Two Tivos To Paradise 09.04.09: A Long Weekend's Worth of TV News

Posted by Al Norton on 09.04.2009

The future of Supernatural, Rescue Me's exit strategy, HBO picks up Martin Scorsese series, Katherine Heigl is leaving Grey's (sort of), The L Word becomes a reality show, a guide to the week's season/series premieres, raves for Eureka, tons of news and notes, a guide to the Labor Day weekend marathons, the TV Pick of the Week and more, all in the latest edition of Al Norton's Two Tivos To Paradise.

Hello Friends. Thanks for choosing TTTP as a way to blow off work before you head out on for the long weekend. Mrs. Tivo and I went to Allegria on Sunday, the 6th different Cirque Du Soleil production we have seen together; it wasn't the best one I have seen (nothing is ever going to touch the highs of LOVE) but it was a fun way to spend an afternoon. Can't wait till the twins are old enough to take to stuff like this.

Here's a promo for the new season of The Office for your viewing pleasure…



My opening item this week is not TV related and I am not wishing to offend any readers with it; I don't look at it like a political story as much as one about being inspired.

I can change, I can change (you know I can change, baby), I can change for news.

There Are Places I'll Remember, All My Life, Though Some Have Changed
In the spring of 1990 I was a slightly lost 18 year old kid, with a Mom recovering from a bout with breast cancer and a Dad in year five of a 100% disability from the government for PTSD. I had forgone the standard go-to-college route that most of my friends took after high school, instead spending a year in a brand new community service program called City Year. I'd like to say I did it out of pure altruism but the truth is not a small part of my decision was based on not really having anything else that seemed interesting. I enjoyed my time in the program, feeling like I was helping people and at the same time finding the very beginnings of my true voice.

The powers-that-be at City Year scored a major coup, getting Senator Ted Kennedy to speak at our graduation. Following a review of our year of service and a wonderful speech by Tom Lowenstein the captured the essence of what it was like to be in the program, Kennedy took to the podium and those next 10 minutes changed my life. Here was Ted Kennedy, the force behind legislation that had touched the lives of millions and millions of people (Americans with Disabilities Act, Voting Rights Act, Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments, Immigration and Nationality Act…it's quite a long list), talking about how our year of service reminded him of the idealism that played such a role in his family's public (and private) life.

I was fully aware of the man's history, of the demons he had battled with and that there were lives that he had affected in horrifying ways, but I also judge people on the whole of their lives and there is no doubt that he did more good than bad in his time, probably more than any of us will ever do. When he spoke of how inspired he was by us…Take out my wedding day and the birth of my children and I am not sure there are many times in my life I've felt better about myself. When he went on to play a major role in President Clinton's creation of AmeriCorps, that pride grew a little bit more.

City Year is now in 18 cities across the country, plus a corps in Johannesburg, and there are over 10,000 alumni. I ended up joining the staff after graduation and creating a daily newsletter – The Daily Briefing – that is still used today in all of their locations. I am not saying I would not be where I am without Ted Kennedy but I am not sure I wouldn't have taken those steps back in 1990 without his influence, and who knows what kind of different path I would have ended up on after that.

Give Me Your Heart, Make It Real Or Else Forget About It
Supernatural creator Eric Kripe gave fans a big thrill this week when, while talking about sticking to his five year plan for the show, he discussed ways it could continue on past this spring. He said he still plans on ending this story with a big bang but then said that he was "looking at this season as the last chapter in this particular story. That doesn't mean there can't be a new story. Buffy did it. The X-Files did it. You close a chapter on a big mythology storyline and then you being a new one." The series is currently only renewed through the end of this current season, which is the same time Kripe's deal runs out.

I know I've got a lot of Supernatural fans among my readers so this should be good, albeit not particularly surprising news. I mean, the show is coming off one of its strongest seasons creatively, and there has been an increased buzz over the last 12 months as well, so ending after five seasons wouldn't have made a lot of sense. Being paired up with The Vampire Diaries this fall should help both shows.

Watch Out, You Might Get What You're After, Cool Baby, Strange But Not A Stranger
Rescue Me executive producer Peter Tolan revealed that the episodes that begin production this September will be the series' last, with those 19 broken out over two seasons so the show's final run coincides with the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. The series has received its best critical notices this summer but ratings for the 5th season are below the previous average.

I think I am more annoyed by the short seasons than I am upset about the end of the show; after this summer's run of 20+ episodes, seasons of 10 & 9 episodes (assuming that's how they break it up) will seem way too short. Rescue Me
is currently one of the top 5 dramas on TV and is hitting creative highs this season, so the lack of strong ratings is disappointing. Of course, the writer's strike causing an almost full two year gap between seasons may have something to do with that.

Keep reading for my thoughts on the Rescue Me season finale.

So Go On, Let It Be, If There's A Feeling Coming Over Me, Seems Like It's Always Understood This Time Of Year
The fall TV season is here! For the next few weeks we'll be using this section to let you know about the week's premieres. Shows with an "*" are series premieres.

TUESDAY
90210 (The CW), 8 pm
The second season of this high school drama kicks off with a solid if-not-spectacular core audience. This is the year that will determine if the series has legs as we see who keeps watching now that the novelty appeal is gone.

Melrose Place* (The CW), 9 pm
Let me start off by committing what some will consider an act of heresy; the original Melrose Place was not a good television show. It was actually quite bad, with truly awful writing that was made occasionally tolerable by the members of the cast that were able to rise above. I know, I know – a lot of people love the show, and while I won't argue with them about their affection, I will say that loving something doesn't actually make it good. What I will say about the original is that they were trying to be a good show, at least at first, and then they embraced their inner-soap to great success.

This new version is bad in way that first could never touch, mostly because they seem to be going for slick, tawdry, and buzz worthy, but never, ever does actual quality appear to be a goal. Not a single note of dialogue rings true, and while I know I don't live in LA, I don't know anyone who is remotely like these people. Ok, maybe I am being harsh; obviously the people involved in the show were trying to make something we'd enjoy watching, but they just did a very bad job. MP is truly skippable.

Sons of Anarchy (FX), 10 pm
Sons is one of the best dramas on TV and I hope the audience grows during the second season. They've added Adam Arkin and Henry Rollins to an already stellar cast, and the writing staff, which produced some of the best paced, most layered storytelling on TV during the first season, remains intact. This ranks very high on my list of premieres to get excited about.

WEDNESDAY
America's Next Top Model (The CW), 8 pm
The twist this year is all the contestants are 5'7 or shorter. Not sure that makes anyone who wouldn't watch anyone tune in but at least they are mixing it up a bit.

So You Think You Can Dance? (Fox), 8 pm
Big risk here by Fox as SYTYCD has been a summer only show up till now, meaning a full year went by in between seasons. This premiere comes just a few weeks after the last one ended, meaning people's appetites might not be so ravenous. One of the things that has made AI such a consistent producer for Fox is that they have resisted temptation and only do one cycle per year, making it more of an event.

Glee (Fox), 9 pm
Color me smiling; I can't wait.

THURSDAY
The Vampire Diaries* (The CW), 8 pm
I will be truly shocked if The Vampire Diaries isn't a hit, because it's about high school students, which is a big demo for The CW, because it should be able to draft off of the popularity of Twilight and True Blood, and because it's actually good. Not blow your socks off good but the cast is strong and there is nothing in the pilot that insults your intelligence. Mrs. Tivo, the big vampire fan in the house, requested an immediate season pass, which is just about the highest praise a show like this can get.

Supernatural (The CW), 9 pm
As discussed above, this is the beginning of the end for this chapter of the Winchester boy's saga, and everything I've seen up to this point tells me it's going to be a pretty awesome season.

One Day To Come Together, To Release The Pressure, We Need A Holiday
A long holiday weekend is always a good excuse for networks to run marathons. Below is a guide to some of your viewing options over the next three days, with an "*" next to those that have the TTTP seal of recommendation.

FRIDAY
Monk (USA), 6 am, 17 episodes
Eureka (Syfy), 8 am, 21 episodes*

SATURDAY
The Game (BET), 9 am, 30 episodes
House (USA), 9 am, 15 episodes
Married with Children (TVLand), 11 am, 22 episodes
Total Drama Island (Cartoon), Noon, 12 episodes
I Love The New Millennium (3 pm), 6 episodes*
Myth Busters (Discovery), 6 pm, 9 episodes

SUNDAY
Law & Order: SVU (USA), 9 am, 20 episodes
Beverly Hillbillies (TVLand), 10:30 am, 13 episodes
Bridezillas (WE), 1 pm, 9 episodes
The Game (BET), 1 pm, 10 episodes
Planet Earth (Discovery), 1 pm, 14 episodes*
River Monsters (Animal Planet), 2 pm, 15 episodes
Andy Griffith Show (TVLand), 5 pm, 10 episodes*
Tiny & Toya (BET), 6 pm, 8 episodes

MONDAY
Jon & Kate + 8 (TLC), 6 am, 9 episodes
NCIS (USA), 6 am, 15 episodes
Supernanny (Style), 6 am, 21 episodes
Dance Your Ass Off (Oxygen), 7 am, full season
Criminal Minds (A&E), 8 am, 12 episodes
Escape to the Wild (VS), 8 am, 8 episodes
Ghost Hunters (Syfy), 8 am, 11 episodes
Golden Girls (Hallmark), 8 am, 38 episodes*
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Travel), 9 am, 12 episodes
Band of Brothers (Spike), 9 am, 10 episodes (full run)
Catch 21 (GSN), 9 am, 20 episodes
Dirty Jobs (Discovery), 9 am, 18 episodes
Most Daring (TruTV), 9 am, 9 episodes
Whale Wars (Animal Planet), 9 am 11 episodes
Torchwood: Children of the Earth (Syfy), 9:45 am, full season*
The Game (BET), 10 am, 26 episodes
Lincoln Heights (TVOne) 10 am, 10 episodes*
16 & Pregnant (MTV), 11, 7 episodes (full season)
Secret Life of the American Teenager (ABC Family), 11 am, 9 episodes
Dog Whisperer (National Geographic), 2 pm, 13 episodes
Cake Boss (TLC), 4 pm, 12 episodes

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)…The ratings for Project Runway dropped 17% in its second week, but the good news is that it was still far and away the most watched second week episode in series history…Top Chef: Las Vegas was up a bit in week two, totaling 2.8 million viewers…The Royal Pains season finale was watched by 5.9 million, below the season average but the best the series has done without a new episode of Burn Notice as a lead-in…Thursday's Big Brother set a season high in demos…The Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie premiere on Disney on Friday was cable's most watched telecast of 2009, with 11.4 million tuning in. The movie is the # 2 program in network history, behind the premiere of High School Musical 2… The 2.3 million who tuned in to the Daytime Emmy Awards on The CW Sunday night represented an all-time low for the awards show, down 50% from last year when it aired on ABC…NBC's Sunday Night Football game featuring the Bear and Broncos gave the network the best pre-season numbers since 2006. Not just NBC's best but tops for any NFL preseason game…Capping off an almost unheard of summer for reruns, The Big Bang Theory numbers jumped up again on Monday night, taking a big step towards matching lead-in Two and a Half Men's ratings in total audience and demos…Hell's Kitchen and America's Got Talent tied for the top demos on Tuesday night, although AGT easily won the total viewers crown for the evening…Tuesday's Big Brother set a season high in total audience…

All The Young Dudes, Carry The News
Industry News, Casting Notes, and Hot Rumors…HBO gave an 11 episode order to Boardwalk Empire, the Martin Scorsese produced drama about the birth of Atlantic City. Scorsese directed the pilot and will stay heavily involved in the series, which stars Steve Buscemi and was created by Terence Winter (The Sopranos)…Katherine Heigl is taking a five episode leave of absence from Grey's Anatomy so she can star in the romantic comedy Life As We Know It…Lena Headey's first post-Sarah Connor Chronicles gig will be co-starring in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones, an adaptation of a book series by George R.R. Martin…AMC shocked no one by picking up a fourth season of Mad Men…TTTP favorite Garret Dillahunt will appear on an episode of Burn Notice when the show returns. Dillahunt also booked a CSI episode as well…Emmy winner Megan Mulally has joined the cast of Starz Party Down, the best comedy that you are not watching. The second season should hit the airwaves in April of 2010…Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W Bush, has joined The Today Show as a correspondent…Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) will appear on several episodes of Chuck…Showtime is turning The L Word into a reality show with The Real L Word: Los Angeles, a series about six lesbians living in LA that just got a 9 episode order. The title seems to demonstrate the network's hope that this could become a franchise, a la Bravo's Real Housewives. L Word creator Ilene Chaiken will produce along with Magic Elves, the company that does Top Chef…Jesse Williams (Greek, Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2) will do a multi-episode stint on Grey's Anatomy…Reading Rainbow ended its 26 year run on PBS last Friday…Kate Mulgrew is a last minute cast addition to NBC's Mercy…TLC ordered a 12 episode first season of King of the Crown, a reality series that follows beauty pageant consultant Cy Frakes…Michael Irvin will be a busy man this fall, competing on Dancing with the Stars as well as working as an analyst for the NFL Network on Sundays, appearing on both NFL GameDay Morning and NFL GameDay Highlights…Speaking of double duty, Irvin's fellow Dancing with the Stars contestant Debi Mazar just booked a recurring role on Castle…The first few night's worth of guests on The Jay Leno Show have been announced: Monday - Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Z, Rhianna, and Kanye West; Tuesday – Tom Cruise; Wednesday – Robin Williams, Miley Cyrus; Thursday – Halle Berry, Eric Clapton, Bruce Hornsby…MTV is moving forward with their Teen Wolf pilot, which would reinvent the 80's cult movie as a horror-drama with a love story mixed in. The script was written by Criminal Minds creator Jeff Davis…CBS is making a pilot for Open Books, a comedy set in the world of publishing written by Gail Lerner (Will & Grace). CBS won a multi-network bidding situation…In Treatment writer Davey Holmes has sold Worthy to Fox, a drama about a politician caught in a very bad situation. Holmes is also part of the writing staff for the ABC mid-season series Happy Town…Michael Weston will be reprising his role as private eye Lucas Douglas on House this season. No word on if the discussed spinoff show is being revived…Professional guest star Tony Hale takes his talents to Numb3rs this fall…Emmy winner Annie Potts will do an episode of Two and a Half Men…Katy Perry and Avril Levigne are the latest to sign on for guest judging stints during the audition rounds of American Idol…Look for the third season of Bravo's Million Dollar Listing in October…Charles Gibson will retire at the end of the year, with Diane Sawyer taking over as anchor of ABC's World News Tonight…MTV has ordered 8 episodes of Teen Mom, a spinoff of 16 & Pregnant featuring four of the girls from that show as they deal with the issues of being a parent…Fox picked up a 13 episode first season of Jack and Dan, new action comedy from Burn Notice creator Matt Nix about two cops who are partners, one an out of control guy who gets by on the good will of a heroic moment years ago and the other is a much more straight laced, by the book type…HBO is taking Mike White's comedy Enlightened to pilot, which stars Laura Dern as a woman trying to change her self-destructive ways after a moment of spiritual clarity…Without A Trace creator Hank Steinberg is adapting the Emmy winning British series Prime Suspect for NBC…

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…Eureka is one of the more underrated series on TV right now, probably because it's so hard to define; sure, it's sci-fi, and it's quite funny, and they also do a great job building the tension in their "world is going to end" danger-of-the-week. All of those are positives but people seem to have issues with shows that aren't easily definable, so while Eureka has won itself a steady and loyal audience, it hasn't been the breakout hit it deserves to be.

The cast is really what makes the show, and it starts with Colin Ferguson, who handles the comedy quite well and smartly underplays the romantic and sexual tension between his Sheriff Carter and Salli Richardson-Whitfield's Alison. Joe Morton may be the series secret weapon; the last few weeks when his dead girlfriend Kim returned (kind of) gave him some meaty material to sink his teeth in. While Morton's most well known role is in the second Terminator film, his work for director John Sayles (Brother From Another Planet, Lone Star, City of Hope) is eye opening and his increased screen time has made Eureka an even better series as of late.

This past Friday was a bit of a flashback episode they even managed to do that better than most shows, still giving the audience a near disaster while working in great clips from seasons past. It was also a great way to remind the audience about Nathan, Alison's dead husband, and keep us on our toes; Eureka did a very smart think by killing him off last season as it meant the audience can't just assume things will turn out fine every week.

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 few days…I enjoyed the Royal Pains finale although I can't really say that I was surprised by the news at the end that it was the brother's Father who had stolen the money. They referenced him multiple times in the episodes, in particular mentioning how he worked in finance and had run off with money before, and why else keep who Evan was talking to a secret if not for a big reveal? I am looking forward to seeing who they get to play Eddie R Lawson next season…Top Chef: Las Vegas really went out of their way to line up the talent this year; almost everyone left after week two seems like they could have made the semi-finals on previous seasons…Flipping Out continues to be my among my favorite reality shows; I always think what I am seeing is what goes on at Jeff Lewis' office, whether the cameras are on or not…One of the good things about Entourage is that even in a totally forgettable episode like last Sunday's, they always have at least one stand out scene, this week's being Gary Cole's pitch to Aaron Sorkin while under arrest. Cole has had "Two Tivos Favorite" status for sometime but it's moments like that that make us remember why we love him so…Lenny Clarke was major highlight on the incredibly dark season finale of Rescue Me; I knew Tommy's drinking was going to catch up with him but never guessed that's how it would go down. Clarke is obviously much more known for his comedic skills but he was chillingly cold in that long final scene and it made the moment that much more powerful…I know many critics were quite harsh towards Anne Heche at the start of Hung's first season but she has really won me, rising above a pretty standard character to give us someone who seems very much like a real person…

TV Pick Of The Week
Something has been missing from my Friday mornings theses past few weeks; Fridays are the day I have the twins at home with me and one of their bottle/nap periods usually falls between 9:30 & 10:30, which here in Boston coincides with the last half of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and the first half of The Bonnie Hunt Show. Because of summer reruns I have been flipping around during that portion of Daddy's Break Time but as of Tuesday, both shows return with new episodes.

I have talked about before how much I enjoy when someone seems to love their job – that's one of the reasons I prefer Conan to Dave – and both Ellen and Bonnie seem thrilled to be there each and every day. Both are quite funny and smart and while I sometimes wish the guest segments were a little less about them and a little more about the guests, they always appear genuinely interested in who stops by.

Don't miss the season premieres of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Bonnie Hunt Show this Tuesday (check your local listings for channel and time).

Hope You Need My Love, Babe, Just Like I Need You
Here is some other noteworthy programming of the next seven days

*Coverage of the US Open continues on CBS all weekend and then returns to ESPN 2 on Tuesday at 11 am and 7 pm (runs there through Thursday).

*Golf fans can check out the Deutsche Bank Championship over the long weekend, Saturday on Golf Channel and then Sunday and Monday on NBC.

*The Bill Engvall (TBS) Show wraps up it's latest season with back-to-back episodes on Saturday at 9 pm.

*ESPN celebrates its upcoming 30th anniversary with a special edition of SportsCenter on Sunday night at 11:30 pm, hosted by Chris Berman, Bob Levy, and John Saunders, looking back on 3 decades that changed the way sports are covered by the media.

*Families Stand Together: Feeling Secure in Tough Times (Wednesday, 8 pm) is a PBS special aimed at helping families talk about economic issues, keeping communication strong while the economy is weak. Al Rocker, Deborah Roberts, and Elmo host.

*Email Order Bride (Wednesday, 9 pm) is a new National Geographic special which looks at the growing trend of mail order brides coming from Russia to the US. The documentary follows some couples from first email to face-to-face meeting along with looking at some of the more controversial aspects of the industry.

*Sundance Channel premieres a very cool new documentary mini-series this week, especially for anyone into fashion; The Day Before is a behind the scenes look at the 24 hours before a fashion show for some of the biggest and hottest designers out there. The first of the four part, four hour series premieres on Wednesday at 9 pm with The Day Before Sonia Rykel, and is followed on Thursday at 9 pm with The Day Before Proenza Schouler. These are incredibly well made hours of TV that are entertaining to fans of fashion as well as those who might not generally put themselves in that category.

Two Tivos To Paradise
30 Days, 30 Rock, The Academy, American Idol, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Antiques Roadshow, Being Human, Best Week Ever, Better Off Ted, Big Love, Bones, Breaking Bad, Brothers & Sisters, Burn Notice, Celebrity Apprentice, Cake Boss, Chopped, The Chris Isaak Hour, Chuck, The Closer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Daddy's Girls, Damages, The Deadliest Catch, Desperate Housewives, Destination Truth, The Dish, Entourage, Eureka, Flipping Out, Gary Unmarried, Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, The Hills, House, How I Met Your Mother, Hung, Iron Chef America, Jon & Kate + 8, 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, 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, Psych, Real Time With Bill Maher, Rescue Me, Royal Pains, Rules Of Engagement, Run's House, Sanctuary, Saturday Night Live, Scrubs, Shark Tank, Shear Genius, Skins, So You Think You Can Dance?, Sons of Anarchy, The Soup, Southland, Sports Soup, Supernatural, Table For 12, Top Chef, Top Design, Torchwood, True Blood, Ugly Betty, Warehouse 13, 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. We'll be back next week with the latest news plus a rundown of all the season/series premieres as the fall season swings into high gear. I'll have a ton of interviews up on the site next week: Norty Award winner Ryan Hurst (Sons of Anarchy) on Tuesday, Jessalyn Gilsig (Glee) on Wednesday, and Candice Accola (The Vampire Diaries) on Thursday.

This Saturday marks the 14th anniversary of my Mom's passing, which makes for a good occasion to urge all of you to take the time and tell the people you love how much they mean to you. Time is precious, my friends, so don't ever let an opportunity to tell someone how important they are to you pass by.

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! You can also follow us on Twitter!

Feedback is encouraged at [e-mail] 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.