Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Fans of “Laguna Beach” will love the first season of The Hills, which follows Laguna’s Lauren Conrad as she attends fashion school in Los Angeles and works as an intern at Teen Vogue magazine. OK, so that’s the premise for this quasi-reality MTV series. But in reality, the show is an excuse to watch pretty young people make out, break up, get back together, and break up some more.
During her recent three-week trip to Vietnam, actress Jordana Spiro made do with just one backpack. “Really, there’s almost nothing you can’t buy there if you need it,” she says. “It’s a completely amazing place and I’d go back in a second.”
By Jae-Ha Kim Amazon.com Utilizing aerial shots and a soundtrack that includes folktunes as well as classical masterpieces by Beethoven, Wagner, and Strauss, Visions of Germany is a feast for the eyes and ears. Broken […]
One of the few spin-offs that actually equals the original in terms of quality, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has another stellar season in its third year. Detectives Olivia Benson (Emmy winner Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) continue to investigate sexually-based crimes with compassion and vigor.
A reality series in the loosest sense of the genre, “Jamie Kennedy’s Blowin’ Up” delves into the world of hip-hop by way of comedy. It’s not a bad effort either. The MTV series is equal parts ad-libbed and scripted, but the actors on the show are so good that you’d swear they were just a couple of clueless knuckleheads trying to become rap stars.
Flavor of Love goes through the motions of being a real reality show, but it doesn’t try that hard. It’s obvious Flav is taking advantage of his popularity while he can and that the women are hoping their participation will help launch their modeling/acting/singing careers. But no one in their right mind actually believes that Flav will marry any of these unusual women.
A taut series filled with drama as well as great chemistry between its two lead stars, Bones is a strong addition to Fox’s television lineup. Debuting in 2005 to favorable critical reviews, the series shares an audience of fans with the CSI franchise. Smartly written and well-acted, the first season of Bones focuses on the collaborations between FBI special agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), whom Booth somewhat sarcastically nicknames “Bones.”
A funny, slapstick sitcom, “Reba: The Complete Fourth Season” tells the heartwarming story of Reba Hart (played by country superstar Reba McEntire) and her barely functional dysfunctional family. Much of the humor is based on the relationship between Reba, her ex-husband Brock, and his young wife Barbra Jean.
NCIS takes the CSI formula, throws in a good dose of JAG, and comes up with an entertaining series that takes advantage of the actors’ likeability. The season begins with the introduction a couple new regulars–agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) and assistant medical examiner Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen). And one cast member departs the show by the end of the season. The six-disc set includes all 23 episodes, which aired on CBS during 2004-2005.
A perennial Nielsen ratings topper, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation shows no signs of losing creative momentum in its sixth season. The 24 episodes are taut, fascinating, and gruesome. That killer combination fulfills the promise this CBS series has shown since its inception. In its sixth year, the show delves into the characters’ personal lives more so than in previous seasons, adding more dimension and truth to the roles. We see the looks exchanged between head investigator Gil Grissom (William Petersen) and his underling Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) and learn the true nature of their relationship.