Are you using TV to remember 9/11 today?
Readers of this blog know I believe that TV plays a huge role when it comes to shared memory and national remembrance. Evocative video images can instantly transport us emotionally back to such moments of history.
So, I am wondering how folks are using TV today. And if you have seen something on TV that touched or moved you, please share it with us.
Thanks
MTV is embracing the topic of teen pregnancy is a major way. And while I once thought that was a good thing, I am now not so sure.
The simple reason for this post is that MTV is having a "Labor Day Marathon" of episodes of its documentary TV series "16 and Pregnant." And serving as hosts for the marathon will be some of the teanage mothers from that series who will be featured this year in a just-announced spinoff called "Teen Mom." The new series will follow the teenagers who were featured in "16 and Pregnant" as they navigate their first year of motherhood.
Which brings me to the much deeper reason for this post, and why I am starting to have serious second thoughts about MTV's teen pregnancy blitz.
Continue reading "MTV embraces hot ratings topic: 'teen moms'" »
NBC's "Today" show had Kate Gosselin two weeks ago, and now comes its chief competitor, ABC's "Good Morning America," with soon to be ex-husband, Jon. And he's breathing fire, according to excerpts ABC News released Wednesday of an interview he did with GMA's Chris Cuomo.
Complaining about how his wife treats him and her traveling while he is caring for their twins and sextuplets, the 32-year-old Gosselin said, "She'll call me like, almost like a lame fish, like I wasn't going anywhere. We'll excuse me. I'm taking care of the kids. She's on book tours. She's doing all of these things. You know, she's gone a week. You know, comes back. Packs up and leaves again."
"I'm standing there like, 'Oh, OK. Your mom's gone again.'"
Continue reading "Jon Gosselin fires back on Kate in 'GMA' interview" »
AMC has renewed "Mad Men" for a fourth season, the cable channel announced Tuesday.
The stylish drama about Madison Avenue in the 1960s is currently into its third week of season three.
"We always saw the potential for 'Mad Men', and believed in and supported the series because of our strategy of developing cinematic television that complements our library of the most entertaining movies, from every genre, on television," said Charlie Collier, president and general manager of AMC.
"With this early fourth season renewal, we're excited to let our audience know the captivating world of Sterling Cooper will be back on AMC again next year."
Continue reading "AMC renews 'Mad Men' for a fourth season" »
Jon and Kate Gosselin really are becoming almost too much to bear.
In Monday night's "Dude Ranch and Dress Up" episode Kate took three of her sons to a dude ranch where they were the only customers, while Jon played "dress up" with the girls at their Pennsylvania "home."
My favorite moment with Jon came when he was sitting on the couch near the end of the episode by himself talking to the camera, and said how well it was working out for him living in New York.
"It's quiet and I can things get done," was one of the things he said he liked about living away from his kids.
But what is it exactly that Jon needs "quiet" for? And what is it that he needs to get "done" again?
(AP Photo / Alaric Lambert)
Continue reading "Jon & Kate: Almost too much to bear these days" »
Peggy smokes pot, Roger sings a song wearing blackface, and Don walks around being enigmatic. I really did not like Sunday's episode of AMC's "Mad Men."
I know I said going into this third season that started on Aug. 16 that this is the best drama on TV. And I will bet it wins the Emmy again as best drama for its second season. But the last two episodes felt like an eternity as I watched. And that is the opposite of the first season when the time used to absolutely fly by with me wanting more, more, more.
The final of shot of Don and Betty embracing in the moonlight on the country club lawn was evocative. But, again, evocative of what?
Continue reading "AMC's 'Mad Men' week 3 -- Liking it less and less " »
On Wednesday, I wrote about Kate Gosselin being interviewed by Larry King, and said that I thought her act was getting old. I also said I thought King did a pretty good job of questioning her.
Here is a nice video clip that shows both a good question from King and Kate Gosselin's not-so-together reply. King asked her if Jon is a good father.
Continue reading "Here's Kate Gosselin rating Jon on Larry King" »
In the wake of her departure from "American Idol," Paula Abdul's first job will be as host of "VH1 Divas," a live concert event scheduled for Sept. 17.
Hoping to change the conversation away from the scandal and death of a contestant on one of its low-rent reality shows, VH1 made the announcement Tuesday in a press release that described the former "American Idol" judge as "the legendary Paula Abdul."
I like Abdul, but I think "legendary" is going just a little too far, don't you?
Continue reading "Paula Abdul's first new job: host of VH1's 'Divas'" »
OK, help me out. If you saw the second episode of "Mad Men" Sunday night, what do you think of it?
I have to admit I had mixed feelings as I watched. And they became focused on the final image of the Maypole dance that Don and Betty Draper attended at their daughter's school. As the dance first started, I thought, "Oh no, this show really is taking itself way too seriously and getting too literary in its symbolism. At one level, it's a soap opera. Who will Don cheat with next? Don't lose sight of that."
And then, as the young teacher started to dance barefoot through the grass in leading her students, the camera shifted so as to have us see her through Draper's eyes -- through what became his gaze of longing. The moment when Draper reached down to rub the back of his hand against the grass next to his chair as he watched her move through the grass was one of the most perfect distillations of male desire that I have ever seen on TV.
Continue reading "Sunday's 'Mad Men' - Of Maypoles and male desire " »
The mission of this blog is to report on the business, culture and craziness of television. I don't get nearly enough time for the craziness part.
Here's my pop-culture-crazy-but-I-love-it fact of the week: Max Baer Jr. is trying to buy a vacant hotel in Nevada so he can transform it into Jethro's Beverly Hillbillies Hotel and Casino. If I need to explain that Baer played Jethro Bodine on the CBS sitcom" The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962 -1091), you should probably stop reading.
But before you dismiss the series altogether, you should know "The Beverly Hillbilles" was the Number One show on TV in the 1962 and '63 seasons, and stayed in the Top 10 until 1966. We didn't have iPods then -- we had shows like this, which might explain why Boomers are such a warped generation.
Continue reading "Z on TV crazy fact of the week: Jethro's hotel" »
Thursday in a review, I called Fox's wretched Octomom special the official low point of summer viewing. Before making that call, I went back through the summer schedules and my posts to make sure I wasn't slighting some equally dreadful TV production. I wasn't.
In the process, though, I realized it's been a weird summer of TV. So, I started writing down my highs and lows. Here are my seven highs and three lows -- for a summertime Top 10 list. Notice the decided lack of dramas and sitcoms on my list of bests. The highs came from places that surprised even me.
Agree, disagee? What did I miss? What were your favorite and most reviled TV shows and moments this summer?
Best TV shows of the summer:
1. Paul McCartney visits David Letterman. McCartney was a delight. The marquee performance fabulous. Read it here.
2. Jay Leno's last "Tonight" show. I wasn't expecting much, but Leno blew me away with his class. Read it here.
Continue reading "Summer TV: The good, bad - and the Gosselins" »
Even after the break-up, Jon and Kate remains one of the most fascinating shows on TV. Here's the fascination for me, and it was on display again Monday night: It's the way the TLC on-screen and the tabloid off-screen versions of the show intersect and collide. I keep wondering whether the whole screwy thing is going to crash and burn --or whether the off-screen, scandal story will keep the on-screen family drama in profit and on the air for years to come.
It is a fabulous, weird, loopy, post-modern TV story to follow. Last week, the non-TLC Kate was all over the place: from an appearance on NBC's "Today" show crying about her marriage, to standing outside her home in Pennsylvania and causing such a tearful ruckus (thank you, President Obama) that the police were called. Jon had visitation that day, and Kate didn't approve of the babysitter he had on hand.
And then, there she was Monday night on TLC, visiting a battleship with her three 5-year-old boys and talking a lot about being a mom. She asked them if they would take care of her when they were bigger, and she told them she cried when she saw them in their sailor hats. The kids seemed to get none of it -- but that's OK.
Continue reading "Another weird Monday with Jon & Kate Gosselin" »
It is going to be a busy weekend for Z on TV.
First of all, if you have not yet read it online, please check out the piece I have running in Sunday's "Sun" on the season opener of AMC's "Mad Men" Sunday night. The opening episode of the third season visits a version of Baltimore in the 1960s with stops at Haussner's, the Belvedere and the London Fog factory in Hampden. I talk to some of the Baltimore people who were there in the 1960s and ask them to rate the scenes for historical detail. You might be surpised by what they say. Read it here.
Then on Sunday, I will be on CNN's media review show "Reliable Sources" with host Howard Kurtz. One of the topics: Kate Gosselin and the TLC show "Jon & Kate Plus 8." "Reliable Sources" airs at 10 a.m. in the East.
Continue reading "Z on TV weekend: Mad Men, Reliable Sources, Vick" »
And what day would be complete at Z on TV without a Kate Gosselin post?
But this one from Kate's appearance today on the syndicated show "Live with Regis and Kelly" has an interesting cultural edge. Regis, no one's idea of a great interviewer, cleverly gave voice to a wish that I think a lot of old-time fans of the show have for Jon and Kate Gosselin, the divorcing mom and dad of the TLC reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8.
Philbin, expressing a hope the marriage could be saved, asked Kate if that was a possibility from her point of view.
Continue reading "Kate Gosselin nixes Regis' hopes for reconciliation" »
Monday night's first half of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" looked and felt very much like a continuation of last week's "Renovations & Vacations" episode, with more of Kate at the beach with the kids while Jon "supervises" the kitchen renovation.
I guess we are going to have to wait at least another week to see what the "new" version of "Jon & Kate" really looks like. Monday night's two-episode package also included a rerun with the divorcing couple sitting side by side on the couch talking to the camera, which was surely a little confusing to some given all the "news" last week about TLC saying the couch was history.
While Kate got mixed review for her interview with Meredith Vieira on the "Today" show Monday, including one from me, I really did not like the Kate I saw Monday night very much at all. The faster TLC moves this show forward, the better for her image.
Continue reading "Jon & Kate Plus 8: Not a good night for Gosselins" »
It was a Kate Gosselin kind of day on NBC's top-rated "Today" show as Meredith Vieira's interview with TV's most-talked about mom was relentlessly promoted from the minute the show started -- and broken into two segments to keep viewers through most of the show's two hours. For a minute there, I thought they might name her a third co-host.
Oh, I'm sorry, I just said "interview." It's Meredith Vieira's "exclusive one-on-one interview with Kate Gosselin" to use the language of the show. My favorite tease from Viera, "Coming up, Kate Gosselin... she is breaking her silence in just a moment."
In fairness, Vieira did not give Kate, the mother on the TLC reality series "Jon and Kate Plus 8," a free ride. Vieira kept a journalistic distance and professional edge throughout the interview, asking solid questions.Though it is hard to know with Kate, she did seem a little thrown off the script in her head when Vieira asked why she still wore her wedding ring if she and Jon were done.
(AP Photo of Kate Gosselin on "Today" by Richard Drew)
Continue reading "Double dose of tearful Kate Gosselin on Today" »
The return of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" Monday drew less than half the audience of the season opener in May -- 4.1 million viewers vs. 9.8 million.
But by the standards of basic cable TV, 4.1 million viewers is still a very large audience. And analysts say anything over 2 million viewers with solid female demographics will keep the show in profit.
At more than 4 million viewers per half hour, "Jon & Kate" is still a moneymaker for TLC.
Continue reading "Jon & Kate: Ratings drop, but audience is still big" »
After the first half hour Monday night of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," I thought I had officially had it with the show -- again.
I thought it was just this side of "let them eat" for Kate to get a new kitchen. What was wrong with the new kitchen she already had in her new mini-mansion? And then, when she went to the beach to escape the mess, I wondered if there was anyone at TLC who understood how bad most Americans are hurting financially these days -- and what a bad idea it is to have Kate flaunting her utter lack of financial worries.
But then, came the second half hour with no Jon in sight and Kate leading a camp-out for the kids in the backyard. And I saw the future of this show -- and I think it might just be a fairly bright one.
Continue reading "Kate Plus 8, we hate Jon: Choosing sides in divorce" »
After watching Paul McCartney on David Letterman Wednesday, I posted my run-and-gun rave review of the show, and went to bed. I woke up five hours later and was off and running with the Emmys, so I did not get much chance until last night to reflect on what made that performance such a special evening of TV for many viewers. So far, it is the event of the TV summer, in my opinion.
I was especially moved by some of comments from readers Thursday about McCartney's appearance -- once I actually had time to read them last night. Check out this one:
All too often, a legendary performer very late in his career embarasses himself and disappoints his legions. Ah, but not so for Sir Paul.
What an absolute delight he was last evening: Reflective, savvy, gracious and ever so entertaining.
I was in high school when the Beatle Mania began. I was never a huge fan of the Beatles. That is, until last evening.
Paul brought home the best evening in television (not just late night) that I have seen in years! Indeed, "Yesterday" was quite the day.
Continue reading "Why Letterman's McCartney show was special" »
Call it the TV summer of plus-size love.
That's the lead on a trend story I just finished writing for the Sunday Sun in my "Z on TV" column. The piece reports and explores the arrival of new series featuring plus-size contestants and characters.
I am wondering if readers have seen Oxygen's Dance Your Ass Off, which debuted last week -- and if you did, what you think. Described as Biggest Loser meets So You Think You Can Dance, it combines a weight loss competition with dance contest. Marissa Jaret Winokur is an engaging host -- and I thought the pilot was promising.
How about the second season of Ruby, which started last week the Style channel? This documentary series follows a woman who lost 100 pounds last season. It did very well in Season 1.
Continue reading "Summer TV trend: Plus-size characters, contestants" »
In 25 years of writing about TV award shows, I have never seen one with the energy of Sunday’s BET Awards Show. Refashioned in the wake of Thursday’s death of Michael Jackson into a tribute to him, the live telecast brilliantly tapped into the wellspring of admiration, love, hurt and shock over his death that engulfed the show business community – particularly among Jackson’s fellow black performers.
Race was a part of the energy in Sunday’s tribute – let’s not ignore it. Host Jamie Foxx certainly put it out there on the table from his first words.
Following a show-stopper of an opening that featured New Edition doing a medley of Jackson 5 songs as images of the Jacksons flashed on giants screens behind them, Foxx opened the event by telling the audience at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium, "We want to celebrate this black man. He belongs to us. We shared him with everybody else."
Continue reading "BET Awards soar on memories of Michael Jackson" »
