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Ten Oscar Observations -- A Morning After List

Allison Waldman — 2010-03-08T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: OpEd, Music and Variety, How I Met Your Mother, Celebrities, Awards, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Modern Family, Features, TV News

"The morning after ... we ask the right questions. The morning after ... we make the suggestions."

Those are the lyrics to a song Barbra Streisand once sang and it occurred to me this morning after recovering from the long, long and rather uneventful 2010 Oscar ceremony last night on ABC.

Looking back through the bleary-eyes of my memories, there were quite a few things that could have been better, a few that were just plain lousy, and a few moments that lived up to the hype. Danny shared his view. Check out my ten Oscar observations list:

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TV Squad Ten: Most/Least Sexy Super Bowl Ads of All Time

Danny Gallagher — 2010-02-07T10:31:00+00:00

Filed under: Sports, Video, Commercials, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features

Will Rogers once said, "Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don't have for something they don't need."

And how do you that? That's easy. Just sprinkle in some sex! It's nature's negotiator.

Of course, it's not as simple as it sounds. These days, people are easier to offend than Catholic nuns and the FCC has made it nearly impossible to advertise products the way God intended (i.e. naked girls with abnormally large boobs writhing and moaning over the awesomeness of Flonase). So an even subtler art of using sex to get your money lies within this deeply layered process. Here are the best of the best and the worst of the worst.

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TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first

Allison Waldman — 2009-11-24T14:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Sports, OpEd, Celebrities, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features, TV News

It seems like ESPN has been around forever, doesn't it? Can you even remember a time when there hasn't been an ESPN to turn to for a score or breaking news or updates? I can't. But along with the news ESPN provides, the ESPN brand has expanded to include a bunch of networks, a magazine, restaurants and lots of tchotchkes. But let's just look at the TV shows, shall we? One note: SportsCenter is not included because it's more of a daily news show as opposed to the programs that are more talk and game-oriented. Here's the top ten ESPN created shows, from the worst to the first.

10. Sports Nation
This is a relatively new daily show on ESPN with radio talker Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle co-hosting. It's supposedly an interactive program with surveys that include the fans, but all the bells and whistles can't change the fact that Cowherd is an obnoxious know-it-all that dominates the conversation - when they have one. It's new and shiny, but it's a mess.

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TV Squad Ten: Cartoon women who should have Playboy centerfolds

Danny Gallagher — 2009-11-10T11:05:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Animation, Commercials, Children, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features

Marge Simpson's spread in Playboy was a groundbreaking moment for cartoon women everywhere. Her sensual skin pics paved new ground for the "feminine-animated."

She told the world that the women of animation aren't just vehicles for humor or straight characters to set up punchlines for the males on the paper. She helped us realize they have thoughts, feelings, emotions and yes, even urges that make them unique, infinitely interesting and utterly fascinating. They are, as Dr. Frasier Crane so eloquently put it, "like a fine wine: always intoxicated, ever surprising and only getting better with age."

And so, for the cause of gender equality and female empowerment, here are the ten cartoon chicks who should pose naked because it would be righteously awesome.

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TV Squad Ten: TV's biggest rule breakers

Allison Waldman — 2009-10-28T10:56:00+00:00

Filed under: OpEd, House, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, 30 Rock, Dexter, Reality-Free, Mad Men, The Mentalist, TV Squad Ten, Glee, Features

Rules are meant to be broken... especially for these ten television characters. For them, the rest of the world has one standard to live by and they have another. It makes them interesting and fun to watch... you just wouldn't necessarily want to be the person having to deal with them because they could drive you to distraction. Here's my ten pack of characters who live in a world of their own, according to no rules except their own. From the not-too-bad to the really bad.

10. Patrick Jane, The Mentalist
You would think that as a consultant to the CBI -- California Bureau of Investigation -- Patrick Jane would be compelled to uphold the rules and regulations of the department. However, Jane is a free spirit when it comes to office protocol. He does his own thing. For instance, bugging the office of a CBI higher-up is definitely not kosher. Jane doesn't care; he did it anyway and will probably get away with it.

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TV Squad Ten: best Twilight Zone episodes

Bob Sassone — 2009-10-05T14:10:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Video, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features

There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.

Friday marked the 50th Anniversary of The Twilight Zone's debut on CBS. The first episode was titled "Where Is Everybody?" and featured Earl Holliman as a military man trapped in a town where it seems everyone has vanished. You find out at the end that it was all an experiment to see how astronauts would handle being alone on long missions. Holliman was really safe.

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TV Squad Ten: My favorite HBO shows

Jane Boursaw — 2009-09-29T11:11:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, TV Royalty, Programming, OpEd, Entourage, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, True Blood, Features, TV Schedules

HBO has slowly become my favorite network over the past few years. I don't know if it's because the mainstream networks have turned to lots of reality programming or what, but HBO just seems to get better and better. Just about every show on the premium channel is feature film quality (if not better), and I've got some favorites listed below.

I know I'm missing a few biggies, like Rome, Deadwood, Flight of the Conchords, and Extras, but it's only because I either haven't watched these shows or have only watched a few episodes -- not enough to make an informed opinion. I'm sure they'll make my Jane After Dark column at some point in the future. So I hope you'll tell me your favorites in the comments below.

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TV Squad Ten: Guiding Light's greatest characters of the last 25 years

Allison Waldman — 2009-09-18T11:08:00+00:00

Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features

When Guiding Light airs its final episode today, it won't just be the end of a remarkable television success story -- one that has endured on radio and TV for 72 years -- it will also lower the curtain on some of the most memorable characters ever. In the past 25 years that I've been watching Guiding Light, I've had the pleasure of watching the likes of Michael Zaslow, Justin Deas, Michelle Forbes and Kim Zimmer portray some of those characters.

So, in honor of what Guiding Light has achieved, the fabulous writers who have created these stories and characters, and in salute of all the wonderful actors who've brought them to life, here's Guiding Light's 10 greatest characters from the past 25 years.

10. Josh Lewis (played by Robert Newman)
With the creation of Joshua, the Lewis family became a foundation in Springfield, as integral as the Bauers and the Spauldings, and Josh was the key. He started as a young, upstart oilman with a romantic streak and over time has morphed from a business tycoon to a minister. And through all the years, he's had one great love, Reva Shayne.

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TV Squad Ten: Joss Whedon's big bads

Mike Moody — 2009-08-31T11:05:00+00:00

Filed under: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Dollhouse, Features

Before pondering the meaning of identity on Dollhouse, Joss Whedon gave us some great shows featuring iconic heroes and some really nasty but unforgettable villains.

Unlike Dollhouse, most of Whedon's earlier shows featured a "big bad," a major villain who caused trouble throughout an entire season, or series, for the heroes and their friends. Luckily, Whedon's heroes always managed to outwit these evildoers, but they couldn't stop them from stealing scenes and making the Whedonverse a very, very dangerous place to live.

Let's take a look back at some of Whedon's best "big bads" that made life a living hell for Buffy, Angel and Captain Mal.

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TV Squad Ten: Most visceral shows

Danny Gallagher — 2009-08-27T13:02:00+00:00

Filed under: CSI, Nip/Tuck, Dexter, TV Squad Ten, Features

A good show can keep you so entertained that you're willing to fight sleep to watch the rest of it. A great show physically keeps you awake.

It gets into your bloodstream and forces more adrenaline into your heart.

It turns the synapses in your brain into ferrets on espresso that dash back and forth between the lobes and fires your mind on all of its cylinders.

It is visual cocaine, which is much healthier than actual cocaine and doesn't require a frequent visitor punch card for an eyes, ears, nose and throat doctor.

These are the shows that assault all five of the senses or less depending on how good of a health plan you've got.

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TV Squad Ten: Things I learned at the TCAs

Joel Keller — 2009-08-11T14:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, OpEd, Talk Show, TCA Press Tour, Reality-Free, Mad Men, TV Squad Ten, Features, Fall TV

As usual, I've come back from the TCA press tour with a voice recorder full of great interviews and a brain made of mush. Because of the mush-brain part, I'm sure I'll go back and listen to some of the interviews and find that the ones I thought were full of golden nuggets of wit turn out to be full of nothing but platitudes.

That's okay, though; the tour was a lot of fun and I got to talk to a lot of interesting people. I mean, where else can you talk to Maria from Sesame Street, Alan Alda, Norman Lear, and Patti Smith.... all in the same day? It's amazing who you feel empowered to talk to when you have a press credential around your neck and a voice recorder in your hand.

But I also learned a bunch of other things during the tour, mostly about the upcoming season, but also a few other things as well:

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America's Got Talent Top 40 list

Isabelle Carreau — 2009-07-30T20:30:00+00:00

Filed under: OpEd, America's Got Talent, TV Squad Ten, Features

This past week, we were treated to two rather cruel and evil "Vegas Verdicts" episodes of America's Got Talent. During those two episodes, judges reviewed the auditions and chose who would be part of the Top 40. Many fans, me included, are angry at some of the choices the judges made. They let people with no talent be part of the Top 40 while some with amazing acts were sent packing.

It was impossible, after watching the two episodes, to come up with the exact list of the Top 40. TV Squad reader Aml commented on my review of last night's episode that the numbers didn't add up and it looked like the judges picked a Top 37 rather than 40, meaning that the Simon Cowell curve ball we are waiting for next week may be that more acts need to be added.

Well, NBC just released the Top 40 list.

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TV Squad Ten: Emmy categories we desperately need

Danny Gallagher — 2009-07-20T11:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Awards, Emmys, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features, TV News

The list of Emmy nominations have become the Hummer limo of the awards show world. They get longer and even more uncool, even though they are attempting to show just how cool they are with each passing year.

The whole system is in serious need of revamping. For the most part, the category structure hasn't changed in the last 50 years when then Academy President Rod Serling chose to eliminate favoritism by widening the playing field and the judging, a move so disastrous that no one has dared to even touch the system since then.

So if you're not going to revamp the process, at least add some categories that we wouldn't mind giving up four hours of sleep, exercise and our lives to wait for the winner.

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TV Squad Ten: Events from The West Wing that wouldn't really happen

Brad Trechak — 2009-07-16T14:04:00+00:00

Filed under: OpEd, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features

As I mentioned before, I recently completed my summer project of watching the entire series of The West Wing from start to finish. After using a month or so to cogitate, I decided that while the show feign realism, it didn't quite achieve the mark.

Many of the events I refer to occurred after creator Aaron Sorkin was ousted from the series. I take that as more than coincidence.

Major spoilers for the show follow after the jump, so if you haven't seen it yet, turn back now.

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TV Squad Ten: Shows that deserve to have their own video game - the list

Danny Gallagher — 2009-06-16T11:35:00+00:00

Filed under: Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features

10. Supernatural

9. Dollhouse

8. Mythbusters

7. Sasuke a.k.a Ninja Warrior

6. Takeshi's Castle a.k.a. MXC

5. Fringe

4. Top Gear

3. Burn Notice

2. Chuck

1. Reaper

Want to see the pictures or leave a comment? Click here.

TV Squad Ten: Shows that deserve to have their own video game

Danny Gallagher — 2009-06-16T11:35:00+00:00

Filed under: Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features

There is nothing inherently wrong with turning a TV series into a video game spinoff. It can fill in the gaps between seasons to quell the viewers' hunger, let audiences explore characters from new perspectives and even give the more hardcore couch potatoes some much needed exercise even if they only burned 1/100ths of a calorie solely through their thumbs.

The problem is video game developers pick TV shows that should never even become a travel sized board game. Developers have given the greenlight to games based on shows like American Idol, Desperate Housewives and even ... Grey's Anatomy?!? I hope that last one was a first-person shooter.

There are far better shows that offer far more entertaining elements for a kick-ass video game. These are the shows that should be next in line for a pixelated re-treatment.

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TV Squad Ten: Most mysterious characters on television - the list

Jason Hughes — 2009-05-13T14:27:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, 24, Lost, Doctor Who, Heroes, TV Squad Lists, Reaper, Reality-Free, Fringe, TV Squad Ten, Features

10 - Dr. Helen Magnus (Sanctuary, SyFy)

9 - Captain Jack Harkness (Torchwood, BBC America)

8 - Castiel (Supernatural, The CW)

7 - Tony Almeida, (24, Fox)

6 - Angela Petrelli, (Heroes, NBC)

5 - The Devil (Reaper, The CW)

4 - Christina Scofield (Prison Break, Fox)

3 - The Doctor (Doctor Who, SyFy)

2 - Richard Alpert (Lost, ABC)

1 - Walter Bishop (Fringe, Fox)

Want to see the pictures or leave a comment? Click here.

TV Squad Ten: Most mysterious characters on television

Jason Hughes — 2009-05-13T14:27:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, 24, Lost, Doctor Who, Heroes, TV Squad Lists, Reaper, Reality-Free, Fringe, TV Squad Ten, Features

Everybody loves a good mystery. Well maybe not everybody if the ratings for Harper's Island are any indication. But mysteries and suspense have been a part of television since it's inception. It's one thing for the plot to be full of mysteries. Things like "Who shot J.R.?" can become a part of popular culture. But J.R. himself wasn't a mystery, we knew him pretty well.

But there are those characters we don't know much about. Think about Benjamin Linus from Lost when he first appeared as Henry Gale among the Flight 815 survivors. There were so many secrets and mysteries surrounding him that we couldn't take our eyes off of him when he was on-screen. Well Ben's story may be more or less told, though something tells me there's still more to be gleaned, but there are plenty of familiar faces on television with not so familiar back-stories. And while Ben didn't make the list, that doesn't mean Lost went unrepresented.

If you just want the list, click here.

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TV Squad Ten: Series that should be canceled

Isabelle Carreau — 2009-05-06T11:03:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Reality Shows, Programming, American Idol, CSI, Law and Order, Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, Cancellations, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free, TV Squad Ten, Features, TV Schedules, TV News

Earlier this week, I let you know of the ten shows I thought should be renewed. Now it's time to reverse the question and think about the shows that shouldn't be renewed. Yes, there are some shows that should end now, either because they have annoying characters (*cough* Meredith Grey *cough*), are not treated properly by their network (insert here pretty much all shows on FOX), have been on TV for too long and have a hard time being original (I'm talking about you Survivor), etc. ER would have been a prime candidate for this list, but NBC finally made the right decision and ended the show a few weeks ago. Note that my list includes some shows that have received early renewals. Still, I think they should be canceled asap. So what other shows, besides ER, I think should bite the dust? Let's find out!

If you just want the list, click here.

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TV Squad Ten: Series that should be renewed

Isabelle Carreau — 2009-05-01T05:40:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Other Comedy Shows, Programming, OpEd, How I Met Your Mother, Cancellations, Pickups and Renewals, NCIS, Chuck, Reaper, Reality-Free, The Mentalist, TV Squad Ten, Dollhouse, Features, TV Schedules, TV News

Last week, TVSquad readers made our "Which shows are renewed, canceled, or on the bubble?" post the most viewed and most commented of the week. Most of the commenters voiced their opinions as to which show should be renewed, and since I also watch loads of TV, it's with no surprise that I wanted to chime in, as well. (Look for my "Series that I think should be canceled" post later this week.)

Here I present you, the 10 shows I think should be renewed. Note that I did not include in this list shows that have been confirmed as renewed by the network (such as Gossip Girl), nor those that have been officially canceled (bye bye Pushing Daisies).

If you just want the list, click here.

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