william p. bohlen
Monday, January 12, 2004
RedEye, 1/9/04
'Apprentice' leaves a sour taste
By William P. Bohlen
We don't really need to deify Donald Trump any more than he already is, and we don't really need "The Apprentice" on our TV sets.
As Thursday night's premiere showed, the Donald is a stiff guy with a big ego, and his Mark Burnett-produced NBC show offered precious little drama. The star, really, was New York City in some beautiful shots that made one long to visit. The only other reason to watch, then, is if you can't take your eyes off Trump--you're mesmerized by his debating skills or maybe his bad hair.
Two teams--eight men and eight women--compete in business tasks set up by Trump, and the losing team visits the boardroom, where one is sacrificed to the altar of Donald. What's in it for the winner? A $250,000 salary and a year as an executive of a Trump company.
The first task was to make as much money as possible selling lemonade. But vending lemonade was boring with a bunch of businesspeople who felt it was beneath them. A scene with Trump in his helicopter looking down on the contestants couldn't have felt more fake. Trump also showed off his apartment to the winning women, but that served only to celebrate his vast wealth.
The contestants seem like generic hucksters with various forms of business experience, but little personality. More important, there are no babes in skimpy clothing.
This lemon of a show makes terrible lemonade.
Shows to watch
- Jennifer Aniston hosts "Saturday Night Live," at 10:30 p.m. on NBC.
- Vanilla Ice and Ron Jeremy star in "The Surreal Life," which premieres at 8 p.m. Sunday on the WB.
- Former "Talk Soup" host John Henson debuts his "John Henson Project," at 9 p.m. Sunday on Spike TV.
- A darling little reality show, "Airline," airs at 9 p.m. Monday on A&E.
- Fox milks Paris Hilton--er, that came out wrong--with a "Simple Life" special of outtakes at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with the finale at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
- "America's Next Top Model" premieres at 8 p.m. Tuesday on UPN.
- "Bachelorette" Meredith Phillips takes her first bow, at 8 p.m. Wednesday on ABC.
RedEye, 1/5/04
Face reality
By William P. Bohlen
Who said reality television was dead? More than a dozen reality shows premiere over the next month, and it's a sign of the genre's health. As many scripted shows introduced in the fall have, well, fallen, the networks have begun patching holes with cheap, quick and still-popular reality programming. Here's a preview of the ones that will be talked about the most:
SHOW: "Average Joe 2: Hawaii"
9 p.m. Monday, NBC
WHAT IT IS: Just like "Average Joe" the first, but with more hunks and dorkier guys.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The most annoying reality contestant ever? Wacky-hair David needs Ritalin. Bad.
BUZZ: It'll be good, maybe not as good as the first. Worth a fair shot.
SHOW: "The Real World: San Diego"
9 p.m. Tuesday, MTV
WHAT IT IS: The latest installment of the reality granddaddy, this time in sunny San Diego.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: An arrest! Might top Hawaii's Ruthie drunk driving as the most "real" RW moment.
BUZZ: The venerable series is showing its age, or rather, youth, and losing its gimmick-free appeal.
SHOW: "Celebrity Mole Yucatan"
9 p.m. Wednesday, ABC
WHAT IT IS: The latest version of the franchise, with contestants trying to sniff out the saboteur.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Keshia Knight-Pulliam (Rudy from "The Cosby Show") and Dennis Rodman.
BUZZ: Rabid devotees will try to convert you. You must resist!
SHOW: "The Apprentice"
Premieres at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, then airs at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, NBC
WHAT IT IS: Donald Trump searches for a right-hand person to run one of his companies.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: A snapshot of big business, with a special focus on gender difference.
BUZZ: "America's Next Top Model" for the Wall Street set. Also, a wet kiss for the Donald.
Nevertheless, mildly interesting.
SHOW: "The Surreal Life"
8 p.m. Sunday, WB
WHAT IT IS: Six quasi- and ex-celebrities living together in one house. What happens when they stop being polite and start being surreal?
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Vanilla Ice, Tammy Faye Bakker, Erik Estrada.
Will the "Real World: Las Vegas'" Trishelle and Ron Jeremy hook up?
BUZZ: Other than for extreme curiosity, a pathetic excuse for dragging these people into the spotlight again.
SHOW: "America's Next Top Model"
8 p.m. Jan. 13, UPN
WHAT IT IS: Tyra Banks judging a bunch of slim, pretty women on their ability to walk a straight line in expensive clothes.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Catfights! A bunch of pretty women with each thinking she's the prettiest leads to insecurity, competition and tears.
BUZZ: Underrated first season that slowly developed an audience should turn second season into UPN's best series since "Buffy."
SHOW: "The Bachelorette"
8 p.m. Jan. 14, ABC
WHAT IT IS: ABC's reality crown jewel hands the reigns back to the women, this time to Bob-rejectee Meredith.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Meredith. She's cool, funny, but a bit romantically awkward.
Can she sustain the series?
BUZZ: As always, tune in for an episode, then you're hooked. It's like crack.
SHOW: "American Idol"
7 p.m. Jan. 19, Fox
WHAT IT IS: The premiere singing competition in the country.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Early episodes will have the classic horrible singers.
BUZZ: A must-see. Everyone will be talking about it. You should too.
SHOW: "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance"
8 p.m. Jan. 19, Fox
WHAT IT IS: A scripted/reality hybrid that has one woman introducing her family to her "fiance" and his "family," a set of actors.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The improv comedy, and also bride Randi, who doesn't really know the whole story but thinks she does.
BUZZ: Worth a shot. "Joe Schmo" was wicked but good, and this has a chance to match that.
SHOW: "Todd TV"
9 p.m. Jan. 21, FX
WHAT IT IS: One man turns his life over to audience voting. You choose what he does.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The execution of a novel concept. How much control will the audience have?
BUZZ: Tune in for at least the first episode, just to see how they get the show off the ground.
SHOW: " 'Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen and Dave"
Time TBA, Jan. 21, MTV
WHAT IT IS: Rocker Dave Navarro and pinup Carmen Electra get married and whatnot.
"Newlyweds" for the hard-rock set.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Any mention of Electra's previous marriage to Dennis Rodman. High comedy.
BUZZ: Unless she's as dumb as Jessica Simpson, not really worth your time.
SHOW: "The Osbournes"
9:30 p.m. Jan. 27, MTV
WHAT IT IS: 24-7 with the world's most functional dysfunctional family. A lot of Ozzy mumbling.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: More of the same, with the family even more conscious of the cameras and acting out.
BUZZ: Show jumped the shark at the beginning of last season. Avoid like the plague.
SHOW: "Survivor"
Feb. 1, after the Super Bowl, CBS
WHAT IT IS: An all-star edition of the most popular reality show. A chance to see how players from different seasons interact.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Early favorites such as Rudy, Richard Hatch and Sue Hawk, and later ones such as Rupert and Rob.
BUZZ: Few reality shows last long enough to generate an all-star cast, and this one can't be missed.
RedEye, 1/2/04
Surprises in store for 'City'
By William P. Bohlen
HBO's "Sex and the City" has entered the home stretch--the first of the final eight episodes begins at 8 p.m. Sunday--and it's neither limping nor sprinting to the finish line.
The show picks up with Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) and company in their usual relationship hodgepodge. Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is married, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) has gotten back together with Steve, Samantha (Kim Cattrall) is flinging with her young boy toy, and Carrie is seeing an older Russian artist, played ably and romantically by Mikhail Baryshnikov.
Sunday's episode plods along, serving only to move the plot along and set up the remaining weeks. The humor is forced, and the producers point out all symbolism with the subtlety of a police siren. Watching this first installment is like taking medicine--you don't particularly enjoy it; you hope it will make things better, but you're not really sure it will.
In this case, it does get better. The second episode, airing Jan. 10, is almost flawless. It goes from pointless to poignant in a half hour, and surprises are in store for both Miranda and Samantha.
In fact, the remaining episodes should show Nixon at the top of her game, not just as a comedic actress but as an all-around actress, and Cattrall will finally show some range and character development. Take your medicine Sunday, and then enjoy the last hurrah of a good series.
Shows to watch
- The new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" begins at 8:30 p.m. Sunday on HBO.
- "Average Joe 2: Hawaii" premieres at 9 p.m. Monday on NBC.
"The Real World: San Diego" kicks off the hook-ups and throw-downs with a one-hour episode at 9 p.m. Tuesday on MTV.
- Keshia Knight Pulliam (Rudy from "Cosby Show"), Dennis Rodman and a Baldwin brother are among the "celebrities" on ABC's "Celebrity Mole Yucatan," premiering at 9 p.m. Wednesday.
- Donald Trump looks for a sidekick on "The Apprentice," at 7:30 p.m. Thursday on NBC.
