Television Random, Random Scripted/NonScripted

[Ti-Amie]

“The Wire” casts a long shadow. Whether or not you consider it the greatest show ever made, there’s no denying that it’s one of the biggest and best shows ever created. (We ranked its second season as one of the best TV seasons of the past quarter century.) As such, a number of currently airing shows owe David Simon’s epic a debt of gratitude, from story ideas to character treatments. Check it:

“Breaking Bad”: A Man Must Have a Code
“Game of Thrones”: You Come at the King, You Best Not Miss
“Downton Abbey”: If You With Us, You With Us
“Sons Of Anarchy”: Game’s the Same, Just Got More Fierce
“Homeland”: The Bigger the Lie, the More They Believe
“Justified”: We Got Our Thing, But It’s Just Part of the Big Thing

Details at the link.

http://www.pajiba.com/seriously_rand...o-the-wire.php

[Kirkus]

Veep Trailer

[Kirkus]

Veep Trailer 2

[Ti-Amie]

Were you planning on cutting the cord on your cable as soon as Hulu signed a few more content deals and let you watch your favorite shows the day after they aired? Think again. The New York Post reports that Fox is starting talks with Hulu that would require users to prove that they already subscribe to cable in order to get access to its content. The authentication system would likely work the same way: users would log in to Hulu with their cable company logins, rather than with a Hulu ID. Fox is already somewhat more restrictive about its content than the other major networks (with the exception of CBS, which puts almost none of its content on Hulu and declines to stream many episodes at all). Currently, you have to have Hulu Plus to stream Fox shows the day after they air. Otherwise, you have to wait a full week to watch the shows supported only by ads.

It makes sense that now is the time Fox would strike. Hulu (and Netflix as well) are early in their efforts to create original content. And while those companies say publicly that their original shows are meeting their expectations, they haven’t been precisely clear about what those expectations were, or whether that means they’re even close to garnering network-level (or even cable-style) audiences for that programming. They’re nowhere near close to telling the television networks to shove it, so Fox is striking in what it sees as one of a few remaining moments of opportunity, especially because it wants to make sure it can retain the cash to pay its retransmission fees. The cable companies need to hang on to their subscribers both to ensure their own profits, and to meet their own outside demands. Until retransmission fees are out of the equation, it’s hard to imagine that this model is going to change dramatically.

http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2012...ication-model/

[luvs10s]

Did anyone see HBO's "Veep" with Julia Louise Dreyfus? I really liked it. I LOL'd a number of times. And I love her.

Saw the trailer for this the other day. hubbyluvs thought it looked great and plans to watch I think. I wasn't so fussed.

We have just subscribed to the SoHo channel (part of our Sky package) and it means we get US shows with a couple of weeks of them screening there.

[Ti-Amie]

Apocalypse now? TV Guide Magazine confirms that Netflix has approached CBS about reviving cult fave Jericho — and the network, through its CBS TV Studios production arm, is considering it. The drama, which followed the residents of a small Kansas town in the wake of a nuclear attack, has been off the air since 2008.

Repeats of Jericho remain popular on Netflix's on-demand service, even four years after the show's cancellation. Insiders say Netflix execs would love to emulate the revival of Fox's Arrested Development, which is expected to return on Netflix with new episodes in 2013, seven years after the show ended its run. Like Arrested fans, Jericho's are a passionate bunch: CBS renewed the post-apocalyptic show for a second season in 2007 after viewers bombarded the network with cases of peanuts.

Talks are still in preliminary stages, and insiders warn that it's too soon to celebrate, as there are still many hurdles to overcome before a deal is struck. Making it financially viable for both Netflix and CBS may be the biggest challenge of them all. It's unclear how much more original programming makes sense for Netflix, which is already committed to two seasons of the original Kevin Spacey drama House of Cards (from David Fincher) in addition to Arrested. Also, due to concerns over its subscriber levels, Netflix has seen its share price drop more than 25 percent in the past month.

Before a third season of Jericho can happen, rounding up the stars and exec producers, many of whom are working on other projects, will take time. Past attempts at a Jericho return haven't panned out, such as stalled talks with Comcast to continue Jericho in a fashion similar to Friday Night Lights. Executive producer Jon Turteltaub said in 2009 that he was developing a movie, but that also didn't go anywhere. So far, only Jericho comic books have made it to production (a new edition hits stands this summer).

But never say die: Attempts at a Jericho revival mirrors the "it's happening/it's not happening" dance that Arrested Development fans have experienced over the years, but that's on the cusp of finally coming true. Other series resurrected from the dead in recent years include Family Guy and Futurama. And at least some of the cast could conceivably be available: Star Skeet Ulrich was last seen on NBC's Law & Order: L.A., while Lennie James was on The Prisoner, Hung and the series opener to The Walking Dead (although he's currently in the ABC pilot Gotham).

Netflix has shown that it will open up the pocketbook for something it really wants. Arrested Development seemed on course to land at Showtime, until the streaming service swooped in and nabbed the cult fave comedy. In the case of Jericho, even CBS boss Leslie Moonves has hinted that it's a possibility. In February, Moonves revealed at an investor conference that CBS was in discussions with Netflix about potentially doing a show together — and yes, it's believed he was referring to Jericho. CBS declined comment.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Exclusiv...o-1046804.aspx

[JTContinental]

Eli Manning was pretty good on SNL last night...not the best actor, but he was a good sport with the material they gave him, which counts for something.

Rihanna seems to really want people to know that she has a vagina.

[nelslus]

Rihanna seems to really want people to know that she has a vagina.

.....WELL, to be fair, I'm still not convinced.

[JTContinental]

.....WELL, to be fair, I'm still not convinced.

She kept fanning it like it was on fire. I guess it could have been an uncomfortable tuck...

[mmmm8]

Eli Manning was pretty good on SNL last night...not the best actor, but he was a good sport with the material they gave him, which counts for something.

Rihanna seems to really want people to know that she has a vagina.

Also, it's apparently very flat, because you can bang on it like a drum.

Agreed on Eli Manning being a good sport and midwesternly charming.

[ptmcmahon]

New Orleans/Mississippi/New York are mid-western?

[mmmm8]

New Orleans/Mississippi/New York are mid-western?

You mean New Orleans/Mississippi/New Jersey

No, but his appeal is, to me at least.

[Miles]

Here is some utter randomness to the Eli discussion. My sister and his wife share a pediatrician. At thirteen months, Eli's daughter is the largest (by both height and weight) the pediatrician has ever seen. You can google a pic of the chubster, Eli had her with him during the Super Bowl trophy presentation. The kid was only 10 months back then.

[Ti-Amie]

Critics Choice Awards Nominees

BEST COMEDY SERIES

The Big Bang Theory
Community
Girls
Modern Family
New Girl
Parks and Recreation

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
Louis C.K. (Louie)
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope)
Joel McHale (Community)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Zooey Deschanel (New Girl)
Lena Dunham (Girls)
Julia Louis Dreyfus (Veep)
Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)
Ashley Rickards (Awkward)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Ty Burrell (Modern Family)
Max Greenfield (New Girl)
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation)
Danny Pudi (Community)
Jim Rash (Community)
Damon Wayans Jr. (Happy Endings)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
Alison Brie (Community)
Cheryl Hines (Suburgatory)
Gillian Jacobs (Community)
Eden Sher (The Middle)
Casey Wilson (Happy Endings)

BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A COMEDY SERIES

Becky Ann Baker (Girls)
Bobby Cannavale (Modern Family)
Kathryn Hahn (Parks and Recreation)
Justin Long (New Girl)
Paul Rudd (Parks and Recreation)
Peter Scolari (Girls)

BEST DRAMA SERIES

Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
The Good Wife
Homeland
Mad Men

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Kelsey Grammer (Boss)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy)
Damian Lewis (Homeland)
Timothy Olyphant (Justified)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Claire Danes (Homeland)
Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey)
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)
Emmy Rossum (Shameless)
Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones)
Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad)
Neal McDonough (Justified)
John Noble (Fringe)
Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
John Slattery (Mad Men)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)
Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)
Regina King (Southland)
Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire)
Maggie Siff (Sons of Anarchy)

BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A DRAMA SERIES

Dylan Baker (Damages)
Jere Burns (Justified)
Loretta Devine (Grey’s Anatomy)
Lucy Liu (Southland)
Carrie Preston (The Good Wife)
Chloe Webb (Shameless)

BEST MOVIE/MINISERIES

American Horror Story
Luther
Sherlock
Page Eight
The Hour
Game Change

BEST ACTOR IN A MOVIE/MINISERIES

Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock)
Bill Nighy (Page Eight)
Woody Harrelson (Game Change)
Idris Elba (Luther)
Dominic West (The Hour)
Kevin Costner (Hatfields & McCoys)

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOVIE/MINISERIES

Jessica Lange (American Horror Story)
Gillian Anderson (Great Expectations)
Julianne Moore (Game Change)
Patricia Clarkson (Five)
Lara Pulver (Sherlock)
Emily Watson (Appropriate Adult)

BEST REALITY SERIES

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
Hoarders
Sister Wives
Kitchen Nightmares
Pawn Stars
Undercover Boss

BEST REALITY SERIES — COMPETITION

The Pitch
Shark Tank
So You Think You Can Dance
The Voice
Chopped
The Amazing Race

BEST REALITY SHOW HOST

Tom Bergeron (Dancing with the Stars)
Nick Cannon (America’s Got Talent)
Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance)
Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race)
RuPaul (RuPaul’s Drag Race)

BEST TALK SHOW

Conan
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The View

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

Archer
Adventure Time
Bob’s Burgers
Family Guy
Star Wars: The Clone Wars

[Ti-Amie]

There are so many good shows and good actors nominated I don't even know what to say. So glad to see "Sons of Anarchy" getting some recognition.

Neal McDonough was awesome as a hitman descending into madness and hung out to dry in "Justified". Of course I'm glad to see Timothy Olyphant nominated for best actor.

"Luther" vs "Sherlock"? John Noble being recognized for his work in "Fringe".

I watch every one of the nominated animation shows except "Star Wars". I can't choose between them.

Great list of nominees.