What to Watch…Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Tonight is the final competition show for SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (sniff, sniff). Tonight our vote is going to to determine who walks away with the title of America’s Favorite Sabra, um I mean Dancer.  Ducky and I will be watching the show tonight along with my friends Jess, Whit, Adam, Heather, Murph  and whoever else shows up.  It’s going to be a good night.

So You Think You Can Dance
Tonight, on the next-to-last episode of the season, four dancers enter. Tomorrow, one will be crowned America’s Favorite Dancer. The rest will live out their lives in shame.

Top Chef
Daniel Boulud is the celebrity guest judge. The quick-fire challenge has the cheftestants make burgers, and the main challenge has them create entire restaurant concepts.

Last Comic Standing
The remaining six comics are tasked to induce quick guffaws from disparate people—including models from “Deal or No Deal”—in a challenge titled “Speed Laughing.” Then, the contestants square off in the last head-to-head showdown.

Rescue Me
The Gavin clan stages an intervention after several disturbing family calls; the mysterious woman (Gina Gershon) from the restaurant leaves Tommy wanting more; Janet must take matters into her own hands to get her baby back.

BIG BROTHER Recap: The Power of Veto

I’m desperate to write a super brief BIG BROTHER recap because I’m more than anxious to see where you all stand on the competition and the events of this week. So here we go…

Previously on BIG BROTHER…
Jessica won the HOH competition and nominated Daniele and Dick for eviction. Dick didn’t take too kindly to the nomination and promised he would do everything in his power to make the houseguests hate him (even more than they already do) in order to keep Daniele in the house. In the last episode Jameka and Amber took the brunt of Dick’s abuse. Jameka fought back, Amber cried, and they both turned to God.

And so are the days of our lives…
On tonight’s episode, we see that Dick hasn’t let up in his pursuit to piss off the houseguests. He wakes up Dustin (and the house) by banging posts and pans in his face. I don’t condone violence but if I were in that house I might have gone all Britney Spears with an umbrella on Dick’s ass. But hey, he has a strategy and he’s sticking to it. You gotta respect that…right?

Dani is still feeling the heat from the HGs about her dad’s behavior. After spatting with Jameka, she heads up to the HOH room and shares her feelings with the rest of the house. Later she admits that although she was upset, the confrontation was definitely part of her strategy. Those Donato’s…they are nothing if not game players.

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Rainn Wilson in THE ROCKER

Dwight Schrute like you’ve never seen him before.  Check out this new photo of THE OFFICE’s Rainn Wilson starring as wannabe rocker who tries for his second shot at fame by joining his nephew’s garage band. How is it that I still find him adorable…even in this get up?

For more on the upcoming movie click here to read about it at USA Today.

BIG BROTHER Intolerance Chart

This year’s BIG BROTHER houseguests won’t be winning any United Nations awards for tolerance.  Check out this chart outlining the various houseguest biases – stated, implied or just inferred.  The chart is hysterical yet sad.

Created by Whiskey.Tango.Foxtrot

GSN Offers Merv Griffin Tribute

I was away this weekend when the legendary Merv Griffin passed away.  Merv was an extremely important figure in the history of TV, both on and off-screen, and he will be missed.

GSN is honoring Merv Griffin this coming weekend with two mini-marathons showcasing some of the game shows that Merv was responsible for creating, including JEOPARDY, and WHEEL OF FORTUNE.  The GSN marathons are in two five-hour blocks Saturday, August 18 and Sunday, August 19 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM ET. Saturday’s Griffin tribute will feature an early Chuck Woolery “Wheel of Fortune” appearance, Vanna White’s debut in 1982 and the show’s first road trip to New York City. Sunday’s “Jeopardy” marathon includes “The $1,000,000 Masters Tournament of Champions” episodes

Additionally, during its black-and-white programming block Sunday night, the network is showcasing episodes of two classic series which Griffin himself hosted.  At 3:00 AM, GSN will air the first nighttime episode of “Play Your Hunch,” (Griffin’s first network hosting job) from 1960, in which Griffin sings.  Following at 3:30 AM, is a 1961 “To Tell The Truth” episode featuring Griffin as its host filling in for a vacationing Bud Collyer.

Griffin had a very meaningful connection with GSN. When the network launched as Game Show Network on Dec. 1, 1994, he was one of the honored guests who flipped the switch launching the network.

TV Networks Playing a Dangerous Games with the Viewers

Earlier this year ABC canceled THE NINE and KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY due to poor ratings.  A few weeks ago ABC announced that it was bringing both shows back to play out their remaining unaired episodes so fans could have a sense of closure.  Nice, right?  Yeah, not so much.  ABC has (quietly)  pulled THE NINE and KNIGHTS from the schedule yet again, announcing the changes via a scheduling update from the network.

I’m not going to get on my soapbox and rant and rave because in the end it’s going to do no good (and I feel that we’ve had this discussion before, no?).  This is about money.  It always has been and it always will be.  The networks don’t care about the fans of the shows, they care about the advertising dollars.  Don’t be fooled.  And I’m not knocking ABC because this is the case for all the major networks.  If the viewers aren’t there they can’t keep the show on the air. It is what it is and as disappointing as it is, that’s just the way it works.

What I hope all the networks fully realize is that they are playing a dangerous game of chicken with the viewers.  TV watchers  are starting to get weary of committing to shows that they fear will be unceremoniously pulled from the air.  Why bother dedicating hours on end to watching a show only to find out that your time has been wasted because the networks want to try to optimize their advertising dollars? People may just stop tuning in.

Critics and fans have been burned one too many times in recent years to the point that they have lost trust in the networks.  Case in point: ABC’s new fall show PUSHING DAISIES.  PUSHING DAISIES definitely has the most positive buzz of any new show premiering this Fall.  Critics and viewers who have seen the pilot are completely enamored by the writing, the acting and the visual effects of this unique forensic fairy tale.  But try to find one review of PUSHING DAISIES where the author doesn’t worry that the show will be pulled from the air before it gets a chance to really find its audience.  PUSHING DAISIES is different from other shows on TV, not only visually but in its approach to storytelling.  This is a show that might need just a bit more time to take hold with the viewing audience. But will it have its chance or will it, like so many others before it, be given just a handful of episodes to make a mark before it’s pulled from the schedule only to be viewed again online? This is what the TV viewers have to consider when deciding on which shows to give their time to this season.

There are only so many times the networks can pull this stunt and still expect their audience to be loyal. Last time I checked they weren’t doing this on HBO or Showtime.  Should I just stick to shows on cable? I hope not.

Watch NBC’s Primetime Preview

Get better acquainted with NBC’s primetime lineup as host Greg Grunberg (HEROES) walks us through all of NBC’s fall schedule, night by night. Get a look at some of the new shows: CHUCK, JOURNEYMAN, BIONIC WOMAN, and LIFE, …as well as some of your returning favorites like THE OFFICE, 30 ROCK, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, HEROES and more.

Special guests include the stars of NBC’s new lineup and a few familiar faces that you just might recognize.

For me, it was worth watching just to see the sneak peek at HEROES!!  I can’t wait for season 2 to start!!

Click the image below to watch the video in full over at NBC.com. Or if you’d prefer to watch it in bits and pieces, NBC has uploaded the video to their page on YouTube.

What to Watch…Tuesday, August 14, 2007

You know what’s awesome? When it’s 7:30am in the morning and you haven’t yet taken your shower for the day and it’s hot and muggy in your apartment and your power goes out. Yay!! On the bright side, at least I can steal a wireless connection from my neighbor to get today’s ‘what to watch’ list posted. So here you go…just a sampling of what’s hot on TV tonight.

What are you planning on watching tonight?

Damages
Katie gets ready for her deposition on the Frobisher case, Gregory fails to disclose key details about the trial, and David and Ellen’s relationship gets more complicated.

LA Ink
Kat and the other artists arrive in town, but construction on the new shop has been delayed, so they work from Corey’s shop instead. (note: I haven’t seen this show but I’ve heard it’s pretty good. If you watch it and like it drop me a comment and let me know.)

Big Brother
Tonight is the Power of Veto competition. Who will win? And will the winner use his/her power to save either Dick or Daniele from the chopping block. If you’d like to know, head over to GMMR’s Big Brother 8 spoilers.

I am Mandy Moore
Following Moore as she prepares for her 2007 CD’s release. She’s captured promoting “Wild Hope” on a whirlwind media tour and performing in concert.

Talk Show Round Up…
I almost didn’t bother posting this since it’s a pretty lame night for Late Night TV, but RESCUE ME’s Denis Leary on THE DAILY SHOW and THE OFFICE’s BJ Novak on CONAN (a repeat of the Great Cadbury Debate of ’07) I thought I might as well.

The Late Show with David Letterman
Don Cheadle, Smashing Pumpkins, a Top Ten List presented by Venus Williams (R 7/9/07)

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonah Hill, Mims (R 8/6/07)

Late Night with Conan O’Brien
Ice Cube, B.J. Novak, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (R 4/4/07)

Jimmy Kimmel Live
Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Cynthia McFadden, Ne-Yo (R 7/24/07)

Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Jonah Hill, Natascha McElhone

Last Call with Carson Daly
Bijou Phillips, Satellite Party (R 6/12/07)

The Daily Show
Denis Leary

The Colbert Report
Jerry Miller, Spencer Wells

BIG BROTHER SPOILERS from the Live Feeds

FYI –  I’ve just updated the BIG BROTHER Spoilers page with info on this week POV competition and the nominations.  Things are never dull at number 8 Big Brother Drive.  Click here to read the latest Big Brother spoilers.

Who Went Home on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE?

As hard as it is to believe, the two dancers who were eliminated this week from SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE were actually eliminated last Thursday evening, and as powerful as the internet is, we weren’t able to find out who those two dancers were until the show aired tonight.

The one guy and one girl sent home tonight will have come thisclose to making the SYTYCD finals. I’m sure it’s got to be frustrating as all hell but they should be proud they made it this far.

Speaking of the finals…can you believe SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE is over next this week?! I’m soooo not emotionally ready to handle that yet. I feel like the season just started. This Wednesday is the final competition routines, then we vote, and on Thursday we crown America’s Favorite Dancer! We’ll give this year’s contestants a proper send off on Thursday here on Give Me My Remote. But before we do that we have to find out the final four competing next week.

Cat Deely has cleared out the studio audience (ha) and we are ready to reveal the guy and girl sent home.

Over 10 millions votes were cast and in the end it was…..

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What to Watch…Monday, August 13, 2007

Happy Monday!! I hope you all had a nice weekend. I definitely did. I’d like to say that it’s back to the grind but I took a vacation day from work today so I can hang with my sister and my nieces..not a bad way to spend a Monday. I’ve got a ton of TV to catch up on tonight as I didn’t watch any this weekend. Once again thanks for DVRs.

So You Think You Can Dance
Tonight on a special night and time, two more dancers are eliminated leaving the four dancers continuing on to next week’s finals.

The Hills
Season 3 opener. Whitney has graduated from college and begins her first grown-up job. Lauren and Heidi continue their increasingly bitter feud.

Saving Grace
A statue is stolen, and Grace and her team look for clues and suspects. A visit from Grace’s aunt makes things complicated for everyone.

The Cocktail Party Primer (Episode #2)

I Can’t Wait Until the Premiere of Meerkats: Las Vegas

Newsflash: summer TV doesn’t suck anymore! Also, there’s no shortage of sleazebags on VH1, it’s hot tub time on MTV, and what’s Passions got that meerkats ain’t got? Here’s the scoop on what tongues will be wagging over this weekend.

Once upon a time, the coming of spring heralded the death of TV. The glowing box that had been a faithful companion through the winter months would switch to an endless loop of golf tournaments, nature programs, and reruns of Family Feud. Everyone was forced outside, subject to bug bites, sunburns, and other cruel whims of nature.

Well, the wonders of modern technology may not have brought us a flying car, but it has ensured that TV no longer abandons us to the summer doldrums.

Cable television has led the charge against the muggy, buggy tyranny of the outdoors, and audiences have responded with gusto. Shows like The Closer, Burn Notice, Damages, and Army Wives have kept hordes of grateful viewers ensconced in the safe, cool darkness of their living rooms all season long.

Now if cable could just fix global warming and find me a flattering bikini, there’d be enough summer lovin’ to make it the Danny to my Sandy.

If you weren’t able to make it to the Flavor of Love open casting calls, fear not. There’s still a chance for a few lucky ladies to be wooed with all the class and sensitivity of a guy trying to sell you a timeshare. The show is VH1’s The Pick-Up Artist. It’s hosted by a man who wears a furry purple hat and goes by the nom de seduction, “Mystery.” He and his crew, J-Dog and Matador, (turned on yet?) will teach socially awkward singles how to slime all over unassuming ladies in bars. Unlike Flav, there are plenty of Mystery’s minions to go around, so if you’re looking for love, stock up on mace and hit the town. These raunchy Romeos may be coming to a bar near you.

Real World: Sydney debuted this week. The cast is universally thin, tan, and dim. In classic Real World tradition, I’m sure shots will be drunk, tempers will flare, and inevitably, boobs will be flashed.

Over on Animal Planet, the little mongoose-like mammals on Meerkat Manor explore complicated family dynamics, social hierarchy, and the joy and sadness of live in the Kalahari.In short: if you put cameras on a group of people with more booze than sense, they inevitably begin to act like animals. Meanwhile, if you aim cameras at a group of animals, they begin to seem more and more like people.

Everything I know about Survival of the Fittest suggests we’re doomed.

Do you love Water Polo? How about Modern Pentathlon or Synchronized Swimming? I hope so, because next summer NBC is going to let you love these and other classic Summer Olympics events 3,600 hours worth. Between the network, its sister cable channels, and online properties, you can plan on 212 Fencing-and-Badminton-packed hours per day, more than all other summer Olympics coverage in history combined. Some might call this excessive, and I wholeheartedly agree. Olympic Canoeing enthusiasts, however, are delighted that at long last the drama-packed Women’s K-4 500 meter event will finally get the frame-by-frame coverage it so richly deserves.

And that’s another edition of Give Me My Remote’s Cocktail Party Primer. You should be all set to hit the party scene. Martha excepts payments by Visa, Mastercard and comments…your choice.

Martha Smith is a San Francisco-based freelance writer and editor. She writes mostly about food, TV, and other things that can be enjoyed while sitting down.

Mr. Big on the Big Screen in SEX AND THE CITY Movie

Speculation can now end!! It has been confirmed that Mr. Big, or should I say John, will be back in the upcoming SEX AND THE CITY movie. Chris Noth has just signed on to reprise his character of Mr. Big and will be back filming scenes with Carrie and the girls when production of the movie starts later this month.

When we last saw Big, he had finally professed his love to Carrie and told her that she was “the one”. But did they make it? Could they get past their troubled history?

Do you think Carrie and Big will be a happy two-some in the SATC movie?

What to Watch…Friday, August 10, 2007

Happy Friday!! I hope you all had a great week. It’s a little overcast here in the Boston area but I’m heading down to the Jersey Shore this weekend so hopefully the weather get a bit brighter! Here’s to hoping my friends let me watching Leno tonight with special guest Rainn Wilson!!  The start of THE OFFICE is so close, yet so far away.

So here’s a question for you…has anyone ever seen the show WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO and if you have can you please explain to me why the contestants should not be locked away? Ha ha. My friend Murph loves that show and we watched some of it last night. The wannabe superheroes were the oddest lot I have seen in some time. Hopefully we are going to get some commentary from Murph himself, but if any of you watch it I’d like to understand the appeal.

Meerkat Manor
The family-friendly docu-reality show about the Whiskers family returns for a third season. It might be about meerkats rather than humans, but it’s an emotionally gripping show nonetheless.

Flash Gordon
Sci-Fi debuts its new take on the classic Flash Gordon story. Eric Johnson of “Smallville” fame stars as the track star turned interstellar adventurer.

Psych
Gus and Shawn investigate cheating at a horse track, and uncover a murder when a jockey dies mid-race.

Talk Show Round Up…

The Late Show with David Letterman
Denis Leary, Flight of the Conchords (R 6/11/07)

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Rainn Wilson, Gordon Ramsay, Fuel

Jimmy Kimmel Live
David Duchovny, Jonah Hill, El-P

Late Night with Conan O’Brien
Judd Apatow, Amanda Bynes, Straylight Run

Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Cuba Gooding Jr., Cash Levy, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Last Call with Carson Daly
Adam Goldberg, Clay Walker

The Latest SYTYCD News…

So tonight they taped the results show for this week’s SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE.  Two people went home.  One guy and one girl.  But here’s the thing…they let the audience out before the true results were revealed.  With the live studio audience still in the theater each dancer was revealed as ‘safe’.   Having been at tapings of other TV shows in the past, most likely the producer’s recorded audience reactions, both good and bad, to splice into the show.

So yeah, someone has to know something.  100 Schrutebucks to the first people that has proof of who went home!!

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