It's Time For a Wedding

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably been surrounded by constant news coverage surrounding the upcoming  royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Every channel or news station has specials about the royal family, the history of the British monarchy, or even speculation of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. 

The royal wedding, which is this Friday, April 29^th, is expected to have over two billion people watching the event. Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding pales in comparison, with only 750 million people watching that special day. 

So, if you plan on watching the most talked about event, you better set your alarm clocks! The wedding should start around 11 a.m. at Westminster Abbey.  Which means for those of us on the East Coast of the U.S will be getting coverage at around 4 or 5 a.m.! 

So here’s a list of news, history, and coverage of the royal wedding: 

ABC - Thursday, “20/20” 8 p.m., A Special Edition of 20/20: The Royal Wedding: A Modern Fairytale -- Reports from Westminster Abbey and New York.  Friday, 4 a.m.: The network's coverage will continue into "Good Morning America." Barbara Walters will anchor a two-hour "20/20" at 9 p.m. that recaps the wedding.

CBS, 4:39 a.m.: Katie Couric anchors live coverage and the 8 p.m. Friday special "The Royal Wedding: Modern Majesty.

NBC, 4 a.m.: The "Today" morning team, along with "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams, will report from London. Ann Curry hosts a two-hour "Dateline NBC" at 9 p.m. Friday that will show highlights of the wedding.

CNN, Friday 4 a.m.: Piers Morgan and Anderson Cooper will anchor their nightly programs from London. A documentary on Catherine Middleton will be anchored by Soledad O’Brien and Richard Quest. 

E! Entertainment, Friday 4 a.m.: Giuliana Rancic hosts "Live from the Royal Wedding" coverage along with Dermot O'Leary. "Will and Kate: Road to the Alter," hosted by Ryan Seacrest, airs at 9 p.m. followed by "Fashion Police: Royal Wedding."

MSNBC, Thursday 8 p.m., “Royal Invitation”: A look into the fairytale wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

TLC, Thursday 8 p.m., “The Making of a Royal Wedding”: Amazing choreography, logistics and details go into the preparations for the wedding of the century, that of Prince William and his bride. 

BBC America, Thursday 10 p.m., “William & Kate: A Fairytale Romance: The private lives of the young royal couple. 

(The trailer for Lifetime's movie about the royal couple)

What to watch this week:

CSI -Thurs 9/8c, CBS

Grey;'s Anatomy - Thurs 9/8c, ABC

Real Housewives of NYC - Thurs 10/9c, Bravo

CSI: NY - Fri 9/8c - CBS

Blue Bloods - Fri 10/9c - CBS

Fashion Police - Fri 10/9c - E!

Family Guy - Sun 9/8c - Fox

 

Reality Show Alert: Mob Wives

Adding to the list of new reality shows is Mob Wives, which premiered this past Sunday on VH1. 

For those of you who missed it, the show follows around several women from Staten Island, who are married or related to men serving jail time for mob-related crimes. 

The cast includes Karen Gravano, who is the daughter of Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, the mobster who took down John Gotti. There is also Renee Graziano, Carla Facciolo, and Drite D’Avanzo, who all have family members serving jail time. 

If you thought Jersey Shore and the Real Housewives of New Jersey was a bad stereotype of Italian Americans, wait till you see Mob Wives!  It seems like New York’s most hated borough will have even more of a reason to be hated. 

While the show is completely outrageous and trashy, it is like a car accident… you just can’t look away. According to an article from EW.com, “This floridly funny, vicariously vicious reality series exerts a vulgar charm. It’s like watching a cross between The Sopranos and The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” 

It airs Sunday’s at 8/7c on VH1. 

What To Watch This Week:

 Bones - Thurs, 9/8c Fox

30 Rock - Thurs 10/9c NBC

Supernatural- Fri 9/8c CW 

Fringe - Fri 9/8c, Fox 

Camelot - Fri 10/9c - Starz

The Event - Mon 9/8c NBC

Glee - Tues 8/7c FOX

The Battle of the Reality Shows

Besides the new spring lineup for sitcoms and miniseries, there are also several new and upcoming reality shows you can all add to your list of guilty pleasures.

First there was Laguna Beach, then The Hills, and then The City (which was incredibly boring).  Now it seems the reality stars of MTV can’t stay away from the spotlight.  Audrina Patridge will now have her own show on VH1, surprisingly called Audrina. It will premiere April 17, at 9 p.m.  The reality star is leaving behind her Dancing with the Stars roots and her Hills fame for life back in Orange County. The show will feature her family, including her mother and father and her three siblings.  Now being a big fan of Lauren Conrad, Audrina has a lot to live up to and let’s pray Justin Bobby isn’t involved! 

Also, my favorite Real Housewives of New Jersey star, Dina Manzo, is returning to TV with her new show on HGTV.  After controversy and fights with fellow Housewives star, Danielle Staub, Manzo left the show to get away from the conflict. Her new show will focus on her party-planning business, Design Affairs.  The show is currently untitled but plans to air in September. 

Lastly, Toni Braxton is trying to restart her career with a new reality show about her life and family. Toni Braxton, a Grammy-winning R&B singer, has had a tough past including a divorce, bankruptcy, and several health issues.  She hopes the show will help bring her and her sisters back into the spotlight. The show will be called “Braxton Family Values” and will be aired on WE on Tuesday nights. 

So, with all these different reality shows around which ones do you plan on watching?!  

What to watch this week:

Modern Family - Wed 9/8c, ABC

Criminal Minds - Wed 9/8c, CBS

Bones - Thursday 9/8c, FOX

Real Housewives of NY - Thurs 10/9c, Bravo

Fringe - Fri 9/8c, Fox

Camelot - Fri 10/9c - Starz

The Pope v King Arthur ...

If you read my previous post about new shows airing this spring, then you already know about two shows that aired this past week, The Borgias and Camelot.

 Now, I admit that aside from my obsession with any type of mobster/cop related dramas, like Law and Order: SVU or even my favorite movie, Goodfellas, my next biggest obsession is historical or period dramas (lame I know, must be the English major in me!).  I’ve watched Rome, The Tudors, Spartacus, Boardwalk Empire and many more and I’ve liked them all. So, you can imagine my delight that this spring there are even more period dramas to add to my list. 

The show Camelot, which premiered April 1^st on Starz, is an adaptation on the Arthurian legends and tells the story of a young Arthur being shaped into a King.  So far the show has caught my attention and I hope it stays like that.  The story line is okay but it is early so there is always room for improvement and the acting is better than I thought it would be.  Eva Green is amazing as Morgan, Arthur’s half sister fighting for her place at the throne. One minute you think she is crazy and insane and the next minute you feel an inkling of sympathy. However, I am still up in the air about the casting choice of Arthur, who is played by Jamie Campbell Bower. I guess I’ll have to wait and see.  

Also, The Borgias, which premiered April 3^rd on Showtime, is a drama about the crimes and scandals of Pope Alexander VI and his family.  Compared to Camelot, this show is probably my favorite one and some may agree since The Borgias had the highest ratings on Showtime in seven years.  The actors and cast are very good, having Jeremy Irons play Pope Alexander IV and David Oakes as one of his sons; who happened to be in another favorite period drama of mine, The Pillars of the Earth. The show captures crimes and scandals in the Renaissance and includes sex, violence, and betrayal all involving the Vatican – what gets more interesting than that?! I expect I’ll be adding this show to list of favorites and I hope you do too! 

If you missed The Borgias, you can watch it on Showtime and if missed Camelot you can catch up on Starz.

 

What to watch this week:
NCIS  - Tues, 8/7c CBS
The Good Wife - Tues, 10/9c CBS
Teen Mom 2 - Tues, 10/9c MTV
Off the Map - Wed 10/9c ABC
Real World - Wed 10/9 MTV
Bones - Thurs, 9/8c FOX

Spring Shows

While many of our favorite shows are airing their season finales or are going on hiatus for a while, we can all look forward to some new shows for the spring. 

Body of Proof is a new show on ABC about a neurosurgeon who becomes a medical examiner after a car accident ruins her career.  The actress played by Dana Delany, solves the crimes by “reading the bodies.” It airs Thursday on ABC.  

There are also several period miniseries hitting the airwaves this coming season. Showtime will air their new show The Borgias on April 3^rd. The series is based on the Italian Borgia dynasty, a crime family in 1492 Italy.  

 Camelot is a new series on Starz, which premieres April 1. It is a take on a young King Arthur and Guinevere.

The Game of Thrones airs on April 17^th on HBO and takes on the medieval fantasy series based on the novels of George R.R. Martin. You can expect to find a lot of knights, kings, and swords in this new series!

Mildred Pierce is a novel based on James Cain’s novel about a recently divorced mother struggling to keep her family afloat during the Great Depression. The cast includes Oscar winner Kate Winslet, Evan Rachel Wood, recent Oscar winner Melissa Leo, and Guy Pearce. It will air March 27^th on HBO.

Lastly, despite controversy and being dropped from the History channel, The Kennedys, will air April 3 and run until April 10.  The eight hour mini-series will chronicle the lives of America’s royal family and show the triumphs and tragedies they suffered.  The cast includes Greg Kinnear as John F. Kennedy and Katie Holmes as Jacqueline Kennedy.  It will now be aired on ReelzChannel. 

So, what shows are you most excited about?! Are there any other shows or sitcoms coming out this spring that you have to watch?! 


What to watch this week:
Criminal Minds - Wed 9/8c, CBS
American Idol - Wed 8/7c, Fox
Grey's Anatomy - Thurs 9/8c, ABC (Musical Episode!!)
The Mentalist - Thurs 10/9c, CBS
CSI:NY - Fri 9/8c - CBS
Anderson Cooper 360 - Fri 10/9c, CNN

Pretty Little Liars

The season finale of Pretty Little Liars left many, including myself, wanting to scream and/ or throw my remote at the TV screen. While the episode answered some questions, it left the audience asking even more!


So, Is Ian really dead?  What's with the creepy cop? Whose "A"? And, how many times are they gonna make Spencer have a near death experience?!

Thankfully, we don't have to wait long to find out, the second season will air June 14th!

If you haven't seen Pretty Little Liars yet, you can catch up on episodes on Hulu before the summer premiere!

Updates : Spartacus and True Blood

As the Starz prequel Spartacus: Gods of the Arena comes to a climatic end many are wondering what’s next for the miniseries.  The show wrapped up its six-episode run, which includes Batiatus seeking revenge and looking for world champion gladiators. Thankfully, fans including myself can look forward to the premiere of season 2 of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which should be out later this year. 

 

The second season will have some new faces and changes to the show but there will also be some familiar ones.  Unfortunately, Andy Whitfield, who played Spartacus on the show, will not be able to return after his ongoing cancer battle returned; the title role is now recast to be played by Liam McIntyre.  Lucy Lawless, or more commonly known as “Xena”, seemingly comes back from the dead as the ever cunning Lucretia. 

 Click here for more information on the characters that plan on returning! Also, here is an article on the Gods of the Arena finale and the plans for season 2. 

In the meantime, Starz will be airing a new original series, Camelot.  

 

 Other exciting news includes HBOs teasers for the upcoming fourth season of True Blood!  

   (Waiting does suck!) 

Tvguide.com has a list of some of the upcoming spoilers for the new season.  Also, here is an article on the cast at the PaleyFest 2011 and more information on the upcoming season!

Love Drunk for Glee

Only Glee can target a sensitive subject like underage drinking and make it witty and entertaining.  As McKinley High School celebrated Alcohol Awareness Week, the students and faculty were left up to their own vices.

Rachel’s decides to loosen up a bit and throw a party after her dads go away on a Rosie O’Donnell cruise. Initially the party is a bust, in till Puck breaks into her parent’s liquor cabinet. Then all drunken hell breaks loose, including a game of spin the bottle, unrealistically amazing karaoke, and a list of the different drunks according to Finn, (which happen to be accurate!). 

After Rachel had a drunken kiss with Blaine, there was confusion over their feelings for each other and Blaine’s sexual orientation, which was quickly resolved by the end of the episode. And not only did the student’s get into trouble but Mr. Schuster and Coach Bestie landed themselves a wild night at a country bar, which included bull riding and shots. Their night ended with Mr. Schuster attempting to grade papers intoxicated, “A+ for you and you, I don’t even know who you are, A+!”  And leaving an incredibly embarrassing voicemail to who he thinks is Emma.  However, he soon learns that he left it to Sue, who plays it on the loud speaker for the entire school to hear.  (Drunken dialing is definitely a lesson audiences can relate too!)

 The show definitely had some memorable jokes and of course some amazing songs and dance numbers.  The New Directions did their own versions of “Blame It on the Alcohol” and a cringe worthy performance of “Tik Tok”, by singer, who Principal Figgins calls “Ke Dollar Sign Ha.”

 (I kinda like this more then the original)

The episode “Blame It on the Alcohol” was definitely amusing in a way that can only be done by the cast of Glee. The show had me laughing throughout the entire episode!  It was one of the better episodes the show has had in a while; it included a lot of snappy and witty dialogue and some relatable moments *cough*.

So, what did you guys think? Hate it Love it? Do you think it was too controversial or not enough?

And that’s what you missed on GLEE!

What to watch:
Pretty Little Liars - Monday, 8/7c, ABC Family
Bethenny Ever After - Monday, 10/9c, Bravo'
White Collar - Tuesday, 10/9c, USA - Season Finale
Bones - Thursday, 9/8c, Fox 
CSI: NY - Friday, 9/8c, CBS

To Stay or To Go!

 This year’s season is half way through, making many people wonder how their favorite shows are doing so far. Entertainment Weekly created a list of the top 50 shows on TV so far.  Click here if you want to see if your show made the list! 

 

Image Credit: Michael Becker/Fox; Bob D'Amico/ABC; Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images; Greg Gayne/CBS

  According to ET, American Idol has the highest ratings on TV right now, along with NFL Sunday Football.  The list also includes some personal favorites, such as Grey’s, Hawaii 5-0, Bones, and House. Sadly, some of my other shows made it onto the list of the bottom 50, which thankfully are not cancelled …. yet! Some shows that have low ratings include The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, and CSI: NY, and Gossip Girl. However, the lowest of the low was One Tree Hill, which has been a favorite for cancellation for a few years now.  It went from being a show I always watched to one that I sometimes forget is still on! 

                So check out this TV Survival Scorecard if you want to know about the future of  your favorite shows and sitcoms! What shows do you want to stay or to go?! 

What to watch:

83rd Academy Awards - Sunday, 8:30, ABC

CSI Miami - Sun, 10/9c, CBS

Pretty Little Liars - Mon, 8/7c, ABCFAM

Gossip Girl - Mon, 9/8c, CW

Fashion Police - Mon, 10/9c, E! 

One Tree Hill - Tues, 8/7c, CW

The Good Wife - Tues, 10/9c, CBS 

Double the Minds, Double the Crimes...

   

CBS loves spinoffs! The network already has a few, which include three different CSI shows and two NCIS’s.  So it would make perfect sense that they decided another one of their hit series needed a spinoff.  Last week CBS premiered the new show, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, which aired Wednesday night right after the original Criminal Minds.

The spinoff drama, almost identical to the original, revolves around a new group of FBI profilers who solve violent and gruesome cases.  One of the only differences in the show is the cast, which includes some pretty impressive actors. The Academy Award- winner Forest Whitaker plays Special Agent Sam Cooper, who is in charge of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. His team also includes Janeane Garofalo, Michael Kelly, and Beau Garrett. Kirsten Vangsness, who plays Penelope Garcia in the original series, will make appearances in both shows as the computer technician for the FBI.

                While the reviews have been mixed so far, the new series managed to get a large audience to tune in. According to Tvguide.com the premiere rounded up 12.9 million viewers and was one of the largest audiences the network has had during that time slot in over a year.  I admit that I love any type of cop/killer drama, so I definitely watched the new spinoff.  While the new series didn’t excite me as much as I hoped and the story line was a little cliché, I’m not completely writing it off.  The new cast takes getting used to and it always takes a while for a show to get into the groove of things.  I’ll give it a few more tries before I make my final judgment!  In the mean time let’s see if it can keep up with the success of CBS’s other hit spinoffs. 

 Here’s a clip of what to expect this season on Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior

 If you missed last week's episode you can watch it here! 

What to watch this week:

Glee - Tues, 8/7c, Fox
The Real Housewives of Miami - Tues, 10/9c,  Bravo 
Pier's Morgan Tonight - Wed, 9/8c, CNN
Criminal Minds & Suspect Behavior - Wed, 9/8c, CBS
Law and Order: SVU - Wed, 10/9c, NBC
The Office - Thurs, 9/8c, NBC
Grey's Anatomy - Thurs, 9/8c, ABC 
Jersey Shore - Thurs, 10/9c, MTV
Spartacus - Fri, 9/8c, Starz