Do you like 'midseason finales'?

Today's EW.com poll was on mid-season finales. (I voted 'yes', as you can see.) Funny thing is, I was just thinking of this last night as I watched the Once Upon a Time mid-season finale. 

At first, I thought it was just to build hype. To get people to watch. To build some sort of suspense. It's just a ploy on behalf of the network. It doesn't mean anything except to draw us in. (And, for the record, that 'no' choice was winning this poll with 64% when I voted.)

But then I got to thinking about the old debacle of Lost  and the season that showed a new episode and then a couple repeats and then another new episode and how much it SUCKED. And how the next year, when they announced that they would show consecutive sets of episodes, but with a HUGE break in between, people were horrified. (people = me, in this case)

Then I got to thinking about one of my all-time favorite episodes of Lost - the 3rd season's 'I Do.' The episode was to serve as a 'mini series finale' before the break, ending with the cliffhanger of Jack yelling, 'Kate, damn it, run!' over his walkie, mid-surgery on Ben. 

I'm not saying Lost is the first show to have a mid season finale..... but it's the first one I remember. And Lost is one of the first shows I recall showing two blocks of episodes with a long break in between. 

Nowadays, that's the norm for most longer series (not cable shows like Mad Men, Justified, Boardwalk Empire, etc that usually only have 12-episode seasons to begin with). Premiere in the fall, break for the holidays and come back in the spring. 

The key there is 'come back' - shows need to do something to get  fans excited enough to come back after months of waiting. It isn't just the network labeling the show a 'mid-season finale'. It isn't just the network adding suspense with that title in the commercials. It's the episode itself. IT needs to be suspenseful. It needs to draw people in and get their attention. 

In fact, I bet that if you watch a bunch of older series on DVD, you wouldn't be able to pinpoint a mid-season climax, but with most new series, you would. 

Once Upon a Time's Mid-Season Finale

A couple of thoughts on Once Upon a Time's mid-season finale from last night....

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched it yet....

#1 I thought we could stop following Aurora and Mulan now? I mean... they have NOTHING to do with the main plot or anyone in Storybrooke. What do we care if they can save Phillip?

#2 and speaking of Phillip.... what's the plan here? Both ladies are in love with him (although, I'm questioning their love for each other. It's weird.), so what will they do when he wakes up? Will they be sister wives?

#3 Why did Hook fight so hard for the compass if he knew he had that bean and that Cora had the rejuvenating water? I wish it had taken them more than 3 seconds to put two-and-two together. 

#4 I was getting the impression that Regina failed to stop the whole killing storm thing? She seemed shocked when they made it through. I'm confused. 

#5 So Gold had the ink all along and could have escaped his cell? And he pretty much orchestrated this whole curse nonsense? Why? I don't get it. It makes sense now, looking back, but at the time of his imprisonment, wouldn't he have wanted to resurrect Belle (did he not assist Regina in trying to revive her love? Why wouldn't he do the same for his? Even though unbeknownst to him she wasn't really dead... Why wouldn't he go after Hook? I'm just saying, ole Rumps had a lot of enemies and vengeance to be sought. Why sit around in a cell? Continuity....

#6 On the other hand, I guess that explains why he and Regina seemed to be the only ones not impacted by the 'forgetting' part of the curse. Maybe you had to know it was coming to overcome it?

#7 Anyone else feel bad for Regina at the end? I kind of liked her and Henry's relationship that was developing. 

#8 Looks like Emma is getting a new jacket when the show comes back! RIP Ugly red leather!

GIRLS Season 2 Trailer

YES.

Carrie Underwood is not Maria Von Trapp

Let me start by saying I have nothing against Carrie Underwood. Even though I'm not a country fan, I think she's an excellent singer.

But she is no Maria Von Trapp.

For one, she's too pretty. Julie Andrews is pretty, yes. But she had this plain jane, girl next door quality that Carrie just doesn't have (anymore. Maybe when she started on Idol she had it... but now she's gone glam). I know Hollywood have really ugged up some pretty people - Charlize Theron in Monster, Mariah in Precious - but I just don't know if you can make Carrie look... simple.

And she can't act. People have a big problem with the fact that she is not in range as the original Maria, but I don't know anything about that kind of stuff. My problem is her (lack of) acting skills. Take this performance of 'The Hills Are Alive' for example,
 
Stunning, sure. But lifeless. She is just belting out the lyrics. She does not look like she is on a Broadway stage. She does not look like she understands the meaning behind her words. She's just saying singing them.

To play the part of Maria, you have to actually be able to play a part... not just sing the songs.

Who would be better?
For Maria, you need someone simple, with a bit of innocence. This is a women who, remember, joined a convent at a young age. Sure, she's a free spirit... but you're comparing her to a bunch of nuns!

My vote would be for Anne Hathaway or Amanda Seyfried or even a Broadway up-an-comer. (And Hugh Jackman for Georg, obviously. Yes, I realizing I'm just recasting Les Mis. Whatever). Carrie can play the baroness or something.

Casting Changes Coming to The Mindy Project

"Amanda Setton, who portrays Shauna, the sexy receptionist, will be written out of the show entirely mid-season, and Anna Camp (Gwen), who recently starred in Pitch Perfect, is being bumped from series regular to recurring, a rep for Fox confirmed to EW in news first reported by TVLine."

via EW.com

I can do without Shauna (except wait - what about her crush on Danny? I was really looking forward to exploring that more!), but I really really like Gwen.

First of all - she was on True Blood. And that's awesome. But more so, she might possibly the voice of reason, the most realistic character on The Mindy Project.

Mindy is a great twentysomething character. I see so much of myself and my friends in her. She's crazy, single, boy-obsessed, career-obsessed. We've all got a little of that in us.

But we've also all got a Gwen. 

A best friend that (seemingly) has got it all together. She's the married one. The one with kids. And a nice house straight out of West Elm or C&B. And she's got great hair. And great clothes. She probably does paleo or crossfit or something. She's the anti-'Mindy'... without being the opposition, like Danny.

I know Gwen isn't completely off the show - just moving from regular to recurring - but I'm hoping that's as far as it goes. We don't need another Up All Night situation.

Chevy Chase is leaving Community!

Rejoice!

In the beginning, Chase was the reason I wanted to watch Community. He's a comedic legend. I grew up with Clark Griswold. I love(d) him.

But Pierce's character has fallen flat for me, and Chevy's character off-screen could be (IMHO) to blame for Harmon's exit.

I'm happy to see him go (rumor is there is one more episode to shoot and he will not be in it), but how will they explain Pierce's exit? Recently, I came up with some ideas as to how to get Chevy Chase off of Community.

What's going to happen to Mockingbird Lane?

Question: Just caught Mockingbird Lane on Hulu and I must know what is next for the series! How were the ratings for this "Halloween Special?" Did it inspire any other networks to pick the show up? Or for NBC to at least make a mini-series out of it? I need more Bryan Fuller in my life, and two seasons of Pushing Daisies on DVD is not enough. — Danielle 

Matt Roush: No new news on this front that I'm aware of, which probably doesn't bode well for Mockingbird Lane's long-term future. The pre-Halloween showing of this "busted pilot" did OK by Friday standards and helped boost Grimm that night, but given the costs and risks involved in keeping the show going, I'd be surprised if NBC resurrects it at this point. (And forget anyone coming to the rescue; it's too pricey for Syfy, and one of the main reasons this revival happened in the first place is that The Munsters is an in-house Universal property.) But good news on the Bryan Fuller front: He's attached to Hannibal, which is still waiting for a midseason slot on NBC but is destined for better treatment than Mockingbird Lane ever got. 

Via TV Guide 

'Elementary' after the Super Bowl. Why I'm surprised and what I would have picked.

It was just announced that Elementary would air immediately following the Super Bowl on CBS. (See TV Guide breaking news)

While I really like Elementary, I'm surprised by this choice.

First of all, the show is kind of.... involved.... for the prized time slot. In recent years, it's been Glee, The Voice, The Office. All had punchy openings that got people's attentions right after the game. All are the type of show you can catch a scene, grab a beer, argue about the game, catch another scene, have a laugh, grab another beer, and so on.

The opening sequence of Elementary will be Holmes doing something weird, Lucy Liu asking him what he's doing and him getting a call from the NYPD to come check out a case. Riveting, huh? And you better not leave your TV because if you miss a scene, you're going to be confused.

Beyond that, the show is smart and has been a pretty big hit for CBS but it's the #2 new show on TV.... behind another CBS hit, Vegas.  

Why not air your #1 new show? You know, the one with freakin' Dennis Quaid? The one that has that fantastic 1960s Las Vegas scenery? An opening scene in a casino, with a mob shooting or explosion or something is sure to make more of an impact than Holmes and Watson in their dingy old house.

Better choices would have been....
Comedy - 2 Broke Girls, Big Bang Theory
Reality - Amazing Race, Undercover Boss or Survivor
Or a procedural with a little more punch - NCIS, Hawaii Five-O

Also - Do the networks like take turns every year or something? NBC, Fox, now CBS? I don't follow sports much, so does the contract for who gets to air these events go up for renewal every year?

Dexter, meet Sal Price.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about my disappointment in Louis Greene's death on Dexter. I really thought Louis was the intellectual adversary the show needed.

Last night introduced crime writer Sal Price. Will he just be another casualty? Or could this be the new Louis? (And if so, why the hell didn't you just keep the first Louis? Harrumph.)

As I see it, there are a few possible scenarios here (in order from most likely to least likely):

Most likely: Hannah kills Price because she knows he's writing about her. Then Deb is like "OMG Dexter! Hannah killed my BF and she's going to get away with it! You better kill her because she deserves it!" And then Dexter is like "Shit. I don't want to kill my new GF. Sad face."

Likely: Dexter kills Price because he sees that Price is writing about the Bay Harbor Butcher. Let's face it, Dex is not being as careful as he thinks. Quinn started to suspect him previously, and LaGuerta is getting close. Deb found that picture from the wedding. And Dex fudged the police report Price is using in his book. Rather suspicious, don't you think?

If this is the way it goes, I really hope it waits until next season. We've rarely had a chance to make a connection to characters before the are killed/written off (Case in point: Mike Anderson, Lumen, Anton, Lundy, Brother Sam etc).

Least likely (but it would be awesome): Price brings down Dexter with his book. After all, Dexter was inspired by books, right? I think this would actually be a cool end to the series next season.

Will Community still have holiday episodes?

Question: Community always has amazing Halloween and Christmas episodes, and if they'd premiered on October 19 (the actual date, not the state of mind), I assume they would have stuck with tradition and knocked it out of the park again. Any idea how far production runs on the series? Did they already film/write Halloween or Christmas episodes? What will happen to those now that the show isn't premiering until February? — Danielle 

 Matt Roush: I'm told Community has produced holiday-themed episodes for this season, covering Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it comes with the territory for this show to have "timeline" issues, so the expectation is that they'll all air at some point when Community returns, and we can just pretend the timing makes sense. At least we'll get to see them, and on Thursday nights no less, which already seems a small miracle, no matter how long the delay.

Look at me! My question in TV Guide!