Listen: Firewall & Iceberg Podcast No. 171
Dan and Alan talk 'Enlightened' and 'Bunheads' finales and much more
Happy Monday, Boys & Girls.
This was going to be a relatively short podcast, since there are no new shows or notable premieres this week.
Instead, it became a strangely long podcast, as we talked about the finales of "Enlightened" and "Bunheads," caught up with "The Americans," "Shameless" and "The Mindy Project," did Dan's Reality Roundup and answered some mail.
Today's breakdown:
Slow Week (00:00:30 - 00:08:00)
"The Americans" (00:08:05 - 00:17:05)
"Shameless" (00:17:05 - 00:28:35)
"The Mindy Project" (00:28:40 - 00:37:50)
Midseason Struggles (00:37:55 - 00:47:25)
Listener Mail - Uneven Shows like "Suburgatory" (00:47:30 - 00:56:45)
Listener Mail - "Top Chef," leading into Dan's Reality Roundup - (01:02:10 - 01:22:25)
"Enlightened" finale - (01:22:50 - 01:36:50)
"Bunheads" finale - (01:36:50 - 01:47:40)
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And as always, feel free to e-mail us questions for the podcast.
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupLana
March 4, 2013 at 8:07PM EST Reply to CommentYay! I'm so glad it's a small week, I really have no interest in hearing you guys talk about/preview shows i'll never have any interest in watching. I know it's your job, but i'd much rather hear you talk about the shows I care about, so i'm very excited to read the list and see The Americans, Shameless, Bunheads, and probably Suburgatory and Survivor. Yay. Off to listen!
Lana Meant *slow week. Damn commenting system that doesn't allow edits/removals.
March 4, 2013 at 8:11PM ESTMia Monroe
March 4, 2013 at 8:19PM EST Reply to CommentHave to say, i'm loving all the love Hit Fix is giving Shameless this week! It's far from a perfect show, but it's certainly viceral and the actors sell the hell out of these crazy/emotional situations.
Other Scott
March 4, 2013 at 9:19PM EST Reply to CommentThe part where Alan jinxes Dan is a good reminder of why I like this Podcast so much.
Patty
March 4, 2013 at 10:38PM EST Reply to Comment"I'm scared Alan, hold me!" Hee. I kind of ship you guys. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable, but, yeah.
Mahmoud Fayed Jesus Christ, NO! It's exactly what my sister said when I introduced her to the podcast ;_;
March 15, 2013 at 1:15AM ESTrenton
March 4, 2013 at 11:21PM EST Reply to CommentGosh, almost two hours... on a slow week? I hate to see what happens at summer press tour or the fall premieres.
Jeff
March 5, 2013 at 12:01AM EST Reply to CommentI saw Joe E Tata at Ralph's on the Sunset Strip in October
dan Jeff - Whew. Well at least that's more recently than 2008!
March 5, 2013 at 12:34AM EST-Daniel
erika_herzog
March 5, 2013 at 1:01AM EST Reply to Commentcan you explain what "live plus three" is?
dan Erika - Live+3 is the measure of how many people watch a show within three days after it airs, so it includes several days of DVR delays. It's what networks primarily sell advertising against these days. That's as opposed to Live+SD, which is what gets reported in the morning and Live+7, which is the number of people who watch a show within a week of its premiere and the number networks *wish* they were selling ads against.
March 5, 2013 at 1:06AM EST-Daniel
March 5, 2013 at 1:31AM ESTdoes this include TiVos as well as cable / satellite DVRs?
so i guess more folks store up shows and watch them within a week?
isn't the whole DVR issue a sticky widget? i mean, every time i watch my TiVo unless i am "listening" or justing having the shows on for noise -- i always fast-forward through commercials. it's rare that i actually truly watch commercials.
oy
thanks for the explanation. sorry to be a dumbass.... i googled but the explanations were confusing. and as a frustrated librarian abbreviations and acronyms drive me batty.
erika
dan Erika - "Same Day." And... yeah. It's all a mess/mystery.
March 5, 2013 at 1:41AM EST-Daniel
March 5, 2013 at 1:43AM ESTerika_herzog
March 5, 2013 at 1:38AM EST Reply to Commentsorry if you mentioned this somewhere else -- and maybe this doesn't make a difference -- just curious, have you guys seen the British version of SHAMELESS?
i loved that version of the show. that affection for the original -- plus a weird creeped out feeling i get when watching Emily Rossum* -- has held me back from watching the show.
*sorry, i know you have a massive crush on her Daniel
dan Erika - I haven't. I don't think Alan has, but I could be wrong.
March 5, 2013 at 1:42AM ESTAnd creeped out watching Emmy? FOR SHAME.
-Daniel
March 5, 2013 at 1:46AM ESTgod, the original -- especially the first two seasons with James McAvoy at his most charming -- is wonderful. like a crazy circus ride wonderful.
well maybe some day you guys will watch the British versions.... i hope so.
Liu I tried to get into the british version, because I like the US version so much and wanted to watch it bwtween seasons because I missed the universe and wanted new content, but I found it unwatchable. The UK version has such low production value, and the characters lack the wit and charm of their US counterparts. Besides, Emmy Rossum is so wonderful as Fiona and grounds the show in such a way, that the UK Fiona coldn't live up to that. I felt no attachment at all. I usually find the UK versions much better, this is the exeption.
March 5, 2013 at 2:03AM EST
March 5, 2013 at 2:10AM ESTpart of what i liked was how dirty and gritty the show looked. it felt like council housing, where people were actually poor and desperate. i think that was part of the point of the decision to make the production values low.
Anne-Marie Duff is now James McAvoy's wife, and they met on the show, which makes the show even more lovely i think... plus i like what Anne-Marie Duff does with the UK version of Shameless, have liked her a lot in other british stuff she's done.
guess i am in the minority in my Emmy feelings. have to say William H Macy is not exactly a draw either. blargh.
Mahmoud Fayed I dunno, I saw the UK version first and it was definitely enjoyable but even if its low production value was intentional, the acting wasn't great and the show goes down in quality fairly quickly. US version definitely trumps it in several regards, I wouldn't suggest people check out the original if they saw the US version first... eh.
March 15, 2013 at 1:20AM ESTerika_herzog
March 5, 2013 at 2:07AM EST Reply to Commentregarding Rhadha Mitchell, as a long-time Australian movie obsessed person, i have grudgingly become a fan of hers. the problem is the movies she has chosen have been grim, depressing, and difficult.
Radha obviously has major acting chops, but i think she's a bit like a more gritty/less prettified Maria Bello crossed with Franka Potente. so i sort of had a "ooh, Radha Mitchell is on TV, that might be interesting" moment when i saw the previews for RED WIDOW. have it on my DVR but will probably be doing a Live+7 on it.... :-)
hey, on the "middle aged women" slur!
Haynie
March 5, 2013 at 11:54AM EST Reply to CommentHow many pairs of blue jeans do you own, Dan? Your analogy about FOX's programming confounds me. I own one pair, named "Jeans Wilder," and we stick together through thick, thin, mustard stains, and various waist-line fluctuations.
chrissy
March 5, 2013 at 3:00PM EST Reply to CommentIs Dermal McDylet an ongoing joke about the eternal mix-up of Dermot Mulroney and Dylan McDermott with you guys?! I'm a new listener, so just wondering ...
dan Chrissy - While the podcast does, indeed, have a running joke involving Dermot Mulroney, that specific reference refers to:
March 5, 2013 at 3:03PM ESThttp://www.hulu.com/watch/433372
-Daniel
Chrissy Oh duh, that SNL skit was actually in my head all season as I went between watching "Enlightened" and "American Horror Story" season one. Just who am I watching? I can't keep them straight :) Thanks for the reply, Dan!
March 5, 2013 at 4:16PM ESTM
March 5, 2013 at 4:52PM EST Reply to CommentDan, you keep talking about the ABC Family "brand." What exactly does that mean? Based on your previous comments I think you consider Pretty Little Liars to be the ultimate ABCF show? But I don't really think that's all that exemplary of their programming. The only other similar show is The Lying Game and even that one isn't a smash hit and its renewal chances are shaky. Of recent shows, ABCF has had big success with Secret Life of the American Teenager, which is pretty far off from PLL. And the shows they've got in development (The Fosters, Terminales, Twisted) also sound nothing like PLL. I think maybe your impression of ABCF programming is significantly narrower than it really is.
dan M - I don't think I've ever given any indication that I think "Pretty Little Liars" is "the ultimate ABCF show." In fact, I've written on multiple occasions about how the ABC Family brand has several different identities. I think I last wrote about it in my review of... probably "Jane By Design," maybe? Dunno. Regardless, no. I don't think my view of ABC Family is limited to "Pretty Little Liars." But I also don't think that "Bunheads" fits with any of the established facets of the ABC Family brand and the show's relative failure on ABC Family would seem to confirm that.
March 5, 2013 at 5:03PM EST-Daniel
dan M - Yup. "Jane by Design" review: http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/the-fien-print/posts/tv-review-abc-familys-jane-by-design
March 5, 2013 at 5:07PM ESTThings have shifted around since then, obviously.
-Daniel
M Okay, you got me :) In that case, though, what category would you create for Bunheads? Comedic drama? Because I think Greek would fall into that category as well. I guess I just don't see it being *that* off-brand for the network. Likewise, I don't see it being any more on brand at the CW. I guess the CW has maybe made more attempts at that type of show (Privileged, Emily Owens,) but I think the only one that has made it past a first season is Hart of Dixie and that's no more on brand with the rest of the current CW lineup than Bunheads would be.
March 5, 2013 at 5:16PM ESTdan M - I think "Bunheads" would go with "Greek" and "10 Things I Hate About You" in a Smarter-Dramedy category. But "Greek" pre-dated the current ABC Family administration and this administration worked semi-actively to kill "Greek." Sadly. And "10 Things" also was, I believe, developed in a previous era and then failed in the newer one.
March 5, 2013 at 5:39PM ESTYou're right that The CW has attempted this kind of show several times and whenever they do it, we refer to it as An Old WB Show. So "Privileged," "Emily Owens," "Hart of Dixie" and "Bunheads" all go excellently within the brand of a network that doesn't exist anymore. And three of the four of those shows, I really like/liked.
-Daniel
maya
March 6, 2013 at 2:13AM EST Reply to CommentGuys, come on, if it was a slow week, talking about Girls should have been on the aganda! We get Alan's reviews, but wha is DAN'S stance? What gives, yo? This should be a weekly segment with no Breaking Bad, Homeçand and Mad Men on hiatus.