My Own Worst Enemy

Chad Says...Very interesting. I haven't liked anything Christian Slater has done since Gleaming the Cube but just the concept of this had me. Action and spies pretty much does that every time. So the jist is, regular dude is also programed to be a super spy and people he works for can switch him back and forth. But he's switching back and forth on his own at random times unexpectedly. Delicious. I've been needing a good spy show since Alias went off the air. Correction, since the 3rd season of Alias when it should have gone off the air.

The show itself was very impressive. It must have been high budget b/c it looks great. The first episodes of shows are usually just setup the characters and start the story. You get to meet the spy side pretty well and a brief intro to the regular guy side but that was enough of a good start for me.

Christian Slater does seem to like himself a lot though. I bet there were times when they were filming this and he went, "Wait, hold on. I didn't get that eye squint just right. Let me do that again." As long as it isn't anywhere near as bad as Horatio on CSI Miami I can live with it. Seriously he turns to the side and poses in shots. Disgusting.

Chad's Review...I look forward to seeing more of this show. Added to my regular rotation.

Chad's Prediction...I think it'll get at least a season. NBC put so much production value into it they'll likely do whatever it takes to get a good audience. That didn't work for Studio 60 but we'll see what happens here.

TJ Says....This wasn't too intriquing for me. Christian Slater, I'm lukewarm about at best and I didn't know how they were going to pull off the story line. So my expectations we're very in the middle.

Throughout the episode I alternated between interested and bored. It was a little slow, but I think they were just setting up characters. But there was some interesting plot lines when Henry/Edward do or don't know about each other and how that all works out. I thought the acting was pretty good and I had not problems with that.

The guy from "Yes, Dear" that always wears a hat is in the show. Couple things, I've never seen him without a hat for more than 2 seconds on TV, and is this guy the best as the co-worker action star guy? Really?

TJ's review...I'm still in the middle. Not too excited, but I'll watch it again. It has some promise.

TJ's prediction...I think this show will make it an entire season, and then we'll go from there. Definately not a hit.

Kath and Kim

Chad Says...what a joke. Which is ironic since this show lacked any of those. I blame the awfulness of this show on one person. Selma Blair. Horrible. I chuckled a few times at Molly Shannon and her boyfriend - I love that guy, but I could not bear Selma. How she got cast in a comedy is beyond me.

The premise of the show is a daughter who got married is a selfish brat and leaves her new husband to move back in with her mom but she's turned the daughters room into a workout room. Meanwhile the mom is about to get engaged. So on a technicality this show is still labeled a "situational comedy" but it fails to produce laughs. The shots of the wedding video were funny and Molly Shannon's workout gear was amusing but after that I just stood there staring at the tv with my mouth open in shock that this show made it on the air.

Chad's Review...if they can go back in time and recast Selma Blair this show would be worth watching again. Unfortunately they'll have to figure out time travel on Fringe before this show can be saved. Oh well. Until that happens I'll just refer to this show as Kath and Krappy.

Chad's Prediction...I'll be surprised if this show makes is a full season. Because of the cast it'll get longer than it deserves though.

TJ Says...New "comedy" on NBC with Molly Shannon and Selma Blair. This looked promising. NBC needs to take CBS' approach and LOWER expectations.

This show was awful. I made it 13:52 before I quit watching out of boredom. I didn't laugh once.

TJ's Review...If you need help going to sleep, TiVO this and watch it before going to bed. Otherwise, avoid like the plague.

TJ's Prediction...This show can't make it longer than "Do Not Disturb". But it will...6 shows, then off to where it belongs, trash.

Eagle Eye

Chad Says...I have a drink idea for Starbucks. It's called a venti go see Eagle Eye. It's got a triple shot of slap yo face! Geez louise people. This movie was action packed. And it made me think of my dream job.

I want to wear a bone mic in my ear and have someone tell me what to do. No thinking. Just listening and doing. All the while the person on the other end is making all the dominoes fall into place so you make it from A to B in stride. Cool huh? That was this movie. With explosions. Lots of them.

Recently my mother said to me that she doesn't like watching movies with buildings blowing up. Ever since the Oklahoma City bombing she's felt this way. It's become an prerequisite for me to earn an A+ rating.

This movie had a little Matrix feel to it for a bit then a little War Games flavoring with some Die Harder on top. It also had a little Flight of the Navigator to it...but don't pay attention to the "how all this is happening", just enjoy the explosions! It also had a lot more actors that you know of in it. Nice little cast. Shia Labeouf is charming. And he fantastic at running away from things. Whether it be Decepticons or the police, he does it well. And yelling while running. Down, pat. In short I liked this movie. A lot. Action packed, good story, fine cast. And explosions. Lots and lots of explosions.

Chads Rating...Awesome. I put this up there with Wanted as one of the most recent movies that made me sweat while watching it on account of the massive amounts of action my brain was processing.

TJ Says...I had high expectations for this movie. It looked really good in the previews and an interesting story line. Someone controlling people just by accessing all the computers around them. Cool.

The moview was very action packed. Very fast paced. I wasn't bored at all and only looked at my watch once. I thought the actors all did well in their roles.

All that being said, isn't this just Enemy of the State II? Things I've noticed that Hollywood isn't a big fan of: #1. The Right. #2. Aritificial Intelligence. #3. Big Government (doesn't that go against #1?). Anyways...this movie villanizes all three of those.

The first half the movie was great, up until you learn who's pulling the strings, and then it gets pretty unbelieveable for me and I check out. It was still fast paced, but the "twist" didn't do it for me.

TJ's Review... It was worth seeing, just from an action standpoint. The story is a let down. But it was enjoyable. I give this a thumbs sideways.

Gary UnMarried

Chad Says...Another funny comedy on CBS? I feel like we're in some sort of bizarro world where up is down and down is up. This show has got something. I laughed quite a few times at it and enjoy CBS's new way of advertising shows. Shows lots of commercials of their shows but not really making you want to watch them. Almost as if to say, "You might not like it but hey, give it a shot." Then you go in with little expectations and end up liking what you see. Nice work CBS.

The writing in this show is funny. We'll see what kind of storylines they can come up with before I'd say it's good but it's certainly funny. The kids were really good in this show too. A show about a divorced guy with two kids who is dating could be aweful if the kids can't hold their own. I laughed at most everything they said.

Jay Mohr. I like this guy. He hosted Last Comic Standing way back when you only knew who he was thru Jerry McGuire and he was really funny. He held his own actually doing standup and I was pretty impressed (can't say the same for Bill Belamy). And his timing and delivery in this show as really good. I have nothing negative to say about this show. Everything was really well done. I hope it makes it.

Chad's Review...I'm in. It's solid. Not crazy funny but neither was my favorite show 30 Rock in it's pilot and look how far it's come.

Chad's Prediction...much worse has lasted way too long on CBS. It's not edgy enough for the older CBS crowd to not watch. I think it'll make it a season.

TJ Says...This is a new Jay Mohr comedy on CBS. Going in I had VERY low expectations. Mainly because I heard an interview of him on The Ticket and he was just an ass. No other way to really say it. He wasn't funny and wanted big laughs and ended up big timing the hosts. But hey, it's a new sitcom, so I'll watch it.

Basically, it's a new spin on a family sitcom. I use the term "family" highly loosely. The basics are that Mohr is just divorced and is starting a new relationship, and has two tweenagers. His Ex wife ends up **SPOILER** being engaged to their marriage therapist (Ed Begley Jr., who I'm quite intrigued by due to his over the top greenness). That relationship causes comedy.

The show exceeded my low expectations. It's not Worst Week, but it's not bad. There were a bunch of one liners in the show that I laughed at. I'm not certain I'll make it must see, but I'll probably check it out again.

TJ's Review....Not Bad, Not Great. There's been worse on TV that's made it longer (See According to Jim).

TJ's Prediction...It won't last the season, but may be a fill in show down the line for other failed shows.

Worst Week

Chad Says...So I'm a funny guy, right? Well I tend to find myself in these situations where I too am convinced that I'm funny and just assume that everyone else will feel the same way when I unleash some golden comedy nuggets. So I'll say something funny and the recipient of my hilariousness isn't prepared for it and figures me for an idiot.

This show nails that among other things. Whoever this main guy is...I like him. He's so subtle with the comedy. Fantastically so. And the casting? Awesome. The dad, the mom - wonderful. I'm immediately in on this show. What's it about? It's the 22 minute version of Meet the Parents. That really uncomfortable situational funny...nailed it.

The only problem is that the stuff he gets himself into in this pilot episode may not be able to be topped. They were way over the top so my fear is that there may not be much further to take this show.

Chad's Review...I loved it. My expectations were so low for this show that I thought it was just an over-advertised bust. Wrong.

Chad's Prediction...it won't last a full season. Which will be a shame. Another great show stuck on CBS that no one will watch.

TJ Says...OK, this is a new CBS comedy on monday nights. The basic premise is a got it together dude, shacking up with his girlfriend for 2 years, has not yet earned the approval of her parents. In fact, they still refer to him as their daughter's "Friend". As he seeks to earn their approval, he keeps making horrendous mistakes, and hilarity ensues.

First of all, there is no laugh track, an instant bonus (although, "The Big Bang Theory" has a laugh track, and that show is gold). Secondly, TJ Can big time relate to trying to earn the inlaw stamp of approval. This is why I laughed at pretty much everything in the show. I really thought the lead dude was funny, and Red from "That 70's Show" is in this as the father in law, and he's got something too.

Cons. Of course they hit you with the every possible thing that could go wrong, does. That gets a little old, but the uncomfortableness it creates is well worth it. The show made me uncomfortable while being funny. I liked it.

TJ's Review...I Thought it was funny, not 30 Rock funny, but worth watching a sit com on a monday night funny. Give it a try, it's uncomfortable fun.

TJ's Prediction...It's going against Heroes and Dancing with the stars....so it's in a tough time slot. But I think it gets picked up for a full season, and then we'll see where it goes from there.

Fringe

Chad Says...I never watched X Files but have a feeling this is basically that show except it's just going to take every side of science that's unproven and use it as fact.

The show was good but not great by any means. Every other first episode of JJ Abrams show had me from the first episode (Alias, Lost) but this one just left me thinking, "yeah that was pretty cool".

I have a feeling it's just going to be a story that builds to a big event and either will or will not pay off. I'll watch the entire first season.

Chads Reveiw...very lukewarm. Something's going to need to happen that reels me in.

Chad's prediction...it'll make it a full season and people will get frustrated with it at someone point in the second season.

TJ Says...So this looks interesting with JJ Abrams writing/producing it. This show stars Pacey from Dawson's Creek (yeah, you watched it too) and that's the only person I recognized.

The show is basically a new FBI X Files without everything weird being caused by "aliens". There's a dude that's really creepy heading up the "joint task force" (By the way, is it really this easy to get JTF's now?...i guess it's all due to 9/11). There's the obligatory way too hot for the FBI chick that's semi-rogue and will do anything to figure out what's ailing her boyfriend (she seems awfully commited to a dude she just said "I love you" too). Anyways. There's several holes in the plot and a lot of leaps of faith in the technology department.

All that being said, It was a little slow and I was out...until the twist at the end. It sucked me in.

TJ's Review...I'll watch it again. Hopefully it speeds up.

TJ's Prediction...This will make it a full season.

Do Not Disturb

Chad Says...Sorry, I only made it 7 minutes and 44 seconds into this show before I turned it off. I couldn't take it anymore. It felt so fake and worked harder at trying to be cool looking than trying to be a TV show. I like Jerry O'Connell so it was a shame when I saw him. More people should have given the show Carpoolers a shot last season. One of the funnier comedies from last year but it didn't get picked back up.

Chad's review...i hated it. Didn't even make it to the second commercial break.

Chad's prediction...no more than 6 episodes. I hadn't seen any ads for this show. I doubt it's on anyone's radar.

TJ Says...This is a new Fox comedy featuring Jerry O'Connell. When did this guy become a comedian? He was the worst part of "Carpoolers" and yet, now he has another show? Come on people. What has this guy ever done? Besides John Stamos' highly sloppy seconds?

It's set in a hotel and follow around 4 or 5 hotel staff members and get hilarity. Pros: The guy from "The Class" that is now gay in this show, he's got something. The Bell Boy is also funny too. Cons: Everything else. Jerry O'Connell. Not Funny black lady. Laugh Track.

TJ's Review...Skip it. Watch Carpoolers on DVD and cry laugh at Marmaduke every week.

TJ's Prediction...6 shows max.