Category: Television Page 9 of 19

American Idol 7×02: Dallas Auditions

On January 17, 2008

I pretended to be a good grad student tonight and went over to watch a series of lectures on Victorian Britain from the Learning Company with some friends instead of watching American Idol live. So no live-Twittering went on.

Overall, I’d say the show was a bit better tonight than last night. The judges seemed to be having marginally more fun, though I think Simon’s getting even more jaded than usual. Kady Malloy (the girl who can do a Britney Spears impression) is probably one of the better ones through so far, and I liked the cute farmer/cowboy guy. But mostly because he’s cute. Also cute: the newly married couple with the husband who came in to choose his wife’s songs for her. She couldn’t sing terribly well, but he could come on the show and just stand there, and it would make me happy. Because he was hot. But they were also cute together.

I’m really hating how they’re depicting rock singers, though. Every single contestant who leans toward a rock sound turns out to totally suck (yes, even the one they inexplicably let through), which then reinforces the idea that rock singers suck, which they don’t. Are they consciously trying to only let through the most bland pop, boyband, country crossover, and divalicious belters they can find? Or are those the only people willing to try out anymore?

American Idol 7×01: Philadelphia Auditions

By Jandy

On January 15, 2008

In Television

Selected Twitterings:

Joey Catalano – nice if we’re looking for boyband leads. But boybands are pretty much over, aren’t they? But yeah, good enough for now.
You know, the angry contestant clips all start to look the same after six years. Maybe they just reuse the same ones.
Melanie Nyema – I wonder how many back-up singers we’re going to have this year after Melinda did so well last year.
Usually a bad sign when the contestant hopes the judges will find their voice “unique.” ….. Yep, bad sign. [this was the guy with the really low voice who did “Go Down, Moses”]
Someday contestants are going to learn not to sing “Unchained Melody.” Or not.
Weren’t they supposed to have instruments this year? What happened to that? Or are they going to do that later?
Randy’s always so optimistic. “Yeah, this is gonna be great!” No, no it isn’t. And no, no it’s not. Sinatra sounds nothing like that.
“Let me try My Way again!” Paula: “Oh, my Lord!” Hee. For some reason it makes me happy when Paula’s mean. I’m a bad, bad person.
Alexis – Not an American Idol singer, but honestly, she could front a punk or rock band with little trouble. Girl, Simon wasn’t mean to you.
Thing is, AI isn’t looking for the best musician/artist, but the best pop singer. Most of my favorite front singers wouldn’t get through.
This is sad, with the daughter with the syndrome. Hope the girl can sing–too often the ones with the tear-jerker stories can’t. [referring to Angela Martin, cf below]
Angela Martin – Nice voice! Oversung, but definitely has the raw materials. I’m glad.
Alyse – Good influences, bad song choice, and…what the hell? Okay, I don’t like Feelin’ Good, but I’m not down with murdering it.
Milo, stop giving singer-songwriters a bad name! I really want more singer-songwriters on the show, but for serious.
Christy – I like this one. I hope she can sing (she was in some of the promos as a good singer, right?). Yeah, she’ll be through.
Beth – Ooh, singing a standard! I’m a fan. I like her. But will she be the kind of old-fashioned Simon likes or hates?
Chris Watson – Like so many others today, yes, good, but in a style I don’t care for. WHERE ARE THE MUSICIANS THEY PROMISED ME?
Brooke – Aw, she’s sweet. Not sure she can make it the whole way, but I do like her. And Simon, quit being a douche about her husband.

Overall Impressions

Bland. Bland bland bland. There were four or five people who had good enough voices, but no one with any pow, you know? Nobody that made me sit up and notice. Way too much melisma, way too much pop sensibility, no originality. And what happened to the instruments? There were supposed to be instruments this year, I swear I read that. Watching Australian Idol has definitely spoiled me. I think I’ll go watch some more of it right now.

American Idol Season Seven

By Jandy

On January 15, 2008

In Television

…starts in twenty minutes!

As I said yesterday, I’m going to try live-Twittering the show instead of live-blogging it. I’m faithx5 on Twitter, so feel free to add me if you use it, or you can follow my updates by refreshing this page. Or subscribing to this feed. Or looking at the Twitter badge on my blog’s front page, but I’m not sure it updates automatically.

After the show, I’ll post a recap of the Twitter updates here as well. If this all works out well, I’ll continue doing this throughout the season.

Now fifteen minutes!

The Fake Golden Globes

By Jandy

On January 14, 2008

In Film, Television

Okay, I guess the awards themselves aren’t fake, but announced with staccato quickness, reaaaaaally short or nonexistent clips, and no fanfare by Access Hollywood-type hosts, they sure felt fake. In fact, I think I’m going to just pretend that No Country for Old Men and Juno won everything. Except Best Director, which I expected to go to the Coens, but I’m perfectly happy for Julian Schnabel to get it, because The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was perfection. Speaking of which, they didn’t even announce the Best Foreign Film winner! Which was Diving Bell, as it should be. Or Best Screenplay (Coens), or Best Score (Atonement), or Best Song (the one from Into the Wild), IIRC. Color me not a fan of the pared-down broadcast, though I am still glad the actors supported the WGA. But guys, seriously. Settle this thing before the Oscars. I need my overlong, oversappy, overdressed, overhyped, underaccurate award shows!

Oh, and I was also hoping for a Pushing Daisies win for Best Comedy Series, but I’m not surprised it didn’t make it. It would’ve been nice for the hosts to give it some cred, though, instead of fawning all over 30 Rock in EVERY CATEGORY. Not that 30 Rock doesn’t deserve it, I’m just saying. Spread the love. Did anyone see Mad Men on AMC? I didn’t even know AMC was doing series now (I guess this is the first one?). They gave up on doing classic movies properly a long time ago, so I guess they had to do something…

Full list of winners here, among other places, I’m sure.

Spaced – Fake Gunfight

By Jandy

On December 8, 2007

In Television

We had a Spaced marathon last night, and this was probably my favorite scene (of many). Spaced is a British sitcom written by and starring Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. In this scene, Tim (Pegg) and Daisy (Jessica Stevenson) are confronted by a group of young thugs who are angry because they thought they had bought weed from the couple; in fact, Daisy had given them a packet of oregano. Tim and Daisy get out of the situation by pulling fake guns and shooting the thugs down. This was set up by an earlier scene, wherein Tim and his buddy Mike demonstrated that any group of males, whether they know each other or not, will succumb to the fake gunfight scenario. It’s brilliant and hilarious. As is the whole show, so you should try to see it, even though it’s difficult since it’s only available on Region 2 DVD (Europe). Lots of it is online, though, if you check around. ;)