THE LAST SHOUT

This month, Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily (http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/) gave us a most complete coverage of what will be the 2009-2010 Primetime network television season in Nikki's aptly titled Primetime Pilot Panic series. And nailed the coffin with a presentation of the network skeds.

Tuesday is Time Tunnel Day for the CW with the 90210 revival and now the revival of the original 90210 spin-off: Melrose Place (I hope you're not losing me). What is tragic in some way is that the original Melrose Place was the epitome of the "guilty pleasure" and a GP doesn't have to be particularly good to be appreciated. So if the new Melrose is as camp as the original the hopes are high and if the all "Young, bold, beautiful and restless" - hey, it's the CW - cast fails they can bring back iconic Heather Locklear to save the show. But Michael and Sydney return! I'm excited by a Melrose Place revival on the CW, just shoot me! I don't care about 90210, I didn't care about the original, but count me in for Melrose (http://www.youtube.com/user/cwtelevision?blend=1&ob=4).

Also on tuesday, on CBS, the NCIS spin-off: NCIS: Los Angeles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07XPSH-CWrI). Well, er, if the show is a hit we'll have NCIS: Miami, NCIS: New York, NCIS: Paris, and NCIS UK (with Freema Agyeman). But we'll give this one a try because of Chris O'Donnell and because the original is pure fun. CBS again, as the network finally picked the two medical shows: Three Rivers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZj3EIkQGXY) AND Miami Trauma (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18i3w6ZkVQY). At least CBS shows a lot of coherence, with all these crime shows on the network their medical personnel should have a lot to do. I want a Chicago Hope revival but lock Mandy Patinkin with a ten-year contract before.

Is the 2009-2010 season summed up by a single word: trauma? NBC's Trauma (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycgM884tMyE&hl=fr) looks like a blockbuster version of a Glen A. Larson show. I'll have a look at the pilot but can the network afford this every week? Talking about what you can afford, where the hell is Alyssa Milano when you need her? Eastwick - on ABC (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFtp-rnfz7A) - is Charmed revisited with a touch of Desperate Housewives. The only item of interest for your humble servant is that Darryl Van Horne is played by supremely talented Canadian actor Paul Gross (Due South). I didn't recognize him at first but it's always a pleasure to see him.

For The 2200 aka ABC's remake of V - Kenneth Johnson's monument (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahjPQjQGdbU), see what I wrote in my last Ingrid (1). So long, and thanks for the fish... Replace lizards by traders and maybe I'll watch it. Glee, on Fox (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNU0KoBIIdE&feature=PlayList&p=6E50EE8B2B923B5D&index=0), is fresh air in this rather bleak coming network season. The trailer and clips recall The Kids from Fame with plenty of humor, singing and musical talent, and rythm. I had recently the privilege to receive news from Stephen Tobolowsky (guest-starring in the pilot) and he's very enthusiastic and truly supportive of the show.

Let's stay on Fox with Human Target (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMkgobsb0Js). I was really expecting a lot of the idea of a new adaptation of the DC comic book (after the one with Rick Springfield in the nineties) and from what I see I'm afraid I'm gonna show some reserve for the moment as the result owes more to Walker Texas Ranger. I was not personally a fan of Walker but the post-series tv movie was very good and deserved a sequel. Mark Valley is charismatic and more than credible as Christopher Chance, the hero of this new Human Target - he served during the Gulf War.

The more I get old the more I enjoy (good) Reality tv. Thank God, there's still US cable and British television.

See also: http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2009/05/things-to-oh-whatever.html

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/index.php?s=pilot+panic

(1) http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2009/05/its-only-movie-ingrid-episode-5.html