Almost a year has gone by since my last review, Terriers, Rubicon and Lone Star were cancelled and Shit My Dad Says is still on tv. I wish I could take back what I said about 2010 being a good year for tv.
Harry's Law would make a decent lead-in for the young and the reckless, The Cape's pilot is, and that's a shocker, worse than its script, Mr Sunshine has been softened and once the laugh track is officially added, I will finally be able to call it a CBS show without feeling bad for the good script that the comedy is sort of based on. The only thing deserving your attention this winter is The Chicago Code because anything Shawn Ryan writes is gold but I will lose a few bets if the show stays on the air for more than a few weeks.
I've put my hands on a few scripts that were given pilot orders for next season and they are not all bad. Don't hold your breath, we are still a long way from September 2011 and there is plenty of time for them to turn to shit. Besides, we all know what the cancellation of Lone Star and My Generation is going to be very tough for original ideas on the major networks (and NBC).
Also, hello SAG Awards, we know America loves Betty White but is Hot in Cleveland really in contention for best comedy ? I mean I could see how some of them could have been confused into putting The Good Wife in the best drama category, but Hot in Cleveland ? And who the hell is Mariska Hargitay anyway ? Moving on... Golden Globes. I can't see Breaking Bad in that list and that beautiful lady from Covert Affairs seems to be nominated for ... Wait a minute ! Katey Sagal and Piper Perabo are on the same list for the same award ? And by the way, thanks for throwing at our faces the fact that nothing happened in tv comedy for the past three years. No writers with actual talent (should) cares about any of these awards but it is a real shame that people such as Vince Gilligan, Shawn Ryan or Kurt Sutter (although I could see why no one would want him at a fancy ceremony) are not rewarded for their amazing work.
I'm still open to receive any scripts that I'm willing to discuss here on the blog or via emails, don't hesitate.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Review : The Rockford Files (NBC) by David Shore
What is it ? :
It's a cop show (pretending it's not one) written by House's David Shore. Just like in the original, it follows Jim Rockford, a "roguish" private detective.
Good/Bad :
Angela Bromstad [NBC's President of Primetime Entertainment] said this script was the best christmas present she's had in a long time ; and I can't help it but pity her a little bit. Rockford is not what you would expect from David Shore. Jim Rockford is a cynical unpleasant man who just happens to be very good at his job (Hello ? Greg House on the phone... Yea... Please give me back my personality...) except that, unlike House, I couldn't come to care about this guy, no matter how big is heart turns out to be (cool cliffhanger, huh ?). I wasn't entertained by The Rockford Files, not by the case, not by any of the characters. On top of that, The Rockford Files is not clever, these are things we've already seen quite a few times without the added value (e.g. a girl with large breasts, a talking dog or some young people dancing). I seriously had a hard time finishing the script and I get to read a lot of bad ones at work (meaning I'm usually quite good with reading things that bore me.)
Will it make it ?
NBC needs new shows and they are excited about having David Shore new project...
Will it work ?
The only problem is, The Rockford Files will disappoint because they will feel they already watched that show before (even for those who haven't seen the original).
Should it make it ?
This is definitely not what NBC should be getting into right now, we don't need another ordinary cop show on the air, CBS already has plenty. I'm tired of bad remakes and I'll probably get really drunk if I have to sit through the pilot.
It's a cop show (pretending it's not one) written by House's David Shore. Just like in the original, it follows Jim Rockford, a "roguish" private detective.
Good/Bad :
Angela Bromstad [NBC's President of Primetime Entertainment] said this script was the best christmas present she's had in a long time ; and I can't help it but pity her a little bit. Rockford is not what you would expect from David Shore. Jim Rockford is a cynical unpleasant man who just happens to be very good at his job (Hello ? Greg House on the phone... Yea... Please give me back my personality...) except that, unlike House, I couldn't come to care about this guy, no matter how big is heart turns out to be (cool cliffhanger, huh ?). I wasn't entertained by The Rockford Files, not by the case, not by any of the characters. On top of that, The Rockford Files is not clever, these are things we've already seen quite a few times without the added value (e.g. a girl with large breasts, a talking dog or some young people dancing). I seriously had a hard time finishing the script and I get to read a lot of bad ones at work (meaning I'm usually quite good with reading things that bore me.)
Will it make it ?
NBC needs new shows and they are excited about having David Shore new project...
Will it work ?
The only problem is, The Rockford Files will disappoint because they will feel they already watched that show before (even for those who haven't seen the original).
Should it make it ?
This is definitely not what NBC should be getting into right now, we don't need another ordinary cop show on the air, CBS already has plenty. I'm tired of bad remakes and I'll probably get really drunk if I have to sit through the pilot.
Review : Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid (ABC) by Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee
What is it ? :
It's a romantic comedy written by Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee just passed on by ABC. Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid follows a couple who just moved in together (Howard and Jenny if you wanted to know).
Good/Bad :
Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid dares to take us into the quirkiness of a relationship. The comedy explores couples like no others have done it before. You know the conversations women will have about things that appeared random to us, men (like wondering if somebody sounds too enthusiastic on a voice mail message)... You know ... The conversations we like to pretend don't really exist. Well, this comedy showed both sides of an argument between a couple. Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid is flawed, maybe not enough of a "proper" comedy and probably isn't network material but I certainly find it better, more original, than Livin' On A Prayer, How I Met Your Mother creators project that has been ordered to pilot at CBS (they both have the exact same plot). I can definitely understand why ABC didn't go through the pilot even though it would have made a decent show.
Will it make it ?
It didn't.
Will it work ?
I don't think it would have.
Should it make it ?
I would have been happy to sit through a few hours of Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid in the hope it would make me a little less stupid.
It's a romantic comedy written by Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee just passed on by ABC. Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid follows a couple who just moved in together (Howard and Jenny if you wanted to know).
Good/Bad :
Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid dares to take us into the quirkiness of a relationship. The comedy explores couples like no others have done it before. You know the conversations women will have about things that appeared random to us, men (like wondering if somebody sounds too enthusiastic on a voice mail message)... You know ... The conversations we like to pretend don't really exist. Well, this comedy showed both sides of an argument between a couple. Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid is flawed, maybe not enough of a "proper" comedy and probably isn't network material but I certainly find it better, more original, than Livin' On A Prayer, How I Met Your Mother creators project that has been ordered to pilot at CBS (they both have the exact same plot). I can definitely understand why ABC didn't go through the pilot even though it would have made a decent show.
Will it make it ?
It didn't.
Will it work ?
I don't think it would have.
Should it make it ?
I would have been happy to sit through a few hours of Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid in the hope it would make me a little less stupid.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Review : The Walking Dead (AMC) by Frank Darabont
What is it ? :
Dumb question. It's the Walking Dead, the tv adaptation of a great comic created by Robert Kirkman. It's about a cop called Rick who wakes up after a coma only to discover everyone is a zombie. The script was written by the great Frank Darabont.
Good/Bad :
Unlike most zombie flicks, The Walking Dead is chracter driven and that is exactlty what makes and will make this new AMC tv show one of the greatest. The Walking Dead was a fantastic pilot, both on the drama and the horror side. Darabont developped the first quarter of the first comic into a suspenseful and thrilling pilot with some scenes that have already made it in my favorite-tv-moments-of-all-time-notebook (I really have one). "Dialogues are subpar" according to my bad-mouthed co-workers but it is 10% true and 90% jealousy, and I'm sure they will be fixed by the time The Walking Dead makes it to the screen.
Will it make it ?
Every pilot AMC ordered became a tv show and there is absolutely no reason The Walking Dead won't.
Will it work ?
Better than Breaking Bad on top of Mad Men.
Should it make it ?
Dumb question.
Review : Chaos (CBS) by Tom Spezialy
What is it ? :
Chaos was acquired by CBS, the spin-off network that can't do anything that doesn't involve lawyers or cops. Chaos follows a young CIA agent who realises he doesn't have a job at the Agency (recession is hitting everyone pretty hard...). After a confusing deal, he realises he was hired to spy on rogue operatives. The project was penned by Tom Spezialy and will be penned by Brett Ratner.
Good/Bad :
Besides the plot, there isn't much good there. The script contains too many twists and left me wondering who to care for. You know how they tell you that you need to show you characters going from A to B ? Well, Tom missed that class because nothing changes in Chaos. Nothing is exciting anymore in the fascinating spy business, it's just people betraying their own again and again, but wait, no actually he's not, but wait yes... This is confusing. It also seem to be missing the part where the rogues spies are combatting incompetence because all I saw was a bunch of spies doing whatever they want for no purpose whatsoever, maybe because they weren't mature enough to understand what no means.
Will it make it ?
Since everyone in town wants a spy show, chances are Chaos might (I'd give it a 60%).
Will it work ?
No, it won't, spy stuff is coming back big next year and no one is expecting, rightly, to watch anything original from the eye. And if people do watch it, they will quickly realize they've been fooled right before they go back to Undercovers and Covert Affairs.
Should it make it ?
No.
Chaos was acquired by CBS, the spin-off network that can't do anything that doesn't involve lawyers or cops. Chaos follows a young CIA agent who realises he doesn't have a job at the Agency (recession is hitting everyone pretty hard...). After a confusing deal, he realises he was hired to spy on rogue operatives. The project was penned by Tom Spezialy and will be penned by Brett Ratner.
Good/Bad :
Besides the plot, there isn't much good there. The script contains too many twists and left me wondering who to care for. You know how they tell you that you need to show you characters going from A to B ? Well, Tom missed that class because nothing changes in Chaos. Nothing is exciting anymore in the fascinating spy business, it's just people betraying their own again and again, but wait, no actually he's not, but wait yes... This is confusing. It also seem to be missing the part where the rogues spies are combatting incompetence because all I saw was a bunch of spies doing whatever they want for no purpose whatsoever, maybe because they weren't mature enough to understand what no means.
Will it make it ?
Since everyone in town wants a spy show, chances are Chaos might (I'd give it a 60%).
Will it work ?
No, it won't, spy stuff is coming back big next year and no one is expecting, rightly, to watch anything original from the eye. And if people do watch it, they will quickly realize they've been fooled right before they go back to Undercovers and Covert Affairs.
Should it make it ?
No.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Review : Mr. Sunshine (ABC) with Matthew Perry
Plot :
Mr. Sunshine is Matthew Perry latest baby, a script co-written with Alex Barnow and Mark Firek in which he will play the manager of a sports arena who discovers he's unlikeable.
Good/Bad :
Hands down the best script for the new reason I've read so far, Mr. Sunshine is a workplace comedy where each character is as absurd as the next one. It's not only funny, but also full of quirkiness that most comedies have been lacking these past years. The main problem is that none of the characters seems pleasant enough to appeal to a large audience (think Arrested Development or Action ...), a recurring problem with shows cancelled before their 13th episode. But if you can get over the fact that Ben doesn't care about anything and hates pretty much anybody (because it is also funny) and realize that likable characters are, in fact, boring, then Mr. Sunshine will definitely be your new favorite show.
Will it make it ?
Yes. ABC still need to replace a few comedies (Hank, Scrubs and Better Off Ted) and after Modern Family, I want to feel confident about "original" comedies. Besides, Matthew Perry is attached and after Cougar Town, I'm sure the alphabet want to give our other Friends a chance.
Will it work ?
Well... I'm not sure. It has the potential to and it'll probably come down to how ABC market it, but in the end, I still have a hard time seeing such a characters ensemble working on network television.
Should it make it ?
Hell yes, it should.
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