brett ratner

(S01E05) Tonight's show was a definite improvement over last weeks, but that's kind of like saying being forced fed one turd sandwich is better than being force fed two. At the end of the day, you're still eating a turd sandwich.

Never in my history of TV watching have I encountered a show so maligned by schizophrenia. The producers of On The Lot know they want to find "the next great Hollywood film director," but they have absolutely no clue what the means are to reach this end.

And what's the deal with Adriana Costa. I think one of the readers mentioned that he and a friend created a drinking game that revolved around one of them taking a shot every time she botched a line.

Sadly, I received email confirmation that the both of them died of alcohol poisoning after this evening's episode.

(S01E04) This may go down as the longest hour of TV in the history of TV. Tonight's episode was only an hour long, but it felt more like thirteen thanks to the lame effort to American Idolize the show with all the awkward pauses and the "we'll tell you right after the break" nonsense.

It probably sounds strange for a guy who practically typed a novel during yesterday's review to be criticizing the length of anything, but what else could I do? There were still 24, pardon me, 18 contestants left, and I couldn't very well not talk about someone's film. It'd be like the producers of this show completely leaving out an episode. Things like that just shouldn't happen.

Anyhow, I guess there's no real reason for me to stretch this out any more than it needs to be. I'll tell you who got cut, but we're going to have to wait...until...after...you...click..the...jump.

(S01E03) New host, new show format, and a new time slot on a new night. If I didn't recognize the judges and the directors, I wouldn't have even realized I was watching On The Lot this week.

Call me crazy, but they should have gone with this American Idol like format from the get go. After watching tonight's episode, the shows from last week feel even more disjointed from the series.

I'm afraid that the plodding, "me-too-reality-show" that was portrayed last week probably turned more people off the show than anything. It's a shame too, because this week the pace really started picking up, and we got to see what the show truly has to offer.

Namely, a great bunch of films from a great bunch of directors. Well, mostly great films from mostly great directors. Click on for a walk through of 18 one-minute comedy shorts from 18 good and not so good up-and-coming directors.

(S01E02) I find myself questioning two things about On The Lot and neither is really a negative thing about the show, which I find myself enjoying.

Foremost, what's with the bizarre airing schedule? Like I said last week, Fox really should have capitalized on the huge American Idol lead in by airing a two hour episode that really illustrated what this show is all about.

These first few episodes really seem to be focusing on the "personalities" and the conflicts they appear to be having. Specifically, the beef between Marty and Jeff and the issues Hanna and Jessica have with Kenny.

If there was ever an opportunity to break the inner quarreling so prevalent (and popular) in reality TV, this show could have been the one that did it simply by focusing on the movies.

(S01E01) I'm a reality TV junkie, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Well, almost not afraid to admit it.

If I were to compile a list of all the reality shows I've watched you'd find some real stinkers on it (*cough* Temptation Island), but I can't say I could include a single Mark Burnett produced series in the bunch.

Although On the Lot got off to slow start, I really see some potential in the show and think it's going to be another bona fide hit in the realm of Survivor and The Apprentice.

Why you ask? Because it takes all the things we like about the aforementioned shows (i.e. the competitiveness, the warring type A personalities, the bitchiness, and the everyman appeal of the contestants) and wraps it around a topic most of us have more than a passing interest in - movies.

I thought we were all pretty much over Carrie and her Manolo Blahniks, weren't we? Too bad. Two of the big four networks have ordered pilots similar to Sex and the City.

ABC has ordered a pilot for the embarrassingly-named Cashmere Mafia, which was created Sex executive producer Darren Star. It's described as "the next generation of Sex and the City". Oh, please let it get a better name. It's about four women who have known each other since college and follows them as they date and work to further their various careers. ABC has also ordered a pilot for Women's Murder Club, described as "CSI meets Sex and the City." It's about a group of female friends who happen to be a homicide detective, a medical examiner, a reporter, and an assistant district attorney. The pilot is going to be directed by Brett Ratner, the man who destroyed The X-Men, so don't expect much.

And finally, NBC gave the greenlight to Lipstick Jungle, based on a novel by the same name about "three powerful New York businesswomen who will do anything to get ahead," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Who's the novelist? Why, it's Candace Bushnell, of course. She's the one who created Sex and the City in the first place.

[Thanks, Karen!]

Brett Ratner, AKA The Man Who Killed The X-Men, is bringing his poisonous talent to FOX. Whoa- sorry. Guess I'm still a little angry about The X-Men III: The Last Stand. Ratner and writing partner Neil Tolkin are producing a series based on the popular book, Blue Blood. The book is written by a Harvard graduate who decided to go into the family business of law enforcement (the author also writes for The New Yorker). Reviews of the book were positive, saying that the author, Edward Conlon, shows a side to the police force that is never accurately portrayed on television or in movies. The book chronicles Conlon's days as a rookie and goes up through 9/11.