September 2012: Out with a Bang

The regular NFL referees made their return this week after the Seahawks-Packers Monday Night Football controversy. There were still complaints and boo-birds brought out, including a "refs still suck" chant in Green Bay. Though it was a welcome sight that the NFL got this done. By the way, the Packers won and Seahawks lost, which probably made a few people happy.

The Miami Dolphins lost to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime, even after setting records. Ryan Tannehill broke Dan Marino's Dolphin record for most passing yards in a game by a rookie, and fell 1 yard shy of the NFL record. A week after missing two make-able field goals against the sloppy Jets, kicker Dan Carpenter missed another. It was a 51 yard try, no easy feat, but it was inside a dome without any wind. Someone call Ace Ventura, it looks like Ray Finkle is back and terrorizing us Dolphins fans. The luck ran out for the Jets though, who could be heading for last place after getting destroyed at home. The Dolphins need to find more points and learn how to pull away from teams. You can't have the #1 Run Defense, #5 Run Offense, #1 Wide Receiver (surprisingly & temporarily) and keep losing.

Some TV shows made their returns. Homeland, which dominated the Emmy Awards, returned to Showtime with its biggest ratings ever and didn't miss a beat. Claire Danes & Damian Lewis proved why they won the Drama Awards, picking up right where they left off. I've anointed Claire Danes as the "Charlize Theron of Television" for her rapid rise as an actress who can do anything. Her character Carrie is back on a mission for the CIA, and back to (almost) normal, after her mental breakdown that ended last season.

Revenge, ABC's guilty pleasure, came back with a bang as if there was any other way. Victoria is alive in the witness protection program, though still plotting against people, and nobody should be surprised. Also, the dude who played Shang Tsung in the Mortal Kombat movie (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) took over the role of Takeda. So that's where you probably recognized him from. They should let him say "your soul is mine" at least once.

And props to The Simpsons for starting their 24th Season, going to New York City for the first time since Season 9. They made the Metro North platform look way too clean though.

Also, Lindsay Lohan got in a fight with some guy over cell phone pictures taken of her. Why is she out at 4 AM anyway? She doesn't even deserve a career at this point. If Lohan really wants to shock people, go home and read a book or something. Nothing good will happen to you after midnight.

More New Fall TV

I previously posted about Sarah Michelle Gellar's new show on The CW, Ringer. (The second episode was solid, by the way) There are a few other shows that I enjoyed and a few I will check out.

First, Up All Night, the new NBC sitcom starring Christina Applegate, Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph & Nick Cannon. I liked the pilot, but didn't love it, though that is usually the case with sitcoms when you're first introduced to characters you've never seen. However, the second episode this week was much better and featured plenty of laugh out loud moments. Particularly the scenes with Applegate & Arnett trying to impress their new hipster neighbors. Sitcom fans will want to check it out.

Revenge is a new ABC drama about, you guessed it, revenge. I enjoyed the pilot, and it's over the top premise of how a daughter is getting revenge on the people who framed and destroyed her father when she was younger in the backdrop of the Hamptons. The show begins right off the bat with a murder, but then moves to five months earlier. The whole pilot does a fine job setting up the rest of the season, leaving you win many questions on how Emily VanCamp's character will evolve and if she'll succeed.

Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul are back with The X Factor on FOX. Not much to say about this, you know how these singing shows go. You either like it or you don't. I missed Simon telling it like it is and his witty remarks about the performers who suck, so I'll watch early on. This is  a little different from American Idol in that there is no age limit, a group of people can perform together, and there is a 5 Million Dollar prize. Also, the judges have Pepsi cups instead of Coke ones in front of them. Clever!

Two shows I'm looking forward too, and you should be as well, are Terra Nova and Pan Am. I'm looking forward to Terra Nova, which starts Monday September 26 on FOX, because it's like Jurassic Park for the small screen. Dinosaurs and Action! That is reason enough. Now when will we get Jurassic Park 4, Spielberg? As for Pan Am, early reviews have been stellar for the historical drama and it could be the breakout new series of the Fall. And it's set in the 1960s. Who doesn't love the 60s? There's also some espionage thrown in, which could be interesting.