The Fall TV Season So Far - Talk Shows

There are a bunch of talk shows on the air right now, mostly because they are cheap to produce. Here's a look at the throng:

Jay Leno - For those of you who read this blog semi-regularly, you know I was among the few who thought the Jay Leno Show started well. I thought the first episode showed promise. Since then, though, I have to be honest and join the throngs who think this was a big mistake. Leno seems defeated and discouraged. The whole enterprise has become tedious and almost unwatchable. There is no wonder the show has lost nearly all its audience. If they want to salvage the show, they need to get an entirely new writing staff, get better guests, and rework the format entirely. (D+)

Conan - Conan has worked out some of the early jitters and seems to have a sense of confidence in his new gig. There have been some good moments, but the show is a pretty big disappointment for me. When he's really clicking, he's great, but those moments are the exception rather than the rule. The trend seems to be in the right direction, though, so I am still hopeful. (B-)

Jimmy Fallon - I must admit I don't stay up that much to watch Fallon like I used to with Conan, but he makes for an affable host and has a nice rapport with his guests. He seems like a good choice for the program and my guess is that he will be there for a long time. (B)

Jimmy Kimmel - Last year, Kimmel seemed to peak, but hasn't been able to hold onto the creative mojo he had going. This isn't a show you look forward to seeing, but one that you might watch if you are channel surfing. It's not bad, but he seems to be trending in the wrong direction. (B-)

Craig Ferguson - I've never watching the show much until this year, but I have to admit that Ferguson may be one of the most talented guys on all of television. He has a sharp mind and a remarkable wit that makes him a joy to watch. If you haven't checked out the show yet, it's worth setting your DVR to record it for a few nights. (B+)

Wanda Sykes - She's a funny person, but her debut was entirely forgettable and wouldn't make you want to watch it again. She seemed scripted and stilted and she lost a lot of her spontaneous humor that should make you glad she has her own show. (C+)

Letterman - Dave started his uptick before his little scandal and since then, he has only done better. He had gotten lazy with his monologues and the character bits were abysmal, but the show has definitely gotten much better in the past half year. (B)

The Fall TV Season So Far - Dramas

This week, I'm going to give my thoughts about how I think some of the top shows are doing early in this season. Today, I'll take a look at five dramas:

House - I am definitely in the minority on this, but I thought the season opener was a dog and the rest of the season has been inconsistent and mediocre by House standards. The better episodes this season have been decent, but nothing special. It feels like a low water mark for the series this year. (C+)

CSI - Any given episode of CSI is better than 80% of feature films. Grissom's departure is felt, but it hasn't hurt the show critically. I love the slow build they are giving to Fishburne's character. There is much more to him to be revealed. It's good to have Jorja Fox back, too. The last two episodes haven't been their strongest, but the show is holding ground. There is room for improvement, but this is still one of the best programs on all of television. (B+)

NCIS - Clearly I am out of the mainstream of opinion for this new show, which has been at the top of the ratings, but I think it's terrible. I like Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J, but the writing and character development on this show is muy stinko. I was willing to give it a try, but I'm not going back. (C-)

V - Yes, we are only one episode in, but I really like this re-visioning of the classic miniseries. The character development was strong right off the bat and the premise is intriguing. The inside word was that this show was in trouble critically, but whatever they've done, they have salvaged it and have a show worth watching every week. (B+)

Flash Forward - I have really mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, there is a great premise and a terrific opener. On the other hand, there are some mighty hammy performances (yes you, Joseph Fiennes!) and some corny dialogue. Entertainment Weekly says the show keeps getting better and better, but I'm not so sure I agree. I think they've had some clunkers recently. Still, I am intrigued and so far, I'm in. (B+)

10 Facts About the Cast of New Moon

The next installment of the Twilight Saga, New Moon, is due out in a couple of weeks and it looks like it will be one of the biggest hits of the year. Here are ten facts about the cast of the movie that you may not know:

New Moon is Robert Pattinson's favorite book of the Twilight series.

Each member of the wolf pack produced papers to authenticate that they were of Native-American descent.

Kristen Stewart's mother is Australian.

Kellan Lutz is highly involved with charitable organizations that serve children and families.

Taylor Lautner is of French, German, Dutch, and Native American descent.

Ashley Greene studied acting at the acclaimed Lee Strasberg Institute.

Taylor Lautner has won many state, national, and international karate competitions.

Edi Gathegi was born in Kenya but grew up in California.

Nikki Reed wrote the script for the movie Thirteen starring Evan Rachel Wood and directed by Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke.

Jackson Rathbone was born in Singapore but grew up in Texas.

Paranormal Activity Smashes Record

The indie phenom Paranormal Activity, a film made for $11,000 in the director's house, now has the distinction of being the film with the highest return on investment of any movie in history. According to The Wrap, the movie has 433,900% return on investment when calculating the film's low budget with the box office sales--and that's not even counting the business over the Halloween weekend.

The previous record holder? The Blair Witch Project, another low budget documentary style creep-fest. That film had a 414,233% return on investment. Using the formula of budget compared to world-wide box office receipts, no other film comes close to these two in rate of return on investment.

Ten Upcoming Movies to Keep Your Eye On

Over the next couple of months, there are a handful of movies that will do relatively well at the box office and another handful that will generate some Oscar attention.
The Men Who Stare at Goats - Clooney, McGregor, Bridges, Spacey. Good early buzz. (Nov. 6)

Precious - Indie film about a pregnant Harlem teen who struggles with a dangerous home life and illiteracy. Oscar buzz for Mo'Nique. (Nov. 6)

New Moon - This second in the Twilight series will be even bigger than the first and looks like a better film. (Nov. 20)

Me and Orson Welles - Zac Efron in his first real dramatic role since becoming a big deal. Still, I would not expect this to do much box office business because of the subject matter. (Nov. 25)

The Princess and the Frog - Disney's return to tradition animation, their first in five years. It's a classic story, but still a gamble. (Nov. 25)

Up in the Air - another film with Oscar buzz for George Clooney. (Dec. 4)

The Lovely Bones - Peter Jackson takes on the Alice Sebold classic. The early previews look amazing. (Dec. 11)

Nine - a musical with Daniel Day-Lewis really?! Really. Also with four other Oscar winning actors and actresses, written by an Oscar winner, and directed by an Oscar nominee. How's that for a pedigree? (Dec. 18)

Avatar - James Cameron returns with this much-hyped film, his first since Titanic in 1997. (Dec. 18)

Sherlock Holmes - Robert Downey Jr. tries to revitalize and re-vision the classic hero. Guy Ritchie directs. (Dec. 25)

And one more...

The Road - The adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy masterpiece has had its release date moved around so many times it's hard to know what's going on. It looks like it may see the light of day in December, but the multiple changes do not bode well for the film.

SNL's November Hosts

The creatively ailing Saturday Night Live has announced their hosts and musical guests for this month. Here's the slate:

Nov. 7 - Taylor Swift will serve as both host and musical guest

Nov. 14 - Mad Men's January Jones (with Black Eyed Peas)

Nov. 21 - (500) Days of Summer's Joseph Gordon-Levitt (with Dave Matthews Band)

The smart money would be on Joseph Gordon-Levitt's show to be the strongest. He is the best choice among these hosts and this will also be the first SNL appearance ever by Dave Matthews, believe it or not.

The show needs a creative jumpstart, so hopefully it will hit its stride again this month.

10 Celebrities Who Have OCD

According to an article by ABC News, there are a number of celebrities who have openly acknowledged having Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Obsessions are repetitive thoughts that you can't get out of your head, while compulsions are repetitive actions that you can't stop doing (hand washing, etc.). While it is not clear if all of these stars have been formally diagnosed, ABC News reports that they have all made statements claiming to have the disorder. Here are ten celebrities with OCD symptoms:

1. Leonardo DiCaprio

2. Cameron Diaz

3. Howard Stern

4. Justin Timberlake

5. Alec Baldwin

6. David Beckham

7. Billy Bob Thornton

8. Jessica Alba

9. Howie Mandel

10. Jennifer Love Hewitt