TVSquad

Every year at this time there are a few shows that take the cancellation bullet, much to the dismay of fans. There are petitions, mass mailings, and declarations of never watching that network again. On the other hand ... every year there are also those shows that meet the TV reaper that really had it coming. We've had enough of their bad TV and we're not going to take it anymore.

The good riddance award is for those shows. Not only will you not miss them, you'll gladly cheer as the funeral procession passes you by. There is no shortage of contenders as we rap up the '07/'08 season. The first to ping my radar included Next Great American Band. Good grief, so much was wrong about that show. And while we're looking at that ill-fated Fox Friday, let's throw Nashville on the pile as well. CBS has a couple contenders in Secret Talents of the Stars and Viva Laughlin. How do you screw up getting frickin' Wolverine on your network? Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't offer a tip of the cap to ABC and the Cavemen as well. Those are just a few from my perspective. Add your contenders in the comments and we'll boil it all down to a really great list, of really bad TV.

(S01E10) It's down to the wire, the Sixwire, to be precise. Oh, and the Clark Brothers and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, too. Yesirree, Bob, it's the season finale of The Next Great American Band.

Tonight's show not only featured the three finalist bands; it also took us for a trip down memory lane, featured performances by the Jeff Bird, Northmont, Goo Goo Dolls and Sheila E., and boasted what I thought was a very enjoyable Christmas medley with the top seven bands from the show.

The winner? Oh, no. Not before the jump!

(S01E09) Doesn't it seem that The Next Great American Band just started a few weeks ago? I guess it was more like a few months ago, as we're into the season finale next week.

Did the voting get it right this week, leaving us talent in the remaining three bands who will vie for the title next week? Or did the teenyboppers and Vote For The Worst site rule the voting?

In case folks haven't seen the show, we'll talk about it after the jump.

(S01E08) Five bands sit in the green room of The Next Great American Band. Only four bands will play. One band, despite all of the arranging, rehearsing, worrying, and hoping, won't take the stage. That band will just leave the building, sort of like a lesser Elvis. In a few cases, a drastically way lesser Elvis.

Hmmm ... I wonder what Elvis would think of the Clark Brothers? I don't want to know what he'd think of the Light of Doom, though. Tonight the bands played a Queen song and then an original. Now, I would like to see Light of Doom try Bohemian Rhapsody, wouldn't you?

(S01E02) So there I was last night ... stuck in the crowds heading to see Bon Jovi in Newark and I said to myself, "No! I cannot succumb! I promised JJ Hawkins I'd sit in this week to review The Next Great American Band while he's on vacation!" No Bon Jovi live for me -- give me the Light of Doom! Unfortunately, a lot of the Bon Jovi fans heading to the concert looked like the Light of Doom boys albeit with shirts on. Odd.

This is going to be an interesting show to watch throughout the season. With such diversity and so many bands who excel in their own genre, I'll have to stick around to who wins in the end.

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily:

• Stephen Colbert took his run for the presidency a step further yesterday by announcing a possible running mate.
  
• Richard Branson is trying to get Natalie Imbruglia to do the dirty work on his new environmentally-friendly show.
  
• The Next Great American Band has all the badness and none of the goodness of American Idol.
  

The video's embedded below, or you can subscribe to this podcast via our feed. Plus, you can also download the file directly.

There's something to be said for being first out of the gate. Unfortunately for Fox and the folks over at Nashville, there are also things to be said for airing on the Fox Friday night, and for trying to copy a reasonably successful MTV show and move it to one of the big networks. And those latter two, those aren't good things.

Nashville kicked off the new season with its debut on Friday night, in case you didn't know, and our old friend the law of averages suggests that you didn't, because nobody watched. The premiere episode placed fifth in its time slot, failing to best Smackdown (CW) and repeats of America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC), Las Vegas (NBC), and Jericho (CBS). It also managed to drag the network into last place for the night as it dropped almost half of its 5th Grader lead-in.

Things seem to be coming together now for the new FOX reality series The Next Great American Band. Confirmation has been given to reports that New Zealand's own Dominic Bowden will be the host for the show. That's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, though. Since a host needs a panel of people to berate, date and dislike, three judges have been selected to choose the next great American band.

Playing the role of Randy Jackson will be the Goo Goo Dolls' John Rzeznik. The part of Paula Abdul will be portrayed by Prince protege Shelia E. Finally, the role of Simon Cowell will be taken by former record exec, press agent to the rock stars, and current Australian Idol judge Ian Dickson.

Get ready for snide comments, bickering, and huffy walks off the stage -- trademarks of its sister show American Idol. The Next Great American Band premieres October 19th on FOX.