Tina Fey of '30 Rock' on Brian Williams' 'Rock Center'

I've seen Tina Fey give some pretty spectacular/hilarious interviews which is why I was quite surprised by her recent turn on 'Rock Center'.

'Rock Center' is Brian Williams' new show, and Fey was interviewed by him during the second episode.

To be honest, I think that the real problem was the chemistry between Fey and Williams.

Fey has a dry, sardonic wit and Williams was unable to verbally spar with her. Despite the fact that Fey seemed a little awkward, Williams was the one who seemed to be just sitting there, changing the topic often instead of helping Fey support her jokes. Williams is well suited for the world of serious journalism  but I'm not sure he can compete in the talk show world .

 

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'Covert Affairs' is back!

Apparently summer television isn't just for summer anymore.

Both USA and TNT have decided to release new episodes of their hit summer shows starting this month.

'Covert Affairs' returned to our TVs on Tuesday (11/7), and I'm pleased to say that Annie Walker is as interesting as ever. In case you missed it you can catch up on Hulu. All new episodes will continue to air this month: Tuesdays at 10/9c on USA.

'Rizzoli and Isles' is also returning starting on November 28th at 10/9c. That's a Monday, which is unfortunate because it will conflict with 'Castle'. Time to prepare your DVRs!

The People' Choice Awards--will one show dominate?

When the People's Choice Award nominations were released this morning many of you may have noticed the obvious--several shows have the chance to win multiple awards. Now, I cannot be the only one who was completely bored at the Emmy's when 'Modern Family' won the first four awards. However, when looking at the shows nominated for People's Choice Awards there are some that really deserve to win, and some that really, really don't. Because of that, a show having total domination at this awards show may not be a bad thing.

Here are some possible domination scenarios:

'Bones' could win TV Drama Actor (David Boreanaz), TV Drama Actress (Emily Deschanel), and Best TV Crime Drama.
(To make it a family affair Zooey Deschanel's show 'New Girl' could also win for Best New Comedy)

'Grey's Anatomy' could win TV Drama Actor (Patrick Dempsey), TV Drama Actress (Ellen Pompeo), and Best TV Drama.

'Supernatural' could win Best TV Drama and Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show. 'True Blood' and 'The Vampire Diaries' could have similar sweeps.

'House' could win Best TV Drama and TV Drama Actor (Hugh Laurie).

'Glee' could win Best TV Comedy, TV Comedy Actor (Chris Colfer or Cory Monteith) and TV Comedy Actress (Lea Michele or Jane Lynch)
'Castle' could win Best TV Crime Drama and TV Drama Actor (Nathan Fillion).

'30 Rock' could win TV Comedy Actor (Alec Baldwin) and TV Comedy Actress (Tina Fey).

'How I Met Your Mother' could win Best TV Comedy and TV Comedy Actor (Neil Patrick Harris).

And, oh, look what can't possibly dominate: 'Modern Family' (nominated only in Best TV Comedy).

The most impressive sweep would clearly be 'Bones', since they could take away a total of 3 awards. Too bad they weren't cross listed in both Best TV Crime Drama and Best TV Drama ...then they could have gone for four! Guess they might have to settle for Emily Deschanel's little sister winning Best New Comedy. That counts, right?

The show with the best shot at sweeping categories is 'Glee'. Having multiple nominees in the same category decreases competition and should work to their advantage. The only way this might not be a good thing is if fans feel divided about which cast member they should vote for, and split the vote.

People's Choice Awards

It's that time of year again...voting time! And while (hopefully) many of you are heading to the polls today, you can also vote online for the People's Choice Awards.

Click on me to vote!

The People's Choice Awards airs on Wednesday, January 11th (that's 2012!).

 Nominees were announced this morning, and television nominations include:

Favorite Network TV Comedy:
 *Glee
*Modern Family
*How I Met Your Mother
*2 and a Half Men
*The Big Bang Theory

Favorite TV Comedy Actor:
*Jim Parsons
*Alec Baldwin
*Neil Patrick Harris
*Cory Monteith
*Chris Colfer

Favorite TV Comedy Actress:
*Kaley Cuoco
*Jane Lynch
*Lea Michele
*Courtney Cox
*Tina Fey

Favorite Cable TV Comedy:
*Hot in Cleveland
*It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
*Weeds
*Royal Pains
*Nurse Jackie

Favorite Network TV Drama:
*The Vampire Diaries
*House
*Supernatural
*The Good Wife
*Grey's Anatomy


Favorite TV Drama Actor:
*Nathan Fillion
*David Boreanaz
*Ian Somerhalder
*Hugh Laurie
*Patrick Dempsey


Favorite TV Drama Actress:
*Blake Lively
*Emily Deschanel
*Nina Dobrev
*Eva Longoria
*Ellen Pompeo

Favorite Cable TV Drama:
*Game of Thrones
*Dexter
*Pretty Little Liars
*White Collar
*True Blood


Favorite TV Crime Drama:
*Bones
*Criminal Minds
*Castle
*CSI
*NCIS

Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show
*True Blood
*Supernatural
*Fringe
*The Walking Dead
*The Vampire Diaries

Happy Sunday!

I wish it was Sunday forever, and that Monday would never come.

But since that's one wish that's never going to come true...here's a photo of Stana Katic PLUS a Johnny LaRue video. Just for you.

And to tie them all together, here's an interview with Stana Katic ('Castle') that was published yesterday. The interviewer compares Katic to LaRue. I promise it will make sense if you just read it HERE.

Lets talk about the future ABC

There are tons of great shows on television right now, but we all know that come September some of the not so great ones will be gone. And that gives the networks and stations an opportunity to try again.

Here are a few deals that have recently been made. Maybe you'll see some of them on your TVs come September of 2012.

Feel like you need even more procedural dramas to watch? You might get your wish. ABC has recently signed a deal with Adam Goldworm and co. to gain the rights to 'Haunted'. The show would follow a female paranormal investigator who helps to solve crimes for the dead so that they can get closure. Sounds a little like 'Ghost Whisperer', but I'm hoping that it will be a little less serious and have a lot less of Jennifer Love Hewitt.

John Wells is known for his hits ('ER') as well as his misses ('Presidio Med', anyone?). His production company is still going strong, and they recently inked a deal with ABC for a 1970s based comedy exec produced by Joe Keenan.

That's John Wells. On the right.

'Rizzoli & Isles' Returns

When is 'Rizzoli & Isles' coming back?

New episodes of the hit show are on TNT starting November 28th.

Check out the first official sneak peek HERE.

'Castle' vs. 'Bones'

I'm newly, completely and utterly obsessed with 'Castle'. I honestly don't know how I could have been missing such a wonderful show.

In the last two weeks I've managed to watch up to the current episode (for those of you who'd like to judge me, that's about 60 episodes). I'm basically smitten with the show. I love the main characters and I love the supporting characters. And the writing, and the directing, and the camerawork. Hell, I even love the grip.

Now that Booth and Bones have done a relationship cop out with the whole pregnancy thing I'm even more attracted to 'Castle'. Not only do Richard Castle and Kate Beckett have great chemistry but I also think that the writers have done a better job of creating a realistic relationship. Of course, in many ways 'Bones' and 'Castle' follow a similar formula--they both have a law enforcement officer ('Bones' has Booth, who is an FBI agent, and 'Castle' has Beckett who is a NYC Police Officer), they both have a character who is slightly more serious ('Bones' has Brennan while 'Castle' has Beckett), and a character who is quirky ('Bones' has Booth, 'Castle' has Castle). And lets not forget the fact that both the shows are named after one of their main characters. Oh, and they both are procedural crime shows with some comedy thrown in.

Despite that, the character development in 'Castle' is stronger. The slow and steady way that we have been introduced to more and more facets of Beckett's personality has helped us to grow to understand her in the same gradual way that Castle has grown to understand her. In 'Bones' we know that Brennan has had a difficult past, but it was introduced unevenly and unrealistically (a particular scene that comes to mind is the one where Brennan mentions that she was once locked in the trunk of a car for two days by her foster family, suddenly suggesting that her problems stem not only from abandonment by her birth family, but also childhood abuse. Abuse that was never mentioned again.).

My only hope is that Castle and Beckett get together soon, because if they continue this back and forth too much longer it will build up far too much hype. I honestly don't want them to have to deal with the same problem that 'Bones' dealt with--six seasons of sexual tension was easily three seasons too many.

It seems clear that with the secrets Castle is now hiding from Beckett if they do get together their relationship might implode. Maybe the show will create a Ross and Rachel relationship, replicating the drama of 'we were on a break' while making it appropriate for their more serious show. Honestly, while I want to see Castle and Beckett together and happy, I would also prefer for them to get together, break-up, and get back together then for them to extend the lack of relationship too much longer.

I recently saw this on Castle Confessions, and it sums up my feelings:

Castle airs on Monday nights at 10/9C on ABC. Bones airs on Thursday nights at 9/8C on FOX.

Critique of 'Bones' Season 7 Episode 1

How did you feel about the 7th season premiere of 'Bones'?

Oddly enough Booth and Brennan's occasional moments of affection didn't feel strange. Each time they kissed I didn't feel shocked, in fact if anything I felt a little too desensitized to it. It used to be that a Booth/Brennan hook-up was something that fans looked forward to and that there was a lot of excitement associated with a kiss. Now it doesn't carry much weight. I'm not sure why this has happened, but it just seems as though they have always been together.

The storyline itself was a little weak. Frankly, I can't even remember what the murder was, and I only watched the episode a day ago (to be fair to the show, I have watched half a season of 'Castle' since then which does muddy my memory with its own murders).

Also, although I know that Sweets is investigating crimes with Booth because Emily Deschanel asked for reduced screen time due to her pregnancy, I miss the old scenario where Booth and Bones interrogate witnesses. I hope that a few of the episodes this season still have that.

In a way I was pleased to see that Booth and Brennan are not having a perfect relationship, and that decisions over their living situation caused tension in this episode. The fact that they said "I love you" to each other was also nice to hear, although I feel as though we got cheated out of the six months or so at the beginning of the pregnancy that lead up to that moment.

The scene where Brennan falls down and gets stuck behind the crate and calls Booth to help her was also telling. Despite the fact that it was a little too ridiculous, and didn't fit with the general tempo of the show, it did help the writers highlight the fact that Booth is the first person who Brennan thinks of when she needs help. She even said as much.

I knew there was no way that the episode could live up to its hype, but I also thought that it could have been stronger. It was a relatively enjoyable episode, but nothing extraordinary. 

Funnily enough the thing I disliked the most was the new opener. Superimposing still images of the main characters over a moving background really bothered me. It  reminded me too much of the opening credits of a sitcom. However, I do understand that if there is any time to introduce a new opening it's now, when large parts of the actual show are also changing.