Coping with the Winter Hiatus

Growing up as a young television viewer, I remember that after November Sweeps you would be lucky if you get two or three episodes in before the Holiday Season. I used to enjoy waiting for the promos to the Christmas episodes most television shows would do. This was back in 2002 and now in the 2011 Fall Season, most  shows are saying Goodbye a bit earlier now. Question is, does this affect your viewing?

Back when there wasn't a thing called "on-line viewing" or "DVR" for that matter, most shows would have at least 13 episodes before the winter hiatus began. Now, we get lucky if a show pushes for 10 episodes. Most shows are now entering the hiatus right before Thanksgiving. High-Rated shows stay just before November Sweeps is about to be over or if lucky come back for one week after Thanksgiving. 

The winter hiatus comes at a time when most Americans are busy doing their holiday shopping and going off to holiday parties. I have to admit, as a busy college student dealing with finals, my shows that i usually watch as "appointment television" were DVRed because of student priorities. While people are more inclined to skip out on TV viewing in December, fans of favorite TV shows still feel bothered when their shows enter a six week hiatus. So how do we cope?

 The good thing is with the Holiday season upon us, it actually helps us play catch up. Here are some tips to help you get through this holiday season.

1. You can always go back and rewatch: Whether you Hulu or DVR it You can catch up with the latest season right on your computer. (I plan to do that with ABC's Revenge)

2. TV Shows on DVD make Great Stocking Stuffers: Go out and buy the DVD's. Very Affordable and a great present.

3. Holiday Specials: They take our timeslots away but ,hey the are a ratings win

4. Look out for those Promos: Watching the game or a rerun, the broadcast networks will always sneak a promo for the 2012 season. Be ready for them.

By the time you know it January will be here and we will be ready for all the Mid-season Fun!

Inviting all for an Express Christmas

What a way to end the first half of your third season by celebrating the holidays a tiny bit early. Modern Family, which has been at the top of the ratings this season, decided to bring Christmas to viewers early through crazy antics and laughs. With the holiday season and winter hiatus beginning, MF has graciously provided a hilarious way celebrate the season, Express Christmas.

Missing Mommy: The holidays have always been special for Claire and Mitchell, spending their Christmas with mom, but this Christmas Mom has other plans, spending Christmas with her boyfriend. When they find out that everyone has different plans for the holidays, it prompts Phil to create an "Express Christmas"that has everyone scrambling out to get the perfect tree, gifts& food to make Christmas be on December 16th

When you want things to go right they end up wrong: Mitchell and Alex team up to go look for the perfect Christmas tree. What i love about this episode is it opens new dynamics with the cast and stirs up even more comedy. After finding the tree, Mitch and Alex swerved so they won't hit another car but end up losing the tree. Gloria and Luke end up driving at the same time only to run over the tree. With the special angel in hand, Gloria sees a spider, throws it out of the car window and in return the angel gets run over too. I have to say Sofia Vergara 's comedic timing is on point in this episode. Her and Nolan Gould are a great dynamic.

Don't be such a Scrooch: Jay is never really into the Holidays so while helping Cam wrap presents (who is wearing a tacky sweater in 95 degree weather) he can't help but feel like a bah humbug. In the middle of wrapping, Cam gives Jay his gift which is a memento from the first wine they drank together when they first met. Jay can't remember and Cam is instantly hurt.

Its not a Christmas without Snow: After a shopping spree at Target and a Turkey exchange for a baseball card, the gang ends up back and the home of Phil and Claire where its evident that Express Christmas won't likely be happening. Jay speaks up and decides for the family to forget about Christmas dinner and instead go out for Chinese. When they open the door they find the front yard covered in snow from a snow machine.

The message behind the episode: No matter where or who you are celebrating the holidays with, Family is everything.

Modern Family returns for new episodes Jan 4, 2012

And the Mirror Ball Trophy Goes To.....

In a season that has had more ups and downs, wardrobe malfunctions, and crazy dances, tonight Dancing With The Stars crowned a new champion. Military heartthrob JR Martinez, captured the audience and viewers with his heroic story as well as his smooth moves, to earn the Mirror Ball Trophy. Runner-up Rob Kardashian was shy of the trophy. During this season he was the underdog but proved to the viewers that he wasn't just like his sisters. Tonight's finale brought back all of this season competetors. The 2-hour long show, included performances by Lady Antebellum as well by the past contendors. Each contestant came back with their partners to perform one of their favorite dances.  The competition was intense this year, but is it still enough to bring in the viewers?

Ratings for DWTS have slipped drastically since last year. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, host Tom Burgeron, said that because DWTS airs both Fall and Spring, most fans feel that it is too repetative. One of the main problems i had with these past season DWTS is that the cast isn't up to par with past cast. This season, while it did make buzz in the beginning, wasn't as exciting in the middle. The one good thing DWTS did this year was add new elements to the show. Adding themes and quick dances, made the competition intense.

Tonight's finale added a question to producers if they still want to do a spring version. For now, DWTS will be on Hiatus and The Bachelor will premiere in January. Congrats to JR Martinez and Karina Smirnoff.

To watch tonights finale you can go to ABC.com tomorrow morning.

DRAMA: What's the Future of TV Without it?

You may have heard that ABC's Modern Family saved the sitcom drought or that CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" and "How I've Met Your Mother" are always at the top of their games, but many want to know what is going on with the drama. I read an interesting article in the recent issue of TVGuide Magazine that talks about the future of drama's on broadcast television. Over the past couple of years, drama on TV was a success. A month into this years TV season, none of the major networks are producing "buzzed" about dramas. Shows such as, Terra Nova, Revenge, and Person of Interest are all doing ok in ratings, however it still isn't enough. Many of the aging shows, for example, Grey's Anatomy, CSI,  House, Law & Order:SVU, are hitting series low ratings and are being DVRed or watched at a later time. This season, more drama's have been cancelled than comedies. So are we at risk for a network drama drought?

We have cable to thank for the slip. Cable networks have been stealing the drama away from broadcast. According to the TV Guide article, last year approximately 230 drama pilots for the networks had been purchased while this year the number stands at 170- a 26 percent drop. Network execs will be producing fewer dramas for the following TV season.

Viewers are leaning more towards laughs this season more than anything. Fox's New Girl, and CBS's 2 Broke Girls have been picked up for full seasons. Even Modern Family has reached a new high in its ratings. Even some major drama show runners are developing sitcom pilots. Glee creator, Ryan Murphy, just sold a half-hour comedy to NBC, according to TV Guide Magazine. He feels as if viewers would be happier if there were more light hearted programming out in television. The comedy low is now on a comedy high. But why is drama facing these challenges? Maybe its because too many are being copied.

Cable vs Network Drama's are always competing against each other. Cable has a show that dominates the Emmy Drama Category called Mad Men. The networks picked up on it and shows like "Playboy Club"(which has been already cancelled) and  ABC's Pan Am, have a "Men Men" feel. Are we getting tired of seeing the same old things? They're are way to many spinoffs of CSI, Law & Order and NCIS, even some are trying to capture the soapy style plot the Desperate Housewives has captured for the past 8 years. Too much is too much.

We must look to what midseason can bring in terms of dramas. It's uncertain that we are facing a drama crisis but let's keep our fingers crossed that there won't be a drama drought, if anything we must switch to cable.

Dancing With The Stars: Week 5 Recap and Elimination, 80s Night

Welcome to 80s night in the ballroom. I have been neglecting my DWTS nights but i managed to come back to the ballroom to watch the 80s crazed night unfold. We start of DWTS with a long intro piece that is filled with old 80s songs from the Bangles and dances from the pros. One thing that i disliked about DWTS is they fill up time by using the pros. I wish DVR would fast forward in real time because that would be a good time to FF. Finally after almost 10 min the remaining couples are introduced. Tom says the judges will be commenting on what the couples need to do to improve. We start the night off with Hope and Max

Hope is very athletic and has a very difficult time adjusting to the performance value of the dance. They give them the tango. It was a solid dance except head judge Len said she seemed "wobbly" Carrie Ann was happy that Hope was in character but felt she put to much into it. Bruno however, loved it calling Hope a "Sexy strong, powerful" dancer. They received a 24/30

Nancy is such a hard worker when it comes to dancing. You can tell she is determined to learn and perfect herself. This week she has the Rumba. Tristan and Nancy play off of each other (him the boyfriend trying to get the girl back) The judges feel that it was a good dance despite having its moments. Nancy receives

Carson, Carson. He is always an enjoyable person to watch on the dancefloor. Except, he has poor technique. Bruno thinks his technique needs to match with his personality. In the package, Carson is determined to get the dance right for fear of being eliminated after making one mistake. His dance is the jive. After having trouble getting out of his costume (cheerleading uniforms), he manages to put a lot of energy into the dance. He still misses a couple of steps but is still fun to watch. Len & Bruno call it a "minimal jive" and  Carrie Ann comments how they are in the middle of the competition and he hasn't "upped" his game. They receive a 19/30

JR has really been this seasons "breakout" dancer. He captures emotion in his dances and his technique has been on par these past couple of weeks. His dance this week is the Samba and he is excited to take on the challenge of the dance because of his Latin Background. Its a fast Samba and JR's hip actions take center stage. The audience loves it The Judges loved it saying it was brilliant. his samba manages to get him two 10s. He receives a 28/30

I still find it amazing that Rob Kardashian is still on DWTS, either he is really better than Kim or he has a VERY strong fan base. His dance this week is the Rumba. Now the Rumba is a sexy dance. One that requires passionate chemistry and technique. Len comments that Rob and Cheryl has great chemistry which is key to executing the perfect Rumba. Their dance is definitely sexy. Rob's dancing wasn't that bad either. The judges love that he is improving each week. His Rumba gets him a 25/30

Chaz has got to be one that you can't help but root for. Im excited that he is still competing and that fans are enjoying him on the show. His dance this week is the Samba. It requires a ton of hip action which is quite difficult since he got injured last week. He stills comes out to perform an enjoyable dance. The judges think he did a good job but his technique was not up to par with what the samba requires. It also doesn't help that JR already performed his Samba and did a fantastic job. Chaz receives a 21/30

I was so excited that David got the tango this week. He is so fun to watch on the floor and i wanted to see his serious side. His technique in his dance was great and he did a good job (hense a standing O by the audience.) His flashy dance gets him a 25/30

Ricki is for sure this seasons front runner (hello she has Derek as a partner) and of course the judges didn't give her any advice. She has the Foxtrot this week. Her dance is so-so. Not flashy, not to much energy but enough for a Foxtrot. It was a bit of a let down from last weeks.  Len comments that this wasn't there best dance while Carrie Ann and Bruno agreed something was off about their foxtrot. The judges give them a 24/30

So who is going home? This week its Carson who got the boot. It was a pleasure seeing you dance Mr. Kressley. You made it enjoyable and we will miss you.

Were you surprised about Carson's Elimination?

The Curse of The Thursday Night 8/7c Lead In Time Slot

Sorry Charlie, but you got to go. Today, ABC announced that the remake of the popular drama series "Charlie's Angels" has been cancelled. The overly promoted remake series which was produced by Drew Barrymore failed to get viewers to tune in. The show starring Mika Kelly, Rachael Taylor and Annie Llonezeh averaged 6 million viewers in the first five episodes that aired, according to Zap2it.com .

The show had gotten off to a rocky start in the beginning,  never quite matching up to the classic 70s version. Viewers had a difficult time connecting with the remake and made advertising sales difficult for the key demo audience. The cancelation is the forth series in the Thursday night 8/7c time slot to be cancelled. So is there a curse?

Back in time Ugly Betty was the lead in to hit Grey's Anatomy and worked really well, until a thing called the Writer's Stike happened in 2008. When UB came back, it struggled to gain its momentum it had before which ABC ended up moving it to Fridays and well we know what happen with that. Then came the over the top "Lost" like show Flashfoward which during the TCA's the summer of 2009 seemed like it had potential to go a long way. Advertisers picked up on it and promotion was huge. It premiered to decent ratings but declined shortly each week which ended up getting cancelled after 6 episodes.

ABC decided to air reruns of Grey's Anatomy until the 2010 Spring season when they aired a show called. The Deep End. It was produced by the producers of Grey's Anatomy but still failed to gain viewership.

The Fall 2010 season looked promising with the show called "My Generation." ABC advertising saw a creative way of getting the audience involved by doing interactive participation with viewers. Even the creators wanted to get students involve. Filming in Austin, Tx, My Generation was casting extras to be a part of multiple episodes. Ratings however tanked and after two episodes My Generation got the chopping block.

With the premiere of "Scandle" coming to ABC in the Spring, ABC might just turn Thursday nights to the Shonda Rhimes night. (Scandle is the latest show created by Grey's and PP executive producer, Shonda Rhimes) Is the curse only trying to make way for the Triple threat? We shall see.

This cancelation is fourth series to go into the Fall 2011 TV season cancellation chart. However if you enjoyed the remake of CA you are in luck because even though they stopped production on the show, there are still a couple of produced episodes that will make way onto our TV screens before it is officially pulled off the schedule, according to E! Watch with Kristen. The dates on those episodes are still TBD. Now that it is cancelled there is also a possibility that Rachel Taylor will go back to Grey's Anatomy to reprise her role as Lucy Fields, Alex's girlfriend. Come on ABC we know you are going to go there.

What do you think about the cancelation of Charlies Angels? Are you sad it's gone?

Strong Start for Allen's New Comedy, NCIS Leads CBS to a win. Tuesday Oct 11 Ratings

Tool Time fans are happy to see Mr. Tim Allen gracing our television screens again. The new ABC comedy starring Allen, "Last Man Standing" debuted to strong numbers last night earning 12.95 million viewers for its double episode premiere. According to TVline.com, the premiere was the most watched 8/7c comedy for the network since 2004. It scored mixed reviews from its audience but was a great lead in for "Dancing with the Stars" which was up 10 percent from last Tuesday and won its time slot receiving 16.6 million viewers.

Fox's Tuesday lineup was absent due to the coverage of the ALCS Games. It improved throughout the night even winning the 18-49 demo in the 10/9c hour but only averaged 7.94 million viewers.

NCIS continued to be the most watched show according to Zap2it.com with 18.7 million viewers. Its sister show NCIS: LA dipped a bit but manage to pull in 15.5 million while the freshman drama Unforgettable earned 11.8 million which all together helped CBS win the night and key demo.

Are you satisfied with Allen's new comedy "Last Man Standing"?

The New Girl's Fall Break

Just when you started getting used to her, Fox pulls a fall season shocker. As reported by Zap2it.com Fox's break out hit "New Girl" will be absent from our television screens for much of October. Its slight hiatus is due to the fact that the network will be making room for the upcoming World Series as well as expanding "The X-factor" into a 2-hour episode for October 12 and October 18. Does this mean "New Girl" is in trouble?

Don't pull out your cancelation cards just yet, the decent ratings and fan feedback helped the Zooey Deschanel comedy get a full season, 22 episode pickup. All new episodes of Glee and Rising Hope will also be on hiatus, which makes the break a good thing for the freshman series. 

New episodes of Fox's Tuesday lineup will be back November 1 at 8/7c.

Save It Or Sink It? Is An NBC Show in Trouble?

There once was a time when NBC ruled the airwaves. "FRIENDS", "ER" "The Cosby Show" just to name a few but now the Peacock network is struggling and scrambling to save their shows and money from advertisers. 

According to the New York Post, Advertisers spent $1.7 billion on NBC's fall schedule. For the past six years, NBC has placed fourth in the ratings race. What didn't help the network was the disastrous "Jay Leno" primetime experiment back in 2009. Ever since that NBC has been trying to rebound and regain momentum. This fall season for NBC hasn't been the best. Shows such as "Whitney, Free Agents, and Prime Suspects, have lost viewers within its second week. One NBC show, in particular, is rapidly losing viewers and sponsors.

The Playboy Club was this summer's most promoted and anticipated Fall Show. The Playboy Club which stars Eddie Cibrian, is centered around Hugh Hefner's lifestyle in the 60s. The show debuted to very lower numbers, 5 million and is rapidly declining. In it's second week according to Philly.com, only 3.8 million came back for more. The Parents Television Council wants advertisers to boycott the series. The president of TPTC said until the program gets off the air they will have more sponsors back out.

The one thing that is working for NBC is NFL's Sunday Night football which is a ratings win drawing in an average of 19 million viewers. 

The Fall television season is starting its third week and all eyes are on which show will be the first to get axed. My money will be on The Playboy Club. 

Does The Playboy Club have a chance at survival?

Grey's Anatomy Season 8 Episode 2: Take The Lead

Tension builds tonight on an all new Grey's Anatomy, as Meredith, Alex, Cristina, April and Jackson perform their first solo surgeries of their fifth year of residency. Meanwhile the Chief steps down and Dr. Hunt takes over. And will Meredith and Derek solve their marriage problems now that baby Zola is gone? Here's a look at what happened tonight at Seattle Grace-Mercy West.

Oh hail the chief: Last weeks premiere saw the Chief taking the blame for Meredith as he said he was the one who tampered with Derek's Alzheimer Clinical Trial. In the opening the Chief decided it was time to take a break from his duties and spend time with his wife. He appointed Dr. Owen Hunt to the Chief position which found Dr. Miranda Bailey a bit furious. She still isn't ready to let go of what went down in the finale. Still when Bailey is riled up, be careful folks.

It's Solo Surgery Time: Ah the fifth years get a chance to operate without their attendings on there back. To make things more interesting, the residents make a wager to see who's surgery is going to be the most successful and the loser will have to work April's skills lab for the interns. Each of the five residence had complex surgeries. For Alex, this whole entire time he has been practicing in PEDS however when the opportunity comes for a solo he backs out and takes a general surgery procedure, a bowel resuction. April catches on too Alex's bad bedside manner and has a one on one chat with him. He does admit he is nervous and sadly his patient doesn't make it.
Jackson Avery is anxious to get his hands on a plastics case. And this one was just the right one. Jackson was going to be operating on a complicated case involving a baby boy. To Arizona, Jackson was fine except she felt Mark Sloan was more experienced (he's an attending). Jackson convinces Arizona to let him operate but at the last moment he backs out getting Sloan to come an do his job for him. Let's just say he lost the bet.
Cristina Yang loses her memory for a bit while performing a routine Appy. But even as she is trying to remember, her attending Teddy forgets the easy procedure as well. They end up getting a nurse to help them.
Which brings me to Meredith Grey. All eyes are on Mer as she returns to the OR after being fired and re-hired from that clinical trial tampering. Derek is still furious at her for messing with his trial that the tension is high as they are both together in the OR. But of course she is Meredith Grey and she performs the surgery flawlessly and receives a round of applause.

The MerDer/Owina Couple Drama: Couples and their drama what can we say. There was a major awkwardness between Owen and Cristina as they still aren't talking about "IT" (she aborted his baby on purpose) but with a case of food posion, Owen and Cristina bond lying on the floor, still not talking about that one little detail.
And ladies and Gents, McDreamy finally called "post-it" Weeks after losing Baby Zola Meredith and Derek finally had an argument which lead to the discusion on seperating work from their marriage. Slowly and surely they are making Progress but will that be enough to get Baby Zola Back?

Next Week: Grey's goes "all man" with a Boys episode told from the men's point of view!

Grey's Anatomy airs Thursday Nights 9/8c on ABC.

Dancing With The Stars: Week 2 Recap, Quickstep, The Jive and Malfuctions

Its time to quick step and jive in the ballroom! Welcome to week two of DWTS! This weeks dances will be more intense and require efficient technique. Here's a recap of last nights dancing plus was it true there was a wardrobe malfunction?

The night begins with the high energy Jive. First up Hope and Max. They gave Hope a snazzy soccer outfit and start the night off with fierce attitude. The energy was intense which head judge Len said it was crisp and sharp but she did lose her footwork and lost timing. Both Bruno and Carrie Ann agreed while also adding that she was relaxed in the dance. Hope and Max received 19/30

Old Hollywood Glamour are the perfect words to describe Kristen and Marks Quickstep. They have really good chemistry and Kristen has good performance value. She seems relaxed and very elegant. Bruno was "bedazzled" by the dance and Carrie Ann called it a complete transformation from week one. However Len said she broke hold and wasn't as good as she looked. Kristen earned a 22/30

In my personal opinion, David Arquette always had a energetic kid vibe so when they gave him the Jive I was excited to see this. Sadly, David was all over place. The judges said his technique wasn't there but gave him positive reviews saying his enthusiasm was incredible. David received 18/30

Shes tall and beautiful but can she quickstep? Elizabetta and Val were "hot" according to judge Bruno but her technique was still a bit off. Len said it best by saying it was great but not better than nextweek. Carrie Ann disagreed and said she nailed it. They gave Elizabetta a 21/30

According to Carrie Ann, yes Rob is a better dancer than Kim! Rob and Cheryl's Jive earned rave reviews from the judges and they even agreed he is coming out of his shell. Len gave a positive comment saying his energy was at his best and Bruno said his timing was much better. He received a 21/30

Carson, Carson , Carson. I really enjoy watching him in the opening monologues. This week Anna and Carson dance to the quickstep which Carrie Ann said he was wobbily but saw improvement. You can tell Carson but a lot of work into the dance however it didn't flow as he was on stage. Bruno and Len said he needs a lot more work. Carson earned a 18/30

Whenever there is a Jive the one choreographer i'm looking forward to is Derek and Him and Ricki didn't disappoint. She nailed it with the Kicks and Flicks and according to Carrie Ann was the best Jive of the night. However there is always one to disagree and Len was the one. He didn't like it but said she got the job done. Ricki earned a 23/30 and lead the leader board

After having several knee problems, Chaz was still trying to adapt to the quickstep while on the dancefloor. Him and Lacy's quickstep was according to judges too slow and was a bit off. The did praise him for handling the pain well. Chaz received a 17/30

Tony always gives his partners interesting choreography when it comes to the jive and personally i loved Chyna's Jive. Except, the judges thought she played it safe. She had great energy and wonderful stage personality. Bruno even said her sexy side is starting to show. Chyna earned a 22/30

Nancy and Tristan were having a bit of a "pow-wow" during the week when it came to the quickstep. However they manage to pull it through but the main topic from today's headlines was this "wardrobe malfunction" it was believe that she has a "nip slip" however Nancy quickly said this morning that there was no malfunction. Hmmm what to believe? Who cares, the score is more important because she earned a 21/30

The nights last dance came from JR and Karina who quickstepped their way to the judges hearts. The judges loved his technique and felt he was solid throughout the dance. They gave him a 22/30

The results are in and it's elimination time. And the next star to be eliminated..........

Elizabetta and Val.

Untill next week Dancing With the Stars fans!

Did the right person go home?

Welcome Aboard Flight Pan Am

Buckle up and don't forget your girdle, adventure calls. Tonight the much hyped about ABC fall show "Pan Am" came aboard to our tv screens. Setting in the 1960s Pan Am's fashion and music took americans back to the good ole days of the Pan Am stewardess. But with all the hype did it make a solid or crash landing?

After watching the pilot, no pun intended, episode I felt as if i was watching a spin off of "Mad Men" on ABC. Christina Richi acting was good for the most part. However, the series kept jumping back from past to present in series of flashbacks for backstory. I found myself wanting to scream out "cut to the drama and enough with the flashbacks"

The series started out with the term, "Don't forget that girdle." It follows the life of two sisters, one who decided to follow in her sisters footsteps as a stewardess after leaving her fiancee at the alter. One plot that i did find entertaining was the storyline of frenchwoman Collete who has a one night stand with a man while on a trip. The man, his wife and his son come on the plane and the wife figures out about the affair in the end. Favorite line, "Put this on your refridge as a reminder not to sleep with another woman's husband"

I found some of the flashbacks unnecessary and thought the fashion and nostalgia of the 60s was at its best with the Frank Sinatra Music playing in the backround.

Just right now 48 percent of viewers voted in Watch with Kristen poll to Save Pan Am. Being a huge Brothers and Sisters fan, i found Pan Am to be a little unsolid to the dramatic family problems of "The Walkers."

We will see how the show compared to others tomorrow morning as Fast Nationals come out but i will give it another try next sunday to have a final verdict.
If not i give it about six episodes before they put a DOA on it.

Did you think Pan Am lived up to the hype?

Kiss Them Goodbye: The Beginning Of The End For The Ladies Of Wisteria Lane

Seven years of scandal, betrayal, love and infamous water cooler moments, the ladies of wisteria lane are getting ready to say goodbye, but not without one final season of schemes. Sunday night ABC will premiere season eight, the final season of Desperate Housewives. The show, which premiered in 2004, sky rocketed to number one in the ratings with its crazy character antics. The ladies of Wisteria have cultivated the term "Housewife" and made modern everyday women gather on their couches to see the soapy style prime time drama. 

Series creator Marc Cherry, scored big when he landed phenomenal actresses to play the roles of Mary Alice, Bree, Gabriel, Susan, Lynette and Edie. The show has earned multiple Emmy/SAG/ and Golden Globe nominations. 

Desperate Housewives has always been one to push the boundaries of television. Each season has had nothing but heart-stopping moments and emotional moments which makes us come back for more. DH has always been at the top of its ratings however in recent years the show was down a bit from its prime.  In the past seven years, DH averages 16 million viewers. Cherry had signed a deal with ABC to keep it on the air through 2013 but this past summer he decided it was time to call it quits and end the show while it was still winning its time slot and being talked about

On Sunday night, long-time viewers will return to find Gabby and Carlos in a difficult position trying to deal with the death of Gabby's stepfather who Gabby, in self defense, killed. The premiere also deals with the marriage troubles of Lynette and Tom, which at the end of last season decided to go their separate ways after 15 years of marriage. Even Mary Alice might be on our screens. Brenda Strong talked to reporters from Zap2it.com at the season eight premiere party and said we will see more of the mystery of Mary Alice. Last seasons newest housewife, Renee, played by Vanessa Williams, says the new season will also have some lighter moments as well. 

Whatever the outcome the final season of Desperate Housewives looks like it will end with a bang. Here is an exclusive final season promo of Season eight 

Desperate Housewives airs Sunday nights 9/8c on ABC 

Premiere Ratings: Big Bang for CBS while The Angels Have a so-so start, Thursday

It was a big night for TV on Thursday as the return of TV's biggest night proved to work very well for CBS which won the night in total viewers. According to Zap2it.com, The Big Bang Theory got CBS to a good start winning its time slot with a one hour premiere that drew in 14.4 million viewers making it the most watched program for the night. The series premiere of "Person's of Interest", which took over CSI's old time slot, won the 9/8c hour with 13.2 million viewers. while the season premiere of The Mentalist was down 20 percent but still won the 10/9c hour.

It was a modest start for the reboot of "Charlie's Angels" which manage to receive 8 million viewers and was up from last year's premiere of "My Generation." Winning the 18-49 demo was "Grey's Anatomy" which had a 2-hour premiere but was down 24 percent compared to last year, according to TVLine.com.

Simon Cowell's "The X Factor" second night seemed to score the same numbers as the night before but with all the hype given the show, it manage to be underwhelming compared to any "American Idol" premiere. But thanks to the show, Fox manage to win the night in the 18-49 demo.

Where you satisfied with Thursday Night TV?

Revenge Is The Best Dish Served Cold

Three cheers for sweet Revenge. The ABC drama is the new Dirty Sexy Money of Wednesday night. The soapy plot line strikes back hot making revenge sexy.

The highly anticipated show premiered tonight on the 10/9c time slot that always had trouble getting shows to its sophomore season. Revenge brings back to television Brothers and Sisters alum Emily VanCamp as the ever so sweet but sultry Emily Thorn. She's on a quest to get back at the people who destroyed and betrayed her father. There is also the Hampton Queen herself Victoria Grayson who is Emilys equal on the show. The two bring down the house with there "don't mess with me" attitudes. We learn from the very beginning that Emily is leading a double life which makes this show even better to watch.

The men also give great eye-candy to us viewers. Between Daniel and Jack, the two men of Emily/Amanda's life, make the revenge even more seductive.

Twitter has been buzzing as well, all with positive vibes about the first episode. 

Its definitely one of fall tv's newest guilty pleasures.

Did you think it was worth watching?

Premiere Ratings: Fox's 'New Girl' Slays the Slot, Glee down, Tuesday

Being the new girl is hard but not for Zoey Deschanel. "New Girl" started off to solid numbers, (10.1 million) Tuesday night and even beat out fan-favorite Glee(8.9million), to help Fox win the 18-49 demo. According to TVLine.com, 'New Girl' helped improve the Glee lead out time slot up 35 percent from last years "Raising Hope" premiere.

CBS had no problems at all, winning the night in viewership with solid ratings from NCIS. The season opener drew 19.55 million and was the most watched show for the night. It's sister show NCIS Los Angeles also had a boost in viewers hitting a 16.7 rating. The freshman premiere of "Unforgettable" helped improve the 10/9c slot, up 16 percent from last years "The Good Wife"

ABC droped from last year with the Dancing With the Stars Results down 20 percent. "Body Of Proof" also was below last years premiere. 

Buffy Alum Sarah Michelle Gellar's "Ringer" dipped on its second week but still was solid for CW's average numbers, zap2it.com.

Did the "New Girl" live up to the hype?

Dancing With The Stars: Week 1 Recap and First Elimination

The ballroom is back and bigger than ever! Monday Night brought the return of ABC's hit reality dance competition Dancing With the Stars complete with a new and improved set! The grand staircase is now in the middle and the freshly lit set makes the ballroom look amazing. We start the night meeting the cast as each of them with their dance partners walk down the stair case. In the ballroom we see familiar faces such as the Kardashian sisters and Courtney Cox. Here's how the start of season 13 went.

First to open the night is Ron Artest dancing the "Cha Cha." While the opening number was quite energetic, Ron's nerves were obvious. His performance lacked content and had bad technique. Earning him a 14/30

Rob Kardashian proved to be the better dancer than his sister Kim but will that pull him through? Dancing to the Waltz the judges thought he was too stiff and needed to relax. Carrie Ann said she saw potential while Len was not to impressed. Overall Rob has the ability to go far if he can just push himself. He earned a 16/30

The Hills came alive when Kristin Cavillari hit the dancefloor, well maybe cause her partner Mark Ballas had something to do with that. The "Cha Cha" they did had incredible energy and all the judges think she has potential earning her a 19/30

Tony always manages to get some not so good celebrity partners but for this season the producers gave him a reason to get excited. Singer Chynna Philips surprised audience with a graceful waltz that made Len smile. Earning her a 22/30

The verdict is in and Nancy Grace proves she is more than a by-the-book court tv journalist. Letting loose for the "Cha Cha", Nancy proves she is there to show off a fun side of her and is actually pretty hilarious. Judges gave her a 16/30

The ever so quirky David Arquette has the potential to go far according to the judges. His waltz was well liked but still found him feeling like he was all over the dancefloor. He earned a 18/30

Elizabeth, sweetheart the only thing we remember you as is the woman who stole George Clooney away from us women. Putting her on dancing with Maks little brother, Genuis! Even with the language barrier the duo still manage to put on a good dance however it wasn't enough for the judges earning her a 15/30

Maks is back with a little Hope to add at that. Maks and Hope Solo brought a very solid waltz to the floor. The judges say she has to work on her control but thinks she can go far. With Maks as a partner im sure she will. Judges gave her a 21/30

Mr. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy got the Moves like Jagger? Carson and Anna boogie on the dance floor to the "Cha Cha" that has him all over the place. His looks like an awkward mess with his arms and body form everywhere but you can tell he is having a lot of fun. He has the energy but his technique needs a lot of work. The judges give him a 17/30

Army man turned Soap star JR Martinez and Karina do a very well waltz. The judges are all impressed at how well he danced since he has never been a dancer. A solid performance earned him a 22/30 which has him tied with Chynna.

Derek is back in the ballroom and has the talkshow host by his side. Ricki Lake's waltz was filled with emotion however it lacked in comparison with Chynna's. The judges say she's graceful and had great footwork which earns her a 20/30

The final and most anticipated dance of the night is here! Chaz and Lacy have to overcome the controversy surrounding them, did they do it with their "Cha Cha?" Chaz seems very nervous in the beginning of the performance. He has good energy and a great footwork and by the end of the performance, he has tears in his eyes. The judges send positive vibes to him by saying they know he is doing this to have fun and has great joy. He earns a 17/30

So who went home? Tuesday night brought the first results show and the 1st one to be eliminated is................ Ron Artest.

Until next week DWTS Fans!

Who are you rooting for this season?

Premiere Ratings: 'Two and A Half Men' breaks records, Dancing drops, Monday

Ashton Kutcher has a reason to smile this Tuesday morning. The numbers are in and "Two and a Half Men" smashed ratings records last night to open the fall television season. Nearly 28 million viewers gave Two and A Half Men its series highest ratings. According to TVLine.com, "Men" broke the record for the most watched season premiere for any scripted show since Desperate Housewives back in 2005.  It also helped lead in CBS new comedy " 2 Broken Girls" which managed to receive 19.2 million viewers. "How I Met Your Mother" was up 34 percent from last year while "Hawaii Five 0" was down 10 percent.
CBS won the night for the 18-49 demo.

The season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" was down from last year but still manage to lead ABC to win the night in viewers. According to Zap2it.com, the DWTS premiere received 18 million viewers while the highly anticipated season premiere of "Castle" gained a big boost in their numbers ,13.6 million, up 21 percent from season three premiere.

The nights biggest flop of the night was NBC's "The Playboy Club which only got 5 million and lead NBC fourth in the race .


What were you watching this Monday Night?

Welcome To The Emmy Awards. Or Should I say the Modern Family Awards?

...And the Emmy goes to: Modern Family, Modern Family, Modern Family, Modern Family,Modern Family. No doubt about it, the ABC sitcom dominated tonight at the 63rd annual Emmy Awards. The show, which premiered in 2009, has swept the awards show tonight with wins in the Supporting Actor/Actress, Directing in a Comedy Series, Writing in a Comedy Series and the biggest win of all, Outstanding Comedy Series for the second year in a row. When the nominations were announced this past July, all main actors of the show were nominated. It was only a matter of time that Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell, who play married couple Phil and Clare Dunphy, caught up to last years Best Supporting Actor Eric Stonestreet. The shows cast now has three Emmys. Which leaves three more of the cast to bring home the gold.(maybe next year).

Other wins in the comedy category went to Jim Parsons for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for  The Big Bang Theory and Melissa McCarthy for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Mike and Molly

All eyes and tweets tonight were on Kyle Channler who snabbed the Best Actor in a Drama Series for Friday Night Lights. FNL also won tonight for Writing in a Drama Series. Julianna Margulies took home Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in CBS's The Good Wife. And the men of Mad Men took home Outstanding Drama Series.

The 63rd Emmy Awards were held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

The Fall Television Season begins tomorrow Monday September 19

 

Premiere Week:Thursdays: TV's Biggest Night & The Fight For The DVR

THURSDAY. You know you are excited for this day. It's TV's biggest night and with the biggest newest premieres and fan favorites returning you are going to be happy you purchase a TiVo or a DVR. Here is what you can expect on the tube on Thursdays.

CBS is excited to move one of its fan favorite comedies to its new home on Thursday. Get ready fans because there is about to be a big bang. The Big Bang Theory premiers on its new night September 22. Now that finale was epic when it was revealed that Penny and Raj slept together. So what are fans in stored for? Well executive producer, Bill Prady reveals that there will be repercussions but that fans will be satisfied with the way the characters deal with the events.
The newest comedy on CBS "How to Be a Gentleman" is the modern day "Odd Couple" It finds a writer, Andrew, who strikes up a friendship with his old classmate, Allen. The two are trying to make the magazine Andrew writes for more "hip and edgy" Take a look at the new show. Premiering in CSI old time slot is the drama "Person of Interest." What can be considered as the TV version of the "Minority Report," Person of Interest follows a billionaire who has created a surveillance program for the government that identifies people who will be involved in a future crime. Will it match up to CSI's ratings? Here is a sneak peak at Person of Interest.
Thursday Nights number one drama "The Mentalist" returns after a heart stopping finale that found Patrick Jane faced-to-face with a man who said he was Red Jon. When it returns, the question of did Jane kill Red Jon in an act of self defense will be dealt with. "Within five minutes of the season opener, Jane is in jail for homicide," says series creator Bruno Heller.

Switching gears to ABC the highly anticipated remake of "Charlie's Angles" premieres in the lead in time slot for Grey's Anatomy. It's picked as TV Guide's "Must Watched List". Think you can handle the angels? Here is an exclusive sneak peek.
Speaking of Grey's Anatomy when it returns for its eighth season, long time fans will find out on the 2-hour long premiere what will happen with Meredith after she tampered with husband 's "Alzheimer's Clinical Trial" Last season's finale had McDreamy furious with Meredith and Meredith had to deal with the adoption of Baby Zola. The premiere will also deal with Cristina's decision to her shocking pregnancy. Abortion or not her marriage with Dr.Owen Hunt had been already on the rocks. This season will be filled with fans questioning if the core cast will re-sign their contracts. Are you ready to say goodbye to Seattle Grace Mercy West just yet?
The good news is Shonda Rimes never goes away. The Grey's spinoff "Private Practice" returns the following week. The cast got spilt up after Audra McDonald, who plays Addisons bestfriend Naomi, decided to leave the show after last season. When PP returns, Addison will be desperately trying for, guessed it, a baby.

It's comedy night for the folks down at NBC. Starting off with fan favorite Community. Last season we saw Shirely giving birth to her baby but found out that Chang was not the father. Creator, Dan Harmon, says fans will learn throughout the new season more about Pierce's character.
Parks and Recreation premieres after that followed by "The Office." Yes Jim and Pam fans, get excited because a baby is on the way. The main actress is pregnant so the producers decided to incorporate her real life pregnancy.
Stand up Comedian Whitney has something to be excited for, her own TV comedy. "Whitney" sure looks like it will bring some laughs but can it hold the fort down? Check it out for yourself.

Fox will have The X-Factor results show to lead in for the most anticipated premiere.
Bones fans, I know you have been waiting all summer for this. Let me say i don't watch Bones regulary but that finale was heart-stopping. FOX's hit Bones returns to our screens September 22. Last season Booth and Bennan got it on and got pregnant. The show returns to find the duo coping with the pregnancy and try to find a way to deal with living together and being a family.

The CW returns Vampire Diaries that night as well.

Like i said get those DVR's ready. Are you ready for the return of fan favorites? Or are these aging shows in desperate need to go?

Premiere Week: What To Watch On Wednesdays

Nine Days away from the Fall TV Season. What will you be watching on Wednesdays? Here is your guide to the midweek blues.

CBS may have done some line up changes but there is no doubt Wednesdays will be packed with fan favorites. Season 23 of the hit reality show "Survivor" makes its return Wednesday September 21 on the 8/7c hour. Followed by hit drama "Criminal Minds." on the 9/8c hour When we last left off, Hotch warned the team that federal budget cuts put everyones job in danger. When CM makes its return, fans will learn that those threats made in the finale were some what true. Executive Producer, Erica Messer, also teases that JJ And Hotch will be bonding. "There is a relationship there  that we think is worth exploring," Messer says, "It's nothing romantic but there's definitely a bond."

"CSI" makes its Wednesday night debut , this time with a new lead character. Ted Danson is in & will have fans racing to their screens to watch the 12th season premiere. Will fans make the night switch and still watch the number one drama? We shall see.

Moving over to ABC. The Middle returns in its normal time slot 8/7c. Followed by the one-hour premiere of the Emmy winning comedy "Modern Family". Fans will find that Baby Lilly is a toddler , and Haley and Alex now both attend the same school. Not to mention Mitch and Cam considering the posibility of adopting another child.
The following week ABC will premiere its new show on the 8:30/7:30 called Suburgatory. The show follows a New York gal, Teresa moving to the suburbs. Get a sneak peek of Suburgatory right here.
Wednesday night also returns the sophomore hit "Happy Endings" on the 9:30/8:30 hour. And Emily VanCamp is back on our television screens. The Brothers & Sisters actress makes her lead role debut in the drama "Revenge." Emily, VanCamp's character, heads to the Hamptons to gain revenge on people. Does this Revenge Promo live up to the name?

NBC is giving us the television return of Christina Applegate. "Up All Night" is the newest comedy on the 8/7c hour that shows the trials and tribulations of parenthood. This all-star cast that features Maya Rudolph, has made TVGuides "Must Watched List." Here's a first look at "Up All Night."
Next on the line up is another new comedy called "Free Agents" which is a remake of a british comedy. The show features to co-workers who start to develop feelings for one another after having a one night stand.
And of course one of the nights biggest premieres, the veteran drama "Law and Order:SVU. This season fans will say goodbye to Christopher Meloni as he will be leaving midseason. Another shake up Marishka Hargitay will be seen less on the show. But producers tell fans, not to worry she will be in mostly every episode.

Are you ready for more Simon? The "X-Factor" finally debuts on our screens Wednesday September 21 on FOX. The most buzzed about reality show will reunite Paula Abdul and Simon Cowel. Is this another Idol in the making? Check it out the first promo for  The X-Factor right here
After The X-Factor comes a comedy called "I Hate My Teenager Daughter." The Jamie Pressly comedy finds two single moms worrying about the way their daughters are growing up.

And finally the CW brings us a new show called H8R. Mario Lopez is the host of the show which brings cilvilian celebrity haters and the stars together and try to get the civilians to try to have some sympathy on them. Good thing Mario is the host!

What will you be watching live? 

Step On The Grapes, Get Out The Wine. The New Bachelor Is Mighty Fine

Just like the old saying goes, you fall you get back up. In this case you get down on one knee, get rejected, you keep finding love. That is what this hunky winemaker from Sonoma, Calif. is doing. Ladies, say thanks to Ashley cause you wanted him and you got him. Season 7 runner up, Ben Falajank, is the new Bachelor, ABC announced Tuesday.

Fans of The Bachelorette fell in love with Ben F the moment he revealed his emotional journey after his father passed away back in 2007. Even though he opened up to Ashley on the final date, it still wasn't enough. Ashley ultimately rejected his proposal and chose JP. (Note: If you know you are going to reject the guy don't let him get down on one knee, save him the trouble. Yes Ashley I'm talking to you)

"Secret is out,"tweeted Ben,"Looking forward to my new journey as the bachelor." TV Guide was first to report the announcement in which Bachelor/Bachelorette host Chris Harrison said he is extremely happy with the choice. Earlier this summer, in a poll taken by TV Guide.com, 33 percent wanted Ben over fellow contestants Ames, and Ryan to be the bachelor, however 41 percent wanted a fresh face.

Do you feel ABC made the right choice?

The Bachelor returns to ABC January 2012

Premiere Week: Tuesdays This Fall

Two weeks away from Tuesdays. Here is your guide to what's hot and what's not on Tuesdays this fall.

8/7c brings the return of CBS's number 1 drama NCIS. The ninth season premiere will reveal all the answers from last season's finale via flashbacks. NCIS Executive Producer, Gary Glasberg, teases the premiere by saying fans will get all the answers to the microchip as well as the answer as to who was in the photograph. He also says someone will die. 

NCIS fans who made the jump to watch the spinoff have something to look forward to right after the NCIS premiere, NCIS: LA returns on the 9/8c hour. The first four episodes of the season will reveal Callen's backstory. Executive Producer, Shane Brennan, says fans will see heart-wrenching stories about the team as well as a partner shake up.

Unforgettable, CBS's new drama, will premiere on the 10/9c hour. The show follows a woman who remembers everything except for the day of her sisters murder. Here is a first look at Unforgettable

ABC is excited to welcome back Tim the tool man on Tuesdays. Tim Allen makes his return to television in the comedy, "Last Man Standing" The show, on at 8/7c follows Allen's character, Mike Baxter, through the trials and tribulations of a man living in a women's world(his wife and three teenage daughters). I'm sure Home Improvement fans will be excited to see his return. Here is a sneak peek at Last Man Standing.

Just like its lead in, the new comedy, "Man Up" keeps the theme of struggling men. Premiering at 8:30/7:30c, Man Up, explores the emasculation of the modern man. Here is the first look at the comedy.

On the 9/8c hour Dancing With the Stars returns for its results show. and on the 10/9c hour, former Desperate Housewife, Dana Delany's show Body Of Proof comes back fresh for it's sophomore season. After seeing promo one i feel like the mid-season replacement will sure make a ratings hit this fall

On NBC, we have the three hour premiere of "The Biggest Loser" followed by hit "Parenthood"

Get ready to go back to glee club with the 8/7c premiere of Fox's hit Glee. This season will be the last season for three of the main characters as they enter their senior year of high school. The announcement was made this summer that Lea Michelle,  Corey Monteith, and Chris Colfer will be leaving at the end of this season. 

Zoey Deschanel makes the jump from big screen to small screen this fall with the new Fox show, New Girl, Premiering on the 9/8c hour, finds socialblly awkward gal Jess moving in with three guys after a breakup. It has been picked by TV Guide as one of the hot new shows.

CW has a reason for fans to get excited again on Tuesdays. The most famous zipcode 90201 makes its come back to TV after the graduation finale last season. When it returns, we will find that some of the gang went to college, while some stayed. 

At the 9/8c hour CW premieres its new show called "Ringer and its bringing back a familiar face. Buffy Star Sarah Michelle Gellar is back on TV Folks, but wait there is two of her. It's TV Guides editors pick and follows twins through a mystery thriller involving on of the twins murder. This could bring great ratings for CW. Here you go Gellar fans, this is your exclusive sneak preview!

Tuesdays this fall bring back some former TV Stars. What are you excited to watch?

Premiere Week: What To Watch on Mondays

It's September, which means we are just 16 days, 8 hours, 13 minutes, 39 seconds away from the new Fall television season. Since the season is getting closer it's time to break down the line up. Each week I will be highlighting all four networks on their specific premiere nights. I'm here to make sure you don't miss the return of your favorite show as well as to make sure you set those DVR's. Here is your guide to Mondays this fall.

The most watch network CBS is back with their Monday night comedy line up. Starting at the 8/7c hour we have the return of "How I Met Your Mother".  When we last left off, Barney was the one getting married but, was he marrying Nora or Robin? Viewers also found out that Marshal and Lilly finally got pregnant and Ted was super close to reconciling with Zoey. When HIMYM returns, we will see who Barney really got married too and Lilly and Marshal welcome their first child.
Moving over to the 8:30/7:30c  the series premiere of CBS new comedy "2 Broke Girls". It's been called by critics as the modern day Laverne & Shirley. The show follows two girls, one who is a smart-mouth watiress who also is a nanny and her new co-worker who is an heiress, who must now make her own living. They end up moving in together and plan to start their own business. Here is an Exclusive Sneak Preview of " 2 Broke Girls"
At the 9/8c hour we have probably one of the most talked about series this summer. "Two and A Half Men. Fans of course will be seeing a different man on their screens as Charlie Sheen has been replaced by Ashton Kutcher. No doubt about it ratings will be high on this show.
At the 9:30/8:30c hour, "Mike and Molly"make their return and at the 10/9c hour "Hawaii Five- O" comes back for its sophomore season. Hawaii Five-O ended last season with Chin Ho being offered a job on the police force, Kono and McGarrett were both arrested. Fans will see Lost-vet Terry O'Quinn as the new governor.

On ABC we have the 2-hour premiere of "Dancing With the Stars" which recently revealed its cast this past week. and of course at 10/9c "Castle" returns and after that amazing season finale, I'm sure fans will be coming back to watch. Castle fans were stunned to see Beckett shot on the finale as well as Castle confessing his love for her. When it returns, fans will find out if Beckett heard.

NBC has had major buzz about this particular show. What can be called as the show that expresses "woman empowerment", "The Playboy Club" will make its debut on the 10/9c hour. The show features the life of a 60s Playboy Bunny. Here's the sneak, click to see if Hugh Heffner would be proud.
"The Sing Off" also returns that night with a 2-hour premiere on the 8/7c hour.

Fox's new drama "Terra Nova" made TVGuide's Must Watched List. The series follows the Shannon family who travel back in time to the prehistoric era to save the human race. This Sneak Peek is sure to make fans tune in.

And finally the CW brings back the Gossip Girls on the 8/7c hour as well as a new Rachel Bilson drama "The Heart of Dixie"


If you can't tell already Monday nights will be jammed packed with our favorite shows and fresh debuts. Which one are you excited for?

The Fall TV Season kicks off Monday September 19.

Say Hello To The Cast of Season 13

It's Official!!! Time for that spray tan, crazy outfits, and get ready to head back to the ballroom. Finally the rumors can be put to rest, ABC Network has revealed the cast of season 13 of Dancing With The Stars! Get ready mirror ball trophy fans it will be one amazing season.


In an exclusive announcement made tonight live on ABC and reported by TV Guide the season 13 cast is: David Arquette, Elizabeth Canalis, Kristin Cavallari, Chaz Bono, Chynna Phillips, Nancy Grace, Hope Solo, JR Martinez, Ricki Lake, Rob Kardashian, Ron Artest & Carson Kressley.


I will start with Chaz Bono. This is the first time Dancing With the Stars has had a man who was previously a woman. This will surely raise some eyebrows. "I want people to know we're just normal people like everyone else, says Bono, who will dance with a woman. "It's nothing to be afraid of or think is strange."  Bono also said that this will be a great physical challenge.


Joining Chaz, is the favorite Kardashian playboy Rob. Now let me say this, we saw Kim dance way back on the show, will Rob prove to be the better Kardashian dancer?  Do you feel like the Kardashian's are a bit "overplayed" on our television screens? One thing is for sure Rob will have the ladies tuning in to see him with or without a shirt.


As i last mention in my past DWTS entry, a controversial cast member had signed on to do the show. Well it is now confirmed that Nancy Grace will be in the ballroom. The outspoken TV personality will be a crazy addition to the cast. The question is can she move? Ready for a challenge, Grace feels like she might be mocked for her moves. "I don't know how to dance and I don't know what to wear. I may end up in rags in a pumpkin. But i know i have been invited and I'm going"


Like every year when the cast has been announced, I make a prediction and I think i have now declared someone that i will root for. Over the past few seasons, Ricki Lake has been spotted in the audience at the ballroom. So i had a feeling that one day she would give the spray tan a try. I have always been a fan of Ricki Lake ever since her talk-show days. She did do "Hairspray" so i have a feeling she will be the one of the top contenders this season. I wouldn't be surprise if she is in the top three.


I'm as equally excited to see Mr. Kressley on that ballroom. You can't deny it, Carson sure knows how to have fun and he might even give his competitors a run for their money.


As for the rest of the cast, we will see how they measure up.
Dancing With The Stars premieres Monday September 19 8/7c on ABC Network


What do you think of the cast?


Are you looking forward to seeing these stars in the ballroom? 

Will There Still Be a Happy Ending for Leyton?

He's back! Multiple sources confirmed that One Tree Hill's heartthrob Chad Michael Murray will be back to reprise his role as Lucas in the ninth and final season of One Tree Hill. "The secret is out", announced Murray via Twitter, "I'm excited to say that "Lucas" will be reuniting with the amazing OTH cast." We last saw Lucas back in season six riding off into the sunset with Hilarie Burton's character Peyton. The couple had recently got married and had a baby. But with Murray returning, where does that leave his costar?

Burton left the show at the same time as Murray and had said "never say never" on making an appearance on the show. Well sadly, sources are confirming that Murray will be the only one returning. OTH producers has asked Burton if she would like to come back however she decline. She is now a regular on the series "White Collar"

With just one of the "Leyton" members returning does that mean they are splitsville?  Will producers break up the couple? and Why is Lucas back?

One Tree Hill will return to the CW Spring of 2012.

Are you excited about Lucas returning?

Clear The Dance Floor For The Stars Please

Get ready you loyal mirrorball trophy fans, Season 13 of Dancing with the Stars has already been categorized as one that will give viewers something to talk about. With just three days away till the final reveal, rumors have been swirling around the internet about who is the latest to be putting on their dancing shoes. Reported by E! Online Television Columnist Kristin Dos Santos David Arquette, Rob Kardashian and Chaz Bono have been rumored to be headed to the dance floor. Another report is that one controversial contestant has signed on. Who that person is, well to find out we have to tune into Mondays episode of ABC's The Bachelor Pad 2 at 8/7c for the live announcement.

Dancing with the Stars has been one to bring famous stars to the dance floor, however, the past few seasons have been nothing but D-listers, has beens and the occasional frontrunners from the get go. Ratings have slipped a bit since 2008 but have picked back up at the end of last springs season. 

This year, ABC Network executives have told DWTS producers to step up their game for Season 13. They want the A-listers or stars that know how to give a good competition as well as watercooler moments. The biggest show Dancing with the Stars will compete with this fall is Fox's X-Factor. Can DWTS prove after 13 seasons it still has game? 

What is always so interesting about DWTS is that it always adds different elements to keep it fresh. With the expansion of the stage and set, it creates a sense of involvement with the fans. The dances have also changed. New style of dances as well as theme nights have kept the show interesting and youthful. What fans love is the connection with the professional dancers. 

Coming back to the ballroom this season will be champion Derek Hough who took a hiatus from the show in the spring to film a movie. Derek, who's sister Julianne Hough has also been with the show, is part of the triple threat dancers. Derek, Mark and Maks make up the triple threat because you know at least one of them will make it into the finale. But doesn't that get boring to see the same professional dancer and his partner win season after season or does it make it interesting? Or are they getting way to many stars that have dance experience already? 

The show has been known for getting stars who have dance experience in their back round. That isn't fair is it? Last spring was a different for the first time DWTS didn't have a "dance experienced" star in the top 3 which worked in ratings. Fans want to see and root for a person who has struggled from day one but can see vast improvement between weeks. Are the producers of DWTS finally understanding that we, viewers want a season of amazing competition? I hope so.

I'll be back Monday night to blog about the cast reveal, until then we must enjoy the weekend and anticipate who will be competing for that mirror ball trophy.

Soap Operas & The Daytime Television Changes

I'll never forget waking up to the sounds of the "Young & The Restless" theme song. At the age of eight i was introduced to soap operas. Like many women out there in the world, soap operas were the "in thing" to be watching during the day. They have been around since television was invented and have impacted our daytime television viewing. Flash Forward to many years later, soap opera ratings have been declining and now most of them have been canceled. In September 2011, ABC Network veteran daytime soap opera "All My Children" will end its 41 year run. Another ABC soap opera, "One Life To Live will also be ending 

Daytime television will be making a lot of changes in the coming months not just with soap operas but as well as with talk shows. ABC will be losing two soap operas but will be adding two unscripted shows that will fill in AMC And OLTOL timeslot. They have also signed Katie Couric to do a talk show. CBS will still have "The Talk" but will have less co-host on the show. Regis Phillbin will also be saying goodbye to daytime TV and search for his replacement is currently in talks. But you can't forget the biggest absence from daytime, the big O, Oprah. Many affiliates around the country have decided to make The Ellen DeGeneres Show the main replacement for Oprah's time slot. Ellen's popularity has skyrocked since her comeback with "Finding Nemo" and will surely make a ratings splash when she premieres back in September.

With the changes, will the longtime viewers accept it?  Talk shows and game shows will become more popular in the coming years and you can sure bet that in five to ten years all soap operas will vanish from our daytime screens. It will be interesting to see the older demographics accept the changes. For now enjoy the rest of what is left, I'll do just the same by listening to the Y&R theme as much as i can before I have to say goodbye to that as well. 

Recasting Baby Blues

What is the one thing between Darren on Bewitched and Becky on Rosanne have in common? They have been recast. Recasting can cause television viewers to feel like they are going a bit crazy once they see a different actor or actress on screen. Darren on Bewitched was the most famous recasting in television history. As viewers, we form a bond with the characters on our screens, and when seeing a change up happen, it is like breaking the fourth wall in theatre.

Currently, a very popular award winning TV Sitcom decided to recast a character that does deadpan comedy fabulous. Modern Family has decided to recast Baby Lily. Baby Lilly is the daughter of gay parents Cam and Mitchell and was introduced in the first five minutes of the first episode. Baby Lilly was played by twins Jaden and Ella Hiller, which is really common for having baby twins play a baby character. Modern Family fans have always enjoyed Lilly's non-enthusiastic facial expressions whenever Cam or Mitchell did something funny. As the show is going into its third season, the producers wanted an older toddler version of Baby Lilly. The idea of recasting came last May when show creators Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan were talking about how the twins hadn't talked yet. Since then changes have been made and now in September, fans will meet the new toddler. 

At the end of last season, Lily was only two and after seeing the first promo picture it seems as if Lilly has jumped two years. While thinking about this recasting change I always wonder why weren't the Olsen twins ever considered a casting change. Was it because we as viewers became attached with Mary-Kate and Ashley? Was Mary-Kate and Ashley quick to learn on set? Can we compare the two shows or twins?

It will be interesting to see the dynamic between the three characters now that Lilly will be talking and actually making expressions. Especially when it comes to Cam's crazy antics. Are you ready to see a toddler Baby Lilly?

Confession, I Like to be Spoiled

I have a post-it on my computer back in my hometown that says, "Spoilers are my friends," and every time I would freak out about a spoiler I had read, I would look up at that and take a deep breath. I would wait everyday for a spoiler so much that I would check my "spoiler gods" websites every hour to see if something would be revealed. There are those who can't wait to read about what will happen to their favorite show and those who simply like watching it as it happens. Im one who needs to read before hand to enjoy the show. I have three nights dedicated to "spoiler" night. I anxiously a wait for that magical hour to happen when all will be spoiled for the coming episodes. So, am I a bad TV viewer for wanting to know everything before the episode airs?

I read an article from CTV: Canada Television, that a study was conducted at the University of California regarding spoilers. The study concluded that people actually enjoy the story more when reading a spoiler before watching and that people are able to connect faster with the plot line.

Let's take for instance, the season six finale of Grey's Anatomy. I had read way before the episode title was revealed that a gunman was going to come into the hospital. I then had read a tweet that McDreamy got shot. After seeing promo pictures and seeing sneak peeks, i knew what was coming. So while the episode was airing i felt the anticipation of the scene. It made it more exciting trying to figure out how the gunman was going to shoot him and how Meredith was going to react to that.

Another instance is, a read who the winner is going to be on The Bachelor/Bachelorette. I feel as a viewer, I can be able to see the connection between the two while knowing what is actually going to happen.

It makes my TV viewing more exciting. A dear friend of mine always tells me to stay away from sneak peeks and spoilers. But I can't help it, I see the spoiler and I click.

In my opinion, I do enjoy reading spoilers. In today's growing media technology world, more and more spoilers will be revealed whether you want it to happen or not. It's just up to you if you want to cross the spoiler line. So while you are reading TV Articles or seeing an Entertainment news program and they are talking about the season's secrets maybe you should watch it. It might do you good. However, even if you think you are being spoiled, the producers know how to keep the game going by giving out false information. So Beware!

Sorry Charlie You Aren't Winning

Step a side Charlie because Ashton Kutcher is Winning... DUH! The 33-year-old actor has just about everything, good looks, comedic timing and he is currently winning the heart of Two and A Half Men fans. The show has been in a rocky position since Charlie's crazy behavior began. Despite the drama on set, ratings shot up last season when the show was put on a hiatus. All eyes are on Kutcher as he makes his TV return in September as well as his debut in the hit CBS sitcom. But what about Charlie? According to this interview with Men actor Jon Cryer, fans will learn that Sheen's character has kicked the bucket. The way they will learn about his character's death will be presented in a funny manor. But considering how important Sheen was to the show, is it right for the writers to make light on his situation?

With the addition of Kutcher, the show already feels like it will take on a fresh feeling when it returns to our screens. Critics and fans give Kutcher Two-Thumbs Up. At the taping of the first episode for the season, Kutcher earned rave reviews and a standing O. Him and Demi Moore even put together a "first day" party for producers of the show.

He seems to be on top of the TV world right now. Having just won a Teen Choice award, Kutcher is now the highest-paid actor in sitcom television. As for Sheen, well he sent out his best wishes and congrats to Kutcher via Twitter.

Are you sad to see Charlie Sheen leave Two and a Half Men?
The Ninth season premieres Monday September 19th 9/8c on CBS. I'm sure the return will be a ratings #win.

There Is a Reason Why They Simply Did Not Give You A Rose

Oh the drama, the betrayal, the.. wait you did not receive a rose please leave. Yup the rejects are back! Rated-R, Gia, Michelle, Melissa, Ames, Kasey, Vienna and Jake the Pilot (Vienna's ex) are gracing our television screens tonight for the 3-hour long Bachelor Pad 2 Premiere on ABC. I  must admit i love The Bachelor/ Bachelorette series however with this one i have to say: ABC, what are you thinking?

Last year was the first season of the Bachelor Pad, the concept was to bring past contestants back for a chance at winning money and even a chance at love. Last season's cast was full of contestants whom i loved and remember from different seasons. I maybe watched a couple of episodes and even caught the finale and was very happy when the show had ended. When news broke out there was a Bachelor Pad 2, my first thought was Seriously!

What drew me back to my couch for the premiere was the Jake and Vienna showdown. For those of you who don't remember or just didn't care to read or see what all of america was talking about last summer, Jake and Vienna fell in "lust" during his season on The Bachelor, they became engaged, he went on Dancing with the Stars, and then they had a very very public break-up. When i saw the promos for the show i thought genius move Bachelor producers, i'm tuning in.

Tonight i had planed to give this another try, but 30 minutes in,i can't bare to watch anymore of it. In the 30 minutes i saw i've learned that while rejected the rejects hooked up with all the other rejects and the phrase, "I've grown up a lot since my time on The Bachelor/ Bachelorette" was overused. I considered hitting the record button on my DVR to later revisit the show but instead i rather, when i'm bored, watch online instead of it take space on the DVR.


The only good thing about the Bachelor Pad 2 is on Aug 29th ABC will announce the new season of Dancing with the Stars during the show.

I now can see why most of these people were rejected and think they can still have there 15 minutes of fame. I'll just leave it to Kasey to sing songs about guarding and protecting Vienna's heart while she cries for every time Jake says a hurtful thing about her.


Forgive me Chris Harrison but Im leaving the mansion till the Next Bachelor is Announced (Ames, we're rooting for you).
-Christina

To Pull the Plug or to Drag it On? The Future of Aging Shows

We all have them, the shows we have been watching religiously for years and years. We look forward to watching them and anticipate the return for them. Like life, television must have an end point. There comes a time when the ratings aren't what they used to be, the writing isn't as good as it was and actors and actresses feel it's time to purse other things. If your show makes it past syndication, then you can expect at least a good 7-8 year run. And even if we don't like to admit it, sometimes its time to pull the plug.

Today as i was on my Twitter, it was confirmed by Michael Ausiello on TVline.com that Desperate Housewives is Ending After Season 8. I have been watching DH since i was 14 years old and i was shocked to find that ABC Network had pulled it after saying they were contracted to go until 2013. But after thinking about it, this year i sort of neglected the ladies of Wisteria Lane. Granted i did get busy and watched most episodes on line, i found that the plot lines weren't "Must Watched TV" worthy. Desperate has always managed to grab the audience attention with crazy drama and unbelievable story lines. Probably one of the best plot lines creator Marc Cherry did was the five year time jump back in season 5. That jump managed to give a fresh vibe to a series that was at the top but slipped after the '08 Writers Strike. But even with the resurfacing in season 7 of character "Paul Young", the ratings still continued to decline.

Networks have the "aging show" problem. Shows such as, CSI, Law and Order:SVU, Grey's Anatomy, and American Idol are facing a tough decision by the networks to keep going or to call a time of death. The addition of new characters and new writers may keep a show going (ER to point out).  I always thought that if your main characters are gone, then its time to say bye and end it on a good note. Once your ratings have slipped and your audience is half non-existant why spend millions of dollars to keep the show on?  With cable shows dominating, network television has a shaky future ahead. While we would love to see our characters live forever in our fictional TV Life, sometimes its ok to admit when its ran its course its time to let it go.

Its clearly the almost end of the, what i like to call "The Stephen McPherson"era. While i enjoyed having the Ladies of Wisteria Lane occupy my Sunday Nights, i can't wait to see what this last season has in store and i know that Marc Cherry will go out with a bang!

-Christina

Celebrating 30 Years of "Music" Television

Long before the Guido's on "Jersey Shore" and the young mom's on "Teen Mom", there was an interesting concept about having music on our television screens 24-7. And thus began MTV, Launching on August 1, 1981 with "Video Killed the Radio Star" as being the first music video, MTV has shaped our culture and has changed many of our lives.


I remember being six years old turning on the TV to MTV to watch the "Spice Girls" talk about if you wanted to be there lover. I then started watching more of MTV when "Veejay" Carson Daily came into the picture with a countdown show named "Total Request Live" aka "TRL."  MTV was all about the music the artist and giving fans what they wanted.

For about 20 years, the shows on MTV were all about the music, or in some way shape or form about the artist who make the music. Now what we have is reality television that is making teenagers turn in to see the reality of teenage pregnancy. You can't dismiss that ratings have decline except when there is a new episode of "Jersey Shore"on. Is our society pushing for more reality television on a channel that was actually made for showing music? Now with all the technology we have, we now have a faster way for getting music at our fingers instead of waiting on our couches for MTV to premiere the latest music video.

Many who grew up with MTV will complain that it isn't the same (sometimes i find myself missing TRL, Say what Karaoke,  Diary) but MTV still provides us with interesting water cooler moments and even an unpredictable awards show, the VMA's.

And for that we salute you MTV for all that you have done for our society! Happy 30th!
-Christina

Review: The Bachelorette Season 7 Finale: A First Impression is Everything

Sorry ladies but JP is officially off the market. The 34 year-old construction manager from Roslyn, NY beat out wine maker Ben Flajnik to win the heart of Ashley Hebert, the season 7 Bachelorette. It had been a very bumpy road for Ashley since the beginning and on Monday nights finale it seemed like the first impression didn't make the road any smoother.


Always on the last episode of The Bachelorette, the final two get to meet the family. We previously met Ashley's family on Brad's season of The Bachelor and we can't forget Ashley's sister Chrystie. JP was the first on to meet the family. While it seemed that all was well with JP, Chrystie shocked Ashley by saying she didn't see the 34 year-old as being the one for her sister. Ashley in tears kept trying to prove to her sister that she had from the beginning a strong connection with him. Her sister's words left doubt in Ashley's mind just as it was Ben's turn to meet the family.
Ben was well liked by the family and even manage to impress Chystie. However, the feelings Ashley had for JP out weighted any disapproval from her sister.


Both guys selected rings from Neil Lane. And it was time to head down to the proposal site. The producers on ABC always do a great job hiding who is the first person out until the very last moment. A foot comes out from the helicopter and is indeed is Ben F's. As he is walking up to where Ashley is, they are playing his montage he filmed before the proposal. Very confident he gets to Ashley and goes down on one knee and ask her to marry him. Ashley turns him down and that's the end for Ben.


The next helicopter comes to the proposal site which has JP inside. He walks over to Ashley and she greets him with a kiss. As he talks about his insecurity issues, Ashley finally reveals her true feelings for him. Time for the Magical Proposal.


At the After the Final Rose Special Ashley and JP make there first official appearance since getting engaged and yes they still are engaged. Chrystie was in the audience and apologized to JP. Seems all is well for Ashley and JP and i wish them the best of luck for there future!
-Christina Jovanna

Any Promotion Is Good Promotion Right?

49 days, 2 hours, 42 minutes, 16 seconds, that's how long we have until the 2011-2012 Television Season begins. Hello and welcome to the blog from Television Addict Christina Jovanna. Before I begin i want to introduce myself. I attend Texas State University and pursing a career in Mass Communication-Electronic Media. From the age of eleven I've been passionate about television. Recently this past summer i took one of my core media class and took an interest in writing and blogging. And what better way than to start than by blogging about this television season. With that being said, welcome.

This week is a special week for all television critics out there because it is the 2011 Television Critics Associated press tour. Here hundreds of television and entertainment journalists gather to hear what the networks will bring for the upcoming season.
At the TCA's its the Networks time to shine, promoting there shows, grabbing the attention from critics as well as viewers. It also the time to promote upcoming pilots that will make there debut in our living rooms. As a devoted viewer, promotion, in my opinion, is what grabs the audience attention and is crucial for any network. Now that most of the cast from major shows are back at work filming and producing content for September, August is a month where the promotion shines.

We took a poll in my programming class about what makes a show successful. Yes of course ratings are an important factor as well as awards and an outstanding cast, but what some of us were missing in our list of answers was promotion. I have to admit i look forward to a 15 second promo during a football game then sometimes the actual game (even though i do love football).

For a show runner whose pilot is going to air in less then a month, promotion is what they live for. But does it really make a difference for the viewer? Here's my question, what makes YOU want to watch a show? Does promotion really do good for the network, exec producers, viewers?  Is too much promotion  really that good for the people?

The key for making a connection with your audience through your promo campaigns is timing, visual effects and music. If you find the right techniques then you will make an audience impact. While sometimes i do get a little bored with the same promos airing over and over, i feel that sooner or later i will watch the show which is what the networks want. Maybe promotion isn't that bad after all. So while your sitting on your couch and a promo comes on, think its only the network saying to you, "We want you to come aboard this September, will you?"

I leave you with one of my favorite promo campaigns from the 2008 Fall Season. This was aired the last week of August on ABC Network: ABC 2008 Fall Promo  What a way to anticipate September. Until next time folks!
-Christina Jovanna