Drama
Florence + the Machine appear on “Gossip Girl”
A preview of the next Gossip Girl, airing this Monday, Feb. 7 at 9pm ET on The CW, and featuring an appearance by Florence + the Machine:
Articles by Jeff Pfeiffer
Awards Shows
Music performers of nominated songs at Academy Awards announced
Today were announced the artists who will perform the Original Song nominees at the 83rd Academy Awards, airing live Feb. 27 on ABC: * Gwyneth Paltrow will perform “Coming Home” from the film Country Strong. * Original Song nominees A.R. Rahman and Florence Welch, of Florence + the Machine, will perform “If I Rise” from the film 127 Hours. Rahman is nominated for writing the music (Dido and Rollo Armstrong are also nominated for the song’s lyric). *Alan Menken, who is nominated for writing the music for “I See the Light” from the animated film Tangled, will accompany singers Mandy […]
Drama
VOD Spotlight: “The Social Network” is a slap in the Facebook
By Karl J. Paloucek It wasn’t all that long ago that we lived in a world without Facebook. But as with all things in the information age, change happens rapidly, and the difference between being at the vanguard of change and just behind it can not only be razor-thin, but it can also be enough to sever friendships that should have lasted a lifetime. In essence, this is the story of The Social Network. Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg stars as an unbelievably arrogant Mark Zuckerberg in the story of the socially awkward rise of Facebook, the most successful social networking […]
TV News & Program Updates
FitTV rebranded as Discovery Fit & Health starting today
In the wake of Discovery Health becoming OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network last month, more changes are afoot. For those who may be missing some of the medical and baby type shows that were on Discovery Health (a few of those do remain on OWN), you should find what you are looking for as FitTV is renamed Discovery Fit & Health starting today.
TV News & Program Updates
Black History Month programming 2011
Here are a few television highlights to check out this month in celebration of Black History Month. All times Eastern. Programming subject to change; check back throughout the month for additions and changes. Way Black When: Prime Time — TV One, weeknights throughout February at 10pm. This month of programming reflects back on the golden age of black culture that emerged during the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. Way Black When: Prime Time is a one-hour talk show that showcases black pop culture icons across the three decades. Each weeknight at 11pm there will be a decade-specific film related to the […]
Action
Preview: Mega Python vs. Gatoroid
By Jeff Pfeiffer I was somewhat skeptical when I read Syfy’s press release claiming that its latest original movie, Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, was “ripped from the headlines.” Until I saw this headline yesterday. Syfy couldn’t have asked for better timing for that encounter. And it is true that the general starting plot point of the film — non-native pet pythons being released into the Everglades and causing havoc on the ecosystem — is in fact happening in Florida. But from there, as you have come to expect from Syfy originals, the headlines from which the story is ripped are […]
Action
VOD Spotlight: Jovovich makes “Resident Evil” franchise her own
The Resident Evil films may be based on a video game, but the franchise plays by its own rules and has become famous for unexpectedly killing off major characters without warning. Not so for Alice, played by Milla Jovovich, who now appears in Resident Evil: Afterlife. “Alice is the ultimate heroine,” producer Don Carmody says. “She‘s a combination of Wonder Woman and Indiana Jane and she‘s out there kicking ass and taking names.”
Awards Shows
And the loser is … the Academy Awards ratings
By Tom Comi By now you have most likely heard the major nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards to be held next month, and it seems fair to say that it will be a competitive night between The Social Network, The King’s Speech and The Fighter. However, if history is an indication, we can most likely count on the biggest loser being the TV ratings. That’s not a dig at any of the fine nominated movies this year, mind you. It’s just the reality that the buzz of the movies and how well they did at the box office serve […]
Family
The Killers play “Yo Gabba Gabba!”
The Killers, Marissa Jaret Winokur and Jack McBrayer are among the stars featured in new episodes of the hit series Yo Gabba Gabba! from Feb. 7-10 at 1pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon: Feb. 7: “Adventure” — Muno and friends go on an Indiana Jones-style adventure. They travel through a jungle under Gabbaland and find a golden treasure. The Killers perform “Spaceship Adventure,” and Mark Mothersbaugh is featured in his “Mark’s Magic Pictures” segment. An encore of this episode airs Feb. 11. Feb. 8: “Nature” — Toodee gets everyone to go camping. They hike, roast s’mores and tell campfire stories. They meet […]
Comedy
Joan Rivers, Fox News and the blurring of news and entertainment
I’ve never taken any of the news networks too seriously, but Fox News Channel really blurred the line between news and entertainment not once but twice this week. First, controversial conservative host Glenn Beck compared himself to a comedian and a cartoon when Today Show host Meredith Vieira pressed him on some harsh comments he made on his popular show. His response when asked if he regretted them: “Anything I said in jokes, no. Ask Jon Stewart [the same question.] Ask The Simpsons. Comedy is comedy.” I’m not buying that Beck is any more of a comedian than Keith Olbermann, […]