TVSquad

Oh crap. I forgot this show was on last night. Looks like I missed something good. I will have to catch it next time. Thanks for the write-up!

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Any show that shows me the building from Physical Graffiti has to be good.

I did think it was strange that the lead character's musical touchstones were the same as mine yet he has to be at least 10 years younger than me.

I just hope the show doesn't turn into a sleazy way of promoting the latest "overnight sensation" band for CBS' partners. That would get old very quickly.

For now it's one of my must-see shows too.

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Okay, I'll give you Air Supply, but Hanson? Come on, give me a break. Talk about a completely different field. And yes, the show was amazing. But I think that part of the interest does come from the love for music. If you are not into music and enjoy it quite a bit, then I don't think that this show will appeal as much to you. So I think that narrows their demographic somewhat, but I still think it is great. And your question about Dylan, Clapton, all that stuff; I think that it is kind of like I am now, the things I grew up with are more dear to me and seem more rounded than most albums and artists around today. So I think that Tom would have that same type of deal going on where the stuff he grew up knowing is the stuff he believes is the best. Plus all of those artists were in a different age of music than the commercial stuff that is put out now. So you have to keep in mind the spectacle of the era, rather than the commercialism and bubble pop that has come out in past years. Anyways, just my thoughts.

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This show may very well be the best new show of 2006 but we are only 2 weeks into 2006 and I am not prepared to crown it just yet. I liked different elements of last nights episode but overall I would rate the show as nothing higher than good. I felt like I was watching a pilot the entire time, I suppose I was expecting more from Cavanagh and crew after Ed.

The dialogue was ammusing at times, I loved the Hugh Grant line but for the most part it seemed very scripted. The speech that Cavanagh made before getting fired was so utterly ridiculous and self richeous that I almost switched the channel (just to avoid subjecting myself to the disaster that I feared was coming). Luckily I kept watching and the remainder of the show wasn't nearly as bad. The Wayne kid really can sing though I do agree with Mike, lets hope CBS doesn't continue to use this show to promote "overnight sensations".

The writing really needs some tweaking, and can we please stop with the basketball court confessional. I felt like I was watching "White Man Can't Jump" at several points during the show. Hopefully the next few episodes display more down to earth shots of NYC as well. CBGB is great but show us some real NYC apartments and offices.

Overall I like the plot, I think the relationship between Tom and Bran is all but inevitable but I assume much like Ed we won't see any serious development of that angle for a while. I will keep on watching, hopefully the coming episodes feature better writing and less scripted performances. Jason Priestly can't act and is just annoying in the married, expecting father role. I hope that once Tom's sister has the baby he will bis character will become slightly less annoying but I fear the worst.

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I watched pieces of this while switching between SVU, Boston Legal and The Shield. I liked what I saw, although Jason Priestly looks a bit bloated (and very short, compared to Tom Cavanaugh).

This will have some very heavy Tuesday competition to get past to stay on the schedule. With this show, Boston Legal, SVU, and The Shield all on at the same time, this is probably the toughest hour of television to compete on in 2006.

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"4. I never saw that last twist involving Jake."

Is Jake the jock? (Sorry I'm terrible with names.) If so, it was weird how they threw that in there with almost no other context.

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I thought this was a great pilot. Remember, in pilots they ahve to jam everythting into that one episode to set you up for the season. I think they did a pretty good job, and it was nice to see Tom with the Timbuk 2 bag he used in Ed. It really did make me kind of giggle.

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SPANK THIS MONKEY

this show was complete crap. here's the Village Voice's review:

If working in the music biz is such a dream job, why have there been so few TV shows set in the field? I can think of just two: the short-lived UPN hip-hop drama Platinum and the awful '80s sitcom Throb, starring a pre-Frasier Jane Leeves. Maybe it's because TV's attempts to nail the concept of cool always turn out to be supremely uncool. Take Love Monkey, a new lite romantic comedy starring googly-faced Tom Cavanagh (star of the series Ed) as Tom Farrell, an indie-label a&r guy looking for love and a few good bands. The novel it's based on was compared to High Fidelity, and some of that Hornby vibe comes through. Tom talks records with his buddies (including a bloated Jason Priestley), makes a mix CD for his pregnant sister to listen to while she's in labor, and bemoans his girlfriend's taste (she likes "vagina music" like Jewel).

Of course, Tom's idea of hip is utterly square. He makes an idealistic speech about seeking power and originality over schlock then tries to woo Wayne, a marketable teen heartthrob played by Columbia Records' latest product, Teddy Geiger. Instead of satirizing the hypocrisy of the rock world or exploring the inner workings of the decrepit music industry, Love Monkey pursues a retarded idea of rock 'n' roll authenticity, spouting earnest references to Dylan and the Chelsea Hotel at every turn. "You're Wayne and we will try to keep your Wayneness," Tom promises sincerely, damning Love Monkey to the crapper, another failed attempt to use rock as the backdrop for an insipid sitcom.

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The village voice was right on the Love Monkey was bad. I could not watch the whole show and as I said the Village Voice said it for me, the show to me did not flow.

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Love Monkey blows.

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I was NEVER a fan of Ed, but Love Monkey was a great show. Funny, in an adult way, with great characters you can really get interested in. I still like to watch Boston Legal on Tuesdays at 10, but I will definately add Love Monkey to my Season Pass choices.

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I liked Ed, but got bored with it after awhile! I couldn't relate to that small town lifestyle. Love Monkey is right up my alley. Tom Cavanaugh is fun to watch, and the show seems to be a relatively realistic representation of life in the music biz. I stay at home with my kids now, but was in that world for many years. Its fun to re-live the "glory days".

TC really does remind me of guys I used to know. Even down to his musicical influences. (I was trying to find out if someone I know wrote the screenplay.) I think it's silly to question musical influences- it is such a personal thing for everyone. My husband thinks I'm a huge music snob, but getting paid to listen to music ruins one for life. Air Supply makes me want to hurl!

The set designers were "on" with both record label offices and his appartment.

My DVR is set to tape this series. I hope it lasts.

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um...I beg to differ...Air Supply is really NOT good and Hanson, while packaged, is much more talented. I'm going to keep watching this show! I love the music references and I don't think I'm too cool to watch.

But then that's just my opinion.....

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um...I beg to differ...Air Supply is really NOT good and Hanson, while packaged, is much more talented. I'm going to keep watching this show! I love the music references and I don't think I'm too cool to watch.

But then that's just my opinion.....

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I never realized how much I was a music snob (even after High Fidelity) unitl I caught this mistake. When Tom is doing his New York tour, one of the spots is the alley where Bob Dylan filmed his "Subterranian Homesick Blues" video. Any music snob knows this was filmed in the alley behind the hotel in LONDON where Dylan was staying during his '65 tour. It was filmed by D.A. Pennebaker, and that's why it opens the "Don't Look Back" film. I've read many reviews of the show and no one else caught this. Am I wrong? Please correct me if I am, so I'll stop shouting my mouth off.

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I really liked this show. And that's a problem, I think, for the show's creators. You see, I'm 45, way past my hip years and yet I caught probably 90% of the show's pop culture references. Way too much stale boomer stuff--- Dylan, Starship etc. --- and hardly anything from the past decade. If the show wants to have any relevant cachet they're gonna need to mix in some current stuff, along the Train, Coldplay, Nickelback lines. My guess is the writer's on the show are probably in my demographic niche, late 30's-mid 40's, and just writing what they're familiar with.

One big plus on the show, outside of Tom Cavanaugh who I like alot, is Eric Begosian. I don't know where he's been the last fifteen years, since Talk Radio, but its great to see him back.

The downside is that the buddy scenes, Jason Priestley and the other dudes, don't work as well for me as the music biz stuff. Not very interesting so far, not original, and it just doesn't ring true. Music people, like actors and Wall Street types, are famously insular. It's a self-contained world. THe idea that an A&R type is gonna socially hang with a doctor, a business guy and whatever the other guy does is not one I buy into. Better to focus on the music side of the coin.

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I watched the season pilot a couple of weeks ago and thought the humor was ok but could have been better. It felt like I was watching 'Ed' ... you know the bowling ally lawyer? Anyway, I'll be keeping on top of it to see if it gets better. I found this site the other day that also talks about Love Monkey.

http://www.kangarootv.com/2006/01/23/love-monkey/

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This show will not cath with the late 20's and early 30's crowd. I just don't see it happening for "Ed in the City".

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The opening scene using "Shine" by Andy Stochansky was incredible!!! This guy is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

www.andystochansky.com

Sam

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