TV Round Up (January '10 Edition)

In the past month, there's little to nothing on TV. There's the bearable Thursday comedy line up on NBC. Saturday Night Live and Sunday's two hour cartoon on Fox. Well, I did enjoy watching Chef Academy and Tabatha's Salon Takeover, the usual Daily Show/Colbert Report/Chelsea Lately, but that's pretty much it. I learned a few recipes from Chef Academy and was surprised to see the some nude dude scene with Emmanuel getting all naked serving dessert. I'm also strangely intrigued by shows like Tabatha's Salon Makeover and BBC's Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, at least these big personality is going into failing business and trying to revive them. I feel like I can learn something from other people's mistakes.

I'm happy to see Chuck and Heroes coming back for another season, both remains to be entertaining. Although there is news that this might be Chuck's last season and I've already given up on following Heroes' storyline. Also in the way down the drain is surprisingly the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. I mean, huh?!? Jay Leno was supposed to bow out of the time slot, but I don't know if it's low ratings or some maneuver from Jay's part, it sounds like Jay will take the 11:35 spot back and bump Conan and Jimmy Fallon back, maybe Carson Daly will not get a national broadcasted show? Though Conan says he won't move.

I have always been a fan of Conan and was thrilled that he got the Tonight Show and reunited with Andy Richter. Jay Leno was getting stale and his humor too rich white folks to my taste, I even warmed up to Jimmy Fallon since The Roots became his band. This little maneuver is far from classy and I'm hoping that it won't happen. This might also be American Idol's last season, Simon Cowell is introducing his UK hit show the X Factor to Fox next year. Why would you need two shows with the same premise? And just when Ellen is getting to be a judge for American Idol. Though the show has already overstayed its welcome for at least 2-3 years now?



Shows that I'm looking forward to include the return of Nurse Jackie, The United States of Tara, they are both well-written and witty shows with an edge. RuPaul drag race is coming back too and even though I know we can't expect the winners to become superstars, it's still a low budget, guilty pleasure entertainment. New shows that look potentially good include Starz's Spartacus: Blood and Sand. I think it's a TV response to the popularity of 300 a few years back, the men are supposed to be well muscled and scantily clad, I also heard that there will be a gay gladiator. Hope the production cost is not as big as Rome's and suffer the same fate.



Spike Network's Blue Mountain Football has also sent trailers to every gay blogs. College frat humors, horny guys, well muscled athletes. Maybe it is the perfect gay fantasy, but I'll wait until I see it before commenting.