WORD
colloquial [kuh–loh-kwee-uhl] adj. 1. characteristic of or appropriate to ordinary or familiar conversation rather than formal speech or writing; informal 2. involving or using conversation
BIRTHDAY
Hans von Bülow (1830), Frank Nelson Doubleday (1862), Larry Storch (1923), Soupy Sales (1926), Elvis Presley (1935), Bob Eubanks (1938), Graham Chapman (1941), Robby Krieger (1946), David Bowie (1947), Mike Reno (1955), Paul Hester (1959), R. Kelly (1967), Ami Dolenz (1969), Sean Paul (1973)
STANDPOINT
As I type this, I’m watching a TNT promo for Southland. Last year, NBC dropped the cop drama before it even debuted. TNT scooped it up and will start running the series, in its entirety, this Tuesday. (TNT is waiting to see how the ratings go for the seven episodes NBC aired plus six never-before-seen ones before deciding to order a new season.)
As I’ve felt in the past, I’m currently confounded why some quality shows get the boot and other crappy shows (According To Jim, The Real World, Judge Judy, JAG) seem to run on forever. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me since quality entertainment seems to be a notion no one concern themselves with.
It got me thinking about some other shows that were inexplicably dropped before their time. The following is a list of my favorite shows abandoned too soon.
- Firefly (2002) – (Nathan Fillion, Summer Glau) The Joss Whedon sci-fi series was seemingly loved by many. Except for FOX, which canceled the show after the first season. Internet rage is still burning bright, despite the network’s attempt to ease the angry mob with Serenity, a full length movie featuring the entire original cast.
- Sports Night (1998-2000) – (Josh Charles, Peter Krause) The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin created one of the smartest sitcoms ever. ABC ran it for two seasons before pulling the plug.
- Grounded For Life (2001-2005) – (Donal Logue, Kevin Corrigan) Easily on my top-five list of most clever sitcoms. FOX ran it for two years, then The WB for two more. Then it was over. And the laughter came to a halt.
- Arrested Development (2003-2006) – (Jason Bateman, Michael Cera) In what was probably the biggest affront to television viewers in the history of the world, FOX dropped was most likely the smartest show of its time. To this day, no one can really say why.
- The Unusuals (2009) – (Jeremy Renner, Adam Goldberg) I’m pretty much alone on this one, I think. I loved this show. But ABC didn’t. Ten episodes and then done.
QUOTATION
The National Rifle Association says that, “Guns don’t kill people, uh, people do.” But I think, I think the gun helps. You know? I think it helps. I just think just standing there going, “Bang!” That’s not going to kill too many people, is it? → Eddie Izzard
TUNE
There’s not a ton of information out there on Seattle-based band The Pale Pacific (formerly The Pale). I came upon the 2005 release Urgency a while back and it became one of my favorite “half albums” – those containing an equal amount of both good and so-so songs. (I’ve got a lot of those, by the way.) One of the better songs is “Identity Theft.” Give it a listen.
GALLIMAUFRY
→ I’m not so naive to think all of this wintry weather going on is proof-positive that global warming is hogwash. But -50° wind chills in the Midwest don’t exactly help Al Gore’s cause.
→ Someone needs to be in a world of hurt to attempt to stab themselves to death. That’s exactly what Howard Stern’s sidekick, Artie Lange, did. Nine times. Long bouts of depression and numerous episodes of drug abuse apparently led him to it. Here’s hoping the guy can find some kind of peace and shake loose of his demons.
→ The other day, I reported that Vampire Weekend and Spoon were releasing albums next Tuesday. I lied. Vampire Weekend is releasing Contra next week, but Spoon’s Transference won’t come out until two weeks later. In any case, should be a good couple of months coming up for new music with Ben Kweller, Eels, Beach House, David Bowie, Midlake, Hot Chip, Peter Gabriel, Field Music, Jason Falkner, Shout Out Louds, Rogue Wave, The Whigs, Aloha, Frightened Rabbit, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Morning Benders and White Stripes all poised with fresh material.
