RIP Your Favorite Show (Updated)

Today the annual TV Hunger Games began and the body count is already high.  We have a list of all the casualties of shows slain by the networks.  We'll update as we know more so check back.

ABC:
Trophy Wife
Super Fun Night
Once Upon a Time In Wonderland
Mixology
Mind Games
Lucky 7
Killer Women
Betrayal
Back in the Game
The Assets
Suburgatory
The Neighbors


CBS:
We Are Men
The Crazy Ones
Intelligence
Hostages
Bad Teacher
Friends with Better Lives

The CW:
The Tomorrow People
Star-Crossed
The Carrie Diaries

FOX:
Enlisted
Surviving Jack
Rake
Dads
Us and Them
Almost Human
The X-Factor

NBC:
Community
Revolution
Welcome to the Family
Sean Saves the World
The Michael J. Fox Show
Ironside
The Million Second Quiz
Growing Up Fisher
Camp
Believe
Crisis
Dracula


Are your shows safe?  Keep an eye here as we will update as we hear word on the fates of more shows.

RAWR(for more)

Is Your Favorite Show Canceled?

No bells and whistles for this post.  This is all bad news.  Lots of shows hit the chopping block this week.  Did one of your favorites meet the grim reaper?

Here are the shows as of Friday evening, that have been canceled:

ABC:

Body of Proof
Malibu Country
Red Widow
Happy Endings (BASTARDS!) (May be headed for USA?)

Good news?  Revenge, Grey's Anatomy and Nashville among the shows renewed.

CBS:

CSI: NY
Golden Boy
Made In Jersey
Partners
Rules of Engagement
Vegas

Good News?  Elementary and The Good Wife plus How I Met Your Mother all returning.

FOX:

Ben and Kate
The Cleveland Show (Unofficially)
The Mob Doctor
Touch

Good news?  Raising Hope, Glee (through season 6), and Bob's Burgers among returning shows.

NBC (Updated @7pm):

Smash has been canceled.

1600 Penn
Deception
Go On
Guys With Kids
The New Normal
Up All Night
Whitney

Good News?  Parenthood and Community!

The CW:

90210
Cult

Good News:  Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, Hart of Dixie, and The Carrie Diaries all returning.  Oh and Arrow and Beauty and the Beast.

It was a blood bath if you ask me.  Especially in terms of sitcoms.  I am still shocked that The New Normal and Go On were canceled.  I really yearn for the days when shows were allowed to build audiences.

Other victims announced include Southland over on TNT.  But ABC has officially picked up Agents of SHIELD!

More updates as we get them.

Thanks to TVLine for the info!

RAWR(for more)

TV DVD Roundup!

We have a few great releases to cover today that have recently hit stores and wanted to give you guys a glance them. We'll have a second TV DVD Roundup later in the week so watch out for that.

This time, we're going to focus on two network dramas with strange happenings and two cable comedies with well...strange happenings.

The good news? All four of them are great examples of fine television. The bad news? Well, can you afford to buy them all?

Click the Rawr! for our thoughts on Fringe Season One, Supernatural Season Four, Flight of the Conchords Season Two and Important Things with Demetri Martin Season One!

Fringe: The Complete First Season
Starring: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, Lance Reddick, Kirk Acevedo, Blair Brown, Jasika Niciole with Mark Valley and John Noble.

First up is Fox's new supernatural drama from J.J. Abrams, Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, Fringe. The story centers around a female FBI Agent (Anna Torv) who finds herself investigating strange occurrences with the help of a brilliant scientist who's spent 17 years in a mental institution (John Noble) and his son (Joshua Jackson). As they investigate, it becomes clearer and clearer that someone is using the world as their own private lab and as they track "The Pattern" it leads them to a global corporation, Massive Dynamic.

Fans of The X-Files will be on familiar ground here. Fringe is more science based but the show is in the same vein. The cast is pitch perfect, with the exception of Mark Valley who, admittedly, I've never really liked that much.

The show is clever, extremely well written, and at times is completely crazy. It's a great watch. J.J. Abrams has a history of making great TV and Fringe is no exception.

The DVD set features a lot of special features including featurettes on the casting, the science behind the show, and the special effects. Deleted scenes, a gag reel, production diary, and more.

There's plenty for everyone with Fringe, even those hesitant to latch onto a genre show like this will find themselves pleased.

Season Two begins on September 17 so you should get watching so you can catch up in time.

Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season
Starring: Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles

Next up is the The CW's occult hit, Supernatural. The series's fourth season finds the Brothers Winchester in some rather interesting biblical situations, not to mention continuing their road trip creepy monster battling ways. This time vampires, teddy bears, and the Devil are on the menu, among other things.

Now, I resisted this show for years. I really didn't think it was anything more than bait for tweeners. I can honestly say that I was wrong. Supernatural is a helluva fun show and has been consistently good through it's four seasons. There may be rough patch or two but for the most part it's a good show to get behind.

Season Four keeps that up well. This year delving more into the war between heaven and hell that our heroes are smack in the middle of. Granted, I had my doubts when I read what the season was going to be about, but I really enjoyed it.

That is directly related to the smart writing and fantastic performances from the leads. They carry this show and make it as good as it is.

The Season Four set features deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, featurettes on the themes of the season and commentaries.

For those of you who write off Supernatural as a lame teen show not worth your time, let me assure you that is wrong. The show is really fun and is still running strong in it's fourth year.

Pick up Season Four so you can get through it in time for the premiere of the shows fifth season on well, it was last week but you can still catch up in time for episode two!
Flight of the Conchords
Starring: Jermaine Clement, Bret McKenzie, Rhys Darby, Kristen Schaal, and Arj Barker

Our favorite folk duo from New Zealand are back in the hilarious second season of HBO's Flight of the Conchords.

The laughs keep coming as the guys continue to try to break into the American music scene. I cannot get enough of this show. It's extremely funny and clever and even touching at times. Bret and Jermaine are fantastic characters that you can't help but get caught up with.

Some of the songs featured this season aren't as good as those from Season One but that does nothing to take away from the show. The real star here is the band themselves. Jermaine Clement is up for an Emmy this year for his work on this season. As good as he is, I didn't expect that to happen. I just didn't think this show would even be on Emmy's radar in terms of acting. Writing for sure as it's near brilliant at times but it was a complete shock for an acting nod!

The season two set features a documentary feature, commercials for Dave's pawn shop, New Zealand Consulate Meetings with Murray and Greg, deleted scenes, and outtakes. All of these features just help to make an already fantastic show even better.

Season Two of Flight of the Conchords is a joy to watch and well worth the price. You'll want to get this and relive the show often considering I don't know if there is even going to be a third season. I'll watch these episodes again and hope there will be one.


Important Things with Demetri Martin
Starring: Demetri Martin

Last but certainly not least, is the new Comedy Central hit Important Things with Demetri Martin. It seems Comedy Central has been trying to recapture the magic of Chapelle's Show since it's shocking demise a few years ago. First came the dreadful Mind of Mencia, which is absolutely unwatchable.

Now, we have Important Things, which, to me anyway, is about as close as they will ever get. This show is hilarious. It helps to be a fan of Demetri Martin, which I am. In fact, I think he could be our generations Steve Martin. His charm is undeniable and his comedy is extremely clever. Whether it's a song or a sight gag or a sketch, this show is nearly all hit and very little miss.

The episodes cover things like Brains, Power, Chairs, Games, and more. Each episode is a laugh riot example of Martin's comedic genius.

The DVD contains all seven first season episodes with some bonus features like deleted sketches, commentaries, a poster, and more.

This is the cheapest of the sets featured here but it also has the least episodes. Still, it is packed full of funny so if I had to choose I would go with Important Things.


These are some great options for you to drop some coin on. It's a tough choice, even if the the funniest stuff is courtesy of Demetri Martin.

Fringe: The Complete First Season, Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season, Flight of the Conchords: Season Two, and Important Things with Demetri Martin Season One are in stores now.

RAWR(for more)

Fall Seasons Biggest Surprise

Imagine my surprise when idle curiosity about a show on The CW caught my attention and hooked me in after the first few minutes.

I'm talking of course about The CW's Aliens in America, which is about a Muslim exchange student moving in with a family in small town Wisconsin. The fall season is in full swing and I have to say for sure that this is my pick for the Best New Comedy of the year. It's smart, funny, touching, and relentlessly charming.


Dan Byrd plays Justin a social outcast just starting his junior year of high school. He believes this year will finally be the year where things go well for him. Things start off that way until a prank makes him realize its not just his past appearance that makes him an outcast and that removing braces and a sunny outlook won't give him the friends he wishes he had. I really related to his character and that is something that has never happened with a sitcom. Having to get by in a school where no one seems to like you hit home for me. Feeling like an Alien in your own school is certainly a feeling anyone can relate to. Dan Byrd brought this character to life perfectly.

The rest of the family is rounded out by Scott Patterson as Gary, the father looking for a ways to make money. The $500 monthly check for taking in the exchange student being the primary reason he agreed to it. Lindsey Shaw plays the recently blossomed hot sister that everyone suddenly wants to date. Amy Pietz returns to series television as the mother Franny. She is very funny and her reactions to the situation are great. Even when she is about to kick the student out the door and her abrupt change after learning about his family. I can say I've never seen someone act with just their eyes the way she did in that scene.

Last, and certainly not least, we come to the exchange student Raja played by Adhir Kalyan. He might be one of the first Muslim characters portrayed in a positive light in quite a while which is something desperately needed in this country. His character is sweet, funny, and his reactions to the way he is treated at school (blamed for 9/11 etc) are genuine and sincere.


I am really excited to see this show develop and hope to god The CW doesn't cancel it. This is a show that needs to be on the air. The characters are so refreshing and real and the social lessons that can be taken from it are endless. When is the last time a sitcom has been called important? I'll say it now: Aliens in America is the most important sitcom on the air. It is a must watch show. Parents watch it with your kids and let them see that just because someone looks different doesn't mean you have to hate them. In this day and age we need a show like this. When hatred is running so rampant in this country maybe a show like that can open peoples eyes? Maybe my hopes are too high.

I really really want this show to make it. I can't recommend it enough. Watch it and fall in love with these characters just as I did.

Best New Comedy of 2007. By. Far.

Aliens in America

The CW

Mondays 8:30

RAWR(for more)

The Fall Season Begins

Last night marked the start of two anticipated shows. Kid Nation, which my DVR failed to record and Gossip Girl on The CW.



Unfortunately, I was not able to see Kid Nation (hopefully it will replay) I did however watch Gossip Girl.





Now I know I had vowed not to watch anything the CW aired after the cancellation of Veronica Mars, but, Kristen Bell (Veronica herself) is doing the narration for this show so I can justify it! Before you groan, the narrator is the Gossip Girl and we never learn who her identity is. Everyone seems to read her and everyone seems to be a source. The voice over does not get tiresome and is really a driving force for the show. Although, if it wasn't Kristen Bells voice, which I am so familiar with as a voice over maybe it would have been a little annoying? It's really fun to watch the gossip spread through the show. When one of the characters shows up at a party everyone's cell phones start going off as the news spreads. Pretty funny.


Anyway, Gossip Girl happens to be a pretty great show. It well acted and populated with mainly fresh faces, save for 2 of the adults in the show. One being Melrose Place Alum Kelly Rutherford the other Matthew Settle recently seen on ABCs Brothers and Sisters. Neither appear old enough to have teenage kids but whatever.

The show has it's secrets. Why don't know why Serena (pictured above) left town for boarding school, although they give possible reasons. We learn why she came back however, but no reasons about why that catalyst happened, which I hope we do.

I'm being vague on purpose as I don't want to spoil anything for anyone.

We see the crumbling of a life long friendship, the strain of a someone loving someone he is forbidden to have and someone else loving someone he thinks he can never have. Most painfully, is the desire of an outsider trying to get in and the price she pays.

It's all about the circle of high society both inside and outside.

The more I think about it the more I like it. It was a smart, funny, and entertaining show. Hopefully, they can keep the stories fresh. The cast of relative newcomers are all great. Everyone seems perfectly casted and I am excited to see them grow into their characters as the show progresses.

If you're a fan of prime time soaps like The OC or Melrose Place, you'll most certainly like this show. Even if you aren't a fan of those types of shows, give it a look anyway. The premiere replays this Sunday at 8pm on The CW. .

Gossip Girl

Wednesdays 9pm

The CW

RAWR(for more)