What to Watch…Monday, January 7, 2008

Say GMMR, why are you posting Monday’s ‘What to Watch’ list when it’s only Sunday evening? Well, (insert reader name here), I have to get up super early in the morning to head down to NYC and I just know that there is no way I’m going to get up that much earlier just to post the ‘What to Watch’ list, so I thought early is better than never, no?

So here we go. The big TV news for me is the return of THE DAILY SHOW and THE COLBERT REPORT who come back to Comedy Central for the first time in two months. Neither show will have writers, and unlike the other late night shows, their traditional format doesn’t rely heavily on in-house interviews. I have no idea how they are going to pull this off, but I’m intrigued to find out.

Check out what are sure to be a ‘historical’ episode of THE DAILY SHOW, Monday at 11pm on Comedy Central. And stay tuned right after for a new episode of THE COLBERT REPORT at 11:30pm.

As for your primetime lineup, well there’s some news there too. A few new eps for you to check out.

Medium | 10pm on NBC | Season Premiere
“And Then”
In the Season 4 premiere, Allison has creepy visions of a boy being kidnapped from a toy store. Banished from her DA job because her psychic abilities were made public, Allison turns to a private investigator (Anjelica Huston) to help find the child.

October Road | 9pm on ABC
“Revenge of the Cupcake Kid”
A comic book Nick wrote as a teen comes back to haunt him while he and Eddie are looking to land a new project. Meanwhile, Hannah and Janet try to arrange a double date with their boyfriends.

Critics Choice Awards | 9pm on VH1
D.L. Hughley hosts the 13th annual awards presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association. Movies garnering the most nominations include “Into the Wild,” “Juno” and “No Country For Old Men.”

And don’t forget, if you haven’t seen it, it’s new to you…so check out repeats of some of my person faves.

• How I Met Your Mother | 8pm on CBS | “We’re Not From Here”
• The Big Bang Theory | 8:30pm on ABC | “The Big Bran Hypothesis”

Be my Friend? As always, GMMR’s daily “What to Watch” is powered by MeeVee’s interactive TV listings. Wondering if you’ll help me out with something.  I’ve just registered over at MeeVee but I don’t have a lot of friends to talk TV with over there.  Will you register and add me as your friend? (username: GMMR).  Thanks!!!

What are YOU watching tonight?

For the Love of John Krasinski Please End This Strike

The WGA strike is still moving forward with no end in sight. I support the writers, I do, but I’m also a selfish girl who just wants her TV back. Does the AMPTP not miss THE OFFICE and PUSHING DAISIES and others like I do? Don’t they care about the fate of Jim and Pam? What about the fickle finger of fate that killed Chuck’s father and is keeping Ned and Chuck from ever touching? Please I need my TV back (oh and the writers need a fair deal and the below the line workers need to feed their families) but I need TV.

So I ask you, in the name of all things holy (and in this case, the holiest of names being John Krasinski) please AMPTP go back to the table and negotiate in good faith with the WGA.

Yes, I want the negotiations to continue, but I also wanted an excuse to post this hot pic of Krasinski from Vegas this past weekend. Hello beard!! Guess he was in town for a friend’s bachelor party and then met up with some guys from E!. Apart from “alleged” trip to St. Bart’s (someone’s forearms do look a bit tan), it’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything much about what John’s been up to, and that just isn’t fair.

GMMR Spotlight: TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Series Premiere
2-Night Premiere: Jan. 13th @ 8pm & Jan. 14th @ 9pm on FOX

It’s not often I find myself intimidated by a TV pilot. If anything I’m usually a bit ambivalent when it comes to pilot episodes. More often than not I find that those behind the scenes are so anxious to sell the viewers the promise of an entire series in that very first episode that they cram writing, characters and plot down the viewers throat while forsaking real storytelling. Usually the normal voice and pacing of a program doesn’t settle in until about the third episode and in too many cases what they deliver is different than what was established in the pilot. Why do you think most critics are completely skeptical of seemingly strong pilots? They’re always waiting to see what the creative team can do when they have weeks to work on a an episode as opposed to months and months of refinement. In most cases, subsequent episodes don’t deliver and as we know all too well, shows are thrown by the wayside before they’re given a chance to really development their identity.

So what does all of this have to do with me being intimidated by TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES? Well, unlike most TV pilots where the stories and characters are all brand new to me, their is a legion of lore behind the TERMINATOR series, and one that I was not very familiar with. I’ve seen T2…in passing. I remember Arnold in the leather jacket, the sunglasses…’Hasta La Vista, Baby’. I remember a buff Linda Hamilton running around in that white tank top trying to save Edward Furlong, but I can’t really say I knew why she was running or what Arnold was really up to. The Terminator trilogy of movies never really interested me all that much…just not my type of film. Despite my naivete of the film series, I do understand the pop cultural impact and the subsequent die hard fans who are intimately familiar with its legend. But how was I going to watch a TV show where the plots and characters were already so well known to so many? How was I going to figure out what was going on when unlike so many other TV show pilots, the writers didn’t really need to waste time explaining the plight of the characters…people already knew who they were and what they were all about. I was intimidated.

But I realized a few things into the pilot of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES: (1) you need to have zero knowledge of the TERMINATOR trilogy in order to understand and enjoy this pilot; (2) you don’t have to be a guy who is really into SciFi and or things blowing up because there’s also a solid story being told; (3) Lena Headey and Summer Glau kick serious ass.

From the action packed opening sequence to the foretelling last scene, I was completely enthralled by the pilot of T: SCC. I was actually really stoked about it, and perhaps that’s because my expectations were that this wasn’t going to be a show for me, but I think it had more to do with a pilot that really delivered.

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Watch ‘SARAH CONNOR’ Pilot Online (Today Only)

 Watch the full pilot of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES exclusively at Yahoo! TV today only until 9pm PST tonight. If you don’t watch it today, you’re going to have to wait until Sunday, January 13th at 8pm on FOX. (Click here to watch now)

Free Screening and Meet the Cast….
If you are in the Los Angeles area, then you can watch a free screening today and then meet and get autographs from the stars of the show. Scheduled to attend are Lena Headey (Sarah Connor), Thomas Dekker (John Connor), Summer Glau (Cameron), Richard T. Jones (James Ellison) If you’re in the area, don’t miss out.

Date: Saturday, January 5, 2008 (TODAY)
Time: 4pm PST
Location: Golden Apple
7018 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Reason #4635 Why I Love FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

(Forgive the poor quality of the video and just focus on the performance…stunning)

I’ll tell ya. I thought that perhaps Landry was going to become this sap that just let Tyra walk all over him, and this scene really brought home exactly why these two should be together.

Jimmy Kimmel – Unnecessary Censorship

I’ve been very vocal about my love for Jimmy Kimmel, but I just realized I’ve never posted a video of one of my favorite JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE segments – ‘Unnecessary Censorship’. Once a week Jimmy does his part to help the FCC clean up the airwaves. This is some funny stuff (but you may want to skip it if you are very easily offended).

The first one is from a few years back and it’s the first year review of ‘Unnecessary Censorship’ and the second is a more recent segment.

NO Actors Will Attend Golden Globes

WOW…just WOW.  In support of the WGA strike, the Screen Actors Guild has issued a press release indicating that no actors should cross the picket lines to either present or accept awards at this year’s Golden Globes which will be held on Sunday, January 13th.  SAG members are expected to turn out in droves to picket the awards.  I’ll be there picketing (if I can) and will bring you the scoop live from the event.Here’s the statement from SAG:

“After considerable outreach to Golden Globe actor nominees and their representatives over the past several weeks, there appears to be unanimous agreement that these actors will not cross WGA picket lines to appear on the Golden Globe Awards as acceptors or presenters. We applaud our members for this remarkable show of solidarity for striking Writers Guild of America writers.”

Additionally, SAG has issued a statement that actors who appear on any of the late night talk shows (with the exception of David Letterman and Craig Ferguson) will be crossing the WGA picket line and are urged not to do so.

“We have also been asked about our position regarding network talk shows. We urge our members to appear on the two programs that have independent agreements with the WGA, late Night with David Letterman and Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. However, actors who are asked to appear on the struck network talk shows will have to cross WGA picket lines, creating the same situation that has led to the consensus among actors to skip the golden Globes.”

NBC has not issued a statement as to whether or not their plan televised event will still be aired.  Just the other day NBC said it would proceed as planned.  But what’s their to watch?  No actors presenting or accepting awards?  What’s the point?  Just issue a statement saying who won.

Way to hold their balls to the fire, WGA!!! (Another bright spot is that we won’t have to see the already overexposed Rumor Willis present as Miss Golden Globe)

TV Winter Premiere Dates – January 2008

I’ve been getting a ton of email from people asking when various shows will be coming back to air. There are sooo many that I can hardly keep track, but here’s a working list. If there are many missing or if there are errors just leave a comment and I will update the list. Other months coming soon.

Thanks to E! and TV Guide for helping with this info

The Cocktail Party Primer (Episode #17)

The eggs have been nogged and the plums sugared, and the first New Year’s resolutions have already crashed and burned. indeed, the holiday season is over. The writer’s strike, however, lurches onward with no signs of abating. I’m busy steeling myself for the upcoming horror of Ryan Seacrest doing master of ceremony duties for the Super Bowl, plus it’s prime frizzy hair weather around here, so I won’t be out and about much this weekend myself. If you’re suffering from a similar festivity hangover, here’s a bit of news to keep you company through a long weekend of virtuous tread milling and abstentious wheatgrass juice. Or whatever it is that people who make resolutions fill their time with in January.

• I must have been a very good girl during 2007, because although it’s not official yet, it seems I have gotten the thing I wanted most for Christmas. What, you ask, was this thing that I desired to see wrapped up in paper and on Christmas morning? All I wanted was for Bionic Woman to go back to the dark pit of poorly acted, clunky dialogue-laden hell from whence it came so as to never torment humanity again, and it’s looking like that’s what happened. I never really talked about ol’ Jamie Sommers here before; I couldn’t bring myself to. I loathed it so much, anything I could think to write about it was vitriolic enough that it seemed beneath my dignity, such as it is, to let it see the light of day. How a show with such a marvelous premise and talented creators could devolve into a steaming pile of ugliness not even Katee Sackhoff kicking ass and taking names could save it, I’ll never know. But it seems our long national nightmare is likely over, and Michelle Ryan’s quivering, moony eyes will trouble us no more. Happy New Year, indeed.

• Apparently, teenagers like to get busy. Even perky, wealthy, religious teens with successful TV shows just love to bump uglies, as the saying goes. Object lesson: Miss Spears, the younger. Sixteen-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears, star of the Nickelodeon’s Zoey 101, announced that she was pregnant by a 18 year old guy she met at church. Although season four of Zoey is already in the can, Nick has yet to decide whether they’ll air it or just sweep it under the biggest, heaviest rug they can find. In a twist so dripping with irony it made Alanis Morisette slap herself on the forehead and say, “Oh, now I get it!” Spears matriarch Lynne’s forthcoming book on parenting was put on indefinite hold by its Christian publisher. Canceling the book’s release was an obvious response to the crisis, but I was a little surprised it occurred to them to do it. It’s hard to underestimate the good judgment of a company that looked at Britney Spears and thought, “Hey, who raised this shiny little train wreck? Do you think she’d share her wisdom with the world?”

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John Krasinski’s SMILEY FACE Giveaway

I predict that 2008 will be a big year for THE OFFICE’s John Krasinski. He’s been head honcho around GMMR for quite some time now, but this boy is poised for a big time break. Krasinki’s role in LEATHERHEADS along side George Clooney and Renee Zellwegger this April to is going to really have people talking, as will his turn as writer/director/actor in BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN. Oh it’s going to be a good year.

So let’s start off 2008 right with a little John Krasinski love, shall we? Last year John had a funny and very memorable role in a hilarious movie called SMILEY FACE. And now I’ve got a copy to giveaway to a lucky GMMR reader.

SMILEY FACE lets us in on a day in the life of Jane (Anna Farris), a struggling actress whose busy day gets a little more chaotic when a case of the munchies prompts her to indulge in a plateful of “special” cupcakes baked by her roommate, Steve (Danny Masterson). With an audition to get to, an electric bill to pay, and pot to replace, Jane has a full day in front of her, and being completely stoned out of her mind doesn’t help her cause at all.

In her pursuit to get through the day, Jane encounters some friends who help or hinder her cause, including Steve (Adam Brody) – her dealer who is after the money she owes him and Brevin (John Krasinski), the super nerdy friend of her roommate Steve who has a relentless crush on Jane.

If you’re a fan of stoner flicks then this movie is definitely worth checking out. It got great reviews coming out of Sundance last year, but never got the theater distribution it needed – something that bewilders me and I’m not even stoned. I mean this is a classic guy flick. It’s funny (stoned or not) and it stars Anna Farris who straddles that line between hot chick and the hot chick that you can chill with. Go figure.

Fans of John Krasinski will enjoy his cameo role, but be warned, we’ve never seen Jim Halpert in quite this way. If you don’t know the specific scene I’m talking about, well let’s just say I’ve warned you.

Win a copy of SMILEY FACE…
SMILEY FACE comes out on DVD on January 8th, but if you’d like a copy then leave a comment below sharing at least three (3) other projects that the stars of this movie (Anna Farris, Adam Brody, Danny Masterson and John Krasinski) have each starred in. Yeah, it’s that easy.

What to Watch…Friday, January 4, 2008

Wow, this week flew by. Who knew that it was already Friday? Well probably most of you, but it doesn’t feel like Friday, right? Know how I know it’s Friday? FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is on people. An all new episode. If you haven’t checked out my two cents on tonight’s episode check it out here. Here’s a few other scripted shows that have new eps on tonight.

Friday Night Lights | 9pm on NBC
“There Goes the Neighborhood”
The Panthers host a rival team whose school was hit by a tornado; Tami, Julie and Riggins adjust to their new living situation; Lyla’s mom plans to remarry; and Landry and Tyra attempt to put the murder behind them.

Women’s Murder Club | 9pm on ABC
“FBI Guy”
The club investigates the decapitation of a wine broker. Meanwhile, Lindsay, on the verge of being able to move on with her love life, is warned that she might be in mortal danger.

Las Vegas | 10pm on NBC
“I Could Eat a Horse”
Danny and Mike are in the saddle for a different type of challenge: They must journey to Wyoming to buy a horse for Cooper. Meanwhile, Delinda cooks up plans to find a chef for the casino restaurant.

What will YOU be watching tonight?

Any ONE TREE HILLS Fans Out There?

With no end in sight for the WGA strike, I find myself craving new television…whatever it may be. And thus I have decided that I’m going to give the new season of ONE TREE HILL a shot. The new season is picking up for years into the future and the kids of Tree Hill are given a new lease on life, and as such I will also give ONE TREE HILL a second chance.

I’ve got the 2-hour Season 5 premiere as well as the episode after in my possession and I’ll probably watch it tonight. Are there any GMMR readers that are OTH fans (besides my friend Jim)? If I’m going to be watching I at least want to know that someone else is going to be watching along with me. So if you’re a fan, speak up!

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS is Back with a Few “Twists” (Spoilers)

WARNING! The following contains spoilers for tonight’s episode of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.  Read at your own risk. 

I thought the holiday season was over, and here we are getting the gift of an all new episode of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS.  And what an episode it is!  I was lucky enough to catch tonight’s episode as well as next week’s during the holiday break and you are all in for quite a treat.  While I will tease you just a bit (I am mean like that), I have to be careful of spilling too many secrets.  Why?  Well mostly because I watched both episodes back-to-back and I’m not crystal clear on what happened during tonight’s episode as opposed to next weeks.  It’s all a blur of hot men and sassy women. We’ve got drunken debauchery, sex scandals and natural disasters – and that’s just talking about Tim Riggins’ week.

Fans of Tim Riggins will be happy to know that #33 not only takes over the majority of the screen time over the next two episodes, but that he brings perhaps some of his best stuff to the table in some emotionally charged scenes (and all along you thought his best stuff were his abs…which he also has on display, so don’t worry).  Riggins has had a tough time as of late – the fallout with Billy, the poor choice to shack up with the gun wielding, meth dealing, ferret creep.  But all seems to be calming down a bit since Coach Taylor brought him into his home. Riggins seems to be settling in just fine with the family, but that seems to unsettle Tami Taylor just a bit.  A little weary about the amount of time both Julie and Shelley spend ogling Tim, Tami voices her concern to Eric – who also seems smitten with Tim, if for no other reason than he likes having another guy around the house to help out.  But don’t expect things to stay smooth sailing when the Coach misinterprets a moment shared between Tim and Julie.

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EW Cover Boy: Matthew Fox Talks LOST Spoilers!!!!

With each passing day I’m getting more and more excited about the return of LOST on January 31st. I’m hanging on to any little morsel that comes off that God forsaken island. So I was more than excited to see that EW got some scoop (and I think MAJOR scoop at that) directly from Dr. Jack Shepherd himself, Matthew Fox. Check out some of what Matthew is saying about the upcoming season, and his take on what the hell is going on with Jack in the past or is it the present?

WARNING!! LOST Season 4 spoilers abound in this piece.

Speaking of favorites…no mystery here: one hit show that will have us all reaching for the remotes come January 31 will be Lost, starring EW cover boy Matthew Fox! “I think the show’s going to be better in its last three seasons than it was in the first three,” admits Fox about the eight-episode fourth season premiering this month. “There’s going to be some huge mind-blowing s—.”

As mind-blowing as the season three ender in which we last saw Dr. Jack Shephard (Fox) become an oxycodone addict in an unprecedented flash-forward? “I’m not sure I ever thought that people were going to get off the island,” says Fox in his Q&A with EW. “Damon [Lindelof, who co-wrote the finale with fellow exec producer Carlton Cuse] did such an amazing job of orchestrating something that when you’re looking at it for the first time it feels like a flashback, but there’d be little things that are a little odd—like why Jack seems so ridiculously messed up. You think it’s in relationship to his marriage falling apart, and then boom, you go, “Oh, my God, this is a leap forward in time. What does that mean? Why is he suicidal?” I just think that’s great.”

Much more after the jump… Read more

GMMR Feels the Love

Jess & Deb shows the love to GMMR on New Year’s Eve. Thanks ladies!!

P.S. You can expect to see more of Deb since she has told me she has no problem being on the site…careful what you wish for.

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