Goat Man Returns...?

Some news from NBC, via Variety.com

Saturday Night Live alum Jim Breuer is back at NBC, developing a sitcom project based loosely on his own life.

Multi-camera comedy, which has been given a script order by NBC, stars Breuer as a father who decides to stay home and raise his three daughters -- and at the same time take care of his elderly parents.

Jim Breuer was fantastic in Half Baked...and that's it.  His horrible stint on SNL combined with the equally lame Pizza Hut commercials of late makes this new project (which sounds like every other sitcom) a head-scratcher.  I am setting the over/under of episodes aired at 6.  Sorry Jim.

Great Thursday Night Debuts

I'm hoping everyone caught The Office, Community and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia last night (or at least DVRed them). 

The Office started off with a great opening segment with Michael, Dwight and Andy performing their attempts at parkour, which Jim described accurately as a phenomena way past it's prime.  Overall the episode was great when Michael was involved, including his string of "rumors" about everyone in the office.  Particularly funny was Andy's bi-curiousness.  Thankfully, it appears the show hasn't dropped off...yet.

Community was making its premiere tonight and here's the one thing that needs to be taken away from the show.  You can't expect laugh out loud situations as the character development is the driving force for at least a few more episodes.  Give this show some time, I think it has a lot of potential.  I liked the pop culture references (one character being referred to as Slumdog Millionaire, playing Bejeweled on the iPhone) and I believe the supporting cast plays well off each other.  Keep watching...

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is absolutely one of the top 3 comedies on television right now.  The writing and improvisation for this show is amazing and typically their episode plots are topical and relevant.  Last night was no exception when the gang dealt with the housing collapse and Dee attempted to become a surrogate mother.  The best part of the episode was Dennis & Mac becoming the good realtor, bad realtor team of Honey & Vinegar.  This premise alone made me chuckle and seeing it in action truly had me laughing out loud. 

Undoubtedly, Thursday night is the best night of comedy on television and only gets better once 30 Rock returns.  Keep watching people!

The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards Predictions - Part 2

With the Emmy Awards show premiering this weekend, I think it's time to offer my final predictions for the acting categories.  I left out the nominees from the Miniseries/Made for TV movie category because I haven't seen them and wouldn't want to give a uneducated guess.  I have already given my picks for the series categories, which can be found here.  Quickly wanted to give my biggest surprises/disappointments; once again no nomination for Justin Kirk (Weeds) and True Blood receiving no nominations.  Truly a shame.  On with the predictions!

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Simon Baker - The Mentalist
• Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
• Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
• Michael C. Hall - Dexter
• Jon Hamm - Mad Men
• Hugh Laurie - House

I think it's a 3 way race between Cranston, Hall and Hamm.  Cranston surprised some last year and walked away with the prize, but I'm not sure he'll be able to pull it off again.  The buzz surrounding Mad Men puts Hamm as the front runner in my mind and I think he'll be holding a statue on Sunday.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Glenn Close - Damages
• Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
• Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: SVU
• Holly Hunter - Saving Grace
• Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
• Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

A rather dull category when you consider that every nominee is the same from last year with only the addition of Moss.  Close won last year and you have to consider her the favorite.  I'd like to see Hunter up there, but I think Close will win again.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
• Steve Carell - The Office
• Jermaine Clement - Flight of the Conchords
• Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
• Tony Shalhoub - Monk
• Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men

This is by far the most talented category if you throw out Sheen.  Last year Baldwin won as 30 Rock dominated the entire night.  My heart goes out to Carell who I think has taken a well established character in the UK series and has completely made it his own.  I think he finally gets his due on Sunday.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Christina Applegate - Samantha Who?
• Toni Collette - United States of Tara
• Tina Fey - 30 Rock
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus - The New Adventures of Old Christine
• Mary-Louis Parker - Weeds
• Sarah Silverman - The Sarah Silverman Program

Lots of wonderful ladies here, but how the votes are cast is a question.  Are we looking for an actress who is funny, or a great performance on a show that's considered a comedy.  In the former we would have Silverman or Fey or Dreyfus, but the later would have to be Parker or Collette.  I strictly on an acting basis that Collette should win and upset Fey.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• Christian Clemenson - Boston Legal
• Michael Emerson - Lost
• William Hurt - Damages
• Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad
• William Shatner - Boston Legal
• John Slattery - Mad Men

Slattery and Emerson are the front runners in my mind.  But I think Emerson finally gets his props for the brilliant portrayal of the creepy and tormented Benjamin Linus as Lost's final season begins in early 2010. 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Rose Byrne - Damages
• Hope Davis - In Treatment
• Cherry Jones - 24
• Sandra Oh - Grey's Anatomy
• Dianne Wiest - In Treatment
• Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy

Wiest (an Oscar winner) absolutely holds the best of odds of repeating from last year.  I just don't see any others in this category that will best her.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men
• Kevin Dillon - Entourage
• Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
• Jack McBrayer - 30 Rock
• Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
• Rainn Wilson - The Office

Again, throw out Cryer and this category is stacked.  Jeremy Piven won last year for Entourage, and I'm slightly surprised he wasn't nominated again.  NPH is hosting the award show so that my help or hurt his chances.  The 30 Rock guys sort of cancel each other out so I think it has to go to either Dillon (easily the best actor on Entourage) or Wilson as Dwight Schrute.  I'll have my fingers crossed for Dillon.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
• Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock
• Elizabeth Perkins - Weeds
• Amy Poehler - Saturday Night Live
• Kristen Wiig - Saturday Night Live
• Vanessa L. Williams - Ugly Betty

I absolutely love Kristen Wiig, but I don't see her winning.  I think Elizabeth Perkins finally gets notice and Weeds finally wins something.

Catch the Primetime Emmy's at 8:00pm EST September 20, 2009 on CBS.

The Interrupter!

My favorite Late Night with Conan O'Brien character made his triumphant return/debut last week on The Tonight Show. Brian Stack's portrayal of androgynous, magician-envying creep, the Interrupter is hilarious. Take a look:

"Mad Men" keeps going

AMC's highest rated show will be back for a fourth season, via Variety.com:

AMC has renewed flagship series "Mad Men" for a fourth season on the heels of healthy numbers and wide media exposure for its third-season premiere in August.

Great news for one of the best shows on television and this announcement comes less than a month after the season three premiere. I am currently catching up on season two, but absolutely loved the realism the show displayed. Undoubtedly AMC understands the gem they have (originally this show was pitched to HBO and they declined) and I hope the story lines can remain intriguing. Best of luck to the men at Sterling Cooper.