Top 10-related stories
Posted Nov 24th 2009 2:02PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Sports, OpEd, Celebrities, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten
It seems like ESPN has been around forever, doesn't it? Can you even remember a time when there hasn't been an ESPN to turn to for a score or breaking news or updates? I can't. But along with the news ESPN provides, the ESPN brand has expanded to include a bunch of networks, a magazine, restaurants and lots of tchotchkes. But let's just look at the TV shows, shall we? One note:
SportsCenter is not included because it's more of a daily news show as opposed to the programs that are more talk and game-oriented. Here's the top ten ESPN created shows, from the worst to the first.
10. Sports Nation
This is a relatively new daily show on ESPN with radio talker Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle co-hosting. It's supposedly an interactive program with surveys that include the fans, but all the bells and whistles can't change the fact that Cowherd is an obnoxious know-it-all that dominates the conversation – when they have one. It's new and shiny, but it's a mess.
Continue reading TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Posted Sep 24th 2009 12:36PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Reality-Free
A U.S. tracking group, the Global Language Monitor, has
compiled their sixth annual list of Top 10 Telewords (that is, the words or phrases that were the most influential on television). Topping the list off was "ObamaVision". Despite Obama's
recent appearance on the show, I don't think David Letterman's writing staff had anything to do with this one.
The next three words were "Financial Meltdown", "Michael Jackson" and "Susan Boyle". I wonder if that means that the three words are interrelated. Could Susan Boyle have been responsible for MJ's death and the Financial Meltdown? Um ... probably not. Okay, let's move on.
Continue reading Top most influential word? ObamaVision
Posted Sep 17th 2009 1:00AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Watercooler Talk, Episode Reviews, America's Got Talent
(S04E26) This is it, people. The time has come to name the winner of
America's Got Talent, the world's biggest talent search. The two-hour (!) final results bash included performances from
Britain's Got Talent sensation Susan Boyle,
The X Factor's Leona Lewis, Thelma Houston, Cirque du Soleil, Rascal Flatts, and Shakira. Sadly, none of the previous
AGT winners performed.
Based on the
TV Squad poll I've included in
my review of the Top 10 performance show, 35.1% of the voters, including myself, said Barbara Padilla would win. Kevin Skinner received 22.2% of your votes, while Recycled Percussion placed third in our poll with 19.4%. The other contestants all got under 7% of your votes. (Note that these results were accurate at the beginning of the results show.)
Did the TV Squad poll results match reality? Official results coming up!
If you haven't watched the finale yet and do not want to be spoiled as to who won the competition, it's time to click elsewhere now!Continue reading America's Got Talent: And the winner is... (season finale)
Posted Sep 15th 2009 12:10AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, TV Squad Polls, Episode Reviews, America's Got Talent
(S04E25) The biggest talent search in the world started its competition
three months ago. After a summer of questionable judges decisions, talent performances and Hoff-isms, it's time to crown the winner of the show's fourth season.
But before the
America's Got Talent winner can be announced in the live season finale to air on Wednesday,
featuring a guest appearance by Susan Boyle, the Top 10 acts needed to perform one last time for America's votes. My comments and predictions coming up!
Continue reading America's Got Talent: Final performances
Posted Sep 9th 2009 12:30AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, America's Got Talent
(S04E23) There were mixed feelings amongst viewers
last week when the
America's Got Talent judges announced that they couldn't decide who, between Voices of Glory and Fab 5, should get the fourth place in what was supposed to be a final round of the top eight acts of the summer.
It wasn't much of a surprise when Nick announced at the beginning of this week's performance show that there would be no judges' pick. It wouldn't make sense to have a Top 9, eh? I'm happy that more acts -- aka the same number as last year -- will get to perform in the finals. But what I'm happier for is that America will pick the final five acts to enter the next round. No judges' pick. The results will be solely based on the number of votes.
How did the ten remaining acts perform this week? Which acts should move on? My two cents, Piers' many Xs, and your comments coming up!
Continue reading America's Got Talent: Top 20 performance show two
Posted Sep 3rd 2009 12:30AM by Isabelle Carreau
Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, America's Got Talent
(S04E22) It's time to narrow down the talent field to the Top 8 acts who will perform in the final round of this season's
America's Got Talent. They'll get the chance to win a million, as well as perform on the Vegas Strip in
a special show hosted by ex-AGT host Jerry Springer.
This week's results show featured a special performance from The Hoff himself. Did he give a performance worthy to be Xed, or did he deliver the goods? My two cents, as well as which first four acts are moving to the final round coming up!
Continue reading America's Got Talent: Top 20 results show one
Posted Mar 29th 2009 3:00PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: American Idol, Watercooler Talk, Contestants
Were you as shocked as I was that when the results of the
American Idol Top 10
Motown performances were announced that the blonde with the tattoo on her arm was safe?
Her enthusiastic, but lamentable, version of Stevie Wonder's "For Once in My Life" was a "train wreck" according to Randy Jackson (and he's rarely that critical), while Simon Cowell labeled her singing "atrocious." So, yes, I was stunned when she wasn't in the bottom three. By the way, I'm not being insulting by not calling her by her name, I'm just not sure what it is.
Continue reading American Idol's Megan and the name game
Posted Mar 19th 2009 2:30PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, American Idol, Contestants
If you tuned in last night -- and before the overnight ratings are even announced, I'm thinking that a lot of you did (taping
Lost, like I did) -- you know now that we are down to the
American Idol Top 10. These are the ten who will be touring the country doing
American Idol concerts later this year and one of these contestants will be the next big
AI winner. The next Kelly or Carrie or Clay (oh, wait, he didn't win).
So, who has the best chance and what does he or she have to do to get to the winner's circle? I've a prescription for each one of them -- free, unsolicited advice based on how the judges' view them and, more importantly, how the American public might be rating them.
Continue reading Advice to the American Idol Top 10
Posted Jan 18th 2008 6:02PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Pickups and Renewals
In a departure from past CBS specials, which spotlighted the Top 100 movies either of all time or in some specific category,
the AFI has decided that this summer's special would be ten different Top 10 lists. We've already seen
100 Years ... 100 Movies,
100 Stars,
Laughs,
Thrills,
Passions,
Heroes & Villains,
Songs,
Movie Quotes,
Cheers and
100 Years ... 100 Movies--10th Anniversary Edition. I guess it gets harder and harder to find 100 worthy entries in specific categories, so this is the compromise.
Yesterday, AFI sent out the ballots with 50 selections in the 10 categories to a pool of 1,500 industry leaders. These categories are animation, courtroom dramas, epic films, fantasy, gangster, mystery, romantic comedy, science fiction, sports and western. I think they made the right call, because if some of those specials had struggled a bit in the ratings already, that's nothing to what
100 Sports Movies or
100 Gangster Movies would do.
Continue reading 10 X 10 = the next AFI 100 Special
Gone Too Soon: Invasion
Scrubs season nine -- An early look
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
