Look, Ma! No gravity

Superlatives are the most overused parts of speech around.

Best Buy. The Greatest Story Ever Told. Droid Incredible. America's Most Wanted. The Supreme Court. The Biggest Loser. The World's Fastest Indian. The Genius Bar.

Really? A whole bar of geniuses? C'mon.

But... The League of Extraordinary Dancers... are extraordinary. Don't believe me? Check out this video from their performance on So You Think You Can Dance. No strings. No trampolines. No wires. Just... dancers. Extraordinary dancers.

(Note: video. And no fooling, you really, really want to click here - or even here - if you can't see it)

What is The LXD? It's Step Up meets The Justice League. It's Heroes — except in this war of good vs evil, the superheros dance instead of fly. As The New York Times puts it, it's "Jerome Robbins for the hip-hop age."

Start with a dash of Gene Kelly, a sprinkle of Mikhail Baryshnikov, a skosh of Eleanor Powell, a pinch of Ann Miller, a generous helping of Fred Astaire, and a whole lot of Michael Jackson. In a separate era, blend hip-hop, acrobatics, break dance, tumbling and krump. Mix well and cast absurdly good-looking, really, truly, ridiculously talented dancers. Drop 8-minute episodes on the web once a week.

(Seriously. Who can do that?)

35 million views - for a reason

One of my all time favorite commercials ever. Ever. Ever, ever, ever. Like forever and then some. (No, seriously, I really dig this ad.)


There is a video clip here and if you can't see it, you're really missing out if you don't click here to watch it.

Not a word is spoken and you never see his face. And yet...

One of the few car companies to make commercials worth watching. I guess the force is with them.

Greek Yogurt + Green Goblin + Dr. Seuss = Magic

This is what it's like if Willem Dafoe reads you bedtime stories.


(There's a video here. It's short. And, if you ask me, it's worth watching, so if you can't see it, click here.)

Thank you, Mullen (an agency in Boston) for this treat. Their own Brian Tierney (@BCTierney) wrote the copy.

Looking forward to seeing (and hearing) this ad again? Check.
Remember the product it's shilling? Check.
Spectacular? Check.

Sundays are ad days

For me, commercials fall into two categories: "spectacular" and "not".

What, you say? What about the terrible? The awful, the egregious, the outrageously bad? Settle down, I'm with ya. That is, you see, the beauty of the word "spectacular"— could be spectacularly good or... not.

Sometimes it's a whole campaign, sometimes it's just one ad... but I find it fascinating how much money is spent on advertising, and how many sadly mediocre commercials are produced.

Because a spectacular fail is better than a "play it safe and bore 'em to death." Don't believe me? Do you remember what Bjork wore to the 2001 Academy Awards? Bet you do. How about Julia Roberts? Or Catherine Zeta-Jones? No? See? Spectacular fails can still be marketing successes (along the lines of that old chestnut: "no publicity is bad publicity").

Spectacular Sundays are born: my weekly personal homage to the Clio (or Razz) worthy. Don't all clap at once.

You've seen the commercial, now see the original

Gene and Donald...
They're sitting.
They're dancing.
They're sitting.
They're dancing.
They're sitting AND they're dancing.



(Yep, video here. Like dance? Can't see the video? Click here, it's worth it.)

And... if you haven't seen the commercial:

(Another video - only 30 sec. Check it.)

Q: what channel is Mike Tyson's TV show on?

A: Animal Planet.

I laughed so hard when I heard that, I fell off my couch. Because, really, what other channel would his show be on?

But it got me thinking... slightly tangentially, as per usual. I'm not a reality TV show fan, at all, but perhaps, if some of them were tweaked just a bit?

Announcing this season's all new Reality TV shows!

Survivor, starring Donald Trump, hosted by Donald Trump, and guest starring Donald Trump. Guess who's not getting voted off the island?

The Amazing Race, with Sarah Palin. "It's not how far she gets... it's what happens along the way!" (With guest appearances by Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee).

The Biggest Loser, hosted by Bill Maher and featuring Glenn Beck, Mel Gibson, Dr. Laura, John Galliano, Michael Vick and several surprise guests. "After years of being themselves, eight people begin a journey together to become people worth knowing."

Desperate Housewives starring Mrs. Spitzer, Mrs. Clinton, Mrs. Ensign, Mrs. Letterman, Mrs. Gibson, Mrs. Sanford, and Mrs. Woods, hosted by Jesse James.

Maybe reality TV isn't so bad, after all.

or maybe not...

C'mon IMDB, catch up!

Deadline Hollywood reports that Detective Winters, the lead in NBC's upcoming Lola (Law & Order LA), will be played by Skeet Ulrich.

I hear he gets mistaken for Terrence Howard all the time.

Ssshhh, don't tell anyone

If you've been following the Law & Order saga, you might know that NBC rather precipitously canceled the mother ship, the original series, the only show ever to challenge Gun Smoke.

If you haven't been following the saga, because maybe, like, you have better things to do?, let me catch you up: in May, with little fanfare and no little acrimony, NBC announced the end of Law & Order after 20 seasons, after agreeing to a 21st. Dick Wolf (creator, producer, mastermind, power to be reckoned with) was reportedly furious at the renegal (renegement? there doesn't seem to be a noun for that. damn.).

Rumors swirled about Wolf's negotiations to bring L&O to TNT for its third decade, a la its sibling L&O: Criminal Intent. Meanwhile, NBC, fearing that its lone remaining spawn, L&O: SVU, might get despondent all by itself, announced yet another new Law & Order spin-off (Dick Wolf is the octo-mom of procedurals): Law & Order LA. With no cast and no premiere date, the show is nonetheless officially set to go on NBC this fall.

Right, no cast. For a show of no low profile supposed to air in just a few months. Promising.

Let me make that no cast announcement. A fortuitous perusal of IMDB revealed that Terrence Howard's latest credit is, you guessed it, L&O: Los Angeles (otherwise known as "Lola"), as Detective Rex Winters. Ming-na (remember her from, among other things, ER?) is playing Lt. Parker, which would be the role filled on various other L&O shows by S. Epatha Merkerson, Dann Florek, Jamey Sheridan, Eric Bogosian and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.

My question is, do you think after the first episode, NBC will replace Howard with Don Cheadle?

I bet he's good at Scrabble too

Rare is the show that can make me laugh out loud.

This is Jon Stewart on Fox & Friends' "discussion" of George Axelrod's appearance on Jon Stewart talking about MMS and the phenomenon know as "blaming it on Bush." I recommend the section between 3:08 and 4:38, if you don't want to watch an 8 minute clip. It's all funny, but that's the sweet spot.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Blame
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

YES! It's a VIDEO! Don't see it? Click here and watch it and shut up already.

Miami is a crazy town

One of these two is a classically trained ballet soloist from the Miami City Ballet.



Here's a hint:


And hey — this post has two, count 'em two, videos, and not much else. If you can't see them, you're kinda missing the whole point. If you want in on the point, click here. If not, well, fine.

Total non sequitur: is it just me, or is that the first time ever you've heard it called "Miami City"?

Third time's the charm?

A slacker he ain't.

Christian Slater takes yet another stab at TV with an upcoming pilot for Fox. This after My Own Worst Enemy, which really should have been so much better than it was, and The Forgotten, which was actually better than it should've been.

Currently untitled, the upcoming show from Adam Goldberg (that would be Adam F. Goldberg, writer, not to be confused with Adam Goldberg, actor), is reported to be a comedy about "a team of twentysomething geniuses who crack security systems."

But wait! Christian Slater isn't 20-something, you say? You are too right. He plays the "charismatic renegade who runs the Titan Team, a gruff ex-military misanthrope with a checkered past." Of course he does.

Miss Life?

Although it seems as though Damian Lewis is headed to the silver screen and a theater near you, Sarah Shahi has found a new home on USA and the small screen in your living room.

USA has ordered a full (13 episodes) season of "Facing Kate" with Shahi. Created by Michael Sardo ("Caroline in the City"), the show centers on Kate, a top litigator so fed up with the system she becomes the ultimate anti-litigator, a (gasp!) mediator. Also starring Michael Trucco ("Battlestar Galactica", "Castle"), Virginia Williams and Baron Vaughn.

The show will premiere sometime in the fall, after the summer premiere of "Covert Affairs." As long as it's not Dr Laura meets Judge Judy.

The Vulture

From New York Magazine's Vulture, some insights on the upcoming fall season:

The most lawyered-up hour on TV:
If you're not fond of attorneys, you might want to avoid 10 p.m. Wednesday on the broadcast networks, when three new law shows will battle it out: ABC's The Whole Truth (Jerry Bruckheimer law); CBS's The Defenders (Vegas law); and NBC's Law and Order: Los Angeles (Old-school law).

We have a copy-editor rebellion in the making:
CBS should have called its new William Shatner comedy Shat My Dad Says. Instead, this Twitter-inspired (really) show has been tagged $#*! My Dad Says, which we're supposed to pronounce as Bleep My Dad Says. We're suddenly longing for the simplicity of Numb3rs.

The show most likely to replace Lost:
NBC is hoping it's The Event, a 24-like thriller featuring Jason Ritter (Joan of Arcadia) as a man whose quest to find his missing fiancée leads him to uncover a multilayered conspiracy. The show's tagline: "The answers only lead to bigger questions." And just when we thought we were done with TV shows stringing us along for six years.

Sports is art is life is sports is...

Whatever else they do or don't do well, Nike does good TV. This time, they asked Alejandro González Iñárritu to film a micro-short (okay, I just made that up, but you watch it and tell me you'd call it a "commercial") about the World Cup.

I don't know exactly (or at all, frankly) what guidelines Nike offered to Iñárritu, but I imagine they were along the lines of: we would like to send a message that illustrates the universal language created from the shared experience of talent, skill, determination and triumph.

(There should be a video here. If you don't see it, it's worth watching, or I wouldn't have posted it, so click here.)

Message received.

and, finally, CBS for the couch

The last of the big three to announce, CBS received rather different reactions to its fall lineup: Stuart Elliott at The New York Times said "CBS shook up the upfront week... with the most startling moves of any network for the coming season." The Wall Street Journal, however, summed up the news in an article titled "Playing it Safe: New CBS Lineup Includes Crime Dramas, Remake."

Given that CBS' Tuesday is already a powerhouse with NCIS, NCIS:LA and The Good Wife and their Thursday is two-thirds full with CSI: and The Mentalist, I'm not sure you could say they needed that much of a shake-up. So, ignoring those half-hour things that persist in cluttering up my television watching landscape, here's what's going to be new on the eye:

Hawaii Five-O. Did I say "new?" I meant kinda sorta new. Because what we really need is another cop show, and what we really, really need is another remake. On the other hand, we do need another (or just "a") good Alex O'Loughlin vehicle, so it's got that going for it. If you don't know, this is the show from whence we get "book 'em Danno!" O'Loughlin plays McGarrett (Jack Lord), Scott Caan plays Danno, and Daniel Dae Kim plays the other cop. Unlike all the other new shows, the producer and writer credits for this show are, well, buried. Deep. That worries me. After some serious digging, I did learn that the show will be exec produced by Peter Lenkov, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (the latter two of JJ Abrams/Alias/Fringe/Star Trek/and so on and so on fame). Here's hoping this isn't Hawaii Five-O meets Three Rivers.

The Defenders. Hey, look Ma, another lawyer show! (This is what happens when you announce last.) Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell partner up as partners in a law firm partnership. The family guy and the womanizer. The serious and sincere lawyer "balanced by" the reckless but brilliant wild-card. No law show would be complete without an eager new associate, a winsome assistant, and a beleaguered wife. Add those, stir and, presto, it's a TV show. They might be going for The Blues Brothers meets LA Law, but I'm thinking this sounds more like Justice meets Trust Me. Ruh roh.

Blue Bloods. ...aaaand, it's a cop show. But with Tom Selleck (we can only count our blessings that — so far — no one has green lit a remake of Magnum PI). Selleck plays the current NY Chief of Police, Len Cariou his father (and former COP) and Donnie Wahlberg his son (next COP?). Bridget Moynahan plays the daughter, a DA, while Will Estes plays the youngest son. You know, the one who turns his back on his stellar academic record, including Harvard Law, to, shocker!, become a cop? Yeah, that one. From Leonard Goldberg, longtime partner of Aaron Spelling, and Mitchell Burgess ("The Sopranos," "Northern Exposure"). NYPD:Blue meets Dallas?

At some point mid-season, we'll see the Criminal Minds spin-off with Forest Whitaker.

I think I've heard that song before

Nah, I just saw it on Lifetime.

Coming out this fall is yet another Katherine Heigl rom-com (when does that girl sleep?), "Life as We Know It." In and of itself, that's not really remarkable, and in fact, I only stumbled on it because I was busy researching Greg Berlanti, co-creator on "No Ordinary Family," a show just picked up for the fall season by ABC (see "Couch Potato ABCs").

What I did, however, find remarkable is the movie's uncanny similarity to a TV movie I recently watched (okay, I admit it), literally, on Lifetime. Here's the synopsis for the brand-spanking new, yet-to-be-released "Life as We Know It" floating around:

Holly Berenson (Katherine Heigl) is an up-and-coming caterer and Eric Messer (Josh Duhamel) is a promising network sports director. After a disastrous first date, the only thing they have in common is their dislike for each other and their love for their goddaughter, Sophie. But when they suddenly become all Sophie has in the world, Holly and Messer are forced to put their differences aside. Juggling career ambitions and competing social calendars, they'll have to find some common ground while living under one roof.

And here's the IMDB synopsis for "Raising Waylon" (as broadcast on CBS in 2004 and on Lifetime more recently):

Ten years ago, Julia (Poppy Montgomery), a globe-trotting photographer with a thing for rockstars, and Reg (Thomas Gibson), a blue-collar coffee shop owner with a thing for models, came away from their lone date together with an intense dislike for one another. Nonetheless, their mutual friends (responsible for that one date) named them godparents to their son. When the boy's parents unexpectedly die, they're forced back into each other's lives and under the same roof to take care of him.

Um...?

Couch potato ABCs

What to expect from the alphabet network this fall?

No Ordinary Family
Greg Berlanti ("Brothers & Sisters," "Dirty Sexy Money") is co-creator of this show about a family who emerges from a plane crash in the Amazon with super-powers. Cast is promising, including Michael Chiklis ("The Shield," not to mention that movie where he played normal-guy-suddenly-has-super-strength), Julie Benz ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Dexter") and Kay Panabaker. "Sky High" meets "The Fantastic Four"?

Detroit 1-8-7
"Documentary style" cop show set in Detroit. Personally? Feh. The camera (hand-held and shaky?) follows two sets of cops as they, you know, do the cop thing. First we have (you'll never guess) a "damaged but driven detective," who also happens to be the "most respected and most misunderstood man in the division" (played by Michael Imperioli) and his brand-new partner, who (OMG!) has a baby on the way. Then, for a little change of pace, we've got ourselves a "sexy, edgy, rising star" female detective recently partnered with (now, isn't this a surprise?) a "streetwise, smooth-talking" detective for a "combustible pairing rife with conflict and sexual tension." This sounds like "Tired" meets "Retread" to me.

The Whole Truth
A courtroom drama from Jerry Bruckheimer and Tom Donaghy ("Without a Trace"). One episode, one case, two sides (you know, prosecution and defense?). Could be interesting. Starring Rob Morrow (didn't take him long to bounce back from his "Numb3rs" cancellation) and Joely Richardson. "Law & Order" meets "The Practice"?

My Generation
Based on a documentary about a Texas high school's graduating class of 2000. Well sort of. Because this isn't a reality show (thank god). And it takes place 1o years later (i.e., now). And the students are played by actors. With lines. But anyway, it's based on that documentary. Created by Noah Hawley ("Bones"). Hmmm. "7 Up" meets "October Road"?

Body of Proof
"Quincy M.E." meets "Bones" meets "The Closer" meets "House". I don't know what else to say. On the other hand, any network that is willing to give Dana Delany her own show gets a thumbs up from me. According to ABC's press release, Delany will play Dr. Megan Hunt, former neuro-surgeon turned "Philadelphia's most notorious" medical examiner.

Couch potatoes, part deux

Raising Hope
...quirky guy raises baby girl with help from wacky family. The half-hour comedy stars Lucas Neff, with Martha Plimpton and Garrett Dillahunt (whom they liked so much on "Deadwood" they had him play two totally different characters). My Name is Earl show runner Greg Garcia is onboard, other cast includes Cloris Leachman and Bijou Phillips.

Running Wilde
...another half hour comedy, this one about a wealthy playboy (Will Arnett) trying to make time with his liberal, responsible childhood sweetheart (Keri Russell). Brought to you by Will Arnett and the "Arrested Development" brain trust, told through the eyes of Mssr. Playboy's former housekeeper's 12-year old daughter. Hmmmm... "The Philanthropist" meets "Dharma & Greg" with perhaps a dash of "The Wonder Years"?

Lonestar
... a prime-time soap, Fox-style — Texas, con-men, double wives and double lives — from the creators of "Party of Five" (remember when we all loved that show?) and the Weitz brothers ("About a Boy"), pilot directed by Marc Webb ("500 Days of Summer"). Starring Jimmy Wolk, who is either a poor man's Kyle Chandler or the next Kyle Chandler, along with Adrianne Palicki (ironically, of "Friday Night Lights"), Eloise Mumford, David Keith, Mark Deklin, Bryce Johnson and Jon Voight. I'm going to say... "Big Love" meets "Dallas" meets "The Riches".

Ride-Along
Where: Chicago. Who: Cowboy cop (is there any other kind?), played by Jason Clarke, and new, first female, Chief of Police, played by Jennifer Beals. What: kicking butt and taking names to clean up decades of corruption in the Windy City. With Matt Lauria, Devin Kelley, Todd Williams, Billy Lush and Delroy Lindo. From Shawn Ryan ("The Shield").

Summer on the couch

My, how times have changed. Once television's recycling bin, summer may now be the best season on TV.

May 19th — The Good Guys (Fox)
The way I see it, this show has two very promising things going for it: Bradley Whitford and Matt Nix. Bradley Whitford was one of the best things on one of the best shows on TV, "The West Wing," while Matt Nix is responsible for one of the, if not the, most watchable TV shows in years, "Burn Notice." Taking place in Dallas, "The Good Guys" stars Colin Hanks and Whitford in a rookie vs veteran, old-style vs new-fangled, buddy cop show. Hanks is the by-the-book newbie to Whitford’s bumbling but always-gets-the-job-done-even-by-accident veteran. "Law & Order" meets "The Odd Couple"?

June 20th — Scoundrels (ABC)
A one-hour comedic drama based on a show from New Zealand. A wife decides it’s time her family goes “straight” after her career criminal husband ends up on the wrong side of a long prison sentence. Virginia Madsen plays the wife and David James Elliott her “scoundrel” husband. Patrick Flueger ("The 4400") takes on dual roles as the couple’s twin sons. "The Good Wife" meets "The Grifters"?

June 22nd — Memphis Beat (TNT)
Jason Lee, and who doesn't like Jason Lee?, stars as a Tennessee cop who lives with his mom and is very attached to the city he patrols. Produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov's shingle, Smokehouse Productions. This is too easy — it's Earl meets Elvis (with a badge).

July 13th — The Glades (A&E)
Whadda ya know, it's another crime procedural set in Florida. This one about a relocated Chicago homicide detective. Australian actor Matt Passmore plays Jim Longworth, attractive, brilliant, and irascible and forced into exile after being wrongfully (of course) accused of having an affair with his former captain’s wife. Kiele Sanchez plays the love-interest, complete with a husband in prison and an adolescent son. Promisingly, the show was created and is exec-produced by Clifton Campbell ("White Collar," "Profiler," "21 Jump Street"). Really, Burn Notice is totally different. The guy forced to stay in Miami is a spy, not a cop. And the girl-friend doesn't have a husband in jail, though she spends a lot of time trying to stay out of it. Totally different. What do you say? "Burn Notice" meets "L&O: Criminal Intent"?

July 13th — Covert Affairs (TNT)
Piper Perabo ("Coyote Ugly") plays Sidney Bristow, I mean Annie Walker, a newbie CIA trainee who has to sink or swim when she is suddenly promoted to a field operative. Executive produced by Doug Liman ("The Bourne Identity"), the show also stars Christopher Gorham ("Ugly Betty," "Jake 2.0") and Sendhil Ramamurthy ("Heroes" — and, may I say, a real hottie) as federal agents and Peter Gallagher ("The O.C.") as a CIA director. Think "Alias" meets... blonde?

Calling all couch potatoes

Coming this fall to NBC

The Event
...evidently trying to be the next "24" (even to bringing on some of that now available talent such as Evan Katz, one of "24"'s writer-producers, as show-runner), "The Event" is a conspiracy thriller about an average Joe, Sean Walker (Jason Ritter), who decides to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée (Sarah Roemer), only to unwittingly stumble on the biggest cover-up in U.S. history. Co-starring in the pilot are Blair Underwood as the newly elected U.S. President Martinez, Laura Innes ("ER") , Scott Patterson, Ian Anthony Dale and "24," "Heroes" and "Damages" alum Željko Ivanek.

Chase
... the latest Jerry Bruckheimer effort. Think "CSI:" meets "The Fugitive". The show follows a team of U.S. marshals as they hunt down America's most dangerous fugitives. Kelli Giddish ("Past Life") plays U.S. Marshal Annie Frost, a cowboy boot-wearing deputy from Texas who tracks down violent criminals on the run. Cole Hauser ("K-Ville"), Amaury Nolasco ("Prison Break"), Rose Rollins ("The L Word") and Jesse Metcalfe ("Desperate Housewives") also star as members of Frost's elite team.

Undercovers
Think “Hart to Hart" meets “Mr. & Mrs. Smith." J.J. Abrams co-wrote, produced and directed the "Undercovers" pilot, which stars British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Boris Kodjoe as a married couple who, years after they retired, are re-activated as CIA agents by their old boss (Gerald McRaney) to find a gone-missing agent. Undercovers will be the first pilot Abrams directed himself since 2004’s “Lost.”

Law & Order Los Angeles
Simultaneously (close enough) with canceling the "mother ship," NBC picked up the youngest Wolf cub, "LOLA" (believe it or not, I didn't make up that nickname) to start in the fall—even though not only hasn't a pilot been shot, but the show hasn't even been cast (well, nothing has been announced, sniffed out or leaked, anyway). As recently as four days ago, the big rumor was still that the suits were 'approaching' Jimmy Smits. Not very promising, given that that same network has already committed to another show starring Jimmy Smits, Outlaw.

Outlaw
...follows Cyrus Garza (Smits), a Supreme Court justice ("playboy and gambler") who starts to see the flaws in the system and quits his job to go back to practicing law to represent the underdog. Jesse Bradford ("West Wing"), Carly Pope ("24"), Ellen Woglom ("Californication") and David Ramsey ("Dexter") also star. I'm thinking this could be "Shark" meets "Vegas".

Love Bites
...and from Cindy Chupack (“Sex and the City”) we get an hour-long romantic comedy anthology series featuring three loosely connected, modern stories of love, sex, marriage and dating (shocker). Becki Newton ("Ugly Betty") stars as Annie, the "bubbly optimist," Jordana Spiro (“My Boys”) plays Frannie, the "pragmatist" — they are the last two single girls standing after all their friends marry. Call me crazy but could Annie be Charlotte, with a little Carrie thrown in for good measure (or vice versa)? And Frannie, Samantha with a dash of Miranda? Their story will anchor the series, while other romantically-challenged characters come and go each week. The pilot’s guest cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Ghost Whisperer”), Greg Grunberg (“Heroes”), Craig Robinson (“The Office”), Jason Lewis (“Sex and the City”), Lindsay Price (“Lipstick Jungle”), Larry Wilmore (“The Daily Show”), Charlyne Yi (“Knocked Up”), Pamela Adlon (“Californication”), Stacy Galina (“Hidden Hills”), Brian Hallisay (“Privileged”), Kyle Howard (“My Boys”) and Steve Howey (“Bride Wars”). "Sex and the City" meets network TV?