We are watching the Academy Awards, and here are our thoughts on the greatest awards show in Hollywood!

8:32 PM: Doogie Howser is here!!! He is singing and dancing! We love the sparkling suit!

8:35 PM: Alec Baldwin introduces Steve Martin with a lots of praise, and Steve replies by saying, “This is Alec Baldwin.” Classic!

Meryl Streep holds the record for most nominations for an actress. Steve Martin jokes she holds the record for the most loses.

Alec Baldwin gives Christopher Plummer honors! We love Christopher Plummer! Damn Helen Mirren…great joke. No, it’s “DAME”!!!

They are doing the rounds of who is around and who is nominated. Ash’s mom is making hilarious comments about everything. George Clooney is not smiling and they are poking fun at him about it.

This is kind of amusing, but it seems to be just sporadic mentioning of people around. That, of course, is funny.

8:44 PM: Penelope Cruz is out to present the first award. Ash’s mom doesn’t like her hair. Best Actor in a Supporting Role is the Award:

The Nominees:
Matt Damon for Invictus
Woody Harrelson for The Messenger
Christopher Plummer for The Last Station
Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds

The Winner: Christoph Waltz

Our Thoughts: We LOVED Inglourious Basterds. He was amazing in this. The movie is amazing. We are so glad he WON! His eyes are lighting up. It is like a little kid on Christmas.

8:50 PM: Ryan Reynods is here to introduce The Blind Side, the first movie nominated for Best Picture. We love the clips provided.

8:55 PM: Cameron Diaz and Steve Carrell are introduced. They show clips of animated characters talking about being nominated. These are cute, but unnecessary. They are presenting the award for Best Animated Film.

The Nominees:
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
UP

The Winner: UP

Our Thoughts: We loved this movie. It was brilliant, poignant, amazing. I hope it continues to get all the accolades it deserves. Oh, and Ed Asner ROCKS!

9:00 PM: Amanda Seyfried and Miley Cyrus are there to offer the nominees for Best Song in a Motion Picture.

The Nominees:
The Princess and the Frog for “Almost There”
Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

The Princess and the Frog for “Down in New Orleans”
Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

Paris 36 for “Loin de Paname”
Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas

Nine for “Take It All”
Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston

Crazy Heart for “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)”
Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

The Winners: Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Our Thoughts: We weren’t wowed by these songs. We didn’t care much for any of them, so the winner wasn’t very impressive to us.

9:05 PM: Chris Pine is introducing District 9, another Best Picture nominee. This movie was absolutely amazing. You can check out our review of it on Blu-Ray Authoritay.

9:12 PM: Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey are joking around about actors and writers. They are actually pretty funny. They are presenting the award for Best Original Screenplay.

The Nominees:

The Hurt Locker Written by Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds Written by Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
A Serious Man Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Up Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter. Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

The Winner: The Hurt Locker Written by Mark Boal

Our Thoughts: He wrote this based on a guy’s life. Basically, he ripped off some guy’s life. Wow, looks like that guy is going to be rich. Let’s hope he gets the justs he deserves.

9:17 PM: Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick are there to make a special dedication to John Hughes. Both actors worked with him and he helped to make them stars.

This tribute is awesome. We grew up with these movies. We grew up with John Hughes. He deserves all the recognition he gets. These are some of the best movies ever made.

9:22 PM: Jon Cryer, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Matthew Broderick, Anthony Michael Hall, and Macaulay Culkin are here to talk about John. John Hughes’ family

9:24 PM: Samuel L Jackson introduces Up, Best Picture nomination. It won for best animated film.

9:28 PM: Carey Mulligan and Zoe Saldana dressed in horrific outfits (especially Zoe) are presenting the award for best short film. First, there is a look at short films, and how they often are used to expand into full length features.

The Nominees:
French Roast by Fabrice O. Joubert
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty by Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell by The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)
Javier Recio Gracia by Logorama by Nicolas Schmerkin
A Matter of Loaf and Death by Nick Park

The Winner: Javier Recio Gracia by Logorama by Nicolas Schmerkin

Our Thoughts: This film looks funny. We haven’t seen any of them. Nicolas is hilarious. Best speech yet.

Then they gave the award for Best Documentary Short.

The Nominees:
China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill

The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher

The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert

Music by Prudence
Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett

Rabbit à la Berlin
Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

The Winner: Music by Prudence

Our Thoughts: We haven’t seen any of these, so it is hard to have an opinion!

Finally, Best Live Action Short:

The Nominees:
The Door by Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
Instead of Abracadabra by Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
Kavi by Gregg Helvey
Miracle Fish by Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
The New Tenants by Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusso

The Winner: The New Tenants by Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusso

Our Thoughts: We haven’t seen any of these, so it is hard to have an opinion! DITTO!!

9:30 PM: Ben Stiller, dressed up like one of the characters from Avatar. He is here to present the award for Best Makeup.

The Nominees:
Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano for Il Divo
Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow for Star Trek
Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore for The Young Victoria

The Winner: Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow

Our Thoughts: We understand it takes a LOT of skill to do movie makeup, but its not our field so we can only appreciate from afar. Sci Fi films take even more makeup, so we’re glad they won!

9:43 PM: Jeff Bridges introduces us to the Best Picture nominee, A Serious Man. It is a serious film by the serious Coen brothers.

9:48 PM: Rachel MacAdams and Jake Gyllenhaal are presenting the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Nominees:
Up in the Air
Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher

In the Loop
Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche

An Education
Screenplay by Nick Hornby

District 9
Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell

The Winner: Geoffrey Fletcher

Our Thoughts: We haven’t seen it so we have no idea what all the hype is about. It is nice to see someone so humbled by the award though. He is just really amazed by this.

9:52 PM: Queen Latifah is introduced by Steve Martin. She is offering to look at the Governor’s Awards. They honor people in film like Lauren Bacall, Gordon Willis, John Calley and Roger Corman.

Roger and Lauren are at the Academy Awards. They get the standing O they deserve.

9:55 PM: Robin Williams is presenting an award the award for Best Supporting Actress.

The Nominees:
Penelope Cruz for Nine
Vera Farmiga for Up In the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal for Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air
Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

The Winner: Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

Our Thoughts: We haven’t seen this movie, but the clip we saw of her was amazing. She didn’t look like Mo’Nique. This wasn’t a big surprise. We thought she’d win.

10:01 PM: Colin Firth is here to introduce the Best Picture nomination An Education by Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey. We don’t even remember hearing about this film, but it looks good enough we want to see it.

10:06 PM: Sigourney Weaver discusses working on Alien. She is presenting the award for Outstanding Art Direction.

The Nominees:
Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg (Art Direction); Kim Sinclair (Set Decoration) for Avatar

Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro (Art Direction); Caroline Smith (Set Decoration) for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

John Myhre (Art Direction); Gordon Sim (Set Decoration) for Nine

Sarah Greenwood (Art Direction); Katie Spencer (Set Decoration) for Sherlock Holmes

Patrice Vermette (Art Direction); Maggie Gray (Set Decoration) for The Young Victoria

The Winner: Avatar

Our Thoughts: Nobody can argue with the visually stunning look of the film. It was also nice to see Sigourney. We guessed Avatar would win based on her presence.

10:09 PM: Tom Ford and Sarah Jessica Parker are presenting the award for Best Costume Design.

The Nominees:
Janet Patterson for Bright Star
Catherine Leterrier for Coco Before Chanel
Monique Prudhomme for The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Colleen Atwood for Nine
Sandy Powell for The Young Victoria

The Winner: Sandy Powell for The Young Victoria

Our Thoughts: She already has two. We like how she dedicated this to all of the costume designers who deserve an Oscar, but don’t design for period pieces.

10:12 PM: Charlize Theron is introducing the Best Picture Nomination for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire. This film is about abuse. It is by Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness.

10:17 PM: Steve and Alec give tribute to the music director and composer for the Oscars. They then show a little skit where they have to share a bed, because they weren’t given separate rooms. Their night has them lying all over the bed and all over each other.

10:18 PM: The horrific Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner are discussing horror films. They are paying tribute to horror films (yes, Twilight was a HORROR movie, but not in the horror genre).

Seriously, Little Shop was a MUSICAL. Twilight is not horror. The Sixth Sense was a thriller movie. Who put this montage together?

10:23 PM: Zac Efron and Anna Kendrick are introducing sound editing and Morgan Freeman is discussing the joys of sound editing. After a really interesting explanation on sound editing, they present the award for Sound Editing.

The Nominees:
Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle for Avatar
Paul N.J. Ottosson for The Hurt Locker
Wylie Stateman for Inglourious Basterds
Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin for Star Trek
Michael Silvers and Tom Myers for Up

The Winner: Paul N.J. Ottosson

No big surprise. It is a war movie. Would have been nice to see Up win though.

Then, the award for Sound Mixing:

The Nominees:
Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson for Avatar
Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett for The Hurt Locker
Wylie Stateman for Inglourious Basterds
Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin for Star Trek
Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

The Winner: Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett

Our Thoughts: Again, we aren’t surprised.

10:25 PM: Elizabeth Banks discusses the Sci Tech Awards. This looks at those who won the awards.

10:29 PM: John Travolta introduces the Best Picture nominee for Inglourious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender. This movie was absolutely phenomenal. We loved it.

1o:35 PM: Sandra Bullock looks very classic Hollywood. She has arrived to introduce the nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography.

The Nominees:
Mauro Fiore for Avatar
Bruno Delbonnel for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Barry Ackroyd for The Hurt Locker
Robert Richardson for Inglourious Basterds
Christian Berger for The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)

The Winner: Mauro Fiore

Our Thoughts: Again, Avatar is a gorgeous film. The problem is in the plot. It is beautiful to watch and Mauro Fiore did an excellent job.

10:37 PM: Demi Moore is presenting a look at all those involved in film who we’ve lost. She introduces James Taylor who sings All My Life by The Beatles. The screen shows people like Jean Simmons. Eric Rohmer, David Carradine, Daniel Melnick, Dom DeLuise, Ron Silver, Brittany Murphy, Betsy Blair, Patrick Swayze, Kathryn Grayson, Arthur Canton, Roy E. Disney, Horton Foote, Budd Schulberg, Michael Jackson, Natasha Richardson, Jennifer Jones, David Brown and Karl Malden.

10:45 PM: Jennifer Lopez and Sam Worthington are presenting the award for Best Original Score. First, the music from these films are played and presented, with choreographed dance routines!!

The Nominees:
James Horner for Avatar
Alexandre Desplat for Fantastic Mr. Fox
Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders for The Hurt Locker
Hans Zimmer for Sherlock Holmes
Michael Giacchino for Up

The Winner: Michael Giacchino for Up

Our Thoughts: YAY! This movie touched us so much and the beautiful score just enhanced the film so much. Congrats to Michael Giacchino.

10:54 PM: Bradley Cooper and Gerard Butler present the award for Outstanding Visual Effects.

The Nominees:
Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones for Avatar

Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken for District 9

Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton for Star Trek

The Winner: Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones

Our Thoughts: Are we going to show our lack of shock here?

10:57 PM: Jason Reitman introduces the Best Picture nominee Up in the Air. He directed the film and George Clooney in it.

11:01 PM: Matt Damon is presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature.

The Nominees:
Burma VJ by Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
The Cove by Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens
Food, Inc. by Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
Which Way Home by Rebecca Cammisa

The Winner: The Cove by Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens

Our Thoughts: We like finding out about these movies through the Oscars. Otherwise, we’d never know to see them.

11:06 PM: Tyler Perry is talking about Film Editing. He is presenting the nominees for Film Editing.

The Nominees:
Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron for Avatar
Julian Clarke for District 9
Bob Murawski and Chris Innis for The Hurt Locker
Sally Menke for Inglourious Basterds
Joe Klotz for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

The Winner: Bob Murawski and Chris Innis

Our Thoughts: We just are shocked Avatar didn’t win. Sam Raimi gave these two their first jobs. We think that is awesome.

11:09 PM: Keanu Reeves introduces Best Picture nominee The Hurt Locker. This is based on the writer’s experience in Iraq. It was developed by Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro.

11:14 PM: Pedro Almodovar and Quintin Tarantino are presenting the award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Nominees:
Ajami from Israel
Directed by Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani

The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Asustada) from Peru
Directed by Claudia Llosa

A Prophet (Un Prophète) from France
Directed by Jacques Audiard

The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) from Argentina
Directed by Juan José Campanella

The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band) from Germany
Directed by Michael Haneke

The Winner: The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) from Argentina
Directed by Juan José Campanella

Our Thoughts: I wish they would say how many nominations the filmmakers have, not the country. We don’t know any of these films, but this is how we find good foreign language films.

11:19 PM: Yay, Kathy Bates is here. She is introducing Best Picture nominee, Avatar. This is by James Cameron. It is the largest grossing movie of all time. It is a beautiful looking film, but some call it Pocahontas in Space based on its plot.

11:25 PM: Julianne Moore, Colin Ferrell, Tim Robbins, Vera Farmiga and Michelle Pfeiffer step up to discuss the nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role. We think this is a totally cool way to present the award. We get to hear about these guys, which is awesome!

Kate Winslet won Best Actress in a Leading Role last year, so she gets the chance to present the award to one of these amazing actors.

The Nominees:
Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart
George Clooney for Up in the Air
Colin Firth for A Single Man
Morgan Freeman for Invictus
Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker

The Winner: Jeff Bridges

Our Thoughts: We loves Jeff Bridges. He has been in so many great movies. He’s been nominated for almost 40 years. He deserves that standing O. It is so awesome he is giving credit to his amazing parents.

11: PM: Michael Sheen, Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Peter Sarsgaard, and Stanley Tucci are talking about their experiences with the women nominated for the Best Actress in a Leading Role. This is awesome.

The Nominees:
Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side
Helen Mirren for The Last Station
Carey Mulligan for An Education
Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia

Sean Penn is presenting the award to one of these excellent actresses. He won last year for Milk.

The Winner: Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side

Our Thoughts: Wow. We are glad Sandra has won. We have loved her since The Net and Speed. Sad she got stuck in a rut doing Rom Coms, she has managed to step out of it, to show us how much acting talent she has!! Woo Hoo Sandra. Well deserved!

11:52 PM: Barbra Streisand is presenting the award for Best Director. This could be the first African American or the first Woman Director. Let’s see the minorities shine tonight!

The Nominees:
James Cameron for Avatar
Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels for Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air

The Winner: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker

Our Thoughts: Dom coined this one because Barbra was presenting. We have heard the film is great. She gets another standing O. This is awesome. A woman winning. It’s about damn time! She is thankful to her fellow directors and is humble. We like her. Way to Go Kathryn Bigelow.

11:58 PM: Tom Hanks is here for the moment of truth. The last time this many films was up, Casablanca won.

The Nominees:
Avatar by James Cameron and Jon Landau
The Blind Side by Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson
District 9 by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham
An Education by Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey
The Hurt Locker by Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro
Inglourious Basterds by Lawrence Bender (Quentin Tarantino)
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire by Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness
A Serious Man by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Up by Jonas Rivera
Up in the Air by Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman

The Winner: The Hurt Locker

Our Thoughts: At least it wasn’t Avatar. We feel bad for the guy whose life this was based upon. We feel bad Kathryn Bigelow’s shining moment was marred by this. We just hope that if this is based on his life, that he get the credit he deserves.

Technorati Tags: Oscars, Academy Awards, show, talent, Awards, ceremony, Movies, Hollywood, spectacle

Do the other judges always have to boo Simon? Nobody else is and it’s kind of getting old (I’m talking about you Randy Jackson). Kara is like an unwanted Snuggie. She just clings to Simon and he pretends he’s not wearing her. We are kind of getting sick of it, and are hoping Kara disappears somewhere back into obscurity because nobody seems to like her. Other than that, Idol is the same as there ever was and not much changes. The one difference that we notice more than anything is that this set of top 24 seem to suck more than in previous seasons. This is pretty funny considering the judges like to keep saying what an amazing group there is. At least that’s what they said before the season started. Not much they can say now when you consider what we’ve been hearing the last two weeks.

That being said, on to the show:

Crystal Bowersox “As Long As I Can See the Light”
Dominick: “24 hours ago she was in the hospital, and like the consummate professional, Crystal Bowersox returns to make all the other girls look like high school talent show performers. Brilliant.”
Ashtyn: “Crystal gives me hope for a more entertaining idol. That was one hell of a performance.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy loves she is not trying to be anyone but herself. He loves the girl she is. That girl is hot. Ellen believes she has pure, raw, natural talent. Ellen is so glad she is here today. Kara believes she recovered from last week. She is Americana Rock. She is centered, focused, and it comes from the heart. Simon didn’t know if she’d be back. He is glad she didn’t play the sympathy thing. He completely underestimated her. Her vocals were incredible. He believes she is a serious artist like Kelly Clarkson.

Haeley Vaughn “The Climb”
Dominick: “Forget Idol Haeley. You should go try out for your local pageant. When I think Miley Cyrus does it better you know you’re in trouble.”
Ashtyn: “Its like going from American Idol to the Backroad sanging competition. I like the cow print skirt, if I stare at it I can zone out and ignore her screaming.”

Judges Thoughts: It didn’t work for Randy. It was excruciating to listen to. She was not connected to the song and was pitchy. Ellen wants her to keep smiling and she is adorable. Ellen feels she did not connect and had no feeling for the song. Kara feels she has the Alex Lambert factor. People are rooting for her. She is real and open, but she needs a year of voice strengthening. It is inconsistent. Simon does not want to make it worse, because it was a complete and utter mess. In theory it should have worked, but she fell off instead of climbing.

Lacey Brown “Kiss Me”
Dominick: “Wow, she actually listened to Kara, and still managed to suck. Unoriginal, not inventive, and just plain boring. Don’t quit your day job Kara. Oh wait, maybe you should.”
Ashtyn: “Look at that, now we know why Karas musical career as a singing didnt work out. I love watching singers that have more fun on stage than the audience listening. She sounds like a freakin’ phone…bringbringbring. It’s three words, not one.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy think it is a good choice and would have worked, but he felt it was too karaoke. She did nothing special with it. Ellen thought it was adorable, and it was a good song. Kara felt they lost what was special with her voice. This song brought back the tone, but she has to step it up. She did not push it like she should. Simon felt it was marginally better next week, but she is not showcasing herself as an artist. She is very different than Crystal who is an artist. Simon felt she was not memorable.

Katie Stevens “Put Your Records On”
Dominick: “This was the best she could do to sound modern? She still sounded old fashioned and there were too many pitch problems for me to give a damn.”
Ashtyn: “Singing a current song and still trying to sound like you’re a 40 year old pretending to be 14 isn’t a good idea. That was incredibly awful in every way. Best part was when she shut the hell up. Hopefully next week she can tackle a bigger song from her shower. I won’t be able to hear her from Connecticut.”

Judges Thoughts: There were some bright moments according to Randy. It reminded him of the girl they found in the auditions. Believe in yourself. Ellen thinks she has a great voice, but it still feels old fashioned. She doesn’t want to hear something she’d hear in her dentist’s office. Kara agrees with Ellen. She is frustrated because she has so much potential. She was almost in the wrong key. This song didn’t have enough she could showcase. Simon feels frustrated. Simon would tell her to get experience. She needs to tell them what kind of artist she will be. It wasn’t a winning performance.

DiDi Benami “Lean on Me”
Dominick: “I don’t think this was the best song choice for her. She has bad pitch problems. I like her unique tone, but this just sounded awful.”
Ashtyn: “I like Didi and I like the fact she has a different sound, but I think she’s having a hard time defining herself. She was the second best of the night behind Crystal, but that isn’t saying much given the talent.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy didn’t feel the song was right for her. It highlighted her imperfections. Ellen loves her, and she has a great voice. She wishes Didi did another song. Kara thought it was not good. It was not consistent. She felt it was karaoke and she lost her uniqueness. It was all over the place. It was not good. Simon felt it was all over the place, screechy and Simon feels she’s cool as an artist, but she’s performing generically. It is a wasted opportunity.

Michelle Delamor “With Arms Wide Open”
Dominick: “I’m confused. She’s singing a rock song like a ballad, wearing a Michael Jackson glove and dancing like a robot. There is taking chances and leaping so far you fall 20 stories off the building. YEOWCH.”
Ashtyn: “Three notes in and Im already writing a suicide letter. She was good last week. Always interesting to see someone go backward. What an incredibly stupid and poorly executed choice. “

Judges Thoughts: Randy likes her outfit. He is frustrated because it was too flat and not good. Ellen thinks she looks good and did do a lot with the song. She forgot it was a rock song. Kara felt it was her favorite performance of her ever. It may not be technically perfect. She was believable and bought it. Simon is with Kara. He liked the first half better. She struggled to hit some notes, but she was hot.

Lily Scott “A Change is Gonna Come”
Dominick: “Her outfit is as much of a train wreck as her song choice.”
Ashtyn: “She took everything good out of that song and changed it from a classic and made it Miley Cyrus meets Hillary Duff + crack pipe.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy says this was his favorite performance tonight. Ellen believes that Lily Scott says she has “it” and felt that she was a fan watching a performance. She just had her first moment. Kara was riveted. She is gonna change the game. She is glad she tried out for the competition. Simon felt she became more relevant than last week. He thought it was good, but she over sang. He felt Crystal was better than Lily.

Katelyn Epperly “The Scientist”
Dominick: “This is the slowest song ever and each note is enunciated to the point where I feel like she’s trying to drum it into my head. That last note was atrocious, but the rest of the song put me to sleep.”
Ashtyn: “Way slow…..Way pitchy….Way Screechy. She brought tears to my eyes. Poor Coldplay.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy really liked it. He liked hearing her play the piano. The last note fell off pitch, but he liked it. Ellen liked she was playing piano (er guitar), but she fell asleep. It was so slow. Kara loves her, because she has an incredible instrument. She is all over the place, but she is really good. When she gets to the sweet spot, it’s hot. She needs to figure out her style. Simon thought it was a smart choice and made her contemporary. It was much better than last week, but she is corny.

Paige Miles “Walk Away”
Dominick: “Kelly Clarkson called…She wants her song back. That screeching at the end was horrid. Just sayin’…”
Ashtyn: “Wow, this was not even karaoke worthy. What a mistake. Paige isn’t half the singer Kelly is. It’s amusing she wasn’t smart enough to change the song, especially since shes singing it wrong.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy liked it, but it was just okay. It worked for Kelly, but he didn’t hear her (Paige). Ellen disagrees with Randy. It was hot. Kara wrote the song to be angry and her performance was too happy. She appreciated what she did with the song and she liked it. Simon felt she failed to choose the right song. She is getting lost, and it is frustrating because she has such a great voice. It is forgetable.

Siobhan Magnus “Think”
Dominick: “Siobhan is an underdog, and I want to root for her, but doing Aretha and then claiming she belts and knows how to (when it is obviously not the case) makes me dislike her. She’s so odd, and I think that will be her downfall.”
Ashtyn: “Skipper called she wants her outfit back. Woah is right…That’s screaming not singing.. Im thinking people need to not vote for you”

Judges Thoughts: Randy feels she is bold and fearless. She is dope. Ellen loved it, too. Ellen thought it was good. Kara can’t get over that note. She does not know how she hits those notes. Simon feels she is such a strange person, but that is a compliment. He felt parts of the songs were terrible and then she hit that incredible note. She is unique and very talented.

So all that being said, there were only a couple worth listening to, which is pretty sad when you think about it. We wouldn’t mind half of the people going home, but they can’t all go home, at least not yet. With that in mind, we’re both pulling for Haeley and Katie to go home. There were others that we hated, but Idol would be a lot brighter with them gone.

Technorati Tags: American Idol, Ellen, Randy Jackson, Top 10, Girls, Season 9, Simon Cowell, Katie, Haeley, Crystal Bowersox, Singing, Reality TV, Lily Scott

Due to the illness of Crystal Bowersox, who was taken to the hospital, supposedly due to diabetes related complications (Bowersox has Diabetes Type I), AI has kindly switch the night of the Girls’ performances to a night of the Boys’ performances.

We sincerely wish Crystal a speedy recovery. She is one of our favorites. Dom has more than one friend who knows Crystal personally (he grew up outside Toledo, Ohio), and there is a lot of people in his hometown rooting for her. Diabetes can create so many different complications, we are glad that AI has done the responsible thing and is giving Crystal a chance to continue to perform.

That being said, tonight the Top Ten Guys are performing. The guys were given a chance to perform and practice today, since Crystal’s doctor advised her not to perform. Ryan gave a nice shout out to her, and her fellow competitors cheered her on.

The judges have been announced, and the only ones booing Simon were the other judges. I guess it just goes to show that America loves a mean yet honest guy. Kara looks like she has the hairdo she wore to her high school prom. After Ellen made some funny jokes, the first guy is getting to share more about him.

So, on to the performances!

Michael Lynche “This is a Man’s World”

Dominick: “Brother got soul. He needs to stick with these kinds of songs because they show he can sing.”
Ashtyn: “Better than last week, but I don’t know if this song is overly exciting. It’s like a whole new performer.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy feels the season is getting rolling. He believes that Mike deserves a standing ovation and could be an R&B star. Ellen has liked his song choices from the get go. He is the one to beat tonight. Kara thinks he owned it. For the first time she gets why he is here and he became an artist in her eyes. Simon thinks he went from being a pussycat to a lion. It was the best performance he has given in the competition.

John Park “Gravity”
Dominick: “Why does he pick songs that suck when he sings them? Oh yeah, because he CAN’T sing!”
Ashtyn: “Honest is working for me Park. I’m not tone deaf.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy thinks the John Mayer is his vibe, but he didn’t bring anything new or special to it. Ellen felt it was a better song choice, but he could have brought more soul to it. Kara thought it was way better than last week, but she doesn’t believe in what he’s singing. It is too safe. Simon thinks Purple Haze may get his new singer back. It was a “so what” performance. It had no believability and was forgettable.

Casey James “I Don’t Wanna Be”
Dominick: “The electric guitar doesn’t make you a rocker. If your vocals suck, no guitar or other instrument is gonna save you.”
Ashtyn: “You are what you are…and a guitar riff ain’t gonna change it – no matter how long it is. Using an electric guitar and the psychedelic rockstar strobe lights to be cool isn’t going to work when your vocals are substandard. “

Judges Thoughts: Randy claims he is channeling Jimi Hendrix. This is the kind of music he could make. The vocals were not that great, but man he can play a guitar. Ellen likes his look and sound, but he is so stiff. He wants him to perform more. Kara thought he took two steps back. He is a great lead guitar, but this is a singing competition. The vocals aren’t good. Simon felt he was trying to be rock star. He doesn’t have the grit. He sounded like he was a guy singing in a bar.

Alex Lambert “Everybody Knows”
Dominick: “I am not one that is rooting for him. He has no confidence and he needs a better look. He’s 19. What does he know about dreams?”
Ashtyn: “He has Carol Brady’s hair cut. The good news is that he is still young enough to get a job on Barney.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy felt it was an improvement after the last year. He loves him with the guitar, and he really enjoyed it. He was way legit. Ellen believes someone ripened him, like a banana, from last week. She finds him unique. Kara says people are rooting for him. He has a recordable voice and he’s going to learn how to use it. It’s a great improvement from last week. Simon feels it was much better than last week. Simon feels he is not in it to win.

Todrick Hall “What’s Love Got to Do With It”
Dominick: “It was indulgent, boring, and the song was completely wrong for his voice. Stop doing female songs and see if you can nail it with a song by someone better in your range.”
Ashtyn: “Todrick, todrick, todrick – How could you rock it last week and put a fucking senior citizens home to sleep this week? “

Judges Thoughts: Randy liked the falsetto run at the end. He feels that a great song does not need a different arrangement. He wants him just to sing a nice song and sing it, because he can sing. Ellen thinks he should sing and move, because he has strength as a dancer. He didn’t think it was the right song and it is not current. She wants him to have another chance. Kara likes him and he needs to dance. She does not know where the original Todrick went. Simon thinks he should move, but not sing. It is not working out for him. He was like a theme park performer.

Jermaine Sellers “What’s Goin On?”
Dominick: “I don’t know if its the messed up hair do, the molester half ’stache, or the massively overdone singing, but this ain’t workin’ for me.”
Ashtyn: “He looks like a cross between Pee-Wee Herman and Urkle tonight, and he sounds like Ellen singing under water.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy thinks it is better than last week, but there were only a few good moments. It’s a tough song to sing, but it wasn’t that good. He needed to pull it back. Ellen says she likes his style and she’d like to see him do better. It didn’t work for her. Kara thinks he is impressive but always doing too much. He needs to look at the lyrics. It feels forced. Simon feels he waters down the songs. He makes it lose its importance and he sounds cabaret. He does too much and it is old fashioned. Simon isn’t sure he will be here next week.

Andrew Garcia “You Give Me Something”
Dominick: “I was bored. I’m not finding any wow factor with Andrew. Everyone seems to like him, but I’m not getting the appeal.”
Ashtyn: “The big glasses, break dancing, and boring rendition aren’t working for me. Where’s the fun, slick?”

Judges Thoughts: Randy didn’t get it. He felt it was pitchy. He likes him with the guitar. He feels he is more the Jason Mraz type. Ellen disagrees. He felt there were a few pitch problems, but he likes it a lot. He set the bar high with his Paula song during Hollywood week. He felt he was good, but has to top that “Straight Up” performance. Kara feels he is a rhythmic singer. He needs to surprise them. Simon feels he hasn’t chosen the right song, and he feels something is wrong with this. He is better than okay, but is still just giving okay performances.

Aaron Kelly “My Girl”
Dominick: “I feel like I’m watching a high school singing competition. How karaoke Aaron. How karaoke.”
Ashtyn: “It’s like Justin Beaver singing about the chicks…..Dude, go home….on your tricycle….please.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy thought it was much better than last week. Ellen agreed with Randy. Kara likes him. He’s consistent. He has control. He is great. Simon feels he went backwards. The song was all over the place. Like Justin Beaver he needs to work out what kind of artist he is. He is too old fashioned.

Tim Urban “Come On Get High”
Dominick: “I don’t know why he’s still here. I’m so bored with his substandard vocals and feel like he’s trying to use his eyes to hypnotize the audience into voting for him.”
Ashtyn: “Is it almost over? If not could someone spork me in the ears? I promise I will thank you when you’re done.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy thought it was karaoke. He didn’t get it. It had pitch problems. Ellen feels he should act. He should be on Glee, but he is not a singer. He isn’t strong enough as a singer. He is adorable though. Kara likes the song choice. He didn’t make it his own. He looks the part, but isn’t there yet. Simon thought it was a marked improvement on last week.

Lee Dewyze “Lips of an Angel”
Dominick: “There were some pitch problems definitely, but he has way more going for him than any other guy.”
Ashtyn: “I like Lee but these idol stories are so pointless. Better than a one-sie, but who cares. We just want the music. There are some supreme fucking issues with this song but I think he has it in him…Somewhere. You just gotta find it man.”

Judges Thoughts: Randy likes he is trying to take chances. He likes Lee, but there were pitch problems. Ellen likes him even though there were pitch problems. He has an intensity and he was in that song and that made it great. Kara felt it was a big improvement from last week. There are some pitch problems, but she could hear him on the radio. He looks commercial. Simon feels he need confidence. Vocally, he is the best of the boys. He needs self-confidence. He looks frightened. He is waiting for him to lose his nerve, find the right song and he will be the one to beat.

Overall Thoughts: Again, we weren’t that thrilled with the overall performances. They were better than last week in some cases, but there is still a long way to go. No one really impressed us. There was no excitement and the whole thing just seemed to lack star quality. We hope the girls give a better performance because there are so few in this bunch that we can be excited about. It’s a real let down.

Who Needs to Go: Dom wants Jermaine and Tim Urban to go home though due to the suckiness of the majority of contestants he did give it plenty of thought. Ashtyn is also hoping for Jermaine and while she wouldn’t mind seeing Tim go home she’s really hoping that John and Jermaine are the two that are tossed on Thursday.

Technorati Tags: American Idol, Top Men, Top Ten, James Brown, Guys, Performance, God, Jermaine Sellers, Todrick Hall, Lee Dewyze, Mike Lynche, John Park

Movie Info:
Writer: Various
Director: Various
Cast: Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Jack Davenport, Zachary Knighton, Peyton List, Brian F. O’Byrne, Courtney B. Vance, Sonya Walger, Christine Woods, Lee Thompson Young, Ryan Wynott, Lennon Wynn, Dominic Monaghan
Rating: PG-13
Studio: ABC Studios

Release Info:
Episodes Original Air Date: September 24, 2009-December 3, 2009
DVD Release Date: February 23, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

In the last few years, as I’ve gone more in depth with my reviewing, I have started seeking out television shows to watch before receiving them for review in Blu-Ray or on DVD. ABC is the favored network in my house, though we do occasionally watch some of the shows on both CBS and NBC. ABC heavily promoted a few of its new shows. In particular, they really pushed FlashForward and V, which both premiered in Fall 2009. Both have not done as well as the hype would have you believe and rumor has it, ABC is considering the fates of both shows, concluding their return mid-first season in the next few weeks.

I watched both shows and liked them both. I DVR the shows I watch, merely because I now watch so much television and would have no time to watch anything if I watched episodes when each show aired. I know that the number of total viewers DVRing are added to the ratings for viewership, but I don’t know how heavily this weighs in or if it may affect a show’s popularity. I also worry about net viewers not getting as much of a say when it comes to who is considered a viewer. This is how good shows get canceled.

One thing I’ve noticed from viewers of FlashForward is that there have been complaints about how great a show it is. Message boards concerning the show are clustered with theories on a major plot hole and the unlikelihood of the events truly happening. I don’t know about anyone else, but I watch television to escape reality. The major plothole concerns being unable to suspend belief and not have a realistic view on the world, based on the world we know. Television shows like this are not supposed to be viewed in such a context. In fact, that is the biggest problem I have with both viewers and movie goers. Not everything is supposed to follow the laws and rules of the world we live in. That is what makes it television/fiction not reality.

I find the show to be fairly intriguing. I’m interested in finding out what happens to all of the characters as the date of the first Flash Forward looms. The acting for this show is stellar. I expected nothing less from Joesph Finnes and John Cho. The supporting actors mesh well together. I have little to complain about when it comes to the actual show, and I hope ABC continues to keep it around for at least another season. When it comes to this Blu-Ray, my main complaint is that this is only half of season one, the half that has aired on television and we will have to wait for a part two set to be released later this year. I’m not fond of splitting a show up in the middle of the season. I know I am not the only one bothered by this.

FlashForward: Season One, Part One Episode Synopsis’
There are ten episodes in this Season One, Part One box set. These are the only episodes that have aired on ABC, to date, for the series. It seems kind of silly for ABC to release a show mid-season, but my guess is they are trying to get more interest in the show.

Here is a list of all of the episodes in this set, with a brief synopsis of each episode that has aired:

#1.1 – “No More Good Days”: It’s just a regular day around the world, when suddenly, everyone in the world has a blackout at the exact same time. The blackout occurs for 2 minutes and 17 seconds. This is shown through the lives of a few different people in Los Angeles. The majority of people who blacked out end up viewing a flash forward of events happening six months in the future, on April 29, 2010. Members of the L.A. FBI, which includes agent Mark Benford, start investigating the blackouts, all while dealing with their own visions. While FBI agent Janis Hawk discovers a man was awake in a stadium in Detroit during the flash forward, Mark’s wife, Dr. Olivia Benford, and their daughter, Charlie must deal with visions they don’t want to understand.

#1.2 – “White to Play”: The FBI investigation into the flash forwards goes full steam ahead, as more clues about the blackout emerge. They are sent to Utah, and they learn another person was awake during the blackout. Mark learns about Olivia’s vision, and he believes it will happen. Her flash has her in their home with another man. When she treats the man, Lloyd Simcoe’s, autistic son, things become awkward. Olivia insists she won’t leave Mark, but he starts pushing her away. It is discovered Demetri never had a flash forward, and Charlie’s flash forward is revealed to Mark.

#1.3 – “137 Sekunden”: The FBI sends Mark and Janis to Munich. There they speak with an incarcerated Nazi, who taunts them with the knowledge that he apparently knows why the blackout happened for 2 minutes and 17 seconds. Demetri gets anonymous information about his lack of flash forward. Aaron believes his daughter, Tracy, is alive thanks to his flash forward. He asks Mark to help him get the a-ok on exhuming her body for a DNA sample. A little boy saw something important and apparently a blackout happened in 1991. The sign is in the crows.

#1.4 – “Black Swan”: Bryce suggests that Olivia follow a man’s flash forward when diagnosing and treating him. Demetri and Mark fight about Mark’s flash forward and Mark accepting the fact this his flash forward is going to happen, without a doubt. Mark believes Demetri has let the fear of dying eat at him, due to the fact that he had no flash forward. Mark and Olivia’s babysitter, Nicole reveals that in her flash forward she is being drowned to death by a man she does not know.

#1.5 – “Gimme Some Truth”: The Senate holds an Intelligence Committee meeting concerning the flash forwards, the blackout, and the FBI’s investigation into it. When they find out about Mark’s flash forward and that he’s started drinking again, the validity of the work the FBI is doing is called into question. Olivia learns that Mark, a former alcoholic, is drinking in his flash forward. Janis, Mark and Demetri are attacked in two different locations.

#1.6 – “Scary Monsters and Super Creeps”: Mark and Demetri work with the Assistant Director of the FBI office, Stanford Wedeck, to find out how the attack on Mark and Demetri are related to the attack on Janis, who has been hospitalized. Olivia confronts Mark and the two argue about whether his vision and her vision are truly going to happen. Demetri and another agent, Al Gough, find a clue Mark saw in his flash forward. Dylan Simcoe, Lloyd’s autistic son, leaves the hospital without telling anyone, boarding a bus to go “home.” A mysterious, ruthless man named Simon Campos is introduced.

#1.7 – “The Gift”: The Blue hand club is investigated by the FBI and M16 agent, Fiona Banks. Aaron is visited by Tracy’s former military buddy, Mike, who he offers a job. Demetri tells his fiancee, Zoey about his flash forward or lack thereof. Bryce has a flash forward about a Japanese woman, and Nicole tries to help him decode its meaning. An FBI agent who believes he is destined to hurt others commits suicide. This gives the others the message that they may be able to change their futures. Tracy returns.

#1.8 – “Playing Cards with Coyote”: Mark and Olivia attempt to re-ignite the romantic fires, but their rendezvous is cut short when Mark is informed that the tattooed man trying to kill him in his flash forward might have been found. Janis has recovered, but learns she cannot have children, which puts into question her flash forward where she is pregnant, an already dubious future considering she is a single lesbian. Simon and Lloyd play poker, with high stakes. The scientists are playing to determine whether to reveal what they may know about the black out. Tracy lets Aaron know where she has been and why the military said she was dead.

#1.9 – “Believe”: Encouraged by Nicole’s help, Bryce heads to Japan where he learns the woman in his vision is named Keiko. Unfortunately, she is heading to L.A. due to her flash forward, as he searches for her in Japan. Tracy is clearly an alcoholic, which disturbs Aaron, who is a recovering alcoholic and Mark’s sponsor. Mark finds out who told Olivia about his flash forward. Demetri and Mark try to track down the caller who had information on Demetri’s death.

#1.10 – “A561984″: Demetri and Mark head to Hong Kong, despite Stanford’s orders not to, to discover who the woman is who knows about Demetri’s death. They learn she is a very powerful woman and that Demetri knows his killer. Zoey learns the truth about her own flash forward, which upsets her. Lloyd holds a press conference, against Simon’s wishes, that sets the world ablaze with anger. Olivia tries to help Lloyd get Dylan out of the hospital safely, but things do not go as planned.

Storyline/Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
FlashForward is a brand new show with only a few episodes appearing on each of the discs in this set. So, you should be able to expect a pretty good quality. Luckily that is just what you receive. The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen quality is well worth watching. It’s about what you get when you watch these episodes on television.

Due to the nature of the show, there are some spots (especially during flashbacks) that vary in the type of quality that you receive. However, it’s obvious in some of the spottier flashback moments that the appearance of the quality is done that way on purpose. All in all, the detail is high, the quality is good, and the colors are adequate. In short, there isn’t much to complain about here.

The audio comes in with your standard new television program, Dolby Digital 5.1 track. There is a lot of action in FlashForward and luckily the sound effects come through without a hitch. The car crashes, gun shots, and other bangs and booms come through loud and clear. Likewise, the dialogue comes through perfectly, allowing all parts of the sound to work on each necessary level. In addition there are subtitles in English, French, and Spanish should you need them.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
With this being a selection of episodes from the first season, I honestly was not expecting a lot of special features. It was a good thing that I wasn’t because there really is not a whole lot here. You get to see a short promo piece and then there is a preview and a featurette. The featurette is a behind the scenes look at the show.

“Creating Catastrophe: The Effects of a Global Blackout” lasts for about seven minutes. The goal here is to show a lot of the special effects work that went into the devastating aftermath of the blackout. This is pretty interesting, but it’s not going to be anything that convinces you to buy this set. Other than that the only thing you have is a preview of the next episode. “FlashForward: A look Ahead” gives you five minutes of the next episode to air once the show returns. The point is to get you hyped up and excited about the upcoming episodes. It does a fair job, but again, this is nothing to make you purchase this set.

Bonus Features: 2 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
It seems kind of silly to purchase FlashForward: Season One Pt.1, when it is only half of the season and the entire season has yet to air. I guess if you missed some of the episodes and want to get caught up before the show starts airing again in March, then you have the opportunity of purchasing this in DVD or Blu-Ray. Otherwise, there is bound to be a full, season one offering at some point. The only problem is that nobody knows when that will be. My advice is unless you are a die hard fan who cannot wait until a full season one set comes out, you are better off renting this, if you need to catch up. Otherwise, just wait for a more definitive release of the first season.

Overall Rating: 3.71 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: FlashForward, TV Show, Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray Review, TV Show on DVD, Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Jack Davenport, Courtney B. Vance, ABC, Season One, Part One

Tonight is all about the guys. All day I was hoping that the guys bring it more than the girls did, because the girls left me wanting a whole lot more. As usually Ellen delivered the best line of the night when she told the contestants, “If we think you sound bad here, you sound worse at home.”

The 12 men are included with our own personal thoughts as the performances occur. Let us know your thoughts, too. Who are you voting for, if you bother to vote at all.

Todrick Hall – “Since You’ve Been Gone”
Dom – “Great singer and original idea!”
Ashtyn – “Homeboy has game. This shit was fly. First song I’ve heard this year that would take me to iTunes!”

Judges – Ellen feels he’s a great performer and she loved that the song was done differently, though she didn’t like the chorus. Randy is a fan, but he changed the song too much. Kara agrees with Randy. He shouldn’t have changed it that much. Simon feels that he came over as a dancer that was trying to sing, not a singer that could dance. According to Simon he murdered the song.

Aaron Kelly – “Here Comes Goodbye”
Dom – “The song is just too big for him..Verging on screechy.”
Ashtyn – “Rascal Flatts is a big band to tackle for a little boy. This was reminiscent of a shower singer.”

Judges – Simon felt it was quite good for a first performance, though he needs more confidence. He needs to take control of the song. Kara loves that he has no idea how his confidence will improve his raw talent. She loves the pop country road for him. Randy felt it was a big song, but he’s got pipes. Wow. Ellen says ditto to all that.

Jermaine Sellers – “Get Here”
Dom – “First I was bored and then it occurred to me that some people should not attempt falsetto.”
Ashtyn – “Way too timid and not suited for this song. Jesus, he screwed that up”

Judges – Ellen loves the song, but he was singing the song as a performance not just on vocals. He pushed too much and was off. He tried too hard. Randy felt the song was a weird choice for him. He tried to do too much vocally. Kara thinks he needs to make the runs meaningful rather than just doing them. It was too old for him. Simon feels its a cocktail lounge song that 50 year old people request. He totally blew his opportunity with this song.

Tim Urban – “Apologize”
Dom – “He’s trying to be One Republic and failing.”
Ashtyn – “Seriously? His story was much more amusing than his voice and I didn’t much care for the story.”

Judges – Simon congratulated him on coming back, but is glad that he didn’t put him through the first time. The vocals were weak and so was the version. Kara feels the music overpowered him. Randy feels it was the wrong song, such the wrong song. Ellen realizes that he picked the song because it was popular, but if he gets votes its not on his voice it’s because he’s adorable.

Joe Munoz – “You and I”
Dom – “I was bored.”
Ashtyn – “The lyrics are meant to be understood and he had some annunciation issues. No one is going to remember this tomorrow anyway.”

Judges – Ellen feels he’s comfortable on stage and you can see he’s in the song when he’s singing. She liked it. Randy didn’t feel it was the perfect song choice, but his voice is good. He did a good job. Kara liked that he picked a song that she wasn’t expecting. There were some issues, but he’s the best so far. Simon kind of agrees, but he needs to get out of the bubble of the show. The performance didn’t do him justice. Forgettable.

Tyler Grady – “American Woman”
Dom – “Boring. Indulgent. He sucked.”
Ashtyn – “I love the 70s music. I don’t love the Jonas Bros lookalike trying to get into that groove without bringing it home.”

Judges – Simon says it’s memorable, but its cliché and unnatural. He needs to work on his vocals. Kara agrees with Simon. He’s obsessed with the 70s, but offers nothing original as a result. Randy wants to know who he is now. It’s the same every time. Ellen agrees with everyone else.

Lee Dewyze – “Chasing Cars”
Dom – “Rocker vibe, but he keeps hitting the wrong notes.”
Ashtyn – “He reminds me of a Dave Matthews. If he plays his cards a little better he might stick around for awhile. He was a little rough.”

Judges – Ellen thought it was a good song choice, but felt he was screaming. Loves the tone though. He has a distinctive sound. Randy disagrees with Ellen. The song was too pop/rock. He sees him more as a rocker so it didn’t work for him. Kara felt the range was too small for him. He needs a better song for his voice. Simon went on his own and said it was the best performance. Lee is a naturally good singer an he believes in him. He should find songs and turn them into his own, not look for other people’s music like Kara suggested.

John Park – “God Bless the Child”
Dom – “Is he singing in English?”
Ashtyn – “So, this is the comedy intermission, right? If Sanjaya and William Hung had a baby….this would be the result.”

Judges – Simon states that you need an incredible voice for that song, and Park doesn’t have one. Kara agrees with Simon. There was no connection to the song and it was loungy. Randy didn’t feel it was working and Ellen didn’t think that song was getting him any votes, but she liked it.

Big Mike Lynche- “This Love”
Dom – “Interesting song choice. He’s not hitting bad notes.”
Ashtyn – “I didn’t hate it, but I don’t love it either.”

Judges – Ellen loves the personality and it was a great song. Randy agrees with Ellen. It was a high energy experience. Kara agrees he made it lively. It was good because everything else was so bad. Simon feels he was the opening act before the main act. Mike is the guy with a big heart an big personality, but that was a little performance.

Alex Lambert – “It’s a Wonderful World”
Dom – “It’s not a wonderful world because he just can’t sing.”
Ashtyn – “The mullet is back and it needs to leave again. As for the song, didn’t work.”

Judges – Simon doesn’t know who was happier about this ending, Alex or him. It was completely uncomfortable. The voice is good, but if he can’t hack it when it’s not going to work for him. Kara thinks it’s a compliment but it’s bad that he sounded too much like the artist. He has great potential. Randy likes him and so does Ellen…she also likes his mullet.

Casey James – “Heaven”
Dom – “I have no problem with his voice, but he didn’t do anything with the song. Kara’s crush creeps me out.”
Ashtyn – “Technically nothing wrong. Too close to the original for me. Don’t think it will be remembered.”

Judges – Kara doesn’t recognize him with his shirt on. It was pitchy at points, but moving on. Ellen could feel Kara undressing him with her eyes. He sounded great. Randy liked it and it was a good song choice. He likes him too, but not in that way. Simon understands that Casey has good looks. He chose the right song, it was honest, and he was likable….especially for the cougar.

Andrew Garcia – “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down”
Dom – “He has potential, but God…I don’t get it.”
Ashtyn – “If Grandma whipped out her guitar to do Fall Out Boy this is what it would sound like.”

Judges – Simon was looking forward to hearing Andrew more than anyone. He was disappointed. It wasn’t original and it was too serious. Really, really disappointed. Kara thinks he brought the risk, but he didn’t bring it. She hopes he stays. Randy agrees with them. The arrangement was weird. He’s still a fan though. Ellen loved Straight Up and that will keep him around, but this was not the best performance for him.

As for who is going home Dom votes for John Park and Alex Lambert. Ashtyn wants to see Jermaine Sellers and Tim Urban hit the bricks. As for who is staying….we are pretty sure that Andrew and Big Mike will still be here next week.

Technorati Tags: Tim Urban, Michael Bolton, William Hung, Sanjaya, John Park, Alex Lambert, Jermaine Sellers, Andrew Garcia, Casey James, Michael Lynche, Lee Dewyze, Tyler Grady, Joe Munoz, Aaron Kelly, Todrick Hall, American Idol

Best line of the night, “He want’s me.” – Ellen talking about why she isn’t sitting next to Simon. She also showed a video of Simon hitting on her. Classic Ellen. Gotta love it!

– Paige Miles – Singing “It’s All Right Now”

Dom: “Get on pitch, you ain’t Mariah Carey (and I ain’t no Mariah fan).”
Ashtyn: “This is a rock song, not a playground for Skipper Barbie.”

Simon doesn’t feel this was the right song for her, because she can really sing. Kara thinks the song was brilliant. She slayed the verses. Randy thinks she has a big voice, but wrong song. Ellen feels she was there and loved it.

Paige Overshare: she’s been sewn in her outfit and has to pee (for the past 5 hrs)

–Ashley Rodriguez – “Happy”

Dom: “If you didn’t pick songs too low for your voice, you might actually sound okay.”
Ashtyn: “I can’t stand how you hold your mic too close to your mouth.”

Kara said this is a big song, and she had good moments but bad moments. She needs to take on songs they won’t expect her to sing. Randy felt she did okay, but it really wasn’t her. Ellen wants her to sing something with a different vibe. Simon says the version was clumsy and she is going backwards. No originality.

–Janell Wheeler– “What About Love”

Dom: “The song ate her up. Way too big for a mediocre voice.”
Ashtyn: “If Taylor Swift had a baby with Hillary Duff and they tried to do Heart, this would be Janell.”

Randy felt the song choice didn’t work for her. Her voice is unique though. Ellen loves this song and she sang it well but a few notes were off. Simon said it started out okay, but she got excited. There were moments where he did like her voice. Kara likes her, but the song was way too big for her.

–Lilly Scott– “Fixing a Hole”

Dom: “My poor Beatles…”
Ashtyn: “What the f— was that? Did she try to add a British accent to her song?”

Ellen thinks this is such a random song choice. She has a great presence and distinctive voice. Simon says definitely the best thus far, though he isn’t feeling much star power from her. Kara believes she comes from her heart. She became a good performer by playing on the street. Randy loves that she’s a real indie artist and doesn’t care about what is popular.

–Katelyn Epperly– “Oh Darlin”

Dom: “She needs to use her diaphragm, so she doesn’t have to force those notes.”
Ashtyn: “She is dressed like a tranny hooker and looks like she is in pain when singing.”

Simon likes her, but she screamed some of the notes. She is going to need a lot of work. Kara said she knows her voice very well. She switched it up and improved the song. The makeover isn’t working for her. Randy think she looks fine and he thinks she pays attention to the tone and melody. She has a big voice. Ellen thinks she was forcing it. It was interesting to her. She felt it was forced.

–Haeley Vaughn– “I Want to Hold Your Hand”

Dom: “My ears are bleeding. SCREECHY. John just rolled over.”
Ashtyn: “She isn’t singing to deaf people, so she does not need to scream. Further, I feel like I’m at a hotel lounge and she’s my lounge singer.”

Kara thinks there were technical issues and didn’t always hit the notes, but she has fun and people feel that. Randy agrees with Kara and she is unpredictable. He loves her boldness, but her vocals aren’t as pleasing when she sings the high notes. Ellen likes her presence for a 16 year old and she enjoyed it. Simon thought it was verging on terrible and it was a mess.

–Lacey Brown– “Landslide”

Dom: “I can see why she got cut last year.”
Ashtyn: “The first problem is she is singing Fleetwood Mac. She ain’t no Stevie Nicks, and that is the second problem.”

Randy likes the song, but it wasn’t the right one for her. It was terrible and pitchy. Ellen thinks she is better than this performance. Simon found the song to be depressing and indulgent. It was boring. Kara felt she was forcing it and should have sung something else. Simon likes her eyes.

–Michelle Delamor– “Fallin’”

Dom: “Best person of the night so far, and she kept the runs simple, which was effective.”
Ashtyn: “The first person that does not make me want to compare her to the artist who originally sang it.”

Ellen it was fantastic, but it seemed safe and easy. She has more in her, but she is amazing. Simon says she is a professional singer. It was not as good as the original, and she needs to find something different. She looks fantastic. Kara says she looks professional, but she wasn’t technically good enough. She needs believability. Randy thought she did a good job. She has a great voice and needs to take risks.

–Didi Benami– “The Way I Am”

Dom: “She has an original sound, but tried to force a few of the notes.”
Ashtyn: “I really like her voice, but it is too unique to be pop.”

Simon finds the song dreary and her sound indulgent. He is missing a spark in her. He does like her though and thinks she has a good voice. Kara likes the song. She made changes to the original recording and she can take risks. Randy does not see the star factor. It’s a nice song and she sounded good singing it. Ellen didn’t feel this was the right song, but she has a great voice. It was too low key.

–Siobhan Magnus– “Wicked Game”

Dom: “She started too low (it affected the notes), but the girl has a voice.”
Ashtyn: “Doing a slow song the first night of competition is death, because it is boring.”

Kara kind of liked her on it. She is quirky, in the moment and real. It did get nasal. Randy felt the second verse was better, but the song was not good enough for her voice. Ellen loved it and felt entertained. Simon did not think the song was good enough. The song is very dark, and maybe she is dark, too.

–Crystal Bowersox– “Hand in My Pocket”

Dom: “Hometown loyalty. I have friends who know this girl and am told she is the real deal.”
Ashtyn: “I think she will be safe, because she is not the typical idol popstar in the making.”

Randy says she is one of his favorites. He loves her. He loves the honesty. He is not sure if it was the right song, but he likes her so much it does not matter. Ellen is a fan of hers and she adds something fresh to the show. She’d be voting for her. Simon thought there were thousands of her doing this outside the subway station. She needs to do something that nobody else has done before. Simon really likes her and she is refreshing. Kara thinks she has greatness in her. She was good tonight, not great.

–Katie Stevens– “Feelin Good”

Dom: “If you don’t have the pipes to back it up, you don’t sing Michael Buble.”
Ashtyn: “Cheerleader sass and Michael Buble do not go together.”

Ellen feels it was good, and she has a powerful voice, but it was very conservative. She is not sounding 17. She is not being current. It was too old for her. Simon agrees with Ellen. It’s like her parents dressed her and picked her song and it became annoying. It was pageant-y. Kara found her to be pitchy. She has a natural gift. She hopes America gives her another shot. Randy feels it was pushed and going sharp. Be young.

Overall Thought: The girls weren’t as good as we thought they’d be, and wonder if this foreshadows our experience tomorrow with the guys.

Who is going? Anyone is fair game but Crystal, Michelle and Didi.

The two girls we think should leave?: Haeley Vaughn and Paige Miles

Technorati Tags: American Idol, Thoughts, Recap, Idols, Top 12, singers, singing, talent show, Simon Cowell

Since the primary networks absolutely LOVE to cancel shows that audiences are just getting into, before the shows can really take off, they have to pitch a selection of new show options to the networks for potential airing. As of now, V, FlashFoward. and Melrose Place seem to have uncertain futures. That’s just three potentially cancelled shows on two different networks, and these shows aren’t alone.

So, what shows are coming out? Well, expect more spinoffs from CBS. Of course, I don’t think CSI: Guam is coming to a network any time son. Cop shows and medical dramas seem to rule when it comes to drama pilots, while relationship oriented comedies seem to reign supreme for sitcom pilots. While there was not anything to terribly original, depending on the writing and the actor’s involved some of these shows could be a hit.

Here is a list of the pilots being shopped around currently, the networks where they are being shopped and any additional information we have for these shows.

Cop/Law Dramas

ABC – 187 Detroit: A cop drama about the homocide division in Detroit.

FOX – Breakout Kings: What do you get when you put marshals together with ex-cons? This procedural drama that seeks to have the duos catch criminals.

NBC – The Cape: When an ex-police officer is framed, he decides to put on a superhero cap and vindicate himself while clearing his name.

NBC – Chase: U.S. marshals track down criminals deemed a part of the most-wanted list.

CBS – Chaos: Freddy Rodriguez is set to star in this drama about a group of CIA operatives who are involved in chaos due to lies, betrayal and backstabbing.

CBS – Criminal Minds spinoff: A spinoff of Criminal Minds that will feature Forest Whitaker.

CBS – Defenders: Law drama featuring two hard edged attorneys in Las Vegas.

ABC – Edgar Floats: Drama arises with a story that follows a police psychologist turned bounty hunter.

CBS – Hawaii Five-O: Alex O’Loughlin, Taryn Manning, and Daniel Dae Kim are set to star in an updated version of the original 1960s cop drama.

CBS – I Witness: This pilot was rolled over from 2009. It tells the story of a detective/professor who solves crimes using special mind abilities.

NBC – Kindreds: A unique group of attorneys come together with an ex-patent lawyer to form a new law firm.

CW – Nomads: The CIA hires a ragtag group of youths who travel through a variety of countries backpacking and performing secret missions.

FOX – Pleading Guilty: Law drama based on the book Pleading Guilty by Scott Turow. A law firm hires a trio of misfits to find their chief litigator and millions in stolen money.

NBC – Prime Suspect: Based on the BBC series of the same name, this drama revolves around a female detective.

NBC – Rockford Files: The 2010 version of the 1979s detective drama.

FOX – Ride Along: Cop drama. Includes an ensemble cast. Set in Chicago. Revolves around a vet on the force and his new cop partner.

ABC – The Whole Truth: A law drama that shows what happens from the perspectives of the defendant and prosocution.

ABC – True Blue: Poppy Montgomery is set to star in a cop drama about two, San Francisco, homicide detectives that team up to find an ex-co-worker’s killer.

NBC – Undercovers: A retired couple of CIA officers are forced back into service.

CBS – Untitled Burgess & Green project: A drama about a family of New York City police officers.

NBC – Untitled John Eisendrath project: Law drama about an ex-justice fighting to change the law.

CBS – Untitled Michael Dinner Project: An agent working for the ATF must balance home life and work, capturing dangerous criminals.

CBS – Untitled Redlich/Bellucci Project: Revolves around a female NYPD detective who has a spectacular memory she uses to help her work.

ABC – Untitled Richard Hatem project: A cop drama about a group of sexy female detectives.

Medical Dramas

ABC - Body of Evidence: A medical drama about a nedical examiner who used to work as a neurosurgeon.

ABC – Off the Map: From Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy, comes a new medical drama about three doctors working in an isolated, tropical, medical facility. The show is set to shoot in Puerto Rico.

CW – Untitled Amy Holden Jones: A medical drama that revolves around the Harvard Medical school’s freshman class.

CBS – Untitled Medical Project: Amy Smart is set to star in this medical drama about a mobile medical unit.

Political and/or Mob Dramas

HBO – Boardwalk Empire: Created by legendary director Martin Scorsese, this Atlantic City mafia drama stars Mark Wahlberg and Steve Buscemi.

ABC – Cutthroat: Drama and comedy mesh when a Beverly Hills single mom runs a drug cartel.

FOX – Worthy: A politician in Arizona must pay up when he’s blackmailed by members of the mob.

Sudsers/Family Dramas

CW – Hellcats: A drama about the competitive cheerleading world.

NBC – Love Bites: Comedy and drama collide as three stories of love, marriage, and dating are loosely interconnected.

ABC – Matadors: David Strathaim is set to star in this family drama about two Chicago families who have endured a long feud.

FOX – Midland: Set in Texas, the plot focuses on a con man who seems to be keeping quite a few secrets.

CW – Nikita: The 2010 version of the show La Femme Nikita.

CBS – The Odds: A cop drama about buddy police officers set in Las Vegas.

CBS – The Quinn-Tuplets: Family drama following the lives of adult quintuplets. Sam Witwer is set to star.

SHO – Shameless: Allison Janney, William H. Macy and Justin Chatwin star in the U.S. verison on the British series of the same name. This show revolves around an 18 year old and her family, which includes her gay brother and deadbeat parents.

CW – The Wyoming Project: Drama following a family living on a small ranch in the Midwest.

Supernatural Dramas

HBO – A Game of Thrones: An adaptation of the novels A Song of Fire and Ice by George R.R. Martin. This fantasy series is looking to be aired on HBO, especially since it has already been filmed.

CW – Betwixt: Based on the novel, Betwixt, supernatural creatures team up to fight the powers of evil.

Miscellaneous Dramas

HBO – Enlightened: Diane Ladd and Laura Dern (real life mother and daughter) star in this series about a woman on a path to destruction who has a spiritual awakening.

NBC – The Event: An every man gets caught up in a conspiracy.

ABC – Generation Y: Another dramatic comedy following a group of high school graduates as they explores life in the decade since they graduated.

ABC – No Ordinary Family Michael Chiklis stars in this drama about a family of superheroes.

HBO – Untitled I’m With the Band Project: Zooey Deschanel stars in this show based on the book I’m With the Band: Confessions of a Groupie by Pamela Des Barres.

Comedies

ABC – Awkward Situations for Men: Based on the book Awkward Situations for Men by Danny Wallace and starring Wallace and Laura Prepon, this comedy follows on on-air British personality who moves to the U.S. where he struggles with obvious culture differences.

NBC – Beach Lane: Matthew Broderick stars in this comedy as a celebrity writer who has been hired to run a dinky newspaper in the Hamptons. Multi-Camera.

FOX – Bob’s Burgers: (Already Ordered 13 eps) Animated comedy about a family running a burger restaurant.

ABC – Freshmen: Sarah Chalke stars in this comedy about free first year Congress newbies. Multi-Camera.

NBC – Friends with Benefits: Five friends look for their perfect partner in this rom-comedy though until they find that special someone they decide to settle for friendship with benefits.

ABC – Funny in Farsi: Based on Firoozeh Dumas’ memoir, the show tells the story of Dumas’ childhood.

CBS – Hitched Eugene Levy and Kristin Kreuk star in this comedy about newlyweds and their friends and family. Multi-Camera.

ABC – How to Be A Better American: A father tries to make life better for himself and his family. Single Camera.

ABC – It Takes a Village: Two exes and their new lovers come together to raise a teenager. Single Camera.

FOX – Keep Hope Alive: Martha Plimpton and Cloris Leachman star in this comedy about a simple man in his 20s who is a father.

CBS – Livin’ On a Prayer: Joe Manganiello stars in this comedy about a Pittsburgh couple and their pals. Multi-Camera.

CBS – Mike and Molly: Comedy about a gluttonous couple that really likes food. Multi-Camera.

FOX – Most Likely to Succeed: A comedy about the people named “Most Likely to Succeed” two decades ago. Multi-Camera.

ABC – Mr. Sunshine: Matthew Perry, Andrea Anders and Allison Janney star in this comedy about a self-serving manager of a sports arena.

NBC – Nathan vs. Nurture: Several years after being adopted a heart surgeon is being reunited with his father and siblings. Multi-Camera.

FOX – Nirvana: Two Indian brothers have two very different relationships. Multi-Camera.

CBS – Open Books: Laura Benanti stars in this comedy about a female book editor.

NBC – Outsourced: An office comedy that revolves around a former novelty store employee who decides to move to India to train sales reps. Single Camera.

NBC – Perfect Couples: Rom-com following three couples in various relationship stages. Single camera.

CBS – Sh** My Dad Says: William Shatner stars in a comedy about the Twitter account of Justin Halpern. Multi-Camera.

CBS – Team Spitz:Rob Riggle stars in this comedy about a football coach. Multi-Camera.

NBC – The Pink House: College graduates head out in the world, leaving Los Angeles to start anew. Multi-Camera.

FOX – The Station: Justin Bartha stars in this comedy about a CIA operative and his co-workers as they work covert missions in South America.

FOX – Strange Brew: Family comedy about owners of a brewery. Multi-Camera.

NBC – The Strip: A former child star has hit Sin City, and now owns a bar in this comedy. Multi-Camera.

NBC – This Little Piggy: A family comedy following a father who invites his undependable sister and vain brother in to live with him. Multi-Camera.

FOX – Traffic Light: Israeli theme dealing with three men in love. Single Camera.

CBS – True Love: Minka Kelly and Ashley Austin Morris star in this comedy about four friends from New York. Multi-Camera.

NBC – Untitled Adam Carolla Project: Adam Carolla stars as a contractor who looks to rebuild his life after marriage. Single Camera.

FOX - Untitled Adam Goldberg project. Office comedy about a man working for a digital security firm. Single Camera.

CBS – Untitled Ant Hines Project: A deadbeat father from Britain moves to L.A. to rectify the situation with his teenage daughter.

ABC – Untitled Couples Project: Joanna Garcia stars in this comedy about two sisters show their relationships at various stages. Multi-Camera.

ABC – Untitled Dana Gould Project: Dana Gould and Brian Dennehy star in this comedy about a high school guidance counselor. Multi-Camera.

ABC – Untitled David Caspe Project: Damon Wayans Jr. stars in this comedy about a couple that breaks up at the altar.

CBS – Untitled Tad Quill. A comedy about a father who has been widowed and is ready to start dating. Multi-Camera.

ABC – Who Gets the Parents: When an older couple gets divorced, their three adult children must deal with the breakup. Multi-Camera.

ABC – Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid: Based on the book Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid. Multi-Camera.

ABC – Wright Vs. Wrong: Comedy about a conservative pundit with two sides. Single Camera.

So, which shows look exciting? Which do you want to go to air and which shows seem like duds?

Technorati Tags: Pilots, TV episodes, CBS, CW, Fox, ABC, NBC, Network, television, upcoming, Fall 2010, HBO, Showtime

HBO MINISERIES PRESENTS THE PACIFIC, AN EPIC TEN-PART EVENT, A PLAYTONE AND DREAMWORKS PRODUCTION, EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY TOM HANKS, STEVEN SPIELBERG AND GARY GOETZMAN, AND STARRING JAMES BADGE DALE, JOE MAZZELLO AND JON SEDA

BASED ON THE TRUE STORIES OF MARINES IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF WORLD WAR II, EXCLUSIVE HBO PRESENTATION DEBUTS MARCH 14

Directed By Carl Franklin, David Nutter, Jeremy Podeswa, Tony To, Tim Van Patten And Graham Yost;
Written By Laurence Andries, Michelle Ashford, Bruce C. McKenna, George Pelecanos, Robert Schenkkan And Graham Yost

The epic ten-part miniseries event THE PACIFIC, based on the true stories of World War II Marines, debuts with Part One on SUNDAY, MARCH 14 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), followed by other parts debuting on consecutive Sundays at the same time through May 16.

The HBO Miniseries presentation of a Playtone and DreamWorks production is executive produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman, the producing team behind the Emmy® Award-winning and Golden Globe-winning 2001 HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers.” Hanks and Goetzman also executive produced the HBO miniseries “John Adams,” which won a record-breaking 13 Emmys® in 2008.

THE PACIFIC tracks the intertwined real-life journeys of three U.S. Marines – Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale), Eugene Sledge (Joe Mazzello) and John Basilone (Jon Seda) – across the vast canvas of the Pacific Theater during World War II. The miniseries follows these men and their fellow Marines from their first battle with the Japanese on Guadalcanal, through the rain forests of Cape Gloucester and the strongholds of Peleliu, across the bloody sands of Iwo Jima and through the horror of Okinawa, and finally to their triumphant but uneasy return home after V-J Day.

The miniseries is based in part on the books “Helmet for My Pillow,” by Robert Leckie, and “With the Old Breed,” by Eugene B. Sledge, with additional material from “Red Blood, Black Sand,” by Chuck Tatum, and “China Marine,” by Eugene B. Sledge, as well as original interviews conducted by the filmmakers.

THE PACIFIC is an HBO Miniseries presentation of a Playtone and DreamWorks Production; executive producers, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Gary Goetzman; co-executive producers, Tony To, Eugene Kelly, Graham Yost, Bruce C. McKenna; producers, Cherylanne Martin, Todd London, Steven Shareshian; co-producers, Robert Schenkkan, George Pelecanos, Michelle Ashford; supervising producer, Tim Van Patten; directors of photography, Remi Adefarasin, BSC and Stephen Windon, ACS; production designer, Anthony Pratt; music by Hans Zimmer, Geoff Zanelli and Blake Neely; music supervisors, Evyen J Klean, Deva Anderson; casting, Meg Liberman, CSA, Cami Patton, CSA, Christine King; editors, Alan Cody, A.C.E., Edward A. Warschilka, Marta Evry, A.C.E.; visual effects supervisor, John E. Sullivan; special effects supervisor, Joss Williams; costume designer, Penny Rose; historical consultant, Hugh Ambrose; senior military advisor, Capt. Dale A. Dye, USMC (Ret.). HBO Miniseries president Kary Antholis is the executive in charge of the production.

Parts One, Seven and Nine are directed by Tim Van Patten (HBO’s “The Sopranos”); Part Two is directed by David Nutter (HBO’s “Entourage”); Parts Three and Ten are directed by Jeremy Podeswa (HBO’s “Six Feet Under”); Part Four is directed by Graham Yost (HBO’s “Band of Brothers”); Part Five is directed by Carl Franklin (“Devil in a Blue Dress”); Part Six is directed by Tony To (HBO’s “Band of Brothers”); and Part Eight is directed by David Nutter/Jeremy Podeswa.

Parts One, Two, Seven and Nine are written by Bruce C. McKenna (HBO’s “Band of Brothers”); Part Three is written by George Pelecanos (HBO’s “The Wire”) and Michelle Ashford (HBO’s “John Adams”); Part Four is written by Robert Schenkkan (“The Quiet American”) and Graham Yost; Part Five is written by Laurence Andries (HBO’s “Six Feet Under”) and Bruce C. McKenna; Part Six is written by Bruce C. McKenna and Laurence Andries and Robert Schenkkan; Part Eight is written by Robert Schenkkan and Michelle Ashford; and Part Ten is written by Bruce C. McKenna and Robert Schenkkan.

In addition to James Badge Dale (“Rubicon”), Joe Mazzello (“The Sensation of Sight”) and Jon Seda (“Close to Home”), actors featured in THE PACIFIC include (in alphabetical order): Jon Bernthal (“Eastwick”), Joshua Bitton (“National Treasure”), Dwight Braswell, Betty Buckley (HBO’s “Oz”), Tom Budge (“Last Train to Freo”), Josh Close (“The Unusuals”), Nate Corddry (“United States of Tara”), Matt Craven (“Public Enemies”), Linda Cropper (“McLeod’s Daughters”), Caroline Dhavernas (“Breach”), Noel Fisher (“The Riches”), Brendan Fletcher (“88 Minutes”), Leon Willem Ford (HBO’s “Tsunami: The Aftermath”), Scott Gibson (“Breach”), Josh Helman (“McLeod’s Daughters”), Ashton Holmes (“Smart People”), Brandon Keener (“He’s Just Not That Into You”), Isabel Lucas (“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”), Rami Malek (“Night at the Museum”), Martin McCann (“Closing the Ring”), Ian Meadows (“Home and Away”), Toby Leonard Moore (“Dollhouse”), Henry Nixon (“The Black Balloon”), Keith Nobbs (“The Black Donnellys”), Conor O’Farrell (“C.S.I.”), Annie Parisse (“Law & Order”), Jacob Pitts (“21”), William Sadler (“The Shawshank Redemption”), Gary Sweet (“Police Rescue”), Anna Torv (“Fringe”), Claire van der Boom (“Rush”) and Dylan Young (“Canal Road”).

Principal photography for THE PACIFIC was completed on location in Australia’s Far North Queensland and Victoria over a ten-month period beginning in August 2007.

ABOUT THE STORY
On Dec. 8, 1941, just over 24 hours after the Japanese surprise attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Congress issued a formal declaration of war against the Empire of Japan. For a decade, tensions had been mounting between Japan and the U.S., as the Japanese expanded their conquest of a large region including much of China and Southeast Asia. As a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States officially entered World War II, already in its third year of being waged by countries of the Allied powers, including the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Canada and Australia, against the Axis powers of Japan, Germany and Italy.

Practically overnight, military recruiting offices across the country were jammed, as thousands of Americans rushed to enlist in the armed forces. Many of those young men chose to join the Marine Corps, which saw its ranks more than triple in the six months following Pearl Harbor.

While HBO’s miniseries “Band of Brothers” followed the experiences of one company of Army paratroopers in the European Theater of Operations, THE PACIFIC depicts the war a world away in the Pacific Theater of Operations, which encompassed most of the Pacific Ocean and its islands, including the Philippines, the Netherlands East Indies, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. This miniseries follows the intersecting odysseys of three men of the 1st Marine Division, an infantry division nicknamed “The Old Breed” for its position as the oldest and largest active duty division of the U.S. Marine Corps. With the support of their fellow Marines and comrades in the Navy, Air Force and Army, the 1st Marine Division was at the forefront of many of hardest-fought campaigns of the Pacific War.

Private First Class (PFC) Robert Leckie (played by James Badge Dale) grew up in Rutherford, NJ, one of eight children. He began a professional sportswriting career for the Bergen Evening Record newspaper at age 16. Leckie, who would be christened “Lucky” by his comrades in arms, was one of those who enlisted in the Marine Corps just after Pearl Harbor. He served with H Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division as a machine gunner.

Sgt. John Basilone (played by Jon Seda) was raised in Raritan, NJ, one of ten children of Italian immigrant parents. In 1934, at age 18, Basilone enlisted in the U.S. Army and served three years in the Philippines, where he was a champion boxer. After a brief return to New Jersey, Basilone enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1940 and was a machine gunner with C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and later with the B Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division.

Born to a privileged family in Mobile, Ala., PFC Eugene B. Sledge (played by Joe Mazzello) had relatives on both sides of his family who fought for the Confederacy. Sledge was the son of a physician who was a medical officer during the First World War; he had turned 18 just one month before the U.S. entered the war, but a heart condition kept him from enlisting until December 1942. Although his family urged him to train as an officer, Sledge ultimately joined as an enlisted man and served with K Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division as a mortarman.

Over the span of ten hours, THE PACIFIC takes an unflinching “under the helmet” look at the experiences of these men and their brothers in arms, each of whom finds himself fighting for his life on faraway specks of land they had never heard of – Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa. Forced to endure extreme deprivation and a debilitating climate, while fighting a brutal enemy who would rather die than consider surrender, these Marines are driven to the brink of their humanity.

THE PACIFIC depicts these battles – physical, mental and emotional – as it explores the true human cost of war.

March’s episodes:

Part One
Debut: SUNDAY, MARCH 14 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: March 14 (11:00 p.m.), 16 (11:00 p.m.), 17 (10:00 p.m.), 19 (8:00 p.m.), 20 (9:45 p.m.) and 31 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: March 15 (10:00 p.m., 2:15 a.m.), 20 (2:00 p.m.) and 21 (8:00 p.m.)

In the immediate aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Marine Sgt. John Basilone (Jon Seda) prepares to ship out and confront the enemy somewhere in the Pacific, while budding journalist Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale) enlists in the Marine Corps. Eugene Sledge (Joe Mazzello), unable to enlist because of a heart murmur, says farewell to his best friend, Sidney Phillips (Ashton Holmes), who is about to leave for boot camp. Exactly eight months after Pearl Harbor, the 1st Marine Division, including Leckie and Phillips, lands on Guadalcanal in order to secure its strategically vital airfield and prepare for the inevitable counterattack.

Written by Bruce C. McKenna; directed by Tim Van Patten.

Part Two
Debut: SUNDAY, MARCH 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: March 21 (11:00 p.m.), 23 (11:00 p.m.), 24 (10:00 p.m.), 26 (8:00 p.m.), 27 (12:30 a.m.) and 31 (9:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: March 22 (10:00 p.m., 2:35 a.m.), 27 (2:30 p.m.) and 28 (8:00 p.m.)

Basilone and the 7th Marines arrive on Guadalcanal to reinforce Leckie and the rest of the 1st Marine Division as they continue to defend the crucial airstrip. Basilone plays a key role in repelling a nighttime Japanese attack, but suffers a frightful personal loss. After four months of continuous action, the exhausted and disease-ridden members of the 1st Marine Division are evacuated off the island.

Written by Bruce C. McKenna; directed by David Nutter.

Part Three
Debut: SUNDAY, MARCH 28 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: March 28 (11:00 p.m.), 30 (11:00 p.m.) and 31 (10:00 p.m.), and April 2 (8:00 p.m.) and 3 (10:15 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: March 29 (10:00 p.m., 1:55 a.m.) and April 3 (12:45 p.m.) and 4 (8:00 p.m.)

Physically and mentally debilitated after the four-month ordeal on Guadalcanal, Leckie, Basilone and thousands of their comrades land in Melbourne, where they are greeted by adoring crowds and viewed as the saviors of Australia. While his buddies carouse, Leckie becomes deeply attached to an Australian woman (Claire Van Der Boom) and her first-generation Greek family. Meanwhile, Basilone is awarded the Medal of Honor and is asked to return home to help sell U.S. war bonds.

Written by George Pelecanos and Michelle Ashford; directed by Jeremy Podeswa.

Technorati Tags: The Pacific, HBO, Tom Hanks, Playtone, Mini-Series, March 2010, WWII, War, Marine, Japanese

I am a part of the Betty White to Host SNL (please?)! Facebook group. If you aren’t, I recommend you join it. I don’t know why the 88 year old is soaring back into popularity with mainstream America. I’m just glad she is. Long have I been a Betty White fan.

I watched the Golden Girls just like everyone else on the planet in the 1980s. Perhaps the surging popularity of reruns of the show on TBS and similar stations has something to do with it. But…they have been airing reruns of the show on TV for years, and never before have I seen so much BW love.

Regardless of the reason, Betty is back and better than ever. The group boasts almost half a million fans and it’s growing, national news outlets have covered the story and even Betty has commented on her interest in hosting SNL if Lorne Michaels wants her to. Well, now we are hearing from the studio and SNL execs on the matter. While the studio is considering appeasing the masses with White on the show, I found part of their prospective plans for White troubling.

The goal isn’t to let White host alone. No 90 minutes of Betty White goodness is to be expected. Rather, the network feels a “Women in Comedy” show would better suit today’s audience. White would host the show along with contemporary comedians and SNL vets like Molly Shannon and Tina Fey. Don’t get me wrong. I love Molly and Tina. However, I feel that the inclusion of women of comedy detracts from the fact that this show is supposed to be about Betty White, because WE WANT BETTY WHITE TO HOST SNL!

Reading the “exclusive article” in EW makes me think that perhaps the issue is White’s age. The ageist attitude is one known well in television, and by aging actors. The reason I feel the SNL execs may believe White is too old to host SNL on her own, was this statement.

This tag-team approach will allow Lorne Michaels to appease White-on-SNL zealots (half a million and counting!) without making the 88-year-old shoulder the burden of all 90 minutes on her own.

It seems as if SNL is assuming White cannot handle hosting the show on her own and the only reason why is because she is 88. Betty White is a sassy, 88 year old woman. She has been in show business for eight decades. To imply she is unable to handle the burden of hosting all 90 minutes on her own is just silly and a foolish mistake on SNL’s part.

You can read the full article on Betty White and her potential appearance on SNL at EW. While I like the idea of a group of women comedians hosting the show (and wouldn’t it be funny to have Betty White and Carol Burnett together?), SNL should consider doing this show idea, but also letting the highly competent Betty White host a show on her own.

What do you think? Is SNL only letting Betty be a part of a show to appease fans? Do you think they believe Betty White is too old to host the show on her own?

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12:04 PM – Bill is on a radio show, talking politics. A guy calls in to try and challenge Bill, and he plays coy about whether he is running for state senate.

12:05 PM – Margie tries to explain to Barb why someone believes Ben is Margie’s husband. She tries to blow off the kiss between her and Ben as an “accident,” but Barb is furious about it.

12:06 PM – Sarah and Scott are having sex, but they are interrupted by a baby crying. The baby has been left alone by the mother that Sarah invited to stay with her (a native woman Barb hit with her car). She is out getting eggs.

12:07 PM -An INS team shows up at Bill’s workplace. The guy who called in to the radio is having Bill scrutinized.

12:08 PM – J.J. asks Albie how he is going to decide to split up Roman’s wives. He wants Adaleen as his wife. Albie decides to think about J.J.’s request.

12:10 PM – Bill calls up Lois to tell her he is running for state senate. He asks her to introduce him when he announces his candidacy. Lois and Frank go out together to handle some business.

12:12 PM – Margie cooks Bill’s favorite meal in order to butter him up as she explains the Ben snafu. Bill yells at her and insists she fix it.

12:13 PM – Sarah lies to Barb about who’s baby is in her house.

12:14 PM – Wanda and Joey lie in bed talking. Wanda dreams of having her own house and a lot of kids. Joey says they can have those things because they won’t get caught.

12:16 PM – Bill explains Margie said the whole snafu was a mistake, which upsets Ben. Bill tells Ben he can talk to him about anything.

12:17 PM – Albie tells Adaleen she will be marrying a new man. She is not told who it is, and she is very upset. She calls Nicky and has a breakdown on the phone.

12:19 PM – Don tells Bill they are investigating coverage of the wives on their insurance. Bill says they have to get the wife and kids off the books, which angers Don.

12:21 PM – J.J. confronts Joey with evidence of him killing Roman. He blackmails him.

12:23 PM – Barb finds out that Sarah is helping Leyla and her baby and she goes ballistic.

12:24 PM – When Nicky goes to pick up Carol Ann, she finds out Adaleen is going to be sealed to J.J. Adaleen defends J.J. and Nicky flips a lid over this.

12:26 PM – Wanda asks Nicky to kill J.J. Nicky won’t but Wanda thinks they need to do something to stop him.

12:27 PM – Albie breaks into Dale’s house.

12:27 PM – Ben brings home pizza and Margie acts weird around him. Margie finds out about the new INS stuff. Bill gets a call and is forced to move up the announcement of his running for senate.

12:30 PM – Barb freaks out and she and Bill have random, wild sex in the basement.

12:31 PM – Lois, Frank and Jodeen are at the border and must sneak their birds into the country. They have to sneak past the border patrol.

12:32 PM – Dale comes home to find Albie in it with a present. He freaks out because he broke in. Dale’s family is out for two days, so Albie cooked and wants to stay with him.

12:34 PM – Roman’s ghost shows up to harass Albie. He finds out Dale is working with the government against the UEB and he bolts.

12:35 PM – Ben finds Margene half dressed and looking for hot cocoa. He confronts her about the kiss. She lies about it, but then feels bad and says it did mean something. He gets the cocoa down for her.

12:36 PM – Lois and Frank argue about finding a place to rest, and Lois won’t let him. Frank wants to have a honeymoon with Jodeen. He calls Lois illiterate.

12:39 PM – Bill offers to help Don with the medical expenses he has caused.

12:40 PM – Lois and Frank are asleep on the side of the road. Jodeen opens the trunk and lets all the birds out.

12:44 PM – Margie confesses on air that Ben is not her husband. She says her husband has abandoned her and cries.

12:46 PM – Bill and Barb convince Sarah to take the baby back to the reservation. The baby’s mother is claiming Sarah took her baby.

12:48 PM – Albie returns to Dale’s house and confronts him. The two share a tender moment after Dale confesses he’d never hurt Albie.

12:49 PM – Teeny confesses that Ben is in love with Margie and that the two are in love. She tells about the love note Ben wrote Margie.

12:50 PM – Ben sits down Margene and Ben. Ben claims he kissed Margie, to save her. He confesses to everything, much to Margene’s shock.

12:52 PM – The guy who is running against Bill knows about his link to polygamy. He is running a dirty campaign.

12:53 PM – Barb tells Ben he is on his side. He is mad about being betrayed and hurt by Margie. Barb realizes Joey is there and is happy he came to Bill’s announcement ceremony.

12:55 PM – Bill asks Don to take the blame and say he is a polygamist. He also tenders his resignation.

12:55 PM – Margie confesses to Bill that she kissed Ben. She has a breakdown and leaves.

12:56 PM – Lois announces Bill is running for state senate. Frank shows up at the campaign party, as does Don. Frank leaves when Bill gives Lois all the credit for raising him.

12:58 PM – Ben decides to leave and Bill agrees it is for the best.

Technorati Tags: Big Love, HBO, Live Blogging, Episode 4.4, Bill Hendrickson, Polygamy, TV Show, The Mighty and Strong, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny, Bill Paxton, Ginnifer Goodwin