TV's Best: First Six Months 2011

first and foremost tv has been a helluva lot better than film these past six months. it has offered better acting, better scripts and certainly more adult fare. is this new? probably not but these past six months have been better for tv than in the past. so in alphabetical order these are the best tv had to offer and they were good and in some cases great.

'army wives' has been consistent. with the death of recurring character jeremey in the afghan theater of war they surpassed themselves. catherine bell as his mother was amazing. she made us feel her loss. it certainly is her best work to date...ever. the rest of the cast as always stepped up to the plate. this remains one of cable's best.

'big love' redeemed itself after last year's dismal season. sadly it is now in the past as it has come to an end. i will miss this show with and family with all it's complexities. it was nice to see amanda seyfried come back for the finale.

'the borgias' had a slow start. how exciting can a conclave be? i think more exciting than the premier show especially in the time period the borgias, the medicis et al existed and ruled the catholic church. bit episodes 2 thru 8 steamrolled on and made for grand spectacle. i can't wait for season 2. francois arnaud all but steals every scene he is in. i think he has a post borgis career to look forward to.

'castle' is one of the best scripted series on the networks. nathan fillion and stana katic shine week after week with great support from it's other cast members. it had the best season finale this year. maybe the best any other year also. if the leads do not get emmy noms this year it will be criminal.

'downton abbey' showed up on pbs. for some odd reason they cut about 70 minutes out of it???? however, it worked. i'd recommend renting it to see it in full. it was great to see elizaeth mcgovern back on screen as she has been spending most of her adult life on the british stage. she has certainly improved on her craft. maggie smith as always was grand. and a hoot.

'fairly legal' was the best piece of froth the cable networks offered. a slight diversion at best but a happy romp. sarah shahi is a charmer. tired of all the reality crap on air? check this out. and have a good time.

'game of thrones' seduced me with episode 1. i thought not having read the books i'd be lost. after the first 2 episodes i was able to just roll along with it and go with the strange names and manner of speech. it is a good old fashioned epic presented anew.

'the killing' on amc is a good old mystery. a murder, suspects galore, twists and turns abound. each episode takes place in a single day. it ravels and unravels at it's own pace. it's adult. it's one more notch on the bed of amc which is shining in original fare. don't let this one get by you.

(to be continued)

The Winners of the 65th Annual Tony Awards

Book of Morman' and 'War Horse' take top prizes at tony awards.

and the winners are:
Best Play: War Horse
Best Musical: Book of Mormon
Best Revival of a Play: The Normal Heart
Best Revival of a Musical: Anything Goes
Best Direction of a Musical: Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker for Book of Mormon
Best Direction of a Play: Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris for War Horse
Best Actress in a Play: Frances McDormand for Good People
Best Actress in a Musical: Sutton Foster for Anything Goes
Best Actor in a Play: Mark Rylance for Jerusalem
Best Actor in a Musical: Norbert Leo Butz for Catch Me If You Can
Best Featured Actress in a Play: Ellen Barkin for The Normal Heart
Best Featured Actor in a Play: John Benjamin Hickey for The Normal Heart
Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Nikki M. James for Book of Mormon
Best Featured Actor in a Musical: John Larroquette for How to Succeed in Business
Best Book of a Musical: Book of Mormon, Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Best Costume Design for a Play: Importance of Being Earnest
Best Costume Design for a Musical: Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Best Scenic Design for a Play: War Horse
Best Scenic Design for a Musical: Book of Mormon
Best Lighting Design for a Play: War Horse
Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Book of Mormon
Best Choreography: Kathleen Marshall for Anything Goes
Best Score for a Musical: Book of Mormon
Best Orchestrations for a Musical: Book of Mormon
Best Sound Design for a Musical: Book of Mormon
Best Sound Design in a Play: War Horse

The Book of Mormon wins 9 Tony Awards, War Horse wins 5, The Normal Heart & Anything Goes each win 3. Winning 4 Tonys, Trey Parker ties with Josh Logan who won 4 in 1950 for South Pacific.

They're Back...

finally, at last, tomorrow night. let the fun begin.

The Tony's: Best of Broadway Tonight

once again joyfully hosted by neil patrick harris

some tony nominated and/or winning memories

from 'cats'

from 'next to normal'

from 'south pacific'

from 'la cage aux folles'

from 'mame'

from 'a chorus line'

from 'chicago'

from 'spamalot'

from 'evita'

from 'fosse'

from 'cabaret'

from 'my one and only'

from 'anything goes'

from 'into the woods'

from 'kiss of the spider woman'

from 'wicked'

from 'ragtime'

from 'les miserables'

from 'fiddler on the roof'

from 'the lion king'

from 'hair'

from 'drowsy chaperon'

from 'dreamgirls'

from 'west side story'

from '110 in the shade'

from 'the act'

from 'song and dance'

from 'grand hotel'

from 'the apple tree'

from 'the threepenny opera'

from 'sunday in the park with george'

from 'nine'

from 'rent'

from 'phantom of the opera'

from 'you're a good man charlie brown'

from 'sideshow'

from 'man of la mancha'

from 'my fair lady' and 'camelot'

from 'damn yankees'

from 'purlie'

from 'woman of the year'

from 'they're playing our song'

 (the biggest snub in tony history was in not nominating lucie arnaz in this role. however, she showed her professionalism showing up on award night and performing)

from 'xanadu'

from 'rags'

from 'sweeney todd'

from 'gypsy'

and one more time: neil patrick harris

i hope you enjoyed this trip down tony's memory lane. i certainly did preparing it and watching these wonderful musical moments.


enjoy the tony's tonight

'Teen Wolf': A Summer Surprise on MTV

cable fills in the blanks during the summer hiatus of network programing. all the major networks offer are more mindless reality programs. duh! 

last year's nicest surprise was usa's 'covert affairs. this year, at least as of now, it is 'teen wolf'. i didn't know mtv had it in them. if you like 'the vampire diaries' you should enjoy this. based on a michael j fox film it is fun, witty and has a retty good cast of newcomers. give it a go. you may enjoy yourself.

'Midnight in Paris' ***star Charmer

woody creates magic in paris. at the stroke of midnight one man (owen wilson) magically escapes a demanding fiancee and her parents and enters a world of the greatest writers of the past in the paris of the 1920's. the scenes in the past which are the majority of scenes so outshine the present day episodes. in the past woody allen brings his latest film to life. in the present day scenes you want the film to fast forward to the past again. happily it does. 

owen wilson is surprisingly charming as gil the want to be novelist. adrien brody shines as salvador dali. kathy bates portrays a delightful and so human gertrude stein. corey stoll all but steals the whole thing as ernest hemingway and should get a supporting actor nom come oscar time. rachel mcadams as gil's fiancee inez is a horror. this actress has just not lived up to her post 'the notebook' potential. she alone was utterly miscast. mimi kennedy as her mother is just plain annoying throughout. but have no fear.....

marion cotillard comes along as adriana the woman in the past. charming, delightful, scene stealer. she continues to light up the screen with every film she is in. as the film returns to a 'golden age' so does the presence of ms. cotillard remind us of the past wonders of film and the potential for the present and past. i am madly in love with marion. unashamedly in love with her. oscar nom? i hope so.

woody allen in his golden years is better than he was when younger. since 'match point' in london, 'vicki christina barcelona' in spain and now paris he is amazing me. oscar nom for pic and director is a possibility. i can't wait for his next film filming in rome. sadly ms. cotillard is not among the cast. see...i am in love with her.

trailer

Happy Birthday Johnny

Happy Birthday Julianna

Nurse Jackee

We're Invited to the Wedding of the Year

'Sondheim: The Birthday Celebration'

How the hell did i miss this one. well now i own it on blu ray. a glorious birthday bash for stephen sondheim. hosted and written by an hilarious david hyde pierce it's a delightful romp for him. the artists sing the 'singable' sonheim songs fot the most part. okay let's be honest here: not all of sondheim is singable. the biggies are sung by the best assortment of diva's assembled in one place in a long long time. lupone, peters, mcdonald, strich, murphy, mazzie and benanti: it gets no better. throw in mandt patinkin, michael cerveris and george hearn and the world is momentarily blissful and at peace. bravo to all of them and the brilliant arrangements and conducting of paul gemigani and the mighty new york philharmonic. who could ask for more.

***********

bernadette peters and mandy patinkin: "move on'

patti lupone: 'the ladies who lunch'

donna murphy: 'could i leave you'

*****************

 

curtain call

First Look: "Rise of the Planet of the Apes''

'The Ringer' Coming to the CW This Fall

'ringer'. sarah michellr gellar in 'ringer'. bette davis in 'dead ringer'. sarah michelle gellar pulling off a bette davis role? i probably think not!

Gruesome Twosome

Bridesmaids' ***stars

anyone who has followed my blog knows that comedic films are not my thing. so kicking and screaming, figuratively, i went with my friends this weekend. i had the best time. perhaps part of it was the company of friends. but mostly it was in the end the film. bathroom humor abounded literally in fact. the lines were funny, the sight gags hysterical. i was surprised. happily. i can really recommend this flick although i may be the last person who saw it as it's been doing blockbuster business. i assure this will not start a trend. i will not go see 'hangover 2' as the first was was as dumb as gw bush.

so there are some comedy surprises still coming out of hollywood every decade or so.

June Blu Ray Releases

You Just Gotta Love Those Republicans

Barbra for Memorial Day: 'America the Beautiful'*

have a good memorial day and for god's sake remember what it is for and what it means.

*this is for you adam. you changed my mind about the military because of your service.

'Criminal Minds' Mends It's Criminal Behavior

this past season 'criminal minds dropped aj cook and paget brewster from the long running series. a big mistake. with aj gone at the beginning of last season the series lost it's center and heart. dropping ms. paget halfway through the series the series lost it's feminine guts. ms. cook showed up in the series finale pathing her way to return next season. ms. brewster was just resigned this weekend. i hope both of them demanded a lot of cash. although the series remained a hit this past season the loss of these two actresses diminished both content and drama. for once a network listened to viewer protest.

i can now look forward to this series as 'must see tv'

the boring aj want to be has been let go. thank god.

'Revenge' with Emily Van Camp

the show i am most looking forward to this fall. emily van camp is the lead. enough said.

connor paolo under utilized on 'gossip girl' costars along with madeliene stowe and henry czerny

In Plain Sight' and 'Law and Order Criminal Intent' Have Started Their Summer Runs on USA

happily Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe are back in their original roles. Sadly this final season is only eight episodes long. maybe good ratings will change the minds of the powers that be. a really good addition this time around is julia ormand as the psychiatrist goren is forced to see to remain in his job. this could go so so far if the series is extended. so far damn good.

as season finales end on the networks usa brings 'in plain sight' back to fill the void. this season lives up to it's past three seasons with the amazing mary mccormick as the tough yet vulnerable mary shannon. why is this woman constantly ignored come emmy time? if you are not watching this show you are missing an intelligent adult drama. treat yourself.

 mary and costar frederick weller

'Company' Coming Soon to a Movie Theatre Near You...Hopefully

a grand experiment is about to take place. movie theaters showing broadway and theater specials. i'm counting on my gay followers in particular to catch this 5 showings only treat. if we want more we have to support the effort. it makes it or breaks it on our loyalty. hey patti lupone singing 'the ladies who lunch' is worth the entrance fee. this begins mid june. check the website cited in the first video below for a theater near you.

the amazing grand dame of musical theater

Chris Meloni Turns in His Shield

time to say goodbye. chris meloni will not return to 'svu' next season. with mariska hargity leaving mid season this law and order spinoff is dead in the water. the constancy of these two leads is what made it work. 'svu' is no loner 'must see tv'. it was a fun good run. now i say r.i.p. your days are numbered.

Thank You Paul Ryan

New York Special Election: Medicare Will Be Issue Of 2012

the democrat won district 26 in new york a truly republican seat. so i thank you

mr. ryan and your medicare killing budget. i have never been more proud of a gop-er in my life.

Season Finales Part 2: The Best Finales of 2011

cliffhangers are the staple of the dramatic episodic shows since the 'who shot jr' moment on dallas. some are contrived, some are just okay and every once in awhile some are brilliant in that they astonish and make wish the summer away. this season there were four that left us begging for more. in alphabetical order they are:

'Castle': the season finale had more twists and turns that other shows can't accomplish in an entire season. rick castle has matured yet maintains his boyish charm. kate becket becomes a woman in search of a murderer and new roots. if nathan fillion and stana katic do not get emmy noms there is no justice. week after week they threw home runs. in the finale they astounded. bravo to both of them. all this with an amazing supporting cast makes this one of tv's best shows.

'The Good Wife': this is one of the few finales that had me smiling for days. but underneath that smile i was well aware of all the complications that are coming. julianna margulies continues to amaze. the writers continue to give us crisp characterizations and plot lines. this is the finest ensemble cast on network television. this is the best series on television. if you are not watching this you are missing tv at it's best.

'Pretty Little Liars: the juggler has not dropped a ball. the plate twirler keeps the dishes spinning. not a single crash yet. who's lying? who's being lied to? where the hell did that body in the bell tower go? who the frack is 'a' really? happily the next season begins june 14th but i don't expect qick answers.

The Vampire Diaries: it has left "true blood' in the dust. it is still the most erotic program on the air. damn who could keep track of the body count on the last two episodes. but the finale holy hell. damon getting heart? stefan going roque? elena/catherine what's next? september can't come soon enough.

honorable mention goes to 'bones'. it put a smile on my face but not 'the good wife' smile. the episode itself was a major letdown but the last 45 seconds semi redeemed it. almost!

Paul Ryan Takes Granni for a Day in the Park

courtesy of the agenda project

Breakfast at Tiffany's: Lunch and Dinner Too Equals Idiot of the Week

$500,000.00 in revolving no interest account my ass!

Kirsten Dunst Wins Best Actress at Cannes

and i was thinking i was the only one who knew what a wonderful actress she is. well it appears she finally 'got' the right role. the film is 'melancholia'. she won despite some crazy nazi remarks made by director lars von trier. good for the jury that earlier in the week hung the director but honored the performer.

terrence malick's 'tree of life' won best picture. it opens nation wide this month.

Season Finales Part 1: Series Finales

i hate the words season and finales when they are joined together. season finale...ugh. now we tv viewers can be subjected to more mindless reality programing. but as bad as these season finales hit us it's the series finales that can really get to us. this season i lost two favortes: 'brothers and sisters' and 'lie to me'.

for sure ' b and s' may have hit spotty recently but it still had some wonderful story lines most notably kevin and scooty and gay adoption. it was handled with great sensitivity. and uncle saul's coming out at 70+ seemed perfectly logical and real and was sensitively done.

i must admit i will miss dinner with the walkers. and drinking wine with them yet not quite as much as them. i will miss sally field and rachel griffiths most of all. i will miss their scenes together above all. they were like two great dancers together who never missed a beat.

'lie to me' was one of tv's best. it just never seemed to find an audience. what does it say that all the nonsense reality shows do find an audience. it means america is getting dumber year by year. i hope that the wonderful kelli williams gets another show soon. i will miss ger disarming charm the most.

i will miss 'v'. i can't quite figure out why it did not arner more viewers. it's a shame really.

and that's it. no other cancellation has me missing them already at all. i think i will not ever miss them at all.