Does Agent Carter Need to Be Renewed?
Agent Carter‘s second season finale, “Hollywood Ending,” was an example of good television. Loose ends were wrapped up in a neat little bow, and a thread was picked up for a potential next season (with executive producer Michele Fazekas teasing, “He’s [Thompson] not necessarily dead. He got shot. That’s all we show. It certainly didn’t tickle. But we were really clear when we talked to Chad about it, we were like, ‘Just so you know, you are getting shot. And that is all we are saying.'”) There’s just one problem: even with such a great finale, Agent Carter has not been guaranteed a third season. TVLine has reported the rather bleak ratings— 2.37 million viewers with a 0.7 in the ratings— despite its readers giving the episode an overall “A-” grade. Already, articles have popped up championing a third season with heated debate filling the comments section— the excuses range from the Nielson ratings system is archaic (we hear that), to ABC’s website is problematic for those who don’t have cable, forcing viewers to turn to unofficial streaming sites (fair enough), to Dish Network subscribers don’t get ABC (is Dish Network the be-all-and-end-all for TV viewers? Can it make or break a show?)— and despite the fact that Agent Carter has never been a ratings all-star, audience reception has been (for the most part) overwhelmingly positive. But if rumours of cancellation are enough to prompt hundreds of fans to come out of the woodwork— hundreds who, when combined, could impact those ratings. There’s even an article about how to make unsuspecting viewers watch Agent Carter on the down-low) fans of the show are doing their best to endorse it. Why is it consistently doing badly in the ratings?
Maybe this period piece is (strangely) ahead of its time. Lots of great shows with interesting characters and ideas have gotten the axe despite being incredibly watchable— Tru Calling, The Secret Circle, Lie To Me, Red Band Society, etc.— or maybe it’s just not meant for TV. Not in the traditional sense, anyway.
Let me be clear: I am not advocating for Agent Carter‘s return because third-wave feminism dictates I should. I’m not doing it because I’m tired of seeing heterosexual, cis-gendered white dudes all over my screen. I’m not even doing it to complain that mainstream television is a pile of tripe that only the most brainwashed of sheeple could enjoy, which somehow means that my tastes are superior to society’s at large (spoiler alert: they’re not).
I want to see Agent Carter renewed because it’s funny and smart with an all-star cast. But I also (and maybe this is my inner optimist reaching. I rarely let it out, as it’s so often proven wrong) think that the third season and all its potential will see the light of day. Peggy Carter will live to fight again. And I don’t think low ratings will stand in the way of an obviously quality (if under-appreciated and under-viewed) television property.
That said, if ratings are the issue people are fussing over: maybe (as Maureen Ryan pointed out in her article, linked above) it’s not the right fit for cable TV and would reach a wider audience on a streaming service like Netflix, or maybe Marvel needs to get its television properties onto a subscription-based app, much like Marvel Unlimited (disclaimer: I use Comixology to get a little bit of everything, but the die-hard Marvel fanatics in my life have assured me that Unlimited is worth the price). I’m not going to lie: I’ve often wondered what sort of show Agent Carter could become if it were made into a Netflix property. Given how wonderful Jessica Jones turned out to be, I really do believe they could work magic with any given series, even one that struggles to find a sizeable audience.
The show has so much more to do before it makes its exit, and Peggy has so much room to grow and change and inspire those around her to do the same.
On the off chance that it does get cancelled— at least we had it for two seasons. At least Atwell brought everything she had to the table and made Peggy a heroine worth fighting for. At least Peggy is more to the Marvel universe than just a woman Captain America once loved. But again, I don’t think it’s naive to hope for a third season and not worry about cancellation at this time. Agent Carter has beat the odds before, and there’s no reason that it can’t do it again.
TBT: Polly
Do you remember Polly?
On November 12, 1989, NBC aired a re-telling of Disney’s 1960 Hayley Mills classic Pollyanna. This version transposed Eleanor Porter’s classic novel Pollyanna and its white characters into a middle-class black community in the Alabama of the 1950s, and transformed the drama into a show-stopping musical.
The story is timeless. It’s about a “Glad Girl” that brings along a contagious spirit of happiness and optimism when she visits her wealthy aunt one summer.
Keshia Knight Pulliam starred as the “Glad Girl” Polly. Phylicia Rashād was cast as her Aunt Polly. Vanessa Bell Calloway was cast as Nancy, Celeste Holm as Miss Snow and Brandon Adams as Jimmy Bean.
The movie was a sort of family affair. Phylicia Rashād’s younger sister Debbie Allen both directed and choreographed Polly, and was the driving force behind the musical. Debbie also co-wrote with her husband, Norman Nixon, the words and lyrics of the film’s gospel-infused centerpiece, “Stand Up”.
Polly was a ratings hit! Its success prompted Disney to assemble a 1990 sequel, Polly: Comin’ Home!
Here are some of Polly‘s musical numbers:
Get Your Sh*t Together, Arrow
Are we watching Arrow or Desperate Housewives? Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference these days, especially when such a large portion of each episode is dedicated to Oliver setting off a chain-reaction that is destined to ruin his personal life (see: “Legends of Yesterday“). Seriously, after watching the latest Arrow episode (see: “Taken“) I found myself rolling my eyes so hard they almost fell out of my skull. I have loved Arrow since the beginning, and Felicity Smoak even more so (Emily Bett Rickards is flawless, no matter what material she’s given). Felicity once brought all kinds of light to Oliver’s darkness, including unstoppable verbal diarrhoea, mad skillz behind a computer screen, and a sort of naiveté that drew hard-bitten Oliver towards her. Recently, they’ve traded their yin/yang dynamic for manufactured relationship drama that no doubt sets the crazy Olicity fans on Tumblr barking. (These “fans” are so dangerously into Olicity that they feel entitled to it, at the cost of genuine character development and storylines. They have a history of harassing the executive producer on social media, demanding that the flames of their passionate shipping fire be met. Hell hath no fury like an Olicity shipper scorned, but not all of us are evil. Just the ones that take it too seriously). As someone who has loved the show and Felicity (and yes, Olicity) from the very start:
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Please get your sh*t together. I will admit: Arrow has always been rife with relationship drama (is there a woman in Star City that Oliver hasn’t bedded?) with the innate understanding that Oliver has no idea what a happy, harmonious relationship is supposed to look like. (Remember the time he invited his then-girlfriend’s sister onto a yacht trip and lied to his then-girlfriend about it? Also, there was that time he slept with the woman that was obsessed with his father? Those are just two examples in a very long list of head-scratching decisions). But when that relationship drama takes over the show, and the introduction of an illegitimate child is less of a storyline and more of a plot point to drive a wedge between Oliver and Felicity, I wonder if I’m the only one unhappy with it.
I know, I know, Oliciters, you’re ready to come for me in the night and force me aboard your ship. In case there are any neutral parties out there, please note that Felicity is still a precious cinnamon roll. Oliver is still working on personal growth. But:
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuDB57IUoUw[/embedyt] (more…)
5 Signs You’re Going Through Supergirl Withdrawal
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Captain’s Log 001: There was no Supergirl this week. That’s not news, anyone with a TV and/or internet access figured that one out. But as I sit here with my eyes glazed over, flipping through Netflix Canada’s selection, I fear it has begun. I’m showing signs of Supergirl withdrawal, a condition I thought I was immune to after putting up with Afterlife With Archie‘s irregular releases and the weird scheduling pattern of Dick Wolf’s Chicago shows. I now see that this was a silly and naive hope: not only have I come down with classic signs and symptoms of Supergirl withdrawal, I fear this contagious affliction will spread to my co-hosts and friends on The National City Tribune. But for real, though, if your life feels a little emptier without your weekly visit to National City, here are the top 5 signs that you’re probably going through Supergirl withdrawals and need a fix (or a time machine so you can teleport yourself to the exact date and time of the next episode) stat:
Stage 1: Denial
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You’re pretty sure you won’t miss it that much. After all, it’s not like it’s one of your favourite shows or anything. It’s fine. You’re fine. Everything is fine.
Stage 2: Pondering
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You could be eating breakfast or brushing your teeth and jamming out to “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and all of a sudden, your mind starts… wondering. About that adorable closing scene from The Girl Who Has Everything— that closing scene was just too perfect, and totally emphasised the friendship between the core four characters. James has great chemistry with Kara when he’s being there for her as a rock-solid friend, and not a dude who’s caught between her and his girlfriend— speaking of, how did Bizzaro Supergirl know that Kara was in love with James? It was pretty cool of him, talking her down like that. Has he considered a career as a life-coach? When he breaks up with Lucy for Kara, is it going to be amicable, or is she going to throw his weird obsession with Kryptonians in his face? Lucy did point out that she feels threatened by Supergirl. Will Kara develop a crush on Barry? Can they please have at least a flirtationship? Is Adam coming back?! Next thing you know, you’ve dropped your overpriced iPhone in the sink and the screen has what looks to be irresistable water damage (R.I.P iPhone). But seriously, is Adam coming back?
Stage 3: Desperate Measures
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So maybe… maybe someone leaked the next episode. A week is too long to wait! Maybe someone on the deep web can hand it over!
Stage 3.5: THE DEEP WEB IS A SCARY PLACE AND NO LIGHT EVER TOUCHES IT. NEVER GO THERE
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Stage 4: Binge Re-watching
So what if you’ve seen these episodes before? So what if you’ve cancelled all your plans and slipped on your comfiest sweat pants to spend 13 hours— give or take— reliving Kara’s journey from the very beginning? Supergirl is too good to be ignored!
Stage 5: Admitting You Have a Problem
So you might be a teensy-weensie too invested in Supergirl. Hey, everyone’s obsessed with something: once you’ve reached this stage, it’s okay to admit to yourself that maybe, just maybe, Supergirl is one of your favourite TV shows after all.
If you too, find yourself in this awful predicament, you should probably consult a medical professional (disclaimer: no you should not), but the saner and more super option is to tune in to The National City Tribune on Thursdays at 9:00 PM eastern.
Make sure you watch the next Supergirl episode Truth, Justice, And The American Way on CBS on Monday at 8/7 central.
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TBS Renews American Dad!
TBS has renewed the long-running animated series American Dad! for a 22-episode 12th season.
The series relocated to TBS in October after a 10-season run on FOX.
On TBS, the animated series has ranked as one of basic cable’s Top 5 entertainment programs in its time slot among Adults 18-49. It is averaging 3.1 million total viewers for each week’s premiere installment on TVS, plus the encore on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
H/T: TVLine
Parents Television Council Angered by Sons of Anarchy Sex Montage
FX’s Sons of Anarchy has angered the Parents Television Council due to the fact that the basic cable series opened up last week’s episode with a series of sex scenes. The sequence showcased the emotional state of several of the series’ main characters. And for those that were paying attention, it also featured plenty of star Charlie Hunnam’s posterior assets. The montage featured six couples indulging in various sexual acts (and one character was masturbating). It was dubbed “the fucktage” by show insiders.
PTC President Tim Winter: “It’s official: In order to watch cable news, ESPN, Disney or the History Channel, every family in America must now also pay for pornography on FX. Last week’s episode of Sons of Anarchy opened with the most sexually explicit content we’ve ever seen on basic cable, content normally found on premium subscription networks like HBO or Showtime … If FX wants to be like HBO and air this kind of explicit content, then they should become a premium network … Families should not be forced to underwrite pornography. Cable Choice is a solution whose time has come, and there could hardly be a better example of it than this.”
It’s worth mentioning that Sons of Anarchy airs at 10pm ET and that FX runs a TV-MA advisory warning before the show (and after every commercial break).
H/T: Inside TV @ EW
TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland to End in 2015 After Historic Six-Season Run
TV Land confirmed on Monday that Hot in Cleveland‘s current 24-episode sixth season would be the series’ final.
TV Land president Larry W. Jones said this in a statement:
It’s been an honor to work with Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and the incomparable Betty White as well as our executive producers Suzanne Martin, Todd Milliner, Sean Hayes and the rest of our exceptional writers, production team and crew. The passion and talent they brought to the set each and every week over the past five years has put TV Land on the map as a network dedicated to quality original programming. We will continue to celebrate the show and are looking forward to a fantastic series finale.
Hot in Cleveland was TV Land’s first original scripted series. It premiered in June 2010. Its series premieree drew the highest ratings in the basic cable network’s 14-year history.
H/T: TVLine
Lifetime Cancels Witches of East End
Lifetime has canceled their supernatural drama Witches of East End after just two seasons.
Witches‘ second season finale left viewers with several cliffhangers: Ingrid is pregnant! Jailed Dash swapped bodies with brother Killian! Wendy came face-to-face with her estranged sister in hell!
H/T: TVLine
Celebrity Apprentice Premiere Date Announced
The Celebrity Apprentice has been off the NBC airwaves since Spring 2013, but the Donald is back! The latest season of the celebreality competition series will return to NBC on Sunday, January 4, 2015 @ 9pm ET, before moving to it’s regular Monday @ 8pm ET timeslot.
NBC plans to air back-to-back one-hour installments each week (so double the boardroom showdowns and several firings per night).
The cast includes:
— two-time World Series champion Johnny Damon
— comedian Gilbert Gottfried
— star of Deadliest Catch Sig Hansen
— singer Kevin Jonas
— actor Lorenzo Lamas
— NFL star Terrell Owens
— talk show host Geraldo Rivera
— television and Beverly Hills 90210/Sharknado‘s Ian Ziering
— Gold Medal Olympic snowboarder Jamie Anderson
— actress Vivica A. Fox
— TV host Leeza Gibbons
— reality star Brandi Glanville
— reality star Kate Gosselin
— gold medal Olympian Shawn Johnson
— former Miss USA and star of The Real Housewives of Atlanta Kenya Moore
— and The Cosby Show‘s Keshia Knight Pulliam.
Trump’s children — Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump — will serve as his advisers. The winner of the competition will score a $250,000 donation to his or her designated charity.
H/T: TVLine
CBS Picks Up Full Seasons of NCIS: New Orleans and 3 Others
CBS has given full-season orders to all four of its new fall dramas: NCIS: New Orleans, Scorpion, Stalker and Madam Secretary. All four series are guaranteed a 22 episode freshman season.
NCIS: NO is this fall’s No. 1 new series, averaging 18 million viewers and a 2.8 rating in the 18-49 demo. Scorpion is the No. 2 new series (15 million; 3.6). Madam Secretary ranks as Sunday’s top scripted drama among total viewers (13.5 million). Stalker regularly wins its Wednesday @ 10 time period among viewers (9.5 million) and 18-49ers (2.1).
H/T: TVLine