Collegiate Times

by Patrick Murphy

This past Sunday, ABC’s “Pan Am” took its final flight before succumbing to the its inevitable nosedive induced by mediocre ratings, despite a strong cast. So what other shows will fall victim?

For many shows, their fate is already written. “Body of Proof” (ABC), “A Gifted Man” (CBS) and “Harry’s Law” (NBC) are all certain to be cancelled. Even big-name celebrities couldn’t save these shows. Chelsea Handler’s try at a sitcom in “Are You There, Chelsea?” (NBC) flopped in the ratings, and the plug almost certain to be pulled. Sarah Michelle Gellar’s much-hyped return to TV also fell short in “Ringer” (CW). Another of the CW’s female-led shows, “Hart of Dixie,” which stars Rachel Bilson, is also likely to bite the dust.

Perhaps more interesting are the shows deemed “on the bubble.” Oftentimes it is easy to decide if a show will be renewed or trashed, but a certain “no man’s land” always exists. This year, it is largely inhabited by the fledgling CW and Fox networks, though even a few veteran shows could be cut.

The CW is probably the network in the most hot water right now, with nearly its entire lineup having the possibility of being eviscerated. “Vampire Diaries” continues to do well and will almost certainly be renewed, but all other shows right now are fair game. Currently, “90210,” “Nikita,” “The Secret Circle,” “Gossip Girl” and even “Supernatural” are all in the hot seat.

Fox has struggled to find an audience for its “Lost”-esque Jurassic thriller “Terra Nova.” Another Fox show that received much attention but only so-so ratings is “Alcatraz,” which actually stars former “Lost” actor Jorge Garcia.

It’s no surprise to see many newer shows on the cancellation bubble, but there are also quite a few seasoned shows on the chopping block. CBS’ “CSI: NY” could be the first of the crime franchise to go off the air. “The Good Wife” (also CBS) has earned much critical acclaim, but is still a toss-up at this point. And of course, while “Community” (NBC) fans are diehard, it is no secret that the show has struggled with ratings.

Click here for a more complete look at the status of all of your favorite shows.

Whether you hate it or love it, we all know what Springfield is.

Creator Matt Groening knew he had a great idea, but never expected how successful his satirical characters would be.

“It’s really crazy that something so quirky is so popular, but whatever that mix is, it works,” Groening said.

The popular animated comedy, “The Simpsons,” reached its 500th episode Sunday. Focused on a dysfunctional family, including Homer, Maggie, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, this popular cartoon series has been around since 1989. Now in its 23rd season, “The Simpsons” has officially become the longest-running comedy in U.S. TV history and is currently the longest-running primetime scripted show.

Whether you consistently keep up with the show, watch it casually or have only seen “The Simpsons Movie” (2007), it’s hard not to be entertained. It’s stupid, but when in the right mood, it provides a good laugh.

To celebrate the 500th show, the episode consisted of the town ganging up on the Simpsons family and trying to kick them out based on the trouble they’ve caused.

“The Simpsons,” has continued to remain controversial and offend many. However the writers have always backed their scripts claiming that no one is off limits.

It only seems appropriate that more controversy would arise during the 500th episode, which featured Assange, who recently leaked diplomatic and military documents. During the episode, the Simpsons family was sent into exile during the episode and was required to meet with Assange for forgiveness.

On a lighter note, a short message, “Thanks for the 500 shows,” appeared at the end of Sunday’s episode to thank fans for their support.

While the show has remained controversial, you can’t help but give them credit. With a strong fan base and a movie under their belt, who knows when the show will come to a close?

by Patrick Murphy

CBS, arguably the pioneer of competition-based reality shows, is ready to kick off season 20 of its global adventure “The Amazing Race.” The 60-minute premiere will air this Sunday, Feb. 19 at 8:00 p.m.

For reality fans, the most notable team on the cast this season is engaged couple Brendan & Rachel, who have appeared twice on CBS’ other reality show “Big Brother.” Rachel actually won this past summer’s season of “Big Brother,” and fresh off a win, hopes to continue the streak.

Other noteworthy pairs include a team of border patrol agents, an Iraq War veteran and his wife, two female federal agents, cousins who call themselves “Double Trouble,” two self-professed “guidos” that reek of “Jersey Shore,” married clowns, and “two poor country boys” who claim to be “from the other side of the tracks.”

Who will claim this season’s $1,000,000 grand prize? Tune in to the eight-time Emmy Award-winning series to find out.

To check out the teams for yourself, take a look at the video below.

Looking for something fun to do in the New River Valley this weekend? Check out the list below for some ideas:

Thursday, February 16:
Ryan & Paul Little
Gillies
7 p.m.
free

Friday, February 17:

Mark O’Connor, violin
The Lyric Theater
8 p.m. – 10 p.m.
$40 general public, $34 seniors, $16 students and youth under 18

Cosmic Bowling
BreakZONE Recreational Center
9 p.m. – 1 a.m.
$20/lane

Badunkafunk
Gillies
10 p.m. (ages 18 and up)
free

Saturday, February 18,
Japanese Film Festival: “The Hidden Blade”
The Lyric Theater
3 p.m.
free

Student Recital: Kathleen Gately, cello
Squires Recital Salon
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Free and open to the public

Doc Greenberg’s Patient Jazz
Gillies
7 p.m.
free

Sunday, February 19,

Women’s Basketball vs. Virginia
Cassell Coliseum
2 p.m.

by Patrick Murphy

CBS is set to strand another set of 18 strangers, this time in Samoa in the South Pacific, and there’s a few twists the contestants will have to deal with right from the start.

This 24th season of the reality show franchise is called “Survivor: One World,” which alludes to this season’s big twist. Both tribes will be living on the same beach – literally sleeping with the enemy. The tribes will also be divided by gender for a 9-on-9 battle of the sexes.

As always, the cast boasts an eclectic bunch of characters, including Leif, the show’s first little person. Other notable contestants include an Iraq War veteran, an NFL wife, a man who calls himself “Troyzan,” a country girl who says her mom bought her a machete in the sixth grade, and a Survivor super fan who once had a Survivor-themed birthday party where they acted out the game.

When describing the cast, host Jeff Probst said, “They’re all very attractive … and I think we have plenty of villains.”

The new season kicks off tonight on CBS at 8:00 p.m. with a 1-hour premiere. The show has already been renewed for at least two more seasons past this one.

Take a look at the video below to get a first look of the new cast.

by Jacob Wilbanks

The music industry was struck a shocking and heavy blow on Saturday, Feb. 11 – the day before the 54^th Grammy’s. Pop legend Whitney Houston, one of the highest-selling female musicians ever, died at age 48.

The Grammy’s immediately acknowledged the great loss with host LL Cool J saying a prayer recognizing Houston in his opening monologue. Artists, from Stevie Wonder to Jennifer Hudson, paid tribute to Houston throughout the night.

Houston was a born singer; gospel legend Cissy Houston was her mother and Aretha Franklin was her godmother. Her music career saw unparalleled successes, from her record seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, to selling more than 170 million records worldwide, to being cited as the most-awarded female act of all time by the Guinness Book of World Records.

She crafted some of the most infectious and gorgeous pop hits of the last 30 years. Few other artists have the voice or charisma to open a track with just vocals for more than 40 seconds as she did on “I Will Always Love You.” A few of Whitney’s other popular tracks include “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” and “How Will I Know.”

Houston was more than just the numbers that encapsulated her. She was a true pop icon with a beautiful voice, eloquent beauty and a charismatic personality. She was not just a singer, but an actress, model and producer as well.

Houston was found in a hotel bathtub in Beverly Hills, Calif. on the afternoon of Feb. 11, 2012. The cause of death is not yet known at this time.

The singer struggled with drug addiction and also had a tumultuous and highly publicized marriage with singer Bobby Brown, which ended in 2007. She went to rehab twice and was known for displaying erratic behavior toward the end of her career.

Houston is survived by her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown.

For more information and highlights of Whitney Houston’s career follow the video links below:

ABC Report on Whitney Houston

“I Will Always Love You”

How Will I Know

by Jacob Wilbanks

The 54^th Grammy’s are on this weekend, marking “music’s biggest night” of the year. Tune in Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on CBS to catch the show.

It is no surprise that Adele racked up nominations for Song of the Year and Record of the Year, along with four more nominations for a grand total of six. She had a stellar year, with 21 going platinum multiple times over and her single “Rolling in the Deep” arguably being the biggest hit of the year.

Kanye West actually surpassed her with seven total nominations to be the most nominated artist of the year (though some of these are for his joint effort Watch the Throne with Jay-Z). My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Watch the Throne are up for Best Rap Album, but both were left out of the Best Album of the Year category, which features some surprising choices like Rihanna’s Loud and Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans.

Some of the most nominated artists other than Adele and West are Bruno Mars, Foo Fighters, Lil Wayne, and Skrillex.

Skrillex’s six nominations show that the Grammy’s are at least attempting to connect with the young audience, despite the mixed opinions about the musical merits of dubstep. However, the Grammy’s are somewhat notarized for their attempt at appealing to popular tastes and selecting the highest selling records to win awards – not for choosing critically lauded music. Any music buff will remind you that Buddy Holly, Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix have never won a single Grammy.

However, in recent years, specifically last year, there were huge shocks such as Ezperanza Spalding winning Best New Artist, and Arcade Fire winning Album of the Year for The Suburbs. It will be interesting to note whether this years Grammy’s will be awarded to the top-selling musicians or if they opt for the lesser known critically-acclaimed acts.

The show will feature several performers, both new and old. The performers include Foo Fighters, Nicki Minaj, Adele, Paul McCartney and Coldplay, among many others.

The Grammy’s have a whopping total of 78 categories, but assuming most of you don’t listen to bluegrass or care about the “best engineered non-classical album,” here are some of the more prestigious awards.

Album of the Year

-Adele 21

-Foo Fighters Wasting Light

-Lady Gaga Born This Way

-Bruno Mars Doo-Wops & Hooligans

-Rihanna Loud

Record of the Year

-Adele “Rolling in the Deep”

-Bon Iver “Holocene”

-Bruno Mars “Grenade”

-Mumford & Sons “The Cave”

-Katy Perry “Firework”

Song of the Year

-Kanye West “All Of The Lights”

-Mumford & Sons “The Cave”

-Bruno Mars “Grenade”

-Bon Iver “Holocene”

-Adele “Rolling in the Deep”

Best New Artist

-The Band Perry

-Bon Iver

-J. Cole

-Nicki Minaj

-Skrillex

Best Rock Album

-Jeff Beck Rock ‘N’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul

-Foo Fighters Wasting Light

-Kings Of Leon Come Around Sundown

-Red Hot Chili Peppers I’m With You

-Wilco The Whole Love

Best Alternative Music Album

-Bon Iver Bon Iver

-Death Cab For Cutie Codes And Keys

-Foster The People Torches

-My Morning Jacket Circuital

-Radiohead The King Of Limbs

Best Rap Album

-Jay-Z & Kanye West Watch The Throne

-Lil Wayne Tha Carter IV

-Lupe Fiasco Lasers

-Nicki Minaj Pink Friday

-Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Review by Jimmy Hudnall

Last weekend a few friends and I went to see “Underworld: Awakening.” Having enjoyed the previous three movies, I was eager to see what sort of twist Kate Beckinsale might get herself into this time around.

The fact that she would be shown in 3-D sealed the deal. What followed was a slow-starting, somewhat predictable yet intriguing plot line that I felt lived up to the other movies in terms of entertainment value.

The story takes place in a setting where humans have discovered the existence of lycans and vampires, and have instilled a state of martial law in hunting down and exterminating each. Despite being a fan of the previous movies, the first 15 minutes were, for lack of a better word, boring, and had me to the point of walking out. Luckily I toughed it out, and the action picked up shortly thereafter.

Selene is the only major returning character, though this didn’t quite faze me as the third “Underworld” movie was based entirely around two relatively minor characters. That said, I was a little perturbed by the fact that Michael (Selene’s love interest and major character in the first two movies) made, at best, a cameo in the movie’s opening scenes.

Their daughter, Eve, assumes the spotlight in his stead. Despite her youth (and unmistakable resemblance to the creepy girl from “The Ring”), I felt she put forth a powerful acting performance and solidified her character’s place in future sequels.

Without ruining the movie for those of you would-be viewers, I was able to predict several aspects of the plot (who kills who), but was still pleasantly surprised by a few twists that changed the entire context of the movie. The jacked lycan-behemoth-on-steroids was also quite a sight.

Ultimately, I feel Underworld fans will be entertained, but newcomers might not fully understand and appreciate the new story twists.

3.5/5 stars

Want to know what’s going on this weekend in Blacksburg? Read on.

Thursday, February 9

7:00 p.m. Indian Run Stringband, Gillie’s live music

Friday, February 10

6:00 p.m. Justin Craig and 10:00 p.m. The Guilty Pleasures – Gillie’s, Free live music

6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mood swing, smooth jazz quartet with vocals, performing romantic standards for Valentine’s Day – India Garden, live music

7:00 p.m. Light Wire Theater presents The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and The Hare – The Lyric Theatre

Newly released movies: you might want to check out: “Big Miracle,” “Chronicle,” “The Woman in Black”

Saturday, February 11

11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Wine and cheese tastings – Gourmet Pantry, free

3:00 p.m. Screening of “Still Walking” for the Japanese film Festival – The Lyric Theatre, free admission

6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Brian Thomas – India Garden, live music

7:00 p.m. Anna Rose Beck – Gillie’s, live music

Sunday, February 12

3:00 p.m. Celebrating The Lyric Theatre with a screening of The General and Sherlock, Jr. – The Lyric Theatre, free admission as well as free popcorn and fountain drinks

Last night NBC premiered their new drama “Smash,” though despite the name, the show isn’t likely to become a smash hit.

Katharine McPhee stars as a struggling actress/singer who is desperately trying to make it big on Broadway. She auditions for the lead role in a new musical based on Marilyn Monroe’s life. McPhee has some stiff competition for the part going against Megan Hilty’s character, who already has the Monroe look down.

Other key actors in the cast include Debra Messing (“Will & Grace) and Jack Davenport (“Flash Forward,” “Pirates of the Caribbean”) who are working on creating the play.

Where the show falls short is the acting, which is certainly the most critical aspect of any show. It’s strange though because the cast is full of people who are very talented and have already had very successful careers. However, many of the scenes just feel awkward and forced.

The redeeming quality of “Smash” is the music. The one-hour premiere has several musical numbers that really are astounding, perhaps even making “Glee” tremble in its boots.

NBC’s promos for the show keep saying, “…and introducing Katharine McPhee,” but they forget that we already know her. McPhee was the runner-up on season five of “American Idol,” getting beat out by Taylor Hicks. (How?!)

Something needs to be done about the dialogue and acting of the show to remove the contrived feeling, but there really is potential in this show. McPhee is nothing short of breathtaking, and even if “Smash” gets crushed in the ratings, I’m certainly hoping this show will be just the thing McPhee needs to take her career to the next level.