FOX Scheduling Issues, December 2012

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Last Friday, news broke that FOX would not be airing their holiday episodes for Family Guy and American Dad in the wake of the school shooting in Newtown, CT. Rumors circulated about the gun violence contained in both "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" and "Minstrel Krampus," and the network chose to air reruns instead. Now, it seems that Family Guy's Christmas special will run after all, just a week later than originally planned. Look for the cartoon this Sunday, December 23rd, at 9pm ET/PT.

FOX

No word yet whether American Dad will air "Minstrel Krampus" this season or hold it over for the future. The amount of gun violence within has not been disclosed, though if you think back to "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls," the sixth season Christmas episode, it could be a LOT. That feature included massive amounts of gunfire by machine guns and assault rifles.

Check back for any updates.

Top 10 Television Democrats

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

With the 2012 Presidential Election upon us, I thought that it would be cool to take a look at some openly political television characters. Today we'll look at Democrats and tomorrow we'll look at Republicans. No special reason that we're doing one before the other.

all images pulled from wikis, except Family Ties from IMDB

10. Joe Quimby, The Simpsons. Mayor Quimby is largely portrayed as an animated collage of political Kennedys, with an accent, a passion for womanizing, and uses money to solve as much as possible.

9. Grace Adler, Will & Grace. She wastes no time in declaring her political affiliation - in the fifth episode, "Boo! Humbug," she says, "I'm a Democrat" when she has to take Harlin's children trick-or-treating and one is dressed as Richard Nixon!

8. Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan, Friends. Though the show never gets very political, it would be difficult to peg Phoebe as conservative! She's a vegetarian, respects the environment, loves all animals (even smelly cats and rat babies!), donates to the homeless, and is really a free spirit in many ways. She's a lover of peace, not a big fan of Western medicine, doesn't like mass-manufactured products, and generally doesn't worry about how others see her. One very liberal thing she does is after she gets married she legally changes her name to Princess Consuela Banana-Hammock for an episode! 

7. Hawkeye Pierce, M*A*S*H. Hawkeye was drafted and opposes the war, often disagreeing with everything the army stands for and disregarding their policies. In "Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde," he sends a telegram to President Truman, asking "Who's Responsible?" for the insanity taking place. Many seasons later, in "Give 'Em Hell, Hawkeye," he writes a letter to Truman, begging for him to stop the Korean war. He explains how dire the situation is and that the peace talks need to take place.

6. Christine Campbell, The New Adventures of Old Christine. For someone who is hardly motivated about anything, Christine founded her college's Democrats group. She doesn't talk about her political beliefs specifically all that much, though in the early season 4 episode "White Like Me," she does point out to Richard that she's a Democrat (and also says that's why she won't take alimony). She also drives a Prius, liberally drinks wine, and marries a woman for a short period of time, if you want to further stereotype a character who thoroughly stereotypes throughout the series.

5. Winnie Cooper, The Wonder Years. Winnie genuinely cares about stopping the war, as it took away her brother far too early. So, she works for the McGovern campaign in 1972 ("Politics as Usual" in season six), and is genuinely sad that there are folks who won't take a leaflet about a guy who wants to end war, poverty, and pollution. She is swept up in wanting to see change in the world, and even meets the Senator, who loses by a landslide. The local head honcho, Mike, depresses Winnie further when he says that McGovern never stood a chance, and Kevin says their political views were forever changed that night. 

4. Dorothy Zbornak, The Golden Girls. Though she never comes out and says it, Dorothy is implied to be a Democrat - she supported both Mondale and Dukakis and planned to "tell off" George H. W. Bush about the educational system's flaws. Dorothy also believes in female independence and allowing immigrants to stay in the country as long as they're productive members of society.

3. Rory & Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls. In "Dear Emily and Richard," Lorelai thinks back to being pregnant with Rory, when she planned to register as a Democrat because it's so far from her parents' ideals. Multiple times throughout the series, Rory and Lorelai talk about their liberal thinking, solidified toward the end of the series as Rory goes to work as a reporter on Obama's campaign. 

2. Brian Griffin, Family Guy. A supporter of Dennis Kucinich, this dog is anti-religion, hates George W. Bush, served in the Peace Corps, believes that marijuana should be legalized, and supports gay marriage. He considers himself an intellectual (attended Brown University and all) who thinks global warming is man-made, yet he drives a Prius. Surprisingly, he did vote for John McCain.

1. Steven & Elyse Keaton on Family Ties. This show depended on the liberalism of the Keaton parents being contrasted with the conservatism of their children (except maybe Jennifer). They married young, joined the Peace Corps, had their first child, THEN went to college at Berkeley, when they had their second child. They often speak of protesting, Elyse is a hardcore, independent feminist, and Steven works in public television. Imagine his cries as Mitt Romney tries to assassinate Big Bird!


Honorable Mentions include Brian and Joe Hackett from Wings, Mary Richards from Mary Tyler Moore, Lindsey Weir from Freaks and Geeks, Eric Camden from 7th Heaven, and Shirley Feeney from Laverne & Shirley. Am I missing anyone?

What Happened to Animation Domination?

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

FOX was supposed to run all new episodes tonight for The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show. But, because the NLCS required a Game #6 this year, all of those planned episodes have gotten pushed back so that the Giants can play the Cardinals at 7pm ET/4pm PT on FOX. Don't get excited about next week, either, as the upcoming World Series and a two-hour X-Factor special means most of Animation Domination will not air new episodes until November 11th, though The Cleveland Show will air November 4th.

What You're Missing Because the Giants Made a Comeback:

"Menace II Secret Society" is the second episode of the 4th season of The Cleveland Show. Cleveland decides to confront Kenny West about not sharing credit over a song that made him famous, "Be-Cleve in Yourself."

"Adventures in Baby-Getting" is the third episode in the 24th episode of The Simpsons. You may have seen previews for this highly-promoted episode, in which Marge wants to consider adding a fourth child to the family.

"The Old Man and the Big 'C'" is the third episode in the 11th season of Family Guy. Stewie and Brian discover that Lois's dad's company can cure cancer but has been keeping that classified in order to profit.

"Bob Fires the Kids" is the third episode of the 3rd season of Bob's Burgers. Bob feels bad that he's taking up all of the kids' vacation time, so he fires them... but they're so bored that they become "weed pickers" for a local farm.

"Can I Be Frank With You?" is the third episode of the 8th season of American Dad. Francine worries that she and Stan are growing apart while Steve and friends do a "boy band" music video.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Also, most shows are not airing new episodes tomorrow night, either, because of the Presidential Debate at 9pm ET.

Comic-Con is Coming!

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

So, last year I went to Comic-Con with my friend, Kelly. She isn't going to be able to make it this year, but my husband is coming with me, so it should be even more fun. I've been trying to make it clear just how crazy the whole thing is (you know, getting up at 6am to wait in line for three hours, etc.), so we'll see how I did when we return! He's figuring out his plans right now, but I, of course, started working that out as soon as each day's schedule was released. Speaking of which, last year I posted my dream schedule a few days before the epic weekend and thought that I would do the same again this year. Though, I must admit, of last year's schedule, what I actually did kinda looked like:
Thursday: Completely different except I did make it to the LGBTX: Queer X-Men panel.
Friday: yes to Falling Skies, maybe to G4's anime panel, and yes to NCIS: LA.
Saturday: made it through the first half of the day perfectly, bailed after American Dad to do non-panel stuff, caught the Masquerade in an overflow room.
Sunday: made it to Jim Henson, The Simpsons, and Snoopy.

So, here's what I have in mind at the moment for this year (not including time spent on the floor and stuff) ... and, yes, I know it's impossible:

Thursday:
2:15-3:15pm: USA Network's Psych
Psych returns to Comic-Con for a fourth consecutive year, with a fan-focused event that will invite the audience to be not just viewers, but active participants. Psych-O fans can look forward to a hilarious and uncensored experience with the creative team behind the hottest fake psychic detective agency on TV. Psych stars James Roday (Shawn Spencer), Dulé Hill (Burton "Gus" Guster), Maggie Lawson (Juliet O'Hara), Tim Omundson (Carlton Lassiter), Kirsten Nelson (Chief Karen Vick), and Corbin Bernsen (Henry Spencer), along with Psych producers Steve Franks (creator/executive producer), Kelly Kulchak (executive producer), and Chris Henze (executive producer) will dedicate the afternoon to answering fan questions and interacting with the audience, sharing secrets & stories from the set in this "chat" with 4,250 of their closest fans. Attendees will see video clips produced exclusively for Comic-Con, a never-before-seen "first look" at the Season 7 episodes currently in production, and a taste of Psych's milestone 100th episode, "100 CLUEs".

4:40-5:45pm: Behind-the-Scenes Look at CBS' Elementary
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced the world to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson over 120 years ago. This fall on CBS, the dynamic duo gets a modern-day makeover cracking cases in contemporary New York City. Brilliant investigator Sherlock, played by Jonny Lee Miller (Dexter), is a recent rehab graduate paired with his worst nightmare: sober coach Joan Watson, played by Lucy Liu (Charlie's Angels). Together, Sherlock's unique detective skills and Watson's medical expertise make a formidable force capable of solving the NYPD's most impossible cases. Be the first to see an exclusive sneak peek at the new television series, followed by a panel discussion with series stars Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu and executive producers Robert Doherty and Carl Beverly, moderated by Entertainment Weekly assistant managing editor Dalton Ross.

6-7:15pm: Showtime's Dexter
The gasps from last season's finale can still be heard among Dexter fans as their worst fears were realized, Dexter got caught and by none other than Deb! What will he do? What will she do? What's next for America's Favorite Serial Killer? If the suspense is killing you, don't miss this incredible panel, where you'll be the first to see the Comic-Con exclusive first two minutes of the season premiere. Moderator Ralph Garman (KROQ Entertainment reporter) presides over a revealing interview and Q&A session with the stars and executive producers of Dexter. Featured panelists include series star/executive producer Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), and special guest star Yvonne Strahovski (Hanna). Also appearing are executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Scott Buck, and Manny Coto. Plus Dexter fans will be the first to see the world premiere trailer of one of the hottest series on television, Homeland, presented by executive producers Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa. The new season of Dexter premieres September 30, at 9pm ET/PT only on Showtime.

*I'm also toying with the idea of donating blood in the morning. It would take some time away from the floor but still get me out in time to get in line for Psych. I may wait to hear what Jonathan has planned for the morning before signing up for that. Otherwise, I may try to hit it Sunday morning.

Friday:
10-11am: Hasbro: My Little Pony Friendship is Magic 
Panelists from Hasbro Studios and The HUB TV Network's My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic share details of the making of the animated series and how the "friendship" and "magic" are brought to life. Fans won't want to miss it! Also includes Q&A time.

12:05-1:05pm: Big Bang Theory Screening and Q&A
Boldly go Big Bang Theory! For the first time ever in Hall H, the mega-popular TV series returns to Comic-Con for a special screening and a lively discussion. Will Howard ("Froot Loops") Wolowitz return from space? Where do things stand with Penny and Leonard? And will unscheduled handholding affect "The Relationship Agreement"? From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8/7c on CBS. The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 11.

2:45-3:45pm: Game of Thrones Panel and Q&A
Based on the bestselling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, HBO's Game of Thrones series concluded its 10-episode second season on June 3. Created and executive produced by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, the series follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power in a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime. Season 2 of the hit series told an epic story of duplicity and treachery, nobility and honor, conquest and triumph, set in an enthralling world of intrigue, seduction, and magic. Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, production of season 2 also took place in Croatia and Iceland. Some of the cast featured in the second season and appearing on this panel are (in alphabetical order) Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark, Kit Harington as Jon Snow, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, and Richard Madden as Robb Stark. George R. R. Martin, who also serves as a co-executive producer and writer on the series, moderates with executive producer Carolyn Strauss.

4:30pm-5:30pm: Falling Skies Panel & Clips
Continuing the fight against alien invaders, TNT's Falling Skies follows a band of human survivors on their quest to outrun and outwit the powerful alien force that invaded Earth. Join stars Noah Wyle (ER), Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation), Will Patton (Armageddon), Drew Roy (Secretariat), Collin Cunningham (Living in Your Car), Sarah Carter (The Vow), and Connor Jessup (The Saddle Club), executive producer Greg Beeman, and show runner Remi Aubuchon (Caprica), with Q&A hosted by Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Big Bang Theory). Watch never-before-seen clips and be treated to an in-depth discussion on Falling Skies season 2.

7pm-8pm: Serialized Shows that Ended Too Soon
You saw every episode, you followed every storyline, you hoped against hope that they'd get another season...and they didn't. What would have happened if the show had kept going? Hear writer/producers Andrew Chambliss (Once Upon a Time), Scott M. Gimple (The Walking Dead), Ian Goldberg (Once Upon a Time), Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost), and Jose Molina (The Vampire Diaries) talk about the stories that weren't to be on such shows as Dollhouse, FlashForward, Firefly, and The Middleman.

8-9pm: Aquabats!
Hey Aquabats fans! The band of five heroes out to save the world from boredom -- Ricky Fitness, Jimmy the Robot, Crash McLarson, EagleBones Falconhawk, The M.C. Bat Commander and directors Jason Devilliers and Matt Chapman -- plan to arrive at Comic-Con 2012 ready for battle! Fans can anticipate a special guest moderator and meet the stars of The Hub TV Network's new hit series. Grab your goggles and join the legions of fans for a gnarly time with the awesomest superhero, rock music band ever to hit San Diego!

9-10pm: Worst Cartoons Ever!
Presented by ASIFA-Hollywood, animation historian Jerry Beck (Cartoon Brew) returns with an all-new program of some of the worst cartoons ever made, including the Phys Ed superhero Mighty Mr. Titan, space cadet Johnny Cypher, and some of those 1960s Marvel Super Heroes cartoons. Have a ball with the best/bad animation ever!

*Alternatively, I'm considering buying tickets for the Sonic Boom 2012 event that starts at 5pm over at House of Blues. Honestly, I'm not sure why it isn't sold-out yet, LoL. But if I get into Falling Skies, I'm not leaving early. I also don't know how late the party goes and if there's in/out privileges (doubtful), so we'll see...

Saturday:
11-11:45am: Once Upon a Time Magic is coming! Moderator William Keck (TV Guide Magazine senior editor and columnist) takes you to Storybrooke, where a curse placed on its fairytale inhabitants by the Evil Queen has been broken and reality and myth have merged. It's a place where magic is about to be introduced, but with it comes its own set of consequences. Co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis (Lost, Tron: Legacy) and Adam Horowitz (Lost, Tron: Legacy), along with Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love), Jennifer Morrison (House), Lana Parrilla (24), Josh Dallas (Thor), Emilie de Ravin (Lost), and Meghan Ory (Vampire High) engage in a Q&A about their hit TV series.

12-12:45pm: Futurama
Futurama cannot be killed! Join the cast and crew of the Emmy-award-winning series for world premiere footage of the all-new season on Comedy Central. Plus: Wear your Futurama-themed costume for the chance to win slightly valuable prizes! Scheduled panelists include creator/executive producer Matt Groening, executive producer David X. Cohen, and stars Billy West (Fry, Zoidberg, Professor Farnsworth, Zapp Brannigan), Katey Sagal (Leela), John DiMaggio (Bender), and Maurice LaMarche (Kif Kroker, Calculon, Morbo).

12:45-1:30pm: The Simpsons
Now entering its 24th season, The Simpsons is a living animation legend. Join moderator David Mirkin, creator Matt Groening, executive producer Al Jean, supervising producer Mike Anderson, and the voice of Lisa Simpson, Yeardley Smith, for a lengthy look at the upcoming Treehouse of Horror, a sneak (2D) peek at Simpsons theatrical short The Longest Daycare, and much, much more (okay, 45 minutes' worth).

1:45-2:30pm: Family Guy
Seth MacFarlane, Alex Bornstein, Mila Kunis (Black Swan, Book of Eli), Seth Green (Robot Chicken), Mike Henry, and showrunners Mark Hentemann and Steve Callaghan offer a sneak peek at Family Guy's funniest scenes from the upcoming new season, followed by a freakin' sweet Q&A with the audience.

2:30-3:15pm: American Dad
An exclusive preview of next season's most hilarious moments, followed by a panel conversation with the cast and producers of American Dad featuring Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal, Scott Grimes, Rachael MacFarlane, Dee Bradley Baker, Mike Barker, and Matt Weitzman.

3:30-4:30pm: Disney Channel TV Animation
See exclusive footage and clips from upcoming episodes of Disney Channel's award-winning series Fish Hooks and its newest mystery adventure series Gravity Falls, plus a sneak peek at the upcoming series Wander Over Yonder. Panelists include Fish Hooks creator Noah Z. Jones (Almost Naked Animals) and executive producer Maxwell Atoms (The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy), Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch (Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack), voice talent from both series, and Wander Over Yonder creator Craig McCracken (Powerpuff Girls, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends) and co-producer Lauren Faust (My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic). Moderated by Eric Coleman, senior vice president, original series, Disney Television Animation.

5:15- 6:30 6pm: Person of Interest Screening and Q&A
The smash hit Person of Interest returns to San Diego! Join series stars Jim Caviezel (The Thin Red Line), Michael Emerson (Lost), Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and Kevin Chapman (Rescue Me), along with executive producers Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight) and Greg Plageman (Cold Case), for a Q&A and special video presentation highlighting the most-watched new series of the 2011-12 television season-and a sneak peek at what's to come in season 2. Person of Interest is a crime thriller about a presumed dead former CIA agent, Reese (Caviezel), who teams up with a mysterious billionaire, Finch (Emerson), to prevent violent crimes. Aided by "The Machine" -- and opposed by ruthless criminals, corrupt cops, and shadowy elements within the government -- the team works with NYPD detectives Carter (Henson) and Fusco (Chapman) to stop crimes before they happen. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Person of Interest airs Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS.

7:15-8:15pm: MythbustersA Comic-Con fan favorite, MythBusters is back with their traditional Saturday evening panel. Adam Savage, Jamie Hyneman, Tory Belleci, Grant Imahara, and Kari Byron talk about their recent exploits and upcoming fall Mythbuster-y goodness!

8:30-11:30pm: Masquerade
Fabulous original and re-created costumes crafted by our talented attendees will be showcased on stage before an audience of thousands, with impressive awards and cash prizes bestowed to those judged most outstanding. The MCs will once again be writers/artists Phil Foglio and Kaja Foglio of Studio Foglio.

*because my husband isn't enthralled with costumes like I am, I might decide to bypass the Masquerade and hit up a party or off-site event instead.

Sunday:
10-11am: Fringe Screening and Q&A
Fringe returns to Comic-Con for its farewell panel to celebrate its fifth and final season. Series stars Anna Torv (The Pacific), Josh Jackson (Dawson's Creek), Lance Reddick (Lost), Blair Brown (Altered States), Jasika Nicole (Take the Lead), and John Noble (The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King), along with executive producer J. H. Wyman (Keen Eddie), offer a Q&A with fans and an exclusive video presentation. Don't miss the discussion about the climactic conclusion of this critically acclaimed thriller. From Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Fringe airs Fridays at 9/8c on FOX. Fringe: The Complete Fourth Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 4.

11:15-12:15pm: Supernatural Screening and Q&A
Series stars Jared Padalecki (Friday the 13th [2009]) and Jensen Ackles (My Bloody Valentine 3D), recurring guest stars Misha Collins (Ringer), Jim Beaver (Justified), and Mark A. Sheppard (Battlestar Galactica), executive producer Jeremy Carver (U.S. version of Being Human), and consulting producer Ben Edlund (The Tick) return to Hall H to answer questions from the audience about what's in store for the eighth season of this thrill-ride series. Fans will also see an exclusive video presentation featuring series highlights, as well as a portion of the special features from the upcoming Supernatural: The Complete Seventh Season DVD and Blu-ray release, in stores September 18. The eighth season of Supernatural will premiere in October on its new night, Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW. The series is produced by Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television.

12:30-1:30pm: Dr. Who
The Doctor and the Ponds land in San Diego. BBC America's Doctor Who stars Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, and Arthur Darvill join award-winning lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat (Sherlock) and award-winning executive producer Caroline Skinner (The Fades) for a Comic-Con panel and Q&A. As fans eagerly await the new season's premiere, BBC America is making sure Steven Moffat brings new footage to reveal on the big screens in Hall H. Ahead of the new season, BBC America will premiere new Doctor Who specials-The Science of Doctor Who, The Women of Doctor Who, The Timey-Wimey Stuff of Doctor Who, and The Destinations of Doctor Who-as part of the Supernatural Saturday programming block starting Saturday, August 4 at 9pm/8c. For those new to Who, the previous two seasons from Steven Moffat are available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download.

1:45-2:45pm: The Cleveland Show
See the world premiere screening of "Menace II Secret Society," the season 4 premiere episode of The Cleveland Show, featuring unbelievable guest voices followed by a Q&A with panelists Seth MacFarlane, Mike Henry, Kevin Michael Richardson (Thundercats, Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Transformers Prime), Reagan Gomez, and Rich Appel.

2:45-3:45pm: Sons of Anarchy
Get an inside look into the world of FX's highest-rated series ever, with creator Kurt Sutter (The Shield) and stars Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Ron Perlman, Maggie Siff, Kim Coates, Mark Boone Junior, Tommy Flanagan, Theo Rossi, Ryan Hurst, and Dayton Callie.

4-5pm: Harry Potter Fandom in 2012
Seven books from J. K. Rowling -- or ten, depending on how you count -- plus hundreds of thousands of fanfics. Eight studio movies -- plus dozens of popular fanfilms, musicals, and songs. One theme park -- but soon there'll be three or more! An international museum exhibition -- and piles of fan-made shirts, crafts, fanart, CDs and DVDs. An encyclopedic website -- and fancons, fan-made wikis, and history courses on the impact of the Harry Potter fandom. We'll look back at 15 years of Harry Potter fandom and try to predict -- better than Trelawney! -- where we go from here.

*I kinda imagine that all of the hardcore Dr. Who folks will sit through the morning programs, so I might skip Fringe and Supernatural (and Dr. Who) and hit the floor again in the morning, then head over for the afternoon parts of the plan. [or donate blood if I haven't yet.] 

Was it Canceled?

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

When I was a kid, I didn't understand much of why a show was canceled or renewed. I generally thought that the writers had no more stories for a specific set of characters, and that's why so many series finales were big, all-out episodes. The randomness of Michelle's amnesia on Full House comes to mind. Later, I thought that they ended shows when the characters got past the age that the show was designed to portray - like when the Saved by the Bell gang graduated from high school. That made perfect sense to me, especially because Saved by the Bell: The College Years was a completely separate show, as was Good Morning, Miss Bliss, when Zack, Screech, and Lisa were in middle school. When I got to high school, however, I started to learn (the hard way, of course), that it wasn't so much to do with the writers or the characters - it was the ratings. Somewhere around 1998 I began to "try out" new shows, as opposed to catching ones that were already established and joining the crowd. I loved a show I've written about before, which was so forgettable that nobody has ever been able to tell me what it was called... I suspect it lasted about five episodes, and was about teenagers going to high school while pursuing Olympic dreams. In 1999 I thought that Get Real was an awesome show, and I became a fan of Anne Hathaway even before The Princess Diaries. It lasted a single season. Just like last year's Better with You. A lot of shows don't last that long, though... 10-13 episodes are all they get, like Miami Medical, Sons of Tucson, and The Goode Family.

But, the time has come and the hammer is down... the majority of the 2011-2012 shows on the broadcast networks have now been renewed. We knew that the time was coming, what with the network up-fronts this coming week, but the vast majority of renewals and cancellations have already been announced, so here ya go. Hope you're not too upset! After the announcements I'll post a few thoughts.

First, the cancellations. Because, otherwise, you'll just scroll down to read those first anyway. I know you. :)

NBC really has the boatload of cancellations. Chuck is the only show that "just ended" while they have also pulled The Playboy Club, Free Agents, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever, The Firm, Harry's Law, Prime Suspect, and Are You There, Chelsea?. If you haven't heard of some of them, you're not alone. Many are blaming poor marketing and bad timeslot placement for several of these shows failing, particularly Bent.

From ABC, many of these were already known, but they've canceled Charlie's Angels, Man Up, Pan Am, Work It, Missing, GCB, and The River. Desperate Housewives has ended as well.

FOX has canceled Allen Gregory, Terra Nova, Breaking In, Alcatraz, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, and The Finder. They've also pulled the plug on House. They have not yet announced the futures for Napoleon Dynamite or Bob's Burgers.

CBS is holding onto the announcements for seven of their shows (including both CSI spin-offs and Two and a Half Men), so stay tuned for more on those, but they've actually canceled A Gifted Man and How to be a Gentleman.

If you care about the CW, they've canceled The Secret Circle and Ringer, and One Tree Hill is also finally ending. An announcement is pending for The LA Complex.


Now, onto the renewals!
On NBC, you'll see more of 30 Rock, Whitney, Up All Night, Smash, The Office, Grimm, Community, Parenthood, Parks & Recreation, and Law and Order: SVU.

ABC will bring you more Modern Family, The Middle, Suburgatory, Once Upon a Time, Last Man Standing, Grey's Anatomy, Castle, Body of Proof, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, Happy Endings, Private Practice, Revenge, and Scandal. Cougar Town has not been canceled, but you'll have to have TBS to watch new episodes next season.

FOX has decided to renew Bones, Glee, Fringe, New Girl, Raising Hope, Touch, American Dad, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, and The Simpsons.

Over on CBS, look forward to more NCIS, NCIS: LA, CSI, How I Met Your Mother, 2 Broke Girls, Mike & Molly, The Big Bang Theory, Criminal Minds, Person of Interest, Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, The Good Wife, and The Mentalist.

And, if you're a CW person, have fun with additonal 90210, Gossip Girl, Hart of Dixie, Nikita, Supernatural, and The Vampire Diaries.


Now, some thoughts...
None of the announced cancellations truly upset me this year. Perhaps if ABC would have officially canceled Pan Am a few months ago I would have cared more, but I've made my peace with it by this point. I'm a tad bummed that Terra Nova won't see the light of day again, but I didn't think it would get renewed so I wasn't crossing my fingers there. Alcatraz's cancellation does bum me out a bit, and I was hoping for an eleventh-hour renewal, but I can handle it going away, too. I'm downright thrilled that GCB is off the air and I'll wave goodbye as House finishes up in a few weeks. I do think that Bent deserved more of a chance, but it's too late now, anyway. I hope you're able to make your peace with the future of your favorite show (and hang in there, folks banking on one of the remaining few to be saved!), but we're going to have a lot to look forward to with the rest of the new pick-ups coming this week!

FOX 25th Anniversary Special

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Up until earlier this year, I didn't know that I was older than FOX. I knew it was younger than ABC, CBS, and NBC, but I didn't realize just how new the network is! So, imagine my amazement when I thought about the fact that The Simpsons is almost as old as the network! I was even more intrigued when I heard a couple of weeks ago that they'd be re-airing the pilot from Married with Children, their first primetime series. I never liked that show (nothing changed this time around, either), but a whole new dimension is added when you think about it being such an early program for FOX. Actually, the special got me thinking about all sorts of things that set apart FOX from the other networks - some of which are rather remarkable, really. So, I'll use those to direct the bullet points of this article. Agree, disagree, think completely different things stood out? Let us know in the comments!

CR: Sony Pictures Television

- Using animated characters to fill the tables at an awards dinner. It was kinda funny overall, but there were little things that made this a success. The kids table, the blurred-out faces of criminals on COPS, Stewie's questioning of how you can be a fan of an entire corporation... great lines. Of course, the dropping of names got a little old, and the whole "if they wanted us to be nicer, they probably shouldn't have canceled us twice," was expected, but it made for a nice intro and cut-ins throughout.

- Spending a chunk of time looking at FOX's primetime animated series was good, as I've often argued that it's weird for a major network to devote so much time to the Animation Domination, but this gave some background on the risks that FOX took in starting that trend, and building upon it over the years. And, Primetime Comedy Series Emmy nomination or not, why would you review politically incorrect Family Guy before flagship The Simpsons? A quick compilation of some of the celebrity voices was fun, though including Kelsey Grammer to talk about his recurring role of Sideshow Bob was a bit odd.

- In the past, I've thought about COPS being such an early reality show, but hadn't considered the implications it really created in that field. When you consider some of the other reality junk that FOX has done (Shocking Behavior Caught on Tape, Celebrity Boxing, and When Animals Attack,for instance), it really just makes you think about how they paved the way for people to post that stuff on the internet!

- I also appreciated how they made fund of themselves multiple times. Not just the standard "we're FOX, not FOX News" line, but listing off some of their unsuccessful series and even showing a few screenshots from them (I had only learned that Top of the Heap existed a couple days earlier, so that split-second with Matthew LeBlanc caught my eye!) was fun. And, let's not forget the animated versions of the former network presidents! Why don't more networks try this? It certainly works for FOX... they've been doing it since Married with Children, and have included it in everything from Family Guy and The Simpsons to X-Files.

- Hello, Sci-Fi! I remember how big The X-Files was when I was younger, and knew that it was a big step in launching science fiction television series, but hadn't thought about how hard FOX pushed for that to work. Too bad they didn't say more about Firefly, eh? I think the stand-out moment in this area was when David Duchovny said, "when I catch the show on TV now it's like watching home movies."

- Another area where FOX apparently tried really hard? Matchmaking. I hadn't realized that Who wants to Marry a Millionaire?, Married by America, Mr. Personality, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance, AND Joe Millionaire were all FOX shows! Yikes!

- Reuniting the cast of Married with Children for the first time in fifteen years was a really important thing to do - yes, it gives off the impression that you're good to work for, as people who were there in the beginning still help you out, but it also gave a little sense of family, and I was sad that they weren't able to bring back more casts in this way. Why couldn't we have had more Beverly Hills, 90210 folks? We all know that Shannen Doherty takes whatever she can get on TV anymore, nobody's thought about Gabrielle Carteris in years, and nobody wants Ian Ziering, but what was with Jason Priestly being the only hottie to appear? And, speaking of which, why did we completely ignore the second HALF of that series? The only clip I saw in there that was post-Andrea's baby was the one with Val contemplating suicide. It also seemed that maybe too much time went into earlier parts of the special, as the partial cast of That 70s Show only had a minute or two.

CR: Beth Dubber / FOX

- I was a little disappointed with the lack of attention paid to the currently-running programs on the network. A little Bones here, a mention of Fringe there... we got a little background on House (Hugh Laurie's right - that program probably wouldn't have lasted so long with another network) and more than one shameless plug for New Girl, but that was pretty much it. And, I gotta say, the junk about "New Girl - she's not moving. That's right, she'll be Tuesday nights at 9 for a long time," was a bit eerie, don't you think?

- While I don't mind Ryan Seacrest being the host of the special, I thought that there was entirely too much time spent on American Idol. I don't care that it's been such a break-out and inspired so many other reality competition series (from So You Think You Can Dance to Hell's Kitchen), we didn't need to see clips from EVERY season, re-announce EVERY winner, catch a bunch of auditions, and hear the harsh criticism of Simon Cowell yet again. I'll admit, though, it was a throwback to see William Hung again!

- I think the biggest surprise of the night (for me) was learning that FOX introduced putting a score box on the screen during sports! I never understood the phrase "what's the score?" when you enter a room - why wouldn't you just look at the screen? Well, now I understand that this didn't exist pre-1994. Nice advancement!

- Given the previews and clips we kept seeing about In Living Color, I was expecting to see more about the "edgy, raw" show that began in 1990. And, I don't know that the point about it getting away with more then than they could now fits, exactly. No, the nation was not as stringent on political correctness twenty years ago, but there are other areas where they could do so much more now than they could have then, so it's really more of a toss-up.

- Regular readers know that I watch mainly comedies, but I've been attached to many a drama in the past (hence how I've seen every episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 at least twice, and the bulk of the series three times). The bits of Party of Five and The O.C. that were shown made me seriously consider going back to them - I was late learning about the former and gave up on the latter in the first season - they could be well worth the time. Luckily, I was also reminded of shows that I don't care about, like Melrose Place and The Simple Life.

CR: Sam Jones / FOX

December 22nd Holiday Recommendations

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

So.Many.Holiday.Specials.!! If you don't want to sift through our entire holiday schedule, we've got another issue of daily recommendations for Thursday, December 22nd below. As always, times are Eastern and Pacific to the best of our knowledge (except when noted otherwise), but it's always good to double-check with your own provider.


5:30am & 4:30pm (PT): Casper's First Christmas (Boomerang)
- I didn't realize that this special was separate from Casper's Haunted Christmas until this year. I set it to DVR because the description mentions that Yogi Bear & the gang celebrate Christmas with Casper, the Friendly Ghost. Sounds kinda wacky... almost like that time the Jetsons met the Flintstones, haha. I'm recommending it based solely on the synopsis, so it might not be any good. But, it might be great...

9am: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air "Deck the Halls" (TBS)
- Can you imagine having your house professionally decorated every holiday season? That's what has been going on for the entirety of Ashley's life. So, Will takes it upon himself to decorate festively, both inside the mansion and out. This backfires when the neighbors complain about the garish look, but at least Ashely gets to see what Christmas can be.

3pm: Little House on the Prairie "Christmas at Plum Creek" (Hallmark)
- You've got to be a bit of a sap to like this episode, as it is more of "love your family" type of message. Each member of the Ingalls household tries to bring in extra money so that they can buy one another gifts. Laura, being too young to work, sells her horse so that she could buy Ma a stove. Touching, selfless, and rather unbelievable.

8pm: Family Guy "A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas" (TBS)
- While it isn't my cup of tea, this episode, more affectionately known by some as "the Family Guy where Peter wants to watch Kiss Saves Santa," makes a lot of people laugh. Things go wrong pretty much right off the bat, as Peter accidentally gives away the family's presents. It only gets worse from there (including a fire in both the living room AND kitchen), and Lois ends up on a rampage, ruining Christmas by melting a Frosty the Snowman, killing a Goerge Bailey, and wrecking the town Christmas tree. Stewie, in an ironic twist of fate, brings her back to reality in the end.

9pm: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (ABCFamily)
- There's an animated opening. An extended family that arrives WAY TOO EARLY for Christmas. Clark getting locked in the attic while everyone else goes shopping. Cousin Eddie and family showing up unexpectedly. Over-lighting the house. Sledding way too quickly. A cat getting electrocuted. A kidnapping. And more. Go.

9pm: Everybody Loves Raymond "All I Want for Christmas" (TVLand)
- I really enjoy this episode because it's just funny. All Ray wants for Christmas is to have sex with Debra. They try hard to make the time, but of course his family interrupts. Multiple times. Once Frank is hip to what's going on, he tries to help the cause... but you can only imagine how funny that can be.

News Roundup: You Really Gotta Take a Look...

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

There has been a TON of news, what with the cancellations, the renewals, the pick-ups, and the talks of new pilots coming in the future. I have no doubt that this is the longest news roundup that TheTalkingBox has ever done, hence how I couldn't even pick a few things to headline the title! Anyway, hope you find something that interests you!


Renewals, Cancellations, & Scheduling:
Revenge and Suburgatory received the go-ahead for full 22-episode seasons. Happy Endings has gotten an order for six more episodes.

Hart of Dixie, Ringer, and Secret Circle all got full-season pick-ups as well.

NBC gave Harry's Law another six episodes, bringing the total up to 19. They did the same for Prime Suspect.

FX has picked up a fifth season of Sons of Anarchy.

MTV's Ridiculousness has received a second season.

Adult Swim picked up a second season of NTSF:SD:SUV, a 15-minue cop procedural parody.

Cinemax's Strike Back got renewed for a second season.

The Simpsons was renewed for seasons 24 and 25, but the cast had to agree to a pay cut to keep the show going.

So You Think You Can Dance was renewed for a ninth season, and the news went out on Twitter.

A&E renewed The Glades for a third season.

Haven was renewed for a third season.

Boardwalk Empire got renewed for a third season by HBO.

MasterChef was renewed for a third season by FOX.

The CW canceled H8R and will air repeats of The Ringer in that slot. [I think this was my favorite news this time around!]

ABC canceled Charlie's Angels.

NBC canceled Free Agents.

Memphis got canceled.

CBS canceled How to be a Gentleman, shortly after banishing it to a Saturday night slot.

Rules of Engagement now airs Thursdays at 8:30pm.

Fear Factor will be back December 12th. [NBC Entertainment Press Release]

Showtime released a bunch of premiere dates....House of Lies on January 8th, Shameless on January 8th, Californication on January 8th, From the Sky Down on October 29th, The Last Play at Shea on November 11th, Saint Misbehavin' the Wavy Gravy Movie on November 17th, and Thespians on November 10th.

CNBC's Best Jobs Ever will premiere Thursday, November 3rd. Some jobs that will be featured include Victoria's Secret photographer, Hollywood Stuntwoman, High-End Car Purveyor, and a Music Teacher. [CNBC Press Release]

CNBC's Pepsi Challenge will premiere Thursday, November 10th. This original documentary will give viewers a look at the food labs of the snack and beverage giant, and especially what they're doing to take a healthier approach in the future. [CNBC Press Release]

Cast & Plot Updates:
Abby found out she was adopted on NCIS! Oh, and she has a new brother.


Lily's father, Barney's mother and brother, and MARSHALL'S FATHER will appear in the October 24th episode of How I Met Your Mother. [Marshall's father died last year, if you forgot...]

Nick Jonas and Bernadette Peters will appear on Smash on NBC in the Spring.

Jaleel White will host a game show in SyFy, called Total Blackout.

Shows in Development & Other Fun Stuff:
Interested in A&E's Bag of Bones miniseries? The Stephen King thrilled now has some promos available.

A terminally ill man who has decided to be mummified now stars in a documentary.

McDonald's is launching an in-restaurant channel, which will feature local sports, movie previews, and human interest stories.

Seth MacFarlane, who has a ton of things going these days, thinks that Family Guy is near the end of its life cycle - "I think seven seasons is about the right lifespan for a TV series."

It's not finalized, but Downton Abbey will likely get a third season.

Is a screening of the Grimm pilot coming to a city near you?

Mandy Moore will be in an upcoming single-camera family comedy for ABC.

A television version of Zombieland may come to FOX.

It looks like there may be a Friday Night Lights movie.

Netflix is in talks to potentially bring back Reno 911!, which was canceled two years ago by Comedy Central. And, speaking of Netflix, they will be getting a bunch of shows for streaming, including The Walking Dead, Portlandia, The Increasinly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, My Fair Wedding, Bridezillas, Girls Whole Like Boys Who Like Boys, and Braxton Family Values. Netflix also struck a four-year deal with The CW to stream past seasons of The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, and Nikita. Supernatural and 90210 will be added in January as well, plus Ringer, Hart of Dixie, and The Secret Circle next fall... plus new shows not even yet aired. Oh, and one more thing about Netflix? They've decided to do away with the split in service (also known as Qwikster for DVDs and Netflix for streaming) and stay as one cohesive unit... for now.

2011 Creative Arts Emmy Award Winners

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Last night, on Reelz, the winners of the Creative Arts Primetime Emmys were announced. Today, let's see how I did, and how you might have done! I'll let you guys know in advance... as per my usual, I didn't do too well. Looks like I scored 14 / 61. Or, if I give myself half-credit on Outstanding Art Direction for a Multi-Camera Series and Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic), 15 / 61, which is still under 25%, LoL... Let's just hope I do better next week with the rest of the awards!

The categories are in the order in which I predicted them originally, and I've listed the winners, with my own thoughts after each category.

Outstanding Art Direction for a Multi-Camera Series
Hot in Cleveland "Sisterhood of the Traveling Spanx," "I Love Lucci: Part Two," & "LeBron Is Le Gone"
- Well, I mentioned that, although I ultimately chose the How I Met Your Mother submission, Hot in Cleveland was my second choice. So, I support the win.

Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"
- I mentioned that the detail in this show really made it stand apart here, and apparently I wasn't the only one who thought that way!

Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie
Mildred Pierce- I knew I wasn't really qualified to make an educated guess on this one, so it's pretty easy to see that my pick of Downton Abbey just didn't hold up.   

Outstanding Art Direction for Variety, Music or Nonfiction Programming
2010 MTV Video Music Awards
- A winner that I didn't see... they're bound to pop up all over the place. Apparently the art direction was better here than in Gettysburg, but I'm honestly still a little skeptical.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series
Two and a Half Men "Hookers, Hookers, Hookers" - Steve V. Silver, Director of Photography
- I knew there were some wonderful candidates, however betting on Rules of Engagement apparently wasn't the way to go.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series
Boardwalk Empire "Home" - Jonathan Freeman, Director of Photography
- I mentioned that all of the Boardwalk Empire nominees blended together for me... I guess "Home" just stood out more for some people. Regardless, The Good Wife was not a good pick.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie
Downton Abbey "Part 1" - David Katznelson, DFF, Director of Photography
- from my prediction: "there's something beautiful about Downton Abbey that I think gives it an edge here."

Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations "Haiti" - Zach Zamboni, Todd Liebler, Directors of Photography
- Maybe I was just too Gettysburg-happy in my choices...

Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming
Deadliest Catch "Redemption Day" - Cinematography Team
- This was one of the blind categories for me, so I can't say I'm all that surprised that something beat my Top Chef choice.

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
American Masters "John Muir in the New World" - Garth Neustafter
- It's generally not a safe move to choose an animated feature when a non-animation feature is up for the same award. So, Family Guy falls. Worse things have happened. 

Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
Mildred Pierce "Part 5" - Carter Burwell
- As brilliant and enriching as Sherlock: A Study in Pink was, Mildred Pierce apparently beat it in the eyes of others. 

Outstanding Music Direction
Harry Connick Jr., In Concert on Broadway (Great Performances) - Harry Connick Jr., Music Director

- Sad as it may be, I'm going to hide my poor selection of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards behind my original claim that "I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that I'm rather clueless in this category." 

Outstanding Original Music & Lyrics
Saturday Night Live "Host: Justin Timberlake" (Song: "Justin Timberlake Monologue") - Katreese Bares, Seth Meyers, Justin Timberlake, John Mulaney
- Well, it was Saturday Night Live. It was just Justin Timberlake as host rather than Jeff Bridges. 

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
The Borgias (Trevor Morris)
- Big fail for my Camelot. 

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series
So You Think You Can Dance "Season 7 Finale (Part 2)"

- Meh. I still can't stand any of the entries for this category, so I'm not upset that Conan didn't win.

Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special
53rd Annual Grammy Awards- Another loss on my part because I didn't actually see the nominee that won. The Grammys must have rocked, though, to beat the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.

Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
Glee
- Glee did have the advantage that they cast a LOT of people as guests on that show. So, no big pains that The Big C did not win.

Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire- I don't know. I had said that "this one is really difficult for me," but I really thought that Game of Thrones was a contender here. So this is probably one of the first times I'm a little stumped and saddened that my pick did not walk away victorious. 

Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or Special
Mildred Pierce- Again, I fail due to lack of knowledge. My selection of Too Big to Fail ended up not making the cut.

Outstanding Costumes for a Series
The Borgias "Lucrezia's Wedding" - Gabriella Pescucci, Costume Designer, Uliva Pizzetti, Costume Supervisor
- What did I say? "I'm not familiar with "Lucrazia's Wedding." So, of course it won. That's the way it goes. Sorry, "Anastasia."

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series
Mad Men "Christmas Comes But Once a Year"
- Here, again, a bit put off. I didn't even justify my vote for Game of Thrones because I felt like it was the clear winner. Apparently not.

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special
Dancing with the Stars "Episode 1106"
- Cheers to a win for me!

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Movie
The Kennedys- Two wins in a row! See, I think I know something about hairstyling! Game of Thrones SHOULD have won earlier, LoL!

Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)

Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"

- I had mentioned that I was between the pilot for Game of Thrones and the pilot for Boardwalk Empire, ultimately going with the former... while the latter walked away with the award. Tough call all around.

Outstanding Makeup for a Multi-camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
Saturday Night Live "Host: Jon Hamm"
- A winner that I didn't see. sigh. too bad, Dancing with the Stars.

Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special (Non-Prosthetic)
The Kennedys
- Once again, lack of knowledge trapped me with going Mildred Pierce instead.

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a SpecialThe Walking Dead "Days Gone Bye"
- I should have known. Dead things always have an advantage in these areas, LoL. Too bad, Game of Thrones, too bad.

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"
- I got it wrong (went with Dexter), but it doesn't faze me that something else won.

Outstanding Picture Editing for a Comedy Series (Single or Multi-Camera)
How I Met Your Mother "Subway Wars"
- I'm just going to keep my same remarks from before... "This is one where, if I'm wrong, it's because I really don't know what I'm doing. I think that the picture editing for How I Met Your Mother's "Subway Wars" was amazing." 

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or a Movie
Cinema Verite
-More near-blind, more bad guesses. This time, I brought down Mildred Pierce with me.

Outstanding Short-Form Picture Editing
The 2010 ESPY Awards "Images Piece"
- I didn't watch the ESPY Awards. I watched the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, but apparently they didn't measure up. 

Outstanding Picture Editing for a Special (Single or Multi-Camera)
Lady GaGa Presents The Monster Ball Tour - At Madison Square Garden
- a correct guess.

Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming
Freedom Riders
- another correct guess. I'm not doing all that bad with picture editing... LoL. 

Outstanding Picture Editing for Reality Programming
Deadliest Catch "Redemption Day"
- Of course I start to fall as soon as I begin to celebrate. No award for Project Runway this year.

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series

Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"

- well, I did say that I struggle with sound editing, so maybe my pick of The Walking Dead wasn't ideal. Oh well. 

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
The Pillars of the Earth "The Work of Angels"
- Again, I said Mildred Pierce, and it was wrong. 

Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-camera)
Gettysburg
- yay! one right for sound editing!
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)
House "Bombshells"
- I missed in sound mixing... guess I'm not surprised. Though I did think that Glee stood more of a chance.

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie
The Kennedys
- The Kennedys took it over my Mildred Pierce. I think I go too Mildred Pierce-happy, LoL.

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
Family Guy "Road to the North Pole"
- For some reason, this holiday episode of Family Guy is doing well... and I thought it was ridiculous. Sorry, Parks and Rec!

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special
American Idol "Finale"
- My hypothesis that The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards made the most sense here apparently didn't pan out.

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming
Deadliest Catch "Redemption Day"
- Clearly my angle at picking showing that have music didn't work... American Idol was trumped.

Outstanding Nonfiction Series
American Masters
- Well, I guess it's not that strange that American Masters would beat out Anthony Bourdain. 

Outstanding Nonfiction Special
Gettysburg
- I thought I was getting a little too focused on Gettysburg, but apparently not. I'm not sure why Jaws was my gut instinct, anyway.  

Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
Gasland by Josh Fox
- Boo for "A Letter to Elia / Reflecting on Kazan" not winning. I liked that American Masters piece!

Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
Futurama "Lrrreconciable Ndndifferences" - Maurice LaMarche
-called it!

Outstanding Animated Program
Futurama 
- It's not my favorite show, but I guess Futurama can top my South Park pick at times.

Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program
Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa
- It was a brilliant piece and I'm glad it won. Hopefully it will continue to be a highlight of the holidays in the future. 

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media

Oscar Digital Experience
- I was torn, but went with something that won, so that makes me happy. 

Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"
- You know, it seems that Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones are squaring off a lot this year, and I just keep going the wrong way.

Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special
Gettysburg
- guess I didn't put my foot in my mouth after all! (Reminder, this was what I predicted: "Gettysburg is such an obvious choice to me that I hardly feel the need to finish the list. [Yes, I realize I may have put my foot in my mouth...]").

Outstanding Stunt Coordination
Southland "Graduation Day" - PeeWee Piemonte, Stunt Coordinator
- And I failed miserably in this one. I didn't even have Southland in my top two. Too bad, I think there was some nice stunt work on Spartacus.

Outstanding Main Title Design
Game of Thrones
- Here I went the other way. I went Boardwalk Empire and it was Game of Thrones.

Outstanding Choreography - TIE!!
So You Think You Can Dance Routines: Alice in Mia-Land "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" - Mia Michaels, Choreographer
So You Think You Can Dance Routines: "Scars" - Tabitha D'umo, Napoleon D'umo, Choreographers
- I had a pretty good chance of losing, since I went with Dancing with the Stars when ALL of the other nominees were from So You Think You Can Dance. Oh well. It was interesting to see a tie, tho!

Outstanding Technical Direction Camerawork, Video Control for a Series
American Idol "Finale"
- Fail for SNL. That darn AI always getting in the way...

Outstanding Technical Direction Camerawork, Video Control for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special
Don Pasquale (Great Performances at the Met)- Here was another case where I didn't know what I was doing. Not upset that The Kennedy Center Honors lost. 

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special
The Kennedy Center Honors
- However I should have stuck with The Kennedy Center here, rather than Bette Midler. 

Outstanding Special Class Programs
64th Annual Tony Awards
- I thought that they deserved to win and they did. Yay!

Outstanding Special Class - Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs
The Daily Show Correspondents Explain
- Whoops. But I guess this isn't one of my skilled arenas. Sorry, 30 Rock!

Outstanding Children's Program
A Child's Garden of Poetry
- I wasn't thrilled with the nominees, and I'm not upset that Victorious lost.

Outstanding Children's Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Nick News with Linda Ellerbee "Under the Influence: Kids of Alcoholics"
- I've always thought that Nick News does a great job. I look forward to their 9/11 project as well.

The Creative Arts Primetime Emmys, Part 1

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

I find that one of the biggest problems with all of awards ceremonies that take place every year is that the nominees are announced really early. Now, I understand that this needs to happen in order for everyone to have enough time to familiarize themselves with the works and vote to the best of their ability. However, for us non-voters, it gives us SO MUCH TIME between when we find out who's in the running and when the winners are actually chosen. So, although the Emmy nominees have been available online for quite some time now, TheTalkingBox is just now dedicating some time to take a look at who might win, since we are in the camp who tends to forget who we picked for something two months ago.

We'll be doing a series of posts over the next couple weeks to take a quick look at each and every category. So, if you're hoping we're going to choose "Outstanding Comedy Series" in this entry, you're mistaken. In fact, we're only looking at the Creative Arts Primetime Emmys this week, as they will be celebrated on the 10th of September, more than a week before the big reveal with which most people are more familiar. So, stay tuned next week while we look at those acting, writing, and directing categories. For now, we're just tackling everything else... Today, we're going to look at the Art Direction, Music, and Cinematography categories.

THE ART DIRECTION CATEGORIES

Outstanding Art Direction for a Multi-Camera Series
The Big Bang Theory "The Love Car Displacement," "The 21-Second Excitation," & "The Agreement Dissection"
Hot in Cleveland "Sisterhood of the Traveling Spanx," "I Love Lucci: Part Two," & "LeBron Is Le Gone"
How I Met Your Mother "Subway Wars" & "Natural History"
Mike & Molly "Pilot"
Rules of Engagement "Last of the Red Hat Lovers," "Singing and Dancing," & "The Set Up"
- I think there are some great contenders in this category. Especially when you look at some of the different episodes submitted from the same show. I'm going to go with How I Met Your Mother, since those two episodes really stood out when I watched them and when I caught pieces again. My second choice would be Hot in Cleveland.

Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot"
The Borgias "Lucrezia's Wedding"
Mad Men "Public Relations"
Modern Family "Halloween"

True Blood "Beautifully Broken"
- I think that three of these episodes are great candidates for Outstanding Art Direction. It's difficult to pick one, especially when you've got a holiday episode up against a big pilot. I'm going to go with my gut and stick with Boardwalk Empire on this one though - there's just so much detail!

Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie
Downton Abbey
The Kennedys
Mildred Pierce
Upstairs Downstairs - Honestly, this is a category where I'm not really qualified to make an educated guess. Of these nominees, I'll just have to choose the one with which I am most familiar - Downton Abbey.    
Outstanding Art Direction for Variety, Music or Nonfiction Programming
83rd Annual Academy Awards
American Idol "Episode 1018"
Gettysburg
2010 MTV Video Music Awards
Saturday Night Live "Host: Russel Brand"
- I'll be honest here - I do NOT watch American Idol. I've seen about three episodes in my life, and two of those were during the Clay Aiken season. I also don't watch the Music Video Awards... what can I say, I'm not fourteen anymore. I will choose Gettysburg here, which I think stands an excellent chance against the two competitors I know a bit about.


THE CINEMATOGRAPHY CATEGORIES

Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series
How I Met Your Mother "Hopeless" - Christian La Fountaine, Director of Photography
Pair of Kings "Return of the Kings" - John Simmons, Director of Photography
Retired at 35 "Rocket Man" - Donald A. Morgan, ASC, Director of Photography
Rules of Engagement "Uh Oh It's Magic" - Wayne Kennan, Director of Photography
Two and a Half Men "Hookers, Hookers, Hookers" - Steve V. Silver, Director of Photography

Wizards of Waverly Place "Dancing with Angels - Rick Frank Gunter, ASC, Director of Photography
- I'm not at all familiar with Pair of Kings, so it's a little unfair for me to completely discount them. However, there are some wonderful candidates here, and I'm going to bet on Rules of Engagement this time.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series
Boardwalk Empire "Pilot" - Stuart Dryburgh, ASC, Director of Photography
Boardwalk Empire "Home" - Jonathan Freeman, Director of Photography
Boardwalk Empire "A Return to Normalcy" - Kramer Morgenthau, ASC, Director of Photography
The Borgias "The Poisoned Chalice / The Assassin" - Paul Sarossy, Director of Photography
The Good Wife "Double Jeopardy" - Fred Murphy, Director of Photography
- For me, when a single show has multiple submissions in a single category, I'm not always optimistic. Trying to watch scenes from each of the Boardwalk Empire episodes proved to be tricky - they sort of blend together after a while. So, while they're all brilliant options, I'm going to take the road less traveled and go with another gem - The Good Wife.

Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie
Downton Abbey "Part 1" - David Katznelson, DFF, Director of Photography
The Kennedys - David Moxness, C.S.C., Director of Photography
Mildred Pierce "Part 5" - Ed Lachman, ASC, Director of Photography
The Pillars of the Earth "Legacy" - Atilla Szalay, Director of Photography
Too Big to Fail - Kramer Morgenthau, ASC, Director of Photography
- I do not know how outstanding The Pillars of the the Earth might be, so I'm again choosing a potential winner without knowing all of the nominees. That said, there's something beautiful about Downton Abbey that I think gives it an edge here.

Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming
American Masters "Troubadours: Carole King / James Taylor & The Rise of the Singer-Songwriter" - Nicola Marsh, Arlene Nelson, Directors of Photography
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations "Haiti" - Zach Zamboni, Todd Liebler, Directors of Photography
Gasland - Josh Fox, Camera
Gettysburg - Michael Snyman, Director of Photography
If God is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise - Cliff Charles, Director of Photography
Whale Wars "To the Ends of the Earth" - Cinematography Team
- Sometimes, things like cinematography are difficult to pay attention to. The subject matter is just so captivating that I struggle to notice other factors, even when I'm looking for them. So, my pick for Gettysburg might not be smart, but it's the best I got!

Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming
The Amazing Race "You Don't Get Paid Unless You Win" - Cinematography Team
Deadliest Catch "Redemption Day" - Cinematography Team
Intervention "Rachel" - Joia Speciale, Director of Photography
Survivor "Rice Wars" - Cinematography Team

Top Chef "Give Me Your Huddled Masses" - Tim Spellman, Director of Photography
- I haven't seen any Intervention episodes, so just going off my recollection of the promos there. And I haven't seen an episode of Survivor in ages, so it's really unfair to compare what they were doing eight years ago to the single episode in question. So, let's go with Top Chef and call it a day. (and no, I haven't seen that specific episode of that show.)


THE MUSIC CATEGORIES
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
American Masters "John Muir in the New World" - Garth Neustafter
Family Guy "Road to the North Pole" - Ron Jones
Family Guy "And Then There Were Fewer" - Walter Murphy
The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror XXI" - Alf H. Clausen
30 Rock "100" - Jeff Richmond
- I adore the music categories. You can just close your eyes and listen! It might not be what you would select, but I couldn't not go with Family Guy's "And Then There Were Fewer," which was one of the stand-out episode in the season, I think.

Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
Any Human Heart "Part 2" - Dan Jones
Mildred Pierce "Part 5" - Carter Burwell
The Pillars of the Earth "Anarchy" Trevor Morris
Sherlock: A Study in Pink - David Arnold, Michael Price
Thurgood - Rob Mathes
- Brilliant and enriching, Sherlock: A Study in Pink is the only proper response for me.

Outstanding Music Direction
83rd Annual Academy Awards - William Ross, Music Director
An Evening of Stars - Tribute to Chaka Khan - Rickey Minor, Music Director
Harry Connick Jr., In Concert on Broadway (Great Performances) - Harry Connick Jr., Music Director
Hitman Returns: David Foster and Friends (Great Performances) - David Foster, Music Director
The Kennedy Center Honors - Rob Mathes, Rob Berman, Music Directors
2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Paul Shaffer, Music Director
- I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that I'm rather clueless in this category. And, when one if knowledgeable in the majority of an area, you should focus on what you do know. So, the 83rd Annual Academy Awards it is!

Outstanding Original Music & Lyrics
Family Guy "Road to the North Pole" (Song: "Christmastime is Killing Us") - Ron Jones, Seth MacFarlane, Danny Smith
Robert Klein: Unfair & Unbalanced (Song: "An American Prayer - Hymn II") - Robert H. Stein, Robert Klein
Saturday Night Live "Host: Jeff Bridges" (Song: "I Just Had Sex") - Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Justin Franks, Jerrod Bettis
Saturday Night Live "Host: Justin Timberlake" (Song: "Justin Timberlake Monologue") - Katreese Bares, Seth Meyers, Justin Timberlake, John Mulaney
Saturday Night Live "Host: Tina Fey" (Song: "Jack Sparrow") - Andy Amberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Mike Woods
Saturday Night Live "Host: Justin Timberlake" (Song: "3-Way (The Golden Rule") - Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Justin Timberlake
- Really? Four separate entries for Saturday Night Live? That's pushing it. But, at the same time, there are some quality suggestions there. It's a close call, and I'm really not sure if I'm 100% behind it, but I'm going to go with the Jeff Bridges episode.

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
Any Human Heart (Dan Jones)
The Borgias (Trevor Morris)
Camelot (Jeff Danna, Mychael Danna)
Episodes (Mark Thomas)
The Kennedys (Sean P. Callery)
Mildred Pierce (Carter Burwell)
- Camelot. That is all.