Notable Television: TCM Monday

Turner Classic Movies is celebrating their annual “Summer Under the Stars” during August. Each day, a different star is featured for twenty-four hours with movies ranging from the instantly recognizable to the “I didn’t know they were in that.” As is usual with TCM, there’s something for everyone and films well worth setting the DVR for.

Monday, August 3: Marion Davies
Most people who think of Marion Davies remember Charles Foster Kane’s second wife in Citizen Kane, the one who couldn’t sing opera no matter how much money Kane sank into her career – if they think of her at all. The reality is that Davies was a brilliant comedienne, a fact very much on display in Show People (1928), airing 8PM ET/5PM PT. Even if you don’t usually care for silents, this is a brilliant parody of the the movie business, complete with Davies’ parody of Gloria Swanson and a classic pie fight.

In Development: Harvey

Stephen Spielberg is planning a remake of the classic film Harvey.

Excuse me? Stephen? I love and admire your work, but I have to ask if you really have something new to say about this classic. Yes, it’s been nearly sixty years since the the film version with Jimmy Stewart was released, and there’s been a few other versions done for television, but with all the ideas out there, why go back to the well again?

Casting is apparently just beginning and a release date hasn’t been set, but it is reported that Dreamworks and 20th Century Fox are looking toward a release next year. I’d be they’re hoping to put this under the tree for Christmas 2010.

Idol Delayed

Don’t forget — due to a Presidential press conference, American Idol is running on Wednesday and Thursday this week, which means you’ll have to wait twenty-four hours to get your Motown fix.

However, ABC is still running Dancing With the Stars, so one can always tune in there to see who is injured this week. As for me, I’m going to try to clear some stuff off the DVR.

New Doctor Who Promo Pics

With rumors flying that the first of David Tennat’s final four episodes of Doctor Who will be aired on April 11 (yes, that is Easter weekend), new promo pictures have begun to slip out. I’ve placed a couple behind the cut for the spoiler-phobic (hey, I have some good friends who are spoiler-phobes).

So…BSG Finale

I’ll admit to not having watched Battlestar Galactica since some time early in the second season. Just…well, if you’re not having the greatest time in your life, watching a show that’s consistently doom and gloom isn’t particularly fun. However, given that many of the fannish folk I know do love the show and were looking forward to this event with a mixture of dread and anticipation, and since my plans for Friday evening fell through, I curled up on the couch with my knitting ready to watch. (And, yes, I’m a geek of the female persuasion, have been most of my life, and, yes, I’m one of those folk who ship.)

I have to say I do have a tremendous amount of respect for the folks behind this show; they knew where they were going and they stuck to it, even if that wasn’t the most accessible or broadly appealing path to take. They didn’t shy away from the metaphysical/religious aspect of what they were doing, either, for which I definitely have to give them props. Watching this finale wasn’t enough to make me want to run out and buy the DVDs to catch up with what I miss (though the mini-series is on my to-buy list), but it was enough to make me consider watching Battlestar Galactica: The Plan when SciFi SyFy (and there’s such a rant I could make about that name change) runs it in the fall.

Want a detailed account about the finale and why it was brilliant/completely sucked? You can find that most places on the web and since I didn’t watch most of the series, I don’t feel qualified to deliver one of those screeds — and you probably don’t need to hear one. If you’re looking for a positive post, try Peter David’s account. If you want pure vitriol, there’s Jacob’s review on TWOP. (Apparently most of the people reading his review don’t agree; they’ve giving it an A- on the poll system.)

For myself, I enjoyed the show and it was a good way to spend the evening — though, yeah, I did have a few Douglas Adams flashbacks toward the end. Best line of the show, though? “You can see them?” Six and Baltar, still one of my faves, even after 150,000 years.

Hell’s Kitchen Series 5, Episode 7

“I swear to God, if you win this, I will hang up my coat and become a crack whore.”
– Robert to Lacey while the Blue team was debating who should go after a spectacularly bad dinner service (which saw J eliminated while diners were still waiting for their entrees).

Best. Comment. Ever.

Am I surprised no one got eliminated? No, not with someone gone unexpectedly in the middle. But none of this series’ contestants are particularly impressing me and more than one is getting on my nerves The moment the show as done, I switched over to TCM, which was running the exquisite 1939 version of The Four Feathers directed by Zoltan Korda. The lush cinematography and cool, reserved tones of the classic British stiff upper lip were a refreshing palette cleanser.

Ugly Betty 3.19: The Sex Issue

With the third season almost over, Ugly Betty has reached a point where it’s starting to repeat itself in a number of ways. In tonight’s episode, Hilda’s involved in a catfight over a man, Betty doesn’t think she’s worthy and Daniel worries about his image. Oh, and there wasn’t enough Mark and Amanda.

Even so, I keep tuning in and I know I’ll order up the DVDs when they’re released. Maybe they’re going over the same ground, but I still get a simple enjoyment from watching the episodes. I sit on the couch and knit and I ended the hour with a smile on my face. Given what else is on the broadcast networks these days, that’s not a bad recommendation.

American Idol – Final Eleven

Oh, we got both kinds. We got country and western.” — The Blues Brothers (1980)

Let me admit up front that I didn’t get to see all of tonight’s performances due to some RL issues, nor did I consider it a big loss because, well, I’m not a big fan of country. Bluegrass, yes. Country, no. Maybe if I had a few of those pints Ryan referenced at the beginning of the show…

ANTM, Cycle 12 – Episode 1

Lordy, I didn’t think they could top the opening of Cycle 11 with it’s psuedo-SF opening and the Alpha Jay and Beta Jay. But the Goddess of Fierce?

Bwaaaahhhhh!

Oh, and London the street preacher is going to be…interesting.

And for a moment I thought Angela was going to be our obvious villainess this year with her “the bitches are going to have to watch out” attitude, but I’ll lay odds her near cat fight knocked her out of the running. Don’t you know that you never have the come to blows fight in the first episode? You always wait until episode eight or nine when the ratings have flagged a little.

Looks like the strike is going to happen

The WGA has called for a strike.

In an energetic meeting of 3,000 guild members Thursday night, the WGA’s negotiating committee announced its strike recommendation, generating an impressively enthusiastic response.

Final decision on striking could come as early as today via meetings of the WGA West board and the WGA East Council – though leaders were mum as to how soon a strike will start.

WGA leaders told attendees at the meeting that they should go to work today and wait for a call or email from strike captains.

The walk-out probably won’t happen until Monday at the earliest or even for a week or so, but unless a major turn-around happens, the strike is going to happen.