Tag Archive for 'ugly-betty'

TV with PV: May 22

Published by
Marcia
on May 22, 2008 in tv with pv.

Wednesday night has nothing worth watching, and now the lovely Thursday night glut is over - no more shall one night provide me with an entire weekend’s worth of televisual goodness. In fact, with Lost’s season finale scheduled for next week, there are a measly two hours of television worth watching tonight. Two! Oh, the humanity.

Grey’s Anatomy wraps things up with a two-hour season finale. Who wants to bet that it’ll end with some sort of Meredith/Derek cliffhanger? Yeah, I know. No one’s that big of a sucker. (ABC, 9:00)

Ugly Betty also finishes its season and will almost certainly use the romantic cliff-hanger, as well. The problem, of course, is whether anyone cares about Betty and Henry anymore. There is also a guest appearance by a certain train-wreck starlet, but I’m doing my best to ignore that fact. (ABC, 8:00)

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TV with PV: May 8

Published by
Marcia
on May 8, 2008 in tv with pv.

It’s that time again: the Thursday night marathon. I’ve been training for several weeks now, and soon I might  be able to do it all in one sitting, if I could only train the cats to deliver snacks between shows.

I was thinking that I should drop Supernatural from the night’s #1 spot, if only for some variety, but then they had to go and give me a zombie episode. Mmm, brains. Plus, Dean is still trying to break the curse, which is rather annoying when we all know he’s not going to hell. (CW, 9:00)

I actually really liked last week’s episode of Lost, though I’m not entirely sure why. Perhaps it was because I was drunk, but more likely it’s due to the various plot elements coming together at long last. They’ve suckered me back in, haven’t they? (ABC, 10:00)

Speaking of getting sucked back in, I’m still enjoying Grey’s Anatomy. God, we’re one of those couples, aren’t we? I bitch about it all the time, but we’re never really breaking up. At least, not this season. (ABC, 9:00)

The Office has fallen a bit on the priority list, though I still like it. I’m a bit worried that Michael is evolving from a clueless, insecure and slightly desperate man into a buffoon. I’m keeping a close eye on the show, just in case. (NBC, 9:00)

Finally, there’s Ugly Betty, which is free-falling on this list. I hate the crazy Renee storyline, I hate the Betty/Gio/Charlie/Henry quadrangle and I hate the pregnancy storyline. But at least I still love Amanda. (ABC, 8:00)

What’s not on the list? Sadly, The Invisibles. Like Plattie, I was underwhelmed by the first episode of the BBC comedy and don’t think I’ll be going back. Feel free to watch for me and let me know if I judged too quickly. (BBC1, 9:00)

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Stunt-Casting Injuries

Published by
Marcia
on May 7, 2008 in random thoughts.

When I started this blog, I had two specific goals in mind. The first was to create a powerful army of television-addled zombies who would attack NBC honcho Ben Silverman on command. The second was to be the only entertainment blog in the history of the world to never include the names of any drunken, crotch-flashing, fame-addicted starlets of questionable intelligence. I am firm in my belief that they’ll only go away when we stop paying attention to them. While I still have some work to do on that first goal, I’ve been doing pretty well on the second one.

Lately, though, my favorite shows have not been making it easy for me. Continue reading ‘Stunt-Casting Injuries’

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TV with PV: May 1

Published by
Marcia
on May 1, 2008 in tv with pv.

The brothers of Supernatural discover that the dead have one hell of a long-distance calling plan when Dean gets a phone call from their dear, deceased daddy. Based on the clip below, it’s going to be a terribly serious, angsty episode, but that isn’t going to stop me from watching. (CW, 9:00)

The Invisibles premieres tonight in the UK. My dedication to all things Buffy means that I must check out each new show featuring a former cast member, but this thieves-in-Devon comedy, starring Anthony Stewart Head, sounds good enough to watch on its own merit. Plus, it’s the one show I get to watch as it airs. (BBC1, 9:00)

We finally get a plot line for The Office set in the actual office, when Michael decides to give Stanley an attitude adjustment. I’m sure that will work out well for all concerned. (NBC, 9:00)

On Lost, things go wrong for the castaways. I’m sorry, was that a spoiler? (ABC, 10:00)

I’m a bit uncertain about the direction in which Ugly Betty is taking the Renee character (it’s the wacky mentally ill sister, doing all sorts of crazy things!), so this one dropped a bit on the viewing priority spreadsheet. Okay, I don’t actually have a spreadsheet yet, but if the networks keep adding shows to Thursday, I’m going to need one. (ABC, 8:00)

Surprisingly, I rather enjoyed last week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, though it would have been infinitely better if Izzie had been one of the patients. Who contracted a painful illness. And then died. This week is all about the returning former love interests, with Addison and Rebecca making appearances. (ABC, 9:00)

Check out a clip from this week’s Supernatural after the jump.

Continue reading ‘TV with PV: May 1′

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TV with PV

Published by
Marcia
on April 24, 2008 in tv with pv.

To my great joy, the Thursday night glut is back! Tonight marks the return of enough scripted programming to keep you sitting in front of your TV till 2:00 am, just to keep up with all the televised goodness. In celebration of this fact, I’m starting a new daily post, listing all the shows on my personal schedule. No more will I hide behind some misguided pretense that I actually have a life; for you, my fellow vultures, I will confess just how many hours of TV I actually watch. Don’t judge too harshly.

Of course, there is so much new stuff on tonight that I must prioritize my viewing, since there’s no way even I can sit through six hours of TV at a stretch. The plan? Start with the first show and work my way down the list.

Supernatural: The brothers pay a visit to the set of a paranormal reality show. Supernatural tends to be at its best when it plays with genres and pop culture, so this is an easy top pick for the night.

Ugly Betty: The gang is back, in all their catfighting, backbiting, comedic glory. A surefire palate-cleanser after Supernatural’s gore.

The Office: The show doesn’t seem to have hit its stride yet in its return, but I’m a long ways from giving up on it. Tonight, Michael and Dwight find new ways to humiliate themselves in the Big Apple, while the rest of the Scranton employees are forced to work on Saturday. Rebellion is sure to ensue.

Lost: It’s back! I will never be one of the true Lost faithful, but I am never able to completely escape the lure of this show. I’ll be tuning in tonight to see who lives, who dies, and just how ridiculous the question:answer ratio becomes.

Grey’s Anatomy: I WILL stop watching it. I WILL. Just…not tonight. With the residents competing in a surgical contest, there is a chance it will return to some of its fun-loving, light-hearted ways. Plus, we’re guaranteed some quality Bailey time, since she’s the judge. I plan to see this show through the end of the season. If at that point, I still don’t care about anyone but Bailey, I’m giving up on it. Really.

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Beautiful Things About Ugly Betty

Published by
Marcia
on April 23, 2008 in comedies.

Guest poster Alexis Kienlen has a few things to say about Ugly Betty.

I’m always late to TV shows, since I prefer to watch TV on DVD. I’ve only seen the first season of Ugly Betty, but I knew after a couple of episodes the show was a gem and I was ready to follow America Ferrara and her gang wherever they would take me. In anticipation of the show’s return this Thursday, I present a celebration of some of the things the show does really well.

1. It blends multiple genres successfully. Ugly Betty may be a comedy, but it’s a smartly written one that can also tug at the heartstrings. It satirizes the fashion industry and the people in it, has elements of mystery and intrigue and doesn’t stick specifically to one genre or follow one character. Even though the show revolves around Betty, each of the major characters are given backstories and their own plots, helping to create a multi-layered show.

2. The characters are fully fleshed out with moral gray areas. While the show is ultimately about Betty Suarez, the admin assistant from Queens out of her element at a Manhattan fashion magazine, the cast includes a number of characters with multiple facets. Daniel Meade, Betty’s boss, is a charismatic womanizer who struggles with his family and the roles of his job. Ignacio Suarez, Betty’s dad, is a chef who loves his children and grandchild to bits, yet must overcome his dubious past. Wilhemina Slater, the queen bitch of the show, struggles with her loyalty to her daughter, her assistant Marc, and her need to dispense a little kindness once in a while. Alexis Meade, the transsexual who reappears from the dead, struggles with her hatred of her father while wanting to remain loyal to her mother and brother.

3. The show is not afraid to take risks by including unconventional characters.

  • Transsexual woman (check)
  • Twinky nephew who loves musicals, fashion and gossip. (check)
  • Main characters who are proudly Latino and speak with accents (check)
  • Numerous gay characters (check)
  • Illegal immigrant (check)
  • Accountant love interest who wears dorky glasses and spouts trivia (check)

4. The show has several recurring themes in its first season.

  • People struggling out of their element (Betty at Mode, Santos with his musical loving son Justin)
  • Struggles between siblings (Betty and Hilda and Daniel and Alexis)
  • Contrasts between families and family connections (The Meades vs the Suarez family)
  • The constant struggle for the work/life balance (Mostly shown by Betty as she tries to negotiate her stressful life at Mode with her family in Queens)
  • Truth and loyalty vs lies and deceit. This theme pops up in almost every episode, and makes numerous comments about competition, loyalty, loneliness and the need for friendship, and how people can draw strength or support from those they least expect to.

5. The writers constantly include jokes about the fashion industry and pop culture. Watch for thinly veiled references to Tom, Katie and Baby Suri (aka Tim, Chloe and Baby Chutney), Martha Stewart, Donatella Versace, Anna Wintour, and Wal-mart. The show also makes references to the sizeism in the fashion world, the fickle nature of fashion, and the ridiculousness of garments designed in the name of high fashion.

What about you? What makes Ugly Betty beautiful for you?

Alexis is a Canadian author and journalist with a love for apples and loose leaf tea. Visit her on the web at www.alexiskienlen.com.

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The Week in Review: TV Haiku

Published by
Marcia
on November 14, 2007 in miscellaneous.

One busy weekend, and already it feels like I will never catch up again. Well, not until January, at least, when I will suddenly have to sit through old episodes of The Cosby Show or TJ Hooker in order to find something to write about. There’s something to look forward to.

In order to save time, allow me to distill the essence of the past week’s television into its purest form, the haiku.

Heroes
Heroes showed promise
Monroe and shirtless Peter
Can save my world.

Ugly Betty
Shocking twists! And yet
I was most surprised to learn
Posh can’t act. Who knew?

Dexter
I’m a bit worried.
When psychopaths lose control
It’s not a good thing.

Grey’s Anatomy
Chemistry, my ass.
Could a scientist explain
why I’m still watching?

Chuck
Its best show so far,
Which means a cancellation
Will shortly follow.

Friday Night Lights
I’ve only got love.
I’d marry this show today
If it would have me.

Prison Break and Supernatural are still waiting on my hard drive for another night, but it’s your turn now. Do you have your own 5-7-5 review of these shows or any others?

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Same old, same old. Is ‘groundbreaking’ television a myth?

Published by
Marcia
on October 22, 2007 in debates and random thoughts.

We’re about a month into this year’s crop of new shows and the victors are starting to emerge. Interestingly, the only clear winner so far is Pushing Daisies, a show that is being heralded for its originality in the midst of the startling mediocrity of the other programs. Fans and critics both agree: it’s clever! Beautiful! Interesting! Groundbreaking! I was with them right up until the last one. Groundbreaking? Is any word more overused in television or film? The word suggests a beginning, a clearing away of old rubble in order to build a new foundation upon which glorious structures can be built. Does this mean that we can expect to see a slew of original, visually-stunning fairy tales in coming years? Certainly, there will be a few half-hearted attempts at imitation, but I don’t see my schedule suddenly filling with shows steeped in magical realism. Pushing Daisies is innovative and has the potential to be influential, but that’s a world apart from groundbreaking.

Let’s go back a few years, to 1998. Will & Grace had just premiered to raves. It was a success, both in terms of critical response and ratings, and was widely hailed as a groundbreaking sitcom for featuring two gay characters. The mainstream show earned a huge audience, clearing the way for more gay leads in the future. Nine years later, there’s been…no, wait…I’m sure I’ll think of one…er, nope. That was it. (The aspiring drag queens of America’s Next Top Model don’Ugly Bettyt count.) Influential, yes, as seen in the slightly increased visibility of gay supporting characters, but I don’t see any towering rainbow structures being built on its groundbreaking premise.

Last year, Ugly Betty was heralded as the breakthrough, “groundbreaking” show due to its plain-Jane lead whose dowdy fashion sense, unibrow and braces made her nearly immune to objectification. We were supposed to root for the “ugly” woman. She was given a cute love interest. Clearly, representations of women on television had changed at last! From now on, we’d see more realistic portrayals of feminine beauty, right?

Ahem. Let’s take a look at the success rate in a sampling of this fall’s more prominent shows.

Continue reading ‘Same old, same old. Is ‘groundbreaking’ television a myth?’

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