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"The Real Housewives of Orange County" Review: Plenty of Drama to Go Around

2009-11-03T23:31:00.002-05:00

After the over-the-top antics of the “Housewives” from New Jersey and Atlanta, you may be concerned that the originals from Orange County might be boring.

But if the season premiere is any indication, there will be more than enough drama to keep that from happening…

When we left the ladies last season, Lynne was struggling to fit in. Vicki and her husband Donn were having issues and Jeana was experiencing professional and personal changes. But the most memorable story from last season was the feud between Tamra and Gretchen that ignited over Tamra’s skepticism about Gretchen’s relationship with her fiancé Jeff, heated up through Gretchen’s flirtation with Tamra’s son and then boiled over during the reunion when Tamra revealed she had gotten phone calls from a man claiming to be Gretchen’s boyfriend while she was still with Jeff.

And in the season premiere that feud shows no signs of cooling down as the two have a blowout in front of all of the ladies. Plus, Gretchen has a new boyfriend who’s familiar to everyone (including us viewers) that does not sit well with the others. But Tamra has relationship drama of her own as her marriage to Simon is completely coming apart.

Meanwhile Lynne is fitting in much better and becoming quite successful and Vicki and Donn are working things out. But Jeana is struggling due to the economy which separates her from the other ladies. Before the season ends we’ll say goodbye to one of the original ladies and welcome a new one to the fold.

But regardless of who the players are, it’s the drama we want to see. And as long as the season sustains the drama we get in the premiere, the original ladies of Bravo will be just fine…

“The Real Housewives of Orange County” premieres Thursday, November 5th at 10 p.m. after part two of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” reunion at 9 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credit: Bravo

"24" Season 8: Your First Look

2009-11-03T18:56:00.001-05:00

Would you believe that I am SO behind that I hadn't even watched the new "24" promo?

That's behind, kids...

If you haven't seen it. Take a look. That opening stuff with Jack and his granddaughter makes you want to cry, doesn't it?

"V" Review: An Idea Whose Time Has Come Again?

2009-11-01T22:59:00.001-05:00

Kids always play pretend on the playground at recess. But instead of princesses or something like that, me and my friends played “V.”

I was always one of the visitors and I would bring gummy worms for us to eat so we could be just like them (We weren’t dedicated enough to our roles to eat the real thing.).

When the series was on I gave up most of a season of “Dallas” to watch (This was before the VCR.). Plus I had the “V” trading cards.

So as a clearly hardcore fan I was a little nervous about ABC reimagining “V” as a new series. But based on the pilot it looks like I didn’t have anything to worry about…

When the pilot begins, everyone is living their normal lives. FBI agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell) is looking for her rebellious teenage son Tyler (Logan Huffman). Ryan Nichols (Morris Chestnut) is picking out a ring for his fiancé Valerie (Lourdes Benedicto). Father Jack Landry (Joel Gretsch) is ministering to his very small flock. And news anchor Chad Decker (Scott Wolf) is watching another of his story ideas get handed to another reporter.

But the normal day quickly changes as spaceships suddenly arrive all over the planet. As one of the characters says, “It’s ‘Independence Day.’” And the pilot’s special effects and suspenseful direction certainly give “Independence” a run for its money.

But unlike “Independence” when these aliens reveal themselves it is not as destroyers but as a peace-loving people that only want some of the Earth’s water and promise to share medical and technological breakthroughs in exchange.

However if you’re familiar with the original you know that the aliens have a hidden agenda. And although that agenda is not revealed in the pilot we still know there is one as the visitor leader Anna (Morena Baccarin) uses Chad to paint her people in the best light.

And by the end of the hour a resistance movement emerges as secrets are revealed and battle lines are drawn. Also two major twists are revealed. You’ll see at least one of them coming although I was surprised by which one I actually predicted because it was the least obvious. But I was able to predict it because of my familiarity with the original story.

Which leads me to the biggest problem with this new version. Most of the surprises are gone so some of the things that should be cool to see have no impact because we’ve already seen them. I remember the first time the visitors revealed their true selves as being a major moment in the original mini-series. In this, it’s not so much (although I still jumped).

The best reason to watch is Elizabeth Mitchell who is just as solid as you’d expect her to be. She was totally meant to be the lead of a show, but you can’t help but shed a tear over her departure from “Lost.”

Although I’m not a fan of reusing old ideas I can’t help but think that maybe “V” is an idea whose time has come again. By updating the story with shades of terrorism and new advances like the Internet, the idea does seem new again. And the opening hour is a solid introduction to what lies ahead.

I guess I just can’t help but feel a little nostalgic for those old red and black uniforms and cheesy special effects.

Somebody pass me the gummy worms…

“V” premieres Tuesday, November 3rd at 8 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Bob D’Amico/ABC

Pick of the Week: The B***h is Back!

2009-11-01T22:36:00.001-05:00

The purpose of my Pick of the Week is to spotlight the one show of the week I think you shouldn’t miss. It’s the show I would tell all my friends about and absolutely would not miss myself.

I promised myself that because I had picked a Bravo show two weeks in a row I would not do it again this week. But if I’m going to stay true to my purpose then I’m afraid I have no choice…

My Pick of the Week is the season premiere of “Tabatha’s Salon Takeover.”

If you’ve never seen it, “Takeover” follows hair stylist Tabatha Coffey as she takes over struggling salons and tries to turn them around. In the premiere she takes over a Chicago salon whose own owner refers to it as “a dump.” Tabatha uses some extremely tough love that is actually a valuable lesson for all of us about taking responsibility, overspending and keeping things we don’t need.

I was a big fan of “Takeover” last season and there’s nothing in the premiere to change my mind. In fact there have been some small tweaks to the formula that have actually made the show even better.

But the real reason to watch is Tabatha herself. And the you-know-what is back and she is you-know-what-ier than ever. And that’s a really good thing—for us, that is…

“Tabatha’s Salon Takeover” premieres Tuesday, November 3rd at 10 p.m. after the brand new “Kathy Griffin: Balls of Steel” at 9 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credit: Brian Kersey/Bravo

This Week's November Sweeps Schedule

2009-11-01T22:20:00.002-05:00

So even though I’m still trying to catch up from Premiere Week, November sweeps is upon us. A time of specials, special guests and big moments.

Here’s a look at some of what you’re scheduled to see this week…

Monday, November 2nd
Greek—9 PM—ABC Family
**Mid-Season Finale

Tuesday, November 3rd
90210—8 PM—CW
**Samantha Ronson, who is best known as Lindsay Lohan’s on-again/off-again girlfriend, guest stars.
V—8 PM—ABC
**Series Premiere
The Biggest Loser—8 PM—NBC
**The show travels to Washington, D.C.
By the People—9 PM—HBO
**Ed Norton produced this documentary that goes behind the scenes of President Obama’s campaign.
Kathy Griffin: Balls of Steel—9 PM—Bravo
Tabatha’s Salon Takeover—10 PM—Bravo

Wednesday, November 4th
Bill Cosby: The Mark Twain Prize—8 PM (Check your local listings)—PBS
**Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and others honor Bill Cosby.
Top Chef All-Stars Dinner—10 PM—Bravo

Thursday, November 5th
Parks and Recreation—8:30 PM—NBC
**Megan Mullally guests.
The Real Housewives of Orange County—10 PM—Bravo
**Season Premiere. Look for my review later in the week.

Friday, November 6th
Spongebob Squarepants: Truth or Square—8 PM—Nickelodeon
**The show celebrates its 10th anniversary. Look for my review later in the week.
Fanboy and Chum Chum—9 PM—Nickelodeon
**Series Premiere. Look for my review later in the week.

Saturday, November 7th
The Wanda Sykes Show—11 PM—FOX
**Series Premiere
Saturday Night Live—11:30 PM—NBC
**Taylor Swift is both host and musical guest.

Sunday, November 8th
Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show—8:30 PM—FOX
**”Family Guy” stars Seth MacFarlane and Alex Boorstein host their own variety special.

Photo Credit: Jamie Youngblood/ABC Family

Help for the Holidays #3: A Less Expensive Way to Sing It Out

2009-10-27T19:46:00.001-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows I love to sing. But I’ve never wanted to invest the money and space into a full blown karaoke unit. Or even a Wii.

For anyone who feels the same way but whose child has been inspired by “American Idol” or by seeing their favorite singer on TV, there’s the TV Games Sing Scene, a new addition to the line of Plug It In and Play TV Games from JAKKS Pacific.

The game consists of a single microphone that plugs into your TV. You follow the words and notes on the screen. Staying on pitch and singing the correct words score you points. You can compete against your friends or just yourself.

But don’t let the simplicity of the game fool you. It is very precise. I thought I was hitting every note of Rihanna’s “Take a Bow” but apparently not. And I was shocked to get my best score on Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” a song I don’t even like.

You also have the option to practice before you do a “live performance,” which is what I should have done before attempting Fall Out Boy’s “This Ain’t a Scene.” I couldn’t remember how it went and ended up failing twice.

The game also features songs from Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Fergie and others. You can just sing for the fun of it or you can compete against your friends.

The game definitely doesn’t have a lot of elaborate bells and whistles, but it’s not meant to. It’s meant to be a more affordable way for kids to experience the latest singing game. And adults will enjoy it too.

TV Games Sing Scene (agest 8+, $29.99) is available now…

Photo Credit: JAKKS Pacific

Pick of the Week: An "Insane" Confrontation

2009-10-24T21:56:00.002-04:00

I warned you last week that this week’s Pick would once again be from Bravo because I already had it picked out.

And there is nothing that’s going to change my mind this week…

My Pick of the Week is the reunion episode of “Flipping Out.”

If you missed last week’s finale, Jeff put his differences with Ryan, his business partner, aside long enough to be a part of Chloe’s (Ryan’s daughter) birthday party. But Jeff admitted that he still couldn’t trust Ryan after he felt Ryan had betrayed him and taken business from him. The season ended with their relationship up in the air.

Now the two will be in the same room for the very first time since the birthday party and it’s guaranteed to be an explosive and emotional conversation. Someone from Bravo described it for me as “insane.”

If that’s not must-see-TV, kids, then I don’t know what is…

The reunion episode of “Flipping Out” airs Tuesday, October 27th at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credit: Vivian Zink/Bravo

FOX Prepares to Close the Doors on the "Dollhouse"

2009-10-22T20:44:00.001-04:00

There are some days when this job can be a little rough. And today is certainly one of them…

The great Ausiello of EW.com is reporting that FOX has pulled “Dollhouse” from its November sweeps schedule.

Next stop…cancellation.

I’ll give all the Joss Whedon fans a moment…

You may recall that it was a total shocker that FOX even renewed the show at all. I gave FOX a lot of kudos for that decision and I still do. But the reality is that FOX can’t compete in November with such a low-rated show.

The good news is that it looks like FOX will air the entire 13-episode order. The show is slated to return in December when it will air back-to-back episodes on Friday nights.

You may now feel free to share your sorrows with other “Dollhouse” fans here…

Photo Credit: Greg Gayne/FOX

Pick of the Week: The Two Words That Are Music to My Ears

2009-10-18T21:19:00.003-04:00

I had this week’s Pick all set. But then I heard the two words that are music to my ears…

Restaurant Wars…

My Pick of the Week is “Top Chef: Las Vegas.”

Restaurant Wars is the annual challenge on “Top Chef” where two teams of cheftestants compete by each running restaurants. The winner is decided based on décor, service, management and, of course, the food. It’s always one of the best episodes of the year.

And this season, the “Top Chef” gods have apparently heeded my plea as it appears the previews show the Voltaggio brothers on the same team (Boy do I hope that’s true.). And the judges kept Robin, the most disliked contestant, in the mix to spice things up.

If you only watch one episode of “Chef” all year, this is the one…

“Top Chef: Las Vegas” airs Wednesday, October 21st at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

And in case you’re wondering what my original Pick was, it was, of course, the season finale of “Flipping Out.” If you watch “Watch What Happens,” you already know the answer to the question of whether Jeff and Ryan make up, but it will still be interesting to see what transpires…

“Flipping Out” airs Tuesday, October 20th at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

And don’t forget that “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” closes its season on Thursday, October 22nd at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

And just to warn you, next week’s Pick will also be from Bravo, so feel free to take me to task for it now. I can’t help it that Bravo is where it’s at these days…

Photo Credits: Justin Stephens/Bravo & Vivian Zink/Bravo

This Week's Premiere Schedule

2009-10-13T20:23:00.003-04:00

There are two premieres of note this week to share with you…

Thursday, October 15th
30 Rock—9:30 PM—NBC

Friday, October 16th
Ugly Betty—8 PM (2 hrs.)—ABC

That leaves just one big premiere to go, the series premiere of “V” on ABC on November 3rd. I’ll have more on that as we get closer…

Photo Credit: Andrew Eccles/ABC

Pick of the Week: Drama You Can Relate To

2009-10-11T22:01:00.000-04:00

The key to a good reality show is drama. If the drama is not juicy, then the show can fall flat.

And when the drama is something we can all relate to, it’s even better…

My Pick of the Week is the season premiere of “Million Dollar Listing.”

Laugh if you want, but having just gone through the home buying experience myself, I can tell you that I learned a lot from the first season of “Listing.” Now granted, I wasn’t looking at multi-million dollar houses…

But guess what? No one else is either. And that’s where the drama comes in.

If you’ve never seen it, “Listing” focuses on three hot young real estate agents in Los Angeles—Madison Hildebrand, Josh Flagg and Chad Rogers.

In the first two episodes, Madison tries to break some of his clients out of their fantasy world of a good market. Josh thinks about other tactics to survive and Chad struggles to get people to attend his open houses.

You can’t help but feel sorry for the guys as they try to rationalize with their clients about what they can get in this market. But you also feel sorry for the clients because you totally understand where they’re coming from. These are their homes and they want to get everything they can for them.

Throw in Josh’s brash style, Madison’s polyamorous lifestyle and Chad’s obsession with his hair and “Listing” is better than ever…

“Million Dollar Listing” premieres Monday, October 12th at 11 p.m. on Bravo…

And since I accidentally forgot to do a Pick last week, let me add two Bonus Picks—both also from Bravo…

First, it’s taken two seasons to get to this point, but “The Rachel Zoe Project” is finally at its dramatic peak as Rachel’s refusal to make a decision could send Taylor packing.

The season finale of “The Rachel Zoe Project” airs Monday, October 12th at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

Then, we know that Bravo promos can stretch the truth from time to time, but with all of the other drama we’ve been getting on the always solid “Flipping Out,” I have to believe the promos when they say “a major tragedy will rock Jeff’s world.” I don’t know what it is, but I have a sneaking suspicion and I think it will be tough to watch. Which means you won’t want to miss it…

“Flipping Out” airs Tuesday at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

A "Dallas" Reboot: Do We Really Need That?

2009-10-09T20:36:00.001-04:00

I’m starting to think it really is true that Hollywood has no more original ideas…

“The New York Times” is reporting that Warner Bros. is looking to reboot “Dallas” as a series for TNT. The show would focus on the “Dallas” children, John Ross (J.R. and Sue Ellen’s son) and Christopher (Bobby and Pam’s adopted son).

Larry Hagman (J.R.), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen) and Patrick Duffy (Bobby) have all been invited to participate in the pilot. No word on whether any of them will.

And it’s important to remember that a pilot does not necessarily mean a series…

But even the thought of it has me wondering why. I mean, do we really need this? Can’t we just let “Dallas” rest in peace?

I do have to say, however, that this is a WAY better idea than the comedy film they wanted to do with John Travolta…

Was "Southland" a Victim of "Leno"?

2009-10-08T20:37:00.001-04:00

I was just getting ready to sign off my computer when I decided to check my Twitter account and found an insane tweet from Michael Ausiello from “Entertainment Weekly”…

NBC has cancelled “Southland” before a single episode of the second season aired.

HUH?!

According to “The Hollywood Reporter,” the show was deemed too dark and gritty for 9 p.m. Of course, it can no longer air at 10 because of “The Jay Leno Show.”

I have to say that this is absolutely ridiculous and just one more example of NBC’s complete stupidity. You might recall that I was not a big fan of the show, but many people were. And it brought in better ratings than any of the new dramas NBC has aired so far this year.

One could argue that NBC had seen the six episodes in the can and saw how good they were—or weren’t. But I’m not going to argue that, because I can’t believe they were any worse than what NBC has now.

The show is now being shopped to both broadcast and cable networks. I would not be surprised if the show ended up on TNT…

In my opinion, this is all because NBC couldn’t admit they screwed up…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

"Sherri" Review: We've Seen It Before, But It's Still Funny

2009-10-04T23:06:00.002-04:00

I have always been a fan of Sherri Shepherd. I know that people mostly know her now for “The View,” but over the years she has developed an extensive sitcom resume.

You may remember her as Robert’s partner, Judy, on “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Or as Claude’s friend on “Less Than Perfect” or more recently as Tracy’s wife on “30 Rock.”

But since I always go for the “Friends” reference first, to me she will always be Rhonda, the museum tour guide, who answers Ross’ call for the workers in the museum to get to know each other with “I’m Rhonda. And these aren’t real.”

Wherever you know her from, I’m sure you’ll agree that she is long overdue for getting a sitcom of her own. Thankfully, Lifetime has answered the call and given us “Sherri.”

Basically Shepherd is just playing a slightly fictionalized version of herself. But since Shepherd is pretty funny, “Sherri” is pretty funny too…

Sherri is newly divorced after she catches her husband (Malcolm Jamal-Warner) with another woman. Now, she’s trying to juggle her work as a paralegal with her work as an actress with her work as a single mother to her son. Plus, she’s trying to get back into the dating pool. Helping her out are her friends Celia (Tammy Townsend) and Angie (Elizabeth Regen) and her father (James Avery).

In the premiere, Sherri learns some news from her ex that convinces her to go out with her friends and have some fun. But when the night out turns into a disaster, Sherri must build up her confidence to try again.

As I said, “Sherri” is pretty funny. Even though the show is not highly original (This stuff has been done before.), Shepherd gives it her own special touch that makes you not mind that you’ve seen these situations numerous times.

Plus, it’s always great to have Jamal-Warner back on TV. Even if he is playing a total sleaze…

“Sherri” premieres with a special preview Monday, October 5th at 7 p.m. on Lifetime. The show will air every night this week at 7 p.m. before moving into its regular timeslot Tuesday, October 13th at 10 p.m…

Photo Credit: Carol Kaelson/Lifetime Networks

"Don't Be Tardy for the Party"

2009-09-30T19:52:00.003-04:00

Can’t wait until tomorrow night to see Kim’s musical debut on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”?

Never fear, you can hear the entire single, “Tardy for the Party,” here as it aired on “On Air With Ryan Seacrest."

Even with the song being autotuned within an inch of its life, it’s still fairly obvious Kim has some singing issues. But it is daggone catchy…

“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

UPDATE: The track is now available on iTunes. And yes, I downloaded it...

"Hank"/"The Middle" Review: Grammer and Heaton Are Back

2009-09-29T22:26:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago in my “Herald-Dispatch” print column, I said that sitcoms built around big names made me wary…

Too often shows spend so much time promoting the star that they forget to worry about the scripts. The early days of the failed FOX sitcom, “Back To You,” starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton is a perfect example of that (although the show did get it together just before it was cancelled).

Now both Grammer and Heaton are giving it another try in separate ABC sitcoms—“Hank” and “The Middle.” I was sure I had reason to be wary about “Hank.” So imagine my surprise to find the show was actually funny.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Grammer is playing the same snob that he always plays. The only difference is that this snob has a family and is poor…

Grammer is Hank Pryor, the CEO of a sporting goods retail chain. When he’s forced out by his board, he has to move his family back to his hometown of River Bend, Virginia. Now, not only must he face life without being the boss, he must also get to know the children he has never spent much time with—his teenage daughter, Maddie (Jordan Hinson), and his geeky son, Henry (Nathan Gamble). Hank’s wife, Tilly (Melinda McGraw), is also having a tough time adjusting to life outside of New York City. Also around to complicate Hank’s life is his brother-in-law, Grady (David Koechner).

As I said, Grammer is playing the same character he always plays, but since I find that character funny, I find “Hank” funny. McGraw is perfect as his wife and Koechner—who has been known to get on my nerves—actually works pretty well here.

The biggest problem with the show is the laugh track. A little laughing is fine, but this one goes way overboard laughing at every single line. I REALLY wish everyone would recognize that the laugh track’s day is over…

In all honesty, there’s nothing very original here when it comes to story, but I’m not sure that really matters if it’s funny…

Unfortunately, I can’t really speak as highly of “The Middle.” There are some funny moments, but they’re outnumbered by the fairly awkward moments…

Heaton is Frankie, a working mother of three—Axl (Charlie McDermott), the teenage jock; Sue (Eden Shur), the awkward pre-teen; and Brick (Atticus Shaffer), the oddball youngest. Her husband, Mike (Neil Flynn), is a manager at the local quarry, while Frankie sells cars at the town’s last surviving car lot.

In the premiere, Frankie and Mike must deal with Brick’s teacher wanting to get him special help and Sue wanting to try out for the show choir.

Heaton and Flynn are great. And Chris Kattan provides nice support as Frankie’s co-worker, Bob. The problem here are the kids. The show tries so hard to give each of them an interesting character quirk that they’re just not funny. Rose failing at everything she tries is okay, but Axl continually walking around in his underwear is stupid. And Brick’s weird whisper that “soothes” him is really stupid.

“Middle” has promise if it fleshes out the kids a little more and cuts back on the annoying narration. And, since it’s single-camera, there’s no laugh track, which is always a good thing these days…

But even if “Middle” wasn’t my thing, I have to admit that ABC has built a pretty solid comedy block that could prove to be very successful for them. And Grammer and Heaton are always a welcome combination...

“Hank” and “The Middle” premiere Wednesday, September 30th beginning at 8 p.m. on ABC…

Photos Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

"Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" Review: The Return of the Voice

2009-09-29T19:30:00.002-04:00

In one of the special features on the latest DC Universe movie, “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies,” Kevin Conroy says, “I’m just the voice guy.”

But for diehard DC animation fans like me, we know that is the furthest thing from the truth. For us, Conroy is the voice of Batman—the standard by which all others, including Christian Bale, are judged.

So it was great news to hear that Conroy was returning to the role in “Enemies.” And he brings with him Tim Daly, who voiced Superman in “Superman: The Animated Series.” Plus, Clancy Brown is back as Lex Luthor, the role he played in “Superman: TAS” and both “Justice League” animated series.

And it is that core trio that really makes “Enemies” work. Although all three of them pretty much get upstaged by the most fight scenes I’ve ever seen in one of these things. In fact, I would say that “Enemies” is 60+ minutes of butt-kicking action with a little bit of story periodically mixed in…

In “Enemies,” which is based on the graphic novel by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness, Lex Luthor has just been elected President. And understandably, Superman is having a hard time dealing with it—especially since Luthor seems to be doing a good job.

But when Luthor appears to extend Superman an olive branch, Superman goes to accept it—against his friend Batman’s wishes. However, as usual, Luthor has a hidden agenda—an agenda that puts a bounty on Superman’s head. Now, Superman and Batman must fight off both villains and superheroes while trying to save Earth from a Kryptonian meteor.

The interplay between Superman and Batman is really the highlight of the movie, as the two trade quips back and forth. And Daly and Conroy are great together. It’s also great to hear the always awesome Xander Berkeley as Captain Atom, one of Luther’s superhero soliders. And CCH Pounder is another welcome return as Luther’s associate, Amanda Waller.

It’s very difficult to condense a graphic novel into a 60-minute movie, and quite frankly, “Enemies” doesn’t always succeed in doing so, as the action and desire to bring in as many characters as possible sometimes overshadows plot. But overall, the movie is pretty entertaining and often quite funny.

And it’s Superman and Batman together. Can you really go wrong with that?

As with the other DC Universe movies, the real treats are the Special Features and the two-disc special edition is chock full of them. Psychologists examine the relationship between Batman and Superman in “A Test of Minds: Superman and Batman.” And Executive Producer Bruce Timm shares two episodes of “Superman: The Animated Series” featuring Batman.

The coolest thing however, is the featurette, “Dinner with DCU and Special Guest Kevin Conroy,” in which the voice of Batman discusses the role over dinner with the DC Universe creative team. We hear all kinds of great Batman nuggets, not only about “Enemies,” but also about “Gotham Knight” and other Conroy Batman projects. It’s a real treat that I could’ve watched for hours.

Plus, as has been the DC Universe movie tradition, we get a sneak peek at the next film, “Justice League Crisis on Two Earths.” And I have to say I was a little disappointed to see that Conroy is not returning to the Batman role—especially after hearing the creative team gush all over him in the featurette. But the trio of William Baldwin (Batman), Mark Harmon (Superman) and Chris Noth (Lex Luthor) should be very interesting...

“Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” is available in one and two-disc editions and on Blu-Ray now…

Photo Credit: SUPERMAN © Warner Bros. Ent Inc. BATMAN © Warner Bros. Ent Inc. “SUPERMAN” and “BATMAN” and all related characters and elements aretrademarks of and © DC Comics. © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Trauma" Review: A Total Surprise

2009-09-27T23:01:00.002-04:00

I have to be honest and tell you that NBC’s new drama, “Trauma” starts out pretty boring.

Paramedics get their rigs ready and go out to work. One team actually takes an uneventful morning as an opportunity to create some action of their own. But then a call comes in and they all come together—along with the sarcastic, cocky flight medic—to save a life.

Like I said. Boring.

But then, the show kicks into high gear in a major way, serving up a little twist that sets the tone for the rest of the hour, and probably the season…

“Trauma” follows the trauma team from San Francisco City Hospital. Rabbit (Cliff Curtis) is the cocky flight medic with the terrible bedside manner. Boone (Derek Luke) is the devoted father who seems to have lost some of his devotion to his wife. Nancy (Anastasia Griffith) is the tough paramedic who is always trying to help the doctors—even though they don’t listen to her. Marisa (Aimee Garcia) is the new helicopter pilot who is forced to deal with Rabbit’s recklessness. Tyler (Kevin Rankin) and Glenn (Taylor Kinney) are EMTs and Dr. Saviano (Jamey Sheridan) tries to help them all out.

We learn much more about each of them as they respond to a multiple casualty incident on an interstate bridge. And as they deal with another more personal trauma they all shared.

“Trauma” reminds me a lot of early “Third Watch” and I mean that as a compliment. Griffith anchors the show much like Kim Raver did “Watch” and she is great at it. And she gets great support.

Plus, the special effects in the pilot are incredible. But something tells me we won’t get those every week, so enjoy them in this first hour.

After being so bored by the show’s opening minutes, it totally surprises me to say I will most likely give “Trauma” another look.

At least until I get bored again…

“Trauma” premieres Monday, September 28th at 9 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

Pick of the Week: A Favorite Looks to Avoid a Slump

2009-09-27T22:37:00.002-04:00

One of last season’s best new shows is back for its second season, which makes it an easy choice for my Pick…

My Pick of the Week is the season premiere of “Lie to Me.”

If you’ve never seen it, “Lie” follows The Lightman Group, a team of experts who help authorities solve their toughest cases. The group is led by Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) the world’s leading lie detector who studies micro expressions (shrugs, licking the lips and other signs that show people’s feelings) to find the truth. He’s assisted by his partner, Foster (Kelli Williams), the tough talking Torres (Monica Raymund) and the way too honest Loker (Brendan Hines). At the end of last season, they were joined by FBI agent Ben Reynolds (Mekhi Phifer).

The show is based on the real-life work of Dr. Paul Ekman and after you watch it, it’s hard to look at things the same way again…

In the premiere, the team is challenged by a woman with multiple personality disorder (Erika Christensen).

The show was good from the get-go, but when Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”) became the showrunner, it became even better. If that momentum continues, there is no reason to think that “Lie” will suffer any kind of sophomore slump.

But I’ll be watching all of the signs just to be sure…

“Lie to Me” premieres Monday, September 28th at 9 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Sam Jones/FOX

This Week's Premiere Schedule

2009-09-27T22:19:00.002-04:00

The majority of the premieres have already happened, but there are still a few stragglers coming at you this week…

Monday, September 28th
Lie to Me—9 PM—FOX
Trauma—9 PM—NBC
**New Show

Wednesday, September 30th
Hank—8 PM—ABC
**New Show
The Middle—8:30 PM—ABC
**New Show

Thursday, October 1st
Private Practice—10 PM—ABC

Friday, October 2nd
Til Death—8:30 PM—FOX

Sunday, October 4th
America’s Funniest Home Videos—7 PM—ABC
Three Rivers—9 PM—CBS
**New Show

Photo Credit: George Holz/FOX

“Cold Case” Review: All Style and No Substance?

2009-09-27T15:12:00.001-04:00

When it comes to shows that look good and sound good, I’d have to put “Cold Case” right at the top of that list.

If you’ve never seen it, “Case” uses music from the proper time period to help set the scene for its flashbacks that tell the story of the unsolved case. The flashbacks are seamlessly integrated to show the witnesses then and now.

The season premiere gets a nice boost with the music of Ray Charles being featured exclusively in the episode (You’ll recognize the original “Golddigger” instantly.).

The case is the murder of a young woman on an ocean liner. In the B story, Lilly must deal with the man who tried to kill her last season.

As I said, the show looks and sounds great. But at least in this episode, the substance isn’t completely there. I actually had the murderer pegged from the get-go. And there were a few too many holes in the story.

However, I have to say that the B story, with guest star Daniel Baldwin, is interesting. And there’s a dash of unexpected romance to shake things up as well.

“Case” will never be a show I’ll add to my must-see list, but it’s nice to check in on it every once in a while…

“Cold Case” premieres tonight (Sunday, September 27th) at 10 p.m. on CBS…

Photo Credit: Michael Yarish/CBS

"Desperate Housewives" Review: Time to Get Out of the Shower

2009-09-26T01:55:00.001-04:00

At the end of last season, I said I thought I might be outgrowing “Desperate Housewives.”

Now, after seeing the season premiere, I’m sure of it…

When last we left Wisteria Lane, Gaby and Carlos had taken in Carlos’ teenage niece. Bree was getting friendly with Susan’s ex, Karl, while her husband Orson blackmailed her into staying married to him. Lynette found out she was pregnant with twins and Mike was marrying either Susan or Katherine…

Because I have been sworn to secrecy, I cannot say anything about the Mike/Susan/Katherine storyline. But I can talk about the other storylines, which unfortunately, are completely familiar to anyone that has ever watched the show.

Lynette is her usual whining, selfish self, even making another expectant mother cry. It doesn’t help that I completely despise this story, because I think it’s totally wrong to saddle Lynette with another pregnancy.

Gaby is showing a little less selfishness, but that’s because Carlos’ niece, Anna, has soaked it all up. I understand that they’re trying to give Gaby a chance to see herself at that age, but again, it’s a little annoying.

And of course there are some mysterious new residents on the Lane, the Bolen family. The son, Danny, befriends Susan’s returned daughter, Julie, and instantly begins acting strangely. And the dad is sufficiently creepy, while the mother tries to befriend the other ladies.

As I said, it’s all familiar since the show has done it all before…

The only saving grace is Bree and Karl, thanks to the always welcome Richard Burgi (Karl). Even though Karl is as slimy as they come, you still want Bree to give into him—especially when you get a look at the six pack Burgi is sporting these days (He would have been perfect as the lead in “Eastwick,” but he’s probably better off where he is.).

All long-running shows repeat storylines, but it seems like “Desperate” is in permanent “lather, rinse, repeat” mode.

And I’m starting to think that I’m ready to get out of the shower…

“Desperate Housewives” premieres Sunday, September 27th at 9 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Danny Feld/ABC

"Brothers" Review: Was It Really That Bad?

2009-09-26T00:38:00.002-04:00

Every review I had read told me it was bad, but I just couldn’t stay away from FOX’s new sitcom, “Brothers.”

I have been a fan of Daryl “Chill” Mitchell since “The John Larroquette Show,” but with Michael Strahan—the former NFL great, with very little acting experience—as his co-star, I didn’t hold out much hope.

So imagine my surprise to find that the show is not that bad. Some of the jokes were actually funny. Granted, many of them were not…

But honestly it was hard to tell the difference since that horrendous laugh track laughed at everything equally. And that—not Strahan’s lack of acting experience—is the show’s biggest hurdle…

Strahan is Mike Trainor, a former NFL great who returns home to visit his family after his dad (Carl Weathers) has a stroke. Mitchell is Chill, Mike’s brother, who harbors a great deal of resentment toward Mike. CCH Pounder is Adele, the matriarch of the family.

As the half hour unfolded, we learned just exactly what the source of Chill’s resentment is. Mike was supposed to pick him up from a party once but he didn’t show and Chill got in the car with a friend who had been drinking. There was an accident and Chill ended up in a wheelchair. Now Chill is struggling to balance his anger over the accident with the true admiration he feels for his brother’s success.

Of course, because this is a sitcom, things aren’t entirely what they seem. Mike learns that his mother lied about his dad having a stroke (although he does seem to be slipping a little) and that Chill lied about his restaurant being successful. And Chill learns that Mike is now broke.

And in the end, Mike and Chill give their Mom what she was going for to begin with—her sons back at home and getting along, as they agree to be partners in the restaurant.

Mitchell is playing the same sarcastic character he always plays, but he’s so good at it, you really don’t mind. And he gets a lot of the funny jokes. But the majority of the laughs come from Pounder, who is probably best known for dramatic roles. She’s got good comic timing and it’s in full effect here—if those hideous fake laughs didn’t keep stepping on her lines.

I despise laugh tracks anyway, but I really despise tracks that laugh at every single thing, even when they’re not funny. I half expected there to be laughs when Chill revealed how he ended up in the wheelchair. That’s how bad it was.

But even without the track, “Brothers” is not the funniest show on TV. However, I’ve seen much worse—especially on FOX. I’m not going to add it to my must-see list, but it might be worth checking out if there’s nothing else on…

“Brothers” airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Michael Levine/FOX

And The First Casualty of the Season Is...

2009-09-25T18:52:00.002-04:00

Since we're just now finishing the traditional premiere week, it's usually a little early for cancellations...

But when a show is this bad, why wait?

According to "The Hollywood Reporter," The CW has cancelled the Ashton Kutcher-produced "The Beautiful Life: TBL" after last night's second episode only had one million viewers. The network has made no announcement about its replacement.

If you read my review of the show, you know that I thought it was terrible. Clearly, I wasn't alone...

Photo Credit: Richard Phibbs/The CW

Friday Free-For-All: So what did you think?

2009-09-25T09:40:00.001-04:00

“Don’t be tardy for the party. Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh. Don’t be tardy for the party…”

Sorry. I cannot get that song out of my head this morning. Stupid “Real Housewives of Atlanta”…

So we’ve almost made it through Premiere Week with just tonight and Sunday to go and I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. And I didn’t even see everything…

That’s where you come in. It’s time for a Friday Free-For-All…

So what did you see that I didn’t? Were you impressed with the talent on “Dancing With the Stars,” or are you disappointed in this year’s cast? Did any of your favorite returning shows disappoint you? Leave a comment and let’s get started…

And feel free to jump in and agree or disagree with my reviews. The Paul Gross fans have certainly spoken up about my review of “Eastwick,” so be sure to share your two cents as well.

The reviews will continue over the weekend as I post my thoughts—barring any technical difficulties—on “Trauma,” “Cold Case” and “Desperate Housewives”…