Faulkner

Re: ratings, saw this via Deadline:

http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/hbos-family-tree-will-not-be-renewed-hello-ladies-will-wrap-run-with-special-getting-on-eyes-second-season-pickup/

The launch of HBO’s newest comedy series, the gay-themed Looking, has been soft, but HBO brass have been encouraged by the attention the show has been getting as they consider a show being part of the cultural conversation as important (and sometimes even more important) than ratings.

Yeah, this show was always amateurish but it had flashes of brilliance. But now those little great moments aren't there anymore. I'd hoped TP would have refined the show - cut down on the repetitive dialogue (like in the dreadful scenes in the hospital or the prayer scenes with the ridiculous nun or the ones between Jeffrey/Amanda and Candace/the rapist prof). But unfortunately, TP hasn't taken the legitimate criticisms of the first half of the season to heart. And the acting is just painful. I'm about to give up.

Ratings for first outing were meh, shedding a large portion of its "Girls" lead-in and on par with the premiere of "Enlightened."

http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/hbo-looking-true-detective-girls-tv-ratings/

So on RHOBH, we are subjected to scenes of Kim with her dog or Carleton during some pole dancing and picking up girls for a 'sexy' pool party while on RH of Atlanta, we have some great scenes of gossip and cattiness. Though I don't think the fighting on next weeks Atlanta episode is a good thing because I like a show where put downs and slightly raunchy words are the way to go.

Granted, as on Jersey, it's the men who act a fool and escalate things to ridiculous violence. The men on these shows should be seen and not heard.

I remember when Christopher Williams was a hot piece. The years have not been kind.

I thought it was generally engrossing and not as "white" as I'd expected. (And the diversity wasn't forced.) And yes, Augustin is a hipster hottie.

I can't tell you how many times I rewound and watched Stassi slap the HUSS out of Kristin in the preview for next Monday's Vanderpump Rules.

Next week is the week of bitchslaps on Bravo, apparently.

I thought this RHOA episode was EPIC. Can they just expand the show to 10-11 housewives? Loved Kenya and Kandi and the "table-read" on Cynthia's friend Natalie.

And this preview for next week!!!!

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Not sure where to post, but Michael Park and Tom Casiello have both tweeted asking for prayers for former head writer Hogan Sheffer. Not sure what's going on.

That was intentional and that was a fact LOL. It's completely threw the chemistry off not having a Bethenny type on the show. I actually like Cindy's tired ass, but she is not what you look for to replace Bethenny. Although she is older, Carole could work as a Bethenny replacement.

Carole is amusing in her talking heads, but she can't think on her feet as well as Bethenny. She came across as very flat in the S5 reunion. I actually think Heather is the quicker wit.

Watching Taylor on VH1's Couples Therapy and she's a much more entertaining drunk than Brandi.

I thought season 4 Luann was the worst out of any of the housewives from any series was. She was just godawful. She came across as pure evil and yes than Jill from season 3. Luann was just mean for no reason other than to show that she was head bitch or something

In spite of my Luann nostalgia, I will say she was easily the nastiest one at that "toxic" S4 reunion, and if Kelly, Alex, Jill, and Cindy had to go, she should have gone too.

I agree. I think the reunions of NYC Season 3 and ATL Season 4 are both worth re-watching over & over, and I do too I think NYC's season 3 reunion is the most delicious, satisfying reunion of all time for all the reasons you said: Bethenny's zingers, cray cray Kelly being called out on her hypocrisy and delusions, and Jill being called out on her lies, deception and jealousy. So, so good!

I don't recall them saying this upcoming season was extended due to lack of drama. I remember hearing that for seasons 4 and 5 (S4 had additional trips added; S5 had additional filming of just the new girls)

I'd have to agree with others about LuAnn. As much of a haughty, phony lil sh*t stirrer that she is, she's part of the overall brand and I love watching her silly self. I'm glad she'll be heavily featured even though she's not an "official" housewife.

Aviva's pervy daddy is going after my Ramona which can only spell drama!

Bethenny on Kelly: "Next thing she's going to tell me that she's an African-American Asian woman."

"Even Louis Vuitton makes mistakes" - there's never been such a devastating one-liner in the history of Housewives. And "Money Can't Buy You Class" is the best novelty song (and video) to come out of any franchise. For those things, LuAnn will always have a place in my heart.

As much as I love "Fix that body! Fix that face," I still think nothing beats the RHONY S3 reunion, with Kelly's meltdown, Bethenny's zingers, and the comeuppance of Jill Zarin. That had real drama. I felt that, in the RHOA S4 reunion, Cynthia knew she had to show out or she was getting dropped for being boring. And Marlo seemed a bit desperate and thirsty going after Kandi.

A lot of bad acting in the RHONY supertrailer. Didn't they say that the season was being pushed back because no one was bringing the drama? It felt like people were reading cue cards off screen. I dunno, since S4, RHONY has felt like the phoniest franchise to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBJKCX6jCI4

Veronica calls Jeffery selfish.

Watching that scene. It is spectacular. "You wouldn't even give me the satisfaction of leaving the room?"

Angela Robinson is fantastic. She inflicts such brutality in that scene, yet you oddly feel for her.

What was alarming about Nene's behavior is that she saw that her comments were making Cynthia visibly upset, and she went in HARDER, in a way that seemed sadistic. I've been a Nene fan, but she can be mean-spirited and narcissistic in a way that makes me root for her downfall. And it's clear that the ladies are less intimidated by her "Queen Bee" status.

I loved River in "Let's Kill Hitler" when she discovers her sexy, voluptuous, post-regeneration body, looks down at her chest, and says, "I'm going to wear LOTS of jumpers!"

That was just a fun episode, even though it made almost no sense.

This show is far too white, sure. The Latino guys ticks the diversity box, and let's face it - the reality is that gay communities across the country are very racially segregated, even when we share the same social spaces.

I like that it's in SF and not NYC or LA. I've never been to SF, but it is our nation's most proudly gay city.

The facial hair IS the look right now and has been for a while. (And in the behind-the-scenes, the creatives all have beardage.) But that pornstache on a beautiful man like Murray Bartlett is a TRAGEDY and needs to be shaved off or he should go all in on a goatee or beard. Hopefully there's a character reason for his look.

I'll be watching in spite of myself. And looking forward to Russell Tovey (which autocorrected to "stovetop" on my phone) in a gay role.

Billie Piper has a lot more acting chops now, since she's done a lot of apparently good stage work. (She was nominated for an Olivier.) But yeah she was great. She was ok as Rose, and the show would never have re-launched successfully without her, but she got by on sweetness and charisma.

Loved loved loved Smith and Tennant together. And saying that as someone who was lukewarm on Ten. They have amazing chemistry as actors.

I still think Clara needs work. No one's talking about her today. Maybe that'll change with Capaldi.

Well, they quite bluntly addressed the Kordell gay rumors in the RHOA premiere...

Kenya got played. Doesn't she know Nene always gets the last word?

Kandi looked a hot mess with that Kool-Aid-colored hair. I thought she'd learned from her previous hair disasters.

This does appear to be a much more dramatic season than the snooze-worthy and contrived Season 5, and I'm looking forward to the massive Nene/Kenya screamfest/blow-up later this season. And whatever that huge melee we saw with the whole cast.

I Googled Gregg Marx to see what he was up to and found this great interview. He talks a bit about why he left ATWT, Bill Bell offering him a role on Y&R, his friendship with HBS, coming out as a gay man, and his career in cabaret. (The site is flagged as NSFW, but I didn't notice anything racy on the mobile site.) He still looks amazing.

http://marcharshbarger.blogspot.com/2013/02/deeper-dish-with-gregg-marx.html?m=1&zx=e2640becc189fcf1

The writing for that first post-reboot season was incredibly uneven and was just finding its footing right before the regeneration. Would have loved to have seen Eccleston continue, but can't imagine how he might have played some of the Season 2 stuff.

It's my understanding that Tennant was a lot more open to Barrowman's BTS shenanigans and pranks than Eccleston was.

Yeah, can't imagine Eccleston suffering fools.

But as much as we were robbed only having Paul McGann on-screen for a mere two hours or so, we were also robbed only having Eccleston for a mere thirteen episodes.

And the fact that two of those thirteen featured the horrifying Slitheen.

Loved Captain Jack in "The Empty Child" when Barrowman was still hot and had a lot of natural charisma, but he got tired really quickly. He was always the weak acting link on Torchwood. Barrowman is clearly a great ambassador for the franchise, but I'm sick of him hating on Eccleston and slobbering over Tennant.

Man, I keep forgetting how moving and dignified Eccleston's regeneration into Tennant was. I always forget and it always gets to me.

I'm hoping Smith's regeneration is more like Eccleston's rather than Tennant's. Though I wouldn't mind a very brief glimpse at the Ponds for "old times sake."

Word. Tennant's was so maudlin and "look at me" with his "I DON'T WANT TO GO!" wailing. But Eccleston's had me crying buckets.

"Except... it means I'm going to change. And I'm not going to see you again... Not like this."