Lost in Translation: Entourage Recapped

If there is one question that these last one-and-a-half seasons of Entourage has proposed to the viewer it's this: Is there a show in production that is more maddening than Entourage?

For me, the answer is a flat-out no.

My Favorite Episodes: 'Meat the Veals,' Arrested Development

Episode Title: "Meat the Veals"

Background: I'm pretty certain that I'm the last person on earth to come around to the greatness that is Arrested Development. I never watched the show when it aired originally, mainly because I never knew when it was on and, at the time, I didn't have a DVR. There's that excuse, and the other, which is much less reasonable: the episodes that I did manage to catch, well, I just didn't like.

The 2007 Fall TV Preview: Fox

The Fall Television Preview rolls on with a look at what Fox has to offer to it's viewers. Unlike NBC and CBS, Fox has filled its Fall schedule with no less than three new reality shows, which I couldn't care less about. However, I will say that the show called Nashville from the creators of Laguna Beach sounds like it could be a fun watch, if I didn't have to sit through a bunch of teenage rubes talking about NASCAR and country music.

The best part about Fox's slate of new shows is that more than half of them won't even premiere until 2008, including the highly anticipated Amy Sherman-Palladino/Parker Posey vehicle The Return of Jezebel James. Talk about missing a deadline--guys, people want to see new shows in September or October and not January or February.

Anyway, since this is the FALL TV PREVIEW, I'm relegated to checking out the only two new scripted shows that Fox has ready for air.

Where the Truth Lies: Mad Men Reviewed

A good television show is like a perfect storm of timing, luck, quality, talent and opportunity. So when something that succeeds is actually produced, I'm continually amazed. If you think about how rare it is for all of those variables to come together at the same time, it's a wonder how there is even one noteworthy show to watch on television.

This Summer has been a great example of how hard good television really is. John from Cincinnati sucks. Flight of the Conchords sucks. Entourage is alternating between great and sucks. Even Weeds sucks.

Mad Men however, is darn good. At times it's borderline great. At times it's average. But more often than not, the show is an outright success. It's clearly the best show I've watched all Summer, and how HBO didn't have the foresight to pick this up as the marquee replacement for The Sopranos is beyond me.

I know what you're thinking: "Wait, what the hell is Mad Men?"

The 2007 Fall TV Preview: NBC

In the last installment of the Fall TV Preview, I looked at CBS' Fall Schedule and was able to deduce that it sucked. I mean, sucked really bad. It's a nice feeling knowing that I don't have to DVR one thing on CBS all year long. It's liberating.

Things look a little brighter for NBC. Their current schedule is an exciting mixture of shows that I either love (The Office and 30 Rock) or think I would love, but don't watch (Heroes and Friday Night Lights). And this Fall they are premiering four new shows that will probably fit into one of those two categories.

The Empire Strikes Back: The Weeds Season Premiere

On paper, I really love the idea of a television show finishing its year with the "Empire ending." It seems though, that every single year, I'm proven completely and utterly wrong with this assumption. Apparently the "Empire ending" can really screw up a great show.

Who knew?

Requiem for the Blaster: Barry Bonds Breaks Hank Aaron's Home Run Record

I threw on ESPN at the exact right moment last night. It was kismet. As if God himself wanted me to witness the moment when Barry Bonds broke the Home Run Record. You see, Barry Bonds was my favorite baseball player ever. In fact, my AOL screenname has the number "25" in it specifically in reference to Barry. He was my type of baseball player when I was growing up: a complete package of speed, power and total douchebaggery that was unmatched by any of his peers. I flat out loved the guy. And I was one of the idiots who defended him against the allegations of steroids when he hit a ridonkulous 73 home runs in 2001. "They don't inject steroids into your eyes" I'd say, with the naivete of a retarded person.

The 2007 Fall TV Preview: CBS

Last fall, I only watched one new show that aired on CBS: Smith.

I remember being very excited about it. How could a show with Ray Liotta and a bunch of B-list stars (Amy Smart, Simon Baker, Jonny Lee Miller, Virginia Madsen) go wrong? So I added it to my DVR list with much anticipation.

I believe I got through about 20 minutes of it before I turned it off and deleted it. Even on my massive HD television, this show was pure shit. For shame, Ray Liotta. For shame.

So it's without much expectation that I dive into the new slate of shows scheduled to air on the prestigious CBS Television Network.