Another year, another Thanksgiving, and another Fall TV season with plenty of reasons to be thankful. Here's what's winning me over this holiday season...
FX's Sons of Anarchy -- Talk about a complete 180°. This show went from near the bottom of my list last season to one of the most superb dramas on TV right now. Midway through last year's up and down freshman season, I argued that that show had more to offer at a second glance, but for the most part, Kurt Sutter and his team were still finding their footing. Well, they found their footing and then some this year. Season two has been expertly plotted and executed this season and this past week's penultimate episode put the pieces in motion for a season finale that no TV fan should plan on missing.
I'm am an unabashed fan of the Muppets and it doesn't matter than I'm 29. It might matter to mature single ladies and gym meatheads who can beat me to a bloody pulp with their eyelids, but that's beside the point.
I don't care. They were funny when I was a growing toddler still learning how to say my ABCs and they are still funny now that I'm an adult who cannot say my ABCs backwards convincingly enough to prove my sobriety. So just imagine my joy when this video surfaced of the fuzzy funnies doing their rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".
Adam Lambert has been on a lot of shows with "America" in the title, including American Idoland The American Music Awards. He won't be appearing on another show with that word in it though.
ABC has confirmed that Lambert's appearance on Good Morning America on Wednesday has been canceled. And yes, we can all assume that it's because of Lambert's ridiculous performance on the AMAs over the weekend, where he made out with a guy, dragged another guy along on a leash, and also simulated oral sex with a dancer who was down on this knees. You know, because Lambert wanted to be so EDGY. (Update: Lambert will appear on CBS' The Early Show instead, and Dick Clark Productions has released a statement about the performance.)
If you don't already know her story, get ready to hear all about it. On December 13, the TV Guide Network will present a Susan Boyle special. An hour all about the unlikely Scottish singing sensation. I Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story is a one-hour documentary/interview/performance special chronicling the rise of the Britain's Got Talent performer who became a You Tube phenom and has just released her first CD.
American Idol's Simon Cowell is the mastermind behind this production, which will also be broadcast in England on the ITV1. It'll have celebrity interviews including Simon himself, footage of Susan's hometown, her TV appearances till now, and -- naturally -- Susan singing songs from I Dreamed A Dream, the new CD.
A long time ago (well, 31 years ago) in a galaxy far, far away (Television City isn't technically a different galaxy, unless you consider TV producers to be people who don't spend much time on planet Earth), an evil was unleashed upon the human race.
Today marks the 31st anniversary of the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, a Christmas not-so-spectacular roasted by critics including some here at TV Squad years after it hit the air and even some of the franchise's most ardent fans.
That also includes George Lucas who once remarked at an Australian convention that he wished he could buy up all of the world's remaining copies of the show and smash them into oblivion with a sledgehammer. I wonder if 31 years from now, he'll be saying the same thing about Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace?
So Simon Cowell and Sting are going at each other. Sting said some not-so-nice things about The X Factor , including "it's a preposterous show, and you have judges who have no recognizable talent apart from self-promotion...basically I was looking at televised karaoke." Cowell responded by saying: "Talking about these contestants being a bunch of karaoke no-hopers ... I thought it was pompous." Cowell invited Sting to come on the show.
So who's right? I assume Sting's comments would apply to American Idol too.
"Did you hear who's going to play during the Super Bowl halftime show?"
"No, who?"
"That's what I just said. Who."
"No, seriously. Which is the band that's going to appear?"
"It's Who."
"I'm not talking proper English. Which band will be on CBS's halftime show on February 7 at Landshark Stadium in Miami?"
"The Who -- you know, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend. 'Tommy, can you hear me?'"
"Oh! Why didn't you just say that!"
Okay, I couldn't resist the nod to Abbott and Costello's Who's On First. But the fact is that Sports Illustrated has spread the word that The Who will star in the Super Bowl big, overblown half-time pageant. This follows the safe pattern the NFL has been employing since the Janet Jackson-Justin Timberlake costume malfunction; that is, stick with classic rock stars who are guaranteed to do their hits and not disrobe. That's why we've had Prince, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and now The Who. All superstar acts, no controversy.
This might sound more overdue than According to Jim's cancellation, but one of TV's greatest creators is getting the Hall of Fame treatment.
Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry will join the ranks of the Television Academy's Hall of Fame next year at a special induction ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Other inductees include Candice Bergen, production and art director Charles Lisanby, announcer Don Pardo, Tom and Dick Smothers and game show producer Bob Stewart. Is there anyone that they left off the list?
Everybody's favorite singing newcomer, England's Susan Boyle, is going to appear on Dancing With the Stars this week. She will not be doing the samba or the quick step. Susan will be singing, promoting her upcoming CD, I Dreamed A Dream, in stores on November 24.
Luckily for Susan, Sharon Osbourne will not be on the show. Or maybe it's lucky for Sharon because after the horrible things she said about SB, Susan would probably deck her if she had the chance. Last week, while on Sirius radio, Sharon was compelled to share her opinion of Susan's sudden success.
Well, we know that the singers from Glee were not welcomed into the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade thanks to NBC's territorial attitude. Still, that doesn't mean we won't be watching on Turkey Day. NBC, in fact, will feature one of their own prominently that morning -- 30 Rock's Jane Krakowski will be singing an original song on a float.
It will not be a typical Jenna floppola, either. It's a song being written by the Emmy nominated team of Wesley Whatley and William Schermerhorn. And in case you don't know, Jane's a Tony-winning star who is not only hilarious as Jenna, but a really fine singer/dancer/actress.
That's not all. Alan Cumming is also set to perform in the parade, and it sounds like a doozy, too. He'll sing the Sinatra classic, "That's Life" on the M&M float. What the song, Cumming and Sinatra have to do with M&M candies is anyone's guess.
Rosie O'Donnell reminds me of a sexually transmitted disease.
I might have enjoyed my first experience that brought me in contact with her. But she's grown painfully irritating over the years, and I can't seem to get rid of her now. No matter what happens, she just keeps coming back to irritate me further -- leaving me to wonder what ever led me to welcome her irritation in the first place.
When O'Donnell proved too annoying even for The View, and then flamed out on her disastrous one-off variety show, I thought we'd seen the last of her. But it looks like we'll at least "hear" from her again, as she's moved away from the TV talk circuit and taken a gig hosting her own satellite radio talk show on Sirius XM.
If you're a fan of the band Weezer and the laziness empowerment blanket the Snuggie and have been hoping for a way to combine the two, you're in luck.
Weezer fans might have been curious to know why the band was wearing the popular blanket during last Friday's Late Show with David Letterman performance. The band has not only released a new line of the sleeved blanket, but they also have their own legitimate infomercial that tells you how you can buy the band's new CD Raditude and your own "Weezer Snuggie." WARNING: After watching this video, the phrase "Weezer Snuggie" will not leave your brain for at least the next three hours. Viewer discretion is advised.
I try to cover professional wrestling here on TV Squad only when something happens that hints at a ratings spike, a celebrity tie-in or a television publicity war. Today, we have news that could score a pin on all three fronts, "Brother!"
Hulk Hogan (in yellow, right), the 80s legend that put WWF WWE on the mat map, announced this week that he's returning to the squared circle and joining the ranks of Spike TV's TNA Wrestling. It's a big step up in exposure for the Florida-based promotion as it struggles to pull away a little market share away from Vince McMahon's Connecticut Death Grip.
While the WWE has either live or taped shows on various cable outlets Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights (with occasional weekend specials on NBC), TNA has used the last couple of years to build an ever-growing following in Spike's Thursday night schedule.
If you have any doubt about the power of television in the selling of music and making stars, this story should convince you that there is a definite correlation. Fox's Glee has produced a solid gold successful single.
"Don't Stop Believin'" was the first big song from the pilot, but it's not the only song that has been popular. Seven songs from Glee now occupy spots in the top 200 of iTunes' Top Songs chart. On November 3, there will be a compilation CD of the best numbers from the show, called Glee: The Music, Volume 1.
On November 24, British music sensation Susan Boyle's first CD will be released, and as I wrote before, it won't be filled with just show tunes. It's been getting a lot of buzz considering that Susan has not been going on television promoting the album... till now.
Susan will appear on QVC on November 4 to launch her debut album I Dreamed a Dream. If you tune in, you'll see Susan talking about the CD -- it doesn't sound like she'll be singing live -- but they'll spin some cuts and urge you to order.
If you do, there'll be a bonus DVD of rare footage that you'll get along with the eclectic batch of songs she's recorded. How eclectic? Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses," The Monkees' "Daydream Believer," Madonna's "You'll See" and, of course, from Les Miserables, "I Dreamed A Dream."
Another year, another Thanksgiving, and another Fall TV season with plenty of reasons to be thankful. Here's what's winning me over this holiday season...
Adam Lambert has been on a lot of shows with "America" in the title, including 
If you don't already know her story, get ready to hear all about it. On December 13, the 
So Simon Cowell and Sting are going at each other. 
"Did you hear who's going to play during the 
This might sound more overdue than According to Jim's cancellation, but one of TV's greatest creators is getting the Hall of Fame treatment. 
Everybody's favorite singing newcomer, England's 
Well, we know that the singers from Glee were not welcomed into the 
Rosie O'Donnell reminds me of a sexually transmitted disease.
I try to cover professional wrestling here on TV Squad only when something happens that hints at a ratings spike, a celebrity tie-in or a television publicity war. Today, we have news that could score a pin on all three fronts, "Brother!"
If you have any doubt about the power of television in the selling of music and making stars, this story should convince you that there is a definite correlation. Fox's Glee has produced a solid gold successful single. 
On November 24, British music sensation Susan Boyle's first CD will be released, and as I wrote before, 
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