My favorite show as a child was The Bionic Woman starring Lindsay Wagner. The new fall season brings us a new incarnation simply called, Bionic Woman. So far I would say it is not an instant hit. I like the new lead, Michelle Ryan enough, but the rest of the cast leaves me pretty cold. I can’t believe that they added the lying homophobe, Isaiah Washington,as Antonio Pope to the cast. He gets a new series for being a jerk on another? There are far more actor’s available and willing to work  than rewarding this moron. I would also like to to comment on Miguel Ferrer‘s one note performance. He plays Jaime’s Sommer’s boss, Jonas Bledsoe. His performance is emotionless and totally unlikeable so far. Why would anyone work for him. The characters Jae Kim and Ruth are also, in my opinion totally unappealing. Katee Sackhoff who plays the first bionic woman, Sarah Corvus, does add a nice spark to an otherwise dull cast. One of the nice touches of the original series was how compassionate the original Jaime Sommers was. You really cheered for her at her triumphs and felt sad for her when she sometimes just wanted to be a regular gal and not work for a super secret agency and have a normal life… with regular body limbs. I would also like to mention how sick I am of the camera work on this show, as well as many others these days. It is just downright shaky! I think I first noticed this on NYPD Blue and now everyone does it. It is not so special anymore and I never liked it to begin with. The great cinematographers of the past new how to shoot a scene with a locked down camera. No amount of shaking can fix a boring scene.  It doesn’t add anything to the scene other than to make me nauseous!

I wish that the powers that be got together and released the original series on DVD. That would be something to really watch. My rating on the new Bionic Woman? C-

Tonight we had another encounter with that Life on the D List Star, Kathy Griffin. The show at the South Shore Music Circus was a complete sell out and Kathy G really delivered. If you are fans of her reality show,  you really should catch one of her live performances. Her material is always current, and she always makes you feel like she is letting you in on a little secret between friends about those Hollywood crazies! Judging from the crowd tonight I hardly think Miss G qualifies for the D List anymore. She is A-list all the way!

I have come to the conclusion that Barbara Walters should be removed from her own show, ABC’s The View! She seems to run from any controversy and comes across as if she wants everyone to be at a nice tea party. It is such a different show since Rosie O’Donnell has left. I say replace Barbara and let the girls go wild!

The Soprano’s final episode in one word… boring! This has to have been one of the longest drawn out series in the history of television…and for what? Where is the justice for all those who have been whacked these past 7 years? Does Tony go to prison? Is he eventually killed? The episode left me terribly dissatisfied, not to mention it was very slow paced. The preview made it seem like it was going to be very dramatic. Not! Well at least Sunday evenings are mine now. So Long Sopranos, and good riddance!

I am so glad that this no talent has finally left American Idol… it was really getting ridiculous that this freak had been on for so many weeks! Why the judges ever put him through in the first place is a mystery to me. So many talented people have gone before him.

Rosie O is 45 today! Thanks for making The View must-see tv!

Please! Someone give that girl a Prozac! The poor thing is miserable! I cry when I hear Sanjaya too, but she was so sad!

I saw my first episode of Dancing with the Stars last night. It was O.K., but I don’t think I will make it a habit. The pop music didn’t seem to match up well with the performers. I don’t know if it was their performances or if it was the music. They just didn’t seem on the beat to me.  I think music without vocals would be a better choice anyway.

A recent press release from the NAACP states that: “The NACCP Image Awards honors projects and individuals that promote diversity in the arts in television, recording, literature and motion pictures.” Recent Image Award Winner, Isaiah Washington, was promoting diversity when he called a fellow Grey’s Anatomy castmate a “faggot” and then lied that he said it twice on television?

The NAACP is my Loser of the Week.

Tonight America decided to keep Antonella Barba and Sanjaya Malakar in the running for the winners of American Idol. I don’t get it. Each of these performers is weaker than the contestants that were voted off tonight. They both consistently show each week that their voices are not up to the challenge. Please America… vote for the singing talent!

I saw The Bridge to Terabithia the other day. It is nothing like the preview trailer! I actually cried! The trailer makes you think you are going to see a fantasy movie with a lot of CGI effects.  The movie is nothing like that. Yes, there are some scenes in a fantasy world, but most of the story takes place in the present day. It is a great movie, but definitely not for young children.

     I had been looking forward to Katharine McPhee’s album for months now. On American Idol her voice gave me goose bumps! She has a wonderful, tender voice, and it is coupled with a real talent for touching your heart. That Katharine, is no where to be found on her debut album. With the exception of just one song, Ordinary World, the rest of the album sounds like all of the overmixed, emotionless, beat driven music that comes out of the industry today. We love Katharine McPhee for her voice and personality. Sadly, they are no where to be found. However, Ordinary World… Goose Bumps!

Tonight I watched the second episode from season six of American Idol. Everytime someone left the audition room the judges had to remind him or her to  go out the right door of the double doors. Why not just unlock the left? I am forever expecting the left door to be unlocked in a double door set. How many hours have people wasted saying, “other door” since the invention of the double door? Please unlock both doors!

I saw the Dreamgirls movie again. I really urge you to see it. It is so great to see musicals again on the big screen. Jennifer Hudson is excellent as Effie White. It makes no sense to compare her to Jennifer Holliday, the original Broadway Effie. Both are special in their own way. However, Holliday’s performance was one of the greatest to ever hit the Broadway stage. I feel so privilaged to have witnessed it live! She literally “stopped the show!” Here is a clip from the 1992 Tony Awards. While not the same as live…it is pretty damned good! 

I saw Julia Sweeny on The View today. She has a new show out on CD about her spiritual trek from Catholicism to atheism. I have always found her funny, and it should make an interesting listen. I have heard from my friend Danny that her first show, God Said, Ha!, is great and would like to hear that one also someday.  I believe it deals  with the death of her brother from cancer and her diagnosis of cancer at the same time. None of these issues sound very funny, but she is a talented comedian, and it will be interesting to hear her take on them!

Kudos:  Julia Sweeney