Two Tivos To Paradise 06.19.09: Celebrating Father's Day With The Latest In TV News
Posted by Al Norton on 06.19.2009
The Cleaner returns for a second season, TR Knight gets discharged from Grey's Anatomy but Katherine Heigl stays, a list of fall premiere dates, Hannah Montana's last season, a review of The Philanthropist, raves for Kings, tons of news & notes, the TV Pick of the Week and more, all in the latest edition of Al Norton's Two Tivos To Paradise!
Hello Friends. Got to Fenway for this first time in a few weeks this past Tuesday to see Tim Wakefield continue his push to make his first All-Star team and enjoy a beautiful night out with friends. I've gone to a lot fewer games this year but that was to be expected with the twins, and I am smart enough to save up my chits for postseason play!
Speaking of the twins, this Sunday marks my first Father's Day as a Dad and I couldn't be more excited. The weather here in Boston is calling for rain as of now but even if we spend the day indoors it will be a major milestone in my life. Fatherhood has been everything it was advertised to be and so more. Having my Dad live so close by to share all of this with has added to the thrill.
Check out the main 411mania TV/Movies page today for my interview with PSYCH's Maggie Lawson, who is starring in a new Lifetime Movie Network movie series that premieres on Sunday night.
The science fiction fans in the audience will enjoy the following links, clips from the upcoming Stargate Universe series and a scene or two from the Battlestar Galactica movie BSG: The Plan, both of which will be seen later this year on Sci-Fi.
A child arrived just the other day, he came to the news in the usual way.
When I woke Today Nothing Happened, But In My Dreams I Slew The Dragon The Cleaner, A & E's most successful original drama series ever, returns for a second season this Tuesday. Based on a real life interventionist who helps people beat their drug addiction through some pretty extreme means, the show stars Bratt as William Banks, a recovering addict himself who tries to juggle his work with a turbulent family life. Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica) and Esteban Powell co-star. This season finds a host of guest stars stopping by, including Whoopi Goldberg (a recurring role), Gary Cole, Lori Petty, Mia Kirshner, Rebecca Gayheart, Tyler James Williams, and Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner Christine Lahti.
The pilot for The Cleaner was one of, if not the best of 2008, and while the rest of the first season was uneven, the emotional power of the show is almost without peer. Bratt is truly phenomenal in the lead role, conveying his strength with the same conviction as he does the demons that haunt him. Park is surprisingly good as well – you'd never guess this was the same actress who played Boomer (and all the other versions of her model).
As I have written on these pages previously, shows that look to examine the human condition, the ties that bind us and the responsibilities we have to each other as people, get huge credit from me from the get go. That The Cleaner does so in a way that is entertaining and engrossing is even more praise worthy. Yes, it's earnest, but never in a way that crosses over into cliché, and it's Bratt's heart-on-his-sleeve performance that pulls you in.
The Cleaner's first season was one of the best shows most of you weren't watching and I urge you to correct that mistake when season two premieres next Tuesday.
You Do A Little Dance And Then You Drink A Little Water The Philanthropist is NBC's second scripted drama to premiere this month, airing this Wednesday at 10 pm three weeks after The Listener debuted. Starring Rome's James Purefoy as a rich business man who starts trying to do so some good with his wealth and power, both for the high of helping people and the thrill of the danger involved in his actions. Filmed on location in South Africa and Prague, Jesse L Martin (Law and Order) and Neve Campbell co-star, and the show was executive produced by Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson, Peter Horton, and Charlie Corwin and is one of the first projects for Carnival Film and Television since they were acquired by NBC Universal.
Let's do a quick run down of the talent involved here. Fontana, who wrote the pilot, has Homicide: Life on the Street, St Elsewhere, and Oz on his resume, Corwin produced Half Nelson and A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints as well as the reality hits Miami Ink and LA Ink, and Horton, who aside from being TV's most famous bicycling casualty, has directing credits on Grey's Anatomy, The Shield, Dirty Sexy Money, and Once and Again. Sounds like a winning team, right? Good news; the opening hour of The Philanthropist does not disappoint.
The quality of the product is evident in the first 15 minutes – as The #1 Ladies Detective Agency proved, there are some beautiful but hardly ever seen on TV locations out there that can really add to a series – and Horton's direction more than makes up for whatever predictability the story has. Purefoy is fantastic in the part, underplaying most of the time yet showing his intensity when needed. It's rare for someone on TV to actually be charming instead of the script constantly referring to how charming they are, and Purefoy pulls it off; the entire show hinges on whether or not you believe in his character and by the end of the hour he has more than earned your trust.
I've only seen the pilot but based on that I'm more than willing to commit to the other seven episodes that are part of this run.
He Stares Politely Back At You, You Stare Politely Right On Through
EW.com reported this week that TR Knight's request to be let out of his Grey's Anatomy contract had been granted while multiple outlets are reporting that Katherine Heighl will return. Last month's season finale found Knight's George and Katherine Heigl's Izzie on an elevator seemingly bound for heaven, George having been hit by a bus and Izzy succumbing to cancer. In other Grey's news, Jessica Capshaw, who joined the show towards the end of the season, has been upgraded to regular status for the fall.
The producers of Grey's really have no one but themselves to blame for Knight's departure as he basically had nothing to do though most of last season, with the writers barely putting him the background of other character's storylines, let alone giving him a showcase of his own. My guess was that Heigl would be back since losing two regulars – both original cast members - in the same off-season would be a harsh blow. Grey's recovered from a weak few middle months to finish the season on a high note, in particular because of Heigl's remarkable performance, and the characters having to deal with the death of two close friends might make the show enter levels of depression that even it would find tough to take.
Spending All My Nights, All My Money, Going Out On The Town
For those of you who like to plan REALLY far in advance, multiple networks have announced their fall series/season premiere dates. New shows are marked with an *
ABC
Saturday, 9/5 Saturday Night Football, 8 pm
Friday, 9/11 20/20, 10 pm
Monday, 9/21 Dancing with the Stars, 8 pm Castle, 10 pm
Tuesday, 9/22 The Forgotten*, 10 pm
Wednesday, 9/23 Modern Family*, 9 pm Cougar Town*, 9:30 pm
Sunday, 9/27 The Simpsons, 8 pm The Cleveland Show*, 8:30 pm Family Guy, 9 pm American Dad, 9:30 pm
Monday, 9/28 Lie To Me, 9 pm
Tuesday, 9/29 Hell's Kitchen, 8 pm
Saturday, 11/7 The Wanda Sykes Show, 11 pm
The CW
Tuesday, 9/8 90210, 8 pm Melrose Place*, 9 pm
Wednesday, 9/9 America's Next Top Model, 8 pm
Thursday, 9/10 The Vampire Diaries*, 8 pm Supernatural, 9 pm
Monday, 9/14 One Tree Hill, 8 pm Gossip Girl, 9 pm
Wednesday, 9/16 The Beautiful Life*, 8 pm
Friday, 9/25 Smallville, 8 pm
But You Were Up To Your Old Tricks In Chapters Four Five And Six
All you need to know about the Nielsen's for the past week (or so)…Royal Pains not only matched its premiere audience in week two – no small feat – but they actually improved in the demos. Looks like USA has a new hit…Friday's game seven of the Stanley Cup finals was the most watched NHL game in 36 years…The NBA Finals wrapped up on Sunday with ABC being happy with the ratings; the Lakers-Magic series captured roughly 95% of last season's much hyped Celtics-Lakers match up… 2.24 million tuned in to the Pushing Daisies finale on Saturday night…True Blood's season two premiere was up 157% from the opening of last season…Jon & Kate + 8 was down 70% from the season premiere and now is coming in right about at the average for last season…The Closer dropped 9% in week two while Raising The Bar did somewhat better. It's numbers were down overall from the premiere but only a little, meaning it held on to a much larger chunk of its lead-in than last week…I'm A Celebrity…Get Me out of Here put up the lowest Monday numbers of its three week run…The Tonight Show – Late Show battle continues to have similar results; Conan is winning total viewers by the thinnest margins while crushing Dave in the demos…The finale of The Real Housewives of New Jersey was the top rated finale for any of the Housewives franchise…TNT's Tuesday night line up got off to a slow start, with Wedding Day pulling in less than a million viewers. The series premiere of HawthoRNe was better, pulling more than who watched the Trust Me premiere earlier this year but since that show got canceled, it's hardly a high bar. The evening closed out with Saving Grace losing 25% of the demos that tuned into its last season premiere…I Survived A Japanese Game Show had 32% less people watching than it did for last summer's premiere…I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here hit a season low on Wednesday……So You Think You Can Dance? was the most watched program on Wednesday by a wide margin, although ratings were down across the board…Top Chef Masters was up 14% in both audience and demos in its second week, a great sign for the new series...
All The Young Dudes, Carry The News
Industry News, Notes, and Hot Rumors…Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Steven Spielberg is trying to get Noah Wyle to star in his new alien invasion drama for TNT. There is a duel connection in that Spielberg was an executive producer for ER's first season and Wyle has starred in The Librarian movies for TNT…Billy Ray Cyrus is telling people that this upcoming season of Disney's Hannah Montana will be its last… James Brolin will guest on PSYCH this summer…Look for Stephanie March to reprise her role as ADA Alex Cabot on at least 10 episodes of the upcoming season of Law and Order: SVU…A & E made its cancellation of The Beast official…CBS has ordered three more episodes of I Get That A Lot, where celebrities pretend they are not themselves while working blue collar jobs. The first special ran on April 1st and was a surprise ratings hit…CBS is filming Block Party, a reality show where eight Atlanta families have a large wall built around their homes, forcing them to only interact with each other. The wall will stay up for three weeks and there will be a winner chosen (one assumes it will be the family that lasts the longest) and a cash prize awarded…VH-1 is developing a reality season where people with OCD all live in a house together…Showtime picked up a third season of Tracey Ullman's State of the Union…Rick Worthy, last season on Battlestar Galactica, will join the cast of Heroes this fall, a move that continues his run of work on sci-fi series; previously he has guested on Enterprise, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Dark Angel, Odyssey 5, and Stargate: SG-1…Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane will have a recurring role on ABC's Flash Forward this fall…The Travel Channel is developing The Streets of America: The Search for America's Worst Driver…TLC ordered 12 episodes of Stager Invasion as part of their upcoming Tuesday night block of real estate sales related programming. The show, which finds a professional stager giving tips to home sellers, will be paired with Moving Up and Real Estate Pros…The other shoe dropped this week when Brian Austin Greene, who recently was rumored to be thisclose to signing on with One Tree Hill before another actor was cast in the part, was announced to be playing Metallo on at least two episodes of the upcoming season of Smallville…Academy Award winner Linda Hunt will be a regular on NCIS: LA
Turns Out Not Where But Who You're With That Really Matters
The top thing I watched since the last column went to press AKA The Best Of What's Around…Studio 60 was the last time I was as disappointed with a new show's ratings performance as I am with Kings, which continues to have a spot on my 10 Best Dramas on TV list. I know some people think it's slow but I will always argue that slow in and of itself is not a bad thing, the same way that quick plot twists for the sake of quick plot twists are not particularly interesting. Kings has spend serious time on its characters, giving them shades and nuances that make them feel like real people. The acting is top notch across the board, and each week I am pulled deeper into the story. Sadly, last Saturday's return was simply to burn off the remaining episodes, but the good news is that all the storylines should be at least somewhat wrapped up with the finale. Were it to have been on cable (say, FX or Starz) Kings could have had a nice little life for itself but now is relegated to one season status, although it will enjoy a nice spot on my shelf when the DVD's are released.
People Say I'm Crazy Doing What I'm Doing. Well, They Give Me All Kinds Of Warnings To Save Me From Ruin
What's flashed before my eyes the last seven days…True Blood's kick off to its sophomore season was solid, setting the stage for multiple stories to be played out over the course of the coming weeks. The real story of the episode was that second to last scene, where Sookie and Bill brought the heat in ways that I wasn't sure TV was willing to go; you don't see a lot of sex scenes involving blood…I kind of like how all the Army Wives leads are struggling with their identities as it means we can look forward to a season where they stretch out beyond what we've seen so far and hopefully become even more fully realized characters. Catherine Bell in particular is turning in a performance at a level I didn't think she was capable of…Has anyone remade their public image faster than Sanjaya with his I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here stint? Now that Spencer and Heidi are gone, I actually kind of enjoy the show, in a guilty pleasure kind of way. Maybe I just like Lou Diamond Phillips getting so much primetime face time…What's up with Best Week Ever taking 6 and ½ months off? At the end of this past Friday's episode they said they wouldn't be back until January 2010. Not sure what the story is what the extended hiatus but I am working on it…I like that that Royal Pains is mixing it up with the medical parts of the show so far; week one had Hank acting like MacGyver and this past week was more of a House like mystery (random illness that is diagnosed in the last 10 minutes). When did Andrew McCarthy become type cast as a rich guy? The last three times I have seen him on my screen he has been an ultra wealthy business type, from Lipstick Jungle to Gossip Girl (the 80's flashback episode) to Royal Pains. Even more interesting is that in two of those three roles he was a total dick; it's like as he gets older he is playing the grown up versions of the James Spader characters in all those movies they co-starred in…I've been tivoing The Tonight Show based on who the guests are and am really enjoying it. Norm McDonald's stint on the couch last week was hysterical…Loved the musical interlude on Rescue Me this week, and I am betting that Sean's drug hazed imagination will provide us with some great stuff the next couple of weeks. Tommy's speech at the AA meeting was brutal. How are you not watching this show?!?!?...
TV Pick Of The Week
Debuting in the summer of 2008, The Secret Life of the American Teenager was as a surprise hit, building its audience each week and setting ABC Family ratings records on a regular basis. Returning with its second season this Monday at 8 pm, the show looks to continue its rather odd balance of family drama, teen romance, and almost slapstick levels of comedy while maintaining its ratings success. While the focus of the season will obviously be on Amy raising her new baby, rumors abound that a major character dies in the first couple of episodes, with that death causing many to reevaluate their priorities.
Don't miss the season two premiere of The Secret Life of the American Teenager this Monday at 8 pm on ABC Family.
Hope You Need My Love, Babe, Just Like I Need You
Here is some other noteworthy programming of the next seven days…
*Coverage of Golf's U.S. Open is split over two networks today (10 am on ESPN, 3 pm on NBC, and back to ESPN at 5 pm) before NBC takes over sole possesion over the weekend (Saturday at 2 pm, Sunday at 1:30 pm).
*If you missed the two part episode of NCIS that launched the upcoming NCIS: LA spin off earlier this spring then you are in luck as USA is airing both hours tonight starting at 9 pm.
*NBC's summer sci-fi series Merlin begins Sunday at 8 pm with back-to-back episodes. Early word is not great so the main selling point here might be the premiere of a new trailer for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
*ABC's two part mini-series Impact begins on Sunday at 9 pm. David James Elltio and Natash Henstridge do their best to keep straight faces as they try to save the planet from the moon, which is heading right at us!!!
*Wimbledon!!! Catch coverage of the opening rounds every weekday starting at 7 am on ESPN.
*A quick glance the evening news or the front page of a newspaper tells you that now would be a great time to learn more about Iran, its history, and the role it plays in the world. Good thing for you that National Geographic is premiering Iran and the West Monday night at 9 pm. The documentary is receiving rave reviews and will leave you feeling a little bit smarter about the world going on around you.
*Mary McDonnell begins a multi-episode stint on The Closer. Let's hope it goes better than her stay at Seattle Grace.
*If you've been wondering who will be the U.S. version of Susan Boyle than Tuesday's two hour premiere of American's Got Talent (9 pm, NBC) is right up your alley.
*Bravo ran a preview special two weeks ago but the actual premiere of NYC Prep (think a reality version of Gossip Girl) airs Tuesday at 10 pm.
*Real World: Cancun kicks off its season Wednesday at 10 pm on MTV.
*The NBA finals may have just ended but the race for next season's championship starts Thursday with the NBA Draft (ESPN, 7:30 pm).
Two Tivos To Paradise 30 Days, 30 Rock, The Academy, American Idol, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Antiques Roadshow, Best Day Ever, Best Week Ever, Better Off Ted, Big Love, Bones, Breaking Bad, Brothers And Sisters, Burn Notice, Celebrity Apprentice, Chopped, The Chris Isaak Hour, Chuck, The Closer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Daddy's Girls, Damages, The Deadliest Catch, Desperate Housewives, Destination Truth, Dirty Sexy Money, The Dish, Entourage, Eureka, Everybody Hates Chris, Flipping Out, Gary Unmarried, Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, The Hills, House, How I Met Your Mother, Iron Chef America, Jon & Kate + Eight, Last Comic Standing, Last Restaurant Standing, Law And Order, Law And Order: Criminal Intent, Law And Order: Special Victims Unit, Lost, Mad Men, Make Me A Supermodel, Man v. Food, Medium, My Name Is Earl, The New Adventures Of Old Christine, Next Food Network Star, Nip/Tuck, The Office, One Tree Hill, Paranormal State, Party Down, Private Practice, Project Runway, Pushing Daisies, Psych, Real Time With Bill Maher, Reaper, Rescue Me, Royal Pains, Rules Of Engagement, Run's House, Samantha Who?, Sanctuary, The Sarah Jane Chronicles, Saturday Night Live, Scrubs, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Shear Genius, Skins, So You Think You Can Dance?, Sons of Anarchy, The Soup, Southland, Sports Soup, Step It Up and Dance, Supernatural, Table For 12, Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Top Design, Torchwood, True Blood, Ugly Betty, Web Soup, Will Work for Food
People Love You When They Know You're Leaving Soon
Here ends another edition of Two Tivos To Paradise. For those of you keeping track we're only two weeks away from the third annual Norty Awards (feel free to use the comments section to lobby for your favorites) and three weeks from our big anniversary column. I know I always use this space to tease those who will be dropping by to celebrate our 150th edition and this week will be no different. Well, this week's clue is a bit more obvious. Two words: You're Fired.
Don't forget to come back next Friday for all the news, and while you're at it, why not just bookmark the movies/TV page here at 411mania.com and make it that much easier for you to find your entertainment industry hook up!
Feedback is encouraged at twotivostoparadise@yahoo.com as well via the comments section below.
Sources for this week's column include Daily Variety, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, and Hollywood Reporter (plus the web sites for those publications) as well as Aintit.cool.com.
Merlin is not a NBC show I watched this months ago on BBC. It is very good. With Anthony Head playin Uther Arthur's father doesnt hurt, for you Buffy fans.
Posted By: bikerfett (Guest) on June 18, 2009 at 11:41 PM
Really enjoying Royal Pains. Only minor quibble is that it could definitely use some nudity. Did HBO look into this show? Screw Joe Buck.
Posted By: AM (Guest) on June 18, 2009 at 11:53 PM
I totally agree with you why are you not watching it
Rescue Me is the best show on TV right now!
Posted By: Guest#1721 (Guest) on June 19, 2009 at 12:59 AM
Sorry, AL. Don't mean to nitpick but Christine Lahti has never won an Oscar.
Posted By: BenPiper (Registered) on June 19, 2009 at 02:16 AM
Al, Entertainment Weekly had a thing up about the Best Week Ever thing in last week or two. From what I remember Paul F. Tompkins is out as well as the people he works with. VH1 is attempting to revamp the show.
Posted By: Peter (Guest) on June 19, 2009 at 03:01 AM
Sorry, Ben, but Christine Lahti does indeed have an Oscar win on her resume. She won for best Live Action Short Film in 1996 - "Lieberman in Love" - quite good if you can find it. It's an adaptation of one of my favorite short stories of all time, written by W.P. Kinsella.
Posted By: ArmandF (Registered) on June 19, 2009 at 08:38 AM
The Cleaner has such good potential but spends too much time with his family and not enough time dealing with plot - helping drug addicts.
Posted By: Mikel (too lazy to log in) (Guest) on June 19, 2009 at 09:52 AM
Yeah Ben - all it took was a 5 second look at her Wikipedia to see that she won an oscar. Nice job picking on Al with the wrong info.
Posted By: SeatsPro (Guest) on June 19, 2009 at 10:24 AM
dude, I could not agree more about Kings and Studio 60. I love both shows and became heavily invested in both. Damn NBC for canceling man, damn them
Posted By: Guest#1712 (Guest) on June 19, 2009 at 07:44 PM
