AOL TV

Helen Wagner, 'As the World Turns' Legend, Dies at 91

Allison Waldman — 2010-05-02T22:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Daytime, Video, Celebrities, Obituaries, Reality-Free, Features, TV News

One of the legendary actors of daytime television, 'As the World Turns' star Helen Wagner, passed away Saturday, May 1, 2010. She was 91 years old and still an active member of the CBS soap opera.

In fact, Helen Wagner was daytime marvel. She was on 'As the World Turns' when it premiered on April 2, 1956, and continued in the role of Nancy Hughes ever since. She's in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest run by an actor in a television show.

Continue Reading

Ex-'Tonight Show' Host Conan O'Brien Vents On '60 Minutes'

Allison Waldman — 2010-05-02T20:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Late Night, OpEd, Video, Celebrities, Reality-Free, Features, TV News

For the first time since the end of his tenure on 'The Tonight Show,' Conan O'Brien had a chance to appear on camera and share his thoughts on the whole long, drawn out civil war between him and Jay Leno and NBC and GE and the late night industry at large.

For the record, Conan O'Brien's sit down with Steve Kroft on '60 Minutes' on May 2, 2010 -- the first date he was contractually allowed to discuss what happened -- clearly established that while he's disappointed about what happened, Conan O'Brien is not defeated. To paraphrase 'Evita,' "Don't cry for him, America."

Continue Reading

TV Replay: New Love on '30 Rock,' Cursing on 'Today' and More

TV Squad Editors — 2010-04-30T17:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Video, Features

'Glee' star Chris Colfer recounted his awkward meeting with Lady Gaga while on 'Ellen DeGeneres.'

April exposed Ron's singing past on 'Parks and Recreation.'

Jenna found somebody she could love forever: a drag queen version of herself.

Michael Scott had some woman trouble on 'The Office.'

A baby was born on 'Grey's Anatomy.'

Jay Leno chatted about his stripper friend on 'The Marriage Ref.'

Meredith dropped the s-bomb on the 'Today' show.

Jennifer Garner imagined her ideal Mother's Day.

Even the corpses sang on last night's 'Fringe.'

Wendy Williams was mistaken for Venus Williams.

For more watercooler clips, check out TV's Top 5!

Bad News: Looks Like 'Legend of the Seeker' Really Won't Be Back

Bob Sassone — 2010-04-30T14:15:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Sci-Fi/Supernatural Shows, Video, Cancellations, Reality-Free, Features

We told you earlier this week that the syndicated action show 'Legend of the Seeker' had been canceled. ABC Studios still won't comment officially on the status of the show, but multiple sources, including Entertainment Weekly, say that because of the number of stations around the country that dropped the show and the state of sci-fi/adventure shows right now, the studio is just not going to do a third season. (The show is currently in its second season.)

Overseas sales of the show aren't strong, either -- a surprising fact, considering that a lot of syndicated action shows do better overseas than they do in the United States.

Continue Reading

Betty White Gets New 'SNL' Promos, GSN Marathon (VIDEO)

Rich Keller — 2010-04-30T11:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Saturday Night Live, Video, Celebrities, Reality-Free, Features, TV News

As the date for Betty White's hosting gig on 'Saturday Night Live' comes ever closer (May 8th), NBC is releasing more promos featuring the grande dame of television.

In the first promo, similar to one mentioned here earlier this week, Betty addresses rumors that have her dating Zac Efron. Apparently, as the camera pans around the room, those rumors are totally false. In the second promo, Ms. White wonders if her 'SNL' gig will lead to bigger and better hosting duties for, perhaps, the Academy Awards. To that end, she enlists a trio of computer nerds to fan the Internet rumor flames.

'Glee' and the Barbra Streisand Connection

Allison Waldman — 2010-04-29T14:02:00+00:00

Filed under: OpEd, Video, Music and Variety, Celebrities, Reality-Free, Glee, Features, TV News

Ever since 'Glee' began, there's been a thread running through it that's always reminded me of Barbra Streisand. In last Tuesday's episode, the thread was more like a rope, as four characters did the medley "One Less Bell/A House Is Not A Home," just like Streisand did in the 1971 Burt Bacharach TV special.

Apparently, others have picked up on this connection, too. This review in New York magazine suggested that the 'Glee' should really do a Barbra Streisand episode -- like the Madonna show -- because Barbra is 'the patron saint' of 'Glee' kids.

Whether they do an all-Streisand show or not, the writer made a great point about how the kids in New Directions are more akin to Brooklyn Barbra than almost any other performer. Before she graduated Erasmus Hall High School in 1959, Barbra Streisand was in glee club. (So was Neil Diamond!) But Streisand wasn't the star of Choral Club. The director, Mr. De Pietto, preferred blonde soprano,Trudy Wallace, and gave her all the solos. Streisand was put in the back, in the alto section.

Continue Reading

Kids Reenact 'The Hills' (VIDEO)

Allyssa Lee — 2010-04-29T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Video, Features

Kids say the darndest things. So do the stars of 'The Hills.' So it was only a matter of time before someone but the two together. Luckily for us, LandlineTV took the task upon itself and parodied the reality-show characters of the MTV series, turning their weekly dramatic saga into child's play.

And this satire enacts the reality show faithfully, only with better skin: There are descriptive ID tags for places (Betel, Los Angeles) and names ("Audrina: Can't Make Eye Contact," "Heidi: No one's friend. Face changes daily" and "Spencer: Heidi's husband. Manipulates her"). Heidi goes from looking like a normal kid to wearing a plasticine mask to full-on Barbie doll. Audrina can't seem to get her eyes off the ceiling. The stilted dialogue also isn't that far off from the show's script, either:

Continue Reading

Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss Hawk Mercedes-Benz, Excedrin (VIDEO)

Jane Boursaw — 2010-04-29T11:31:00+00:00

Filed under: OpEd, Video, Commercials, Mad Men, Features

It wouldn't surprise me if most of the actors on 'Mad Men' ended up in commercials at some point. It's a show about advertising, so you sort of associate them with ads and commercials.

At least two 'Mad Men' actors, Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss, are featured in commercials circulating right now. Hamm is the new voice for Mercedes-Benz, taking the baton from Richard Thomas (John-Boy on 'The Waltons'), who served as the car company's voice-over talent for the past four years.

In a Media Decoder story, Stephen Cannon, vice-president for marketing at Mercedes-Benz USA in Montvale, N.J., calls the new campaign "a nice re-fresh of our voice," adding that Hamm has "a terrific, very resonant voice with a lot of gravitas to it." He also notes that Hamm will help Mercedes-Benz "reach out to a younger, more vibrant audience."

Continue Reading

'Fringe' Musical Episode: The Cast Sings! Dances!

Kelly Woo — 2010-04-29T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Video, Interviews, Reality-Free, Fringe, Features, Celebrity Interviews

'Fringe: The Musical'? Gotta be a joke, right? Even star Jasika Nicole couldn't believe it when she got a script that had singing and dancing. Nicole and her fellow castmates had "joked about it a lot," she told TV Squad on the Vancouver set a few weeks ago. " I didn't think it was really going to happen!"

Oh, it's happening. Tonight's 'Fringe' installment, 'Brown Betty,' features the entire cast in musical performances. It's all part of "Fox Rocks," a week in which the network's shows incorporate music into their episodes. The spooky 'Fringe' might seem the least likely of all Fox's shows to turn into a musical -- but not when you think about how loony-tunes Walter Bishop (John Noble) can be.

Watch our video Q&A with stars Nicole, Lance Reddick and Blair Brown to get the scoop.

Continue Reading

'Happy Town' - 'In This Home on Ice' Recap

Bob Sassone — 2010-04-28T23:35:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Video, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free, Features, Recaps

(S01E01) "A well man doesn't put a hole in another man's head." - Sheriff

Every single review is going to compare 'Happy Town' with 'Twin Peaks.' This isn't just because both shows involve mysterious goings on with mysterious characters in a small town, it's because ABC itself has been driving the point home in all of its marketing for the show. "From the network that brought you 'Twin Peaks ..." I don't really understand why they're mentioning a TV show that ran on their network over 20 years ago, but maybe they feel they have to connect it to something cultish and beloved.

Is it like that show? I guess. A little. It has that small town mystery vibe. It also has dashes of 'Harper's Island' and 'Salem's Lot,' but those ran on CBS so I guess they can't mention them in the ads.

Continue Reading

'Downtown Girls' Trailer: Meet the Ladies

Chris Harnick — 2010-04-28T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Video, Features

What do you get when you mix 'The Hills' with 'Sex and the City' and water it down? Pretty much MTV's 'Downtown Girls' (Tue., June 1, 11PM ET).

The latest reality offering from MTV follows Shallon Lester (pictured), a blogger for Glamour.com, and her friends, Nikki, Gurj, Klo and Victoria. Each girl has her reality show role. There's Nikki, the rich girl and boutique owner, Gurj, a digital marketer at Atlantic Records, Klo, the bride-to-be and "wiser one," Victoria, the "ditzy one" and aspiring lawyer, and Shallon, the leader of the pack, the Carrie Bradshaw if you will.

Check out the trailer below. However, this is fair warning: your brain may hurt afterward.

Continue Reading

Short-Lived Shows: 'Central Park West'

Bob Sassone — 2010-04-28T19:20:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Video, Short-Lived Shows, Reality-Free, Features

I'll admit it, I like soap operas. I don't watch a lot of them, unless you count 'Lost' as a soap opera. It has a continuing storyline over many years with many characters, it just happens to include time travel and monsters.

Wait...daytime soaps have had those too.... But I did watch 'Guiding Light' for 30 years and 'Knots Landing' for whatever number of years that show was on -- it was better than 'Dallas' -- and now I've found myself hooked on 'The Young & The Restless' because one day I was too lazy to reach for the remote control after my local noon news was over. That's how addiction happens sometimes.

There was another soap I liked too, back in the 1995. It was called 'Central Park West,' and considering the ratings the show got, I think I'm one of the very few people in the country who can say I watched it and liked it.

Continue Reading

TV Replay: Mercedes Shines on 'Glee,' 'Housewives' and Regis Square Off

TV Squad Editors — 2010-04-28T18:40:00+00:00

Filed under: Video, Features, TV Replay

Mercedes sang 'Beautiful' on 'Glee.' Not even Sue Sylvester could bring her down.

Peter had issues with his daughter's bra on 'Parenthood.'

Alicia and Peter both walked out the door on 'The Good Wife.'

Heidi Montag's mom didn't like her plastic surgery on 'The Hills.'

Jessica Simpson revealed her addiction to Nicorette gum on the 'Tonight Show.'

Jake and Chelsie talked 'Dancing With the Stars' and Jake's wedding on 'Jimmy Kimmel.'

Patricia Arquette talked about moving 'Medium' from NBC to CBS.

The ladies from 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey' got feisty with Regis on 'Live With Regis and Kelly.'

Stephen Colbert called Stephen Hawking an "a-hole."

Courtney Love got censored on 'The View.'

For more watercooler clips, check out TV's Top 5!

Legitimate Lesbians in Los Angeles: A Look at 'The Real L Word'

Jo Garfein — 2010-04-28T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Video, Features

Just about 40 miles up the road from the real housewives in Orange County are the real lesbians of Los Angeles, and Showtime is presenting a slice of their life in the new reality series 'The Real L Word.'

The response by the gay community to the portrayals of bisexuals and lesbians in the original series 'The L Word' was equally divided between delighted and offended, and from a marketing standpoint -- 'The Real L Word' is poised to be just as controversial.

Take a peek behind-the-scenes; just be warned that the content is rather racy and not necessarily safe to view at work.

Continue Reading

'Lost' News: Desmond's Ring, That Final Cast Photo, and a Special Guest Star

Bob Sassone — 2010-04-28T17:33:00+00:00

Filed under: Lost, Video, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free, Features, TV News

Just because last night's episode of 'Lost' was a rerun (and a surprise rerun at that), that doesn't mean there isn't any news about the show that we can discuss until next week's all-new episode 'The Candidate.'

After the jump, three nuggets of information show fans might be interested in: Henry Ian Cusick explains that ring that Desmond was wearing in this season's first episode, talks about that final cast photo (that he's not in), and we find out what star of a long-running NBC drama is going to make an appearance in one of the last episodes.

Needless to say, MASSIVE SPOILERS FOLLOW.

Continue Reading

Three More Shows You'll Never See On DVD

Bob Sassone — 2010-04-28T17:10:00+00:00

Filed under: TV on DVD, Video, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free, Features, TV Shows on DVD

Back in 2006 I did a post that highlighted the five shows you'll never, ever, ever see on DVD. It's a tricky post to do, because so many shows are being released on DVD now, even ones you thought you'd never see ('Brisco County,' 'Stingray'), but I'm proud to say my picks have held up these past four years. Though I'd still love to see those show on the shiny round discs.

Here are three more. Let's see how I do in another four years.

1. 'Spy Game.' A goofy but well-crafted action show that ran for about a dozen episodes on ABC in 1997. It starred Allison Smith ('Kate & Allie' and 'The West Wing') and Linden Ashby ('Melrose Place' and 'Mortal Kombat') as a spy team battling bad guys. It never took itself seriously and was often ridiculous, but always fun.

Continue Reading

Rob Lowe and Adam Scott to Cut 'Parks and Recreation's' Budget

Bob Sassone — 2010-04-28T11:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Video, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free, Parks and Recreation, Features, TV News

It's been widely reported that TV actors Rob Lowe and Adam Scott will soon be joining the cast of NBC's Thursday-night comedy 'Parks and Recreation.' But until today, nobody quite knew what their characters would be doing in Pawnee.

Well, wonder no more: According to the LA Times, their characters, state auditors, are going to slash the budget of the Pawnee, Indiana, parks and rec offices.

Continue Reading

TV Replay: 'DWTS' Back Talk, 'Tara's' Tornado and More

TV Squad Editors — 2010-04-27T17:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Video, Features

Erin and Maks couldn't win Len Goodman over with their dancing stunts on 'Dancing With the Stars.'

A tornado brought out the alters on 'United States of Tara.'

Chelsea Handler and Loni Love talked about a man's love affair with a dolphin on 'Chelsea Lately.'

Tim Urban talked 'Idol' and sings an Elvis tune on the 'Late Show.'

Jackie didn't take well to being threatened on 'Nurse Jackie.'

David Letterman talked Leno/O'Brien fiasco and called Jay Leno a "boob" on 'Late Show.'

Jenny tried to make a move on Nate and got caught on 'Gossip Girl.'

Donald Trump talked about Bret Michaels' health on 'Today.'

Brendan Fraser gave a bizarre interview on 'The View.'

Mira Sorvino talked about her dance injury and accidentally exposed herself on 'Martha Stewart.'

For more watercooler clips, check out TV's Top 5!

First 'True Blood' Minisode is Available Online

Brad Trechak — 2010-04-27T15:51:00+00:00

Filed under: Programming, OpEd, Video, Web, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free, True Blood, Features, TV Schedules, TV News

Remember when TV Squad mentioned the 'True Blood' minisodes that will be shown with the encore presentations of season two on HBO in anticipation of season three in June? Someone at HBO got impatient and posted one of the minisodes online (or, more likely, recognized the marketing potential of letting people watch it in advance).

In the clip, Eric and Pam are auditioning new dancers for Fangtasia and there are more than a few comic relief moments. There is even a male dancer that is reminiscent of an old 'Saturday Night Live' Chippendale's sketch with Chris Farley. It's a self-contained story so the viewer doesn't have to worry if he or she has never watched 'True Blood' before.

The video is available after the jump. It is a bit racy, so be careful if you're watching it from a work or school or otherwise NSFW location. Let us know what you think of it in the comments.

Continue Reading

Six "Bad" Sitcoms That Are Actually Good

Bob Sassone — 2010-04-27T13:29:00+00:00

Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Video, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free, Features

Yesterday I did a post where I listed the six sitcoms that even a sitcom lover would hate. So today, how about we look at six sitcoms that are actually good?

The six shows that follow are considered "bad" by whatever television common wisdom a lot of fans use. At best, if you like one of these shows you're supposed to consider them "guilty pleasures," but I like them without categorizing them that way. These are good sitcoms. Not "so bad they're good" good or "oh well I guess they're not the worst sitcoms in history" good, I mean they're just good, and you don't have to feel guilty about liking them.

Continue Reading