Great Thursday night TV!
Aside from 'The Office' ... Snoozer, I agree ...
Kates and I eagerly looked forward to last night's "30 Rock" return, which didn't disappoint ...
And Grey's Anatomy, for the first time in a long time, tugged at our hearts while throwing in some, good, quirky, adorable fun at the same time. It was almost like watching a Season One episode again ...
Here's some good reads about "30 Rock" ...
a Tina Fey Returns to Her Thursday Night Not-So-Live Gig
a '30 Rock' tilts at success with Fey's high profile
a '30 Rock' still on a roll as third season begins
a Tina Fey goes back to her day job: The delightful '30 Rock'
a 30 reasons you should watch '30 Rock'
Showing posts with label 30 Rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 30 Rock. Show all posts
10.31.2008
10.19.2008
Saturday Night Live ... sort of
Keeping with our routine of watching Saturday Night Live on Sunday afternoons ...
And our yearning to see what Tina Fey and the SNL crew will come up with this week ...
This week, the real Sarah Palin got her air time, and it was equally entertaining. She was a good sport about it.
In the opening sketch ... The use of Tina Fey's "30 Rock" co-star Alec Baldwin made the sketch ...("What?! The real one!? Bye-ee.")
And Weekend Update ...
Outside of Palin's appearances, the funniest sketch was Amy Poehler's bit as a pregnant woman being picked up by some men in a bar ... I'd post it, but I couldn't find a clip to post. Gosh, we're going to miss Amy.
And our yearning to see what Tina Fey and the SNL crew will come up with this week ...
This week, the real Sarah Palin got her air time, and it was equally entertaining. She was a good sport about it.
In the opening sketch ... The use of Tina Fey's "30 Rock" co-star Alec Baldwin made the sketch ...("What?! The real one!? Bye-ee.")
And Weekend Update ...
Outside of Palin's appearances, the funniest sketch was Amy Poehler's bit as a pregnant woman being picked up by some men in a bar ... I'd post it, but I couldn't find a clip to post. Gosh, we're going to miss Amy.
5.02.2008
Thursday night TV
It’s fun to have a full slate of Thursday night TV again. Sort of like the good old days “Must See-TV” on NBC. Only now, the once lowly ABC is stacked, too …
Scrubs … J.D. and Elliott had better hook up when the series ends next week … I’ve never gotten that deep into Scrubs, but it is a charmer like no other. It’s been a good run at Sacred Heart.
The Office … I enjoyed the Stanley vs. Michael storyline (Seriously, who fake-fires?!)… And Pam’s glasses dilemma -- I can relate. I’ve been wearing my glasses all week because my contacts, which I ordered weeks ago, haven’t arrived. I think I missed a step in the online ordering process … The story of my week. I've temporarily lost my desk and I've been feeling as though I'm living in "The Office." Or worse yet, "Office Space."
30 Rock … I liked it. And it's still ranking as my favorite sitcom on TV right now. Not only is Tina Fey the coolest, her on-screen chemistry with Jason Sudekis (Overland Park, represent!) is worth watching. Last night’s show, once again, was chock-full of great lines … and I totally got the Peter Venkman reference.
Grey’s Anatomy … I’m not sure I’ve ever enjoyed watching Katherine Heigl in an episode of Grey’s more than I did tonight. Izzy’s finally in a decent place, it seems, and some of the looks on Heigel’s face were melting -- the scene with her chomping on a bag of chips while Addison (Nice to see her again ... Leave that Private Practice and get back to Seattle Grace, Addie!) was talking to her was pretty comical … And the final scene with McDreamy and all three of his women -- past, present and future? -- stepping into an elevator, and then McSteamy’s face when he found them together -- priceless. To quote EW: "... the banter, the humor, the awkwardness, the sexual tension — those key ingredients were all cooking." ... And best line goes to Meredith: "We screw boys like whores on tequila." Ha-larious!
Lost … I’ve ceased to try predicting the next moves on this one. I have a hard enough time keeping up with all of the subtle clues and twists … I did like tonight’s flash forward featuring Jack and Kate. It was kind of reminiscent of the good ol' days when Jack and Kate were swooning over each other, and before we had to deal with all the mind games of Locke and Ben. After all, the episode did start with the opening of an eyeball. Always good ...
Scrubs … J.D. and Elliott had better hook up when the series ends next week … I’ve never gotten that deep into Scrubs, but it is a charmer like no other. It’s been a good run at Sacred Heart.
The Office … I enjoyed the Stanley vs. Michael storyline (Seriously, who fake-fires?!)… And Pam’s glasses dilemma -- I can relate. I’ve been wearing my glasses all week because my contacts, which I ordered weeks ago, haven’t arrived. I think I missed a step in the online ordering process … The story of my week. I've temporarily lost my desk and I've been feeling as though I'm living in "The Office." Or worse yet, "Office Space."
30 Rock … I liked it. And it's still ranking as my favorite sitcom on TV right now. Not only is Tina Fey the coolest, her on-screen chemistry with Jason Sudekis (Overland Park, represent!) is worth watching. Last night’s show, once again, was chock-full of great lines … and I totally got the Peter Venkman reference.
Grey’s Anatomy … I’m not sure I’ve ever enjoyed watching Katherine Heigl in an episode of Grey’s more than I did tonight. Izzy’s finally in a decent place, it seems, and some of the looks on Heigel’s face were melting -- the scene with her chomping on a bag of chips while Addison (Nice to see her again ... Leave that Private Practice and get back to Seattle Grace, Addie!) was talking to her was pretty comical … And the final scene with McDreamy and all three of his women -- past, present and future? -- stepping into an elevator, and then McSteamy’s face when he found them together -- priceless. To quote EW: "... the banter, the humor, the awkwardness, the sexual tension — those key ingredients were all cooking." ... And best line goes to Meredith: "We screw boys like whores on tequila." Ha-larious!
Lost … I’ve ceased to try predicting the next moves on this one. I have a hard enough time keeping up with all of the subtle clues and twists … I did like tonight’s flash forward featuring Jack and Kate. It was kind of reminiscent of the good ol' days when Jack and Kate were swooning over each other, and before we had to deal with all the mind games of Locke and Ben. After all, the episode did start with the opening of an eyeball. Always good ...
4.13.2008
Now for the rest of the story
I’m sitting in my pajamas, beside our hospital room’s window on a sunny and beautiful, but chilly Sunday morning. Kates is feeding Phoebe, and all is well. So, so well …
Now that I have a little downtime, here’s a little bit more on how this whole thing went down …
… Luckily, we got a good night’s sleep Thursday night, which had been a little rare in the days leading up, given some of our last-minute preparations and the fury of the Kansas game. But on Thursday night, we could barely stay awake long enough to watch our favorite shows (By the way, both "30 Rock" and "The Office" were classic ...). And by 9:30, I was zonked out on the couch and Kates was rustling me to go to bed with her …
On Friday, we both went to work, knowing it would be our last days before the baby was born. Both of us were set to begin our leave time on Monday, even though we really didn't expect the baby to come for another couple days…
We figured we’d be waiting through another weekend, and maybe she’d come Monday. If not then, we were set to go to the hospital at 6 a.m. Tuesday for an induction, which neither of us were thrilled about. Not only did we want to avoid our child being labeled a “tax baby” for the rest of her life, we desperately wanted to have the baby naturally …
But at about 4:15 Friday afternoon -- as I was trying to wrap up some of my last assignments and leave the office with a clean slate -- Kates called. She had just gotten home from school, and her water broke … After I hung up the phone, I shared some sweet moments with some of my office cohorts. And then I was off to become a father ...
At the house, Kates was waiting. With all the bags packed, all I had to do was gather them and load them into the car. Then, at 4:45, we were making the five minute-drive to the hospital …
We quickly got settled into a delivery room and at around 6, Kates was being hooked up to an IV. That, however, was when things went a little awry …
Kates normally has really low blood pressure, but it skyrocketed soon after she got the IV. She also started having severe pains at the base of her skull -- pains that were worse than the contractions, she said … As the nurses and doctor began to understand what was happening, we were hearing a lot of dreaded words like seizures, preeclampsia and c-section. The nurses would tell us later how nervous they and the doctor were; they said Kates was a “ticking time bomb.”
At about 8 p.m., the nurses began feeding her magnesium to ease the headaches. The nurses also had convinced her to lay on her side, which she had resisted initially. And we darkened the room … At about 8:20, she was still just 4 cm dilated, but the positive effects of the magnesium were starting to kick in. By 9 p.m., Kates’s contractions were starting to pick up, becoming stronger and more consistent.
At around 10:15, Kates got the epidural administered -- by a good-humored anesthesiologist, who compared its effects to driving with the cruise control on a highway. Pretty cool.
At 10:45 p.m., another check showed Kates was 6 cm dilated. And by 11, both of us were taking the nurses’ advice and trying to get some sleep. I did get a little, but every time I was about to get into a deep vibe, a nurse came to check Kates …
I also was getting the feeling the next hours were going to go fast, and they did. Once she got past those first difficult hours, Kates mental state and focus seemed to only get better as time passed. I was absolutely amazed, impressed and proud of how well she handled all of it … Even when the nurses were willing to give her a break, she refused and kept pushing with each contraction …
Then, at 3:44 a.m., Phoebe was born … As they say, it’s hard to explain the experience until you’ve been through it. That’s true. After nine months of planning and anticipation, those moments of finally hearing that first cry and seeing her … Amazing to say the least.
Kates and I were so sure we were having a boy. So sure … So when doctor laid her on Kates belly and announced we had a daughter, it made our decision to keep her gender a surprise so much sweeter ... Sure, a boy would have been great, too, but we really wanted the experience of having a daughter, and we badly wanted to use the name Phoebe ...
Of course, now a lot of people are asking how we came up with the name … Phoebe actually was the name of one of Kates’s great aunts, and Joanne comes from Kates’s mother. We adored the name from the first moments we started talking about it, and never looked back … For those of you interested in the bible reference, she can be found in the New Testament in Romans 16:1. … That Kates and I are huge fans of the show "Friends" is just a bonus ... And already a few people have referred to her as P.J., which Kates and I had discussed as a nickname we would welcome …
We've only just begun ...
Now that I have a little downtime, here’s a little bit more on how this whole thing went down …
… Luckily, we got a good night’s sleep Thursday night, which had been a little rare in the days leading up, given some of our last-minute preparations and the fury of the Kansas game. But on Thursday night, we could barely stay awake long enough to watch our favorite shows (By the way, both "30 Rock" and "The Office" were classic ...). And by 9:30, I was zonked out on the couch and Kates was rustling me to go to bed with her …
On Friday, we both went to work, knowing it would be our last days before the baby was born. Both of us were set to begin our leave time on Monday, even though we really didn't expect the baby to come for another couple days…
We figured we’d be waiting through another weekend, and maybe she’d come Monday. If not then, we were set to go to the hospital at 6 a.m. Tuesday for an induction, which neither of us were thrilled about. Not only did we want to avoid our child being labeled a “tax baby” for the rest of her life, we desperately wanted to have the baby naturally …
But at about 4:15 Friday afternoon -- as I was trying to wrap up some of my last assignments and leave the office with a clean slate -- Kates called. She had just gotten home from school, and her water broke … After I hung up the phone, I shared some sweet moments with some of my office cohorts. And then I was off to become a father ...
At the house, Kates was waiting. With all the bags packed, all I had to do was gather them and load them into the car. Then, at 4:45, we were making the five minute-drive to the hospital …
We quickly got settled into a delivery room and at around 6, Kates was being hooked up to an IV. That, however, was when things went a little awry …
Kates normally has really low blood pressure, but it skyrocketed soon after she got the IV. She also started having severe pains at the base of her skull -- pains that were worse than the contractions, she said … As the nurses and doctor began to understand what was happening, we were hearing a lot of dreaded words like seizures, preeclampsia and c-section. The nurses would tell us later how nervous they and the doctor were; they said Kates was a “ticking time bomb.”
At about 8 p.m., the nurses began feeding her magnesium to ease the headaches. The nurses also had convinced her to lay on her side, which she had resisted initially. And we darkened the room … At about 8:20, she was still just 4 cm dilated, but the positive effects of the magnesium were starting to kick in. By 9 p.m., Kates’s contractions were starting to pick up, becoming stronger and more consistent.
At around 10:15, Kates got the epidural administered -- by a good-humored anesthesiologist, who compared its effects to driving with the cruise control on a highway. Pretty cool.
At 10:45 p.m., another check showed Kates was 6 cm dilated. And by 11, both of us were taking the nurses’ advice and trying to get some sleep. I did get a little, but every time I was about to get into a deep vibe, a nurse came to check Kates …
I also was getting the feeling the next hours were going to go fast, and they did. Once she got past those first difficult hours, Kates mental state and focus seemed to only get better as time passed. I was absolutely amazed, impressed and proud of how well she handled all of it … Even when the nurses were willing to give her a break, she refused and kept pushing with each contraction …
Then, at 3:44 a.m., Phoebe was born … As they say, it’s hard to explain the experience until you’ve been through it. That’s true. After nine months of planning and anticipation, those moments of finally hearing that first cry and seeing her … Amazing to say the least.
Kates and I were so sure we were having a boy. So sure … So when doctor laid her on Kates belly and announced we had a daughter, it made our decision to keep her gender a surprise so much sweeter ... Sure, a boy would have been great, too, but we really wanted the experience of having a daughter, and we badly wanted to use the name Phoebe ...
Of course, now a lot of people are asking how we came up with the name … Phoebe actually was the name of one of Kates’s great aunts, and Joanne comes from Kates’s mother. We adored the name from the first moments we started talking about it, and never looked back … For those of you interested in the bible reference, she can be found in the New Testament in Romans 16:1. … That Kates and I are huge fans of the show "Friends" is just a bonus ... And already a few people have referred to her as P.J., which Kates and I had discussed as a nickname we would welcome …
We've only just begun ...
1.20.2008
Sunday morning
Kates is becoming my little sports fan more and more every day …
This morning, having decided we weren’t leaving the house today (the temperature gauge outside reads 2 degrees, and we’ve got ice glazing our windows …), we ate breakfast while I had “Outside the Lines” and “The Sports Reporters” going on ESPN …
While I mostly just took it in, Kates was spouting her sports opinions on report after report …
On Roger Clemens' upcoming date with congress: “Everyone think Roger’s guilty, it’s McNamee they all believe …”
On Jokim Noah’s rookie problems with the Bulls: He's the problem with the Bulls. He's all we've been hearing about since they got him ..."
And on Golf Week's noose cover: "Tiger said he didn't have a problem with the broadcaster. They're only making it worse..."
Ah, I've succeeded. I've taught her well.
So we finally got around to watching "Babel" last night -- you know that film that was an Oscar contender last year ...
And so it goes.
Interesting film. I can definitely see the comparisons to "Crash" ... Though I didn't care much for the storyline about the deaf Japanese girl, each of the storylines grew more compelling as the film moved on and there were some good aha! moments when they finally started to fit together ...
Kates and I watched the final pre-strike "30 Rock" this morning.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: Never thought I'd say it a couple years ago, but "30 Rock" is my new favorite sitcom.
The musical finale -- Midnight Train to Georgia! with Gladys Knight! -- in the last episode was awesome! Classic ...
This morning, having decided we weren’t leaving the house today (the temperature gauge outside reads 2 degrees, and we’ve got ice glazing our windows …), we ate breakfast while I had “Outside the Lines” and “The Sports Reporters” going on ESPN …
While I mostly just took it in, Kates was spouting her sports opinions on report after report …
On Roger Clemens' upcoming date with congress: “Everyone think Roger’s guilty, it’s McNamee they all believe …”
On Jokim Noah’s rookie problems with the Bulls: He's the problem with the Bulls. He's all we've been hearing about since they got him ..."
And on Golf Week's noose cover: "Tiger said he didn't have a problem with the broadcaster. They're only making it worse..."
Ah, I've succeeded. I've taught her well.
* * *
So we finally got around to watching "Babel" last night -- you know that film that was an Oscar contender last year ...
And so it goes.
Interesting film. I can definitely see the comparisons to "Crash" ... Though I didn't care much for the storyline about the deaf Japanese girl, each of the storylines grew more compelling as the film moved on and there were some good aha! moments when they finally started to fit together ...
* * *
Kates and I watched the final pre-strike "30 Rock" this morning.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: Never thought I'd say it a couple years ago, but "30 Rock" is my new favorite sitcom.
The musical finale -- Midnight Train to Georgia! with Gladys Knight! -- in the last episode was awesome! Classic ...
12.03.2007
Talking TV
So I haven’t been much for talking about TV this fall. Sorry.
I blame it partly on getting so wrapped up in the postseason baseball. Then, I was racing to catch up with so many shows on the DVR that I hardly had time to soak up a lot of them. And now Hollywood is in a writer’s strike that’s halting our favorite shows and there's no signs of them resuming.
I also blame it on the fact I haven’t exactly been blown away by anything I’ve been watching this fall -- at least not the way I was always blown away by the hilarity of Friends, Fraiser, Raymond or Will & Grace. Or the soaring drama, action and charm of West Wing, or the early episodes of Lost and Heroes… Which is sort of surprising because it’s a rarity I don’t really like at least a handful of the new shows ...
This year has been a rarity … I was turned off by Caveman and Carpoolers in just five minutes. We stayed with Samantha Who for two episodes before cutting that one loose. And Reaper hung around on our DVR for about three or four episodes before we dismissed that one too …
Oh, and Private Practice? Yeah. Still boycotting it.
We’ve kept up with Big Bang Theory (I do really enjoy Sheldon …) and Back To You, but those are starting to wear too … Even How I Met Your Mother and The Office seem to have lost their edge (Although I must admit the first couple episodes of this season's Office, despite being an hour long, were pretty stellar -- Angela to Dwight, referring to her cats: “I don‘t want Garbage! I want Sprinkles!” And later during their breakup: “I will leave your toothbrush on your tire.”) ... That said, 30 Rock may be the sitcom I've most enjoyed watching this fall -- and that's something I never thought I'd be saying last fall ...
If a show has any premise remotely about crime and cops, or even smells of sleaze, I'm not getting near it. I don’t care how well it’s written or produced -- I get enough of that in my every day work …
There have been some signs of TV life lately, though … mostly in Daisies, a tornado and a favorite from last season that couldn’t have returned at more appropriate time.
Yeah. So how about that tornado on Wisteria Lane last night!? Captivating at times (Lynette's scream at the end), funny at others (Edie vs Gabby; Victor vs Carlos -- I saw Victor getting pinned with that fence post a mile away), and sometimes just dumb -- No one predicts a tornado hours before it's going to hit and then prepares for it. McClusky driving up in her car and yelling to the neighbors (who were standing under a sunny sky) at 9 in the morning that a tornado had hit Mt. Pleasant and they'd better get under cover for the 4 o'clock tornado was the worst. And c'mon, aside from the Scavo clan, why was nobody worried about Julie and the rest of the kiddos!? ... If you ask me, the Halloween episode was the best so far of a season that's almost reached First Season levels. Danielle playing Bree might have been the funniest thing I've ever seen on Housewives… Still, more recent Sundays have been like watching “a very special episode” of Desperate Housewives. Between Lynette’s cancer battle, Mike’s drug user/abusive husband persona and now Andrew moving out ... Seriously.
Keeping with the Sunday night lineup, Brothers & Sisters quietly endures as the new age thirtysomething … Sally Field. Rob Lowe. Calista Flockhart. A large, beautiful California family. Wonderful plots. A good wedding. I love the dynamic Rebecca adds to the family ... If B&S lost any points with me this season, it happened when they brought in that creepy Leena to sleep with idiot Tommy ...
On to Monday nights ... Heroes didn’t start out so hot, and I was beginning to doubt my draw to the show I fell so deeply in love with last year … Ah, but the last few weeks have turned almost as stellar as the high points of last season’s fight to save the world … With every new episode, new character and new power revealed -- it’s like one giant game of rock, paper, scissors! Seriously. It's like regeneration beats electricity, which beats flight and -- you get the idea … I'm comfortably on board again. Except, now it's over for a few weeks. (Who assassinated Nathan!?!)
As for Greys Anatomy, however, I've resigned to the notion it's never going to be as good as the pre-Super-Bowl bomb-era Grey's. … Our fearless, gonna-save-the-world interns are growing up; they're not so innocent anymore. They're more cynical and mean now. And these days they appear to be more concerned with who can have the most closet sex than they are with being chummy at the cafeteria table. I miss those days ... At least Bailey finally got to be a chief.
And that leaves me with the colorful and dazzling Pushing Daisies ... Why the buzz on this show is so subdued baffles me. (Kates was slow to warm to it too, but I finally got her hooked after a couple episodes) Did I mention how colorful it is? I love the straight-on camera angles of the characters during their conversations. I love the narration. I love the idea that Ned and Chuck are so deep into each other but it's impossible for them to touch, and the way your heart sinks for them every time they get close. And I love that each episode is a 40-minute fantasa-magical who-dun-it adventure with four people I'd love to spend my days with ...
Oh, and that show that couldn't have returned at a more appropriate time? I'm talking about Notes From the Underbelly, baby! The critics can and will say what they want about it. Yeah, so it's not the greatest premise ever, but it's darn fun and cute for a young couple that's sharing the same experiences -- and I'll watch anything with Rachael Harris ...
I blame it partly on getting so wrapped up in the postseason baseball. Then, I was racing to catch up with so many shows on the DVR that I hardly had time to soak up a lot of them. And now Hollywood is in a writer’s strike that’s halting our favorite shows and there's no signs of them resuming.
I also blame it on the fact I haven’t exactly been blown away by anything I’ve been watching this fall -- at least not the way I was always blown away by the hilarity of Friends, Fraiser, Raymond or Will & Grace. Or the soaring drama, action and charm of West Wing, or the early episodes of Lost and Heroes… Which is sort of surprising because it’s a rarity I don’t really like at least a handful of the new shows ...
This year has been a rarity … I was turned off by Caveman and Carpoolers in just five minutes. We stayed with Samantha Who for two episodes before cutting that one loose. And Reaper hung around on our DVR for about three or four episodes before we dismissed that one too …
Oh, and Private Practice? Yeah. Still boycotting it.
We’ve kept up with Big Bang Theory (I do really enjoy Sheldon …) and Back To You, but those are starting to wear too … Even How I Met Your Mother and The Office seem to have lost their edge (Although I must admit the first couple episodes of this season's Office, despite being an hour long, were pretty stellar -- Angela to Dwight, referring to her cats: “I don‘t want Garbage! I want Sprinkles!” And later during their breakup: “I will leave your toothbrush on your tire.”) ... That said, 30 Rock may be the sitcom I've most enjoyed watching this fall -- and that's something I never thought I'd be saying last fall ...
If a show has any premise remotely about crime and cops, or even smells of sleaze, I'm not getting near it. I don’t care how well it’s written or produced -- I get enough of that in my every day work …
There have been some signs of TV life lately, though … mostly in Daisies, a tornado and a favorite from last season that couldn’t have returned at more appropriate time.
Yeah. So how about that tornado on Wisteria Lane last night!? Captivating at times (Lynette's scream at the end), funny at others (Edie vs Gabby; Victor vs Carlos -- I saw Victor getting pinned with that fence post a mile away), and sometimes just dumb -- No one predicts a tornado hours before it's going to hit and then prepares for it. McClusky driving up in her car and yelling to the neighbors (who were standing under a sunny sky) at 9 in the morning that a tornado had hit Mt. Pleasant and they'd better get under cover for the 4 o'clock tornado was the worst. And c'mon, aside from the Scavo clan, why was nobody worried about Julie and the rest of the kiddos!? ... If you ask me, the Halloween episode was the best so far of a season that's almost reached First Season levels. Danielle playing Bree might have been the funniest thing I've ever seen on Housewives… Still, more recent Sundays have been like watching “a very special episode” of Desperate Housewives. Between Lynette’s cancer battle, Mike’s drug user/abusive husband persona and now Andrew moving out ... Seriously.
Keeping with the Sunday night lineup, Brothers & Sisters quietly endures as the new age thirtysomething … Sally Field. Rob Lowe. Calista Flockhart. A large, beautiful California family. Wonderful plots. A good wedding. I love the dynamic Rebecca adds to the family ... If B&S lost any points with me this season, it happened when they brought in that creepy Leena to sleep with idiot Tommy ...
On to Monday nights ... Heroes didn’t start out so hot, and I was beginning to doubt my draw to the show I fell so deeply in love with last year … Ah, but the last few weeks have turned almost as stellar as the high points of last season’s fight to save the world … With every new episode, new character and new power revealed -- it’s like one giant game of rock, paper, scissors! Seriously. It's like regeneration beats electricity, which beats flight and -- you get the idea … I'm comfortably on board again. Except, now it's over for a few weeks. (Who assassinated Nathan!?!)
As for Greys Anatomy, however, I've resigned to the notion it's never going to be as good as the pre-Super-Bowl bomb-era Grey's. … Our fearless, gonna-save-the-world interns are growing up; they're not so innocent anymore. They're more cynical and mean now. And these days they appear to be more concerned with who can have the most closet sex than they are with being chummy at the cafeteria table. I miss those days ... At least Bailey finally got to be a chief.
And that leaves me with the colorful and dazzling Pushing Daisies ... Why the buzz on this show is so subdued baffles me. (Kates was slow to warm to it too, but I finally got her hooked after a couple episodes) Did I mention how colorful it is? I love the straight-on camera angles of the characters during their conversations. I love the narration. I love the idea that Ned and Chuck are so deep into each other but it's impossible for them to touch, and the way your heart sinks for them every time they get close. And I love that each episode is a 40-minute fantasa-magical who-dun-it adventure with four people I'd love to spend my days with ...
Oh, and that show that couldn't have returned at a more appropriate time? I'm talking about Notes From the Underbelly, baby! The critics can and will say what they want about it. Yeah, so it's not the greatest premise ever, but it's darn fun and cute for a young couple that's sharing the same experiences -- and I'll watch anything with Rachael Harris ...
11.08.2007
'This Earth is ruined; we gotta get a new one!'
All this week, Kates and I have been enjoying NBC's "green" push, right down to the little green peacock logo in the lower left corner of our screen ...
Among all the bad news lately -- bad stocks, increasing gas prices, a terrible market for homes, war -- it was a little fascinating to watch the NBC News crew this week and their reports about the environment, especially interesting was Monday's report about wind power ...
Why so many communities are up in arms about wind power and the aesthetics of the gigantic white turbines has always perplexed me ... "I think their kind of pretty," Kates said as we began to watch the segment. " I know!" I added. For me there's always been something sort of romantic about driving through a rural area and passing those turbines, peacefully churning in the air ... And hey, it's good for the environment! ...
Beyond the news though, NBC's crowning achievement (and the genesis for this post) was clearly tonight's "30 Rock." David Schwimmer, Meredith Viera and Al Gore made guest appearances and delivered some ha-larious lines ...
Among all the bad news lately -- bad stocks, increasing gas prices, a terrible market for homes, war -- it was a little fascinating to watch the NBC News crew this week and their reports about the environment, especially interesting was Monday's report about wind power ...
Why so many communities are up in arms about wind power and the aesthetics of the gigantic white turbines has always perplexed me ... "I think their kind of pretty," Kates said as we began to watch the segment. " I know!" I added. For me there's always been something sort of romantic about driving through a rural area and passing those turbines, peacefully churning in the air ... And hey, it's good for the environment! ...
Beyond the news though, NBC's crowning achievement (and the genesis for this post) was clearly tonight's "30 Rock." David Schwimmer, Meredith Viera and Al Gore made guest appearances and delivered some ha-larious lines ...
Jenna: The only reason men start taking care of themselves is if they're getting someone to have sex with them. If it wasn't for that, they'd just sit at home in their own filth.
Liz (while looking at a burning globe): This Earth is ruined! We gotta get a new one!
Al Gore: Shhh, do you hear that? A whale is in trouble. I gotta go!
8.19.2007
Sunday reading
... Some of the stories and headlines that have caught my eyes the last couple weeks ...
Music, pop culture, entertainment ...
a Britney to kids: You’re both mistakes!
a Bigger audience would suit Fey better
a Pop looks to the past for a forward-feeling sound
a Weird Al's Imitation: A Funky Form of Flattery
a Movie Endings We Love Forty pitch-perfect film finales
a Jim Killeen: The Man Who Found Himself: "Google Me'' might have begun as a gee-whiz exercise in egotism for Jim Killeen, who found numerous other Jim Killeens via Google, but it quickly became much more.
a Colbie Caillat: A MySpace Star on the Rise
Newspapering ...
a The graying lady: Cuts in newspapers' foreign reporting will leave the world worse off
a For Some in Oakland, Editor's Death Shows Subversion of Black Activism
Politics ...
a Obama Says He Can Unite U.S. 'More Effectively' Than Clinton
a Eating Right: In Frederick, a Bushel Of Crabs and a Back Slap For President Bush
Baseball ...
a Keep the Brewers in perspective
a Giambi escapes punishment from baseball
a Ruthian or Faustian? Barry Bonds' sins -- the questionable use of science, the raging drive to be No. 1 -- are, we should remember, distinctly sins of our time.
a Vincent says Bonds' record tainted
a Connor was baseball's first home run king
a Costas: HR record is 'inauthentic'
a Aaron, Bonds faced hatred on the way to historic homer marks
a Will A-Rod be the next HR king?
a Rizzuto’s Secret of Youth Lasted for Years
a Goodbye, Scooter: Insults didn't stop Rizzuto from living a wonderful life
a Dubious distinction: Cox passes McGraw for most ejections with No. 132
a My All-Time Team: Cobb, Hornsby, Ruth are among the best of the best
a My All-Current Team: Jeter, A-Rod, Manny lead the crop of today's stars
a My All-Future Team: Which stars of today will still be great in five years?
The Internet ...
a Bloggers consider forming labor union
a Facebook Grows Up
a Class War: MySpace vs. Facebook
Other stuff ...
a Gruesome mystery of eight skeletons in a forest
a Old Age Cause Gives Pause
Music, pop culture, entertainment ...
a Britney to kids: You’re both mistakes!
a Bigger audience would suit Fey better
a Pop looks to the past for a forward-feeling sound
a Weird Al's Imitation: A Funky Form of Flattery
a Movie Endings We Love Forty pitch-perfect film finales
a Jim Killeen: The Man Who Found Himself: "Google Me'' might have begun as a gee-whiz exercise in egotism for Jim Killeen, who found numerous other Jim Killeens via Google, but it quickly became much more.
a Colbie Caillat: A MySpace Star on the Rise
Newspapering ...
a The graying lady: Cuts in newspapers' foreign reporting will leave the world worse off
a For Some in Oakland, Editor's Death Shows Subversion of Black Activism
Politics ...
a Obama Says He Can Unite U.S. 'More Effectively' Than Clinton
a Eating Right: In Frederick, a Bushel Of Crabs and a Back Slap For President Bush
Baseball ...
a Keep the Brewers in perspective
a Giambi escapes punishment from baseball
a Ruthian or Faustian? Barry Bonds' sins -- the questionable use of science, the raging drive to be No. 1 -- are, we should remember, distinctly sins of our time.
a Vincent says Bonds' record tainted
a Connor was baseball's first home run king
a Costas: HR record is 'inauthentic'
a Aaron, Bonds faced hatred on the way to historic homer marks
a Will A-Rod be the next HR king?
a Rizzuto’s Secret of Youth Lasted for Years
a Goodbye, Scooter: Insults didn't stop Rizzuto from living a wonderful life
a Dubious distinction: Cox passes McGraw for most ejections with No. 132
a My All-Time Team: Cobb, Hornsby, Ruth are among the best of the best
a My All-Current Team: Jeter, A-Rod, Manny lead the crop of today's stars
a My All-Future Team: Which stars of today will still be great in five years?
The Internet ...
a Bloggers consider forming labor union
a Facebook Grows Up
a Class War: MySpace vs. Facebook
Other stuff ...
a Gruesome mystery of eight skeletons in a forest
a Old Age Cause Gives Pause
1.21.2007
Sunday reading
Some of the interesting reads I caught this past week ...
Entertainment ...
a New year, new slogan for 'Heroes' ... Woo Hoo!
a Hero of the nigh: Unexpected hit lifts NBC to ratings tie
a Fey turns random into laughs on ‘30 Rock’ ... if you told me a couple months Kates and I would still be watching '30 Rock,' I'd have laughed you right out of our house. Well, here it is January, and we're still watching. Its looniness really is darn funny ...
a 'Idol' viewership goes up, up, up for Fox
a Madison teen advances to American Idol semifinals
a 'Lost' to conclude sooner than later ... Good thinkin!
a Spirit of '68, Animated & Kicking Off Sundance
a Reaching For the Moon At Sundance
a What I've Learned: Katie Couric ... Interesting. (... and while reading about Katie Couric, I discovered this one about ESPN ...)
a NFL TV makeover looks good now ... This whole thing with NFL games on the league's exclusive network is one of the worst decisions the NFL could make. They're alienating fans from coast to coast ...
Travel ...
a Cruise industry's dark waters
a Breathing life into a faded desert landmark
Politics ...
a What Would Jeb Do?
a On the Electronic Campaign Trail: Politicians Realize the Potential of Web Video
Miscellaneous ...
a What Shawn Went Through
a Who wants a deep-dish Olympics? ... We do! We do!! Kates and I are crossing our fingers harder than ever that Chicago can land the games! Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ... the other night we were talking about it and figured out we'll be 37 ... Whoah.
a Notice the Plus Signs at the New GM
a Hold Off On Net Neutrality
Entertainment ...
a New year, new slogan for 'Heroes' ... Woo Hoo!
a Hero of the nigh: Unexpected hit lifts NBC to ratings tie
a Fey turns random into laughs on ‘30 Rock’ ... if you told me a couple months Kates and I would still be watching '30 Rock,' I'd have laughed you right out of our house. Well, here it is January, and we're still watching. Its looniness really is darn funny ...
a 'Idol' viewership goes up, up, up for Fox
a Madison teen advances to American Idol semifinals
a 'Lost' to conclude sooner than later ... Good thinkin!
a Spirit of '68, Animated & Kicking Off Sundance
a Reaching For the Moon At Sundance
a What I've Learned: Katie Couric ... Interesting. (... and while reading about Katie Couric, I discovered this one about ESPN ...)
a NFL TV makeover looks good now ... This whole thing with NFL games on the league's exclusive network is one of the worst decisions the NFL could make. They're alienating fans from coast to coast ...
Travel ...
a Cruise industry's dark waters
a Breathing life into a faded desert landmark
Politics ...
a What Would Jeb Do?
a On the Electronic Campaign Trail: Politicians Realize the Potential of Web Video
Miscellaneous ...
a What Shawn Went Through
a Who wants a deep-dish Olympics? ... We do! We do!! Kates and I are crossing our fingers harder than ever that Chicago can land the games! Talk about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ... the other night we were talking about it and figured out we'll be 37 ... Whoah.
a Notice the Plus Signs at the New GM
a Hold Off On Net Neutrality
10.16.2006
Fall TV
So I just finally got around to watching Wednesday night's premieres of 30 Rock and Twenty Good Years ... I doubt I'll be watching 30 Rock again, which is too bad for all the star power and talent involved. The premiere hardly made me laugh. The jokes were dumb. And Rachel Dratch's talents were wasted. The whole thing plays like Tina Fey said 'Hey, I wanna do a sitcom, I'm going to steal some people from SNL, we'll just mess around and see what we can do ..." ... Twenty Good Years, however, has some potential. Ok, so the jokes weren't much better. But the carpe diem plot is intriguing -- John Mason, the surgeon, is forced into semi-retirement, and judge Jeffrey Pyne is dealing with the death of his wife. And Jeffrey Tambor and John Lithgow seem to have the type of chemistry that could carry the show for awhile ...
And now my fall TV-watching schedule is a little bit clearer ...
... On Sunday nights, a lot has changed. Then again, not much has changed at all ... West Wing is gone. And three weeks in, I'm still trying to get used to the void that used to be the start-to-the-week-pick-me-up that was Grey's Anatomy (which is holding its own on Thursday nights ...) ... Kates and I still have Amazing Race. Love the ethnicity this season. And it wouldn't be Amazing Race without a trashy couple bickering in every show. The Beauty Queens, the Cheerleaders, Alabama -- they all drive me nuts at some point. And the coalminer and his wife -- well, it's all entertaining ... Glad to see Desperate Housewives has returned to its former self. Before the season started, I heard a radio interview with James Denton that had him talking about how messy and chaotic things were behind the scenes last year. Cast members were getting scripts handed to them as they were walking on the stage. Things were screwed up and the show suffered because of it. Denton explained how the writers and everyone involved knew the show had to be turned around. And they've delivered -- the quick wit is back. The deep mystery, the suspense, the tension -- all of it is back, mostly compliments of Orson, who gives me the creeps just looking at him ... Then you have Brothers & Sisters. Eh. The premiere was pretty decent, but ultimately it's probably going to be Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, Rachel Griffiths and the interesting dynamic among the brothers and sisters that keeps us watching, plus the fact that it's on after Desperate Housewives ...
... Come Monday, Kates and are still attached to the CBS sitcoms ... The Class, a pleasant surprise, is charming and fun to watch with its cool and quirky ensemble of characters ...How I Met Your Mother -- Love it. As good as ever ... Two And A Half Men is still strong ... As for The New Adventures of Old Christine, I watched the first couple episodes last spring and barely watched much more. When it won an Emmy, I didn't understand 'Why?' But some of this season's episodes have had us laughing 'til we cry ... At 9 p.m., we're switching to NBC for Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip. The cast is phenomenal and it's hard not to love Aaron Sorkin's racing, walking-the-halls dialogue ... But I think the best new show on television is, by far, Heroes! A sci-fi, comic book, X-men fan I am definitely not. But I've liked watching Hayden Panettiere since Remember The Titans and I was again drawn to the ensemble cast. I watched the first episode and I was hooked! I love the complex characters, although some a more than others (Hiro rocks!) and every twist and turn blows your mind more than one before ...
... on Tuesdays, there's nothing on. Whew! ... at least until According to Jim and Scrubs return mid-season ...
... Wednesday comes and we're all about Lost, dude. Kates and I had half my office over and hosted a Lost party to watch the premiere (... apparently I wasn't the only confused one...). It moves as slow as molasses, but it's a darn fascinating show. Classic story-telling. Fantastic character development ...
... Thursday night arrives ... Five years ago, Survivor didn't stand a chance of showing on my TV, then Friends went off the air, NBC tanked, the Survivor producers added some new twists, added the whole exile island and reeled me in last season. And here I'm back again for this season, even though the point of the racially-divided tribes was ... ? By merging the tribes, the producers rendered their little experience pointless. Either way, I've been rooting hard as heck each week for the Aitu tribe. Yul, Becky, Flica, Jonathan, Candice, Ozzy, Sundra -- what a likable group ... Then the marathon continues when we pickup The Office on the DVR at 8, followed by Grey's Anatomy and the ancient, but rarely dull ER ...
... And on Fridays ... we rest.
TV reads ...
10 fall tube tips
NBC Completely Revamps Fall TV Schedule
TV Commercials Move Beyond the Box
What’s new next fall? Shows to get your blood pumping
And now my fall TV-watching schedule is a little bit clearer ...
... On Sunday nights, a lot has changed. Then again, not much has changed at all ... West Wing is gone. And three weeks in, I'm still trying to get used to the void that used to be the start-to-the-week-pick-me-up that was Grey's Anatomy (which is holding its own on Thursday nights ...) ... Kates and I still have Amazing Race. Love the ethnicity this season. And it wouldn't be Amazing Race without a trashy couple bickering in every show. The Beauty Queens, the Cheerleaders, Alabama -- they all drive me nuts at some point. And the coalminer and his wife -- well, it's all entertaining ... Glad to see Desperate Housewives has returned to its former self. Before the season started, I heard a radio interview with James Denton that had him talking about how messy and chaotic things were behind the scenes last year. Cast members were getting scripts handed to them as they were walking on the stage. Things were screwed up and the show suffered because of it. Denton explained how the writers and everyone involved knew the show had to be turned around. And they've delivered -- the quick wit is back. The deep mystery, the suspense, the tension -- all of it is back, mostly compliments of Orson, who gives me the creeps just looking at him ... Then you have Brothers & Sisters. Eh. The premiere was pretty decent, but ultimately it's probably going to be Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, Rachel Griffiths and the interesting dynamic among the brothers and sisters that keeps us watching, plus the fact that it's on after Desperate Housewives ...
... Come Monday, Kates and are still attached to the CBS sitcoms ... The Class, a pleasant surprise, is charming and fun to watch with its cool and quirky ensemble of characters ...How I Met Your Mother -- Love it. As good as ever ... Two And A Half Men is still strong ... As for The New Adventures of Old Christine, I watched the first couple episodes last spring and barely watched much more. When it won an Emmy, I didn't understand 'Why?' But some of this season's episodes have had us laughing 'til we cry ... At 9 p.m., we're switching to NBC for Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip. The cast is phenomenal and it's hard not to love Aaron Sorkin's racing, walking-the-halls dialogue ... But I think the best new show on television is, by far, Heroes! A sci-fi, comic book, X-men fan I am definitely not. But I've liked watching Hayden Panettiere since Remember The Titans and I was again drawn to the ensemble cast. I watched the first episode and I was hooked! I love the complex characters, although some a more than others (Hiro rocks!) and every twist and turn blows your mind more than one before ...
... on Tuesdays, there's nothing on. Whew! ... at least until According to Jim and Scrubs return mid-season ...
... Wednesday comes and we're all about Lost, dude. Kates and I had half my office over and hosted a Lost party to watch the premiere (... apparently I wasn't the only confused one...). It moves as slow as molasses, but it's a darn fascinating show. Classic story-telling. Fantastic character development ...
... Thursday night arrives ... Five years ago, Survivor didn't stand a chance of showing on my TV, then Friends went off the air, NBC tanked, the Survivor producers added some new twists, added the whole exile island and reeled me in last season. And here I'm back again for this season, even though the point of the racially-divided tribes was ... ? By merging the tribes, the producers rendered their little experience pointless. Either way, I've been rooting hard as heck each week for the Aitu tribe. Yul, Becky, Flica, Jonathan, Candice, Ozzy, Sundra -- what a likable group ... Then the marathon continues when we pickup The Office on the DVR at 8, followed by Grey's Anatomy and the ancient, but rarely dull ER ...
... And on Fridays ... we rest.
TV reads ...
10 fall tube tips
NBC Completely Revamps Fall TV Schedule
TV Commercials Move Beyond the Box
What’s new next fall? Shows to get your blood pumping
10.15.2006
Sunday reading
Some of the stories that caught my eye this last week ...
In the news...
a Plane hit home of parade victim ... poor woman.
On TV ...
a 'SNL' sitcom '30 Rock' is right address ... Seriously!? Has he seen the other TV shows?
a Couric Is in an Unfamiliar Place — 3rd ... and she'd better get used to it.
In Music ...
a Mann of the Hour
a Fleetwood Mac guitarist hits midlife with intensity
a Colvin Re-Emerges After Depression
Baseball ...
a Sponsorship deal calls for White Sox to begin games at 7:11 p.m. ... what'll they think of next?
In the news...
a Plane hit home of parade victim ... poor woman.
On TV ...
a 'SNL' sitcom '30 Rock' is right address ... Seriously!? Has he seen the other TV shows?
a Couric Is in an Unfamiliar Place — 3rd ... and she'd better get used to it.
In Music ...
a Mann of the Hour
a Fleetwood Mac guitarist hits midlife with intensity
a Colvin Re-Emerges After Depression
Baseball ...
a Sponsorship deal calls for White Sox to begin games at 7:11 p.m. ... what'll they think of next?
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