Don’t worry: Lynette Rice is super-busy reporting some entertainment news stories, but she’ll return to doing the 24 TV Watch next week. I volunteered, for just this week, to recap 24, the show I did TV Watches for during its 2006 and 2007 seasons.
This week, we got a literally explosive conclusion to the Marcos as human-time-bomb plot. Marcos proved to be a poignant character (for a would-be terrorist), his confusion and misplaced good heart becoming READ FULL STORY »
Big Love wrapped up its season last night not just overshadowed by the Oscar telecast, but by the season itself: It didn’t have the smoothest narrative flow, did it? I thought the season started strong and wobbled (the trips to Mexico; the hijacking of Adaleen to become J.J.’s latest wife; the whole Indian casino project), but finished pretty strong.
Specifically, I thought Sissy Spacek did terrific work as lobbyist Marilyn Densham, who proved less ruthless than remorseful. And I would defend the much-criticized READ FULL STORY »
Barbara Walters wrapped up 29 years of pre-Oscar specials with new interviews with nominees Sandra Bullock and Mo’Nique and a batch of clips from her greatest-hits.
Mo’Nique spoke about her open marriage, which Walters seemed a bit dubious about. Worse, at least to judge from the host’s reaction, was this: “You do not believe in shaving your legs. Why?” Barbara glanced down at Mo’Nique’s gams, barely (so to speak) able to disguise her appalled opinion of this decision.
As far as the big stars were concerned, Walters and her co-producer Bill Geddie READ FULL STORY »
This morning, that nice Charles Osgood hosted an edition of the usually-sleepy CBS Sunday Morning that featured an interview with Sean Penn about his efforts to aid the suffering in Haiti. What’s making the news is his comment to reporter Lara Logan about those who would criticize him:
Here’s the context for Penn’s remarks, another clip, same interview:
Penn is scheduled to be a presenter during the Oscar awards tonight. What do you want to bet he’ll be on his best behavior, or will address this in some way?
It was a match made in TV heaven: Craig Ferguson met Paula Deen for the first time last night, and you could tell it was love at first bite. Between her Southern accent and his Scottish one (“Ah cain’t unnerstand anythin’ you say!” she said; or maybe that was Craig), her love of butter (she licks the stick she’s using to grease the pan!) and his love of bacon (“It’s a guy thing”), these two made the best stuffed baked potatoes ever:
Just as Craig raised the bar recently with his one-guest, Stephen Fry chat, so last night did he lower the bar, delightfully, with many rude jokes about making your mashed potatoes stiff, “forking,” and casting wonderously disbelieving glances at the cheesy chatterbox that is the lovely Paula Deen.
Wouldn’t you watch these two do a segment like this every week?
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The question that always hovers over every Saturday Night Live is, how will the host’s personality and style manifest itself on the show? In the case of Zach Galifianakis, that question is really intriguing. Anyone who’s seen ZG outside of his Hangover context knows that he likes to work the edges of eccentricity as a stand-up comic. He combines light zaniness with grizzly bear aggressiveness. These promos look very promising, don’t they?:
Galifianakis appeared on Jimmy Fallon earlier this week, and his remarks suggested he may be an excellent wild-card.
“I don’t have time to do spoofs!” he yelled in mock-anger when Fallon asked him how rehearsals were going. “Are you allowed to just walk off a skitch?” he asked. “Is it ‘skitch’ or ‘sketch’?”
That’s the kind of willful ignorance that could turn this week’s SNL into a real event.
What do you think?
Post your thoughts about tonight’s show here, and I’ll be back early tomorrow morning with a full recap; thanks.
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