Looking for some good TV...

[Sky]

You mean Ted Hitler?

[Rasix]

Speaking of Deadwood, I was watching the first season again yesterday, and I realized that the guy who is playing Wolcot this season also played Jack McCall (the guy who killed Wild Bill) in the first seaon.

I mentioned that on page 2, please try to keep up.  And yah, it's hard to pick up unless you take a hard look at his face and visually remove serveral layers of dirt from McCall.

[Evil Elvis]

I mentioned that on page 2, please try to keep up.  And yah, it's hard to pick up unless you take a hard look at his face and visually remove serveral layers of dirt from McCall.

[Pococurante]

Colbert debating Colbert. Fuck, that could be some of the funniest shit ever. I hate that it'll mean less of him on DS, but he deserves it. The man is funny incarnate.

Yeah but he was beyond awesome as part of the Daily Show ensemble.  Good for him personally now that he has his own show but I wonder if a full show of Nothing But Colbert is anywhere near as funny as having talents play off each other.  Part of why Daily Show works so well is that it's not just about Stewart.  Shows based on a single personality don't seem to last long - faddish, not cash cow.

/curmudgeon=off

[WayAbvPar]

Back to Deadwood-

God, I this show. There is going to be some major bloodshed in the next 2 weeks- Wolcott and Miss Is are my two prime candidates. Watching Miss Is in Al's office realize that she was about 5 seconds from being food for Wu's pigs was awesome.

I hope that Hostetler and LNG come back with the horse, and that all is forgiven.

Anyone notice the makeup was different this week? Both Trixie and Jane looked much different- not as much dirt and such, I guess.

[HaemishM]

Jane looked almost feminine in the scene in the whore house before they cut up the fat guy. I love that actor, BTW. He's always good at doing what he does, which is look weasely and weird. He had a great turn in Touching Evil. I'm amazed because of that little eye tic thing he seems to have. I assumed at first that was just an affectation for that part in Touching Evil, but since it appeared everywhere else I've seen him, I believe it's an actual condition. And yet, to get steady work in image-conscious Hollywood. Coolness.

Also, Al is the man.

[WayAbvPar]

He has nystagmus. My fav role for his was as Stinky in Beautiful Girls, but probably just because I have an unnatural affection for that flick. And it is not because of a pubescent Natalie Portman.

At least not ONLY because of her. 

[Abagadro]

Dourif's best role was as Piter Devries. Heh.

Favorite Al line from this week after insulting Jews to Sol (paraphrase): "Well show me the secret fucking handhsake that will prove my apology and let's be on with it."

[UD_Delt]

Speaking of Deadwood, I was watching the first season again yesterday, and I realized that the guy who is playing Wolcot this season also played Jack McCall (the guy who killed Wild Bill) in the first seaon.

I mentioned that on page 2, please try to keep up.  And yah, it's hard to pick up unless you take a hard look at his face and visually remove serveral layers of dirt from McCall.

I'd been wondering about this. I missed the first few episodes of season two and missed the part where he arrived and explained who he was. I didn't think it was hard to pick up at all and was wondering if I missed some explanation about how McCall went out, got cleaned up and educated, and came back to deadwood. And the he ends up with Hickock's letter which made me believe he actually did have some relation to McCall...

So what you're saying is that McCall and Wolcott are completely unrelated characters who just happen to be played by the same actor?

[Rasix]

So what you're saying is that McCall and Wolcott are completely unrelated characters who just happen to be played by the same actor?

Yep.  He's pretty good actor, it's a shame that I hope he gets the Wu special by the end of the episode.  Anyhow, but the preview, it looks like there might not be a Wu by the end of the season.  This will be sad, as Wu is one of my favorite characters.  As long as he utters a "Sweargen. Cocksucka!" as his dieing breath, I'll be happy.  Still, I hope he can find a way to live on, but that tall "San Franceesco cocksucka" has a lot of "jews". 

Great episode Sunday.  It's interesting how they're getting Sister-In-Law Wife out of the way just in time for Alma to consider Ellsworth's proposal.  It looks like Bullock just can't escape adultery.

[HaemishM]

So, I watched House last night, and it's coming close to the season finale. There was a moment in there that was just brilliant. For the entire season, we've known that Cameron (the female intern) is "damaged goods" as House says. Last night, we found out why, but the manner of the "reveal" was just so much different than I would have ever expected. It was just handled perfectly.

The show continues to amaze me with interesting stories, and great character moments. Hugh Laurie is the bomb. If you haven't been watching the show, I recommend catching it in reruns or BT'ing the entire season. They also tend to deal with some iffy/touchy subjects in interesting ways. Last night's involved a patient (played by John Cho, the Harold of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) who was having mini-strokes. He was also a freakazoid, who liked to be choked for pleasure. His only visitor was a dominatrix who pretty much ran his life. Not a subject we'd see on too many network shows.

[Pococurante]

I've been enjoying the hell out of House.  He's my kind of hero.  Casting Chi McBride as a villain mildly irked me - I like him too much to see him play the, um, heavy. (NOT A FAT JOKE NOT A FAT JOKE!)

Cutty needs to get laid - her blaming House for giving up the 150 million dollar grant is completely bogus.  She and the board were content to toss House - it was only when McBride turned his guns on her directly the board tossed out him and his money.

[Shockeye]

Thought I'd post the bad news for some people here.

'Carnivale' packing up
Cabler skein calls it quits
 
By JOSEF ADALIAN

HBO's "Carnivale""Carnivale" is leaving town.

The mystical Depression-era drama about the battle between good and evil is being shut down after two seasons, HBO confirmed Tuesday. CablerCabler had produced a total of 24 episodes of the skeinskein over its two-season run.

HBO entertainment prexyprexy Carolyn StraussCarolyn Strauss said the net had "decided not to renew 'Carnivale' " because the series had come to a natural end.

"We feel the two seasons we had on the air told the story very well, and we're proud of what everyone associated with the show accomplished," Strauss said in a statement released by the cabler.

lNick Stahl and Clancy Brown toplined "Carnivale," which was created by Daniel Knauf. Howard KleinHoward Klein and Knauf exec produced the series.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed," Klein said of HBO's decision. "It's a show I'm incredibly proud of. There are so many positives that came out of this experience."

"Carnivale" had its share of strong reviews, and won several Emmys, but didn't draw the universal acclaim generated by other HBO dramas such as "Deadwood" or "The Sopranos." HBO also never really gave the show a break in terms of scheduling or lead-ins, slotting the second season of the show Sundays at 9 p.m. opposite "Desperate Housewives," as well as such big ticket events as the Golden Globes, Super Bowl, Grammys and Oscars.

[WayAbvPar]

Hopefully they will use the extra cash to purchase and produce Arrested Development. Fox is too fucking stupid to do anything with it other than cancel it.

[Mi_Tes]

Damn, Carnivale was one of the few shows I liked.

[HaemishM]

That's a goddamn shame about Carnivale. Well done show, with a few slow bits. I think they could have gotten a decent third season out of it. The story could have ended where it did, but really shouldn't have.

[Sky]

How many damned episodes are there in a Deadwood season!?

My DVR is half full from this season of Deadwood (in HD, admittedly).

Not that I'm really complaining.

[HaemishM]

I think the HBO series have 12 episodes a season.

[kaid]

I think the cancelling of carnival was not so much about ratings as it was some internal poop going around. Carnival was doing better than a few of the other series that got picked up again and one of the main guys who makes carnival is also making a new series on showtime. I am guessing canceling of carnival was more of a political FU to the guy who made carnival than it was a ratings call.


kaid

[Sky]

That's bad politics, then. HBO owns Showtime. Nose spiting face and whatnot.

[Abagadro]

That's bad politics, then. HBO owns Showtime. Nose spiting face and whatnot.

HBO is owned by Time Warner.

Showtime is owned by Viacom.

[WayAbvPar]

Perhaps he meant that HBO pwns Showtime. That would be factually accurate  :mrgreen:

[Abagadro]

Then he should spell it right. 

[Shockeye]

Development Resurrected! At-Risk Househusbands Get Desperate! Amazing Dark Side Defeated!

by Kristin Veitch | May 13, 2005

Hallelujah! Arrested Development fans, brace yourselves. I have some good news and--well, you might want to sit down for this--some mind-blowing, earth-shattering, out-of-this-world, fantastic news.

Earlier this week, a friend here at E! interviewed Jason Bateman at a charity event with his good friend Ben Stiller. When asked the status of Arrested Development, he lit up like a banana stand: "Actually, great. Supergreat. There is a heartbeat. There is no flatline. And there may be twins. I'm going to let Kristin figure out what that means. I can't comment any further, but there will be an announcement next week."

After various calls to Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Pamela Anderson and Jennifer Garner's OB-GYN re "twins," I can tell you that Jason's little hint had nothing whatsoever to do with any of those things. And while there are 17 listings for a "J. Bateman" in the local Hollywood white pages, none of them know a damned thing about the fate of Arrested Development. But glory be, after much badgering and pestering, two rock-solid Fox sources, who have never failed me before, caved and gave me the lowdown.

Though they're still dotting I's and crossing T's on the final documents, I'm told Fox network and 20th Century Fox studio are "99.9 percent of the way there" to reaching an agreement on the new season. According to these highly placed sources, it looks very likely that Arrested Development will be coming back not only for a full season of 22 episodes but actually two full seasons of 22 episodes. How freaking fantastic is that?

At press time, I can tell you this is precisely where the show's fate stands. So, barring any last-minute switch-a-roonies or bad acts by Satan or Rupert Murdoch, we will get glorious "twin" seasons of the best damn comedy on TV.

According to these insiders, even though the ratings weren't exactly American Idol numbers, Fox's new prez, Peter Liguori, bless his perceptive little heart, has faith that the show will do well in a different time slot. He also wants to bring AD up to the magical episode number required for syndication and feels the show will do very well in repeats and also in DVD. Can I get a "Hell, yeah!"?

That said, not to be a Downer Debbie, but another much loved, little-watched fave isn't likely to be so lucky...

[Johny Cee]

Never got into Carinvale.....  Not sure why.

I think another angle might be cost of production.  It wouldn't be the first show shut down despite decent ratings because of the costs of production.  Carnivale was set in the Depression,  with I'm sure astonishing costs in set and costume.  While other shows might have had lower ratings,  production costs might have been better.

Pretty much, I think period pieces and sci fi have to hit it out of the park or face getting cancelled.  Farscape is another good example of decent ratings and cancellation.  In that case,  it was so the Sci Fi network could free up the huge amounts of capital they plugged into it.

Sopranos is set in modern NJ,  using many on site locations.  I think set/production wise it's dirt cheap.  Deadwood is a period piece,  but no way HBO is going to throw away the critical acclaim and publicity.  They live on having talked about series to plug their movie channel even if ratings aren't what they could be.

I'd look for announcement by HBO for either more miniseries and movies,  or a couple new series if this guess is anywhere near the truth.

I have no idea about Dead Like Me's cancellation.  Were ratings that bad?  I quite enjoyed that show.


Sky:

You might want to check to see if you're recording the same episode over and over.  Deadwood airs many, many times.  The other thing is that HBO likes to rebroadcast earlier episodes in the season back to back for people to catch up.  Thank god.

I wish more networks would do this.  I've been trying to catch Dr. Who on CBC for a while now,  if only to relive childhood nostalgia,  and can never remember when it's on.

[Abagadro]

Plus, HBO doesn't base programming quite as much around "ratings" as they only care about the number subscriptions rather than if anyone is actually watching the shows. If it doesn't think a show is adding to their brand retention, they will dump it.

[Evil Elvis]

After the last two episodes of Carnivale, I wish I could have been the one to cancel it.

[Mi_Tes]

After the last two episodes of Carnivale, I wish I could have been the one to cancel it.

Granted, the last two episodes were a bit "strange" but it wasn't like the rest of the shows weren't leading up to it.  It was something different (more original) than most other tv shows.  It gets old seeing the same family conflict, friend conflict, law, crime, space, or reality tv show. 

Given that I had the HBO subscription just for Carnivale and the Showtime subscription just for Dead Like Me, I plan on cancelling both subscriptions because of this news. 

[Abagadro]

Two favorite lines from tonight's TV:

"This is the feces that happens when shame eats too much stupid."  -Dale Gribble, King of the Hill

"Ow I burned my snatch!" -Jane, Deadwood

[Evil Elvis]

Two favorite lines from tonight's TV:

"This is the feces that happens when shame eats too much stupid."  -Dale Gribble, King of the Hill

"Ow I burned my snatch!" -Jane, Deadwood

"You dye your hair?"


Deadwood is worth keeping your HBO subscription, though, Mi_Tes.  My problem with Carnivale wasn't the way he chose to end it - although it did suck - so much as how he executed the ending.  Everything was incredibly rushed, as if he just realised he didn't have another dozen episodes left to do what he wanted to.  So, instead we had to suffer watching the cast jump through ridiculous hoops, and characters falling into situations so fast, they felt as hamfisted as just about anything could.  I almost stopped watching the moment they devised the ferris wheel plan, so at least I could imagine something cool happening without being spoiled by what they decided to dole out, instead.

[WayAbvPar]

"Underarms washed? Cunts braided?"

Al sure can turn a phrase. Have I mentioned that I LOVE Deadwood?

[Rasix]

Man, Wu looks fucking ANGRY in the next episode.  I hope he wins.

Edit: I'm having a hard time reading my posts with this avatar. 

[WayAbvPar]

Yeah, it would really suck if they killed off Wu. He rules.

[HaemishM]

I get the feeling Al is going to try to turn the San Fran cocksucker to his side and help him eliminate Wu, simply because the San Fran cocksucker can speak English. Then again, that may have just given him more reason to want to bump off the San Fran cocksucker, since Wu's ignorance of the language is something Al can use against him.

[Sky]

Ahh...the juxtaposition of Hammy's avatar and Wu is nice.