TV Tryouts: Elementary, 666 Park Avenue

In my last post I mentioned that I planned to try these two shows, and so I have. But first, I tried "Partners" again. I couldn't DVR it because I was recording "Bones" while watching baseball, so I figured I could watch it On Demand. Except, oddly enough, it wasn't one of the shows CBS offered On Demand. So I had to watch it online. I went to CBS.com and, well, I lasted through the first scene after the first commercial break. Sorry, Michael Urie, I love you but this show sucks. (By the way, CBS.com, if you're going to show commercials and not allow us to click past them, at least show three different commercials and not the same stupid Macy's commercial showing people like Martha Stewart and Justin Bieber working in the store THREE TIMES IN A ROW.)

Now then...I might have enjoyed "Elementary" a little more if the Sherlock Holmes character wasn't named Sherlock Holmes. Unlike the BBC "Sherlock," which took great care in bringing the characters into the present day, "Elementary" just makes changes for the sake of change. Look, Holmes lives in New York now! Look, Watson is a woman now! And so on. The rest of it is just a standard crime procedural show without fancy CSI graphics. Despite the charms of Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu as Holmes and Watson, I won't be tuning in again. (By the way, are Miller's tattoos real or are they just for the show?)

As for "666 Park Avenue," I just found it boring. A show starring Vanessa Williams should never be boring. And her character is boring, at least so far.

Our lesson so far: the new shows I've sampled are all failures.

My TV Schedule (And Two Gay Nays)

In the past I've talked about how I decide whether or not to watch a new TV show -- basically, I need something to pique my interest in it, or else I just happen to watch on a whim. So with the new fall TV season under way, I thought I'd update you on what I'm currently watching (or considering watching, or tried to watch). There have been a few changes in my schedule.

SUNDAY: I've still got "The Simpsons" (which, let's face it, at this point I'll never stop watching) and "Family Guy" (which I can't quite get rid of). With "Desperate Housewives" gone, though, I don't have another Sunday night show. I'm considering trying "666 Park Avenue," only because Vanessa Williams moved from Wisteria Lane to this address. Apparently (as you can guess from the number) there are devilish doings going on. I'll try it.

MONDAY: It used to be a quiet night until Fox moved "Bones" here. I also sampled the debut of "Partners," one of the two new shows with heavy gay content. It co-stars Michael Urie, one of my faves from "Ugly Betty," which is why I watched it. Urie's character is gay and his best friend (played by David Krumholtz) is straight. Their significant others are Brandon "I'm no longer Superman" Routh and Sophia Bush, respectively. I may watch another episode because I really like Urie, but I think they'd be better off if they ditched the truly dull Krumholtz and Routh entirely, and maybe Bush as well.

TUESDAY: At least "Partners" isn't the other big gay sitcom, "The New Normal."

My iTunes Shuffle Baker's Dozen 4-5-12

Sure, it's an easy way to post content. Why not?

Let Me Be The One - Five Star
I Thought It Took A Little Time - Diana Ross
Rhythm Of The Night - Valeria
Is That You Mo-Dean? - The B-52’s
Viking - Los Lobos
Waiting For The End - Linkin Park
Cosmic - Kylie Minogue
Running Back To You - Vanessa Williams
The Party Song - Slave featuring Steve Arrington
Ode To Billy Joe - Bobbie Gentry
White Heat - Madonna
Never Miss The Water - Chaka Khan
Hello And Goodbye - Madonna, Andrea Corr, Jonathan Pryce

Christmas Is Coming!

Last Christmas I gave you my heart I listed the Christmas TV specials from my DVD or VHS collection that I try to watch every year. Well, this year I haven't watched a single one yet, and time is running out. (Although I have listened to every Christmas song in my iTunes. I want to try to do a holiday music-related post this week as well.) But it's not as if I haven't watched any Christmas programs. I've got both the "Glee" Christmas episode and this year's Christmas-themed "Simpsons" episode guest-starring Martha Stewart and (in live-action with Muppetized Simpsons) Katy Perry on my DVR and have watched both two or three times.

I also just recorded the TV-movie "A Diva's Christmas Carol" starring Vanessa Williams -- surely this helped lead to her becoming Wilhelmina Slater on "Ugly Betty" -- and right now I'm recording "Bad Santa" from Spike TV, although I'm sure it's a censored version that may disappoint.

Tomorrow I plan to try and add to my DVD collection, if I can find an inexpensive DVD of "Scrooged" starring Bill Murray. Like the Vanessa Williams film, it's another update of the Dickens classic, but with a more satirical streak. The soundtrack included the duet by Annie Lennox and Al Green of "Put A Little Love in Your Heart," a non-Christmas song that is now, for me, a holiday classic.



Yes, Christmas is coming...although the case can be made that it arrived early this year...

There's A New Housewife In Town!

Love this ABC promo...



I have a good feeling about this upcoming season...that hasn't happened in a while.