Rock of Love

Rock of Love
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian

I was going to recap some of the highlights (and there were so many!) of VH1's newest venture into Celebreality: Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. However, I found this hilarious recap from fourfour's Rich Juzwiak (whose Project Runway recaps are the best), which is so awesome that I'm just going to direct you there. I will say this: I watch way more crap reality TV than I should, and this puts just about everything else to shame. Bret Michaels is aware of the ridiculousness of these women, and seemingly of his own willingness to overlook (or perhaps just live with) that craziness in order to have access to boobs. That and the squirting vomit we saw in the season preview will definitely keep me watching.

Verdict: so over the top it can't be missed

Burn Notice

BURN notice

Originally uploaded by polyg0o

Usually the basic cable summer TV shows are nothing too awesome, but so far (and it's only just a few episodes in yet) Burn Notice is pretty good. Jeffrey Donovan plays the cool lead character well (and reminds me of someone, but I can't place who), and who can resist the slightly smarmy charms of Bruce Campbell?

via TV Squad

image originally uploaded by polyg0o

more Dead Like Me news

Is "Dead Like Me" any good?

Originally uploaded by Raymond Yee

Awhile ago I mentioned that Dead Like Me might be coming back. More news has come to light. According to Ellen Muth's MySpace blog, if the made-for-DVD movie sells well, the series might be resurrected (haha). Mandy Patinkin is one of the things that made the original so good, so it'd be interesting to see how it works without him (theoretically he couldn't do both a Dead Like Me series and continue with Criminal Minds - although that appears to be in question at the moment).

via TV Squad
image originally uploaded by Raymond Yee

The Bachelor

The Bachelor: An Officer and A Gentleman episode 1
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

So, I'm sick. I have a stupid headcold that keeps alternating between feeling like it's almost over and feeling like it's getting worse. Bleh.

In other news, the latest season of The Bachelor started airing this week. This time the guy in question is Andy Baldwin, a Navy doctor and is just as generic as the previous bachelors: he's tan, outdoorsy, and has no discernable personality.

Chris Harrison has got to be so friggin' weary at this point.

The ladies are the usual bunch of look-alikes, and, true to form, only the crazy ones really make an impression. There's Britney Spears, who got drunk and fell off a barstool before nearly getting in a fight with Blatantly Crazy Chick; Crazy Eyes, who I pegged at the get-go as this year's My Eggs Are Rotting but who turned out to be merely minor-league nutsy; and Mediocre Singing Patriot, who actually managed to get a rose despite her lackluster rendition of the National Anthem. The rest of them pretty much blurred together for me. One of the blonde ones did a crazy backflip, and two of the others baked a cake using tequila instead of eggs (yes, it was an unholy mess), but less than 24 hours after viewing, I couldn't pick them out on the Bachelor site.

Cheers! Here's to another season of the purest crap unscripted TV has to offer.

more lit on TV

Jenna Elfman
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Apparently books are hot. Jenna Elfman is set to star as a publicist in the new show Literary Superstar:

She'll play a book publicist who's intensely loyal to her clients, reports Variety. When budget cuts threaten her publishing house, she stands up to the corporate suits - and successfully lobbies for the right to continue working with smaller, quirkier authors. In addition to focusing on different authors each week, the show will also will explore Elfman's character as she pursues love and happiness.

Matthew Reilly is writing the pilot, and will co-executive produce with Star; production on Literary Superstar is scheduled to begin in this

The Librarians

TV
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Australian TV watchers will get a treat later this year with a new TV series called The Librarians:

The humble suburban library takes on a whole new meaning in the ABC TV's new comedy-drama The Librarians, which starts production in Melbourne on March 5.

A co-production between ABC TV and Gristmill Pty Ltd, The Librarians is the brainchild of actors/writers Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope. Married in real life, Butler and Hope will also star in the production.

The six-part series centres on the trials and tribulations of Frances O'Brien, a devout Catholic and head librarian. Her life unravels when she is forced to employ her ex-best friend, Christine Grimwood - now a drug dealer - as the children's librarian. Frances must do all she can to contain her menacing past and concentrate on the biggest event of the library calendar - Book Week.

"We are thrilled to be making The Librarians. With 25,000 books on set we have fabricated the perfect excuse to extend our summer reading, added to which, the children's library is very handy for cheap childcare, " said Robyn.

ABC TV's Executive Producer for Drama Miranda Dear added: "It's great to be working with such a dynamic comic team. With this series they bring their acute eye for social satire to bear on the world of the library in the most surprising ways. Borrowing a book may never seem as safe again."

I'm not convinced of that last bit, but it ought to be interesting to see how this turns out. Of course, those of us here on this side of the globe will almost certainly have to wait quite some time before we have access to it.

via ResourceShelf

The Return of Jezebel James

Parker Posey & Lauren Ambrose
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

I've already been pretty excited about the forthcoming TV show The Return of Jezebel James since I read that Parker Posey has signed on to play a publisher of children's literature. Today I read that Lauren Ambrose will be playing Posey's younger sister, which just intensifies my excitement. Can't wait!

via TV Squad

TV Guest

Christopher Guest
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Favorite moviemaker and actor Christopher Guest is set to direct a comedy called The Thick of It, an adaptation of a BBC4 show of the same name.

I tend to like just about everything Guest does (though I have to admit that For Your Consideration wasn't as much fun as his past few movies - the mockumentary style just worked better for me) so I'm excited to see what he does with TV (and, assumedly, without the usual crew of actors we're used to seeing him work with).

via TV Squad

This American Life coming to a TV near you

This American Life
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

That's right, the rumors are true: brilliant and original radio show This American Life is hopping media. I'd heard about this awhile back but now there's proof, and it looks damn good. The cintematography looks very good and like nothing else on TV. Sign me up.



via TV Squad

wanna be Bret Michaels' next lovah?

Bret Michaels
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Hot on the heels of Flavor Flav's successful Flavor of Love show on Vh1, Poison frontman Bret Michaels has signed on for a July-premiere of his own reality love-search show. I'm sure it'll be ridiculous, but I'll definitely check it out.

via The Futon Critic

Frylock

I am Frylock from Aqua Teen Hunger Force!!

Which Aqua Teen Hunger Force character are you??

via TV Squad

Top Design premiere

Top Design on Bravo
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Bravo's latest foray into reality TV, Top Design, premiered last night after the finale of the latest season of Top Chef (I think Sam was probably the best of the bunch, but reality shows hardly ever work out with the best candidate actually winning. I was annoyed that Ilan and Marcel were the final two, and I think the judges were also somewhat annoyed about it. Ilan embarassed himself with his whining about Marcel, and Marcel is just too immature yet. Anyway!).

As with most of these shows, it's a challenge to keep track of all the contestants at the beginning, and they either come off as really irritating or fairly bland. So far John is the resident asshole, Michael is the spoiled brat who can't stand up for himself, and Goil is the only one who stood out as likable. I was glad to see Storm, I mean Lisa go. She was too in-her-own-head to pay attention to the details of the challenge. It's probably too bad for Heather that she got booted because of Storm's design, but she really should have stood up to her partner if she didn't believe in what they were doing.

All in all, the episode went by really quickly. Is it just me, or does Todd Oldham look different these days? I mean, more than just slightly older (than last I saw him, on the ol' MTV House of Style).

Grease: You're the One that Continues to Barely Hold My Interest

Grease: You're the One that I Want!
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Tonight's mostly-live audience-vote elimination show was, on the whole, numbingly boring. The Dannys are all either middle-of-the-road or worse, and the Stepford Sandys blur together nearly as much. Kate's rendition of "All By Myself" was the only song that actually caught my attention during tonight's show (and not just because the song is so uber-cheeseball). I'm aware that musical theatre has its own way of doings things, but every single performer tonight was so square! If none of these folks can convincingly sing a song by themselves, I'm stumped as to how they'll manage to have chemistry with their randomly chosen partner.

Oh, and the mystery 'twist' people were indeed two of the formerly booted contestants, both of whom embarrassed themselves during their solo performances. The judges weren't cruel but it was clear that they took it as a bit of a vindication that their prior decision was the right one.

Speaking of the judges, every single word that came out of their mouths felt scripted (no real surprise there). They seem to have admitted that their opinions mean little at this point, so they might as well say nice-ish things so they stay on everyone's good sides.

Yo Gabba Gabba! (no hey)

Yo Gabba Gabba! is a forthcoming TV series that will air on Nick Jr. this fall. It's all crazy-wow-bright-colors-danceable-beat-funny-names- vaguely-Japanese-made-for-kids-but-their-parents-might-be-able-to-stand-it. Where it'll rate on the quality vs. quantity continuum remains to be seen.



via TV Squad

Grease: You're the One that Is On Right Now

Grease: You're the One that I Want!
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Tonight was a big elimination night for the contestants on Grease: You're the One That I Want. We saw them all busily learning how to sing and dance at the so-called Grease Academy after getting settled (represented by them attempting to be funny while shoving crap into tiny lockers). Of course most of them were happy to showcase their nervousness and hit as many ill notes and awkward moves as possible. No one is standing out whatsoever (well, the soap opera guy stands out, but only as a guy who looks like he belongs on a soap opera and looks as little as possible like Danny Zucko), which is why I was unsurprised to see that the "twist" next week is that they're bringing in other competitors. The obvious option is that they bring back some of the previously eliminated contestants, but I'd much rather see them bring in some ringers who are actually noticeably talented.

good thinking

David Tennant as Doctor Who
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

One of the many listservs I subscribe to is Child Lit. I don't regularly make time to read all the posts, but this little tidbit caught my eye:


A British radio children's program had a contest to rework traditional pantomine:

"Apparently the commonest theme was Cinderella choosing *not* to marry the prince. In the winning version she goes off as a companion to the Doctor (Doctor Who) instead."


This gives me a tremendous amount of respect for British children.

Triaminic Anteater

Triaminic Anteater
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

I'm usually not much for commercials designed to appeal to moms, but this one is adorable. It's for Triaminic and features some really neat animation using felt, paper, and a variety of other media. It reminds me of some picture books created using similar techniques and the 3D effect is quite appealing.

There's also a similar ad (for the same product) featuring a fox, but I like it less. The fox is cutesier, I think, than the anteater.

Never too late for second chances

Party Posse
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

The new venue for second chances these days is, of course, reality TV. VH1 will be presenting a new show about the formation of a new boy band comprised of former members of other boy bands. The cast will include N*Sync's Chris Kirkpatrick (the funny one/short one), Color Me Badd's Bryan Abrams (the [Canadian rapper] Snow lookalike? I was never sure who was who in that group tho I'm pretty sure it's not the Kenny G guy), 98 Degrees' Jeff Timmons, and LFO's Rich Cronin (I'm not certain which ones these last two were in their groups--I didn't follow either of them). This project screams trainwreck, but of course I'll check it out.

via Popwatch

Tim Gunn carries on

Tim Gunn
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Bravo has officially announced that Tim Gunn will soon host his very own show, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. Tim is brilliant on Project Runway, and I hope that as long as they don't try to make it a catchphrase-athon (thank goodness they didn't call it 'Make it Work with Tim Gunn'), it could be good.

via Blogging Project Runway

Stylicious

Stylicious
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

DIY Network has a whole slew of shows aimed at my demographic: youngish, crafty, and with a desire to be slightly punky, funky, or otherwise non-mainstream. Stylicious is one of these shows, and it features a bevy of rotating hosts who instruct the viewer how to do a variety of crafty projects. Like most crafty shows, I found a few tiny nuggets of info that I might actually use, most of the ideas being a bit too I-made-it-in-my-basement for my taste. Vickie Howell of Knitty Gritty is one of the hosts, and she's as delightful as ever. There are actually new episodes of KG airing again, by the way. Both shows suffer slightly from lulls (I think that explaining how to do the crafts means that things don't move as quickly as most TV shows I'm used to), but I'll happily overlook that.

I'm from Rolling Stone

I'm from Rolling Stone
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

MTV's latest reality show is I'm from Rolling Stone and will show us what happens when six uniquely retarded young people are given an internship at Rolling Stone magazine. They all seem like idiots to some degree, though I suppose that's a prerequisite for being on a show like this.

Thus far the most annoying one in the bunch is Krishtine, a San Francisco rapper with the personal motto "Married to the Hustle." The show is clearly edited (like all reality TV) to put all the contestants in the worst light possible, so who's to say.

I'm not sure that this show will hold my attention, but for now I'll give it another chance.

Grease: You're the One that I'm Marginally Interested In

Grease: You're the One that I Want!
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

Grease: You're the One that I Want! premiered on Sunday and apparently a decent number of people tuned in, though I have to wonder how long the show can sustain interest.

Host Billy Bush is somehow both so bland as to barely be noticeable and so irritating as to make you hate him after mere seconds of screen time. He took it upon himself to defend one of the many terrible Sandy wannabes (Sandabbes?) and implored the judges to give her a second chance, which in her own words allowed her to make a fool of herself twice. I can't imagine what B. Bush was thinking, other than that he'd like to get with her, but she was about sixteen years old and that's too creepy to think about.

The contestants so far ranged from complete crap to capable holders of tunes, but no one was particularly impressive. There seems to be a dearth of interested Danny candidates (I half-expected to see my John Travolta-look-alike musical-theatre-inclined ex, which probably would have been more entertaining) and barely any of the male contestants seemed able to sing at all. The dancing looked fairly terrible all around, though who knows what they can teach these people.

Lastly, the pacing of the 90-minute premiere was inexplicable. They spent the first hour focused on the west coast auditions, and then spent less than twenty minutes on the Chicago location. Even with padding and commercials, this lopsided split of time felt awkward and poorly planned.

I'll keep watching, hoping that once the ridiculously terrible people are out, it will improve.

Grease: You're the next TV show that I Want!

Grease: You're the One that I Want!
Originally uploaded by annethelibrarian.

I am so ready to watch the next guaranteed reality TV trainwreck Grease: You're the One that I Want!. I'm sure it'll be terrible and hilarious, and perhaps it will fill the whole in my TV schedule that The Bachelor left behind. Only slightly more than a week until it begins!