New Show: Fringe

Here's the trailer for J.J. Abrams new show, Fringe...



Comments on the other side.


First off all: SQUEEEEE!!!! It's Pacey!!! There, I got it out. I can be mature again.

Awesome stuff: Blair Brown, Lance Reddick (Mr. Abbadon from Lost), and what looks to be a potentially cool new show, ala X-Files.

What doesn't look awesome: Lines like "What is it that you're afraid of?" and "It's not even science!" Especially when the trailer is advertising "From the writers of The Transformers" which actually made me laugh out loud.

My rec: Give it two episodes (remember, they blow budgets for pilots, it's not always a good indicator) Watch online or on a DVR to see if it's going to become a cult classic or an answer to a trivia question (Like Six Degrees, for example).

Fringe
2 Hour Season Premier August 26th
Fox
Regular slot - Tuesdays, 9pm

Give Me More, Monkey!

Free Campaign Buttons at NBC Universal

NBC Universal is having fun with the election year and their Emmy campaigns... order House, the Office, Heroes, SNL, 30 Rock and other buttons. Totally free, totally awesome. After watching way too much of the Democratic Rules Committee this weekend, I've already ordered the one pictured - it would be the Unity Ticket!

http://www.nominate08.tv/

Give Me More, Monkey!

New Shows: Dollhouse, starring Eliza Dushku

Joss Whedon is back on television, taking a break from comics to launch his new show. Like Buffy and Angel, it will create a mythology and launch a million fanboys. Details on the other side of the link.

Eliza Dushku (Or as Monkey See, Monkey Doo Doo calls her: "La Dush") plays Echo, an Agent for The Dollhouse. Echo, along with two other "dolls", gets programmed with a new personality every week for clients of The Dollhouse. Their previous personalities are wiped clean between each assignment. Of course, something goes wrong and Echo starts to remember, but what those memories mean is for Whedon to write and for us to figure out over the course of a 13 episode order (may be extended to 22). At the same time, an FBI Agent (Tahmoh Penikett, from Battlestar Galactica) begins investigating, plus there may be a missing/rogue doll running around.

It sounds like a classic Whedon universe that explores what makes an individual, nature vs. nurture, and how much control anyone has over their own destiny. Details abound at Dollverse.com, and I've attached the link to the official trailer for the show.

http://www.dollverse.com/trailer/
Fox, 8pm Mondays
Mid January start, the lead in to 24.

Give Me More, Monkey!

Watch, DVR, or Dump? - SILF Edition

A couple of times of week, there's actual conflicts when trying to sort through the listings. WDD helps you out by recommending which shows you should watch, which ones you should DVR, and which shows you should dump like they were called According To Jim.

Watch, DVR, or Dump for Thursday May 15th, after the jump.

8pm

Watch Ugly Betty / DVR Smallville / Dump My Name Is Earl

Reasoning: Earl lost its footing somewhere around the coma plot, and I'm not attracted enough to Alyssa Milano to care about her unfunny turn as Billie the Shrew. Dump it. As for Smallville, the only reason it's on the list right now is because Michael Rosenbaum has officially announced his departure, so there's very little time left to love the bald stares of homoerotic passion he shoots towards Tom Welling. So Ugly Betty is clearly the right call for quick one liners and an ever ridiculous plotline that still manages to be as sweet as the title character.

9pm

Watch CSI / DVR The Office / Dump Grey's Anatomy

I know, I know... The Office is a better show than CSI. However, the Office is even better on DVR - half the fun is rewatching to see what's going on behind the speaking characters, plus all the better to view the flyers and posters on the walls. But I do have to say that CSI has been much stronger this season than last... the writers seem to have lightened up a bit. Of course, tonight is one of those "One of own is accused of something bad!" episodes, but with the emminent departure of Gary Dourdan to rehab any minute, it should be a good one. Dump Greys. I've never forgiven them for Gizzie (ugh!) and frankly, I loathe the 'patient as a metaphor for Meredith and Derrick' bullshit. Bye, bye, Grey's! We'll always have the 2006 Superbowl .

10pm

Watch Lost / DVR Without A Trace / Dump - ER

*OR Sandwiches That You Will Like (PBS)

So I don't really believe that Lindelof and Cuse (producers) really know where they're headed in Lost. A general idea about time shifting, yes. Specific explanations for the Smoke Monster, Adam & Eve, etc - no. Yet the show still gets me. I'm a sucker for backstory, and Lost provides that like no other. If you like procedurals, Without A Trace is like a being rocked to sleep by a nanny you love... perfect DVR material to watch while you're sorting laundry or cooking. Dump ER. They started recycling stories like six years ago, and I don't think Steve Buscemi is going to be able to fix that in one trip to County General.

But if you hate procedurals, then the hit tonight will be Sandwiches That You Will Like on PBS, where host Rick Sebak runs around the country and shows you fabulous ways to stuff meat into bread. I want his job.

Give Me More, Monkey!

Attention Gay Men & Women Over Thirty! NKOTB on the Today Show!

When I was fifteen, my best friend and I butchered "I'll Be Loving You" into "We'll Be Loving Dad" in order to persuade my father to buy us New Kids on the Block tickets. We sang on the top steps of the fountain in a mall. Teenage girls do not publicly humilate themselves in mall without a good reason - and mine was Jonathan Knight. Dreamy.

Well, they're back, and Friday they do a little public humiliation of themselves on the Today Show.... It's gonna be glorious. First of all, they do have a new single, "Summertime", which isn't terrible if you're fifteen. I'm not anymore, but who cares - this will be the first time I've DVR'd the Today Show since Katie had a colonoscopy.

The best part about a TV moment like this is either a) they'll be terrible and you get to see the carnage or b) they'll be awesome and you get to watch the triumphant return of those dance moves. This is a win win.

Set your Tivo/DVR the Today Show right now. Go.

NKOTB goes on tour with people half their age this summer (actually less than half their age) as they join Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. I'm convinced they got put on the bill to entertain the parents and babysitters who are forced to attend the show. Which is awesome. Someone in the audience needs to know all the words to "Please Don't Go Girl" and "Step by Step".

Give Me More, Monkey!

American Idol Results Show

So everyone who's ever watched American Idol saw this one coming - the All David Final. But before that announcement comes the traditional "send them home and see who cries" filler hour... and let the waterworks begin!

Archie goes back to Utah and gets sent to a mall (really?) and bawls like a cute little monkey who's parents are using him to live out their dreams. Speaking of which - Stage Dad is only shown briefly - Nigel must have spoken to security. He goes to his hometown concert, where his mayor (having escaped from Deadwood with his handlebar mustache intact) awards him with the usual proclamation of Utah-ness. Back on stage, they try to fake us out with the whole "we'll see if he makes it", but please. This has been ordained for a while.

Syesha goes to Florida and gets sent to an AT&T store (REALLY?), and then visits her family. She calls her Mom "Mommy" which totally gets me, then her drug addicted father says how she's his new blow. (Not in those exact words, but that's the gist.) Back to her high school, where she talks about dreams coming true and basically pulls a Paula. The Fox News helicopter takes her to her concert, where the mayor thrills me by being a little old lady who does a handstand - you go, Old Lady Mayor! Back in the limo, Syesha bawls. She says it's because her dream is unfolding, but we all know it's because the producers explained to her that the ratings are demanding an all David Final.

David Cook gets pulled on stage and is forced to humiliate his brother by pointing out that Drew was the one who was, in fact, auditioning. He made it, his brother didn't. Ha! Off to Kansas City, where he plays with the Fox affiliate green screen while Bon Jovi is in the background assuring him that Tommy and Gina are voting for him, cause he's only half way there. He actually sings Living On A Prayer at his show, and they cut to his brother singing along in the audience, most likely already planning how he's going to shove David down a flight of stairs ala Showgirls to claim his rightful place in the spotlight. Back to high school so he can hug his adorable music teacher, then he gets a parade. An actual marching banded, cheerleaded, convertible with his jealous brother by his side parade. He throws the first pitch out at a Royals game - believe me, they can't do much better than an American Idol, then actually cries for a second. Which I didn't think was going to happen, so pretty much that's the only thing that surprised me for an hour.

They finally get back to the live show, in which the three are lined up there with whatever is wearing the skin that used to be Ryan Seacrest (that's not a human, I don't care what they try to pull over on us). Cook is calm, Archie looks like he's gonna puke, and Syesha has the look of the damned. The Seacrest-like Thing makes the judges talk, and Randy says his usual bullshit and Paula babbles for so long that I pass out, and Simon stuns everyone by using the word "humdinger". I don't know why that's what throws them, when they've got a Cylon host, but whatevs.

Dim the lights! The Shiny Orange Thing announces Archie is in first - which is such a dick move. Syesha's only prayer was beating him, so that was basically like the producers saying "Pull your shit together to sing now while we continue with some false anticipation". And then The Blinding White Fake Teeth Thing tells David Cook he's in (Shocking, I say! Shocking!) and hands the mike to Syesha to sing her unwanted self off the show.

Best part? She sings Alicia Keys again, and throws down. And doesn't shed a tear.

Which, good for her. She was treated like the red headed stepchild for weeks, and still managed to get better each round. Godspeed Syesha - it'll probably be Broadway instead of a record deal, but that's still better than having to sing whatever god awful song the winner is going to have to force out next week.

Give Me More, Monkey!