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On Television |
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SNARES A PRIZE |
 CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR ...takes over ABC's "This Week" |
...and other interesting developments on TV
of TheColumnists.com
Nobody asked me but...
• ABC has scored a coup in landing
CNN star Christiane Amanpour to anchor
“This Week,” the network’s Sunday morning public
affairs program starting
in August.
Amanpour, who joined CNN in 1990, is one of the world’s
most recognized -- and honored -- journalists. She has reported
from the world's major conflicts — Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Somalia, Rwanda and the Balkans. Not to mention her sit-downs
with many of the world’s major leaders.
I first became an Amanpour fan during her reports for CNN in
the Persian Gulf War. I was in awe of her knowledge and her ability
to dig out the news in the midst of the chaos of that war. Then
she went on to distinguish herself with her reports during the
war in Bosnia, and in major world conflicts in the years since.
ABC says Amanpour will appear on “other ABC News programs
and platforms to provide international analysis on the issues
of the day, as well as anchor primetime documentaries on international
subjects for the network.”
I hope the network follows through and gives Amanpour exposure
other than on Sunday mornings. With Amanpour, ABC now has the
top three newswomen in the business as she joins Diane Sawyer
and Barbara Walters.
• Yes, sometimes bad news can be good news. Especially when
the good news is that Fox is finally showing the door to “’Til Death.” That should have happened in September 2006, right
after this so-called “comedy” about long-time marrieds
and their interaction with their newly married neighbors premiered.
The show was terrible in 2006 and it hasn’t gotten any better.
I am still trying to find someone who watches it, or at least
watched it once. So far no luck. At least the leads, Brad Garrett
and Joely Fisher, will hopefully move on to something better.
And, believe me, anything would be better than “’Til
Death.” Kudos, though way late, to Fox for this move.
• Isn’t ABC’s “Lost” just great as it winds down its run? I’ve been
a fan since the first episode and, granted, I haven’t had
a clue what was going on most of the time. Polar bears on a tropical
island? A smoke monster? People who are dead, but then they aren’t.
Time shifting. Good guys becoming bad guys. Puzzles, puzzles
and more puzzles, then a few answers, then more puzzles. With
the series ending in May I know many fans are hoping all the
questions raised over the years will be answered. I doubt it
will happen. But that’s OK. The show has been a fun, wild
rollercoaster ride and I will miss it.
• Is “Rome” coming to the big screen? Those rumors about a theatrical
movie based on the HBO series that ran for two seasons on the
cable giant keep resurfacing. I loved the series and I love that
period in world history. The writers, producers and cast did
a fabulous job telling the story of war, greed, love and lust
way, way back when. Recently Kevin McKidd, who starred in the
series as Roman soldier Lucius Vorenus and who currently is starring
in “Grey’s Anatomy,” said he would be on board
for the film. Bruno Heller, who created “Rome” and
is the creator of CBS’ hit
“The Mentalist,” has said in the past he would be interested
in producing a “Rome” movie. Fingers crossed.
• Summer is coming a bit early for Lifetime’s “Army Wives.” The series, focusing on Army wives (and one Army
husband) has, for its first three seasons, been a summer staple
on the network. It’s Lifetime’s highest-rated show
ever, so maybe that’s why it is getting a spring start this
year on April 11.
• ABC’s “Castle”
is a really good show! Once again I was
slow to join the ranks of “Castle” fans. I watched
a few episodes of the series about a mystery writer working with
the NYPD when it debuted last spring, but the show didn’t
grab me. But I took another look when it returned last fall and
it has since become one of my weekly “must sees.” Why?
I’ve always liked Nathan Fillion (“Firefly” and
his brief run on “Desperate Housewives”) and his portrayal
of Richard Castle makes this show. His
Castle is attractive, witty, sometimes too full of himself, but
always dead on when it comes to helping NYPD detective Kate Beckett
(Stana Katic) solve cases. And that hint of romance between the
two leads (a la “Moonlighting’s” early years)
doesn’t hurt!
©2010 by Donna J. Plesh. The photo of Christiane Amanpour is courtesy of CNN. This column first posted March 29, 2010.
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