The Pit: American Idol, Avengers, Buffy & More!

Sorry about the slow updates. There really hasn’t been much to talk about and I’ve been distracted by the returns to two of my favorite shows, Lost and Chuck. In fact, if you haven’t yet, you should really watch the first 6 (awesome) episodes of the new Chuck season! (Note: See the previous article for a link to the new Lost episodes)

• Howard Stern to replace Simon Cowell on American Idol? Sure, Stern has been in radio for as long as I can rememeber and is just as mean as Cowell, but would you call him a music genius? Or even an expert? He is not a record producer, he hasn’t ushered into countless talents. If they choose him, the show is becoming even more of a joke than when they announced Ellen replacing Paula. When will this show end? With X-Factor coming, is it really needed?

• The Super Bowl is on tonight, and that means there is another Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet! ABC brings us a Modern Family marathon (with reruns of Cougar Town and The Middle thrown into the mix). Fox has reruns of their usual Sunday toons. And CBS is following the big game with the new reality show, Undercover Boss.

• Over at Marvel Comics, the Avengers are changing things up again and relaunching with a new #1. Who has been revealed on the new team so far? We have Captain America (looks like it’s the Bucky version), Jessica Drew the Spider-Woman, Iron-Man, the recently revived Hawkeye, and the soon to be a big motion picture Thor! None of these guys are unexpected, but it shows that Marvel is getting away from the “Dark Marvel” age and bringing back the traditional “Hero” aspect of their universe.

• Looking for a fun online Hollywood simulation game? Give Hollywood the Game a try!

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 #32 hit stands earlier this week. This is part 1 of “Twilight”, the story that will finally reveal the identity of Season 8’s “big bad”.

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Did you get Lost this week, brother?

Even Ben didn't know what the heck was going on during the first new episodes of Lost's final season.

But I loved every minute of it.  We finally get some answers (”I didn’t want you to see me like that”) and right when I thought I knew where they were going with the series, the rug was pulled out from under me.  Well done. There are a ton of places that you can go on the Internet to read what happened, but you should really just watch it for yourself. If you stopped watching the show at some point, buy the DVDs, watch it on Netflix, just catch up because this show is everything that a TV series should be.  After you watch the premiere, take a look at this awesome video comparing a scene in it with the pilot.

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TV Tonight: Damages, Third Season Premiere

Tonight is the third season premiere for Damages.  This season Patty (Glenn Close) is defending a Madoff-like character, while Ellen (Rose Byrne) now works at the DA’s office and is trying to prosecute the corrupt business man.  With this shift in dynamic it should be interesting to see how things play out for the pair. In the past, they were working together yet secretly against each other. Now they will be facing off directly. Will Ellen be able to hold her ground against Patty? The new season kicks off tonight at 10pm on FX Network.

Also, don’t forget that we have an all new Chuck at 8pm on NBC. What else is on?

8PM

• ABC: The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love (Reality… with a horrible subtitle)
• CW: One Tree Hill (Melodrama)
• FOX: House (Medical Drama)
• NBC: CHUCK!!! (Spy Action Comedy Drama Awesomeness)
• ABCFAM: Secret Life of the American Teenager (Teen Drama)

9PM

• CW: Life Unexpected (Drama)
• FOX: 24 (Action Drama)
• NBC: Heroes (Disappointing Sci-Fi)
• ABCFAM: Make It or Break It (Sports Drama)
• USA: WWE Monday Night Raw (Wrestling)

10PM

• ABC: Castle (Crime Drama Comedy)
• NBC: Jay Leno Show (Talk/Sketch Comedy)
• ABCFAM: Greek (Drama)
• TNT: Men of a Certain Age (Drama)

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TV Tonight: Chuck (Versus Operation Awesome)

Tonight brings us an all new installment of Chuck on NBC at 8pm. Joining the cast (for at least a few episodes) is Superman, aka Brandon Routh (pictured above with Chuck!).  The new episode, “Chuck Versus Operation Awesome”, continues off last week’s cliffhanger that left the fate of Captain Awesome in the balance. The episode also guest stars Angie Harmon.

Also on tonight…

8PM

• ABC: The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love (Reality)
• CBS: How I Met Your Mother/Accidentally on Purpose (Comedies)
• CW: One Tree Hill (Melodrama)
• FOX: 24 (Action Drama)
• ABCFAM: Secret Life of the American Teenager (Teen Drama)
• USA: Tom Brokaw Presents: American Character Along Highway 50 (News Showcase)

9PM

• CBS: Two and a Half Men/ The Big Bang Theory (Comedies)
• NBC: Heroes (Sci-Fi Drama)
• CW: Life Unexpected (Drama)
• ABCFAM: Make It or Break It (Sports Drama)
• USA: WWE Monday Night Raw (Wrestling)

10PM

• ABC: Castle (Crime Drama Comedy)
• CBS: CSI: Miami (Crime Drama)

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The Pit: Avatar, Green Lantern, TV Show Renewals, & More!

Lots of stuff is going on in the world of entertainment. The NBC late-night drama continues, shows are coming and going, and Avatar is finally being challenged at the box office. Welcome to The Pit.

• The Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman post-apocalyptic thriller The Book of Eli managed to edge out James Cameron’s Avatar out of the top spot at the domestic box office on Friday  by about a million dollars. Can it beat it on Saturday and Sunday to take the weekend? Maybe.  I have a feeling that Avatar might keep the top spot thanks to the 3D and Imax showings.

• Earlier this week it was announced that Peter Sarsgaard was in final talks to take on the villainous role of Dr. Hector Hammond, a villain that I never really cared about in the comics. He is a great actor, I just wonder where they are going to go with the character.  I’m still not sold on Blake Lively as Carol Ferris, she seems too young and just not suited for the role.  Today it was revealed that Mark Strong is up for the ultimate GL villain, Sinestro. That my friends, could be perfect casting.  Strong vs Ryan Reynold’s Hal Jordan in a space battle with two of the most powerful weapons in the universe? Badass.

• Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock full on kissed at the Critics Choice Awards after they tied for Best Actress. Ewwwwww.

Moving on to TV, there have been lots of renewals, included in the mix is:

• ABC: The Middle, Cougar Town, Modern Family
• CBS: The Good Wife, NCIS: Los Angeles
• Fox: Glee
• Starz: Spartacus: Blood and Sand
• TNT: Men of a Certain Age

What is really interesting about this is the second season pick-up for Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which hasn’t even started its first season. The show looks like a pretty cool cross between 300 and Gladiator and co-stars Lucy “Xena” Lawless.  If I got Starz, I’d totally watch it, but as it is I’ll have to wait for it to come on Netflix.  None of the other listed shows are really surprising, I love Glee and ABC’s new comedies have been doing good.  Modern Family is hysterical and has an awesome cast.  Men of a Certain Age hasn’t been killing in the ratings, but with the talent behind it I’m not surprised that it is continuing.

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I’m With Coco

I’m With Coco, are you?

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Previews: Nation X #2/Amazing Spiderman #617

It has been a while since we’ve done comic spotlights, and sadly, it has been weeks since I’ve been able to pick up any of the new issues that are collecting dust in my pull box. I’m going to work hard to rectify both counts. Among the crowd of books coming out today are two very different titles from Marvel Comics.

First up (pictured on the left above) is Nation X #2.  I have not read Nation X #1, and I have no idea what is currently going on in the X-Books. The reason I’m spotlighting this title is two fold, 1) the promised return of Jubilee and 2) Gambit (the cover looks pretty cool also).  The issue is written by John Barber, C.B. Cebulski, Becky Cloonan, and Tim Fish with art by Cloonan and Fish. The official description: Jubilee returns to the X-Men,returns to the X-Men, Gambit has trouble adjusting to life on Utopia, Northstar deals with the distance that island living necessitates and No-Girl has to save all the X-Men from a foe living right under their noses.

Also coming out today is Amazing Spider-Man #612 from Joe Kelly with art from Max Fiumara. In the new issue, “The Gauntlet” continues with Spider-Man stuck in the middle of a battle between two Rhinos.  I’ve always been a fan of the original Rhino and I can’t wait to see how this issue unfolds.  Next week “Gauntlet” brings us the return of Mysterio.

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Conan O’Brien Speaks

Conan O’Brien has issued a statement in regards to NBC’s decision to move Jay Leno back into the 11:35pm timeslot.

People of Earth:

In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me.  For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky.  That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009.  Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me.  I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future.   It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule.  Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

But sadly, we were never given that chance.  After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35.  For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news.  I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting.  The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show.  Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot.  That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this:  I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it.  My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction.  Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter.  But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.

There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next.  My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.

Yours,
Conan

I’ve followed Conan for a long time and it truly sucks that he is getting the shaft like this. I’ll watch what ever show he ends up on, on whatever network he ends up on.

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