Men of a Certain Age
Viewers who tune into TNT's Men of a Certain Age (Monday, 10/9c) won't find the next decade's version of Everybody Loves Raymond, and they certainly won't laugh as much as they're used to.
Ray Romano, who used his unique perspective on life to tell jokes, first as a stand-up comedian and later as a sitcom star, uses that same perspective to examine weightier issues. And even though Raymond depicted Romano's semi-autobiographical experiences as a son, brother, husband and father, he says his new character, golfer-turned-party-store-owner Joe Tranelli, is much closer to home.
Check out photos of the Men of a Certain Age cast
"That's the sad part. This is more in common [with] me than Ray Barone," Romano says...
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Brad Garrett in Monk by Trae Patton/USA Network Photo
Cheers to Brad Garrett for his image-changing guest spot on Monk. The 'Til Death star livened up the seventh-season premiere as "Honest Jake," a murderous handyman hired by Tony Shalhoub's obsessive-compulsive detective to fix up his new house. (The inside joke here, of course, is that Garrett was TV's original poster boy for OCD as cop Robert Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond.) The 6'8" Garrett effectively used his size for menace rather than mirth. Maybe he can intimidate Death's writers to give him scripts equal to his talent.• Share your own raves and rants about other shows on the Reader Cheers & Jeers discussion board.• We may feature your Cheer or Jeer on TVGuide.com or in TV Guide magazine!
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Ray Romano by Robert Mora/WireImage.com
Three years after the end of Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray Romano could be back on TV soon. The comedian is starring in Men of a Certain Age, a TNT pilot that he created with Raymond writer-producer Mike Royce, Variety says. In a bold development route, TNT is diving into the pilot straight from the script. Men will center on three fortysomethings in mid-life crises, offering what's described as a Sideways-ish tone as well as a dash of thirtysomething. At a recent movie premiere, Romano hinted at his new gig, and described his philosophy for the series as "write what you know, and write what you cry about."What's your take? Is this new concept a combo you'd want to see picked up, or a rehash of subjects well-trodden? Or, with Romano at the helm, does it even matter what it's about? — Anna DimondRelated:• Will Ray Romano Deal Us a New TV Series?
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Back to You by Sam Jones/Fox
A time-period-winning 9.5 million viewers watched Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton return to prime time Wednesday in their new Fox sitcom, Back to You. Most of them surely tuned in to see two stars from two of their favorite shows, Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond. But the industry insiders are watching carefully for another reason: They’re curious as to whether the series about two over-the-hill local TV news anchors with a past can prove that the multi-camera comedy has a future. Steve Levitan, executive producer, writer and creator of the show with partner Christopher Lloyd, offered his thoughts to The Biz about meeting the challenge. TVGuide.com: Do you feel the future of the multi-camera sitcom is riding on this show?Steve Levitan: I hate the thought of that. We have enough pressure trying to do a funny show. But some people are saying it, and it does start to weigh on you. I’m not sure that’s fair. The No. 1 comedy on TV is a multi-camera show in Two and a ...
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Question: What is your take on why sitcoms have disappeared from the television landscape? I get that they don't win awards and don't get a lot of watercooler talk for the most part, but a show like The King of Queens was at times last year the top-rated comedy on any network, and House of Payne opened to huge numbers on TBS. As much as I love The Office, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother and others, why have the networks abandoned a genre that doesn't appear lost in terms of viewer numbers?
Answer: That's a much bigger question than I can easily address in this column, but it boils down to the cyclical and cynical nature of the industry. It hasn't been that long since Friends was a phenom, not to mention Raymond keeping CBS afloat in its quieter way. But it has been a while since a new sitcom was both a critical and popular smash, feeding a perception that the old-fashioned sitcom (live audience, laugh track) was no longer in vogue and the quirkier, single-camera comedy was the way to go,
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Question: I just read your Dispatch on the Sopranos finale, as well as the reader comments afterward. You said you wouldn't rate this episode among the best of series finales, so which ones would you include on that list? Thanks for a great column. I always enjoy it!
Answer: I often try to avoid these "best ever" sort of overview questions, because I fear leaving out something obvious. But in this case, I asked for it, and now I regret writing that line in my recap. To be very honest, the first shows that come to mind when I think of great TV finales tend to be comedies, not dramas (so many of which end after their prime). My very favorite final episodes ever would have to be The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which ended with such tender and funny finality, and Newhart, with its incredible surprise gag at the end in which Bob was in bed with first TV wife Suzanne Pleshette. More recently I also loved the Everybody Loves Raymond finale, in which a momentary health scare for Raymon ...
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Past experience has shown that it's wise to write down the new Fox schedule in pencil. There's always a change or two (or three) by the time the fall rolls around. But stability was the message for the 2007-08 season: Prison Break, 24, House, Bones, American Idol, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? and the Sunday animation block will all return in their same time periods next season. Sure, Fox always falters when the season begins, but the network is about to finish No. 1 in viewers aged 18-49 for the third season in a row.As far as new shows, Fox is trying to regain the edge it seemed to abandon in this past season's development (which was dismal). The most promising attempt is on Monday at 9 pm with K-Ville, starring Anthony Anderson and Cole Hauser as two cops in post-Katrina New Orleans. We were puzzled when a reporter asked entertainment president Peter Liguori if doing such a show was exploiting a disaster. What should a contemporary show filmed in New Orleans be about? Mardi ...
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Question: Why is it that when people create a successful show, they quickly get involved in other projects — other shows, movies and so on — and let the original project slump as a result? Why aren't the creators penalized for allowing a drop in the quality due to their neglect?
Answer: That's where we come in, to shame them for their skewed priorities. Why does this happen? The same reason anything happens in Hollywood: $$$$$. The minute something becomes a hit, those responsible (and even sometimes those who aren't) suddenly become hot properties and sign lucrative development deals that often take them away from the project that put them on the map. (Kudos, then, to someone like Phil Rosenthal of Everybody Loves Raymond, who scored just such a deal after Raymond exploded, but chose to stay with the show through its nine-year run.) Looking at it from a different perspective, when someone finally tastes success in Hollywood, it often opens doors for him/her to pursue dream project ...
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History is being made in the Ausiello Report this morning, folks. For the first time ever, I'm going to write a sentence that contains the words "'Til" and "Death" in it. But I think it's warranted since, well, it's a big ol' piece of prattle. A tipster with close ties to the Fox sitcom tells me that Brad Garrett has persuaded his former TV bro Ray Romano to make a guest appearance in an upcoming episode (airdate TBD). This would mark the duo's first on-screen reunion since Everybody Loves Raymond signed off in May '05. Garrett's no doubt hoping this bit of stunt casting will bring Death to life in the ratings, where it's been struggling pretty much since day one. The show is also expected to get a boost when it moves to Wednesdays after the American Idol results show beginning Feb. 27. Thoughts? Will a Romano cameo get you to watch 'Til Death? Do you think less of me for giving the show more press?
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Peter Boyle's death reminds me of something else that recently passed away... the sitcom."Hi honey, I'm home... " just doesn't cut it for today's audience. Everybody Loves Raymond is probably the last classic. 'Til Death certainly isn't.But don't mistake the death of the traditional sitcom for the death of comedy on television. Great comedy is alive and kicking.... The only problem is getting an audience to tune in regularly if it's not three cameras and has a laugh track.Arrested Development had brilliant acting, excellent writing, a good time slot and the Emmy for best comedy. It had everything except an audience. Why?If Arrested Development had been on HBO, would it be a glorified hit (a la Curb Your Enthusiasm) because ratings didn't matter? You bet it would.This season's Arrested Development is The Office. It has stellar acting and writing, the Emmy for best comedy, and it's an unconventional show. Unfortunately, the other thing it has in common with the former Fox comedy is it...
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