Network News & Reviews

HBO's Hung premiere goes nicely with True Blood

Ed Bark — 2009-07-01T01:00:16-05:00

Hung and True Blood loomed quite large for HBO Sunday. By ED BARK HBO's Sunday night picture brightened further Sunday when the premiere of its new comedy/drama Hung drew 2.8 million viewers nationally after the preceding True Blood sucked in 3.7 million for Season 2's second episode. ...On July 12th, Entourage will return for a 12-episode 6th season, airing at 9:30 p.m. central following new episodes of True Blood (8 p.m.) and Hung (9 p.m.).

Endowment fun: HBO's Hung also scores with appealing sign-of-the-times storyline

Ed Bark — 2009-06-26T17:09:40-05:00

Thomas Jane is anything but half-cocked in HBO's Hung. Premiering: Sunday, June 28th at 9 p.m. (central) on HBO Starring: Thomas Jane, Jane Adams, Anne Heche, Eddie Jemison, Sianoa Smit-McPhee, Charlie Saxton, Rebecca Kreskoff, Loren Lester Created by: Dmitry Lipkin, Colette Burson ...Jane, who played Mickey Mantle in the acclaimed HBO movie 61*, manages to play this role -- and do this role-playing -- in an appealing, all-but-guileless manner that's almost guaranteed to make you root for him from start to finish.

Farrah Fawcett dies of cancer

Ed Bark — 2009-06-25T13:42:31-05:00

Ryan-Farrah all aglow and the actress behind bars in Burning Bed Fawcett's coming-out party as a "serious" actress was in the 1981 NBC miniseries Murder In Texas, where she received favorable reviews as the ill-fated Joan Robinson. ..."I was looking for something to do that was not based on a life-or-death true story, which we've been inundated with in the past couple of years," Fawcett said in a second interview with this writer.

Earth shifts: Dave outdraws Conan in third week of late night faceoff

Ed Bark — 2009-06-25T11:22:37-05:00

Last week, Old Gray's Late Show beat Big Red's Tonight for the first time in total viewers. By ED BARK It's too early to predict any wholesale shifts in the late night terrain. ...CBS says it's the first time Letterman has won since the week ending on December 2, 2005, when Oprah Winfrey made her much-publicized first appearance on Late Show.

NBC's The Philanthropist is a do-gooder that needs to get better

Ed Bark — 2009-06-24T09:27:24-05:00

While scheming to singlehandedly deliver medicine to the Nigerian boy's devastated village, Rist also stays in luxury hotels, demands a more civilized whiskey than Jim Beam and apparently participates in a fivesome after four beautiful young Nigerian women are delivered to his quarters by an influential local. He also meets a conveniently beautiful African doctor (played by Bonnie Henna), who initially views him as a self-centered Good Samaritan who enjoys dirtying his hands a bit before returning home to tell his rich friends "how meaningful his life is compared to theirs."

Ed McMahon in days of yore, as recalled by transplanted North Texan Kent Fannon

Ed Bark — 2009-06-23T12:39:40-05:00

***"Ed's late son, Mike, was a halfback on our small NY suburban town's varsity football team, and Ed would try to come to every game. ...Knowing he could help draw sales, Ed would work at that lot as many nights as possible, sometimes in the bitter cold, trying to sell trees, offering hot chocolate, making people laugh, or anything else that would draw a crowd."

Emmys fumble again

Ed Bark — 2009-06-19T09:19:53-05:00

The latest date, Sept. 20th on CBS, clashes with NBC's Sunday Night Football telecast of the inaugural NFL regular season game in Jerry's Arlington palace. ...The Emmy people originally announced Sept. 20th as their awards show date, but then punted to Sept. 13th to avoid delays from a doubleheader football runover on CBS.

Dave vs. Conan: It's all in the spin

Ed Bark — 2009-06-18T13:22:09-05:00

NBC counters by touting Conan's blowouts of Dave among 18-to-49-year-olds and 18-to-34-year-olds, with Peacock exec Rick Ludwin noting that "this business is all about delivering the key demographic groups." ...Round 3 of their ratings battle is in progress, with Tonight beating Late Show in "every significant demo" on Monday and Tuesday of this week, which began with Letterman re-apologizing to Palin for the sexual jokes about her daughter.

NBC's Merlin gets olde in a hurry

Ed Bark — 2009-06-18T10:10:18-05:00

Colin Morgan stars as an apprentice Merlin in new NBC series. Premiering: Sunday, June 21st at 7 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Anthony Head, Richard Wilson, Katie McGrath, Angel Coulby, John Hurt Produced by: Julian Murphy, Johnny Capps,Jake Michie, Julian Jones ...In succeeding seasons, NBC has tumbled from first to fourth in the prime-time ratings and lost much of its luster via attractions such as Fear Factor, The Biggest Loser, Deal or No Deal, Celebrity Apprentice and the ongoing I'm A Celebrity .

Where have you gone, Joe Piscopo? Today's your birthday

Ed Bark — 2009-06-17T13:06:05-05:00
So there's reason to celebrate him for an SNL tenure (1980-84) during which he and Eddie Murphy pretty much carried the show and saved it from cancellation. ...From the TV time capsule, here's Joe donning fake teeth and doing Letterman while the genuine article shared a couch with him on a 1987 episode of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.

Here's to his health care: ABC News draws GOP fire for extensive coverage next week of Obama's prescription

Ed Bark — 2009-06-16T10:02:20-05:00
ABC's Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson will be joining President Obama in the White House for a prime-time Q&A on health care. ..."ABC News prides itself on covering all sides of important issues and asking direct questions of all newsmakers -- of all political persuasions -- when others have taken a more partisan approach and even in the face of criticism from extremes on both sides of the political spectrum," Smith said in part.

Back on its heals: TNT's HawthoRNe adds more meds to summertime cabinet

Ed Bark — 2009-06-15T16:12:22-05:00
Jada Pinkett Smith takes charge as head nurse Christina Hawthorne. Premiering: Tuesday, June 16th at 8 p.m. (central) on TNT Starring: Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Vartan, Suleka Mathew, David Julian Hirsch, Vanessa Lengies, Christina Moore, Hannah Hodson Produced by: John Masius, Jamie Tarses, Mikael Salomon, Jada Pinkett Smith ...There's also hard luck male nurse Ray Stein (David Julian Hirsch), blubbering rookie Kelly Epson (Vanessa Lengies) and yummy Candy Sullivan (Christina Moore), who otherwise makes a fairly minimal impression in the first two episodes sent for review.

Big Saturday Night dawns on still little GSN

Ed Bark — 2009-06-12T13:18:16-05:00
The two new game shows, respectively hosted by veteran sportscaster Fred Roggin and So You Think You Can Dance's Cat Deeley, will be surrounded by live comedy and music performances and interactive opportunities for viewers to "win big," says GSN. ...GSN doesn't say how much prize money is at stake, but Deeley likely can be counted on to inject this game with the same energy she brings to Think You Can Dance.

Nurse Jackie the latest big booster shot for Showtime

Ed Bark — 2009-06-03T14:51:33-05:00
Premiering: Monday, June 8th at 9:30 p.m. (central) on Showtime Starring: Edie Falco, Eve Best, Peter Facinelli, Anna Deaver Smith, Merrit Wever, Dominic Fumusa, Paul Schulze, Haaz Sleiman, Ruby Jerins, Daisy Tahan, Stephen Wallem Created and produced by: Evan Dunsky, Liz Brixius, Linda Wallem ...Falco, her hair very boyishly cut and parted, makes a complete break from Carmela in what's billed as a "dark comedy" but has more meat on it than that.

Conan twits tweeters -- nets laughs

Ed Bark — 2009-06-03T14:51:21-05:00
And for me, this one worked almost flawlessly, with use of vacuous, real-life celebrity tweets from Ashton Kutcher, Miley Cyrus and Dennis Haysbert. ...

Royal Pains gives USA network another breezy summertime bright spot

Ed Bark — 2009-06-03T10:20:27-05:00
Mark Feuerstein (orange shirt) heads the cast of USA's Royal Pains. Premiering: Thursday, June 4th at 9 p.m. (central) on USA Starring: Mark Feurstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint, Reshma Shetty Produced by: Andrew Lenchewski, Michael Rauch, Rich Frank, Paul Frank, Jeff Kwatinetz, John P. ...USA's likable newcomer is Royal Pains, which gives its star, Mark Feuerstein, a third crack at prime-time longevity after flopping in NBC's Good Morning, Miami and CBS' 3 lbs.

NBC's The Listener -- not on my watch

Ed Bark — 2009-06-02T12:41:21-05:00
Craig Olejnik has lots on his mind as the star of NBC's The Listener. Premiering: Thursday, June 4th at 8 p.m. (central) on NBC, with another episode at 9 p.m. Starring: Craig Olejnik, Ennis Esmer, Colm Feore, Mylene Dinh-Robic, Lisa Marcos Produced by: Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Michael Amo, Tom Chehak, Clement Virgo ...In Thursday's scene-setter, Toby and his paramedic pal, "Oz" Bey (Ennis Esmer), are trading lame banter before coming upon an overturned car in what looks to be the middle of Manhattan but actually is cost-efficient Toronto.

So-so, but over and done: O'Brien notches his first Tonight

Ed Bark — 2009-06-01T23:51:14-05:00
Leaning somewhat top-heavily on three taped bits and a star turn by first guest Will Ferrell, he made it to the finish line with his auburn pompadour in full bloom but not his comedic talents. ...O'Brien said he'd be glad to again have Leno as his lead-in, but we'll see about that after the competition for guests inevitably heats up between the two NBC shows.

Goodnight, Tonight. Not his idea, but Leno lets go

Ed Bark — 2009-05-29T23:51:28-05:00
"So that's what I would like my legacy to be," he says. Photo: Ed Bark By ED BARK Jay Leno bowed out with little fanfare Friday night, ending his 17-years as Tonight Show host by calling attention to the children born to his staffers during that period. ...His last Tonight began with a prolonged standing ovation from the studio audience before the monologue kicked in. Leno took one more jab at his downtrodden network, noting that "I'm going to be going to a secluded spot where no one can find me -- NBC prime-time."

Hey, guys, Lifetime's Maneater is more or less edible

Ed Bark — 2009-05-29T14:54:26-05:00
Starring Sarah Chalke from Scrubs, Lifetime's so-called "summer event" is off-putting at first in its depiction of pampered Beverly Hills mavens whose conspicuous creature comforts clash with current realities. ...Capably directed by former thirtysomething star Timothy Busfield, Maneater winds up gooier than it should in pursuit of tying up all its loose ends with oversized bows.

HBO's Churchill sequel wades into WWII

Ed Bark — 2009-05-29T08:22:02-05:00
HBO's versions of Churchill, FDR and Stalin at Yalta Conference. By ED BARK Built like Humpty Dumpty but refusing to crack, Winston Churchill smoke, drank and drove his country through the darkest days of World War II. His gruff private demeanor and soaring public rhetoric get another going-over in HBO's Into the Storm (Sunday, May 31st, 8 p.m. central), a followup to the network's 2002 scene-setter, The Gathering Storm.

ABC's Goode Family is Judged OK

Ed Bark — 2009-05-27T09:06:03-05:00
Premiering: Wednesday, May 27th at 8 p.m. (central) on ABC Voiced by: Mike Judge, Nancy Carell, David Herman, Linda Cardellini, Brian Doyle-Murray, Gary Anthony Williams Produced by: Mike Judge, John Altschuler, Dave Krinsky, Michael Rotenberg, Tom Lassally ...For better or worse, the Goodes consist of college administrator Gerald (Judge); his community activist wife, Helen (Nancy Carell); a teen daughter, Bliss (Linda Cardellini) and the adopted 16-year-old Ubuntu (David Herman), who initially was thought to be black but turned out to be a white South African.

O'Brien's Tonight countdown kicks into full throttle

Ed Bark — 2009-05-26T14:15:54-05:00
NBC's Tonight Show looms ever larger for heir Conan O'Brien, pictured on the left as a New York Times Magazine cover boy. By ED BARK Let the record show that Conan O'Brien isn't a kid anymore, even if acting his age still isn't an option. ...O'Brien, as he manfully volunteered during a teleconference Tuesday, is now 46 years old with two kids after first auditioning as a relative 29-year-old nobody to supplant David Letterman on NBC's Late Night.

Fox's Mental has House in mind, but also a mind of its own

Ed Bark — 2009-05-26T09:25:06-05:00
Telegenic Chris Vance has a beautiful mind, too, in Fox's Mental. Premiering: Tuesday, May 26th at 8 p.m. (central) on Fox Starring: Chris Vance, Annabella Sciorra, Jacqueline McKenzie, Derek Webster, Nicholas Gonzalez, Marisa Ramirez Produced by: Deborah Joy LeVine, Dan Levine By ED BARK Far more jovial and inclusive than Fox's House organ, Dr. Jack Gallagher of Mental nonetheless is in a series of much the same mind.

Idol finale crunches competition, comes up short of past glories

Ed Bark — 2009-05-21T17:38:43-05:00
Newest Idol Kris Allen sings his lungs out Wednesday night. By ED BARK Rival networks would like to have this "problem." ...Season 1 -- 22.8 million Season 2 -- 38.1 million Season 3 -- 28.8 million Season 4 -- 30.3 million Season 5 -- 36.4 million Season 6 -- 30.8 million Season 7 -- 31.7 million Season 8 -- 28.8 million

The CW cancels comedies and Sundays, shrinks Fridays, adds a vampire show

Ed Bark — 2009-05-21T11:26:12-05:00
Nina Dobrev as Elena in The Vampire Diaries CW photo By ED BARK The CW will go into battle this fall with three new shows, one-and-a-half fewer nights and no comedies. ...But the still grieving Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) is fated to hook up at high school with two clandestine vampire brothers who wage a war for her soul. One's a nice guy while the other (played by Ian Somerhalder of Lost) is "the embodiment of vampire violence and brutality."

Idle thoughts on Idol as the finale nears

Ed Bark — 2009-05-20T13:54:28-05:00
And Wednesday's two-hour finale will trample everything in its wake before the winner is forced to release yet another treacly written-for-Idol ditty -- "No Boundaries" in this case -- as his first post-show single. ...Sometimes one wonders whether host Ryan Seacrest is just throwing numbers out there when he says that more than 37 million viewers weighed in. So how about showing each contestant exactly where they stand after the field is winnowed down to 10.

CBS adds four newcomers, axes two oldies, rescues Medium

Ed Bark — 2009-05-20T10:12:38-05:00
Alex O'Loughlin, Julianna Margulies star in new CBS fall dramas. By ED BARK Without A Trace and The Unit no longer are in CBS' picture, but Medium and an NCIS spinoff are. ...This season's biggest freshman hit, The Mentalist, will be moved from Tuesday's at 8 p.m. to Thursdays at 9 p.m., where it will inherit a lead-in audience from the network's still potent CSI: Crime Scene Investigation before going head-to-head with NBC's The Jay Leno Show.

NBC cancels Earl, reprieves Chuck, delays 30 Rock, pushes Friday Night Lights to summer in Phase 2 rollout of new season (updated)

Ed Bark — 2009-05-19T10:32:11-05:00
By ED BARK Chuck and Law & Order have been reprieved, but My Name Is Earl and Life are goners, NBC officially announced Tuesday. ...That's in large part because its prime-time window has been significantly reduced on weeknights with the Monday-Friday 9 p.m. (central) presence of The Jay Leno Show.

ABC's new fall lineup flaunts star-powered comedy

Ed Bark — 2009-05-19T07:12:51-05:00
New ABC shows for Patricia Heaton, Kelsey Grammer, Courteney Cox. By ED BARK ABC will load up with eight new series this fall, including restarts for former prime-time comedy kingpins Kelsey Grammer, Courteney Cox, Patricia Heaton and Ed O'Neill. ...But as ABC describes it, "convincing real-life millionaires to part with their own money is no easy task, because when the idea is poor, the Sharks will tear into the ill-prepared presenters and pass on the idea with a simple, "I'm out!'

Fox's Glee gives it the old golly gee

Ed Bark — 2009-05-19T05:27:09-05:00
Glee principals Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison and Cory Monteith. Premiering: Tuesday, May 19th at 8 p.m. (central) on Fox Starring: Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jayma Mays, Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Amber Riley, Dianna Agron Produced by: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Dante Di Loreto ...But by the end of Tuesday's opener, Finn has unshackled all inhibitions and is singin' up a storm with oft-taunted Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), who at the very least sees herself as the next Kristen Chenoweth.

Fox accentuates African-Americans in new fall lineup

Ed Bark — 2009-05-18T11:16:22-05:00
The casts of Fox's Brothers and The Cleveland Show. By ED BARK Fox is adding three new prime-time series and one late-nighter this fall, with three-fourths of its incoming freshman class featuring predominantly African-American casts. ...The Wanda Sykes Show (comedy) -- She's supplanting MADtv in what Fox describes as a "high-energy one-hour show" featuring "biting commentary (that we've already figured out) and heated panel discussions with recurring personalities."

Brute camp: Spike TV's 4th and Long finds Irvin throwin' down

Ed Bark — 2009-05-17T20:28:31-05:00
All smiles for now: Bill Bates, Michael Irvin and Joe Avezzano Premiering: Monday, May 18th at 9 p.m. (central) on Spike TV Starring: Michael Irvin, Bill Bates, Joe Avezzano, other former/current Cowboys and 12 NFL hopefuls Produced by: Todd Nelson, JD Roth, Michael Irvin ...There's a whole lotta ralphin' goin' on during Monday's premiere, with would-be Dallas Cowboys receiver Montrell Jones the star player in this particular competition before host/taskmaster Michael Irvin implores him to "get that sickness out of you!"

Leno announces last Tonight guest, repeats vows to never take a vacation

Ed Bark — 2009-05-14T12:19:30-05:00
Leno, who began hosting Tonight on May 25, 1992, also said he plans to exit in an offbeat manner before gearing up for the September premiere of his new, five nights a week 9 p.m. (central) show. ...NBC, desperate to keep Leno rather than see him return to late night on a rival network, initially proposed a half-hour show that would have aired week-nightly at 7 p.m. (central), Leno said.

Random bursts: Nimoy Treks through Letterman Top 10 list; Rather puts on a 'fro to report on burrito lunch

Ed Bark — 2009-05-09T10:57:50-05:00
By ED BARK Thursday's edition of CBS' Late Show with David Letterman beamed up the original Mr. Spock to count down 10 "Lines Never Before Said in a Star Trek Film." ...Meanwhile, on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, Dan Rather agreeably flipped his wig for a mock 1973 report titled "Nixon Has a Burrito."

Fox states his case for optimism in worthy ABC special

Ed Bark — 2009-05-07T11:01:32-05:00
So it hit hard when the former star of Family Ties, Spin City and the Back to the Future movies disclosed in 1998 that he's afflicted with the so far incurable Parkinson's Disease. ...His first words in tonight's special -- "Oh what a great day" -- underscore Fox's approach to living with a disease that has waylaid a full-time acting career and birthed The Michael J.

Launch date, guest stars set for Irvin's new Dallas Cowboys reality competition

Ed Bark — 2009-05-06T10:28:58-05:00
By ED BARK Michael Irvin's new Dallas Cowboys training camp series for Spike TV now has a name and a premiere date. ...The Hall of Famer and former Cowboys receiver will shepherd 12 Cowboys hopefuls, with the winner getting a spot on the team's training camp roster.

NBC spills beans on part of its new season, promises a second helping in 15 days

Ed Bark — 2009-05-04T10:30:48-05:00
Former SNL mainstay Chevy Chase and Maura Tierney from ER. By ED BARK Fourth-place NBC went roughly halfway toward unveiling its 2009-10 season plans Monday, promising to get back with more details on May 19th. ...Among the Peacock's six announced newcomers are an adaptation of the 1989 film Parenthood featuring a trio of familiar TV faces and the new comedy series Community, starring graybeard Chevy Chase and Joel McHale of The Soup.

Presenting Jimmy Fallon at half his current age

Ed Bark — 2009-05-01T01:51:03-05:00
He's wearing a jailbird shirt while doing brief impressions of John Travolta, Sylvester Stallone, Cliff Clavin of Cheers, etc. The talent's pretty raw, but kind of shines through. ...The 34-year-old Saturday Night Live alum is now in his third month of hosting NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Leno back among the living; NBC exhales

Ed Bark — 2009-04-28T08:25:14-05:00
Jay Leno exits hospital before his return to Tonight. Photo: Ed Bark By ED BARK Jay Leno returned to his Tonight Show environ Monday, swine flu and octo-mom jokes at the ready. ...Leno's health is of no small concern to NBC, which will be bequeathing him five weekly hours of prime-time next fall after he leaves Tonight in the hands of Conan O'Brien, starting June 1st.

CBS shifts some season finale dates, sends Harper's Island to Siberia Saturdays

Ed Bark — 2009-04-27T18:27:10-05:00
Not out of the woods yet: Harper's Island moves to Saturdays. By ED BARK CBS had hoped to have the next killer app with Harper's Island, its weekly countdown of dead bodies. ...So Harper's Island is being sent to dead-end Saturdays to do the rest of its killing, effective May 2nd at 8 p.m. central.

Enter the May "sweeps" -- do you know when your season finales are?

Ed Bark — 2009-04-23T11:46:51-05:00
There's still talk of returning this terminally under-appreciated comedy in some form, but star Zach Braff wouldn't be a part of it, save for maybe a guest shot or two. ...May 18 -- Prime-time's most-watched comedy, Two and a Half Men, ends this season knowing that its network already has ordered not one, not two, but three more.

Regis takes another ride with Millionaire; Kings and Ian McShane dethroned until summer

Ed Bark — 2009-04-22T15:46:38-05:00
By ED BARK Regis Philbin will get another go-around on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, with ABC also coming full circle by returning the show to prime-time on the 10th anniversary of its first summertime run. ...In the 1999-2000 TV season, the Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday editions of Millionaire respectively ranked one, two, three in the prime-time Nielsen ratings, with Philbin's catchphrase -- "Is that your final answer?"

CNBC's As Seen on TV an info-taining look at infomercials

Ed Bark — 2009-04-21T12:42:12-05:00
Master baiter Billy Mays and the Today crew in Snuggies. By ED BARK A down economy is an upper for infomercials, which supposedly have grown to a $150 billion industry lately spearheaded by the likes of product hawker Billy Mays and the Snuggie. ...The CNBC cable network's latest original documentary, As Seen on TV (Wednesday, 8 p.m. central), manages to be at least as entertaining and informative as sitting through one of Ron Popeil's pitches for the Showtime Rotisserie ("Set it and forget it!").

HBO's Grey Gardens finds Drew Barrymore at last in full bloom

Ed Bark — 2009-04-17T11:34:04-05:00
But this is no horror-mongering Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? There's no pet parakeet served on a platter, although cats and raccoons eventually have the run of the place, defecating and urinating wherever it pleases them. ...Vivacious Little Edie briefly ends up footloose in NYC, living on daddy's money while he tries to strong-arm her into getting married and in the interim at least holding a steady job.

Fox's Sit Down, Shut Up is best watched on "Mute"

Ed Bark — 2009-04-17T11:33:58-05:00
Premiering: Sunday, April 19th at 7:30 p.m. (central) on Fox Featuring voice-overs from: Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Kristin Chenoweth, Kenan Thompson, Will Forte, Cheri Oteri, Henry Winkler, Nick Kroll, Tom Kenny Produced by: Mitchell Hurwitz, Eric and Kim Tannenbum, Josh Weinstein By ED BARK Attention must be paid to Fox's Sit Down, Shut Up, if only because its behind-the-camera architects include Mitchell Hurwitz of Arrested Development and Eric and Kim Tannenbum from Two and a Half Men.

Madden hangs it up; Collinsworth looks like a cinch to replace him on Sunday Night Football (updated)

Ed Bark — 2009-04-16T12:35:33-05:00
He began with CBS, moved to Fox from 1994 to 2002 and spent four years with ABC's Monday Night Football before the network punted the franchise to ESPN. ...NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol said that he "spent all day" Thursday with Madden, and "tried every way I could to make sure he was sure about his decision."

TV Land's The Cougar stars 40-year-old temptress and 20 Jungle Jimmies

Ed Bark — 2009-04-15T08:23:37-05:00
"Cougar" Stacey Anderson meets her wolf pups on TV Land. Premiering: Wednesday, April 15th at 9 p.m. (central) on TV Land Starring: Stacey Anderson and 20 younger male horndogs Created and produced by: Mike Fleiss ...TV Land, which used to be the prime time preserve of evergreen sitcom reruns, takes another tumble into the reality genre Wednesday night (9 p.m. central) with the premiere of The Cougar.

PBS' We Shall Remain struggles to light the torch

Ed Bark — 2009-04-13T13:54:19-05:00
PBS' five-part We Shall Remain includes numerous reenactments. By ED BARK Worthy and well-meaning, PBS' five-part, seven-and-a-half hour We Shall Remain nonetheless falls short of a firm grip with Monday's opening chapter. The 90-minute "After the Mayflower" (8 to 9:30 p.m. central) is overly long, dry and redundant in its depictions of how 17th century relations unraveled between Native Americans and the first English settlers at Plymouth.

Friday Night Lights closes out Season 3, suits up for two more

Ed Bark — 2009-04-09T19:47:03-05:00
Friday Night Lights, filmed entirely on location in Austin, has not made the mistake of keeping its actors in high school to the point where they look old enough to be returning for a 10th year reunion. ...Meanwhile, the principal adult characters play on. And that pretty much boils down to the Taylors, the McCoys and car dealer Buddy Garrity (Brad Leland), a Texas Bubba for all seasons who'd be sorely missed if he ever blows town.

CBS' Harper's Island may just be a killer ap

Ed Bark — 2009-04-09T11:04:12-05:00
Have fun while you can: Harry Hamlin as good time Uncle Marty. Premiering: Thursday, April 9th at 9 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring: Elaine Cassidy, Christopher Gorham, Katie Cassidy, Richard Burgi, Harry Hamlin, Cassandra Sawtell, Cameron Richardson and a host of other potential corpses Produced by: Jon Turteltaub, Ari Schlossberg ...CBS' heavily promoted Harper's Island, getting a cushy, post-CSI: Crime Scene Investigation slot all the way through July 2nd, has a way of gripping you with its basic idiocy and unanswerable overriding question.

NBC tries to rebuild post-ER Thursdays with Amy Poehler-led comedy and ensemble cop drama

Ed Bark — 2009-04-08T14:43:52-05:00
By ED BARK Note to readers: Struggling NBC's Thursday night lineup, without ER for the first time in 15 TV seasons, re-gathers itself on April 9th with a new episode of The Office, the premiere of Parks and Recreation, another new Office episode, a first-run 30 Rock and the premiere of Southland.... Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari co-star in Parks and Recreation. Premiering: Thursday, April 9th at 7:30 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Paul Schneider, Aubrey Plaza Produced by: Greg Daniels, Michael Schur, Howard Klein

FX's Rescue Me blazes anew in Season 5

Ed Bark — 2009-04-07T09:40:20-05:00
Fox. By ED BARK Delayed almost interminably by last year's writers' strike, FX's Rescue Me returns in a big way Tuesday with a bounteous, 22-episode Season 5. ...Lest we forget, Tommy's still on the wagon and his belittling father remains newly deceased as the series reboots with an episode titled "Baptism" (9 p.m. central, repeated at 10 p.m.).

Surviving Suburbia gives Saget another ABC port

Ed Bark — 2009-04-06T10:43:18-05:00
Hardy hoo-hah!. Premiering: Monday, April 6th at 8:30 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Bob Saget, Cynthia Stevenson, Jere Burns, Jared Kusnitz, G Hannelius, Dan Cortese Produced by: Kevin Abbott, Michael Hanel, Mindy Schultheis ...The show's surprise emergence on ABC -- in a cushy slot following Dancing with the Stars no less -- might remind some viewers that this is the network that once made its bacon with laugh track-driven family sitcoms such as Full House, Growing Pains, Roseanne, Home Improvement, Who's the Boss, Family Matters and According to Jim.

The Tudors and In Treatment are back in play on Showtime, HBO

Ed Bark — 2009-04-03T12:54:12-05:00
Gina Toll and Paul Weston. By ED BARK Premium cable's warring big shots, HBO and Showtime, each return estimable series Sunday night. ...Henry, who rid himself of second wife Anne Boleyn at the close of last season, takes on his third wife, Jane Seymour (Annabelle Wallis), at the start of this one.

Leno's prime-time show a no go on Boston's NBC affiliate; MSNBC hires another voice from the left

Ed Bark — 2009-04-03T10:47:50-05:00
NBC is running fourth in the prime-time ratings again, and has no show -- other than Sunday Night Football -- that even wins its time period. ...David Gregory, who had anchored 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and also moderates NBC's Meet the Press, will be shuttled to 3 p.m. weekdays, where he'll helm a new two-hour program with Tamron Hall.

ER checks out after lasting long enough to go on Medicare

Ed Bark — 2009-04-02T11:30:00-05:00
Those days are long gone, with NBC estimating that Leno will cost the network roughly one-third or less of what it took to fuel the 9 p.m. hour with scripted drama series. Many of the high-quality, buzz-worthy dramas now are on cable networks, even if their audiences come nowhere near the 30 million viewers per episode that ER averaged in its first four seasons.

Fox tabs Sykes to fill MadTV's late night Saturday slot

Ed Bark — 2009-04-01T12:39:42-05:00
By ED BARK Fox's MadTV will be a goner at the end of this season, but Wanda Sykes will be moving right in next fall. ...TBS cable recently announced its first entry into the late night talk/comedy mix, with George Lopez taking the reins of a weeknight 10 p.m. show scheduled to launch in November.

Peabodys branch out to honor traditional tube-delivered programs -- and youtube

Ed Bark — 2009-04-01T11:20:37-05:00
ABC's Lost, HBO's John Adams, youtube and the presidential campaign satire on NBC's Saturday Night Live are among the 36 George Foster Peabody Award recipients announced Wednesday by the University of Georgia. HBO's Entourage, AMC's Breaking Bad, CNN's non-satiric election coverage and the Onion News Network also will be honored at a May 18th ceremony in New York City hosted by NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams.

Osbournes: Reloaded -- What the @#$%&* was that *&%$#@ pile of #@$%*&?

Ed Bark — 2009-04-01T05:01:04-05:00
Fox has aired some dreadful stuff over the years, but Osbournes: Reloaded proved to be shockingly inept and unfunny from the instant mom Sharon and daughter Kelly shared ice-breaking bleeped profanities while a studio audience howled with laughter. ...Nick, who frankly didn't look like much of a catch, got sent backstage to ruminate while the show unfortunately went on. Offal included Ozzy and Kelly in a filmed segment as profane, food-throwing drive-in workers followed by cursing kids of kindergarten age playing "The Littlest Osbournes."

Second coming of Cupid lacks that certain some-zing

Ed Bark — 2009-03-30T19:03:51-05:00
Bobby Cannavale, Sarah Paulson front ABC's Cupid redo. Premiering: Tuesday, March 31st at 9 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring:Bobby Cannavale, Sarah Paulson, Rick Gomez, Camille Guaty Created by: Rob Thomas ...The new Cupid premieres Tuesday (9 p.m. central), following another episode of ABC's best available launch pad, Dancing with the Stars.

Looks like a stinker: Osbournes: Reloaded isn't giving TV critics much of a chance to unload

Ed Bark — 2009-03-30T14:04:58-05:00
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne bring their four-ring circus to Fox. By ED BARK This is only a hunch, mind you. ...So far that includes a silhouetted stripping granny (her "boobs were so saggy," Kelly notes); a blindfolded younger guy being duped into kissing an elderly woman; Ozzy spraying the audience with foam; and pint-sized "Littlest Osbournes" dropping bleeped f-bombs while insulting a young woman at a theater box office who tells them they can't see an adult-rated movie.

HBO couldn't be less explicit with first-rate No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Ed Bark — 2009-03-27T11:39:21-05:00
A plus-size star is born: Jill Scott as Precious Ramotswe. By ED BARK Premiering: Sunday, March 29th at 7 p.m. (central) on HBO Starring: Jill Scott, Anika Noni Rose, Lucian Msamati, Desmond Dube, Winston Ntshona, Mosaka Mogara Produced by: Richard Curtis, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein and the late Sydney Pollack ...Ladies' Detective Agency, shot entirely in Botswana, Africa and drawn from the nine same-named novels, stars a plus-sized heroine who lives to honor her late, loving father.

Stay in the womb! ABC's In the Motherhood is coming

Ed Bark — 2009-03-25T12:39:30-05:00
Clair of In the Motherhood Premiering: Thursday, March 26th at 7 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Cheryl Hines, Megan Mullally, Jessica St. ...Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) shouts her way through the role of Rosemary, a multi-divorced, self-absorbed mother of a son who goes entirely unseen in the first two episodes available for review.

George Lopez to take a swing at late night in new TBS talker

Ed Bark — 2009-03-24T10:06:03-05:00
George Lopez will be a TV talker, too, on new TBS late nighter. By ED BARK TBS and George Lopez will enter the late night talk arena for the first time this fall in a show set to air opposite local newscasts and the first half-hours of Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show and Late Show with David Letterman. ..."George and TBS are going to change the late-night television landscape and bring a brand new energy to the talk show genre by giving it a street-party atmosphere," says TBS programming head Michael Wright.

Warhorse redux: Rather hits the century mark -- in episodes -- on HDNet

Ed Bark — 2009-03-23T14:02:15-05:00
And each and every one of them is told from the beginning that Mark is prepared to spend whatever we need to get the story, but not one dollar more . ...I remain absolutely determined to find out what really happened, and to bring into the sunshine what the public needs to know about how these ever larger corporations are connected to Washington power for the benefit of making money at the expense of truly independent and free journalism.

Dummying it down

Ed Bark — 2009-03-23T10:37:41-05:00
By ED BARK Dallas-born ventriloquist Jeff Dunham (above) has just signed a big deal with Comedy Central, further establishing North Texas as a great place to throw your voice for fun and eventual profit. ...So he now has what Comedy Central describes as a "wide-ranging, fully-integrated, multi-platform initiative which includes a series order, stand-up special, major-market stand-up tour, DVDs and a consumer products partnership."

Idol bracketology

Ed Bark — 2009-03-18T18:12:22-05:00
Here's my projected Final Four: Clockwise from top left are Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta, Danny Gokey and Lil Rounds Fox photos By ED BARK Eleven finalists still remain on American Idol after Tuesday night's country-fried sing-off. ...I'll pick Allison Iraheta to go all the way, but have no idea who will emerge from this Final Four to sing against her on the last performance show.

Better Off Ted has Office politics, but also a few sparks of its own

Ed Bark — 2009-03-17T17:25:09-05:00
Jay Harrington and Portia de Rossi meet head-on in Better Off Ted. Premiering: Wednesday, March 18th, at 7:30 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Jay Harrington, Portia de Rossi, Andrea Anders, Jonathan Slavin, Malcolm Barrett, Isabella Acres Created and produced by: Victor Fresco ...But go-along Ted is also a single dad whose curly-haired daughter, Rose (Isabella Acres), looks like Shirley Temple and sometimes makes pop wonder whether he shouldn't be working for the Good Ship Lollipop instead of the Bismarck.

Stephanopoulos/McCain: THE TWITTERVIEW

Ed Bark — 2009-03-17T13:26:24-05:00
By ED BARK It was only last year that presidential candidate John McCain copped to being a computer "illiterate" who used neither a MAC or a PC. Now he's twittering with ABC News This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos, who's embraced this new form as if he were a one-year-old in a high chair with his first birthday cake set before him.

Sopranos creator going Hollywood for HBO

Ed Bark — 2009-03-16T12:45:00-05:00
By ED BARK HBO and David Chase, creator of The Sopranos, will be re-teaming for a miniseries about Hollywood's vintage big shots. ...But a lot of time will be covered, from 1913 through the "golden era of talkies and the studio system, to the auteur movement to television, and finally to the present day," according to HBO publicity materials.

NBC's Kings a biblical, bounteous feast

Ed Bark — 2009-03-13T11:10:45-05:00
In a thin soup season of low aspirations, Kings delivers an oft-stunning punch, beginning with Sunday night's two-hour "event" premiere (7 p.m. central). ...Egan, who bears a fairly strong resemblance to Matt Damon, is suitably torn between returning to his home of Port Prosperity or serving his king for what he hopes will be the greater good.

By George, he did it

Ed Bark — 2009-03-13T08:42:30-05:00
Clooney & Margulies, larger than life, on March 12th ER. Photo: Ed Bark By ED BARK Word leaked out via several online and on-air outlets, but NBC never officially confirmed or specifically promoted the appearance of George Clooney on Thursday's ER. ...His character, Dr. Doug Ross, is now operating out of the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, whose staff also includes Carol Hathway (Julianna Margulies), his ER wife.

NBC's new summer schedule kicks off early in hopes of helping Conan's Tonight

Ed Bark — 2009-03-12T17:08:19-05:00
Get Me Out of Here!, which fouled ABC's schedule in 2003. By ED BARK NBC has scheduled three season finales during Conan O'Brien's first week of hosting The Tonight Show as part of what it calls a "sizzling summer of new and returning series." O'Brien, who takes over Tonight on June 1st, supposedly will get "the best launch possible" on Monday through Wednesday of that week with 9 p.m. season-enders of Medium, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order.

Idol: shootdowns for Jasmine, Jorge and a dumb new rule

Ed Bark — 2009-03-12T10:01:05-05:00
Goodnight to Jorge Nunez (middle) and Jasmine Murray. Fox photos By ED BARK American Idol sent Top 13 finalists Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez packing Wednesday night while needlessly gumming up the rules and also falsely presenting them. ...Before unveiling this change of course, host Ryan Seacrest noted that previous Idol contestants Chris Daughtry, Tamyra Gray, Jennifer Hudson and Michael Johns all had been on the receiving end of unpopular evictions during previous Idol editions.

Chop-chop: Throw another cooking competition on the fire

Ed Bark — 2009-03-11T09:31:02-05:00
By ED BARK Chef Marco Pierre White, the British bloke who hosts NBC's new The Chopping Block, used to have Gordon Ramsay under his wing. But the bombastic star of Fox's Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares got to these shores first, leaving his old boss to serve leftovers on yet another weekly cooking competition devised by an umpteenth U.S. network.

Dancing with the Stars welcomes Bachelor jilt-ee, angers North Texas couple for other reasons

Ed Bark — 2009-03-10T11:32:51-05:00
Meanwhile, at least two viewers, Elon and Jennifer Werner of Cedar Hill, TX, say they've sworn off Dancing because it's gotten too blue for their nine-year-old daughter to watch. ...It was too hard to explain what Jackass was, what Playboy was, and what a number of the other off-hand and off-color remarks were to our nine-year-old daughter, who has been a passionate DWTS fan for the past three seasons.

Let's make a deal: AMC's Breaking Bad is boldly back in play

Ed Bark — 2009-03-06T14:16:56-06:00
This is Weeds on steroids -- or crystal meth in this case -- with Walt White (Cranston) and former student turned accomplice Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) wheeling and dealing with the most unsavory thugs New Mexico has to offer. ...AMC also has ordered almost twice as many new episodes -- 13 -- giving the show more room to maneuver within a still relatively small universe that also includes Walt's brother-in-law, Hank (Dean Norris), a DEA agent, and his wife, Marie (Betsy Brandt), a chronic shoplifter.

Idol's final field swells to old-school baker's dozen

Ed Bark — 2009-03-06T07:28:58-06:00
American Idol's first-ever Top 13 finalists include Thursday night "Wild Card" picks Matt Giraud, Anoop Desai (top from left), Megan Joy Corkrey and Jasmine Murray (bottom from left). Fox photo By ED BARK American Idol's final field is set, after judges added four rather than the expected three contestants during Thursday night's so-called "Wild Card" round. ...It also presumably increases the number of Idol hours on Fox, which can't be blamed for wanting to make a few extra advertising bucks in sub-dire times for the television industry and just about any industry.

ABC's banter-laced Castle solves crimes without going medieval

Ed Bark — 2009-03-05T16:42:39-06:00
Viewers who began their TV-watching before the Internet hit also might recognize a little/lot of Moonlighting in Castle, which ABC hopes will be catapulted by Monday's preceding two-hour launch of Dancing with the Stars' eighth edition. ...And in a dismal season for both bottom lines and breakout hits, the success or failure of Castle could go a long way in determining whether actors and their roles have a long-term future at any of the Big Four broadcast networks.

Idol adds three more finalists, will fill out field via Thursday's "Wild Card" show

Ed Bark — 2009-03-05T07:16:01-06:00
Top 12 finalists Scott MacIntyre, Lil Rounds, Jorge Nunez Fox photo By ED BARK American Idol viewers voted in three more Top 12 finalists Wednesday before judges announced eight "Wild Card" picks for Thursday's last chance sing-off. ...The women's field looks like a three-way battle among Corkrey, Murray and, groan, the ultra-histrionic Del Toro, who unfortunately can sing as well as weep.

Pick three: Idol's third performance round yields two slam dunks, one shot in the dark

Ed Bark — 2009-03-04T10:52:16-06:00
Barton looked smashing, and is also the one who was retrieved by judges after initial Top 36 semi-finalist Joanna Pacitti got disqualified with the usual scant elaboration from Fox. ...But MacIntyre is no slouch as a vocalist, and could really shine when he's allowed to play his keyboards as a member of the show's Final 12.

Working without the net? Fallon's Web-footed Late Night wouldn't think of it

Ed Bark — 2009-03-02T12:24:28-06:00
And in case you're interested, he'll also be doing a little television show on the side, beginning Monday at 11:35 p.m. (central) on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. ...He'll find out how many people are paying attention after Monday's first actual television outing finds Fallon in the company of Robert De Niro, Justin Timberlake and musical guest Van Morrison, of whom he says, "I can almost guarantee you he has no idea of who I am."

24 cranks itself to the breaking point with full-blown assault on White House

Ed Bark — 2009-03-01T22:54:19-06:00
Monday's two-hour "event" -- covering the 6 to 8 p.m. hours of Season 7 -- finds terrorists breaking into the White House with what seems to be the greatest of ease. ...In Monday night's never-dull two-parter (7 to 9 p.m. central), he again runs afoul of noxious Senator Blaine Mayer (Kurtwood Smith), who wants to lock him up for crimes against humanity.

Tom Selleck still rock-stolid as wrong-righting Jesse Stone

Ed Bark — 2009-02-27T12:26:28-06:00
He'll be playing gruff, hard-drinking, dog-loving police chief Jesse Stone for the fifth time Sunday (March 1st), in CBS' Jesse Stone: Thin Ice (8 p.m. central). ...Leslie Hope, who played Jack Bauer's murdered wife, Teri, on the first season of 24, drops in for a few scenes as a taut-talking internal affairs investigator who of course is not immune to Stone's rough-hewn charms.

Only tipsy with power this time: unclebarky.com hits on two of Idol's latest three finalists

Ed Bark — 2009-02-27T11:04:04-06:00
Idol finalists Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta, Adam Lambert Fox photo By ED BARK Your friendly American Idol idolator correctly picked two of the three finalists to emerge from Thursday's 12 hopefuls. Allison Iraheta and Adam Lambert made the top 12 as predicted but I missed on Kris Allen, instead succumbing to the bizarre song stylings of Nick Mitchell a k a "Norman Gentle."

March sadness: CBS is the only network on year-to-year upswing, but Fox will have usual finishing kick

Ed Bark — 2009-02-26T16:11:30-06:00
Simon Baker of CBS' The Mentalist; Tim Roth of Fox's Lie to Me By ED BARK The Big Four broadcast networks -- and li'l CW -- are heading into the final three months of the 2008-'09 TV season with only CBS having all arrows pointing upward. ...1 network among 18-to-49-year-olds, even though its average of 4.2 million per prime-time show is well off last year's 5.4 million at this time of the season.

Pick three: Idol's second performance round tougher to figure than first

Ed Bark — 2009-02-26T09:22:04-06:00
Singing for survival: Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Nick Mitchell By ED BARK Correctly picking last week's three American Idol survivors, which unclebarky.com did, was easier than figuring which trio will emerge from Wednesday's dozen. Going first is hardly ever beneficial, so 17-year-old Jasmine Murray likely will have to wait for the judges' climactic "wild card" choices to perhaps sneak in. She deserved a better seed, though.

Oscar audience grows from last year's all-time low

Ed Bark — 2009-02-23T14:00:10-06:00
C'mon, get happy: Oscar ratings up from last year's low. ABC photo By ED BARK Sunday night's 81st Oscar ceremony on ABC kicked up a few notches in the national Nielsens, averaging 36.3 million viewers during its three-and-a-half-hour running time. That's a nice boost from the all-time low 32 million viewers who watched last year's telecast, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Gibson regroups with stunt stint on Kimmel Live

Ed Bark — 2009-02-23T12:29:16-06:00
A goateed Mel Gibson, little seen or heard since his infamous drunken tirade in mid-summer 2006, dropped in on Jimmy Kimmel's post-Oscar show Sunday to announce his next film project. ...Here's the clip, in which Gibson plays a Southern-fried colonel -- with blood on his hands, of course.

Jackman-led Oscars end up long on ceremony

Ed Bark — 2009-02-23T07:58:35-06:00
Host Hugh Jackman impresses early in the game. ABC photos By ED BARK Sunday's largely suspense-less ABC Oscar-cast perhaps could have used a jokester host or at least Jerry Lewis acting up. ...ABC's cameramen as usual were on top of all the audience reaction shots, even finding best actress winner Kate Winslet's dad in the cheap seats after she asked him to whistle -- which he did -- to show her where he was seated.

Sexy women of substance populate BBC America's Mistresses

Ed Bark — 2009-02-20T09:03:01-06:00
Sexual beings Jessica, Trudi, Katie, Siobhan in Mistresses Premiering: Friday, Feb. 20th at 7 p.m. (central) on BBC America. ...BBC America's 12-episode Mistresses, premiering Friday, Feb. 20th (7 p.m. central), is graced by four of the UK's finest, sturdiest actresses.

Drunk with power: unclebarky.com nails first three Idol finalists

Ed Bark — 2009-02-19T11:33:12-06:00
Top 12 Idol finalists Michael Sarver, Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey By ED BARK It's nice to hit a trifecta once in a while. Which unclebarky.com did by correctly picking the first three American Idol survivors among this week's 12 contestants.

Pick just three: Idol dashes dreams, punishes posers in bigger doses this season

Ed Bark — 2009-02-18T10:59:30-06:00
Michael Sarver -- Jasper, TX oil-rigger and married father of two is easy to like and has a good shot to squeeze through after a mixed reaction from judges. ...After two more 12-way competitions (on Feb. 26th and March 4th), judges will invite their favorite evictees back on March 5th for a "wild card" round in which they, not viewers, will pick three more contestants to round out a final 12.

Play @%$!*#% Ball -- HBO's Eastbound & Down throws hard but misses the plate

Ed Bark — 2009-02-13T15:41:08-06:00
Danny McBride strikes out as washed-up pitcher Kenny Powers. Premiering: Sunday, Feb. 15th at 9:30 p.m. (central) on HBO Starring: Danny McBride, Katy Mixon, John Hawkes, Jennifer Irwin, Andrew Daly, Steve Little, Ben Best Produced by: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Chris Henchy, Jody Hill, Danny McBride, Ben Best By ED BARK Just in time for spring training, here comes HBO's comedy series about a profane, loutish, sexist, homophobic, coke-sniffing ex-Big League relief pitcher who "looks like a big bag of mashed-up asshole" in the view of one cogent observer.

Fox's Dollhouse may not play very well

Ed Bark — 2009-02-13T09:45:48-06:00
And of course it almost goes without saying that "Nothing is what it appears to be," which mastermind Adelle DeWitt (Olivia Williams) tells minion Echo (Eliza Dushku) in the opening seconds of Friday's premiere (8 p.m. central). ...But amid all these extracurricular activities, Echo has a somewhat self-contained assignment of the week, whether it's acting as a go-between in a kidnapping or serving as human prey next week for a maniacal bow hunter.

CNBC's House of Cards shows how greed hit home and left the economy humbled

Ed Bark — 2009-02-12T14:26:39-06:00
House of Cards players: Alan Greenspan, David Faber, Kyle Bass By ED BARK It's a fine mess we're in, and CNBC's latest new documentary, House of Cards, is better than most at explaining how "the greatest financial collapse since the Great Depression" came to roost. ...He meticulously shows how the bubble burst without being a bubblehead about it in a compelling two-hour film that premieres on Thursday, Feb. 12th at 7 p.m. (central), repeats at 11 p.m. on the same night and also will air on Sunday (8 p.m.) and Monday (7 p.m.).

Oddly unaffecting Two Lovers nonetheless has intriguing big-star cast and free admission on HDNet Movies

Ed Bark — 2009-02-11T16:10:11-06:00
But just in case, here he is in a somber yet semi-uplifting film about a depressed would-be photographer who somehow manages to click with two disparate, attractive women. ...And when Sandra asks him to a party just moments after they make love for the first time, it's even harder to buy into Leonard saying, "I'll check to see if I'm free."

Important Things with Demetri Martin needs more pop but shows some promise

Ed Bark — 2009-02-10T13:04:55-06:00
Wednesday's premiere of Comedy Central's Important Things with Demetri Martin (9:30 p.m. central) brings forth a mop-headed, nimble-brained 35-year-old who looks quite a bit younger than he is. ...Next Wednesday's show, which trades on the word "Power," has appreciably better filmed sketches built around a battle for a parking space and a super hero named the Revenger" who later learns that his father died of Lyme Disease rather than at the hands of violent crooks.

Dancing with the Stars fetes 13 new pair of feet

Ed Bark — 2009-02-09T09:27:48-06:00
Jewel, David Alan Grier and Denise Richards get ready to rhumba. By ED BARK ABC's Season 8 of Dancing with the Stars floors it on March 9th.... *** Access Hollywood co-host Nancy O'Dell (hmm, wonder which entertainment rag mag will be getting lots of "exclusive" material)

Chuck tries 3D as last resort; House comfortably at home on Fox for Episode 100

Ed Bark — 2009-02-02T12:18:49-06:00
Her eventual diagnosis won't be spilled here, but as usual it takes most of the episode for House to deduce it after his usual verbal abusing of anyone and everyone. ...Chuck on the other hand is stuck as that night's table-setter on downtrodden NBC, which also will be relaunching Heroes and Medium on post-Super Bowl Monday.

Super Bowl XLIII: great game, decent commercials, Bruce cuttin' loose

Ed Bark — 2009-02-01T23:32:12-06:00

The Office checks in as latest post-Super Bowl entree

Ed Bark — 2009-01-30T11:43:43-06:00
Michael again makes a mess of things on post-Supie Office episode. By ED BARK Networks used to use the big post-Super Bowl "platform" to launch new series before the often less than watchful eyes of besotted, bloated American viewers. ...Last year's post-Super Bowl episode of House had a comparatively paltry 29 million viewers on Fox, even though the New York Giants-Patriots game averaged an all-time record of 97.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

An explosive beginning to 21st season of American Experience

Ed Bark — 2009-01-26T12:00:23-06:00
The father of the World War II era atomic bomb was a "frail, frequently sick" pantywaist as a kid, never had a date at Harvard and was derided after the fact by President Truman as "that crybaby scientist." ...The PBS film tells of the constant government scrutiny of Oppenheimer, even while he headed the all-consuming U.S. effort to beat Germany to the atomic bomb punch at the height of World War II.

TNT's Trust Me not as good as advertised

Ed Bark — 2009-01-23T09:54:16-06:00
Tom Cavanaugh and Eric McCormack pair up in TNT's Trust Me. Premiering: Monday, Jan. 26th at 9 p.m. (central) on TNT Starring: Eric McCormack, Tom Cavanaugh, Monica Potter, Griffin Dunne, Sarah Clarke, Mike Damus, Geoffrey Arend Produced by: Greer Shephard, Michael M. ...And the network also has positioned Trust Me to succeed by slotting Monday's premiere (9 p.m. central) after a new episode of its most bankable hit, The Closer.

True story: Fox's Lie to Me looks like a keeper

Ed Bark — 2009-01-21T09:32:06-06:00
Tim Roth might be a bit afraid you won't like him in Lie to Me. Premiering: Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. (central) on Fox Starring: Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Monica Raymund, Brendan Hines Produced by: Brian Grazer, Samuel Baum, David Nevins, Steven Maeda ...Other members of the team are lead researcher Eli Loker (Brendan Hines), who has a little 'tude to him, and new recruit Ria Torres (Monica Raymund), plucked from an airport security post because she tested off the charts as a human lie detector.

Oh happy daze: Lost returns Wednesday

Ed Bark — 2009-01-19T13:52:23-06:00
Daniel Faraday's a key ingredient; "Shotgun Willie's" an appetizer. Lost doesn't stay too long in any one place during Season 5's opening three hours. ...Amid all the uncertainty, it seems certain that Lost eventually will put the "Oceanic 6" and Locke back on the island they left behind three years ago. After all, time is of the essence, as you'll hear at the end of Wednesday's Episode 2.

Three's company in Showtime's United States of Tara

Ed Bark — 2009-01-16T14:20:32-06:00
Tara Gregson and her three disparate "alts"; star Toni Collette Premiering: Sunday, Jan. 18th at 9 p.m. central on Showtime Starring: Toni Collette, John Corbett, Brie Larson, Keir Gilchrist, Rosemarie DeWitt Produced by: Steven Spielberg, Diablo Cody, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Alexa Junge ...The show is United States of Tara, the star is Toni Collette and the execution is so-so in what creator Diablo Cody (Juno) describes as a "sensitive, humorous, humanist" approach to Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Beast of burden: New A&E series a bad vehicle for game Swayze

Ed Bark — 2009-01-15T13:56:10-06:00
Patrick Swayze stars in The Beast, whose aim is off. By ED BARK Just about everyone probably knows by now that Patrick Swayze continues to stare death in the face while battling pancreatic cancer. ...He's convincingly intense, whether barking out orders to Dove or shooting himself in the shoulder during next week's Episode 2 as a very odd means to bring a drug ring to an end.

Ricardo Montalban deplanes at age 88

Ed Bark — 2009-01-15T11:08:47-06:00
The first is a Fantasy Island "mini-sode" in which Mr. Roarke conducts the first ever "Miss Fantasy Island Beauty Pageant" with assurances that guest star Maureen McCormick of The Brady Bunch will wear the crown. ...

"I am not a numbuh!" Prisoner star Patrick McGoohan calls it a night

Ed Bark — 2009-01-14T17:23:15-06:00
By ED BARK Patrick McCoohan, original star of The Prisoner, is dead at age 80. The 1968 British-made series lasted just 17 episodes on CBS, but its lore lives on. McGoohan's highly vexed lead character was known only as "Number 6."

PBS at last plays for laughs in six-hour comedy opus

Ed Bark — 2009-01-14T13:23:02-06:00
Prominently featured are groundbreaking silent film star Harold Lloyd; the early Bob Hope ("a pompous coward trying to win the girl with the wisecrack," says Sedaris); Phyllis Diller; Andy Kaufman; Cheech & Chong; Steve Martin; Woody Allen and the wildly improvisational Winters, who's ordered to "Do something with a stick" during an appearance on Jack Paar's old Tonight Show. ...He has a point, but it would have been good to get a rebuttal from All In The Family creator Norman Lear, who's newly interviewed for Make 'Em Laugh.

Party on: Golden Globes again serve their purpose

Ed Bark — 2009-01-12T11:33:00-06:00
Rock rhymes with Barack -- Tracy Morgan accepted 30 Rock's Globe for best comedy series after explaining, "Tina Fey and I had an agreement that if Barack Obama won, I would speak for the show from now on. I'm the face of post-racial America." ...Suck it to me -- Tina Fey, voted best comedy series actress for 30 Rock, said she's learned that "If you ever start to feel too good about yourself, they have this thing called the Internet."

Jack in a box: 24 returns to re-save the world

Ed Bark — 2009-01-09T11:58:27-06:00
Sounds like another typical holiday for 24 and Jack Bauer as Season 7 barges into view with a two-part, four-hour, Sunday-Monday launch (7 to 9 p.m. central both nights). ...This little sermonette might hold a bit more water if Jack hadn't effectively threatened a scumbag with torture just a bit earlier while under the close eye of comely FBI agent Renee Walker (a strong 24 debut by Annie Wersching).

FX's Damages returns in killer form

Ed Bark — 2009-01-07T13:55:54-06:00
Even those who devoured its first season might find themselves a bit disoriented as Season 2 begins Wednesday night (9 p.m. central) with two bangs from a pistol held by avenging young attorney Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne). ...But most of the meat is in its six-month trip back to the present, where Parsons tells her unseen prey, "I lied, too," before pumping those two pistol shots.

Fear Is Real -- add moronic and stupefying

Ed Bark — 2009-01-07T12:44:01-06:00
13 -- Fear is Real: the CW artwork is as sorry as the show. By ED BARK One of the pithier observations in reality show history comes from a 23-year-old marketing and product specialist named Kelly. ...Fear Is Real (7 p.m. central) has a dirt-cheap look, an antiquated Blair Witch hook and a piddling grand prize of $66,666 for the last contestant standing among 13 lambs to the pseudo slaughter.

Scrubs good as ever, Homeland Security a dud in ABC's new Tuesday pairing

Ed Bark — 2009-01-05T16:18:38-06:00
Scenes from ABC's Scrubs and Homeland Security USA. By ED BARK No amounts of ominous-sounding or pulse-pounding music can make ABC's new Homeland Security USA much more than a crashing bore. ...Tonight's first of two episodes, subtitled "My Jerks," introduces guest star Courteney Cox as new chief of medicine Taylor Maddox while also fleshing out new interns named Ed (Aziz Ansari), Denise (Eliza Coupe) and Katie (Betsy Beutler).

ABC's new True Beauty plays tricks on Dallas magician's assistant among others

Ed Bark — 2009-01-04T19:12:22-06:00
But in ABC promotional clips, Kutcher summons all the wisdom at his command in deducing that "good looking people immediately assume that they are of a different sort of echelon of being than the rest of us . ...But he's lately had a trio of bombs -- NBC's The Real Wedding Crashers, ABC's Miss Guided and this season's earlier Opportunity Knocks, which ABC kayoed after just three episodes.

Play it again: compelling ESPN special marks 50th anniversary of "The Greatest Game Ever Played"

Ed Bark — 2008-12-12T07:30:05-06:00
Frank Gifford and Gino Marchetti remember the way it was. NBC's black-and-white telecast of the game is no longer with us. But ESPN has stitched together and colorized most of the game's big plays from existing film footage. ...He also was involved in a very big way in "The Greatest Game Ever Played," fumbling twice, scoring a touchdown and coming up just inches short -- or so the referees ruled -- of a first down that would have allowed the Giants to run out the clock.

Cable attractions dominate Golden Globes nominations (but then you probably already figured as much)

Ed Bark — 2008-12-11T11:06:21-06:00
Californication's David Duchovny; January Jones of Mad Men By ED BARK Cable programs had the majority of nominees in all but one of 11 TV categories in Golden Globes nominations announced Thursday. That includes five nods apiece for HBO's Recount and In Treatment; four for its John Adams; three for AMC's Mad Men and HBO's Entourage; and two each for HBO's True Blood and Showtime's Dexter and Californication, whose star, David Duchovny, should have an interesting acceptance speech should he win.

Jay's prime-time gain could be Conan's late-night loss

Ed Bark — 2008-12-10T11:40:58-06:00
The Peacock's blockbuster deal to keep Leno, officially announced Tuesday, will give him an unprecedented Monday-Friday 9 p.m. (central) slot next fall while O'Brien moves West to take over the Tonight Show a few months earlier on June 1st. ...And the GE-owned network's 9 p.m. performance has dimmed to a flicker after the still relatively recent bright years of Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU and ER, which will have its series finale on March 12th.

Redneck scrapper: Dallas-born Christian Kane fights for TNT's new Leverage

Ed Bark — 2008-12-08T15:29:39-06:00
Christian Kane touts TNT's Leverage during Dallas stop. Photo: Ed Bark By ED BARK Born in Dallas but mostly bred in Oklahoma, actor Christian Kane seems a bit unsuited for his Ritz-Carlton suite. ... Kane in character as Leverage's resident tough guy. He bounced around after Rescue 77, playing Angelina Jolie's fiance in 2002's Life or Something Like It and getting cut up for real during a fight scene in the following year's Second Hand Lions.

Brokaw passes Meet the Press baton to Gregory

Ed Bark — 2008-12-07T11:36:57-06:00
By ED BARK David Gregory officially became the 10th permanent moderator of Meet the Press Sunday, with Tom Brokaw passing the baton after ending his interim tenure by interviewing president-elect Barack Obama. ..."I'm not Tim, but along with this great team, I can just work real hard to make Tim proud," Gregory told Brokaw, who noted that his first Meet the Press appearance was "at the height" of Watergate in 1973.

TNT's "high-octane" Leverage not quite a gas, gas, gas

Ed Bark — 2008-12-05T14:27:24-06:00
Timothy Hutton leads his merry band of robbin' hoods. Premiering: Sunday, Dec. 7th at 9 p.m. (central) before moving to regular Tuesday, 9 p.m. slot on Dec. 9th Starring: Timothy Hutton, Beth Riesgraf, Christian Kane, Aldis Hodge, Gina Bellman Produced by: Dean Devlin, John Rogers, Chris Downey ...That might optimize your enjoyment of TNT's new Leverage, which in longer form is The A-Team meets Mission: Impossible meets Ocean's Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen or how many more of 'em they make.

HBO's House of Saddam could use a fixer-upper

Ed Bark — 2008-12-04T11:43:21-06:00
Those who stay the course might find the opening two hours appreciably more interesting than the concluding Hour 4, which abruptly sends Saddam on the lam and then drearily winds down to his eventual capture by U.S forces. ...Alternately chortling and glowering, his formative Saddam -- the story begins in 1979 -- is bedeviled by both a domineering mother and amoral older son, Uday (Philip Arditti), who in time becomes the headstrong, violence- and drug-addicted Sonny Corleone of the piece.

Midseason tuneups for Big Four networks (and a little burp for The CW, too (updated and re-updated)

Ed Bark — 2008-12-03T09:00:58-06:00
***Howie Do It, a hidden camera series starring Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel, premieres on Friday, Jan. 9th at 7 p.m. A week later, Friday Night Lights segues from DirectTV to make its third season broadcast network debut in the 8 p.m. hour. ...***The new drama series Kings premieres with a two-hour episode on Thursday, March 19th at 8 p.m. before moving on the following Thursday to ER's vacated 9 p.m. slot.

Gregory reportedly will get Meet the Press post

Ed Bark — 2008-12-01T22:17:30-06:00
He's been ubiquitous, too, filling in on Today, anchoring weekend editions of the NBC Nightly News and hosting MSNBC's Race For the White House, which became 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after election day. ...If indeed he's the one, Gregory will have vaulted over veteran Andrea Mitchell and young gun political analyst Chuck Todd, both of whom reportedly were considered for the Meet the Press post along with frequent panelist Gwen Ifill of PBS.

The Shield goes out like a lion with rousing finale

Ed Bark — 2008-11-25T11:16:20-06:00
Fans of The Shield almost assuredly will not be disappointed by this very satisfying resolution to the series that forged FX's barrier-breaking identity. ...The Shield also restored Chiklis to the good graces of his profession after a dispiriting period where he starred in NBC's mercifully short-lived Daddio sitcom and played Curly in a made-for-TV movie about The Three Stooges.

Last call for Boston Legal

Ed Bark — 2008-11-24T13:44:38-06:00
By ED BARK Denny Crane and Alan Shore will clink glasses a last time on a two-hour Boston Legal set for Dec. 8th. ...Also, Shore petitions the Supreme Court to let Crane use a non-FDA approved drug that may slow the progression of his Alzheimer's Disease while Carl Sack and Shirley Schmidt (John Larroquette, Candice Bergen) plan their wedding.

Colbert Christmas special is jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell mock

Ed Bark — 2008-11-21T14:51:23-06:00
Instead he's trapped in his ridiculously decorated mountain cabin by a ravenous bear that won't let him make it to a presumably festive Manhattan studio where Elvis Costello restlessly awaits as a drummer boy and later a pop-up clown. ...Jon Stewart fails to interest Colbert in Hannukah, John Legend can't sell him on the joys of nutmeg and single-named Feist pretty much falls flat as a tree-topping angel who tries to answer the host's Jimmy Stewart-esque prayer to "show me the way."

24: Redemption movie puts Action Jack back in harm's way before Season 7 follows suit

Ed Bark — 2008-11-21T08:22:07-06:00
Jack's busy in Africa while Madame President takes the oath in D.C. By ED BARK His venue's changed, but Jack Bauer's 24 playbook hasn't during Sunday night's prequel to January's Season 7 start-up. From 3 to 5 p.m. in fictional, war-torn Sangala, Africa, Kiefer Sutherland's super-resilient soldier of misfortune has a prolonged gunfight, is tortured, loses another friend to a violent death and gets betrayed by a government official before again sacrificing himself for the greater good.

Gotta sing, gotta dance. But nearing her first prime-time variety special, Rosie O'Donnell of course slings opinions, too

Ed Bark — 2008-11-19T13:52:24-06:00
She insisted on doing the show live, with the understanding that NBC would order a minimum of six more hours if the Nielsen ratings click their heels on a show that will "be chock full of dancing boys and girls from Broadway." ..."I wasn't happy that I did not have control of the show," she says, referring to the autonomy she had as executive producer and star of The Rosie O'Donnell Show.

What makes NBC's Big Ben tick? For one thing, using NBC shows as "integral pieces of marketing platforms"

Ed Bark — 2008-11-18T16:00:20-06:00
Were Hill Street Blues in Silverman's hands, partners Andy Renko and Bobby Hill might well have driven their GM squad car to an off-duty charitable function that would make both them and their vehicle seem civic-minded. ...He just seemed happy to bask in the presence of a telegenic, supposedly hot-shot programming exec who told him that NBC is in the futuristic driver's seat with shows such as Knight Rider.

Obamas and Steve Kroft spark 60 Minutes to another ratings high

Ed Bark — 2008-11-18T13:12:20-06:00
In that period, CBS has averaged a league-leading 12.4 million viewers, down 4 percent from a year ago. Runnerup ABC has 11.7 million (down 9 percent), followed by Fox's 9.5 million (down 15 percent) and NBC's 8.9 million (down 10 percent). ... Nephew Mike Bark and my daughter, Liz (left, front), in Grant Park. 1. My daughter, Liz, a 2000 graduate of Ursuline Academy in Dallas, is now living in Chicago and pursuing a career in theater.

Einstein's mind is an action hero in new History Channel tale

Ed Bark — 2008-11-17T12:46:19-06:00
This two-hour tale, set against a backdrop of World War I and warring scientists, adds up to a compelling look at how Einstein finally won the day and became an international celebrity whose "wild halo of hair" only made his thoughts seem deeper. ...Tyson -- and we'll have to take his word for it -- says that Einstein's Theory of Relativity had "no wiggle room" in terms of being right or wrong.

What, them worry? Fox's MADtv canceled after 14 seasons, 300-plus episodes

Ed Bark — 2008-11-13T15:30:03-06:00
MADtv also had mockups of you-know-who. By ED BARK Fox's mostly overlooked answer to Saturday Night Live is going under in the same season that NBC's late night evergreen is having a ratings revival. ...Although it survived year after year, the show never proved to be a star-maker in league with SNL or even ABC's long-gone late night Fridays, which ran only from 1980-'82 but whose repertory company included both Michael Richards and Larry David.

"Hello, I'm Morley, I'm Lesley -- and this is your No.1-rated 60 Minutes."

Ed Bark — 2008-11-11T18:33:29-06:00
The grandfather clock of the TV news magazine genre drew 18.5 million viewers nationally for Sunday night's edition, edging CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (18.2 million) to rank No. ...60 Minutes topped the field with Steve Kroft's opening interview of president-elect Barack Obama's top campaign strategists; Scott Pelley's investigation of toxic electronic waste being illegally transported from the U.S. to polluted China dumps; and Morley Safer's profile of Ted Turner, whose first authorized biography is new in bookstores.

The Crash of 1929 -- seems like old times

Ed Bark — 2008-11-10T09:15:47-06:00
By ED BARK First shown in 2003 under PBS' American Experience banner, here's a classic cautionary tale that bears repeating, oh, at least every month or so. ...It's about the length of time that it requires for a new set of suckers, if you will, a new set of people capable of wonderful self-delusion to come in and imagine that they have a new and wonderful fix on the future."

Tina/Sarah to Tina/Sarah/Oprah to Tina/Oprah -- and Oprah/Tina (updated 4:12 p.m.)

Ed Bark — 2008-11-06T08:59:33-06:00
The most under-appreciated and currently the best comedy series on broadcast or cable television is getting a mega-boost tonight courtesy of a path that has taken star Tina Fey through Saturday Night Live, Sarah Palin and now a highly advantageous outcome of Tuesday's presidential election. ...5 -- As scheduled more than a month ago. Winfrey will play herself on tonight's "Believe in the Stars" episode of 30 Rock, with Fey again brilliantly funny as oft-hapless but still very brainy TV producer Liz Lemon.

History Channels: Television brings home the sights and sounds of Obama's (and America's) night of nights

Ed Bark — 2008-11-05T07:24:14-06:00
"I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences," McCain said of Obama in his final act as a presidential candidate. ...At this point it's noticed that Fox4, still the last major local D-FW station not in high-definition, is unable to retain the Fox network's HD presentation whenever it inserts various local vote totals at the bottom of home screens.

November kicks October to the archives

Ed Bark — 2008-11-03T05:46:51-06:00
As November takes over -- and October moves to the long list of monthly archives on unclebarky.com's right hand border -- here's a look at John McCain's show-starter on the last Saturday Night LIve before election day. He's joined by Tina Fey's Sarah Palin.

Picky Picky (Vol. 17)

Ed Bark — 2008-10-30T08:38:23-05:00
By ED BARK Joe the Plumber, who by now needs no further introduction or identification, has signed a management deal with an eye toward becoming a show biz personality. "Joe the Plumber is fast becoming a brand," a representative of Nashville-based Pathfinder Management tells The New York Times.

The address is CBS -- for the first month of the season at least (as for the Peacock, it's plucked)

Ed Bark — 2008-10-23T14:35:41-05:00
Led by The Mentalist -- the only new series to rank in prime-time's top 10 -- CBS leads the pack in both total viewers (an average of 11.5 million) and advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds (4.3 million). ...17 in total viewers, joining The Mentalist in proving that "procedural" crime series are still paying off big-time on a network that now has 10 of 'em. And CBS' latest Monday night sitcom, Worst Week, is tied with ABC's heavily touted but already sinking Life on Mars for the 29th spot among all new series.

Life's too short to waste on Lifetime's new Rita Rocks sitcom

Ed Bark — 2008-10-20T14:21:38-05:00
Premiering: Monday-Friday at 7:30 p.m. (central) on Lifetime before moving to regular Tuesday 7:30 p.m. slot next week Starring: Nicole Sullivan, Richard Ruccolo, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Natalie Dreyfuss, Kelly Gould, Raviv Ullman, Ian Gomez Produced by: Nastaran Dibai, Jeffrey B. ...Instead she's mostly stuck in prototypical '80s sitcom hell with bratty teen daughter Hallie (Shannen Doherty lookalike Natalie Dreyfuss) and her ever-present, dim bulb boyfriend, Kip (Raviv Ullman), whose first words are "What ups?"

Crash emerges as wreckage in weekly Starz version

Ed Bark — 2008-10-17T15:10:51-05:00
Dennis Hopper adds another psycho to his portfolio in Starz's Crash. Premiering: Friday, Oct. 17th at 9 p.m. (central) on Starz Starring: Dennis Hopper, Jocko Sims, Nick E. ...Notching another wacko on his bedpost, he has top billing as record producer Ben Cendars, whose first act is to expose himself to his female limo driver before laying a little heavy-duty profanity on her.

Mr. Robinson we assume: NBC's Crusoe a truly great escape

Ed Bark — 2008-10-16T15:36:25-05:00
His name is Jeremiah Blackthorne and he's played by durable Sam Neill, last seen as scheming Cardinal Wolsey in Season 1 of Showtime's The Tudors. ...Your time will be well-spent and your brain won't be taxed to the breaking point in trying to figure out who's who, what's what -- or where this show might be going.

David Alan Grier paints it black in Comedy Central's Chocolate News

Ed Bark — 2008-10-15T12:10:51-05:00
David Alan Grier strikes poses as anchor of Chocolate News. Premiering: Wednesday, Oct. 15th at 9:30 p.m. (central) on Comedy Central Starring: David Alan Grier Produced by: David Alan Grier, Robert Morton, Fax Bahr, Adam Small By ED BARK Anchor David Alan Grier promises uncompromising dark comedy on the new Chocolate News, touted as "the only source for pure, uncircumcised realness from an Afro-centric perspective."

NBC's My Own Worst Enemy: a brain-twister that ties its knots too tight

Ed Bark — 2008-10-13T16:28:38-05:00
How about yours? Premiering: Monday, Oct. 13th at 9 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: Christian Slater, Alfre Woodard, Madchen Amick, Tom Grady, Saffron Burrows Produced by: John Eisendrath, Jason Smilovic, David Semel ..."You ARE the experiment," she tells Henry after he literally poses the same question asked by Ross Perot's running mate James Stockdale, at the start of the 1992 debate with Al Gore and Dan Quayle : "Who am I?

Ex-cellent: The Starter Wife returns in even better form than before

Ed Bark — 2008-10-10T08:13:21-05:00
Starter Wife mainstays Judy Davis and star Debra Messing By ED BARK There's no sex in her city. ...Her opening night performance in Starter Wife's return is sterling from start to finish, whether she's quipping with pals or turning up the intensity in scenes with her ex-husband and a hoped-for new friend named Liz (Danielle Nicolet).

Fighting crime on CBS: Eleventh Hour is just the latest practitioner

Ed Bark — 2008-10-09T08:30:54-05:00
Crime timers: CSI's William Peterson, Eleventh Hour's Rufus Sewell. Premiering: Thursday, Oct. 9th at 9 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring: Rufus Sewell, Marley Shelton Produced by: Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman By ED BARK Nicely nestled behind the godfather of "procedural crime" series, CBS' Eleventh Hour looks like another long-distance runner on a network that shot itself in the foot last season by trying something new.

Kath & Kim: at best it stinks

Ed Bark — 2008-10-08T17:25:13-05:00
Next question? Premiering: Thursday, Oct. 9th at 7:30 p.m. on NBC Starring: Molly Shannon, Selma Blair, John Michael Higgins, Mikey Day Produced and written by: Michelle Nader ...Kath & Kim is described in NBC press materials as the saga of a "hilarious and iconoclastic mother-daughter duo" immersed in a "love/hate, push/pull dysfunctional relationship that only a mother and daughter could share."

Life on Mars launches (but can it take off?)

Ed Bark — 2008-10-08T13:12:52-05:00
Mars may be fortunate to last nine episodes, even in a less than daunting time slot populated by NBC's already long-faded ER in its final season and CBS' Eleventh Hour in its first. ..."You look like you've seen a ghost, and he was ballin' your mother," he says by way of greeting the super-befuddled Sam, who becomes a member of the squad because almost everyone apparently knows him although he knows no one.

"I don't like his politics, but he's endearing in a strange, goofy, awkward way"

Ed Bark — 2008-10-07T12:47:10-05:00
Larry King and Oliver Stone put one in the 'W' column. By ED BARK The drumbeat for Oliver Stone's W remains muted just 10 days shy of its Oct. 17th big-screen release. ...The director of films ranging from Nixon to Natural Born Killers chose his words with the caution of a man who for the moment would rather be seen as more of a buttery Frank Capra than a heat-seeking Michael Moore.

Tina trifecta: her third Palin sendup in four weeks gets even better with strong support from Jason Sudeikis as bravura Biden

Ed Bark — 2008-10-05T19:57:40-05:00
By ED BARK Tina Fey risks putting herself in a Sarah Palin lockbox with three perfectly played parodies in the first four Saturday Night Lives of the season. ...Palin's the gift that keeps on giving, but Fey must be wondering how long she can go on. Wonder Woman also has to carry NBC's Emmy-winning 30 Rock , which might be feeling just a bit needy by now.

Fall TV: Worst Week does its best to break CBS' Monday night comedy mold

Ed Bark — 2008-09-19T13:14:47-05:00
What a fine mess Worst Week makes -- at least on opening night. Premiering: Monday, Sept. 22nd at 8:30 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring: Kyle Bornheimer, Erinn Hayes, Kurtwood Smith, Nancy Lenehan Created by: Matt Tarses ...Let's just say that Dick Clayton finds himself with a little down time shortly after deadpanning, "I'm just gonna rinse the urine out of my hair, and I'll be off."

Asner still acting and punching with his left as presidential campaign carries on

Ed Bark — 2008-09-18T14:44:04-05:00
Ed Asner subtly sounds reveille in the upcoming Generation Gap. By ED BARK Liberal actor/activist Ed Asner and Republican presidential nominee John McCain are kindred spirits on at least two counts. ...His views of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin are as predictable as Sean Hannity's deferential treatment of her during a Wednesday night interview on Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes.

And the Emmy goes to -- frankly, will anyone give a damn?

Ed Bark — 2008-09-17T11:27:51-05:00
Nor does it help that the three programs with the most Emmy nominations -- HBO's John Adams, AMC's Mad Men and NBC's 30 Rock -- have been seen by only a relative handful of America's TV-watchers. ...LEAD ACTRESS, MINISERIES OR MOVIE Dame Judi Dench, Cranford Catherine Keener, An American Crime Laurey Linney, John Adams Phylicia Rashad, A Raisin in the Sun Susan Sarandon, Bernard and Doris

Otherworldly, overlooked: SNL's night of Sarah-Hillary put the "Space Olympics" into virtual eclipse

Ed Bark — 2008-09-16T17:35:18-05:00
By ED BARK Deep in the recesses of Saturday Night Live's 34th season premiere came another "Digital Short" from Andy "Dick in a Box" Samberg. It attracted possibly one zillionth the notice on a night when Tina Fey and Amy Poehler stole the show from the top with their dead-on sendups of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton.

A new Jenn-eration for Showtime's version of Inside the NFL

Ed Bark — 2008-09-16T11:33:33-05:00
Jenn Brown will be Inside the NFL's new Hollywood correspondent. By ED BARK Obviously selected for her abilities, not her looks, Jenn Brown has joined Showtime's considerably perkier version of Inside the NFL as a "special correspondent" based in Hollywood. ...The 27-year-old former Florida Gator softball team player earlier worked for Mark Cuban's Dallas-based HDNet on The Wild Side and Bikini Destinations, neither of which is mentioned in Showtime's " About Jenn Brown" mini-bio.

Together again for the first time: Fey and Poehler paint a masterpiece with SNL's Sarah/Hillary sendup

Ed Bark — 2008-09-14T08:44:43-05:00
SNL's "Hillary" returned as a not-so-stiff upper-lipped loser who finally boiled over as "Palin" pronounced, "It's truly amazing and I think women everywhere can agree, that no matter your politics, it's time for a woman to make it to the White House." ...But SNL's Sarah-Hillary sendup had the good grace to be smart, funny and brilliantly acted by Fey and Poehler, the only duo to ever make the show's usual gang of dominant male cast members seem almost impotent.

Gibson vs. Palin -- call it a draw?

Ed Bark — 2008-09-12T07:37:28-05:00
"The Bush doctrine, as I understand it," he told/lectured her, "is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?" ...At the opening bell, though, it wasn't enough for her to basically say, "I'm ready" when asked whether voters should believe she's in fact experienced enough to be McCain's right-hand woman.

DeNiro, Pacino do Dave

Ed Bark — 2008-09-11T17:12:34-05:00
DeNiro and Pacino are Top 10 list readers on Thursday's Late Show. By ED BARK Timed to coincide with Friday's release of their Righteous Kill movie, Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino popped in on Thursday's Late Show with David Letterman to emote the "Top 10 Reasons I Like Being An Actor." Through the miracle of a CBS publicity release -- Late Show is pre-taped -- the list arrived via email five-and-a-half hours before air time (at 10:35 p.m. in Dallas on CBS11).

Fall TV: Inn-fantile Do Not Disturb leaves no vacancy for brain activity

Ed Bark — 2008-09-10T08:26:44-05:00
Double ugh. Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 10th at 8:30 p.m. (central) on Fox Starring: Niecy Nash, Jerry O'Connell, Molly Stanton, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jolene Purdy, Dave Franco Created by: Abraham Higginbotham ...Fox's new Do Not Disturb, virtually certain to be fall's worst-reviewed new series, is best watched while repeatedly striking your noggin with a ball peen hammer.

Fall TV: To be Somebodies is not a bad thing

Ed Bark — 2008-09-09T11:40:31-05:00
Spice and sugar: single-named Somebodies Diva and Scottie. Premiering: Tuesday, Sept. 9th at 9 p.m. (central) on BET Starring:, Hadjii, Kaira, Quante Strickland, Corey Redding, Anthony Hyatt, Pat Brown, Carlos Davis, Nard Holston, Tyler Craig, Eric Register Created, written and directed by: Hadjii ...Scottie thinks he's got it made after spotting a pair of lush next door neighbors who alluringly wash their car in halter tops and invite him to watch TV with them -- as long as he doesn't mind porn.

Fall TV: CW's Privileged a rich blend of loose ends

Ed Bark — 2008-09-09T06:37:35-05:00
Billionaire Laurel Limoges (Anne Archer) looms over Privileged. Premiering: Tuesday, Sept. 9th at 8 p.m. (central) on The CW Starring: JoAnna Garcia, Lucy Kate Hale, Ashley Newbrough, Anne Archer, Michael Cassidy, Brian Hallisay, Kristina Apgar, Allan Louis Produced by: Rina Mimoun, Bob Levy, Leslie Morgenstein ...Not that it'll get any special privileges, save for a comfy Tuesday night slot following 90210, which got off to a nice enough start in the ratings last week after CW and the show's producers conspired to make it unavailable for review.

Fall TV: Fringe takes its crack at sci fi fo fum

Ed Bark — 2008-09-08T13:06:00-05:00
A very bad development at a Chelsea, MA storage facility serves to put Olivia on the scent of jerk-ish Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson from Dawson's Creek), son of the seemingly crazed Walter Bishop. ...Fox will repeat the Fringe pilot on Sunday at 7 p.m. (central) before it's left to do battle on Tuesday nights opposite ABC's Dancing with the Stars results shows.

FNC top dog at GOP convention; McCain's closer nips Obama's

Ed Bark — 2008-09-08T09:20:49-05:00
By ED BARK Repeating what had been an unprecedented showing at the 2004 Republican convention, Fox News Channel again outdrew all rival networks at last week's truncated three-day gathering in St. ...National Nielsen numbers for simultaneous coverage on eight broadcast networks -- ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, FNC, MSNBC, Telemundo and Univision -- say that McCain drew a total of 38.9 million viewers nationally for his closer.

Hoping to suck in viewers, HBO has needed injection in True Blood

Ed Bark — 2008-09-05T10:04:07-05:00
Waitress Sookie Stackhouse is vampire Bill Compton's bat girl. Premiering: Sunday, Sept. 7th at 8 p.m. (central) on HBO Starring: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Rutina Wesley, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Lois Smith, William Sanderson, Nelsan Ellis Created by: Alan Ball, based on the novels by Charlaine Harris ...Crafted by Six Feet Under maestro Alan Ball and adapted from the "Sookie Stackhouse" novels by Charlaine Harris, its first two episodes (in an inaugural season of 12) are an intoxicating blend of backwoods Louisiana and blood-sucking outcasts.

O'Reilly vs. Obama: Was it good for you?

Ed Bark — 2008-09-05T10:02:55-05:00
Taped Thursday in York, PA, the pair's first one-on-one encounter will be strung out over four nights on Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor after a Friday night recess. ...But in a post mortem with two analysts who evaluated O'Reilly's performance -- and basically gave it raves -- The big O' said of the big O, "He's a tough guy, Obama.

"Now, now, in Dick Morris' defense, he is a lying sack of (*&%@#*@)."

Ed Bark — 2008-09-04T15:49:18-05:00
Oh, this is s-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o good. From Wednesday night's Republican convention edition of The Daily Show (Note: picture takes a few seconds to form.)

"A star is born" -- blah, blah, blah

Ed Bark — 2008-09-04T09:36:46-05:00
...DON'T START BELIEVIN' -- A WORD THEY SAY ON-CAMERA Caught with their mikes still on --and egged on by MSNBC analyst/anchor Chuck Todd -- Republican strategists Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy departed from their phoney-baloney "Talking Points" to say what they really thought of John McCain's Palin pick.

Fall TV:: The Sopranos on hogs -- FX's Sons of Anarchy spins tales of crooked bikers

Ed Bark — 2008-09-03T10:11:02-05:00
Wheels are turning for hunky Jackson "Jax" Teller (Charlie Hunnam). Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 3rd at 9 p.m. (central) on FX Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal, Mitch Pileggi, Drea De Matteo, Mark Boone, Jr., Kim Coates, Johnny Lewis, Maggie Siff, Theo Rossi, Taylor Sheridan Created by: Kurt Sutter ... Ron Perlman and Katey Sagal co-star in Sons of Anarchy Perlman used to hide his notably protruding jaw behind copious hair and latex on CBS' old Beauty and the Beast series.

Oddball out: MSNBC's Olbermann plays chicken with Republicans

Ed Bark — 2008-09-03T06:43:42-05:00
It's a stark contrast from the Democratic convention in Denver, where MSNBC's principal Republican attack dog sat on an outdoor set near a train station and rhapsodized about Barack Obama when he wasn't sniping at his colleagues. ...Olbermann and some of his MSNBC colleagues made much of the fact that President Bush would be addressing the convention from the White House in an eight-minute speech scheduled to end just before the Big Broadcast networks signed on at 9 p.m. (central).

CNN entitled to a St. Paul swagger

Ed Bark — 2008-09-02T12:09:31-05:00
By ED BARK Maybe Fox News Channel will rebound with big ratings for its coverage of the Republican convention, which is back on track after an opening night pause for Hurricane Gustav. ...And on Thursday's closing night, it came within an eyelash of beating FNC in total viewers, losing by a score of 4.2 million to 4.1 million.

FX's The Shield resolutely plays dirty in its seventh and final season

Ed Bark — 2008-09-01T22:55:30-05:00
FX since has become the antithesis of warm and fuzzy, with star player Michael Chiklis likewise making a career U-turn from the chubby, schlubby pop of NBC's short-lived Daddio sitcom to a strong-armed police detective with the scruples of a Mafia kingpin. Billed as The Shield: The Final Act, the series' concluding seventh season begins rolling out on Tuesday at 9 p.m. (central), with its climax scheduled for Nov.

Lower your expectations for TNT's Raising the Bar

Ed Bark — 2008-08-29T13:21:12-05:00
Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Jane Kaczmarek clash in Raising the Bar. Premiering: Monday, Sept. 1st at 9 p.m. (central) on TNT Starring: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Jane Kaczmarek, Gloria Reuben, Currie Graham, Melissa Sagemiller, Jonathan Scarfe, Teddy Sears, J. ...It's tough to muster much more enthusiasm than that for TNT's Raising the Bar, whose father figure, Steven Bochco, previously has crafted the likes of Hill Street Blues, L.A.

Obama's big night: A tale of two networks

Ed Bark — 2008-08-29T08:21:05-05:00
"There was no stone left unturned here," he said before later assuring correspondent Andrea Mitchell that the speech in fact played as beautifully on TV as it did before an estimated 80,000 partisans gathered at Denver's Invesco Field. ...The usually sour-minded Charles Krauthammer likewise used Wallace's words -- "exceedingly smart" -- before also crediting Obama with making "a generic Democratic speech, because he realizes that if he becomes a generic Democrat in this election year, he wins by a landslide."

Katie does a handstand, but CBS isn't turning cartwheels over convention ratings

Ed Bark — 2008-08-28T10:25:36-05:00
But CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric, still fighting to have "embattled" removed from most descriptions of her, seems totally oblivious to some of the impressions she's leaving while in Denver covering the Democrats. ...The CBS Evening News continues to run a distant third, and CBS' prime-time convention ratings have been likewise dismal during the first three nights of coverage.

Superman swimmer adds another laurel

Ed Bark — 2008-08-27T15:26:31-05:00
By ED BARK NBC has landed a big fish to host the 34th season premiere of Saturday Night Live. ...SNL is making an unusually early Sept. 13th return and will have seven new shows before the presidential election, the network says.

Michelle, Teddy keep Dems from dozing before McCain has some last laughs

Ed Bark — 2008-08-26T10:57:21-05:00
Luke Russert in convention mode; John McCain on the Tonight Show. Not-so-cool hand Luke -- Luke Russert, only son of the late Tim Russert, is making his MSNBC debut at the Dem convention as a reporter on "youth issues." ...Segue to the 200-year-old man with Jay Leno -- In Hollywood for a fundraiser, McCain made what he said was his 13th appearance on NBC's Tonight Show after host Leno first aimed some monologue jokes at his age and the purported seven homes he shares with wealthy wife Cindy.

Idol adds 4th wheel; Dancing names 13 new celebs

Ed Bark — 2008-08-25T09:23:30-05:00
Misty May-Treanor, Cody Linley and Kara Dioguardi By ED BARK Beach volleyball gold medalist Misty May-Treanor and Lewisville-bred heartthrob Cody Linley are dipping their toes into Dancing with the Stars while songwriter Kara Dioguardi is a surprise new fourth judge on American Idol. Dioguardi, who has written for the likes of Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Faith Hill, Celine Dion and Gwen Stefani, will add "a lot more girl power" to Fox's still fatted cash cow, says president of alternative programming Mike Darnell.

NBC extinguishes its Olympic torch and fires up America's Toughest Jobs

Ed Bark — 2008-08-22T14:29:16-05:00
Toughies Steven Hopper of Dallas and Sandy Gabriel of Winnie, TX. Premiering: Monday, Aug. 25th at 8 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: 13 dangerous job doers, including Steven Hopper of Dallas and Sandy Gabriel of Winnie, TX Hosted by: Josh Temple Produced by: Thom Beers, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun ...So for the record, recent college graduate Steven Hopper, 22, of Dallas, and plucky 26-year-old schoolteacher Sandy Gabriel of tiny Winnie, TX (pop. 2,914) are both in the hunt for a growing pot of prize money sponsored by an American truck maker.

PBS again goes old-school gavel to gavel while rival broadcast networks let fly with reruns and reality

Ed Bark — 2008-08-20T14:49:22-05:00
PBS convention coverage colleagues Jim Lehrer, Judy Woodruff By ED BARK Jim Lehrer snaps at the bait; Judy Woodruff delicately wriggles off the hook during their separate phone interviews Wednesday with unclebarky.com. ..."I would say to them, 'In other words, you are telling the American people that that stuff is more important than an every-four-year event at which the next president of the United States is going to be nominated?'

NBC's Olympian ratings feats

Ed Bark — 2008-08-19T17:03:21-05:00
Olympic gold miner Michael Phelps and toastmaster Bob Costas By ED BARK Squash isn't an official Olympic sport, but NBC is playing it anyway with competitors at ABC, CBS and Fox. ...The overall Olympics audience on all of the NBC Universal networks -- including cable's USA, CNBC and Oxygen among others -- has reached 200 million total viewers and been seen in 83 percent of all U.S. television homes.

Diff'rent strokes keep Borgnine rolling

Ed Bark — 2008-08-19T13:50:37-05:00
By ED BARK Hmm, Ernest Borgnine didn't impart this particular piece of information while promoting Hallmark Channel's A Grandpa For Christmas last year. The former McHale's Navy star laughed it up about turning 90 -- in a very gee-rated way -- while sitting next to his cute little co-star, Juliette Goglia.

Beijing's opening ceremonies a ratings smash for NBC

Ed Bark — 2008-08-11T05:11:02-05:00
But due to ratings inflation over the years, Atlanta's 1996 opening ceremony, with a slightly lower 23.6 household rating, qualifies as the all-time total viewer champ with 39.8 million. ...NBC's Saturday prime-time coverage of the first full day of Olympics competition averaged a hefty 24.1 million viewers nationally compared to 19.8 million viewers for Day One of the Athens Games.

Primeval puts some B.C. in BBC America

Ed Bark — 2008-08-08T15:18:54-05:00
Something is out there, and all of the above have seen it. Premiering: Saturday, Aug. 9th at 8 p.m. (central) on BBC America Starring: Douglas Henshall, James Murray, Hannah Spearritt, Andrew-Lee Potts, Lucy Brown, Juliet Aubrey, Ben Miller, Mark Wakeling Created by: Tim Haines ...Each episode both introduces new creatures -- in next week's meet some giant spiders and a monster centipede -- while also delving a bit deeper into the mythology that will explain what Helen's been up to for the past eight years.

Joshua Allen's amazing feet

Ed Bark — 2008-08-08T06:35:18-05:00
By ED BARK Fort Worth's Joshua Allen made it a North Texas trifecta Thursday night, winning the fourth season of Fox's So You Think You Can Dance over fellow hip-hop/popper Twitch Boss. ...Melissa Lawson of Arlington took NBC's Nashville Star crown on Monday; on the same night, Ally Davidson of Dallas won the women's division of the network's American Gladiators.

HBO's Hard Knocks again shows it's the Fort Knox of sports reality series

Ed Bark — 2008-08-07T07:56:01-05:00
The evocative, filmic, never less than first-rate HBO series returned Wednesday night with an hour of superbly crafted drama from the team's training camp in Oxnard, CA. Love or hate the Cowboys, you've got to marvel at the artistry at work while wishing it was your team on display for five episodes stretching to a Sept. 3rd finale.

At last it's Brokaw; again it's Lehrer

Ed Bark — 2008-08-06T13:47:21-05:00
The presidential debate commission's executive director, Janet Brown, said at the time that a star anchorman (Brokaw was still in charge of the NBC Nightly News in 2004) might "overshadow" a presidential candidate debate. ...I hope at this stage of my career I have a certain standing as a political reporter who knows what the issues are and tries to generate a dialogue about them."

Lucy posthumously nears the century mark

Ed Bark — 2008-08-06T10:16:16-05:00
By ED BARK It's a tough celebrity birthday choice today between Lucille Ball, who would have been 97, and Soleil Moon Frye of Punky Brewster fame, who is 32 on Wed., Aug. 6th. ...Yipes, I was at the ABC press conference for that one, and also shared a dinner table with Ball and husband Gary Morton during a session for the CBS movie Stone Pillow, in which she played a snarly but kindly bag lady named Florabelle.

Gotta move on: Nashville Star winner Melissa Lawson not much longer for Texas

Ed Bark — 2008-08-05T14:43:27-05:00
Lawson's debut single, "What If It All Goes Right," already is in rotation on country music stations after she performed it for the first time at the close of Monday's Nashville Star finale. ..."I love the fact that even with the cameras being around, they've been so casual and so accepting of it," Lawson says of her sons, who joined her onstage during Monday night's triumphant moment.

Two from North Texas prevail in back-to-back finales of NBC's American Gladiators and Nashville Star

Ed Bark — 2008-08-05T06:29:14-05:00
NBC did a Texas two-step Monday night, with Arlington mom-of-five Melissa Lawson twanging to the top of Nashville Star after Dallas newlywed Ally Davidson became the last woman contender standing on American Gladiators. The twin wins on the shows' season finales gave the state more bragging rights in the wide world of TV's reality competitions, where the champs also have included Burleson's Kellly Clarkson on Fox's first American Idol and ventriloquist Terry Fator of Mesquite on last summer's America's Got Talent.

VH1's I Want to Work for Diddy raises an overriding question: WHY???

Ed Bark — 2008-08-04T08:50:50-05:00
That's debatable when the opening hour's "art of multi-tasking" challenge includes activities such as taking lunch orders for employees of Diddy's Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group; cleaning his vehicle inside and out; and polishing 20 pairs of his shoes during an around-the-clock gauntlet of menial tasks. ...Anyway, the show's judges -- two of them former personal assistants of Diddy -- eventually team up to banish a gofer after one lucky sap arbitrarily gets dumped before the gofer-ing even begins.

It's "Nazi bitch" flip-off time: McKinney North High's "Fab Five" cheerleader scandal goes under assumed name in cheesy Lifetime movie

Ed Bark — 2008-08-01T12:38:02-05:00
Presenting the "Fab Five" in a not so fab Lifetime movie. By ED BARK Lifetime's latest movie about slutty teens and the chicken-hearted parents who enable them includes a big hoot of a scene at a ribald backyard pool party. ... Fab Five with lollipops; Tatum O'Neal as unprincipled principal. It's all supposed to be a cautionary tale, but goofing on Fab Five is far preferable to taking it seriously.

North Texans vie in three reality competition finals

Ed Bark — 2008-08-01T04:21:54-05:00
North Texas finalists Ally Davidson, Melissa Lawson, Joshua Allen By ED BARK North Texans are no strangers to any and all manner of reality competitions. ...Monday's two-hour climax of NBC's American Gladiators (7 to 9 p.m. central) finds Ally Davidson of Dallas toughing it out in hopes of becoming the show's top woman challenger.

Edd "Kookie" Byrnes turns a crazy cat 75

Ed Bark — 2008-07-30T00:01:11-05:00
By ED BARK Born with the un-Hollywood name of Edward Breitenberger, one of TV's first full-blown teen idols makes it three-quarters of a century on Wednesday, July 30th. Edd "Kookie" Byrnes played a comb-wielding, super-cool car parker on ABC's 77 Sunset Strip, a breezy private eye drama that ran from 1958-'63.

Dino might: History Channel's Jurassic Fight Club trades on big prehistoric bouts

Ed Bark — 2008-07-29T11:29:02-05:00
Female (left) and male Majungatholuses engage in early form of extreme pugilism on History Channel's graphic Jurassic Fight Club. ...Premiering Tuesday, July 29 at 8 p.m. (central), the 12-episode series is not so subtly aimed at young males who played with dinosaurs as kids and now gravitate toward Mixed Martial Arts competitions or maybe even conventional boxing matches on occasion.

Bush gets Stoned, which reminds us of pre-war times when he was just a big, amiable boob

Ed Bark — 2008-07-28T16:35:32-05:00
Timothy Bottoms from That's My Bush! and Josh Brolin in W. By ED BARK Both Robert Wilonsky of unfairpark and Tim Rogers from FrontBurner already have thoughtfully posted the first youtube trailer for Oliver Stone's upcoming feature film W. ...Meanwhile, for dessert, here's the opening theme song from Comedy Central's That's My Bush!, the utterly irreverent 2001 sitcom from the creators of South Park.

AMC's Mad Men still has ad-itude

Ed Bark — 2008-07-25T10:10:01-05:00
It deserves all of them for an evocative, provocative first season that rewound almost a half-century to a circa 1960 Madison Avenue advertising agency populated by thin-tied, vice-laden, tight-suited salesmen and makeup-lathered women who wore the hell out of their form-fitting dresses and rigidly constructed undergarments. ... Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) & Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) Another of Mad Men's major players, co-partner Roger Sterling (John Slattery), had twin heart attacks near the end of last season.

Jagged little thrill: Discovery Channel smells blood again

Ed Bark — 2008-07-24T10:20:25-05:00
Shark Week is back. By ED BARK It's late July, and Discovery Channel hopes you're getting that gnawing feeling again. ...How Not to Become Shark Bait (Tuesday, 9 to 10 p.m.) -- "Escapologist" Jonathan Goodwin, Survivor: Cook Islands winner Yul Kwon and others journey to the Bahamas to test shark attraction theories.

Fair is fair -- and Couric strove to be just that

Ed Bark — 2008-07-23T09:15:17-05:00
By ED BARK Barack Obama's Middle East odyssey, with the three major broadcast news anchors in tow, has irked John McCain to the point where his campaign is firing back with a video titled "Obama Love." ...Obama has "indicated by his failure to acknowledge the success of the surge that he would rather lose a war than lose a campaign," he said in what likely will be a resonating sound bite.

Leno's lame duck clock officially ticking to finish line (updated)

Ed Bark — 2008-07-21T15:20:08-05:00
Leno, who succeeded Johnny Carson on May 25, 1992, agreed to the move several years ago. He since has stepped up his ridicule of NBC's ongoing programming problems while at the same time becoming late night's hottest property for whatever network wins a likely bidding war to get him. ...Poehler's former running mate on SNL, Tina Fey, stepped into prime-time two seasons ago with 30 Rock, which last week received the most single-season Emmy nominations of any comedy series in history.

Heidi Heidi Heidi ho'

Ed Bark — 2008-07-21T15:19:25-05:00
The former "Hollywood Madam," who served a 37-month sentence for "pandering" until her release in September 1999, is the focus of HBO's notably stuporous Heidi Fleiss: The Would-Be Madam of Crystal. ...Filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, earlier responsible for the likes of Inside Deep Throat and The Eyes of Tammy Faye, follow a none-too-steady Fleiss on her quest to establish a thriving "Stud Farm" on 60 acres of property that she managed to buy dirt cheap.

Elder acting Brolin turns 68 before Barbra Streisand's eyes

Ed Bark — 2008-07-18T09:10:16-05:00
He broke in as Robert Young's sawbones sidekick on ABC's Marcus Welby, M.D before starring in the same network's Hotel as no-nonsense manager Peter McDermott. Brolin later stepped into the role of an inept, laughable Ronald Reagan in the controversial 2003 miniseries The Reagans, which was made for CBS and then dumped on sister network Showtime after an outcry on Fox News Channel among others.

30 Rock, Mad Men, John Adams set the pace for prime-time Emmys

Ed Bark — 2008-07-17T08:03:34-05:00
30 Rock sent a single season record for comedy nods, Mad Men led the drama series contenders and HBO as usual dominated the movie and miniseries categories in nominations announced Thursday for the 60th annual prime-time Emmy Awards. ...A new Emmy category, "Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program," is populated by Tom Bergeron (the likely winner for ABC's Dancing with the Stars); Heidi Klum (Bravo's Project Runway); Howie Mandel (NBC's Deal or No Deal); Jeff Probst (CBS' Survivor) and Ryan Seacrest (Fox's American Idol).

Comedy Central fires up a putrid new Gong Show, then saves face with Reality Bites Back

Ed Bark — 2008-07-16T17:26:50-05:00
New Comedy Central jobs for Dave Attell and Michael Ian Black By ED BARK All involved with Comedy Central's reinvention of The Gong Show could find themselves knockin' on heaven's door someday. ...The thing premieres at 9 p.m. (central), with Attell and judges Steve Schirripa, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Brian Posehn (wow, what star power) kicking things off with an aging female impersonator who sings about her "cute, hot pussy" while cradling a short-haired cat on a leash.

Hopefully he won't grow up. But Will Ferrell's not getting any younger

Ed Bark — 2008-07-16T11:28:27-05:00
By ED BARK Former Saturday Night Live MVP Will Ferrell takes a crack at being 41 on Wednesday, July 16th. ...Here's a clip of Ferrell in classic dumb-down as a big-buckled Dubya attempting to grasp the issue of "global warmings."

D-FW one of four markets testing new Wendy Williams show. Damn the luck

Ed Bark — 2008-07-14T15:22:18-05:00
In D-FW it's supplanting the canceled Montel Williams Show at 11 a.m. weekdays for the rest of this month and next. ...At one point, a discombobulated Williams couldn't come up with the name of an exceedingly familiar face whose framed picture adorns a controversial cover of The New Yorker next to centerpiece caricatures of Barack and Michelle Obama as fist-bumping terrorists.

TNT's women of distinction return in new seasons of The Closer and Saving Grace

Ed Bark — 2008-07-14T06:54:19-05:00
The fourth season opener finds high-strung, sweets-craving deputy police chief Brenda Johnson (Sedgwick) and her charges in pursuit of a possible arsonist whose dirty work may be connected to a flash of Southern California wildfires. ...Over on Saving Grace, dissipated and borderline emaciated Oklahoma City police detective Grace Hanadarko (Hunter) ended last season with a gun pointed at the head of Patrick "Satan" Murphy (guest star Rene Auberjonois), the priest who repeatedly molested her as a child.

Generation Kill (or be killed) --in Iraq

Ed Bark — 2008-07-11T14:52:53-05:00
Actors Alexander Skarsgard, James Ransone of Generation Kill Premiering: Sunday, July 13 at 8 p.m. central and continuing through Aug. 24 on HBO Starring: Alexander Skarsgard, James Ransone, Lee Tergesen, Stark Sands, Billy Lush, Jon Huertas, Chance Kelly, Neal Jones and many more Written and produced by: David Simon, Ed Burns Directed by: Susanna White, Simon Cellan Jones ...Col. Stephen "The Godfather" Ferrando (center) calls the shots. Into their midst comes Rolling Stone's Evan Wright (Lee Tergeson), who oddly enough often seems out of place even when he's supposed to seem so.

CBS' Flashpoint not your typical summertime dim bulb

Ed Bark — 2008-07-11T12:00:26-05:00
Premiering: Friday, July 11th, at 9 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring: Enrico Colantoni, Hugh Dillon, Amy Jo Johnson, David Paetkau, Michael Cram, Sergio Di Zio, ruth Marshall, Philip akin, Lisa Marcos, Mark Taylor Created by: Mark Ellis, Stephanie Morgenstern ...For now at least, Lane is a very intriguing head case, Parker's a sturdy team leader, Jules Callaghan (Amy Jo Johnson) knows she's cute and Sam Braddock (David Paetkau) has the assignment of hunky newcomer.

Ted Danson/Hellboy; Hellboy/Ted Danson

Ed Bark — 2008-07-11T07:39:54-05:00
OK, that's Ron Perlman in red face for Hellboy II: The Golden Army, opening Friday (July 11th). But Ted Danson clearly is tailor-made for the role.

Burn Notice back up and running

Ed Bark — 2008-07-10T07:27:07-05:00
This is drama with a bounce in its step, following the formulas of Monk, Psych and The Starter Wife, which now is being turned into a series. ...USA will air nine new episodes of Burn Notice on Thursdays before taking a break and returning with seven more in January.

The Office punches in early -- with four new "webisodes"

Ed Bark — 2008-07-09T11:30:17-05:00
Brian Baumgartner's dim Kevin Malone fronts new Office "webisode." What runs for 8 minutes, 30 seconds, is without Steve Carell and makes No. ..."I think it sort of changed the way everybody was looking at online (material) and what the networks were making performers and writers do in terms of additional content .

Ted Koppel and Discovery rechristen China "The People's Republic of Capitalism"

Ed Bark — 2008-07-08T15:37:59-05:00
A still intrepid Ted Koppel discovers that it's tough to make a clean break after digging deep for dirt in a Chongqing coal mine. Premiering: Wednesday, July 9th at 9 p.m. (central) and continuing at the same hour through Saturday on the Discovery Channel Anchored and reported by: Ted Koppel Produced by: Ted Koppel and Tom Bettag ...For four nights and as many hours, Koppel and his longtime producing partner, Tom Bettag, examine in depth what's become of Chongqing, China, a southwestern industrial megaplex with a population of 13.5 million and growing.

The Peacock plucks another cable property

Ed Bark — 2008-07-07T06:54:28-05:00
The Weather Channel is its latest acquisition, with NBC Universal president and CEO Jeff Zucker delivering another dollop of network-speak in a statement released Sunday. ...Under NBC Universal ownership since 2002, Bravo has been shorn of any art house ambitions and become home to a glut of gut-level reality series ranging from the bad (The It Factor) to the ugly (Being Bobby Brown) to the pretty good Project Runway).

Geraldo Rivera: Born on the Fourth of July and now Medicare-ready

Ed Bark — 2008-07-03T09:46:24-05:00
It seems, though, that he's been with us forever and a day, stalking bad guys, regularly making an ass of himself and sometimes exorcising his evil twin -- during a respectable CNBC period. ...But Rivera is still right in proclaiming that The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults was and likely always will be the most-watched syndicated program in TV history.

Read a good Lost book lately?

Ed Bark — 2008-07-02T12:19:12-05:00
But executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse figure you'll enrich yourself, if not them, by reading a few of the hard- and soft bounds pictured or mentioned during the series. ...Let's start right now: "In these times of ours, though concerning the exact year there is no need to be precise, a boat of dirty and disreputable appearance, with two figures in it, floated on the Thames, between Southwark Bridge which is of iron, and London Bridge which is of stone, as an autumn evening was closing in .

Dan Aykroyd blows in at 56

Ed Bark — 2008-06-30T22:19:36-05:00
Aykroyd has persevered, opening a string of House of Blues clubs, nabbing an Oscar nomination for 1989's Driving Miss Daisy and starring as Episcopal minister Mike Weber in the sub-dreadful 1997 ABC sitcom Soul Man. But of course we'd rather remember The Blues Brothers, birthed on SNL and well-served in a big-screen feature that included performances by Aretha Franklin and late greats James Brown, Ray Charles and Cab Calloway.

Spike TV's low-overhead Factory punches in and works a funny shift

Ed Bark — 2008-06-27T15:01:29-05:00
Factory hounds Gus, Gary, Smitty and Chase Premiering: Sunday, June 29th at 9 p.m. (central) on Spike TV Starring: Mitch Rouse, Michael Coleman, Jay Leggett, David Pasquesi, Mark Beltzman, Rick Hall, Christopher Allen Nelson, Eliza Coyle, Tracy Foley Produced and directed by: Mitch Rouse ...From there it's quickly open season on his job, with pals Gary (Mitch Rouse), Gus (Jay Leggett), Smitty (David Pasquesi) and Chase (Michael Coleman) all in the running.

Ross Perot: 78 RPMs

Ed Bark — 2008-06-27T11:44:56-05:00
By ED BARK Dallas billionaire Ross Perot, who turned the 1992 presidential race on its and his ears, makes it to his 78th birthday on Friday, June 27th. Perot's much-parodied brand of belligerent, pie chart politics got him 19 percent of the vote in a three-way match with victor Bill Clinton and President George H.W.

Gray area: Not much separates fictional Grey's Anatomy from real-life Hopkins

Ed Bark — 2008-06-25T14:11:21-05:00
Replete with originally composed music and a soap-ish storyline tied to a hunky resident's troubled marriage, Hopkins is an ABC News production aimed at those who supposedly won't sit still for one of those unadorned, old time religion news docs. ...Hopkins, premiering Thursday, presented in high-definition and scheduled to run for six weeks, mixes state-of-the-art medicine with the out-of-hospital angst of cardiothoracic surgeon Brian Bethea.

Survey says: Celebrity Family Feud is kinda cringe-worthy

Ed Bark — 2008-06-23T16:17:03-05:00
It's the Rivers clan vs. Ice T's posse during opening night play. Premiering: Tuesday, June 24th at 7 p.m. (central) on NBC Hosted by: Al Roker, with 24 celebrity family teams Produced by: Gaby Johnston, Toby Gorman ...NBC has moved Celebrity Family Feud up a week from its original premiere date to take on the premiere of ABC's Wipeout, which leads into the network's unveiling of I Survived A Japanese Game Show.

Brokaw will take Meet the Press through presidential election

Ed Bark — 2008-06-22T10:04:10-05:00
By ED BARK NBC has named Tom Brokaw as moderator of Meet the Press through this fall's presidential election. ...In an accompanying press release, NBC News president Steve Capus said of Brokaw and Meet the Press: "To have someone of Tom's stature step up and dedicate himself to ensuring its ongoing success is not only a testament to his loyalty to Tim, but his enduring commitment to NBC News and our viewers."

Atom TV segues from web to wee hour on Comedy Central

Ed Bark — 2008-06-20T14:10:19-05:00
Atom TV's Benny, Escaped Convict and Jim Carrey's Fire Marshall Bill By ED BARK It's easy to envision an early Jim Carrey's flammable Fire Marshall Bill incubating on Atom.com before matriculating to 1990's first season of Fox's In Living Color. ...Comedy Central's Atom TV, premiering Monday, June 23rd -- technically Tuesday, June 24th -- gets a 1 a.m. (central time) slot to strut a collection of comedy shorts that originated on the now one decade old Web site.

Parts still working: Lindsay Wagner's odometer moves to 59

Ed Bark — 2008-06-20T12:08:03-05:00
By ED BARK Still crush-able, TV's original Bionic Woman, Lindsay Wagner, jogs to the 59 year mark on Sunday, June 22nd. ...That's still a marathon compared to last fall's new version on NBC, which lasted for just half of a strike-pocked season before the Peacock canceled it.

Picky Picky (Vol. 15)

Ed Bark — 2008-06-19T12:25:26-05:00
***Moore first came to prominence as Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show before putting her stamp on the even greater Mary Tyler Moore Show. ...***Walters trailblazed as both the Today show's first female host and on ABC in partnership with a sour Harry Reasoner as the first woman to co-anchor a network evening newscast.

Fabric softener: Michelle Obama guest hosts The View

Ed Bark — 2008-06-18T17:34:14-05:00
The gabfest's grande dame, Barbara Walters, displayed the front page article -- "After Attacks, Michelle Obama Looks for a New Introduction" -- after the wife of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama sat down and immediately said with a big smile, "I have to be greeted properly. ...Impeccable in a flattering black-and-white print dress, Michelle even praised First Lady Laura Bush for defending her hotly debated comments at a Wisconsin campaign rally where she said, "For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country."

West Texas awl bidness gets reality check on truTV's Black Gold

Ed Bark — 2008-06-18T06:44:13-05:00
Peanut the "Worm," bossman Gerald and the dirty work they do. Premiering: Wednesday, June 18th at 9 p.m. (central) on truTV Starring: Three competing teams of oil drillin' West Texas roughnecks Produced and narrated by: Thom Beers ...Texas Gold is pretty good at detailing the costs -- up to $60,000 for a "high-end" drill bit -- and the risks to oilmen Mike LaMonica and Autry Stephens, who are bankrolling the three rigs during their journeys to the center of the earth.

Katie gets slapstick-y on own youtube channel

Ed Bark — 2008-06-17T12:13:57-05:00
Still, it's a game effort, on Couric's part at least, to "humanize" herself in the eyes of those who see -- or don't see -- that side of her on the Evening News. ...In the latest weekly Nielsens (June 9-13), the Evening News averaged 5.74 million viewers in again running far behind the NBC Nightly News (7.98 million) and ABC's World News (7.50 million).

Showtime's Secret Diary of a Call Girl neither takes off -- or takes off

Ed Bark — 2008-06-16T11:29:20-05:00
Billie Piper precariously straddles two worlds as Belle/Hannah. Premiering: Monday, June 16th at 9:30 p.m. (central) on Showtime Starring: Billie Piper, Cherie Lunghi, Iddo Goldberg, Toyah Willcox, Stuart Organ Created by: Lucy Prebble ...We learn that she doesn't drink on the job, uses men's deodorant but not perfume, has a friend, Ben (Iddo Goldberg), who's apparently clueless about her profession and has "never been a very good girlfriend in real life."

Carvey's still got a little somethin' somethin'

Ed Bark — 2008-06-13T14:34:10-05:00
His Saturday, June 14th HBO special (9 p.m. central and repeated throughout June) returns him to the living after a bungled heart surgery and a desire to spend more time with his family kept him mostly out of public view for the past decade. ...Thankfully, Carvey doesn't dust off that relic, but eventually gets around to an array of politician impressions, including both George Bushes, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Ross Perot, Dick Cheney, Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Hillary and sexism. Couric and Matthews. Showing and telling

Ed Bark — 2008-06-13T11:28:46-05:00
In much-criticized comments after Clinton's New Hampshire primary victory, Matthews said on the network's Morning Joe program that she wouldn't be a senator from New York or a candidate for president if her husband hadn't "messed around." ...

A commentary on Fox News Channel's history of not commenting

Ed Bark — 2008-06-12T14:33:25-05:00
FNC averaged 1.703 million viewers in prime-time for that eventful political week, with CNN close behind at 1.418 million and long-downtrodden MSNBC making a little noise with an average of 1.016 million. ...In both instances, FNC's numbers are up from a comparable week one year ago (June 4-10, 2007), when it averaged 1.564 million viewers in prime-time and 897,000 for the total programming day.

Still clutch: Marvelous Marv Albert shoots a 67

Ed Bark — 2008-06-12T07:08:27-05:00
By ED BARK Toupee firmly in place and sex scandals presumably behind him, golden-voiced Marv Albert turns 67 on Thursday, June 12th. ...Here's his timeless setup of Game 5 of the 1997 Bulls-Jazz showdown, in which he draws the battle lines between Game 4 hero John Stockton and emperor Michael Jordan.

Funny business: Bill Engvall cut his comedy teeth in Dallas before taking a bite out of big time

Ed Bark — 2008-06-11T17:50:11-05:00
Their nuclear family comedy series, returning for a second season Thursday (8 p.m. central) on TBS, is the only one of its kind unless you're counting Fox's cartoon Simpsons. ...That's a nice-sized hit by basic cable standards, giving the 50-year-old star another comfortable hammock in addition to his standup comedy act and recurring appearances with Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy on "Blue Collar Comedy" tours.

Fox's Dance finalists include six feet from North Texas

Ed Bark — 2008-06-10T13:12:49-05:00
Dance finalists Comfort Fedoke, Joshua Allen, Chelsea Traille By ED BARK Uniquely named Comfort Fedoke of Carrollton is stepping into Fox's So You Think You Can Dance as one of the summertime reality hit's 20 finalists. ... Bill & Star of Flint, TX and mug shots of the dozen furry finalists ***There's also a Texas dog/human duo in CBS' upcoming Greatest American Dog, scheduled to premiere on Thursday, July 10th.

Swingtown flops around in a sea of sex, drugs and dreary characters

Ed Bark — 2008-06-05T09:42:12-05:00
Sex at the deep end: Tom and Trina Decker have an "open" marriage. Premiering: Thursday, June 5th at 9 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring: Grant Show, Lana Parrilla, Molly Parker, Jack Davenport, Miriam Shor, Josh Hopkins, Shanna Collins Produced by: Mike Kelley, Alan Poul ..."Saturday in the park, every day's the Fourth of July" plays on Bruce Miller's convertible radio as he and wife, Susan (Jack Davenport, Molly Parker), leave their old neighborhood behind with a holiday block party in progress.

Dennis the non-Menace

Ed Bark — 2008-06-04T11:01:49-05:00
By ED BARK TV icon Dennis Weaver, who died on Feb. 24, 2006, would have been 84 on Wednesday, June 4. ...Here's the great, wheel-spinnin', one-minute trailer from Duel, with Weaver braving both a malevolent semi-truck driver and a rattle snake bite.

Chill in the air: Fear Itself registers on 'ooh scary' meter

Ed Bark — 2008-06-04T08:51:53-05:00
Nasty neck wounds abound in first two episodes of Fear Itself. Premiering: Thursday, June 5th at 9 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: Various thespians in weekly suspense/horror anthology tales Created by: Mick Garris ...Dark, brooding and graphic within broadcast network confines, the first two episodes have a nice tingle to 'em. Each hour is helmed by a different director, with Breck Eisner (Creature from the Black Lagoon) and Brad Anderson (The Machinist) taking charge of the first two.

Model Ts? Women 35-and-over strike poses in She's Got the Look

Ed Bark — 2008-06-03T15:11:51-05:00
Robes gallery: The 10 finalists of TV Land's She's Got the Look include 40-year-old Dallas auditioner Roxanne Ford (3rd from left). Premiering: Wednesday, June 4th at 9 p.m. (central) on TV Land Hosted by: Kim Alexis, with judges Sean Patterson, Beverly Johnson and Robert Verdi scrutinizing 10 prospective superstar models between the ages of 35 and 63. ...Davis is by far the oldest and indeed the pluckiest of 10 elder stateswoman -- by conventional modeling standards -- chosen as finalists in TV Land's She's Got the Look.

What were the odds? TV wild man Chuck Barris turns 79

Ed Bark — 2008-06-03T11:12:13-05:00
By ED BARK Somehow still standing, legendary game show creator and host Chuck Barris turns 79 on Tuesday, June 3rd. ...Here's a clip from his last episode of The Gong Show, which NBC canceled on July 21, 1978 after recurring battles with the host over the show's less than rarefied content.

"The Beav" hits 60.

Ed Bark — 2008-06-02T05:15:56-05:00
In fact, I remember a night in the mid-1980s when yours truly and some less than sober TV critic friends dialed up Mathers' hotel room at the Arizona Biltmore during CBS' portion of network TV's annual summer "press tour." It was well past midnight, and we wondered whether he'd do an interview with us on a moment's notice rather than make us all get up for a scheduled mid-morning session tied to the new movie Still the Beaver.

Found: another inspired Lost spoof

Ed Bark — 2008-05-30T15:18:38-05:00
Lest we all take Lost way too seriously, here's the latest action figure parody of the show from the Fine Bros., Benny and Rafi. This one's titled Indiana Jones & the Mystery of the Lost Island.

Warning: this look at Lost's season finale discusses major plot points in case you haven't seen it yet

Ed Bark — 2008-05-30T06:38:05-05:00
Jack stands over Locke box; Kate and Aaron. ABC photos By ED BARK Can the island's recuperative powers -- whatever they are and wherever it is now -- serve to resurrect a presumably dead John Locke? ...A still distraught Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox), whose ridiculous, glued-on jet black beard got a facelift for later scenes, broke into a mortuary to get another look at what turned out to be Locke/Bentham (Terry O'Quinn) reposing in a coffin.

Souped-up Password returns: Uma/Oprah; egg/yolk

Ed Bark — 2008-05-29T12:36:57-05:00
Celeb player Neil Patrick Harris fists up as host Regis Philbin claps. Premiering: Sunday, June 1st at 7 p.m. (central) on CBS Hosted by:Regis Philbin with opening night celebrity players Neil Patrick Harris and Rachael Ray Produced by: Vin Rubino ...Back then, during the show's breathtaking "Lightning Round," commoners and their celebrity partners could amass a swingin' sum of $250 if they connected in one minute's time on all five words given to them.

Back to basics: 2007-08's big winners recall TV's formative years

Ed Bark — 2008-05-28T17:10:45-05:00
Rounding out the top 10 were ABC's Desperate Housewives (17.3 million); Fox's House (16.2 million); CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (16.1 million) and NBC's Sunday Night Football (15.9 million). ...18-to-49-YEAR-OLDS Fox --- 4.97 million (4.89) ABC -- 3.48 million (4.25) CBS -- 3.43 million (4.51) NBC -- 3.26 million (3.76) Univision -- 1.98 million (2.05) The CW -- 1.19 million (1.59)

Same old story: McCain's age his overriding issue on late night monologues

Ed Bark — 2008-05-27T08:56:55-05:00
Otherwise you risk letting your opponent -- in this case, Letterman -- define you as "the guy at the hardware story who makes the keys, the guy who can't stop talking about how well his tomatoes are doing, the guy who goes into town for turpentine ....

HBO's Recount expertly paints by the numbers

Ed Bark — 2008-05-23T08:44:23-05:00
Laura Dern has the right makeup as flighty Katherine Harris. By ED BARK Let's get this out of the way first. ... Leary, Spacey and Wilkinson deftly drive the action in Recount. Spacey is solid in the film's top-of-the-marquee role.

Idol finale ratings inch upward

Ed Bark — 2008-05-22T17:46:34-05:00
By ED BARK American Idol's Season 7 finale Wednesday drew 31.7 million viewers nationally, up a notch from the 30.8 million for 2007's closer. ...The first Idol finale (2002), in which Kelly Clarkson of Burleson, TX defeated curly-topped Justin Guarini, pulled in 22.8 million viewers.

Idol: Do you smell what the Cook's rockin'?

Ed Bark — 2008-05-22T06:18:15-05:00
The two-hour extravaganza reunited the show's top 12 finalists and included appearances by ZZ Top (with whom Cook performed "Sharp-Dressed Man"), Donna Summer, Seal, Bryan Adams, Graham Nash, One Republic, Mike Myers (in costume to crassly promote his new film The Love Guru), Jimmy Kimmel, previous Idol champs Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks, and most notably, George Michael. ... Crass and class: Mike Myers and country queen Carrie Underwood. Post-finale, Fox4 devoted the entire first half-hour of its 9 p.m. local newscast to Idol chatter and highlights.

Simon/Davids: Idol rings out the 2007-'08 TV season with its seventh coronation

Ed Bark — 2008-05-21T10:18:33-05:00
Idol's previous six champs have a checkered record, with inaugural winner Kelly Clarkson reigning as the show's biggest star until being eclipsed in the past year by fourth season queen Carrie Underwood. ...Alas, he's become Idol's resident non-person of late, shuffled to the bottom of the deck while that season's fourth-place finisher, Chris Daughtry, lights up the charts.

Fox adds a couple for fall, puts 24 in play with two-hour prequel

Ed Bark — 2008-05-15T11:25:22-05:00
Fox executives also confirmed that they'll be tinkering with American Idol during the off-season after a ratings downturn for its seventh edition, which climaxes Wednesday with a showdown between the show's King Davids -- Archuleta and Cook. ...Fox's tentative January plans include removing two fall returnees -- Prison Break, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles -- and replacing them on Monday nights with 24 and the new Dollhouse from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer maestro Joss Whedon.

Laughter still an option on CBS

Ed Bark — 2008-05-14T09:08:36-05:00
New comedies Project Gary and Worst Week are coming to CBS. By ED BARK CBS is going cuckoo for comedy, at least compared to its two longest standing rivals. ...ABC's announced autumn look is without any new comedies, and just one overall -- the returning Samantha Who? NBC, which unfurled a 52-week schedule in early April, has four comedies set for fall, including lone newcomer Kath & Kim.

CW adds three new fall series while outsourcing Sunday

Ed Bark — 2008-05-13T18:11:22-05:00
Presenting the nubile cast of The CW's Surviving the Filthy Rich. By ED BARK The CW, ink-a-dink-a-doo of the five English language broadcast networks, nonetheless will have one more new fall series than ABC. ...Not in CW's current plans are Beauty and the Geek, Girlfriends, Aliens in America and Friday Night Smackdown!, whose producers couldn't reach a new deal with the network.

ABC's "new" fall season -- more or less

Ed Bark — 2008-05-13T09:04:43-05:00
Jason O'Mara of Life on Mars and midseason's The Goode Family. By ED BARK No big-time broadcast network has ever stood this pat. ...They'll have a chance to win an array of prizes packed into a semi-truck, but first must answer trivia questions "based directly on their lives, each other and articles found in and around their home."

Jimmy gets the job

Ed Bark — 2008-05-12T11:48:06-05:00
By ED BARK Long-rumored to be Conan O'Brien's replacement on NBC's Late Night talk show, Saturday Night Live alum Jimmy Fallon officially got the gig Monday. He's the hand-picked choice of SNL creator Lorne Michaels, who also tabbed a then virtually unknown O'Brien to replace David Letterman when he jumped to CBS in 1993.

Idol: Evicted Jason Castro seems glad all over

Ed Bark — 2008-05-08T06:58:25-05:00
Rockwall's hardly sad Jason Castro (left) says goodbye to Idol grind. By ED BARK Rockwall's Jason Castro got sent home Wednesday night after becoming the first finalist to openly plead American Idol fatigue. ...Castro had greased his skids with recent comments in Entertainment Weekly, where he admitted to struggling with Neil Diamond's songs the previous week and not really caring all that much how his performance fared.

Babs and Oprah: two queen bees spoonin' the honey

Ed Bark — 2008-05-07T09:41:29-05:00
Copies of Walters' Audition assuredly are already flying off bookstore shelves, in no small part because the most potent bookseller in the land -- Oprah Winfrey -- ordered her viewers at show's end to "Go get it." ...Yes, they definitely got the job done during a genuinely intriguing hour in which Walters decorously dished about Star Jones, Rosie O'Donnell, Donald Trump, her mentally challenged sister, Jackie and most important of all, her two-year affair in the mid-1970s with then U.S. Sen. Edward W.

That's my boy: Son's troubled presidency burnishes his father's

Ed Bark — 2008-05-05T16:48:25-05:00
It is in large part rehabilitative, though, with critics far outnumbered by admirers, including Barbara Bush, their son, Jeb, and their only daughter, Doro Bush Koch in new interviews for this film. ...But a souring economy and Bush's "Read My Lips, No New Taxes" pledge at the 1992 Republican National Convention would quickly undermine his bid for a second term. Says biographer Timothy Naftali, "He never connected with the American people .

Idol: Burbling Brooke's out, Rockwall's Castro in Final Four

Ed Bark — 2008-05-01T03:38:57-05:00
Brooke White goes home while Rockwall's Jason Castro strums on. By ED BARK Relentlessly needy Brooke White sobbed her way through Neil Diamond's "I Am . ..."Just for the record, the rumors are not true (about Abdul)," said host Ryan Seacrest, apparently referring to a report that she may have been a bit tipsier than usual.

New series review: Farmer Wants a Wife (The CW)

Ed Bark — 2008-04-30T10:45:11-05:00
Farmer Matt's suitors include Dallas-bred Brooke, cradling big pail. Premiering: Wednesday, April 30th at 8 p.m. (central) on The CW Starring: Missouri farmer Matt and 10 citified milk-diggers, including nanny Brooke from Dallas Produced by: Adam Cohen, Cara Tapper, Joanna Vernetti ...Farmer Matt has the charisma of skim milk, whether on a backyard "date" with lucky Christa ("I've had an absolute pleasure with you tonight," he tells her) or detailing the rules of a chicken-chasing competition that ends in a "coop off" between two women battling for opening night immunity.

Boy, the balls of some U.S. Supreme Court justices

Ed Bark — 2008-04-24T12:56:48-05:00
The U.S. Supreme Court decision that gave George W. Bush the 2000 presidential election over Al Gore is a tiresome, irksome topic to him, justice Antonin Scalia says on Sunday's 60 Minutes.

Idol: No thanks for the Memory, but Rockwall's Castro climbs another rung

Ed Bark — 2008-04-23T21:28:41-05:00
In and out: Rockwall's Jason Castro outlasts tatooed Carly Smithson. By ED BARK He'd probably like to forget his Tuesday night performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Memory." ..."It came over as a young guy being forced by your mum and dad to sing a song at a wedding that you didn't want to sing," said Cowell.

Showtime makes it a threesome for The Tudors

Ed Bark — 2008-04-22T15:30:02-05:00
Showtime has picked up a third season its critically praised The Tudors, with plans to keep Henry VIII's marriages coming until he reaches his historical max. "The Tudors is now a fixture for us at Showtime and we're on our way to completing the entire saga of all six wives of Henry VIII," network entertainment president Robert Greenblatt says.

"In honor of the WWE, you can call me 'Hillrod.' "

Ed Bark — 2008-04-22T08:30:03-05:00
That's because the three senators battling to succeed him were all appearing on WWE's Monday Night Raw, otherwise populated by the likes of Umaga the Samoan Bulldozer, Hardcore Holly, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Super Crazy and The Undertaker. ...Over on USA network's Raw, also owned by NBC Universal, the three presidential candidates stooped to conquer another potential voting block -- the mostly young males who avidly watch the show's ring fakery, comedy, babe-a-licious "divas" and big-time bloodletting during pay-per-view events.

Spring Snow at CNN

Ed Bark — 2008-04-21T17:05:43-05:00
By ED BARK Former White House press secretary and high-profile Fox News Channel analyst Tony Snow has joined CNN as a conservative commentator, the network announced Monday. ..."The big challenge in 2008 is to develop deep, creative and aggressive analysis of both political parties, their candidates and campaigns," Snow said in a statement.

Let's play two

Ed Bark — 2008-04-21T07:34:28-05:00
It takes the field on Monday at 8 p.m. on KERA-TV (Channel 13) as part of a doubleheader that also includes Roberto Clemente at 9 p.m. under the umbrella of PBS' long-playing American Experience series. ...It's good to have all of this history in a tidy, one-hour documentary that might be just enough to spur a few trips to the Cats' home field, rebuilt on the same hallowed grounds as the old one.

ABC debate brings Dems into sharper focus on both issues and gaffes

Ed Bark — 2008-04-17T09:33:13-05:00
Furthermore, during the debate's first 52 minutes, they "dwelled entirely on specious and gossipy trivia that already has been hashed and rehashed, in the hope of getting the candidates to claw at one another over disputes that are no longer news." ...That's a far better course than rolling over and playing dead with a question on the order of, "Senators, for those who haven't heard it yet, could you please detail at any length you please your proposals to achieve national health care for all Americans?"

Idol: Kristy Lee Cook(ed); Castro now in Final 6

Ed Bark — 2008-04-17T07:41:41-05:00
C-notes: Cook out, but Rockwall's Jason Castro still in on Idol. By ED BARK Likable Kristy Lee "Nine Lives" Cook couldn't withstand yet another Bottom 3 tightrope walk on Wednesday's latest American Idol vote-off. ...Cook, 24, said goodbye by sitting next to judge Simon Cowell, her biggest tormenter, and singing, "Those days of love all gone, our time is through" from Mariah Carey's "Forever."

A coupla cursin' weathermen

Ed Bark — 2008-04-15T10:11:00-05:00
NBC5's mild-mannered David Finfrock presumably would never salt his language with f-bombs after blowing a line on camera.... Check out this riotous 1-minute clip, in which the rat-a-tat industrial strength cursing is beautifully edited in mid-word.

Ha! The pathetic spectacle of Chris Matthews

Ed Bark — 2008-04-14T07:23:49-05:00
Writer Mark Leibovich's all-you-can-eat buffet also deals with Matthews' on- and off-air womanizing, incessant name-dropping, rampant redundancy and the dislike that some of his more prominent NBC colleagues seem to have for him. ...

Tell a friend: VH1's telenovela competition is juice-a-licious

Ed Bark — 2008-04-11T15:52:02-05:00
Havin' a heat wave: Jenn and Alexcy of VH1's Viva Hollywood! Title: Viva Hollywood! Premiering: Sunday, April 13 at 9:30 p.m. (central) on VH1 Starring: A dozen would-be telenovela stars Hosted by: Carlos Ponce, Maria Conchita Alonso Produced by: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Danny Salles ...Which means that it doesn't -- not even for a minute -- as 12 flesh-baring, egocentric "hot mamis" and "hot papis" convene at the show's "Casa De Locos" in hopes of mastering the "7 Deadly Sins of Telenovelas" in pursuit of mucho dinero ($100 grand) and a "breakout role" on one of Telemundo's upcoming sudsers.

Johns out while Jason's stock rises

Ed Bark — 2008-04-10T20:40:42-05:00
Ouster of Michael Johns (left) gives Jason Castro a smoother road. By ED BARK Bat leadoff on American Idol and your chances of hitting a home run with judges are maybe one in 100. ...Thursday's vote-off, delayed a night by Wednesday's Idol Gives Back special, also made room for several previously announced celebrities who instead were missing in action.

30 Rock returns to roll the dicey

Ed Bark — 2008-04-10T14:08:50-05:00
By ED BARK Google "MILF" and you'll quickly understand why NBC is playing with fire on Thursday's post-strike return of its Peabody-winning 30 Rock. ...Donaghy wants her to write for a spinoff starring DeBORah, but Lemon views MILF Island as "kind of lowest common denominator," given that one of the competitions has the women eating bugs to win tampons.

One is the loneliest number

Ed Bark — 2008-04-10T12:30:30-05:00
Figure skater Sasha Cohen won't get to cavort and contort anymore. By ED BARK The show won't go on. ...***In another CBS development, Dan Rather's multi-million dollar "Memogate" lawsuit against the network mostly has been thrown out of court by a New York State Supreme Court judge.

"I think we're dead. Time is going by really really really really slow."

Ed Bark — 2008-04-09T08:58:17-05:00
A Dearborn, Michigan cop succumbed to a higher calling when he confiscated marijuana from suspects and then baked it in brownies that he shared with his wife.... So is the off-camera snort from a Fox station anchor.

DVD review: John, Paul, Tom & Ringo (Shout! Factory)

Ed Bark — 2008-04-08T12:19:21-05:00
Factory's latest vintage DVD release, John, Paul, Tom & Ringo, is mainly worth having for Snyder's now historic one-on-one with Lennon, who later was joined by his immigration attorney, Leon Wildes. ...The host also quizzes Lennon about rock groupies, his current musical tastes, the heavily-publicized "bed-in" with wife Yoko Ono ("We were just promoting peace like you promote any product") and life in New York City as one of the most famous and deified celebrities in the land.

Seeing stars: Mega-watt Idol Gives Back ranks as season's biggest celebrity-fest

Ed Bark — 2008-04-08T11:16:03-05:00
Miley Cyrus and Brad Pitt on pre-taped Idol Gives Back special. By ED BARK Add the three major party presidential candidates to Wednesday's Idol Gives Back, now expanded to two-and-a-half hours with an early start at 6:30 p.m. (central). ...This year they're shooting for $100 million on behalf of The Children's Defense Fund; The Children's Health Fund; The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Make It Right; Malaria No More; and Save the Children's U.S. Programs.

Last blasts for 'Frakkies'

Ed Bark — 2008-04-04T14:44:17-05:00
It returns for its fourth and final season Friday (9 p.m. central), with sinister Cylons still standing in the way of a return home for Admiral William Adama (Edward James Olmos), President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) and assorted underlings aboard the good ship Galactica. ...Suffice it to say -- or say it to suffice -- there's a pretty showy space battle between the good guys and the Cylons, who then suddenly retreat to the puzzlement of Adama.

Idol: Eight is enough, and Jason Castro is one of 'em

Ed Bark — 2008-04-02T23:42:52-05:00
Ramiele Malubay's out while Rockwall's Jason Castro plays on. By ED BARK Another lashing from judge Simon Cowell didn't deter Rockwall's Jason Castro from making American Idol's Elite Eight Wednesday. The 21-year-old also dodged a second consecutive trip to the Fox show's so-called silver "Stools of Shame, reserved weekly for the Bottom Three vote-getters.

New series review: Bingo America (GSN)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-28T14:48:19-05:00
Premiering: Monday, March 31st at 6 p.m. (central) on GSN and airing each weeknight at that hour Hosted by: Patrick Duffy with ball holder Crystal Wallasch Produced by: Andrew Glassman ...In an opening episode sent for review, though, he doesn't flex any of the quick wit he's shown as both a talk show guest and on Bill Maher's now defunct Politically Incorrect.

New series review: Tracey Ullman's State of the Union (Showtime)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-28T12:38:05-05:00
Tongue untied: Tracey Ullman tries on Helen Mirren, etc. Premiering: Sunday, March 30th at 9 p.m. (central) on Showtime Starring: Tracey Ullman Produced by: Tracey Ullman, Allan McKeown ...Ullman also portrays an undocumented Bangladesh woman working three menial jobs in Manhattan; a dutiful Nebraska housewife with "restless leg syndrome"; a Latina morning anchor with an exaggerated way of introducing herself; and a Middle Eastern pharmacist who's being robbed at her workplace.

All lathered up anew: Showtime's The Tudors still cleans up nicely as a hot-blooded, post-medieval soap

Ed Bark — 2008-03-27T14:04:50-05:00
Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are a tough matchup for Pope Paul III. Premiering: Sunday, March 30th at 8 p.m. (central) on Showtime Starring: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Natalie Dormer, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jeremy Northam, Peter O'Toole, Nick Dunning, James Frain, Henry Cavill, David Alpay, Hans Matheson Created and written by: Michael Hirst By ED BARK Showtime's Henry VIII remains thin and thinner-skinned in the person of Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

Idol: Nine remain after Chikezie sings his last

Ed Bark — 2008-03-27T01:21:27-05:00
Chikezie's out; Rockwall's Jason Castro survives a scare. By ED BARK Rockwall's sleepy-time Jason Castro survived another beating from the judges, but first had to sweat it out in American Idol's Bottom Three during Wednesday's latest vote-off. ...Chikezie's previous night's rendition of Luther Vandross' "If Only For One Night" had been deemed "very cheesy" and unoriginal by judge Simon Cowell.

South Park from ground zero to now

Ed Bark — 2008-03-25T12:29:04-05:00
Click on the video below and thrill to the first documented killings of Kenny -- at least far as I can tell -- on the first episode of the first season of Comedy Central's South Park. A big selection of clips and an array of full episodes are available for free viewing on the new SouthParkStudios.com.

Render all things unto Idol

Ed Bark — 2008-03-21T12:18:42-05:00
American Idol's Final 10 and Lost's Hurley. Fox, ABC photos By ED BARK It's really not fair, is it? ...In prime-time's two key measurements -- total viewers and 18-to-49-year-olds -- last week's two editions of Idol more than doubled the audience for their closest competitor.

Idol: Rockwall kid in Top 10 while resident rocker goes home

Ed Bark — 2008-03-19T22:06:18-05:00
Out and still in: rocker Amanda Overmyer, Rockwall's Jason Castro. By ED BARK American Idol cemented its top 10 and post-competition road show field Wednesday with the somewhat unexpected vote-off of rough-hewn Amanda Overmyer. ...The former failed MCA Records artist, who used to be Carly Hennessy, remains on her second voyage of "discovery" after her previous label reportedly spent $2.2 million trying to make her a star.

New series review: I Know My Kid's A Star (VH1)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-19T14:13:46-05:00
Danny Bonaduce before and after; Devon and Kevin of Rockwall Premiering: Thursday, March 20th at 9 p.m. (central) on VH1 Starring: Danny Bonaduce and 10 "Hollywood-crazed parent/child teams," including Devon and Kevin of Rockwall, TX Produced by: Danny and Gretchen Bonaduce By ED BARK Ridiculous when it's not being reprehensible, VH1's eight-episode I Know My Kid's A Star reeks of exploitation, Danny Bonaduce, an execrable mom named Rocky and a kid spewing vomit in the early going.

The long and winding 12 Miles of Bad Road

Ed Bark — 2008-03-18T14:47:50-05:00
It's no particular surprise to Harry Thomason and Linda Bloodworth that HBO leaked word Monday night of its decision not to air their broad but often very funny series about a Dallas realtor and her dysfunctional brood. ..."12 Miles represents the seemingly broad, but heavily researched and authentic world of Dallas billionaires, who think nothing of paying a million dollars for a Hannah Montana appearance at a child's birthday party, dispatching a private jet to England to deliver dry rub barbecue to Prince Charles or giving a trip to the moon as a wedding present.

New series review: Miss Guided (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-17T14:31:58-05:00
Dallasite Brooke Burns and star Judy Greer of Miss Guided. ABC photo Premiering: Tuesday, March 18th, at 9:32 p.m. (central) on ABC. Then moves to Thursdays at 7 p.m. with back-to-back episodes Starring: Judy Greer, Brooke Burns, Kristoffer Polasha, Chris Parnell, Earl Billings Produced by: Caroline Williams, Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg, Todd Holland, Karey Burke, Mark Hudis

HBO's Adams family is a revolutionary concept

Ed Bark — 2008-03-14T11:05:32-05:00
Cold comfort: John and Abigail Adams kept their fires burning. Premiering: Sunday, March 16th, 7 p.m. (central) with a second episode from 8:10 to 9:45 p.m. Continuing on Sundays at 8 p.m. through April 30th Starring: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, David Morse, Stephen Dillane, Zeljko Ivanek, Danny Huston, Justin Theroux, Guy Henry, Rufus Sewell, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Sarah Polley Produced by: Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman Directed by: Tom Hooper ...Its first two chapters, premiering Sunday, March 16th and running from 7 to 9:45 p.m. (central), accentuate the title character's unbending will and enduring love of his devoted, yet strong-willed wife.

New series review: The Return of Jezebel James (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-13T11:26:04-05:00
At least the Fox artwork is nice for The Return of Jezebel James. Premiering: Friday, March 14th at 7 p.m. (central) with back-to-back episodes on Fox Starring: Parker Posey, Lauren Ambrose, Scott Cohen, Michael Arden, Ron McLarty, Jack Carpenter Produced by: Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino By ED BARK Initially slotted for a post-American Idol launch, Fox's The Return of Jezebel James instead gets sent to the network's Friday night outhouse.

Idol: Latest evictee not grinning, not baring it.

Ed Bark — 2008-03-12T21:24:39-05:00
Rockwall's Jason Castro survives; not so David Hernandez. By ED BARK His recent past probably didn't help him, but neither did Tuesday's overwrought performance of Lennon-McCartney's "I Saw Her Standing There." ...Jim Carrey earlier showed up in an elephant costume to promote 20th Century Fox's upcoming Horton Hears a Who! And former Idol runnerup Katharine McPhee performed Lennon-McCartney's "Something" while accompanied by pianist David Foster.

New series review: Lewis Black's Root of All Evil (Comedy Central)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-11T15:30:13-05:00
In Lewis Black's Root of All Evil, premiering Wednesday on Comedy Central, he's mostly a judge who's not even as snarly as Judy. ...But next Wednesday's edition is better, with the returning Giraldo assailing Viagra with the logical argument that "when I sit on my grandpa's knee, I want to be sure it's his knee."

New series review: Canterbury's Law (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-07T09:26:13-06:00
Elizabeth Canterbury (Julianna Margulies) lays into another witness. Premiering: Monday, March 10th at 7 p.m. (central) on Fox Starring: Julianna Margulies, Ben Shenkman, Trieste Kelly Dunn, Keith Robinson, Aidan Quinn, Terry Kinney, James McCaffrey Produced by: Denis Leary, Jim Serpico, Walon Green, Dave Erickson By ED BARK Fox is swimming in Shark-infested waters here, and yes, that's an intended reference to the James Wood-led CBS courtroom series.

Lone Star? A single Texan remains in Idol's Final 12

Ed Bark — 2008-03-06T20:41:10-06:00
In and out: Rockwall's Jason Castro and Houston's Kady Malloy. By ED BARK A lone Texan still stands among American Idol's Final 12 after Thursday's herd-trimming left Houston's Kady Malloy on the cutting room floor. Jason Castro, 20, of Rockwall (but born in Dallas, raised in Rowlett) rode Tuesday night's rave reviews to the hit Fox show's promised land.

New series review: High School reunion (TV Land)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-05T12:31:30-06:00
Pearce's "Kat The Lesbian," then and now. Photos from TV Land Premiering: Wednesday, March 5 at 9 p.m. (central) on TV Land Starring: 14 graduates from J.J. ...Just trying to sink to the level of TV Land's High School Reunion, which turns out to be not all that bad a level in which to sink.

New series review: New Amsterdam (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2008-03-03T15:16:22-06:00
By ED BARK Four hundred is the new thirtysomething on Fox's New Amsterdam, whose ageless hero has got a lot more living to do unless he finds true love. ...Slotted for last fall until getting bumped by Don't Forget the Lyrics!, the show takes a very serious approach to both its weekly murder mysteries and unfolding mythology.

Worm turns on Big Apple's Good Day

Ed Bark — 2008-03-02T17:45:16-06:00
New York's version of Fox's Good Day recently spilled some bad blood between a war-weary old-timer and an anchor who tried to smack him down. It takes about a minute to get to the juice, but you won't be disappointed.

New series review: Oprah's Big Give (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2008-02-29T14:35:50-06:00
Premiering: Sunday, March 2nd, 8 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Oprah Winfrey (more or less) and a gaggle of judges and contestants Produced by: Oprah Winfrey By ED BARK It's already been pretty firmly established that Oprah Winfrey doesn't give anything away without all of us poor saps hearing about it.

News series review: Unhitched (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2008-02-29T13:14:44-06:00
It's not exactly Frasier when your comedy opens with a newly divorced guy in his 30s encountering a date who has a pet monkey and wants him to go ape with her -- literally. ...His best pals, forming something of a Seinfeld-esque quartet, are ill-kempt Tommy (Johnny Sneed), refined Kate (Rashida Jones) and the still socially awkward Dr. Freddy Sahgal (Shaun Majumder).

One Tex out, two graduate to Idol's sweet 16

Ed Bark — 2008-02-28T20:22:29-06:00
By ED BARK Dubbed dull and ordinary for two weeks running by arbiter Simon Cowell, wobbly American Idol hopeful Jason Yeager of Grand Prairie took a knockout punch on Thursday's second vote-off show. ...Jason Castro, 20, of Rockwall and Houston's Kady Malloy, 18, survived to be among Idol's final 16, although the latter earlier was left dangling next to Whitaker as one of the show's lower vote-getters.

Live from Ohio -- Hillary tells only half the SNL story

Ed Bark — 2008-02-26T23:13:31-06:00
"If anybody saw Saturday Night Live, maybe we should ask Barack if he's comfortable and needs another pillow," she then jabbed, drawing a few unfriendly murmurs from an otherwise mostly mute audience at Cleveland State University. ...

New series review: quarterlife (NBC)

Ed Bark — 2008-02-26T16:04:44-06:00
The quarterlife orbit also includes young filmmakers Danny and Jed (David Walton, Scott Michael Foster), bust-thrusting bartender/actress Lisa (Maite Schwartz), lovelorn Debra (Michelle Lombardo) and so-called "geek extraordinaire Danny (Kevin Christy), who easily is the least fleshed-out in Tuesday's opener. ...quarterlife excels because it speaks the language, hits the nerve spots and gets at the essence of what it's like to love/like someone who feels the same way not about you, but your closest friend.

ABC's Raisin In the Sun fullfills any and all grape expectations

Ed Bark — 2008-02-25T13:31:00-06:00
This is a business, after all, and the big broadcasters seldom are in any mood to "give back" anymore with productions that simply aspire to be great without any anticipated big payoff at the Nielsen box office. ...Rashad, so familiar to audiences as Clair Huxtable from The Cosby Show, is especially unforgettable as a nurturing but no-nonsense matriarch whose late husband's life insurance policy will be netting the family a $10,000 windfall.

Stewart shines as Oscar host on a night when most of the winners are great unknowns

Ed Bark — 2008-02-24T23:53:37-06:00
"All I can say is thank God for teen pregnancy," Stewart said after referencing the year's "slate of psychopathic killer movies (No Country For Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Sweeney Todd)." ... "Best Song" winners Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova; overseas quartet Daniel Day-Lewis, Tilda Swinton, Marion Cotillard, Javier Bardem. None of the winning speeches will go in a time capsule.

Championing Joe Louis

Ed Bark — 2008-02-23T11:59:38-06:00
The 75-minute film premieres on Saturday, Feb. 23rd at 7 p.m. (central) as something of an under-card to the following heavyweight title bout between two tongue-twisting white hulks -- Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov. ...After a humiliating defeat at the hands of Rocky Marciano, who would never lose a fight, Louis turned to wrestling, product endorsements, casino-greeting and just about anything else to pay off his debts to the government.

CNN's Obama-Clinton Texas throwdown puts her one step closer to throwing in the towel

Ed Bark — 2008-02-21T22:29:41-06:00
By ED BARK There's ample talk -- by TV pundits at least -- about how Hillary Clinton may have saved the day by humanizing herself in the final minute of Thursday night's CNN/Univision debate from Austin. ...She later had a bad moment, even drawing some boos on the subject of Obama's alleged "plagiarizing" of words used in an earlier speech by Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, who's also a national co-chairman of his campaign.

Idol's three Texans punch tickets to next round

Ed Bark — 2008-02-21T21:47:33-06:00
By ED BARK Two of the three had taken a lashing from Simon Cowell, but none felt the sharper sting of eviction on American Idol's first viewer vote-off. Jason Castro, 20, of Rockwall, Jason Yeager, 28, of Grand Prairie, and Kady Malloy, 18, of Houston survived the winnowing of 24 contestants to 20 during Thursday night's typically prolonged nail-biter.

Two Jasons from North Texas at opposite ends of Idol's teeter totter

Ed Bark — 2008-02-19T21:35:44-06:00
Grand Prairie's Jason Yeager and Rockwall's Jason Castro on Idol. By ED BARK Maybe the American Idol audience has gotten old enough over the years to actually be in tune with Jason Yeager's treacly rendition of "Moon River" on Tuesday's male-only performance show. If not, the 28-year-old Huckleberry Friend from Grand Prairie might well be a goner when fans of the Fox mega-hit trim the field from 24 to 20 on the first results show Thursday.

Dancing ready to floor it with another dozen

Ed Bark — 2008-02-18T20:53:46-06:00
Hop to it: Kristi Yamaguchi, Priscilla Presley and Adam Carolla By ED BARK Sixty-two-year-old Priscilla Presley hopes to get all shook up when Dancing with the Stars returns for its sixth edition next month. ...Here's the rest of an eclectic and pretty intriguing field, which includes two former champion women athletes and a current member of the Miami Dolphins unless new GM Bill Parcells wants to cut him, too:

Starter Kit: PBS' American Experience chronicles the first famous Carson

Ed Bark — 2008-02-18T11:16:05-06:00
Christopher "Kit" Carson never learned to read and was mostly unaware of what the media of his day had done to him. ...PBS' remedial Kit Carson, an American Experience film premiering Monday (9 p.m. on KERA in Dallas), depicts its storied subject as a heroic yet flawed frontiersman whose biggest fault was blindly following orders.

Stars and bars: Prison Break ends its third and likely last season

Ed Bark — 2008-02-17T20:54:11-06:00
Monday's third season finale (7 p.m. central) caps a strike-shortened, 13-episode run that again finds brothers Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) and Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) on the outside looking in. They're on the lam anew, which frankly is getting pretty lam-brained for all concerned. ...There's talk of Fox opting for a women-in-prison series next season -- in which case the plot might not matter much if at all.

Idol goes with two Jasons from North Texas, and so far it's no horror film

Ed Bark — 2008-02-13T20:34:16-06:00
At least three notable ones, I'd say, with the closest call resulting in a no-go for bespectacled Buddy Holly lookalike Kyle Ensley, a junior at Oklahoma State who auditioned in Dallas. ...Leming looks like a cross between Davy Jones and Peter Noone, and has more than a bit of a British accent tossed in. He turned on the faucet works after getting bounced on a close call.

Blast from the past: Jericho rides again

Ed Bark — 2008-02-12T08:34:51-06:00
Ashley Scott gives some sugar to Skeet Ulrich on the second season premiere of CBS' Jericho. By ED BARK Not exactly back by popular demand -- but backed by a self-avowed group of uncrackable nuts -- Jericho returns Tuesday night in search of converts. ...This time it's for keeps, with CBS very unlikely to yield a second time to fan pressure if the show can't govern itself in the Nielsen ratings.

Bigger underdogs than the Giants -- which means there's always hope

Ed Bark — 2008-02-08T10:02:10-06:00
Star running back Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles) hasn't always pleased demanding coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler). By ED BARK Critical acclaim remains high for NBC's Friday Night Lights, which won a prestigious Peabody Award last year. ...There's a fair chance the walkout will come to an end next week, which would give Lights a chance to gear up for a handful of new episodes before the TV season officially ends in May.

New series review: Lipstick Jungle (NBC)

Ed Bark — 2008-02-06T18:38:17-06:00
The women of Lipstick Jungle and sassy creator Candace Bushnell Premiering: Thursday, Feb. 7, at 9 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: Brooke Shields, Kim Raver, Lindsay Price, Andrew McCarthy, Paul Blackhorne, Robert Buckley Created by: Candace Bushnell ...Jungle is drawn from the novel by Candace Bushnell, who once collaborated with Cashmere Mafia maestro Darren Star on HBO's Sex and the City.

New series review: Welcome to the Captain (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2008-02-04T13:43:01-06:00
Jeffrey Tambor (middle) yearns to get lucky with Raquel Welch. Premiering: Monday, Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring: Fran Kranz, Chris Klein, Jeffrey Tambor, Raquel Welch, Al Madrigal, Joanna Garcia Produced by: John Hamburg, Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen ...So you'll have to laugh entirely on your own at a show that aims to be in the vein of Arrested Development and also has one of that late, great comedy's crazier cast members in Jeffrey Tambor.

Hill and Dave: Together again for the 9th time

Ed Bark — 2008-02-03T15:20:18-06:00
Hillary will do Dave on "Super Tuesday" eve. By ED BARK Hillary Clinton is smart to be with David Letterman on the night before the "Super Tuesday" primaries have a big say in who will get the Democratic presidential nomination. ...Look for Tuesday's network morning shows and the cable news channels to be amply stocked with excerpts from whatever she comes up with in her pre-primary joust with Letterman.

Made-for-TV movie review: Bridal Fever (Hallmark Channel)

Ed Bark — 2008-01-31T16:47:45-06:00
By ED BARK Somehow this movie slipped past Lifetime and also likely will evade reviews from all but a handful of male TV critics. ...Roth, otherwise much harder-edged as Tommy Gavin's estranged wife on Rescue Me, flexes a million dollar smile and a figure that works very well from all angles.

Hey, Jericho nuts

Ed Bark — 2008-01-30T17:38:41-06:00
Jericho's second season, even though it's only a seven-episode "arc" for now, is coming to CBS on Feb. 12th. Here's a link to a fun clip of the network's 100 reasons to watch.

New series review: Eli Stone (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2008-01-30T08:59:55-06:00
Thursday's premiere begins in a snowy Himalayan village, where a few sight gags hit the spot before the show shifts back in time to the San Francisco law firm headed by imperious Jordan Wethersby (Victor Garber), whose beauteous daughter, Taylor (Natasha Henstridge), is engaged to Eli. ...Eli also has a saucy assistant named Patti (Loretta Devine in scenery-chewing mode) and a Chinese acupuncturist, Dr. Chen (James Saito), who fakes an Oriental accent but otherwise serves as something of a Master Po or Kan to a current-day "Grasshopper."

At a loss with Lost

Ed Bark — 2008-01-29T12:06:58-06:00
Left to right are -- wait a minute, that's way too much work. By ED BARK The fourth season's first two episodes of Lost arrived in the mail this week. ...It's probably safe to say they're in color, have spoken words and represent one-quarter of eight episodes that were completed before the writers' strike kicked in. There were supposed to be a total of 16 this season.

Class act: Sunday's star-studded Screen Actors Guild Awards show how it could/should be done

Ed Bark — 2008-01-28T09:59:17-06:00
HBO's The Sopranos got a big sendoff at Sunday night's SAG awards. By ED BARK Blessed with a free non-picketing pass from the striking Writers Guild of America, the in-solidary Screen Actors Guild put on a glitzy, star-drenched show Sunday night without making an undue spectacle of itself. ... Office politics didn't keep The Office from winning best ensemble. The SAG show, which never sagged, also was graced by a career achievement award for Charles Durning, who has survived both Hollywood and World War II's D-Day.

New series review: In Treatment (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2008-01-25T12:11:58-06:00
Continuing on weeknights at the same hour Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Diane Wiest, Blair Underwood, Josh Charles, Embeth Davidtz, Melissa George, Mia Wasikowska, Michelle Forbes Produced by: Rodrigo Garcia, Hagai Levi, Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg ...And In Treatment's opening night head case, a self-absorbed young anesthesiologist named Laura (Melissa George), is easily the worst foot forward in a series that dramatically improves the very next night with the entrance of Blair Underwood as a combative Navy pilot.

Fox crushes life out of competitors in runaway week

Ed Bark — 2008-01-23T17:29:03-06:00
By ED BARK Paced by the one-two punch of American Idol and the biggest NFC championship audience in 13 years, Fox played Goliath in the latest ratings week while rival networks shot themselves in the foot with their slingshots. ...CBS remains a slight favorite to retain its full-season crown in the total viewers race, with Fox continuing to close in as the season goes on. Among 18-to-49-year-olds, though, it'll be Fox in a trot.

Liar liar, should Fox burn in hellfire?

Ed Bark — 2008-01-22T14:20:57-06:00
By ED BARK Here's a basic, bare bones query for Fox entertainment chairman Peter Liguori: "In your heart of hearts, are you proud to have The Moment of Truth on your network? This is, after all, the big-money game show that deploys lie detectors in tandem with questions such as, "While at your current job, have you ever touched a female co-worker inappropriately?"

Dwindling supplies of scripted series put the major broadcast networks in various states of disrepair

Ed Bark — 2008-01-21T10:25:07-06:00
Running on empty: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Grey's Anatomy are both out of new episodes as the Feb. "sweeps" nears. By ED BARK Negotiators for striking writers and major studios are set to meet again this week in hopes of ending a walkout that began on Nov. ...But even with a quick resolution, it will be at least until spring before new episodes are ready to roll on established hits such as ABC's Grey's Anatomy and CBS' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

"Documusical" review: High School Musical: The Music In You (Disney Channel)

Ed Bark — 2008-01-18T13:34:11-06:00
By ED BARK Originally earmarked for last fall, Disney Channel's Fort Worth-based High School Musical: The Music In You finally arrives late and comes up short. ... Ann Hunter and Julia Worthington are Disney's stage mothers. Ann Hunter and Julia Worthington, respectively the theatre arts directors at Arlington and Western Heights, are the maestros behind the joint effort.

American Idol: Back to the drawling board

Ed Bark — 2008-01-17T05:49:20-06:00
But he was too good/bad to pass up, and his performance of the supposedly self-written "We're Brothers Forever" had Jackson and judge Paula Abdul dancing along with him while Cowell no doubt correctly predicted, "I have a horrible feeling it's going to be a hit." ... A Texas-sized crowd gathered outside Texas Stadium in "Texas-sized temperatures" for first-round Idol auditions last August. The Dallas auditions bracingly lacked the 'tude and bleeped profanity spewed by the city of Brotherly Love.

Idol re-flexes, but loses some muscle tone

Ed Bark — 2008-01-16T11:52:02-06:00
Tuesday night's two-hour premiere of the show's seventh season drew 33.4 million viewers nationally to rank as the season's most-watched entertainment program to date. ...The seventh season opener ranked just fourth on the show's all-time list, behind the aforementioned sixth edition, Season 5 (35.5 million viewers) and Season 4 (33.6 million viewers).

All that glitters?

Ed Bark — 2008-01-15T14:42:17-06:00
Through Jan. 13th of the 2007-08 season, CBS, ABC and NBC are tied for first place among advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds, with Fox just one-tenth of a rating point behind. ...In total viewers, it's still CBS on top (11.6 million), followed by ABC (10.1 million), NBC (8.9 million) and Fox (8.8 million).

Coming off a B-flat year, Simon says Idol's back in better voice

Ed Bark — 2008-01-14T16:22:08-06:00
But again, it's a blur," Cowell says of the Dallas leg, which began in the sweltering August heat of Texas Stadium before Cowell and co-judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson listened to selected hopefuls weeks later in the cool, cool, cool of a North Texas hotel room. ...Cowell may view himself as a "little more tolerant," but hopes people "realize that I know what I'm talking about and that it's actually more cruel to lie to someone or give them false expectations rather than tell them the truth."

Absent dinner, drinks and Hollywood swells, it's just one big golden glob

Ed Bark — 2008-01-14T08:24:41-06:00
The Golden Globes had no pickup lines Sunday night. By ED BARK The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 65th annual Golden Globes presentation came and went with all the flash and excitement of a colonoscopy Sunday night. ...NBC padded its coverage to a full-hour, meaning that its announcement of the climactic "Best Motion Picture" award (for Atonement) came a half-hour after E!

New series review: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2008-01-11T07:41:28-06:00
Steely-eyed scene-stealer "Cameron" of Sarah Connor Chronicles Premiering: Sunday, Jan. 13th at 7 p.m. (central) on Fox before moving to regular 8 p.m. Monday slot on Jan. 14th Starring: Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Richard T. ...The Cameron character, an obvious salute to Terminator franchise creator James Cameron, turns out to be a robot sent from 2027 to protect John and also track down and thwart whoever built a Sky Net computer system that blows up the world at some point down the road.

Miniseries review: Comanche Moon (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2008-01-10T13:35:46-06:00
Disparate Texas Rangers Woodrow Call (left) and Gus McCrae (right) flank the fractious Sculls in CBS' Comanche Moon, a 6-hour prequel to author Larry McMurtry's classic Lonesome Dove. ...Still, Texas author Larry McMurtry's 1997 extension of his Lonesome Dove saga clearly sags in comparison as both a novel (which I recently read) and as a television "event" that's notably short on star power or truly memorable performances.

The Jewish Americans: a great first impression

Ed Bark — 2008-01-09T13:49:19-06:00
Early Jewish immigrants gather at a Lower East Side fish market. By ED BARK Ken Burns gets most of the ink and acclaim among PBS documentarians, but the David Grubin catalogue otherwise is second to none. ...Interviewees in Wednesday night's premiere include Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, playwright Tony Kushner, comedian Sid Caesar, producer/actor Carl Reiner and former Picket Fences co-star Fyvush Finkel, who joyously recalls the exploits of America's first Yiddish theater star, Boris Thomashefsky.

Last call: Comedy Central's The Daily Show and Colbert Report make it a full house in late night

Ed Bark — 2008-01-08T10:37:41-06:00
Back in play: Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart re-emerge writer-less. By ED BARK Jon Stewart wore a stuck-on "writers' strike solidarity unibrow" and Stephen Colbert first appeared in a fake Hasidic beard while shredding documents. ...Comedy Central's The Daily Show and The Colbert Report otherwise were back in business with strikingly dissimilar approaches to the ongoing impasse between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Returning series review: The Wire (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2008-01-04T13:45:20-06:00
HBO's concluding fifth season of The Wire (Sunday, 8 p.m. central on HBO) looks like a lock to end its run without ever receiving a best drama series Emmy, let alone even a nomination. ...They also share the byline of creator David Simon, a former reporter for The Baltimore Sun who grimly sees his city in ways that its Chamber of Commerce never can.

New series review: Cashmere Mafia (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2008-01-04T11:23:47-06:00
Then moves to regular 9 p.m. Wednesday slot Starring: Lucy Liu, Frances O'Connor, Bonnie Somerville, Miranda Otto, Peter Hermann, Julian Ovenden Produced by: Darren Star, Kevin Wade, Michael Pressman, Gail Katz, Jeff Rake By ED BARK ABC's Big Shots, no longer in its longterm plans, presented a quartet of nakedly ambitious male Manhattan CEOs who conspired and drank a lot together in very expensive locales and wardrobes.

Help them make it through their nights

Ed Bark — 2008-01-03T13:59:29-06:00
He then stopped short of any punch line, informing his audience that this requires writers and Tonight doesn't have 'em. But what's a lantern-jawed comic going to do after two months of supporting the strike and paying parts of his staff's salaries? ... Leno goofing with Emeril and Ferguson as a goofball Prince Charles. Letterman began with a taped cold open from Hillary, who noted how long he'd been off the air.

PBS' Pioneers of Television: See-worthy but not must-see

Ed Bark — 2008-01-02T10:25:56-06:00
Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in full flower during TV's budding years. By ED BARK All hail TV's visionaries. ...Pioneers' first of four weekly chapters also looks back fondly upon I Love Lucy, Make Room For Daddy, The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Turn of the year -- with no end in sight

Ed Bark — 2007-12-31T12:51:42-06:00
Broadcast networks in particular seem ready, willing and even eager to see how well they'll do with a mix of unscripted reality concoctions, holdover new episodes of some scripted series, awards shows, big-ticket sports programming and a few "events" (CBS' six-hour Commanche Moon miniseries for one). ...For the past 10 days, NBC has been bragging about having "more new stuff" than its broadcast rivals, beginning with The Biggest Loser: Couples on New Year's night followed by a double-run of new Law & Order episodes on Jan. 2nd.

Year in review: Top 10 prime-time series

Ed Bark — 2007-12-27T11:12:19-06:00
This show definitely hasn't lost its Curb appeal, even though David now will agonize off-camera for months on end before deciding whether to re-up for another 10 episodes. ...Alas, it may be too late for that, but Lights still has enough pre-strike new episodes in the can to fill all of January (beginning on the 4th) and at least the first Friday in February.

Documentary review: The True Story of Charlie Wilson (The History Channel)

Ed Bark — 2007-12-21T13:15:29-06:00
Come listen to this story about a -- deep breath -- "womanizing, boozing, Cowboy congressman from Texas" who deployed a glamorous Houston socialite and an accomplished belly dancer to seduce support for rag-tag Afghan rebels fighting with archaic "Davy Crockett rifles" to rid their country of the mighty invading Soviet Army. ...Charlie Wilson's War, opening Friday, Dec. 21st, shouldn't be seen without at some point seeing The True Story of Charlie Wilson on The History Channel (Saturday, Dec. 22nd from 7 to 9 p.m. central).

Stewart, Colbert join late night returnees; Celebrity Apprentice makes another date -- again

Ed Bark — 2007-12-20T23:11:24-06:00
By ED BARK Too late for the Jan. 3rd Iowa caucuses but better late than never, both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report will resume production on Jan. 7th without their writing staffs. ...NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien earlier announced Jan. 2nd returns, as did ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live.

New series review: Duel (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-12-17T13:45:19-06:00
ESPN's Mike Greenberg hosts ABC's surprisingly cerebral Duel. Premiering: Monday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. (central) on ABC Hosted by: Mike Greenberg Produced by: Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun ...Its contestants laugh and cry, but they'd better not kiss their brains goodbye during this cerebral buildup to a winner-takes-all giant jackpot at the end of a six-episode arc.

Play ball: Leno, O'Brien returning to work as strike goes on

Ed Bark — 2007-12-17T10:42:00-06:00
Rick Ludwin, NBC's executive vice president of late night and prime-time series, noted in a statement that Johnny Carson "reluctantly" returned to the Tonight Show during the 1988 writers' strike. ...O'Brien, far more expansive, said his choices were "either go back to work and keep my staff employed or stay dark and allow 80 people, many of whom have worked for me for 14 years, to lose their jobs.

Found: Lost on Thursdays, beginning Jan. 31st

Ed Bark — 2007-12-16T19:43:37-06:00
They'll begin unraveling on Thursday, Jan 31st at 8 p.m. (central), preceding that same night's premiere of the new legal drama Eli Stone, which also had been in pre-strike production. ...ABC, last of the four major networks to announced a strike-impacted midseason lineup, also said that new seasons of Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor will begin on Monday, March 17th.

Raggedy Andy -- Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2007-12-14T13:10:45-06:00
This all could have ended very darkly, with fame-seeking Andy Millman (Gervais) succumbing on all fours while his faithful friend and companion, Maggie Jacobs (Ashley Jensen), ended up destitute after wasting her time with him. ..."I want to be associated with credible stuff," Andy tells an on-the-make agent before dropping inept but loyal Darren Lamb (Extras co-creator Darren Lamb).

Idol's head Brit wants no part of "Brit"

Ed Bark — 2007-12-13T14:11:50-06:00
***Idol "got carried away" with celebrity mentors last season, and didn't spend enough time on the backgrounds of contestants, he says. ...Hmm, one of Lythgoe's big favorites last season was 16-year-old Baylie Brown of Krum, TX, who made it to Hollywood but got bounced after forgetting lyrics during a preliminary round.

Golden Globes plug in to cable

Ed Bark — 2007-12-13T09:33:40-06:00
Nominees Glenn Close of Damages, Lee Pace of Pushing Daisies By ED BARK It's a blowout, even with barely any help from The Sopranos. ...AMC's Mad Men series gave that network its first two nominations ever while 90-year-old Ernest Borgnine put The Hallmark Channel on the map with a best actor nomination for A Grandpa For Christmas.

Hulu? Who knew?

Ed Bark — 2007-12-12T13:34:13-06:00
Hulu's eclectic list of programming choices, in just its very formative stages, ranges from Hill Street Blues to Family Guy, from Doogie Howser, M.D. to Scrubs. ...For no charge, you can dial up the complete premiere episodes and more of Emmy caliber series such as Hill Street, Doogie, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Miami Vice, The Practice, St.

New series review -- Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants (The CW)

Ed Bark — 2007-12-11T16:12:07-06:00
Texas pageant pairs: Ada & Christan vs. Hollis & Gina. Premiering: Wednesday, Dec. 12th at 8 p.m. (central) on The CW Hosted by: Shanna Moakler Starring: 11 mother-daughter combos Created by: Laurie Girion ..."We're celebrating what it means to be a modern beauty, where spirit, intelligence and heart are as meaningful as a pretty face," she tells the excited contestants before they burst into the show's "Pageant House" to eat, drink and gush.

Movie review -- Oprah Winfrey Presents: Mitch Albom's For One More Day

Ed Bark — 2007-12-07T12:17:59-06:00
That's my boy: Ellen Burstyn tries to buck up Michael Imperioli. By ED BARK First off, there haven't been this many egos in a TV title since Cher managed to mention herself twice in a 1998 tribute to her late ex-husband, Sonny Bono. ...ABC's Oprah Winfrey Presents: Mitch Albom's For One More Day is a collaboration of a best-selling author and someone who makes best-selling authors with her periodic "Book Club" pronouncements.

Documentary review: 1968 (The History Channel)

Ed Bark — 2007-12-06T13:17:15-06:00
An offshoot of his current bestseller Boom!, it gives him a chance to stretch out and go the way of other broadcast news deities such as Ted Koppel and Dan Rather. ...Sporting a coat, tie and short-clipped hair, "I was the freak," Brokaw says of his long-ago visit to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, then the epicenter of the counter-culture movement.

A tale of two CBS special presentations

Ed Bark — 2007-12-04T15:50:48-06:00
Kennedy Center honorees and veteran poser Heidi "The Body" Klum. By ED BARK One event will be hosted by model citizen Caroline Kennedy. ...CBS's nightie night is co-hosted by the still picturesque Heidi Klum and her husband, Seal, who'll sing. The Spice Girls and WILL.I.AM also are scheduled to perform, although is that really necessary?

Holiday punch: TNT's The Closer re-opens for a Christmas special

Ed Bark — 2007-12-03T11:59:35-06:00
Meet the parents: The Closer does Christmas, murders included. By ED BARK The most-watched series in basic cable history celebrates the Christmas season Monday night by mixing a double homicide with a missing Perry Como CD. ...Subtitled "Next of Kin," Closer begins at home, with Deputy police chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) none-too-happily helping to trim a Christmas tree with live-in boyfriend/FBI agent Fritz Howard (Jon Tenney).

Still kicking -- both Don Hewitt and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Ed Bark — 2007-11-30T12:26:56-06:00
By ED BARK Legendary producer Don Hewitt is reasonably sure he was there at the creation -- of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, that is. ...Hewitt, who plans to turn 85 on Dec. 14th, now is producing the first-ever telecast of New York's trademark holiday high-kicker, which is in its 75th anniversary year.

Christmas special review: Shrek the Halls (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-11-28T16:04:10-06:00
And in fact, ABC is pairing this half-hour special (Wednesday at 7 p.m. central) with the evergreen How the Grinch Stole Christmas. ...In the end all is well, but not without a good deal of Christmas Eve chaos caused by Shrek's well-meaning but rowdy friends.

Dancing's checkered flag goes to Indy 500 champ

Ed Bark — 2007-11-27T22:39:42-06:00
By ED BARK Showing off his other motor skills, two-time Indy 500 champ Helio Castroneves took first place Tuesday night in the latest Dancing with the Stars finale. ...The show's other victors are former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith and ex-boy band singer Drew Lachey, who now will host a Jan. 7th spinoff titled Dance Wars: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann.

As the stomach turns: Notes from the Underbelly back for more

Ed Bark — 2007-11-26T14:16:17-06:00
Its lead-ins are the fall season's final performance edition of Dancing with the Stars followed by a new episode of the bonafide hit comedy Samantha Who?. ...Both returnees stand to make more of an impression in times when the writers' strike will be reducing most ongoing series to reruns after the November "sweeps" ratings period ends Wednesday.

Made-for-TV movie review: A Grandpa for Christmas (Hallmark Channel)

Ed Bark — 2007-11-23T10:28:16-06:00
Ernest Borgnine hits it off with co-star Juliette Goglia. By ED BARK Yeah, I kind of thought he was dead, too. ...Farr and Helmond, in little demand since their respective co-starring roles in M*A*S*H and Who's the Boss?, also get a chance to rise and shine in decent-sized supporting roles.

New series review -- Frank TV (TBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-11-19T15:34:21-06:00
By ED BARK Your first impression of Frank Caliendo is bound to be, "Hey, that's the guy who does John Madden." ...Caliendo also brings in Al Pacino and Robert De Niro as hosts of an At the Movies-esque show titled Go Or Don't Go.

Movie review: More of Me (Lifetime)

Ed Bark — 2007-11-16T13:58:30-06:00
Shannon, best known from her SNL tour as creepy Catholic schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher, doesn't exactly get the role of a lifetime in More of Me. She's Alice McGrath, a do-it-all mother of six-year-old twins who's lately obsessed with saving an historic old tree in danger of being uprooted by a bridge.

Still in play with new episodes -- but not for long

Ed Bark — 2007-11-14T10:45:28-06:00
Back to You's doofus leading men conspire to evict a raccoon. By ED BARK Fox has just two comedies that aren't cartoons, unless you count the network's pre- and post-game NFL shows. Both air on Wednesday nights, but Back to You and Til' Death are down to just a small handful of new episodes before the ongoing writers' strike rings in the reruns.

Soldiering on: CBS' The Unit buries a lead character

Ed Bark — 2007-11-13T07:34:24-06:00
On Tuesday's second of a two-part episode (8 p.m. central), team leader Jonas Blane (Dennis Haysbert) and his brothers in arms grieve in their own insular ways over the loss of medic Hector Williams (Demore Barnes). ...And so in true Rambo fashion, Blane sends his men out of harm's way with their dead comrade while he stays to singlehandedly compete the second half of the mission.

Reba and LeAnn: Damn, they were good together

Ed Bark — 2007-11-11T23:17:33-06:00
Uncle Barky usually isn't much of a buckaroo buddy, but last Wednesday's CMA awards duet by Reba McEntire and LeAnn Rimes is still resonating with me. I thought it'd be a great way to start off a Monday, so here they are singing "When You Love Someone Like That."

WRITERS' STRIKE: Fox stops the clock on 24, makes a date with Idol

Ed Bark — 2007-11-08T07:21:36-06:00
Fox announced Wednesday that "Day 7" of 24, originally set to launch with a two-hour, Jan. 13th premiere, has been postponed indefinitely so that the series can air uninterrupted in its entirety. ...***Three previously announced scripted series -- Unhitched, The Return of Jezebel James and Canterbury's Law (starring ER alum Julianna Margulies) -- respectively are supposed to premiere on March 2nd, March 7th and April 11th.

WRITERS' STRIKE: First casualties are late night talkers

Ed Bark — 2007-11-05T18:27:17-06:00
Strike proof: CBS' six-hour Commanche Moon, co-starring Wes Studi (left), is already on DVD discs sent to critics; NBC's announced new version of American Gladiators, hosted by Hulk Hogan, is unscripted. ...Repeats immediately are in effect until further notice for NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien; CBS' Late Show with David Letterman and Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson; ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live and Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report.

Williams gets his SNL fix

Ed Bark — 2007-11-05T18:27:11-06:00
His best moments on SNL were as "Principal Jeffries" on a mock CW show and as a non-plussed $15 million Publishers Clearing House winner who later got excited when a pizza deliveryman told him that free cheesy bread was included. ...Williams wasn't a part of that one, but did play himself in a later bit in which he prepped an inept group of Democratic candidates for a debate while telling them that "all of us in the media want her (Hillary) to be the nominee."

Damages: Still too Close to call?

Ed Bark — 2007-11-02T14:49:56-05:00
Glenn Close conspires with Rose Byrne in FX's exemplary Damages. By ED BARK News this week that FX has renewed Rescue Me for a fifth season begs a companion question. ...Close, who earlier spent a season on The Shield, is on board to do Damages for several seasons to come, says John Solberg, senior vice president of media relations for FX.

Retro-cooler than William Shatner? Robert Goulet gave it his best shot

Ed Bark — 2007-10-31T13:05:44-05:00
Singer Robert Goulet, a staple of vintage prime-time variety series, has died of lung cancer....

Bats and balls are still good for a hit or two

Ed Bark — 2007-10-30T12:40:27-05:00
Joe Buck and Tim McCarver again manned Fox's Series coverage. By ED BARK The World Series, even another truncated one, can still put a network on the scoreboard. ...Three of the four Series games also cracked the weekly top 10 among advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds, a list that was topped by Fox's House.

Finding another vain: Nip/Tuck's docs leave Miami for L.A.

Ed Bark — 2007-10-29T18:01:49-05:00
Somehow all of this is a big, hanky-wringing hit with today's audiences, even though the acting on this show within the show makes one long for those comparatively delicate performances from William Shatner on T.J. ...The first two episodes also accommodate an aging actress enduring a facelift against her better judgment; a younger Hearts 'n Scalpels thespian who's ashamed of her gastric bypass scar; two dueling Marilyn Monroe impersonators demanding boob jobs and a studio executive who's badly pockmarked with wounds inflicted by his dominatrix.

What About Brian? Is hosting Saturday Night Live a gravitas offense?

Ed Bark — 2007-10-29T10:42:38-05:00
Brian Williams knows how to be a good talk show guest, but is hosting Saturday Night Live going more than a little too far? ...He'd already proved to be a glib and nimble guest, notably on the night when Cher observed during a 1996 Tonight Show that Williams was undeniably handsome but looked "too Republican" in his usual suit and tie.

History channel hokum: Lost Book of Nostradamus

Ed Bark — 2007-10-26T14:15:25-05:00
History Channel spreads the doom and gloom thick, continually replaying the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center towers while Nostradamus-ites say that his -- or maybe not his -- drawing of a flaming castle tower clearly predicted this cataclysmic event. Since that terrible day, "there are few moments in history when man has stood so close to the brink of creating and experiencing destruction on a massive scale," says the program's ever-ominous sounding narrator.

Cuban's out, but so is Kym. No fair

Ed Bark — 2007-10-24T16:07:37-05:00
To have and to hold: No more lush Kym Johnson for Mavs man. By ED BARK As you've likely read here or elsewhere, Mark Cuban's finally a goner on ABC's Dancing with the Stars after bouts with the fox trot, mambo, jive, Viennese waltz and samba. ...But Kym's the show's sim sala bim, and Cuban couldn't have had a nicer, suppler woman to baby-step him through Dancing's first four rounds.

No longer a shoe-in: Cuban's Dancing daze is over

Ed Bark — 2007-10-24T01:55:15-05:00
Last handshakes, last dance: A game Cuban's over and out. ABC photos By ED BARK Even a previous night's fainting spell by Marie Osmond couldn't keep Mark Cuban's faint hopes alive. ...He cast himself as a nerd for his final dance, wearing taped-at-the-bridge glasses and a standard issue white shirt while Johnson made Barbara Eden look like Roseanne Barr in her fetching I Dream of Jeannie outfit.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Viva Laughlin (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-10-12T18:06:23-05:00
Then moves to Sundays at 7 p.m. Starring: Lloyd Owen, Madchen Amick, Eric Winter, DB Woodside, Carter Jenkins, Ellen Woglom, P.J. Byrne Produced by: Bob Lowry, Hugh Jackman, John Palermo ...The overall drama is weak here, and the musical interludes keep getting shorter as the hour goes on. It's as if CBS already is wondering what the hell it's gotten itself into -- and whether there's still time to throw the songs off a cliff.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Samantha Who? (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-10-12T16:38:31-05:00
No, that's seldom in the prime-time TV cards, although tubby, loutish men of the According to Jim variety never seem to have any trouble thinking the world of themselves. ...Samantha gradually learns that she's an alcoholic, has $30,000 in credit card debt and broke up with her boyfriend, Todd (Barry Watson), who's now trying to re-extricate himself.

Price check: Drew Carey's on the money

Ed Bark — 2007-10-12T15:47:15-05:00
Absent Bob Barker for the first time in 35 years, The Price Is Right begins putting its money on a chunky, bespectacled newcomer Monday (10 a.m. central time on CBS). ...He seems a bit nervous and abrupt at first, immediately getting down to the business of bidding on a scuba diving kit enroute to a chance to win a new Jeep.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney Channel)

Ed Bark — 2007-10-12T09:13:44-05:00
Dallas-born Selena Gomez stars as a kid who sometimes spells trouble on Disney Channel's new Wizards of Waverly Place. Premiering: Friday, Oct. 12 at 8:30 p.m. (central) on Disney Channel Starring: Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Jake T. ...Its new Wizards of Waverly Place, premiering Friday, already seems effortlessly cute, reasonably funny and certain to join the network's fave rave hit parade of Hannah Montana, the High School Musical movies, That's So Raven, The Cheetah Girls movies, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Lizzie McGuire, etc.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Women's Murder Club (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-10-11T13:34:07-05:00
Angie Harmon (center) fronts the cast of Women's Murder Club. Premiering: Friday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Angie Harmon, Paula Newsome, Aubrey Dollar, Laura Harris, Tyrees Allen, Rob Estes, Linda Park Produced by: James Patterson, Scott Gimmel, Liz Craft By ED BARK Here's a night and a timeslot where ABC not so long ago accommodated the likes of Step By Step and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Still on his feet: Cuban cleared for a fourth round on Dancing

Ed Bark — 2007-10-10T06:29:57-05:00
Not so Mr. LV and two-time champ Cheryl Burke. By ED BARK He's now outlasted two models and a Model T. ...Despite receiving generally low scores from Dancing's three judges, Cuban now has successfully navigated the fox trot, mambo and jive in outlasting one-quarter of the show's original 12-celebrity field.

Those sinking feelings: Big Four networks' new season numbers are down, down, down, down

Ed Bark — 2007-10-09T13:36:37-05:00
ABC's Private Practice and Pushing Daisies were the only new shows to hit prime-time's top 25 in Week 2 of the new fall season. ...Only two series, ABC's Pushing Daisies and Private Practice, made the week's Top 25 in both total viewers and with 18-to-49-year-olds.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Cavemen

Ed Bark — 2007-10-08T14:24:44-05:00
Joel's got the hot Homo Sapien on ABC's Cavemen. Airing: Tuesdays at 7 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Bill English, Sam Huntington, Nick Kroll, Kaitlin Doubleday Produced by: Josh Gordon, Will Speck, Daniel Rappaport, Guymon Casady ...Paired with the not so bad Carpoolers as part of ABC's "Man Date" night, it's visually hairy without being demonstrably harebrained.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Life is Wild (The CW)

Ed Bark — 2007-10-05T14:17:36-05:00
The blended Clarke brood hits the road in South Africa. Premiering Sunday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. (central) on The CW Starring: Leah Pipes, Andrew St. ...But it will get no lead-in help at all from CW ratings bomb Online Nation, which couldn't even be called comatose with 690,000 viewers nationally for last Sunday's premiere.

FALL TV PREVIEW: NBC promos take the football out of Friday Night Lights, but the series is better than ever

Ed Bark — 2007-10-04T17:05:26-05:00
Childbirth helps, too, and this is where FNL's most valuable player comes in. She's Tami Taylor (Connie Britton), wife of former Panthers coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler). ...The Panthers' new coach, dubbed "The Tennessee Tyrant," is a stone cold disciplinarian who quickly puts the team's fate in the hands of brash running back "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles) rather than still introverted quarterback Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford).

FALL TV PREVIEW: Seinfeld revisits Thursday on 30 Rock

Ed Bark — 2007-10-03T17:03:26-05:00
A 30 Rock guest shot by onetime NBC potentate Jerry Seinfeld presumably can't hurt when the Peacock's most under-appreciated show returns for its second season Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (central). ...NBC owns a wealth of old clips from Seinfeld, and Donaghy is just the guy to digitally use Jerry as a pitchman in clips for Heroes, Deal Or No Deal and a sendup of CBS' Kid Nation.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Pushing Daisies (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-10-03T11:36:49-05:00
On Wednesday's premiere, narrator Jim Dale (voice of the Harry Potter audio books) spends nearly six and a half minutes setting up the story, which originates in the peaceable earthly kingdom of Couer d' Couers.... Especially when the show's writers seem to think it adds to the story by giving the main characters' ages not only in years, but in weeks, hours and minutes.

Cuban avoids a knockout and can still come out swingin'

Ed Bark — 2007-10-02T21:37:50-05:00
Cuban's mambo co-starred lush Kym Johnson in Sheena garb. By ED BARK Mark Cuban got a little shock therapy on Tuesday's Dancing with the Stars, surviving to hoof and puff another night without even having to break a sweat. The Dallas Mavericks owner and pro partner Kym Johnson learned midway through the show that they'd been "saved" instead of again relegated to Dancing's Bottom Two scorers.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Carpoolers (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-10-02T09:42:39-05:00
ABC's Cavemen wasn't available for review; its Carpoolers will do. Premiering: Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Fred Goss, Faith Ford, Jerry O'Connell, Jerry Minor, Tim Peper, T.J. ...Goofier than Goofy, Carpoolers won't be measuring up to any classic comedies but at least can play in the same league with How I Met Your Mother.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Aliens In America (The CW)

Ed Bark — 2007-10-01T12:50:43-05:00
New pals Justin Tolchuck and Raja Musharaff give The CW a lift. Premiering: Monday, Oct 1 at 7:30 p.m. (central) on The CW Starring: Dan Byrd, Adhir Kalyan, Amy Pietz, Scott Patterson, Lindsey Shaw Produced by: Tim Doyle, Moses Port, David Guarascio ...This sends fictional Medora, Wisconsin's Justin Tolchuck (Dan Byrd) running home in horror and humiliation while his protective mom Franny (Amy Pietz) schemes to somehow make him cool in the eyes of teen sadists like the Palladino twins.

FALL TV PREVIEW: Returning series -- Dexter (Showtime)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-28T15:35:11-05:00
Keith Carradine joins Dexter this season as a "rock star" FBI agent. By ED BARK Newly impotent in his own uniquely shivery way, "America's Favorite Serial Killer" is having a tough time cutting it as Showtime's Dexter returns for a 12-episode second season. ...Also returning to the series is Dexter's still traumatized foster sister, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter), a fellow cop who unknowingly had been dating the "Ice Truck Killer" before nearly becoming his victim.

Cops: 20 seasons of Saturday night takedowns

Ed Bark — 2007-09-28T09:41:14-05:00
Cops creator John Langley knows what he wants by now: Action! By ED BARK American clearly has an inexhaustible supply of low-life troublemakers. ...Now in its 20th season, it's been a no-frills Saturday night mainstay on Fox since the days when competition included the likes of Empty Nest, Mr. Belevedere, 227 and China Beach.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Moonlight (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-27T15:06:48-05:00
They all have dark hair. Premiering: Friday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring: Alex O'Loughlin, Sophia Myles, Jason Dohring, Shannyn Sossamon Produced by: Joel Silver, Ron Koslow, Rod Holcomb ...CBS canceled the far superior Close to Home to accommodate Moonlight, deemed to be a better Friday night follow up act this season for a darkened Ghost Whisperer.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Big Shots (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-27T09:08:05-05:00
Big Shots, fronted by Dylan McDermott (The Practice), is supposed to provide a peephole into what it means to be a man these days. ...So on this show she makes a modicum of sense when asking, "What kind of a man would be so deceitful as to lie to the woman he's cheating on his wife with?"

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Dirty Sexy Money (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-26T12:38:31-05:00
Peter Krause is sucked in by Donald Sutherland on Dirty Sexy Money. Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland, Jill Clayburgh, Natalie Zea, William Baldwin, Glenn Fitzgerald, Seth Gabel, Samaire Armstrong, Zoe McLellan Created by: Craig Wright ...DSM looks cinematic, feels big and even has latter day suer Dan Rather cameo-ing as himself and asking one of the rich, spoiled, Manhattan-based Darlings whether he'll make a run for the U.S. Senate.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Life (NBC)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-26T11:42:09-05:00
Sarah Shahi, now and then, co-stars in the new NBC series Life. Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 9 (central) on NBC Starring: Damian Lewis, Sarah Shahi, Adam Arkin, Brooke Langton, Robin Weigert Produced by: Rand Ravich, Far Shariat, David Semel ...NBC's Life is a multi-layered original in its own right, though, largely because star Damian Lewis plays detective Charlie Crews with such distinctive precision.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Private Practice (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-26T10:36:58-05:00
Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, Amy Brenneman, Audra McDonald, Paul Adelstein, KaDee Strickland, Chris Lowell Created by: Shonda Rimes ...Another familiar face, Paul Adelstein, is segueing from the second season of Fox's Prison Break, where he got killed, to the role of pediatrician Cooper Freedman, whose hobby is serial Internet dating.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Bionic Woman (NBC)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-26T08:37:45-05:00
Battle of the bionics: Vet Sarah Corvus vs. rookie Jaime Sommers. Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: Michelle Ryan, Chris Bowers, Miguel Ferrer, Will Yun Lee, Molly Price, Lucy Kate Hale, Katee Sackhoff, Mark Sheppard Produced by: David Eick, Jason Smilovic ...That's a good thing for this first episode, which is greatly energized by a stormy night catfight between stalker Sarah and game Jaime, who's still testing her abilities to run like the wind, leap tall buildings in a single bound and use her fists as sledgehammers.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Cane (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-25T09:08:25-05:00
Jimmy Smits is front and center in the new serial drama Cane. Premiering: Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring: Jimmy Smits, Nestor Carbonell, Hector Elizondo, Paola Turbay, Rita Morena, Polly Walker, Michael Trevino, Alona Tal, Samuel Carman, Lina Esco, Eddie Matos, Ken Howard Created by: Cynthia Cidre ...Cane will have to be able to stitch this all together both plausibly and compellingly in a challenging time slot opposite NBC's Law & Order: SVU and ABC's Boston Legal.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Reaper (The CW)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-25T08:06:38-05:00
The Devil wants his due from sad sack Sam Oliver. Premiering: Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. (central) on The CW Starring: Bret Harrison, Ray Wise, Tyler Labine, Missy Peregrym, Rick Gonzales, Valarie Rae Miller Created by: Michele Fazekas, Tara Butters ...This is the best of the new crop, a darkly funny fable about a 21-year-old semi-loser who learns that his soul now belongs to the devil.

Talkin' junk: Cuban leads with mouth before stepping out

Ed Bark — 2007-09-24T20:48:57-05:00
By ED BARK His fox trot won't be flooring it until Tuesday night's Dancing with the Stars. ...However he fares Tuesday night, Cubes should be able to outlast model Josie Maran, who scraped bottom with a 16 score and likely is little known to the masses.

FALL TV PREVIEW: Battle of the Network Nerds -- Chuck (NBC) vs. The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-24T06:54:25-05:00
Take your pick, ladies. Chuck, premiering Monday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, Adam Baldwin, Sarah Lancaster Created by: Josh Schwartz, McG ...Co-creator Chuck Lorre also has Monday's following Two And a Half Men in play, so he knows how to make a sitcom pop. This one may wear pretty well, even if Penny really must be crazy to hook up with guys who make even Richard Simmons seem manly.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Journeyman (NBC)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-24T05:44:23-05:00
Instead he'll jump through several more back-and-forth hoops, at one point encountering his old self with dead fiancee Livia Beale (Moon Bloodgood from last season's similarly constructed Day Break). ...McKidd, one of several sturdy Brits starring in new dramas this fall, has migrated from the lusty lad trappings of HBO's Rome.

FALL TV PREVIEW: The War (PBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-21T15:28:40-05:00
But in the end -- for those who stick it out -- it's impossible not to salute him for a monumental melding of images, music, eyewitness recollections, writing (by longtime collaborator Geoffrey Ward) and narration (again from the redoubtable Keith David). ...Burns insists that these interviews won't look as though they're "tacked on." But they do in fact feel that way, particularly after Jones already has seemingly brought an emotional end to Chapter 1 with her first singing of "American Anthem."

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Kid Nation (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-19T20:23:10-05:00
Mike manned up, Sophia won a $20,000 gold star and little Jimmy up and called it quits on the premiere episode of CBS' Kid Nation. ...Little eight-year-old Jimmy of Salem, N.H., Kid Nation's youngest "pioneer" and first voluntary quitter, pretty much summed up what faces CBS during the opening bus ride into deserted Bonanza City, New Mexico.

Giving himself a black eye: Rather sues CBS long after his fall

Ed Bark — 2007-09-19T15:47:45-05:00
Rather and his attorneys filed a $70 million lawsuit Wednesday afternoon, contending that CBS brass, led by Leslie Moonves, had railroaded him in the aftermath of a Sept. 8, 2004 investigative report that questioned President Bush's Texas National Guard service during the Vietnam War era. ...Others prepared it, and he simply recited their words on the air after being persuaded by CBS News management to devote most of his time to Hurricane Frances and Bill Clinton's heart surgery.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Back to You (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-18T21:10:43-05:00
Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. (central) on Fox Starring: Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Fred Willard, Ty Burrell, Josh Gad, Ayda Field, Laura Marano Created by: Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd ...Also, McGinley tries to figure out how a magician made an orange materialize in a man's shorts while Carr says at a news meeting, "I think Montana should cover the pumpkin festival."

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Kitchen Nightmares (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-18T16:29:45-05:00
Gordon Ramsay fires up the staff at an unappetizing Italian eatery. Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. (central) on Fox Starring: Gordon Ramsay Produced by: Gordon Ramsay ...Ah, but he means well, even when he's telling you to shove that spatula up your bleepin' bleep and get the bleep outta here before I bleepin' stick your bleepin' hand in the mixin' bowl and serve it as bleepin' blood sausage.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Gossip Girl (CW)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-18T14:39:03-05:00
xxx.ooo. Premiering: Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. (central) on CW Starring: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford, Penn Badgley, Taylor Momsen, Ed Westwick, Matthew Settle, Kelly Rutherford, Nan Zhang, Nicole Fiscella Produced by: Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage ...Adapted from the series of "young-adult" novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, it's producer/writer Josh Schwartz's followup to The O.C. Oh see if you can stand his new set of "privileged prep school teens" and the unseen but regularly heard blogger who chronicles their single-minded pursuits of self-gratification.

Censors have a Field day on Fox Emmy telecast

Ed Bark — 2007-09-16T23:02:20-05:00
Best Miniseries -- Broken Trail (AMC) Best Made-For-TV Movie -- Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee (HBO) Lead Actor, Miniseries or Movie -- Robert Duvall, Broken Trail (AMC) Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie -- Thomas Haden Church, Broken Trail (AMC) Lead Actress, Miniseries or Movie -- Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect: The Final Act (PBS) Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie -- Judy Davis, The Starter Wife (USA)... Writing for Variety, Music or Comedy Program -- Head writer Mike Sweeney and 15 others, Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC) Writing, Drama Series -- David Chase, The Sopranos (HBO) Writing, Comedy Series -- Greg Daniels, The Office (NBC) Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special -- Frank Deasy, Prime Suspect: The Final Act (PBS)

FALL SEASON PREVIEW: Fox's Prison Break goes directly to jail again, does not collect $200

Ed Bark — 2007-09-14T13:01:16-05:00
Motley crew: Prison Break bellies up to the bars anew. Third season premiere: Monday night, Sept. 17 at 7 (central) on Fox Starring: Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Robert Knepper, Wade Williams, William Fichtner, Amaury Nolasco, Robert Wisdom, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Danay Garcia, Chris Vance Produced by: Paul T. ...Fox's Prison Break gets back to basics with a vengeance Monday, beginning its third season within the sub-filthy confines of a no-holds-barred Panama prison run by a select few of its inmates.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series--K-Ville (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-14T11:01:06-05:00
Cole Hauser and Anthony Anderson partner up in Fox's K-Ville. Premiering: Monday night, Sept. 17 at 8 (central) on Fox Starring: Anthony Anderson, Cole Hauser, Tawny Cypress, John Carroll Lynch, Blake Shields Created by: Jonathan Lisco ...Anderson and Hauser are solid enough in the lead roles, so at least there's a foundation to build on. You get the feeling, though, that K-Ville just isn't long for this world.

FALL TV PREVIEW: New series -- Nashville (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-13T14:08:47-05:00
Girls of Nashville: 3rd from left is Terry Bradshaw's daughter, Rachel. Premiering: Friday night, Sept. 14 at 8 (central) on Fox Starring: Rachel Bradshaw, Chuck Wicks, Mika Combs, Clint Moseley, Sarah Gunsolus, Matt Jenkins, Lindsey Hager, Jeff Allen, Monty Powell Produced by: Gary and Julie Auerbach, Liz Bronstein, Tina Gazzerro, Hans Tobeason By ED BARK Country cute and rarin' to lasso themselves some stardom, the boys and girls of Fox's Nashville are way too young to really remember Robert Altman's Nashville.

Couric's trip to Iraq only widens ratings gap

Ed Bark — 2007-09-11T13:55:00-05:00
Katie Couric's credibility-flavored first trip to Iraq dropped her CBS Evening News even farther behind the one-two punch of ABC's World News with Charles Gibson and the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. ...World News (7.81 million) and Nightly News (7.79 million) finished in a virtual tie, with the ABC program gaining 210,000 viewers and Nightly News dropping a negligible 40,000.

FALL TV PREVIEW -- Cable's departures, arrivals

Ed Bark — 2007-09-10T15:00:43-05:00
TNT's The Closer ends its 3rd season but FX's Nip/Tuck is enroute. By ED BARK Notable cable series are both winding down and gearing up in the next several weeks.... Monday (Sept. 10) -- Third season finale of TNT's The Closer at 8 p.m.; first season finale of TBS' The Bill Engvall Show at 8 p.m.; second season finale of TBS' My Boys at 9:30 p.m.

Documentary review: Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-07T14:00:15-05:00
By ED BARK Sad, poignant, painful and inspiring, HBO's Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq won't let you forget it anytime soon. ...But one of the documentary's more affecting moments comes when Jay Wilkerson, previously an Army staff sergeant, talks about trying to regain his memory after taking shrapnel in his cheek that then lodged in his brain.

New series review: Tell Me You Love Me (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-07T10:47:07-05:00
Undersexed Dave and Katie have a good listener in therapist May. Premiering: Sunday night, Sept. 9, at 8 (central) on HBO Starring: Jane Alexander, Ally Walker, Tim DeKay, Adam Scott, Sonya Walger, Michelle Borth, Luke Farrell Kirby, David Selby, Sherry Stringfield Produced by: Cynthia Mort, Gavin Polone ..."I wouldn't even think about having actors do it," said Showtime entertainment president Robert Greenblatt, whose network doesn't spare the skin in series such as The L Word, The Tudors and its new Californication.

Returning series review: Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2007-09-06T15:59:32-05:00
Forever fated to take it in the shorts, sourball Larry David is back on track in 10 new and welcome episodes of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. ...1 and 5 TV markets, Curb will be competing with the Dallas Cowboys-New York Giants game on opening night of NBC's Sunday Night Football.

Katie Couric goes to war

Ed Bark — 2007-09-05T12:21:55-05:00
Previous attempts to make the CBS Evening News breezier or more appealing to younger audiences have been scrapped in favor of attracting a larger percentage of those older, "core" audiences for dinner hour newscasts. ...It's yet to be seen if Couric's trip to Iraq nudges the ratings meter upward or builds a firmer foundation for her second year in the CBS Evening News anchor chair.

Mark Cuban and Kym Johnson: He's lovin' it

Ed Bark — 2007-08-30T11:05:05-05:00
Dancing with the Stars pro Kym Johnson has made both Jerry Springer and Joey Fatone look good. Can she do the same for Mark Cuban? By ED BARK Dallas Mavericks owner and Dancing with the Stars contestant Mark Cuban had his first close encounter Wednesday with Kym Johnson.

TV movie review: The Murder of Princess Diana (Lifetime)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-24T15:55:48-05:00
Fictional reporter Rachel Visco is put at the scene of Diana's death. Premiering: Saturday night, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. (central) on Lifetime Starring: Jennifer Morrison, Gregori Derangere, Kevin McNally Directed by: John Strickland ...Or to put it another way, Lifetime is going to burn viewers Saturday night with its thoroughly shoddy and ridiculous The Murder of Princess Diana.

Putting Anchorwoman in its place

Ed Bark — 2007-08-24T09:52:30-05:00
He then cashed another check while others also cashed in. ABC's Good Morning America had three lengthy pieces on Anchorwoman, the last a live interview of Jones. ...Fear-mongering and laughable consumer tips are running rampant at the expense of reporting that requires more than camping out near a police scanner or spending an hour with Dr. Youthcream.

Kid Nation "controversy" -- if only some people would grow up

Ed Bark — 2007-08-22T14:12:02-05:00
This hasn't stopped The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times from recently running lengthy stories questioning whether all of this amounted to child abuse or neglect on the part of Kid Nation's producers. ...During a mid-July "press tour" interview session with Kid Nation's producers, some TV critics were skeptical as to whether the young stars were really roughing it at all.

New series review: Anchorwoman (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-21T15:34:41-05:00
Sour and sweet: Self-absorbed KYTX-TV incumbent Annalisa Petralia more or less tries to school novice blondie Lauren Jones. Premiering: Wednesday night, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. (central) on Fox Starring: Lauren Jones, Annalisa Petralia, Phil Hurley, Dan Delgado, Michele Reese, Stormy the Weather Dog Produced by: Brian Gadinsky ... Lauren Jones and Annalisa Petralia: they sure do like their mikes. Jones certainly plays the role, arriving at KYTX in a low-cut Cheetah top and red convertible.

Made-for-TV movie review: As You Like It (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-20T16:55:19-05:00
Director Kenneth Branagh with his Shakespeareans in As You Like It. Premiering: Tuesday night, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. (central) on HBO Starring: Kevin Kline, Bryce Dallas Howard, Adrian Lester, Alfred Molina, Brian Blessed, Romoia Garai, David Oyelowo, Janet McTeer Directed and produced by: Kenneth Branagh By ED BARK Not to reinforce any stereotypes, but no pro football linemen will be watching HBO's lilting and lengthy adaptation of Shakespeare's As You Like It.

Disney's High School Musical 2 tackles Cowboys ratings record holder for loss

Ed Bark — 2007-08-20T10:43:39-05:00
By ED BARK Final national Nielsen ratings put The Disney Channel's High School Musical 2 in the record books on two fronts. ...Disney Channel also cleaned up Friday night with a sneak preview of its new Phineas & Ferb animated series (10.8 million viewers nationally) and a new episode of Hannah Montana (10.7 million).

High School Musical 2 could make ratings history for Disney Channel, basic cable

Ed Bark — 2007-08-16T16:06:45-05:00
Disney also is layering this cake with a sneak peek at its new Phineas and Ferb animated series (8:45 p.m.), followed by a new episode of Hannah Montana (9:15 p.m.) with guest stars The Jonas Brothers. ...He's not wrong about that, and so it won't really matter that Disney has decided to keep review copies of HSM2 out of the hands of TV critics for fear of piracy.

Science of Dogs: "Breeds to suit our needs"

Ed Bark — 2007-08-14T14:05:32-05:00
Explorer: Science of Dogs (Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. central on the National Geographic Channel) is a thoroughly fascinating look at what humankind has done to our four-legged "best friends." ...It's something of a Frankenstein's monster syndrome, with one in four of 20 million purebred dogs in the United States now afflicted with some form of genetic problem, according to the documentary.

John From Cincinnati gets "Dear John"

Ed Bark — 2007-08-14T11:41:18-05:00
Deep-sixed: Austin Nichols sinks along with John From Cincinnati. By ED BARK HBO has sent John From Cincinnati to a watery grave, canceling the mystical, but only occasionally magical surfer series after a 10-episode first season that ended Sunday. ..."The truth of the matter is if we pick up John, David will have to go right back into working on that show for next summer," said HBO programming group president Michael Lombardo.

Merv Griffin: singer, talker, gamer (1925-2007)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-13T11:05:46-05:00
A 2006 three-disc DVD set contained highlights from interviews with the likes of Richard Burton, Jane Fonda (with her then husband, Roger Vadim), Ingrid Bergman, Martin Luther King Jr., Grace Kelly, Orson Welles, Richard Pryor (whom he discovered), Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld and Sophia Loren. ...Every guest who appears on my show is researched by my staff, pre-interviewed for pertinent facts about his or her current activities, and then just prior to show time the talent coordinator responsible for a particular guest's appearance gives me a quick briefing."

New series review: Californication (Showtime)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-12T19:30:01-05:00
David Duchovny lines 'em up in Showtime's Californication. Premiering: Monday night, Aug. 13 at 9:30 (central) on Showtime Starring: David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone, Madeleine Martin, Evan Handler Produced by: Tom Kapinos, Stephen Hopkins, David Duchovny ...Hank not surprisingly is played by David Duchovny, who's been wandering in a wilderness of bad career choices before and since The X-Files left Fox five years ago. Still well-preserved at 47, Duchovny simply isn't an actor that most people yearn to see anymore.

New series review: Flash Gordon (Sci Fi Channel)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-09T17:08:20-05:00
Flash and Dale flash flesh in Sci Fi's "contemporized" Flash Gordon. Premiering: Friday night, Aug. 10 at 8 (central) on Sci Fi Channel Starring: Eric Johnson, Gina Holden, Jody Racicot, John Ralston, Karen Cliche, Giles Panton, Jill Teed Produced by: Peter Hume, Robert Halmi, Sr. ...Birthed in a 1934 comic strip, Flash (Eric Johnson) returns in present times on the Sci Fi Channel to battle bad-nasty Ming (John Ralston), who's had "The Merciless" subtracted and doesn't look very menacing either.

New series review: Power of 10 (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-08T08:55:12-05:00
Teenager Jamie Sadler won a mil on Drew Carey's Power of 10. By ED BARK Host Drew Carey fake-fretted Tuesday night after 19-year-old Jamie Sadler won a million bucks on the very first episode of CBS' Power of 10. ..."I'm genuinely nervous for ya," he told the kid just before he won $100,000 by coming within 20 percentage points of America's answer to, "What percentage of Americans said in a duel with Dick Cheney, they would probably get shot by the Vice President instead of the other way around?"

Miniseries review: The Company (TNT)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-03T14:45:09-05:00
Michael Keaton and Alfred Molina have pivotal roles in The Company. Premiering: Sunday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. (central) on TNT. ...The Company begins in Berlin, 1954, with crusty, hard-drinking agent Harvey "The Sorcerer" Torriti (Molina) schooling kid McAuliffe in how to be an effective operative at the height of Cold War tensions.

New series review: Masters of Science Fiction (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-03T12:11:00-05:00
Venerables Sam Waterston and Judith Davis joust Saturday night. Premiering: Saturday, Aug. 4 at 9 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Judy Davis and Sam Waterston in the premiere episode Directed by: Mark Rydell ...Masters of Suspense is almost prehistoric in its approach, harkening to the days when The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents kept viewers spellbound with a conveyor belt of cautionary spine-tinglers starring a passing parade of capable actors.

New series review: Jekyll (BBC America)

Ed Bark — 2007-08-03T10:51:04-05:00
Veteran British thespian James Nesbitt has the challenging title role, with NBC's upcoming Bionic Woman, Michelle Ryan, striving to cope as psychiatric nurse Katherine Reimer. ...Jekyll hits its low point at a zoo, where one of Dr. Jackman's sons is transported to an outdoor lion's cage in order to draw Hyde out.

New series review: Murder (Spike TV)

Ed Bark — 2007-07-31T16:56:26-05:00
Arlington-based detective Tommy LeNoir and wife Pauline after a Beverly Hills press conference for Spike TV's Murder. Photo: Ed Bark Premiering: Tuesday, July 31 at 9 p.m. (central) on Spike TV Starring: Tommy LeNoir Produced by: Jon Murray By ED BARK Spike TV's new Murder series deploys an excessively gruesome look apparently aimed at dazzling the cable network's already Hostel-hardened, young male target audience.

Tom Snyder: He laughed, he smoked, he drank, he listened

Ed Bark — 2007-07-30T20:30:05-05:00
His last television outing, CBS' The Late, Late Show with Tom Snyder, remained in progress when we talked for the last time. ...He had a brother, John, who'd live in Dallas for 20 to 25 years and was still "in the wholesale carpet business" at the time of our interview.

New series review: Damages (FX)

Ed Bark — 2007-07-24T14:44:08-05:00
Starring in Damages: Glenn Close, Ted Danson, Rose Byrne. Premiering: Tuesday night, July 24th at 9 (central) on FX Starring: Glenn Close, Ted Danson, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan, Zaljko Ivanek, Anastasia Griffith, Noah Bean Created by: Todd A. ...By ED BARK Driven by Emmy caliber performances from its two principal stars, Damages lands several notches above ongoing FX drama stalwarts The Shield, Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me.

New series review: Saving Grace (TNT)

Ed Bark — 2007-07-23T13:19:13-05:00
Premiering: Monday night, July 23rd at 9 (central) on TNT Starring: Holly Hunter, Laura San Giacomo, Leon Rippy, Kenneth Johnson, Bokeem Woodbine, Bailey Chase, Gregory Cruz, Dylan Minnette Created by: Nancy Miller ...Creator Nancy Miller also throws in a search for a missing 10-year-old girl, a coarse, womanizing millionaire cattleman and an ongoing mythology involving a prisoner (Bokeem Woodbine) on death row who's having the same "dream" as Grace.

New series review: Mad Men (AMC)

Ed Bark — 2007-07-19T17:05:28-05:00
Thursday's premiere of Mad Men fittingly enough begins in a bar, where Draper is drinking, smoking and kicking around a new way to sell Lucky Strike cigarettes. ...But whether it entirely works or not, it's still cool-sounding when Draper tells a strong-willed woman client, "What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons."

59th Annual Primetime Emmys: Goodbye Sopranos, hello 30 Rock

Ed Bark — 2007-07-19T10:14:02-05:00
NBC got one of the boosts it wanted Thursday when its ratings-challenged 30 Rock led all half-hour comedies with 10 Emmy nominations in its first year. ...Former Roseanne co-star John Goodman will try to win his first Emmy in 10 tries, this time for a guest performance on NBC's canceled Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

Miniseries review: The Bronx is Burning (ESPN)

Ed Bark — 2007-07-08T12:40:57-05:00
Down and already seemingly out of the race for post-season play, they're being resurrected this month and next in ESPN's terrifically made The Bronx Is Burning Anchored by John Turturro's dead-on evocation of the late Billy Martin, the eight-part miniseries premieres Monday, July 9th at 9 p.m. (central) after the All-Star game's home run derby.

Olbermann: This time he's really pissed

Ed Bark — 2007-07-04T11:09:22-05:00
Keith Olbermann's Independence Day-eve "Special Comment" on MSNBC's Countdown is a classic no matter what you think of him or his opinions. ...Cannily using John Wayne as his setup man, Olbermann took extreme issue with President Bush's commutation of "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence.

The late, great Beverly Sills: She put her stamp on TV, too

Ed Bark — 2007-07-03T15:01:15-05:00
Beverly Sills: recently and in 1979 TV appearance with The Muppets. By ED BARK It's been a tough year for America's foremost Sopranos. ...She also popularized it in unprecedented ways, appearing on numerous talk and variety shows while guest-hosting Johnny Carson's Tonight Show more than a dozen times by her count.

Wartime footing includes many missteps

Ed Bark — 2007-06-29T10:34:41-05:00
John King brings home the high costs of war in Battlefield Breakdown. By ED BARK What really matters has been a bit obscured in recent days. But it's hardly fair for TV critics to decry all the Paris Hilton slop while then ignoring this serious and very sobering one-hour report from CNN's investigative unit.

New series review: Hey Paula (Bravo)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-27T12:52:34-05:00
Paula with her four Chihuahuas and looking a little glassy-eyed. Premiering: Thursday, June 28, with back-to-back half-hour episodes at 9 p.m. (central) on Bravo Starring: Paula Abdul, hairstylist Daniel, publicist Jeff, wardrobe assistant Kylie and Chihuahuas Bessie Moo, Chomps, Thumbelina and Tulip Directed by: Jason Sands ...But everyone else doesn't get invited to the Grammys -- it takes four hours for Abdul's handlers to prepare her -- before taking a red eye from Los Angeles to Philadelphia to hawk her line of jewelry in the wee hours on QVC.

Summing up summertime's newbies

Ed Bark — 2007-06-27T07:28:53-05:00
So You Think You Can Dance and America's Got Talent are the only first-run summer series averaging more than 10 million viewers. ...***Ex-Wives Club (ABC) -- Its "series finale" on Monday (June 25th) couldn't come soon enough for a network that resisted divorcing it earlier despite a puny average of 4.8 million viewers per hour.

Going to Graceland: Simon gets a Gershwin

Ed Bark — 2007-06-26T14:59:08-05:00
The solo Paul Simon -- and with his better half, Art Gartfunkel. By ED BARK For much of the time it rolls along at an A-plus -- before ending on a B-flat. ...But you might come away from this special thinking about how it went on a little too long before sagging near and at the finish line.

New series review: Shaq's Big Challenge (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-25T16:51:17-05:00
Shaq and the kids, and with his personal trainer, "Doc" Colker. Premiering: Tuesday, June 26th at 8 p.m. (central) on ABC Starring: Shaquille O'Neal, six kids and six specialists Produced by: Rick Ringbakk, Greg Goldman, Shaquille O'Neal ...So it's Shaquille O'Neal to the rescue -- and on a mission he really seems to believe in. That's what makes the first two episodes of this reality series easier to swallow than one of those baby carrots that one kid says he's never had.

"Filmed Record" review: Street Thief (A&E)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-21T14:01:03-05:00
"Kaspar Carr" counts his cash in Street Thief. By ED BARK The con is on. Or is it? ...The Bader brothers have been coy about all of this, but it seems clear that they've made one helluva fake-out that later veers less successfully into a detective story.

New series review: Age of Love (NBC)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-18T14:00:48-05:00
Tongue-twisting tennis pro Mark Philippoussis encounters middle-aged Dallas "cougar" Jodie Fisher on NBC's new Age of Love. Premiering: Monday, June 18 at 8 p.m. (central) on NBC Starring: Australian tennis pro Mark Philippoussis and 13 women between the ages of 21 and 48 Hosted by Mark Consuelos ...Cribbing from ABC's The Bachelor and NBC's earlier Average Joe, the eight-episode series puts 30-year-old Australian tennis pro Mark Philippoussis in the midst of seven potential senior partners, including 46-year-old Jodie Fisher of Dallas.

TNT brings The Closer back in hopes of opening a new front

Ed Bark — 2007-06-18T09:46:19-05:00
The Closer, a basic cable ratings-setter in its first two seasons, has Kyra Sedgwick going for it and doesn't need much more. ...That would be Dr. Nathaniel Grant (Williams), a risk-taking organ transplant surgeon whose ex-wife, Kate (Kari Matchett from Invasion), still has to deal with him in her job as an "organ-donor coordinator."

Bizarro worlds: HBO's Flight of the Conchords and Showtime's Meadowlands are invitations to go mental

Ed Bark — 2007-06-15T14:19:02-05:00
Following John From Cincinnati and new episodes of Entourage, it stars two young New Zealanders who sing a bit like the Bee Gees but can claim only a lone, pathetic groupie. ...Conchords' two leads, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, are flailing and failing in New York, where they can't seem to get girls, gigs or anything resembling a decent meal.

Acid redux: VH1's Monterey 40 is worth a trip

Ed Bark — 2007-06-15T12:15:21-05:00
But Monterey also brought The Who to stateside prominence during a three-day blowout garnished with performances by The Byrds, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Buffalo Springfield, Canned Heat, Simon and Garfunkel, The Animals, Booker T and the MGs, Ravi Shankar and The Mamas & The Papas. ...The one-hour film, airing under the network's "Rock Doc" banner, both recaptures the festival and recalls it via fresh interviews with the likes of Shankar, David Crosby, Grace Slick, Michelle Phillips, Pete Townsend, record industry magnate Clive Davis and Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner.

Price cut: Bob Barker's end game

Ed Bark — 2007-06-14T12:46:37-05:00
Taped earlier this month, Barker's 6,586th and final show will air at its regular morning hour (10 a.m. central on June 15th) and then be repeated at 7 that night as an appetizer for The 34th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards. ...Barker says he hasn't been asked for any input, but did volunteer to fill in for a brief time if CBS and FreeMantle Media can't decide on a new host by the time Price's summer reruns are through.

"Tart" assessment: Dan Rather's riff on Katie Couric is deemed "sexist" by his old boss

Ed Bark — 2007-06-13T15:00:38-05:00
"However," he added, "it was clear at the time and I think it has become even clearer that the mistake was to try to bring the Today show ethos to the Evening News and to dumb it down, tart it up, in hopes of attracting a younger audience." ...CBS News president Sean McManus, in an interview with unclebarky.com at the January press tour, said he wasn't sure whether Couric's gender had anything to do with how many people were watching her newscast.

Rescue Me: Fourth season premiere (FX)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-13T10:50:01-05:00
Softie: Firefighter Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) cradles his estranged wife's newborn son while wondering whether he might be impotent during the fourth season return of FX's Rescue Me. ..."I can't believe that I'm finally the moral compass here," he tells his estranged wife, Janet (Andrea Roth), with whom he's been living platonically after she birthed a boy that's either his or his recently deceased brother's.

New series review: Lil' Bush (Comedy Central)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-12T16:37:59-05:00
By ED BARK Comedy Central gifted a new president early in his first term with That's My Bush! from the creators of South Park. ...But then Lil' Bush goes even farther, with George Sr. taking his wife to an abortion clinic to have Lil' Cheney removed from her stomach, where he's been using one of her kidneys as a beanbag chair.

Tony award: Season finale of The Sopranos rules Sunday night ratings but doesn't set record

Ed Bark — 2007-06-12T12:59:00-05:00
By ED BARK HBO's The Sopranos bowed out with 11.9 million viewers nationally Sunday night, easily outpointing Game 2 of the NBA Finals and almost outdrawing all of the week's prime-time programs. ...Originating from Dallas, although with no contestants from the city and very few from Texas, Talent lured 13 million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research.

Big Love: Second season premiere (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-11T09:40:56-05:00
But first a word from Bill Paxton, who spoke volumes about his network's immediate future prospects during the lead-up to Sunday's finale of The Sopranos. ...We've gotta go about our business as if everything was normal," his character, Bill Henrickson, said in reference to The Sopranos no longer being among HBO's living.

One last shot: The Sopranos lets us off its hook

Ed Bark — 2007-06-08T13:44:59-05:00
Tony and family in Season 1; Tony and Dr. Melfi near the end. By ED BARK It all began on Jan. 10, 1999, with Tony Soprano ogling a nude woman sculpture in Dr. Melfi's waiting room. ...Over the years, The Sopranos in fact became bigger than HBO, with Chase telling the network how many episodes he'd do, when he'd do them and when he needed to quit.

News series review: John From Cincinnati (HBO)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-08T10:45:12-05:00
Magical, mysterious John puts a new HBO series in murky waters. Premiering: Sunday, June 10 at 9 p.m. (central) on HBO Starring: Rebecca De Mornay, Bruce Greenwood, Ed O'Neill, Brian Van Holt, Austin Nichols, Greyson Fletcher, Luis Guzman, Keala Kennely, Luke Perry, Matt Winston, Willie Garson Created by: David Milch, Kem Nunn ...This is Milch's Twin Peaks, and the guess is that most viewers will take a peek and then tune it out after Sunday's series finale of The Sopranos.

New series review: Fast Cars & Superstars -- Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-06T10:37:22-05:00
John Elway plays the race card in ABC's new high-speed competition. Premiering: Thursday, June 7th at 7 p.m. (central) on ABC, with a second episode on Sunday at 7 p.m. Starring: A dozen celebrity racers, including John Elway, Serena Williams, William Shatner, Tony Hawk, Jewel and Bill Cowher, plus six professional "Young Guns" Hosted by: Kenny Mayne, Brad Daugherty ...Boston Legal's ubiquitous Shatner, who bombed earlier this season as host of ABC's Show Me the Money, is not involved in the first two time trials on Fast Cars & Superstars.

New series review: Tyler Perry's House of Payne (TBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-05T16:13:56-05:00
LaVan Davis spreads venom as obnoxious Curtis "Pops" Payne. Premiering: Wednesday, June 6th at 8 p.m. (central) on TBS Starring: LaVan Davis, Allen Payne, Cassi Davis, Lance Cross, Demetria McKinney, Larramie "Doc" Shaw, China Anne McClain Created by: Tyler Perry ...Worse yet, the self-described "Very Funny" network, TBS, already has ordered 100 episodes of a show that manages to make UPN's old Homeboys In Outer Space sitcom seem positively Cosby-esque.

Much room for improvement: Grading the 2006-07 seasons of the six major networks

Ed Bark — 2007-06-05T12:31:46-05:00
Just three new series -- Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox); Heroes (NBC) and Shark (CBS) -- made Nielsen's top 30 in the 2006-'07 TV season. ...Rundown -- CBS' three-pronged CSI franchise remained strong, but the fourth-ranked Thursday night mothership lost a whopping 5.3 million viewers from last season in direct competition with ABC's transplanted Grey's Anatomy.

Cream of the crop: June aglow with cable bright spots

Ed Bark — 2007-06-03T21:15:17-05:00
Among June's many cable highlights are the returns of Denis Leary's Rescue Me on FX and Kyra Sedgwick's The Closer on TNT. ...Thursday, June 7 -- Fast Cars & Superstars -- Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race, series premiere (ABC) -- William Shatner rides again, this time in a stock car against the likes of Jewel, Tony Hawk, John Elway and Bill Cowher.

New series review: Creature Comforts (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-03T14:29:40-05:00
Owls and poodles help to make Creature Comforts a hoot and a howl. Premiering: Monday, June 4 at 7 p.m. (central) on CBS Starring:: A menagerie of animated fish, fowl, animals, insects, etc. Created by: Nick Park ...They're all brought to life by Aardman Animations, which also made the much-praised feature films Chicken Run and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

New series review: Army Wives (Lifetime)

Ed Bark — 2007-06-01T15:16:20-05:00
The characters in Lifetime's Army Wives are uniformly well-drawn. Premiering: Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. (central) on Lifetime Starring: Kim Delaney, Sally Pressman, Catherine Bell, Wendy Davis, Brigid Brannagh, Drew Fuller, Brian McNamara, Sterling K. ...Odds are that many a viewer will both hoot and root for hot 'n' saucy Roxy LeBlanc (Sally Pressman), a deep-fried, Kellie Pickler-ish Alabaman who actually gets away with saying stuff like, "Well, if I didn't just serve up toe jam on an idiot cracker."

Television on your telephone: Tell a friend?

Ed Bark — 2007-05-31T13:16:47-05:00
Newly available in just 19 TV markets, including Dallas, the V CAST has a 2.2-inch flip-up screen that so far carries various around-the-clock offerings from NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, MTV, MSNBC, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. ...Maybe so if you spend a lot of time riding the rails, car-pooling (as a backseat driver), waiting in doctors' offices or multi-tasking to the point where you can handle seeing Late Show with David Letterman live on V CAST while watching The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on a conventional TV.

New series review: Hidden Palms (The CW)

Ed Bark — 2007-05-30T11:51:13-05:00
Austin's Amber Heard doesn't have to do much to get noticed in Hidden Palms, a new CW series from the creator of Dawson's Creek. ...Alas, he's far more entranced for now with Greta, who runs fetchingly through golf course sprinklers, sunbathes whenever she can and snitches Johnny's camera before later telling him, "I hope you don't mind, but I got creative with your outlet."

Requiem for NBC's Reilly

Ed Bark — 2007-05-29T17:40:23-05:00
Reilly's replacements are incumbent NBC Universal executive Marc Graboff and program producer/executive Ben Silverman, whose name has been attached to series ranging from The Biggest Loser to Ugly Betty. ..."Kevin has given us some incredibly important, high-quality new series in recent years, and his legacy will be evident for many years to come in NBC's primetime schedule."

Teen Idol: Jordin Sparks takes the sixth

Ed Bark — 2007-05-23T22:51:04-05:00
Jordin Sparks gets the news and then sings it loud on Idol's finale. By ED BARK American Idol's long and winding road, which finally included some Beatles songs, ended Wednesday with 17-year-old Jordin Sparks alone at last. ...This year's Idol hasn't matched last year's late-in-the game ratings, and Wednesday's finale will be very hard-pressed to get in the vicinity of the 36.4 million who watched Taylor Hicks win in spring 2006.

Athletes' feats: Apolo succeeds Emmitt as Dancing's sole survivor

Ed Bark — 2007-05-22T22:48:23-05:00
Winning hand: Apolo's plotted palm stand tops Joey's flying leap. By ED BARK The show with more momentum, energy and electricity crowned its new champ Tuesday while the night's earlier singing competition fell kinda flat. ...Host Ryan Seacrest had the most memorable line of the night -- and also a very odd one -- after judge Paula Abdul recapped earlier reports that she had hurt her face tripping on her little dog, Tulip, who emerged unscathed.

Made-for-TV movie review: Jesse Stone: Sea Change (CBS)

Ed Bark — 2007-05-21T18:17:40-05:00
Tom Selleck and Kathy Baker star in CBS' Jesse Stone: Sea Change. By ED BARK Made by adults and for adults, it stars a TV icon who's never been better as an actor or a character. CBS' Jesse Stone: Sea Change premieres on the penultimate night of the May "sweeps" in times when broadcast networks have all but dry-docked their once thriving made-for-TV movie franchises.

New series review: National Bingo Night (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-05-18T08:18:44-05:00
Someone had the balls to win big on ABC's National Bingo Night. By ED BARK Mindless entertainment sometimes can be a stroke of genius. ...But the climactic Blue Card game allows winners to enter grand prize drawings for a "VIP Fantasy Experience" to the 91st Indy 500, a trip to New York to visit the set of The View or a $50,000 cash jackpot.

The CW announces new fall lineup

Ed Bark — 2007-05-17T14:18:11-05:00
Aliens in America pairs a Pakistani Muslim with a Wisconsinite. By ED BARK The CW, still a lil' dude in the broadcast network firmament, will add more new series than either NBC or CBS this fall. ...***Life Is Wild (drama) -- A Manhattan family is uprooted by a veterinarian dad who wants to spend a year in South Africa in a broken down lodge called The Blue Antelope.

Fox announces new fall lineup

Ed Bark — 2007-05-17T11:52:14-05:00
Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton and Fred Willard triple-team Fox's Back to You, the network's only new fall comedy series. By ED BARK A star-powered sitcom and a wealth of new reality series highlight Fox's latest fall schedule. ...Fox also has announced a January schedule, although historically it's hasn't been worth the paper it's downloaded on. Highlight: Julianna Margulies (ER) returns to series TV as a law-bending defense attorney in Canterbury's Law, a drama co-produced by Denis Leary.

Whole lotta shockin' goin' on: Melinda Doolittle taken out

Ed Bark — 2007-05-16T22:58:02-05:00
America Idol's most surprising vote-off leaves next week's finale in the hands of younger, prettier, but vocally inferior Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks. ..."I promise you, this is only the beginning of great things to come," a grateful and gracious Yamin told the three remaining contestants before Melinda got the stunning news.

CBS announces new fall lineup

Ed Bark — 2007-05-16T09:03:35-05:00
Hugh Jackman gets loose in the CBS musical drama Viva Laughlin. By ED BARK Billed as intentionally "daring and different," CBS' new fall lineup includes a casino-based "mystery drama with music" and a good guy vampire who takes bites out of crime. ...MONDAY 7 p.m. -- How I Met Your Mother 7:30 p.m. -- The Big Bang Theory 8 p.m. -- Two and a Half Men 8:30 p.m. -- Rules of Engagement 9 p.m. -- CSI: Miami

ABC announces new fall lineup

Ed Bark — 2007-05-15T07:53:36-05:00
And dinosaur Dan Rather will guest-star in the premiere episode of Dirty Sexy Money, which moves into Lost's Wednesday slot this fall. By ED BARK Third-place ABC will make a wealth of changes to its fall lineup, including a new sitcom drawn from Geico's "So easy a caveman can do it" car insurance commercials. ...***Private Practice (drama) -- Test-driven earlier this month to a lukewarm reception from many fans and critics, the Grey's Anatomy spinoff sends skitsy Addison Forbes Montgomery (Kate Walsh) to Los Angeles after failed relationships with both ex-husband "McDreamy" and ex-lover "McSteamy."

King of Queens has last laughs

Ed Bark — 2007-05-14T15:59:44-05:00
The beefy star of CBS'The King of Queens bellows a last time Monday (May 14) on a one-hour series finale of the show that made a name for him. ...Let's just add that Jerry Stiller, as Carrie's cantankerous father, Arthur, again steals nearly every scene he's in. And that Doug is drunk for a good part of the episode after thinking that Carrie betrayed his trust.

NBC announces new fall lineup

Ed Bark — 2007-05-14T08:49:10-05:00
Zachary Levi and Michelle Ryan in NBC's Chuck and Bionic Woman. By ED BARK Quality rich but ratings poor, NBC hopes to right its ship in the fall with more mainstream fare. ...The new schedule will shift NBC's acclaimed Friday Night Lights from the first hour of prime-time on Wednesdays to the last hour on Fridays, where the made-in-Austin series initially will have to go against real-life high school football games.

7th Heaven reaches prime-time's pearly gates

Ed Bark — 2007-05-11T14:33:25-05:00
Annie and Eric Camden (Catherine Hicks, Stephen Collins) prepare to christen their land-lubbing ark on Sunday night's 7th Heaven finale. By ED BARK Resurrected from cancellation last season, 7th Heaven unequivocally leaves the prime-time firmament Sunday night after one of the more wholesome runs in TV history. ...Not so The WB, which always tended to treat 7th Heaven as an interloper amid magazine cover-ready darlings such as Dawson's Creek, Felicity, Smallville and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

American Idol: No more La

Ed Bark — 2007-05-09T22:47:58-05:00
That ruins a big-belting, all-dreamgirls Final Three for American Idol, which instead will put "Beatbox" Blake Lewis in the company of Melinda Doolittle and Jordin Sparks. ...On March 8, with Idol's 12 finalists in place, Uncle went with a Final Three of Melinda, LaKisha and the long-gone Stephanie Edwards.

New series review: Traveler (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-05-09T16:12:53-05:00
On a roll: But can two law school grads skate a terrorist rap? Premiering: Thursday, May 10 at 9 p.m. central (10 eastern) on ABC. Then moves to Wednesdays at 9 central on May 30th Starring: Matthew Bomer, Logan Marshall-Green, Aaron Stanford, Pascale Hutton, Viola Davis, William Sadler, Billy Mayo Produced by: Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen, Charlie Craig

Happy Medium and more Dirt

Ed Bark — 2007-05-08T16:27:24-05:00
Courteney Cox of FX's Dirt and Patricia Arquette of NBC's Medium By ED BARK Two single-minded TV women will be back in business next season. ...Scrubs -- NBC likely is done with it, but there's a chance of an ABC pickup because the show is produced by Disney-owned Touchstone.

ABC and Lost producers agree on finishing touches

Ed Bark — 2007-05-07T13:21:26-05:00
Rest easy: ABC's Lost now knows when it's going to end. By ED BARK Lost, which lately is finding itself again creatively, will end in the 2009-10 season and have uninterrupted 16-episode arcs during each of its final three years on ABC. ...ABC's 16-episode orders per season are down from the 24 hours produced in each of Lost's first two seasons, and the 23 that will air this season before the show goes off on May 22nd.

Record-setter: Atlantic founder Ahmet Ertegun loved the sounds of music more than cash registers

Ed Bark — 2007-05-02T16:09:05-05:00
Ertegun's life story as a hitmaker consumed far more by the music than its bottom line is nicely reprised in PBS' two-hour Atlantic Records: The House that Ahmet Built. ...Filmmakers reunited him with a number of the artists he helped bring to prominence, including Mick Jagger, Wynton Marsalis, Bette Midler, Phil Collins, Aretha Frankin, Eric Clapton, Robert Plant, Kid Rock and the late Ray Charles.

Marlon!!! Turner Classic Movies gives Brando a few hours of its time

Ed Bark — 2007-04-30T13:06:18-05:00
From The Wild One to The Godfather: Two Brandos at their best. By ED BARK Both icon and iconoclast, Marlon Brando made his own kind of music and even played the bongos. ...TCM also is filling out those nights with some of his vintage classics (A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, The Wild One, The Men) and lesser films (Sayonara, Guys and Dolls, The Missouri Breaks and The Teahouse of the August Moon).

Wow, what took so long? Just 18.5 months before election day, it's the "First in the Nation" presidential candidate debate

Ed Bark — 2007-04-26T21:11:17-05:00
But does anyone care except MSNBC and its bottomless cup of pontificators? By ED BARK Eight Democratic candidates and one publicity-hungry cable news network added up to the "First in the Nation" presidential debate early Thursday evening. ...Even Matthews had a little trouble rousing himself in the early aftermath of the 90-minute close encounter among Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel.

Sweet charity: Idol gives back -- and no one gets sacked

Ed Bark — 2007-04-25T23:36:21-05:00
Safe at home: Idol's six finalists all stayed in play Wednesday night. By ED BARK Bait and switch -- but for a good cause. ...Ellen DeGeneres ably co-hosted the event from the nearby Walt Disney Concert Hall, site of live performances from inaugural Idol Kelly Clarkson of Burleson, Il Divo, Rascal Flatts, Earth, Wind & Fire, Annie Lennox and most notably, Josh Groban singing "You Raise Me Up" with the African Children's Choir.

She never promised them a Rosie garden: O'Donnell leaving The View

Ed Bark — 2007-04-25T10:39:42-05:00
No more fun 'n' games: Rosie O'Donnell putting The View behind her. By ED BARK Donald Trump hasn't declared a national holiday yet, but give him a few minutes. ...Once dubbed the "Queen of Nice" by Newsweek, O'Donnell has added spice to The View, helped drive the ratings up and periodically been the bane of Trump, Kelly Ripa, Catholics, Asian-Americans, the Bush administration and a wealth of conservative commentators.

In memoriam: David Halberstam (April 10, 1934 to April 23, 2007)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-24T11:13:35-05:00
Halberstam, who in 1972 wrote the seminal book The Best and the Brightest about the road to the Vietnam War, had a special disdain for "these God-awful news magazines," which flourished and multiplied in prime-time during the mid-to-late 1990s. ..."I think CBS would be a lot better off developing their own young talent the way great journalistic institutions traditionally have, and not just hiring them based on their cosmetic attractiveness," he said.

Melting pot: San Francisco's hippie trippy shakeup

Ed Bark — 2007-04-23T15:08:32-05:00
The neighborhood's brief heyday as a tie-dyed utopia is reprised in Summer of Love, a new American Experience presentation in which a very young Jerry Garcia says, "We would all like to be able to live an uncluttered life." ...Narrator David Ogden Stiers of M*A*S*H fame says the 1967 rush to turn on, tune in and drop out in Haight Ashbury made for "the largest migration of young people in the history of America."

The Sopranos: too close for comfort

Ed Bark — 2007-04-23T01:26:16-05:00
Eerie: Uncle Junior, a volatile young Asian and a mental ward. By ED BARK Sunday night's episode of The Sopranos indirectly but chillingly evoked the horrific events at Virginia Tech University, even though it was scripted and filmed months earlier. In a featured storyline, a still addled Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) had a precarious friendship with fellow mental ward patient Carter Chong (Ken Leung), a young Asian with serious anger management problems.

Haw, that's Rich: Little to laff about at White House correspondents gala

Ed Bark — 2007-04-22T18:05:05-05:00
Other proud members of the Fourth Estate's guest lists included Valerie Bertinelli, Teri Hatcher, Apolo Anton Ohno, Morgan Fairchild, Dennis Hopper, Niecy Nash from Reno 911!, Oprah pal Gayle King, James Denton, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Reggie Bush, Larry David and Sheryl Crow. ...Award recipient Martha Raddatz of ABC News, a very capable reporter who won one of the night's awards, looked not ready for prom night in a laughable black strapless gown with oversized white polka dots and a pink sash.

New series review: Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter (WE tv)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-19T14:35:10-05:00
Premiering: Friday, April 20 at 8 p.m. central (9 eastern) on WE tv Starring: Sandra Scott Produced by: Steven Cheskin, Annabelle McDonald, Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato ...Substitute "pathetic and harmless" to get much closer to the truth of Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter, a less than spine-tingling new reality series premiering Friday on WE tv.

American Idol: Sanjaya and Simon both say goodbye to all that

Ed Bark — 2007-04-18T21:37:31-05:00
Prime-time's most popular show went to extraordinary lengths in its opening minutes to derail a mostly Internet-fed "controversy" over whether Cowell had disdainfully rolled his eyes Tuesday night after singer Chris Richardson expressed sympathy for the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre. ...The contestant who was "in your own universe," as Cowell put it, has been brought down to earth before he could seriously threaten Idol's reputation as a marketer of million dollar babies fronting bestselling CDs.

Gotta sing, gotta dance, gotta watch (April 17 edition)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-17T22:10:29-05:00
Sanjaya got savaged again Tuesday, but Clyde's the latest goner. By ED BARK They seem to be running just a bit scared now, even though Sanjaya Malakar already has shown that withering criticism can't beat him down or drive him away. ...Tuesday night's other Big Top, ABC's Dancing with the Stars, ended with the rightful vote-off of former pro basketball star Clyde "The Glide" Drexler, whose will to win clearly left the building weeks ago. His Monday night walk-through was "like a rumba under an anesthetic," huffed judge Bruno Tonioli.

New series review: Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Standup (Starz)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-17T17:18:22-05:00
Williams, who both hosts and throws out a few opening jokes, welcomes the very profane Donnell Rawlings, the less so Ian Edwards and the very profane Sheryl Underwood to Wednesday's opening show. ...But he feels free to lob a crude joke at one of the world's most prominent black persons: "Some people don't think Condoleezza Rice is ugly.

Anchors away to Blacksburg -- except for one

Ed Bark — 2007-04-16T20:31:20-05:00
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams interviews two Virginia Tech students who lived to tell about Monday's horrific events on campus. By ED BARK Appearances weren't deceiving. ...The NBC Nightly News anchor stood outdoors in strong winds, giving viewers a tangible feel for the university and its vast green lawns while interviewing four key witnesses to the "deadliest shooting rampage in American history."

Wedding bell ding-dongs: Ashton Kutcher finds something new to punk

Ed Bark — 2007-04-16T09:13:16-05:00
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore managed a crash-free wedding. By ED BARK No, they're not going to be crashing, punking or junking up anyone's funeral. ..."I think that might be a little morbid for my taste," says Ashton Kutcher, whose new The Real Wedding Crashers is set to premiere April 23 on NBC in place of The Black Donnellys.

Turning 50: Larry King, 73, celebrates a half-century in broadcasting

Ed Bark — 2007-04-16T06:13:36-05:00
CNN is makin' a little somethin' out of this with a week-long salute to King, who's been asking questions in public for 50 years since breaking in at a small Miami Beach radio station. ...That year's race for the White House seemed to revolve around his show, so much so that King wrote a book titled On the Line: The New Road to the White House.

New series review: Drive (Fox)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-13T14:06:42-05:00
Drive's two-hour opener sets up "The Race," otherwise known as a "secret, exclusive and illegal cross-country" competition with a $32 million prize at its finish line. ...We'll know in a hurry, because three hours are coming at you in two nights, including Monday's regular time slot debut in Prison Break's old haunt.

American Idol: No more Haley's comet

Ed Bark — 2007-04-11T21:15:02-05:00
The bottom dropped out for San Antonio's leggy Haley Scarnato in American Idol's Wednesday faceoff with "Sleepy Time" Phil Stacey. By ED BARK Was it blatant sex appeal on her part or unequivocal sexism on the part of American Idol's showiest judge? Whatever she or the show's fans think, San Antonio's Haley Scarnato took a walk Wednesday after Simon Cowell told her the previous night, "I think you really have a good tactic, Haley.

New series review: Notes From the Underbelly (ABC)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-11T17:25:07-05:00
That's odd and uncalled for because Underbelly turns out to be ABC's best new half-hour comedy series in a season that's already had some pretty fair ones in the since canceled Help Me Help You, Big Day and The Knights of Prosperity. Even Underbelly's early spring premiere comes after ABC announced and unannounced at least three different time slots for the show in just the past few weeks.

Gotta sing, gotta dance, gotta watch (Tues., April 10 edition)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-10T21:15:14-05:00
And we've had our fill of Sleepy Time Phil. By ED BARK Two more hours of prime-time live sent Leeza Gibbons to the showers while Simon Cowell shot his first poison-tipped arrow at Melinda Doolittle. American Idol, also known as Waiting for Sanjaya, slogged through a lackluster Latin-themed night while Dancing with the Stars laboriously worked its way to a Bottom Two of the former Dallas-based PM Magazine host and onetime Cheers second banana John Ratzenberger.

Imus antidotes: a coach and a candidate accentuate their positives

Ed Bark — 2007-04-10T13:31:38-05:00
Vivian Stringer By ED BARK The multi-faceted black faces of America obviously aren't restricted to presidential candidate Barack Obama and Rutgers University women's basketball coach C. ...But then the media onslaught began, robbing the underdog team of the afterglow it had earned by getting all the way to the NCAA women's championship game before losing to perennial powerhouse Tennessee.

A hard reign's gonna fall: Underappreciated King of Queens nearing closure

Ed Bark — 2007-04-09T11:31:05-05:00
So this could be it for a while, the end of a not so noble sitcom tradition that dates to The Honeymooners, which King of Queens basically is. ...Production already is completed on the show's remaining seven episodes, with James content to be remembered as the star of a reliably amusing half-hour that remained "under the radar" for its entire nine-season run.

New series review: Thank God You're Here (NBC)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-09T11:14:01-05:00
Best of show: Bryan Cranston emotes while judge Dave Foley makes nice to everyone in NBC's latest import of an overseas hit. NBC photos Premiering: Monday night (April 9) at 8 central, 9 eastern on NBC. ...NBC press materials labor to rekindle television's sometimes storied past with this hoary, preposterous come-on: "Recalling a family-friendly, old-school television flavor, one can imagine the likes of golden age television legends and experts at the improvisational ad lib such as Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Imogene Coca, Lucille Ball, Bob Hope and George Burns smiling down on these modern-day stars as they tackle the high wire act known as improv -- without the safety net of a script and a director to guide them."

The Sopranos: Count your blessings nine last times

Ed Bark — 2007-04-05T13:03:35-05:00
Don't push it, though, 'cause these things just don't seem to last. By ED BARK Push comes to shove, as it always does, in HBO's The Sopranos. ...The second episode also has guest appearances by Geraldo Rivera (seen only through a TV screen as himself) and director Sydney Pollack as a defrocked doctor administering to an infirm Johnny Sack.

Idol: Jagged bitter pill

Ed Bark — 2007-04-04T22:09:53-05:00
Hot chick chicken: Haley Scarnato and Gina Glocksen scrape bottom. By ED BARK American Idol's remaining pseudo rocker, pierced Gina Glocksen, went home Wednesday night, making it all the more likely that Sanjaya Malakar will make the mega-hit's Final 6. San Antonio's Haley Scarnato, in Idol's bottom two for a second straight week, again dodged the weekly bullet while Sleepy Time Phil "Nine Lives" Stacey somehow stuck to the wall.

Rock solid

Ed Bark — 2007-04-04T11:47:42-05:00
By ED BARK NBC has renewed the season's best new comedy, 30 Rock, for a second season despite ratings that usually put it near the rock-bottom of the weekly Nielsen reports. ...Starring Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan (pictured above) and co-created by Saturday Night Live maestro Lorne Michaels, Rock returns on Thursday (April 5) with a new episode titled "Fireworks."

Project runway? Miss America again walks the plank

Ed Bark — 2007-04-02T11:01:44-05:00
The network's entertainment president, Kevin Reilly, might have been under heavy sedation when he issued this statement last week: "NBC is proud to maintain this unique American cultural tradition as a viable series of competitive programming specials that continue to be a popular source of family entertainment." ...But there's something wrong with a picture that has Miss America panhandling again while Trump crows, "With each passing year our ratings continue to get better because of the beautiful and intelligent women who participate in our competitions."

Returning series review: The Shield -- Season 6 (FX)

Ed Bark — 2007-04-01T20:59:13-05:00
Pit Bull, a k a Vic Mackey, returns for a sixth season of mayhem Tuesday, April 3 on FX's The Shield (9 p.m. central, 10 eastern). ...The Shield's much-needed humanity resides almost solely in the person of Capt. Claudette Wyms, played with sturdy conviction by charter cast member CCH Pounder.

New series review: The Tudors (Showtime)

Ed Bark — 2007-03-29T16:27:20-05:00
The man who will be King: Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Showtime's Henry VIII and earlier as Elvis in a CBS miniseries encoring Saturday. Premiering: Sunday (April 1) at 9 p.m. central (10 eastern) on Showtime Starring: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Sam Neill, Natalie Dormer, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Jeremy Northam, Ruta Gedmintas, Gabrielle Anwar, Steven Waddington Produced by: Michael Hirst, Morgan O'Sullivan, Ousama Rawi, Tom Conroy ...Rhys Meyers previously earned favorable reviews in Woody Allen's Match Point and as the star of the 2005 CBS miniseries Elvis, which will be reprised on Showtime from 7 to 10 p.m. (central) on Saturday, March 31.

Idol: Sligh hits the skids

Ed Bark — 2007-03-28T21:31:37-05:00
Chris Sligh knew he blew it; Haley Scarnato barely buys more time. By ED BARK The two chickenhearted judges evaded the question, but Simon Cowell of course had a ready-made barb. ...That would be Chris Sligh, who out-stunk San Antonio's Haley Scarnato in American Idol's latest national election.

TV special review: Fired! (Showtime)

Ed Bark — 2007-03-28T15:04:26-05:00
Actress Annabelle Gurwitch and her nemesis, Woody Allen By ED BARK Don't fire Annabelle Gurwitch and expect to get away with it -- even if you're Woody Allen. ...To her credit, Gurwitch also ranges farther afield to interview an array of non-show business firees, including former White House chef Walter Scheib III, ex-United Auto workers union official Tiny Sherwood and onetime insurance company employee Anita Epolito, who declined to be tested on the job for nicotine levels.

Network News & Reviews

HBO's <i>Hung</i> premiere goes nicely with <i>True Blood</i>

Endowment fun: HBO's <i>Hung</i> also scores with appealing sign-of-the-times storyline

Farrah Fawcett dies of cancer

Earth shifts: Dave outdraws Conan in third week of late night faceoff

NBC's <i>The Philanthropist</i> is a do-gooder that needs to get better

Ed McMahon in days of yore, as recalled by transplanted North Texan Kent Fannon

Emmys fumble again

Dave vs. Conan: It's all in the spin

NBC's <i>Merlin</i> gets olde in a hurry

Where have you gone, Joe Piscopo? Today's your birthday

Here's to his health care: ABC News draws GOP fire for extensive coverage next week of Obama's prescription

Back on its heals: TNT's <i>HawthoRNe</i> adds more meds to summertime cabinet

<i>Big Saturday Night</i> dawns on still little GSN

<i>Nurse Jackie</i> the latest big booster shot for Showtime

Conan twits tweeters -- nets laughs

<i>Royal Pains</i> gives USA network another breezy summertime bright spot

NBC's <i>The Listener</i> -- not on my watch

So-so, but over and done: O'Brien notches his first <i>Tonight</i>

Goodnight, <i>Tonight</i>. Not his idea, but Leno lets go

Hey, guys, Lifetime's <i>Maneater</i> is more or less edible

HBO's Churchill sequel wades into WWII

ABC's <i>Goode Family</i> is Judged OK

O'Brien's <i>Tonight</i> countdown kicks into full throttle

Fox's <i>Mental</i> has <i>House</i> in mind, but also a mind of its own

<i>Idol</i> finale crunches competition, comes up short of past glories

The CW cancels comedies and Sundays, shrinks Fridays, adds a vampire show

Idle thoughts on <i>Idol</i> as the finale nears

CBS adds four newcomers, axes two oldies, rescues <i>Medium</i>

NBC cancels <i>Earl</i>, reprieves <i>Chuck</i>, delays <i>30 Rock</i>, pushes <i>Friday Night Lights</i> to summer in Phase 2 rollout of new season (updated)

ABC's new fall lineup flaunts star-powered comedy

Fox's <i>Glee</i> gives it the old golly gee

Fox accentuates African-Americans in new fall lineup

Brute camp: Spike TV's <i>4th and Long</i> finds Irvin throwin' down

Leno announces last <i>Tonight</i> guest, repeats vows to never take a vacation

Random bursts: Nimoy Treks through Letterman Top 10 list; Rather puts on a 'fro to report on burrito lunch

Fox states his case for optimism in worthy ABC special

Launch date, guest stars set for Irvin's new Dallas Cowboys reality competition

NBC spills beans on part of its new season, promises a second helping in 15 days

Presenting Jimmy Fallon at half his current age

Leno back among the living; NBC exhales

CBS shifts some season finale dates, sends <i>Harper's Island</i> to Siberia Saturdays

Enter the May "sweeps" -- do you know when your season finales are?

Regis takes another ride with <i>Millionaire</i>; <i>Kings</i> and Ian McShane dethroned until summer

CNBC's <i>As Seen on TV</i> an info-taining look at infomercials

HBO's <i>Grey Gardens</i> finds Drew Barrymore at last in full bloom

Fox's <i>Sit Down, Shut Up</i> is best watched on "Mute"

Madden hangs it up; Collinsworth looks like a cinch to replace him on <i>Sunday Night Football</i> (updated)

TV Land's <i>The Cougar</i> stars 40-year-old temptress and 20 Jungle Jimmies

PBS' <i>We Shall Remain</i> struggles to light the torch

<i>Friday Night Lights</i> closes out Season 3, suits up for two more

CBS' <i>Harper's Island</i> may just be a killer ap

NBC tries to rebuild post-<i>ER</i> Thursdays with Amy Poehler-led comedy and ensemble cop drama

FX's <i>Rescue Me</i> blazes anew in Season 5

<i>Surviving Suburbia</i> gives Saget another ABC port

<i>The Tudors</i> and <i>In Treatment</i> are back in play on Showtime, HBO

Leno's prime-time show a no go on Boston's NBC affiliate; MSNBC hires another voice from the left

<i>ER</i> checks out after lasting long enough to go on Medicare

Fox tabs Sykes to fill <i>MadTV's</i> late night Saturday slot

Peabodys branch out to honor traditional tube-delivered programs -- and youtube

<i>Osbournes: Reloaded</i> -- What the @#$%&* was that *&%$#@ pile of #@$%*&?

Second coming of <i>Cupid</i> lacks that certain some-zing

Looks like a stinker: <i>Osbournes: Reloaded</i> isn't giving TV critics much of a chance to unload

HBO couldn't be less explicit with first-rate <i>No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency</i>

Stay in the womb! ABC's <i>In the Motherhood</i> is coming

George Lopez to take a swing at late night in new TBS talker

Warhorse redux: Rather hits the century mark -- in episodes -- on HDNet

Dummying it down

<i>Idol</i> bracketology

<i>Better Off Ted</i> has <i>Office</i> politics, but also a few sparks of its own

Stephanopoulos/McCain: THE TWITTERVIEW

<i>Sopranos</i> creator going Hollywood for HBO

NBC's <i>Kings</i> a biblical, bounteous feast

By George, he did it

NBC's new summer schedule kicks off early in hopes of helping Conan's <i>Tonight</i>

<i>Idol</i>: shootdowns for Jasmine, Jorge and a dumb new rule

Chop-chop: Throw another cooking competition on the fire

<i>Dancing with the Stars</i> welcomes <i>Bachelor</i> jilt-ee, angers North Texas couple for other reasons

Let's make a deal: AMC's <i>Breaking Bad</i> is boldly back in play

<i>Idol</i>'s final field swells to old-school baker's dozen

<i>Osbournes: Reloaded</i> -- What the @#$%&* was that &%$#@ pile of #@$%&?