gm-related stories
Pontiac used to build excitement
You've probably heard the news that GM is ending the Pontiac line of automobiles. Here's a commercial from their glory days, the 1980s. And I mean the commercial screams 1980s. The song, the editing, the way it was filmed, the clothing. The only thing missing is a cameo by Don Johnson having a shootout with a drug dealer. So long, Pontiac. You served Jim Rockford and Michael Knight well.
General Motors drops Ken Burns
General Motors has made a lot of dumb decisions in their day, and three-quarters of them are still being sold to gullible car-buyers across the globe.
However, one of their biggest, boneheaded moves doesn't involve a car at all. The soon-to-be-former car manufacturing giant has announced that it's ending its 22-year run as primary sponsor for PBS filmmaker Ken Burns, and it just might end Burns' career in television as we know it.
Continue reading General Motors drops Ken Burns
My Own Worst Enemy: Breakdown (series premiere)
(S01E01) Watching My Own Worst Enemy is like deja vu. You feel like you've seen something like this before. Was it The Bourne Identity, Casino Royale, Minority Report, Mr. and Mrs. Smith? Or maybe it was something on TV, like that failed Ray Liotta series Smith or Jennifer Garner's Alias or The Bionic Woman or The Six Million Dollar Man or something else... See, that's the problem with My Own Worst Enemy. It's familiar but not in a cool way. Rather it's derivative and not very compelling. NBC is already doing a double life, super secret spy thing much better in the ratings-challenged Chuck.
The obvious appeal of My Own Worst Enemy is two-fold: lots of action including cool gadgets, cars (thank you, GM), guns, blood and the mystery, combined with the charm and complexity of Christian Slater. Slater's a fun actor, a sort of Jack Nicholson only younger. I remember when he first started on Ryan's Hope! He's got something.
Continue reading My Own Worst Enemy: Breakdown (series premiere)
GM will edit robot suicide commercial
GM has agreed to edit a commercial that premiered during the Super Bowl which shows a despondent assembly-line robot contemplating suicide. Earlier this week, GM had said it would not remove the ad, despite complaints from a national suicide prevention group.The commercial features a robot that drops a screw. Because of GM's high quality controls, it's forced to leave the plant, take up several other part time jobs, and finally it jumps off a bridge, only to wake up in the plant and reveal that the whole thing was a dream sequence.
Continue reading GM will edit robot suicide commercial
Honda: "CR-V"
As far as car ads go, I think this one fell well short of GM's "Robot Nightmare." Of course, that one wasn't selling a particular model, but the end game is still the same, sell cars. It's not that it's a bad commercial. It does showcase the car, and the bit with flying through the car to show how silent it is was a nice touch.
At the end of the day though, this is the Superbowl. Considering the cost for the ad, it needs to be something special. That commercial looks good during a rerun of Charmed on TNT. Here, on the big stage, it only stands out as being decidedly below par.
GM: "Robot Nightmare"
This was a very cute ad. You don't normally have a lot of feeling for an automated production robot, so give credit to the folks that made this ad. In about 20 seconds they were able to make me root for the cute little guy. The quick little cuts of the various jobs the robot had after being decommissioned from the factory were great.
The condo sales sign and speaker at the fast food restaurant were especially good. He just looked so sad when his little robotic arm drooped. Nice payoff at the end with the chorus coming in, "All by myself....," and the little guy waking up at the factory. Well done.
GM drops sponsorship of Survivor
General Motors swears it's just a case of bad timing. The automaker has severed its ties with CBS' Survivor, and the announcement comes on the heels of the controversial news that Survivor teams will be divided by race for the first half of this season. GM says the decision to split with Survivor was made long ago because the people who participate on the show and watch the show don't drive GM vehicles. GM sponsored Survivor for six seasons.
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Have any questions for Vik Sahay of Chuck? Ask them here!
