Television-related stories
Posted Sep 9th 2009 10:00AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Celebrities, Obituaries, Reality-Free
A little bit of Hollywood died yesterday.
Army Archerd wrote for
Variety since 1953, when he replaced columnist Sheilah Graham. That's not a typo. That's 1953, as in 56 years ago. That means he talked to everyone, saw everything, and wrote about just about everything that happened in Hollywood for more than five decades.
Continue reading Army Archerd dead at 87
Posted Aug 11th 2009 11:02AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Awards, Reality-Free
How many people remember
Dragnet? Or maybe I should say how many people remember actually watching
Dragnet, the "just the facts" police show starring the iconic Jack Webb? The reason I ask is because the
U.S. Postal Service is immortalizing Dragnet with a postage stamp tomorrow.
In light of the fact that letter writing and postal service are dramatically in decline, my guess is that there will be an older crowd nodding appreciatively when
Dragnet is honored. You see, the younger generation (did I really say that?) doesn't have much use for stamps and won't be buying the
Dragnet first class stamp.
Continue reading Dragnet rates a U.S. postal stamp
Posted Jul 21st 2009 10:03AM by John Scott Lewinski
Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Reality-Free, Star Trek: Original Series, Comic-Con
CBS/Paramount is inviting attendees of San Diego's Comic-Con to get into some trouble with Tribbles -- and to take photos of the fur flying for all the world to see.
Announced by David Gerrold, Tribble inventor (not a title you hear every day) and writer of the fan-favorite "The Trouble with Tribbles," the
Star Trek Comic-Con booth is offering a limited number of Tribbles for fans to steal away with into the San Diego night.
Fans are then asked to take creative photographs with their Tribbles and to post them at
CBS-BDLive.com.
Continue reading Troublesome Tribbles set to invade Comic-Con
Posted Jul 13th 2009 6:27PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Web, Reality-Free
I'm always cynical about these studies that show what teens aren't into, but
this study was actually done by a 15 year-old, so maybe it's a lot closer to the truth.
He's a intern at Morgan Stanley, and he says that teens today aren't really into TV (beyond watching their favorite shows for a season), they'd rather download music than listen to the radio, and they don't read newspapers at all because it's "wicked stupid." OK, they didn't say that, but they find newspapers too long. They also don't like Twitter. They'd rather update their Facebook page (makes sense - Facebook is more passive, like a web site; you have to really be involved with Twitter).
So this poll is
only for the teens out there reading this.
Posted Mar 18th 2009 10:06AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: 30 Rock, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free
The success of
Slumdog Millionaire and
Frost/Nixon recently inspired me to assess
the ten best movies about television. TV has been a fertile source of entertainment for filmmakers. The TV turf is also a popular setting for TV shows, and there have been some all-time great shows about the tube. Here are nine that I think warrant special recognition -- in no special order.
1. The Mary Tyler Moore ShowIt all started at WJM-TV in Minneapolis.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show was the perfect sitcom blend of home and work, and work happened to be the local TV news team. As Mary Richards, the associate producer, Mary Tyler Moore was the single girl America loved because she was real, funny, gorgeous and lovable. At work, the news was mangled nightly by Ted Baxter, the quintessential news reader anchorman who loved every dulcet tone of his voice and had no idea what he was reporting. In perfect irony, when the show came to an end, most everyone at WJM -- Lou Grant, Murray Slaughter, Sue Anne Nivens, Mary -- were fired. Only Ted was spared!
Continue reading Nine memorable TV shows about TV - VIDEO
Posted Jan 19th 2009 10:02AM by Richard Keller
Filed under: Sports, News, OpEd, Reality-Free
Now, before you raise your pitchforks in a move to skewer me as a "liberal journalist," I just want to clarify what this item will be about. This is not an article about the job President Bush has done over the last eight years. You all have your differing opinions (which should be vented on politically-based sites) about how good or bad he did when it comes to policy. What I am going to talk about here is more of an image issue than a job performance one. We good? Good!
I'm going to ask a simple question: Was George W. Bush a good television President? Let's face it, the way that any famous person, whether they be Hollywood star or politician, is prepped for the TV cameras can make or break that person. Take the example of the Kennedy-Nixon televised debate in 1960. While many people have said that Nixon 'won' the debate on his statements, they also say that the way he looked in front of the cameras made voters uneasy about him and, eventually, cost him the election.
Continue reading Was President Bush a good television President? -- VIDEO
Posted Jan 8th 2009 7:06PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Cable/Satellite, Reality-Free
You've seen the countless ads with the dire warnings: switch to digital TV by February 17 or you won't be able to watch any of your favorite shows and you'll have to read a book or play with your kids. And I bet your local news stations have been running various tests and a crawl at the bottom of the screen to remind you about the transition. Now it looks like it might not happen when it's supposed to..
The Obama transition team is
asking Congress to extend the deadline because the way the transition has been handled hasn't been the smoothest: there's been a problem with the
coupons that the government is giving out so people can get a converter box, the education on the new technology has been inadequate, and the government doesn't have the funds to make the current date a reality. Consumers unions are also asking for the date to be extended.
My sister asked me if I was ready for the digital transition, and I told her that I've been ready for years. Then I met someone last week who says she still has a small portable TV with rabbit ears. Are you ready for the change?
Continue reading Obama wants to delay that whole digital TV thing
Posted Dec 10th 2008 11:03AM by Jay Black
Filed under: Ratings, TV 101, Reality-Free
Hey TV executives, it's me your good pal Jay Black. Maybe you remember me from my one man "Bring Back ALF" letter-writing campaign? If not, that's okay. I'm just happy that we're talking like this and not through Yvonne Strahovski's lawyers like last time.
As you can probably tell, I spend a lot of time thinking about you guys and your tough job of coming up with so many creative shows. I don't envy your having to sort through pile after pile of successful European reality shows trying to find one uncomplicated enough for American audiences. I don't know how you do it!
I'll be honest with you, I'm worried about the future of your industry. I know you're worried too. You think that if you don't act fast to counter all those people pirating your content that you'll wind up like your good buddies over in the music industry. I don't want that to happen to you, so that's why I'm writing this letter: TV, you can save yourself if you don't fight piracy, but rather
embrace it.
Continue reading TV 101: An open letter to TV executives about why you should stop worrying and learn to love PIRACY
Posted Aug 21st 2008 3:04PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Industry, Celebrities
I've heard and read it a million times in interviews. Johnny X of the show YZ says he just doesn't have time to watch much TV. Maybe the news here or there. And I'm sorry, but I was always pretty suspicious of that. Even moreso when they say they've never watched much TV. Then why did they want to get into TV in the first place? Frazier Moore of the AP talked about
the phenomenon of TV actors shunning TV and speculated it may have to do with the old stigma that TV acting is somehow akin to writing pulp romance novels. After all, "real" writers moonlight in that arena, albeit with pen names.
I wonder, though, if it isn't more that they're trying to put on an appearance of someone who is above the "pedestrian" fare of television, elevating themselves to the so-called loftier perches of the stage and big screen actors. After all, don't many television actors aspire to move onto the more prestigious film world. Is television still something to be ashamed of?
Continue reading TV stars say they don't watch TV ... are they lying?
Posted Jun 17th 2008 3:03PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: PVR Wire, Hardware, Reality-Free
It's one of the eternal questions in life: what do you call your remote?
Tim Dowling over at The Guardian has a story about all of the different names that TV viewers have for that little device that saves us from having to walk across the room and has probably contributed to the onslaught of ADD we have. All of the names we've all heard are on the list, such as "clicker" (my mom used to call it that), "flipper" (which was popular with Frank on Everybody Loves Raymond), "wand," and "changer." Of course, The Guardian is a British paper so you're going to get some words that Americans really aren't familiar with, such as "tellychanger," "podger," and "hoofer-doofer." Most people I know just call it "the remote." We should come up with a different name for it. "Binky" is good, but that's already taken for pacifiers. How about "the glooptron?"
I call mine "Jessica."
[via TV Tattle]
Posted May 23rd 2008 1:41PM by Jen Creer
Filed under: OpEd, Awards, Reality-Free, TV Squad Awards
Last summer, I was reviewing an-hour long commercial for Visa for TV Squad. It was slightly more interesting than an infomercial, though. There was this guy named Johnny Smith who could see the future or the past when he touched people, and he always made sure to use his Visa card in sticky situations that would arise from this ability. Oh wait... What's that you say? That wasn't a commercial? That was an actual show? Then why did Johnny Smith make such a big deal of showing off his Visa card REPEATEDLY?
Oh, product placement. We love you so. It's not enough that we all got Tivos so we didn't have to watch the commercials that interrupt our favorite shows. Oh no. The sneaky advertisers don't need us to watch the commercials at all anymore. They just stick their products into the shows and let the actors use them.
TV Squad. Simple. Inescapable, unless you plan to give up television entirely (and I don't.).
Of course, some products are necessary. Most people eat or drink something during the day, and it would be weird in today's world if television characters didn't have cell phones.
TV Squad. But it's a little distracting when you are in the middle of watching a riveting episode of
Moonlight, and you are distracted because Hey! There's a picture of Mick on Beth's iPhone! I wish
I had an iPhone. Mick has an iPhone too! I wonder who programmed their pictures into the phones -- was it the actors, or some props person? Do you think the actors get to keep those iPhones? Oh wait, somebody just got killed.
So, in honor (not!) of the blatant use of product placement in our favorite shows (those darn Oceanic 815 survivors and their Dharma mayonnaise!), we bring to you The Brought to You by TV Squad Award. What are your nominees for the show who should receive this award, and what product are they pimping? Please nominate your favorites in the comments.
Posted Feb 15th 2008 9:23AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, TV on DVD, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Web, Heroes, Software, TiVo
We all know that how people watch TV has been changing dramatically in the last few years, but now comes this news from
TorrentFreak.com: 50% of all people using BitTorrent at any given point in time are downloading a TV series. More than anything else, it's TV content they want.
What this means is that TV fans aren't just watching TV shows live or using DVRs and TiVos alone. They're just as apt to download a show to view on a laptop, desktop or iPod. According to the article, "over a billion TV shows are downloaded every year and this number continues to rise."
Continue reading Half of all BitTorrent downloads are TV shows
Posted Nov 7th 2007 1:26PM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: Industry, Programming, OpEd, TV Squad Lists, WGA Strike
I know I have a problem. I don't need anyone to tell me that I was a child of television and it's been in my life all my life. Yes, I read. Yes, I listen to music. And, obviously I write.
But most of my writing these days is about television!
I recall the last writers strike. It was during that time that I wrote a really horrible horror novel to occupy my time outside of my day job. I'm not doing that again this time. I refuse to spend weeks writing dreck just because the television and film writers are on strike.
Continue reading Ten ways I plan to cope with the WGA writers strike
Posted Aug 20th 2007 12:20PM by Adam Finley
Filed under: Celebrities, Emmys
FOX announced today that Ryan Seacrest will be hosting the 59th Emmy Awards on FOX September 16 at 8:00 p.m. This news comes in the wake of the announcement that Seacrest will also be hosting the Super Bowl.
I have no idea if this is a good idea or not, as I don't watch American Idol, E! News, Captain Seacrest's Pirate Ship Hootenanny, or whatever the hell other series he's featured on. Still, isn't the typical rule for awards shows to have some kind of comedian hosting them?
Continue reading Ryan Seacrest to host Emmys
Posted Jul 3rd 2007 2:02PM by Adam Finley
Filed under: Celebrities, Awards
As a teenager, your opinion is irrelevant to most of society, but the Teen Choice Awards is your chance to let your voice be heard, and to nominate Paris Hilton for some reason.
Hilton is just one of the folks who have been nominated for Teen Choice 2007, which airs live starting at 8:00 p.m. on August 26 on FOX. She's been nominated in the "Choice TV: Female Reality/Variety Star" category for her "role" on The Simple Life. She's also nominated for the "OMG! Moment" for her jail sentence. Yes, you can win an award for that now, so star commiting some felonies right now, kids.
Continue reading Teen Choice nominees announced
Next Page >
The TV Squad Podcast: Linda Purl talks about The Office, we talk spoilers, and more
Ask TV Squad: Ghost Whisperer and more!
The TV Squad Podcast: Bill Scheft of The Late Show, Cake Boss, Mad Men and more
