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Why MTV Reality Shows Make Us Feel Good

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Reality, Cable, Editorial, Gossip,

MTV Juvies Like Britney and Anna Nicole self-destructing in tandem, MTV has put out two new “reality” shows about kids who have made and are making some really horrible decisions: “Juvies” and “Engaged and Underage.”

So, full disclosure, I am, in fact, engaged, though not underage, and I have an extensive juvenile record that has, thankfully, been expunged. Just kidding, I was a big ol’ goody two shoes, but I’ve recently realized that I am the target audience for both shows, and, really, just about all of MTV’s reality programming.

Why, you ask (as your coworkers stare at you, because why the hell are you talking to a computer screen)? Because the purpose of MTV’s reality shows is not to give you a glimpse into the lives of others (as it is in … well, all right, that’s the stated goal of most reality shows, even though it rarely happens that way). Nope, MTV’s reality shows are for one reason and one reason alone: to make you feel better about your life.

Click to continue reading Why MTV Reality Shows Make Us Feel Good

Aniston and Cox Arquette Together Again

Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Drama, Prime Time, Cable, FX, Ratings, Rumors,

Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox Arquette We reported last week that there was a rumor that Jennifer Aniston might appear on Courtney Cox Arquette’s series, Dirt. The rumor has now been confirmed, with more details about which episode and the character Aniston will play. This appearance will mark Aniston’s first return to television since wrapping Friends in 2004. This time around, she will play rival magazine editor Tina Harrod. The exchange between her and Lucy Spiller should be fun—and good to see Aniston return to her roots. Aniston will appear in the season finale of Dirt, airing on March 27th on FX. Hmmm, sounds like there will be a bump in ratings with these two sharing the small screen again.

Mark Burnett Takes on MTV Movie Awards

Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Award Shows, Music, Prime Time, Cable, Apprentice, The - Donald, Rock Star, Survivor,

Because there’s nothing that Mark Burnett can’t handle—he will now be taking control of the MTV Movie Awards as executive producer. Now, we can’t expect any Burnett production to be without twists. But what can he do to an awards show? Make the nominees compete in elaborate challenges? Send the award losers to exile island? Have Donald Trump fire someone? Well, he can’t do too much to the awards, but he is changing things up a bit by televising the MTV Movie Awards live for the first time. Burnett won’t be altering much of anything, and the kooky categories and movie parodies that fans enjoy will stay put. He does plan to include some “bombshell moments” to make the broadcast more interesting. MTV president Christina Norman says in a statement, “Mark has great ideas and vision for the Movie Awards, and I know he’s going to bring some fresh energy to the show.” The MTV Movie Awards will air on June 3rd.

Bravo to Air Taxicab Confessions

Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Reality, Bravo, Cable, HBO, Cable/Satellite,

Bravo logo Remember Taxicab Confessions? If you’re not familiar with it, it’s like the equivalent of getting toasted at the local bar and spilling your indiscretions to the bartender. Only it’s in a cab and a hidden camera catches the whole thing. Taxicab Confessions originated on HBO in 1995 and was a long-running, Emmy winning series for the cable network. Bravo will begin airing three new episodes on Friday, December 29th. Then on New Year’s Eve, they will be showing a marathon. “Taxicab Confessions was ground-breaking as one of the original reality series,” according to Bravo’s Executive Vice President of Programming and Production, Frances Berwick. “This award-winning show was raw, moving and shocking while at the same time poignant in its portrayal of urban lifestyles.” No telling what the censors will do with the series, however. HBO allowed explicit comments to air, but not sure that Bravo (home of Project Runway and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy) will let that fly.

FX’s ‘30 Days’ Gets a Third Season

Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Prime Time, Reality, Cable, FX, Cable/Satellite,

FX has really introduced some great shows, and 30 Days is no exception. 30 Days is brought to you by Morgan Spurlock, whose documentary Super Size Me opened a lot of eyes about the perils of fast food through his own 30 day experiment. In the same vein as that movie, participants of 30 Days are put in a situation outside of their comfort zone for a month. Spurlock himself has participated in one experiment in each season of the show, and expects to do it for the show’s third go around. In season one, he lived on a minimum wage for 30 days and experienced the hardships that many people don’t realize accompanies minimum wage earnings. The second season place Spurlock in jail for 30 days. His series is definitely eye opening for both the participants and the viewers. The third season of 30 Days will air in the spring, although the specifics about the premiere are not yet known.

Showtime’s ‘Manchild’ Adds Kevin Smith

Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Prime Time, Cable, Cable/Satellite,

The Showtime pilot, Manchild, looks like it’s shaping up to be a decent little comedy. I reported last week that the pilot was in the works and that John Corbett (Northern Exposure, Sex in the City, Lucky) was cast as a former Deadhead trying to get his work and social life on track. The show is based on a BBC series, about a group of four guys who are each experiencing their midlife crises in different ways. The latest news is that director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma) will also be joining the cast—playing a bitter divorced guy who is hatin’ on his ex-wife and her new husband. Oh, and he can’t stand himself either. Can’t you just see Smith delivering all the hate and self-loathing? The cast is rounded out by British actor James Purefoy (Rome, Vanity Fair, Resident Evil and A Knight’s Tale) and Paul Hipp.

Weeds on MSN Video

Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Drama, Cable, Showtime, Internet,

Come and get it—MSN Video has the first episode of this season’s Weeds. The Showtime show, starring Mary-Louise Parker, has become a critical darling and Golden Globe winner. The season premiere aired on Monday and now the complete episode can be seen for free on MSN Video. Good news for sad little folk like myself who don’t have Showtime and don’t have access to cool shows like Weeds. Mary-Louise Parker stars as a suburban mom who makes her living selling marijuana. Truly a series concept that has not been done before, and with Parker, you can’t go wrong. So, while I was excited that I could view the first episode in its entirety, sadly, there are no future plans to stream additional full-length episodes. See—that’s how they get you hooked—give you a little and leave you wanting for more. Instead, the site will show short clips from the series and that’s it. So what’s a girl without Showtime going to do to get her fix? Add Showtime to my cable lineup? More likely I’ll just wait for the show to come out on DVD.

Showtime Renews Weeds For Second Season

Posted by Christopher Stone Categories: Comedy, Prime Time, Cable, Showtime,

Watching a Weeds rerun on Showtime Friday night, I was reminded that the Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins series is one of the smartest half hours on television. From it’s contagious opening theme song, “Little Boxes,” to its dark, offbeat characters, and skewed situations. Weeds is always worthwhile.

The series is a filmed comedy noir about the dirty secrets just beneath the squeaky-clean tract facade of fictional, suburban Agrestic, California. Parker plays a widow and mom who peddles pot to Agrestic in order to maintain her family’s lifestyle. Earlier this year, she won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Comedy. Even so, Weeds’ first season played to a small, if devoted, audience.

Three cheers to Showtime for not taking the Weed Whacker to the award-winning, critically popular series. Au contrare, the network has ordered a 12-episode second season. Now in production, Weeds’ devotees can see fresh episodes this summer.

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