tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post3291295347372517156..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: The new TV season so farBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81529699365170988932018-10-10T09:30:37.086-07:002018-10-10T09:30:37.086-07:00Todd (second try):
When you're riding a horse...Todd (second try):<br /><br />When you're riding a horse, and you want him to go faster, you loosen your hold on the reins - you give the horse<i>free rein</i>.<br />When you want the horse to slow down, you pull up the reins - you <i>rein in</i> the horse.<br /><br /><i>Reign</i> refers to rule by royal personages.<br /> <br /> <i>Free reign</i> is a spelling error, made by people who want to seem "fancy".<br /> <br /><b>This message comes to you as a public service.</b><br />Mike Doranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14427528138598549103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-50221786725078707652018-10-09T11:42:00.748-07:002018-10-09T11:42:00.748-07:00Ken, you should have said 'raises the question...<i>Ken, you should have said 'raises the question'. 'Begs the question' means 'assumes what you are trying to prove'.</i><br /><br /><br /><br />God bless you. <i>everybody</i> gets "begs the question wrong.<br /><br />Once that's cleared up, we can start explaining why it's "trouper" and not "trooper."<br /><br />Then someone can explain to me whether it should be "free reign" or "free rein." Both mean pretty much the same thing; it's a matter of scale.Todd Everettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25129869972872980082018-10-09T09:13:17.915-07:002018-10-09T09:13:17.915-07:00Kevin: 10 years from now, you will probably be wat...Kevin: 10 years from now, you will probably be watching the BBC, Al-Jazeera, and Russia Today, plus direct feeds from various things.<br />wgWendy M. Grossmanhttp://www.pelicancrossing.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77854196551237415102018-10-09T08:47:29.397-07:002018-10-09T08:47:29.397-07:00Murphy Brown would get better if they brought in W...Murphy Brown would get better if they brought in William Shatner.<br /><br />Ken, you should have said 'raises the question'. 'Begs the question' means 'assumes what you are trying to prove'.<br /> <br />MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83263009450602365572018-10-09T07:11:34.653-07:002018-10-09T07:11:34.653-07:00Myles: Come on. A show shot in front of a live s...Myles: Come on. A show shot in front of a live studio audience has a laugh track, too. Ken's written about it more than once. It's done in post production to punch up the audience response. Ken (to his credit) used it sparingly. Today, where every joke has to have the appearance of having been hysterical, it's used a lot.<br /><br />---Mike HagertyMichael Hagertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10854329436921975104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47710909743361087302018-10-09T05:54:24.204-07:002018-10-09T05:54:24.204-07:00Ken -
Are traditional syndication deals somethin...Ken - <br /><br />Are traditional syndication deals something that production companies (or showrunners) aspire towards anymore? As shows reach 100 episodes, there is usually some press about that magic number to achieve syndication. But in this age of Netflix, network on-demand services, and other options, syndication doesn't seem as important. (The Good Place is an example of a show that doesn't seem to care about syndication--episodes are sequential, and seasons are only 13 episodes...so it will take forever to get to 100, and its unlikely someone will randomly tune-in and watch "Chapter 17" after the 11:00 news.) <br /><br />Thanks.<br /><br />SKSKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59082659313995771022018-10-08T22:08:58.268-07:002018-10-08T22:08:58.268-07:00A Rant:I saw a record,for me, nine coming attracti...A Rant:I saw a record,for me, nine coming attractions when I saw the latest version of A Star is Born. By the end I'd almost forgotten what movie I was waiting to see. There were trailers for biopics, one for Queen and one for Elton John. The Fantastic Beast sequel and the new Clint Eastwood movie. Another version of Robin Hood and a movie about Dick Chaney. There was a trailer for a Kevin Hart/Bryan Cranston movie to be released in January, a bad sign. None of them looked all that impressive. When they ONLY showed four or five I could,on occasion, find one that might have potential. But 9! And A Star is Born came in at a Judd Apatow-like length of two hours plus. scottmcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36105241821446502492018-10-08T18:35:44.236-07:002018-10-08T18:35:44.236-07:00Haven't checked out the new incarnation of Mur...Haven't checked out the new incarnation of Murphy Brown yet, but when the reboot was announced, my initial thought was to promote her kicking and screaming into management, and have one of her new anchors be a kid fresh out of Journo-School who idolizes everything about the 90's era Murphy but maybe doesn't want to put in the legwork that character did.Douglas Trapassohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18348522207945522495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67851521930126595072018-10-08T17:44:47.927-07:002018-10-08T17:44:47.927-07:00I agree with Mr. Moss about his "Murphy Brown...I agree with Mr. Moss about his "Murphy Brown" comment regarding the scenes between Murphy and Avery. They are the only ones that are working so far.DARON72https://www.blogger.com/profile/01726705799261360259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49779348729096831232018-10-08T17:43:54.760-07:002018-10-08T17:43:54.760-07:00Agreed. If your bold enough to say it don't do...Agreed. If your bold enough to say it don't do it anonymously. Really... Just don't do it at all. Myleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07139984409445302062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51683540201130814602018-10-08T16:10:44.372-07:002018-10-08T16:10:44.372-07:00For what it's worth Murphy Brown is shot in fr...For what it's worth Murphy Brown is shot in front of a live studio audience as are 99% of multicams today. No "laugh track" unless you mean the actual track of real audience laughter. Myleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07139984409445302062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28836805562044052182018-10-08T16:03:06.648-07:002018-10-08T16:03:06.648-07:00Anyone who posts a comment about how someone "...Anyone who posts a comment about how someone "didn't age well" should be required to post a picture of him- or herself 25 years ago, and one from today, to show your qualifications to pass judgment. <br />We were all better looking 25 years ago.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79961442382760109482018-10-08T15:10:24.518-07:002018-10-08T15:10:24.518-07:00A Friday question for you that's more connecte...A Friday question for you that's more connected to yesterday's post...<br /><br />Is it harder to write comedy when you feel sad or angry? Or does the ridiculousness of some situations first make you angry and then give way to humor? Likewise, does sadness find solace in humor? Or is it easier to be funny when you already feel like laughing? <br /><br />I realize this is a relatively individualized question--do you have a sense of whether your experience is true for you only, or if most comedy writers share in it?ReticentRabbitnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1699632273190942632018-10-08T14:39:15.166-07:002018-10-08T14:39:15.166-07:00The Max Greenfield "Hi, neighbor!" chara...The Max Greenfield "Hi, neighbor!" character looks annoying.VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52540537927388091562018-10-08T14:38:54.367-07:002018-10-08T14:38:54.367-07:00This kind of ties in with Ken Levine's post ye...This kind of ties in with Ken Levine's post yesterday but you know what really worries me about the networks going away as the streaming services take away more and more viewers? The ("fake" according to whiny D.J.T.) news divisions at ABC, CBS, and NBC.<br /><br />As print journalism continues to wither away and the TV network's profit margins shrivel, how much longer does network broadcast jounalism have? In ten years will print and broadcast journalism all be gone? Lets hope not for as it now stands, close to half the country already gets its "alternative facts" from sources such as Fox, Breitbart, Drudge and of course the POTUS's tweeter feed.<br /><br />For those of us who prefer getting our "fake news" from actual news sources the possible loss of the network news divisions will only lead to what? The Donald Network, TDN? Not jazzy enough. Trump News Now, TNN? Already taken. Trump Undoes Reality Division, TURD? Perfect! <br /><br /> Kevin from VAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76915573085744454152018-10-08T14:21:34.302-07:002018-10-08T14:21:34.302-07:00I don't remember hearing you talk about THE GO...I don't remember hearing you talk about THE GOOD PLACE, but I have found it to be one of the most consistently creative and laugh-out-loud funny comedies in a long, long time. Ted Danson is remarkable and the whole cast is perfect. I've bought the DVD set of the first season to give to friends to introduce them to it because it seems to fly under the radar a bit, possibly because of the shorter seasons, which may be why they are able to maintain such high quality. And, again, funny!Rob Spahrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01779558298121801760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64058923371872851292018-10-08T14:04:10.862-07:002018-10-08T14:04:10.862-07:00I was rooting for MURPHY BROWN, but it really seem...I was rooting for MURPHY BROWN, but it really seems tired. Only been two episodes, however, so will give it a couple more to see if it gets its footing. MikeKPa.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-303145874912746622018-10-08T13:26:46.228-07:002018-10-08T13:26:46.228-07:00Watched both Murphy Brown episodes. Seemed totall...Watched both Murphy Brown episodes. Seemed totally contrived. Candice didn't age well either. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12340928168583972492018-10-08T12:52:35.466-07:002018-10-08T12:52:35.466-07:00I dropped Murphy Brown not far into the second epi...I dropped <i>Murphy Brown</i> not far into the second episode. The performances were coming off like a table read, and none of the jokes landed. I dropped <i>A Million Little Things</i> about five minutes in, when the guy from <i>Psych</i> didn't beat the doctor to death for talking to his wife (?) about balsamic vinegar instead of giving him the diagnosis immediately. I dropped <i>Single Parents</i> at the first commercial break because it just wasn't funny.<br /><br />My DVR has an on-screen button for deleting a season pass: Cancel Series. Oh, if only.<br /><br />And to Daron72, who said: "Jeff Glor has to say something supposedly witty or 'caring' after each segment. Why do we need someone's forced editorial comments? As the wise Joe Friday would say: 'Just the facts ma'am.'" You are exactly right about this. I am sick and tired of being told how to feel about a story. I am also tired of stories that start out with piecemeal reactions to what happened instead of first hearing about what actually happened.thirteennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62851056250114243892018-10-08T12:43:38.887-07:002018-10-08T12:43:38.887-07:00Murphy will find its way.
And The Neighborhood ha...Murphy will find its way.<br /><br />And The Neighborhood has promise if the writing focuses on the situation itself as opposed to just white people this and black people that.Terrence Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365112876091271689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16365895601786645982018-10-08T12:41:54.254-07:002018-10-08T12:41:54.254-07:00i don't see streaming to be any better. as lon...i don't see streaming to be any better. as long as money is involved, the same rules will ultimately apply.Terrence Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365112876091271689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18412766946424949262018-10-08T12:40:45.648-07:002018-10-08T12:40:45.648-07:00the stuff with her and Avery is great. if they shi...the stuff with her and Avery is great. if they shift some focus there and away from the old gang, it will work better because it will be mining new material.Terrence Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365112876091271689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63673045866884089342018-10-08T12:39:07.741-07:002018-10-08T12:39:07.741-07:00what sucks about it?what sucks about it?Terrence Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365112876091271689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12732188847992730642018-10-08T11:33:34.428-07:002018-10-08T11:33:34.428-07:00I've said this before, but I'll say it aga...I've said this before, but I'll say it again. Maybe its time to turn off the T.V. and read a book instead.<br />M.B.Mike Bloodworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04755626259169126800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79302384736618569832018-10-08T11:32:04.827-07:002018-10-08T11:32:04.827-07:00The only curiosity I have about the fall season is...The only curiosity I have about the fall season is where Hillary Clinton will turn up next. She was Murphy Brown's latest secretary (a running gag that should probably be retired and on Social Security by now), and she played herself on MADAM SECRETARY (along with Madeline Albright and Colin Powell -- I guess John Kerry was busy promoting his book). Maybe a super villain on THE BLACKLIST? A new AA member on MOM talking about her struggles with Chardonnay? Whatever, she looks like she's having fun.<br /><br />Before all the re-boots, the networks were adapting British comedies. Maybe time to go back to that. <br />Buttermilk Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430011403223875192noreply@blogger.com