Life on Mars
Year in Review
December 31, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
As 2009 turns into 2010, we take a look back at the year in television.
We saw Ziva David leave her role as a Mossad liaison in NCIS and return to the Mossad full-time under the reign of her father, Mossad Chief Eli David.
After she got captured during a mission in North Africa, the NCIS crew rescued her.
And Ziva returned to NCIS as a full-fledged member of the team, thereby abandoning any remaining and confusing loyalties to her father.
We met the team’s Los Angeles counterparts in a crossover appearance that set the stage for the spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles.
We saw Sarah Palin confront David Letterman in the media because of a joke about her daughter’s pregnancy.
And we saw David Letterman in another media controversy rooted in his extracurricular relationships with female staff members.
We saw Jay Leno move to 10:00 pm with the slogan It’s About Time. We saw Conan O’Brien move into The Tonight Show host position with a new studio at NBC Universal.
We saw Jimmy Fallon take over Conan’s old job as the host of Late Night.
We saw Julianna Marguiles return to network prime time as the scorned spouse of an adulterous Chicago politician in The Good Wife. Her character returns to the practice of law after a 15-year absence so she can support her children.
We saw a story line span all three CSI shows during the November sweeps period.
On Entourage, we saw Ari Gold merge his agency, Miller Gold, with the agency of his mentor and nemesis, Terrence McQuewick.
We saw Johnny Chase get his big break with a network holding deal for a television series to be centered on him.
We saw Eric fold up his small talent management company to take a job with a legendary talent management company.
We saw Turtle and Jamie-Lynn Sigler break up.
And we saw Eric and Sloane get engaged.
On cable news channels, we saw a balloon that looked like a huge Jiffy Pop container travel across Colorado and we feared that a six-year-old boy was inside the balloon.
We soon learned that no one was inside. It was a hoax so the parents could get media attention and pitch themselves for a reality show.
We saw Jon and Kate split up.
We saw Southland get cancelled before its second season even aired one episode because its content is suited for a 10:00 pm broadcast time slot, but NBC does not have that time slot available. TNT picked up the show.
We saw the return of sitcom favorites.
Courtney Cox in Cougar Town.
Ed O’Neill in Modern Family.
Kelsey Grammer in Hank.
Patricia Heaton in The Middle.
Ray Romano in Men of a Certain Age.
We saw Jim and Pam get married on The Office.
We saw the end of King of the Hill and the launch of its replacement -- Family Guy spinoff The Cleveland Show.
We saw The Simpsons begin its 20th season.
We saw the debut of Amy Poehler’s comedy, Parks and Recreation.
We saw Chevy Chase finally ready for prime time as part of the ensemble cast of NBC’s rookie comedy, Community.
And we saw America’s favorite high school football coach, Eric Taylor, begin the next chapter of his career in Friday Night Lights. Same town -- Dillon, Texas. Different high school -- East Dillon High.
We saw unknown Taylor Schilling capture our hearts as the lead character in Mercy, Veronica Callahan, a nurse at the fictional Mercy Hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey.
We saw Saturday Night Live begin its 35th season.
We saw a remake of The Prisoner, the revolutionary late 1960’s drama.
And we saw a Seinfeld reunion of sorts on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
We said hello to Royal Pains, White Collar, and Castle.
We said goodbye to Monk, The Unusuals, and Life on Mars.
We also said goodbye to icons of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.
Soupy Sales, who entertained children of the 1960’s as an unofficial precursor to Pee Wee Herman.
Farrah Fawcett, who inspired women in the late 1970’s to wear their hair long and feathered.
And Michael Jackson, who helped launch MTV in the 1980’s with videos that told stories.
2010 is just around the corner. If it’s anything like 2009, it should take us on quite an odyssey in the world of television.
david@davidkrell.com
As 2009 turns into 2010, we take a look back at the year in television.
We saw Ziva David leave her role as a Mossad liaison in NCIS and return to the Mossad full-time under the reign of her father, Mossad Chief Eli David.
After she got captured during a mission in North Africa, the NCIS crew rescued her.
And Ziva returned to NCIS as a full-fledged member of the team, thereby abandoning any remaining and confusing loyalties to her father.
We met the team’s Los Angeles counterparts in a crossover appearance that set the stage for the spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles.
We saw Sarah Palin confront David Letterman in the media because of a joke about her daughter’s pregnancy.
And we saw David Letterman in another media controversy rooted in his extracurricular relationships with female staff members.
We saw Jay Leno move to 10:00 pm with the slogan It’s About Time. We saw Conan O’Brien move into The Tonight Show host position with a new studio at NBC Universal.
We saw Jimmy Fallon take over Conan’s old job as the host of Late Night.
We saw Julianna Marguiles return to network prime time as the scorned spouse of an adulterous Chicago politician in The Good Wife. Her character returns to the practice of law after a 15-year absence so she can support her children.
We saw a story line span all three CSI shows during the November sweeps period.
On Entourage, we saw Ari Gold merge his agency, Miller Gold, with the agency of his mentor and nemesis, Terrence McQuewick.
We saw Johnny Chase get his big break with a network holding deal for a television series to be centered on him.
We saw Eric fold up his small talent management company to take a job with a legendary talent management company.
We saw Turtle and Jamie-Lynn Sigler break up.
And we saw Eric and Sloane get engaged.
On cable news channels, we saw a balloon that looked like a huge Jiffy Pop container travel across Colorado and we feared that a six-year-old boy was inside the balloon.
We soon learned that no one was inside. It was a hoax so the parents could get media attention and pitch themselves for a reality show.
We saw Jon and Kate split up.
We saw Southland get cancelled before its second season even aired one episode because its content is suited for a 10:00 pm broadcast time slot, but NBC does not have that time slot available. TNT picked up the show.
We saw the return of sitcom favorites.
Courtney Cox in Cougar Town.
Ed O’Neill in Modern Family.
Kelsey Grammer in Hank.
Patricia Heaton in The Middle.
Ray Romano in Men of a Certain Age.
We saw Jim and Pam get married on The Office.
We saw the end of King of the Hill and the launch of its replacement -- Family Guy spinoff The Cleveland Show.
We saw The Simpsons begin its 20th season.
We saw the debut of Amy Poehler’s comedy, Parks and Recreation.
We saw Chevy Chase finally ready for prime time as part of the ensemble cast of NBC’s rookie comedy, Community.
And we saw America’s favorite high school football coach, Eric Taylor, begin the next chapter of his career in Friday Night Lights. Same town -- Dillon, Texas. Different high school -- East Dillon High.
We saw unknown Taylor Schilling capture our hearts as the lead character in Mercy, Veronica Callahan, a nurse at the fictional Mercy Hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey.
We saw Saturday Night Live begin its 35th season.
We saw a remake of The Prisoner, the revolutionary late 1960’s drama.
And we saw a Seinfeld reunion of sorts on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
We said hello to Royal Pains, White Collar, and Castle.
We said goodbye to Monk, The Unusuals, and Life on Mars.
We also said goodbye to icons of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.
Soupy Sales, who entertained children of the 1960’s as an unofficial precursor to Pee Wee Herman.
Farrah Fawcett, who inspired women in the late 1970’s to wear their hair long and feathered.
And Michael Jackson, who helped launch MTV in the 1980’s with videos that told stories.
2010 is just around the corner. If it’s anything like 2009, it should take us on quite an odyssey in the world of television.
Matthew Perry
October 22, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Before Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry teamed up in Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, they worked together in Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing.
During the seven season run of The West Wing, Whitford played the knowledgeable, savvy, and cynical but sensitive Josh Lyman -- White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Santos For President Campaign Manager, and White House Chief of Staff.
For three episodes, Perry played White House attorney Joe Quincy.
While interviewing Joe for a position in the White House Counsel’s office, Josh wonders why he has never heard of Joe Quincy, an eminently qualified attorney with experience including a stint in the Solicitor General’s Office.
Josh figures out the mystery -- Joe Quincy is a republican.
He wants to work in public service in a democratic White House because he is in the dog house with his own party. He wrote a memorandum contradictory to the party line on soft money political donations.
With the help of Donna Moss, Josh’s assistant, Joe convinces Josh to hire him.
The interview scene reveals a great chemistry between Whitford and Perry, likely the reason for Sorkin’s casting them in the starring roles of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
On his first day in the new job, Joe Quincy uncovers a massive scandal involving Vice President John Hoynes.
Hoynes told a socialite, Helen Baldwin, that he saw signs of life on Mars in classified reports when he was having an affair with her. He also bragged about a top secret deal involving a Justice Department antitrust settlement with a corporation that resulted in 100,000 computers being given go schools.
Quincy finds out that Baldwin has a book deal. He also discovers phone records that confirm several calls from Hoynes to Baldwin.
Hoynes admits that he likes to show off and Quincy’s investigation results in Hoynes’ resignation of the vice presidency.
And it all takes place on Joe Quincy’s first day at the White House.
Perry’s appearances on The West Wing took place concurrently with his starring role as sarcastic, lovelorn, and wise-cracking Chandler Bing on Friends.
Warner Brothers produced Friends and The West Wing.
david@davidkrell.com
Before Bradley Whitford and Matthew Perry teamed up in Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, they worked together in Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing.
During the seven season run of The West Wing, Whitford played the knowledgeable, savvy, and cynical but sensitive Josh Lyman -- White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Santos For President Campaign Manager, and White House Chief of Staff.
For three episodes, Perry played White House attorney Joe Quincy.
While interviewing Joe for a position in the White House Counsel’s office, Josh wonders why he has never heard of Joe Quincy, an eminently qualified attorney with experience including a stint in the Solicitor General’s Office.
Josh figures out the mystery -- Joe Quincy is a republican.
He wants to work in public service in a democratic White House because he is in the dog house with his own party. He wrote a memorandum contradictory to the party line on soft money political donations.
With the help of Donna Moss, Josh’s assistant, Joe convinces Josh to hire him.
The interview scene reveals a great chemistry between Whitford and Perry, likely the reason for Sorkin’s casting them in the starring roles of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
On his first day in the new job, Joe Quincy uncovers a massive scandal involving Vice President John Hoynes.
Hoynes told a socialite, Helen Baldwin, that he saw signs of life on Mars in classified reports when he was having an affair with her. He also bragged about a top secret deal involving a Justice Department antitrust settlement with a corporation that resulted in 100,000 computers being given go schools.
Quincy finds out that Baldwin has a book deal. He also discovers phone records that confirm several calls from Hoynes to Baldwin.
Hoynes admits that he likes to show off and Quincy’s investigation results in Hoynes’ resignation of the vice presidency.
And it all takes place on Joe Quincy’s first day at the White House.
Perry’s appearances on The West Wing took place concurrently with his starring role as sarcastic, lovelorn, and wise-cracking Chandler Bing on Friends.
Warner Brothers produced Friends and The West Wing.
Mid-Year Review
July 02, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
And so 2009 is officially half-finished.
What kind of half-year has it been?
A half-year of transition.
We saw a transition of power from a republican president to a democratic president -- the first-ever minority to be elected to the highest office in the land.
We saw a transition of power in the coveted Tonight Show host job from Jay Leno to Conan O'Brien.
O'Brien passed the torch at Late Night to Jimmy Fallon.
And we saw a transition of power in the technological sense from antenna television to digital television.
A half-year of controversy.
Controversy was in abundant supply during the first half of '09.
Because of a joke during a monologue about Sarah Palin's daughter getting pregnant by New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez during the Palin's visit to New York City, David Letterman went from television star to hot-button topic.
Although he meant Bristol Palin, the daughter who got pregnant by her then boyfriend Levi Johnston last year, 14-year-old Willow Palin was the daughter accompanying her mom at the Yankee game.
The Palins took action and belittled Letterman.
A clarification of sorts took place a few days later with Letterman showing self-deprecation, humor, and a literal wink at the audience that the controversy was nonsense.
The Palins took action and again belittled Letterman.
But after a weekend of thought, deliberation, and analysis, David Letterman gave a sincere apology the following Monday night.
The Palins accepted Letterman's apology.
We saw Miss California lose her crown because of an honest answer to a politically-charged question.
A half-year of television shows that deserved a longer chance to find an audience.
In Life on Mars, the series finale revealed that Sam Tyler was actually an astronaut on the first manned to Mars. The events he experienced in 1973 were triggered by a meteor shower wreaking havoc with virtual reality program. He was supposed to be a New York City cop in 2008, but the meteor incident caused the virtual reality glitch that sent him to 1973.
We saw The Unusuals, another solid program with depth of characters, unique stories, and realistic relationships set in the fictional 2nd precinct of Manhattan. This show starring Adam Goldberg and Terry Kinney looks like it will not be renewed.
A half-year of veteran sitcoms and dramas setting up story lines that were months, sometimes years in the making.
We saw Michael Scott, inefficient manager extraordinaire, attempt to start a paper company with receptionist Pam and temp Ryan. He sought to compete with Dunder Mifflin, only to have Dunder Mifflin buy the company on The Office.
We saw Barney and Robin reveal their feelings for each other on How I Met Your Mother.
We saw Justin propose to Rebecca and we saw Rebecca say Yes on Brothers and Sisters.
And we saw Michael J. Fox in an Emmy-worthy guest role on Rescue Me as Dwight, the paraplegic, pill-popping boyfriend of Tommy Gavin figurative ex-wife Janet, played by Denis Leary and Andrea Roth respectively.
A half-year of goodbyes.
In the space of a few days, we lost three legends -- an angel, an icon, and a voice. Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Ed McMahon.
If the second half of '09 is anything like the first half, then fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
david@davidkrell.com
And so 2009 is officially half-finished.
What kind of half-year has it been?
A half-year of transition.
We saw a transition of power from a republican president to a democratic president -- the first-ever minority to be elected to the highest office in the land.
We saw a transition of power in the coveted Tonight Show host job from Jay Leno to Conan O'Brien.
O'Brien passed the torch at Late Night to Jimmy Fallon.
And we saw a transition of power in the technological sense from antenna television to digital television.
A half-year of controversy.
Controversy was in abundant supply during the first half of '09.
Because of a joke during a monologue about Sarah Palin's daughter getting pregnant by New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez during the Palin's visit to New York City, David Letterman went from television star to hot-button topic.
Although he meant Bristol Palin, the daughter who got pregnant by her then boyfriend Levi Johnston last year, 14-year-old Willow Palin was the daughter accompanying her mom at the Yankee game.
The Palins took action and belittled Letterman.
A clarification of sorts took place a few days later with Letterman showing self-deprecation, humor, and a literal wink at the audience that the controversy was nonsense.
The Palins took action and again belittled Letterman.
But after a weekend of thought, deliberation, and analysis, David Letterman gave a sincere apology the following Monday night.
The Palins accepted Letterman's apology.
We saw Miss California lose her crown because of an honest answer to a politically-charged question.
A half-year of television shows that deserved a longer chance to find an audience.
In Life on Mars, the series finale revealed that Sam Tyler was actually an astronaut on the first manned to Mars. The events he experienced in 1973 were triggered by a meteor shower wreaking havoc with virtual reality program. He was supposed to be a New York City cop in 2008, but the meteor incident caused the virtual reality glitch that sent him to 1973.
We saw The Unusuals, another solid program with depth of characters, unique stories, and realistic relationships set in the fictional 2nd precinct of Manhattan. This show starring Adam Goldberg and Terry Kinney looks like it will not be renewed.
A half-year of veteran sitcoms and dramas setting up story lines that were months, sometimes years in the making.
We saw Michael Scott, inefficient manager extraordinaire, attempt to start a paper company with receptionist Pam and temp Ryan. He sought to compete with Dunder Mifflin, only to have Dunder Mifflin buy the company on The Office.
We saw Barney and Robin reveal their feelings for each other on How I Met Your Mother.
We saw Justin propose to Rebecca and we saw Rebecca say Yes on Brothers and Sisters.
And we saw Michael J. Fox in an Emmy-worthy guest role on Rescue Me as Dwight, the paraplegic, pill-popping boyfriend of Tommy Gavin figurative ex-wife Janet, played by Denis Leary and Andrea Roth respectively.
A half-year of goodbyes.
In the space of a few days, we lost three legends -- an angel, an icon, and a voice. Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Ed McMahon.
If the second half of '09 is anything like the first half, then fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride.