Huling Hirit for 2006

I thought I won't be able to go online today. I'm preparing for media noche and the extended family has decided to bunk with us tonight. Fun! The living room is like a war zone, my floor is spotted with dirt (OC alert!), and there's someone constantly screaming (we've got four little boys in the house, everyone! Boxing match at 6 PM! LOL!). But on the flipside, it's fun to cook with everyone in the family doing it together. Never mind if we're all cramped and packed in the tiny kitchen. Or my father eats everything even before it's supposed to be served. Also, it's so fun to order little 3-4 year old boys around...uto-uto sobra!

There are days when I loathe occasions like this. You know, when the family's all together. Because there's too much noise, too much going on and there's a lot of mess. >:( But there are also days when I miss and long for occasions like this...because of the very same reasons. I guess that is the way with big families, you either love it or don't.

Right now, everyone's found a spot somewhere in this house to take afternoon naps. I would've slept myself but I'm using this time to do this (blog and surf). And also because I'm watching over some people, my dad and husband in particular....they ate too much lechon and papaitan for lunch and I'm super paranoid about people experiencing heart attacks during the holiday season because of this exactly.

Anyhow, let's turn to something TV related now.

Slept really late last night watching Crime/Suspense on cable. They had The Closer, E-Ring & The Unit on after 12 MN. So my husband and I were glued to the TV till about 3 AM.... which was good because aside from the fact that it's bonding moment time for us :D, 1) I've never really seen a full episode of The Closer [it's okay...reminds me of Perry Mason for some reason]; 2) It's always good to watch E-ring [it's not your usual military/law enforcement show] and 3) The episode of The Unit last night was something we've not yet seen [it's always good to catch up!].

Anyway, three things about Crime/Suspense:

1. Their teasers of 24 - not cool! I hate that it gets played commercial break after commercial break. And it's not even done well. I was hoping they'd lose the rock music or whatever that is. I know it's supposed to represent Crime/Suspense, I think that's their station song or something...but it's ruining the essence of 24. Just the clock ticking will do, please.

2. The fact that they will begin airing Battlestar Gallactica by January - way cool! (Or are sci-fi geeks supposed to know what cool is? :D ) And this is the series created in 2004, not the one aired in 1978... which apparently my husband (tough guy on the outside, but really a geek on the inside) was watching then (while I was, in those days, watching shows like John 'en Marsha or something...wait, Cafeteria Aroma...no, maybe Iskul Bukol). Anyhow...where was I? Yes. BG 2004. Crime/Suspense will carry it; it seems to be very popular with the internet population (it's always on someone's top 10 TV list on the net); and there's a niche for it locally (same people who follow Star Trek, Firefly and the old BG). Worth checking out, I know. You don't see me gesturing with my hands but I'm doing that sign Trekkies do when they greet each other. I'm trying to say geek is cool. I live with one.

3. They carry Without A Trace - cool! And I only learned of this last night. I gotta tune to this channel a lot more!

And then finally....

This morning, I chanced upon my dad watching an episode of Friends, and may I add, FOR THE FIRST TIME (on ETC), in the living room with my brother and cousins. My dad's the type who loves espionage and political drama (ah, yes...he's the target audience of Crime/Suspense) and to see him glued to one of Friends' silliest Thanksgiving episodes and was actually laughing at it, surprised me. He has acquired an interest for it, yes. "Nak, nak, sikat na sila lahat dahil sa show na to no? Kahit wala na sila?"......Ay, naku Papa, don't get me started! I offered we watch the other episodes on DVD later, after dinner.

Our neighbors are preparing for Karaoke sessions tonight (they started last night, OMG!), kids will be outside on the streets with firecrackers, while our family --- as we wait to greet the new year.... we will all be seated in the living room, siksikan sa sofa, or some of us will be on the floor, watching Friends.

There's no better way to end 2006 than this.

Kicking off 2007

Mark these shows on your calendars.

Local cable airing. Catch these if you can:

On Star World
- American Idol Season 6 - starting Jan. 17 via satellite
On AXN
- Kidnapped - starting Jan. 2
- Alias Season 5
On Jack TV
- King of The Hill - starting Jan. 2
On ETC
- Friday Night Lights - (when?)
On ETC 2nd Ave
- Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip - starting Jan. 3 (?)
On Crime/Suspense
- Justice (unconfirmed)

Solar-Entertainment, which owns the last four channels, must be making tons of money (lemme guess, Pacquiao payperview?) to be able to acquire all these shows in advance ... a lot earlier than the other option, Studio 23 (ABSCBN). One station in Canada has opted to cancel Friday Night Lights because it wasn't doing well with ratings (no ka-ching!) and we're probably the only country in Asia who will be able to catch this show early and of course, fresh from its debut Stateside.

Season premieres elsewhere. D/L these like there's no tomorrow:

- Dirt - starting Jan. 2 - Read plot here. I read it's a pretty bad show but whatever... I'm a Friends fan through and through and I will blindly follow whatever all six are doing, post-Friends.
- Grease: You're the One That I Want - starting Jan. 7 - All indications tell me this talent show will probably suck but for similar reasons as I've stated above, I'd sit through this one as well and blindly or deafly follow the show. Grease is definitely the word.
- 24 Season 6 - starting Jan. 14 - scoot over Prison Break, the king- of - unbelievable - storylines - that - leave - you - feeling - like - the - writers - are - making - a - fool - out - of - you - but - you - can't - help - watching - the - show - because - it's - insanely - intense - and - you're - tracking - Jack Bauer's - kill count....(phew!) IS BACK. I'm prepared to pick my jaw from the floor again. Hope it doesn't disappoint. Fox has been building up excitement incredibly well. Were you able to already watch the teasers online?
- Rome Season 2 - Jan. 14 - too much TV turns people into idiots (or so my dearly departed grandma told me, the grandma who died in '89, not the one over Christmas). So I'm doing myself a favor --- at least become an idiot who learns something about history. Rome doesn't have all the facts correct, but it's close to it.


The usuals, please...

1/03/07
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

1/04/07
UGLY BETTY
MY NAME IS EARL
THE OFFICE
SCRUBS
30 ROCK

1/07/07
BROTHERS & SISTERS

1/08/07 or is that the 22nd?
STUDIO 60

1/11/07
GREY'S ANATOMY

1/09/07
HOUSE

1/29/07
PRISON BREAK

And before I forget...

- The Amazing Race ALL STARS - starts in February, supposedly - RomBer's back on TV (Although, I don't think they were really gone). They will be in this installment for sure...because TV People love them, I suppose. Or love to hate them.
- Lost's return in March - but I read they might be bringing it back earlier
- The Shield's final (?) season sometime March too
- The Sopranos' last season sometime 2nd-3rd quarter of 2007.

I'm already losing my mind...or what is left of it.

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R!

2006's Best Part 10 - Another round of various 10's

Official TV Guide Top 10

Battlestar Galactica
Friday Night Lights
Heroes
Grey's Anatomy
Project Runway
Veronica Mars
The Office
24
Lost
Deadwood

Full list with description here


Yahoo's Most Searched TV shows

American Idol
Lost
Days of Our Lives
Family Guy
Deal or No Deal
Grey's Anatomy
The Simpsons
Dancing With the Stars
Smallville
South Park

If you'd like to see the rest of the list (Most Searched Movies, Celebrity, etc) check this

Metacritic

The Wire
Battlestar Galactica
The Office
The Colbert Report
Dexter
Veronica Mars [Season 2]
The Sopranos
Look Around You
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Top Chef

Alright now, that's the nth time I've seen The Wire on the list. That's four seasons of catching up, should I decide to give it a go. I don't think I have the luxury of time, nor HD space for that matter. (Uhm, yes...I've been introduced to this thing called CD burning but I never got into the habit). And HBO Asia is never airing it for sure. :(

I'm also seeing a lot of Dexter. First heard of it at PinoyTVJunkie's. Queueing, queueing, queueing for D/L ... (Ke-bagal ng internet! Arrrgh!)

I'm suddenly missing my weekly fix of new episodes from favorites like Grey's and House. I know January's just two days away and fresh episodes are gonna be popping up one after the other very soon; new seasons of 24 and AI are also going to be on in two weeks. But I literally can't wait. Seriously, this week has been really the longest and slowest. I've been checking the clock and each time I do that, I end up exclaiming, "Two o' clock pa lang!?"... "Eleven pa lang?!".

Anyhow, last night's Scrubs marathon with my 9-year old was a success. We're done with 8 episodes since and we're finishing the rest today. I just know this show would be the type of comedy my son would dig. My gad, he was laughing like a drunken man last night. I ought to record the way he laughs, convert it to a file I can email his dotting grand-aunts.

Arrrgh, the frustration!

I'm supposed to start watching Heroes but it's taking forever to acquire the episodes. No thanks to this. A normal day, day-and-a-half is taking three days (and counting) now and browsing other sites can also be frustrating. Even logging on to this blog took forever.

This is what happens when you depend on DSL technology too much. You're used to everything coming at a lightning speed (or something like that) or information is available and within your reach at the same time the world learns of 'em.

The slow down could be a subtle sign for people like me, an internet junkie, to at least maybe get a life...a social life. Hey, I've got friends! But they're either just on the net most of the time, too; or they've never heard of the internet, LOL...that's a fact!

Anyhow, I got stuck watching Season 2 of Everybody Hates Chris (On local cable, Season 1 I think airs on JackTV). This show used to be promising, but after two episodes and a half yesterday afternoon, I feel asleep. It surprisingly isn't as funny anymore. But I've got to say the choice of music they use in the show (from the 80's) is bringing back tons of memories from my youth. In Chris' timeline for Season 2 (which is 1984) I think I'd be just about the same age as him or maybe the younger brother, Drew. Anyway, if I'm not enjoying the comedy that much now, I'm thoroughly tripping with the song choices.

Tonight, still without a decent way to view Heroes, I've decided to initiate my son to Scrubs via the only DVD we have of the show (so far....still saving up for the rest!) - Season 1. I figured, my 9-year-old enjoys Friends a lot, took interest in Smallville, slightly finds Frasier funny, and worships The Simpsons.... why not another adult TV show, right? Bonding moment time. :)

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose!

They say it's the best show no one is watching. In truth, Friday Night Lights (FNL) isn't a ratings puller. But despite that, it amazingly is on a number of Top 10 TV Show lists this year... which is why I opted to check it out.

Early this week, I saw one episode and even before the show started, my mind was set to put it back on my watchlist for viewing "sometime later", thinking it's a sports show I'm not gonna be able to relate to.

I ended up watching all ten episodes in two nights.

I get football...thanks to a little invention called the Playstation and a video game called Madden, I am able to understand how a football game goes even when I've not seen one with real players on a real football field. I know football is big in States. I just didn't realize it was THAT big, that there's even a whole town of fanatics devoted to it. The town of Dillon, Texas, the setting of FNL, which is really just a fictional place for the show, was inspired by Odessa, Texas --- a big football-crazed town, where the original movie, FNL (same director/producer as the TV show) is also based from.

Anyway, the FNL primer:

What is it about?
A drama series covering high school Football... its players and coaches; their friends and family, their lives and relationships, pains, joys, mistakes and triumphs. It is set in a rural town of Dillon Texas, where everyone from the mayor, down to that token geeky high school student, treat football as a serious matter.

What's it like?
Here are the adjectives that people have used to describe the show:

fresh
realistic
engaging
suprising

- The characters are normal people, that even if you don't like or understand football, you can supposedly relate to them.
- The actors are very natural with their performances. On top on that list is Tami, the coach's wife.
- The TV show is shot documentary style (sort of like The Shield or maybe even NYPD Blue.... or if you've seen the football movie --- Any Given Sunday) where the camera is angled at some really interesting but unconventional shots, like so:



How many episodes so far?
As of December 2006, 10 so far. It has been ordered full season airing by NBC, so that means there's about 12 or 13 more to go?

Why would I watch it?
Because you might be tired of TV shows that follow the same formula as LOST (mystery) or PRISON BREAK (suspense) or have characters ala-HOUSE. FNL doesn't have a lot of confusing story weaving, nor the same amount of suspense as these other shows, nor dysfunctional characters. It is a drama series, but it's not so over the top that you can actually relate to it.

Characters

Eric Taylor
- played by Kyle Chandler. You may remember him from the Early Edition, or that bomb expert that blew up on Grey's Anatomy. He's lead coach for the Dillon panthers for the first time, and a football coach in this town is like being a housemate on Big Brother --- all eyes are watching him.

Tami Taylor
- played by Connie Britton. You may remember her from 24, Season 5. She played Jack Bauer's secret identity's girlfriend. Tami is the guidance counselor of the school, and plays an integral part in this whole system. The coach takes care of the games, she takes care of the kids' well-being outside the game.

Julie Taylor
- played by Aimee Teegarden. I thought she was that little girl in Cat in the Hat or some Mike Myers movie I cannot remember. Turns out, she's a fresh face, just like most of them. She has a strong resemblance to local star, Angelica Panganiban. While her parents are so immersed in the game, she chooses to have little to do with it. Until she starts dating Matt Saracen, the new team captain/quarterback.

Matt Saracen
- played by Zach Gilford. New actor. He used to just be the back-up quarterback, sort of like the understudy. He isn't as good as the original team captain, Jason Street, who met an unfortunate accident in the very first episode. Saracen is still raw, but he's very determined. He also is such a gentleman and maybe even a dork...not at all like the typical quarterback. Matt is left to care for his grandmother, who is showing signs of Alzheimers, while his dad is in Iraq.

Jason Street
- played by Scott Porter. New actor to prime time. He was on the Daytime telenovela, As The World Turns. Everyone was counting on Street to win the crown for the team this season. Until he fell and had his spine injured on their very first game. He is now paralyzed from the waist down and is spending his time in rehab, while participating in Special Olympics for the crippled (is that what's it called?). He has a girlfriend who, apparently cheated on him with his best friend.

Lyla Garrity
- played by Minka Kelly. She reminds me of some other actress, I can't just put a finger on it. Winnie from Wonder Years, maybe? Anyway, acting wise, she's the weakest of this cast. Lyla is the all-american girl. Cheerleader, beauty and brains, the perfect daughter, a perfect student, leading a pretty perfect life and has planned to marry Jason eventually and be the perfect housewife. All that changed after Jason's accident. At first she chose to tie herself down to her crippled boyfriend, optimistic that he will soon recover and would be able to walk again. But she is under pressure from what seemed to be a bleak future with Jason... confused, this led Lyla to sleep with Tim Riggins, Jason's best friend. When the school found out about it, she no longer is little miss perfect.

Tim Riggins
- played by Taylor Kitsch. New actor, former model. Hot. Tim is messed up, an alcoholic, whose male authority figure in the house is an older brother who isn't exactly a role-model. Despite all these, Tim is devoted to his best friend. He couldn't accept Jason Street's fate and for a time, avoided going to the hospital because he knew he was going to break down (he did). He is also secretly in love with his best friend's girlfriend, Lyla.He plays fullback for the Dillon Panthers. He is also involved with Tyra, the town's hot girl.

Tyra Collete
- played by Adrianne Palicki. You may remember her from Smallville, as Kara. I don't exactly know what's Tyra's purpose in this show is, as Tim's sexy girlfriend who doesn't really care much for football. She provides eye candy though.

Brian Smash Williams
- played by Gaius Charles. Also a new actor. He serves as the running back. He currently dreams of grabbing a scholarship at a good college, so he can potentially go pro, help his family and make big bucks. When he failed to impress a scout because he was "small", he decides to take illegal medication to boost himself. As of the moment, the coach still hasn't discovered this. He comes from a very religious family, and is about to date the pastor's daughter.

Best line so far, probably sums up what this show is about:

Tami to husband Eric, the coach: "You know what the problem is, it's this town baby, this town makes these teenage kids into idols. And then they get out of here and everybody's not just giving them something all the time, they don't know what to do if they fall flat on their faces, it's a shame."


Icons downloaded from the official FNL site on NBC.
ETC, a local cable channel, will air this show soon. Teasers are already airing.

2006's Best Part 9 - Various Top 10s

Chicago Tribune
Maureen Ryan

Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi)
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
Deadwood (HBO)
Friday Night Lights (NBC)
House (Fox)
The Office (NBC)
Project Runway (Bravo)
The Shield (FX)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
The Wire (HBO)

Entertainment Weekly
Gillian Flynn

The Wire (HBO)
Friday Night Lights (NBC)
Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi)
30 Rock (NBC)
Bleak House (PBS)
24 (Fox)
The Office (NBC)
Broken Trail (AMC)
Dirty Jobs (Discovery)
Heroes (NBC)

Los Angeles Times
Robert Lloyd

"Animals" American Express commercial
Brotherhood (Showtime)
30 Rock (NBC)
The Upside Down Show (Noggin)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
The New Adventures Of Old Christine (CBS)
Wonder Pets! (Nickelodeon)
Country Boys (PBS)
When The Levees Broke (HBO)
Edie Falco in The Sopranos (HBO)

People Weekly
Tom Gliatto

Ugly Betty (ABC)
American Idol (Fox)
Big Love (HBO)
Heroes (NBC)
Dexter (Showtime)
Bleak House (PBS)
High School Musical (Disney Channel)
30 Rock (NBC)
Black. White. (FX)
Rachael Ray (Syndicated)

Time Magazine
James Poniewozik

The Wire (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Friday Night Lights (NBC)
Lost (ABC)
Deadwood (HBO)
Big Love (HBO)
Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi)
Heroes (NBC)
Dexter (Showtime)
Bleak House (PBS)

Because I've been seeing a lot of Friday Night Lights on most Top 10 lists, my whole family and I decided to watch a couple of episodes late last night. What I can initially tell you is that it blew me away! More on FNL when I get back to regular blogging.

On another note, my Lola passed away yesterday morning. But we're not mourning. She was 96, she has lived her life. Rest in peace, Lola. I mean, really --- enough of that thing you did to me yesterday morning, okay? I love you but you really woke me up! :) (Nagparamdam Lola ko sa akin!)

Merry Christmas!

Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

What better way to show you the spirit of Christmas than this one... a clip from one of my current favorite TV shows:

Oh Holy Night on Vimeo

My Top 5 Moments on TV

Before anything else, I had quite a moment the other day. I wasn't able to use the computer or watch TV for several hours because of severe eyestrain. Fearing I'd go blind, I had to rest and shut my eyes and just contend with listening to music... for a whole day. It killed me to not be able to do anything else.

Hubby was out that day and I had my son to take care of me. Once in a while I'd sneak and log in to the internet (matigas ulo ko eh!) and I'd get a stern reprimand from my 9year old.

My visit to the eye doctor is looooong overdue. My eye sight has never been 20/20 to begin with (TV watcher since I can master turning the TV knob on as a child!) and it got worse when I had a baby. I know I need to wear glasses. I did as a child and used to wear one as a fashion statement. (Dork!)

When I got older, I decided I could live with being unable to see clearly, since I realized glasses were distracting (for one thing, it felt like I still had them on when I'm sleeping and I keep brushing my face with my hand to check) and I have to change them every XXX years.

Sporting old focals (still not wanting to go to the eyedoctor, I know, I know I'll have to get to that soon!), I'm back to abusing my eyesight.

Anyway, this was in my draft a few days ago. It's time I publish it:

MY TOP 5 BEST TV MOMENTS FOR 2006

Brothers & Sisters
... or the fact that I found this show, started watching it I've been crying on each episode since.

Justin: You know what that means in this family? It means you suck, it means nothing you do will be good enough!
Kevin: Get in the car!
Mother: Oh, you ungrateful child! You don't care anyone but yourself, how did you get the way? [cries] You know what losing your father has done to me. And yet you take your life and throw it around like it was worthless....why???
Justin: I wish I was dead. Don't you understand that, I wish I died over there Mom!
Mother: Well you didn't die. And I'll be damned if I stand around and watch you kill yourself!
Kitty: Enough, enough Mom.

Blogged here.

**********

Studio 60 Pilot Episode
where Jordan McDeer shows why she's boss...

Jordan: You know what this is? It's the sketch that got cut. I just read it and I thought it was inspired and I am not really an expert. Matt, read it and tell me what you think..
Matt: No, I'm not gonna read it.
Jordan: Just read it and tell me if it should have gone on the air.
Matt: I don't need to read it.
Jordan: Matt ---
Danny: He doesn't need to read it.
Jordan: Why?
Matt: Because I wrote it....four years ago. Shortly before I apparently quit.
Jordan: I know. [pause] Alright so you want me to prove it? Here's my first try. Open with it next week. [cue music, Queen's Under Pressure, Jordan steps away.]
Danny: You gotta give her style for that.
Matt: Yeah...

I still get all worked up watching that scene. That was darn good.

Blogged here

**********

The Office
Season 2 Season Ender
... where Jim kisses Pam



And now they're just pretending it didn't happen. Expectedly this love affair will take awhile to unfold (as the original British version did) and I just can't wait anymore!!!

Blogged here.

**********

The X-Factor Season 3
Ray Quinn sings My Way



Of all singing contests I've been watching, I do not expect to be putting this on my Top list. But as it turns out, this was the one single moment in any singing competition for this year, where I was very, very moved by the performance.

Ray, by the way, made it to Top 2. And lost to a Mariah Carey sounding Leona (same curly hair as Mariah circa early 90's too!)

Blogged here here.

**********

24 Season 5
...where President Palmer is assassinated in the series' opening first five minutes



Nobody expected it. Which is what makes 24 click. Anyone can go at anytime (except Jack Bauer of course), and that keeps the shock factor at an all-time high. I dropped my jaw watching that seen where Palmer was gunned down by an assassin. Couldn't believe but it happened. They killed President Palmer. Next season (January 2007), his brother Wayne is the new President.

Blogged here.

Incidentally, these:

TV Gal's Top 10 TV Moments of 2006

Buddy TV's Top 10 TV Moments of 2006

TVGuide's Top TV Moments of 2006

Tivo's Top TV Moments of 2006

Vote for the Best @ TV.Com

2006's Best Part 8 - Golden Satellite Awards

Alright, this is looking a lot like Ricky Lo's column at the Philippine Star, where you'll read nothing but lists of Beauty Contest winners, on days when Ricky Lo doesn't have any news to spill. LOL! I can't say this will be the last of the Best List...I have fun compiling these (OC Alert!), so please indulge me.

On this page is another list, this time from the Golden Satellite...a breakaway group made up of international press people (they broke away from the Golden Globes group). The awards are supposedly handed out tonight (USA time) but there's little news online as to who won what just yet, winners have been released and this entry is updated.

Actress in a supporting role in a series, mini-series or motion picture made for television.
a. Vanessa Williams-UGLY BETTY
b. Elizabeth Perkins-WEEDS
c. Jean Smart-24
d. Fionnula Flanagan-BROTHERHOOD
e. Julie Benz-DEXTER
f. Laurie Metcalf-DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES

Me likey Jean Smarts!!!! Vanessa Williams is a-okay too.

Actual Winner: JULIE BENZ - Dexter

Actor in a supporting role in a series, mini-series or motion picture made for television.
a. Robert Knepper-PRISON BREAK
b. Forest Whitaker-THE SHIELD
c. Jeremy Piven-ENTOURAGE
d. Michael Emerson-LOST
e. Tony Plana-UGLY BETTY
f. Philip Baker Hall-THE LOOP

Me likey Robert Kneppner, aka T-Bag, whoooooa. Me likey Jeremy Piven. Me likey Michael Emerson - Ben/Henry on Lost (finally, someone takes notice of this guy!). Me NOT likey Forest Whitaker, well, not him but the guy he played on The Shield, he was appalling (which is probably a good indication he did a great job at acting out his character).

Actual Winner: TONY PLANA - Ugly Betty

Television Series, Drama
a. 24
b. HOUSE
c. THE WIRE
d. RESCUE ME
e. DEXTER
f. HEROES

House! House! House!

Actual Winner: HOUSE

Actress in a Series, Drama
A. Sarah Paulson-STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP
B. Kyra Sedgwick-THE CLOSER
C. Kristen Bell-VERONICA MARS
D. Emily Deschanel-BONES
E. Jeanne Tripplehorn-BIG LOVE
F. Amanda Peet-STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP

Amanda Peet is cool, but someone else is a better actress than she is... for now at least, someone like Kyra maybe. Veronica Mars gets recognition, mucho deservo (I don't know the Spanish for "deserving", LOL!)

Actual Winner: KYRA SEDGWICK - The Closer

Actor in a Series, Drama
a. Denis Leary-RESCUE ME
b. Bradley Whitford-STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP
c. Bill Paxton-BIG LOVE
d. Hugh Laurie-HOUSE
e. Matthew Perry-STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP
f. Michael C. Hall-DEXTER

Ahh, two of my Hot-Guys-on-TV, in the same category: Matt & House. *kiss, kiss*

Actual Winner: HUGH LAURIE - House

Television Series, Comedy or Musical
a. THE OFFICE
b. THE COLBERT REPORT
c. EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS
d. ENTOURAGE
e. UGLY BETTY

The Office, no doubt. Chris is second, Betty third, Entourage fourth, or mix them all together. Fun.

Actual Winner - UGLY BETTY

Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical
a. America Ferrera-UGLY BETTY
b. Julia Louis Dreyfus-THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
c. Lisa Kudrow-THE COMEBACK
d. Mary Louise Parker-WEEDS
e. Marcia Cross-DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
f. Laura Kightlinger-MINOR ACCOMPLISHEMNTS OF JACKIE WOODMAN

Lisa Kudrow, I miss her. I think she did great in The Comeback, but I do think Ugly Betty America deserves this one more.

Actual Winner: MARCIA CROSS - Desperate Housewives

Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical
a. Steve Carell-THE OFFICE
b. James Spader-BOSTON LEGAL
c. Ted Danson-HELP ME HELP YOU
d. Stephen Colbert-THE COLBERT REPORT
e. Jason Lee-MY NAME IS EARL
f. James Roday-PSYCH

Steve Carell!!!!!

Actual Winner - JAMES SPADER, Boston Legal

BEST ENSEMBle,TELEVISION
GREY’S ANATOMY

(No other nomination)

This I agree with!

Results here.

2006's Best Part 7 - Matt Roush TV Guide

TV Guide's Matt Roush lists his Top 10. And I definitely agree with choice #6:

1) 24
2) The Wire
3) Friday Night Lights
4) Grey's Anatomy
5) Battlestar Galactica
6) NBC's Thursday comedies return
7) Ugly Betty
8) The Shield
9) Lost
10) Dexter

Read the complete entry --> this way please.

Brothers & Sisters - S1 E10 Light the Lights

Here I go again...

I was crying my eyes out (yet again!) watching the last episode ("fall finale" anyone?) of Brothers and Sisters. I can't help crying everytime, the show stings at the right amount, in the right timing.

Anyway, those following Prison Break are probably wondering where the President is. She has not made an appearance on the show, and she never will. The actress playing her, Patricia Wettig, is a regular on Brothers and Sisters (that's why she asked to be removed from Prison Break, there's a conflict of shooting schedules or something). She plays Holly Harper, the deceased patriach's other woman.

This is one of her finest moments in the show (so far):

2006's Best Part 6 - The Fort Wayne Reader

This is like the fourth time I've seen Battlestar Galactica on someone's Best List. Maybe it's time I bring out my inner geek and begin watching this show.

Bert Ehrmann (from the Fort Wayne Reader)'s Best for 2006:

The Wire is not an easy series to watch. Some plot elements in the current season are derived from events in previous seasons. And unless the viewer is willing to invest time in the series, the underlying story of The Wire can be confusing. I have to admit that when I first started watching The Wire I had a hard time getting into the series. I finally broke down and re-watched the first season on DVD over the course of a week to begin to understand the series. But trust me, this time spent is worth it.

The Wire easily outpaces every other procedural cop drama on network television; making these other series look quaint and old in comparison. From the depiction of real-life politics and street life, The Wire gets just about everything right.

The rest, in alphabetical order.

Battlestar Galactica: I seriously considered naming BSG as the best show of the year as I had last year, especially since the current season of the show is as good as, or better than, the previous. But I had to go with The Wire since right now the series is the more powerful and timely of the two shows – and that's saying a lot considering that BSG continues to explore life on 21 st century planet Earth in the guise of science fiction.

Deadwood: Sadly, this third season of Deadwood will be the last as the series was canceled BEFORE the 2006 season even aired. This season, Deadwood focused on mining baron George Hearst (Gerald McRaney) and his quest to either control or destroy the town of Deadwood. Unfortunately, Deadwood ended with a cliffhanger, and there is some question as to whether we'll ever get to see whether or not Hearst gets his way.

Lost: I had a hard time calling Lost one of the best television shows of the year, especially after the relatively dull "Fall Season" this year. But I wasn't able to ignore the fact that the second season of Lost was arguably BETTER than the first and felt that the show deserved some recognition. Though I fear that the current season of the series might have marked the beginning of the inevitable decline of Lost, it's impossible to take away just how good season two of Lost was.

The Office: I suspect many years from now historians will look back on season two of The Office as the GREATEST comeback series in the history of television. From just how bad/mediocre The Office was during the first season to just how good it came to be in season two, it's almost as if another group of people are writing the show. My only question is; how long will Steve "Mr. Movies" Carell stick with the show before heading for better paying

Read up here.

2006's Best Part 5 - The Watcher's Top 10

The Watcher (Chicago Tribune) has come up with her list of 2006's Best. These are not in alphabetical order:

“Battlestar Galactica,” Sci Fi: Like “Deadwood,” “Battlestar Galactica” is interested in exploring how a society on the edge decides to govern itself. (Sounds exciting, eh? Trust me, it is.) What rights and actions are sacrosanct, which are outlawed, when most of the human race is eliminated? What’s allowable or forbidden when life-threatening emergencies loom? Thank goodness the people muddling through these decisions are the key to this provocative series. If not grounded in the lives of understandably flawed, often noble, decidedly real human beings, none of this highfalutin’ metaphorical stuff would fly. Thanks to a stellar cast and brave writing, “Battlestar” soars.

“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”/“The Colbert Report,” Comedy Central: Stephen Colbert, in case you hadn’t noticed, is giving one of the most entertaining performances on television, in his Dailytoss_1 “Colbert Report” persona as a conservative cable blowhard. The “Report’s” snappy writing and Colbert’s improvisational skills have only gotten better over time. And in all the lavish media coverage of “The Daily Show,” few commentators have realized that it’s not just a snarkfest: There’s anger at the core of the show. What drives this fake-news program is the idea that the men and women of both parties entrusted with the job of governing us aren’t doing a good enough job. The pointed eviscerations of the mainstream media’s failings are just a fun bonus.

“Deadwood,” HBO: This show’s acting ensemble is truly an embarrassment of riches: Ian McShane, William Sanderson, Molly Parker, Gerald McRaney, Timothy Olyphant, Paula Malcolmson - the performers in this Western, right down to the feisty bar cleaner Jewel and the intense Mr. Wu, are as good as it gets. The sprawling, surprising saga, the actors, David Milch’s poetic dialogue - which mixes the profane with the ornate in a uniquely “Deadwood”-ian patois - all make for an utterly compelling, extraordinarily authentic tale.

“Friday Night Lights,” NBC: If you think this show is only about football, think again. The games at Dillon High are thrilling but mostly because they provide arenas for the hopes, fears, loves and rivalries of the richly drawn characters in this small Texas town. As Coach Eric Taylor, Kyle Chandler paints a nuanced picture of man under pressure to achieve victory while trying to be a role model and even a friend to a complicated tribe of high school athletes. All that plus a sizzling love triangle makes for addictive viewing.

“House,” Fox: They haven’t done it yet - can you believe it? Three seasons in, and the “House” writers haven’t softened the cranky doctor in the slightest. No puppy or adorable moppet has taken up residence in his bachelor pad. As if that weren’t enough, the show’s intelligent writers haven’t slackened in their storytelling; they restlessly explore everyday ethics and morality with ruthless rigor (and provide gripping medical mysteries and damn funny dialogue to boot). “Everybody lies,” is House’s house rule. This show wants to know why, but it gives no easy answers at the end of the hour.

“The Office,” NBC: Thursday is must-see TV night on NBC again, and this sensational series is one big reason for that. Laugh-out-loud comedy is hard to come by, but laughs anchored within a minutely realized character study - that doesn’t exist, except at Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin paper company. Long may it provide copy paper to the Pennsylvania business community, and belly laughs to the rest of us.

“Project Runway,” Bravo: The casting gods were smiling on this red-hot fashion-design show this year. There were many memorable characters, but, as it should be, the freaks never outshone the frocks. The level of talent among the most recent batch of candidates was truly impressive, and in the compassionate yet forthright Tim Gunn, the show had a suave secret weapon: a man who could tell nervous fashionistas the truth without causing a meltdown. If you’re not a “Runway” addict, you may never understand the draw of this show. During “Runway” season, the rest of us just live for Wednesday nights.

“The Shield,” FX: Season 5 of “The Shield” will go down in history as one of the best seasons of television ever. Riveting doesn’t begin to describe the performances by Forest Whitaker, Michael Chiklis, Walton Goggins and Kenneth Johnson. As an internal-affairs cop obsessed with bringing down rogue cop Vic Mackey and his crew, Whitaker was on fire, and “The Shield” cast gave as good as it got. And the Shakespearean finale of the season was as tragic as filmed drama gets.

“Ugly Betty,” ABC: No show had a more difficult mixture to master this year: Newcomer “Betty” is equal parts camp, comedy, melodrama and family saga. Getting this delicate balance right, and giving these characters depth without destroying our ability to laugh at their foibles - well, the whole enterprise could have been a disaster. But the skilled cast brings off this unique mixture with flair to spare, and as the plucky Betty, the earnest girl from the outer boroughs who’s swimming with Manhattan’s designer-clad sharks, America Ferrera is giving a career-making performance.

“The Wire,” HBO: Descriptions of this program sound like eat-your-vegetables TV: One strand of the most recent season of the HBO drama explores how the education system lets down inner-city kids. You might think that’s a formula for earnest, boring TV - until you meet Dukie, Namond, Michael and Randy. Thanks to the cliché-free writing of “The Wire” staff and four phenomenal performances by the young actors playing these 8th graders, this quartet of Baltimore kids became real and their fates came to matter intensely. If Dickens were writing now, he’d be writing for “The Wire.” It’s a gripping, novelistic serial that is unsparing in its authenticity and in its compassion. And the anger that motivates “The Wire” shows us how we are all complicit in society’s failures.

Full article here

2006's Best Part 4 - The Writers Guild of America

Some more groups giving love to our TV Show Favorites. The Writers Guild of America chooses these shows as 2006's Best, taking "writing" into consideration.

Dramatic Series
Deadwood
Grey's Anatomy
Lost
The Sopranos
24

Comedy Series
Arrested Development
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock

New Series
Friday Night Lights
Heroes
Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip
30 Rock
Ugly Betty

Comedy/Variety Series
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Penn & Teller: Bullshit
Real Tim With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

I wonder why 24 and Lost are both on this list. Seriously, writers think it's great? It's something else for an individual to consider these shows. But for a collective group, one who actually make these shows happen by writing the story?

Don't get me wrong, I watch these shows...I am a sucker for these shows, in fact, there are days when I obsess about it. But I don't think 24 and Lost (lately especially) execute the best storylines. They have the best concept: good in paper, bad delivery. Some of the mini-plots haven't even been resolved...But then again, maybe that's why it's getting the recognition --- it's for all those complex story weaving and WTF moments.

Full list HERE

2006's Best Part 3 - 2007 Golden Globe Nominees

Unlike the Emmy's, Golden Globe Nominees do not have to submit any tapes (of their work) to the jurors for consideration. They are simply nominated by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA)...and HFPA members don't actually have to watch the shows or see performances, they just have to "like" them. Weird huh? So, what does one expect? Some are recognized not exactly for their talent or how actually good a show is. Some are in the list for PR purposes. In the local equivalent, this is like the PMAP/EnPress awards we have here. And you know how much (or how little) credibility there is in that.

Any TV show that has aired between January 1, 2006 to December 21, 2006 is eligible for Golden Globes 2007. Awards night is on January 15, 2007. (That's the 16th to us on Phil TV)

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
24 (FOX)
BIG LOVE (HBO)
GREY’S ANATOMY (ABC)
HEROES (NBC)
LOST (ABC)

I'm very surprised Lost is in the list.
Snubbed: Brothers and Sisters and even as I have not seen any episode of it yet I have a feeling Friday Night Lights was also snubbed.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
PATRICIA ARQUETTE, MEDIUM
EDIE FALCO, THE SOPRANOS
EVANGELINE LILLY, LOST
ELLEN POMPEO, GREY’S ANATOMY
KYRA SEDGWICK, THE CLOSER

Ellen Pompeo, Evangeline Lilly? I watch their shows and love GA but really now?
Snubbed (in a major way!): Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
PATRICK DEMPSEY, GREY’S ANATOMY
MICHAEL C. HALL, DEXTER
HUGH LAURIE, HOUSE
BILL PAXTON, BIG LOVE
KIEFER SUTHERLAND, 24

Again...a nomination for McDreamy? On the other hand, I think it's a competition between Hugh Laurie and Keifer Sutherland only.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
UGLY BETTY (ABC)
WEEDS (SHOWTIME)

Will win: The Office

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL
MARCIA CROSS, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
AMERICA FERRERA, UGLY BETTY
FELICITY HUFFMAN, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE
MARY-LOUISE PARKER, WEEDS

Would like to win: America Ferrera
Will likely win: Huffman (who I love!) or Dreyfus

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
ALEC BALDWIN, 30 ROCK
ZACH BRAFF, SCRUBS
STEVE CARRELL, THE OFFICE
JASON LEE, MY NAME IS EARL
TONY SHALHOUB, MONK

Will win: Steve Carell or Alec Baldwin. And I don't have a problem with that. With only eight episodes to 30 Rock on TV so far, Alec Baldwin gets a GG nomination. And this line-up is all NBC.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
EMILY BLUNT, GIDEON’S DAUGHTER
TONI COLLETTE, TSUNAMI, THE AFTERMATH
KATHERINE HEIGL, GREY’S ANATOMY
SARAH PAULSON, STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP
ELIZABETH PERKINS, WEEDS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
THOMAS HADEN CHURCH, BROKEN TRAIL
JEREMY IRONS, ELIZABETH I
JUSTIN KIRK, WEEDS
MASI OKA, HEROES
JEREMY PIVEN, ENTOURAGE

This category has robbed two categories as it combines comedy/drama supporting actors into one category. I wonder what's the reason for this...budget cuts? Bwaha!

Rip: Peter Boyle

Shoot!!!!

(CBS) NEW YORK Veteran actor Peter Boyle, who played the crabby father of Ray Romano on the CBS comedy "Everbody Loves Raymond," died Tuesday night in New York, CBS News has learned.

Boyle was born Oct. 18, 1935, in Philadelphia. He left a calling as a Christian monk in the 1950s to become an actor, and in 1970, he won acclaim playing an intolerant factory worker in the movie "Joe."

In 1974, Boyle joined Mel Brooks to star as the famous monster in "Young Frankenstein." Boyle reportedly was in full monster make-up for the film when he met his future wife, Rolling Stone reporter Loraine Alterman Boyle.

One time while watching Everybody Loves Raymond, I said to myself that if this man dies in real life, it will be such a big loss and I will probably be very sad to hear it.

I was fond of this man. Peter Boyle will be sorely missed.

My Boys & Lost Room

As if what I watch isn't enough, I have decided to take a look at two shows I've been reading a lot about.

My Boys

Googgle up "My Boys TV show" and you will find the words Sex and The City associated with it. Everyone's saying that this is the new SATC. (How many TV shows are there that claimed to be the new or the next SATC, but never really delivered? )

So what does My Boys have in common with SATC? Let's bring out my list:

1. Its about a female writer, PJ Jordan. But unlike Carrie Bradshaw, she's not a sex columnist, she's a sports columnist.
2. It is also about her friends. Except that her circle of friends aren't composed of hormonal women, but men with dangerous levels of testosterone. [Testosterone: the principal male sex hormone].
3. It is about dating, love, relationships and sex.
4. PJ does narration, in Carrie Bradshaw fashion... but with a deeper voice. I have to get used to PJ's voice, it's low and nasal.

What doesn't it have in common with SATC? Just one from what I've seen so far --- PJ analyzes relationships and equates this to sports.

I'm just on the first 2 episodes (of the current 6 - 30 minute installments) so, I can't form a valid opinion about this show yet. But Variety says:

Owing more than a passing debt to "Sex and the City" -- a series TBS knows well, having run the sprockets off its reruns -- "My Boys" saunters onto the field with all the assuredness of a big-league closer. Breezy, smart and occasionally funny, director Betsy Thomas has created a real-feeling world where a femme sportswriter is very much one of the guys, with all the merriment and challenges that entails. Although unlikely to be a major hit, the show should win fans among both bleacher bums and women pining for another decent comedy with a plucky heroine/narrator at its core.

The Lost Room

Have yet to see one episode but The Lost Room is queued under our Must-Watch list for the Christmas holidays. This show's really not up to my taste but more my husband's. And when he watches TV, whether I like the premise or not, we have to watch together. Yeah, bonding moment crap.

What's it about?

The Lost Room is a science fiction television miniseries on the Sci Fi Channel. The series revolves around the room of the title and at least 100 everyday items from that room that possess unusual powers, such as a comb that can stop time for ten seconds, or a pen that microwaves anything its tip touches. --- Wikipedia

What will it remind you of?

Twilight Zone, of course. And maybe a bit of Twin Peaks.

Looks interesting... potentially engaging. Miniseries only (so there's, like 6 hours worth of story, short viewing time lang). I'm interested to see Peter Krause & Juliana Marguiles working together. And Dakota Fanning's younger sister, Elle, is also in the cast.

Women Power

D'you know that Television is ruled by women?

TV world's most powerful women. Meet the women who decide what you watch and which stars you should see on TV:

1. Amy Pascal
Chairman, Sony Pictures Ent. Motion Picture Group
Co-chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment

2. Anne Sweeney
Co-chairman of media networks, the Walt Disney Co.
president, Disney-ABC Television Group

3. Judy McGrath
Chairman and CEO, MTV Networks

4. Gail Berman
President, Paramount Pictures

5. Nancy Tellem
President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group

6. Stacey Snider
Co-chairman and CEO, DreamWorks SKG

7. Oprah Winfrey
Chairman, Harpo Inc.

More on TV's Power100

Race to the Finish

I rank The Amazing Race as one of my Top 5 favorites. That is until this year. I have about 5 episodes worth of catching up to do. Inspite this image to the left, that's too hot for primetime TV and is supposed to keep the likes of me tuning to the show (and lapping the TV set hehe!) every Monday mornings (is that a bulge or is that a bulge? People like Phil should stop tucking shirts in! It drives a lot of women crazy!), I can't believe I'm gonna say this but the predictability of the format has driven my attention away from it for awhile. There's not enough bulge to keep me hanging. LOL! And as predictability goes, it's an all-male team (model Tyler & James) who has won this year...yet again.

I don't know about you but the All-Star show that's up next season is a desperate sign. As much as I love TAR and I think that yes, it is probably the best reality show ever (deserving of its 3 Emmy awards)... its time is up.

Phil, I'm sorry to tell you but you have been eliminated out of my Top 5 Favorite TV Shows list. :(

2006's Best Part 2 - TV Gal's List

TV Gal's blog is one of those I regularly read. Here's her list of Best TV Shows for 2006. I agree with her choices at least 7 to 10:

1. "24": Remember when "24" premiered and everyone was in a tizzy? How will the show continue? Does it have more than one season in it? Not only does the series have a lot of life in it, it made its fifth season arguably its best (no easy feat, just ask "Prison Break.") What else is there to say about a season that introduced President Logan and the First Lady (I can't imagine the show without them)? That continued to prove that no one is safe (RIP Edgar). That even rehabilitated Audrey and keeps on developing some of TV's most interesting and quirky characters (yay Chloe). Best. Season. Ever.

2. "The Office": First of all, let me tell you, you are going to love this week's episode of "The Office." I'm kind of in awe of what the show has done this season. Bringing the background characters into the forefront (raise your hand if you love Kelly) and taking the Jim/Pam romance in new and believable directions. TV love triangles (or quadrangles as the case may be) are more interesting when we actually care about all the parties involved. And I really care. Sometimes I may be uncomfortable (two words: Prison Mike) but I always, always laugh out loud.

3. "Lost": At the heart of it, the genius of this show remains that it plays to multiple types of viewers. The viewer like my dad who enjoys each hour for what it is -– a compelling drama (even if he can't remember the characters names. A typical conversation between the two of us goes something like this: Me: "Do you think Jin killed that man?" Dad: "Jim whose Jim? Which one is he?"). It plays to viewers like myself who get perhaps far too invested in who Kate really loves, delight in the Sun/Jim back story, is dying to know how Locke ended up in that wheelchair, is annoyed by the new characters (there's no way they've been on the island all along) and keep wondering when will see Rose and Bernard again. And finally it appeals to the viewer who savors dissecting every clue and hint the show gives us about what the heck is going on. Name me a show that does all that.

4. "Veronica Mars": I'll stipulate to the fact that the show has lost some of its bite this season, but I feel about "Veronica Mars" the way I used to feel about "Buffy." Even a mediocre episode of "Veronica Mars" is better than most things on television. I'd name it one of the best shows on television based on last May's finale alone.

5. "Everybody Hates Chris": I'll spend at least 11 dollars and sixty-seven cents to tell you how much I enjoy this show. Remember how I agonized about my Top 10 character list last week, well I can't believe I didn't put Tichina Arnold on this list. She's the best (and sassiest) mom on TV. Any show based around a child is tricky business. Not many child actors can pull of being funny without being smug. But Tyler James Williams may be the best child actor since we met Fred Savage all those years ago. Sing it with me, "Everybody Loves Chris."

6. "The New Adventures of Old Christine": The best traditional four camera sitcom currently on network television. Julia Louis-Dreyfus thrives as the woman who doesn't quite have her life together. But we always knew she was funny. The show's real gift is in its supporting cast. Trevor Gagnon -- another great child actor -- as her son. Hamish Linklater as her deadpan hilarious brother and Tricia O'Kelley and Alex Kapp Horner as the positively fabulous soccer moms from hell.

7. "Scrubs": There's no annoying laugh track, no live studio audience, and no mugging for the camera after a particularly witty line. In fact, it's only because I'm always laughing so hard that I know this is a comedy. But what makes "Scrubs" truly unique is that it is often so poignant and moving (witness the birth of Carla and Turk's baby). I can't wait for the musical episode.

8. "Brothers & Sisters": If there was ever an example of mom knows best, this is it. From the very first episode, my mom declared that this was going to be an excellent show and that I should give the drama another chance. And, once again, my mom was right (it's kind of like the time she told me not to cut my own bangs and I did anyway). I love a show that gets better with each episode and relishes in fabulous performances. Even though the sisters sometimes bug me, this is quickly becoming my can't miss show. And a special shout of for creating Kevin, a television character who has as interesting and complicated love life as his straight siblings. Thanks Mom for making me watch.

9. "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip": I loved this show before I even met it and it has lived up to my expectations.

10. "Without a Trace": The best procedural drama in prime time continues to reinvent its own format. And it remains the only procedural crime drama that can seamlessly integrate the character's personal lives without making it seem like a clunky afterthought.

Full entry here.

2006's Best Part 1 - AFI's List

It's that time of the year again.

Here's AFI's (American Film Institute) Best TV Shows for 2006:

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA - the geek in me wants to watch this really soon. I was able to score the pilot episode DVD... but haven't gotten around to popping this in the player yet.
DEXTER - worth checking out. It's on PinoyTVJunkie's recommended list. http://pinoytvjunkie.livejournal.com/
ELIZABETH I - ano ito? Time to find out.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS - Heard a lot of good things about this show.
HEROES - gonna give this show one go para tuloy tuloy.
THE OFFICE - Yey!
SOUTH PARK - Not a regular SP viewer but okay, Top 10 material it is.
24 - Yey! Unbelievable TV show, but yey! Yey! Yey!
THE WEST WING - I thought this show was cancelled in 2005?
THE WIRE - Saw a couple of episodes. Worth watching nga. Heard a lot of good things about this show too.

Click & Sunshine

I miss watching movies. Haven't been to a lot this year and decided I needed to play catch-up. So yesterday, I found myself watching two, at two in the aftertoon.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

This was recommended to me by an old friend. He's someone whose taste in films I completely trust. He hasn't made a bad movie recommendation, as far as I can remember.

LMS has got Indie Film marked all over it --- quirky, offbeat, dark, dark comedy, unconventional journey. These days however, I think "indie" has become overrated. It's a good thing this film isn't (overrated). It deserves all the high praises its been getting.

IMDb synopsis:

Olive is a little girl with a dream: winning the Little Miss Sunshine contest. Her family wants her dream to come true, but they are so burdened with their own quirks, neuroses, and problems that they can barely make it through a day without some disaster befalling them. Olive's father Richard is a flop as a motivational speaker, and is barely on speaking terms with her mother. Her uncle Frank, a renowned Proust scholar, has attempted suicide following an unsuccessful romance with a male graduate student. Her brother Dwayne, a fanatical follower of Nietzsche, has taken a vow of silence, which allows him to escape somewhat from the family whose very presence torments him. And Olive's grandfather is a ne'er-do-well with a drug habit, but at least he enthusiastically coaches Olive in her contest talent routine. Circumstances conspire to put the entire family on the road together with the goal of getting Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine contest in far off California.

Best:

• The way they'd have to chase the car so that they can ride it. It's probably one of the funniest scenes I've seen this year.
• When Dwayne writes down on his pad (since he vowed to never speak) "Go hug mom", addressing this to his sister.
• When Dwayne discovers something that will alter his goals forever. And the one person that made him get up again and go was his sister, who only had to touch him by the shoulder.
• Olive's talent portion, as coached to him by her grandfather.
• Alan Arkin!
• Frank (Steve Carell's character) and Dwayne's "conversations"
• That Doctor who broke them the bad news. I can't say what, you've got to watch the movie to understand that moment!

CLICK

Another friend, whom we regularly see, has been telling us over and over --- we've got to watch this movie. It was his best film for 2006.

I like Sandler movies as much as the next person and even while this one had something to do with a clicker (which happens to be a a very important piece in our household), I wasn't too keen on watching it yet. But with yesterday's bed weather, I think my watching this movie was just the right timing.

IMDb synopsis:

Michael Newman seems to have a perfect life- a beautiful wife, two small children, and a job with great potential. But as his jerky boss passes Michael up for promotion after promotion, Michael becomes fed up, and wishes he could find a way to just, oh, skip through the hard parts in life. He gets exactly that -and much, much more- when he stumbles upon the Beyond section of a Bed, Bath, and Beyond in search of a universal remote. But as it turns out, the remote controls, well, the entire universe! At first this seems a blessing, but as the remote begins to program itself Michael finds his life skipping by, sometimes a few months, sometimes years. Will he be able to get his life back before its entirely gone?

Best:

• The use of a lot of 80's and early 90's songs
• Rob Schneider cameo, however corny that scene maybe
• The fact that this movie reminds me of those 80's movies...you know, lead actor stumbles or falls asleep (which we will know only at the end) and experiences an alternate universe, where the story becomes really crazy and predictable, but you'd still enjoy the film anyway.
• The "lessons" you can pick up from this film. Touching moments, however cheesy, typical of Sandler movies.
• That horny dog!
• Sean Astin in red Speedos.... not exactly a "best", but more of a "shock" to me LOL!
• When Sandler's character messed around with his boss (played by David Hasselhoff)... pausing such encounters using his "universal remote" and slapping him silly or farting on his bosses' face... Yes, I've got the sense of humor of a 9 year old!

Jack

I so adore this kid! Where can I buy him? :D



Jack
son of Perry and Jordan
Scubs Season 6 Episode 2
My Best Friend's Baby's Baby and My Baby's Baby

He's got a better grasp of it than I do

For several days now, I'd always catch my 9-year old taking a nap at an irregular hour of 5:30PM. As soon as I'd see him, I'd immediately wake him up because I didn't want him to wander off schedule and we would have to contend with sleeping problems later in the night. He's real bedtime is 8:30pm on school days.

This afternoon, he fell asleep again.

It bothered me that he was always so tired between 4-6pm lately, so today I asked him if he wasn't feeling well or if there was something that was bothering him. He said he was fine and that everything's okay. He was just bored to death because after studying his lessons, he's left with nothing to do. And he blames me for his boredom because I apparently "took away his TV viewing time". (Looooong story, but yes, he's not allowed to watch TV for two weeks.)

So I told him, ""No TV for a while is good...you're doing very well in school, right?" [Proud parent alert: He won the gold medal for the Science Quiz Bee last Monday :D]

He responded that yes, I could be right. But then I should have known what was about to come, the way my son was thinking. He shot back at me and asked: "But Mom, what about you? Isn't watching too much TV bad for you too?"

My mind raced for something clever to say. Something that wouldn't look like I was saying one thing and doing something else (even if I was). Something that's not contradicting. Something that would still allow me to watch all the TV I want (wehehe), but something my son would also get and learn --- that too much TV is also bad.

Now how do I that?

"Well..... I don't have assignments to do and I don't have to study for school," was all I could come up with.

Eeeep.

"So it's not bad for you, but bad for me?" the boy tells me.

"Uhm, yes... ?" I wasn't so sure about that myself.

I think I need help. :(

The reason why I took away his TV privileges was simple: he was forgetting how to focus and prioritize. And to top that, a few weeks back, he pissed his father for behaving as if his mind was on slow motion, missing that "intel inside" chip. And of course, who would the father blame but me? (And I would blame the Smallville Marathon!!!! Bwaha!)

So both of us, my son and I, had to make adjustments. And it's a good thing my son quickly caught on. It's a good thing he's got better head on his shoulders, a better sense of things (than I do!).

Anyway, our conversation this afternoon ended with a confirmation and an assurance that I need not worry my son is going to dumb down from watching too much TV or that too much TV is doing him more harm than good. What he told me was interesting, very interesting.

He related to me how many of his classmates' families were planning on migrating to America and that he'd lose about 3 of them next year, should that happen. I mentioned matter-of-factly that lots of Pinoy families today decide on leaving this god-forsaken country because life is too hard here now.

And then I asked him if he wants us to move to America, too.

He said he didn't want to leave this country for America. When I asked why, what he told me surprised me:

"I know America is beautiful, but it's not safe, it's always under attack by other countries angry at America and I would be afraid to live there."

"Where did you learn that?" I asked.

"From TV." He said, matter-of-factly.

The X-Factor's Ray Quinn

Ordinarily, a song like "My Way" would fail to impress me. Because it's a standard song that everyone's sang at karaoke at one point, the meaning is lost on me. This performance (video below) made me see the song the way it should be seen (or heard).

But before we get to that, a little backgrounder:

Ray, one of the three remaining contestants on UK's Talent Show, The XFactor, almost didn't make it to Top 12. Simon actually turned him down. But realizing he made a mistake, he gave Ray another shot at the competition. Ray's forte is Standards or Big Bands, ala Michael Buble'. Week after week, Ray would stick to a style he is most comfortable with, never going out of the box, hardly stepping out of his comfort zone, always doing what he knows best as a singer/performer, whatever the theme was for that night:

Ray singing Ain't That A Kick in The Head
Ray singing The Way You Look Tonight
Ray singing What A Wonderful World

He became predictable. He felt like a "one trick pony". The other judges gave him a hard time. And he was not even good vocally.

When he did try to step out of his comfort zone just a wee bit, it was more than he can handle. In a word, and to borrow a line from "My Way", it was him "biting off more than he can chew"

So, when he sang "My Way" on the week the contestants were allowed to choose their own song, the lyrics were more than fitting for him. It was the right choice, it was the perfect choice. It spoke for him. Yes, he kept doing the same thing all through out those 10 weeks of competition. But that was his style, that was his way.

And because he felt every word of that song (and the audience felt it too, me included...my eyes welled up!), it was his best performance.

Watch a short clip of Ray's performance and see how much Simon beamed with pride at his talent:

Some TV News

They've not even warmed up the slots they filled during midseason changes, but guess which shows are up for cancellation:

3 Lbs

Nov. 30 - Midseason replacement drama is itself replaced after three weeks. Nov 30:Today, CBS has fewer brains--the network has put 3 Lbs. on indefinite hiatus.

and possibly:
Daybreak

After scoring ratings more befitting of a cable drama, Day Break appears poised to get the axe just ten episodes short of wrapping up its story line. Day Break initially came in just shy of LOST's numbers and quickly dropped. Last week the show brought in a meager five million viewers, a quarter of which tuned out during the shows second half-hour. The inclusion of thirty second LOST clips seem to have no drawing power to the temporal mystery that stars Taye Diggs. If the show IS cancelled (Day Break fans can cross their fingers) an announcement on the cancellation is expected by the beginning of next week. The show picked to replace it? Nothing short of amazing...

This month of December is the best time to catch up on shows you may have missed (downloading that is!) since there are no new episodes. Coz everyone's out there, merry-making....'tis the season to go partying, falalalalalalalalala.

When Lost is back next year, it's moving to a new time slot.

ABC ANNOUNCES THE PREMIERES OF NEW COMEDIES THE KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY AND IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3

Lost Returns with Original Episodes Wednesday, February 7 At a New Time, 10:00 p.m., ET

ABC will kick off the New Year with the premieres of the innovative new comedies The Knights of Prosperity and In Case of Emergency on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3. The Knights of Prosperity will air at 9:00 p.m., ET, followed by In Case of Emergency at 9:30 p.m., ET.

Uh-oh? Lost will be up against CSI MIAMI, a ratings killer.

Rome's Second Season is underway, yey. Promo here

Can you spell obsessive?

To this blog's right, you will find a tiny yellow box with TV Themes you can listen to. They're themes from shows I've watched as a young girl and shows I'm currently watching.

This is my latest obsession.

I didn't intend to have that many tunes on my Stickam account (Stickam's so cool by the way!). But like the energizer bunny (of which I had a dream about last night! Freudian slip! LOL!), I just kept uploading and uploading.

Anyway, I hope some of these tunes bring back memories from your youth (it did with me!) or if you're listening to the songs for the first time --- yep...that's how songs were made in those days!

And then, there are those themes we hear from TV shows currently airing. In a recent article I've read, TV theme songs are slowly being edged away from their shows because they supposedly take precious time. Time which could be used for more storytelling. So now, you don't hear them as much. So it's good to have things like this on file, is it not?

Anyway, back to my dream about bunnies.....:D

Australian Idol 2006 Finale

As always, Australian Idol's finale is nothing but spectacular:

The song Night of My Life is doing well in the Aussie Music Charts:

The Idol 2006 winner's single, Night Of My Life, has debuted at #1 on the Austereo Radio Hot 30 countdown. Released in stores today, Damien's single has kicked I Don't Feel Like Dancing by the Scissor Sisters off the top spot. The Hot 30 chart is constructed using votes by members of the public via the website and phone services. Night Of My Life is expected to have similar success on the ARIA Charts later this week.

Click here to listen to Damien Leith's "Night-of-My-Life"

And for Aus Idol 2007, Dicko (the judge who left after Season 2), will return. Now, they will have four tough judges, three of them are the type who tell it like it is. That's Simon Cowell times three! Yikes!

Scrubs S6 E1 - My Mirror Image

It's baaaaaaaack....and it's just as amazing as before! Breaking down TV.Com's Synopsis:

J.D. addresses the news that he's going to be a father.

As expected, JD is freaking out. Especially since, by his admission, the girl and JD never really had sex:

JD talking to Elliot, Carla and Turk (see the gang's reaction in this image to the right): The night of said conception... the dirty talk began and I got a little over-excited. I find (dirty talk) it gets the ladies going. But I occasionally get wrapped up in it myself, especially when I use my different voices. There was some unexpected friendly fire. And uh, even though I never got the chance to enter "the village", uh, there was uh....air strike on one of the regions (at this point Turk was laughing hard). Anyway, I spoke to the gals up in OBGYN and they said it's not uncommon for a woman to get pregnant even though there was no actual penetration.

Dr. Cox is troubled about how his anger is going to impact his offspring.

Having baby #2's stressing out Dr. Cox and it was affecting their first born kid in a way. Prompting his wife, Jordan, to tell him to deal with his anger issues because she "got a call from Jack's school and apparently they served spaghetti for lunch and he had some sort of Vietnam flashback."

Their first born, by the way, is so adorable! Where did they get this kid?



And finally, as this episode is entitled Mirror Image (2), some the characters saw themselves in the patients. And this was played out this way:

- The Janitor wonders if he has lived his life the way he should, like the old patient he meets at the hospital.
- Dr. Cox meets a very angry patient and sees what it made him.
- And JD sees himself in a lady patient who will be battling a life-altering reality (he becomes an unexpected dad, she has cancer)

Today I am thankful for...

I have a lot of things to be thankful for today:

- I am thankful for the fact that my son's fever didn't worsen. He's back on his feet, forever like my shadow, always staying where I'm at inside our little house. If I'm washing dishes, he's there by my side, talking about the silliest things or the most serious things you don't expect from 9 years old. When I did laundry earlier, he was there to help me out or make a mess of the clothes (goes both ways). When I was preparing food, he kept me company...might as well make him useful --- taught him to prepare the chicken noodle soup.

- I am thankful that the typhoon did not pass Manila. Therefore: no brown-outs, no disrupted DSL service, no disrupted water supply.

- I am thankful for the kind soul who did all this work on my blog. Can't never understand the new Blogger Beta, trying to though. My son says the colors remind him Spongebob. LOL! Was aiming for a theme that's a lot less cutesy but I guess this one's mighty fine.

Thanks!