Get Stranded
I've gotten hooked on a new show,
Stranded with Cash Peters on the Travel Channel. It's on Monday nights, but they rerun it a couple of other times during the week.
Cash is a dry-witted Brit with a long-running BBC radio show which he has done for the last several years from L.A. On the show, he is dropped off just outside some location with no money and no idea where he is. It is up to Cash to acclimate himself, find food and lodging, and keep himself occupied for two days.
Sometimes he's in the States, but other times he's in foreign territory (like in Guadalajara, where he kept telling everyone in broken Spanish that he wanted to buy a shirt, but was convinced he was greeting them with a friendly hello and telling them to have a nice day). He always manages to find friendly, interesting people and activities. Even though he's a self-admitted coward, he will try some new things (often with hysterical results, like a high-speed airboat ride in New Zealand).
Cash is quite a character, and no matter where he goes he's fun to watch. Check him out sometime.
Posted by tivogirl at 1:49 PM
New shows to watch
I've been studying the descriptions for the new shows over at the
FutonCritic site. I think I've narrowed down the list of those I want to check out.
I'll give most shows a couple of episodes to hook me, which inevitably means about three-quarters of those newbies end up nuked from the season pass list two weeks into the season.
Here's my list, sorted by premiere date (times are Eastern):
8/28/2005 (Sunday)9:00 PM - Rome (HBO)
The saga of two ordinary Roman soldiers and their families in 51 b.c. If it weren't on HBO, I'd think snoozefest, but they have a way of making things interesting.
8/29/2005 (Monday)8:00 PM - Prison Break (Fox)
The setup is complicated, but involves one brother who purposefully gets himself put into prison to try and free the second brother from death row. Stars Dominic Purcell of the cancelled, awful-but-I-loved-it 'John Doe'.
9/10/2005 (Saturday)9:00 PM - Man With the Screaming Brain (sci_fi)
Okay, so it's not a series. But it's an original movie conceived by and starring Bruce Campbell.
9/11/2005 (Sunday)8:30 PM - The War at Home (Fox)
This could be a typical family sitcom - hit or miss - but I'm hopeful that star Michael Rapaport (last seen on Boston Public) elevates it.
9/14/2005 (Wednesday)9:00 PM - Head Cases (Fox)
A comedy/drama about a couple of low-rent lawyers. Could be a funny version of the early seasons of The Practice - that's a good thing.
9/16/2005 (Friday)9:00 PM - Threshold (CBS)
This sci-fi drama/thriller starring Carla Gugino and Brent Spiner has more geek cred than the rest, which virtually guarantees at least a cult following.
9/19/2005 (Monday)8:30 PM - How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Another sitcom that could be better than the rest due to a promising cast including Alyson Hannigan and Neil Patrck Harris (Doogie himself!)
9:30 PM - Out of Practice (CBS)
This sitcom about a family of docs (starring Henry Winkler and Stockard
Channing) has a quirky vibe in the previews.
9/20/2005 (Tuesday)9:00 PM - My Name is Earl (NBC)
Jason Lee plays a lottery winner who tries to use the winnings to right the wrongs of his past. It's a comedy.
10:00 PM - Bound for Glory: The Montour Spartans (ESPN)
A reality show where NFL legend Dick Butkus takes the reins of a terrible high school team in a small town.
9/21/2005 (Wednesday)8:00 PM - The Apprentice: Martha Stewart (NBC)
Trainwreck factor: 10
9:00 PM - e-ring (NBC)
Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper battle baddies from The Pentagon. Bad news - it's opposite 'Lost'. Unless it's really good, it probably won't last long.
10:00 PM - invasion (ABC)
Aliens are among us, but nobody believes it. Sounds a lot like the X-Files but with a spookier tone. Good news - it's on after 'Lost' on the same network. Unless it tanks, it will get a full season pick-up quickly.
9/25/2005 (Sunday)10:30 PM - Extras (HBO)
Ricky Gervais, the genius behind the original BBC version of 'The Office' brings us this comedy about extras on a film set, where the star is Kate Winslet. Pure gold.
Posted by tivogirl at 10:15 AM
The bunny is back!
A couple of years ago Fox cancelled a funny, quirky little series (unimaginable, huh?) about a group of puppets and people who produced a Sesame Street-like program. You may remember Greg the Bunny. The entire series was released on DVD earlier this year.
Great comic actors like Eugene Levy, Sarah Silverman and Seth Green played the live people, but the Muppetesque puppets were the real stars of the show. It was hilarious and all too shortlived.
Now, Greg the Bunny is getting a reprieve from IFC, of all networks. The Independent Film Channel is airing a half-hour reunion special this Sunday night (and again on Monday) at 8:30 (MDT). If all goes well, rumor has it the producers and remaining cast of the show are all set to launch a new set of original episodes for the network.
My Tivo is set, how about yours?
Posted by tivogirl at 5:13 PM
A moment I never thought would come
One of tivogirl's favorite shows ever - the extremely shortlived Profit - is
coming to DVD! This obscure little show was on Fox way back in 1996, but only three episodes (including the 2-hour pilot) actually made it to air. It was an intense, controversial, and fantastic show about a high power sociopath (
Adrian Pasdar) straight from the mold of
Gordon Gekko.
The DVD includes four never before seen episodes and tons of extras. It comes out August 9th. I'm so there.
Posted by tivogirl at 12:34 PM
Why?
Tivoguy will be thrilled, but I just want to know one thing.
Why?
Posted by tivogirl at 10:51 AM
Handicapping the contestants