Thoughts on the Season

We're one week into the fall television season and here are my unsolicited opinions...

Monday
Gossip Girl: Rinse and repeat, and you have the third season of Gossip Girl. We've been here before. Blair's a bitch, Chuck is a scandal, and Serena doesn't know what she's doing. Gossip Girl is losing its trademark bite and I am quickly losing interest. The show needs to shake things up, and the characters need to show some growth or a breakup is imminent. Grade: C+

Heroes: I couldn't bring myself to do it. After two seasons of crap, I couldn't sit through another season hoping the show reclaimed its season one glory. Grade: Divorced

Tuesday
The Good Wife: Welcome to Judging Amy: Round Two. Four years after CBS unceremoniously canceled the drama about a single mom managing her law career and family, the network is back to try again. This time Juliana Margulies plays a lawyer (not a judge), once again, finding her way in the workforce. Margulies is made for the role, and the show couldn't ask for a better supporting cast including Christine Baranksi and Josh Charles. Throw in the political timeliness and this one is bound for ratings success (just like Judging Amy). Grade: B+

Wednesday
So You Think You Can Dance: Reality shows are hard to grade in the beginning. They usually don't hit their stride until midway through the season -- once the audience has a chance to become attached to the contestants. With that said, So You Think You Can Dance isn't suffering from summer fatigue. In its sixth season, the judges are still spot on and America doesn't appear to be running out of talented dancers. Grade: B+

Glee: The High School Musical references don't do this show justice. It's smart and funny with a cast that oozes musical, comedic, and dramatic talent -- everything that High School Musical wasn't. Plus, the most recent episode proved that the show can thrive without relying on the musical numbers. The only concern I have is the plot's light speed pacing (the same problem that creator Ryan Murphy's had with his last show, Nip Tuck). Even with those concerns, I'll definitely be long for the ride. Grade: A

Modern Family: This one has huge potential. After only one episode, it's the only show on television (besides Glee) that will make me laugh out loud. The cast is pitch perfect and the writing is witty and fun. Without spoiling anything, lets just say The Lion King scene will be with me forever. Hopefully the rest of the series can keep up with the stellar pilot. Grade: A

Thursday
Project Runway: Technically not a fall show, but six episodes into its sixth season, Project Runway has found its stride. The changes of shooting location (from New York to L.A.) and network (from Bravo to Lifetime) haven't hampered the show's quality. Plus, this season's cast seems more talented and memorable than recent casts. Though the season's highest point has to be the transformation of Heidi Klum from a pretty, former fashion model into a funny and reliable host. However, the show loses points for the plethora of guest judges. Where are Nina and Michael? Grade: A-

Survivor: Like So You Think You Can Dance, it's hard to grade reality shows after only a couple of episodes, but Survivor appears headed on the right track. Already, there are several memorable personalities (Shambo, Russell, and Yasmin), and after 19 seasons the show still isn't stale. The producers propensity to focus all the camera time on one tribe this season is a minor cause for concern. Grade: B+

FlashForward: High concept dramas are risky, and FlashForward is no exception. The show might play better as a miniseries, but only time will tell. The pilot had a few dead spots and all-too-convenient plot twists, but Joseph Fiennes and Sonya Walger are the fall's most promising new lead actors. Grade: B

Grey's Anatomy: Merridith Grey is consistently touted as one of the most annoying characters on television, but I love her anyway. Maybe it's because we have so much in common, but it's my love for the title character that allows me to forgive Grey's all it's mistakes -- like 2/3 of last season. This season started well, and regardless of the backstage drama, killing George off was a great move for the series. Grade: A-

Community: I am going to take flack for this one, but the pilot wasn't great. Not a single laugh out loud moment. Joel McHale is great in The Soup, but while the concept is original, Community tries far too hard to be funny. Grade: B-

Sunday
The Amazing Race: There's a reason Race has won the "Best Reality Show Competition" Emmy for seven years straight. The show has never had a bad episode, but the "twist" in the season premiere was rather lame. Otherwise, it appears to be another solid season ahead for the greatest race around the world. Grade: A-

Desperate Housewives: Housewives always starts with a bang and ends with a whimper, and this season seems no different. Marc Cherry cannot come up with a solid, season long mystery to save his life. That said, the show is still good for a laugh or two, and Eva Longoria Parker continues to be Housewives' unsung MVP. Grade: B+

Brothers & Sisters: Pros from the season premiere: lots of Nora/Holly fighting, no sign of Ryan, lots of Walker family interaction that wasn't around a dinner table, and the show's most boring character (Tommy) is gone for good. Cons from the season premiere: the disappearance of Sarah Walker, Rob Lowe's horrendous hair, and the car crash fake-out. All in all, my favorite family drama is off to a much better start this season than last. Grade: A-

"Gotta Live Like We're Dying"

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."

-Mary Tyler Moore

Short and (Not Really) Sweet

I'm a sucker for a good performance. However, a good performance does not make a good movie, as is the case with Matt Damon and The Informant!

In the flick, Damon plays bumbling, corporate-whistle-blower Mark Whitacre. The Informant! is based on the real-life Mark Whitacre's adventures as an FBI informant at ADM, an agri-business giant suspected of price-fixing.

Even at 108 minutes, The Informant! drags. As as the director of Oceans 11, 12, and 13, Steven Soderbergh knows how to make a great quirky/funny crime film, but he misses the mark. Even the set design, costumes, and graphics feel wrong. The film is set in the slick corporate world of the 90s, but it has the look of bad 70s polyester. Even Whitacre's experience as an informant is neither funny nor suspenseful. The best parts of the satire are Damon's voice overs that bring the audience into Whitacre's bizarre mind. Damon's voice is extremely nuanced and the slightest inflection will make you chuckle.

However, that's the problem with The Informant!, it's a movie that wants to make you laugh out loud, but will only get a giggle or two.

Grade: B-

The Jay Leno Problem

NBC is screwed. Last year, Jeff Zucker, President & CEO of NBC Universal, announced the (inane) idea of abandoning scripted programming during the 10/9 p.m. in favor of a Jay Leno "variety" show. The move was solely economics. When a network doesn't have to pay a host of actors, writers, producers, cameramen, etc., it saves a ton of cash, and through those savings it makes more money, right? Not so fast.

Television is all about the advertising. End of story. If people don't watch a show, advertisers don't pay, and the show gets canceled. Simple as that. Given, even with paltry ratings, The Jay Leno Show might turn a huge profit for NBC. However, even if the show does make money, which seems questionable, it will be a short-sighted profit at best. Television has always been, and will always be, about quality programming.

In the digital age, networks cannot expect Joe Q. Public to tune into the same program every night -- there are too many other options. That's why the Jay Leno experiment was dead before it started. The show debuted to more than 18 million viewers, but in only two weeks ratings have declined by more than 70 percent. Not good.

Only a week into the "official" television season, NBC has a huge problem on its hands. It has devoted so much programming time to The Jay Leno Show that it is nearly impossible to salvage the 2009/10 schedule. None of the scripted shows can bomb because the network doesn't have enough in development to replace a failed drama or comedy.

Lucky for NBC, it has Olympics in February (always a ratings stalwart) to help bolster the season. However, the network desperately needs an intervention before the sports extravaganza arrives. There isn't enough time to completely revamp the fall schedule, but here is what I'd do come December (unfortunately, there aren't enough developed shows to completely take The Jay Leno Show off the air or even reduce it to one airing a week):

Jason's NBC (winter) Fix:

Monday:
7 p.m.: Heroes
8 p.m.: Day One
9 p.m.: Southland

What's different: Heroes stays on the air (unfortunately) and Southland moves to Mondays at 9 p.m.

Tuesday:
7 p.m.: Chuck
8:00 p.m.: The Biggest Loser
9 p.m.: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU)

What's different: Chuck relocates from Mondays, The Biggest Loser shrinks from two hours to (a much more manageable) one, and SVU moves back to its successful Tuesday night stomping grounds.

Wednesday:
7 p.m.: Mercy
8 p.m.: 100 Questions
8:30 p.m.: The Best of NBC
9 p.m.: The Jay Leno Show

What's different: 100 Questions premieres on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. NBC launches The Best of NBC, featuring a classic episode of a different "Must See TV" comedy each week (The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, Friends, Mad About You, etc.)

Thursday:
7:00 p.m.: Community
7:30 p.m.: Parks & Recreation
8:00 p.m: The Office
8:30 p.m.: 30 Rock
9 p.m.: Parenthood

What's different: Parenthood is fast tracked and debuts in the same time slot as other great NBC dramas like Hill Street Blues and ER. (Ideally, the producers would convince Helen Hunt to join the drama in time for a December/January launch).

Friday:
7 p.m.: The Marriage Ref
8 p.m.: Law & Order
9 p.m.: The Jay Leno Show

What's different: The Marriage Ref launches on Fridays and Law & Order moves back an hour.

Saturday:
7 p.m.: Crime Show Repeat
8 p.m.: Crime Show Repeat
9 p.m.: Crime Show Repeat

What's different: Not a thing.

Sunday:
6 p.m.: Dateline NBC
7 p.m.: Trauma
8 p.m.: The Apprentice

What's different: Trauma relocates from its fall time slot of Mondays at 8:00 p.m.

NBC's proposed winter schedule can be found here. Don't worry, mine is better. I am back Monday with initial reactions to all of the shows I've been watching this fall.

"Quote" of the Week

It's week two of "Quote of the Week," and I've already moved on to quoting melodramatic pop songs. The lyrics below come from Leona Lewis' syrupy new ballad, "Happy" (another future Top 40 hit penned by Kelly-Clarkson-backstabber Ryan Tedder).

"I can’t stand by the side
And watch this life pass me by
Pass me by

So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge?
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear my sound
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
'Cause I’m just trying to be happy"

An Open Letter to Jennifer Garner

Dear Mrs. Affleck:

Hopefully this doesn't make Ben jealous, but I've been in love with you for a long time.

You had me at the red wig. (Actually the red wig wasn't the first time we met, I distinctly remember you in Aftershock: Earthquake in New York, but let's pretend.) After Sydney Bristow/Alias/you entered my life, you could do no wrong: I rushed home from my Grandma's funeral so I didn't miss Alias' third season finale (I needed to keep up my streak of never missing an episode in real-time), I saw you test your comic chops in 13 Going on 30 on opening day (and boy, were you great), I was one of the few people that enjoyed (and own) Daredevil, and I saw the travesty that was Elektra in the theater twice (!) so that I could help your box office clout. In fact, you (or maybe just your cleavage) were plastered all over my dorm room in college. Obviously, I was smitten.

However, when Alias ended, your career choices had me concerned. (Not that your cinematic endeavors during Alias were great.) First, there was Catch and Release, your would-be coming-out-party as America's next rom-com star. Instead, it was two hours of "how creatively can Susannah Grant hide Jennifer's baby bump." Next came The Kingdom, which received decent reviews, but I actually never saw. I'll take the blame for that one. I was starting to sweat bullets when it came to your future prospects. Then came Juno.

Oh, how I was so happy about Juno. Your subtle, heartfelt performance showed the world what I already knew: that you are a superb actress who can be more than a butt-kicking bad-ass. Despite my bias, your performance grounded that film, and you were robbed of both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

Once again, I thought, "Jennifer is on the path to greatness." Not so fast. For whatever reason, you decided to costar with Hollywood man-boy Matthew McConaughey in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. I was thisclose to seeing the film, but I refused. Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer, really? You're so much better than Kate Hudson.

Now you have two more films coming out soon, and I am uneasy.

First, The Invention of Lying hits theaters later this month. The trailer is unimpressive and the jokes are amusing, but far from laugh-out-loud worthy. However, Ricky Gervais' last film, Ghost Town, had the same lackluster trailer problem, and yet it was one of 2008's most enjoyable films. Though Lying's cast is great and you're charming as always (though bangs really aren't your best look), so I am keeping my fingers crossed.



I'm more concerned with February's Valentine's Day. Romantic comedies aren't your best vehicle, and this one appears to be the not-as-good American interpretation of Love, Actually, which may be the most overrated romantic movie of all-time (well, except for The Notebook). You're surrounded by some of Hollywood's A-list (Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, and Jamie Foxx), so I can't blame you for taking the role. Plus it's a pseudo Alias reunion for you and Bradley Cooper, and I'd never complain about that.



Maybe I'm paranoid, and you still have another Oscar-worthy role up your sleeve. At least I'm hoping so. Please, look for another Juno, a movie where you can showcase your dramatic range while keeping your trademark sweetness.

Regardless, I'll still see your films because, after all, you were Sydney Bristow.

Love always,
Jason

Remember, Remember

This blog started as a way for me to talk about the two things I love, entertainment and politics, and lately it's turning into an arbitrary collection of thoughts. At least The Informant! comes out this weekend and that'll bring back the movie chatter. Or maybe I'll just write about how amazing Glee is. We'll see.

Anyway, I'm posting this because it's life advice that I need to never forget:

Elizabeth: "Stop putting your life on hold for other people and letting them dictate your timeline..."

Short, simple, and just what I needed to hear.

Quote of the Week, Part Two

Quotes are cheesy, but so am I, so I think they have a place here, at least for the time being. However, by request, I'll give this one a little more background.

The other day, for whatever reason (I must've been bored), I was thinking about which of the seven deadly sins I am most guilty of. I came to the conclusion that I am, without a doubt, envy. I am green through and through.

When a friend gets their dream job, my reaction? Feign excitement while I secretly wish I was in their shoes. What happened when a classmate received an A- and I got a B+? I concluded that they must've been lucky because they inevitably didn't work as hard as I did. Even when the student loan bills come every month, I can't help but wish I would've been born to the wealth of a Huntsman or a Kennedy. Obviously, every situation is met with varying degrees of the fatal flaw, but you get the idea.

Anyway, I ran upon this quote tonight:

"Jealousy is simply and clearly the fear that you do not have value. Jealousy scans for evidence to prove the point - that others will be preferred and rewarded more than you. There is only one alternative - self-value. If you cannot love yourself, you will not believe that you are loved. You will always think it's a mistake or luck. Take your eyes off others and turn the scanner within. Find the seeds of your jealousy, clear the old voices and experiences. Put all the energy into building your personal and emotional security. Then you will be the one others envy, and you can remember the pain and reach out to them." - Jennifer James

It's definitely something to think about.

"I'm Out Here on My Journey, Trying to Make the Most of It"

I find it funny that even four years after it was released, I still relate to and love a Dolly Parton song from a movie about a transsexual woman. At least I keep things interesting.

It's My Blog and I'll Do What I Want To

This is why I love my friends (slightly edited for your enjoyment).

Elizabeth:
what a tease -- you finally post a blog entry that's not a movie review or something about the industry, as if you're going to give a glimpse into your personal life and you give no explanation, no further discussion and no promise of more
boooooooooooo
maybe i won't be a loyal reader anymore

Jason:
HAHAHAHAHA
you post quotes!

Elizabeth:
yes but mine is just random things that pop into my head
it isn't a movie review site
and i also do have plenty that are insight into my head
quotes/lyrics/etc aren't awkward and incongruent in my blog
in yours, it is
5 movie reviews, random meredith gray quote, back to 3 more movie reviews
like..........what??

Jason:
wellllllll
I figured I would start doing a quote of the week
just because I want to
and I figured since it was a tv quote
it related

Elizabeth:
maybe after reading your entries, i've felt inclined to review things
i reviewed your blog
normally A-, right now C
you need to commit one way or another
are you an impersonal, semi-pretentious but in an endearing way, movie critic
or are you going to have other things and/or insight into your life

Jason:
I think I may post this conversation in my blog

Elizabeth:
GO FOR IT, at least it'll make the damn quote stick out less
now you'll have TWO things that aren't critiques

Save the Dolls, Save the World

Animated movies get a bad rap. No matter the subject or content they're dismissed as juvenile by American audiences. 9 tries and succeeds in being one of the few animated films that adults shouldn't feel guilty enjoying.

The apocalypse has come, and nearly all living things are dead, save for nine tattered, doll-like creatures, each identified by the numeral etched into their back. Each has distinct characteristics that help in their quest to bring down "the machine" that brought the destruction of humanity. For example, 9 (Elijah Wood) is endlessly caring and devoted, 7 (Jennifer Connelly) is a Syndey-Bristow-esque, butt-kicking female, and 1 (Christopher Plummer) is the old change-resistant curmudgeon.

While the visuals and content may be a little too intense for the youngsters, 9 succeeds on tried-and-true themes of teamwork and cooperation. The animation is nothing short of spectacular. The creatures and their world are impeccable, and to use an animation-review cliché, incredibly lifelike. While the action is lighter than would have been preferred, 9 ends on a note that is surprisingly touching and heartfelt. And clocking in at only 79 minutes, 9 is one of the few films of the modern era that will leave you wishing it were longer.

Grade: B+

Funny Because It's True

The government is run by a bunch of bumbling idiots. At least that's what the director of In the Loop, Armando Iannucci, wants you to think. Though given what the world has gone through for nearly the last decade, I'm inclined to agree.

Simon Foster (Tom Hollander), the British Minister for International Development, may be In the Loop's biggest moron. When he calls the prospect of war "unforeseeable" that sets of a chain reaction of fury beginning with the Prime Minister's f-bomb toting director of communications, Malcom Tucker (Peter Calpadi). Add the United States to the mix, including a lovestruck state department official (Mimi Kennedy), a politically ambitious general (James Gandolfini), and a low-level staffer who is the only voice of reason (Anna Chlumsky) and you have a recipe for disaster -- or in today's world a recipe for war.

Though it's not "based on a true story," In the Loop takes obvious and searing jabs and former President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair and their behavior surrounding the invasion of Iraq. Given that much of the humor is (slightly) based on the truth, that makes the entire thing a little difficult to stomach.

On the whole, the cast of relative unknowns and supporting actors shines. Kennedy, best known as Dharma's mom on Dharma & Greg, is perfection as the official willing to throw her career away based on principle (Colin Powell anyone?). Chlumsky (welcome back My Girl, it's been a while) strikes the right balance between sexy and smart. However, Calpadi steals the show, and is downright sidesplitting as obscenities flow from his lips.

While real life isn't quite this funny, anyone with any sort of affinity for politics should see this, if only to stay in the loop.

Grade: A-

Just Plain Glorious

I'll be the first to say that I am not a Quentin Tarantino fan. Heresy, I know. The Kill Bill films are overrated and I have never bothered to see Pulp Fiction or Grindhouse. I am not one for gratuitous violence and the films seem downright campy. However, after seeing Inglourious Basterds I take that all back.

Set during World War II, Basterds follows two "rebels" as they attempt to bring down the Nazis. The first being Shoshanna (Mélanie Laurent), an owner of a French cinema, who when she was younger, witnessed the slaughter of her family at the hands of Nazi colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) -- "the Jew Hunter" as the movie so lovingly calls him. The other renegade, if you will, is Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), who leads a group of Jewish soldiers on a mission to scalp as many Nazis as possible (and this being a Tarantino film, yes, you see the scalping).

Watching Inglourious Basterds does require the viewer to suspend reality, as Tarantino completely disregards the historical implications of World War II. However, even with (and maybe because of) the major inaccuracies, Basterds is a whole lot of fun. The cast relishes Tarantino's script, and Pitt and Waltz are particularly superb. At first, Pitt's backwoods southern drawl is grating, but by Basterds' conclusion his Lieutenant Raine is an endearing "American hero." As it stands right now, Waltz has an Academy Award nomination (and maybe a win) locked up. Landa is the film's backbone as he's both amusing and unequivocally terrifying.

The major flaw with Basterds is the pacing. The film is too long, and the two best scenes come at the beginning and end. Maybe it's the brilliance of those scenes that makes the rest of the movie not-as-great, but Tarantino does get bogged down in awkward transitions and endless dialogue. Even for a film-goer with a queasy stomach, like myself, Inglourious Basterds makes the scalping worth it.

Grade: A-*

*upgraded from the original grade of B+ to an A- after a second viewing.

A Day of Many Entires

And it will begin with a quote:

"At the end of the day, when it comes down to it, all we really want is to be close to somebody. So this thing, where we all keep our distance and pretend not to care about each other, is usually a load of bull. So we pick and choose who we want to remain close to, and once we've chosen those people, we tend to stick close by. No matter how much we hurt them, the people that are still with you at the end of the day - those are the ones worth keeping. And sure, sometimes close can be too close. But sometimes, that invasion of personal space, it can be exactly what you need."

-the one and only, Meredith Grey (from Grey's Anatomy, for those of you who live on another planet)