Emmys 2010- Fallon's Follies

Jimmy Fallon and Company

People can rant and rave about how the Emmys are terrible, but at the end of the day, I really enjoyed this year's ceremony. Whether it was because some of my favorites won, because Jimmy Fallon did a very enjoyable job hosting, or even because Sepinwall and Fienberg's predictions were so wrong, it was a great night for television.

Let's start with the non-awards aspects of the show. The opening Glee-spoof was just fantastic. I know Jimmy is used to it because he does a segment like that on his late night show, but that didn't make this rendition any less great. You kidding me? Can you imagine if Jon Hamm, Joel McHale and Jorge Garcia were actually in Glee? Almost watchable right? It would be worth it for Hamm's ridiculous dance moves alone.

A lot of Jimmy's other performances were great. He was in a very musical mood as each introduction came with him singing and strumming on his acoustic guitar. I particularly enjoyed his ode to 24, Lost and Law & Order through an array of spoofs.

So now on to the awards...

The Amazing Race lost the best reality competition award for the first time! Finally somebody else getting some love. I'm glad it was Top Chef, but even more excited about how shocked they were upon hearing the news.

As for the Drama awards:

Supporting Actress: Archie Panjabi- The Good Wife
Wasn't even in the discussion of possible winners. Because Mad Men won Best Drama I feel they should've won one acting award and this was the one to get it in. Both Elizabeth Moss and Christina Hendrix could've taken this.

Supporting Actor: Aaron Paul- Breaking Bad
I love this on two accounts, and am sad on another. First, he's a complete stud and deserves this award for his work every season. Secondly, Sepinwall and Fienberg gave this guy absolutely no shot. Now this wasn't "oh we're not good at predicting so it could be any one of these three." This was "Paul is the least likely person to win and we know it." On the sad side, I wanted O'Quinn or Emerson to win for the final season of Lost.

Lead Actress: Kyra Sedgwick- The Closer
Really? Biggest upset ever? Julianna Margulies was the biggest favorite (other than maybe Jane Lynch) of the entire night. I'm pretty sure Alan Sepinwall already handed her the trophy last week. And Sedgwick for a show that has been on for umpteen years?

Lead Actor: Bryan Cranston- Breaking Bad
Ho hum just his third straight Emmy. He deserves it. It's always so weired seeing him not as Walter White now. He's truly acting fantastically in that role.

Best Drama: Mad Men- AMC
I said it before, I wouldn't have picked it out of this group, but it's definitely worthy.

And then there was the comedy:

Supporting Actress: Jane Lynch- Glee
Obviously. Both expected and correct. She was great on Glee and no one is afraid to admit it. Well except for the fact that you have to admit you watched Glee.

Eric Stonestreet of Modern Family

Supporting Actor: Eric Stonestreet- Modern Family
My favorite win of the night. So pumped that he won. If Cryer or Colfer won I was going to be very upset. I would have been happy with Ty Burrell or Stonestreet, but I'm glad a Mod Fam guy won something.

Lead Actress: Edie Falco- Nurse Jackie
She said in her speech..."I'm not funny." You're right. Neither is your show. You don't deserve the award now give it back. Maybe you should take a lesson from the Poolies and put these silly dramedies in the drama category and make another category for Action! Done and done.

Lead Actor: Jim Parsons- The Big Bang Theory
Sure I would've preferred Larry David, Steve Carell or Alec Baldwin (in that order) but rather Parsons than Tony Shaloub. Something about Monk that just irks me and he's won it before.

Best Comedy: Modern Family- ABC
This is one that came down to this or Glee, according to everyone in the know. If Glee had won for best series it would have been a travesty. It's a pop culture phenomenon but it is no way a good television show.

So there you have it. The 2010 Emmys. Can we all admit now that this is just silly compared to the Poolies? Who really cares which people are best at their job? We all want to vote on which character entertains us the most. That's why for the real television awards, tune in every June/July for the Quiet Pool Television Awards.

Mad Men Review- Win or Lose, We Drink

Roger and Don living the life

Spoiler alert...Below are some thoughts on last night's episode of Mad Men, 'Waldorf Stories'. So watch the ep, find the cure for the common breakfast, then read what I had to say.

Roger: That don't seem to give awards for what I do.

Joan: And what is that?

Roger: Find guys like him.

Hopefully I will be writing about last night's Emmys, but I'll take a moment here to congratulate Mad Men on its third straight honor for Best Drama Series. I would've voted it fourth in the category, but it's definitely worth of a win. Three in a row? Absolutely not. But in any given year? Sure.

Last night, over at TV Fanatic, I reviewed the sixth episode of Mad Men's fourth season, 'Waldorf Stories'. Filled with flashbacks and black outs, it was a great episode. Don won an award for Glo-Coat and decided to drink the entire weekend. Seriously, he was worse than Mags on any given weekend. He literally didn't remember a single thing from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning. Pretty impressive stuff.

Roger continues to be the best source of comedy on the show, but I'm worried about him. Pretty soon he's going to be the next Bert Cooper. Time is passing him by and it seems like he will soon be unnecessary at SCDP. He deserves better than that.

If you're interested in hearing more of my thoughts from this episode, head over to TV Fanatic to read my review.

Mad Men 406 - 'Waldorf Stories'
Review
Recap
Quotes

Hung Review- Rash Behavior

Tanya is the absolute worst

Ray- "I thought you were different. I thought you were a good person. And I thought you were pretty f**king cool. And you know what? You turned out to be none of those things."

This morning, over at TV Fanatic, I reviewed the penultimate episode of Hung's second season 'Fat Off My Love or I'm the Allergen'. I opened with an anecdote that I will retell now. Last night I attended a cookout/get together for my new Master of Sport Administration program at Belmont. The topic of television, and more specifically HBO, came to the forefront. Mike, kind of the ring leader of this group, mentioned how he was really enjoying this season of Entourage but that Hung was completely worthless.

This brings me to my next point. I have yet to hear of anyone who actually enjoys this show. I'm thinking it might be right up CJ's alley am I right? I'm pretty sure he likes everything that is terrible, so that would make sense. But honestly, I wonder what kind of ratings Hung gets, as compared to the other HBO series. Those numbers have got be severely low.

The only thing that makes me happy is that I only have to watch this show for ONE MORE WEEK!! I'm so GOD DANG SICK OF THIS SHOW!!! Not one of these characters gets me excited!!! NOT ONE!!! I just want to throw up when I watch this show every week! This terrible television needs to STOP!!! AND IT NEEDS TO STOP RIGHT NOW!!!!

So if that prompted you to want to read my review head over to TV Fanatic. If not, just wait for my Mad Men review in a little bit.

Hung 209 - 'Fat Off My Love or I'm the Allergen'
Review
Recap
Quotes

Persons Unknown- It's a Vicious Cycle

Spoiler alert...Below are some thoughts on last night's final two episodes of Persons Unknown, 'And Then There Was One' and 'Shadows in the Cave'. So watch the eps, check the bible for your key, then read what I had to say.

Janet- "How does it work then, Liam?"

Liam- "You kill each other."

Wow! Before I get to the ridiculously good ending to this show, I want to start with both how awesome and actually kind of funny the penultimate episode was. 'And Then There Was One' was definitely my favorite episode of the season. As soon as the body bags show up, and Ulrich explains the program is set for them to kill each other, everyone starts to turn on each other fairly quickly. The rate at which they started to fight, and actually kill each other, was almost caricature-esque. The beauty of it was that they whole thing worked on two levels. At first it was just comical how the whole thing was happening even though it seemed like it never would. Then once we realize (or maybe you're more observant and knew from the beginning) that the whole thing was a hoax, it was nice to see the gang succeed.

But of course they didn't succeed entirely, as the van they escaped in came to a crash and for some reason everyone ended up separated: Janet in the Program-run hospital, McNair being tortured in the "white room," Moira and Erica in Morocco, and Charlie and Blackham on the run in the desert. This last one was the one that made me curious, with the whole Blackham knowing Charlie's wife's name. What was that supposed to mean? Blackham was a part of the Program? I don't get it.

Night Manager- "Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to level two."

While not as good as the caper-esque penultimate episode, the finale was great for many other reasons. For one, much like the Lost finale, I was on the edge of my seat wondering how they were going to wrap everything up so quickly. The answer? They really didn't. Let me say this really loud, I absolutely loved this ending!!!

So they all escaped, except for Joe who sacrificed himself for the group, and then they all get captured again by the Program. But since they made it out and Joe made the sacrifice, he has to stay at level one? What is the reasoning? To end the show with Joe right back where he started, was although on a much smaller scale, still very Jack Shephard like. So Joe is back at level one with Mark Cooper and a bunch of strangers and the rest of our crew is on a giant ship in the middle of the ocean for level two!?! Fantastic way to end it. The cycle starts all over, but those we know is moving up in the program.

Obviously there are a bunch of questions, like what is the point of the program? Now that our crew is in level two, are they on board with it? Or will they again try to escape? But leaving everything up in the air like this makes me think much more about what really went on, and I loved it.

The show had its slow spots in the middle but the final three episodes were great and I'm glad I stuck to it. It was definitely worth it in the end. Not award-winning television by any means, but a great summer series that should have gotten more hype than it had.

Cable Fall Lineup Preview

Last but definitely not least.  So with the cable fall lineup I basically just put the shows that I watch or am looking forward to trying.  There is so much cable programming that I couldn't go over all of it, especially when a bunch of it (like so much broadcast programming) is bad.  I really like how the cable networks bring out their shows in waves.  It's a much better format.  Instead waiting for three weeks to see the seventh episode of a season in December or March, you usually get 13 eps in about 14 or 15 weeks.  Then the next set of shows comes in.  With HBO right now we have True Blood, Entourage and Hung.  Next wave is Boardwalk, Eastbound and Bored.  I'm sure after that we'll get more Treme, maybe Curb and Ricky Gervais.  It's a good way to work.

The other network that makes up most of today's list is FX.  They're really coming into their own here.  With one great comedy in It's Always Sunny, and one up-and-comer in The League.  One of my top three shows in Sons of Anarchy, and now adding a hopeful in Terriers.  Justified in the spring.  It doesn't get much better than this for cable.

Sunday
9:00- Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
If you aren't excited for this prohibition drama from Sopranos writer Terrence Winter, then you got some issues. Steve Buschemi in the lead, Omar from The Wire, it's gonna be classic.
9:00- Dexter (Showtime)
I'm really glad I got caught up on this. Apparently they're not going to have one 'big bad' this season, which will be a nice change of pace.
10:00- Bored to Death (HBO)
The trailer for season two makes it sound exactly like season one. That's fine by me...I don't need development in my comedies.
10:30- Eastbound & Down (HBO)
Danny McBride is rumored to be in talks for the new head gig at The Office. Does that spell an end to Eastbound? How many seasons could this shtick really work for?

Monday
10:00- Men of a Certain Age (TNT)
Andre Braugher is great and all, but if anyone deserved an Emmy nod from this show's first season it was Ray Romano.

Tuesday
10:00- Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Probably the show I'm most excited for a return. Number three in the current power rankings but I can absolutely see it gaining the new number one spot with a good start to season three.

Wednesday
9:00- Top Chef: Just Desserts (Bravo)
Doesn't sound all that exciting. I need a full meal to be satisfied. If it's not as good as the original, I might quit.
10:00- Terriers (FX)
I've been hearing good things about this private investigator show. I also am a big Donal Logue fan from his Grounded for Life days, so here's hoping.

Thursday
10:00- It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (FX)
If you're not watching this, you should be. Always listen to Joe Buddens.
10:30- The League (FX)
Here's a situation where the hate went too far. Sure the first couple of eps were terrible, but it did get much better as the season went on. The hate was multiplied by the fact that there wasn't enough fantasy football. Rumor is that the second season has much more fantasy.

The CW Fall Lineup Preview

The CW, which came to be after the combination of two networks, currently still feels like two networks. There is the Monday through Wednesday schedule and then the Thursday and Friday schedule. Although it's a shame that I have to admit that I watch much more of the girly soaps at the beginning of the week, I don't feel that I'm missing much by not watching the sci-fi end of the week stuff.

Only a couple of new shows hit the schedule again this year, neither of which are going be groundbreaking. They'll have to rely on the old faithfuls to keep them afloat for another season. If The CW did go out of business, I wonder how many of these series would get picked up, and by whom? I'm sure one or two out of 90210/Gossip/Life Unexpected would get signed by ABC Family, while I can see Vampire Diaries going to SyFy.

Once again, blue are what I'll be watching. Yellow is what is new in 2010.

Sunday

Monday
8:00- 90210
Naomi Clark's attitude is mainly the only thing good about this show.
9:00- Gossip Girl
They just keep bringing in the big guns to guest star. Next up is Katie Cassidy. How about you replace one of these (also Hilary Duff and Joanna Garcia) with your terrible leading lady that wants to get killed off.

Tuesday
8:00- One Tree Hill
A show that was hitting it's prime during seasons 3-5, really has fallen a long way as of late.
9:00- Life Unexpected
What to expect...a crossover episode between this and OTH this season.

Wednesday
8:00- America's Next Top Model
9:00- Hellcats

Thursday
8:00- Vampire Diaries
Apparently vampires are really popular right now. On a related note, how is Taylor Lautner liked by anyone? He's not good looking, he can't act, he's not funny, he has no charm. Astonishing.
9:00- Nikita
People are saying Maggie Q is good, but this is really ho hum. I'll give it one ep to win me over.

Friday
8:00- Smallville
9:00- Supernatural
I wouldn't mind watching one or both of these series some summer.

Big Brother- Exterminate the Matt

Matty surprised here for sure

Spoiler alert...Below are some thoughts on the seventh week of Big Brother. So watch the eps, have a dream about a shirtless Hayden, then read what I had to say.

Matt- "So The Brigade scrambled. We made a last ditch effort to try and save me and get Ragan on the block. The odds are stacked heavily against me. It's time for an underdog story."

Enzo- "Matt you're about to hand in your Brigade card."

Since Matt was the first of two eliminations on tonight's Big Brother, I don't feel bad making another post almost entirely about his bad game play. He's gone now, and I'll never have to complain about all of the better moves he could have made.

After last week's debacle where he put Kathy up as his replacement, I had hopes that Matt would finally realize he was on the outs with The Brigade and try to make a move against them this week. Well no I don't, because I really disliked him, but I thought a little redemption would be nice.

Matt's inability to go against The Brigade even though he knew they were going to vote him out last week, made him look even dumber this week as Enzo, Lane and Hayden made him their main target. Ahead of Brendon and Ragan, they wanted Matt out of the house.

Once Brendon wins PoV, Britney must put up a replacement. She's deciding between Matt and Hayden. I don't get how this is hard to figure out Matthew. You know there are three guys in this house that are voting you out before any of themselves, yet you take this opportunity to throw the only person who is consistently loyal to you under the bus!?! How does getting Ragan up on the block help your standing within The Brigade?!?

The move was to out The Brigade to Britney, Ragan, and Brendon so that they turn on them. Britney then puts Hayden up on the block against Enzo and one of them goes home. You then work on getting Lane and the other Brigader left out and you are in a final four with Britney, Brendon and Ragan. One of whom loves you like his gay partner, another (Brendon) that has no alliance, and a third that you know hates Brendon. Much easier rout to the final two. But no, I'll stick with this group that I know was going to vote me out last week. Good plan.

To make matters worse, Ragan figures out that the four dudes are in an alliance, and he still does nothing!!! Once Ragan knows, you tell him he's right, but obviously you're on the outs so they need to get rid of Enzo so that they don't glide to the final three. I know Brendon would have been on board. Then you just have to convince Britney. Done and done.

On the flip side, I'm happy that the other three remaining Brigade members made the move on Matty. It had to get done sooner or later.

Other Thoughts

-Britney's fiance is nothing special from what I could see. There's probably a reason he's not being highlighted. She could easily do better than that guy, like me for instance.

-Lane- "When I see these two freak out, I'm thinking there's guns shootin' at us...or there's a dinosaur."--This guy is either a nut, or trying real hard to play to the camera.

-I wish I watched this season of Big Brother with Aaron Spaulding and Kyle Shaw. Every time the Beast gets mentioned, it is a perfect opportunity to say "A big a beaaste" as only those two could.

-Wow! Ragan figured out The Brigade (very sarcastically). It took you people long enough. They only hang out with each other every second and have secret meeting all over the house.

-I'm glad Brendon left during the second eviction for two reasons. 1) I don't like him. 2) He's been on the block so often recently that it wasn't as shocking to see him go. If Lane or Hayden left during that quick evic, it would've been shocking.

-I love how they only showed Ragan studying for the contest, even though many of them probably have been.

CBS Fall Lineup Preview

We're back to look at some more 2010 Fall tv and today it is CBS. You know, sometimes I wish the great reality tv of CBS was on a different network. That way I could hate on CBS more than anything else in the world. But the reality of life is that they do have Big Brother, Survivor and The Amazing Race, so CBS will always have something going for it.

On the other hand, there is the wealth of garbage that they put on the air year after year. Now that garbage does get all of the best ratings, but it is still the worst.  With The Mentalist holding things down from the non-reality aspect, I'm hoping Hawaii Five-0 steps up to the plate in its first season to give me two quality programs on CBS.

As always shows I watch, or will be trying, are in blue.  New series are marked with yellow.

Sunday
8:00- The Amazing Race
Isn't deserving of the Emmy year after year, but it's worth watching if you don't get to travel around the world in real life.
9:00- Undercover Boss
10:00- CSI: Miami

Monday
8:00- How I Met Your Mother
8:30- Rules of Engagement
The only CBS comedy I will watch. Puddy, David Spade and the guy that reminds me of Lansing make a good trio.
9:00- Two and a Half Men
9:30- Mike and Molly
Apparently it's nothing but fat jokes. Sure that could be funny, but not when it's from the people that made Two and a Half Men.
10:00- Hawaii 5-0
I will watch any show that uses Hawaii as its back drop and stars Daniel Dae Kim. Sure Lost and this reboot are the only two that come to mind, but still.

Tuesday
8:00- NCIS
9:00- NCIS: LA
10:00- The Good Wife
That Julianna Margulies has picked up too many awards to count in her first season. Still, this does not look interesting at all.

Wednesday
8:00- Survivor
Read that again! Survivor is now on Wednesdays. Mark your calendars. The contestants have been released and I have yet to look them over, other than to notice that one of them is Jimmy Johnson.
9:00- Criminal Minds
10:00- The Defenders
I had good luck with the last show I watched that took place in Vegas, so why not give it another go? I'll try watching Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell for a few eps.

Thursday
8:00- Big Bang Theory
8:30- Feces My Dad Says (credit: Dan Fienberg)
How is everyone surprised that William Shatner is not funny on this show. I've never seen him be funny in anything.
9:00- CSI
10:00- The Mentalist

Friday
8:00- Medium
9:00- CSI: NY
10:00- Blue Bloods
Is this the one with Johnny Drama (I mean Donnie Wahlberg)? If so, it doesn't look that good.