comics You can always count on zombies for a good time. Those irascible brain-munchers have been pop-culture staples since at least Colonial times, trading on race/class fears to give the upper crust a little something to fret about at night. Zombies have been best used in film, from George Romero’s Living Dead movies to the […]
“Cash Cab”Weekdays 10 & 10:30pm, Discovery Channel Oh, I love this stupid show! Ben Bailey is a comedian and, for the purposes of this show, a taxi driver. He picks up “unsuspecting” (on this part, I’m dubious) passengers, and as soon as the car doors close the interior roof turns into a laser light show […]
“The Starter Wife”Thursday 9pm, USA Network “Will & Grace”’s Debra Messing returns to TV in this mini-series about a 40something wife of a Hollywood bigshot who has to move on with her life after being unceremoniously dumped by her jerk of a husband. It’s based on the novel by Gigi Levangie Grazer, wife of superproducer […]
“Veronica Mars”Tuesday 8pm, CW Tonight’s two-hour season finale could be the end of the road for our beloved teen sleuth. The critically lauded but anemically rated “Veronica” isn’t on the CW’s fall schedule, but is reportedly still being considered as a midseason replacement. Even if that happens, expect massive changes: The network has demanded that […]
comics In 2003, the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” TV series was canceled after its lackluster seventh season. Now creator Joss Whedon has returned to his cult occult property by telling the continuing adventures of Buffy Summers and her “Scooby Gang” in comic form. Whedon has increasingly turned to the comic industry in recent years, having […]
“The Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular”Wednesday 8pm, CBS This is a tough one. After 35 years, Bob Barker is cashing in his Plinko chips and retiring from hosting the greatest game show ever, “The Price is Right.” Sad. Thankfully CBS recognizes this momentous occasion (or, from a cynic’s point of view, wants to squeeze […]
“Law & Order: Criminal Intent”Tuesday 9pm, NBC When the whole Anna Nicole thing happened a couple months back I thought, Someday this is going to make an outstanding episode of “Law & Order.” People, that day has come. Original Buffy/celebrity figure skater/homewrecker Kristy Swanson plays a thinly veiled version of America’s white trash princess as […]
“Planet Earth”Many days and times, Discovery Channel The most compelling drama on TV this season didn’t come from a scripted show or reality challenge. It came from this 11-part documentary that just wrapped its initial run on Discovery Channel, and which is now in heavy rerun rotation. For five years, camera crews took tricked-out high-definition […]
“American Idol”Tuesday and Wednesday 8pm, FOX All season long Ryan Sea-crest has pestered us about “Idol Gives Back,” the talent contest’s new charity program. Now it’s here. You know how distrustful you are of that really shallow friend who suddenly does something generous? Yeah, ditto here. I’m all for ending poverty in Africa and in […]
“America at a Crossroads”Tuesday-Friday, 9pm & 10pm, PBS This series of documentaries examines just how screwed our country has become post-9/11. Well, that’s a cynical take. But it’s not far off. Each night, journalist Robert MacNeil hosts two hour-long segments examining terrorism, the messes we’ve made in Iraq and Afghanistan, Islam, the war on American […]