MagneticMediaFed

If I’m not mistaken that’s what Harry Shearer said about Katie Couric’s future performance on the CBS Evening News. Well, the time has come and gone, and he appears to be correct– she can read off a screen just like she were one of the boys. I don’t think anyone was tuning into CBS this past evening at 6:30 thinking they’d see anything all too crazy. Ms. Couric wasn’t going to explode a la Scanners. She wasn’t going to stop mid-sentence and pull a Howard Beale (maybe if she’d gotten the Judd Hirsch role in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip). It’d just be the news as usual.

Maybe that was the problem. As someone who earns his paycheck working in broadcast news, I rarely sit down in front of my television to check out the evening news in my free time. If you put a gun to my head and asked me to remember the last time I flipped on any of the big three networks at 6:30pm on a weekday, I’d say, “I’ve lived a full life” and thank you for your time. So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered what most of America all ready knew: the evening news is awful. Keep reading by clicking below…

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CBS, a network that has never been particularly fond of serialized drama, is trotting out a few of them this fall (fifty million Lost, Desperate Housewives, and Grey’s Anatomy viewers can’t be wrong!). Jericho is their response to Lost. It’s about a small town in Kansas (the type of small town where kids on a school bus actually sing “Old McDonald”) that seems to survive a national nuclear attack. Now, the towns residents are trapped and have to figure out what they’re going to do. Yeah, it’s a lot like Lost. Except in the ways it should be. For a pilot episode involving nuclear explosions, Jericho is painfully slow, and rarely exciting. By comparison (and in cases like this, comparisons must be made), the Lost pilot was unrelenting (and it happened to be two hours long). Sure, its budget ballooned to well over a hundred-million 10-14 million* dollars, but every cent was on the screen. Jericho seems hesitant on showing the viewer anything– though you do get to see a man give a girl a tracheotomy with a knife and some plastic straws but when DON’T you get to see that? Am I right people?

There are some interesting casting choices. Skeet Ulrich, the poor-man’s Johnny Depp, has the lead as a mysterious loner. His father is the mayor of the town and played by Gerald McRaney, (Major Dad) who was remarkable as George Hearst this past summer in Deadwood. Also, Shoshannah Stern from Weeds is present as one of the locals (and seems to be as lovely here as she was there). Of course, none of this matters when the actors aren’t given anything to work with.

Jericho is a decent premise, but that only gets you so far. Lost had everything going for it: the writing, the cast, the money, and especially the drama. Jericho fails because for a show based on mystery, it couldn’t seem less mysterious.

Jericho begins Wednesday, September 20th, at 8:00pm ET on CBS.

*I’ve had the $100-million tag in my head since the show launched (or at least since I finished reading Desperate Networks, Bill Carters jumbled but fascinating look at the past four years of network television). How could I have been so far off the mark? I went back to Carter’s book and looked for the answer, but all I could find was “$12 million” everywhere I looked. The closest was the $100-million that ABC owed in make-good ads. Either way, MagneticMediaFed regrets the error.

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CBS released this awesome photo of the cast for Survivor’s thirteenth (!!) season. If you look closely you’ll notice that it isn’t as “white” as the cast usually is. There’s a reason for this. Initially the 20 castaways will be divided into “ethnic teams.” That’s right, there will be a team of Asians, a team of Hispanics, a team of African Americans, and a team full of crackers Caucasians.

As the teams get widdled down there will be some integration, as in seasons past. Needless to say, Survivor just got a whole lot more awkward.

I’ve never watched much of the show, so it really isn’t my place to make too many comments, though I do think this decision is interesting given how a lot of the web-chatter has been about producer Mark Burnett’s lousy track record with casting minorites on his non-The Contender series.

Thoughts?

Photo courtesy CBS

Today CBS issued a press release saying that it would be airing several episodes of new and returning programs on the internet for free through their InnerTube video service. The online shows will be streamed and have commercials embedded that cannot be skipped (though considerably fewer commercials than when the shows air on television). ABC began offering more or less the same system last spring via their website. Both network’s only offer a handful of shows to be featured in their entirety. NBC and FOX have yet to put anything comparable on the table (though NBC did strike a deal with YouTube recently, which has yet to produce anything of note).

I really like this model, though I can imagine its driving the affiliates crazy. They need the networks to survive. The opposite used to be true, but now that there is iTunes (whose video impact has yet to be measured), and these new programs that give viewers what they want (whole shows) and keep the finance department happy (unskippable advertising) the local affiliate is becoming less and less important in that happy circle of broadcast television life.

The big problem, as I see it, is that the type of people who don’t have a problem watching video online (people like me), aren’t going to be using these services to get new content. If I want to see the new Lost, then by-God I’m going to see the new Lost when it airs (or DVR it, or anything that will let me watch it as soon as possible with the fewest distractions). The rest of the television populace doesn’t care. Casual viewers aren’t going to seek out a website so they can see a new show glorious, grainy, streamed video. So where’s the win/win? Click below and I’ll tell you…

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Last week was the lowest rated week for television in recorded history. The four main networks (ABC, NBC, CBS & FOX) totalled just over 20 million viewers for the entire week.

Maybe its because of the July 4th Holiday, or that all the cool new shows are on cable, or maybe– just maybe– because IT’S THE MIDDLE OF THE GOD DAMNED SUMMER! Go outside people, I’ll do the heavy lifting for you.

Is it that time of year again? Yes. The nominations for the 2006 Primetime Emmy Awards came out this morning. There has been much discussion about recent rules changes in the nominating process. The idea is that the old system catered to a specific group of “premeire” shows. The new rules are suppose to broaden the field a bit. This years nominations, while hardly shocking in their limited scope seem to suggest the “new rules” might have been lost in the mail, despite many a high profile show being snubbed completely. The nominations and my picks for winning are right after the jump…

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The Tony awards were held this past Sunday at Radio City Music Hall and brought in 7.8 million viewers for CBS (up 20% from last year). These numbers were likely padded thanks to the help of Julia Roberts who starred this year in “Three Days Of Rain” and Oprah who produced “The Color Purple” (both presented at the show).

That explains this year’s numbers, but overall, why on earth are the Tony awards even broadcast on CBS? There are scores of award shows broadcast every year, and each of those shows has a built in audience. Country fans will turn into their award show to see their favorite performers, television fans turn into the Emmys, etc. Plus, those audiences can translate nationally. Everyone in the country watching about the same television or listens to the same music. The problem with the Tonys is that its an award show based on Broadway plays and musicals. This means the only possible people it could attract are New Yorkers and theater-junkies (or star-gawkers, but even then we’re talking about the stars of the theater world, not films or tv).

I’m simply amazed that CBS feels no risk in putting this event on every year. Perhaps the Tony audience is more affluent and they can charge more for the ads. One would think it might find more success on a cable channel like Bravo or A&E. Of course, ratings were up this year, so maybe I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about.

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First of all, I do read books. I’ve read many books. Some, in fact, aren’t even about television. Last week I finally got around to reading Bill Carter’s The Late Shift. Why I hadn’t read this book is a mystery to me as “Late Night” shows are one of my favorite kinds of programming– they’re, in a way, the last remaining installations of television’s golden era.

The Late Shift is a really good read, but its especially interesting a dozen years after the fact. Knowing the after-effects of this late-night-battle makes for a delightful bit of history-via-Miss Cleo. Also interesting was finishing up Carter’s book right around the same time I heard this fascinating follow-up to a recurring story on WNYC’s “On the Media” detailing what Bob Garfield refers to as his “Television Chaos Theory.” These seemingly unrelated areas, “Absolte Chaos” and “Late Night,” might not be all that far apart. Their inevitable collision could equate to CERTAIN DISASTER (a gorey tragedy for those who take television history a least half seriously, though great fodder for television and technology bloggers). Keep reading after the jump…

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A little about the past couple night’s worth of TV:

Dog Bites Man
(Comedy Central, Wednesday’s 10:30pm)

The second new mockumentary to hit the cable spectrum this week is about a fake news team. Comedy Central probably has some sort of graph with fake news running down one side and mockumentary running down the other. Statistically, Dog Bites Man is a can’t miss, and based on the first episode, the math seems to be correct. What’s impressive about the show is the unexpected bit of gravity it seems to be carrying (exactly whats missing from Lovespring International. It never gets heavy like The Office, but it suggests that there might be a little more to these characters than simple quips. And really, that’s just it: characters. The speedy 22 minutes of the premiere didn’t give a lot of room to get much out of the four primaries, but Matt Walsh’s character, Kevin, proves that Walsh isn’t just the better improviser than most of the people on shows like this, but he’s also a better actor.

Rescue Me (#302)
(FX, Tuesday’s 10:00pm)

First and foremost, this episode might have been the funniest one they’ve ever aired, peaking with what has to be the greatest sound cue on television in years (ever?). In addition to having the second sugar-induced-vomiting from a child I’ve seen on TV this week, the episode also managed a teriffic rug-pull, where all the laughs and all the fun just stopped, suddenly and violently. GREAT episode (rrrrrrrrriiiiiiiip).

The Late Show with David Letterman
(CBS, weeknights 11:35pm)

They’re doing this new runner involving Sue Hum, the costume designer walking up behind Dave’s desk holding some sort of food and then just standing there. Hillarious.

The Hills
(MTV, Tuesdays 9:00pm)

My DVR screwed me and this didn’t record. I wonder if MTV will rerun it this week?

A full-page print ad for Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart appearing in the June 5 edition of Hollywood Reporter reads:

“We had fake news years before CBS hired Katie Couric.”

Via Cynopsis (thanks Greg)

Programming note, before I get started: I missed Lovespring International last night (the new comedy series on Lifetime) as my DVR became confused by a few too many bookings. Who programs a new series for 11pm? That’s Daily Show/Adult Swim/reruns of Seinfeld territory. I mean, I’m a young male, the chosen demo, surely the “women’s network” wouldn’t want to squander our viewership, right?

Anyway.

CBS has been airing this sit-com starring Julia-Louis Dreyfus called, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and it seems to be mildly successful. By mildly successful I mean it’s attracting viewers, got renewed, and has garnered, if not favorable reviews, then non-negative reviews, which is about all you can ask out of a mainstream sit-com (wow, I just reread that sentence and feel kind of depressed).

Last night’s episode had to do with Old Christine going to her son’s something at school, and how the kid finally met New Christine, who he really liked. Honestly, I laughed a few times, and if the transitive property is to be believed, I guess this means I liked the show. It should be noted, however, that my continued watching hinges mostly on the fact that it is summer and there really isn’t a lot else on the dial (my TV has a dial, does yours?).

Months ago I declared laugh tracks obsolete. While I still feel this way, two track-infused shows has crept into my TV lineup, How I Met Your Mother and now The New Adventures of Old Christine. I guess we can focus this blame on CBS. HIMYM (which looks almost dirty when abbreviated) relies frequently on editing in its jokes making a live audience an impossibility, but there isn’t any reason TNAOOC (what?!) should rely on canned laughs.

While I’m not wholly enthusiastic about it, the biggest selling point for the new HBO comedy Lucky Louie (aside from Louis C.K.’s Pootie Tang connection) is its use of an actual LIVE studio audience. I don’t care if you want to put a three-camera show on the air, but at least respect you viewers enough to give them actual laughs.

There has been a significant trend this season in the complete absence of comedies from the Nielson top 10 (and only an occasional representative in the extended top twent, usually Two and a Half Men). This can be traced two a few things. Obviously the number of comedies is way down compared to what was on the networks ten years ago. Also, I feel the television comedy is in a period of change, and yet the audience seems to be slow to adapt. If you aren’t one to obsess over comedy (or television) you could easily find yourself flipping around the dial (who uses a dial?) trying to decide between watching something that looks and feels completely different from what you’re used to (like Arrested Development or The Office) or watching something that is entirely familiar, but unfunny. Keep reading by clicking below…

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There’s nothing more shocking than a recurring character getting killed off of a television series. Well, maybe that’s a lie. I’m sure there are plenty things MORE shocking– like waking up in the morning only to realize that someone has stolen your kidneys, or perhaps, putting a fork in an electrical outlet. Nevertheless, it’s a dramatic trick as old as sweeps itself: killing off characters. This past season has been no exception, as many lives were claimed and many plots were twisted (some were killed off in such a dramatic fashion they were forced to leave TV altogether for the movie biz).

Anyway, please click below to pay respect…
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Remember Kevin Spacey? Remember how awesome he was? Usual Suspects, L.A. Confidential, Midnight and the Garden of Good and Evil were all good if not great movies. In the mid-90s people LOVED Kevin Spacey, but as soon as the American Beauty thing died down something happened. I’m not going to say it was Pay It Forward, but it was. I saw that movie in the theater on a double-bill with Space Cowboys, which is completely irrelevant to my point about Kevin Spacey, but is quite funny nonetheless.
In short, Kevin Spacey has become a bit of a punchline. All that being said, I think he will make an AMAZING Lex Luthor.  But that’s not all, click below for more…

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And better yet, it includes what shows I will be watching and what shows I’ll be trying out before I make up my mind. WHAT A DEAL! All this information and more by clicking the link below…

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