Tag Archives: television promos

Lip service

At first, I attributed the phenomenon to DVR-itis.

I was out Thursday night, and Friday was playing catchup on the NBC comedy lineup.  Even fast-forwarding through the commercials, it seemed like promos for The Voice were on every break.  So I started paying closer attention…

They were on every break.

And pretty much the same one, too…where Adam Levine says “I have to work with you,” and Christina Aguilera throws her arms up in the air and dances around in her big Star Trek captain’s chair.

By the time I finished 30 Rock, it wasn’t a promo anymore — it was torture.  I was ready to talk…about anything.

[A 30 Rock writer even tweeted an apology for The Voice promo overload, but quickly deleted it.  Job security, much?]

Now I read that Saturday Night Live* is being delayed tonight for a full two minutes to give the audience “an early look” at the new singing competition.  Granted, SNL is a rerun this week, but…

COME ON!

There is a fine line between promotion and saturation, and NBC — you crossed it last Tuesday!  I know you guys are excited to have anything new to crow about, but leave the audience wanting more, ya know?

At the rate you’re going, the audience is just gonna leave.

What’s left of ‘em.

NBC delayed Tonight Show with Jay Leno Thursday by an astounding 12 minutes to promote The Voice.  While in theory this practice is beyond egregious, I feel in this extremely rare case, NBC did viewers a favor. 

Sunshine day

I love the new ABC comedy series Mr. Sunshine.

What’s that, you say — it doesn’t premiere until tonight?  And your point would be….?

I am already a huge fan of Mr. Sunshine.  Seriously…the writers and producers are really gonna have to drop the ball on this one to lose me as a viewer.

First and foremost, the show brings Matthew Perry and Alison Janney back to prime time television.  Just seeing their faces in the promos makes me happy.

And the promos themselves have been funny, too.  Alison is zany, and Matthew is doing his thing.  Heck, they even have Andrea Anders on board — who was on the very bad Joey with fellow Friends alum Matt LeBlanc.

If they’re willing to roll that die, the show has to be good.

Mr. Sunshine also doesn’t take place in a hospital or lawyer’s office.  There isn’t a CSI to be found anywhere near the title.  This show centers around a sporting arena, which on the surface at least, appears to be different.

I like different.  I appreciate that at least one network recognizes that not everyone wants to watch shows about medicine, cops or lawyers.  And based on the ratings from this year’s Super Bowl, a lot of folks find the idea of sports kinda enjoyable.  Stands to reason they might like a sitcom set in a sporting arena.

I think ABC thinks this show is good, too…because they gave it one of the most sought after lead-ins in television right now, Modern Family. Ya don’t want to follow the best comedy around with schlock.

And I really don’t think Mr. Sunshine is schlock.  Just look at that face.  Would Matthew Perry bring anything but the funny into your home?

Of course not.

It’s gonna be great.  I already love it.

Enjoy.

Cruise control

Even if you didn’t watch the “MTV Movie Awards” last Sunday night, you probably got a glimpse of Tom Cruise in the show’s promos.

Didn’t see him?  He was the heavyset, bald guy with the ridiculously large hands chewing Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner a new one.  And during the awards show, he danced with J Lo and didn’t miss a step.

Those lucky enough to see the 2008 comedy “Tropic Thunder” with Ben Stiller and Robert Downey, Jr. no doubt recognized producer Les Grossman, the character Cruise created for the film.  Some labeled it as his comeback from the whole Scientology debacle and lower-than-expected box office for “Mission Impossible III” and “Lions for Lambs.”

Well, look out — it was just announced that Les Grossman has been tapped to get his own film!  Cruise and Stiller will produce and Michael Bacall, who wrote the soon-to-be released “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” is on board to pen the script.

I personally am thrilled for Cruise.  If people had rejected his latest endeavors based on his talent alone, that would be one thing.  But the majority of his critics attacked him based on his religious beliefs…and that burns my butt.

I don’t agree with his stance on Scientology.  It sounds like a load of wonk to me.  But I certainly don’t pick and choose films based on the religion — or lack thereof — of the actors in the cast.  And critics shouldn’t slam actors for the same.

I’m just saying.

So, good luck, Tom Cruise.  I hope Les Grossman kicks you-know-what all over you-know-where come the film’s release date.