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« Roush Dispatch
Critic's Notebook
Topic One: Dancing with the Stars. One long grin, that show is. I’d forgotten what a fun lark it can be, after the last few months of watching American Idol take itself way too seriously. Nothing’s really at stake on the Dancing show, except minor issues like dignity and rescuing B-list reputations from the celebrity coal bin. Early front-runners: Joey Fatone (especially if he keeps shedding the pounds as he dances) and Apolo Anton Ohno, the closest thing the show has to a hottie. (Possible miscalculation of keeping up his skating schedule when he should be perfecting his dance moves. He wasn’t nearly as electrifying as he needs to be.) And because a female is overdue a win on this show, let’s not count out Laila Ali, an interesting mix of athleticism, aggression and (when it matters) unexpected grace and charm.
Charm really is the selling point of this ABC phenom. Even a klutz like Billy Ray Cyrus probably earned a few pity points for being a good sport. And I’m personally rooting for Paulina Porizkova, who’s not only gorgeous but hilariously self-deprecating, and if she can rise above the insecurity, she could be a sleeper. Honestly, I’m not that invested in who wins or loses, and I’m not the sort of voyeur who’s watching to see if Heather Mills can keep her balance or locate some charisma. But as harmless TV pastimes go, I’m more than willing to go along on this ride. (I was pleased to see it took a big bite out of the ratings for NBC’s insipid-by-comparison Deal Or No Deal.)
Topic Two: 24. Show of hands: Who really thinks Audrey Raines is dead? And I take back whatever nice thing I said last week about Ricky Schroder’s character. He’s now just another blah bully, and racist to boot. How long before we discover Nadia was just being set up by (sigh) the latest CTU mole? Last question: Should Dick Cheney sue over Powers Boothe’s snarling caricature of Vice President McEvil, now nuke-mad like a castoff from Dr. Strangelove? Jack downed the drone, but even that wasn’t enough to stop him from ordering a retaliatory strike against Assad’s patsy nation. Next move: Wake up, Wayne Palmer. All is (almost) forgiven. Won’t it be nice to be able to put this season behind us?
Topic Three: The Amazing Race, All-stars. A week ago, I said it would be a “minor miracle” if Charla and Mirna weren’t the next to go. Guess what? Miracles happen. And just as Rob and Amber went from first to worst the week before, the crabby cousins vaulted from worst to first, courtesy of a breezy manicure challenge they wisely chose over filling bags with coal. (Imagine if they’d gone that route. They’d have been toast.) Choosing the right challenge can make or break you on a show that's sometimes as much about luck as skill. The fact that, for a change, Charla and Mirna actually seemed to be enjoying themselves as they painted nails and mixed it up with the locals may have had something to do with it as well. I’m still rooting overall for the Cha-Chas. Chasing Phil to give him a grimy hug gave the episode a nice blast of comic relief. They truly are all-stars in my book.
Topic Four: CBS’ Sunday overrun. I’m an NCAA fan, so I have no real gripe about the games going long and pushing back Sunday’s schedule. But when the final buzzer sounded, CBS should have gone immediately to 60 Minutes (a strong installment, with a disturbing Iraq story and an entertaining Simon Cowell profile). Instead, we got a not-brief-enough recap and something like a 10- to 15-minute block of promos and ads droning on unfathomably until the actual prime-time lineup kicked in at around 7:45 pm/ET. I’m a realist when it comes to CBS’ sliding Sunday schedule most weeks, but this was beyond aggravating.
Topic Five: Next Sunday. Not a night to go out, trust me. Finales galore, most notably on Rome (ending its two-season run on a very satisfying note) and Battlestar Galactica (one jaw-dropper after another in the season finale). Plus, if you’re a nature lover, Discovery Channel launches its remarkable 11-hour spectacular, the visually hypnotizing Planet Earth. Check it out, especially if you have HD, and you’ll see why so many disgruntled viewers have ditched the networks for the myriad compelling niches of cable.
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Mar 20, 2007 12:08 PM
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You nailed all the reasons I much prefer Dancing to Idol. With Dancing there is nothing on the line other than some D-listers pride and a cheesy mirrorball trophy. It doesn't take itself seriously. I forgot how much I missed it until it came back last night.
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Mar 20, 2007 12:44 PM
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Raising my hand that Audrey is not dead on 24. And you're comments are spot-on about Mike Doyle and Nadia.
Can't wait for next Sunday's Battlestar. I'm trying with all my might to avoid spoilers about it.
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Mar 20, 2007 1:06 PM
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Thanks for mentioning the Planet Earth series, Matt! Hopefully more people will watch it. I for one am excited and can't wait for it to begin!
Sunday cannot come soon enough, I know Battlestar is going to blow my mind. I might have to call in sick on Monday while picking up the pieces of my brain.
I watched some of Dancing but prefer to really get into it after some of the chaff has been booted off and the contestants have more time to tighten up their skills. I like Ian Ziering too and think, he, Joey Fatone and Apollo Anton Ohno are the front-runners. I'm also rooting for Laila Ali because the women always seem to get outshined by the guys.
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Mar 20, 2007 2:10 PM
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24 - I want to scream 'please close CTU. They don't know how to screen people before hiring them!' Not another mole! Audrey is so not dead. If she is I'll eat my words - which are - this year is too cliche, too much of the same old worn out plot devices without enough Jack.
TAR - was amazing this week. They showed Charla and Mirna at their best, their strong suit - dealing with people. These two don't get condescending, but celebrate the help they get. They can really irritate us at time, but I know with all the teams that is in the editing to some degree. It was a good episode and I am so glad Joyce and Uchenna are not eliminated - yet.
Battlestar - what a set up. I can't wait!
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Mar 20, 2007 3:07 PM
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ITA about TAR. Last week I couldn't wait for Charla and Harpie, I mean Mirna, to be gone, yet I found myself smiling when they came to the mat first. That's why it's THE superior reality show. You can never predict from one week to the next who's going to be standing at the top of the heap. Now that THEY are gone, of course.
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Mar 20, 2007 3:55 PM
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After watching William Fichtner in Prison Break and Kari Matchett in 24 on Monday night, am I the only one who would gladly say goodbye to both of those shows if it meant we could have Invasion back? *sigh*
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Mar 21, 2007 9:11 AM
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What do you mean Audrey's not dead? You mean they would actually try to trick us like that? I can't believe it!
This season of 24 has been pretty disappointing. All season I have been saying why hasn't he at least asked abou Audrey? And it took him several episodes to even ask about Kim! I think Josh is his son, and I keep waiting for that to come out. As far as Audrey goes, I'm sure she's not dead. But they might have written it like this so that if The Nine was a hit and she couldn't come back and tape, they had an out.
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Mar 21, 2007 9:15 AM
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I think 24 still has it. I really like the blend of political intrigue and field action this year. I think the balance is just right.
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Mar 21, 2007 12:29 PM
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Friskyman - Do I miss Invasion and wish we had gotten more than one season? Yes. Would I gladly give up 24 and Prison Break to get more Invasion? Not in a million years. 24 may not be at its best this season, but that doesn't mean it can't rebound later this season or next season. It is still one of the best hours of TV out there.
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Mar 21, 2007 12:56 PM
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I think 24 has recovered its mojo after Jack's misconceived incursion into the Russian consulate. Of course Audrey is alive, but in finding her Jack now has a mission that can serve as the thematic spine for Day 7.
I thought the most recent episode was first-rate, a return to form after a brief decline. And it was hardly the first lapse in the series' history. Remember Kim Bauer, Cougar Girl? Terri Bauer's amnesia? This show, like all shows, has always had its ups and downs. It's still great fun.
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Mar 21, 2007 2:30 PM
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I don't think Ricky Schroder's character is a racist. It's just that statistically speaking the mole would most likely be muslim. If he's a racist, then Chloe would have to be a racist too, since she checked Nadia first before Milo and him were done arguing about it.
As for the above poster, who would give up Prison Break and 24 for Invasion. Get real. I could predict Invasion's "twists" during the commercials. That show got cancelled for a reason.
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Mar 22, 2007 1:18 AM
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