One-Minute Reviews: "ABC's Desperate Wednesdays"

One-Minute Reviews: "ABC's Desperate Wednesdays"
3 new shows premiered last night:
9:00PM was the premiere of "Modern Family" (aka: Wisteria Lame). This show was close to un-watchable.
It used the same stupid Drama Device of "breaking the 4th wall" and talking to the audience as "The Office". It was as unfunny as "The Office", but with less likable characters.

Filled with decades old show-biz stereotypes of 3 families: "The Old Codger" and the "Chatty Latin Spitfire" (Coochie-Choochie!).
The "Midwest's vision" of "The Gay Couple"; (One was a copy of the Interior Designer in Beetlejuice).
Last and least: "Normal Family" with "Emasculating Wifie", "Spaced-out Lame Dad", and " Always Embarrassed Horny Teen Daughter".
At the end, (if you got that far) they turned out to be an extended family, all related to each other. Snoooze...
The biggest question? Ed, how did you let yourself go so badly?
Prognosis: It won't last to the end of Oct., but will ED? It's so bad it could drag down the next 2 shows with it.

9:30PM "Cougar Town"; (aka Desperate House Cats) Courtney Cox's new sitcom.
Made by the same team as Scrubs is not a glowing reference,
but it is produced by Courtney Cox, who did her own under-achieving show on cable the last 2 years.
This show was surprisingly great. Really very funny without trying too hard, very witty, lots of sexy double-entendres and situations. The funniest, sexiest show since 2 1/2 Men.
Add a little "R" rated action, and it could be a hit HBO show.
It was well executed in every way. Courtney makes lots of fun of her own character, and of Cougars in general and the guys who "date" them.
And it doesn't pull punches re. the effect mid-aged singles 'hooking up' has on their families.
Like in her last series, she appeared 2 times in VERY sexy outfits, showing she still has lots of "IT".
She was the HOT Friend, and still is..
I know Middle-aged housefrau's will not let their hubbies watch this, it is too sexy, too funny in smart ways, and being after "Modern", it will fail too.
Prognosis: Tape it and save it...it's a collector's item.

10:00PM "Eastwick" (aka Desperate House Witches). Did ANYONE EVER see a promo of this show? I never saw one.
Slipped in like a ugly step-child, this turned out to be a total happy surprise. So far, it's my new favorite show of the season.
Loosly based on the old book "Witches of Eastwick" (Or, the movie with Jack Nickolsen as the Devil).
Again, it's well written, witty, sexy fun, produced beautifully on location, big screen movie-like.

The 3 witches are lovable and subtly sexy, led by Rebecca Romjin (Hippie-Chick),
Lindsay Price (News-Girl Friday), both of past failed shows,
and an unknown redhead (the Kindly Nursie) who is the best actress.
The "hook" is that the 3 don't know they are Witches yet, so maybe taken from the start of the book.
It's fun to see them 'evolve' as they realize their 'powers'. It's real fun to see Lindsay show up in a poured on dress late in the show. WOW!

They do not seem to be copies of the 3 in the movie. (closer to the book?)
The small N.E. town (it looked Star's Hollow?) is full of ex-ABC stars like "Almost Perfect" girl, Sarah Rule; and "Kyle-XY", as a boy-toy.
The only weak link is the guy who plays "Jack The Devil". He is too young and unmemorable to fill Jack's shoes. (a soap star?)
I'm sure he was hired to up the "Beef Factor" of the show.
Prognosis: It's too good, too subtle, no bloody bodies like all those 10pm Police Propaganda shows..it will fail.

MadMen episode 5 "Time Bombs"

Mad Men in a New York Minute:
MadMen episode 5 "Time Bombs"
(real title "The Fog")
In dramas, a 'time bomb' is a plot device or character that is introduced innocently,
then later suddenly becomes a important key part of the plot.

1. Is Sally in trouble at school or is Suzanne, her barefoot spinster teacher, just wants to see Don again?
Later she calls Don at home. She's been drinking, she's alone, her slip strap is loose, her blouse is unbuttoned! OMG!! My time bomb prediction is now ticking! Or is that her bio-clock?
Don says "nobody" called instead of saying 'that crazy teacher'. He'll follow up on that later.

2. Don mentions London Fog again, and how he's going to target the kid and teen markets. Another time bomb now ticking. This really did happen in the 60's. L.F. made a fortune making windbreaker jackets in many bright colors. Teens had to own several at once. Fonzie even wore them in S1 Happy Days. Long before "Members Only" came along.

3. Duck Phillips, now at a Jewish ad agency, sets off 2 time bombs. Peggy and Pete. He invites them to lunch. He fills Peggy's head with woman's lib phrases like: "It's your time"....Yeah, to plant the seeds of discontent so she will demand too much and get fired, or quit...that's his real plan. Then he can be a 'white knight' and hire her. Remember his speech about how expendable creative types are? He's no Mr. Nice Guy!
Pete is brought there to witness his lunch with Peggy, no other reason. Later, Peggy starts 'her bomb ticking' at Don with her "It's MY Time!"...to blow-up.
Pete will 'blow-up", and tattle tail on her, as planned.

4. At the Hospital waiting room. Don befriends prison guard Dennis. He seems real nice. Prison guards are not nice. Oh the Irony. Long drawn out scene, seems to be to tell Don to stop blaming his parents.

Dennis is worried about the "Breech Birth", which could kill both. Nurse Mousie comes out to tell Dennis his wife and baby are OK.
Later, Don passes Dennis wheeling his wife down the hall. Holding a bundled up baby, or still pregnant?? Dennis looks up at him, no acknowledgment at all. Maybe all is not OK? Don smiles, looks puzzled. Did that waiting room scene even happen...was it Don's dream? Did Don foresee what will happen with Dennis and wife?

5. Betty is dosed up..now in a "Twilight Sleep"? (or Twilight Zone?) She is dressed as Grace Kelly, walking down her street, holding a green caterpillar. Then she's at home. Dead Daddy is mopping the floor with blood. Dead Mom is next to a black man who is blind. Real "LOST" stuff here. Was she close to death?
She wakes up holding baby..now 'Eugene' for Daddy. A time bomb of trouble with baby to come?

6. Why does Black worker 'Hollis' buy an RCA vs. an Admiral TV? Blacks are buying Admirals. They were the cheaper brand. Sold in stores in ghetto neighborhoods, like Woolworth. So it was an obvious reason that escaped Pete. Hollis got an RCA cuz he's "upwardly mobile", and works outside the ghetto. It's the 'status brand'.
Time bomb of the birth of "Racial Marketing". The bigot exec's at Admiral don't like it, but know it.

7. The Limey boss, who is not a bigot, can see the wisdom of it...Hey the Beatles and Stones got famous singing Black R&B. The Brits made blacks cool to white kids, and OK to their parents.
If not for TV's, then how about for Cadillac's and Malt Liquor? Colt45 is still getting bad publicity for being marketed to blacks in ghettos today. Ask Billy Dee Williams.

8. Last scene. Baby Gene cries at night. Betty gets up to go to it...stops and hangs her head..in dread? Post-Natal depression? Is it even Don's baby? Who is Scott, baby's middle name?

In The previews: Again my prediction is ticking loudly. Sterling waves "Bye-Bye" to Don.

Episode 3: "The Cast's Hidden Talent's Show"

Episode 3, Aug. 30th
"The Cast's Hidden Talent's Show"

The Bill O' Fare:

Sterling sings in Black-face!

Don Draper mixes a great Old Fashioned!

Peggy gets smokes pot and gets creative!

Paul gets stoned and sings and recites poetry...badly.

Pete (& his barren wife) dances the Charleston!
(can Dancing with Stars be far off?)

Betty (Don's wife) flirts...again...even while 8 months preggers!

Joan, the Pneumatic Sec'y, plays the accordion and sings in French!
Eww Laa Laa!!
( I wonder if she plays on some older show she was in,
and this was a 'wink' to it?)

The ending: Don pisses off his boss by telling the truth.
My prediction of him leaving and starting his own Agency
is looking better and better.

Mad Men 1 minute review Epi. 4..."Over There"

Mad Men 1 Minute Review
Epi 4; Sept. 6th,"Over There"
(my title, Real Title is "The Arrangements")

Pops Gene teaches little Sally to drive his "Dead Kennedy" Lincoln.

(she's about 10, would Don approve?)

Peggy want to "Take Manhattan". To get 'over there', and away from Mom's
pounding for giving up the baby.
Later, Peggy buys Mom a new TV, but both know it's 'Over' for them.

An Idle Rich-son pitches Jai-Lai to the firm.
(Jai-Lai did happen back then, just before the "World Soccer League" that also died fast)

Betty smokes while preggers;
she gets upset at Pops for pushing the "reality" of his coming demise on her.
Does she wants being preggers to be 'over'?

Closet-bound Sal is tapped to direct the "Bye Bye Birdie" rip-off ad.
He's Very excited.

Later while trying to avoid sex with his (SMOKIN' HOT)
confused wife; he acts out entire song.
Now Wifey totally understands...that was the Gayest Ad ever!
Now he's really gone 'over there'.

Pops has gone totally rouge now,
he gives little Jimmy his Prussian WWI helmet, openly defying Don.

Don pulls out an old pic of his Dad and Mom.
See, having Pops around is helping him with his own past; to get 'over it'.

Kolie is afraid of Kourtney getting herpes...what sluts.
Oops, switched channels awhile :)

"Margret" Peggy Olsen looks for a roomie.
Gets Pep talk from know it all Joan to 'fun-it-up'.
Later meets Perky Kute Karen in a yellow dress (symbolic?) Real Don-Bait.

More Jai-Li account fun....just take the money and run Don.
Pete is up for it, as he brown-noses 'Limely-boss'.

Then the 'Bye Bye' ad is shown; it's perfect,
but far too sexy....they took the money and ran....into a ditch..
Peggy smirks knowingly. She had said "clients don't know what they need".
Sterling states the obvious.."it's not Ann Margret!" It's 'over' for Patio diet cola.

Suddenly it's announced Pops dies off screen in an A&P market.
Buying Ice Cream?
His missed his big scene, Was it cut?

The Family seems more relived than in mourning.
Little Sally hears laughter and freaks.
At least she loved the old coot.

Don puts away Pop's roll away bed...bumps a record player...
it plays "Over There"..
Pops has now "gone over" to "There".
It's over for Pops and the WWI generation.