Green is Universal

I feel I should give a nod to the NBC Universal networks, who are trying to save the world this week.  Sure, it’s basically a PR stunt to make viewers feel warm and fuzzy toward them, but who cares?  In the end they’re still doing A Good Thing.

If you’re wondering why you keep seeing TV bugs with a distinct shade of green (bugs are the logos that appear in the corner and occasionally flash and contort in order to distract you from that all-important plot point in whatever show you’re watching), it’s possibly part of Green is Universal week.

I’m just wondering how much jet fuel they could have saved if they left the Today cast in the studio instead of flying them all around the world.

Torchwood is coming (finally!)

For those who are interested in such things, BBC America was advertising Torchwood all weekend, and I even saw a date once: September 8. I also heard the words, “Sci-Fi Saturday,” so it seems they’re going to give that concept another shot.

Battlestar will battle on

Ah, it’s like manna from heaven.  Battlestar Galactica has been renewed for a full 20 episodes next season, plus a two-hour movie.  The original was a standard 13-episode order.  I guess it proves that somebody over at NBCUniversal is more interested in quality than in just counting eyeballs.  Or maybe they’re just hoping to see Jamie Bamber naked… or turning gay.  Either way, it’s a good thing.  Fox already has the LCD crowd.

I have nothing against the cast and crew of The Black Donnellys

It’s true.  I harbor absolutely no ill will toward the cast and crew of The Black Donnellys on NBC.  I’m sure it’s a fine show, and I’m sure that they’ve all put a great deal of heart and talent into creating said fine show.

I’m still pleased that the show appears to be quickly failing.  NBC’s failure to stand by Studio 60 means that I’m perfectly delighted to note that viewers have left the new show far more quickly than they left poor, strugging 60.

I think the message is fairly clear:  it’s the time slot, stupid.  The answer, obviously, would be to sandwich Studio 60 (or TBD) between the successful Howie Mandell’s “What the hell is in the briefcase, darling?” and the surprise hit Heroes.  Unfortunately, both 60 and TBD are well-made adult shows, and airing them at the earlier time would mean the necessity of sanitizing them for a less-sophisticated, childlike audience.  Obviously we can’t have that.

If I have to sit through another fucking (lack of) talent show because the networks can’t be bothered to allow the creative types to do any work, I swear I’ll be buying a big gun and climbing to the top of the tallest building in town for some target practice.  Obviously, this doesn’t pertain to Fox, which abhors creative projects, preferring lowest-common-denominator talent shows.

Face it, NBC:  maybe you’ll have to settle for quality over quantity.  Or maybe you haven’t noticed your own ads?

Four more years! Four more years!

MSNBC announced that they’ve signed Keith Olbermann, host of Countdown, to a contract that lasts through 2011.  That gives us time for 3,120 Worst Persons in the World, assuming Keith doesn’t get sick, receive any mail from terrorists, or take a single day of vacation.