Your Daily Dose of All Things Television

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Win Season 4 and 5 of Family Guy in MeeVee's Holiday Giveaway!

1111111111_2 In honor of the Holidays, MeeVee is giving away new DVDs every day for 12 days! Yay! Everyone loves free stuff! Enter at MeeVee's 12 Days of Swag holiday contest page. Visit every day for a new chance to win!

Today's Prize: Seasons 4 and 5 of Family Guy

And on December 23, you will have a grand prize drawing for an XBox 360™ Core System. To enter the grand prize drawing, just fill out the form as you normally would and invite 3 friends to join you. It's that easy.

Top Chef 2: Bye, Bye, Crybaby

Nup_101846_0234 The challenge for Bravo’s Top Chef is that its potential audience is made up of three types of cooks:

1) Professional chefs -- squinty-eyed night owls, hardened by grease burns and a faster-than-lightning work environment, striving to satisfy and challenge palates from Denny’s to Le Bec Fin.

2) Amateur dalliers like myself -- people who can wow a dinner party here and there with a signature dish, but who can hardly tell sage from rosemary, much less Italian flat-leaf parsley from the curly variety.

3) Microwavers -- unwashed heathens who'd rather eat a frozen pizza cold, or pop a tart straight out of the aluminum wrapper, than listen to another snob babble about the difference between locally grown produce and store-bought tomatoes.

Delivering foodie entertainment for all of these groups is a tall order, to be sure. But once in a while, Top Chef manages to please everyone, at a reasonable price to boot.

Continue reading "Top Chef 2: Bye, Bye, Crybaby" »

Totally Frakked: The Lost Room, Part 3 -- Not Without My Daughter!

Nup_101922_4824 The Lost Room
Title: “The Eye and the Prime Object”
First Aired: 12/13/06

It's 11:00. You know what that means: It’s checkout time at The Lost Room. Joe’s daughter Anna is still trapped God-knows-where. Joe is on the lam, framed for murder by whack-job Martin Ruber. Various forces are moving into position for the final showdown at Room 10 of the Sunset Motel, as the best miniseries since V: The Final Battle concludes its three-night run.

Continue reading "Totally Frakked: The Lost Room, Part 3 -- Not Without My Daughter!" »

Golden Globe Nominations Honor Strong Women, Messed-Up Men

Char_dexter The 64th annual Golden Globe Award nominees were announced this morning, and it's the year of the strong, independent woman and the incredibly flawed male. Evangeline Lilly scored a nom for her Lost character (an absolute coup in an ensemble cast so big), and Kyra Sedgwick is nominated for her no-nonsense Deputy Police Chief role in The Closer. Newcomer America Ferrera also gained a nod for her portrayal of Ugly Betty.

On the other end of the spectrum, most of the nominated men are pretty screwed up. Hugh Laurie is nominated for his pill-popping egomaniac House role, Michael C. Hall is being honored for his serial-killer-with-a-heart on Dexter, and the annual tradition of nominating Tony Shalhoub for O.C.D. poster boy Monk continues.

Continue reading "Golden Globe Nominations Honor Strong Women, Messed-Up Men" »

YouTube's Numa Numa Guy to Appear on Fox's The War At Home

Numanuma The Internet continues to invade your television screen, as YouTube's e-famous Numa Numa Guy makes a guest appearance on The War At Home tonight.

Numa Numa Guy -- whose real name is Gary Brolsma -- created a lipsynch chair dance cover of an incredibly obscure pop song from an even more obscure band from the Republic of Moldova (which makes Kazakhstan look like Australia size-wise) that became the second most viral video in Internet history (behind only the Star Wars kid).

Now he’s getting his fifteen minutes of TV fame -- another milestone in the rapidly expanding trend of Internet-to-television crossovers.

Continue reading "YouTube's Numa Numa Guy to Appear on Fox's The War At Home" »

GMMR: The Office Sneak Preview -- “A Benihana Christmas”

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The Office
Title: “A Benihana Christmas”
Original air date: 12/15/2006

Warning! The following contains spoilers for this week’s episode of The Office. Proceed at your own risk!

I’m not exactly sure what I should do on the morning of December 25th. Usually I celebrate Christmas on that day, but Christmas came a bit early at my house. Actually Christmas arrived this past Monday when I received this week’s episode of The Office: ‘A Benihana Christmas’ in the mail.

Continue reading "GMMR: The Office Sneak Preview -- “A Benihana Christmas”" »

Casting Call: Want to Date a Rock Star?

Ccclapboard_46_5_9_1_2 Look out unsuspecting rock stars, there are single women on the loose and they are looking for you. At least, they will be. Very, very soon.

VH1 and the producers of The Surreal Life and My Fair Brady bring you the hottest relationship show ever ... or at least since Flavor of Love.

Continue reading "Casting Call: Want to Date a Rock Star?" »

Dec. 14: Nicole Richie Facing Jail, Larry the Cable Guy is Animated, Heidi Klum Talks Babies

*Grey's Anatomy is golden with Globe nominations [GMMR]
*Comedy Central keeps Larry the Cable Guy animated [The Futon Critic]
*Project Runway's Heidi Klum talks babies [The Hollywood Gossip]
*Simple Life star facing jail [ICPIN]
*Erik sheds 214 pounds to claim Biggest Loser title [Reality Blurred]
*Gilmore Girls creator returns to comedic roots [Televisionary]

Tonight's Picks: Thursday, Dec. 14

Nup_103554_0385 The Office - A Benihana Christmas
Ever been to an awkward office Christmas party? Yeah, that's nothing compared to the awkwardness at Dunder-Mifflin when the party-planning committee clashes and organizes two rival Christmas bashes.

30_rockjhf 30 Rock - The Break-Up
Liz finally figures out what Jack (and the rest of the world) already know -- just because you're single and over 30 doesn't mean you should put up with a boorish and crude boyfriend (Dean Winters).

408_earthgirls_pregtestdfvg The O.C. - The Chrismukk-huh?
It's a Wonderful Life meets Chrismukkah as Ryan and Taylor work some magic in their little town after a light-hanging mishap lands them in an alternate universe. And they say this show has lost touch with reality. Ha. This will show them.

Casting Call: Biggest Loser

Ccclapboard_50Do you want to rock out on New Year's Eve with Dick Clark, but find that your weight holds you back? Have you ever wanted to be America's Next Top Model, but knew you were just a little more plus-sized than the rest? Are you ready to shed those extra pounds once and for all, with the help of expert trainers and nutritionists?

Now's your chance -- The Biggest Loser is back! Producers are now casting Season Four of the hit NBC reality show.

Continue reading "Casting Call: Biggest Loser" »

Nip/Tuck: Miami is So Last Year

19Nip/Tuck
Title: “Gala Gallardo”
First Aired: 12/12/06

Season Four is out the door, and I miss those crazy surgeons already. Nip/Tuck quite literally went out with a bang: murder, mutilation, heartbreak, and one finally-single-again Dr. Troy. Christmas came early!

Continue reading "Nip/Tuck: Miami is So Last Year" »

House: Physician, Heal Thyself!

Haus_4_1House
Title: “Merry Little Christmas”
First Aired: 12/12/06

FOX made a big mistake last week by airing a rerun of House. Don’t get me wrong: the mistake wasn’t in airing an old episode that was dull or obsolete. The blunder was in the airing of an old episode that puts the current season to shame. The episode boasted edgy flashbacks, fantasy-reality switcheroos, novel camera work, and drama that was close enough to the fictional main character’s heart and history to be meaningful and compelling to the real-life audience. This week’s All New! episode, by contrast, has House kinda sorta not really begging for pills and his boss kinda sorta not really threatening to fire him until he kinda sorta gets in trouble with the police again, which may or may not play out.

Continue reading "House: Physician, Heal Thyself!" »

Dec. 13: Peter Boyle Dies, Duchess Signs On for Dancing, Tricia Helfer Poses Nude

*Tricia Helfer hopes her Battlestar fans have a very merry Christmas [The Hollywood Gossip]
*USA introduces Nashville Star finalists [The Futon Critic]
*Everybody Loves Raymond's Peter Boyle dead at 71[TMZ]
*iTunes has your Veronica Mars fix [The Hollywood Gossip]
*The good doctors of Nip/Tuck are heading to Hollywood [Popbytes]
*The Duchess of York signs on for Dancing with the Stars 4 [Reality Blurred]

Peter Boyle: Hollywood Loses A Very Grumpy Legend

151351__boyle_l_2 Everybody Loves Raymond co-star Peter Boyle lost his long fight with multiple myeloma and heart disease on Tuesday evening, at the age of 71. The ubiquitous character actor made a living playing angry, crotchety, or just plain bizarre characters for nearly 40 years.

The Emmy winner took an unusual route into show biz, leaving his former life as a monk to pursue his dream. Yep, Raymond’s daddy was an actual Christian Brothers monk.

Continue reading "Peter Boyle: Hollywood Loses A Very Grumpy Legend" »

Tonight's Picks: Wednesday, Dec. 13

American_gangster American Gangster - Ricky Ross
Narrated by Ving Rhames, this episode recounts the life and crimes of "Freeway" Ricky Ross, a Los Angeles-based crack-cocaine dealer. Was he the mastermind behind an international drug ring or just its pawn?

23456789 Top Chef - Social Service
The remaining chefs must create mouth-watering fare from leftover animal parts, including chicken feet, pigs' blood and lamb hearts. Chef Michelle Bernstein serves as guest judge.

Bones4 Bones - Judas on a Pole
Brennan and Booth investigate the murder of an ex-FBI agent who was working a case on corrupt members of a task force in the 1970s. Directed by David Duchovny. Guest starring Ryan O'Neal.

Totally Frakked: The Lost Room, Part 2 -- Motel Hell

Lost_room_1 When we last checked into The Lost Room, Pittsburgh police detective Joe Miller found himself in possession of a key to a motel room straight out of The Twilight Zone. Joe’s daughter Anna vanished into the room, and sinister forces -- including Joe’s forensics guy, Martin Ruber -- were jockeying to gain possession of the key. Ruber whacked Joe’s partner Lou in his growing obsession to possess the key. Hoping to rescue his daughter, and with nowhere else to turn, Joe stepped through the threshold into Room 10 -- leaving our rear ends hanging off the edges of our seats, if not flat on the floor. This is storytelling at its best!

Continue reading "Totally Frakked: The Lost Room, Part 2 -- Motel Hell" »

Nothing Says “Super Bowl” Like Prince

Prince_promoshot_02_color_400 CBS has announced that Prince will be the featured halftime performer at Super Bowl XLI in Miami. The one-named wonder follows in the footsteps of Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones in the post-Nipplegate era. Since that glorious day, the FCC has gone postal when it comes to fining broadcasters of filth.

Prince brings a mixed bag of decency and indecency to the table for CBS. Who could forget the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, when he donned those assless pants...?

Continue reading "Nothing Says “Super Bowl” Like Prince" »

America's Next Top Model: North Dakota Wins the Crown

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Melrose, CariDee, and Eugena reign as this year's top trio on America’s Next Top Model. The finale promised claw-wrenching cat fights, fiercely competitive outbursts, and a whole lotta crazy, pose-striking goodness. But which girl would snag the coveted prize?

Continue reading "America's Next Top Model: North Dakota Wins the Crown" »

Survivor: Cook Islands -- The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Boot

299x623_jonathan_1 The numbers are dwindling and the fights are ensuing on Survivor: Cook Islands. Last week's tribal council brought a deluge of vicious insults on Jonathan, who looked more than a little rattled as the crew headed back to camp. The glaring question was clear -- could he rise above the dissent?

Continue reading "Survivor: Cook Islands -- The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Boot" »

Casting Call: The Amazing Race 12

Ccclapboard_46_5_9_1_1_1 Have you ever watched Survivor and thought "Hey, I could do that, but I'd rather do it while seeing the world"?

Then look no further. The Amazing Race is holding open casting calls for its 12th season at five local CBS stations.

Continue reading "Casting Call: The Amazing Race 12" »

Dec. 12: Danny DeVito Drunk Just a Joke, Celebrate New Year's with Gwen Stefani, TV Stars Sing

*The Simpsons go all O.J. in lost episode [Glitterati]
*TV stars like to sing [GMMR]
*Take a look inside Sci Fi's Lost Room [The Futon Critic]
*Danny DeVito claims View stunt just a joke [TMZ]
*Shock me! It's another drunken meltdown on the Real World [Pop Culture Junkies]
*Celebrate New Year's Eve with Gwen Stefani and MTV [Popsugar]

Tonight's Picks: Tuesday, Dec. 12

Zdcfd_1 Barbara Walters: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2006
Now in it's 14th season, Walters' annual hour-long special features interviews with some of the year's most prominent names in entertainment, politics, sports and business, including Sacha Baron Cohen, Patrick Dempsey, and Terri Irwin (the widow of Crocodile Hunter's Steve Irwin).

01_221348775_350_31000 Nip/Tuck - Gala Gallardo
In the fourth-season finale, Escobar Gallardo seeks cosmetic surgery for his wife, who was brutally attacked by her husband's enemies. Sean weighs a major decision about the practice, and Christian and Michelle's future together is threatened when her violent dark past comes to light.

Dreamgirlsstill_3 Making of "Dreamgirls"
HBO takes you behind the scenes of the making of "Dreamgirls," a 2006 adaptation of the Broadway musical about a trio of black female singers in the 1960s. The film stars Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, and American Idol's Jennifer Hudson, and was directed by Bill Condon (Kinsey).