I’ll be on vacation from about—hang on, let me check my watch… now, until Jan. 5. I’ll be checking in on Tuned In and posting when events or the spirit move me, which is to say, don’t expect too much. But in the meantime, Robo-James (pictured here on holiday in …
Lost Trailer Discussion Group: Event Window Determined
This should keep you busy for a while. ABC has released a new Lost trailer, replete with cryptic tantalyzing glimpses.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7JfGf6HCNQ]
Who’s on fire? Who’s falling from the balcony? What’s Desmond doing with Penny? And when is he doing it? Is Locke saying “Paul is dead”? (Actually, sl-lost.com says …
A Horrible Holiday Gift
Today is the release of the DVD of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog at Amazon.com, and if there is anyone whom you love this holiday season—yourself, for instance—you should buy it for them.
Wait!, you may be saying. Yes, I know Dr. Horrible was number four on TIME’s best TV shows of 2008. But I already watched it for free when it …
Light at the End of the Tunnel?
It appears that the trustees of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, who met yesterday to choose between the $30 million rescue plan offered by Eli Broad and the option of a merger with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, are moving towards the Broad proposal. I say “appears” and “moving towards” because no one is calling it …
Three Cheers for the Death of Broadcast TV
Elsewhere in today’s New York Times, Alan Sepinwall has an incisive and funny op-ed on why the NBC Jay Leno decision marks the end of broadcast television as we know it. The move, he says, was for numerous business reasons “as inevitable as it is sad.” He recalls Tina Fey accepting an award from TV critics:
She thanked us “for
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It's a Wond— Well, It's a Life
Around this time last year, I marked the holiday season with a jaundiced essay on Christmas movies, including It’s a Wonderful Life:
Don’t get me wrong: I like Wonderful Life–the dance contest, the romance, the seductive mystery of Violet Bick. But isn’t there something a little oppressive about it? To me, a former small-town kid, it’s
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Study: Fickle Young'Uns Betray Television
According to a new study from Deloitte (h/t TVTattle), “millennials” (Americans aged 14 to 25) watch 10.25 hours of TV per week—although they spend more time with “media” (including computers, videogames and music) than other age groups. Beyond that group, TV use goes up with age: 15.1 hours for Gen X (those aged 26 to 42), 19.2 hours …
Swag Photography: Echo Vs. Jack
In today’s installment of Swag Photography, Fox has sent out review copies and promo packages for the debut season of Dollhouse and the return of 24. Both with action figures!
At left, a more conceptual doll of Echo, the “active,” which—I assume reflecting the conceit that actives are clean slates—sadly looks much more like a …
What Should Obama's FCC Do?
It’s a bit of a slow day at Tuned In, as I start to work through my pile of January screeners and, yes, begin to get Robo-James oiled up and ready for the holidays. In the meantime, I point you to this MSNBC piece wondering what direction the Federal Communications Commission will take under President Obama. Will it be more hands-off, or …
Boox Box
Who says people don’t read anymore? I do it just about 24/7. This being the end of the year, I thought I’d cite a few of the art and architecture books I enjoyed the most in recent months.
Architecture first:
I.M. Pei: Complete Works by Philip Jodidio and Janet Adams Strong (Rizzoli; 367 pages)
For 50 years Pei has worked in his own …
TV's Winter of Content
As I was watching the first three new episodes of Big Love—I just thought I’d throw that out there—I was seized by a welcome feeling. Not pleasure so much, though the episodes have the series in the same fine form as season 2. More like relief. As in: Ah, television, my old friend. I remember you! Good to have you back again!
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Thinking About MOCA
We don’t know what’s next for the struggling Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, but we know the MOCA Board is promising an announcement after its next meeting tomorrow. Right now MOCA has two options on the table. One is that $30 million offer from omnipresent philanthropist and MOCA co-founder Eli Broad. The money would go to …
Stop. Working. NOW! FOTC Sneak Peek
The first episode of season 2 of Flight of the Conchords is previewing at Funny or Die. (h/t Sepinwall.) But it won’t stay up forever. So tell Mr. Scrooge that you’ll finish balancing his ledger books in 20 minutes or so, rub your frostbitten fingers together, and enjoy. ‘Tis Christmas, after all!
If you get there fast, you can watch it …