Latest TV News

We now interrupt your usual Fall TV blogging with some breaking news. I swear that Supergirl review is coming soon, but I've been seeing and reading so much good stuff on the internet lately (all hail the internet) that I just had to share.

First up! The return of one of television's most beloved franchises: Star Trek. CBS announced yesterday that it would create and air a new Star Trek series in 2017. The catch? While the pilot episode will premiere on CBS's television station, all other episodes will only air on the network's paid streaming service, CBS All Access.

I'm not sure I can adequately express how important this news is, not just for me, but for geeks everywhere. Star Trek: The Next Generation was one of my first fandoms and the first show I remember watching as a family. To this day, my brother and I have a tradition of seeing all the new Star Trek movies together (well at least at the same time since we live on different coasts).

As this most excellent article from The Verge points out, CBS is clearly using one of its most promising and popular established properties to send a clear signal that it is doubling down on its streaming service. Will it work? Only time will tell--but I'm not making any plans to subscribe just yet and I consider myself a big Star Trek fan. My current prediction is that CBS will only succeed in making it one of the most pirated shows on the internet (all hail the internet), but that's because the quality of Star Trek series since TNG has not been great. If CBS is really serious about making this work, they're going to need to get an amazing showrunner and fantastic writers to pull it off. If they try this shit with another Enterprise, well, it won't be pretty.

Speaking of networks upping their profile with new shows, Starz is really knocking it out of the park lately. They got on the map with Outlander, are developing American Gods (based on the Neil Gaiman novel) into a series, premiered Ash vs The Evil Dead on Halloween, and I am really excited about Flesh and Bone, an upcoming drama about ballet.

Center Stage fans, REJOICE!

Flesh and Bone is about a dancer getting her last shot! at living her dream! and dealing with mean dance company directors! But it also looks really beautiful, dark, and painful. So I'm on board. Flesh and Bone premieres on Starz on November 8. Break out your pointe shoes and set the DVR now.

Next in the "items I feel compelled to share" category, is this great bracket series over on Vulture dedicated to determining the Best High School Show in the Past 30 Years. If you're looking for something to distract you from the mind-numbing minutia of your everyday life, this series is it. The articles will fill your brain with happy memories of the shows that perfectly documented the angst and pain of teenage life. Early winners are Buffy and Daria (duh), but decisions are going to get really painful the more we need to cull the herd. I recommend reading this while at work, when you don't want to do work. Prefect time waster!

And finally...Jon Stewart is returning to television! Kinda. At some undetermined time. According to EW,"As part of a new four-year production agreement with the premium network, Stewart will create daily short-form content that will be showcased on the company’s streaming outlets HBO Go and HBO Now, as well as on other venues." It sounds kind of like Stewart has carte blanche to release short videos of himself talking about whatever strikes his fancy whenever the hell he wants. That's pretty sweet. But if it means more Jon Stewart in my life I am all for it.

That's all the news that's fit to print! See you soon with a Supergirl review and more fun from the internet (all hail the internet).

Bring It!

I discovered a new show a couple weeks ago--Bring It. Don't confuse it with the movie (and horrible television sequels), Bring It On, because this is NOT about cheerleaders.

This is about the competitive world of competitive hip-hop majorette dancing.

Confession: I did not even know this was a thing. But man, I am getting schooled fast. Because not only is this a thing, it is a BIG thing, especially in the South, where there are competitions going on almost every weekend.

Work. It. 

When I hear "majorette," I think of teen girls lined up and twirling batons alongside a marching band. But trust me, that is NOT what these girls are doing. They take the hip-hop dancing part of the description seriously, and execute routine after routine of high-energy, high-kicking, and hair-flipping awesomeness.

The dance troupe followed in the show, The Dancing Dolls, has girls aged 10 through 17...and sometimes the parents even put in an appearance during the performances. Here's a description of their coach and what they do from the Lifetime website for Bring It!

Coach Dianna Williams (aka "Miss D") and her Dancing Dolls troupe refuse to lose, pushing themselves to the limit each week in the relentless pursuit of victory. Every pump, thrust and high kick on "Bring It!" highlights the triumphs and struggles of intense competition, where errors aren't tolerated, mediocrity isn’t excused and only a win is acceptable.

The show is hella entertaining; and trust me, it isn't gross like Dance Moms. You see the work the girls have to put it in to their routines to win and how they balance their regular lives with their dance commitments. Several of the Moms get highlighted on the show as well, and while they encourage their daughters to dance, they're isn't any nastiness or obvious mental disorders like on similarly-themed reality shows. The Moms are supportive rather than pushing and aren't allowed in the studio during practices. Instead, they hang out outside, watching through the windows, and (hilariously) shooting the shit with one another.

My favorite part? The competitions themselves. Typically, The Dancing Dolls compete in two categories: the creative dance (the entire team performs a routine) and the stand battle, where two teams basically throw down in a dance-off trying to one-up and intimidate each other. It's amazing. Example (with the Dancing Dolls in the red outfits):



It makes my back hurt just watching them. But DAMN it's awesome.

Bring It! airs on Wednesdays at 9:00EST on Lifetime. Full episodes are available on Lifetime's website  or you can find it on your On Demand cable service. The current season is the show's second.