The ongoing revival of the multicamera comedy format continues. Josh Schwartz is best known as the creator of The O.C.and one of the masterminds behind The CW's Gossip Girl; a show so powerful that it reshaped an entire network around it. He's also an executive producer and writer over at Chuck. Now Schwartz is teaming with Matt Miller, a fellow producer on Chuck, to get into the comedy business.
Schwartz and Miller are writing a multicamera comedy script for CBS. The premise doesn't break any new ground; it's about a newlywed couple in their 20s, picking up the story right after their honeymoon. But it's the pedigree behind it that gives it promise. Both Gossip Girl and Chuck have strong comedic elements.
If it comes off right, you can bet CBS will be interested. They've had tremendous success with multicamera comedies the past few years, almost single-handedly reviving the format with huge hits like How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory. It's the writing, not the format. And writing is something at which Schwartz has proven himself quite adept.
(S01E01) In the first five minutes of this show, viewers are treated to a visual definition of the phrase "fish out of water."
I generally don't like any comedy that starts out with the the main character losing everything and starting her life all over again. In a drama, it kind of works that the hero has to go from town to town searching for something she lost. In a comedy, it just means that we'll be spending the next half hour watching the hero say things like, "What did I get myself into?"
I've long since given up hope for those flying cars we were all supposed to be piloting in the new millennium. Now, I'll settle for that other years ago future dream, all of TV at your fingertips whenever you want it. We're still a ways away from that one, but the new WB is another step in that direction.
The site is still in beta, so the amount of content leaves a little to be desired, but most of it seems to be working, and it gives a good idea of what will be waiting for everybody when the site goes live. They finally came through with my beta invite, and I've been poking around. Hit the gallery for the bigger screen shots of the various areas and interface, and join me after a jump for a quick tour in text. A word of warning, the embedded video after the jump will autostart. Beta.
How good are you at spotting someone's true age? There's been a few times I've caught myself wondering how old that actor really is on TV, when they're playing someone my age and look ten years older. Do I really look that good? Then again, I've seen the opposite and thought, "damn, I am an old decrepit fart." In any case, I'll pull up IMDb and usually find myself in shock of how young/old the actor on-screen really is.
The whole actor-to-character age ratio thing got me curious, so I did a little research (with the help of some of the TV Squad team) and made a list of some of the more extreme and well-known (or, maybe to some, not-so-well-known) examples. By the way, we didn't include actors who played flashback scenes of their characters for short periods of time, as there are more of those than we have room for.
Just head on over to the post linked above, read through the rules and make the applicable comment there (not here!) We'll notify the winners next week.
Just head on over to the post linked above, read through the rules and make the applicable comment there (not here!) We'll notify the winners next week.
As if we didn't already have some incredible things to giveaway here already, here's one that just passed over the TV Squad desk just the other night, and it couldn't possibly wait until next week. We've got two copies of The OC - The Complete Series on DVD, which is already available in stores today. All you've got to do is submit a comment below before 5PM Eastern, December 6, and mention why you'd like to own the series. We'll randomly choose two winners to receive the DVDs!
Some other details:
To enter, leave a confirmed comment below stating why you'd like to own the The OC complete series on DVD.
The comment must be left before Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
You may enter only once.
Two winners will be selected in a random drawing.
Two winners will receive a copy of The OC - The Complete Series DVDs (valued at $179.92).
For the most part, television is filled with wacky whimsical characters designed to help us forget about the darkness that invades our daily lives. However once in awhile a character comes along who dares to make us face our own evil within. What follows are my personal favorites.
Dexter Morgan (Dexter) Just because Dexter only preys on bad people doesn't excuse the fact that he has a compulsion to kill people in very sadistic ways. Dexter may be the perfect psycho because he is completely self-aware. He knows full well that what he is doing is unacceptable but also firmly believes that he can do nothing to change who he is.
CBS is on a good run, being the most watched network for the last five years, but they have taken a bit of heat for the formulaic way they have gone about doing it. Not arguing with success, the whole family of CSIs, and their crime based cousins, will be back, but the network is trying to branch out with some edgier programming. Most notably, Swingtown, Viva Laughlin, and Moonlight.
Returning:The Amazing Race, Cold Case, 60 Minutes, How I Met Your Mother, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, CSI: Miami, NCIS, The Unit, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, Survivor, CSI, Shark, Without A Trace, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, 48 Hours Mystery.
New: Viva Laughlin, Swingtown, Moonlight, Cane, Big Bang Theory, Power of 10, Kid Nation
Out:King of Queens, Jericho, The Class, Close To Home
Moving:Without A Trace moves back to Thursday at 10. Shark heads to Sunday at 10.
(S04E16) Does this count as the end of an era? I'm not sure. When The OC first began, it sure felt like the beginning of an era. Now that it's over, I'm not exactly sure what it's the end of. Other than something that I'm really, really going to miss.
I have to be honest. The first twenty or so minutes of this episode fell pretty flat for me. I really wasn't enjoying the six-month jump, only to find out that everything we thought we knew was no more. Julie was engaged to Bullit, Taylor was back in France, and Seth and Summer had become "comfortable." Nothing was right, and despite the fact that we all knew how this was going to end, I was a little put off by the way it started. But it picked up steam and by the episode's end, I was completely satisfied with the way it all turned out.
Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier (Mon., 9PM ET, History) Space ... it's still the final frontier. Watching this special celebrating 40 years of Star Trek, I'm struck by how forward-looking the show was. Sure, the uniforms were totally '60s and the plots were super cheesy, but the concepts were light years ahead of their time. Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, narrates, with stars William Shatner, Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew sharing insights into their various incarnations of Trek. Plus, see footage from last October's auction of Trek memorabilia.
American Idol (Tue., 8PM ET, Fox) Is it just me or are this year's top 24 contestants almost completely unmemorable? Looking over their photos, I strained to recall each one. Actually, one did stand out -- the beatboxing guy, Blake. But can he sing? I think the judges were right in saying this season is more up for grabs than any since season one. This week, experience six hours of Idol overload, with the top 12 boys performing tonight, the girls taking their turn tomorrow and a two-hour results show Thursday. Phew!
(S04E15) It's starting to feel very final isn't it? I'm really impressed with the way the series is wrapping itself up. Some of the cheese factor still exists (Seth getting help from the homeless folks again), but for the most part the characters and their paths are falling into place.
I think this may have been the first episode of The OC that took place entirely at night. As a result, the whole episode was lit in shades of dark and light blues. It reminded me a lot of a season one episode of CSI: NY.
Overall though, what the episode really emphasized for me is how far Ryan has come. This is probably the biggest tragedy that could have possibly occurred in Newport Beach and despite that, the group remained intact with Ryan right in the middle of it. Not bad for someone who came into their lives as an outsider.
(S04E14) It's the end of the world as we know it. Well... not really, but it might be the end of Newport Beach. I have to say, I kind of like the idea that the finale Josh Schwartz "always planned to do" for The OC involves an earthquake. It's the ultimate closure for a show that takes place in California and depending on how bad you want to make it (it looked pretty bad), it can immediately force everyone into a situation where they're forced to start over.
Closure is key though. With only two episodes to go now, a lot of the broad ideas that have been lingering since the beginning of the season were brought back into play. Seth's indecisiveness, Ryan's emotional awkwardness, and Sandy's dislike for Newport all manifested themselves in some pretty creative ways. It was a satisfying episode.
(S04E13) One down and four to go. It's starting to feel like the end too, isn't it? Everyone seems to be finding their place. Sort of.
First off... Frank. I don't think I like him as much as I did the first time around. The whole idea of Ryan's father suddenly being in the picture feels a little forced. It was really the one unresolved thing left in his life and for that reason I suppose it makes sense that he's here now. It's just awkward and I can't quite put my finger on why. Maybe because he's been around for about 8 seconds and he's in love with Julie? Or because it's Kevin Sorbo?
I suppose it doesn't matter because the one thing you have to remember is what the show is about.
The ongoing revival of the multicamera comedy format continues. Josh Schwartz is best known as the creator of The O.C. and one of the masterminds behind The CW's Gossip Girl; a show so powerful that it reshaped an entire network around it. He's also an executive producer and writer over at Chuck. Now Schwartz is teaming with Matt Miller, a fellow producer on Chuck, to get into the comedy business.
(S01E01) In the first five minutes of this show, viewers are treated to a visual definition of the phrase "fish out of water."
How good are you at spotting someone's true age? There's been a few times I've caught myself wondering how old that actor really is on TV, when they're playing someone my age and look ten years older. Do I really look that good? Then again, I've seen the opposite and thought, "damn, I am an old decrepit fart." In any case, I'll pull up IMDb and usually find myself in shock of how young/old the actor on-screen really is.
If you haven't entered our latest giveaways yet, here's a reminder that some are ending today. You've got until 5PM Eastern today to enter the 
If you haven't entered our latest giveaways yet, here's a reminder that some are ending today. You've got until 5PM Eastern today to enter the 
For the most part, television is filled with wacky whimsical characters designed to help us forget about the darkness that invades our daily lives. However once in awhile a character comes along who dares to make us face our own evil within. What follows are my personal favorites.
CBS is on a good run, being the most watched network for the last five years, but they have taken a bit of heat for the formulaic way they have gone about doing it. Not arguing with success, the whole family of CSIs, and their crime based cousins, will be back, but the network is trying to branch out with some edgier programming. Most notably, Swingtown, Viva Laughlin, and Moonlight.
Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier
(S04E15) It's starting to feel very final isn't it? I'm really impressed with the way the series is wrapping itself up. Some of the cheese factor still exists (Seth getting help from the homeless folks again), but for the most part the characters and their paths are falling into place.
(S04E14) It's the end of the world as we know it. Well... not really, but it might be the end of Newport Beach. I have to say, I kind of like the idea that the finale Josh Schwartz "
(S04E13) One down and four to go. It's starting to feel like the end too, isn't it? Everyone seems to be finding their place. Sort of.
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
