Off The Map Teaser, Airing Jan 12, 2011

They call this one the Grey's Anatomy that's set in the jungle. South America, to be exact. Off The Map is a new doctor series created by Shonda Rhimes, airing on ABC beginning Jan 12th next year.

Not a big fan of Shonda, sorry.  And I expect somewhere along the way, this show will get mega-supa-melodramatic and pointless. :P

However, I am a huge fan of one *very good actor* (stressing this!), Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights).  Although I was put off by his decision to join this show (coz he will be doing less of that acting and more of that kissing-everyone-else!)... I am going to see how he'll fare here.

Anyway, here's the newest teaser....with Zach Gilford already taking his shirt off. Did the deed, too! What did I tell you, huh???

Game Of Thrones Teaser (One Minute, Released Nov. 28)

I've been waiting for Game of Thrones ever since I read that it was going to be adapted into a TV Series. That report was some two years ago.  I have not read the book(s) from which this series is based on (Song of Ice & Fire). But the news report had the words "epic" and "fantasy" written down, I was immediately drawn.

I love me a good fantasy story; one so elaborately done with layers of plots or interesting characters (in gorgeous costumes). I love it even more when it is set in breathtaking places (in this case, Ireland), with tons of sword fights, to boot.

Produced by HBO, Games of Thrones initially had two teasers out. None of these teasers actually showed what the series is about, especially for someone who isn't familiar with the book. But the other night, this new teaser, all one minute of it, ran on HBO. And it's looking a lot clearer now ---



Too excited for this one! Spring 2011 could not come any sooner!

Jorge Garcia Joins Alcatraz by JJ Abrams

Aha!!!

Dude, good call!

Jorge Garcia joins Alcatraz

'Lost' Co-Star Jorge Garcia Cast In J.J. Abrams' Fox Drama Pilot 'Alcatraz'

[snipped]

The project, described to be "about secrets and the most infamous prison of all time," centers on a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day. It chronicles the efforts of a team of FBI agents to track them down and unravel the mystery behind their disappearance thirty years prior. Garcia will play the hippy geek Dr. Diego Soto, the world's foremost expert on Alcatraz.

Suffice to say, Alcatraz will be intense. But at least there's Jorge Garcia to help us relax and loosen up when there's too much going on.

Loved him on Lost, love to read his blog, love his humor.

My interest is peaking for Alcatraz!

How To Say Goodbye... By Way of Reality TV

"You need to be like --- you are the weakest link goodbye! Punchy, the tribe has spoken. Please pack up your knives and go. Your work of art, didn't work for me. Your time's up. I have to ask you to leave the mansion. You must leave the chateau. Your tour ends here. You've been chopped! You've been evicted from the Big Brother house. Your desert just didn't measure up. Sashay away! Give me your jacket and leave Hell's kitchen! You did not get a rose. You have been eliminated from the race. You are no longer in the running to be America's Next Top Model. You're fired. Auf Wiedersehen."

~ Barney Stinson, How I Met Your Mother

What I'm Thanking TV For in 2010

Conan O' Brien sports a beard upon his return

Television....besides being invented (and has since upgraded into HDTV technology, with the thinnest of styles and models, making viewing so much more pleasurable!), I am so grateful to you this year for:

• The return of Conan O' Brien
• The Walking Dead
• Alex O' Loughlin
• Comedies like Raising Hope, Modern Family, Community, The Middle and Better With You.
• Michael Chiklis (read: In Awe of Michael Chiklis in No Ordinary Family)
• Great drama shows with strong female leads like Rizzoli & Isles, The Good Wife, The Big C
• Laura Linney doing her own TVshow
• Kyle Sandilands on X Factor Australia
• Matt Cardle on X Factor UK
• Patrick Jane 
• Rick Castle
• Amy Farrah Fowler
• Martha Plimpton (love, love her! My new Sue Sylvester!)
• Mondo Guerra 
• Lonestar, though aired rather briefly
• Girlpower fix on Nikita
• Finales of Lost and 24 (sad, and at the same time relieved when it ended)
• Accessories inspiration on Cougar Town
• Fashion inspiration on Pretty Little Liars
• That cute Umbrella/Singing In The Rain number on Glee

What about you? What are you most thankful for from TV this year?

Oprah's Final My Favorite Things List 2010

In a few hours in America, some 300 lucky people are going to go home with the last of Oprah's Favorite Things. This is a tradition on the show. The first few times it happened, and I was able to catch it on TV, I was so green with envy. I imagine most people were, coz the giveaways were the awesome-est(!). That is, until every other show started giving away prizes too (and Ellen's is the awesome-est now, me thinks).

Since Oprah is on its last season and since at the start of this season's run, she has already given away trips to Australia to the audience, 2010's My Favorite Things is expected to be huge, huge, huge.

Here's a clip from the show:


Oprah's Favorite Things 2010
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And here's what Oprah has actually given away ---

Panini Press

• a Nikon D3100
• a 5 year subscription to Netflix
• Jay-Z's new book "Decoded"
• Lululemon relaxed athletic pants
• Baker's Edge baking pans
• Ghirardelli brownie mix
• a limited edition Philip Stein watch, encrusted with diamonds and the logo of Oprah on it (valued at $2,475)
• The Breville Panini Press (I WANT!!!)
• Black Eyed Peas CD
• "A Course in Weight Loss" by Marianne Williamson
• Beecher's World's Best Mac & Cheese
• a 7-day cruise on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, including roundtrip ticket flights.

The full list, with prizes and where to buy these items, is found here.

Too Much TV now on Facebook

Dear Five Readers of my Blog =),

It has taken me awhile to decide on doing this because I thought that, with no real products nor ideas to sell or promote, having a "page" would be indulgent.

I thought those were reserved for blogs with authority. While I do know what I'm talking about (by way of my TV addiction, more than anything), I can't consider myself as such.

But I have finally opened a Facebook Page for Too Much TV.

I was pushed to do it 1) for technical reasons as I was trying to figure out how those Facebook buttons actually work (still can't, darn!); 2) for branding, which I finally have to succumb to (social media, FTW!).

Anyway, I hope you'll "like" it.

And I hope to the TV gods I can blog more sensibly and properly with this now in place. This means, I have to do away with blogging in the wee hours of the morning when I'm still sleepy and my brain is fuzzy and I can't quickly figure out "your" for "you're" until ten hours later. (Sonofagun, I have to learn how to edit 100x before publishing!)

Thanks so much for watching too much TV with me all these years!

Love,
M

Modern Family's Complete Flash Mob Dance Scene

Modern Family's dance mob scene was actually caught in its entirety by this mall-goer, while the cast and crew filmed this somewhere in the LA area.



Mitchell is at the left most side. If you've seen this week's show, then you know why this was a huge deal for our favorite gay couple.

"You cheated on me with choreography, and that is the worst kind. You danced without me, Mitchell!" ~ Cameron

You made my eyes really puffy with this, The Big C!

This scene from The Big C? It broke my heart, pulling it from where it's most sensitive; that after I cried (which was actually only briefly, by the way), it seemed like I cried for hours. My eyes were so puffy.

As I mother (and as someone who has fears of dying from cancer --- I don't have it, knock on wood! But I have morbid thoughts it's what's gonna kill me!) I can relate to this so, so well.

This is the scene where Cathy's son, Adam, finally hits it and internalizes the reality that his mother is dying. When he was told about it by his parents earlier, he was sort of disinterested, hardly stupefied, which his mother thought was insensitive.

And then he found out about his mother's secret storage place, filled with all of these ----

Last night was the season finale of The Big C and I think that it ended on high note. It closed perfectly, like the way you would expect Cathy to finally exit "life".

I read online that Season 2 will deal with Cathy's anger next, (whereas Season 1 was denial) and that Marlene isn't necessarily out of the series...Nice!

Joey Tribbiani! How you doin'???

Watch the 3-minute teaser to Matt Le Blanc, aka Joey Tribbiani's new show, Episodes, which begins airing Jan 9th 2011.



I'm in pins and needles waiting for it!

Mayim Bailik Becomes Big Bang Theory Regular

Didn't I just pray for this yesterday??? Yahoooooo!!! Thank you TV gods!

This is from Deadline Hollywood.

Dear Big Bang Theory: Please Make Mayim Bailik a Permanent Part of Your Show!

If kids today have their Demi Lovatos and their Selina Gomezes, in my day we had someone like Mayim Bailik. As a child actress on TV, she was spunky and funny, playing the role of Blossom. The TV show ran for five seasons in the 90's. Watch one of the opening credits below:

Mayim Bailik in the 80's

Mayim grew up, went to college, became a neuroscientist (!), got married and had kids. But once in a while, she would appear on TV programs where I would hardly recognize her since she's changed so much since.

Recently, Mayim has a recurring guest spot on The Big Bang Theory. I've had the pleasure watching her shine there, as she exhibits just how good a comedian she is.

In the series, she is Amy Farrah Fowler, described as one of the main character's (Sheldon) "girl friend, not girlfriend". Sheldon met her through an online dating service. And just like him, Amy Farrah Fowler is a someone with high intelligence quotient, but a less than developed emotional quotient. Together, ShAmy or, Sheldon + Amy Farrah Fowler (that's how they call her character on the show! They use her complete name!), absolutely complement each other. They mirror themselves so well, that I think Mayim's addition on the Big Bang Theory would make a perfect fit.

This week's episode had me so convinced, Mayim should be hired and made permanent in the series:

Amy Farrah Fowler: Next on Wikipedia's list of Slumber Activities: Truth or Dare.
Penny: Okay, it's your game, you go first.
AFF: Hang, on....I'm familiarizing myself with the rules....(pause)...seems fairly straightforward.

AFF: (Turns to Bernadette). Bernadette, truth or dare?
Bernadette: Truth!
AFF: Alright, to what temperature must you heat beef in order to kill the prion that causes bovine spongiform encephelopathy?

Bernadette: Uhm...I'm not ----
AFF: Remember --- you have to answer honestly.
Penny: No, uhm...Amy,  you're supposed to ask her something personal or embarrassing.
AFF: Oh. Alright. Bernadette, what is the circumference of your areolas?

I could not stop laughing at this scene!

Are you tuning to Big Bang Theory and are you loving Amy Farrah Fowler's addition?

Kevin McKidd Directs Grey's Anatomy Episode

It took me about five seasons before I could abandon Grey's Anatomy completely. I saw through it's pointless romantic angles and I was tired of the hype and hook the writers had us viewers into. I'm sure that if I'd watch an episode today, I'd be very confused with who's going out with whom and whatnot.

But, for my love of Kevin McKidd...I think I'm gonna watch this season's 13th episode, which he will apparently direct and will air sometime in February.

The Nail Files: A TV Guide TV Show

When it comes to Reality TV, one can basically do a TV show of almost anything!

I'm so tuning to this one. The only problem would be finding where to watch it. :P

Victory for Conan O'Brien! Whoot!

His debut of "Conan" last night on TBS, edged out Letterman's and most importantly, Leno's, with 4.2Million viewers. He's on basic cable (paid), they're on network television (free).

I watched it last night and was laughing throughout. The opening sequence was especially epic. I'm so glad he's back on air!

This is from The Live Feed:

Dear Cathy, Love Marlene

“Dear Cathy,


I wanted to say thank you. For being my friend. People don’t say that often enough… When it’s really your time to go, I’ll be waiting for you. But until then, live your life as hard as you can. That’s it. That’s all I wanted to say.


Love, Marlene”

Marlene & Cathy on The Big C

*sniff* *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* *sniff*

The Cover is Blown: NBC Cancels Undercovers

Goodbye Mr & Mrs Bloom

Because it did not pick up with ratings, NBC has decided to pull the plug on this J.J. Abrams series, Undercovers, and will not be picked up to complete the season.

Did you see this coming? I didn't. But that's just it. I could not care less where this show goes.

Although I follow the show every week hoping for some improvement... believe it or not, nothing about Undercovers stuck with me. I even had to Google search "Undercovers" a few minutes ago because I couldn't remember the names of the lead characters!

Other than the fact that it barely makes 6 Million viewers each week, this series, unfortunately, did not have any hook. It got so predictable and so very bland. For something J.J. Abrams wrote and created, I expected so much more. (SO. MUCH. MORE!)

Each episode is the same thing week after week and it seems only the bad guys get replaced. And even that? So run-of-the-mill! The villains were the kind Jack Bauer could eliminate the first hour, without flinching.

You can close your eyes watching Undercovers and still know what happens.

So, yeah...this is hardly surprising.

You can read about the cancellation here.

The One Where Mark Zuckerberg Was Actually on F*R*I*E*N*D*S

Obviously, I've just finished watching The Social Network. Was never that curious about who Mark Zuckerberg is, inspite reading his name in countless of sites and news stories. You'd have to live under a rock to avoid reading about him.

Though I've seen his pictures, I hadn't really thought much about the way he looked.

Not until watching 115+ minutes of the movie later...and then googling about the real Mark Zuckerberg, looking at his picture, and realizing that he looks so similar to this kid:

Friends fans, I'm sure y'all remember Owen...the adopted child Chandler outed in the episode, "The One Where Ross is Fine" in Season 10.

The kid is played by Daryl Sabara. And of course, he's a lot older now. And is probably the same age as the real Zuckerberg.

Daryl Sabara

Mark Zuckerberg

Not that Jesse Eisenberg didn't fill Zuckerberg's shoes right by playing him in the movie. But that kid, Owen (a.k.a a young Daryl Sabara) would have been a dead ringer for Facebook's founder.

Incidentally, I don't know if you've heard since it's been several years ago....but do you remember Owen's mom? Do you remember her, the lady in pink?

D'you know she passed away in 2003? You can google her name, Kellie Waymire, and read all about it. 

Convince me to watch AMC's Walking Dead....coz I'm one huge scaredy cat!

The genre I watch the least is horror or suspense thriller. I like cheering for heroes and booing anti-heroes in an action-packed TV show. I enjoy laughing myself silly when tuning to comedies. I also like making myself cry with misery (or happiness, too!) from watching drama scenes unfold. I find all of these therapeutic.

But to scare the hell out of my wits? Who wants to feel that?

So you see, I find no point in watching horror and suspense.

However, I can tolerate vampires fine. I don't especially feel lukewarm to them, but I have to admit to holding a certain level of fascination for those blood-sucking creatures. (Don't we all?)

The ones I dislike the most? Zombies. Scary freaking zombies.

Which is why when I read all about the hype Walking Dead was generating weeks before it premiered...I made a mental note to avoid this show at all cost.

Bitten by the curious bug, though, I watched the trailer/teaser that was going viral on Youtube. I should be impressed by its quality. You could tell it had been done well. Expensively and creatively well. But it still did not make me wanna watch.


Except....

My husband's a huge fan of things like this. (What's with boys and zombies??!) He's a sucker for the scary stuff but normally does not like watching scary stuff all by himself. As much as I want to avoid this one, I'm in the same room with him and the television is just right there.

So, tonight, we're watching the Walking Dead pilot episode. The copy of it has been sitting in my hard drive for about two weeks now. I've been specifically avoiding it.  Tonight though, as the date is set... I gather guts and strength to get through an hour or so of a show that actually had a very successful debut when it premiered last October 31st.

Have you watched Walking Dead or are planning to?

How'd you convince me to like it and not be turned off scared by it?

EDITED BIG TIME: Because I'm the idiot who calls Walking Dead, WAKING DEAD.

I watch The Office, therefore I am Superior!

This is a funny take on personalities. Funny, with a bit of truth though.

Supported by scientific data, this research helps advertisers determine what products are sellable to a TV audience.

You can read more here.