Question: One of the nicer surprises over the summer was Swingtown on CBS. I know you weren't a huge fan of the show, and I agree with you that the series wasn't Emmy-caliber, but as a distraction from all of the Wipeouts, Japanese Games Shows and Greatest American Dogs, Swingtown did succeed in providing me with some kitschy, retro drama moments that fulfilled what TV sometimes means to do: entertain. I just got (prematurely) excited when I saw that Bravo had picked up Swingtown. Unfortunately, it was for the rebroadcasting of the original 13 episodes already shown on CBS. My questions are these: Has CBS officially canceled Swingtown? Will Bravo be producing any new episodes? And if the answers to the first two questions are a "yes" and a "no," are the actors/crew still under contract to return to the series should Showtime pick it up?
Answer: The answer, to my knowledge, is a "no" and a "no." At the moment, the fate of Swingtown has not yet been determined, either on CBS or Showtime
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Question: Care to weigh in on Heroes? Do you find it quite mediocre in comparison to former times? With an arc entitled "Villains," one would expect a juxtaposition of good versus bad with the introduction of a series of antagonists. But I think the writers would rather have us care about Peter being trapped in Weevil's body (forgetting that Peter has spent the last year being an annoying amnesiac) than working on the themes of heroism the show has been so sorely lacking for a while now. In its defense, I'm enjoying what they're doing with Hiro and his speedster nemesis Daphne. And speaking of bad blood, Cristine Rose was the single best thing about the premiere! But there are still many holes. Doesn't Sylar's acquiring Claire's ability not undermine the "save the cheerleader, save The World" principle we were working with in season one? Wasn't the whole point of saving the cheerleader so that Sylar wouldn't become unkillable? I guess they can pin it on the so-called "Butterfly Effect" ...
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Question: As the ninth season of CSI approaches, I can't help but fear a new year of Marg Helgenberger's ridiculous wardrobe. In a recent interview, I heard her bemoan the fact that she didn't have Julia Roberts' career. Well, that would be because Julia, 9 years her junior, has only dressed like Catherine Willows in two roles: a hooker in Pretty Woman and a woman constantly ridiculed for her cleavage in Erin Brockovich. Why are we supposed to believe that a forensic scientist would be able to walk around a garbage dump looking for clues with perfectly coiffed and styled hair, the make-up of a showgirl, cleavage-squeezing tops, high-heeled boots and jeans so tight that walking looks difficult? I can't help but feel disappointed that the message Marg seems to be sending is that you can be a post-40s actress and land a great, professional role, but only if you still dress like you're 25 and heading to a club. Why can't we all take a page from Helen Mirren who was wild and sexual in her ...
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Question: Have our standards really lowered to the point that the majority of TV critics like the dull and boring time-waster Worst Week? I don't like the actors, the writing is lazy and it is a direct rip-off of Meet the Parents (which was great for almost an hour). Let's set the bar a little higher!
Answer: To what, the late and unlamented Do Not Disturb? Kath & Kim? (Which I defy anyone to watch when it premieres this Thursday and think is funnier than Worst Week). Face it. Hot new TV comedy is in very short supply these days, and maybe you should forgive us for embracing something that actually made at least a few of us laugh out loud. If the ratings are a clue, and in this case they probably are (judging from the drop-off from lead-in Two and a Half Men), Worst Week is not going to be to many people's taste. It's a departure for CBS (which rarely goes well for this most traditional of networks) and an odd duck in being both a very broad slapstick what-could-go-wrong-next farce and
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Cloris Leachman
Question: I'm a huge fan of Dancing with the Stars. However, I need to vent. I have no problem with an 82-year-old woman being a participant of DWTS. I like old people — I am one myself. However, can you please get a message to Cloris Leachman for me? Tell her that I am embarrassed for her. Not because of her age, not because of her dancing skill, but because of her sophomoric actions that are not funny. — Ashley B.
Matt Roush: First off, don't fool yourself that ABC is doing anything to drum up business among the seniors. Nothing against them — some of my best friends and family members, etc. — but that demographic, you may have heard, isn't exactly advertiser-friendly, more's the pity. The issue, though, is Cloris, isn't it?
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Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski
Question: I wanted to write to applaud the writers of The Office for taking the road less traveled. They have managed, it seems, to do something that most other shows have been too afraid to try: keeping their main romantic couple together and have their relationship be both happy and entertaining. Years upon years of TV watching have kept me waiting for the other shoe to drop for Jim and Pam, but The Office has handled their coupling with perfect care. What are your thoughts on Jim and Pam? And do you think that more shows will be willing to take this risk in the future? — Allyson
Matt Roush: Cue those who may think they're boring now that they're together, but I agree with you. I loved the proposal scene, especially in contrast to how miserable Angela is making Andy after his own ill-timed (and surely ill-fated) popping of the question.
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Question: After reading Alex's Fringe rant, I felt compelled to write in. It's been three episodes! Are they really supposed to have everything figured out already? Granted, some shows get it right from the start, but those shows are more the exception than the rule. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it a lot more common for a show to take some time to find its way? Also, I don't see how constantly comparing the show to others can lead to anything but disappointment. No, I suppose you can't put Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson in the same league as Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny, but I doubt anyone was calling even their chemistry legendary after only three episodes. Now, I'll admit that Olivia Dunham isn't the most sympathetic of characters, and if that doesn't change soon there's going to be a problem, but she just found out the guy she loved was not who she thought he was. It makes sense for her to be closed off. Likewise, if Joshua Jackson comes off a bit childish, maybe that's ...
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Question: So Zach was improbably back on Bones last week. I can almost forgive the ridiculous leaps of logic it will require to have Zach restored entirely to his old position by the end of this season, just to undo the mistake of "psycho killer"-ing him off in the first place during last year's season finale. Contrary to that goof, I join the half of your audience that thinks killing Amber on House last season was worth it just for the power finale. Still, I see an intriguing possibility that I hope David Shore is pursuing: Amber as a new powerful House inner-voice foil. House already had a near-death experience with Amber front and center, which House no doubt 99 percent believed was a hallucination. I'd love it if she now sometimes starts showing up in his dreams or super-stressful times, giving him not-exactly-Wilsonesque perspectives and advice. (By the way, loved the new Private Investigator character.) And talk about the unfortunate season-finale-resolution disappointment — we ...
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Question: Do you know what Fox is planning on doing with Prison Break and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles come January? Seems like Prison Break always takes a hiatus around Thanksgiving and comes back in January. Are they planning on doing this again this year? Are both PB and T:SCC confirmed to be full seasons?
Answer: My understanding is that Terminator got a 13-episode pickup, while Prison Break (a more established series) was renewed for a full 22-episode season. I know I was erring toward optimism the last time I was asked about this, but with the numbers continuing to drop as the competition continues to build on Mondays, I think there's cause to be concerned where both shows are concerned. Can't say yet where either of these shows will land in the new year, because the initial Fox schedule announced in May didn't include either of them in the winter plans (which, this being Fox, are always subject to change). The initial Monday lineup announced for January included read more
Question: I've watched a lot of TV in my life, but I don't know that I've ever experienced a night as full of great TV as I did last Sunday. I'm not arguing it was the best TV I've ever seen, or even that any one series had its best episode ever, but as a combined lineup, I don't know that I've ever been more satisfied. I started with the return of The Amazing Race. The teams seem like they'll be a whole lot of fun this year, and they even seemed diverse enough that a half hour in I was still able to remember who was who. Then it was time to switch over to ABC's Desperate Housewives/Brothers & Sisters combo. This time jump really seems to have freshened things up on Housewives, and I hope the mystery surrounding Edie's creepy husband is worth our time. Brothers & Sisters had a strong start, and I found myself not really begrudging them the questionable plot twists the show took at the end of last season. Then I caught the replay of Mad Men. I believe they've raised the bar even higher ...
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