Cartoon Network Upfront 2011: The Children Are the Future

After a very successful 2010 that saw large gains in viewership among key demographics, Cartoon Network rolled out their strategic vision for even greater success in 2011 at their Advertising Upfront presentation on Wednesday, and to quote a great singer, “the children are the future.” This is not your parents’ Cartoon Network, and that is a very, very good thing. The days of catching Vegeta vs. Cell between classes and watching Huckleberry Hound while finishing a paper at 3am have evolved to a current focus on promoting popular, global brand franchises and developing a variety of dynamic original content with a deeper demographic reach.

To this end, 19 current shows will be returning to the line-up for next season, including the mega-blockbuster Ben 10 and Star Wars: The Clone Wars franchises, as well as the wildly popular Adventure Time and Generator Rex, both of which are at the core of Cartoon Network’s strategy to expand global brand franchises. Adventure Time’s double-digit growth, primetime dominance and resonance with fans of all ages, all point to a potential Spongebob-sized hit for Cartoon Network, while Generator Rex was billed as “the next great super hero” across platforms during the Upfront presentation, and forthcoming tie-ins with Ben 10 are a huge vote of confidence for the heights producers believe this show can achieve.

Upfront presentations, by their nature, are generally focused on partnerships of the advertising variety, but the announcements that I found most exciting were actually content development partnerships. In keeping with the theme of global franchises, Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO and Co-Founder of DreamWorks Animation SKG, came out to announce that the $500 million+ How to Train Your Dragon franchise will come to Cartoon Network as a weekly CG-animated series. Although no firm dates were given on when the first episodes will air, it will most likely coincide with the release of the How to Train Your Dragon sequel, due in June 2014, and an innovative forthcoming arena experience. Expanding a rich movie universe into a weekly series has worked very well for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and How to Train Your Dragon looks poised to be a similar hit.

The biggest announcement of the day, however, was easily the combination of Warner Bros., DC Entertainment and Cartoon Network to form DC Nation, a multi-platform programming block encompassing all things DC. With the number of great DC character series already on Cartoon Network such as Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Young Justice, Cartoon Network is a natural fit for further DC programming. For those old enough, think along the lines of a DC Comics version of Toonami, and you can see how exciting of a prospect DC Nation is.

In his closing remarks, Stuart Snyder, President and Chief Operating Officer of Turner Broadcasting’s Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media (AYAKM), noted that Cartoon Network would focus heavily on building and expanding brand franchises in 2011, and this is nowhere more evident than in the line-up of new shows that were announced at the Upfront. Out of 13 new series, seven are based on franchise properties, including the aforementioned How to Train Your Dragon and DC Nation, as well as Green Lantern, a ThunderCats reboot, a Looney Tunes sitcom-format show, a new Ben 10 series, and a show based on the new Lego Ninjago building sets. This fits very well into Cartoon Network’s overall partner strategy since the focused demographic is children, and children (and some adults) want toys and games, but hopefully Cartoon Network is able to avoid the pitfalls of oversaturation with good writing and continued development of unique comedic content like Secret Mountain Fort Awesome, and the live action movie event and series Level Up.

Snyder also highlighted that in 2011 Cartoon Network will be everywhere. Serving the 6- to 14-year-old demographic, puts Cartoon Network in the unique position to speak to the “early adopters of technology” as reiterated by John O’Hara, Executive Vice President and General Sales Manager, Cartoon Network Ad Sales & Marketing, and Cartoon Network intends to create online and mobile viewer experiences to capture all opportunities for engagement. The strategy has already begun to pay dividends with millions of users playing online Cartoon Network games and events such as the Hall of Game awards benefiting from tens of millions of online votes being cast.

As the Upfront drew to a close, it is clear that Cartoon Network has successfully solidified their place as the destination for animated children’s programming in 2010, and looks well-positioned to build on this progress in 2011 and beyond. With a greater focus on brand building, exciting new content partnerships, a commitment to social technologies and continuing to develop original comedic programming, Cartoon Network continues to not only balance, but integrate, creative desires with the demands of business successfully, and I can’t wait to see how it is manifested on the screen.

Photos by Editor Bilal Mian

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules Review: Being a Seventh Grader is Tough

The second book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series hit the big screen this weekend with Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. The sequel continues the story of Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon), now a seventh grader and the relationship between him and his older high school aged brother, Rodrick (Devon Bostick).

The story continues where the previous film left off, summer vacation is at an end and Greg and his friends are about to enter seventh grade. No longer at the very bottom of the social ladder, Greg and company hope that this school year is better than the last, but things don’t seem to work out quite that way for them. Meanwhile, a new student named Holly Hills transfers to their school and Greg immediately falls head over heels for her. Too bad she’s way out of his league.

Back at the Heffley household, local advice columnist Mrs. Heffley (Rachel Harris) attempts to get her oldest son and middle son to bond and get a long better by instituting a program she calls ‘Mom Bucks’. If the two boys attempt to spend some time together and not fight, they get mom bucks that they can then cash into real money. Rodrick of course finds a way to exploit this. The brothers’ relationship is your typical tumultuous one where the older sibling torments the younger one just because he can. Throughout the film they go through ups and downs and just when you think they’ve really bonded and have gotten past their previous issues, something happens that takes a turn for the worse. Poor Greg!

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is a collection of books written as Greg’s journal. Many of the illustrations that have been loved by readers translated over to the live action version film. It was a surprisingly hilarious time between seeing life for middle schooler Greg – filled with trying to get the girl he likes to notice him, avoiding abject humiliation through a series of unfortunate events or at the hands of his not so cool friends, and still having to deal with torment from both his older brother Rodrick and his younger brother Manny.

Like many younger brothers, Greg secretly admires Rodrick despite the terrible treatment he gets from his elder sibling. Rodrick is in high school, has a band called the Loaded Diapers, throws high school parties and wears man-liner (man eyeliner). This particular party that Rodrick threw was one of my favorite scenes of the movie because the brothers were able to have an awesome time together despite a rocky beginning and Greg’s best friend Rowley completely steals the scene.

Rowley, played by Robert Capron, did a fantastic job as the loyal and unintentionally goofy best friend. Capron has great comedic timing – from lip-synching Ke$ha’s Tik Tok, to grabbing onto Greg in the roller skating rink, attempting to lie to Mrs. Heffley, and of course his hilarious magic performance at the local talent show.

I laughed harder than I expected to throughout the film thanks to the wonderful performances by the main cast. They had had great chemistry together and did a terrific job in reminding this viewer what middle school was like – gross kids, crazy siblings, embarrassing parents, and trying to get out of doing homework. Not having read the book it was based on, the film itself though stands on it’s own and would be a great movie for the entire family to enjoy. You’ll feel Greg’s utter embarrassment as he gets into one crazy situation after another that might make you think, glad those days are over.

Lastly, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules beat out Sucker Punch this opening weekend earning $24.4 million. Who would have guessed that?

Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen T-Shirt Giveaway

Poptimal and Syfy are giving away a t-shirt to the hot new show Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen!

If you want to own the t-shirt seen to the left, here’s how to enter:

(No Purchase Necessary)

1. Post your comments about at least one (1) of our front page articles.

2. Email your name, email address and name of the post you commented on to contests@poptimal.com. Put “Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen” in the subject line.

3. Wait. The winner will be notified after Saturday, April 9th.

Check out all-new episodes of Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen Tuesdays at 10/9c on Syfy.

For television reviews and interviews, click here.

Images courtesy of Evans Vestal Ward, Isabella Vosmikova, and Syfy.

Grey’s Anatomy Review: This Is How We Do It

Wow, what a way to re-start the season.  Last Thursday’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy was another good one, but for the first time since Izzie was seeing ghosts: I’m disappointed…  Particularly, I thought the ending was absurd.  But let’s start at the beginning. 

Mark, Callie and Arizona continue their weird three-way arrangement.  This time Mark and Arizona are butting heads while trying to plan Callie’s baby shower.  Callie is totally geeked about it, but Arizona thinks it’s a miserable activity.  Mark is more excited about the shower and is really making an effort to be an active participant in Callie’s pregnancy, both as a parent and as best friend.  Arizona would be my least favorite character on the show, were it not for Dr. Starks.  She is snarky and bitchy, and always has a snide remark.  If she’s not angry at Mark for something, she’s whining to Callie.  Mark is genuinely a good guy.  Yes, he was resident playboy at Seattle Grace for a while.  But his heart is in the right place and he is trying to do right by his child.  Arizona should cut him some slack.  Mark is going to be in the picture forever, like it or not. 

The Chief’s wife is still being treated for potential Alzheimer’s disease.  Chief Webber would like for her to be in Derek’s trial, but Derek is reluctant to bend the rules to accommodate them.  For her part, Adele is resistant to the idea.  She’s in denial about her illness and eager to show everyone that she is normal and healthy.  A spot opens up when a patient drops out of the trial, but first she must meet the criteria for the trial by passing a test.  Ultimately, she narrowly misses being eligible for the trial, but it’s clear that she has some deficits.  In an oddly humorous but touching scene, Adele breaks down with frustration at the inevitable reality of her illness.  She laments that she and Richard are finally happy again, and now this happens. The timing couldn’t be worse, and she tearfully pleads with Meredith to tell her that she’s okay.  This was a powerful scene but I laughed a little bit. I love Loretta Devine, but for all of her croaking I don’t think I saw a single tear roll down those cheeks. Good scene anyway!

Webber really has his hands full.  He has to select the next Chief Resident, tend to his wife, and to top it off he and Bailey have a diabetic patient in dire straits.  If they don’t get FDA approval for an experimental procedure to save her life, she will surely die.  Eli has been the patient’s nurse and is familiar with her history.  When the woman’s husband expresses frustration with Bailey about her care, Eli intervenes and smoothes things over.  That was a good thing, but he oversteps his bounds shortly thereafter.  As Bailey apprises the patient’s husband of the experimental procedure they want to perform, Eli butts in before she can finish.  He undermined her authority and made it seem as if she were being deceptive.  They keep their cool in front of the patient, but later on Bailey tries to check him on his behavior. At the end of the day, they can’t get FDA approval for the surgery in time, so Webber rolls the dice and performs it anyway.  Fortunately, it was a success. 

Although there were a lot of tense moments in the last episode, there was still love in the air for a few folks.  Lexie and Jackson can’t keep their hands off each other, and Lucy (gasp) actually makes the move on Alex, after shutting him down repeatedly.

As a peace offering for having to endure the baby shower, Callie takes Arizona away for the weekend to a bed and breakfast.  On the way there, Callie gets a call from Mark and Arizona chimes in with her usual bullcrap.  Finally Callie tells it like it is: Arizona is jealous of Mark.  Callie asks her what else she wants her to do about the situation, and Arizona says: marry me.  While this scene transpires, Arizona constantly looks between Callie and the road in front of her.  I start yelling at the TV: “pay attention to the road!”  It only takes a second to be distracted while driving; this scene could have been handled in a  much more realistic manner.  The scene came off like a soap opera cliffhanger, it was laughable, predictable, and poorly executed.  I think it would be cheesy to have Callie seriously injured or killed off in a car accident at this point.  Overall, this scene was not well done and doesn’t fit, like O’Malley’s deadly accident a few seasons ago – which, unfortunately, worked much better than this one.  Still, I look forward to seeing where this goes next week.

Best of the episode: The other docs teasing April about Stark’s romantic interest

Worst of the episode: The final scene.

What to look for next: What happens to Callie??

Season 7, Episode 17:  “This Is How We Do It” (original air date March 24, 2011)

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

Images courtesy of Ron Tom and ABC.

Sucker Punch Review: You Won’t Get This From A Book

Going into Sucker Punch I really didn’t know what to expect. Visually the movie looked amazing and the action badass, but somewhere deep in the back of my mind I felt that the story would be flat out terrible. I’m glad to say the story wasn’t as bad as I imagined, but it wasn’t all that amazing either.

This will be a movie the critics will bash because it contains no artistic value (in their opinion), no deep meaning, and situations that are so ludicrous that they’ll feel insulted. Sucker Punch is no The King’s Speech, but it definitely isn’t something you can experience elsewhere.

What’s The Story?

Sucker Punch opens to the death of Babydoll’s (Emily Browning) mother. Her stepfather snaps upon learning that his late wife left all of her possessions to her daughters. Enraged, the gold digger of a husband murders Babydoll’s younger sister. Holding a gun to her stepfather’s head, Babydoll tosses it aside and makes a run for it. The police soon find her, but it is too late. Her stepfather has framed her for murder. To make sure she doesn’t talk,  he has Babydoll institutionalized. Inside of the asylum, Babydoll retreats into an alternate reality of a brothel where she must plan her escape with the help of the other girls before she is sold to the high-roller in five days.

How’s The Action?

The action is Sucker Punch contains the most stylish and creative sequences I’ve seen from any other movie in theaters. Lets be real for a second. The movie was purposely made for these action scenes and the story was second thought. There is no way you are going to have an audience take a movie seriously when a girl retreats into an alternate world that involves fighting samurais, steampunk nazi zombies, dragons, and robots with a katana and handgun.

The action sequences are fast, insane, highly creative, and simply epic. They feel like Quick-Time-Events out of a videogame like God of War, but without the button pressing of course. Director Zack Snyder‘s vision of how these sequences play out amazes me. You can read a description of these scenes all you want but nothing your mind imagines will match the intensity on screen.

What I Liked

• The action was a blast to watch unfold as I previously stated. The creative nature of the enemies, fights, weapons, and setting really shine.

• Something unexpected was the music of Sucker Punch. The movie’s soundtrack really stood out enough for me to take a notice and that rarely happens (the last time being 500 Days of Summer).

• After the opening narration, the scene of Baby Doll’s mother dying up till the arrival to the asylum plays out to a rendition of Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) without a single line of dialogue being spoken. There was a quiet madness to that scene that I really enjoyed.

• Women kicking ass. You’ve got a bunch of girls in a terrible situation and yea, wearing skimpy outfits isn’t he most ideal way to represent them, but they make the best of what they got. They have the weapons in their own hands and they put their lives on the line to do what it takes to survive. Many will say they are misrepresented, but I disagree. If a woman in a tough spot makes the best of her situation, that is empowerment. Whether she succeeds or fails, it is a noble effort.

What I Didn’t Like

• The story for Sucker Punch was predictable. Even the twists were pretty spottable. While the story wasn’t terrible, it wasn’t great either. The major reason for this falls on the characters.

• The characters of Baby Doll, Sweet Pea, Rocket, Amber, and Blondie come off as archetypes. There is very little personality or development within any of the characters. There was no reason to get attached to any or really care about them.

• A movie inside a movie inside of a movie. What is this, Inception? Asylum, Brothel, Fantasy World. One too many levels of reality for my liking. Asylum pretty much seemed unnecessary in all honesty.

• The story got a bit dull at times causing me to drift off during scenes that didn’t involve swords or guns.

• Jon Hamm… This is nitpicking but I just find it hilarious when he is not Donald Draper. Anytime I see him in anything other than Mad Men I have to ask “What’s he doing off of Madison Ave?”

Final Grade

Sucker Punch is not a movie you watch for its story or the message it’s trying to put out. People go to see Sucker Punch for one reason, the action. Some of you will find this movie to be an absolute blast. Others, like myself, will find it interesting to say the least. If you went to see Sucker Punch after seeing the trailer or a commercial and felt like it insulted your intelligence, then you really need to take a step back and reevaluate what you thought you were going to get out of this movie.

Sucker Punch is an imaginative action packed visual adrenaline ride. You won’t get an experience like this reading a book no matter how vast your imagination. Check your brain at the door and you’ll have a decent time.

Final Grade: B-

Jersey Shore Review: At the End of the Day

All good things must come to an end. Jersey Shore has been a wild ride this season, and for better or worse – it’s over now. The episode opens with (of course) Sam and Ron. Picking right up where they left off last week, there is a dispute about what actually went on between Sam and Arvin. Arvin candidly tells Ron that he and Sam did make out. The guy sounds believable to me. Sam goes through a big charade of acting outraged that Arvin is lying. She gets on the phone with Arvin to confront him. She denies everything and Arvin gives her a specific example of a time when they made out, with names and details. Any good will I had for Sam is gone, because she’s acting stupidly. If you did something, just admit it. It’s very obvious that she’s lying, and she’s only making herself look bad. Finally she admits that they made out, saying that it happened 2 years ago, when she was 21. I don’t know if this is true, or if they made out more recently, but whatever.

The tables have really turned now and it is Sam who must prove to Ron that she has changed. He tells her that she has two options: prove that she’s changed or opt out now. It looks like Sam is going to fight for her man, but things fall apart when she tries to issue another ultimatum. Recall earlier in the season that she asked Ron if Jenni was his friend, and if she was then Sam was done with him. She wanted Ron to choose. Similarly, Sam tells Ron that she hates Mike and that if Mike is Ron’s boy, then she’s not okay with him. To his credit, Ron checks her ever so smoothly – and once again Sam looks horrible. What a difference a day makes! Just the other day I had all the sympathy in the world for Sam. Now she’s in the doghouse.

Before saying farewell to the Shore, the house decides to have a barbecue for family and friends. Deena’s friend Lisa is at the party, and Vinny makes a connection with her. Before he can make a move Deena commits the ultimate offense that has infuriated men for as long as women have been best friends: the cock block! I understand that Deena thinks it’s messy for Vin and her friend to hook up, considering that Lisa knows Snooki too. But Snooki said she doesn’t care, and everyone is an adult. Deena was drunk and really tried to embarrass Vinny, but ended up embarrassing herself. It may not even have been a DTF situation, but Lisa and Vinny were getting along and Deena should have minded her own business. When they get back to the house things come to a head. Vinny says that Deena is just like Angelina: if she’s not having a good time, then no one can. Ouch! The house reacts as if Vinny just called Deena the worst thing imaginable. She goes nuts and gets all emotional in response. Deena has been a sweetie for the most part, but she was cock blocking. She’s not Angelina, but I understand where Vinny was coming from. The next day they all make up.

It’s only fitting that they literally go out with a bang. To that end, Snooki re-connects with Nick, the guy she met a few weeks ago. She says that he looks like Pauly, but this kid is funny looking if you ask me. No matter, he serves his purpose and all is right in Snooki’s world. Jenni’s too, as she and Roger decided to make their summer fling a more permanent thing. At the end of the day, Ron tells Sam that he needs his space and you know what? I actually believe him this time.

See you next summer!

Season 2, Episode 26; Season Finale: “At the End of the Day” (original air date March 24, 2011)

Images courtesy of MTV.

Top Chef All Stars Review: The Penultimate Supper

There are only three all-star chefs left. These are good, solid cheftestants and the recent episode, “The Last Supper,” has them in quite the pressure cooker before the season finale (That will hopefully be my only cooking reference metaphor in this article).  But the show starts off with the Quickfire challenge with one of the world’s most famous chefs judging it, Wolfgang Puck. As Mike said, as a kid he didn’t know any chefs but he did know who Wolfgang Puck was.

Quickfire Challenge! Padma asks the chefs to assign their competitors one of seven previous quickfire challenges. Mike gets to pick first and gives Antonia canned foods. Antonia picks hot dogs for Richard, seriously though, who doesn’t like hot dogs? Richard gives Mike the “one pot,” which Antonia points out means he can use any fresh, good ingredients he wants unlike her and Blais. As the chefs start preparing the dishes Padma comes into the kitchen and tells them that they now have to pick from three previous “twists.” Mike has to cook without utensils, which didn’t effect him at all. Richard now has to cook with one hand and Antonia dons a “double-apron” with Carla. Richard is the only one really hampered by this. It seems like it would be nice to have Carla around to help out and taste stuff.

It comes time for Wolfgang Puck to judge, and he says Antonia’s curry coconut soup with canned shrimp, andouille sausage, peanuts, and fish sauce has A LOT of flavor. “A lot of flavor” seems to be the only comment anyone makes about Antonia anymore.  The next dish Wolfgang sample is Blais’ hot dogs on handmade roti bread with curry ketchup, mayonnaise, and mint leaves. Everybody knows you don’t put ketchup on a hotdog, but Richard and Wolfgang don’t seem to like it anyway, but he says his kids would love it (Ouch! How old are Puck’s kids anyway? 37?). Mike’s pork shoulder with black beans and chili paste and ginger and cabbage salad came away with the win, I’m guessing because he could use actual “real” ingredients and not store bought processed food. Richard says he’s ok with Mike’s current winning streak (he’s so not).

Elimination Challenge! The three contestants are greeted by three actual top chefs: Michelle Bernstein, Morimoto, and Wolfgang Puck. On seeing Michelle Bernstien, Mike calls her “one of the top three women chefs.” Of course he doesn’t realize how sexist and insulting that statement is. The cheftestants pair up with the chefs so they can be told what they’ll be cooking. Michelle Bernstein tells Mike to recreate the fried chicken and biscuits she remembers eating as a kid. Wolfgang Puck wants Richard to dish up a goulash and apple strudel his mother used to make. The very intimidating Iron Chef Morimoto asks Antonia to prepare his post-baseball meal of  miso soup and sashimi. Again Mike seems to have the easiest dish and Antonia seems to have the most difficult.

Antonia has to make a batch of perfect rice and then thr hamachi she’s going to prepare turns out to be pretty much rotten. Why can’t she catch a break?  Richard’s confident about making Wolfgang’s mom’s goulash and not so confident about the strudel. Mike’s fried chicken resembles the nugget variety, but I did want to try his yolk-filled empanada, even though no one would ever call that a “biscuit.” In the end Wolfgang says Richard could be a cook in Austria and his mom would approve. You can’t get better than that, so Blais takes the top spot and moves on to the finale. Antonia and Mike have a chance to redeem themselves in a head-to-head “single bite” challenge. Forty-five minuets and two dishes later the judges take a vote and Mike squeaks by in the second spot. Poor Antonia. I really wanted her to be one of the finale two.

Overall this was one of the best shows of the seasons and ultimately a great set up for the finale. It had drama, it was packed with challenges and twists and most importantly it had good food. It is now down to good versus evil, Richard verses Mike, hair gel verses farts. I have to admit, I’m pretty stoked.

Season 8, Episode 15 “Last Supper” (original air date March 23, 2011)

Top Chef: All-Stars airs Wednesday 10/9c on Bravo.

Images courtesy of Virginia Sherwood and Bravo.

 

 

American Idol Review: Is There A Doctor in the House?

After last week’s unmitigated disaster, this season of Idol needed a serious pick-me-up to redeem itself back to the glory viewers had initially anticipated. Luckily, Wednesday’s Motown theme surprisingly lit a fire under the asses of our young karaoke artists, who all stepped up their game a notch or two and performed with unadulterated improvement. The result? Nary a dud in the bunch, and even one or two thrilling moments – especially during the riotous results show — sure to go down in Idol history.  Considering the tired “Songs From the Year You Were Born” motif crashed and burned to such an epic extent, my hopes for the equally played-out Motown theme weren’t high. Where’s the innovation Iovine promised? For such a legendary hit-maker, one would assume he’d be interested in introducing a new vernacular of music to the show for its noteworthy tenth season. Turns out, he’s sticking with the same-old shticks we’ve been saddled with for the last decade.

One would think by now we don’t need a makeshift minisode of Behind The Music documenting the origin of Motown, but here it comes, in all its time-filling glory. Seacrest greets us in American Bandstand-style black-and-white to introduce the surprisingly thorough history lesson, during which I’m sure most of the voting demographic promptly zoned out. The judges then enter in their typical bombastic splendor; J. Lo is covered head to toe in iridescent sequins, silently deeming herself Idol’s own Glinda the Good Witch. Tyler announces the Motown era had as big an impact on the music industry as “The English invasion,” and introduced songs whose sound made him “want to make out with girls.” Seacrest suggests that making out wasn’t all Tyler was up to, and makes sure the camera gives daughter Liv, hiding in the audience, a chance to wave to the masses.

Casey’s up first, and he’s singing “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” an inarguable classic in the Motown canon that’s been showcased on Idol numerous times. This genre seems to fit the persona Casey initially presented in his auditions, and he’s badly in need of a solid performance to erase everyone’s memory of his version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” that only succeeded in tarnishing his previously golden reputation. Sure enough, this week he emerges with slicked-back hair and accompanying blazer, but his strange tendency to growl through his notes and stare at the audience like he might pull a knife at any moment remains intact. It’s still a vast improvement, and Casey succeeds in following the advice to “harness the energy” and exude a bit more control over his vocals. It’s a subdued and subtle performance in comparison to last week’s, and a relieving return to form for the affable grizzly man. Tyler, as usual, slathers on excessive praise and champions Casey’s “perfect pitch.” I tend to believe it’s hard to achieve pitch at all when actual notes aren’t being sung, but perhaps that’s why I’m not a rich and loopy rock star. Tyler then proclaims Casey is “the perfect entertainer” because of his “out of control ego.” Now there’s an honest comment. J. Lo admires the specificity of Casey’s whole package, and says he “might be ‘the guy’ right now.” Randy points out how Casey is “a true original,” which might be the most unoriginal assessment he could have possibly given.

Thia “Small Wonder” Megia was clearly taking notes last week, and wisely chose the uptempo song “Heatwave,” by Martha and the Vandellas, to counterbalance the lobotomizing ballads she’s churned out week after week. Although Thia’s newly charged batteries provided a chirpy performance with more personality than all her previous camera time combined, there’s still a disconnect she’s having trouble acknowledging. J. Lo congratulates Thia for not appearing like an empty-eyed zombie this week, but encourages her to “dig deeper”; even though Thia’s youth prohibits her from using life experience to relate to a song, according to J. Lo, she should still be able to fake it. Randy’s just happy to see Thia “move up a notch,” while Tyler’s simply “good with it.” Thia’s naivete really shows when she admits backstage – on camera – that she flubbed the words a bit. What part of FAKING IT does she not understand?

Jacob Lusk is up next, and his performance of “You’re All I Need To Get By” solidifies his position as one of this season’s powerhouse contestants. He’d fallen off the rails a bit the last couple of weeks and had trouble containing his exuberance, and his pitch and control suffered as a result. This week, he tones down the histrionics and keeps his focus on the intent of the song, wisely restraining himself to a slow build instead of “putting his foot on the gas” too early. It’s a triumphant performance that perfectly bookends his version of “God Bless the Child” that blew everyone away during Hollywood Week. Despite the overly loud backup singers (if they drowned out Jacob of all people, there’s a definite sound problem), this is clearly the performance of the night to beat. Tyler is so awestruck he leaps onstage to give Jacob a congratulatory hug, while Seacrest lines up the front row of the audience for hugs of their own. This, I believe, is an Idol first. Randy and J. Lo succinctly sum it up from the comfort of their chairs: “You know what was wrong with that performance?” “Absolutely NOTHING!”

Lauren Alaina is rightfully nervous to have to follow Jacob’s throwdown, which is perhaps what initially distracts her from acting like the cutesy fool she normally does. Her wardrobe this evening is quite divine, and I suspect she’s been paid a much-needed visit by Idol’s go-to image consultant. Gone are the batting eyelashes and baby-voiced pouts, but Lauren apparently can’t completely give up her old ways. She takes a seat on RANDY’s lap during her performance of The Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hanging On,” and the pandering slowly creeps back in from then on. While her performance as a whole is nearly devoid of vocal ferocity, despite her impressive technical skills, the root of the problem lies within Lauren’s apparent inability to convey the message of the song. She claims to understand it’s about a desperate woman trapped in a loveless relationship, but nevertheless proceeds to skip around the stage with the innocent flounce of a schoolgirl and “spontaneously” giggle into the mic with glee. Although I think Lauren could use some of the same acting lessons as Thia, the judges clearly saw attitude I didn’t. Randy says Lauren “got her swagger on,” Tyler marvels how she “ripped that song another beauty mark,” and J. Lo mimics her neck thrusts. Really.

Stefano reminisces “growing up” with Motown, but then peculiarly picks a song he claims not to have heard before. While I agree Lionel Richie’s “Hello” doesn’t exactly echo the classic melodies of a Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye song, it is an entity in itself most Idol fans would know  – David Cook famously nailed it in Season 7. Do your homework, Stefano! It’s a fantastically cheesy tune that is nearly impossible to listen to with a straight face, but Stefano’s incessant eagerness is contagious. The sophisticated accompaniment of a piano and guitar help his performance become a success in its own right, once the glory notes pierce the air. However, Stefano’s Broadway-lite stage antics prove he’s another one who needs to learn the art of emoting believably. J. Lo proves herself an increasingly impressive and insightful judge, telling Stefano his intensity can’t emerge because he “wants to do well,” but rather because his “heart is breaking.” Good stuff. Randy and Tyler realize they can’t possibly top that sound advice, and sheepishly agree. Meanwhile, Seacrest offers a sample of Stefano’s mom’s home cooking to guest audience member Gordon Ramsay, who practically pinches his nose with contempt. My heart nearly breaks when the camera then catches Mom’s stoically crestfallen face. Nice going, Gordie. Jerk.

Haley Reinhart is clearly growing tired of her consistent appearance in the bottom three this season, and is trying to use her cleavage to distract voters from her embarrassing stage persona. With flat-ironed hair and up-to-there shorts, Haley certainly upped the wow factor of her visual image, but one glimpse of her painful attempt to descend the staircase in six-inch heels destroyed any progress she’d made toward looking like a credible pop star. Her vocal performance of Smokey Robinson’s “You Really Got a Hold On Me” marginally exhibits more control and power than usual, but her awkward movement around the stage only succeeds in highlighting her physical discomfort. Tyler, of course, is transfixed, and tells Haley, “You don’t look a day over fabulous,” and continues to insist she sounds like Janis Joplin. Whatever gets you out of bed in the morning, I guess. J. Lo praises Haley for having the most soulful female voice in the competition, which would possibly be true if she could pick one tone and stick with it for longer than a note or two. As is, Haley comes across to me as clumsy and frantic with no idea of the kind of singer she wants to be, whether it’s Janis or Alicia Keys.

I’d been looking forward to Scotty’s attempt at Motown, and I only grow more eager when he’s warned in the studio to keep the lounge act to a minimum. Can Nuts of Wonder actually step out of his comfort zone? As he begins the first few bars of Stevie Wonder’s “For Once In My Life,” however, the answer is a clear and resounding No. Scotty offers up one of the hokier performances of his Idol career (and that’s saying a lot, considering Scotty is arguably the hokiest contestant) that sounds every bit as country as his Garth Brooks or Travis Tritt impressions. Perched on the staircase with his token smirk, eerily reminiscent of George W. Bush if you look closely, Scotty’s Motown song is given the red state treatment with a shrewdly maneuvered harmonica and sleepy arrangement that conjures images of cornfields and the American flag. The crowd, naturally, goes hog wild. Tyler says Scotty reminds him of country legend Glen Campbell, while J. Lo admits Scotty’s low notes “get [her] all over again” despite this not being his strongest performance. Randy, meanwhile, is completely on to Scotty and his entire plan for world domination, calling him a “lady killer” in between stifled chortles. I know, Dawg. I can’t believe it, either.

Pia also stays in familiar territory, choosing the Motown song that most closely resembles a Celine Dion power ballad: Stevie Wonder’s “All in Love is Fair.” The calculated phrasing and timing of her performances always result in near-mathematical flawlessness, but the judges – and viewers, I suspect – are beginning to tire of Pia’s stringently formulaic approach. Her talent is both jaw-dropping and undeniable, but her song choices and stage presence are nearing the danger zone of predictable and boring. The judges agree, and J. Lo urges Pia to “own the stage” and “incorporate further dynamics” into her performance that accompany her powerhouse vocals. Randy warns Pia that she “cannot live by ballads alone,” while an awestruck Tyler refers to her as “the closest star in this American Idol universe.” Seacrest, meanwhile, can’t conceal his love for couture and makes Pia show off her dress.

I’m delighted to see Paul McDonald with a guitar on stage, mostly because I’m sure he’s most comfortable with his preferred instrument, but also because it will give viewers a much-needed break from the exhausting McDonald two-step. Iovine is definitely in Paul’s corner, explaining how his performance of “The Tracks of My Tears” will hopefully give Paul the coveted Idol “moment” the judges – and his fans – have been waiting for. Paul’s success on the show is promising for other quirky singers who may not fit into the standard pop-star model that contests like these adhere to, but unfortunately his performances have not lived up to the preceding hype. His voice is geared for a type of song so specific, I think even Scotty has more musical range. When Paul finds his element, the result is richly satisfying; outside of that target, he seems to flail in spite of his effortless stage presence. His rendition of The Miracles’ classic is the closest to his sweet spot we’ve seen in the finals so far, and Paul seems relieved to be without any dancing obligations for the night. Tyler, apparently having taken name-dropping duty from Randy this week, starts talking Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson right off the bat – it wasn’t that good, dude. J. Lo is a bit more realistic, naming Paul the most seasoned performer of the Idols and “the complete package.” However, she also acknowledges his crucial need for a good producer, thus exposing a big reason for his successful performance this week. Randy liked the more “tender” tone of Paul’s voice toward the end of the song and encourages him to further explore that aspect of his range.

Naima continues to be one of my favorite contestants simply because I like her, but even I have to admit her pitch problems from last week were of ghastly proportion. She reveals she’s planning to insert an African dance break into her performance of “Dancing in the Street,” and I immediately remember how out of breath she was during her rendition of “Umbrella” two weeks ago. Given these two negative factors, I begin to foresee imminent doom for my fellow Wisconsinite. However, this time the hodgepodge of Naima comes together to make for a truly interesting and complete performance that exudes individuality and talent. Her pitch? Intact. Her dancing? Spot-on. She wisely plans her singing around the dance break and gives herself enough time to relax before belting the last line. I’m so thrilled for her, I actually applaud in my own living room. I’m sure she heard me. The judges are also pleased. Randy is glad that “all of Naima” finally showed up, and notes the crafty arrangement of the song to account for the dancing and vocals. J. Lo says Naima gave her the “first goosebumps of the night,” while Tyler continues devolving into monosyllabic nonsense, noting that Naima “ate the stage.”

James Durbin seems like the ideal contestant to close such a successful performance show, but he strangely chose to tone down the theatrics for the one night he could have gotten away with murder. I’m quick to admit my initial disdain for the shameless early promotion of James was preemptive, and I’ve actually grown to be quite a fan of his. While his performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Livin’ For The City” is lively and mirrors his ease on stage, there simply lacked a “wow” factor for me that made it worthy of the last slot. The judges, however, are needlessly floored, as J. Lo marvels how James is “serious business up there” and his talent is “an incredible thing to watch.” Randy mercifully inserts a dose of reality and tells James he “started rough,” but then succumbs to Durbin frenzy and admits the performance was “unbelievable” once James “hit [his] pocket.” Tyler might be jealous that J. Lo is hogging all the articulate comments, so he tries to come up with his own but instead commends James for holding the notes “in his range.” Where else would they go?

Thursday’s results show began like any other, but this week’s obnoxious montage actually reflected performances that were as good as the thunderous video recap claims. Seacrest immediately begins foreshadowing left and right, continuously reminding viewers to “expect the unexpected” throughout the evening, especially when the results are announced. Apparently, we’re to be shocked. Shocked!

The Idols emerge on stage, dressed to the nines. All are looking quite spiffy and put together in their sequins and spats alike, with the exception of poor Haley and her unfortunate side ponytail. If this girl doesn’t get eliminated soon, the producers may resort to a Kick Me sign in the coming weeks.

Mr. Jennifer Lopez, known to some as Marc Anthony, was apparently employed last week. With all of his experience selling out international concert arenas (really?), Mr. J. Lo is apparently the resident expert on maintaining vocal pitch during live performances. How about that. Given the Idols’ abysmal showing last week, Anthony arrived to help them prep for Motown and give them a proper lesson on singing with in-ear monitors. Guess what? It worked. From what I could tell, Anthony’s day-long lesson gave the Idols more helpful advice than the last few weeks of Jimmy Iovine’s in-house “mentorship.” Maybe J. Lo didn’t just marry Anthony for his, um, good looks (?) after all. Ahem.

The group medley consists of Motown classics “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” which has the half-baked charisma of a small-town high school musical, and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” which results in a resounding success because Stevie Wonder himself makes an unbilled cameo to sing his song live with the Idols as backup. Tyler looks genuinely surprised when Stevie and the gang proceed to wish him a happy birthday on stage, and the whole moment is chock-full of gooey goodness.

The Ford commercial, excuse me, music video, happens. Amazingly, I have no increased desire to own a Ford. Conversely, in fact, my desire to destroy one has skyrocketed.

Popular crossover country duo Sugarland perform, and I can’t help but wonder if they were accidentally booked on the wrong date, or before the week’s theme was decided. These two are about as Motown as a Starbucks.

The first round of contestants is up, and Seacrest starts things off easy by bringing Pia, Lauren and Scotty to center stage. It’s obvious he’s going to screw with them, but Scotty’s sincere shock at being told to “pack your bags …. in a few weeks because you’re all going to be on the Top 10 tour!” is priceless. Haven’t you gotten the Seacrest shtick down, Scotty?

Before Paul and James are asked to join Seacrest on stage, we’re treated to a non-sequitur that revolves around James’ obsessive love for professional wrestling, and Paul’s far more normal mild enjoyment of it. So when the two are told, “neither one of you are safe,” a stunned shock falls upon the studio until Seacrest specifies, “I mean, you’re REALLY not safe,” and Hulk Hogan makes the night’s second unbilled cameo. While Paul is visibly tickled, Durbin is beside himself and crumples to the floor in a heap. The Hulk faux-socks Seacrest and sends him tumbling into the audience, which is expectedly awesome. Oh, and the Hulk lets us know the guys are actually both safe, and proceeds to rip open his shirt, which is expectedly lame.

Jacob, Thia and Stefano are headed to the seal, and Jacob is promptly sent back. I predict Thia may have struggled for votes this week, but Stefano’s snoozy Lionel Richie landed him in the bottom three, as well.

Now this is where it gets really interesting. Naima, Haley and Casey are the final contestants to hear their fates, and Naima is preparing herself for the chair of doom when Seacrest announces her as the first safe contestant of the three. Given the choice between Haley and Casey, it’s clear Casey’s position in the bottom would be the shocking! reveal we’re to have waited for, but this knowledge somehow doesn’t make it any less shocking! when it’s announced as the truth. HALEY is SAFE? Haley is safe.

As Casey saunters over to join Thia and Stefano, the lovely and amazing Jennifer Hudson alleviates some of the tension to perform her new single, “Where You At?” She looks stunning and sings well, hopefully giving Ashthon Jones a lesson or two on how a real diva does it. The song itself? Meh. But J. Hud could sing me the alphabet, I love her so.

The time has come for the final results; even though I know what’s about to happen, I still try to convince myself either Thia or Stefano will be whisked back to obscurity. Instead, the shocking! truth that CASEY is up for elimination is announced, and the thud of a million jaws hitting the floor reverberates across the country. Casey begins his sing-for-your-life performance, wisely choosing “I Don’t Need No Doctor” from his very first audition. The stupefied judges barely let him get a few bars in before Randy’s flailing arms halt the production and they announce Casey will receive the coveted Judges’ Save. Casey is so stunned I fear he may need a doctor after all – he looks like he’ll either puke or faint at any moment, and actually does collapse into Seacrest before collecting himself enough to express confusion and gratitude to the judges for their faith in him. I’m actually standing up in front of my TV, this is so great to behold, and the power of Idol has never made me feel so thrilled and so gullible at the same time.

What do you think? The greatest results show in Idol history, or the most meticulously orchestrated and insulting ploy for ratings possible? Is Casey worth it? Do you need a doctor? Post a comment below!

Need more Idol? Read “Motown Week Brings Shocking Twists & Turns” by Kelley Lynn.

Season 10, Episodes 20 – 21: 11 Finalist Compete and 1 of 11 Voted Off (originally aired March 23 – 24, 2011)

For more American Idol coverage, click here.

Don’t miss American Idol Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8/7c on FOX.

Photographs courtesy of IMDbPro.

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America’s Next Top Model Review: Felines, Freshmen, and Fashion

After Tyra Banks’s warning at panel last week to Alexandria, everyone – the models and ANTM viewers, save her family and friends –synergically hoped Alex’s true colors would come shining through and that she would finally be sent home.

Not to give her too much of my time and attention because she’s not one of my favorites, I can’t help but wonder if Alex is really that chick or if she’s just really misunderstood.  After watching reality TV since the early ‘90s, I know we don’t see all the facets to the cast/models’ personalities; however, I also know that the producers air the footage the cast/models give them with which to work.  Therefore, if the cast/models are being diva-esque, that’s what the viewers will mostly see – as in Alexandria’s case.  While I acknowledge that Alex is probably not all that she’s being portrayed to be on ANTM right now, a part of her is indeed a diva in the worst sense of the word. For that reason, I don’t like her as a model, and I join the synergistic campaign to see she gets sent home soon, very soon.

Those of us on The Send Alex Home Campaign sat with our fingers crossed as we watched the nine girls break into groups of three for the Cover Girl mini challenge.  In three teams of three, each with a distinct look, they had one hour to create a “Get the Look” online video where they highlighted Cover Girl’s Nature Luxe Silk Foundation.  The winning team’s video was posted on Cover Girl’s website.  Each team member was given the role of talent, director, or writer.  Once again, Alex tried to usurp Molly’s role as the writer and disaster nearly ensued until Monique directed them into a Kum Ba Ya-like hug to center her team before their commercial.  However, during the actual commercial Alex once again tried to take over Monique’s job as director by yelling action and cut every time it suited her fancy.  Bold/Colorful Eyes Team 2: Dalya, Jaclyn and Hannah thought they had the right combination, but with Dalya not saying the full name of the product and without a definite script, their team defeated themselves.  Night/Red Carpet Team 1: Although Mikaela used the f-bomb more times than I even heard the name of the product, Team 3 still lost to Team 1, Kasia, Mikaela, and Brittani (the talent of Monique and Molly notwithstanding), because Jay Manuel was tired of Alexandria’s bossiness – oh yeah – and because Team 1 was relatable.

In their quest to find out if Alex really likes them, Molly and Monique turned the Top Model House into Top Model Freshmen Hall as if it were the University of ANTM while Alex was on the phone with her boyfriend.  While Brittani played look-out, Monique ran in Alex’s room and looked through her diary to see what Alex had been writing about them.  If this were a sitcom, this would be the rising action before the climax.  Because this is one of the most boring cycles of ANTM known to fashion, the diary was read aloud and returned to its hiding place without Alex being any the wiser.

In an attempt to bring out the wild side of these girls (that they are clearly not portraying through their pictures or in panel), Jay Manuel used the old LA Zoo as the scene for their fashion shoot with fashion photographer Baldomero Fernandez as they modeled pieces from Rachel Zoe’s faux fur collection and posed with Murato, a baby jaguar.  Even though Alexandria barked and hissed at the cat, which did nothing to win over the judges, Molly’s inability to work through and around her new-but-still-a-mess weave and Dalya’s digression to remedial modeling put them in the bottom two at panel, and I had to see my final favorite, Dalya, be sent home.

Dalya has been modeling since she was 16 years old, and now at 21 she’s already experienced LA Fashion Week.  Obviously, she was allowed to be apart of the competition because she was still considered to be an amateur; however, I can’t help but to think she was sent home this week because they held her to a higher standard than they did the other models.  As she approached the judges, Tyra herself described Dalya as being “chic.”  In previous cycles, the girls’ outfits in front of judges could have gotten them sent home just as soon as a bad picture.  Yet this season after one bad, remedial picture, Dalya is sent home before Alex’s bad attitude and her faded (or acid-washed) thigh-high jean shorts and leather bomber jacket, which the judges never mentioned.  Granted, they could have done it in unseen footage, but if ANTM chose not to show it, it  means it wasn’t significant or it didn’t happen.  Therefore, at this stage of the game the judges expected more from Dalya than they did the other models, or at least Alex and Molly.

Kudos to Hannah, who got the best photo.  The girl was fierce with a feline!

For another take on this episode, check out “Taming The Model Within,” by Desiree Neall

Cycle 16, Episode 5: “Rachel Zoe” (Originally aired March 23, 2011)

Get fierce with America’s Next Top Model, Wednesdays at 8/7 c on The CW

Images courtesy of The CW

Survivor Review: On the Brink of Change

Voting off Matt during the second tribal council could come back to bite the Ometepe tribe in the ass. This week’s episode of Survivor began with another dominant performance by Matt at the Redemption Island duel, and with the number of contestants dwindling down, one has to think that either a merge or twist in the game is soon approaching. Matt has proven he is a superior contestant in challenges, but how he reacts when or if he reenters the game will likely determine how far he goes. Perhaps a possible alliance with Zapatera tribe members is on the horizon? Or maybe a smooth assimilation back into the good graces of the Ometepe tribe? Either way, I think this potential storyline is one of the most interesting on the show, and I look forward to watching it unfold.

After saying “vaya con dios” to Krista and watching her dramatically give her neon bible to Matt, we were thrust back into the weekly Survivor formula which builds up a “who will be the one voted off this week?” premise. Stephanie and Sarita found themselves the subjects of this debate, with Stephanie finally making an attempt to play the game and realign herself with her tribe mates. David (my current pick to win the show, but one I have great reservations about after each episode) was in Stephanie’s corner readily pointing out Sarita’s flaws. The lawyer’s defense stated that Sarita was a much weaker competitor than Stephanie, and right now in the game, Zapatera’s best chance at moving forward is to keep the most competitive people around. This argument seemed convincing enough, and after getting completely annihilated by the Ometepe tribe, namely Grant, in the immunity challenge, several Zapatera competitors were genuinely torn about who to vote out. Ultimately, Stephanie was the one to be cast away to Redemption Island with many of the votes going her way. The fallout from this tribal council should be interesting next week as Sarita’s reaction will help determine which direction her tribe goes.

Then, of course, there is the main reason for tuning into Survivor each and every week, Phillip. On this week’s installment of Surviving Phillip, contestants Natalie and Ashley were given a harsh talking to by an infuriated Phillip. Apparently lying around, sun bathing and plucking hairs from your armpits is something Phillip frowns upon and he’s not shy about it. After confronting the girls about their lack of effort around camp, Phillip seems poised to take the “they go or I go” stance; a position that he will undoubtedly lose. This is unfortunate because honestly, it does seem that Natalie and Ashley are useless and should be voted off if need be. However, Phillip just does not have the human skills to approach that situation wisely. In the mean time I will continue to root for Ometepe to win challenges, thus keeping Phillip around for as long as possible.

As stated above, the time is approaching in which a “game changing” event will happen. Whether this is via a merge, the shuffling of tribes or the re-entrance of a Redemption Island castaway, this event promises to stir the pot and up the drama. So stayed tuned because things are just starting to get interesting!

Season 22, Episode 6: Their Red-Headed Stepchild (originally aired March 23, 2011)

For more on Survivor, click here.

Don’t miss Survivor: Redemption Island Wednesdays, 8/7c on CBS.

Photographs courtesy of CBS Broadcasting, Inc and IMDb Pro.

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