Two Tivos To Paradise 02.26.10: TV News As Seen on Facebook!

Posted by Al Norton on 02.26.2010

Jay Leno's return to The Tonight Show and the rest of NBC's post-Olympics lineup, how Charlie Sheen's rehab may effect his wallet, Chris Hardwick stops by to preview a new season of Web Soup, a HUGE pilot season update, raves for Grey's Anatomy, tons of news and notes, the TV Pick of the Week and more, all in the latest edition of Al Norton's Two Tivos To Paradise!



Hello Friends. We open this week with some big news – Two Tivos To Paradise has a Facebook fan page!!! It launched on Sunday with our cool new logo – as seen above– and I'd love for you join us. My plan is to use for big breaking news updates as well as for teasers and updates to the Friday edition. It's officially on FB as Al Norton's Two Tivos To Paradise so check it out! We'll also be using that page for all future giveaways, so simply becoming a fan could lead to prizes!

For the second thing in a row I've got great things to say about HBOs How to Make It in America, with comments about the show itself below. Here is what is now my new favorite theme song and opening credits sequence…



Is Breaking Bad the best show on TV? I've never officially bestowed that honor upon the AMC drama but I know when I am watching new episodes I always wonder how I chose something else. Season three premieres next month and here is a six minute recap of the first two seasons…



You know that I could use somebody, someone like news.

You Walk Right In The Door, Just Like You Done Before, And Wrap My Heart ‘Round Your Little Finger
Sunday night's Winter Games closing ceremonies ushers in the return of NBC primetime lineup, one that no longer features a nightly edition of The Jay Leno Show but does have Leno returning to his Tonight Show hosting gig. Here is a rundown of the week…

Sunday
10:30 pm: Preview of The Marriage Ref

Monday
8:00 pm Chuck
9:00 pm Law & Order (back-to-back new episodes, including a guest spot from Oscar winner Debra Winger
11:35 pm The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (Jamie Foxx, Lindsay Vonn, Brad Paisley)

Here is a preview of the next few weeks of Chuck…



Tuesday
8:00 pm The Biggest Loser
10:00 pm Parenthood
11:35 pm The Tonight Show (Sarah Palin, Shaun White)

I enjoyed the premiere of Parenthood although I am having a hard time adjusting to Lauren Graham after enjoying Maura Tierney so much in the original pilot; it's not that Graham isn't good, it's just that I am a HUGE Tierney fan and loved her chemistry with Mike O'Malley. The show is a quality family drama, one that takes itself a bit more seriously than Brothers & Sisters, and I mean that in a good way.

Wednesday
8:00 pm Mercy
9:00 pm Law & Order: SVU
10:00 pm Law & Order: SVU
11:35 pm The Tonight Show (The cast of Jersey Shore, Chelsea Handler, Apollo Anton Ohno, Avril Lavigne)

Kathy Griffin does a rare dramatic turn on one of the two new SVU's…



Thursday
8:00 pm Community
8:30 pm Parks & Recreation
9:00 pm The Office (a one hour special that features the arrival of Jim and Pam's baby)
10:00 pm The Marriage Ref (series premiere)
11:35 pm The Tonight Show (Matthew McConaughey, Jason Reitman)

The hour long outing of The Office was on my Top Things to Look Forward to in 2010 so obviously I am pretty excited for it. Here is a preview…



A major week for NBC, to say the least. Ratings should be strong, esp for The Tonight Show as well as Parenthood. Look for all the stories to be about how much better the original series do in the 10:00 timeslot than The Jay Leno Show had been, although for the numbers to be apples vs. apples they really should be compared to the summer of 2009 when original series were last running there. Either way, the lack of Jay at 10 will cause Jay to get a boost at 11:30, which qualifies as irony to me. And yeah, I really do think.

'Cause There's Nothing, There's Nothing You Can Teach Me That I Can Learn From Mr. Hathaway
Production on Two and a Half Men shut down suddenly on Tuesday when series star Charlie Sheen entered rehab as what his spokesman called a, "preventative measure." The show, currently the top rated comedy on TV, had completed 18 of its 24 episode order and there is no word on if Sheen's in-patient treatment will mean a reduction of that run.

Always a good thing when someone recognizes their life is getting out of control and reaches out to get help for it but in this situation one can't help but wonder if this is simply a necessary step in beating/avoiding the felony charges filed against him after his Christmas Day incident with wife Brooke Mueller, who also recently entered rehab. I'd speculate on how this might affect Men's ratings but since they went up after he got arrested, it's tough for me to imagine a stint in rehab would have any sort of negative impact.

The more interesting aspects of this story involve the contracts, namely if Sheen's contains the standard morals clause and what the network's is on the show itself. CBS could conceivably use such a clause to get Sheen to renegotiate his deal, the richest for any sitcom actor and rumored to be upwards of $900K an episode, figuring he would rather reduce his paycheck than run the risk of his deal either being voided altogether or have the network ask for money back since they will most likely have to cut this season's run due to his stay in rehab.

As far as the series, every network has a policy to protect against unforeseen issues and it's possible that because of Sheen's previous issues, this policy may list him as exception, meaning CBS would not be reimbursed on lost revenue. It's possible the network could go after Sheen for that money as well.

Time will tell but it seems likely that this story could end up playing itself out on the business pages instead of page six.

The Clothesline Of Cold Eyes Is Washing Away The Face Before
Season two of Web Soup premieres Wednesday at 8 pm on G4. We recently caught up with host Chris Hardwick via email to discuss…

TTTP: Any truth to the rumor that G4 is trying to cash in on current pop culture trends by doing Web Soup in 3-D and having you host painted blue?

Chris Hardwick: Yes but I said I would only do it if they re-named the show "Avatard." Needlesstosay, we're not doing it.

TTTP: After raising "nut shots" to an art form in season one what web clip staple will you be taking on in season two?

Chris Hardwick: "Maggot Foot" was such a win for all of us that I'm hoping to incorporate more in the way of parasite-filled flesh wounds.

TTTP: Are there any format changes fans should be ready for?

Chris Hardwick: Yes. We're shooting the show on the OTHER SIDE of our studio now, so that should have a big impact on the viewers. Also I've asked that we introduce a segment called "Cock Lovers." *fingers crossed*

TTTP: The writers are already working on new Watermelon Head shorts, right?

Chris Hardwick: Better than that, Watermelon Head has gotten an agent and negotiated his way into a regular castmembership. And he's in talks to star in a remake of "Over The Top." He's gotten all famous now. I read on Perez that Taylor Swift was seen coming out of a bathroom spitting out watermelon seeds, so you do that math on that one/ .

TTTP: Have you noticed a new audience coming to your stand up gigs since you started hosting Web Soup?

Chris Hardwick: Yes! There's an influx of nerds, whom I relate to. They're slowly overtaking the rednecks, who normally populate comedy clubs. I feel it is my duty to bridge these two species, normally enemies in Nature. Though only when the hicks have been assimilated will victory be achieved.

TTTP: Is www.nerdist.com still the best place for your fans to keep up with you?

Chris Hardwick: Indeed! Or if you want to follow me like a text-based reality show, @nerdist on Twitter is a delightful way to go.

Don't miss Web Soup, Wednesdays at 8 pm on G4.

Like A Coin In Your Mint, I Am Dented And Spent With High Treason
With news about casting for pilot season running wild (whatcha gonna do…) I thought I'd break it out of the News and Notes section to give it a proper spotlight….

*Emmy winner William Shatner will star in the CBS pilot Shit My Dad Says. Based on Justin Halpern's incredibly popular Twitter account – more than 1.1 million followers and counting – the comedy will be produced by the Will & Grace team of David Kohan and Max Mutchnick.

*TTTP fave Katee Sackhoff has landed the lead in an untitled police drama on ABC. Written and executive produced by Richard Hatem (Supernatural, The Dead Zone, The Lost Room, Tru Calling), the plot follows Sackhoff's character, an LAPD Detective, as she teams up with an ex-cop to unravel the conspiracy that cost him his job and reputation. While the fate of Sackhoff's current role – Dana on 24 – remains uncertain, producers on both shows say that any conflicts could be overcome.

*It's not a done deal yet but an Arrested Development reunion of sorts will likely be taking place via a new Fox comedy. The untitled pilot will star Will Arnett as wealthy Beverly Hills d-bag who falls in love with a do-gooder woman and was written by Arnett, Mitch Hurwitz, and Jim Valley, the latter two having won an Emmy for writing on AD, which Hurwitz created.

*Kristen Kreuk (Smallville, Chuck) will star opposite Jack Carpenter in Josh Schwartz' CBS comedy pilot Hitched, playing a newly married couple adjusting to all the changes in their lives. Kurtwood Smith (That 70's Show) will play Carpenter's Dad. It was announced last week that Eugene Levy would be in the cast as well, as the Father of Kreuk's character.

*NBC has tabled their plans for a Prime Suspect remake because they couldn't find the right actress for the lead, played by Helen Mirren in the original PBS series.

*Adam Arkin and Jane Kaczmarek play the title characters in the ABC comedy pilot Who Gets The Parents?, a couple divorcing after 30 years and playing a bigger role in the lives of their grown children.

*Bill Pullman has joined Jay Harrington in the NBC comedy pilot Nathan vs. Nurture.

*Ugly Betty's Becki Newton has signed for Love Bites, an NBC comedy pilot that features multiple overlaying stories about love, romance, and marriage. Newton will play one of the series' two regulars, with all other roles recurring.

*The great Charles Dutton and the not-so-bad herself Lea Thompson have been added to the Gary Cole headlined TBS pilot Uncle Nigel.

*Emmy winners Jere Burns and Laurie Metcalf are the parental units on Fox's comedy pilot Strange Brew (no relation to the movie of the same name).

*Daily Show correspondent Jason Jones will play a Father trying to lead his family into a healthier and more sensitive lifestyle in ABC's comedy pilot How To Be A Better American.

*Pilot notes…Rachel Leigh Cooke will follow up her guest run on PSYCH with Natives, a Fox comedy, playing the girlfriend of one of a pair of Indian-American brothers who are trying to adapt to US culture….Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanek has joined NBC's conspiracy thriller The Event…Leah Remini will be looking to return to primetime in the ABC comedy It Takes a Village…Kelli Giddish will jump from Past Life to NBC's Chase…Ben Chaplin will star in the David E Kelly legal drama Kindreds for NBC…Eric Lange and Malcolm Jamal-Warner have signed on to ABC's True Blue…SNL alum Casey Wilson took a part in the ABC comedy pilot Happy Endings…

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 seven days…

THURSDAY
The night was dominated by NBC's coverage of the 2010 Winter Games, which averaged 24.8 million during primetime, up 28% from that same night in 2006…Grey's Anatomy (10.2 million) and Private Practice (7.6 million) were the top rated scripted shows of the night but were both down double digits in demos…Survivor's 11.9 million viewers meant the show was the most watched non-Olympics telecast…

FRIDAY
23.3 million watched NBC's Winter Games coverage, up 23% from Torino in 2006…Smallville was pretty much the only series running a new episode on Friday night and it matched the previous week's numbers…

SUNDAY
4.8 million tuned into the season finale of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, making it the most watched telecast in E! history…Undercover Boss continued its hot streak, ranking as the top entertainment program of the night with 13.6 million viewers along with the top demos of the evening…Desperate Housewives was the top scripted show of the night with 10.9 million strong audience…The Fox animated comedy block was up about 15% across the board…NBC coverage of the 2010 Winter Games was up 21% from 2006, with an average audience of 23.3 million

MONDAY
For the first time during this Olympic games the audience for Monday night was down from the same night of coverage in 2006. The average was 20.9 million, down roughly 7%...The Bachelor: The Women Tell All did quite well, with its 11.2 million totals and strong demos being down only 5% from last week's real episode…One Tree Hill and Life Unexpected were up…

TUESDAY
Lost drew 9.9 million and was up from the previous week in demos for the first time this season…American Idol won the night with 24 million, topping even NBC's coverage of the Winter Games (20.8 million)…

WEDNESDAY
American Idol was up 28% in total audience from last Wednesday, reaching an average of 22.8 million viewers…

All The Young Dudes, Carry The News
Industry News, Notes, and Hot Rumors…Best news of the week – FX renewed Archer for a 13 episode second season…The new season of Doctor Who premieres on BBC America on April 17th featuring the 11th and latest version of the main character...The AP reported that Conan O'Brien was in talks to take his show on the road, doing a live tour of US and European venues, including college campuses. This would be a great way for him to stay fresh in his fans minds while he is formulating his next step, most likely a talk show on Fox sometime this fall…The WGA gave top honors to Mad Men (drama series), 30 Rock (comedy series), and Modern Family (new series). Individual episode awards went to the two hour season premiere of House (Broken), the series premiere of Modern Family, and to 30 Rock (Apollo, Apollo)…ABC Family picked up a ten episode 4th season of Greek…Steven Seagal: Lawman will be back on A&E for a 16 episode second season…Fox pulled Past Life after four episodes, replacing it with Kitchen Nightmares for the next three weeks and then Bones or Fringe reruns until April…Adam Rodriguez, so great on Ugly Betty this season, used his Twitter account to announce that he would return to CSI: Miami next season as a full time regular…Neal McDonough (Desperate Housewives) will play Virginia Madsen's husband on Scoundrels this summer. Also joining the cast is Leven Rambin (Grey's Anatomy, The Sarah Connor Chronicles)…TLC ordered a third season of The Little Couple…Bristol Palin will have a small role on an upcoming episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager…David Anders will do a multi-episode arc on The Vampire Diaries…JB Smoove is hosting a standup comedy series produced by Russell Simmons on Comedy Central this summer…

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…Last Thursday's Grey's Anatomy flashback episode was memorable for a number of standout performances, namely guest star Sarah Paulson (as the 1980's Ellis Grey) and series regular James Pickens, Jr. as well as for giving me the idea for a new series.

I have been a big Paulson fan since her fantastic work on Studio 60 and on Grey's she was given the tough task of appearing demanding, overbearing, and still appealing, and she aced it. In the modern era, Pickens continued to show the level of dignity that he brings to the role of the Chief (ok, maybe he's not the chief right now but he's always going to be the Chief). One of the little touches I liked was how he is in AA but isn't yet ready to forgive Derek for taking his job, let alone apologize to him for putting the hospital in such jeopardy with his drinking. It's those elements of character – in this instance, pride – that make his work so real.

Watching Ellis and the Chief treat an AIDS patient in the early 80's - the disease was first known as GRID – was fascinating from both a medical and sociological stand point (speaking of which, anyone interested in a history lesson in the form of one of the best non-fiction books ever written should pick up Randy Shilts' And The Band Played On) and made me think that a medical series set in the 70's or 80's would be a good idea as you could use the lack of advances in technology as a living breathing character, much like they did on Life on Mars.

I may not have been crazy about the revisionist history of having Torres and Karev sleep together but overall it was the best hour of TV I watched last 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 seven days…The return of Real Time with Bill Maher was cause for celebration in our house, and the fact that it turned out to be such a fantastic hour was even better. Bill called out President Obama and the democrats in all the ways I wanted him to, Seth Macfarlane was a riot, and Wanda Sykes clearly enjoyed being on cable. The only frustrating thing about the episode was how great Eliot Spitzer was; the guy is smart, funny, and dead-on on the issues that plague the democratic party and he'll never get to the heights he should have because he couldn't keep his zipper shut…The folks on Private Practice may be all up in each other's business (and beds) but the writers do a great job at making them confront each other with the conflicts all that mattress dancing can cause. Sam's anger at Addison sleeping with Pete was perfectly legit considering the situation and even better, he told her how he felt. I kind of like that ABC has the guts to have such a flawed lead character (Addison) on one of its major drama series…A great episode of Ugly Betty from two weeks ago with all of the characters showing some believable growth and maturity mixed in with some laugh out loud moments. Kristen Johnson has been a riot…At first I wondered why Julie Benz would follow up her terrific run on Dexter with a guest spot on Desperate Housewives but Sunday's episode showed me why; easily the best written of the season, it gave us a look at the Wisteria Lane residents through the eyes of an outsider (Benz' character), making the show seem that much fresher because of it. Also, it was a stroke of genius to use her to bring Kathryn back to the street as they have no history, making it easier for the audience to accept the recently released psychiatric patient back into the fold…Highs and lows on this week's One Tree Hill; the way Halley's mom's passing was handled was excellent, emotional without being manipulative. On the low end we've got a dead wife lookalike that is straight out of the "only on TV" file…Another stellar week of Life Unexpected, one that put the focus on the relationships between the characters as opposed to semi-contrived plot sequences set up to pull them apart/push them together…It really does seem like the writers and producers of Big Love made a bet about how much plot they could squeeze into each episode. At this point they could have taken just what we have seen so far and stretched it out over a standard broadcast network 22 episode season and not felt like they were using filler. Thankfully the performers know their roles so well that each plot development/twist doesn't seem forced…I really think Matthew Fox's work on Lost is destined to be underappreciated; Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn win Emmys and ladies lust for Josh Holloway but Fox is most definitely the glue and his work again this week was yet another example. Loved Jack looking at his scar and asking about his Mom about his appendix, the first real sign of any sort of acknowledgement of the other universe existing in any way, shape, or form…Can't express how disappointed I am that the winners of Last Restaurant Standing couldn't cook their way out of a paper bag. The show took a big hit in my eyes this season with a terrible job done by the casting directors at the outset and an even worse decision made at the end...Where are my American Idol thoughts, you ask? I will use the TTTP Facebook page for them for the next couple of weeks - staying current and all - and then when we get down to the final 12 the American Idol Revue will return. This was the worst overall opening week since I have been watching the show, that's for sure...Loved that Neal got a rival/nemesis on White Collar this week but think they should have let him get the upper hand, so the audience would be waiting for him to come back to see how Neal finally got his revenge...Can't say enough positive things about Craig Ferguson's decision to do an episode of The Late Late Show sans audience this week. His conversation with Stephen Fry was discourse at a level of entertainment not usually found on American television. Provided he picks the right guests I could see this as a recurring thing...Two weeks in and How To Make It In America has a season pass from me. I love how small in scope the show is, meaning that we will really feel the highs and lows of these characters. Love, love, LOVE Luis Guzman finally getting some good Ghostbuster things to do...

TV Pick Of The Week
I have frequently used this page to rave about Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…and Crossroads, two exceptionally good music-oriented television series, but there is a third to add to the mix that I have neglected, Sundance's Live from Abby Road. Now about to start its third season, the show features live performances and conversations from the legendary Abby Road Studios in London. Tonight's season premiere pays homage to its namesake by featuring songs from the Beatles' classic Abby Road album. Seal (Something), Matchbox 20 (She Came in Through the Bathroom Window), and Sugarland (Come Together) take part, but the show is clearly stolen by Counting Crows doing Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End. Another ultra cool part of tonight's episode is an exclusive interview with Beatles producer Sir George Martin.

Over the coming Fridays you'll see some big names and some up-and-comers highlighted...

*3/5 – Seal, Sugarland, Imelda May
*3/12 – Fleet Foxes, Manchester Orchestra, PJ Harvey & John Parrish
*3/19 – Green Day, Bath For Lashes, Starsailor
*3/26 – Counting Crows, Melody Gardot, Hockey
*4/2 – The Fray, Yousef, White Lies
*4/9 – Lyle Lovett, Doves, Noisettes
*4/16 – Gossip, The Mars Volta, Friendly Fires
*4/23 – The Enemy, Antony and the Johnsons, Paloma Faith
*4/30 – The Killers, Florence and The Machine, Chairlift
*5/7 – Mika, Bloc Party, La Roux
*5/12 – Michael Buble, Little Boots, Temper Trap

Don't miss tonight's season premiere special of Live From Abby Road on Sundance at 8 pm.

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

*Tyler Perry hosts the 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards live on Fox tonight at 8 pm, featuring performances by John Legend, Jill Scott, The Roots, Carlos Santana, and Wyclef Jean.

*Get ready for ass kissing of the highest order when James Cameron guests on Bravo's Inside the Actor's Studio Monday at 7 pm.

*The Bachelor: On The Wings of Love (ABC) hands out his final rose on Monday at 8 pm, followed at 10 by the usual After the Rose special.

*I don't want to make it seem like Rules of Engagement is going down as any sort of trendsetting comedy but the truth is its pretty funny. I bring this up because season four premieres Monday at 8:30 pm on CBS.

*Rob Zombie directs Monday's episode of CSI: Miami (10 pm, CBS). I bet you never thought you'd see Rob Zombie and CSI: Miami in the same sentence!

*Golf Channel's new reality series Being John Daly premieres Tuesday at 9 pm, following the 5 time PGA champion as he attempts to rejoin the tour and put his life back together after years of addiction and bad relationships.

*Southland premieres season two Tuesday at 10 pm on TNT, with the full first season leading into it starting at 3 pm that afternoon. This is one of the best shows on TV and deserves your time.

*Ghost Hunters (Syfy) returns Wednesday night at 9 pm with a two hour live event from Alcatraz.

*Nip/Tuck (FX) brings its seven season run to a close Wednesday night at 10 pm. The quality of the show varied wildly but there is no doubt that it will be remembered as a groundbreaking series.

*The season finale of Burn Notice airs Thursday at 10 pm on USA, meaning we'll have to wait a few months to see new episodes of the best action series on TV right now.

*It's a Real Housewives (Bravo) twofer Thursday night, with the Orange County season finale at 10 and the New York City season premier at 11.

Two Tivos To Paradise
30 Rock, The Academy, Accidentally on Purpose, American Idol, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Antiques Roadshow, Better Off Ted, Big Love, Bones, Bored To Death, Breaking Bad, Brothers & Sisters, Burn Notice, Celebrity Apprentice, Cake Boss, Chef Academy, Chopped, The Chris Isaak Hour, Chuck, The Closer, Community, Cougar Town, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Daddy's Girls, Damages, The Deadliest Catch, Demons, Desperate Housewives, Destination Truth, The Dish, Entourage, Eureka, Flipping Out, Food Network Challenge, Gary Unmarried, Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters Academy, Ghost Hunters International, Ghost Lab, Glee, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, The Hills, House, How I Met Your Mother, How To Make It In America, Hung, Iron Chef America, Launch My Line, Law And Order, Law And Order: Criminal Intent, Law And Order: Special Victims Unit, Life Unexpected, Lost, Mad Men, Make Me A Supermodel, Man v. Food, Medium, Men of a Certain Age, The Middle, Models of the Runway, Modern Family, The New Adventures Of Old Christine, Next Food Network Star, Next Iron Chef, 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, So You Think You Can Dance?, Sons of Anarchy, The Soup, Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…, Sports Soup, Supernatural, Table For 12, Top Chef, Top Chef: Masters, Top Design, Torchwood, True Blood, Ugly Betty, V, The Vampire Diaries, The Wanda Sykes Show, Warehouse 13, Web Soup, Will Work for Food, Worst Cooks In America,

People Love You When They Know You're Leaving Soon
Here ends another edition of Two Tivos To Paradise. Ok, clearly I lied last week about the Q & A section but I just had too much other stuff to get to. Next Friday, I semi-promise.

Quick interview update – here is a schedule of the next week of chats. Monday – Patrick Warburton, Tuesday – Shawn Hatosy, Wednesday – Paula Marshall, Thursday – James Marsters, a week from Monday – Katee Sackhoff…

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.