Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2007 > October > 02
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
10/3: Cavemen review
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you want to bet money on which shows are guaranteed to die before Christmas, place your moulah on “Cavemen.” While movie studios will often shield films from critics they consider dogs or flicks that don’t need reviews (e.g. horror movies, anything starring Pauly Shore), TV studios usually send out most anything, no matter how decrepit. But in this case, ABC didn’t bother with “Cavemen,” at least the one that aired tonight. They did send out a pilot in June that was so abysmally bad that ABC dumped it and started over again. They haven’t even been able to keep the fictional locale straight, moving it from Atlanta to Virginia Beach to Atlanta to San Diego. We in Atlanta should be grateful.
So ultimately, how was the revised “Cavemen”? The humor is less physical, less broad and less tied to black stereotypes than the one nobody will ever have to see. But it’s also not any funnier. Actor John Hurt is gone, too. Lucky bastard. The only notable thing is that it will be a fine time capsule of 2007, with references to text messaging, James Blunt, the Wii game system, panini presses, online passwords, R. Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet,” wikipedia and sudoku. Oh, and they play squash and order biscotti and cafe machiatto. But they face discrimination, too. Someone says “Yabba Dabba Doo” to their face. A real estate agent with a Southern accent who knows Joel and Nick can’t differentiate the two. An employee at a fake Ikea, watching Nick get angry, says, “You’re not going to bite me, are you?”
There are three main cavemen characters: Nick, a writer dating a “sape,” meaning a non-caveman. There’s Joel, the skeptical, cynical date-your-own-kind one (“Crave the cave!” he burbles at one point.). And there’s a new character Andy, who has moved in after breaking up with his girlfriend. In the pilot, they had kind of a doofus caveman character but replacement Andy is smart. In fact, none of them are stupid, as if to prove that cavemen are not truly Neanderthals. Isn’t this the pointless “point” that was already revealed in much wittier fashion in the Geico commercials?
UPDATE: Ratings were better than I expected: 9 million viewers. But the key is how it does the next couple of weeks. If it maintains at least 8 million viewers a week, it will survive. If it drops below 6 million by week three, it’s a goner.
10/2: Larry Wachs has a new job
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This doesn’t like a full-blown, full-time job, but former Regular Guy Larry Wachs just told me he has worked out a deal to do some sort of online-only “Daily Show” satirical news show for the online division of Turner’s “Adult Swim.” It starts online October 12 and will be dubbed “What’s Your Story?” He said he’ll give me more details next week closer to the first air date.
10/2: Casting calls for 35+ models, Supernanny help
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Are you having trouble with your kids and need the help of Jo Frost and ABC’s “Supernanny”?
“Supernanny” casting producers will be interviewing moms and dads on Saturday, October 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Atlanta Parent Magazine’s Family Block Party at Mercer University, Atlanta Campus. Here are directions.. Jo Frost won’t be there, by the way but she’ll be back in Atlanta for the shoot. (She came by about two years ago for a couple of tapings.)
And if you have modeling ambitions and are 35-plus in age, TVLand has a TV show coming up called “She’s Got the Look” with casting calls Wednesday October 3. Supermodel Beverly Johnson and style guru Robert Verdi will be there. The show will air in the spring of 2008. The winner gets a modeling contract with Wilhelmina Models, Inc. For more details, check out TVLand.com.
The locale is Hyatt Regency Atlanta, 265 Peachtree St., starting at 9 a.m.
