Meredith Viera and the new Today show studio made their debut this morning on NBC. I've been an occasional watcher of the Today show for a bit over ten years now, seeing Bryant leave and Matt taking his spot, so I did want to make the time to catch the show this morning and see another new regular host take her place. This was also the debut of the new Today studio, in HD no less (though, sadly, I don't have HD yet. Boo.)The studio is quite different looking, and the layout itself seems to have taken a bit of an alteration as well. For one thing, there's an area that I swear looks a lot like The View's seating area, with a semi-circular layout of chairs and couches. I don't watch The View, but I have seem the set before. I really thought, "is that The View studio they're showing?" when the camera panned around to show how things were laid out.All of the backgrounds are quite different looking, especially in the one-on-one sitting area where Meredith had her first sit-down with Tim Russert. Very bland and overly futuristic looking is the only way I can describe it. Oh, and very blue. Really, it looks like they were sitting in a hotel lobby bathroom.
Meredith needs a little work covering political issues with Russert, but that's reasonable, it being her first day and all. It just didn't seem natural, but then again how am I to know what's natural for Meredith when I don't watch The View.
Yes, there was some corny hand holding here and there, but that didn't bug me as much as those corny promos. Hell, this is a woman's first day on a new show, covering real issues with real people. Of course she's going to need a little comforting. She does flub her first "we'll be back in a moment, but first this is Today" segue, saying instead "we'll be back in a moment, but today..." Not like she couldn't easily make fun of herself later, which both she and Matt do.
Later we see the seating area I mentioned earlier, and while most of the rest of the studio is a light blue, the backgrop here is orange. I mean, it's like Laugh In, 60's orange with light orange squares. Seriously, I miss the books and stuff in the background before; they made it more homey feeling. And when I was bored with the person they were interviewing, I could read the titles on the spines on the books and think, "hoe many copies of that book are being sold, just because they appear there on the shelf every morning?"
Anyway, that's the first half hour or so. I was the only TV Squader who regularly gets up this early, so you'll have to deal with my brief look at how this new Today show went. The format's the same but the co-host and studio are different. Really, not a huge stretch for anyone, and I seriously doubt people will change their viewing habits of the show because of any of those changes.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-13-2006 @ 9:14AM
Manhattanite said...
Although very modern I am definitely not a fan of the new set, it feels cold where as the previous one definitely had more of a home feel. Also, the news day must be really slow or the Today show is going for pure sensationalism as they showed the same Debie LaFave segment in the 8am half hour and then again in the 9am half hour...the same frinkin segment!
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9-13-2006 @ 10:18AM
TVGenius said...
I turned it on just in time for the Russert sit-down. Lighting sucks... looks too much like a sit-down field interview, not a well-lit studio interview. It really surprises me the way white is used on the wall behind them... looks very public access. And I'm watching in SD, and every time they try the trucking-in shot, Meredith is half-off my TV... and the over-the-shoulder shots suck.
Now Matt's at the the big rear-projection screen... and the title "Today at the Pump" is cut off the top too.
I'd keep liveblogging my disgust, but I can't take any more.
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9-13-2006 @ 10:41AM
george joyce said...
Hello,The Todays Show new set is really ugly,the yellow background and squares are unoriginal and look like they would be appropriate in an Austin Powers movie.The lighting combined with the yellow background cast a hue of jaundice to everyones face color.The white couch is sterile and cold looking,the coffee table looks cheap,like it came from a mail order catalog,Akea?
Who ever designed your new set should go back to design school.Its just cold looking and the colors are terrible,it lacks the warmth and comfort of home that your old set had.The squares are cheap looking and hard on the eyes when watching.Two thumbs down on this change.We'll be tuning into the other shows now,this set change is just a little too bright and distracting for early morning coffee.Good luck and best wishes,G.Joyce
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9-13-2006 @ 2:10PM
MrsEldubya said...
Yeah the new set is kind of odd but I thought Meredith did a great job. I never realized what a fan I was of hers until I had to watch The View without her. She has no problem making fun of herself and seems to fit in well with Al and Matt. I had grown tired of Katie and how all the interviews became about her and her legs. So this was a nice change of pace.
As for repeating segments, Today show has always done this when they went to 3 hours. Any exclusive interviews will be pimped for days and repeated on the same day etc. I recommend Tivo'ing the show. It means our tv is automatically on NBC in the morning, you can rewind to catch the weather segment if you miss it and skip the stuff that doesn't apply to you. My husband gets up at 7 am so he likes catching the weather, I get up after he's done and like that I can rewind to get the headlines. I've been known to put the Today show in the middle of the day as background noise instead of soaps as I clean, cook, do laundry etc. Much more entertaining than Dr. Phil, Tyra Banks, etc.
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9-13-2006 @ 11:01PM
Cheryl said...
I really disliked the new set.
It reminds me of the late 60's or early 70's, like something you would see on Mike Douglas or Merv Griffin's shows.
Remember the Seinfeld show when Kramer ended up with Merv's set?
I was realy disappointed that they all had to sit outside all summer, Ann was freezing yesterday, and that's what they came up with for their new set.
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9-14-2006 @ 12:20AM
Tammy said...
I think the new set is awesome! You really do not get the total effect of the bright and beautiful colors unless you have a HDTV. I enjoy all of the NBC shows that has high definition. I also think that Meredith done an awesome job. She is a very credible canadiate, before The View she worked in the news so give her credit. We all are human and we make mistakes and remember that it was her first day and on The View there was a 10 second delay where Today show is completly live.
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9-18-2006 @ 8:03AM
Tom said...
OK, it's been three days now and despite my eagerness to warm up to Meredith, I think NBC's got a real problem on their hands. I'm sure I'll warm up to the new set but I simply cannot stand Meredith's monotone, completely dispassionate, unengaged reading of the telepromter. There are times when I'm not actually looking at the image when I actually think I'm watch some serious documentary...or worse, an add with some serious voice-over person droning on about some medical condition. I want NBC and MEredith to be winners, but to do so, they're going to have to retrain Meredith to actually HAVE a personality.
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9-19-2006 @ 4:31PM
Carol said...
Meredith is a disaster. She is stilted and inane and seems very uncomfortable in her role. We now switch to another network. Can you get rid of her? We miss Matt, Al, Ann and Willard.
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9-19-2006 @ 4:32PM
Carol said...
Meredith is a disaster. She is stilted and inane and seems very uncomfortable in her role. We now switch to another network. Can you get rid of her? We miss Matt, Al, Ann and Willard.
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9-28-2006 @ 11:24PM
Jen said...
I've been a long time watcher of the Today Show but find that since Meredith and the new set have started, I really don't care if I catch the show. She just doesn't fit and I'm sorry to say is a bad match. As for the set, I heard you have to have HD to appreciate it but for the many who do not, it looks awful! Where's Natalie and the summer crew? I thought Matt, Al, Natalie and Ann did a great job! It will be interesting to see how things pan out but for me they have one less Today show viewer.
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10-03-2006 @ 2:28PM
Lorraine said...
Matt looks like he really dislikes Meredith. She's trying to have a Katie-like relationship with him that Katie developed over 10 years. Her delivery is boring. I thought Campbell Brown would have been the best choice, then Natalie. Definitely not Ann, she's too sickly sweet, overly sincere. The set is awful, so cold and sterile. I only watch the first few minutes now.
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10-06-2006 @ 12:32AM
Xantha said...
Meredith Vieira is a huge mistake! She is painful to watch, as she squints her old-looking crows-feet-wrinkled eyes, while attempting to focus on the right camera, all the while tapping her fingers nervously on the desk! She looks very old (and heavy and frumpy ), next to Matt and Ann and Al. Meredith tries to act cool and with it, but makes a total jackass of herself. 53 is not old but Meredith is a very old 53 and actually looks like she's in her 60s. Campbell Brown or Ann Curry look svelte, young, professional. NBC should rethink this all. We caanot watch anymore!
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10-07-2006 @ 6:58AM
Karen said...
I had every intention of continuing to watch the Today Show as I have forever, but Meredith is making it so difficult for me. Wrong chemistry, no authentic fun, not at all engaging. She is condescending to Al. Pretty awful new set too and I have HD. The summer shows were very well done. Natalie Morales was the absolute best and very natural on the show. I tuned in enthusiastically. A real treat. I still love Matt, Al and Ann but I find myself turning to GMA.
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10-11-2006 @ 1:16AM
Bri said...
Meredith is TERRIBLE. I have been watching Today for as long as I can remember, and it feels like my intelligence is being insulted every time I find myself watching her akward, sorority girl presentation of segments and the sophomoric quips she blurts out in some sad attempt to be warm/clever/endearing. I love Natalie and Ann, and I wish one of those wonderful women had carried the torch that Katie passed on. I still watch Today every morning (I love Matt and Ann!), but I find myself feeling very uncomfortable whenever Meredith is on.
It seems appropriate that the cold, akward set appeared at the same time as Meredith. It's like they came from the same mothership.
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10-11-2006 @ 1:49PM
Samantha said...
I strongly agree with Bri and Karen. I have switched to Good Morning America, but I quickly changed channels this morning and saw "pitiful Meredith" with her hand lingering on Matt's thigh. What a total turn-off!
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10-30-2006 @ 2:14PM
Tanya said...
What a total waste of millions of dollars to secure Meredith Viera's spot on the "Today" show. NBC seemed to forget that Katie Couric was no Katie Couric until she was brought onto the show. You can't tell me that Campbell, Natalie or Ann could not have gotten this job done, with personality, something that Meredith is truly lacking in this particular venue. She seemed perfectly fine for "The View", but definitely appears uncomfortable in her newscaster capacity, much like a fish out of water. How can the network renege on their agreement with her, before they lost any more viewers? I'm still watching each morning, but I don't really like what I see. Sorry, Meredith.
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11-07-2006 @ 12:17AM
krg said...
Thumbs down to Meredith and the new set. I agree... from the same cold, lifeless mothership. She is just so stilted and tries to hard to manufacture personality and chemistry that just isn't there. Big mistake. Should have gone with Natalie. Finding it harder to watch each day. Thought I could warm up to Meredith and new set but it's not hapenning. May have to switch shows if NBC doesn't fix things fast.
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11-11-2006 @ 4:48AM
mary said...
18. Have tried for weeks to appreciate Meredith Vieira, but her rude, arrogant approach to her cast members, NBC news professionals, guests, and audience, as well as her cold, uninformed, insincere reporting of significant news stops me in my tracks. Her feigned lack of self-confidence only makes it worse. Bad choice. Lost me as a viewer. Today's pseudo-sexual "dark chocolate" comment aimed at Al was the last straw. Grow up! This is national TV at (what used to be) the best. Too bad- Matt, Ann and Al are still great in my books.
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11-11-2006 @ 5:04AM
mary said...
Have tried for weeks to appreciate Meredith Vieira, but her rude, arrogant approach to her cast members, NBC news professionals, guests, and audience, as well as her cold, uninformed, insincere reporting of significant news stops me in my tracks. Her feigned lack of self-confidence only makes it worse. Bad choice. Lost me as a viewer. Today's pseudo-sexual "dark chocolate" comment aimed at Al was the last straw. Grow up! This is national TV at (what used to be) the best. Too bad- Matt, Ann and Al are still great in my books.
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11-14-2006 @ 12:27PM
Robyn said...
I am not impressed by the least with Meredith Vieira. Why couldn't have Ann replaced Katie and then someone who covers the weekend show been promoted?? It just seems like they had better options to go with and they settled with Meredith. She's rude, bland, and she tries way to hard to "fit in" with the others. I mean she's not even trying to earn her way in, she's very arogant, and that doesn't sit well with me. Its kind of sad. I love Matt, Al and Ann, but the show is taking a toll for sure.
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