Post by Naj on Oct 14, 2005 19:54:31 GMT -5
TV's bright spots
Hal Boedeker | Sentinel Television Critic
Posted October 14, 2005
So far, there's no new hit as big as Desperate Housewives, no new mystery as gripping as Lost. But the new season, which officially began Sept. 19, is providing reasons to cheer.
And viewers are responding. The seven broadcast networks averaged 48.9 million in prime time for the first three weeks, up from 47.7 million a year ago. That nearly 3 percent increase is even more impressive when you consider that this summer's movies were off 8 percent at the box office.
Cable is bolstering television's stock with several scintillating series. It's an encouraging start for the oft-ridiculed small screen. Here's a look at some of the brightest features.
The Marcia Cross moments: The chief pleasure of ABC's Desperate Housewives this season is watching Cross as Bree Van De Kamp. In the opener, Bree ripped an ugly tie off her husband's corpse at his funeral. In episode two, she slapped her whiny mother-in-law (Shirley Knight). This past Sunday, Bree took a lie-detector test with revealing results. What will she do next?
The supporting players on Grey's Anatomy: As physicians in love, Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey drew fans to this ABC drama last spring. The top-notch supporting cast keeps viewers tuned in Sundays: Chandra Wilson as tough but fair senior resident Miranda Bailey, Sandra Oh as driven Cristina Yang and T.R. Knight as George O'Malley, a dashing nerd.
The man who is Earl: Jason Lee has emerged as a bona fide TV star as the title character on My Name Is Earl. At 9 p.m. each Tuesday, Earl pulls off a wacky challenge, from letting his brother relive high school to helping an old woman quit smoking. The show is pulling off its own challenge: It's the brightest spot in a bleak fall for NBC.
Heroic brothers: In a fall of scary programs, the most frightening is the WB's Supernatural, the saga of two brothers searching for their missing father. The camaraderie of Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki boosts the show at 9 p.m. Tuesdays. So do creepy plots, such as an exorcism on a flight and a near-fatal bath.
Lovable parents: UPN's Everybody Hates Chris offers a warm, frank view of Chris Rock's family in 1980s Brooklyn. Two reasons to rejoice Thursday are dynamic Tichina Arnold and Terry Crews as Rock's loving but strict parents.
Ancient buddies: HBO's Rome, about the times of Julius Caesar, tells adult stories that are more twisted than anything on Desperate Housewives. The series pivots on the friendship of two everyday soldiers, played with gusto by Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson. They make Rome (Sunday) a must-see destination.
The sprawling plot: A serialized show rises or falls on how well it doles out its twists. ABC's Lost (Wednesday) deftly explained the mysterious hatch and added characters, such as a passenger played by Michelle Rodriguez. Time-slot competitor Veronica Mars, on UPN, has handed its title character (played by Kristen Bell) a doozy of a second-season mystery to investigate: a school bus going off a cliff.
The humane plot: CBS' Cold Case is the most underrated series in a schedule packed with crime. This Sunday drama tells grim stories, such as a fraternity fire, in poignant, gripping ways. The show draws on a strong lead (Kathryn Morris) and a clever device that presents characters as they were years before.
The outlandish plot: No show takes greater risks than FX's Nip/Tuck, the adult story of two South Beach plastic surgeons (Julian McMahon and Dylan Walsh). They have operated on a scarred ape and a woman stuck to her couch. The Tuesday series traffics in grotesque plots even as it creates unforgettable images. Do you want safe series or nervy ones?
Kathryn
Hal Boedeker | Sentinel Television Critic
Posted October 14, 2005
So far, there's no new hit as big as Desperate Housewives, no new mystery as gripping as Lost. But the new season, which officially began Sept. 19, is providing reasons to cheer.
And viewers are responding. The seven broadcast networks averaged 48.9 million in prime time for the first three weeks, up from 47.7 million a year ago. That nearly 3 percent increase is even more impressive when you consider that this summer's movies were off 8 percent at the box office.
Cable is bolstering television's stock with several scintillating series. It's an encouraging start for the oft-ridiculed small screen. Here's a look at some of the brightest features.
The Marcia Cross moments: The chief pleasure of ABC's Desperate Housewives this season is watching Cross as Bree Van De Kamp. In the opener, Bree ripped an ugly tie off her husband's corpse at his funeral. In episode two, she slapped her whiny mother-in-law (Shirley Knight). This past Sunday, Bree took a lie-detector test with revealing results. What will she do next?
The supporting players on Grey's Anatomy: As physicians in love, Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey drew fans to this ABC drama last spring. The top-notch supporting cast keeps viewers tuned in Sundays: Chandra Wilson as tough but fair senior resident Miranda Bailey, Sandra Oh as driven Cristina Yang and T.R. Knight as George O'Malley, a dashing nerd.
The man who is Earl: Jason Lee has emerged as a bona fide TV star as the title character on My Name Is Earl. At 9 p.m. each Tuesday, Earl pulls off a wacky challenge, from letting his brother relive high school to helping an old woman quit smoking. The show is pulling off its own challenge: It's the brightest spot in a bleak fall for NBC.
Heroic brothers: In a fall of scary programs, the most frightening is the WB's Supernatural, the saga of two brothers searching for their missing father. The camaraderie of Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki boosts the show at 9 p.m. Tuesdays. So do creepy plots, such as an exorcism on a flight and a near-fatal bath.
Lovable parents: UPN's Everybody Hates Chris offers a warm, frank view of Chris Rock's family in 1980s Brooklyn. Two reasons to rejoice Thursday are dynamic Tichina Arnold and Terry Crews as Rock's loving but strict parents.
Ancient buddies: HBO's Rome, about the times of Julius Caesar, tells adult stories that are more twisted than anything on Desperate Housewives. The series pivots on the friendship of two everyday soldiers, played with gusto by Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson. They make Rome (Sunday) a must-see destination.
The sprawling plot: A serialized show rises or falls on how well it doles out its twists. ABC's Lost (Wednesday) deftly explained the mysterious hatch and added characters, such as a passenger played by Michelle Rodriguez. Time-slot competitor Veronica Mars, on UPN, has handed its title character (played by Kristen Bell) a doozy of a second-season mystery to investigate: a school bus going off a cliff.
The humane plot: CBS' Cold Case is the most underrated series in a schedule packed with crime. This Sunday drama tells grim stories, such as a fraternity fire, in poignant, gripping ways. The show draws on a strong lead (Kathryn Morris) and a clever device that presents characters as they were years before.
The outlandish plot: No show takes greater risks than FX's Nip/Tuck, the adult story of two South Beach plastic surgeons (Julian McMahon and Dylan Walsh). They have operated on a scarred ape and a woman stuck to her couch. The Tuesday series traffics in grotesque plots even as it creates unforgettable images. Do you want safe series or nervy ones?
Kathryn
It's always good to read nice things about the show and KM.
