Author Archive
 

 

THE SKED Series Premiere Review: “The Red Road”

  THE RED ROAD:  Thursday 9PM on Sundance Channel – If Nothing Else Is On… “Ponderousness” is odd branding for a cable network with fledgling original programming to embrace, but after Top of the L...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

OSCARLAND: Why and Why Not? – Best Supporting Actor

  The votes are in, and all that’s left is the counting.  The Calendar section of the LA Times has returned to normal size, the pop-up website ads have subsided, the screenings and Q&As have finished, and the ta...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

OSCARLAND: Why and Why Not? – Best Supporting Actress

  As we did with Best Supporting Actor and will do the rest of this week with the other major categories, this is a final look at the rationales behind and against each nominee’s likelihood of winning.  We’re ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED Season Premiere Review: “The Americans”

  THE AMERICANS:  Wednesday 10PM on FX THE AMERICANS thrives on complications–moral, political, ethical and sexual–and it starts Season 2 with a nifty one.  In the Reagan era, when the show is set, the fundam...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

UPDATED: THE SKED CABLE/NETWORK SCORECARD – 2/26/14

  AFTERNOON UPDATE:  Nothing moved by more than 0.1 from this morning, although there were a few shifts that accomplished points of pride.  Thanks to the last-minute lift, NASHVILLE avoided its low with 1.3, while an upward ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

OSCARLAND: Why and Why Not? – Best Actress

  As with Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, we’re taking a last look at the factors for and against each nominee for Best Actress, with deserving performances assumed and precursor awards put to the ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED Season Premiere Review: “Vikings”

  VIKINGS:  Thursday 10PM on History The season 2 premiere of VIKINGS neatly demonstrated the series’ knack for straddling brawny historical action and engrossing historical soap.  Written by series creator Michael...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

UPDATED: THE SKED CABLE/NETWORK SCORECARD – 2/27/14

  AFTERNOON UPDATE:  All movements were of the 0.1 variety, with AMERICAN IDOL, BIG BANG THEORY, GREY’S ANATOMY, SCANDAL and PARKS & RECREATION getting the bump.  That meant IDOL and PARKS tied their lows rather th...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

OSCARLAND: Why and Why Not? – Best Actor

  Continuing as we’ve done for Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, here’s a final look at the pros and cons behind each nominee for Best Actor.  All are assumed to deserve the awa...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

THE SKED Season Premiere Review: “Hannibal”

  HANNIBAL:  Friday 10PM on NBC With the exception of Twin Peaks, HANNIBAL may well be the strangest drama ever to air on a broadcast network.  Created for television by Bryan Fuller as a prequel in the Thomas Harris ca...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

EARLY FRIDAY BOX OFFICE: Heaven Vs. the Skies At the Multiplex

  NON-STOP (Universal) has taken the initial lead over SON OF GOD (20th) with a tight Friday win, according to preliminary numbers at Deadline, but the weekend race is far from over.  Non-Stop reportedly took in $9.5M on ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

OSCARLAND: Why and Why Not? – Best Director

  We’ve reviewed all the performers in the Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress and Best Actor categories, and now it’s time to look at the filmmakers themselves.  Here’s a last ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

THE SKED NETWORK SCORECARD – 2/28/14

  Hannibal didn’t eat anyone on the first Olympics-free Friday in a month. NBC:  HANNIBAL returned at 1.1, which was considerably below its series premiere 1.5 (which aired on a Thursday), but better than its postse...
by Mitch Salem
 

 
 

Behind the Friday Box Office – 2/28/14

  OPENINGS:  NON-STOP (Universal) had the Friday lead with $10M, but that doesn’t mean it’ll take the weekend.  In any case, Universal’s investment will pay off handsomely–it covered only $12M of ...
by Mitch Salem
 

 

 

OSCARLAND: Why and Why Not? – Best Picture

  We’ve taken a tour through Best Actress and Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, and Best Director, and that leaves one last major gold statue to be handed out.  As we have all along, we ...
by Mitch Salem