America’s Next Top Model Review: Stumbling To The Finish Line

Possibly the most exciting episode of the season finally came, the ANTM finale, and with that, a new girl has been officially accepted into the Top Model family. The title of being the next top model didn’t come without its tumbles, tears and tribulations right down to the end, of course. The Top Model finalists were two very deserving models, Brittani, a bubbly personality who emerged from the trailer parks of Pennsylvania, and Molly, a high-fashion shoe-in who tried to look beyond her own personal label as an adopted child.

The girls each had a brief meeting with Ivan Bart of IMG Models to discuss their portfolios, which was probably a little more for himself than them since he’d be signing the winner of the competition to a contract with his company. Bart is a little like the Simon Cowell of the show, meaning whoever the winner is becomes his responsibility to market and keep afloat. That’s not always an easy job and simply signing the winner of a reality television show is a huge gamble. Luckily, Team Tyra believes both girls are qualified enough to make it this far so no matter who wins, it’s a safe bet they’ll be doing big things.

The Covergirl commercial and photo shoot was next. The commercial aspect of it always makes me cringe a little. Ninety percent of the models competing on ANTM are pursuing their dreams of sauntering down runways in big international cities and sadly don’t consider that they actually may have to speak from time to time. While Molly tried to be as natural as she could, and was the only one to recite the entire script from memory, Tyra still named her “the mean girl” based on her not-so-natural-after-all scowling appearance during the commercial. Brittani was Molly’s polar opposite, rattling off her lines in her typical effervescent fashion, but still seemed slightly jittery.

When the girls arrived back at their Moroccan abode that night, they were greeted with the pleasant surprise of Molly’s parents waiting for them. Just because it’s the last episode of Top Model doesn’t mean we’re going to get away without any teary-eyed moments. Molly visibly let her walls down at the sight of her parents which showed that there is a softer side to her coarser exterior. I did feel sad for Brittani though when her mother couldn’t make it due to issues of anxiety and a more recent back surgery. Luckily, a video chat with her mom via the internet didn’t leave Brittani feeling too left out.

The models were promised in last week’s episode that the final two would get to show off their ultimate fierceness in a Vivienne Westwood fashion show. The show was basically the girls’ final challenge of the competition and to support them on the runway they were joined by previous knocked out models Kasia, Alexandria, Hannah and the cycle fifteen winner, Ann. Even though Brittani has a much stronger runway walk, both her and Molly’s presences told a tale that said they could have been doing runway shows their entire lives and, if you hadn’t know any better, you’d easily buy that story. Everything ran smoothly until the final lap when Brittani and Molly had to walk together. They made it out, around past Tyra and her table and back but, just as they were about to make their exit, Brittani lost her footing and came down like a ton of bricks. Playing the scene back in my head feels even more painful than the agony I’m sure she felt physically and emotionally at that moment. Blame it on the rose petals strewn across the runway for the mishap, but it was like everything that was graceful about Brittani went out the window. With a now swollen ankle, it wasn’t looking good for Brittani’s modeling future.

I knew deciding the winner of this competition would be a tough one. From the start, both of these girls stood in the forefront of my mind and here they are ready to strut across the Top Model finish line. For their final appearance in front of the panel, the girls got one last mini-makeover by having their hair cut into super short and ultra-chic styles, hand-picked by Tyra. Both girls looked stunning with their new cuts, making the final decision that much harder. After the judges reviewed each girl’s entire ANTM portfolios, a decision was reached. Molly and Brittani came before the judges for the final time, tears of anticipation streaming from their faces. Brittani was ultimately crowned the new America’s Next Top Model royalty. Although I was so disappointed that my pick of the season, Molly, didn’t win, they both accomplished so much and I truly wish Brittani the best. Both of these girls are going places and I expect to see both of them grace the pages of various high-couture magazines in the very near future.

For more on this episode, check out There Could Only Be One by Savannah DuBois.

Season 16, Episode 13: Vivienne Westwood (originally aired May 18, 2011)

Images courtesy of Walter Sassard/The CW.

Glee Review: The Funeral of Hearts

This week’s Glee episode felt extremely out of whack. It touted the line of having this sense of urgency while not moving the storyline much further. Then, there’s the return of Jesse. While I welcome his character back into the Glee-verse, he is so evidently shoehorned into these final episodes. The writers aren’t even trying to hide it. There was no mention of Brittana or Klaine, and then throw in a funeral! Still, this lack of logic or believability didn’t detract from the fact that “Funeral” was a well written, touching, tear-jerking and funny episode. I just think it would have been more appreciated a couple of weeks ago.

All that anyone could talk about, all episode, was Nationals. Yet not a single moment was actually spent rehearsing a single song that would be sung at Nationals, and apparently they have two of those to perform. Instead, Will “hired” Jesse (with what money?) to act as a consultant to the glee club. Utterly ludicrous, but the set-up provided some of the best comedic scenes for Matthew Morrison all season, especially if you discount any Gwyneth Paltrow episodes. (If Kurt and Finn are Herman and Eddie Munster then Will and Jesse could be a hilarious new version of The Odd Couple.) Will has had so little to do all season, yet a big part of me is completely fine with his lesser role. Make up with Emma, go make babies and continue to scribble important goals and morals on the chalkboard every week. Oh, and stay cute.

It was Jesse’s bright idea to hold auditions because Vocal Adrenaline’s secret weapon was always that the group rallied around one lead and lifted them upon their shoulders as if they were deities, à la Blaine and the Pips. And when I wasn’t crying, most of the episode was spent on these auditions. By the conclusion of the episode, Will had the gall to deem the idea a horrible one, one that ended up splitting up the group instead of strengthening them. Duh! He even gave Jesse an “I told you so.” The balls on that one! And by episode’s end, Will screamed, “I want two hit songs by the time the wheels touch down in JFK.” Really? Really?!

Luckily, the songs that Mercedes, Santana, Kurt and Rachel auditioned with were fantastic – each and every one of them. It’s nice to see these characters get a true, solo chance to shine without all the production or the need for a dream sequence. This way, the song and performance morph into this telling representation of the character, a deeper sense of who they really are in this fictional, crazy world. I appreciate, even further, song choices that have nothing to do with what’s going on at the time or the theme of the night. It’s just clearly a song that Rachel or Kurt would love if they were real people.

Of course, I have to talk about the funeral portion of “Funeral” which felt so weird and wrong yet still managed to make me appreciate the superior acting chops of Jane Lynch. She was wholly authentic in her grief, though she could still deliver a cold line. Don’t lie! You laughed…and cried too. And it was kind of like when your dad cries. You rarely see such a strong, sturdy person completely breakdown and so the sight leaves you completely off-kilter.

I knew that something was up when Sue kicked Becky off the Cheerios. If Sue cares for anyone in the world, it’s her sister Jean and that little cheerleader. Will snapped when he had to reject Becky from the glee club because it was so late in the season, but quickly let go of his anger when Sue recounted her sister’s passing. She’d sat vigilantly by her sister’s side, but Jean wanted Sue to go home and relax, and she listened. Her rage, resentment and sadness clearly came from the loss of the one person Sue loved, the one person Sue connected to and the one person Sue believed to be good and kind and loving. How could a hate monger live a long healthy life, when her sweet sister didn’t and wouldn’t have her chance?

To connect the two disparate storyline, Finn and Kurt stepped in to help Sue with funeral preparations. They’d lost close family as well and wanted to help. She fought back with everyone mean bone in her body, but they stuck by her side and even rallied the glee club around putting aside their Nationals focus for someone in need. Hearing that Jean loved Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, they turned her funeral into a semi-creepy wonderland and a celebration of her life instead of wallowing in mourning. Sue even leaned on Will when she couldn’t continue reading her eulogy. As odd and eerie as it all was, Glee’s leap into the morose was simple and classy when it could have been cheesy.

The one storyline that got a quasi-sense of closure was Finn and Quinn. Unfortunately, it feels a lot like we’ve been here before, with dufus finally realizing that he’s pushed away the one girl who really means anything and confessing his love for her. We all knew Quinn and Finn weren’t going to make it over the long run, but her lone tear almost broke my heart. Fear of being alone is just festering below that pretty, icy façade, and Finn could have realized his “tether” to Rachel, and conveyed his lack of passion for Quinn, in a much gentler fashion. Quinn’s clingy denial can be annoying, Finn, but mean is just mean.

In the end, Sue decided to focus on a burgeoning political career as a State Representative after seeing how her sister struggled with medical coverage and costs instead of taking down the glee club. (Temporary peace treaty until her run fails miserably over the summer?) She also let Becky back on the squad and made her head cheerleader. They hugged it out; I cried some more. There was also a plot where Sue enlists Terri and Howard to sabotage the glee club’s travel plans, but then she saved the day in the end. I guess this was a way to display Sue’s rage and to say goodbye and semi-redeem Terri’s character. It also felt pretty unnecessary. Emma helped pack Will up to head off to Broadway where he’s supposed to help April put up her musical, wishing him success and possibly a no return flight while he kept downplaying that anything more than a summer distraction would come of it. This was also the reason he gave her for not telling the glee club before such an important competition. Rachel and Jesse kissed, and Finn stood in the shadows with his flower, a little too late to stop her with his own profession of affection.

Let’s just say next week looks like it’s bound to be non-stop surprises and upsets and quite the emotional rollercoaster. Where are you placing your bets, with New Directions or Vocal Adrenaline? What plans could Quinn have up her sleeve to payback Finn? Who does Rachel choose? Do we get some Wemma action before the break? And will either Santana or Karofsky step out of the closet? By the way, who’s ready for summer?!

THE SONGS

“Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse
Sung by Santana Lopez
Grade: B+
Santana went all Lima Heights, and if this song is evidence, that means lots of sensuality.

“Some People” from Gypsy: A Musical Fable
Sung by Kurt Hummel
Grade: B+
Kurt is at his best when he goes Broadway, even if this wasn’t his most enrapturing performance.

“Try a Little Tenderness” by Otis Redding
Sung by Mercedes Jones
Grade: A+
Words.Just.Can’t.Express. Amber Riley, this is your season two glory moment.

“My Man” by Barbara Streisand
Sung by Rachel Berry
Grade: A
Now I remember what those last few ballads were missing! Berry tears and expressive, lemon face. We got ‘em this time.

“Pure Imagination” by Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
Sung by New Directions
Grade: A-
I’m still having a hard time getting past the fact that glee club has now sung at a funeral, though very beautifully and hauntingly sung which was fitting.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• “You kind of sing and dance like a zombie who has to poop. ” – Jesse to Finn
• “Honey Badger, I am lactating with rage.” – Sue
• The Great Sweater Vest Sort of 2011. That keeper pile should have been much smaller.
• Jesse: We’re in it to win the whole damn thing. And there’s only one way we can do that.
  Brittany: Poison darts?
• Sue: Your nickname is Panda Express.
  Howard: But I’m not Chinese.
  Sue: Neither is the food at Panda Express.
• “I’m allergic to pansies. And I don’t mean that as a swipe to either of you. ” – Sue
• “You know what happens in Vocal Adrenaline if someone dies during a number? They use them as a prop, like Weekend at Bernie’s. ” – Jesse
• “I only agreed under the condition that Frankenteen and Lady Trousers help me clean out Jean’s room at the nursing home. They look like they could use the exercise, and I like the idea of using your glee club as unpaid labor. ” – Sue
• “William, I wouldn’t dare lean on you. You have so much grease in your hair, I’d probably slide right off.” – Sue
• “And this is just the beginning! Once we get to Nationals, I’ll have them willing to kill each other for that solo.” – Jesse
• “I took a class at UCLA, Judging for Reality TV Shows, so I’m totally ready to give feedback that’s both blistering and unhelpful.” – Jesse
• Jesse’s “notes,” a picture of a cat.
• “Jesse St. James totally Jesse St. Sucks.” – Kurt
• “Thank you for coming. Jean always stood up for you when I told her stories about how evil your hair was. ” – Sue
• Jesse: I can’t practice reality show judging without a camera; it’s like practicing skiing without skis
  Brittany: I’ve totally done that.
• “Maybe you could come on Fondue for Two and judge my cat.” – Brittany
• “Sure, some say that it led to my brother’s whip-it addiction and my sister’s bulimia, but my parents owed them the truth.” – Jesse

For more on this episode, check out Bummer Episode by Alana D.

Season 2, Episode 21: Funeral (originally aired May 17, 2011)

Glee airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Fox.

Images courtesy of Beth Dubber, Mike Yarish and Fox.

The CW Announces 2011-2012 Primetime Schedule

THE CW’s 2011-2012 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 PM GOSSIP GIRL (New Time)

9:00-10:00 PM HART OF DIXIE (New Series)

TUESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM 90210 (New Night)

9:00-10:00 PM RINGER (New Series)

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM H8R (New Series)

9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 PM THE VAMPIRE DIARIES

9:00-10:00 PM THE SECRET CIRCLE (New Series)

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM NIKITA (New Night)

9:00-10:00 PM SUPERNATURAL

Glee Review: Bummer Episode

Man, I am so bummed I missed last week.  While my babymoon was certainly much-needed, last week’s episode kinda rocked, plus, at long last, there was an explicit Pretty in Pink reference to Blaine’s name!   “What about prom, Blaine?”  *sigh*  That made me so happy.

Anyway, on this week’s episode:

Jesse Not A Saint James is coaching New Directions, because the Rachel/Quinn/Finn love triangle just wasn’t enough — we must quadrangle it!  During the announcement, Finn suggests he and Rachel duet (what ever happened to Quinn forbidding that from happening?  Have we just dropped that?  Does this show care about consistency, like, ever?  And why do I still ask these questions?) but Jesse basically says, no, cause Finn sucks.  Jesse Not a Saint James suggests that they build a performance around their star performer, which will be determined though the audition process.  Jesse Not A Saint James will then use the skills he learned in his UCLA class on Judging Reality TV Shows to give blistering, unhelpful feedback to Glee.  Santana sings Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” and sounds great, changing the lyric from “kept his dick wet” to “kept his lips wet” for obvious reasons.   Kurt sings “Some People” from Gypsy and is appropriately theatrical.  Mercedes sings Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” which I will take as another Pretty in Pink homage.  She’s awesome.  Rachel then sings Babs herself, “My Man,” from Funny Girl, over a Finn montage.  She kills it, which we all knew she would.  Jesse Not A Saint James tells Will that he thinks that by picking Rachel, they will be able to beat Vocal Adrenaline, but, ultimately Will is a total sap, so he decides to screw the Best Singer plan.

Becky (whom I can’t think of another way to describe other than the Down Syndrome character) now wants to be in New Directions, ’cause Sue kicked her off the Cheerios because being around her reminded her of her sister, Jean, who died this week.  Everyone’s nice to Sue upon learning this news, which baffles me because it is still totally horrible to kick Becky off of Cheerios.  Still, Finn wants New Directions to help plan the funeral.  Jesse Not A Saint James disagrees, thinking New Directions should focus on the competition. Finn ignores him, though, and he and Kurt determinedly decide to help Sue make arrangements, and sweetly use Willy Wonka-inspired decorations for the funeral since it was Jean’s favorite movie. At the funeral itself, Sue loses composure at the podium, and Will reads her speech for her.  And New Directions tops the service off with a performance of “Pure Imagination” that is quite touching.  By the end of the episode, Sue gets Becky back and makes her head cheerleader.

After the funeral, Finn breaks up with Quinn, having come to the realization that he doesn’t have the feelings for her he has for Rachel.  Yay!  I don’t have to write “Finn and Quinn” anymore.  Of course, with Not A Saint James moving in on Rachel, he’s going to have to work fast.  And, because there’s only one episode left.

Overall, this felt like a filler episode, with one notable exception – Jane Lynch’s performance.  Sadly, though, Sue decides this episode to not go after New Directions anymore, which is probably a good thing; she was kinda terrible at it, a kind of Wile E. Coyote to New Direction’s Road Runner.  I’m anxious to see what kind of role she will play at McKinley in the season to come.  And Terri’s moving to Miami, so who is going to make Will’s life horrible now?  I wish there were more momentum going into the finale, but with Sue out of the picture, and the gay bully pretty much wrapped up, I’m not feeling much dramatic tension.  It’s all about whether Will will leave (he won’t, or he will, then he’ll come back in the first or second episodes of Season 3) and whether Rachel and Finn will get back together (of course they will).  Am I missing something?  Are you psyched about the finale?  Convince me, please.

For more on this episode, check out The Funeral of Hearts by Inisia Lewis.

Season 2, Episode 21: Funeral (originally aired May 17, 2011)

Glee airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Fox.

Images courtesy of Beth Dubber and Fox.

An Interview with Shark Tank’s Daymond John

ABC’s Shark Tank has been on the air for two seasons now and no one has been more of a consistent, reliable figure on the show than Daymond John, fashion designer and CEO of FUBU clothing company.

John is one of five “sharks”– a group made up of business tycoons who, through the show, seek out new investments. Entrepreneurs are sent into the shark tank with their business proposal and hope to win over at least one of the sharks.

The stakes are high on the show, especially considering the fact that the sharks use their own money for the investments. In an interview with Poptimal, John admitted that what happens after an offer is made to the entrepreneur is a “time consuming process.”

“The ratio of the companies that we actually close the deal with is about 25%,” he said. “Because we don’t know anything about these companies before we meet them and we go back and find out the details. You may find out that some of the companies are in trouble with [the] IRS and various other things so a small portion pulls us in.”

To date, John’s most successful investment has been One Sole – it’s one pair of shoes with several different tops that can snap on or off. “Nothing else yet” has been doing exceptionally well, he said, and “plenty of [businesses]” haven’t been doing as well as he’d hope, but that hasn’t slowed John down.

Shark Tank was recently renewed by ABC for a third season and will be returning in September with John. Prior to appearing on the show, John had written a book about his rise in the business world entitled “Display of Power.”  But once he became a part of the shark panel, John decided to write another book, this time hoping to help the very entrepreneurs who often appear before him.

That book became “The Brand Within” and John stresses the importance of personal branding using Apple as an example: “when you go and buy an Apple, you’re really buying Steve Jobs.”

“On the show, I noticed a lot of entrepreneurs – as they pitch – they don’t realize that we’re judging them as well, their personal brand, before we really look at the product they’re selling,” he said.

While the sharks may not always be the friendliest and oftentimes intimidate the entrepreneurs, John still finds it exciting to be on the show.

“It’s really infectious to be a part of their dream,” he said.

Shark Tank will return to ABC in the fall.

For more television reviews and interviews, click here.

Images courtesy of ABC and Adam Taylor.

Gossip Girl Review: Not So Shocking

So, there we have it. The Season 4 finale is over and done with, and though it lacked some of the in-your-face, cliffhanger WHOA factor some other season finales have brought, it felt pretty much right.

Still, it pained me.

When we left our fair characters last week, poor Blair (Leighton Meester) had been kidnapped by a depressed and crazy Russell Thorpe (Michael Boatman), the prince is waiting for her at the party, Charlie (Kaylee DeFer) has gone off her meds and succeeded in freaking out Dan (Penn Badgley), and Serena (Blake Lively) and Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) join forces to rescue poor, unsuspecting Dan. Oh, and Nate (Chace Crawford) trails around after Raina (Tika Sumpter) in case she decides to give him some attention. For Chuck’s (Ed Westwick) part, he’s decided to throw his hat in the ring, to try to win Blair back from the pages of her real life fairytale.

I must tell you up front, dear readers, that pretty much none of this works out. Oh yeah, and this review contains spoilers.

While the prince twiddles his thumbs and hopes for the best, Chuck realizes right away that something is wrong. Blair isn’t at home, she’s not at the Empire, and she’s not at the party…so she’s obviously in trouble. Chuck gets a phone call from her phone, telling him where she is and what’s transpiring with Russell, so he rushes in on his black horse and rescues her. Of course Raina and Nate just happen to be around for the scene, and Raina makes herself useful in talking her dad down from the planned murder-suicide.

I started to get a bad feeling about how things would end for Chuck and Blair as he listened to her tell Russell how she’d had a hard time escaping the Bass family as well, and that feeling got worse as the two of them decided to have a drink, partied with some Jewish kids, then got it on in an empty room. The whole thing felt sad, and wrong, and as Blair told him she loves Louis “but not like I love you” I knew it was over. They went to the party, where Chuck is surprised to find Louis still waiting for Blair. As she starts to admit their indiscretion, Chuck interrupts to tell Louis they have his blessing.

Blair, for her part, is convincing herself that to be great, a love must be in some way tragic (which is, of course, what literature and film lead us to believe) but Chuck tells her that she deserves to be happy and she’s just scared because she’s never had that before. Though he’s right in so many ways (maybe even every way), and his letting go of her is the most selfless thing he’s ever done, it still made me sad. Perhaps the only thing making me less sad is the fact that I’m pretty sure when things are said and done, when this series ends, Chuck and Blair will be together. We’ll just have to wait and see if I’m right.

In other news, back to the Charlie is crazy storyline. First things first – Georgina shows up on the arm of a handsome rich guy who brags about her baby as if it’s his, but Georgina (Michelle Trachtenberg) is bored out of her mind being a “Bedford wife.” She begs first Dan, then Serena to let her in on whatever is going on so she can relive some of her glory days. They, of course, ignore her but it doesn’t stop her from getting involved. She’s Georgina. When she’s the one to find Charlie, Georgina points her toward an open window, then later gives her a phone number to call in case she’s ever back in the city. Favorite Georgina line of the night?

Charlie: “You scared me.”

Georgina: “I get that a lot.”

Meanwhile, Vanessa is up to her old tricks that make me hate her a lot but not as much as I hate Jenny. In “helping” with the search for the disturbed Charlie, Vanessa goes back to the Brooklyn loft. While snooping around, she finds a novel Dan has written and sits down to read, discovering some sort of tell-all about how badly he wanted in the inner circle when they were in high school and all the things he’s learned since they let him in under the hem of Serena’s dress. She thinks he should publish it, but Dan tells her to put it away, that those people are his best friends, his family now and he couldn’t throw them under the bus that way.

Vanessa, because she’s an idiot without any regard for anyone’s wishes other than her own, takes the novel to a publisher without an author’s name attached and sells the book. Yikes. I’m guessing it will be easy enough to figure out who wrote it once it hits the shelves.

Aside: As an aspiring author who has been through a lengthy process in procuring an agent and trying to sell a novel – the fact that Vanessa waltzes into a publishing house and gets an editor to read and buy a book by an anonymous author is ludicrous.

Serena finds Charlie and talks her down from the open window, promising that her own life isn’t something to aspire to. Charlie is upset, believing no one can ever see past her illness, can never really love her for her and that’s why she tried to be like her glamorous cousin. Charlie’s confession makes Serena feel guilty and she calls Nate and Dan (who come running like the puppy dogs they are) to apologize for making them wait last fall and then never giving them an answer. She’s not choosing now, either, at least not a boy. According to S, she’s choosing herself and going to spend the summer in California with her grandmother. Maybe she can find herself a worthwhile storyline for next season while she’s there.

At the end of the night Charlie leaves town, Serena heads to CA, Blair takes off in her private jet for the palace in Monaco, and Dan and Eric decide to spend the summer in the Hamptons. Vanessa and her evil ways are apparently headed for Spain, and one can only hope she’s not going to be booking a return flight for the fall. Also, Raina decides to head back to Chicago, leaving poor Nate single and without a purpose once again.

The cliffhangers we’re left with?

Charlie isn’t Serena’s cousin. Apparently it’s been so long since they’ve seen one another that they didn’t realize Lily’s sister hired an imposter – someone to make them leave Charlie alone forever (with her giant trust fund). The imposter, whoever she is, seems like she’s going to be taking Georgina up on that offer to conspire (about whatever) back in the city so maybe Kaylee DeFer will be back next season. Chuck and Nate decide to sleep and drink their way across Europe, which is how they’ve spent about every summer. Serena runs into director David O. Russell (The Fighter) in CA and gets a job helping him pitch an adaptation of The Beautiful and the Damned by F.Scott Fitzgerald…a job she steals from a rather good-looking young man on the sidewalk.

And Blair. Well, it turns out our favorite bad girl has a secret of her own. She’s pregnant. Whether it belongs to Louis or Chuck is a reveal we’ll be waiting a long time to witness.

Even though the writing for the episode is solid, even though the characters act within their established personalities and arcs, I do have a couple of issues. First, it doesn’t end the way I want it to (but that’s my problem). Second, though, I feel like we’ve been here before. It feels a little quiet, a little expected, and more than a little rehashed. More originality, more pizzazz, might make audiences breathless in their anticipation for Season 5.

Season 4, Episode 22 “The Wrong Goodbye” (original air date May 16, 2011)

Gossip Girl airs Monday nights at 9/8c on The CW.

Images courtesy of Giovanni Rufino and The CW.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey Review: We’re Gonna Need Tranquilizers for All of “Yous”

I don’t know about you but I am still trying to come to terms with what I saw on the season premiere of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. So many questions…do the Guidices and the Gorgas actually exist? Can we be sure they aren’t really UFC fighters taking a stab at acting? Are Southerners shaking their heads at the Manzo’s attempt to bring a little Southern flavor to Sunday dinner (apparently Paula Dean is the only Southerner who can make a homemade pasta sauce)? Louisiana – are you miffed at Christopher Manzo’s attempt to do a little “Cajun-speak” which he believes consists of a few real words flanked by jibberish, like “Jdkalfi dkirel cnmkie I’m not that funny jloekslk aowip.” If you are currently debating whether or not to have children, does Jacqueline’s young “adult” daughter, Ashley, tip you toward no thanks?

If you saw this episode, you know I am starting with the big brawl – the showdown at the christening reception for Teresa’s nephew Guiseppe Gorga. Picture this: a couple of 5’2” Joes standing on their tip toes yelling and trying to knock one another out. Italian men surround the Joes holding them back while numerous women hover and scream. It was so crazy I was surprised the women kept their bedazzled spandex dresses and Lee Press-On Nails in place. How did things get this low? It begins when we learn about the family strife between Teresa and her brother, Joe. Apparently, they were once very close but things went south when Joe married Melissa. Melissa is one of the two new additions to the Housewives family (more on the second addition later) and she is NOT very likable. I decided this when I saw the topless pregnancy portrait of herself with one of her daughters hanging in her home. Creepy. And then later she gives us her mantra for living, “be a cook in the kitchen, a lady in the parlor and a whore in the bedroom.” (Did you just really say “parlor”?) Oh and she also crosses herself while saying “Thank you Jesus” no less than four times this episode. After that many, it’s a little gratuitous, Melissa.

Pre brawl – Melissa is busy preparing her little boy for entrance into “Jesus’ Kingdom,” Teresa is running all around her monstrosity of a house (that somehow they got to keep post bankruptcy) preparing her family for the christening. Unfortunately, Joe has a case of “the runs” and can’t make it to the christening. He does end up attending the reception where his unsettled bowels don’t keep him from trying to Mike Tyson his brother-in-law.

Due to his dramatic nature, Melissa’s Joe (gotta keep your Joes straight on this show) is the “sixth” housewife in this episode. He seems pretty angry – angry at his father for spending more time with the Guidices than with the Gorgas, angry with Teresa for turning her back on her him (“My blood has done me wrong”), angry after taking 15 shots the day of his son’s christening. Angry, angry, angry. He gets so mad that he throws a textbook hissy fit at the christening and demands his father recognize and love the mighty Joe Gorga. Right, because you’re just so darn lovable.

The brawl was the focal point of the season premiere and takes the award for being a hot mess. Even the Bravo cameraman was knocked off his toes. Beyond the madness, it’s crazy this went down at a baby’s christening and that these “adults” weren’t able to keep it together.

The other new Housewife this season is Teresa’s cousin, Kathy. Kathy doesn’t have a very prominent role in this episode other than expressing the watershed thought of the week, “What you put in your mouth – it’s important.” Yeah, and that’s what she said. One other thing about Kathy – her husband appears to be a mix between Andrew Dice Clay and Pee-Wee Herman. Intriguing.

What about the rest of the housewives, you ask? Caroline Manzo tries to cope with her sons leaving the nest and renting an apartment in Hoboken. Jacqueline Laurita visits her daughter Ashley in New York City where Ashley lands an unpaid public relations internship with Lizzie Grubman’s firm. It seems like a good gig but poor Ashley finds it so hard to commute from New Jersey to New York City everyday, plus it costs money (crazy!). When Jacqueline suggests Ashley pick up a second job to get the funds to cover commuting or renting an apartment in NYC, Ashley cries…at her job…in front of other people…and needs to be consoled by Lizzie who tells her to be a big girl (in a nice way). It was painful to watch someone so spoiled but also fun to watch people struggle to take her seriously.

So that’s about it for the first episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. A wild one to say the least and judging from the episode-ending teaser for next week, there’s plenty of angst and drama to come. Until next week, folks!

 

Season 3, Episode 1: In The Name of The Father (originally aired May 16, 2011)

Catch the family drama Mondays 9/8 central on Bravo.

Images courtesy of Tommy Garcia/Bravo.

CBS Annouces 2011-2012 Primetime Schedule

CBS has announced their primetime schedule for the next year. Fans of The Good Wife will find that the show has been moved from Tuesday to Sunday nights. Shows not returning next year: Mad Love, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, $#*! My Dad Says and The Defenders.

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

2011-2012 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE

(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8:00-8:30 PM              HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

8:30-9:00 PM              2 BROKE GIRLS (N)

9:00-9:30 PM              TWO AND A HALF MEN

9:30-10:00 PM            MIKE & MOLLY

10:00-11:00 PM          HAWAII FIVE-0

 

TUESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM              NCIS

9:00-10:00 PM            NCIS: LOS ANGELES

10:00-11:00 PM          UNFORGETTABLE (N)

 

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 PM              SURVIVOR: SOUTH PACIFIC

9:00-10:00 PM            CRIMINAL MINDS

10:00-11:00 PM          CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (NT)

 

THURSDAY

8:00-8:30 PM              THE BIG BANG THEORY

8:30-9:00 PM              HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN (N)

9:00-10:00 PM            PERSON OF INTEREST (N)

10:00-11:00 PM          THE MENTALIST

 

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM              A GIFTED MAN (N)

9:00-10:00 PM            CSI: NY

10:00-11:00 PM          BLUE BLOODS

 

SATURDAY

8:00-8:30 PM              RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (NT)

8:30-9:00 PM              COMEDYTIME SATURDAY

9:00-10:00 PM            CRIMETIME SATURDAY

10:00-11:00 PM          48 HOURS MYSTERY

 

SUNDAY

7:00-8:00 PM              60 MINUTES

8:00-9:00 PM              THE AMAZING RACE

9:00-10:00 PM            THE GOOD WIFE (NT)

10:00-11:00 PM          CSI: MIAMI

 

Dancing With the Stars Review: Semi-Finals Week Gives Us a Pain in the Neck, Pussycat, and Coin Toss Fail

Well kids, it’s semi-finals week on our favorite cheesefest show Dancing With the Stars, and quite a lot has transpired. First off, witty host Tom Bergeron seems to be saying his favorite word “LIIIIVVEE!!!!” a lot more lately. I think I counted him saying it 437 times, although I could be off by a couple hundred or so. In any case, anyone that follows the show or follows my reviews of the show knows that when he says “LIIVVEE!!!”, he is really saying hello to me in his own secret way. I think it’s high time that Tommy B. gave Kelley Lynn a personal shout out on the show by name. If he does, I promise to never ever refer to myself in the third person again like I did in that last sentence. That was creepy. You see what you’re doing to me Tom? As Glenn Close said in Fatal Attraction, “I won’t be ignored.”  I know. Again … creepy.

Semi-finals week means there are only 4 couples remaining, and this week was by far their most challenging.  Each pair had to not only learn two brand new individual dances, but also a “Winner Takes All Cha-Cha.” This cha-cha paired the couple at the top of the leaderboard with the couple at the bottom, leaving the two middle pairs to compete. Each couple dances to the same music, which they find out only 3-4 minutes before actually doing the dance. The winning pair from each “Heat” then goes head to head, and the final winner receives 15 bonus points added onto their overall score. Confused yet? Good. Me too. Now you know how Brooke Burke feels every moment of her life.  More on that later. Right now, let’s review the first two rounds of individual dances and see how everyone did …

1. Ralph / Karina

ROUND ONE: Before this argentine tango began, the show itself got confused, or perhaps Brooke Burke was working in the editing room, because they showed the wrong rehearsal footage for this couple. It kept referring to their second dance, not the first one, and made absolutely no sense. The dance they actually did was an argentine tango. Although the movements felt sharp, Carrie Ann said the dance was “not connected.” Len loved the content, but said it “lacked emotion.” To me, it seemed almost like a series of separate movements rather than a complete and flowing dance. Judges Scores: 8/9/8.

ROUND TWO: This dance featured Karina in some sort of leopard print weird pantsuit thing, and the Karate Kid looked like Larry from Three’s Company trying to be hip-hop. The salsa had all the moves down right, but I just had a hard time believing Ralph as this tough, rapper type character. He didn’t really pull it off for me. Sure, you can give yourself a big ass (Ralph wore a “booty pad” to give him some tush in this number), but it still doesn’t make you hip. The judges didn’t love the routine either, and Ralph seemed shocked and upset by that. Look dude, it just wasn’t as great as you thought it was. It’s not the end of the world. (Well, technically, it IS the end of world, according to some Mayans, on May 21st.) Judge Bruno Tonioli made another one of his insane, ridiculous, over the top comments that ended up being bleeped, and since the camera was not on him at the time, it was tough to fully understand what he said. However, it seemed that he made some sort of statement to Ralph, about him not being gentle enough in his movements, and said of pro-partner Karina: “You’re being too hard on our pu**y!” The camera was not on him, and there was a hush and groan from the crowd, followed by Karina saying sarcastically: “Classy … very classy.” Bruno then tried to cover up his comment by explaining that he meant to say “pussycat”, referring to Karina’s cat outfit. Personally, I didn’t think this was a big deal, but both Ralph and Karina came out in the press calling Bruno’s comments “rude and disrespectful.” Honestly, I don’t think he means anything terrible by the strange things he says. He is just a flamboyant, over the top, strange man who gets excited and yells out strange things. Then again, there isn’t much in this world that offends me, so I’m the wrong person to ask. Judges Scores: 8/7/8. Brooke asked them some dumb question, then proceeded to cut them off while they answered.

2. Kirstie / Maks

ROUND ONE: For this dance, the couple performed a Viennese Waltz. Kirstie’s movements were as soft and light as her beautiful light blue airy dress. Pretty. Lovely. The dance reminded me of Cinderella. It was very fairy-tale-like and flowed wonderfully. The judges loved it, although I literally didn’t understand one word Bruno said. Len thought it was “sweeping, lovely, and well-done.” Judges Scores: 9/9/9. Brooke Burke desperately wanted to know “How do you feel?”

ROUND TWO: Wearing all black and looking sharp, the couple danced a crisp and lively Pasa Doble that resulted in Bruno calling Kirstie the “Queen of the Pasa Doble.” This resulted in her screaming with delight, which then resulted in her grabbing Tom Bergeron and kissing him. I believe this was also followed by Kirstie goosing Tom as well (i.e. pinching his butt playfully). Tom laughed and attempted to keep talking as he dodged the pinching and prodding of his manparts. Brooke Burke asked “How good did that feel?” Not the prodding – the dancing. Although I’m sure both felt quite swell.

3. Chelsea / Mark

ROUND ONE: To me, this was one of the most gorgeous dances that Chelsea has ever done. From the second they began, she didn’t even look like the same person that we have seen week after week. Cute, adorable Chelsea was replaced with this sophisticated, adult, mature, classy woman in this gorgeous dress that gave her lines and angles plus. The footwork was complicated and well executed, and the dance, to me, seemed stunning. Carrie Ann gave one of her rather bitchy responses, insinuating that Chelsea wasn’t trying, and that it “just wasn’t there.” Len agreed, and Tom, after looking over to Bruno’s side of the table and seeing his obvious disagreement with the first two opinions, said “We’ll get to Bruno before his aneurysm kicks in.” Bruno, of course, loved it, and said that the other two simply “didn’t GET it.” Then he inexplicably caressed Len’s arm, who moved away promptly. Judges Scores: 9/9/10 After Bruno gave the 10, the audience began chanting his name: “Bruno! Bruno! Bruno!” How does that feel Bruno?

ROUND TWO:  This dance was the Rumba, and it was intense, beautiful, and filled with expression. Bruno called it “romantic and erotic”, and this time, the other two judges agreed. In fact, the dance got them perfect tens across the board: 10/10/10. Brooke Burke confused herself by starting to talk about Hines Ward and his high scores, and then asking her famous question and in the middle of it … attempted to change it into a completely different question: “How do you feel …….. that your fan base compares to theirs?” Whattt??? What kind of weird-ass question is that Brooke? Have I taught you nothing all this time? I told you before – for the Love of God, DO NOT IMPROVISE! You are not cut out for it. Brooke then reminded the audience to vote, and then informed them that if they haven’t been voting, they are “lame.” Well alrighty then.

4. Hines / Kym

ROUND ONE: While practicing a series of brand new and very risky lifts and complicated moves, Kym landed wrong / fell on both her and Hines’ weight, hurting her neck severely. At first, she couldn’t move, and she whispered: “I can’t feel my arms.” Minutes later, the paramedics arrived and took her to the hospital. Kym ended up being okay, but the idea that if she had landed perhaps a half inch in a different direction, she might have been paralyzed, haunted Hines and he was obviously worried. Kym decides to dance anyway, because if you’re hurt and dying on this show, DAMMIT! YOU DANCE ANYWAY!!! The couple delivered a sexy and gorgeous tango, which had Hines in tears and very emotional when the dance was over. It was here that we began to see the very real friendships that develop on this show, and the respect these people have for one another. Hines was truly concerned about Kym’s health and safety, and so relieved after their dance was over. Bruno compared the dance to “group sex … you never want it to end!” (at least I think that’s what he said) Judges Scores: 10/10/10

ROUND TWO: In their gorgeous, colorful outfits that included yellow and orange tones, Hines and Kym glowed and smiled their way through this funky, fun, filled-with-life dance. Len called it “a joyful experience,” and the couple received ANOTHER set of perfect ten scores. 10/10/10. Brooke Burke asked: “What do you make of that?” Huh??? What do they MAKE of that? What does that even mean? My guess is that they are ecstatic to be the first of the season to get a perfect 60 score, AND that Kym didn’t break her neck or worse.

WINNER TAKES ALL CHA- CHA:

This last part of the competition began with Tom Bergeron standing in front of a gigantic, ultra-tacky, flashing sign that read “Winner Takes All Cha-Cha!” Behind him was the audience that seemed to once again be filled with various nursing home residents,the oldest and most humorous one being a woman looking to be about 105 in the front row, whose teeth chattered throughout the entire episode. Good times. Let’s cha-cha …

“Heat 1″, as Tom called it, paired Top of the Leaderboard couple Hines and Kym with Bottom of the Leaderboard couple Ralph and Karina. The winner? Hines and Kym.

Heat 2 paired the two middle leaderboard pairs: Kirstie and Maks against Chelsea and Mark. The winner? Chelsea and Mark.

This left the two winners, Hines / Kym and Chelsea / Mark; to face one another in a final cha-cha. The music would be Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance.”

“WTF” Brooke Burke Moment of the Night:

In a dialogue too ridiculous to be believed unless you heard it with your own ears, Brooke Burke got totally and hilariously flustered by the simple and common act of a coin-toss to decide which couple would dance first. She also, for reasons unknown to anyone except for whoever places the batteries into her robot body before she speaks, refers to the HEADS side of the coin as “Len.” What??? So, Judge Len Goodman’s face is now on a coin? Who knew he was such an important part of American History? This is a classic moment at its finest, saved only by the wit and hilarity of Tom Bergeron. Here is the dialogue that transpired when the two pairs flipped a coin to determine who would dance first/second:

Brooke: Im now gonna flip the coin. Hines, you’re the highest scorer, so you get to decide whether you dance first or second. (As she tosses coin) Call it.

Hines: Tails.

Brooke: Ohhhh. Its Len. It’s Heads. (to Hines) What do you wanna do? Dance first or second?

Hines: Dance second. (pause)

Brooke: Alright … you’re gonna …. (pause)

Kym: What???

Brooke: Ummm…. what???

(total awkwardness)

Hines: No. I think they get to pick. (pointing at Chelsea and Mark, who actually WON the coin toss.)

Brooke: Ohhhh you picked tails. Im sooo sorry. I messed up this whole thing! You guys get to choose! First or second?

Chelsea: We’ll be dancing second.

Brooke: Great, great. Tom?

Tom: So remember, you’re watching the first and maybe the LAST Instant Cha-Cha Challenge.

In the end, the judges chose Chelsea and Mark as the Cha-Cha Winners, giving them an additional 15 bonus points, and the rest of us yet another 2 hour program that is just about one hour too long.

ELIMINATION SHOW:

“Good Evening. I’m still Tom Bergeron”. Blah blah blah …. Hines and Kym are the first couple to make it into the Finals. More filler. Filler stuff. Dancing. Blah blah blah …. Brooke Burke asks the remaining 3 couples questions that she struggles remembering as she looks at her cue card over and over to give her brain a jump. Blah blah blah … more filler … then Stevie Nicks performs new song “Secret Love” as pro dancers do their thing to the music. (This was quite nice actually, as I love Stevie Nicks.) Blah blah blah …more filler stuff … another performance by someone named Pittbull featuring Neo. (Who?? Featuring Who??? Clearly I am old, as I don’t know who either of these people are, nor do I care.) More stuff … then Chelsea and Mark also get through to the Finals. Then, a lovely and talented 13 year old girl named Tayla Kelley who has a life-threatening disease gets to dance on the show with Chelsie Hightower and Lacey Schwimmer. She is very good, and it is a heartwarming story. Which brings us to more blah blah blah … more filler …and then Stevie Nicks sings my favorite song “Landslide”, as pro dancers Cheryl and Tony dance.

Finally – the last of the Finalists is revealed as Kirstie and Maks. This means that Ralph and Karina are eliminated are going home.

So your three finalists are, as they should be: Kirstie / Maks, Chelsea / Mark, and Hines / Kym. Next week we get to see one of the best and most anticipated parts of the season: the freestyle dance. This is where couples can do literally whatever they want. It is usually VERY fun and, at times, brings forth some of the best dances of the entire season.

I look forward to more MirrorBall fun with Tom and the Gang of Misfits. And please – someone get me one of them Len-headed quarters. This I need to see for myself.

Season 12, Episodes 16 and 17 (originally aired May 16 and May 17, 2011)

For more on Dancing With the Stars, click here.

Mondays at 8/7c, Tuesdays at 9/8c, on ABC.

Photographs courtesy of ABC and Adam Taylor.

NBC Upfront 2011: Giving the Network a New “Voice”

There were two things NBC wanted us to take away from their Up Front presentation that took place Monday morning in New York City.

Number one: NBC wants to be funnier. According to Bob Greenblatt, Chairman of NBC Entertainment, the network is on a “road to recovery” and the suits are working hard to rebuild the brand with more comedy shows.

Number two: Thank god for The Voice. No really, this is what everyone at NBC is saying right now. They’ve finally got a bonafide hit on their hands and dammit they’re not going to let us forget that anytime soon!

The lengthy two-hour presentation got off to a great start with Saturday Night Live head writer Seth Meyers hosting a special edition of Weekend Update. Meyers didn’t hold back in his jokes, ribbing not only his bosses at NBC but also competitors like MTV’s Teen Mom (“…officially taking the world record for shortest description of everything that’s wrong with America”).

Greenblatt introduced the official fall 2011/12 line-up starting off with – of course – The Voice. He confirmed the series will be returning for a second season in January even bigger and better than before. Please don’t overhype it too much, NBC, I beg you.

The network brought out all the stops to showcase their current and upcoming talent. Jimmy Fallon got everyone tapping their feet and clapping their hands to his original song, “Have a Comcastic day!” as an ode to his new bosses at Comcast. Donald Trump made the groundbreaking announcement that he will not be running for President (the enthusiastic clapping and whistling seemed to annoy him a smidge), and The Roots performed some amazing sets throughout the entire presentation.

The new fall primetime and midseason shows weren’t the only things NBC wanted to highlight during their presentation. Famed journalist and NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams came out to announce the development of a new TV newsmagazine (Working title: Brian Williams Newsmagazine). Williams said it would utilize the already present team of journalists based at NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC and will premiere this fall at a to-be-announced date.

NBC’s sports is also vital to the network. The summer London 2012 Olympics is right around the corner and while the network will continue having around the clock TV coverage, they’re also hyping up the fact that there will be over 2000 hours of online live streaming! Talk about Olympic overload. Football will also be making a comeback, but assuming things with the NFL fall to pieces, NBC has back-up reality shows ready, waiting in the wings. Please NFL: don’t subject us to this torture!

The presentation ended with performances from – wait for it – two of the judges from The Voice. Christina Aguilera belted out a tune (have to admit, she sounds amazing live just like on her albums) and Cee Lo Green performed his hit “Crazy.”

And boy, let’s hope NBC doesn’t get too crazy with the remodeling.

Below are some mini-reviews for the previews aired during the presentation of NBC’s new shows (both fall and midseason). The previews have also been compiled on this page for your viewing pleasure.

The Playboy Club: a sexy 1960s drama set in Chicago. Greenblatt referred to it as a “sophisticated soap” epitomizing the sexual revolution of the time. At first I thought it might be a bit like Burlesque, but I was proven wrong. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by the humanity of the female characters. They’re not meant to be seen as sexy bunnies walking around all day. The impression I got was that the show wants us to view them as girls with real lives who are being exploited by some men.

Wednesday nights beginning at 8 p.m. will see the introduction of two new comedies: Up All Night starring Will Arnett (better luck at the Peacock, eh?), Christina Applegate, and Maya Rudolph followed by Free Agents starring Hank Azaria as a recent divorcee who gets caught up in an affair with his co-worker played by Kathryn Hahn.

Up All Night is actually exec produced by Lorne Michaels and the trailer was pretty funny. The scene that really set the tone for the show, I thought, was with Arnett and Applegate cursing in amazement at their newborn baby daughter. I just can’t help but wonder how this show will work in the long-run if it does become a hit. Babies grow pretty fast!

Free Agents on the other hand didn’t impress me much. It had some laughs but overall garnered an “okay” reaction from me. It definitely needs some work, but I would like to point out Anthony Head is part of the cast and his character was seems to be a great presence.

The Office will be returning on Thursday nights and a new boss, we’re told, will be announced after this season’s finale. Following The Office will be Whitney. I’d also like to present Whitney with her first award: Most Overused Laugh Track in a Preview. When will studios learn that excessive laugh tracks do not actually make the content funny? If anything, it makes it blaringly obvious no one’s laughing when all you hear is the laugh track. Anyway, maybe some women will respond well to Whitney. It had its funny moments, but overall felt forced and nothing new. Finishing up Thursday nights is Prime Suspect, a remake of the British show that brought us Helen Mirren, and now stars Maria Bello as a tough-as-nails homicide detective. Some women will probably enjoy it, but Prime Suspect is a strange interruption to the well-established Thursday night comedy line-up.

On Friday nights, sci-fi junkies will be able to enjoy Grimm. It’s what Greenblatt called a “high concept show” about a cop in Portland who is the descendent of “Grimms:” the only people who can see those famed fairly tale creatures who apparently wander among us commiting crimes. It’s not the easiest concept to sell (or explain, for that matter) but it’s different and could gain a nice following if done properly.

For the midseason, NBC introduced three more comedies with a “broad appeal to women,” according to Greenblatt. The first being Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea. Laura Prepon and Chelsea Handler both make appearances in the show’s trailer, but let’s be real: the quirky roommate stole all the scenes she was in. Next is Bent, a generic romantic comedy about how opposites attract starring Amanda Peet and David Walton. Jeffrey Tambor has a recurring role, and again I sense he’ll steal all the scenes he’s in. Then there’s BFF about two best friends who move in together…and yeah. That’s all I’ve got. One of the BFF’s boyfriends however is pretty hilarious in the trailer and…are you sensing a trend here? Secondary characters are making a bigger impression in the previews than the leads for this midseason comedy line-up.

And in the Glee category comes Smash – a musical drama executive produced by Steven Spielberg about life on Broadway. It’s got a great ensemble cast and I’m excited to see Katherine McPhee back in the spotlight. How she lost to Taylor Hicks on American Idol is something I will never understand. But maybe now she’ll get to go the Jennifer Hudson path.

For midseason dramas, NBC will be introducing Awake from the mind of 24 producer Howard Gordon. It stars Jason Isaacs, known for playing cinematic baddies like Captain Hook and Lucius Malfoy, but this time taking a softer turn as a husband who loses both his wife and son in a tragic car crash… or does he? Isaac’s character ends up leading two parallel lives but sometimes his wife is still alive; other times it’s his son. I’m intrigued to see how this plays out.

Which new NBC shows are you most looking forward to? Which do you think will face the chopping block? Sound off in our comments!

Check out NBC’s Upfront 2011-2012 Show Trailers here.

Images courtesy of Stephanie Jaar/Poptimal.com/Scott Green/Matt Dinerstein/NBC.

The Roots The Roots	Seth Meyers Seth Meyers	Jimmy Fallon Jimmy Fallon
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams	Donald Trump Donald Trump	Donald Trump Donald Trump
Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera	Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera	Cee Lo Green Cee Lo Green
		Cee Lo Green Cee Lo Green
	Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green	Jimmy Fallon Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon Jimmy Fallon	Jimmy Fallon Jimmy Fallon	NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams
Donald Trump Donald Trump	The Roots The Roots	Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera	Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green	Cee Lo Green Cee Lo Green

« Previous Page — Next Page »