Question:
I have noticed a recent trend towards including political controversies in beloved dramas. For instance, it cannot be a coincidence that ER chose now to bring out the lesbian "marriage" of Dr. Weaver and Sandy (she had never referred to her as her "wife" until the episode when she died). To those who support the legislation that would make marriage legal for only one man and one woman, this was a plea to our emotions, to try to persuade us to change our viewpoints based on a few fictional characters that have somehow become endeared to us over the years. And the sad truth is, I believe that it has worked in some cases. The media have always leaned toward the liberal and I have always tried to watch with my guard up, knowing that everything is not portrayed as consistent with my beliefs. I admit that something tore at me watching Weaver deal with this crisis in her life, trying to win back the baby that she and Sandy were raising. However, I do not think that the
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Question:
I know you have praised American Idol in the past and I have enjoyed watching the first two seasons, but after the third or fourth finalist was cut this year, I started to find the show boring. First of all, there are way too many cheesy commercials, which I really don't think most people watch anyway. I was able to see all of the performances and keep up with Gilmore Girls last night. While the commercials are boring, there is one thing that bothers me even more. Why do they decide to choose genres of music each week that many of the finalists would never end up singing if they become legitimate recording artists? It doesn't make any sense. It would be like picking up an Elton John album and hearing him try to rap, or Eminem trying to sing Latin. It just doesn't make sense. If we are supposed to be choosing a winner based on talent, shouldn't it be in the genre of music that best suits him or her? I would appreciate your thoughts on this. — Amy S.
Matt:
An excellent
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Question:
I admit I was a fan of The Bachelor in its first season, but each subsequent season I have turned it off in disgust. I, as an African-American male, am completely offended that the powers that be at ABC/Disney feel that the only worthy bachelor/ette there can be is a Caucasian male or female. Sure, they have people of color among the potential mates, but they tend to be window dressing because you know the bachelor/ette is not going to pick them. Guess that wouldn't sit well with Middle America — the same Middle America that continually votes for John Stevens over better singers on American Idol. Why no black, Asian or Latino-American Bachelor/ette? Is it up to BET and TeleMundo to produce these shows? And they say segregation is dead — not on television. What are your thoughts? — Greg C.
Matt:
While many reality shows are very well-blended, ethnically and otherwise, it's a fact that the major network dating shows have been almost exclusively white, especially when it
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Question:
I have a major problem with American Idol. On April 21, the bottom three consisted of the best three singers in the competition. Jennifer Hudson was Tamyra'd way too early in the game! From highest number of votes to lowest — it just doesn't make sense! When will the producers realize that America should vote people off, not on! What happens is that people watch and see great performances by the divas, assume they're safe because they're so good and vote for the others. As a result, the best singers often get the least amount of votes. It's ridiculous and should be changed. What do you think? — Stephen
Matt:
This notion came up quite frequently in many of the stories and discussions in what is undoubtedly the biggest Idol watercooler moment of the season to date. The problem with encouraging votes against the singers is that it seems to contradict the whole notion of what Idol is about: a fan phenom that, Simon's comments aside, projects the sort of positive vibe you
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There goes the Space Needle. And the Golden Gate Bridge. And who knows how many cardboard characters. NBC's 10.5 (May 2 and 3, 9 pm/ET) is the most cornball earthquake TV-movie since NBC's The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake back in 1990. (What, is the network out of new ideas?) "Outrageous is all that we have left," says President Beau Bridges as he weighs seismic expert Kim Delaney's explosive solution to an approaching temblor that could take out the California coastline. Shamelessly stealing 24's split-screen trademark, 10.5 only musters a fraction of that thriller's suspense, despite a speedy pace and passable effects.
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When you're living among The Sopranos, death is the easy way out.
Just ask Christopher, Tony's hot-headed protégé. He nearly pays with his life after publicly threatening Tony, who he believes cheated with his fiancée, Adriana. "I gotta live in this world," Chris bleakly mutters, looking none too happy about it.
Meanwhile, Tony frets that anyone would believe him capable of such a transgression (which only circumstance kept him from committing). "Am I that horrible? Really?"
Yes, Tony, you are. Horribly fascinating.
In this great fifth season, The Sopranos reclaims its title as TV's most diabolically entertaining, psychologically rich and emotionally provocative drama. More than ever, the show presents mob life as a terrible trap, a spiritual dead end.
Sounds like a downer, but the characters are so full of conflicted, frustrate
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The stars, or at least the would-be stars, are back in alignment on American Idol after last week's astonishingly clueless vote sent the show's three divas (Jennifer, La Toya, Fantasia) into the bottom three, sparing the increasingly inept John Stevens and George Huff for another week. This time around, John and George deservedly landed with a thud at the bottom, and mercifully, the carrot-topped cadaver of crooning was put out of his and our misery.
For the last week, Idol was all the buzz. Were the fans racist, as Elton John publicly opined? (Not likely. Look at who's still standing.) Were the fans insane? (More likely. Look who was still standing. Or, in the case of George, bouncing.) The most reasonable explanation, it seems to me, was that the show's fans were too complacent in their knowledge that the divas were the best this season's Idol had to offer, and did
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Question:
I loved those reality miniseries PBS has made in the past few years, especially Manor House. These shows were a cut above most of the other reality programs, as well as incredibly interesting. Do you know if there are any plans for any more "historical" reality TV? — Rebecca
Matt:
You're in luck. The multipart Colonial House will begin airing on PBS on May 17. And I agree. This takes the reality concept of real people taking on extraordinary challenges to a much higher level.
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Question:
I've stuck with The Practice for many seasons now, continued to watch during the upheaval and was glad they brought it back after the firings. I think James Spader should be nominated for an Emmy and we're seeing more depth added to his character each week. I even planned on continuing with the new show and kind of like the addition of Rebecca De Mornay as the Lara Flynn Boyle replacement. But William Shatner may single-handedly cause me to quit. I honestly can't think back to any other character on any other show that has annoyed me more than this Denny Crane. It would be one thing if he was the least bit "David E. Kelley-quirky," but I'm at the point where I'd rather watch a show centered on the Sharon Stone character than this. From the repetition of his name to the blank stares, this character has to go for me to stay with the show. What's your take and have you heard from anyone else on this topic? — Adam
Matt:
I've heard pros and cons but none quite so passionate
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Question:
First let me say I'm an unabashed Sopranos fan, and I love that the series takes its own sweet time as the storyline unfolds slowly over the 13 episodes. But what was the deal with the April 18 episode taking the subplot almost verbatim from an episode a few years ago? An outside acquaintance (Tim Daly/Robert Patrick) gets drawn into the high-stakes card game and gets taken for more than he can possibly repay. Christopher/Tony assumes the debt, and when it can't be satisfied, they rough the poor guy up and take almost everything the guy owns. The final kicker being taking possession of the guy's car. I love the show, but feel the series is way too young to recycle plot lines already! — Tim D.
Matt:
You have a point, but I felt the circumstances were different enough — Robert Patrick lived in the community, the father of a friend of Meadow's; whereas Tim Daly was a Hollywood burnout and rehab buddy of Christopher's — that I didn't mind much. The Sopranos is so unlike a
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