BONES - What To Do?

Sometimes the real world gets in the way of our TV watching fun.

FOX once had to re-edit the season finale of MELROSE PLACE because the explosion at the apartment complex came too close on the heels of the Oklahoma City bombing.

On the heels of 9/11, the series premiere of 24 had to be trimmed a bit to snip out a couple of shots of a crashing airliner.

And now, yet another tragedy has impacted yet another FOX show.

The episode of BONES originally scheduled for April 18th followed a murder investigation on a college campus. While the episode didn't deal with a mass shooting, it was rightly deemed inappropriate to air so soon following the recent events at Virginia Tech.

Unfortunately, it's looking like the episode may not air at all.

You see, there are elements of BONES that are part of a season long arc. I recently raked FOX over the coals for failing to air episodes in their correct order - and now it looks like they're expecting us to simply catch up, while having completely missed an episode that included some rather major plot developments for a couple of characters.

FOX's summary for this week's episode includes this passage: "Meanwhile, thwarted in his previous attempt to propose to Angela, Hodgins tries a more traditional, romantic approach to winning her heart."

With the cancellation of DRIVE, I think FOX could have aired the skipped episode of BONES this Monday night, instead of airing a HOUSE rerun, while giving folks a chance to keep up. Or they could at least make it available online.

Again, this episode doesn't contain any plot points similar to Virginia Tech, other than it takes place on a college campus and someone dies. No gunshots, no loner student, no chained doors.

I think we could handle it.

Are the TV Gods Smiling?

First Sanjaya gets voted off AMERICAN IDOL. (Yay!)

Then Rosie O'Donnell decides $10 million over three years wasn't enough to stay on THE VIEW.

And Alec Baldwin has asked NBC to be allowed to quit 30 ROCK.

Now... if we could just do something about NBC CEO Jeff Zucker...

Happy Birthday Riley!

Riley's 21!

Happy Birthday, Riley Dude.

The pic is from a 1989 fundraiser at Wynne High School. Riley stormed the stage from the back of the auditorium when Holly & I came out to perform "Honey Bun" from "South Pacific". The moment was captured by the local newspaper.

Good times.

DRIVE gets a "DNF"

As in Did Not Finish.

That's what they give the NASCAR boys who end up in the garage instead of crossing the finish line.

While I enjoyed the two hour premiere of DRIVE, its seams were showing. This looks like it has to be an expensive show to produce - and the producers are slicing expenses wherever they can.

Cars continually race down the same generic stretch of interstate highway. Office complexes double for Cape Canaveral (along with a preposterously bad CGI countdown clock on the side of a building). And I KNOW I've seen the motel the contestants were all departing from in more than one movie or TV show.

There's lots of CGI and green screen in this show - sort of a poor man's version of the incredible shooting techniques pioneered in CHILDREN OF MEN. Cameras swoop in, crossing through windshields while cars roar down the highway, then spin and fly out the side window. It could be impressive - if it were done a little better.

But, if I can overlook the cardboard walls of Kirk's Enterprise, I can overlook the budget limitations on a TV show's special effects.

The story has LOTS of potential. FIREFLY's Captain Tightpants - Nathan Fillion - is back - as Alex Tully, a very familiar role. Fillion can clench his jaw and smoulder like no other actor on TV.

ANGEL's Amy Acker plays Tully's missing wife, who is being held hostage so Tully will compete in a race that makes the Cannonball Run look like a party thrown by Dean martin (which it probably was!)

Melanie Lynskey plays a mom who seems to have had her newborn son taken from her. Hers may be the most intriguing characters so far. She's soft and quiet, and easily taken to be weak - but she's able to do what it takes to protect her child - something we learned very well, very quickly.

Lynskey was featured in an early promo for the show and her voice is so petite, I originally mistook her for Amy Acker. Mrs. Kimosabe and I were pretty puzzled as to how Acker had put on so many pounds - oops to us.

All in all, I'm in the for long haul on DRIVE. My season pass is programmed in and I'm hoping this race runs a long time.

But I have my doubts.

After announcing the show's premiere date, FOX quickly followed up with another announcement that they would be airing just 6 of the 13 episodes ordered before giving the show a break for the summer. That doesn't sound like a vote of confidence.

After seeing the Sunday night numbers, the suits may have been right on this one. DRIVE scored a 6 share.

I don't know what it is about folks from the House of Whedon, but it seems like everyone who learned how to make TV while studying at the feet of creator of BUFFY hits a glass ceiling in the 6 to 7 share range.

While a 6 share was considered a success for The Old WB, it's not enough for FOX. WONDERFALLS, FIREFLY, STANDOFF, TRU CALLING and now DRIVE - they're all quirky little shows created by folks who wrote for BUFFY or ANGEL - and none of them ever scored a double digit share of the audience.

Let's wait to see what Monday's numbers bring....

[Edit: Monday's numbers are in and - TA DA! - a 6 share. A rerun of HOUSE scored a 9 share last week. This does not bode well....)

Yippee-Ki-Yay!

Thought this was interesting - it seems the recent trailer for DIE HARD 4 is the highest testing action trailer ever released by 20th Century Fox.

Maybe in DIE HARD 5, John McClane could team up with Jack Bauer....

"Yippee-Ki-Yay!"

"Copy that!"

Edit: Here's a link to the trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/livefreeordiehard/

Crime & PUNishment

After careful thought and consideration, I'm wondering if perhaps now might be the time for some California wineries to start selling gardening equipment to the public.

After all, who wouldn't want a "Napa Valley Hoe?"

Random Thoughts: 041207

Some random TV thoughts....

It took 17 hours for Jack Bauer to shake off whatever it was the Chinese did to him. I was feeling a bit disappointed with this season of 24 - until Jack killed this season's bad guy with his bare hands. 24 has 'unjumped' the shark and The Jack Bauer Power Hour is back

Starting to get pumped up about DRIVE. Captain Tightpants (Nathan Fillion from FIREFLY) and ANGEL's Fred (Amy Acker) headline a pretty good looking cast in another Tim Minear project - that FOX will probably toss on the ash heap before its time. I hope not.

'TIL DEATH has had its season finale. It's still not a great show, but it's getting better. My guess is that it will be back next year.

Last Friday the History Channel aired PLANET OF THE APES. Huh? It worked. I watched the whole thing - plus the special about Giganticus/Sasquatch that followed.

There a marathon of Eddie Izzard's THE RICHES on FX this weekend. Check it out.

I'm going to wait one more episode to comment on THE SOPRANOS.

Next week - Sanjaya WILL be in the bottom three. But he won't go home until we're down to the Top 5.

I've started pulling for Blake.

It's been a long haul over the past month - no new episodes of GILMORE GIRLS, SMALLVILLE or HEROES. If it weren't for the new subscription to HBO - and all the movies I don't have time to watch - my TiVo would be very bored.

What's going on on your set? What are you watching? What are you NOT watching?

Easter Bonus: Sopranos Resurrected

Back in June, I posted a piece on the mid-season finale of THE SOPRANOS.

With the second half of the season about to premiere, I thought it might be fun to revisit it.

Sopranos Finale: Peace on Earth

NYT Doesn't Get It

Over at Jelly Beenz, a New York Times reporter links AMERICAN IDOL and the 2000 election.

Sponge Bob No Pants

Burger King has done it again. they have managed to totally creep me out with another commercial that makes me wonder "What were they thinking?"

File this under the category Spots That Make You Go Hmmmmm.

This spot begins with a kid running up to Mom announcing that Spongebob is now appearing at Burger King! Can we go? Of course, as soon as your dad is finished.

As soon as Dad is finished with what? Why taking a bath. In an overly large master bathroom. While Mom is tidying. With the door open.

This family apparently shares a lot, because Dad isn't afraid to stand up in the tub to joke to his wife that he's Spongebob No Pants - all while the bathroom door is standing wide open.

At least the King isn't peeping in the large bathroom window.

Boundaries, people - PLEASE.

Bells Silenced, Heaven Closed

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised....

After a complete lack of faith in linear storytelling (see previous post) FOX has cancelled THE WEDDING BELLS.

With just 6 of the 13 episode order in the can, FOX has shut the show down.

Also today, ABC canned SIX DEGREES (one week after returning from hiatus), THE CW announced the end of 7TH HEAVEN and NBC is dropping THE BLACK DONNELLYS in favor of another piece of crap reality show.