Apologies on the lack of posts lately and none since American Thanksgiving but the internet went down where I'm staying (and I think the whole block because I could formerly see 20-25 wifi hotspots and now I see 3 and they're all locked of course) and Im guessing since it's the holidays here, no one is complaining or fixing it.
Well, that and I've been too busy around New York still but I'll be back just in time to catch up with So You Think You Can Dance Canada before the final performance night on Wednesday and then I'll have to catch up on my TV commentaries (last week's blindsiding of Randy on Survivor was AWESOME, Dan and Andrew may be the funniest annoying team on The Amazing Race with their "marching" making up for being so annoyingly stupid, I'm sad that Team Rainbow is dropping like flies on Top Chef, Chuck's been just so good, Grey's Anatomy is relying WAY too much on the ever popular Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a reminder that the show was at its best during the second season, naked Barney and Ted on HIMYM was both horrifyingly funny and horrifyingly hot (well, mainly NPH), I forgot to mention my joy of seeing Hannah (Sarah Drew from Everwood as well as Mad Men) on Privileged. Too bad she turned out to be a bitch. Worst Week actually went through with the wedding and it was HILARIOUS etc. etc. etc...)
Plus I'll have reviews of all the shows I've seen here soon (I hope, along with the other shows I saw before coming to New York) including Equus, All My Sons, Speed-The-Plow, Dividing the Estate, Wig Out, Streamers, Pal Joey, 13, Shrek, A Man For All Seasons, The Sound of Music, Ivanov, 6 Characters in Search of an Author, Black Watch, The Seagull, Billy Elliot, In the Heights plus a review of the new cast of Spring Awakening!
In the meantime, Happy Thanksgiving weekend to our US friends, and... happy random weekend in Canada and the rest of the world to everyone else!
Friday Night Lights will be back on Fridays and while it's a dead timeslot on a dead night of TV, I don't care. Any way that allows more people to watch the show is better than nothing (or DirecTV).
Because seriously, while I'm a couple of episodes behind on Season 3, it has so far been PERFECTION. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION! And I'm going to be right there to watch it all again on NBC with tissues ready this time (because as tradition, every episode has made me tear up at some point and this season is no different).
I've been avoiding talking too much about it just to not spoil it for anybody who is waiting for the NBC run but let's just say it's back on the top of my TV list as the Best Series currently on the air.
It was a very funny night on CBS with terrific episodes of Worst Week, The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother yesterday but How I Met Your Mother gets an extra hand job for demonstrating these.
I also loved Lily's list of the 50 reasons for sex. I loved that she was way more into doing it for the different reasons than Marshall was.
Finally saw Slumdog Millionaire and it's such a delight that I'm now joining the cause for a case for a Best Picture Nomination for it. I'd want it in one of the 5 slots for diversity's sake anyways but the fact that the movie is so great and with such a sprawling story (with drama, comedy, history, chase scenes, cute little kids, a feel good ending) that it would certainly be an interesting followup to last years Oscar winner No Country For Old Men.
UPDATE 22/02/09 It won It won! It actually became the front runner and won the Best Picture Oscar!
I've heard back from many who saw the freebie screenings and loved it so hopefully word of mouth will make this the little indie hit of the year.
Danny Boyle's (Trainspotting) direction is terrific and fast paced but keeps the emotions moving and real, while Dev Patel is fantastic as our protagonist Slumdog who wins the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, but without giving too much away, there is far more to the story than just that, and the film slowly reveals it all layer by layer, question by final answer.
Loved all the episodic stories told within the constructs of the movie yet it all still felt unified. While we knew they were going to start doing a flashback story at the start of the movie, matching each question being asked on the game show, it never felt tired or exhausted, with help from the varying emotions and stories being told, and much to the credit of the young actors playing our hero Slumdog.
I will admit, I got a bit moist in the eyes a few times and even though we know the eventual feelgood outcome (I mean, it IS spelled out in the title of the film), the movie earned its' joyous ending, as well as the fun Bollywood style musical number during the credits (make sure you stay for that!). Again, I don't want to give away too much so I'm keeping this relatively short (by my usual rambling standards) and leaving it here with my grade:
I've been keeping up with my faves on television but as you may have noticed, I'm totally behind in my blogging while I'm here in New York so check out what the other TV bloggers are talking about this week:
From Turtle on Entourage to Thirteen on House, Buzz rounded up some of her favorite nicknamed TV characters. (BuzzSugar)
A hodge podge of stuff ranging on how to win an autograph DVD of Chuck Season One, to a promo for 25 Days of Christmas, and where to find cheap TV DVD's for those on your Christmas list you don't want to spend a lot on but you want them to think you spent a lot on them. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)
Vance loves Bobby Cannavale but isn't quite sure if he'll make a good Cupid yet after seeing the preview. (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace took an advance look at the Doctor Who: Complete Series Four DVD which came out earlier this week and offered an early look at a potential ABC midseason schedule. (Televisionary)
I'm in ur hospital, sleepin' with ur interns! Dan continued his trend of ridiculing Grey's Anatomy with a new batch of LOLGrey's (TiFaux).
Jennifer returned from maternity leave to chat with Rosie O’Donnell about her new variety show, Nip/Tuck, and The View and received a strike notice from her DVR. (Tube Talk)
This week, the TV Addict revealed why we're not worried about DOLLHOUSE's Friday Night timeslot. (The TV Addict)
Kate kinda hated herself for continuing to watch Stylista. But holy crap was this week's episode compelling! (TV Filter)
Heather had a longish chat with 24: Redemption's Robert Carlyle and, incredibly, managed to avoid once mentioning Hamish Macbeth! (TV Spy)
On The Town - Encores Concert Staging - New York City Center - Off-Broadway, New York, NY - ****1/2 Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics and Book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Directed by John Rando
"New York New York! It's a Helluva town!"
And I'm living it up here on the town in New York and getting a little (okay. A LOT) behind on my blogging but while I don't have time right now, I just want to tell New Yorkers or anybody who is here this weekend to run and GO GET TICKETS to TODAY'S (Sunday November 23rd's 6:30pm) last show of The New York City Center's Encores series' On The Town.
It's simply gorgeous and fabulous and while I've never seen one of these Encore series which I hear are generally like a concert presentation of old musicals (with actors still holding the scripts), On The Town almost seems fully staged with BEAUTIFUL dancing with a lot of Jerome Robbins' original choreography.
I'll have a full review soon but the cast is top notch with my faves Tony Yazbeck and Jessica Lee Goldyn from A Chorus Line (as well as Yazbeck in Gypsy and White Christmas), Christian Borle (Legally Blonde), Andrea Martin (SCTV, Young Frankenstein) and the amazing and ever-changing Leslie Kritzer (Legally Blonde, A Catered Affair) joined by the terrific Jennifer Laura Thompson (who I've never seen before).
Seriously. AMAZING CAST. Considering there was a semi-unsuccessful revival of the show on Broadway in recent years, there's doubt this will transfer, but now with the amazing reviews, I hope this will get the transfer it truly deserves so that more people can see it.
I mean, next year is going to be full or revivals anyways (Hair, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls). Might as well add another one to the batch, especially if it's this well produced and directed already (and this is ever before there are any real sets yet or proper rehearsal time!).
Maybe it's a good thing I'm behind in my TV blogging because after hearing about the results from SYTYCD Canada last night, and that ABC is cancellingPushing Daisies, Eli Stone and (slightly less surprsingly) Dirty Sexy Money, I'm hopping mad.
Seriously Canada. WTF? ARASSAY??? and VINCENT??? with Lisa in the bottom 2 as well?
Word on the (Hollywood) street is that the pilot is just not quite perfect but here's the new preview for ABC's upcoming remake Cupid from Veronica Mars' Rob Thomas (based on his original show from 10 years ago):
LOVE Bobby Cannavale... but... I think part of the originals charm was that you sort of have a crazy frantic energy with Jeremy Piven, a sort of bad boy being good (which I was reminded of after just seeing him in Speed-the-Plow the other day on Broadway, which hopefully I'll get reviews up for ALL the shows I've seen soon enough).
Still, between the always likable Cannavale and the lovely Sarah Paulson AND it's Rob Thomas re-helming this, I'm in.
I mean, I love this match making stuff! Miss Match was under-appreciated and I actually secretly enjoyed the short run of Valentine (yes, I was the one who was watching it).
The new version of Cupid will also star Camille Guaty (The Nine, Prison Break) and Rick Gomez (What About Brian). I'm not sure about Rick. He annoyed me after a while on What About Brian. Then again, everyone got irritating on that show. So maybe it's not his fault. Still, he's sort of a poor man's Freddy Rodriguez to me.
Sorry folks, no post on So You Think You Can Dance Canada Top 8 Performance Show today. Mainly because I'm in New York and won't get to watch it all until next week myself (at the very earliest unless vids go up on youtube, but last week's video's were only finally up now. Oh, so to update those outside Canada, Danny and Kaitlyn were booted off, just like I predicted).
Instead, I saw Travis Wall at Barracuda last night/this morning. And like the bad gay I am, I was too chicken s#!t to talk to him/fawn/maul him/grab him into a stall in the loo. Sadly, there was no dancing (only a fab drag queen act that Mr. Wall was totally into) but the boy IS cute from close up (if not slightly small. He only goes up to my eyes (granted, I'm 6'1")). Seriously, on the same day I saw Harry Potter's wee wee on stage (at Equus), I think I'm more excited about spotting Travis at a gay club (which I guess sort of confirms things we all already knew?).
So You Think You Can Dance Canada - Top 10 Results - The Cut from 10 to 8
Here was the Top 10 Group Dance from last week's results show. Choreographed by Mia Michaels. (who was a guest judge on the Top 8 this week along with Dan Karaty) Song: "Any Other World" - Mika
Doesn't it seem a little reminiscent of the Top 6 dance she did, incidentally with Travis Wall and co.? Here, compare (SYTYCD S2 Top 6 with Travis Wall, Benji, Ivan, Donyelle, Heidi, and Allison):
Seriously. Travis is simply one of the best, if not THE best dancer on the show so far (and you know I love some of my other dancers a LOT). Why DIDN'T I kidnap him tonight? Dangit.
So back to Canada:
So the bottom 3 were Kaitlyn, Natalli, Miles and Danny. Exactly as I fearfully predicted. WTF Canada? I might just not come back.
Here was the elimination:
So we say goodbye to Kaitlyn Fitzgerald and Danny Arbour. Another couple gone AGAIN. And Izaak is STILL around. Good thing I'm NOT in the country or else I'd be hopping mad.
Okay, I swear I'll post real things again soon, but in the meantime, enjoy the Marcus and Charlie show!
The sad thing is, the whole gay male crush on his straight friend feels WAY too familiar. I however, can live with Mayo instead of Ketchup (or any sauce really... ooh... Andalouse! Ou Americain!)
I can't believe Kenny may actually have a shot at winning this shindig on Survivor:Gabon.
I'm buying some time here until my next real post (and yes, I will eventually talk about TV once again) but here's a song I love right now that I can't hear in the US yet from Canadian band The Midway State with their new single "Never Again":
Okay, while there is tons of access to everything entertainment here in the USA (Hulu, watching online on network websites, netflix etc. etc), it is still super annoying here when football (or whatever sport was on CBS in the afternoon) pushes the Sunday night primetime lineup into overtime and thus, the PVR missed the second half (and thus, the results) of The Amazing Race. Ah poop.
By the way, as much as I love Nick and Star, and mainly cause I want to marry Nick, I am officially endorsing Toni and Dallas to win. I think it would be super great for a parent-child (mother-son) team to finally win this thing. But since I don't know what happenned at the end of last night, I don't even know if they are still in the running or not.
I may be a little slower on the blogging right now because I'm in New York City and settling in for my 3 week stay, but I'll be back up once my initial frenzy is over and catch up on my TV blogging (loved Chuck, Priviliged, Ugly Betty, New Christine, HIMYM this past week (though my friend's PVR didn't tape 30 Rock but it just occured to me that I'm in the states and can watch it online finally!)) and try to catch up with theatre reviews (which I was already behind from before and I've already hit two excellent Off-Broadway shows this weekend. Wig Out which sadly closes today anyways and Black Watch, that show I've been telling you all you MUST SEE because it's the BEST PLAY I'VE SEEN, EVER! (which upon second viewing, confirmed that it is definitely the BEST PLAY I'VE EVER SEEN).
Plus I met up with ModFab again and finally met Esther from Gratuitous Violins! Whose next!?
Now let's see what the other TV bloggers are talking about this week:
From the curmudgeons at House to the sex-crazed residents of Grey's Anatomy, which medical show's staff would you most want treating you? (BuzzSugar)
This week, Sandie came up with a cool Twilight TV series: The Cullens. (Daemon's TV)
Looking for happy thoughts to hold of the grey and dreary days of winter, Jody came up with a list of her Top 5 Happy TV Moments like Buffy not letting The First keep her down in "Chosen" or the series premiere of Lost. (RTVW)
If it wrong for an old dude to like the new Taylor Swift album Fearless, Scooter doesn't want to run into Chris Hansen anytime soon. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)
The set ups are getting a bit obvious but Vance still likes Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters and Degrassi:TNG (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace interviewed Chris Lilley, the creator/writer/star of HBO's new comedy series Summer Heights High, about what it's like to play Jonah Takalua, what's next for him and the characters, and those rumors that he refused to sell the format rights for Summer Heights High. (Televisionary)
The TiFaux gang bid adieu to Total Request Live (and, in a way, their youths) by each giving their top five videos ever. (TiFaux)
This week, theTVaddict.com used Twitter to snag an interview with UGLY BETTY's David Blue (Cliff St. Paul) (The TV Addict)
Kate talked to Tom and Padma from Top Chef (TV Filter)
Heather got to see a sneaky preview of 24: Redemption. Her verdict? “Jack-tastic”, whatever that means… (TV Spy)
We're now into November sweeps so the TV shows should be well into their groove by now. Well, unless you're Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy which just got the axe. With new shows The Ex-List and Do Not Disturb already cancelled, and few new shows making huge impact and many returning ones losing out on viewers (Heroes because it sucks now, Pushing Daisies because people suck), it's been strange fall season not being helped by the faltering economy and that whole Palin show thing.
Still, what better time than now to be all judgy judge!?
Scooter asked some of our fellow TV bloggers for their picks for the Best New Shows (since August 2008) and did his top secret math work calculations to come up with the Best New Shows list according to... well... us! Self prophesized TV loving people who decided to write blogs about them because that's how sad our lives are we roll.
Also receiving votes: Life on Mars, 90210, Worst Week, Whatever Martha!, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Eleventh Hour, Sons of Anarchy, The Ex-List, Rita Rocks
How did TWO shows on CBS end up on my list? I MUST be getting old or something. And I actually secretly like Gary Unmarried too. Oh sad.
Though I did give Life On Mars as a 6th because I wasn't sure if Gavin & Stacey counted but apparently it does. Though I have a feeling I might have been the only one to vote for it? Seriously people. It's an AMAZING show. When you can find it.
Dan from TiFaux voted: 1. True Blood (HBO) 2. Life on Mars (ABC) 3. My Own Worst Enemy (NBC) 4. Fringe (FOX) 5. Kath and Kim (NBC)
Scooter voted: 1. Busted (MTV) 2. Gary Unmarried (CBS) 3. Raising the Bar (TNT) 4. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Cartoon Network) 5. The Ex-List (CBS)
Apparently everyone else must have voted for Privileged since Scooter said there was a "slight consensus to Privileged and Fringe to a lesser extent with everything else a little muddled".
So what are you waiting for? Get on the Privileged bandwagon!
Judges: Jean Marc Genereux, Tre Armstrong, Blake McGrath, Luther Brown Choreographers: Sho-Tyme, Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin, Melissa Williams, Amy Wright, Sean Cheesman UPDATE: Videos finally up.
Natalli Reznik and Izaak Smith Style: Hip Hop Choreographer: Sho-Tyme Song: "Mama Said Knock You Out" - LL Cool J
Grade: B
It was pretty good and not as bad as I thought it was going to be but Izaak got the steps right but as the judges said, didn't go full out and it's time to knock these dances OUT. Natalli was totally in it and impressed me enough to reconsider her bottom girls position amongst my list.
Style: Mambo Choreographer: Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin Song: "Salsa y Sabor" - Tito Puente
Grade: B+
There's a lot of hate on Kaitlyn and a lot of crazy love but I can't say I'm either. I actually do like her, I just liked Lara better and sadly, she didn't prove us wrong here with Danny totally outshining her here. It wasn't even close. She was damn lucky she had Danny to essentially cover it all up. With all the red sparkles and Danny's strong partnering, she might actually slip through but really, it's all on Danny.
Pairing up arguably the two strongest dancers of each sex proves that it wasn't just their previous pairing that helped them out, but that Nico and Allie ARE amazing. Allie is just fantastic, and Nico is SO strong and dances so big that each would technically be fighting for room on the stage if it weren't for the fact that they seemed to really click together.
Style: Disco Choreographer: Melissa Williams Song: "Hot N Cold" - Katy Perry
Grade: A
Here's two of the strongest dancers that tend to get overshadowed. Arassay is always amazing but everyone screams for Nico, and Vincent is so technically good and professional that we always forget to vote for him because we assume he's in, but here they prove themselves AGAIN in their new pairing which was slick and sexy and totally fun to watch.
Style: Contemporary Choreographer: Sean Cheesman Song: "Soulmate" - Natasha Bedingfield
Grade: A-
Lisa exudes professionalism. Miles exudes charisma. I was hoping for this pairing and while they could have destroyed it and cancelled each other, I thought they totally benefited each other working in symbiosis to pull out each other strengths. Tre felt differently but Sean hilariously defended Miles and while I admit he could have been a bit smoother in a few places, he still
Video of Lisa and Miles' Contemporary:
Everyone had to do their solos as well: Vincent Noiseux Song: "Pour Gabrielle" - Jorane Grade: B+
Arassay Reyes Song: "Eyes on Me" - Celine Dion Grade: A-
Lisa Auguste Song: "Secret" - Missy Higgins Grade: B+
Miles Faber Song: "Juice (Know the Ledge)" - Eric B. & Rakim Grade: B+
They were generally all around terrific and most of the dancers really stepped up their game. I gave Nico's the highest mark because it actually seemed like there was a whole unifying story to it and that it was well thought out (probably because he's had 5 weeks to think of one), while the usually strong soloist Vincent felt slightly average at least for him. For a moment Izaak's seem to be going well but then he didn't really go anywhere from there and kept repeating the same thing and it sort of fell apart at the end. But for a split second, he was heading towards an A-.
Here's the video for Vincent, Arassay, Lisa, Miles, Kaitlyn and Danny's solo's:
Here's the video for Allie, Nico, Natalli and Izaak's solo's:
My final roundup: Favorite Pairs Dance of the Night:: Arassay and Vincent 2nd Favorite Pairs Dance of the Night: Allie and Nico and Lisa and Miles Favorite Individual Boy of the Night: : Nico Favorite Individual Girl of the Night: : Lisa Best Solo Male: Nico Best Solo Female: Arassay
Worst Dance of the Night: Natalli and Izaak
Bottom 2 Predictions: Miles Danny Kaitlyn Natalli
Going home? Kaitlyn and Danny based on a bad feeling that the crazy girls that love Izaak are going to vote for him like crazy considering the judges pretty much singled him out as someone who should not continue with the show.
I would normally rank the dancers in order of my favorites but basically I love 7 of them so much (and for very different reasons) that I would say its a 7 way tie.
Nico, Allie, Lisa, Vincent, Arassay, Danny are all so strong in different ways. Miles has to go furthest from his genre and while may not be perfect, is usually pretty good and better than most others, and combined with a winning personality and killer abs, I have a soft spot for him (or you know... something opposite like that... (ew!)).
Natalli is on and off. I don't think she's as good as the judges thinks she is but she was pretty good tonight.
Then there is Kaitlyn who I DO like but just not more than Allie, Arassay and Lisa (or Lara for that matter) and Izaak who again, is good, just not good enough anymore (or even before in the last few weeks).
The Good Wife (Season 2) CBS/Global 10pm ****1/2 (Low: 4)
Mondays
Tuesdays
Wednesdays
Thursdays
Fridays
Saturdays
Tapeworthy Shows On Hiatus
Grade system
***** - 5 Stars TAPEWORTHY AND WILL watch it LIVE for fear the recording will mess up. Do not attempt to call or try to make plans during this time.
**** - 4 Stars Tapeworthy and I will TRY to watch it LIVE
*** - 3 Stars Tapeworthy, will watch it live if I'm around but if not, will catch it later in the week.
** - 2 Stars Might tape it to watch later as long as I have space and no conflicting shows that have higher priority.
* - 1 Star Won't tape it but if I need something to watch while I fold my laundry (and I'm done all my tapes), I will watch it (ie. Reba).
0 - 0 Stars Will NOT turn on the TV for fear of coming across this show. (ie. According to Jim).
Grades only reflect current new airings. Does not necessarily apply to previous seasons. Grades are subject to change at any moment. Apologies to TV Gal for half borrowing her system.
