Random Round-Up 16

Boo!!!! As most of you know, I hate change. So much so that I recently had someone liken me to a turtle - I'm ever so happy in my shell and content to just poke my head out once in a while to see what's going on. If I don't like it, I just bury myself back in my shell. I don't think this was a compliment. Anyway, my point is that I am at my most comfortable when surrounded by the known. You can imagine my displeasure, then, when I read that Hasbro is 'updating' Clue... by putting in a spa room and ditching the lead pipe (among other transgressions)!!! Good grief! That is just ridiculous. I don't really want to play Clue if it's taking place in The Hills or the Big Brother house, you know? Bleh. EW.com feels my pain:

Some of changes that make me cringe: The now-excessively pimped-out mansion will boast more rooms — including a spa and theater — and Colonel Mustard will shed his military garb in favor of a football uniform as a former sports star. And prepare to say goodbye to the lead pipe, which has been replaced by three new weapons — a trophy, a baseball bat, and an ax.

For me, the reason I stayed home on Saturday nights to play Clue loved the game was because it was so archaic. It was far more fun and silly to solve the crime when you imagined it being committed with such ridiculous turn-of-the-century objects as a lead pipe and a candlestick holder. (Michael Slezak, on the other hand, likes the addition of the ax, making his case with the irrefutable rebuttal, "Axes are hot.") Plus, Hasbro's going about this all wrong. Come on, if we're really going to make Clue modern, shouldn't Miss Scarlett — now with a first name: Cassandra — have a sex tape and her own E! reality show? And Hasbro should at least include a pair of sunglasses so players can tear them off David Caruso-style when they say, "Mrs. White, in the hot tub, with a bottle of Cristal. Looks like she showed her true colors."

Stupid young people. They ruin everything!!! Next thing you know, they'll get rid of Hungry Hungry Hippos because it promotes unhealthy eating habits. Gah!

______________________________

Now I have some Christian Bale news... yaaaaaaaay! ;o) Two quick things: (1) It turns out he will not face assault charges after all for his mother's crappy trumped-up allegations* (yes, we speak regularly and I know this for a fact, people); and (2) Robert is a wonderful man. He knew I wanted the UK edition of August's GQ (the U.S. version has Seth Rogen on the cover - that tells you a lot about the differences in our cultures!) so he looked and looked and finally procured one for me. *sigh* He's the sweetest.

*Even a statement by the CPS seems to corroborate this: "Whilst the CPS treats all incidents which take place in a domestic context seriously, it is important that the views of complainants are also taken into account when making decisions in such cases." It's crystal clear here, people - Christian Bale's mom sucks. Fact!



And just LOOK at who is on the back cover:

It's as if the magazine and I were meant to be. It's true.

______________________________

This has nothing to do with anything but I came across it yesterday and was reminded of just how funny it was. Robert and I really like Ricky Gervais' HBO show Extras and this episode was quite hilarious. (Robert loves one part in particular - can you guess what it is? I bet you can!) The clip below isn't the entire episode - it's just the bits with Daniel Radcliffe. But, really, do you need to see anything else to know it's a funny show? I think not.

______________________________

Mini TV Tidbit: According to Ausiello, "Aliens in America's Adhir Kalyan, is joining the cast of... CBS' Rules of Engagement. He'll be appearing in the recurring role of David Spade's new assistant, Timmy." This is good news because I'm glad at least one Aliens alum has gotten a job. It's bad news because this means David Spade will have a storyline on the front-burner. Bummer. I think he's funny (he's very good live, actually) and loved him on Just Shoot Me but he's just so creepy to look at... it's difficult for me.

______________________________

2nd Mini TV Tidbit: After much hemming and hawing, Bret Michaels confirmed that Rock of Lurv will be returning early next year for a 3rd season... to be filmed entirely on the road. On a tour bus. Yum. I figured he'd cave and do another season after he broke up with Ambre so I'm glad he finally did. I love the Lurv! I realize 9/10 girls who go on reality shows go strictly to be on TV and not to win whatever it is they're competing for... but statements like

"...he’ll never be over Ambre. Whoever he decides to pick from season 3 is going to have to accept that as well because she comes with it.” - Big John (Michaels' body guard)

do make the show seem all the more pointless!

TV Tidbits 12 - Upfronts Day 2

• Reaper: Officially picked-up by the CW for a 2nd season
• It will return for 13 episodes midseason and will likely be paired with “Supernatural” on Thursday nights after “Smallville” concludes its run.
• Here's a Q&A with the show's producers on the upcoming season finale.
• Aliens in America: Not canceled?!
  
• TVGuide.com's Ausiello still has AIA listed as axed.
  
• However, both EW.com ("[Reaper] will join fellow sophomores Aliens in America and Gossip Girl on the net's slate for next year...") and MSNBC.com ("“Reaper,” along with “Aliens in America” and “Gossip Girl,” is part of CW’s sophomore slate of scripted programming. The buzz-heavy “Gossip Girl” received a quick pickup. The ratings for “Aliens” fell below the line, and few expected a renewal.") have stated that the show will be back for a 2nd season.
• Who is right?! I'm going to hope that it really is coming back and will be checking for Ausiello confirmation throughout the day...

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

• ABC's fall lineup looks like:

• Pushing Daisies and Dirty Sexy Money will be back on Wednesdays, as will the hit series Private Practice, while Boston Legal will be back for its final season on Mondays.
• Grey's Anatomy will serve as a lead-in on Thursdays to Life on Mars, a new dramedy based on a BBC series of the same name that stars a present-day cop (Jason O'Mara) who's transported back in time after getting hit by a car.
  
• On Tuesdays, a new reality show called Opportunity Knocks will literally bring a game show to someone's front porch each week, and a new season of Scrubs (yep, that old NBC comedy) will follow Knocks once Dancing with the Stars finishes up its next installment.
  
• A new animated comedy from Mike Judge (King of the Hill) called Goode Family (about a clan compelled to do the right thing) and a new season of Eli Stone will round out Tuesdays.
• Sundays will remain intact with the winning lineup of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
  
• Other shows set to return this fall include Samantha Who, Super Nanny, and Wife Swap.
  
• Lost will come back midseason, as will a new and yet untitled reality show from Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks, not to mention According to Jim, The Bachelor, and ABC News' "Primetime: What Would You Do?"
• And you already know that Men in Trees and October Road were canceled.

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

• New Adventures of Old Christine: Renewed for a 22-episode 3rd season
• This, of course, means ABC is stuck, as they were pretty much banking on snagging Christine once CBS let her go...
• Moonlight: Canceled
• Though it had a rabid fan base (I guess the blood drive wasn't enough to save this vampire!), "the buzz is that the Eye simply was not happy with Moonlight's retention of its Ghost Whisperer lead-in. At last tally, Mick & Co. were letting slip some 13 percent of Melinda's audience."
• Shark: Canceled
• The Unit: Officially renewed
• Rules of Engagement: Renewed, will return mid-season
  

TV Tidbits 11 - Upfronts Day 1

The networks' upfronts start this week and updates on what shows are renewed or dead are coming in all the time! As such, I will update this post as I find things out and I'll bump it up to the top slot when I do. All scoopage is courtesy of TVGuide.com unless otherwise noted...

Fox was the first one up. Here's a mini-breakdown of what was renewed/canceled:

• Back to You: Canceled
• Rumor has it that "[T]hough the Grammer-Heaton sitcom drew good notices and decent numbers, it's reckoned that production costs ran too high (due to its marquee stars)."
• Til Death: Renewed for 3rd season
• The Inn: New series pick-up
• Described as "Upstairs/Downstairs at a hip New York hotel." The pilot was directed by Jason Bateman, and the cast includes Niecy Nash (Reno 911), Jerry O'Connell, Molly Stanton and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
• New Amsterdam: Canceled

I also came across a couple tidbits re: two CW shows -

• Reaper: According to Ausiello, "I'm told it's "90 percent likely" that it'll be on the network's fall sked. " [That's awesome, though it does surprise me a bit. It's been on the bubble for a while now... but, it is a cute show and I hope it really does survive into the fall.]
• Aliens in America: Canceled!!!
  
• I guess it's not technically 'official' since the CW hasn't yet had their upfront but, again, according to Ausiello, "I just got the unofficial official word that one of this season's best new comedies has been axed. Despite rave reviews when it debuted last fall, the CW laffer went largely ignored by viewers. Which sucks for them, because they missed out on a fantastic little show."

WTF?! Aliens is a funny show! I mean, it's not the most hilarious thing I've ever seen but it was a nice little show that made me laugh and I enjoyed it every week. Crap!!! I'm bummed. :o( Here's one of my favorite clips from the show (skip to the 2:15 mark if you're in a hurry!):

"I trick them into believing I am M. Night Shyamalan"... hee!!! Raja is too cute. Mew.

UPDATE 1:

• Eli Stone: Renewed for 2nd season
  
• October Road: Canceled
• The Unit: Expected to return
• CBS may put it on Fridays @ 9. What does that mean for Moonlight? Dunno.
• HIMYM: Shoo-in for 4th season renewal
• Boston Legal: Renewed
• Terminator: TSCC: Renewed