Tag / Laura Prepon

by admin

Post Mortem – That ’90s Show

A follow up to the FOX hit That ’70s Show, That ’90s Show revolved around the daughter of Topher Grace’s Eric Forman and Laura Prepon’s Donna Pinciotti spending the summer with her grandparents in Point Place, Wisconsin and making a group of friends.  It debuted on Netflix in January of 202, quickly picking up a renewal for a second season.  That second season, which I haven’t watched quite yet, was split into two parts, releasing in June and August of 2024.  Netflix announced the cancellation in October of 2024.

While it was nice to see the returning characters again, this show, at least in the first season, lacked some of the punch that its predecessor had.  Barring any improvement in the second season, I can see why Netflix decided to cut bait.

by jim

Post Mortem – NBC Comedies

NBC had a number of comedies that were given a brief chance to grab an audience on Wednesday nights, and none of them did.  First out of the gate we have Are You There, Chelsea?, the Laura Prepon vehicle based on the life/writings of Chelsea Handler, who also starred as the sister to the character based on her.  The show, based solely on the incorrect premise that girls who drink a lot and are promiscuous are inherently funny, was not very good and Ms. Handler proved to be a less than capable actress.

 

Bent was, by far, the best of the three shows and, unfortunately, the one given the least chance to succeed.  The six episodes were burned off in three weeks, airing in one hour blocks with little promotion.  The show starred Amanda Peet and David Walton as warring opposites who couldn’t help but be attracted to each other.  Sadly, this show was actually pretty good despite being given no chance of success.  Peet and Walton had actual chemistry, and the supporting cast was aces.  This is one I will actually miss.

 

Best Friends Forever replaced Bent on the schedule and lasted about as long, though not by design.  The show revolved around a scorned woman who, after learning that her husband has been cheating on her,  moves in with her best friend and her fiancee.  There was no new ground being broken here, and very little was done to breathe new life into the tired material.

by jim

25 Years Of Fox – Comedies

The Fox network celebrated its 25th anniversary Sunday night in a 2 hour retrospective.  Here’s a look back at some of the comedies they have broadcast over the years, based on Wikipedia’s list..

Flying Blind: The comedy that introduced Téa Leoni to primetime audiences only lasted one season.  I don’t remember much about the show, beyond knowing that I enjoyed it and Leoni.

Get A Life: Chris Elliot starred as a 30 year old paperboy.  It was something of an accomplishment that the show managed to last 2 seasons.  The most enduring memory of the show might just be its theme song, REM’s Stand.

Herman’s Head: About a research assistant and the 4 representations of his psyche.  It is most notable today for featuring two stars from another Fox hit, the Simpsons.

In Living Color: The sketch comedy show that gave us Damon Wayans, David Alan Grier, and Jim Carrey was a cultural touch stone in the early 90s.  Who doesn’t love a little Fire Marshall Bill or Homey the Clown?

Married… With Children: The first prime time series to air on the network, and their first hit.  An entire generation grew up lusting after Christina Applegate.

Martin: A great comedy before Martin Lawrence went crazy and alienated the cast and crew.

Ned & Stacey: Continue reading →

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Midseason Review – Wednesdays

Time to look back on our thoughts regarding Wednesday’s television slate from the fall.

CBS

Criminal Minds – Last season saw A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster written out of the show and replaced by Rachel Nichols.  Someone must have realized it was a mistake, as this season Rachel Nichols has been replaced by A.J. Cook and Paget Brewster.  As it enters its seventh season, it may not be the best move to return back to the old status quo.

Well, we certainly are back to the status quo.  It is still entertaining, but I don’t know how long you can keep beating this horse before he dies.

NBC

Up All Night – Two espisodes in and it has been decent so far, with the appeal of Christina Applegate cancelling out the annoyances of Will Arnett.  The scenes at home with the baby have far surpassed those at work to this point.

This has turned into a pretty decent show, and has been rewarded with a move to Thursdays.  Christina Applegate has been her usually charming self and I have even come to enjoy Will Arentt’s performance in this. Continue reading →

by jim

Upfronts Day 0

NBC jumped the gun and released their schedule for the upcoming fall season a day early.  Chuck returns for a 13 episode final season, moving to Friday nights.  30 Rock gets bumped to mid-season due to Tina Fey’s pregnancy.  Harry’s Law gets a surprise renewal and moves to Wednesdays. 

New dramas in the fall include Prime Suspect, starring Maria Bello as a homicide detective fighting her way through the boys club.  The Playboy Club tries to follow in the footsteps of Mad Men and goes back to the 60s at the legendary Chicago club.  Grimm tries to follow in the footsteps (notice a pattern here?) of Supernatural, following a group of hunters going after the creatures from the Grimm fairy tales.  Awake (finally a somewhat new premise) is a drama about a man who wakes up from an accident to find out he is living in two parallel worlds, one where his wife died in the accident and one where his son died.

On the comedy front, Whitney is a starring vehicle for roast sensation Whitney Cummings.  Up All Night is “a modern take on parenthood.”  Free Agents is based on a cult UK comedy and returns Anthony Head, TVs Giles, to America’s shores.  Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea is inspired by the book from late night host Chelsea Handler and stars Laura Prepon.  Best Friends Forever looks at best friends who promise to support each other.  Bent is about a couple who are attracted to each other despite not having much in common.

Continue reading →

by jim

Midseason Review – Mondays

As we start to gear up for midseason premieres and February sweeps, let’s take a look back at what I said and thought back in September.

7:00

How I Met Your Mother – It looks like we (and Ted) are finally going to meet the long-teased titular mother this season, which could be just what the show needs.  It started to drag a bit last season, but the premiere seemed like they were back to form.  At its worst, it is worth watching for Jason Segel and Neil Patrick Harris, who always bring their A-game.

Well, despite a tease here and there, we aren’t really any closer to meeting the titular mother.  But, the season has been good so far, and the last new episode had Jason Segal show just how much range he actually has.

Chuck – The spy comedy enters its fourth season with a new season, a new Buy More, and, finally, Chuck and Sarah together for reals.  One of the better shows on TV at bringing out nerd-culture without talking down to it. 

The introduction of Chuck’s mother has been a godsend for the show, if only for the occasional guest spot from the surprisingly funny Timothy Dalton.  Beyond that, the show has been up to its usual snuff.

  Continue reading →