KB: 360 (1.6.09)

by Tim J

TV

USA, trying to replace Monk this summer, picks up a show about an on-call doctor for the wealthy residents of the Hamptons. Aptly call Royal Pains.

ABC is saying Scrubs might stay at least another season. Zach Braff is saying he is not.

Also from USA Today, a couple of write ups about the new season of Damages, one focusing on Glenn Close’s character, Patty Hewes. MSNBC also has a preview of Season 2. Damages returns tomorrow night on FX.

Fox is developing a dramedy based on four NY female coworkers who turns into werewolves once a month. The title? Bitches.

Movies

Electronics company LG will sell HD TV’s that will stream Netflix.

Arrested Development’s creator Mitch Hurwitz discusses the AD movie.

From the director of Horton Hears a Who comes the big-screen, live-action version of Jonah Hex. Josh Brolin is set to star.

Entertainment Weekly has a first look at 12 big movies of 2009. I’m especially excited for Michael Mann’s Public Enemies.

Music

U2 has announced their new album, No Line on the Horizon, is set for a March release.

45 Comments

  1. Bitches = Sex and the City + Twilight ?

    Comment by BrianJ — January 6, 2009 @ 11:39 am

  2. Bitches? You stay classy Fox.

    Comment by jjohnsen — January 6, 2009 @ 11:53 am

  3. was Fox ever classy? Who here remembers “Temptation Island!”

    Comment by Dan — January 6, 2009 @ 12:48 pm

  4. Fox’s original programming has all been downhill since the cancellation of Herman’s Head.

    Comment by Brian V — January 6, 2009 @ 1:20 pm

  5. It would be a mistake to let Scrubs live another season. In addition to Braff, creator and show-runner Bill Lawrence has said that he won’t be there after this season and can’t wait to do something else. The show has been in decline for 2-3 seasons.

    It’s my understanding that this season will introduce some new interns as main characters. So next season will likely feel more like a spin-off than the same show anyway.

    Comment by BTD Greg — January 6, 2009 @ 1:20 pm

  6. I’m more concerned about them losing Lawrence than Braff.

    Comment by jjohnsen — January 6, 2009 @ 3:12 pm

  7. Jonah Hex is going to be great. It’s a western, after all.

    Comment by Supergenius — January 6, 2009 @ 4:00 pm

  8. Fox is 2/3rds ridiculous sensationalist crap and then that occasional gem.

    Wasn’t there a supernatural element to Jonah Hex?

    Comment by Clark — January 6, 2009 @ 4:21 pm

  9. If there’s a supernatural element, maybe we can all be happy. After all, I love westerns too. Josh Brolin sounds like good casting.

    Comment by Brian G — January 6, 2009 @ 4:27 pm

  10. I think Fox has given us more than the occasional gem.

    The Simpsons
    Futurama
    Malmcolm in the Middle (vastly underrated and overlooked, this show is consistently hilarious)
    American Idol
    So You Think You Can Dance
    House (which I think is ridiculously bad, but Clark you love it)
    Fringe
    Firefly
    24
    Family Guy
    Herman’s Head
    The Tick
    The Tracy Ullman Show
    In Living Color

    And the best tv show, ever:

    Arrested Development

    Comment by Susan M — January 6, 2009 @ 4:44 pm

  11. Parker Lewis Can’t Lose

    Comment by a random John — January 6, 2009 @ 5:39 pm

  12. Time to syncronize Swatches!

    I used to LOVE that show…

    Comment by Hayes — January 6, 2009 @ 6:19 pm

  13. Yeah but Susan, for everyone of those there is a Temptation Island or Moment of Truth and let’s not forget the game show where the “winner” got to marry someone they’d never met before.

    Comment by Clark — January 6, 2009 @ 6:27 pm

  14. Unlike the other networks, who simply rehash the same show over and over again. How many CSIs and Law and Orders does the world need?

    Comment by Susan M — January 6, 2009 @ 6:46 pm

  15. “How many CSIs and Law and Orders does the world need?”

    Seven. Maybe eight. I’m proud to say that I’ve never watched single episode of any CSI or Law and Order, and therefore my opinion on them means nothing. But I loathe them, anyway.

    I have watched a couple episodes of Bones with my Uncle and Aunt recently. My aunt doesn’t hear all that well, and so they keep the captions on all the time. Man, reading those captions really reveals the deficiency, or rather I’d say gross stupidity, of the scripts.

    BTW, I just “discovered” Arrested Development this week. Better late than never! ~

    Comment by Thomas Parkin — January 6, 2009 @ 9:01 pm

  16. To Fox’s credit, also:

    Bones (I admit, it’s a guilty pleasure)
    King of the Hill
    X Files
    21 Jump Street
    The Ben Stiller Show
    Wonderfalls
    Brisco County, Jr.

    Comment by BTD Greg — January 6, 2009 @ 9:28 pm

  17. Herman’s Head? Seriously?

    Undeclared was another good, short-lived Fox show.

    Comment by Tim J — January 6, 2009 @ 10:41 pm

  18. Parker Lewis Can’t Lose

    I used to LOVE that show…

    Me too, until it went and got all serious.

    Comment by Tim J — January 6, 2009 @ 10:42 pm

  19. I’m proud to say that I’ve never watched single episode of any CSI or Law and Order

    I’m with you. Let’s form a club.

    Comment by MCQ — January 6, 2009 @ 11:26 pm

  20. I guess I don’t remember when Parker Lewis waxed serious. I loved the interplay between the principal and Parker (and the ability of her thumb’s movement to break windows). And, those damn shirts were cool (even though many looked like the Wonderbread wrapping).

    Scrubs in its glory days reminded me of PLCL…

    Comment by Hayes — January 6, 2009 @ 11:29 pm

  21. Come now, say what you will about the ghastly spin-offs, but Jack McCoy is going down in TV history. The original is always worth watching.

    Comment by tracy m — January 7, 2009 @ 3:45 am

  22. Herman’s Head? Seriously?

    No.

    Comment by Brian V — January 7, 2009 @ 5:23 am

  23. Two words for George Michael: COME ON!

    The dude needs to get with the program and sign up already.

    Comment by Tom — January 7, 2009 @ 9:39 am

  24. But Herman’s Head had the actress on it who does Bart Simpson’s voice. I love her.

    Comment by Susan M — January 7, 2009 @ 9:48 am

  25. Yeardley Smith. And it’s somewhat jarring to watch her speak.

    Comment by Tim J — January 7, 2009 @ 10:42 am

  26. I believe Hank Azaria was also on Herman’s Head.

    Comment by Brian V — January 7, 2009 @ 11:16 am

  27. So we just watched the new 24. Not bad. A bit predicable. And thus far the plot seems coddled together by someone who is seeing how many Die Hard movies they can rip off simultaneously. But the pacing was well done which was one of the big problems from that movie last fall. And Sutherland looks like he actually hit the gym. (I thought working out was the only thing you could do in the slammer…)

    What did you think?

    Of course prior seasons started strong and then went downhill fast. So I’ll withhold judgment a bit.

    Comment by Clark — January 11, 2009 @ 11:01 pm

  28. 24 always falls apart/falls into some insumoutably absurd plot development around hour 4 - 5. I imagine this season will be no different.

    I was true to my word and didn’t watch 24. Life’s too short.

    Comment by BTD Greg — January 12, 2009 @ 8:59 am

  29. 24 was solid. They still have problems not being able to move the plot forward without having a mole or “someone on the inside.” It’s a little tiresome at this point. But, like Clark said, the pacing was good. I’ll have a recap after tonight’s episode.

    Comment by Tim J — January 12, 2009 @ 11:21 am

  30. Well there can be screwy things that will pop up. I’m giving it the benefit of doubt - at least through this evening. To me it seems like the old Jack is back. If there are some eye rolling stuff I may reconsider. Thus far though this seems like the best thing on thus far this year. (Minus Pushing Daisies)

    Comment by Clark — January 12, 2009 @ 11:55 am

  31. I actually thought it was a bit pedestrian, but I won’t complain. 24 can do no wrong in my eyes.

    Comment by John K. — January 12, 2009 @ 1:25 pm

  32. Yeah, the mole business got to be a bit much. Every year CTU had a mole. What was up with that? But then we knew from Redemption that this would end up being a government conspiracy. 24 is as much about government conspiracies as anything.

    The big question will be Tony’s motivations. I think he’ll turn out to be a good guy. But he could also be pissed off from his wife’s death due to Pres. Logan. (The season when things started going to hell for 24 - although not as bad as the following year)

    Comment by Clark — January 12, 2009 @ 3:34 pm

  33. Clark,

    I concur. I think we find out at some point that Tony is a good guy. Wouldn’t shock me if he wasn’t though.

    Comment by John K. — January 12, 2009 @ 4:16 pm

  34. Keep in mind Tony went to prison between seasons 3 and 4 for his role in protecting Michelle at one point. That’s reason enough for him to go rogue.

    Comment by Brian G — January 12, 2009 @ 4:17 pm

  35. But he could also be pissed off from his wife’s death due to Pres. Logan. (The season when things started going to hell for 24 - although not as bad as the following year)

    These were the two years I tried to watch the show. That probably explains my low opinion of it.

    Comment by BTD Greg — January 12, 2009 @ 5:02 pm

  36. Put season 1 on your Netflix queue. It’s probably among the best ever put on TV. (Although it drags a bit on episodes 13-15)

    Comment by Clark — January 12, 2009 @ 6:16 pm

  37. Wow,

    Yeah, you have to start from season 1. I don’t blame you jumping ship if you started with the last couple seasons.

    Comment by John K. — January 12, 2009 @ 7:03 pm

  38. I stopped watching during Season 1. I think. Whenever the daughter got kidnapped, or whatever.

    Comment by Susan M — January 12, 2009 @ 7:32 pm

  39. I watched all of Season 1. It was OK, pretty good but nothing worth getting excited about IMO. I tried with Season 2 before stopping after about 4 or 5 episodes when the whole “Christian Shepard’s daughter marrying the Middle Eastern guy” subplot made me want to throw my TV in the garbage.

    Comment by Brian V — January 12, 2009 @ 7:57 pm

  40. Susan,

    The funny thing about that last comment was that the daughter was kidnapped twice that season for the exact same reason. It was the only real problem with the first season. They basically repeated the events of the first half in the second. But the first half, as Clark said, is pure TV gold.

    Comment by Tim J — January 12, 2009 @ 9:15 pm

  41. Uh, actually one of the big problems in the first season was when Jack’s wife suddenly got amnesia.

    But that wasn’t as bad as other moments like Kim and the cougar. Or the sad part when Kim’s boyfriend breaks up with her because her actions led to him losing his legs.

    Nevertheless, I count myself a fan of 24.

    I consider the second season to be the best. I think the fifth season was also excellent. I think President Logan and his crazy wife were very compelling characters.

    Comment by Brian G — January 13, 2009 @ 12:26 am

  42. I thought the episodes tonight were very good. I like the direction the story is going so far this year.

    Comment by John K. — January 13, 2009 @ 12:50 am

  43. I watched last night’s episodes. There were definitely some cringe-inducing moments but I enjoyed it. I think the problem I run into with the show is you have to watch every episode to be able to follow along and it’s not that compelling to me. I’ll miss an episode and then just never go back to it.

    Comment by Susan M — January 13, 2009 @ 9:33 am

  44. Kim and the Cougar (one of the dumbest moments ever) was season 2. I agree that was dumb. That season was good, but it did illustrate the problem with Jack’s daughter. They never knew what to do with her and rather than just leaving her out of episodes (the intelligent thing to do) they kept trying to figure things out to do with her.

    Comment by Clark — January 13, 2009 @ 12:31 pm

  45. Susan, get a DVR and then you’ll never miss an episode. Or wait until it’s out of DVD.

    Comment by Clark — January 13, 2009 @ 12:32 pm