It's no big secret. People love their movies and TV shows based on vampire book series -- romantic vampire book series, to be exact. Proof of that will be crowding your local multiplex this weekend thanks to the release of Twilight, the teen vampire flick based on Stephenie Meyer's inescapable best-seller. (I'll guess I'll wait another week to catch Role Models. Navigating through a sea of rabid teenage "Twilighters" isn't worth it. Sorry, Paul Rudd.)
Want more proof of the popularity of blood suckers? HBO execs are saying their freshman vampire series True Blood, also based on a series of novels, is developing an audience faster than The Sopranos, aka one of the most financially successful cable series in the history of TV. Michael Lombardo, HBO's chief of West Coast operations, says that The Sopranos' viewership numbers grew slowly. The big ratings jump didn't come until season two. But True Blood has fared better, with a 66 percent jump in Sunday night viewership since its premiere in September.
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?
Yesterday at Christie's in New York, Tony Soprano's costumes went up for auction. You not going to believe how much money a bloody wifebeater goes for these days. One fan of the show paid $43,750 for the outfit pictured to the right: a bloody tank, a stained button down shirt, and pants. The outfit was the one the Jersey mob boss wore when Uncle Junior mistakenly shot him.
Also up for bid was a four-piece set containing boxers, a robe, a sleeveless undershirt, and a pair of slippers (a costume Gandolfini donned many times on the show). It took home $21,250. Another robe (the tan one with an "S" monogram that Gandolfini wore in the pilot) went for $13.750. Overall, the iconic mafia boss's clothes brought in over $185,000.
(S04E15) Do you remember what you were doing on May 16, 2004? Think hard, it's important. Seriously, that information could determine exactly how you feel about tonight's episode.
On May 16, 2004, The Sopranos aired an episode called "The Test Dream." Tony, reeling from an impending separation and problems in Mafia-town, went a little funny in the head and spent most of the episode engaged in the longest, most weirdly symbolic dream sequence in the history of television (until, that is, the show broke its own record two years later). If you remember, fans of the show were pretty angry; my father, for instance, shot out his screen, Elvis-style.
Anyway, I'm going to guess that you either loved that episode or hated it. How you felt about it probably informs how you felt about tonight's House. My own feelings about it are simple...
Blogsmith, the software that we write TV Squad on, keeps a running tally of how many words we've written for the site. I can therefore tell you with precision that since I was hired in November of '06, I've written exactly 169,676 words of news, reviews, and opinion. While I'd like to think that most of those 169,676 words were entertaining, I have no illusions about whether or not they were helpful. My future brother-in-law is a surgeon; his job helps people. I write reviews of The Office.
That changes today. Last night, as I was drifting to sleep, I happened upon an idea that will not only make television better, it's something that we can all start doing right now. My idea, after the jump....
10:04: OK, that's it for me. I haven't even eaten yet. Don't forget to head on over to Moviefone for complete coverage of the awards (and if you missed the show, TNT is going to repeat it at 11).
See you next Friday night at Zac Efron's house.
10:01: Did Josh Brolin just make a snide reference to Julie Christie's "tiniest actor" comment when she accepted her award a few minutes ago, or was it just a joke I didn't get?
9:59: Looks like there's just movie-centric awards left. I forgot there isn't a Best TV Drama or Best TV Comedy category at the SAG Awards.
9:50: Matthew McConaghey and Kate Hudson: king and queen of the crappy romantic film.
9:46: This Farmer's Help Point ad is freaky, but I had a dream the other night that was even stranger. I won't go into details, but it involved a mutant cannibal family and a used record store. That's the last time I eat 8 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups right before bed.
9:36: Blair Underwood talking about the new technology that has come to film and television. The hidden message here is...pay the damn writers for stuff on the internet and cell phones!
9:29: These tributes to the people who died in the past year always make me nervous, because I'm afraid they'll forget someone. But this was well done, including TV character actors with the big name stars, and was even up to date as late as last week.
9:24: Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries is...a tie! Queen Latifah wins. Um, wait, I thought it was a tie? I'm confused.
9:20: Um...Mickey Rooney is aware that this isn't his tribute show, right?
9:18: Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries...Kevin Kline, As You Like It.
9:17: James Spader is slowly morphing into William Shatner.
EW.com put up the The Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations and we've got the nominees in the television categories for you. Not surprisingly, The Sopranos swan song continues to get awards show nods, with bids in all three categories it qualifies for. 30 Rock accomplished the same feat in the comedy categories. No other show was represented in all three drama or comedy categories.
Newcomers include Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Michael C. Hall (Dexter) in male dramatic actor. Holly Hunter (Saving Grace) was a new face in female dramatic actor, while Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?) and Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) represented comedic actresses. Only Mad Men was able to creep in as a new show in the ensemble drama category. The complete list is after the jump.
It's that festive time of year when children put tinsel on the television antennas and hang mistletoe over their favorite DVDs. Where celebrities check into rehab to spend the holidays with all their celebrity friends. And where the rest of America is invited to corporate non-specific, non-religious, non-alcoholic generic winter holiday luncheons where they can mingle with their co-workers and say things like "Remember when this company used to have real Christmas parties?"
But while political correctness may have ruined most holiday functions, nothing can ruin Festivus! That magical season in which TV Squadders hope and pray for televisions dreams come true. And I know just what I want...
According to an interview in the latest GQ magazine, Sopranos creator David Chase probably crushed the dreams of show fans as he told them not to expect a movie based on the series. Show devotees were left dangling with the end of the series' six and a half year run on HBO. There has been rampant speculation that a film adaption would be in the works.
Chase told the magazine, "There is no thought about making a movie now and chances are we will probably not do it. But, at the same time, I'm a writer, and this is how my mind works: I could wake up some morning or James Gandolfini (Sopranos star) could wake up some morning and say 'how about it?' If it was great enough, we might be tempted to do it, but I don't think that's going to happen."
The series creator went on to say that everyone has moved on, including himself. At least he didn't say "fuggedaboudit."
The Emmy Award nominations won't be announced until July 19, but some of the shows on the list might have been leaked online already.
TheEnvelope.com says that they have the list for the "intermediate" stage of Emmy voting, and that the ten shows in the running for Best Drama are Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Dexter, House, 24, Rome, The Sopranos, and Boston Legal. The ten shows in the running for Best Comedy are The Office, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives, My Name Is Earl, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, Two and a Half Men, Entourage, Extras, and Weeds. The final list will be cut down to five nominees in each category.
After all the discussion there's been over the finale of The Sopranos, it surprises me that nobody has commented on the superb parenting skills shown by Tony and Carmella over the past seven years. Why, in just the finale alone, there were a number of parenting tips that I was able to take to heart. If you're a parent, I think you might find them useful as well.
Don't let your children park their SUV in the forest. When I was a kid, nobody had SUV's. Also I grew up in the desert of Arizona, so piles of leaves were hard to find. I don't know if the dealer warns you about the fire-causing catalytic converter when you buy the car, but I'm glad I found this out before my kids started driving.
I know, I know, everyone and their mother's dog has commented on the final scene of the final episode of The Sopranos, made their little jokes, had their fun, and now we all want to move on.
Well, tough, because this video is really funny.
It comes from comedian/actors Phillip Wilburn and Artemis Pebdani, who play the couple in the booth next to Tony and his family in the final scene. Was Tony killed by one of his enemies, or did he unwittingly upset a couple who just wanted their damn onion rings?
I'm not going to talk about the video too much, because I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say I was impressed with how well they spliced together the new scenes with the shots from the actual TV show. That seamlessness makes it even more funny.
It's no big secret. People love their movies and TV shows based on vampire book series -- romantic vampire book series, to be exact. Proof of that will be crowding your local multiplex this weekend thanks to the release of Twilight, the teen vampire flick based on Stephenie Meyer's inescapable best-seller. (I'll guess I'll wait another week to catch Role Models. Navigating through a sea of rabid teenage "Twilighters" isn't worth it. Sorry, Paul Rudd.)
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 
Yesterday at Christie's in New York, 
(S04E15) Do you remember what you were doing on May 16, 2004? Think hard, it's important. Seriously, that information could determine 
Blogsmith, the software that we write TV Squad on, keeps a running tally of how many words we've written for the site. I can therefore tell you with precision that since I was hired in November of '06, I've written exactly 169,676 words of news, reviews, and opinion. While I'd like to think that most of those 169,676 words were entertaining, I have no illusions about whether or not they were helpful. My future brother-in-law is a surgeon; his job helps people. I write reviews of 
10:04: OK, that's it for me. I haven't even eaten yet. Don't forget to head on over to 
EW.com put up
It's that festive time of year when children put tinsel on the television antennas and hang mistletoe over their favorite DVDs. Where celebrities check into rehab to spend the holidays with all their celebrity friends. And where the rest of America is invited to corporate non-specific, non-religious, non-alcoholic generic winter holiday luncheons where they can mingle with their co-workers and say things like "Remember when this company used to have real Christmas parties?"
According to an interview in the latest GQ magazine, Sopranos creator David Chase probably 
The Emmy Award nominations won't be announced until July 19, but some of the shows on the list might have been leaked online already.
After all the discussion there's been over the finale of The Sopranos, it surprises me that nobody has commented on the superb parenting skills shown by Tony and Carmella over the past seven years. Why, in just the finale alone, there were a number of parenting tips that I was able to take to heart. If you're a parent, I think you might find them useful as well.
I know, I know, everyone and their mother's dog has commented on the final scene of the final episode of The Sopranos, made their little jokes, had their fun, and now we all want to move on.
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
TV Squad previews NBC's new shows (part 1)
TV 101: How ESPN controls the world and what the other networks can learn from it
