MSN TV Blog: Specials

Tonight: VH1 Pays Tribute to 'The Who'

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:14:29 GMT

VH1 held a special concert honoring The Who last weekend at UCLA, and tonight they're broadcasting it for everyone to see. Performers include Pearl Jam, The Foo Fighters, Tenacious D, The Flaming Lips and Incubus...and The Who, of course. Do you want to know who's playing the Pinball Wizard? It's not Elton John. Give up? How about Rainn Wilson! You know that's going to be amazing.

"VH1's Rock Honors Bash: The Who" airs tonight at 9:00.

- Posted by Kate

Fireworks and 'That 70s Show'

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:43:09 GMT

It's the 3rd of July! That means a day off tomorrow for most of us. So what's on TV?

If you're interested in fireworks, NBC has the Macy's 4th of July fireworks show at 9:00. Natalie Morales and Tiki Barber will host and Natasha Bedingfield, Gavin DeGraw and Kenny Chesney will perform along with Katharine McPhee and Jordan Sparks of "American Idol." Early birds might want to check out PBS' "A Capital Fourth" at 8:00. They've got fireworks and Tchaikovsky on tap. Jimmy Smits will host and Huey Lewis and the News, Jerry Lee Lewis and Taylor Hicks will perform.

If you're not so interested in fireworks there's still plenty to see. AMC is showing all of the Jaws films. ABC Family has a "That 70s Show" marathon. FX has a "King of the Hill" marathon. For anyone feeling extra patriotic, HBOe is showing the John Adams miniseries in its entirety starting at 1:00 pm. Want more TV marathons? Check out this list over at Interesting Pile.

- Posted by Kate

'The Wire' Gets Some Emmy Love...Kinda

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:27:06 GMT

For some reason the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences decided to "leak" the top ten contenders in two major Emmy categories yesterday. Their gain, our gain? Anyway, one of my favorite shows, "The Wire," finally scored a mention! Here's the complete list for Best Comedy and Best Drama categories. Remember, this isn't a list of the nominees, just the semifinalists, so to speak:

Top 10 Comedy Series Finalists

"Curb Your Enthusiasm"

"Entourage"

"Family Guy"

"Flight of the Conchords"

"The Office"

"Pushing Daisies"

"30 Rock"

"Two and a Half Men"

"Ugly Betty"

"Weeds"

Top 10 Drama Series Finalists

"Boston Legal"

"Damages"

"Dexter"

"Friday Night Lights"

"Grey’s Anatomy"

"House"

"Lost"

"Mad Men"

"The Tudors"

"The Wire"

- Posted by Kate

We Like Shows About Fake Doctors, So How About Real Ones?

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:15:48 GMT

Tonight ABC is airing the first installment of "Hopkins," a six-part documentary shot on location at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins hospital. We'll meet doctors and patients and see what real drama lurks within the hospital's corridors. The crew was given almost full access to all areas in the hospital, so this could be fascinating. Or depressing. Or scary. (Says the girl who still holds her hand over her face during the surgery scenes of "Grey's Anatomy.")

The documentary focuses on the doctors' and patients' personal lives as well as their professional ones, so don't expect it to be all crash carts and CAT scans.

"Hopkins" airs tonight at 10:00 on ABC.

- Posted by Kate

Remembering George Carlin

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:21:19 GMT

I know you guys were as sad as I was to hear that George Carlin passed away last weekend. NBC is honoring him by rebroadcasting its 1975 debut - George Carlin was the host.

Legendary producer Lorne Michaels had this to say: "You never forget the people who were there at the beginning. George Carlin helped give 'Saturday Night Live' its start as our first host. He was gracious, fearless, and most important of all, funny."

HBO is also paying tribute to Carlin by airing some of his comedy specials tonight and tomorrow night. I especially like "Playing with Your Head," but you'll have to stay up awfully late if you want to watch it. It's worth it, though, I promise. Here's the complete schedule:

Tonight:
8:00 p.m.       George Carlin at USC (1977)
9:30 p.m.       George Carlin Again! (1978)
11:00 p.m.      Carlin at Carnegie (1983)
midnight        Carlin on Campus (1984)
1:00 a.m.       Playin’ with Your Head (1986)

Tomorrow:
8:00 p.m.       What Am I Doing in New Jersey? (1988)
9:00 p.m.       Doin’ It Again (1990)
10:00 p.m.      Jammin’ in New York (1992)
11:00 p.m.      Back in Town (1996)
12:05 a.m.      You Are All Diseased (1999)
1:00 a.m.       It’s Bad for Ya (2008)

- Posted by Kate

Tonight: 'The BET Awards'

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:27:15 GMT

Tonight The BET Awards are being broadcast live from Los Angeles. The very funny D.L. Hughley will host. Everybody who's anybody will perform - Ne-Yo, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Al Green and the list goes on. You can find out who's nominated here and get an online ballot for your BET party here.

The show starts at 8:00 on BET.

- Posted by Kate

'Top Chef' Reunion: Who Will Be the Fan Favorite?

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:24:53 GMT

Tonight Bravo is airing the "Top Chef" reunion special at 10:00. We'll get to find out what everybody's been doing since taping wrapped up...and who got voted fan favorite.

Who do you guys think it will be?

In other "Top Chef" news, Grub Street says that season five will take place in New York City:

"Given how aggressive the bloggers were in Chicago (they scoped out the chefs with telescopic lenses), we can only imagine what will happen when New York’s blogging corps gets a beachhead."

I'm getting my "Veronica Mars"-style spy kit all ready to go.

- Posted by Kate

Shocker! Teens Love 'Gossip Girl'

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:36:13 GMT

The CW might still be fretting over ratings, but they should feel good today. "Gossip Girl" has received a mind-blowing 14 Teen Choice Award nominations for its freshman season. Chace Crawford and Penn Badgley are up against each other in the Best Actor category - that could get interesting.

Miley Cyrus will host the show. She's up for four awards herself, so it could be a very interesting night. The awards will be broadcast on Fox on August 5, so you've got plenty of time left to vote, teen readers.

- Posted by Kate

A Night at the Movies

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:54:19 GMT

Feel like something a little bit different tonight? How about the countdown to end all countdowns, AFI's "10 Top 10"? Jessica Alba, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt will host CBS's countdown of the top 10 movies in 10 classic American film genres. The categories are animated, fantasy, gangster, sci fi, western, sports, mystery, romantic comedy, courtroom drama and epic. The whole show is three hours long and should include plenty of great clips between the red carpet moments we're used to.

AFI's "10 Top 10" starts at 8:00 on CBS.

- Posted by Kate

A Double Dose of Kathy Griffin

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:59:13 GMT

"My Life on the D-List" is back for a new season tonight at 9:00. Kathy is as busy as ever: we'll get to see her do stand-up at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. She's also set for a (totally real, I'm sure) date with Adnan Ghalib, Britney Spears' paparazzo ex. Kathy is also opening her very own leadership academy, just like her hero Oprah. Hey, I'm all for training up fiery little girls the world over.

Right after the season premiere of "My Life on the D-List" you can catch Bravo's first ever A-List Awards. What's the idea there? Well, as best I can tell Bravo decided to host an awards ceremony for...all of their own shows. It probably won't be the most legitimate awards show ever, but it should be fun. Kathy will be hosting.

- Posted by Kate

Hey, Can You Spell 'Guerdon'?

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:00:27 GMT

As a former spelling dork - yes, I still have the engraved dictionary I won in fifth grade - I think the Scripps National Spelling Bee is must-see TV. Sameer Mishra of West Lafayette, Indiana was this year's big winner. He won with the word guerdon (reward; recompense).

I may have watched the bee, but I wasn't planning to blog about it until Raoul alerted me to a bona fide TV big shot who's even more geeked out by spelling bees than I am. "Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rhimes liveblogged the whole thing:

"9:06 pm: Surfer Boy was just given a Sanskrit word that I am not even going to try to spell here (oh, okay: satyagraha) and I'm so worried...NO! NO!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!! He's gone. Bossy But Cute couldn't even pronounce the word!! NO!!!!!"

- Posted by Kate

Tonight: 'Dancing with the Stars' Hits 100

Tue, 06 May 2008 19:56:02 GMT

"Dancing with the Stars" is airing its 100th episode tonight, and ABC is pulling out all the stops. Rascal Flatts will be making an appearance, and so will fan favorites from seasons past. (I heard a rumor that Mario Lopez will be showing up.)

Len, Bruno, and Carrie Ann will be presenting their favorite dances from every season of the show. Sort of a clip show, sort of a party: not a bad concept.

- Posted by Kate

Nickelodeon Is Getting 'Spectacular!'

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:02:43 GMT

Someone's finally giving Disney a run for their money. Nickelodeon is beginning production on "Spectacular!," a made-for-TV teen musical fun fest along the lines of Disney's insanely popular "High School Musical" and "High School Musical 2."

"'Spectacular!' which has been kept below the radar, centers on a preppy high school student (Sursok) who is part of the school's Spectacular! choir. The group is in sad shape, with its most talented members either having graduated or been stolen away by a rival squad. The teen sees salvation in a cocky rocker (Funk), who reluctantly joins "Spectacular!" to win a money prize that would finance his rock 'n' roll dreams. But the rocker doesn't factor in falling for the preppy girl."

"Nick stresses that "Spectacular!" is not a classic musical. The songs in the movie will be performance-based rather than featuring characters suddenly breaking out into song like in Disney's 'High School Musical.'"

- Posted by Kate

Why Is 'John Adams' the Least Interesting Character in His Own Miniseries?

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:36:36 GMT

I'm pretty sure I can't be alone in feeling this way: As good as it may be, HBO's "John Adams" would be more interesting if it were centered around someone else.

The glimpses we've gotten of the other Founders have been more intriguing to me than what we've seen of Adams himself thus far. That goes for the big names like Washington, Franklin and Jefferson and lesser-known folks like Dickinson (sp?) who apparently opposed the drive for independence in part because of his religious beliefs. Heck, I would rather find out more about Abigail Adams, who seems the more thoughtful of the couple.

Maybe it's just that the miniseries has so far portrayed Adams as less of a central figure and more of an annoying curmudgeon.

Maybe Paul Giamatti just wasn't the guy to portray him. I do have to admit I keep on thinking Adams is going to complain about people's wine selections or some such.

Or maybe it's just in the second half of his life that Adams starts to take a more active role.

Whatever the case, I'm sticking it out till the end.

- posted by Raoul

'Idol Gives Back' Will Feature Some Big Stars

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:00:18 GMT

Fox has sent out a press release with some of the details for next month's "Idol Gives Back" special. The show will air on Wednesday, April 9 at 8:00 pm:

"IDOL GIVES BACK is a music celebration raising awareness and benefiting various U.S. and international charities. This year's event will be bigger and more ambitious than ever, and will feature incredible international talent including Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Fergie, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, John Legend and Snoop Dogg. Additional artists scheduled to appear to be announced."

- Posted by Kate

Tonight: A Year With Britain's Royal Family

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:13:08 GMT

Tonight 20/20 is going inside Buckingham Palace. Barbara Walters will host a special two hour documentary about the Windsors:

"From Queen Elizabeth II to Prince William and Prince Harry, the documentary crew from RDF USA filmed the British monarchy for more than a year, and was given unprecedented access to the working monarchy and its private spaces."

That's a lot of time and presumably a lot of footage. The special airs at 8:00 on ABC.

- Posted by Kate

Tonight: 'A Raisin in the Sun'

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:22:57 GMT

Broadway is coming to your living room. Tonight, Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, and Sanaa Lathan star in ABC's film version of A Raisin in the Sun. Both Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald won Tony Awards for their performances in 2004. Here's what Sean Combs had to say about playing the part of Walter Lee:

"'Ironically, some people think that maybe I may not be able to relate because I've had a little bit of success. But I feel I was destined to play this role because my father was killed when I was three years old and I grew up in a house with three women, my mother, my grandmother and my sister. I went through those years of having to watch my mother and my grandmother work two jobs and not being able to take care of my family and seeing the look on my mother's face when I would ask for things that she couldn't afford. And the stress we went through when I was going to Howard University and me just having a dream of being in the music industry kind of related to Walter Lee's dream of having a liquor store. Everybody looked at me like I was crazy back then the same way Walter Lee is treated in this movie. And so, some of the anxiety, the way you feel, the pursuit of the dream and how you're constantly hitting obstacles and it's getting deferred and how you just have to keep that passion and motivation and can't stop is something that I truly was able to tap into and relate to from my life.'"

A Raisin in the Sun airs tonight from 8:00 to 11:00 on ABC.

- Posted by Kate

And the Winner Is...'Saturday Night Live'

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:22:58 GMT

I thought last night's Oscars were the most boring Oscars ever...scratch that, the most boring awards show ever. Seriously, and I watched the MTV Awards last year. Everybody was on their best behavior, the fashions were prim and proper, and the speeches were tame, tame, tame. (Except for Helen Mirren's! I love you, Helen Mirren.) Jon Stewart was, to my mind, deliberately unfunny. It felt like almost everyone on stage was playing the part of Award Winner #4 way down the credits of some movie that didn't do so hot.

If you missed the show, a list of the winners is here, and there's lots of video here.

When I was in college one of my roommates talked the rest of us into canceling the cable, and that meant we got no TV reception at all. Frankly, it sucked. Sometimes you come home really late from the...library...and you want to watch something. We had videotapes. All of "Twin Peaks," and an episode of "Saturday Night Live" that was really awesome: Chris Kattan doing Cher, Molly Shannon's weird dog show sketch, etc. etc. We watched this tape probably fifty times, and it somehow just kept getting better. Well, Saturday's episode was that good, maybe better. If your cheapo roommate talks you and three other people out of splitting a $38 dollar cable bill, this is the show you can watch over and over again. Annuale!?! Wow. "That's not your phone, Grandpa, it's a phone in the movie!" The "Celebrity Apprentice" parody! There was also a great little "Cashmere Mafia"/"Lipstick Jungle" parody called "Lady Business" right at the end of the show.

Here is the Annuale video. Close your office door. Also the digital short and "Lady Business."

- Posted by Kate

Sunday: The Oscars

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:19:35 GMT

Well, the writers' strike ended just in time to bring us the glitziest, most glamorous, and longest awards show of them all: The Academy Awards. Jon Stewart is hosting this year (and I assume that's why "The Daily Show" has been in reruns all week) despite kind of pissing people off when he hosted the 2006 Oscars.

You can catch the red carpet starting at 6:00 on E! The show itself will be broadcast at 8:00 on ABC. In the meantime, MSN has clips, predictions, and a printable ballot.

- Posted by Kate

'Knight Rider' Deserves A Second Ride

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:34:08 GMT

I'm guessing that last night's "Knight Rider" will not be the last we've seen of Michael Knight's son or KITT, the next generation. Which is fine by me.

I'll be the first to admit that while I probably watched a lot of the shows during their original run, I don't remember too many of the details of any of the plots. Michael Knight had an evil twin, and there was a evil KITT called KARR. That's about all that stuck with me.

I think the movie did a fairly decent job of appealing to the nostalgia and striking out on its own. The two hours was pretty much a lengthy, roundabout way to get our players in the same place and watch them kick the crap out of some of the bad guys.

If you didn't get to see it, NBC is rebroadcasting it Saturday.

Michael Tracer (Knight's son) has some potential. I think they've set him up, perhaps, to be too much of a stud. Look, he has threesomes! He gambles with the bests of them and bluffs out poker pro Phil "The Unabomber" Laak! He's an Army Ranger! He's a race car driver! Who knows what other skill sets he might turn out to have?

Sarah, his long-lost and now rediscovered girlfriend seemed to have some chemistry with him. I'd hope she'd get to do more of showcasing her expertise as a computer genius and less running around as a damsel in distress if it becomes a series.

So far, the weak link seems to be Carrie. I don't see her as having enough of an authoritative presence, and frankly Sydney Tamiia Poitier is not all that great an actress.

You had to love the cameo from the Hoff as Michael Knight. One man can make a difference, indeed.

Saving the best for last, I really like the work Val Kilmer did as the voice of KITT. He does a really good job of having the arrogance, the detatchment and the brilliance of the old KITT.

Let's hope the franchise can build on the movie and make a worthy series.

- posted by Raoul

The Grammys: The Morning After

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:37:31 GMT

You didn't watch the Grammy Awards last night? Okay, we forgive you. The highlights: Kanye West's tribute to his mom, Amy Winehouse's performance via satellite, Tina Turner and Beyonce singing "Proud Mary."

Amy Winehouse and Kanye West were the big winners. Winehouse won Record of the Year ("Rehab"), Song of the Year ("Rehab"), Best New Artist, Pop Vocal Album ("Back to Black") and Best Female Vocal Pop Performance. West won Best Rap Solo Performance ("Stronger"), Rap Album of the Year ("Graduation"), and also had a hand in the Best Rap Song ("Good Life") and Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group ("Southside").

Vince Gill won Best Country Album ("These Days") and Keith Urban won Best Male Country Vocal Performance ("Stupid Boy.") Carrie Underwood won Best Female Country Vocal Performance ("Before He Cheats.") You can check out a complete list of winners here.

- Posted by Kate

Sunday: The Grammy Awards

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:16:32 GMT

The Grammys are here at last. The nominees are here. There's also some video from the pre-party here.

Amy Winehouse is nominated in a bunch of categories, but she was denied an entrance visa into the US. Apparently, she'll still be performing via satellite.

You might also want to check out this piece on "The Idol Effect" at the Grammys:

"This year's nominees include six "Idol" graduates in 10 categories, led by Chris Daughtry's band, Daughtry, with four nominations. They include Best Rock Album for "Daughtry," Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song for "It's Not Over," and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group for "Home."

Well, we love our "American Idol" and it shows.

- Posted by Kate

Screen Actors Guild Award Winners

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 14:58:24 GMT

Was it me, or were last night's SAG Awards a lot duller that the average awards show? There weren't any real surprises and the speeches were rambling and yet often vague. Maybe Tina Fey's next project can be a guide to short, sweet acceptance speeches where you still manage to thank people and give a shout out to your favorite political cause.

Anyway, here are the winners from the TV categories:

Best Actor in a Drama Series: James Gandolfini

Best Actress in a Drama Series: Edie Falco

Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin

Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Tina Fey

Best Ensemble, Drama: The Sopranos

Best Ensemble, Comedy: The Office

Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries: Kevin Kline

Best Actress in a Television Movie or Miniseries: Queen Latifah

- Posted by Kate

Red Carpet Sunday

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:48:39 GMT

Are you missing the cheesiness and the glamour of awards season? Well, Sunday's your day. The SAG Awards will air Sunday night at 8:00 on TBS and TNT...and there won't be any picketing. Since 1995, the Screen Actors Guild has sent ballots to thousands of randomly selected guild members so that they can vote on the best performances of the year. You can check out the full list of nominations here.

- Posted by Kate

The Grammys Are On

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:56:51 GMT

I've got some good news out of Hollywood: the WGA won't be picketing this year's Grammy Awards:

"The striking Hollywood writers guild said Tuesday it will refrain from picketing the upcoming Grammy Awards, possibly allowing the music ceremony to escape the fate of the wrecked Golden Globes show.

The guild's board of directors has yet to grant the music industry show a waiver that would allow union writers to work on the ceremony, but the Grammys typically depend more on performances than scripted lines or comedy."

You can check out the nominations here. The awards air February 10 on CBS.

- Posted by Kate

Golden Globes: And the Winners Are...

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:42:50 GMT

There might not have been a red carpet, but an award is an award. (Plus the biggest nerd in school just got voted prom queen. Hope you were watching, Mr. Silverman) Anyway, here's who else you should be congratulating if you happen to run into them this morning:

Best Drama Series	"Mad Men"
Best Musical or Comedy Series	"Extras"
Best Actor, Drama	Jon Hamm
Best Actress, Drama	Glenn Close
Best Actor, Comedy	David Duchovny
Best Actress, Comedy	Tina Fey
Best Miniseries or Movie	Longford
Best Actor, Miniseries or Movie	Jim Broadbent
Best Actress, Miniseries or Movie	Queen Latifah
Best Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries, or Movie	Samantha Morton
Best Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries, or Movie	Jeremy Piven
- Posted by Kate

Jane Austen to the Rescue

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:50:35 GMT

Reruns getting you down? Well, Sunday nights are looking up. PBS's "Masterpiece Theater" is bringing us adaptations of every single Jane Austen novel, starting with Persuasion, this Sunday at 9:00. Persuasion is probably the quietest of Austen's books: Anne Elliot is older than the usual heroine, and Captain Wentworth isn't one for the long, impassioned speeches.

- Posted by Kate

People's Choice Awards: America Loves Fake Doctors, Suitcases Full of Money

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:12:56 GMT

The People's Choice Awards aired last night on CBS. Because of the writers' strike there was no red carpet. Instead, film crews traveled all over to present the winners with their little statues. Pretty good idea, actually.

If you want to catch the highlights of last night's show, you can check out video clips on The People's Choice Awards web site.

Here are the winners in the TV categories:

Favorite New TV Comedy: "Samantha Who?"

Favorite New TV Drama: "Moonlight"

Favorite Sci Fi Show: "Stargate: Atlantis"

Favorite Animated Comedy: "The Simpsons"

Favorite TV Comedy: "Two and a Half Men"

Favorite Game Show: "Deal or No Deal"

Favorite Scene-Stealing Star: Chandra Wilson

Favorite Reality Show: "Dancing With the Stars"

Favorite TV Drama: "House"

Favorite Female TV Star: Katherine Heigl

Favorite Male TV Star: Patrick Dempsey

Favorite Talk Show Host: Ellen Degeneres

- Posted by Kate

Golden Globes: Must the Show Go On?

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:10:39 GMT

Last week the Screen Actors' Guild (SAG) announced that its members would boycott the Golden Globe Awards in support of Hollywood's striking writers. It remains unclear whether the awards will still be telecast, but would we really want to watch them if they were? Since actors win and present a majority of those little statues it would be a pretty weird show without them. In the meantime, networks have gone ahead and canceled the big parties that follow the ceremony.

With the Golden Globes off the menu, the Oscars are probably next to go. Get yourselves back to the bargaining table, producers!

- Posted by Kate

Writers Will Picket The Globes

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:08:36 GMT

The WGA has announced that writers will picket the 65th Annual Golden Globes Awards Show on January 13. The news comes just one day after the union announced that there would be no waivers for The Golden Globes or The Oscars. That means the presenters will have to come up with all their own jokes and "witty" banter. After crossing a picket line and braving the red carpet. Ouch.

- Posted by Kate

Christmas Past Christmas Present

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:15:07 GMT

Five days to go until Christmas and we have all kinds of animated specials as well as "Clash of the Choirs." I have to say, I prefer low key Christmas specials. So I present to you a list of my five favorite Christmas "specials." They're not specials so much as Oh So Very Special Christmas Episodes of regular shows. All of these episodes have a medium level of Christmas - there might be singing, but it won't be carols. Enjoy!

1. "Arrested Development," Afternoon Delight

Gob's $2,400 pants, Ann's family's Chrismas party and everybody doing karaoke duets of "Afternoon Delight?" Yup. That's Christmas Bluth style. And nobody better flirt with Lindsay. The link takes you to the full episode. Merry Christmas!

2. "How I Met Your Mother," Arrivederci, Fiero

"No food or drink in the Fiero!" Even if it almost gets you killed. Watch college Ted and college Marshall go from roommates who don't really like each other to BFF over Christmas break. Once again, the link gets you the whole 23 minutes.

3. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Amends

This episode is lots of people's favorite. It's probably the most Christmas-y of the bunch, too, if you get right down to it. Maybe The First Evil mitigates the cheese factor? Besides, isn't it great when a white - therefore cloudy -Christmas means the vampire you're secretly in love with doesn't have to die?

4. "House, M.D." Merry Little Christmas

Remember when Wilson turned House in for his pill popping? "No matter how much of an ass he is, statistically, House is a positive force in the universe. The pills let him do that." Yeah, right. This episode tells a real Christmas story: lies, fractured friendships, addiction. It all worked out in the end, though. (It is "House" after all.)

5. "The Office," A Benihana Christmas

This one slides in at number five not because it wasn't funny...it was just a little bloated. Maybe that's just the grinch in me. You have to love it when Michael marks his date's arm so he can tell her apart from her friend. And there's more karaoke! That's three out of five, if you're keeping score.

- Posted by Kate

The Golden Globe Nominations Are In!

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:08:00 GMT

Best Comedy Series

"Californication" (Seriously?)

"30 Rock"

"Entourage"

"Extras"

"Pushing Daisies" (Comedy?)

Best Drama Series

"Big Love"

"Damages"

"Grey's Anatomy"

"House"

"Mad Men"

"The Tudors"

Best Actor, Comedy

Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"

Steve Carell, "The Office

David Duchovny, "Californication"

Ricky Gervais, "Extras"

Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies"

Best Actress, Comedy

Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"

America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"

Tina Fey, "30 Rock"

Anna Friel, "Pushing Daisies"

Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

Best Actor, Drama

Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"

Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"

Hugh Laurie, "House"

Jonathan Rhys-Myers, "The Tudors"

Bill Paxton, "Big Love"

Best Actress, Drama

Patricia Arquette, "Medium"

Glenn Close, "Damages"

Minnie Driver, "The Riches"

Edie Falco, "The Sopranos"

Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"

Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Best Supporting Actor

Ted Danson, "Damages"

Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"

Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"

Andy Serkis, "Longford"

William Shatner, "Boston Legal"

Donald Sutherland, "Dirty Sexy Money"

Best Supporting Actress

Rose Byrne, "Damages"

Rachel Griffiths, "Brothers & Sisters"

Katherine Heigl, "Grey's Anatomy"

Samantha Morton, "Longford"

Anna Paquin, "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee"

Jaime Pressly, "My Name Is Earl"

- Posted by Kate

There's a Drinking Game?!?

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:05:13 GMT

I have to admit that I've had trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year, it least as far as TV goes. (Okay, as far as everything goes. Everyone on my list is getting a book. Merry Christmas!) Anyway, I wrote about Christmas specials last week...and haven't watched a single one since then.

My grinchy heart grew at least one size, though, reading this liveblog of "A Charlie Brown Christmas:"

"7:00: "Dear Santa Clause,
How have you been? Did you have a good summer"?
That was funny.
12:00: Who is this Violet person and why does she hate Charlie Brown so much? Leave the poor kid alone skank-o-tron six.
13:00: The kids dancing at rehearsal may be my new screen saver. You got one kid doing the robot, another kid dancing like Ally Sheedy from The Breakfast Club, one child walking like an Egyptian, and another kid having a seizure. This is going to be one hell of a play."

- Posted by Kate

Christmas With Tony and a Bunch of Queens

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:10:53 GMT

Tonight at 10:00 you can catch a very special (or do I mean "very special"?) edition of "No Reservations" on The Travel Channel. Tony's doing a bona fide turkey in the oven, carol-singing, ugly sweater wearing Christmas special. And there are guests! The band Queens of the Stone Age will be performing throughout. Here's what Mr. Bourdain had to say about that:

"I can't begin to describe how nice these guys were - and what a weird, wonderful and unexpected score it was to have them on the show. The whole thing began with a chance invitation from Josh Homme while we were shooting in Berlin. It seems he actually likes this show. After a few beers, suggested, jokingly that as we're generally a cheap-ass, low rent production, we'd just love to get some free music off them. He did us one better, agreeing to put the whole band at our disposal - for what cruel purposes he could then have only guessed."

- Posted by Kate

Something New

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:14:25 GMT

I completely support the writers' right to strike, and moreover I think they were right to walk off their jobs so they can get better contracts. Unfortunately, we're starting to see reruns now and next month we'll be getting new reality shows. "New" reality shows, I should say, because I'm guessing they will at least remind us of the reality shows we're already sick of watching now. So here's something you probably haven't seen. It's an independent pilot called "Apartment 413" and it won the Best Comedy award at the New York Television Festival this fall. There are puppets, and it takes place in Buffalo.

That link takes you to the trailer for the pilot. If you're intrigued and want to see more, check out the whole thing here.

- Posted by Kate

A Cartoon Christmas: Not Just For Kids Anymore?

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:36:16 GMT

I really enjoyed "Shrek the Halls" last Wednesday. It was the first new Christmas cartoon I'd seen in a long time. Seven years, to be precise. I know because I looked it up. I looked up the dates for all of the cartoon Christmas specials - we're talking about the semi-cheesy ones that have aired year after year on major networks - and what I found surprised me.

My perennial unfavorite "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" first aired in the year 2000. We've also got "Olive, the Other Reindeer" from 1999. Before that, well, there wasn't much. There's "Frosty Returns," the lackluster sequel to "Frosty the Snowman" and then a big empty field stretching back all the way to the mid 1970s ("'Twas the Night Before Christmas," "Year Without a Santa Claus"). Then, of course, there's the golden age, the age of the big four.

The big four? I'm talking about "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," (1964), "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965), "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (1965), and "Frosty the Snowman" (1969). You've probably seen all of them, and more than once. They're the heavy hitters, year after year. They've inspired sequels and remakes and novelty products galore. What's interesting is that these hits, these classics, were made for the Baby Boomer generation...and yet we're still watching them today, almost forty-five years later. Is it holiday cheer? Nostalgia? Are the children all nestled snug in their bedrooms, mesmerized by the brilliant animation of Super Mario Galaxy while Mom, Dad, and Grandma watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas?" Quite possibly.

Anyway, I sure don't want to be cast as a grinch, so here are the upcoming airdates for all of your campy, cheesy, delightful cartoon favorites:

"Frosty the Snowman"	Dec 7, 8:00, CBS
"Frosty Returns"	Dec 7, 8:30, CBS
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas"	Dec. 5, 8:30, Cartoon Network Dec 9, 8:00, Cartoon Network Dec. 16, 4:00, Cartoon Network
"Olive, the Other Reindeer"	Dec 16, 3:00, Cartoon Network
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"	Tonight at 8:00, CBS
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"	Dec 5, 8:00, ABC Dec 7, 7:00, ABC Family Dec 8, 3:30, ABC Family Dec 16, 6:00, ABC Family
"Shrek the Halls"	Dec 11, 8:00, ABC
"'Twas the Night Before Christmas"	Dec 5, 7:00, ABC Family Dec 8, 1:00, ABC Family Dec 16 3:30, ABC Family
"Year Without a Santa Claus"	Dec 8, 2:30, ABC Family Dec 16, 5:00, ABC Family

- Posted by Kate

TV Tonight: 'Kathy Griffin: Straight to Hell'

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:39:54 GMT

At 9:00 tonight you could watch a rerun of "Grey's Anatomy," a rerun of "CSI," a rerun of "The Office" or Kathy Griffin's latest stand up special. Tough choice, I know. Bravo has some video from the special if you need convincing. If she keeps getting all these stand-up specials and Emmys and hosting gigs they're going to have to change the name of her show to "My Life on the C+ List."

You can catch Kathy Griffin at 9:00 - or 11:00 if you're just dying to watch "Don't Forget the Lyrics" - on Bravo.

- Posted by Kate

Tonight's TV: 'Shrek the Halls'

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:37:28 GMT

I don't hate Christmas, not by any means, but I do hate seeing Christmas stuff at the drugstore the day after Halloween and hearing Christmas carols while I'm on hold with the phone company during the second week of November. It's not even December yet! I've been pretending I don't see the stupid Christmas decorations on my street and ignoring all the holiday specials, but I guess that's all over now. ABC is showing "Shrek the Halls" tonight at 8:00, and I am going to watch it.

This is no second-rate "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" action - Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, and Antonio Banderas are all on board. You should check out this behind-the-scenes video about how the special was made - it was surprisingly interesting.

- Posted by Kate

Turkey, Parties, Yes, It's Thanksgiving

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:49:24 GMT

Well, it's two days until Turkey Day so I figure it's a good time to give you my picks for holiday programming.

Food:

"All Star Thanksgiving." Almost everyone at The Food Network - even Alton Brown, who's been conspicuously absent from Thanksgiving specials past - is bringing a dish to the party. The special airs Thursday at 9:30 am.

"All Star Thanksgiving Recipes." Confusingly, this is different than "All Star Thanksgiving." Tyler Florence hosts this special about the favorite Thanksgiving recipes of the cooks of The Food Network. You can catch it Wednesday at 8:00 pm.

"Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving." All of your most pressing questions about turkey, stuffing, and pies will be answered in this one hour special. It airs Wednesday morning at 9:30.

"Paula's Party." Are you ready for a deep-fried Thanksgiving, y'all? Paula Deen is making turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a pumpkin layer cake tonight at 9:00 on The Food Network.

"Rachel Ray's Thanksgiving in 60". Anyone attempting Thanksgiving for the first time should give this a look. She really does manage to make everything but dessert in 60 minutes flat. You can catch it Wednesday at 2:00 on The Food Network.

Holiday Specials:

"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving." The perennial favorite airs tonight at 9:00 on ABC.

"Home for the Holidays: The History of Thanksgiving." This History Channel special is all about Thanksgiving, 1621. You can catch it Wednesday at 1:00, 7:00, and 11:00 pm.

"Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade." Balloons, Santa, you know the drill. It starts Thursday at 9:00 am on CBS or NBC.

Miracle on 34th Street. You know it's not Thanksgiving if this isn't on in the background somewhere. Thursday, 2:00 pm on NBC.

"New England Thanksgiving." The Travel Channel heads to Massachusetts in this special about turkey, cranberries, and...pumpkin specials? Check in out Wednesday at 6:00.

"Who's Who of World Giving." Bryant Gumbel hosts this CW special about celebrities and the causes close to their hearts. It airs Thursday at 3:00.

Something Different:

"Baby Panda's First Year." This one hour Animal Planet special is all about Tai Shan's life at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. You can catch it Wednesday at 4:00 pm

"Comanche Warriors." A History Channel special on the weapons and battle tactics of Comanche Indians. It airs Wednesday at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.

"I Am An Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA." The life and times of the founder of the animal-rights organization that changed the ways we eat and the ways we care for our pets. You can catch it Wednesday at 2:00 on HBO.

"National Dog Show." 150 breeds compete for the title of "Best In Show." Check it out Thursday at noon on NBC.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky-Bobby. Hey, it's nothing if not a heart-warming story about family. Catch it Thursday at 2:30 on Starz.

- Posted by Kate

Emmy Winners

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 13:30:03 GMT

Last night was "the biggest night in television:" Seacrest smirked, Thomas Haden Church sweated a lot, the Jersey Boys/Sopranos tribute went on forever and so did Lewis Black's speech about the state of TV. I gotta say, it wasn't the greatest show ever. It's really too bad that Britney didn't show up after all.

Here are the winners:

Outstanding Comedy:	"30 Rock"
Outstanding Drama:	"The Sopranos"
Outstanding Reality Show:	"Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List"
Outstanding Reality Competition:	"The Amazing Race"
Outstanding Variety/Music/Comedy Series:	"The Daily Show"
Best Actor, Comedy:	Ricky Gervais
Best Actor, Drama:	James Spader
Best Actress, Comedy:	America Ferrera
Best Actress, Drama:	Sally Field
Best Supporting Actor, Comedy:	Jeremy Piven
Best Supporting Actor, Drama:	Terry O'Quinn
Best Supporting Actress, Comedy:	Jaime Pressly
Best Supporting Actress, Drama:	Katherine Heigl