Television
Updated over 1 year ago
L.A. Times - TV News
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The sequel retains the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, but adds more of the camp experience and a bit of 'High School Musical's' song and dance formula.
The sequel retains the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, but adds more of the camp experience and a bit of 'High School Musical's' song and dance formula.
The sequel retains the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, but adds more of the camp experience and a bit of 'High School Musical's' song and dance formula.
It's not every TV series that can count itself a close friend of struggling theater actors.
It's not every TV series that can count itself a close friend of struggling theater actors.
It's not every TV series that can count itself a close friend of struggling theater actors.
Contrary to pop culture belief, when Fonzie jumped the shark, it hardly marked the demise of the show.
Contrary to pop culture belief, when Fonzie jumped the shark, it hardly marked the demise of the show.
Contrary to pop culture belief, when Fonzie jumped the shark, it hardly marked the demise of the show.
The choice of Bristol Palin as a contestant, among others, makes it clear that name recognition trumps talent on the dance floor.
There is a freak show quality to this year's newly announced list of "Dancing With the Stars" participants, even by the show's increasingly bearded-lady/Kate Gosselin standards. Honestly, how is one supposed to react to a list on which David Hasselhoff looks like a dignified elder statesman?
There is a freak show quality to this year's newly announced list of "Dancing With the Stars" participants, even by the show's increasingly bearded-lady/Kate Gosselin standards. Honestly, how is one supposed to react to a list on which David Hasselhoff looks like a dignified elder statesman?
With the highly regarded NFL team already getting saturation coverage by the media, HBO's 'Hard Knocks' docuseries almost feels like piling on.
With the highly regarded NFL team already getting saturation coverage by the media, HBO's 'Hard Knocks' docuseries almost feels like piling on.
With the highly regarded NFL team already getting saturation coverage by the media, HBO's 'Hard Knocks' docuseries almost feels like piling on.
The show's hush-hush opening skit adds luster to Fallon's showbiz image. Even Springsteen is on board.
There was no doubt in Jimmy Fallon's mind how he wanted to open the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, right down to the iconic Bruce Springsteen song, "Born to Run," that would serve as a soundtrack to the most ambitious "Glee" parody he'd ever done.
There was no doubt in Jimmy Fallon's mind how he wanted to open the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, right down to the iconic Bruce Springsteen song, "Born to Run," that would serve as a soundtrack to the most ambitious "Glee" parody he'd ever done.
The former NBC host's 'Tonight Show' was a nominee but lost to 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.'
This just wasn't Conan O'Brien's year. NBC didn't let him keep his dream job as host of "The Tonight Show," and the red-haired comedian came up short with Emmy voters Sunday night.
This just wasn't Conan O'Brien's year. NBC didn't let him keep his dream job as host of "The Tonight Show," and the red-haired comedian came up short with Emmy voters Sunday night.
The award show was a celebration of television, set to an up beat.
There was a spring in the step of the 62nd Emmys that's been missing from awards shows so generally and for so long that some of us had begun to believe it had been permanently unsprung. Ambitious, energetically hilarious, and, most important, almost seamlessly constructed, this year's telecast actually did what the Emmys are supposed to do — celebrate television.
There was a spring in the step of the 62nd Emmys that's been missing from awards shows so generally and for so long that some of us had begun to believe it had been permanently unsprung. Ambitious, energetically hilarious, and, most important, almost seamlessly constructed, this year's telecast actually did what the Emmys are supposed to do — celebrate television.
The popular Fox musical won only two awards but the musical theme dominated the show.
The Fox hit "Glee" didn't break Emmy records despite its whopping 19 nominations, but the dramedy with music set the upbeat tone for Sunday night's show with a flashy song-and-dance opening number.
The Fox hit "Glee" didn't break Emmy records despite its whopping 19 nominations, but the dramedy with music set the upbeat tone for Sunday night's show with a flashy song-and-dance opening number.
First-timers win big, among them ABC's 'Modern Family,' which takes six awards in its debut season.
The TV academy, criticized for years as staid and out of touch with what viewers actually watch, swept in a new era Sunday night with a live-across-the-nation Emmy show that handed a total of six prizes to ABC's first-year "Modern Family," including best comedy, as well as trophies to first-time winners Kyra Sedgwick of TNT's "The Closer" and Archie Panjabi of CBS' "The Good Wife."
The TV academy, criticized for years as staid and out of touch with what viewers actually watch, swept in a new era Sunday night with a live-across-the-nation Emmy show that handed a total of six prizes to ABC's first-year "Modern Family," including best comedy, as well as trophies to first-time winners Kyra Sedgwick of TNT's "The Closer" and Archie Panjabi of CBS' "The Good Wife."
In one of the night's biggest upsets, the cooking show beats out 'Race' for the reality-competition Emmy. The global chase show had won seven straight times.
Good taste finally put an end to an "Amazing" winning streak.
Good taste finally put an end to an "Amazing" winning streak.
First-timer 'Modern Family' wins, but 'Mad Men's' streak extends to three years.
There was a lot of new comedy but not much new drama at the 62nd annual prime-time Emmy Awards on Sunday night.
There was a lot of new comedy but not much new drama at the 62nd annual prime-time Emmy Awards on Sunday night.
The award show was a celebration of television, set to an up beat.
The real-life Grandin is a palpable presence at the ceremony too.
The popular Fox musical won only two awards but the musical theme dominated the show.
The former NBC host's 'Tonight Show' was a nominee but lost to 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.'
Or 'Modern Family.' Sorry, but those fan and Emmy darlings don't do anything for this critic.
Hello, "Glee" lovers, wherever you are! (And you are everywhere.) It has been a good year for your favorite show! Nineteen Emmy nominations! That's two more than "Mad Men"! And you "Modern Family" fans — 14 Emmy nods is nothing to sneeze at!
Hello, "Glee" lovers, wherever you are! (And you are everywhere.) It has been a good year for your favorite show! Nineteen Emmy nominations! That's two more than "Mad Men"! And you "Modern Family" fans — 14 Emmy nods is nothing to sneeze at!
'The team comes first,' says the Emmy-nominated actor, who plays Phil Dunphy on ABC's hot ensemble comedy, which is up for 14 awards.
When Ty Burrell was 7 years old in his hometown of Appleton, Ore., he won a chocolate cake in a kid's competition. "[It was] the only thing I ever won."
When Ty Burrell was 7 years old in his hometown of Appleton, Ore., he won a chocolate cake in a kid's competition. "[It was] the only thing I ever won."
It might upset fans of 'Dexter,' 'Glee' and others, but viewers may stick around anyway.
In the television world, repeats are to be kept to a minimum.
In the television world, repeats are to be kept to a minimum.
The Governors Ball after the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday will feed an army of hungry celebrities. Here's some of what it will take to satisfy the 3,600 guests:
Some lounges this year are donating to Hollywood-based and national charities to draw in celebrities who might otherwise skip the annual giveaways of high-end products and services.
It would seem that giving away piles of coveted goodies like iPads, diamond jewelry, Palm Pixis and Caribbean vacations would be enough to draw hungry crowds to swag lounges on Emmy Awards weekend.
It would seem that giving away piles of coveted goodies like iPads, diamond jewelry, Palm Pixis and Caribbean vacations would be enough to draw hungry crowds to swag lounges on Emmy Awards weekend.
The 'Brady Bunch' star does serious as well as funny onstage in 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore' at the Geffen Playhouse.
The 'Brady Bunch' star does serious as well as funny onstage in 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore' at the Geffen Playhouse.
The 'Brady Bunch' star does serious as well as funny onstage in 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore' at the Geffen Playhouse.
Director Ron Shelton examines the NBA superstar's strange foray into the minor leagues in 'Jordan Rides the Bus' on ESPN.
In the fall of 1993, Michael Jordan — often regarded as the greatest player ever to shoot a basketball — shocked the sports world by announcing he was retiring from the NBA. Then he stunned fans again by deciding to pursue his long-held dream of playing pro baseball.
In the fall of 1993, Michael Jordan — often regarded as the greatest player ever to shoot a basketball — shocked the sports world by announcing he was retiring from the NBA. Then he stunned fans again by deciding to pursue his long-held dream of playing pro baseball.
Kean created storylines and characters and wrote songs for the wildly popular half-hour children's show, which ran five days a week throughout the 1950s. He also invented the word 'cowabunga.'
Edward Kean, the original head writer for "The Howdy Doody Show," the pioneer NBC children's TV program for which he also created characters and wrote the songs, has died. He was 85.
Edward Kean, the original head writer for "The Howdy Doody Show," the pioneer NBC children's TV program for which he also created characters and wrote the songs, has died. He was 85.
Spike Lee's sprawling documentary about post-Katrina New Orleans examines the scars of human mismanagement.
In "If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise," airing Monday and Tuesday on HBO, Spike Lee returns to New Orleans, the scene of his post-Katrina documentary "When the Levees Broke" to assess what might be called the damage being done by the recovery. He also assesses the actual recovery, the illusory recovery, the psychological recovery, and the assault on the recovery that is the BP oil spill — an unfortunate and unavoidable late addition that, though not specifically related to Katrina or the following flood, fits his larger themes of class war and bad luck and enlarges his portrait of a land that can seem beleaguered by God or cursed through voodoo but which most definitely shows the scars of human mismanagement, corruption and greed. (Lee brings in the Haitian earthquake, as well.)
In "If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise," airing Monday and Tuesday on HBO, Spike Lee returns to New Orleans, the scene of his post-Katrina documentary "When the Levees Broke" to assess what might be called the damage being done by the recovery. He also assesses the actual recovery, the illusory recovery, the psychological recovery, and the assault on the recovery that is the BP oil spill — an unfortunate and unavoidable late addition that, though not specifically related to Katrina or the following flood, fits his larger themes of class war and bad luck and enlarges his portrait of a land that can seem beleaguered by God or cursed through voodoo but which most definitely shows the scars of human mismanagement, corruption and greed. (Lee brings in the Haitian earthquake, as well.)
Tr3s, Zee TV, TVOne, Halogen, the Military Channel and others are spectacular in their specificity.
In the modern cable age, there is never nothing on. There are several hundred nationally available channels — the National Cable & Telecommunications Assn. lists 565 as of 2006 — and many more that are offered by regional providers. Add in digital cable and HD channels, and the range of options become overwhelming.
In the modern cable age, there is never nothing on. There are several hundred nationally available channels — the National Cable & Telecommunications Assn. lists 565 as of 2006 — and many more that are offered by regional providers. Add in digital cable and HD channels, and the range of options become overwhelming.
Laughs? Chuckles, more like. Still, this miniseries about small-town murder provides context for the Canadian quintet's character comedy.
Like getting into the Beatles via their later solo albums, I came at the Canadian comedy troupe the Kids in the Hall, whose self-titled series ran from 1989 to 1995 on HBO and CBS, late and backward, through the individual work of members Dave Foley ("NewsRadio"), Scott Thompson ( "The Larry Sanders Show") and Mark McKinney (the marvelous "Slings and Arrows," which he also co-wrote). ( Bruce McCulloch and Kevin McDonald are the other Kids, I write parenthetically but not slightingly.) Then I saw them at UCLA in 2007, warming up for their 2008 reunion tour, and did I laugh!
Like getting into the Beatles via their later solo albums, I came at the Canadian comedy troupe the Kids in the Hall, whose self-titled series ran from 1989 to 1995 on HBO and CBS, late and backward, through the individual work of members Dave Foley ("NewsRadio"), Scott Thompson ( "The Larry Sanders Show") and Mark McKinney (the marvelous "Slings and Arrows," which he also co-wrote). ( Bruce McCulloch and Kevin McDonald are the other Kids, I write parenthetically but not slightingly.) Then I saw them at UCLA in 2007, warming up for their 2008 reunion tour, and did I laugh!
The actress will be discussing her role as producer for the play "Sad Happy Sucker."
A major cast change — think Simon Cowell leaving 'American Idol' — doesn't have to be a death knell.
The heart of groundbreaking drama "ER" continued to beat after the movie-bound George Clooney pulled the plug on his heroic character, Dr. Doug Ross. The laughs kept coming even though Shelley Long's Diane Chambers stopped slinging cocktails at " Cheers," and "Star Trek's" USS Enterprise stayed aloft for decades after William Shatner vacated the captain's chair.
The heart of groundbreaking drama "ER" continued to beat after the movie-bound George Clooney pulled the plug on his heroic character, Dr. Doug Ross. The laughs kept coming even though Shelley Long's Diane Chambers stopped slinging cocktails at " Cheers," and "Star Trek's" USS Enterprise stayed aloft for decades after William Shatner vacated the captain's chair.
In Comedy Central's 'Big Lake,' a prodigal son moves back in with his retirement-poor parents, while Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence follow a more routine path as a career woman and a male nanny.
Though last rites have been administered more than once, the situation comedy is the most resilient of television formats. Time-honored and stable, it is also highly adaptable, ranging easily in attitude from the sincere to the ironic, in form from the classical to the postmodern. The sitcom also has the practical merit of being comparatively economical and easy to make (which does not mean, of course, easy to make well), and after having been largely driven from the screen by reality shows and police procedurals, it is creeping back in around the edges. Two new series premiering Tuesday on basic cable networks build on the tradition in different ways, to different ends.
Though last rites have been administered more than once, the situation comedy is the most resilient of television formats. Time-honored and stable, it is also highly adaptable, ranging easily in attitude from the sincere to the ironic, in form from the classical to the postmodern. The sitcom also has the practical merit of being comparatively economical and easy to make (which does not mean, of course, easy to make well), and after having been largely driven from the screen by reality shows and police procedurals, it is creeping back in around the edges. Two new series premiering Tuesday on basic cable networks build on the tradition in different ways, to different ends.