Themed Thursday Nights Are Back!

If you caught last week's "Super Sized" return of the Office, you saw that Michael was caught wearing a woman's suit. Later on 30 Rock's return Pete is caught wearing Liz's clothing. Just another Thursday night for NBC, where all of the shows enjoy a common theme. Brilliant.

Less than brilliant however was the series premeiere of "Thank God You're Here", a comedy show that is trying something new, at least, in throwing "stars" into scripted scenes without any direction or dialogue and forcing the guests to improvise their way out of tight situations. So many cardinal rules of what make a good improv scene were broken during the show that the result was something controlled and mostly laughless. 4 Problems to be fixed:

1) Better supporting actors. These guys need to roll with the punches and push the guests to heights of improv hilarity. Instead here they just serve set up after set up, offering no real interaction or dialouge with the guests. Boring! Let the scene spiral out of control!

2) FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DO NOT NEG! We saw the cheapest crutch in improv history right in the first line of the first sketch of the first show. Monique attempts to name a girl Linda and they shoot her down, telling her that the contestant is actually named Rachel. Sloppy! Who lets that fly on the air?

3) Leave out the set up! We get the premise, we don't need an interview every time the actor goes on stage, just get to it already!

4) BETTER GUESTS. Everyone seems to be washed up in one way or another, whats keeping real stars from trying this out? NBC, sap more SNL people. Universal, get some real stars on stage! Who else thinks Christopher Walken would kick ASS in this?

Pirates of the Carribean at World's End Trailer

See you at the end of the world...

I wish I could talk to Ghosts. That would be SWEEET.

Medium.

Ghost Whisperer.

now..

Raines.


WTF. How many different shows on TV are Sixth Sensing nowadays?


-DJC

Double O Disappointment

Man I am all excited for my birthday this year, it's on 07/07/07 and we're thinking about vegas. I hear that the aforementioned date has been notorious for weddings this year, and theres no surprise there.

When I heard that James Bond was back, I was appalled when I realized they would be starting the franchise at the end of 2006. Dear god, what a missed opportunity! It should have opened on the first day of 2007!

Then I thought, well the must be waiting to use that marketing technique for the DVD release. No siree, as the DVD comes out this week, there is nery a sign of trying to advertise 007 by using the 2007 date. What gives?

DJC

Cherry Coke Cherry

You know what really gets my crap in a bind? This "new" Coca Cola Cherry. Its just so goddamn girly looking. Have you seen it? They've got these feminine cherries floating around a hazy purple background and little fizzies everywhere. Its the dantiest soda in the aisle and I just can't bring myself to buy it. CHERRY COKE was where it was at. Do you remember how great it used to look? Jagged letters, black and red colors. You felt like you were awesome drinking one of those cans or bottles. Then they changed it again, simplified it but it was still good. Solid red and black scheme, less crazy 90's shapes more of a classic coke feel.

But what they've done recently is just wrong. On several occassions I've had that cherry coke craving, wanting to down some with a slice of pizza, but been completely deterred from the botched valentine's day greeting of a label that has been slapped onto that thing. Are they trying to drive away their customers? Coke, change it back please! Redesign quick! It looks lamer than a clearly canadian bottle, it looks diet when its not diet. Its just wrong!

DJC

Tivo Drops the Best Hour of the Academy Awards

TiVO owners across the nation hoping to come home and find themselves a full Oscar experience have been gypped some of the night's most prestigious honors.

This year the academy decided to keep Best Actor, Actress, Director, and Picture until the last hour of the show. When the program ran over three hours in length, all of these categories were cut for thousands of people across the nation.

A quick search of youtube brought up acceptance speeches for Best Actor and Actress, but little else.

Tivo needs to be smarter than this if a program runs past the alloted time.

-DJC

NBC's Themed Thursday Nights

Are we going crazy or is nobody else on the internet talking about the themed Thursdays on NBC?

There is a common thread running through every block of four episodes this season and it is both creative and fun to spot. Shame is, when reruns happen these coincidences will pass us by. So far common themes we've spotted in all four shows:

Blatant in episode advertising kicked it off. My Name is Earl, Scrubs, 30 Rock, and the Office all prominently featured name brands in funny ways.

Weels later there was a common theme of "strippers" in all four comedies.

Then valentine's day made for romantic episodes in all four comedies.

And this week we noticed that each comedy made refrence to an old teacher.

Ok so maybe I could have remembered the name of the teacher, or how strippers played into each episode and when the in episode advertising started. And other things. But damnit, we didn't know that we would be the only ones chronicaling this phenomenon! I hardly know how to spell chronicle!

Ok, so more competent blogs on this issue to come.


YOUR ONE STOP SOURCE FOR THURSDAY NIGHT THEMES!


DJC