Friday, June 15, 2007

End Of An Era

Bob Barker has been the host for "The Price Is Right" for 35 years, the same number of years I've been alive, so I literally cannot remember a time that he hasn't been on the air.

In doing a series on Middle Georgians who have appeared on the show over the years, the one thing they all said in common was how down-to-Earth Barker is, and how he is exactly as you would imagine him.

"The Price Is Right" is more than a TV show; it's really a weekday morning institution, the last holdout for a time when game shows used to rule the timeslots. In a Hollywood that often jettisons its stars once they reach a certain age, Barker has aged gracefully onscreen. He's 83, but with the energy of someone a decade or so younger.

Hopefully, you will be able to catch his final performance today either at the show's regularly scheduled time (CBS, 11 a.m.) or in a special 8 p.m. re-airing tonight. You can read the recollections of Middle Georgians who appeared on "The Price Is Right" in today's edition of The Telegraph or at macon.com.

IN THE NEWS: "Smallville" is adding a new character next season, putting out a casting call for a young, blond actress to appear as Supergirl, Clark Kent's cousin Kara Zor-El. Judging from the description of the character in the CW's press release, this version of Supergirl will most closely reflect the current comics character, not the other versions of Supergirl that have appeared over the decades. Hopefully, Helen Slater won't be reprising the role....

Speaking of female superheroes, "Heroes" is likely getting a new character next season in Miss Universe, Riyo Mori. She's been to a casting audition and is likely to be cast as a love interest for one of the characters. ...

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: After watching Bob Barker's final appearance tonight on "The Price Is Right," you can watch him probably pick up his final Emmy on "The 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards" (CBS, 9 p.m.).

You can also catch a new episode of a series I hoped would make it, but didn't, with "Standoff" (Fox, 9 p.m.) as the network burns off the remaining episodes.

Speaking of burning off episodes, Fox burns off a couple more of "The Loop" this Sunday at 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Also Sunday, "The 4400" (USA, 9 p.m.) returns for a new season, with Billy Campbell joining the cast full-time. I'll probably watch though this is a series I've never really gotten into. With "Heroes" now on the air, "4400" really doesn't measure up.

The night's best bet, though, may be on the Cartoon Network, as the guys from "Robot Chicken" are running a full parody of "Star Wars" featuring the voice of creator George Lucas. It runs at 10 p.m. and reruns throughout the night, along with the best of other editions of "Robot Chicken."

3 comments:

This Girl said...

I wanted Standoff to do well also

Anonymous said...

Once again, Phillip, you've done a disservice to the TV Viewer out there by ignoring some great stuff that you don't happen to watch.

Let me help fill in.

This Sunday, besides the wonderfully underrated "The 4400" (and it's a different show from "Heroes" and a welcome addition to a much lighter Summer slate), the long running and always solid "The Dead Zone" returns for its 6th season premier with Anthony Michael Hall back as Psychic Jonny Smith. The show follows "The 4400" at 10 PM.

Assuming everyone reading has Tivo's, DVR's or even those old VCR things, you can tape the reurn of "The Dead Zone" to catch the 3rd season premier of "Entourage" on HBO. Yes, you read that correctly.

"Entourage" finished it's 2nd season two weeks ago (because these last 10 episodes had been held over from last year) and its 3rd season kicks off with Vince on the set of the problematic "Medallin" with insane Director Billy Walsh, unwilling to show his final cut to Vince (Adrien Grenier) and manager/best friend E (Kevin Connolley).

Let's also hope Johnny Drama's (the hilarious Kevin Dillon) good fortune lasts for a little while with his role on his new hit series, NBC's "Five Towns" (this is clearly a spoof on Donnie Wahlberg's "Boomtown" and NBC's recent, "The Black Donnelleys"). I mention Donnie Wahlberg because that's who Drama is LOOSELY based on.

Besides being in a very good mood after my beloved San Antonio Spurs won their 4th NBA Championship last night, it also means no game 5...which would have been Sunday night at 9 PM opposite the USA and HBO shows. Tony Parker really came through for me. Now go and marry Eva Longoria and enjoy your Honemyoon.

Phillip Ramati said...

Please, by all means, watch The 4400, Dead Zone and Entourage. If I got paid to watch TV on a full-time basis, perhaps I would watch more of these shows.

I should also note the premieres of 'Man vs. Wild' tonight (Discovery, 9 p.m.), a reality show about a guy who drops into various dangerous places and tries to survive there; and Meadowlands (Showtime, Sun., 10 p.m.) about a British family living in the Witness Protection Program int he English countryside. With the Sopranos done and the buzz about this series, I've actually switched from HBO to Showtime for the next two months to check it out.