Stepping Into The Shoes Of A Legend

Can a former sitcom star fill the shoes of a beloved game show host?
We'll find out soon enough when Drew Carey replaces the now-retired Bob Barker as MC of "The Price Is Right." In my recent "Teletronic" article on the show's history, I purposely avoided discussing negotiations for Barker's replacement because a number of names were floated around. But on Monday, Carey himself made the announcement while appearing on "The Late Show With David Letterman."
Carey, who starred in his own eponymous comedy series on ABC from 1995 through 2004, also hosted the American version of the improv game show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" So he's no stranger to game shows. (In fact, he's about to debut on CBS with a summer prime time quiz called "Power Of 10".) Carey has a quick wit and a good sense of humor--important with a fast-paced show such as "Price." And he's no stranger to audiences. He may surprise everyone.
TCA MEDIA TOUR QUICKIES: The nation's television critics recently gathered in Hollywood for the annual Television Critics Association tour, where most of the broadcast and cable networks trot out their new and returning stars and talk a good game for the upcoming season. Here are some interesting quotes from the TCS dog and pony show:
"No one is ever really ‘fired’ in Hollywood, and no show is ever really canceled. You can pick whatever trade euphemism you want. I ‘segued,’ I want to ‘explore other opportunities,’ I wanted to ‘spend more time with my family’ – which I did for three days. All I can say is it ended up being very equitable."--Kevin Reilly, former NBC Entertainment chief now head of entertainment at rival Fox, about his departure from the Peacock Network.
“Obviously we respect our peers tremendously. I think it’s a shame ('Gilmore Girls') Lauren Graham and ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ were never nominated. … For the (18- to 34-year-old) audience that we’re trying to track, the Emmy nominations honestly would not make a big difference in terms of viewers.”--The CW's president Dawn Ostroff, on why her network received only one Emmy nomination this season.
"'Viva (Laughlin') is not a musical. We're a dramatic television show-with music"--Producer Bob Lowry on the CBS version of the UK series "Viva Blackpool," set to debut this fall.
“(Mandy Patinkin) came to us and asked to be released from ('Criminal Minds'), and we were able to accommodate that request. It’s a personal issue. The show is accommodating his needs. I can only hope in the very near future Mandy will be able to answer those questions.”--CBS Entertainment Chief Nina Tassler on Patinkin's sudden departure from the network's hit crime drama.
“We believe in second chances. When somebody does something wrong and you have a systemic problem, the best way to change that problem is not by casting them outside the system. It's by allowing them to make amends. So rather than excommunicate somebody, we felt it was better to give him a second chance.”--"Bionic Woman" executive producer Jason Smilovic, on why he and NBC hired Issiah Washington to appear in at least five episodes of the fall drama, after ABC did not not renew his "Grey's Anatomy" contract over a controversial anti-gay slur Washington made about his former costar T.R. Knight.
REVIEW: "MAD MEN" (American Movie Classics): Every once in a while, AMC delves into series programing to prove it is not the network of marginal films from the 1970's through the 90's. (Turner Movie Classics truly deserves to use the "C" word in its title.) This time, AMC is on to something. "Mad Men," its new hour-long drama, focuses on a group of advertising executives in 1960 New York City. (The "Mad" in "Mad Men" not only refers to the state of mind, but Madison Avenue, where most of the nation's big ad agencies have their headquarters.) Created by a former "Sopranos" producer, "Mad Men" engulfs you in the tempo and temperament of an era when (mostly) men ran business, women were seen as sex objects or potential wives and mothers, smoking and drinking were acceptable and bigotry (toward blacks, Jews, gays) was tolerated. These cynical men make large bucks creating slogans for cigarettes, political candidates, and department stores. Anchoring the series is Jon Hamm, who plays creative executive Don Draper, a man who indulges in the excesses of sex (while his wife is blissfully unaware of his activities) but has a mind of his own and some type of moral backbone. The co-workers around him are over aged college fraternity boys, who can't wait for 5:00 PM to come around so they can get plastered and go on the prowl for (fleeting and physical) female companionship. It could have disintegrated into self-absorbed parody, but "Mad Men" beautifully walks a fine line to emerge as an engrossing character study of a bygone era where men were men--and women knew their "roles."
Slowly but surely, cable television is giving the broadcast networks a run for the money in both quality and ratings. In the vernacular of the era, raise "Mad Men" up the flagpole--and salute a top-notch summer drama.
Until next time, happy viewing!