TV Season 2012-2013 Update

ABC

Body of Proof
Dancing with the Stars
Once Upon a Time

The 2012-2013 TV Season

We're nearing the end of the 2011-2012 TV season. You know what that means--it's time to start looking forward to the 2012-2013 TV season. Here are a list of shows that will be returning then.

(The list will be updated as networks present their upfronts)


CBS
The Big Bang Theory
Criminal Minds
CSI
Hawaii Five-0
How I Met Your Mother
The Mentalist
Mike & Molly
NCIS
NCIS: LA
Person of Interest
Undercover Boss

CW
America's Next Top Model

FOX
American Dad
Glee
The Simpsons

NBC
Smash

It’s Tech Week!

Last week, Rebecca and Karen became BFFs! Nights on the town, free swag, dinner with Dev, the works! And that dinner comes with an awesome if yet odd Bollywood number. Meanwhile, Ivy works with Ellis and manages to sing the new song “Second Hand White Baby Grand.” Which Rebecca promptly decides should be hers and not some ensemble member’s. Anjelica Huston gets sexy time with Thorsten Kaye. And Julia and Frank reunited when Leo ran away.


This week, it’s tech week. Say those words to anyone who is involved or was ever involved with theater and you’re bound to get a treasure trove of horror stories. I was running the sound board for a production when I was in college and we lost an actor during tech week (not sure what happened, the best I could gather was that she just stopped showing up). The assistant stage manager stepped in, learned the role in under a week and killed it. And to top it off, the communication system that allowed the stage manager to talk to the booth failed. And that’s just one production I did in college.


So before we continue with this episode, there is one thing to understand: This is a very stressful time for everyone involved in the show.

Going to New Heights…And Familiar Lows

Last week on ANTM: The final six traveled to Macau! They met with a Chinese astrologer and had their fortunes read. The wannabes then had to adjust their outfits to match their elements. Laura won the challenge and had to take Eboni, who she admitted earlier to hating, along for a spa day. The girls then posed in Barney Cheng’s dresses, accessorized by silkworms. Laura rose to the top while Catherine and Alisha found themselves in the bottom two. Sadly, Catherine was sent home. Five girls remain; who goes home tonight?


Wanna be on top?

Guilty Pleasures!

The Nostalgia Chick recently released a list of her guilty pleasures and so I figured, what the heck? Here's my Top 10 movies, TV shows and musicals that I will admit to enjoying with a side helping of shame.


Shameful confessions after the jump:

Nostalgia Nook: Doug

Admit it: You now have the theme song stuck in your head. I know the Nostalgia Critic will not be covering this TV show as it scarred him as a child. (Listen to the theme song he made up for it if you are curious).


Doug premiered on Nickelodeon in the early 90s. It was an animated show about a 12-years-old named Doug who had eccentric neighbors, a drama queen for a sister, some interesting friends and one cool dog. He also had an active imagination that spoke to other kids.


So why did we like Doug? Well, put on your Beets album and watch out for SPOILERS!

Macau’s Next Top Model—Edwin the Silkworm

Last week on ANTM: The final seven wannabes went to a real life runway! Alisha, Annaliese and Sophie were chosen to open shows. The others girls walked in the show but Seymone still pouted about it. Alisha won the challenge. The girls then had a Hello, Kitty themed shoot with a young photographer. Georgina Chapman, co-founder of Marchese, was the guest judge and actually had some opinions. All the Brits and Laura were safe while Eboni and Seymone were in the bottom. Due to her attitude, Seymone went out on a really weird note. Six girls remain! Who is eliminated? Found out!


Wanna be  on top?

Fame—I Wanna Live Forever

Last week, Rebecca Duvall annoyed everyone except Karen.


This week, she continues to annoy everyone except Karen. She’s late to rehearsal due to working out at the gym. Karen doesn’t mind because Derek talks to her. I wouldn’t mind if Jack Davenport started talking to me. He asks Karen if she is getting the material as the understudy as he can’t work with her. She says she doesn’t mind as the Chorus Buddies filled her in. Understudies work with the stage manager, not the director. Derek is slightly impressed. Ivy, watching them, is slightly jealous. Ellis takes Rebecca’s assistant aside though he (rightly) doesn’t want anything to do with the rat. But the rat says it’s important.

A Fan Rants

Because this is the internet and what else was the internet made for?

Hello, Kitty!

Last week: The girls were asked to do a PSA about being beautiful inside and out—to not listen to the bullies. The young girl Alisha was paired with brought everyone to tears—including the audience. The Brits win the PSA challenge and get video messages from home. Annaliese’s friend wishes her well, so does Catherine’s parents and her dog while Alisha’s family is proud of her. Sophie’s boyfriend blathers on about the weather. British singer Estelle shows up to help with the girls’ photoshoot which involves the booty tooch. Sophie excels while Alisha and Kyle fall flat. In the end, Kyle was sent packing. Seven wannabes remain, who goes home tonight? Find out!


Wanna be on top? 

See, I Could Never Really Sing…

Last week, Rebecca Duvall was stuck in Cuba. So Karen was promoted to understudy. Ivy finds out and takes it pretty well. But it’s because she has an ulterior motive—she thinks if she’s nice enough, she’ll get back into the chorus. And she encourages to Karen rebel a bit, hoping to get her kicked out. Karen and Dev have a fight, Tom and John break up and Julia finally tells Tom Frank left her. And Eileen gets Terrence Mann to bankroll Bombshell before kissing Thorsten Kaye.


This week, Eileen is avoiding Thorsten Kaye. He’s baffled and keeps calling. She decides to look at the information Ellis dug up about Nick. And it’s not good, so she continues ignoring him.

Big Changes!

Changes on "America's Next Top Model"


Yep, you read that right. Next season, Cycle 19, will not see Ms. J Alexander, Mr. Jay Manuel nor Mr. Nigel Barker. I am sad as well. More about Mr. Jay and Nigel than Ms. J. He/She/It has been fading as the cycles have continued, since he/she/it left the judging panel. And there have been very few runway teaches and challenges. 


I'd rather have seen Mr. Jay on the panel, but he's got Canada's Next Top Model and will be fine. 


I'm just going to miss Nigel's accent. 


There's a poll on the site. Who will you miss? 

The Glee Project 2

Yes, I started watching "The Glee Project" last year because of Damian McGinty--who went on to win. And while I've contemplated starting a drinking game revolved around Damian's appearances in Glee (one sip if you see him, two if he gets a line, down it if he gets a song), I've decided to watch the second season of "The Glee Project." And yes, I'm going to recap it. What else is there for the summer after all? 


So, let's see who's going to win the chance to grace McKinley High School in Season 4. 

Where’s Uma?

Last week, Ivy returned to Heaven on Earth. And did not hide her disappointment. Or her pills. After taking a drunk dive on the stage, Norbert Leo Butz threw her off. She wandered through Times Square with Karen before returning home. Sam and Tom decided to get to know each other instead of looking for their pill-popping, drunk friend. Frank found out about Michael, punched him and left Julia. And Ellis slept with Rebecca Duvall’s assistant to get her to join Marilyn.


This week, everyone is gathered back for another…read-through? I guess? Except that Rebecca’s not there. Karen and the Chorus Buddies whisper while they wait. Eileen receives a phone call and asks everyone to take a break. She gathers Derek, Julia and Tom to tell them that Rebecca Duvall isn’t in New York. She isn’t even in the US. “CUBA?” Julia shouts into the rehearsal space. Eileen tries to shush her, but it’s too late. The investors have heard, including Manny Azenberg and Robyn Goodman. (By the way, they are real Broadway investors. The day after this show aired, it was announced Azenberg is to receive a special award at the Tonys). They demand that Eileen get Rebecca there pronto and want to talk with her.

I Think I’d Like to Change My Table

Last week on ANTM: The Brits had some fun with Laura’s beloved teddy, not knowing it was a gift from her now dead best friend. When it appeared that Kyle was pushing the ear away in the pool (and it’s a pool, not the freaking ocean, go and fish it out!), Laura flips out and decides that Kyle is dead to her. Lisa shows up to tell the girls they will be making music videos. The Brits got Girls Aloud member Nadine Coyle as a mentor while the Americans got Pussycat Doll Jessica Sutta as theirs. Tyra taught the girls the art of the booty tooch but AzMarie refused to wear her butt pads. She ended up in the bottom two with Kyle who fell flat during the music video. In the end, you do not mess with Tyra and AzMarie was sent home. Who will go home tonight? Find out!


Wanna be on top?

The Revolution Will No Longer be Televised

It's been announced that ABC Daytime is shelving "The Revolution," the show that replaced my beloved "One Life to Live." It goes off the air in July, when it will be replaced briefly by an afternoon edition of "Good Morning, America." Then in September, I believe, the individual markets will decide whether to air Katie Couric's new show or General Hospital in that time slot.


I knew the time slot was promised, but I admit--I still hoped that there was a way to resurrect "One Life to Live." Was it possible? Absolutely.


Yes, most people in Llanview got Happily Ever Afters. But there were still doors left open. So, if you let me my flights of fancy (and the fact that it's my blog suggests you do), how would I revive One Life to Live were it possible?

Never Mouth Back to Tyra

Last week on ANTM: There was no episode as One Tree Hill aired its two-hour series finale.


Two weeks ago on ANTM: Mr. Jay invited the remaining wannabes up to Canada for Toronto Fashion Week! The girls were sent to book some runways. Eboni and Sophie both booked four shows each while Catherine, Ashley and Seymone booked none. At the fashion show, Kyle and Laura were kicked off their show while Seymone moaned about not getting picked. Mr. Jay gave her a pep talk. The next day, Eboni and Sophie won the challenge and the wannabes had to pose in fake leaves while maple syrup was poured over them. Eboni and AzMarie rose to the top of the Americans while Sophie was the only Brit to place high in call-out. Catherine and Ashley were in the bottom two and my heart was broken when Ashley was sent back to Scotland. Nine girls remain, who will get eliminated tonight? Find out!


Wanna be on top?

And It Explodes

Last week, Derek and Eileen decided to test out another direction for Marilyn the Musical. It bombed. They decided to go with a star, sending Ivy back to the chorus and Michael to the curb.


This week, Eileen wants a star! And Ellis is determined to get her one. So he networks and works hard to get “Rebecca Duvall” onboard. He even flirts with a male assistant to do so! Apparently, Ellis is bi, I guess.

Kill the Director

Last week, Marilyn the Musical had its workshop! And it had its ups and downs. Bernadette Peters played Ivy’s hard-to-please mother. Backers showed up and it was sweltering! In the end, the critics weren’t too kind to Marilyn. The creatives decide to sack Michael and look to the future.


This week, radio silence. Julia and Tom haven’t heard anything from Eileen. Julia is really worried so Frank sings to her. It’s not Brian d’Arcy James’ best performance but there is a promise of a proper performance from him later in the season to look forward to. In his bedroom, Leo can hear the song and smiles, thinking all is well.

Nostalgia Nook: Animorphs

When I look back, I’m still surprised I started reading “Animorphs.” Even at the age of 11, I was well on my way to reading mostly historical fiction. But at the same time, I was reading Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time.” And I was devouring my mother’s old Nancy Drew novels. So I had a slight interest in science fiction and mysteries. I think this interest drew me to Animorphs, a blend of both!

While I never finished the series, there will be some SPOILERS!