Category: Columns
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Fall TV “Preview”: Are there any broadcast hits in this group?
The fall television season is just about to begin! To celebrate, I’ll be doing a series of fun features and previews for both returning and brand-new series. I have not seen any of the new pilots or premieres from veteran series, and thus the quotes around preview. No matter, that won’t stop me from doing…
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The Emmys to split into two shows? Other suggestions for TV’s biggest award night
Just one day after the Emmys aired, the Hollywood Reporter ran a story that speculates the Emmys could be split into two different shows in the future. Under the possible (and let me stress that word) deal, one telecast would air on the usual rotating trolley of broadcast networks and focus on the comedy, drama…
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False stakes welcome — The pointlessness of ongoing arcs in USA series
With Burn Notice‘s mid-season finale coming up this week, I’ve been thinking about the series’ approach to serialization and really how the whole batch of series across USA network approach ongoing arcs. And as evidenced by the title of this post, you can guess how I feel about it.
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PLUG: Making the scripted more real? Pro wrestling and Twitter
Today is kind of a big day for me, as my first official piece as an academic has been published. If you click on over to In Media Res you’ll find my 400-word curator’s note on the use of social media (specifically Twitter) in the world of pro wrestling. My post is the second…
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Is Supernatural’s back-to-basics plan a good idea?
Note: Again, I’m looking to do more short-form column-like pieces here on TVS. This is one of them. All Supernatural fans know this, but for those uninitiated here’s a quick synopsis of the background information needed for this piece. The low-rated CW series was always on a five-year plan, according to creator/show runner Eric Kripke. With…
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AMC breaks bad with its schedule — No Breaking Bad until July 2011
Breaking Bad ended its otherworldly third season in early June, leaving its fans breathless and wanting more just like the meth addicts the series’ Walter White cooks for. Unfortunately, it looks like we will all be waiting just a little bit longer than expected.
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Does anyone actually believe Ryan Murphy?
Note: I’ve been missing my old IDS gigs where I bashed out weekly 500-600 word columns and I feel like the blog needs more time sensitive material that’s not just post-air analysis. Thus, I’ll be trying to write something of a weekly column that will touch on one specific item in the industry. I hope…
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We were all witnesses (To the death of sports media)
Note: This post was written almost totally last night. I was simply too tired to edit it. Thus the words “tonight” and “today” refer to yesterday (Thursday). I didn’t want to be full of vitriol tonight. I didn’t want the co-opted media “event” crafted by LeBron James’ “team” and ESPN get me down. ESPN always blows…
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Steve Carell reaffirms his decision to leave The Office — What’s next?
A few months back, Steve Carell sent the internet into a tailspin when he mentioned on BBC Radio that the upcoming season of The Office would be his last. Eventually, we all calmed down and assumed NBC would figure out a way to bring him back. Or at least we convinced ourselves of that. Turns…
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Should Hulu be in more of a hurry?
I’ve been following the development of Hulu Plus since before I had these digs — check past pieces here, here, here, here and here — and here we are, June of 2010 and there’s still no access to the supposed version of our favorite streaming video web site that we have to pay for. So…
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Emotion over “answers” — Discussing storytelling approaches in the finales of Lost and Supernatural
With the round of season finales out of the way for all the major broadcast television series, I’ve been thinking about which finales were the most effective and why. You know, because I have absolutely nothing to do with my life during the summer — or any time for that matter.
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Smallville to end at 10 seasons — It’s about time
Though the CW was waiting to celebrate the announcement tomorrow at its upfront presentation, it has been confirmed that next season, the series’ 10th, will be the swan song for Smallville. This is probably one of the most obvious statements I’ve ever made, but I think it’s time.
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Sandra deserved to win Survivor — Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the social game
Before we get going, some background: I stopped watching Survivor after Palau partially because I felt like I had seen all I needed to from the series and partially because I directed my love for television elsewhere. I returned for Samoa after I heard about the introductory destruction Russell was causing. I had a general…
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What is the legacy of Heroes?
Just like FlashForward, it should surprise no one that NBC has finally canceled Heroes. In four years, the sci-fi drama had a meteoric rise and fall and it’s been lambasted mightily ever since its season one finale. But what will we really remember about Heroes?
CB, PhD 