On vacation
Diane Holloway is off this week. Her TV blog will return Tuesday, Oct. 14.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“Desperate Housewives,” 8 p.m. on ABC — I know, I know. This was recommended last week, but that season opener was so divine that I think this season is shaping up to be a humdinger. Creepy new characters, odd twists on old characters and just the right mix of mystery, melodrama and outright comedy.
“Dexter,” 8 p.m. on Showtime — Boy, this comedy-drama about a serial killer is back with a vengeance. I forgot to highlight the season opener last Sunday, but I’ve seen tonight’s episode, and it’s never too late to point out the genius of this twisted, totally bizarre show. Michael C. Hall should have won an Emmy for making us cringe, gag, laugh and empathize with a guy who slices people to pieces.
Monday
“Dancing with the Stars,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Is 82-year-old Cloris Leachman going to be the token clunker kept in the competition way too long? Maybe. She’s funny and brazen, but seriously folks, the woman is not actually dancing. She’s being led around the floor in silly costumes and heavy makeup. Regardless, this is still one of the most engaging reality shows on the air.
“American Experience” at 8 p.m. on PBS — An interesting and inspiring look at the life of Jimmy Carter, former peanut farmer and governor of Georgia who captured the White House in 1976. While his presidency was not exactly a highlight of American history, Carter has gone on to do great things, from charity work to winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
Tuesday
“Presidential Debate,” 8 p.m. on ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN — This is the second showdown between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain. It’s a town-hall format, which should be more relaxed than the podium performance last time. Former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw moderates.
Wednesday
“Latinos ‘08,” 8 p.m. on PBS — A look at how candidates and advocacy groups are trying to attract this unpredictable group of voters. This is especially timely as we inch toward Nov. 4.
“Dirty Sexy Money,” 9 p.m. on ABC — This campy, “Dynasty”-style sudser got lost last season when it premiered. And then it disappeared with the writers’ strike. But the story of the filthy-rich Darling clan, with Donald Sutherland and Jill Clayburgh at the head of the family, is a terrific guilty pleasure. The top-notch cast includes Peter Krause and William Baldwin in juicy roles.
Thursday
“Texas Senatorial Debates,” 8 p.m. on PBS — Check out the candidates vying for U.S. Senate, including John Cornyn and Rick Noriega.
“C.S.I.,” 8 p.m. on CBS — Finally, the original and best of the franchise series begins its new season. Lots of action, including the demise of one character and hints of the departure of another. Plus gooey stuff under a microscope.
“Eleventh Hour,” 9 p.m. on CBS — The debut of a new and deeply confusing series about a biophysicist (Rufus Sewell) who helps out the government when weird things like cloning threaten our national security. Sci-fi buffs may enjoy. Me? Not so much.
Friday
“Spain … On the Road Again,” 9 p.m. on PBS — Gwyneth Paltrow, Mario Batali and Mark Bittman dig for shellfish in Galicia. Paltrow’s love of Spain and Spanish food blend nicely, and the Oscar-winner seems to be having a terrific time. She told “Entertainment Tonight” that she gained eight pounds filming this series.
Saturday
“Spider Man 2,” 7 p.m. on FX — This 2004 sequel is very bit as good as the original and makes for fun family fare.
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KXAN goes dark for Time Warner customers
It’s midnight, and KXAN has been dropped from Time Warner Cable’s lineup. The Oct. 2 deadline for a new retransmission contract came and went without a settlement.
Negotiations will continue Friday in an attempt to settle the dispute and return KXAN and its NBC programming back to Time Warner’s Cable Channel 4. At issue is KXAN’s demand to be paid “less than a penny a day per subscriber,” according to the station, and Time Warner’s insistence that a free, over-the-air station should not be paid for its signal.
But “Today” viewers and fans of other NBC shows today likely will need to switch off their cable and resort to rabbit ears. Or, if you planned ahead, you may already be on Dish or DirecTV satellite services or AT&T’s U-verse. Smaller cable companies in your areas, like Grande and Suddenlink, also continue to carry KXAN. And you can also go to NBC.com to watch most of the network’s prime-time shows.
Here’s what Time Warner customers saw if they tuned into KXAN after midnight:
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Veep debate …. KXAN update
A couple of big reminders, as if you need them, for tonight:
The one and only vice presidential debate is tonight at 8. PBS’s Gwen Ifill, who broke her ankle Monday while carrying all of her research material, will moderate.
Some conservative radio hosts started tossing rocks at Ifill yesterday over a book she’s been working on for about a year tracing the evolution of black politicians in America.
As you might imagine (given the timing), this is nothing but noise. Republicans knew about the book when the Presidential Debate Commission proposed Ifill as the moderator several months ago, and they signed off on her. Yesterday John McCain said he was certain she would do a fine job because “she’s an objective professional.”
This smackdown promises to be a bigger ratings grabber than the presidential debates.
Gov. Sarah Palin, who remains something of a mystery, will stand toe to toe with Sen. Joe Biden. Will Palin hold up under 90 minutes of national scrutiny? Will Biden stick his foot in his mouth? Will they look at each other? Will the two of them shake hands or hug when it’s all over?
We’ll soon find out. The veep debate can be seen on ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox Broadcasting, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNN and C-SPAN.
KXAN likely to drop off Time Warner Cable tonight
Remember, if you’re watching NBC programming tonight at midnight and the picture suddenly goes dark, it’s not your television. Don’t leap up and start beating your brand new HDTV.
NBC affiliate KXAN, which is owned by LIN TV, has been negotiating a retransmission agreement with Time Warner Cable for several weeks. It hasn’t gone well, and apparently the two sides are at an impasse.
KXAN and LIN want the cable company to pay (less than a penny a day per subscriber) for retransmission; Time Warner argues that KXAN’s signal is free, over-the-air to customers and therefore should be free to subscribers.
The existing contract expires tonight at midnight, and it is likely that KXAN will be dropped from Time Warner until an agreement is reached.
Remember, you can watch NBC shows online (nbc.com), on a TV that’s off cable (with an antenna), on any of the satellite services (Dish, DirecTV), AT&T’s U-verse or on some of the smaller cable companies that might be available in your area (Grande to the south, Suddenlink to the north).
By the way, KNVA, which operates under a licensing agreement with KXAN, is NOT affected. KNVA’s programming of CW and MyNetwork shows will continue. Those are separate agreements with the cable company, so KNVA (Cable Channel 12) stays on Time Warner.
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‘Friday Night Lights’ debuts on DirecTV; ‘Pushing Daisies’ is back on ABC
If you’ve got DirecTV, you’ve got tonight’s season opener of “Friday Night Lights.” It’s on at 8 p.m. on the 101 Network.
The rest of us non-satellite folks won’t see the Austin-based drama until February, when it arrives on NBC.
It’s worth the wait, though, because the first two episodes are fantastic. Lots of good Coach and Tami interaction, and some great football action as well. And … Riggins and Lyla are hot and heavy.
For those who didn’t watch because the jiggly camera action proved annoying, you’ve got no excuse now. The jiggles are gone, except for a few shakes during the football scenes. Apparently the creative folks conceded that there was way too much jiggling going on.
Tami is now the Dillon High principal, Coach is torn between Saracen and a promising freshman quarterback and Tara is trying to battle her way to good grades and a college scholarship after her senior year. Good times.
“Pushing Daisies” returns/ premieres
If you missed it in its shortened first season, now’s the time to discover the most imaginative, lushly weird show on TV — “Pushing Daisies” at 7 p.m. on ABC.
The romantic fairy-tale drama, about a pie maker who can bring dead folks back to life but only for a minute, is gorgeous to look at and resembles absolutely nothing else on TV. Check it out.
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First prez debate ratings disappoint; First veep debate likely to sizzle
Here’s the debate I’m dying to see: Sarah Palin vs. Tina Fey.
Seriously, wouldn’t that be fantastic? We’d never be able to tell who was making points and who was making gaffes because the two women look like identical twins. But it sure would be entertaining, don’t you think?
The real vice presidential debate, in case you’ve been orbiting Mars, is Thursday night at 8. Palin and Joe Biden will face off in what very well could be a bigger TV event than last Friday’s first showdown between John McCain and Barack Obama.
In spite of all the hysteria surrounding that first debate, the audience Friday turned out to be considerably smaller than anticipated. Nielsen says 52.4 million viewers tuned into the first McCain-Obama debate. So it wasn’t even one of the Top 10 presidential debates. The President Carter vs. Ronald Reagan set-to in 1980 drew a whopping 80.6 million, and the first George Bush vs. John Kerry debate in 2004 drew more than 60 million.
Of course Friday’s debate was still a blockbuster, grabbing the biggest rating since the Super Bowl in February. Considering the McCain-Obama debate was on a Friday night, traditionally a pitiful night for TV, and considering nobody knew if McCain would even participate (remember, he was hunkered down in D.C. monitoring the economic crisis), that’s not so bad.
I bet the Palin-Biden match will be huge — partly because it’s on Must-See Thursday night but also because Palin remains something of a mystery.
All Newman all day on Saturday, Oct. 12
Turner Classic Movies tips its hat to legendary movie star Paul Newman on Oct. 12, with back-to-back films for 24 hours.
Newman, who died of lung cancer last Friday, certainly has enough fabulous flicks to warrant an entire day of watching.
Among those to be featured: “Cool Hand Luke,” “Somebody Up There Likes Me,” “Torn Curtain,” “Exodus,” “Hud,” “Rachel, Rachel,” “Sweet Bird of Youth,” “The Outrage” and, of course, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”
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Meet ‘Chuck’ … again!
“Chuck” is back. Did you miss him? Did you ever meet him?
That’s the conundrum facing NBC’s first-rate romantic-comedy-espionage-action drama. The show, starring Zachary Levi as a computer nerd drafted into a dangerous and complicated secret life of spying, debuted last fall to good reviews and pretty good ratings.
But then the writers strike knocked it off the air, and NBC couldn’t get it back up and running in time to complete its first season. So it’s been off the air for almost a year, which makes the second season opener more like a second debut.
In the new season (at 7 tonight on NBC), Chuck will be a little less terrified of his new situation and a little less intimidated by his beautiful handler Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski). He still pals around with his Buy More tech colleague Morgan (Joshua Gomez), which is the core for much of the show’s goofy humor.
If you missed out on “Chuck” the first time around, check him out this time.
This particular spy’s double life is twice as much fun as the procedural crime dramas that are all over TV these days. And this season the show will feature guest performances, such as tonight’s bad guy, played by Michael Clarke Duncan, and future appearances by John Larroquette, Melinda Clarke, Nicole Richie and Michael Strahan.
“Runway” — Will it or won’t it?
Is “Project Runway,” now in its fifth season on Bravo, move to Lifetime in ‘09 or not? That’s the question that bubbled up over the weekend.
NBC Universal, which owns Bravo, never wanted to lose “Runway,” and when Lifetime announced it was poaching the fashionista show, NBCU filed an injunction to stop it. Apparently a judge has now put the move on hold.
Hollywood Reporter has the whole mysterious story.
Tina Fey morphs into Palin again
Tina Fey reprised her role as Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live,” again appearing as the Republican vice presidential candidate in the opening sketch. The resemblance and the voice are so striking that I keep thinking the Alaska governor has decided to spoof herself.
Fey is going to have to find a way to work this new gig into her already full (“30 Rock) schedule, at least until the election on Nov. 4.
Saturday night’s show again paired Fey with Amy Poehler, who played Hillary Clinton in the first Fey-Palin appearance. This time Poehler was Katie Couric, whose interview with Palin had been ridiculed for several days last week.
Is there any doubt that Fey-Palin will return this coming Saturday, after Thursday’s scheduled veep debate with Joe Biden? This one should be choice.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“Desperate Housewives,” 8 p.m. on ABC — Season opener: Five years since we last saw the residents of Wisteria Lane, Katherine and Bree are sparring business partners, Susan has a new romance, Gaby is the chunky mother of two and Lynette is wrangling teenage sons who have turned into hoodlums. Sounds good to me!
“Brothers & Sisters,” 9 p.m. on ABC — Season opener: Justin and Rebecca try to hide their romantic feelings; the Walker siblings try to reach a long-lost brother without mom Nora finding out; Kitty and Robert prepare to adopt a child; and Kevin’s legal career is on the ropes. Typical of the Walker family.
“The Simpsons,” 7 p.m. on Fox — Season opener: Homer winds up in jail after a scuffle at a parade, and Marge, clueless as usual, begins working at an erotic bakery.
“King of the Hill,” 7:30 p.m. on Fox — Season opener: Bill is diagnosed with diabetes and decides to spin around in a wheelchair he doesn’t need.
Monday
“Chuck,” 7 p.m. on NBC — Season opener: Chuck continues to stumble through his new duties as a spy and asks Sarah out on a first date. This fun, frothy newcomer was grounded by the writers’ strike soon after its debut. Let’s hope it reconnects this time.
“Life,” 9 p.m. on NBC — Season opener: Detectives Charlie and Dani pursue a serial killer who is stuffing bodies in trunks around Los Angeles.
Tuesday
“P.O.V. — “Critical Condition,” 8 p.m. on PBS — The struggles of four critically ill Americans showcase the nation’s growing health care crisis. Documentary filmmaker Roger Weisberg puts a personal touch on the staggering statistic that 47 million Americans live without health insurance. The four people illustrate the havoc bad health without health-care can wreak on jobs, homes and lives.
Wednesday
“Pushing Daisies,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Season opener: Chuck goes undercover at a honey-based cosmetics company after the spokes-model is stung to death. This was one of last season’s most charming and innovative series, a fairy-tale with humor and romance and a look unlike anything else on TV.
“Private Practice,” 8 p.m. on ABC — Season opener: Addison, who spun off “Grey’s Anatomy” last season, returns to her sunny practice in California to find that Naomi is concealing the group’s financial problems. Romance, angst and the occasional medical case will follow.
“Dirty Sexy Money,” 9 p.m. on ABC — Season opener: The most convoluted filthy-rich family saga since “Dallas” and “Dynasty” ruled. The Darlings are back, with priests and illegitimate sons and all kinds of shenanigans. A cool guilty pleasure.
Thursday
“Vice Presidential Debate,” 8 p.m. on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Fox News, PBS, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN — Assuming it actually happens (you never know these days), PBS’s Gwen Ifill will moderate the smackdown between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin. Topics foreign and domestic are fair game.
Friday
“The Ex List,” 8 p.m. on CBS — Elizabeth Reaser (Ava on “Grey’s Anatomy”) plays a young woman in search of true love (and marriage) who learns from a psychic that she has dated the guy she’s destined to wed. If she doesn’t find him within a year, she’ll be alone forever. Sounds worse than it is.
Saturday
“The Bodyguard,” 7 p.m. on Oxygen — Sappy and sweet, this 1992 chick flick starring Whitney Houston, back when she was gorgeous and promising, and Kevin Costner when he still could act, is oddly satisfying.
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Presidential candidates gobble up new TV season
The poor, pitiful fall TV season continues to be upstaged by presidential politics.
David Letterman, who has had many fun late-night chats with John McCain, is on an anti-McCain crusade since the Republican stiffed “The Late Show” Wednesday night.
McCain canceled a scheduled appearance at the last minute because he said he had to return to Washington, D.C. right away. During the taping of Letterman’s show, which happens at 5:30 p.m., the host learned that McCain actually was a couple of blocks away doing a live interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric.”
“This smells funny,” a clearly ticked off Letterman told viewers.
And again last night Letterman railed about McCain, telling guest Paris Hilton he thinks McCain must be “losing his marbles.”’
It’s becoming increasingly clear that the dramatic, suspense-filled, who-knows-what’s-happening nature of the campaign is trumping everything from the debut of news series to the return of old favorites. The new stars are not Simon Baker or Christian Slater but John McCain and Barack Obama.
Will there be a debate tonight, as planned by the Presidential Debate Commission and the two campaigns? Apparently so, but it’s 11 a.m. and that could change twice before tonight.
Tonight is the first scheduled presidential debate (at 8 p.m.), and “NewsHour” anchor Jim Lehrer is ready with his questions. The agreed-upon topic was foreign relations and national security. But given the current economic crisis, the economy likely will move front and center. Lehrer is more than capable of switching gears.
McCain had decided Wednesday that he wouldn’t participate in a debate until a bail-out agreement was reached on Capitol Hill. As of early this morning, McCain was still a question mark.
So, one podium or two? An alternative format has been proposed by the commission that would turn an Obama-only debate into more of a town hall meeting, with the audience allowed to submit questions through Lehrer.
But the prospect of Obama having 90 minutes of air time on every single news channel without McCain present would have been a disaster for the Republican. Now McCain says he’s coming.
Stay tuned …
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Superb doc on Los Lonely Boys tonight on PBS
Talk about perfect timing. For those of you who are staying home tonight to rest up and prep for the three-day Austin City Limits Festival, “Los Lonely Boys: Cottonfields and Crossroads” (9 p.m. on KLRU) will fill you with music, history and a deeply personal take on the San Angelo rockers.
Noted Austin filmmaker Hector Galán, who was born and raised in San Angelo, takes viewers back to the boys’ childhood years when they played honky-tonks and cantinas with their father, Ringo Garza Sr. The elder Ringo dreamed of making it big in music, specifically in country music, and groomed his sons for that particular road to stardom.
The film paints an evocative portrait of life in small-town Texas in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, as Ringo Sr. struggled with his own career and transferred his own ambition to his sons. Intimate personal stories are woven with live performances by Los Lonely Boys — including gigs at Stubbs, Zilker Park’s Blues on the Green and Antone’s.
“For a filmmaker, the timing couldn’t have been better,” Galán says. “I was able to capture what became their rise in the American music scene, a time when the stars aligned in their favor after so many years of struggle.
Poverty, racism and the music business’ inherently tough road might have stopped a lesser band, but as Galán makes clear, the Garza brothers — Ringo Jr., Henry and JoJo — combined superb talent with strong ambition and sibling support to rock their way to the top of the charts in 2003.
The music is fabulous, the interviews are moving and the finished portrait of this remarkable band is both compelling and inspiring.
DVR ‘til the cows come home tonight!
Tonight is the biggest night of the new fall season, so set every VCR and DVR you’ve got in the house.
Here’s my personal lineup:
“Ugly Betty,” 7 p.m. on ABC
“My Name Is Earl,” 7 p.m. on NBC
“Grey’s Anatomy,” 8 to 10 p.m. on ABC
“The Office,” 8 p.m. on NBC
“CSI,” 9 p.m. on CBS
“ER,” 9 p.m. on NBC
(The new season of “Survivor” starts tonight, too, but I don’t care. If you do, it’s 7 to 9 p.m. on CBS.)
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Dems and Repubs: More alike than not in TV faves
Polls and Top 10 lists might be be superficial fluff, but they sure are fun to peruse, aren’t they?
The latest such flotsam comes from FastTrack Television, and it ranks the Top 10 most-watched shows among supporters of Democrat Barack Obama, Republican John McCain and viewers who call themselves “undecided.”
The final analysis? By deductive reasoning, we can see that we are more alike than not alike when it comes to our TV viewing!
MOST LIKELY TO VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA
- “House”
- “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation”
- “Grey’s Anatomy”
- “Heroes”
- “Sunday Night Football”
- “The Office”
- “Family Guy”
- “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
- “Two and a Half Men”
- “Bones”
[Bold indicates shows NOT in Top 10 among McCain supporters]
MOST LIKELY TO VOTE FOR JOHN MCCAIN
- “House”
- “Sunday Night Football”
- “Heroes”
- “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation”
- “NCIS”
- “The Office”
- “C.S.I.: Miami”
- “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
- “Survivor”
- “Grey’s Anatomy”
[Bold indicates shows NOT in Top 10 among Obama supporters]
UNDECIDED
- “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation”
- “House”
- “Sunday Night Football”
- “Heroes”
- “Grey’s Anatomy”
- “C.S.I.: Miami”
- “ER”
- “Two and a Half Men”
- “The Office”
- “Without a Trace”
Need more politics? Check out Fox online
This week Fox’s Shepard Smith launched “Strategy Room,” an online program described in the cable news channel’s press release as “a freewheeling, irreverent look at politics and breaking news.”
The show streams live Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the conclusion of election day on Nov. 4. It is hosted by Fox anchors and correspondents, with various journalists and analysts popping in as guests throughout each day.
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La Lohan a ‘Runway’ fashionista? And ‘The Mentalist’ debuts
Lindsay Lohan is famous for many things, from troubled relationships with her parental units to rehab stints for various conditions to heavily photographed lip-locking with her girlfriend.
But she’s not particularly known for fashion, which makes her selection as a guest judge on the next season of “Project Runway” a bit of a head-scratcher.
La Lohan, 22, has a multiple-episode guest stint coming up on the new season of “Ugly Betty” (Thursday on ABC), which is set in a New York fashion magazine, so maybe that’s what is supposed to give her fashion credentials.
More likely Lifetime, which snatched “Runway” away from Bravo, cast Lohan to prove that the old “women’s network” isn’t as stodgy as its reputation.
‘The Mentalist’ debuts on CBS tonight
Simon Baker makes another stab at becoming a TV star with the debut tonight (at 8) of “The Mentalist.”
CBS has been convinced of Baker’s star value for years, starting with “The Guardian” and moving on to “Smith.” Neither show became a spectacular hit. But the network remains high on the prospects of the handsome Australian import who looks like a combination of James Bond and some surfer dude.
In “The Mentalist,” Baker plays Patrick Jane, a former fake psychic who has turned his keen powers of observation to fighting crime for the California Bureau of Investigation. It’s a fairly standard procedural crime drama with occasional doses of humor.
Unlike some of the super-complicated new dramas (“Fringe,” “My Own Worst Enemy,” etc.), “The Mentalist” is straightforward and self-contained. That’s a good thing. But it also feels vaguely old-fashioned and tired.
Baker, who has a knack for comedy (“The Devil Wears Prada”) told TV critics in Los Angeles last summer that he loves the character’s humor and the guy’s inherently fraudulent nature. Maybe if they give him more comedy and less squinting.
Oh, Baker also said he prepared for the role by watching psychics on YouTube. That’s funny all by itself, isn’t it?
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The Emmy show: Worst ever?
Lame to the point of needing crutches, last night’s Emmy Awards telecast was arguably the worst televised ceremony ever.
Whoever decided that having the five nominated reality-show hosts emcee the program made an error of epic proportions.
Sure, reality shows have become more and more popular as scripted shows on network TV have waned (partly due to the writers’ strike). But the Emmys are supposed to celebrate high-quality TV, not pander to viewers who scarf down reality TV in the absence of something better.
The show was doomed from the outset when Heidi Klum (“Project Runway”), Tom Bergeron (“Dancing With the Stars”), Howie Mandel (“Deal or No Deal”), Jeff Probst (“Survivor”) and Ryan Seacrest (“American Idol”) came out on stage with nothing prepared.
“This is not a bit,” said Mandel. “We’ve got nothing. We are on Sarah Palin’s bridge to nowhere.”
Truer words were not to be spoken all night.
After affording nearly 10 minutes at the top of the show to the hosts with nothing, there was an interminable bit with Ricky Gervais trying to pry his last-year’s Emmy away from Steve Carell, a groaningly overdone acceptance speech from Tommy Smothers who received a special Emmy, Josh Grobin forcing himself through a whiplash medley of TV theme songs (so awful I had to leave the room), a clunky “Laugh-In” segment and an endless love affair with a rambling Don Rickles.
Realizing how much time was being wasted with such stupid stuff, the director set the show on a trot pace, tossing out awards so fast it was hard to digest the list of nominees. Best comedy actor? Here you go, Alec Baldwin. Best drama actress? Go long, Glenn Close, and catch this one!
But when, in the show’s final moments, it came time to bestow the Emmy for best reality show host, suddenly there was time for another interminable bit.
Jimmy Kimmel offered a summary of each host’s pluses and minuses, and then quipped, “We’ll find out, after the break!” Groans could be heard, in my house and at the Emmys. The award went to a totally underwhelmed Probst, who interpreted “formal dress” to mean no tie.
Kimmel finally euthanized the bit by turning to the audience, hoping to elicit a positive response for the doofus hosting quintet: “Haven’t they been sufficient, everybody?” Tepid applause followed.
I’ve got no problem with the winners. Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin were slam dunks for “30 Rock,” as was “30 Rock” itself for best comedy. And it was wonderful to see “Mad Men” cop the big one and “John Adams” rake in multiple prizes. I have a feeling Bryan Cranston, who was fine in “Breaking Bad,” nabbed the best drama actor award as a result of a split vote between Jon Hamm of “Mad Men” and Michael C. Hall of “Dexter.”
Maybe next year the Emmys will produce a show that echoes the quality of the programs to be honored. If that can’t be done, the Television Academy should do us all a favor and just read the names out in a parade of glamorous nominees and winners.
An hour would take care of that — and would produce a lot less groaning.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“60th Primetime Emmy Awards,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Hosted by five nominated reality show hosts, the big glitter-fest likely will nod and bow to innovative cable fare such as “Mad Men.”
“Sunday Night Football,” 7 p.m. on NBC — Hate Emmys? It’s the Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers.
Monday
“Dancing with the Stars,” 7 p.m. on ABC — The two-hour season opener introduces celeb hoofers Lance Bass, Toni Braxton, Brooke Burke, Rocco DiSpirito, Maurice Greene, Kim Kardashian, Cloris Leachman (82 years old!), Cody Linley, Susan Lucci, Misty May-Treanor, Ted McGinley, Jeffrey Ross and Warren Sapp.
“Heroes,” 7 p.m. on NBC — Countdown to the premiere comes first, followed at 8 p.m. by the season opener. Press material says “the identity of the shooter is revealed.” Truth or tease?
“CSI: Miami,” 9 p.m. on CBS — Horatio was shot in the cliffhanger. Clearly he is not dead because (a) David Caruso is the star/executive producer and (b) the title of the episode is “Resurrection.” Was it an inside job?
Tuesday
“The Mentalist,” 8 p.m. on CBS — Aussie Simon Baker (“The Guardian”) stars as a fake psychic-turned-criminalist. Pretty darn good.
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” 9 p.m. on NBC — Sara Gilbert guest stars as a rape victim.
“Debating Our Destiny II,” 10 p.m. on PBS — Jim Lehrer interviews former presidents and vice presidents about their debate experiences.
Wednesday
“Knight Rider,” 7 p.m. on NBC — It’s a Mustang now (not a TansAm), and newcomer Justin Bruening is the special car’s driver. (David Hasselhoff judges a talent show now, remember?). The pilot was never sent for review, which could be a bad sign.
Thursday
“Ugly Betty,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Betty makes a decision about what to do with her life, Ignacio gets a new job and Wilhelmina’s manipulations force Daniel into making changes. It’s busy season opener.
“Grey’s Anatomy,” 8 p.m. on ABC — A freak ice storm brings trauma patients to the hospital, where Meredith and Derek are discovering that “happily ever after’’ may not be.
“Survivor Gabon,” 7 p.m. on CBS — Yet another season in the wild.
“My Name Is Earl,” 7 p.m. on NBC — Back-to-back episodes usher in the new season, with Earl checking off his karma list again.
“The Office,” 8 p.m. on NBC — Staffers at Dunder-Mifflin become obsessed with their weight in the wake of corporate weight-loss initiatives. Pam’s off to art school, and Jim is pining.
“ER,” 9 p.m. on NBC — The final season of this long-running drama begins with the aftermath of the cliffhanger explosion. This much we know: someone on staff will die.
“Los Lonely Boys Cottonfields and Crossroads,” 9 p.m. on PBS — Hector Galan directed this film about the San Angelo band that rocked its way to the top of America’s music charts.
Friday
“First Presidential Debate,” 8 p.m. on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN — PBS anchor Jim Lehrer moderates the first of three throw-downs between Barack Obama and John McCain.
Saturday
“Chris Rock: Kill the Messenger,” 8 p.m. on HBO — A new concert film culled from stand-up performances in South Africa, New York and London. This is HBO, folks, so expect to hear Rock’s tough stuff. Not for kids.
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Obama and McCain take over ‘60 Minutes’ season opener
In case there’s anyone left in the United States of America who doesn’t know enough about the two men running for president, “60 Minutes” is devoting its entire hour this weekend to interviews with Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
The program airs Sunday at 6 p.m. (or possibly later, depending on the preceding football game) on CBS … right before ABC’s all-night Emmy Awards telecast.
“60 Minutes” is beginning its 40th season and its first in high-definition. The old show has managed to remain relevant for a very long time, consistently earning ratings in the Nielsen Top 10 and consistently doing fine work. Kudos.
Steve Kroft is doing the sit-down with Obama; Scott Pelley will chat up McCain.
If you’re hunkering down for a night of glitter and fun at the Emmys, it might be a good TV dietary balance to start off with “60 Minutes.” Maybe the prez wannabes will say something new.
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KVUE and KXAN need anchors … we’re here to help
Want to be a local TV news anchor? Austin has a couple of big openings.
KVUE is still searching for a replacement for Christine Haas, who left during the summer for a morning anchor job in Houston. The empty seat next to Tyler Sieswerda still needs to be filled.
And KXAN is looking for a co-anchor for Robert Hadlock in the wake of Michelle Valles’ abrupt departure.
Nobody asked, but we have some thoughts on what we’d like to see (and not see) in the new anchors:
The unwritten rule in local news is that co-anchors must be male and female. We don’t think the world would come to an end with two male or two female anchors. “Good Morning America” is doing just fine with Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts. So, hire the best partner for los lonely boys at KXAN and KVUE; don’t worry about gender.
Austin is the 49th market now, which finally places us in the Top 50. We shouldn’t have to hire super-green anchors or reporters any more. Make sure the candidates can read a teleprompter. And give them some time to learn pronunciations, people and places that make Austin special.
Reporting skills? Local anchors don’t do a lot of reporting, but they should be able to cover a story. Hadlock is probably the best reporter/anchor in town. He handles political stories, environmental stories, and he’s even trotted off on foreign assignments as well, including a series of pieces about Pope John Paul II’s visit to Cuba. His new co-anchor should have some reporting credentials.
Looking good on the air doesn’t mean you have to be a beauty queen or a stud muffin. It’s all about grooming and presence. If the anchor is confident and smart — and doesn’t have any obvious, distracting physical deformities — beauty shouldn’t matter that much.
Communication is key. Talking to a camera, no matter what the average viewer thinks, is not easy. You have to pretend the cold, dead lens staring you in the face is a living, breathing person. And you have to do that while reading the teleprompter AND listening to people yammering in your ear-piece. A good anchor makes this juggling act look effortless — like Judy Maggio and Ron Oliveira at KEYE and veteran sports anchor Dave Cody at Fox 7.
It’s about the news; it’s not about the anchor.
OK, stations. You know what we want, so go out and fill those empty chairs!
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Palin to perch with Couric … Lifetime delays ‘Runway’ debut
What would happen if the major news anchors decided NOT to pursue Republican veep candidate Sarah Palin?
Would the new Star of Alaska be happy to be left alone? Or would she be pursuing the anchors with a vengeance, begging for her closeups?
The “big get” is the goal of all TV newsies, and Palin, virtually unknown until John McCain tapped her to be his running mate, has been the biggest “get” out there until ABC’s Charlie Gibson nabbed her last week.
Palin is still considered a “get,” otherwise the pursuit would not continue. Late Tuesday, CBS announced that anchor Katie Couric will spend two days on the road with the Republican veep wannabe. (Oh, and by the way, McCain also might be part of Couric’s package.)
CBS says Couric’s interview will air in two parts: on the “Evening News” on Monday, Sept. 29, and the following morning (Sept. 30) on “The Early Show.” The timing nestles nicely with the vice presidential debate on Oct. 2.
Presumably if Palin says anything remotely newsworthy, snippets of the interview will air sooner and spread like wildfire to other TV news outlets — just as Gibson’s sit-down in Alaska did.
Palin also has an interview planned for later this week with Fox News guy Sean Hannity.
Left out of Palin’s picks? Anyone remotely connected to MSNBC, which the Republicans loathe for the left-leaning Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthew, and NBC’s Brian Williams, who apparently is guilty by association.
Lifetime delays ‘Runway’ debut
“Project Runway,” now in its final season on Bravo, will make its switch to Lifetime in January ‘09. The original plan was to bring the show back for a new season in November, fairly quickly after its Bravo finale in October.
But Lifetime decided to insert more lead time between the end of Season 5 and the beginning of Season 6 to build up anticipation for the show’s re-launch on a new network.
Guess the network folks don’t realize that viewers watch shows, not networks. It won’t make a lick of difference to “Runway” fans that the show is on Lifetime rather than Bravo …
Especially because “Runway” is keeping all of its original fashionistas: host/executive producer Heidi Klum, judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia and fashion mentor Tim Gunn.
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Ben McKenzie heading back to Austin … and back to TV
Remember Ben McKenzie, noted Austinite and star of “The O.C.,” “Junebug” and, more recently, “88 Minutes?”
Well, he phoned from Los Angeles this morning (good lord, it was 7:30 a.m. in L.A.!) with good news on a couple of fronts:
His film version of Dalton Trumbo’s 1939 book “Johnny Got His Gun” is opening Monday night at Austin’s Paramount Theatre. The actor, who was born and raised here in the wildly talented and tight-knit Schenkkan family, will attend the premiere.
Tickets are still available for a modest $15.50 with proceeds going to charity. Check GetTix.net or phone 866-443-8849 for information and tickets.
After the world opening, the film, also produced as a 1982 Broadway play, will shift to a wider opening and be seen here at the Dobie, beginning Sept. 26.
Filmed on an stark stage with only a bench and a chair, McKenzie plays Joe Bonham, an American soldier hit by artillery on the last day of World War I. The story takes place in the mind of this quadruple amputee who also lost his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. To communicate, he taps Morse code on his head, begging his caretakers to show him to the world as an example of the cruel cost of war.
The other good news from busy McKenzie: He’s filming an NBC pilot from John Wells (“ER,” “Saving Grace,” “The West Wing”) that is tentatively titled “L.A.P.D.” The cop drama hasn’t officially been picked up yet, but Wells doesn’t get many rejections, so it’s likely to be on NBC’s midseason schedule.
McKenzie, who turned 30 on Sept. 12, has played lots of different roles in his young career, but a cop isn’t one of them.
“This is pretty much the direct opposite of what I’ve been doing,” he said. “Right now I’m learning how to shoot.”
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Updated: KXAN off Time Warner Cable? Michelle Valles gone from KXAN
UPDATE on the retransmission flap between KXAN (with its corporate owner LIN TV) and Time Warner Cable:
Here’s what KXAN has to say about this retransmission situation: “I’m hopeful but at the same time I’m skeptical,” said KXAN general manager Eric Lassberg. “Usually we do resolve these things before the station is pulled off a cable system. The difference this time is we haven’t even heard a response back.”
Here’s what Time Warner has to say: “This is a typical negotiation tactic for LIN,” said Roger Heaney, director of public affairs for Time Warner Austin. “We’re trying to manage cost for our customers, and LIN is just trying to make more money.”
And our FINAL UPDATE on Michelle Valles:
“Michelle Valles is no longer employed at KXAN,” said the station’s general manager Eric Lassberg.
So it’s official. As of Monday afternoon, Valles is gone.
Valles turned down a contract offer last Thursday and left the station. She plans to stay in Austin. KXAN will begin searching for a new co-anchor to work with Robert Hadlock.
ORIGINAL POST from earlier today:
KXAN and its parent company LIN TVannounced today that its current contract with Time Warner Cable will expire on Oct. 2.
You can check out the dire-warning announcement here.
What does this mean? It’s possible that Time Warner customers will be without the station’s local and NBC network programming, including local news, “Today,” “Tonight,” “The Office,” “30 Rock” and a slew of new and returning fall series.
You may recall that KXAN and SuddenLink Cable, which serves about 30,000 people mostly in the Williamson County area, engaged in a similar meltdown in January.
When KXAN’s retransmission agreement with the cable company expired Dec. 31, 2007, SuddenLink dropped the station from its lineup and substituted an NBC station, KCEN in Temple.
KXAN was off the air in SuddenLink’s service area until late March, when a new contract finally was signed.
What is a retransmission agreement? It’s payment by a cable or satellite company for programming from local stations. Local stations increasingly want more money for their programming, in part to offset the cost of digital and high-definition transmission.
It’s hard to imagine KXAN and LIN would profit from losing local viewers for any length of time, especially at the beginning of the new TV season and with the November sweeps just a few weeks away from the Oct. 2 deadline.
We haven’t heard back from Time Warner or KXAN management yet, but we’ll keep you posted.
For the good of Austin couch potatoes, this madness must be solved!
And speaking of KXAN … Anchor Michelle Valles said today that, as far as she’s concerned, she’s no longer with the station. Her contract negotiations ended less than pleasantly last Thursday, and she left the station.
Her photo is still up on KXAN’s web site, and station management still considers her to be employed there. So the impasse lives on.
We wrote about this situation Friday, and that little piece of news generated the biggest — and at times the nastiest — reader response the TV blog has ever seen.
Just so you know, I don’t post comments that are obscene or just too nasty for public consumption. Share your opinions, but keep ‘em decent.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
‘Desperate Housewives,’ 8 p.m. on ABC — It’s been a long time since we’ve visited Wisteria Lane, so you might need a reminder about what happened before the Sept. 28 season opener. (Sept. 21, the Emmy Awards are on ABC.) Tonight is a repeat of the shocking two-hour season finale from May, the one in which the main characters were catapulted five years into the future.
‘Entourage,’ 9 p.m. on HBO — Cleverly titled “Unlike a Virgin,” this episode trots out further evidence that Vince’s career is in trouble, but the best part is that Tony Bennett guest stars as himself.
Monday
‘Coco Chanel,’ 7 p.m. on Lifetime — If you missed it when it premiered during the political conventions, here’s another chance to see Shirley MacLaine chew up the scenery and the fabric as the famed French haute couturier.
‘The Closer,’ 8 p.m. on TNT — The season-ender is tonight, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll see Brenda say yes to an actual marriage, to go with her long-standing engagement. Thank yew!
‘Monday Night Football,’ 7:30 p.m. on ESPN — The Dallas Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles in what is always an angry grudge-filled pigskin contest.
Tuesday
‘House,’ 7 p.m. on Fox — The fifth season of this Emmy-nominated medical drama picks up a couple of months after the death of Wilson’s girlfriend. Still mourning and now feuding with the self-absorbed Dr. House (Hugh Laurie), Wilson resigns … for good?
‘Big Brother 10,’ 8 p.m. on CBS — The reality peep show finally comes to an end, after a summer of silly melodrama, with the announcement of the winner.
Wednesday
‘America’s Next Top Model,’ 7 p.m. on The CW — After the models undergo Tyra-mandated makeovers, some of the women bawl over their new looks. But then they go to Malibu for a swimsuit shoot and all is well.
‘America’s Got Talent,’ 7 p.m. on NBC — We’re down to the Top 10 contestants, for those who still manage to care. ‘The Gospel Music of Johnny Cash,’ 9 p.m. on PBS — Dan Rather hosts a look at the country music icon’s spiritual odyssey, featuring interviews and rare performances by the “man in black.”
Thursday
‘Smallville,’ 7 p.m. on The CW — Major changes are in store as the eighth season begins: Clark Kent moves to Metropolis to work for the Daily Planet, and Lex Luthor is gone. Bummer.
‘Supernatural,’ 8 p.m. on The CW — In the fourth season opener, Dean returns from hell with a touch of amnesia that renders him without memory of his adventure down under. Probably just as well.
Friday
‘Dog Whisperer,’ 8 p.m. on National Geographic — For his 100th episode, Cesar Millan reunites with more than 100 canines that were featured in the first four seasons.
‘Last Lecture,’ 9:30 p.m. on PBS — Before dying of cancer in July, Professor Randy Pausch gave an inspiring discussion of his life at Carnegie Mellon University. This is it, titled “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.”
Saturday
‘Outlaw Trail,’ 7 p.m. on PBS — A 90-minute musical celebration of the Wild West, this special includes Austin’s own Joe Ely, Buddy Jewell and Lee Roy Parnell.
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Michelle Valles in or out as KXAN anchor?
Valles says she walked away from her TV station home of the past five years on Thursday, after a contract renewal was offered that she deemed unacceptable.
“It was tough, but, yes, I walked away,” Valles said in an emotional conversation Friday afternoon. “We were under contract negotiations for a while, but they presented me an offer yesterday afternoon that wasn’t in my best interest. I wouldn’t even consider the deal that was offered.”
Eric Lassberg, KXAN’s general manager, disputes that claim, insisting that contract negotiations with Valles are ongoing. He released the following statement to the American-Statesman:
“Michelle Valles is a valued employee at KXAN Austin News. We are in the process of negotiating a long-term contract with Michelle. It is our policy not to comment on personnel matters.”
Neither Valles nor Lassberg would reveal the specific contract dispute. Asked if the problem was salary or job position, Valles said, “Both.” Lassberg would not comment at all.
KXAN may have offered her a contract with different duties than anchoring the station’s 5, 6 and 10 p.m. weekday newscasts. Valles, a University of Texas graduate, has co-anchored the newscasts with Robert Hadlock since joining the station in 2003.
KXAN news usually finishes behind top-rated KVUE, but KEYE often gives it a run for second place at 10 p.m. The Beijing Olympics in August, however, gave KXAN’s newscasts a boost.
But it has been a tumultuous year for Valles, who was arrested last November for driving while intoxicated. After a long weekend, Valles was back on the air, supported by the station, and made a tearful apology to viewers.
Last month, Valles, who has insisted she was not drunk at the time of her arrest, pled guilty to misdemeanor reckless driving, and the DWI charge was dropped. She was sentenced to two years probation.
Rumors of Valles’ current contract troubles bubbled up in July, but negotiations continued with both sides apparently hoping to work out an agreement. It is unclear if Thursday’s breakup is truly the end of Valles’ tenure at KXAN or if tempers will cool and she’ll be back.
“I’m really hurt right now,” Valles said. “But anything’s possible in time. I just want to be appreciated.”
Photo by Amber Novak FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
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Will Phelps win gold or bomb on ‘SNL?’
Not everybody who’s famous turns out to be the perfect guest host for “Saturday Night Live.”
NFL quarterback Peyton Manning was fabulous last season. Actor Shia LaBeouf? Not so much.
So we hold our breath as we ready ourselves for Olympic gold medalist extraordinaire Michael Phelps, who hosts tomorrow night’s season opener of “Saturday Night Live” (10:30 p.m. on NBC).
We’re used to seeing Phelps gliding through the water, pumping his fist in victory. We’ve also seen him mutter through a post-swim interview with his loving mom at his side, but we’ve mostly seen him wet and wild.
Can Phelps deliver some funny stuff on “SNL?” Can he do an opening monologue without causing us to groan? And can he deliver a sketch without squinting at a cue card and stumbling over timing?
We’ll see. There’s always a lot riding on the season opening host of “SNL,” but NBC can at least take comfort in knowing that Phelps knows how to handle pressure. Can he handle comedy? We’ll see.
Musical guest this weekend is Lil Wayne, so maybe that will help.
Oh, and if the rumors on People.com are accurate, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama just might pop in for a surprise appearance. Maybe …
Busy Friday on TV … for a change
Normally Friday nights are dead nights for prime-time TV, but tonight a few things are worth noting.
“The 2008 ALMA Awards,” celebrating Latino achievements in American film, TV and music, airs at 7 p.m. on ABC. Eva Longoria Parker is the glamorous host.
“Psych” has its season finale tonight at 9 on USA Network. Life-threatening events are involved.
And, for those living in caves during the past week, Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin gets more air-time on tonight’s special edition of ABC’s “20/20” at 9 p.m. Charles Gibson’s multipart interview with the Alaska governor re-caps and wraps up after two days of dribbling onto ABC’s various news programs.
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Latest comments
So, this "---- contest" comes to us by way of some VPs with Lin and TWC ... Fire them all. They have lost touch with whom the customer is.
To Lin Broadcasting: Are you willing to reduce your advertising rates to reflect all the viewers that you HAD
... read the full comment by Bill | Comment on KXAN goes dark for Time Warner customers Read KXAN goes dark for Time Warner customers
So, it is now October 6th. Is anything happening in getting this stalemate ended????
... read the full comment by GaryS | Comment on KXAN goes dark for Time Warner customers Read KXAN goes dark for Time Warner customers
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