about our hero we will have a problem. The gig is up, and it returns March 1st after the Olympics.

Kell on Earth – For two weeks, Kelly Cutrone has made my Mondays. By far the funniest and bitchiest hour on the first day of the week, Kelly and her staff provide a fast paced and interesting hour with the past week just being interesting to see what goes into a Fashion Week show and how to get fired from one. This next week, Kelly will travel to London for work and I am sure we will go both to her offices in Paris and LA as the show continues till the first season finale on the 29th of March. (more…)

American Idol is back. Are you ready?

America’s #1 show returns for a two hour Atlanta audition episodes with guest judge Mary J. Blige at 8/7c on FOX. As you most likely know, Paula Abdul is no longer on the panel, and comedian Ellen Degeneres is in but you won’t see her with Simon, Kara, and Randy until Hollywood Week at the end of the month. Until then the likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Kristen Chenoweth, and Shina Twain. Do I need to watch Idol? No, I am going to, Yes.

Also back tonight is Southland, the NBC semi-hit that well is no longer on NBC. TNT picked up the cancelled drama and begins airing the series beginning with Season 1, and then in March will start airing original season 2 episodes. To honor the series, 10 minutes of extra footage was added for a commercial free premiere and now that it is on cable, those bleeps are gone, and it makes for one great, exhilarting series that stars Ben McKensie, Michael Cudlitz, and a sublime Regina King.

Southland airs tonight on TNT at 10/9c.

Well this came to me as a suprise as I watch the Obama healthcare speech. FOX just announced that Ellen DeGeneres, yes that hilarious brilliant talk show host is the new Paula Abdul becoming a permanent judge on the number 1 show on Television. Below is FOX’s full release about the news. What do you think? I love her but is she right for the position?

ELLEN DEGENERES JOINS “AMERICAN IDOL” AS NEW JUDGE

Emmy Award-winning talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has joined AMERICAN IDOL as a fourth judge. DeGeneres will sit alongside Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi and offer her own unique perspective to the contestants throughout the competition.

The ninth season of AMERICAN IDOL premieres January 2010 on FOX. DeGeneres will join the judges’ panel after the auditions, which will feature appearances by guest judges Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Jonas, Neil Patrick Harris, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry and Shania Twain.

“I’m thrilled to be the new judge on AMERICAN IDOL,” said DeGeneres. ”I’ve watched since the beginning, and I’ve always been a huge fan. So getting this job is a dream come true, and think of all the money I’ll save from not having to text in my vote.”

“I could not be more excited to have Ellen join the AMERICAN IDOL family,” said creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. “Ellen has been a fan of the show for many years, and her love of music and understanding of the American public will bring a unique human touch to our judging panel. I can’t wait for this next season to begin.”

“We’re all delighted to have Ellen join our ninth season of AMERICAN IDOL,” said executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. “Beyond her incredible sense of humor and love of music, she brings with her an immense warmth and compassion that is almost palpable. She is one of America’s foremost entertainers, and we cannot wait to have her join our team.”

Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment for FOX added, “We are thrilled to have Ellen DeGeneres join the AMERICAN IDOL judges’ table this season. She is truly one of America’s funniest people and a fantastic performer who understands what it’s like to stand up in front of audiences and entertain them every day. We feel that her vast entertainment experience – combined with her quick wit and passion for music – will add a fresh new energy to the show.”

A beloved television icon and entertainment pioneer, DeGeneres’ distinctive comic voice has resonated with audiences from her first stand-up comedy appearances through her work today on television, in film and in the literary world. DeGeneres has made a home for herself in the daytime arena with her hit syndicated talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” The show, now entering its seventh season, won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host four years in a row and has earned a total of 29 Daytime Emmy Awards.

DeGeneres was recently included in Forbes’ Top 5 “Most Influential Women in Media” and was voted “Best Daytime Talk-Show Host” by Parade.com readers. In addition, DeGeneres has been voted “Favorite TV Personality” by The Harris Poll’s annual favorite television star list beating out Oprah Winfrey and Jay Leno. DeGeneres was included in MSNBC’s “Power players who shape your TV habits.” DeGeneres also was honored with Television Week’s Syndication Personality of the Year and voted No. 1 in Oxygen’s “50 Funniest Women Alive” special in the company of such comedic legends as Carol Burnett and Lily Tomlin and has been included in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People.

DeGeneres had the honor of hosting the highly rated 79th Annual Academy Awards and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety or Music Program. This follows her 2005 stint hosting the Primetime Emmy Awards, which marked her third time hosting the show. Her performance hosting the 2001 award show garnered her rave reviews for providing a perfect balance of wit with heartfelt emotion to the post-September 11 telecast audience. DeGeneres won an American Comedy Award for her inaugural effort hosting the show in 1994. Additionally, DeGeneres co-hosted AMERICAN IDOL’s very successful IDOL GIVES BACK special that raised money for children in extreme poverty in America andAfrica.

In 2008, DeGeneres became the newest face for CoverGirl. The national print and commercial campaign for Simply Ageless Foundation premiered in December and the product quickly became No. 1 in the marketplace, outperforming expectations. DeGeneres partnered up with American Express in 2005 where she appeared in their ad campaign “My Life, My Card,” including a national commercial and a print campaign. DeGeneres later appeared in the national commercial “My Life Goal: to work with animals” which won a Primetime Emmy Award.

Prior to the launch of her talk show, DeGeneres scored simultaneous achievements on stage, film and in the literary world. She enjoyed unprecedented popular and critical response to her character, Dory, the fish with extreme short term memory, in the blockbuster animated feature film, “Finding Nemo.” At the same time, DeGeneres crossed the country on a 35-city stand-up comedy tour, entitled the “Here and Now” tour. Her stop at the famed Beacon Theater in New York was turned into an HBO special and was subsequently nominated for two Emmys. Finally, in October, Simon & Schuster published DeGeneres’ second book, “The Funny Thing Is….,” comprised of the author’s comedic short stories and essays. The book hit the New York Times’ Bestseller list upon its release. In 2005, DeGeneres was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for the audio version of the book. Her first book, “My Point…And I Do Have One,” published in 1995, debuted at No. 1 on the The New York Times bestseller list.

DeGeneres’ career began as an emcee at a local comedy club in her hometown of New Orleans, which led to national recognition in 1982 when her videotaped club performances won Showtime’s “Funniest Person In America” honor. When DeGeneres moved to Los Angeles she filmed her first HBO Special, “Young Comedians Reunion,” then in 1986 “Women of the Night.” That same year, DeGeneres scored a first by becoming the first female comedian to be summoned by Johnny Carson to sit down with him after her performance. In 1989, DeGeneres received a Cable Ace nomination for her “Command Performance: One Night Stand” special. She was also named “Best Female Stand-Up” at the 1991 American Comedy Awards.

DeGeneres began her acting career in television on the FOX sitcom “Open House.” She moved on to ABC’s “Laurie Hill,” prior to being offered a part on “These Friends of Mine” by ABC. After the first season, the show was renamed “Ellen.”  Running from 1994 to 1998, the show garnered record ratings, with DeGeneres receiving Emmy nominations each season in the Best Actress category. In 1997, DeGeneres was the recipient of the coveted Peabody Award as well as earning an Emmy for writing the critically acclaimed “Puppy Episode” when her character came out as a gay woman to a record 46 million viewers.

Both on and off screen, DeGeneres’ humanitarian efforts take center stage. DeGeneres is passionate about bringing awareness to the people of New Orleans, her hometown, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina and her efforts have resulted in “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” raising over $10 million to improve the lives of New Orleans residents. Overall, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” has raised over $50 million and brought attention to various causes, including global warming and animals. Additionally, DeGeneres continues to raise awareness about breast cancer, and served as spokesperson for General Mills’ breast cancer awareness initiative, Pink for the Cure, and hosted special episodes of her show to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Since she was first nationally recognized in 1982 as a comedian in New Orleans, Ellen’s many contributions to the entertainment industry have earned her numerous accolades including a Golden Apple Award as Female Discovery of the Year from the Hollywood Women’s Press Club; a Lucy Award honoring women in Television and Film, as well as an Amnesty International Award.