Posts Tagged ‘Television’
Six Things The New ‘Prisoner’ Changed For The Worse
I managed to catch the first two hours of the Prisoner remake on AMC and am hoping the next four (it’s a six-hour mini-series) really picks up and does something remarkable. Curious to know what all you fans of the original series think (which can be viewed on AMC’s site here).
No spoilers here, but Number 6 is now played by Jim Caviezel (photo right) of The Passion of the Christ fame and Number 2 by actor extraordinaire, Ian McKellen. (Please note, some spoilers are below):
Charlie Jane Anders writes on io9.com:
The Prisoner used its premise of a spy trapped in an idyllic, but oppressive, village to ask questions about individuality in a conformist, overly processed society. Here are six ways last night’s remake throws away that rich premise…
In ‘Prisoner,’ Twisted Whimsy Flirts With New Fears
From NPR:
At the height of the Cold War, British actor Patrick McGoohan conceived a television series that was so subversive and enigmatic, it lasted just 17 episodes.
The program was called The Prisoner.
For decades, filmmakers and actors including Mel Gibson have wanted to remake the series. AMC has finally done it, but if you’re expecting a faithful re-creation of the British series, actor Jim Caviezel says you’ll be disappointed.
In the original series, McGoohan played a British intelligence officer who mysteriously resigned on principle — we never find out why…
Sometimes Twittering Sh*t Your Dad Says Gets You A TV Deal
MG Siegler writes on TechCrunch:
Back in August, we wrote about Shit My Dad Says, the Twitter account of a 28-year-old guy named Justin who literally just tweeted out things his dad said. At the time, he already had over 100,000 followers on Twitter, now he has over 700,000. And now he just landed a TV deal.
Yes, you read that right. A 20-something just landed a TV deal thanks to his Twitter account. Again, not a website, not a book (though there is a book in the works too), just a Twitter account.
The TV industry blog The Live Feed reports that CBS is working with Justin (whose last name is Halpern) to create the show along with Will & Grace creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick. Halpern will write it along with…
Even Muppets Hate Fox News
It’s no surprise to regular visitors to the disinformation site that we generally take every opportunity to point out just how biased and unfair Fox News Channel truly is (and of course we distributed the classic dissection of FNC, Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism), but should children’s TV shows on public television do the same?
Big Bird Says He’s Leaving As ‘Sesame Street’ Hits 40
Frazier Moore for AP, via SF Gate:
Big Bird is leaving Sesame Street!
That’s what he decides on the “Sesame Street” season opener. A rapping real-estate agent pitches him on migrating to a new habitat (”habitat,” the episode’s “Word on the Street”). After sizing up a beach and a swamp for his new habitat, Big Bird chooses a rain forest.
But then he comes to his senses with a musical number.
“Sesame Street is my habitat!” he sings. “Sesame Street is my home!”
Indeed, Big Bird — that towering, yellow-feathered 6-year-old — has been calling Sesame Street home for four decades, ever since the show premiered on Nov. 10, 1969.
Now, as it marks its 40th anniversary on Tuesday on PBS (check local listings), he remains an essential member of the flock…
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TV Viewing Among Kids at an Eight-Year High
They should know: Nielsen, the TV ratings company, has just released a new report:
American children aged 2-11 are watching more and more television than they have in years. New findings from The Nielsen Company show kids aged 2-5 now spend more than 32 hours a week on average in front of a TV screen. The older segment of that group (ages 6-11) spend a little less time, about 28 hours per week watching TV, due in part that they are more likely to be attending school for longer hours.
Average Weekly TV And Peripheral Consumption Among All Kids 2-5 Total TV DVR DVD VCR Game Console Over 32 hrs 24hrs 51mins 1hr 29mins 4hrs 33mins 45mins 1hr 12mins Among All Kids 6-11 Total TV DVR DVD VCR Game Console Over 28 hrs 22hrs 9mins 59mins 2hrs 28mins 18mins 2hrs 23mins This trend of increased viewing among children mirrors the overall increase in media consumption we’ve been tracking over the…
