I need a quick break from fall TV preview hell, where I'm attempting to write a few thousand words about a new season where I've seen very few of the new shows, so it's time for a bit of link-blogging, after the jump...• Rich Heldenfels has decided to take his own crack at revisiting a vintage series, albeit one that ain't as deep as "The Wire" or "Freaks and Geeks." He's going through the first season of "Beverly Hills 90210," as we're less than a month away from the new version. So far, he's hit the pilot and episode two (the first with Sideshow Luke Perry).
• Robert John Licuria, whom I first "met" back in my Usenet days on rec.arts.tv, is running an Emmy Watch site, and just posted an interview with Glynn Turman, who was so amazing playing Blair Underwood's dad in a pair of "In Treatment" episodes.
(Turman-related digression: Bill Lawrence and Zach Braff said they were so obsessed with his "In Treatment" performance that Bill built a whole "Scrubs" episode around him, a quasi-sequel to "My Old Lady." Can't wait for that one.)
• Couple of House Next Door links: First, Andrew Johnston's excellent review of the latest episode of "Mad Men," where he goes into much greater depth on my point about the lessons Matt Weiner learned from David Chase. Second, Jeremiah Kipp's review of the latest "Generation Kill," which Jeremiah has been very consistent in disliking throughout its run. The comments raise an interesting question, and one I occasionally grapple with: when you've committed to blog-reviewing an ongoing TV project (as opposed to a one-shot movie, or just reviewing the pilot episode of something), what do you do when you get several episodes in and clearly don't like it? I only keep writing about shows I dislike on very rare occasions ("Studio 60," which was a fascinating disaster; or "Grey's Anatomy," which always has just enough good moments to make me keep hoping it's turned the corner), but I'm also a one-man band here and can add or drop shows as I please.
I just want to say that when you mentioned the blog with the 90210 retrospective, I involuntarily exclaimed, "Oh, sweet!" here at my desk. I'm glad no one heard me, because I really don't want to explain why I was excited to anyone around here. I swear, I like good shows too, but 90210 premiered when I was a high school freshman so it's like a televised time capsule now.
ReplyDeleteWhen do you think the networks will actually start sending out screeners? Some of the premieres are only a few weeks away.
ReplyDelete@annie: I hear ya. But I'm taking a pass on this relaunch.
ReplyDeleteWho's the blond boy not named Ian Ziering behind Jenny Garth? I don't remember him or his character. Is that a pilot photo and he didn't make the cut? (BTW, nice mom jeans, Brenda! I just don't remember jeans being that high-waisted. Quintessential early '90s that photo, though.)
He was David Silver's friend in freshman year when they were both dorks that stalked Kelly. Then Brian Austin Green got "cooler" and so the blond kid got into cowboy hats and shot guns and accidentally shot himself in the second season.
ReplyDeleteHe was David's best friend. I forget his name, but in the beginning of the second season he accidentally shoots himself, largely because David is now hanging out with the older kids, and he has begun wearing a cowboy hat...
ReplyDeleteI remember them making a big deal out of advertising that one of the characters was going to die that episode, and when it turned out to be that kid, who hadn't appeared at all the second season and was no longer in the opening credits, it was one of the biggest hosejobs in my (admittedly limited) TV viewing life.
The character was Scott Scanlon and the actor was Douglas Emerson. I actually saw Luke Perry on Conan O'Brien a few years ago and for some reason they were discussing the plotline where that character accidentally shot himself. Luke Perry said he'd heard that he got out of the business not long after that and (ironically) owned a ranch or something now.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow. Thanks, everybody. I totally forgot about him and that. We used to joke that he didn't kill himself, it only seemed like that when he popped up on The Real World: Los Angeles (as Jon).
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think the Kipp situation is one where it would have been better to drop it. I imagine the people who go looking for recaps and reviews of a show like that (i.e. not for everyone, but not snarkworthy) do so, by and large, because they like it. I appreciate his opinion and intelligent writing, but the main issue seems to be that he just isn't connecting with the series. Which is fine, but it doesn't make for a particularly engaging read, week after week, and I can't imagine there's much joy in writing it, either.
ReplyDeleteAlan, the links for the 90210 reviews/recaps don't seem to be working for me. Can you check the links?
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Grunt, they're working fine for me, but if you're still having trouble, just go to Rich's main blog page.
ReplyDeleteThey have to being Steve Sanders back. Can you think of a better 40 yr old for that show? They can do so much with that character.
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere that Ian Ziering thought reprising the role of Steve Sanders would be a step down for him. Because Dancing with the Stars is so prestigious.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, Steve Sanders would be a compelling tragic character because you know he would be on his fifth wife and have a serious coke habit.
I remember the ep where "that kid" shot himself. Thanks for affirming that his character's name was Scott. (that's all I could remember. and that he was at someone's house. not sure whose. but not Brenda and Brandon's)
ReplyDeletebtw, I also watched Shannen's previous show - Our House, with the "delightful" Wilford Brimley, Deirdre Hall, that kid from St Elsewhere, and the little girl that I've never seen anywhere again. Wonder what ever happened to "Molly"...
(and I was about 30 when 90210 came on, but I watched it for a season or two, till the "all for one and one for all" wore off and Theissen came along.)
It's reassuring you still find a little value in Grey's - speaking of which: any clue what Marti Noxon's doing since she left Private Practice (to "pursue other projects"?
I can just see her on Grey's thinking "finally, a show I can't ruin!" (after she left a trail of Whedons and Trachtenbergs over on Brothers and Sisters) and then getting put over onto PP.
and yeah, I know about Dr Horrible (that really *was* her - she was much prettier than she was on the Buffy Musical) but I mean, aside from that.