OPINION
FALLEN IDOL
Apr 21st
8 Ways To Fix American Idol – Fast
It’s no secret that American Idol is a broken record this year – pretty much every website and magazine out there is saying the same thing. This season’s crop of contestants are singularly failing to impress – with one clear exception – while Simon just comes across as bored and irritated, Ryan is going slightly mad and everything from the set, the eliminations, song choices and pre-performance packages are feeling tired.
Now with Simon Cowell nearing his final show, competition nipping at Idol’s heels (to be beaten by Dancing With The Stars – oh the shame!) and Cowell’s own X Factor launching in the fall of 2011, the time to take action is imminent.
As an Executive Producer I’ve worked on a lot of competition shows over the years including two music reality series – the BBC’s Fame Academy (American Idol meets Big Brother) and Fuse’s Redemption Song (Idol x The Bad Girls Club), which I also created.
So here’s 8 ways I’d shake up Idol before Season 10 auditions kick off in the summer.
QUICK TAKE: THE POWER OF MADONNA
Apr 20th
Wow! After a slightly shaky start back last week Glee was on fine form tonight with the much-hyped Power of Madonna episode! Overall, I have to say it was probably the best episode of the show to date, fusing the Material Girl’s pop classics with the ongoing Glee Club drama. Definitely a cause for Celebration.
Okay, not absolutely everything worked. The guys’ flat rendition of What It Feels Like For A Girl won’t be making it onto my Itunes list! And there were a few weak one-liners – the continually wearying Emma making gags about Britney’s shaved head was outdated and unfunny. But for every slightly off note there were 10 moments of greatness. This was Glee at the top of its game.
QUICK TAKE: AMERICAN IDOL ‘INSPIRATION NIGHT’
Apr 20th
It was Idol Gives Back on this week’s American Idol so the theme was inspiration and Alicia Keys was wheeled out to give contestants advice and pretend not to roll her eyes at this year’s substandard batch. Alicia was pretty and pleasant but didn’t really add much to the mix.
First up, Casey James tackled Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Don’t Stop’. Alicia told him the song would work if he showed personality. Unfortunately Casey doesn’t have one.  Simon nailed Casey’s critique a few weeks ago by calling him a cover band singer. Every week is the same old shtick – standing stiffly behind a guitar and never breaking a sweat. He’s most likely to go home I’d say. Finally!
MISSING IN ACTION
Apr 19th
What Are The TV Shows You’ve Never Even Sampled?
Okay confession time!
NCIS is currently the number one scripted show in America. And I’ve never watched a single moment of it. Not a second.
I’ve watched CSI – but I’ve never caught CSI: Miami or NYC (though I’ve certainly seen those endlessly replayed clips of David Curuso dramatically removing his sunglasses). I’ve never sat through an entire episode of Dancing With The Stars, or watched a Medium, Ghost Whisperer or Greys Anatomy, let alone a Private Practice or Good Wife. And these are just the tip of the iceberg. I’m ashamed!
Sadly, there are tones of critically acclaimed shows out there that I haven’t caught. The Wire passed me by. Ditto The Sopranos. I’ve never seen Dexter, Nurse Jackie or Big Love. And all those cult sci-fi classics like Battlestar Galactica – never seen ‘em.
SHORE IS GOOD
Apr 18th
Why Jersey Shore Deserves Reality Respect
It’s loud, obnoxious and un-PC. But for me Jersey Shore is one of the best things to happen to reality TV in a long, long time. Yep you got that – America’s most controversial twenty-somethings are out of control and out of their minds – and I love it!
Less than a year ago we were all blissfully unaware of the likes of The Situation, J Woww and Snooki. Fist pumping sounded like something from a triple XXX movie. And the Jersey shoreline seemed like a really nice place to go to for a summer break. But not anymore!
For MTV Jersey Shore has been nothing short of network salvation. It’s amazing how just one show can turn around the fortunes of a whole channel – but MTV is displaying a definite swagger now – and most crucially a clear direction. Shaken by the large staff layoffs of 2008 and a series of underperforming shows, MTV seemed creatively uncertain for a while there. On the one hand there was the glossiness of The Hills and The City – vapid teen fantasies of the rich and shameless, sharing primetime space with the gritty and bleak 16 and Pregnant and True Life strand. The net More >
FUNNY UNCLES
Apr 17th
Is Modern Family Really Good For Gays?
Last week I watched the latest episode of Modern Family (the episode where Phil and Jay coach Manny’s basketball team) and a sudden thought struck me. Am I laughing with gay couple, Cameron and Mitchell, or laughing at them? In a nutshell, is the freshest comedy show on TV starting to play into a few age-old gay stereotypes? Maybe…
Now before I kick off I’ll say that overall I really like Modern Family. While most TV comedies barely make me smile, Family has at least 3 big laughs per episode. From a production point of view it’s very well written, skillfully juggles its multiple storylines – it amazes me how each character is so well defined and gets equal screen time, and the cast are pure pros (it’s hard to pick a favorite but if pushed I’d have to opt for Sofia Vergara’s Gloria who’s pretty much non-stop hilarious. Manny’s a close second though!)
But over the last couple of episodes I’ve found myself growing a little uncomfortable while watching Cameron and Mitchell in action. This week uptight Mitchell found himself up for an amazing job after recently quitting his position at a local law firm. Emotional Cameron accompanied More >
THE CRYING GAME
Apr 16th
Why Everyone Has A Kate Gosselin In Their Lives
Wow, you really can’t move for Kate Gosselin coverage this week. Between competing on Dancing With The Stars, a whirlwind appearance on the Today show, the announcement of TLC’s new reality series Twist of Kate and of course the tabloid frenzy surrounding her increasingly bitter divorce from Jon – it was Kate coverage on overload.
Now Kate isn’t really the sort of ‘celebrity’ who’s normally on my radar. I don’t watch Dancing With The Stars (I have friends working on the series – but I’m afraid I’m more of an Idol type guy) and frankly I don’t really give a toss about the latest back and forth between Jon and Kate. But in today’s tabloid culture, with Kate’s tear stained face staring out from US and People magazine – you have to admit she’s pretty darn famous these days. And like a lot of people out there – Kate’s success bugs me. But not for the conventional reasons…
Now I know all the stories – some of which I’ve heard from very reliable first hand sources. Kate is demanding, rude, cold and prickly. But let’s face it she wasn’t exactly a bundle of laughs More >
ALLEY SPAT
Apr 15th
Why Some Critics Love To See Shows Fail
Yesterday I read a piece on Perez Hilton about Kirstie Alley’s new A&E docu-soap Big Life.     (See Perez Hilton article)
The basic thrust of the entry – that Kirstie’s new show is barely cracking the 1 million viewers mark and is therefore a big fat fail. It’s a topic Perez has touched on before and he seems to take a delicious glee in knocking down this particular show and glorying in its demise. And as a program maker myself that’s just annoying…
First up I should say that I haven’t seen Big Life yet. It’s been sat on my DVR for weeks now and it’s a show I keep meaning to check out but just haven’t got round to. To be honest I felt a little bludgeoned by Kirstie’s press tour for the show – where it felt like she was everywhere, all the time and endless clips for the show were shown again and again. Now of course networks want to promote new shows – and when you have a talent as fun as Kirstie – you want to get her everywhere. But sometimes it’s nice to discover a show for yourself.
But More >
DAMAGED GOODS
Apr 14th
Is Glenn’s Case Closed?
Uh oh Damages fans, it looks like our favorite legal drama is coming to an end, according to a report in Daily Variety. (See Daily Variety for full article)
To be honest it’s not altogether surprising news. Damages attracts one of the most upscale audiences on TV, receives a lot of DVR playback and has strong international sales. But at the end of the day the ratings for premiere episodes just aren’t strong enough to justify a costly drama (I know the show is shot super cheap but we’re still not talking makeover show budgets). This season Damages is barely clearing a million viewers an episode and a pitiful 0.2 in the 18-49 demo. That’s less than most VH1 reality shows.
I for one will miss the show a lot. You all know my general feelings on legal dramas (see my Career Crisis piece) but Damages was an entirely different beast. Over three seasons we’ve barely seen the inside of a courtroom and we haven’t had to sit through any interminable closing arguments or weepy cross-examinations. Damages was smart enough to avoid all the traditional conventions.
QUICK TAKE: THE RETURN OF GLEE
Apr 13th
Well you all already know my thoughts on Glee – see my Going Gaga For Glee posting a few days ago – but despite my critiques I’m still a big fan of the show, and let’s face it tonight’s return episode had must see TV written all over it.
So after 3 months away has Glee come back bigger and better?
