Blast from the Past: TV Shows, Gone Too Soon

Okay, back to blogging after an extended holiday break. Seemingly, the world kind of stopped there for a couple of weeks, didn't it? Or did we kind of just not pay much attention? Either way, we're still here, and mostly things are the same. Though I'm sure the new GOP-heavy Congress will give me plenty to blog about, even with my upcoming cross-country move.

In the meantime, one of the few Christmas gifts we indulged in this year (with our self-imposed hard candy Christmas) was season two of Better Off Ted, one of the funniest sitcoms to air in recent or even distant memory. It lasted a bare 26 episodes, and barely made a pop culture blip. But it was brilliantly funny, and much-loved by the small, core group of people who managed to discover it. Reading quotes from some episodes can make me laugh until I cry.

So, that show has prompted this edition of Blast from the Past. The topic is any program I can think of that was cancelled too abruptly, whether that means before it had finished a complete season, or if it made it a couple of years, but was unceremoniously yanked long before its time. In some cases, these will be theme song clips, in others (such as with Better Off Ted which had little in the way of an intro) either compilations, trailers, or other relevant pieces. Let's go!



1. Better Off Ted (2009-2010) - The fist, very off-color clip here isn't a blooper reel. It's an alternate set of scenes to a real episode, in which a memo glitch demands that employees of "Veridian Dynamics" must now insult each other. The broadcast version was tamer, but still one of the funniest episodes of episodic television I can recall.



2. Firefly (2002) - No list of this sort would be complete without this Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Marvel's The Avengers) sci-fi gem. Given only a short half-season (and eventual movie spin-off), it never had a chance to become something great, so it's fortunate it was already so good.



3. Dollhouse (2009-2010) - Another show, like Better Off Ted that squeaked out two short seasong (and somehow managed the same number of episodes during the same set of seasons), and another short-lived Whedon show, Dollhouse was a personal favorite. It was morally muddy, occasionally humorous, often disturbing, and got better and better as it went. But it was so deep in its own (eventually hyper-accelerated) mythology, it may have been inaccessible to anyone but its most ardent fans. I was one. I was also happy to see a shout-out ("Did I fall asleep?" "For a little while.") on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., also a Whedon show.



4. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009) - The Terminator series was nothing short of fantastic in its first two films. The third was a major disappointment. But this series, set in an alternate timeline that picked up after Terminator 2: Judgment Day, followed the storyline that worked, and managed to do it on a weekly basis on a TV budget. It started with a bang, had a couple of lulls, and then came out blazing, with some truly great individual episodes and loads of promise. That FOX could manage to fumble a product with so much cachet when it was actually also quite good, remains a mystery.



5. Police Squad! (1982) - The Zucker-Abrahms-Zucker Airplane!-style humor evidenced in this very short-lived Leslie Nielsen-led sitcom, wasn't for everyone. It is quite incorrectly regarded as "stupid" humor, when in reality, many of the jokes would be missed by actually stupid people. It was an outlandish spoof of the very staid police procedurals of the 50s, 60s and 70s, and did so brilliantly. Fortunately, the brilliance was recognized, and the show was eventually spun off into a series of movies (with the third blatantly stealing many of the gags from the actual TV show).



6. Arrested Development (2003-2006, 2013) I almost didn't include this one, since it got a revival on Netflix in 2013. But it is an excellent case of a show "too good for TV," or at least for a broadcast network. It also joins Better Off Ted in this list with a "brilliant but cancelled" series that stars Portia De Rossi.

And that will do it for this week, kids. It's back to work for me, at least for the next few weeks. As my departure time approaches, things on the blog are going to start to get weird. Well, weirder. But I'll be here, remarking on as much of it as I can. Meanwhile, Happy Monday!

Blast from the Past: Brilliant, But Cancelled

Well, when I decide to take a blogging break, I can really get into it. Especially when something monumental, like the release of 15 long-awaited Arrested Development episodes come out on the same day. In one of the rarest moves in episodic TV history, seven years after the too-early cancellation of the beloved show, Netflix produced a season four, and made a lot of people very happy. Getting a cast as talented--and busy--cast together to do was a remarkable accomplishment on its own.

Anyway, because of this big event, I didn't write my Blast from the Past column this weekend. So, I'm rerunning one that featured the show, from last year. Maybe it will inspire you to check Arrested Development out, if you're still not sure what all the fuss is about!

ORIGINAL POST:

I don't know if the term "brilliant, but cancelled" is copyrighted. . .I hope not. I mean, it's just a concept. But then, I've used Blast from the Past for six years, so I guess if I'm gonna get in trouble, I'm already screwed! Anyway, this being a Labor Day weekend, I'm a little behind in my blogging chores. But I didn't want the week to start without a new edition, since I've already skipped one recently.

So, I got to thinking that I needed to do something different this week, not music related, not current events. Then, today I re-watched a couple of episodes of Better Off Ted, the badly named but wonderful sitcom from a couple of years ago. It got me to thinking of my favorite shows that got cancelled far too soon. Keep in mind that these are my personal favorites, and that it is a partial list. Hey, it's labor day, why should I over do it? Heh. It does strike me that all of these shows managed more episodes than some classic British programs, even those considered to be very successful.

1. Better Off Ted (2009-2010, 26 episodes) - BOT had a marvelous cast, a manic, off-kilter style and originality off the charts. It took place in the corporate offices of "Veridian Dynamics," a behemoth of a company with sketchy morals. It involved mid-level executives, product testers and nerdy science researchers. The stars--including Jay Harrington as Ted, Andrea Anders as Linda, and especially Portia de Rossi as Veronica, Jonathan Slavin as Phil and Malcolm Barrett as Lem--formed a dream cast that could only be rivaled by the next show in this list. I can't say enough good things about this show, or how likely the chances that viewing it will lift your mood.




2. Arrested Development (2003-2006, 53 episodes) - AD did get a two-and-a-half-year run, so it lasted longer than most "brilliant but cancelled" shows. But it was the kind of show that just felt far too good to be treated so badly by its network (FOX TV). Its fan base is rabid, so it has managed a sort of rebirth, with new episodes and a movie on the horizon. Which is astonishing when you consider the heft of the cast: Jason Bateman, Jessica Walter, Michael Cera, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, Will Arnett, Tony Hale and. . .oh, looky there, Portia de Rossi. TWO brilliant shows, both cancelled too soon. It's a crime, I tells ya. Anyway, if you never caught the Arrested bug, by all means do so now. You'll increase your pop culture knowledge, and have a helluva time doing it!




3. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009, 31 Episodes) - I wrote about this one a lot when it was on the air. I was a huge fan of the first two Terminator movies, but not so much on the follow-ups. This show took care of that by starting an alternate timeline right after T2. Lena Headey made a great Sarah, Summer Glau a terrific Terminator chick, Shirley Manson was the icy liquid Terminator, and Garret Dillahunt fantastic as Chromartie/John Henry, the captured, reprogrammed Terminator. The show is probably derided by Terminator "purists" (though there are  probably more splinter groups in this franchise's fandom than I could ever sort out), but think of it this way: the running time of this series amounts to about a dozen movies, in 31 chapters; far more than the movie series can offer. And though the series ends on a cliffhanger, it also resolves most of the story threads, and merely offers a new tangent to potentially be explored.




4. Dollhouse (2009-2010, 27 episodes) - I could easily put Firefly in this brilliant but cancelled group, but that one has been done to death. Dollhouse, also by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Marvel's The Avengers) actually got a little longer life than Firefly did, but still only eked out two half seasons. Still, since they had a good inkling that they'd get no more rope, they fashioned a complete narrative for the series, ending it with a (literal) bang. The show dealt with moral ambiguity, offering programmable "dolls"--actual people with their real minds stored on hard drives, and new identities installed--out to paying customers. The logical extension of this sort of technology getting into the wrong hands plays out pretty much how you think it would. If you read a lot of dystopian future fiction! Anyway, I adore Eliza Dushku, so will mourn this one for a while.

And that's it for this week kiddies. This theme will probably be sequelled eventually. They're always cancelling shows I like, in fact I think it's something of a curse. So, stay tuned for that. And this time when I say "Happy Monday," you can actually have one, because it's a holiday! So, Happy Monday!

Blast from the Past: Brilliant, But Cancelled

I don't know if the term "brilliant, but cancelled" is copyrighted. . .I hope not. I mean, it's just a concept. But then, I've used Blast from the Past for six years, so I guess if I'm gonna get in trouble, I'm already screwed! Anyway, this being a Labor Day weekend, I'm a little behind in my blogging chores. But I didn't want the week to start without a new edition, since I've already skipped one recently.

So, I got to thinking that I needed to do something different this week, not music related, not current events. Then, today I re-watched a couple of episodes of Better Off Ted, the badly named but wonderful sitcom from a couple of years ago. It got me to thinking of my favorite shows that got cancelled far too soon. Keep in mind that these are my personal favorites, and that it is a partial list. Hey, it's labor day, why should I over do it? Heh. It does strike me that all of these shows managed more episodes than some classic British programs, even those considered to be very successful.

1. Better Off Ted (2009-2010, 26 episodes) - BOT had a marvelous cast, a manic, off-kilter style and originality off the charts. It took place in the corporate offices of "Veridian Dynamics," a behemoth of a company with sketchy morals. It involved mid-level executives, product testers and nerdy science researchers. The stars--including Jay Harrington as Ted, Andrea Anders as Linda, and especially Portia de Rossi as Veronica, Jonathan Slavin as Phil and Malcolm Barrett as Lem--formed a dream cast that could only be rivaled by the next show in this list. I can't say enough good things about this show, or how likely the chances that viewing it will lift your mood.




2. Arrested Development (2003-2006, 53 episodes) - AD did get a two-and-a-half-year run, so it lasted longer than most "brilliant but cancelled" shows. But it was the kind of show that just felt far too good to be treated so badly by its network (FOX TV). Its fan base is rabid, so it has managed a sort of rebirth, with new episodes and a movie on the horizon. Which is astonishing when you consider the heft of the cast: Jason Bateman, Jessica Walter, Michael Cera, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, Will Arnett, Tony Hale and. . .oh, looky there, Portia de Rossi. TWO brilliant shows, both cancelled too soon. It's a crime, I tells ya. Anyway, if you never caught the Arrested bug, by all means do so now. You'll increase your pop culture knowledge, and have a helluva time doing it!




3. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009, 31 Episodes) - I wrote about this one a lot when it was on the air. I was a huge fan of the first two Terminator movies, but not so much on the follow-ups. This show took care of that by starting an alternate timeline right after T2. Lena Headey made a great Sarah, Summer Glau a terrific Terminator chick, Shirley Manson was the icy liquid Terminator, and Garret Dillahunt fantastic as Chromartie/John Henry, the captured, reprogrammed Terminator. The show is probably derided by Terminator "purists" (though there are  probably more splinter groups in this franchise's fandom than I could ever sort out), but think of it this way: the running time of this series amounts to about a dozen movies, in 31 chapters; far more than the movie series can offer. And though the series ends on a cliffhanger, it also resolves most of the story threads, and merely offers a new tangent to potentially be explored.




4. Dollhouse (2009-2010, 27 episodes) - I could easily put Firefly in this brilliant but cancelled group, but that one has been done to death. Dollhouse, also by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Marvel's The Avengers) actually got a little longer life than Firefly did, but still only eked out two half seasons. Still, since they had a good inkling that they'd get no more rope, they fashioned a complete narrative for the series, ending it with a (literal) bang. The show dealt with moral ambiguity, offering programmable "dolls"--actual people with their real minds stored on hard drives, and new identities installed--out to paying customers. The logical extension of this sort of technology getting into the wrong hands plays out pretty much how you think it would. If you read a lot of dystopian future fiction! Anyway, I adore Eliza Dushku, so will mourn this one for a while.

And that's it for this week kiddies. This theme will probably be sequelled eventually. They're always cancelling shows I like, in fact I think it's something of a curse. So, stay tuned for that. And this time when I say "Happy Monday," you can actually have one, because it's a holiday! So, Happy Monday!

Is Your Favorite TV Show "On The Bubble?"

Image from source, The Hollywood Reporter

Every year, a show I'm rooting for (like Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse--damn you FOX!) gets canned too early. So this year, I'm not saying anything about which shows I hope stick around. I already gave the Greenlee Curse to Better Off Ted. Best that I just keep my big trap shut.

[Excerpt]

Bubble wrap! Endangered shows status report: '24,' 'Chuck,' 'Smallville,' 'V,' 'Fringe'...

This could be Jack Bauer’s final day.

Fox’s “24” is on The Hollywood Reporter’s list of endangered shows this year, along with fan faves “Heroes,” “Chuck,” “Smallville” and “FlashForward. . .”

Read more at: The Hollywood Reporter

Halloween Horrors Twofer: Last House on the Left & Quarantine

Images from links source, Wikipedia

[WARNING: Here there may be spoilers. But not much.]

OK, so I had something of a lazy weekend (not counting many hours working on my Windows 7 upgrade). I have an excuse in that my back is bothering me, and I'm trying to avoid throwing it out altogether. So, I watched some movies. And this being nearly Halloween, I decided on some of today's recent horror offering.

The first one I selected was Quarantine, apparently a remake of a Spanish horror movie. It stars Jennifer Carpenter and Jay Hernandez, and is fairly well made. There is the problem with the central conceit of the film, that a news reporter is playing tag-along with some firemen. Not only does this lead to a seemingly endless setup, with the cameraman following the lovely female reporter around the firehouse, it also means that the entire film is from the perspective of the news camera.

I get that these kinds of things are kind of interesting and different. Something similar was done with Cloverfield, and I guess that new movie Paranormal Activity. But it grows a little tiresome in this one, and stretches credibility sometimes. This cameraman is one freaking cool cucumber given what he's shooting. Anyway, the story involves some sort of disease that turns people into zombies/creatures, kind of like in 28 Days Later. The twist is, the news people and the firemen are trapped in a building while the virus takes its toll.

Quarantine does have high tension, squirm inducing special effects, and a few genuine shocks. The film is well crafted, and well acted too, though Carpenter will begin to drive you nuts when she has her little breakdown. The only problem with the film? Well, the ending was spoiled by the trailer. And me telling you that won't change anything, because if you've seen the trailer (or even the cover of the DVD), you'll have been wondering, "When is THAT going to happen?" And by the time it does, you are well aware you've reached the end. FAIL.

My second choice was The Last House on the Left. It's a remake of a classic, cheapie Wes Craven film, by Wes Craven himself. The subject matter is harsh, and hard-core. It involves the brutal attack and rape of a couple of teen aged girls, and the scene where this happens is almost unbearable. We get it, Wes, we get it! Move on! But an argument could be made that the brutality is necessary for us to believe what happens next.

As in the original film, the group of attackers coincidentally seeks refuge at the home of one of the young women. Eventually, the hospitable parents deduce what happened, and who dunnit, and then you've got yourselves a revenge picture! The formula works, and the acting is decent. There are cringe-inducing moments, and a jolt here and there. I was along for the ride until. . .the ending. No, this one wasn't spoiled it was just stupid. Great special effect, don't get me wrong. But up until that point, a story could have been spun that would have gotten the couple off scot free. After that point? Well, there's no way you could sell that as self defense, or even an accident. Considering how the "big bad" was done away with in the original, it was all anticipation, and a weird payoff.

Over all, both films are worthy of a rent, particularly in your Halloween movie viewing marathon. Just don't expect a kick-ass ending to either one, and you'll be fine.

UPDATE: I just wanted to add, that I didn't realize that Krug, the big bad from Last House was played by Garret Dillahunt until I just read the Wikipedia article. He was one of the stars of the late, lamented Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and I managed to watch and review the film without even realizing who he was. Who knew that a beard and his demented character could render him unrecognizable? That's acting. And hey, if T:TSCC had featured him shirtless, as this movie did, that show might still be on the air!

The Friday Night Death Slot

The socially awkward and we old married folks don't treat Friday night much differently than any other night. Sure, occasionally, we'll get our freak on. But more often than not, we're in front of our TVs, our computers or both. But the majority of television viewers are either not home, or not interested in TV on Friday nights. This has lead to a TV trope known as "the Friday night death slot."

That's where network executives stick sci-fi/fantasy shows, seemingly in an effort to kill them off. FOX is notorious for this, having killed numerous shows by placing them on Friday nights, and then cancelling them after they couldn't overcome the lack of viewership on that night. Only The X-Files seems to have overcome the situation.

Last year, two of my favorite shows were relegated to the TV hell that is Fridays. Surprisingly, one of them--Dollhouse--survived to a new season. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles wasn't so lucky. I'm one of a rare breed who was head over heels for both shows. Dollhouse has a limited amount of time to prove itself, and I'm desperately hoping that it pulls off a miracle. Joss Whedon's previous programs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) didn't have to muster much of an audience on the defunct WB and UPN networks. But on FOX, Whedon failed with Firefly, an awesome show also relegated to the death slot, and now Dollhouse is in the same situation. Here's hoping.

[Excerpt]

Scott Brown on Saving Sci-Fi From the Friday Night Death Slot

Ah, the early '90s: that Eden. I was so innocent then, I barely knew which demographic I was. And I certainly didn't know that just by doing what came naturally—staying in on Friday nights and watching The X-Files—I was changing the world. I had no inkling that we, my nerdy ilk and I, were actually saving dozens of unborn science fiction shows from the Sarlacc maw of the Friday Night Death Slot. Surely you've heard of the Death Slot. It's a circle of programming hell traditionally reserved for the weak, the sick, the family- oriented—and the sci-fi-derived. . .

Read more at: Wired

FOX TV's Sorry Track Record with Science Fiction

Image from source, Topless Robot

(Yes, The Tick was a super-hero parody, but super-heroes are sci-fi in my book.)

I've been a fan of sci-fi (SyFy, if you prefer) ever since I was little. When I had to pick elective literature courses in high school I opted for "Mystery & Suspense," and "Science Fiction." Luckily for me, I grew up in the age of sci-fi movies, both cheesy (Logan's Run) and superb (Star Wars). On TV, there was The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Wonder Woman, Battlestar Galactica, The Incredible Hulk and many other sci-fi/fantasy shows.

As I got older, I never lost my affinity for sci-fi. And every so often, the TV powers that be would tantalize me with a new offering. I'd excitedly watch from episode one, only to have the show yanked from the schedule two, six, thirteen episodes. If I'd get really lucky, I'd a full season, or possibly a second, usually aborted somewhere in the middle of season two. Sometimes the show deserved it (V, Manimal, M.A.N.T.I.S., Misfits of Science, the new Bionic Woman) More often than not though, if the program was good, and I was really getting into it right as it was cancelled, FOX was the network that dropped the axe. Damn that Rupert Murdoch!

Now, I have to give FOX credit for putting them on in the first place. And there have been rare exceptions like The X-Files. Currently, FOX has renewed two very good shows with sci-fi elements, Fringe and Dollhouse. As grateful as I am for that, however, I cannot forgive them for cancelling Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles after an insanely good run of episodes. I don't care what the excuse is, that show was just too cool to die. Here is the original promo for that show. Tell me this show wasn't made of awesome.

The article below is not focused solely on the sci-fi genre, but it is heavily represented.

[Excerpt]

The 20 Greatest Shows Canceled By Fox Before Their Time

I'm going to come right out and say it; The Fox Network is the f***ing devil. How many times in the last 20 years has this story repeated itself? Fox greenlights an awesome show. Many viewers love it and practically become obsessed with the show. Fox then cancels the series after a handful of episodes because the ratings did not climb fast enough for the impatient, small-minded execs at Fox. Imagine if a classic, long-running show like Seinfeld had aired on Fox (which actually almost happened) instead of another network. . . .

Read more at: Topless Robot

Summer Glau on Dollhouse?

Image from source, TV Squad

Some of you might be saying, "aw, geez, he's going on about Dollhouse and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles again?" I know, I know. I'm still having trouble getting over the fact that the latter was cancelled, and being happy that the former has been renewed.

But this news will make fans of both shows go "squeeeeee!" Well, maybe. Fans of T:TSCC were mightily pissed at FOX-TV, and took it out (via message boards) on Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. DH fans got defensive, and sniped right back. As a fan of both, I'm just tickled that Summer Glau (who played the "nice" Terminator, Cameron) appears to be getting a role on Dollhouse! Which is crazy cool.

[Excerpt]

Joss Whedon plans to put Summer Glau on Dollhouse

I'm not sure how many people watched both Dollhouse and The Sarah Connor Chronicles, though both were on Friday nights at the end, so they probably had a lot of fans in common. If you were a fan of the latter show, this news might ease the pain of knowing that show will not be returning in the fall. . .

Read more at: TV Squad

Fall TV Season: V (I Can't Wait!)

Image from EW

I got excited for the remake of Bionic Woman, and was let down. I watched with zero expectations when they remade Knight Rider, and had that zero met. I got really excited about the Terminator series, and was rewarded with one-and-a-half seasons of great TV, only to have it yanked away.

So you would think that when I heard that V, the classic science fiction TV mini-series/series from the eighties, was coming back to television, I'd be wary. And I am. But I'm also excited. V and V: The Final Battle were two of the most enjoyable events in sci-fi TV for me when they originally aired. The follow-up series only lasted a year, probably due to low budgets and the dreary story-telling of dramas of that era.

But the underlying storyline of all of them was compelling, and could be dynamite if done correctly. V started with a fleet of huge motherships arriving from outer space (ripped off later in Independence Day), containing a contingent of aliens promising help for all that ailed the human race. They were greeted warmly by the populace, and seemed on the surface to be all that they said. "The Visitors are our Friends," was their propaganda message, and it hid their true motives: to enslave and/or eat us all! Oh, and to steal our water.

Top that off with the fact that they were lizards under their (unconvincing in retrospect) human skins, and ate live rodents whole, and you got a whole 'nother level of creepy. The cast was great, with the evil Diana (Jane Badler), the good alien Willie (Robert Englund), the leaders of the resistance Mike (Marc Singer) and Juliette (Faye Grant). While modern special effects can fix the flaws of the 80s series, I don't know if they'll be able to match the cast. But I'll be watching, that I'm sure of.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Cancelled

Image from source, TV by the Numbers

Exasperatingly, this is not 100% confirmed, but the writing has been on the wall for some time. I had high hopes for the 1-2 punch of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse, and they both became my favorite shows. The irony is, both shows became insanely good in their last few episodes. The good news is (again, not 100%) that Dollhouse did make the cut.

I've written a lot about both shows, and there is no need to rehash here. I had my fingers crossed pretty hard, and I got half of what I wanted. Still, this following video clip from the 70s series Good Times will give you an idea of how this cancellation makes me feel.

[Excerpt]

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles canceled

Sources confirm that not only has FOX officially passed on renewing Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, it’s even dead as far as Warner Brothers is concerned and they are no longer shopping it to other networks. . .

Read more at: TV by the Numbers

Save My Shows: Dollhouse and Sarah Connor

I have tried--really tried--to pare down my addiction to TV shows. But the early part of this year unleashed new episodes of Lost, 24, American Idol, Survivor, Fringe, Medium, Heroes, Dollhouse and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I've been hopelessly sucked in.

Several of those shows have finished their season (and possibly series) finales by now. A couple of them (Idol and Survivor) have only captured one eye, while I'm doing something else. But some of them command my undivided attention. And two of them are "on the bubble." I'm speaking of shows I've written about many times before, Terminator and Dollhouse. Both shows were relegated by FOX TV to the Friday night "death slot." And both are worthy of your attention, and of renewal, despite anemic ratings.

Dollhouse, a show about an organization that programs "actives" with new personalities to fit any situation, is from Joss Whedon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles follows the adventures of Sarah, John and their protector Terminator Cameron, following the events of Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Both have had weak ratings, but both have improved in story and action over the season to the point where the awesomeness is just insane by the time of their finales.

I'm not sure there is any hope for either program, but I'm wishing anyway. Maybe I'm one of only a handful (OK, millions, but only a couple) of people who was sucked in to the mythologies of both shows, but I'm gonna cross my fingers anyway. And if you think "I can't jump in now, I don't know what happened before," don't worry. I fell into Buffy in season 5, and caught up quickly. And I'm so glad I did. Angel (the spin-off of Buffy) was another show I came to late, but am a convert to. Jump in! Please?

Season Finale of Dollhouse: Omega



Season Finale of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Born to Run

FOX TV Renews Fringe

Image from source, TV Squad

I don't know if this bodes well or ill for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Dollhouse. But FOX is a notoriously bad home for sci-fi shows (The X-Files excepted). So the renewal of a freshman sci-fi show is good news, at least for Fringe fans. And I'm one of those too.

[Excerpt]

Fox renews Fringe for season two

We all knew this was a lock.

Fans of Fox's Fringe can now officially look forward to season two.

The show was a hit right out of the gate, garnering huge numbers for its series premiere. It's currently the "number one show for adults 18-49," according to Fox. If that doesn't guarantee you a renewal, then I don't know what will. . .

Read more at: TV Squad

Brilliant But (Almost Certainly) Cancelled: Dollhouse & Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Image from source, ScreenRant

I've already produced several posts, and spent many a pixel gushing about two of my favorite shows, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse. Both are on FOX TV, both were on Friday nights, and both--it would seem--have a very good chance of getting cancelled, just as they are getting really freaking good.

Science fiction shows have a notoriously bad history at FOX, with only The X-Files and Sliders getting a lengthy run. Alien Nation, VR-5, Firefly, The Lone Gunmen, Millenium, The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr., Strange Luck. . .all on FOX, all cancelled before a decent stretch of episodes could be compiled. And that is not by any stretch a complete list. It would seem that whoever green lights series for FOX loves sci-fi, and whoever red lights shows has no affinity for the genre.

T:TSCC ought to have worked, having the immensely popular Terminator fan base built in. Apparently, I underestimated the number of Terminator fans that just want junk to blow up, and don't care about story or characters. Dollhouse has the built in uber-fandom of creator Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly) to draw upon. But FOX should consider that those shows grow on you, and take time to develop (something that was not afforded to Firefly).

Maybe I'll get lucky, and the awesome recent episodes of both series will build a little buzz, get more people onto FOX.com and Hulu, to check out these excellent programs. Both series deserve to grow beyond their current low-rated Friday night death slot. I can see T:TSCC doing well as a one or two-shot special movie on The Sci-Fi Channel SyFy, as a ratings tester for more episodes. They would certainly be better than the usual SyFy-produced movie of the week. And Dollhouse? It needs another season (and significantly more buzz from Whedon fans--hey, I'm doing my part!) to grow. Being owned by FOX, maybe it has the best shot. Crossing all crossable parts here. . .

[Excerpt]

The Friday Night Death Slot: Sarah Connor Chronicles & Dollhouse

After its season (series?) finale, The Sarah Connor Chronicles seems to be in a gray area. The ratings for the April 10th finale brought in only 3.6 million viewers. That’s a far cry from its premiere episode that attracted almost 19 million sets of eyeballs. After a lot of conjecture, mostly from watching the ratings drop over the last two years, most feel that the show is looking at its demise.

For reasons that are beyond our own logic, even though TSCC was bringing in an average of over 11 million viewers on Mondays, Fox pretty much set the fate of the show when they moved it to Friday nights. There, in its 2nd season it received an average of 4.7 million viewers. . .

Read more at: ScreenRant

Dollhouse and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles News

Image from NJ.com

If the excerpted article below is correct, my worst fears about Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles are likely true. As in, fini. I've girded my psyche for this, and won't be surprised if and when it happens. But I was heartened by the speculation that Dollhouse, T:TSCC's companion show just might get renewed.

Dollhouse, which stars Eliza Dusku as one of several reprogrammable "special operations" drones, is the creation of Joss Whedon. Whedon's previous forays into TV included Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly. Two out of three of those shows were successful, and all of them were cult hits. Dollhouse has the potential to be the same, and if the most recent episodes are any indication, also has the potential to be a damned good show.

I'm still crossing my fingers for Sarah, but I guess I don't have to strain them so hard for Dollhouse too.

[Excerpt]

Fox Leaning Toward 'Dollhouse' Renewal

The Fox network is just a step away from shaking up its Friday lineup for the 2009-10 season, canning one show and considering a move to a new night for a second.

Let's hit the good news first. Airlock Alpha has learned that Fox is looking to give its struggling "Dollhouse" a second season, to see if it can grow some legs on a new night. Fox had originally intended "Dollhouse" to air Mondays with "24," but Fox instead decided to move "House" to that spot to replace "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," and to create sort of a genre theme night on Fridays. . .

Read more at: Alpha Airlock

Doomed TV: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

There seems to be a "Greenlee Curse" as it pertains to TV shows I like. Inevitably (with a few exceptions, like Lost, Heroes, and The Simpsons), if I really dig a show, it is doomed to be cancelled early.

I really hoped with Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, I'd have the built-in audience on my side. What I didn't count on was the writer's strike, some miscalculations by the producers, and the fact that TV can't replicate Terminator 2: Judgement Day every week.

The Terminator films (especially parts 1 and 2) were outrageously successful. But probably only 25% were enamored with the characters, the story, and the twisty-bendiness of time travel. The rest were along for the Bam! Boom! Wow! of the special effects, the violence, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. So, you couldn't count on the other 75% to show up with the rest of us to watch an episodic TV show.

Still, the first season of T:TSCC managed to pack in some razzle-dazzle along with the characters and the familiar T2 vibe. I was so jazzed that the series managed to pick up a second season order. And when the second season started, I was convinced they were on to something. They introduced a liquid metal terminator. Summer Glau and Brian Austin Greene continued to look freaking amazing to draw in the fanboys/girls. Things were looking up.

Then, FOX imposed a mid-season hiatus. And when the show came back, it had the misfortune of coming back with a series of introspective, cerebral episodes with a shortage of "Cameron the sexy Terminator kicks ass" scenes. My interest never faltered, but hopes of getting previously disinterested people involved with the show were dashed. Even pairing the show with Joss Whedon's Dollhouse didn't help ratings. I glumly accepted that one of my favorite shows was doomed.

That feeling hasn't waned, but it has become more tinged with anger. Anger? Why? Because after the string of "Sarah's going crazy" dreary (to some) episodes, the show started to really kick ass. It's not just been good, it's been crazy good. A vanquished terminator had its chip smashed, only to be resurrected as "John Henry," an artificial intelligence computer attached to a terminator body. The liquid metal terminator--disguised as a high technology CEO--is educating John Henry, who has befriended the (certainly dead) original CEO's little daughter. The former FBI agent who was tracking the Connors now works for the CEO. It's all coming to a head, and--the biggest surprise--two major characters of the series were dispatched brutally within two episodes.

Friday's episode almost left me panting, it was so intense. Everything about the show screams awesome! And it's doomed. And Friday's episode is very likely the very last one. I'm pissed. I want more. And the new movie, Terminator: Salvation may very well be terrific. That isn't going to make me happier if the TV show is cancelled.

I can still hope that FOX delays an announcement on the series' fate until after the first couple of weeks of the new movie's returns. Maybe they'll take advantage of the release, and re-run the best episodes of the series (leaving out the introspective ones), and garner some revived interest. Shoot, re-run them on Sci-Fi or Spike. Make it an event. This thing has the potential to bust out. It just hasn't happened yet. Oh, who am I kidding. It's doomed.

FOX's 1-2 Punch: Sarah Connor and Dollhouse

Image from source, ScreenRant

I've long raved about Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles here on the blog, and was thrilled with its return on Friday night. But I was equally eager to see Dollhouse, the new show by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Both shows were heavily promoted, using the "hot kick-ass chicks" theme--which is logical, given the stars--and even contained promotional bumpers during their premieres, with Eliza Dushku and Summer Glau interacting out of character.

This gives me hope for both shows, since they are airing on Fridays, a traditional "death slot" for TV. If FOX is giving them this much of a push, I'm encouraged that both shows may be allowed to grow for more than a few weeks. The problem with science fiction shows--especially on FOX--is that as soon as you get invested in them, they're abruptly cancelled. Of course, with both these series, there is a potential for continuation elsewhere if FOX pulls the plug.

T:TSCC opened with a quirky episode, with Sarah hallucinating fan-favorite Kyle Reese, while she was suffering from a gunshot wound. I worried that the episode was a bit too cerebral for the show's return, turning off casual viewers. Fortunately, the villain of the show is a liquid metal Terminator, who went on a savage killing spree. Hopefully, that was enough to keep people tuned in!

Dollhouse was sufficiently entertaining to keep me interested, and anxious to see what happens next week. Dushku--who played Faith the evil vampire slayer on Buffy--stars as a "doll," a woman who can be programmed to be anybody, and do any task. This apparently includes hostage negotiator as well as paid escort. Hinky as that is, it was intriguing. Why do people volunteer to have their memories wiped to do this job? How do people find the Dollhouse, if the FBI thinks it is just an urban legend? Why do the girl and boy "dolls" shower together? And can we see more of that? Heh.

Dushku performed admirably in the pilot episode. She was very Faith-like in the opening bit, then was suitably "blank" when at the Dollhouse, then convincing as the prim hostage negotiator. I was surprised to read reviews that slammed her acting. I remember watching and thinking, "man, she's got that blank stare down pat!" when she was memory-wiped. This is a Whedon show, so I am willing to give it time. I'm waiting for the crackling, snarky, "Whedonese" language. I'm hoping for some familiar faces from Buffy and Angel (Tony Head, Alyson Hannigan, Seth Green, Charisma Carpenter, Nick Brendan. . .please?). And I like Tamoh Penikett (Helo from Battlestar Galactica) as the FBI agent. A lot.

Anyway, here's hoping that both shows are given room to breathe, and that low expectations on Friday nights allow both shows to prosper. They're both worth a look, so look, won't you? Because the headline on the excerpt below gives me a wiggins.

[Excerpt]

Dollhouse & Sarah Connor Ratings: Mediocre To Awful

At first glance, the ratings for the show are just not that impressive and if the networks are consistent in their responses to the antiquated ratings system, both Dollhouse and The Sarah Connor Chronicles seem lacking, though some call Dollhouse’s ratings a success. . .

Read more at: ScreenRant

Heroes: Fugitives

I've tried mightily to pare down my TV watching to a select group of shows. But, try as I might, they tend to grow again. 24, Desperate Housewives, Brothers & Sisters, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fringe, Lost. . .even--yes--Survivor. But one of the shows I'm anticipating the most right now is Heroes.

I've followed it since the beginning, and like the pacing of the show. Were it not for the interruption of the writers' strike last year, I think that Heroes would be doing better now. I think the critical drubbing of the last two chapters of the show have been undeserved. I've watched every episode, with no diminishment of satisfaction. Love it. And it is back soon, with a new chapter called Fugitives. Here's a preview:

Does FOX TV Hate Science Fiction?

It's odd how much I watch FOX TV in comparison to the other networks. I mean, Rupert Murdoch is right up there with Karl Rove and Dick Cheney in the pantheon of evil people we could do without. And other Murdoch properties like FOX "News" and FOX "Business" Channel truly suck ass. But I've been a FOX TV fan since its nearly pre-history, with The Late Show starring Joan Rivers. Yeah, I was the viewer that watched it all the way through.

Next came the launch of the prime-time network, with shows like Married. . .with Children, The Tracey Ullman Show (both classics), and like Women in Prison and Whoops! (not classics). Lots of other shows--great and not--stick out in my memory, like Parker Lewis Can't Lose, 21 Jump Street and of course, the spin-off of Tracey Ullman, The Simpsons, which is still on 20 years later.

FOX has always had an eclectic lineup, with daring attempts at off-center humor, and off-beat horror/science fiction. The problem is the last category. Shows like Werewolf, VR-5, Millenium, Firefly, The Lone Gunmen, Alien Nation and others draw in viewers, then are abruptly cancelled, leaving the continuing story often unfinished. I understand that low-rated shows get cancelled, but it seems like FOX plops them on the air, then shuffles them around, or pre-empts them. . .anything to sabotage their success.

On the other hand, they surprised me by bringing back Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles for a second season. And it has been a stellar season so far, with outstanding writing, acting, special effects and action. Still, the show is being pulled off the air for several weeks, and when it returns, it will be on Friday nights, which many consider "the death slot." It will be joined by Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon's Dollhouse.

Arguably, they may be putting those shows in a night that isn't expected to draw high ratings, giving them a pass. And it is true that The X-Files started out on Fridays, and lasted for nine seasons (a rarity for sci-fi on FOX). And apparently Fringe is doing OK right now too. So is the sci-fi glass half-full or half-empty at FOX? Time will tell.

[Excerpt]

Further proof that Fox hates science fiction

There is further evidence of the Fox network's hatred and/or misunderstanding of the science fiction genre. Along with giving the Friday Night Death Slot to The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Dollhouse, they are making room for shows like Boldly Going Nowhere and Glee. . .

Read more at: TV Squad

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Gets Full Season

I've been a champion of FOX TV's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles since practically the first episode. Of course, I was a big fan of the original movie series too, well, the first two anyway. I think I've had five versions of Terminator 2 alone (VHS, LaserDisk, Ultimate DVD, Extreme DVD and Blu-Ray). And that's what got me hooked on T:TSCC, given the fact that it basically follows a storyline set up in T2. It ignores the shaky T3: Rise of the Machines, by sort of writing it out of the timeline. Good idea.

Anyway, this season, the show has had some really kick ass episodes, some of the best sci-fi/action stuff on TV. But the ratings have been sort of anemic, which has worried fans like me. Good news! It's been picked up for the full season. Which means, even if it only gets that many new episodes, we'll have a total of around 32 hours of Terminator mythos to add to our video collections. Cool!

[Excerpt]

"Terminator" is back with full season of episodes

Fox has picked up "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" for a full season.

The network has ordered nine more episodes of the show's second season from Warner Bros., sources said. . .

Read more at: Reuters

Why You Should Watch Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

I've been after you all to watch Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, practically since it hit the airwaves. Well, here is a clip from last week's show so that you can see why. You'd probably think a TV version of The Terminator would be lackluster, and somewhat lacking.

You'd be wrong. Take a gander and the new villain, played by Shirley Manson (from the band Garbage). And if you're a guy, you might cast a worried look at the urinal next time nature strikes. . .