Tag Archives: NBC

TV

Mockingbird Lane: The Munsters’ Family Portrait

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A while back you may remember that we reported on the return of The Munsters to tv. If you were lucky enough to be at the Q & A session at Comic-Con you will have seen the 4 minute teaser for the new pilot. For all of us that weren’t there here is the first image of the whole Munster clan (also from Comic-Con and via io9). As you can see they are surprisingly…well, ‘normal’.

Mockingbird Lane Cast

I must admit to being slightly let down by it. I was hoping for them to look a little more monstery. Jerry O’Connell looks less Herman Munster and more Jerry O’Connell.

However, Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daises creator and producer/writer of Mockingbird Lane) told The Hollywood Reporter that they were still very much monsters:

“The Munsters actually do what monsters do: they eat people and they have to live with the ramifications of being monstrous. It’s like grounding it in a reality because the half-hour was a sitcom, we saw the monsters: they were monsters on the outside and weren’t monsters on the inside. For us, they’re monsters outside and inside, and we get to double our story.”

NBC has ordered additional scripts and a decision on whether to order a full series should come soon. If they do we can expect to see other Universal monsters – including The Phantom of The Opera, The Wolfman and The Creature From The Black Lagoon.

I’m still not sure about all this. It feels like an unnecessary remake. They could just have easily renamed the family and not even pretend that they were remaking The Munsters. I’m still waiting to be convinced.

TV

NBC Takes Gold with Fake Fall Lineup

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Last year, NBC spent $4.38 BILLION to obtain the rights to broadcast the Olympic games through 2020. Their ratings for the 2012 London games have been stellar, despite outrage from critics professional and amateur alike. By the time they air, sports broadcast during NBC’s evening segments have been completed for nearly twelve hours. That leaves plenty of opportunity for viewers to know the results beforehand.

Continue reading NBC Takes Gold with Fake Fall Lineup →

TV

Vampires on the Peacock: NBC Greenlights “Dracula’

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As you know, I normally write about video games. Movies and TV shows are not my thing, but whenever I get a chance to take a shot at NBC, I have to. The peacock is so damn stupid, I almost feel bad about laughing at the network. It’s like laughing at someone who’s mentally challenged. It’s not their fault they do not have a normal IQ level. But then, NBC is run by people who are getting paid six figures, so f— them.  Anyways, the NBC execs have cancelled a number of shows only to replace them with something worse. It’s OK if people actually watch NBC, but NO!!!! Even fewer people tune in to their new shows.

Remember Southland? They cancelled the show after they have finished shooting six episodes of season 2. We’re talking about flat-out withdrawing all of the episodes from schedule before the season premiere even aired.  They replaced it with more Chris Hansen. (Thank God TNT picked up the show. The police procedural will air its fifth season  in February, 2013.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4dKvcrie70

Don’t even get me started on The Jay Leno Show. You know you done messed up when you have an entire Wikipedia article dedicated to the controversy. Last year, their marketing campaign focused on Whitney, which many consider to be the worst “comedy” on TV right now. Obviously, there was little to no mention of Community or Parks and Recreation. NBC also started Grimm out on Fridays. Sounds like a great idea to be placing a show with potential broad appeal in the TV graveyard.

Someone has to be sucking someone’s dick to keep this show on air.
I don’t know who. For all I know, it can be the catering guy.

Oh, and they fired Dan Harmon right after Community’s third season. Yea, as if the show will last more than four seasons, especially after the peacock decided to air the show on Fridays this coming fall.

If they can’t net you 10 million viewers, nothing can.

Even more recently (we’re talking about a few hours ago recent), NBC decided against airing the Olympic opening and closing ceremony live. Really? I know you gotta make that paper but this is just a new low, even by peacock standards. Can’t you just display banner ads at the bottom of the screen?

Anyways, imagine how I feel when they decided to give Dracula a green light. No, I’m not excited or ecstatic, or anything along those lines. I am merely surprised, since this move is so damn logical (albeit safe). I mean, you have 9 million Twihards out there, and vampire is the hit thing right now. NBC maybe a little too late, but they can still make some money off the show.

Personally, I would have gone for Blacula. Just saying…

Johnathan Rhys Meyers (from The Tudors, which is pretty awesome) was casted as the titular role, Dracula. The protagonist will pose as an American entrepreneur trying to introduce technology to the late 19th century Britain. His real intent, however, is to take revenge on some people who stepped on his toes a few centuries ago. Obviously, there will be a girl whom he falls in love with, and the girl in question will bear striking resemblances to his long-lost love.

Say what you will but he’s one beautiful dude. Damn, it should be illegal to be that good-looking.

The fall pilot season is absolutely looking disastrous. Don’t believe me? Try taking this quiz. Find out which of the posters belong to actual NBC comedies airing in fall, and which were photoshopped. It’s not just the comedies either. The rest of the peacock’s schedule is just horrendous. See for yourself.

Dracula will not begin production until later this year. Expect the show to come out in 2013. Not like it matters. NBC’s 12-13 season is done.  Keep going hard as the 4th among network TV. Yes, that was sugar-coating “last place”.

Well, at least we will have spent 12 episodes worth of time watching this piece of eye candy by the end of 2013. I’m straight, in case you’re wondering.

By the way, please watch Parks and Recreation and Southland. Both of them are fantastic shows. As for Community, let’s just say it won’t be the same show without Dan Harmon.

TV

CCI 2012: Warner Bros. Previews 5 Fall TV Pilots!

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At Comic-Con, where most of our interesting news is currently coming from, 5 new Warner Bros. pilots were previewed. I know that we gave you a little sneak peek at a couple of them back in May with our TV Fall Schedule Update article, but this is a more complete look at what appears to be some interesting new TV.

Continue reading CCI 2012: Warner Bros. Previews 5 Fall TV Pilots! →

SPORTS

2012 NHL Playoffs: The Stanley Cup Finals

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So far my predictions have not been so great. I had neither the Kings or the Devils in the Finals, although that’s partially due to the fact that I’m a closet Coyotes fan and had to pick them against the Kings. This column will end with a prediction, but first lets examine the top 5 reasons why each team will win the Cup.

Los Angeles Kings

1) The Underdog Factor.

The Kings, who came into the playoffs as the 8 seed, have dispatched the first, second and third seeds in the West in short order playing only 14 of a possible 21 games to get the job done. New Jersey was a six seed in the East so once again Los Angeles has the underdog card in their favor, a mentality that has done well to motivate them so far.

2.) Jonathan Quick.

Quick didn’t exactly come out of nowhere but the 26-year-old, 2005 third-round pick by the Kings has been taking it a whole new level this year and has exceeded all expectations in the playoffs. He only has two shutouts so far, but has still done a good job of limiting opposing scorers with a .946 save percentage, and a 1.54 GAA both good enough to lead all postseason goaltenders if you throw out Corey Schneider’s three-game performance.

3) Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar.

Brown and Kopitar are both averaging above a point a game, and a matching +13 in the plus/minus column. They will have to continue that sort of production for the Kings to be successful. Brown has really improved his game this postseason and has at times looked like a man among boys. If they can get continued solid performance out of Penner and Richards as well as the guys on the top line they will continue their playoff dominance.

4) The “Old Guy” and the “Franchise First”.

The perennial feel good story about the veteran who has never won a cup is Willie Mitchell of the L.A. Kings. He is 35 and has played 14 NHL seasons, ironically enough starting with the Devils, and has been a solid, journeyman defenseman throughout his career, and alongside Drew Doughty has been logging the most ice time for the Kings during the playoffs. This would also be the first Stanley Cup for the Kings Franchise and it seems long droughts always seem to kindle some extra fire… see 2011 Bruins, 1997 Red Wings, and 1994 Rangers.

Long Time Coming

5.) The L.A. Factor.

After the Clippers and the Lakers both made early Playoff exits, the people of L.A. should be rallying around this plucky NHL team. The Dodgers are also in first place, but it’s still too early in the Baseball season to really get excited about that kind of thing. The Kings are undefeated on the road so far this playoffs so having the extra support at home should give the Kings a home and road ice advantage, that and the throwback silver and black jerseys are some of the best in NHL history.

New Jersey Devils

1) Martin Brodeur.

Brodeur hasn’t been phenomenal this season, but he has been very good and a .923 save percentage coupled with a 2.04 GAA is nothing to shake a stick at. Brodeur is 40 years old, but has already said that he would like to come back next season which would make it an even 20 years as a Devil. This guy has tons of experience and is unshakable. Brodeur piloted the 2002-03 New Jersey Devils to a Stanley Cup Championship amid a messy divorce, in which it was revealed that he was sleeping with his sister-in-law. That doesn’t say much about Martin as a stand-up guy, but it does show the type of focus he brings to the ice rink which makes it hard to bet against this guy. Getting another Stanley Cup ring would also tie Brodeur with Patrick Roy his greatest contemporary goaltending foe.

2) Ilya Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuk is the leading scorer among all skaters in the playoff st the moment and along with Zach Parise and Travis Zajac leads the Devils with 7 goals apiece. Unlike the Kings top scorers these three Devils are in the negative when it comes to plus/minus so they will have to do a better job of protecting in their own end as well as lighting the lamp. It’s good to see the scorers scoring as that means that New Jersey’s game plan is working effectively. If any of these three guys drop off however they could be in trouble. Remember also that this is Ilya Kovalchuk’s first opportunity to shine in the postseason, so it will be interesting to see which way he goes in the Finals.

3) Momentum.

The Devils struggled a bit out of the gate and just barely got by the Florida Panthers in a seven game series that included the last two games being won by New Jersey in overtime. Since then the Devils have been much better though and once they have smelt blood in the water they have done a good job on closing down their opponents. After losing game one to Philly they won four straight and won three straight against the Rangers after going down 2-1 in the series. The first game of the Finals is starting late so both teams have been sitting but for the Kings it has been over a week since they have played real hockey so that gives NJ the edge in game one as far as rust is concerned.

4) Experience.

The Kings have the “Feel Good” old guy, but the Devils have the “Old Guy” old guys. Beyond Broduer they also have Petr Sykora, 35 and Patrick Elias, 36 as the grizzled veteran presence who have been there and done that. New Jersey also has experience on the backline with 35-year old Marek Zidlicky and Danius Zubrus checking in at 33. It’s clear that the Devils have the dominant edge here in age and experience but the question is whether or not this is too many old legs to keep up with the young and speedy Kings.

5) The New Jersey Factor. 

New Jersey has the “Soprano” tough guys, the “Jersey Shore” greaseballs and the New York’s little brother complex to motivate its players. New Jersey has a storied and fervent fan base but unfortunately the team is in financial trouble and a Stanley Cup win might still not be enough to get the ship righted. That being said the Devils have nothing to lose and a lot to prove so I wouldn’t put it past them ton once again surprise everyone by toughing it out and intimidating their way to another championship as they find their way to another 16W.

My prediction: Los Angeles Kings in 6. This is probably the kiss of death as I have picked against the Kings in every previous round but I think they look too good and their goaltender is playing too well to lose it now.