Tag Archives: NBC

2010/01/12 · 12:42 am

In Defense Of: Jimmy Fallon

I was planning to write this post a couple weeks ago, before the tornado of Leno-Conan-Local Affiliates-gate threw the entire late night landscape into a tumult (and what of George Lopez?), but this takes on even greater significance now.  At this very moment, with the future of NBC’s late night schedule hanging in the balance, possibly the future of television as we know it, possibly the future of the world, someone has to step up and say it:

Jimmy Fallon has been doing a pretty okay job.

And it would be a shame if NBC’s disregard for their local affiliates followed by their overwhelming compassion for their local affiliates affected Fallon’s momentum.

Now Fallon has gone on record as saying he doesn’t mind if he’s shifted back a half hour, since most of his viewers watch the show on DVR or online, and I believe him.  He seems to so genuinely enjoy hosting the show that he probably would do it at 1am or 3am or 3pm (of course, it’ll still be taped in the late afternoon so it’s not like it’ll make any real difference for his schedule).  But if Jimmy won’t say it, I will.  We’ve asserted many times here that Jimmy got off to a rough start.  That’s well documented and it’s no secret.  And while he’s still a work in progress behind the interview desk, he’s excelling in just about every other area.  And, well, that should be acknowledged.

Keep Reading: Examples! Charades! Joy Behar! Drag! Sweaters! Arli$$

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Filed under Good Humor, In defense of:, Muppets, Saturday Night Live, Saved by the Bell, Talkies

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2009/11/23 · 3:33 pm

‘The Office’: Truth or Consequences

As we’re a bit late to the party, just some (hopefully) quick thoughts on last week’s Office entry, “Shareholder Meeting.”

The theme for this season (and probably the entire series), as we have already talked about in great detail, has been the vacillation of Michael Scott from mildly idiotic but well-meaning and somewhat competent to completely oblivious, self-absorbed and wildly unqualified, and finding that the best episodes seem to be when Michael trends towards the former.  Indeed, in their review Vulture notes that, “as a general rule, the less Michael Scott is a Homer Simpson–esque boob, the better The Office becomes.”  In “Shareholder Meeting,” we get a glimpse of both Michaels, and I think this episode just missed the mark, not because Michael again veered of course (although, he sorta did), but because the show shied away from the opportunity to let things get even uglier.

Read on: What could have been. Douche or consequences. The return of Ronni!

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Filed under Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam, Good Humor, Must See TV

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2009/11/05 · 5:28 pm

Score One for Gritty Cop Dramas!

As rumored since its axe by NBC, the Gritty Cop Drama Southland has been rescued by TNT.  What’s more is that the cable net will air the Gritty Cop Drama Fridays at 10pm (starting Jan 12), setting up a smackdown against new nemesis Jay Leno (if Leno survives til the New Year).

No word yet if the addition of Southland to the TNT roster will require the show to add a Strong Female Lead, à la The Closer, Saving Grace and HawthroRNe.  Might I make a recommendation?   Or, if she’s not available, they can take SNL‘s suggestion and bring Penny Marshall aboard:

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Of course, the big question is what does this all mean for Dick Wolf?  Well, TNT already airs syndicated episodes of the flagship Law & Order franchise, so perhaps Mr. Wolf will bring original episodes of the series here when NBC replaces his show with Dateline: To Catch a Biggest Loser.

via Variety

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2009/10/23 · 5:18 pm

NBC Admits Mistake, Pretends It Will Focus on Quality Programming

NBCU Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin stated yesterday that, when referring to his network’s programming strategy, “The goal is not to manage for margins. It is to put the best possible programs we can on the air.”  AKA he was apologizing for Jay Leno, and the mess it created.  Of course he’s only sorry because the experiment failed.  However, it’s good to know that NBC will welcoming quality shows again.

Of course, what he really meant is that the goal is to “put the best possible programs we can on the air that will also net us the best ratings.”  They learned that it’s not just enough to make a profit, as the Jay Leno Show is sorta doing, but that you have to garner strong audiences as well.  Let’s not confuse this with a willingness to put brilliant programs before ratings.  If that were the case Freaks and Geeks would have run for seven years.  No, this just means that while we will see some new comedies and dramas we’ll also see more Biggest Losers. Cheap shows that also pull in big numbers.  For them, that’s the “best possible program” (and not sure I can say I blame them).

via The TV Column, Washington Post

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2009/10/22 · 11:07 pm

The Five Least Awesome Episodes of ‘The Office’

In honor of last week’s rare Office misstep, “Mafia,” and in preparation of tonight’s new episode (which will hopefully wash out the bad taste from last week) we’ve decided to compile the Five Least Awesome The Office episodes, because really, it doesn’t sound right to say the “Five Worst,” as even their five poorest efforts are better than almost anything on TV (looking in your direction, ‘Til Death).  We’ve also gone ahead and disregarded the six episode first season, because during this very brief mid-Spring run they were still trying to find their rhythm, and were basically staging The Office UK re-enactments every week.  For our purposes, the show really started with season 2’s premiere, “The Dundies,” (and indeed when I tell people to watch the show I encourage them to begin at this point and then go back to season 1 once they’re hooked).  So, in descending order, let’s get to it!

Continue to the worst of the cream of the crop…

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2009/10/21 · 10:29 am

I Told You, Dick Wolf

The Biggest Loser pulls down big numbers Tuesday night.

Hear that, Wolf?  They’re coming.  Slowly, but surely (mostly slowly), they’re coming for your empire.

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Filed under Century 21 Reality, Is That Still On?, Who's the Boss?

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2009/10/20 · 12:38 pm

NBC Expanding ‘Biggest Loser’ Franchise, Does Not Appreciate the Irony

JillianOh, so that’s what NBC is going to do, it’s going to replace all Gritty Cop Dramas with The Biggest Loser and its spin-offs.  According to Variety, NBC will soon bring us Losing it with Jillian, in which Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels will move in with (overweight/unhealthy) families to “help change their diet and exercise habits.”  Apparently they are looking for families with children ages 9 and up, but although the children are a little young and they’re not overweight  I can think of one family that might benefit from a life coach.

How long until Biggest Loser entities takes over all of NBC Primetime (pre-Leno, of course)?  What other spin-offs could there be?  I’d say a Biggest Loser–Dancing with the Stars mash-up, but I guess Dance Your Ass Off already beat them to it.  Or they could just go the CSI/NCIS route and introduce The Biggest Loser: Houston.

Watch out Dick Wolf, you and your Law & Order franchise might have a new competitor breathing (heavily) down your neck.

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2009/10/16 · 12:39 pm

The ‘Office’ Has Not Jumped The Shark

Office LunchAfter feeling like I was in the minority with my mild disappointment with last week’s wedding episode, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I was not alone in my distaste for last night’s The Office, “Mafia.”  I watched it in a new place, with a large dinner still digesting, the mood already soured by another messy, frustrating episode of Glee (a story for another day), so I gave this latest Office entry the benefit of the doubt, even though I found it much too silly and the premise (Michael, Dwight and Andy believe that a local insurance salesman is “connected”) too far fetched, even for this show.  Something seemed off, and I sensed there were far too many stretches without laughs, and even the ones that occurred often felt forced.  So I was actually rather comforted when I flipped on the ol’ Internet and found near unanimous negative reaction for this episode.  However, my appreciation was short lived, as it seems that after one episode, the blogosphere is hitting the panic button, fearing The Office is past its prime, and maybe should be put down like an injured thoroughbred.  Indeed, Cinemablend titled their recap, “NBC’s The Office Isn’t The Show It Used To Be.”

Relax.

Seriously. Relax.

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Filed under Analysis, Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam, Growing Pains, Must See TV, Saved by the Bell

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2009/10/14 · 6:38 pm

Best Year Ever For Members of The State, State Collaborators, and Titles Containing the Word ‘State’

Two Jumped the Snark favorites,  The State member Tom Lennon and friend of The State Rashida Jones, are working on two new, exciting projects (independently, of course.  Although I wouldn’t mind seeing them collaborate).

Tom Lennon

When news broke that Comedy Central canceled the long-running (dare I say institution?) Reno 911, (comedy geeks’) hearts were broken across the country (while Reno might have been growing a bit long in the tooth, it seemed like an odd time to cancel the show, considering that with the arrival of Michael and Michael Have Issues, the recent release of the long-awaited State DVD,  and the addition of State-alum to Joe Lo Truglio to the Reno cast, it seemed that The State-related projects were experiencing a wave of enthusiasm).  However, the demise of Reno stings a little less with the announcement that Tom Lennon has signed a deal to create and star in a yet untitled comedy for NBC (in addition, the plot is apparently “under wraps”  Unless it’s the story of the next generation iPhone, not sure if the secrecy is necessary).  Also unknown at this point is when NBC will cancel the show (let’s just hope it’s not a gritty cop drama).  Unless the show slots in on Thursday nights, looks like NBC might have to make space elsewhere for comedy (they might want to start with the 10pm slot; at the moment, this hour is devoid of comedy).  Additional good news is that frequent Lennon collaborator, fellow State and Reno member, Ben Garant will co-create and also appear on the show (let’s also hope it’s not a serialized version of the Lennon-Garant penned Night at the Museum films).  To celebrate, a State sketch!

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(and my list of the Top Ten The State sketches)

Keep reading! Rashida Jones!

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2009/10/13 · 2:48 pm

Watch Out Trebek, Here Come The Real Housewives!

Coming this fall, to an NBC affiliate near you, The Real Housewives of (city/county/state) in syndication!

Don’t know what time it’ll air, but maybe the ladies of Bravo will take on the Jeopardy/Wheel of Fortune juggernaut, or perhaps NBC is going to replace one of their long running soap operas with the “real” thing.  Such a great opportunity to see where it (the decline of our civilization) all started.

(to be fair, actually a big fan of the OC and NJ versions.  Not so much NYC or Atlanta.  Weird, right???)

The more we can get scenes like this on daytime or early evening television the better:

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Lesson learned: never tell Theresa to pay attention.

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