9/25/2007 Add a comment

NBC's new "Chuck" is fun. The first episode was dynamite, at one point literally. It's like "Alias" meets "The Office," and the actor who plays Chuck looks a lot like John Krasinski. There are elements of "The O.C." in it, including a random moody soundtrack and a visit from some obscure indie band. This is all natural because it's by Josh Schwartz, the guy behind "The O.C." In any case, it's pure, giddy fun. The nerdy pal is a little too much like Seth Green for my taste, but what can you do. The rest of it is great.

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William

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9/25/2007 Add a comment

For all of the hype about child labor law violations, stove burns, and bleach-drinking, Kid Nation wasn't terrible. It was manipulative. (Hey kids, wouldn't it be a great idea to divide into four teams?) It was hokey. It alternated between endearing and annoying. But there was something engaging about seeing the range of maturity between ages 8 and 15, about the two older troublemakers realizing that, hey, waitaminute, you mean I could win $20,000? The abundance of candy and soda already wears on one's patience, but for a kid-based reality show, they can't break out the alcohol to help move the plot along, so perhaps sugar is the producers' next best weapon. I'm sure I will regret watching, but not as much as I'd regret not watching. Don't you hate it when that happens?

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William

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9/24/2007 Add a comment

So Survivor is in its umpteenth edition, and there are the usual crew of idiots and occasional smart and/or strong people, but there is one reason above all else to watch. If you have high def, Survivor is easily the most beautifully shot show on television. The lush greens of rural China and the deep blue skies. The colors may not all be true-to-life, and the scenes are most certainly shot out of sequence, but who cares? And with Chinese culture as a backdrop, there's a new twist -- it's not some random tropical/polynesian island anymore.

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William

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9/21/2007 Add a comment

As I watch new fall shows, I'll try to provide 3-minute capsule reviews. Many of these will be on DVR delay.

Last night, I watched "Back to You," Fox's new traditional-format (3-camera, laugh track) sitcom with Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton last night. Stinks. It's exactly like you would expect "Frasier on Fox" to look like. Telegraphed jokes, bright colors, and a cheap rip-off of the great movie Broadcast News, with sexual tension between the anchors. The twist here is that Grammar and Heaton (no need to remember character names) shared a one-night stand in Pittsburgh before Grammar headed off to greener pastures 10 years ago. He got fired in L.A. after a YouTube clip caught him using foul language to refer to the weather girl. Now, back in Pittsburgh again, he's discovers Heaton has a 10-year-old. And it's his. Fade to black, "Frasier"-style.

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William

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