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RSSGoing for the Gold -- How do you feel about the Olympics?
I was all about the 1984 Olympics particularly the women's gymnastic team.
Even though I couldn't do a cartwheel (a somersault represented the beginning and the end of gymnastic prowess), I dreamed of becoming the next Mary Lou Retton. I had crushes on Bart Conner and Mitch Gaylord. And yes I saw American Anthem, starring Mitch Gaylord, in the movie theater. It was nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece.
I remember watching the Olympics with breathless anticipation. I felt that way again during the 1994 Winter Olympics when the whole Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding brouhaha added heightened drama to the ice skating competition.
And although I remain in awe of the athletes who can devote their lives to achieving such amazing physical feats, I really think 1994 was the last time I was really excited about the Olympics. And I can't quite figure out why. Is it because I'm older and less naive? Is it because we have so many media outlets covering the Olympic Games that watching them on TV is no longer appointment television? Is it because we as a culture are over exposed via reality TV to real life people and their dramas? Is it the controversy surrounding this Olympics? I'm not sure.
So, of course, I'll watch the Opening Ceremony tonight (NBC at 7:30 p.m.) but it's just not the same. (Get the Zap2it Olympics widget.)
How are you feeling about the 2008 Summer Olympics? Are you excited? Not as excited? Which games were your favorites? Talk about it below. And for all the information on NBC's coverage of the Olympics, click here.
Ask TV Gal
Why is the My Boys season so short? When will it be on again? Thanks! Jen
This is the most asked question of the summer! So I went to TBS and asked them these very questions. The network says a nine episode season is "the normal range" of episodes for many of their series (for example The Bill Engvall Show). Alas, TBS hasn't yet announced when the show will return for a third season. But I promise to keep you posted.
For your column, could you tell us how The Closer, Saving Grace, Burn Notice, L&O CI, In Plain Sight and Eureka are doing in the ratings? All I can find is network, and I know in the past these shows (especially The Closer) have bettered most network ratings. Thanks Rob
Well Rob you are right about The Closer. Last week 7.4 million people tuned in to watch Brenda get the bad guy – making it the number one series on basic cable (just like the ads say). That ties the amount of people who turned in to watch a repeat of House at the same time and is more than the 6.1 million who tuned in Nashville Star and 3.4 million who checked out Wanna Bet. Burn Notice (4.9 million viewers), In Plain Sight (4.2), Saving Grace (4.8) and Law & Order: CI (4.9) are all among the top ten cable shows. Eureka is outside of the top ten with 2.8 million viewers. But, according to the Sci Fi Channel, the third season premiere was the most-watched episode since the series first premiered on July 18, 2006.
More fun links
You can get a look at My Own Worst Enemy, the new NBC drama starring Christian Slater by clicking here
And this might be the best news of the summer. The WB is back baby! Beginning on August 27, you can go to www.thewb.com to see episodes of Friends, Smallville, One Tree Hill, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, The O.C., Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, and (insert shouts of joy here) Everwood. That means we can watch Amy and Ephram fall in love all over again and again and again. The online network, which sports the tagline "the next great network will not be televised," will also have a new online series from Josh Schwartz. Whoo-hoo!
Quotes of the Week
"I don't come to work every day to watch soap operas and I mean it." Brenda to Sgt. Gabriel and Det. Daniels on The Closer.
"I think I'm marrying the wrong woman." Bobby to PJ on My Boys.
"If only life we're like a Judd Apatow movie where geeks ruled the world, but it's not so let's just suck it up." Isabel to Shane on Weeds.
"Manny whispered something to Dutch in his ear. I, of course, read his lips. He said he didn't want him wearing that gliding suit. He wanted him to wear the black one because it was far more slimming. Then he said…..'purple camel lawnmower man'." Shawn to Gus on Psych. Thanks to Kim who loved this quote because Jeff Fahey, who played Dutch, was the Lawnmower Man.
Exchange of the Week
"I love you like an eight-dollar whore." Mary to Marshall on In Plain Sight.
"I'm sure you mean that in a good way." Marshall's response. Thanks to tubeworld for the quote.
That's all for today. I won't have a column on Monday because I'm off to watch my sister run the half-marathon (which is still about 12.5 miles more than I could run!). And if you didn't watch Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles last spring, FOX is repeating the episodes in order beginning Sunday night at 9 p.m. so check it out. The show returns September 8. I'll be back on Wednesday with familiar faces, thoughts on Weeds (I think the show has totally gone the way of Nip/Tuck), and much more. Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com.
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
I like the Olympics, and I consider myself very lucky to live in a city that has Canadian TV on its cable lineup. Waiting an entire day to watch events that are tape delayed on NBC is ridiculous in a internet-fueled world. CBC rocks!!
I don't mind that My Boys had only a nine episode season. It keeps it nice and tight. Too many shows stretch their material for a long season and it shows. Take Lost. Last season was better since it was short so they had to dump their usual filler.
The Olympics used to be all about the Cold War. USA vs. USSR. Since that rivalry is gone they just don't mean as much.
The problem I have with these cable shows, like "The Closer", is that they run repeat episodes all week long, and one new episode, it is tough to figure out which of the 12 episodes this week, is the new one, espeically when they are all taped on your DVR.
I understand the need for repeats, but why run them the weeks you have new episodes running?
My small rant for the day.
As for the Olympics, I will watch them sometimes, but it is not Must See TV and never has been, and I am a huge sports fan. I guess I just like Pro sports better, although it is an oxymoron to call Olympic competition, ameture sports, since nearly all the big name athletes are compensated millions for their efforts.
And that is my biggest gripe about Olypic competition. It is not an even playing field. Some athletes have millions and tons of top notch equipment, while others have nearly nothing.
In the past, the US would stand tall and use pure amateurs, while the rest of the major countries used paid athletes.
Then we got beat at basketball, and the US paniced and now they use Pro basketball players. And all the tennis players are Pro, as well. how do these qualify as amateur Olympic events?
Agree, American Anthem was a great movie! Still watch it when it reruns.
Olympics a little intersted, a little not....
Good luck to your sis!
As far as the Olympics go, I think one reason people don't watch as much as they used to is that there is very little actual competition shown - the coverage is full of "sidebars," - stories about the athletes, what they're wearing, whatever. The sidebar stories probably outweigh the event coverage these days - they were getting close when I wrote my senior project on them 12 years ago!
My family took a vote and decided not to watch the Olympics this year. China never should have been allowed to host, and we can't in good concious watch knowing that millions have been displaced and hundreds if not thousands jailed so that China can put on a good face.
When I was a kid the Olympics were every 4 years, now they split the summer and winter so we get it every other year. It just doesnt seem as special this way.
I don't like the Olympics because it only happens every four years. I don't have any attachment to any of the athletes or piecemeal teams. I like following a team through thick and thin as the seasons and years go on. Plus, I'm a born and bred fan of Cleveland sports so I think I have some sort of aversion to watching a sporting event where the people/team I support actually has a chance to win.
As a sidenote, the news about the wb.com showing old episodes of my favorite shows totally made my day!
That quote from In Plain Sight is funny, but it was funnier the first time on the Gilmore Girls. Tom was tracking down the doors for the DragonFly Inn and after he found them Lorelei said "Tom, I love you like a two dollar *****." Tom replied, "Great. I'll tell my wife."