BuzzSugar

Stop One Show: The Results!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:02:06 -0700

Three weeks ago, I launched BuzzSugar's first Stop One Show poll, which gave all of you a chance to vote on which show you'd most like to kick off the air to make room for something better. After more than 1,600 votes, it doesn't look like anything will catch up to the current leader. So I'm calling an end to the poll and declaring a winner - er, loser? - of the 2007 Stop One Show contest: "CSI: Miami"!

The silliest of all the "CSI" shows pulled ahead late in the second week of the poll and never looked back. I'm not sure what sparked the sudden hatred of Horatio Caine and his crew, but whatever the reason, this dubious honor is certainly well-deserved.

"CSI: Miami" wasn't a sure winner this whole time, though. "Ghost Whisperer" sprung out to an early lead and held it until "The War at Home" haters arrived. "War" stayed in front for a while, until "CSI: Miami" surged ahead. Several other shows were never far behind, though, so to read more about the results and watch a truly amazing clip from our "winner," read more

ABC's "George Lopez" was never far out of the lead, but people didn't hate it quite enough; it finished third, barely ahead of "Ghost Whisperer." "ER" had a surprising charge, finishing fifth, with a huge gap between it and the sixth-place finisher, "American Dad." The least-hated show on my list? "Law & Order," followed by "Medium" and "My Name is Earl."

About that list. Someone pointed out to me that I didn't mention any CW shows. I have to admit that's not because I love all CW programming so much that I think it should stay on the air; it's because I don't watch enough of the shows to have a sense of which are the worst. Interestingly, there were a couple of write-in votes for "Veronica Mars" - one of the winners of the actual Save One Show poll.

A lot of people also suggested that I should have included reality shows, because even the worst show on my list is better than another terrible reality program. While I agree, I stuck to scripted shows because networks aren't choosing between renewing, say, "Survivor" and "How I Met Your Mother." Reality shows are cheap, and NBC, in particular, has said it plans to produce more of them to save money. So the choice is really between shows like "Medium" and "Crossing Jordan" and "Law & Order" and "Friday Night Lights" - at least one of which NBC is likely to cancel before fall.

While this poll was all in good fun, I did promise to write about the winner with the scorn and vitriol it deserves. So, "CSI: Miami," I've got my eye on you. To start, here's a wonderful - if borderline unwatchable - video of David Caruso's "greatest" "hits" (thanks to GiggleSugar for the tip). Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of CBS

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 08:37:20 -0700

If you could recast Ferris Bueller's Day Off with new actors, who would you pick?
This week, I really enjoyed Bjork's new song "Earth Invaders" and Bright Eyes' new album.
Well, I don't know about "genius," exactly, but it's shear something. Also, "Notes From the Underbelly" got to an underwhelming start. "Underbelly" is an icky word, don't you think?.
The trailer for Superbad, starring "Arrested Development"'s Michael Cera, looks so good, while Adam Brody is the only good-looking thing In the Land of Women.
If you could vote one of these scripted shows off the air, which would you vote for?
If you're interested in seeing one of the many thrillers this weekend, Disturbia is good, First Snow is chilling, and Perfect Stranger is a failure.
Check out Al Gore's impressive musical lineup for his Live Earth concert.
The "Friday Night Lights" season finale had me in tears this week. And then I discovered that they'd filmed two different halftime speeches! Sigh. I'll miss you, Panthers.

Which Show Would You Stop?

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 23:30:57 -0700

Read my breakdown and then tell me: Which one show would you most like to kick off the air?

Law & Order

5%(88)

War at Home

15%(247)

My Name is Earl

6%(96)

American Dad

8%(137)

Ghost Whisperer

12%(199)

CSI: Miami

16%(266)

George Lopez

12%(201)

Medium

6%(92)

Prison Break

8%(128)

12%(190)

Total votes: 1,644

Stop One Show!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 23:29:54 -0700

It's the time of year when the networks start plotting their schedules for next season, checking out new pilots and deciding what shows to bring back. It's always a frustrating time for me, as I wonder why so many terrible shows make it back year after year.

At the end of the week, we'll learn the winner of Kristin Veitch's annual Save One Show campaign, which will help boost the winning show's chances of renewal. Meanwhile, I'm starting a poll of my own: the Stop One Show contest.

If you could pull one show from the air to make room for a quality series, which would it be? Unlike Kristin, I don't have the ear of the networks, so I can't promise that your vote will do anything to get the winner (loser?) kicked off the air. But I do promise to write about the show with all the ire and vitriol it deserves.

I've stocked the poll with some of my least-faves, limiting the candidates to scripted series only; I don't think I could possibly choose just one reality series to cancel. And I'm sticking with the broadcast networks' primetime shows; sorry, but "Pimp My Ride" and "Maury" don't count. Obviously, this is all in good fun, so if I've listed your favorite show among the candidates, please don't take it personally. You can vote here, but first you can check out the candidates if you read more

"ER": The show is just a shadow of what it was in the Carter/Greene/Ross/Susan years. After 13 seasons, all of the original main characters have moved on; I say the show should follow suit.

"American Dad": I'm pretty tolerant of Fox's Sunday animated lineup, but I really don't understand why you would watch this when you could put on "Family Guy" instead?

"Ghost Whisperer": I'm sorry, but "Jennifer Love Hewitt is hot" is not a good enough explanation.

"War at Home": This show is a thorn in my side. It causes me physical pain every time I hear Michael Rapaport snivel about how men and women are different and kids ruin your life. Make it stop!

"My Name is Earl": Sorry, Jason Lee fans. I know "Earl" has become a staple of NBC's Thursday lineup, but frankly, I think it's the weak link. NBC can definitely do better.

"CSI: Miami": It might be one of the best comedies on TV, except it's meant to be a drama.

"Medium": I like to see my Arquettes succeed, but this show is nowhere near as good as many of the dramas NBC is threatening to cancel.

"George Lopez": It's nothing personal, George. It's just that ABC has put more episodes of this show on the air in place of almost every show they've canceled this year, and I'm over it.

"Law & Order": Yes, it started one of television's biggest franchises, but the rotating cast of female counterparts lost me a while ago. Sam Waterson's eyebrows deserve more!

"Prison Break": This show has its fans. But it should have lasted for one season, and as TV Guide critic Matt Roush recently wrote, there's nowhere good for it to go now.

House Rundown, "Ignorance is Bliss"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:30:45 -0800

With Cameron gone, the new (old) team is still working out the kinks in this week's House - and it feels like the writers aren't sure where the show's going either. The episode tackles a genius patient with what appears to be TTP, Thanksgiving, and House and Cuddy all in one swoop. And while the doc is back to acting like a selfish jerk following his recent good behavior, I didn't even find his quips that amusing. If anything, the episode felt like a downer!

Okay, so I know these are harsh words, so perhaps I'm not giving this week a fair trial. Let's go over the highlights, and tell me what you think when you read more.

The team gathers around the table to start hypothesizing, but to me it feels off without Cameron there. I'll give the writers the benefit of the doubt since it's the first week with the updated crew, but don't you agree?
We get it Chase - you're upset. He huffs and puffs and refuses invitations from Taub, Foreman, and Thirteen for friendly help. Then House refers to Cameron as Chase's "ex-smarter half" and gets punched. I want to be sympathetic to Chase because of his split from Cameron, but with that attitude? Forget it.
House needs to get Cuddy off the brain stat. He announces to Wilson that he's going to break up her relationship with Lucas, and then starts plotting ways to get invited to Thanksgiving dinner to see his plan through. Cuddy gives him the address where the meal is taking place, but (surprise!) the house is empty. I was shocked that she gave him faux info! Do you think it's too mean, or does he deserve it?
After being rejected, House gets drunk and breaks into Lucas's place to confess his love for Cuddy. Seriously. (He says to Lucas, "I'm pathetic," and I couldn't agree more.) The next day, Cuddy tells House that Lucas broke up with her over the incident - until we later find out that she's lying to get him to lay off. It seems like House might leave her alone by the end of the episode. Do you think he's finally giving up? And do you think his intoxicated act was real or fake? He tries to make it sound planned, but I'm not 100 percent sure.
While House and Cuddy were weighing down the show with sadder stuff, Taub and his wife brought a bit of comic relief. She's stopped sleeping with him, because she thinks he's a wuss for going back to House. But once Taub passes off a photo of House's black eye as his own handiwork – instead of Chase's - she basically jumps him!
The medical mystery involving a former genius who dumbs himself down, so he can love his "happy and dumb" wife (his words, not mine) is relatively interesting - even though I snarled at his comments about her stupidity. First they think he has TTP, but the problem is actually an old injury where he broke three ribs causing his spleen to split. Come on, 16 spleens?! I know I'm a dork, but that's pretty cool. Next time writers, less Cuddy skirt-chasing, more stuff like this.

Okay, so time for your assessment - what did you think of the episode? Isn't the House and Cuddy storyline starting to wear thin? (Even I'm over it, and I was rooting for them before!) And how do you like the team now that Cameron's dunzo?

If you're a fan of the show, check out the House! group in community!

Photos courtesy of Fox

Desperate Housewives Rundown, "The Coffee Cup"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Some shows bring out big guest stars for November sweeps, but Desperate Housewives is getting back in touch with its sexy side instead. Susan tries to set a new record with Mike while Bree narrowly escapes an Orson interruption when she's with Karl. Meanwhile, Lynette's pregnancy secret is finally out and Nick Bolen continues to be creeptastic all over town.

Now that Mad Men's long gone, I'm hoping the housewives will kick things into higher gear for my Sunday nights. Ready to get into it? Just read more.

Susan: Susan manages to avoid jail time for shooting Katherine, but the cheeky judge sentences her to garbage pick up for all of her "trash talking" (get it?!). Katherine and Susan's little courtroom drama re-enactment is ridiculous (as is Susan's cleavage baring dress for the hearing) but unfortunately the catty antics don't stop there. Katherine taunts Susan and her orange jumpsuit, prompting Susan to turn the tables on her rival. Katherine has a hissy fit and reveals that she and Mike once had sex five times in one day, which of course gets Susan all worked up. When her endless array of lingerie and come-ons still can't land Mike in the sack more than three times in 24 hours, Susan has one of her typical annoying tantrums. Mike comforts her in what's meant to be an "aww" inducing moment, but I was too busy rolling my eyes. Usually Susan doesn't bug me this much, but I couldn't be more over the love triangle.

Angie and Bree: Gaby usually has the best lines of the show, but it looks like Angie is right on her tail - "Have you seen Avenue Q? With the puppets? Now that's theater." Anyway, Angie's now got herself a balancing act between giving Nick grief about his affair with Julie and being too involved with Bree's life. After Orson admits to Angie that he suspects Bree is having an affair, Angie immediately tells Bree. Though she refuses to spy on Bree, Angie still gets all tangled up in the web when she plays Rear Window - looking on as Orson enters the house while Bree and Karl are upstairs getting it on. Angie intervenes and saves the day, but how long before she asks Bree to return the favor. Also, when Orson is discussing the plot of Madame Butterfly, is he insinuating that he might kill himself when he inevitably finds out about Bree's affair? Personally, both Karl and Orson kind of bug me so I'm just as torn as Bree is about which man to choose.

Lynette and Gaby: The latest update in Lynette's secret pregnancy? Menswear. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, when she and Gaby start squaring off over one of Lynette's colleagues. Gaby convinces Carlos to transfer Terrence, the colleague in question, to Florida so that Juanita can take Terrence's daughter's spot at a Catholic school. Realizing that she won't be able to take maternity leave without Terrence, Lynette turns the tables and convinces Terrence to reject the transfer. The tables turn on Lynette when Gaby discovers that she's pregnant - and Carlos is pissed. He gives Lynette an ultimatum - take the spot in Florida, or quit. Though Carlos's anger is understandable, I think I'm on Lynette's side here. Carlos had been complaining about another co-worker's pregnancy, so Lynette had every right to be scared to tell him. I also think it's a bit rich for Gaby to admit how selfish she is but then point fingers at Lynette for keeping her secret.

How'd you feel about the scandals this week? Are you on Team Orson or Team Karl? Do you think it was Nick who kills the coffee shop girl at the end? Sound off!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:30:12 -0800

Stop me if you've heard this one before - Katherine Heigl is going to be leaving Grey's Anatomy for the second time this season. Though Izzie returns to Seattle Grace/Mercy West on tonight's episode (just in time for the arrival of Kim Raver), Heigl is set to take a belated maternity leave next year to spend time with her newly adopted daughter.

I'm all for spending quality time with family, but this seems a bit suspect - especially given how many times we've heard rumors of Heigl's desire to leave the show. At this point, I feel like Heigl should just call it quits and keep her focus on her movie career; it would also be a perfect time for Izzie to make an easy exit from Grey's now that she's been fired.

Do you still love Izzie or do you wish Heigl would just let her go already? Sound off in the comments and be sure to check out the Grey's Anatomy McAddicts Group in the Buzz Community!

90210 vs. Melrose Place: Which Was More Scandalous?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:30:12 -0800

This week's CW drama block may have its share of cool guest stars like N.E.R.D. and Samantha Ronson, but, on the whole, it's a total mess. On the one hand, you've got the unstable girls of 90210 having emotional breakdowns at the drop of a hat; on the other, the Melrose Place residents are busy sneaking around to cover up their crimes. Personally, I was a bit annoyed by all the over-the-topness - especially you, Annie. Oh, and you, Ivy. But hey, at least it gives us a few surprising moments.

Ready to dissect each show and decide which packed more punch? (Warning: major spoilers!) Take a peek at my arguments and then weigh in with your own when you read more.

90210 point: Sasha is officially a nut job. First she tells Dixon that she's pregnant, but when Debbie gets wind of it, she questions Sasha even further to catch her in her baby lies. But the best part? When Debbie says the line, "It starts with you're not pregnant, and it ends with stay away from my son." Oh, snap! Congrats Debbie, you just went up a notch on the list of cool TV moms. Sasha backs off, telling Dixon she had a "miscarriage."
Melrose Place counterpoint: Did David kill Sydney? They sure try to make it seem that way. David tells Ella that he was blackout drunk that night after finding out that Syd was sleeping with his father - and then he has a flashback where he wakes up with blood all over himself and a knife in his hand. I gasped a little over the big reveal, but I'm not entirely convinced that David wasn't set up by someone else.

90210 point: Annie is getting in way over her head with Jasper, and unfortunately, she seems much too insecure to dig herself out. When Navid hears that Jasper is a dealer, he tells Annie and she confronts Jasper about it. Jasper wigs out, making Annie cry and beg forgiveness. Later, we see Jasper selling drugs to someone, so we know the rumors are true. For more on his buyer, keep reading.
Melrose Place counterpoint: Jonah makes out with Kendra, the hot movie producer, literally within the first five minutes of the episode. (That didn't take long.) He stops things from going further, but when he comes clean to Riley, he gets on her case again for her kiss with Auggie. She apologizes profusely, but the damage has already been done. By the end of the episode, I was thinking, Wait, did they actually just break up?! I don't think so, but if you stuck around for next week's promo, things do not look good for the engaged couple.

90210 point: Jen is back, throwing around her prima donna wicked attitude. She walks in on Ryan during his date with the bartender from the previous episode and goes into attack mode with the verbal jabs. ("You look older closer up.") Ryan is actually turned on by her jealousy, and the two become exclusive. But what I can't understand is why, after he knows that she lies, does he actually trust her story about Liam coming on to her? He totally buys it!
Melrose Place counterpoint: Auggie finally gives his a-hole boss Marcello a piece of his mind, er, fists. Marcello passes off one of Auggie's recipes as his own, and then he makes a few lewd comments about Riley - and you know how Auggie feels about Riley. He starts swinging, knocking Marcello out. Back at the apartment later, Violet shows up, and in a moment of what I can only blame on Auggie's emotional distress, the two finally knock boots. I'm guessing this means we'll be seeing Violet's worst kind of crazy very soon (right before she and Auggie say sayonara).

90210 point: Adrianna is inching closer to her previous life of drug use. It starts when she plays a song asking for Navid's forgiveness. (So cheesy!) He turns her down, so she continues sulking in bed, sobbing. Silver and Naomi want her to go to a meeting so she can stay clean, and with due concern - at the end of the episode, we see her buying from none other than Jasper.
Melrose Place counterpoint: Ella's squeaky-clean client, Jessie, is hospitalized with major cocaine in his system, so she begs Lauren to write a fake report citing an allergy as the cause of his stay. Lauren refuses. (Anyone else confused about why Lauren continues to take the high road, despite her side prostitution gig?) Ella then discovers a wad of cash in Lauren's room and realizes her Pretty Woman secret. Of course Lauren denies the accusations, but no matter - Ella decides to let her star take the fall anyway and promises to never question Lauren again.

90210 had way more melodramatic outbursts, but those ladies were so crazy that it kind of turned me off. (You girls give women a bad name. Even Violet seemed normal this week compared to you.) So I'm giving this week to Melrose by default: I was genuinely shocked at David's bloody flashback and the fact that Jonah has suddenly broken out of his perfect-fiance persona. I expect scandal from someone like Auggie or Ella, but from Jonah? Come on!

Do you disagree? Were you actually loving all of the melodrama on 90210?

Don't forget that you can also keep the conversation going over in the 90210 Superfans group in the Buzz Community. Check it out!

Photos courtesy of The CW

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:30:32 -0800

New DVD and music releases are the perk of Tuesdays, and today's album picks are fresh, fun, and guaranteed to liven up your iPod. I've checked out today's new music and have some advice for what's worth the download.

Don't stop partying: I'll resist doing a full-on album review for Weezer's Raditude; it's tempting, because I've always been a fan and have much to say about the band's transformation over the last 15 years. That said, if I forget about how lyrically deep Weezer used to be, I can enjoy the band for what it is now: a group of guys who write catchy, rocking party songs. I'm definitely enjoying this album way more than the last two simply for the fun factor; first single "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" is permanently stuck in my head and I don't mind. "Let It All Hang Out," with lyrics written by Jermaine Dupri, is exactly what you should blast at your next party when you're worried no one's having a good time; and continuing with the obvious theme here is "Can't Stop Partying" with Lil Wayne guest-rapping.

Ultimate TV karaoke If you're obsessed with Glee already, you may want to get your hands on the show's first soundtrack, Glee - The Music, Vol. 1. The offerings on the album are songs that have been on the season so far, plus a few from the next episode. "Don't Stop Believin'," the first song that captured the country's attention, is worth having (especially to remind you that for every awkward Mr. Schu rap, there's a gem like this). There's also the goosebump-inducing "Somebody to Love." Finally, there's one I'm especially excited about that has yet to air: Artie's slowed-down version of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself," where the oft-overlooked glee club member finally gets his own episode and electrifying solo.

Hear one more new release when you read more.
America's country idol: Country cutie Carrie Underwood is back with another disc of songs, Play On, that utilize her sweet voice to tell you she's not a doormat. Her first single, "Cowboy Casanova," warns ladies of players in 10-gallon hats; this infectious tune will probably be dominating the radio the rest of the year. Another catchy tale of heartbreak you're sure to hear a lot of is "Quitter," but I prefer the more uplifting title track "Play On," which showcases Underwood's pipes rather than her sassy attitude.

This Is It: A Worthy Final Farewell

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:30:00 -0700

Making a tribute film after the death of an icon is a difficult undertaking - how do you do justice to his or her life without making it feel overblown? But the new Michael Jackson documentary, This Is It manages to strike that balance. The anticipation for its limited release has been building for more than a month now when early ticket purchases broke sales records, and most of you said you wanted to see the film as well. I was worried about how the doc would measure up to the hype, but I'm satisfied with the final product.

This Is it follows Jackson in his final days preparing for his sold-out tour. MJ emerges dressed in a button-down, shades on, and with director Kenny Ortega at his right hand, as we get a front row seat at the rehearsals. It proves to be an intimate look at the performer who, even at 50, still had a fiery passion for his craft. Most of us will enjoy witnessing it here on the big screen, while others may leave the theater feeling even more disappointed about never getting to see the live show. To see what I mean, read more.

MJ fan or not, you can't see this film without feeling awestruck by his dramatic flair as an artist. His voice is still on point, and his every movement on stage is punctuated by a flick of the wrist or a kick - it's like the music surges inside him and he has to stream it out through his fingertips. He still had the magic only weeks before his death.

While Jackson's dance skills may be a given, I was actually taken aback by how hands on he was in all facets of his tour. This is It shows him working on everything from green screen films to teaching choreography to attending band rehearsals. These sneak peeks provide surprisingly funny moments, but one of the loud-and-clear messages of the film is that Jackson did this for his fans. All of the popular favorites are included - "Billie Jean," "Smooth Criminal," and "Thriller," of course. Jackson knew that's what the audience wanted, and he was happy to give it to us - while wearing his signature sparkly gold pants and a fedora.

The doc does have its drawbacks; some of the footage starts to feel stale midway through, and the film feels too long at nearly two hours. Still, I understand why the editors didn't cut anything in honor of Jackson's memory. Each song was important to him and he wanted listeners to hear his message. (He even speaks on his concern for environmental causes in the film). Before the closing credits, Jackson says he wants to "remind the world that love is important" - and even after his death, he manages to do so by leaving us with memories of a man who never stopped loving his fans or the music.