The summary/recap of this morning's Radio From Hell TV report on X96: Tonight 7.14
The Closer, Saving Grace (TNT) Season Premieres: Kyra Sedgwick is returns as The Closer; Holly Hunter returns Grace what needs saving. TNT should combine the two shows into Closing Grace, the new Cagney & Lacey.
Tuesday 7.15
The Cleaner (A&E) Series Debut: Benjamin Bratt stars as a recovering addict who helps other get “clean” from their addictions. Apparently, Bratt’s addictions are stilted monologues and menacing facial hair.
From Gs to Gents (MTV) Series Debut: “MTV heads to the hood to find 14 young Gs with gruff exteriors and unrelenting street swagger, and put them to the ultimate challenge of their lives pull up their pants, check their egos and transform them into true gentlemen.” And Fonzworth Bentley is the man to do it! Who? What? Huh?
Wednesday 7.16
Project Runway (Bravo) Season Premiere: Back for Season 5—last one on Bravo before it moves to Lifetime, a far less gay channel.
Dog the Bounty Hunter (A&E) Season Premiere/Return: Yes, they let him come back. Gene Simmons and Criss Angel ain’t payin’ the bills.
Thursday 7.17
The Office Webisodes (NBC.com) The new round of The Office Webisodes (last seen in 2006) premiered last week with a very funny two-minute bit involving Kevin (Brian Baumgartner), alleged gambling debts and a possibly fraudulent bank loan. This week (new installments go online Thursday afternoons), the story continues with Kevin trying to sell his “Malone’s Cones” ice-cream business—marquee flavor: “Fudge the Magic Dragon”—plan to a loan officer. Of course it’ll work!
The Gong Show, Reality Bites Back (Comedy Central) Series Debuts: NBC’s smarm-wreck America’s Got Talent is just a clone of The Gong Show, so why not bring that back? With Dave Attell in place of original host Chuck Barris? I believe the question answers itself. Slightly more entertaining is Reality Bites Back, wherein comedians compete in spoofs of popular reality-competition shows, all presided over by Michael Ian Black. Since neither The Gong Show nor Reality Bites Back is as ridiculous as their targets, they must be viewed as legit talent shows. Mind. Blown.
Friday 7.18
Monk, Psych (USA) Season Premieres: Since the actor who played Monk’s therapist is dead, here’s Hector Elizondo, his new shrink. Other than that, same ol’ OCD detective show. As for Psych, if you either loved or hated the wacky crime-solvin’ antics of Sean and Gus before (True TV finds ‘em hysterical, FYI), your mind will not be changed, much less blown.
Sunday 7.20
High School Musical: Get In the Picture (ABC) Series Debut: Wondering why Nick Lachey was spotted around Salt Lake City a few weeks ago? More pressingly, wondering who Nick Lachey is? The former Mr. Jessica Simpson is the host of High School Musical: Get In the Picture, yet another reality-talent show. What’s the ultimate prize? Starring in a music video to be shown in the end credits of High School Musical 3. Seriously. This is a major network series. Projected to air for 10 weeks.
Generation Kill (HBO) Miniseries Pt. 2 of 7: David Simon and Ed Burns’ Generation Kill is more than just The Wire Goes to Iraq—but that’s easier. The seven-part series, based on embedded Rolling Stone reporter Evan Wright’s book of the same name, shares The Wire’s bare-bones realism and dark humor, but hits harder (or should) because it’s on the news 24/7 and happening right now—Iraq gets more coverage than Baltimore, after all. If HBO’s WWII-set Band of Brothers had more profanity, heavy metal (music and hardware) and no historically ordained happy ending, you’d have Generation Kill.
The Closer, Saving Grace (TNT) Season Premieres: Kyra Sedgwick is returns as The Closer; Holly Hunter returns Grace what needs saving. TNT should combine the two shows into Closing Grace, the new Cagney & Lacey.
Tuesday 7.15
The Cleaner (A&E) Series Debut: Benjamin Bratt stars as a recovering addict who helps other get “clean” from their addictions. Apparently, Bratt’s addictions are stilted monologues and menacing facial hair.
From Gs to Gents (MTV) Series Debut: “MTV heads to the hood to find 14 young Gs with gruff exteriors and unrelenting street swagger, and put them to the ultimate challenge of their lives pull up their pants, check their egos and transform them into true gentlemen.” And Fonzworth Bentley is the man to do it! Who? What? Huh?
Wednesday 7.16
Project Runway (Bravo) Season Premiere: Back for Season 5—last one on Bravo before it moves to Lifetime, a far less gay channel.
Dog the Bounty Hunter (A&E) Season Premiere/Return: Yes, they let him come back. Gene Simmons and Criss Angel ain’t payin’ the bills.
Thursday 7.17
The Office Webisodes (NBC.com) The new round of The Office Webisodes (last seen in 2006) premiered last week with a very funny two-minute bit involving Kevin (Brian Baumgartner), alleged gambling debts and a possibly fraudulent bank loan. This week (new installments go online Thursday afternoons), the story continues with Kevin trying to sell his “Malone’s Cones” ice-cream business—marquee flavor: “Fudge the Magic Dragon”—plan to a loan officer. Of course it’ll work!
The Gong Show, Reality Bites Back (Comedy Central) Series Debuts: NBC’s smarm-wreck America’s Got Talent is just a clone of The Gong Show, so why not bring that back? With Dave Attell in place of original host Chuck Barris? I believe the question answers itself. Slightly more entertaining is Reality Bites Back, wherein comedians compete in spoofs of popular reality-competition shows, all presided over by Michael Ian Black. Since neither The Gong Show nor Reality Bites Back is as ridiculous as their targets, they must be viewed as legit talent shows. Mind. Blown.
Friday 7.18
Monk, Psych (USA) Season Premieres: Since the actor who played Monk’s therapist is dead, here’s Hector Elizondo, his new shrink. Other than that, same ol’ OCD detective show. As for Psych, if you either loved or hated the wacky crime-solvin’ antics of Sean and Gus before (True TV finds ‘em hysterical, FYI), your mind will not be changed, much less blown.
Sunday 7.20
High School Musical: Get In the Picture (ABC) Series Debut: Wondering why Nick Lachey was spotted around Salt Lake City a few weeks ago? More pressingly, wondering who Nick Lachey is? The former Mr. Jessica Simpson is the host of High School Musical: Get In the Picture, yet another reality-talent show. What’s the ultimate prize? Starring in a music video to be shown in the end credits of High School Musical 3. Seriously. This is a major network series. Projected to air for 10 weeks.
Generation Kill (HBO) Miniseries Pt. 2 of 7: David Simon and Ed Burns’ Generation Kill is more than just The Wire Goes to Iraq—but that’s easier. The seven-part series, based on embedded Rolling Stone reporter Evan Wright’s book of the same name, shares The Wire’s bare-bones realism and dark humor, but hits harder (or should) because it’s on the news 24/7 and happening right now—Iraq gets more coverage than Baltimore, after all. If HBO’s WWII-set Band of Brothers had more profanity, heavy metal (music and hardware) and no historically ordained happy ending, you’d have Generation Kill.
