SueTube – Let’s talk TV with critic Susan Young

Viva Laugh-able has been whisked off the CBS schedule after crapping out in the ratings.

The horrible songfest was widely panned by critics (I blame low blood sugar for actually writing that the tunes were catchy). In it’s place will be five-time Emmy winning reality series “The Amazing Race,” which returns Nov. 4 for its fourth edition.

“The Amazing Race 12” spans 50,000 miles including first time visits to Ireland, Lithuania and Croatia. We need a little break away from everything that’s going on these days, and “Amazing Race” always delivers.

And yes, there is a Sunday before the “Amazing Race” begins. Don’t fear. CBS is sticking in a repeat of “CSI” that night.

We don’t think anyone will be shedding any tears for “Viva Laughlin.”

If Elvis wasn’t dead, this would have killed him.

That was the general sentiment of most critics about CBS’ foray into musical drama. In between the catchy tunes, there’s a family in crisis, a murder to solve and lots of bizarre characters in this brave venture into musical television centering on Ripley Holden (Lloyd Owen), who has made his fortune with convenience stores. Now he’s tossing the dice and putting his bucks on a dream to own the biggest and best casino/hotel in Laughlin, Nev.

HUGH JACKMAN AND LLOYD OWEN

On SueTube this week, theater critic Chad Jones predicted a very short life span for this series.

For me, it was kind of TV to fold laundry by. You know, savor the spunky songs like “Viva Las Vegas,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “One Way or Another” and “Let It Ride.” I can glance up and see the musical numbers, hum along with the tunes and sort of pay attention to a not-too-taxing story line.

That wasn’t good enough for most critics, however. But what did you think?

Whatever happened to that sweet, trailer-park baby momma who took her modeling bucks and turned it into a medical degree?

Yeah, we’re talking about you, Izzie. When “Grey’s Anatomy” started out, Izzie was a good-natured girl unbowed by the blows she’d taken in her short life. We learned how she went from unwed mom to a pin-up girl to a dedicated intern.

We loved Izzie.

Does anyone remember when she couldn’t believe that someone could actually fall in love with goofy old George? Who could forget that line, when she realized how much Callie loved George, and she said, basically, “Oh my god. He’s her McDreamy!”

Seriously. I mean, seriously. How could Izzie then turn around a couple of years later and do the deed with George. George, who married his adoring Callie. What a weasel he’s turned out to be.

KATHERINE HEIGL, T.R. KNIGHT. Yeah, Gizzie. Feel the pain.

There are people out there who think that Gizzie is great. We disagree. Izzie never thought of George as anything more than her stuffed puppy pal until it looked like he might actually be hooked up with a woman who loved him.

And I guess that’s the real story on “Grey’s.” Love stinks.

Tonight, Richard’s wife turned on him because he thought of the care and comfort of his dying niece first above the selfish wishes of his estranged wife.

(And speaking of niece Camille, did anyone notice that she’s now being played by Camille Winbush formerly of “The Bernie Mac Show”? Tessa Thompson (“Veronica Mars”), who wasn’t available for the episode, originated the role.)

CAMILLE WINBUSH, JAMES PICKENS, JR., LORETTA DEVINE

And a man makes his girlfriend lose a dangerous amount of weight before he’ll move in with her.

And Karev’s crushed that Izzie decided to sleep with George after she told him she needed some time to get over Denny. A little time and a heapin’ helpin’ of George.

And finally McDreamy pours out his heart to Meredith, only to have her physically recoil. No wonder he might have some feelings for her sister Lexie, who doesn’t seem to suffer from too-close-itish.

Obviously, we’re back on the “Grey” train and just can’t stop thinking about those complex docs.

Some people think this new series sucks, while others can’t get enough. Where do you stand on it?

I’ve watched three of the episodes with varying degrees of interest. But tomorrow night should show where “Moonlight” is going.

Sunlight’s never healthy for a vamp. Mick (Alex O’Loughlin) is injured in his search for a young woman who is believed to be hiding in the desert. Photo: Joel David Warren/Warner Bros.

Remember Mick. Moonlight good. Sunlight bad.

When the scorching sunlight depletes Mick’s vampiric ability to heal himself, Beth must rush to help him on “Moonlight,” which airs at 9 p.m. on CBS. I’m still on team “Friday Night Lights,” but I might just tape this one.

Click here to get a taste of tonight’s episode when Beth offers to make the ultimate sacrifice to save Mick’s life.

Mark Curtis has been doing a great job at KTVU-Channel 2 and it looks like he won’t be around for much longer.

Mark Curtis

After reading the original post, Curtis responded to the blog item about him leaving:

Thanks for the kinds words. I have loved my 14 years at KTVU and am sad to be leaving. This was NOT my choice or decision, but these things happen in the world of TV. Thanks to the viewers for making our show #1 for so many years. God Bless you!

In an e-mail, Bob Smith wrote:

Mark was FORCED out…and will only be a reporter until his contract ends in January. This “transition” stuff is BS.

So what can a viewer do? Contact KTVU here.

Has Ryan the temp-now-corporate-honcho-with-a-beard turned evil?

Ryan (B.J. Novak) hitting on Pam (Jenna Fischer)

Angela Kinsey, who plays frosty Angela in accounting, says no, not really.

“He’s not evil,” says Angela. “He’s just this hot shot in New York, and as we say in Texas, he thinks his poop don’t stink.”

On last night’s show, Michael told a little story about a foreign exchange student he called his brother took Michael’s blue jeans with him when he left to go back home.

Which meant that poor Michael spent the winter wearing shorts in the snow. And that’s how Ryan is now.

“He’s a fake brother who steals your blue jeans,” Michael says.

Pam and Jim are now outed as an office romance, which means things can only go bad from here.

Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) share a moment in the Oct. 18 episode where the two go to Dwight’s family farm,which is now a bed and breakfast. NBC Photo: Justin Lubin

And how much did you love Angela and Dwight deciding to go to dinner at a public place, only to have the ghost of Sprinkles rise up from the freezer?

Speaking of that freezer, when talking to Angela last week, she says she was a little disturbed by the line in last week’s episode when Dwight said he put the dead cat in the freezer and she wondered why there were claw marks in the frozen french fries.

“It’s bad enough that he did that, but what was Angela doing with frozen french fries in her freezer?” Angela asks.

Good question.

SHAMELESS PLUG FOR VODCAST/STORY:
You can read the article I wrote for the Bay Area News Group about Jennie (officetally) and Angela, or check out the vodcast

Also, you were directed to a site at the end of last night’s episode, if you missed it here it is: dundermifflininfinity.

Angela shares a moment with Andy (Ed Helms) in next week’s episode.

Can Angela Kinsey be any more adorable?

We think not. On a recent trip to San Francisco,where she met up with officetally tireless blogger Jennie Tan, Angela talked about herself and “The Office.”

You can read the article I wrote for the Bay Area News Group about Jennie and Angela, or check out the vodcast

But it would have been nice to include all the great stories Angela told during our time together. She told us that Joss Whedon of “Buffy” fame will be back directing an episode in the next two weeks. And that the reason why she doesn’t make eye contact with co-star Rainn Wilson on the set is simple: He makes her laugh.

And we thought it was to protect the office romance.

Our favorite was when she talked about the anniversary present she and her sibs were giving to their parents.

Angela’s parents live in Archer City, Texas, where “The Last Picture Show” is set. And it’s right in the middle of what’s known as Tornado Alley. Angela says the skies are so bright and clear, they decided to buy their parents a telescope.

But mom thought for sure they were going for something else.

“My mom said, `I know what you all are going to buy us,’ ” Angela says. ” `You’re going to get us a ‘fraidy hole.’ I told her I didn’t even know what a ‘fraidy hole was. We don’t have them in California. She didn’t believe me that I didn’t know what one was or that I wasn’t going to get that for her for their anniversary.”

Angela’s sister clued her in on just what this might be.

“Basically, it’s a storm cellar in your backyard where you can go when the tornadoes come through,” Angela says. “Maybe we should have gotten one for them. We had a tornado at our wedding. My husband is from Connecticut, so he doesn’t know about tornadoes. I just looked at him and said, ‘Babe, this doesn’t look good.’ But luckily it went to the town next to us.”

Well, lucky for everyone except the town next door.

Mud wrestling with half naked men and women, but mostly women, in the reward challenge tonight.

Ashley Massaro, Erik Huffman, Sherea Lloyd and Dave Cruser, during the reward challenge,”Chinese Checkers.” Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS

In fact, make that bare-breasted women. Amanda, who lost her top, got it right when she said, “My mom is going to kill me!.”

Before going on, I’d like to make a shameless plug for my vodcast on the breast issue on SueTube.

Moving on, we had the first alliance formed on the Fei Long clan with Amanda, Aaron and Todd. Todd seems to be getting the vote of confidence in the tribe.

Amanda Kimmel, Todd Herzog and Aaron Reisberger team up. Monty Brinton/CBS

After Leslie got the clue from “kidnapped” Jamie about where to find the immunity idol, she immediately told Todd so he would help her.

How can these people trust the Todd???

But perhaps the best quote of the night was when lazy snore-boy Jean-Robert explained that he may not do much physical work, but “I contribute with my mind.”

Oh, and I kissed my five bucks good-bye tonight when Ashleygot tossed.

Ashley Massaro just couldn’t stop feuding with Dave, and it got her booted.

Darn you office pool!

This is the first season in a while where there were no locals in the mix, so for a brief moment I thought perhaps I’d simplify the recording process and mark it off an already swamped Thursday.

(“Ugly Betty” back next week, with “My Name is Earl” and “30 Rock”).

Then Ann Tatko Peterson walked by with the office pool and I was hooked again. I remember telling her, “Just don’t let me pick Chicken.”

I didn’t. I got Ashley. Which almost looked like my 5 bucks was going to be sailing right out the door after the WWE wrestler got sick and couldn’t perform. Even Ash thought she was a goner at tribal council. But in the end, Chicken and his passive-aggressive style got him booted out.

My girl Ashley:

ASHLEY MASSARO, 28 of East Northport, N.Y.
Professional WWE Wrestler

This is the 15th installment of “Survivor.”

“Survivor: China” began not on an island, but in urban Shanghai before moving to HuangPu Mountain’s Mi Tuo Temple for a Buddhist ceremony where they were instructed to leave all of their worldly possessions behind.

The castaways were then be marooned with the clothes on their back at two separate islands on Zhelin Lake (translation: the Land of 1,000 Lakes) located in the Jiangxi Province.

They split into two tribes, Fei Long (translation: Flying Dragon) and Zhan Hu (translation: Fighting Tiger), and given a copy of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War for tribe motivation and assistance throughout the game.

This time there will be a not-so-Hidden Immunity Idol which may save someone from elimination at a future Tribal Council. The idols will be in plain sight, although the castaways won’t realize it at first.

Each week, the winning tribe of the Reward Challenge will be allowed to kidnap someone from the losing tribe. The person who is kidnapped will receive a note from host Jeff Probst before departing for the enemy camp and will be instructed to give it to one member of the enemy tribe (the kidnapped victim will decide who receives it) in private.

The clue will inform this person of the Hidden Immunity Idol located somewhere at their camp. This person must then decide if they wish to share the information with their tribe or keep it to themselves. The kidnapped victim will return to their original tribe at the following Immunity Challenge.

Chicken Out:

CHICKEN MORRIS, 47 Marion, Va.
Chicken farmer

For pictures of all the “Survivor” competitors, search “Survivor” on the blog for the June entry.

Nope. Not even going Code Blue could save the Emmy telecast, which weighed in with only 13.1 million viewers. The only time fewer folks tuned in was the 1990 telecast on Fox.

Compare that to the dazzle of the Oscars, which lured 40.2 million viewers to the telecast. Heck, even the Country Music Awards brought in 16 million people.

GIDGET GETS BLEEPED

We have two words for you: Ryan Seacrest.

There’s nothing special or flashy about Ryan, and he brought the same amateur hour spirit to the Emmys normally reserved for “American Idol.”

RYAN MAKES EVERYONE UNCOMFORTABLE

And James Spader over James Gandolfini for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series? Emmy deserved the hit.

BAD PRESENTERS. BAD, BAD…and then there was James…