You Can't Please Everyone...

By: Stephen Lackey
Date: Monday, October 16, 2006

OK, I hear you. The one thing I knew coming into this article is that folks would have comments and things they'd like to see in this article. I will try to incorporate some of the comments from last week's article. I do watch other shows besides the genres covered by this site. I also check out THE AMAZING RACE on Sunday nights, but I had planned to try and put more focus on the genres covered by Cinescape and leave the rest to Entertainment Weekly. I will compromise by adding series that would seem to appeal to you guys but I won't get into sitcoms and all the other mainstream stuff. For example, I'll add 24 and PRISON BREAK (a show that I am easily as addicted to as LOST) but not 30 ROCK or DANCING WITH THE STARS. I'll also try to cover some movies and specials that we all might like but not ever consider. For instance, this week I'm looking at a special on The History Channel.

It didn't take long for the shifts and cancellations to start with all the new series. SMITH, the action/drama starring Ray Liotta (GOODFELLAS) and Virginia Madsen (CANDYMAN) has already been canceled after only three episodes. KIDNAPPED starring Jeremy Sisto (SIX FEET UNDER), Delroy Lindo (THE ONE), Timothy Hutton (THE DARK HALF) and Dana Delany (SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES), a series that I actually enjoy has been given thirteen episodes before it's cancelled and it's been moved to Saturday nights. I don't know what the budgets of these shows were but it's interesting that both series have some fairly big names in them. The good news is that NBC's only new breakout hit HEROES has been given a full season. I have said before that I thought the series started out a bit slow and I stand by that. At the same time though, in its few opening episodes has established some interesting characters, and the last two episodes ended with some exciting cliffhangers. I enjoy series that are purposefully slow paced and I believe HEROES is, but I have nightmares about last season's INVASION and SURFACE two slow starters that I liked that both and got the axe.

Speaking of cliffhangers the one to watch this week is BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. The two hour season premiere ended with a stunning finale. Now, we all know that regardless of what they lead us to believe they didn't kill off two thirds of the primary cast but I still can't wait to see where it goes this week.



Monday

PRISON BREAK (NBC, 8pm PST) "Buried" Repeat

This series is on a three week hiatus hiding from baseball, but it's a great place to catch up if you've missed a few episodes or are new to the series. All the prison escapees have reunited in Utah and are digging for a few million bucks hidden by one of their cohorts who didn't make it. The place the money was buried has had a house built on top of it so they take a woman and police officer daughter hostage and dig up the garage. Friendships crack in this episode and Tea Bag is at his creepiest and funniest.

HEROES (NBC, 9pm PST) "Come Together"

The thing I'm interested in this week is that Hiro and Nathan will both find themselves in Sin City. Hopefully with this episode we'll start to see how the series will cross these heroes up. It might be interesting to see them all play a part in saving the world but still working separately. Also in this episode we'll see the resolution of last week's big cliffhanger with Claire the invincible cheerleader.

DARKNESS FALLS (FX, 9pm PST)

A film about an evil ghost who poses as the tooth fairy and attacks kids in a small town. I actually think this film blows but if you get the DVD their's a fascinating documentary about the real tooth fairy on the disc.

ALIEN ENGINEERING (FX, 9pm PST)

Often I'm turned off to the production values of series that run on the History Channel. They feel like PBS circa 1985. This special, the first of a two parter, sounds fun. The documentary speculates about alien technology based on reports of UFO crashes. It's sure to be bogus stuff, but it sounds fun. I'll set the TiVo.

CSI MIAMI (CBS, 9pm PST) "Death Eminent"

I've kind of fallen off the whole CSI bandwagon but I did dig this series because while it was coated in sepia and Miami vanity, it's still grittier and more violent than the original. This week's body of choice is a politician who has a swing vote in a land development deal. Things heat up when a second body appears.

Tuesday

NCIS (CBS, 8pm PST) "Dead and Unburied"

Like CSI, I don't really follow this series too much. This week the investigators find a dead body propped up in a chair after being dug up from the back yard. You tell me, do any of you guys check this series out?

HOUSE (FOX, 8pm PST) "All In" Repeat

HOUSE is a repeat this week. In this episode House has to treat a boy with the same problems an elderly man who died under House's care a dozen years ago.

THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT (FX, 8pm PST)

In this film a man discovers he has the ability to time travel. He uses his newfound ability to try and make the lives of himself and his friends better by changing tragic events from their past. If this guy had just watched Star Trek he'd no better. Ashton Kutcher plays the lead role here which takes a few points away for me, actually.

HOUSE (FOX, 9pm PST) "Forever" Repeat

IN hour two of the HOUSE marathon he investigates a mother and her newborn baby.

VERONICA MARS (The CW, 9pm PST) "Wichita Linebacker"

This week's episode finds Veronica caught between the Dean of her college and a sorority house mother in trouble for marijuana. Veronica also finds herself worried that Logan is being unfaithful to her. I don't have any comment on this series because I haven't been following it. The first couple of seasons are on my list of DVD's to check out though.

EUREKA (SCIFI Channel, 9pm PST) "Before I Forget" Repeat

This isn't one of my favorite episodes of the series but it's still a good bit of fun. In this episode Sheriff Carter finds himself suffering from short term memory loss and ends up shooting Henry. If missed the first season check it out now!

Wednesday

JERICHO (CBS, 8 PST) "Federal Response"

The power comes back on and a prerecorded message from the government plays on the phone. This series is really trying to play on some formulas started on LOST and 24 where each week they give up just a little more information mixed with red herrings to try and throw us off the trail. The drama has been a little heavy handed in this series but overall it's still worth checking out.

LOST (ABC, 8 PST) "Further Instructions"

This week we finally get back to the rest of the Survivors. For the first couple of episodes of this season the series has been focused on Jack, Kate, and Sawyer who were captured by "the others". Last week's episode ended with Said, Jin, and Sun having their boat taken from them by "the others". This week Hurley gets back to camp and shares what happened when he and Jack and Kate went with Michael to save his son. We should also find out what happened to Locke and Mr. Ecko.

BONES (fox, 8 PST) "The Man on the Fairway" Repeat

As good as this show might be they aren't that creative with the names. There's a ton of episodes that start with the words "The Man..." In this repeat from season one Brennan and Zach investigate a plane crash where they find bone fragments from a person that wasn't a passenger.

MYTH BUSTERS (DSC Channel, 9 PST) "Concrete Glider"

This week the crew attempts to make a concrete glider fly.

GHOST HUNTERS (SCIFI Channel, 9 PST) "OK Corral"

This week finds the ghost hunters looking for ghosts at the OK Corral, the site of one of the most famous shootouts in American history, in Tombstone Arizona.

CSI: NY (CBS, 9 PST) "Oedipus Hex"

Another body, some green or blue lights, and some blood for sure. This week they investigate a dead punk rocker that was found dead after a performance with "The Suicide Girls" and a dead amateur basketball player.

Thursday

SMALLVILLE (The CW, 8 PST) "Arrow"

The Green Arrow makes another appearance this week. This time he steals a diamond and Clark goes after him. Even in this alternate Superman reality does The Green Arrow stand a chance against Clark? Maybe his green arrows are made of Kryptonite. It sounds like a joke but hey with this show it could totally be true.

SUPERNATURAL (The CW, 9 PST) "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things"

A college student dies and of course finds her way back to the world of the living even though she isn't living anymore.

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS, 9 PST) "Double Cross"

Yes, it's the quirky dark original! Two nuns discover a woman crucified on a makeshift cross.

Friday

GHOST WHISPERER (CBS, 8PM PST) "The Ghost Within"

A ghost whose body was buried in the wrong grave haunts the cemetery as someone else's wife visits his grave.

DOCTOR WHO (SCIFI Channel, 8PM PST) "The girl in the Fireplace"

Madame de Pompadour is dreaming about a man known as "The Doctor". When droids attack her 18th century palace she knows that this stranger in her dreams must save her but is she really in the 18th century or on a ship in space in the 51st century?

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (SCIFI Channel, 9PM PST) "Exodus 2"

The Galactica finally jumps into action with a rescue mission while Pegasus stays to protect the civilian fleet. At the same time the "insurgency" must deal with a traitor in their midst.

Saturday

RRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (ABC, 8PM PST)

The second film in the mega popular Harry Potter franchise. I liked the second film better than the first. It's faster paced and much darker than the first film in the series.

FIANL DESTINATION (SCIFI Channel, 8PM PST)

The best thing about this film are the kills, which I fear will be heavily neutered but if you've seen Harry Potter too many times it might do in a pinch.


Sunday

HALLOWEEN (AMC, 8PM PST)

John Carpenter's classic film is a must view during this holiday season. This is one of the very few horror films that are actually shown in film schools across the country. If you're into film, get the special edition DVD and listen to the commentary, it's like a film class in a box.

BLOOD SUCKERS (SCIFI Channel, 8PM PST)

Intergalactic VAMPIRE HUNTERS ANSWER DESTRESS CALLS BY PLANETS OVERRUN BY VAMPIRES. This movie will probably suck, but Michael Ironside makes it worth a look.